Ask and you shall receive. My new obsession is trying to find a line that’s paraben free, talc free, petroleum free and still works like a professional line with a great color selection. Whew.. I guess being organic is just icing on the cake.
Nvey ECO is as serious about organic standards as they are about producing top quality cosmetics that even the har… Read More…
I love being one click away from buying something. The ease and connivence of online shopping has made it something practically everyone with a computer does, which is why it’s important to know that what you’re buying is the real deal.
Although I’ve done it in the past (like 6+ years ago) I’d probably steer clear of eBay for cosmeti… Read More…
If you’re reading this, you need to wash your brushes. It’s something we all forget to do, even me. I remembered to wash my own personal brushes yesterday because I was already washing the ones from my kit (which I do after every use). What really works for me is washing one or two at a time, just the really dirty ones right after I use them in the mornin… Read More…
Does how you live affect the way you look? Absolutely. You remember the Twin Study I posted a while back, it’s the perfect example of the life you live showing up on your face. We know what not to do (smoke, tan, eat poorly) in order to look great, but what should we be doing exactly? Dr. Oz outlines a full day offering tips on how to get your body healthy… Read More…
If you’re due for a new set of tweezers, its’ a good time to switch to Tweezerman (if you aren’t a devout customer already) so you can pluck away unruly brows and help animals in need at the same time. Tweezerman will donate $1 for each limited edition Paw Print tweezer and 50 cents from each file set sold to the Humane Soci… Read More…
Last week I shared this vid from a workshop given by Mario Dedivanovic. I also mentioned one of his most loved products (that he himself custom blended) – EYE M GLAM, the super highlighting powder he developed with Giella and uses often.
I ordered. I tried. I like.
At first glance it’s just another warm toned highlighter, but it has an exceptionally fine texture with a balanced amount of pigment so it’s incredibly versatile and easy to wear. Its strength lies with its ability to morph into whatever texture you need. I like mixing a shot of it into my Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer so it has a greater intensity and staying power. I’ve also mixed in a dab with foundation to highlight cheek bones so it blends into the skin and doesn’t just sit on top – it makes for a more subtle highlight.
Both a pro and a con is the larger jar. I had to break it down into 2 smaller jars for my own use as well as my professional kit so it didn’t take up too much space. I felt like I got my $40 worth, but I’d rather see it in a smaller container at a smaller price.
When I say I love NYX, I mean it. I received a few things to review a while ago and quickly became obsessed with its creative on the cheap vibe that (dare I say..?) beats the tar out of M.A.C. I gauged the color and wear time of M.A.C’s Penultimate Eye Liner against the one below from NYX and there was no comparison. NYX had them beat on richness of the black (it made M.A.C’s look almost graphite or brown) and it wore longer without budging. The tip is much easier to apply too. I reviewed the NYX Super Fat Marker (which I use daily) but toady I grabbed the smaller one for my kit when I want more precision lining. Here’s a look at the pen and the rest of what I grabbed today from Ulta.
I’ve used their Studio Liquid Liner in Black and Coffee so I knew these stay-put liquids were easy to work with and the shade selection was so fun. I needed a few new hues to stay inspired so here’s what I chose.
Sky Blue, Purple, Silver, Blue. $4.49 ea
If you love a sheen without glitter chunks, these little jars of Ultra Pearl Mania will make you happy. They’re great alone as shadows or placed over them, or even as mix-ins with lip gloss for an unexpected sheen effect on your pout.
Nude, Charcoal, and Baby Pink $2 ea
I couldn’t leave without Lip Gloss. Theirs is thick and smooth but not sticky – oh and it smells good. Big points for that right?
Sweet Heart and Crystal Soda. $5.40 ea
The only thing I didn’t find at Ulta is NYX Doll Eye Mascara ($9) which I grabbed online. They’ve released a few newer ones that I haven’t tried, I really hope this one doesn’t get discontinued because it’s so easy to build. I use it as a ‘topper’ to bulk my lash tips.
Check out NYX either at Ulta or online. It’s big artist-quality performance for a ton less money.
Stila’s now iconic Kitten shadow shade has exploded into a sub-line of its own by giving lip colors, illuminators, and even a new liquid eye liner that signature Kitten gleam.
I like the Shimmer Powder, it has two shades and it’s meant to be used on the face and body. A slight shimmer or gleam on the arms, legs, or decollete in place of a tan always dresses up and refines the look of otherwise pale skin.
click to enlarge
You can see the rest of the collection by searching ‘kitten’ at Stila.com
I’m totally impressed by e.l.f’sShimmering Facial Whip, a tube of lightly shimmered cream to highlight cheeks and eyes. I have Lilac Petal, a champagne-neutral that doesn’t turn ashy on the skin, but Pink Lemonade is the Allure Mag award winning color. The formula isn’t too shimmery or the lest bit sparkly, it gives its more expensive counterparts some stiff competition to rev up the skin with a beautiful glow. Oh, and I mentioned it’s just $1 right? Totally worth checking out.
When you want your eyes to dazzle, few products can make a splash like sparkle can. Nothing obnoxious of course, just something that adds interest to your eyes when you glance down.
I’ve probably tried buckets of glitter, shimmer, and sparkle, over the years and I’ve found that I really like girlactik beautySparkle Singles the best because they have 2 key traits that are important to pull of a shimmer look; dry, loose sparkles, and a really fine glitter size. When the size of the actual glitter gets too large (or when it’s encased in goo to help it stick on the face) it becomes a little costume-like and brings the age-appropriateness factor waaay down. What I’m saying is, unless you’re 12 wearing chunky glitter isn’t for you.
Here’s a look at the Sparkle Singles all boxed up.
On top is Yellow Gold and on the bottom color is Rust.
See how fine the pieces of shimmer are? When it’s placed on the eye, you’ll see the reflective quality and not the pieces of glitter themselves which makes a huge difference in the overall look.
In order to get the Sparkes to stay on the eye, they need to ‘stick’ to something. I used BECCA Cosmetics Creme Eye Color in Quartz as a base. I love its easy texture which isn’t too glossy or heavy looking and it really stays on the skin well without creasing.
Lay down the creme color first.
I dipped a small brush into the Rust shade and patted it over half of the creme shadow. The finish is beautiful, it’s just enough to catch the light and make your eyes stand out.
Now for the Yellow Gold shade on the bottom half of the creme eye color.
I love how dense the gold looks and how much coverage it offers. You want the shimmer to be fine enough to coat over the base shade so it looks cohesive, not chunky.
Now you know the difference between sparkles a 7 year-old would paint a picture with, and fine shimmer for a special night out. But there are a few guidelines.
- Don’t wear shimmer like this during the day unless your job requires you to also wear clear heels.
- Keep the sparkle confined to the lid (anywhere you can feel an eye ball) and no higher. I’d also keep it away from your lower lash line too. Lid only is the easiest (and most appropriate) way to wear it.
- Resist the urge to dust it on your chest no matter how pretty you think the sparkles are. Find a body gimmer lotion like this one that’s meant to highlight and compliment the skin.
- Keep in mind the look as a whole. Red lips might not be the best pairing with a shimmery eye so go with a nude color instead. Think understated for the rest of the look (lips, cheeks, and liner), and let the shimmer do most of the talking.
$10, 14 Shades, Online and in select boutiques nationwide.
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