DIY Brow Pomade

Brows got EXTREMELY popular these last few years. Ppl realized how important a good set of brows was to, not only a great makeup look, but to your face in general. Anyhoo... Everyone was looking for ther perfect brow products. Some people weren't just ready to accept that pencils were the only option. So on came waxy pencils made specifically for brows, brow powders, gels and pomades. I was actually not sold on the idea that my method of alternating between a pencil and a dark brown shadow was inadequate. I mean... it looked great in the end. And paying tens of dollars on a pomade that i heard was prone to drying out, just because it was trending just wasn't on my list of things to do.... but... wait.. i could just make my own right? Ppl are doing that? Youtubing and Pinteresting my life away allowed me to discover that i could totally make my own brow product and for a fraction of the cost of those other big named products... but will it work? Hmmm....

Some people were using actual hair pomade and hair sprays and eyeshadow to create their brow products but... i don't use pomade and i was really trying to avoid buying something that i don't really need to have sitting on the shelf in my bathroom. So, i grabbed my Murray's Beeswax

....and scooped a bit of it into an empty gel eye liner pot til the little pot was just over half full. Then, after one of my many adventures down the Walgreen's cosmetic isle, i used the dark brown definer shade at the center of my Wet N Wild "The Naked Truth" pallette for color. 

I scraped the shadow into the gel liner pot with the beeswax and used a cuticle pusher (because it's small) to break the shadow down and mix the products together. In hindsight, it probably would have been a million times easier to mix the two on a flat surface or in a larger container and then tranferring it to the gel liner pot. Anyway, it'll take something like equal parts to get the right amount of pigmentation for you brow product, but once you get it to the right color, it works like magic!

And there you have it! Brow "pomade" made super cheap and easy with beeswax and eyeshadow! It works great, it doesn't dry out and best of all, when u run out, you can just whip up some more! BOOM!

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Wet N Wild is LIFE!- Lipstick Gold

I've posted quite a few times about looks i created using Wet N Wild products. Their eyeshadows are AMAZING. They're super pigmented, some are dupes for high end brands, i can find any color my makeup loving heart desires and let's not forget that they're extra affordable! At no more than $6 per palette at walgreens, walmart, target, cvs, rite aid, and that's just the stores i've been to.... you really can't lose with Wet N Wild.

I found myself bypassing all other brands and heading straight to the Wet N Wild 5' section when doing my mandatory stroll of the cosmetics section of any store i'm in. I now will swear by the gel liner pot, the fergie collection eye primer and the color icon liners. But there is one product that stands out like a bedazzled fanny pack... the Mega Last Lipstick collection!

Listen, lipstick is kind of a big deal for me. Like... it sets the mood... it finishes your face..  brows, lashes and lipstick are my staples... and these lipsticks are like GOLD! There's a wide range of colors from nudes, to pinks, to purples to reds and even a couple of orange shades. They finish matte when blotted (which is a must), they last for forever, they're very pigmented so fading is almost unheard of (esp with the deeper colors), they come in some fairly sleek little tubes and... They cost no more than $2!!!! Not a joke. The highest i've seen them priced is $1.99 ! Insane right?! Right! I didn't even realize how obsessed with this lipstick that i was until i organized my makeup case and realized that i had somewhere between 15 and 20. I shop them and find that i already own most of the shades and then when i grab one that i think won't be anything special, it blows me away! (That's actually happened twice now). But yea, it's an amazing product, extra low cost and soooo my fav product by a company that i frequently refer to as "life". Just in case you're still not convinced that you should report to your nearest drugstore and grab alllll of these lipsticks, here are some pics of some of my faves....

"Don't Blink Pink"

"Stoplight Red"

"Bare It All" (over a dark brown liner)

"Vamp It Up"

"Think Pink"

"Sugar Plum Fairy"

"Mochalicious"

Catch more of me and my makeup looks on...
Facebook: Racquel Guess
Instagram: @racquelmua

Can't Get Enough!!!

I know! I know!... Everyone and their grandma (including myself) have been so serious about fall colors and whatnot, but I just can't get enough of Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color Peacock Blue!!! I swear, this color is good for any weather... but it got a little cold and rainy these past few days and... i'm not gonna lie... I got the urge to go blue. It's such a true color! (i can't describe it any other way) it's loud and you can build it to be as intense as you want/need it to be... Can we say PERFECT?! Ok, now that i've made everyone uncomfortable with that little rant... let's take a look at today's Peacock Blue and the steps I took to make this look happen:

Starting off with the Peacock Blue on the Lid (Tell me this
color isn't ridiculously amazing!... oh wait.... u can't!)

Next is using a tapered blender brush to add Black Pearl to
the lower lash line and out (however far u desire) toward
the brow bone and then back in

BLEND!... i took a short haired blender brush and dipped it
into Silky Caramel, shook off the excess, and used that to
soften & blend the Black Pearl out toward the brow as well
as blending the Peacock Blue and Black Pearl together. 

Liner!.. I used the Mary Kay Limited Edition Gel Liner and
brush to line my lid... I'm really into extreme winged liner
right now, if you're not trying to go that far, then simply
don't ;-)

Lashes!!! I use Kiss Lashes #05 (they r my favorite right
now) but you can use any lashes you like as well as opting
to rock your naturals with some..oh idk.. Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara?
;-)

What's a great eye look without a little photo grid action?

So there you have it!!! It's actually a very simple process to get some extra Razzle-Dazzle and fun onto those peepers of yours. I'm such a huge fan of this blue, that I'm recommending that EVERYONE make it a part of their makeup collection! MUAs and simple Dazzlers alike. ;-)

And don't forget...

Feel free to contact me for Bookings and info on any of the colors you've seen here!!! ;-)

www.facebook.com/YourMK

www.marykay.com/rharang

rharang@marykay.com

Instagram: @racquelmua

I offer free trials as well as a Mary Kay Microdermabrasion treatment with your makeup application.

Lime Love!

Last week, I tried out a new (not very new, but new to my collection) Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color called Lime right? well, i totally fell in love with it! it's one of the fall favs and it can be (and has been) used to brighten up an eye or two... well, last week, instead of just putting a dab here or there, i totally made it the center of attention!

BOOM! lol

And what better way to showcase my appreciation for the use of a brighter color in the fall than to Step-By-Step it on up!....

it's pretty self-explanatory... it goes left to right from top to bottom (obviously) and the colors used are Lime, Espresso, Amber Blaze (over the top of those) , Honey Spice (at brow bone), a look at the blending, Jet Black Gel Liner and Ultimate Mascara.... BOOYAH!


And don't forget...

Feel free to contact me for Bookings and info on any of the colors you've seen here!!! ;-)

www.facebook.com/YourMK

www.marykay.com/rharang

rharang@marykay.com

Instagram: @racquelmua

I offer free trials as well as a Mary Kay Microdermabrasion treatment with your makeup application.

lipstick Lipstick LIPSTICK!!!!!

I got a few inquiries about lipstick that made me realize that i TOTALLY never concentrate on just the lips. I'm gonna use this post to give some important tips about wearing lipstick successfully and not feeling like a clown, which i know is a common feeling when setting out into the colored lip woods.

"Mary Kay of course!
The Satin Lips Set ($18)
 is stupid good!"

First off, no lipstick will look good on dry, peeling, rough lips... it just won't. So the first step to werking some lip color is smoothing your lips out and making sure they're moisturized. What do i recommend? Mary Kay of course! The Satin Lips Set ($18) is stupid good! Step 1, the Lip Mask, exfoliates your lips and Step 2, the Lip Balm, moisturizes them beyond belief. The best way to get great results that last is to do this before bed (and not having a make out session... or other things... after). Exfoliate, then Balm those bad boys! You will definitely notice a major difference in your lips! Then maintain your moisture by balming again after breakfast/ teeth brushing. When applying your lipstick, blot that balm off though (don't scrub them dry). You don't want your lip color going balm skating off your lips. So that's the before-color important tip!

Next, let's talk about lasting color. While you can go for a "long-wear" or stain, if you find a color that doesn't have those options and you don't want to compromise, here is a way to get that color to last a little longer than the norm....
Step 1: line naked lips with a color that matches (or comes pretty close) to your lipstick of choice.
Step2: Fill in your lips with the lipstick you've chosen.
Step 3: Blot your lips with a tissue
Step 4: Take a clean, fluffy shadow brush and load it up with your powder (pressed or loose) dab that                  on your lips until they're totally matte.. but not so much that it's just loose all over your mouth.
Step 5: Add your lipstick again
Step 6: Blot once more, and then add lipstick again.
It sounds like a lot, but it totally works to get your color lasting all the live-long day/ night.

Now, let's talk about Matte. Matte colors are always fun, whether it's pinks, reds, purples or nudes. Plenty of brands offer matte-finish lipsticks. But, once more, if you've found/ fallen in love with a particular color that does not come in a matte finish, here's how to make it happen!....
Step 1: Follow all of the steps in the long-wear section above except on Step 6, don't re-apply... and that's it! Matte Lips, that last!
Another thing that I've tried for matte lips is dabbing an eyeshadow of the same color over my lips after applying lipstick. It's quicker, but doesn't last as long, for sure.

DARKNESS!.. ok so dark/ rich colors are IN! I think pinks and nudes are here to stay for a bit, since a pink or nude lip can be rocked year-round, but the fall/winter seasons are bringing some Deep Reds, Darker Pinks, and Rich Browns/ Purples. This is a super fun time since wearing these kinds of colors during spring and summer can give the impression of wanting to be goth-ish.... So, when werking these colors, there are just a few rules.... i mean, u can do whatever u want with your face, when i say "rules" i mean simple guidelines for those who are totally lost when venturing into the darker color caves. (y do i keep doing that?) anyhoo... Remember these few key things before slapping on that deep, dark, rich color...

"you're not about to step on the set
of a vogue editorial shoot so...
calm that shit down."

1: Keep your eyes a bit simple.. you're not about to step on the set of a vogue editorial shoot so... calm that shit down. Start with a neutral shadow on your lid (something that's not too far off from your skin-tone) with matte lips, try a little shimmer on your eyes (i said A LITTLE) and with shiny lips, go for a matte shadow,  and define your crease very lightly with a color that's only a little darker than your starter color. Bust out some lashes or your fav mascara and you're in the game.


2: If you want to play up your eyes a little more, try a sleek cat eye with a gel liner (like the one i've recently fallen in love with http://dailyrazzle-dazzle.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-new-love-of-my-life.html) Top lash line only!

3: It's a really good idea to line your lips when using deep colors, to keep that color on your lips and keep you from entering into ronald mcdonaldville. 

4: and also, a really even face is a big deal! You want your skin to be even and for your blush/ bronzer (if you're using any) to be light and not draw attention away from those lips of your.

5: Teeth! Although they say that a darker lip makes your teeth look whiter, you have to remember that when ur rocking a bold lip, everyone will be looking at your mouth. So a little extra maintenance isn't a bad idea. also, when ur all set, lips on and ready to go, take your index finger and stick it in your mouth, lightly close your lips around it, and slide it out. this will catch that excess on the inside of your lips that may be tempted to jump ship onto your teeth. ;-)

Hope this was helpful!

And don't forget...

Feel free to contact me for Bookings and info on any of the colors you've seen here!!! ;-)

www.facebook.com/YourMK

www.marykay.com/rharang

rharang@marykay.com

Instagram: @racquelmua

I offer free trials as well as a Mary Kay Microdermabrasion treatment with your makeup application.

Warming up a Smokey Eye...

First of all, i wanna say that this title has got me singing "Warm it up chris! i'm about to! warm it up chris! cuz that's what i was born to do!" (don't judge me)
Anyhoo, today i decided to keep with these fall-themed colors and add some fall warmth to an otherwise cool smokey eye....

Starting with a primed eye, i add Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Midnight Star... It's dark but not super dark and it has a fun shimmer. Next i added Sweet Plum (remember that on the list of fall favs?... well.. it was there). Blend the Sweet Plum into the Midnight Star and up toward the brow. Next it's Amber Blaze at the inner corner! (another fall-fav). it totally warms up this smokey eye. now it's just a bit more fun.. and hot! hahahaha! *clears throat* I like to use Silky Caramel from the Sweet Plum to the  outer brow. it softens the line of color and it's less of a highlight and more of a filler color... it's there but not there. From there, it's gel liner (my love), Ultimate Mascara, Foundation, a Mineral Cheek Color called Golden Copper to play into the Amber Blaze warmth (i'm gonna fire the word warm after this post btw) and on the lips?.. Creme Lipstick in Fuchsia! BOOM!

...CLOSE UP OF THE EYE.. fun right?

...Collage fun with photos of the products used

And some fun art by my bestest Joshikins!

Feel free to contact me for Bookings and info on any of the colors you've seen here!!! ;-)

www.facebook.com/YourMK

www.marykay.com/rharang

rharang@marykay.com

Instagram: @racquelmua

I offer free trials as well as a Mary Kay Microdermabrasion treatment with your makeup application.

The New Love Of My Life...

so... about a year ago, i decided to try out a gel pot eyeliner from a drugstore because i wanted the look of a liquid liner with the ease of application of a pencil. and i immediately fell in love! so of course it was like the worst day ever when i lost it somewhere in my car and couldn't find it for shit. (yes, my car is a cluttered mess. i have 3 kids and spend 80% of the day in it.. don't u judge me) anyhoo, this season (like all seasons) Mary Kay came out with some limited edition products that were fantastic...

it's called the Hollywood Mystique Collection and it's full of super glam products...including a gel liner!!!!!

Well, of course i bought it! and it's AMAZING!!! the gel has a creamy texture, it goes on really smooth, it lasts for forever and ever, it's EVERYTHING i need it to be! plus it comes with a cute little expandable brush! i'm so excited about it, i had to give it it's own post so... yea, that's what this is. lol!
This gel liner also comes in Tempting Teal and that's super yummy... i'll have a look or 2 to post using that color soon!

Feel free to contact me for Bookings and info on any of the colors you've seen here!!! ;-)

www.facebook.com/YourMK

www.marykay.com/rharang

rharang@marykay.com

Instagram: @racquelmua

I offer free trials as well as a Mary Kay Microdermabrasion treatment with your makeup application.

Fall Hottness...

Although, i like to rock any color, anytime and don't necessarily let the seasons dictate what i put on my face, i can't deny that that the masses are very conscious of seasonal trends in makeup, hair and fashion. so here's what's going on this fall (and honestly, every fall) 

top to bottom left: Sweet Plum, Amber Blaze, Emerald.

top to bottom right: Lime, Gold Coast

These r pretty much, along with some coppery bronze and brown colors, the can't-miss colors for fall. I'm a big fan of Mary Kay Mineral Eye Colors (which are the brand shown above) and I've decided that not enough ppl are taking advantage of how amazing these products/ colors are. So i'm on a mission to do some "Mary Kay All The Way" looks using these trendy fall colors along with some of my other favs....

So this here is using just one of the fall trends, Lime. I used it as a color pop on a pretty standard modern (jersey) smokey eye. Silver Satin and Coal are the other colors used on the eyes and I think this look is good for this fall, since not everyone is wearing warm tones everyday. Pair this look with MK Creme Lipstick in Pink Passion, and seriously, u can't go wrong! 

In this look, I used Iris and Copper Glow (2 super fall-esque colors) and threw in one of my favorite blues, Midnight Star. I LOVE this look! It's bright and fun while being a bit sultry and warm. Amazing for day or night and perfect for this season! For my lips, I used Satin Lips Lip Balm and... Mineral Eye Color in Sweet Plum! The color I matched is NouriShine Plus Lipgloss in Berry Tart. I hadn't received mine yet and couldn't wait. lol

Here, I've Got Emerald and Sweet Plum with a hint of Amber Blaze making some fall magic happen. This, my friends, is exactly what I'm talking about when I say that fall-inspired makeup is trending all over the place. I threw in some Creme Lipstick in Hibiscus to play up the brightness of the Emerald. It's fun, it's warm it's colorful... it's frickin fall folks! hahaha! 

Here we're bordering on Fall and Winter... This, is holiday makeup ppl! It's warm and cool, it's fun and glamorous. On the eyes we have Honey Spice and Espresso along with a new item Mary Kay gel liner (my absolute favorite ever! i love gel pot liners and couldn't wait to get my hands on MK's! It's- wait, i'll write a review on it in a bit). on the lips? MK Creme Lipstick in Rich Fig! Oh this Color!!! It lives up to it's name and is definitely Rich! I fell in love with it as soon as it went on! I think this is a perfect color for both the holidays, and those days when u want to be super bold but aren't in the mood for a bright red lip. A must-have for sure.

So, there you have my notes on Fall Hottness and some examples of on-trend colors used in some wearable ways. BOOM!!!

Feel free to contact me for Bookings and info on any of the colors you've seen here!!! ;-)

www.facebook.com/YourMK

www.marykay.com/rharang

rharang@marykay.com

Instagram: @racquelmua

I offer free trials as well as a Mary Kay Microdermabrasion treatment with your makeup application.

Wait... How Do I.....?

Ok, so.. i have a friend who shoots me the occasional question and since her questions r not uncommon, i like to respond here for anyone with similar questions to have access to the answers... anyhooo... she asked me about these 2 things so i figure i'll kill 2 birds with one blog, ;-)

"...How to use eyeshadow or blended eyeliner underneath the eye without looking like you have a black eye (and how to make it stay)
and finally how to do the light color pretty much all over the lid and then where to start that dark color..."

to the first part of this, i say start with PRIMER!!!! (excuse my excitement) but yes, eye primer is pretty important for 1:keeping your eye color in place, 2: keeping your eye color from creasing, 3: to let your eye color pop... so when applying primer, don't be shy. apply it to the upper and lower lid so when you line your lower lash line, the color doesn't go sliding out of place and giving you the raccoon effect. also, when applying color to your lower lash line with shadow, use a flat shadow brush to keep the color spreading evenly and the line just as thick or thin as u like. also, don't load that brush up with color... tap, blow or shake excess shadow off so it doesn't get too messy. when using liner, apply the liner and then use a sturdy smudge brush or and actual rubber smudge tool (not sure if that's the name cuz i'm super drawing a blank, so here's what it looks like...) 

this kind of smudge tool is the best for liner. always clean up any makeup that falls onto your face and even clean up your line if you like. it should look like this...

BOOYAH!!!

As for the second part of this inquiry, after applying you lighter color to your lid, if you're unsure where to begin with your darker color... start with you lower lash line.... even if you're not going to line your lower lash line, you basically want your shadow to extend the natural shape of your eye so you would take a fairly narrow brush and, instead of stopping at the outer edge of your eye like you would in the above look, you'd just take that line out toward the end of your brow as far out as you like. referring back to another post (that actually features the picture below) http://dailyrazzle-dazzle.blogspot.com/2012/10/pink-and-grey.html you can see the exact step where the darker shadow is taken from the lower lash line out toward the brow. use that same step, but don't feel obligated to take it as far out as i chose to... i like drama in my eye makeup. 

I hope this was helpful for you all who are still making attempts at bringing Razzle-Dazzle into your everyday makeup routines!
If there are ANY other questions, feel free to shoot them into the comments box, or my inbox. and remember, hands-on is always just a bit more fun, so I'm available for actual personal teaching! what could be more fun than having an MUA spend an hour or 2 coaching you through your favorite looks?! 

Don't forgets...

Feel free to contact me for Bookings! ;-)

www.facebook.com/YourMK

www.marykay.com/rharang

rharang@marykay.com

Instagram: @racquelmua

I offer free trials as well as a Mary Kay Microdermabrasion treatment with your makeup application.

My Smokey Eye!!! the cat's out of the bag folks!

it's no secret that i LOVE smokey eyes! (classic smoke as well as jersey smoke) the classic smokey eye is seriously one of my absolute favorite go-to looks. especially for work! keeping it dazzling can be a slight challenge on some days, so it's best to have a great go-to for the days that u can't get ur brain to come up with some razzle, but u still wanna dazzle. sometimes a winged liner, some lashes and a bold lip are all u need to kill the game... but when u wanna go further and u need those eyes to blast off like the fuckin space shuttle smokey eyes r the way to go. i know, i know, i said all this in a previous blog: "When In Doubt Smoke it Out" http://dailyrazzle-dazzle.blogspot.com/2012/09/when-in-doubt-smoke-it-out.html
but it's all just so very true!
so any ways... keeping in my great mood of wanting to post some step-by-step tutorials and also feeling like everyone can use a little recipe from time to time, i decided to guide u thru my favorite smokey eye! u can use any colors with these steps and achieve... magic! here we go.....

use a short-haird smudge brush to build up ur darkest color
on ur lid up to the crease and along the lower lash line and
out to create whatever shape u like (round, cat... extreme cat)

give a heavy sweep of color along the top or the darker color
from corner to corner...

blend downward and then back up to expand the color
to slightly above the crease...

don't forget about the lower lash line... u want the top to
match the bottom...

take a matte neutral shade (again, like beige) and blend
downward from the brow bone to the color (in tis case green)
don't get to blend happy. u just want to soften the line, the
color should remain concentrated on the lid....

define ur brows with a pencil or shadow (i used a pencil here,
but for the most part i use a shadow) then apply ur favorite
lashes. there's really no need to use liner, but u can if u wanna
go hard in the paint (literally)

just a side view of it all...

and now i'm a happy camper! hahahaha! i'm keeping my lips
neutral with a gold shimmer gloss (MK NouriShine in Beach
Bronze) 

And there u have it folks!!! this is how i smoke my eyes out! i rarely start with anything other than black, but i have subbed the black out for a deep purple or blue. but the green? i've subbed that for red, blue, pink, purple, gold, brown... whatever works! so... get to it! hope this helps some folks and if not... book me! lol ;-)

Feel free to contact me for MK products and Bookings! ;-)

www.facebook.com/YourMK

www.marykay.com/rharang

rharang@marykay.com

Instagram: @racquelmua