Category Archives: Makeup

Makeup of the day – Daytime smoky eye with MAC 

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So, from time to time, I find myself pining for the Urban Decay Smokey palette.  I always talk myself out of it, because I HAVE THOSE COLORS (repeat to self 500 times).  I’m a sucker for packaging and I have the other 3 Naked palettes and will probably keep pining, though…even with my psychology degree, I’m a marketer’s dream come true!  Regardless, here’s a smoky look today I put together with some MAC shadows – enjoy!

  
  
  
Eye look was done with Bobbi Brown Cream Eyeshadow in Bone as a base, then I used MAC Copperplate eyeshadow as a transition shade in the crease and MAC Howzat shadow (LE, but substitute any deep frosty grey you like) in the crease below the transition shade and all over the lid.  I used MAC Electra eyeshadow to highlight the center of the lid. I blended Blanc Type on the brow bone as a highlight and used Howzat below the eye with a pencil brush.  I then used MAC Nehru on a 266 angled eyeliner brush for a soft smoky eyeliner…no liquid liner today!

You can take this look even smokier with black or grey liner on the waterline, but spring allergies dictate that I’m not doing this today – LOL! 

Blush is NYX Ombre Blush in Mauve Me and Lipstick is Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lovecraft.

What are you wearing today? 

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NYX Wonder Pencil First Impression

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I’ve been trying a lot of NYX lately now that it’s available in CVS and Target.  I have quite a few reviews in store!

The NYX Wonder Pencil may just be my new best friend!  For years, I have used the MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20, but it’s always been just a bit too dark for me.  Other skin tone liners have either been the wrong shade or irritated my eyes, plus I wanted something that would work for other makeup multitasking purposes.  Leave it to NYX to make another professional type product available at the drugstore!

  
My MAC pencil is a bit used up.  You do get more with the $16.50 MAC pencil, but the NYX product is only $4.50.

Shade comparison of MAC NC15/NW20 and NYX Wonder Pencil in Light (this comes in 3 shades):

  
I used the NYX pencil today for cleaning up and highlighting around the brow, reverse lip lining (really great since I have freckles around my lip line), and concealing a few dark spots on my face along with lining my waterline.  CAVEAT:  If you use this on your face and the waterline, sharpen that sucker to a clean point for fresh product before going near your eyeballs!  Also, clean your sharpeners from time to time with alcohol.  Ok, enough lecturing. 😉 

  
I am super pleased with this multitasking pencil!  Have you tried it?

NYX Ombre Blush Review – Mauve Me

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When I fist saw the NYX Ombre Blushes, I got pretty excited!  My first thought was that these may be an affordable version of an earlier limited edition MAC offering. 

From the NYX website:

“Treat your cheeks to a radiant flush of color with our Ombré Blush, a new gradient blush inspired by the ombré trend. This must-have formula features two silky colors blended into one perfectly coordinated shade combo. (It’s like they were meant for each other.)”

My excitement turned to doubt when I saw the INTENSE color selection.  I have incredibly fair skin and realized that most of the shades were going to be “too rich for my blood.”  One shade stood out as a possibility that might work for me, though, and that was “Mauve Me.”  I thought, “Well, at $10 for an enormous blush, let’s give it a shot,” and ordered it from Ulta.  I’m SO glad I did, because this particular shade of mauve is my jam!  Check it out:

  
I love that ombre fade!  There’s a nice mirror inside, as well. 

  
The compact is nice and sleek.  

Here’s how it looks on my skin (around a MAC NW10, for reference):

  
(Worn with MAC “Syrup” lipstick.)

  
(Worn with Kat Von D “Lovecraft” lipstick.)

I have been using my MAC 116 blush brush and sweeping from the light color into the deep color in the pan, then applying the blush in a swirling motion on my cheeks.  The color is a lovely satin (very lightly shimmery, NOT frosty yet not matte), a healthy glowy type finish that I tend to get from MAC Mineralize blushes.  Not bad!  I’m not wearing any highlighter in this photo.  

NYX Ombre Blushes come in 8 shades and retail for $10.00 USD.  Have you tried them? 

Nuxe Reve de Miel – EMPTY!

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I have quite a bit of blogging to catch up on, but before I get to reviewing my latest finds, I just want to say A) this is the richest, creamiest, most luxurious lip balm known to man and B), I use this every day (day and night) and it STILL took me around 4 months to use this up!  BEHOLD:

  
This pot shall be repurposed for DIY sugar lip scrub!

Of course, I had a backup waiting.  🙂

  
What’s your favorite lip treatment? 

Makeup of the Day

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I bet you didn’t know my hair was this long. I’ve had it short since 2001, the longest it ever gets is about this length. When I dyed it recently, I couldn’t get all of the black out, but due to some stroke of luck I got enough out that it dyes burgundy when I hit it with the fuchsia dye I use (SpecialFX Virgin Rose).

Eyes: Stila eyeshadows in Porcelain, Coffee and Bronze, Rimmel Soft Kohl eyeliner in Stormy Grey, City Color Be Bold mascara in Black

Lips: MAC lipliner in Spice, NYX lipstick in Thalia

Face: Wet n Wild Fergie Centerstage Mattifying Powder in Pedestal

Fragrance: Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs “Nemesis”

Makeup of the Day

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I went out to see one of my fave bands tonight so I got a dressed up.

Eyes: Urban Decay eyeshadows in Kinky, Mushroom, Asphalt and Blackout, NYX grey pencil eyeliner, Urban Decay Perversion mascara

Lips: Rimmel Provocalips lip paint in Little Minx

Face:  MAC StudioFix powder NW10

Fragrance: Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs Voodoo

  
Then, I met their lead singer and fangirled him about his day job. Like one does.

Makeup of the Day

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Eyeshadows: NYX eyeshadows in Rock, Lime Juice and Bright Green, MAC eyeshadow in Nylon, NYX glitter eyeliner in Green, (name has rubbed off) sparkly liquid eyeliner in Green, Almay liquid eyeliner in Black, Urban Decay Perversion mascara; eyebrows are Rimmel Provocalips lip paint in Little Minx (yup, for my eyebrows)

Lips: Covergirl Outlast lip paint in Moonlight Mauve

Fragrance: Dolce & Gabanna Pour Femme

I’m not going anywhere. In fact, I’m in my pajamas! I just felt like playing around.

NYX and Stila Eyeshadow Swatches

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This is the Stila “Eye for Color” eyeshadow palette. It has 13 eyeshadows in it – a light and dark of six colors, plus a shimmery black.

  
They seem to overall be well pigmented, which is great! The Petal Pink color is pigmented as well, but it is very light and so is my skin. 😜

Top (L to R): Petal pink, burgundy, bronze, coffee, moss, green

Bottom (L to R): Blue green, navy, lilac, orchid, porcelain, bisque, black

  
There are the three NYX eyeshadows Rachel sent me — good god look at how richly pigmented these are! Wow. And go on silky smooth… I think I’ll have to do eyeshadow with these tomorrow.

Swatches (L to R): Rock, Bright Green, Lime Juice

Well COLOR me excited to try these out.

See what I did there?

Color?

Lol. 

Mail Call

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So, Rachel is obviously my #1 hooker, so when she decided to sell some gorgeous, like-new Fluevog sandals for a damn thrift-store price, I bought them. Because that’s what friends do. They’re the Friends Mae sandal with that cute kitten/wedge heel! Many people seem to have complaints about the strap being too tight, but they fit me like they were made for me.

  
But since she’s my #1 hooker, she also sent me a bunch of makeup, because that’s what friends do. I’m always in love with green eyeshadow, but when I have fuchsia/pink hair, I love it even more because they go so well together.

Here’s the bonus goodies, modeled by my cat Fëanor who refused to not be in the picture.

These are basically all shades I love (besides the greens, I’m loving some of those bronzey brown colors in the stila palette), so I’m sure I’ll have to search them all and make a post… Coming soon!

Thanks for the makeup, ‘ho!

Drugstore Makeup for Pale Skin!

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Hallooooo!  If you have truly pale skin (and no, I don’t mean the drug store’s orangey-beige version of “Ivory”), you have probably done countless online searches trying to come up with foundation, concealer, and powder options, both high end and drug store.  Drug store options seem to be the most impossible, but after loads of searching, I’ve found a few options.  Actually, my entire face today is drugstore, and I’ll post a list of what I’m wearing below! 

For reference, in MAC terms, I would be around an N10, shade wise.  I usually settle for NW10 since I lean more cool, but honestly I would prefer a perfectly neutral base.  Studio Fix Fluid in NW10 works fine for me.  Cover FX does have an N10 shade that is fairly perfect for me, but both these lines are pretty pricey and I wanted another option!

What I have on today is Rimmel Match Perfection in 010 Light Porcelain.  Unfortunately, if you’re in the United Stares, you’ll have to order this shade online, as it’s only available in the UK.  American Match Perfection starts at an ivory shade that is rather dark and super pink!  The Light Porcelain is beautifully neutral.  This is a sheer to medium buildable foundation with a satin finish.  This shade is also available in the UK in a few other formulas such as Lasting Finish, which is a heavier coverage, but sadly breaks me out.  I have no issues with this one.  I got this on Amazon for around $10 USD. 

The concealer I’ve used today is a new one to me and I’m praying it won’t break me out, because it looks pretty nice!  This is NYX Gotcha Covered in Ivory.  I saw a Youtuber say this was “really light” and had to try it for $6 USD.  It’s a full coverage cream concealer in a tube.  What a I like about this for under eyes is it has a bit of a peachy-salmon tone, great for correcting dark circles!  I’ve yet to determine if this creases or causes breakouts, so watch this space.  I set this with powder immediately today and it looked bomb.  Which brings me to…

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Pressed Powder in Translucent 100!  This is a wonderful, finely milled pressed powder that mattifies oil and sets foundation like nobodies business.  Don’t let the white color fool you – this is basically invisible on the skin, at least if you’re fair like me!  It has a nice sponge and a mirror so it’s good on the go.  Don’t want to shell out for MAC Blot?  Don’t have to!  This product is around $6 at the drug store. 

Here’s my finished look.  You like? 

  
I also have on Wet N Wild’s Comfort Zone palette and I used Rimmel’s “Tower of Mauve” lipstick on the lips and as a cream blush!

Do you have any drug store favorites?