Ulta Haul!

So it is not often that I go into a makeup section or store and not know exactly what I am going to leave with, but today I ventured into the makeup territory with no real plan. I was armed with a 20% off coupon and an afternoon with no plans and here is the result:

Of course I found lots of products that I felt like "needed," but I do think I found some really fun and useful items!

The first thing I got was a repurchase. I love these face wipes! They are useful for so many things and I really like to use them to remove the majority of my makeup at night before I wash my face. 

I have really been in the market for a good under eye concealer lately. I love the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer for blemishes, but it is too dry for the under eye area. I have heard great things about this Maybelline concealer and I think it is going to be exactly what I am wanting.

Going into fall I really wanted a true red. Unbelievably this is not a color I owned or had anything like. This is "The Thrill of Brazil" by OPI. Two coats was perfect coverage and I really think I will get a lot of use out of this in the upcoming months!

This is the NYX Jumbo eye pencil in Black Bean. This is the only item I planned to buy on my adventure today. I am going to use this for a last minute Halloween tutorial and possible costume. I am not sure how I feel about the jumbo eye pencils yet, they are prone to creasing, which I already have trouble controlling. 

  

Olive Branch is a NYX cream eyeshadow. I was really drawn to this color and plan to use it with MAC's Cranberry for a new fall look!

I looked at this NYX blush a few times and just never committed to buying it, until today. I am really excited to try this out! It is supposed to be a good duplicate for NARS Orgasm blush. Because I don't own that blush, I can not compare them, but this color is beautiful and promising. 

My big unexpected splurge of my trip was this eyeliner set from Urban Decay. I love their eyeliners and this set looked too good to pass up, especially with the sharpener included. The olive green and navy pencil was a big draw. These are both beautiful colors for the fall and upcoming winter and will be really fun to play with.

The last item I picked up was this brow pencil in Light Brown. Once I got this home I realized how terrible this color was on me, and exchanged it for Taupe (which I don't have a swatch for yet). As far as the texture of the pencil I think I am going to like the product a lot. I am really hoping this will serve as a good replacement to my Anastasia Brow Wiz, which is much more expensive. 

From top to bottom: Light Brown brow pencil, Olive Branch cream eyeshadow, Zero eyeliner, Corrupt eyeliner, Sabbath eyeliner, Stash eyeliner, Black Bean eye pencil, and Pinched blush.

I am really excited to try out these products and I hope to do some great tutorials and review using them! Leave me a comment about which products you would like to see used and learn more about! -Jessica

Makeup for a Rock Show!

I was on Pinterest a couple of weeks ago and saw a very dramatic eye look and fell in love! I had no idea how I could fit the look into my life, until I remembered an upcoming concert! This is the look I wore to see Pat Benatar and Journey:

Let's get started!:

To begin I used a gold cream eyeshadow for a base. This is Maybelline's Bold Gold Color Tattoo, I really love these cream eyeshadows and they are by far the best I have tried from all price points.

I used Urban Decay's Honey to set the cream eyeshadow. I chose this because it is a very yellow gold, and best matched the visual I was referencing. You could use any gold eyeshadow that you like, such as Urban Decay's Half Baked. Be sure to use the gold all over the lid, under the eye, and around the inner corner.

Buck, a matte medium brown, was blended around the edge of the gold on all sides and under the gold on the lower lash line. Blend Buck high into the crease, high into the inner corner, and down the side of the nose. 

I used a black kohl eye pencil to line my upper and lower waterlines, this is the skin between you lashes and your actual eyeball. This can be a very good way to make you lashes look thicker on an everyday bases.

I used a black pen eyeliner to line the upper and lower lash line. Get this as close to the lash line is possible. 

I added my favorite mascara and that is the eyes done!

Here is the full face before and after:

For the rest of my face I just used a bronzer for contouring and some color on my face. I used a very neutral lip gloss. I wanted to keep the face very neutral, because the eyes were so bold. I really love how this came out and I hope you did too!

Let me know what you think and what you would like to see! -Jessica

Green Smokey Eye

I decided to depot my Urban Decay Book of Shadows IV this morning and was really excited about the colors. The problem, and a common complaint, with Urban Decay is that some of their packaging is a little excessive. The large box that the Book of Shadows IV was in kept me from using it very often, but putting them in a smaller palette will help me use them more often. Here is the look I came up with:

Greens are really fun, come in every shade you can imagine, and look great on all eye colors! Let's get started:

Start with priming your eyes. Then to prepare them for the color I used cream eyeshadows. I put the pencil in my inner corner and on my brow bone, the cream on my lid, and the green on the outer corner of my eye and in my crease. This does not have to be perfect just in the general shape you're wanting to achieve.

Next I used Sin, a light pink, on the inner corner of my eye lid.

Using the same brush I put Bust, a medium taupe brown, on the center of my lid as a transition into the darker colors to come.

I used Busted, a deep green, on a smudger brush on the outer corner of my eye and in my crease. 

Use a clean blending brush to blend, blend, blend the shadows until you get the desired look. 

Using the same smudger brush place Cobra, a dark olive green with gold sparkle, in the very outer corner of your eyelid to darken it up. Use the blending brush again to erase any stark lines of color.

I mixed Skimp and Zephyr on a small brush to highlight my inner corner and brow bone. I used a brown eyeliner with gold in it to line my upper lash line. You could use a black to make this more dramatic, but I liked how the gold in the liner picked up the gold in the eyeshadows. Then fill in your brows and add your favorite mascara!

Here is my full face before and after:

As always use the colors you have on hand, that's what I do. The techniques for this could be applied to any color you wanted, for instance this would also look beautiful in purple. I hope you liked this and will try it out! Leave me a comment letting me know what you think and what you would like to see next! -Jessica

Red Lips for Fall/ Naked Palette Look.

Last week MAC released a new collection centered around Marilyn Monroe. I attended an event at my nearest MAC where all of the products for the collection were sadly sold out. This was sad, but I still really wanted to find a great red lip for this fall. The artist I was working with did a great look on me and here is me recreating it!:

Let's get started!

I prepared my face with foundation and my eyes with primer. Then to get my eyes ready for the color, I used this Color Tattoo in Barley Beige, and a NYX eye pencil in Milk. I placed the Beige all over my lid and the Milk in my inner corner and on my brow bone. Blend out the Milk with your finger.

First I used Sin from my Naked Palette, a light shimmery pink, and I put that all over my eyelid with a fluffy brush.

Next, using the same brush, I put Naked in my crease. The easies way to do this is to look straight at your mirror and put your brush on your socket bone and rock it back and forth. This will place the color in your natural crease. The goal is just to accentuate not to be dramatic. Any matte light brown can work for this.

To finish up with shadow add a light color to the inner corner of your eye and on your brow bone. I used Virgin, which is a with with a bit of pink shimmer. 

To finish the eye I did a winged liner. You can use whatever liner your feel comfortable with, but I just think a wing is so classic and beautiful for all eyes. I used a gel liner and liner brush. I like to get product on the brush and then flatten the brush against the side of the pot. This really helps me get a better line on the inner half of my eyelid and to better define the wing. I start in the center of my eye and move towards the inner corner. This line thickness helps to set the thickness for the rest of the liner. I try for a fairly thin line on the inner corner and thicken it as it moves towards the center. From the center of the lid I try to keep the line the same thickness to the outer corner. Once I get to the end I start to form my wing. I use my lower lash line as a guide to draw up and then connect that line at an angle to the liner already on the lid. Fill in the space created, make any adjustments needed, and voila. Finish up with your favorite mascara and filling in your brows.

KEY TO WINGED LINER:  It is a lot of practice and getting familiar with your eye shape  

I finished up my face with bronzer, a light pink blush, and my favorite highlighter. 

To start with the lips I used a lip primer. Many brands make one, this one happens to be the MAC prep and prime. The primer will help to keep the lipstick from settling in the fine lines of my lips, counter act dryness, and keep the lipstick from feathering out into the skin around my lips.

To help stain the lips and start the color I used a dark red lip liner. I first lined my lips and then filled them in completely. I am using Brick from MAC.

For the lipstick I am using a beautiful deep red. This one is Viva Glam 1 by MAC.  Don't feel the need to use the same products I do. I use what I have, but feel free to use your favorite red. Put this color all over your lips. To help the color last longer blot the lipstick with a tissue and then reapply.

Last add a gloss. This is Spring Bean from MAC. I would never have picked this out on my own, but the artist at MAC used this on me and I was really impressed at how great it looked over the red! Again use your favorite gloss! 

So here is the full face before and after:

This is a really simple, classic look for a red lip that is great for the fall! I hope you like it and that you'll try it out!

Leave me a comment telling me what you think and anything that you would like to see in the future!   -Jessica