Let Me Take A (Honest) Selfie

Dove has produced many campaigns about beauty and their recent ‘Selfie’ campaign shows how beauty is simply a state of mind!

Girls of the Monument Mountain Regional High School and their mothers were asked to take an honest selfie; no filters and no edits. The honest selfie had to incorporate their insecurities. The girls and their mothers’ explained their insecurities in the video and how they get ready to take a selfie. From the positioning of themselves in the selfie to the makeup they use to hide their flaw, many girls expressed how difficult it was to get the perfect selfie. The honest selfies were then printed and arranged in an exhibit in the high school for everyone’s viewing pleasure. Students of the high school wrote compliments beneath the selfie mostly on what that person’s insecurities were. The experience allowed the girls and their mothers to realise just how beautiful they were and appreciate it. Many of them changed their opinion on their insecurities and embraced them!

Photo sourced from: www.trendinspiracio.hu

Michael Crook, a professional photographer and the women who worked with Dove on this campaign used this experiment to tell the girls that social media allows you to redefine beauty through taking a honest selfie. Many girls get influenced by social media on what beauty is but social media also gives you the power to redefine beauty.

So my advice to you is to take an honest selfie and share to with the world because after all beauty is confidence!

- Manisha

Click below to watch ‘Selfie’ campaign and be inspired:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFkm1Hg4dTI

Wear your confidence with pride!

I'm back beauties!

Today i'm going to talk about confidence. I'll be telling you about what makes me feel confident and tips of what can bring that extra confidence in you.

I know the most common thing you'll ever hear from girls is, makeup, that brings them confidence. That's true! Personal appearance is the no.1 thing that influences an individuals' self-esteem. Makeup is a tool that helps blur any imperfections one is too conscious about. It is a new face, a new you, who you want to be like. But overall its just about having fun!

Personally, confidence is what makes me feel like me and what I want to portray. If I feel good, I feel confident. Confidence to me comes with what I wear, look like and most importantly with positive energy around me. I know we have ups and downs, welcome to life, but having positive people around you help boost your personal perception.

Here are a few things that bring me confidence:

1. High heels! Since I am a shorty, that extra 4 inches definitely boosts my height and confidence. Heels make you nice and sexy! They don't need to be stiletto high, just a few centimetres can do.

2. If we can fall in love with men wearing suits and blazers, then why can't it be the other way around?! Blazer give that extra edge to your whole look and makeup you seem a bit more professional and intelligent. Pair it with some jeans and heels, and you have the perfect going out outfit!

3. Glasses or no glasses? I personally like wearing contact lenses because my glasses are pretty old and definitely not trendy enough to keep up with today. However I find that some look extremely smart looking and smoking hot! It's a personal preference with how you feel about wearing glasses.

4. Enhance your natural features. Sometimes we just don't feel like pulling out the makeup and brushes everyday, so just focus on the features you love and skip the rest. A little bit of makeup can make the difference.

5. Accessories are a great way to reflect yourself. Statement necklaces are a great way of enhancing your neck or hiding it. Handbags are also trendy these days, so get your favourite bag asap! Cross-body bags are definitely trendy which can just be worn on the shoulder. Have fun with accessorising!

Finally ! Confidence is what you feel comfortable in. Be true to yourself and you will see the confidence come to you. Don't be pressured to follow trends, make trends follow you ;)
There are no rules on the "right" way of dressing up, so as long as you think you look good - you're all set!! Remember, fashion does not have to cost you thousands of $$$$!!

That's all for today! Go for a little bit of retail therapy after this ;)

Myura xoxo

Is Plastic Too Drastic?

Hello lovelies!

So, word's just come out that yes, Kylie Jenner did get lip surgery, as we pondered upon in our post about the #kyliejennerlipchallenge. She revealed this in a sneak peek of an upcoming Keeping Up With The Kardashians episode, in which she said "I have temporary lip fillers, it's just an insecurity of mine and it's what I wanted to do". And even though she didn't necessarily 'break the Internet' like her older half-sister Kim K, the internet still went crazy in a big 'A ha! I knew it!' sort of way.

There are a lot of different opinions flying around concerning this, and most other 'shocking' plastic surgery reveals. But for those wondering, this is my two cents. I have nothing against plastic surgery. In moderation. I believe that if something's been bugging you for years; a crooked nose, crows feet, or boobs that you find too big or too small, you should be able to change it. And yes, the key word in that sentence is you. You shouldn't want to change something because your boyfriend, girlfriend, family or society tells you to. If YOU'RE not that keen on getting surgery, it's simple - don't do it. You probably won't feel satisfied afterwards. But if you have the willingness and patience to get something done, and you've thought it through carefully, I can't see why not!

I used to be against plastic surgery. Heck, most of us probably were. Because of course we've always been told to love ourselves for exactly who we are, and rock the body we've been dealt. And I still believe that. But getting lip fillers or going up a cup size isn't going to change who you are. Confidence, beauty, pretty much everything about us comes from within. If your boobs are 'fake', it doesn't mean your personality is.

A few sidenotes, though:

1. I think that Kylie's age of 17 is too young to be getting work done at. I feel like you should be at least 18 before you make these kinds of choices, especially if they are permanent (which Kylie's was not!).
2. Plastic surgery can get too extreme. Like those ladies who get a number of procedures done to make them look as similar to Barbie as possible. Or people who get so much Botox that they can barely move their face. As with a lot of things in life, moderation is the best policy.

   

   'Human Barbie' Valerie Lukyonova. Photo sourced from mirror.co.uk

3. I'm talking about plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons here. But many people have other legitimate medical reasons for getting it, like rhinoplasties to treat breathing problems. Often, this surgery is a requirement so the person can have a better life. Society shouldn't disparage cosmetic plastic surgery in the first place, but work done for medical reasons? Even more so. There is a stigma here that needs to be broken down.
4. I believe that it's unhealthy for celebrities and people with great influence in the public sphere to lie about work they've had done. It means young people especially are going to grow up believing that everyone's natural boobs are that perky, or that so-and-so doesn't age and they are perfect. Society needs to have a more open discussion about plastic surgery so we can be less disparaging about people who get it, and so that people who get it feel comfortable sharing the news.

So, what are your thoughts? I'd love to hear them! I'll pop a couple of videos down below that surround this topic - they really opened my mind - please comment in the section below and we'll get a great discussion going! :)

- Amy xx

What order should I apply makeup in?

Here is something that I get asked on a lot! In what order does makeup go? 

It really depends on personal preference on which part to do first. Some like to do eyes first and then the face, and vice versa. So here I put it down in order of the categories- face, eyes & lips. So whether you want to do eyes first or your face...just follow the steps and move on to the next section. 

As a professional makeup artist, I follow the following order to ensure my clients' or my makeup lasts the longest possible. 

Face:
1. Moisturize
2. Prime
3. Apply foundation
4. Conceal (under eyes can be done after the eyes are finished)
5. Set face with setting powder
6. Contour/Highlight
7. Apply blush
8. Finish with a Setting Spray 

Eyes :
1. Prime
2. Do eyebrows
3. Eyeshadow
4. Eyeliner
5. Curl eyelashes
6. Mascara
7. False lashes (mascara the false lashes with real ones to blend if necessary) 

Lips:
1. Apply concealer/foundation (will allow the lipstick’s true colour to show)
2. Line lips with lip liner
3. Apply your lipstick/lipgloss
4. Conceal around the lips to clean edges (for dark/bold colours)

I hope this made sense and helped answer your question. Let us know how you do yours and also how these steps worked for you all !! 

Au revoir ladies!
Myura Kumar xoxo

Simplicity is the Key

Hey lovelies time to switch it to me. We all know that dreadful and impeccable timing, when we unfortunately forgot to set the alarm properly or perhaps slept right through the alarm. Whatever it is; its always hard for us girls, in particular, to get our hair, makeup and outfit ready within an hour, so what do you do? 

Photo content sourced from the Disney® movie Frozen. Collage sourced from weknowmemes.com

That's right! You guessed it, an early morning routine for the rush hour. Now most of you know how much considerable amount of time we spend in the bathroom trying to perfect: that strand of hair and smoothing out that eyeliner. Thankfully our prayers have been answered; we've learned to invent "a messy bun" or the classical braid. What better way to look classy and causal? Now for the face, after the whole routine of washing any dirt from last nights sleep and making sure the face is squeaky clean, you would assume to moisturize your face right? Correct! However the heavenly sent Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream provides moisturiser and SPF 15 protection all in one, and to make it even better, yes it does get better, it comes in a small carry-along tube you can pop into your bag for a touch up.

Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream | Photo sourced from katelynsaid.com

It not only provides full coverage but also hides those rebellious breakouts; yes we can run but never avoid them, and the best part? It only takes about 5 minutes to put it on and blend away! So what have we learnt today? Simple is beautiful! We can outsmart alarm calls and rush hours in the morning; the key to looking beautiful doesn't necessarily mean countless amounts of makeup or hours spent staring at the mirror and expecting a miracle.

Mahak

Bare Face, Not Bear Face

Greetings, lovelies!

I often get asked how to build the confidence to go out with no makeup. Cause let's be real, ain't nobody got time to put on a full face of makeup every day. First off, I don't like how it's got to the point where wearing no makeup is considered 'brave'. Yes, I am rocking the face I was born with and the pimples I've unfortunately been saddled with. And I'm not sure why that's viewed as outside of the norm.

Don't get me wrong, I love makeup (I wouldn't be posting here if I didn't!) but I don't feel like I need it every time I go out of the house. And if you think otherwise, that's okay too! But for those who want some tips on feeling more comfortable with a bare face, try it as a slow process such as this one:

1. If you're used to quite a full-on look, especially with your foundation, try reducing it to a BB Cream: I love the Garnier Oil-Free one. They're lighter coverage than a foundation, but still do a great job of covering redness and evening out skin tone.
2. If you're fine with skipping foundation, apply concealer to any blemishes and/or on under-eye circles.
3. One day, you may find that you're okay with skipping base altogether. On days like this I usually just go for mascara and brows, and maybe a touch of translucent powder such as the Rimmel Stay Matte on my T-zone.
4. And at some point, you may just wake up in the morning and think, SCREW IT, I'm fine without makeup today! And there you go.

I also find that the more I get used to seeing myself with no makeup, the more chill I am about going out bare-faced. And if you rock it with pride, people around you are gonna be none the wiser :)

Still unsure? Well, today, I'm going to give you a slight nudge into the deep end (if you want to, of course). You've probably seen these types of things in various social media campaigns - 'no makeup selfies'. And, that's right, I'm challenging YOU to send us your best one to the twitter @ISYSdreamteam with the hashtag #barefacenotbearface - cause I guarantee you guys will look a lot better than this guy!

Photo sourced from imgarcade.com

Amy

Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge?!?!

Happy Hump Day everyone! So, I'm sure you've all heard about the viral trend that is taking over Facebook, Instagram and Vine at the moment. Yes, the one that involves sucking your lips in a shot glass for a couple of minutes, and releasing them to see a waterfall of drool and a massively expanded pout. That's, right, the #kyliejennerlipchallenge.

If you've been living under a rock on Mars and don't know who Kylie Jenner is, she's the 17 year old half-sister of the Kardashians: Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe. And she's famous for her lip-alicious Instagrams, such as the one below. Now, whether or not she's had lip surgery is unclear and often a hot topic of conversation - she claims that she just overdraws her lips, which is a great tip for enhancing them and I will get to that later in the post.

Photo sourced from @kyliejenner - Instagram.com

Now, don't get me wrong - it's great to try and emulate a person's look if that's what you're trying to go for. And to have fun with it! But this is CLEARLY not what Kylie does to enhance her lips. This is a typical result:

Photo sourced from @kyliejennerlipchallenge - Instagram.com

But it can get worse. A LOT WORSE. I'm going to spare you the pictures, but I have seen plenty of instances in the past week of the skin around the lips being bruised, swollen for hours, or even cut from the glass breaking and tearing the lips in the process. In conclusion? I wouldn't recommend it.

Don't worry! There are plenty of SAFE, natural ways to enhance those babies. These are my favourite techniques:

• For the most natural look, overdraw your lips slightly with a lip pencil close to your lip colour. A safe, affordable option is the Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Liner in 'Natural'. Fill in the rest of your lips with the same pencil and chuck some lip gloss over the top to make them appear more plump. Here's a great tutorial on how to achieve this from the lovely Lauren Curtis:

• You can do the same with any colour lip pencil and a matching lippy, but a warning: it does require more maintenance over the day. Make sure you go for something long-lasting and relatively matte.
• There is also a suction tool called 'Fullips', which kind of works like the shot glass but is a lot safer - it's plastic, comes in different sizes and you don't suck as hard or for as long. The downside is that it only lasts up to 4 hours, but it's definitely a better option!

So what's the bottom line here? Well, I think it's fab to experiment with different lip shapes and sizes - like eyebrows, they can do a lot for the face. But even though 'duck face' and big lips seem to be a 'thing' at the moment, don't get caught up in the hype if you're not into it. For me personally, I feel like I can't pull off a look unless I'm confident in it. But if you do what works for you, I promise you those suckers will be stretching into smiles more often.

Enjoy the rest of your week everyone, and stay rad :)

Amy

Introduction - Our Holy Grail Beauty Product?

Hello everyone! Before you delve into exploring our blog, it's best that we introduce ourselves. From left to right, our names are Amy, Myura, Mahak and Manisha. We are four Macquarie Uni students who are passionate about the makeup and beauty world. Although we're young, between the four of us, we've had a lot of makeup highs and lows. We've learnt a lot.

So, you may be wondering - girls, what is your ultimate holy grail product? Something that will make me beautiful every time I use it, without fail? Well, good news. It comes directly from you, its benefits will transcend every part of your life, and it won't cost you a cent. No, it's not a cream, a mask or a magical gel. It's CONFIDENCE. That's it!

Our blog is not a run-of-the-mill beauty blog. We believe that makeup, when applied correctly and tailored to you, can make you more confident. It is not simply a tool used to hide your 'problem areas', but rather, something that can enhance the features of yourself that you love most. So you can show the best and happiest side of yourself to the world.

Okay, you must think we're on crazy pills or something. This could be up there in the list of the corniest things you've ever read. And you might click off this blog right now and go watch some videos of pugs on skateboards. But if you're just a little bit curious about the #beautysiconfidence revolution, and also want some great makeup tips and tricks for expressing the real you, take a look around! We may surprise you.

Amy