Well, this is awkward.

So it's been almost two years since the last time I posted here, and really the only thing I can say is...my bad?

Let me catch you up to speed, though. I've finally, finally finished my Bachelor's degree in English Literature, and I'm just as broke now as I was when I was in school. I also applied to graduate school in Japan and was accepted, but because of financial issues I won't be able to go; I'm still a little upset about that. I went to entirely too many concerts last year, including one in which I met quite possibly the love of my life? But that sounds pretty delusional so ignore that part. I also went to Japan and South Korea this past summer, and had the absolute time of my life, and I'm still upset that I'm not there to this day. I tried to get a job teaching English in Japan (which you would think would be easy enough to get considering I have a degree...in English) but got rejected twice, so that's a no go for me right now. All hope isn't lost, though, I suppose; I'm going to try and shoot for a teaching job in South Korea in maybe a year or so, so we'll see what the universe has in store for me then!

At the moment I'm currently in South Florida, but I won't be here for long; unfortunately I have to go back home, again, and indefinitely this time, because my best friend was actually offered a job to teach in Japan with the company that rejected me, so she'll be out of the country, and I'll be all by my lonesome. Which, coincidentally, was what got me started with makeup the first time around, when she went to Japan to study abroad (another opportunity I missed lol). I'm pretty excited for that, if nothing else (things are pretty bad at home); I'm hoping to be able to get back into makeup like I was before I graduated, and maybe make my YouTube channel a little more active as well. But in the meantime, I have a look for you!

My best friend was feeling under the weather, and I was off from work today, so I decided to play in some makeup while she rested. Of course, I've accumulated a lot of products and methods and adopted them into my routine in the last two years, but I wanted to make this one a face of products that I don't use very often, which, of course, was a mistake.

The contour I used (which I had never before opened, funny enough), was too light and therefore looked ashy on my face in the absence of natural sunlight, and the blackened brown shadow that I tried to use in the Laura Mercier Editorial Eyes Palette was congealed or old or something, because it refused to move after I placed it in my crease, which led me to add another black in my crease, which resulted in the glob of black you see above. I was annoyed and embarrassed, and at the same time pleased with the way my overall face looked; if I could just keep my head turned a certain way, the black globs aren't as noticeable. Here come the details! Let me use this post to showcase to you the products I now use; I'll be sure to indicate which ones were the fails scarcely used stuff.

FACE:

Primer:

• HM Mattifying Primer on my T-Zone
• Nicka K New York Ultra Smoothing Makeup Primer

 Concealer:

• Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Deep under the eyes and foundation, over L.A. Girl HD Pro Orange Corrector.
  
• Just so that we're all on the same accord, Tarte is officially cancelled, of course, but I do have a tube of $27 concealer in my possession that I can't return, and therefore will use until it's gone.
• Wet N Wild PhotoFocus Concealer in Dark Cocoa on my mouth and mustache lol, and Medium/Deep Tan on top of the Tarte under my eyes in small amounts

Foundation: CoverGirl Queen Collection All Day Flawless 3-in-1 Foundation in Q825 Golden Honey (Wow, even after two years this hasn't changed)

• *Applied with a fake version of the Farsali Rose Gold Elixir  on my sponge, and enhanced by the Wet N Wild Hello Halo Liquid Highlighter in Go With The Glow

Face Powder: Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Sienna

Under Eye Setting Powder: Maybelline Fit Me! Loose Setting Powder in Deep

BROWS:

Outline: ColourPop Brow Pencil in Black 'n Brown

Filler: E.L.F. Brow Kit in Dark

Browbone Highlight: L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Toffee

 

EYES:

Primer: Milani Eyeshadow Primer, set with the Nicka K New York Duo Contour in NDO08

Shadows:

• Transition: Aria and Tuscany, in the Bad Habit Artistry Palette
• Crease: the blackened brown in the Laura Mercier Editorial Eyes Palette, along with Anarchy, in the Face Candy Wild Palette
• Lid:
• Overall: Frida, topped with Daphne, with just a little of Siren at the outer V, from the Artistry Palette
  
• Lower Lash Line: 
• Aria and Laurel, in the Artistry Palette

 

Eyeliner: Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner in Trooper
Mascara: L'Oreal Paris Lash Paradise Mascara on the top lashes; Ruby Kisses Very Sexy Mascara on the bottom lashes

CONTOUR:

Nicka K New York Duo Contour in NDO08

HIGHLIGHT:

Tan Lines and Nude Beach, in the Bad Habit Oasis Highlight Kit

BLUSH:

IMAN Cosmetics Sheer Finish Bronzer in Afterglow

LIPS:

Nicka K New York Lip Color in Chocolate Cosmos on the very corners of my mouth, topped all over with the ColourPop Ultra Glossy Lip in Weho

Liner: Jordana Easyliner Eyeliner in Coffee Bean

Phew! It's been a while since I've done that, clearly. It's interesting to see what has and hasn't changed in the past two years. My methods and techniques have definitely come a long way, if I do say so myself. It sucks that my first post after such a long hiatus had a flub in the eyeshadow, but we all know I'm not a professional! Regardless, I'll do my absolute best to keep coming back regularly, if you were actually waiting for me to start this up again!

Thank you for coming back, and thank you for reading!

x Ashlan