Well, I’m breaking out and I forgot to put my nose ring back in, but gosh darn it, I look cute anyway! (Heehee) I am wearing the Naked2 Basics eyeshadow palette, Hikari blush in Tango, and MAC lipstick in Diva-Ish. I also tried out ELF Gotta Glow blush as a highlighter and it’s gorgeous, but you can’t see it in my pictures – it has a beautiful golden sheen in the sun!
So this looks fun!
Do you remember your first makeup item?
Just like the OP I got this from, the first thing I can remember is the Bonne Bell Lip Smackers. In the 70s-80s, before I was allowed to wear makeup, this was the next best thing, and they smelled and tasted great. They still make these, but the ones I had back then were mega jumbo huge sized and came on a chain you could wear around your neck – whaaaaaat. I was the coolest girl in elementary school!
Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found one that fits your specifications?
Length, volume, separates, washes off easy. Clump Crusher comes close, but I may never find my unicorn.
What kind of coverage do you prefer from foundation?
Medium coverage satin-matte. need it to cover flaws, but still be skin-like and control oil in the t-zone.
Favorite high-end brand?
Since I consider MAC mid-range (though not if they keep jacking their prices, I’m going to say Urban Decay).
What cosmetic brands have you always wanted to try but still haven’t?
Lots of indie brands like Jefree Star, Melt, etc
Favorite drugstore brand?
L’Oreal
Do you wear fake eyelashes?
My real eyelashes are pretty great, so I don’t bother unless I’m going out clubbing or something and want to get crazy.
Is there any kind of makeup you can’t leave the house without?
Absolutely nothing! I go out without makeup all the time. I don’t feel like I have to wear it, I wear it because I want to! The only thing that is mandatory for going out is sunscreen!
What is your most cherished beauty product?
My Guerlain Meteorites in Clair in the gorgeous metal tin.
How often do you shop for makeup?
My kit is so complete that I usually only shop when I’m out of a staple or something really unique catches my eye. So not as often as most bloggers!
Do you have a “beauty budget” or you spend freely?
LOL, spend freely? No.
What type of product do you buy the most of?
Eyeshadows and lipsticks
Do you avoid certain ingredients in cosmetics like parabens or sulfates?
I avoid sulfates in my shampoo and fragrance in my makeup.
Do you have a favorite place to shop for makeup?
Any place that sells makeup is a favorite. Oh my, that says a lot about me…
Do you like trying new skincare products or do you keep a certain routine?
I try to keep a routine! My skin is sensitive so I marvel at people who try new skincare all the time!
Favorite bath and body brand?
Aveeno (see above! Sensitive!)
Do you like multifunctional products like lip and cheek stains?
Nope. I prefer separate, targeted products as they usually work better – the exception is Benetint, which everyone should have around for natural days!
Are you clumsy in putting makeup?
Let’s just say I had to wear an eye patch once and everyone should treat the Tweezerman metal eyelash comb with the respect it deserves.
Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?
I have! I worked in retail cosmetics for over 10 years!
What do you love about makeup?
Makeup is yet another art medium and it’s fun to have your body as a canvas to express who you are.
Ok, before I get started, let me just say that I am in no way affiliated with Crown Brush; actually, Kristin and I aren’t sponsored by anyone and don’t get PR samples or anything. Now, onto the excitement: LOOK what I saw on Instagram earlier:
image from Crown Brush Instagram
Now, let me just say, many things aren’t just 40% off – a lot is 60% off! I just got 11 individual brushes for $25.00. Let’s put that in perspective. My MAC powder brush was $40.00 (ok, ok, but I had my last one for over 10 years). Now I realize Crown Brush can be hit or miss according to the grapevine, but the synthetic eye brushes I’ve gotten from Ipsy have been great, so here we go! Let’s give it a shot. I’ll let you know how they do.
Hold on to your hats, color lovers, this electric cobalt blue nail polish is BRIGHT and it’s only $1.99 and found in just about every US drug store. I’m in love!
Sinful Colors Professional nail polish Endless Blue, $1.99
This cream formula is just the right consistency and goes on opaque in just 2 coats with no streaking. It’s shown here with Poshe fast drying top coat over it, because I’m a clutz and I have to use a fast dry top coat or I ruin every single paint job I do within minutes. 😉
At $1.99 and with such a great color and formula, I’m calling Endless Blue a WIN.
So, today was a whole lotta lazy! It’s a Sunday and I basically hung around, house sat/fed my sister’s cat, and I didn’t even put on any makeup until 5:00 pm, and that was only because I wanted to play with the gifts I just got and some samples. Most Sundays are spent barefaced and laying on the couch watching Game of Thrones!
Well, I was having a great time experimenting with the MAC shadows my good friend sent me when I remembered that a couple years ago, she had sent me the Crush Metal Pigments Stacked 1 set! I decided I would layer the icy violet one on the lower lid over the Mega Metal shadow in Mating Call (LOL, that name). Even used wet, the glittery pigment still managed to get everywhere including on my face and in my eyes, causing me to have a major tear-fest and red-eyed reaction of Not Good. Well, here is an example of how glittery it is:
Top middle frosty glittery concoction is the pigment from Stacked 1
So beautiful, so not fun if you get it in your eye. Reminds me of Kitchmas in lavender. Be careful with glittery products, you guys. I don’t even have sensitive eyes. I can wear almost anything.
Me with bloodshot eyes and a face full of fun purple makeup; see below for breakdown.
Featuring Urban Decay Revolution Lipgloss in Bittersweet
FULL BREAKDOWN:
FACE: NYX Photo Loving Primer Lavender (I don’t see color correction here, so the clear version would probably be a fine alternative, but I love this primer!), Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation in Porcelain with damp Beauty Blender, MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC15 with Sigma E10 brush for pinpoint concealing (thanks for the tips to Lisa Eldridge), MAC Mineralize Concealer in NW15 under eyes blended with tip of damp Beauty Blender, MAC Casual Color in Evening Stroll (lovely violet!) sheered out with Sigma F82 round top kabuki brush, foundation lightly set with Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder in Translucent and MAC 150 Powder Brush.
EYES: Too Faced Shadow Insurance, MAC Vanilla eyeshadow as highlight, MAC Mega Metals shadow in Mating Call (lid) and Noir Plum (crease/outer V/lower liner), MAC Chromaline in Deep Purple, L’oreal Infallible gel liner in Black, Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo Ebony with No 7 double ended brow brush set with ELF Clear Brow Gel.
LIPS: NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Deep Purple with Urban Decay Revolution Lip Gloss in Bittersweet (thanks for the sample, Ipsy!)
Most of these products are all available to be purchased currently except the two Mega Metals eyeshadows and the Casual Color by MAC, since they love to do those limited edition runs.
Everything here was purchased by me or given to me by a friend. All opinions are my own! 🙂
I’m blessed to have a rich online life and a lot of online friends. A lot of them are merely acquaintances; however, I have a few friends that I’ve had for over 10 years that I consider to be real, close, lifetime friends. One of them was talking to me this week about a shadow palette I had bought from Sleek makeUP and wanted to try some for herself. She bought the Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in Bad Girl from Amazon, but unfortunately she ended up allergic to it, so she said, “Hey, I’ll send this to you and you can use it and blog about it. I’ll send you some other things too, like this green NYX Wicked lippie.” She mentioned some metallic MAC shadows, but I didn’t expect a gigantic box to arrive at my doorstep a few days later. Imagine my surprise…
Unboxing…
Wait. What?
Hold on a second…I’m confused.
SWEET MOTHER OF GOD!
Ok, let’s clean this up and take it in the bathroom with natural light.
Sleek i-Divine Palette in Bad Girl and NYX Wicked Lippie in Risque
MAC Mineralized shadows in Cinderfella, Gilt by Association, and Blue Flame
MAC Mineralize shadow trio in Danger Zone
MAC Mega Metal Shadows in Noir Plum, Mating Call, Odalisque, Dandizette, and Chromaline cream liner in Rich Purple
The only casualty of the cross-country trip was this shadow from the Maleficent collection, My Dark Magic – not a problem, because I’m going to put it in a container and use it as a loose pigment and recycle the container at Back 2 MAC for a lipstick, as you do! 🙂
MAC Mineralize Shadow My Dark Magic from Maleficent Collection
Words cannot express my gratitude at receiving such a kind package from this friend and what’s even sweeter is that it’s not the first time she’s done this. I hope we’ll always be in touch and I am hoping to go visit her at some point!
And of course, I believe you should always pay your good fortune forward. Kristin: INCOMING! 😀 (I had to make room for all this somehow.)
Today I’m wearing Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Bloom lipstick in Brazen Berry. I tried it two ways, first with NYX Purple Rain liner just to outline, and then with Urban Decay Ozone 24/7 Lip Liner (clear) underneath like a primer. I like it best with a primer under! It seems to really even out my lip texture and the color seems smoother, but honestly, the difference is small.
Brazen Berry with NYX Purple Rain lip liner
Brazen Berry over UD Ozone 24/7 Clear Lip Liner
Can you tell a difference?
FULL MAKEUP BREAKDOWN!
Face: Tarte Clean Slate Poreless primer, Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation in Porcelain applied with Sigma F82 kabuki, MAC Studio Finish Concealer NC15 to spot conceal, MAC Mineralized Concealer NW15 under eyes, Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless lightly swept over face to set, MAC Sculpt Powder Bone Beige for contour, La Femme Blush in Purple Passion (wish this was more purple on me), Temptu S/B Highlighter Pink Pearl (thanks, Ipsy!).
EYES: Bobbi Brown Cream Eyeshadow in Bone as a base, MAC Vanilla shadow as highlight shade, The Balm Nude Dude shadow in Flirty (thanks, Ipsy!) on lid and crease, Hustle shadow by Urban Decay (Naked 1) in outer V and lower lashline, L’Oreal Infallible gel liner to tightline, L’oreal Infallible Super Slim liquid liner for upper lash line, Cover Girl Clump Crusher mascara black, Anastasia Brow Powder duo (light shade) with mini double angled brush for brows set with ELF Clear Brow Gel.
LIPS: Either NYX Slim Lip Liner in Purple Rain or Urban Decay 24/7 Lip Liner in Ozone with Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Bloom Lipstick in Brazen Berry
–Rachel
You guys! I’m seriously excited about what I just heard about on Twitter. Makeupalley now has their reviews database easily searchable via product barcode scan. I’m so excited, I found myself testing it out on stuff in my bathroom at 1:00 am! The makeup lover and nerd in me are both ecstatic, because it works.
Do you ever find yourself in the drugstore (or any store) looking at beauty products and wondering if you should drop your cash on them? Have you ever actually grabbed your smartphone and googled that item before you put it in your basket? I sure have! Weeding through reviews is tedious enough, but doing it in a store is too time consuming when you just want a fast answer – does it suck? DOES THIS $12 THING SUCK OR NOT?
Well, get a load of THIS! Download Makeupalley’s app to your smartphone, open it, and look for the little barcode icon:
Ok do you see it? Now tap on it and something that looks like a camera screen will appear on your phone. Scan the barcode of your Item of Scrutiny by holding it between the guidelines on your screen, and THEN:
Are you freaking kidding me?!?! Easy access to all of Makeupalley’s product reviews at my fingertips?! The feature works so well, too! Just scan and there’s the review page; click on any review to see it in its entirety. This site’s wealth of reviews is amazing, too. If it’s not there, it’s really new or hella obscure.
LIFE. CHANGING. I shall buy crappy products no more!
I’ve been a big fan of Mabelline Color Sensational Lipsticks for quite some time. I have seriously flaky, dry lips and I love a moisturizing lipstick. I also love bold colors that aren’t boring. These are not always easy to find in the drug store! Maybelline has really been stepping up in that department in recent years. I recently picked up 2 of the lipsticks in the spring line, Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Bloom. (Rebel! I like it already…) I chose Power Peony, a milky pink pastel (yet not the lightest in the bunch) and Lilac Flush, a milky lavender. Lilac Flush is not your typical drugstore color and was sold out when I first tried to get it, so imagine my surprise when my boyfriend walked in the front door with it about 2 weeks later. REALLY?! How did he remember I was looking for that?! Awesome boyfriend, 5 stars, would date again!
Power Peony and Lilac Flush:
Also shown: Earth Essence Lavender Moisturizing Body Candle, Chanel No 19 mini, Guerlain L’Interdit mini, Balmain Ivoire mini
What Maybelline has to say:
“Super-saturated pigments take fresh picked pastels to a new bright
Never dull, washed out or shy
Honey nectar adds a sumptuous feel
Maybelline Color Sensational® Rebel Bloom lipstick. Now pastels rebel in 10 vivacious shades. A kicky boquet of lip colors in pinks, reds and mauves. Honey nectar adds a sumptuous feel
Apply lipcolor starting in the center of your upper lip. Work from the center to the outer edges of your lip, following the contours of your mouth. Then glide across the entire bottom lip.”
Well, thanks for the lipstick application tips, Maybelline. But I’ve been doing that since I was five. As to when I started getting decent at it is anyone’s guess! 🙂
The formula: The Rebel Bloom lipsticks are a little bit different than the other Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks. They have a bit more of balm texture, so to me they are more moisturizing. Fabulous! They are a tad more sheer, as well, letting a hint of your natural lip color show through, unless you really layer them on. I think this lends to the white based pastel shades being a million times more wearable than most of the white based, opaque pastel lipsticks out there. You know the ones I’m talking about…the kind that nobody can pull off. Still, I went a step further and added a gloss on top to add just a hint of dimension.
Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Bloom lipstick in Power Peony with a hint of clear gloss on top
Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Bloom Lipstick in Lilac Flush topped with a bit of L’Oreal Extraordinaire by Color Riche lip color in Purple Prelude. I find this shade is so light and milky that deepening it a hint flattered my skin tone much better.
Wrap up: All in all, these feel good on the lips, do not dry them out (even without a gloss on top or a balm under), and do not settle in fine lines and cracks. I get a good 4 hours’ wear out of them before I need to reapply. I like the pastel lavender tube, as well. I paid about $5.50 each for these at Target. I hope these go BOGO somewhere before they’re gone; Blushing Bud and Orchid Ecstasy are now on my wish list!
–Rachel
I’ve been doing the Ipsy Glam Bag thing for a long time now and I’m really pleased. I’m sort of a creature of habit sometimes and since I’m often on a tight budget I don’t step too far outside of what I know I already like. But I really feel like I’ve always gotten my money’s worth out of every one of these bad boys and the stuff just keeps getting better! (You want in on this? Right this way!)
This month’s is just great, but of course I’d say that about something that contains sunscreen (I hoard travel sized sunscreens for Burning Man), purple lip gloss and black eyeliner.
1. Urban Decay travel size 24/7 lip liner in “Ozone”, a clear pencil. I’ve never heard of clear lip liner before! I consider myself somewhat of a lipliner novice, to be honest, unlike Rachel who has more lipliners than I have colored pencils – and I’m a graphic designer! Anywho, I was reading up about this when I saw it was going to be in the bag this month and it seems really neat and definitely my speed – put it on and forget it and it makes your lipstick stay where it’s supposed to. Let’s hope that’s the case!
This came bundled with two of their little blister-pack samples of Revolution Lipgloss in Failbait (lololololol) and Bittersweet, rose and intense purple shades respectively. Looking forward to trying these on!
2. BelláPierre gel eyeliner in Ebony. Yeah, I basically just busted it out immediately and started writing my name and drawing stuff all over my hand. Color goes on great, no drag, and it took some SERIOUS makeup remover to get it off. Totally ready to give this a shot. And it’s full sized!
3. Pixi Beauty Bronzer in “Summertime” – I admit it, this pale porcelain goth girl is a bronzer newbie. I literally have no idea what to do with bronzer! I’m going to give this a shot, though, it actually looks like it might be a good color for me if I can get it to go on without looking like I rolled around in the dirt.
4. Bare Republic Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF30 facial sunscreen. Not much to add here except that this got stuffed greedily into my Burning Man box as soon as it came out of the bag. I love sunscreen samples, Ipsy, keep sending them. Not having to carry around a full size sunscreen when the extent of my clothing is cut off cargo shorts and a bikini top is ace.
5. Nuxe Paris rêve de miel cleansing gel. Rachel tells me this stuff is luxe as fuck and I’m going to believe her because the whole thing is written in French. 😜 I love to travel so little bitty travel sized cleansers are always appreciated.
🌟🌟🌟
So yeah, basically? This month’s haul was awesome! I’m a little meh on the bronzer but I’m not going to write it off until I try it.
A Bad Homance 