I...don't have a lot of duochrome eyeshadows.

50+ palettes...a total of thirteen drawers of eyeshadows, and I maybe have two or three duochrome colors, and two of them are damn near identical. How is that even possible?

Why am I even talking about this?

I'm sure that's the question on your mind, so let me answer it for you.

Today's #CreativeSwirls Thursday! (I almost forgot again). Codi came to the group with the reminder about a look, and after a very halfhearted discussion on what theme to do, we decided on a look revolving around a duochrome eyeshadow. I was like, okay, cool, I can do that, and then I sat down at my vanity and realized...

I don't have any damn duochrome eyeshadow. 

There's one color in the 35O palette that can barely pass for a duochrome, and then there's one in the 35T palette, that looks almost exactly like the duochrome in the infamous Comfort Zone palette from Wet 'N Wild; actually, the WNW duochrome looks better. So there wasn't much that I could do in regards to options or this week's theme, which helped with narrowing a color down, but was a little disappointing; I mean, who has this much damn eyeshadow and only two duochrome colors?!

Okay, okay, I'm back. Here's my look for the week:

And here's me giving you some of that old Hollywood/Victorian photograph with the flash dust/sepia finesse realness in the mirror:

A closeup on the eyes:

And a video, featuring King Daddy himself.

I was a little iffy about this look when I finished it, but the pictures didn't come out too bad, if I do say so myself. Alright, here goes!

FACE:

Primer:

• L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base Primer on my cheeks
• I forgot to prime my face, y'all

 Concealer:

• Mouth: L.A. Girl HD Pro Orange Corrector with the L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Toffee under the foundation, and L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Toffee over the foundation
• Nose, Chin, and Uneven Skintone on Cheeks: L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Toffee
• Under Eye: L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Toffee

Foundation: CoverGirl Queen Collection All Day Flawless 3-in-1 Foundation in Q825 Golden Honey

Face Powder: Black Radiance Pressed Powder in Golden Cashews

Bronzing Powder: Black Radiance Pressed Powder in Warm Hazelnut

Setting Powder: Black Opal Deluxe Finishing Powder in Neutral Light

 

BROWS:

Filler: ColourPop Brow Pencil in Black 'n Brown

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

 

EYES:

Primer: LORAC Behind The Scenes Eye Primer

Base: The Sculpt powder in the Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette in Medium to Dark

Shadows:

• Transition: Burnt and Olden, in the Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette
• Crease: Earth, in the Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette
• Lid:
• Overall: #8, in the Wet 'N Wild Color Icon Comfort Zone Palette
  
• Inner Corner: #7, in the BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Palette
• Lower Lash Line (Gradient from Outer to Inner): 
• Olden and Earth, in the Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette
• and #7, in the BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Palette

Eyeliner:  

• Wing: Wet 'N Wild ProLine Graphic Marker Liner
• Top Lid: NYC Big Bold & Precise Eye Liner 

Mascara: L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara on the top lashes; Ruby Kisses Very Sexy Mascara on the bottom lashes

 

CONTOUR:

Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette in Medium to Dark

 

HIGHLIGHT:

Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Bronzer in Bronzed Fame, with #12, in the BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Palette over top

 

BLUSH:

L.A. Colors Mineral Blush in Spiced Rum

 
LIPS:

Lipstick: Ruby Kisses Creamlicious Triple Butter Matte Cream in Aren't U Jealous? (so. fucking. COMFORTABLE.)

Liner: Smashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner in Nude Dark

 

Success! To me, at least. I'm so obsessed with those matte creams from RK that I'm going to have to go scour the city for more of them in flattering colors, and kudos to Wet 'N Wild for coming through with the quality yet again. Okay, I have a few hours before I need to shut it down for the night, so I'm gonna go make use of them! Good night!

x Ashlan

Today is a glorious day.

Why, you ask? Because King Daddy dropped his album.

I'm not going to go into all of the details about King Daddy, because honestly I just don't want to share him, but what I will say that Jonghyun Kim is the best living singer gracing this planet (aside from EXO's Chen), and you can fight me on it. I will fight you, I'm not lying. Fight me.

I literally threw my money at him, and I have been listening to this album almost nonstop since about 11 this morning; I'm playing it right now, actually, and I regret nothing. I'll probably play it again.

Because that album put me in such a good mood, I decided to do a look for you guys. Well, not a complete look, but I did some eyes for you, and it was an inspiration/recreation based off of this look right here:

 Photo and look by @colorpunch

It's pretty, right? I thought so, too. I also thought that it was one hell of a challenge, so naturally I accepted it, and here's what I came up with:

Here's a couple of comparison shots for you:

And a look like this just has to have a video to go with it, so here you go.

I didn't have that much of a challenge with this, honestly. It was relatively easy to find these colors in my collection, and it was simple enough to apply, but still fun. I had the biggest trouble with not overdoing the transition color, because it's hard to make blue eyeshadow work on Black women, so I had to do my best to keep it from looking muddy because of my base color. I feel like it looks quite similar to the inspiration, aside from the fact that we have completely different eye shapes, and lighting/and camera,s and she's using Sugarpill and I'm strictly drugstore. Well, drugstore, a little ColourPop, and the Take Me To Brazil palette.

-record scratches-

I know, right?! I kept it, and I actually used it again, and it actually wasn't as difficult! I've noticed that this palette works best when you need the colors with a fluffy brush; when you need to pack it on, that's when it starts to show out. Anyway, I've talked way too much; here's the details!

BROWS:

Filler: L'Oreal Paris Brow Stylist Definer in Dark Brunette

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

 

EYES:

Primer: LORAC Behind the Scenes Eye Primer

Base: The Sculpt powder in the Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette in Medium to Dark

Shadows:

• Transition: Burnt, in the Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette, followed by Olden in the same palette, and then #6, in the BH Cosmetics Take Me To Brazil palette to start the blue
• Crease: #7, in the Wet 'N Wild Limited Edition Boardwalk Boozing Palette
• Lid:
• Overall:  #15, in the Morphe 35U Palette, with a little of the ColourPop Super Shock Eyeshadow in Ibiza on top at the center of the lid
• Outer Third: the ColourPop Super Shock Eyeshadow in Coconut
• Outer V: #7, in the Wet 'N Wild Limited Edition Boardwalk Boozing Palette
• Inner Corner: Ice Cloud, in the Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Palette, diffused a little with the Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow in Bella Chiffon
• Lower Lash Line:
• #4 in the BH Cosmetics Take Me To Brazil Palette, with #18 in the same palette closer to the water line
• Greenwich Village, in my Ruby Kisses Luxe Colour Customizable Palette towards the inner corner

Mascara: L'Oreal Paris Butterfly Intenza Midnight Black Mascara on the top lashes; Ruby Kisses Very Sexy Mascara on the bottom lashes

I was so pleased with the outcome! It was just enough of a challenge for me, and I'm glad that it came out well, to commemorate such an awesome album dropping today. Alright, it's time for me to find something to eat and get back to writing. Have a good night!

x Ashlan

A look with no eyes?!?

Okay, that's a lie.

There's never gonna be a look from me with no eyes, clearly; that's not even a look. But, whenever there's a look I do that does not involve the eyes as the main focus, then it's basically a look with no eyes in my book, because I'm an eyeshadow whore. And the look I have for you today is one of those looks! This past Thursday rolled around (yes, I did it on Thursday; yes, I'm just now putting up the blog post; no, I don't need your side eye) and with it came another #CreativeSwirls Collab, featuring Miss Codi and Miss Jameliz (I keep wanting to call her Jamie; I call her Jamie in my head - don't tell anybody). Okay, so the previous collab we did involved yellow eyeshadow, and this week's theme was a bold lip; no specific color, just as long as it popped on your face. So when you have a concept like that, you can't break out 17 eyeshadow palettes to use on your eyes, because that defeats the purpose of a bold lip collab! This is why I had no eyes. But a bitch's face was beat regardless (you know, if I do say so myself).

Here's me finessing in the mirror:

And there's no closeup on the eyes today, because, what eyes? There are none.

I felt myself so much that I put a wig on, y'all. Like, it looked good with my little raggedy flat twists, but I just had to up the ante with some wet and wavy, you feel me? I really don't have much more to say; onto the details!

FACE:

Primer:

• L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base Primer on my cheeks
• E.L.F. Mineral Infused Primer on the rest of my face

 Concealer:

• Mouth: L.A. Girl HD Pro Orange Corrector with the Ruby Kisses Pure Mineral Concealer  in Chocolate Brown under the foundation, and L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Fawn over the foundation
• Nose, Chin, and Uneven Skintone on Cheeks: Ruby Kisses Pure Mineral Concealer in Chocolate Brown
• Under Eye: L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Fawn; Ruby Kisses Pure Mineral Concealer in Chocolate Brown

Foundation: Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation in 340 Cappuccino

Face Powder: Black Radiance Pressed Powder in Golden Cashews

Bronzing Powder: Black Radiance Pressed Powder in Warm Hazelnut

Setting Powder: Black Opal Deluxe Finishing Powder in Neutral Light

BROWS:

Filler: L'Oreal Paris Brow Stylist Definer in Dark Brunette

Browbone Highlight: L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Fawn
Brow Gel: Milani Brow Shaping Gel

 

EYES:

Primer: LORAC Behind The Scenes Eye Primer

Base: The Sculpt powder in the Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette in Medium to Dark

Shadows:

• Transition: Olden, in the Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette
• Crease: Earth, in the Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette
• Lid: Burnt, in the Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette
• Inner Corner: E.L.F. Long Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Toast
• Lower Lash Line: Olden and Earth, in the Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette

Eyeliner:

• Wing: Wet 'N Wild ProLine Graphic Marker Liner, with some help from the Wet 'N Wild Felt Tip Eyeliner, because for some reason I forgot how to makeup.
• Top Lid: NYC Big Bold & Precise Liner

Mascara: L'Oreal Paris Butterfly Intenza Midnight Black Mascara on the top lashes; Ruby Kisses Very Sexy Mascara on the bottom lashes

CONTOUR:

Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette in Medium to Dark

HIGHLIGHT:

Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Bronzer in Bronzed Fame, with the Wet 'N Wild Megaglo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals over top

BLUSH:

#4, in the Makeup Revolution Golden Sugar 2 Rose Gold Ultra Blush Palette

LIPS:

Lipstick: Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme in Devotion

Liner: Jordana Cosmetics Easyliner Eyeliner in Coffee Bean

I loved the way that this look came out, even without my usual excessive ass eyes. The only thing I noticed is that I couldn't keep the color opaque on my bottom lip to save my life! I don't know what's going on with my lip these days, but it needs to get its life together, 'cause I'm not having it. Ah! Check out the homies:

Photos by @louloulovesbeauty

 Photos by @jamzbeauty

I'm honestly sick of both of them.

Alright, that's it! I've got Spanish homework and stories to write in, on my one day off! Later!

x Ashlan