Celebrity Inspired: Rhianna 2011 Grammys

This is my attempt to recreate the look Rhianna wore to the 2011 Grammys.  It's not a look I would ever wear... red eye shadow and red lips?  Weird... lol  But that's why I'm not Rhianna! :-P

Main Products Used:

• MAC e/s:
  - Passionate
  - Brule
  - Soft Brown (crease and brows)
  - Carbon
• Estee Lauder e/s:
  - Honey Drop
  - Copper Penny
  - Petal
• NYX e/s:
  - Wild Flower
  - White
• L'Oreal cream liner in Black

On the cheeks I have MAC l/s in Viva Glam I.  Yes... on the cheeks.

On the lips I have NYX l/l in Auburn.  Estee Lauder l/s in Fig and MUFE l/s in #22 (to lighten up the inside of the lips) and Cherry Culture l/g Cherry.

Review: Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup

This is a super old picture of my foundation... lol  The label is worn off now!

I purchased this product online from Estee Lauder a loooonnng time ago!  I saw someone use this to conceal a spot in a YouTube video and I knew I had to have it! 


What Estee Lauder says:

"REPLACED BY
Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body SPF 15

PRODUCT DETAILS
We're excited to announce that Maximum Cover makeup has been given a new name and a fresh, updated package.

Please be assured the formula remains the same, with all the natural-looking, full-coverage, long-wearing benefits you love."

Haha!  Alright, let's look up that one!

Here's the new info:

"BENEFIT
12-hour wear

COVERAGE
Full; SPF 15

FINISH
Matte

PRODUCT DETAILS
12-hour staying power.

Soothing, natural-looking, liquid-creme makeup for concealing all skin imperfections, including surgical and acne scars, birthmarks, sun spots and varicose veins.

Helps protect with SPF 15.

Full Coverage

• Natural-looking
• Long-wearing
• Non-transferable

Suitable for post-surgery use as directed by your physician. Developed and tested in collaboration with surgeons and dermatologists.

FORMULA FACTS

• Dermatologist-tested
• Non-acnegenic"

The price of the one I have, $29.50, and the new one, $32, obviously differ.  This new one also comes in 6 shades, while the old one comes in only 4 shades.


I'll continue to review my product as I would have anyway.  And when I run out of this one, I will purchase the new one!  :)  




FINDING YOUR SHADE:


As I mentioned, this one only comes/came in 4 shades.  At first, I ordered the wrong shade for myself.  But Estee Lauder has amazing customer service.  I sent the other one back and they quickly sent me my other shade.  Of course, in the department store, you would have had better luck selecting the right shade, assuming they carried it.  

APPLICATION:


This product, new and old, come in squeeze tube packaging, which I am certainly a fan of.  You don't need to really worry about bacteria getting into the product and it's not really very messy at all.  I just squeeze some product (you need very little - more on that later) on the back of my hand and use whatever foundation brush I want.  I do prefer a brush to apply this rather than fingers due to the extreme full coverage.  Also, be careful to use JUST enough product.  This can get cakey fast.



COVERAGE:


Like I just said - it's extreme!  This could definitely give you a completely flawless, mannequin-looking face.  Of course, I don't want to look like a mannequin (not all the time anyway...lol!).  I primarily use this as a concealer.  It's great at covering redness and under eye circles.  


Big bonus - you need VERY little product to cover your face.  A little goes a very long way so be very cautious when squeezing the product out of the tube!

This amount will cover my wrist. 

STAYING POWER:

This product has incredible staying power!  It's marketed as water-proof and sweat-proof and IT IS!  If you put this all over your face and went swimming, I wouldn't be surprised if you still had flawless skin when you were done.  My Philosophy cleanser takes this off really well, but when I use a different cleanser, I can still see this makeup on after my shower. 

FINAL THOUGHTS:

- Not many shades (new or old version) is a big no-no.
- The application is great but beware of cakiness.
- The coverage is amazing.  My HG concealer.
- The staying power is also super fantastic.


I HIGHLY recommend this product.  Keep in consideration that I don't use this as my foundation, but mainly as a concealer.

Have you tried/Will you try this?

Inspiration: Naked Palette - Gold and Brown

Main Products Used:

• Urban Decay - Naked Palette:
  - Half Baked (lid and under eye)
  - Smog (lower section of top lid)
  - Darkhorse (top and bottom lash lines)
  - Virgin (brow bone)
  - Naked (to fill in brow)
• Urban Decay e/l in Whiskey

This is a nice dark brown smokey eye that "smokes" into gold (Half Baked).  Keeping with the original palettes that came with the double ended liners, I used Whiskey to tightline.  Also, to stay completely within the palette, the brows are filled with Naked. 

Inspiration: MAC Ad Look

For the MakeupTalk forum I go on, the new Dare To Be Challenge is to recreate a MAC advertisement.  There are a million to choose from, but I chose the Colour Ready Collection ad.  :)

I wish I would have done the other side of my face for this, but I was a goof and wasn't paying attention. My other eye is way more suited for this. And yes! There's a difference.  lol

Main Products Used:

• NYX e/s in White
• BFTE minerals in Envy, Blueberry, and Peacock
• MAC e/s in Scant and Carbon
• MAC e/l in Smoulder
• L'Oreal HIP cream liner in Black
• NYX Jumbo Pencil in Cottage Cheese
• Tarte Jewelry Box:
  - matte light blue
  - shimmery blue
• Ardell Demi Wispie lashes
  

On the cheeks I have just slightly contoured with MAC blush in Gingerly.  

On the lips I have:

• MAC l/s in Viva Glam I
• MUFE l/s in #36
• NYX e/s in White

Celebrity Inspired: Jennifer Lopez

Here's my Jennifer Lopez look that I've had up on my "Upcoming Posts" list forever! :)  This is similar to a look she wore on American Idol the other night (actually, not the other night... more like one of the first episodes).  I couldn't find a picture to reference online so I just did my own thing how I remembered it.  It's basically a gold eye with a pink lip.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a GREAT picture of this.  It was way better in person.  My camera has a very difficult time picking up the true majesty (lol) of the BFTE 24kt Gold pigment.  Woe is me!


Main Products Used:

• MAC paintpot in Rubenesque
• MAC e/s in Soft Brown (crease and brows)
• MAC e/s in:
  - Brule
  - Woodwinked (over liner)
  - Dazzlelight
• BFTE minerals in 24kt Gold
• Urban Decay e/s in Whiskey
• Ardell lashes in Demi Wispies

On the cheeks I used Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sunlight 021 and Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights in Revolution.

On the lips I used YSL l/s No. 7 Lingerie Pink and CoverGirl l/g in Shimmershell.

^^ I'm proud the J.Lo. glow I've got on my cheek there!  :-P

Review: Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation

According to Maybelline:

"100% VELVET-MATTE PERFECTION
AIR-SOFT FEEL
Ideal for Normal to Oily Skin

"Why You'll Love It

• Revolutionary air-soft mousse provides perfecting coverage for 100% velvet-matte perfection
• Ideal for normal to oily skin
• Fragrance-free, dermatologist-tested, allergy-tested, non-comedogenic – won’t clog pores, safe for sensitive skin

For Best Results
Apply smoothly and evenly to your face and blend with your fingertips.

Awards
#1 foundation in the world"

This foundation is available in 16 shades.


FINDING YOUR SHADE:

So first off, picking out your shade is not easy.

Why?
- The container is short.
- The lid is NOT accurate to the color in the bottle.
- You can't see in the side of the container very well.
- The glass on the bottom is SUPER thick and there's a huge label on the bottom.

So, that's why I have two.  :-P


APPLICATION:

The application is not very flexible.  From the container, you can basically ONLY use your fingers.  I tried my Sigma F60 foundation brush, and the product just gets super crumbly - as you can probably see in the right hand container pictured above.

Applying the foundation with my fingers isn't a huge deal for me, but it may be for you.  I'm not sure what your preference is, so that's why I mention it!  :)

I use the darker foundation (the right hand side) for my looks on my blog.  You can't tell in pictures that the color is off for me.  For reference, that dark color is Nude - Light 4.  The left hand color, the one I wear during the day, is Classica Ivory - Light 2.

COVERAGE:

I absolutely love the coverage of this foundation.  When I started using the darker foundation for blog tutorials, I knew I had to get this to wear in my regular daily life because the look was so nice.

Like I've mentioned 100 times in my blog, I have a really bad complexion.  Coverage is definitely very important to me.  This foundation, because it's a mousse, feels very light when applied.  You really do get a velvet-matte texture to your skin.

For me personally, if I don't set this with powder RIGHT AWAY, it creases quickly.  But once it has a powder over top, it's great.  :)

I would DEFINITELY NOT recommend this for a person with dry skin.   When I have a little dry spot on my skin, this foundation really accentuates it. 


STAYING POWER:

I don't find this to be particularly long lasting, but I don't find that with most foundations.  The staying power is average for me.  My skin has a tendency to get really oily during the day so I don't blame the product for this. 


FINAL THOUGHTS:

- It's hard to find your shade
- The application is finicky
- The coverage is amazing
- The staying power is average

I guess I'll give this a 4/5.  I'd do a 3.5/5, but the coverage is enough to bump it up.  :-P

Let me know what you think!

DIY: Waxing/Filling Eyebrows

Let's start with a before and after.  I don't want a crazy messy eyebrow to be the first thing someone sees when they come to my blog!  lol

Due to all the pictures in this post, please click the link below to read more!

***Disclaimer: Wax your own eyebrows at your own risk.  Getting the wax too hot can result in horrible burns above your eyes.  Always be cautious when applying the wax to your face.  It can burn and blister you if it's too hot.  Just be super careful!  This is just the way I do it for myself and other people.  I am not responsible if you have some sort of mishap while attempting this.  I just need to cover my bases!  :)

Celebrity Inspired: Katy Perry Grammys

This is a Katy Perry inspired look from the 2011 Grammys.  It's kind of odd, but it's cute.  It's a light purple with glitter on the lid and a glittery green under eye.  I think it looks better on her, with the blue eyes and all, but here is my recreation anyway!  :)

Main Products Used:

• Tarte Jewelry Box e/s:
  - Matte Light Pink
  - Matte Light Purple
  - Matte Yellow
  - Matte Dark Purple
  - Shimmery Purple
• MAC e/s in Juxt
• BFTE minerals in Envy (under eye and lower waterline)
• Estee Lauder quad in Tulip (used the dark matte purple)
• Estee Lauder duo in Sage (used the green to line the lower lash line)
• MAC Kohl e/l in Smoulder (upper waterline)
• L'Oreal HIP cream liner in Black (top lash line)
• Ardell lashes in 120 Demi Wispies

On the cheeks I used Smashbox Blush/Soft Lights duo in Super/Model.

On the lips I used Rimmel l/l in Eastend Snob with MAC l/s in Brave.  Over that I have OCC lip tar in Memento and finally, CoverGirl l/g in Shimmershell.

So many products!  Can you tell I was trying to get the color right?  Her lid is lighter than mine turned out, but whatever! :)

Here's the palette with the colors I used pointed out.

lol :)

I look snobby in this picture!  lol

I like the shimmer on the lips, but note that hers don't look like they have any shimmer (I was just trying to lighten the look of mine).

NOTD: Nail Marbling w/ Black, Dark Pink and Light Pink

This is my 2nd attempt at a nail marbling mani.  :)  I'm proud!  My first one was an epic failure and you won't be seeing it here!  :-P


OPI - Indi-a Mood for Love (dark pink)
OPI - Pink-ing of You (light pink)
China Glaze - Liquid Leather (black)

Hope you enjoyed!

Celebrity Inspired: Nicki Minaj 2011 Grammys

This is a Nicki Minaj 2011 Grammy inspired look.  I couldn't find a decent picture of the makeup up close because everyone was so focused on her outfit (all that leopard print).  But anyway, I did the best I could.  I put Print on the lid (close to the lash line) but that was just a guess as to what was actually going on.  Her eyelashes were too big to see!  So I had huge lashes too!  :-P

Main Products Used:

• MAC e/s:
  - Soft Brown
  - Dazzlelight
  - Print
• NYX e/s:
  - White
  - Highlight
• BFTE minerals in Peacock
• Smashbox e/l in Onyx
• MAC Kohl liner e/l in Smoulder
• Ardell lashes in Tyra
• Estee Lauder brow powder in Brunette

 On the cheeks I have Smashbox Blush/Soft Lights duo in Super/Model.

On my lips I have Laura Geller Lip Spackle and MAC l/s in Saint Germain. 

FOTD: February 13. 2011

Here's just a random FOTD!  :)  Now that it's March, I better post this up!  :-P

Main Products Used:

•  Urban Decay Naked Palette e/s:
  - Virgin
  - Half Baked
  - Buck
• Urban Decay e/l in Zero
• MAC e/s Soft Brown (brows)

On the cheeks I used Rimmel Natural Bronzer in 021 Sunlight and Smashbox Blush/Soft Lights duo in Super/Model.

On the lips I used YSL l/s in No.7 Lingerie Pink.

Don't mind the wet shower hair!  :)

Vivacious Vixen Giveaway!

Hey Everyone -- happy Friday! 

I'd like to let you all know that Vixie, Vivacious Vixen V, is having a giveaway!  The rules are super simple and easy. 

You could win a variety of Urban Decay liners, hand lotions and other fun stuff!  You have nothing to lose by entering, so go ahead!

The contest is open to U.S. residents only and will close on March 11th.