From Drab to Fab: The Smoke Eye Edition

Smokey eyes have been around forever but recently the term has become quite popular. Every time someone speaks of an eye look you will hear "Wait a minute. Is that a smokey eye?" I was still a bit surprised to have to hold two smokey eye workshops and have people ask for more. In case you missed it, here was the flyer.

In the workshop I started from the basics. Giving everyone information that would help them to become informed shoppers. I remember when I started buying makeup, I found what I thought was the greatest invention...a makeup eraser! Please stop laughing! I seriously thought it would help me. It did. It helped me to realize I spent too much money on stuff that didn't work and I wanted persons to leave my class feeling confident enough to make intelligent purchases. 

The ladies were stuffed with treats from Gracie's Bakery which included smokey N2N Brownies and Purple Smokey eye cupcakes.

Regina was our model for the evening. You may recognise her from our N2N luxury ad.

The first thing I needed to cover was how to cover-up any blemishes. Of course I can only explain with huge gestures and crazy faces so you will see some of those below.

I believe Shonelle as laughing at one of my gestures. If you look closely you will see everyone clutching their free gift. A prize so magnificent people have been calling for more. The amazing Blender Sponge.

There were many questions and I answered all of them and tried to give some of my real life experiences. You know what I mean, the first smokey eye I ever did where I ended up looking like Fester from the Adams family.

I was able to use makeup in this class that is actually available in Barbados. For the average shopper when a makeup artist starts to rattle off names not only are they left bewildered, they are always frustrated when none of the items can be sourced here. Here, I am using a Sleek Palette in Au Naturel available at Essential Trends.

 Listening intently.

 

This young lady who came all the way from England and attended the workshop (Sounds like she came just for my workshop doesn't it ) asked so many questions and made off with so many prizes she had to be escorted back to her car by security. In every workshop we give out a range of items. This time we had over 60 items ranging from eyeshadow to mascaras to Magnifique Remy Hair. 

Two kinds if smokey eye and smokey eye techniques were demonstrated on Regina. One deep and dark and another with purple and pink.

 Things can get a little messy.

Once again with a flair for the dramatic I am describing my love for these La Femme Blushes. Available from one of the sponsors of the class Exotica Makeup in Sheraton.

There were many prizes in this class from makeovers to cash vouchers to discounts on hair and makeup. The most coveted prize though was the full smokey eye makeover and photo-shoot with BCreative photography who took the head shots for the class flyer. Cheriece was the lucky winner.

I mean who wouldn't want to have their makeup done and look this fab.

 At the end of the class there were many Thank You's and requests for more. I believe I was waving telling everyone goodbye.

I encourage everyone to give the smokey eye a try and message me with questions and pics of their progress. My inbox is now full of pictures of ladies heading out in their smokey eye. A great feeling. 

Special thanks to sponsors

Magnifique Hair

Exotica Makeup

BCreative Photography

Photos by Chaka Welch 

30 & Climbing the Corporate Ladder

Following my 30, Flirty and Fabulous shoot, I wanted to make 30 look good. 30 is not the start of the downward spiral into staying and home, putting your hair in rollers while sipping tea in your flowered "duster" but just another chapter where we get wiser about life without letting go of the vitality of our 20's.

Meet my gal-pal Danielle. At 30 she is well on her way to achieving her goal of becoming the 'go-to' Attorney-at-Law in Barbados for advice on International Trade and Development issues. A graduate of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill and Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, Danielle holds a Bachelors Degree in Law, the Legal Education Certificate and a Master of Science in International Trade Policy.

Much like the other 30 year olds I know she ain't no old girl. Between traveling, shopping , socializing and our regular Cafe Sol and beach limes Danielle is always on the move. 

Professionally Danielle is on her way to the top. A Senior Associate at the largest law firm in Barbados Clarke Gittens Farmer, she divides her days between work, gym, her work as Programme Action Officer of Soroptimist International of Barbados and of course, relaxation time with friends and family.

I wanted to give Danielle one of her signature looks. Whenever I do her makeup she requests a smokey eye and why not. It is classic, no fuss and can go from flirty to professional.  Too often we rush out of the house without makeup, doing just enough to get through the day. Let me say it now CLEAR LIPGLOSS IS NOT ENOUGH. You aren't a teenager liming at Accra.  Get out some colour girl!

Yes I know its an office but I don't mean you should stripe yellow or pink shadow across your lids to match your blouse. For the office stick to neutral tones. Not only will it hide any mistakes you made while applying your shadow at the stoplights, but your face will say " I took time to look professional and I am ready for work". Even if your  shoes are off under the table and you forgot lunch at home.

To create this look  I used:

Face

Black Opal foundation in Beautiful Bronze

Blush: Nars TAj Mahal and Sleek Blush in Aruba

Eyes 

Matte Black Shadow by Inglot

Sleek Au Naturel Palette

Mac liner in Smoulder

Loreal Voluminous Mascara

Lips

Mac Lipliner in Currant

Berry coloured lipstick 

Now this woman means business!!

Photographer : Himal Reece

I know that list looks daunting but don't try it all at once and not on a Monday morning if you have to drive through Warrens. Take it a little at a time. Before you know it you too will look like an N2N Professional.

         

30, Flirty and Fabulous!

I knew I wanted 30 to be fabulous, as with all other things I do. But so many things needed to be in place. The next few blog posts will be dedicated to the fabulosity that is 30 !

The SHOOT
I wanted to have a photoshoot of all my girlfriends who were 30.. or at least those who wanted to admit it. The plan was I would do everyone's makeup and we would capture this fab time on the roof of the Oceans 2 Resort.
I had very limited time and everyone started coming around 3pm for a 5pm shoot. At least I knew the look I was going for. I wanted just bronze and clean. Not only would this allow me to finish all 8 of us  on time but it would ensure everyone was just their most pretty without looking too busy.
I also wanted everyone to feel comfortable in their skin after. Makeup for a shoot can get pretty heavy and knowing that I would have to fight some of my friends into lashes and heavy liner, I didn't want them to have to spend the rest of the night feeling like they wanted to peel their faces off.

Products used
Black Opal foundation and Powder
Ben Nye Banana Powder
Inglot shadows
Sleek eyeshadow palette in Au Naturel
Mac brow pencil in Stud
Mac liner in Smoulder
Revlon Colorstay liner in black
Red cherry Lashes #606
Nars Taj Mahal Blush
Sleek Blush in Aruba
Mac lip pencil in Chestnut
NYX lip colours and glosses

To tell you the truth unless someone is pried from my chair I rarely want to stop applying or modifying the makeup .
So as crunch time approached we just had to drop everything and run to the roof  and got their just in time to catch the last rays of sun.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Ashika before

Danielle 

Maren practising her poses

In my 30 glasses

Danni getting her prep

Directing lol!!

Jaryd, our photographer waged war with the lights and the sun and finally lost his battle and gave up trying but the shots are as always.... fabulous!

now we're listening to the professionals

Apparently the water was cold

30 & Chillin

30 Glasses for the bday girl

Under 30 but still fabulous

OFFICIAL PHOTOS

ALL WHITE, ALL GLAM, ALL GORGEOUS

 THE IFILL SISTERS

ME AND G..!! 

Gregory and I really wanted a nice head  shot but when Jaryd suggested I jump into the pool..of course I said yes!! please note my gorgeous DIY 30 shoes !

Look out for more 30 blogposts to come !

Oh What Luck!!!

I have always heard it is better to be lucky than rich, and more and more I believe it is true. I am an avid youtube viewer. When I say avid I mean I don't go to work until I check for new videos. So you can say I am a bit obssessed . I mean between yt and twitter you feel so like everyone is your buddy  and you can chat away with people who love the same makeup I love and feel just how I feel.

Giveaways on yt happen all the time and I usually watch the  giveaway vids and seldomly enter. I always feel like " Whatever, there is no way I can win."  So I can count on one hand how many  I have entered.
Somehow I decided to enter the Gossmakeupartist January giveway.  After many "I want to win Makeup" I watched the goss winner video and nearly fainted at my iPad. When he said the winner is Moccatreat. I played the video for everyone to make sure I had heard him correctly.

You have to understand why I was so excited. It is not just the products but that of all the people in the world who entered and 236,242 yt followers I WON!! Insert Happy dance here.

Let's not forget the star factor. Watching people on yt is just like tv and honestly they are MUA superstars to me. When you see them in public you want to whip out your phone and post on your fb page ASAP.

I have watched Wayne Goss's videos forever but what I love most are his shortest, most concise  and honest reviews. When you subscribe and you see a video that's only 2 minutes ...WATCH IT!! I mean I dont have time to sit through 20 mins of footage before I get to the hot stuff. So he hits the spot for me everytime.

So let me get to the HOT STUFF . This is what I won from THE Wayne Goss aka gossmakeupartist. SUBSCRIBE people SUBSCRIBE!

 Goss's Informative Channel
Wayne Goss MUA

My Prizes

First the MAC Dazzlesphere

As my luck would have it I bought this dasslesphere over the holidays and it the one I use the most so it is almost got ...Now I have a new one . What Luck!

My First Bobbi Brown palette and my favourite of the lot. 

 Bobbi Brown Black Ruby Sparkle Eye Palette. How Pretty!!

A Sleek Case

Also My First Dior Palette

Dior 5 Coleurs in 030. When I saw this I though immediately of one of my friends and return clients Regina who loves these subtle tones.

Also and most shockingly, my first Sugar Pill palette in Sweet Heart. I know Sugar Pill has been a favourite for a while but after my IMATS shopping spree I had nothing left when I got to the Sugar Pill booth . So I was happy to get this one !

I am thrilled with everything.I received everything in great condition and super fast. Thanks to Goss I have a collection of fabulous items I am sure to love using.

If you have only been watching youtube for dancing babies and Machel videos,  you are missing out. There is so much to learn and so many people to connect with.  Start Subscribing! 

Working with a Celebrity

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to work with an old friend Ayesha Ibrahim. She had contacted me  about collaborating with her during the holidays to provide makeup for the promotion of her hot new clothing line. I was all in. Not only was she an old school mate but we grew up just around the corner from each other.
Ayesha now resides in Miami but came home for a working holiday and made an appearance on the Morning Barbados show and was interviewed for the Sunday Easy Magazine.

Ayesha as she appeared in the Sunday Sun 

My parents who never miss  Mornin' Barbados were thrilled to see "little Ayesha" from around the corner on television and read about her progress in the Sunday Sun. My mother had only one problem, which was that I  had not taken the time to let her know that a celebrity was at her house!!!

So after this tongue-lashing when Ayesha returned for a special N2N photoshoot I made sure to give early notice to my mother who came armed with her camera to be photographed with a celebrity!!!

Our shoot got started at the crack of dawn and this time we couldn't travel to an exotic locale. We were without a portable  light source so we got a really really long extension and had the shoot on an abandoned lot.

Ayesha was a trooper! She is smiling but what she is thinking is "Is Brian serious?"

Brian selecting the "perfect spot"

Often I am called upon to do more than look cute and paint faces. I was put in charge of holding the lights and keeping the giant umbrella steady.......

........ So much for that idea. One high wind I was on the ground with the lights!

After all the dust settled I was happy to work with Ayesha and I cant wait to see more designs from ASMI .

A fresh faced Ayesha before

Our Final Shots

This stunning dress is one of Ayesha's creations

Looking forward to the next home town celebrity I get the chance to work with.