The eyes have it!

Eye makeup is something I wear daily, so I need to make sure I have products that work. My daily eye routine consists of:

• concealer patted lightly over eyes (as a primer; this gives eyeshadow something to stick to)


• a base shadow in a light shimmery color (From lashline to crease; I always go through the lighter colors quicker than the darker shades)


• Some sort of deeper shade for the crease area (For the crease, I apply shadow in a sideways 'v' (<) direction.) This way, the darker color will peek out of the outer corners of your eyes. While I definitely blend the darker color so it does not look harsh, I DO NOT put the darker color past my iris.....it makes my eyes look smaller.


• Eyeliner (for a normal week, I say I wear eyeliner 5 out of 7 days) Eyeliner should be drawn as close to the lashline as possible; you do not want a flesh colored line between your eyelashes and the liner!


• Mineral Veil dusted over my whole face (and eyes)


• Mascara

Hmmmm. Looking at that it seems like a lot of steps! However, the whole eye routine takes me under 4 nimutes to do, and less if I forgo the eyeliner. I know there are many of you that do not wear eye makeup everyday; some of you don't need it! I DEFINITELY need eye makeup on to look my personal best! And, I will not wear shadow without mascara, and will ALWAYS wear mascara, so the steps are neccessary. With the right army of eye products your morning routine can be a breeze!

While there are several eye products I am loyal to, I am not afraid to try new, and sometimes less expensive things. Some of my personal favorites include:

• Clinique Advanced concealer: this is pretty heavy duty concealer because I have dark undereye circles....many of you could probably get away with a more liquid version such as Neutrogena's 3 in 1 Concealer for eyes, or in mineral form, Neutrogena's Mineral Sheers Concealer Kit (SPF 20). For those of you who don't wear concealer on a daily basis, using a brish or Qtip to dab on foundation as needed may take care of any imperfections.
• Clinique Eyeshadow in Daybreak: This is a shimmery nude color that brightens up my eyes. I ALWAYS put on a light base color before any darker color. It provides an even surface for the darker shade and looks more put together.
• I also have many shades of green, brown and purple eyeshadows in my collection. These vary in brand, but most are Clinique, because in my opinion they are the best shadows out there! I have also used some from Loreal, Neutrogena and E.L.F. When I shop for neutral eyeshadows, I look for coppery, chocolate browns that have a little bot of shimmer. The same guidelines go for any purple and green-toned eyeshadows. I also tend to mix shadows together, depending on my mood. Do not feel like you have to buy a whole kit and use it exactly how the package directions tell you to! Do what you feel looks best, and sometimes buying single eyeshadows is a better idea than buying a whole kit. Rule of thumb: if you are not going to use 85% of the colors in a set, don't buy the set:)
• Speaking of E.L.F. (http://www.eyeslipsface.com/ ) I have found a couple new eye items I LOVE. These are the Waterproof Eyeliner Pen (I have it in purple) and the Shimmering Facial Whip in Toasted. The bonus is that these are both $1 each. That's it! The pen makes a super skinny line that looks very natural, and the creamy eyeshadow looks understated but gives your eyes a little something extra! And the price is definitely right!
• As far as liners go, I have several besides the E.L.F. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen. I love liners that I can use like a Sharpie marker, but are safe for my eyes! Loreal Voluminous Eyeliner Pen is like an angled marker, and can draw both thick and thin lines. As for more traditional liners, I always look for ones that are smooth and go on without stretching my eyelids. Two that I think are best are Mary Kay Signature Eyeliners (for eyes and for lips), and Loreal HiP Color Rich Cream Crayon, both in black. When using eyeliner, I usually wear black, but I also have chocolate browns, deep greens, and purple. I draw the line on so thin that black does not look severe. Goal: someone should not neccessarily comment on how good your eyeliner looks; they should just think your eyes look really good. If you keep getting comments on your eyeliner, it might be too noticeable!
• My earlier posts already sing the praises of Loreal's Voluminous Waterproof Mascara. I LOVE that stuff. They also have a slightly different formulation called Carbon Black, and that just came out in a waterproof formula as well. Ranging from $4.99-$6.99 (and that's WITHOUT coupons), this cannot be beat!

What are your favorite eye products? I'd love to hear what works for you, as I'm always looking to try new techniques and products!

Fabulous Foundation

I have been known to be a two-timer when it comes to brands of makeup that I use. I will use a product loyally--until I find something better, that is. Very few products end up staying in my long term makeup drawer.


I am in love. With my foundation. And my husband. (My husband first though!!) It was love at first application, but not love at first sight. I first saw Bareminerals on an infomercial. I am rarely impressed by anything on an informerical, ever since I was tricked into buying one of those electronic ab-shockers that was meant to be worn like a belt and give you a six pack without doing anything. It did not work, and felt really weird and unnatural! Maybe it was because I was scarfing french bread as I wore it.....but I'm getting off-topic!


Long after I'd seen the infamous Bareminerals infomercial, I saw the brand was now being sold at Ulta. My interest was piqued; now I could actually try the stuff on without paying sixty dollars! Of course, the women on the infomercial looking amazing once they had the Bareminerals on, but the guy in the ab-shock-o-matic had looked pretty good too. Honestly though, I was intrigued that these women said they felt like they had nothing on their face. Once I tried Bareminerals, I have not looked back. Here is the short list of what I love about Bareminerals:

• SPF: This is a must for me, because I am sensitive to the sun!



• Lightweight: Bareminerals seriously feels like you are wearing NOTHING. After switching to Bareminerals I tried on one of my old foundations and it felt like I was wearing a velvet cape on my face.



• Long-wearing: I never need to reapply this throughout the day, this was note true of other foundations I have previously used.



• Brushes: the set comes with very good quality brushes. You can also purchase them seperately, but I highly recommend buying the starter kit so you get the brushes.



• No MASK: Come one. You've seen them. The women walking around with a line going around their jaw. Essentially like they are wearing a mask of foundation. This will not happen with Bareminerals, as long as you stick within your shade range! Bareminerals is very blendable so this should be impossible. Just remember, if you want to look like you just got back from a Tahitian vacation, buy a bronzer, not a bronze foundation.
  

As the popularity of this product has grown, many other companies have come out with something similar. I have not tried other brands of mineral foundation, but I am open to suggestions and recommendations. Feel free to comment about your favorite foundation brands!

Drugstore vs. department store

This is a question I have long tried to find the answer to. From over 15 years of wearing makeup, I have yet to come to a conclusion. One important thing I have learned is that price doesn't always guarantee how well a product will work. Yes, there are some more expensive products I've found that work better than less-expensive alternatives. However, this is not always the case. In my personal makeup collection, I have a combination of both department store and drugstore products. I am also willing to pay more money for a product if it is honestly better. I am not loyal to one brand because there is no one brand that has the best of every single product they make. In following posts, I will share some of my favorites from both drugstore and department store brands.

The following types of makeup are things I will generally pay more for:

• Foundation: This is what is going directly onto my face. If I am wearing a crummy foundation, it may ruin the entire look of the makeup. A bad foundation can also cause other items not to adhere well to the skin. So, this is definitely a makeup item I pay more for. It is also one I go through regularly, not one that will sit dormant in my drawer collecting dust. Another reason I tend to purchase department store brands of foundation is because I am not able to test out foundations at the drugstore. All they have is those plastic skin-colored tags on the display racks! When I was younger, many times I purchased drugstore foundation on a whim and got home to find it was too light/dark/pink, etc., and then I was out 6 or 7 bucks! Super frustrating. I realized that I could go into a department store and have someone help me find the perfect shade of foundation that I was able to try before I bought it. While it cost a bit more than the drugstore brands, I was not letting it go to waste because it was the wrong color.
• Concealer: As I mentioned in my first post, I have needed concealer pretty much since I exited the womb. It is my true makeup staple, and I have tried COUNTLESS concealers. For my face and complexion, I have found a wonderful concealer that is from a department store. I have tried stick versions, liquid versions, creamy versions and powder versions. Unfortunately I ran into a similar problem of not being able to try on shades of concealer at the drugstore, and many times ended up with white rings under my eyes. NOT a good look. If concealer is not at the top of your makeup needs list, it might be enough to dab some extra foundation on top of an imperfection with a makeup brush, dust on a little powder and call it a day!
• Lipstick: For me, there are two things every lipstick that I buy MUST have: 1) NO TASTE. I eat food, not lipstick. There is nothing worse to me than the waxy perfume smell that some lipsticks have, that I am continually tasting throughout the day. YUCK. 2) Flattering color. I am commitment-phobic when it comes to lipstick; if I don't think I could wear a shade almost daily I will not buy it. In my experiences, the color range of department store brands is better overall; AND I have the added bonus of trying them on!

** I am taking a short sidetrack to add that I know there are some of you who go into drugstores and try on shades of lipstick or other makeup when there IS no sample to try. I will admit that I have done it before too...but don't. It will ruin the item for the person that is going to buy it! Don't be that girl.

As for the "taste" factor, this seems to be brand specific rather than price-specific. Over the years, I have discovered my favorite brand of non-smelly lipstick and have stuck with that brand to this day!

• Eyeshadow: Ah, eyeshadow. I wear eyeshadow daily, and its important to me to find one that goes on smooth and lasts all day. I also don't want an eyeshadow that takes ten layers to achieve the actual color of the product. In the majority of my drugstore eyeshadow purchases, this has largely been the case. I have gotten an eyeshadow home that looks EYE-mazing in the case, and when I put it on my brow furrows because I can hardly see it! I also think the color range of eyeshadows in department stores is much better. In recent years I have found a drugstore brand that is pretty good and has some wet-dry and cream formulas I like and I will buy that periodically. I know that eyeshadow is something you can change a lot and play with colors. For me, I tend to rotate between 5-6 key shades that I have and that's it. Since I go through these colors, I spend more on the ones I use the most. If you are someone who loves to experiment with eyeshadow color trends, it's in your best financial interest to find a less-expensive brand that meets your needs.
• Brushes: Since these are the tools used to apply makeup, quality needs to be important. A low-quality brush can cause makeup to go on unevenly and splotchy, even if you paid a lot for that makeup. For this reason, I rarely use the applicators that come with makeup. Investing in a good brush set is important, or buy "a la-carte" for the specific ones you need the most. A brush set is no good if you only use 2 out of 6 brushes! The brush set I have now is a medium-priced set, but for me it makes my makeup look good.

These are the makeup items that I have found wonderful drugstore deals on:

• Mascara: There are good mascaras EVERYWHERE. You just need to find one that is right for you. This is also one that you generally do not try before you buy. When looking for a good mascara, have a list of your requirements. For me, it needs to be waterproof (I am an eye-rubber) and build volume quickly without clumping. Once you have your list, I will look for someone who has the kind of lashes I want and ask them what they use. That's how I found my favorite mascara, and it is from the drugstore! Not only that, I am often able to find coupons in the paper and get tubes for around two dollars on average. Since mascara is also something I go through frequently this works well for me! Yes, there are several great-quality department store mascaras, but they also come with the department store price tag. Drugstore mascaras are just as good, in my opinion so why not pay less?
• Lip liner and Eyeliner: I have purchased liners at both price-points and I have been successful with both. To me, every woman needs a great black or black-brown eyeliner and a good neutral lip liner. There are several products both in drugstore and department stores that come in flattering shades and go on creamy. In recent years, several drugstore brands have added great products in this area. Currently I have both in my makeup drawer!
• Blush: This is a product my opinion has changed on in recent years. Before, I had very bad luck trying to find a good drugstore-brand blush. In recent years, many drugstore brands have expanded their color range and improved their formulas. I especially like buying cream blushes from drugstore brands. Blush is also a product that is not necessary to try on. To save money, I have also been known to use lipstick for blush!

I hope this helps you when you are deciding which kinds of makeup to splurge and save on. In future posts I will let you know about some of my specific favorites in regards to my own makeup.

What would you like to find out more about? Do you have any specific brands that work well for you?

Maiden Voyage

I will begin by referring to the title of my blog: Put down the white eyeliner. It is a command that should be followed.

Immediately.

It really is the initial reason for creating this blog in the first place. When I think about beauty no-no’s, white eyeliner is one taboo at the top of my list. (There are DEFINITELY others which will be reserved for later posts. You have my permission to sit on the edge of your upholstered vanity bench until then!)

Yes, there may be some of you who argue this, saying “oooh but I read in ‘insert any beauty magazine name’ that using white eyeliner really opens up your eyes and makes them look huge!” or “using white eyeliner on the bottom rims will make my eyes look less red!” To you who argue my statement, I laugh heartily. And tell you that you have been duped.

Think about it. Who really looks better after wearing white eyeliner?? To my knowledge, the whole point of eyeliner’s existence is to make the lash line appear thicker. So you tell me, WHO has white eyelashes (besides the 103-year old lady across the street)? If you did have white eyelashes, would you be applying some white waterproof mascara to compliment the extremely thick white lash line? I think (hope) you get my point.

I. Love. Makeup.

I love beauty products and have for as long as I can remember. This may be because I required concealer at the age of seven……but the fact remains! I have enjoyed researching, buying and applying makeup for as long as I can remember. Makeup makes me feel better, more polished. Yes, I could probably survive without makeup, but I feel better when I have some "ammo" on to combat my undereye circles. Besides, who knows when I could be asked to give an on-the-spot interview for a local news station? A girl must always be prepared! I feel makeup should serve that purpose for everyone. Why use makeup if it is going to make you look worse?

This is the main reason I have started this blog: to educate and encourage all you ladies out there to learn about makeup and what looks best for you. I will include products that I think are better than others, and techniques that are easy and work.
When you have makeup on, you should still look like you, only with an exclamation point!

I hope you will use this blog to laugh, learn and expand your horizons in the world of makeup.

Now go be a dear and burn that white eyeliner.

-C