May Favorites

May just flew by in a flash! I can't believe we're at the end of the month already. I almost forgot to do my May favorites! But here I am with this post before the clock strikes midnight!

I have three products that I'm really digging at the moment:

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer Light 10, Essence Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Light 10

I've been searching for a good medium-to-full coverage concealer. I wanted to replace my current favorite that I purchased from a store called Muji in Japan. I won't be able to replenish until my next trip and it's unfortunately TBD!

I picked up Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Light 10 from the Harmon's section at my local Bed Bath & Beyond. Light 10 seemed to be the closest match for my neutral-warm-yellow skin tone. So far, so good. I would consider this to be medium coverage. I bought it mainly to cover up my under eye circles and the occasional breakout. I haven't tried adding a second application of concealer for my under eye area for fear of it looking too chalky. I like to apply my concealer after foundation in case I actually don't need as much coverage. I like to use Lancôme Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup in Matte Bisque II to lightly set the concealer and it seems to last all day. Lancôme must have added more shades in their range since I've purchased my compact a few years back because I can't find an exact match for the name on the shade list.

Essence Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

Essence really has some amazing gems and affordable ones at that! Essence products are available at Ulta and now Target.

I think their Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is fantastic! This has a stiff pointed felt tip applicator that's easy to control and doesn't seem like it would fray after a month of use. It's definitely on the thicker side but I don't mind since I have to do thick lines anyway. Winged liner is my jam and I can easily achieve that look quickly by drawing the point then filling in between the lines by laying the applicator parallel to my upper eyelid. It dries pretty fast too so transferring on the rest of my upper lid or lower lid isn't an issue. I have oilier lids and this stuff doesn't budge. No raccoon eyes here! Best of all, the black color is super opaque and dries matte. I didn't have to go over any patchy spots.

Removal at the end of the day takes a little bit of effort but not too much more than a non-waterproof eyeliner. There's a non-waterproof option available. I'm curious about their eyeliner pens but I chose this one since it came with a lot more product.

Essence Lash & Brow Mascara Gel

I've been looking for a brow gel and I think Essence Lash & Brow Mascara Gel fits the bill. My brows have been getting a little unruly lately in between shapings so this helps keep things looking neater. Again, super affordable!

The wand is a traditional bristle brush. The formula has a nice consistency and is a little on the thinner side. It doesn't make my eyebrows feel stiff at all.

I tried one from Rimmel last month and it flaked like crazy even after only an hour of applying. I returned it to Target (super quick returns for makeup, by the way!) I have dark eyebrows so any flakes of any kind are way more obvious one me than someone with lighter ones.

What are your May favorites? Let me know in the comments below!

TUTORIAL - Prom 2016 Makeup with Urban Decay Naked Palette (and Other Fabulous Things!)

I cannot believe that another prom season is upon us! When I was in high school, I didn't care a lot about dances, let alone proms. I ended up going to my senior prom with some friends. A couple of us went stag but it was no biggie. We were alone together! It was a fun hang with my friends, but I wouldn't consider it life changing.

I did love my dress, though. It was an A-line strappy knee-length dress with gold underneath and a black lace overlay. It had a very vintage vibe.

I did my own makeup for prom. I remember using L'Oreal Bare Naturale Mineral Foundation, gold CoverGirl eyeshadow, tightlined black eyeliner, some kind of blush, and lots of waterproof Revlon mascara. I can't even remember wearing anything on my lips. I was very much ignoring that part of my face when I was in high school. I wouldn't be surprised if I went with a plain lip balm. Now I love lipstick and I get really excited about it. I also used to tightline my eyes everyday and I don't anymore. You grow up and your tastes change. Back then, I already loved playing up my eyelashes and I still do. So some things do stay the same.

My original prom dress resembled the one I'm wearing here.

It occurred to me that there may be some people out there wanting to do their own makeup but don't know what to use. If you have the budget for it, I would highly recommend purchasing one of the Urban Decay Naked palettes. If you pick the right one for you, it can become such a versatile tool to have in your beauty arsenal. You can continue to use a given palette long after prom is over: for graduation, attending lectures, interviews, work, etc. That's the thing I really love about these neutral palettes. You can use them to create really simple and pretty daytime looks, but you can also create gorgeous dramatic ones--all in the same palette! Admittedly, I went a little crazy and bought all three (Side note: I was planning on doing my own makeup for my wedding and I had a really hard time deciding which palette to go with and eventually ended up with all of them!). If you can find the one that suits you the most, that should suffice. Feel free to ask the sales associates at Sephora, Ulta, Macy's, or Nordstrom to help you out if you're feeling overwhelmed with your choices.

If you like my makeup look want to take the DIY approach for your prom/formal event, then read on for my tutorial!

If you're like me and have demilids/monolids and hooded eyes, it's very difficult to find looks that translate well from what we see in magazines and online. To top it all off, my eyes are also uneven! Oh, and don't forget about my stick-straight lashes! A very important tip is to always look straight ahead into the mirror to check your progress every now and then. I cannot tell you how many times I've put so much effort into doing beautiful shading on my eyelids only to have it all disappear when I opened my eyes. It's so frustrating because I love eyeshadows!

I can only tell you what works for me as someone who has demilids and hooded eyes, so you may need to make some adaptations to suit your eye shape.

Whenever you're using a dark or very glittery eyeshadow, hold a bit of tissue right under your eye and rest it on your cheek. This will catch any fallout that occurs and it won't mess up your foundation. Speaking of foundation, use one WITHOUT SPF. The SPF will cause flashback in your photos. There are lots of affordable non-SPF options at drugstores.

My products list:
Revlon ColorStay Whipped Foundation 200 Sand Beige (Long-wearing & looks great in photos. I used this when I did my own makeup for my engagement photos and Chinese wedding banquet.)
Stila Stay All Day Concealer 05 Hue
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked Palette
CoverGirl LashBlast 24hr Mascara Black (I think this may soon be discontinued)
Milani Anti-feathering Lipliner Pencil
Jordana Modern Matte Lipstick Matte It Girl (Available in-store at Walgreens and Kmart)
Essence Silky Touch Blush Babydoll
Smashbox Baked Fusion Softlights
e.l.f. Makeup Brushes

Once you have curled your eyelashes and applied eyeshadow primer, apply the shade Naked all over your lid stopping just at the socket. You can see here I'm not fully monolid nor am I double-lid.

Use a black eyeliner pencil to line your upper lid as close to your lash line as possible. Stop right when you're able to see the top edge of the black eyeliner with your eyes open. Extend the line just past the length of your upper lash line for a slight wing. My wings point a little downward due to my hooded eyes. Otherwise, the hoods cause a break in the continuity of the wing.

You don't need to be 100% perfect with this step. This eyeliner is acting as part of a base and it will create more depth in the look.

Take a dense C-brush or small flat eyeshadow brush and pat the shade Creep right over the black eyeliner. Gently blend the eyeliner and Creep together to bring the dark shade up a little higher on your eyelid. Just enough so that the dark eyeshadow can show up while your eyes are open.

I love this trick especially for hooded eyelids that tend to get oily. It's like a symbiotic relationship: the eyeliner acts as a base for the eyeshadow, and the eyeshadow sets the eyeliner and minimizes creasing. Win-win!

Take a small blending brush and apply Buck right at the outer edge of Creep and carefully blend. This will smooth out the harsh black edge. For the inner portion of the eye, apply a bit of Half Baked for more dimension.

Take a little bit of Darkhorse and apply it right over where Buck and Creep meet. Again, this is for added dimension.

Finally, use Virgin as a brown bone highlight and make sure it's blended well with Buck.

Take a step back and see how all the colors are working together. Is everything blended smoothly? If you have small eyelids like I do, use caution when blending because doing it too widely can cause everything to look muddy. I found myself using smaller brushes to accomplish this.

Use a small slanted brush and use Creep to line the outer 2/3 of your lower lash line. If Creep looks too dark and harsh, you can substitute it for Hustle instead.

Unlike my former high school self, I didn't tightline here. It actually gives the illusion of smaller eyes and that's the opposite of what I'm trying to accomplish!

Use Virgin again with a small brush or applicator and highlight the inner corner of your eye. I like to bring the shade about 1/3 of the way on my lower lid to meet the darker shade.

Apply generous coats of waterproof mascara. Nothing else can help build volume and hold a curl for straight lashes more than waterproof mascara. The best kind allows you to build up your volume while holding the curl and not allowing your lashes to droop. Also, you're going to want your mascara to be waterproof if you're going to be dancing and having fun with your friends. This would not be a good time for raccoon eyes, speaking from someone who is very experienced with smudgy mascara!

Since this is a neutral eyelook, you can keep your lipcolor very tame or bold. Either way, find a lip color formula that's low-maintenance. If you're planning on taking photos, that's one less thing to worry about!

For this look, I used Jordana Modern Matte lipstick in Matte It Girl. Since matte lipsticks are not as emollient as their creme counterparts, they have a bit more staying power. If I was on auto-pilot, I would've slapped on a classic red lipstick because of my curled hair. I wanted this look to be "modern vintage" and it's Springtime, so why not?

After applying Stila Stay All Day Concealer in Hue for my undereye circles and set with some translucent powder, it's time for the final touches! I used my new favorite Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll on the apples of my cheeks. Then I lightly swept Smashbox Baked Fusion Softlights across the tops of my cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin. Start off with a little bit and you can always build it up since you don't want to look too shiny.

Apply a few spritzes of makeup setting spray and you're good to go! This will keep your makeup from inevitably melting and smearing across your face if you're going to be working up a sweat on the dance floor! I like to use Make Up Forever Mist & Fix.

Here's the final look (again)!

 
I hope this tutorial was helpful for someone out there. It was a bit of a process to take all the steps down but it was fun! The hardest part was probably dealing with lighting and getting decent shots of my own eye. Constructive criticism is welcome!

Do you have prom or any formal events coming up? Are you going to be doing your own makeup? Let me know in the comments below!

ULTA HAUL - Got Gwen?

It's hard to resist a great deal, especially when it's for such pretty pretty things! Urban Decay's Gwen Stefani lipsticks were recently on sale at $12 (orig. $18). I was going to settle for getting the shade Firebird, since it's the most unique-looking, through Macys.com since they have free shipping for beauty products. A couple nights later, a kind stranger on Reddit MUA shared a 20% off code for Ulta.com that they weren't using...which led to the haul I'm about to show you! I had to seize the moment and quickly added the five available shades of the Gwen lipsticks: 714, Firebird, Rock Steady, Spiderweb, and Wonderland. I had a little bit left to spend to get the free shipping at $50+ so I threw in the Essence Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner for $2.99. I use liquid eyeliners often for my go-to eye looks. Since I spent over $35 on UD, I was able to get a deluxe sample of Primer Potion and a gorgeous duochrome eyeshadow called Fireball. There was also a promo code still working for Laura Gellar Spackle, so I was able to nab that, too!

My Ulta Haul!

My box of beauty goodies arrived today! Ulta included two sets of samples of Too Faced Shadow Insurance and Laura Gellar Spackle.

Before I went on RedditMUA, I had my Sephora Beauty Insider coupon for 10% off. I couldn't really justify spending $12 for each tube of lipstick even with 10% off and I'd have to spend $50+ for free shipping, which was why I originally settled for only getting Firebird through Macys.com. I guess this was meant to be! I can't wait to pair these lippies with my Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette! Even though the shades other than Firebird were not super unique, I still think they looked gorgeous online. I adore classic shades so I'm still really pleased with the selection!

As of the time of this post, Ulta still has the shades 714 and Spiderweb for $12 available here.

Top to Bottom, Left to Right - Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Lipsticks: Spiderweb, Wonderland, 714, Firebird, Rock Steady

I haven't taken up close shots of the lipstick bullets yet, but I will very soon! I just wanted to share my haul since I'm so excited :) Isn't the packaging gorgeous? UD and Gwen Stefani really did a great job with this collaboration. Being a child of the 90s, I grew up listening to No Doubt. Gwen Stefani is such a musically talented and creative style icon and I love how she got to share bits and pieces of her style with the rest of us. This collection is rather comprehensive so there's at least one product for everyone.

Do you have any favorites from the UDxGwen collection? Did you pick up any new faves from Ulta recently? Let me know in the comments below!

BEAUTY ESSENTIALS - Music Festival Edition

Music festival season is upon us! Coachella is right around the corner! While I'm not personally a fan of that scene (I prefer smaller indoor venues), I think I know which makeup products can stand up to the sweat and sun. Well, at least some better than others!

My Picks for a Heat-Resistant Look

I'm by no means a professional makeup artist, but I have been doing my own makeup for a long time and spent many summers in the very hot and humid city of Hong Kong. If makeup products aren't chosen carefully, you can end up with a smudgy mess in less than an hour. To add to that, I have an oily t-zone, stick straight eyelashes, and pretty oily hooded eyelids. On these tougher weather days, I prefer to be really low-maintenance. We lowly humans are no match for the sun!

The easiest thing for me to suggest is that you don't wear any makeup at all and just wear sunscreen and keep reapplying throughout the day. But that's not gonna happen, right? Haha! Makeup or no makeup, make sure you stay hydrated and keep reapplying that sunscreen! My personal favorite is Trader Joe's Face & Body Sunscreen with SPF 30 (only available in stores, $5.99).

Frankly, if it's near or over 100°F degrees outside, I don't know if there's any amount of primer or setting spray that can help you looking like you just did your makeup. You're very likely going to have your sunnies on anyway. Make sure you kick back and enjoy the music and the company of your friends!

I have linked my product recommendations to where you can purchase them.

FACE

Let's start off with the face. If the weather is warm but not sweltering, I would recommend a mineral powder foundation with SPF. At least on me, it doesn't seem to wear off in large amounts like liquid foundations do when I'm out in the heat. I like Bare Minerals Matte Foundation in Fairly Light N10 as it is very sheer.

Bare Minerals Matte Foundation in Fairly Light N10

You can certainly go ahead and use your regular liquid foundation with SPF but make sure that regardless of what type of foundation you use, apply a setting spray at the end to keep everything in place.

I mostly sweat in my t-zone more than my cheeks so I have no real issues with powder vs cream blushes. I personally stick with powdered blushes. I would think that since you'll have a flushed look from the sun anyway, just a light touch of blush would do.

Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll

I'm really loving Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll. It's super affordable and you just need a light tap of it on your cheeks to get the most lovely pink flush. (Oops, I forgot to include this with the group pic above!)

EYES

For eyes, I think keeping it simple with neutral shades would be best since it won't be as noticeable if it does wear off. Start off with an eyeshadow primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion to help lock down the shadows.

Urban Decay Primer Potion

A new tip I discovered is after laying down your base eyeshadow color, use a dark eyeliner pencil and trace over your upper lid. This can be any color, but I personally have black, navy, purple, and green. I like darker colors closer to my eyelashes. Gently pat your chosen color eyeshadow over the liner and just make sure everything looks blended and finish the rest of your eye look. The point is for your eyeshadow to have something else to grab onto and this opens up more options if you prefer to have a pop of color.

If you'd rather go for a winged liner look over your eyes, I highly recommend Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eye Liner. The liner gel comes in a little pot with a small brush. This stuff applies like a dream and lasts all day on me.

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eye Liner in Blackest Black

I use the shade Blackest Black and it's super opaque! I used this when I did my own makeup for my engagement photoshoot and Chinese wedding banquet and it did not budge or transfer.

Here's my favorite part: mascara! Find your favorite waterproof mascara and it will be your best friend that day. The mixture of oil and sweat is a guarantee for regular mascara to get smudgy on the lower lids. My favorite waterproof mascara is CoverGirl's Lash Blast 24hr. It holds my curled lashes instantly and dries super fast. You just need a little patience at the end of the evening when gently removing it with waterproof makeup remover.

CoverGirl Lash Blast 24hr Mascara in Very Black

I've put many waterproof mascaras to the test and the Lash Blast 24hr has become by HG--no smudges here! Others were great after a couple of hours but would still smudge by the end of the work/school day. The weird thing about this mascara is that nowhere on packaging does it say it's waterproof, but trust me, it is! I still see this mascara in drugstores but not in very large amounts. I can't find any listings on the usual online retailers so I'm going to recommend the original CG Lash Blast in Waterproof since so many people love it. If you can find the 24hr mascara in stores, I highly suggest you snatch it up!

LIPS

There are lots of options out there for long-lasting lip colors. The most low maintenance one I can recommend is the Maybelline SuperStay 24 Hour Lip Color. They may not have the most "fun" color selection but they get the job done. Apply a thin coat of liquid color first, wait one minute for it to dry, then apply the balm from the other end to give a semi-glossy finish. You can reapply the balm throughout the day as it wears off, but don't reapply the actual color as it can get clumpy mixing with your first coat.

Maybelline SuperStay 24hr Lip Color in 100 Very Cranberry

I've used these for long work days when I had to attend conferences and fairs on hot days and they held up. I only reserve these for times when I really don't have time to look at a mirror let alone do any touch ups. I know the color is still there even after eating and drinking. I do not advise you use Super Stay for more than a couple days at a time. They do dry out your lips so make sure you condition your lips before and after. I made the mistake of buying way too many thinking I would use them everyday. I thought it was so amazing to not have to worry about the color wearing off. For removal, you can put a little olive oil or coconut oil on a cotton ball and hold it against your lips. The prolonged contact with the oil will break down the long-wear lip color.

If my suggestion above is too drying for you, Revlon Colorburst Balm Stains are another great option. They apply like a lip balm but leave a lovely stain on your lips once the semi-glossy coat has worn off. I love that there are a variety of fun shades to choose from and range from light to dark.

My Fave Lazy-Girl Shade in Honey from the Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain Line

I raved about this Revlon lippie in my previous MLBB post.

THE FINAL TOUCH

Lastly, finish off your look with a few spritzes of a setting spray. I use Make Up For Ever's Mist & Fix.

MUFE Mist & Fix

There is also Urban Decay's All Nighter that works well and lots of people love it. If you prefer a drugstore option, I've heard great things about L'Oreal's Infallible Pro-Spray & Set Makeup Extender Setting Spray. Settings sprays help lock down your makeup and you will need it for these hot days!

WHAT TO PACK

Here are the things I would pack in a small makeup bag for the big music festival day:

• Travel-size sunscreen
• Lip balm with SPF
• Hand sanitizer
• Mini vial of perfume or mini deodorant for a quick freshen up
• Lip color used that day
• A small mirror
• A hair tie
• Pack of tissues
• Pack of blotting tissues
• Pack of makeup remover wipes to freshen up for when things get really grimey 

I've been hearing really great things about Epielle Cleansing Tissues over the past couple of years from G. at Nouveau Cheap. I picked some up at Big Lots for 80 cents last weekend when they were having 20% off. I realized that not only do these remove makeup really well but they can be used to wipe your hands if hand-washing isn't convenient. I would imagine it's not at outdoor festivals! Any kind of gentle wipes should suffice.

Epielle Green Tea Cleansing Tissues

If you don't want to take the entire pack, you can stick a few inside a Ziploc bag. Remember, you're traveling light that day!

I hope these tips are helpful for you whether you're attending a music festival or working an outdoor event. You can always test drive these products before the actual event day to see how it works with you.

Do you have any music festivals lined up? What are some heat-resistant/sweat-resistant products you've used and love? Let me know in the comments below!

LIPSTICKS - My Lips But Better (MLBB)

I think everyone who wears makeup should be lucky enough to find their trusty My Lips But Better (MLBB) lipstick. No matter your level of experience with makeup, this is the trusty lipstick that magically goes with any look you do whether it's a dramatic smokey eye or a simple daytime look for school or work.

L to R: Maybelline ColorSensational 245 Blushing Brunette, CoverGirl NatureLuxe 270 Spice, Neutrogena Moisture Shine 240 Nude Blush, L'Oreal Infallible 832 Unending Amber, CoverGirl Continuous Color 025 Warm Brick, CoverGirl Lip Perfection 260 Heavenly, Maybelline Color Whisper 15 Some Like it Taupe, Clinique Different Lipstick Tenderheart, Essence Long Lasting 11 Nude Love, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain 001 Honey

I've been doing my own makeup for a very long time but was never much of a lipstick wearer. I was always more interested in eyeshadows, mascaras, and eyeliner. The shades that I tried before weren't very flattering so I mostly stuck with lip balm or lightly tinted lip gloss since I already have pretty pigmented lips. One weekend during college, I was visiting my then-boyfriend-now-husband and went to the local Rite Aid. I vividly remember that Maybelline was having 40% off and there was a $1 off coupon. I thought that was a pretty good deal so I bought a pinky brown shade from their ColorSensational line called Blushing Brunette that looked pretty in the tube and left the store. I applied it later that day and I swear, it was like magic. The lipstick brought a beautiful color to my face and everything looked so harmonious. I hadn't fully understood undertones and that sort of thing yet so I was pretty blown away. That moment started the love affair I now have with lipsticks. I was actually enjoying wearing them--imagine that!

I was nearing about halfway done with Blushing Brunette when I went out to look for a second tube. The first store I went to didn't have the slot for Blushing Brunette in their Maybelline section. I went to a couple other stores after that and saw that none of them had Blushing Brunette either. I searched online later and found out that it had been discontinued! I started rationing this lippie. At this time, I didn't know that I could search for dupes online. I tried finding my own dupes with different brands but couldn't find a good match. I wound up with a bunch of spice-toned lippies that couldn't replace my beloved Blushing Brunette. I gave up looking in stores and I ended up finding three new tubes of it on eBay for $9.99. Pretty good!

For those of you that just recently found your perfect MLBB, I highly recommend you look for a dupe right away in case it ever gets discontinued. If you don't already know, a dupe is another product that is extremely similar if not exactly the same as your original. If there is no dupe, go ahead and get a couple more tubes! Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens, and Ulta always have some kind of Buy 1 Get 1 50% off or 40% off deal. Make sure you use those coupons for extra savings :).

L to R: Maybelline ColorSensational 245 Blushing Brunette, CoverGirl NatureLuxe 270 Spice, Neutrogena Moisture Shine 240 Nude Blush, L'Oreal Infallible 832 Unending Amber, CoverGirl Continuous Color 025 Warm Brick, CoverGirl Lip Perfection 260 Heavenly, Maybelline Color Whisper 15 Some Like it Taupe, Clinique Different Lipstick Tenderheart, Essence Long Lasting 11 Nude Love, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain 001 Honey

I found out much later that Christine at Temptalia has an amazing dupe list. The dupe for Maybelline Blushing Brunette was MAC Creme in Your Coffee. I haven't purchased this as I have difficulty justifying paying more than $10 for a lipstick. I'm fine with drugstore options so I'm still on the prowl. If I hadn't found those new tubes on eBay, I would've gotten a few MAC Creme in Your Coffees already.

There are so many resources out there with beauty bloggers and vloggers. Once you've figured out your skin tone and undertones (that's another task in and of itself), look up people who have similar ones to you and see what shades they love. I highly recommend starting out that way so you don't throw money away while buying the wrong shades. If you get really confused trying to figure out your colors, you can always go to Ulta or Sephora to get color matched. For example, I would search for, "lipsticks for NC20," and find a small list of recommendations to work off of. It's so hard to pin down this skin tone thing definitively because there are still little nuances between me and other people who are NC20. I think I have a teeny tiny bit of olive in my skin tone and that adds a whole other level of difficulty in finding colors that go well with me. I had already done most of the grunt work myself by the time I discovered the online beauty community. I've been told that drugstores should accept your makeup returns without any hassles. I've only tried this at Ulta and didn't have a problem.

I present to you my collection of MLBBs and nudes! I have 10 to share with you. I built up this collection mostly from trying to find a dupe for my beloved Blushing Brunette. I was finding out along the way that most of these have been discontinued. This is another example of why looking for a dupe in advance is a good idea :).

I was debating between arm swatches, lip swatches, or photos of my entire face with the tube of lipstick next to me. I thought the full-face shots may be more useful for especially those who are NC20 or close to it. My apologies for some inconsistency in lighting but that's just what happens when photographing with natural light. This is a pretty comprehensive post and it's the first time I've done anything like it. Please , let me know your feedback :).

The one that started all: Maybelline ColorSensational in Blushing Brunette!

Maybelline ColorSensational 245 Blushing Brunette (discontinued)

I love this lipstick so much. No matter what other colors I wear, I always come back to loving this one. The coverage is opaque and fairly moisturizing. I think the application matches the bullet. This is a regular wearing lipstick. I need to reapply every couple of hours especially if I've been eating or drinking. The translucent brown cap was really pretty. Now it's a little beat up after I've taken it to many places! I appreciate pretty packaging but I don't mind if things get a little worn because that means you've loved the product and that outweighs scratches you may accumulate on the surface. You'll notice this about some of my products I feature on my blog.

The dupe, MAC Creme in Your Coffee can be purchased here.

CoverGirl NatureLuxe 270 Spice
 
Did anyone else get to try out CoverGirl's line of NatureLuxe Gloss Balms before they were discontinued? I remember those were really popular especially with Taylor Swift being the ambassador.

CoverGirl NatureLuxe 270 Spice (discontinued)

This shade in Spice is a very comfortable to wear sheer lip color. Since my lips are very pigmented, this is definitely true to the balm descriptor. It's a coppery shade with a bit of golden shimmer. It doesn't look garish at all and I think it's a great transition color from Summer to Autumn if you're looking for something very subtle to wear.

Neutrogena Moisture Shine 240 Nude Blush

Neutrogena Moisture Shine 240 Nude Blush is more of a medium brown nudey pink shade. Bonus: It has SPF 20 and the packaging looks really cool. This has great coverage and is very comfortable on the lips. I think this is still a little too dark to be an ideal nude for me but it still works great as an everyday shade.

Neutrogena Moisture Shine 240 Nude Blush (discontinued)

Neutrogena no longer produces any lip product that resembles this.

L'Oreal Infallible 832 Unending Amber

L'Oreal Infallible 832 Unending Amber is a full coverage and long lasting lipstick. I think I can get away with just reapplying once during the day. I like how the cap is really secure on the tube. I've had lipstick caps come off while in my purse many times and it's not a great moment. The color is a beautiful warm brown pink. Compared with the rest of my MLBBs, I think this one resembles Maybelline's Blushing Brunette the most.

L'Oreal Infallible 832 Unending Amber (discontinued)

I guess L'Oreal revamped this line of lipsticks not too long after I bought Unending Amber. The available shades can be found here.

CoverGirl Continuous Color 025 Warm Brick

CoverGirl Continuous Color 025 Warm Brick is a brighter MLBB than the rest I have here. I do like this shade but I think there's a just the tiniest bit of orange that has the potential to make things look a little off. Coverage is very creamy and the color is true to the tube. I have to reapply every few hours like with most regular lipsticks.

CoverGirl Continuous Color 025 Warm Brick

I remember shortly after I bought Warm Brick, it and many other shades in the Continuous Color line were discontinued. The remaining shades can be found here.

CoverGirl Lip Perfection 260 Heavenly

CoverGirl Lip Perfection 260 Heavenly surprised me. I picked this one up the last time I went to Big Lots. They were having 20% off everything so this lippie only set me back $2! I'm so glad I got this because it is the perfect Springtime pink for me. It's warm and has a little bit of brown in it so that it works with my coloring. In the tube, it looked like such a gorgeous pink. I did a little Googling for swatches while I was in the store and decided that it shall be mine! Had this been a few years earlier, I would've never thought I could wear a pink like this. You just have the find the right one for you.

CoverGirl Lip Perfection 260 Heavenly

It's funny that I post about this now because I went to Big Lots earlier because they were having another 20% off sale. I saw they still had Heavenly so I bought a second tube! I've come full circle with this one. When you know something works well for you, there's nothing wrong with getting a back up!

Maybelline Color Whisper 15 Some Like it Taupe

I picked up Maybelline's Color Whisper in Some Like it Taupe at a 99 Cents Only store after the line had been discontinued. I didn't want to pay full price for something with such sheer coverage but it's hard to pass up a 99 cent price tag!

Maybelline Color Whisper 15 Some Like it Taupe

Some Like it Taupe gives a very sheer wash of nude color on my lips. I need to apply it a couple of times to achieve that nude color in the tube. There's a tiny bit of shimmer but nothing too annoying. It's very work/school appropriate.

Clinique Different Lipstick Tenderheart

I received Clinique's Tenderheart in a gift with purchase one time. These will always come in a green tube. The regular ones are in a silver casing. Speaking of which, Macy's is having a Clinique gift with purchse promotion with a $27+ purchase and they have free shipping. Remember to go through Ebates for cash back :) (My referral link is in the sidebar).

Clinique Different Lipstick Tenderheart

After wearing lipstick more often, I've noticed their Different Lipstick formula is quite a bit sheerer than most lipsticks. It's definitely got more of a balmy texture and it's very comfortable on the lips. I think it's pretty buildable.

Essence Long Lasting 11 Nude Love

I'm currently on the quest to find the perfect nude lipstick for me. Essence has an entire line of nude colors but I think I was a bit off in my selection this time around. Nude Love is a light nude with pink undertones. This one may have been too light or too blue-pink for me because I am looking a little unwell in this picture! I thought maybe I could go a little lighter, but maybe not! I look a bit orange here, haha. I am really noticing my under eye circles here. I still wanted to post this here so you can see how big of an impact the right and wrong undertones can have on your face!

Essence Long Lasting 11 Nude Love

I would've never purchased this based on the photo on Ulta. For some reason, I thought it wouldn't be so bad when I saw it in store. But just because it doesn't really work for me, doesn't mean it won't look great on someone else. I may still keep it around for a customized lip color.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain 001 Honey

Last but not least, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain 001 Honey, is one of my current go-to colors. I wound up loving this one way more than I originally thought. I've used it so much that none of the silver lettering is on the tube anymore! There's a light minty scent that dissipates shortly after application. This color is a great MLBB and I think it would suit many skin tones. It's a sheer warm pink that glides on like a balm. The formula is amazing. It leaves a light stain on your lips but still manages to keep your face looking put together. I ended up buying more in different shades.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain 001 Honey

I loved it so much that I used this on my wedding day. I only had to reapply it once after eating. The stain was still there by the end of the night. The nice thing about this stain is that the emollient part of the lip color fades in a very natural way. The only thing I disliked was the cap. I feel like it could be a little more secure.

Side note: I highly recommend using your own lipstick for your wedding even if you're having your makeup done professionally because you don't know if you can even take a minute to do a little touching up. If you can take some time to find what color and formula works nicely for you ahead of time, you don't have to worry about it during the wedding. Use it during a work day, running errands, or going to class and you can see how it performs before the big day.

It goes to show you that this is a constant learning experience so please don't get discouraged if you didn't pick the right color! It can be really discouraging and I was even starting to think that maybe my skin tone just wasn't made for US lipstick. So many bloggers and vloggers out there helped me along the way in finding colors that work well with my skin tone. They all do amazing work! This is my way of paying it forward and I hope even one person can find these pictures and musings useful. Ultimately, you've got to be the one to go out there and try things out or you'll never know!

Have you found your perfect MLBB yet? Do you like this kind of post format? Let me know in the comments!

FAVORITES - March

I can't believe we are nearing the end of March already! The flowers in my neighborhood are in full bloom and I'm definitely in the mood for delicate pink tones reminiscent of rose petals. I'm excited to be posting my first favorites entry. I always love checking out other people's lists. You never know when you're going to find something amazing that you wouldn't otherwise know about! Here are my March favorites that I would like to share with you all:

My March Favorites

Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Eyeshadow Palette:
I think I ended up liking this more than I thought I would. I was definitely on the Urban Decay Naked train. I got the Chocolate Bon Bons palette through HSN.com when I found a $20 off coupon (code 151253) for new customers via Nouveau Cheap's blog. It's one of my favorite blogs out there, definitely check it out for amazing beauty deals. G works hard to get beauty deals to the rest of us wanting to stretch our dollar! The eyeshadow was so buttery and more blendable than I had anticipated. I'm not a gourmand when it comes to scented beauty products. It's a cute gimmick and I know many people love it. I think I would've liked it just as much if it was unscented since the packaging alone is just adorable. I do love the box of chocolates theme.

The Adorable Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette

Super Buttery Eyeshadows

All in all, it's a pretty solid palette for me. I think there are a hair more warm shades than cool ones. I work better with warmer shades so I'm still looking for ways to incorporate the cooler shades. That bright magenta, Totally Fetch, is probably the most intimidating one to work with (but isn't the name awesome?). I just received the Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar that came with the limited edition Sweeter Side of Sexy bundle but haven't tried it out yet. Maybe it'll be part of my April favorites :)


Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll:
I don't have too many blushes and picked this one up on a whim at Ulta. I'm so glad I did because I've been using it everyday now. It's rather pigmented so a light touch goes a long way. I just noticed it looks way browner on the Ulta website than it does in person.

Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll

Essence Silky Touch Blush

It works perfectly with my NC20 skin tone and gives me that perfect flush of color and blends beautifully. I think it would work well with warmer leaning skin tones, too. The packaging is a little flimsy so you need to be careful with it if you're taking it on-the-go. You really can't beat the price for $2.99, definitely check it out!


CoverGirl Lipstick in Heavenly 260:
The last time Big Lots had a 20% coupon, I went a little lippie crazy since these CoverGirl lipsticks were only $2! I really liked a spicy brown shade I had picked up last year so I decided to give a few others a try. Heavenly is such a gorgeous Springtime dusty rose. The swatch on Amazon looks more like a nude shade than in person.

CoverGirl Lipstick in Heavenly 260

I'm still trying to find that perfect nude lipstick that doesn't make me look like the undead. This still leans more pink than a nude should, but I've been reaching for Heavenly whenever I can't figure out what lip color to coordinate with my eye look. Pigmentation is great and even better when paired with lip liner.

CoverGirl Lipstick in Heavenly 260

On me, it lasts about 3 hours without eating and minimal drinking. CoverGirl didn't claim that this was a long lasting lipstick so do expect to reapply every couple hours especially after eating. Since I found this at Big Lots, it may not be in the permanent line anymore. There may still be some lingering in your local store and is worth checking out.

Stila Stay All Day Concealer in Hue 05:
As I mentioned in a previous post, I picked up this Stila concealer from Nordstrom Rack. I love how creamy and smooth it applied. It didn't accentuate my dry spots too much which is always a plus!

Stila Stay All Day Concealer Hue 05

Stila Stay All Day Concealer in Hue 05

It blended nicely with my Clinique CC Cream I've been using. It's encased in a little compact with a mirror so it's perfect for on-the-go touch ups. I used to take my makeup bag with me so I could do my makeup on the way to work. I no longer have that type of commute, but this would've been great to have.

Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Shampoo & Conditioner in Stress Relief Eucalyptus Spearmint:
This stuff smells so good! I had a bottle of the shampoo a few years back and really liked it and picked up the set last week while there was a sale for 50% off aromatherapy. I love the way the eucalyptus and spearmint oils' scent lingered in my hair.

Eucalyptus Spearmint Smells So Good!

Description of Stress Relief Shampoo & Conditioner on Back

I'm not sure how much actual stress relief they provide but I like it a lot! I don't have dyed hair anymore but they claim that they're safe for color-treated hair. These two are not sulfate free but I am currently not caring about that right now.

Gold Bond Ultimate Skin Therapy Cream with Healing Aloe:
Now I know Gold Bond doesn't exactly conjure up the most glamorous of things in the beauty world, but hear me out! This stuff saved my super dry skin patch on my shin. I'm assuming it was a rash after some bad razor burn. I got it back in October and it's just now starting to heal completely, yikes. It was so incredibly dry and itchy. I applied everything I could think of that I had in my house: scented and unscented lotions, petroleum jelly, and aloe vera. I think this has become my new HG moisturizer.

Gold Bond Knows What's Up

I stumbled upon this Gold Bond lotion in a mini tube right before I left for my honeymoon in Hong Kong last November. I couldn't believe my eyes when the spot had healed so much overnight. I was using it so much, I was about to finish the tube it while I was still overseas. I started staggering the until I got back but the rash was was resurfacing each time I stopped using the lotion. I went back to get me the bigger tube and since applying it again every night, it's almost gone, yay! 

Gold Bond Healing Aloe Cream Description on Back

It's very lightly scented and not overwhelming if you have a sensitive nose. To me, it's just a very light and fresh aloe and daisy scent. I highly recommend this if you are trying to get rid of very dry skin. I started using it as a hand cream each night and my dry cuticles are looking better.

What are your favorites for March? Have you tried any products from my favorites? Let me know in the comments below!