What's in my makeup bag? - Products that I'm currently using!

What's in my makeup bag?

As a beauty blogger, I've tried so many different products over the years. At some points I had about 20 or more foundations at the same time, and was trying so many things and finishing none of them. Since my little break off from blogging, I've cut down on trying so many new things at once, and I'm finding myself repurchasing the same things over again - things that are reliable and that I love!

So, for the past several months (or more), these have been my staples!

MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation - I've gone through around 3-4 tubes of this so far, and I've been re-purchasing this foundation as soon as I run out. It has a solid medium coverage, and it's my go-to when I want my makeup to last on hours on end. It really does last me till the time I want to wash my face, and I don't find that it breaks apart or separates by the end of the night. I do prefer this over MAC's regular Pro Longwear Foundation, but I do like that one as well. ($33)

NARS Tinted Moisturizer - This is my go-to day wear foundation. The formula is creamy and moisturizing and it provides an SPF of 30, which is great for when you're out and about during the day. The coverage is light, but buildable, and evens out the skintone nicely and gives a fresh, clean look. A little expensive for a daily wearing tinted moisturizer, but for now, I'm loving it and I'm getting low on my second tube. ($44)

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer - It wasn't love at first sight with this concealer, but after using it regularly, I've grown to love it. As I'm getting older, I find it much more difficult to find a concealer that doesn't age me or give me the "tired eye" look, and I find that this one doesn't accentuate dryness or fine lines. A definite winner in my book, and one that I will repurchase as soon as I run out. ($25)

Urban Decay Naked Concealer - Along with Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer, I like adding a layer of this concealer on top before I blend the two together. These two concealers work really well as a team, and I love how light and blendable this concealer is. It's a great one if you are looking for a pigmented concealer that doesn't have the density or weight of a standard (heavy) concealer. I like using this concealer in a lighter shade to brighten my under eyes. ($28)

Beauty Blender - I can't live without my beauty blender. I use it every day to apply my concealer, and I use a separate one to set my concealer with powder. It works more beautifully than any brush. ($20)

Giorgio Armani #24 Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches!

Giorgio Armani #24 Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow

Giorgio Armani #24 Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow ($33) is a black with glistening copper and gold. When the colors mix together, it turns into a beautiful dark khaki/olive green. It's a fabulous color, and the type of shade that I gravitate towards, as it flatters my hazel eyes and warm skin really well. It's a bit of a chameleon color, as it shines differently depending on the lighting and angle. Sometimes the color looks like a glistening warm brown and other times it looks like a golden olive. In the sunlight, the golden hues really shine through. It reminds be a bit of MAC Gilt by Association Mineralize Eyeshadow, a shadow I frequently wore in the past.

I know these eyeshadows are old news, as they've been out for a couple of years and I don't hear much about them anymore, but recently, I went through my makeup stash and dug out shade #8 Champagne, and have been using it multiple times a week. Naturally, it sparked my love for this product again, and I wanted more. So, #24 became my newest addition to my makeup bag.

The texture of the eyeshadow is like a very finely milled pressed/compacted pigment. It's incredibly silky and blends effortlessly. My favorite application tool is my fingertip or an old-school sponge applicator, as they both pick up the most product and apply the product in an opaque layer. A small flat brush also works well, such as a small concealer brush. You can also dampen the brush and apply the product wet for an almost metallic finish.

Heavy swatch of #24

Swatched on my arm the color looks more brown, but on my lids it's a glistening khaki green!

MAC Warming Heart Pressed Pigment Review, Photos, Swatches & Application Tips!

MAC Warming Heart Pressed Pigment

MAC Warming Heart Pressed Pigment ($21) is a light, peach-pink with a very shimmery translucent finish. MAC describes the product as a "creamy highlighter with a versatility of finish" meaning that you can achieve a variety of finishes depending on how you apply them. You can apply the pressed pigments dry for a sheer, shimmery shine, or wet for a bolder, more metallic look.

The reviews I've seen for these have been very mixed - but unfortunately, I've seen more less favorable reviews. For instance, Temptalia rated the MAC Pressed Pigments a "F"and said that they have some of the worst fall-out of any glittery shadows she's worked with. On the contrary, Beauty Look Book really liked the MAC Pressed Pigments and owns several shades. I follow and trust both bloggers opinions, but I also understand that it's not going to be a product for everyone unless of course, you like glitter.

I personally have always liked shimmery eyeshadows and find it hard to resist an eyeshadow that sparkles and shines. When I spotted this pigment at my local Cosmetic Company Outlet, I grabbed it right away.

The texture of the product is very soft to the touch and has a creaminess about it much like the MAC Extra-Dimension products. Despite that, it's also gritty (not dry, though) and crumbly. The product is very delicate and you have to make sure not to apply too much pressure to it with your application tool.

MAC Warming Heart swatched dry and wet

Nars Lola Lola and Night Fever Eyeshadows Review, Photos & Swatches!

Nars Lola Lola and Night Fever Eyeshadows

I recently purchased a couple new Nars eyeshadows to add to my forever growing collection. Like I need any more eyeshadows, right? Well, after these I'm probably done one for a while.. don't quote me on that though.

I'm all about simplicity on most days, so I love a good eyeshadow single that can make me look quickly polished without the help of any additional eyeshadows.

Nars Lola Lola Eyeshadow is described as a neutral brown with shimmer. It looks copper/brick toned in the pan, but once swatched, the color is more muted and neutral. It definitely has some soft reddish tones (no yellow-orange) mixed with silvery/gray pigments, so it doesn't lean warm.

It's actually more unique than it appears. The slight shimmer/frost really pulls this shade together and makes it a really pretty, elegant shade. It's a nice shade for any eye color, but I'd think it would look especially nice on blue and green or hazel eyes.

The eyeshadow itself is super soft and pigmented and blends like a dream. I've been wearing it alone on  my lids and lower lash line for a soft daytime eye. I like that it's not super intense and has a softness about it so it's a shade that I can wear every day.

Nars Night Fever Eyeshadow on the other hand is a super dark and intense shade that I thought would be a great eyeliner shade. Night Fever is described as a black with red pearls. Pretty Simple. It's a super dark, matte black filled with fine red shimmers.

It's one of those shimmers that disappears when you wipe it, so to get the shimmer to show up, you have to pat the eyeshadow on as opposed to sweeping it. If you sweep it on, you'll only get a matte black. It doesn't transfer well when applied dry, but applied on top of a base (preferably a sticky one), it really helps the shimmers stick. They also show up when applied wet, but regardless, if you want the shimmer to stick, you need a creamy base and you have to dab it on.

Truthfully, I think it's too much work and I'd recommend skipping this shade all together. MAC Beauty Marked Eyeshadow and NYX Sensual Eyeshadow are both similar alternatives for a lower price.

To see these two shades in action, check my previous post where I'm wearing Lola Lola on the lid and lower lash line and Night Fever on the outer corners.

Nars Ashes to Ashes, Night Star and Etrusque Eyeshadows Review, Photos and Swatches!

 Nars Ashes to Ashes, Night Star and Etrusque Eyeshadows

I've accumulated a few Nars eyeshadows in the past couple of months and I've been trying to put off using them before reviewing them, but as you can see.. I've been using all three!

I love Nars Eyeshadow. Although like any brand, some shades can be a hit or miss, I've been pretty pleased with all of the Nars eyeshadows I've purchased (which is only a small handful).

Some shades are smoother/softer than others, but all of the shadows commonly are very pigmented, and you only need the lightest touch of the brush for good color pay-off (especially the darker shades).

At $24 a pop, these eyeshadows are quite pricey, so I don't purchase them too often, but once in a while I get swayed by the sparkles or the silky textures end end up caving in.

Ashes to Ashes is described as a violet-brown with shimmer, or basically a soft taupe. It's a really common shade (in the same family as MAC Satin Taupe or Wet n Wild Nutty), but if you have "taupe disease" like me, and feel the need to purchase every taupe on the market, then this shade is very necessary. haha!

I find it to be a great every day shade and I often wear it solo on my lid and smudged on my lower lash line for a soft wash of color, topped with lots of mascara.

From left to right: Nars Night Star, Etrusque and Ashes to Ashes.

Swatches from left to right: Nars Night Star, Etrusque and Ashes to Ashes.

Giorgio Armani #8 Champagne Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow Review, Photos and Swatches!

Giorgio Armani #8 Champagne Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow

Giorgio Armani #8 Champagne Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow ($32) is a pinked-champagne with a high metallic finish. It's a beautiful shade that can be used as a wash of color on the eyes for a quick and easy every day look, and it also looks great on the cheekbones as a highlight. I think it's a shade that can be both used at day or night, but it does sport a high metallic shine, so some might prefer it as a highlight/accent shade for the workplace rather than wearing it all over the lids.

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows are described as being an innovative hybrid texture that isn't a powder or a cream. If you haven't felt these yourself, they feel like an extremely finely milled pressed or compacted pigment. The silkiness of the shadow makes it almost feel like a cream, but it's most definitely a powder. What's lovely about them is that because of the smooth texture, the shadow applies smoothly like a cream, but because it's a powder, it doesn't crease like a cream eyeshadow would.

If you've tried the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows, you've had a little taste of the Eyes to Kill Eyeshadows because the texture is so similar. The Giorgio Armani shadows are just a bit silkier/less dry. Some people inquire if these are anything like the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadows and they aren't at all. The Illusion D'Ombre's are more-so like a cream consistency.

Although the powder is pressed down, when you touch it, the formula flakes a bit, so to reduce mess and fall-out during application, I like to use my fingers. A sponge applicator also works well. If you want to use a brush, a dense brush will work best to pick up a good amount of product for opaque coverage (such as a concealer brush or something like the Sigma E60 Shader Brush, as fluffy brushes can create some fall-out and a lighter coverage overall).

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows Review, Photos and Swatches!

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows ($5.99) are a line of high quality and cruelty-free eyeshadows created by one of my favorite Youtube gurus, Marlena (also known as Makeup Geek!)

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows are available in an array of 56 colors, and today, I'll be showing you 18 of those colors.

Vanilla Bean is a sheer, creamy matte beige.
Beaches and Cream is a creamy matte peach-beige.
Shimma Shimma is a metallic champagne.
Peach Smoothie is a matte light peach.
Bleached Blonde is a shimmery dusty gold.

Gold Digger is a true metallic gold.

Chickadee is a matte medium orange.

Glamorous is a shimmery copper.

Cocoa Bear is a matte deep red-brown.

Pretentious is a metallic brown-bronze.

Homecoming is a medium brown with gold shimmer.

From left to right: Vanilla Bean, Beaches and Cream, Shimma Shimma, Peach Smoothie, Bleached Blonde, Gold Digger, Chickadee, Glamorous, Cocoa Bear, Pretentious and Homecoming.

Bada-Bing is a deep, dark chocolate brown with gold sparkles.
Burlesque is a metallic plum-burgundy.
Sensuous is a soft shimmery purple with silver sparkles.

Drama Queen is a shimmery dark purple.

Ocean Breeze is a metallic ocean blue.
Envy is a deep metallic emerald.
Corrupt is an intense matte black with a very subtle sparkle.

From left to right: Bada-Bing, Burlesque, Sensuous, Drama Queen, Ocean Breeze, Envy and Corrupt.

MAC Moth Brown Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches!

MAC Moth Brown Eyeshadow

MAC Moth Brown Eyeshdow ($15) is a beautiful metallic charcoal-taupe with a tinge of purple. Moth Brown was re-released in the MAC By Request Collection as it was a highly popular choice among voters. If you were hoping for a brown, you might be disappointed because Moth Brown most definitely isn't brown. From the looks of it, it looks similar to the ever-popular MAC Satin Taupe, but when swatched, Satin Taupe is much warmer and has more brown tones, whereas MAC Moth Brown is cool toned with more gray tones.

It's a really pretty shade and shines differently in all angles. It's a shade that will work well with all eye colors and skin tones and is subtle enough to be worn all over the lid for daily wear or amped up for a night time smokey eye.

The consistency is very smooth like a typical MAC Frost finish eyeshadow, easy to blend and has opaque pigmentation.

A must-have? It's definitely nice to have especially if you gravitate towards taupe shades, but don't kick yourself if you missed out on it.

Do you own Moth Brown? Do you think it lives up to the hype? 

Bobbi Brown Burnt Sugar Eyeshadow Review, Eye Look, Photos and Swatches!

Bobbi Brown Burnt Sugar Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Burnt Sugar Metallic Eyeshadow ($21) is described as a deep, golden brown. Although I would categorize it as more of a medium, golden brown as it's not dark at all on the lids. In the pan, the color looks very neutral - almost like a taupe brown, but on the skin, the golden tones appear. It's not really a yellow/orange golden, it's rather a bronze.

Although it's not all that unique, I don't own any exact dupes. The closest matches are MAC Tempting and Urban Decay Smog, but both are slightly deeper and warmer.

I've had this shadow for a couple of years now, and reach for it every now and then for a quick eye look. I'm all about simplicity when it comes to my everyday eye makeup, and I love shades that work well solo and give off the "illusion" that I'm wearing more than one shadow, and that it took me more than 30 seconds to complete the look. Burnt Sugar is one of those shades that you can wipe across your lids, apply a little mascara and be done with it. In fact, I don't think I've ever worn this shadow with anything else.

Bobbi Brown Burnt Sugar applied (packed heavily) all over the lid, stopping slightly above the crease, and smudged on the lower lashline. Then, used a tapered blending brush to blend out the edges and slightly bring the shadow upward, toward the brows. MAC Nylon Eyeshadow applied to the brow bone and inner corner for a highlight.

Green and Brown Cut Crease Eyeshadow Tutorial!

Green is actually one of my favorite colors, but I normally shy away from colored eye shadow. I've been wanting to do a look with green eye shadow, so this morning I decided to mess around a little bit with some green and snap some photos during the process.

Green looks great paired with almost every color. It's a earthy color, so it looks great paired with warm autumn shades (brown, gold, burgundy, orange, etc.) and it also works well paired with bright, floral shades (pink, purple, blue, etc.) You all know that I love my neutral and warm shades - so my favorite pairing is brown and gold.

I actually don't own very many green eye shadows - in fact, I got rid of most of them a while ago because they started collecting dust in my drawers (well, not exactly, but you know what I mean.) I would've loved to use an olive green for this look - I've had MAC Sumptuous Olive on my "to buy at some point" list for ages, so I'm definitely going to add it to the top of my shopping list.

Anyways, enough babbling..

Products Used:
Maybelline Bold Gold Color Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow (used in Step 1)
YSL Absinthe Green 4-Colour Harmony for the Eyes (used in Step 2)
MAC Retrospeck Eyeshadow (used in Step 3)
MAC Tempting Eyeshadow (used in Step 4)
MAC Brun Eyeshadow (used in Step 5 and 7)
Urban Decay Half Baked Eyeshadow (used in Step 8)
Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Brown Eyeliner (used in Step 9)
Elizabeth Arden Caramide Mascara (review soon!) (used in Step 10)
Ardell #116 False Lashes (used in Step 11)

Brushes Used:
Sponge Applicators (used in Step 1, 2 and 3)
Sigma E30 Pencil Brush (used in Step 4)
Small Generic Shader Brush (used in Step 5)
Sigma E65 Small Angle Synthetic Brush (used in Step 7 & 8)

*A non-shimmery base would've worked better for this tutorial - I used gold to warm up the green, but this base in particular made the otherwise smooth, pigmented green appear patchy.

*A thinner line with a matte, cream eyeliner would've worked better for this tutorial (I made it too thick, and it was pretty much irreversible!)

*When using tape, make sure to press the tape on the back of your hand a couple of times before applying it to your face. You don't want it to be very sticky, because you don't want the tape pulling your skin when you remove it.

Step by Step Smokey Taupe Eyeshadow Tutorial!

Smokey Taupe Eyeshadow Tutorial

One of my favorite eyeshadows is MAC Satin Taupe. It's a really pretty frosty taupe (gray brown) that looks great with a variety of looks. It looks amazing paired with brown and burgundy - One of my favorite ways of wearing it is by applying a dark brown base to my lids and layering Satin Taupe over top, to intensify and slightly deepen the color, then apply a soft golden brown through the crease, and a reddened brown through the outer-v. The burgundy mixed with the taupe almost gives off a slightly mauve/plum tone that really brings out the green in my eyes. 

I'll be doing just that in this tutorial, but I'm making the look a bit more dramatic by adding black eyeshadow and liner. 

To make this look more daytime appropriate: The black shadow, liner and faux lashes are what really intensify this look, so for something a little lighter and more wearable during the day, skip step 7, 9, 10 and 12. You really don't have to line your eyes at all (I wear this look often during the day without liner), but if you'd really like to, you can opt for a dark brown liner for the top lash line.

Products Used:
Nars Smudeproof Eyeshadow Base (used in step 1)
MAC Constructivist Paint Pot (used in step 2 and 3)
MAC Satin Taupe Eyeshadow (used in step 4)
MAC Soba Eyeshadow (used in step 5)
MAC Handwritten Eyeshadow (used in step 6)
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow (used in step 7)
MAC Crystal Avalanche and Nylon Eyeshadows (used in step 8)
MAC Retrospeck Eyeshadow (used in step 8)
YSL Eyeliner Effect Deep Black Faux Cils Cream Liner (used in step 9)
Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara (used in step 11)
KKCenterHK False Lashes #ES A562 (used in step 12)
Lorac 3-in-1 Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil (used to line my waterline afterward - for reference, I would not recommend this liner)

*Notable dupes for Satin Taupe: Wet n Wild Nutty Color Icon Single Eyeshadow ($1.99), NYX Iced Mocha Single Eyeshadow ($4.99), Covergirl Tapestry Taupe Eye Enhancers 1 Kit Eyeshadow ($4), E.L.F Moon Dust Custom Eyes Eyeshadow ($1). (Prices will vary based on location)

Brushes Used:
Generic Concealer Brush (used in step 2, 3 and 4)
ELF Studio Contour Brush (used in step 5)
MAC 219 Pencil Brush (used in step 6, 7 & 8; cleaned & used for the inner corner only. I used my fingertip for the brow bone highlight)
Coastal Scents Synthetic Fine Liner Brush (used in step 9)
Coastal Scents Small Detail Brush (used in step 10, to drag the liner upward and smudge)

Misc:
MAC Quite Natural Paint Pot was used to fill in my brows

MAC Paint Pots Overall Review with Swatches and Photos! (pic heavy)

MAC Paint Pot Overview

MAC Paint Pots ($17.50) are MAC's take on Cream Eyeshadows. They are versatile products because there can be several uses for them. You can wear them alone on the lids, as a liner, as a primer or as a base color for powder eyeshadow/pigments.

A highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish. Long-wearing, colourfast. Creates seamless coverage without weight or caking. Blends smoothly over the lids. Cream-based, can be mixed with M·A·C shadows and liners.

MAC Paint Pots are available in nine shades: Bare Study, Soft Ocher, Painterly, Rubenesque, Indianwood, Groundwork, Constructivist, Quite Natural and Blackground. I own all of them, except Blackground and Soft Ocher. (None of which I have posted reviews for in the past, so I thought it'd be a good idea to gather them up and review them together.)

MAC releases limited edition shades every now and then in some of their collections, but the actual permanent collection is quite small and lacks much color. All of the colors are fairly neutral. MAC did have many more colors in the past, but almost all of them became discontinued and they never filled the void with replacement/additional shades.

Continue reading for individual reviews and swatches

My Everyday MAC (Neutral/Warm) Eyeshadow Palette with Swatches!

Today I'm going to do a quick overview of what's in my My MAC "Everyday" eyeshadow palette. I recently popped the divider out of my MAC 15 Palette, so instead of casing fifteen shadows, it stores twenty-six eyeshadows. It doesn't look as neat, but it's so much more convenient for me to have everything I need in one palette. 

I use this palette almost every day as it contains everything I need to create a variety of looks. As you can tell, the palette only contains neutral and warm shades, because it's basically all I wear on daily basis. 

First Row: Crystal Avalanche, Nylon, Patina, Corduroy, Sorcery, Tempting, Bronze

Second Row: Brule, Era, Cork, Handwritten, Satin Taupe, Woodwinked

Third Row: Retrospeck, Ricepaper, Soba, Espresso, Brun, Amber Lights, Typographic

Fourth Row: Malt, Grand Entrance, Club, Electra, Black Tied, Carbon

Swatches from left to right: Grand Entrance, Crystal Avalanche, Nylon, Ricepaper, Retrospeck, Brule, Malt, Era, Patina, Soba, Cork, Espresso, Club, Corduroy, Handwritten, Sorcery, Brun, Electra, Satin Taupe, Tempting, Woodwinked, Bronze, Black Tied, Carbon and Typographic. (Oops! I forgot to include Amber Lights.)

Givenchy Siena Silhouette Le Prisme Eyeshadow Quartet Review!

Givenchy Siena Silhouette Le Prisme Eyeshadow Quartet

Givenchy Le Prisme Eyeshadow Quartets ($57) are extremely soft, finely milled eyeshadow quads with rich color payoff and long-lasting power.

The Givenchy Quartlers are available in seven (7) shades: Blue Collection, Khaki Egerie, Midnight Look, Pastel Model, Purple Show, Siena Silhouette and Bucolic Blossoms.

Siena Silhouette is the only palette in the selection containing shades of brown, and any palette that can give me a full, warm brown eye look without using any additional products is pure bliss for me. Sienna Silhouette contains a deep, ash brown, medium milk chocolate brown, light peach and a shimmering golden champagne. The shimmering golden champagne color contains the most shimmer, while the others have a subtle iridescence.

Make Up For Ever #139 Eyeshadow Review, Photos and Swatches!

Make Up For Ever #139 Eyeshadow

Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow ($20) are high-intense powder shadows that come in a huge variety of shades (over 100) and finishes (matte, semi-matte and iridescent). Some of the brighter shades can even be used as a blush.

The eyeshadows are cased in small, slim black plastic compacts (no mirror) and are very lightweight and great for travel. They are a bit flimsy, and dare I say cheap, but as they are a pro makeup artist brand, they are meant to be placed in palettes. The Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow Palette holds ten eyeshadows.

Everytime I go to Sephora I have a "routine" of the brands I'll visit, and I always stop by Make Up For Ever. I've tried many of their products through the past five years, but I never actually purchased any of their shadows. I always thought they were a bit expensive, so I would purchase MAC as an alternative. For reference,  MUFE shadows actually contain a bit more product than MAC (MAC - 0.05 oz, MUFE 0.08 oz) not that it's hugely significant.

I'm typically drawn to all shades of brown, and shades that are versatile and can be worn often. #139 is described on the website as a Iridescent Brown Black. I would describe it as a neutral, dark brown with a satiny/matte finish.

MUFE #139 on my eyes

Step by Step Golden Bronze Eyeshadow Tutorial.

I haven't done a tutorial in a while, so I thought I'd share with you one of my go-to looks when going out. It may seem like a lot of steps, but it's actually very simple, and it takes me all about five minutes to do. You can step it up a notch for night-time wear by adding false lashes and/or liner on the waterline, or you can tone it down for day-time wear by subtracting the outer-v color and liner.

Products Used:
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer (used in step 1)
MAC Brule Eyeshadow (used in step 5)
MAC Woodwinked Eyeshadow (used in step 2 and 4)
MAC Soba Eyeshadow (used in step 3)
MAC Tempting Eyeshadow (used in step 6)
MAC Brun Eyeshadow (used in step 7 and 8)
Loreal Endless Pearl Infallible Eyeshadow (used in step 10)

MAC Dipdown Fluidline Eyeliner (used in step 9)
Clarins Extra Definition Mascara (used in step 11)

Brushes Used:
Coastal Scents Small Eyeliner Brush
Sigma Small Angle Brush
Sigma Pencil Brush
Sigma Large Shader Brush
Coastal Scents Tapered Blending Brush

CONTINUE READING!