Holiday Haul pt. 2

It just keeps going on and on and on and on. Isn't there a song like that? Anyway, here's the other part of the haul that I mentioned in the last haul post. Sorry there's been a big gap in posts, but life has been crazy around here--no stability whatsoever. Here we go!

Milani Baked Powder Blush in Red Vino

When I saw this was on clearance for just a little over $3, I just had to pick it up! I'd been wanting to experiment with more Milani baked blushes, and I'd been searching for darker tones to try out. It was a perfect combination of solutions! And this blush is GORGEOUS! I'm so glad I got it when I did because it is perfect for winter time. It gives you this rosy flush as if you've been outside in the cold. It's also a great blush because it can work for all skin tones. The gold shimmer helps to warm it up for those who need it warm, but if you really blend it in, more of the blue-toned red comes through. It's great!

NIVEA Lip Butter in Raspberry Rosé Kiss

Oh my gosh. How have I not bought this before now? I love it! It smells and tastes amazing. I run the risk of eating it. SO delicious smelling. And it is so moisturizing. It leaves my lips feeling so hydrated, soft, and smooth! It's wonderful!!!

Oh, and I thought the back of the packaging was super cute:

It's sold in a plastic casing attached to a piece of cardboard. All the advertising stuff is on the cardboard, and I just thought the stuff on the back was so cute! "We make kissing better." HA! Love it.

Hard Candy Mod Quad Baked Eye Shadow in Brownie Points

I had a gift card to Walmart, so I thought that it would be best to use it to buy things I could only get at Walmart. I'd been wanting to try some more Hard Candy things, so I picked this up. The shades are pretty sheer dry, but I'll have to see what they look like wet.

Hard Candy All Lid Up Cream Eyeshadow in Lady Like

I've been wanting to see how other drugstore cream shadows hold up, so I picked this up as well. I don't know why, but I've been really drawn to pink shadows lately. I like this because it's thinner than Maybelline Color Tattoos. Don't get me wrong, I love Color Tattoos, but you kind of have to be careful when applying them so they don't get too thick and skippy. Since this one's so thin, I think it will make a nice base for other shadows.

Flower Beauty Kiss Stick Luxury Lip Color in Baby Buttercup

I've also been really wanting to try some more from Flower Beauty, so I decided to pick up a lip stick. This shade looked like it would be nice for spring. I think I'm a bit disappointed with it, but I haven't used it too much. I'll report back after playing with it more!

Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow quad in Velvet Crush

I heard that Maybelline revamped their eye shadows so they were supposed to be longer wearing. I didn't think there was anything wrong with the old ones, but whatever. Maybelline just can't seem to make up its mind on what it wants to do with its line. Anyway, I wanted to try it out. The liner color drew me in. I'm just gonna tell you now, I'm pretty disappointed. These are not amazing. They're hardly alright. The swatches are so pathetic! So powdery and not very pigmented. C'est catastrophique! I'm just going to have to do a whole other post on the subject because Maybelline is making me mad. Moving on.

Maybelline Master Hi-Light by FaceStudio Hi-Lighting Blush in Nude

In retrospect, it was pretty dumb of me to pick up this blush after not liking the eye shadow, but a lot of people were saying good things about the different new face products, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm still making up my mind on whether or not I like it. It's a subtle blush. Probably depends on what you're going for. It's very warm-toned and peachy.

Maybelline Color Tattoo by EyeStudio 24hr Eyeshadow in Tough as Taupe

I've been wanting to buy this for a while now, but just haven't. I think it's so basic, that my attention was always diverted to other newer and more extravagant things. But I finally got it! I like that it's matte. There aren't too many matte eye shadows in the permanent line. Someone needs to write them and tell them to change that. Maybe that someone will be me. Who can say?

Alrighty y'all! I hope you like seeing what I got around the various holidays. I know it's quite a while after the fact, but surprisingly, I haven't used all of these all that much. A few I have, but not all.

Here's a fun picture of what happens when you remove teal nail polish from your nails. It can get pretty messy.

I've honestly never had that much trouble removing polish. Thankfully the skin returned to normal color by the next morning (I removed it at night), so no one was the wiser! In case you're wondering, the culprit polish was Ulta Salon Formula Nail Lacquer in Dance Teal Dawn.

Have a marvelous day!
Stacie

Valentine's Day Tutorial #2: Forever 21 10-pan Neutrals/Browns Palette

Hey guys! I'm back with another tutorial. Here's a picture of the palette so you can get an idea of what we're working with:

And here's the tutorial! I hope you like it :)

The background isn't as elaborate as the other. Obviously, I ran out of time, haha. I hope your Valentine's Day is fantastic!!!

♥♥Stacie♥♥

Tips for Valentine's Day Face Makeup

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful day, or that you have fun plans for later :) I just wanted to do a quick post about face makeup tips for tonight. Why just face makeup? Good face makeup will help give your eye makeup the proper stage to perform.

Here's some key areas to focus on:

1. Coverage: use a good foundation that covers redness. Since a lot of makeup looks include pink tones, those tones will accentuate any redness in your skin and make it look worse, and the redness in your skin will make the pink eye shadows make your eyes look sick. Also, conceal your zits, but don't go too overboard. If you use too much product, it'll only make the zits look worse. A softened appearance is better than "erasing" with concealer.

2. Brows: a properly groomed brow frames your face, and your eye look. It looks better than some straggly, messy hair above an eye shadow look that took forever to do.

3. Glow: I used a glowy product all over my face before applying my foundation. The foundation I used was a long wear foundation. This combination helps give a subtle glow that lasts all evening without breaking down into a shiny mess. It looks a little more "lit from within". I also applied some more of the liquid highlighter on my cheekbones. I topped that off with a powder highlight, also applying the highlight on the bridge of my nose and Cupid's bow. If you're going to a dimly lit location, it's okay to go a little more dramatic with the highlighter. If you're going to be in a lot of photos, I would keep it more toned down.

4. Rosy cheeks: this is a time to go for an "angelic flush." Nice and rosy pink.

5. Contouring: do not go overboard with the contour! Use it strategically, and lightly. It's okay to look not-so-chiseled--it's more cherubic and sweet.

6. Lips: don't break out the vampy lips. Keep it soft and enticing. Men can get scared to kiss you if you've got dark-as-night or blood red lips. They don't want that color all over their lips/face. I mean, you don't either, really. If the color strays from your lip line, it's an emergency of the highest degree. I mean, run-to-the-bathroom-and-try-to-fix-it-and-if-you-can't-just-camp-out-there-until-midnight type of emergency. Plus, you don't want to worry about how it's holding up through your evening, or if it's on your teeth or something. Stick to soft and natural (ish).

Alright well. I hope this helps you in your makeup planning for tonight. Granted, they're not the law, so you do what you want to do. Also, if you know what your date likes, do it!

I hope you have fun!
♥♥Stacie♥♥

V-day Drugstore Makeup

Hey all. The other day I did a post on cheap makeup palettes that could give you a subtle look for Valentine's Day. Here are some more options from the drugstore that can be mixed and matched to create your own look. Enjoy!

First up, need some bases to help make shadows pop or stick? Try these.

Maybelline 24h Color Tattoos in Barely Branded and Inked in Pink

The swatches are from an earlier post from like a year ago, so that's why they look different and have the names on them. Sorry, but I'm in a hurry. Using resources!

Hard Candy Mod Quad Baked Eye Shadow in Brownie Points

If you don't want to go for a super pink look, this quad is good for a soft, neutral look. Can't go wrong with neutrals! Love them so much :) Has anyone else noticed how long Hard Candy's names are for products? Goodness.

Almay Intense i-Color in Smoky-i for Browns

Here's a pretty trio from Almay. That rose gold is gorgeous, and the brown helps add some smoke if you so desire.

L'Oréal eye shadow single in Satin Tutu

This is a great shimmery light pink. It's SUPER shiny so it really brightens up the lid and eye.

Maybelline eye shadow duo in Pink Suede

This is a nice pink and warm, rusty brown.

Sally Girl eye shadow in Cinnamon

If you aren't feeling the pink, why not try a rose gold? It stays closer to skin tones.

Sally Girl eye shadow in White Chocolate

I think grays are a soft way of smoking up a romantic eye look.

NYX Roll On shadow in Salmon

Here's another great rose gold (ish) option! A nice neutraly pink color. It'll add some sparkle to your look, too.

Maybelline quad in Natural Smokes

This is a great quad for adding smoke to any of the pink shadows, or just using it on its own. You can create a subtle smokey eye, or a super dramatic one! It's very versatile, and a must in anyone's collection, Valentine's Day or not.

Well I hope this was helpful, even it was kind of last minute. But hey, they're good eye shadows no matter the holiday :)

Stacie

Valentine's Day Tutorial #1: Balm Jovi Palette

Hey all! I tried something new and made a tutorial. I hope you like it! The shadows are all from theBalm's Balm Jovi palette. I outlined them so you have a feel for the color scheme:

Moderato is a dark plum, by the way. It doesn't really show in this photo. On to the tutorial!

You can use whatever eye liner and mascara you like. I used L'Oréal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner and Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume mascara. Of course, you can amp up the drama by adding lashes.

So what do you think of the tutorial? I'm trying to get another one up tomorrow!!! It's gonna be difficult. We'll see. I hope you all have a lovely day :)

Stacie

Valentine's Looks for Cheap

Hey all! Valentine's Day is right around the corner. I was hoping to start things a little sooner, but life has kind of prevented my plans from going on without a few bumps. C'est la vie! Anyway, I thought I'd kick things off with some ideas for those of you on a budget or young beginners. Here we go!

Wet n Wild Walking on Eggshells and L.A. Colors Orchid

When I think of the perfect Valentine's Day makeup, I think to soft neutrals and slightly pink shades, even some gray. I think it's also good to for subtle rather than extreme. Especially if you're in a newer relationship, V-day might not be the best time to try out a crazy avant-garde look. You just want to look flawless and glowy and gorgeous!

1. L.A. Colors - Orchid

L.A. Colors eye shadow trio in Orchid

This first one is the most affordable of the bunch, costing a whopping $1! You can find these at Dollar General stores, and maybe even some Dollar Trees. Just look at your local dollar stores, I'm sure they'll be there. Besides being cheap, it's good for a subtle look. The pink isn't too strong, so you don't have to worry about looking sick, and it even has some gold glitter to help work it into the other shades. The middle shade is good for some bronzy glow. The brown on the right isn't as dark as it may look, and it's kind of warm toned, so you'll definitely want some eye liner and mascara on. But hey, it's a dollar. It's good for a warm bronzy glow look. Here's a look I did with it:

2. Wet n Wild - Walking on Eggshells

Wet n Wild eye shadow trio in Walking on Eggshells

Now we're going up the price ladder a little bit--up to $3! This is just a good all around trio to have from the drugstore. I think most people have already heard of it, a lot of people even say there are MAC dupes within it. The eyelid color doesn't come off that pink. It ends up looking more like a shimmery skin-toned color, and the brown gives just enough definition. The browbone color is good for lightening up your inner corner, but be careful using it on your brow bone! When it comes to shimmer on the brow bone, less is more. I like to apply some just under the arch of my brow. Here's a look I created with it:

3. Rimmel - Mayfair

Rimmel eye shadow quad in Mayfair

And now for this guy. This really swooped in at the last second, and that's why it's not in the big picture at the beginning. I literally just bought this yesterday. I'm so happy I did! I've been eyeing it for a while, and I finally broke down and got it. It was around $5 at Walmart I think. That taupe on the left--PERFECTION! I love it so much. It's like a purpley taupe, but when it's only lightly applied, there's a pinkness to it. It really makes all the shades work together. And here's a look I did using this quad:

If you want any of these colors to pop more, I recommend using a base like a Maybelline Color Tattoo or NYX Jumbo Shadow Stick, or even an eyeliner. The lighting washed out the pictures a little, so sorry about that.

Just know: it is okay to go for subtle! You don't have to do a super dramatic, dark smokey eye. If you're going to a nice, dimly lit restaurant, just a little shimmer on your lids will pick up nicely and look super gorgeous. Also, subtle, glowy lid makeup can really allow you to showcase your lashes, and lashes are usually the most "romantic" thing to emphasize.

More looks should hopefully be up tomorrow! And I'm going to be mixing it up and trying to do a tutorial type deal. I hope you have a wonderful day/night!

♥♥ Stacie ♥♥

Happy Holiday Haul (way belated)

Oooooh goodness. Here we go! It's the Holiday Haul! Yep, it's finally happening. I'm sorry it's in February, but life has been pretty hectic. I actually have more than this, but that was bought a couple weeks after all this stuff, so I figured I'd put it in another post so this wouldn't be SUPER long.

First up are some eye shadows I got from Ulta around Black Friday time.

LE Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Eye Shadow in Matte Brown

LE Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Eye Shadow in Nude Pink

I was SO excited to find these at Ulta, since they'd already been launched for a while and I was thinking the display would be pretty well picked over. Honestly, it looked like it had hardly been touched. I was like WHAT?! So I got the colors I wanted. I heard that these were all great, but the gold/yellow shade didn't appeal to me. I'm so excited that these are matte. I haven't worn them yet, so I can't tell you about that, but I mean, they're Color Tattoos. I'm sure they'll be great.. They swatched pretty nicely.

Essence 3D Eye Shadow duo in Irresistible Caramel Cream

Essence 3D Eye Shadow duo in Irresistible Chocolates

So these are pretty nice shadows. I got them because I thought they were all on clearance, but I think only one of them ended up actually being on clearance. It was alright because they're already pretty cheap to begin with. It's been a while since I swatched these, so I can't really comment on texture, but I'll do a review after I've had more time to use them.

Sooo... this shadow is just one big disappointment. First of all, that is somebody's nasty, dirty, finger smudge in the eye shadow. Gross, gross, gross!!!! It's not mine. I tried to see if there was a smudge before buying it (since Essence doesn't have any tamper evident packaging), but the lighting in Ulta can make it difficult to see those sorts of things. Plus, this was the last one available. Anyway, I didn't see the smudge until I got it home :( I'm not using a shadow that someone else has dug their grubby finger in! Thankfully, I was able to switch the shadow for a new one, later on when they had restocked.

Essence Metallic Effect Eye Shadow single in Party All Night

Still, I have my qualms with this shadow. To keep it short: It only shows that color in the swatch for a short time. The beautiful gold color you're seeing? That's an OVERSPRAY!!! What?! Such a disappointment :( I mean, that's a GORGEOUS color, and it only lasts for a short while. Boohoo. Oh well.

Here's the rest of the stuff I got, all around Christmas time.

NYX Love in Paris Palette in Je Ne Sais Quoi

I've been hearing a lot of good things about the NYX eye shadow palettes, so I had to pick this up. The colors were calling to me. It was also BOGO 50% off, and I was already getting the NYX HD eye shadow primer, because I needed a new one. The pigmentation is a little hit and miss, but I've been using the black a lot lately, and it shows up a little better than it swatched, I think. That lower right hand shade is pretty disappointing, though. Pretty patchy and just sparkle.

Revlon Photoready cream blush in Flushed

I've seen a lot of people using this on YouTube, and I've been curious about it for a while. Since I was getting the Nearly Naked foundation, and it was also on sale, I decided to finally give in and pick it up. It's pretty thin in texture, so I'm thinking this will end up working pretty well.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

I've heard good things about this and I don't feel like spending $20 on the beauty blender. I feel like this works pretty well (and you can see that I have indeed used it, haha). I don't have the BB to compare it to, but I don't care. I like this all by itself. The flat side makes application all over your face pretty quick.

CoverGirl and Olay Concealer Balm in Fair

I don't know why I'm showing this to you. It's just a concealer. But, there it is. Nothing fascinating to look at. I will say though, I'm kind of disappointed with their shade range for this concealer. It looked like it was pretty much all for lighter skin, just different undertones. I mean, that's great if you have light skin, but what about all the other skin tones?! I'll have to look into it more.

Too Faced Beauty Blogger Darlings set

I was considering getting the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara, but decided against it since it was so expensive and I didn't know if I would like it. Then at the checkout I saw this set for $20. Buying it, I got to try out not only the mascara, but also the famous bronzer and face and eye primers.

Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara wand

Super excited to try this! It's pretty good, I must say. And it's growing on me as I use it more. The hourglass shape of the wand doesn't prove to be especially helpful, but it isn't a hindrance, either.

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

I haven't used this enough to say much, but I'm excited to finally have a sample to try!

LE OPI Nail Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous, Glitzerland, and
All Sparkly and Gold (top to bottom)

I almost forgot! I got these in an effort to find a good gold nail polish. Unfortunately, I think they're all limited edition. I saw All Sparkly and Gold was reduced to $4.99 in the JC Penney salon area. The girl also showed me that they were having a BOGO for a $1, so I was drawn in. I used the BOGO deal for the other two. I think All Sparkly and Gold was part of the Maria Carey Holiday 2013 collection, and the other two are part of the Swiss collection.

Here's the nails I did for Christmas:

I used Ulta's Freshwater Pearl as the base and OPI All Sparkly and Gold as an accent. And actually, the accent nail had Glitzerland as the base, so that's not just ASaG layered up to that opacity. I must say, I liked the look, but I don't know if I'll be going to glitter that often--it's a royal pain to get off! It takes forever to remove, and it doesn't feel like it will ever come off. Ugh. I have a headache just thinking about it. I think I'll just save it for special occasions. Yep.

So that's pretty much it! I don't have pictures of the primers and foundations because, honestly, what's the point? The foundation matches my skin, and the primers are clear/flesh toned. I hope you are having a great day, and that your preparing yourself well for Valentine's Day! I need to work on a tutorial/makeup look idea. Have a beautiful day!!!

Stacie

Does anyone else think it's weird that we have to make a claw in order to show our nails? There must be a less menacing way to go about this!