Waaahhh, so loving the warm reactions I've been getting to my giveaway! Totally unexpected but I have read every single comment and have laughed and cried. ^^ Please keep entering here because the giveaway will end on 11-10-09 at 8pm CST. This is all for you guys for being such wonderful readers and friends. ;)

As my twitter followers have probably heard, my husband had to go to the ER last night. He was in a ton of pain at about 10:40pm on his left side near the back. Not just pain, but so much pain that he was physically shaking and sweating. Pretty scary stuff. We got to the ER very quickly, just before 11, and hubs got an IV and CAT scan which was clear. He also got pain meds in his IV about 4 times which did nothing for his pain at all! I can't tell you how frustrating it is when your husband doesn't even want to talk or hold your hand because of the amount of pain he is in. Hours were passing, and the doctor told us he wanted hubs to stay overnight in the hospital. We moved into a hospital room at around 2:30am and after things were situated, I pushed together a few chairs and got a few hours of sleep around 3:45.

The doctor apparently gave hubs morphine which finally eased some of his pain for the first time at 5am. In the morning the doctor told us that it was probably a kidney stone that passed overnight, which are notorious for being extremely painful. It was missed by the CAT scan but they found blood in his urine sample. My poor baby. T.T We got home at around noon today, so our goal has just been to take it easy. Hubs is feeling much better, and I just really want to thank those who were supporting me last night.

OKAY so now that the drama is mostly over, I wanted to post up something I've been talking about for a while, Wonder Eyelid Tape by the Japanese company D-up. This has been my double eyelid crease-maker of choice lately because it is seriously very natural and doesn't take much makeup to look nice. The trick to this tape is that it is actually double-stick, sticky on both sides.



Here is my application tutorial:



It's very thin so I find it works best for those with thinner lids or those with more defined creases. I actually originally tried this out a year ago and I'm not sure if my technique was off then or my creases just didn't work well with the product, but I was quite frustrated with the results. The tape would come off within an hour and came off as soon as I applied eyeshadow. I can't say exactly what changed, but I decided to pick it up and try again a year later. This time, I was very pleasantly surprised. As long as I applied shadow before tape application and was very careful to place the tape without touching it, it would often last all day. In cases where it doesn't, it usually still sticks 80% which at least holds the crease. Compared to Eye Charm tape which doesn't hide itself at all because it only sticks on one side, it is quite an interesting change!

I will say that there are some pros and cons with Wonder Eyelid tapes.

Pros:
* Crease is hidden and more natural-looking
* Able to wear less eye makeup
* No need to use eyeliner to "camouflage" tape
* Seems to hold crease better than traditional tape
* Lashes appear longer than with Eye Charm (probably because of less eyeliner)

Cons:
* Can be difficult to get ahold of
* Price (about $17 USD for 1 pack vs. about $5 for 1 pack of Eyecharm)
* Can't apply makeup AFTER tape application or tape will become loose faster
* Eyes appear smaller than with Eye Charm
* Crease doesn't always stay "deep" since the tape is skinny

Overall, Wonder tapes win out over Eye Charm for daily looks due to its naturalness for me. I think I still prefer Eye Charm for really dramatic or smokey eyes since the tape is thicker and therefore has more "strength" to hold the skin below the crease up, causing a larger eye shape. (This may only make sense to monolidders!) But I do find that Wonder tapes have a tendency to create a semi-permanent crease more often than Eye Charm. I'll probably still use both depending on my mood and makeup type.

Since pics can often explain better than my words can, here are a ton of pics of Wonder Eyelid Tape (old and new versions) and also my application.

Old Version (Mild type) and New Version (Extra type)


Old version came with 40 pairs of tapes, 1 V-shaped applicator, and 2 oil cleansing removers


Tape packaging has greatly improved! There are now 60 pairs in each pack and it is much easier to remove from the backing.


Previous tapes had backing in 1 strip, but new version has the backing split in the middle for easy removal.


Instructions from the new packaging.


Pulling off second half of backing. First half was already pulled off.


Tape on the applicator


Now, here is my makeup process.

Clean eye, no makeup. Prime lids with eyeshadow primer first.


Next, apply shadows with pink on the lid, copper for the outer contour, and highlight the browbone. You could use NYX Flamingo, Almond, and Cream Cheese for these colors OR the top left well of the Stila Barbie Palette.


Apply MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack.


Here is my eye after the tape application, with curled and mascara'd lashes.


Aaaand my face.



You can buy Wonder Eyelid Tape with the new packaging from me at http://frmheadtotoe.bigcartel.com. I haven't seen a huge difference in efficacy between "Mild" and "Extra" type honestly, the tape backing is just more difficult to remove with the old packaging.

Okay, hope this THOROUGH and too-long review was helpful! As a disclaimer, I would love it if you guys could refrain from comments like "you look better with..." because, I mean, choosing JUST ONE WAY really isn't the point. Spreading the word about what's available so you can make your own decision is. ;)

Love you all!

xoxo

For those single-lidders who find that constantly buying tape is a hassle or feel that the tape they buy doesn't fit their eyes well, this is an option for you. Cut your own! It is very inexpensive to buy a roll of 3M clear athletic tape in comparison to constantly buying pre-cut tapes. Also, you can find it at any Walmart or Target near the bandage section which is a nice alternative to going to an Asian beauty store if you don't have one nearby. Since one roll only costs around $3 USD, it is much more cost-effective to cut your own, plus you can adjust it to whatever shape you want. I found that a lot of pre-cut tapes aren't as wide or long as I want them to be, so it's nice to make it just right myself.


Tools needed:
*Nexcare Flexible Clear Tape, 3/4"
*Sharp Scissors

First, cut the length that you would like your eyelid tape to be. I prefer mine to be a little longer (for when I am just at home or if I choose to wear it at night when I sleep) but it's up to your own preference.


Next, cut the tape in half lengthwise. You should have two long rectangular strips. Carefully place one strip where it won't get stuck to anything.


Take your scissors and round off the corners of the tape. You want to end up with a smooth, long oval. Do this for both tapes.


Cut the oval in half again, lengthwise.


Finally, round off the sharp corners once more. If you do this for all tapes (including the half you set aside in the beginning), you should end up with 4 eyelid tapes in the end.


If the tape is too wide, you can always make it skinnier or shorter on the sides. Practice makes perfect, so I would suggest making a few in different shapes and sizes to see what looks best on you. Just remember that you can always make it smaller but you can't make a cut tape bigger, so start out wider and longer in case you want to cut it down. Another thing that helps is to study the shape of pre-cut tapes and try to mimic it. After a few tries, it'll get much easier to cut it just the way you need. Hopefully this will save you in emergencies when you run out of tape and can't make it to the beauty store, or if you get frustrated with what's available. Good luck!

Hey guys, just thought I'd do a little tutorial for the girls who are single-lidded and want to know how to apply makeup with eyelid tape. It seemed like a useful thing to do. I know a lot of people might get all controversial over this, but like I said, I mean this to be useful and a helpful thing for single-lidded girls who want variety to their look. This tutorial can also be used for girls with double lids. Just for the record, I do love my single lids too (of course since I've made tutorials!) but I love the freedom of variety and I haven't seen any tutorials like this. Please be open-minded and feel free to send me your results! :)

FAQ

1. What are single-lids and double lids?
Single lids are eyelids that don't have a crease above the lash line. Double lids do. There are many naturally double-lidded and single-lidded Asians in the world.

2. What is eyelid tape?
Eyelid tape is a small, curved strip of medical tape used to form a crease on the eyelid. Some say that it stretches out the lid, but I find that if you put some water on the tape at the end of the day, it comes off with no tugging.

3. What brand of tape did you use?
I used "Eye Charm" (아이참) brand, but it's not really my favorite. It gets the job done though. Just find whatever fits you best.



TOOLS


All mascara and eyeliners are in black.




Step 1.
First, apply the tape. Try to make it so that the crease is a natural size for your eye shape and size. This might take a few tries so don't get too frustrated if you can't get them even the first time! Practice makes perfect and soon you will know what looks best on you.


Step 2.
Next, apply highlighter (color 1 in the revlon palette) to the brow bone. Use a medium shade (color 3) and apply color to your lid above and to the outside of the tape. The color should fade in, about 2/3 of the way into your lid.


Step 3.
Add a darker color (color 4) as contour to your lid. Try taking a smaller brush and running it along the area right beneath your brow bone. It should almost make a "c" shape and the color is stronger at the edges, and blended in.


Step 4.
This is the key to looking natural! Take a black, matte liquid liner and draw a line that covers the space under the tape and also slightly on top of the bottom edge of the tape from inside to out. It is especially critical to cover the tape on the inner half of your eyelid, as this is the part most likely to show when your eyes are open. Be patient and take it slow since this part can get tricky!
Note: you can cover more of the tape with eyeliner for a more dramatic look, or cover it completely and put black eye shadow around the tape for a smokey-eye. Just make sure to match the liner on the tape and the liner on your skin so it is seamless.



Step 5.
Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler and apply Max Factor Lash Perfection Waterproof mascara to top and bottom lids. (I prefer to use the non-waterproof version on just my bottom lashes as it makes them longer and less sticky.)


And you are done! Natural-looking double lids. :)