Where the heck are you??

I haven't updated my blog in what seems like years. A first I've been lazy, then I was busy. I've been getting things in order for school (medicals, photos, shopping trips and such) then my makeup artistry course started, then I had orientation for uni.

College Of Cosmetology

This has been the boringest part of my busy schedule. I've been reading the text I've been assigned and re-writing said text in the workbooks I've been assigned. The book is informative and I'm learning a lot about cosmetology and life in general but I can't wait to get to the practical side of things. But I'll have to because a discussion follows the reading I've completed. 

University

And this has been the exciting, fast paced half of my hiatus. Orientation started on Sunday and I've been to school everyday (except today) since. I've met lots of new people this past week and I plan to make the most of my uni experience. I signed up for everything: Miss [insert uni name here], Circle K, Badminton, UCCF ( a Christian club), First Year Experience, this drama club. EVERYTHING. I want to get involved with stuff and I'm sure I'll find a way to balance "everything" out with the 5 courses I'm doing. I'm majoring in psychology and I'd like to do something in media/communications as my free elective next semeser.

Youtube

Throughout all my busy-ness I'm proud to say that I have kept up with my youtube schedule of uploading twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You can find a list of my videos to the left of this text and in the blog post I'll post right after this.

- Dai Veh Ah

Life Update

I haven't done a personal post in a while so I decided to do one today to update my readers on what's going on with my life after my very first blog post.

What's going on with school?
I've enrolled in a "College of Cosmetology". It's run by a graduate of the school my aunt was telling me about so I guess she's highly qualified to select teachers and make sure it'll be a good experience .  I'll be doing a 6 week course in facial makeup artistry, at the end of which I'll have a level 2 NVQ-J. It's an evening thing: 5:00PM - 9:00PM. It's a small-ish school and this isn't their most popular course so I'll be the only one in the class. I start the 12th of August so I'll be sure to update you on that when I can.

I'm also reconsidering taking up UWI's offer. I was offered a place, conditionally and I've recently been sent my second letter. The one giving your student registration number, payment information and such. The reason I'm reconsidering is I realised that whatever I choose to do will be under the faculty of social sciences and at the school all students in that faculty do the same things in their first year. So when I make my mind up in the upcoming school year I'll just change my major for the following year with no adverse effects. And when I do, I'll move to the main campus, away from my parents and closer the the country's beauty industry. Buut.....I'm still not sure.

What's going on with MUA-ing?
Soon after I've started working on my portfolio I started thinking about how I'd market myself as a makeup artist. I watched some videos on youtube of how other MUAs got started and I've decided to start a blog, open a profile on model mayhem, design business cards, open a facebook fanpage and utilize youtube. I've already done all of those except one. A blog and model mayhem profile were the easiest. I've decided to start the facebook fanpage after my course when I'd start taking paid work. I already had a youtube channel but now I'm working on improving the quality of my videos by making them shorter, easier to watch and stepping my editing game up. And, today I've finally completed my business cards. :) I'm so excited about them because I worked really hard and mostly did it myself (But only mostly). Ofc, there's always room for improvement but I'm comfortable with them as they are, at the present moment.

Front

Back

What's going on with personal bog posts?
And because I think I should post more often I've decided to take on the 30 Days of Beauty Challenge. I'll be starting tomorrow so....See yah then,

- Dai Veh Ah 
Nail + Makeup Artistry

Smokey Eye With a Pop of Colour: Four Ways

Today's video is a makeup tutorial showing four ways to add a pop of colour to a neutral smokey eye while maintaining wearability. 

This was the hardest video I've ever filmed or edited because:
1. There were four makeup looks and I had to remove and reapply makeup.
2. I added a voice over to help make my videos shorter and more viewer friendly.
3. I tried doing something different with editing to step my game up.

I'm really proud of my work and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Well let's get on to the good stuff.

The Neutral Smokey Eye:

Ways To Add A Pop of Colour To a Neutral Eye: 

1. As a second wing above your regular winged eyeliner

2. As your inner corner "highlight"

3. On the lower lashline

4. Bright lip colour

And that's it for this video. I was thinking of making another video with more pop of colour ideas. I'm still thinking. :)

- Dai Veh Ah

Nail + Makeup Artistry

Sunset Inspired Eyes

This is my second go at eye makeup inspired by the colours of the sunset. The first attempt was not well received and after a while I had begun to dislike it and it became my least favourite piece in my portfolio. I decided to try again, this time after googling pictures of a sunset and while recording a tutorial. I'll have a link for that here. And here are the pictures.

 - Dai Veh Ah
Nail + Makeup Artisrty

Tmart Haul: Show & Tell

I ordered a few things from tmart.com and I thought I'd show you the stuff I got and tell you about them in a sort of review format.

Items:

15 Colour Camouflage Concealer Palette with 24pcs Makeup Brush Set - $19.99

These two items were put together for a cheaper price than buying them separately so I got on that. Lol.

The concealer palette: 12 skin toned shades, a pink and green colour corrector and a shimmery white highlight

Pros: A wide variety, highly pigmented

Cons: Smaller than I expected

5 fluffy powder brushes, a fluffy fan bush and a not so fluffy one.

Pros: Different sizes and shapes

Cons: Fluffy brushes shed and the bristles fan out, the fluffy fan brush sheds like nobody's business

The eyeshadow/concealer brushes

Pros: Doesn't shed, synthetic bristles can be used and cream products too

Cons: not much variety in the shape/size department

Eye brow comb/brush, a spoolie, a sponge tip applicator and some liner brushes

Pros: Does't shed, synthetic bristles can be used with cream products, the three to the left seem to be of good quality

Cons: Same as above

28 Colour Eyeshadow Palette and 10 Pairs False Eyelashes - $9.77

28 Pcs Neutral Eye Palette

Pros: True to colour, fairly pigmented, affordable, a variety of neutral shades

Cons: Shadows are powdery

10 pcs False Lashes

Lash band is straight

Pros: Affordable, large quantity

Cons: lash band not sticky or curved (difficult to apply)

6 Colour Makeup Cosmetic Blush Palette - $12.12

Bottom Row Swatched

Top Row Swatched

Pros: products can be used several ways, pigmented, affordable

Cons: powdery

10 Pairs Natural False Eyelashes - $1.45 

 Pros and Cons are same as the lashes mentioned previously

All of the palettes came without a name or decoration on the front so I painted on them:

Bronze Smokey Eye

This lovely lady was introduced to me by a mutual friend that offered her up to me for experimentation. I had a black and gold cut crease in mind...I don't know why I thought that was a good idea. Long story short, it was a hot mess. I took my model's suggestion/request to do a smokey eye. Since that wasn't the plan I had only brought a gold base with me so decided to use my bronze cream shadow as the lightest colour. Hence, a bronze smokey eye. After some trial and error and some consultations I ended up pairing this with a orangey nude lip colour which compliments the eyes well without bringing attention from it.

Eyes: Wet n' Wild Vanity Palette, Coastal Scents Liquid Eyeliner in Jet, e.l.f. Studio Endless Eyes Pro Eyeshadow Palette.

 Lips: Coastal Scents 66 Lip palette

 Face: Coastal Scents Camouflage palette, nameless Markwins brand blush, e.l.f. Studio Bronzers in Warm

Bonus: The Artist At Work
Photo credits: Davi Go

- Dai Veh Ah
Nail + Makeup Artistry