Tag Archives: inspiration

Jun 25 2020

Ordering Internationally from Makeup Geek (Matrix Palettes)

 

Makeup Geek parcel with make-up goodies!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The very first make-up tutorial I watched on YouTube was by Marlena Stell on her Makeup Geek site.  It was a white and green MAC eyeshadow look and I remember finding it so interesting as it was in the early days of make-up blogs and YouTube beauty videos.  Marlena started her own make-up brand (Makeup Geek) several years ago and the brand was recently re-branded and re-vamped earlier this year (2020).

One of the big releases as part of the Makeup Geek re-launch has been their Matrix system for eyeshadows (you can see Marlena’s videos on the Matrix system here and here).  I’ve seen several people on YouTube (and some blog posts) showcasing, swatching and reviewing the Makeup Geek Matrix Palettes.  They looked amazing and so I couldn’t resist ordering them to try myself, along with some other products from their range. 

Makeup Geek is based in the USA, so I had to place an international order to be shipped to Scotland, where I live.  I’ve only ever placed a small-ish order on the Tarte official site before, so this was my first experience of placing and receiving a large international order.

I thought it might be helpful to provide some information on my experience ordering from Makeup Geek, in case you are interested in what it’s like to place and receive an order if you live outside of the USA.   This post provides details on the following aspects: what I ordered; customs, duties, import and handling fees; delivery timescales; shipping options; parcel packaging; and customer service.  I’ve provided several photos as well so you can see how the parcel and all the contents were packaged.

I will try to get a post together on the Matrix Palettes, along with combination ideas for the eyeshadows, so stay tuned!

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Feb 7 2019

New Bird Looks Series!

 

Photo from Pexel (free photo site)

Photo from Pexel (free photo site)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was looking for some make-up look inspiration and thought it would be really fun to start a bird inspired series.  I have a real love for birds, as my family has kept different types of birds over the years.  Birds come in such a wide range of colours, sizes and shapes, so there will be lots to choose from for my looks.  I think the variety will make for some really interesting and fun make-up looks!

For each combination, I’ll be providing close-up photos of the eyes and full face shots so you can see how the look comes together.  The cheek and lip colours will be listed for each combination so you can get ideas for how to complement the looks.  I’ll also include a photo of the bird so you can see the inspiration behind each look.

I will be using a range of eyeshadow palettes and eyeshadow singles for this series.  I had originally planned to use the new NYX Swear By IT Eyeshadow Palette for the whole series, as it contains an incredible array of colours.  However, since starting the series, I’ve found that there are shades that I can’t find in the palette as the bird colour schemes have been so diverse.  It has been more effective using whichever palette or eyeshadow single(s) fit with a particular look.

Let me know if there are any particular birds you would love to see in a look! I am planning on creating a variety of different looks, so happy to hear any of your suggestions!

You can find all the posts in the series here or under Eyeshadow Combo Ideas/Bird Inspired Series on the menu bar.

Note: As referenced above, the photos used in this post were taken from Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/search/bird/).  Pexels provides free photos for commercial and non-commercial use.

I hope you enjoy the series!