Colourful Pastel Eyes

For this look I was inspired by Easter and cotton candy colours! It's a fun pastel coloured eyeshadow look that I hope you enjoy!

1 Apply foundation all over and concealer in areas of concern. Set your foundation with a loose translucent setting powder for a shine free, long lasting makeup. Laura Mercier's is one of my favourites!

2 Buff a creamy bronzer through the back of the cheeks, temples and around the hairline, and tap a bright pink creamy blush onto the apples of the cheeks.

3 Pat eyeshadow primer from lash line to brow bone and sweep your light blue colour on the first two thirds of the lid.

4 Press your bright blue shadow on the outter third of the lid and blend softly into the light blue for a nice gradient.

5 With a fluffy brush, softly blend a bright purple into the very outmost corner of the eye and into the outter crease as well. 

6 Apply a pink shadow in the inner half of the crease. The pink will blend in with the blues and create a light lavender purple. Make sure all of your edges are soft.

7 Sweep your highlight colour along the brow bone. I chose a champaign colour with a slightly pink undertone to compliment the rest of the look!

8 Apply a creamy white pencil to the inner corner of the eyes and pat it in so it looks soft and subtle. Pat a light golden yellow shadow on top, and then sweep a light shimmering green along the bottom lashes.

9 With a liquid or gel liner apply a very fine black liner along the upper lashes for added definition.

10 Run a deep green pencil liner along the water line (inside of the eye) and make sure to wrap it around the inside of the inner corner of the eye. (Purple, or blue eyeliner would work great with this look too)!

11 Coat your upper lashes liberally with mascara and gently add some to the lower lashes.

12 Apply a pearlescent nude peach gloss to finish the look. I love the new Makeup Forever Lab Shine glosses. They have a nice brush applicator, fresh fruity scent and aren't sticky! They come in a TON of colours too!

I think this look works best with shimmery shadows that have a slight iridescence to ensure a perfectly blended finish! I used a lot of products in this look, and you can substitute all or any of the products for ones that you have at home, and adapt it any way you want!


Products Used:
Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream
Makeup Forever HD Foundation '120'
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage 'SC-01'
Laura Mercier Translucent Powder
Anastasia Brow Powder 'Brunette'
Nars Multiple 'Cap Vert' (Bronzer)
Urban Decay Afterglow Cream Blush 'Quickie'
Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Jumbo Pencil 'Milk'
Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Kiddie Pool' (Light Blue)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Jinx' (Bright Blue)
BH Light Pink Eyeshadow
Makeup Forever Eyeshadow 'Purple 92' (Royal Purple)
MAC Barbie Collection Eyeshadow (Light Green)
BH Light Yellow Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Sin' (Pink Champaign)
Laura Mercier Full Blown Mascara
Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Liner '20L' (Forest Green)
Sephora Collection Long Last Liquid Liner
Makeup Forever Lab Shine Gloss 'M16'

xo candice
www.candicegroen.com
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What's In My Makeup Bag?

Here are a few of the products I've found myself using on a daily basis lately. Even though I might not use all of the products at once, they're great basic things to have to do your makeup away from home, and are easy to touch up with throughout the day. I'll filter in and out different products depending on the day. I do this a lot with lip products depending on what I'm wearing that day and I'll add a pencil liner to touch up with if I used it that morning!

The first thing I have in my makeup bag is the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation. I love this foundation! It looks so natural, feels weightless, and gives a light - medium coverage. I've found myself wearing this daily either on it's own or mixed in with my moisturzier! I've also included my Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer, which if you've been reading my blogs, you'll notice I use a lot! This is an awesome concealer for everyone because it's oil free and has a great texture that covers really well without looking thick or heavy.

I bring my Anastasia Brow Powder in 'Brunette' because I'm the type of girl who can't go without having her brows filled in... and I bring my Benefit Bronzer in 'Hoolah' because it's a true brown bronzer without any shimmer so it's great for everyday. I also substitute these two products for eyeshadows! They're neutral colours that work great for natural or smokey looks!

I also pack my black Sephora Long Lasting Liquid Liner in my makeup bag incase I want a more defined look. If I don't wear a lot of shadow I usually like to wear a flicked liquid liner along my top lashes... and of course I bring a black mascara! This is a must, and the one I've been loving lately is the Laura Mercier Full Blown Mascara. It's really buildable so you get a lot of volume.

I love to bring products that I can multitask with so I bring my Urban Decay Afterglow Cream Blush in 'Quickie' because I can use it on my cheeks and lips. If I want to add a little bit of shine to it I'll pop my Laura Mercier Lip Glace in 'Baby Doll' on top! I love this lipgloss it's the perfect nude pink and smells like warm vanilla.

Sometimes I'll even through in my current nail polish in case it chips and really starts to drive me crazy! Right now it's OPI's Nail Polish in 'Mod About You'.

I haven't included a powder because I use a loose powder and the packaging is really bulky. I also have a fairly dry skin and don't have to worry too much about shine. If you have an oilier skin you can include blotting papers or transfer your loose powder into a small travel container.

There are no brushes in the photo but I do bring a small double ended shadow brush, a travel angled brush, and a travel blush/powder brush and I'll use my fingers for the rest of the products.

What's in your makeup bags? I hope you had fun reading this post!

xo candice

www.candicegroen.com

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Defined Crease, Winged Shadow

This look is great if you're going out to a more casual setting like getting together with friends, going to a bar, dinner, or small party. The crease is quite defined and the bottom liner is quite heavy in this look. To balance the heavy bottom liner, the shadow has been brought up high, reaching toward the brow bone, on top.

1 Apply foundation all over and concealer in area's of concern (under the eyes, around the nose, on any blemishes), and set with a translucent powder to ensure a shine free, long lasting makeup.
2 Apply a bronzer through the back of the cheeks, temples, and around the hairline. Add a pinky blush liberally to the apples of the cheeks and slightly up the cheek bone.
3 Press a neutral shimmery pink champaign colour all over the lid from lashline to brow bone.
4 Run your brown eyeshadow high in the crease and blend up and out toward the brow bone. Switch back and forth between blending your edges and adding more colour as needed. Drag this colour along the lower lash line as well, slightly extending it on the inner corner and at the outer corner to meet up with your crease colour.
5 Line your upper and lower water line (inside the eye) with a pencil liner and line the outer edge of the top lashes with an angled brush and a black shadow.
6 Apply your highlight colour lightly on the brow bone to help further blend the edge of your brown shadow.
7 Add mascara to the top and bottom lashes.
8 Finish with a juicy pink gloss.

I've used neutral colours, but you can use the same design and techniques with different colours if you'd like.

Products Used:
Clarins Energizing Moisturizer
Chanel Vitalumier Foundation '10'
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage 'SC-01'
Anastasia Brow Powder 'Brunette'
Nars Bronzer 'Laguna'
Tarte Blush 'Dollface'
MAC Pigment 'Naked'
Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Hustle'
Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Creep'
Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Virgin'
Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes '0L'
Laura Mercier Full Blown Mascara
Nars Lipgloss 'Easy Lover'

xo candice
www.candicegroen.com
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Retro 60's Look

I recently did someones makeup who requested a modernized 60's look. She used bright colours but I really love the traditional black and white. This has always been my favourite makeup era to recreate because it's such a bold look, and it's really when face painting and riskier makeup really started to take off!

1 Apply foundation all over, concealer in area's of concern, and set with a mattifying translucent powder. Pay special attention to highlighting under the eyes with concealer.
2 Sweep your light pink blush from the apples of the cheeks back and up to the temple. I used a matte blush because this was common of the 60's but you can use shimmery blushes as well.
3 Pat your eyeshadow primer all over the lid, and sweep your nude eyeshadow all over from lashline to brow bone.
4 Map out the general shape of your crease with your grey eyeshadow and an angled brush. Take your time lightly making your guidline.
5 Take a pointed blending brush and apply your grey shadow to the crease in windshield wiper motions. Slowly build the colour by blending your edge then adding more. (I love Stila's Eyeshadow Brush #30 for doing this).
6 Take your black shadow and angled brush and deepen the crease colour slightly.
7 With a gel or liquid liner trace along the upper lashline and create a flick that meets up with your grey crease shadow.
8 Run a white pencil liner all along the waterline (inside) of the eye and onto the inner corner of the eye. Blend a bit of the liner under the brow as well.
9 With your angled brush run your grey shadow along the lower lashline and apply mascara to the top and bottom lashes.
10 Apply a thin strip of glue to your lashes and wait 30 seconds (for the glue to get tacky) before applying your lashes. I apply my lashes with tweezers by placing the lash in the middle, and then tucking in the sides.
11 Finish by lightly smoothing concealer over the lips, and then adding a nude lipstick, lipgloss, or both!

Getting the correct positioning and angle of the crease colour can be tricky with this look which is why I suggest lightly mapping out a guidline with your angled brush before going ahead and really defining the line. Work slowly to avoid mistakes.
This is a fun look that can be adapted to suite a more wearable, everyday makeup.


Products Used:
Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation 'Santa Fe'
Laura Mercier Secret Concealer 'SC-01'
Anastasia Brow Powder 'Brunette'
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush 'Dollface'
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Stila Eyeshadow 'Nude'
Stila Eyeshadow 'Storm'
Makeup Forever Eyeshadow 'Black 4'
Laura Mercier Full Blown Mascara
Nars Eyeliner Pencil 'Iceberg'
Makeup Forever Lashes '023'
MAC Creme Sheen Lipstick 'Innocence, Beware!'
Laura Mercier Lip Glace 'Baby Doll'

xo candice
www.candicegroen.com
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Glowing Purple Smokey Eye

I wore this look earlier this week to a fashion show I worked on and got loads of compliments on it so I thought I'd show you guys how I did it! And try using this technique with different colours! I think it would look great in blue and green too!

1 Apply foundation all over and concealer on any area's of concern. Leave the area under the eye clean of concealer... we'll come back to this area later in the look.

2 Sweep your matte bronzer through the back of the cheeks, (concentrating on the hollow of the cheek to further contour) on the temples, and around the hairline. Apply blush on the apples of the cheek. A light/bright pink compliments the purple eyeshadow.

3 Pat eyeshadow primer all over the lid. It's important to use a primer with this look to not only ensure a long lasting, creaseless makeup, but also because colours like this (especially ones as pigmented as Makeup Forever matte shadows!) tend to stain the lid and adding a primer will prevent staining from happening.

4 Apply your dark purple shadow all over the lid from lashline to crease and blend the edges. Apply the same colour all the way along your lower lashline and around the inner corner of the eye.

5 Lightly blend your lighter purple shadow all around the edges of the darker purple. This will not only help blend the harsh edge of the lid colour (matte colours can be trickier to blend so take your time) but it also gives that glowy ethereal look to the eyes.

6 Highlight your brow bone with a matte skin toned shadow.

7 Line the upper and lower waterline with a black pencil... and if you're comfortable press the dark purple on top of the pencil liner in the water line. This will really lock in the liner. Place a little bit of the liner on the outside edge of the upper lashline and blend so it's soft and smokey.

8 Coat the upper and lower lashes with black mascara.

9 Now go in with your under eye concealer and clean up any shadow that may have fallen under the eyes. I always leave concealer until the end when I'm doing dark smokey eyes to clean up fallen shadow, shape my shadow lines, and make the area under the eye nice and bright!

10 Apply translucent setting powder through the t-zone and under the eyes.

11 Finish with a light pinky gloss!

I love this look! It's a simple way to make a bold statement and I love how the shadow looks like it glows! As I said in the instructions, matte shadows can be a lot harder to blend out, so take your time and have plenty of blending brushes on hand. Using the lighter purple and the matte highlight really help these shadows have a softer blended edge.

I had to wear all black at the show, so I matched my shadow to my nails! I think I'll be doing this a lot in the future. I love how matching nails and shadow look! My nail polish is OPI 'Funky Dunkey' from the Shrek collection. (You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them).

Products Used:

Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation 'Santa Fe'

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage 'SC-01'

Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Anastasia Brow Powder 'Brunette'

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Makeup Forever Eyeshadow 'Lavender 9' (light matte purple)

Makeup Forever Eyeshadow 'Purple 92' (dark matte purple)

MAC Eyeshadow 'Brule' (matte highlight)

Urban Decay Eyeliner Pencil 'Zero' (black)

Laura Mercier Full Blown Mascara

Benefit Bronzer 'Hoola'

MAC Beauty Powder 'Oh So Fair'

Laura Mercier Lip Glace 'Baby Doll'

xo candice
www.candicegroen.com
Click here to join my Facebook Group!

Fresh Face, Winged Liner!

Here's how I created this more natural look I wore the other day (and have been wearing a lot recently)! It's all about having a fresh spring face with a nicely defined winged eye liner.

1 Apply foundation all over and concealer in areas of concern (under the eyes, around the nose, on any blemishes), and set with translucent powder.

2 Lightly fill in brows with powder and an angled brush.
3 Apply bronzer through the back of the cheeks, temples, and around the hairline, and blush on the apples of the cheek.
4 Place your taupe coloured eyeshadow from lashline to just above the crease and lightly blend the edges.
5 Apply your highlight eyeshadow on the brow bone and stamp it in the inner corner of the eye.
6 Apply a thin line of liquid or cream liner and slightly flick it out at the end. Start small and build upon your line as needed.
7 Add lots of black mascara!
8 Finish with a sheer nude lipstick followed with a beige pink gloss.

I'll have a post with some tips on how to easily get your eyeliner symmetrical in the future! Hope this was helpful and that you like the look!

Products Used:
Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream
Stila Perfect and Correct Foundation 'Fair'
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage 'SC-01'
Laura Mercier Translucent Powder
Anastasia Brow Powder 'Brunette'
Nars Multiple 'Orgasm'
Benefit Bronzer 'Hoola'
MAC Pigment 'Most Darling' (taupe lid colour)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Sin' (highlight)
Sephora Collection Long Lasting Liquid Liner 'Black'
Laura Mercier Full Blown Mascara
Urban Decay Supercurl Mascara
MAC Cremesheen Lipstick 'Innocence, Beware!'
Guerlain Kiss Kiss Gloss '865'

xo candice
www.candicegroen.com
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March Favourites

March has come and gone and I'm STILL itching for spring! The couple of warmer days we've had that have allowed me to sport my leather jacket have been amazing! So with this topsy turvy weather I find myself purchasing summer products and slowly incorporating them into my daily routine.

Firstly, being a big fan of the Clinique Moisture Surge moisturizer gave me high hopes for the new Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer that launched this month and I can definitely say that I wasn't disappointed! It feels creamier and more hydrating than a lot of the other tinted moisturizers I've tried and delivers the perfect amount of light coverage. Great for all skin types, oil free, and all for only $30! So even though Shade 01 is STILL too dark for my super fair skin, I'm gonna bring that baby all the way down my neck and rock it regardless!

Urban Decay has also launched a lot of new products these past few months that I'm loving! I'm a huge fan of cream products so naturally I was excited to see all the new cream blushes, highlighters, and jumbo shadow pencils hit the stores. The textures of the Afterglow cream blushes are amazing (not too thick or greasy) and they come in a variety of gorgeous colours that work great on cheeks and lips! (I grabbed the bright pink called 'Quickie'). The chunky shadow pencils have the same great formula as the 24/7 eye liner pencils and are EXTREMELY pigmented. They dry down to a super smudge proof and waterproof finish and work great if your in rush or as a base to make your shadows pop and last all day. The only problem is... I want them all! And don't forget to keep your eyes peeled, it's Urban Decay's 15th birthday and they'll be celebrating with limited edition goodies throughout the year!

As a girl forever obsessed with hydrating her dry and puffy hair I decided to give Couture Colour's Pequi Oil Treatment a shot. Although the name says 'Oil Treatment', this product works and feels more like a serum. It makes my hair feel super silky and has a light delicious coconut smell! I think the reason that they call this a treatment is because not only does it tame frizz, smooth, and add shine... it has proteins, vitamins A and E, and moisturizing antioxidants! Another thing that really stood out to me about this product was that it's alcohol free and wont do any damage to my hair whatsoever! I love this stuff!

Leave a comment and let me know what products you're loving this month! I'm always interested in trying fun new products!

xo candice
www.candicegroen.com
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