Why I Stopped doing Makeup Tutorials

I still wear makeup daily but I found for the most part that if something works for you.. don't fix it. I just like having a pretty everyday natural makeup look which I can wear daily and with some minor adjustments I can come up with enough looks to get by for any event. In the past, I wasted so much money on beauty products that all these "beauty guru's" from YouTube were using, or products celebs liked, and honestly I wasted so much money on these things. For every high-end product, it seems there's a cheaper dupe for it, and a lot of products I found I just didn't use much or really even like that much.

There are so many people doing makeup looks on YouTube these days that I really wouldn't even bother starting a makeup channel these days if I was looking to try to make a living off it. That being said it is why I feel if you an unusual hobby in your life then that's probably what will attract people most to what you have to share. Do something that other people aren't really doing, or something where you're finding a lot of misinformation. Granted if everyone thought like me then there would be a lack of "beauty guru's" and such. So by all means, do what you want to do.

I will occasionally share my daily looks but you'll probably find me using a lot of the same products. I also try to buy makeup shades that work specifically for myself. So many times a lipstick trend or something will arise and honestly vibrant red-orange lips and dark lip colors I really just can't see myself walking out of the house wearing that on my face... I personally feel ridiculous because I feel certain shades are super unflattering on myself. I would much rather find a wearable alternative to trends like that because I know I'll get the most use out of a product I'm most comfortable wearing. Also by finding these types of alternatives I feel you can create your own unique look, and by doing that I feel you can be more of a trendsetter rather than a complete follower. When you look good and feel confident in how you look, other people will want to know what you're doing to look so great.. but that's just my opinion.

What's in my Aunts makeup bag?

My Aunt use to wear a ton of makeup back in her day so it was interesting to see what she uses today when she does wear makeup in Florida's hot humid weather. In her makeup bag I found what appears to be mostly all drugstore or Dollar Tree beauty products, some of which I believe may be discontinued which perhaps shows how she doesn't wear much makeup if any these days. I was actually surprised to see such a dark lip color in her bag, minimal SPF products used, and that she doesn't seem to wear any eye shadow although I suppose her bronzer could be used as an eye shadow.

Moisturizer
Eucerin, Redness Relief Daily Perfecting Lotion, SPF 15

Foundation
CoverGirl, Clean Oil Control Liquid Makeup in Creamy Natural 520
CoverGirl, Advanced Radiance Age-Defying Pressed Powder in Creamy Natural 110

Cheeks and Contour
Loreal, Feel Natural blush in Pinched Pink 286
LA Colors, Bronzer in Bronze Glow

Eyes
Rimmel, Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in Jet Black 061
Revlon, Lash Curler
Maybelline, Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Very Black
Maybelline, Volum' Express The Falsies Big Eyes Waterproof Mascara in Rebel Black

Brows
Maybelline, Expertwear brow and eye liner in Light Brown

Lips
Loreal, Colour Riche in Rose Taffeta 174
Rimmel, Lasting Finish Lipstick in Heather Shimmer 066

Lorac Mega PRO Palette 2 - Review

I got the Lorac Mega PRO Palette 2 at Ulta for $59 (before tax) and it came with a free mini Lorac Pro Plus Fiber mascara with this at checkout. As far as the higher-end eyeshadow palettes at Ulta go.. I do seem to love Lorac's the best of all because they're just nicely pigmented and soft with nice colors. This is my second eyeshadow palette purchase from Lorac as I also have the Unzipped palette. I do feel the Unzipped palette eyeshadows are actually a bit better quality compared to this palette.

On my eyes I'm wearing Custard, Sugar, Burlap, Gold Leaf, and Black

In this palette I found the lighter off-white shades not really as pigmented as the medium to darker shades, and most all the shades are either a matte or satin finish (which I love) although Black Ivy really seemed to be the only shade that was matte with a slight glitter in it. Keep in mind what I'm calling a "satin" Lorac calls a "shimmer". The shades with a * I felt were probably my favorite shades in this palette, although I do feel this is a really nice palette of natural earth tone shades.

Porcelain - Light matte off-white shade
Bisque - A bright light off-white matte shade with a pink undertone
Sugar - A slightly more muted version of Porcelain and it's a satin
Moonlight - A satin off-white shade with a yellow/white-gold undertone

Custard - An off-white matte nude/skintone shade
Lavender* - A matte pale lavender shade
Chiffon - A matte pale light pink shade
Seashell - Similar to Moonlight but has more of a pink undertone

Tawny - A matte medium orange-tan shade, almost like a matte version of Peony, very pigmented
Purple - A deep matte medium-dark purple shade, very pigmented
Prosecco* - A satin light taupe shade
Peony - A satin peachy/coral shade

Burlap - A matte medium tan shade with a yellow undertone, very pigmented
Sorbet* - A muted matte medium pink-taupe shade, very pigmented
Soft Plum - A muted satin medium purple-taupe shade
Dk. Sienna - A deep brown shade with a satin copper finish, very pigmented

Melon* - A bright medium matte peach shade, very pigmented
Goji* - A deep medium matte muted burgundy shade, very pigmented
Cinnamon - A medium satin tan brown shade with a gold tint
Penny - A medium satin brown shade with almost an olive undertone and bronze finish, very pigmented

Tangerine* - A bright but muted matte medium orange shade, very pigmented
Cabernet - A deep matte muted purple taupe shade, very pigmented
Sand Stone - A medium satin taupe shade with a silver tint, very pigmented
Olivine - Similar to sandstone but lighter with more of a gold tint, very pigmented

Saddle - A medium matte brown taupe shade
Ash - A medium-dark matte gray shade with almost a purple undertone, very pigmented
Gunmetal - A medium satin silver gray shade
Gold Leaf* - A medium-light bright satin yellow gold shade, very pigmented

Forest - A deep muted matte forest green shade, very pigmented
Black - A deep matte slate black shade, very pigmented
Blue Quartz* - A deep satin watery blue shade with a lighter blue tint, very pigmented
Black Ivy - A deep matte black shade slightly darker than the shade Black with silver flecks, very pigmented

Colors I like together... 

Tangerine and Gold Leaf
Blue Quartz and Gunmetal
Forest and Sandstone

Five Fave 2015 Fall Makeup Looks

I always try to look for something a bit new and different in terms of new makeup trends, but not to the extremities of it feeling unwearable.

Tom Ford

Tom Ford has my favorite makeup look this fall with an all over terracotta eye-shadow shade, top to bottom mascara, simple natural lips, and naturally full but not overly unruly brows. If you want a bit more unusual look than this for fall than don't be afraid to swap out the black mascara for white.

What Order to Apply Makeup

You can apply your makeup however you like but for myself I do feel there is an order in which makeup should get applied onto the face. Now if there is a certain area of the face in which you perhaps don't feel like adding makeup to then you can omit those things from my 10 step order and continue on to the next makeup step listed on here.

Facial Moisturizer
The first makeup item I like to add to the face is moisturizer. By applying moisturizer first it allows the face to get hydrated which helps to plump the face by circulating the blood as you massage the moisturizer into the skin. This also can help reduce redness, reduce signs of aging from the sun (especially if your moisturizer has an spf), fill in skin, and help with dry skin. The other reason I do this first is because it gives me a slightly moist base to work with for the next makeup item I going to apply...

Brows
I like to use a brow powder to do my brows (you can use whatever you like) and since my skin is slightly moist from the moisturizer that gives the powder a better adherence to skin, especially if your brows may be a bit sparse. The other reason I do this is to better clean up under my brows with the next makeup item I am going to apply...

Eye Makeup
I do my eye makeup after my brows because this allows me to clean up under my brows with a nude eye shadow (or color of choosing). Here is also where you can choose to prime your eyelid and apply any eye shadow/s at this time. The other reason I do this when I do is to clean up any possible eye shadow 'fall out' with the next makeup item I am going to apply...

Liquid/Cream Foundation and Concealer
I start by wiping off any eye shadow 'fall out' with a tissue or makeup wipe, by doing this it keeps any other colored makeup from accidentally getting mixed into the foundation I am about to apply. You can start your foundation by first applying a face primer. Next apply a concealer to help eliminate any imperfections (like acne scars). Next apply a liquid or cream foundation. You can also use the concealer again as a highlighter on the face if it is a bit lighter shade than the liquid/cream foundation just applied.

Bronzer and/or Contour
Since contouring is part of skin coloration/correction much like foundation I like to apply it before blush. Contouring or Bronzing is generally in cream or powder form and to get the most bang for your buck it will adhere better on top of the previous foundation applied.

Blush
By applying blush after contour or bronzing you are allowing the color of the blush to speak for itself on top parts of the contour rather than having it get muddled down by it. It will also offer more color on top the liquid foundation and/or moisturizer and may reduce how much blush you will need to use otherwise.

Face Powder
Applying face powder after bronzer or blush allows you to tone down and clean up any harsh lines or strong coloring that may have occurred and in the long run doing this after saves on having to use more powder than you might have used if you did this before the two. Face powder also helps to set and soften any liquid makeup applied before hand. I also like to apply a bit of shimmery powder on-top the face powder to add highlight to certain areas of the face.

Facial Mist
This is best applied after all face powders have been placed onto the face to give an all over dewy finish to the skin. Applying it now also reduces mascara from running onto the skin later. Allow facial mist to dry before moving on to the next steps.

Eye and Lip Liner
Lining eyes and lips now keeps any powdered products from muddling down liquid or gel eyeliner, and any previous powder that may have gotten onto the lips can help in providing a base for lip liner.

Mascara and Lips
The last step is to apply mascara to curled lashes and adhere any false lashes. Complete lined lips with lipstick and/or gloss to finish off the lips.

Basic Kylie Jenner Inspired Makeup Look

I wanted to create a quick and basic way to recreate Kylie Jenner's makeup look and this look mainly consists of 3 main things... full medium/dark brows, a full nude-mauve pout, and dolly looking lashes. This was a very successful first date makeup look for myself and I kind of felt it had a natural "dark angel" feel to it.

Brows
For the brows I used Prestige brow shaping studio in Light to Medium (Medium Shade) on a small thin angle brush. Next time I do this look I will probably add a bit of Benefit's Gimme Brow in Light/Medium over top just to keep my blonde brows from peeping through in the light.

Lashes
For the lashes I curled them at the base with the Revlon eyelash curler and used Rimmel London ScandalEyes lycra flex mascara in black (2-3 coats on the top lashes and 1 light coat on the bottom). If you want to have fuller lashes more like Kylie's I'd recommend adding on Red Cherry false lashes in #16, black.

Lips
For the lips I used Revlon ColorStay liner in Natural and topped my lips off with Rimmel lasting finish by Kate Moss lipstick in 101, but if you want something a bit darker I'd recommend 104.

As for any other makeup items used here... 
Aveeno clear complexion bb cream spf 30 in medium, Revlon colorstay liquid foundation in Buff, Maybelline instant age rewind eraser dark spot concealer + treatment in Fair, Rimmel stay matte pressed powder in creamy natural, Physicians Formula shimmer strips custom all-in-1 nude palette for face and eyes in natural (my face and eye highlight shade), Sonia Kashuk blush in Flamingo, Innisfree green tea mineral mist, and Loreal True Match super blendable powder in Honey Beige/N6 (my contour and eye shadow shade).

Top 3 Bronzers

I wanted to take the time today to list my top 3 bronzers (in no particular order) which I mainly use to contour my face with and sometimes use as eyeshadow. All these bronzers are fairly different from one another but these work best for my needs and fair complexion.

CoverGirl Trublend Bronzer in Golden Sunrise
($8.29 for 0.63oz)
A little of this loose powder bronzer (on a brush) goes a long way (this has lasted me forever), it's build-able and great if you want to do some seriously dark contouring as well.

NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna
($38 for 0.25oz)
This bronzer goes on looking less intense than it seems and it looks the most natural since it blends out well (maybe a little too well at times) and ultimately gives a subtle natural contoured bronze look (great for subtle nose contouring). You can also get this as a duo with the ever-so popular 'Orgasm' blush.

Flower in Gloriously Golden
($9.98 for 0.28oz)
For a bronzer that lasts all day long this is the one to get (love!) as it's build-able with a smidge of blendability (apply with a light hand). This also comes paired with a sweet baby pink blush.

10 Favorited Makeup Items for Under $5 and $10

Under $10

1) Revlon ColorStay Makeup $9.98
This comes in two different formulas for either combination/oily skin or dry/normal skin, and is one of the best in terms of coverage that I've came across for the price.
2) EcoTools brushes $9.98
These brushes are soft, natural, nice for blending, and are honestly some of the best brushes I've ever tried.
3) Flower Blush-Bronzer Duo $9.98
This pressed powder is one of the longest lasting powders I have found, fairly build-able in terms of color, and a total must for those that don't want to fade throughout the day.
4) Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Shadow $9.63
This may be an eyeshadow or blush but I personally love using the lighter shades as a glowing highlighter along the cheekbones.
5) Rimmel Glam Eyes Liner $5.67
This has been my favorite of all liquid eyeliners and even though it is a brush tip I find it easy to use once the right amount of product is on the brush.

Under $5

6) NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil $4.49
These make for a nice base on top of primed eyes and then finished with an eyeshadow, and if there's one color you get I'd choose "Milk" as it will make bright colored eyeshadows pop with vibrancy.
7) NYC Big Bold Curl Mascara $4.47
This is my favorite mascara for under $5 and it has replaced my pricier LashBlast mascara as I find it holds lashes better and doesn't irritate my eyes.
8) Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder $3.97
This is one of the best pressed powders I have came across as it seems to be the longest lasting and definitely provides a matte finish (maybe even too much at times).
9) Wet N Wild MegaLast Lipstick $2.29
These are really pigmented and typically have a matte finish, so if that sounds up your alley than I'm sure you'll want to collect several of these lippies.
10) Wet N Wild Color Icon EyeShadow Single $0.99
These shadows are soft and pigmented, you'll definitely get some bang for your buck with these eyeshadows ("Brulee" is one of my faves).

Sleeping Beauty Inspired Makeup Look

This week I'm going to see Maleficent and I wanted to try and recreate Aurora's AKA Sleeping Beauty's makeup look. I know the blush in my photo looks less intense than the image but that's only because of the iphone and instagram filters I used, it was actually a pretty good match. If anything I didn't feel my foundation colors were a good match as it needed to be lighter with more pink undertones, but the filter helped a bit. I would also use a bit of shimmer powder on the T-Zone next time I did this look as well. I did feel several of the products I used were a bit optional really, hence saving you some cash ;)

Maleficent (movie)

Products Used...
Face Moisturizer: Ponds rejuveness
Foundation: Revlon colorstay liquid foundation dry/normal in Ivory
Concealer: Maybelline instant age rewind erase dark spot corrector + treatment in Fair
Powder: Rimmel matte pressed powder in Creamy Natural
Blush: Barry M blusher in Apricot
Eye Primer (optional): NYX eyeshadow base in Nude
Contour (face and lids): e.l.f. studio blush and bronzing powder (bronze shade only)
Eyeshadow Highlight (optional): Urban Decay naked 2 eyeshadow palette in Foxy
Brows: Prestige brow perfection in Medium
Top Lashes (one coat, but optional): NYC big bold mascara in Black
Lips: Maybelline lipstick in Magnificent Mauve
Lip Gloss (optional): Almay lip balm in Rosy Lipped

iPhone filter used was "Faded" +
Instagram filter used was "Walden"

NYX Haul

I went to Ulta a few weeks ago and stocked up on a few NYX matte finish type lip products that I thought would be a good fit for my fair-skinned self so, here's a quick review of the items.

NYX lip pencil in Flower- This is a pale pastel blue-toned pink lip pencil that would be a good match-up with Maybelline's ColorSensational lipstick in Porcelain Pink 850 (I think this may have been a limited edition color) or Barry M's lipstick in 147 as these shades look pretty similar.

NYX lip pencil in Dolly Pink- This is a vibrant pink lip pencil and would be a good match-up with Revlon's matte lipstick in Stormy Pink as the two are similar in color.

NYX lip pencil in Pale Pink- This is not really a "pale" shade as the color states, to me it's more of a medium nude shade. I don't really have a lipstick that matches this but I'm thinking it may look nice with the NYX lip cream in Cairo that I also bought in this haul.

NYX lip cream in Cairo - This is a light colored matte nude shade and honestly if it were a shade lighter you wouldn't see my lips at all, so for me this still feels like a fairly wearable nude as I don't want my lips looking as though I completely covered them in foundation.

NYX lip cream in Tokyo - This is probably my fave shade lip cream of the ones I bought in this haul. It's a natural pastel peach shade but I don't find it to be an unwearable shade on myself like a lot of pastels can be as it still looks a little toned down.

NYX lip cream in Sydney - This is a shade that can still give fair-skinned individuals a tiny pop of color without looking too Nicki Minaj (love her though!). It's pretty similar to the other lip cream I got in Tokyo but it's more of a pastel blue-toned pink rather than a peach like Tokyo.

NYX in Couture Mode - Once I brought this pretty colored natural-esq lipstick home I really thought I would have a dupe for it but the closest lipstick I could find from my existing lipsticks was Revlon's lipstick in Smoked Peach which is more on the orange side rather than pink so it's really not a perfect dupe. One gripe I have about this is that the tube does not stay in place during application so I feel it may only be a matter of time before this lipstick gets damaged.

2013/2014 Winter Makeup Trends

In a previous post I did the makeup trends I'd like to see coming into play, but now I'm posting this winters makeup trends via Vogue.

Lip Trends
-Bare/None.
-Velvety.
-Matte Ombre.
-Nude Lipstick.
-Subtle Nude Gloss.
-Deep Matt Lipsticks.
-Foundation with Powder on top (creates a matte dry lip).

Brow Trends
-Full Brows.
-Pale/Blonde/Washed-Out Brows.
-Light/Natural Brows.

EyeLiner Trends
-Thin subtle black line along top lash line.
-Liquid silver lined cat-eyes.
-Thick Black cat eyes on top lash line and dashed lines on the lower.
-No Liner/Natural.
-Heavy/Messy Liner on Lower lid.

Blush/Contour Trends
-No Blush.
-Nude Blushes.
-Subtle amounts of blush applied.
-Light Bronze Contouring.

EyeShadow Trends
-Maroon metallic cream eyeshadow applied all over upper lid and blended into crease and lower lid.
-Nude eyeshadow several shades darker than skintone applied all over eye area.

Mascara/Lash Trends
-No Mascara.
-Subtle amounts of black mascara on curled upper lashes.
-Thick amounts of black mascara applied on lower lashes.

Foundation Trends
-Matte skin with a slight dewy-ness (try facial mists or a skintoned shimmery powder to add dew on top of makeup).

Nail Color Trends
-Red polish.

My 2014 Spring Makeup Desires

Its been a minute since I've done any posts on this blog but I wanted to share some makeup trends and ideas I'd like to see for spring 2014.

Images via Google

The use of white eyeliner on the lids seems to be trending for spring, but I also think the idea of white lips would be an edgy interesting twist.

I'd like to see more defined brows while still allowing them to be soft, perhaps going a bit darker than normal and maybe more straight.

A slightly shimmery/dewy face to break away a bit from complete matte foundation, a subtle skin-tone shade of shimmer used more dominantly on the outer cheekbones.

Matte velvety lips with the use of topping them with a frost/shimmer eyeshadow shade, or nude lipsticks to break away from the bolder past fall shades.

Although lots of looks have blue liner on the lower lid I'd like to see more shimmery silver or gunmetal eye makeup coming into play.

I also like the idea of wearable boxy eyeliner looks, perhaps in shades other than black for more daring/bold eye makeup... such as bright yellow.

If going for a more natural makeup look I'd like to see fuller almost tarantula looking lashes from top to bottom and fully curled at that, making the eyes look a bit dolly-like.

New Lipsticks and Review

I haven't been buying any new makeup lately which is why you've probably seen a lack of makeup posts on here. I just have too much makeup as it is right now, and with school, work, etc... I have little time to do any new looks. However, I did just buy two Maybelline ColorSensational lipsticks ($7.19 per lipstick at Rite Aid) one is Magnificent Mauve #430 which I believe is a new shade in this collection and the other is Sparkling Sand #740.

Wearing Maybelline's 'Magnificent Mauve' Lipstick

Today at work I decided to try out Magnificent Mauve and a lot of my male co-workers were like "ohhh... nice lipstick, what's the occasion" so, positive reactions to the shade as I usually just wear more natural colors. I do really like this color, it's probably my favorite shade of Mauve right now. My past fave shade of Mauve was Maybelline's lipstick in Sassy Mauve although darker and I usually ended up having to blot it down a bit to suite my pale complexion, but Magnificent Mauve is close to perfect for me as it's mostly pink with a bit of blue undertone to it making it a smidge purple although not really what I'd I'd call a fuchsia (because fuchsia shades look yuckster on me, hah). It also has some very fine silver-ish shimmer to it which gives it a bit of shine, and also the ColorSensational lipsticks are a bit sheer so they'll probably look a bit different on everyone, and also my lips are not really pigmented in color naturally (if that helps).

Left to Right: Sparkling Sand, and Magnificent Mauve

Sparkling Sand really doesn't look like much on myself, it just adds a shiny sheen to my lips and is a nude pale shade with fine shimmers, very sheer on the lips.

Liquid Foundation Comparison

I have been wanting to post a comparison of these two liquid foundations for some time now, so finally... here it is! Maybelline SuperStay 24Hr Makeup VS. Revlon ColorStay Makeup.

Not Actual Size

Maybelline SuperStay 24Hr Makeup
Price: $10.99
Size: 30ml
Claims: 24hr Staying Power, Oil-Free
Formula: Micro-Flex
SPF: None
This liquid foundation in comparison to Revlon's is much thicker and dries truer to the bottles color. Since it is thicker it does seem to give better coverage than Revlon's formula although it's not as long lasting. This doesn't contain an SPF so it won't help protect against UV rays like Revlon's however, it also means you won't be getting that SPF white cast on your face which makes this product more ideal for flash photography. This is an oil-free formula unlike Revlon's (which didn't state that it was oil-free or not) so it's possibly more optimal for acne prone skin although, I didn't breakout with either product. I don't find the staying power nearly as good as Revlon's but I did feel this product does start off looking better, dries a bit quicker on the skin and blends better which cuts down on harsh makeup lines. This product is probably better suited for drier skin types since it does turn a bit oily looking on the face after a few hours.

Revlon ColorStay Makeup
Price: $12.99
Size: 30ml
Claims: 24hr Staying Power
Formula: Soft-Flex
SPF: Yes
This liquid foundation in comparison to Maybelline's is much more runny and it seems to dry slightly darker then when it's wet thus drying time takes a bit longer than Maybelline's. Due to it being runny this doesn't seem to give you as great of coverage as with Maybelline's thicker formula although the formula seems to last longer over time (a little goes a long way!) because of its consistency, making the product worth the extra money. This product does contain a small amount of SPF unlike Maybelline's however, this SPF does give you a white cast/glow that SPF tends to do so, this foundation won't be flash photograph friendly when worn by itself (although I always set my liquid foundation with a face powder which does help to cut down on the SPF glare and gives you more of a natural dewey/glow finish). Unlike Maybelline's foundation this brand comes in two different formulas... one for normal/dry skin and the other for combination/oily skin and I would've thought the products consistency may have changed between the two but they seemed the same to me so... I'm not sure the difference. I also didn't find this foundation to really blend into the skin so you do want to try to get the best shade for your skin tone to avoid creating harsh makeup lines. This product also does seem to have decent staying power compared to Maybelline's (Revlon is much more workout/sweat friendly!).

Infinite Spoiled Brat Makeup

Eyes
Prime Lids: NYX eye-base in White
Brow Bone & Lower Lid: Wet N Wild eyeshadow in Brulee
Highlight: NYX eyeshadow in White
Lid & Cat-Eye: Wet N Wild's 'Spoiled Brat' palette in Eyelid (shimmery silver color)
Top Lid Liner: Milani liquid eyeliner in Infinite
Top Lashes: Maybelline MegaPlush mascara in Very Black (Apply 3 quick coats)

*Use a strip of 1-in masking tape along the outside of your eye to help make a clean and sharp cat-eye line, then remove the tape gently once you've applied your eyeshadow.

Face
Moisturizer: Olay touch of foundation
Liquid Foundation: Maybelline 24hr stay in Sand Beige
Powder: Revlon pressed powder in Light

Lips
Prep: Aquaphor Lip Ointment
Lip Gloss: Revlon lip gloss in Peach Petal
Lipstick: A dab of CoverGirl lipstick in Sultry

Brows
Define: Wet N Wild brow pencil in Taupe
Fill: Prestige brow perfection in light to medium in Medium

Contour, Blush, and Highlight
Contour: Milani multitasking face powder in Tan
Blush: Barry M blusher in Strawberry Whip
Highlight: CoverGirl blush in Shimmering Sands

Patriotic Pinup Makeup

Eyes
Primer: UDPP in Original
All over base: NYX base in White
All over shadow: NARS in Albatross
Crease: Maybelline almond satin trio in Crease
Under brow highlight: NYX eyeshadow in white
Top lid liner: Milani infinite liquid eyeliner in Infinite
Outer cat-eye liner: L.A. COLORS eyeshadow in Black
Mascara on top lashes: CoverGirl 24hr mascara in Blue Black

Face
Moisturizer: Olay touch of foundation
Liquid Foundation: Maybelline 24hr stay in Sand Beige
Powder: Maybelline pressed powder in Ivory

Brows
Define: WnW brow pencil in Taupe
Fill: Prestige brow perfection in light to medium in Medium

Contour and Highlight
Contour: Milani multitasking face powder in Tan
Highlight: CoverGirl blush in Shimmering Sands

Lips
Prep: Aquaphor lip ointment
Liner: Nabi lip pencil in Apple
Lipstick: Wet N Wild in Red Velvet

Bronzed Face for Fair Skin

I noticed that a lot of people have questions about bronzer and application so this post is just to give you my advice on applying it to the face and creating a nice natural tan appearance for fair skinned individuals.

For some reason I've noticed a lot of people say to apply bronzer where the sun would naturally hit your face. I find that to be horrible advice, especially for fair skinned individuals like myself that naturally sunburn and possibly freckle. However, if you want to add a light highlight shade to your face than you would want to apply that where the light would naturally hit your face. I find that applying bronzer to the contours of your face is much more appealing and doesn't give you that dirty appearance if it had been applied to where the light naturally hits. You also want to blend your contours expanding it out a bit on the areas where light doesn't naturally hit your face but focus most of it around the sides of the forehead, under the neck, along the jaw line and the sides of your nose.

Applying a blush will look more natural than just adding a tan shade to a fair complexion and it can also make for a more youthful appearance. Being fair skinned and knowing that when you get sun you probably turn a pinkish shade I like to use a very light pink blush on the apples of my cheeks and sometimes the bridge of the nose (avoid the tip of the nose so you don't look like Rudolf!) during warmer months. During winter months I'd go with a bit more intense blush shade since you will be exposed to the cooler climate and you probably won't get sunburn (unless you happen to be skiing!).

I'd also advise using a tinted moisturizer (or mix some of your liquid foundation with your face moisturizer) all over your face and neck if you're fair skinned and want to look a bit tanner or add more color to your complexion, this will help give you an all around tan appearance when followed with my bronzing advice above.

You probably don't want to neglect your eyes when going for a naturally tan look so apply an off-white matte shade (or skin tone shade) all over the lid (or a gold shade) along with an off-white shimmer shade under the brows, you can then either use the bronzer you applied to your face or a similar colored eyeshadow blended into your crease. You may also want to darken your brows slightly with an eyebrow shadow if they are blonde in color. Add some brown or black-brown mascara to your lashes and your eyes are complete (you can also line your eyes or add a bit more depth to the eye with a dark brown eyeshadow if you want to be a bit bolder).

With a nude tan face on fair complexions almost any lipstick shade will work but I'd probably avoid the pale pastel shades which can make you look too washed out, especially during summer months. For a more natural tan approach try a bronze lip color (like Rimmel's lipstick in Summer Angel).

Queen Ravenna inspired makeup look

It took me 3 attempts to see the movie Snow White and the Huntsman but just 1 attempt for me to create this Queen Ravenna inspired makeup look, enjoy ;)

EYES
Primer: e.l.f. eye primer.
Crease to under brow Highlight: Revlon eyeshadow in Vintage Lace.
Lower waterline Eyeliner: Almay eyeliner crayon in black
Upper outer half of lid eyeliner: Almay eyeliner crayon in black
Upper and Lower Lid: Coastal Scents 88 Shimmer palette in a dark copper shade.
Curl Lashes (Optional): Revlon lash curler
Mascara: CoverGirl lashblast in black-gold, 3 coats on top lashes, 1 coat on bottom lashes.

BROWS
Fill: Prestige brow perfection in light to medium, medium shade

BLUSH AND CONTOUR
Blush: Barry M blusher in BL7
Contour: N.Y.C. bronzer in Sunny

LIPS
Prep: Aquaphor lip ointment
Color: Revlon lipstick in Just Enough Buff

Successful First Date Makeup

During Cinco de Mayo this past week I had a successful first date with someone. So, I wanted to share my first date makeup look I did (which I've done another first date makeup look on here before, and ironically they're practically the same, lol) as well as some tips for the type of look that I think seems first date appropriate. This is also a look I do for my work makeup, although I don't always do the cat-eye effect.

Foundation
Base: Garnier BB Cream in Light/Medium.
Concealer/ Liquid Foundation: Maybelline 24hr Stay in Sand Beige. (I was out of my concealer so I had to make my liquid foundation suffice).
Powder: Maybelline pressed powder in Golden, and Revlon pressed-powder in Light (Golden was making my face to neck color look off so I actually liked Revlon's shade better when I put it on over top).

Blush, Highlight and Contour
Cheeks: e.l.f. in Pink Passion
Highlight: Physicians Formula in Miami Strip (lightest shades)
Contour: NYC bronzer in Sunny

Eyes
Primer: e.l.f. eye primer.
All over color: Wet N Wild eyeshadow in Brulee.
Under-brow Highlight Color: Wet N Wild eyeshadow in the Greed palette (lightest shimmer shade).
Crease Color and Outer Lower Lid Color: Wet N Wild eyeshadow in the Greed palette (matte tan shade).
Upper Lid Cat-Eye Color: L.A. Colors eyeshadow in Black.
Mascara: Maybelline The Falsies Flared in Blackest Black (Apply several coats to the top lashes. A light coat to the outer lower lashes is optional).

Brows
Groom: Boots No7 clear brow gel
Base: Wet N Wild brow pencil in Taupe
All Over Color: Prestige brow-shadow in light/medium (lightest shade).

Lips
Base: Aquaphor healing ointment
Lipstick: Revlon in Primrose (my second lipstick option was Revlon in Demure)
Gloss: Revlon in Peach Petal

Tips
-Try to keep your makeup looking natural, a lot of guys will say how they don't like makeup but I feel that they just don't like super unnatural looking makeup... like bold red lips or drag-queen eye makeup.

-Don't apply anything to your face that you aren't going to be comfortable with... first dates can be nerve-wrecking enough so perhaps pass on those false lashes.

-If you've had the chance to get to know your date before you actually go out on the date, find out their personal style through pictures, or find out what type of person they're looking for... like my date stated how he wanted a "normal" girl, not one with "two-toned hair". Also take into consideration the venue of your date, your outfit (which if you're like me you'll change your clothes a hundred times and ultimately have no clue what you'll probably end up wearing), or even things like the weather.

-You don't want a look that is too complex, people get confused and put-off when you have too many things going on (like rainbow hair extensions, bold eye makeup and lips, etc). You don't need to look like Punky Brewster to stand out as a person, let your personality shine through and look like yourself... after all if things workout with this person then they'll eventually see you without makeup on at some point.

-You want a look that is warm, soft, flirty/romantic/intimate, youthful, and friendly... make yourself appear approachable (not like Marilyn Manson!).

Makeup MatchUp

Upon purchasing a new liquid foundation this week since I had ran out of my fave stuff (Maybelline 24hr Stay in Sand Beige) and the store hadn’t stocked up on any I ended up purchasing CoverGirl, TruBlend Liquid Makeup, in Warm Beige 4/445. The foundation definitely wasn’t a dupe for my fave stuff as it was a bit brighter/lighter and more on the pink side. Thus, I decided to make the best of it and experiment with colors that I felt went best with this CG foundation color. Sooo… if you’re perhaps a warm beige skin tone or use this same foundation shade then maybe these other makeup items I picked out will work for you to re-create the below look (sorry it looks overly pink, cell cam and lighting were a bit yuckster).

Click to Enlarge

Foundation

-CoverGirl, TruBlend Liquid Makeup, in Warm Beige 4/445
-Maybelline, Mineral Power Natural Prefecting Finishing Veil Translucent Loose Powder

Lips

-Wet n Wild, Megalast Lip Color, in Pink Suga’ 900b
-Neutrogena, Moisture Shine Lip Gloss, in Fruity Pink

Brows

-Wet n Wild, Color Icon Eye Shadow Palette, in Vanity (2nd row, left column)
-Boots no7, Lash and Brow Perfector, in Clear

Blush & Contour

-Barry M, Blusher, in Strawberry Whip/BL8
-Neutrogena, Healthy Skin Blends Natural Radiance Bronzer, in Sunkissed 30

Eye Shadow

-L.A. Colors, Mineral EyeShadow, in Beige/BME489
-Wet n Wild, Color Icon Eye Shadow Palette, in Vanity (3rd row, right column)

Mascara

-Rimmel, Glam Eyes (Non-Waterproof) Mascara, in Extreme Black

-CoverGirl, LashBlast Volume Blasting (Non-Waterproof) Mascara, in Very Black

Overall I thought this look came out nice, feminine, and natural (better looking in person I think) since the colors seem to work harmoniously together (art history class may be paying off after all, LOL).