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Showing posts with label Makeup Brushes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Makeup Brushes. Show all posts
December 10, 2014
November 17, 2014
BEAUTY: (Mostly) Drugstore Bridesmaid & Wedding Makeup
Relying on products I knew and trusted, and doing a lot of beauty research, here's what I put together for a (mostly) drugstore wedding look that stayed in place through the last dance:
+ Face +
1: CeraVe PM Moisturizing Facial Lotion
Start with a clean, moisturized base - this lotion is light and sinks in quickly, plus there's no SPF, which can flashback oddly in professional photos.
2: Revlon ColorStay Foundation
This is full coverage without a mask-like feel. Work in small sections because it tends to dry quickly. My foundation was still at least 85% perfect about 15 hours after application.
3: Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer
Great for under eye area. Gives a light, bright look which would work for contouring, as well. Brush tip is handy for application.
4: Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent
Top your foundation with this matte powder which seals everything in, but still lets your skin look alive. I had this in my clutch for touchups and never needed it.
5: NYC Bronzer in Sunny
This matte bronzer is perfect for warming up your face and contouring.
6: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Matte Brown
This is technically eyeshadow, but I used it for light cheekbone and jawline contouring, which is a good idea for professional photos. The cream formula blended into skin and stayed put.
7: Milani Baked Blush in Rose D'Oro
Best drugstore blush! These blushes are nicely pigmented, and also have a glowy highlight in them. I love peachy shades for my skin, but there are several warm and cool toned options.
8: NYX Full Coverage Concealer
Use with a brush for any redness or blemishes. Thick but blend-able.
9: Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter
Best highlighter ever. I still have my free sample from Sephora, but a good drugstore alternative is Sonia Kashuk's Highlighter Stick in Sparkling Sand. Perfect for cheekbones, eyebrow arches, inner corner of eyes and cupid's bow.
10: NYX Setting Spray in Matte Finish
Set your face with a few spritzes of this. I spray in the air above my face and then look up to the ceiling and let it fall down on me.
11: Makeup Sponge (Beauty Blender knockoff)
Cheap from Marshall's/T.J. Maxx. Works beautifully to give a soft finish to foundation and cream products. Blends contour cream perfectly!
12: Real Techniques Contour Brush
Good for bronzer or blush.
13: ELF Small Stipple Brush
Use to dab highlighter over cheekbones.
14: Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
Great for giving a finishing blend to foundation.
15: Real Techniques Buffing Brush
Use this for setting power, for face and lips (mentioned below).
16: ELF Blush Brush
Good size for applying blush on apples of the cheeks.
+ Eyes +
1: Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sellout, Twice Baked and Perversion
Obviously, this isn't drugstore, but one area to splurge in if you're able is eyeshadow. I already had this (very old) Urban Decay palette, but some good long wear drugstore shadows are L'Oreal Infallible Shadow and Maybelline Color Tattoos (if you like cream formulas). I created a brown smokey eye with Sellout all over my lid, Twice Baked in the crease and a touch of Perversion in the outer corner to add a little drama. I also lined my bottom lash line with a little Twice Baked on the outer half and Sellout on the inner half. I'm pretty sure Sellout is the world's best eyeshadow.
2: Milani Eyeshadow Primer
I find this just as effective as Urban Decay's Primer Potion for so much cheaper.
3: Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Black
I used this to line my bottom waterline because even my best pencil liners wear off there eventually. I topped it with Urban Decay shadow in Perversion to make it last even longer.
4: Small Eye Brush (came with gel liner)
I used this little brush to pat Perversion on top of my gel liner.
5: Sephora All Over Shadow Brush
Perfect for packing shadow all over the lid. For cheap alternatives, I like Target makeup brushes, and the ELF shadow brush is fine too.
6: Maybelline Ultra Liner Waterproof in Black
Drugstore waterproof liquid liner is RARE. I went with this one, and while not perfect, it lasted all night and survived tears. Get experience using this for a week or more before the big day because the brush and formula feel a little different.
7: Maybelline The Colossal Waterproof Mascara in Glam Black
Awesome drugstore mascara. You see an instant difference when it goes on, and it is seriously waterproof (wore it swimming before). Comes off easily with Pond's or oil-based removers.
8: NYX Eyebrow Gel in Blonde
I switch between pencils, powders and gel for my brows, but for all day wear I need this stuff. Use a tiny speck to brush on perfect color that also keeps hairs in place. I like to brush my brows down, draw on a line of gel with a brush where I'd like my top perimeter to be, and brush the brows back up into place to hide the harsh line. Fill in the bottom and tail as needed.
9: Real Techniques Detailer Brush
I use this for shadow along my lower lash line.
10: Target Crease Shadow Brush
Perfect for adding dimension in the crease and blending crease shades into highlights.
11: Slanted Brow Brush (from paint section at Michael's)
This is a paintbrush that I use to fill in my brows with the NYX gel.
12: ELF Angled Eyeliner Brush
Perfect to add gel eyeliner to the bottom waterline.
13: Spoolie
Needed to brush brows into place. Can also use an old (clean) mascara wand.
14: Japonesque Eyelash Curler
Awesome curler that comes with free replacement pads. To me, this is another worthy splurge. I've had this for years and it works better than cheaper ones I've used. I like it as much as the Shu Uemura curler.
15: Ardell Demi Wispies False Lashes
My go-to false lash for when I (rarely) need them. Dramatic, but not costume-y. Fits my eye perfectly.
16: Duo Eyelash Glue in Clear
Best, most reliable eyelash glue. Dries clear. Dab a bit on the back of your hand, drag lash band through it and give it 45-60 seconds (longer than it says) to get tacky before applying.
+ Lips +
1: ELF Lip Exfoliator
Before any color, you need a smooth base. This is cheap and works so well. Apply like a lipstick, scrubbing extra where needed. The sugar crystals smooth while the oils moisturize. Give yourself some time for this to work before you apply your color.
2: NYX Lip Liner in Red
Start with a lip liner around your lip line. I stick to my natural shape, but this is the step to over draw if that's what you're going for. Fill in your lips with the liner.
3: Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick in Top Tomato {reviewed here}
Cover lips in a thin, even layer and let it dry. Once set, tear a tissue in half so that it's one-ply and place it over your lips. Brush some translucent powder over the lips to seal in color.
4: ELF Retractable Lip Brush
You can use a lip brush to spread the color if you'd lip.
+ Hair +
1: Bed Head Rockaholic Flexible Hair Spray
Another area to splurge if you can is hairspray. I've always used cheap ones and I just learned that good ones make a huge difference! They stay better, and they don't make my hair feel so weighed down and crunchy. This one was on clearance at Marshall's for $8.00! I had this by my side at the hotel and the bridal suite and we all used it many, many times. My curls stayed in for days after the wedding (I wore them as long as I could before washing!).
2: Suave Dry Shampoo
Even on clean hair, this gives a little lift and thickness to the root.
3: Tangle Teezer
Awesome for brushing out long hair!
4: Rattail Comb (neon rattail, to be exact!)
My favorite tool (and blog namesake) for combing bangs, smoothing small hairs and combing out sections of hair right before curling them. Essential!
5: Hair Clips
For sectioning hair before curling. I like to start curling in the back and work my way up to the front.
6: Goody Wave Creator
My one true hair love. This thing is so easy to use and always gives me perfect waves-bordering-on-curls, which is my favorite. It gets super hot super fast and all I have to do is lightly spritz a section with hair spray (I used small sections for this look), wrap it around the bubbled iron and unravel to get perfect little spirals. I let them cool while doing my makeup and them carefully comb them out with my fingers. Spray and tousle until it's to your liking. I don't think this model is made by Goody anymore (why?!), but Bed Head makes one too.
+ Nails +
1: Tropical Shine Nail File
Any will do, but I love this one from Sally's Beauty Supply and it's less than a buck.
2: Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat
This is also from Sally's and it's made a huge difference in my nail strength.
3: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Coral Reef
This shade is a perfect coral - not too pink and not too orange. I wanted something in the realm of "normal" that would compliment our teal dresses. Such a gorgeous shade in person!
4: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat
A great long wearing top coat that dries pretty fast. For ultimate speed, I'd recommend Seche Vite.
Here's my final drugstore wedding makeup look:
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| I applied my makeup around 10:00 AM. |
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| And here's my makeup around 9:00 PM, at which point I had stolen my boyfriend's bow tie. |
I don't have many great photos of my handiwork because I was busy maid-of-honoring, and, you know, enjoying myself, but hopefully you can see that you DO NOT have to spend a ton on makeup to have it apply well and last all day. There are weak products at the drugstore, just like there are weak products at the department store counters. Knowing what works for you is what's important.
Have you ever done your own makeup for a wedding? What are your favorite high performance drugstore finds? Do you also have a lot of feelings and thoughts about makeup?
July 31, 2013
BEAUTY: BH Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner Review
I consider a cat eye look to be one of my closest friends (no offense to my human-type friends) and we generally get together every day. Usually it's a good time - a quick swoop across each lid and I'm good to go. I stick with liquid eyeliner 99% of the time because it's what works best for me (and because I'm fiercely loyal, but we can talk about my delightful qualities another time), but I was getting sick of trying new subpar products.
I had a great run with an eyeliner pen, but when it stopped working out I went on a journey to a land I'd only read about: gel eyeliners. A sort-of-sister to liquid liner, gel is thicker and more pliable, but I'd never tried it myself due to a lack of good drugstore options. BH Cosmetics is an online brand selling eyeshadow palettes, loose glitter and tools among other things, and I found some favorable reviews of their gel eyeliner so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Here are my thoughts:
I had a great run with an eyeliner pen, but when it stopped working out I went on a journey to a land I'd only read about: gel eyeliners. A sort-of-sister to liquid liner, gel is thicker and more pliable, but I'd never tried it myself due to a lack of good drugstore options. BH Cosmetics is an online brand selling eyeshadow palettes, loose glitter and tools among other things, and I found some favorable reviews of their gel eyeliner so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Here are my thoughts:
BH Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner
I bought the BH Cosmetics gel eyeliner in Atlantic (blue) and Onyx (black). These were on sale for $3.50 each (and currently are again - or maybe they are always "on sale?").
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| BH Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner in Onyx (left) and Atlantic (right) |
My initial thoughts were that the blue was GORGEOUS and that both gel liners were super pigmented. Off to a great start! The product was really soft and easy to play with, which made application a breeze. I was shocked how easily these both applied. I've been using eyeliner for more than half my life, and I think these were the easiest liners I've ever applied, including liquid pens.
I used this angled eyeliner brush from ELF. Whoever invented this type of brush is a genius and deserves the many riches I am sure have been bestowed upon them. I can't believe I waited so long to use this brush! All this time I've been letting my own wrist do the bending like a fool.
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| Clearly I could not wait to touch this before snapping a photo. Don't steal my finger print, please |
The gel liner in Atlantic is a great unusual shade of blue - not quite light or dark and really pops on your eyes. This one was completely opaque in one coat. It felt like I was painting, but somehow even easier. No snagging or smudging here. It was easy to build line thickness where I wanted it and even out any areas that needed it. The cat eye flick/wing was also simple due to the soft formula and controllable brush. It would also work well with a slanted eyeliner brush, but I am definitely partial to the bent brush.
Onyx was a bit of a different story because I found it to wear off really quickly after application. Like the blue, it was opaque and went on very smoothly, but within an hour I'd find tiny black smudges on my face and hands. The blue shade did not move AT ALL, so I was confused by the messiness of the onyx shade. Bummer too, since this was going to be my every day liner.
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| Just not quite crisp enough for my liking! |
It didn't completely run off my eyes, but its general smudging made it too high maintenance for me. I tried it on several occasions and always got the same results. I'm trying to find another use for it so if I ever take up professional football (who knows?) I will smudge it under my eyes.
They offer so many colors at such a good price that I'm willing to gamble again on other fun shades, like Fresh (a pearly mint green) or Lilly (a shimmery purple) in the future. Now that I know I'm into gel eyeliner I'm willing to try some new brands, too.
Have you ever tried BH Cosmetics? Are you a gel eyeliner devotee or just gel curious? What is the best black eyeliner out there for upper lids?
May 12, 2013
BEAUTY: Gold Eye Makeup Tutorial
Inspiration
Gold Eye Makeup Tutorial
First, do all of your makeup except your eyes. I used this stuff:
Boots No. 7 Shine Free Primer // NYX Concealer in a Jar // Benefit Watts Up Highlighter // Lancome Lip Gloss // Maybelline BB Cream // Airspun Face Powder // Wet n Wild Blush // ELF Makeup Brushes // Wet n Wild Bronzer
That was a lot of products just to create a blank slate! Eh. I would NOT be doing this if I weren't sharing this tutorial. I can live with my under eye circles, but the internet may not be able to and I'm considerate like that.
For the gold eyes themselves, I used these products:
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Half Baked & Sellout // Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion // Wet n Wild Liquid Eyeliner in Black // Benefit They're Real! Mascara // Sephora Eyeshadow Brush // Target Crease Brush // Sephora Smudge Brush // Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eyeliner in Black // NYX Eyeliner in 24 Karat // Japonesque Eyelash Curler
Start by covering the entire eyelid in the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.
Next, use the eyeshadow brush to pat Half Baked all over the eyelid up to the crease.
Then use the crease brush to apply Sellout in and above the crease, blending out and up.
This gives us a golden glow all over the eyes:
Next, take the NYX eyeliner and line along your bottom lashes.
Then apply Half Baked over the NYX eyeliner with the smudge brush.
Top off the look with a cat eye, using the Wet n Wild liquid eyeliner.
And use the Rimmel eyeliner to line your waterline (bottom inner lid).
Curl your lashes and apply mascara to top and bottom lashes.
The Finished Look:
Michelle
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