Victoria's Makeup Secrets

Blog Sale! MAC, Smashbox, EL, UD, NYX, Revlon, and more!

2012-07-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Minimum $5 purchase before shipping
Paypal only, USD. If I don't receive payment within 24 hours after the invoice is sent the item will be relisted.
U.S. shipping only! I ship from San Francisco within 2-3 days of payment
Shipping is $3.00 for the first item and then $0.50 for each additional item ($5.50 max total), delivery confirmation included. I may reuse packaging materials, let me know if this is a problem.
All sales are final
All items from a a pet free (sadly), smoke free home
If you're interested in purchasing an item, please email me at vvs9992003@gmail.com with "Blog Sale" in the subject line and include your paypal email address.

(Clockwise top left)
~~$18 Estee Lauder "Peach Nuance" Blush (95%)~~ ~~SOLD~~
$5 Korres Botanically Coated "44 Orange" Blush (95%, loose pan, with box) SOLD
$5 Smashbox Blush/Soft Lights Duo "AM/PM" (95%)
$4 Smashbox "Smashing Gleam" Reflectors Highlighter (BNIB)

(Clockwise top left)
$2 NYX "Stone" Blush (80%)
$1 NYX "Expresso" Blush (80%, chipped corner)
$1 ELF Studio "Peachy Keen" Blush (95%)
$2 NYX "Glow" Cream Blush (95%)
$4 Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Bronzer "Tan" (95%)

~~$8 MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural "Medium Plus" (50%?)~~ ~~SOLD~~
$4 Revlon PhotoReady "005 Natural Beige" Foundation (used 1x)

(Clockwise top left)
$2 Urban Decay "Protest" Loose Pigment (BNIB)
$1 Urban Decay "Protest" Loose Pigment (used 1x)
$2 Clinique Colour Surge Eyeshadow Quad mini (BN, 0.08oz total)
$4 Smashbox "Day-to-Date" Eyeshadow Trio (used 1x, 0.1oz)
$2 Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara "Black" mini (BN, 0.14oz vs 0.28oz full size)
$1 Prestige "Iguana" Eyeshadow (95%)

$10 MAC "Sweetie" Lipstick (90%)
$9 MAC "Cosmo" Lipstick (85%)

$2 NYX Soft Matte Lip Creme "Antwerp" (95%)
$4 Clinique Chubby Stick "Super Strawberry" mini (used 1x, 0.04 oz vs full size 0.10oz)
~~$1 NYX "African Queen" Mega Shine Lipgloss (used 1x)~~ ~~SOLD~~

$0.50 NYX "Doll" Round Lipstick (70%)
$0.50 NYX "Fig" (75%)
$0.50NYX "Tea Rose" (65%)
$1 NYX "Louisiana" (85%)
$3 Revlon "Cha Cha Cherry" Superlustrous Lipstick (85%)

~~ALL NAIL POLISHES SOLD~~
~~$1 Gelous Advanced Nail Gel Coat (70%)~~
~~$1 Milani "Rad Purple" (swatched 1x)~~
~~$1 Milani "Pink Rocks!" (swatched 1x)~~
~~$1 Milani "Fresh Teal" (swatched 1x)~~

~~WnW "Through the Grapevine" (2x) - for free, let me know if you want it~~
~~$1 NYX Girls "Fire Amber" (1x)~~
~~$1 NYX Girls "Purple Noir" (BN)~~
~~$1 NYX "Asphalt" (swatched 1x)~~
~~(OR $5 for all 8 nail polishes!)~~

Thank you so much for looking! And so sorry I abandoned my blog, I just got so busy that I completely forgot about it! Thank you to everyone who read it and followed! :)

Inspiration: 2012 Academy Awards & The Artist

2012-02-27T10:35:00.001-08:00

As a diehard movie lover, there is no better night of the year than Oscar night. I love the dresses, the makeup, the lame jokes, and most of all, the movies.

I am obsessed with old classic movies so of course I fell hard for the Artist this year. It combined old 1920's Hollywood glamour and black and white film with a beautiful story looking at the film industry from the inside. And of course director Michel Hazanavicius said it was partly inspired by Hitchcock, and there is no director I love better than Hitchcock. The costuming and makeup were spectacular! It definitely deserved the five Oscars it won.

Berenice Bejo was stunning as Peppy Miller in the Artist

Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo in the Artist

Click past the jump to see my favorite red carpet looks including Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, and Angelina Jolie!

Now on to the red carpet. My favorite celebrity on the red carpet tonight was Penelope Cruz. Penelope Cruz was channeling the classic 1950's with beautiful dress, jewelry, makeup, and hair that reminded me of Grace Kelly (one of my favorite Hitchcock stars!). This look was really different than any look I'd ever seen Cruz wear on the red carpet. I thought it was a great risk and I absolutely loved it. Then again I am obsessed with the 50's and 60's so maybe that's just me. Cruz wore her signature warm brown smokey eye with a matte pink brown lip and a strong brow.

Penelope Cruz channeling Grace Kelly?

Similar?

A very close second to me was Jessica Chastain. I loved the way she paired the unusual and striking dress with simple hair and makeup. She kept her makeup simple with strong black winged liner, a mlbb lip, and perfect skin.

Jessica Chastain

Michelle Williams was simply elegant as always. I loved the slightly sheer brightish watermelon pink lipstick she accented with simple pink blush, black liner, and dewy skin. However I did feel like the lipstick didn't really go as well as it could have with the bright red/coral dress.

Michelle Williams

Angelina Jolie wore another show-stopping red lip look, almost exactly the same as the lipstick she wore to the Golden Globes. I'd lovee to know what the lipstick is! Regardless, I think the bold, slightly glossy pinky-red lip was absolutely beautiful on her and I loved the dramatic liner and loose hair. I'm still indecisive about the funeral drape-like dress though.

Angelina Jolie at the Oscars

Angelina Jolie at the Golden Globes -- is it the same lipstick?

Finally, Rooney Mara. Sometimes I loved her look and other times I hated it. I have to say the makeup is absolutely perfect. The deep rich red lipstick is so beautifully shaped and I love how it's paired with a simple face and bold brows. The hair though... I'm not quite sure about. Though I totally understand that it's her style and love that she rocks her unique look with confidence.

Rooney Mara. Look at that skin and her lips!!

So now that the Academy Awards are over, just 366 more days (darn leap year) until the next show!

What did you think about the Oscars this year? Who wore your favorite makeup looks and dresses this year?

Holy Grail Alert: Glycerin as a Moisturizer

2012-02-25T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA for the past 2 weeks, I've been extremely busy with school and moving. I wanted to finally post about my new Holy Grail (HG), pure Glycerin! In this post I’ll describe what I use it for, how I use it, and the amazing results I’ve had!

What is it?: Glycerin is almost always the main moisturizing ingredient in moisturizer. It works by absorbing water from the air or the surface of your skin into your skin. By using pure glycerin, you are just bypassing all the other unnecessary ingredients present in Since it is made of only one ingredient, you don't have to worry about oil/parabens/fragrance/etc.

It says dilute with 2 parts water but that would be WAYYY too sticky!

What I use it for: I mainly use it for my face but I'll sometimes also use it for my body, though the application method gets a little messier that way. It also serves as a foundation primer and eyeshadow primer (like Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy) because it dries down to a slightly tacky finish which helps my makeup adhere better and last longer. Like Pixie Epoxy, this tackiness helps prevent fallout and makes the glitter and shimmer stay truer when applied.

How I apply it:
1. For my face, I put a drop or two in my palm (one for daytime and two for nighttime)

One drop

A little more than 2!

2. Then I add about 10 times as much water. I never really measure the water out, I just approximate by filling the cupped area of my palm with water. Using at least a 1:10 ratio of glycerin to water helps prevent the glycerin from drying to too sticky on your face.

3. Then I use the index finger of my other hand to pat the water to mix the glycerin and water together. I gently rub my hands together and pat the glycerin all over my face. Your face will be wet and slightly dripping, which is good because you want the glycerin to absorb all that moisture into your skin.

4. A few minutes later when the water has dried I take another teaspoon or so of just water (no glycerin) in my hands and pat that all over my face again so that my skin can be extra hydrated. Once the water is absorbed you’ll notice that your skin is nice and plump with moisture.

If I’m using it as a body moisturizer I use the same ratio but just redo these steps enough times to cover the rest of my body.

Other Uses: Many of you may use MAC Fix+ and similar sprays, but glycerin can also be used to make a homemade dupe of Fix+! I don’t really have any interest in using it but I know many people who use glycerin this way. Recipes for this can be found here

Results: I used to use jojoba oil as my facial moisturizer, but that wasn’t quite moisturizing enough for my normal to dry skin. I had dry, flaky patches of skin in my T-zone (so counterintuitive right?) that wouldn’t really go away even when I used Vaseline in those areas. I’ve used glycerin for a month now and never once have I had dry patches since I started! No more foundation clinging to flakes! It literally gives my skin a beautiful glow because my skin is sooo hydrated and healthy!

My skin is extremely smooth and never dry or oily. Glycerin has not clogged my pores or caused me to break out, which only usually happens when I use traditional moisturizers (not single ingredient products like oils or glycerin). It does not irritate my skin at all and because there’s no fragrance or other mysterious ingredients, I have no worries that it is poisoning me or anything. I find that it also serves as a face primer because it helps my foundation, blush, highlighter, and eyeshadow adhere better and be more true to color on my face.

Overall, I am impressed with how simple, easy, and effective glycerin is. I would definitely recommend you give this a try. Of course your mileage may vary as with all skin products.

Where to buy it: Glycerin is available at every drugstore for around $5 in one of the health care aisles. Make sure you buy 100% pure glycerin USP. It is always totally clear and usually comes in a bottle like this one. It lasts FOREVER because you only need a few drops a day.

Have you ever tried glycerin? Will you give it a try?

My Favorite Pink Lipsticks and Glosses

2012-02-14T14:29:00.000-08:00

In honor of valentine's day, here are my favorite pink lip products -- including natural and bright pinks. Yesterday I wore MAC Impassioned, the brightest pink I own, and today I wore NYX Tea Rose a softer pink that is still a step up from MLBB.

The lighting is rather bad in the first set and last set of swatches because it was really cloudy yesterday when I was taking the pictures. I tried to adjust the color to make it as accurate as possible.

NYX Tea Rose, NYX Fig, Revlon Pink in the Afternoon, MAC Sweetie, MAC Hue lipsticks

Tea Rose is an opaque rosy pink. Fig is nearly the same as Tea Rose but a bit brighter and slightly more coral. Pink in the Afternoon is one of my favorite pinks, a nice neutral pink great for everyday wear. Sweetie is a pinky plum with silvery shimmer/glitter that gives it a slightly frosty finish. Hue is a sheer milky pale pink.

Now onto the in-your-face brights!! :D

Click past the jump to see bright pinks, lip glosses, and me wearing Impassioned!

WnW Rosebud, WnW Smokin Hot Pink, MAC Impassioned, NYX Louisiana, Revlon CB Fuschia lipsticks

Rosebud is a deep, warm, reddish rose. Smokin Hot Pink is a bright blue-based pink. Impassioned is a bright watermelon/Barbie reddish pink that looks fairly different on different people. Louisiana is a bright pink pink that I wore here. Fuschia is a slightly sheer blue-based fuschia pink.

Overall: The Wet n Wild lipsticks are from the super long lasting MegaLast Matte formula and are fairly dry mattes, though they don't dry my lips out. The NYX round lipsticks are a super creamy and opaque formula with a little too much slip and slightly sink into lines and smudge. The Revlon Colorburst formula is creamy but also long lasting and fades evenly. Out of the MAC lipsticks, Sweetie is a lustre, Hue is a glaze, and Impassioned is a Amplified.

Revlon Pink Afterglow, NYX Beige, NYX Tea Rose lipglosses

Pink Afterglow is a very sheer pink with lots of silver shimmer/glitter, this one is good for layering over lipsticks for a glammed up look. Beige is a great everyday neutral pink. Tea Rose is a reddish pink. Both NYX lipglosses are very pigmented.

And my look of the day yesterday, using Impassioned! It was brighter in real life :)

What are your favorite pink lipsticks and glosses? Did you wear pink today? Happy Valentine's Day! <3

Quick Taupe Smokey Eye

2012-02-12T10:52:00.001-08:00

I needed to do a smokey eye in a hurry so I applied all the eyeshadow in this look with my fingers! I've realized that I am actually better at apply non-matte eyeshadows with my fingers than with a brush. For me, it makes blending so much easier and everything apply much more quickly. Plus no brushes to wash!! (speaking of which... need to wash my brushes asap!)

Here I used my favorite taupes, WnW Nutty and MAC Satin Taupe (which may or may not actually be a taupe?). I kept my skin simple and dewy (thanks to glycerin and some highlighter!) with a natural lip. I haven't layered lipstick and lipgloss in MONTHS and forgot how nice it looks.

My creases were being weird/normal! The one that is usually a semi-monolid creased today which made wearing and applying a darker eye look much easier. Normally, my lids are mismatching which makes darker eyeshadows harder to pull off without looking like a crazy person. My eyes will sometimes crease weirdly to match. No idea why it did that today, might've been the liner I was using?

Click past the jump to see more photos and products I used

But in this pic my eyelids are back to being normal?? Can you tell the difference?

More color accurate in this pic -- you can see the taupeyness and the shimmer of Nutty! :)

Products I used:

Face: MUFE F&B foundation, Bobbi Brown Corrector, Coty Airspun translucent loose powder, Rock & Republic Call Me blush, Fyrinnae Center Stage highlighter

Eyes: UDPP, WnW Nutty (shimmery medium taupe all over lid), MAC Satin Taupe (plummy frosty taupe in the outer 1/2 of the lid), WnW Vanity palette (matte warm medium brown to blend the crease), NYX Black (matte black in the outer corner/along the outer 1/2 of the lashline), Revlon Vintage Lace (matte cream to highlight browbone), Revlon Colorstay black liquid liner, WnW black creme liner (dried out, fill in brows), CG Lashexact WP

Lips: MAC Jubilee lipstick, NYX Smokey Look lipgloss

Do you ever apply eyeshadow with your fingers?

January Favorites

2012-02-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

A week late, but better late than never! January flew by, and because I was so busy I stuck with some basic staples. I tended to wear cool toned eyeshadow, usually a wash and sometimes with a darker brown or taupe in the crease. For blush I pretty much stuck to neutrals or everyday pinks. Lips were usually a rosy MLBB shade, and occasionally a red lipstick.

Can you spy the PAN?! :D

Do you see that teeny tiny eyeshadow that's showing its PAN?!!?! I know right, a totally unprecedented moment for me. This is the one and only eyeshadow I've ever hit pan on, and I think I might be able to finish it by the end of the month. I've had this (as a part of the Rimmel Colour Rush "Smokey Brun" quad, now reformulated in the Glam Eyes formula) for 6 years (!!!). I used it a lot when I first got it because it was the first eyeshadow I ever owned, but after a while I stopped using it because I had so many other shades. Now I've come back to it because this shade is such a beautiful, easy eyeshadow wash that brightens up my eyes.

The other products here are:

Tarte Exposed blush -- This is THE perfect neutral pink-brown eyeshadow that literally goes with everything. It is almost impossible to mess up!
Rock & Republic Call Me blush -- This and Exposed are my favorite blushes ever, so it's no suprise that during my lazy January I reached for these the most. It's a beautiful, albeit discontinud, pink blush with gold shimmer.
Revlon Rich Sable matte eyeshadow -- This is a rich neutral dark matte brown that is perfect for deepening the crease and outer V in natural looks and for lining the lower lashline. It is one of my favorite eyeshadows and pairs well with both cool and warm eyeshadows.
MAC Copperplate matte2 eyeshadow -- This is a cool/neutral grey-taupe that is also a great option for emphasizing the crease.
Wet n Wild Stoplight Red megalast matte lipstick -- seen in my FOTD here. This is one of my favorite reds -- a blue-based red that is completely matte and wears sooo well. The coolness of it brightens up my skintone.
Chanel Mademoiselle rouge coco lipstick -- this was my go-to everyday lipstick in January because it is rosy enough to give my face some color but is natural enough for a my-face-but-better look. Love this shade but the formula can be a bit drying.

My two other favorites this month:

Glycerin -- I will probably be doing a separate post about the near-holy grail status of glycerin soon. It is an ingredient in almost all moisturizers. I have started using pure glycerin mixed with water as a SUPER hydrating but lightweight moisturizer. In terms of moisturizing power, you literally can't get better than this.
Stella perfume -- This is my everyday perfume. I used up a bottle (UNHEARD OF!!!) in December and repurchased this in January. I normally like orientals but this rose-amber fragrance is so beautiful that I can't resist. My other fragrance favorite recently is Guerlain Shalimar, which is wayyy heavier and deeper.

What were your favorite products in January?

Pretty in Pink FOTD

2012-02-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

Pinks are neglected in my stash so I decided to wear a totally pink makeup look today using products I have rarely used recently. I also couldn't decide between a more natural pink lipstick and a bright pink lipstick so I'll show you both!

In the first version I used a more natural pink, Revlon Pink in the Afternoon. It is a beautiful warm pink which is slightly brighter in real life.

Click past the jump to see more photos and the other version of this look, with a BRIGHT pink lipstick! :)

This is the brighter look using NYX Louisiana lipstick, which is actually even brighter in real life! It's a very vivid Barbie pink.

Products I used:
Face: MUFE Face & Body foundation, Bobbi Brown Corrector, Coty Airspun loose powder, Milani Dolce Pink baked blush (a pink with lots of gold shimmer)
Eyes: UDPP, Wet n Wild Penny (a golden, orangey pink all over the lid, NYX Apricot Moose (a shimmery pinky apricot in the crease), Clinique black creme liner, Cover Girl LashExact wp mascara
Lips: Revlon Pink in the Afternoon / NYX Louisiana lipsticks

Revlon Pink in the Afternoon, NYX Louisiana, Milani Dolce Pink, WnW Penny, NYX Apricot Moose

Have you worn pinks lately? What are your favorite pink products?

My Essential Makeup Brushes

2012-02-03T18:06:00.000-08:00

Today I wanted to show you an absolutely essential part of apply makeup -- brushes! Good brushes are essential for applying makeup well (though skill is probably the most important). My makeup brush collection is relatively small compared to other areas of my makeup collection. I just find that once I buy a brush that works I don't really see a need to buy any more of that type of brush.

I tend to stick with drugstore/cheap brushes but that doesn't mean they're lacking in quality. ELF Studio brushes and Target's Studio Tools brushes are some of my favorites. I also own some Ecotools brushes but I find that I like other equivalents better.

Though of course you don't necessarily need these exact brushes but I think these types of brushes are essential for everyday use.

Eye brushes:

MAC 217 ($22.50) -- This is my favorite and most essential makeup brush that is definitely HG (Holy Grail) status. I am a cheapskate when it comes to brushes but this is worth every penny. It is a fluffy medium-sized blending brush that easily blends eyeshadow. It also works well for applying a sheer layer of eyeshadow and creamy concealers. I've used this daily for 2-3 years and it is still nicely shaped and has never shed.
ELF Eyeshadow Brush (regular line, $1) -- This was my first eyeshadow brush and 5 years later I still use it daily. It is the perfect size for laying down eyeshadow all over my lid or my browbone, but because it is still slightly fluffy it gently blends the edge of the eyeshadow as well. Over the FIVE years I've been using this it has never shed a hair! I have a second one of this with a black handle that is 2 years old. The newer version has slightly shorter bristles so I like using it for darker colors to have slightly more targeted eyeshadow application.
Studio Tools Smudge Brush (Target, ~$2-3) -- This is pretty much a smaller version of the ELF eyeshadow brush. It is the perfect size for applying dark shades into my outer V or my lower lashline. I like using it to smudge my eyeshadow for smoky looks as well. The bristles are the same type as the ELF brush too. Had this for 1-2 years and it hasn't shed.
Studio Tools Angled Eyeliner Brush (Target, ~$2-3) -- This is my favorite angled eyeliner brush. It is pretty thing so it applies eyeliner with the perfect precision. Much better than the more popular Ecotools angled liner brush, which tended to splay.
Sonia Kashuk Bent Eyeliner Brush (~$6) -- This bent brush may help some people who have trouble applying gel eyeliner because it allows you to more easily maneuver the brush to suit the shape of your eye. I prefer using an angled brush though.

MAC 217, ELF Eyeshadow (old), ELF Eyeshadow (newer), Studio Tools Smudge, Studio Tools Angled Liner, Sonia Kashuk Bent Eyeliner brush

Click past the jump to see my favorite face brushes!

Face Brushes:

Sonia Kashuk Highlighting Brush ($13) -- This is a "skunk" duo-fibre brush that is used to stipple blush or foundation. The size and density of this is more suitable for blush application. I love this for blush and highlighter because it applies very pigmented blushes sheerly and smoothly and it blends everything together seamlessly. I've had this for 3 years and it's starting to shed so I think it is probably time for a new one.
ELF Studio Powder Brush ($3) -- This is a very dense, flat-top brush that I use for applying powder foundation like MAC MSFN. I also like using it for applying creme blush, and I know some people love it for applying liquid foundation. This is a really soft brush which allows it to blend well but the density of it really helps to apply product evenly.
ELF Studio Complexion Brush ($3) -- This is a fluffy medium-sized face brush that can be used for powder or blush. I use this for applying loose face powder and don't really like it for applying blush because it is a bit too flimsy for that. It is good for applying a sheer layer of powder.

Sonia Kashuk Highlighting, ELF Studio Powder, ELF Studio Complexion brush

What are your essential makeup brushes?

My Favorite Bright Blushes

2012-01-31T14:26:00.000-08:00

Continuing in the bright blush theme for the past week (see my post on applying bright blushes here) today I am showing you all of my (not so many) bright blushes. Blushes and lipsticks are my favorite makeup products but though I have fewer blushes overall I tend to love each of them more than I do my lipsticks or the poor, forgotten eyeshadows.

I only own five BRIGHT blushes (and one of them technically isn't even a blush). I swore I had more until it came time to dig through my stash for this post. Obviously pink pinks are overrepresented out of these five. I really need some red or bright coral blushes!

Clockwise, top left: R&R All Nighter, Illamasqua Tweak, NYX Hot Pink, Prestige Love, ELF Pink Passion

Blush Breakdowns (Favorite to least favorite):

Rock and Republic All Nighter -- This is a strong red-orange with warm golden shimmer. When applied sheerly it becomes a warm orangey glow. R&R blush formulas are by far my favorite among high end blushes and this one lives up to the standard. It blends beautifully, never feels powdery, and lasts all day (or night!). It is the biggest tragedy that these are discontinued!
Illamasqua Tweak -- See my review of this shade here. This is a matte warm watermelon pink that blends sooo smoothly for a matte and becomes a beautiful flush once applied.
NYX Hot Pink cream blush -- This is a bright, hot, cool-toned pink in a cream formula. I don't like cream blushes because I find them a hassle to apply but these are great for an affordable cream blush at an affordable price. You have to be really careful though because literally the tiniest amount is enough!
Prestige Love eyeshadow -- So this is techinically an eyeshadow that may be discontinued (?). I use it as a blush though and if you have any favorite pink/coral eyeshadows you can use them for blush as well! This is a bright fuschia pink with a slightly blue duochrome which thankfully doesn't really show up when worn as a blush.
ELF Pink Passion studio blush -- This pale, cool-pink blush is just okay. While it is pigmented, it applies very chalky and powdery compared to refined mattes like Illamasqua, TheBalm, or NARS. In my opinion there are better blushes out there in the drugstore but some people (including me) just couldn't resist the $3 price tag.

These are one-swipe swatches in natural/direct sunlight and indirect lighting.

L-R: R&R All Nighter, Illamasqua Tweak, NYX Hot Pink, Prestige Love, ELF Pink Passion

Click past the jump to see more swatches!

These are heavy swatches so that you can get a sense of the differences between the shades and see their nuances.

L-R: R&R All Nighter, Illamasqua Tweak, NYX Hot Pink, Prestige Love, ELF Pink Passion

Look at that Hot Pink!!

Hope you enjoyed my swatches, thanks for reading!

Have you tried any of these blushes? Any recommendations for me to branch out?

Tips for Wearing Bright Blush Without Looking Like a Clown

2012-01-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

So... it's that moment when you fell for that practically neon orange blush and you just brought it home and have no idea how to wear it. We've all been there: one swipe on the cheek and you look like you just time-traveled from the 80's or are getting ready to runaway with the circus. Frustrated, you either have to start your makeup all over again or apply another layer of foundation to cover the offending blush.

I absolutely love bright and high-impact blushes, but there definitely was a learning curve to avoiding the above scenario (though sometimes I still end up being a little too heavy handed). Once I figured out how to apply them though, it was just head-over-heels love from there! Today when I was looking through my blush stash though I realized.... I need MORE bright blushes!! Feel free to give me any recs you have!

Tips for Applying Bright Blush:

The most important tip to applying these beauties is to use a stippling brush. Stippling brushes are usually identified by their "skunk"-iness -- they have both white and black bristles. The black bristles are shorter and more dense, with the longer white bristles spread throughout. This means that you are able to pick up less product than a traditional brush but because the white bristles are still spread out, you're able to apply the blush over a larger area. Stippling brushes make it WAY easier to apply blush more subtly.

Sonia Kashuk "Highlighting" Brush (stippling/skunk)

See how the white bristles are spread out less densely?

Even though I use a stippling brush, I still need to be extra careful and gentle when picking up product from the pan. I VERY lightly dab the brush into the product.
To be safe, I also gently tap the brush onto a tissue or the back of my hand to remove any excess blush.
Then I finally apply the blush onto my cheeks. I like to "stipple" the blush on (meaning lightly tapping the stippling brush) and then blend with short strokes.
If after applying it's not pigmented enough, just repeat the steps again. It's always better to be safe than sorry when using bright blushes!

And voila! The end result should be a subtle and beautiful flush of color!

Thank you all so much for reading!! If you're enjoying my posts please subscribe to this blog using blogger/Google friend connect or Bloglovin!

How do you apply bright blushes? What are your favorite shades?

Illamasqua Tweak Blush Review and Swatches

2012-01-28T08:16:00.000-08:00

Illamasqua Tweak is one of my new favorite blushes! It is a bright reddish watermelon pink (or is it? I can never describe colors >.<") that is SO pigmented that I barely dab a stippling brush into the blush with the lightest touch and still have to tap off excess on a tissue. Applied very sparingly it blends with my skin to create a beautiful pink flush.

The formula of Illamasqua blushes is phenomenal and is definitely my favorite along with the sadly discontinued Rock and Republic blushes. This is matte but unlike some mattes (like NARS) I find that this blends really easily into my skin without clumping together where I have dry flakes. It just blends so well with little effort, just the help of my Sonia Kashuk stippling brush.

Tweak is definitely a unique color in my stash and I'm so happy I have it now. I will definitely be trying more Illamasqua blushes next time there's a sale. :) These are currently $24, and exclusively at Sephora (in the US).

Warm lighting: Blended, Swiped once, Built up

Cooler lighting

See how well it swatched? The one swipe swatch is nearly as opaque as the built up swatch. I also blended a teeny tiny bit of the remaining blush on my fingertips on the left so you can see how the color looks blended. Of course if you have a cooler skintone the color will become cooler on you.

The color in the pan is STUNNING! It looks different from in my swatch because it becomes warmer on my skintone.

Here it is applied with a Sonia Kashuk stippling brush.

Have you tried Tweak before? What are your favorite Illamasqua blushes?

Rainbow EOTD: Urban Decay Bright Greens

2012-01-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

Today's color of the day is green! I almost never wear green eyeshadow even though it's my favorite color, and if I do it's a wimpy almost-neutral like olive so I decided to go all out with a bright green. The colors didn't show up very well on camera, it was even brighter in real life.

I experimented with the eyeshadow shape to create a sort of reverse cut crease. I packed the matte bright green (UD Chronic) onto my lid, barely blending the edges at all, and then I swept the shimmery lighter blue-green (UD Green Goddess, see swatches below) into the crease. I purposefully didn't blend them together because I wanted there to be a contrast between the two. Overall I thought this was a pretty interesting and successful eyeshadow shape so I'll definitely be trying it in the future! :)

Here you can see the clear distinction between the matte and shimmery shades

Click past the jump to see more photos and swatches of the eyeshadows I used!

Sorry for the slightly blurry pics my camera just wasn't cooperating with the bright colors!

The star of the show is Urban Decay Chronic, a striking and unique matte yellow-toned spring green shade (Disclaimer: I am HORRIBLE at describing colors, let the photos speak for themselves!). And the supporting actress is Green Goddess, a light shimmery minty blue-green. In the photos it looks more blue than it is in real life. (Also, sorry I can't resist the Oscar/Awards show references, it's my favorite time of the year!)

Urban Decay Chronic and Green Goddess Eyeshadows

Chronic is amazing. I have never seen a shade like it (but then again I am not a connoisseur of matte green shades). The texture is phenomenal for a matte, it is similar to MAC Matte2. It applies super smoothly and is very very pigmented. I built up the color in the FOTD and the swatch so you could get a sense of the true color. The color is truer to real life in the right swatch, but in the left swatch you can see the texture better. Look at how smoothly it swatched!!

As if it couldn't get better... it is still on sale/clearance for THREE DOLLARS (!!!!) at UD's website I bought this during UD's big sale 3 or 4 months ago and I guess people are scared of bright matte greens so it is still available.

Green Goddess is really unique too. The formula is great, a shimmery/frosty finish with none of UD's infamous glitter. It is very pigmented but can also be sheered out. If you're afraid of color or want to incorporate color into your everyday look, this is a very wearable green shade that could easily be paired with a neutral like brown. Unfortunately I think this might be discontinued. I also got it during the sale but it was more popular and sold out quickly.

Products I used:
Face: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, Revlon Age Defying concealer, TheBalm Frat Boy blush
Eyes: UDPP, Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy primer, UD Chronic, UD Green Goddess, Clinique cream liner, CG Lashexact WP, WnW black creme liner (dried out to fill in brows)
Lips: nada

What do you think about this application shape? Do you like to wear greens? What are your favorite shades?

Rainbow EOTDs: NYX Purples

2012-01-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

Part two of my rainbow eye looks is PURPLE!! I love the look of purples on brown eyes and I find that it is probably one of the easiest bright colors to wear on the eye. For some reason though I wear purple even less than I wear greens or blues.

In this look I went for a deep blue-purple. The star of the show is NYX Purple eyeshadow (from the trio) which is a stunning purple with a beautiful blue duochrome. I applied it in traditional asian-eyelid fashion, below the "crease," to create a pop of color. This way of wearing brights really makes them more wearable and practical in my experience than pulling the color higher up in the crease.

Click past the jump to see more photos, swatches, and products I used!

This is one of the better NYX trios (I recommend usually only going for singles). I used Purple and Deep Purple in this look, though Prune is beautiful too. Purple is a violet purple with a blue duochrome, it has a slight sheen finish but is not really shimmery or frosty. I like packing Purple onto the center of my lid to brighten the look. Deep Purple is a darker purple that is slightly frosty. I like using this to deepen the outer 1/3 of my lid. I also used NYX Black to darken the outer V.

NYX Purple/Deep Purple/Prune eyeshadow trio

NYX Purple and Deep Purple eyeshadows

Products I used:

Face: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, Revlon Age Defying concealer, TheBalm Frat Boy blush

Eyes: UDPP, Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, NYX Purple/Deep Purple/Prune trio (didn't use prune), NYX Black eyeshadow, Clinique cream liner, CG Lashexact WP

Thank you so much for reading my blog! :) If you enjoy these posts and want to see more don't forget to subscribe using blogger/Google friend connect or Bloglovin!

What are your favorite purple eyeshadow looks? Any suggestions for more beautiful purples?

Rainbow EOTDs: Red

2012-01-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

This week I wanted to branch out from my usual neutral eye makeup looks into bright colors. I have so many color eyeshadows but I almost never use them as I prefer the ease of applying a bright lipstick over bright eyeshadow.

Today I decided to start with the first color of the rainbow, red. Now red is notoriously difficult to use as an eyeshadow because it tends to make you look sick. I have never worn true red eyeshadow so this is my first attempt! I'm not convinced it was a success though.... :/

Excuse the super cool-toned lighting because of the cloudy weather. I am not this pale and blue in real life!

Click past the jump to see more photos of the look and the eyeshadow I used!

I decided to go with using the red all over my lid and darkening the outer 1/3 of my lid with deep brown and black eyeshadows. I also added a touch of warm gold eyeshadow in the crease at the edge of the red to make it more wearable.

I kept the rest of my face as simple as possible because I was too lazy to figure out what lip color/blush color goes best with red eyes. If I could do the look again I'd probably add a rosy red blush like NARS Dolce Vita and a similar lipstick shade like Chanel Mademoiselle.

Wet n Wild Night Elf red shade

The red I used is from the Wet n Wild Night Elf eyeshadow palette. Unfortunately it was a limited edition holiday palette from one or two years ago. I pretty much bought it only for the red, the other shades are not as great. I know that Wet n Wild rereleased this shade as a single before but I think that was limited edition as well.

This is a red with some flecks of shimmer/glitter as you can see in the pic below. The glitter tends to blend away leaving a rather matte/satin finish. Thankfully the shade is not full opacity because otherwise I'm sure it'd be practically impossible to wear.

Wet n Wild Night Elf red shade

Products I used:
Face: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, Revlon Age Defying concealer, TheBalm Betty-Loumanizer (bronzer, very lightly)
Eyes: UDPP, Wet n Wild Night Elf palette (red & black shades), Wet n Wild Vanity palette (matte warm dark brown shade), Clinique cream liner, CG Lashexact WP
Lips: Only Vaseline as lip balm

Thanks so much to everyone who reads my blog!! If you like my posts don't forget to subscribe using blogger/Google friend connect or Bloglovin!

Have you worn red eyeshadow before? Do you have any tips for pulling off red? How would you wear this shade?

FOTD: Nutty Taupes

2012-01-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

Taupes are a beautiful hybrid of grey and brown. Many makeup lovers are weak at any sign of taupe. I love taupes but rarely use them because I find it hard to pair blushes and lipsticks with them without it clashing on my warm, yellow-based skintone.

I tried giving my favorite taupes another try today. Wet n Wild Nutty is a beautiful shimmery warmed taupe that is a wonderful shade for all over the lid. I usually like to wear it by itself for an everyday sort of look but decided to go all out with taupe today and so I added MAC Copperplate to the outer 1/3 of my lid and in the crease. Copperplate is Matte2 and is one of my favorite matte eyeshadows. It is a medium-dark taupe that is cooler than nutty. Both shades are wonderfully pigmented and apply really smoothly.

Clockwise top left: WnW Nutty, MAC Copperplate, Revlon Vintage Lace

Click past the jump to see what other products I used and more pics! :)

I got lazy when trying to find a blush and lipstick to pair with the look. I just went with a simple neutral bronzer (TheBalm Betty-Loumanizer) and a nude my lip but better lipstick (MAC Jubilee). Next time I’ll try to step up to the challenge and find a real blush and lippie color that works well with the taupes.


I look so annoyed in this picture XD

Products I used:

Face: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, Bobbi Brown Corrector, TheBalm Betty-Loumanizer bronzer

Eyes: UDPP, WnW Nutty, MAC Copperplate, Revlon Vintage Lace, Clinique creme liner, CG LashExact WP, WnW creme liner

Lips: MAC Jubilee

Forgotten Gem: Milani Intermix Baked e/s

2012-01-17T16:35:00.000-08:00

The "forgotten gem" series will showcase products that I've owned for a while but I have recently rediscovered and now love. Today I'll review Milani Baked Eyeshadow in Intermix.

(Warning: I am horrible at describing colors so I'll give it a shot and let the photos do the rest of the talking) The individual vein colors are shimmery cream white, medium bronze, and dark brown. The veining is much more beautiful than in the pic above, where for some reason I decided to smoosh the product and mess up the veining T_T.

They combine to create this beautiful warm, slightly taupey brown with gold/champagne colored shimmer. It is such an easy all-over the lid shade, though if you want to darken the crease I'd go with a matte shade to avoid becoming too shimmery.

Swatched in one layer dry/wet, in indirect natural light

Now I do not understand AT ALL what the point of baked powder products are. I know it is produced in a different way but I don't really understand what the point is. I do know that baked formulas tend to be more powdery than regular ones, which is a quality I usually don't like.

The baked formula makes for a powdery texture like most baked products but I find that it has less fallout than other products I've tried. It applies really smoothly and evenly and blends really well. The shimmer does tend to be blended away easily, which could be a good or a bad thing. Applied wet, the shimmer intensifies and forms more of a sheen.

Swatched in one layer dry/wet in direct light to show the sparkles

This lasts a good while on me over primer and works really well over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy and similar products.

Overall I think these Milani baked eyeshadows are really great quality for the drugstore price (and compared to higher end baked products as well). They are made in Italy, just like MAC mineralize products are.

Have you tried these Milani Baked eyeshadows before? What are some of your favorite makeup rediscoveries recently?

Makeup Inspiration: 2012 Golden Globes

2012-01-15T20:55:00.000-08:00

I'm not hugely into celebrities (even though I live in LA and probably could be spotting them at premieres and such if I really wanted to) but I can't resist awards show season. I think the Golden Globes are a horribly organized awards show in terms of the award categories (some of the "comedies/musicals" are anything but), but it's pretty much second to the Oscars in terms of glamour so here are my favorite makeup looks from the Golden Globes tonight.

My favorite looks are Angelina Jolie and Diana Agron's. Diana Agron is almost always my favorite on the red carpet and she looked just as stunning as always. I absolutely loved all the red lippies on the red carpet. I hope this trend continues! I mean even nude-lippie-lover Angelina went red!

I cannot resist a statement lip and I am suprised that Angelina Jolie, who usually goes for bold eyes with a nude lip, went with this beautiful red lipstick!

Being Chinese lover of a strong red lipstick, I absolutely love Diana Agron's makeup and Chinese paper cutout art inspired dress. Or at least the concept of it anyways.

Freida Pinto is always SO BEAUTIFUL!! Her makeup is always impeccable. I love the necklace and the color of the dress but the dress itself is not very flattering on her :(

I have no idea who Stacy Keibler is (George Clooney's date??) but her makeup is so classic and her dress is my favorite out of everyone at the Golden Globes.

I just love Salma Hayek. Sooo beautiful!

I LOVE how beautiful the cool toned makeup looks on Emma Stone!

She is always so cute at awards shows! Her eyes and hair are beautiful! Wish the lippie was a little less brown though.

Who were your favorite celebrities on the red carpet today? Who are your favorite celebrity makeup inspirations?

Skincare and Makeup for Sick Days

2012-01-14T16:38:00.000-08:00

So it's the start of the quarter which of course means I have once again come down with a bad cold. When the tissues start overflowing in my trashcan and I just want to crawl in bed and watch Netflix all day, here are some of the things I do to make myself ~~feel~~ look healthier.

Vaseline, generic Cetaphil, Nivea Creme, and Kose Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil

Skincare:
I'm a keep-it-simple person when it comes to skincare (we're talking single-ingredient products like jojoba oil). When I'm sick and my skin is really dehydrated and is raw from blowing my nose, I love using good old Vaseline (or generic petroleum jelly). I take a dab of it and warm it up between my fingers then apply a thin layer wherever my skin is feeling dry. Vaseline doesn't clog my pores or break me out either, unlike other thick and creamy moisturizers. Nivea creme is also a good alternative if you don't like petroleum jelly.

Because my skin is already so dried out I try to use a more gentle face wash once a day, like Cetaphil or an oil cleanser. I definitely stay away from any exfoliators or other harsh cleansers.

My hands also get really dry from washing my hands dozens of times a day so I love to keep a small bottle of lotion with me.

Makeup:

MUFE F&B, NYX Natural cream blush, BB corrector, Revlon Rosy Nude, CG Lashexact WP

My skin looks more flat when I'm sick so I like applying a light coverage foundation and a good undereye concealer to brighten up my eyes and make me look more awake and refreshed.

A touch of natural pink cream blush and highlighter also adds a healthy glow, but don't go overboard otherwise you'll end up looking more sick!

I keep eye makeup simple because my eyes get watery and itchy when I'm sneezing so I just stick to a waterproof mascara and some waterproof gel/creme liner. If my eyes are less irritated I'll apply a soft wash of eyeshadow to brighten my eyes, especially in the inner corners. I make sure to define my brows to give more structure to my face and draw attention towards my eyes instead of my inflamed nose.

Applying a warm rosy MLBB lipstick also helps add color to my face and make me look healthier.

I hope these tips help, and to anyone who's sick -- I hope you feel better soon! :) In the meantime I'll be faking it with makeup, obsessively using my neti pot, and using enough tissues to stimulate the logging industry.

What are your tips for looking/getting healthier when you're sick?

My Top 5 "Winter" Lippies

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Following up on my tips to rocking bright lips post here I wanted to show you some of my favorite winter lip products. Of course what do I really know about the mythical season known as winter? *looks outside window to see 75 degree sunny weather* I'm currently sweating in a tshirt and jeans in LA. But who cares if it looks like it's time to go to the beach, I'm going to be proudly wearing my winter lippies!

So anyways from what I hear, "winter" lip colors traditionally include darker shades such as berries, plums, and reds. Now this sounds excellent to me because I cannot resist a bright/in-your-face lipstick. Most of my favorite winter lipsticks can be worn year round though.

Here are swatches of my favorites. Obviously because I am ridiculously obsessed with red lipstick I just had to include three.

Revlon Fire l/g, MAC Russian Red, Chanel Dragon, Revlon Raspberry Bite, WnW Sugar Plum Fairy

1. Revlon Colorburst Fire lipgloss
I rarely wear lipglosses but this is a SUPER pigmented bright red gloss that verges into liquid lipstick territory. The pigmentation on this is similar to the Illamasqua intense lipglosses. In one swipe it is full impact red. The lip swatch looks rather odd because of the shininess.

Revlon ColorBurst Fire lipgloss

Click past the jump to see pics of me wearing the rest of the lipsticks!

2. MAC Russian Red lipstick
This is a beautiful matte, warm red lipstick. I tend to favor cool reds because they appear more bright on me but the warm tone in this helps make it seem more wintery and deep. This has a great formula but in my opinion it's only semi-matte.

MAC Russian Red lipstick

2. Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque

Sadly this has been recently discontinued and is pretty much sold out everywhere. This is a beautifully complex red that is more neutral. It is a liquid lipstick and tend to dry to more of a creme finish.

Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque

4. Revlon Super Lustrous Raspberry Bite lipstick

This is the lipstick I used in my previous post and it is a beautiful purplish red berry shade that has a smooth creme finish. This is one of my favorite lipsticks in terms of formula and it is just beautiful when blotted down to a stain.

Revlon Super Lustrous Raspberry Bite lipstick

5. Wet n Wild MegaLast Matte Sugar Plum Fairy (908C) lipstick

This is a matte deep wine/red/purple lipstick that is probably the only of these 5 lipsticks that I would only wear in winter. The matte formula can be a little finicky (this one is drier than the other WnW mattes). I have heard it's a dupe for MAC Rebel but it doesn't seem to be totally similar.

Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy MegaLast Matte lipstick

In order, my favorites of these are probably Raspberry Bite, Dragon, Russian Red, Fire, and Sugar Plum Fairy. Hope you liked these swatches!

I promise this will be my last lipstick post for a while... this blog is quickly becoming dedicated solely to lipsticks but I'll start sharing my other loves for blush and eyeshadow soon! :)

What are your favorite winter lipsticks?

Tips for Rocking Bright Lips

2012-01-12T14:36:00.000-08:00

I love wearing bright lips but I know most people are deathly afraid of bright lipsticks, so I wanted to give my tips for pulling off bold lips. There definitely was a learning curve for me but honestly I think everyone is able to wear bright lips, they just have to find the right shades and balance the rest of their makeup.

First, I had to get used to actually seeing myself wearing bright lips. If you have never really worn bright lips before it takes some getting used to so try wearing it around the house. Then try wearing it out, you'll be surprised by all of the compliments you get on it!

That leads to the number one key to rocking bright lipstick -- CONFIDENCE! And don't forget to smile :)

Now for some makeup tips to balancing red or bright lips (for beginners):

Keep the rest of your look simple, but you'll need a full face to balance the lips
Even, natural skin is really important -- use foundation to even out your skin and undereye concealer helps brighten up your face
Fill in your brows. It is SO essential to define the rest of your face to balance the strong lips.
Use a very natural/neutral blush. I LOVE Tarte Exposed for this, I also like a soft pink like Rock & Republic Call Me, and you could even use just bronzer to be extra safe (bronzer looks really good with red lipstick)
Soft highlighting on tops of cheekbones, down the nose, and in the center of the forehead will make you glow. Don't go overboard though!
Keep eye makeup simple -- I stick to a sheer wash of eyeshadow, black winged liner, and mascara

Continue reading to see more photos and the products I used!

Revlon Raspberry Bite

Products I used:

Face: MUFE F&B foundation, Revlon Age Defying concealer, Coty Airspun powder, R&R Call Me blush, Fyrinnae Center Stage highlighter
Eyes: UDPP, WnW Walking on Eggshells eyeshadow (eyelid shade), NYX Nude Pearl pigment (pressed), Clinique creme eyeliner, CG Lashexact wp mascara, WnW creme liner to fill in brows
Lips: Revlon Super Lustrous Raspberry Bite lipstick

Do you wear bright lipstick? What are your favorites? If you don't wear bright lipstick, do you think you'll ever try?

MAC Lipstick Formula Comparison, Review, and Swatches

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted to compare different MAC lipstick formulas for you to see the differences in finish, texture, and opacity. I own all the regular formulas except frost (which I hate hate HATE in lipsticks). Though individual shades in each formula may have slightly different qualities, I find that most within each formula are nearly the same.

MAC lipstick formulas and my thoughts on each:

Amplified creme: These are full opacity with a creme finish that tends to dry to a semi-matte finish. Most of these shades are rich and BRIGHT. They last about 5 hours on me and don't dry out my lips. These are MACs best formula.

My favorites: Vegas Volt and Impassioned.
Other popular shades: Girl About Town, Up the Amp, Morange, Blankety (not as bright as the rest)

Cremesheen: These are medium pigmented with a creamy finish. They can be built up to full opacity. These last about 4 hours on me and don't dry out my lips.

My favorite: Ever Hip (Limited edition)
Other popular shades: Creme Cup, Shy Girl, Creme d'Nude

Glaze: There are only a couple of these and I only own Hue, which seems to be different than the rest. Hue is sheer and though it's supposed to be glossy I find it has a creme finish. It lasts 3 hours and doesn't dry out my lips. Don't like this formula.

Lustre: These are sheer but can be built up to medium pigmentation. They have a glossy finish. They last about 3-4 hours on me and sadly tend to dry out my lips a bit. I love the finish and the shades though which is why I own so many of these.

My favorites: See Sheer, Hug Me, Viva Glam Cyndi (LE)
Other popular shades: Freckletone

Matte: These are full opacity and matte. More than half of these are reds :) They last about 5-7 hours on me depending on the color. I don't find them too drying for a matte formula, though some are more drying than others.

My favorite: Russian Red
Other popular shades: Ruby Woo, Lady Danger

Satin: These are full pigmented and only a bit creamier than the Mattes. They start off semi-matte but tend to dry matte. When they dry they also dry out my lips. They last 4-6 hours depending on the shade. Along with glaze, these are my least favorite formula overall, though some shades perform better than others.

Other popular shades: Snob, Myth, Rebel

In the swatch pics below I swatched each shade in one layer so you can clearly see how sheer/opaque each formula is.Though I have multiple lipsticks in some formulas, I chose representative shades to give you a general idea of each.

Indirect lighting, 1 coat L-F: Vegas Volt (Amplified), Ever Hip (Cremesheen), Hue (Glaze), See Sheer (Lustre), Russian Red (Matte), Brave New Bronze (Satin)

Direct sunlight to show the sheen

Overall, I don't think MAC's lipstick formulas are the best. As a whole they are one of the more drying formulas out there. I think people tend to own so many MAC lipsticks mainly because of the relatively affordable price point and the HUGE shade range.

What are your favorite and least favorite MAC lipstick formulas?

FOTD Inspired by Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's

2012-01-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

After watching and looking at pictures of Holly Golightly's makeup in Breakfast at Tiffany's, I knew I wanted to attempt to recreate the look. Obviously I have features extremely different from Audrey Hepburn (most importantly, my eyes do not have such a large crease) so it looks quite different on me than on her. If you haven't seen my post already, click here to view screenshots of her amazing makeup!

I think the key components of her makeup look are:

Thick, slightly unruly brows
A light taupe eyeshadow all over the lid
Long, luscious, and fluttery lashes
A thin, slightly smudge line of winged eyeliner
Soft pink blush
and of course the perfect pale peachy pink lipstick

My version:

Click past the jump to view more photos and see what products I used!

Products I used:

Face: MUFE F&B foundation, Bobbi Brown corrector, TheBalm Frat Boy blush, Revlon Vintage Lace matte eyeshadow to highlight cheeks, Fyrinnae Center Stage highlighter to highlight forehead and nose

Eyes: UDPP, NYX Sahara, WnW Nutty, MAC Copperplate, Clinique creme liner smudged, CG Lashexact waterproof, WnW Creme Liner to fill in brows (I was too lazy to apply false lashes)

Lips: foundation to tone down my natural lip color, Revlon Pink in the Afternoon lipstick

Revlon Vintage Lace, NYX Sahara, MAC Copperplate, WnW Nutty, TheBalm Frat Boy, Revlon Pink in the Afternoon

Thank you for reading and don't forget to subscribe to my blog! <3

Makeup Inspiration: Breakfast at Tiffany's

2012-01-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

I FINALLY got around to watching Breakfast at Tiffany's last night and I can't believe I kept putting it off. The makeup is impeccable and the costuming was stunning. Obviously seeing as how this and Mad Men are probably my favorite makeup inspirations, I am obsessed with 60's glamor.

Holly Golightly's smudged winged liner, doe eyed lashes, perfect peachy pink lipstick, and slightly untamed brows just combine to create THE classic effortlessly chic makeup look.

Click past the jump to see more photos!

Her iconic sleeping mask and earplugs!

Her vanity is amazing and I wonder what all the perfumes are

The hat!

I love her secret lipstick/perfume reapplication spot

She is so hilariously ridiculous in the party scene!

I love her imperfect brows

She looks perfect even in her "casual" outfit! Love the pigtails :)

THE perfect peachy pink lipstick. I am dying to know what the actual lipstick used is.

"A girl can't read that sort of thing without her lipstick."

Do you like Breakfast at Tiffany's? What are your favorite scenes? Any ideas for a dupe of that lipstick?

How to Create a Day-to-Night Look

2012-01-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

When I'm going out and don't feel like completely reapplying my makeup, I add a few strategic extras to the makeup I already have on to kick it up a few notches. Depending on just how dramatic I want to go, I can easily vary how strongly I apply the makeup.

If you haven't seen it already, I posted the "daytime" version of this look here.

What I add to turn a day look into a night look:

Eyeshadow: Apply a medium-dark shade all over my lid, then use a black or near-black shade close to the lashline (if you don't have Asian lids apply the medium-dark shade in the crease and the black shade in the outer v)
Eyeliner: Using black gel liner, draw a thicker line and add a more dramatic wing
Lashes: Apply 2 coats of mascara, or add false lashes if I want extra drama
Brows: Fill in your brows to make them stronger to balance the stronger eye makeup
Blush: Apply blush more heavily and, if I feel like it, contour my cheeks
Lips: Either use a nude shade to balance the heavier eye makeup or use a brighter shade to brighten up my face (here I kept the lip the same)

Products I added:
Face: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder (to give my skin a semi-matte finish), Tarte Exposed blush (applied more heavily)
Eyes: Wet n Wild Comfort Zone eyeshadow palette (used the 3rd shade all over my lid, used the 7th shade in the outer 3rd of my lid along the lashline), Clinique gel liner in black (thicker line), CoverGirl Lashexact waterproof mascara

Do you like to start over or add to your existing look when you're creating a nighttime makeup look?

How to Create an Everyday Makeup Look

2012-01-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

We all have that easy makeup look we find ourselves going back to day after day. While the components to our looks might vary, here's what I find essential for my everyday Face of the Day (FOTD).

What type of products do I use for my day-to-day looks?

Sheer foundation evens out my skintone and provides a base for my other makeup
Undereye concealer is essential to brighten up my dark undereye circles
Blush gives me that extra glow
A sheer wash of eyeshadow similar to my lid color brightens up my eyes
Eyeliner, curled lashes, and mascara give my small eyes some extra definition
"My Lip But Better" lipstick finishes off the look and pulls everything together

I use pretty much the same "formula" everyday but just alter the specific products.

This has been my everyday go-to FOTD using the products I brought with me on my month long trip. Today's is a warm, pink/coral version. You might be thinking, "coral in the winter??" Not to worry it's a balmy 70 degrees here in California!

Products I used:
Face: Make Up For Ever Face & Body foundation, Revlon Age Defying concealer, Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Exposed

Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion, Wet n Wild Comfort Zone eyeshadow palette (top 2 shades on the left), Clinique gel liner in black, CoverGirl Lashexact waterproof mascara

Lips: MAC See Sheer lipstick

If you're enjoying these posts don't forget to subscribe to my blog! Coming up next will be a post on how to create a day-to-night look! :)

What is your everyday makeup look?