Make Me Under

Swatches: The Perfect Yellow Nail Polish-Sinful Colors in Pull Over

2011-04-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

Three coats of Sinful Colors nail polish in Pull Over:

The color is a canary yellow with a cream finish. There's no shimmer or glitter in it. It has a warm undertone and thus looks amazing on olive or tan skin. A lot of the pastel nail polishes that are hot for spring don't work on me, but this one is perfect!

Also, the Sinful Colors nail polishes are 0.99 cents this week at Walgreens! If you get some, let me know what colors you get. I am planning to haul some tomorrow.

Swatches: NYX Cream Blush in Natural and Boho Chic on NC35/NC37/NC40 Skin

2011-04-23T03:42:00.000-05:00

NYX Cream Blush in Natural on left, NYX Cream Blush in Boho Chic on right:

Natural has a warm undertone, so it does indeed look very natural, like a flush of rose on my NC37 skin. (My skin color ranges from NC35-40 depending on the season, but I generally match to an NC37.)

Boho Chic has a much cooler undertone and therefore appears more of like an icy pink on me. If I don't blend well, it can almost look a little silver and ashy on me, so I prefer Natural on my skin.

The blushes look similar in the pans, but in the above photo, Boho Chic is on the left (it's the slightly lighter one).

Look inside my April 2011 Birchbox with me!

2011-04-16T20:04:00.000-05:00

Here's a list of what's inside my April 2011 Birchbox:

Juice Beauty, Green Apple Peel
EXTRA/Juice Beauty, Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer
LIV GRN, Earth Eau de Parfum
Weleda, Wild Rose Smoothing Facial Lotion
Zoya, Nail Polish in Jules
EXTRA/Bloomin, Seed Paper

A few initial thoughts:

This was my first time ordering a Birchbox. The samples are pretty small; they're the same size as the free samples you would get in a gift-with-purchase bag from a department store counter like Clinique or Lancome.

I'm not sure if it's worth the $10. You're basically paying $10 for what are supposed to be free samples, you know? I mean, if I received a gift-with-purchase bag, pulled out the free samples, and then charged you $10 for them, you might feel a little like you were getting ripped off. That's just kind of how I feel.

However, I guess when you spend the $10, what you are really paying for is the ability to receive and test generally hard-to-find brand samples at your doorstep along with the thrill of getting a little package in the mail.

I admit that I enjoy seeing a box of goodies nestled between all of my bills and credit card offers ;) After a long day's work, it's a little something that brings a smile to my face. In my opinion, that fact alone is worth the ten dollars.

What do you think of Birchbox? Did anyone else order one this month? Did you get the same things as I did? Leave me a comment and let me know!

LOOKS: Matte Purple EOTD

2011-01-19T21:27:00.000-06:00

eyes:

tfsi

wnw pink-beige all over w/227, concentrated on lid w/239

kitten in crease w/224

hk palette purple concentrated in crease 217

heatherette purple in v and lower liner with 219

stila smudge pot in black

maybelline full n soft mascara

ardell 109 cut in haf, used inner half on upper, outer lash line

lips

mac cherish

Tools:

Storing MAC eyeshadows using Fig Newton containers

2010-10-14T11:07:00.000-05:00

Are you a fan of Fig Newtons? I think they're one of those snacks you either love or hate:

If you do love Fig Newtons, then you can use the plastic tray that holds the cookies as part of your makeup storage system. This is what the tray looks like:

You can store the shadows upright like this:

Or, you can let your shadows lie flat so that you can see the colors like this:

I like to store my limited edition eyeshadows in these trays because you can see the different colors of the packaging:

The trays fit 10 eyeshadows upright and 5 shadows if you lie them flat.

The width is just the right size for a MAC or NYX eyeshadow - just snug enough so that they don't jiggle everywhere when you open up your makeup drawer:

Do you have any "do-it-yourself" methods for storing your makeup collection? If not, what is your favorite makeup storage system? Please share!

FOUNDATION : Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31

2010-10-03T11:54:00.000-05:00

I finished my NARS Sheer Glow which I hated, so I'm looking for a new foundation.

Sadly, I just moved from the 4th largest city in the United States to a small town where we have NO Sephora, NO MAC (not even a MAC counter in a department store), and NO Ulta! I'm doing a write-up on BB Creams for work, so I decided to try one out for awhile:

I am wearing Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31 in natural daylight, no flash.

Now I am around NC37-42 in MAC, so basically every other BB cream has been way too white for me. This one matches very nicely though and it's actually even a tad darker than my actual skin tone, so it looks quite nice! I bought it off of ebay for less than $25.

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31

COVERAGE : You can still see some acne scars on me unless I take a sponge and pat a little extra foundation over them, so I would classify this as sheer to medium.

FEEL : My skin is quite oily in the T-zone, but when I wear this, I get little crease lines in my forehead and laugh lines around my mouth, so I would say it is pretty drying.

WEAR : Average, probably 4-5 hours before it starts to wear off.

I am wearing Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31 in natural daylight, no flash.

SMELL : The smell is a strong, rose-perfume scent. It actually reminds me a lot of the smell of Guerlain products. I personally love the it; I think it smells like a glamorous woman, but if you don't like scented products or are sensitive to perfumed products, be forewarned!

ACNE : I have had absolutely no breakouts whatsoever, so I am glad about that!

HEALING/WHITENING: I haven't really noticed any "whitening" but that's really not something I'm trying to do, so I haven't been paying attention to that aspect. In terms of "skin healing", I haven't witnessed anything newsworthy, but it does feel very soothing to put this on.

Product packaging and bottle for Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31 under flash

The photo above was taken with flash, and there is no white cast on my face from the sunscreen (SPF42) in it. I actually think it looks quite nice under flash, so that makes me happy!

I am wearing Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31 in natural daylight, no flash, macro setting.

The last photo is a close-up. You can see the sheerness of the foundation from the little acne spot on my forehead, and you can also see how drying it is- the lines under my eyes are somewhat accentuated.

OVERALL : It is a nice product that I enjoy using on a daily basis, but I wouldn't wear it for a special occasion when I really wanted to look nice nor would I consider this a holy grail. I would repurchase it though because of the price, color, SPF and non-irritation factor!

TEASERS : BB Cream, Maybelline, and More!

2010-09-27T00:42:00.000-05:00

Upcoming posts on new purchases I've been loving: the AMAZING Missha Perfect Cover B.B. Cream No. 31 - (perfect for MAC nc35-nc40 skin), Maybelline foundations, and all the new furniture I've been buying and eyeing for my new place: a white desk, a twin bed set, seashell-inspired furniture, and a cute, froggy toothbrush holder. Can't wait to share!

Pics of my new B.B. Cream (the only one I've found that doesn't wash me out) and me wearing it!

FASHION : my vintage favorites!

2010-08-08T18:50:00.000-05:00

My vintage Sakowitz shoes:

Very Cinderella except much more practical! The fabric is sheer and has a flower pattern embroidered into it with gold thread. The heels are white-gold and the toes have a matching white-gold cap to hide just the tip of your toe.

I LOVE old Sakowitz. Sakowitz was a chain of high-end department stores (like Neiman's or Saks) that was based in my hometown of Houston, TX! Sadly, they closed around the 80s or 90s, and there's only a Sakowitz Furs store left.

An all-leather, vintage Koret handbag:

I scored this for $12.00 after digging through a ton of junk at a local, vintage store. I found it priced elsewhere for $150! It goes to show how much you can save with a little patience:

I love this last purse! It has no label or identifying markings in it, so I don't know the brand. I found it in pristine condition at a resale store for cheap (like less than $20 cheap):

It looks like the classic Lady Dior bags with cannage (criss-cross type) stitching and sports resin handles:

That's about it for now! I have some shoes I want to share, but I am in the middle of moving so most of my stuff is packed in boxes.

LIP SWATCHES : NYX Jumbo Lip Pencils

2010-07-14T10:27:00.000-05:00

No better way to take away the blues than with some pinks! I caught the NYX Jumbo Lip Pencils on sale at ULTA this week for around $2-3, so I picked up two colors:

NYX Jumbo Lip Pencil in Chestnut:

This one is a slightly browned, coppery-rose with a sheen, no glitter. It will look amazing with rich jewel-toned eye shadows for the fall!

NYX Jumbo Lip Pencil in Fucshia:

This is a a very rare, blue-based, bubblegum pink shade that actually isn't over the top! I love it! It reminds me a little bit of NYX Paris lipstick but less bright and hence more daytime-friendly. It looks amazing paired with a hint of lime green on the eyes. This one is a matte finish as well.

The GOOD: affordable, great pigmentation, creamy texture with a matte finish, wearable colors, average wear of 3-4 hours

The BAD: you need to have a chubby pencil sharpener! The NYX jumbo pencil sharpener was on sale too for around $3 so I just went ahead and bought one =)

VERDICT: I am heading out to buy more colors while they're still on sale!

THOUGHTS : Maybelline The Falsies Mascara review

2010-07-07T17:43:00.080-05:00

The purple and teal tube of the new Maybelline The Falsies Mascara has been calling my name for too long. When I saw that these were on sale this week at CVS, I snatched one up:

I bought the darkest color-I think it's the shade called Blackest Black. I wanted a waterproof version but couldn't find one, so I just grabbed the regular version:

Here is a picture of my bare lashes. I have very coarse, short, straight, Asian lashes. As you can see, they point straight down and are extremely hard to curl:

Here is a picture of my bare lashes after curling them with Shu Uemura's eyelash curler:

Here are my lashes with one coat of the mascara:

Two coats:

Three coats:

After three coats, I curled my lashes again. I know you aren't supposed to curl after mascara at the risk of pulling out some lashes, but I'm willing to risk it:

Here you can see difference between my two eyes. I have no mascara on the left one, and The Falsies on the right one:

The good: Thickens, darkens, gives a little bit of length, affordable

The bad: Does not hold a curl; no volume; clumping and flaking if you use more than 2 coats, brush is hard to use

Verdict: Nice to try, but it isn't Holy Grail material and I wouldn't repurchase it.

LOOKS : gearing up for Fall : the Smoky Eye for darker skintones

2010-07-04T15:07:00.070-05:00

My sheer, bronze shadows are slowly making their way to the back of my makeup drawer while my fall shadows of mahogany browns, cranberry, and gray are dusting themselves off for fall:

I saw this smoky eye on J. Lo back in the April 2010 Instyle magazine and immediately tore out the picture to keep in my stash of looks that I love. I finally tried it out the other day:

Since I have darker skin, the secret to my version of the smoky eye is to add a little bronze underneath the gray shadow to warm it up. If I just use gray and silver, it looks too bright and garish, almost ashy on my skin. The bronze under the gray gets me the right amount of sultriness:

Here are some of the tools I used:

I had to keep adding stuff to get it right, but here is basically what I used:

eyes

too faced shadow insurance

mac shroom, all that glitters, brule

mac electra, silver ring, dame's desire

mac amber lights, carbon, fluidline in blacktrack

l'oreal voluminous waterproof mascara

ardell 109 (too natural-looking on me...changed to sonia kashuk full glam for 2nd pic)

LIP SWATCHES : MAC Honeylove, Viva Glam Gaga on NC37 skin

2010-07-01T10:13:00.000-05:00

MAC Viva Glam Gaga (Lustre) LE:

MAC Honeylove (Matte):

LOOKS : pastels with MAC lucky green, Stila precious pearl, viva glam gaga

2010-06-30T08:57:00.000-05:00

eyes:

amazing cosmetics concealer medium beige

nyx jumbo eye pencil in pacific

mac liquidlast liner

UD 24/ liner stash

pink, dark green, white from stila precious pearl

MAC lucky green

MUFE #3 waterproof corrector on brows

face:

amazing cosmetics concealer medium beige

MAC studio finish concealer nc35

NARS sheer glow barcelona

everyday minerals pressed powder/maybelline dream matte powder

ELF blush/bronzer duo

bodyshop roseflower blush

lips:

Rimmel lip pencil in tiramisu

MAC viva glam gaga

Fall Fashion sets inspired by Marvel Comics - Polyvore

2010-06-28T12:21:00.000-05:00

I'm a huge Marvel comic book reader, so I decided to combine my love of comics with my interest in fashion to create these sets. I used Polyvore to create these collages:

Wolverine NOIR by rainbowstarhellokittypants featuring Report Signature shoes

The first set I created is inspired by the Marvel NOIR series in which the Marvel universe is rewritten in a classic 1940s film noir setting. I combined the fall trend of jewel-toned fabrics with this idea.

Emma Frost by rainbowstarhellokittypants featuring Brian Atwood shoes

The second set features my favorite character, the wealthy and ruthless character Emma Frost, combined with images of the current trend of sheer fabrics and florals.

SHOPPING : HAUL and I actually won a GIVEAWAY!

2010-06-25T13:21:00.001-05:00

I've gotten a lot of great deals on makeup from Specktra and blog sales PLUS I won a giveaway, so this has been a great month for bargains on makeup!

I got the Stila Precious Pearl Palette off Specktra for $15 when it was originally $40:

Swatches of the Stila Precious Pearl Palette:

I won GeekyMacBoy's Giveaway:

The prize was 2 MAC shadows and 1 lipstick of your choice. I picked MAC Da Bling eyeshadow, Cranberry eyeshadow, and Honeylove lipstick:

Swatches: MAC Honeylove, Cranberry, Da Bling, Lucky Green

I picked up Lucky Green from the old MAC Belle Azure collection for only $10 off Specktra. I saw this on All Cosmetics Wholesale for some ridiculous price (over $20 I think) awhile back, so I'm glad I got a deal on it:

Lashes from ebay:

Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in 003 Pink Rose next to MAC True Romantic (left) and MAC Petalpoint (right). I've had the MAC blushes for a long time, but I was looking for drugstore dupe:

Swatches: MAC True Romantic, MAC Petalpoint, and Rimmel Lasting Finish in Pink Rose

MAC Dangerzone and Cherish-got these off Specktra at $18 for both. The lippie itself would have been $14, and since Dangerzone was limited, I've seen it on Ebay for $30!

ELF blush and bronzer duo, Urban Decay 24/7 pencils in Eclectic, Lust, and Lucky from liipstick cherry's blog sale:

Swatches (top to bottom): ELF blush and bronzer, Urban Decay 24/7 pencils in Lust, Lucky, Eclectic

Body Shop Roseflower blush (LE):

Fit for Summer

2010-06-24T23:53:00.000-05:00

QUICK FITNESS UPDATE-Weight: 113.1 last time I checked (3 days ago). That's still 4-5 pounds over my normal weight, but I'm okay with that. I'm 5'3'' if you want to know.

Exercise:

Running 50 minutes, 3x a week (approximately 4-5 miles)

High intensity alternating incline walk/sprint/jog (from Jackie Warner's new book) for 20 minutes, 1x a week

Weights and abs sporadically wherever I'm feeling flabby-4x a week

Diet:
Roughly 1050-1200 calories a day

I've noticed it's really all about the diet; exercise is mostly just for toning, but the real weight loss happens when I watch my calorie intake. Hope that helps!

LIP SWATCHES : Sally Hansen Beauty by Carmindy lipsticks (75% off at CVS!)

2010-06-13T19:41:00.000-05:00

I've wanted the Sally Hansen by Carmindy lipsticks ever since I saw swatches on Temptalia, but they were $10 each, and that's a bit expensive for drugstore makeup. Luckily, I caught them on sale at CVS for 75% off! I got three colors for the price of one! $2.50 each:

I got the colors in Seashell Nude, Rosy Brown, and Sunbeam:

These have absolutely NO SMELL or taste at all; it blows my mind! They feel moist on the lips but not so much that they're slippery (like the Revlon Colorbursts). The wear time is an average 3-4 hours.

(top to bottom) : seashell nude, rosy brown, sunbeam

Here are my bare lips for comparison purposes:

Lip swatch of Seashell Nude. This one is the darkest, and it looks like a rosy brown on me (nc37-40):

Lip swatch of Rosy Brown. Even though this one is called Rosy Brown, it looks like a pure nude on me. It looks exactly like Brave New Bronze or Cherish by MAC when I wear it. It's my favorite of the three that I bought:

Lip Swatch of Sunbeam. This one is also a nude, but with a hint of brown/copper. It's only a shade darker than Rosy Brown, but reads darker and more glossy on the lips because of the subtle shimmer in it:

Here are some swatches on my hand. The differences in texture are my evident on my hand than on the lips. Rosy Brown (middle) is the most matte of the three :

(left to right): seashell nude, rosy brown, sunbeam

Same order as above:

Let me know if you grabbed any of these! I love seeing hauls! =)

EXPERIMENT : Waterproof makeup for the beach, swimming, pool, waterpark, etc.

2010-06-09T08:46:00.000-05:00

If you're one of the perfect girls with flawless skin who can hit the beach with just gloss and clear mascara, then I am truly envious of your beauty and confidence. For those of us who need a little more help than that (like me), I hope my waterproof makeup experiment will help you out.

Here are the products I tested:

Makeup Forever Full Coverage Cream Concealer in Shades 12, 10 (I am NC37-40 in MAC for reference):

I used these two concealer shades as a foundation all over my face. I spread a very thin layer and then a second thin layer. It stays on better and won't cake if you apply it like that.

Makeup Forever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector in #3:

I took the brow gel and squirted a little onto my hand then used a thin, angled brush to fill my brows.

MAC Liquidlast Liner

I applied a very thin layer of this liner and waited for it to dry first. FYI : I have also tested MAC fluidline in Blacktrack with Ben Nye Eye Seal on top, and it is very waterproof (I wore it to a waterpark and did all the rides. Even my boyfriend was impressed that it stayed on.)

Makeup Forever Eye Seal:

I applied this ONLY on one eye to see if it made any difference in staying power.

Tarte Cheek Stain and Smashbox O-Glow, Benefit Benetint (not pictured):

I tried these 3 out on separate occasions. None of them even lasted through a regular day without water on me, so I didn't even bother with blush in these pics. I am going to try Makeup Forever Aqua Creams on my cheeks/lips when I can find one.

BEFORE PHOTOS:

With flash:

AFTER PHOTOS:

My face was fully splashed and even completely submerged in the water at times!

EYES (AFTER):

As you can tell, the MAC liduidlast liner stayed on, and the Makeup Forever Eye Seal (only on the left side) did not really make a difference.

PRODUCTS THAT WORK:
Makeup Forever Full Coverage Cream Concealer
Makeup Forever Waterproof eyebrow corrector
MAC liquidlast liner
MAC fluidline

PRODUCTS THAT DIDN'T:
Tarte Cheek Stain
Smashbox O-Glow
Makeup Forever Eye Seal
Benefit Benetint

SOME TIPS:

Apply thin layers

Wait for makeup to dry after applying, then gently pat face with tissue to remove excess

Air dry when possible

Dab/pat water off with hands, only pat with towel when necessary

I didn't test mascara or lip stuff, but that's usually pretty easy to find. I might do a separate post on mascaras though. Anyway, I hope all of this info helps someone out because I spent a long time researching online to find stuff that really works! If you know any other good waterproof products to try, please share!

Garnier Nutrisse Nutri-Browns in Roasted Coffee : CLOWN HAIR EPIC FAIL

2010-06-06T09:18:00.000-05:00

I wanted a change in color, a deep, dark, and subtle reddish-brown, so I tried the Garnier Nutrisse Nutri-Browns in Roasted Coffee. EPIC FAIL. I got a horrible, neon red. It doesn't look so bad in the pics, but it was McDonald's-clown red in real life:

I remember trying another color from the Nutri-Browns line a long time ago and getting Oompa Loompa Orange hair, so I don't even know why I tried the line again:

I had to do damage control and tone it with a dark, very cool, beige-blonde to counteract the brassy, red tones. I used L'Oreal Excellence Creme in Deep Beige Blonde:

Now my hair is a deep, chesnut-red brown. I'm content for now. It is definitely better than clown hair. The L'Oreal also made my hair extremely soft, so I'm happy with that:

SUMMARY:
Garnier Nutrisse Nutri-Browns : Lifts too much, gives brassy orange, red, or some variation of neon tones. Leaves hair very dry. NEVER AGAIN

L'Oreal Excellence Cream : Good for correcting color, shades run dark , so buy a shade lighter than what you want (i.e. if you want brown, get dark blonde-there's a really good How-to on Makeup Alley by a girl named ArmyBratz? on how to mix this color ). Will try again.

SWATCHES : NARS Sheer Glow Syracuse, Benefit Erase Paste, MUFE MAT Velvet + 55, 50, MUFE HD 12, 128, 125, Bobbi Brown, etc.

2010-06-02T12:40:00.000-05:00

Swatches on nc37-40 skin:

1. NARS Sheer Glow Syracuse

2. Benefit Erase Paste in Shade #2

3. Laura Mercier Oil-Free Sand (silk creme or tinted moisturizer? not sure)
4. MUFE Mat Velvet + 55
5. MUFE Mat Velvet + 50
6/ Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in 4.5 Warm Natural
7. MUFE HD 128
8. MUFE HD 127
9. MUFE HD 125

SWATCHES : MUFE HD 128, 127, 125 comparison

2010-06-01T13:11:00.000-05:00

MUFE HD foundation swatches in shades 128, 127, 125. These colors would suit MAC nc35, nc37, nc 40, and maybe nc30/nc42 as well. For reference, I am nc37-40.

storage of random EOTDs

2010-05-30T02:04:00.000-05:00

Look 1:

elf mineral eyeshadow primer

urban decay 24/7 liner in mildew on lid as base

omega above crease w/224

rich flesh to define crease w/224 and 217

bitter/going bananas on lid w/239

sally girl beige on browbone w/227

Look 2:

elf mineral shadow primer

nyx champagne on lid

wnw single in nutty in crease

milani liquif'eye liners in black and aqua

Look 3:

MAC melon pigment on inner lid

ben nye azalea on outer lid

MAC bronze/amber lights in crease

sally girl beige on browbone, inner corner

Look 4:

l'oreal hip paint in secretive

mac vanilla pigment on lid as base

ben nye chartreuse on lid

MAC expensive pink, soft flower in crease

NYX flamingo to blend into MAC brule on browbone

MAC All the glitters on inner corners

UD 24/7 liner in stash as bottom liner

SWATCHES and DUPES : MAC Firecracker, Sand and Sun, Thrills

2010-05-28T02:56:00.000-05:00

Swatches from MAC To the Beach collection on nc37-40, C4 skin (NARS Sheer Glow Barcelona/Syracuse or MUFE HD 128, MUFE Mat Velvet 35):

MAC Firecracker, Sand and Sun, Sable ; MAC Thrills lipstick

1st column : WnW Vanity Palette beige, MAC Firecracker, MAC Soft Flower (LE Ungaro)

2nd column : MAC Modest Tone (LE N Collection), MAC Sand and Sun, MAC Brule

3rd column : MAC Sable, Mythology, Antiqued, Sally Girl single in Beige

4th column : MAC Thrills lipstick, Sally Girl single in Beige

1st column : WnW single in Penny, MAC Shimmermoss, MAC Paradisco

2nd column : WnW Vanity Palette beige, MAC Firecracker, MAC Soft Flower (LE Ungaro)

3rd column : MAC Modest Tone (LE N Collection), MAC Sand and Sun, MAC Brule

4th column : MAC Sable, Mythology, Antiqued, Sally Girl single in Beige

5th column : MAC Thrills lipstick, Sally Girl single in Beige

GIVEAWAY OPEN TO ALL : MAC MSF+ pigment, OPI, drugstore goodies

2010-05-26T10:31:00.000-05:00

Help me reach 500 subscribers!

HOW TO WIN (in three easy steps):

1.) Be a follower

2.) Tell your friends to follow by re-posting or linking to this post.

2.) Leave a comment on this post with your e-mail addy.

When I reach 500 subscribers, I'll draw the winner from this post's comments.

PRIZE:

MAC MSF in Smooth Merge:

Maybelline Eyestudio Quad in Legendary Lilac:

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Glossy Rose:

Two pink crystal bracelets:

E.L.F. Super Glossy Lip Shine in Pink Kiss:

NYX eyeshadow in Yellow Marigold:

OPI polish in Samoan Sand:

Clinique lipstick in Bamboo Pink:

Maybelline marbleized duo in Navy Narcissist:

Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips for Brown Eyes

MAC pigment in Lily White (old-style jar):

fyi : All lip glosses are brand new, never swatched nor used. However, the other stuff has been swatched, sanitized, but is still like new - I just want to give you all a heads up in case that bothers you! If so, don't enter-

I'll have another contest with all BNIB, high-end stuff if this one works out. Good Luck!

NARS Sheer Crap : Thoughts on NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

2010-05-23T11:45:00.001-05:00

I know a lot of people love this, but on me it doesn't perform any better than any other high-end brand. I think it looks and wears exactly like Prescriptives Virtual Skin. Yes, it is better than MAC and drugstore, but I still look dry and patchy on my dry areas:

I still get very oily in my T-zone:

and I still get foundation separating on my face after 3-4 hours of wear:

It's not complete crap, but it's just not as amazing as all the reviews made it seem and to me, not worth $42. I got the shade Barcelona, and it's a pretty good match for my nc37-40 skin, but it looks a little light under flash:

I tried it alone and with various setting powders : MAC MSFN, MAC Invisible Set, Maybelline Dream Matte, and Everyday Minerals (EM) Intensive powder. It works best in terms of oil-control when worn alone, and it works best in terms of coverage + oil-control when paired with the EM Intensive powder, but that's like putting on 2 foundations.

FYI, I have EVERY skin problem you can have, so I am extremely picky about foundation. I have dark brown scars from old acne, red pimples, an oily T-zone, flakes of dry skin on my chin, and fine lines on my forehead/around my mouth. My holy grail for completely flawless, oil-contol, extended wear is still MUFE MAT Velvet + with MAC MSFN on top:

Here is a pic of me in my Holy Grail MUFE MAT Velvet +MAC MSFN combo. This is also a good example of what I expect from a foundation in terms of coverage, oil-control, and color match:

Sadly, this combo is very full and too thick for summer, and I can't get a summer color match (this pic is from winter). So, although NARS Sheer Glow was a disappointing replacement, I am still hunting for my perfect summer foundation...

Make Foundation Last Longer...

2010-05-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

Use primer, powder, and...scissors? After reading many blogs about slicing open an empty tube of Urban Decay Primer Potion to find loads of remaining product, I tried the same thing with my MUFE MAT Velvet + foundation:

The stuff I scraped off the sides lasted me for about another 3 weeks!

SWATCHES : MAC Nylon, Ricepaper, Creme Royale, Dreammaker, Going Bananas on NC37-42

2010-05-20T08:49:00.000-05:00

Here are some product swatches/comparisons of various MAC highlight or lid colors NC37-42 for reference:

left to right : MAC Nylon, Ricepaper, Creme Royale, Dreammaker

CCO HAUL/SWATCHES : Nile, Off the Page, Dreammaker, Melon, Tan, Vanilla, Off the Radar, Lily White

2010-05-16T11:59:00.000-05:00

I never bought pigments until I found out the cute jars were being disontinued, then I bought 5. LOL I want things that are hard to get - must be psychological problem:

pigments left to right : melon, vanilla, tan

shadows left to right : nile, off the page, dreammaker

shadow to the left of Dreammaker : Creme Royale

yellow above Dreammaker : Going Bananas

bronze/pink at the top : Expensive Pink

pigments left to right : lily white, vanilla, melon, tan, off the radar

pigments wet, left to right : lily white, vanilla, melon, tan, off the radar

NARS swatches : Dolce Vita, Torrid, Deep Throat, Orgasm : MAC dupes : Blushbaby, Margin

2010-05-15T09:18:00.000-05:00

I swatched some NARS blushes at Sephora and then went home to see if I could dupe them with my MAC blushes. For reference, I am nc37-40:

(left to right) : NARS Torrid, Deep Throat, Dolce Vita

Here are the NARS blushes next to possible dupes:

Far Left color: Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Color in Peony

Top row (left to right) : MAC Margin, NARS Orgasm, MAC Blushbaby

Bottom row (left to right) : NARS Torrid, Deep Throat, Dolce Vita

NARS blushes last much longer and generally have more pigmentation than MAC, but MAC has a wider color selection and is cheaper.

Revlon Colorsilk Luminista Light Golden Brown, getting roots to match lightened hair

2010-05-14T14:17:00.001-05:00

In my last hair experiment, I put pure 40 volume l'oreal developer bleach on it. (Don't do it) I liked the color at first, but then it turned brassy with black roots.

BEFORE GROSS-NESS:

NEW FORMULA:

1.) L'oreal HiColor highlights Ash Blonde + L'oreal 40 volume developer on roots 20 minutes.

2.) Brush out and leave for 5 more minutes:

3.) Add Born Blond toner to conditioner, rinse. Color will be darker because of toner.

AFTER:

The dark brown color from the toner faded after a week or so of shampooing.

AFTER FADING:

This is what it looked like under yellow, bathroom light. It has more of a red tone but my roots are still visible:

Because my roots still had a visible band from the new hair vs. dark hair, I applied Revlon Colorsilk Luminista in 170 Light Golden Brown all over. I did this about a week later:

It is finally even throughout and the right "J. Lo" color I wanted.

FINAL COLOR:

FYI : I fried the crap out of my hair, so be careful. I love the color though, so I don't mind.

Wet n' Wild Lust palette FOTD : more photos + list of products used

2010-05-11T20:51:00.000-05:00

eyes:
too faced eyeshadow insurance
Jumbo pencil in milk spread thinly all over lid
Shadows from Wet n Wild Lust palette:

pink-beige (Pen n' Pink dupe) all over w/ 227, concentrated on lid w/ 239
eggplant purple (Fig 1 dupe) in crease w/ 224
black purple (Sketch dupe) concentrated in outer crease w/ 217
black with purple glitters (Beauty Marked dupe) in outer v w/ 219

stila smudge pot in black on upper liner and outer half of bottom

black purple (Sketch dupe) over outer portion of bottom liner

Ardell 109 lashes cut in half (used inner portion of each lash on outer lash line)

face:
mufe mat velvet + 35

mac msfn medium dark

mac blush true romantic

physician's formula bronzed tan bronzer

nyc bronzer sunny to sculpt nose

lips:

mac cherish

Wet n' Wild palette in Lust : MAC dupes : swatches/EOTD

2010-05-03T19:57:00.001-05:00

I bought the Wet n' Wild palette in Lust since it's the top pick on Makeup Alley:

Supposedly, this palette has dupes for MAC Pen n' Pink, Sketch, Fig.1, and Beauty Marked, but I don't own any of those shadows, so I couldn't tell you:

Usually drugstore dupes are only dupes in terms of color; however, these have a texture, appearance, and staying-power that very closely mimic MAC.

Definitely give this palette a chance!

MAC Goldmine vs. Gorgeous Gold comparison swatches

2010-04-29T10:59:00.000-05:00

I meant to buy a gold from MAC a long time ago, but I couldn't decide which one to get! I ended up with both Goldmine and Gorgeous Gold after swapping. Here's Goldmine:

Goldmine is a true gold (like a pirate coin) while Gorgeous Gold is a very light. almost white-yellow with green undertones. Goldmine on left, Gorgeous Gold on right:

I am nc37, and my undertones REALLY bring out the green in Gorgeous Gold. I'd like to see what this looks like on lighter skin because it's so green on me. Goldmine on left, Gorgeous Gold on right:

The lippie on the left is MAC Velvet Teddy.

NYX pencils, Revlon Colorburst in soft nude FOTD

2010-04-28T12:55:00.000-05:00

I had a girl at the gym compliment me on my shadow-best compliment ever! I love finding makeup-obsessed girls to obsess with. I don't know any super girly-girls like me in real life =( :

eyes:

NYX jumbo pencils - oyster and gold

MAC orange, purple, gray from HK too dolly

stila smudge pot

maybelline lash stiletto

wnw camel color from vanity palette on brows

face:

amazing cosmetics concealer - medium beige (new-testing)
mufe mat velvet + in #35-dotted on as concealer

everyday minerals pressed powder - olive medium

maybelline dream matte powder - honey (new-testing)

physician's formula baked bronzer - baked tan

bobbi brown - pink sugar (kinda turns apricot on me instead of staying pink)

lips:

revlon colorburst in soft nude LOVE!

sonia kashuk full glam lashes review

2010-04-27T14:07:00.000-05:00

I swapped for these after watching Holly Ann-AeRee's Youtube vid on them:

I used the Duo lash glue in dark tone with them:

This is what they look like on the eye. They make your lashes full like a fan and give length that is glamorous (but NOT over the top, up-to-your brow, drag queen type of thing):

I like that these lashes open up your eye and give you a wide-awake look. I think this shape and style of lash is excellent for Asian girls (like me) who want to create the illusion of a bigger eye:

They look very nice too when you look down-not weird nor spiked, just very feminine and flutter-y:

Here is a pic of them outdoors. FYI: MY CONTACTS ARE SOLOTICA HIDROCHARME ICE (WELL worth the $$ b/c they are thicker, yearly lenses that correct my vision better than the cheap kind)

PROBLEMS WITH THE LASHES: They are hard plastic and feel like a HUNDRED POUNDS on your lid. I wear lashes a lot, so most don't bother me, but these felt ridiculous - like a damn butterfly sitting on your eye.

PROS

Opens up the eyes

Makes eyes look bigger/more awake

Gives a full, fan-like lash

Glamorous but still natural lenth (not drag queen )

Very sturdy, can use over again probably 5-6x

CONS

Hard, plasticky feel, not real hair

VERY HEAVY like bugs sitting on your lids

expensive-around 5 bucks for a pair

REPURCHASE : NO, I want this exact same style of lashes BUT made of human hair or something lighter. If anyone knows of a similar-looking lash but not made of friggin' adamantium plastic, please let me know!!

move over, Angelina : MAC Velvet Teddy is AMAZING

2010-04-26T11:03:00.000-05:00

Okay, I've seen this lippie look like brown poo on lighter skintones, but on me (nc37-nc40), it is SERIOUSLY like OMG. Yes, I momentarily turned into a valley girl and said ...

SERIOUS Angelina Jolie lipstick going on. I am in love! Here it is with flash:

If you are my skintone, you HAVE to at least go to the MAC store and try on Velvet Teddy! I think it gets overlooked a lot with all the Viva Gaga and Saint Germain going on, but this is an amazing color for darker skin!

swapping and hauling fun

2010-04-25T04:18:00.000-05:00

I went through a little obsession with swapping on Makeup Alley, so I just wanted to share some of the stuff I've gotten. I used to collect a lot of MAC LE stuff and MSF's, so I had a lot to trade with:

Above: elf angled foundation brush, jardin aires pigment, sally girl baked dome shadow, hip paint in secretive. Below: MAC dollymix

sonia kashuk full glam lashes:

MAC 219, amber lights, all that glitters

body shop blush, physician's formula baked tan bronzer:

coastal scents 88 shimmer palette:

MAC hello kitty too dolly palette, mac bronze, carbon, shale, gorgeous gold, mont black:

shu uemura eyelash curler:

I bought this stuff at the MAC store today, but I decided to include the pic in this post: MAC 263, MAC under your spell, dame's desire, goldmine, gorgeous gold, lipstick in velvet teddy

I've had a lot of fun swapping and met a lot of sweet girls. I'm so happy that my neglected products are getting some love and that I have so many new goodies!

swatches : NARS sheer glow stromboli, barcelona, MUFE HD 128, 127, MAC (good colors for nc35-42)

2010-04-24T17:24:00.000-05:00

I went to MAC and Sephora today and swatched a lot of foundations! I wear nc37 but I think these swatches would help you if you are anywhere from nc35 to nc42 and are trying to choose a color:

I use MAT Velvet 35 and it's too light for me (nc37). However, if I put MAC MSFN in Medium Dark on top, it becomes a little too dark for me, so powder can really change the color:

Here are swatches against a white background which really shows the undertones. NARS is very yellow while MUFE is more neutral:

Here's one more pic after they dried out and oxidized a bit:

Hope this helps someone! I always have trouble matching. FYI The guy at the MAC store told me it's better to go lighter if you're not sure-oxidation, powder, and bronzer can always darken it.

Michelle Phan's Moonlight Seduction tutorial FOTD

2010-04-23T12:11:00.000-05:00

A random girl on the street thought I was Michelle Phan from YouTube! I think she was just one of those girls who has never seen an asian and thinks we all look the same LOL I'll take it as a compliment though:

I like doing the Michelle Phan tutorials where she uses 4-5 different colors of shadow because I can't combine more than 2-3 shadows on my own. Her combos usually look good on me:

eyes:

elf mineral shadow primer - neutral

nyx jumbo pencil - oyster

88 matte and shimmer palettes-I noticed she used both in the vid

(the white, purple, and light blue are from shimmer)

(the pink, black, and navy are from matte)

maybelline full n soft

stila smudge pot

red cherry #42 lashes cut in half (I don't like these as a full strip, too bug-like)

face:

amazing cosmetics - medium beige

mufe mat velvet + in #35

maybelline dream matte powder - honey

mac blonde msf...added mac dollymix later

lips:

revlon colorburst soft nude

swatches : nude lipsticks

2010-04-22T05:12:00.001-05:00

Finding the perfect nude for my skintone (nc37-40) is very hard. A lot of the popular ones wash me out, but here are some that work.

FAVES:

MAC Cherish (HG): Perfect color - matches with any eyeshadow combo. I dab it on or else it can be too thick/light - I love the sort of dry texture b/c it really stays on and mutes out my lips.

MAC Brave New Bronze: Looks better with warm/peach/gold eyeshadows instead of pink/purple. More moisturizing than Cherish and slightly darker. Sadly LE.

UNDER CONSIDERATION:

Revlon Colorburst Soft Nude: Loving the color (looks like MAC Cherish on me) but starting to notice it fades a little patchy and the creaminess kinda bleeds outside my lips-I think I need to use with a lipliner.

Maybelline Totally Toffee: I love how it feels (creamy but I can still feel it on, so I know it's there), and I love how even it fades. Sometimes I notice it looking a little mauve and washing me out though.

THUMBS DOWN:

L'oreal fairest nude: This has some mauve undertones and looks a tad gray/purple on me. Hate the smell -that's the deal-breaker for me. Smells like old lady makeup to me.

lip swatches and mini review : Revlon Colorburst in soft nude

2010-04-21T12:39:00.000-05:00

After much hesitation, I finally got the Revlon Colorburst in Soft Nude. I'm nc37-40 for reference.

It reads very similar to MAC Cherish on my lips.

Full face-it doesn't wash me out and give me that slightly mauve, purple-y, dead look (which l'oreal fairest nude and maybelline totally toffee give me if I apply too much):

PROS:

*no smell

*creamy

*wears off evenly, doesn't dry lips

*doesn't wash me out (nc37-40)

CONS:

*need 3-4 layers to really get color

*need to smooth it over with my finger after applying or else you see patches of my lip showing through

*not long wearing, 2-3 hours max

collection : can't stop buying Shimmery Browns

2010-04-17T13:56:00.000-05:00

I read somewhere that raccoon traps work because raccoons grab onto shimmering objects and refuse to let go. I guess maybe I'm a raccoon for browns that sparkle:

MAC Tempting, a random Milani shadow, and MAC Bronze:

Browns from my Maybelline Eyestudio Quads:

Swatches in the same order as the photos above:

Sally Girl Espresso, baked dome shadow, WnW Vanity palette, maybelline stylish smoke natural smokes

Swatches (left to right: baked dome, WnW, sally girl espresso, maybelline)

All the swatches. See, husband, they're all different!

What color shadows are you a raccoon for?

collection quickie : my MAC 15 pan palette o' neutrals

2010-04-16T21:27:00.001-05:00

These are my babies. The once in pink are my faves, but I love them all!

Row 1 (all left to right): Shroom, Brule, Electra, Silver Ring, Shale

Row 2: Modest Tone (LE N Collection), All that Glitters, Omega, Rich Flesh (LE N Collection), Cork

Row 3: Bronze, Satin Taupe, Night Manoeuvres (LE Style Warriors), Handwritten (Matte2), Carbon

oldies but goodies : 88 shimmer

2010-04-15T16:24:00.000-05:00

I bought the Original CS 88 palette a year ago, played with it, then started using it for some of my art (viewable here). Never got the 88 shimmer until just now when I swapped for it on a whim:

I love MAC Veluxe Pearls, and these are more similar to them in color, payoff, and texture than the original 88. Here's a shot of the Original then a shot of the equivalent colors in the Shimmer :

Here are the first four rows of the Original on top and the first four rows of the Shimmer on bottom:

Here are photos of the upper right quadrant of each, Original first and then Shimmer:

Shimmer, where have you been all my life? I seriously regret buying the original one first. Swatches of the first row of five from the preceding pictures, Original then Shimmer again:

I feel like Archie when he finally noticed Betty. Live and learn ^_^

Clinique Lash Building Primer

2010-04-14T01:00:00.000-05:00

For reference: I have short, straight, asian lashes which are IMPOSSIBLE to curl and sort of coarse and wire-like in texture (NOT the soft lashes some asians have that curl easily)

Clinique Lash Building Primer

curl: ruins the curl on my top lashes, makes them wilt.

length:some length on top, WOW length on bottom with Maybelline Colossal (non-waterproof)

application tip: brush down lightly several times on lower lashes, then take the maybelline colossal non-waterproof and wiggle side to side several times and then brush down=GREAT LENGTH!

Price: $13.00-pretty good

repurchase: during free gift season. I'm still on the hunt though...

I really want to find one that HOLDS a curl on my top lashes. From memory, Shiseido Lash Primer was pretty good at this but it has been years since I owned one, so I need to test it again

Mascaras: Maybelline Full n Soft, Lash Stiletto, Colossal

2010-04-07T03:20:00.001-05:00

For reference: I have short, straight asian lashes that are IMPOSSIBLE to curl. I curl before AND after mascara. I know that's bad for you, but it's not a big deal if you're careful.

Maybelline Full n' Soft Waterproof (my Holy Grail so far for top lashes):

look: gives a full lash look, like a fan

curl: really holds, only wilts after 8+ hours

feel: leaves lashes pretty soft, not crispy but firm enough to curl

clumping: none at all even after a bajillion coats

wand: comfortable for top lashes, too big for lower lashes (I don't like this mascara for lower lashes-it dries and lifts them, making me look like I have none)

repurchase: yes, forever and always

Lash Stiletto Waterproof:

look: spiky, clumpy on top lashes, spider legs on bottom lashes

curl: too slick to hold a curl when first opened ; curl held better after the tube dried out

feel: really crispy-I ended up picking at it all day

clumping: a lot

wand: I LOVE the wand so much; it is tiny and easy to use-too bad the formula sucks!

repurchase: no but I'm keeping the wand

Maybelline colossal non-waterproof ( + clinique primer is lower lash Holy Grail so far)

look: thin, wispy lashes on top, A LOT of length on bottom lashes when used with clinique primer

curl: no curl power whatsoever

feel: super soft and natural feeling

clumping: none

wand: uncomfortable for the top but great for bottom because you can get them done quickly

repurchase: yes, but still testing others out

Gold FOTD and Mascaras

2010-04-03T14:47:00.000-05:00

Here's a look I did using the Wet n' Wild palette I mentioned in my previous post. I used Too Faced eyeshadow insurance underneath, and they stayed on all day, even after a crying spell:

Full face photo:

eyes:

too faced eyeshadow insurance

wet n' wild coloricon palette in Vanity (also on brows)

l'oreal hip color truth cream eyeliner in black

l'oreal voluminous waterproof hydrofuge mascara

face:

MAC face and body foundation C4

MAC MSFN in Medium Dark

MAC Margin

WnW Vanity palette again to contour nose

lips:

MAC Cherish

MAC Ever hip

ELF super glossy lip shine in Pink Kiss

I also bought a new mascara because they were on sale at HEB for $3 and it's been 3 months since I got a new one:

These are the three mascaras I bought in January and have been using for the past 3 months:

I'll review these in my next post.

Wet n' Wild Vanity palette/MAC dupes

2010-03-31T09:55:00.001-05:00

The reformulated Wet n' Wild shadows are getting a lot of positive attention on Makeup Alley, so I bought the Wet n' Wild coloricon in Vanity palette:

Here are some swatches, no base:

Swatches against a white background:

Possible MAC dupes-on left, top to bottom: MAC Modest Tone (LE N Collection), MAC Cork, MAC Handwritten (LE Matte2) ; on right is MAC Shroom.

Left to Right: MAC Modest Tone, WnW, MAC Brule

Swatches left to right, no base: MAC Modest Tone (very faint), WnW, MAC Brule

MAC Cork with WnW:

Swatches left to right, no base: WnW, MAC Cork

This next one is a dead ringer. I can't tell the difference in person at all. The texture is the same for this one too. Swatches left to right, no base: MAC Handwritten (LE from Matte2), WnW:

MAC Shroom with WnW:

Swatches top to bottom, no base: WnW, MAC Shroom:

Hate it when my camera auto flips the pic!

SUMMARY

Colors: Many MAC dupes. MAC Goldmine, Mulch or Twinks could probably dupe the others, but I don't have those to compare.

Texture: Really soft. You can feel the shadow give in when you press it. They kind of feel like the Coastal Scents 88 shadows that are shimmery. The matte shadows feel just like the LE MAC Matte2 shadows-really smooth.

Pigmentation: Lots of color as you can see from the swatches-especially the matte ones!

Price: $4.68 USD + tax I got it at HEB for this price. I think it's a litte more expensive at drugstores

Lasting power: I will have to update on this as I try it out.

MAC Liberty of London in Ever Hip on lips

2010-03-29T20:11:00.001-05:00

MAC Liberty of London in Ever Hip:

On lips:

ELF quad in Nouveau Neutrals

2010-03-28T13:29:00.000-05:00

ELF brightening eyeshadow quad in Nouveau Neutrals- retails for $1, as we all know:

I really like this one for wearable and work-friendly beige tones, and the green looks great as a bottom eyeliner. The silver is kind of random, but I use it to brighten the inner corner:

Here's a photo of me wearing it:

Here are swatches; no base was used for the swatches, but do use one on your eyes if you want it to last:

ELF super glossy in Pink Kiss vs. MAC Love Nectar lustreglass

2010-03-25T07:53:00.000-05:00

ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine in Pink Kiss:

Swatched on lips, with flash:

Next to MAC Love Nectar lustreglass:

Comparison swatches (left to right) : ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine in Pink Kiss, MAC Love Nectar

ELF

Color: more pink, more opaque, almost silver-y but smooths out to about the same color as MAC

Applicator: squeezy tube with a slanted top

Feel-not sticky but enough so that you can feel it on

Lasting Power-lasts about 3-4 hours

Scent: smells like Grape Skittles <-- Love!

Price: $1.00

MAC

Color: more coral, more warm-toned, more shimmer/glitter

Applicator: brush wand

Feel: sticky but not as sticky as the MAC lipglass formula

Feel: lasts about 3-4 hours

Scent: vanilla

Price: $14.00 or free if you B2M for it.

Too Faced Glamour to go Palette swatches

2010-03-24T09:24:00.000-05:00

Too Faced Glamour to go Palette:

Photos of the shadows:

Has a small slide-out drawer underneath with lipgloss and shadows:

Swatches of the shadows:

PROS:

cute, travel-friendly case

nice blush color (similar to MAC Margin)

CONS:

shadows are kind of dusty

shadows are too cool-toned for my skin (nc37-40)

no brush-have to use fingers

old makeup artist photos

2010-03-23T11:31:00.000-05:00

Here's an old photo dating back to 8/20/2008 when I used to work as a makeup artist:

This is what the eyeshadow looked like when I was done. This picture was taken before I did foundation:

I miss doing makeup, but I wasn't making enough money, so I moved on to other things.

Revlon Photoready 006 Medium Beige vs. 008 Golden Beige

2010-03-22T08:33:00.000-05:00

I had so much trouble trying to decide what color to get, so here is a comparison between Revlon Photoready 006 Medium Beige and Revlon Photoready 008 Golden Beige:

006 is a little DARKER than 008. 006 is more GOLDEN where as 008 is more BEIGE. Here is another photo:

I am nc37 in MAC and 006 matches me better, but it is still a little too light for me. If you are lighter than me like nc35, 006 will probably match you perfectly.

Left: Revlon Photoready in 006
Right: Revlon Photoready in 008
If you have more beige than yellow undertones, 008 will match you better:

You can see the color difference is very slight. However, against a white background, it is more obvious that 008 is LIGHTER and more WHITE:

Revlon Photoready 006 Medium Beige is on the left and 008 Golden Beige is on the right:

SUMMARY:

Revlon Photoready 006 Medium Beige
-darker
-more yellow/golden
-suitable for nc35

Revlon Photoready 008 Golden Beige
-lighter
-more white/beige
-suitable for nc30 maybe or for someone without yellow/gold tones

khaki and green FOTD

2010-03-21T06:25:00.000-05:00

EYES:

elf quad-nouveau neutrals

maybelline colossal non-wp in brown (hate)

UD ink for eyes in zero (hate-too smudgy)

FACE:

Bobbi Brown Oil-free even finish compact foundation-4.5 neutral

rcma and mac studio finish nc35 as concealer

MAC invisible set powder

MAC dame blush

LIPS

elf super glossy lip shine-pink kiss

Sigma Face Brushes thoughts

2010-03-19T20:15:00.001-05:00

I think the MAC eye brushes really can't be duplicated-something about the very specific shape and placement of the hairs enable me to create a gradient of color and degree of blending that I can't achieve with other brushes; however, I'll never fork over the $$ for MAC face brushes, so I bought the Sigma set:

I definitely prefer the handles on the MAC brushes, but these are a great bang for your buck. I really do like the SS150, and the only brush I really never use is the foundation brush because it's too stiff for me.

However, to be completely honest, if I got a set of MAC face brushes as a gift, I would probably abandon these, but as far as beauty on a budget goes, I can't complain.

MAC All that Glitters and NYX Champagne comparison

2010-03-18T12:37:00.000-05:00

A treasure from my swap-a-thon: MAC All that Glitters! Here it is next to NYX Champagne:

Swatches: NYX Champagne on the left, All that Glitters on the right.

Swatches: NYX has light yellow/gold undertones, All that Glitters has pink/beige undertones. See how All that Glitters (on right) is more obvious on me? It's b/c of the undertones :

For me (nc37-40), NYX gives a more natural look b/c it blends with my undertones.

*TIP*: Choosing a color from a DIFFERENT undertone DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT WILL CLASH-it just gives a more stand-out makeup look (less "Maybe she's born with it" and more "Wow, pretty makeup!" ya know?

SUMMARY:
For a more natural look: Choose the one with your undertone
For a made-up look: Choose the one opposite your undertone

spring trend FOTD

2010-03-15T11:45:00.001-05:00

EYES:

Toofaced eyeshadow insurance

Maybelline stylish smokes quad (all colors)

MAC expensive pink, NYX champagne

rimmel soft kohl kajal eyeliner, almay liquid eyeliner, milani liquif eye eyeliner in aqua

maybelline colossal + full n'soft

FACE:

Revlon Photoready in 006 Medium Beige

MAC MSFN in Medium Dark

MAC margin+springsheen on cheeks

LIPS:

MAC Cherish

VS beauty rush soothing lip balm in soft petal

MLBB lipstick swatches : Maybelline Color Sensational, MAC, L'Oreal

2010-03-13T03:58:00.001-06:00

Top row (left to right): L'Oreal HIP Ecstatic, L'Oreal Colour Riche Fairest Nude, Maybelline Color Sensational Nearly There, Maybelline Color Sensational Crazy for Coffee, L'Oreal HIP Charming

Bottom row (left to right): MAC Brave New Bronze (LE), MAC Cherish, Maybelline Color Sensational Totally Toffee, Maybelline Color Sensational Caramel Kiss, MAC Spirit

BROWN NUDES:

1st row: Maybelline Color Sensational in Totally Toffee, Maybelline Color Sensational in Nearly There

2nd row: Maybelline Color Sensational in Caramel Kiss, Crazy for Coffee

3rd row: MAC Spirit, L'Oreal HIP in Charming

FLESH NUDES:

1st row: MAC Brave New Bronze (LE), L'Oreal HIP in Ecstatic

2nd row: MAC Cherish, L'Oreal Colour Rich in Fairest Nude

cobalt blue/aquamarine FOTD

2010-03-11T23:04:00.001-06:00

Eyes :

Coastal scents 88 palette

Anastasia brunette brow powder

Maybelline colossal mascara-brown

Face:

Revlon Photoready 006 Medium Beige

MAC MSFN in Medium Dark

MAC Margin/Springsheen blushes

NYC bronzer in Sunny

Lips:

MAC Cherish lipstick

Victoria Secret beauty rush soothing lip balm-Soft Petal

swatches of brow bone highlight colors on nc37 skin

2010-03-10T16:33:00.002-06:00

Left to Right: from Maybelline stylish smokes natural smokes quad, from Maybelline eyestudio quad in Give me Gold, from Maybelline eyestudio quad in Irresistibly Ivy, from Maybelline eyestudio quad in Spirited seas, MAC Ricepaper, MAC Shroom, MAC brule, NYX champagne

Left to Right: MAC Ricepaper, MAC shroom, MAC brule, NYX champagne

Same as above:

If you get the wrong color and it's too light or too dark for your liking, use a fluffy brush (like the MAC 224) to apply; using this type of brush will diffuse the color a little bit.

Cheap Thrill: E.L.F silver lining quad swatches

2010-03-08T09:03:00.000-06:00

I found this E.L.F. quad at Kroger for $1.00. That's cheaper than a pack of gum:

Here are some swatches:

More swatches:

On the eye without base but I used a patting technique to intensify the color:

Quality is like the coastal scents 88 palette shadows-a little dusty but pretty good for the price. Obviously not MAC, but it's a fun and wearable grocery-store treasure.

OPI nailpolish in hawaiian orchid

2010-03-07T16:19:00.000-06:00

Two coats on nails:

Hair lightening disasters

2010-03-06T23:32:00.001-06:00

My hair was a light brown after my last dye experiment, and I wanted to tone down any orange with an ash dye, so I used Revlon Colorislk in Light Ash Brown:

I ended up with VERY DARK almost BLACK hair. It doesn't look too bad in the photo, but the dark shade made my skin look sallow.

BEFORE:

To re-lighten my hair, I used: 40v L'oreal developer + L'oreal HiColor highlights in Ash Blonde.

AFTER:

pink blush swatches on NC37 skin

2010-03-06T10:45:00.001-06:00

Top row (left to right) : MAC Well Dressed, MAC Smooth Merge MSF (LE), MAC Blonde MSF (LE), MAC Moon River (LE)

Bottom row (left to right) : MAC true romantic (LE), MAC azalea blossom (LE), Maybelline soft mauve naturally luminous blush, MAC Dame, NARS angelika, MAC petalpoint (LE)

February Favorites

2010-03-05T10:44:00.000-06:00

1.) MAC Azalea Blossom blush-shows up as a cool, light pink on my nc37 skin (see pic), and the pretty gradient on the blush itself makes me happy every time I see it

2.) Maybelline Eyestudio quads-so cute and tiny, and the soft, sheer shades are perfect for someone like me who prefers subtlety

3.) Milani liquifeye pencil in aqua-intense color, glides on smoothly like liquid, stays on forever. I'm planning to buy more to replace my Urban Decay 24/7 liners.

Maybelline stylish smokes swatches/MAC dupes

2010-03-04T00:38:00.000-06:00

Maybelline Stylish Smokes in Natural Smokes quad, (bought per Holly Annnaeree's Youtube recommendation):

Up close:

Pictured with MAC dupes clockwise from bottom left: Brule, Satin Taupe, Tempting, and Night Manoeuvres (LE from MAC Style Warriors, depotted ):

Swatches, Maybelline on top row, MAC on bottom:

his and hers Outfits from xmas

2010-03-03T00:40:00.000-06:00

My boyfriend and I at Christmas 2009:

On me: hot pink dress from Express shop the box sale size 0, black coat from Forever21 size M, pearl and bow earrings are custom clip-ons from DSK jewelry; I'm wearing MUFE Mat velvet + foundation in 35 and MAC MSFN in Medium Plus on face-I don't remember what other makeup I used

On him: yellow and blue tie by Micheal Kors (got it at Ross for cheap!)

MAC Face and Body C4 epic fail

2010-03-02T14:07:00.002-06:00

MAC Face and Body in C4-I am returning this foundation because:

1.) It stung when I put if on my face.

2.) I didn't like the texture-runny and dried fast.

3.) I prefer more coverage-acne scars still visible.

4.) Staying power was awful-left me oily even with powder, smudged

Normally, I wouldn't be so picky, but it is a pretty expensive foundation, so I expect a lot more. The only reason I would want to keep it is because the color was pretty nice (a tad dark), and because it is supposedly water resistant. I want to keep a little sample to try out at the beach or waterpark just to see if it really is water resistant.

natural with aqua eyeliner EOTD

2010-02-27T18:58:00.001-06:00

PRODUCTS:

Toofaced eyeshadow insurance

Maybelline eyestudio quad in Spirited Seas (beige and brown) and Give me Gold (gold and copper)

MAC expensive pink eyeshadow

Milani liquif eye metallic eyeliner pencil in Aqua as bottom liner

MAC fluidline in black track

Maybelline full n' soft mascara on top lashes, Maybelline colossal+full n' soft on bottom

Lancome le crayon poudre in Chataigne on brows

MUFE mat velvet 35 and MAC studio finish concealer NC35 on face

L'oreal Hi-color High Lift Coolest Brown

2010-02-26T14:24:00.000-06:00

These are photos of my hair under various types of light after using the following hair dye. All pics taken without flash.

HAIR DYE:
L'oreal Hi-Color High Lift Hair Color in H1 Coolest Brown with 40v L'oreal developer
Ardell Unred color corrector drops
L'oreal HiColor highlights in Ash Blonde

Indoor bathroom (yellow) lighting:

Indoor kitchen (white) lighting:

Indoor natural light from window:

Outdoor natural light (I like how it looks here):

More outdoor light photos:

I think next time I'll just use HiColor highlights in Ash Blonde with 40v developer to get it lighter and less red.

Glowing Pinks FOTD

2010-02-26T11:46:00.003-06:00

EYES:

EYE PRODUCTS USED:

Toofaced eyeshadow insurance

Maybelline eyestudio quads in spirited seas (beige and brown) and legendary lilac (first two colors)

Rimmel kajal jet black eyeliner

Lancome le crayon poudre on brows

Maybelline full n' soft mascara on top lashes

Clinique lash primer, Maybelline colossal, lash stiletto, full n' soft mascara on bottom lashes

OTHER PRODUCTS USED:

Face:
MAC Studio finish concealer NC35
MAC face and body C4
MAC MSFN Medium Plus

Cheeks:
MAC Azalea Blossom blush
MAC Moon River blush
NYC sunny bronzer

Lips:
MAC Plink

FULL FACE:

shimmering neutrals with hints of blue

2010-02-25T16:55:00.005-06:00

EYES:

PRODUCTS USED:

EYES:
TooFaced eyeshadow insurance

Maybelline Eyestudio Quads in Give me Gold and Spirited Seas

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

Maybelline Full N' Soft Waterproof Mascara

Lancome Le Crayon Poudre in Chataigne (Chestnut) on brows

Foundation : MUFE Mat Velvet + in 35

2009-12-31T22:48:00.000-06:00

MUFE Mat Velvet in #35: This is one of my FAVORITE foundations that I used for almost all of last year. I repurchased already and will purchase again if I run out. This gives a very made-up look, so I don't use it daily when I am just bumming around. I save it for special occasions or long days when I have a lot to do and can't worry about touch-ups.

WHY I LIKE IT:

1.) Tames my ridiculously oily nose

2.) Gives full, even, pretty coverage

3.) No need for concealer

4.) NO SMELL!
5.) Does not irritate my skin. Actually, my skin clears up when I use this.

6.) Lasts all day, no touch-ups required

7.) Wears well, fades nicely and evenly

8.) Looks gorgeous in pictures and in all different kinds of lighting

Here is a photo of me wearing MUFE Mat velvet + with MAC MSFN in Medium Dark:

MY ONLY PROBLEMS WITH IT:

1.) The color is a little light, so I use MAC MSFN in Medium Dark to darken it

2.) It has a thick consistency (almost like paste) so use sparingly and take time to spread it out

3.) A little bit expensive

Like I said before, this foundation gives a very made-up look, but it is gorgeous, so I try to save it as my special event foundation.

Purples FOTD

2009-04-30T21:54:00.006-05:00

MAKEUP: 4 or 5 colors from row of pinks/purple in the 88 palette:

MAC Lavendar Whip and Victoria Secret Splendid gloss:

HAIR FUN

2009-04-21T15:47:00.007-05:00

Blue clip-in hair extension from Sally's Beauty Supply: