Recent Q&A's!

Hi Guys! I've had loads of questions in the past few weeks and haven't been able to get around to all of them because my Internet has been down (Seriously for over a month..) Since responding to messages on my board on the right sidebar are restricted to 100 characters, I thought I'd make a post instead. Also, I haven't posted much lately because I borrowed my camera to a friend two weeks ago and I haven't seen her yet to get it back.. and I always like to post pictures with my posts. :)

Q: What are you currently using on your brows?A: For the past month, I've been using Essence Eyebrow Designer Pencil in the shade "Brown 02". I purchased it at the very beginning of March from ULTA for $1.49. I would describe the color as a chestnut brown. I really like this pencil. Its a really great consistency and the formula is smooth, but not too smooth where its smudgy. It is pigmented, but you can control the pigmentation by using a light hand. My brows don't budge all day long. It has a brush at the end of the cap which is very useful to even out the color, but I use a regular spoolie. (I use the spoolie from my Milani Easybrow Liner purchased from CherryCulture) Then, I finish my brows off with MAC Brow Set in the shade "Girl Boy". This brow set has become an HG product for me especially with my hair color at the moment. It adds natural color to my brows. My brows are a dark ash brown, while my hair is a caramel brown. "Girl Boy" adds caramel coloring to my brows and helps keep them in place.


Q: What is your current skincare routine?A: I don't have much of a routine or a system. I'd really like to get a good cleansing system to do daily, but the funds just aren't there right now. Currently, I use Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes at night to remove all of my makeup (I use the night calming and the regular ones. The regular ones are more oily and the night calming ones are slightly drier). About twice a week, I use an exfoliation glove with some lather and lightly rub my face in circular motions. I press a little harder on my nose and chin to make those areas squeaky clean and shiny. I know when my nose starts to look dull and matte under my foundation, it needs a good exfoliation. :) Then, If I have time or remember, I'll moisturize my face with whatever I have available. I have a ton of odds and end samples I use up. I then apply self tanner to my face before I go to sleep. If I have a pimple pending (lol), I'll do the Aspirin Mask before I go to bed as well. In the morning, I use another Neutrogena Makeup Remover Towelette to remove any excess color from my self tanner. I then apply my Perricone MD and follow with a moisturizer. For a moisturizer, I've been using Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Relief and I really, really like it. Its like a moisturizer and primer in one.



Q: Do you use a primer prior to makeup application?A: I always use a moisturizer before I apply my foundation. I like primers that have the consistency of a thin moisturizer or a gel formula (such as Laura Gellar Spackle) that makes the skin slippery and moist so the foundation won't apply thick or cakey. I haven't come across any primers that make a noticeable difference in how long my makeup lasts. I've been using Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Primer and it works alright to keep shine away. I don't know if I would repurchase it though. I've been hearing raves about Clarin's primer.. I'd like to give it a try soon.

Q: If your skin was 1-2 shades lighter, what shade of Estee Lauder Double Wear would you purchase?A: If my skin was 1-2 shades lighter, It would be a MAC NC30-35. I'm an NC40. The shade I wear (Tawny) runs light, but it blends well once I apply some bronzer. Shell Beige is a shade darker and can work on me as well, but I liked the look of Tawny better. If I were to go a shade lighter than Tawny, I'd go with Sand which should be a good NC30 match.

Warm Shades (Golden)1w1 bone
2w1 sand
3w1 tawny
4w1 shell beige
5w1 bronze
6w2 spice

Neutral Shades (Beige)1N1 ecru
2N1 desert beige
2N2 fresco
3N1 ivory beige
4N1 wheat
5N1 soft tan
6N1 truffle

Cool Shades (Pink)1c1 shell
2c1 dusk
3c1 pebble
4c1 suede
5c1 soft chestnut
6c1 rich cocoa

Q: In Double Wear What's a good color match for NC37-40?A: *sigh* I use Tawny, but it's not the perfect color match for my skin tone. It's the closest match out of all of the shades available though. Just about all the reviews I read, NC35-40's wear Tawny. I used Shell Beige a few years back, but I didn't like the way it photographed. It had a pink tone to it which I didn't like. I would like to try it again though and see how it works because it's definitely been a while. I found that tawny is more golden.. but it is definitely a lot lighter. I find it to be less yellow than MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC40.. I would match it to a NC35. It's slightly yellow/golden, but more beige than MAC. MAC has a strong yellow undertone. I don't believe any shades of double wear have a strong yellow tone. You may need to mix shades, if you can find a good in between color. But that ends up being very pricey. I like to put a drop of double wear in with any foundation to give my foundation extra coverage.

Q: Do you use any products to tone down the pigmentation of your lips?A: I do have pigmented pink lips and I do a few things to lighten them up. Usually in the morning when I apply a moisturizer, I apply a lip balm as well. A favorite of mine is Smith's Rosebud Salve or Blistex. Then after it has softened my lips, I rub off any peeled tissue and my lips are soft and moisturized. When I apply my foundation, I use my brush at the end to go over my lips lightly with whatever is left on the brush. I pat them off with a tissue, and take a powder puff and press a tiny bit of setting powder on my lips. This will set the foundation residue on my lips. Without the powder, if you apply lipstick or gloss, you'll end up mixing it with the residue on your lips and ultimately, the pigmentation of your lips will show through again. I then apply my lip liner, lipstick and gloss. I love using MAC Myth or Fleshpot, Revlon Nude Attitude & Revlon Colorburst Soft Nude as a base for any nude glosses or mixed with lipsticks to tone down the color.

Q: How did you lighten your hair from black to brown? A: Anti dandruff Shampoo and heat is known to lighten your hair. If you flat iron your hair or use a blow dryer, this will slowly fade your hair color. Anti dandruff shampoos/clarifying naturally strip your hair color slowly. I use head and shoulders shampoo and I use heat on my hair frequently, which is why my hair fades so fast. I wish it didn't because it fades to an auburn color, which I don't like with my skin tone. But, I get lots of compliments on it! :) I read that Prell Shampoo works very good.

Q: What foundation do you recommend other than NARS Sheer Glow that is medium coverage and light weight?
A: For a light weight foundation that offers medium coverage, I would recommend Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation. The finish is very natural and satiny. It doesn't look like you're wearing heavy makeup (or feel like it) and the lasting power/coverage is great! I use it on special occasions.

Q: What brush do you use on your outer eyes to create a smokey look? A: Once I fill a shade all over my lid and fill in my crease with a crease brush, I use a flat, fluffy brush to blend and extend out. I usually will go over my crease and bring it up over my crease without adding any more product. I will sometimes apply the tiniest bit of a lighter shade over my crease with the same brush (for example if I filled my lid in black, I'd use a deep gray). The brush I typically use is the MAC 239 Shader Brush.

Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator Review

I was lucky enough to score this for free in a giveaway last month. I've been using it every day & let me tell you, I am in LOVE.

Let me go over what exactly this product is and does. The following quoted information is directly from Sephora.com.

What it is: A daytime treatment that erases the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and enlarged pores while refining skin texture.

What it is formulated to do: Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator delivers superior antiaging benefits with a proprietary delivery system that addresses the visible signs of aging to reveal a radiant, healthy, and more youthful appearance. The paraben-free formula offers superior antioxidant protection that firms and reduces surface imperfections, pores, and discoloration.

Research Results: 82% reported improvement in the appearance of skintone. - 73% reported improvement in skin texture, radiance, and overall quality of their skin."

My Overview/Review of the product: My skin type: Normal. I can say dry/normal, but I'm more towards normal. I don't suffer from dry patches, flakes, roughness, etc. I have fairly clear skin and have never had any problems with acne. I do get a pimple or a few here and there from heavy products I tend to use on my face. They usually appear on or near my chin. I do have enlarged pores (which was never a problem for me up until the last 4 years) and I often get blackheads on my cheeks (not too many) and chin. They are most visible on my chin and around the corners of my nose. At times, I have a little bit of redness.

What I want out of a skincare product for my face: The main thing I want from a product is to minimize the appearance of my pores, to get rid of my blackheads, to make my face softer to the touch, to even out my skintone and give my face more radiance. I don't feel comfortable without wearing foundation and I would like to feel better about my skin and be able to wear tinted moisturizers more often.

The product comes in a 2oz pump bottle. It has the consistency of a very light creamy lotion. It dispenses little product with each pump. I always apply it in the morning when I wake up or prior to applying my makeup. I usually use 2 pumps and softly rub the product into my cheeks, around and on my nose & on my chin. It is weightless and blends like butter. My face isn't left greasy or shiny. I will then apply my regular moisturizer (whatever I have on hand, nothing specific) and apply my foundation. Most or many times I'll wait a little while before applying my other moisturizer/makeup. It depends on if I'm short of time.

So Far Results: I started to notice almost right away.. within the 1st week of using this treatment. I've been using it for possibly 3 weeks, maybe a little less. The texture of my skin has changed. Right now, it is very soft to the touch. When I apply my moisturizer, I can't believe how smooth my skin feels. My pores have DRAMATICALLY decreased in size. I can barely see them now. I am so impressed with how clear my chin looks. I've never used a product that has cleared my chin like this. My chin wasn't horrible or anything, but I had lots of clogged pores. My chin looks almost as smooth as my cheeks. My face looks more radiant, and when I apply my foundation, my face looks so much healthier and clear. With each day of using this product, I am excited to look in the mirror and see what my skin looks like. This product quite possibly may be the best skincare product I've used on my face, as far as visible results. I'll be using this until its all gone and will definately be repurchasing. It's pricey ($120).. but to me, thats nothing to have perfect skin!

You can view reviews for this on makeupalley here.

Have you tried any products by Perricone MD? If so, what did you try and how did it work for you? Do you recommend any product/s?

MAC Peachstock & Ever Hip Lipsticks Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Peachstock and Everhip Lipsticks

I was fortunate enough to get both shades when they first came out in a swap! A girl was nice enough to go to the MAC counter and pick these up for me to swap for a couple of LE lipsticks I owned.

MAC Peachstock Lipstick is a warm, creamy, opaque peachy-beige with a satin finish. I'm actually not a big fan of MAC Satin formula lipsticks, but Peachstock actually looks great on it's own. I have to say that this is probably one of the most flattering nudes I own for my skin tone (MAC NC40). I highly recommend this shade if you're olive skinned and its hard for you to find the correct nude that won't wash you out or give you the appearance of concealer lips.

MAC Peachstock is a MAC Pro lipstick and can be purchased at your local MAC Pro store.

MAC Everhip Lipstick is a vibrant, coral-pink with a semi-shiny finish. It's the MAC Cremesheen formula, which I love, but for some reason Everhip doesn't seem to glide across my lips as easy as my other Cremesheens. It's creamy nevertheless, but it's pretty sheer, and I find myself swiping it several times before I'm satisfied with the opacity.

MAC Everhip is a limited edition shade, and will only be around until supplies last.

Left: MAC Peachstock, Right: MAC Everhip

A Peek at my New Betsey Johnson Handbag!

Early this week, my soon to be mom in-law treated me and my soon to be sister in-law to a new handbag! We went to the Saks Fifth Avenue (OFF 5TH) Outlet store. It was my 2nd time shopping there. When I walked into the handbag dept, I walked into heaven! LOL. I forgot what the discount was, but there was an extra percentage off of the already discounted price. I think 20-30%? So it was a great deal on lots of bags. I showed a little bit of interest in one bag in particular, and within an INSTANT, she ended up grabbing it and purchasing it for me. I'm still excited about this bag, I love it so much. I've been wearing it every day, but I think I'm going to empty it out and only wear it when I go out. I don't want it to be an every day bag and ruin it. It ended up costing under $150.. I don't remember the exact amount.

This bag is definitely my style. I love bows, gold hardware on bags (gold in general), chain straps and really, anything different/unusual.

It's a very luxurious bag. It feels like soft glove leather and has a polished look. It fits my large cosmetic bag, small cosmetic bag (for brushes only) and my large clutch wallet.. and it's not too heavy.

I really like this feature. Its like a little lock. To open the purse you have to turn the little square in the middle of the bow.

The interior is beautiful as well!

They also had matching wallets.. and this beautiful LOVCAT wallet I really wanted. It was a peachy pink with a gold rhinestone heart. My heart is jumping at the thought of it.. lol, but I can't find it in google images. My "sister in-law" got a beautiful, ruffled black Kenneth Cole bag for an amazing deal.. I can't find any pictures of it either.. :( If you have a Saks outlet near you.. I urge you to check it out!

Thanks for reading, lovelies!