SHOPPR BEAUTY WORKSHOP

E V E N T

- Shooting moving subjects for the first time and being transported to makeup heaven. -

Ever since I fell in love with photography, my main focus was still life photography and landscape photography while photographing people was easily my least favourite because I had to plan and work with the subject. I mean, with still life photography, you can command that lipstick to change positions a hundred times and it wouldn't complain. If it did, I'd toss it out of the window in a heartbeat.

After lurking around the style blogging scene for a while, I've really picked up an interest in street photography, capturing them at the perfect moment. Unfortunately, I've been too shy to photograph my friends because you know, I'd be shy too - wouldn't you? Most of my valuable times with friends are spent catching up and laughing anyway.

When Shoppr hosted their very first beauty workshop with Shelly, I knew it was a great chance to try my hands at photographing gorgeous stylish moving subjects. My main aim was to meet some awesome people and finally getting to watch Shelly's tutorials live in the flesh, as well as trying out street photography, it was a win-win all around.

Shelly's tutorial was surreal because after watching her makeup tutorials on YouTube, I had to remind myself a couple of times that 'Hey, you're not watching a computer screen this time, it's for real.' Shelly did an amazing job of explaining her application methods and what products worked for her, especially allowing me a close up look of her skin because I was having some trouble finding a good foundation. The very first few photos above is an assortment of Shelly's extensive and exotic makeup stash (some aren't available in Malaysia and Australia) - and let me tell you, being able to swatch and play with them transported me to makeup heaven. Yes, makeup swatching is one of my guilty pleasures.

I also managed to snap a few OOTD shots of the lovely ladies at the workshop, as well as a couple of candid shots after asking permission to photograph them. I'm so glad everyone happily obliged and posed so perfectly. If it's were me, I'd totally go all tensed and end up with photos resembling a crab. What do crabs look like anyway?? I don't know, I was just thinking of crabs a second ago. I really loved the candid shots I managed to capture and I wished I was brave enough to approach more people for shots. I'm looking forward to my next opportunity.

Thank you Shoppr for hosting this fun event and I can't wait to attend the next one! Also, thank you to the lovely ladies for allowing me the privilege to photograph you and thank you Shelly for sharing your wisdom with us!

❤

M.May

p.s. If any of you lovely ladies want a copy of any of the pictures above, feel free to message me on any platforms. =D

BESTOWED UPON BY THE LIPSTICK GODS

F L A T L A Y

- Nothing like luxurious gold packagings to make a girl's day. -

Hey!

After my last post on red lipstick, I got a couple of questions from some fabulous friends on what lipstick did the Lipstick Gods bless upon me at the magical warehouse sale, what blue liner I used to achieve the look on the left. Well, the photo on the left isn't very clear, I recommend you click click click to view the original post *nudge nudge*.

As you can guess, all the products I used can be found on the flatlay in this post, with the three main products shown in the next couple of pictures below: MAC Pearlizer Sheer Pigment - Good As Gold (lids and highlights - discontinued), YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain - 09 Rouge Laque and MAC Pigment - Steel Blue (liner).  The products are pretty straight forward, except the blue liner I suppose - dip them liner brush in mixing medium, dip in pigment and you're good to go! Internet University has provided us with a long list of recommended mixing mediums - from contact lense solution, primer spray etc but I decided to go simple with just water, kinda like painting.

When I was younger, I loved painting - we had an entire wall filled with paintings by my siblings and I, and I guess that's how I gotten into makeup art, however that's a story for another time yeah.

I really want to tell you about finding my holy grail lip product in a warehouse sale, all beaten up, sitting in the bottom of a box of unwanted goods. Back in Melbourne, we drove an hour into the suburbs for the highly anticipated L'Oreal warehouse sale to hopefully snag some great bargains - I admit, I went late in the noon because I wasn't hyped up after being left disappointed

multiple times by the Heat Cosmetics warehouse sales. Boy was I wrong, products galore and we were greeted by a massive hoard of zombie-like women snatching up $2 lipsticks like there was no tomorrow.

When I arrived at the warehouse, a portion of the good stuff were gone but there were still some awesome stuff to get the heart rate soaring. I decided to rummage through the YSL pile just for fun and right at the very bottom of a lonely box filled with beaten up YSL packagings, I found this bright red product staring right at me. By random luck, I found this YSL Glossy Stain and it was love at first sight. I was clueless on the texture, durability etc but I had to have it! This, coming from someone who never buys a beauty product without prior research, was a huge leap of faith - and a very foreign feeling. I know there are consumers who think similarly and makeupalley's our go to place for a quick fix.

I also managed to pick up a bunch of other products I was eager to try, at a highly discounted price. I was a very happy camper that day. Nothing like luxurious gold packagings to make a girl's day.

Speaking of flatlay, I mentioned I couldn't flatlay to save lives in a previous post a while back but I refused to give up. I created a flatlay moodboard of my favourite designs, gathered as much inspiration as I could from them and just experimented with the design. I think they came out much better than my previous proper flatlay attempt and I'll keep on practicing.

Every practice is a learning process.

❤

M.May

SIDELAY, not FLATLAY

F L A T L A Y

- Because I can't flatlay to save lives. -

Hey.

For the longest time I can remember, I've been really loving the whole 'flatlay' trend that's seems to be all the rage on Instagram. My main inspiration's from Margaret, and I personally see her as the queen of flatlays. She does the neatest, and most symmetric flaylays I've seen, and it pleases me immensely. I love the vibrancy, the details and the controlled havoc from flaylays, it overwhelms your creative senses in just one picture, just like having the greatest high tea dessert platter served to you and your brain simply cannot process all the beauty and yumminess that's being presented before you. It's a sensory overload, but in the most inspiring way ever.

Flatlays aside, what you saw was a selection of Karla's jewellery stash that she brought to KL. We had the leisure of spending some time together and while she was repacking her overflowing luggage, I invited myself into her jewellery pouch, poured its contents out, and proceeded in attempting a flatlay at 1am. My favourite items fished out from her pouch is the 3 Disney Couture bracelets and the one that has me particularly smitten is the Pocahontas one with Meeko, Flit and a turquoise acorn. I can safely say I'm in love with Disney Couture, and I'm gonna nourish the child in me by adding a whole bunch of Disney jewellery into my wishlist.

I attempted to flatlay in the middle of the night, I realised I can't flatlay to save lives. It didn't turn out as I've envisioned it and it didn't feel right, you know? Sometimes things go smoothly and turn out perfect, and sometimes, you realise your flatlays just look... flat. Bleh. So I did what felt natural to me and realised I liked the images taken from the side better than from directly above. Hence, the 'sidelay' was born. Time to hashtag this, pronto. #sidelay

I hope you enjoyed this photo set and inspired you to rummage through your friend's jewellery collection.

❤

M.May