How to contour your face like a pro!

Before and after

(the shaded parts are the places where you put contour)

Why do we contour our face?

We contour our face to have our features more defined it's going to help you get that chiseled cheek bone look, a more slimmer nose and all in all a slimmer face. It's really nice to learn how to contour because you can really look at the difference and wonders it does in your face in an instant result rather than having plastic surgery for your face or losing weight. It's basically adding shadows to add more depth in your face. 

"IF IT AIN'T BROKEN DON'T FIX IT CONTOUR THE HELL OUT OF IT."
I heard this line from a beauty guru on YouTube to bad i forgot who she is! But i do love this saying! i mean if you have a flat nose, a big face, huge forehead or a double chin no need for plastic surgery girl! just learn how to contour it! it's gonna save your money and your time! you just have to learn how to actually do it! so this is my post all about and this is gonna be a long post because this technique took me a year to master! i really had difficulties in learning this method so this will be a very detailed post.

How to choose the perfect contour powder:

Choose a contour powder that is darker than your skin you should a buy a face powder that is 3-4 shades darker than your skin or find a matte brown bronzer WITH NO SHIMMERS! always remember that we are actually putiing shadows on our face it will not be natural looking with shimmery or glittery bronzers always use a matte one. Always remember than in contourung your face the less product you use the more better it's gonna look and the more natural will it look so be light handed in applying your contour.

What I use to contour my face:

1. Bahama mama bronzer from beauty bar. I have a review of this product in my blog please click on the link for pictures and a review.

2.  E.L.F. contouring and blush powder. I will post a review of this product soon! I love this duo!

I will be demonstrating you the step by step method by using a face chart that i edited myself then after a real time demonstration on how I contour my sister's face.

When contouring always remeber that it should have a gradient effect for it to look natural the outer part should have the most pigment or darkest while while it gradually gets lighter in the inner part.  

Tutorial

1. Cheeks.

Start your contour darkest from the side of ear and lighter towards the side of your mouth. Blending is the key so the contour would look natural and not harsh. 

2. Jaw.

This is for people who have round faces or a strong jawline this makes your jaw line more slimmer. Always remember to blend your contour under your neck to not have a mask like effect.

3. Forehead.

This is for people who have big foreheads always make sure to blend your contour up your hairline.

3. Nose.

To have a slimmer nose put some contour on the sides of your nose you can use a eyeshadow brush for precision and after add a highlight on the bridge of your nose. 

This technique is quite hard to master but with practice you will be contouring like a pro soon! so practice makes perfect ladies! thank you for reading my post! 

And for my reader who requested this post i hope you learned a lot! thanks for reading! 

enjoy watching the video!

Get ready with me to go to the mall!

My first ever makeup video well it's not the best but i had fun doing this please subscribe to my channel! promise to follow you back! :) 

youtube username: spamelacraves

Thanks for watching!

Palladio face primer review.

Product: Palladio herbal foundation primer 20ml

Where to buy: Beauty Bar

Price: 685.00 php

What is a primer?

Primer is makeup base before putting on your foundation or any makeup. It smoothes out your pores, acts as a barrier between your face and your makeup so you wont be irritated with the makeup you use and it has oil control properties. Most of the main ingredients of a primer is silicone so if you're allergic to it find a primer than isn't silicone based.

Do you really need to use primer?

Yes! I would really recommend using a primer to everyone because you would be amazed on how your face would look more flawless when you apply your makeup and how long your makeup will last the whole day.

Review:

- Makes your makeup last long from 6-10 hrs

- comparable to the Smashbox primer! but cheaper!

- Fills out your pores giving you and easier and smoother application

- does not break me out

- does not make me more oily

- Good nozzle type packaging so you can control how much product you use

- Will last you a long time since you only need a pea sized amount of product in applying your primer.

- No chemical/over powering scents.

- herbal and vitamin enriched cosmetics” brands so it's good for the skin

- Palladio is an animal cruelty free brand so it's not tested on animals

The bad bits:

-Not totally mattifying so don't expect this to control your oily skin all day you will still need to blot your face every 2 hours.

Overall this is my favorite primer because it does the job and I  love that it's a cruelty free brand. I would recommend this product to all my readers who wants their makeup to be flawless and long lasting :)

Thanks for the read! :)

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username: beautycravings

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TheBalm Bahama Mama bronzer review

Product: theBalm Bahama mama bronzer/eyeshadow/contour powder

Where to buy: Beauty Bar

Price: 775.00 php

How it looks upon application

(did my friend's makeup for her graduation and used this bronzer to contour and bronze her face)

Review:

- true brown color not like other bronzers that looks orange

- matte finish which looks more natural than shimmery bronzers

- very pigmented

- ADORABLE PACKAGING and very handy you  can bring it anywhere even using the smallest bag because of the nice packaging.

- doesnt look muddy if applied correctly

- creates the perfect contour and the most natural

- will last you a long time I have mine for months it still has a lot left

- multipurpose since you can use it as a contour powder/bronzer and makes a good eyeshadow

- stays on all day no retouch needed

-does not make me oily

- does not clog my pores or give me breakouts

Swatch

The Bad Bits: 

- This can be easily be outdone since the product is very pigmented so be careful or you'll look muddy..

- The packaging over time gets dirty because the texture of the packaging is made out of paper so if the products gets messy it's hard to remove so be careful.

- PRACTICE. first time I applied thisI didn't love it because it was so pigmented it looked dirty and muddy on me so I learned the best way to apply it is with a gentle hand and less is more just use a tiny amount. 

Thanks for the read! 

Chola inspired makeup.

I did this look I think a year ago just because I was bored and i always wanted to try this look not for everyday look of course! just a look to play around with. I did not go to the usual chola eyebrow look that is thin, drawn eyebrows I opt in keeping my brows the way it was just making it darker. I really had fun doing this look! If you want me to do a tutorial in how I created this look please comment here or leave a message at the chat box :)

Thanks for the view! 

theBalm Hot mama! review

Product: HOT MAMA! theBalm blush/eyeshadow/highliter

Where to buy: Beauty Bar

Price: 775.00 php

How it looks on me

Review:

I'm currently in love with this brand! This is so far my favorite :) the products are reasonably priced,high in quality and has the most beautiful packaging. This blush is one of my favorites it's a pinky peach color with gold sheen on it it's quite similar to nars orgasm but this is way better! I actually don't like the nars orgasm because first time i tried it i looked like a disco ball! and it emphasized my pores so i stayed away from that blush but then i came across this blush and it was like one swatch and i fell it love with it. If you want that beautiful radiant glow I recommend trying this!

The good bits:

- Does not have glitters on it!
- Highly pigmented 
- Multipurpose! can be used as a blush, highlighter and eye shadow.
- Cute packaging with a nice mirror inside
- Because of it's size it will fit even in your smallest bag perfectly.
- Looks great on the skin it gives you a healthy glow.
- Great blush for summer!

The bad bits:

- It can be easily be outdone so be gentle upon application
- It can make you look oily if you put on too much.


Thanks for the read!

4U2 Dream Girl Lovelight BB Powder

Product: 4U2 Dream Girl Love light BB Powder SPF 15 PA++ shade no.2

Where to buy: Available at all leading department stores and Watsons nationwide

Price: 194.00 php

Claims:

- Confidence Builder through all day complexion perfection

- Exclusive formulation for even and natural skin tone

- has oil control 

- has sun protection

How it looks on me

( didn't wear foundation just used a concealer first then powder to set it)

Review:

- This is the first powder I tried that I could literally feel on how much smooth my skin is you know how your face feels when you just put on a primer the smooth velvety feel? that's what you're gonna feel when your using this! 

- Medium coverage

- SUPER CUTE PACKAGING! how can you not love it? it's pink! and the design is just too adorable.

- GOOD OIL CONTROL! I don't know why but this does what exactly a primer would do it mattifies your face and leaving it smooth.

- CHEAP! my all time HG powder is actually the fanny serrano  2 way cake in duchess but this powder right here is HG material too i'm glad i found a cheaper alternative. 

- for girls who has fair skin choose the shade NO. 1 I made a mistake by choosing N0. 2 as my shade and it's a little dark for me. 

Thanks for the read!

Encara BB cream review

Product: Encara BB perfect cover blemish balm

Where to buy: purebeauty serendra, 

or online http://www.facebook.com/makeupbyailaapolo 

Price: 499 php for 50 grams 50% sale from 999 php

Claims:

Sun protection (SPF 20)

Whitening Effect

Pearl Extract, Ginseng Extract

Highly moisturizing

Conceals dark ares

Hypoallergenic

Non comogenic 

 Waterproof , Sweat proof

Swatches:

Review:

- NO WHITE CAST! this is the first BB cream i used that is yellow based and doesn't have a white cast even in pictures so it photographs really well.

- GOOD PACKAGING! The nozzle of the BB cream is good you control how much product you want so no product goes to waste.

- IT'S ON SALE! a good BB cream for only 499 php that's awesome!

- Has a lot of product.

- DOES NOT OXIDIZE!

- BLENDS LIKE A DREAM!

- The finish is demi matte it is a little dewy so you have to set it with powder.

- Lasts me all day it feels light like you're not wearing any makeup at all.

- GOOD COVERAGE! this BB cream is medium to full coverage depending on how you apply it.

- Did not break me out and did not make many more oily.

- Perfect for girls with dry but still ideal for girls who are oily.

Me using the BB cream :)

My skin tone reference: nc20 -nc25 on mac and sand beige on Revlon colorstay foundation.

Over all this a good BB cream i would highly recommend you to use this and tell me what you think about the product because i definitely love this! Thank for the read! :) 

F.O.T.D. (first ever)

I have always wanted to do makeup for those people who have beautiful tanned/bronzed skin I've been always been envious of their skin color because it's so beautiful and flattering . My friend from way back volunteered to make her makeup done by me so i was really excited about it.

I am very happy with result of the makeover she looked gorgeous and she even told me that this is the first time that she had her makeup done that she actually loved it so mission success!

My favorite brushes for the face.

These brushes are from landmark! can you believe it? and it didn't cost me more than 200 php! They are cheaper than marrionaud brushes but from my experience i prefer the ones at landmark. I just love the quality of these brushes and they almost have all of the brushes you need from face to eye shadow brushes and many more. I got these brushes from landmark Makati. They also frequently update their products and their products do go out of stock so if you happen to see one of these still available i suggest you go try it :)

1) Flat top brush.

This brush looks like the sigma flat top kabuki F80 brush and can may be a dupe for it not yet sure about that because i haven't tried the sigma brush yet but a dupe or not I AM IN LOVE WITH THE BRUSH!

The bristles are very dense and soft and remains that way. I had this brush for about 4 months now and it still performs and feels brand new! :) I have another one for back up this is how much i love it!

WHAT I LOVE:

- blends foundation well and you can use it with every type of foundation you have.

- It gives you that airbrushed effect that i have never experience using other brushes

- VERY AFFORDABLE

- I have washed this brush more than 30 times it doesn't shed

- ALL AROUND BRUSH when i travel i just bring this brush for my foundation. powder, blush and for contour.

WHAT I DON'T LOVE:

-This is one of the don'ts off all the brushes from landmark is it's availability because they do get out of stock fast!

2) Angled Top Kabuki brush

This brush also looks like the Sigma Angled Top Kabuki F 84 brush it looks like an exact dupe of it. It's also like the marionnaud angled brush but better and cheaper! I love this brush because it is perfect for applying blush and contouring your face and it can also be used for foundation and powder application. I personally use this for my blush and for setting my foundation with powder and it does a great job.

WHAT I LOVE:

- makes your blush application an ease and looks absolutely flawless

- doesn't shed i had this as long as i had the flat top brush

-remains soft after several washing

- When washed properly there would not be any makeup stains

- the bristles are dense

- all around brush

WHAT I DON'T LOVE:

- Availability of the product

-this brush is too big for creating a strong contour for your cheek bones you will need a certain technique to be able to do that.

3) Retractable kabuki brush.

This is just a simple kabuki brush but I can never go out without this brush in my bag. I use this to retouch my makeup. This is very convenient and it serves it purposes well.

WHAT I LOVE:

- The bristles of the brush are dense and soft.

- doesn't shed or bleed.

- it is easy to clean and dries up fast.

- the fact that its retractable!

WHAT I DON'T LOVE:

- Availability of the product

-The packaging it is a little big for my liking i prefer it to be smaller.

This brush is perfect for contour because it fits the frame of my face well comparing to the flat top angled kabuki brush that is bigger. I love this brush because i prefer my contour brush not to be too dense so the product will not be too pigmented when applied.

WHAT I LOVE:

- The brush doesn't shed and bristles are soft

- does a great job in contouring the face and having that chiseled J-Lo look ;)

WHAT I DON'T LOVE:

- NONE

Thanks for the read!

Jason Aloe Vera 98% Moisturizing Gel review.

Product: Jason Aloe Vera 98% Moisturizing Gel
Where to buy :Healthy Options
Price: 280-300 php (can't remember the exact price) for 4 oz.

what is Aloe Vera?

it’s a medicinal herb which has benefited mankind for over 4,000 years. Aloe vera grows in arid climates and is widely distributed in Africa, India, Nepal and other arid areas. It has several special properties which will be further explained in this post. You see it mostly on shampoos, soaps etc. We cant buy aloe vera here in the philippines but the closest thing that we can buy is aloe vera gel.

what are the benefits?

• Aloe vera contains chemicals such as cinnamic acid, salicylic acid, and lupeol.
• Soothes the skin
• kills bacteria.
• It helps in the healing and preventing of pimples of if you are acne prone.
• Helps cuts, bruises and burns heal faster
• Minimizes scarring
• Relieves heat on the skin caused by sunburn
• Relieves inflammation and redness
• Soothes itching and helps restore skin's natural beauty
• Nourishes the skin and tissues with body-loving nutrients such as vitamin E and C

Review:
I LOVE THIS PRODUCT! this is my go to product whenever I'm having a bad skin day. It is great for oily people because it mattifies the face and can act as a primer because it leaves your face smooth and mattified. I noticed a big change in my skin when i used this product i had less breakouts. The product soothes inflammation when i have pimples and it dries up the pimple quickly. I use this also for when i just popped a zit i slather this around it and it just makes it less inflamed and because it is antibacterial it heals up faster. It's just amazing what this can do especially that it is organic and has lots of benefits for the skin ! I recommend this product if you're skin is oily and acne prone.