My 10 minute 'go to' make-up look

Hi lovelies,

I will be revealing to you beautiful people what my go to make-up look is, these make-up products are perfect for creating a sultry smokey eye or a quick fix make-up look! 

(I promise it looks like you've spent time on your make-up but it really is as quick as 10 minutes!) 

Below is a photo of the make-up look I achieved in 10 minutes!

Products

Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita palette 

Tom Ford flawless foundation stick 

Nars creamy concealer 

Tom Ford shade and illuminate pallete

Mac eyeshadow in Brun 

Mac mineralise skin-finish in Gold Deposit

Gerard cosmetics lipstick in Nude and lip gloss in Butter Cream 

Eldora lashes - H160

Samantha Chapman Real Techniques brushes - buffing brush, contour brush 

Mac angled brush 208

A tutorial will follow through with this post soon to prove how quick this make-up look is! Believe it or not, but I only used my fingers for this eye make-up look and 3 face brushes! 

Hope you enjoyed this post, keep an eye out for the tutorial! 

Love,

Taran x

5 PRO artist make-up kit essentials

Hi beauts,

As a make-up artist with 5 years plus experience, I would like to share what I think are the most vital make-up kit essentials. Especially if you are a new up coming artist, this post will aim to help all levels of make-up artists out there! If you would like to know what my 5 pro artist make-up kit essentials are then keep on reading ...

1. Gosh 'Velvet Touch' primer 

The Gosh 'Velvet Touch' primer, is an affordable primer which you can pick up from your local Super-drug store. This primer is amazing, for creating a smooth velvet base, your foundation application will seem effortless once this primer has been applied and absorbed into the skin. 

Quick tip: Be aware that this is a silicone based product, so if you are allergic to this then do check the ingredients to avoid any allergic reactions! 

2. NARS multi-purpose highlight stick

Nars products never fail to impress me and this also includes the multi-purpose highlighting sticks. The shade which I keep in my kit is 'Orgasm'. The product itself is as exciting as the product name! The texture of the cream stick is beautiful, and easily blend-able; the fact that this highlight is useful for pretty much anything on the face is a bonus!!  

Quick tip: I used this highlight stick on the brow bone, the tip of the nose, cupids bow, cheek bones and in the centre of the bottom lip! LUSH!

3. MAC w/c neutral eye-shadow palette/s

MAC cosmetics have two ready set eye-shadow palette's (warm/cool neutral). These palettes are a great buy for a pro artist kit; all of the neutral shades you could possibly require are condensed into two ready set palettes! I mean, what more could you possibly ask for? 

Quick tip: If I cannot find my brow gel in my kit, I use the shade 'Brun' from the MAC cool neutral palette as a brow powder! 

4. Urban Decay 'All Nighter' spray

The Urban Decay 'All Nighter' spray is possibly the most amazing make-up setting spray I have ever come across! YES, I totally swear by this setting spray because I know it does the job perfectly. Your make-up will last ALL night without budge. This is a definite MUST!

Quick tip: After the bottle has finished it's totally reusable, use the empty bottle for something else! I put mine to use as my brush cleaning spray! 

5. Urban Decay eye-shadow primer potion

Again, another Urban Decay product I totally swear by, the primer potion. I have all the UD primer potions including the face primer potions simply due to the great finish they leave behind. However, the eye-shadows primer potion is brilliant. I have always, recommended this to everyone! Once the base is on and the eye make-up is complete, there will NOT be any creasing AT ALL!

Quick tip: Try using a 'bullet point' amount to avoid excess product wastage. A little goes a long way!

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have tried these products, let me know what you make of them!

Love,
Taran x

Contour products - powder vs cream

Hi beauts,

Contouring has been in trend since Kim K released her selfie showing her highlighting and contouring on social media. Ever since then, contouring has become a craze! 

Not a lot of people know that contouring has been around for many years as part of corrective make-up. This make-up technique has been mastered by professionals over the years, to find that different styles of corrective make-up suit each individual face shape differently!! But we will not go into much detail about that in this post, if you would like me to do a detailed post on how to contour different face shapes then leave a comment below!

This post will be about the different types of contouring products out there in the market, as the title states: powder vs cream contour! 

So I have put together my most used cream and powder products that are my holy grail for contouring. 

Product list:

Tom Ford shade and illuminate palette (01 intensity one)

Mac cosmetics pro concealer palette (medium/dark) 

Anastasia Beverly Hills contour palette (not sure which shade) 

Sleek cosmetics contour palette (medium/dark) 

Tom Ford shade and illuminate 

This is my favourite contour product out of the products listed! I am more of a cream contour person, just because I feel as though cream contouring gives a more subtle and natural shadow where applied. This product blends in so seamlessly, it really looks great once applied, the highlight is quite something in itself too! It has no shimmer but is still a natural looking highlight - seriously cannot go wrong with this product! 

Mac cosmetics pro concealer palette

I have not always been a fan on mac concealer - especially if it is studio fix! But this palette really did change my mind, I use the darkest concealer in the palette to shade in the hollows of my cheekbones, I also use this to contour my nose and it works a treat (usually I am never happy with contouring on my nose!). Not only that, the corrector in the palette mixed with the lightest concealer makes a great highlight too! 

Anastasia Beverly Hills contour palette

I am pretty obsessed with this powder palette, the shade fawn is actually my favourite colour to contour with! It is a lovely soft brown colour, which gives the illusion of a natural contour! Great for someone who wishes for a light subtle definition on the cheekbone area, the shade banana is a great pressed powder to set your under eye concealer with too as it uplifts the colour enhancing the highlight! 

Sleek cosmetics contour palette CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE!

Sleek's contour palette is the most affordable product mentioned in the list as it is a cheap dupe for all these high end make-up products. This has got to be the drug store God send for contouring because the pigment pay from this palette is superb! If I am travelling this is most definitely my go to palette as it had the highlight which is a lovely dupe for soft and gentle by Mac! And a beautiful bronze blush to give you that sun kissed glow! You really cannot go wrong with this beauty buy! 

Now, with my personal experience using these products, I must say I prefer neither over each other as both powder and cream products work well for contouring but I actually prefer cream contouring, then setting it with powder contouring to emphasise the definition on my contour. What is your preferred contouring technique? 

Hope you enjoyed this post! 

Love,

Taran x

My favourite highlighters

Hi beauties!

So on my Instagram recently a few of you have been asking me what my favourite highlighters are and what better way to tell you: let's blog it! 

In this post I have included my favourite high-end and drug store highlighters! That way there is something for you, if you do not like to splash on one small product .. (Not all of us are as crazy as me) 

Product list: 

(Left to right) 

Milani cosmetics - Bellissimo Bronze

Mac cosmetics - Soft and gentle

Make-up Revolution vivid baked hightlighter - Peach lights 

Nars - Albatross

MeMeMe Irridescent complexion illuminator - Sunbeam 

So I put together these five beauties just because I thought it would be great to have a few dupes in this post too; especially for Mac soft and gentle & gold deposit just to name a few! Lets get started!

Milani cosmetics - Bellissimo Bronze (Baked blush) DUPE ALERT! 
OK so I will admit to something before I start here, I sort of cheated with this product because it is actually a baked blush but the sparkle in it could pass off as a beautiful dupe for Mac cosmetics highlighter in 'Gold deposit'. It is absolutely gorgeous on the skin, and I must say it is a go to product for you girls who love a bronzed look!

Mac cosmetics - Soft and gentle (Mineralise skin finish)
EVERY woman out there is familiar with this highlighter, if you do not own it then you must have most definitely heard of it! The classic, nude natural looking highlighter perfect for your subtle and dramatic looks! You cannot go wrong! Love LOVE love this highlighter, it is a must in my kit!

Make-up Revolution - Peach lights (Vivid baked highlighter) DUPE ALERT!

This is a great dupe for Mac cosmetics highlighter in 'Soft and gentle'. Although the name is 'Peach lights' the product itself has a slight pink undertone to it, apart from that it is a great cheaper alternative to the Mac mineralise skin finish! A go to most definitely if you are just starting out or want a highlight that is not too pigmented!

Nars - Albatross DUPE ALERT!
I LOVE this highlight, simply because of its beautiful rich golden tone! It is a pressed highlight so it is not baked as the other products, and the colour is white but do not let that put you off! Once this product has been brushed onto the skin it leaves no colour, but reflects off the most beautiful golden sheen ever! It is most definitely a must! An amazing dupe for this product is the Make-up Revolution vivid baked hightlighter in 'Golden lights'.

MeMeMe Irridescent complexion illuminator - Sunbeam DUPE ALERT!

This was the VERY first highlighter I had ever purchased, I still swear by this product and always have it present in my kit if I ever feel as though there is not enough highlight or dewy finish to the skin. The reason why I picked this illuminator is because this product is very versatile; you can mix a little with the foundation or even just place a few dots on the cheek bones and blend! Due to the liquid consistency it is great to blend out and does not look harsh once applied. I definitely recommend this product to all my fellow make-up artists just because it is a great little back up to place in your kits! 

This post was requested by a few of my lovely followers on Instagram and a few of my clients, I hope this post has been helpful! If you have any requests please do leave a comment below or leave a comment on my Instagram! 

Instagram: @tarankaurmua 

Love,
Taran x

Favourite product picks for professional photo-shoots!

Hi beauts,

If you have been following me and what I have been up to you will notice that I have been involved in quite a few professional photo-shoots. Since I have been involved in many through out my make-up artist journey, I thought my next blog post should be on my favourite recommendations on my go to make-up products for the camera! 

So, for those who have never been involved in a professional photo-shoot and are just starting out here is a little insight into what it involves:

Firstly, it is important for you to have an appropriate date to fit the shoot simply due to the fact that it will be an all day shoot, especially if you are new to this experience. Of course, you would need yourself to create your magic, a model to create the magic on and of course a professional photographer with a studio!

Photo-shoots are definitely a one of a kind experience. It is the best way to get to know professionals and see how you work yourself in an environment of the same sort. It is definitely an experience which will help you build yourself as a professional in the industry of make-up artists. 

Now on to the recommendations for photo-shoot make-up! Many of my shoots have been based on Asian bridal and fashion looks. The top make-up products which I have picked, are essentials within my make-up kit and are great products to use in and out of studio! 

When creating a make-up look for a professional photo-shoot, do keep in mind that you will have to be slightly more heavy handed that usual. This is because the lighting in the studio will wash most of the make-up away, so the key trick is to apply just enough so that the make-up still shows through the photos captured on camera! 

Foundation and concealer picks

The best foundation picks, I must say would be the Kryolan TV paint sticks and Mac studio fix fluid. These products are perfect to use in and out of the studio, the liquid foundation is perfect for beauty shots and the TV paint sticks, for more of a heavier make-up look for example Asian bridal! My favourite concealer to use most definitely is the Mac Pro studio fix concealer palettes! They come in a range of different colours which are the essentials required for your professional kit, the palette comes in shades light, medium and dark. These are also great for contouring!

Blusher and highlighter picks 

The best blusher products in my books, would be either the Sleek blush palettes or MAC blushes. These blushes are insanely pigmented and will definitely show up on the camera, alongside the heavy artificial lighting set up in studio. The greatest and my all time favourite highlighter is Illamasqua's hightlight in Gleam! If you cannot get your hands on this highlighter then you can for sure use, Nars Albatross or MAC's soft and gentle the all time classic! 

Brow product picks
The best brow products, must go to the one and only Illamasqua brow gel in strike. Alway's shade in your brows a little darker than usual to make them stand out for the shoot! Of course, do not go over board with the shading but you get the point! Another awesome product to use on the brows for a natural finish is MAC's eye-shadow in Brun!

Hope this post has helped at least a few of your ladies, who are considering booking a photo-shoot for your make-up portfolios!

Love,
Taran x

Rose gold neutral smoked

Hi beauts,

If you have been following my instagram for a while, you will know that I used to create picture collages of make-up looks I would create on some days. I did it for a short time but then stopped! BUT I have decided to start them all over again! 

If you would like to know what products I used in the picture collage below then keep reading! 

Product details:

Eyebrows - Illamasqua brow gel in 'Strike'

Lashes - Red Cherry lashes in #415

Eyeliner - Avon kohl stick in black, Collection2000 liquid liner pen

Eyeshadow - Illamasqua cream pigment Hollow, Tarte cosmetics 'Tartlette palette', Make-up Revolution foil shadow in 'Rose gold'

If you like this post, follow me on Instagram to keep up to date with regular make-up posts! 

Instagram: @tarankaurmua

Love,

Taran x

Top 5 foundation picks!

Hi beauts!
This post will be about my favourite foundations. Those of you who know me well, will know that I have tried so many different foundations to finally get the one which gives that flawless base without looking cakey!

Lets get to it, me personally I like the full coverage foundations as a make-up artist I guess I've become a lot more fonder of wearing full coverage make-up, but I do like my days where I have the coverage but not so much where it becomes full coverage! So these foundations that I have picked out (in no particular order), range from full to medium coverage - matte and dewy finishes too ...

Mac studio sculpt
        Mac studio sculpt is a full coverage foundation, with a matte finish. Those of you who have used Mac products will be aware of the range of formulas the brand has for different skin tones/types and finishes. For me the studio sculpt is a full coverage foundation which is perfect for a night out or even an occasion where you will be out and about all day. It is long wearing and I find it lasts all day, I mean what more could a woman ask for from her foundation right?

Tom Ford cream foundation stick
        Tom Ford's cream foundation stick is a medium to full coverage foundation with a creamy consistency. If you have oily skin then I would not recommend this foundation stick as it quite a creamy texture and will leave shine. However it is perfect for combination or dry skin types, so if you have dry and dehydrated skin then this foundation may just be the one for you!

Nars sheer-glow foundation
        Nars sheer-glow foundation is one of my all time favourites, hence why it's in this post! It is the perfect consistency and texture for me and my skin type. It's not too thick and not too runny, this foundation I found glided on flawlessly on my skin. It is a medium to full coverage foundation, but I feel as though you can also get away with using it as a sheer light coverage foundation too! This is a definite must have if you have not already tried it!

Nars all in one luminous foundation
        Nars all in one luminous foundation is the new range which was launched not long ago to replace the sheer-matte foundation range. This foundation delivers a matte finish however does also keep hold of the dewy, golden finish rather than just being matte. I have tried this foundation and it really is my favourite at the moment. It is light wear on the skin but still gives the full coverage I like without being cakey or ashy. The tones in this foundation range accommodate for both pink and yellow undertones, the foundation definitely does not fail to give you a beautiful healthy glow!

Illamasqua skin base foundation
        Illamasqua skin base foundation is a must have for those who LOVE a full coverage foundation. This foundation sits beautifully on the skin and blends in flawlessly. It is a thicker consistency compared to the liquid foundations mention in this post but is definitely long wearing, 2 squeezes from the product will go a LONG way.

Love,
Taran x  

Eyes: pink and gold inspired

Hey girls!

So after my post on the review of the limited edition vice pallette I took quite some time off of blogging. I got caught up with uni life - I'm sure some of you are students, hey you know the work load can be a little much at times! 

So forgive me for not being a persistent blogger but I promise I will do my best to do so! Anyway, I gave this vice pallette a shot, did some eye make-up and I'm OBSESSED. 

Loved the make-up, it's fun, bright and awesome to wear to a themed party or even if you just wish to be a little daring on a crazy night out! 

Check the photo below: 

Amazing right? So here's what I used to create this look: 

1. Limited edtition vice pallette (Urban Decay) shades; junkshow (lower lash-line and outer corner into crease), freakshow (outer corner into crease) and roadstripe (brow bone for highlight). 

2. Nars blush in shade Gina (inner corner of the eyelid) 

3. Inglot AMC gel eyeliner in shade 72 

4. Urban Decay 24/7 waterproof liquid eyeliner pen in shade Smog (line the eyelid with a flick) 

5. Urban Decay eyelashes in Trap

Hope this little pictorial inspires some of you to take a set forward and go for a more bright and colourful eye rather than the usual subtle looks! 

Love, 

Taran x