Back To School Looks: Part I

Back to school is undeniably exciting, even if you aren't/ were never excited for the actual work part getting new clothes, books, and picking new classes always thrilling. Back to school gives you the chance to try new styles. Also I find office/ school supplies really fun, but that might just be me. XD
So the other day I was thinking about the first time I got actual makeup for myself for back to school. It was in sixth grade and I felt  very grown up and also very confused. I'm the eldest of my three siblings so unlike my younger sister I didn't really have some one to help me out.

So I made this tutorial for absolute beginners in mind. Girls who want to want to start using makeup, but don't want look overdone or be teased for wearing too much makeup. I did one completely natural look, and then one using color based on the first look to make it nice and easy. Also I tried to make this as cheap as I possibly could. There are a couple higher end/ non drugstore products in this, but any product over ten dollars I'll astrick* and they will be listed at the bottom and have cheaper recommendations.

Look 1:

(Please pardon my scary eyebrows.)

I think this makeup looks very youthful and natural, it boarders a no makeup look but is a little more polished. This is also good if you're school has a dress code with makeup limitations.

Face: Use a liquid foundation to create a smooth canvas. If you aren't comfortable with brushes yet I definitely recommend cosmetic sponges or your hands. (Just wash them before you start!) If you have oily skin I suggest you set this foundation with a powder, but don't powder all over. Just your t zone where you'll get the oiliest. Otherwise it might look really fake. 

Eyes: I started out with a primer (optional) spread all over my lids, and the with a fluffy brush I blended a shimmering nude color all over my lid. Then on a denser brush take a medium brown color and blend that lightly in the outer corners of your eyes, and through the crease, but not all the way only about half way and the blend slightly. (As you can see I have deep set eyes with a very defined crease, if you don't have a defined crease theres a fast way of learning where to shade: close your eye, and gently feel the upper curve of your eyeball with your finger. Thats where you shade.)  After this take a highlighting shade with that same fluffy brush and dust it across your brow bone. With a small brush (or your finger) gently place a shimmering white right in your inner corner to brighten your eyes. Then apply mascara to your upper and lower lashes.

Cheeks: One of my favorite tricks is to apply cream highlighter before adding powder blush. Just take a little on your (clean!) fingers and apply along your cheekbones. Then take the blush of your choice and apply it along the sides of the apples of your cheeks. I used a berry blush, which is recommend for this look. It'll set you apart as ready for fall with a cute flush. 

Lips: Use a natural looking pink lipstick. This will mean different things to different people depending on your coloring, so expriment. For example, my 'natural' are quite a bit darker/brighter then most pale girls because my lips are naturally very pigmented. So don't get caught up in the 'nude' of light pink trends if they don't look good on you! (Words of wisdom.)

Products Used:

(In order of application, and price)

Face: Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation ($5), theBalm sexy mama pressed powder* ($19)

Eyes: Too Faced Shadow Insurance* ($18), Nyx TS3 trio Nude and Brown colors ($7), Ulta Eyeshadow in Silk ($8), Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara ($6)

Cheeks: Mac Cream Color Base in Hush* ($17), Milani Red Vino Blush ($8)

Lips: E.l.f Lipstick in Seductive ($3)

Brushes Used:

(All the brushes I used are $3 e.l.f brushes.)

Kabuki brush, 'C' brush, Angled contour brush, Angled Blush brush. I also used a face secret cosmetic sponge for my foundation they're 80 for $6 at Sally beauty supply. 

Expensive Products Replacements:*

Powder: Hard Candy Welcome Matte ($6) or e.l.f Clarifying Powder ($1)

Primer: Nyx Eyeshadow Base ($7) or e.l.f Primer ($1)

Cream highlighters: e.l.f Shimmering Facial whip in Lilac Petal ($1) or Nyx Tango with Highlight Stick ($8.50)

Skin 79 BB Cream Sampler Review!

BB creams are a hot topic, and with many American companies creating their own I wanted to try out some popular BB creams to compare. So I pick up this sampler of four BB creams from Skin 79 a popular asian brand. I got it about a week ago and have tried them all on for at least half a day.

Hot Pink Super + BB, Diamond The Prestige BB, Diamond Luminous Pearl BB, and VIP Super + Gold BB.

So lets jump in to in depth, and I'll give an overall at the end! =)

Hot Pink Super + BB: This one was the least useful in my opinion. The hot pink packaging and SPF 25 are nice, but this one had almost no coverage and I didn't have any noticeable brightening effect. It gives a dewy (not glowy) finish but didn't really cover anything. The texture reminds me of face lotion, blends out easily with quite a bit of slip.

Diamond The Prestige BB: This one was my favorite out of the four. It has a fair bit of coverage, but lets your skin peek through for a natural look. It also has a dewy finish, but this one seems brightening without added shimmer. Its actually one of the thinner formulas in this set so I was surprised at the amount of coverage it gave.

Diamond Luminous Pearl BB: Very very shimmery! If you want a very glowy finish and don't care about too much coverage this is the ticket for you. I liked this as a highlighter, or mixed in with foundation to make it a little sparklier.

VIP Super + gold: This is the only one the the bunch thats for dry/ dry combination skin so it was hard for me to really judge. However the coverage was pretty similar to Diamond the Prestige, so if you like the idea of that higher coverage BB but have dry skin, check this out. (Edit: Good for under eyes!)

I think this set is a great deal if you want to test out BB creams, and I really like Diamond the Prestige BB for everyday. Diamond luminous pearl is fun, I will definitely use up the sample, but I don't think I'll purchase. My one concern is that I randomly had a huge breakout while testing this, I don't if these caused it or not though it could be purely hormonal. 

I bought this set on amazon here for around ten dollars. (including s+h)

New Hair Color!

I love my new hair! I decided that as long as I'm able to have fun with my hair there's no point in having it be boring. At some point I suppose I'll have to keep it a more mellow red shade or blonde, but for now I'm gonna rock plum with a little red spurt! So what do you guys think? =)

Review: Elf Baked Blush In Rich Rose

 

I'm a big fan of e.l.f cosmetics, they're super cheap and cruelty free. So when I saw their new baked blushes I was intrigued. I was only able to get this one, because the others were already sold out. The other colors I've described below:

Peachy- Cheeky: A light peachy pink color, with bronze veining.

Pinktastic: A very light shimmering pink with bright pink veining. (Reminds me a lot of Hard Candy's Honeymoon Blush.)

Pink Passion: A midtone pink with hot pink veining.

And finally the one I scooped up, Rich Rose a bronzy red color with coral veining. Swirled together it makes a really pretty wearable terracotta color. On me it doubles as blush and a bronzer, great for a little natural contour. Its a little on the sheer side but builds up nicely.

$3.00 here or in target stores

Art Inspired Look: Cycles Sirius Poster

Now thats some racy biking!

This look was inspired by this wonderful poster which for me brings out two strong emotions, the first being awe at how lovely it is (its really big IRL too), and second laughter. I find it hilarious that they decided to naked women were the best way to promote bicycle sales, and also that people think that racy ads are a new thing. And you know sex does sell, but I really think if sex should be marketed this is the way to go. She looks very happy on that bicycle. ;D

Anyway this look is a little less directly translated then my previous two. I wanted to convey the soft dream like hues and feeling as well as the glowy gold touched skin. I think I did pretty well, I wish the shimmer on my eyes was a little more pronounced though. This was a fun look to do! It also gave me a reason to test out some BB cream.

After priming my eye I lightly brushed a shimmering light color all over my lid and brow bone to make a shimmery blank canvas. Then in the center of of my eye I blended in a matte nude color. Moving to my inner corner I applied a matte white from my inner corner up to my brows and then blended it out really well. Then on the the outer corner I gently blended in a light blue bringing it into my crease to define that a little more. Then with a fluffy brush I softly patted on a little bright golden shimmer on top of the lid. Unfortunately this didn't show up on camera. =(

I lightly lined my lids with a navy shadow, and winged it out a tiny bit. Then using a light gold cream eyeliner I lined my lower lash line. I applied mascara, and I did do my eyebrows I swear! I have no idea where they went off too well I was taking these pictures.

On to face! I used two different BB creams on face a normal one all over and then a shimmery one on my cheekbones for a natural looking highlight. I dusted a light pink color at the apple of my cheeks and then dusted a golden color over my blush and lightly on my forehead.

I finished off the look with the lightest pink lipstick I can pull off, and a light colored lipgloss. I hope you like it!

Products Used:

(In order of direction.)

Eyes: Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Ulta Silk eyeshadow, Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Foxy, Sugarpill Tako Eyeshadow, Lime Crime Parasol Eyeshadow (Chinadoll), Sugarpill Glodilux, Sleek navy shadow, Wet 'n Wild Idol Eyes in pixie + Nyx Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Pure Gold, and Maybelline Waterproof Full n soft mascara.

Face: Skin 79 Diamond Prestige BB cream, Skin 79 Diamond Luminous Pearl BB cream, MAC fleaur power blush, and E.L.F Studio blush in Giddy Gold.

Lips: Nyx Stella lipstick, Nyx Nude peach mega shine lipgloss.

Yummy Soap!

So the other day I was in a little gift shop with some friends mainly just killing time and I had to look at all the lovely smelling candles and soaps because I'm a junkie for stuff like that and I found this little darling!

I love lemongrass, I grow it every summer and just adore the scent in general! This soap smells just like it!  It lathers really well for a bar soap, I was very impressed by that. I seriously rubbed the soap on and then used my loofa for some scrubby action. The smell is just as good in shower, however it fades pretty fast after. Which you may like or dislike depending on personal tastes. The only thing I feel like that could be improved is it could be more moisturizing. But its not a huge concern.

I also think the packaging is really cute, its simple and sort of chic that way. It has made in france stamped on the side but doesn't make a big deal about it which I like. Apparently Oprah's a big fan of this brand, which I learned well looking online for these. So if the O seal of approval is a big deal for you, you're all set!

You can buy them here or perhaps you'll find them in a gift store like I did!

La Lavande lemongrass soap is $4.50 online (+ S&H) but prices will range in store. I paid about six dollars including tax I think.

Fridays under Fifteen: Hardy Candy Rise & Shine

Let me preface this post with a fun fact about me: I love glitter, it is fun and sparkly and if you don't like glitter you wouldn't like this lipgloss.

There now lets move on! I've been obsessed with this lipgloss this last week, it is so much fun! Its called Hard Candy Glossaholic Lipgloss in Rise in Shine, and at $6.00 its well within our fifteen dollar budget. Its a beautiful lipgloss with a clear base and tons of glitter that shifts from orange to gold to green. Although I notice the green way more in the tube then on the lips.

Now unfortunately this lipgloss just did not want to be photographed on my lips the camera had to be slightly out of focus to see the glitter at all. However I assure you that swatch on my hand is what it looks like in person, especially in sunlight.

The glitter isn't gritty at all, and its not sticky which is nice, that being said, the wand is gigantic! With its size, and a indentation in the applicator tip to catch gloss, this can apply way to much gloss if you aren't careful.  But speaking of huge this is quite a bit of lipgloss for reference it has more then twice the amount in a lipglass.

The only weird thing about this is it has a pretty odd claim. It says its 'infused with mood altering elixir' and claims to wake you up, hence the name. It is coffee flavored, which I find quite yummy, but I think its more likely that the sweet flavor and pretty sparkle are the ones altering my mood for the better!

The reason this is this friday's under fifteen super star is because of how much it reminds me of MAC's dazzleglass. Especially some of the Glitter and Ice dazzleglass, with their clear bases and crazy sparkle. if you liked those but they very too expensive, or too cool toned, or too sticky you might love this.

Hard Candy Glossaholic Lipgloss in Rise in Shine is $6.00* for 10.8g and can be found in walmart stores and on walmarts website.
*prices may vary in store.