Monday, February 25, 2013

Diamond Dusk







This was a face from last week.  I was wearing Make Up For Ever Lift Foundation in #11, Nars Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder, Guerlain Meteorites Perles du Paradis, Tarte AC Adored Blush, YSL Glossy Stain #15, and Tarina Tarantino's Diamond Dusk Aurora Jewel palette (LE from a while back).  How's about that for a quick product breakdown?!  :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Lady of the Lake






Face:
Georgio Armani Maestro Fusion 3
Illamasqua Concealer 115 (spots)
MUFE Lift Concealer 1
Nars Light Reflecting Setting Powder Loose

Cheeks:
Illamasqua Morale

Eyes:
Nars eye primer
lightest shimmer shade from Lorac Mint palette (Ulta version)
RBR Periwinkle Cardinal (crease and above)
Urban Decay e/l pencil Mildew
Stila Stay All Day black liner pen (tight line)
Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes!
Anastasia Brow Powder Duo Ash Blonde (lightest half only)

Lips:
Addiction Lady of the Lake lipstick (applied with a brush)

Neck:
Dior Aurora 01 Bronzer

I was surprised to not hate Maestro.  While it didn't wear too tenaciously on me, it did look nice and natural.  It was also oddly fun to apply!  I put several drops into the palm of my left hand, then dipped a finger tip from my right hand into the pool, and followed by quickly applying to my face.  Repeat, etc.  It glides on like liquid silk, which I rather enjoy.  I did not use a primer here, so that will be what I do next time around, to see if that helps it to wear better through the day.  Mainly my nose got shiny halfway through the day - a problem easily remedied with a quick pat from my MUFE Pro Finish compact.

My face felt comfortable and not dry, too, so that is always good.  I was sure to moisturize well underneath.  I'm still loving the new Nars loose powder.

I find it strange and interesting that Periwinkle Cardinal eyeshadow is most definitely not periwinkle.  It's a soft, almost minty green.

Let's talk about Lady of the Lake for a second.  I love this color.  The formula - not so much.  It's thick and smooth and waxy.  While the initial application was not so difficult, I had trouble with subsequent touch ups (which I found to need every hour or so for various reasons).  It got patchy or would ball up in areas.  I ended up using my finger tip to rub out the textural issues, and then would add more as needed.  Also, it felt dry - quite dry.  Now, I can put up with beastly dry lipsticks if they are going to look endlessly pretty and perform well.  I can!  But if they are high maintenance and drying, then it's hard to justify.  All that said, perhaps because little Lady of the Lake came such a long way to be with me, I am determined to make her work.  Next go around I will try a primer and also exfoliate my lips first.

Below is a pic of an eye from Monday.  I didn't fill in my brows here, so try not to get too distracted by that sadness.  I wore RBR Lilac Reef Curassow all over, Umber Firefinch in the crease, and Alabaster Starling in the inner corner.  I used UD Mildew pencil for liner.  I love the color combination and would definitely wear it again!



Monday, February 18, 2013

NW10



Recently, I picked up a sample of MAC Studio Fix liquid in NW10 to try out.  Here I am wearing it!




On my eyes, I used Urban Decay shadows:  Mushroom on the lid, AC/DC in and above the crease, and Ecstasy smudged into liner on the lowers.  I used UD Perversion pencil liner along both lash lines.  On the uppers, I smudged Perversion eyeshadow into it, under Mushroom.




I applied the Studio Fix using my fingers.  I found that a little goes a long way and also I needed to work quickly as it dries rather fast.  I am very pleased with the coverage and lasting power!  The color match is excellent, as well.  Normally I wear foundations that are a tiny bit darker than this and either bronze my neck to match or can't even be bothered to do that!  It's weird seeing myself in a color that matches my neck closely but also doesn't totally wash me out.




It's pretty hard to tell, but I've used UD Asphyxia pencil along the water line.  In my brows is Anastasia powder duo in Ash Blonde (just the lighter side).  Also, I'm testing out a sample of DiorShow Iconic OverCurl mascara.  It's not super dramatic, but it does get major points for wearing extremely well on both my upper and lower lash lines (most mascaras smudge terribly on my lower lashes).




I'd like to try mixing some radiance primer or something a bit glowy into the Studio Fix to see how that goes.  It's a bit more matte than what I'm used to!




Let's not forget lips and blush!  I'm wearing Illamasqua Katie Blusher and Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Jasmine (I later switched to a brighter rose lip, which I really liked with these colors).  I also used Nars New Order (or did I?  I'm fairly certain I did!) for a shimmery cheek highlight - but it's not evident whatsoever in these pictures.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed this look.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Slackin'



Okay.  I've been seriously slacking on the posts.  Sorry for that!  Here are a whole mess of looks from the last week +.  This first one features Shu Uemura's Prestigious Bordeaux palette.  I used the blush in the palette, as well!  That was a total pain in the bumsky to get on my brush because the pan is so tiny.




I'm wearing Beaute weightless lip creme in Trace.  It's a really good nude for me.  I was also testing out Nars Light Reflecting Powder (loose) - stay tuned for a freaky flash pic!




Prestigious Bordeaux is great for me, as long as I use a good base under the dark purple (I used Stila Smudge Stick in Tetra here).




Next is a face featuring really simple eyes with Laura Mercier Gilded Platinum eyeshadow.  I also used a Tarte SmolderEyes pencil in Rainforest Black.




The lipstick is By Terry Grenadine Diablotine.  I got it on super sale through Space NK recently!





Here is a look using the Ulta Lorac Mint palette.  I look so tired here!  It was kind of early in the morning.  I used all the shimmery shades of eyeshadow as well as the lightest matte ivory shade.





This one below features Guerlain Terracotta Sun in the City, which I've used as eyeshadow and also a highlight.  The liner is UD Lucky pencil and I used a darker brown in my crease (it's from Sephora's Moonshadow palette - the black and gold one).




I'm wearing BECCA Bronzing Skin Perfector, along with BECCA mineral powder, Dior Aurora 01 bronzer, and Hello Kitty blush (from the black and white Head of the Class palette).  BECCA beach tint in Dragonfruit is on my lips.




The next look features the lovely Nars Cordura eyeshadow duo, a la smoky.  I'm loving how my eyes look more blue here.  I wore Dior Aurora as blush here and Lipstick Queen gloss in Saunter.




Also worth noting is that I'm wearing the Too Faced BB Cream in Snow Glow, along with the Nars Light Reflecting Loose.  I think my skin looks really great!





Last, but not least, is a smoky look with shadows from Urban Decay's NYC book of shadows.  I used Loaded, Bordello, Rockstar, and Perversion.  I've done this look before and I imagine I may do it again!  I just love it.




I'm wearing Illamasqua Naked Rose blush, Nars New Order (super shimmery in person), and Nars Albatross lip gloss.




I really wish I had bronzed my neck.  It only takes about 10 seconds, but makes a big difference (at least, in pictures, where my neck often looks blindingly white compared to my face).  Live and learn!




Thanks for stopping by and do let me know if you have questions about anything.  I'm happy to ramble on more about these looks, as much as I can remember what I did/used.  :)  Aaaaand I'm going to try to get back to more regular posts (unless of course you like these monster posts).

Monday, February 4, 2013

More Looks



There are several problems with this eye.  I won't go into it, though.  I give myself points for brightness, fun, and perseverance!!  I really had to persevere with that awful matte blue (I think it's called Chaos).  The eyeshadows used here are from the Urban Decay Vice palette.  The blue liquid liner is a Milani pen that was limited edition about six months ago, give or take.




I know the foundation looks really dark, above, especially when compared to my day-glow white neck.  I assure you that in person, it looked quite fine.  I have this trouble a lot where my foundation looks natural and lovely in real life, but not so good in pictures.  I hope you'll forgive me.




Here I am wearing colors from Stila's holiday Luxe eyeshadow palette!  I really like it!  I'm also wearing Illamasqua Morale blush and Buxom Starr gloss (so much prettier in person).  The liquid liner is the burgundy color from Make Up For Ever Aqua.




I'm still getting used to my fun new brow things (Anastasia brow powder duo in Ash Blonde/Taupe, used here, and also Hourglass Soft Brunette pencil).  I wish my brow didn't look so scraggledy below, but I'm really happy with the powder color.  I just used the lighter side of the duo only.





Next look!  I'm playing with a new Lorac mint eyeshadow palette from Ulta (mint shadow smudged into Korres white/green soft liner on lowers).  I also tried my Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Orchid on the lid/crease.  The liner is YSL black cream, which wore like a rockstar, I'm happy to say.




I'm not all the way content with this liner shape, but I'm proud of myself for going outside my comfort zone.  I've decided that I want to do more winged liner and just deal with the dread and discomfort of it until I've mastered it and it's no big deal anymore.  Or something like that.  :)

I used the Hourglass brow pencil here.  Also, I'm wearing MAC Full of Joy blush and YSL Glossy Stain #17.




Last is another Spring-ish sort of look that I wore yesterday.  I wanted to try the Caviar Stick in Seashell.  It's an odd kind of pastel yellow gold color that I was worried wouldn't look so good on me.  I think I've gotten over that worry now.  I really like how brightening it is!




The blue liner on the upper lash line is Tarina Tarantino Glamorous Thief.  The lower is a combination of Korres soft pencil in 3 smudged with Sephora Outrageous Lilac Prisma Chrome eyeshadow.  I'm using the Anastasia brow powder here with Perfekt clear gel over top (not sure how I feel about the gel yet).




The Caviar Sticks feel kind of sticky and strange to me when I don't use powder shadows over top of them.  They wear very well, though, so I don't mind all that much.  My blush here is Tarte Amazonian Clay Dollface and my lipstick is by Terry Grenadine Diablotine, blotted.




Oh!  And it simply must be noted that I'm also wearing my Guerlain Meteorites Perles du Paradis in this last face.  <3

Let me know if you have questions about anything and I'll do my best to answer.  I hope you enjoyed the different looks!