FWMF: My Halloween Look

Whoa, I haven't posted in so long! I feel like I haven't been on here in forever. But life got really busy with projects for school and I just had no free time. But things have calmed down again, so I'm going to show you what I did for Halloween. Obviously, it won't help you this year if you want to recreate it, but maybe you'd like to in the future. Plus, I just think it's fun to share :) I'd definitely love to hear about your Halloween outfit! Also, I thought this could serve as a Fun With Makeup Friday since I did have a lot of fun with this look.

So what was my costume? Well my dearies, I was a flapper girl. And it was the wrong year to be one because SO MANY girls were flappers. And they were probably just flappers because The Great Gatsby came out this past summer and they wanted to be like that. And there I was wanting to be a flapper because of what flappers actually stood for. And I looked up so many videos on historically accurate makeup and hair for flappers. I put so much effort into it, and then I was surrounded by a bunch of half-hearted flappers.
Sorry, okay, my rant is done now :)

So there's a goofy picture of me trying to pose like a flapper. I remember when we learned about them in my American History class in high school, a phrase used to describe them was, "they could always be found with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other." Well, I'm not old enough to drink, and since my college is smoke-free, I didn't want any embarrassing episodes if I bought a candy cigarette to use, so I have nothing but myself and a costume. But I have a large imagination, and I can pretend.

So while I did a lot of research on the makeup they wore, I created a look that wasn't completely accurate. I took it more as, now that I know what they wore, if I were a flapper, how would I do my makeup? I also took into account what my outfit looked like. So here's the look I settled on:

I tried to give you a couple of different faces to show different angles. The eye shadow is very dark and goes up very high, the lips are dark, and the blush can be as intense or subtle as you want. It's actually more intense here than I wanted it to be. But let's get to the break-down!

I forgot to mention that I started this look with my NYX HD Primer. At the end I used Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume mascara and then a pair of false lashes. I didn't use the false lashes in the recreation because I threw them away after using them on Halloween. I wasn't thinking ahead of time. Whoops. But the pair I used (in case you want to check them out) were Ardell Fashion Lashes in 110 Black.

For the rest of the face I used Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro face primer, Revlon ColorStay Whipped foundation, CoverGirl&Olay eye concealer (for under eyes), Neutrogena concealer (the one with salycilic acid to zap zits!), Maybelline Mineral Power Finishing Veil, Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Liquid Tint in Rose, and Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 hour Blush in Dollface. Oh my goodness. With all the long-wearing products I used, that blush was intense, and color did not die down!

Oh and the lips!

I don't know why I didn't include it in the picture, but I prepped my lips with Jordana Twist&Shine in Cranberry Crush, let that soften my lips, wiped it off and then powdered my lips with translucent powder. Then I lined it with my Jordana lip liner in Cabernet, used an angled brush to apply Wet 'n' Wild lipstick in Dark Wine (522A), and then dabbed Maybelline Color Whisper in Berry Ready in the center of my lips. To make it stay all night, I dabbed a little eye shadow of the same color scheme over my lips and boy did it stay! It ended up staying on my lips until the next morning. I have discovered the secret to truly long-wearing lip color.

Key features for the Flapper Look:

• Dark eyes: They wanted to look like dolls, so by bringing dark eye shadow far up and around the eye, their eyes looked bigger.
• Dark lips: For lips to show up in pictures, they had to use darker lip colors. Not necessarily as dark as I went (I just wanted to for my particular look), but not nude and light pink either!
• Pale skin: This was a time when being pale was a good thing. Also, powder was a big deal, so don't be afraid to cake it on!
• Rosy cheeks: To keep up with the doll-like, youthful look, they used blush in circular motions to amplify a round look (instead of the angular look we go for now).
• Eyebrows: I don't think you can see it very well in my pictures, but I did put foundation over my brows (not that it completely canceled them out, by any means) and I drew thin lines across the tops of my brows. I tried to keep the shape rounded, and also brought the line down farther than I normally draw my brows in.

So that about wraps up this post. Do keep in mind that it was just the look I came up with for me based off of many videos and websites I'd seen. Here are some of the links that I found most helpful so you can see them and make up your own flapper look. Enjoy!

I found this one to be the most informative as to why the girls did what they did with their makeup. Kinda helps you get in the right mindset: Historically Accurate: 1920's Makeup Tutorial

This was just one of the first ones I ever watched, and I liked the final look. Beware, it can get a little slow from time to time because there isn't much editing: Vintage Makeup Tutorial 1- 1920s inspired look

Here's the tutorial I used to help the most with my finger waves (unfortunately, I didn't get a very good picture of them, so you can't see the results of all my hard work ): ) : 1920s Authentic Finger Wave Hair Tutorial  For finger waves, I find it helpful to watch several different videos because there are little things that people do differently to get the same look, and it helps to know them all so you can pick and choose what works best for you. I did watch many, but in the end, this was the one I referenced the most.

Whew, that was a long post. Here are some more pictures of me in the costume, just for fun. Have a great weekend!

~Stacie

That was me trying another flapperesque look, and still failing. This was after I'd just finished, so everything was nice and freshly done! And my hair was already messed up... sigh.

Why am I smiling?! Flappers don't smile, they pout.

This is my favorite picture. I took it at about 2 in the morning after going to see my first Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was great!

And since you can't really get a good look at the headpiece in any of the above pictures, here's a good shot of it. I think it turned out pretty well, so I like to show it off. :)

PR: L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche laLaque Shiny Full Coverage Lipcolour

 

Hey there everybody! I'm finally getting around to posting about this thing! I've had it for a little while, but I haven't really had a chance to review it. Oh well, it never hurts to have one more point of view. And you can still find them places, so it's not too late if you want to get it! Onward!

I only have one because it's the only color that really appealed to me. They had a lot of fall colors, but I already have my lip colors for fall. I wanted to get one that I would wear pretty much year-round.

So, the first thing I noticed was the smell. Oh. My. Goodness. It is near overwhelming. It's like someone took a basket of roses, amped it up times ten, and stuck that fragrance in this lip product. So there is an obvious perfume to this. If you don't like that, or your skin is sensitive, that might be something to consider.

As you can see from the swatch, the product lives up to its claim of full coverage. It is reeeeally thick, though, so if you have chapped lips, it's going to pick up on that skin. Even when I put it on my lips that aren't chapped, but a little dry (as in I just haven't put lip balm on), it picks up on all the lines in my lips. I really feel the need to put lip balm on before wearing this. That's expected with a full coverage lip product, but since it comes in such a travel-friendly form, you'd think it would be easier to just swipe on and go. The tip makes it easier for precise application, but that will wear down eventually. Still, the diameter of the rest of the product will be thinner than a normal lipstick, so it will be a little more precise.

Here's the product on my lips:

Hm... see those lip lines? I even put a lip balm on before applying. This picture was taken just after application.

This picture was taken a couple hours after application. Where did the product go? I hadn't even eaten! It just wore off on its own. That's pretty sad since you would think the thickness of the product would give it some staying power. I guess not. By this time, I basically had a pink line around the edges of my lips that looked like lip liner. Not too attractive.

As to the claims of being a "Shiny, full coverage lip color" I'm a little disappointed on the shiny aspect of things. I saw a video "first impression" of the lip colors, and when she applied these, they looked like they were as dazzlingly brilliant as a lip gloss. I was so impressed. But when I applied it on me for the first time, my heart fell at the lack of shine. Here's what I was expecting:

That is shine, baby! I applied a clear lip gloss over it. With the name "laque" in it, my mind went to the thought of lacquer and applying a coat of it to your lips. It would erase all lines and make your lips look impossibly shiny. Yah, that didn't happen.

So, my overall opinion of these is that they're not a must-have. I wouldn't search the ends of the Earth to find one. There are other full color lip products out there, and there are products just as shiny, if not shinier. I haven't tried one from the LeMatte line, so maybe that would be worth a look. I hear their staying power is better, so if you're interested, look up some reviews on YouTube. But look for a review and not a first impression. Impressions can change with a little time.

Hope this was helpful! Have a great day and weekend.

~Stacie

Fun With Makeup Friday!

Hey there! I'm starting a new thing that I hope I'll stick with. It's Fun With Makeup Friday, where I'll be a little more creative with my makeup and post pics here (if I can). They might go up on Saturday.

Here's today's look! I need to figure out a way to make the pictures give the look justice. You can't see just how blue and green it is. I took inspiration from peacock colors. Here are close-ups of the eyes:

I messed with the vibrancy and saturation in Photoshop in an effort to make it look more like it does in real life, but it still basically looks like a green eye with sorta purple liner on the lower lash line.

Well, I'll tell you what I used so you can get a better idea of how it looks.

So many palettes from everywhere! Lots of different brands involved. Now here's the process.

As you  can see, that gel liner and shadow from Autumn Leaves have been used a lot! I love them. L'Oréal's awesome.

On the rest of my face....

Foundation: Revlon Colorstay Whipped in 110 Ivory.

Concealer: CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer in Very Light.

Powder: Maybelline New York Mineral Power Finishing Veil Translucent Powder for setting under eye concealer and T-zone.

Contour: bronzer part of Wet 'n' Wild ColorIcon bronzer in Don't Be Shellfish (it's limited edition :( I'm so sad because it's great for contouring and highlighting. It's two-in-one, and the bronzer is basically matte. The permanent ones are shimmery)

Highlight: Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in Honeymoon.

Mascara: It's here because I forgot to photograph it with the other eye stuff. I used Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume mascara on my top lashes and CoverGirl Professional Super Thick Lash mascara on the lower lashes.

Here are the blushes I used. They're in the Ulta palette thing I have and they don't have names. The left is a really neutral pink color and the other is a soft plum. I mixed them together and thought it turned out pretty. You can't really see it in the picture because they'd already begun to wear off (I'd gone to class before taking the picture), plus the lighting kind of washed me out a little.

Lip products!

Wow, that photo is not really helpful. I used Jordana Easyliner For Lips in Rock n' Rose to line and fill in my lips and then used Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Primrose all over my lips and Silver City Pink to highlight the center of my lips.

Whew, that was a long post! I hope you enjoyed it. Was it helpful? Too long? I did use quite a few products. I don't usually use that many for the eyes, but I was feeling creative. Plus, it's Fun With Makeup Friday! The colors are very peacock-inspired. I like it.

Well, I hope you have a fantastic day/night, and a great weekend! Talk to you soon.

~Stacie

PR: Maybelline Full 'N Soft Waterproof Mascara

Hey there! Today I'm finally going to get around to doing another review. I need to try to stay regular. It seems to be a pattern of mine to do a lot, and then disappear for a long time. I'm sorry! But life can be hectic sometimes. Don't tell me yours isn't ever crazy!
\
Anyway, on to the review!

Here's the tube compared to the wand, mostly so you can get an idea of how big the bristle part is. Some mascaras are can have giant bristles that make it difficult to apply the product to lashes on small eyes. This wand is pretty stand sized, though. I don't see there being an issue for those of you with small eyes/lids. I'm not too fond of the spacing of the bristles. Let's take a closer look:

The bristles are placed in parallel rings around the wand. There's no stair case pattern or spiral, they just stick out. Also, there's quite a bit of space between one ring of bristles to the next. These things combined make for a pretty average lash look. It basically darkens my lashes and provides little length. Since I'm a fan of big, dramatic lashes, this isn't such a great thing for me. When I wear a darker, smokier eye, the lashes don't even show up. I don't really like that.

When I wear a lighter eye look, the lashes show up better, but they're still not fantastic. I don't expect to get a false-eyelash look with a mascara--especially from one that doesn't even advertise the effect--but there are so many other mascaras out there that do much better. You can see that the lashes look faint and whispy. Maybe some people would like that, but I don't really.

As to the claims: does it make my lashes full? Sort of. The pictures are right there! Decide for yourself whether you think that classifies as a "full" look. It doesn't make my lashes clump together, so that's a plus.

Are my lashes soft? Sure. They don't feel as soft as without mascara, but they're not as hard and brittle as some mascaras have made them feel in the past. But honestly, who's going to touch your lashes? As long as they look alright, you're fine.

Is it waterproof? It's pretty waterproof. This has survived rainy days and crying, so that's a pretty good testament to its ability to withstand water. But I don't think I would wear it to go swimming. I don't think you should wear any mascara swimming, honestly. Some of it does smudge and give me raccoon eyes after a shower. But then some is also really hard to get off, even with waterproof makeup remover.

I don't notice this smudging underneath my eyes, so if you have that problem, maybe you'd want to check this out. If you want natural, "your lashes, but darker" and you need the waterproof power, than give this a try. It's reasonably inexpensive. For me, though, I won't be repurchasing. I've found other loves! And this tube has reached the end of it's life; it's pretty dried out. It was a pretty dry formula to begin with. I will need to look for another waterproof mascara to try because rainy season is heading my way!

I hope this was helpful and informative! Have a great weekend!

~Stacie

Birthday Haul

Alright, y'all. Take a deep breath because it's another long haul. An Ulta just opened up in my college town, so they had a bunch of great deals during the opening days, and my birthday wasn't that long ago, so I had some money to spend! Yaaaaay. Unfortunately, instead of resisting, I only fed my addiction. There is just no curing me. But here I am to share everything I bought, along with some first impressions/mini reviews.

Let's go by brand and start with Maybelline!

Maybelline Chic Naturals Eye Shadow Quad in Designer Chocolates

I've heard good things about this quad for a while, but I never picked it up. Emily talked about it in a recent video and then did a gorgeous tutorial using it, so I finally bought it. I thought the tones were appropriate for fall, and purpley tones accentuate green eyes (et j'ai les yeux verts!) The swatches aren't doing the colors justice, and I have a feeling that when they're used on the eyes they look even better. That's usually the way things go with eye shadows.

Maybelline Color Whisper in Berry Ready

I bought a Color Whisper a while ago and loved it, and I'm looking to expand my collection of lip colors to darker berries and reds for the fall, so when Emily suggested this guy in her Top 10 Lip Colors for Fall video, I knew I had to get it! It falls somewhere between a very blue toned red and a berry, and I just love it! Once the weather starts to be a little more consistently cool, I'm going to be using this guy a TON!

And what do you think of be putting the swatch in the corner like that instead of on the side? I was just kind of dinking around with composition and tried this. Let me know if you like it better or worse.

Now for some Essence stuff!

Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara in Ultra Black

This is another Emily Recommended Product (ha, there's a lot--I'll start calling them ERPs). I think she even included it in her Makeup Starter Kit giveaway video. I know she likes it a lot and it's Essence, so it's pretty cheap, so I thought I'd give it a try. I've used it once so far, and I'm not sure what I think yet. I'll have to do a review once I've used it more.

Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll

This product actually came as a suggestion from Melissa Raymond (her name used to be melmphs). She received a blush in a swap and was going on and on about how soft and silky it really felt. I'll try to paraphrase what she said, "Silky touch is right, girl. Whoo!" I think her reactions are the best! It is a really soft blush, though, so I think I'll enjoy using it. It's also in a shade of pink that's slightly deeper and even hints at plum, so it's great for the fall/transition time. Yay!

Now for some Jordana!

Jordana Best Lash Exteme Volumizing Mascara in Black

This is actually the second of these that I've bought. What?! I could go on and on about it, but I'm not because I think I'm going to do a review of it soon. I like it a lot though, and the price is pretty great ($2.99, I think). I was getting some other Jordana stuff, so I thought I might as well get it then.

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Cranberry Crush

I've heard good things about these from several sources, and they're so cheap, so I thought I should pick on up. They were only like $3 or $4, and that's much cheaper than Revlon's Kissable Balm Stains, so if they work just as good or better, that's a good replacement to know. I'll let you know! I thought this color would be perfect for fall. Don't you?

Jordana Easyliner Retractable Pencil for Lips in Cabernet

Are you sensing a theme in the colors I chose of lip products? Well, fall is just around the corner. I thought I would use the balm stain, then the lip liner, and then the Color Whisper and I'd have a "stay all day" lip. We'll see. I have two other Jordana lip liners and love them, so I wasn't worried about formula. I was just getting it for color.

Now for the Ulta stuff... so much stuff...

Ulta Color Coat Cream Eye Shadow in Metallic

When my friends and I got back from Ulta and I was swatching my new makeup (hence the fingerprint mark. Naughty me! I should've waited until I'd taken a picture) one of them turned to me and said, "Wow, that looks metallic." Well, my dear, that just happens to be the name of the product! Good job Ulta naming department!

I got it because I'd been wanting Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze for a while, and in the store this looked pretty similar. Since I don't own Bad to the Bronze, I can't tell you if they're dupes, but I don't think they are. This color is interesting because in some lights it can look very warm-toned and golden, but then in other lights it looks kind of taupe-y, grey, and cool-toned. I can't wait to use it on my eyes. And since I have a lot of other Color Tattoos, I can at least compare them on lasting power, texture, etc.

Ulta Gel Eye Liner Pencils in Golden Egg (top) and Plum (bottom)

I think it's interesting when companies claim that their pencils go on like gel liner. I mean, I guess "gel" has everything to do about formula and not format, but still. I have another pencil eye liner that claims to go on like gel liner. I'll have to start paying more attention and maybe do a post about that. I really like these colors, though, so I hope they work out well. I got them both free with purchases.

Ulta Extreme Wear Cheek Stain in Desire

Now, I haven't really looked at anything other than Ulta's eye shadows, but I feel like this has to be a pretty recent addition. I'm pretty thankful to Ulta for providing cheaper alternatives to high-end products. This reminds me of the Tarte cheek stains. It's funny, because I had swatched some on my hand early in the shopping trip, and said how I liked how they felt and I just wanted to rub it all over my face. They have a very cool feel (as in temperature). I think it's kind of a gel based formula. This feels very similar to that, so I'm glad to have a cheap alternative! Thank you Ulta!

Ulta Cheek Color in Adore

This is definitely a plum blush. Perfect for fall! I'm not crazy about the glitter in it, and the swatch wasn't impressive in pigmentation, but when I swept it across my cheeks, it made me look like I'd just had a nice, brisk walk in the chill autumn air and it was beautiful! I'm looking forward to using it a lot.

Ulta Lip Crayons, from top to bottom, in Prom Night, Doll Face, and Rumors

There doesn't really look to be a whole lot of difference in these, but there is! The top two have shimmer, and the bottom is just a creamy shade. The very top is the lightest with a little bit of a lavender undertone. The middle one is a shimmery, pretty much classic pink. And the bottom one is a gorgeous, creamy, neutral pink that's slightly deeper and great for the fall transition.

I didn't vary a whole lot on the range of colors because I thought they were balm stains, and usually balm stains lean towards the dark side of things. When I swatched the testers Ulta provided, I couldn't believe how well the light shades showed up, so I thought I should get the light shades and bother with dark shades in other brands.

Now, I do not think these are balm stains. Ulta doesn't even call them that. I guess I just assumed because that's the shape a lot of balm stains are taking right now. I think they're more just a lipstick/tinted lip balm in a crayon form. Which is fine. Rumors has the creamiest feel because there's no shimmer to interfere. The shimmery shades do feel a little bit thicker. All in all, though, I think they're pretty good. I only spent $4 a piece because Ulta was selling all their stuff really cheap for the opening weekend.

Well, that's all for my present shame. Ha, it's not really shame. I had fun shopping for it, and I'll have fun using it. I hope you have a great day/night and I'll talk to you soon. I hope. Just remember that soon for a college student may not be your soon! I have a lot of homework, and I have to attempt at a social life.

~Stacie

Brace yourselves!

Oh no, y'all. I just spent a ton of money on makeup for my birthday. I think there's another haul on the horizon! I just wanted to give you a heads up since I've been MIA for a while. College takes up a lot of your time, you know? Talk to you soon (hopefully)!

~Stacie

Time to say goodbye

Hey there! I have some things that are starting to show some wear, so I thought I would write about what I'm doing to replace them.

First up: my nude sandals.

As you can see, these sandals have taken some abuse. The toes are all beat up and the heel part of the sole lifts away from the wedge heel as I take a step. I've had them for around five years, I think, and they've served me well. I loved wearing them in late spring and through summer because they had the "nude" colored material paired with the cork which gave them such a fun, young, summery feel. I loved it! They went with everything and helped elongate my legs a bit--which is what a shorty like me needs. But they started to really fall apart this year and I had to come to terms with the fact that I needed new shoes.

So that's why I bought these!

I love these! They're a little more sophisticated looking and that's good now that I'm in college instead of high school, but they still give a nice summery vibe. I'm still trying to break them in a little, but I can go a good couple hours before they start hurting. That's pretty good for heels! I bought the first pair at TJ Maxx, and I got these from the same place. Good ol' TJ Maxx. I was excited to buy these since I could actually buy them for myself! Yes, I finally got a job this past summer, and these were one of my first purchases. Not a gift, and not something I had to beg and plead for. Good feeling, y'all. Good feeling.

Next: Revlon ColorStay Brow Enhancer in Blonde

Do you see that?! That is all I have left of this product. Barely anything. I love this stuff. It's great for when you're in a hurry and can't afford taking your time to make sure things don't look too heavy or overdone. It's a nice little tinted wax that was perfect! And now they don't make it anymore!!! Ugh! I don't think there's anything like it in the drugstore, and I don't feel like spending $20 or $30 on a brow product.

When I first got this I wasn't too excited about it because the gold highlighter made my skin look scaley. On the second use, the entire highlighting end fell out on the ground! That left me with mixed emotions. In the end, I didn't care too much because the tinted wax was the best part. Now that it's gone, I need some suggestions on a good alternative in the drugstore.

Last: EcoTools Duo Fiber Brush (Stippling Brush)

This was one of the first makeup brushes I ever bought. I've had it for... I don't even know. Probably five years. I could be anywhere from four to six, though. My dive into makeup is kind of murky in my mind. There was a time when I liked it but wasn't too serious about it, but then there was this leap when I started watching videos constantly and started buying more. I just can't remember when that leap happened.

I got this kit of brushes from EcoTools and this brush was in it. You can't buy it by itself, so I'm going to have to get another stippling brush from another brand. I think I'm going to look at E.L.F. Their small stippling brush is pretty good. I took the above pictures at those angles to show that the bristles have lost their stiffness, which is pretty much essential for a stippling brush. The bristles just kind of bend and droop to the side. Don't they look sad? Besides that, the tips have frayed and curved so they don't have the needed oomph to apply product. This brush has a lot of sentimental value, but it's time to say goodbye.

I guess that's it. I hope you're having a great weekend!

~Stacie

EDIT/UPDATE: I looked on Revlon's website, and they're still displaying the brow enhancer as if they're still selling it, so maybe I just wasn't looking hard enough, or my drugstore in particular has decided not to sell it anymore. Suggestions would still be greatly appreciated!