Tutorial | LORAC Pro Palettes

Whether working on a client or myself, I have found myself continually reaching for only two eyeshadow palettes; the LORAC Pro and Pro 2. The possibility of looks with just one, let alone both, of these are endless and today I wanted to share a recent smokey eye I created using the green, gold and brown shades.

After applying a primer to my lids, I started the look by taking ‘Sable’ on a fluffy brush and building this up as a transition shade through my crease. I then took ‘Cocoa’ over the top of this and also used a detailed to brush to run both shades along my lower lash line.  


Then took the shade ‘Jade’ from the Pro 2 Palette on a flat shadow brush and placed it onto the centre of my lid as well as the middle section of my lower lash line. I then went back in with a clean fluffy brush through my crease so that this shade blended smoothly into the previous colours. 

On a detailed brush, I took a small amount of the matte 'Black' and placed this on the outer and inner end of my lid. I blended this out with a fluffy brush so that the effect was a subtle definition on either end. 

I finished by spraying a small shadow brush with MAC Fix + before taking the ‘Gold’ and placing it on the centre of my lid and tear duct. I then gently blended over the top of this as to not remove any product but so that it flowed seamlessly into the other shades. 

I finished the look off by adding a thin line of black liquid liner along my top lash line, mascara and a set of strip lashes. I filled in my brows with my Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade in Dark Brown and set these in place with clear brow gel. I also decided to wear this look with a classic, cold red lip.

I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial and I would love to know your current favourite eye look or whether you’ve tried out the LORAC Pro Palettes for yourself. Leave comments below and tag me on Instagram @devonmartin.mua if you recreate this look!

Devon 

xoxo

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Tutorial | Burnt Orange and Gold Smokey Eye

As an owner of blue eyes; I love nothing more than creating looks that will make the colour pop. The opposite shade on the colour wheel is orange; and so any bronze, orange or gold toned shadows are going to make blue eyes shine. Today I want to share with you a recent burnt orange, gold smokey eye I created, love and now can’t stop wearing!

This look, of course, is not restricted to only those blue eyed girls amongst you! It would look stunning on anyone wishing to create a summer themed bronze, glowing makeup look. Also, for those with a more delicate skin tone (like myself) this makes a perfect alternative to a dark smokey eye, which can sometimes look too heavy against a lighter skin. 

I started by priming my lids with my LORAC Behind the Scenes Eye Primer, and then added a thin layer of concealer over this before setting it in place with face powder. This three step routine is a must on my lid to ensure that the shadow stays in place and doesn’t crease. 

I then applied a bright orange shade as a transition colour through my crease. Having not been able to find the colour I was looking for amongst my palettes, I used my Sleek Blush by 3 in Lace. I took the shade 'Chantilly' on a fluffy brush and gradually built up this up, keeping the centre of my lid clear of colour. I also ran this along the length of my lower lash line.

To add depth, I then took the shade ‘Sable’, a warm, matte mid-toned brown from my LORAC Pro Palette, on a clean fluffy brush and blended this through the crease. I placed it over the top of the previous shade but closer to the centre of my lid, so that the orange was still visible on the outside edge.

Then on a large smudge brush, I took the shade ‘Espresso’ from the same palette and, shaking off any excess, placed a small amount of this on the outer corner and inner edge of my eye. I then gently ran a clean fluffy brush over the top of this to blend the colour in with the rest of the shades. On my lower lash line, I smudged out a brown kohl liner and then ran ‘Sable’ over the top. I also placed a nude liner along my lower waterline to widen and open up my eyes.

I finished the look by adding a vibrant gold to the centre of the lid. Taking a small, flat shadow brush, I first sprayed this with a little MAC Fix + before dabbing it into the 'Gold' from my LORAC Palette. The Fix + increases the vibrancy of the shade, turning it into more of a highly pigmented cream shadow; ideal for ensuring the centre of the lid stands out like I wanted. I also added a small amount of this to the middle section of my lower lash line.

I patted this on to the mobile part of my lid, and then took a blending brush and ran this back through my crease to ensure that the edge of the gold blended in seamlessly to the other shades. To ensure that the orange shade I started with still stood out, I took a small amount on my blending brush and gently ran this back over the edge of the look.

I finished by patting on 'Light Bronze' to the inner corner of my eye, adding mascara, filling in my brows with my Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade and spraying my Smashbox Primer Water over the entire look to set it in place. 

I think this will look amazing on anyone, regardless of eye colour or skin tone. I would love for you to give it try and if you do recreate this; be sure to tag me on Instagram @devonmartin.mua so I can see!

Devon 

xoxo

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Tutorial : Smokey Blue Cat Eye

Today I have another video to share with you all, it’s a full length tutorial for the Smokey Cat Eye that featured in my 3 Ways To: Liquid Liner #3 post. This look is perfect for anyone with small or hooded eyes like myself, as it will help to elongate and widen them. 

I loved putting this look together and I hope that you also enjoy watching this little tutorial. Hopefully it will provide you with inspiration as to how to play around with your LORAC Pro Palettes at home. I really wanted to create a dramatic eye that was still wearable. I loved playing around with the navy shade to create a subtle blue undertone and think that this will especially look gorgeous on any blue eyes to make the colour pop!

I would love to hear what you all think, either in the comments down below, on the video or you can message me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. What looks would like to see me create next?

Devon

xoxo

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3 Ways To: Liquid Liner #3

This is the third, final and slightly late instalment of my 3 Ways To: Liquid Liner series. Due to a few technical difficulties as well as problematic skin that is rejecting all makeup, this third look is up a tad late. Although it is worth the wait as I am here to share how I wear liquid liner for an intense Smokey Cat Eye. If subtle and sophisticated is more your style then read my previous posts #1 The Hepburn Way and #2 Bold Lips and Bold Liner; two wearable looks with a feline flick at centre stage.

3. Smokey Cat Eye

I have always been a lover of a smokey eye as it can be tailored to suit all and any. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and so I like to make mine the centre of attention by adorning them in smoked out shadows. As a girl with small eyes, I always gravitate towards a cat eye as it is the perfect trick for elongating and creating the appearance of wider eyes. I achieve this with my shadows but I also like to throw in a bold, black liner for a dramatic finish.

After priming my lids, I start this look by taking the shade ‘Nectar’ from my LORAC Pro 2 Palette on a MAC 217 brush and swiping this through my crease. This is a peachy, matte nude and creates the perfect transition shade. I then take ‘Slate’, a cool grey shimmer with a slight blue undertone from my LORAC Pro Palette and pat this onto the centre and outer corner of my lid. I apply ‘Navy’ from my Pro 2 Palette to the outer half of my lid; through my crease so that it is sitting just above where ‘Slate’ ends. I then use my MAC 217 brush to blend these colours seamlessly into one another. 

The Navy shade instantly captured my attention when I first bought this palette and I couldn't wait to create a look with it. I love the subtle blue tone of this smokey eye and think that it is a little different, yet still entirely wearable, to your standard bronze or grey shades.

To add more definition to my outer corner, I take the matte ‘Black’ shade on a smudge brush and apply this along my upper outer lash line and draw a triangle. I drag it up to create a wing that ends just before the bottom of my brow and then back down to the mid point of my lash line. I fill this in with the black eyeshadow and then use my MAC 217 to blend this into the other shades.  

I add the ‘Silver’ shade from the Pro 2 to highlight my inner corner, I also apply this to the inner third of my lid and run it along the inner half of my lower lash line. I finish of the shadows by running both the shades ‘Navy’ and ‘Black’ along the outer corner of my lower lash line and blending this out and up with my MAC 217. 

I create my feline flick using my Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner. I start out by drawing a thin line along my lashes and then up along the edge of the shadows where I want my wing to lie. I gradually build this up to create a bold, heavy liner that perfectly elongates my eye and draws attention to my outer corner. For a step by step guide on how I apply my liner then see my previous post here.

I finish off by applying three of my Ardell Individual Lashes to the outer corner of eyes and then plenty of my favourite drugstore mascara; the Revlon Lash Potion. These dramatic lashes are the perfect addition to a smokey cat eye and I love the flared out effect from having the individuals on the outer corners. If you struggle with lashes then read by Beginners Guide for my top tips. I opt for a nude lip to keep the focus of this look on the eyes and swipe on my favourite Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in the shade 03; the perfect balance between a pink and brown toned nude. 

I hope you enjoyed this final instalment and that this mini 3 Ways To: Liquid Liner series has inspired you. I would love to know what you all think as well as whether you would like 3 Ways To: to become a permanent feature on my blog. 

I really enjoyed putting this mini collection of looks together and would love to hear all about your favourite ways to rock a feline flick. 

Entire step by step tutorial for this look

Devon

xoxo

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LORAC Pro Palette : Review

A recent discovery that Nordstrom not only sell LORAC Cosmetics, but even better ship to the UK, led to a rather hefty online purchase of one too many eyeshadow palettes. Anyone living in England will understand the difficulty of getting your hands on these beauty gems. Once I realised, I simply couldn’t resist placing an order after a long year lusting over online reviews. I am happy to report that my expectations were exceeded and I have the low down on the original LORAC Pro Palette.

The first thing I noticed when sliding this from its packaging, was how surprisingly sleek it is. The palette is lightweight and ideal for traveling with; yet filled with a variety of fourteen stunning shades.

Inside is the ultimate collection of light, neutral shades and darker, cooler tones, spread over an even mix of eight matte and eight shimmer shadows. Each is the perfect sized square for easily dabbing your brush into. This has quickly become my favourite palette and will be featuring in countless future tutorials.

The formulation of these shadows do not disappoint; they are creamy, buttery and blend seamlessly. They are highly pigmented and one simple swish will leave an opaque wash of colour over your lid. I love the simple design of this palette; it is understated yet sophisticated and hidden inside is an array of amazing eyeshadows.

Two further boxes on the attribute checklist of the ideal travelling palette are also ticked off as this contains a large mirror and miniature Behind the Scenes Eye Primer. This primer creates the perfect smooth, matte base for your shadows to sit on top off and keeps the colour looking intense and flawless. 

This review would not be complete without a final shoutout to the shades I love the most. From the matte collection, I adore Expresso and Sable for adding definition through my crease. Narrowing down the shimmers is definitely a struggle; Gold, Garnett, Pewter and Deep Purple are all stunning. In particular, Garnett and Pewter stand out as unique and unlike anything I already have in my collection.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone that is able to get their hands on it or are willing to pay the unfortunate shipping costs to become the proud owner. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. I hope you enjoyed this little review and be sure to follow my blog so you don’t miss out on the low down of the Pro 2 Palette!

Devon

xoxo

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