MakeUp Addicted

Review and Swatches: Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelee Powder Eyeshadow in Cyber Lilac

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

It's obvious that I've been busy if I am just getting around to posting this beauty: Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelee Powder Eyeshadow in Cyber Lilac. I received this for Christmas from my mom and I absolutely love it. I actually had sent her some swatches from Temptalia's site because I thought these were so beautiful. Evidently no one around us had them so she had it shipped in from Nordstrom's a few states over - guess these are quite popular, and once I saw it in real life, I could see why!

This comes in a beautiful gold compact that opens up with a mirror the size of the compact, a sponge applicator and the actual product, which looks like ripples and waves.

"Color so metallic, it's futuristic. A first-ever techno tri-blend formula that's gel, powder and liquid in one. Create several looks from one shade. Apply it dry for a smooth, molten metal finish. Use it wet for a hyper-cyber effect to intensify the color and metallic shine. Unique formula allows you to build the fantasy to the highest chromatic shine. Sophisticated metallic finish looks beautiful on all skin tones."

A closeup of the color and you can really see the metallic finish. This is sort of a blend between a powder and a liquid. It initial look reminds me of a pressed version of the MAC Crushed Metal pigments, but less grainy.

No matter what I did, my camera would not pick up the complexity of this shadow. Not only is it purple and metallic, it has just the slightest red undertone with different shimmer - maybe some taupe and some deeper purple, but its very small and hard to detect without looking at it up close. This was the best I could get.

The swatch below is one pass with the sponge applicator. It is very creamy, smooth, and very easy to blend. I am extremely impressed with how much pigmentation this has with dry application: no primer, nothing on the brush, just the applicator. I have worn this with and without primer - either way I have had no problems with fading, creasing, etc and ended up getting the whole day's wear out of the color. I did find that I had less fallout when I used a primer (I used Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy), but the fallout I did have was minimal at best to begin with.

I will post an EOTD so you can see this on, with other shades, and how well it blends.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelee Eyeshadows are $24 for (0.03 oz) pan and can purchased online at Nordstroms. There are several other colors to choose from including, Cyber Green, Cyber Copper, Cyber Teal, and Cyber Silver.

Do you have any of these Gelee Eyeshadows? What do you think of them?

Spotted at Walgreens: Simply Shine Lip Shimmers 2/$4

2012-01-12T11:43:00.000-08:00

A brand I haven't seen before, spotted at Walgreens - Simply Shine Lip Shimmers. These little beauties are 2/$4 and come in three colors. Simply Lip Shimmers are affordable, organic products made in the good ol' USA.

From their website:

Simply believes that good products should be within reach, and the cost of a natural lifestyle shouldn’t be prohibitive. In fact, we believe this should be every consumer’s right. Our products encourage a healthful, natural lifestyle. And we want every like-minded individual to be able to enjoy the benefits of our high standards:

All Natural – Yes, our products are always free from any chemical or synthetic alteration. We believe you have a right to know what’s in the goods you purchase. And we keep it just that simple: All of our products are 100% All Natural, 100% of the time.

Premium Organic Ingredients – We make products with Premium Organic Ingredients affordable. For example, we sought out the best organic extra virgin olive oil for our Lip Shimmer — and we offer it to you without over-the-top markups. We’re scrupulous about every ingredient we select, and you benefit.

Responsibility – It’s not lip service or a trendy attitude, we are proud of our ever-evolving eco-conscious mindset, and we feel every company should follow suit. Before that can happen, we have to set a good example with our own Environmental & Social Responsibility. Our progressive strategy includes: Animal Cruelty Free Products, Eco-friendly Packaging & Recycled Materials – at realistic price points.

Made in the USA – That’s right, not only are we eco-conscious, but we’re also econo-conscious. We think it’s obvious that environmental, social, and economic stability are interdependent. So our far-sighted approach to commerce considers the big picture: Strength and stability start at home. That’s why all Simply products are Made in the USA. And we’re proud of it, too.

We’re working to level-set what people can expect from companies...so the consumer remembers they have the power to insist on the highest standards. Simply choose premium organic products without absurd markups.

What do you guys think? Have you seen these yet?

mercadinhochic

2012-01-12T04:43:00.001-08:00

mercadinhochic

Spotted at Walmart: New Nailene SensatioNAIL Invincible Gel Polish Kits and Refills

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

It appears the at-home gel nail craze is in full effect. I posted Nutra-Nails Gel Perfect UV Free Gel Color review and swatches a few weeks ago, and since then I have started to see those particular kits pop up in more than just Walgreens, so I would say they will be soon available in a number of outlets. Anyway, at Walmart the other day, not only did I see the new SkinnyGirl Face & Body collection, I turned around to look at the Essie polishes and found this: Nailene's SensatioNAIL Invincible Gel Polish Kits and refills.

The kit itself (pictured above on the display, and then a few closeups below), actually contains whatever color you pick for the polish, The Gel Primer, The Gel Base and Top Coat, the Cleanser, and the LED Light to set the polish. You can also pick up other colors, which come in a smaller box with a swatch on the front.

All in all there are 12 colors to choose from:

I took some pictures of the actual main kit below - it's a simple four step process on the box - primer, color, set and top coat.

This is what is actually included in the starter kit : Cleanser, color, primer, base and top coat, and the LED light.

If you are really interested in the "how-to's", I downloaded the PDF for the actual instructions, found inside the box. Click the image to see a larger view.

The starter kit retails for $49.98 and the refills/new colors are $9.98 a piece. Seems about right compared to some of the other kits I've seen that sport a light - the light themselves tend to sell for around $50 a piece, and then you have to purchase the colors and cleansers separately.

What do you think? Something you might pick up?

New! Jordana Glitters Specialty Nail Polishes

2012-01-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

Look what just popped up in my mailbox! Jordana now has Glitter Specialty nail colors - head on over to their website so you can zoom into the swatches. By the looks of them, there are some pretty shades to choose from - 24 to be exact!

I am very excited to see these in person!

Costco.com has eos Organic Smooth Sphere Lip Balm 6pk for $14.99 - Online only!

2012-01-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

If you like the eos Organic Smooth Sphere Lip Balms, then you might want to head on over to Costco.com and see the deal they have running - a 6pk for $14.99! Not a bad deal at all!

The set comes with 2 of each of the following flavors: Strawberry Sorbet, Summer Fruit and Sweet Mint. Item details below:

eos™ Lip Balm That Makes You Smile.
Can a lip balm make you smile? We think so. That's why we invented this one. eos™ lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich Vitamin E, soothing Shea butter and Jojoba oil, eos™ keeps your lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth.
Directions:
Twist off top. Pucker up. Smooth on. Smile.
Features:

Jojoba oil - Provides long-lasting moisture
Shea butter - Softens and nourishes
Vitamin E - Provides antioxidant protection; soothes and heals
Smoothes on clear
New smooth sphere precisely glides on to lips
Twist-off top
Gluten-free
Paraben-free
Petrolatum-free
Phthalate-free
Appropriate for all skin types

Ingredients
Strawberry Sorbet:Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract*, Limonene^, Linalool^.
*Organic
^Component of Natural Flavor
Summer Fruit:Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract*, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract*, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract*, Linalool^.
*Organic
^Component of Natural Flavor
Sweet Mint:Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Limonene^^, Linalool^^.
*Organic
^^Component of Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*
Not Tested On Animals

Spotted @ Walmart: SkinnyGirl Face & Body Solutions by Bethenny Frankel

2012-01-10T06:11:00.000-08:00

A few months back I posted about a new line extension from Bethenny Frankel, the SkinnyGirl Face & Body line that is to be carried exclusively at Walmart. Well, I finally saw it when I went to grab a few things this weekend, so I snapped a couple of pictures of the display and what is on it. You can also see all the items online here.
This was on an end cap facing the wall of nail supplies, including Nicole by OPI, Essie, and Sally Hansen. The display is kind of a mixed bag of things, from cosmetics to skin and body care. The top has two rows of different types of lip balms and glosses, as well as a lip scrub

Next up, about halfway down the display are two rows of skin and body care. There are tinted moisturizers, cleansers, scrubs, body lotions and cleansers as well as a tinted body shimmer.

At the bottom is a set of SkinnyGirl Mommy collection, including foot scrubs and a cooling foot lotion and mist. There were also some gift sets of certain things in various citrus scents.

The price starts at around $4.97 for the lip glosses and balms and runs up to around $15-16.97 for the more intensive items and sets. The packaging is cute, and there definitely are quite a few things to choose from. Interesting enough, although I don't know if I will pick anything up from the collection.

Have you seen these? Are you going to get anything?

Spotted at CVS: New Physician's Formula Happy Booster Collection for 2012

2012-01-09T05:53:00.000-08:00

Last year about this time we spotted the Physician's Formula Happy Booster collection, just in time for Valentines Day. I picked up two of the blushes, which to this day are some of my favorite blushes to use, especially when in doubt about what color to use for the day. Well, this year they have come out with two new bronzers and two new blushes in the set, as well as two lipsticks. The lipsticks, like the blushes and bronzers, have a cute little heart embedded in the lipstick as well. I am such a sucker for cute packaging, and again these little hearts hit the spot!

Physician's Formula is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands from the drugstore. Like I've mentioned before, I love their gel eyeliners, highlighters and the blushes (especially those in this Happy Booster collection) are great ar well.

Have you seen these new colors? As much as I love the blushes, I will most likely pick one of the new shades up. I need to take a closer look and see how they compare to the two I got from last year's collection. I really like the bright pink one, though. The lipsticks, too, are on my "want" list. What about you? Are you getting any of them?

Spotted @ CVS: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Strips LE Collection for Valentines Day

2012-01-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

It's hard for me to think we have started a new year already, let alone the upcoming holidays of the late winter and spring, but it is time! Sally Hansen has released their newest limited edition collection for the Salon Effects Nail Strips for Valentines Day. This is a set of five different strips to choose from. They are all adorable, although I would love to see some with conversation hearts on them! I mean, what is more iconic about valentines day than those!?

Anyway, here are some closeups - they are all very cute!

Are You Single and Speed Dating

Cross My Heart and How Romantic

Love Always

Have you seen these yet? I think I am going to pick up Are You Single and Speed Dating.

FOTD: Bare Escentuals "True Gold", Ulta Mineral Eyeshadow "Atlantis" and Fyrinnae "Otherwordly"

2012-01-05T07:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Bring on the sparkles for 2012!

A few days ago I saw my Ulta Mineral Eyeshadow/Liner in Atlantis, which I hadn't used it in a while. Using it I built a turquoise and gold look around Atlantis with Fyrinnae Otherwordly and Bare Escentuals True Gold.

For the look, here is what I did.

Face:

Laura Geller Champagne Spackle - primer

Laura Geller The Real Deal Concealer in Light - concealer

Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten in Porcelain - foundation

Milani Baked Blush in Corralina

Eyes:

Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Bare Escentuals True Gold - inner corner

Fyrinnae Otherwordly - middle of lid

Ulta Mineral Eyeshadow in Atlantis - outer corner into crease

Milani Wet/Dry Eyeshadow in Lily White - highlight

Physicians Formula Gel Eyeliner - black from the Hazel Eyes collection

NYX Glitter Cream Sweet Chocolate Browns pallet - gold over black eyeliner

Lashblast Mascara in Black

Lips:

Laura Geller lipstick in Vista

It's hard to capture the sparkles in this look, so above I blurred it a bit so you get a good idea. The NYX really stands out in the picture above.

Below is a clear closeup of the look.

I don't usually wear blues, but that Ulta shade is really pretty. I actually love wearing it is a liner - it has enough green and teal in it to make it very wearable.

That's all for now!

NOTD: Studio M (for Meijer) Nail Lacquer in "Orna-Mint"

2012-01-03T03:01:00.000-08:00

Another Studio M today, the house line for Miejer - this time from their holiday/Christmas collection that came out earlier this year. This is called Orna-Mint and is a beautiful pale minty green foil. In fact, this is such a shimmery shade that it was very hard to capture on film. Below are the best pictures I could get.

The swatch below actually captures the green shade pretty nicely. It is almost a light evergreen color, and the silver foil throughout really brings out the mint.

This is two coats. This particular color doesn't wear as well as some of the other Studio M or Massini shades I have. I think it's probably because it's a foil. In about 2 days I started to have chips. Oh well - it's a beauty anyway!

Swatches: Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Ehancing Eyeliners for Hazel Eyes

2011-12-30T07:16:00.000-08:00

My absolute favorite gel/cream eyeliners are the Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips. I've reviewed several colors/versions here, from metallics to the basics, and every one of them is fantastic. The black in the Green Eyes set is my go-to staple black eyeliner every day. When I saw that they were on the 75% clearance for CVS, I had to snag a couple backups for those I have, and I ended up grabbing the base set for Hazel Eyes since I didn't have it to begin with.

Like the other sets, this is three colors meant to enhance the color of hazel eyes. I actually do have hazel eyes, so I was excited to swatch these and see how they looked on. Also, this set comes with a brown/bronze, which I am out of my Smashbox liner so I needed something to back that up - perfect!

The three colors are brown, a cream/matte plum and black with plum and purple shimmer. Unfortunately I had a hard time capturing the shimmer in the brown and black below, but the colors are accurate.

The pigmentation on these are very nice, just as the others have been. The brown/bronze is gorgeous. It has just enough shimmer, but is still very pigmented and actually very rich and dark on. The black is great, just as the others. I like the plum shade too, and will most likely use it as a lower lashline color.

The original price on the sets are around $11.99 a three-piece set, so $3.99 a liner. At 75% off I paid $2.99 for the three-piece set, or $.99 a liner - AMAZING! I cannot stress enough how much I love these. If you love cream/gel liners, get to a CVS and pick one up. You won't regret it! I'd put these up against any of the high end liners for pigmentation, lasting power, color selection, etc. They are great!

Swatches and Review: Revlon Color Burst Lip Butters in Sugar Plum and Cherry Tart

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

I finally caved. Yes, I bought two of the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters. I couldn't help it - I've read so many good things about them, it was only time until I snagged one (or two): Cherry Tart and Sugar Plum.

Packaging is similar to the regular ColorBurst line of lipsticks, only the case is semi-clear - kind of like a faceted gemstone. I think they are really pretty, personally.

Cherry Tart is a sheer red that can easily become more intense with further application. Because this is a butter, you don't get a true opaque coverage, ultimately allowing your tones to mold the color. Truly, this is the neutral girl's red. Easy to wear, and it feels great too!

Sugar Plum is, as the name suggests, a warmer plum/purple shade. On my skin swatch below, it almost looks brown, but when applied to the lips it is a beautiful plum to berry shade.

On the lips below, you can see there is excellent pigmentation to these. This is two applications, so obviously it's a bit more intense than just one.

It's official, I love these. I love the texture - it truly feels like butter, as the name suggests. It melts into my lips, but actually lasts a while once applied. The color selection is really nice, too. There are those that are lighter and less pigmented (Cotton Candy and Cupcake, for instance) and those that knock it out of the park...i.e. Cherry Tart. I will definitely be looking to get a few more of these when the time is right. These make the perfect addition to your purse or desk drawer in the winter time, when I'm always reaching for my lip balm, but longing for a little bit more... like color!

Retail is $7.99-$8.99, depending on where you shop.

Did you get any of these? What is your favorite color?

Swatches and Review: Bare Minerals Luxury 8 Piece Collection

2011-12-28T06:12:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Bare Minerals had a TSV on QVC that included their new pressed eyeshadow duos. I've wanted to try these, so I thought I'd pick it up. The collection is called the Bare Minerals Luxury 8-Piece Collection and includes a clutch, pressed eyeshadow duo, two new waterproof eyeliners, a radiance, two lipgloss and two brushes. The price was just under $50 for the entire set, which is a pretty good deal considering the eyeshadow duos run $20 a piece alone.

First up, the clutch this came with is really pretty. A lot of makeup collections come with some type of purse, clutch or bag, but 90% of the time I have no real use for them. This time, I think I'll actually use it, which is nice.

First up in the collection, the new addition to the Bare Minerals line - the bareMinerals READY Eyeshadows 2.0. These are a collection of pressed eyeshadows. This particular set is called The Phenomenon, which consists of Azure Iris and Golden Iris.

The eyeshadows come in a beautiful gold compact. The actual shadows themselves are described as this: "The Phenomenon, which includes two powerful eye shadows developed to enhance certain tones of your iris." Now, Azure is described as illuminating, but in reality it is more of a satin to matte shade. The Golden Iris shade definitely has more frost in it, but neither of these compare to the illumination of the old Bare Escentuals Glimmers.

Azure Iris is a satin lavender shade, with the slightest hint of a opalescent shimmer. Golden Irish is a rich bronze gold. Both have very nice pigmentation - note swatches below are over bare skin without primer. The texture of the eyeshadows are creamy, smooth and apply evenly over the skin. I used the sponge applicator that is in the compact, although a dense brush will work just as well.

Next up, the blush. This is a radiance, which are some of my favorite products in the Bare Escentuals/Minerals line. I use them almost every day, either as a blush or a wash over the skin to add some glow to the complexion. This particular shade is called Rose Gold Radiance. It is a pale, warm rose shade with a golden and pearl shimmer.

This is the first of the products I've bought from BE that actually come in with the ability to open and close. Not only does this keep things cleaner, but it allows you to tap out how much product you really need to use - see below.

Two other new items in this collection are the Round the Clock Waterproof Eyeliners. These, similar to Urban Decay 24/7, Makeup Forever's Aqua Eyes eyeliners, and L'oreal's Liquiline Blast Eyeliners (just to name a few) are the newest addition to the waterproof eyeliners on the market. The pencils are hearty, with rich creamy and extremely pigmented colors. The two in this set are 10 PM and Noon.

The Noon eyeliner is a deep navy with a bit of shimmer. This leans more to towards the black side than the blue - it doesn't scream "blue" when on the lid. The other pencil, 10PM is a gorgeous chocolate brown with iridescent shimmer.

Lastly, the Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Glosses. Another new addition to the line, these are similar to the old Buxom glosses. The product is nicely pigmented, sticky enough to last but not drying, and has a minty fragrance that cools and slightly plumps the lips. I have always been a die hard to the Buxom glosses, but these are very nice as well. I can honestly say, Bare Minerals are my go-to lip glosses when I'm in a pinch. I have tons of them, between the Buxom, Naturals and now the Moxie's, and I haven't been disappointed yet.

The two shades in this set are Wild One and Dare Devil.

Wild One is a creamy peach with a hint of shimmer. Dare Devil is a rich berry, but there is a nice golden shimmer throughout.

The applicator for this is a large, but bent, doe foot. I was a little hesitant when I first pulled this out of the tube, but I actually really like it now that I've used it. I don't need to reapply to get enough on the lips - one swipe and I'm good to go.

Swatches on the lips below.

The full lineup of colors. I have not worn the eyeshadows together yet, just individual mixed in with some of my other colors. I will try and put a whole look together with this set in the near future.

One more thing in the collection - the brushes! I love BE's brushes, and always look forward to them when I order a set. This set came with a flawless face brush and a full, tapered eyeshadow brush.

So far, I am really liking this set. I will say, although the convenience and cleanliness of the pressed eyeshadows in the bareMinerals READY 2.0 shadows are nice, I still prefer the loose powders over the pressed. I think it's a matter of preference, though - not quality. Over the years I've been leaning more and more towards loose shadows and powders, so by default I prefer the original BE's over this. With that said, if you got frustrated with the old powder formulas, these 2.0 shadows might be the way to go! You still get the same quality product, with the convenience of a pressed shadow.

The lipglosses are beautiful, and the eyeliners truly wear all day without smearing or running. I love the colors, too.

Have you picked this collection up? How about just the bareMineral READY 2.0 eyeshadows - have you tried them? What do you think?

Spotted @ Walgreens: New Maybelline and Cover Girl Collections

2011-12-27T07:40:00.000-08:00

Here comes the next round of new products at the drugstores! I had to run into Walgreens yesterday to reload on my Nyquil stash - don't you just love holiday illnesses? I've had this one for two weeks...

Anyway, there were a slew of new goodies to snap pictures of. First, above, the Black Radiance Eye Appeal eyeshadow collections - clearly these are very similar to the Wet 'n Wild 8-pan shadows at Walgreens, but the color lineup is a bit different. I did not pick any up, but I would have gone for the browns and greens. They looked beautiful. These shadows were not quite as sparkly/frosty as the Wet 'n Wild, so these might be a good alternative if you don't want as much shimmer.

Next up, below, the new Covergirl, Queen collection - new mascaras and eyeliners. There are six shades of eyeliner, all of which were shimmery. They remind me of the Urban Decay 24/7 pencils, or the LiquidLast liners from Covergirl, but in warmer shades, and more selection.

Below is the new display for Maybelline, including the new Color Tattoo's by Eyestudio. There are two sets of new lip colors as well.

Below is a closeup of the color selection for the Eye Tattoo's - I picked up #25 - Bad to the Bronze.

Lastly Covergirl has a new Blast collection of lipsticks and a new Lashblast 24 hour mascara. I was tempted to pick up the mascara, but I still have a couple new ones to try at home, so I decided to wait. The lip colors look interesting too - there are two shades to mix and match.

Have you seen any of these? I'll post swatches of the new Eye Tattoo by Eyestudio when I get them uploaded. I love all these new goodies! Although, I should be on a no-buy after all the Christmas shopping, but oh well...

Review: Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara in Blackest Black

2011-12-21T08:26:00.000-08:00

I have been pleased with the several of the past mascara release by Maybelline including The Falsies and The Falsies Flared, so I was anxious to pick up and try Maybelline Illegal Length mascara. Although I am not typically one for length as I prefer volumizing formulas, I thought I'd test this one out for a few weeks and see if I could be converted.

Now, I remember Maybelline having an older version of the Illegal Lengths mascara and it was discontinued a year or so ago. I think this might be their revamping of the product. I didn't try the original version, but from what I've read it was a favorite among many, and they were disappointed that it was disco'd.

The new version of Illegal Lengths is a furmula infused with 4mm fibers, which enhance the length of your lashes, while sealing in the fibers so you don't experience the fall out of some lengthening or fiber-enhanced mascaras.

The brush is pictured below. This was difficult to capture on film - not only did I want you to see the actual brush, but if you look hard you can see the fibers in the mascara. The brush itself has stiff, widely dispersed bristles that come out in different angles. The brush is actually similar in structure to the Falsie's brush's bristles, only this brush is straight and round. The bristles look kind of random, but they actually help capture and separate all the lashes, while pulling the mascara and fibers through the brush to give your lashes length.

Below are several picture to give you some before and after shots, as well as one coat vs. two coats of the product. Click any images to enlarge.

(Before)

(After - 2 coats)

(Left - 2 coats / Right - none)

(Left - 2 coats / Right - 1 coat)

I will say, this product does a very nice job at lengthening. The brush pulls the product through and coats all the lashes - I think the first picture with mascara above shows that, especially if you click to enlarge. The brush also holds the lashes as you pull it through, so it helps curl the lashes too. Unlike some mascara wands that don't really grab the lashes, this one definitely does. (Note, I did not curl my lashes for these photos).

The product itself is on the thinner side, which allows you to build coat after coat without clumping or flaking. With that said, it dries quickly enough in between coats that you can build some volume, although I wouldn't consider this any sort of a volumizing mascara.

I wore this all day without any issues of smearing, flaking, or smudging. Removal was very easy - just simple face wash and water, and I didn't have any residue or raccoon left over. So far I've been using this for a couple of weeks now and the tube hasn't dried out, gotten clumpy, or caused any of the issues above. On another side note, I can't say the same for my beloved L'oreal Voluminous Fibre Mascara that I loved so much - it has dried up very quickly and become extremely difficult to work with. An extreme disappointment considering how much I loved the effect on my lashes.

Overall, I am really enjoying this mascara right now. Maybelline has really hit a couple out of the park with The Falsies, The Falsie's Flared and now this addition, Illegal Lengths. I kind of have the best of both worlds, as I would consider The Falsie's one of my favorite volumizing mascaras, and now the Illegal Lengths is, as the name implies, quite a good lengthening mascara. I would definitely purchase this one again.

I know this is starting to pop up in the drug stores now, although Maybelline doesn't have any product information online at the moment. Retail was $8.99 and I found mine at CVS.

Have you seen this or purchased it? What do you think so far?

Spotted at Meijer: New from Rimmel! The Kate Moss Collection

2011-12-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

Looking for some new products for the winter at Meijer, and I found this. Rimmel's new lasting Finish 8-hour collection designed by Kate Moss herself. There are five sahdes of lipstick - a red, plum, pink, coral and pale nude (for lack of a better term). Digging around I find out that the collection is the celebration of Kate and Rimmel's collaboration over the past 10 years. What a nice way to celebrate!

Here are a couple closeups of the packaging and the colors, courtesy of Rimmel and The Daily Mail.

At first glance, the nude shade looked like a relatively similar color to Fashion Night Pout, but I didn't have mine on me to compare.

So, have you seen these yet?

NOTD: Essie "School of the Hard Rocks"

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Essie's School of the Hard Rocks. This is a dusty gray/teal/evergreen. Really, the product in the bottle doesn't do it justice. Applied, this is a very unique and beautiful shade. This falls into the "greige" category, only on the green side - maybe a "greenge"? I will say, this was a bit of a difficult color to capture in pictures - it looks more blue in the pictures, and is a bit more green in real life - but you get the idea.

I wanted to add a little bit of a festive look to this color, so I used one of my CinaPro Nail Decals in Peppermint Twist, which I found at Sally Beauty. They are adorable, and this set has candy canes, snowmen, wreaths and gingerbread men. There is another one exclusive to Sally that has Santa, Rudolph, and other festive decals. I believe they retailed for $3.99.

Back to the Essie - the formula is one of the nicer formulas for Essie. This is smooth and shiny and coverage is very nice. Above is two coats of polish with one coat of top coat. I would put this polish as one of the "must have's" for you - it's different enough, but also very wearable.

Have you tried this color? What other color from the collection have you picked up?

Spotted at CVS: Sally Hansen Nail Polish Sets - a great stocking stuffer idea!

2011-12-14T06:44:00.000-08:00

While I was at CVS the other day (spotting all sorts of new goodies), I saw some Sally Hansen mini 4-pks that would make great stocking stuffers or present toppers. There are four different sets to choose from: Diamond Strength, Xtreme Wear, HD Hi Definition and Insta Dry. I believe they are normally $5.99 a piece, but are running 2/$10 right now.

Really, the Diamond Hard is the most neutral or user friendly of the set. The other three collections have much brighter and colors. Really, at $1.25 a nail polish, it's not a bad little deal.

NOTD: Wet 'n Wild Rockin' Rubies - and I need help with topcoats!

2011-12-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

When I saw the display of Wet 'n Wild's new Ice Baby collection, I knew I would need to get Rockin' Rubies for my holiday manicure. This is a true red microglitter with larger hexagonal holographic silver glitter throughout. It reminded me of some of the garland I have strung in my house right now (above).

Three coats and you get a nearly opaque coverage. This would actually look quite nice over red, and wouldn't require as many coats. This was hard to take a picture of too...I think the sparkles really made it difficult for the camera to focus.

So, I love this color, but I have one complaint with glitters. After my topcoat completely dries, it looks all grainy again, which frustrates me! What top coat do you use for that beautiful glossy finish (that lasts). Right now I applied a thick coat of Seche Vite, but I'm wondering if I should try something different? I would love your suggestions and favorites!

Spotted at CVS: New Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes, Spoiled by Wet 'n Wild, Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara, and Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara

2011-12-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

A quick lunch over to CVS to hit up the beauty sale turned into an hour + because of all the new goodies out there! On a side note, if you haven't seen Nouveau Cheap's list for the beauty sale at CVS - head on over here. It's a handy thing to have going in!

Anyway, back to the new goodies! First up, Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush. These are smooth like a cream but blendable like a powder. I can't decide if you apply these with your finger or brush - I'm guessing finger because of the display piece, but if it's with a brush, this might be a dupe of Mally's Effortless Airbrush Blushes, which are a cross between a cream and a powder in an attempt to give an airbrushed look on the skin. The Maybelline versions are selling for $8.29 a piece at CVS right now. The colors are very bright and have the slightest hint of shimmer, but I would say it's more of a "glow" than anything else.

Click the pictures to enlarge.

Next up, the Spoiled by Wet 'n Wild nail collection. These are $1.99 a piece and feature a larger bottle and a variety of colors. The bottles remind me of the Sinful line, and the colors range from neutrals to bright glitters. The glitter that caught my eye was at the bottom - a silver, black and red mixture of hexagonal and square glitters.

Rimmel, one of my favorite drugstore brands for mascara, has come out with another volumizing mascara called Scandaleyes. Reminiscent of the much-loved LashBlast, this is also in a fat, bright orange tube. These were $7.29 a piece.

Lastly, one I almost missed because of it's location in the store - right in the middle of the baby aisle. The new Maybelline Illegal Lengths mascara, which claims to extend your lashes by 4mm with fibers built into the mascara. I assume this is similar to Loreal's Voluminous False Fiber mascara, so we will see. These are $8.99 a tube.

I can't believe I actually came across some new products this quickly! I'm pretty sure I saw some of these earlier last week around the blogs, but I certainly didn't expect to see them until well after the holidays!

Have you seen these around yet?

FOTD: Milani Runway Wet/Dry Eyeshadow "Silver Charm" and Revlon Diamond Lust Eyeshadow "Night Sky"

2011-12-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

I'm getting into the holiday spirit, so I've started to try out a few dramatic and sparkly looks for all the upcoming holiday parties and festivities. Today is a mix of some drugstore brands: Milani and Revlon.

The picture doesn't capture the sparkle from the Revlon shadow, but use your imagination...a little more bling!

Here's what I used:

Face:
Laura Geller Champagne Spackle
Laura Geller Real Deal Concealer "Light"
Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten "Fair"
Maybelline Blush "Pressworthy Pink"

Eyes
Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Milani Runway Eyes "Silver Charm" - inner corner
Revlon Diamond Lust "Night Sky" - outer corner, crease
Milani Runway Eyes "Lily White" - highlight
Milani Liquif'eye eyeliner "Black"
L'oreal Voluminous False Fibers Mascara

Lips:
Too Faced Lipstick "Celebrity Meltdown"

A pretty easy look with a lot of impact. Switch up the silver for gold and you have another easy look.

NOTD: L'Oreal LE Nail Polish "Owl Lust" - Project Runway's Take Flight Collection

2011-12-09T07:53:00.000-08:00

L'oreal Limited Edition nail polish in Owl's Lust. A dusty, smokey, red creme with burnt orange undertones, this isn't your typical red polish. With the flash you see more of the orange/red color, and in with natural light the smokiness really shows through.

The above picture is much more true to color, in my opinion. Less red and more of that unique color I was drawn in by.

I've swatched it below - two coats with one coat of Seche Vite on top. The formula was nice and smooth. I didn't notice any streaking, and the color dried with a very nice shine.

A gorgeous color, definitely out of the dorm, especially if you are looking for a wearable, but vampy red. Have you tried this one yet?

Review and NOTD: Nutra Nail Gel Perfect UV-Free Gel-Color "Dahlia"

2011-12-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back I spotted the new entry into the UV/Gel nails: Nutra Nail Gel Perfect UV-Free Gel-Color. I think Walgreens had four colors total available, and I chose Dahlia, the darkest shade in the group.

These Nutra Nail Gel Perfect collections are a non-UV, gel nail colors, that dry in 5 minutes or less and protect nails from breaking with a patent-leather shine. Each set comes with three bottles:

1. Nutra Nail 5 Minute Gel Polish "Activator" (the larger polish with the red label)

2. Cleaner (small bottle with white lid). This was actually clear, but I used this before I snapped pictures. As you'll see below, this is used to clean the brush on the actual nail color, hence the fact that the cleaner is now a deep maroon too!

3. Gel Color - bottle with the black lid.

Below is a closeup of the color I purchased - Dahlia. This is a cream chocolate maroon. A beautiful color for fall and winter, I have worn this on my fingers, but will be using this as my pedicure shortly.

So, the next question is, how do you do this without UV? I took a picture of the instructions, or you can go over to Nutra Nail's website and click here to see them. It's really pretty easy. I would suggest laying everything out in advance, though - that will make it even easier.

1. First, make sure you have a clean work space, and a towel or paper towel that you can use to dry the brush off after cleaning.

2. Open/unscrew all your bottles, but leave the brushes in them.

Note: you will do the next steps 5 fingers at a time. Don't try and do all 10 fingers as the activator will dry out and get sticky, which makes the application process much more difficult.

3. Brush one coat of applicator on 5 nails. Apply liberally, but don't go overboard. You just want the nails to look wet or shiny. Do not let this activator dry, and do not touch it, before you move onto the next step.

4. Apply one, thin, coat of the gel nail color. This is a very thin "polish" or color, so don't be surprised if it bleeds out, or spreads out on the nail more than a standard nail polish.

Note: You're first coat will appear streaky!

5. Clean the brush in the cleaner, and dry on your paper towel. You will want to keep this cleaning step and repeat every 5 nails.

6. Repeat Steps 3-5 on your other 5 nails.

7. Repeat for a second coat - you will need to do this to achieve full coverage of the color.

You can clean the activator and color brushes in the "cleaner" bottle. This will help avoid buildup.

Below are my swatches of my first attempt. I will say, because of the fluidity of the color, having accuracy upon application is a lot more difficult than it is with standard nail polish. All in all, I was very impressed with my mani seeing as this was my first attempt!

Overall thoughts? I actually liked this. The product does leave my nails stronger and thicker (due to the polish and activator, not because it is making my nails healthier). The activator reminds me of nail glue - maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but that's what it reminds me of! The color dried impeccably smooth and shiny. Probably shinier than anything I've used before, including Seche Vite. I didn't wake up with any fabric marks on my manicure, so when it says it dries in 5 minutes, it means it! The actual product lasted on my nails for a good 10 days before anything began to chip off. I should have taken a final picture, but I was so anxious to try some of my newer polishes I picked up that I didn't even thinking about it. So, with that being said, make sure it's a color you really like, because you'll be wearing it for a while! I think this would be great for a pedicure, simply because of the shine, strength and lasting power. I tend to leave my pedi's the same for a longer period of time, so it makes sense for me to have something that can last that long.

So, bottom line, would I buy this again? I certainly would! My only request would be to have more color options at the store - I like to see them in real life, not a computer generated swatch, so I probably won't order anything online. The colors available online definitely surpass those at the store. This is a pricey venture, too. At $13.99 for a set, I would like to see the individual colors available. I don't know that I need to buy the entire package again - I have plenty of activator and cleaner left from my first manicure, so if I could buy the color bottle alone, that would be nice, too. On a side note, there are coupons available online if you are interested in trying these out, and are turned off by the price. I'm not sure how much an actual professional gel manicure costs, but I would think that the costs of the at home version is close to 50% off of the cost of a salon version.

One more thing, I almost forgot. This does suggest using the remover associated with this system, but I'll be honest, I used 100% acetone and didn't have a problem at all.

So, seeing as this is fairly new, have you seen this or given it a try yet? I know one reader posted earlier on my "spotted" post, but would like to see what others think too!

Chanel's Pre-Fall 2012 Metiers d'Art Beauty Breakdown

2011-12-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

When Chanel creative director of makeup Peter Philips got the word from Karl Lagerfeld that this year’s Métiers d’Art show was to be a nod to classic Indian decadence, his mind went to one place: black kohl. “We wanted a graphic interpretation of an iconic Indian beauty ideal,” Philips said of the almond-shaped black-rimmed lids that were the focal point of the beauty look he created backstage at the Grand Palais. Once Philips built a base out of his Perfection Lumiere foundation dusted with “a touch” of Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Brume d’Or for a hint of cheek color, he devoted his attention to that eye, which he described as “something between mysterious and rock ‘n’ roll.” Key to skirting that line was a new shade of Philips’ ultra-luxe Illusion d’Ombre in Nirvana, a deep onyx shimmering cream eye shadow that he blended beneath the lower lash line and through the crease, dragging his brush upward into a slight wing toward the temples. Chanel Le Crayon Kohl Eyeliner in Noir drawn along the water line and its Inimitable Intense Mascara in Noir achieved what Philips called a “pitch black” finish.

To keep the focus squarely on the eyes, lips were painted a muted shade of pink courtesy of Rouge Coco Shine in Empreinte for a natural dewy effect before Philips got to work on gilded accents, which he used to bring out the metallic embroidery and lace in Lagerfeld’s collection—not to mention the sparkling pieces of Chanel Fine Jewelry peeking out of hairstylist Sam McKnight’s dread-ed updos. “At the last minute I added some golden highlights on cheeks and eyes,” Philips said, dipping into Chanel’s forthcoming, limited-edition Route des Indes Palette due out in June. Fingertips were treated to a few coats of a golden lacquer fittingly named Diwali “in homage to the famous ‘celebration of light’ that takes place in India,” according to Philips. It’ll likely prompt a similar excited frenzy when it hits shelves this summer.

Review: Aveeno Positively Ageless Youth Perfecting Moisturizer

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last but not least on my Aveeno lineup this week: Aveeno's Positively Ageless Youth Perfecting Moisturizer.

A nourishing lotion shown to reveal younger-looking skin and help prevent premature skin aging with advanced sun protection. You will see:
- Reduced appearance of lines and wrinkles
- Younger-looking, more vibrant skin
- Softer, smoother skin.

Something I think important to us all is SPF. The Youth Perfecting Moisturizer has SPF 30, so not only does this product help make the skin look more youthful, it helps protect the new skin cells that are being produced.

Like the Lifting and Firming eye cream, this product is also in a pump applicator. Again, I can't stress enough how big of a "plus" this is for me with regards to face lotions and treatments.

Below I applied a pump of the moisturizer and the eye cream on my hand. As you can see this is a thicker, whiter, cream. Because of the increased SPF in the moisturizer, this has more of the consistency of a sunscreen, without the greasiness.

Aveeno's Positively Ageless Youth Perfecting Moisturizer is thick, rich, and very moisturizing. The fragrance is fresh, with a hint of that "sunscreen" smell, but it is not overpowering. My skin is normal, to almost dry in the winter months. The consistency is similar to a sunscreen (maybe a bit thicker), so it does take a bit for the product to sink into the skin. I have to keep in mind before I apply my primer and/or foundation. My skin feels softer and healthier after application. I have started to use this more on my neck and chin as well - an area I often forget when applying my moisturizer!

I have been using this for the past three weeks. Although I haven't seen drastic changes in my skin's imperfections (outside of those mentioned yesterday with my fine lines and dark circles), I like the overall feel of my skin after application and use. I will say, I've noticed a slight irritation in my eyes right after application if I rub it in near my eyes, and I'm sure this has to do with the sunscreen/SPF in the product. It usually lasts an hour or so, until my eyes flush out whatever part of the moisturizer is irritating them. Keep that in mind if you tend to be more sensitive to products around your eyes.

Overall, the product leave skin soft and has the benefits of SPF30. With that said, the richness of this moisturizer makes it's use a bit time consuming in my morning routine. Also, the concern of applying it around my eyes and having the irritating burn is a turn off as well. Although I like how my skin feels from it's use, I doubt I will purchase this one again. I wish I didn't have such sensitive skin and eyes, because this feels like the right moisturizer for me here in the winter months when my skin tends to get extremely dry and finicky.

Have you tried this moisturizer?

Note: This product was sent to Shakeup Your Makeup for review by the company, or a representative of the company. This does not, in any way, affect the outcome of the product review.

Review: Aveeno Positively Ageless Lifting and Firming Eye Cream

2011-12-06T06:06:00.000-08:00

Another member of the Aveeno Positively Ageless line, the Lifting and Firming Eye Cream targets the often hard to treat areas of the skin around the eye.

A moisturizing eye cream that works with your skin and is clinically shown to visibly lift and firm skin around the eyes, brighten the appearance of skin around the eyes and reduce the appearance of dark circles.

I'm going to start out with the packaging. This eye cream comes in a small pump action bottle. I love this! I absolutely hate having to dip my fingers into a pot, especially smaller one, to try and dig out product. Not only does it get stuck under my nails, but I feel like I waste the product because I end up getting more than I need, particularly with a product like this. A little goes a long way.

The product itself is thick and rich, but absorbs very quickly into the area under the eye. It has a hint of fragrance, but again, it's natural and refreshing. Unlike some eye creams I've tested in the past, this does not make my eyes sting or get irritated. Because it absorbs so quickly in the skin, I don't have any issues with it affecting the lasting power of my foundation, concealer, nor does it cause any smudging or running of my eyeliners or mascara - believe it or not, I've found that some products will promote this because of a residue that is left behind.

Below are a couple of images of the product, along side the Positively Ageless Youth Perfecting Moisturizer, which I will discuss tomorrow. Hopefully the pictures help show the consistency a bit better with my descriptions above.

Pumped out of the bottle.

Swiped into the skin.

So far I've been using this for 3 weeks alongside the Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Cleanser and I am now starting to see the long-term results. Upon immediate use, the skin around my eyes is moisturized, less crepe-y, and I have seen the puffiness reduced. After constant use, the fine lines have diminished, as have the dark circles under my eyes. I couldn't be happier with the results. One of my biggest frustrations with my skin is the dark circles under my eyes. I know it's not exactly the skin per say, but there are a lot of products that claim to diminish these circles and I have not had nearly the positive results with them as I have with the Aveeno. Compared to some of the pricier eye creams I've used in the past, I would put this up against them at half the price.

Bottom line, would I buy this again for the $15.99 price? Absolutely. Like I said, I've tried numerous other products, some less expensive and definitely those more expensive, but this is one I can actually see the results after use.

So far, I'm very impressed with the new Aveeno line. What about you? Have you tried any of the new products?

Note: This product was sent to Shakeup Your Makeup for review by the company, or a representative of the company. This does not, in any way, affect the outcome of the product review.

Review: Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Facial Cleanser

2011-12-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

Recently I switched over my daily routine from Olay to Aveeno's Positively Ageless collection, as I have been given the opportunity to test some of the new products.

First up, the Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Cleanser. I will be honest, I tend to stay clear of exfoliating cleansers because my skin is extremely sensitive, and a lot of the exfoliators on the market are too harsh and cause me to get red and splotchy from the irritation caused by what ever particles are used as an exfoliant in the cleanser itself. This was not the case with Aveeno. Here is how the product is described:

A unique daily cleanser with Natural Shiitake Complex helps your skin look and feel younger. This light foaming, soap-free formula cleanses and softens skin, while lifting away dirt, oil, and make-up without over-drying sensitive skin. Fine microbeads gently remove dull, dry skin to help reveal healthier, younger -looking skin.

Below is a picture of the product, one pump on my hand. As you can see, this is a sheer, very lightweight, and from the looks of the product below, there is not any grit in the product to use as an exfoliant. I honestly didn't think I would get any exfoliation from this product based on the looks of it. Instead, when this is applied against the skin, there is the tiniest and finest microexfoliant mixed into the cleanser that helps slough away the dead skin. The fragrance is very light and fresh. My skin felt very smooth and wasn't dried out after I got out of the shower (another thing I tend to complain about when it comes to exfoliators - dry skin!).

The cleanser is also combined with Shiitake (yes, the mushroom), which helps with the skin's own renewal process to help product healthier and younger looking skin in 4 weeks. I took a snapshot of the website, so you can click the image below to read about the benefits of Shiitake in the Aveeno cleanser.

So far, I've been using this product for a little over 3 weeks. With my "normal" skin, I haven't experienced any irritation or discoloration on my skin from use. The product is soap-free, so as a result my skin doesn't feel dry after it's use. This does slightly foam, and the microexfoliants help clean deep in my pores. Like I mentioned earlier, I didn't think there was going to be any type of exfoliation with this light of a product, but it really does. It's just enough for my sensitive skin, without being overly harsh or stripping of the skins natural elements. I actually use this with my Clarisonic, and love how the two work together to clean deep and allow my skincare products to penetrate my skin. I don't have any problem with the Aveeno cleanser removing my makeup, either - not even the waterproof mascaras or eyeliners.

Bottom line, my skin is cleaner and softer. I can't speak for those with naturally oily skin, but for those of you with dry or normal skin, especially those of you with sensitive skin, this might be the right exfoliating cleanser for the job. The retail is approximately $7.99.

Have you tried the Aveeno Positively Ageless line? What about this cleanser?

Have two more items to post about in this line, so keep an eye out for some upcoming reviews!

Note: This product was sent to Shakeup Your Makeup for review by the company, or a representative of the company. This does not, in any way, affect the outcome of the product review.

FOTD: Bare Escentuals Celestine, Sassy Minerals Pandora's Box, Milani Lilly White and NYX Cream Pallet in Sweet Chocolate Brown

2011-12-01T06:57:00.000-08:00

I have been looking at my NYX Glitter Cream Pallet Sweet Chocolate Browns for a couple of days now trying to figure out something to do with them. I've used them on top of eyeshadows, but one thing I've wanted to try is to apply the glitters on top of a black eyeliner to try and add some glitz. I was drawn to the gold microglitter, so I built a look around it. Unfortunately, I didn't have my "good" camera on hand, so the resolution isn't great below, but I think you can still see how it turned out.

For the look, I used the following:

Face

Laura Geller's Real Deal concealer in Light

Pur Minerals Foundation in Porcelain

Milani Baked Blush in Coralina

Eyes

Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Bare Escentuals Eyeshadow in Celestine - inner corner

Sassy Minerals Eyeshadow in Pandoras Box - outer corner/crease

Milani Eyeshadow in Lily White - highlight

Milani Liqu'ify Eyeliner in Black

NYX Cream Pallet in Sweet Chocolate Brown - glitter gold on top of black eyeliner

Lips

Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm "Sheer Plum Tint"

These glitter pallets would be fun for New Year's Eve...just a thought!

Wet 'n Wild Nail Polish - look what I finally found!

2011-11-30T12:26:00.000-08:00

Sparkles, glitter, and goodies - Oh my!!! I can't wait to try these out...the question is, which one first?

Spotted at CVS - New! Sally Hansen Diamond Strength and Gem Crush Nail Colors

2011-11-29T06:40:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season to start seeing some new products come out for the winter and Holidays. CVS had the new Sally Hansen products displayed - Gem Crush and Diamond Strength. These were not on an end cap, instead they had added a shelf to the top of the cosmetics aisles. I almost missed them, so if you haven't seen these in your CVS, take a look above you!

There are several of these polishes I want - any of the Gem Crush and there were a couple of pretty shades in the Diamond Strength collection as well. What have you picked up? Any suggestions?

NOTD: Studio M (Massini) Nail Polish in "Ego Trip"

2011-11-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

Another Studio M/Massini color from Meijer. This time I have on Ego Trip, which was on an end cap with their Holiday colors for this year. There were tons to choose from, many of which I will need to go back for! Lots of metallics and foils. If I had been thinking, I would have taken a snapshot of the actual display, but I spaced it.

Ego Trip is a very deep emerald green with hints of teal. It switches based on the surroundings, although I wouldn't call it a duochrome. To me, it's a very Christmas-y green. The first thing I thought of was Hermey the Elf from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

This was an amazing formula. I could have gotten away with just one coat, but I did two just for good measure. The coverage was fantastic, it dried very smoothly without any streaking from the frost, and the texture was thin enough to make it easy to apply, but not so thin that it was runny. I wish all the formulas were like this, but of course it depends on the color.

(this is the most true-to-life picture for the color)

Sorry for the grainy pictures - my camera was dead so I used my phone. I just had to show this one off! I'm thinking for Christmas I will layer some red glitter over the top. The pictures don't do it justice, though. It is gorgeous in real - life. I will take some updated pictures once the batteries are charged.

How to wear a red lip for Christmas, New Year's Eve or just everyday

2011-11-25T00:38:00.000-08:00

Many women have a hard time wearing a "red lip"and have avoided this bold look. Here are 5 tips on how to wear a red lip and look gorgeous but not overdone. The holidays is around the corner so ditch the nudes and pinks and go for something bold, sexy and festive!

1. Choose the right shade of red

There are many types of red: cherry, poppy, crimson, scarlet, ruby and the list goes on...

The trick is to pick the red that is right for your skin tone and hair. A simple way to decide is to look at your skin, if you do not want to bring out the dark circles, stay away from the bluish toned red lipsticks and if you do not want to accentuate the redness of your skin, avoid pinkish toned red lipsticks. Those with thin lips should stay away from darker lipsticks and bold classic ruby reds look great on fair skinned women.

2. Shape and define your lips

This is the most important part of a gorgeous red lip. Because red is such a bold color, the outline of the lips must be polished and the color has to be evenly distributed. Line your lips with a lip liner shade that is just ever so slightly darker than the lipstick you will sport. You can even fill your lips lightly with the lip liner and blend it into your lips to prime the lips and give the lipstick longer lasting power.

3. Precise application

I recommend using a lip brush or choose a lipstick that has a pointy end so you can precisely fill your lips. When using a brush, apply the lipstick little by little in a few strokes. When not using a lip brush, apply the lipstick in a dabbing motion area by area first to avoid mistakes and then trace the outline of your lips in a smooth motion to fill in any unevenness.

4. Tone down the eye makeup

Heavy eye and heavy lip is one of the most common makeup fiasco. Wear neutral, light reflecting eyeshadow that showcases the red lipstick. If you are wearing a matte red lip, try a more shimmery eye shadow and if you are wearing a glossy red lip, choose a matte eyeshadow to balance the look. You are welcome to use liquid black eyeliner and dramatic false eyelashes like Marilyn Monroe because you still want those eyes to pop and compliment the red lip.

5. Flawless skin

A red lipstick deserves a flawless complexion. Blemishes or discolorations draw the attention away from your perfect red lip. This is especially true for any redness on your skin, neutralize these areas with a yellow or green based concealer and then apply the foundation. To help achieve clear skin, visit the 10 ways to get acne free, clear skin- the secret to great skin post. Once again, avoid shiny skin with glossy red lip or matte skin with matte red lip.

When you do get tired of red lips, try a nude, Angelina Jolie's Sexy Plump Lip look.

A Preview to Too Faced Black Friday Deals

2011-11-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Too Faced will be having tons of great deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday...

Looking for a preview? How about this?

Free Shipping: CODE=BLACK11 (valid 11/23/11 - 11/28/11)

Eye Want it All Collection: $99 (a $165 value!)

Vintage makeup deals: 50% off!

Free Gifts: Every order over $75 from 11/23-11/27 will receive a FREE FULL-SIZE SHADOW INSURANCE EYE SHADOW PRIMER with your order!

Cyber Monday: Customers can receive up to $60 in FREE GIFTS with qualifying order including full-size mascaras, makeup brushes and more!

Manic Monday: It's on! Just as always, the Manic Monday deals will be available!

Sounds like fun! I'll definitely be heading over to Too Faced to check these out!

Swatches & Review: Jordana Easyshine Lip Color "Sugar Cookie"

2011-11-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

I had very minimal exposure to Jordana Cosmetics until Walgreens revamped their set up and put an entire permenant display in their cosmetics department. Until then there was a little rack with eyeliners and lip liners that I would pick up every once in a while. You can see what I have purchased and reviewed here. Actually, some of my most used items are the Glitter Rocks Retractable Eyeliners I swatched and reviewed here, and I got those on clearance for $0.62 a piece!

Now that there is a display at Walgreens, I took a look at the other offerings from Jordana and picked up one of their Easyshine Lip Colors to try out. There are six colors on the display, and I picked up Sugar Cookie, which is a warm, reddish brown cream - no shimmer here.

Actually, if you head on over to the Jordana website, you can see all of the different colors here. The website also has a handy key to tell you what the finish is for each of the colors.

Not only did I mangle the top of the lip color with the lid when I opened it, but my flash totally washed out the color in the tube. It is a much deeper shade, with more brown undertones. This is a smaller stick of color too, similar to the size of the Carmex I reviewed earlier this week.

Swatched on the lips, this is my lips but better. The shine is unbelievable, and unfortunately my camera did not capture this either. It reminds me of a the shine you get from a liquid lipgloss in a tube. Definitely an easy coloor, it adds a hint of warm red shine, without being over the top. This is a very slick, non-sticky gloss. Lasting strength is minimal at best, especially if you have to talk alot during the day. There is a slight fragrance, sort of a warm vanilla sugar (hence the name), and it is also sweet to the taste.

At $1.99 this is a nice little thing to keep in your desk drawer or purse when you don't want lipstick on. It doesn't tout any benefits (i.e. Vitamin E, aiding or healing chapped lips, etc), but it does feel nice on. These would also be nice for the younger girls that are asking for some lipgloss or lipstick...maybe a stocking stuffer or two from Santa?

EOTD using Avon's Draw the Line set in Sapphire Blue

2011-11-22T05:58:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I posted some swatches of the Avon Draw the Line set of mini eyeliner pencils and I wanted to do an EOTD with the Sapphire Blue. Like I mentioned in the original post, this is a matte liner, so I was intrigued with how it would look on.

The pencil applied nicely - very smooth and creamy. Like I said in the earlier post on it, this is a bit of a sheer shade, so I had to apply it a couple of times to get the intensity seen in the pictures above. The wear was well - I didn't experience any smudging or color loss over the day.

To get the look:

Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Revlon Edgy Elegance Eyeshadow in Girly - inner corner

Revlon Edgy Elegance Eyeshadow in Fierce - middle of lid into outer corner

Revlon Edgy Elegance Eyeshadow in Downtown - outer corner/crease

MAC Eyeshadow Phloof - highlight

Avon Draw the Line Mini Eyeliner Sapphire Blue - lower lashline

Tarte emphasEYES Clay Eyeliner in Black

L'oreal Voluminous False Fiber Mascara - Black

Swatches & Review: Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm in Sheer Plum Tint

2011-11-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

It's that time again - time for dry, chapped lips and brisk winter chills. I always have my tube of chapstick in my purse. It's my go to. Actually, I have one on my bedside table, one in my office desk, one downstairs in the "junk" drawer, and one in my purse. Well, what about those times when you want a little color and the benefits of a chapstick?

Enter Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm. Made with Vitamin E, Aloe and SPF15, not only does this nourish and moisturize, it protects. Also, it is available in numerous shades, including two new ones: Sheer Berry and Sheer Plum.

I tend to lean towards warmer berry and plum shades in the fall and winter, so I purchased Sheer Plum to try out. The pictures below actually brighten the color in the tube a bit more than Sheer Plum is in reality, but you get the gist of the color. This is a deep plum, almost warm chocolate shade in the tube. Once applied, as you will see in swatches below, the berry colors really shine through.

The product itself is a thin, non sticky formula. It smells a bit less like menthol and a bit more minty than the original Carmex in the pot, therefore it's not quite as medicinal smelling. Once applied, there is a cooling sensation familiar with Carmex. The product wears nicely and didn't feather after application.

Above is two swipes on the skin for a swatch. Below is two swipes on the lip. See, a nice color, but not overwhelming. The berry color really comes through upon application as well.

Final verdict: Why not? For $2.59 a tube you don't have to give up the benefits of Carmex for a little color. My lips feel soft afterwards, and the color payoff is nice and lasting. There are several colors to choose from, although I think a lot of people would like to see more of a red and less of a berry available. Maybe in the future!

Have you tried this yet? What did you think?

NOTD: Revlon Top Speed Nail Enamel "Glitz & Glam"

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

From Revlon's Spice it Up Collection, I picked up the nail polish called Glitz and Glam. This is a cranberry jelly base with silver glitter. It reminds me of one of last year's holiday colors by China Glaze - Mrs. Clause - but I don't own it so I can't do a comparison.

Although the color is a bit sheer, due to the jelly base, after three coats you do have a nice coverage. The dry time was pretty quick, so I suppose it lives up to the name "Top Speed", but I prefer to use a quick drying top coat like Seche Vite as well.

I've posted a couple of different angles/pictures below. I just had one of my nails break, so I had to cut them back - they look so stumpy...sorry. One picture is with a flash and the other in more natural lighting. I will say, being that this is a glitter polish, it really does sparkle! Look at that first picture - see what I mean? You know how sometime glitters end up a bit more matte once dry? Well this one is nice and shimmery, which is great for holiday parties or even just a pick me up.

I also picked up Mistletoe, which is a really vampy olive green - pictures coming soon once I wear it!

Spotted at Walgreens: Revlon Spice it Up Collection for 2011

2011-11-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

I ran across the Revlon Spice it Up collection for this holiday season while at Walgreens earlier this week. There are 8 nail polishes and 8 lipglosses to choose from. On the display there was a $1 coupon off Revlon, so I ended up purchasing two nail colors: Glitz & Glam and Mistletoe. I'll have pictures to post shortly.

Have you spotted this? What did you pick up? I really like some of the nail colors - lots of shimmer and sparkle!

Avon Draw the Line Mini Eyeliner Set - Swatches and Review

2011-11-16T04:33:00.000-08:00

Every year Avon comes out with mini-sets of some of their best selling products: nail polishes, eyeliners, lip gloss, etc. Of all the products I've tried from Avon over the years, one thing I haven't purchased are the Glimmersticks, and I've read some pretty nice things about them. I figured the holiday mini set of these would be a good way to test them out. The collection is called Draw the Line, and it is a set of four of the retractable, 12 hour wear, self sharpening eyeliners.

The four colors in the set are Sapphire Blue, Purple, Bronze and Smoky Grey. Only the Bronze has any shimmer. The other three shades are what I would consider a matte pencil. Swatches of the four pencils are below.

This collection is called a mini-set, and it truly is. The pencils are very small, and actually are a nice way to try out the Glimmersticks for the first time. The set of four costs $7.99 regularly, but I'm sure it will pop up on sale at some point, especially as we get closer to the holidays (or after). Because of the size, I find they would be good to keep in my purse, especially the Bronze or Smokey Grey, simply because they don't take up a lot of room and those two colors are shades I wear a lot and could touch up my makeup easily if needed.

Onto the product itself. The pencils have a nice, fine point, which is good for precision application. Overall, the consistency of the pencils were smooth. I found that Bronze and Smokey Grey were the creamiest and easiest to apply out of the four (Bronze being the best followed by Smokey Grey). Purple and Sapphire Blue were a little drier and a bit more difficult to use on the eye - there was some tugging, but overall the application was fine. I found it easier to apply on the lower lashline because of the size (or lack there of) of the pencils. Overall pigmentation was OK. These certainly don't have the pigmentation or ease of application like the superSHOCK Gel Pencils did (for the record, I still absolutely love these!), but they aren't terrible either. Again, the Bronze and Smokey Grey had the most pigmentation, where Purple had the least. I think you can see that by my swatches above.

So, bottom line, would I buy these again? Honestly, probably not, simply because for the price and quality, I have better products in the same colors or shades. Now, if you are looking to explore and enter the world of colored eyeliners, this might not be a bad idea for you - for $7.99 you get four colors that are a bit outside the box to play with. On the other hand, for those of your seasoned veterans of the eyeliner world, this is not a "must buy" by any means.

For those of you who have this, or any of the other Glimmersticks, what do you think? What is your favorite color?

NOTD: Pumpkin Nailpolish - Pale Pink and Silver Sparkles

2011-11-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

Another pumpkin for you today, but this one wasn't quite as seasonal. This is a clear base with pale pink microglitter and very large, silver hexagonal glitter. Similar in texture and makeup as the Pumpkin polish in a bronze/silver, the actual coverage was quite sheer compared to the bronze. This is three coats, and you can still see quite a bit of nail through. With that said, the sheerness didn't really bother me. Because the pink color was more of a neutral, my nails just looked sparkly. It's kind of a safe-for-work glitter, in my opinion. I received tons of compliments on it too, which is an added bonus!

Below are a few more shots from different angles. I actually found this one on sale after Halloween at Meijer, and I think it cost $0.62 - talk about a find!

Enjoy!

Spotted at Walmart: New Kardashian Kolor for Nicole by OPI nail polishes

2011-11-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

I had read somewhere that Nicole by OPI was partnering with the Kardashians, but I didn't realize how many colors there were going to be until I saw the display at Walmart this past weekend. The collection is called Kardashain Kolor. Each of the leading ladies has a set of 3 colors to choose from. There are some basic cremes and shimmers, and some really glitzy glitters.

The display is enormous, especially by Walmart standards. It's very rarely that I find seasonal/temporary display for one product that fits the entire endcap in the beauty department, but this one did! It definitely catches your eye when you walk by!

The polishes retail for $7 a piece and can be found instore or online.

I picked up Disco Dolls which is a golden glitter with hints of red microglitter throughout. Swatches to come soon.

Christmas makeup looks and ideas - how to look gorgeous for the holiday season

2011-11-14T06:21:00.000-08:00

School or work is on a break, time to look fab for Christmas! Here are some glamorous look for the Christmas season. Great for Christmas parties or just to look special every day during the holidays. Time to kick back and be a little creative with yourself this Christmas!

FLAWLESS SKIN

It's Christmas and the snow is falling. Nothing is worse than blemishes, freckles and dark circles on your face. Picture a snow princess or angel, porcelain and pristine. So let's ditch the bronzer and tan for a season! To help improve your skin texture, check out my post on How to get Acne Free Clear Skin.

Tip 1: Use a primer. It'll create the perfect canvas for your face that will help your makeup stay put and fill in pores.
Recommend: Smashbox Studio Fix, Revlon's Au Naturelle Primer

Tip 2: Conceal with a multicolored palette. Don't think that your skin comes in one shade. Our skin has many pigments. Use yellow for dark circles and green for redness.
Recommend: Benefit's multicolored concealer, Lise Watier (available only in Canada), Physician's formula Concealer Sticks.

Tip 3: Mineral foundation. I know some of you really dread layers and layers of makeup on your face but full coverage doesn't have to be thick coverage. Try a mineral makeup. You buff on as many layers as you want and still feel like you are wearing nothing. For more pointers on which mineral foundations best suit your skin, check out my post on Mineral Foundation Hype.
Recommend: Bare Escentuals foundation, Physician's Formula mineral foundation, Revlon's Mineral Makeup

Tip 4: Spray on some natural spring water. This will set your makeup so it will last all day. Believe it or not, having water on your face will make your makeup rather waterproof for those of you living in rainy or snowy places. Plus, it will hydrate your skin for the dry winter. So very multi-functional!

CHEEKS

Brrrrrrrr...it's so cold when you are outside in the snow. But don't you just love those rosy cheeks you get from being outside? That's why I think rosy cheeks will be perfect for the holiday season. Nothing better than naturally glowing cheeks that make you look like you just came back from a snowball fight! For a list of my favorite blushes, see Best Blushes for all Budgets post.

Tip 1: Use one of those shade smart blushes. The ones with microbeads that turn into the perfect blush color for you when you put it on. This will give you the best natural blush ever.
Recommend: Almay Smart Shade blush, Smashbox O-Glow blush.

Tip 2: Apply it in the right areas. Smile and dab it right on those cheeks. Plus, blend blend blend.

EYES

My favorite part. Think gold, silver, green and plum. Just don't mix too many colors together or you might look like a Christmas tree. To make all the difference, remember to wear fake eyelashes.

Gold: The trick is to mix the gold with silver. Never apply gold alone or else it will look unnatural. Put silver on the inner corner of both your upper and lower lid and apply gold on the outer. Blend the two together. For an evening look, mix gold with brown to look sultry.

Silver: Also do not wear alone unless if you have really deep set eyes. Give your eyes some definition or your eyes will look flat like a white piece of paper. Give it some contour with gray or brown where your crease is and bravo, your silver will make you look wide awake for those present opening moments.

Green: Depending on the shade of green you pick, you can achieve different looks. I personally think matte dark green, like a Christmas tree is perfect for Christmas. It can be worn alone or just underneath your crease if you apply a similar matte highlighter on your brow bone. Also, contour those creases with black or brown for a smokey look. For those of you who like lighter green such as lime or forest green, go for a frosty look. Remember frost not glitter. Mix green with gold or silver. If you are a little on the wild side, try mixing it with pink for an edgier look.

Plum: To be used for evening looks. Here's your chance to have smokey eyes and stand out. I love plum and this will be the look I will be rocking most of the holiday season. Matte or shimmer, the possibilities are endless. Use plum with silver and I like to use a black shade on the crease to give my eyes some contour.

LIPS

Marilyn Monroe, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani. What do they all have in common? They are huge fans of red, bold lips. Me too but when I first tried red lips, it looked horrible. After some experimentation, I finally figured out why! For more tips on how to achieve the perfect red lip, see How to wear a red lip for Christmas, New Year's Eve or just everyday.

Tip 1: Use a lip liner. Contrary to popular believe, you are not supposed to match your lip liner with your lipstick. Match it with your lips because the point of a lip liner is to accentuate your lips, not your lipstick.

Tip 2: If you have thin lips or if you just want poutier lips, use a gloss on top. This will make the color underneath last longer.

Tip 3: Use one of those long lasting lipstick. One side with color, the other side with gloss. No doubt you will be munching on something throughout the day during the holidays. Nothing more annoying than reapplying every hour.
Recommend: Revlon's Colorstay Lipstick, Mac's Prowear lipstick, Maxfactor's lipstick.

For those with thin lips: apply gloss on top of your red lipstick. The trick is to make them look bigger. Matte red lipstick will shrink your lips, it did to mine.
Recommend: MAC red lipsticks and glosses, Clarin's Joli Rouge (my personal favorite)

For those with full lips: you will look gorgeous in matte red lipstick. It will look classy and elegant.
Recommend: Revlon's Matte collection lipstick (I'm in love with this one), Mac's matte lipstick

Two Faced Friends and Family Sale Starts today! Save 20%!

2011-11-11T06:53:00.000-08:00

From 11/10/11 through 11/16/11 Too Faced Friends and Family Sale is running - save 20% off your entire purchase with code FF2011F!

Reader Question: Studio M from Meijer - Are the products any good?

2011-11-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

Michelle from Michigan posted a question last night, so I thought I would address it here since many of you shop at Meijer.

"I apologize-this comment is not about Hard Candy. I know that you shop at Meijer.Have you seen the 'Studio M' cosmetic section there? Meijer is the only place I have seen this. I had a coupon & purchased the baked eye shadow-have not tried it yet. If you have tried anything in this brand would you let me know your thoughts? Thanks so much!"

Great question Michelle!

Studio M is Meijer's "house" brand of products - they used to be called Massini, and have since switched over to the "Studio M" name. You will also find some accessories and such in the Massini or Studio M name if you wander around the store.

As for the cosmetics, I have purchased quite a bit of the Studio M products, particularly the nail polishes and liquid eyeliners - you can see some here and an EOTD with my favorite of the eyeliners here. I can say I have not tried the baked eyeshadows before, although every time I pass them in the store I am tempted.

As for the quality of the products I have tried, I am very happy overall, especially for the price. The nail polish come in a great variety of colors, types (glitters, creams, sometimes duochromes), and I am very pleased with their wear. Some last a bit better than others, but overall, for the price they are great. As for the liquid eyeliners, I use them every day. The color selection is fantastic - there are glitters, metallics and of course the basics. They also have a variety of blushes, foundations, lip sticks, lip glosses, balms, and eyeshadows. The actual size of the display is about the same as Wet 'n Wild in the store, so there is quite a variety to choose from.

Looking around online, it seems like most people are pleased with the quality of the line. What about you, fellow readers? Have you tried anything from Studio M/Massini? What do you think?

Hopefully this helps Michelle!

Spotted at Walmart: Hard Candy LE Nail Polish Collection for the Holidays

2011-11-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

Walmart was setting up their holiday gift aisle this past weekend, and I spotted the set of 5-Hard Candy LE Nail Polishes. This is a deep purple shimmer, a bright orange/red shimmer, green glitter, gold glitter and silver glitter. It looks very similar to last year's set too, but I can't find my picture of it to compare. Price is $5 for the set. There were also single polishes for $1 a piece in similar shades to last year.

Spotted at Walgreens: New NutraNail Gel Perfect 5 Minute Gel-Color Manicure Sets

2011-11-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to Walgreens (looking for the Wet 'n Wild LE polishes none-the-less), I saw a little display of a new NutraNail product - their Gel Perfect 5 minute Gel-Color Manicure sets. I can only assume these are the up and coming "at home" versions of the very popular Shellac Nail system that has hit salons over the past year or so.

Although the display I saw only had four colors to choose from (I picked up Dahlia), there are actually quite a few on the website.

I'm going to try these out here in the next day or two. I am wearing my Chanel Peridot right now, and I can't quite get enough of it.

Have you seen these out? What do you think?

FOTD: Bare Escentuals Pussycat and Gold Leaf, Maybelline Pressworthy Pink, and Laura Geller Como

2011-11-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Years ago I was introduced to Bare Escentuals, and to this day I consider it one of my standard/go-to brands to use. I was feeling inspired by all the beautiful golds and bronzes of fall, so I fell back to two of the prettiest shades I think BE has: Pussycat and Gold Leaf. Below is how I put the look together.

Face:

Laura Geller Champagne Spackle

Laura Geller Real Deal Concealer "light"

Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten Porcelain Foundation

Maybelline Blush "Pressworthy Pink"

Eyes:

Urban Decay Primer Potion "Greed"

Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Bare Escentuals "Gold Leaf" - inner corner

Bare Escentuals "Pussycat" - outer corner, crease

MAC "Sugar Shot" - highlight

Tarte Emphaseyes Clay eyeliner - Black

L'oreal Voluminous False Fiber Mascara - Black

Lips

Laura Geller Dream Creams "Como"

A close up of the eyes below - Pussycat comes across as almost a dirty brown in the pot, but once applied is a beautiful deep bronze. It's beautiful for fall.

My new favorite lip color - Laura Geller's Dream Creams in Como

2011-11-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

I think I've found one of my new, favorite, neutral lip colors for the fall. Laura Geller's Dream Cream lip pallets are wonderful. I have received mine through the Escape from the Tropics Collection I ordered on auto deliver from QVC -- you can see the first set's swatches here. These are stripes of lipstick, for lack of a better term. These are not lip gloss, but instead are fully pigmented and can be applied on their own or mix and matched to create a color you find best suits you.

The color I am absolutely loving is the coral stripe second from the right in the Como pallet. In the pan it looks to be an almost washed out brick shade. When applied, it is a beautiful nude creme with a hit of coral, and I am absolutely in love. It works so well with my skin tone, is easily wearable with most anything, and the lasting power on these colors are fantastic.

If you haven't tried the Laura Geller Dream Creams, I would highly suggest you try them. A lot of possibilities in one little compact.

NOTD: Avon Nailwear Pro "Vintage Boutique"

2011-11-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

Avon Nailwear Pro in Vintage Boutique. This is a deep khaki/gray creme, leaning more on the warmer side. Depending on the light, it can look brown to an almost pale brownish lavender. In my opinion, it's more of a brown with grey undertones, kind of like the color of melted milk chocolate. Although it may look a little dull in the bottle, when applied this is a gorgeous color, especially for fall.

I don't know if Avon has updated the formula or not, but this applied extremely well. This is three coats, although I probably could have only used two. The nail polish dries so shiny too, which is different than some of the older shades I've used in the Avon line.

Side note, sorry for the blurry picture. I used my camera phone instead of my actual camera since the battery has died on it and needs to be charged.

10 ways to get acne free, clear skin- the secret to great skin

2011-10-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

Here are ten simple things you can do to prevent and treat acne. Clear, beautiful, acne free skin is a blessing. Genetics play a big part but we can modify what we can control to prevent acne and maintain good skin. One can have acne for years before achieving manageable skin. Here are top 10 ways to maintain clear and acne free skin. For some product recommendations, please visit my post on Acne Product Recommendations.
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1. Clean your face daily with an oil free cleanser
Keeping your face clean is key to having clear skin because it gives the bacteria less chance to grow and clog your pores. Use an oil free cleanser with a small dose of salicylic acid.

2. Exfoliate regularly
Exfoliating your skin with a gentle scrub or glycolic acid help your skin get rid of dead skin cells and generate new ones. This also help keep your pores clear or debris.

3. Use an oil free moisturiser daily
Choose a moisturiser you feel comfortable wearing. For example, use an oil free cream for night time and an oil free gel for day time. For those with acne, choose one with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide in the moisturiser.

4. Deep clean your face at least once a week
Use a deep cleansing, detoxifying or hydrating mask on your face once or twice a week. This really helps to extract all the oil, dirt and debris from you pores that may have accumulated throughout the week. Do not overuse as it may dry out your skin and overwork your sebaceous glands so you may get oilier.

5. Balanced diet with plenty of water
You are what you eat. As cliché as that may sound, the vitamins and minerals from healthy food choices do make a difference in our skin. Drinking plenty of water will give your skin hydration it deserves so that your pores remain unclogged.

6. Wear oil free, non-comedogenic makeup
Your makeup can mask your existing acne but can also make you break out. You may fall into a vicious cycle by masking your acne with acne causing makeup which will cause more acne. Read the labels carefully before purchasing and try the makeup out at the makeup counter, wear it for one day to examine the degree of oiliness on your face and then purchase. Try a mineral based foundation and see which one suits you best through the Mineral Foundation Hype post.

7. Watch out for hands, pillows and hair
An average person touches his or her face hundreds of times a day without thinking. Bacteria can easily spread to your face every time your hands touch your face. Clean your pillows often because the bacteria may spread while you sleep. Keep your hair clean and oil free also minimizes the chance for a breakout.

8. Exercise
Exercising helps your body circulate and skin breathe. Do something active 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes can help improve the texture and clarity of your skin.

9. Beauty sleep
It isn't just a meaningless phrase. A good 7-9 hour rest helps you maintain the regular turnover of your skin cells. This also gives acne-fighting ingredients a chance to do its job while the skin is repairing itself.

10. Be patient.
Acne come and go. It can be triggered by genetics, hormones or unhealthy lifestyle. Try your best to avoid picking it as the bacteria may spread to nearby areas and cause more breakouts. Do not blame yourself as multiple factors come into play. Do what you can to prevent it but visit a dermatologist if your acne persists or becomes severe.

Halloween NOTD: OPI DS "Mystery" and a Pumpkin Black & Orange Confetti Glitter

2011-10-28T07:11:00.000-07:00

Another Halloween mani with the pumpkin polishes. This time I layered the Pumpkin polish with orange and black confetti glitter on top of OPI Designer Series "Mystery". The OPI is the most unique color, and so hard to capture on film. Unfortunately it's been rainy and gloomy out so I couldn't go outside and take a picture either. The color is a deep purple/almost black with gold micro glitter.

If I could do this again, I would use a lighter shade underneath because you lose the black confetti in the dark color of the base polish. Instead, I might choose a similar base shade, but something more purple and less black. Regardless, the OPI is gorgeous on its own. Too bad the picture can't capture it.

What is your Halloween manicure going to be?

Swatches: The Balm Shady Lady "Jealous Jordana"

2011-10-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today's swatches are of The Balm's Shady Lady eyeshadow in Jealous Jordana. I received this as a birthday gift as well. This is my first go with The Balm, although I have heard very nice things about the brand.

Jealous Jordana is a deep almost black green with evergreen shimmer. This can be used as both an eyeshadow and an eyeliner. The consistency is very smooth and silky. The blending power was very nice as well. Pigmentation is also nice, but to get the most out of it I would definitely suggest using a primer. Using something underneath the shade really makes the color pop.

Swatched below are with (left) and without (right) primer. I used the LA Splash Eyeshadow Primer/Sealer underneath and got really nice results. I think if you used one of the UDPP in Greed or Sin you would get a really nice amplification of the shimmer. It really depends on what type of look you are going for.

The Balm can be found online or in store at Sephora. The eyeshadow singles retail for $16 a piece, but they do have sets quite often that are even more affordable.

Have you tried the Shady Lady shadows? What about any other Balm products?

Swatches: Maybelline Limited Edition Blushes in Stage Glow, Pressworthy Pink and Ravishing Rouge

2011-10-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

I think I mentioned a while back that they were renovating the Walgreens near me. Well, while doing so, I was wandering through the aisles and found a section of clearance items. These weren't just old products, or broken products, these were perfectly good products that were marked down substantially. Case and point: Maybelline's Limited Edition Fall 2011 blushes below...marked down to $1.75 a piece, and then Maybelline was BOGO50% off, so I got one of them for $0.87! The moral of the story? Go check out the clearance!

The three I found were Stage Glow, Pressworthy Pink and Ravishing Rouge.

First, Stage Glow. This is a beautiful highlighting shade. The palest of nude pinks, there is beautiful pearl shimmer throughout.

Pressworthy Pink is a true bubblegum pink. There is also shimmer in this blush, but not as much as the Stage Glow. The shimmer is a bit more silver as well, or it could just be because it is against the pink so it stands out more.

Ravishing Rouge is a deep brick/plum shade with a slight pink shimmer. Yes, this is probably a bit dark for me, but I'm hoping with a light hand and a light brush, I can pull it off. Otherwise, this is going to my sister.

All three swatched below - natural light, no flash. The Stage Glow is just beautiful! The textures are creamy, not chalky at all. They blend very well into the skin and the shimmer left behind is a really nice glow in the cheeks.

Have you tried any of these LE shades? How about finding some great bargains like this in your local clearance?

NOTD: Pumpkin Chunky Glitter (bronze and silver)

2011-10-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures of the pumpkin polishes I found a few weeks back. Today is called Chunky Nail...actually I think all of them are called that! This is a dark gray jelly base with tiny bronze microglitter and silver hexagonal chunky glitter. As you layer it, the hex glitters look a bit more bronze, but they are truly silver.

(natural light)

(Flash)

This is two coats. The polish covers like a dream - two coats was definitely enough, but you could apply a thin coat on top of a darker shade to add the chunky glitter effect.

What color did you pick up in the pumpkins? Remember, snowmen are around the corner!!

NOTD: L'oreal Owl's Night from the Project Runway Collectioni

2011-10-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

New from the L'oreal Project Runway collection is Owl's Night. This is a deep olive/black base with golden olive shimmer. Depending on what type of light you are in there is orange, gold and green as well...especially in the sun. Gorgeous. That's all there is to say about this one.

Two coats below.

Artificial Light

Sunlight

This is one of those colors I know I won't get tired of this fall/winter. Any type of golden shimmer will look gorgeous over the top as well.

EOTD: Milani Baked Eyeshadow in Mingling, Fyrinnae Otherwordly, and Aromaleigh Solange

2011-10-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

An icy blue EOTD for this rainy day today! I saw my Milani Baked eyeshadow laying lonely in my makeup drawer, so I thought I'd put a little look together around it. Here it is...

UDPP Greed

Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Milani Baked Eyeshadow "Mingling" - inner corner

Fyrinnae "Otherwordly" - blended between inner corner and crease shade, wet lower lashline

Aromaleigh "Solange" - outer corner, crease

Milani "Lily White" - highlight

Lancome Artliner Eyeliner "Starshower"

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara - black

Spotted at Meijer: The Snowman Nail Polishes

2011-10-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to me how every year, the Christmas items seem to come out earlier and earlier. Well, right past the Halloween items at Meijer (including the pumpkin polishes), the North Pole and Christmas are starting to pop up. The aisle that has racks and racks of little knickknacks and stocking stuffers had one lone bin full, and it was full of Snowmen Polishes!

What fun! I overlooked these last year, so this year I picked up four glitters. I'll post pictures and swatches closer to the time - I still need to post my pumpkins!

Happy Holidays (in October)!

EOTD: Fyrinnae STFU, Aromaleigh Amarante and Sassy Minerals Witty Banter

2011-10-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

Today's EOTD is another mix of Fyrinnae and Aromaleigh and Sassy Minerals. This one is a mix of golds, bronzes and olives as well, but I did it a little backwards.

Face:

Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten in Fair and Porcelain

Laura Geller Bronze 'n Brighten

Milani Baked Blush Dolce Pink

Eyes:

Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Sassy Minerals Witty Banter - inner corner

Fyrinnae STFU - middle of lid blended into Witty Banter and lower lashline alone

Aromaleigh Amarante - outer corner blended into crease

MAC Phloof - highlight

Boujouis Clubbing Liquid Eyeliner

Loreal Voluminous False Lashes Fiber Mascara

Lips:

Too Faced Lip of Luxury Lipstick "Celebrity Meltdown"

Here's the whole deal. Again, I can't rave enough about the Too Faced lipstick I got. It's such a pretty warm berry shade!

Review of Lancome`s Top 3 Best Selling Mascaras

2011-10-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

Lancome has grown in popularity for the past decade. Beauty gurus such as Michelle Phan, the online spokesperson for Lancome, trust and believe in Lancome. Out of all of their products, Lancome is most notorious for their mascaras. Here I will review three series of Lancome`s most popular, and what I consider to be their top mascaras.

1. LANCOME DEFINICIL (including Definicil Precious Cells and Definicil Pro)

If you want: Long, defined, separated lashes

Definicil helps to achieve clean, defined eyelashes. With its rather slender wand, this mascara is very buildable and does not clump most of the time. Definicil precious cells helps to also nourish and strengthen lashes which is a great added benefit. My favourite Lancome Definicil mascara is the Definicil Pro which achieves incredible length, curl, definition and separation with its unique curved brush and deep black pigment formula.

2. LANCOME HYPNOSE (including Lancome Hypnose Drama, Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes)

If you want: Dramatic, thick, voluminous lashes

The name says it all. Lancome Hypose is supposed to deliver dramatic lashes that make eyes appear hypnotizing. Many consider this mascara to be their holy grail mascara as it delivers instant volume to lashes. One downside is that it does clump when you apply multiple coats and does not separate or lengthen as much as the Lancome Definicils. The new Hypnose Drama is more intense than the original Hynose as it promises instant drama with one coat of application. The new Hynose Doll Eyes is the new hype as it claims to achieve volume, length, curl and falsies effect in one.

3. LANCOME OSCILLATION

(including Lancome Oscillation mascara and primer)

If you want: Well separated, curled, lengthened and full lashes

This mascara works on an built-in battery which makes the wand vibrate at a high frequency. I love this mascara because it delivers a generous amount of product at the base of the lashes, which creates the illusion of thicker, fuller lashes. The plastic wand also does a fairly decent job of separating, lengthening, and de-clumping. The biggest plus in this mascara is that the oscillation technology can help to accentuate a curl if you use the wand correctly. The Lancome Oscillation primer does a great job at prepping and nourishing the lashes. For those of you who want to grow your lashes out, read my review on the Rapid Lash Review- the ultimate lash grower. The only downside to this mascara is that the battery becomes progressively weaker but I find that I can use this mascara without the vibration and it still gets the job done.

10 Ways to Make Your Foundation Stay On All Day

2011-09-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

Here are 10 ways to make your foundation stay on the entire day without touch up. Use these tips for a flawless complexion all day. Whether you purchase cheap drug store or expensive luxury foundation, there are ways to prolong the wear of your foundation. Some low-end foundations actually stay on better than high-end foundations if used the right way or paired with other products.

.........................

1. Choosing the right formula of foundation:

Different foundation formulas tailor to different skin types. If you have dry skin, use a cream or liquid foundation. For oilier skin, choose oil free liquid formulas, powder, or mineral foundation. For a list of foundation reviews, watch my Flawless Foundation Routine and Massive Foundation Review/Collection video.

2. Priming your face:

Priming your face with a silicone based primer not only help you save the amount of foundation you use but also create a flawless canvas for your foundation to go on. Think of it as prolonging the wear of a nail polish with a base coat; same idea.

3. Apply with a brush:

Applying foundation with a brush can help you achieve flawless coverage without using too much product. The brush helps to deliver the foundation seamlessly into your skin. A kabuki brush helps to buff mineral foundation on and a flat top brush helps to evenly distribute liquid foundation.

4. Use the right amount of product:

Less is more. Start off with a bit of the product on your brush and build coverage by gradually applying more product. Excess amount can easily rub off and crease on your face.

5. Keep your skin clean, exfoliated and moisturized:

Clear, exfoliated skin allows the foundation to go on effortlessly and smoothly since the foundation lies evenly on the skin. To maintain clear skin, visit 10 ways to get acne free, clear skin- the secret to great skin

6. Use a finishing powder:

When using liquid or cream foundation, always finish off with a finishing/translucent powder which helps to seal the product just like how a top coat seals the nail polish color. For mineral foundation users, the equivalent of a finishing powder would be a mineral veil.

7. Set the foundation with a spray:

Makeup fix sprays are growing popular for a good reason. These water based sprays not only make your makeup last longer but give you that dewy, fresh, au natural skin. A cheaper alternative would be to load up a spray bottle with water.

8. Choose Oil free and long lasting makeup:

Generally oil free makeup stay on longer. Look for foundations that say long-lasting or even waterproof. Many makeup lines such as Rimmel or Revlon make extremely affordable foundations that last between 8-25 hours!

9. Try a mineral foundation:

Mineral foundations tend to stay on the skin for longer period of time, especially for oily skinned individuals. They are weightless and most have oil absorbing properties. To see which mineral foundation best suits you, visit Mineral Foundation Hype.

10. Reduce oil on your skin:

Keeping your skin matte and shine free can reduce the amount oil on your face, which can then minimize the chance of the foundation sliding off your skin. Using a matte, oil control moisturizer and blotting paper throughout the day to keep the excess oil at bay.

Please also visit my posts on 10 ways to make eyeliner stay put all day and 5 ways to make eyeshadow stay on all day.

How to get Angelina Jolie's sexy plump lips

2011-07-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more sexy than sexy plump lips for all seasons. Not only do full lips make you look sexy, it also symbolizes youth and vitality. Some are naturally blessed with plump lips but others can cheat. Not everyone has 10 minutes everyday to get full lips but here are a variety of tips I have to achieve full, sexy lips. You pick and choose what you want to do!

1. Condition your lips at night and exfoliate with a soft toothbrush or lip exfoliator to get rid of dead skin cells. This will prevent your lips from looking dehydrated and thin.

2. Use a nude lip liner and outline your lips a little past your natural lip line. Blend out the harsh edges after tracing. Try rounding off your cupid`s bow to make your lips appear plumper.

3. For lipsticks, choose a nude and lighter lip stick over a darker lipstick. Just like how dark clothes slim you down, lighter colors will make your lips look fuller and larger while darker colors will make your lips appear thin.

4. When in a hurry, slab on lipgloss instead of lipstick as lipgloss adds shine, dimension, and hydration to your lips.

5. Use a lip plumper such as LipFusion or Lip Venom. Some contain collagen that instantly fill in the lines of your lips to give you a youthful pout.

6. Apply a pearly silver lipgloss or eyeshadow to the centre of your bottom lips and around the cupid`s bow to make your lips reflect light and give off the illusion of pouty lips.

Want bolder, feminine red lips but too afraid to wear it? Read my post on How to wear a red lip for Christmas, New Year's Eve or just everyday.

Video Feature: L'Oreal Paris Make up Diaries: Sonam Kapoor's Gothic Queen Look

2011-07-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

Make-up Trend: Two-Tone Eye Shadow

2011-06-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

On the latest issue of Verve, Chitrangada Singh looked every bit of a diva. Make up artist Mickey Contractor rimmed her eyes in black liner, then followed with a wash of citrusy gold liner on the bottom lashline. Next, he layered icy turquoise and silvery gray-green shadow along the crease, extending the colors, to wing them slightly. The effect was sculpted and dimensional, but still lighthearted thanks to the splash of color.

Rec: tokidoki Cromatico Eyeshadow Palette in Mozzarella

Hair Trend: Twisted Bun

2011-06-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

To try Sonam Kapoor's famous Cannes hairstyle, follow these easy steps, on either side of your head, roll back the strands along your hairline, adding more hair as your work your way backwards, just like you do with a French braid. (Tuck in a few pins if you find the twists are heavy and tipping forwards.) Wrap the two twists into an untidy bun and secure with pins and elastic. This style isn't meant to look prim, so don't worry about asymmetries or imperfections.

Rec: Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Courtesy: Instyle

Make-up Trend: Simple Smoky Eyes

2011-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sonakshi Sinha usually favors playing up her lips on the red carpet, but fon the cover of the latest issue of Vogue India, her makeup artist Mickey Contractor turned it up a notch. "I chose a combination of jet black shadows to bring out her gorgeous dark brown eyes," he said. Mickey started with a layer of long wear gray shadow, winged on the corners topped with a few swipes of a creamy black formula. "I lined her top lashline with kohl liner, then coated her lashes with black mascara for a feathery effect." Simple and stunning.

Rec: M.A.C Wonder Woman Eye Shadow Quad in Lady Justice

Huge contest giveaway

2011-06-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

GIGANTIC MAKEUP GIVEAWAY! 2 PRIZES TO WIN!! 2 BASKET FULL OF MAKEUP GOODIES! VERY SIMPLE TO ENTER!

These are mystery makeup products, many of them are high end products.

One basket worth $100

One basket worth $200

Brands of products included are : Lancome, Guerlain, Clarins, Clinique, MAC, Pur Minerals, Maybelline, Lise Watier, Lòreal and many more.

RULES TO WIN:

************

1. Subscribe to my youtube channel by clicking below (must be subscriber to be eligible):
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?

2. Comment and like my perfect eyebrows video (1 comment maximum) on my facebook page below: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eye4makeup/213516525345617

There are 2 chances for you to WIN !

************************

1st Winner: The Facebook comment who received the most Likes!

2nd Winner: Random pick from anyone who subscribed to my youtube channel, liked and commented on the video.

SUPER easy and fast.

To allow more people to participate I have extended the contest. If you see this post, the contest is still going. Thanks and good luck!

UPDATE:

WINNERS ARE:

Katt Kkaatt who won with 427 likes and Isabella Ouano.

CONGRATS and please stay tuned everyone for more giveaways as I will have many more...Thanks.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's New L'Oreal Commercial

2011-06-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's new commercial for L'oreal Paris Excellence Creme.

Make-up Trend: Dramatic Eyes & Lips

2011-06-04T06:16:00.000-07:00

Usually it's a beauty no-no to pair dark lips with anything other than clear, flawless skin. But on the latest issue of Verve, Deepika Padukone's makeup artist Mickey Contractor helped the star get it exactly right, combining a matte burgundy lip with dramatic lashes and bronzy shadow. The brown and gold shadow make Deepika’s beautiful brown eyes radiate, plus, the lips tie the look together. The reason the two elements didn't compete? The absence of dark shadows like black and gray. By using warmer tones and just a touch of natural shimmery cheek color, the focus stayed on her gorgeous skin, eyes and lips.

Make-up Trend: Frosty Pink Lip Gloss

2011-06-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

You know summer is close on the horizon when make-up gets angelic and icy tones. Take Sonam Kapoor's look on the latest issue of Marie Claire India. Frosty finishes used to have an '80s stigma, but thanks to warm undertones, the look is romantic and flirtatious. If you want to try a similar look, keep the rest of the makeup on your face matte and subtle—here, Sonam paired her gloss with a flat but rosy blush and simple, mascara. That way, the iridescent tone avoids looking costumey.

How to get a golden bronze face for the summer and top best bronzers

2011-06-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

There`s nothing sexier than looking like a golden goddess for the summer. We can all tan under the sun for the bronze but ladies, UV can be really damaging in the long run so why not just fake the healthy glow! In this post I will share with you ways to not look muddy (if you have dry skin) or shiny (if you have oily skin). I will also be providing you with my top 10 favourite bronzers of all time after much investigation and testing. As always high end and low end products will be equally represented so you can decide whether you want to splurge! Without further ado, let`s get bronzed!

How to use it

To use as a contour: Apply it in the hollows of your cheeks, sides of the forehead, temples, bridge of the nose and underneath the chin for that "I just lost 10 lbs" look. For how to achieve this look, please watch my How to contour your face and look 10 lbs skinnier video. Remember to select a matte bronzer that is 3-4 shades darker than your foundation for ideal results.

To use for an all over healthy glow/tan: Apply the bronzer all over the face, concentrating in areas where the sun would naturally hit the face such as the forehead, cheeks and sides of the nose. Use a larger and fluffier brush to get an even bronze. The trip is to select a bronzer that is easily blendable. You may choose a bronzer that has slightly more glitter and shine if you prefer the glowy look.

Skin Type

If you have dry or mature skin:

Stay moisturised under the summer as the heat and humidity may dehydrate you even more. If possible select a spray on bronzer or cream bronzer. Using this type of bronzer will not accentuate fine lines and give you a dewy and youthful glow. For a list of foundation reviews, please watch my Flawless Foundation Routine and Massive Foundation Review/Collection video.

If you have oily/combination skin:

Most people prefer powdered bronzer for ease of application and its long wearing abilities. Choose a matte or semi-matte bronzer that will absorb the excess oil from your face. The powder will not only mattify your face but also give your face a little more coverage so you can get away with less foundation.

Recommendations for best bronzers

Best high end bronzers:

NARS Laguna bronzer or NARS Casino if you have darker skin (powder)
Chanel Soleil tan de Chanel (cream)
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil (powder)
Dior Bronze Sun Powder spray (spray)

Best low end bronzers:

NYC Sunny bronzer (powder)
NYC Mosaic bronzer (powder)
Rimmel Sun bronzer (powder)
Elf studio bronzer in Golden (powder)
Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy Sheerest Cream Bronze (cream)

Perfect eyebrows to match your face shape

2011-05-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

This video deals with one of my favorite topics. For many years I have wondered what shape of eyebrows would best suit my face shape and frame my face. Eyebrows can be so versatile and fun to experiment with. What is your face shape and what eyebrow shapes do you have? Please also read my post on Perfect Eyebrows For Every Face Shape .

Make-up Trend: Magenta Lips

2011-05-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

In the pages of the latest issue of Filmfare, Shraddha Kapoor made a fittingly bold statement with magenta pink lipstick. Skintone is key when selecting a punchy shade—what may look clownish on someone can be just right on someone else. Always try lipstick on your lips—not the back of your hand—and remember to account for the natural pigment of your mouth, which can shift a lipstick formula a few shades in either direction.

Rec: NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Damned

Katrina Kaif's Hair & Beauty Must-Haves

2011-05-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

Katrina's Must Haves:

Pantene Shampoo

Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat

Yves Saint Laurent Pressed Powder

Kiehl's Lip Balm #1

Make-up Trend: Maroon-Burgundy Nail Polish

2011-05-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

Funky new nail polish shades are always fun, but there is something to be said about returning to classic, flawless hues. Take Freida Pinto's burgundy tone at the amFAR Cinema Against Aids Gala at Cannes. The shimmery gold cocktail dress was sweet with an edge and the dark burgundy went perfectly with the tones of the dress. The reddish jewels picked up the gold in the dress and the clutch beautifully.

Rec: Sephora By O.P.I Nail Color in What's Your Point-settia?

How to contour your face and look 10 lbs skinnier

2011-05-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to another video. How many of you have had days where you just wish your face weren't so bloated? Well, I certainly do almost everyday. Contouring has been a necessity for me because of my face shape and it really dramatically transforms your face. Here is my preferred method to contour your face, cheeks and nose. It literally makes me look like I shed 10 lbs.

Products Used:

MAC 269 brush
MAC 219 brush
Coastal Scents C 108 flat bronzer brush
Stila #9 brush
NARS Laguna bronzer
Urban Decay Naked Palette in Buck
NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Face Powder

5 ways to make eye shadow stay on all day

2011-05-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

I have collected over the years 5 ways to make your eyeshadow stay. These tricks are easy and they work. This has been a very expensive question for me as I have spent an ample amount of time and money to find the best way to keep my eye shadow from creasing and fading for years. After many trials and errors, I can finally say that I barely have any trouble keeping my eye shadow on. Let me share with you my secrets and hope all of you will no longer experience this cosmetic hassle.

1. Prepare a clean oil free base

Create a clean base for your eyeshadow to adhere to. This means having a clean and moisturized skin. Also powder your eyelid area to absorb the excess oil before applying eyeshadow.

2. Use an eyeshadow primer

Using an eyeshadow primer can not only prevent creasing and fading of the eyeshadow but also increase the intensity of the eyeshadow. My favourite high end primer is the Urban Decay Primer Potion and my favourite low end primer is the Elf eyeshadow primer for a fraction of the price. You can also substitute a primer with a good concealer.

3. Use a cream eyeshadow base

Another option is to use a cream eyeshadow base that has almost the same color as your eyeshadow. This allows the powder eyeshadow to adhere to the cream eyeshadow and also makes the eyeshadow appear highly pigmented.

4. Wet your eyeshadow

Using your eyeshadow wet will not only intensify the look but also prolong the wear of the eyeshadow. I like to spray the eyeshadow brush with a fine mist of water or contact lens solution and then dip the brush into the eyeshadow. Do not spray too much liquid or it will not only mess up the eyeshadow in the pan but also your eyeshadow look.

5. Spray water or makeup setting fix

Set your eyeshadow with mineral water, water or a makeup fix like MAC fix plus. This also gives a dewy finish to your skin.

Make-up Trend: Coral-Orange Lips

2011-05-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

Orange lipstick may sound frightful, but one glance at Sonam Kapoor at the Chopard Party at Cannes will change your mind. Thanks to coral undertones, the shade isn't harsh or garish, and it feels playful when contrasted with a white dress. If you're experimenting with a new hue, top it with a swipe of gloss. The added shine is more forgiving than a strict matte finish.

Rec: L'oreal Color Riche Lipcolor in Volcano

Sonam Kapoor's Cannes 2011 Make-up Breakdown (Face Chart) & Backstage Pics

2011-05-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

Sonam's makeup was inspired by David Bowie, highlights on the eyes. The eyelids are dresses in a copper-burgundy and gold mix. joined by a line of black eyeliner. You get a totally feline look. To soften it up a bit, choose a fairly mellow bronzing blush for the hollow of the cheeks and a gold nude for the mouth. The result is a glamorous, feminine and very sensual look.

Sonam getting ready for her debut at Cannes 2011!

Sonam Kapoor Cannes 2011 Day 5 Make-up

2011-05-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Her hair was styled in an updo with a curly bouffant top.

Her enchanting smoky eye makeup, by the L'Oreal France makeup artist Rie Omoto, included L'Or, L'Or, L'Or gold eyeshadow and highlighter riding right upto her thick and arched eyebrows; and silver eyeshadow on the inner corners of the eyes and under the lower lashes.

The look accentuated and emphasized her chiseled features rather than the color itself. Nude lip gloss, fuchsia blush and gun metal nail polish rounded her mesmerizing looks. Explaining the use of gold, Rie said, "Gold is a transformational color that can take a woman from day to night and back again by simple adjustments in its application and blending."

How to get Perfectly Natural and Defined Hollywood Celebrity Eyebrows

2011-05-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

Here is my take on how to achieve perfect hollywood eyebrows. Although I used quite a few items, it does make a big difference in the end. Hope you all enjoy this video.

Aishwarya Rai Cannes 2011 Day 2 Make-up Breakdown (Face Chart)

2011-05-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

"A duo of blue and gold eye shadow highlights her incredible eyes and enhances her Giorgio Armani Prive sheath. A touch of color is all her mouth and cheeks need." Karim Rahman

Aishwarya Rai Cannes 2011 Day 1 Make-up Breakdown (Face Chart)

2011-05-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

"Piercing eyes, highlighted with lovely gradation on her eyelids and enhanced with plenty of mascara." Karim Rahman

Aishwarya, Freida & Sonam's Looks at Cannes 2011

2011-05-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

L'Or L'Or L'Or Look # 1

L'Or L'Or L'Or Look # 2

L'Or L'Or L'Or Look # 3

L'Or L'Or L'Or Look # 4

Actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor and Freida Pinto will be given new looks by internationally renowned make-up artists as they walk the Cannes Red Carpet this year. From May 11-22, L’Oréal Paris, official make-up artist of the Festival for 14 years, will introduce its first dream team of three make-up artists: Karim Rahman, Billy B and Rie Omoto.

They have created the new ‘L’Or L’Or L’Or’ make-up Collection especially for Cannes, which will be used to design exclusive make-up looks for all the spokeswomen present at the Festival including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor and Freida Pinto. Aishwarya will be sporting interpretations of the ‘L’Or L’Or L’Or’, look by Karim Rahman as she walks the red carpet with Aimee Mullins, Gong Li and Ines de la Fressange on Wednesday.

“Gold is something that inspires me to create an opulent, luxurious, bold make-up look. This is the perfect theme for Cannes and perfect for the strong personalities of the L’Oréal Paris spokeswomen. I want to bring out all their radiant, luminous sensuality,” said Rahman.

Rie Omoto will be creating the L’Or, L’Or, L’Or, look for Sonam Kapoor using gold to highlight, accentuate and emphasize the actor’s features rather than the color itself. Sonam will be walking the red carpet on May 15 with Fan Bing Bing. Rie Omoto said, “Gold is a transformational color that can take a woman from day to night and back again by simple adjustments in its application and blending.” Freida Pinto’s ‘L’Or, L’Or, L’Or’ look created by Billy B will reflect her radiant beauty as she attends the amfAR dinner and after party on May 19. “Gold is flattering; it reflects light beautifully and makes you immediately luminous and radiant. Gold can be and really should be considered a Classic like the famous and timeless Little Black Dress,” said Billy.

Smoky, Purple Eye Shadow

2011-05-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

A smoky eye doesn't always have to be black and gray. Take Shraddha's version on the cover of Adorn Magazine. A dash of black shadow pulled across the lid and upwards at the corner is innocent with just a touch of vamp. An allover wash of bluish-purple finishes the dark but striking look. FInish the look off with highlighting your inner corners and brow bone with a pearly white shadow.

Rec: Tarina Tarantino Floriculture Palette

Urban Decay Naked Palette Review- One of the best eyeshadow palettes

2011-05-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

The most hyped palette at the moment would have to be the Urban Decay Naked Palette. It has been so popular that Sephora has been out of stock for months. The question is...is this an over hyped palette or does it really deserve its fame. I will provide an in depth review on this palette based on my two months experience with it. Enjoy!

Overview:

Suitable for: Very universal. Great for anyone who loves neutrals.

Pigmentation: Excellent. Some darker shades are more pigmented than others.

Price: Reasonable, great for what you are getting which is 12 gorgeous shades.

Versatility: Endless possibilities. Each eyeshadow can be used to create either a natural barely there look or a sultry smokey look.

Staying power: Very good alone and excellent with a primer. I find that it stays put better when used with a primer and a coloured or nude base rather than a primer alone.

Blendability: The smooth velvety texture allows room for blending for a seamless finish. However, too much blending may cause some sparkles to wear off and can result in a little bit of muddiness.

Texture: The texture is satin smooth and velvety. None of the shades are powdery or extra soft, which helps to minimize fallout.

Packaging: Sturdy suede expensive feeling palette with great portability. Comes with a large mirror inside the palette and a slot for the eyeshadow brush they provided. I like to pop in a dual ended eyeshadow brush so that all I need is one brush for the entire eyeshadow look.

Review of the 12 shades:

How to use each shade for best results

Virgin (nude satin)

This satin finish eyeshadow is best used for highlighting under the brow bone or for brightening those inner tear ducts. I also use it down the centre my nose to highlight and on the cupid`s bow above my lips.

Sin (champagne shimmer)

A truly versatile color that can be used all over the lid for a sheer wash of color, creating a brightening look. It can also be used as a brow highlight color if you do not want too large of a contrast between the eyelid color and brow color.

Naked (buff matte)

A very nude and muted color that will probably not show up on more tanned complexion. This color can be used to even out the eyelid for a very subtle, natural look that will look great with a Marilyn Monroe red lip. I also use it to blend the harsh edges of any smokey eye.

Sidecar (beige sparkle)

One of the more sparkly colors with chunks of sparkle. However, the sparkles really do make this eyeshadow unique and perfect for the inner portion of the eyelid which will drawn light to your eyes in photography. This may not be the best choice for inner tear ducts however due to the rather chunky glitters.

Buck (brown matte)

Truly one of my favourite colors because it is a staple and it is multifunctional. I use it in my crease to create a natural and believable contour on my asian lids. I have also discovered that it is perfect for contouring the nose. The color isn`t orange like some other contouring powder and creates a natural soft contour when blended with a fluffy brush.

Half Baked (bronze)

One of my favourite shades. This is a true golden bronze color great on any complexion. Use this all over the lid or with a gorgeous smokey golden brown eye. If you have darker complexion, this may also work on the inner corner of the eyes if you find white or silver eyeshadows too harsh.

Smog (golden brown shimmer)

A darker bronze color that is multidimensional and very pigmented. I use it with half baked to create the perfect bronze smokey look. Paired with a matte bronzer and nude lipgloss, this combination spells "B-r-o-n-z-e G-o-d-d-e-s-s".

Darkhorse (bronze-plum shimmer)

I use this to darken the other corner of the eyes to create depth and contour. This can also be used wet as an eyeliner or smudged along the lower lashline, giving a non-raccoon eyed effect.

Toasted (taupe-bronze)

Similar to Mac's infamous satin taupe but with more bronze. Love this as an everyday all over color because the shadow changes color under different lighting. No worries, it does look flattery under any light.

Hustle (mocha shimmer)

A gorgeous dark brown color that is perfect for defining the crease or along the upper and lower lashline as an eyeliner. This color can be worn alone as an eyeliner when you wet it with either mixing medium, contact lens solution or water.

Creep (near-black metallic)

This unusual color is not your true jet black but can be used for more subtle smokey black eyes or for upper and lower lashline. The bits of glitter in the shadow draws light to your eyes and gives the eyeshadow dimension and life.

Gunmetal (dark grey metallic)

This dark grey shadow does have pronounced silver sparkles in it. However, this can look gorgeous paired with a matte black eyeshadow for a smokey gray eye. Because this shadow is quite dramatic, I also like to wear this eyeshadow along with with Buck in the crease to soften the look.

Final Verdict: This palette is worth every penny. To find out how to make your Urban Decay look last for 12 hours and read my post on 5 Ways to Make Your Eyeshadow Stay Put .

Alternative drug store dupe: NYX Nude on Nude Palette

Make-up Trend: Smudgy Eyeliner

2011-04-29T17:37:00.000-07:00

On the latest issue of Vogue India, Katrina Kaif looked grungy chic with smudgy eyeliner all around her eyes. Smudging the line after you apply it can work to create a lived-in feel, but is also difficult to perfectly execute. Next time you try the look, dip a cotton swab in eye makeup remover and gently dab it along your top and bottom lashlines. Then top with liner, allowing the outward flick of the cat-eye shape to line up with the tail of your eyebrow. The remover step may seem counter-intuitive, but makeup artists swear it's a fail-safe way to create a diffuse, nonrigid line.

Rec: Stila Onyx Kajal Eye Liner

Make-up Trend: Crimson Red Lips

2011-04-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

At the Louis Vuitton Celebration for this month's Glamour covergirls Freida Printo added color with red lips with a black and white outfit. If you want to try crimson, but are afraid of it looking messy the second you leave the house, prep by exfoliating your lips and topping them with balm. Let the balm absorb for five minutes before applying the lip formula—it prevents feathering and provides a smooth base for the lipstick to adhere too. And always apply red shades just inside your natural lip line. The color is bold enough without exaggerating the shape of your mouth.

Rec: M.A.C Red Lipstick

Priyanka Chopra's Make-up Favorites via The New York Times Style Magazine

2011-04-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Meena Ansari, (my blog's biggest fan) for this article.

Priyanka Chopra, won both Miss India and Miss World in 2000, at the age of 17. Soon after, in 2002, she began her Bollywood career with the The Hero. She now shoots about four movies a year, among many other projects. She’s not afraid of a 20-hour work day — or junk food. I recently got to share a few beauty moments with her.

T Magazine: I am a huge fan of eyeliner. First off, I want to know about kajal kohl. Is it always a cone shape? How is it applied?
Priyanka Chopra: The cone-shape kajal is actually Arabic. With that, a woman closes her eye on on the tip and runs it back and forth along the rim. Traditional Indian kajal kohl comes in a long, slim box. A woman takes her fingertip, rubs it into the kohl and applies it directly to the rim of her eye. It also has eye-brightening ingredients in it, such as eucalyptus. Modern-day Indian women don’t use it very much, though. They use pencils.

T: I suppose a pencil is a bit neater than having black fingertips. What pencils do you like?
PC: M.A.C Teddy Eye Kohl, a bronzy brown, is my favorite. I usually smudge that into Armani Smooth Silk Eye Pencil in Black. But the most magical is the M.A.C. black liner in a pot, in Black Track. I apply this to the inner rim of my eye with a firm brush, and it doesn’t move at all. It never irritates my eyes. It is great for swimming, rain or crying scenes.

T: I’m checking out your everyday makeup now. The colors meld into your skin tone beautifully, the way natural looking makeup should. What do you rely on to create this effect?
PC: I must have my Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Honey. There are so few that are yellow enough for my skin. I apply that where needed and then M.A.C. Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC43. My favorite blush is Nars Orgasm Blush. My lips are usually M.A.C. Spice Lip Pencil, or a Laura Mercier Mulberry Lip Stain. Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara is a must.

T: I know threading is of Indian origin. Is that how you keep your brows in such lovely shape?
PC: Yes. Threading is wonderful! It stays clean for a week. So it lasts longer that plucking.

T: Are you into yoga or any ayurvedic practices?
PC: No, not really.

T: What about your diet?
PC: I love junk food! The pizza in Bombay, where I live, is so good. French fries are like my soul food. Great to cure the blues. I also like Indian food, but not the healthy kind.

T: You would never know it looking at your skin, it’s so clear and smooth. How do you take care of it?
PC: No. 1, I have good genes. But it’s also very important to drink a ton of water. I think it’s the best way to keep it moist from within. It also cleanses all the toxins out of your body, helping your skin look clearer. At night it’s essential to remove all makeup and dirt thoroughly. You must let your skin breathe and regenerate.

T: What products do you use at night?
PC: Usually, Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover, followed by Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri Pure Detoxifying Cream Cleanser or Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel. I use Garnier Vital Restore Night Cream. For eye cream, Strivectin works best for me.

T: Are there any fragrances you are loving right now?
PC: I’m a huge fan of Jo Malone fragrances. Especially, Lime Basil & Mandarin and Vintage Gardenia. Sometimes I switch off and go with Dolce and Gabbana The One.

T: Any secrets to achieving your silky, shiny hair?
PC: Most come from the kitchen. Beer and egg are great for the hair. Yogurt is excellent for helping with dandruff. And in India we do a lot of warm coconut oil deep-conditioning treatments. Massage coconut oil directly into scalp. This way it gets to the root, so the hair grows in healthier. For puffy eyes, I like to freeze any kind of steeped tea bags. Let them sit a minute, so they’re not too cold, before placing on the eye area. You’ll see an instant difference.

T: Do you have any comfort items in your bag?
PC: My fragrance, Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil and Dentyne Ice gum. I always have some sort of candy in my purse … did I mention how much I like sugar?

Make-up Trend: Bright Pink Lipstick

2011-04-05T04:01:00.000-07:00

On the latest issue of Elle India, Lisa Haydon dared to wear a juicy fuchsia lipstick, in key with the spring/summer color blocking trend with purple and yellow. When you're selecting an edgier hue, don't consider a swipe on the back of your hand an adequate test-drive. Instead, dab it on your fingertip, where the skin is closest in color and texture to your actual lips.

Rec: Sephora Rouge Cream Lipstick in Love Test 11

Make-up Trend: Winged Eye Shadow

2011-04-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

Winged eye shadow was all over the Spring runways—but usually in bright summer color. Defying the colors was Anushka Sharma on the latest issue of Verve- who went with a smokier purple. To rock a similar look, prep your lids with primer to be sure the shadow holds it's flattering, flicked-out shape.

Rec: M.A.C Nocturnelle Eye Shadow

Make-up Trend: Pastel Pink Lips & Cheeks

2011-03-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

Glamour released three covers for the month of May, and Freida Pinto was on one of them. Her cover was themed "Goddess", and looking like every bit of one, she rocked some pastel pink lips and cheeks to go with her floral Peter Som bathing suit. To get her look, apply a pastel pink lip and cheek stain on your lips and cheeks. Stains can double as a cheek stain, and it's a particularly handy trick in the winter months. The creamy, highly pigmented formula is the perfect antidote to winter complexions—and stays put longer than powder blushes, which can easily rub off. Dab the stain on the apples of your cheeks and work in the smear with your fingertips for a naturally flush glow.

Rec: Stila Yumberry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain

Make-up Trend: Smoky Lavender Eye Shadow

2011-03-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

A smoky eye doesn't have to be black and gray. Take a cue from Genelia D'Souza's lavender version on the latest issue of Marie Claire India. To get her look, apply a dash of blueish lavender shadow pulled across the lid and upwards at the corner. The look is both innocent with just a touch of vamp. An all over wash of the lightest sparkly pink finishes the sweet but striking look. Genelia went with a bright coral look to keep with the color blocking theme, and a light dusting of peach blush on the apples of her cheeks.

Rec: YSL 5 Lilac Sky Eye Shadow Palette