The Usual Vampy Stuff

Face:
BECCA Ever-Matte primer (just on my nose)
Ardency Inn Americana Fair Pink mixed with LM Radiance Primer
MUFE Full Cover 1
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1 (under eye)
Nars LRP Loose (under eye mostly)
MUFE Super Matte Loose 12 (around and on nose)
D&G The Foundation Powder Ivory 50 (forehead)

Cheeks:
Dior Aurora 01 bronzer (soft contour)
Benefit Hervana
BECCA Gypsy

Eyes:
WnW Fergie eye primer
Marc Jacobs black Highliner pencil
Illamasqua Precision gel liner (tight line)
MUG Corrupt
MUG Burlesque
MUG Shimma Shimma (inner corner)
Too Faced Salted Carmel (transitions)
Lorac Chic Baked Matte Satin e/s (brow bone)
UD Perversion mascara
Clinique Bottom Lash black mascara (lowers)
Tarte The Brow Architect Fair/Light (just the pencil part used)

Lips:
Stila Color Balm Lipstick Isla


I know.  It's a crazy amount of complexion products happening, especially for me!  This is me wanting and needing full coverage complexion but not wanting it to feel, look, or act heavy (read:  misbehave).  It was relatively successful, I'm happy to say!  The Ardency Inn Americana + LM Radiance primer base mix did really well for me.  Mad science has finally paid off.  :)  And using the D&G powder lightly to set my forehead (the area I'm trying most to cover), worked well, too.  I can't believe all that held up through a long day at work, but pretty much it did.  I think I only did a slight touch up around my nose and between my brows once, while on my break.  My nose was decidedly shiny by hour nine, but I can live with that, and could have done another proper blot.

Salted Caramel from the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette is fast becoming a favorite crease and/or transition color.  I can't tell you how much I adore it.  Also, a huge rave for BECCA Gypsy mineral blush, which is a solid fave for blush transitioning!  Who would know that I would become such a transition freak?  I'm loving Gypsy just on top of my cheekbones paired with nearly every blush.  Sometimes I skip the highlight, sometimes I add one over top, just on the high points.

More new stuff - the Urban Decay Perversion mascara.  I really love this!!  But it's not suitable for use on my lower lashes.  Can we say smudge city?  That happens to me with loads of mascaras.  It's perfect on the uppers, though.  I like that it gives me length, a touch of volume, good separation, glides on so easily, and is very black.  On my upper lashes I have no smudging, flaking, clumping, or otherwise egregious behavior.

I hope that everyone is enjoying a good summer!  I can't believe how freaking hot it is.

Winter Wonderland

Face:
Smashbox More Than Primer
KGD Aqua PK-0
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1
Nars LRP Loose

Cheeks:
MAC Full of Joy
Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Winter Wonderland swirly luminizer

Eyes:
WnW Fergie eye primer
all eyeshadows from Sephora Winter Wonderland palette
UD Perversion e/l under smudged e/s (uppers)
UD Uzi e/l - waterline
UD 1999 e/l under smudged e/s (lowers)
Stila Stay All Day pen liner (tight line)
MUFE Smoky Extravagant
Blinc Amplified (lowers)
Anastasia brow powder duo Ash Blonde

Lips:
Too Faced Smurf gloss!  (seriously old, but I seriously love that thing)


Let me know if you have questions about the eyeshadows or anything else!

Ellis Faas Bright Red

Face:
Smashbox More Than Primer
MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW10
Illamasqua Concealer 115 (spots)
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1 (under eye)
Nars Light Reflecting Powder Loose

Cheeks:
Dior Aurora 01
Tarte AC Flush
Tokidoki Luminosa

Eyes:
Tarte eye primer
Too Faced Natural Eye Palette -
Silk Teddy (lid and inner corner)
Velvet Revolver (through and above crease)
Push-Up (crease and outer corner)
Sexspresso (to darken crease)
Lorac Undercover e/s (brow bone)
UD Rockstar e/l pencil
UD Midnight Cowboy e/l pencil
Stila Stay All Day black pen liner (tight line)
Hourglass Arch Soft Brunette
Dior Iconic Overcurl
Blinc Amplified (lowers)

Lips:
Ellis Faas Creamy Lips L103 Bright Red

I realize that I've titled this post after the lipstick, but I actually don't have a ton to say about it since I didn't wear it for very long today.  I was really having a hard time decided what color lip I wanted and I ultimately felt that the warm red was somehow too clashy with the other colors on my face (although, I have to say that the pictures turned out better than I expected!).  I switched over to Givenchy Le Rouge in Brun Createur.  However, I can and will tell you that I'm not a huge fan of the odd little sponge tipped applicator.  I don't mind that type of applicator for a gloss or even a sheer color, but with such a pigmented color as this, it proves to be quite tricky and even messy!  The texture of the lipstick is very nice and reminds me of Armani Lip Maestros.  It's light and comfortable and has a slight silicone-y feel to it.  The lipstick has a glossy finish, but I can't be certain if that would have stayed around or not.

Today I used my new MUFE foundation brush and I am really pleased with it!  It's the Large 108 brush.  I've used it with various liquids and powders on clients, but have only used it on myself twice now.  I really love it.  It's fantastic!  I'm very happy to have several brushes from their new line and would highly recommend them.

Thanks for stopping by!

Nomadic Soul

I don't usually feel so strongly about any given look, but the one featured above, I just absolutely love.  I copied the eyes from a picture of a model found on the internet - not sure where the picture came from exactly or what designer, show, or makeup artist.  In any case, I'm most pleased because it turned out so well and was done in such a way that I don't think I would have ever thought to do, left to my own devices!  This particular combination of colors is not something I would ever think of.

Key items used:  Vincent Longo Water Canvas Porcelain, Tarte AC blush Peaceful, Dior Aurora 01 bronzer, BECCA Moonstone pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector, Dior Iconic Overcurl mascara, Tarina Tarantino Mr. Gold/Mr. Silver eyeshadow duo, dark brown eyeshadow from Tarte Aqualillies palette, Stila Silk eyeshadow, and Tarte Lip Luster in Buff.

I love it all so much that I'd be content to recreate it any day and wear it over and over.  Many thanks to ella343 of MUA MUB for providing much needed inspiration.  <3

For the above look, I used Shiseido Ghost eyeshadow, Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadows Lilac Reef Curassow and Alabaster Starling, Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Twilight, UD Stray Dog eyeliner pencil, Rimmel Pop Turquoise mascara, Illamasqua Katie blush, and YSL Glossy Stain #1 (a patchy, finicky, awful, yet beautiful thing).  Observe my lack of brows here.

The above pictures feature the Shiseido Lido eyeshadow trio, UD Freak, LSD, and Deep End eyeliners, Givenchy Bucolic Poppy Blush, BECCA pressed SSP Moonstone, and Givenchy Le Rouge Beige Plume lipstick (which I heart so hard).

The above really simple face (simple looking, yet still took much too much time, somehow!) featured a bunch of Benefit products including:  Posie Tint (lips), Bella Bamba blush, Dandelion, High Beam, Watts Up, The Bronze of Champions kit, Bad Gal black waterproof eyeliner pencil, They're Real, 15 hour primer stick, and Hello Flawless powder in Ivory.

For this one, I used Armani Eyes To Kill Intense eyeshadow #30 (love, love, love), RBR Lilac Reef Curassow, LM Caviar Stick Orchid, Nars Barrow Street eyeliner, and Too Faced Lip Injection Color Bomb Bigger Berry.

Here I had used the Karl for Shu Uemura Smoky Velvet palette (for blush, too - and even used the ridiculously tiny included brush to apply it) and Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in Deep Coral.  The white sparklies on the lid were much nicer and sparklier in person.

This is just an eye look using the Lorac Pro palette!  You don't get to see the face pictures because I am not keen on them at all.  I was sick, and it really showed.  :(

I'm having a hard time remember exactly what was used here, but I know for sure that the stars are Armani Eyes to Kill Intense eyeshadow in Blue Beetle (over top of a dark gray cream stick) and Lipstick Queen Hello Sailor lipstick.  I believe that I used Tarte AC Stellar blush as well as BECCA blush in Gypsy (lightly, sort of as a highlight).

And last, but not least, an eye look using Stila's In the Moment palette and UD Psychedelic Sister eyeliner pencil...I think.

My apologies for not posting in a long time.  It seems like every day I delete I don't know how many super annoying spam comments from both my blogs (most coming in to my nail blog), but rarely ever see a comment from a real, live, caring person!  It's not even the lack of comments that bothers me - it's more the spam.  SPAMMERS BE GONE!  Ugh.  Okay, glad I got that off my chest.  Otherwise, and more importantly, life has been extra challenging, emotional, and sad for me as of late.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll forgive my absence.  I think that within a few weeks I'll likely be in a better headspace.

As always, I hope you enjoyed the makeup!

Fyrinnae in the Morning

This one is hot and now!  I literally still have this makeup on my face, as I type.  Sorry I disappeared for a while.  Things just got really rough with my personal life...and they still are, honestly.  It's hard to care about makeup when life feels like it is spinning out of control.

Back to the makeup.  I took these pictures at about 7:10 this morning.  It was gloomy out, so the light sucked.  Also, you may have noticed my super drama eye shadow shape.  That was thanks to tape.  I had this idea that doing taped eyes would somehow be easier - would allow me to have my cake and eat it, too (that is, have dramatic, cool eyes with minimal effort).  I'm not so sure about that, now, after the fact!

It was fun for a change of pace, though.  I can say I totally love this really angular shape on my eyes, but it definitely stands out.  I also think my color placement with the three different shades was sloppy.

Red Panda (the shade in the center) looks kind of pinky-coral here but seemed more red to me in person.  My eyes look extra awesome with the pool reflecting in them!

I know what you are going to say.  You wish I had blended out the edges more.  Right?!  Well, I have to agree.  And Lord knows I did try.  Probably the Pixie Epoxy made it harder to blend and no doubt the super sharp line I got from using the tape also made it a challenge to soften the edges.

Face:
GA Maestro Fusion 3
Illamasqua Concealer 115
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1
Fyrinnae Fluff (under eyes and in the t-zone)
Fyrinnae Sunkissed Finishing Powder

Cheeks:
Too Faced Bronzed & Poreless Bronzer
Illamasqua Ambition
Sephora Microsmooth Luminzer 01 Stardust (dupe for Nars Albatross)

Eyes:
Wet 'n Wild Fergie Eye primer (this is really great!)
Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Fyrinnae Sake & Sashimi (outer half lid and crease)
Fyrinnae Red Panda (center of lid and crease)
Fyrinnae Shenanigans (inner third of lid)
Lorac Posh e/s (brow bone and to blend edges)
Stila Smudge Stick Damsel
Jordana brown pen liner (tight line)
Hourglass Arch Soft Brunette
Givenchy Noir Couture waterproof

Lips:
Stila Color Balm Lipstick Isla


The bottom line here is that I would do a lot of things differently if I did this look over again.  Mostly with my eeeeyyyyeees, which I am clearly obsessing over!  The rest of the face I quite like.  :)

Also, if you've not yet seen Fyrinnae eyeshadows in person, you are missing out!  They are just so super sparkly duochromey amazingly pretty.  Go get you some.

Another Mongo Post

Here's another mega post.  I hope you enjoy it!  In the above pictures, I was wearing Hourglass Immaculate (Vanilla, I believe), Tarte AC Tipsy blush, Too Faced Natural at Night palette on the eyes (the three top row colors), aaaand Belmacz Infrared Lip Glow.  Infrared surprised me by being peenk because in the pot it looks almost neon orange.

Pardon my under eye area looking too bright/light in the above photo, but I was playing with a new eye primer and used some under my eyes there as well as on my lids.  It's the CK One Eyeshadow Base in Clean.  So far I really like it!  It does brighten very nicely and I haven't had any creasing yet (other than from Illamasqua cream shadows, but that's another story).  I'm not sure how I feel about this eye look in general because I worry that it makes my eyes look too small or narrow.  Thoughts?

I am, however, mildly obsessed with this easy winged out pencil liner technique!  I just take my BareMinerals Soft Focus eyeliner brush and pull out the ends of my pencil liner before it sets.  It's so stinking easy and I love the result.  I may forsake harsh liquid wings altogether now!

In the above look, I was wearing Clinique CC Cream Very Light, Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #5 on the eyes and cheeks, RBR Gracious Arasari in the crease, Stila Lionfish liner, a little bit of Tarte AC Fearless over the #5 cream on cheeks, and Korres Greek Yoghurt Lip Cooler in Peach.

Above, I was wearing Josie Maran Tinted Moisturizer Fair 1, Stila Custom Color Blush in Coral, Sephora + Pantone Precious Metals eyeshadows from the huge palette (eek - I messed up the outer corner of the eye you see above by not extending/darkening the color enough), and Guerlain Shine Automatique in Pamplelune.

Above, I was wearing the Guerlain Lingerie de Peau BB Light, Illamasqua Tweak blusher, Guerlain Turandot eyeshadows, Sephora Flashy liner in Flashy brown, and Hourglass Liquid Rouge in Canvas.

For this one, I wore Stila Tinted Moisturizer in Fair, Illamasqua Morale blusher, Armani Eyes to Kill Intense #1 (my special pot is way more gold/taupe than most), UD Bordello and Last Call, UD liners in Mainline, Delinquent, and Cuff.  The fabulous lipstick that looks even more amazing in person is Armani Lip Maestro in #504 Ecstasy.

Lastly, a more "simple" look for me.  I wasn't feeling great that day, so I tried to keep things easy.  I was wearing Missha Perfect Cover BB #13, Tarte AC Achiote (a bit heavy handed, I suspect!), Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Ebloui, and Tarte Lipsurgence in Lust.

Please keep in mind that my breakdowns here have been very lazy and of course do not list every item that I used.  If you have questions about anything specific that was not mentioned, feel free to ask and I will do my best to remember!  Many things I don't list are pretty routine - for example, bronzers, concealers, brows, tight line, eye primer, mascara, etc.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  <3