SAHAR LASH | Artistry Blog

How do I/should I clean my makeup brushes?   

 The answer is absoloutly YES! Its quite common that I come across some people that don’t cleanse their makeup brushes however it is very important that you do! Bacteria harbours on brushes and every time you use a brush it transfers bacteria too and from your products, to your brushes and your face.  This is what can commonly cause spots.    

 You can purchase a brush cleanser from most Cosmetic companies; the one that I use is MAC’s Brush Cleanser, its very gentle on the hairs of your makeup brush and is a quick fix to sanitise your brush of any bacteria.  It also removes colour on the brush from foundations/eyeshadows etc so that the next time you apply a different coloured product (on the eyes for example) you are not getting an altered colour from the previous colour on your brush.   

 

 I would also recommend shampooing your brushes once a week.  Use a mild shampoo to gently wash away the colour and bacteria and leave flat to dry over night.  It will take a few hours to dry so please be aware that you are not washing your brushes before needing them.  

 Clean brushes will also give you a much softer and flawless finish to your makeup.  Happy Cleansing!   

  How do I get my lipstick to last and stop it from bleeding?  There are many different textures to lipsticks these days ranging from Matte, Satin, Cream to lustre and so on..   The lipstick with the best staying power would have to be Matte in texture.  It is great for its colour rich finish and is less likely to bleed.  No shine whatsoever.   

 Satin Textures have a semi matte finish still with an intense colour, but if you have the drier lip and still want intense colour, I would recommend a cream lipstick.  The colour is still also intense but adds more moisture to the lip.    

  Then we have the lustre lipstick, which gives a lovely glossy finish with sheer colour. Great for daytime wear or the not so big lovers of bold colours.   

 I would always recommend prepping your lips by gently exfoliating with a toothbrush in the morning, adding lip treatment to condition your lips, you may also use a lip prep and prime and lastly lining the lips with a lip pencil to avoid bleeding from bolder colours like reds/purples etc.    

  How can I make my lips look fuller?  You can do this by using a neutral/nude lip pencil and over draw the lips helping them to appear fuller in size.  Use a neutral shade lipstick and gloss to plump up the lips also.  Lighter colours will give the illusion of a fuller lip.   This rule also applies with the opposite, matt and darker shades make the lip appear thinner.   

  How do I make my eyes appear bigger with eye makeup?  There are many different ways you can apply eye makeup, depending on the look you are trying to achieve and the natural shape of the eye however, as a general rule and for a natural way to create the illusion of a bigger eye, you would use light shades on the lid. Highlighter is your friend to achieve this look.  After applying your eye colour, you can also apply a dash of highlighter on the middle of the lid and the inner corner of the eye along with a white eyeliner on the inner water line of the eye.  If you like to line under the eyes, then stick to applying it below the water line.  

 Just remember that darker shades all over the lid will make the eyes appear smaller and lighter shades will open them up.   

  What is the best foundation to use?  Now this really depends on how you want your skin to look after applying your foundation.  It also depends on your skin type.  A drier skin will need moisture and if you want your skin to look nice and dewy then cream foundations usually have a nice creamy texture that will not only add moisture but give your skin a lovely dewy finish.  You can also buy liquid foundations that do the same job.  Liquid tends to be lighter in coverage and cream gives a more medium coverage.  

 If you have fairly oily skin, you may want to go for a matte finish.  You can usually get these foundations in the form of a liquid (or powder in cases of extremely oily skin).  They normally give a medium to fuller coverage, which is great for those with problematic skin wanting a little extra coverage.   

 You also have tinted moisturisers, which are great for those wanting to even out their skin tone with a light finish and added moisture.  This is great for daywear or holiday wear.   

 There are many different brands offering a wide range of foundations and constantly new products being launched.  So get yourself down to your local beauty department and pick up a few testers.    

 I’d also like to add that correct skin care is of key importance in the finished feel and look of your foundation. Make sure that you are using the right skin care products before applying any makeup to your skin.

One thing I get asked all of the time is "How do you get your eyeliner so straight and sharp?" So I thought this would be a great tip to blog about.

Most people tend to use liquid eyeliner or those less confident use a pencil to create a feline flick.  However, I personally use neither.  I remember when I first started experimenting with eyeliner, I couldn't for the life of me get it on and looking good.  I soon learnt that I wasn't using the best type of liner to create the look I wanted.  I soon discovered gel eyeliner.  Now ladies, this is my number 1 recommended product.   It is so easy to work with and lasts for so long providing you keep the lid securely tightened so it doesn't dry out.  I like to use MAC's Fluidline Blacktrack however there are loads more out there on the market. 

THE BRUSH:
To apply the liner, I like to use MAC's 210 brush (see in picture) as its so fine and easy to work with.  I find that most artists recommend and angled brush (MAC's 266 brush) however, I find it quite difficult to use on myself on the inner part of my eyelid.  Also with the 210 brush, you can get a really fine line and build up the thickness as you go along.

I normally dip my brush into the gel and pop some on the back of my hand as the gel can dry out if you leave the lid off for too long.  It also helps, to remove excess product of the brush and will distribute the gel evenly throughout the brush hairs.

THE EYE LINE:
I then look down into a mirror (this will stretch the eyelid and give a better view of where you are going to apply the liner)  and I find it helps to dot along the lash line creating a dot to dot. Starting at the inner corner of the eye, make strokes from each dot to the other.  You do not have to do your whole eye line with one stroke.  Doing so, I find creates a wonky line.  Using a 210 brush will give you such a thin line that if you do go a bit wonky, you can just go over it, creating more structure to the line. 

THE FLICK:
Once you are happy with your eye line, then go onto your feline flick. I also use the same concept with my flick. I firstly make a tiny dot of where I want my flick to end which also helps me decide the direction of it.  This helps to guide you so that both sides look even.  Generally, you want the flick to go in the direction from the corner of your outer eye to the end of your eyebrow. This will create a natural and flattering shape to your eyes.

Remember to wash your brush with a drop of shampoo and warm water and leave flat to dry. Not washing will wear the hairs and damage the brush.  You will also get a much more precise line with a fresh brush.

Good luck guys and let me know how you get along,

Love
Sahar Lash Artistry