Showing posts with label makeup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label makeup. Show all posts

9/8/14

Cranberry Fall Makeup Look

I never thought I would be saying this, but I am ready for fall. This past weekend gave us a glimpse of that crisp air we all know & love come autumn. And I'm ready for more of it! Along with cooler temps, football tailgating, and cardigans, I am all over fall inspired make up looks. Think cranberry, burgundy, gold...colors that scream this turn of seasons. So today I am sharing with you an eye look that is perfect for a special event in the upcoming months. With berry eyes, cheeks, and lips, this look has it all. Enjoy!


Start with primed eyes. Sweep a neutral transition color all over the lid. This will help with blending the darker shadows we use next. 


Using the shade 'Garnet' from the Lorac Pro palette, pack the color all over the lid.
Add 'Deep Purple' into the outer corner.
Blend through the crease with a mix of 'Espresso' and 'Sable'.
Apply a touch of 'Lt. Bronze' to the inner corner.


Apply a thin wing to the top of the lash line with your favorite liquid eyeliner.
Apply your favorite mascara.
Fill in brows as needed.


After perfecting your complexion with your favorite foundation & concealers, apply a berry-toned blush. I used Gentle by MAC. I skipped contouring & went straight to a bold cheek. 
Apply a cranberry colored lipstick. I chose Amorous by MAC. 



The completed look.


A close up of the essentials for this look.



Products used:



What makeup looks are you excited to try this fall?

Thanks for reading! XO, Carrie

First Impression: Lash Domination

Today I am bringing you my initial thoughts on the Bare Minerals Lash Domination mascara. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to like this product. Prior to receiving a deluxe sized sample, I hadn't heard anything about this particular mascara. When I first opened the tube, I noticed the formula was very wet, similar to the Buxom Lash mascara that people went crazy over years back. But what intrigued me was the unique twisted-spindle brush. I decided to throw it in my basket of samples and things to try, hoping it would "dry up" a bit before I gave it a fair chance. When I opened it up again after a week or two, I decided to give it a go. I will admit, I was very, very impressed! Think volume that of Covergirl Lash Blash + drama of Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill + separation of Loreal Telescopic! This product claims to be a "do-it-all mascara for larger-than-life lashes". Here is my experience with one coat on clean lashes:


I love that this mascara can be built up for extra flare without severe clumping. I choose feather-y lashes over clumpy lashes any day. One of the perks of this mascara is that it doesn't have too hefty of a price point. You can purchase this at Ulta or Sephora for $18. I will for sure be picking up this full-size mascara! [This week only @ Ulta, get Bare Minerals mascaras 50% off as it is part of the 21 Days of Beauty event.]


Here is a close up of the unique wand!


Have you checked out this new mascara? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, what mascara would you recommend to me?


Thanks for reading! XO, Carrie


8/27/14

August Beauty Favorites

It's that time of the month again! Can you believe yet another month has come and gone?! It seems unreal to me that summer is on its way out & fall activities are sneaking upon us. Come Tuesday of next week, I officially start the ultrasound program & I couldn't be more excited. This week has been filled with orientations & preparations for next week. Also with back-to-school season comes football games, tailgating, and of course, fall fashion. I can't wait!

Today I wanted to share with you all the beauty products that I have been loving this month. Because of all the wedding related festivities & shall we say....'photo opportunities' that I encountered this month, I really geared my daily makeup routine towards products that left my skin looking flawless with full coverage & of course, great longevity (as opposed to last month when I went the minimalist route).


Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light: I dust this powder all over my face to set my foundation. It leaves the most natural finish without adding that "powdered" look.
Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation: I love using this foundation when my skin has been clear. The formula is so smooth and weightless & has that natural matte finish that I love so much. 


Yes to Carrots Nourishing Wipes: I love this brand & have tried almost all of the different makeup remover wipes. The 'carrots' line is great for gentle cleansing & moisturizing.
Avene Thermal Spring Water: This French product came in one of my Ipsy bags & I use it daily to set my makeup and refresh throughout the day. 



MAC blush in Gentle
Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie gloss in Dare Devil
Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain in Parisian Passion

Serious obsession with berry/plum tones right now. They will transition perfectly into fall!


Orly polish in Prelude to a Kiss: I was happy to discover this light pink/nude polish. I love neutrals & find this color to pair perfect with any look. 
Urban Decay Perversion mascara: I received this sample of mascara in my monthly Ipsy bag & I will definitely be buying the full size when I finish up the ones I am currently using. It adds tons of volume to my lashes & doesn't clump. 


What beauty products were front runners for you this month? 


Thanks for reading! XOXO, Carrie


8/19/14

Hot & New

If you are like me, your Instagram is flooded with beauty gurus & fabulous bloggers. One of the major perks of being an Instagram junkie, is that it keeps me in the "know". I'm convinced that 90% of the things I find out about [social-wise] are conceived from Instagram. What's also great about this is that it allows me to find out about amazing products very early on! As I scour my news feed & YouTube subscriptions, I am always making note of the things I would love to check out when I head to the mall. Here are the hot new things I am currently drooling over.


As a fan of the original Naked palette and its preceding "sisters" if you will, over the years I have become a sucker for Urban Decay products. However, when the first version of the Naked Basics was launched, I really had no interest. The colors seemed [blah] to me. So naturally, I passed on picking it up. But, when I heard they were launching a second edition, I will admit I was excited. Now that the colors have been revealed & it is officially on sale, I can attest that I will definitely be getting my hands on this baby. It's the same slim little [travel sized] packaged palette, but contains matte, taupe neutrals. [Urban Decay Naked2 Basics]


YSL.. oohhh, my eyes cringe at the price tag. But this is a product I am very interested in getting a sample of. After seeing one of my fave beauty babes, Brianna Stanko, raving about this foundation, my attention was sparked. This long-wearing, featherweight, matte finish foundation sounds perfect for an oily skinned gal like me. [YSL Fusion Ink Foundation]



Can we say gorgeous? This unique disk-shaped, multi-use palette is one of kind. I've seen this in person and am over the moon for the blush color in the center and the beautiful purple tone shadows. It's limited edition, so if you would like it for yourself, be sure to grab it while you can! [Tarte Rainforest After Dark Eye & Cheek Palette]

To this day, I have not found the perfect primer for me. While I have purchased a few and don't dislike them, I am not completely sold. I have trouble figuring out what I should be targeting... my oil, my pores, my redness, etc. From what I have read, this new primer from Tarte looks great. Think pore diminishing, line filling, skin smoothing & firming. [Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer]



I'm cheating a bit on this one. I got a sample of this in July ipsy Glam Bag. For a couple weeks, it kind of went unnoticed. Until one day I was cleaning and opened it for the first time. I have been using it ever since and am really impressed. It claims to be [10-in-1]... but I always find that to be a bit gimmicky. I like this mascara because it lengthens and volumizes without clumps. I will definitely be picking the full size version up when I use up the ones I am currently trying. [Bare Minerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara]



Those are the 5 hot & new things I have my eyes on! Have you scooped up any of these products? If so, let me know what you think!


I hope you all are having a great week & a fabulous month of August! :)

XO, Carrie

7/28/14

July Favorites

Another month has come and gone... How is that possible? July went faster than the previous months, in my opinion. But fortunately for me, August is what I'm coining my "fun month". Finally, all the wedding festivities I have been talking about are at my feet. I can't wait to celebrate! 

This month, I was all about a quick and easy beauty routine. If I wasn't at the lake enjoying the sunshine, I was either out for a run or tackling my online classes. But like all months, I picked up a few new products, and they quickly made their way into my "omg, I'm obsessed with this" stash. ;) 

Here are the products I was loving this month...

Hourglass blush in Luminous Flush 
This blush is like a 2-for-1 type product. If you are familiar with Hourglass, you may remember their hyped up Ambient Lighting powders. What's cool about the blushes is that one of the powders is swirled into each one, giving it that ambient lighted finish. This particular color, Luminous Flush, has the Luminous Light powder inside. Pretty genius, huh? 

Garnier BB Cream for oily skin in Medium/Deep
About a year ago, I bought the original Garnier BB cream and absolutely hated it. It made me look like a grease monkey, and so I returned it. Since then, they came out with a version for combination/oily skin. I continuously heard people raving about it and how great it was for a drugstore BB cream. I finally broke down and jumped on the bandwagon. This product is simply perfect for those days you want to skip a heavy, full coverage foundation, but still want good coverage...if you feel me. I know most people say to apply these sorts of products with your fingers, but I am all about my Beauty Blender right now. 

NARS The Multiple in Altai
Three words. Cream contour perfection. While I have a handful of drugstore foundation sticks that work in the exact way as this NARS product, there really is no comparison. The consistency of this product is what makes it a home run. It blends well & has great color, without being too muddy. If you have been wanting to try a cream contour, I highly recommend this product. (I also love to use this on my eyes!)

Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet liner in Black Velvet
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill mascara
 I have never been a huge fan of pencil liners. Mostly due to the fact that I refuse to line my lower water line. I just can't do it. But as of late, I have really been into lining my top water line, to create a fuller lash line appearance. This product is great for that. It glides on so smoothly and is jet black.

Giorgio Armani...you are love...in mascara form. *Swoon* This is hands down my favorite mascara of all time. I'll say it again. Of ALL time. It volumizes, lengthens, and everything else you could want a mascara to do. I bought this when Nordstrom was having their mascara sale and am so happy I did. However, I am a bit upset that I'll always be wanting to purchase this spendy sucker.

Buxom Full-On Lip polish in Sophia
Milani lip liner in Nude
I picked up this Milani lip liner per recommendation of Nicole Guerrio. She is the queen of lip products and I always trust her recommendations. I like to wear this liner as my lip color. Is is somewhat creamy at first, but sets nearly like a stain. 

This Buxom lip gloss was a perk I got with the Sephora point system. I have many of these glosses and love every single one of them. This shade, Sophia, looks so good paired over top of the lip liner. I have been wearing this combo all month long!

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling cream
I use this each time I wash my hair, prior to drying and styling. It think it works best as a smoothing agent & give my hair nice body. And it smells amazing!

Sephora Makeup Brush Cleaner
Between deep cleaning sessions, I like to spot clean my brushes before each use. This gives my makeup the best application, leaving all products true to color....and not a mix of the 7 other colors I used last week. 

Sally Hansen eyelash curler
Until a few weeks ago, I wasn't into the whole eyelash curling business. I mainly didn't like to do it because the curler I previously owned didn't fit the shape of my eyes. [Maybe you didn't know this, because I didn't either, there are many different shaped curlers on the market. Choose one that matches your eye shape!] Now that I have a proper lash curler, I am enjoying the results it gives me. 


What products have you been loving this month?



As always, thank you for reading!

XO, Carrie

7/23/14

Fall Beauty Trends 2014

While some of us want to hang on to summer forever, fall is here in the fashion and beauty world. Fall fashion has hit stores and beauty trends are already leaping off the runway onto faces near you. I am always excited to see what textures, prints and colors will come to stores, but I am even more excited to see how ladies will be rocking their fabulous face. Harper's BAZAAR has the scoop on what is hot for fall beauty trends. Check it out...

Color

Defined liner

Metallics

Flaunt the bare minimum 

Fresh, flawless skin with a glow

New & improved 'French' manicure. 


I am excited to play with metallics this fall! Which of these trends will you be brave enough to rock? 


Thanks for reading! XO, Carrie


via 

7/17/14

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows: Swatches & Review

Hey loves! Today I am bringing you my thoughts on the Makeup Geek eyeshadows that I own. When choosing single eyeshadows to purchase, I like to think about what shades I don't already own, and which shadows would be nice to have in my collection. (Which is quite tough, since I love palettes!) However, Makeup Geek shadows have continued to amaze me with their pigmentation, creamy texture, and uniqueness in shade range. While I am always drawn to warm neutrals, these particular shadows are much different than any shadows in any of the Naked palettes or even the It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty palette. I own 10 individual shadows from Makeup Geek and have thoroughly been enjoying them all. Take a peek...




Beautiful pigmentation

Unique shade range of gorgeous neutrals

Shimmer & matte shades are equally creamy

Left to right: Shimma Shimma, Cosmopolitan, Homecoming, Moondust, Prom Night,
Peach Smoothie, Creme Brûlée, Frappe, Taupe Notch, Last Dance

Beautiful, right? Marlena has done an amazing job formulating these shadows. She has over 60 exclusive shades, each of which are very unique. Not to mention, the price point is amazing. These are MAC quality eye shadows (if not better) but sold for a fraction of the price. ($15 vs. $5.99) You can purchase these shadows from Makeup Geek. They are sold in pan or compact form. I chose to put mine in a Z Palette, which can also be purchased from Makeup Geek's website. I highly recommend these shadows!

Have you checked out Makeup Geek yet? What shades are your favorite?

XO, Carrie

[editors note: these photos are taken with my new camera. i finally am a proud owner of a Nikon DSLR camera!]

6/26/14

Natural Bronze Makeup Look

Welcome back! Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite makeup looks for summer. This is a wearable, and easy to achieve look. Most of you probably know that when it comes to makeup, for me, I love a really natural & fresh look that is still very put together. I don't like to look like I am wearing a ton of makeup, or that I spent forever doing it. That can easily be achieved by good technique and product knowledge. 

Here is the look that I created...


Soft bronzy eyes


Thin winged eye liner for a touch of drama


Subtle contour and a flush of color on the cheeks


& va-va-voom lashes, of course!




Products used:
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + foundation (#40)
Bare Minerals correcting concealer (Light 2)
MAC Pro Longwear concealer (NW20)
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder (#1)
Make Up For Ever HD Powder
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer 
NARS Madly Blush
MAC Lip Conditioner
Lorac Behind the Scenes eye primer
It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette (shades Warmth, Soulful, Sunset)
Maybelline Eyestudio quad in Copper Chic (rose & bronze shades used)
Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade (Blonde)
Benefit Gimme Brow (Light/Medium)
Jordana 12 HR Eyeshadow stick in Continuous Almond
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (Trooper)
Covergirl Lash Blast mascara
Loreal Color Riche lipstick in Julianna's Nude (from Collection Privee)


Thanks for reading!

XO, Carrie


6/19/14

Drugstore Haul

Hello friends & happy Friday! The weekend is here! What will you be doing to celebrate? We are headed to the lake for some R&R and sunshine! (Fingers crossed. This rain is killing my mood!) I recently made a trip to the drugstore, and left with a basket full of new goodies. Most of these items are things that I had typed down in my notes to look for at the store through recommendations of friends and fellow YT beauty gurus. I have come to the conclusion that that is how I find out about 90% of products, and other randomness. 

Here are the things I picked up...






Loreal Boost It High Lift Creation Spray // "for instant lift and fullness", strong-hold back combing finisher. This reminds me of the Redken Quick Tease Backcombing finishing spray. Very excited to try this! Thanks Alex for the great recommendation! 

Revlon Colorstay Whipped foundation // this is something I have been wanting to try for a while. Various YT gals rave about. Amanda Ensing is crazy about it for oily skin in the summer! Gotta be worth a try, right? (I chose 250 Medium Beige.)

Maybelline Eyestudio quad in Copper Chic // Casey Holmes video made me need this in my life. I am loving bronzy-copper looks this summer!

Maybelline Color Elixir in Petal Plush // another recommendation of Casey Holmes. This is the perfect wearable, baby pink lip color! I have 2 other color elixirs & I love the formula. 

Sally Hansen Triple Shine Polish in Statemint // however, there is nothing 'mint' about this shade. It is almost an avocado green. Which seems like an odd polish color, but I have been on the hunt for a fun green to rock this summer on my toes.

Jordana 12 HR Eyeshadow Pencil in Continuous Almond // I bought this to use as a matte highlight for underneath my brows. The formula is perfect for that use. 

Revlon Bold Lacquer by Grow Luscious mascara // I haven't heard anyone talk about this mascara, but I wanted to try it because I used to love the original grow luscious a couple of years ago. We shall see! 

I am always amazed by the amount of great things at the drugstore! Can't wait to give these all a shot!

What things have you been loving?

XO, Carrie