Berry Eyes: An Easy Makeup Look

I have been very into the look of deep, cranberry eyes recently, and was inspired by a NYX baked eyeshadow I picked up in the shade Mademoiselle to create a full eye look.  I used a few shades from my Naked 3 Palette, which has pink toned shadows to compliment the main shadow in the look.

What I used:

Step One: Prime Eyes. I primed my eyes with Elf Shadow lock eye shadow primer. I set the primer with Wet N’ Wild Eye Shadow in Brulee. When I do this, my shadow lasts all day long.

Step 2: I applied nooner from the Naked3 into my crease with a blending brush.

Step 3: Apply NYX Mademoiselle all over my lid ending just before the crease. Since this is a baked shadow, I applied it with a damp brush. Make sure to pack the color on in several layers for the best payoff.

Step 4: Allow the shadow several moments to dry. Mix Nooner and Limit from Naked 3 to blend out harsh lines from the NYX shadow. Take Nooner and Limit and smudge on the lower lashline.

Step 5: Pack Blackheart onto the outer 4th of eye, then blend so it looks more natural. Repeat this step several times to get the desired amount of pigmentation from the shadow.

Step 6: Create a thin to medium line using a black eye liner. I used Maybelline Master Precise Eye Liner. I also added a black eyeliner to the lower waterline to make my eyes pop. I then added several layers of mascara, and the look was complete!

Wet N’ Wild Comfort Zone Palette Review

I finally caved and bought the Wet N’ Wild Comfort Zone Palette. It wasn’t really hard seeing has it only cost $5. I had heard its praises sung on the internet for ages now, and I finally decided that it was time I add it to my own collection. I am glad that I did. It is a beautiful palette of silky, pigmented eye-shadows, and it has some truly unique shades. Here is a breakdown of the palette:

Color Selection– This palette has some really pretty neutral colors in it, that are completely wearable for everyday. The entire first row and the first shadow in the second column are all beautiful neutrals that give higher end palette neutrals a run for their money. The last three shadows are more green based. There is a light, pea green and a dark brown forest green. The last shade in the palette is a complete stand out for me. It is a brown shade with blue and green flecks in it. When it is swatched it is so beautiful and has a duo-chrome like finish. It reminds me a lot of Mac’s Blue Brown Pigment. So cool.

Finishes– Every shade in this palette is metallic, meaning they all have shimmer in them. The dark shades tend to have larger glitter particles in them than the lighter shades. I would have liked if the palette had one matte shade, but I find that they still work well for crease and transition colors. Because they are shimmery, every color in the palette would make a pretty all-over lid color.

Pigmentation– Like most Wet N’ Wild eye shadows I have tried, this has great pigmentation. Lightly touching your brush to each shade is enough to cover most of your lids, and you can pack more on depending on the amount of coverage you are looking for.

Fallout- This palette has some light fallout on several of the shades, but this is to be expected with even high end eye shadows. It is nothing that is not manageable, and can be swept away easily with a clean brush.

So far, I am really happy with this palette. It is a great value at only $5, and you get a lot of product for your money. I like that this palette has some safe neutral colors for every day, but some fun green shades for when you feel like experimenting. I can see myself using this palette a lot, as it is a good product that I would definitely recommend to my readers.

A look I came up with while playing around today

If you have this palette, what do you think about it? Tell me in the comments!

July Beauty Favorites

So, July is gone, and I am already mentally preparing myself for back to college at the end of August. Here are all of the makeup items that I loved last month.

1.) NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Cannes– I have finally tried this product and I realize why everyone loves it so much. The formula is really comfortable as far as a matte liquid lipstick goes, and Cannes is the ultimate your-lips-but-better shade. I have already picked this up in another color, Istanbul, and I plan to get more.

2.) Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation– I have found it. I have found the foundation I have been looking for. Earlier in the month I decided that I wanted something with sheer coverage. I was thinking about buying Nars Sheer Glow, but then a friend told me that this was a dupe for it.. Now I can’t speak to that, since I have never tried SG, but I don’t plan on bothering with it since this is amazing and WAY cheaper. It has a really natural finish and the perfect amount of coverage. It is my new favorite, and I don’t think I will be buying any new foundations in the near future since I am so happy with this.

3.) MAC Blush in Blush All Day– I know, this is the dumbest name for a blush, but it is my go to shade for days when I am wearing natural makeup. It is a light, peachy blush with a slight shimmer to it. It pairs really well with bronzer as it shares some of the same deeper tan tones, so it is the perfect summer blush.

4.) Tarte Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess–  This was one of the rare instances where I got something I had really been wanting in my Ipsy bag.  In this month’s bag I received a deluxe sample of this popular Tarte Bronzer, and this is actually the first Tarte product I have ever owned. I like this bronzer because it is ideal for people like me who are very fair, as it just adds a light wash of color. The staying power is also fantastic.

5.) Lorac Pro Palette– I saved the best for last. I have been wanting this palette for MONTHS and I finally decided it was time to get it. I am so glad I did. I knew before I bought it that I would love this palette. It is seriously the ultimate neutral eye shadow palette EVER. It has all the neutral shades you could ask for. I love that there is a matte row and a row of shimmery shadows. The colors are SO pigmented and SO blendeable. If you have not tried Lorac eye shadows, you need to. They just have the softest, most blendeable formulas ever. This was such a great purchase, as it just has every neutral staple you need to build your collection. And just look at those colors!

What have you been loving this month?

Elf Brushes Everyone Should Own

Hi everybody! I’m back today with a post about makeup brushes. It is incredible important for any makeup lover to have a set of good brushes in their collection. However, quality makeup brushes tend to be pricey, and not everyone can afford to buy all of the brushes they need. That is why I love Elf brushes. They are incredible quality for an extremely low price, and I rely on them every day to create any makeup look that I am wearing. Here are the best Elf brushes that make it easy to build up your brush collection without breaking the bank.

Elf Complexion Brush, $3

This is my favorite of all of my Elf brushes. It is a fluffy brush that is slightly flat on each side. It is perfect for applying bronzers and blush. I love how expensive and luxurious it feels.

Powder Brush, $3

This is a unique brush, and I don’t own anything else like it. It is a densely packed brush with the bristles cut flat at the top. It is perfect because it hold a lot of powder, but then releases it when you dab it onto your face. It is the only brush I use for applying powder foundations, loose powders, and finishing powders.

Small Stipple Brush, $3

This brush is great for blending concealer, cream contour, and also for applying cream blushes.

Blush Brush $3

I don’t use this brush for blush, as is it’s purpose, because I find it is too small for that. However, the tapered, small top is perfect for setting under eye concealer, and applying highlighter to the cheekbones.

Ultimate Blending Brush, $6

This really is exactly what the name states. This has become my go to brush for applying foundation, taking the place of my beloved beauty blender. It is a really quality brush, with densely packed brushes, slightly domed. It applies foundation completely flawlessly and gives my such nice coverage.

Professional Eyeshadow Brush, $1

This is a really basic eyeshadow brush, but it gets the job done. It is a flat shader brush that packs on a lot of color. ANd it cant be beat at $1!

Small Angled Brush, $3

Don’t feel the need to spend a lot of money on something as basic as an angled brush. This is my go to brush for filling in my eyebrows, and I use it with my Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade, and it works great.

Thank you for reading! What are some of your favorite makeup brushes?

Eye Shadow Palette Wishlist

Eye shadow palettes are my weakness, and there are so many that I have my eye on at the moment. I recently purchased the Lorac Unzipped Gold Palette, and that just reignited my obsession. Here are the palettes that are on my wishlist and that I hope to buy soon:

1.) Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette

I think it would be hard to find a beauty fan who doesn’t have this palette at the top of their list. It’s always a big deal when Urban Decay comes out with a new Naked Palette, and as a fan of the last three, I can’t wait to get my hands on this one!

2.) Smashbox Double Exposure Palette

I never really thought much about this palette until I swatched it a couple of weeks ago at Ulta. I love how the palette is divided into a warm section and a cool section. I don’t really own anything like this, and I can picture myself getting a lot of use out of it.

3.) Stila Eyes Are the Window Palette

I’ve been loving Matte eyeshadows lately, and I just think this one has the most beautiful colors. I especially love the orange shade at the bottom, and all of the gorgeous matte shades. I don’t own anything from Stila and would love to have some of their eye shadows in my collection. Also, the packaging is so cute!

4.) Lorac Pro Palette

Since I am a recent convert to Lorac eye shadows, I am dying to try the palette that everyone loves and raves about. I love how it has one row of mattes and another row of shimmers, and the color selection is so beautiful. I’m thinking that this might be my next purchase.

5.) Tarte Tartlette Matte Eye Shadow Palette

Yet another matte palette, and this one is so beautiful. I love the purple tinted shadows in this palette and just think it is gorgeous. I don’t own anything like it and have heard great things, so I definitely hope to pick this one up soon.

Lorac Unzipped Gold Palette Review and Swatches

I’ve been going to Ulta a lot lately, and everytime I go there, I always go straight for the Lorac Section to swatch this palette. As a lover of gold eye shadow (Just look at the name of my blog) this caught my eye. It is a palette of 10 eyeshadows, all adhering to the gold theme in one way or another. The colors are all insanely pigmented, soft and buttery. They have a very silky quality to them, which caught my attention when I first swatched them. Also, I knew that I would use every single one of these colors and get a lot of use out of this palette. It has 3 matte shades, and the rest are metallic. The mix of metallic and matte shades make this palette versatile, and leave room for a lot of creativity. The most stunning shade in this palette is Unleashed, a brilliant coppery gold. Also included is Unlocked, a perfect champagne white shade, that is an amazing brow bone highlight. The palette has one perfect matte brown crease shade, a brown that is great for the outer v, and a very dark brown that would be perfect to smoke out any look for night. All in all, I am very happy with this purchase, and I think that it may be my new favorite palette. It is stunning. I am starting to question whether or not I like the Lorac Eyeshadow formula better than Urban Decay’s. At $42, this palette is an investment, but definitely one to think about. Now no more palettes for me until the Naked Smoky comes out!

( Top to bottom: Undressed Uninhibited, Unpredictable, Undeniable, Unedited, Unlocked, Unlimited, Unleashed, Unwind, Unafraid)

(Eyes: Undeniable in Crease, Unleashed all over lid up to crease, Unlimited in center of lid, Unlocked on brow bone and  inner corner. Lined with Maybelline Master Precise eye liner in black. Mascara: Maybelline Mega Plush.) Lips: Nyx Matte Lip Cream in Istambul. 

Face of the Day Featuring the Naked Basics Palette

What a great day! I am so thrilled about the gay marriage legalization that I have barely been able to think of anything else. I hope everyone else if enjoying this amazing news. I feel proud to be an American today and will remember this day for the rest of my life. On a different note, here is the makeup that I am wearing today, featuring an eye look from my handy Naked Basics Palette.

Face: Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, Estee Lauder Perfectionist Foundation, Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Powder Foundation, NYX Dark Circle Concealer in Fair, Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer, NYX HD Finishing Powder in Banana, Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzer, Tarte Blush in Flush, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle

Lips: MAC Lipstick in Twig

Eyes: Elf Shadow Lock Eye Shadow Primer, Naked Basic Palettes (Naked 2 in Crease, Foxy all over lid, Faint on outer v, Venus in center, inner corner, and brow bone), Maybelline Master Precise eyeliner on top lid, NYX wonder pencil on lower waterline, Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara on top and bottom lashes.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Please share your thoughts below!

The Makeup Bag Series: What’s in My Sister’s Makeup Bag

So if I’m like anyone else, I love seeing the products that other people have in their makeup bags. So, I thought it would be fun to do a series where every now and then I peak into the makeup bags of my friends and family. The first bag is my little sister, Juliet’s. She is 15 years old, and is starting to get into makeup. She actually had some stuff I was very jealous of! Here’s what’s inside:

Bare Minerals Ready Touch up Veil in Translucent

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in New York Scene

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Flush

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer in Fair

E.l.f. All Over Color Stick in Pink Lemonade

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Lip Glosses in Currant and Raspberry

Maybelline Perfect Pastels Eyeshadow Duo in Pink Suede

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Bronzer Duo in Honey Heat

Benefit the Porefessional Mini

Rimmel London Kate Moss Lipstick in 107

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Carnival Spirit

MAC Mineralize Blush in Gleeful

What’s in your makeup bag? Let me know in the comments!

Summer Eyes: Fun Makeup Look Featuring Too Faced Sugar Pop Palette

Thank you to my beautiful little sister, Juliet, for volunteering to let me use her as my model.  I wanted to do a fun look today that was a little different from what I usually do, and I think summer is the perfect time to experiment with color. I did a simple eye look using my Too Faced Sugar Pop Palette. I like this look because it looks kind of like tye-dye when you are finished. I used Peach Fuzz as my base, Macaron all over the lid and onto the crease, packed Bubblegum into the outer corner, and dabbed Rock Candy in the center and on the brow bone, and then blended it all out with a fluffy crease brush! And voila! Finish with mascara for an easy, fun summer eye look. This worked really well paired with Maybelline lipstick in Brazen Berry.

That’s it for today! Please tell me your thoughts in the comments!

E.l.f. Baked Eye Shadow Palette Review & Tutorial

Happy father’s day everyone! It’s a dreary, rainy day here in Connecticut, so I thought it would be the perfect day for a nice review and tutorial. Today’s subject: E.l.f. Baked Eyeshadow Palette in Texas. I find that this palette is excellent considering that it only retails for $10 (!), and you get 10 beautiful neutral shadows. The shadows are baked, so they have the most intense color when used wet, but you can use them dry as well for a more subtle look. The palette is mostly brown neutrals, including some beautiful chocolaty shades and copper shades. In addition to the browns, there is a lovely baby pink, a beautiful white highlight shade, and a really striking yellow-gold. All of the colors work very well with each other making an endless variety of beautiful looks to be created. When the shadows are applied wet, there is no fall out, strong pigmentation, and it lasts all day. They are a bit crumbly when used dry, so I definitely recommend using a damp brush to apply them. This palette is defintely a home run for E.l.f. cosmetics, and can be found on their website and at Target. They have baked palettes in several different colors, and now I am very tempted to try them all.

All Colors swatched in order on palette

While playing around with this palette today, I came up with an easy look using 4 of the colors. 

Before I started with the palette, I added Urban Decay Buck to my crease. Any matte brown crease shade will work with this look.

Step 1: Using a a damp flat shader brush, pack 1 onto your eyelid, stopping at the crease. Continue dipping and applying until you have built up plenty of pigment.

Step 2: Take number 2 and press it on the center of your eyelid using a flat damp eyeshadow brush. This adds a beautiful pop to the center of your eyelid.

Step 3: Take eyeshadow number 3 on a damp pencil brush, and apply to inner corner of your eye to brighten the overall look.

Step 4: Take eyeshadow number 4 on a damp flat brush, and apply to highlight your browbone.

Step 5: Allow several moments for the eyeshadow to dry. Once it is dry, take a blending brush with no additional product and lightly go over your whole eyelid to blend all of the colors seamlessly together. I applied eye liner to my look, but that’s totally optional. Voila! You are done!

Thanks for reading guys! See you next time. Please like and comment if you enjoyed.