Dear World of Beauty,
Hi! It's Lacey! Remember me?! I'm just writing to let you know I will be apart of you again at long last!!!
After taking time off to build a career, travel the world and get engaged to the love of my life, I have decided to start making videos and posting blogs again!
It may be awhile before I can get a tutorial up, but I promise it's coming soon!
Stay tuned!
Lacey
Makeup by Lacey!
A blog about my love of Makeup, a little about my life, and everything in between!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Update
Hey there lovely ladies,
Wow. It has been a looooong time since I blogged. I have been so friggin' busy it makes my head spin to think about it. My business has been steadily picking up since you heard from me last and I couldn't be happier. Ever since I returned from New York I have been doing my best to implement the rules, advice, and tips I received there and thankfully it has lead to an incline in jobs and...ahem...dollars in my bank account! I haven't had time to blog or make new makeup tutorials in so long and while on hand it makes me happy that I have more business, I also do miss it and find myself thinking about new videos I want to make or blog posts I want to write. I am doing my best to balance everything, but I can't promise that blogging or vlogging will be a regular thing for me as much as it was.
To give a quick update, I am working with a wonderful photographer in Austin who has given me so much on-the-job knowledge. I also continue to work with brides and their parties on a regular basis. My hope is that in the coming year I will be able to rent a little studio to work from so I can maybe cut down on driving time. My mother has also started working with me as my assistant and I couldn't be happier. She handles the business side more so I can concentrate on the creative part of my job. I also have come to find that people really enjoy our Mother/Daughter dynamic and it makes for fun times and helps clients relax and have fun!
So anyways that's all for now. Just wanted to keep in touch with the blogging world. I have to be up early in the morning for a doctor's appointment, so I will bid thee adieu.
Lots of Love,
Lacey
Wow. It has been a looooong time since I blogged. I have been so friggin' busy it makes my head spin to think about it. My business has been steadily picking up since you heard from me last and I couldn't be happier. Ever since I returned from New York I have been doing my best to implement the rules, advice, and tips I received there and thankfully it has lead to an incline in jobs and...ahem...dollars in my bank account! I haven't had time to blog or make new makeup tutorials in so long and while on hand it makes me happy that I have more business, I also do miss it and find myself thinking about new videos I want to make or blog posts I want to write. I am doing my best to balance everything, but I can't promise that blogging or vlogging will be a regular thing for me as much as it was.
To give a quick update, I am working with a wonderful photographer in Austin who has given me so much on-the-job knowledge. I also continue to work with brides and their parties on a regular basis. My hope is that in the coming year I will be able to rent a little studio to work from so I can maybe cut down on driving time. My mother has also started working with me as my assistant and I couldn't be happier. She handles the business side more so I can concentrate on the creative part of my job. I also have come to find that people really enjoy our Mother/Daughter dynamic and it makes for fun times and helps clients relax and have fun!
So anyways that's all for now. Just wanted to keep in touch with the blogging world. I have to be up early in the morning for a doctor's appointment, so I will bid thee adieu.
Lots of Love,
Lacey
Friday, September 30, 2011
It's a wonderful town!
Hi Everyone,
Well I made it through class and my NYC vacation and am now back in the Lone Star state! It was an amazing time! I learned so much in my class, got to see a Broadway show every night and I got to meet some awesome people (& performers)! I will quickly go through all of it because there is a lot!
My class was amazing! I had such a great time and really gained a lot of confidence in myself as a make up artist. I discovered that I have been doing right all along with the way I approach make up (Less is more). Turns out it's how my instructor and guest instructors all approach make up. They are all extremely successful and great at what they do, so I will continue to do things the way that I feel is right (not what others think). My instructors all have some pretty incredible clients between them. Glamour, Playboy, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Avon, Saturday Night Live just to name a few and don't forget all about all the celebrities too! I'm not name dropping, I'm seriously impressed! When you come from a small town, New york and all of it's glitz seem so far away. But then you're dropped in right in the mix of things and your not quite sure how you got there. I'm just happy to have had the opportunity.
At the end of the week I got to have my own photo shoot and work with the most amazing photographer (and genuinely nice person), Gen Nishino.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcNzwdE2eoO2LYJ5cIyRsdOuXVs6ifa6nnZsU_UReX8ZpJvXK9n_iTCJQzmzFYiuc3FYRdsHVAHrz0hxkgKSvio3j7Ih0_l_CbrI-CWUuphWmt2SWCpAylTcY-_-7UwdlkNNlywJxDMo/s320/DSC04919.JPG)
He's so experienced and professional, but he has a way of making everyone around him feel at ease. He directed me on what to do and what to expect. I caught right on and we worked very well together. Did I mention he's hilarious? My model Bec was also such a pleasure to work with (and gorgeous hello?!).![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfbNrf29TePIqZ1nQ0I1v-hFykH0xPPzm3DnzyVDiK6kXCBF1v7Z5XG71i7io8Lp2NN-BNQ4wr5xvsQ8C-TKwFPNYm-_ECePaYg4CozRyuycNdLYMLlU84eVLCOxn00CXDhHtvm-UdAA/s320/DSC04926.jpg)
I really clicked with her and Gen and we had a great time. I was so nervous, but when I saw the images of coming up on the screen, I couldn't believe it was my work. It looked so good (not bragging)! I was so worried that my model wouldn't be nice or would hate the makeup, but Bec was great! She is also a make up artist, so we bounced ideas and learned some new things from each other. One of the girls in the class asked if Bec was my sister. I said no that I had just met her an hour ago. The girl laughed and said we acted as if we had known each other for years! I honestly think that helped make the photos come out so great. I have to say the three of us made a pretty stellar team! I hope to one day get to work with both of them again.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXV1L8CsarStKb2_-zCu08wCLbfF9cbx4RTgjS5-VEcESQqUc0HxV4ZgPvc3LlAvMnB5XSRIE_EholdWv4RwxscWb_nE7yjwQrnWbJ2MNpLFiLt_u_fKDsb8YjnWFWnR-5CuyJEA5-0AU/s320/DSC04921.JPG)
That's all for now. I will write soon about all the Broadways shows I got to see and, the new love of my life, and my brief encounter with Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter)!
Stay fab!!
xoxo, Lacey
Well I made it through class and my NYC vacation and am now back in the Lone Star state! It was an amazing time! I learned so much in my class, got to see a Broadway show every night and I got to meet some awesome people (& performers)! I will quickly go through all of it because there is a lot!
My class was amazing! I had such a great time and really gained a lot of confidence in myself as a make up artist. I discovered that I have been doing right all along with the way I approach make up (Less is more). Turns out it's how my instructor and guest instructors all approach make up. They are all extremely successful and great at what they do, so I will continue to do things the way that I feel is right (not what others think). My instructors all have some pretty incredible clients between them. Glamour, Playboy, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Avon, Saturday Night Live just to name a few and don't forget all about all the celebrities too! I'm not name dropping, I'm seriously impressed! When you come from a small town, New york and all of it's glitz seem so far away. But then you're dropped in right in the mix of things and your not quite sure how you got there. I'm just happy to have had the opportunity.
At the end of the week I got to have my own photo shoot and work with the most amazing photographer (and genuinely nice person), Gen Nishino.
He's so experienced and professional, but he has a way of making everyone around him feel at ease. He directed me on what to do and what to expect. I caught right on and we worked very well together. Did I mention he's hilarious? My model Bec was also such a pleasure to work with (and gorgeous hello?!).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfbNrf29TePIqZ1nQ0I1v-hFykH0xPPzm3DnzyVDiK6kXCBF1v7Z5XG71i7io8Lp2NN-BNQ4wr5xvsQ8C-TKwFPNYm-_ECePaYg4CozRyuycNdLYMLlU84eVLCOxn00CXDhHtvm-UdAA/s320/DSC04926.jpg)
I really clicked with her and Gen and we had a great time. I was so nervous, but when I saw the images of coming up on the screen, I couldn't believe it was my work. It looked so good (not bragging)! I was so worried that my model wouldn't be nice or would hate the makeup, but Bec was great! She is also a make up artist, so we bounced ideas and learned some new things from each other. One of the girls in the class asked if Bec was my sister. I said no that I had just met her an hour ago. The girl laughed and said we acted as if we had known each other for years! I honestly think that helped make the photos come out so great. I have to say the three of us made a pretty stellar team! I hope to one day get to work with both of them again.
That's all for now. I will write soon about all the Broadways shows I got to see and, the new love of my life, and my brief encounter with Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter)!
Stay fab!!
xoxo, Lacey
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Out of the ashes...
Hey Everyone,
See I told you I would blog again soon! This past weekend has been pretty insane actually, so I'm surprised I did. If you don't know, right now in Central Texas we are having horrible wildfires all over the area! The worst one is in Bastrop, TX and has already burned down over 600 homes and claimed four lives. My aunt lost both of her homes in Bastrop and my cousin and her husband lost their house and business in another wildfire. We have only had one minor fire in my area, but my family has all of our most precious belongings packed up and ready to go if we do have to evacuate anytime soon. It's all so very sad, but I thank God everyday minute of the day that my house has not been damaged and that I haven't lost any loved ones. If you are spiritual, please send prayers to Texas right now that we will get rain and that these fires will cease soon. If you aren't, just send positive thoughts. :) You can also donate to the Red Cross to help the victims and also to Austin Pets Alive! to help the animals affected by the fires!
In the midst of all this chaos and tragedy, I have some very exciting news that I almost feel guilty for. A few months ago I decided after being out of school for a couple of years, I needed a refresher course. I started looking for makeup courses and I found several, but unfortunately I do not have 3-12 months or thousands of dollars to attend some of the more advanced schools. After looking for quite some time, I found a great little makeup academy based out of Chicago & New York. The woman that runs the academy has been working in the industry for over 20 years and has worked with countless celebrities and magazines! She offers a lot of courses in both cities, but I decided on a 5-day makeup 101 class in New York from Sept. 19th-23rd.
Don't let the "101" fool you. I will be learning more advanced techniques too, but I think it's really important to re-learn all the of the basics to help yourself go farther in your career. You never stop learning, you never growing. Sometimes you need to put your ego aside and strip yourself down to the core to find your greatness. I will admit I am extremely nervous. It's been a long time since I've been in a class setting and there's the fear that you don't know as much as you think you do. The thing I have to remember is that classes and courses aren't to show what you know, but to learn what you don't.
I am really excited though. My whole family (sans my Nana, who lives with me.) and my boyfriend are coming with me. While I'm in class 8 hours a day, they'll be out sight seeing and then we'll meet in the evening to go see broadway shows! We haven't been to NY in a couple years, but there is so much to do there that we will find brand new things that we didn't get to do last time. I'm especially excited for New York style pizza!!
So I will keep you all up to date on my class and my adventures. We are leaving the 17th and we'll be back on the 24th. I want to try and vlog and blog while I'm up there, but I really doubt I'll have time. Regardless I will try!
If you have any questions or tutorial ideas, just let me know!
As always thank you for reading.
Remember stay fabulous!
xoxo, Lacey
To donate to Red Cross, please visit - http://www.centex.redcross.org
To donate to Austin Pets Alive!, please visit - http://www.austinpetsalive.org
See I told you I would blog again soon! This past weekend has been pretty insane actually, so I'm surprised I did. If you don't know, right now in Central Texas we are having horrible wildfires all over the area! The worst one is in Bastrop, TX and has already burned down over 600 homes and claimed four lives. My aunt lost both of her homes in Bastrop and my cousin and her husband lost their house and business in another wildfire. We have only had one minor fire in my area, but my family has all of our most precious belongings packed up and ready to go if we do have to evacuate anytime soon. It's all so very sad, but I thank God everyday minute of the day that my house has not been damaged and that I haven't lost any loved ones. If you are spiritual, please send prayers to Texas right now that we will get rain and that these fires will cease soon. If you aren't, just send positive thoughts. :) You can also donate to the Red Cross to help the victims and also to Austin Pets Alive! to help the animals affected by the fires!
In the midst of all this chaos and tragedy, I have some very exciting news that I almost feel guilty for. A few months ago I decided after being out of school for a couple of years, I needed a refresher course. I started looking for makeup courses and I found several, but unfortunately I do not have 3-12 months or thousands of dollars to attend some of the more advanced schools. After looking for quite some time, I found a great little makeup academy based out of Chicago & New York. The woman that runs the academy has been working in the industry for over 20 years and has worked with countless celebrities and magazines! She offers a lot of courses in both cities, but I decided on a 5-day makeup 101 class in New York from Sept. 19th-23rd.
Don't let the "101" fool you. I will be learning more advanced techniques too, but I think it's really important to re-learn all the of the basics to help yourself go farther in your career. You never stop learning, you never growing. Sometimes you need to put your ego aside and strip yourself down to the core to find your greatness. I will admit I am extremely nervous. It's been a long time since I've been in a class setting and there's the fear that you don't know as much as you think you do. The thing I have to remember is that classes and courses aren't to show what you know, but to learn what you don't.
I am really excited though. My whole family (sans my Nana, who lives with me.) and my boyfriend are coming with me. While I'm in class 8 hours a day, they'll be out sight seeing and then we'll meet in the evening to go see broadway shows! We haven't been to NY in a couple years, but there is so much to do there that we will find brand new things that we didn't get to do last time. I'm especially excited for New York style pizza!!
So I will keep you all up to date on my class and my adventures. We are leaving the 17th and we'll be back on the 24th. I want to try and vlog and blog while I'm up there, but I really doubt I'll have time. Regardless I will try!
If you have any questions or tutorial ideas, just let me know!
As always thank you for reading.
Remember stay fabulous!
xoxo, Lacey
To donate to Red Cross, please visit - http://www.centex.redcross.org
To donate to Austin Pets Alive!, please visit - http://www.austinpetsalive.org
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
My Favorite Brushes!
Hey Guys & Girls!
So sorry it’s been so long (3 weeks yikes!) since I blogged. End of summer is always a busy time and I have once again taken on a million projects that have not allowed me to blog or post any new videos. I’m going to start putting myself on a blogging and vlogging schedule so I can keep my beauty sites going! This week we are talking about brushes!
One of the most important elements of a good makeup kit is your brushes. Sometimes people forget about these little things because they’re not makeup and until recently, did not come in the most glamorous packaging. But these tools of the trade are a key necessity in learning how to master makeup.
Makeup brushes are made up of fibers and a handle. These fibers can either be synthetic or natural (just so you know that means they are made from the hair of animals, so if you want “cruelty-free brushes” go with synthetic) and the handle is made of wood or plastic. The handle of the brush should be attached to the top part of the brush and the fibers should not be too rough so they do not irritate your skin. Synthetic makeup brushes are easier to clean and last longer than makeup brushes with natural fibers. I have owned both and I can honestly say I really can’t tell the difference between natural and synthetic, so to help our little animal friends I try to buy synthetic now. And always when selecting a makeup brush set, keep in mind the type of fibers and handle used, and always go for the high quality makeup brushes (they’ll last longer and in most cases, apply your makeup much better!).
So what are my favorite brushes?
I have seven brushes that I cannot live without. These are the ones I have in my everyday kit as well my professional kit. My pro and everyday brush sets are not very different actually. Both are from Sephora, one is their professional makeup artist brush set and the other was a special edition pink set that came out last year (I think it’s still available if my memory serves me correctly). They both come with more brushes than the ones I am listing. I am simply listing the ones I use most and that I like the most.
We’ll start with face brushes since the face is your canvas or your starting off point for beautiful makeup.
Stippling Brush:
Stippling brushes are fairly common in the pro makeup world, but not quite as known by everyday makeup users (unless you are a makeup freak, which I assume you are!). There are two levels of brush fibers, one that makes up the normal brush (natural hair unfortunately most of the time) and then the synthetic fibers that extend past the first fibers to allow for more control over the amount of coverage you want. These brushes are amazing for giving flawless, airbrushed coverage without the pricey compressor and air gun. This is my favorite brush of all time!
The way I use it: I dispense my foundation on the back of my hand, then I will dab a little of the foundation onto my face with my finger. Then taking my stippling brush, I will work in circular motions until my face has even coverage all over (using more product if necessary).
Large Powder Brush:
Almost every girl has one right? I love the ones from Sephora because the density and domed-like shape allows you to pick up the right amount of product and apply it evenly over your skin. Whether you’re using pressed or loose, sheer or pigmented, this brush will give a great matte, non-cakey look every time.
The way I use it: Depending on the product, I will either dispense loose powder into the product lid or simply open my pressed powder compact. Then I take my large powder brush and swirl it gently into the powder. After making sure to tap off the excess product, I will softly buff the powder onto my skin in upward motions until I achieve the level of matte I want.
Slanted Blush Brush:
Hello cheekbones! This brush applies blush and other face products perfectly! Can you say contour? This brush makes finding your cheekbones very easy. I normally only use this brush for blush and contour shades, but it also can apply your highlight color. I just prefer to use a smaller brush for that.
The way I use it: I will swirl my blush brush into my chosen blush color, tap off the excess and apply it to my cheeks. I don’t really like the look of blush on the apples of my cheeks, so I normally will just apply to my cheekbones starting near the outer portion. For contouring, I obtain the product the same way as blush, making sure to tap off the excess. Then I find the hollows of my cheeks and apply the shade into the hollows in an upward motion.
Fluffy blending brush:
Traditionally used for eye makeup, I have discovered that this brush makes an excellent concealing brush as well (Thanks PixiWoo!). It is a small, fluffy brush with tapered fibers at the end to blend eye makeup into the crease. Those characteristics are also what make it ideal for concealing. You don’t want to have little light spots on your face where you may a breakout right? This brush will blend the product effortlessly into your foundation. You may be skeptical to try it as a concealer brush, but please do! My guess is you’ll never go back to a regular concealer brush again.
The way I use it: For face, I dab my brush into the concealer (wipe off excess) and buff it onto my problem areas until they are minimized. Easy right? For eyes I swirl my brush into my chosen eye color (tapping off the excess) and then starting in the center of my natural crease, I begin to buff the color softly into my whole crease. I apply a little color at a time and as it builds, I alternate between windshield wiper and buffing motions until I’ve reach my desired outcome.
Now here are my brushes strictly used for eyes.
Pencil brush:
I love doing cut crease looks. It’s probably my favorite eye shadow technique. This brush makes them soooo much easier to achieve. A pencil brush is a tiny little brush that tapers into a point allowing you to create many different looks. I almost exclusively use it for cut creases. It’s also great for smoky eye looks and can be used as a smudgy eyeliner brush.
The way I use it: I obtain my desired eye shadow color with the very tip of my pencil brush (you don’t want color all over your brush when your trying a cut crease look). Then holding the brush like a pencil, I start to make a soft, thin line just above my natural crease following the shape of my eye. I continue doing this until the line has reached the right intensity. Then I blend the color out and up with a fluffy blending brush.
Flat Eye Shadow Shading Brush:
A golden oldie. Everyone has his or her favorite, but I love my sephora one! It’s not listed as a shading brush (it’s actually called a medium shadow brush), but it works! Great for packing eye shadow onto the lid, all over, or along the lower lash line to give the effect desired.
The way I use it: I swirl my shader brush into my desired eye shadow color (tapping off the excess) and then gently pack the color onto my eyelid. I may blend it up to the crease or leave the color concentrated on my lid depending on what I’m doing. The sky’s the limit!
Those are my favorite brushes! They may not work for everyone, so play around and experiment. There are so many brush companies, I have no doubt you will find your “can’t live without” ones!
Thank you all for taking the time to read my blogs. I am planning on writing and posting every Tuesday from now on to keep myself in the beauty mindset. If you want to know about something in particular, let me know in the comments below. I don’t claim to know everything about beauty products, but I love to learn new things. So if I don’t know about something, we can learn about it together!
Stay fabulous!
xoxo, Lacey
So sorry it’s been so long (3 weeks yikes!) since I blogged. End of summer is always a busy time and I have once again taken on a million projects that have not allowed me to blog or post any new videos. I’m going to start putting myself on a blogging and vlogging schedule so I can keep my beauty sites going! This week we are talking about brushes!
One of the most important elements of a good makeup kit is your brushes. Sometimes people forget about these little things because they’re not makeup and until recently, did not come in the most glamorous packaging. But these tools of the trade are a key necessity in learning how to master makeup.
Makeup brushes are made up of fibers and a handle. These fibers can either be synthetic or natural (just so you know that means they are made from the hair of animals, so if you want “cruelty-free brushes” go with synthetic) and the handle is made of wood or plastic. The handle of the brush should be attached to the top part of the brush and the fibers should not be too rough so they do not irritate your skin. Synthetic makeup brushes are easier to clean and last longer than makeup brushes with natural fibers. I have owned both and I can honestly say I really can’t tell the difference between natural and synthetic, so to help our little animal friends I try to buy synthetic now. And always when selecting a makeup brush set, keep in mind the type of fibers and handle used, and always go for the high quality makeup brushes (they’ll last longer and in most cases, apply your makeup much better!).
So what are my favorite brushes?
I have seven brushes that I cannot live without. These are the ones I have in my everyday kit as well my professional kit. My pro and everyday brush sets are not very different actually. Both are from Sephora, one is their professional makeup artist brush set and the other was a special edition pink set that came out last year (I think it’s still available if my memory serves me correctly). They both come with more brushes than the ones I am listing. I am simply listing the ones I use most and that I like the most.
We’ll start with face brushes since the face is your canvas or your starting off point for beautiful makeup.
Stippling Brush:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56HqDCUcY57ZJrkeL4GCiOoGTabBXloSCilrAwufGqRhq8mKm5eBEw71hhcW43nUy-CX_PJ0Uvx7FOUydhDTVPiyjnCmkz-g86za2QZW6qfE7HSByCxtVgsvblv6mDPDUdbjW_aTvzy0/s320/P148005_hero.jpg)
Stippling brushes are fairly common in the pro makeup world, but not quite as known by everyday makeup users (unless you are a makeup freak, which I assume you are!). There are two levels of brush fibers, one that makes up the normal brush (natural hair unfortunately most of the time) and then the synthetic fibers that extend past the first fibers to allow for more control over the amount of coverage you want. These brushes are amazing for giving flawless, airbrushed coverage without the pricey compressor and air gun. This is my favorite brush of all time!
The way I use it: I dispense my foundation on the back of my hand, then I will dab a little of the foundation onto my face with my finger. Then taking my stippling brush, I will work in circular motions until my face has even coverage all over (using more product if necessary).
Large Powder Brush:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMQOh9GnZemdF2hOhT2q5mRJ63sFf9sFS4aDJZcHSF9ge-J43VSbMqu02HF15q5yMOidCsw3mLiSXfD-YmzakKxkmz9Y4i2hrM5bOYYBi2Nu6TyuJfd07tEO-5mYLJjZctvsH-_Z0-TQ/s320/P183725_hero.jpg)
Almost every girl has one right? I love the ones from Sephora because the density and domed-like shape allows you to pick up the right amount of product and apply it evenly over your skin. Whether you’re using pressed or loose, sheer or pigmented, this brush will give a great matte, non-cakey look every time.
The way I use it: Depending on the product, I will either dispense loose powder into the product lid or simply open my pressed powder compact. Then I take my large powder brush and swirl it gently into the powder. After making sure to tap off the excess product, I will softly buff the powder onto my skin in upward motions until I achieve the level of matte I want.
Slanted Blush Brush:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3JodV3yqEFaW3WSzd-m5A7IihTOn06429YSyiqU0yM1sm3aGPedNbmCWwlpxgEgM5905K5a51dd-dhLsRwstzE8fa7ZYYeakaa1P-h1hJTiWhUQbFRyi-V8NIqarfawPkLbD9TIPjTM/s320/P183724_hero.jpg)
Hello cheekbones! This brush applies blush and other face products perfectly! Can you say contour? This brush makes finding your cheekbones very easy. I normally only use this brush for blush and contour shades, but it also can apply your highlight color. I just prefer to use a smaller brush for that.
The way I use it: I will swirl my blush brush into my chosen blush color, tap off the excess and apply it to my cheeks. I don’t really like the look of blush on the apples of my cheeks, so I normally will just apply to my cheekbones starting near the outer portion. For contouring, I obtain the product the same way as blush, making sure to tap off the excess. Then I find the hollows of my cheeks and apply the shade into the hollows in an upward motion.
Fluffy blending brush:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwi1hm7-0C13dBPr_kuGQ4aVno3-j1WwkUa7xydSQA5Vvjtn4m14N6zt5hUTa7sqbliOWW03PDKposWNslu8FegzFuQMWBQB0nJyPNxt4ZzrhYRBB_yTVLNAf-4CdX2s_8kIQP-7izak/s320/P104015_hero.jpg)
Traditionally used for eye makeup, I have discovered that this brush makes an excellent concealing brush as well (Thanks PixiWoo!). It is a small, fluffy brush with tapered fibers at the end to blend eye makeup into the crease. Those characteristics are also what make it ideal for concealing. You don’t want to have little light spots on your face where you may a breakout right? This brush will blend the product effortlessly into your foundation. You may be skeptical to try it as a concealer brush, but please do! My guess is you’ll never go back to a regular concealer brush again.
The way I use it: For face, I dab my brush into the concealer (wipe off excess) and buff it onto my problem areas until they are minimized. Easy right? For eyes I swirl my brush into my chosen eye color (tapping off the excess) and then starting in the center of my natural crease, I begin to buff the color softly into my whole crease. I apply a little color at a time and as it builds, I alternate between windshield wiper and buffing motions until I’ve reach my desired outcome.
Now here are my brushes strictly used for eyes.
Pencil brush:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHW2r8AGUoxmEGGnmzmlX33JqqwsES8uffMp_AqKXYLg4sCUJiSHIXvDGA-fmUqJuZ4ZhtytKWgmvgqy1Uyr5zkbOobKDAJatqto3eiti3IBfcQwzV_liTH3C_JPqksn1xaT-m0Lpa6Q4/s320/P183728_hero.jpg)
I love doing cut crease looks. It’s probably my favorite eye shadow technique. This brush makes them soooo much easier to achieve. A pencil brush is a tiny little brush that tapers into a point allowing you to create many different looks. I almost exclusively use it for cut creases. It’s also great for smoky eye looks and can be used as a smudgy eyeliner brush.
The way I use it: I obtain my desired eye shadow color with the very tip of my pencil brush (you don’t want color all over your brush when your trying a cut crease look). Then holding the brush like a pencil, I start to make a soft, thin line just above my natural crease following the shape of my eye. I continue doing this until the line has reached the right intensity. Then I blend the color out and up with a fluffy blending brush.
Flat Eye Shadow Shading Brush:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVhlRbJrCFgnfUovSDEXykJqYAFbYwuNxKha7anI7jt8MfaT8_osuq0c28La9OSk4rxjO0ClZiSjRkNnRgpTYQtyBIDBihahTPmh_1Bd3YIrGXyd3D7FSloK-LKv4-dCh2N5eabv5boc/s320/P148006_hero.jpg)
A golden oldie. Everyone has his or her favorite, but I love my sephora one! It’s not listed as a shading brush (it’s actually called a medium shadow brush), but it works! Great for packing eye shadow onto the lid, all over, or along the lower lash line to give the effect desired.
The way I use it: I swirl my shader brush into my desired eye shadow color (tapping off the excess) and then gently pack the color onto my eyelid. I may blend it up to the crease or leave the color concentrated on my lid depending on what I’m doing. The sky’s the limit!
Those are my favorite brushes! They may not work for everyone, so play around and experiment. There are so many brush companies, I have no doubt you will find your “can’t live without” ones!
Thank you all for taking the time to read my blogs. I am planning on writing and posting every Tuesday from now on to keep myself in the beauty mindset. If you want to know about something in particular, let me know in the comments below. I don’t claim to know everything about beauty products, but I love to learn new things. So if I don’t know about something, we can learn about it together!
Stay fabulous!
xoxo, Lacey
Friday, August 5, 2011
Barely There No Makeup Tutorial
Hey Everyone,
It's that time of the week again, NEW TUTORIAL! I've been averaging about 1 video every 5 days, so I think I'll stick with that for now, so I make sure all of my videos are up to par.
This week's video is all about very natural makeup. Sometimes a girl doesn't want to look all "made up." Sometimes we want to let our natural beauty be in the spotlight. But if you're like me, you're natural beauty needs a little help (or a lot). I show you how to amp up your skin, brighten your eyes, and make your lips look luscious all with very little effort (yay)! Because if you're going au natural, you don't actually want to work at it!
Here are the products I used in this tutorial:
- Mary Kay Liquid Illuminator (This was actually my first time using this product and I was very pleased with it! In the lighting I was working with, it looked overly shiny so you can tell in the video that I'm a little worried. But when I looked at it in better lighting, I really loved it!)
- Almay Pure Blends Foundation in Ivory
- MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW15
- Rimmel Natural Bronzer in 021 Sunlight
- Tarte Eyeshadow in Shimmering Cocoa
- Tarte Eyeshadow in Shimmering Buff
- Tarte Eyeshadow in Golden Peach
- Revlon Eyeliner in Pure White
- Tarte Eyeliner in Golden Bronze
- Stile Glamoureyes Mascara in Black
- E.l.f. Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips
I hoped you enjoyed this look and please send me a request if you have an idea in mind!
Stay fabulous!
xoxo, Lacey
It's that time of the week again, NEW TUTORIAL! I've been averaging about 1 video every 5 days, so I think I'll stick with that for now, so I make sure all of my videos are up to par.
This week's video is all about very natural makeup. Sometimes a girl doesn't want to look all "made up." Sometimes we want to let our natural beauty be in the spotlight. But if you're like me, you're natural beauty needs a little help (or a lot). I show you how to amp up your skin, brighten your eyes, and make your lips look luscious all with very little effort (yay)! Because if you're going au natural, you don't actually want to work at it!
Here are the products I used in this tutorial:
- Mary Kay Liquid Illuminator (This was actually my first time using this product and I was very pleased with it! In the lighting I was working with, it looked overly shiny so you can tell in the video that I'm a little worried. But when I looked at it in better lighting, I really loved it!)
- Almay Pure Blends Foundation in Ivory
- MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW15
- Rimmel Natural Bronzer in 021 Sunlight
- Tarte Eyeshadow in Shimmering Cocoa
- Tarte Eyeshadow in Shimmering Buff
- Tarte Eyeshadow in Golden Peach
- Revlon Eyeliner in Pure White
- Tarte Eyeliner in Golden Bronze
- Stile Glamoureyes Mascara in Black
- E.l.f. Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips
I hoped you enjoyed this look and please send me a request if you have an idea in mind!
Stay fabulous!
xoxo, Lacey
Monday, August 1, 2011
New Facebook Announcement!
Hi lovely readers!
Thank you so much for continuing to follow my blog and watch my tutorials, I really appreciate it! I love to read your blogs and watch your videos too! I just wanted to let you all know that I created a special Facebook page for my Youtube channel, so if you're on Facebook, you can follow me. :) Just go to this address http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Makeup-Studio-by-Lacey-Cannon-on-Youtube/251517734876782?sk=info and click LIKE! I only have a couple of people right now, but I would really love to keep in touch with you!
Thanks so much and stay fabulous!
xoxo, Lacey
Thank you so much for continuing to follow my blog and watch my tutorials, I really appreciate it! I love to read your blogs and watch your videos too! I just wanted to let you all know that I created a special Facebook page for my Youtube channel, so if you're on Facebook, you can follow me. :) Just go to this address http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Makeup-Studio-by-Lacey-Cannon-on-Youtube/251517734876782?sk=info and click LIKE! I only have a couple of people right now, but I would really love to keep in touch with you!
Thanks so much and stay fabulous!
xoxo, Lacey
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