Brows on the make-up blogette

FAQ & DISCLAIMER

About Me

My name is Sophia, and I am in my early 30s. I am from Singapore and I am the sole writer of this blog.

About this Blog

I started this blog in 2006, I like to use a wide range of brands though I seem to have a growing preference for higher-end brands in recent years. I also like to share interesting things I have come across about makeup and beauty.

Currently The Makeup Blogette receives 39,000 unique views monthly or 2,238,932 views and counting.

My Makeup Style

I like classic looks (neutral tones on eyes, anything goes for lips & cheeks), though occasionally I try out dramatic/ statement looks. I believe that a flawless base is the key to achieving great makeup looks. I also believe that if you don't have great skin to start with, fake it with a good foundation routine, and even greater skincare. I am currently loving Clarins & Lancome skincare products, and Vichy NormaDerm for tackling with breakouts.

What Cameras do I use?

Most of the pictures you see in post 2010 entries are taken with my Canon G-11. Previously I was using Canon Ixus 80. I do post some pictures which are taken with my iphone4 which I will state in that particular entry. I have stopped watermarking my pictures as of 2011, because I think watermarks are ugly in general, and does not prevent people from stealing my pictures if they wish to. I just take it as a compliment that my pictures are even worth stealing in the first place. I might look into getting a Canon EOS next year, not just for blogging purposes, but I also like photography in general.

My Favourite Makeup Brand(s)

It is hard to name just one, but I like NARS, Chanel, Illamasqua and the ocasional Guerlain, Dior & Urban Decay item. I own quite a stash of MAC items, but recently I have stopped catching up with their collections, and I much prefer to splurge on a few really outstanding items.

Where to find me

Twitter (link button above!) Email (stated above!) Instagram (makeup_blogette)

I have no official Facebook fan page, and currently have no intention to start one at all. The Makeup Blogette remains my personal hobby and property, so as such, I don't believe in having a Facebook fanpage for it.

Final Disclaimer

I bought/ paid for all of the products mentioned in this blog. I am not affliated to any company. If certain products are sent to me for review purposes, I will say so and express my honest opinions about them. In any case, I will only review and showcase the products which I have personally tried and tested, and enjoy using. I do not get paid to review anything.

No ads, no paid links etc please. I am in charge of all content and pictures here.

I am not a makeup artist, nor do I have any professional training in makeup.

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Newly Trimmed Eyebrows & Random Chat

Noticed my new brows? I am so amazed each time I have the chance to groom them. I do pluck the stray hairs time to time, but I never actually wanted to do the shaping myself, and I much prefer to leave it to the experts, well, only one expert, who is a good friend of mine. If you are a long time reader of my blog, you will know I only ever let my friend do my brows...I used to have very poorly shaped brows [I did my own brows for the longest time] but after a visit to her, I have never ever gone back to my own ways. Haha.. I know it sounds so dramatic, cos it's just eyebrows... but I think they are so important in framing one's face. I also prefer a pair of fuller shaped brows to frame my large face, thin brows - they just look more classic, and suit my face better.

This is not the first time I mention my friend who does my brows... and I have gotten questions about how I maintain them... well really, it starts from getting someone who is an expert to do your brows first. I know there are techniques like ok the arch should be like a third of the length of .. whatever you know what I mean... but it is more the technique of how the brow hairs are cut, and which hair to be plucked out that really makes the difference.

In case you are interested, and/or looking for a new brow expert to groom your brows, you can find my friend (her name is Leen) at Snails, Wheelock Place 03-01 --- do call and make an appointment, cos her working hours are very limited. (6738 0100, and you must ask for her, or if you leave me a pm, I can pass you her hp number to make appt directly---charges are about $20--25)

p/s I am not 'promoting' her services - she is pretty much booked all the time anyway - but it's just useful for anyone who is thinking of getting their brows re-vamped.

Anyway, it was great catching up with her yesterday, we went to Pique-Nique, the newish cafe at Taka, it's odd to see this 'quaint' place right next to the home appliances and KFC, but the food and feeling of the place is quite nice, and great for a chat. We both ordered waffles that we couldn't finish, and I think I will bring the bro along next time to try their burgers or mac&cheese. She also gave me some gifts for my birthday (yes, I know way back in March) but then we havent had the chance to catch up for ages!

Speaking of brows... I really like how the Koreans do their brows, very natural, neat and just nicely groomed -- I have been kinda hooked on this YT channel,Korean makeup artist Jung Sae Mmool - just check out how she works her brushes - I have never seen anyone as gentle and as artist in using makeup brushes - no wonder the looks all end up so flawless. But for examples of brows in general, just click on any of her videos - I always think this is like the Korean version of Lisa Eldridge. The whole lighting and style is very sleek and professional, the end results just amazing, and inspiring. Click HERE to view a brow focused tutorial from her channel.

Lots of photos and brows trimming in progress:

All products used:

Foundation (Shiseido refining foundation, chanel sheer illuminating base, La Mer Powder)

Eyes (GA ETK Khaki Pulse, Stila Kitten, Clarins Instant Liner 01 --- seriously the blackest and matte black liquid liner I have used!)

Cheeks (Clarins Mosaique bronzer, NARS Deep Throat)

Lips (Rachel K Plumping Lipgloss in Lolita)

yesterday we took pictures of the brow trimming in progress, and had a few laughs over my awkward expressions (which are all cropped out) but never mind, you just need to see the vast improvement in the eyebrow shape, and what a good brow technician can do.

I had the waffles with malted milk ice-cream, salt caramel sauce & whipped butter ($11).

huge portion, I left a quarter of the waffle unfinished.

Thanks for looking!

Posted on August 09, 2011 at 7:56AM | Permalink | 7 Comments

Filed in: Brows | Tagged with: Brows, LOTD

January 13, 2010

LOTD: Benefit Rave & Ramble

HI! Just want to share my thoughts and ramble a bit about the Benefit products which I bought, and they arrived earlier this week.

I have been using them everyday since...and the look I am doing is really easy and based loosely on this pixiwoo tutorial - not that you NEED to watch a tutorial to achieve this look, but I find that watching these videos make me look through my stash, and make use of stuff which I already own.. for example, my MAC Powersurge pencil, or a certain blusher, or eyeshadow.

Anyway these are the featured products in today's LOTD.

This is a swatch of Fawn Over Me eyeshadow. The texture is very soft and creamy, and so smooth when applying and blending. This color is along the same lines of MAC eyeshadows like Patina, Style Snob, All That Glitters. It is a light neutral/ warm brown with a pink sheen... very suitable for all over the lids, as I will demostrate later on.

And this is a swatch of the high Brow pencil. It is a pale pink pencil designed to highlight your brow bone. I got this as a promo freebie item... which is nice, or else, I won't get a chance to try it out, as I have never considered using a pencil to do my highlight. It blends very smoothly as the swatches below show.. and I am liking this to highlight my browbone. I just use my fingers to blend out, and then use a 224 brush to blend it with the eyeshadow color on the lids.

And this is what you should get. I also used MAC's Powersurge pencil on the lower waterline. And yes, I know my false lashes are very spiky and dramatic for this simple look... :)

I much prefer this speed Brow gel than my Sephora brow gel... for a few reasons. Firstly, the brush is smaller, giving you more control in application. It is also slightly translucent, and the color doesn't contain shimmer, so you get a very natural effect.. as shown below.

This is the finished look. I used Sugarbomb blusher on the apples of my cheeks. The swatches didn't show up in my pictures, so I didn't bother uploading them. But it gives my cheeks a nice cute glow. And I lurve the scent! I applied the blush using my MAC 116 brush. I also like how Benefit blushers aren't exactly pigmented, because I can be heavy handed with the application, and pile it on without worrying about looking like a clown.

On the lips, I used Revlon's Pink Pout matte lipstick.

That's all, and thanks for reading!

Posted on January 13, 2010 at 11:06PM | Permalink | 8 Comments

Filed in: mac, makeup, Brows, Benefit, Neutral, LOTD, Pink lips | Tagged with: Mac, makeup, benefit, neutral, Brows, pink lips, LOTD

November 20, 2009

Trimmed my brows today

Hi hi!

*Update --- I realised I somehow posted this entry twice and I deleted the other one (which Diana commented on, she said she can't wait to go for her session @ browhaus), in case you are wondering.

If you remember, I have been keeping my brows rather 'bushy' of late. Firstly, I usually trim my brows every 2 months or so, when I meet my bff, and we hang out and stuff. In between our meetings and visits, I maintain my brows on my own, I usually pluck the obvious stray hairs, and that's super easy to do so, because the shape of the brows are already 'fixed'. Then you recall my brow gel-hairy brows phase from a couple of weeks back... and well, to show you a pic of how my brows look like when it's time I need to get a proper trim. As you can see, there are lotsa of stray hairs, and the hairs are quite long. But the overall shape is still intact, and I can still get away with just filling in my brows without looking too umkempt.

And post triming and tweezing.....you would notice that my brows look fuller actually, not so much because they have been filled in with the pencil, but the hairs are now going in a much neater way due the way they have been cut.

Yup, so me loves my new brows! The moral of the story is, if you get a good brow trimming, it is just like a good haircut, it will grow out nicely even in between the maintainence, and a pair of nice shaped brows frame your face. Very important indeed.

Thanks for reading!!

Posted on November 20, 2009 at 9:48AM | Permalink | 11 Comments

Filed in: makeup, Brows, update | Tagged with: makeup, updates, Brows

November 06, 2009

The Frivolous Haul

Hi,

Why frivolous? Because these are stuff which are totally random, and totally unnecessary but oh so cute so I had to get 'em.

I spent more than 1 hour in a stationery store today. (At Prologue, 4th floor, ION, if you are wondering). I bought pencils, notebooks, stickers and stuff. I am not one to use a diary, cos I stop planning my days, like maybe 3 or 4 days into the New Year, and then the poor diary gets neglected and forgotten. I have shelves of notebooks from all over the place unused, sealed and brand new simply because I lurve collecting them. I have 3 or 4 pencil cases filled to the brim with pens, pencils (I have a fetish for mechanical pencils).

So anyway, here are the little stuff I bought: a black notebook, freebie hanger paper clip, pencil with ice cream motif from kikki.K at ION basement.

Because it is kind of plain, so my cousin got some alphabet stickers, and we started decorating away:

and I got carried away:

Yup.... I am silly like that.

And since we were at ION. I decided to take the plunge and bought the Sephora brow gel thingy, though I had said it was too shimmery. But what the heck. I got mine in the lighter shade.

To get a closer look at my fluffy hairy brows, and yes, I only applied (my new Givenchy) mascara to my lower lashes. I am lazy that way.

See how the mascara is totally lengthening and volumising my non-existent lower lashes? NARS Laguna and Sin on the cheeks. YSL RV No 1 on lips.

Whooo hooo to thick fluffy brows!! This is so great when I am keeping the rest of my eyes and face quite natural and bare.

Do you like hairy brows?? :) Share!

Thanks for reading.

Posted on November 06, 2009 at 8:06AM | Permalink | 14 Comments

Filed in: makeup, Brows, stationery, fashion and beauty, Sephora, haul | Tagged with: sephora, stationery, makeup, haul, Brows

September 09, 2009

Brows Tutorial

Hi, this will be a quick tutorial on how I draw my brows. Here, I am using Shu Uemura's 09 "Seal Brown' Hard Formula pencil. This is the BEST pencil, and it suits almost everyone. I do use other pencils... but this will always be my all time fave. I only use this pencil and a brow brush to draw my brows... and this pencil is very long lasting too.

I am not an expert on how brows should look like, but I know for sure they aren't twins.. meaning they will never look exactly the same. Brows are more like sisters, to use the same analogy. If you want to get your brows right, I suggest getting them professionally done... then maintaining them on your own is much easier. Go to a reputable place to do your brows.. because you don't want to end up with over-plucked brows. I think that SOME of the 'old-time' Shu Uemura MUA are very good in doing brows (ask for Sophia Chia--she is like the best known in this field).

I personally prefer brows that are natural but defined looking -- more classic, as opposed to a very 'fake and sharp' arched brows.

My brows are trimmed properly by my BFF/GF, and she really really is an expert on brows. I never knew that my brows could look so 'hairy' as I thought I am fated to have sparse, and unequal brows all my life. After she did my brows... they are so much easier to fill up, and even if I don't do that, I can still look 'normal'. I can ramble on and on about brows... but I shall move on instead.

So.. this is the pencil I am talking about.

According to the shu uemura site. this is the description:

"Natural finish and shape. This unique eyebrow pencil only releases color pigment when it interacts with the oils in the brow hairs. The result is natural, defined brows. Smudge-proof and long-lasting."

This pencil retails for $39 at all Shu Uemura counters. Needless to say, each pencil lasts you months and months. Maybe even a whole year. So it is a worthwhile investment.

The 'blade' shape of the pencil lead is what makes it easy to draw your brows. I basically use the 'length' of the blade along side my brows.. and lightly brush the lines which I want.

Ok... So, I usually OUTLINE my brows first... starting with the 'lower' line... as you can see here.. I have drawn a line on the lower brow shape.

Then I did the same for the upper brow shape. As you can see, now I have the whole brow outline.. and I just need to fill in the inside... and I do this with a very light strokes of the pencil.

Notice how the 'blade' of the pencil is brushing/ drawing the brows. This takes some getting used to... but when you are used to it.. you won't want to go back to the usual pointy pencil tips.

I have drawn this darker than I normally would.. so it will show up in pictures. So you can see some harsh lines. Then I use the brow brush to 'comb' my brows and also kind of blend the lines.

Combing and blending!

And here are the end results:

Notice how my brows look slightly different?? It is natural, cos our face bone structure is uneven... and this results in the slight imperfections.. which make us unique, right? Haha.

Hope you find this helpful.. and leave a comment if you have any questions. Do share what is your fave way of doing your brows, or how you maintain your brows.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on September 09, 2009 at 3:09AM | Permalink | 8 Comments

Filed in: Brows, Shu Uemura, Pencil, brows tutorial | Tagged with: pencil, Shu Uemura, Brows, brows tutorial

June 03, 2009

Rambling on a hot summer day (shopping haul, current faves)

So I was out with my gf yesterday, and we spent maybe half an hour at the Terry counter at Tangs Orchard - that escentuals or something corner opposite Shu Uemura.

For those wondering, I 'cut & paste' the following background information about Terry makeup:

" Created by legendary French makeup artist, Terry De Gunzburg, By Terry puts the focus on light and radiance, and brings together exquisite colours, advanced formulations and sophisticated application techniques in light-intuitive makeup and skincare. By Terry is luxury, elegance and personalisation. "Luxury is what is rare, what is made conscientiously and consistently."

Basically we were marvelling at this wonderful product:

It is the most pigmented and finest shimmer blush you can ever find. And it costs a whooping $106. We drooled, gooed, and ahhed over it... but tore ourselves away from the counter sighing. I would buy this blush if I didn't already have a drawer stuffed with blushers in every texture and finish, still waiting for me to use up.

If you read my previous post, you would remember I had to take my You Rebel Lite back to the Benefit counter for an exchange, and I am glad to report that they are very nice and prompt in helping me. So I used it today under my MSF natural. I love it!!! The combination of You Rebel Lite and the MSF natural gives the perfect amount of coverage and protection on a hot summer day (oh, who am I kidding, in Singapore it is freaking summery hot all year) when you just want a light base.

And we went to Far East Plaza, and we scoured the nail supplies shop, and I found this often talked about product on YT and beauty/ nail blogs. This is the Seche Vite fast dry top coat. Personally, I bought it for the good reviews, I am already a loyal and long time use of the Sally Hensen Mega Shine Top Coat. Still, I want to try this for myself.

I also got a much much much needed manicure and pedicure (at SNAILS Wheelock Place) yesterday. Now I feel like I have clean hands and feet. Ha ha. I always use my own base and color when I go the nail salon recently. So I am sporting Metro Chic on my toes and fingers now. And when I got home, I applied the Seche topcoat over my nails.

Super Shiny!!!!!!

Side note: I went to transdesign.com and found this great deal, you get the SECHE-Vite Top Coat 4oz.+ 0.5oz., for about USD$18.50. The Far East Plaza shop sells the same kit for S$69.90. If US$1.00 is equal to S$1.45, you go do the math. Even with shipping, I think I still save a lot. So....... in a couple of months, there is most likely another nail polish haul. Cos you don't just go to transdesign and stop ordering at one item. LOL.

Then I also bought some cute accessories.

Cute necklaces and cheap too.

i like how it blings but doesn't look cheap.

OK, not trying to show my tired face, but I also trimmed my brows, so I have super neat brows now. And I am still loving the big brown makeup eyelook.

I am also loving Patina and Vanilla eyeshadows~

OK, a summary of my current fave makeup stuff:

Patina eyeshadow
Vanilla eyeshadow
MSF natural Light Medium
Viva Glam VI or IV?? lipstick
NARS Sin blush
Chloe Perfum

I can't say enough how much I am looking forward to Tokyo trip next Thursday....WOOT!!!

Thanks for reading!!

Posted on June 03, 2009 at 1:03AM | Permalink | 1 Comment

Filed in: makeup, fashion and beauty, haul, Collection | Tagged with: nail polish, Mac, makeup, benefit, necklace, manicure, pedicure, look of the day, Brows, terry, seche vite

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Newly Trimmed Eyebrows & Random Chat

LOTD: Benefit Rave & Ramble

Trimmed my brows today

The Frivolous Haul

Brows Tutorial

Rambling on a hot summer day (shopping haul, current faves)

Search

About Me

e-mail

BLOGLOVIN

Follow @makeup_blogette on Instagram

Twitter Me!

Latest Headlines

Tags

2215 followers

Hot Links: Basic Makeup!

Reviews: Foundations

Latest Comments

Blogroll

FAQ & DISCLAIMER

Archive

Archives

Newly Trimmed Eyebrows & Random Chat

LOTD: Benefit Rave & Ramble

Trimmed my brows today

The Frivolous Haul

Brows Tutorial

Rambling on a hot summer day (shopping haul, current faves)