Petrilude 'Color Splash' Inspired FOTD

I rewatched a few of Josh/Petrilude youtube tutorials yesterday and had to copy this look. The colours are so gorgeous together, right? The products I used varied a little bit from the original so I'll post those in detail below. I hope you enjoy looking at my face because you'll be seeing a lot of it if you scroll down.

Not Another Apologetic Post

Yes... yes it is. Hi there. I am a terrible blogger. It's not that I'm not looking into, wearing and working with make-up all the time, it just seems I am a sucky regular-blogpost writer. Phew, got that bit out of the way (again). Not really been in the mood and that, sorry. Now onto the post...
I've worn purple smokey eyes and false lashes for two Saturday's running at work, as you can see above. Although last Saturday (which I did not photograph) it was not by my own choosing; we had a look to wear on counter and... it turned out to be Young Punk MES as a smokey eye. D'oh.

Looking to break this cycle...

...more creatively than this tomorrow - what I wore on Sunday. This is the lazy Sunday face. It included Prolongwear foundation NC15 and concealer NC20, Prolongwear lipcreme in Red Dwarf, Posey cremeblend blush, Opulash mascara and Stud eyebrow pencil.

Today... I had a play around. It's messy, I know. But it was very fun!

A couple of Spring looks (cliche greens)

 Scary face!

I had intended this first look to have rounded eyeliner, but I can't stop myself, I always add a big flick. Rounded liner makes my eyes look really small and wee. So yeah, while I think it suits me this way, it'd be useful to get better at different liner shapes on myself and others. If anyone has advice, feel free to leave a comment.

Soft Ochre paint pot as my base.
Sassy Grass and an Inglot (slightly lighter) matte green under the eye, Inglot green AMC gel liner on the waterline.
Lid is Cloudy Afternoon mineralize eyeshadow from the MAC Naturally collection over Eyeko Satin Taupe fat pencil (it worked quite well as a sticky base).
Crease and brow/inner corner highlight were Naked and Virgin from the Urban Decay Naked palette.
Lips are MAC Perfect Day amplified cream lipstick (also from Naturally collection).
I used MAC Superslick liquid liner in On the Hunt (black) and Bad Bad Black Opulash mascara.
Brows are A La Carte brow ink (darkest one) from the (November?) Carmine box.
Skin was Studio Sculpt concealer NC15 and MSF Natural in Light Plus.
Blush is MAC Harmony and The Balm Frat Boy.
(I know, I don't suit nude lips. Wanted to try it though. At least it's an amplified - my favourite finish, along with mattes).

Yesterday for work I tried to have a blue take on Lana Del Rey's hair using my Babyliss rollers. (ps. I think her hair is the best bit of her entire being). The make-up went a bit more dramatic than I meant it to, but I had time on my hands and well... meh.

I used Soft Ochre paint pot, Shimmermoss eyeshadow on the lid and a mixture of Print and Copperplate eyeshadows in the crease. Brule to blend and under the brow.
Loads of liquid liner, tightlined etc. Loads of Opulash!
Brows are Embark and Copperplate (a mixture). I've been enjoying brown brows the past few days, they match my eyes if not my hair.
Skin is Prolongwear foundation and concealer (both in NC20) and MSF Natural in Light Plus to set. Harmony to contour and Dollymix blush.
Lips were a dab of Red Dwarf prolongwear lipcreme (as a stain) and Japanese Spring cremesheen glass for a bit of shine.

Nails at the minute are MAC Blueblood.

Sad times - my snapped thumb nail finally gave in and came away completely this morning when I was getting dry from my shower. I had been holding it on by using lots of base coat, but it had cracked weeks ago. Now it's a little nub because my nails beds are really short and so if they snap off or are cut down to the shortest length they're really little and square. Sometimes they get so dry and brittle. Not sure if it's the nail polish drying them out or my diet or what. Again, any advice... help a woman out!?

Ruth x

Bird of Paradise FOTD

This reminded me of a bird of paradise flower when I was finished with all it's craziness, so that's what I'm calling it, something bright and cheery to ring in the New Year. This is the sort of make-up I don't have the time to do for work (plus I'm scared co-workers would laugh at me or something! And the products aren't all MAC!)
Product list and more photos under the cut.

In the sunlight (I liked the shadows the lashes made).

Adventure Time Inspired Series - Susan Strong

 Susan Strong lives with the Hyoomen tribe underground. They all have gills and can swim underwater easily but she does not. Perhaps she is human! Like Jake, she has blonde hair but rarely (or never) removes her cat-shaped hat. Jake named her Susan when she mispronounced the word sun on seeing the overground world for the first time. She is from Beautopia. Fitting, then, that today's purple eye-look is inspired by her. (The pictures used flash because of poor lighting... what can you do).

GIANT PHOTO DUMP

Four of my favourite work looks so far. Eep. Need to get into a routine of posting. (ps. some of these pictures are VERY posed and silly, but they show the make-up quite well, no?)

Before I got my new 15 palette of MAC shadows, I was faking it with other brands. My brows are Illamasqua Sadist and an Inglot lilac and turquoise blue (I always run a bit of concealer thru my brows to help them adhere and be bright, at the moment Studio Sculpt NW20)  Lid is Old Gold pigment over Urban Decay Baked 24/7 pencil (shhh, it's contraband). Crease colours are Inglot (brown and black glittery ones). I did two little wings of liner, one underneath my lower lashes, and a gold Bodyshop liner inbetween (again, sssh, I had to pretend it was Superslick liquid liner). Lashes are my trusty number 48s. Foundation is Studio Fix Fluid in NW15. I pretty much contour everyday with Harmony blusher. More under the cut.

Turning cousin Lindz into Lady Gaga

My mum is adjusting Gaga's wig.

My dying camera - new hair/haul/FOTD

My camera is still deaded! Today my new charger arrived but without an adapter, not to worry. I have ordered one for about £2 off amazon and should be up and running as usual shortly.

Every so often the battery has a little extra juice in it and I snap a photo like the above (my new hair). I added a purple fringe and extra turquoise on top! This time I used Special Effects dyes in Blue Velvet (already my all time favourite hair dye) underneath and mixed with Virgin Rose (purpley pink) for the fringe. Fishbowl is the layer on top. I have also discovered coconut oil as a pre-bleaching deep-conditioner and it is amazing. It was around £15 for 500ml from Holland and Barrett but I think it will last me a long time, and works out cheaper in the long run (maybe).

Haul and FOTD under cut.

PHOTODUMP - Looks From Last Week

If you don't follow me on twitter you may not know that I lost my camera battery charger just in time for starting my new job. Yeah, it's lame. Here are the last few looks I had on the memory card, from my last week at my old job (which finished on the 23rd Oct... eek! I am behind on posting.)

Two EOTDs and thoughts on The Balm Frat Boy blush.

On the eyes I used UDPP and UD 24/7 liner in Electric as a base with Sugarpill Afterparty on the lid, the blue half of NARS Rated R in the crease, Urban Decay Blackout (matte black) in the outer v and Ace (also from UD 15th Anniversary palette under lower lashes). My blush was The Balm Frat Boy with a pop of MAC Bite of an Apple on the apples of my cheeks.

For more thoughts, click through!

Silver EOTD

I used a Barry M silver glitter I had all but forgotten about with some Urban Decay eyeshadows to create this simple work EOTD. The glitter got all over my cheeks even though I did foundation second. I guess finer cosmetics glitters (like MAC ones) are worth the cost in the fall-out stakes.

Don't worry, I haven't given up my crazy looks, just been busy and preoccupied lately. On my next day off (Monday) I plan on creating and posting another outlandish Adventure Time inspired Face of the Day. Hope you're having a good weekend,

Ruth x

Two work EOTDs and a NOTD

I've been loving my abundance of Urban Decay eyeshadows and their ease of use for nice work looks. Above I used Bust, Missionary and Skimp from the Book of Shadows IV with winged liner. I also added some no-name pink gloss over Illamasqua medium pencil in Bait for a bright pink lip.

Here I finally got around to trying Baked in eyeshadow form over Baked 24/7 eye pencil. It's a warm gold similar to Sugarpill Chromalust in Goldilux, a warmer/more copperish (somehow) than Urban Decay Half-Baked. The gold flecks in Cobra worked really well in the outer corner. I used Blackout and Vanilla from the 15th Anniversary palette to complete the look.

My nails this weekend are MAC Imperial Flower,  I actually used a thin coat of Illamasqua Whack underneath because I was worried about wasting product or having visible nail lines. I picked it up at the Cosmetics Company Outlet store in York yesterday for nearly 1/2 price... Woo! I also got Ming Blue. If they'd had more from that collection I would've bought all of them. I love me some microshimmery glassfleckiness stuff. This is somehwhere between deep orange and tomato red. It's lovely.


Hope you've all had a good week,

Ruth x

'Blue Bus' EOTD

The last ever (or so I heard) Urban Decay Book of Shadows (number IV) is actually my first. It was an impulse purchase while I was buying Morange from MAC on Debenhams.com (because there was 10% off). The liner, mascara and primer swung it for me, as well as the focus of this look - Blue Bus. I am now poor for the rest of the month, as there were three family birthdays to buy for and my hours are down at work. Was it worth it?

Onto the products, more photos, and a mini-review.

Adventure Time Inspired Series - Jake the Dog

Jake the Dog! I have finally decided to base a look on him. He's so cute, probably my favourite dog of all cartoon history. See, Santa's Little Helper is adorable, as is the Tramp etc... but... Jake farts to great comedic effect just like a real dog. He also has stretchy powers, is boyfriend to Lady Rainicorn, and sings pretty well. So here it is - my Jake based eye using Sugarpill Buttercupcake (easily my favourite yellow eyeshadow).

More photos and details if you click below.

Adventure Time Inspired Series - Royal Tart Toter

The Royal Tart Toter used to deliver tarts for Princess Bubblegum's Back-Rubbing Ceremony (above) but has since gone insane, as well as blind and deaf. He is sometimes called the Old Tart Toter, as he no longer totes the tarts and is getting on a bit. Basically, this guy is a crazy gingerbread man. He makes me feel whistful and sad, poor fella. Hence today's FOTD.

Adventure Time Inspired Series - Marceline

Marceline (the Vampire Queen) is a mischievous friend of Finn and Jake. She is over 1000 years old! She can also turn into a bat and a wolf when angry. But don't be scared... she doesn't live off blood alone - she can suck the red out of things instead! Anything red will do. She plays an axe bass guitar (like Gene Simmons) and has a strained relationship with her dad (The Lord of Evil) as he ate her fries and then stole her guitar! She also thinks he just doesn't care enough.

I did this FOTD inspired by Marceline's colours. She wears different outfits all the time, but usually wears red, black, grey and blue. Her skin is very pale grey-blue. I went with white *shrug*. Click to see more!

Two Cyan and Purple EOTDs (one high-end, one low-end) and NOTD

Above is what I am terming the high-end cyan look I did last Saturday. I used NYX jumbo pencil in Milk and MAC pigment in Hi-Def Cyan patted on top. The browns were from the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary palette and I added dramatic liner just because! There ended up being a Sikh wedding at work on the day, so the liner felt kind of appropriate. A little bit Bollywood? (ps did you know Sikhs drink alcohol... a lot? Judging by this wedding anyhow. You live and learn!)

Today I ended up doing another light blue/cyan look using the Sleek Curacao eyeshadow palette - Blue Lagoon, Blue Hawaiian, Singapore Sling and Purple Haze (again using the NYX Jumbo pencil in Milk as a white base to help it pop). I also used the Wet n Wild I'm Feeling Retro palette (the white as inner-corner highlight and the pink for blending). Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Asphyxia was a base for the crease and also Perversion (blackest black pencil liner) was a softer version of my usual black liner. 

More pictures and a NOTD under the cut.

Pastel and Grey Cut-Crease EOTD

 I wore this look for work and was surprised it turned out so well as it took me only 20 minutes in the morning. (Usually I take longer, but I didn't use foundation or liquid liner, I guess... More under the cut.)

Yesterday my nails were the best bit EOTD

I used Illamasqua Blow (baby yellow cream) and Barry M Raspberry (dark raspberry red) nail polishes for this freehanded half moon manicure. It's particularly tricky for me as I have no natural half moons to base it on. As much as I'd love to make it pristine and perfect, using those ring binder, circle-around-the-holepunch, stickers just seems too slooooowww to me. This manicure took me half an hour including filing and removing the previous chipped polish. I used a coat of quick dry topcoat between the cream and red and ontop of the red, making my nails super thickened and claw like. This is a photo from five minutes ago, I have worn this for two days working a busy museum till (I took nearly £4000 in cash and card payments) and as you can see, no visible wear. Bonus.

Eyes under the cut.

Trying to perfect a smokey eye...