Instagram Makeup VS. Drag Queen Makeup?

"My type of man is a man in a dress!" I always say.

With Drag Queens really coming to the forefront of media and pop culture, I thought I'd chime in a little. ALSO. Before you read any further, and are confused about the difference between DRAG and gender identity, please read this wonderful article I've provided HERE!

The MTV VMA's this past Sunday has been the buzz on everyone's newsfeeds on every social media, I'm sure, because I can't scroll even a second and not see something about Nicki Minaj dragging Miley Cyrus, or seeing #KANYE2020. If you watched the VMA's, or just saw at some point through social media, you probably know that as the 2015 VMA's Hostess' closing performance for the show, Miley Cyrus performed a song "Do It", off of her new album that I have absolutely no intention of listening to after this performance. I've always been sort of on the fence about how I feel about Miley, within the last few years, but I think I have a clear opinion after the VMA's. 

I LOVE DRAG QUEENS SO MUCH. I spend a lot of my free time keeping up with some of my favorite drag queens through their social media, and YouTube accounts, and I go to their shows when they're in town. Drag was introduced to me a few years ago, and I've been addicted ever since. It's inspirational for me in fashion, makeup, and style aspects of it all. I was really disappointed with the performance because the queens were literally used as props for SHOCK value for the mediocre song performance. EVERY single one of those women has a name, identity, and talent and not a single one of them was credited, even with a name. At the very LEAST, they could have been announced as most of them being drag super-stars from RuPaul's Drag Race, or ANYTHING for that matter. I won't drag this out any longer, and make this post more about me complaining about this performance, and let's talk about something VERY relevant, and talked about!

Is Instagram making girls into drag queens? I've been very interested in this topic for awhile now, because I myself follow tons of drag queens, and tons cis-gender female makeup artists, whose makeup  techniques are beginning to mirror each other, whether these women realize it or not. Am I saying it's a bad thing? Nope! Though, I think it's definitely interesting, and something worth talking about! I'm not here to clock the way anyone does their eyebrows, or highlight and contour their faces, but it's definitely good to know where these techniques have come from! 

Makeup artist Wayne Goss has had quite a bit to say on the topic, and as he put it, "We are using the exact same techniques with the same heavy hand..." and basically that these techniques were created to turn a male into a "heightened" featured woman, through the power of makeup, and aesthetics! I'd say I definitely agree with what he says, but I don't think it's a bad thing. I personally have tried some of these techniques myself, probably with a lighter, less experienced hand because I'm not a makeup artist by any means. BUT, if that's what you do with your makeup, and that makes you feel good, do you boo! It's just makeup, and it washes off and down the drain at the end of the day! 

I could talk about this a lot more, but I'll cut myself off right here for now! 

Watch the video below to hear more if you're interested! AGAIN. I'm not telling anyone how to do their makeup, do what makes you happy! It's your face <3

XO
MELANIE

Eye Liner Talk: Finding What Works Best for You!

I had my first experimentation with makeup the Summer before 9th Grade when I was finally given permission to start wearing it from my parents. It's definitely safe to say that it was not cute, and thank goodness I don't have any pictures to go with this awful story. That was about 7 years ago now, and since then, I've been able to try tons of products from all over the makeup spectrum, and I think I've finally found what I think works for me! By no means am I a professional, or think I am. Lots of trial and error, and I still end up with wonky eyeliner wings, and just deal with it because I can't be bothered to fix them for the 50th time. Who has the time?

The makeup I like most, would have to be eyeliner, and that might be very obvious... I've tried lots of eyeliners over the years, drug store and high end, and I have a few favorites! My personal favorite kind of eyeliners are the spongy, felt tip pointed liners! I feel like I have a lot more control over them when I apply it to my eyes! Brushes can get messy! Gels aren't bad, I just hate cleaning makeup brushes.

Here are some of my most used drug store eyeliners! I didn't put any coal/pencil/ crayon liners on here, because I don't use those for anything but tight-lining my eyes. All of these are ones I've bought once, and bought again! 

Wet n Wild Mega Liner:  $2.99 at any drug store! For such a cheap price I was so skeptical about this one, but after doing a little internet searching reviews on this guy, I gave it a chance, because I found it had generally good reviews. Also Kreayshawn uses this eyeliner, and I used to be all about her eyeliner wings! It stays on all day, it goes on very dark, and dries pretty fast! I never found that it smudged horribly either! It also comes in waterproof, but I'm terrified of waterproof eyeliner/mascara because it NEVER COMES OFF. I stay clear. Final verdict: 4/5

Maybelline Master Precise: ~$4.79 at Target! I've used this one more recently, and I recommend it to anyone who asks what eyeliner to use! I've only started using sponge felt tip liquid liners this year, and this eyeliner is great for getting a perfect wing, because of the sharp point it comes to, and the length of the applicator! So you can keep it small and sweet, or big and bold! It goes on very black, and dries very fast as well! I've never had any smudging or transferring onto my eyelids! 5/5 WOULD recommend!

Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Liner: ~$6.99 at Wallgreens! This is the liner that I'm CURRENTLY using! It's still pretty new to me, but I've been using it every time I put my makeup on! The found this eyeliner on Pinterest with the caption saying "BEST EYELINER IN THE WORLD FOR ONLY $6.99!!!!" So the easy to please consumer in me went out on the hunt to find it. Not all drugs stores carry Milani, so you may have to hit up a few stores! The search is very worth it! It goes on black, the sponge felt tip applicator is the perfect length, and it also dries very fast! It's my new go to, and I will recommend this one to anyone who asks me here on out! 5/5 WOULD recommend!! 

E.L.F. Cream Eyeliner: ~ $3.00 at Target! This was the first gel liner I ever used, and it was what I needed at that point, and it worked for me at the time. I still use it to tight-line my eyes, or to smudge my bottom lashes, but I wouldn't use it for eye-lid liner wings! 2/5 

Maybelline Eye Studio Cream Liner: ~$9.00 at Target! I really like this liner a lot, and if I still used Gel Liners for doing my wings, I would go to this one if I was in a pinch, and couldn't get to a makeup store! It's great for tight-lining as well! My mom bought this, which is how I first tried it! 4/5

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner/ Ink Liner: BOTH $19.00 // I'm just going to give my two cents about these together, because I feel like they're very similar. I didn't notice much difference between the two, to be 100% honest. They both worked pretty well, but I feel like they smudged by the end of a long day. Which is unfortunate because they're basically $20.. Also, in my experience, I couldn't get a line out of it at the very tip of the applicator! I like to get right into the inner corners of my eyes, and it was very difficult to do with these. They're lovely liners, very pigmented, I just didn't get what I thought I'd be getting when I paid almost $20 for them! Everyone else I ask about these liners, they love them. So maybe I'm just not advanced for these babies just yet. Try looking up some review on them yourself, and you may find different opinions! This is just my two cents~ 3/5

Sephora Brand Fine Line: $14.00 // I find that I had the same problems with this eyeliner, that I had with the two Kat Von D ones! They went on very dark, but the applicator wasn't all the way to the tip, and these one smudged over the course of my day as well! 2/5

Sephora Brand Dramatic Line: $14.00 // Was not a fan of this one... The little flat tip seemed practival, until I tried to use it, aaaaaaaand boom, a square on my eyelids. Returned instantly. 0/5 

MAC Liquid Last Liner: $20.00 // I enjoyed this eye liner when I first purchased it! I'm not very great with brush liners, I feel like I have very little control with them, and the wrong FLICKOFTHEWRIST could mess up your fleekness~ So I try to avoid brush liners. Anyway, after using it and when I started to get to the bottom of it, the applicator started to get little clumpies on it, that were built up and was pretty gross. It also took a minute to dry after being applied. But it stayed on very well, and was very pigmented! 

 My biggest advice with eyeliner is THEY ARE SISTERS NOT TWINS! DON'T STRESS TOO MUCH, OR YOU'LL JUST GET FRUSTRATED AND IT WILL NEVER COME OUT GOOD THAT WAY! 

Watch this video of Mykie of GLAM&GORE on Youtube of "How to 'WING' Your Eyeliner" She's really hilarious, and this is my favorite eyeliner video out of the HUNDREDS of winging your liner on YouTube!