Karien’s Glam Diaries

 💧Mix Micellar Water Into Foundation for a Skin-Like Finish Add 1–2 drops of micellar water to matte foundation. It sheers it out, helps it blend like skincare, and gives a “real skin” glow — without losing coverage.

Highlighter Purpose: To reflect light and enhance high points of the face. 🔹 Texture: Comes in powder, cream, or liquid form. Often shimmery or sparkly. 🔹 Where It's Applied: Cheekbones Brow bone Nose bridge & tip Cupid’s bow 🔹 Finish: Glowy, luminous, radiant, and sometimes blingy. Adds shine and glow but can look obvious or textured if overused on oily/combo skin. ✨ Cheek Glaze Purpose: To give a dewy, fresh, almost wet look — like healthy glowing skin, not sparkle. 🔹 Texture: Usually a balm, gel, or glossy cream. Can feel like a lip balm or light oil. 🔹 Where It's Applied: Mainly on the cheekbones or tops of cheeks. Sometimes used on eyelids or nose tip for editorial looks. 🔹 Finish: Glossy, dewy, natural glassy skin effect. Has little to no shimmer — looks like skin, not makeup

 I keep getting the question What is transition in makeup👇👇👇👇👇  When we say “transition” in makeup, especially in eyeshadow, we’re talking about the color you use to help blend other eyeshadow colors smoothly — especially between your crease and brow bone. Think of it like this: 👉🏽 You can’t just jump from a dark eyeshadow to your skin. It will look harsh and unblended. 👉🏽 So, we use a transition shade — usually a soft, medium-toned color — to help everything fade nicely into each other. 🎨 Where Do You Apply It? On your crease area — that’s the part between your eyelid and your brow bone. It creates a soft background that makes other colors easier to blend. 🟤 What Colors Can Be Transition Shades? For light skin: soft browns, peaches, light orange. For dark skin: warm browns, burnt orange, reddish browns. The key is: it should be slightly darker than your skin tone, but not too bold. I hope its clear now

 Difference btw soft glam and full glam  💕 Soft Glam: Simple and clean makeup Natural-looking skin Soft eyeshadow (brown, nude, peach tones) Light lashes Glossy or nude lips 👉 It’s the type of makeup you can wear to church, brunch, or daytime events. Think: “I’m wearing makeup, but it’s not shouting.” 💥 Full Glam: Bold and dramatic makeup Full coverage foundation Smokey or colorful eyeshadow Long lashes Sharp brows, contour, and blinding highlight Bold lipstick (red, wine, deep shades) 👉 It’s perfect for photoshoots, parties, weddings, or going all-out. Think: “I want to turn heads and look like a baddie.” #

 A client once came in for a makeover and told me she just broke up with her boyfriend that morning. I comforted her and started her makeup. Her face was already snatched — brows on fleek, lashes set. Suddenly, she saw a message from him and started crying. Like serious tears! I was just whispering, “Aunty, abeg no cry o, your eyebrow!” She replied, “Let me cry small!” Before I could stop her, she rubbed her face and wiped one eyebrow completely off. 😭 We both burst out laughing, and she said, “Omo, this heartbreak is not makeup-friendly.” Ontop this work  My eyes have seen shege banza 😂

 One sunny afternoon, a new client strolled in with full confidence, swinging a tiny black purse and saying, “Please I brought my own makeup. I don’t want anything to spoil my skin o!” Me: “Okay ma, no wahala. Let’s see what you have.” She placed the purse on the table like it was a million-dollar beauty vault. I was expecting foundation, primer, setting spray... you know, basic things. She unzipped it slowly, dramatically — like she was unveiling magic. Here’s what I saw: A white baby powder (yes, the one they use for diaper rash) A single blue eyeshadow that looked like it came from the year 2002 A lip gloss that had separated into clear oil and gooey jelly And the best part? A cracked mirror that looked like it had survived a war 😭 I held my laugh in like a true professional. I gently asked, “Aunty, where is the rest of the makeup?” She said, with full pride, “That’s all I use. Just help me add small foundation on top, and I’m good.” At this point, I had to breathe deep. I smil...

 👁️ What is the Crease? The crease is the fold above your eyelid — the small line that shows when you open your eyes. It’s just between your eyelid and your eyebrow. 🖌️ Why is it important? Because when you put a darker eyeshadow there, it: Shapes the eyes Makes the eyes look bigger Helps your makeup look more professional 🌟 What goes in the crease? You use a dark eyeshadow (like brown or wine) and a soft brush to apply it gently inside the fold — not on the eyelid. 👉 “The crease is where you put small dark shadow to make your eyes look fine and deep.” #highlights

  Here Are 5 Easy Tips to Get That Perfect Eyeshadow Look: 1️⃣  Always Use an Eyeshadow Base or Primer Applying eyeshadow directly to your bare eyelids is like painting on glass. 💡  Hack:  Use a light concealer or eyeshadow base — it makes the color pop and helps it last longer. 2️⃣  Start With Transition Shades Don’t just slap dark eyeshadow on your lid. Start with a warm brown in your crease to help other colors blend smoothly. 3️⃣  Use the Right Brushes Your finger can apply shimmer, but blending matte colors? Use a fluffy brush! ✨  Blending brush = smooth transition ✨  Flat brush = intense lid color 4️⃣  Pack First, Then Blend To make your shadow bold and bright,  press the color  on your lid first before blending the edges. It keeps the color pigmented and sharp! 5️⃣  Use Setting Spray on Your Brush for Shimmers Want your glitter or shimmer to look wet and intense? Spray your brush with setting spray first. Game changer!

  💄 Hello glam lovers! Lipstick can instantly level up your face — whether you're doing a soft glam or going full owambe mode. But are you using your lipstick to its full power? Here are  7 juicy lipstick hacks  that will change your makeup game forever: 1️⃣  Use Concealer to Define Your Lips After applying lipstick, clean the edges with a small brush and concealer. It gives you that crisp, polished pout — no smudges allowed! 2️⃣  Make Lipstick Last Longer Apply lipstick, blot with tissue, dust some powder over it, then reapply. Your lipstick will last through jollof rice and small chops. 🍛💋 3️⃣  Turn Any Lipstick Matte Instantly Don’t have a matte lipstick? Just pat a little translucent powder over your creamy lipstick — boom! Instant matte magic. 4️⃣  Create a Fuller Lip Without Surgery Apply a lighter shade in the center of your lips and a darker one around the edges. Blend softly — you’ve just overlined without the drama. 5️⃣  Use Lipstick ...

 Hello my beautiful students, It’s your glam coach, Ella Karien 💄✨ Today I want to share something very real with you — not a tutorial, but a few makeup mistakes I made as a beginner so that you won’t repeat them. We all start somewhere, and I used to think I needed to be perfect. But guess what? My biggest growth came from my silliest mistakes! So grab a drink and enjoy this little gist: ❌ Mistake 1: Using Too Much Powder I used to bake my whole face like meat pie 😅 What I didn’t know was that too much powder can make your face cakey and dry — especially under the eyes! What I learned: Just a little setting powder is enough. Press, don’t drag! ❌ Mistake 2: Drawing Brows Too Dark I once used a black pencil to draw thick brows that looked like angry birds 😭 What I learned: Always use brown or dark brown, and blend out the front with a spoolie for ombré effect. ❌ Mistake 3: Buying Everything Without Knowing My Skin Type I wasted money buying products that made me oily or gave me b...

  Apply Concealer Without Creasing One of the biggest struggles for beginners is when concealer starts cracking or creasing under the eyes. But with the right steps, you can get a smooth, flawless finish! 👁️  STEP 1: Prep Your Under Eyes Apply a little eye cream or moisturizer under your eyes. Let it sit for a few seconds so your concealer doesn’t look dry or cakey. 🧴  STEP 2: Use the Right Concealer Pick a concealer that is  not too thick  and not too watery. Choose one that’s  1–2 shades lighter  than your skin for a bright look. 💧  STEP 3: Less is More Apply  just a little  concealer in the inner and outer corners of the eye. You can also apply a tiny dot on your chin, forehead, and nose bridge if you like brightening. 🧽  STEP 4: Blend It Out Use a damp beauty sponge or brush. Start blending from the edges  inward . Tap gently — don’t drag! 🧂  STEP 5: Set Immediately As soon as you blend, set it with a  very s...

  This is for beginners who want to look fresh and fine without doing too much. Perfect for school, work, church, or casual outings. Let’s go step by step! 🧴  STEP 1: Skin Prep is Key Wash your face and pat dry. Apply moisturizer (hydrated skin = smooth makeup). Use primer (choose matte if you have oily skin, hydrating if dry). 🧴  STEP 2: Light Foundation or BB Cream Use a little product — just enough to even out your skin. Blend with a damp beauty sponge or brush. Don’t forget to blend down to your neck! 🧽  STEP 3: Conceal Where Needed Apply concealer under your eyes, around your mouth, or over dark spots. Blend well with your sponge. 💨  STEP 4: Set Lightly Use setting powder to set under the eyes, nose, forehead, and chin. Use very little — this is not full glam. 💖  STEP 5: Brows Brush your brow hairs up with a spoolie. Fill in only the sparse areas with a brow pencil. Keep the front soft, not boxy. Use concealer to clean underneath for a neat shape....

  There was a day I had a client — quiet, older woman, maybe in her late 40s. She booked me for a makeover for her daughter’s wedding. When she came in, she looked at me and said, “Please, just make me look beautiful. I haven’t worn makeup in years.” She sat quietly as I worked. No complaints, no mirror-checking, just calm. As I started blending her skin, I noticed she had scars and dark spots — signs of aging, maybe stress too. I worked carefully, choosing soft, warm tones to brighten her face but still make her look like herself. When I was done, I handed her the mirror. She stared… and tears dropped from her eyes. I panicked, thinking I had done something wrong. Then she said quietly, “This is the first time in 15 years that I feel beautiful. I forgot how I looked when I was younger.” I couldn’t even talk. I just held her hand and smiled.

🔆 Highlighter Highlighter is used to make your face shine and glow in certain places — like your cheekbone, nose, and under your brow. It catches light and makes your skin look fresh, dewy, and lifted  Bronzer Bronzer is used to add warmth and slight color to your face — like sun-kiss. It gives your skin a natural tan look and can make your face look slimmer or more sculpted. Bronzer is matte or slightly shimmery — it adds depth and color. Highlighter is shiny/glowy — it catches light. You can even use both together for a snatched, glowing look! 🧠 Easy Way to Remember: 🔆 Highlighter = Shine 🌞 Bronzer = Warmth I hope this helps 

Makeup artists, if you’ve never nearly glued a client's eye shut because of  unexpected sneezing , are you even in this business? 😭 Let me tell you how one sneeze almost ended an entire look. The Glam Started Smoothly… She came for a soft glam look. Everything was going well — brows, eyeshadow, concealer, blending... everything was giving. Then we reached the final stage:  lashes  😌 I brought out my lash glue like a pro. I told her, “Keep your eyes still — we’re almost done.” Then it happened. As I gently placed the lash strip, I noticed her nose twitch. I paused. She said,  “I think I’m about to snee—” Before she finished, she let out the biggest sneeze I’ve ever seen. POWW! The lash flew to one side. The glue touched her upper lid. I screamed inside:  “JESUS! Not like this!”  😩 The Recovery Mission: I gently wiped the glue, fixed the lashes, and told her, “Madam, next time if sneeze dey come, tell me well. I go pause!” 😂 She laughed so hard she almost...

  Some clients act like they just want light touch, until they start feeling themselves 😏 Story: She walked in: “Just small powder and maybe brows. Nothing serious.” I said, “Okay sis.” I started lightly. Then she saw the brows and said: “Can you add small concealer?” I added. Then she said: “Maybe just a little eyeshadow... okay blend it well. Oya add lashes.” Before we knew it — full glam activated! 😂 At the end she said: “Ahh! This makeup is giving me confidence I didn’t know I had!” Lesson: Never underestimate the power of a good brow and a little blending. Even “just powder” can turn to “wow wow wow!”

  Let’s be honest — makeup is fun, but it can also be confusing. You think you’re slaying until you check your mirror in daylight and see wahala 😩. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Let’s fix those tiny mistakes that might be stopping your makeup from popping! 1. Dragging Your Beauty Blender Instead of Bouncing Dragging smears your foundation. Bounce it gently to blend and get that smooth, filter-like finish. That’s where the magic happens! ✨🧽 2. Using the Wrong Shade of Concealer Too light makes you look like a ghost, too dark won’t highlight. Use 1–2 shades lighter for under-eyes, and blend well into your foundation. 3. Applying Powder All Over the Face Powder is for setting, not for baking the whole face. Apply mainly to oily areas — usually the T-zone — to keep your glow alive. 4. Ignoring Your Neck Please blend your foundation down to your neck. Your face and body must agree — no two-tone wahala 😅. 5. Skipping Primer Even walls get primed before painting. Primer helps your makeup ...

  One client sent me a picture and said, “I want this exact makeup. Same face, same skin, everything.” I zoomed in… and realized it was a heavily filtered Snapchat picture — smooth like butter, sparkles everywhere, eyes bright blue! 💀 I said, “Ma, this is a filter. This isn’t how makeup works in real life.” She replied, “But I want to look like this exactly. Can’t you do it?” 😭 Let’s just say I gave her the glam of her dreams — but I had to remind her: “Makeup enhances beauty, it doesn’t turn you into a cartoon!” 😂

  If you want your makeup to sit well and glow all day, here’s one golden rule: ✨  Let your skin breathe before makeup. After cleansing and moisturizing, wait at least  5 to 10 minutes  before applying your primer or foundation. This gives your skincare time to  absorb  properly and prevents your makeup from sliding or separating later. I always tell my students at  Karien’s Glam : “Rushing into foundation is like building a house on wet cement — it won’t last.” 🔥 Bonus Tips: Use a  hydrating mist  (like rose water) just before priming to wake up your skin. If your skin is oily, blot gently before starting makeup — don’t skip moisturizer! 💬 Your Turn: Do you let your skin breathe before you beat your face, or do you jump straight in? Try this tip today and thank me later 💁🏽‍♀️

  Let me tell you about the day I gained an unplanned assistant 😂 So I had a client booked for a birthday glam. She came in, looking all excited — and behind her was her  boyfriend , holding her bag and small cooler. I smiled politely and assumed he’d just drop her off. Nope. He followed her  inside the studio  and sat down comfortably like we were about to do family makeup 💀 As I started applying her foundation, he was watching me like I was doing surgery. Then he suddenly said: “Babe, tell her to make the brows sharp like that lady on Instagram.” 😩 I laughed and asked, “Oga, do you want to draw the brows yourself?” He said, “No o! But I know what suits her face more.” The client was just blushing and giggling while I tried not to roll my eyes too hard 😅 To be honest, he was very sweet — but every 5 minutes, he’d say: “Wow! See her nose! It’s popping!” “Ah ah! That lipstick is too red… try that other one.” At that point, I just told him, “Oga, if you touch my br...

  Some clients will always leave you speechless 😭 So that day, I had a client booked for a birthday soft glam. I already prepped her face, laid her brows, and was blending her foundation when she reached into her handbag and pulled out…  a takeaway pack of jollof rice  😳 I thought maybe she was just holding it — next thing, she opened it and said, “Abeg I never chop since morning. Just dey do your thing, I go dey eat small small.” Right there in the makeup chair — lashes halfway fixed — she started eating hot jollof rice, fried meat and all! 😭😭 The aroma was even making me hungry. I was just standing there with my beauty blender in the air, thinking…  “Is this real life?”  😂 She told me to continue and said, “No vex o, makeup sweet but hunger no dey hear English.”

  2. Groom Your Brows Naturally Your brows frame your face. Don’t overdo them—just brush them up with a spoolie, fill in sparse areas with a brow pencil or powder, and blend. Choose a  dark brown shade  (not black) for a soft, natural finish. 💡  Tip:  You can use  clear gel or hair wax  to set your brows in place. It helps them stay neat and lifted all day.

  🧴  The Best Way to Prep Your Skin Before Makeup If your makeup doesn’t last or starts looking patchy after a few hours, the problem might not be the products—it could be your  skin prep . Prepping your skin is the  most important step  to achieving a smooth, flawless finish. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you prep your skin before makeup. Trust me, your foundation will thank you! 💄✨ 1.  Start With a Clean Face Always begin with  cleansing . You need to remove oil, dirt, and any leftover product from your skin. 💡  Tip:  Use a gentle cleanser that doesn’t dry out your face. If your skin feels tight after washing—it’s too harsh! 2.  Tone It Up A good  toner  helps balance your skin’s pH and preps it to absorb moisture better. It also removes anything your cleanser might have missed. 💡  For Oily Skin:  Use a toner with salicylic acid or witch hazel. 💡  For Dry Skin:  Use a hydrating toner with...

  1.  Start with Moisturized Skin Healthy makeup starts with healthy skin. Always apply a  light moisturizer  that suits your skin type. If you’re oily, go for a water-based one. If you’re dry, choose something hydrating. This helps your makeup sit better and last longer. 💡  Tip:  If you’ll be out during the day, apply a  moisturizer that has SPF . 2.  Groom Your Brows Naturally Your brows frame your face. Don’t overdo them—just  brush them up with a spoolie , fill in sparse areas with a  brow pencil or powder , and blend. Choose a  dark brown shade  (not black) for a soft finish. 💡  Tip:  You can use clear gel or hair wax to set your brows in place. 3.  Use a Skin Tint or Light Foundation Instead of heavy foundation, try a  skin tint or BB cream . It gives you  light coverage  and lets your natural skin shine through. You just want to  even out your complexion , not cover every little detai...

  Makeup is fun and creative, but for beginners, it can also be a bit tricky. If you’re new to makeup, chances are you’ve made one or two of these common mistakes. Don’t worry—everyone starts somewhere, and the good news is, every mistake has a simple fix. Let’s dive into 5 beginner makeup mistakes and how to correct them like a pro 💄👇 1.  Using the Wrong Foundation Shade The Mistake: Buying a foundation that looks great in the bottle—but ends up too light or too dark on your skin. Fix It: Always test foundation  on your jawline or neck , not your hand. Nigerian skin tones are rich and diverse, so choose brands that offer  wide shade ranges  like Zikel, Nuban Beauty, or Tara. If you're in-between shades,  mix two close colors to get your perfect match. 2.  Skipping Primer The Mistake: Applying makeup directly on dry, oily, or unprepped skin. Fix It: Primer is the  base that makes your makeup last  and look smoother. For oily skin, use a...

  Welcome to Karien’s Glam! 💄 I'm Ella Karien, a makeup artist in Nigeria who loves sharing beauty tips, tutorials, and real-life client stories. Here, you’ll find makeup tricks for beginners, product reviews, and some laughs from my journey. Let’s glow together! ✨