Friday, January 20, 2023

Shania Twain | 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman!' Inspired | Makeup Tutorial | 90s Icon


College of six photos: text reads: "Ultima Beauty Shania Twain Man! I Feel Like A Woman Makeup Tutorial" Photo 1: Ultima Beauty wearing makeup inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman music video; Photo 2: Matte Black Eyeshadow Single; Photo 3: Ultima Beauty, eyes closed, wearing makeup inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman music video; Photo 4: Eyeshadow blending brush; Photo 5: Close up of Ultima Beauty's eyes wearing eyeshadow inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like Woman music video; Photo 6: Ultima Beauty, eyes opened, wearing makeup inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman music video


Hi Lovelies! 

Today I’m digging up serious 90’s nostalgia and creating a makeup tutorial of one the most iconic artists of the decade: Shania Twain.

 The first CD I ever bought (yes, you read that right, CD) was Shania Twain’s Come On Over.

I was probably six or seven when I saw the music video for her mega popular hit Man! I Feel Like a Woman
Its nod to Robert Palmer’s music videos wasn’t lost on me, but was greatly overshadowed by Shania’s incredible makeup; full-on smoky eyes, over the top contour. 
Maybe this was when my love for makeup was born. Who knows. But what I do know is that the makeup look for that video will forever be a classic for makeup lovers.

I’ve wanted to recreate this makeup for quite a while, but have actually been a little nervous to attempt it because I really wanted to do it justice.

Either way, here it is.

 

You can watch my video tutorial here





The Essentials to Recreate Shania Twain’s Man! I Feel Like a Women Makeup


Close up of MAC Cosmetics 217 Blending Brush

A Blending Brush

Since a black smoky eye is the anchor of this look a good blending brush is absolutely essential.

There are a lot of blending brushes on the market. Some are really decent. 
What you want to look for in a blending brush is for it to be firm enough to buff the eyeshadow or liner, but also soft and fluffy enough to smudge and diffuse harsh lines. 
Not all blending brushes are created equal.

My go-to blending brush is MAC Cosmetics 217 brush. If you watch any of my videos you will notice that I use it in nearly every one. It is that perfect balance of textures.

Retailing at $29 it sounds pretty pricy, and it is. But if you take care of it and clean it regularly this brush will last you for a very long time. 
I’ve had the one I used in this video since I think 2014 and it is just as fantastic as the day I bought it.

 

Expert Tip: Start with a clean blending brush, especially for this smoky eye, you will get way better results.



Close up of a matte black eyeshadow single

Matte Black Eyeshadow

There is no question that black eyeshadow is necessary for this smoky look. Shania was wearing matte black eyeshadow so that’s what I went with too.

Not just any black eyeshadow will do. Often they are powdery or patchy. 
You want one with buildable coverage and a good level opacity. 

I went with another MAC product. No, I am not affiliated with MAC nor do I get any incentive for recommending them. The products needed for this look are products that MAC does well.

I used MAC’s Carbon eyeshadow. It is very buildable and perfectly blendable, ideal for a smoky eye. Pairs perfectly with their 217 blending brush.



Close up of Maybelline's Fit Me concealer

Concealer

A big part of this smoky eye look is clean up.
Even the best of powder eyeshadows have a small amount of fall out - little specks of shadow that fall under the eyes.

But, that's no reasons to shy away from using it. Most fallout can be easily cleaned up with a liquid concealer in a shade close to your skin tone.
The key is to keep wiping your brush (or finger) after each swipe on a tissue so you don't spread the shadow flecks all over your under eye area.
Another benefit of using concealer for this look is you can achieve the sharpest smoked wing by swiping it up around you eye (see video for demonstration).

I used Maybelline's Fit Me Concealer in Ivory. A very affordable concealer that works wonders for covering under eye circles, cleaning up fall out, and camouflaging blemishes.




Close up of NYX Cosmetics Highlighter and Contour pro palette

Contour 

Shania has a seriously strong matte contour in the video on the jaw bone, cheek, hairline, and nose.
It is buffed out a bit with the blush and accentuated by the highlighter.
The sharp angles add to the overall fierceness of this look.

I used one of the shades from NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette (I also used the highlighter shades in there).
This relatively inexpensive palette gives you four pressed powder contour shades and four pressed powder highlighters so you can perfect any look you could possibly want to create.
A little goes a long way with these colors so you will have this palette for quite a while.



Flat lay of Ulta Beauty bag with liquid lipsticks, and eyeliners

Muted Peach Lipstick

Finding the right shade of lipstick to match the one Shania wore in the video drove me crazy.
I looked through all of my lip colors and nothing was right. 
I even tried mixing some shades together but still couldn't match it perfectly.
Finally, I broke down and went to Ulta Beauty. They had NYX Smooth Whip Lip Cream in Kitty Belly, which turned out to be an ALMOST perfect shade for this look.

One major difference is that the finish is matte. Shania's had a slight glossiness to it.
But it was easy enough to add a clear gloss as a top coat.




Now that we've nailed down the essential products to recreate Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like a Woman! makeup here is a step-by-step breakdown of how I went about it.

You can watch the video tutorial here




1. Matte Black Eyeshadow + Shading Brush:
Place and packet the black eyeshadow on to the eyelid using a short shading brush.
Concentrate the color mainly on the lid at this point.
Ultima Beauty applying black eyeshadow with an eyeshadow brush




2. Blend + Build & Blend + Build:
With a blending brush start buffing out the black shadow up into the crease and out of the eye to begin a smoky wing.
The next bit takes some patience as it consists of adding color and then blending it to get a diffused smoky effect in the shape that we want. See my video for a more detailed look.
Ultima Beauty using a blending brush to diffuse matte black eyeshadow




3. Black & White Liner and More Black Eyeshadow:
Run a thin strip of black liquid liner just along the lash line to intensify lashes. Wing it out just a tiny bit.
Use a black pencil liner in the lower water line of the eyes to enhance the dramatic eye look.
On a small angled brush trace the same black shadow across the lower lash line and give it a small wing leaving a tiny gap between it and the liner on the upper lash line.
Take a white liquid liner and create a small flick of color right between the two black lines.
Ultima Beauty applying white liquid eyeliner





4. Mascara & Concealer Clean Up:
The lashes are probably the most natural part of this makeup look. She doesn't appear to be wearing false lashes so I just swiped on a volumizing mascara on the top & bottom lashes.
Next comes the clean up. Dot concealer all over under eyes and around the nose. As you sweep and blend the concealer to remove fall out, take it up higher and create a sharp wing out of the smoked out eyeshadow.
Ultima Beauty applying concealer under the eyes





5. Matte Contour, Highlighter & Blush:
Go big and bold with the contour working it between the cheek and jaw bone starting near the middle of the ear down to around the apples of the cheeks. Work it under the jaw bone, into the hairline, and down the slope of the nose.
Hit the spaces in between the contour color with highlighter.
Use a neutral toned rose blush on the apples of the cheeks and blend it into the contour shade.
Use a pure white shimmer highlighter (one of the only not-matte products) on a small brush and gently tap it on top of the blush on the apples of the cheeks.
Ultima Beauty applying a contour shade around the forehead





6. Peach Lipstick, Gloss & Setting Foundation:
Optional: I used a sienna shade lip liner but that isn't a must.  
Sometimes she appears to be wearing a lip liner, sometimes she doesn't. It depends on the scene in the music video.
Pop a muted peach liquid lipstick on the lips. 
The one I used was matte so I added a clear gloss as a topper.
To set everything in place I pressed a matte powder foundation onto my face.
Ultima Beauty applying a peach shade of liquid lipstick


And finally we have reached the end of our tutorial!


Products I Used:
Almay: Truly Lasting Color Liquid Makeup in Ivory
Urban Decay: Eyeshadow Primer Potion
MAC: Carbon Eyeshadow
MAC: 239 Shader Brush
MAC: 217 Blending Brush
Eyeko: Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner Travel Size
Sugar Cosmetics: Kohl of Honour Intense Kajal in Black Out
Beau Gâchis: Eyebrow Brush
Urban Decay: Thirteen Eyeshadow
Complex Culture: Precision Eyelid Brush
Colourpop: bff liquid liner in Graceland
MAC: M·A·Cstack Mascara in Superstack Mega Brush
Maybelline: Fit Me Concealer in Ivory
NYX: Highlight & Contour Pro Palette
Luxie Beauty: Rose Gold Large Angled Face Brush 504
Real Techniques: Pointed Foundation Brush
Beau Gâchis: Concealer Perfecting Brush
Real Techniques: Contour Brush
Pixi Beauty: Fresh Face Blush in Beach Rose
Luxie Beauty: Dreamcatcher Precision Foundation Brush 660
F.A.R.A.H: Tapered Blending Brush 35E Gold Collection
Beautique: Defining Lip Pencil in Sienna
NYX: Smooth Whip Blurring Matte Lip Cream in Kitty Belly
Fluide: Lip Gloss in Elsewhere
MAC: Studio Fix Powder in NW10



Ultima Beauty, eyes opened, wearing makeup inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman music video

Our finished Shania Twain Man! I Feel Like a Woman! inspired makeup look!

Ultima Beauty, eyes closed, wearing makeup inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman music video

Maybe not a perfect replica but it is very similar.
I could've blended out the contour a bit more, especially on my right.
Shania and I also look noting alike, so there's that too 😅


Ultima Beauty, eyes opened, wearing makeup inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman music video

I'd love to do a side-by-side photo with a screenshot from Shania's music video, but I'm fairly certain that could be construed as copyright infringement (none intended).
Check out her video!

Ultima Beauty, eyes closed, wearing makeup inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman music video

The dramatic smoky eye is really the cornerstone of this look.
I could've darked the shadow one more time to better match the intensity of the video look, but I think the shape and idea is pretty similar.

Ultima Beauty, eyes opened, wearing makeup inspired by Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman music video

I don't own the top hat, the veil, or the trench coat but I still had a lot of fun recreating the makeup look of one of my favorite artists!



Again you can see my video tutorial of Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like a Woman! music video makeup here 






Thank you for checking out my blog post!

If you like tutorials and reviews don't forget to subscribe so you will be the first to know when a new post drops 😁



Thanks again!


XOXO



Ultima Beauty







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Thursday, January 5, 2023

Too Faced | Better Than Chocolate | Review & Tutorial

 
Ultima Beauty holding Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Palette. Caption reads: "Ultima Beauty Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Review & Tutorial"

Hi Beautiful People!

Today I’m reviewing Too Faced’s Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette for you.
And I have a tasty tutorial to go along with it! 🍫

So read on for delicious details about this candy inspired palette and how you can create a sweet eyeshadow look.

You can check out my video review and tutorial here




Review

Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette Box

Too Faced has had many chocolate inspired palettes over the years each with their own special eyeshadow finishes/textures (see my review of the Chocolate Gold palette, heavy on the metallic shadow finish, here).

Side of Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette box showing shades

Better Than Chocolate has a fun mix of finishes from mattes to shimmers to metallics. 
There are also some fun pops of color among the chocolatey neutral shades.

Closed Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

As with its chocolate predecessors the Better Than Chocolate palette is infused with real cocoa powder.
It claims to have the scent of "molten chocolate cake". 
To me, it has a light chocolate scent, which I prefer because it isn't overwhelming or too strong.

Back of Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

The Better Than Chocolate shadows are housed in a tin palette in the shape of a large rectangular chocolate bar with a nice sized mirror for easy application on the go. 
The palette itself seems durable enough to withstand being shuffled around in a makeup bag and will likely protect the shadows from damage (probably not from a drop though).

Opened Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

It contains 18 eyeshadow shades.
Eight mattes, Five shimmers, and Five metallics.
Each pan contains about 4 ounces of pressed powder eyeshadow.

Close up of opened Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

A stunning line up of shades.
There are several beautiful eyeshadows in this palette. 
There are also a few that are a bit lacking.

Close up of first nine shadows on the left of Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

Most of the metallics glide on beautifully and leave a gorgeous foil effect.
But one is a bit patchy and has some fallout (see shade breakdown below).

Close up 12 shadows on the right side of Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

A majority of the matte shades are buttery soft and effortlessly blendable.
One is a little chalky and require extra work to use.
Most of the shimmers are highly pigmented and have minimal fallout.
A couple of the shimmers are powdery and need to be layered significantly to achieve pan shade.


Quick Stats:


Close up of opened Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette

Brand: Too Faced
Product: Eyeshadow
Color: Multiple
Finish: Matte, Shimmer, Metallic
Formula: Pressed Powder
Fallout: Yes (only a few shadows)
Chalky/Flaky: Yes/No (a few shadows)
Blendable: Yes
Lasts for: 8-10 Hours

 
Pros: Velvety soft and extremely blendable, most of these shadows are easy to work with to create eye looks.
There is a nice range of colors and finishes for a more neutral, subtle effect or a more dramatic and intense party look.
The long-lasting nature of these shadows makes them perfect for a long day at work, a party, or anytime you want your shadow to last without a touch up (umm... All the time).
Just enough of a light cocoa scent to live up to its name without being overpowering.
 
Cons: The real cons are only for a few individual shadows not the whole palette.
One of the mattes is chalky and needs more work to to blend or build color.
One of the metallics is patchy and requires a lot of shadow to reach a saturated foil appearance.
A couple of the shimmers are powdery and need layering to reach their full potential.
There is a little bit of fallout with some of the shimmer and metallic shades.

Swatches


Swatches of Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette. Text Reads : Milk It, Buttercream, Gold Digger,  Skinny Dipped , Ooey Gooey, Midnight Snack, Reality Choc, Bitter Half, I'm the Dessert, Sugar Rush  "
 
Swatches of Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette. Text Reads: "Cake My Day, Bite Me, Lick the Bowl, Bless Your Tart, Nice Buns, What the Fudge?, Brownie Points, Texts & Candy"

 Heavy on the "chocolate" inspired shades, but there is a nice mix of some other colors to balance out the palette that give many options for eye looks (keep scrolling to see some)

Swatches of first five shadows from Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette. Text reads  Milk It, Buttercream, Gold Digger,  Skinny Dipped , Ooey Gooey

Milk It - Snow white with silver & pink shimmer
(A bit powdery)
Buttercream - Terracotta with a matte finish
Gold Digger - Yellow gold with a metallic finish
Skinny Dipped -  Sienna brown with a metallic finish
Ooey Gooey - Light copper with rose gold shimmer

Swatches of five shadows from Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette. Text reads Midnight Snack, Reality Choc, Bitter Half, I'm the Dessert, Sugar Rush

Midnight Snack - Dark plum with a matte finish
Reality Choc - Raw umber with a metallic finish 
(very patchy, hard to build color)
Bitter Half - Tawny brown with a matte finish
I'm the Dessert - Rust with a metallic finish
Sugar Rush - Lilac with light blue shimmer

Swatches of five shadows from Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette. Text reads Cake My Day, Bite Me, Lick the Bowl, Bless Your Tart

Cake My Day - Deep ginger with a matte finish
Bite Me - Cameo brown with a matte finish
Lick the Bowl - Tan with a matte finish
Bless Your Tart - Cobalt Blue with silver shimmer
(powdery and has some fallout)

Swatches of five shadows from Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette. Text readsNice Buns, What the Fudge?, Brownie Points, Texts & Candy

Nice Buns - Light persimmon with a matte finish
What the Fudge? - Light chestnut brown with a metallic finish
Brownie Points - Chocolate brown with a matte finish
Texts & Candy - Khaki green with gold shimmer

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⋆ (4 out of 5)

Would I Re-Purchase: Yes

 

Final Thoughts: Out of the 18 shades in this palette only two or three are little harder to work with.
Overall the eyeshadows are very lovely, give beautiful color and texture, and last all day long.
It is heavy on the brown shades, but what else would you expect from a "chocolate" titled palette?
I'm happy with my purchase and have been able to create many different eyeshadow looks.


Tutorial


Here is one of the looks I created using Too Faced's Better Than Chocolate palette.
You can watch my step-by-step tutorial here




1. Cake My Day & Buttercream: Run "Cake My Day" (deep ginger shade) all the way through the crease of the eye. Then use a blending brush to soften and diffuse.
Next brush "Buttercream" all over the eyelid for a nice base.
Ultima Beauty blending "Buttercream" with a fluffy brush



2. I'm the Dessert + a Flat Brush: On a flat brush take "I'm the Dessert" (Rust shade) and press it onto the eyelid focusing on the center. Try to leave the inner and outer third of the lid clean.
Ultima Beauty pressing "I'm the Dessert" on to lid with a makeup brush



3. Sugar Rush + Shading Brush: Using a short shading brush dust "Sugar Rush" (lilac shade) onto to the inner corners of the eyes and on the inner 1/3 of the lid up to "I'm the Dessert" in the center.
Ultima Beauty applying "Sugar Rush" with a makeup brush



 4. Bless Your Tart + a Small Eyeshadow Brush: Take "Bless Your Tart" (cobalt blue shade) on a small eyeshadow brush and work it onto the outer 1/3 of the eye, building up color intensity and meeting "I'm the Dessert" shade on the lid.
Ultima Beauty applying "Bless Your Tart" with a brush



5. Black Eyeliner & Bitter Half: Take a liquid liner pen and run it across the top lash line just to get a little more definition, not making it the star of the show.
Next, glide a black eye pencil along the lower water line to add even more depth.
Then take "Bitter Half" (tawny brown shade) and run it along the lower lash line to tie our chocolate shades together.
Ultima Beauty applying Bitter Half to lower lash line with a brush



6. Mascara + Concealer: Coat top and bottom lashes with a lengthening/volumizing mascara.
Then use a concealer under the eyes to clean up any fallout from the shimmer shades.
Ultima Beauty applying concealer with a brush


7. Contour, Highlight, Blush, Lip Gloss & Set: Use powder contour, highlight, and blush shades to lightly sculpt the face and a nude lip gloss to complete the look.
Set face makeup with a powder foundation.
Ultima Beauty applying lip gloss



Put all of these together and what do we get?



Ultima Beauty wearing Too Faced Better Than Chocolate eyeshadows, eyes closed

Our finished Too Faced Better Than Chocolate eyeshadow look!

Ultima Beauty wearing Too Faced Better Than Chocolate eyeshadows, eyes opened

I didn't go too over the top with the additional eye and makeup products. I wanted to showcase the eyeshadows from the Better Than Chocolate palette.

Ultima Beauty wearing Too Faced Better Than Chocolate eyeshadows, eyes closed

The shape I created with the blue shade ("Bless Your Tart") works as a mild wing effect so I didn't need to over do it with the liquid liner.

Ultima Beauty wearing Too Faced Better Than Chocolate eyeshadows, eyes opened, side view

Products I used to create this Better Than Chocolate makeup look:

Too Faced: Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette
Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Cake My Day
Vasanti: Contour Eyeshadow Brush 4
MAC: 217 Blending Brush
Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Buttercream
Slmissglam: SS57 Blender Brush
Too Faced: Eyeshadow in I’m the Dessert
Beau Gâchis: Concealer Brush
Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Sugar Rush
F.A.R.A.H: Short Shading Brush 45 E Rose Gold Collection
Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Bless Your Tart
Sonia Kashuk: Small Eyeshadow Brush No.7
Girlactik: Precise Marker Liner in Black Noir
Lottie London: AM to PM Eyeliner Pencil in Black
Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Bitter Half
Luxie Beauty: Rose Gold Flat Definer Brush 221
Too Faced: Mascara
Winky Lux: Peeper Perfect Under-Eye Concealer in Fair
NYX: Highlight & Contour Pro Palette
Beaute Basics: C405 Contour Blush Brush
Beau Gâchis: Illuminator (Highlighting Brush)
L'Oréal: True Match Super Blendable Blush Baby Blossom
Sonia Kashuk: Synthetic Domed Multipurpose Brush No. 16
Realher: Color Rich Lip Gloss in I Am Radiant
MAC: Studio Fix Powder in NW10



Here are a couple more makeup looks you can create using Too Faced's Better Than Chocolate palette:

Collage of four photos of Ultima Beauty wearing Too Faced Better Than Chocolate eyeshadows
Buttercream on browbone
Cake My Day in crease
I'm The Dessert + Reality Choc on lid
Midnight Snack on outer lid and lower lash line

Collage of four photos of Ultima Beauty wearing Too Faced Better Than Chocolate eyeshadows

Brownie Points in crease
Texts & Candy on lid
Bless Your Tart on the outer 'v' of the eye
Midnight Snack on lower lash line
Milk It on brow bone and inner corners of eyes



Again you can watch my video here




That pretty much wraps up my review and tutorial of Too Faced's Better Than Chocolate Eyeshadow palette.
I really like the palette and if you are in the market for a fairly versatile palette I would recommend checking this one out.

If you like makeup reviews and tutorials I would suggest subscribing to this blog with your email address so they will be delivered straight to your inbox.



Here are some other posts you might enjoy:





Collage of 3 photos. Text Reads "Ultima Beauty Too Faced Chocolate Gold Palette Review & Tutorial" Photo 1: Ultima Beauty holding Too Faced's Chocolate Gold Palette; Photo 2: Close up of Too Faced's Chocolate Gold Palette; Photo 3: Ultima Beauty, closed eyes wearing eyeshadow from Too Faced's Chocolate Gold Palette




Thanks so much for reading!

XOXO


Ultima Beauty 





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