Makeup Tute : Subtle in Brown

The new years eve is today and I'm prepping to go for a warm dinner followed by fireworks. What better day to apply on the female warpaint ? (a.k.a makeup) I'm so glad to share with you the very first makeup tute on this beauty craze blog! 

The color palette I chose is a very earthy, warm colour which brings out the natural bronze in my skin tone. Time for a warm sunkissed look especially since its summer in Aussie. Here's the tute broken down into skin base, eyes, cheeks + lips.

1. Skin base :

Tie up your hair into a bun.

Using a makeup base to even out pores, apply evenly throughout face. Here, I use SOTHYS Pore Refiner System. It is good for sensitive skin like mine! If your skin can't handle daily makeup, this is good to cover up pores so flawlessly. They won't even know its makeup! 

Next, apply your preferred foundation, blending in circular motions. I like using tinted moisturisers because they absorb into your pores to give a more natural glow, rather than a cakey foundation which sits on top of pores instead. Here, I use Clarins HydraQuench Tinted Moisturizer in 03 Peach color. 

Finish up with compact powder for a more polished look. I recommend to apply it with a lose brush if you want a more natural look. But what the heck! It's new years eve so definitely an excuse for slight cakey-ness! Here I use Bobbi Brown Illuminating Finish Powder Compact Foundation SPF 12 in Natural shade. I am a fan of how natural their colour is. It blends well with my skin tone.

2. Eyes :

The eyes are the window to the soul. So play with colours that reflect your inner mood! Being sentimental in nature, I'm a fan of subtleness with a gentle "pop". Highlight the center of your eyelids and brow bone, to bring more dimension to the eye. I am using The Body Shop Nature's Minerals eyeshadow range in 07 nude gypsum shade. Blend out with a brush.

Next, add a "pop" of brown at the corner of your eyes blending with the first colour. Let the colour flow smoothly from the outer corner towards your brow bone and center eyelid. You can play with intensity by adding layer after layer, concentrating more layers on the outer corners. Blend well between shades. Here, I use Rimmel colour rush  in 060 Bronzed shade.

The idea is to highlight your natural eye structure. Emphasize your eyes by applying colour immediately above the eyelids, blending out towards your brow bone. Many do this by focusing on their crease, but for me when i do that and open my eyes the colour is lost. So, I open my eyes and line that section above my eyelids with colour, and then only close it to blend it with my crease and brow bone.

Now add a dark brown shadow to sexify it. Line your eyelids away from the center eyelid (leave the center shimmer shade untouched) and blend out towards the corners. The edge of this colour should lie on the bone of your eye to give it more definition. (my brush is place at the bone structure of my eye) I am using Maybelline expert wear Mocha Motion shade 4.

Touch up your shimmer at the center of your eyelids, blend out. Ensure all shades are smoothly blended by circulating the brush strokes between colours.

Add a tiny wing with a gel eyeliner for a softer look. (liquid liner gives a hard edge look). The wing points upwards for a younger, more flirty look! I am using Silky Girl Double Intense Gel Eyeliner in 01 Pure Black.

Brow time. Measure how long your brow should extend to as below.

Line in short strokes at the base of your eyebrow (not the top part). Short strokes imitate the texture of your brow hair, and thus prevents weird brows. I am using Rimmel in 001 Dark Brown.

Blend upwards diagonally (follow direction of eyebrow growth) with a brow brush.

3. Cheeks + Lips :

There are many speculations about how to apply blushers. All I know is, smile slightly and blush it against the apple of your cheeks upwards towards your temples (fading out). Concentrate the blush at the edge of the "apple" to give more dimension. My blush is Clarins Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek colour in 02 soft peach

Apply a slight highlight of white/peach shimmer eyeshadow to your cupids bow. Notice the immediate pop?

Highlight the corner of your nose/eyes. For bulbous noses like mine, we gotta make the this part seem larger, to create the illusion of a straighter nose. Highlight the center of the nose and blend with a brush.

Next, highlight your cheek bones =). Dab a little along the cheek bone line, and blend out.

Touch up with nude lipgloss! I like Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lip Gloss in Rosegold. Gorgeous for bronzed skin.

Now, release your bun and enjoy soft wavy hair to go with the look! Hairspray to hold please

Hope you enjoyed the tute! Happy new year dearies and remember to usher in the new year with smiles, hopes and dreams. And a spirit of battle <3

Disclaimer : All makeup products belong solely to me and may not suit all skin types. I am not paid by any companies to promote their products.

Sincerely,

Tracy Wish

Lights Will Guide You Home

So the previous post was on the boxing day party. Now here's a sneak peak into what I did on christmas day itself! (Apologies for the procrastination, Imma awesome lidat)

Christmas really hit off at night. Driving with a small bunch of friends to check out houses decorated with christmas lights was an adventure, in search of the craziest house.

The first few houses were sweet. Not mind blowing yet though. We drove to Wantirna South, some 30 minutes away from the city. A small cluster of houses were lit up! Must be a neighbourhood thing. Check out the details =)

We continued driving to find the house listed on http://www.christmaslightsmelbourne.com.au/index.php

And.. jackpot. Stunning indeed. A sweet old couple pulled this off! It was amazing, bringing you on a journey as you walk through their front yard/ (and yes, they even open it to amazed passersby) Every corner was filled with surprise of lights, christmas sculptures and interactive dolls moving about and even singing! Even Santa was whizzing above your head at their porch.

 As we usher in the new year, cheers to living for more lights to come. 


Sincerely,

Tracy Wish

Christmas Cheer

Christmas. A time of laughter, giving and cheer. Friendship and family. This is the first christmas away from home and a bunch of us decided to get together to celebrate this lovely occasion! Not to sound geeky but we threw and archi-christmas party. HAHA.

With the exception of 3 guests, all of us were in architecture! But anyway thats besides the point. It was fun to go all out with deco and food. Check out the decorated venue, decorated by the guys. Really sets the christmas mood!

We made all this in 4 hours. Such chaos in the kitchen! And since we were raised as spoilt children, cooking is abit of a fumble for us so this was definitely a huge achievement. Checkout the mash potatoes, carbonara, chicken drummets, brownie, bread pudding and of course le turkey. The carbonara was watery as soup, I freaked but it magically cools down to thicken so no problemo there ;). The turkey was handled by the guys and it was funny how none of us knew what basting was. Glad it all turned out uber yummy in the end

Jamming performance session. Christmas songs =)

Secret Santa gift exchange.

Such a wacky group picture! Ignore my awkward pose hehe

Ring of fire with barbeque vodkha

What better way to end the party! Blessing the city of Melbourne with balloons.

And the party crew that ran up and down to throw this occasion =). 'Twas a lovely party indeed.

Christmas party outfit : Guess corset, Friends of Couture shorts,O.P.I Did it On 'Em (Nicki Minaj minis)




Merry Christmas! 


Sincerely,

Tracy Wish

Peace on Doomsday

So what were you doing on the "final day" of earth? I remember watching the movie 2012 a few years back, absolutely terrified in my cinema seat. What if all this happened? Would I be ready for it?

Well, on the final day of earth I wasn't really prepared. Then again, can anyone really prepare for death completely? The fear of death is what keeps us alive, but not necessarily living.


"LIFE IS NOT ABOUT HOW MANY BREATHS YOU TAKE, IT'S  HOW MANY MOMENTS THAT TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY"
                                                      -Anonymous-

On "doomsday" I went to a place of great peace. For the third time this year. Its funny how each time I came here, it was only with one person. And the person holds a very important place in my life. By my third trip, I was very readily avoiding cliche pictures of the destinations. Thus, pictures of less significant things you would see along Great Ocean Road.

the lake at Anglesea 

 burden in our hearts

 doomsday outfit : Dotti jacket, Subtitled croptop, Luvalot skirt, Rubi shoes

  trail to the open views

  eye. to eye, to eye

  moulded and sculpted

                                                                         the divide


All I know is, there is so much more to life. More to mould in myself, more people to meet, time to cherish, places to see, knowledge to gain, relationships to build, memories to make. If I leave this earth, I pray that it will be with no more burden in the heart.

2012.12.22 : And as a new start begins, its time for us to fight again.



Sincerely,

Tracy Wish

Graduation as a Start

Its a joyous day of celebration. The day that rewards your torturous years of countless education - oh you know .. the friendships formed, sleepless nights, study groups, *fly money fly*, naps during lectures/after lectures, cramming before submissions and exams, the countless *assignment songs* and *assignment series* you've watched etc.etc. and it all comes down to this piece of paper.

Well, not really. I've grown so much in the past 4 years of my life than ever before! It was a priceless experience of knowledge, friendships and determination. Now is the time to be an adult, take charge of your life and struggle in the sea of swimming fishes hoping you will swim your way upstream to the very top. Be it top in your career, or  in settling down with important people. The good news is, I don't have to worry about that yet since masters is on its way next year =)

The weather was beautiful today (17th Dec 2012). My dad came for the graduation, so did important friends who are family to me. Here are sneak peeks of the graduation day! Interesting details ...

- The weather was perfect. Blue skies and mild sun the whole day, despite the forecast predicting thunder storms. Thank the heavens.

- Bought the dress 2 months back and had to diet down to size 6 to fit it. Size 8 was out of stock!

- Took 2.5 hours to get ready that day. It's called chilling while beautifying ^^

- Wish my whole family could come but friends filled up the gaps <3

- Regalias are superbly annoying. They keep falling backwards every minute because my shoulders weren't wide enough ..

- The University of Melbourne didn't have graduation hats for undergrads. haha...

- The University of Melbourne didn't put our majors on the cert either. Its simply "Bachelors of Environments"

- Heels do hurt but they make me tall. I'm only 162 in reality!

- My dad bought me native Australian flowers which are beautiful.

-Imagined a very special someone to being there in spirit

-Had the same freaky smile in every picture except one!

- It will always be a memorable day =)

And.. sneak peek pictures :

                           

- My dad who supported and cared in ways he knew -

- My dear friends (Ern Ying and Kym) who got me flower bouquets. Romantic indeed! -

- My homies I hang with in Melb. Edwin on the right -

- Germaine, my sweet *ladiest*-like friend -

- Ann Ee, the longest (years, not height) friend I've ever had! -

- Kym who takes care of me very well =) -

-Beautiful Popsy who is an awesome superwoman! -

- The bunch of us -

- The only non freaky smiling picture -

Was thinking of blogging about recreating the graduation look! Makeup/hair tutorials and outfit wise. I may not be way up there on the looks department, but hey. Life is a learning process and I'm so happy you are here on this journey with me ;)

Cheers to all else who are graduating in 2012!

- Bear Bear -

Sincerely,

Tracy Wish