Makeup for a good cause!

Urban Decay Cosmetics posted this on Facebook for Thursday, November 8th and I think it's fantastic:

Shop For Sandy! UrbanDecay.com will donate ALL profits from today’s sales to the Hurricane Sandy relief fund of The American Red Cross. It’s just a small way we can all work together to get our friends back on their feet!

Want to help but don’t feel like shopping? Donate at redcross.org/charitable-donations.

It's a great way to donate and get something for yourself! Please visit UrbanDecay.com today and do some Christmas shopping or just pick out something awesome for you. 

What's in my makeup bag?

Hi lovelies, I have not disappeared forever! I have been busy with school this semester but I'm back with a video for you all. I made this video a few weeks ago for the makeup board on Makeup Alley when everyone was doing the "What's in my makeup bag?" tag. It's a bit long because I have WAY too much makeup that I carry around but hopefully I don't bore you too much. :)

(although get prepared to hear "It's really pretty" and "I really love this" a lot.)

I am thinking of doing more videos with the sole purpose of teaching someone how I apply makeup. This was something that I had no idea about until I watched tons of YouTube videos on the subject. I am also planning to do a video on the rest of my makeup (aka what I don't carry around with me every day) very soon.

Enjoy! If you have any questions about any of the products that I talk about, just let me know. Thanks for watching!

Updated Skin and Hair Routine

I've changed my skin/hair routine since my last post on it and I've discovered some really great products that I'd like to share. :)

I'm going to start with hair. I went from using cheap drugstore shampoo to investing a little more money in my haircare and it definitely shows. Right now I am using the Alterna Bamboo Smooth Anti-Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner. I've gone from my hair being a fuzzy, crackly mess to not even having to straighten it after I blow dry it. Alterna also has some other great products to fit your individual hair needs. I have also started using Jojoba Oil exclusively for my hair. I put just a couple drops in with my conditioner and it makes my hair shiny and soft. I've also found that I have to wash my hair less with this routine. My hair stays clean looking and pretty much oil free for up to 3 days, which I find pretty amazing. Fortunately, I happen to know a hair stylist who can get my Alterna at a discounted price. If you don't know someone, you can get Alterna online as well. I know Ulta does quite a few sales so keep an eye on them for a good deal.

For my face, I start off by cleaning my face with a makeup remover towel. I quite like the Ponds or Bjore ones. Even the generic brands of these are nice as well. Lately I have been using the Dollar General brand dupe of the Ponds which is only $2. I usually do this when I get home from work so that my makeup doesn't sit on my face those extra hours before bed.

At bedtime, I start by rubbing some Grapeseed Oil on my face. I've found that grapeseed oil is lighter than jojoba for the face and feels much better on. I just massage it into my face for about 30-60 seconds. Also it is great for removing eye makeup so make sure to get your lashes in there as well. Then, without removing the oil, I put on my Olay Blackhead Clearing Scrub. I have tried quite a few cleansers, even some high end, and I do not like it as well as my Olay. It has a nice scent, leaves my face soft, and has never broke me out. I then use my Olay Pro X Cleansing Brush to clean my face really well. Then I just take a warm washcloth and wash the scrub and oil off. I miss one night of using my Olay Pro X brush and I can immediately tell the difference. It definitely gets my face cleaner than I could ever get with just a washcloth.

Now, I've had a hard time finding a moisturizer that I like but I think I've finally found my HG (holy grail)! Garnier Moisture Renew Gel Cream is wonderful and it's only around $8! The problem has been that I cannot stand the feel of creams on my face. This is a nice, gel consistency that soaks in and dries in seconds. I like it more than the other gel moisturizer that I tried, the Boscia Black Hydration Gel, that retails for $38. It leaves my face soft and happy and has not given me any breakouts.

That's it! It really is an easy routine (it has to be because I'm really lazy) and my skin has never been better. I still get hormonal breakouts, of course, but other than that I'm thrilled with how my skin looks. I'm so glad that I discovered oil cleansing and I recommend it to everyone. I plan to try some new oils in the future and I'll report back!

New Favorite Find: Sinful Colors Lip Shine and Milani Corallina

I've recently found two drug store products that I'm pretty excited about.

First up is Sinful Colors Lip Shine. Not being into nail polish, I did not realize that Sinful Colors was a popular nail polish brand. I just happened to be wandering around Walgreens one day and spotted an awesome orange lip gloss. I've had a slight obsession with orange this summer so I bought it and I was in love. These lip shines are fantastic. They are very pigmented and thick with awesome staying power. They are a bit sticky but nothing I couldn't handle. The best part is that they are only $2.99! That being said, I've found these little suckers to be quite elusive. I've only been able to find them in one Walgreens in my area and they do not seem to be sold online anywhere. My vote is if you find them, buy them up! The two I own are Love Potion, which is a red with a slight pink undertone, and Orange You Sweet, which is a dark orange. They do seem to come in about 12 colors but again, I have only been able to track down around four of them.

 

Second is Milani Baked Blush in Corallina. This is my second Milani Baked Blush and I love them. They are very pigmented and nice. I picked this up at K-Mart for $6.99. They also sell Milani at Walgreens and CVS that I know of. Corallina is a lovely medium coral color with a little bit of glitter. I'm usually not big on glitter but when you put the blush on, you really can't see it. It didn't look like I had big chunks of glitter on my face and I was pleasantly surprised at how pretty it looked. Milani is an awesome brand and I've been very impressed with the products I've bought from that line so far. I'm sorry I do not have a swatch picture for this blush but it did not photograph well for me. If you need a reference, there are tons of swatch pics on Google. 

Next up, I'll be doing a review of the LORAC Pro Palette and the Urban Decay Skull Palette. 

Reviews: L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes, UD Lipstick, Physicians Formula CreamLiner

It's review time! I apologize in advance for my shadowy iphone pictures. The lighting was awful but I will post links so you can get a better view if you need one.

********

First up, is Urban Decay Lipstick in Rush. This is one of the things I picked up for $8 during Urban Decay's big sale that I posted about a few posts back. While they don't have this particular color in stock anymore, they do have some beautiful colors left to choose from.

Pros: It's got a creamy formula that feels very nice on. It smells nice also but not too strongly. It smells sweet, almost like a bakery/cake kind of smell. It just feels really great on your lips. I have to admit that it was the packaging of this product that drew me in. It's in a very pretty tube complete with a tiny sword on the end. I feel like I'm slaying a dragon every time I whip this bad boy out.

Cons: The longevity of this product leaves much to be desired. It does not last more than about an hour on me, if that long. The amount of actual product is also smaller than my other lipsticks. The picture above is the lipstick twisted up all the way. Finally, while the package is lovely, it is also very bulky and takes up a lot of room in my makeup case.

Verdict: I think that this product is worth the $8 price tag for sheer novelty alone. The colors are nice, the formula is nice and who doesn't need a tiny sword in your purse? At full price ($16), I probably wouldn't spend the money though.

********

Next up is L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes. I picked this up at Walgreens for around $9. (Watch for BOGO 50% sales at Walgreens!) I have tried both higher end and drugstore mascaras and this is my favorite so far. I got the waterproof version because mascara tends to smudge on me and it's wonderful. It has a flexible, plastic nubby brush that they call the Millionizer brush.

Pros: This mascara does what it says it will do. It separates my lashes and gives them thickness and volume. It does not clump on my eyes and it has a wiper that cleans the brush off as it's taken out of the tube. It also does not smudge and stays on until I take it off in the evenings. My lashes do not look spidery or drowned in mascara. They are also not crunchy or stiff.

Cons: Fortunately, length is not something that I struggle with concerning my lashes. This product doesn't seem to make my lashes any longer (which I prefer). If length is your main concern, this might not be your HG mascara.

Verdict: I love it. I will most likely buy mascara again and again. For the price, you cannot beat the performance. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants super full and soft lashes.

********

Last but not least is Physician's Formula Custom Eye Enhancing Gel CreamLiner in Glam Brown. Goodness, that's a mouthful. Anyway, I picked this up at CVS for around $11. It is a set of three gel/cream liners that come in a cute stackable set with liner brush. There are four "Glam" sets, one for each eye color. My brown set came with liners in Gold, Bronze and Black (with bronze glitter). They also have four original sets for each eye color. (Brown in original comes with Brown, Purple and Black).

Pros: These liners are very creamy and easy to apply. They are almost between a gel liner (such as Bobbi Brown) and a cream eyeshadow in terms of consistency. They took longer than my Bobbi Brown to set but when they did, they were good and on there. It took some scrubbing with a makeup remover wipe to get these swatches off my arm. These are brand new so I have not gotten a chance to put them to a day test yet but if my swatching exercise is any indication, then they should be great. The colors are also very nice and will look great with my brown eyes. The black is the most pigmented color, while the gold is very subtle. My swatch is about 3 strokes of the gold , 2 of the bronze and 1 of the black.

Cons: I could do without the glitter added to the black liner. It is not ridiculously glittery, thankfully. The brush that comes with the set is going promptly into the trash can. It would work better if you were going to use these liners as an eyeshadow base but for a liner brush it just doesn't work very well. The amount of product you get in each color is rather small so I will have to report back on how long the product lasts.

Verdict: I like it. These are great because they come in so many different colors. I also like the fact that you get three colors in each package that was specifically put together to compliment your eye color. I think it's a good deal, all things considered. Physician's Formula makes some really great products and this is no exception.

8 Brushes You Need In Your Life

I am horrified to think that only a few short months ago, I had only one sad little eyeshadow brush in my makeup bag. Now I have a bag just for my brushes because they've taken over my makeup case! Good brushes do make a difference in how your makeup looks and they don't always have to be expensive to be good. Here's my list of the 8 Brushes You Need In Your Life:

1. Foundation Brush-This was the first brush that I bought in my makeup adventures. I have never looked back and I could not live without my foundation brush now. I just put a little foundation on my hand and dip my brush in that and onto my face. My favorite foundation brush is the Real Techniques Stippling Brush. It retails for $10 and I got mine from Amazon. A lot of people also like the Real Techniques Face Brush for foundation as well.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

2. Concealer Brush-The same idea as the foundation brush applies here. If I am spot covering blemishes, I  use the pad of my ring finger. I use the concealer brush for larger areas, such as under my eyes and around my nose. I use the ELF Studio Concealer Brush and it retails for $3. Most larger Targets sell ELF products (unfortunately mine does not) but you can also find some ELF brushes at Dollar General or from the ELF site. I would not recommend getting ELF products from Amazon because you will end up paying more for them.

ELF Studio Concealer Brush

3. Blush Brush-I love love love my blush brush! It's soft and picks up color well. I hate those stiff, flat brushes that come with drugstore blush. A big, fluffy brush gives a much softer, more natural look. I have the Real Techniques Blush Brush. It retails for $9 and I got mine from Amazon.

Real Techniques Blush Brush

4. Powder Brush-You're going to get tired of me saying Real Techniques but they have the most affordable, awesome brushes. I have the Real Techniques Powder Brush. It is quite large and very soft. It feels like you are powdering your face with fluffy bunnies and cute kittens (don't worry, they are cruelty free!). It retails for $10 and, you guessed it, I got mine from Amazon.

Real Techniques Powder Brush

5. Small Angle Brush-A small angle brush can be used for a couple things. I use mine to fill in my eyebrows and to apply gel eyeliner. I also use it if I want to use eyeshadow as liner. If you are going to be using gel eyeliner with your brush, I'd recommend getting a second brush just for that purpose. You can find these anywhere and in a number of different brands. I have the Essence Gel Eyeliner Brush. I got it from Ulta.com because it was only $2 and I love it! I have found that the shorter the bristles are, the easier it is to use. That would  be my only recommendation on what to look for when looking for a small angle brush.

Essence Gel Eyeliner Brush

6. Blending Brush-Everyone loves a fluffy blending brush! You use this brush to blend your eyeshadow colors together and give it a more cohesive look. The characteristics of a blending brush are that the bristles are long and dome shaped so it lets you blend lightly. Some are fluffier than others but they all work the same. I just got the Eco Tools Blending Brush this week. It came in a five piece set that I got from Amazon for around $8. Before that I had been using the ELF Blending Brush, which was also really good and it retails for $1. I believe I got that one from Dollar General.

Eco Tools Blending Brush

7. Crease Brush-This brush is basically a larger, fluffier angled brush. In addition to the crease, you can also use it to apply shadow to your lid if you want. It does well for that because it is more densely packed than the blending brush. I use the Eco Tools Crease Brush that came from that same five piece set that the blending brush came in. These are also pretty readily available. I also have a POSH one that I picked up from K-Mart that I like a lot.

Eco Tools Crease Brush

8. Domed Shadow Brush-Last but not least is a shadow brush. I agonized over which one to pick if I could only pick one to apply shadow and I decided this one would be the most helpful. The domed shadow brush has short, densely packed bristles that are rounded at the top. This brush is particularly good for packing eyeshadow on your lid (that's what I use it for). I have the ELF Studio "C" Brush. It retails for $3. These are easy to find as well. I know ELF makes one in their essentials line for $1 that is pretty good also. I've seen those at Dollar General.

As you can see, I do not spend an exorbitant amount of money on brushes. Real Techniques, the ELF Studio line and Eco Tools are three awesome brands that make really good brushes. I wash my brushes weekly (at least once a week, if not more) and they have all held up really well. There is little to no shedding and they are soft (a major requirement in my opinion!). Naturally, I have a whole bag full of brushes that I love but if you are just starting out then I think this set will get you off to a good start. :)

Eyeshadow/Eyeliner Placement

I know when I first started getting into makeup, one of my main questions was how in the world to apply eye makeup. I watched a ridiculous number of YouTube tutorials and here's what I've learned. First, I'd suggest using this chart and identifying the various parts of your eye. Sounds simple, I know, but everyone's eye is different.

Now, placement will vary depending on your eye type, shape, etc but I'll try to give you a general idea. The best way to start is to pick at least three colors: a light, medium and dark shade. These can be various shades of the same color, a lighter range of colors, or all different colors. Use the medium color first and apply it on your eyelid. Then you take the dark color and apply it to the outside corner of your eye and blend it into your crease. The best way that I've found to do this is to apply the color in the corner only and then blend it out into your crease. The darkest part of your whole eye should be the outside corner. Only go about 2/3 of the way to your nose with your crease color. Finally, you take your lightest color and put a little onto your brow bone. Also take a little of the light color and put in the inner corner of your eye. This brightens up your eye and makes it look larger and more refreshed.

As far as eyeliner, if you have small eyes, you should avoid lining around your entire eye. Lining around the entire eye closes it off and makes it appear smaller. My eyes are small and what I do is line the outside 3/4 of both the bottom and top lid. This way the eye stays open at the lightest part. If you have larger eyes, this really isn't a problem for you (and I'm jealous!). You can also wing your liner out a bit to elongate your eyes or wing them upward to change the direction of down-turned eyes.

This is a very basic explanation but once you figure out what kind of eye you have, you can play with lights and darks to give your eye definition and dimension. You can even change the entire shape of your eye by just knowing a few simple tricks!

BB Cream

It seems like you can walk these days without tripping over a new BB cream. BB creams have exploded onto the Western market over the past couple of years and most major brands now carry one....but what are they? Wikipedia defines BB Cream as this:

BB cream, also known as Blemish Balm, Blemish Base or Beblesh Balm (due to an apparent copyright on the word "Blemish", is a cosmetic item sold mainly in East and Southeast Asia, although larger beauty brands are increasingly introducing BB creams to Western markets as well. Originally formulated in Germany by dermatologist Dr. Christine Schrammek in the 1950s, the cream was initially used to protect skin after laser procedures and surgery, while also providing light coverage. Introduced to South Korea and Japan in the 1980s, BB cream has been named "the secret of Korean actresses" and has been heavily endorsed by Korean celebrities, which gained it large exposure in these Asian markets.

BB creams claim to do it all: moisturize, prime, provide SPF, and cover. The Asian BB Creams also have whitening properties (pale skin is considered more beautiful in Asian countries).

That being said, I have tried two BB creams over the past few months. First, I tried the Garnier BB Cream in Light/Medium. It did border on being a little bit too dark for me but it blended pretty well. I liked this one. It wasn't heavy and had a nice smell. It is also very accessible and quite inexpensive at $10-$15. You can find it at any major retailer. I think it would be good for someone who hates to wear a lot of makeup or wants to cut down on steps. The coverage is more in the tinted moisturizer range so if you need a lot of coverage, this one might not be for you. The finish was a bit tacky so I did need to set this one with powder. It's a big bottle (over 2 oz) so you get a lot of product. It is also 15 SPF. I would buy this one again to wear on the weekends or on days when I don't feel like dragging my big makeup bag out.

My roommate ended up stealing the Garnier from me so I decided to try a higher end BB cream this time. I chose the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Fair. It retails for $39. Now, this one was almost too *light* for me in this shade. To be honest, I did not care for this one. It didn't sit well on my skin and almost looked cakey. That being said, the finish was not sticky and it had much more coverage than the Garnier brand. It also had 30 SPF, which I liked. The bottle is rather small (1 oz) but that seems to be comparable to most higher end products. I ended up returning this product because I was just not pleased with it enough to justify the price.

Next I think I am going to try an Asian BB Cream. I'm already pale so the whitening agents shouldn't be a big deal for me. A word of warning if you are thinking about buying an Asian BB cream....there are a lot of fakes out there. From my research it looks like they are coming from China. You can tell the difference but really only after you get the bottle. The fakes can break you out and a whole host of other bad things. Most reputable brands (Missha, Skin79) have American sites and I would recommend getting them direct from the manufacturer than risk your skin for a cheap E Bay fake.

From what I've read, Western BB Creams are basically glorified tinted moisturizers, although many people love them. Asian BB Creams are said to be better but we'll have to see. There are pros and cons to both and, like anything else, it all comes down to personal preference.

Do I think BB Creams are worth trying? Yes! Now I just have to find my perfect one. :)

Look of the Day: Revlon Abstract Orange

I decided to take a pic of my new favorite lipstick for you guys. I have been lusting after a red lipstick for months but I had a hard time finding one that suited me. Red lipsticks are finicky and I'm so jealous of those girls who can rock a blood red lip. Alas, I am not one of them. However, I did find a lipstick that I really love while on vacation this past weekend. Between my coloring and my hair, I figured I needed a more orange based red.

It is called Abstract Orange by Revlon and it is from their Super Lustrous line. It retails for around $5-$8. It has a nice, comfortable texture and the color lasts pretty well. It actually looks more red on than it is swatched. I posted a swatch of it a couple posts back and it looks quite orange. For anyone else interested, this is the rest of what I'm wearing:

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in 2
Maybelline Instant Rewind Concealer in Fair and Brightening
ELF HD Finishing Powder
Milani Brow Kit in Medium
UD Naked and Virgin (on the eyelids)
Milani Blush in Luminoso
L'oreal Voluminous Mascara in Blackest Black

I really just took the pic for the lipstick so I didn't get a good shot of anything else.

Coming up soon, I'm going to review the Smashbox BB Cream and Nars Deep Throat Blush! I also got a couple new goodies that I'd like to tell you about. Stay tuned!

Review: Cargo 7 in 7 Mini Kit

I got this Cargo 7 in 7 Mini Kit for my birthday. I was super excited to try it because I had not been able to try any of Cargo's products yet...and here were seven of their best sellers all in one! The kit comes in three shades: light, medium and dark. Upon further inspection, I noticed that I got this kit in the Dark shade by accident. The only thing this really affected was my ability to review the One Base Concealer/Foundation.

Before I review the products, I would like to say that I liked the mini-tutorial on the left hand side that comes with this kit. It does not go into great detail but it does say how to use each item and where. The more help I can get when it comes to application the better!

1. One Base Concealer and Foundation in One: I was not able to test this item out because it was much too dark for me.

2. Essential Eye Palette: These colors were nice and versatile. The eye shadow formula was also quite nice. There was nothing terribly exciting about it but it would be great for an everyday look.

3. Eye Pencil in Black: I did not like this pencil at all. It was not as black in color as I would like it and the overall feel of the pencil was cheap and hard to put on.

4. Lash Activator Mascara: I liked this mascara. It went on well and did not clump or flake. It did not do fabulous things for my lashes but it wasn't bad either. I'd give it an ok overall.

5. Beach Blush/Bronzer: A simple all over face product. Again, nothing terribly special.

6. Reverse Lip Liner: My favorite piece in the set! Although, I did not use it for purposes intended. I mostly use it as a nude eyeliner for my waterline. It stays well there and I have not been able to find that in a traditional eyeliner yet. As a lip liner, it also does well. I have to admit though that I can't really see that it made my lips look any bigger.

7. Classic Lipgloss: A nice, sheer lipgloss. It is not sticky or messy at all. It is also not very pigmented. I do find myself using it a lot though because it makes a nice finishing touch to the lips without changing the color of my lipstick.

Overall, I was quite disappointed with this set. I know Cargo to make better products than this so I'm not sure why they dropped the ball on this set. The only product that I would consider buying full size would be the Reverse Lip Liner. The rest of the items were either underwhelming or just okay. I would not recommend purchasing this item.

UD Sale and L'oreal Project Runway News

So if you haven't checked out the Urban Decay sale by now, shame on you! Here's what they have:

Vintage Eyeshadows $9
Matte Eyeshadows $9
Lipsticks $8
Skull Shadow Box $12
Feminine Palette $16
Vintage Big Fatty Mascara $5
Pocket Rocket Lip gloss $6
Lip Love Lip gloss $4
Midnight Emergency Kit $22
Black Palette $16
Vegan Palette $13
24/7 Vintage Concealer Pencil $5

I picked up the Skull Palette, a lipstick, the Big Fatty Mascara and a Pocket Rocket Lipgloss. Those really are amazing prices, especially on those palettes. This is a chance to try UD without spending a fortune! Urban Decay shadows are hands down my favorite. BUY ALL THE THINGS.

Could L'oreal be more evil than to combine my favorite show with my favorite thing....makeup?! L'oreal is launching a new Project Runway line this fall! There are going to be four different sets, each consisting of an eyeshadow palette, a blush, lip gloss, lip stick and nail polish. I think it looks promising!

Urban Decay offers free shipping over $50 or if you buy a Naked line product. The shipping (for me) usually runs around $6.

Review: Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation

I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to buy this foundation. The reviews were mixed, if you could find them, and I was happy with my current foundation (Clinque Even Better). I decided to splurge for my birthday and I'm so glad I did! I love this foundation!

It does just what it says...it's very lightweight and it feels like you are wearing nothing. I was initially worried about how well it would cover because the consistency is thin but it covers quite well. I'd say medium coverage. The lasting power was great, I got 8+ hours of wear out of it. It did a great job at controlling the oil in my T-zone, which I haven't found in any other foundation I have tried. I do not know how this foundation does with dry skin. There is a possibility it may be too matte for dry skin, but that is only a guess on my part. They do have a wide range of shades to choose from (18!). From what I've read and my personal experience, the colors seem to run light. I am NC15 (cool/pink toned and quite pale) and I took a 2, which is the 3rd color.

There are only two cons that I have found for this foundation. The first is that it does not have SPF. This is a minor con because you can always apply sunscreen beforehand or get a moisturizer with SPF protection. The biggest con is the price. It retails for $38. For me, this seems like a lot for a foundation. I am hoping that it will last me a good long time to justify the price tag. If I have to replace it in three months, I will not be buying it again.

The Urban Decay website is offering free shipping with any Naked purchase and also has a neat interactive system to help you find your right shade. Also, starting at midnight tonight, 8/6, Urban Decay has teased that there is going to be a big sale on their site. It is speculated that they will be putting old eyeshadow on sale since they have changed their formula (for the better I hear). I love UD, as you all well know, so I am excited to see what they will have!

Honestly, I love this foundation and if you can, I say try it! You can go to any Sephora and get a free sample. Also, the Sephora site is offering it as a free sample with any online order. Sephora is awesome at taking back products that you do not like so you have nothing to lose...well, except $38 when you inevitably love it.

Birthday Haul #2 plus swatches!

I finally got to visit an Ulta and it was wonderful! I bought almost all NYX because I've been dying to try the brand and this was the only place relatively close that I could get it (it was also BOGO!). I decided to make swatches because they have been greatly beneficial to me on my makeup adventures so I hope to help someone else. I plan on swatching all my makeup for you guys so watch out for that!

So first, here is my haul: 

There are, from left to right: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Abstract Orange, NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Buttery Nude, NYX Nude Matte Shadows in Betrayal, Craving and Covet, NYX Shadows in Autumn Sky and Highlight, NYX Blush in Terracotta, NYX Lipliner Pencil in Beige, ELF Studio Angled Eyeliner Brush, ELF Shimmering Facial Whip, ELF Studio Blush Brush and ELF Eyelid Primer.

Onto the swatches!

*Remember that I am around NC15 (which is pretty pale with cool/pink undertones) so these may look slightly different on everyone.

Eye Shape

Your eye shape is very important. If you know your eye shape, you can tailor your makeup to that shape. This helps your makeup look better and enhances your special features. Here is a chart that shows each eye shape. You should look straight into a mirror and see which shape most looks like your eyes.

I, for instance, have hooded eyes. Mine did not happen with age, I was born with them. With every eye shape, comes certain techniques that can enhance your eyes. The key is to remember this: LIGHT brings the eye forward and DARK sets it back. You can use light and dark colors to contour your eyes into any shape you want. I learned about eye shapes and special techniques from Youtube. Find out what eye shape you are and type that into the search engine. Voila! Hundreds of videos to learn from! I have gotten some very good tips from these tutorials. Here are some of my favorite Youtube makeup gurus:

Gossmakeupartist
Pixiewoo
Tanya Burr
Makeupgeek
MakeupbyTiffanyD
NikkieTutorials

Another thing to do is find a celebrity with your eye shape and search for makeup tutorials inspired by them. Those techniques will look great on you! Remember that every eye is different and beautiful. :)

Birthday Haul #1

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

New Favorite Website

I have found my new favorite website!

All Cosmetics Wholesale

Not only do they have discounted beauty products but they also have discontinued items! This is great if your favorites have been discontinued. It also means that you can get your hands on some of the palettes that are not produced anymore without having to resort to Ebay. (My Urban Decay loving heart is in heaven right now with this site! My credit card, not so much...) I think it's also a good way to try out some brands that you are not sure about without having to buy an expensive item. They do have quite a few mini or trial sizes of products also. Some items are marked "BLEMS" which just means that they are unboxed or have a tester sticker on them. The site is very good about telling you which ones these are and discounting them. They state that all of their products are unopened and never tested.

Everyone that knows me know that I love a deal so I'm super excited about this find. Now, I just have to narrow down the things in my shopping basket...

Oil Cleansing and Olay ProX Advanced Cleansing System

While researching for my blog and just general reading about skin routines, I kept seeing something called jojoba oil being mentioned. I finally looked it up and wow! This oil is used for everything from moisturizer to hair conditioner. According to this website, jojoba oil is this:

"Jojoba (pronounced ho-HO-ba) is a botanical extract of the seed of the jojoba tree (Simmondsia chinenis). What’s interesting about it is that it isn’t actually an oil, but rather what they call a wax ester. Why do we care? Because out of all of the compounds in nature, this wax ester is the most similar to human skin oil (sebum). It is theorized that applying jojoba to the skin can “trick” the skin into thinking it is producing enough oil, thus balancing oil production. The bottom line for us is that jojoba oil is non-comedogenic so we can use it without fear."

(non-comedogenic means that it will not clog pores or cause acne)

I have been using it for about a week on my face and in my hair. There is no doubt that both my hair and skin are softer. For my face, I just put about two drops in my hand and massage it into my skin for about a minute. Then I wash my face normally with my cleanser. Easy! For my hair, I just add a couple drops to my conditioner.

Now, I have read that your skin may get better before it gets worse when you start using an oil cleansing regimen. That's because the oil is purging all the bad stuff out. I have broken out slightly but nothing serious. I have noticed that my blackheads are already much better and are coming closer to the surface (I have the deep, hard to reach kind). I'm hoping that jojoba oil will also help with my scalp psoriasis but that is yet to be seen.

Bottom line, there are a lot of different oils that can be used for cleansing (coconut, olive, etc). I think it really just comes down to which one you prefer and your specific skin type. I'd do a little research before buying one but I definitely think that it's worth looking into. I got my jojoba oil from Amazon. It's reasonably priced and my 4 oz bottle will last me quite a while at the rate that I'm going.

I also found this video to be helpful and informational:

Another discovery I've made recently is the Olay ProX Advanced Cleansing System ($30). I have had my eye on the Clarisonic for a while but at a $120-$200 price point, I just couldn't afford it. Both are handheld facial cleansers with removeable/replaceable brush heads. The brush head rotates, giving you a much deeper clean. The two devices are much the same. The Clarisonic does have different, more specialized brush heads that you can buy (sensitive skin, acne, etc), while the Olay ProX has one. For the price difference, however, I think I can handle it. The Olay ProX brush is very soft and it doesn't irritate my skin at all, even on the higher speed. It is water resistant, which is great if you clean your face in the shower. All in all, I've enjoyed using this cleanser. I feel like my face is much cleaner than using my hands alone. I picked mine up at Walgreens and I did notice the replacement brush heads were around $8 (while the Clarisonic heads are $25). If you are looking for a deeper everyday clean, I'd give the Olay ProX a try before you spend all that money on the Clarisonic. 

Eyeshadow Update/Review/New Finds

I finally got a chance to try Wet and Wild Eyeshadow and I have to say that I was seriously impressed! It is surprisingly creamy to the touch and wow, is it pigmented! I only got a single eyeshadow in the color Stagedive (which is kind of a shiny medium blue) to try it out. I will be buying more WnW eyeshadows in the future. I think they will be great for colors that I don't wear often. There's no point in spending a lot of money on colors you will rarely wear in my opinion! These are a great alternative to pricier brands.

Wet and Wild has some hits and misses on quality and this site tells you the 9 Best WnW Products. 

I picked up the Milani Brow Fix Kit as well. It's adorable! You open up the package and one side flips up with two little brow brushes and a mini tweezers with a mirror underneath. I love it and for $7, you can't beat it.

I also got a chance to go by Sephora and I got a few good deals there. Here's what I saw:

They had a couple of the Tokidoki Travel Palettes that I mentioned in my last post for $5. (at my local store they had the Lion Pappa and Sandy in the City.)

They had Sephora Lipsticks on sale for $3. Too many colors to mention but they go on really smoothly and I really like them.

They had the Sephora Collection Silk Shadow Quad for $7. It is a huge quad with enough color to last you forever. They had two choices, Brazilian Sea and Last Dance.

These were the products that stood out to me. They are mostly sold out online so I was glad to find them. I also picked up the mini LORAC TANalizer Baked Bronzer for $6 and I'm super excited about it. This little bronzer will last me forever and it's great even on my pale, pasty skin. :)

Also, I heard a rumor that some Big Lots stores are getting Too Faced makeup in. I checked out my local store and they didn't have any but I'll be stalking....i mean...checking them the next couple weeks to see if we get any here. Check your local store! Too Faced is one of my favorite brands!

 

Clearance and My new favorite find!

I would just like to mention that Sephora has some really great clearance right now. It looks like they are getting rid of their Tokidoki line and preparing for new things from their Buxom and Philosophy lines. Here are some of the things on my wish list:

1. Buxom Samantha's Smokey Eye (reg. $32, clearance $20)-This looks like a good little set with gloss, eyeliner, an eye brush and mascara.


2. Sephora Tricks of the Trade Anti-Shine Primer (reg. $18, clearance $5)-This is my primer! I said in an earlier post that they were out of stock but it looks like they've gotten it back! I highly recommend this primer.

3. Tokidoki Travel Palettes (reg. $10, clearance $6)-These are adorable. They have four eyeshadows and a blush in a tiny little travel size palette. I have one on order and I'm excited about it!

4. Makeup Forever La Boheme Baked Shadow Palette-(reg $39, clearance $25) AHH! I'm having mini-makeup fits over this one. I love the colors and I love baked shadows. You can wear them dry for a nice, soft look or wet them for something more dramatic. Makeup Forever is an amazing brand so this really is a steal. By the way, it's almost my birthday. (HINT HINT)

They have lots of other nice things, these are just my favorite. :)

Also, I got in my E.L.F order today that I was so excited about. I have been dying to try their High Definition Powder! Makeup Forever makes an AMAZING one but I was looking for a cheaper alternative and I think I've found it! It doesn't make my face quite as soft as the MUF brand but other than that, there is very little difference except for the price. $6 vs. $32! Now, my gripes...it is very messy, as with all loose powders. I'm a little more apt to not care about wasting the E.L.F. kind. :) Also, it took a full two weeks to get my order! I was not very pleased with E.L.F. and their service. I think I'm going to check my local Target to see if I can get my E.L.F. products there from now on. Overall, I'm super pleased though.

Blush

Admittedly, I do not have a great interest in blush. I've always thought my face was too red for blush so I never really wore it. I've come to find that, when applied right, blush is amazing. :) I still do not have many recs for you but I've learned a couple things.

Now, the makeup world seems to be blowing up about one particular blush-NARS in Orgasm.

It is a pretty pinky/peach shade that is said to work and look beautiful on everyone. I have not tried this blush and probably never will because of the price....$28. I'm sure it's lovely and if blush is your thing, then it is definitely worth looking into. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

However, I have also been hearing a lot about a good replica of it that they sell in local drug stores. It is Miliani Baked Blush in Luminoso.

They do not look similar in the package but they give you the same kind of pink/peach glow. I bought this blush today and it's lovely. I picked it up at Walgreens for $7.99. My coworkers and I all tried it on and, even with our three different skin colors, it looked great on all of us. It just gives you a kind of healthy glow without being BAM! Now saying that, the packaging is a bit flimsy and the brush that comes with it is trash but it can all be overlooked for the $20 price difference.

Some other blushes that I've heard good things about are:

NYX Cream Blushes ($6.75)

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush ($25)

LORAC Blush ($20) I have this one and it's fantastic also!

I'm sure they are many more but these are just some that I've heard about from other blogs and forums. Feel free to send me suggestions!

Brushes

Brushes are essential to good makeup application! Again, this is something that I learned quite recently. The best part of this is that you can get some really great brushes for not a lot of money!

My absolute favorite brand is Real Techniques. Real Techniques is a line of brushes designed by Samantha Chapman. Most of the brushes retail for around $10. They are literally the softest, most wonderful face brushes I've ever owned. I use the Stippling Brush for my foundation, the Powder Brush for my loose powder and the Blush Brush for blush. They are definitely worth the $10 and honestly, I would pay more now that I've used them. One thing though...the face brushes are excellent but there isn't really a big selection of eye brushes and what they have is just okay.

My next favorite set of brushes is by Posh. I have the Dual Ended Set which I picked up at K-Mart for around $12-$14. It's an awesome little set that I use every day. It has all my go to brushes for applying eye makeup. It also comes with a cute little case that protects your brushes, which I find really handy. They tend to get all messed up just thrown in your makeup bag.

I also have a few E.L.F. brushes. These are so cheap and they have quite a few really good brushes. I specifically use the blending eye brush every day. It's soft and nice and does the job. I hear tons of good things about E.L.F. brushes and for $1-$5 each, you can get one for everything! I know they sell them at Target and Dollar General, as well as on the website.

I've also used some Ecotools brushes. They are very popular and you can pick them up at Target, Walmart, Walgreens...very accessible. They are nice and soft and are Earth friendly. They donate 1% of sales to green charities every year. They retail from around $5 for a single brush to $15 or so for a set.

The last line of brushes that I'm familiar with are from Avon. I sold Avon for a while and picked up some brushes there. They have some good eye brushes, mostly in their Mark line. These brushes are reasonably priced from about $5-10, sometimes less if you can catch them on sale. You can order online from Avon now, which I love, because you don't need to go through a rep and you can get your things directly to your house.

There are, of course, higher end brushes that I could mention but I'm happy with my "cheap" set. You can check out Sephora for the higher end brushes and Ulta for brushes of all prices.

Eye Shadow Addiction

Okay, let's talk about my favorite thing...eyeshadow!

This is where I spend the bulk of my money. With some things there isn't a lot of difference between drug store brands and higher end brands but eyeshadow is one of them.

As I have said before, I'm a total Urban Decay girl. Their eyeshadows are smooth and creamy and look so pretty on your eyes. Have you ever gotten an eyeshadow that is pretty in the package but you put it on and it's so light that you can't even see it? That means it's not very pigmented. Urban Decay eyeshadows are very pigmented. They go on nice and bold and pretty true to the color they look in the pan(depending on your skin tone, they look slightly different on everyone). They are also the makers of the Naked Palette, which is a wildly popular palette. The colors are all neutral and go with many different tones. They have two versions, Naked #1 is for more warmer skin tones while Naked #2 is more for those with cooler tones. Both would work for anyone though and most people use this in their daily makeup routine (like me!). Both palettes are $50 each but I have not regretted spending the money on mine for a second.

Naked #1

Naked #2

I also have the Mariposa Palette ($39), which I use when I need some color.

I pretty much exclusively use these two palettes and I've never wished for more. The only negative thing I could say about Urban Decay eyeshadows are that some of them are overly sparkly and have some glitter fallout under your eyes. Most of their colors have a little bit of a sheen to them so if you want more matte colors this might not be your eyeshadow holy grail. :)

Here are a few more brands that make awesome eyeshadows:

LORAC-These are nice, creamy eyeshadows that look great wet or dry. LORAC is one of my favorite lines of makeup, period!

Too Faced-Another great, creamy collection of shadows.

Sephora-The Sephora Collection has some really great palettes. The eyeshadows are excellent wet or dry. They don't last quite as long as UD in my experience but they are less expensive so it evens out.

Physicians Formula-Pretty decent drug store brand! I love the brush that comes with the shimmer strip collection. They have tons of choices and colors for a great price.

Wet and Wild-I was amazed to hear so many good things about Wet and Wild eyeshadows. I remember Wet and Wild being the $1 brand that I bought as a teenager. Apparently now they have started making some really good, pigmented eyeshadows. I have not tried the new ones for myself but it was worth mentioning because I hear about them so much. I'll have to pick up one and check it out for you guys. :D

Whew, I knew this was going to be a long post. I get excited about eyeshadow...as you can tell. :)

Egg White Mask

This is something that I tried out of desperation and found out that it really works! My pores are the bane of my existence most days. They are huge and ugly and I am convinced that you can see them from five feet away (although I've been assured that is not the case). Before I could shrink those pores, I had to get my blackheads under control. I was scouring the internet for remedies and I found this DIY face mask.

Egg White Mask

1. Crack an egg and separate the white into a small bowl.
2. Take a fork and whisk the egg white until it becomes foamy.
3. Make sure your face is nice and clean and spread the egg white all over.
4. When the egg is still wet, take pieces of toliet paper and put it over the egg.
5. Wait about 10 minutes (or until the paper is dry and stiff) and peel off.
6. Wash any excess egg off with water and ta-da!


Basically, it works like a big pore strip for your face! I found that it brings blackheads and whiteheads to the surface much quicker and leaves my face soft. I've done this treatment a few times now and I'm very pleased with it.

If you need a more visual tutorial, you can watch this video:



He does it a bit more fancy than I do, but it works the same no matter how you do it. :)

Primer

What is primer? The dictionary defines primer as this:

Primer (prim-er) verb: To prepare or make ready for a particular purpose or operation.

Six months ago I could not have told you what makeup primer was. I had never heard of it in my life. Now that I know what it's for and I've used it, I can see how beneficial it is to achieving a perfect makeup complexion.

Makeup primer basically sits on top of your moisturizer and creates a nice, smooth palette for your foundation. Think of it like this...your face is full of wrinkles and pores and other such things. The primer kind of fills those in and makes a clean slate for your makeup. That way your foundation or concealer doesn't sink into those places, which is never a good thing. It can help do everything from add moisture to control oil, depending on the kind you choose. It also holds onto your foundation and makes it last longer. For us Louisiana girls who are dying in the heat right now, it can also keep your makeup from literally melting off your face. Eye primer is the same kind of thing. It keeps your eyeshadow nice and crease free and lasting all day (or night).

I have tried many kinds of face primer so far...everywhere from Revlon to MakeUp Forever. I use a mid-priced ($18) one from Sephora brand and I am happy with it. In my experience so far, it's all about trial and error with primers. You have to find one that fits specific skin needs (dry, oily, redness, etc).

Check out this link for more information about face primers and a few suggestions of some of the best ones to consider:

Best Makeup Primers

This is also a really good video with a review of both drugstore and higher end primers:







I hope that helped you all understand primers a little better!

Where'd you get them pretty eyes?

This was my eye makeup today. I really liked the blue color that I used so I thought that I would share. Ignore my red, tired eyes. It was the end of the day (but 8 hours after application, the colors were still going strong!). :)

(I am an Urban Decay girl all the way so that's where most of my eyeshadows are going to come from. There are many less expensive eyeshadows that do just as well...these just happen to be my favorite.)

I am wearing, in this order:

1. Urban Decay Primer Potion in the color Sin.
2. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Virgin (from the Naked Palette) as a base/highlight color.
3. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Haight (from the Mariposa Palette) on my eyelid.
4. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Mushroom (from the Mariposa Palette) on the outer edge.
5. Urban Decay 24 Hour Eye Pencil in Gunmetal as liner.
6. Lorac Multiplex 3D Mascara in Black.

My Face Routine

As someone who grew up wearing very little makeup, imagine my confusion when I watched my first makeup tutorial on YouTube. Primer?! Moisturizer?! I was lucky if my face got washed with anything other than soap and water! I barely managed to remember to remove my makeup before bed every night! How was I supposed to remember all this?! Believe me folks, it gets easier. :) Here is my face routine from start to finish:

Morning:

1. Wash face. I use Aveeno Active Naturals Smart Essentials Face Wash ($5-$6) right now. I haven't found a face wash that I'm in love with yet. I do like this one though because it leaves my face very soft and clean feeling.

2. Toner. I use Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner. ($5-$6) Pores are one of my main concerns so I picked this up. I have been using it for about a month with no visible reduction of my pores that I can see. It works just as a general, nice toner though.

3. Astringent. I use Avon Blackhead Clearing Astringent. ($4- $5) As with most Avon products, I do like this one. It makes my face feel clean and doesn't dry out my skin. I haven't noticed any new blackhead since I've been using it but the ones I did have didn't go away without a little more prompting.

4. Moisturizer. This is a tough one for me. I have not found a moisturizer that I like yet. I have combination skin, with my T-zone being very oily. The ones I have tried have felt too heavy on my skin. I just ordered DHC's Water Based Moisturizer. It's a bit pricier than I'd usually go ($16.50) but DHC has some amazing products and it will surely be worth it.

*Now, all this stuff I do at home as part of my normal getting dressed routine. It looks like a lot but when you get a pattern down, you will breeze through it without blinking an eye. On to makeup!*

5. Face Primer. I use Sephora's Tricks of the Trade Anti-Shine Primer. That being said, I picked up this primer for $5 on clearance a couple months ago. I just checked and it looks like they are sold out now. I do like this primer as much as some of the higher end ones that I've tried (Smashbox, Makeup Forever). None of them seem to keep my nose from getting oily however. I usually have to do a couple powder touchups during the day. If you are looking for a lower price one to try, I'd give the one from Hard Candy ($8) a try. I hear a lot of good things about this line although I've never tried this particular primer for myself.

6. Concealer. I use Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Concealer ($7-$10). I use the color Fair or the Brightening. This has hands down been the best concealer I've ever had. I love the applicator (a little spongy on the end) and how light it is. It covers well and does not cake up under my foundation. The Brightening version is a light pink color. I use it under my eyes to bring in a little lightness there since I'm a glasses wearer and our glasses tend to cast shadows under our eyes. A great heavy duty concealer is Hard Candy's Glamoflauge ($6). This stuff is amazing! I use it if I have a particularly bad spot that I need to cover. You do need to be careful with this product though. A tiny bit goes a VERY long way and it can cake up if you use too much. It does also tend to set into wrinkles though so in my opinion, it's best as a spot corrector.

7. Foundation. I use Clinique's Even Better Foundation ($27).  I love love love this product. It goes on lightly, covers well and has even helped correct the redness on my face. I live in Louisiana where it is very hot and humid and it has held up well. It does get a bit too dewy if I spend a while outside but who wouldn't in 105 degree/100% humidity weather? I have very fair skin and I wear the color Linen. Now, I know $27 is a bit pricey for a lot of you so I have a great alternative. It is Cover Girl and Olay Tone Rehab Foundation ($12-$13). I use the color Ivory in this one. This is a really great foundation! I only switched to Clinique to try and combat some of my redness or I'd still be using it. In fact, that whole Cover Girl and Olay line is really nice. Catch a buy one, get one sale and you're set!

 8. Powder. Right now I use Covergirl Clean Pressed Powder ($6). I have no issues with it except that naturally, the puff gets oily and dirty after a while. I have on order E.L.F.'s High Definition Powder ($6). I got the opportunity to try Makeup Forever's HD Finishing Powder and it was amaaaaaaazing. However, I did not like the $32 price tag. I read that this E.L.F version is supposed to be just as good so I'll get back to you on that!

9. Obviously, at night you wash it all away and do numbers 1-4 again. I haven't tried many night creams so I can't recommend one for you right now.

Ask me anything you want and give me some good cleanser/night cream suggestions! I'd love to hear them.

Next.....(my favorite!) EYES!

Introduction

Hi guys! My name is Pam and I'm here to help all those women like me....the completely clueless when it comes to beauty routines. We will unravel the great makeup mystery together....and try to do it without breaking the bank!

Here's my story: when i turned 30, I started to notice my skin more. Those little wrinkles forming under my eyes, my enormous pores, my stupid teenage acne....just to name a few! I saw an article on Yahoo! one day about a cute british lady named Tanya Burr. They were featuring her for causing a stir with her makeup tutorials on YouTube. I watched a few and loved them. I kept watching...and watching....and then taking notes of what techniques she was using and also what products. I did a lot of research on these products (and many others) and decided to get with the program.

I started washing my face religiously. I moisturize and tone and all of those other things I should have been doing for years. Amazingly, my acne cleared up and my face looks better than ever! Imagine that!

There is a still a lot of mystery to me in a lot of the facets of makeup and hair care. I'll share what I learn and I hope that it helps someone else too! Please share with me your favorite products and tips as well!