Monday, February 7, 2011

Dreaming of summertime...

So I know that Summer is still a ways away, but I was inspired to play with a light, natural look thanks to good 'ol Punxsutawney Phil
predicting that winter will come to a timely end and a pair of fantastic linen Roxy pants I picked up for half off at a surf shop near my home.

How to get my look:
*The base*
First I applied Jergen's Natural Glow Healthy Complexion Daily Facial Moisturizer Fair to Medium Skin (SPF 20), which gradually builds natural looking color.  Next I used a sponge wedge to apply L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Secret No 2 Anti-Dull Skin Primer for deep skin to my cheeks, skin, top of forehead, and chin.  This gives me a slightly peachy tone, evens out my skin tone, and brightens up the complexion.  You don't need a lot, a little bit goes a long way. (L'oreal makes a pink version, for light skin, and a orange one, for deep skin...I used the orange even though my skin isn't exactly deep.  Choose yours accordingly)

*The Foundation*
Before the actual foundation, I applied just a tiny bit of Covergirl Simply Ageless Eye Concealer Shade 210 to my under eyes.  This brightens and covers up any dark-circle issues (like not enough beauty sleep!).  Next, using a makeup round, I applied Covergirl Simply Ageless Shade 240, sparingly concentrating mainly on my cheeks, temples, and forehead, and then smoothed over the rest of my face.  Remember, we are going for a natural look... a lot of ladies apply way more foundation than they really need.  Focus on your problem areas!
To add a flash of sheer color, I blended Covergirl Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush Shade 210 on my cheeks with a makeup round.  When I finished, I added just a touch of Maybelline Dream Mousse Bronzer Shade 10 to the areas where sun would naturally hit (much like how you would apply bronzer): the top of forehead, down nose, and just a tiny bit on the chin.  It gives you just the slightest bit of sun kissed glow.

*The Finish*
I applied Physicians Formula Happy Booster Face Powder in Beige, making sure to tap off the excess before brushing on. Then using a broad sweeping motion and a very light hand, I brushed Physicians Formula Happy Booster Light Bronzer across my cheeks and over my nose.  I then continued the sweep over my forehead and then chin/jawline... WITHOUT applying more of the product to my brush.  Finally, I did a VERY light application with Physicians Formula Multi-Colored Powder Palette Blush Shade Blushing Peach.*
*For these powders, use a Kabuki Style Blush and always be sure to TAP the excess off the brush, all you need is a very light dusting.  A light hand will be sure that you look flawless and glowing without being caked on!

*The Eyes*
For the eyes I kept them as simple as possible and used neutral colors.
On the lids I applied Maybelline New York Eye Studio Color Gleam Cream Eye Shadow Shade Rose Revolution, using a disposable eye makeup applicator (the palette does not come with an applicator, I supposed you could also use your fingertip, if you'd like).  I used the darkest shade on the outer corner and up into the crease, the medium shade on the lid, and the lightest shade was applied to the inner part of my lid.  Using my fingertip, I applied just the tiniest bit of the lightest shade just below my brow and blended.
I lined my top and bottom lash line with Maybelline New York Unstoppable Shade Cinnabar.
I curled my lashes and then applied Maybelline New York Falsies Shade Brownish Black.  Falsies gives you beautiful, bold lashes with just one application.  It's one of my favs... I'm on tube Number 3!
I finished off my eye look by lining the bottom inside corner with just a tiny bit of white liner (it brightens just the tiniest bit).  I used a Revlon liner.

*The Lips*
I finished off my look by applying Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Stick Shade 407 Rosedew over a layer of Berts Bees Chapstick.  It's a really light, non-drying lipstick formula... putting it over a layer of chapstick makes the shade a little sheerer and gives you a nice moisturizing barrier.

Remember!  This is just a guideline and these products are just suggestions... feel free to follow my steps using your favorite products.  Just remember to keep the eyes and lips neutral.  Have fun and play!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Can you buy happiness?

I have been waiting, waiting, waiting for Physicians Formula Happy Booster to make it's way into my CVS and what luck!  It made its way in today, right after I got my paycheck. =) 

The compact, features a cute heart-shaped design, and is available in four shades: translucent, beige, light bronzer and bronzer... I grabbed the light bronzer. (It's cold up north!  I need a little sunshine in my life) Roughly $11.99-$13.99 at most drugstores.

Physicians Formula claims that these products are “Infused with our Happy Boost Blend, featuring Happy Skin and Euphoryl, natural plant extracts which have been shown to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping protect the skin from environmental stress.”  ...and who couldn't use a little more "happy" in their life.  AND even if the "happy" formula doesn't work, the packaging will definitely cheer you up.  Just too friggin' cute for words.

Not only is it adorable, the product itself is really nice.  I was stoked to finally find a pressed bronzer that doesn't just sit on my skin and look dirty.  The formula is super soft, blends nicely, and has just the tiniest bit of shimmer to it...super flattering!  I couldn't believe that 8 hours after I had applied it it still looked great.  Usually I'm not too wild about fragrance cosmetics, but the scent of this is just barely noticeable and kind of nice, so I won't complain.


The only thing I will say is the brush it comes with is kinda bogus... but you'll find that with most cosmetics.  Use a soft kabuki brush and you'll have fantastic results. =)

As far as a mood boosting formula goes... I couldn't tell you.  But the cuteness factor is off the charts and the product is pretty damn good, and I dunno about you, but that always puts me in a good mood.  I actually went out today and bought the pressed powder.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

This mascara was a bit of a under achiever.

This tube is really ugly.
I'll be honest.  I like L'oreal, but I usually don't go for their mascaras.  For some reason, I impulse bought L'oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator 440 Black Quartz for Brown Eyes the other day...I think I was lured in by the illuminating topcoat.

  This mascara is a double ended wand...1/2 lengthening mascara and 1/2 illuminating topcoat.  Step 1 is your standard issue mascara wand, Step 2 is a small, round bulb of a wand, similar to their telescopic explosion.  The tiny round shape is meant for easy application on all your eyelashes.  L’Oreal created a few of these in various colors to coordinate with your eye shade.

Step 2

Step 1













Here's the thing... I didn't find the mascara itself to be that great.  It did an ok job or giving me some length and a tiny but of volume, but really... it was kind of like the under achiever of the mascara world.  I've heard that the original double extend did a much better job... but then again it had a primer of sorts to make awesome lashes.  The illuminating top coat was alright too.  Just a little bit of sparkle, but nothing crazy.  The first coat is just barely noticeable.  Adding a few layers makes the illuminator... illuminate [better]. 

To be honest... it didn't rock my mascara world.  Mediocre at best.  I'll probably continue to use the illuminator, but I'll experiment with mascaras I actually do like.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

10 Hour Color without drying, fading, or flaking!

First thing's first... Gwen Stefani is the face of L'oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TE_TCYhdT0
Love, love, love... I found out after watching this that Gwen's shade is Blazing Sangria.
Anyways.  I purchased L'oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge shade 812 Opulent Organza.  L'oreal promises fresh color for a whole 10 hours, without the drying, flaking, or fading of your typical long wear formula.  The formula introduces "Color Fix Technology"... a formula with "flexible new polymers" that are supposed to give you longer lasting truer color and formulated with vitamin E and ceramide 5 for healthy shine.

The line is available in a wide variety of colors... 30 shades of reds, pinks, plums, corals, and browns.  All for around $9.99
My take:  The initial application of the lipstick is super smooth.  It goes on creamy and my lips felt moist.  I loved the lack of noticeable smell or taste, and as promised, it was super comfortable and lightweight.  It's like... you don't even know it's there.  The color was perfectly matched too... not sheer, matched the tube perfectly, which is always a nice surprise.

HOWEVER!  On its own, it does tend to get a bit sticky and I noticed that every-little-line shows through the formula.  I was pleasantly surprised that all it takes is a little bit of chappy to correct this problem.  Long lasting and beautiful.  I used Berts Bees Tinted Lip Balm Tiger Lilly.

I also went out and purchased Blazing Sangria, the shade Gwen is supposedly wearing in the commercial. 



A professional look with one sweep of an applicator... too good to be true?

I grabbed myself a compact of L'oreal Paris The One Sweep Eye Shadow Studio Secrets Professional 809 Natural for Brown Eyes.  This product totes the professional look made easy claim... introducing their first ever eye shadow trio that gives you a multi-shade shadow with one sweep.

How does it do this? you ask.  Well, here's the skinny, ladies

This shadow trio features and innovative "eyelid" shaped palette and a contoured brush in the same shape.  It is designed to pick up enough shadow to give you that, multi-tonal define and color look... in one easy motion.  This compact features a soft, creamy, Vitamin E enriched powder, meant for all day wear without creasing or fading.  It's available in four natural and four "playful" palette, all correspond with your eyes to maximize color, except for the universal shade meant for all colors.

It's a funny little applicator...
The light shade blends towards the top of your crease to highlight the area, the middle shade is applies color your lid, and the darkest shade is supposed to act as a liner to define.
A complete, professional look with a sweep of the applicator from the inner crease of your eye, out from lash line to brow bone.
Forget the trouble of your typical trio, right?

Hm.  In theory, it's a pretty cool idea... if not a little gimmicky.  L'oreal is definitely trying to appeal to a market that is a little overwhelmed by the whole... multi-eyeshadow thing.  I was a little less than impressed with my results, however...  My trio had a golden brown beige, a chocolate brown, a darker brown, it all just came out BROWN.  I've practiced a couple times now thinking it was just my approach but I can't seem to create the beautiful multi-tonal look I expected.  The applicator is a bit... awkward at best, and frankly I don't like using the same applicator over and over again.  (The whole... bacteria build up gives me the heebie-jeebies.)  Anyways, I would imagine that over time the build up of the product would compromise the distinct 3 shades.
I'll admit I was a bit disappointed.  I had purchased a whole bunch of new STUFF in anticipation of the warmer months and had this vision that this would pull together my "bronzed-beauty" look.  FAIL.  I mean, it didn't look horrendous... but it wasn't worth the 10 bucks I paid for it.

Also... I simply don't have the time, or patience, for this.  This simple concept is just too much work for this girl.

BUT!!  The shadow itself is nice.  Silky and smooth with just a hint of shimmer.  I'm probably going to hold onto the quad and use my own applicator to mix and match the shades.  At least it wasn't a complete loss.







  • Friday, January 21, 2011

    Oh Maybelline... you always deliver length and volume in that signature tube.

    Maybelline New York Volum'Express Mascara One by One

    "Lash by lash brush captures , coats and cleans every single lash  for the most refined volume from root to tip
    Instant clump free volume"

    Maybelline always seems to be a great choice for mascara.  Length and volume and always for a great price.  Definitely my go-to brand for beautiful lashes.  When I saw Maybelline New York Volum'Express Mascara One by One had been released, I HAD to grab it.  I've been using it for about a week now, and it has not disappointed.
    The applicator is amazing... if not a little odd looking.  Shaped kind of like a football, this rubber applicator is covered with finely tapered, dense bristles.  The formula coats the bristles and does not well up.  I really like the updated brush.  It contains Vitamin C and fruit AHAs to condition the lash cuticle.  It does have kind of a flowery scent to it, which I could definitely do without.  It is tolerable, however, and after application you don't even smell it any more.

    The results are phenomenal.  My lashes are lengthened and defined and perfectly separated.  They look naturally flawless.  NO CLUMPING!  Haven't even had to use a comb.  I'm hooked.

    Everyday wearable and like all Maybelline mascaras, it's super afforable.  Roughly $8.

    Thursday, January 20, 2011

    Realistic expectations from plumpers... and this still sucked.

    Sally Hansen PM Lip Plumper - No.  It will not plump your lips.  (But not much will)

    As far as moisturizing goes, it does a pretty ok job.
    Here's the claim:
    "Wake up to fuller, plumper, shapelier lips
    Collagen enhancing Peptide complex delivers full plumping benefits as you sleep.
    Micro sponges help trap moisture in lips, making lips look plumper, fuller and more volumptuous.
    24hr Time Released Retinol boosts moisture and smoothes the lip's surface night & day"
    (1st of all... micro sponges?  wtf)

    Those are some pretty big claims to make Sally Hansen.

    I bought this 75% off at CVS... they were trying to get the old tubes out to move in the new tubes that have an applicator that you can apply directly to your lips.  Typically, this product runs about $11.50 a tube.  Don't waste your money. 

    It's a peculiar little product... 1st of all, it's a white cream that looks and feels like a lotion... and you put it on your lips. : /

    Anyways, you squeeze the product onto your finger and massage it into your lips before bed.  It has no particular smell or taste to it.  Presumabily, you will wake up to plumper, shapelier lips.  It feels okay on your lips, not too terribly heavy.  It sinks in fairly quickly too, which is a plus.  No sticky goo on the pillow.  Anyways, the next morning my lips are soft and comfy, and definitely healthy looking, but I don't know if it's really worth the 11 bucks they're asking.

    Overall... smooth healthy lips in the AM, but don't expect miracles; it doesn't even tingle or stimulate your lips like a typical plumper.  I will definitely use it until the tubes gone, it wasn't terrible and like I said, the next day my lips did feel nice.  HOWEVER, I wouldn't repurchase, and I would suggest that anybody runs out and buys it (save your money, chickies).