Ok, I'm just going to say it - this is highly embarrassing for me. I imagine that being a beauty brand founder is probably so easy if you're a raging narcissist (or, maybe just a normal person who grew up a generation after my geriatric millennial a**) but I STRUGGLE with selfies (I know, you'd never know it by the amount I take, I've come so far!) but now I have to put them in video format too?
Ughhhhh what the heck did I get myself into. Making makeup is SO FUN.
Demonstrating it online? Eh... not so much.
Does the internet need any more pictures of my face?
Can you just come into my store and try my lovely products already?
I know, I know, you're not local. But this means you're in good company because about 60-70% of my customers are not in Oklahoma either.
So here's what you should do. You should buy one of these $12 vegan shimmer balms, and post a picture of yourself (or a swatch of it on your skin!) in the product review. Then we can all be embarrassed (but also like, really pretty with healthy low-waste skin,) TOGETHER. I love seeing how you use my products in your life, and not just because it takes the spotlight off of me for a bit but that's probably a big part of it, yeah. 😆
Ok, sheesh. Here's the reel/idea pin I made (these load better on mobile, by the way):
You see, I've gotten back in the habit of documenting my Twinkle makeup looks in the mornings, (usually while my computer loads when I first get to work, good ol' desk selfies,) and I post the picture on Instagram, but I never know if anyone is going to see it. I don't understand the algorithm so posting anything on Instagram feels completely pointless now. Hence, me finding ways to recycle that "content" so more people can see it - making it into a video - putting it on Pinterest, the blog, youtube, etc...
Making the makeup and wearing the makeup = YES, LOVE IT.
Showing you the makeup so you can buy it and love it too = I HAVE NO IDEA BUT I'M TRYING MY BEST.
Hey, but maybe if you buy some of this stuff I can hire someone to do this for me and you'll never have to hear about how much I despise Instagram, ever again. And, yes, I know you'd probably rather have a video tutorial of me applying the makeup, but when am I supposed to do that? This is me, actually wearing the makeup in real life, and I've got to open my shop on time in the mornings, goodness. Can't I just live?!
(Ok, fine. Here.)
Plus, I like blogging. I like writing blogs and I like reading them. Bring blogs back, I say! It's a Y2K trend, no? Did I get that right? 👵🏻
Anyway, just humor me. Let's discuss what I did here:
Base face: First of all, I'm wearing filter balm and setting powder in each of the following pictures (always!) I've also most likely contoured around my hairline and under my cheekbone with ginger snap shimmer balm, (limited edition holiday color,) and I've probably also used highlight shimmer balm on my upper cheeks, down the bridge of my nose, and on the inner corners of my eyes.
That's kind of my base look, which I do every day, and then I vary the other colors that I use on top of that!
Even if I don't mention it, you can assume I've got the ginger snap and highlight shimmer balms as highlight/contour on along with/under whatever else I'm wearing.
Now, "look" 1:
This was a Wednesday, which is my day "off." I've got balm on as a clear mascara and brow tamer. (Yup! The same balm I use as a lip balm and lotion stick works great as a clear mascara sub. I apply it with a spoolie brush, just like I would apply my eye tint.)
I'm wearing mother-of-pearl shimmer balm on my cheeks, lips, and possibly also on my eyes. And that's it!
#2
Hey, she made an effort! I was sick between Thanksgiving and New Year's so I went weeks and weeks without wearing any eye makeup because I was having severe coughing fits which made my eyes water like crazy. So having full-on brows and eye makeup felt kind of intense here, but don't worry, I got over it!
Brows/lashes: Cocoa eye tint. It's always this. I don't own any other mascara outside of eye tint so if I'm wearing mascara or anything in my brows you can ALWAYS assume it's cocoa eye tint. Or bronze. I rarely wear black.
Eyeshadow: I started by applying a base layer of highlight shimmer powder all over my lid - up to my brow and in my inner corner. I also usually drag my fluffy highlight shimmer powder brush (not the official name but that's the only thing I use it for so that's what I call it,) under my eyes to brighten up my under-eye area and prevent eye-tint smudges.
Then, I dampened a more dense, flat brush with water from the sink, and dipped it into my fire opal shimmer powder jar, picking up a whole bunch of product. I swirled that around in the lid to mix it with the water from the brush so it was kind of a paste consistency. I used short strokes to apply the color to my lower lid, up to just under my brow bone.
Mixing the shimmer powder with a bit of water gives you a much more intense color payoff, which is a fun occasional departure from the usual uber-natural Twinkle look. Try it sometime and report back!
Cheeks: Mother-of-pearl shimmer powder with mother-of-pearl shimmer balm layered over it. I love layering the powder and balm together - the powder gives the balm something to stick to, and it really intensifies the color. Layering the balm over the powder leaves you with a dewy-fresh look that's not too makeup-y.
Lips: I don't know, it kind of looks like nothing. I think I had sandstone on earlier but didn't reapply.
#3
Lips/cheeks: Pink tourmaline shimmer balm.
Brows/lashes: Cocoa eye tint.
Eyes: I don't know, I think it's highlight shimmer powder all over and mother-of-pearl shimmer powder on the lower lids. That's kind of my default go-to.
#4
Brows/lashes: Balm
Cheeks: Highlight and ruby shimmer balms.
Eyes: Highlight shimmer balm.
Lips: Balm and ruby shimmer balm.
Where did the idea that no makeup save for a red lip was the height of sophistication originate? I don't know, but I think I've finally figured out how to achieve it. Filter balm and highlight balm give you that impossible dewy (for people who don't know about Twinkle Apothecary at least) glow, and layering the ruby shimmer balm over a layer of balm keeps the lips from being too stark. We're juicy, we're fresh, and we're achieving impossible and completely arbitrary beauty standards, yay us.
#5
Ooh flipping the camera, keeping things interesting. Ok. I actually did a little eyeliner with the cocoa eye tint here, softening it quite a bit on the bottom lash line with a q-tip. For just an echo of a bottom lash liner, if you will.
Brows/lashes/liner: Cocoa eye tint
Eyes: Rose quartz shimmer powder all over lid, with ginger snap shimmer powder (limited edition holiday color) "in" (over) the crease.
Here's the thing. I have very hooded eyes, so it's difficult to display what's happening with my eyelids when my eyes are open. Especially if I wear eyeliner. In-person, it looks like something. On a mediocre iPhone picture, it's kind of hard to make out what's happening. Don't worry, it looked like a thing, I promise.
Cheeks: Ok! I made a mistake in the video - I said I had pink tourmaline on my cheeks. It's actually rose quartz shimmer powder, with the stain layered over it. One of my favorite blush combos ever!
Lips: Another mistake, geez, Stefanie! This is rose quartz shimmer balm with ruby layered over it. So good. I don't like a strong lip most days so I love how the soft pearly-pink shimmer of rose quartz brings out the pink tones in ruby. The result is a creamy hot pink that's slightly more intense than pink tourmaline.
I think it's so fun to play with layering the colors of the balms and powders. It's like giving yourself new makeup colors, except you don't have to buy anything! All you need is your imagination and some clean fingers.
Erm... moving on!
#6
This one is my favorite. Someone please remind me to wear garnet more often? All of the neutrals. I think this is kind of a grown-up late 1990s look, only with better texture and glow.
Brows/lashes: Cocoa eye tint.
Eyes: Highlight shimmer powder all over the lid, with sandstone shimmer powder on crease (or, just over the crease so you can actually see it!)
Cheeks: Mother of pearl shimmer powder with mother of pearl shimmer balm layered over it.
Lips: Garnet shimmer balm, layered over balm.
#7
Fun fact - I can't usually take selfies if I'm wearing black, because my skin is so fair that it throws the white balance off and I look like a blown-out ghost. But, (luckily?) this was a dreary overcast day that wasn't too bright.
This is all mother of pearl. Mother of pearl is kind of my favorite. Such a good pinky-tan-shell neutral. There's also just a hint of an iridescent lilac undertone in it, which catches the light in such an interesting way. If I do say so myself!
Brows/lashes: Cocoa eye tint.
Lips: I layered ruby shimmer balm over mother of pearl shimmer balm here. It makes a nice, warm reddish pink. As you can see in look #1, mother of pearl on the lips alone is very much a nude, but I like how adding the ruby gives it just a bit more warmth and (totally wearable) color.
#8
Ok, someone remind me to wear fire opal more often too! So many good colors, I really have no excuse to get stuck in a rut.
Brows/lashes: Cocoa eye tint
Eyes: Highlight shimmer powder all over as a base color, with ginger snap shimmer powder on my lower lids. I also applied it under my eyes as I would a smudgy eyeliner.
Cheeks: Highlight shimmer balm with fire opal shimmer balm layered over it. Fire opal is another interesting one - it's very warm, reddish/pinkish, but also orangish/coral-y. The shimmer powder and shimmer balm each take on different dimensions depending on where you apply them and how much you build up the color. Like, here I lightly applied the balm on my cheeks, and it's just a nice warm neutral. When I wore the shimmer powder on my eyes in look #2, it looks much more red, with pink undertones.
Lips: Fire opal shimmer balm. Looks very orange-y/coral here, which I'm into!
SO FUN!
(The making, applying, and wearing, not the posting and dissecting the selfies. Lol!)
Now try some, and post some pictures of what it looks like on you so I can see!
And if you have a blog, please send me a link. I'd love to read it.
- Stefanie -
