Colourful Eye | Morphe X Nikita Artistry Palette

I am going to start this blog post off with I LOVE brown eyeshadow I don't know if it's just me getting older and preferring the less is more approach or what but gone are the days where I would wear a crazy detailed eye with a bold lip. Don't get me wrong I still love artistic makeup for magazine covers etc it's a form of art & love seeing people get creative. 

At work we sometimes have themes and this theme was for me to use the Nikita Dragun. If you don't know get to know. So for the first time in a while I got my creative juices flowing. One of my absolute favorite eyeshadow palettes has to be the Morphe x Nikita Collaboration palette.

The palette has the perfect mixture of matte, shimmers, bright & neutral shadows. I don't know how much longer this palette will be on sale so I would definitely get it while you can.

Lash wise I used 'the Katie' from Prima Lash in collaboration with makeup artist Katie Daley which I think did a great job complementing the look because there nice & wispy.

Hope you're all having a great week,

Alannah x

Autumn / Winter | Make-up Trends

How fast has this year went ? Since Halloween has past I thought I would get into the Autumn/Winter spirit ( I wouldn't mention 'Christmas Spirit' just yet ) & write a blog post on some of my favourite looks for this time of year . I took some inspiration from this beautiful lingerie Autumn sets from Adore Me . Adore me is a New York based company that sell gorgeous lingerie , sleepwear , swimwear & active wear . Anyone reading from America , Canada or Australia(coming soon) you should definitely have a look at there website . If they start shipping worldwide I will be first on the website you can guarantee that .

Berry/Plum Lipstick

Autumn/Winter every year one thing is always in trend which is Berries & Plum tones on the lips . The one I am wearing in the picture above is 'Sugar Plum Fairy' by Wet'n'Wild a matte dark plum lipstick . It goes perfect with the colours in the 'Demariss' set by Adore Me .

Quinn Unlined Bra | Adore Me

Soft Blush

When the weather gets colder our cheeks always seem to get redder . I love using blush to achieve healthy youthful looking skin. I only apply a little though because once the night gets colder the natural redness in your cheeks will be on show . My all time favourite blush for all year round is Nyx cream blush in 'Natural'.

Earth Tone Nude Liquid Lipstick

During summer time brighter more vibrant tones are worn on the lips & go great with a lovely tan. In the colder months when I want a more subtle lip colour I wear a more earthy/brown nude lip . The one I am wearing in the photo above is 'Crush' a liquid lipstick by Anastasia Beverly Hills . It has amazing lasting power so it will stay put all day & night .

Marlie Unlined | Adore Me

Red Lip

The classic red lip can be worn all year round but especially this time of year . It dresses up simple black clothing & looks great with lace . Very 50s . One of my favourite red lipsticks is Mac Ruby Woo .

Rust, Orange, Gold & Burgundy Eyeshadows 

Really any tone that replicates the colours in Autumn leaves . I love the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette because it has golds , browns , oranges & burgundies which make the perfect Autumn Palette .


Hope you all liked this blogpost , reminded me a lot of the typical blog posts I used to do when I started out & loved doing .

Thanks for Reading ,
Alannah x

Autumn / Winter | Make-up Trends

How fast has this year went ? Since Halloween has past I thought I would get into the Autumn/Winter spirit ( I wouldn't mention 'Christmas Spirit' just yet ) & write a blog post on some of my favourite looks for this time of year . I took some inspiration from this beautiful lingerie Autumn sets from Adore Me . Adore me is a New York based company that sell gorgeous lingerie , sleepwear , swimwear & active wear . Anyone reading from America , Canada or Australia(coming soon) you should definitely have a look at there website . If they start shipping worldwide I will be first on the website you can guarantee that .

Berry/Plum Lipstick

Autumn/Winter every year one thing is always in trend which is Berries & Plum tones on the lips . The one I am wearing in the picture above is 'Sugar Plum Fairy' by Wet'n'Wild a matte dark plum lipstick . It goes perfect with the colours in the 'Demariss' set by Adore Me .

Soft Blush

When the weather gets colder our cheeks always seem to get redder . I love using blush to achieve healthy youthful looking skin. I only apply a little though because once the night gets colder the natural redness in your cheeks will be on show . My all time favourite blush for all year round is Nyx cream blush in 'Natural'.

Earth Tone Nude Liquid Lipstick

During summer time brighter more vibrant tones are worn on the lips & go great with a lovely tan. In the colder months when I want a more subtle lip colour I wear a more earthy/brown nude lip . The one I am wearing in the photo above is 'Crush' a liquid lipstick by Anastasia Beverly Hills . It has amazing lasting power so it will stay put all day & night .

Red Lip

The classic red lip can be worn all year round but especially this time of year . It dresses up simple black clothing & looks great with lace . Very 50s . One of my favourite red lipsticks is Mac Ruby Woo .

Rust, Orange, Gold & Burgundy Eyeshadows 

Really any tone that replicates the colours in Autumn leaves . I love the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette because it has golds , browns , oranges & burgundies which make the perfect Autumn Palette .


Hope you all liked this blogpost , reminded me a lot of the typical blog posts I used to do when I started out & loved doing .

Thanks for Reading ,
Alannah x

Miss Bikini Ireland | Body Positivity

Hey everyone ,

I thought I would write a little about the competition I have entered Miss Bikini Ireland which I posted on my Facebook page a few days ago . For anyone who doesn’t know miss bikini Ireland is on its 5^th year of running . If you win Miss Bikini Ireland you have the amazing opportunity to represent Ireland at Swimsuit International in Cancun , Mexico later this year .

I came across this competition on Facebook , thought nothing of I but was intrigued so I clicked into it and started reading about the competition . I thought it sounded like a great opportunity so I went ahead an entered not really thinking I would get an email back . I had started going to the gym a year before that and was really enjoying it and thought it was a good chance for me  to really push myself and step up my fitness level .

I would eat generally healthy also but wanted to push that too . Thanks to my sponsor Nutrition to suit you I have learnt a lot about nutrition , especially the effects of sugar on are bodies & she also gave me amazing healthy recipes . I have far more energy then I would have and don’t get that mid day sugar slump . Once you stop taking sugar too after awhile those crazings go . If any of you are looking for nutrition plans 100% recommend Nutrition to suit you , Niamh makes up individual plans to suit you and your lifestyle .

I got and email a few weeks later(funnily enough I was eating a big cream pastery at the time) saying that I got through to the next stage and that the judges were having interviews . I went to Dublin to the interviews and everything went really well . There was also a production team there for filming .

All the girls in the competition are lovely and all so helpful it really doesn’t feel like where in competition at all feel like one big family . Every single one of us girls have a different body shape and that what I love most about it. No two people are the same , woman are very hard on themselves when it comes to appearence & body confidence . We stand in front of the mirror critize ourselves constantly .

Over the last year my confidence has grown big time for a lot of different reasons .

One of the things I started trying to do is stop being so hard on myself and ignoring that voice in your head telling me I need to look or be a certain way . Since I have started thinking more positively about things a lot more positive things have happened .

There will be people in this world that just wouldn’t like you , but please don’t make yourself be one of them . You have to be your own best friend .

The final is in Dublin on the 14^th of October we will have different tasks (which will be filmed) up until that stage . I am both excited and nervous .

You can follow the process on Miss Bikini Ireland’s Facebook page &  other social media accounts.

I also have Instagram : alannahharrigan & snapchat : alannahmakeup where ill be posting updates etc.

To be honest I was a nervous wreck about posting up the bikini pictures the other day but was delighted with the positive response .

Anyway I could go on with this blog post forever so I will stop it here . 

I really am very thankful to have such good friends & family supporting me .

Thanks to anyone who commented , messaged or liked the pictures . You have no idea how much I appericate it .

Alannah x

Starting Out In Make up : Building Your Freelance Makeup Kit

We all know make up can be expensive but when your a make up artist its part of your job to have make up. When starting out it can be hard & expensive to build up a kit . Yes you can get cheaper make up products but generally if people are paying you to do there make up they want you to be using good quality products , because its a luxury for them to get there make up done so they want to feel pampered.

I went to college & studied make up artistry for a year & we got a kit with the course . The kit was the most expensive thing we had to pay for . It included lots of palettes , airbrush gun , special effects make up and a train case .

I do believe that you should do some sort of make up course before charging people because even though make up is like art and a lot of its to do with natural talent its good to know hygiene, pick up tips from others as well as practicing yourself . 

I hope this blogpost helps some beginner make up artist out there , keep in mind I am still a beginner I have only been doing make up for three years now but this is how I have built up my kit to the stage its at , I still have a lot more things to add to mine but this is a good start . 

• Palettes are the best thing since sliced bread . Palettes usually are great value for money and are very compact . If you were to buy single eyeshadows it would work out more expensive then buying a pre-made palette with them in . 

          Some palettes I love : 

Foundation 

Graftobian HD glamour creme 

MUD cream foundation 

Eyeshadow 

Anastasia Beverly Hills - Modern Renaissance 

Urban Decay - Naked 2 

Sleek I Divine Eyeshadow Palettes

Eyebrow Palette

Morphe Eyebrow Palette 

Highlight & Contour Palette 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit- Sun Dipped

Blank Canvas Cosmetics - Pippa Palette (eyeshadows , highlighter , blush & bronzer) 

Lip Palette 

Graftobian HD Super Lip Palette 

          

• Cheap mascara . You will go through mascara that much that you can't afford to be buying the latest YSL or Lancome one every single time. Essence are usually a good brand for affordable mascara . People usually get fake eyelashes too if its a special occasion so you don't really see there own lashes anyway . 

• Lipsticks . You don't need as many lipsticks as you think , I mean I know it looks cool when you own all the mac lipsticks but its really not nescassary . If you have a spatula & palette (which you should for hygiene reasons) you can just mix your shades on the palette to create the colour your looking for . 

• Foundations . You can get some really good creme foundation palettes(I have listed the ones I like above) which are extremely handy to have in your kit , you can make them have more of a liquid texture by mixing them with a water based primer. Foundation is something you do need to spend your money on though . If theres a foundation you like buy it in three shades is usually a good start . Buy a light , medium & dark shade and you can mix them to match the persons skin tone . Most Irish girls wear fake tan. 

• Translucent powder . Something you don't have to spend a crazy amount on either . Buy translucent instead of a coloured powder cause it will go with every complexion . 

• Eyeshadows . There are so many eyeshadow palettes out there , most people go for golds , browns , burgundies & oranges and after that you will get the very odd person looking for colourful looks (unless your working in fashion of course) . I love Make up Geek & Inglot eyeshadows also & you can customise your own palette . 

• A bigger kit doesn't necessarily look good . I have heard a few well known make up artists say this . When I first started doing make up I thought it would look better if I had a really big make up kit . But honestly its just makes products hard to find & confusing . If your going to a bridal trial there is no need to take your 20 loose glitters & face diamonds . It just makes the client doubt your ability too while your rooting around your case looking for a foundation  . 

• You can buy eyelashes in bulk online . Make sure they are good quality . I probably spend too much money on my eyelashes to be honest because I like the brand & styles I get . I get them off false eyelashes.co.uk and they usually have good coupons for percentage off or throw in an extra pack free. With Fake eyelashes you need to remember to have tweezers , scissors & glue (my favourite is Duo Glue) . Keep in mind that some people are allergic to latex and you can get Duo glue thats latex free. 

• Make-up removers & skincare . Obviously people don't always come to you with there skin make up free & perfectly mositurised so its important to have cotton pads cleanser , toner and moisturiser in you kit . We used a french brand called Matis in college which was very good but expensive , the Simple range would do the job for starting out. 

• The base is a tricky one , you really just have to try different products and see what you like to use yourself .Everyone seems to have different opinions when it comes to primers . I like the Smashbox Photo Finish primer , Kiko Glowing Potion , Loreal Infallible Mattifying Primer . 

• Hygiene : You need to make sure you depot everything & don't directly apply something to someones face . 99% achocol is great to have in your kit to keep everything clean . Hand sanitiser (Boots) because your hands will be near or on the clients face . Spatula & palette(Amazon) to depot & mix products. Brush cleaner(Mac) & tissue to spot clean your brushes between clients . Mascara spoolies (Sallys Salon Services) make sure not to double dip though . Once you but the mascara spoolie into the tub of mascara apply it on the client and take it out you shouldn't put it in the tub again .  

• Brushes are worth spending money on because brushes can last you a lifetime . You also want the brushes to be gentle on peoples skin you don't want some harsh brush giving them a red skin or a rash. Brush sets are the way to go , buying them individually can get expensive . Zooeva , Blank Canvas Cosmetics are both very affordable good brush brands . 

• Lipgloss & lip pencils you really don't need to many either . A nude , pink , red & purple lip pencil will usually do the job . All you need is a clear lipgloss because you will see the lipstick shade through it . 

• Gel eyeliner is best hygiene wise . Gel eyeliner tends to dry out so Inglot duraline is always good to have to make the consistency more fluid like again . 

• We got a make up case in college , it was a very bulky one that kept everything organised but it wasn't the most compact . There was just a handle & strap on it but I bought wheels for mine and put them on it to make it easier to wheel about . To be completely honest I don't think you really need an expensive train case  . If you had a nice sized bag your can just organise your make up in lots of different make up bags inside . It will be a lot lighter & cheaper .Mines looks pretty similar to the case on the right hand side below .

• Clear make up bags . It is very hard to get make up off make up bags once they spill so having a clear make up bag makes it easier to clean up the mess . You can get clear make up bags in Penneys, Dunne Stores, eBay or Boots. 

• Brush belt or brush holder ? Well really whatever you find easiest to see your brushes . I like using my brush belt but don't have it around my waist instead I lay it down on the table so I can see them clearly . 

                                                                  

• I really like the LA girl pro conceal you can order it on Ebay or amazon , I got mine on holidays . You can get colour wheels also like the Graftobian & Wet n Wild ones with concealer & colour correctors in them . You can also use concealer as an eyeshadow base if you set it with a light coloured eyeshadow before applying the rest of your eyeshadows . 

If I forgotten anything let me know . I am thinking of doing more 'Starting Out In Make up' blogpost in the further. There is some really good videos on Youtube too on how to build your freelance make up kit so I would check those out too . 

Thanks For Reading !

Alannah x 

Summer Skin | Make up Tutorial

Since its coming into summer (even though its snowing , what is the weather in Ireland not like ? ) I thought I would show you how to achieve a glowy/dewy complexion . I only takes a few simple steps & products to achieve .

 

Youtube Channel : Click Here .

Products Used
Exfoliator : Matis Youth Grain
Moisturiser : Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser
Illuminator : Nars Orgasm Illuminator
Foundation : The Body Shop Moisture Foundation
Cream Highlight : Benefits Watts Up
Cream Blush : Graftobian HD Glamour Crème Palette  - Cool
Darker Foundation : Graftobian HD Glamour Crème Palette - Cool
Spray  : Smashbox Primer Water
Powder Highlight : Blank Canvas Cosmetics Pippa Palette - Lulu

I know a lot of people are fans of matte skin especially oily skinned people so I will try have a post up on matte skin too for those people .

Thanks for watching/reading .
Hope everyone has a lovely bank holiday weekend !
Alannah x

Hint Of Purple | Make Up Tutorial

 

 

 

I wore this look one night over Christmas (which seems like forever ago) . I liked the way it turned out so decided to recreate it again . If you have brown eyes you will love this look because purple complaimets brown eyes .


Step By Step

Step 1 : Prime your eyelids so your eyeshadow doesn't crease and stays put .
Step 2 : To set the primer apply some cream eyeshadow over the primer with a fluffy blending brush .
Step 3: I used a light brown eyeshadow as my transition colour in the socket . Make sure its blended out well by using a fluffy blending brush in circular and windscreen whippier motions .
Step 4: With a dense eyeshadow brush apply some dark brown eyeshadow to the outer corner of my eyelid .
Step 5 : Blend , blend blend .
Step 6 : Go back with the dense eyeshadow brush and apply some black eyeshadow in the same place you applied the dark brown .
Step 7 : Blend out the black .
Step 8 : Apply some glitter to the inner corner of your eyelid . I used a glitter liner to achieve this but if you have fine glitter that can be used on your face you could apply it with some eyelash or glitter glue . Glitter eyeliner is a lot handier though and doesn't leave fall out .
Step 9 : With an eyeliner brush apply some black gel eyeliner to the waterline & tightline of your eye.
Step 10 : Next is winged eyeliner . I used a small eyeliner brush with black gel eyeliner . If you struggle with winged eyeliner I have a full blog post here :
Step 11 : Apply some purple eyeshadow to your bottom lash line .
Step 12 : Apply mascara , I find the best way to apply it is in zig zag motions from the root of the lash to the tip .
Step 13 : I then applied fake eyelashes , this step is optional . I applied some lash glue to the band of the strip eyelashes , leave it 10 seconds then apply straight above my eyelashes .

 

Product List

 

Eyes & Eyebrows

Eyelid Primer : Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer

Cream Eyeshadow : Pippa Palette By Blank Canvas in Lily

Transition Colour : Pippa Palette Blank Canvas In Susu

Dark Brown In The Crease : Pippa Palette Blank Canvas In Dodo

Black Eyeshadow : Pippa Palette By Blank Canvas In K.D

Mascara : Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

Eyeliner : Maybelline Gel Liner in Black

Purple Eyeshadow : Dealz Eyeshadow

Glitter : Collection Glitter Eyeliner Glitz 1

Eyelash Glue : DUO Striplash Adhesive In Clear

Eyelashes : IEnvy By Kiss In 'Diva 01'

Eyebrows : Inglot Matte Eyeshadow in 342

Skin

Mositruiser : Kiko Glowing Serum

Foundation : Make up Forever HD foundation in 118  

Concealer : Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

Cream Contour : Penneys Cream Contour Stick

Powder Contour : Smashbox Contour Kit

Setting Powder : Ben Nye Neutral Set

Highlighter : Pippa Palette By Blank Canvas

Setting Spray : All Nighter Setting Spray

 

Lips

Lipliner : Mac Subculture Lip Pencil

Lipgloss : Mac Lipglass in Underage

 

Thanks for Reading ,

Alannah x

Kylie Jenner Inspired Make Up | Tutorial

 

My take on this Kylie Jenner make up look , I am obviously a lot paler then Kylie so if you have pale skin don't be afraid to try it .Add whatever lip colour you want , not everyone will like the dramatic brown lipstick . With the eyelashes I applied the strip lashes first then applied long individual eyelashes  to get a more dramatic look . I also used tape to create that sharp edge to the eyeliner/eyeshadow . I haven't purchased the Kylie Lip Kit that she was wearing but the Nyx lip stick (listed below) is a reasonable dupe , I just applied a little translucent powder over the top of it to make it matte .

Product List

Face
Foundation : Make up Forever Hd Foundation N18
Conceler : Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer
Powder : Ben Nye Neutral Set
Contour Kit : Penneys/Primark Contour Kit
Highlight : Pippa Palette by Blank Canvas Cosmetics in Lulu


Eye & Eyebrows
Eyelid Primer : Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer
Cream Eyeshadow : Pippa Palette by Blank Canvas Cosmetics in Lily
Transition Colour Eyeshadow (Light Brown) : Pippa Palette by Blank Canvas in Susu
Dark Brown Eyeshadow : Pippa Palette by Blank Canvas in Dodo
Black Eyeshadow : Pippa Palette by Blank Canvas Cosmetics in K.D
Gel Eyeliner : Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama in Black
Eyebrows : Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown
Mascara : Maybelline Great Lash Blackest Black Mascara
Eyelash Glue : Duo Glue - Clear
Fake Eyelashes : Ardell Demi Wispies with I Envy Kiss Long Individual Fake Eyelashes

Lips
Lipstick : Nyx High Voltage Lipstick - Dirty Talk
Lip Pencil : Rimmel Soft Khol Eye pencil

What lip colour would you wear with this make up , would you wear the brown lip ?

If anyone has any suggestions on any blog post they would like to see feel free to inform me . Always looking for new ideas .

Thanks for watching / reading .
Have a nice week .

Alannah x