Finally time to announce the big winner of the I Heart Red Cherry contest. Thank you so much to everyone for participating.
Check out my video to see me announce the winners!
1st) Deannario -This entry is just art. This artist has true creativity. She took the Objective of the contest and ran with it. She definitely used lashes creatively...she has them on her drawn in eyebrows, on her crease and on her regular lashling. Amazing!
2nd) Tortolita07 - What an amazing look. The colors look gorgeous...I love the added touch of the feather. She's an amazing artist.
I wasn't supposed to have 3 winners, but I loved Nguyen Makeup's entry so much that I'm going to make her a little prize pack. You can't see her makeup as well here but her eyeshadow blending was on point.
There were a lot of other great entries. I want to give Honorable Mentions to Makeup Fun With Jessie, Aspiring Makeup Art, and Krystle Ros.
1st and 2nd Place Winners Email me at makeupbyren@yahoo.com with your addresses so I can have the lashes shipped to you!
I don't always focus on hair too much on this blog. I'm actually pretty low maintenance when it comes to my 'do, but one item that I must pay attention to are my brushes. Brushes make such a difference with makeup, why not with hair?
A representative from Brush Lab recently contacted me and offered me some brushes for review. He sent me three types to test.
In my personal arsenal, I always have two types of brushes: one for detangling and one for blow outs. I was happy to see that I was able to try out brushes that did both.
This first one is called Pretty Pink 2-in-1 Mirror brush. What a cutie! First of all it's hot pink - my fav! It's a flat brush with round, ball topped bristles. The space between the bristles is good for detangling. The best part is that the opposite side of the brush has a mirror. What a clever idea! This is very convenient as a travel brush or to stick in your school locker or desk at work. I love multi-use products. Just make sure to not slam this down on a counter mirror side down...you don't want 7 years of bad luck!
The other brush is round with snythetic bristles. This brush is perfect for blow drying to get that fresh from the salon look. The barrell shape helps to curl hair under and provide volume. Due to the large size, this is better for medium to long hair. The cactus like bristles help to grip the hair so you can perform a blow out. When I want to take a few extra minutes with my hair, i'll whip out this bad boy and my blow dryer.
My last brush has mysteriously ventured to the boyfriend's side of the bathroom. It's a flat brush with boar bristles. I love using this for smoothing out/finishing off my hair. The bristles help to distribute oil evenly throughout the hair, making it extra shiny. My boyfriend loves using it for his African-American textured, short hair. It smooths out his little coils and evens out the fade. There's also a nice rubber grip on the handle which makes handling a little easier.
You can find these brushes conveniently at Ulta or online at www.brushlove.com
Another FOTD for you today. I wore this look about a week ago when the Beauty Clique came together for their first gathering. I actually used the Cut the Crease technique but toned it down with neutral colors. The key to this look is to use an angled brush like the MAC 263. I really like the way it came out. I plan on doing a tutorial on this look soon.
Here's What I Used (All MAC unless otherwise stated):
EYES -Steelo cosmetics eyeshadow base in medium -shroom e/s (highlight) -jardin aires pigment (lid) -soft brown e/s (above crease) -brown down e/s and beauty marked dupe e/s from Stars Makeup Haven (cut the crease) -Shisem lashes -L'Oreal Liquid Liner -Smolder Kohl
FACE -Mineralized Satinfinish Foundation NC42 -MSF natural in Med Dark -Shy Beauty beauty powder blush -Shadester sculpting powder -Graftobian Warm Creme eyeshadow
I have just a short post for your today. I've been a little behind on my blogs and videos because my BF has borrowed my laptop when he went out of town this weekend. He's supposed to be coming back today and as soon as I get it back in my hands I'm getting to work!
Luckily I have a few saved posts and pics here and there.
Here's a quick FOTD from a few weeks ago that I posted on my twitter account. It's a very simple 5 minute look. I did it right after the shower and before dinner with the BF. I chose to do neutral eyes and focused on the lips.
On my face I'm wearing Steelo Cosmetics mineral foundation and blush. On my eyes, I'm wearing a purple, eggshell and brown color from MUFE and some black eyeliner. On my lips, I'm wearing MAC Magenta lip pencil on the edges and MAC marbelized lipglass in Eclectic Edge from the Colour Craft collection. At first I thought these glosses were really sheer. The square packaging makes it hard to get a lot of product out. However, if you take a disposable lip brush (not the doe foot want, an actual brush) and dip it into the tube, you get a whole lot of product and way more pigmentation. Try it, it works! This is a relief because the color is so pretty and i'm glad I didn't give up on it.
How was your weekend? It was a productive yet relaxing one for me. I filmed an airbrush tutorial this weekend. I plan to get a few videos up this week. My boyfriend comes back into town with my laptop tonight so i'll probably get to editing tomorrow. Stay tuned!
I wanted to share with you makeover that I did last weekend. The occasion was a baby shower. The mommy to be wanted something natural and pretty. With occasions like these, you'll want some kind of color on your face with all the pictures that will be taken.
We went for a pink themed look.
She doesn't look 8 months pregnant right? Lucky girl!
Here's What I Used:
FACE -MAC face & body foundation C5 -Craftobian supercream foundation - used as a spot concealer -Graftobian corrector & MAC studio fix corrector to conceal undereye circles -MAC Housewine blush -MAC Light Flush msf -MAC Shadester sculpting powder -MAC Accentuate shaping powder -MAC Prep & Prime loose powder
EYES (All MAC) -Bare Canvas paint as a base -Shroom e/s (highlight) -Jardin Aires pigment (inner lid) -mix of expensive pink, girlie eyeshadows (middle of lid) -glamour check e/s (outer v/crease) -brown down e/s (outer v/crease) -sketch e/s (outer v) -Blacktrack Fluidline -Ardell Falsies -Smolder eye kohl -Spiked e/b pencil -Espresso e/s to fill in brows
LIPS -MAC Cream O' Spice cremestick liner -MAC Viva Glam V lipstick -Eve Pearl Honey Bunny/Baby Doll Lipgloss
I wanted to take this entry to kind of catch you up on all the recent things happening in the Makeup By Ren Ren land.
I've been a little behind with my videos. My laptop caught some kind of crazy virus so it's been out of commission for the last few days. Luckily my Computer Science major BF was able to fix it, but he's taking it out of town with him this weekend :(
Needless to say, I haven't been able to edit a lot of posts or videos in the last week. I tried editing a movie on my BF's MAC...but IMOVIE is so confusing! I used to use the program a few years ago and college and it's soooo different now. Movie Maker is so much easier. I'll try playing with it this weekend.
On a personal note, I'm also coordinating my Best Friend's Bridal Shower & Bachelorette parties. I'm not going into detail in case she reads this, lol, but it's been pretty time consuming as well. She's the first one getting married in our clique so we're going all out! I'll share details of that as we make more progress.
The boyfriend will be out of town this weekend, so I'm going to try and keep busy. I have a Birthday Brunch tomorrow and some shower stuff to take care of. I'll try to film a couple of vids this weekend as well.
Meanwhile, I have a lot of upcoming videos and posts to look forward to.
Posts -New Flat Iron Review -All about hairbrushes - Brush Lab Review -Ax Haircare of Men Review -Caress Review -Jan Marini Body Block review and giveaway -Baby Shower Makeover -Avant Guarde Shoot professional shots -Anastasia Wrinkle Serum Review
Videos -Graftobian Haul - including an airbrush tutorial -Winner of I Heart Red Cherry Contest -Recent MAC Haul -Neutral Cut the Crease tutorial -Beauty Clique First Video Installment
Thanks for sticking by me. If you want your daily fix of Makeup By Ren Ren, follow me on twitter .
Sorry I forgot to announce the winner yesterday, but I was swamped with work. Thanks everyone for entering the giveaway on Tuesday for Mineral Magic's Microdermabrasian Mask.
About a week ago, I had the special opportunity to have a telephone interview with Jan Marini...famed skincare expert to the stars. If you keep up with my blog, you'll know that Jan Marini products are a staple in my skin care regimen. As a Beauty Blogger, I've strayed a few times trying out new products, but I've always gone back to my beloved Jan Marini products.
My Telephone Consultation
Two of a Kind! I was delighted to receive a call from Jan herself. After just a few minutes of speaking we realized we had a lot in common. We're both two time users of Accutane (intense internal acne medication). However, we both discovered that our years on Accutane definitely weren't the end of our skin care woes.
Early History of Skin Damage
According to Jan, 80% of skin damage happens before we're 18 years old. It just takes years for the damage to begin to show. That showes you...start taking care of your skin young! It's all about preventative measures.
Questioning My Current Skincare Regimen Jan asked me about my current skincare regimen. I informed her of my use of both Jan Marini products as well as some other random products in my arsenal. Here's my typical daily process: Cleanse with JM BioGlycolic Cleanser, Tone with Witch Hazel, Cetaphil Cream Moisturizer, and JM Facial Sunblock in SPF30.
After hearing me out, she informed me a few things. For one, the Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser is a multi-purpose product. For a previous review, click HERE. Not only does this product cleanse, and resurface the skin over time, but this cleanser actually gets into the hair follicle and exfoliates. There is no need for an additional toner or astringent after because the cleanser gets the job done. I had been using Witch Hazel as an astringent and had been doing more harm than benefit! Though Witch Hazel is not as drying as some, the formula was changing my PH levels so I wouldn't be as receptive to the rest of my skincare products. Needless to say, no more Witch Hazel or toner for me! This is actually great...saves me a step and endless cotton pads!
After our discussion, Jan recommended a complete regimen for my skin (to be used in the order shown):
Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser: Morning and Night. You heard me rave about it in the previous paragraph. Check out a previous review HERE.
C'Esta Serum - Morning and Night. This product combines Vitamin C and other essential factors to smooth and tighten skin over time. Jan Marini told me that this would "Lift and tighten up that skin". My skin just seems to soak up the vitamins and my skin does seem to feel a bit more taut.
Age Intervention Eye Cream - Morning and Night. Ladies, please start using an eye cream now. This is the thinnest skin on our face and it's essential to protect it. Early use can prevent wrinkles and darkening of the skin later on. It's also really good to wear an eye cream before makeup so that your eyeshadow won't catch on any dry patches. This eye cream is a very lush, cream formula. I only need to dab my ring finger on top of the cream once and it's enough to cover both my undereyes and eyelid. This stuff will last you forever.
Bioclear Lotion -Night only for the first week, then morning and night. This product is meant for dramatic resurfacing to clear up acne scars, textural issues. I have a bit of leftover acne scarring on my cheeks and temples. I'm banking on these to clear up these issues. With makeup, you may be able to cover up discoloration, but you'll never be able to hide textural issues. Bioclear will help even out any of these issues.
Age Intervention Face Cream - Morning and Night. This is great for women 25 and older to start reversing the aging process by adjusting any hormonal imbalances and repairing any damage to make skin look younger and healthier. I had told Jan that my skin tends to get really dry, especially on my neck. This cream is just what I needed to quench my parched skin. Again, a little goes a long way. I dot it onto my forehead, cheeks, nose, chin and neck.
Daily Face Protectant SPF 30 Waterproof -Morning. I love this sunscreen and have been wearing it religiously. It's amazing because it absorbs right in and doesn't leave your skin greasy. Check out a previous review HERE.
Age Intervention Regeneration Mask - Once a week. This is one of the few face masks with instant results. Check out a previous review HERE.
Marini Lash Conditioner -At nighttime. This helps recondition my itty bitty lashes. I've had a lot of eye problems lately due to allergies and what not, so it's hard for me to use this product regularly. But i'm jumping back on the band wagon...who doesn't like long, luscious, healthy lashes?
C-Estamins Oral Skin Care Supplement -Morning. These supplements are the key to overall skincare by providing you the nutrients your skin needs to keep it healthy. I haven't started taking these yet because I'm on a lot of other supplements, but I'm going to see how I can introduce it into my regimen.
Afterwards
I've been using this products for about two weeks now, and so far so good! In the beginning some products felt like they stung my skin a little (Bioclear lotion and Bioglycolic Cleanser) but this fades over time. I've learned to avoid overly sensitive areas like my lips and close to my eyes. My skin looks radiant and my co-worker always thinks I'm wearing makeup but I'm not! I also feel confident that I'm saving my skin from future damage. I feel very fortunate to have a skincare regimen designed exactly for me. I want to stay looking 26 as long as possible! Thanks again Jan!
Check out these products at JanMarini.com representatives can direct you to make a purchase direct or via an authorized retailer.
Stay tuned, I'll be featuring another Jan Marini product and hosting a giveaway!
As you know, this past year, I've recently taken a new focus on skincare. Makeup is only as good as its base...and clear skin is the perfect canvas for flawless makeup application.
One mineral makeup company, Mineral Magic Cosmetics, has recently been acclaimed by national publications for its innovative products and vegan, cruelty-free products. I've seen other Gurus sing praises of this line and I was interested to try them out.
In particular, Mineral Magic has a new face mask that I seemed to call my name. It's called the Mineral Magic Microdermabrasian mask pictured below. Many spas offer a service called Microdermabrasian - a hardcore exfoliating process that's supposed to take years off your skin. This mask touts the same benefits, and is a lot cheaper as well!
The mask comes with a facial brush applicator so that you can apply and buff the product into the skin. The applicator has a sturdy handle which makes it easy to grip, and a plasic cap so that you can prevent dirt and dust from getting in the bristles while you store it.
This clay and oil mixture contains many beneficial ingredients including Aloe and shea butters, avocado, olive and grapeseed oils, and 100% pure, cosmetic clays. The clay also contains Dermabrasian crystals which are essential in the exfoliating process.
NOTE: At first, the masque is an oatmeal color because it is freshly poured. When it has had time to become completely saturated with the oils, it turns to a green clay colour. This is normal. It is not a mold or mildew! It is completely safe to use for one year upon opening the product.
Benefits: As an oil based mixture, the mask is perfect for oily, acne prone skin. This is similar to the cleansing oil method. The oil in the mask will draw out oil and impurities from the skin - giving you the ultimate facial cleanse. The spa quality clay ingredients also contain lightening agents which will fade acne scars and age spots over time.
Testing the Product: Due to my ultra-sensitive skin having past issues with products, I always test out a new product on a patch of skin 24 hours before. No reactions with this - that's a plus!
Applying the Product: Take the facial brush applicator (it's dishwasher safe by the way) and get a little bit of it onto the bristles. Gently buff this onto your face in a circular motion, avoiding eyelids. Leave the product on as desired, up to 15 minutes should suffice. Afterwards, remove with a damp washcloth.
Afterwards: You'll notice an immediate change. Your skin will feel so smooth. The oils in the product really hydrate your skin. If you choose to remove the mask with just warm water, you'd notice more of an oily coating remaining on your skin. This is completely normal and actually good for your skin. However, I'd recommend removal with a damp washcloth if you're not used to this feeling. Place the mask in your refrigerator after to maintain its shelf life - it's good for up to one year.
My Thoughts: I thought this was a great mask, I really saw a difference afterwards. My normally dry skin felt so soft and hydrated afterwards. I also focused the brush on my nose where I tend to have rough skin and clogged pores - it's just as good as a biore pore strip! This mask is definitely better than a lot of other products on the market.
Make sure to check out Mineral Magics on YouTube for helpful information and amazing makeup tutorials. In addition to this product, they have amazing mineral makeup stacks that many YouTube Gurus love.
Giveaway Alert Giveaway Alert Giveaway Alert:
That's not all folks! Leave a comment below and I'll pick one of you at random to win this amazing product. I'll announce the winner tomorrow!
What You Need To Do -Leave any and all questions you would like us to answer in a comment below. We all have varying levels of experience in this makeup game and we'll film a roundtable discussion answering your questions. -Consider it like the show "The View" but we'll discuss anything to do with beauty :)
We'll film a video answering some of your questions and have it up for you guys soon!
Leave your comments today since we'll be filming tomorrow!
Back with another video :) I've been meaning to do this one for a while, but I had to wait a bit since I needed the correct products. I've been raving about Eve Pearl products for so long. I was especially excited to try her HD foundation and Salmon Concealer. She always makes makeup look so simple and easy. The good thing about her products are that many are multi-tasking and time saving.
In terms of selecting the right shade, I initially thought I was Medium but it was too light for me, even in the winter. Instead, I'm the next shade up - tan. For all of you ladies NC40-43, this is the shade for you. I love how this foundation is super creamy and smooth. It's not greasy or too thick and dry like some cream foundations. When Eve Pearl applies foundation, she emphasizes the fact that you should still be able to see your own skin shine through. This foundation gives you the flawless look of perfect skin...you can't even tell you're wearing makeup!
Check out my foundation tutorial
For those of you who can't watch the video, here are the products and steps for you.
1) Start off with a clean face. Then apply Eve Pearl priming moisturizer to the entire face and neck. This is double duty - it not only moisturizes, but also primes the skin for foundation. The consistency is very liquid-like, so be careful not to let it tip over or you might lose some product. I spread mine out on a palette and used a foundation brush, but you can also apply it with clean fingers.
2) If you tend to be oily, Anti-Shine will be your new best friend. After priming/moisturizing, apply the Anti-Shine in spots that tend to grease up - i.e. the t-zone. I used Light/Medium but it is also available in Tan/Dark. After all your makeup is done, you can also apply this afterwards as a touch up product.
3) Time for foundation! I tested both shades on my jaw and found that I'm right in the middle. I mixed 1 part light side and 1 part dark to find my perfect shade. If you are a makeup artist, scoop some onto a palette and then apply with a foundation brush. If this is your own compact, you can dip your brush directly into the product. After applying to the face, take a damp sponge and blend out the foundation. This is the key to give you the "flawless skin" look. The damp sponge helps to sheer out the foundation just enough to let your skin shine through. In the video, I also show that you can use the colors for contouring. Place the darker shade in areas of your face that shadows would usually fall (hollows of cheek, jaw, temples) and the lighter shade on areas that sun would hit (bride of nose, cheekbones, chin).
4) After applying foundation, apply the salmon concealer. I use the medium shade. I applied it with a concealer brush to my undereye circles then proceeded with blending it in with my ring finger. The foundation alone provides one layer of coverage so that you don't need as much concealing in the end. This product is a definitely must-have for those of you experiencing problems with undereye circles.
5) In the end, you can set your makeup with a powder of your choice. Eve Pearl has a translucent pressed powder she offers which looks good on every skin tone.
EDIT: Jan Marini has graciously offered to give away one of these amazing body scrubs to one of you. Leave a comment and tell me why you want this fabulous product by 12 midnight eastern standard time. I'll pick a winner and announce it tomorrow!
Hi Bellas,
I wanted to spotlight a product that I've been using nearly everyday - Jan Marini's Bioglycolic Body Scrub. As you know, I'm a huge fan of Jan Marini and my entire skincare routine is from her line.
My Regular Body Routine In terms of my body, I honestly don't do much except bar soap, lotion and occasionally spf. Body scrubs have always seemed like an optional luxury for me, not making too much of a difference to use regularly. I have a few scrubs that usually sit in my shower that are only used on the random occasions that I decide to apply self-tanner.
The Claims By the urging of my friend Kim at Jan Marini, I decided to try this scrub. She told me it makes your body so smooth that she hardly has to wear body lotion anymore. That claim alone made me curious. I have to use body lotion everday...it's part of my routine. If not, I'm suceptible to the dreaded ashy leg look - not cute.
Where To Apply It? First off, this scrub is intended for the body, not the face. It contains the same Bioglycolic components as my facial cleanser from Jan Marini, meaning it contains resurfacing agents that not only provide moisturize to the skin, but resurface it and improve the tone and texture as well.
Applying the Product... This product is safe enough for use on a daily basis. I apply about a quarter amount to my hands at a time and rub it everywhere on my body, adding more as needed. You can also use a washcloth. Even as I'm applying the scrub, I can already feel my skin becoming more smooth. It's different than the typical scrub...the granules remove dead skin, but the ingredients also feel like they're transforming the surface into a super smooth texture. I also apply this product to my feet to take care of dry and rough patches and they are just as smooth!
After the Shower... Afterwards, I towel off as usual and whoa! My legs look as if I've been to a spa and been scrubbed, packed and wrapped. They are super smooth, soft, and even seem to glisten. I don't ever remember my skin becoming so soft. My boyfriend has definitely noticed as well - hooray! If I wanted to, I could even skip body lotion because my skin feels uber moisturized. However, since it's an ingrained habit, I apply my regular body lotion and it absorbs so much better into my skin.
Who Can Use It? This is safe for all skin types, but especially for dry skin. If you want soft, smooth, silky skin this is for you. I wish I had discovered this years before. Say goodbye to ashy legs and rough feet...my skin will never be the same. It's like I discovered the fountain of youth! I am truly not exaggerating about how much I love this product. This is a summer Must-Have. Give it a try, you want regret it.
For more information about the product, please check out JanMarini.com
I wanted to change things up and go back to what I love...super fun bright looks! I'm featuring some products from Face Front Cosmetics...a brand that specializes in super vibrant, pigmented colors.
My Face Front Products are actually from www.ffcloset.com. You can get discontinued and overstocked Face Front products from this site at a discount! If you're interested in trying this brand, why not try it out and save a few bucks at the same time. ***Update: I also just heard news that Face Front's Closet will soon be called Lucy Lauren Concepts. The switch over will be on July 27th. Lucy Lauren Concepts will sell Face Front Cosmetics as usual, and also a new Lucy Lauren Cosmetics Line.
In the video, I also test out my new sigma makeup brushes for the first time. So far so good! I'm going to continue to use them over the next week or two and will then give you all a detailed review. Check them out at http://www.sigmabrushes.com
Check out the video tutorial! The look is an electric blue/green look. I show you how to mix primary shadows to achieve different colors. I also show you a really cool way of making a custom lipgloss. Sorry the lighting gets weird in some shots...I'm trying to save up for and HD camcorder but that might have to wait till Christmas!
Here's What I Used:
EYES -Steelo Cosmetics medium eyeshadow base -Face Front Swiss Franc e/s -Face Front It's Kosher, Man e/s -Face Front Nifty 'N Neon e/s -Yaby Cosmetics highlight/champagne e/s -Yaby Cosmetics brown e/s to fill in brows -Eve Pearl Black Pearl liquid liner -MAC Feline kohl power pencil -Shisem lashes -Anastasia Mascara
FACE -MAC Mineralized Satinfinish foundation in NC42 -MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural in Medium Dark -MAC Mineralized blush in Daft Pink -Graftobian Medium Cocoa eyeshadow as contour color
Swiss Franc is called a "Lite Finish" eyeshadow. I noticed that it applies more frosty. It takes a little bit of work to blend out so I would suggest putting down a base shadow first to help blend. This shimmery white color really goes well with any look.
Nifty 'N Neon looks super bright on the pan, but like many yellow shadows, it doesn't show up as well on my skin. I have the same problem with MAC's Chrome Yellow. To get it to show up, I applied a white eyeshadow base and packed on the color using a flat shader brush like the MAC 239. To save myself some work, I used it instead as a sheer wash of color on my crease. Later, I blending blue on top to turn it green. I liked how it turned out, like art class!
It's Kosher, Man is my favorite of the three eyeshadows. It is indeed as bright as it looks. This shadow as well as Nifty 'N Neon are actually matte with reflective glitter. I was happy that this shadow did not stain my lid like another super pigmented eyeshadow I have (MUFE No. 92). After blending, make sure to repack on the color to get the same vibrancy.
These shadows look like you can depot them the same way as MAC. I plan on doing this myself...if I get any free time that is!
Here are the swatches. The shadows are applied dry without base. You can see how the yellow blends into my skin...you definitely need a base for this one. You can see the glitter more so in It's Kosher, Man. Be aware of glitter fall out. For this reason, I applied my foundation last.
Onto the pics!
I loved the way the lips came out. I first applied Face Front lip conditioner...a non-sticky minty gloss. Then on top, I applied NYX's opal lipstick...it's a sheer irridescent color that reflects pink/purple. I ended up with a beautiful irridescent lip shade.
Stay tuned for another huge contest! I plan on giving away one full size Face Front Voom Voom Vault Pigment, one full size Face Front Ultimate Lip Conditioner as well as a full set of Sigma Makeup Brushes, and more!
How was your weekend? Mine went well...I was really productive so it flew by fast!
I was inspired by do a look using Yaby Cosmetics. Many YouTube Beauty Gurus have recently picked up some of the Yaby shadows online and at IMATS and have been raving about them so much that I decided to break out my Yaby Something Bright and Best of Both Worlds palettes. I've accumulated a good collection of eyeshadow palettes and this one has taken a back seat to them until now.
I honestly forgot how much I love these shadows! They are a combination of matte, shimmer, glitter, and satin and are very pigmented and apply beautifully. The tiny shadows run about $2 a pop so you can pick and choose your favorites and stick them into Yaby's many palettes. I wanted to do a look that I thought many of you would like. Pink and purple seems to be a pretty popular combination. I didn't do anything crazy, I wanted to keep it simple. I can't believe that just a year ago I used to say that I hated pinks and purples on me. That of course, was before my discovery of MUFE no 92 eyeshadow. Since then, my eyes have been opened and I too love this girly combo.
If you would like me to do a tutorial on this look, please let me know, it's super easy!
Products Used:
EYES -Steelo Cosmetics Eyeshadow Base in Medium -Yaby Eyeshadows: shimmery cream, light pink, medium pink, plum, and shimmery purple colors from Something Bright and Best of Both Worlds Palette -Steelo Cosmetics Black Eye Kohl -Red Cherry Lashes with Eve Pearl Lash glue -Steelo Cosmetics brow pencil in Earth Brown -Graftobian Mixing Medium
FACE -Steelo Cosmetics Mineral Foundation in MD25 -Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer in Medium -MAC Shy Beauty Beauty Powder Base -MAC Refined Golden Bronzing Powder -Steelo Cosmetics Body Shimmer in Ferry
LIPS -Stars Makeup Haven Pink Lipgloss
How to Recreate the Eyes: -Begin by applying Steelo Medium Eyeshadow base to entire lid. Make sure to blend out the edges. -Pack on Shimmery White eyeshadow to tear duct/inner lid and browbone with a flat shader brush. -Apply light pink eyeshadow next to white shadow on inner lid with the same brush. You can pack this on so that you can see the light pink separate from the white. Just make sure to blend the line between the two. -Apply medium pink eyeshadow to the rest of the lid onto the outer v and a little bit above the crease using the same brush. Apply lightly with feather strokes because this is a super pigmented matte color...you just want a medium wash of color. -Take a pencil brush and apply a violet color to the inner part of the outer v...concentrating the color into the corner. -Line eyes with black kohl pencil. -Take an angled brush and shimmery purple eyeshadow and place it right on top of the black liner to give it a reflective purple sheen. -Take angled brush, dampen with mixing medium, apply same purple shadow and line the lower lashline. -Apply black kohl pencil to waterline and a little bit on outer edge of lashline to darken the color. -Curl lashes, pop on some lashes, apply mascara and you're done!
I'm thinking of doing more Yaby looks. Let me know if you have any look recommendations. Don't you love when you discover an old product and fall in love with it all over again?
Yesterday I headed to MAC to check out the release of the new Colour Craft collection. I actually filmed and edited my haul video last night but my BF fell asleep before putting music on it :( Needless to say, it's not up right now, lol. I'll try to load it this afternoon. Meanwhile, I wanted to show you some pics and swatches.
First off, this collection was huge! MAC really went Mineralize Makeup happy on this one. I spent more on this than I've spent on MAC for a while.
Check out my video!
Let's start off with the MSFs. They had two kinds to choose from: the regular msfs and a striped Mineralize trio.
From the regular kind I picked up two of the three. The one I didn't get, Sunny By Nature, was a random tan shade that looked kind of blah.
The first one I actually picked up was Porcelain Pink. This is a very pale pink that would like great as a subtle pink highlight. It's not as chunky as some of my other pink MSFs (light flush). In terms of wearing it as a blush though, it would probably only work on very fair skin tones. This isn't really a must-have, but I wanted it for collection purposes.
I also picked up Cheeky Bronze MSF. This one I really like! It has a peachy pink sheeen to it. It's a bit more pigmented than Porcelain Pink, especially on tanner skin tones. This would make a gorgeous highlight to give that shimmer skin look. You could probably rock this as a blush only if you're on the fair side.
Here are swatches of the two. You can see Porcelain Pink is more of a super light baby pink...better for lighter skin tones in IMO. Cheeky Bronze could possibly work as a blush for lighter skin tones but I'd use it as a pretty highlighter on tanner tones. The peach in it really warms up the skin.
I only picked up one of the three MSF trios. The two other consisted of dupeable shades in my opinion - Triple Fusion (Golden Peachy) and Smooth Merge (dupeable pink).
The only one I picked up was Warm Blend. This chocolate concoction really stood out to me. I don't usually see MSFs this dark. Finally a great MSF for women of color! You can use it as a bronzer, highlighter, blush, or contour color. I'd also use this for eyeshadow. I definitely recommend this one especially for tan to dark skin tones.
Moving on to the Mineralize Eyeshadows. The formula is pretty pigmented this time around. The shadows come in quads this time, which is actually a pretty good deal for the money. Unfortunately, Mineralize Eyeshadows tend to sit neglected in my collection. Only one of the six really stood out to me and that was Natural Flare.
This is probably the one I would actually use the most. Some of the other quads seemed to have random color combos and some applied ashy. If you're selling something in a quad, I'm picky about making sure the colors really go together. The coppery gold shades in this quad are perfect all year round, especially for women that love the earth tone bronzey makeup look. I wore these in my haul video which will be uploaded later today. To be honest, I'm more of a matte eyeshadow girl and I tend to stray from super shimmer shadows like these but I could actually see myself wearing this one on the regular. The only thing is that I would probably use a more subtle highlighter next time because the champagne tone in the quad was a bit too glittery. You need a little bit of balance in a look between finishes. If you pick up any of the eyeshadow quads, I would recommend this one.
Out of the six lipsticks, I picked out only one. Madly Creative seemed like the most unique shade. This collection featured more frosts...a departure from the lusters in many of the past collections. If you like pink lips, this is a good one for you. It's not overly frosty...the sheen almost makes you look like you're wearing a gloss, minus the stickiness. The rest of the colors were so so...no must haves.
I only picked up one of the Marbelized lipglasses. I really hate this square packaging because it makes it too difficult to get enough product on the wand. However, I did pick up one...a very pretty pink purple tone. I couldn't resist it after I applied it to my hand. Beware though, the colors swatch really pretty but they are very sheer (like the ones released in the Sugar Sweet collection). You'd have to wear a coordinating lipstick/lipliner underneath for the pigmentation to show.
I picked up two of the six Minearlize Blushes. Some of these swatched super frosty so tan to dark skin tones need to be aware because it might come across ashy. I picked up Daft Pink because it swatched a really pretty bright pink. I'd probably pair it with a matte color blush to tone it down a little. Cheek & Cheerful blush is an amazing highlighter for my skin tone...it doesn't swatch nearly as frosty as the rest.
Lastly, we have the brushes. This collection also had the 109 in it, which is a great brush, but it's permanent so we skipped that one. I was really excited about getting the 226 again. This was released in the Blond, Brunette, Redhead collection and I had to pick up two more for my kit. This is a must have brush for small eyelids or if you want a defined crease...pick it up before it sells out! The other brush is a newbie...the 131. It's a Duo Stippling brush more flat than the 187 or 188. It makes an awesome contour/highlighting brush. Since it's more flat and dense than the 187/188, it doesn't splay as much on the skin so you can concentrate the color only where you need it. It's awesome for contouring...the mixed bristles prevent you from getting that annoying dark streak in the contours of the cheek because it allows you to blend better. I would definitely recommend both these brushes.
Here I am wearing all products from this collection minus foundation, brows, lashes and liner. The look in person was super glittery and frosty lol. Try to mix and match these products with other finishes to prevent looking like a disco ball.
All products MAC unless otherwise mentioned.
FACE -Warm Blend MSF as contour and bronzer -Daft Pink blush -Cheeky & Cheerful blush as highlighter -Eve Pearl tan foundation and medium salmon concealer -Steelo Cosmetics Mineral Foundation in MD25
EYES -Steelo Medium Eyeshadow Base and Black Kohl Liner -Red Cherry Lashes -Natural Flare Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad
