Chooseday: Redmylips.org

I wanted to write about people who get annoyed by viral content and how they should avoid the internet #loosellamas #thedress #grumpycat 

But something much more important grabbed my attention that is something that should be viral and I'm willing to put my voice to. Everyone should. Men and women.

Sexual assault is not really something to make fun of tho' there are memes and comedians who thing rape is funny. For some reason it's easier for women to get discriminated against and be abused and apparently in some cultures it's okay. Recently I had to get on my feminist soap box to a Zulu friend. (Another Zulu male friend showed that he understood my stance.) Just because you have boobs doesn't mean you can't do shit.

I will be wearing red lipstick in various degrees this April. The campaign is “It's not about vanity, it's about visibility”. Girls who rape has happened to don't tend to want to talk about it. They feel embarrassed & humiliated. Ironic since that is the want their attacker should feel. The times we live in there is always “But you could have done this” You know what, the $#@@>€$ who raped shouldn't have done that. Think about that when you feel embarrassed to wear simple red lipstick. These women were physically and mentally hurt and you don't want to wear just a bright gloss to say “girls we feel you. Here is some awareness”

 

This is something we need to talk about. It's difficult to be strong in your sexuality if there are people out there who think it's a sign for them to mistreat you.

She didn't stand at a party/ walked home/ laid in her bed & asked I want to be raped. Okay then people are all why was she drunk? So being drunk is an invitation to be molested. Or why did she wear that dress? There are women who wear burqa who get raped. Sometimes it's even someone the victims know who raped them. Not even an uncle but a father or brother. Disgusting but true. These abominations are criminals.

Read up. . .

Now here is your chance to show support and solidarity with victims and raise awareness. Here are some things I'm doing for #redmylips April:

1. First I moisturising my lips. I like Zam-Buk. For more truer pigmentation, sponge some concealer over your lips. If you have not tried LA Girl cosmetics' Pro.conceal, You are truly missing out. I feels like such a high end product. On top most concealers are in stick form. This is one of the few liquid concealers that will fit in you budget.
2. Line and fill your lips with a red lip liner. This is what is going to make your lipstick last. Again I'm going to GUSH over LA Girl. Endless Auto Lip liner in True Red is awesome. (Get it here at Dis-Chem)
3. This lip liner is super vibrant on it's own
4. Put on the lipstick . . .
5. . . . and blot it. I usually do 3 layers.
6. Do that finger trick for lipstick free teeth.
7. BOOM. Finished product. This method last 'til after lunch. I just reapply lipstick then and blot it.
8. If you don't feel this super bright red, go for a softer red.
9. Ombre it. This is a cool South Korean lip trend you can follow.

Cleaning of this lipstick is also super easy. Just apply some Vaseline and wipe it off. It cleans a moisturises your lips.

Before next month, make sure to get a lipstick and liner to suit you skin tone. I'm relatively neutral but have more of a blue undertone. Everyone can pull off a red lip. I once hear someone said “Not all people can do it.” Yes, all people of ALL SKIN TONES can pull off a red lip. It is all bout getting the right colour.

For April I will post my lips in support everyday on Instagram. Join and follow me @ewithacuteaccent

Follow RedMyLips.Org on Insta, FB and the Twitter. Join the convo with #redmylips

What is your fave red lipstick?

é

Make up is Easy – Basic as it can get

I took all the photos with my Samsung S3 mini to see how they edit BUT also falls into the easy theme of this blog. Recently I assisted a first time make up user to purchase her first items.

Now a lot of people think they have to buy the whole, Dischem, Clicks, Edgars AND Woolworths' make up, when all I need for basic face make up is this:

Garnier BB Cream

Essence Matt Fixing Powder

Powder Brush

Maybeline Great Lash in Lots of lashes

Lip Balm

First moisturise your face. I bought Clicks’ own brand Rooibos day Cream SPF15. It’s got sunscreen in it but isn’t greasy at all. Remember your neck needs some too.

Then apply your BB Cream. For first time make up users this is just the easiest. No need to test colours on your jaw line. It isn’t heavy. This specific brand blends so easy. I’ve bought a more expensive drug store brand that also changed shades to suit your skin before and it turned orange. What a disappointment.

I simply use the back of my hand to dispense the BB and apply it with my finger tips. Here you can throw your money at sponges, stippling brushes, foundation brushes, beauty blenders or what ever magazines tell you is the new must have foundation applier. I know each has their own merit but I’m just stripping everything back to basics. When I need to get my make up on quick I use my fingers. Natures applicators. 100% organic. Dispense a little at a time. You can always squeeze more out of the tube but you can't put it back.

Next is one of my favourite products. Essence all about matt loose fixing powder. With my Palladio powder brush I press the powder into my T-zone as well as the areas right next to nose on each side. Don’t dust, press it into the foundation. Dust the rest of your face lightly. This helps blending the BB cream as well.

Stop, It’s mascara time. As a teen I was IN deep deep LOVE with BLACK EYELINER. I didn’t have a boyfriend, I had an affair with black Kohl eye liner. Especially inside the waterline. I did not feel made up unless I had eye liner on. My mother always tried to steer me towards brown but how can I cheat on my black eye liner. These days I barely wear the stuff. I brush some mascara on my bottom lashes and that lines my eyes. Also read what the mascara manufacturer on application. With Maybeline I don’t have to wait for it to dry. I know some brands prefer another coat after it's dry. First time mascara buyer? I won't recommend buying waterproof. It's a real pain to remove. I also experienced that it got tacky and all my lashes would clump up together,

É's top tips:

• First time make up user? Buy a BB or CC Cream. It's light and super easy to apply. They aren't just beauty buzzwords. Every company has it's own little things it does but every one is easy to apply and match your skin.
• NEVER BUY A FOUNDATION WITHOUT MATCHING IT TO YOUR SKIN. Just don't. Weird orange glow, too pale, too dark. Please people, we need to stop this.
• Blend the foundation. Especially around your jawline into your neck. Make up is about looking natural with a touch of flawless. It shouldn't look like a mask.
• We all know the Moisturiser, Foundation, Powder routine. Try the moisturiser, Powder THEN the foundation. I know it sounds unnatural but check out Wayne Goss do it.
• Don't brush the powder on. Press it into your face. This is a trick to really set the powder to the foundation.
• Mascara your bottom lashes first then the top. I found it just works better that way around.
• Made a mess on your eyes with mascara? Take a small brush or cotton ear bud and dab a little foundation on it and correct your mistake by dabbing on the spill over.
• Remove your make up every night. Trying to put fresh mascara on yesterday's coat is impossible. It's just not good for your skin. If you enjoy break outs . . . be my guest and say hi to you wrinkles for me.

Higher Grade tips:

• Whip out your eyelash curler. Heat it with your blow dryer and curl away.
• When I have spare time I like to apply my foundation with a stippling brush. I don't have the cash to buy one so I bought a cheap make up brush set and use the blush brush to stipple and blend it.
• I sometimes line my eyes on the waterline with a white eye pencil. Especially when I feel tired. So I can at least look awake.
• Gel your eye brows. Seeing as it's on trend at the moment and I'm lazy. I just shape my eyebrows with Essence eyebrow gel.

What's your 'easy make up' game?

é

Surviving Winter Items

These are Items I used so far to beat off the winter. I don't have an excessive budget to just buy buy buy so I hope these items fit your pocket too:

Garnier BB Cream in Light: We have really harsh dry Winters in Gauteng that dries out my skin even though it tends to be oily PLUS it's a sunscreen. R79.99 At dis chem

Johnson and Johnson's baby oil. This one is the bed time lavender. I Mix in two drops with my normal body cream for a more moisturising effect. R23.00 At Pick &Pay

Miracle Magnesium Blue: This is one of my more expensive buy at R160 (at dis chem) but totally worth it. I get the worst chilblains on my fingers and toes and this stuff kept that all in check. I haven't had a swollen finger or toe. Okay one swollen toe but that blue stuff sorted it. It was a combo offer with oil to drink but it tastes so bad it made me want to gag.

A regular hair trim. Some people go on a beauty hiatus in winter. I still went to the salon to cut and colour my hair.

Bright nail polish: Dark heavy clothing. Dead grass. Grey trees. The easiest way to brighten up is with a pop of colour. I picked Signature’s Purple People Eater and Punky Pink (R15.00)

Hot Chocolate Lip Ice: Again Moisturising in GP Winters are heavy important. Lip balm is a must have as dry cracked lips are bad biscuits. This is such a cute flavour. Bought it for R9.95 at Pick&Pay

Leopard print blanket: It's warm, it's fuzzy, it's leopard. R139.00 at Pep. (Yes I buy there. If you want go to other shops and get charged double.)

Water: That is one thing that's forgotten between the hot chocolate and coffee. The only issue is it's sometimes too cold too pee. Soz but it's healthy,

End of last season's scarves that were on sale: Try beginning of summer sales. The shops just want to get the 'old' winter stock out. I've scored accessories for the fraction of the price. Even stuff like long sleeve tees go for almost nothing. Pictured scarf R20.00 at Pick&Pay bought in May was R40.00.

Do you have any items that make winter that little more bearable?

é