#how do y’all have undertones in your skin tones and hair colors??

[pedroassmanpascal]

How do y’all find your own art style? Everything I draw without a reference i think is awful, and I’m second guessing everything lol

[blackcatcabin]

Alright y’all. Let’s talk foundation. My entire life I have always been pink. I was not blessed with the gene that many of my friends have to not immediately fry when left out in the sun…for all of 3 minutes.

So number one for everyone living in hot weather - sunscreen, sunscreen, suncreeeeeen. Say it with me, sun-screen! Cannot emphasize how important this is for just even going to get your mail. Put it in your hair too, I had to remind my northern girlfriends when they came down, heat protectant in your hair is important so you don’t fry. End of my PSA - Back to our scheduled foundation talk: 
I have found myself always using matte everything, since I’m a millennial, natural moisturizing was my enemy. St Ives apricot face scrub terrorized us all, and I scrubbed my face off with it every day. That being said I love that product, I still use it sparingly now, I don’t care, it smells great and like nostalgia from when I didn’t have to pay taxes. 
My go to everyday is Estée Lauder’s double wear. The entire line is great honestly. I know a lot of people see it as “grandmas make up,” but realistically the foundation does not leave your face. (We’ll get into the double wear line and their color pallet in a later post) Now proper skin prep is always needed. Go through your skin care routine and use their pink bottle for primer it’s the dewy/glowy one. (Specific I know sorry. I’ll update this promise.) This lasts me all day in the heat, doesn’t oxidize, and comes in a lot of shades. Forewarned, it absolutely needs a translucent powder over it after. It can get tacky on your face. But, I think all foundations need a translucent powder if you’re using a liquid foundation. It just makes it more comfortable on your face and helps it last longer. 
My personal rule of thumb is to use primers and powders within the same brand. Ie: foundation is from NARS use their setting and primers. Normally products are formulated together which makes them work better. 
I say this with the urgency to use caution though you may find something that works amazingly and not in the same brand. Milks new primer is great under my Estée Lauder but not under my glossier foundation. Which is just the name of the game is trying everything out. And I drove myself crazy doing this so you don’t have to!

If you’re a natural finish type of person. Which I was not until I was a recently converted glossier girl. (Im so late to this being trendy but who cares.) If your skin is super dry, I highly recommend NARS, their foundation is hydrating, gives a light weight natural finish, and is more cool toned friendly than other brands. For cool toned people, some brands may lean in too much on the pink undertone, and it changed the shade. NARS has it figured out. Their foundation was a dead ringer for my skin tone, the color match was perfect but sadly, I am oily as all hell. It slipped right off my face and my cousin benefited from my purchase since we’re pretty close in skin tone. The natural finish product that did work for me though was glossier. The formula is light weight and if you use it with their primer, it absolutely lasts all day without the need for a touch up. I will say their setting powder doesn’t last too long so try a tried and true powder you love. For me that’s fenty the powder press, or mac. Macs powder is sweat proof and won’t fail you it’s a classic. 


Also recently tried Cover Fxs line since it was half off. And because I have what I lovingly call “fish brain” (shiney so we bought it) I purchased the whole foundation line. Honest opinions its a great dupe for the esteé lauder double wear. The coverage was insanely good, I almost thought it wasn’t a shade match due to how full coverage it was. All of the red in my face was just gone in seconds.

[paisky]

coloring tutorial by ramsking;

first of all: sorry, i’m not good explaining things.

what you’ll need:

photoshop (i’m using cs6);

basic knowledge about using photoshop and how to make gifs.

please like or reblog if you find this tutorial useful

p.s.: english isn’t my first language so sorry for any mistakes.

LEVELS: the first thing i usually do is work with levels. i think they are simple and easier then curves, ‘cause it will brighten or darken the whole gif, not just specific parts.

RESULT:

SELECTIVE COLOR: i add a selective color layer to give more life to the colors.

RESULT: 

HUE/SATURATION: now i increase the reds and decrease the yellows

RESULT:

COLOR BALANCE: the gif looks too red, so we’re making it look more natural. in shadows, i go for the blues and cyans, ‘cause i want to cancel the red tones at the background and shadows. for the midtones, i increase the reds and decrease the yellows, so we don’t lose the skin color

RESULT:

GRADIENT MAP: noise usually comes from too much saturation. to solve that, some people add a brightness/contrast layer and decrease the contrast. i use gradient map, i change the blending mode to “exclusion” and change the opacity to 15% or 20%.

RESULT:

HUE/SATURATION: i add another layer increasing the reds bc gradient map took some of the color

RESULT:

SELECTIVE COLOR: in this house we don’t stan whitewashing, so since asians have yellow undertone, we’re increasing the cyans (if you decrease the cyans, it will look more red, and that’s not a look we’re going for) and yellows, and decreasing the magent, so it won’t look pinkish. 

you can see that mix’s hair is kinda red, so we fix that with blacks, increasing the cyans and the yellows to cancel this red. i also increase the the black color, bc when you save your gif, it won’t create noise.

RESULT:

LEVELS: ok, this is finally the last step. i feel like it was too bright, so i moved the black arrow (the first one) and the gray arrow (the middle one) to the right

RESULT:

ok, this is it y’all. hope you guys have learned anything. you can use this as a base and change whatever you want. and most important: you can always change the layer’s opacity or even the psd’s opacity if they look too strong. if you need any help or have questions, just ask me!

[catzeatyerface]

https://30somethingurbangirl.com/free-quiz-what-is-your-seasonal-color/

Y’all! Get ready for a rant cause this god damn quiz is driving me crazy, holy shit I hate 12 Seasons color analysis.

Questions 1 & 2 are fine I guess if we ignore the fact that your specific hair and eye color are only 0.1% important for finding your best colors. HOLY MOSES question number 3.

Look at this fucking bullshit! FIVE different categories for “Pale AF” and then everyone else just gets put in the “Deep” category. What. The. Fuck. Y’all, it is in no way shape or form hard to color analyze people of color, this is some BS.

On to Question 4: Which of these dress colors looks best on you?

And if we exclude the second and fourth choices, the answer is none of them. Who the fuck chose these colors and how high were they? Also, if I already knew what my best colors were, why would I be taking this quiz?

Question 5 is “which lipstick flatters you the most” and again, if people knew this already they wouldn’t be taking this test. Question 6 is the same deal. So half of these questions can only be accurately answered by people who wouldn’t be taking this test. 

My results were that my most “dominant seasonal characteristic” is that i’m deep, which, maybe? But I think I only got that answer because they didn’t list my hair color, and because for the lipstick color I just chose my favorite, which is the deep red, so it was kind of accidental that I got something accurate. Also this doesn’t actually help me learn what my best colors are, only that darker colors are better for me. Which is the opposite of what’s true for a dark skinned person, who’s contrast comes from the whites of their eyes and teeth against their dark skin (think about Lupita Nyong’o’s iconic “Cinderella” dress), yet apparently all dark skinned people are in this category according to this system (once again lumping the majority of people of color into the same category).

Let's also take a closer look at my results:

I know I’m not warm so it’s not surprising that the description for Deep Autumn doesn’t match me, but let’s look at the “””best colors””” for deep Autumn: “maroon red-” No, cause that’s a cool color and you are warm, “deep orange, dark olive green-” yes to these, “teal-” again no, teal is cool “and dark chocolate brown” I’m not sure if this color is warm or cool, it seems cool to me but I’m not sure enough to complain about it being here.

Now onto Deep Winter: You’re a Deep Winter if “your hair color is dark-brown, black-brown with red highlights or blue-black, gray.” none of those are me “your eyes are also dark: cool deep brown, black or deep hazel with a big contrast between the iris and the white part.” I’ve got the big contrast and probably deep hazel eyes (which is similar to my hair color) “while your skin tone is cool olive, cool beige, cocoa or ebony with a cool or red undertone.” I do have a cool undertone so that’s correct. Now onto the best colors:

“Deep red,-” most deep reds seem to be cool reds so this likely wouldn’t be bad advice “deep plum, dark pink,-” yes “pine green” I can’t tell if this one is warm or cool since I’m not seeing much consistency in temperature for this particular color name “and black” this one’s good too. Not as bad as the Deep Autumn since they don’t specifically tell you to wear colors that are the wrong temperature… until you click the link to see the Deep Winter color palette.

Fucking yellow!? Are you kidding me!? That’s one of the WORST colors for someone with a cool undertone, and it’s the only warm color on that entire palette. Look how much that color sticks out like a sore thumb, what is this shit? Also it’s interesting that teal is on both this palette, and the palette for Deep Autumn. 

Anyways, 12 seasons color analysis is a disaster, either stick to four seasons or switch to Artistic License if you want something that actually fixes the problems or the four seasons system instead of making things more needlessly complicated and less useful.

[daebakinc]

We Make the Kingdom - Pt 12

Image by silverdagger865

Pairing: Yongguk x OC Genre: Fantasy, with Angst and Smut Summary:  After a vampire attack leaves you almost dead, you are rescued by a group of werelions, powers long thought to be extinct. Upon discovering the same magic flows in your blood, you join their fight against encroaching vampires and another, very human monster, to save the kingdom. Previous parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ,  8, 9(M), 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16(M), 17, 18,  Final A/N: Mentions of blood, rape, and torture. It’s getting real y’all.

Splinters dig into your palms, but you dare not move. The room is small with stone walls and columns and lit by a high candelabra hanging from the ceiling. Eleven figures stand behind the columns, blending with the shadows. Your friends stand in front of you, crowded together, ragged and road-weary as before. But their palpable fear is new and raises the hair on your arms. You know of only one person who can inspire such feelings. The very person Yongguk wanted to save you from.

The king.

 “Ah, so you do know this skulking street rat,” a voice from above says. It is deliberate and calm, imbued with the stateliness of high position. It is a voice trained to inspire submission, trust, and fealty. It only fills you with dread.

A hand clamps down on the back of your neck. Tightening, it slams your head against wood. Sharp carvings bite your cheek, but the hand holds you there. Rings snag and pull on your hair. You do not fight, afraid any resistance will cause your friends to come to your aid. The king’s plum silk robes flow from around the front of the throne, so close you can see the individual stitches of gold thread.

“I was suspicious when Hyunwoo told me there were only fifteen of you. I sent men out to see if any of you were hiding and what a find.” Without pause, the king asks, “Does she belong to the lions? The wolves?”

None of your friends answer.

“No one claims her? She must be worth something for you to so successfully hide her from my bears. It seems I underestimated you.” Although his tone is friendly, its undertone is ice at the last statement. Regaining his candor, the king continues, “Do you all share her then? Maybe I should sample as well. She must know a good deal of tricks to satisfy all of you. Then when I’m done with her, she can service the bears if I’m feeling generous.” The king’s hand slides to your hair, yanking it into his fist so your face jerks up.

“That is enough,” Yongguk growls. His hands are bunched into fists and trembling at his side, his words rough as if torn from his throat. “She is one of us.”

“One of you?” He forcibly twists your head towards him and you come face to face with the king.

You try to keep your own face blank as a new page, to keep your thoughts to yourself.

His does not possess repulsive features, but you still want to recoil in revulsion. His face is broad and square-jawed, with age just beginning to add softness around his chin. Short, well- groomed black stubble speckled with silver covers his cheeks and chin, hair of the same color slicked back beneath his crown.

You wish you could avoid his eyes. They are as cold and dead as any vampire’s and made haggard by the dark circles of sleeplessness beneath them.

“A lioness.” The king turns your head this way and that with a disturbing hunger in his eyes. You half expect him to inspect your teeth as one would a horse. “One of the bloodlines must have sired a bastard. Is she weaker?”

“She's a strong as any of us,” Junhong says angrily, taking a step forward. Himchan grabs his arm. There’s more movement behind them, but you cannot see who.

The king doesn’t look away. “Good, good.” He considers you one more minute before shoving you roughly away so you tumble down the dais steps. “Show me.”

You pick yourself up and are about to retort when you catch Yongguk's eyes. They warn you to hold your tongue before you lose it.

“And if you should think of trying anything, I would take care not to.” The king snaps his fingers.

Two men materialize from the shadows like snakes and drag Daehyun from the edge of the group before anyone can react. One pins his arms behind him. The other presses a dagger to his throat. Daehyun struggles to break away but can barely wriggle his shoulders. His assailants are broad-shouldered with muscles straining against their royal livery, but they show little effort in keeping Daehyun still. They must be bears you haven’t met. No one else could restrain a were so easily.

The king smiles. It does not reach his eyes. “They will kill your friend before you can kill me, I assure you.”

You gape at Daehyun helplessly, then look to Yongguk. His gaze is more furious than before, but he nods.

Voicelessly, you vow you will kill this tyrant the next chance you get. You bow your head to hide your glare and call forth the lioness. She comes so quickly it catches you off-guard, fueled by your anger.

A small growl rolls from your lips and this time you glare up at the king. How you would love to spring and end his power with a single swipe of your paw. How easy it would be. But you cannot risk Daehyun’s life. Not for anything.

The king leans forward in his seat in eagerness. His eyes make you feel defiled and exposed. You release your lioness form quickly. You will deny him any extended pleasure you are able to.

The king nods and the bears release Daehyun, pushing him back with everyone else. Youngjae quickly moves to check on him, but Daehyun shrugs him off bitterly, eyes still on the bears.

“I am curious of one more thing. How did you find her when I did not?” the king asks.

“The rest of her village was slaughtered by vampires,” Yongguk answers. His hand settles on his belt, but the scabbard is empty. He hooks his thumb between the belt instead. Yongguk’s voice is more even now as he tries to regain what little control is possible. “Her were-blood was strong enough to keep her from turning, but not enough to make her shift. I had to force her to. She was bitten by an elder vampire who calls herself Queen Lamia.”

Back straightening, the king looks away from you for the first time. A panicked edge springs into his eyes, surprisingly. “What did you say?”

“The vampires have a leader, Queen Lamia. She-”

“No. You are lying,” the king bursts out vehemently, shaking his head. “No such creature exists. You lie!”

“She does exist, Your Majesty,” Yongguk persists stubbornly. He steps closer to the dais, his frown displaying his frustration for all to see. “And she is coming.”

“I said there is no Queen Lamia!” The king launches himself off the throne. He descends a step to tower over Yongguk and wave a shaking finger in his face. “And certainly no vampire queen!”

Yongguk’s eyes harden. “She is. We are no more deceiving you about her than we are about the vampire army she is undoubtedly bringing here, right to the city’s gate.”

“My spies have seen nothing,” the king hisses. Spittle catches on his beard. He starts to pace. “I would have foreseen such an army. This kingdom is mine to protect. It is my kingdom. Mine!”

Junmyeon comes beside Yongguk. Keeping his voice low and slow as if placating a petulant child, he says, “The future is fickle, sire, even for a great seer as yourself. Perhaps vampires cannot be seen with magic as they are immune.”

The king halts mid-step to round on Junmyeon. “Are you suggesting my powers are weakening, cur? I am strong as ever and misled by none but you.” He points a finger at the two alphas again. “I know of your true intent on coming here into my house. Oh, yes. I know. But you will not succeed. I will make sure of that! Hyunwoo.”

The bear strides from his place behind the throne, eyes meekly downcast. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Bring the collars.”

Collars? You shrink into the other lions warily as Hyunwoo leaves the room. Unease prickles down your spine. The other bears close in, forcing your group to huddle together. Jongup tugs on the back of your shirt to pull you into the middle, but you refuse. If anything happens, you must be able to get to Yongguk quickly. The lioness inside is already itching to be released again and fight your way to freedom.

The king clears his throat and smirks. “I knew the day would come, so I prepared, as a proper king should always do. My metal mages outdid themselves with their magic. Let me show you their handiwork. Jooheon, to me.”

The bear detaches himself from the wall to your left. You bristle when he passes close enough to touch, but he does not so much as glance at you. Woodenly, he stops in front of the king, one hand coming behind his back to grip the other.

“Turn around.” The king twirls a finger.

You get a better look at his face when he does so. Despite yourself, you feel a surge of sympathy for him. Jooheon’s full cheeks that you remember are gaunt. His eyes are dull, nearly lifeless.

“Show them what happens to beasts who act disobediently.”

Obediantly, Jooheon reaches up to his high shirt collar. He rolls the fabric down and lifts his chin to expose his throat.

The musty scent of old blood and infection invade your sense so you must cover your nose and mouth for fear of making a mess. Blood smears wrap around Jooheon’s neck in a wide band. Dozens of thin wounds uniformly cut into his pale skin and blare an angry red. Beneath the blood, his skin is pock-marked with thick scars. Their shape mirrors those of the fresher marks.

Your flesh crawls with the thought of the device around your necks. A collar is demeaning enough, reducing you from a human to an owned animal. A physical reminder your liberty is not your own. That it should be a means of constant and pitiless pain is even more inhumane.

The king gives you all the sly smile of a satisfied predator. “Return to your post. I think they have seen reason.”

Jooheon lets his hands and head fall, turns, and bows. He passes Hyunwoo as he walks away. The leader lays a large rectangular chest at the king’s feet and remains kneeling. You strain your neck to see if he bears the same scars, but the angle forbids you the view.

At a nod from the king, Hyunwoo flips open the latch. The contents are hidden when he lifts the lid, but disgust burns in your chest when he reveals them. Delicately pinching the rims, Hyunwoo pulls out two solid steel bands. Short needles cover the entirety of the interior, glinting forebodingly.

Waving at the other bears, the king orders, “The rest of you, help him collar them.” He glowers when your group instinctively close ranks at the bears’ approach. “Resist and I will kill the female first.”

You can feel those closest to you immediately stiffen. To submit is against your natures, but here, you are confined. The only way out seems to be death.

No one in the room moves. The king looks on expectantly, all the weres warily, wondering if blood will be shed. The tension screams in your ears, clamoring to choose to fight or fly, to act in one way or another.

Yongguk silently separates himself from the group. Junhong’s hand to drag him back grasps air. The alpha halts in front of Hyunwoo. Shoulders straight, he unflinchingly looks him in the eye, defiant in his acquiescence. Junmyeon joins him, even lifting his head to proudly offer his neck.

Hyunwoo’s expression does not change as he moves closer to the other alphas with collars in hand. The other bears take Hyunwoo’s advance as a signal to come collect collars for the rest of you. Reluctantly, you all follow your alphas’ example and separate long enough to have the metal secured around your necks.

The bear who approaches you is so tall he has to bend down slightly to fit on the collar. He tugs on a section of the metal so it swings open on a hidden hinge. You look to the side, but you can feel your face flushing with the irate humiliation twisting inside.

“I am sorry,” the bear whispers as he fits the metal in place. The way he cannot meet your eyes when you glance at his face almost has you believing him.

A forbidding click seals the metal around your neck. You shiver at its cold kiss on your collarbones. The needles rest on the surface of your skin like the annoying prickle of a cocklebur. Some of the others’ fingers twitch as if to adjust the collars, but they resist. They will not show a single sign of weakness or discomfort yet.

“I don’t think we have to bother with the chains. These should be enough to keep them cowed,” the king remarks off-handedly, gazing in approval when the bears finish and step away. He addresses the rest of you as he pulls an amulet of copper with a black stone center from his robes. “Attempt to shift, and your head will be severed before you can so much as whimper. Attempt to break the collar and one of your friends will be executed. Displease me, and all I need to do is press this and those spikes will plunge into your skin. Do not worry, they will not hit anything vital, but I cannot say they will be gentle.

“Take them to the dungeons,” the king says in the tone one would use if dismissing courtiers from a civilized audience. “I must deliberate awhile on what to do with such pathetic excuses of life. Keep them out of sight or your friends will stay in the Cage three days more,” he casually comments over his shoulder.

Several bears flinch, including Hyunwoo. His eyes and mouth harden a second later. “They will not be seen.”

The stiffness in the bears’ bodies lessen infinitesimally when the king sweeps from the room and the door shuts behind the king’s coattails. They finally allow themselves to truly look at you. Some of their faces show open curiosity, but a few hold outright hostility.

You stare back. Whatever the Cage is sounds like a horrible punishment, but you cannot be blamed for ensuring your own survival.

“Changkyun and Seokwon are bound to stay in the Cage at least another week because of her,” one of them growls. He shuffles a foot closer but stops when Yongguk shifts in front of you. “It will be our fault we did not discover her.”

“Quiet, Gunhee. Do not tempt fate,” Kihyun snaps. He eyes the room and quietly adds, “The walls have ears. Especially here.”

Ignoring his men’s words, Hyunwoo walks to the wall and puts his shoulder to it. A hidden door grates open into darkness. Without looking back, he says, “This way,” and enters the passage.

You all have no choice but to follow. The rest of the bears fall into line, surrounding you. As if you have anywhere else to go.

Darkness, the kind utterly bereft of the hope of light from sun or flame, swallows you. Dust and complex cobwebs cover regularly spaced iron slots in the wall for torches, but weres do not need them. Only the bears must pass behind the walls. Damp brushes your shoulders when the passageway narrows to the width of a single person, depositing its chill through your clothes.

Unease also settles on your skin when you sense the person behind you is neither lion nor wolf. You did not trust the bears before on the lions’ words, but now you do not trust them based on your own judgement. Some looked ready to wring your neck at the king’s word. Having one at your back feels like exposing your throat to a vampire’s teeth.

You’re listening so closely for any threatening movement of the bear’s that when Yongguk halts in front of you, you bump into him. You stumble backwards, the bear’s hands catching your shoulders.

The walls are too close to wrench away. You shrug off his hands. “Don’t touch me.”

“Sorry,” he mumbles.

Sudden light distracts you. It’s dim, but you still have to blink for your eyes to adjust. The passage opens into a large cavern, the chisel marks on the walls betraying its man-made nature. On the other side, two tunnels’ mouths loom, torchlight illuminating only a few steps inside. But what lies in the middle of the cavern is what catches your attention.

Covered by a grate, an opening in the high ceiling lets strained sunlight fall into a cage. Ten tightly spaced iron bars stretch from floor to ceiling on each of its four sides. Shallow puddles of water cover the pitted floor and in one corner lies a pile of dirty clothes. Ripped and tattered, you only realize they cover bodies when they stir.

Chains rattle as two waifs lift their heads, eyes glassy and cheeks sunken. They huddle as close together as possible, but the collars around their necks are connected to the bars, the chains barely long enough to allow them to lay down. You do not recognize their faces, but both look more boy than man. These boys may belong with antagonists, but pity wells in your heart. Nothing could rationalize this kind of abuse.

“What infraction could they have committed to deserve this?” you whisper as Hyunwoo strides past them without meeting their eyes that follow him. If the alphas you know are any means to judge, he does so to spare his own heart.

“It is my fault,” the bear behind you whispers. He looks on the verge of crying when you glance back at him, his gaze fastened on the two in the cage. “I stayed with my mother a half hour longer than the king gave me leave to. For that, he made me chain them in there. Five days without food or water for my mistake. It should have been me.”

His fingers drift over the bars in a silent plea for forgiveness. One gives him a feeble smile. The other now has his eyes closed, his head resting on his friend’s shoulder.

You tear your gaze away. How in the Goddess’ name could cruelty after cruelty be perpetrated within the core of the Capitol. If there was any justice in this world, She would have struck down such a ruler long ago. Yet, as you are quickly learning, morals are an abstract easily twisted by those who above all else desire power.

“Warden.” Hyunwoo’s raised voice startles you.

You have come to the end of the tunnel and into a smaller chamber with more tunnels branching off like tree roots. In front of you, a rotting wooden door banded with mismatched metal creaks open.

The man who emerges is short, lean, and sharp-faced as the rats who undoubtedly dwell here. Dirt and darker blotches stain his leather apron. The smell emanating from him gives you good guesses as to what they are.

He wipes his hands on his tunic, a useless act for the dirt is so embedded in his hands even a month of washing could not cleanse them. “Who do ya bring me now, bear? More madman traitors? A whole conspiracy from their number.” The warden eyes you all, squinting. He reaches for Baekhyun, who still leans listlessly against Yixing.

Junmyeon pushes himself in front of his packmate so it is his chin the warden grabs.

“Ah, I remember you, mongrel pup,” the warden says, grinning. His open mouth reveals several teeth missing and several more gray with decay. “Couldn’t wield a sword ta save your life no matter how many whippings ya got. Come running back with your tail tucked between your legs then?”

Junmyeon’s eyes spark gold the second before he whips his head, mouth open. He just misses the warden’s hand. Exposing his long canines, he says, “This pup now knows how to bite.”

The warden’s face blanches. He fumbles with his pockets lifts a copy of the amulet the king held so tauntingly before. “Don’t- don’t try anything. King gave me this in case one a ya decides to try something. I’ll use it.”

“Do not threaten us and you will not need to,” Yongguk remarks darkly.

“You. Can’t believe you survived this long either. Useless from the beginnin’.” The warden spits, freezing when he notices you amongst the men. An entirely different scrutiny comes into his eyes. “A woman? Ain’t that a wonder. Fit too, she is.”

Hyunwoo shifts between the two before Yongguk can lunge for the warden. “Tell us which cells to use and we will take care of them. The king would be irked if anything out of the ordinary should happen to any of them under your care without his leave,” he adds softly.

The man grunts and throws his hand towards one of the tunnels. “Any of those. Take your pick.” He tosses a ring of keys, disappearing back into his hole.

You come to the first cell within a few paces of entering the tunnel. The door is thick and solid but for a narrow slot at eye level. The wood groans from misuse as Hyunwoo opens it. He looks behind you and jerks his head.

The bear who spoke to you takes your elbow, his grip firm but gentle. You start panicking when he pushes you into the cell alone, but then Yongguk stumbles into the cell after you. The lock clicks and the others’ muffled footsteps fade away.

The cell is scarcely larger than the midway shelter you shared with Yongguk. A dank pallet and a chipped wooden bowl are the only objects present. You rub your arms at the sight of metal rings in the wall with chains dangling from them. To be chained in this place would take away what little hope you have.

Rustling behind you reminds you that you aren’t alone. You force yourself to turn around, but cannot look at Yongguk. He must be furious with you and he has every right to be so after you broke your promise to him. Guilt curls around your chest, strangling your words so they come out in a murmur. “I am sorry.”

You hear him come closer. “I told you to stay in the village,” he says, his voice so low it is nearly unintelligible.

“I know,” you lift your eyes in hope he will see your sincerity, “but you should have known I could not. How could I stay safe when you and all my friends might never return? I cannot so readily abandon the only family on this earth that I have. Would you?”

He does not reply instantly, but some of the anger in his face fades, enough for you to close the gap between the two of you. Yongguk sighs and drops his head to yours. “I would not. But you cannot know how terrified I was when you appeared. I imagined him doing so many unspeakable things to you and I could do nothing but stand there…”

The hitch in his breath has you fully wrapping your arms around him. The spikes in your collar press threateningly against your throat. You ignore them. “I’m sorry. We are together now. Everything will be alright.”

You both know you’re lying, but you do not know what else to say.

“I will do everything in my power to protect you. I won’t let him touch you again,” Yongguk says. He kisses your forehead before you bury your face in his chest.

“Do you think the others are safe?” you ask.

Worry and frustration color his voice as he replies, “We can only hope so. You heard Hyunwoo. We are safe until the king makes his decision.”

“How can this be happening to you again?” you breathe. “The warden knows. Others in the palace must know. They must know it wrong but they still let it happen.”

“Weak men follow cruel men and imitate their ways. They seize any opportunity to make another feel inferior.”

“They are the inferior ones… Why did the king react that way when you told him about Queen Lamia? How can he not believe us?”

“I do not know,” Yongguk admits after some thought. “He was always eager to expect the worst of us, but we do not have a reason to lie about such matters. He knows the vampires have been increasing from our reports. An uprising is not farfetched, nor is their having a leader.”

You have no answer either and Yongguk says no more, lost in his own thoughts. You stand there, locked in each others’ embrace without a word said between you. There is the unspoken agreement this is what you need, to reassure each other you’re both breathing, both alive, both relatively unharmed.

When Yongguk notices you trembling, he tugs you over to the pallet. His arms loosen enough for you to sink down onto the damp fabric. The straw stuffing pokes through, stabbing the underside of your legs. Sensing your discomfort, Yongguk pulls you onto his lap. With some adjustment, you find leaning your head against the wall behind his shoulder makes the collar tolerable. You close your eyes, focusing on making your breath the same as his. It helps quiet the riot of worries in your head, worries you have no control over and no way to foresee their outcome.

 Heavy footsteps and the jingle of keys prick your ears a few moments before the window slot of your cell slides open. Yongguk is already awake, intent on the door. You slide from his legs but remain close. Even with your enhanced vision, the depths of the darkness in the dungeon only reveals the fainter shadows of two figures.

Your heart pounds. You dread facing the king again so soon. The madness revealed in his eyes is unpredictable and, worse, dangerous. You search for Yongguk's hand. It gives you a little strength when he locks his fingers with yours.

A man's voice comes from beyond the door. You recognize the crude, rough speech of the warden. “This is the last one, my lady. The alpha male. They stuck the female in here with him too, but they separate easy with the collars. Will ya be wanting one or both?”

“The male will do,” a refined female voice replies. Coins clink forbiddingly.

Panic rises like bile in your throat, quickly followed by rage. The insinuation in the man's voice makes her disgusting intent clear. You cannot allow it.

At the click of the key, you are on your feet in front of the pallet. Your knees bend in a slight crouch, readying for a fight, for that is what the warden will get if he tries to take Yongguk. The door opens, torchlight spilling into the room. Despite the man's bravado laden words, he stenches of the fearful sweat that drenches his forehead as he steps inside.

He jerks the spear in his hand at you both. “You. Lion. Come here.”

“He is not going with you,” you spit. Although you are answering the guard, your eyes are on the cloaked woman still in the shadowed doorway.

She smells of perfume and old wealth. Royal blue silk, ornately embroidered with gold, brushes the muck-ridden flagstones. Her face, hidden by the hood, most likely reflects obvious status but it is sullied by the coarseness of her errand in your mind.

“The lady wants a little entertainment and she will have it.” The leer on the man's face confirms your fears and twists your stomach. You can feel Yongguk tense behind you.

 “I say she will not.”

Yongguk places a hand on your hip as if to urge you to stand aside, but you ignore him. Instead, you lay your hand over his.

“You don't have a choice, she-cat. Move.” He pulls the amulet from his shirt and thrusts it out in warning.

When you remain still, he presses the stone. The collar around your neck tightens so the spikes graze skin. You stand your ground.

The guard pushes the amulet again, this time the metal cruelly penetrating tender skin. The pain is immediate and severe. But you will die before you allow Yongguk to be harmed again.

“Kill me,” you taunt, allowing your teeth to grow and curve and your eyes to glow. “See how lenient your king will be if you do.”

He gulps but the spikes retreat and thrust again. Your teeth slip as you bite down on your lip, blood welling from the cuts.

Yongguk's hand squeezes your hip. “I will come.”

Whipping your head around, you tighten your hold on his wrist as he shifts his body around you. “No,” you whisper.

Yongguk turns his back to the others and tenderly wipes at the blood trickling down your chest from your wounds. His small smile is weary and resigned. “I will not let you die for me.”

“That is my choice, not yours,” you hiss back. You attempt to pull him back behind you, but he stands firm.

 A cry rips from your lips when the warden’s hand descends on Yongguk's shoulder to drag him away, but Yongguk shakes him off with a warning growl. He glares, gold flashing in his eyes. “I said I will come willingly,” he says with quiet menace. “Do not test me.”

“Let him say goodbye,” the noblewoman says, breaking her long silence. “It is endearing to see tenderness from a beast.”

Your nails dig into Yongguk's hands. “Endearing,” you mutter murderously. Cupping his cheek, you beg him even though you know it is useless. You can see it in the set of his eyes. “Please, don't do this. We know her intentions. It will kill me knowing I allowed you to be treated so while I still breathe.”

Yongguk bends his head to rub it against yours. “I have survived worse.” His determined smile wavers when he pulls away and brushes away a tear you hadn't realized you shed. “Don't cry, love. Where is my brave lioness who was just here?”

“She is still here.” You nuzzle his hand and take a deep breath to give him a strong face. Even as your heart is shattering. “Always.”

“Then I will always return.” His lips skim yours and then his touch is gone.

He strides out of the cell, majestic as a king. The door slams after him. The lock echoes against the walls and you collapse.

The stones bruise your knees but you do not care. A despairing keening rips from your lips. You failed. Though Yongguk went by his volition, you failed. He went to protect you. By being here, you directly caused him to be violated again. It is your fault. You strike the flagstones so hard some of rock splinters. It is not enough to lessen the pain tearing your heart apart.

Previous Part, Next Part

(Kingdom Map, The Keep Map, Weres scale, Were Guide)

[talonsaga-trash]

How to Draw Stuff: By Marine

Hey, y’all! This is Marine, y’know, the kid that runs this blog, writes the fanfiction, and does all of the fanart? I’m sure you do, or if you don’t, you will by the end of this really long post where I show you how the very long process I go through to produce one (1) piece of suitable art. Enjoy my insane and somewhat sarcastic rambles.

Goal: Turn this

into this

Using a mechanical pencil, straightedge, eraser, ballpoint pen, and colored pencils. Easy enough, right? (Hah....)

Step 1: Draw the outline.

Wow, for something so simplistic it took so long. *How long, Marine?* Ah, voice inside my head, I’m glad you asked. Sometimes an outline can take merely ten minutes, but considering this drawing was of two characters interacting and Wes’ legs are foreshortened, it took me somewhere around 30 or 40 minutes due to messing up many times and looking up references to figure out what the heck I’m doing. *Wow, Marine, that’s amazing you can focus for that long for such a small payoff* It’s either this or my summer homework, little voice.

Step 2: Sketch details

So here is where these vague shapes start to look like vague people. I start with the face, then hair, then clothing, which is MUCH easier than it sounds at this point. I usually use references of previous drawings to make sure everything stays consistent. *Except for your first drawing where Riley was white* Except for my first drawing where Riley was white. Thanks for bringing up the one drawing that should never see the light of day except on blog anniversaries. *My pleasure, Marine* Fuck you, little voice.

Step 3 Ink in foreground

So it still looks crummy, but you can see the characters and read my handwriting. *A feat within itself* So everyone tells me. So you may see some changes between step two and three, in this case Wes’ eyes change. I did actually pencil that in beforehand, but almost everything was inked so I didn’t take a picture. The only thing that I do NOT pencil in before inking is my neat writing, even if I scribble it beforehand. If you look closely, I messed up my writing and had to use white-out.

Step 4 Draw the background

FUCK THIS STEP I HATE THIS STEP. The background is tricky for me because frankly, I suck at backgrounds. That look me like, 30 minutes. This step is also where my older sister stole my eraser and then forgot to give it back, leaving me to just lightly scribble out my mistakes until I could get it back. I also continue to pencil/ink parts of the character that I forgot to put in the first time.

Step 5 Ink the Background

Yeah. Now the background looks like a real thing that exists instead of an abstract blob of crossed out lines. But nothing exciting usually happens. Except for hand cramps. Onto the next step.

Step 6 Color the Background

Yay, coloring is fun! *Really, Marine? You think that coloring is fun?* Correction: Coloring characters is fun. Coloring backgrounds is sometimes fun. This background was alright until I got to the wall, where it was ALL THE SAME COLOR and it’s a really helpful color that I don’t like wasting (It’s actually used in Dante/Ember’s skin tone, believe it or not). Backgrounds are still tricky because I hate them you can’t let anything pop out and take away from what you’re supposed to be looking at, e.g. the white figures smack in the middle of the page. To do this, I usually pick a color and try to make everything have undertones of it, thus dulling the background to an extent. In this drawing, it was purple. *Why is it purple, Marine?* Because I bloody like purple, sheesh. As you can see, the wall is purple, the curtains are a purple-brown, the table is... a jerk. Wood doesn’t like being purple unless it’s purpleheart, and no motel would make a table out of purpleheart because purpleheart is from Africa.

Step 7 Skin tone

Skin tone deserves a post within itself, but I’ll just give it a step. You see those colored pencils sitting next to Wes and Riley? Those are the colors that I used. *No shit, Marine* You’re not helping, little voice. These colors might not seem like much, but let me tell you something: Riley’s skin tone is always, without fail, too dark. I have to put down the dark brown, then the light brown, then erase it, then put down more light brown, and then dark brown again. Otherwise it’s too dark and makes shading look off. Wes, on the other hand, is easy. He’s the only character that I just have one pencil for (except for shading, but that’s another matter)

Now Wes only has one pencil. Riley has two, Garret has two, Jade has two. Ember has two, three when I remember to draw freckles. Tristan has three, four with scar tissue. Mist has five. This is why I’ve only drawn Mist three times.

Step 8 Color foreground

Yeah, nothing much happens. I recently have been putting more work into their eyes, but this is not the most recent of drawings. I usually try to put Riley in purple/pink because it goes well with his skin tone. On a similar note, Wes usually goes in blues/blue-greys, but as you can see, I kinda forgot to color his shirt when I took this picture. That will happen next step, which is

Step 9 Shading

Holy shit! It looks finished! Amazing what a difference twenty minutes of figuring out what the light is trying to do and drawing accordingly makes! They look slightly less two dimensional! *Twenty minutes? That’s kinda sad.* S H U T Y E R F A C E.

My default light point is the top left corner, but I also often do top right. Everything else I try to avoid because it’s hard. Something I’m still working on is contouring face, collar, and muscles. I’m getting better, but it’s still touch and go at this point. I’m also working on incorporating highlights into everything using my eraser, which I’ve gotten back from my sister since step 4. Thank you, sis.

So that’s how I do the art! It’s very hard, and very fun, and my hand usually cramps, but I haven’t spilled orange juice on anything yet (Thought there have been multiple accounts of dropping my pen tip-down on the drawing and scrambling to fix it). Over all, I give art a 10/10 would try. But judging from this post, don’t ask me to teach you. I only have a half an idea of what I’m doing.

Marine, out.

[adampage]

AJ Birthday Drabble

Summary: Just your regular ol’ fluff and smut. AJ surprises his girl with a night at the Georgia Aquarium.

Word Count: 2,280 lol apparently this is what I call drabble

Warnings: uhhh Daddy kink, light choking. that’s it really

Author’s Note: The idea just came to me yesterday, idk. Love y’all bye

Tagging: @llowkeys / @the-geekgoddes / @crowleysqueenofhell / @xxmaddhatter39xx / @justrae9903 / @ajstylesworld / @wrestlewriting (idk if you’ll like it but idk) / @wrestlingbabe / @sexygamommy / @xstylesxclashx / @xuhwheredidkylogox / @remembertheclub /

“I bought out the Georgia Aquarium for the night.” “You did what?” “You heard me.” “No you didn’t.” “Yes I did.” “AJ, it’s your birthday, not mine!” AJ nuzzled into her, chuckles escaping his lips and landing on her neck as warm, humid breath. “I know it’s my birthday. That’s why I got myself a birthday present. Tonight, we sleep with the fishes.” She giggled at his near-literal use of the phrase, entwining her fingers with his own as he dragged her up the steps of the Georgia Aquarium, the night sky bright with the white lights of Atlanta’s windows. The letters CNN glowed red amongst them, with the large Phillips arena behind. Just a few days ago, AJ had lost there, in his home state, clad in Georgia red. She remembered the crowd chanting his name that night, the looks on people’s faces when they realized he’d lost at home. The hometown curse, they called it, though the ATL wasn’t exactly his hometown. Still, it was close enough. She sighed, content. This had been the week long homecoming she’d been aching for, not having seen him in months. AJ was doing them a favor in finding a beautiful, quiet place to be together. And it was just as well: what can you get the man who has everything? “Come on, sweetheart. I want you to see the otters.” Her white sun dress wasn’t enough to keep her warm, so she did her best to hold on to his arm all the way through to the main area. From there, he led them through what she would call the kids’ exploration area, where, had the aquarium been open, children could dip their hands and feel at the different kinds of faceless marine life, like starfish. [Y/N] was enjoying herself so much already; everywhere she looked was a new tank of blue water filled with tiny multi-colored fish swimming in schools, she nearly forgot about the otters. AJ squeezed her hand, pointing to her right. “Look,” he said in a hushed tone, as he dragged her towards the glass. “They’re sleeping.” The noise that came out of her mouth when she noticed the otters holding hands in their sleep was enough to wake them from their slumber. “Oh, no,” she cried, “I woke them.” “Don’t worry,” AJ said, kissing her sweetly on the hand, “I think they’re nocturnal this time of year anyway. I read that somewhere.” “You mean this sign?” she inquired sarcastically, pointing at the nearby sign. “Maybe,” he grinned. One of the otters peeked up, one hand covering an eye, rubbing at it to wash away the sleep. “I’m dead,” [Y/N] laughed, her heart aching at how fucking adorable the otter was. She looked at AJ, as if to ask if he was seeing what she was seeing, and she caught him gazing at her with such love in his bright eyes that it was enough to make her heart burst, so she leaned forward, arms hooking around his neck to bring AJ into a deep, passionate, loving kiss. His fingers lightly grazed the arms around him, causing her hairs to stand on end, her nipples hardening beneath the sheer fabric of her dress, and [Y/N] let out a squeal of pleasure. The otters chirped in reply, and AJ paused their kiss to rest his forehead against hers and giggle restlessly. “This is the best birthday present ever and I’m glad I thought about it,” he declared, hands now slowly inching her dress higher up her thigh. [Y/N]’s breaths shallowed, inhaling and exhaling quickly, hands reaching for the scruff of his beard. The terse hairs beneath her fingertips reminded her of all the moments they scratched at the sensitive skin between her legs, and she grew wetter with each thought. “AJ, baby,” she breathed. “Is there anywhere in this place that’s a little bit more, I don’t know, intimate?” His eyes flashed, as if he’d actually been prepared for a moment like this. “I was prepared for a moment like this, come on, let’s go.” He grabbed her hand and led her through the aquarium, blue waters within the place reflecting off every surface in a beautiful blue glow around them. [Y/N] smiled to herself. AJ looked positively stunning surrounded by blue. Granted, he looked good in every color - red, black, white included. But there was nothing more arousing than the way the man appealed to her in every shade of blue imaginable. He took a sharp turn through a door she never would’ve noticed, had the aquarium been crowded on a normal day. It seemed like a perfectly normal office corridor, and they passed by many doors, each with its own cute aquatic themed nameplates, describing what was held inside. Staffing Lounge, Restroom (Employees Only), etc. As [Y/N] began to wonder if they were going to enter one that said Broom Closet, the walls transitioned from their bland office look, to full on aquatic glass tunnel. She’d never seen this area before. A small brass plate near the glass read, “VIP: Reserved.” Passing through the tunnel, she looked down at the carpet beneath her feet, and she could feel the air around them darkening. With a small gasp, she reached for AJ’s arm, and he whispered, “look up.” Above them was the creamy white underbelly of a whale shark, its massive body darkening the light refracting through the water. The other, smaller fish danced and hopped around it, treading lightly around this massive, aquatic being, though [Y/N] knew there was nothing to be afraid of, as whale sharks were some of the most somber, serene species of shark. “Here we go,” AJ said, breaking [Y/N]’s focus on the awesome sight. He pointed down the tunnel, where another door appeared. It had a keycard lock. “AJ, what is this?” “Trust me. You’ll see,” he stated calmly, though she could practically feel the energy and excitement in his undertones. Her breath hitched as the door beeped open to a sight more wonderful than all she had seen this night. A giant, king-sized bed with a darling blue comforter detailing the very same marine life she could see above. The room was like a piece of tunnel carved out on its own, the walls and ceiling one and the same. She turned to AJ, eyes nearly wet with tears. “This is amazing!” she exclaimed. “I thought as much,” he said, nearing closer. “I’m glad you like it.” “So I guess we really are sleeping with the fishes?” “Damn right, Missy.” Oh, God. So there it was. Just like that? It was a silent implication, one they never really talked about. But she knew. If he called her Missy, it was party time. She jumped into his arms, legs wrapping around his waist and meeting him for a passionate kiss. AJ’s strong, toned arms held her with ease as he took them towards the bed. He laid her flat, fingers entwined as he raised her arms over her head, kissing her everywhere he could get his lips on. He tugged at the fabric of her dress, wanting to see her beautiful naked form so badly it would kill him if he didn’t, but she stopped him, and with her legs still wrapped around him, [Y/N] flipped him over to lay flat beneath her. Eyebrows furrowed, he looked at her inquisitively, yet loving the look of triumph on her face. She gave him a coy smile, eyes filled with lust. You’ll see, they said, and AJ’s cock hardened under her, rubbing at her sex through two layers of fabric. “Ooh,” she moaned, grinding her hips into him as he groaned, his nails scratching slowly down her thighs. Remembering this was his birthday, not hers, she slid off of him at the edge of the bed, to his lightning fast protest. “Trust me, this is better for you,” she replied. “Darlin’, you know I get off on seeing you squirm.” “I know, I know,” she conceded, undoing his belt buckle and sliding his jeans down to pool at the floor next to her feet. “But today I want to see just how badly I can make you squirm for me. I’ll enjoy it, I promise.” With that, his battle for dominance was over, and [Y/N’]’s own began. It really was massive, she thought, staring his cock. Her body shivered at the thought of it inside her. But this was no time for that, and without further ado she wet her plump lips and took her first taste. “Oh, God!” he groaned almost immediately. Nearly, she thought. I’ll have him breathlessly swearing like a sailor in no time. It was enough to have her panties soaking. She took him in further, fighting back the urge to choke as she thought about how fucking sexy he looked when he was writhing beneath her. “Jeez, oh, Jesus,” he gasped, raising himself on his elbows to get a good look at [Y/N] pleasuring him with all she had. She pumped his cock with her mouth so sexually, up and down, up and down, sometimes slowing the rhythm to make him beg for more. “Holy, God, oh, sh-” he continued; the torture she was putting him through was just pure agony. “Mmmm.” He reached to grab her by the hair, but she pulled away just in time, forcing him to deal with his own chaotic emotions. [Y/N], pleased with herself at the state AJ was in, finally jumped into his lap, straddling him. His cock, erect and lathered with his own juices and her saliva, bumped and pressed at her entrance (who knew when she had dropped her panties?) as she gave him an open mouth kiss, allowing AJ to taste himself on her lips. “Come on, Daddy,” she moaned, unable to bear it any longer, “fuck me like you mean it.” “F-fuck, Missy. Ya had me beggin’.” She giggled in reply, helping his cock position itself perfectly at her sopping wet entrance. “Ya ready?” he asked, and before she could let out a “yes” he was inside her, cock expanding her like no other man (as if she wanted another) could do. It was an experience unlike any other, and she did her best to play her part. “Nah, Missy. You just sit tight and let Daddy do all the work,” he replied, arching his hips above the bed and literally fucking her into oblivion. [Y/N] was seeing stars already, it was so intense. She closed her eyes and raised her head up, opening them to catch a dolphin swimming overhead. She looked back down at her lover, smiling as he noticed, too. He flipped her over, pulling his shirt off and over his head as he did. AJ was like that. He wanted her to feel every part of him, touch every bit of him, make him feel warm and whole like he knew he could do to her. He stopped mid-stroke, pulling the hanging straps of her white dress even lower down her arms, revealing round, plump breasts. She could feel his cock harden even more inside her. He enjoyed a nice ass, of course, but he wasn’t going to say he hated to squeeze a breast or suck on a nipple now and again. So that’s what he did. It was [Y/N]’s turn to moan in pleasure as sucked expertly at her breast, stopping now and again to leave bites along its roundness, a thumb rubbing harshly at her clit, like he knew she enjoyed. He began to tease her, knowing the combined sensations of sucking her nipple, rubbing at her clit, and his quick strokes inside her would be her undoing, so he would slow himself, cocky smile and proud eyes locking onto hers. “Daddy,” she cried. “Don’t tease me like this.” He reached a hand back up to her neck, lightly choking her, making her feel all the more light-headed and dazed. “Not yet, darlin’. Almost.” She held back tears of agony mixed with ecstasy, nodding tersely. He was so close, she could feel it. She clenched around him, her own body begging for release. His breaths were coming fast and shallow, groans spilling from his mouth as well as her own. “God, Missy,” he gasped, “I’m gonna come.” She took the opportunity to dig her nails right into his back, lips right at his ear. “Come for me, Daddy. Oh, God, Daddy, please come for me.” “Yeah?” “Oh, God, yes,” came her reply. And his warm seed spilled within her, her own walls spasming with every stroke, both of them moaning each other’s names with reckless abandon. When at last they settled, AJ dropped his body onto hers, sweat sticking between them, and she held onto him, not once moving underneath him but squeezing him tightly as if to say, “I’m here and I’ll never let you go.” Content, she looked up again, surprised once more, having forgotten where they were. The blue water was marvelous, giving both of them a sense of peace they would probably never feel any place else than beneath this wonderful aquatic view. AJ finally rolled off of her, propped up on an elbow at her side, watching her watch the fish skittering by above. “Happy birthday to me,” he whispered. [Y/N] smiled sweetly at him, opening her mouth and then closing it again, deciding not to speak her mind. “What is it?” he said, puzzled, entranced as he stroked her hair. She laughed. “I guess the only way you can top this now is if we have sex in space.”

[luxelipssinkships]

Make Up Is Art

Another month, another awesome Boxy Charm delivery! I was excited to see what I got after watching a few different unboxing videos. I just got it today, so I cannot really give detailed reviews, but I have swatched everything and tested it out. I will give my quick, initial thoughts on each product, now let’s get started!

The Brow Gal The Convertible Brow $35.00

“The Convertible Brow is a powder/pomade duo that acts as a powder when used dry and a pomade when used wet to fill in and apply color and definition to the brows. Each compact has a warm, neutral, and ash tone to allow you to mix your perfect, custom color. If used wet, the palette will revert back to powder consistency, ensuring the product does not dry out.”

I was really looking forward to this product because brow powders are my favorite  thing to use on my brows. It looks natural and deposits enough pigment without looking crazily overdone. This little palette has three different shades for brown hair, making it perfect for a lot of different undertones. I prefer an ashier color for my brows, but nothing too grey. I will probably use the middle and right most shades the most often, but I love having all three colors. This would be perfect for a make up artist’s kit!

The Brow Gal Brow Brush $14.00

“This double ended brow brush was designed to allow for precision and creating hair-like strokes, while filling in the brows.”

I’ve said it before, I love when they put products in the boxes that work together. I already have a few angled brushes, but I really like having multiple so I can use one for powders, one fore eyeliner and one for brow pomades.

Temptu X Boxycharm Liquid Glow Hand Applied Highlighter $24.00

“In this limited edition collaboration with Boxycharm, TEMPTU introduces Liquid Glow, its first hand-applied highlighter. Formulated to deliver a radiantly luminous complexion, or to illuminate all over, this long-lasting formula is designed in a rose gold hue that flatters every skin tone and creates a natural, lit-from-within glow.”

TEMPTU has always been an odd brand to me, mostly because I never understood the appeal of spray paint make up. This highlight is supposed to be applied by hand though, so maybe they are branching out into different kinds of products. This is a very watery formula, making it perfect for blending in with foundation or moisturizer. It has a golden undertone, so I can really see it looking beautiful paired with a warm eye look.

Crown Brushes Large Round Contour Buffer Brush $24.99

“This super soft paddle brush can be used with any liquid, powder, or cream product for a full coverage application.”

Oddly enough, this was the product I was most excited to try, because I have been wanting to own one of these paddle style brushes forever. I wasn’t going to spend over $100 on Artis brushes, so I am happy I can test this application style out for much less. The bristles are extremely densely packed, more so than I thought they would be, but that’s good for placing product without soaking up too much. This says it’s meant for contour, but I most often see these used for applying foundation, so that’s what I plan on doing with it. I will let y’all know how it works out!

IBY Beauty Highlight & Contour Palette $40.00

“Sculpt, define, and illuminate your features with the Highlight and Contour Palette. Chic and portable, this PRO-approved kit comes in 6 versatile shades.”

This is our second product from IBY beauty, and I am already really impressed by the quality. These powders are very creamy and buttery and blend like a dream. I prefer powder to cream contour, it is easier to get a clean look, creams tend to look muddy on me. Honestly though, I never find myself using matte cream highlight powders, I think they settle into texture and age my skin. The contour and bronzer shades are beautiful though, and the three different undertones make them perfect for different skintones.

Overall total of this month’s box: $137.99

Let me know what you got in your box this month, and what your thoughts were!

Glowingly yours,

Jess

May Boxy Charm 2017 Make Up Is Art Another month, another awesome Boxy Charm delivery! I was excited to see what I got after watching a few different unboxing videos.

[kurlsandkoils-blog]

Rihanna’s Fenty beauty

Hey curl friends! Two wonderful things happened last week. My birthday, also known as, K- Day and Rihanna’s new make up line, Fenty Beauty was released. Let me tell you, it is everything plus more. If you’re anything like me, natural hair products aren’t the only things your paychecks go to. I LOVE makeup! Unfortunately, how many makeup lines work black women skin types? For both light skinned tones and dark? Not many. So when a well-known black woman makes a makeup line for black women, I was ready to give her all of my money!

As I stated earlier, the line is called The Fenty beauty collection and is sold on the Fenty website and Sephora.  It includes lipsticks, primers and concealers, brushes, highlight and 40 SHADES of foundations. Did y’all hear me? A black woman made makeup for black women has 40 different shades of foundation!! I am no professional make up artist but I do know there aren’t just dark brown, light brown, light, etc. You can’t just pick out a color that you think will match your skin because you have to think about your specific undertone colors as well. Make up does this thing called oxidation where a specific foundation color can change 2 shades darker on your skin through out the day as oxygen hits it. This make up line understood all of that and MORE.

Unfortunately, there was a bit of Rihanna slander. Not everyone was educated in Rihanna’s choices of color for foundation. But let me be the first to say that no Rihanna slander shall prosper! Lol. There was not only a wide range of color for women of color but also plenty of options for those with lighter skin. Most people took to social media to talk about this. Why would a woman of color make a line of makeup with lighter shades than dark? I will tell you why; because black women comes in all shade and the line was for all skin colors. Rihanna not only reached out to our chocolate sisters and our caramel sisters BUT to our sisters will albinism as well. Being an albino woman must be tough, while choosing make up, as many make up lines don’t have anything close to their skin tone. Rihanna however decided to change that. She also made it so that any woman out there who loves make up had more choices to choose from, no matter what skin color. Keep it up Rih, you’re doing amazing sweetie!!

 What did you all think of Rihanna’s new line? Leave a reply or drop your pictures showing off your Fenty Beauty!

 Until next time, TTYL

 Xoxo,

Kortney