Makeup Basics: Simple Tutorial for a Doll-like Lolita Look

    Makeup Basics is a series of tutorials and how-to's I will be doing that focuses on helping those new to makeup. Every tutorial will be easy to follow, even for the newest makeup applier! I will use affordable, easy-to-find products and tools (and nothing intimidating like an eyelash curler) to create simple looks anyone can do.

    Since today is International Lolita Day (a "holiday" that occurs twice a year to celebrate Lolita fashion, a Japanese street fashion that focuses on full, knee-length skirts and modest clothes with a fairy tale, antique doll feel to them), I wanted to do a big, doll-like look for Makeup Basics. I wear this look a lot, especially when I don't have the time or energy for a full face of makeup. It isn't just good for Lolita fashion, either: I love it with vintage-inspired outfits too, and other Japanese fashion styles like fairy kei or cult party kei.
    If you have any questions about anything in this tutorial or requests for future Makeup Basics posts, don't hesitate to comment!
    So, without further ado, onto the tutorial!

The Face & Skin:

   

   Products Used (from top left to middle right):

• NYC Smooth Skin Loose Face Powder in 741A Translucent
• Milani Baked Bronzer in 04 Glow
• Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light
• Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer in Medium-Light
• E.L.F All-Over Face Brush
• Brush that was included with the Milani bronzer

    Steps:

1. Begin with a clean, moisturised face. Your skin is the base of all makeup you apply! Be sure to moisturise well to avoid dry patches forming; dry patches make makeup act strange.
2. Concealer: Squeeze a pea-sized amount of Glamoflauge onto your fingertip and dab it lightly onto any areas that need covering-up (blemishes, scars, et cetera). Blend it outward from the blemish with your fingertip, using small circular motions. Wash your hands before moving on to the next step!
3. BB cream: Squeeze a quarter-size dollop of BB cream onto your fingertips and apply it as you would a moisturiser, using small circular motions to blend it in with your skin until it's absorbed. BB cream is lighter than foundation and offer a more sheer coverage, plus this Maybelline BB cream has an SPF! Wash your hands again.
4. Powder: Shake a small bit of powder into the lid. Use the E.L.F. brush to pick the powder up and apply it all over your face. This will help set the makeup so it doesn't move and keep you from getting too shiny throughout the day. I recommend using translucent because it doesn't actually have a color to it, meaning it will look more natural.



Finished with the face steps!

5. Blush/Bronzer: Brush the included applicator into the bronzer lightly, and then swirl the bronzer from your temples to your cheekbone right under the pupil of your eye. Use a circular motion and sweep more onto the apples of your cheeks (when you smile, the apples of your cheeks are the parts that are directly over your cheekbones). Though this is labelled as a bronzer, on my skin it acts more like a golden peachy blush. 

The Eyes:

   Products Used (from left to right):

• Beauty Muse Pro Base Shadow Brush (from the eye brush set)
• Beauty Muse Pro Crease Brush (from the eye brush set)
• NYX Dream Catcher Palette in Dusk 'Til Dawn
• Wet N' Wild Fergie Take On The Day Eyeshadow Primer in For My Primas
• L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara in Black
• NYC Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in 926 White
• Beauty Muse Pro Brow Brush (from the eye brush set)
• NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in EP05 Dark Brown

Steps:

1. Prime your eyes: Squeeze a pea-sized amount of the primer onto your fingertip, then pat the primer onto your eyelid. Blend the primer from the base of your eyelashes to near your brows. Primer keeps your eyeshadow from creasing and makes it wear better, and this one actually dries clear!
2. Apply base eyeshadow color: Swirl the Base Shadow brush into the cream eyeshadow (upper middle) and then pat brush all over the eyelid. 
3. Apply crease eyeshadow color: Swirl the Crease brush into the light bronze shade (directly underneath the cream; middle bottom) and then pat the eyeshadow into your crease. Blend outward, towards your eyebrow.
   
   

   

   Here's a diagram of where to apply the eyeshadow--the pink circle is where you apply the base color, and the purple is where you apply the crease color.

4. Fill in your brows (OPTIONAL): Brush your brows into your desired shape with the spoolie at the end of the NYX pencil. Use the pencil to fill in your brows, then brush the spoolie back through to blend it all in. If you don't want to fill in your brows, then you can skip this step!
5. Apply mascara: Holding the mascara wand close to the base of your eyelashes, wiggle the wand from base to tip of your lashes. Hold the wand at the middle of your lashes and blink down on the wand or pat the wand at the tip of your lashes to build up more length and volume. (If you make a mistake, a Q-tip swirled in lotion will wipe it away easily.)
6. Line your eyes: Run the NYC eyeliner along your waterline to make your eyes look bigger, then swirl the Brow brush into the matte taupe-brown eyeshadow (top right). Apply the matte taupe along your lower lashline, from the outer corner of your eye to right under your pupil. 

Finished with the eye steps! (My eyebrows are even, I swear, but they don't look like it in this photo...)

The Lips:

   Products Used (from top to bottom):

• Jordana Lip Out Loud! Super-Shiny Gloss in 108 TTYL
• Milani Color Statement Lipliner in 04 All Natural

    Steps:

1. Line and fill in your lips: Use the lipliner to trace the shape of your lips, then fill them in. Lipliner keeps lipstick and gloss from moving around!
2. Apply gloss: Apply the gloss all over your lips.

The complete look!