FIVE STEPS TO LONG LASTING LIPCOLOR

Hello Lovely Unicorns!

Follow these five easy steps to get lip color that won't fade through the day or night!

The Final Look

Some things to take note of before we begin.

 For long lasting lipsticks I usually stick with highly pigmented colors that are either neutral or super bright. If the neutral shades fade it's not as noticeable and the brights tend to stain your lips.

Also avoid oily or greasy foods, I wore the look above to a Ramen dinner party. My meal was to die for but all of that chili oil meant my lip color was gone with the first spoonful.

And finally, use a product that clearly states its long-wear in the title. There's no reason to waist your time with anything else.

1. EXFOLIATE

It's important to have a smooth surface for the color to stick to. I usually use this lip balm from e.l.f but any exfoliator that is gentle enough for your face will work in a pinch.

2. MOISTURIZE

Long-wear lipsticks can be really drying so it's important to apply them over super moisturized lips. In the winter months I swear by my Carmex but there a dozens of other great products on the market. Also remember oil is not your lipstick's friend so you won't be able to moisturize after you've applied your color.

3. LINE

Pick a lip liner that is either close to the shade of your natural lip color or one that is slightly darker than your lipstick. In feathered strokes, outline both lips, then fill it in. 

4. APPLY

Apply the thinnest layer of color possible. If you're using liquid color, wipe most of the product off of the applicator. If you are using a solid lipstick, apply with a lip brush.

5. BLOT

Let you lip color set for about a minute, then blot with tissue or toilet paper. Try to use something that won't leave little bits of tissue on your lips.

Products Used: e.l.f. Studio Lip Exfoliator, Carmex Everyday Healing Lip Balm, Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner in 020 Rich, Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita

Do you have any tricks for long lasting lip color?
What's your favorite Long-Wear lipstick?

Love, Light & Glitter Always,
Valessia

BIRTHDAY BLISS

I had the loveliest 26th Birthday imaginable! Thank you to all my friends, party guests and most of all my beautiful partners, John & Jess.

BROWS

Anastasia Beverly Hills

DIPBROW Pommade in Ebony

Dermablend

Quick-Fix Concealer in Medium as Highlight

EYES

Lancome

Color Design Sensational Effects Eye Shadow in Madison Avenue from lash line to brow

URBAN DECAY Smoked Palette

Evidence from top lash line to crease and on bottom lash line

Lancome

Le Stylo Waterproof Long Lasting Eye Liner in Noir Intense in top and bottom waterlines

Kat Von D 

Ink Liner in Trooper on top lash line in subtle cat eye

URBAN DECAY

Perversion Mascara on top and bottom lashes

Ardell

120 Demi Lashes in Black

Fright Night

Pixie Dust Lashes on outter corners

(See my false eye lash D.I.Y. HERE)

LIPS

Kat Von D

Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bauhau5

Whats your go to birthday makeup look?
What did you do for your last birthday?

Love, Light & Glitter Always,

Valessia

HALLOWEEN LASHES REVISITED: A 2-Minute D.I.Y. Project That's Sure To Make You Sparkle

Hello, Beautiful Unicorns!

Try this super quick D.I.Y. project to reuse your false lashes from Halloween.

For Halloween 2014 I was a sparkly silver unicorn. 

(See my full costume HERE)

A photo posted by Valessia (@we.the.unicorns) on Nov 2, 2014 at 3:04pm PST

No outfit (especially a Halloween costume) is complete without fabulous makeup and no fabulous makeup is complete without a set of magnificent falsies. As you can see in the picture above, I'm wearing these Fright Night Pixie Dust False Eyelashes. Since I loved them so much, I wanted to wear them again on my birthday but they felt a little too dramatic. See how I toned them down with this step by step guide.

For this D.I.Y Project you'll need:

A small pair of scissors or nail clippers
Q-Tips
Hydrogen Peroxide
A pair of dramatic false eyelashes (I'm using the bottom set)
Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

Directions:

Step 1: Drench a Q-Tip in Hydrogen Peroxide

Step 2: Thoroughly clean your nail clippers or scissors. Set aside to dry
Step 3: Drench a second Q-Tip in your eye makeup remover

Step 4: Clean all excess glue and mascara from your Halloween lashes

Step 5: Your nail clippers or scissors should be dry now, use them to cut the lashes in half

Before & After

That's it, so easy and look how fabulous my new shorter lashes looked on my birthday! Simply glue the inner corners of the lashes (where the lashes are shorter) on the outter corner of your eyes. This will ensure a smooth blend from your lashes to your new dramatic falsies.

Do you go all out with your birthday makeup?
Would you re-wear your dramatic false eyelashes?

Love, Light & Glitter Always,
Valessia

100 Years Of Beauty Part I & II

Last month, The Cut released 100 Years of Beauty, a 1 minute short film showing beauty over the years and featuring a fair skinned model. On Friday, they released Part II featuring a brown girl. See the comparison and expert transformations in this amazing side by side video.

So what do you think, Unicorns? I find this video to be really inspiring and I can't wait to try some of these looks.

Which one is your favorite?

Did you notice anything interesting in the side by sides?

Whats a beauty trend in your culture?

Love, Light & Glitter Always,

Valessia

NOT FAIR #3: Katharine McPhee at People's Choice 2015

Hey there, Unicorns! Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Today I'll be doing another episode of NOT FAIR. 

Unicorns come in all shades so why don't Celebrity Makeup Tutorials? NOT FAIR tutorials show the makeup if fair skinned celebrities on brown skin.

Today is all about Katharine McPhee at the 2015 People's Choice Awards. 

I'll get to the makeup but her look definitely deserves an honorable mention! She looked positively amazing in Balmain!

Ok back to business, scroll down to see my version of Katharine's look and how I achieved it. 

Here's my version of McPhee's look.

For some reason my camera didn't pick up the light bouncing off my makeup. Imagine this exact look but with shimmer shimmer everywhere!

BASE

Step 1. 

McPhee seems to glow from within so I skipped my usual foundation and applied my favorite tinted moisturizer,  Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Deep. 

Step 2.

 I used a mixture of Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer in Suede and Dermablend Quick-Fix Concealer in Medium under my eyes. 

(I also applied the Dermablend under my brows as highlight)

Step 3. 

To add a little shimmer, apply a brown liquid bronzer. I used Murad Absolute Bronzing Boost on the highest points on my face - Cheekbones, Chin, Forehead and Nose. To really emphasize the highlight, add a lighter shade of shimmer at the center of all the places you put the bronzer. I used Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! 

EYES

Step 1. 

I applied Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original from lash line and up above my brows.

Step 2. 

McPhee's brows are high with a wide arch. I filled mine in with Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW Pommade in Ebony.

Step 3.  

All of the shadows in this look are from the Urban Decay Smoked Palette. Mushroom from lash line to crease, then I blended up and out. I went over that from mid-lid to inner corner with Freestyle and Kinky on the inner corner only.

Step 4. 

I lined from the inner corner to the mid-lid with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Stag (this is the liner that comes with the Naked On the Run Palette - See my review HERE). I also used it on the outter portion of my waterline.

Step 5.

 I lined from the mid-lid to the outter corner and winged it out in a gentle cat eye with 

Kat Von D Ink Liner in Trooper. 

Step 6.

 I used my new favorite, Urban Decay Perversion Mascara on my top and bottom lashes.

Step 7.

 I finished everything with my go to falsies, Ardell 120 Demi Lashes.

LIPS

I applied Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Vampira.

Love, Light & Glitter Always!

Valessia

NEW YEARS EVE 2015

I brought in the New Year in the best way possible, with good friends, new friends, my partners and whiskey punch! I hope all of you had an amazing time too!

A couple of weeks ago I posted A Marsala New Years Makeup Tutorial (see it HERE) but that look didn't really match my New Years Outfit. (See it HERE). Scroll down to see what I did instead.

I promise I was happier than I look in this picture haha

BROWS

Anastasia Beverly Hills

DIPBROW Pommade in Ebony

Dermablend

Quick-Fix Concealer in Medium as highlight

EYES

URBAN DECAY NAKED On The Run Palette 

(See my review HERE)

Dare from lash line to brow 

URBAN DECAY Smoked Palette 

Blackout from lash line to crease

Asphalt in the center of the lid

STILA

Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Snow in a subtle cat eye

Lancome 

Le Stylo Waterproof - Long Lasting Eyeliner in Noir Intense on the waterline

Ardell

120 Demi Lashes in Black

Kat Von D

Ink Liner in Trooper to cover the band of the false lashes

LIPS

Kat Von D

Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Vampira

How did you spend your New Years?

Love, Light & Glitter Always,
Valessia