With contouring being the most talked about make-up technique ever thanks to the Internet, I am welcoming the latest trend of strobing with open arms. Anything that is is anti-contouring and I'm all for it (probably because I like to be contrary to the crowd). Similarly to contouring, strobing is about pinpointing areas of the face in a way to enhance individual features, giving the illusion of dewy and prominent areas. However, unlike contouring which adopts shading techniques with deep matte textures to the hollows of the face, strobing is all about adding highlight with shimmer products to the highest points of the face. It plays off individual bone structure to create glowing, healthy, natural looking skin.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
Thanks to the thousands of talented beauty experts on YouTube, everyone can become their own make-up artist. Knowledge is power and the worldwide availability of tutorials means everyone can know more about professional techniques. Both contouring and strobing can make you photo ready at any opportunity. Contouring and strobing are typical assets for make-up artists backstage at runway shows and behind the scenes at photoshoots, strictly used by pros. Due to mainstream media and new products being publicised every month by Insta-famous celebrities, the average girl has now adopted contouring into their everyday make-up routine. And strobing is next so be ready for all cosmetic companies releasing products with the word strobing attached or implied.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
When used correctly, strobing can really lift the face and give the much desired look of being lit from within. Strobing is not a new technique. It is a method which make-up artists have kept in their arsenal for years and essentially is just another word for highlighting. Celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Alba can often be seen with the most dewy, luminous skin and it is evident that strobing has been used to achieve this highly sought after look. Big beauty brands such as Illasmaqua, Ellis Faas and MAC Cosmetics use strobing in their campaign images as this method beautifully catches the light on the highest points of the face. MAC's Strobe Cream namesake is starting to make sense now, isn't it?
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
The theory behind strobing is to utilise natural beauty and natural light without the use of contouring. This is why it is much more forgiving make-up technique than contouring. It removes the complex skills needed for shading and allows you to use minimal products to achieve an effortless look - although we all know we put so much effort into getting that J-Lo glow. Strobing focuses on natural skin so opt for a BB cream or mix a little moisturiser/oil into your your regular foundation for a more sheer finish. At this stage you can always add a drop or two of your favourite liquid or cream highlighter for an even more wet-look appearance. You can also add moisturiser into your concealer for extra dewiness. As strobing focuses on highlighting, oily skins may not appreciate the copious amounts of cream highlighter. For oily skin textures, I suggest incorporating an appropriate moisturiser into your foundation (one that will sit well with your base) and use powder highlighting products on to the tops of cheekbones, apples of cheeks, Cupid's bow only and eyes. For those with normal, dry, dehydrated or combination skin, they can continue on adding highlighter to the bridge of the nose, tip of the nose, philtrum, centre of the forehead, chin, inner corners of the eyes, the mobile lid, underneath and above the highest point of the eyebrows - pretty much the highest planes of the face and any areas you want to brighten up. Everyone is different so find your comfort zone and see where the light naturally hits. Think of strobing as your spotlight smoky eye only this time it's for the entire face.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
Strobing pros:
Easier than contouring.
Makes use of natural features.
Great for summer.
Looks better in natural light.
Less maintenance.
Gives a more youthful appearance, time rewinds when I strobe.
Skin looks amazing!!!
Focuses on natural beauty instead of masking the face.
Strobing cons:
Need relatively good skin to begin with.
Skincare regimen must be improved - I suppose that's not really a con as we should all look after our skin anyway but for this technique to truly work you should cleanse and moisturise on a daily basis and use a brightening face mask one to two times per week.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
Contouring pros:
Adds definition.
Narrows the face, making it appear slimmer.
Great looking for photography.
Contouring cons:
Masks the face as contouring tends to be a heavy handed make-up technique.
It's been done and overdone time and time AND TIME again.
Re-shapes the face making you look less like you.
Not so great looking in real life.
Ageing.
Focuses on heavy coverage.
Time consuming.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
Personally, I prefer strobing as opposed to contouring as it gives a more youthful appearance full of freshness and vitality. Contouring can be ageing. Don't get me wrong, I love how multi-dimensional the face can look when contouring, highlighting, bronzing and blushing is all going on but sometimes a girl just ain't got time for all that. Both contouring and strobing must be done carefully. Remember that even though strobing will generally look better in natural light, it is easy to overdo both methods of shaping the face.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
So what to go for? If you want to do both, go for it. It's your face, your make-up and it's all about what you like. Although I suggest opting for strobing for your everyday glamorous look and adding light touches of bronzer and blusher to give you that all over glow. For special occasions when photography is involved add a hint of contour to the hollows of you cheeks - you don't need to go full on faux drag queen. Unless you are like me and want people to be in awe of your skills then drag, drag, drag away.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
When choosing shimmer products, go for colours that will complement your skin tone. If you are deep, pick warm golden shades. If you are medium, opt for peach illuminators. If you are fair with cool skin like me, choose pink tones. My favourite powder highlighters are Make-Up Revolution vivid baked highlighters as they have one for everyone - Golden Lights, Pink Lights and latest obsession, Peach Lights. You can always customise the colour to suit your mood and your skin tone by applying some cream highlight before your powder. My favourites for this are the undress your skin liquid glows from Make-Up Academy. Again they come in variety of shades including Pink Shimmer, Oyster and Champagne. If layering products isn't for you and you want to keep your route fuss-free, choose MAC Cosmetics cream colour bases. Again they have one to suit a variety of skin tines and my favourites are Pearl, Luna and Hush.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
For a streak free base, use a dense buffing brush to really work the product into the skin. If you don't have brush like this use your regular method of applying foundation and then use your hand or a sponge in a gentle stippling motion to blur the edges and remove brush marks. Apply your cream products with your fingers and blend out with either clean fingers or a synthetic brush. For your powder products use a small fluffy brush or soft pencil brush for precise areas such as inner corners of the eyes and an angled brush for the tops of your cheeks. You will look f-l-a-w-l-e-s-s if you use the right tools.
Goodbye Contouring, Hello Strobing
I am delighted that strobing has become a trend as nothing shatters my tiny make-up heart more than seeing ladies cover their naturally beautiful skin with thick contouring products. I mean, I like to be a faux queen too but balance is key and strobing really is the way to go. Happy strobing!
I know, I know. You don't even want to think about Christmas until October. But this is the (un)official half-way point to Jesus' birthday so why not mark the occasion with some green glitter on the eyes and ruby red lipstick. Put on your favourite festive jumper, watch Bad Santa and decorate your face appropriately. That's what I'm doing for the occasion.
Half-Christmas Make-Up
This is a recreation of the make-up I wore for Christmas Day last year. Every year I find a way to incorporate Ruby Red pigment into my make-up routine. MAC's Ruby Red pigment is a mandatory part of my make-up routine for every Christmas and the days leading up to it since 2008.
Half-Christmas Make-Up
I love Ruby Red because MAC's Ruby Red pigment is a mandatory part of my make-up routine for every Christmas and the days leading up to it since 2008. My parents went all the way to Orlando just to buy it for me. It means so much to me for that reason.
Half-Christmas Make-Up
Previously a pro product, Ruby Red pigment was later discontinued but it is now available to buy through the MAC website. Without Ruby Red, my Christmas would not feel the same.
This is called Bridal Make-Up On & Off A Budget + What I Done To Prepare for My Wedding Day & Paper Anniversary because my wedding day make-up was created using some luxury products but I wanted to show you how to recreate the same look using cheaper alternatives. I'm a huge advocate for inexpensive brands and used many on my wedding day for nails and for my skin preparation. You don't need to buy all luxury items in order to look and feel good. As well as beauty tips for your big day, I share some personal getting ready moments and a small selection of images from our wedding. I repeatedly refer to our wedding day in some of my beauty vlogs on YouTube so this acts as a succinct way to look back on our wonderful day. Allocating a limited number of photographs on my blog balances my devotion to keeping my life private with my desire to influence and share with like-minded brides for their upcoming nuptials.
Tell me, are you a badfish too?
If I could choose three words to describe my wedding day they would be intimate, personal and overwhelming. Our day was exclusive to family and close friends. In an industry which feeds off competition and over-sharing, it is good to remember that a wedding day is just that - a day and not a marriage. It should not be a means to rival your peers. It should be a happy and momentous occasion which focuses on those who love and support you and your spouse no matter what. Quality over quantity is what I firmly ascribe to. Last month marked our one year wedding anniversary and to celebrate we went to a place named after my favourite flower followed by retiring to what we call our caravan room (basically a segmented sofa that looks like the living space of a static home) with Netflix and Chinese food. Bliss.
Sitting here tonight by the fire light, it reminds me that I already have more than I should.
I wanted to wear the same make-up that I wore on our wedding day so that I looked like a bride again. Stating that in writing really does make me think I am Mrs Havisham, well technically I am a Mrs now so Miss Havisham doesn't quite suit. The make-up I wore was soft, feminine and perfect for brides, wedding guests and for date nights. It is romantic whilst still catering to my own individual style with my added glitter and defined eyeliner flicks.
For my anniversary however, I steered away from high end products with one or two exceptions, and instead opted for high street/drugstore ones. If they didn't come from the high street or drugstore, they were inexpensive purchases from the likes of eBay or web stores. So here is what I did to recreate the feeling of being a bride again.
1.Nails I painted my nails the night before our anniversary and did exactly the same the night before we married. For both days I opted for Barry M nails paints in Rose Hip and Huckleberry - very soft, muted pink and blue shades, ideal for any DIY bride. For the wedding I painted most nails in Rose Hip and painted two ring finger accent nails in Huckleberry. I bought sunflower nail art decals from ebay and carefully placed one on each accent nail.
Come a little bit closer, hear what I have to say.
For our anniversary, I mixed it up with one hand in blue with a pink accent and vice versa. On my ring fingers I used nail gems and shaped them into sunflowers rather than using water decals.
No money man can win my love, it's sweetness that I'm thinking of.
2.Body Preparation On the morning of my wedding, I took my time getting ready. My house was quiet as there were no bridesmaids. My mum was having her hair done. My brother and my dad were having breakfast with Colm. My time alone was spent in peaceful contemplation of my day ahead. I had no butterflies. I had no regret. All I had was contentment and adoration for my husband and my wonderful, supportive family. So shower time... I don't recall the exact shower gel or body scrub I used but I do remember the coconut scent of the body butter from the I Love range that I used. My anniversary was no exception and I used my current favourite shower gel and scrub - both with lavender scents. The gel was from Original Source and the scrub was a home-made and handmade one from eBay. I applied the same I Love body butter that I used for my wedding day in the scent Coconut & Cream. That smell just takes me back and is still a firm favourite in my rotation of body butters and lotions.
On a weekend I wanna wish it all away.
3.Hair My friend Dana was doing my hair later that day and explicitly told me not to wash my hair that morning. I broke the rules as my scalp was so dry I had to use a medicated shampoo. I avoided conditioner as it only weighs down my hair and I wanted the curl to stay in for as long as possible. Dana is a professional hair and make-up artist and she knew exactly what I was after - loose, natural looking waves with some strands pinned back away from my face.
Won't somebody get me off of this reef?
My hair was very short at the time and Dana blended my hair into my clip-in extensions which were previously ombréd. I tried to copy this style on my anniversary without the extensions as my hair has grown significantly in the past year. I used a twisted curling wand, similar to the one Dana used and then used my fingers to separate the curls before setting with salt spray to make it a little on the messy side.
I know that it's you I need to take the blues away.
4.Skin Skin preparation for me was so important on the big day. The lead up to your wedding is not the time to try new products on your skin, your hair or your eyebrows. If you want to try new things to see if they work for you, do so about one month before your big day. Same goes for proms, formals, graduations or any occasion where photography is involved. I waxed my brows approximately one week before I got married as I know that bwteen five - seven days post wax is the best my eyebrows look. I did not put any foundation on my skin for about a week or two before the wedding which allowed my skin to breathe. I was kind to my skin with products I knew worked well on me and were good for my sensitive and dehydrated skin. For my cleanser I used the Cien cleansing milk in the scent Lotus & Silk. This is available from Lidl and is by far one of the best and most gentle cleansers I have ever used. This rivals anything I have tried from Clarins and is suitable for all skin types. I followed up with my usual toner from Boots Traditional Skincare made with rosewater and glycerine. My favourite day cream is the wild rose one from Weleda. It is nourishing and calming, making the perfect step right before make-up application.
You better draw back your bow and let your arrow flow.
I haven't bought my beloved Weleda products in over a year but I am thinking of starting to use them again. I have since switched to Una Brennan Superfacialist rose hydrate products which are designed locally. I still use the same cleanser and toner on a daily basis but on the day of my anniversary I skipped my cleanser and opted for the honey and oat 3 in 1 cleansing mask from The Body Shop. I followed with my rosewater and glycerine toner and finished my skin the the Una Brennan day cream. For an added extra, I prepared my lips with The Body Shop strawberry lip balm.
It's not a hill, it's a mountain as you start out the climb.
5.Make-Up My bridal make-up was carefully planned and I tried a few different eye looks on myself and on my mum prior to the big day. I never use primer as I personally think it is an unnecessary step and went straight on with foundation after moisturising. I wanted my complexion to reflect my favourite peaches and cream look and to last all day. For this I opted for a mixture of liquids, creams and powders to ensure longevity and freshness. I used the Urban Decay naked 3 palette on my eyes as I feel that this palette was made for me. Anyone with fair, cool-toned skin with blue or green eyes and ash blonde or brown hair will notice how much rose golds and silver pink shades will complement their colouring. These are very harmonious tones and shades when paired with people similar to my colouring as when you choose complementary colours, they photograph exceptionally well. Some of our wedding guests were surprised I toned down my usual drag look, although I did manage to get my glitter fix so my inner faux queen was catered for that day. Lips were a cool mid-tone pink which were to originally be Lovelorn from MAC but I chose the Nyx dupe instead. My teeth were whitened before the big day but they were by no means perfect. I specifically chose blue-based pink because those shades make teeth appear to be whiter than what they really are. I chose a mid-tone colour as anything lighter makes me look ill and anything darker would not have suggested bridal for me. That morning, getting ready, I was in a zen-like state listening to my Spotify playlist that I had made the day before filled with songs which remind me of Colm as well as individual members of my family.
And it's you when I look in the mirror and it's you when I don't pick up the phone.
My anniversary make-up; apart from product differences, there is one thing I neglected to do on my anniversary which I did on my wedding day and that was lining the underneath of my eyes with a brown pencil. I purposefully left this out as I feel that this step can sometimes make my eyes look smaller. If you want definition, go for the extra liner but if you want to look more awake, leave this out.
I must be travelling on now.
This make-up lasted really well except for one uncontrollable eyelash!
The wind in the willow played love's sweet melody.
Soft smoky eyes with brown eyeliner flicks.
Taking off in a Coupe De Ville, she's buckled up on Navy.
Paper Anniversary Make-Up Products:
Max Factor skin luminizer foundation - Light Ivory
Make-Up Academy pro base prime & conceal powder
Maybelline color tattoo - Nude Pink
W7 in the nude palette - Latte, Marilyn, Copper Pot, Coffee Cup, Bad Manners, Alice, Angel eyeshadows
Make-Up Academy mascara - Shade 4 (brows)
Barry M dazzle dust - 27/Gold Iridescent
Make-Up Gallery pro liquid liner - Brown
Lorac 3d liquid lustre - Rose Quartz
W7 glitter - Pink Space Debris
Lit Cosmetics clearly liquid glitter base
Rimmel scandaleyes pencil - Nude
L'Oreal voluminous full definition mascara - Black Brown
Maybelline big eyes mascara
Collection lasting perfection concealer - Fair
Beauty UK cream contour palette
Make-Up Revolution blush palette - All About Cream
Bourjois delice de poudre bronzing powder - Medium
Milani blusher - Tea Rose
Me Me Me Cosmetics beat the blues highlighter - Pearl Pink
Make-Up Revolution vivid baked highlighters - Peach Lights, Golden Lights
Nyx Cosmetics lip pencil - 1000 Years
Nyx Cosmetics lipstick - Paris
Tanya Burr lip gloss - Afternoon Tea
She's a rainbow and she loves the peaceful life.
Click here for another bridal look using the Urban Decay naked 3.
6.Scent I chose my all time favourite perfume for both my wedding day and anniversary, the iconic Coco from Chanel. It is an oriental-floral, warm and sensual scent (I literally copied that description from The Perfume Shop) and I drenched myself and my mum in it on my wedding day. This is the original formula which inspired other Chanel perfumes and for me it is the most beautiful one. Nothing beats Coco. It is home. It is mum. It is me.
He doesn't try to change me.
7.Jewellery
I wore my wedding bands both days.
The days go by like a strand in the wind in the web that is my own, I begin again.
Inspired by Jackie Kennedy, I wanted emeralds to feature in my engagement ring. I'm not a fan of typical diamond solitaires, plus I like to stand out from the crowd but in quite a subdued way. The wedding band itself was designed to hug underneath the jewels of the engagement ring. All rings including Colm's are from McNeilly's, Belfast.
I look into the moment like I'm standing on the edge.
The rest of my pieces are costume jewellery from eBay. I searched for a set of chains for my head and my hand until I found one I loved. I did not want the fuss of a veil. Much like the notion of our entire day, I wanted to look understated yet elegant. I achieved that with the rest of my jewellery. The head band or tika, was a faux pearl and rhinestone gold coloured chain. I was surprised that so many people complimented me on this part of my jewellery. Even my Gran, who is basically the Irish version of Coco Chanel, said she would wear it. So Gran definitely has an inner hippy chick.
I gave it all away just so I could say that.
The hand chain matched the head chain and both pieces along with my ear studs now live in a mounted shadow box of wedding memories in my hallway.
My heart, I never be, I never see, I never know.
I even bought matching ear cuffs but my ear lobes are so humongous that they kept falling off when I was getting ready. I had bought some back-up studs just in case the cuffs were uncomfortable. Again they were costume jewellery from eBay. I have my ears pierced several times in my lobes and wanted to have the appearance of green gems in my ears. The studs graduated in size going from largest to smallest the further up the ears. Green is my favourite colour and I wanted to incorporate it in my jewellery for good luck.
Rise up this morning, smiled with the rising sun.
For my anniversary I wanted to do much of the same thing regarding jewellery except for the hand chain. The tikka I wore on my anniversary was green and gold and it is my intention to wear it for all future anniversaries. I consider my tika my third eye - a sign to remind me of wisdom, peace and purity. I also bought a sunflower necklace because... well... do I really need to explain? I simply just love them. Tall and always facing the sun, the sunflower is a symbol of happiness, love, unity and faith.
If only you could see into me.
I bought myself some new green gem studs from eBay as well as a pair of pastel green bouquet style earrings all to match my new tika.
My heart is here right next to me and I'm caught waiting in the rain.
8.Outfit
Obviously I wore a wedding gown on the big day. It was made from organza and lace and I requested that sleeves were added on as I don't like showing off my arms. Shop around for your dress and check out shops on eBay. Many sellers offer brand new dresses which can be customised to your size and made for you. You can even choose whatever colour you want. Find a reputable seller and always pay via PayPal. I ordered mine in February last year and it arrived by the middle of April. Any alterations can be made locally. I would not have got a more perfect dress had I shopped in local department stores or boutiques.
I'll show you're so much better than you know.
I wanted to be feel comfortable and feminine on our anniversary so I wore a mid-tone pink top emblazoned with a big old elephant and a navy waterfall skirt. Both pieces from everything5pounds.
Every time I caught your stare, well I was thinking I can't live without you.
9.Individual Style Although we had some traditional aspects to our day such as my dad walking me down the aisle in a chapel, I done things on my wedding day that meant something special to me. I wanted my daddy to drive me and my brother down to the church in his car, just like he did for us everyday going to school. I did not want bridesmaids. I did not need them. I had my brother as my witness and my big beautiful family right by my side. There was no first dance. Personal touches made me feel relaxed and just like myself. I done my mum's make-up as well as my own because it is our little tradition now every Saturday and for special occasions. I honestly think I would be jealous if anyone else done my mummy's make-up - even if they were a professional. We even got Dana to cover our décolletages in MAC Reflects Pearl for added sparkle and shine.
Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Colm and I didn't wear traditional wedding shoes. Instead we had two pairs of Converse sneakers custom-made in pink and navy each with the words Bride and Groom stitched on to the back. Some might even call us Sole Mates. Haha, get it?
To you I give my affection right from the start.
We boxed them up after our wedding and wore them once more on our paper anniversary.
Yes, I'm so happy that you're happy with me.
I even had the last word during the speeches - I wanted to start off married life as I intended to continue it.
Whatever colours you have in your mind.
I am so blessed.
I can walk under ladders.
Hope this has helped any of you who are doing your own bridal make-up. Anyone can do it - just get practising! If you need any help with tricky parts like hair, eyelashes, eyeliner and nerves well that's what your mum and your best friend are for.
