May Favorites!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0rrlwKCxPk

Check out some of my favorite products of the month!

Haul: Drugstore Lipsticks and Eyeliner

Hi guys,

Went over to Walmart today to pick up some toothpaste and 3 in 1 for the husband. Apparently, men can't take the extra time to wash their body and hair separately, much less condition it. Good thing the entire bottle (about the size of my forearm) was only 3 bucks. Maybe it's more cost efficient to shower like a man...

They were having a rollback on Rimmel lipsticks, and I was in need of a good drugstore red lippie. I picked up the very YT popular Rimmel Kate #1.

It seems to be a very vibrant red that isn't too light or vampy. I'm not sure if I can wear it in the summer however as i prefer my orange-toned reds for the heat.

The one above is from the same line, but number 6. I really dig watermelon pinks at the moment and since these Rimmel lipsticks were only 3.97 each, I had to get two. I did have to dig through a few to find one that was untouched, as these are sold without a seal. Really? You trust people enough to not open and swatch in store?

Revlon's "Love that Pink"

Rimmel's Moisture Delight in Violet Pop

I also picked up the two above to add to my pink/purple collection. Love that Pink seems very similar to Kate's #6, but just a tad darker. Violet Pop is a little grandma chic, but I think can be pulled off by ladies with darker skin.

Above is a swatch of all four, in natural daylight. (From L to R: #1, #6, Love that Pink, Violet Pop.)

I also picked up two liquid liners, one with a brush application by Rimmel and a felt tip by Maybelline, both in black. With the summer heat, eyeliner is all the eye makeup I want to wear!

I reserve brush tip liners for days where I have the patience of a saint, but the master precise looks very promising. The biggest thing I look for in a liquid liner is zero transfer onto the lids and thus, lasting quality. No liner looks good flaking off the lids!So, that's all for today. I will be back to do reviews for each brand's product later! Happy Hump Day!
-Be

Summer Routine is up!

Hope your Memorial Day weekend is great, eat lots of hamburgers and let me live vicariously through you!

This is the video edition of my previous FOTD post, be sure to scroll down for the full list of products used! Be

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT3F0r_sTK0&w=560&h=315]

FOTD: Milky Pink Lips

Happy Friday!

Today I am doing a FOTD that will incorporate my two new lip products that I recently hauled.

The first, shown on the left, is part of MAC's summer line, "Temperature Rising" complete with sulking model and glistening abs as part of their advertising strategy. I was shown a sneak peek at the counter, but only found their Lipglass "Liquid Passion" interesting.

You see, I HATE lip gloss. I don't like its stickiness, the shininess, the gloop that gathers around the mouth of the container, and most of all the hair to mouth attraction that gives me a long mustache. The list goes on. However, I've heard good things about MACs lipglasses and have always wanted a milky nude gloss to accompany my lipsticks.

The color payoff of this gloss is amazing! I didn't know it was possible for a lip gloss to be that pigmented and sheer out my lip color with such ease. Liquid Passion seems like a beige/milk gloss that makes my lips look pouty and full without venturing on fourth grade glitter gloss territory.

Liquid Passion is Limited Edition and is a tad more expensive than their normal lipglass pricing. I will do a more in depth review later.

The second color I picked up is a drugstore lipstick: Milani lipstick #14 in Rose Hip. This color is bright but not too bright and best of all, smells like Jolly Ranchers! It's very moisturizing on the lips. I would describe it as a bright pink that's very creamy in texture.

---

When layered together, these two create a lovely pouty pink look that reminds me of candy or juice. I've created a FOTD look with the layered lip products and a very strong brow. The final look tutorial will be on YouTube within the week.

Products on the mug:Face: Studio Fix in C5 (Finally, I am tanner!)
Milani Blush in Luminoso
E.L.F. Makeup Setting Spray

Eyes: Aqua brow in 25
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
Maybelline Mascara The Rocket
Revlon Colorstay eyeliner in black and brown

Lips: Aquaphor
Milani Lipstick in Rose Hip
MAC lipglass in Liquid Passion

Trust me, this look takes less than 5 minutes to go and you look fresh and awakened from your vampire slumber enough to venture out into the summer sun.

What's your fav drugstore lipstick brand?

-Be

Review: See by Chloe Eau de Parfum

Hey guys,If you are looking for a good spring and summer fragrance, try See By Chloe.

Sephora describes this as: See By Chloé embodies femininity while blending masculine codes in an urban-chic way. This fragrance captures the audaciousness and strong personality of the Chloé woman.

An addictive floral fruity fragrance, it captures the irresistible and playful personality of a young woman fully embracing life. The fusing top of juicy bergamot and apple translate her energy and her urban edginess. Her natural femininity is conveyed through a beautiful floral bouquet of jasmine and ylang ylang that grows into a sexy veil of vanilla and addictive musks.

Price: This 1.0 oz Eau de Parfum retails for about $58 dollars. This is about the average price for a designer fragrance, and I'm sure it will last for a long time even with daily usage. I have other perfumes in the 3.4 oz size and even with daily usage I see them going to the grave with me. Let's be honest, if you're using half the bottle every day, you're doing perfume wrong.

Packaging: Absolutely beautiful. I love the birdcage design and the understated simplicity of the bottle. A lot of cheap or celebrity perfumes have a very ...."bold" design for their bottling and it always comes off as tacky.

Scent: This one is very inoffensive yet long lasting. I'm not sure I agree with Sephora's interpretation of the scent, but it is a very youthful and girly scent without being too sweet, floral, or musky. In fact, it blends all three into one that isn't too generic or commercial. I'd have to say that it smells like a field of flowers near an apple orchard. You can almost see the daisy headbands and hipsters frolicking in a field. I am usually a huge fan of oriental and muskier perfumes, and this has just a hint of warmth to make it well rounded while still suitable for the warmer seasons.

Also, this scent seems to be a huge hit with men. I have a feeling it's because the scent very fresh and clean without too much musk. I originally sampled both this and the original Chloe scent, and while the other perfume is more "me" (think business woman with the power suit) due to the stronger musk influences, the husband was adamant it smelled like "a man."

Me: But hubby, doesn't it smell good?
Husband: No. Smells like you might punch me.
Me: ... *one single tear*

This perfume, however, is the most inoffensive one I've ever smelled. It can smell mostly like honey, apples, baked pies, and flowers depending on its reaction to your body chemistry. Which really, no one has a vendetta against apples.

Lasting power: I can smell this very faintly even after I've showered, though others have complained about it not lasting through the day. I would say that others can smell it up until half way through the day, and after that you can re-spray. However, if you're up close to me you will still be able to smell it.

Overall, this perfume says, "I care about how I smell, but I'm not slapping your face with my perfume when I enter the room." It's appropriate for the office or any other place where you want to smell presentable but very subtly so.

---

Let me know what your signature scent is for the summer season!
- Be

FOTD: Bold Lips

Hi guys!
Today's "face of the day" is rather focused on my lip color, Yu. I picked this color up yesterday along with the three MUFE lipsticks and I have to say...this bright pink is just too good!

Just imagine the color payoff of a stain, the creaminess of a lipstick, and the precision of a lip liner. This is what NARS lip pencil has accomplished. This shade is almost an exact dupe of MUFE Rouge Artiste Intense in 36 (which is sold out online and in stores, damn them!). These lip pencils retail for about $25 before tax.

I love how super creamy this pencil is and how intense the color is without transferring. I have a problem of lipstick transferring to the space between my lips and chin when I eat and I've just demolished a pot pie with no problem. Color is still going strong!

This pink/fuchsia is almost radioactive in brightness so please keep your eye look simple and understated unless the circus is your career path. Below is my FOTD:

Face:
MUFE Pro Finish Powder in 127 Golden Sand
MAC MSFN in Medium Plus
FIx Plus sprayCheeks:
Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (very light dusting)
no blush

Eyes:
Revlon Colorstay Liner in Black Brown
Color Tattoo in Barely Branded
UD Naked Basics
MUFE Aqua Brow Gel

Lips:
Aquaphor as lip balm
Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Yu

That's all folks! Hope your Monday is going alright. I'm going to get started on my essay due Thursday and then head off to class.

Let me know of any other bright pinks you're gonna rock this summer. I'm looking to troll MAC's online shop to check out Full Fuchsia, Girl About Town, and Show Orchid during class and look up some swatches.
-Be

Haul: MUFE lipsticks!

Hello again!

Today was a really nice Sunday and after a raging party at Sun God, I decided to take a stroll around the mall....and took a straight path to Sephora.

You see, I've been researching and online swatch-obsessing over Makeup Forever's lipsticks for a while now and heard loads of great things about their pigmentation and moisturizing properties. I'm a huge fan of MAC lipsticks since they are just oh so collectable, but these MUFE Rouge Artiste Intense lipsticks come in 50 shades and three finishes! Since most of them are Satin, I knew I had to pick a few up just in time for summer. I managed to haul three shades that I know will be absolutely vibrant on my tanned skin. (Anyone remember that limited edition tanned Hawaiian Hello Kitty?)

The following lipsticks can be found at Sephora for 20 dollars a tube. Not bad for how highly reviewed it is online and how much you get in the bullet. It definitely isn't as cheap as a MAC lipstick, but they seem very collectible and according to urban legend, has even converted some faithful MAC lovers! I'm not a fan of the numbering system...it makes researching very hard to do!

The first color I picked up is MUFE #44, a deep red that looks a little Brad Pitt vampire lips in the tube but translates to a warm and slightly deeper berry red.

Out of the four red shades available in stores this shade was the best one for my tone and hair color. There are many more shades available online, but I couldn't find them all at the Sephora. I'm sure this one will do great on a night out and won't be too dark for the summer. This may be similar to my NARS Shanghai Express. (PS: great red for golden undertones....a little politically incorrect, but I'll take two.)

This one is MUFE #38. I may have a similar MAC lipstick, but this one is just too beautiful to pass up. Don't believe me? Google swatches of this color...especially all colors within the 32-39 range and your materialistic inner devil will urge you to go buy buy buy! I think this pink is appropriately nude enough without washing my tone out.

This last one is #39, one frequently reviewed online. A lot of online swatches shows it as this very intense orangey-coral color, but I assure you that swatched on the hand it is rather lovely and demure. I will see how it turns out on my lips.

I have MAC Ravishing, but as a Cremesheen formula I find that the color payoff is not as opaque as I want it to be. Also, Ravishing tends to point out every attractive lip flakes I have, thus making my lips a true to life rendition of red snappers at the fish market. I'm hoping this one will be moisturizing and more intense.

For more true to color swatches, check out KarlaSugar or JoeySpace. Bring napkins and be prepared to drool.

That's all for today, I'll be back later within the month to give you a review of each shade, its color payoff, moisturizing or drying tendencies, and wear time!

-Be

PS: Someone help me. I have an addiction and it's not as cheap as cocaine.

Collection: Powder Foundations

Hey all!
For the past two months my powder collection has been steadily growing while my liquid foundation pile remains stagnant. Why? Blame it on the heat and general summer attitude. I have plenty of time in the world during the summer to apply makeup, but I don't want anything sliding or melting off my face two hours into the sun.

While I do have some setting powders (all are drugstore), I have been hauling in new MAC powders as well as some from Sephora. I'll give you a brief rundown of the mid-range powder foundations I have in my collection right now.

Warning! This post is picture heavy! Continue below to see just how much of a hoarder I've become...

Above is Benefit's Hello Flawless powder in "Petal."
Shade NC20-25

Pros:
- Very easy application with brush. Looks absolutely beautiful with a good moisturizer.
- Natural coverage or spot application. Very natural coverage.
- Yellow toned.

Cons:
- Price $35 for a very small amount in pan. Absolutely useless brush included for your convenience.
- Will kick up like any other powder. Be gentle!

Above is Makeup Forever's Pro Finish in 127 "Golden Sand."
Shade NC30-NC35

Pros:
- Can be used wet or dry, wonderful color match for my Asian skin tone.
- Nice finish, okay oil control for my t-zone
- Finely milled.
- Includes compact and sponge in separate compartment.

Cons:
- May be expensive for some at $36 dollars.
- Case is not sturdy for jostling handbags and won't protect against errant hooligan knick-knacks in your bag. Powder can come loose.

MAC's Studio Fix in C5.
Shade: NC40 equivalent, more yellow

Pros:
- Very long lasting and excellent oil control properties, enough to quell any evil thoughts from grease monkeys.
- Compact is iconic. Cult favorite product for many MAC users.
- Shade is very yellow toned in comparison to the orange-y NC shades (meaning if you are a special color, you can find your color match with studio fix.)

Cons:
- Cake face extraordinaire! Make sure you use a brush and spot conceal and not just apply this on wet unless you're trying out for King Lear.
- Powdery look, but can be solved with Fix+ and light application.
- Color still not right for me right now, but will be during the middle of summer.
- Some people have complained of breakouts. Wash your face correctly or check the ingredients for allergens.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light Plus, Medium, Medium Plus
Light Plus: NC20-NC25
Medium: NC/NW 25-30
Medium Plus: NC 30-NC 40
Here is my ultimate favorite HG powder. You know I like something when I hoard it in three shades "just in case" to encompass every seasonal change to my skin tone. Sad.

Pros:
- Can be used as powder foundation or setting powder depending on application.
- Beautiful luminous glow to the skin after a few hours of wear.
- Very long lasting for a powder. Doesn't transfer.
- Forgiving shade range due to sheer coverage.

Cons:
- Low to no oil control. Great for dry skinned gals in this respect.
- Awful shade range if you're very very yellow. (Light plus or Medium Dark are your only options and they can be too light or too dark for you.)
- Flashback. I generally avoid getting pictures taken, so this is not a problem for me.
- No mirror for touch-ups. Again, I do not touch up with this powder and use it mainly as a very natural powder foundation.


So, that is all of the powder foundations that I currently have and covet. I've done a lot of research on these powders and they all look very fantastic, require little time and effort, and last throughout the day. I actually manage to look like a "natural" beauty with these powders as they are not noticeably "make-up", powdery, or cakey on the face.

Let me know your experiences with powder foundations and whether you like powder or liquid!
-Be

Current Favorites: May

Hello again,
I'm here to talk about my current favorites! To see more, check out my YouTube video coming up within the week.1. MAC Impassioned: Amplified

You know that one lipstick that just catches your eye every time you visit the counter, but you never muster enough courage to swatch in fear of obligation to buy? I've been eyeing Impassioned every time I hit up the MAC counter, but only swatched other lipsticks nonchalantly while the assistant goes to the back and brings me back my powder. I'm glad I took the plunge and got it.

This pink is the best on trend bright color for the summer season right now. Why go with Impassioned when you can impress with Candy Yum Yum? This pink is bright without being tacky, a sort of grown up pink where you can keep on trend without scaring your coworkers. It reminds me of Maybelline Vivid's "Vivid Rose" without being too muted to come off as a grandma hue. I would say the colors are actually comparable but the drugstore version tends to bleed as it is too creamy. Impassioned is an Amplified creme that doesn't flake or bleed and well worth the extra money.
Below is a quick picture of the lipstick in its bullet.

2. MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus in C5

My skin color changes and adapts to the sunlight so quickly, it's almost as racial as affirmative action. In the winter, I can wear NC20 and comparable shades. After two days in the sun, I change to NC30. After two weeks of sunshine, I am now an NC42/C5. (I never skimp on sunscreen and wear Spf 30 and reapply sunscreen liberally as I hate sun damage.)

...My skin is telling me to buy more makeup. It's all justified people!

My skin is also getting oily in the T-zone and a powder will not highlight any flakes or dry skin as it's all been replaced by oily, greasy, melty skin...lucky me. So, I went to get matched with a new summer foundation. In the past I wore BareMinerals in Medium Beige but never liked how it caked around the nose. Now with liquid foundation being out of the question I've been on a new quest for powder foundation.

Studio Fix Powder is a medium to full (leaning full) coverage foundation depending on method of application. I use a fluffy powder brush and it gives a great natural finish to the skin sans tinted moisturizer. I wanted a more matte powder but didn't want a "made up" look. It will act as both a spot cover up and full face powder depending on whether you use a sponge or brush. However, I would suggest not to pack this on with a sponge unless your skin is very oily and blemished and you need full coverage.

I also love the shape and weight of the compact. I don't have to touch up when using this powder, so I leave this one on the vanity. Plus, who applies powder in public? (That's archaic and sexist, screams the granola feminist). It definitely is a pretty compact to show off if you do.

A lot of people may be sensitive to the ingredients, but my skin is resistant and accepts anything I put on it. People also claim clogged pores and cystic acne from this powder, but I suspect they don't wash their face correctly at night to remove the product. Any product going to bed with you is a naughty one.

Overall, the makeup artist matched me with C6 rather than NC42 (in fear of the carrot face look, which is never pretty). However, C6 was out of stock. I chose C5 to still match my tanned chest and also keep the possibility of bronzer open. So far I have not seen any signs of oxidation.

I have a list of current favorites that will be going on YouTube soon with some other products. I will also swatch Impassioned and my Studio Fix on the video. Stay tuned!

Drugstore Haul!

Hi Guys!

I recently went to Walmart to stock up on a few basic items...and left the store poor. I have a few "to try" items that's been on my list, and my changing skin tone is forcing me to adapt to new colors and finishes. The summer heat is basically here and my t-zone is beginning to sweat profusely even from just sitting around. In an air conditioned room. My skin is very fickle and every changing and this translates to an expensive receipt every seasonal change. My skin is now combo and nc42 in comparison to the dry nc20 I was in the dead of winter.

Here is my haul of the day. I will include a review via YouTube, so be sure to check back for the link!

- Revlon Colorstay in 310 Golden Beige.
I am excited to try this formulation for the summer. And get this, apparently people with golden undertones only exist with a tan. I never found a great match when I was a true nc25 with very strong yellow tones.

- Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser in Medium.
I don't have dark circles. I do have dark spots from acne scarring. This is my second tube as it works wonderfully. Careful though about going crazy when trying to get the product to come out the first time. You may lose your fingerprints and sanity.

- Revlon Colorstay eyeliner in black brown.
Some evil cult of eyeliner wearing voodoo chanting girls picked up all of the black pencil liners at Walmart, so I was forced to choose black brown. However this may work out in my favor since black sometimes looks awfully harsh when I want to tight line my eyes.

- Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl in Black.
I do own the nude pencil and hope this one is good and transfer free. I've been a little fed up with my UD Perversion pencil smudging right before it gets to set and then setting into this thick and uneven line. This rimmel pencil gets good reviews online.

- Rimmel lipstick in Nude Delight.
This is apparently the dupe for MAC's Shy Girl. I have a bad experience with nude drugstore lipsticks (ahem, revlon fairest nude AND nude attitude...hideous fish lips on a walking dead extra much?) but am willing to try out this one if its a little peach based.

- Milani Multitasker in light tan.
Apparently the holy grail of all drugstore face powders ever made in the existence of ever based on online raves. It is only about 5 dollars and has very cute packaging. I will be featuring this in my next video about powder foundations and setting powders. Hint: I really like this.

I also picked up some more generic brand makeup wipes and two new box dyes in dark natural brown. I'm a little tired of rockin the red and want to look classy and family portrait friendly for my graduation in June.

Leave a comment below on which drugstore or supermarket you frequent with great deals on cosmetics!
-Be

MakeupAlley Ettiquette

Hey guys!

As a lot of you know, we all have extra makeup lying around. Unless you have the self restraint of a Tibetan monk or are suffering from a bad case of paying the bills, you most likely have a few makeup products hidden away in your drawers. These are the products that don't match your skin tone, look absolutely hideous, aren't what you thought they would be, or maybe were just impulse purchases.

Fear not! I've been a long time lurker at MakeupAlley (forever trolling their product review boards) and have just recently discovered that they have opened the swap boards to newbies.

Enter a thousand singing angels, bringers of joy.

For the past two months, I have been frequenting the local post office so often that they now know my name and address (not that they didn't before). The premise of swapping is simple. You list up a beauty item (under category, brand, and include a product description). You can look up coveted makeup items that you've been lemming after, and you can put up items that you no longer use. Then, you contact the swapper, exchange addresses, and then send out items. After all has been said and done, you exchange swap tokens as a sort of review for each other's credibility. I have included below a few tips and pointers to make all transactions go much more smoothly.

Be's Tips and Trickeries
1. Try to be honest in your description box.

• Was your product un-earthened from Mordor itself or did you just recently buy it and lost the receipt?


• How much of the product is left? Include rough guidelines with percentages or times used in total.


• List multiple colors if you have them.


• Also list what you like to swap the item for, or direct them to your wishlist items by labeling the product as "wishlist only."

2. Some things are better left unswapped...

• I know you rarely touch that hideous lip gloss you got from a friend in middle school, but please do us all a favor and throw it away. Also try not to put up items such as mascara or brushes unless they are brand new and unopened.


• Liquids and powders are very fragile, so stock up on bubble wrap and use a quick shipping method or don't put them up at all. If the item breaks or melts in any way, you are responsible.


• No prescription items. Obvious reason is obvious. We don't want any Vicodins and Oxycotins being passed around as a part of a drug crime cartel operation thinly disguised as "makeup swapping."

3.     Be nice! And smart!

• Include a tracking number if you can, but you don't have to. Always keep receipts of all postage transactions made, especially with an international swap.

• Include some sample items if you want. Most experienced swappers will do this and I've received some awesome extras. I usually take this opportunity to give away anything small that I no longer care for and is too little for a significant transaction. I've also received Polish skin masks...not sure how to use them yet...instructions are rather cryptic...


• Don't use the item you got until you both receive the swap items. Then, if any party is unhappy you can do swap backs with less tension.


• Don't be pressured into swapping right away. Do respond to any requests within reasonable time, even if it's just to deny. If they want to swap and you are unsure, tell them! Otherwise if they give out an address and you say no, you will get a negative or neutral token.


• Match swap values when you can. No one wants to swap out their Chanel foundation for a few paltry lipsticks. Be reasonable and fair and ask if you can combine swaps if they have multiple items you want.


• Enforce the wishlist only rule to prevent any more makeup hoarding on your end.


• Leave a token after all transactions are through and warn others of any swaplifting experiences you may have. For all of my swapping I have never been swaplifted and only build credibility by being prompt and honest.

See my haul items by watching the YouTube link below! You will also be able to see some of my best items from swapping. Let me know if you plan on joining the swap site or what items you can't wait to get rid of for other beauty products!

-Be

Beauty Booboo: Eyebrows

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"] Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait, 1940. See discussion of her works below. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

We've all done it before. Our over-tweezed eyebrows uttering their tiny screams of pain, we took a pencil to them in hopes of easing their sorrow. Walking out of the house, however, we heard whispers and outright comments about our brows being in terrible shape. If your brows have refused to ever grow again (or never even blossomed in the first place), read on to see some mistakes we commonly make with shaping our brows.

1. High and tight: the Chola brows
You know those gifs making fun of girls with drawn on eyebrows in the shade "black Sharpie"? That's the look. Regardless of what color you used to fill in your brows in the morning, the waxy pencil and harsh lines combination was probably a bad move. With a crazy arch, you are in effect aging your look without even slapping on crows feet and laugh lines. If you weren't blessed with a thick bush (get your mind out of the gutter, I meant bushy eyebrows), you may be tempted to just fill in what you have and add an arch to it. Please don't. Natural brows generally start out more sparse at the front and taper to a darker shade at the tail and have some volume to them.

2. A single block of color: Two Caterpillar Twins
The girl sporting this look refused to adhere to the rule "short and light strokes" and opted to not even lift her pencil up when drawing them on. I think she took the word "draw" too seriously in the phrase" drawing on my eyebrows". Take the extra three seconds to lightly fill in your brows with very short and light handed strokes, holding the pencil or brush at the end to decrease the pressure and intensity of the color. Try not to trace the outline of your eyebrows. And please, no other females say her eyebrows are "on point".

3. Korean popstar washout: the straight brows gone bad
I know the straight brow trend is very big right now in Asian countries, but it can be very easy to mess this one up. Like any other brow look, start filling in only at the bottom of your arch with a light hand and do not trace or outline anything else. The point is to lower your arch, not draw in another row of false hairs to the point where you look like your old physics teacher in his 80s.

4. Red: Not even close to your natural color
It's very obvious when your brow pencil has a red tint, and it lurks underneath your real brow hairs when you draw it on. Try to look for an eyebrow shader that has ash tones, regardless of color. Also, if your hair is dyed an unnatural color, don't dye your eyebrows to match. We all know your blue hair is fake and that's the appeal. No need to match your eyebrows to it. Try to find a shade only a few (read: two or three) shades lighter if your hair is very dark and one shade darker if your hair is blonde. In your search, avoid red tones like the plague. It will never look natural, even if you're a natural redhead.

5. Overextended: "Yes, I'm trying to change my face shape."
You know the pencil trick experts say to follow when shaping the end points and arches of your brows? You should probably follow them to an extent. Of course, I am guilty of extending the tail of my eyebrows so that they fit better within my moonface. But only a little bit, and the pencil angle still holds. I never fill in the middle of my brows in hopes of "making my nose look smaller" simply because no matter how light your hand is, it looks dreadfully drawn on. If you really have the unfortunate case of missing hairs in the middle, use a very very light powder and fill it in with upward motions only to match the inner corner of your eyes. Keep it uninspired by Frida Kahlo.

Eyebrows frame your face, and if you need to shape them and fill them in with powder, no one is judging. The most important thing is to never over-pluck in the first place and keep things within reasonable natural shape and color. If you are not trying for a natural look, perhaps look to Sharpie markers to save some time.

Here are some product suggestions for better brow shaping:
1. Makeup Forever Aqua Brow - waterproof, lasts forever, great color selection, and a lot of product to last you a lifetime
2. Lancome's Le Crayon Poudre- powder in a pencil form, never waxy, includes a spoolie (the only downside is having to invest in Lancome's special pencil sharpener, as normal ones will take away half of your pencil in one shaving)
3. MAC eyeshadow in Espresso- beautiful long lasting powder with little to no red tones, perfect for dark brown or black eyeshadows that need reshaping

That's all for today! Leave a comment with how often you pluck your eyebrows below!
- Be

Need some help? Check out these links below:

Related articles

• Filling in Eyebrows (dailyglow.com)


• Eyebrow Tweezing 101 (dailyglow.com)


• Keys to Filling in Narrow Eyebrows Naturally (beauty.answers.com)

Collection: Bright MAC Lipsticks

The most eye-catching display at any MAC counter? The rows and rows of lipsticks in so many finishes and colors you want to replicate The Joker's colorful visage on yourself.

As far as high end lipsticks go, MAC's collection is affordable and smells like vanilla unicorn essence, meaning you could possibly replicate the entire display on your vanity and hoard five shades of pink and ten shades of "red orange" if you wanted to. Here are my top seven shades of the brightest and most flattering MAC lipsticks for divas. If you are anywhere near a wallflower type, stay away.

1. Candy Yum Yum: Matte
The most iconic hot pink shade for all women unafraid of standing out on the streets. Not quite Barbie and not quite Nicki Minaj, this blue-based color makes your teeth blindingly white to complement your blindingly pink pucker. This lipstick will most likely land you compliments from women but stares from men.
Men are thinking one of two things:
- My God, what a confident girl. She has the self-esteem of a feminist!
or...
- My God, she needs to realize her lips are glowing with sheer nuclear toxicity!

Most likely, if you are wearing any shade of lipstick besides red or natural pink, you need to drop all pretenses that you're doing it for the men. Because men will notice this shade. And they may call you crazy. And you will wear it.

2. Ruby Woo: Matte
This red is the ultimate compliment-mongering, long-lasting, non-flaking, bright and beautiful shade that lets you feel like Snow White, the fairest of them all. A lot of people will tell you to go for MAC's Russian Red for a true red, but they are wrong. If you have any sort of a tan or warm undertone to your skin, you may look like a transvestite Bozo the Clown. Unless that's the look you're going for, avoid. Ruby Woo is a very similar shade, but toned down just enough so that your lips will look classy and not crass. Furthermore, the dryer matte texture of Ruby Woo means that it will not budge or transfer even when you're scarfing down that sandwich with the voracious appetite of a female T-Rex.

Even better is the sheer magnanimity of old men that will pay you compliments when you're strutting your stuff down the street (or y'know, sitting at the front desk of an office minding your own business). This shade is the ultimate red, classic and flattering on all skintones. Even Rihanna had to model her new MAC lipstick, Riri Woo, after this color.

3. Vegas Volt: Amplified
As an amplified finish, Vegas Volt steals the show away from matte brights for a moment for its lovely color payoff AND non-drying texture. In the tube, this shade seems to be a coral-red with perhaps a hint of orange that wouldn't show up too bright on the lips. Do not be fooled.  For a crazy, "I don't really care what you think" type of look, Vegas Volt is as flattering as it is shocking. When you pat it lightly on top of lip balm, however, the end result is a much more subdued and pretty coral shade that completes your look - that is, if the rest of your look is a naked or cat-eye and coral/orange blush. For everything else, this shade contrasts completely and surely "amplifies" any garish intentions you may or may not have had when putting it on. This is the only shade I do not pull off in its pure form on the streets in risk of scaring small animals and children.

4. Betty Bright: Satin (Limited Edition)
When I say this is a limited edition shade, I mean you may have to barter most of your limbs, all of your soul, and even shell out thirty dollars to get this lipstick. Recently released in MAC's Archie's Girls collection, most of the lipsticks from the line disappeared from stores within a week and remains sold out/nonexistent online. The bullet design is different and quirky and the color is intense - I may pass this down as a family heirloom. Once in a blue moon, as I shed tears of sadness for a smidgen of lipstick soon to be taken away from the bullet, I put this color on to brighten up my complexion. It is a very similar shade to Vegas Volt, but just a smidgen brighter and lighter. I'm not sure why this doesn't translate to "looking for an application at Hooter's" for me, it may just be that I feel confident on the days I decide to rock this. The only downside is that, despite the satin finish, you may need to reapply lip balm over this as it flakes 3 hours into wear time.

5. So Chaud: Matte
This one is definitely a stand-out shade that flatters warm skin tones fantastically, due to its strong orange undertone in a bright red. For cooler toned girls, I wouldn't recommend this one unless you are a very very fair skinned or a box dye redhead. It will compliment your hair and perk up your face instantly. For anyone in the NC range (light to dark), pick this one out. The shade pulls orange just enough to brighten up your tone without looking full-on "orange crayola" like MAC Morange.

6. Viva Glam Nicki: Satin
Pink. Screamingly bright. Appropriate to its creator namesake. If you have the attitude to pull off this shade, I commend you. As for myself, I reserve this one for very special occasions where the dear husband isn't around to offer a sarcastic, "Oh hay Nicki Minaj" and receive a deserving slap on the face. Just kidding. But really, please don't try this around the presence of males who cannot handle your girl power.

7. Media: Satin
This one is not bright. In fact, it shouldn't even belong in this category. In the bullet Media is a dark, plummy wine/goth black/emo artist type of shade I would never pick out unless the costume party theme was The Undead or Nightmare on Elm Street. Fall of 2012, however, dark burgundy and wine lips were all the rage. As a devote worshipper of Jenn Im from YouTube's clothesencounters, I saw this shade on her lips and had to try it for myself. On the lips, it is a vampy purple that makes your complexion very milky and porcelain-like - especially in the winter when my skin is between NC20-NC25. As with any of my other shades, the best complement to this lipstick is flawless skin and minimal makeup elsewhere.

So there you have it, my top seven shades. As for any high-maintenance lipstick, it is imperative to prep your lips first to save the hassle of reapplying and fussing over it later throughout the day.
- Scrub off any dead skin (crusty lips are so not vogue at the moment).
- Apply a lip balm and let it sink in while you do the rest of your makeup.
- Line your lips with either a clear lipliner (I like Makeup Forever's clear one) or one somewhat matching your shade.
- Apply the color with a lip brush (for no sinking into lip lines) or straight from the bullet if you're feeling bold.
- Super brownie point step: Blot with a tissue, brush translucent powder over the tissue while it's on your lips, reapply another layer of lipstick, and generally waste 20 more seconds of your life just to look good.

Enjoy!
- Be

P.S.: For swatches, check out Karla's website.