First Look: Buy the Hype

Sorry for the MIA without notice, honeys. I've been trying to balance basic housewife duties (walk the dogs, cook dinner, clean the house) with writing a six page paper about the Protestant Reformation for my final. Y'know, nbd. It usually isn't a problem, because I usually turn into a horrible sloth during finals week and neglect all duties. But lately I do feel a better upkick in my mood when I walk with the babies for at least an hour a day. Also, it's a cardio/weightlifting routine with all of the pulling and yanking I'm trying to correct out of them. Kidding. Not really. My arms are toned already.
With the husband out at work and summer passing by, I've also been very low maintenance with makeup. However, I've noticed quite a few products on hype and decided that now is as good as a time as any to try them out. If they mess up, at least only my dogs will judge me, right?





From left to right: MAC lip liner in Boldly Bare, Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream Kiss, Maybelline The Falsies mascara in Waterproof Very Black, and Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

The lipliner is a recent obsession for a defined lip line. I've been trying to cheat the system and go "au naturel", and without a single lipstick lying around it wasn't exactly hard to do. Maybe a lil too natural...I needed a defined lip. My husband couldn't tell I was wearing makeup, but he did say, "You look good today, are you trying to go somewhere?"

What, do I need a defined lip to appear in public?
...Yes.

I wasn't so impressed with the Nivea lip butter. Like others said, it smells amazing. However, I can't get the tin to open even if I had demon claws. The butter is too creamy and slides off my lips easily, and doesn't moisturize. I think they need to market this as the next diet solution. (Who needs food when you can smell your lips full!)

I have The Rocket mascara and still devoutly hold onto my Definicils as HG, but this is a new favorite. I've seen a lot of hype about how wonderful this is for a DS, but I didn't believe it since I'm not a fan of "volumizing" mascaras. They tend to make my lashes look like cockroaches and clump like hell. This one, however, holds a curl, lengthens like crazy, and doesn't smudge onto my bottom lashline. It also fakes a look of tightlining/eyeliner for all you ultralazies out there. Plus, Definicils over this? Are you a beaver? Cuz DAYUMMMM.

Finally, I just picked up this texturizing spray and already love it. You know how messy, "bedhead", nasty, knotty hair is always a thing in the summer? This takes you there pronto. My hair is recently self-ombred and a little roughened, but this spray mattifies it to a whole 'notha level and creates beautiful volume and texture. Plus it smells like coconuts and makes topknots last. Win win win.

I've been chosen to do my friend's gf's hair this Saturday (she saw my ombre and loved it!) I'll try to post up step by step pictures and tips for you, especially now that I'm finished with summer classes. Have a great day!

Be

Minimalistic Melt-Proof Makeup

These past three weeks have been a nightmare for me. I've been juggling midterm essays with house hunting, packing my things up in bags for donation and moving, and trying to enjoy my last ever summer vacay. I've been moving batches of things over to my new place, and said goodbye to the majority of my makeup. And when I say majority, I mean that every miscellaneous beauty product I own is currently in a box about 100 miles away from my current location. You could also call this post: Face of the Next Two Weeks.

I kept only the best and basic for myself at the current house for daily use. Plus, my skin needed a much deserved break from heavy products and my clogged pores are already clearing. Being able to pack up and sort my makeup collection also meant that I threw away a lot of products I was no longer reaching for. As obsessive as I am about hoarding lipsticks and foundations, I don't like holding onto anything I'm not currently using. You should have seen my donation bag of clothes...those Vietnam Vets will be so duh fashun for sure. The products below are all you need for the perfect fresh face that holds up for 8 hours without too much touching up, but remove very easily.





From left to right: MAC Creemsheen Glass in Richer, Lusher; Lancome Definicils Waterproof in Black; Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Ash; Dolce and Gabanna Light Blue; Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free in Sand; NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger; MAC Harmony; Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze; Urban Decay Naked Flushed; MAC Cleanse Off Oil; Shiseido Sun Protection 50+

Okay, I hear what you're saying. This isn't a small list at all, but I swear that this creates the most natural face possible for me, and you can substitute the lip and blush products with anything else you'd like. The Naked flushed is perfect for that summer glow, and Harmony is my newest contouring shade. Used alone, Harmony is also a great "neutral" blush. It warms up my skin!

As for everything else, they create a perfect base that "makes up" my face without it looking like I'm wearing makeup at all. Not shown are the 4 face brushes I alternate between. I recently picked up the iconic LM tinted moisturizer to simplify my face routine, and it is living up to expectations. I will do a separate review very soon. For the record now, however, I will say it's a great product even if the color match is abysmal.

I packed all of my eye brushes away and decided that the color tattoo was all I needed to define my eyes for the summer. Lancome's Definicils is MY holy grail mascara; it holds up for the full day with no smudging or flaking and keeps a curl very well. And of course, I can't leave the house without filling in my eyebrows. (Although at this point, my left eyebrow is the only one that needs more definition. Damn you asymmetry!)

Also, I can't forget to mention sunscreen. Any sunscreen would do, and I like to reapply every two hours or so when I am in direct contact with the sun. Otherwise, I don't bother. I just put a little onto my fingertips and tap tap tap into the skin so that it doesn't smear off my facepaint.

Lastly, I take all of this makeup off with my MAC Cleanse Off Oil. I was surprised that this performed even better than my Clinique Take the Day Off Remover without leaving a sheen. It doesn't sting my eyes and washes off very cleanly.

That's it for today, I will be swamped for the next two weeks with my summer class final! I'll try to post up a review of recently hauled items for you. Be

Review: Aqua Rouge Lip Cream

Remember this?

One word: Ew.

As you may know, I recently hauled a Makeup Forever's Aqua Rouge lip cream out of curiosity. I am extremely lazy when it comes to my lips. What's the point of layering product upon product on your lips when you're going to devour a giant sandwich in a few hours? At most, I layer lipstick over lip balm, or swipe on a gloss before I head out. 

So when I saw the Aqua Rouge lip creams, I was instantly attracted. After all, the product promises to be waterproof, long lasting, hydrating, etc. (basically the Iron Man of lip products). If I swipe on a layer of color, wait for it to dry, and then layer with a gloss, it would last until I scrub the crap out of my lips at the end of the day? Oh hell yeah.

Sad to say, I tried this out for a night out on the town and felt self conscious about my lips the entire time. Once you layer on the cream color, you better commit harder than a monogamist in an apocalyptic world. If you apply too thick in one corner and too little in the other, you cannot fix it once it dries with the gloss. To test my theory of long lasting abilities, I left the tube at home. Then I saw a reflection and screamed...oh no. 

So what was a girl to do? My lip color was radiant and beautiful, but applied without a mirror, it was patchy. Especially with the color 18, a bright orange coral, I looked like a pumpkin glutton. It was awful.

Trying to fix the problem, I scrubbed with a moist towel in the bathroom. Nothing happened. I applied lip balm and wiped it, nothing. The color and mistakes would not soften. I was glad I was in theaters to see Pacific Rim, where no sunlight could reach me. 

Are the colors pretty? You bet. Are there a lot of them, yes. 

Does it last forever as claimed? Agonizingly so. If you don't take your time and refer to a mirror, good luck fixing it without an oil based makeup remover. However, if you get it right the first time, you may enjoy this product very much.

Is it moisturizing? To a surprising degree, yes. Even when I scrubbed my lips raw, the gloss helped my lips recover. 

The worst part, however, is the artificial fruit/lychee smell. Imagine it lingering on your nose as you try so desperately to get rid of the color. At one point I started crying inwardly. It was a beauty nightmare. 

My verdict is that if you are very careful when applying delicate things with a doefoot applicator, go for it. It will most likely be your best friend. For me, the smell and mistake-unfriendly expectations left me annoyed. And the worst part? It's so expensive! I can get a lipstick and layer on a cheap gloss for the same price. I would advise you to try it first at the mall, walk around and see how people stare at you (in a bad, terrible way), and then come back to remove it with a steel wool pad and some bleach. If you find this an innovative product, I congratulate you. Seriously, you just skipped out on so many lip product steps. Plus you get to eat your food without bothering to touch up. It's a definite hit or miss in my book, and for me, a terrifying miss. The cons outweigh the pros. Or should I say, outlast.

In all honesty, it just wasn't right for me. I think that if you are looking for a hydrating stain, however, this may be a huge winner in your book. You can find swatches of this coral along with the many beautiful shades with a quick google search.

Tell me, what's your last lip related incident that's left you scarred?

Be

Review: Makeup Forever's HD Foundation (Part 1)

Yes, my friends, it is time to bring out the big guns of blogging and share with you all of my best secrets, tips, and observations about the iconic, often ridiculed, sweetly surprising beauty that is Makeup Forever's HD foundation. (Now say that entire sentence five times fast!)

 

First of all, this foundation is not for the very oily or very dry skinned girl. It will combine with your natural greaseball of a face much too quickly if you are anything past combination, dissolving into a goopy mess. On the other end of the spectrum, it will emphasize dry flakes and make you look like a shedding snake if you are too dry skinned. Furthermore, If you are acne-ridden, have severe acne marks or potholes, please stay away. HD Foundation does not mean miracle to those who seek it. So, what the hell? Who is this foundation for, if not girls who want perfect skin?

 

Let me answer this question in the simplest way possible: It is for normal skinned girls with light to moderate dark spots and blemishes. 

 

Now, before you all throw hissy fits, you must simply accept this fact. There are plenty of other foundations that do much better in the oil control department. There are concealers that cover acne scarring like a patriotic duty. When you fit into the right skin category for this foundation, however, it will simply be worth the 42 dollars. Why?

• WIth no SPF, you will look radiant in HD photographs and videos as promised by its name.
• It is supremely lightweight while offering medium coverage.
• It will last for your entire workday. After a few hours, it combines with my natural oils to come to a beautiful finish that looks like second skin. In the summer, my oilier T-zone requires blotting which is a given. Look elsewhere if you are going to spend your days outside and sweating. In fact, wear something with a sunscreen.
• It plays nice with a Beauty Blender, your fingers, and a Real Technique's buffing brush. With any kind of tool I've used, this foundation blends beautifully.
• The color range is phenomenal and you will most likely find your exact match. Ironically enough, HD foundation is also very forgiving. I wore N120 when I was NC20 to NC25 and I use N123 for NC30 to NC35.
• Two pumps covers my face and neck. 

My mom is the type of person who uses MAC's Studio Fix Fluid or Pro Longwear on a daily basis and keeps this bad boy in her arsenal for camwhoring. She seriously keeps it on a shrine. With her oily and acne-scarred skin, she simply dusts on a loose setting powder and keeps her photoshoots short and sweet. She doesn't wear this out all day and expect it to perform like her MAC foundations. Her skin in photos looks perfect when it is far from it.

For me, I use this on a daily basis. If you haven't already gleamed from the list of merits above, let me tell you a short story. I often troll MAC counters and Sephora stores every other day, and the reps and makeup artists always wonder if I'm wearing a powder, since my skin looks so nice but not made up. Yes, I am. Yes, my skin is also a blessing, but it does have a few dark spots, fine lines, and dry patches. Nobody can tell I'm wearing makeup when I have this on. When I wear Revlon Colorstay, the girls tend to say, "I like how your foundation looks."  Aw hell no! 

This foundation has been hyped for quite a while now, and I can understand why. However, it also has haters. People who say that this foundation did nothing for them, or that they couldn't justify the price tag, or that it simply was too heavy, or that it broke them out. Their statements may be true, as foundation is never one bottle for all. In my experience, however, it is just the best foundation because it evens out my skintone very well and makes me look flawless after spot concealing.

If you are not convinced, maybe you shouldn't be. There seems to be a very narrow group of people who can enjoy this foundation, and I'm glad I'm in it. Otherwise, look elsewhere for a HG foundation and save us the bemoaning!

That's all for today folks! Pray tell if you've use this foundation before or tried it when it was first hyped. What is your experience with HD?

Next, I will show you my application of the product and how it looks swatched with other comparable shades for your reference. Stay tuned!

First Look | MAC MUFE NARS

Summer is here! I do have a few items from a recent haul to show you, and since these are mostly new to me, I'd like to also give you my first impressions of the products.



This is my small after-vacation haul. I planned to pick up a few thicker opaque concealers for dark spots, as I don't have dark circles unless I have been up for 2 days straight. Even then, I am fortunate enough to not deal with severe raccoon eyes. I do have Maybelline's Age Rewind concealer in Medium, but I suspect it is for undereyes as the formulation is not as creamy and stay put as I like for acne scars and blemishes. I also picked up Makeup Forever's Aqua Rouge out of curiosity and their iconic HD Foundation in my summer shade. Lastly, thanks to recs from essiebutton, I decided to give MAC'S Crosswires a chance.





This is MAC's Studio Finish concealer in NC30. I like that it's in a pot, but this could get unhygienic very quickly. The color match is spot on, the formulation is thicker than cake batter, and it seems to cover everything with ease. This retails for 18 dollars.





Next is NARS's Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger. The lighter choice seems like a perfect match for NC25, but I already have a concealer for the winter. This color is also a great match for NC30-NC35, and I believe it can be used as both an undereye or blemish concealer. The formulation is a creamy liquid that is not too thick and spreads easily on the face. The doe foot applicator is precise, and the packaging is very purse friendly. This retails for 28 dollars. Yikes!





This is Crosswires from MAC. Yowza, it's a bright watermelon pink! I expected much less pigmentation from a Cremesheen formula, but it's a pleasant surprise. This color fares better alone on the face, being much more pigmented and brighter than I thought. It retails for 15 dollars.





This needs no further introduction; it is Makeup Forever's HD Foundation in N123. I am usually N120 in the wintertime (for NC20 to NC25) but I needed a much darker shade for my new tan. 123 actually looks much darker and more golden than 127 while they are the same shade. I would say this fits an NC30 to NC35. I have had a great experience with this foundation especially for photography. It is a thin formula with medium coverage and long lasting capabilies. Sadly, it retails for 42 dollars.







Lastly, this is MUFE's Aqua Rouge in 18. I would say that this is the high end equivalent of the drugstore color/gloss duo pens. However, the gloss is very hydrating and essentially seals in the color for hours. My one gripe is that the product smells like artificial lychee glue. Nasty. On the positive side, 18 is a wonderful coral-orange that is lovely for summer. This sucker lasted through a meal at a burger joint. And if you know me, I don't eat my burgers like a lady. If you want long lasting shine and color that won't dry out your lips, this is absolutely wonderful if you can stand the smell. This retails for 24 dollars.

That is it for my first look post, I hope you found it helpful. If you would like an in depth review on any of the products above, please leave a comment and let me know!
I also have made a recent, mind BLASTING discovery and would love to share that with you if you're interested. It involves a very inexpensive brush...

Anyway, have a nice days guys! I'm back to packing my things for a move to LA and donating old clothes/shoes to Goodwill. I'm not sure if anyone wants to take my makeup, but I could have a blog sale if that's a way to get rid of the clutter.

Bye!

June Favorites!

Products Mentioned:

Origins: MegaBright Skin Tone Correcting
Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover
Sally Hansen Kwik Off: Moisturizing Nail Polish Remover
Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Ash
Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue (Rollerball Edition)
Living Proof full thickening cream
MAC Girl About Town lipstick and Prolongwear Lipliner in More to Love
Gucci Sunglasses 58mm

Review: Revlon Colorstay

Is the Revlon Colorstay foundation a hidden holy grail, lying underneath piles of rubble?

If you know anyone in the beauty blogging world, either on blogs or Youtube, you have probably heard of the drugstore Magna Carta known as Revlon Colorstay. When I first tried it out, I was NOT impressed. Why? It's thick. The color match was horrendous. Every shade suited for NC25 was too pink toned or seemed ashy on my skin, making it look like a horrible and flat mask. 

I picked up the shade Golden Beige in an earlier haul as a last attempt of saving humanity's faith in drugstore foundation, and it seemed to fail me yet again. I had thought this shade would be a great match for my summer tan (around an NC35 to NC40). Wrong!It was much too light. This is when I should've realized that it would be a perfect match to NC30. I didn't. Instead, I shoved it into my "excommunicated and ugly foundation pile", never to be seen again.

Now in the summer heat, my skin is a definite poster child of combination oily. My T-zone, and especially my nose, isn't responding well to liquid foundations that have a satin or dewy finish. Two hours after makeup application, I look like I've been snorkeling in a sea of grease. Gross. Meanwhile, my matte finish powders are too dark. Therein I thought to myself, I should invest in Makeup Forever's Mat Velvet and solve this awful problem!

Then my wallet cried, and I said, "Let me look instead to my pile of cast-off foundations to find something that controls oil."

Oh yeah, I have Revlon Colorstay. Isn't it touted as the HG affordable solution for oily skinned girls?

I gave it a try again, and it matches PERFECTLY with my NC30 skin. As the name suggests, its yellow tone matches to my face and neck with no issues.

Yes, it's thick. I use a very watery Beauty Blender and a very sparing amount of product, taking care not to spill the entire bottle out with each application. The finish in the first hour is definitely flat and doesn't pass for natural at all. By the second hour, however, my natural oil has seeped through enough to make it a beautiful natural finish with zero shine or slick. Wow! I'm guessing this is the goal of any other oil controlling foundation that is on the higher end, but since I am on a budget, this foundation is turning out to be a surprising (or not surprising) favorite of mine at the moment. I'm sure that when my tan comes through again, however, I will have to buy the next color up and risk hating this foundation again.

Verdict?

Pros:
- Oil control is magical. Blows my Studio Fix Fluid AND Powder out of the water. The only place that "glows" on my face right now is where I place my highlighter, not on my forehead or the creases of my nose.
- Cheap. And for the price, I think it probably does the same job as a higher-end product like MUFE Mat Velvet or NARS Sheer Matte.
- Needs very little product for full coverage. Goodbye, obvious zits and concealer!
- Water resistant, may I say waterproof. This baby doesn't budge with sweat and only comes off with some elbow grease and some oil based makeup remover.
- Natural finish with some aid from skin highlighters and natural oil.

Cons:
- Thick. I think it is very easy to go overboard and risk cardboard skin.
- Good God, why can't you include a simple pump? I feel like it's a life or death situation every time I pour some product on the back of my hand.
- Horrible, horrible, horrible color match for light-medium skintones with yellow undertones. I'm talkin' NC23-NC27. I've tried Sand Beige based on online recs and the color was still way too pink and ashy. As for NC30, Golden Beige is deceptively dark in the bottle, and you can't try it on in stores before purchasing. I'm not even sure what the color match for NC35 is, or if it even exists.
- Will this clog my pores? My skin is very resistant to allergic reactions from products, but I can't see this as healthy for every day use. It takes a lot of work to remove this foundation, and I wouldn't recommend to people who even occasionally sleep in makeup after a long night out.

Overall, I'm glad I saved 40 bucks from not buying a new foundation that controls oil. I wouldn't say that this foundation is amazing, but it is very excellent for the price point. My skin wouldn't like it in the winter, but for the humid summers, it stays on very well. This is a good option for those who are active, live in hot climates, and need full coverage (or are just plain lazy like me and hate multiple steps when applying skin correcting goop).

What's your take on drugstore foundation? Do you have a DS foundation that can beat out a high end one? Let me know!