Face of the Day + Product Review

Hey!

Time has come for face of the day segment and a brief product review. Actually, lets begin with product review. I know many of you own MAC Fix+ spray, which is known to prep skin before make up, set make up, intensify eyeshadow colors, etc. I use it daily and enjoy it, but not particularly for setting my make up. Its not that my skin becomes oily, but the feeling is somewhat awkward. It could be just me. :-)

So today I felt that my skin was a little dry, and as a result the powder that I used seemed a bit visible. I used the Evian Mineral Water to soften and blend my face. Conclusion = I loved the results. My skin felt refreshed, the powder was now completely blended and not visible, and I suddenly had a healthy glow, not to mention my skin felt soft.

Here is a description of this product that I found on Planet Beauty Website:

• "Famous for their beauty savvy, French women know the secret to good skin - Evian Mineral Water. Evian supplies the vital moisture skin so desperately needs to look soft, supple, healthy, and young looking. Use it with complete confidence to rehydrate and deliver the perfect balance of minerals skin demands. For home or on the go, now you can experience the benefits of the fabulous French spa treatment that women have been enjoying for over 150 years."

Where: Sephora, Ulta
Price: $10 for 5oz
Try it if you are looking for something new as far as make up setting/skin refreshing.

FOTD time!

Face:

Neutrogena Oil Free Day Lotion (SPF 15)

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer

L'Oreal Visible Lift Concealer in Medium (under eyes and around nose)

MAC Tinted Moisturizer in NW 25 around the nose and chin

Everyday Minerals powder concealer in Abbot's Perk Me up (under eyes)

Make Up Forever HD Powder all over to set

TheBalm Bahama Mama Bronzer to contour

MAC MSF in Warmed on the cheeks, nose, and forehead
MAC blush in Pink Swoon

Spritz of Evian Mineral Water

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer

L'Oreal Quad in 804 - Tan looking shadow in Pearl on eyelid

L'Oreal Quad in 804 - Matte Medium Brown Shadow on crease and a little above

MAC Carbon - blended in crease and used as a top eyeliner when mixed with Fix+

Covergirl Trio in 115 Golden Sunset - lightest color as highlighter

MAC Satin Taupe under lower lash line

Revlon ColorStay Automatic Pencil in Black along waterline

Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eyeliner in Black along the bottom and part of top lash lines

L'Oreal Lash Out Mascara (first coat)

MAC Zoom Lash (second coat)

MAC Spiked brow pencil to clean them up

Lips:

Milani - Most Natural Lipliner

Neutrogena Moisture Lip Smoother in Sparkle #45

MAC l/s Creme De Nude

So that's my little FOTD story...actually kind of long. I'd love to see some of yours!!

Mascara

Hey!

I hope everyone is having very Happy Holidays! I am looking forward to reading all of your reviews on new products that you have probably received during the past week :-).

And now to the topic of the day: Mascara

Mascara is my Holy Grail product, hands down! The amazing effects that this product creates go beyond everything else. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to the effects of mascara. Mine are as follows:

• Lots of Volume (prefer no clumps, but they don't bother me too much)
• Lengthen Lengthen Lengthen
• Curl (but I rely on the Shu Uemura curler for that)

So the products that I love and use the most are:

1) MAC Zoom Lash

• Pros: Intense drama, volumizes, lengthens, lifts
• Cons: Won't give you a natural look if that's what you like, does not dry too quickly once applied

2) L'Oreal Voluminous

• Pros: Lots of volume, dark and defined lashes
• Cons: Even though this mascara comes with a curved brush, I have trouble achieving a curled lash look with this product. My lashes get weighed down. However, the intense volume is a payoff enough.

3) L'Oreal Telescopic

• Pros: Defined lashes, volumizes, lengthens significantly
• Cons: I end up layering this mascara over another one...I'm not sure how dramatic in volume this mascara is by itself.

4) Maybelline Lash Stylist

• Pros: Defines EVERY lash, major volume, lengthens, a comb brush
• Cons: Can clump just a little once the tube becomes older; otherwise, perfect!

5) Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume Mascara

• Pros: No clumps, each lash is defined, lengthens, volumizes, lifts
• Cons: N/A

6) L'Oreal Lash Out

• Pros: Defines every lash, lengthens significantly
• Cons: Not too much volume, so I use a volumizing mascara over top.

I tried to be as critical as possible with all of these, but I love them all. I could not choose the "best" one out of the 6, because that varries from day to day. Sometimes I use one mascara at a time; other times I pair two up (never more than two though). As I've mentioned before, I love dramatic eyelashes, and that's exactly the achieved effect with the help of the 6 mascaras I've reviewed.

I would love to hear about your favorite mascaras.

Cheers!

Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge

Hey everyone!

I haven't written in a few days because I have had a busy weekend - very sorry! I am a part of the cheerleader ambassador squad for one of the most AMAZING NFL teams EVER (yes, I am very biased), so I've been running around all weekend. But that does not mean that I didn't have time to pick up the recently-discussed (by the beautiful Aleksis) Sonia Kashuk's Blending Sponge ($9.99 in Target)!

Let me tell you - I have never used sponges, EVER! Why? They absorb way too much product, which is wasteful. Sponges tend to rub the product off rather than the opposite, if not used correctly (and I definitely did not use them correctly the one or two times that I attempted). But this one is AMAZING - effective at blending the product in perfectly, which results in a smooth airbrushed finish.

For the past three days, I've used this sponge to blend my concealer and tinted moisturizer (this can/should be used with foundation also). I use the patting motion with the pointy end under my eyes and around my nose until the products look completely blended. I use the flat bottom side of the sponge to blend in the rest (cheeks, forehead, etc). I am not left with uneven patches or flakes, which even brushes can't always 100% eliminate. Final result: clean, airbrushed look.

Once again, the Sonia Kashuk blending sponge can be found in Target for only $9.99. Please check out Aleksis's blog for more information about the similar, but more expensive sponge that you can purchase at Sephora: http://aleksislovesbeauty.blogspot.com/2008/12/beautyblender-is-now-at-sephora.html I have not tried that one, but I'm sure its a very good product. However, I am happy with Sonia Kashuk's sponge, which is cheaper, so if you are interested but don't want to spend too much $$, go for this one!

Let me know what you think please! :-)

Coming up soon

-Looks of the day: everyday, red lips

-Skin Care

Please let me know what else you'd be interested in reading...

Thank you!!

CoverGirl, You Impress Me!

Hey!

I just very quickly wanted to say that the other day I ended up buying Cover Girl Eye Enhancers 4 Kit Shadows in Country Woods(W) 215 and I am impressed! Over time you will realize what a fan of darker smoky eyeshadow I am, but I wanted to add a few neutral colors to my already-too-large collection. These colors are beautiful (On the picture, they look a bit warmer than they truly are)!! And the best part is - 2 of them could be MAC's dupes!!!!

#2 = Honeylust e/s (but CG has a much smoother texture)
#3 = Vanilla e/s not pigment. (I'm pretty sure, but please correct me if I'm wrong...I actually do not own Vanilla e/s (only pigment), so I'm basing my initial reaction just off of what I've seen...I think this one is close)

Let me know if you own this kit and what you think!! I am pleased.

Look of the Day

Hey!

I love reading the look of the day posts, so I decided to do one for you. The below picture is my normal look. Although my products change from time to time, my overall look rarely does. I'll do more of these in the future.

I do my eyes first, in order to avoid messy fallouts or mascara accidents.

1) Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer all over the lid and up to the brow - I use this product religiously.

2) Limited Edition Flirt! Eye Shadow Pallet from Kohls. (Sarah Bella, I owe one to you! You did a great review on this pallet a while ago, which enticed me to buy it. Its really good!)
-#1 all over eye lid (neutral light brown with a bit of shimmer)
-#2 on the outer corners of my eyes (reddish color)
-#3 on the crease, blending a little bit above the crease also (medium brown)
-#4 MAC Espresso (dark neutral brown) - on the crease all the way across...blend!
-#5 as a highlighter below the brows

3) I use the E.L.F. concealer brush as an eyeliner brush because it is tiny!! I spray the bristles with Fix+ and then dip the brush into #6 MAC Carbon. I line along the top lashline all the way across.

4) I clean up the top line with a Maybelline liquid eyeliner in black(not all over). I then line my bottom lash line with a liquid eyeliner all the way across. I try to keep the line thin.

5) I use MAC Kohl power pencil in Feline along my waterline for a smoky yet defined look.

6) I prepare my eye lashes with MAC Prep and Prime (not pictured), and then do about two coats of MAC Zoom Lash Mascara (not pictured).

7) I clean up my brows with MAC Brow Set Gel in Beguile (not pictured).

Now on to the face! This part is quick.

1) Prep my skin with Rimmel London Fix and Perfect Primer - I like this one a lot! I use a flat foundation brush.

2) Put on a little bit of MAC Select Tint (Tinted Moisturizer) in NW 25 (my color always changes). I mainly place it around my nose and chin, because that's where my skin becomes dry during the cold weather. Plus, it evens out my skin just enough. I use a flat foundation brush. (I use MAC #187 brush for all other liquid foundations).

3) I dab a bit of L'Oreal Visible Lift concealer in Medium #187 under my eyes with a concealer brush. This concealer is gorgeous and so smooth. The coverage is medium to full. The finished feel is not too oily, but not stiff. This under eye concealer is the closest I found to resembling actual skin texture.

4) I finish off the concealer with a light touch of Everyday Minerals' concealer powder in Abbott's Perk Me Up. I dust a tiny bit under my eyes and around my nose.

5) I dust a little bit of Make Up Forever HD Powder all over my face to give me a matte clean look all day long.

6) I contour my face with TheBalm - Bahama Mama Bronzer by using #134 MAC Brush.

7) I dust a little bit of MAC MSF in Warmed on my cheeks for the glowy look and add MAC Blush in Peaches on top using MAC #129 Brush.

8) I line my lips with Milani Lipliner in Natural, fill them in with MAC lipstick in Fleshpot, and finish the look off with MAC Lipglass in Underage.

There you have it! The process seems lengthy but its fairly quick. :-)

Tag, I am it!

I was tagged by the beautiful and wonderful Aleksis and KerryMarie to do a 16 Random Facts Post. I decided to attempt to keep this beauty-topics-related, but please excuse me in advance if I go off on a tangent.

1) I did not become interested in make up until high school.

2) The make up routines began with blue eye shadow and purple glitter...yuck...

3) My hair is naturally dark brown, but I obviously have hi-lites.

4) In the beginning of High School years, since I could not really afford to get my hair done nor did it feel right for my age at the time, I began to use Sun-in, which was a terrible mistake. My hair turned orange...except I thought it was light brown. It took a couple of critics to finally make me snap out of it. I have been scared of orange ever since.

5) I used to work at Bath and Body Works

6) I worked in Sephora for three years. My first day on the job I had to give a woman a full consultation plus "make-over".

7) I used to wear Bare Minerals, and loved this brand for a long time. I still own but don't wear it anymore.

8) Although my hair is fairly long now, I absolutely adore clip-in-extensions. They are so much fun!! I have Revlon extensions, Jessica Simpson extensions, a few other brands, as well as the ones that I have made myself.

9) I try not to wear too much foundation, but MAC Tinted Moisturizer, MAC Studio Fix Fluid, Revlon Colorstay, or a bit of Everyday Minerals are hard to resist at times.

10) I usually don't play around with too many eyeshadow colors. I love my beiges, burgundies, and browns. Sometimes I diversify though :-)

11) I am the biggest fan of pale nude lips.

12) My favorite red lipstick, however, is Fresh Moroccan.

13) I am a huge fan of black eye liner.

14) I feel like I look like an alien with fake eyelashes :-(

15) My favorite hair straightener is Remington Shine Therapy - I've used it for over a year and what a difference in the health of my hair. Lollipop 26 has a great post about this straightener.

16) My hair is naturally curly.

And now I must tag 10 people. I will tag the lovely ladies that follow my blog. Aleksis and KerryMarie obviously have done this already, so you are in the clear :-). I tag:

Sarah Bella
Tricia
nikkiga1530
Holly
Kerry1487
Happy1234
Av
Emma
StyleVixenMUA
Pinklipssstick

Haul!

Hey!

I wanted to share my MAC and Sally Beauty Supply Haul with you.

Blush
*Peaches - very subtle peach - pretty! Good for skin that has yellow undertones.

*Pink Swoon - warm baby pink. Kim Kardashian has been known for wearing this blush. This gorgeous blush can look pretty on any skin color.

Mascara/Brows
*Zoom Lash Mascara - I love it! Made my lashes thick and long, yet not too heavy. I am a huge fan of L'Oreal Mascaras, such as Telescopic and Voluminous, but this one is now added to the favorites list. I am all about huge lashes.

*Prep and Prime (Mascara) - I haven't used a mascara primer in a while, and thought I'd give it a try. I tried it today and absolutely do not feel sorry for buying it. I will use it every day! Do any of you wear prep and prime?

*Brow Set Gel (in Beguile) - Have never been a huge consumer of brow gels because my eyebrows are pretty thin as it is, but I bought this gel to try it out, to see if I'd get an even cleaner brow look. I'm wearing it today and I like it!

Brush
#134 - LOVE IT!! So here is a little story for you. A few weeks ago I went to MAC to buy this brush, but when I came home, I realized that the MUA gave (sold) me #136 instead, which is similar to #134 but much thinner. The following day I returned to MAC, and said that I wished to make an exchange for #134. Somehow I was talked out of it...I was told that #134 was too big and I wouldn't like it. That day, I went back home with the original #136 and learned how to love it. But my love for it did not grow at the fastest rate, and #134 was still on my mind. So yesterday I followed my heart and bought this brush, and I LOVE IT completely! This is a must have brush for bronzers! It sculpts your face perfectly!



And then this happened:

I was recommended by my very amazing friend, who knows all about haircare, to purchase this shampoo and conditioner. I bought this at Sally Beauty Supply for only $4 each, and this is 100% generic of Paul Mitchell brand. The ingredients are EXACTLY the same, the smell is the same, the effect is identical. I used it today and my hair is so soft and shiny!! You should try!

Pale Nude Lips

One of my personal favorite beauty topics - nude lips! I think some of you can relate also! What is it about nude light lips that we like so much? Is it because deflecting attention from our lips brings more attention to our eyes? The smoky sexy look that we've created looks so much better when our lips are pale, doesn't it? Does it make our skin look brighter and more fresh -even more tan? Is it a fashion statement? I think all those reasons could be vaild. What do you think?

I won't go into too much detail, but below are my most favorite pale nude lipsticks (I'll get to glosses later). I might do a post about a few others in the future, but believe me when I say that I've tried and tested A LOT of such colors...so many brands, so many finishes, so many versions of colors (or lack of colors should I say). The lipsticks below won me over in the end and I've been faithful ever since :-).

The first three are in the pale nude pink family, all the rest are pale nudes that are more beige.

MAC - Hue (pale warm pink)

MAC - Out of Shock (very pale pink...pink pink pink)

Covergirl - Powderpink #400 (very wearable light pink...this is in the cooler color family)

MAC - Fleshpot (Gorgeous pale nude...slight hint of pale pink, but almost not)

MAC - Creme D' Nude (love it...super wearable because of its lustre, but still so pale and perfect)

MAC - Myth (a great substitute for Fleshpot..just a little more neutral)

MAC - Tanarama (frosty, super pale, kind of sheer, great over a lipstick or by itself...can't use too heavy of a hand though...otherwise your lips will be sparkly white...hehe. very good to have though!)

Victoria's Secret Heidi Klum Collection - Malibu (sheer, but gorgeous pale...kind of like Fleshpot minus the matte finish)

Some swatches for you, although its tough to see accurately. At least you can get the idea of the colors in comparison to NC40 skin color.

Top: Hue, Out of Shock, Powderpink
Bottom: Fleshpot, Creme D' Nude, Myth, Tanarama, Malibu

If you love pale lips, try one or two or all of the options above :-). That's it! Till next time :-)

Eye Drops = Blemish Relief?

This is interesting! I have heard that eye drops, such as the ones pictured on the right as well as most others, relieve blemishes. They do not entirely eliminate them, but successfully get rid of the redness. Really? I guess that makes sense, considering eye drops get the red out.

So I tried this method last night. I soaked up a Q-tip with my CVS eye drops and held it to a blemish for about 10 seconds. Walaaaa! All the redness vanished! The blemish was almost unnoticeable. So this works. Treat your blemish(es) with Eye Redness Relief Drops prior to putting on make up, and you'll use a lot less concealer/foundation than you otherwise would. Beautiful!!

What are some of your fun and easy methods?

TheBalm - Bahama Mama Bronzer!!!!

Have you ever tried any products by TheBalm brand? Oh my, everything I ever try from this brand I end up absolutely loving. What does this mean?

I just bought Bahama Mama Bronzer by TheBalm this weekend at Sephora, and I must say - this is very thumbs up! This bronzer truly gives you a healthy, tan, not overly made up look.

Bahama Mama Bronzer is somewhat similar to Benefit's Hoola, but better!! First let me talk about Hoola. I love the color, I love the fact that it is matte, because lets face it, its not every day that we want a sparkly face. Sometimes, but not always. Despite all its positive qualities, I found a big issue with Hoola. Although its color is a beautiful brown, this bronzer left me looking "muddy". No matter what brush I used, no matter how light of a hand I tried using, I could not get that one to work with me. Some of you pull it off very well, but I never had the same luck.

So many many great bronzers later (I'll post more information about those), I discovered Bahama Mama Bronzer, and I am in LOVE! I use MAC's 136 brush with the bronzer to give me a contoured look. This bronzer is gorgeous brown tan color, super smooth, silky, and perfect. Its very rare to hear me speak this highly of a bronzer, just because I am extremely picky. This one is a must try though! It is $18, which is not a bad price in comparison to many other bronzers. See the link below:

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P211644&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=2911

Still Tan...

Here is a photo of me a couple of days ago...when it was (and still is...who am I kidding) 30Degrees F. Thanks to my tanning product favorites, you probably can't tell that I haven't seen the sun in a very long time. Try them! Let me know your thoughts and opinions!

Favorite Tanning Products

Hey!

Before I begin my long write ups about make up, let's discuss a topic that a lot of us think about every once in a while, especially when the sun no longer shines - HOW TO LOOK TAN and yet streakless and natural.
Seems like an easy task, but clearly we've all been down the bumpy end of the road. Working in somewhat of an entertainment-type field, I have to look tan and glowing all year around. Here are my favorite at-home products:

Left to right: Dove Energy Glow, L'Oreal Sublime Glow Moisturizing MicroFine Mist, Tanwise Airbrush Self Tanning Spray, Skin Drench
Daily Radiance Facial Glow

Dove Energy Glow

Where to buy: any drugstores, grocery stores, ULTA, Target, etc.

What it does: gradually builds a beautiful summer glow - lotion with subtle self-tanners

Cost: $10.49 or less

My thoughts: I absolutely love this lotion in every way. Mine is for medium to dark skin tones because this one is more intense than the lotion for fair to medium skin tones. Meanwhile, since this is considered a gradual self-tanner, I do not find myself with any yucky streaks or orange discoloration. This lotion truly gives me a beautiful tan and healthy glow. There are no hidden negatives with this product. I try to use it every day. The wonderful and unusual characteristic about this lotion is that it actually smells good! Most self-tanners do not...especially once they sink into your skin and begin to develop. Dove Energy Glow one is AMAZING, and I absolutely recommend it to everyone (although something tells me most of you already have it).

L'Oreal Sublime Glow Moisturizing MicroFine Mist

Where to buy: any drugstores, grocery stores, ULTA, Target, etc.
What it does: Enriched with Natural Skin Tone Enhancers to work with your body's unique chemistry to gradually deepen your skin's natural complexion giving you the perfect dose of healthy summer color.
Cost: $10.69 or less
My thoughts: Love it! Once again, this is an effective gradual self-tanner. You just can't go wrong! Smells OK, not terrible, but not like red roses either. Very easy to apply...finally you don't have to worry about rubbing the product in. All you do is mist this all over your body, or wherever you please, and you are done. The bottle is a 360 degree continuous spray, so you can spray yourself from every angle. You should definitely notice the color develop in only a few hours. The only reason why I don't use this mist every day is because it gets EVERYWHERE: my floor, walls, products. Where do you suggest this product is best used? Shower maybe? I'm still trying to figure this out...otherwise thumbs up!

Tanwise Airbrush Self Tanning Spray

Where to buy: Sally Beauty Supply

What it does: "Delivers a natural, golden tan without the sun. The color guide tints your skin for mistake proof application. A natural healthy glow will develop into a light natural tan in approximately 2 hours. With Color Guide, Aloe, and Vitamin E enriched moisture care."

Cost: $11.99 or less

My thoughts: If you desire an instant bronze color, this is the product for you! Once again, this is a spray, so I have the same small issue with it as with the L'Oreal product - how to best apply without making a total mess. Sometimes I am successful, don't get me wrong. But back to the product itself. Smells like caramel...yummy (unless of course you don't want to smell edible), great results, fairly long lasting. With this product, when I spray I do not rub it in with my hands but I do use paper towels to towel off the extra bronze. The spray has bronzers in it, so you see exactly where it goes. This product is very similar to the professional Mystic Tan spray at the salons. This is a great self-tanner to have along with the others I'm mentioning. Note: this is not a gradual tanner...this one is more intense. I would not use this product every day, otherwise you'll be very dark (unless you want to be, of course).

Skin Drench Daily Radiance Facial Glow

Where to buy: Sally Beauty Supply

What it does: "Unique combination of Beta Carotene, Collagen Amino Acids, and Vitamins A/C.E defend the skin against the signs of premature aging. Melanogen accelerates and protects for a natural sun kissed glow."

Cost: $6.99 or less

My thoughts: Great facial moisturizer and tanner! I use this interchangeably with my regular moisturizer(s), but I tend to go for this bottle much more often than others. You've seen the comment above about what this baby does and the key ingredients that it contains. Beautiful! I have oily/combination skin, and this lotion does not break me out, does not make me oily, but actually makes my skin look very healthy. I really recommend!! Please let me know if you have trouble finding it...I'll try to do some research.

That's that! If you've been looking for good and effective tanning products, then try some of these. As you see, they are not overly expensive, but I would say better than a lot of the high-end brands.

Please let me know what tanning products YOU prefer!

First Post

Hi! I am excited to finally blog beauty with all of you. I've been reading enough beauty blogs for quite some time, and am now ready to venture out with my own. I can't wait to hear your opinions also.

I have somewhat of an agenda set up, but please feel free to leave me comments about any beauty questions, concerns, trends, products, and/or anything else you'd like to read about.

Thank you!