Summer Makeup Guide: Trends

 

Summer is coming up and I don't know about you but my skin does a  one 80 from the dry winter season and I get OILY.  Spring to me does a snowball effect of time after Easter, where I get a few week of perfectly balanced skin.  Yet in southern California summer weather comes early and the hot sun and dry air freak out my face once again.  The problems i experience start from breaking out to keeping that makeup from melting that is covering those breakouts.  So join in my journey as I try different tips and advise from the experts to see what will work for me and at the same time help you get through the summer.

Summer Makeup Trends:

Many of the same Spring trends will carry onto the summer, keeping the bright colors and flawless dewy skin.  yes the orange lips will still be around for the summer season.

Though I don't plan on getting it myself. Only due to I'm not there yet in venturing out my comfort zone of color. If you do want to go bright and bold for the summer,  I suggest getting the Electric Palette from Urban Decay.  You can play up or down these colors for any summer outing. 

 

 

Great tutorials are plastered all over YouTube from my favorite Gurus like Promise Phan and Michelle Phan are some of my easiest looks that I myself try to recreate from other bright color that I already have.

Michelle Phan Color Explosion Party Makeup Tutorial

 

Promise Phan Katy Perry Urban Decay Electric Tutorial

 

Hair Trends:

  It's freakin hot now,  why in the world would you want your hair to drape in front of your face?  Your hair will just put more gunk and oil on your face making it twice as hard to sweat and melt proof. 

 

BRAIDS!!!?!  Can you do them?  Most can't.  But braids seem to be the rage now.  My guess is due to the Disney movie FROZEN those girls are sporting nothing but braids.

 

Pic from ImogeFoxyLocks and Walt Disney Studio Motion Picture 

Walt Disney Studio Motion Picture

 

This is very subtle compared to others I think I need to pick up more NYX milk jumbo pencil and or a white primer to help pick up the summer colors.

 

 

Skinn Cosmetics - Old Hollywood Look

So Sorry my Blogreaties,  I have totally neglected posting  this month.  Honestly I haven't really had a chance to even put on a full face because i have been so busy at work.  Lately I have been playing with a brand that I am not familiar with, Skinn Cosmetics.  I bought two sets from the brand on Hautelook.com and finally received it in the mail. ( Darn Hautelook “hella-long” standard processing and shipping)

Skinn Cosmetics is the beauty brand from creator Dimitri James. Dimitri James is a professional make-up artist whose work has graced the runway and the red carpet as well as national and international television shows and magazines.  He is also the author of Becoming Beauty and Naughty Makeovers for Nice Girls. 

Skinn Cosmetics is a brand that claims to have high quality ingredients in their products.  Skinn sells both skin care and makeup.  Looking at this website it is more skin care based rather than makeup. Skinn Website.Yet just looking at the ingredients I automatically see that the eye shadows do not contain TALC.  That is a good sign.  Talc is commonly used in cosmetics as a filler or color additive.  Though it is said that it clogs pores, it does explain a good difference between prices of makeup. 
 

DEFINITION – Talc: very soft mineral that is a basic silicate of magnesium, has a soapy feel, and is used especially in making talcum powder

When I first opened the packaging I honestly freaked out.  I spent a decent amount of money on a brand that I didn’t know to realize that the packaging reminded me of something that I would pick up from a 99 cent store.  Wah Wah!  Cheap plastic case even some of the shadows popped out if the case.  Thank goodness it didn't break but cheap glue was used to secure the products.  See the picture below,  can you tell which packing is which?  Left is Skinn, right is a very cheap makeup brand.  The palette on the right retails for 10-15 dollars.  The left I will feature on my Palette Series at a later time.  Skinn does claim on their website that it focuses on the quality of the actual products not the packaging.  But really packing is apart of the product, thats my opinion.  All products are said to be ani-aging, anti oxidant

 

Skinn Cosmetics Three-Piece "BB Your Best" Color Collection

 This Set included:
Absolute Perfection BB Cream - 1.3oz
Luxe Premier Eyshadows - Seduction - 0.4oz
Hollywood Lip Palette - 0.3oz

Absolute Perfection BB Cream -  there was no color labeled on the bottle.  But it was a perfect light medium color for my face.  Did it cover OMG yes.  This was practically a foundation it covered well.  It didn’t  cake onto my face and looks like healthy skin.  This was great. This is not a matte finish and I did use a setting powder on my look.

Luxe Premier Eyeshadows - Seduction: Has 12 eye shadow shades, of all finishes.  The colors honestly are all similar to each other and are neutral browns and creams.  very pigmented not chalky.  but I can do without it the colors didn't offer enough variety to make tons of looks for later.

Hollywood Lip Palette:  All red colors.  Cool and warm reds thats it.  you can mix them together but you will just create another red color.   All have a staining effect and did'nt dry my lips but it's still nothing to go out and get specifically. 

Usually this set can run you up to 80 bucks.  But I got it from Hautelook at a ridiculous discount.  Also the type of BB Cream it came with is the older version.  The newer version has more color selection and a change in formula.  I hope they didn’t change it too much because I love this stuff. The BB is the only thing that impressed me for my first review of Skinn.  The BB gave great coverage and it held up to all the benfits that the calims stated.  But other than that,  I wouldn't go for this set.  It's a great gift for a makeup wearer but honestly it not a gift that a person will remember.  Wah! Wah! For my look, I took the inspiration from the name of the Lip palette "Hollywood" and created an old hollywood look with a cat eye, red lips and a Veronic Lake-like hairstyle to top it off.

 

Rimmel Stay Matte

Oily?!  Yeah Me Too!  I am still trying to get the right combination of products to combact my oily t-zone.  Enter Rimmel's New Stay Matte Collection.

 

Missing in my collection is the Rimmel Stay Matte powder.  I figured that I have enough powder that I can skip this.  I picked up the foundation from CVS and the display had a dollar off coupon, so I got the foundation for less than five bucks!  Woohoo!  As for the primer, (Like I really need more!)  I picked up from Walgreens and that retailed for $6.99.  The claim is that the products are lightweight and will control shine.  I hope that it will last and cover,  believe me I am skeptical.

 

DEFINITION - Matte: A color, paint or surface that is flat and void of shine.

 

As usual I started off with a clean face and moisturized.  The moisturizer I used is another product that I am trying out that claims to also minimize shine that I will have a post on at a later time.  Hey anything to help.  The primer is lighter and smoother than their Fix and Perfect Pro Primer which I do like but the Pro feels a bit greasy but not the matte,  I was impressed.  The foundation I picked up before the primer,  thinking all the matte foundations are the same.  Yet i started thinking about it.  The drugstore doesn't offer much in matte foundations.  I have the maybelline dream matte mousse but I couldn't think of any others.  Comment below if you can think of more drugstore. 

 

Anywho,  when I first used the foundation, my first initial impression was that I didn't like it.  I applied the products with my fingers and blended it out with my beauty blender.  I think the foundation was so light that the beauty blender stippled the color right off.  Now with the addition of the primer my results have changed.  I applied the primer, concentrating the product on my t-zone and waited a few minutes to help dry and set.

 

 

The top left picture is me with primer the top right is with the foundation.  I applied the foundation with once again fingers THIS time I spread it with a flat top brush and that did the trick.  I think this was because i didn't add any water with a sponge and/or the foundation clings well to the primer.  The results were much better,  with better coverage.  I did apply concealer to my undereyes and blemishes.  I did mix a little bit of the foundation with the concealer to helpwith the color.  I set the makeup with a transluscent powder (lower left picture)  and I finished it with bronzer and blush.

 

For the next few hours I took pics throughout the day to check the progress of the makeup.  Additional notes need to be mentioned. This was done on Sunday which I did go out to a few places but did not eat or blew my nose. I didn't blot before during OR after this makeup.  I am notorious to touch my face for some reason (Yes I know bad for the face and makeup).  Finally I swear I did not touch up the pictures and I did not to touch up my face with products. 

 

The pictures with me holding up the cell phone is me logging in the time that has past.

 

11:38am was the first picture with fresh makeup and heading off to start my day.  All products set and blurred out my pores and imperfections.

1:00pm  I was in my friends car on a cool but sunny day.  i did feel a little bit of my makeup trying to melt.

2:04pm.  took this Outside did not notice a shiny t-zone but makeup did not look as fresh and perfect from before.  Eye makeup a bit blurred pores coming through makeup but no oil slick.

4:10pm.  Took the last picture before I got into the Superbowl game, that day.  I did notice my makeup wearing off but it settle into a natural finish that was not oily but a dewy finish. 

 

Total of 4 hours and 32 minutes past since the initial application.  Honestly that is not bad for no touch ups, or blotting and no additional products like a mattiffying spray.  I do reccommend this product if you are like me and have oily combination skin. I think I got better results with the corresponding primer.   The mattifying effect is not long lasting but it never claimed to be. I am still unsure whether having this particular primer helped mattify more or any mattifying primer will do.  The color selection sucks.  Yet Rimmel usually doesn't offer anything darker than a dark medium.  My true test is a full day of work.  But application alone can take a few more minutes/hours to add to the routine that I know I don't always have the time for. 

 

 So I reccommend not only the foundation but  to use the primer with it.  With proper application and with additional products in your arsenal like blotting sheets, touch up compact and matiffying setting spray you can get minimal shine on you face.  The new Rimmel Stay Matte line is a great addition to the brand and I hope that it stays to be a part of it's regular products. I will happily add these to my regular daily face "go to" products for its crazy affordability and availability.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perfect Palette Tag

Merry Christmas my Blogreaties!  Sorry Vacation makes me turn off my brain.  I can write on the goodwill towards man and all that jazz but lets face it,  if you are reading this then you are like me and you need a good distraction from the festivities.

I am obsessed with makeup palettes. I tend not to gravitate towards the single eye shadows.  Even if I did I would still de-pot them and put it in a Z-Palette.  I think I like the palette only because it cuts out the indecisiveness of makeup for me.  On the average I don’t have the luxury of opening two to three palettes to pr for my look.  Most palettes have all the appropriate colors and textures to create a look for me.  The perfect palette tag is the lastest tag that is going around the YouTube and the beauty community.  I am surprised on others choices, each is very unique. 

DEFINITION – Tag: Identifying names , words or subjects that is used as an easy identifier to make a video or blog post on or to search for on the internet.  Widely used on YouTube.

Well here are mine - comment on your thoughts

Best Packaging - Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
This is the newest palette in my collection - The tin container is sturdy with a magnetic closure that is of course so reminiscent to a classic chocolate bar. Best palette for weight watchers. This is why the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette is my best packaging. Read my review in my previous posts.

Most Versatile - Sephora Sculpting Disk

My most versatile Palette is not considered a Palette by the majority. Even Sephora counts it as a disk. Yet if I am in a pinch this is what I depend. What I mean by pinch is being an hour late for an event and all I have is this to put on my make up. The sculpting disk consists of a pearl white (highlight) , a warm toned brown(bronzer/ contour) and a fairly warm pink (blush).The trio of colors doubles as a highlight, contour and warmth of color for both the eyes and face. The white color is slightly pearlescent that is not too much for the face so I don't look shiny yet its perfect for my eyes to highlight the brow bone and my inner eyelid.

Best Color Payoff  - Lorac Pro Palette

 

This was a hard palette to comeby.  I did not know that Lorac was only available in the JCPenny Sephoras.  The clerk was so rude stating that is was not available and I just strolled into a Ulta and picked up the last one SCORE!  I love this palette because it offers the same number of matte shadows to shimmer shadows.  

Best for Traveling - Lorac Pro To Go Palette

 

 

This is exactly the same as the Lorac Pro Palette,  yet this provides the complete face.  One bronzer, two blush ( one matte, one shimmer) Six eyeshadows,  two of which can double as not only a base eyeshadow but can double as face highlightes ( matte and shimmer).  Though the packaging is a bit bulky for travel it does offer everything that I need for travel. I can slip this in a small makeup bag with a travel size mascara and lipstick.

Biggest Regret - Em Cosmetics Life Palette

Ouch, so this one hurts.  If my husband finds out how much I actually spent on this palette he will freak out.  Don't worry my hubby won't hurt me, but my pocketbook sure felt it. At a whopping 79 dollar price tag this palette wins my biggest regret.  The shadows are drugstore quality at a major high end paris pricetag.  I have not heard anything good about this palette since my purchase. I rarely use it because of it's size and it is hard to individually take out each color to transfer to the travel size palette provided. Buyers Beware!

Best Color Names - TheBalm Balm Jovi Palette

 

TheBalm is one of my most favorite brands.  This balm jovi palette is perfect for both the music and makeup lover. Check out the packaging, cute huh?  Now the names.  The names are based on music bands, Alice Copper, REM, the Strokes.  I can see the correlation.  It's cute!

Least Used - Tarte Carried Away Collector set (the palette)

Most Used - Lorac Femme Fatal Palette

 

 

I purchased this palette from Hautelook (hautelook.com).  I always think it's weird that Lorac releases these small palette that are not readily available at stores.  But I love this small petite palette.  It has all the colors that i love using.  The provided brush is the perfect ratio of soft and stiff.  I don't have to switch out the brushes to create looks.  I see I am hitting pan.  Bummer because I can't find this anywhere.

Most Loved - TheBalm Nude-tude Palette

This is my most loved palette I think its for sentimental reasons. This was the first high end palette from one of my most favorite brand. The design is thin and sleek for travel and provides a large enough mirror to do your entire face. This is the one palette that I know of that offers both a naughty and nice version. Also, yes if you are wondering I do have both versions. The color payout is exceptional and in my personal opinion beats out the rest of the nude palettes.

Desert Island - Sephora smokey eye Collection

 

This was a redundant catagory so i picked this one.  This palette offers so many color combinations with many finishes.  It has a big huge mirror and opens up to offer pop outs that can be popped into the provided travel friendly palette. So I gues if I had to scavage for supplies i can take the palette and look goo while doing it.

 

 

Conclusion:

 

Lorac wins in this tag with 3 palettes and thebalm placing second with two palettes.  I am sure these choices will change next year.  Especially with the new additions to my collection like the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette and everything that could possibly come in 2014.  So blogreaties I hope you had a great Christmas.  I didn't get anything to write on a great Christmas haul, but I did take advantage of some great sales for the after christmas sales online so I will post on those when they arrive.

ItsJudyTime Palette

It came!  It came!  It finally came!   I am talking about BH Cosmetics “Its Judy Time” Palette.  I felt like a stalker and kept checking the website when the palette was going to be available.  If you have no idea what I am talking about, keep reading.

tsJudyTime is a beauty channel on YouTube, created and starring Judy Travis. http://youtube.com/itsjudytime She is another one of my Beauty Gurus that I like to zone out to daily.   She also has a vlog channel called “ItsJudysLife” that she shares her daily life with her husband Benji and 1 yr. old Baby Julianna.   There’s more!  She is currently pregnant with twins and with that she started another channel called “ItsMommysLife”  I don’t watch the mommy one because I am nowhere close to being a mommy, but the other channels I watch daily, even my husband listens in.

DEFINITION - Vlog: a blog in which the postings are primarily in video form.

 

So with all that she has,  she still finds the time to join BH Cosmetics and create this palette. BH Cosmetics partnered with not only “ItsJudyTime” but also “ThatsHeart” and had them create their signature looks with customized palettes.

The majority of the colors are warm browns which is my favorite, yet offers 3 cool colors of purples and blues that is also it's only pop of color.


provided by itsjudytime.blogspot.com

The look I posted was the very first time playing with the palette.  I am still learning how to put on enough makeup to stand out on camera so it doesn't look so natural looking.  Still working on it.  The shadows are very opaque with not much fall out. 

I do have a few criticisms on the palette though.  I wish it offered two light colors one matte and one shimmer for the brow bone. Though I like the gold and copper they are a little bit too similar when I try to blend them together.  I can already tell what colors I am going to use the most so I am really trying to learn to create looks of shades that I don’t normally gravitate to.

 

Other than that I highly recommend this palette especially to those who are still learning.  ItsJudyTime has been posting looks using her palette that is not only very helpful but inspiring to create your own.  The palette is currently going for 14.95 which is a 5% discount.  It limits you to one per customer and is going quickly.  Check it out (http://www.bhcosmetics.com/judy )



Feelin’ Sick and I look it too.

Yay the cold and flu season!  I work in an office so I am bound to get what is going around eventually.  But I won’t call sick.  I am currently counting 7 more working days until I am off for Christmas. I think I can pull through that.

  But I feel horrible and worse I LOOK horrible to.  My skin is dry but happily not flaky.  I currently have no breakouts and I can feel my eyes drooping.  I don’t have the strength or motivation to put on full face.  Thank goodness I have a few products at my desk to make me look more alive.

I learned long ago that I needed at least a few makeup products at my desk for emergency.  I don’t know how many times I had an important meeting and my makeup from that morning needed a major touchup, or when I had a date with a super-hot guy (When I was Single) and the only time available was right after work and that happen to be the day when I wanted to go plain.

Through my journey of the makeup world I have acquired a few products at my desk.  This is the time when I needed it.

 

 

Here is what I used.

Revlon Photoready BB Cream (020 Light Medium) – Honestly I don’t like this stuff.  This lacks in all the areas it claims to improve.  This BB cream doesn’t  have much coverage and doesn’t moisturize enough to make a difference.  I kept this  because I do like the size and the container,  it is perfect for travel and on the go.  So I threw it in my desk drawer.

ELF lifting Concealer ( Light)  This stuff is not bad at all.  This is thicker than the BB Cream and does its job to cover dark circles and brighten the eyes.

Clinique Stay Matte Sheer pressed powder (03 Stay beige) - This is the only product that I took from my purse.  I used this to set my face.  I also used this to blend, give my face more coverage and even the color.

ELF Contouring Blush/ Bronzing powder – My cheap God send.  This is perfect for my situation.  The compact is slim and sleek with a huge mirror that I used to put apply all of my makeup.  I used the blush for flushed cheeks.  I used the perfect matte bronzer to add warmth and to contour.

Sephora Double Ended Eyeliner Waterproof (Black/Brown) -  This is a must and my “got to always have” if I only needed one product.  This tripled as my eyeliner, brow filler and mascara.  Lined the top with black and lined the bottom out corners  with brown to make my eyes bigger.  I tightlined my upper lid to make it look like I have thicker lashes.  And used the brown to fill my brows.

DEFINITION - Tightline: Tightlining your eyes is a great way to add a subtle definition to your eyes. Instead of lining the skin above your lashes, you line between the lash line.

Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue Lip Balm (Berry Soft) -  I love balms that give a slight healthy color to the lips.  Moisturizing is okay.  I have better stuff to actually hydrate, but in a pinch it’s perfect.
 

  

So the final look is not glamorous, it’s not even pretty but I don’t look pathetic anymore.  I have a few more products that I keep in my desk to make different looks.

Eye Shadow palettes:  Jessie's Girl Eye Color Collection ( @ RiteAid)  Though it has alot of fall out this has the perfect amount of color I like to create look with the next palette.  Sephora Event Entry Palette ( Still available @ Sephora 11 bucks)  perfect matte and shimmer neutrals to create anything.  Sephora's Stuff can really match the big boys in quality.  I am impressed. :)

Mascara and Brushes:  Benefit "They're Real" mascara ( travel size)  I love this stuff haven't picked up the Full size yet only because I have so many travel ones.  The brushes are the cheapys ELF and drugstore but they work if you are creative.

 

What is Your Skin Type?

 

 

What am I? I dunno. Figuring out my skin type and finding the right blend of products for that type feels like finding the perfect man. Yes, I know it doesn't exist.  But like finding the perfect man I don’t want to be picky. Yet I would like to settle down eventually and buckling down to figure out the pros & cons of my options.  So what am I talking about now a man or skin type?  I am already married so I am talking about skin types, darn it!

I am so confused and not to mention when I thought I had it handled the smallest little thing happens and my skin freaks out again. Ahhhhh! So I would like to think I am the average consumer.  I get occasional breakouts, I have slight scarring from previous breakouts, dry patches and an oily t-zone.  But I wish it was that simple.  This post is not even going to mention the sub-catagories. Acne-

DEFINITION – T-zone:  The T-zone of the face consists of the forehead, nose and chin.  It makes the shape of an upper case “T”.  So when someone states “I tend to get oily around my t-zone,” that what they are talking about.

With my issues I assume I am a combination of oily and dry.  But how do I know if I am oily combination OR dry combination?  That is where the confusing part comes in.  Currently it is winter and I am as dry as the desert you see in my pic.  I am currently using Clinique Moisture Surge Intense moisturizer.  That works well, sometimes it works too well that my t-zone turns into an oil slick.  So I only use it on the parts that are very dry. My current conclusions,  for the winter season I am dry to normal.  I will post a products I am using for winter for later.  With the summer season, I am as oily as a French fry. My moisturizing is minimal and I load up on oil blotters.  When summer rolls around I will post again.

The various combinations freak my skin out.  Cleansers, toners, serums and moisturizers with that list readers might assume that is the reason my skin is freaking out!  Oh contraire, my “blogreadies” (blog readers who are beauties).  It is so much more.  I assume it’s a combination of products, tools, techniques and sometimes (dare I say) neglect, that my skin freaks out.

  So readers, it doesn’t help because I feel your pain. I hate it when I hear every individual is different, but I would just like to end this post with words of encouragement that it all about you and what you want to put into it.  If you are fine and know your skin, lucky you!  I recommend please share with friends so they can be as lucky as you.  For those who are like me, let me just state that clearly you are not alone,  together we will find the perfect blend and will combat against anything that life throws at our skin.   

If you would like to know your skin type try this quiz that I found helpful on FitnessMagazine.com

Click the link http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/fitness/quiz.jsp?catref=ftn40&quizId=/templatedata/fitness/quiz/data/1128719086715.xml

Coastal Scents Haul! Coming Soon!

I had to take advantage of the 50% off entire site on Coastal Scents.  If you are not familiar with Coastal Scents, it sells quality makeup items for affordable prices.  Many say it’s like BH Cosmetics but I don’t think so.  I actually think Coastal Scents offers a lot more.  This is why I had to take advantage of the sale.  Quality matches some drugstore and high-end brands, depending on what you are buying.  I personally picked up many shadow pots to put in my z-palettes. Also I ordered  their new brightening concealer that I hope to try out.  I will post my Coastal Scents haul as soon as it comes.  I am blogging my finding on how quick Coastal Scents ships. 

http://www.coastalscents.com/

Make Note:  Placed order on the Coastal Scents website on Wednesday November 27^th.  The site did not make note on any special timelines for the black Friday or holiday orders. So I am expecting that it will arrive on time.  I am crossing my fingers.

DEFINITION - Shadow Pots:  Color pigments pressed into a small metal pan.  Pots can be placed into palettes to create creative combinations of looks.