Failures, Faces, and Favorites

So I suppose the first thing to address is the failures, right?  Haha!  Well the first would be keeping up with this blog.  You would think that because I'm failing at being a normal and functioning person because I've been consistently ill for almost 2.5 solid months I could have updated this thing...but nooooooo...(I had a DVT in my leg, I also just had the worst asthma flare up I've had since I was diagnosed with it when I was 12...UGH!)

Really, that's all the failures...and I don't see them as failures but rather...this thing we call life.  Basically, shit happens and you deal with it. Right? Right.

So then that would lead me to the faces portion - aka just makeup pictures...because, well, it's a beauty blog after all and I do remember what most of the products on these photos are!  That's a plus!

Complexion:

Algenist Pore Correcting Primer

Sephora Collection 10H Wear Foundation #20 (Cream)

Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow #M548 (Pink Gray) - contour

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Fearless)

Eyes:

Smashbox Double Exposure palette

Sephora Collection Dramatic Line Pen Liner

Lancome Grandiose Mascara

Lips:

Mint Rosebud Salve

Complexion:

Lancome Teint Visionnaire Foundation #210 Buff N

Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow #M548 (Pink Gray) - contour

Kat Von D Everlasting Face Shaper Blush (Belissima)

Eyes:

Anastasia Dipbrow (Dark Brown)

Urban Decay Electric Palette

MAC Eyeshadow (Chrome Yellow)

Tarte Aqualilies Cream Liner (LE/DC)

Lips:

Sephora Collection discontinued color (sticker missing)

Complexion:

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Liquid Foundation (Light/Medium)

Sephora+Pantone Universe Blush Palette (Marsala)

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter Pressed (Opal)

Eyes:

Still Stay All Day Pen Liner (Pink)

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

Lancome Grandiose Mascara

Lips:

I *think* it was a Bite Beauty lip? This was a while ago so I don't remember...

And then of course, there are always favorites, right?  So in no particular oder here are things I'm loving!

First thing up is my new obsession website - I'm on it all the damn time -- and for the sake of disclosure before anyone thinks anything, I am not an affiliate with them so feel free to click away :)

If you're a book lover (like I am!) check out www.bookoutlet.com -- I always tell people you need to want to have to dig around on the site but the deals cannot be beat!  I have ordered from them three or four times already and have loved everything I ordered and their service is pretty fab too!

I don't know if I ever mentioned that I'm a huge Star Trek fan...so next up on the list are a couple Trek related things -- my complete series of Voyager (which I am going through in order...I'm pretty sure I've already seen 75% of the series, but I want to see 100%! hehe!)

And then on the heels of Voyager, it's only appropriate to mention my favorite book (so far!) of 2015 -- Kate Mulgrew's memoir, Born With Teeth (seriously, just read it...even if you don't like Star Trek...which is featured only briefly in case you're wondering)

featured with my prized Captain Janeway teddy bear that I got out of Quark's Bazaar many many years ago in the Star Trek Magazine....

 And then there was makeup...

First up is the Smashbox Double Exposure palette.  So many choices and so many good colors!  I love the texture of the shadows (not too powdery and not too creamy....they're just right!) and you can use them all wet or dry so it's like having 28 shadows in a 14 pan kit!  My personal favorite colors are the muted silvery blue (top L), the shimmery golden tone (top 3rd in from R), and the reddish brown (bottom 2nd in from R).

Then there is a shoutout to my NARS books.  I got a new bookshelf recently and was reorganizing and so of course I sat and flipped through them...so many great images for inspiration!  If you haven't yet checked these books out, I highly recommend you do.  There are photos of the model's naked face on the left side, and then a clear overlay saying what products were used and where that lies on top of a photo of the finished face.  GREAT for learners or seasoned pro's alike! 

So that's what has been up...hopefully I can get some great content put together for you guys soon because I do miss doing this a lot!

Xo

-A-

Disclosure:

In addition to the products I purchase, I receive a lot of product as GRATIS through my job.  I know I say this all the time, but it cannot be repeated enough in a social media dominated world -- It is up to me (and me alone) to feature what I feel are good products that I can stand behind 100%.  I always take the utmost care as I write my posts to give you, the reader, the best information that I can about my experiences.  If I love a product, I'll say so.  If I hate the product, I'll tell you why.  It's equal opportunity on my blog in all aspects.  I am in NO WAY a spokesperson for my job when writing on this blog.  No company, including the one I work for, has any influence on what I say or what I feature on the blog.

Double Winged Liner

Just a quick little look for you all while I figure out what I want to blog on for the future -- I've been so busy with work (and now I've been cast in a musical that opens in September!) so by the time I get home, I'm just a little tired ;)

Products Used:

NARS Pro Prime Foundation Primer

Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation

Sephora Collection Microsmooth Powder

Tarte Glisten Amazonian Clay Blush

MAC Mystery Eyeshadow (brows)

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Urban Decay Naked Palette (Sin, Naked, Buck)

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liners (Black and Periwinkle)

Tarte MultiplEYE Lash Primer

Yves St. Laurent Babydoll Lashes Mascara

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

 

YouTube Series: ABC's Once Upon A Time: Snow White #2 (Entertainment Weekly Cover)

A quick and easy look for anyone based on Snow White's flushed cheeks, winged liner, and natural pink lip as seen on the late-October cover of Entertainment Weekly!

Head past the jump to see photos of the finished look and the video!

Holiday Looks (guest blog by Elizabeth)

I love the holidays.  That's an understatement - I LOVE the holidays.  The music, the decorations, the food (mmmm cookies, candy canes and hot cocoa!),  and I love dressing up.  That's why my dear friend Ashleigh and I talked about me writing this.  I want to be festive in my holiday looks all day everyday, sometimes a full on smokey eye or red lip is just too intense, though; I am going to share some everyday holiday looks.

First off is a sparkling natural eye that can be worn from the office to holiday shopping, very simple but amped up for this time of year.  It's super chic to wear a neutral colored glitter shadow as a wash over your entire eyes, lash line to brow, after putting on primer (Too Faced shadow insurance is my fave) dust your entire eye in the glittery shadow (I'm using Too Faced Peach Fuzz) then line the eye with either a black liquid liner for a more classic look or take a festive green for a more fun look (for a liquid liner I'm using Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner in #13). You can either just line the lash area following the shape of your eye, or if you want a little more elegance wing it out just slightly for a cat eye suitable for the daytime.   Don't forget to curl your lashes and load on the mascara!  My current obsession is Eyeko London Skinny Brush Mascara.

This time of year is traditionally all about a bold lip, but when it's cold out and my skin and lips are feeling dry I don't always want to have a full on red lip all day.  I still enjoy color, I just decide to go more sheer with it, choosing something ultra glossy and hydrating.  My go-to lip choices are Korres Lip Butter in Rose if I want a red lip, or byTerry gloss in Moka Chili if I'm opting for a slightly more elegant look.  During the holidays a sheer glitter gloss is also a fun, yet subtle, look.

Using a  highlighter and rosy blush is a must!  A more ethereal snow queen look is fitting when the snow is falling (we get snow in L.A., only it comes from machines at the outdoor shopping malls!) so feel free to skip your bronzers and faux tans. A light golden highlight (Candlelight from Too Faced is my choice, or Albatross from Nars) or a slightly pink-silver (Benefit High Beam and Make Up For Ever Uplight #11 are both gorgeous) both can work beautifully.  Dior and Stila make blush that adjust to your perfect shade of pink, or the Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes are fabulous options.  As far as foundation goes, something radiance boosting is definitely the way to go, anything that will leave you glowing!  Using a radiant boosting primer under your foundation of choice is another way to add that magical feel.

To pull the look together a holiday themed manicure is a must!  Red, green or white nails with a glitter top coat and you're ready to go!


Happy Holidays and I hope you all have a fantastic New Year!  Xoxo

Fashionista: Christophe Guillarmé S/S 2012 recreation

Just as a little treat I thought I'd recreate an image that I found while browsing through an online magazine called EN VIE Fashion Magazine.  I hope you guys like it :)

Bigger Brighter Eyes [my way!]

Many people who wear makeup (men and women alike) are in search of the look that will make their eyes look bigger and brighter - and I am no exception!

I discovered this look accidentally one day when I was experimenting with different color combinations (I tend to like ones that people either will notice or that don't necessarily "go together" when you first think about them).  And so this look was born.

The key to this look is NOT to connect your crease color to the outer corner of the eye thus lifting the crease shape and keeping the eye looking nice and big.  Also, keep your liner thin so that it doesn't overtake the lid area - this is especially important for people who have a smaller space to work with (also, winged or not, keep it thin!  the trick to that is to make sure you feel your liner almost pulling along the base of the lashes so that it's just hitting the skin above them  - I'll do a quick tip video about it sometime in the future!)

and here are some pictures of other color combinations I use with this look if you're feeling like you're in a rut and don't want to do the same old thing ;)

FotD: Poisoned by Purple

This is one of my absolute favorite looks I've done in a while...purple is my favorite color and I've been in such a neutrals or nude eye with a hint of colored liner that it was fantastic to just be able to do a multi-tonal purple smokey eye!

Head past the jump for the list of products I used!! :)

Vintage FOTD: Dustin Hunter Inspired

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHO DUSTY IS...please click the following BLOG link and YOUTUBE link and follow/subscribe now.  Best. Life. Decision. Ever.

Haha.  (alsoyoushouldorderhiscdorbuyitonitunesbecauseitsamazing....justsaying.)

Here's Dusty's original youtube video on the look, and then my interpretation of the look can be found past the jump! :)

Vintage FOTD: Tokidoki Inspired (Mozzarella)

Hey guys!  Time for another vintage FOTD - this one was from late spring/early summer 2011.
---------------

Tokidoki (or "sometimes" in Japanese) is a lifestyle brand created by Italian artist Simone Legno back in 2005.

The line includes apparel, footwear, accessories, jewelry, toys, and makeup among other things!

You may have noticed the cute characters or the trademark heart-and-crossbones logo of the brand (which, by the way, I think is super cute!  I'll have to pull out my Smashbox Fusion Lights that Em Wyllie (youtube) gave me that has the logo on it sometime!)

I think that the characters are adorable and they're fantastic for makeup inspiration -- head past the jump to see my interpretation of the character Mozzarella.  (photo for reference if you don't know who he is)

First Impressions: INGLOT Cosmetics

The internet has been abuzz for many many months now with a company that I'm sure you've all heard of by now - INGLOT Cosmetics.  (the website in that link is Inglot's USA site!)

They've been promoted heavily by gurus on youtube as well as being present at the many variations of highly anticipated makeup shows that go on throughout the year (i.e.: IMATS, The Makeup Show...)

If I'm correct in recalling my information, it's is a Polish brand and something like 95% of their products are produced in the European Union - which I think is amazing - I'm not going to get started on debates about where makeup is made and why [insert country of origin here] is good/bad....but I just think it's awesome when a company has a direct handle in the products they manufacture.

For us in the USA it's also awesome as there is now a flagship store in Chelsea, NYC and plenty of other locations to find their amazing products (Vegas, Jersey, Costa Mesa, Chi-town, SanFran just to name a few)!

I finally broke down when I realized that my beloved MAC Chromaline is drying out (I mean, I've had it FOREVER and it's just now starting to get to the point where it's a pain to work with) and I wanted to try something new...

Head past the jump to see my purchase and my thoughts on the products I received!

Roundup: Halloween 2011

So if you do read my blog, you'll have no doubtedly noticed the teaser post for Halloween 2011.  Originally I was going to blog each look each day (basically, I like to do Halloween for a week at my jobs and since they're so awesome they both let me!) but a power outage in the middle of it kind of ruined things.

THEREFORE

If you head past the jump, you'll be privy to all of the 2011 Halloween looks (and the youtube video I slapped together of them!)

Halloween 2011: Zipper Eye

This is a look I've done 2 other times - the first in 2007 when MAC first released the facechart (which we do not talk about anymore...I painted the zipper on my face...and it was atrocious) and then 2010 (wherein I glued a zipper to muh face!) and then finally, NOW!

Head past the jump for more photos and a list of products I used to create this creepy look!

Vintage FOTD: Peach Pop (Summer 2011)

*I feel it necessary to begin this post with a disclaimer of sorts...because of all the past blog posts that were deleted not to long ago (of which I am still seething about mind you...) I may not remember the exact products that I used.  Some of these photos are almost a year old! However, I do promise to give you as much information as I can remember...so if you don't see something listed in the VINTAGE FOTD posts, please know it's not that I'm not listing it, I just may not remember...*

Head past the jump for the FOTDs and a list of products!