Makeup – Bonita Valli

5 Blogs 5 Days: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I’ve never been good with makeup which is ironic really, seeing as I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of an artist. No matter how hard I try, my face is the one canvas I haven’t quite mastered. Perhaps it’s because I don’t use foundation so I never achieve that flawless base. Maybe it’s because I’m no good with mascara so I never accomplish the piercing eyes… Who knows, maybe makeup is just not my thing. Regardless, I happen to love The Beauty Department below are 3 reasons why:

1. The Beauty Department encompasses all the different aspects of beauty: makeup, hair, nails (my favourite) name it…. It’s all there. Believe it or not, this blog also considers your diet as I recently noticed a post on healthy food. I guess this goes to show that beauty is not just what you slap on the outside… You’ve got to take care of your insides too.

2. The DIY approach the bloggers use which takes you through the different stages of achieving the great results is fantastic. Moreover, the site not only breaks down the steps one by one, but it provides visual backings so that you can see the progress as you pursue your desired results.

3. TBD notices the little things which are likely to grind your gears as you apply makeup. The annoying gap that appears when eyeliner is applied but fails to touch the eye waterline, the difference you achieve in using a primer as opposed to straight makeup, etc. they pay attention to detail which the average girl tends to neglect.

For these reasons amongst many others I ❤ TBD, nevertheless Inspite of everything ever written on beauty, it’s important to know that beauty is only skin deep. An ugly personality will never be masked by layers of beauty products.

xXx

Ps: I tried black up foundation a couple of weeks ago. I looked pale/ashy.

Sleek Sunset

Last weekend called for a mini shopping trip and seeing as I already had a ShoMya class under my belt, I decided to step-up my makeup game.

I headed to Sleek for a reasonably priced palette and soon enough settled on the Sunset i-Divine EyeShadow. Seeing as Nigeria will be my new home for the coming year, I reckon the Sunset palette is a befitting choice.

Below are pictures of my first attempt at applying eyeshadow. Go easy on me, after all I am still an amateur…..

xXx

ShoMya

It’s no secret that my knowledge on makeup is in the negatives and so when Elaine first told me about the beauty company she founded, ShoMya, I was nothing short of interested. Judging from the flawless makeup she had on that day, I knew I had to get to one of her sessions.

Three months on and I found myself seated in one of her classes, gaining first class tips on the do’s and don’ts of make-up. We were talked through everything from basic eyebrow shaping to the more complex art of contouring. Elaine even displayed the effortless transition from daytime chic to night time goddess awing us all with the beautiful transformation.

The session was very much interactive giving us the opportunity to ask every and anything and I’m sure everyone agrees that by the end of the session we left feeling like we got much more than our money’s worth. Here’s what she shared with me:

1.) Tell us a bit about ShoMya and what it represents.

ShoMya is an international, beauty and cosmetics company that offers professional makeup services to a diverse client base.

Our services cut across different sectors including Beauty, Fashion, TV, Weddings and other special events. We also offer a makeup-shopping service which means we will go to shopping for all your makeup products while you relax at home OR we will go with you and ensure that only the makeup best suited for you is purchased.

Our work has been featured in prominent International magazines such as PRIDE, BLACKHAIR, FAB, and ESSENCE Magazine amongst several others.

At ShoMya, we appreciate that every woman is unique, with distinctive makeup preferences. We don’t believe that one size fits all and so we strive to meet the individual needs of each client.

2.) How would you describe your signature look?

My own signature look will be well-defined eyes paired with nude lips or a red pout! I love my black eyeliner and always draw my liner very close to my lash line and water line. Typically, I’ll keep my lips nude but I’m quickly developing this love for very deep red lips.

When I work on other people, you can tell they’ve had the ShoMya experience from their contoured cheekbones and popping eyes. I think that’s our signature look.

3.) What is it about make up that you find so empowering?

Everything! Have you ever noticed the difference in a woman’s behaviour with and without her makeup on? With makeup, we feel beautiful on the outside and that quickly impacts on how we carry ourselves! It’s similar to the difference in a woman walking in flat shoes and a woman walking in heels – One stands tall above the other.

I love to see women walk with confidence, not arrogance. And if makeup helps you forget about all your physical imperfections for just a period of time, then slap it on I say…

4.) If you had to pick the ultimate makeup essential, what would it be?

One??? I have to pick one? I’ll say foundation then. If your skin looks clear, you can surely get by without everything else. Look at it this way, if you walk around with an amazing smoky eye but your skin looks bad, you still won’t feel fabulous! But if your skin looks great and you pop on a hot pair of shades to hide the fact that you have no eye makeup on, you’ll feel like a diva!

5.) Chalk and cheese are about as far apart as……. (two makeup items that shouldn’t be mixed)

Hmm, that’s a tricky one. It’s not 2 makeup items but please don’t let your lips mix with BLACK liner unless you’re on some creative photo shoot. Outlining your lips with black pencil on any ‘normal’ day is NOT okay!

Below are pictures from the ShoMya makeup class on Sunday