Can you believe that the Holidays are literally just a few short weeks away. I’m super stoked to get going on the rest of my Christmas shopping and I’m hoping to get a few goodies on my list of must-haves at a good deal and bargain. I think it is never too late or too early to make a list of Holiday wishes for Santa and together with the Beauty Council, we bring to you another awesome collaboration with ideas for your lists. We present to you a Holiday Gift Guide.
The lovely ladies of the Beauty Council bring to you a shopping guide to use while writing those long letters to Santa. In my list I bring to you a combination of items that I own and those that I have been swooning over. Don’t get me wrong – this is just a small summary of loves I’ve been coveting… but definitely a bunch of goodies to keep on your list.
Viseart Eye Shadow Palettes $80.00 – I haven’t tried these EVER but I really wanted to add this to my list since several of my friends say this is gonna be the palette to sweep the beauty trend by storm.
Tarte Dream Come Hue Collector’s Set $175.00 – I am a huge fan of Tarte and while I may have not tried specific colors in this set, how can you not go wrong with all the goodies included. Definitely a steal.
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Rose Gold $38.00 – I have been really crushing on anything Becca lately and I really really would love to try out there shimmering skin perfectors. This highlighter addict would love to add this to my collection.
Bite Beauty Mix n’ Mingle Set $98.00 – It is no secret that I really love Bite Beauty lippies and this set would make the ultimate gift for any lippy lover. If you haven’t tried Bite Beauty products before, this would take the cake – offering you a chance to try some of their awesome products.
Givenchy Palette Extravaganza Lip & Eye $66.00 – I don’t own any makeup from Givenchy but have been a huge fan of the fragrances and the brand altogether. This would make a great gift for anyone that is interested in trying something highend and getting the opportunity to test more than one type of product.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (Limited Edition) $58.00 – I have had my eye on this palette since I heard it was to be released and luckily I finally have it in my possession. Anyone looking to dive into the world of Hourglass would absolutely love this palette.
Tory Burch Lip & Cheek Tint in Cat’s Meow $38.00 – Did I tell you I was a blush and highlighter addict? Yeah – I am and this has been in my radar for a while now. Why not indulge in a great brand and some golden luxury… lol.
Buxom Lip Gloss Roulette $59.00 – I love Buxom glosses (White Russian being one of my favorites) and my husband bought me a 15 pc set last year which I still continue to love. I figured I would include this as a part of the gift guide since I know it would make any makeup lover excited to receive.
Now – this list looks a little bare to me seeing as I am a huge bag and shoe lover too… but if I had to add in my love for those, I think Santa’s sleigh would be stuck on the ground for most of his deliveries. lol What’s on your Holiday Wish list or what would be some products you suggest I buy? Are there any favorites of yours on my list too? Be sure to check out the lovely ladies from the Beauty Council (links below) and see what they selected as their must-haves for the Holiday Season.
I think brows are the basis to every and all makeup looks – but I’ll be honest, since my brows are already pretty full, I usually tend to comb them in place, set them with a wax or gel or shade them in just a bit and I’m out the door. I have used many different brow products in the past, but I’m always on the hunt for an easy to use, long lasting brow powder, gel or wax that will keep my brows in place. Today I bring to you a simple pictorial featuring the Paula Dorf 2+1 For Brows kit and show you quickly how I create my statement brows.
Since I have dark hair, I chose the Brunette 2+1 by Paula Dorf, but the kits come in four different shades for that perfect statement brow look that matches your hair color. Retailing for $26.00 the set includes 0.017oz / .5g (wax) and 0.07oz / 2g (powder) comprising of a trio that is perfect to create long lasting brows.
The brow and wax set comes with two complimentary brow shades and one wax. The brow powders are very smooth in texture and apply very nicely with great pigmentation in one swoop.
To shape and add body to my brows I follow this routine:
Using a brow brush or spoolie, I comb my brows into the shape I would like them to be.
Then I take the darkest shade of the brow powders and use this to define my brow shape. Using an angled brow brush I apply the shade to carve out my brows on the top and bottom. This will give my brows definition.
With the lighter brow shade, I now shade in my brows. This will allow the brows to be colored in but not look too bold or artificial.
Blend the darker shade and the lighter shade on your brows so that there are no harsh lines.
Brush through your brows once again with a spoolie to make sure you are blending the brow powders with your natural brows creating a softer look.
Set in place with the brow wax and you are good to go.
If I am in the mood for a darker brow, I simply use just the dark brow powder instead of blending in the lighter shade and define my brows that way.
Overall I’m pretty impressed with this brow set. If there was one thing I would like to critique, I think that the brow wax a little thinner for my liking because once I set it down on my brows, I noticed that it started to melt a little and then it didn’t stay in place as long as I would like. But, I do like the brow set, the colors work really well with my hair color as well as my complexion and I love the feel of the brow powders, very soft and blend-able.
Right now, buy the Paula Dorf 2+1 For Brows set and get a free brush with your purchase. Use Code BROWBRUSH at check out.
I have used many different brow products in the past and I’m always intrigued by the different styles and types that are rolled out. What are your favorite brow enhancers or products? Are there any you simply can’t live without?
This post was sponsored by Brandbacker. All opinions discussed are my own. I was not paid to review this product.
“Because Sparkle is NEVER Optional!”™ – Honey I am addicted to glitter and sparkle. Don’t get me wrong, I am the biggest tomboy you would have ever encountered,…
“I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” – Alice in Wonderland
I bring to you my final Halloween Makeup tutorial for the year. This one is in collaboration with some of my favorite beauty bloggers (you can check out their links below). We wanted to have a little fun and create looks inspired by fairy tales. I chose to do Alice in Wonderland but decided instead of a standard Alice, I would embrace the Halloween spirit and create a “Dark Alice” – a little sultry, sexy and gothic, I wanted to create an Alice that would fit with the Halloween theme. I hope you enjoy the tutorial and I wish you all a safe and fun Happy Halloween. And without further adieu, here is my Gothic Alice in Wonderland makeup look.
Coastal Scents Step One Eye Primer – applied to my lid from lash line to brow bone as well as lower lash line.
Tarte Smolder Eyes Shadow Pencil in Brown – applied to lid blended from lid into crease. Also applied to lower lash line as a base.
The Balm’s Nude Tude Palette – Sultry (transition and blended onto lower lash line), Sleek (lid shade blended on lid and into the crease and also applied to lower lash line), Sexy (blended into transition shade and crease and also applied to lower lash line to smoke out the line)
Milani Bella Eyes in Bella Ivory – Brow bone highlight
BH Party Girl Palette – Red Shade (applied above crease and blended as part of transition shade to deepen the red hue, also applied to lower lash line to add the similar hue)
Jordana 12 Hour Made to Last Pencil in Black Point to line the lower lash line, waterline and tightline. This was also used to line my lips.
MAC Sunbasque blush – applied to cheeks and blended to cheek bones to create a more defined cheek look without contouring.
Wet n Wild Fergie Lipstick in Pagan Angel – applied to lips. This lipstick is creamy but can sink into the cracks of the lips, so be sure to exfoliate and moisturize lips first.
Lashes – Kiss 11 Lashes (whispie lashes) and Benefit They’re Real Mascara applied to lower lash line and to blend false lashes with real ones.
Accessories:
Wig was purchased from local costume store – Alter Ego Wigs
Headband – basic black ribbon tied into bow (craft store)
If you don’t have a white wig, a blond one will work as well. I figured a white one would add to that “gothic” dark look so I chose to use it in this look. Since I didn’t have a similar dress or top to what Alice wears in the movie and story books, I opted for a black dress. Simple but still a bit dressy. I definitely suggest keeping with the dark theme and wearing something black if you have it.
I hope you enjoyed my makeup look. I think this will be an easy one to create – simply create a dark and bold smoky eye with a dark bold lip or black lipstick. Don’t forget to stop on by my friends’ links below and see their versions of fairy tale recreations. Wishing you all a fabulous Halloween – be safe but have fun. Smooches!
Yes, another skincare serum review… you know I’m addicted to this stuff right? Over the last month I have been including the Yalmeh Vitamin C + Vitamin E…
For a few months now since the original sneak peaks were released, I have been anticipating the Lorac Mega Pro Palette going on sale. I stayed up most of the night waiting for the release of the Lorac Mega Pro and was lucky to get me a palette off of their Amazon website. It was shipped quickly and delivered within five days of my order which I thought was an absolute plus. Not to mention it also arrived in tact considering I have been told that many of my friends received their Amazon orders damaged due to the packaging the palette was shipped in. I was a bit bummed to hear that the product itself had sold out and that it would not be released again on Lorac’s site, but I’m not gonna lie… I’m happy that I got my hands on one. This palette is literally turning into one of my favorites.
The Lorac Mega Pro retailed for $59.00 and comes with a total of 32 shades. The palette itself is similar in look and feel of the Lorac Pro and Lorac Pro 2 but includes twice as much shades as the original two palettes released. This palette includes a combination of matte and shimmer/metallic shades and a range of neutrals and a few pops of color that can compliment any eye look or makeup collection.
Want to watch this video directly on YouTube? Click here.
This palette includes a few shades that are in repeats from the Pro and Pro 2 palettes like White, Cream, Espresso, Black – four shades that they label “must-have basics”. The other shades are 28 brand new exclusive shades to this palette.
Just like Lorac Pro palettes 1 and 2 – the Mega Pro includes beautifully pigmented and buttery shades. That’s one of the reasons they are some of my favorites. The quality of each shadow is the same as you would expect and applying and blending the shades are a dream… easy and effortless. I love eye shadows that are buttery because it makes blending a little easier and there is something about the Lorac Matte shades in these Pro palettes that are unexplained… they blend so easily without sticking – if that makes any sense.
There is a mix of cool and warm tones through out the palette but what I love about this palette specifically is that range of warm tones and cool tones. This would be a great palette for a makeup artist kit. I also love that each shade name is labeled directly on the palette – so there is no guessing. Mattes are on the top two rows, shimmer/metallic shades on the bottom two rows making it easy to work with.
If you are not familiar with using any of the shades from either of the Lorac Pro palettes, I do want to warn you… the shimmer shades are super buttery which offer a softer texture than what most people are used to. It can also give you quite a bit of fall out if you are not careful – so make sure to tap off your brush before applying to your eye lids.
My favorite shades through out the palette include: Mulberry (matte), Dusty Plum (matte), Wisteria (matte), Cashmere (shimmer), Smokey Topaz (shimmer), Maroon (shimmer), though I’ll be honest and say choosing a few favorites was quite difficult. If there was one shade I am not too keen about… it would be Lilac (matte) because I think it is just too light against my skin, though I still use it.
Overall I think this palette really impressed me as much as I knew it would. As much as I love it, I’m a bit disappointed that it was not available longer or that there wasn’t a larger stock considering the hype this product received. In all honesty, I think this palette would make a great part of the Lorac’s permanent line and it would be a great addition if they decided to make it such, that is my hope anyway.
Did you have the opportunity to get your hands on a Mega Pro? If so – what are you thoughts? If not, what Limited Edition palettes do you have your eyes on for the Holidays?
I always enjoy learning about new products coming out in the beauty industry or testing out brands I have never heard of before, so I was quite ecstatic to have the opportunity to test drive some goodies from Mia Mariu Cosmetics. A collection of mineral cosmetics in wearable, glamorous shades – Mia Mariu offers a wide range of cosmetic products for the woman who wants a look of hot damn gorgeous.
Mia Mariu’s mineral colors contain Vitamin A, C and E which provide a natural protection from the environment. The products are Oil, Talk, Paraben and Fragrance free, which is awesome for all skin types – but most importantly, those with sensitive skin like I have. Let’s start off with packaging. I am all about a signature color and I love that Mia Mariu has black/red packaging on all of their products. The colors look chic together and I love the uniformity. Overall, I like how easy the packaging was to use (especially the eye shadow duo), and I love that it has that sleek look.
The Mineral Shadow Duos are made with pure minerals and luxurious color pigments. Each shadow felt very creamy when I swatched it and applied so nicely on my eye lids. I absolutely loved how nice it felt when blended onto the lid. Over primer I received nice wear, about 7 hours before I started to notice fading and I love that with a good primer, I didn’t experience any creasing. This eye shadow duo in Valle Dorado is a great combo for those that love every day wearable and neutral shades. Retailing for $19.00 – you receive a total of 2.8 grams worth of product and soft silky shadows for a show stopping look. Since I have darker skin, I did notice that I needed to build on the colors – but overall, I love that this is easy to travel with and the shades are definitely those I can use daily if I wanted to.
I am not a huge fan of loose mineral shadows, powders or bronzers because they can be a mess – but I do use them from time to time. I was quite impressed with the Mineral Bronzer from Mia Mariu. It had a gorgeous velvet texture that felt wonderful on the skin. While it felt luxurious on my skin, the shade was a tad too light for me to use as a bronzer to give my cheek bones or face any sort of contour, but it didn’t matter because this product worked as a wonderful cheek highlight offering my skin a gorgeous and radiant glow. This product is silky and feels great on the skin, I have tried to apply it all over but due to the shimmer, I think it was too much for an all over application on me. Used on the eye as a sweep of color on the lid or graced across your cheeks for a sweet glow, this product is definitely becoming a favorite. Retailing for $17.00 which includes 2.4 grams of loose product, you get a pretty good amount for your money’s worth as well as something that can be used universally. I have been using this product the most out of all the others I received and I know I’ll get great use out of it.
The Hydrating Stick Gloss combines color and a hydrating gloss in a stick form. This product reminds me of a lip butter, very creamy and buttery and it felt like my lips were hydrated and moisturized while using this product. The color is sheer at first swipe but can easily be built up. Seduccion is a brick red with a hint of berry and has light shimmer reflects through out. Retailing for $15.00 this tube includes 4.0 grams of product. This gloss is part balm in my opinion as my lips feel really soft and moisturized most of the day while wearing it. Like any gloss, this does not have a long wear time but still offers a great punch of color with a gloss sheen.
Mia Mariu’s Volumizing mascara retails for $13.00 and claims to extend and separate the thinnest, shortest and hard to reach lashes by lengthening each lash while delivering the right amount of mascara without clumping. The formula contains rich dark pigments to enhance the lash color for maximum drama – is clump free, fiber free and suitable for contact lens wearers. This mascara is enriched with Vitamin B5. Many know I have the smallest most tiniest lashes EVER. I love the wand on this mascara but unfortunately – the formula was just too wet for my itty bitty lashes. I didn’t notice any length or volume using this mascara and after using the mascara with 2 to 3 coats, I still did not see my lashes very much. However – I do like that my lashes felt soft even with the product coated on them and even after applying 3 coats, I did not experience any clumping. While this did not give my lashes the exaggeration I would have liked to see – I like that it did not make my eyes irritated.
The Intense Black Eye Liner Pencil retails for $11.00. This is a sharpen type pencil that offers a stiff type pencil tip. The claim on this product is that it offers a smoothly textured pencil for precise definition and easy, smooth application. The pencil should apply evenly without pulling on the delicate eye area and should produce a clean precise line without smudging. I am used to very gel like / soft textured pencils so this pencil took a little bit of finesse for me. While it did have a bold pigment of black to it and applied fairly easily, it still took me several swipes to build the color I would like and I’m used to a softer tip pencil which this is not. Application was okay – but not ideal or what I had been used to. This liner does smudge, but I think it is perfect when creating a soft smoky effect. While it did smudge, the liner stayed on my eyes for a full day without becoming a full blown mess.
Swatches of all of the products mentioned, except for the mascara.
The Mia Mariu philosophy makes the connection with Beauty and Health in Harmony. Mía Mariu’s high performance products are formulated with the most natural ingredients available helping you achieve vibrant beauty and health inside and out. Each unique product fuses nature and technology by combining the highest quality botanicals, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and peptides. The result? healthy products that provide a perfect balance that reflects itself through youthful, healthy, beautiful, glowing skin and renewed energy and vitality, at an exceptional value. Mía offers natural skin care, professional makeup artist quality mineral cosmetics and brushes, fine fragrances and nutritional supplements to Reveal Your Unique Shade of Beauty!
In the photos above you can see a before and after of me using the Mia Mariu cosmetics I have tried and tested. On my eyes I am using the Valley Dorado Mineral Eye Shadow Duo – the lighter shade on my lid and the darker shade blended into my crease and near my highlight. I also blended the lighter shade as my highlight on my brow bone. I applied the Intense Eye liner pencil on my eye lid as a simple liner and smudged it on my lower lash line. On my cheeks I am using the Mineral Bronzer in Copa Cabana on the high parts of my cheeks and blended as a highlight. On my lips I’m using the Hydrating Gloss Stick in Seduccion.
Overall I’m quite impressed with this cosmetic line. I love that they have pressed mineral shadows because I really dislike dealing with loose shadows and this made it easy to apply and even easier to use on the go. I would love to see Mia Mariu come out with a matte or satin lipstick and darker tones for their bronzer. Have you heard of Mia Mariu Cosmetics before? Have you tried anything from this brand? What are your thoughts on Mineral Cosmetics?
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
