Product of the Day- Primers

I love summer. It's my favorite of all seasons, but the heat can

mean more oil, shine, and makeup that has dripped or run off.

 

I have only been using face and eye primers for the past year or two. It was

one of those products that when introduced at a makeup counter I often thought...

I'm not spending my money on something you can't even see!!! No thanks.

Give me something fun with color.

 

 

However, I've grown up and matured into the knowledgeable woman I am now and

realize they do, indeed serve a great purpose. : )

 

Face Primers:

 

A face primer serves to protect your skin and act as the base for your foundation

or powder. It's going to be the product that your foundation is going to stick to rather

than your skin. It's going to give your foundation, blush, bronzer, etc longevity in

making it through the day.

 

Their are a variety of primers you can get with different formulas based on your

skin and what you are trying to accomplish.

 

From left to right:

the Pore fissional by Benefit: pore minimizing. $30 at Sephora

Fix & Perfect by Rimmel: smoothes skin and minimizes pores. $6 at Wal-Mart

Brightening Complexion Potion by Urban Decay: brightens. $31 at Ulta or Sephora.

 

 

Eye Primers:

 

An eye primer is designed to serve as the base for your shadows. Just as a face

primer it's going to give your shadows something to stick to and last through the

day. It's also going to make the color of shadows stay vibrant and

not fade or crease.

 

I always apply my eye primers. I'm guilty of skipping my face primer, but unless

I'm just in a huge hurry this is a step in my daily routine.

 

You can buy all kinds of eye primers. Some have color, some are colorless, some

are in a jar, some have a wand. It's all in what you want and what you are trying to

achieve. To me the easiest and fastest one is the NYX HD

b/c it comes with a little wand and it's just effortless.

 

However, I love my jar primers that have color b/c they can be worn on their own

for a natural look or serve as a pretty base of color for a look.

 

These are all my favorites:

From left to  right:

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink. $6 at Target.

NYX HD Shadow Base: $7 at Ulta or Drugstore.com

Lorac Behind the Scenes: $21 at Sephora.

Make up Forever Aqua Cream #13: $23.

 

Do you prime? What are YOUR favorites?!

 

 



Spring Make-up

Every season brings the opportunity to transform your make-up into a new 

look. There are easy, subtle, and inexpensive ways to give yourself a fresh look 

without breaking the bank. 

Here are my favorite 5 ways to get my spring on: 

1. Blush: 

Pick a brighter pink or coral blush

My picks: Maybelline bouncy in Hot Tamale and Milani baked blush in Corallina

2. Highlighter: 

Switch to a cream product that will give your face a more dewy finish

My pick: Jemma Kidd All Over Radiance Cream in Rose Gold 

3. Eyeshadow:

Pick neutral colors that give the appearance you aren't wearing much. 

My pick: Clinique lid smoothie in Gingerly

4. Eyeliner:

Ditch your brown or black and pick a color that will give your eyes a pop of brightness. 

Try a navy or even more on trend this season green. 

My picks: Merle Norman Galaxy (navy) and Urban Decay Junkie (bright emerald green)

5. Lips:

Go with a bright pink or coral. Adding a good pop of color to your lips when your eyes

are nude always works and looks so classy! 

My pick: Cover Girl Jumbo Gloss balm in #235 Coral Twist

These are my favorite ways to transition into spring. 

What are yours?!?!

Wednesday Wishes- Urban Decay

Happy Hump Day!

 

Sorry I've been a little mia lately. New job has made it a little harder for daily

blogging. However, I do have a Wednesday wish that I just discovered today, actually.

 

I'm a lover of the Urban Decay brand. I have their original Naked Palette along

with cream blush, lip and eye liners, eye priming potion and probably more.

 

They have just relased a new beauty goodie that has caught my attention.

 

I give you Naked Flushed...

 

I will let Sephora do the talking on this one...

 

What it is:

A silky bronzer, highlighter, and blush in a sleek, travel-ready compact.

What it does:
Use these pressed powders individually or blend them together to create just the right effect—and let this seemingly straight-laced trio morph into a tangled color love-fest. Then bask in the radiant glow and let people wonder what you’ve been up to. Urban Decay’s micronized, jet-milled formula has a luxe, featherlight texture that feels amazing on your skin. And the finish? Flawless. Light-diffusing particles enhance and perfect to give your skin a fresh, glowy look…even when your late-night antics have you feeling anything but. The color is intensely pigmented yet blends beautifully—and the universal shades are versatile enough for any skintone.

What else you need to know:
The bronzer is a medium bronze satin; the highlighter is a soft pink champagne shimmer; the blush is a dusty rose satin with a hint of shimmer; and they are all full-sized. It all comes in a sleek case with an easy-open magnetic closure and a big mirror that is compact enough for travel or mid-date touchups.

 

Retails for $30 at Sephora. Cool, right? This would be perfect for Summer travels...

having everything in one small little compact!

 

Have a great day, 

Friday Face of the Day

TGIF!!!! 

Well, we made it to Friday and I hope you have fun weekend plans ahead. 

Today's FOTD is going to be a three in one... product review, holiday look, and fotd. 

With the Holidays right around the corner I have tried a few looks that would be fun

to wear to a Christmas party, out and about, or just chilling with your family. I like this look

because it incorporates a soft gold eye with a wearable (in my opinion) red lip. I know some 

people have a hard time sporting a red lip and if you are used to wearing a more neutral lip

it is a big change, but this one to me is a little more natural. 

 Face picture with a flash 

(you can see the colors a bit more vibrant)

Face without a flash in natural lighting

Key products used in this look:

On my cheeks I applied Benetint, a rosy lip or cheek stain that

gives a very natural flush of color. 

After applying the cheek tint I applied this light pink blush by NYX in 

Rose Garden to set the liquid. 

For lips I used my new Covergirl blastlipstick lip duo in Smooch.
I have been curious to try this after hearing some good reviews and seeing all the
Sofia Vergara commercials.

This lip product is unique in that it is supposed to make your lips look
3 Dimensional as you use two colors. One shade is shimmer and the other is a matte cream.
 The darker shade is to be applied all over your lips and then
 the lighter color to the bottom center of your lip and it's supposed to give your
lips more depth.

Darker shade in Smooch.
It's kind of a brick red. It's not a bright cherry red at all.

Lighter shade in Smooch. 

Lighter peachy/pink. 

I have to say I do like the blastlipstick... it's very long lasting and has more of a matte finish

which I prefer. It does make for a more unique lip with the two shades incorporated. These 

retail at your drugstore for $8.

Other products used for this look:

Face:

Clinique Even Better Foundation

MAC Soft & Gentle Highlighter 

(blush included above)

Eyes:

Urban Decay Naked Palette in colors Halfbaked (all over lid) and 

Buck (in crease)  

Loreal Gel Liner in Black 

Almay Get Up and Grow Mascara

Lips:

Listed above. 

Have a great weekend! 

Friday Face of the Day

Today's FOTD will show you the Loreal eyeshadow duo, Electrified that was in 

my last post. 

Products Used for this look: 

Foundation: Clinique Even Better 

Bronzer: NARS Laguna 

Blush: Rimmel Autumn Catwalk 

Eyeshadow: Loreal Hip Duo in Electrified 

Liner: Urban Decay Black 

Mascara: Almay Get up and Grow

Lips: MAC Viva Glam V

Have a great weekend! 

Friday Face of the Day

We made it to Friday!!! 

My FOTD has some new products with upcoming reviews so stay tuned for more. 

Origin of Face: 

Foundation: Clinique Stay Matte 

Bronzer: MAC Refined Golden 

Blush: NARS Sin

Highligher: MAC Lightscapade 

Eyeshadow: Tarte Amazonian Clay Palette (review to come)

Liner: Urban Decay Black 

Mascara: Benefit They're Real 

Lips: Revlon Lip Butter Sugar Plum (review to come) 

Have a fabulous weekend! 

Friday Face of the Day

Happy Friday! 

As promised in my last post I told you I would do a FOTD with my new Maybelline quad

in "Olive Martini." 

I really do love the look this quad gives on your eyes. Silver, green, burgundy, and lots 

of shimmer. 

Makeup used for this look:

Foundation: Clinique Stay Matte 

Bronzer: Soleil Tan de Chanel (cream bronzer... AMAZING) 

Blush: NARS Sin (review to come) 

Highlighter: MAC Skinfinish in Lightscapade 

Eyes: Maybelline Quad in Olive Martini 

Liner: Urban Decay Zero

Mascara: Benefit, They're Real 

Lips: Merle Norman Lucky in Love

Have a GREAT weekend! 

Friday Face of the Day

Happy Friday and start to your weekend. 

It's been a lonnnnng time since I've done a FOTD post and since I seem to be on a blog

roll this week I thought I would post my latest look. 

I didn't take a picture of the products used in this look... so if you want to see what they look

like just google them to get a better idea. 

My favorite part of this look is for sure the eyes. I don't think this picture does justice to the 

Wet n Wild "Silent Treatment" trio. I love the lid color in this palette so very much. It's a gorgeous

plum/purple taupe with a silver undertone that is a very unique color on it's own. I added the dark brown crease color on the outer edge of my eye and put the peach highlighter color under my brow. 

The price of the Wet N Wild Silent Treatment trio is a whopping $2.99 at your local drugstore and 

I cannot stress how incredible these shades are for the price. I can be really hesitant of cheap products 

and their payoff b/c often you get what you pay for. However, Wet n Wild really does have very

good formulated, well pigmented, and lasting eyeshadows!! This is by far my favorite trio and shades

by them b/c it really is so unique and works well with my dark eyes and hair. But, the purple 

taupe shade will work well with any skin/eye color. Go buy it.... NOW!! You will love it. 

Ok, so on to the origins of my face. 

Foundation: Clinique Stay Matte 

Concealer: Estee Lauder Double Wear

Blush: Lorac Velvet Rope (great matte baked blush for fall or year round)

Highlighter: MAC Soft & Gentle 

Eyes: Wet n Wild Silent Treatment 

Liner: Urban Decay Zero (black)

Mascara: Almay Get up & Grow 

Lips: NYX Beige gloss 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Friday Face of the Day

Happy Friday and start to your weekend!! 

It's been quiet a while since I've done a FOTD post and was a little inspired to do a 

healthy summer glow look for this week. 

There is nothing prettier to me this time of the year to see a glowy (not shiny) face that just 

looks sun kissed and healthy. 

Enjoy...

Foundation: Clinique Stay Matte 

Highlighter: MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl and set with MAC Soft & Gentle

Bronzer: Nars Laguna

Blush: Urban Decay Bang (Bright red cream) very unique. 

Eyes: Urban Decay Naked Palette 

Lid: Sin ( a shimmery light pink) 

Crease: Buck ( a light matte brown) 

Outer Corner: Darkhorse (Dark Grey/Brown with shimmer) 

Eyeliner: Urban Decay Zero (black) 

Mascara: Mally Volume

Lips: Revlon Lip Butter 

Hope you enjoyed this look. My favorite part is for sure the highlight on the cheeks and 

shimmery eyes! It just makes such a difference in giving you that healthy summer glow. I feel

like those products take your skin from dull and boring to lively, healthy, and youthful! 

Have a WONDERFUL non boring and full of life weekend! 

Valentine's Face of the Day (FOTD)

Happy GALENTINE'S Day!!!

I hope you all are having a wonderful day filled with love from those closest in

your life.

I wanted to post my Valentine's day look as a "face of the day." I think these

are kind of fun and it gives me a chance to play with new looks and new colors

for you so I'm not putting on the same makeup every day.... cuz let's be honest you

guys know I have drawers full of it.

So, this is a day look... what I wore to work. It's a little more glammed up with the red

lips and would not be my typical every day work look, but wanted to play up the

red a bit. I may do a separate post on how I do my night look. Stay tuned.

In regular lighting.

Natural lighting.

Products used on face:

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 hour foundation (not listed)

Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer under eyes

Nars Laguna Bronzer

MAC blush in Plum Foolery

MAC Mineralize skinfinish in Soft and Gentle (highlight)

MAC cream color base in Shell (highlight)

Products used on eyes:

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Browbone and inner corner I used shades:

Virgin (far left)

Sin (shimmer pink next to it)

Center of Lid I used: Toasted (far left)

Outercorner I used: Hustle (middle)

Lined upper lash line: Creep (far right)

New Product Alert!!

For mascara I used Revlon Photoready 3D Volume.

I like it so far... I find it's lengthens and separates more than a ton of volume.

For lips I used:

Merle Norman lipstick in Sienna

Merle Norman gloss in Sheer Kiss

It's not really a true red lip, but something that gives you a hint of pink/red

in a more wearable everyday look.

And last, but certainly not least my own little Valentine this year!

My sweet 4 pound maltipoo, Millie! She is my love.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

XOXO

Friday Product Faves

TGIF and Happy Official Day of Fall Ya'll!!!

I know most of you are so excited to embrace the season of cool weather,

football season, scarves, boots, and jackets!

So, this week I wanted to feature products that I don't personally own, but desire

to own and have in my collection one day. I do a good bit of research on products

before I buy them. When I go into Sephora, Ulta, MAC, or Target

I pretty much know what I want to buy because I have either:

A. Read Great Customer Reviews on the Product

B. Seen a Tutorial Video Promoting the Product

C. Heard friends or family rave about the Product

D. Read about them in Magazines

So, without further ado...

Here are 6 products I have chosen to be on this Friday's Fave List

because of the great things I have read and seen about them.

Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer.

I have never personally tried this, but this will be my next foundation purchase

because of the awesome things I have heard from people who have used it.

Apparently, it gives you more coverage than your average tinted moisturizer all while

keeping your face from getting too greasy or oily. If you have dry skin you can get this

in a non oil free version.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer

Bobbi Brown is one of those brands I have always wanted to get into. Her products

tend to me a bit on the pricy side, but I love her philosophy on make-up

and really promoting natural beauty. I have heard people say no other concealer

they have ever owned compares to Bobbi Brown so I am dying to get my hands on

some of her concealer. This set is designed for under eyes darkness and circles.

One shade conceals while the other sets it in place.

Mally Beauty Poreless Face Defender

Have you heard of Mally?? This is a new face and name for me personally.

Mally is a make-up artist/stylist to celebrities and promotes a lot of her products

on QVC. About a month ago I was watching a special on this product called

"Poreless Face Defender."

It has been named the most innovative product by QVC as well as Customer

Choice Award. It is a clear powder that sets your make-up and hides your pores. It does not build up layers on your skin and make you look cakey like powder often does.

Mally claims she has not used translucent powder on her high profile celebrity

clients in TEN YEARS!! This product is designed to make you look younger,

protect your skin, set your make-up, and many other things!

This product just makes me giddy to write about because I HATE powder and

the look it gives! This seems like such a stand out because literally nobody

has on the market! : )

If you are interested in trying some of Mally's products that include the Poreless

Face Defender, QVC has a REMARKABLE deal today that I have already bought

this morning and am SO excited about. It is a SICK deal.

The Defender alone retails for $40 and you get a whole set of 7 pieces for $63.36

and trust me when I say this... I have heard outstanding reviews on all of the

products included in this set. So, if you are interested...

Click Here and get it while it lasts!!

Urban Decay Cheek Tint

Urban Decay has a great blush they call cheek tint. I have one of these in the shade

"Bang" that I used this summer and is gorgeous. The color I have featured above

is "Fetish" and I think it is a lovely shade for Fall.

The product feels like butter and glides on effortlessly to give you a subtle

glow and dewy effect.

Estee Lauder Modern Mercury Highlighter

Good luck finding this product anytime soon because apparently from here to

Hong Kong is sold out and everyone is on the prowl for this new Fall must have!

Estee Lauder released their Fall Mercury line and this gorgeous highlighter used

to highlight cheekbones, cupid's bow, and eyelids is on everyone's want list. It

retails for $40, but literally don't know where to find it right now.

Good Luck!

Urban Decay Naked Lip

Another Urban Decay fave! Isn't the packaging on this product cool? I mean

it is a bit bulky, but very creative to say the least. This shade is in "Naked" and I think

it's just a great neutral to go with anything. If you have never heard of Urban Decay

then I would HIGHLY recommend you getting introduced with the "Naked Palette."

I as well as several friends I coaxed into getting LOVE it and it gives you so many

arrangements do play with on your eyes!

Have a Great Weekend!

Make-Up Routine

Hey Guys. Here are the products that I have currently been using as my

day to day make up routine. These are obviously not everything in my bag, but the products

I feel that I find myself grabbing the most and using pretty much on a daily basis.

Make Up Routine by bmstory on Polyvore.com

Step 1: Apply Clinique Tinted Moisturizer or Mary Kay Matte wear with Stippling Brush

all over face.

Step 2: Estee Lauder Double Wear or MAC Pro Longwear concealer

under eyes and any blemishes.

Step 3: Blend in with Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge

Step 4: Apply MAC bronzing powder in "Refined Golden" with fluffy powder brush.

Step 5: Apply Urban Decay Cheek Tint in "Bang" or MAC cream blush in "Ladyblush" with

Sonia Kashuk Pointed Foundation Brush and blend cream blush in with Sonia Kashuk blue

blending sponge.

Step 6: Highlight Cheekbones for dewy glowy cheekbones in "Pearl" from MAC

Step 7: Prime Eyes with Urban Decay Primer Potion.

Step 8: Apply Eye Shadow of choice. Loving Urban Decay Naked Palette.

Step 9: Line Eyes with Merle Norman Eyeliner in Earthy.

Step 10: Curl Lashes.

Step 11: Apply Loreal Voluminous Lashes Mascara in Carbon Black.

Step 12: Apply MAC lipglass in Cultured.

And that my friends is my basic routine for a normal day in Summer Sunny Alabama!

Comment below and let me know what some of your staples are!

Cheek Tint

So, another Urban Decay product I grabbed this week along with my Naked

Palette was the Glide on Cheek Tint. I had also heard great things about this

product and have heard it's the perfect product for glowy skin and cheeks this summer!

I decided on the color Bang! It is a very bright Red color and looks super scary in the

container. No need to fear though it does not look like this on your cheeks!

This is what the compact looks like. Can I just tell you what the back of the box says?!

Speaking of cheeks... this will make you "blush."

"Try just a touch for a barely there tint, or layer for buildable more vibrant color. You'll

look as radiant as a girl in love... or one who just made it." WOWZA!

Here is the color in my room. CRAZY color for your cheeks, huh?! It's red for sure!

It's really pretty on though... you really can build this color into what you want.

You know how most cream blushes have a sticky feeling about them?!

This is the softest most buttery feeling blush I have ever felt. It truly feels like

something you could rub over your whole body! It actually has vitamins and anti aging

ingredients... so it's good for your skin!

I'm really excited to use this blush and get super Glowy beautiful summer skin and cheeks!

I love some dewy skin in the summer and this seems to be a product that you can really

count on to give you a Glow without making you look oily.

Urban Decay has many other gorgeous colors in this line so check them out at Sephora

or Ulta.

Go get your Glow on!

Getting Naked... WHAAAA?!

I was so excited this week to purchase the Urban Decay Naked Palette.

I have been eyeballing this palette for a few weeks and after reading great reviews, and watching some youtube videos I was sold!

There are a few matte shades in the palette, but most are a rich shimmery pigmented

colors. This seems like such a great and rich palette to work with for any

occasion, season, or event! I can't wait to play with these colors and come up with

some fabulous looks.

This palette comes with a travel size container of the best selling Eye Shadow

Primer Potion by Urban Decay. I am more than likely going to do a give a way with

this so stay tuned!

Here are the shades under recessed lighting.

This is what the palette looks like

Here again in natural lighting. You can't see the shimmer

under natural lighting, but trust me it's there!!

You can purchase this at Ulta or Sephora and it retails for $48. Sounds a bit

pricy, but you are getting 12 shades that will last you a long time... or at least I am

hoping so!

So, go ahead let your eyes roam around Naked.... they will thank you for it!

I will update you with more posts about this palette in the futue about how I am liking.

Just wanted to share now b/c I am super excited to play!!