Guest Blogger: Sugar Fix Makeup Step By Step Guide To Red Lip And Winged Liner

My very talented best friend and fellow blogger Ger has kindly done a guest post for all my readers. She is a trained make up artist who runs her own freelance business "Eye Candy Makeup" and she has just started her own blog sugarfixmakeup.blogspot.ie. Go check out her page, she has loads of look, tips and reviews! I love a good strong lip and flicked liner, it is my go to look. Here Ger gives you a guide on how to achieve this look yourself. Enjoy :)

Ger rocking the finished look

Step One: Foundation

Moisturize and prime the skin first. I used Bobbi Brown Hydrating face cream and Garniers Perect Blur as my primer. I then applied a light layer of Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish in the shade 2.5. 
I then began contouring my face. To darken the skin I used like a pan-stick formula from UNE in the darkest shade I could find. Its called a BB Cream Bronzer in the shade S05 and I got it in boots. 
To lighten I used a contour cream from MAC pro store that I don't think are available anymore. Maybe use MAC studio sculpt cream in a few shades lighter than your everyday makeup. 

I'm sure you have all seen photo's of how to contour. I used a MAC 130 (smaller than your normal foundation brush)  to apply the darker colour just below my cheekbones down the sides of my nose to make it appear slimmer and on the outer edge of my forehead. Last just a little under my jaw.

Dont be afraid to put a good bit on, it will all be blended in later. The lighter colour is applied under my eyes,  right down to the end of my nose and diagonally to the outer corner of my eye. Fill in this whole area with the light colour. Add another little bit just on your brow bone and a thin line down the center of your nose. Lightly blend the edges so there is no harsh lines on show. Apply dots of Benefit Sun Beam across the tops of your cheeks and lightly pat in with your fingers. Apply a little blush and dust on some translucent powder anywhere that's very shiny like your T zone. (I use LA makeup academy translucent powder) 

Bobbi Brown: My Fave Foundation

Step Two: Eyes and Eybrows

I always do my brows first. I don't have a lot of filling in to do in mine. I just simply use MAC's Eye Brow Crayon in the colour Lingering. Using light strokes, I go along my natural brow and emphasize the arch. Don't go as heavy handed with the pen the closer you are to the inside. They can look quite harsh then. Keep them really defined at the edges and gradually getting slight lighter on the thicker inside. The outer part of the brow should be winged out and slightly down and NOT down and slightly out. Make sense? 
Now for the eyes, I kept it really simple, cover lid with a light cream/nude colour. I used a paint pot in the colour Painterly. I just gave my crease a little definition by blending a small amount of texture into it. For the winged liner I dipped my eye liner brush in Inglot black gel eye liner (this stuff is gooood, stays on so long without smudging) and draw along my lash line, drag the brush out past your lash line and curve slightly up. This part is totally up to you of how far you want it to go out and how thick do you want your flick. I would personally avoid the Amy Winehouse look, keep it simple, always keep the flick pointed at the end. Play around with it for awhile, sometimes it can be a little tricky to get both eyes the same. Just start of small and work your way up to bigger flicks. And to finish off the eyes apply loads of mascara to the top and bottom lashes, I used Rimmel's Scandal Eyes.... but I have to say its not my favourite one I have ever purchased so I am on the lookout for a new aaaammmmaaazing one. Let me know of any recommendations. I also had a applied false lashes but thought it really took away from the look so I took them off for the photos. Less is more here. I have no eye liner on the bottom lash line just keep it simple. 

Inglot Gel Liner

Step 3: The lips 

Whenever in doubt, pout!! Adding some colour to your lips is a quick way to finish off an unfinished look. Woke up late for work, grab your bright lippy and mascara and head out the door. Can be put on in two minutes and you're all done. Try mix your looks up and try different colours. In these photos I lined my lips with a MAC burgundy lip pencil and filled in with MAC's Russian red lipstick.



And that's it, give it a quick spray with fix + spray, Add some loose curls to your hair and you got the look. Here are some Celebs rocking the look. Hope you liked it. 
Ger x

Men's Shirt Look

The latest trend apart from neon that I have been dying to wear is the "Boyfriend" Shirt trend. I have been looking for a nice shirt for a while and finally decided the only place i was going to find one was in the men's department. I got one in Topman to wear for Sunday drinks with friends. A man's shirt doesn't need many extras. Its is more efortless chic! I paired it with blue denims, nude peep toes and gold jewellery to girly the look up. To make it extra feminine I rolled up the sleeves to show some skin :) My hair was looking unkempt from the plait the night before so I kept it that way. Wanted it to have that casual, laid back all over look. Think I am going to buy it in white and check too, this is going to be my go to casual evening look for the summer.

Mars <3

Saturday Night: Casual Chic

Saturday night has arrived. Drinks with friends? A date? What to wear? Well I had a quick look in my wardrobe and thought of two very achievable looks. Using the same blazer, a t-shirt, denims/shorts and you have two easy wear outfits. 

Everyone has a pair of denims in their wardrobe but I am loving the coloured skinnys at the mo! They are a big statement piece. How about shorts? Not willing to get your pins out tonight, or feeling the chill...pop on a pair of tights (i live in them).  These leather look ones I bought last year in Topshop on a buying trip to London. 

There are loads of shorts out at the moment on the hight street. A colour like black is easy to style and wear. My love for t-shirts is clear for all to see...I have loads. Grey and white being my go-to colours. I have this one from Topshop in both the speckled grey and white (i actually have 2 white... shameful). Zara do great basic t's too fyi :) 

My gold lovage continues with this envelope clutch bag from ASOS. Big enough for my purse, iPhone and lippy ;) Pop on a necklace or some gold accessories and you are set to impress. Casual, chic and easy to wear!

                                                   Mars <3

Vampy Lips

Ok so we have all been in this position before....just leaving work in casual attire and you get an invite for some drinks with friends. Agggghhh! Fear not, lippy to the rescue! This is a trick I use to add something to a day time outfit that now has to become a night time outfit. I love, love dark lips as they create a whole new look. A slick of a dark lippy adds a new dimension to your face and surprisingly an outfit. The one you will find in my handbag, I have three, is Revlon ColourBurst in Plum. I swear buy it and can be bought in Boots. Psssttt....I hear Jessica Alba is a huge fan of this one too ;)

Mars <3

Jessica Alba.....Actual lippy

Vampy Lips at their best

Wearing my fave lipstick...in the kitchen...as you do!

Undone Bun

Hair crush of the day...."Undone Bun". Buns have been a trend for a while and one that I love! They are back in a big way in as a modern "undone" style bun. Personally I adore the messy bun scrapped right to the top of the crown, but it can be worn loose at the back or to the side. I think I will rock one of the high top, messy buns myself this week.


Mars <3