Springed Forward: Transitioning My Makeup

“The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.”
― Yves Saint-Laurent 

 

The easiest transition from the harsh winter to the airy spring is changing up your makeup.

Some do it with color. Some do it with face products.

I like the fresh and bright approach. 

Here, I switch up a lot of my normal products to get my skin ready for Spring.

 

All the products I used will be listed below. Select products have the links attached for options on purchasing.

 

FACE PREP:

I'm trying out different products, and so far so good.

I start with my MARIO BADESCU Anti-Acne Serum (I've been experiencing a few break-outs)

Next, I prime my entire face with RIMMEL Stay Matte Primer

After that, I use MAYBELLINE Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer. I put this only wear I have noticeable pores.

Lastly, I prime my eyebrows (so they don't move) and I used Black Radiance Eyeshadow Primer

 

 

FACE:

COLOR CORRECT| MAC Studio Conceal and Correct Duo (Mid-Peach/Mid-Yellow) [I use Mid-Peach to color correct under my eyes and any dark spots)

FOUNDATION| LANCOME Teinte Idole 24 Hour Foundation (450 Suede)

CONCEALER| LANCOME EFFACERNES Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer 

UNDER EYE SETTING POWDER| BEN NYE (Cameo) Luxury Powder

FACE POWDER| MAC MSFN (Dark Golden)

CONTOUR| MAC Studio Fix Powder + Foundation (C8)

HIGHLIGHT| MAC MSF (Lightscapade)

BLUSH| NYX (Mocha) Blush

EYES:

BASE| MAC (Bronze) e/s

LID| MAC (Day Gleam) pressed pigment

BOTTOM LASH LINE| MAC (Bronze) e/s

CREASE| MAC (Always Sunny) prolongwear e/s

BROW BONE| MAC Studio Finish Concealer (NC42)/ MAC (Ricepaper) e/s

BROWS| Anatasia Beverly Hills (Brunette) Brow Wiz

LASH| Ardell #110 Lashes (Multi-pack)

MASCARA| MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash

 

LIPS:

LINER| MAC (Soar) lip pencil [filled in the entire lip]

LIPSTICK| Milani (Matte Innocence) lipstick [directly over the pencil]

SETTING SPRAY:

URBAN DECAY ALL-NGIHTER

This look is simple enough that you can alter it to fit various occasions. If you add black liner to the upper lash line and bottom water line and choose a more statement provoking lip color, this could easily be a night out or drink with the girls type of look.

I know I use a lot of prep products but this ensures that my makeup lasts until evening (or whenever I make it home). Those prep products give my makeup staying power. I recommend you trying different things and seeing what works for you and your skin.

This look could easily be done without lashes as well. I just opted for them today.

Springing up your makeup isn't as hard as it may seem. You don't need a million and one colors (though they are pretty). Just a little color in strategic places.

What's your spring makeup routine???

As always, thank you for visiting my blog.

All comments and feedback are accepted!

Ciao!

Xoxo

Brand Spotlight-Milani Cosmetics

Disclaimer: All the products mentioned in this haul were purchased by me and were not sent from the company for review.

Now that we've gotten that out the way, let's jump right into this.

I am extremely overly obsessed with this brand!!! Milani Cosmetics have amazing products for half the price of Prestige Brands (Prestige brand is a cosmetic brand sold at a high end retailer i.e. Estee Lauder, MAC, Lancome, etc.). The pigmentation and quality of their products rival higher end brands and is some time preferred to such higher end brands.

Let me show you what I purchased.

Milani Moisture Matte Lipsticks

These gorgeous lipsticks come in 8 colors (I'm featuring 4). All in a smooth creamy matte texture. They glide on creamy but dry matte. The pigmentation is amazing. They retail from $4-$6 (depending on the retailer you choose). Of these 4, "Matte Blissful" is my absolute favorite. Such a pretty light pink color. It's like a mix of M.A.C's "Snob" and Faux" lipsticks with a smoother texture.

Another awesome feature about these lipsticks, besides the amazing quality and price, is their packaging. The bottom shows the color that's in the tube with the name and the sleek gold packaging makes the lipsticks look more luxurious. I'm a sucker for gold packaging. Milani consistently creates amazing lip products. Among my most favorite.

SWATCHES

Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow

These amazingly crafted hybrid powders are super soft but greatly pigmented. They come in 29 shades (Again, I'm featuring 4). They can be used wet or dry (Dry for a stunning shimmer, Wet for more impact). They are super blendable and leave a high-impact sheen to the eye with micro shimmers (not overly glittery or sparkly). They retail for about $5 a piece. I only got a couple because I wanted to test them out but of course milani didn't disappoint. The packaging is the same as all other products, gold and fabulous.

I swatched them dry but as you can see, they show up vividly in just a finger swatch, so imagine packing them on or wearing them wet.

Baked Powder Blush

Now these little gems are all over the internet. They come in 9 shades (I'm featuring 2). The number one most talked about shade is "Luminoso". Every blogger, vlogger, YouTuber, etc is using it. That's the one I went to get but of course my Duane Reade is out of stock. So I purchased the two below. There are no swatches because I just got them but the color is AMAZE-BALLS. It's like a blush and highlighter in one!!! You always can add extra shimmer to the cheeks but I love these alone! So beautiful. Doning the same luxurious packaging as the rest.

Rose D'oro on the left/Dolce Pink on the right

I am a firm believer that one makeup brand can't satisfy all my cosmetics needs but this brand is definitely trying to prove me wrong. Mostly everything they make is a home-run. This is just a small haul but I definitely plan to return with more Milani is the future.

If you are looking for quality, great prices, great products, a great range of colors, and just an overall great brand, check out your Milani display at your nearest RX store. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Your thoughts and comments are always welcome. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.

Until next post,

XOXOxx

MOTD: Work Appropriate Spring Color

"I think the beginning of all beauty is knowing and liking oneself"

Kevyn Aucoin

We've made it to Spring!!!

The weather hasn't caught up with the season yet (it's still 30 and below in New York) but I'm transitioning my daily makeup to fit the season.

One easy and appropriate way to switch up your makeup to fit the season is to add a pop of color to the bottom lash and water lines. 

Today, I add a pop of Cyan to my water line and added blue mascara to the bottom lash line to enhance the water line color. This gives you a nice brightness to the eye with a bit of color that you can still rock to an office or to do your daytime tasks. I kept everything else pretty neutral as to not overwhelm the face with to many focal points.

Products used will be listed below 

FACE PREP:

MAC P+P Vibrancy Eye (for under eye)

No7 Beautifully Matte Primer (full face)

FACE:

FOUNDATION- NARS Sheer Matte Foundation (Tahoe)

CONCEALER- MAC P+P Highlighter (Light Boost) mixed with Estee Lauder DoubleWear Concealer (Medium Dark)

UNDER EYE POWDER- MAC Select Sheer Loose (NC15)

FACE SETTING POWDER- MAC MSFN (Dark Golden)

CONTOUR- MAC Studio Fix Powder +Foundation (NW45)

HIGHLIGHT- THE BALM Cindy Lou-Manizer

BLUSH- NYX Blush (MOCHA)

EYES:

BROWS- Anatasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz (Brunette)

LID/CREASE- MAC (Always Sunny) ProLongWear eyeshadow

OUTER V- MAC (Folie) eyeshadow

UPPER MASCARA- MAC In Extreme Dimension Mascara

LOWER MASCARA- MAC Zoom Lash Mascara (BLUE CHARGE)

WATERLINE- MAC Hi-Def Cyan Chromographic Pencil

LIPS:

LINER- MAC (Sweet Brown) lip pencil (no longer made)

LIPSTICK- Milani Matte (Naked) Lipstick

GLOSS- MAC (Boy Bait) Cremesheen Glass

This is a very easy look to achieve. I think it's just enough color as well. What do you think?

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and all comments and feedback are welcome

XoXo

Pictorial Play: My Everyday Makeup Routine

Hello Again!

It's Friday, and I'm so ready for the weekend. I have a little going on this week so I can't sleep in. But I don't have to punch anybody's clock so that's a plus!.

This morning, I thought that I would take photos of my morning makeup routine. I wanted to walk you through my steps.

So Let's GO!

Step 1:

I always start with a mattyfying primer. My primer of choice has been No7 Beautifully Matte Primer.

Then I even out my skin tone with my foundation (shown in photo 1). I used MAC ProLongWear Foundation in NC44.

Step 2:

I then do my brows. Today I think I went a little too heavy but I used my usual mix. Maybelline Define A Brow in Medium Brown and MAC Girl Boy Brow Set.

Step 3:

Next, I apply my concealer in all the places that I want to stand out. I don't use a color corrector for my darkness, I find that using a concealer with a peach undertone works just fine. I apply it under my eyes, middle of the forehead, chin, cupids bow, and down the center of my nose. Today, I used LA Girl Pro Concealer in Medium Beige

Step 4:

Next, I blend out the concealer with a Beauty Blender sponge. I blur the edges of the concealer with my foundation brush (Bdellium Studio 957 Precision Kabuki), and I set it all the areas with a loose powder. The powder I used was Ben Nye Visage Powder in Cameo.

Step 5:

I then do my eye-makeup. I usually add a eyeshadow base but today I used my concealer as a base. I set that concealer with my all over face powder and then went in with shadows. Today I used MAC Saddle eyeshadow in the crease and MAC Woodwinked eyeshadow on the lid. I defined my top lash line with MAC Smolder eyekohl and applied MAC In Extreme Dimension Mascara to my lashes.

Step 6:

Next, my favorite part, I contour with foundation. I usually use a shade 2-3 times darker and one that has more of a red undertone due to my natural skin tone being so yellow. In this photo I used a powder foundation. MAC Studio Fix Powder in NW45.

Step 7:

The next step is to set the entire face.  This step is crucial for me because I'm so oily. It locks the foundation in place and allows for longer wear. I brush away the excess powder from my highlight. I add mascara to my bottom lashes (Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara) and I set me entire face with a mineral pressed powder. It blends all the lines between the highlight, contour and foundation. I ALWAYS use MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural in Medium Deep. I then spray my face with a makeup spray to allow the products to melt into the skin. Lately I've been using Loreal Infallible Pro Makeup Extender Spray.

Step 8:

Now that everything is meshing together, I add my highlight and blush. The highlight is applied to the highest points on my cheek bones, above my top lip and on the tip of my nose. Here, I used The Balm Cindy Lou-Manizer. The blush is appled to the cheek bones and faded into the contour. Here, I used MAC SuperNova Mineralized Blush (this is a limited edition color).

THE FINISH:

My last step is to add a lip color. Today I chose MAC More to Love Prolongwear lip pencil and MAC Patent Polish Lip Crayon in Hopelessly Devoted (another limited edition product).

My morning routine can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on if I use eyeshadow and lashes. But normally the whole face process takes about 20.

One day, I'll have the energy and the equipment to record my process. Until then, I'll keep posting my step by steps. :)

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and I appreciate all comments and feedback.

XOXO

MOTD: UD Naked Basics + New Hair Color Alert

 Good Morning Beautiful Universe!

I hope everyone is doing well on this fabulous Thursday thus far.

I decided to go ALOT lighter with my hair for the prelude to Spring! I wanted to start off by easing myself into blonde with maintaining a dark root. I also decided on a short classic bob with no layers. My hair is sewed in with leave-out along the perimeter for a more natural look. My stylist has the natural installs down pat.

 For makeup today, I wanted something cool and understated.

I've had the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette (1st edition) for quite sometime. I totally forgot about it though.

This nice and simple palette retails for $29 and features 5 neutral cool toned eyeshadows.

This is my on-the-go palette. I take it when I'm traveling because it's compact and very versatile. You can pair these shadows with almost any other single shadow or palette. It is WOC (Women of Color) friendly as well.

Anywho, that's what my eye-look consists of!

I will list all the products below with links provided to some

FACE PREP:

No.7 Beautifully Matte Primer

FACE

FOUNDATION: Black Opal True Color Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation "Truly Topaz"

CONCEALER: MAC Studio Fix Fluid "NC 42" (this is a foundation but I used it as concealer)

UNDER EYE POWDER: Ben Nye Bella Luxury Powder "Cameo"

FACE POWDER: MAC MSFN "Medium Deep"

CONTOUR: MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation "NW50"

BRONZER: Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzing Powder "04 Deep"

HI-LIGHT: The Balm "Cindy Lou-Manizer"

BLUSH: MAC " Super Nova" Mineralized Blush (L.E Heavenly Creatures Collection)

EYES:

BASE: MAC "Tailor Grey" Paint Pot

LID: "W.O.S" UD Naked Basics Palette

CREASE: "Naked 2" UD Naked Basics Palette

OUTER V: "Faint" UD Naked Basics Palette

BROWS: Maybelline Define A Brow "Medium Brown" & MAC Girl/Boy Brow Set

LINER: NYC Liquid Liner (black)

MASCARA: MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Mascara

LIPS:

LINER: MAC "Hover" Lip Pencil

LIPSTICK: MAC "Myth" Satin Lipstick

GLOSS: Smashbox Be Legendary Lipgloss "Pout"

FINISH:

Maybelline Pro-Spray & Set Makeup Extender Setting Spray

This look is very easy to recreate, daytime wearable, and doesn't take much time. The liner is winged and that is a problem for some but everything else is pretty simple.

I always welcome input and feedback and am happy you stopped by my blog.

Until Next Post

XOXO