Omalicious!

It has been ages! I know right? Was ill for a while but I'm now back and eager as always.
My sweetheart Oma got married recently and yours truly was on hand to get her glammed up for the big day. Thank you for choosing You Makeovers! <3 <3

Her sisters weren't left out of the mix as I had fun also dolling them up.

A Smokey Opportunity

Hello lovelies! 

I just love it when I think of a look (or want to try a look I saw somewhere) and then I get out all the products my mind tells me I need and when I put them on, it all comes together beautifully! I saw a look done by Banke Meshida on her Instagram handle and fell in love with it. I had been wanting to try it so when the opportunity for an outing presented itself, I picked up my brushes and followed my heart! 

Here is the look I did on myself. Improvement still needed on my part if you ask me, lol!

Here is the look by Banke Meshida on the gorgeous Eniola Kartey

PRODUCTS USED

Brows

MAC Spiked brow pencil

MAC Embark eyeshadow

BMPro Brow Tint in Auburn Lites

Eyes

MAC Black Track Fluidline

Tara High Intensity Pigment in Omidan

MAC Folie

MAC Carbon

MAC Sketch

MAC Omega (to highlight brow bone)

BMPro Moccasin

L'oreal Paris Super Liner Perfect Slim in Black

Maybelline New York Colossal Kajal

Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara

Face

No7 Shine Free Primer

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC50

MAC Studio Fix Powder in NW45

MAC Embark (to contour cheekbones)

MaryKay Berry Brown blush + BMPro Pumpkin blush

Lips

Sleek lip pencil in Bare Essentials

OCC Liptar in Hush

Collection 2000 lipstick in Birthday Suit

#versefortheyear - Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord - Luke 1:45

Sunrise

Hello my lovelies!

Trust we are all living and loving life? I certainly am!

Here’s a look I did on myself on Saturday, sometimes when you have a passionate relationship with makeup like I do, you just work from the heart and the results are amazing. I got so many compliments! My friend Doyin couldn’t stop commenting on the eyes. She actually said I’m usually not this beautiful as the eyes were something else, lol! I've named it Sunrise as it was bright and bold and beautiful.

I’ve listed the products I used for those of us who would like to know! As I’m typing this, I’m thinking a YouTube video would better demonstrate the look, however, I must confess, I’m still learning how to use my DSLR Camera to record videos. Just got myself a tripod so you all can know that I mean business. Lol, anyway, till then, love beauty! Live passionately!

PRODUCTS USED

Brows

MAC Spiked Brow Pencil

MAC Embark Eyeshadow

BMPro Brow Tint in Auburn

Eyes

BMPro Shadow Base

Tara High Intensity Pigment in Omidan (outer corner)

MAC Carbon (outer corner)

MAC Red Brick (outer crease/transition color)

MAC Omega (to highlight brow bone)

BMPro Mocassin (crease)

Naked Cosmetics Pigment in Heavy Metal 04 (eyelid)

Maybelline New York Colossal Kajal in Black (waterline and lower lash line)

L’oreal Paris Super Liner Perfect Slim in Black

Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara

Face

Face to Face Super Matte Anti Shine

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC50

Sleek Glisten Me Liquid Illuminator in Empress (applied under foundation for a ‘glow from within look’)

MAC Studio Fix Powder in NW45

MAC Embark Eyeshadow (to contour cheekbones)

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Gold Deposit

MAC Raizin Blush

Lips

Tara Orekelewa Lip Liner in Wine

BMPro Tansy Lipstick

BMPro Velvet Godiva Lipstick

Tara Double Ended LipGloss in Tejiri

Tara High Shine Lip Stain in Kahina

BMPro clear gloss

#versefortheyear - Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord - Luke 1:45

NiPHEC 2014

Hi my lovelies! 

Like I said in my previous post, I attended 2 conferences in the week ending 3rd May, 2014. The first was the Makeup in Nigeria Conference and the second was the 2014 Nigeria Photography Expo and Conference (NiPHEC) which this post is about.

It was sponsored by Nikon and held from the 29th of April, 2014 to the 3rd of May, 2014. Being a big awoof lover, I attended the 2 free sessions on 2nd May, 2014 :)

The first session was about Maximizing the Potential of your DSLR Camera by Cesar Parroco, a Nikon Manager from Dubai. 

The second session was about Appreciating and Understanding Photography by Michael Imomoh, ‘The Greatest Photobiker'

I’m always looking for tips on how to shoot better photos as great pictures are necessary for a makeup artist’s portfolio, lucky for me, I got a few tips which I will share :)

• using a small aperture keeps everything in the picture sharp
• a shutter speed of 1/250 is extremely fast and will freeze subjects which are moving. Using speeds of 1/60 or 1/15 are slower and will blur the action (these can produce quite creative pictures)
• stick the eyecup of the DSLR to your eyebrow to improve stability when taking photos
• do go on one knee if you are shooting low, use tables or walls if needed
• ensure your subject is in the centre of the focus points 
• best way to shoot a person is to focus on the eyes
• remove distractions from your pictures by blurring them, i.e. use a small aperture number
• for portraits (most beauty shots are portraits) use lenses such as a 55mm, 85mm or 135mm
• when taking a portrait, focus on the eyes
• use the rule of thirds to create more interesting photos
• try to have a distinct style with your photos
• ensure you make the most of the available light, lighting is a very essential tool in taking great photos
• a reflector is essential to shooting great photos as it helps with lighting. Find out where to buy them from locally, they usually have a silver side and a gold side. I got mine from Amazon UK and its a 5-in-1 as its got the silver side, the gold side, a black side, a white side and can be used as a diffuser.
• if you aren’t sure what settings to use on your lens, you can google what the ‘sweet spot’ is for your particular lens. It will let you know what aperture value your lens takes the best photos at.

If you don’t understand some terminologies I’ve used, just tweet me @youmakeovers and I will respond, otherwise, Google is a great friend to ask :)

This last piece of information is very crucial for us MUAs. Please ensure you get your clients to sign a model release form. This form is needed whenever you take an image of someone and it will protect you against civil liability lawsuits should an issue arise sometime in the future. It will protect your client also. As much as possible, also save the release forms in case you need them in the future. There are so many templates of this form available on the internet. Google it!

Hope I’ve been able to share some information! Till my next post, love makeup, love beauty, love life!

#versefortheyear - Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord - Luke 1:45

#MINC

Hi lovelies! How has everyone been? I trust you all have been living life passionately and purposefully. 

Ok! Last week was conference week for me, I attended two conferences, one on makeup and the other on photography. I can never hear too much about makeup, never learn too much about makeup, never see too many makeup tutorials (especially when they are live!) and never get tired of meeting other makeup artists. 

This post is all about MINC! For those of us who aren’t makeup junkies, MINC is simply the acronym for Makeup In Nigeria Conference. It was held last week Wednesday at the Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos and I must say I came away drained but uplifted and empowered. If you missed it, here are the photos of the conference which I was able to take and my candid opinion on the masterclasses and conference in general.

The stage was set quite nicely but we started quite late! We Nigerians and punctuality! Amen to an improvement in this regard next year.

The Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Trade and Industry (I hope I got that right) giving a brief address. She commended our entrepreneurial spirit and assured us of the support of the Lagos State Government.

My opinion: what about other MUAs from other parts of the country? Perhaps at the next conference, we can have someone from the Federal Government? I would also love to see representatives from NAFDAC and SON in attendance next year as so many MUAs have started producing makeup products. I would love to know that these products are being regulated and made to the appropriate health and safety standards.

Joy Adenuga demonstrating how to create an editorial look.

My opinion: Good delivery. Friendly approach. 

Eni Balogun discussing how to create a professional image as a makeup artist and hygiene in makeup artistry

My opinion: Good delivery. Humourous approach. Quite engaging

Tara Fela-Durotoye delivering her keynote address

Idy Enang, MD, L'Oreal Central West Africa delivering his keynote address

Take away: Beauty is a great business, beauty is eternal, beauty is cultural, beauty is universal, beauty is a permanent quest.

My opinion: Good delivery. His powerpoint slides had issues otherwise they would have been great.

Lola Maja-Ojekovo demonstrating creative makeup

My opinion: Good delivery, engaging.

Khuraira Musa demonstrating the use of her K-PRO Airbrush Makeup

My opinion: Great delivery. Very Engaging.

Bimpe Onakoya demonstrating Fashion Makeup

My opinion: Good delivery.

Buntricia Bastian demonstrating HD Bridal Makeup

My opinion: Great delivery. Extremely humourous. Very engaging. #imjustsaying

Funmi Irantiola Olurinola demonstrating how to tie gele on Buntricia

My opinion: Good demonstration. Would have been great if a proper gele was used.

Bayo Haastrup creating a High Fashion Makeup look My opinion: Good delivery

Honorary Recognition

Alhaja Tejuosho

Alhaja Kudi

Bayo Haastrup

Chief Mrs. Opral Benson

Conference overview: In all, I must say it was a success being the first of its kind in Nigeria (kudos to Tara and Teni). There are a few opportunity areas though, projector screens weren’t sharp/clear enough to show the details of the demonstration. Class size was too large for everyone to be fully engaged, I think the masterclasses should not be more than about 50 participants so MUAs can get a better look, and have the opportunity to ask questions. 

Being someone who likes food (lol) and didn’t eat before leaving home at 5.30am in order to be early, arrangements to feed us could have been better. In my opinion, pre-packaged food parcels with a drink inclusive could have been handed out at the two breaks. I was terribly hungry, had a headache and was dizzy as I was only able to get one mini croissant and a glass of juice throughout the event which started past 9am and ended at 10pm.

The MUAs could have been more explanatory when working with respect to type of product used and why, type of tools used and why, techniques used and why, etc. Buntricia did a good job of this (after over 30 years in the industry she would know!)

For next year’s conference, I feel the conference should be split into 2 days, masterclasses should be better organised, sales stands should be more spacious and more allowance should be made for questions to be asked.

I learnt a great deal, was inspired by the stories of how those we look up to have grown, developed and perfected their crafts over the years. I learnt new techniques to incorporate into mine and even learnt how to and not to handle the business side of my craft. 

Adding summaries of the masterclasses would make this blog post too long, so let me know if this is something you would like to see! Till the next time my fingers hit the keyboard, enjoy these photos!

#versefortheyear - Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord - Luke 1:45

Lhola on the Red Carpet

PRODUCTS USED

Brows

MAC Spiked Eyebrow Pencil

MAC Embark Eyeshadow

Marykay Bronze 1 Concealer

MAC Omega Eyeshadow (on browbone to highlight)

Eyes

Bmpro Shadow Base

Bmpro Moccassin (transition color)

Sleek Naturel Palette (outer v)

Naked Cosmetics HE04 (centre of lid, blended to outer v)

Naked Cosmetics HE03 (inner third of lid)

Naked Cosmetics HE01 (tearduct)

Black Radiance Liquid Eyeliner

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline (waterline)

No17 BlackGreen eyepencil (lower lash line)

Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Flared Mascara

Ardell Accent Strip Lashes

Face

MAC NC50 (centre of face)

MaryKay Bronze 5

MAC Ambering rose (blush)

MAC Raizin (blush)

MAC Mystery + MAC Folie eyeshadow (contour)

MAC Skinfinish in Gold Deposit (highlight)

Lips

MAC Diva

Bmpro Scarlet Lipstick

Bmpro Calla lipgloss

Bmpro clear gloss

Bmpro gold lipgloss (centre of lip)

#versefortheyear - Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord - Luke 1:45

Before I was a Mom...

Morifeoluwa

Was going through my mail today when I stumbled upon an email my elder sister had sent to me on Monday (I'm still wondering how I missed it). Needless to say the contents of the mail completely melted my heart. 

It was a poem for mothers and the body of her email said, "Enjoy being a mum. Fulfilment unlimited. Regards." I immediately knew I had to share it and proceeded to the internet to find the author and give credit to whom credit is due. Alas, most sites that had the poem had the author listed as anonymous except for one which said that in April 2011, Suzana Haertzen of Flagstaff, Arizona claimed to be the author of the poem, which she wrote in March 2000. Suzana, if you are indeed the author of the poem, I doff my hat to you, otherwise, I doff my same hat to the author :). 

I have copied out the poem and its attendant pictures from the site www.gabrielscorner.com and dedicate it to my daughter who is 4 months and 18 days old today. This poem captures the very essence of the emotions I feel, the thoughts I think and the actions I do without blinking. I love you my precious, always...

Mom

BEFORE I WAS A MOM

Before I was a Mom;

I made and ate hot meals,

I had unstained clothing,

I brushed my hair every day,

I had quiet conversations on the phone,

I slept as late as I wanted and I slept all night long.

Before I was a Mom;

I cleaned my house each day,

I never tripped over toys or forgot lullabies,

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous,

I had never been puked on, pooped on, spit on, chewed on, peed on, or

pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mom;

I never thought about immunizations,

I never held a screaming child so the doctors could give shots,

I never looked into teary eyes and cried,

I never felt my heart break into pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt,

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

Before I was a Mom;

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down,

I never sat up late hours of the night watching a baby sleep,

I never got up in the middle of the night to make sure everything was okay,

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

Before I was a Mom;

I had complete control of my mind, my thoughts and my body,

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside of my body,

I didn't know that having something so small could make me feel so

important,

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,

the wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a mom.

Before I was a Mom;

I never knew that something so small could effect my life so much,

I never knew that I could love someone so much,

I never knew I would love being a Mom,

I didn't know the bond between a Mother and her child,

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much.

'A mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take' - Cardinal Mermillod

'Love has a name...Mother' - Suzane Johnson

#versefortheyear - Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord - Luke 1:45

Blogging from within...

shot with my iPhone

Was nursing Mo' baby while watching The Mentalist this afternoon and in one of the scenes, Patrick Jane was talking to a lady in a floral detail cardigan and all I could think of was, 'that is a really lovely cardigan, I love it!' From there I proceeded to take a picture of the tv (while still nursing!) and search online for floral detail (or floral print) cardigans and then the thought struck me! Blog about it! 

Of course I paused to ask myself how rational the idea was knowing that my blog is specifically, deliberately for makeup which is what I love to do. But then as with all things born of the Spirit, the honest truth must be told. I had opened this blog account to promote my makeup, showcase my talent in a bid to attract followers and thus gain clients, but I haven't done much blogging (considering how long I've had the blog) due to the fact that I got a great job in an investment bank (I'm an investment banker by profession) and that didn't leave me much time to do anything else. Coming to think about it, 'great' is relative...a job can only be great if the job is your passion, if when you're working you feel like you're on top of the world, like you're capable of moving mountains, like you're living on purpose and in purpose...I quit the job in December 2013 to do makeup fulltime :)

Being bitterly honest with myself, today I made the decision to ditch the notion of wanting to attract customers with my makeup pictures which could do with some improvement and blog to give my creativity an outlet. I would blog from within, on anything that moved me from the inside, from my heart and my spirit and my mind and I would have a blast while doing it. Just typing this brings me joy, I'm happy, I'm being deliberate with my life and the resources available to me. I love writing so I will write (type actually) and pour myself out onto the internet. Following your dreams is the pathway to having a great, rich and wonderful life and I intend to have just that. Every dream I've had for myself, my marriage, my family, my home, my career, I will follow and follow hard and like I said earlier, I will indeed, blog from within.

"the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" - Eleanor Roosevelt

Always, 

 

Olusola

P.S. Mo' baby is my 4 month old daughter (her full name is Morifeoluwa which means I see the love of God)

Luke 1:45 #versefortheyear