What I Got for My Birthday: Mini Reviews, Swatches & Looks

Today’s post was long overdue. I had the best birthday ever this year with lots of presents that I wanted to share with you guys. Knowing my love for makeup, fashion, accessories and books, my friends showered me with them. So, let’s check out all the awesome gifts I got!

Traditional Embroidered Shirt

Fizzah sent over this gorgeous multi-coloured embroidered shirt from Sialkot with a drawstring neckline, which I’ve always been a fan of. The fabric is very comfortable and you can pair it with a number of colour and design combinations depending on your mood.

The lovely Huda from The Lipstickholic sent me a surprise package with cute studs, Maybelline color drama in Nude Perfection and Sigma shimmer cream in Sultry.

Sphere Studs

I have seen these funky round studs with crystals encased in intricate cages but I’ve never tried them on because I thought they wouldn’t go with my face shape. Thank you Huda for picking these out because I got to try something new and I really enjoyed their versatility. You can see me wearing the red ones in the look above.

Maybelline Color Drama in Nude Perfection

Nude lipsticks are always so hard for me to pick so kudos to Huda for selecting the perfect nude for me on a whim. Nude Perfection is a lighter nude on me but by no means does it wash me out. It has just enough warmth to hold its own against a smokey liner. The application is super easy and the formula is creamy with average lasting power. The only drawback is that it has to be sharpened, which wastes product.

Sigma Shimmer Cream in Sultry

I am sure many of you were drooling after the Sigma Shimmer Creams when Huda reviewed them on her blog. Thanks for reading my mind so well Huda! I love bronzer and had been looking for a cream one. This gives you that naturally tanned look with a subtle glow because of the shimmer element. It has the finest shimmer I have ever seen in a face product. Absolutely beautiful! I am drenched in this shimmer cream in the look above. The shade looked amazing on my neutral toned fair to medium skin. It lasted for hours in the summer heat.

Boots Eye Dazzle 17

I am a huge fan of Boots’ skincare and bath products so I was very excited to get this from Huda from the Sparkling Palette Blog. I have tried their lipsticks before and they were quite yummy. In the swatch alone this pigment looks like a powder blue but don’t be deceived! This duo-chrome beauty reveals the most wondrous shades of oceanic blue and green when used over a base. Here it is applied over Essence 2-in-1 shadow stick 05 I’m Blue, which is also blended into the crease, for a no-foundation trial look I attempted for my convocation. I used Sleek Blush by 3-Pink Lemonade in “Macaroon” on both the cheeks and lips to go with the cool tones on the eyes. It is pigmented, easy to apply and doesn’t fade overtime. I wore it on my convocation in extreme heat over the Essence shadow stick and it didn’t budge all day.

MM Makeup Ethereal Glow

This is my first time trying anything from this new brand and I was really impressed. Thank you Huda for picking out this red toned berry baked blush. I have been hunting for red toned blushes lately because they give a more natural result. It is stunning to look at in the pain and on the cheeks. It is insanely pigmented so I had to be careful. Ethereal Glow is best applied with a brush that has looser longer bristles like a stippling brush. Since it’s baked it gives a gentle luminosity to the skin and it has impressive lasting power even in the hot and humid monsoon of Lahore.

Beauty UK Sweet Cheeks in Vanilla Ice

I got myself this cream highlighting chubby stick from Beauty UK after I couldn’t hold in my curiosity. This is unlike any highlighter I have, cream or powder, because it literally looks like your skin is naturally glowing from within. The effect is almost like the one makeup artists create with natural oils for editorials. It barely has any colour so your own skin colour blends in. It doesn’t contain any shimmer so all in all it is beginner friendly. If that streaky Instagram highlight freaks you out then you might want to give this one a try. The only drawback is that it dries down slowly so if you have to set it with powder instantly, you tone down the glow considerably. It looks amazing on bare skin and lasts for a really long time in the summers without a setting powder.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Book Review)

This was a birthday present from a fellow fantasy buff, which is surprising since I rarely read non-fantasy books. This book was written by two authors, the second picking it up after the original one, Siobhan Dowd, passed away. This is one of those unforgettable books that anyone at any age can read, feel and understand. It is absolutely beautiful!

I cannot really put into words what the story is about. A Monster Calls revolves around a young boy and the monsters he encounters while struggling to come to terms with an increasingly complicated life. The plot is nothing like you would expect. Every chapter pulls you in deeper. My favourite part was the mini tales woven within the main plot. As you follow the young boy’s journey, things start to get clearer, you learn the lessons he is being taught and your heart breaks just a little more every time you turn over a page.

I would recommend everyone give this a read if they want to experience something heartwarming, heartbreaking and life changing.

If you want to follow my reviews and ratings just visit my Goodreads profile here.

Thank you to all my lovely friends who made this birthday so special. I hope you guys enjoyed going through my presents.

Love,

Sadaf

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog edited by its owners and the opinions expressed here belong solely to its owner's. For questions and queries please email at thepoutpainter@gmail.com

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Soft Smokey Fall Look - Step by Step Tutorial

Hey guys! Since fall is officially here, we have all transitioned to appropriate shades for this season. Fall / winter in Pakistan means wedding season so, I thought I would share my all time favourite technique for soft but sultry eyes for any event which you can pair with a deep lip and glowing cheeks.

The Eyes

Step 1

Do your brows and prime your eyes. I used the Essence colour and shape brow gel and I <3 stage eye primer.

Step 2

For the eyes I used my Makeup Revolution I <3 Makeup Naked Chocolate palette and my BH Cosmetics 120 colour palette 5^th edition. Blend in a medium mauve-brown colour (Milky) in your crease with a fluffy eye blending brush like the Morphe MB23.

Step 3

Deepen the outer half of the crease with a dark burgundy or plum shade (Choc-fest) with the same brush and blend it out.

Step 4

Use a black pencil like the Essence I <3 stage smokey eye pencil and a smudge brush like the Morphe M213 to create blended smokey eyeliner close to your lash line. Tightline your upper lash line directly with that pencil or use a flat definer brush like the ELF Flat eyeliner brush.

Step 5

Apply a shimmery rose pink (BH Cosmetics 120 colour palette 5^th edition) to your entire lid with a flat shading brush like the Sigma E55.

Step 6

Use a deep chocolate brown (White) to further deepen the outer crease with a tapered blending brush like the Sigma E45.

Step 7

Highlight your inner corner and brow bone with a cream matte shade (Smoothy) using a small dense shader like the Sigma E57.

Step 8

Define your lower lash line with that same deep chocolate brown (White) from Step 6 using a pencil brush like the Sigma E30S and merge it with the outer crease.

Step 9

Apply your favourite lengthening mascara like the Catrice Lashes to Kill Volume mascara and false lashes if you prefer.

The Face

Step 10

After moisturizing your face and getting rid of any eye shadow fallout, apply your foundation or BB cream. I used the Garnier BB cream for combination to oily skin in the shade Light with my Real Techniques Expert Face brush. This is the part where you shape your eyes. I like to follow my lower lash line in this regard. You may apply concealer/corrector above or below this layer depending on your preference.

Step 11

The lips are the focal point of this look and we have colour in the eyes as well so I wanted fresh glowing cheeks. I used the cream blush Macaroon from the Sleek Blush by 3 in Pink Lemonade. It is a soft natural pink that must be concentrated on the apples of your cheeks. It gives that lit from within glow so I skipped highlighter and face powder or fixing spray. You may use your fingers but I prefer my Real Techniques Expert Face brush.

Step 12

For soft sculpting I used Makeup Revolution Ultra bronze as a contouring shade with an angled blush brush from BH Cosmetics Wild Purple brush set.

The Lips

Step 13

Fill in your lips with a vampy lip liner like Makeup Revolution in Rebel. Top it off with a pretty plum gloss like Golden rose Ultra brilliant lip gloss in 31 to soften it up.

You are all done!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and found it helpful. Please let me know what you think the comments below and if you have any questions about it.

Share your idea of a Go-to Fall look in the comments below

Love,

Sadaf

Note: This post contains affiliate link(s) for which we get a commission if you purchase through them. If you want to support us and our blog feel free to click on them.

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog edited by its owners and the opinions expressed here belong solely to its owner's. For questions and queries please email at thepoutpainter@gmail.com

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Step By Step Caramel - Plum Eye Tutorial

Hey lovelies! Today I will be showing you how to achieve a wearable dramatic caramel-plum eye for special occasions. The great thing about this colour palette is that it goes well with most outfits like a neutral eye. At the same time, the plum adds mystery to dark eyes, making them pop. You can make it your own by applying false lashes or your favourite eyeliner style while pairing it with a variety of blush and lip shades. Many people have trouble defining their lower lash line, especially for dramatic looks so I have focused on this. This is a great option particularly for ladies with upturned eyes like mine as it balances out the shape beautifully.

Steps

1. Prime your eyes.

2. Apply a shimmery caramel (Frosted Choc) all over the lid with a flat shader brush (Sigma E55).

3. Blend a mid-tone matte mauve-brown (Milky) into the entire crease with a fluffy blending brush (DMGM Eye Smudge brush).

4. Deepen the outer half of your crease with a deep matte plum (Choc Fest) using a tapered blending brush (Sigma E45).

5. Highlight the inner corner and brow bone with a matte cream (Smoothly).

6. Define your upper lash line with black eyeliner (Midnight in Paris).

7. Pat and gently blend into the inner two-thirds of your lower lash line the mid-tone matte mauve-brown (Milky) from Step 3 with a pencil brush (Sigma E30).

8. Blend the deep matte plum (Choc Fest) from Step 4 into the outer one-third of your lower lash line, extending it till you reach your crease (Sigma E30). Soften any harsh edges with a fluffy blending brush (DMGM Eye Smudge brush).

9. Apply kohl (Colorstudio Pro Kohl Addict kajal) to your waterline.

10. Using a pencil brush (Sigma E30), diffuse the kohl pigment into the shadows of the lower lash line. Be careful not to make your lower lash line heavier than the upper one.

11. Curl your lashes (optional) and apply mascara. Conceal your under eye area and set it with a powder.

Products Used

Essence I Love Stage eye primer

I Heart Makeup - Naked Chocolate eye shadow palette

Essence All Eyes on Me waterproof mascara

Essence lash and brow gel mascara

Essence gel liner - Midnight in Paris

Colorstudio Pro Kohl Addict kajal

Oriflame Tea tree and Rosemary purifying corrective stick (concealer)

MUA pressed powder - Shade 2

Beauty UK Simply Define eye brow pencil - Ash brown

Brushes Used

Sigma eye shading E55

DMGM Eye Smudge

Sigma tapered blending E45

Sigma pencil E30

MUA flat foundation brush for concealer

BH contour brush for pressed powder

BH spoolie brush for brows

I hope you found this tutorial simple and useful. Let me know how it worked out for you.

What kind of dramatic eyes do you prefer for special occasions?

Love,

Sadaf

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog edited by its owners and the opinions expressed here belong solely to its owner's. For questions and queries please email at thepoutpainter@gmail.com

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Sigma Beauty Eye Brushes – Review

I am all about perfection when it comes to makeup especially eye makeup. I did not get those “photogenic” or even close-to-awesome results with the makeup brushes I previously used for my makeup looks and then came a time when I strongly longed for ideal makeup tools especially for eye makeup. One fine day I finally got a chance to shop from Sigma through some friend living in US (yes that was one long procedure) and I decided to splurge on their eye brushes.

I ordered their 6 eye brushes E21, E30S, E44, E45, E46 and E57 with ferrules in chrome finish. Since my order exceeded $30 amount they were kind enough to send a free mini E56 brush as a complimentary gift. You can very well imagine the level of happiness when I had discovered that in the box. :D

So were those worth my money? Let’s find out.

Note: I have put up pictures of the brushes in before and after washing condition for you guys to have a better idea.

What Do I Think?

The first thing I noticed about these brushes was that they have amazingly thick and extremely soft bristles and this goes for all the brushes I got. We all know that for a makeup brush “the thicker the better” unless of course it does not shed any hair. The handles on all the brushes go thicker as the brush size gets bigger and they look as well as feel high-end. I have used them many times now and I did not notice any staining or shedding of the bristles or the handles going loose or faulty. The chrome finish on the ferrules gives the brushes a chic look; I love how they shine under light Haha! I have washed them too and did not observe any shedding during and after washing. Do not be harsh with them while you wash and shape them properly when you leave them to dry. I understand they are supposed to withstand “harshness” (with THAT price tag) but you also have to be careful if you want them to last very long.

E21 – Smudge

The E21 Smudge features a very small and short, rounded brush head perfect to smudge the eyeliner, eye shadow on lower lash line and even create a crisp crease. I have done it all with it and hence find it multi-purpose. If you want something that does ALL the detailed work for the eyes, this is the brush for you.

It neither shed any hair nor changed its shape after washing.

Price $14.00

E30S – Pencil

The E30S Pencil features a chisel shaped (flat on one side and rounded on the other), thick and pointed brush head perfect to apply eye shadow on the lower lash line for a smudged effect, create a cut crease and apply eye shadow on any other concentrated areas of the eyes. Another multi-tasked brush!

It neither shed any hair nor changed its shape after washing.

Price $14.00

E44 – Firm Blender

The E44 Firm Blender features a firm, dense brush head great for intense crease application for even blending of colour or blending two shades together. You can soften out the crease colour with it very well without losing any control over the application. I use this one for blending out and mixing colours together in the crease to get perfect transition.

It neither shed any hair nor changed its shape after washing.

Price $16.00

E45 – Small Tapered Blending

The E45 Small Tapered Blending brush features a small, tapered brush head with a pointed tip. I love its shape, the pointed tip allows me to place colour in the crease very well to add depth with great control.

It did not shed any hair but changed its shape a bit after washing which did not affect its performance.

Price $14.00

E46 – Shader – Inner Corner

The E46 Shader Inner Corner features a small, tapered oval brush head which is perfect for adding colour to the inner corners and lower lash line of the eye. It gives me control over concentrated application in the inner corners.

It neither shed any hair nor changed its shape after washing.

Price $14.00

E56 – Shader – Lid

The E56 Shader Lid features an oval, tapered tip similar to E46 but broader hence perfect for precise placement of eye shadows either on in the inner corners or smaller areas of the lid.

It neither shed any hair nor changed its shape after washing.

Price $14.00

E57 – Firm Shader

The E57 Firm Shader features soft yet firm fibers with a short, flat brush head. This brush helps in concentrated colour application onto the lids with amazing control.

It neither shed any hair nor changed its shape after washing.

Price $14.00

Availability

Sigma Beauty

Pros

No shedding

Soft yet thick bristles

Do not irritate the skin

Complete control with the thick handles

Feel and look high-end

Cons

E45 changed its shape a bit after washing

My Rating

5/5

Now I am up to try some face brushes by Sigma too as I am hopeful those too will not disappoint me. I highly recommend these brushes to you guys if you also wish to polish your makeup skills and get the perfect results because what I have learnt is that tools, especially the good ones, do make a difference. In the end it’s all about enough practice, your dedication and the perfect tools.

You can check out my work on our Instagram where I use these Sigma Brushes in my makeup looks :)

Love,

Fizzah

Note: This post contains affiliate link(s) for which we get a commission if you purchase through them. If you want to support us and our blog feel free to click on them.

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog edited by its owners and the opinions expressed here belong solely to its owner's. For questions and queries please email at thepoutpainter@gmail.com

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Innovation in Brush Cleaning: Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat!

Welcome to a whole new world of brush cleaning! Sigma Beauty has already made brush cleaning for us very easy with their perfectly engineered Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove designed to wash, rinse, refine, shape makeup brushes easily, effectively without wasting time.

They are about to take the Brush Cleaning Science a step ahead with their new product!

Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat is designed to give you the hands-free brush cleaning experience featuring 7 different types of surfaces to wash, rinse and refine both the eyes and face brushes.

The key features of this product are:

• Hands-free giving you full control over brush cleaning
• Suction cups on the backside to fit any size sink
• 7 different types of surface textures for washing, rinsing and refining eyes and face brushes

This product is now officially available at Sigma's website for $32. I was in a desperate need of something like this to wash my brushes and I look forward to trying it out soon. Go check it out, you will love the engineering and the idea behind it.

Love,

Fizzah

Note: This post contains affiliate link(s) for which we get a commission if you purchase through them. If you want to support us and our blog feel free to click on them.

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog edited by its owners and the opinions expressed here belong solely to its owner's. For questions and queries please email at thepoutpainter@gmail.com

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Avail The Sale On Sigma Beauty's Products!

Sigma Beauty never fails to excite us with new offers every month. And they have done it yet again!

New Year's celebrations are well over but not with Sigma. Yes, Sigma has done it once again with so many yummy products on discount and not just that, you get to avail a 10% discount on your ENTIRE order and who doesn't love extended celebrations? Use Code NY2015 on check out to avail the 10% discount on your entire order (valid only for the month of January) and if you reside in the States then you get to enjoy free shipping on orders over $50! Amazing, isn't it?

Here are a few most popular items now available on discount prices. 

Sigma has reintroduced the Dynamic Duo Set on popular demand. This set helps in deep cleaning and drying even the most dense brushes which otherwise is quite difficult to clean and dry thoroughly. The set is available at a discount price of $53 (value $67) which is a great steal.

How cute is this Heart Shaped Mirror? Available for $16.20 (Value $27.00)

To select from a vast range of shades and finishes, Sigma's Single Eye Shadows are worth checking out. Price $8.80 (Value $11.00).

Who doesn't love Limited Edition collectibles? Here's something for collectors, The LE Paris Palette available for $49.00 (value $59.00).

Last but not the least, want some precise and awesome dense brushes to apply makeup on? Check out this Sigma Precision Kit available for $45.60 (value $65.00).

I was on the quest of finding some eye brushes and then finally last month I got the chance to order a few Eye Brushes by Sigma. Here is a sneak peak before I come back with a complete review.

Enjoy the Sale! And let me know in the comments section below what would you like to buy from Sigma Sale.

Love,

Fizzah

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog edited by its owners and the opinions expressed here belong solely to its owner's. For questions and queries please email at thepoutpainter@gmail.com

Note: This post contains affiliate link(s) for which we get a commission if you purchase through them. If you want to support us and our blog feel free to click on them.

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