Festive Fingernails!

It's getting into the season of holiday parties and that means adding a little sparkle to your nails and makeup! I love this nail polish combo as we round out Fall and move into Winter!

OPI Over the Taupe and The Living Daylights (from the Skyfall Collection)

  I used two coats of Over the Taupe as a nice neutral base for The Living Daylights and only used that about 3/4 of the way down the nail. Then I topped it all off with a good coat of Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri topcoat. The glitter particles in The Living Daylights are very large and flaky and can feel a little bit scratchy on the surface, so using a good, shiny topcoat over those is a must!

OPI Over the Taupe & The Living Daylights and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Topcoat

 The glitters make this an extremely long wearing trio! I'm pretty sure I had this combo on for about 10 days, so you can definitely get a good wear out of these and the color combo makes it easy to match with most of your fall/winter wardrobe! I think the glitter coat would also look great on a variety of other base coats like a rich creamy red, a dark teal, or even black! It's the perfect thing to give your nails a little burst of festivity!

Happy December!

 

What's All the Fuss About Bioderma?

If you are into beauty trends and follow any sort of beauty blogs, you'll have heard rave reviews about Bioderma Crealine H20. 

ALL of my favorite beauty bloggers seem to love the stuff and it's a professional makeup kit 

must-have, apparently. After hearing so many amazing things about Bioderma, I felt that I would be quite remiss not to buy it! (Ah, the dangers of following beauty blogs...)

My beauty peers have said that Bioderma is the end all and be all of makeup removers/waterless cleansers! It is supposed to be wonderful for quickly and effortlessly cleansing the skin of any and all traces of makeup. It's also said to be great for both acne prone and sensitive skins alike. All of that and you don't even need water! You simply soak a cotton pad with the solution and swipe away!

Ok, well, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that, while it is good, it's not my favorite! Gasp, gulp, horror!

I do love it for quick eye makeup removal, and it is completely unscented so it doesn't irritate even those with sensitive skin around their eyes. I can give it a solid A+ on those points!

But for use all over the face, I find that it leaves a little bit of a sticky feel to the skin, and since I like my skin to feel, umm, CLEAN after I CLEANSE it, this aspect of Bioderma definitely turns me off. 

But I wouldn't go on and on about something I don't love without telling you about something that I DO love, and so I give you (well i don't, the company does, but as I was saying...!), La Roche Posay Physiological Micellar Solution!

In my opinion, this one does everything that Bioderma does except make my skin feel sticky! Hooray! Now, the La Roche-Posay water does contain a fragrance which normally I am not a fan of, but this one is very light and fresh. It has never caused any irritation whatsoever on myself or others on whom I've tried it. I've used every last drop of my bottle and am currently saving my pennies to get more! This is a product that I definitely don't want to be without, and I would say it's a great one to have on hand for many purposes. I like to have it on my bedside table for those nights when I'm so tired and just can't bring myself to get up and wash my face. I also love it on my makeup table for quick makeup corrections, and it is also wonderful to travel with when you want to clean your face but don't have access to water.

I've taken a good look at both of these products side by side and while they contain very similar ingredients, my guess is that the Castor Oil in Bioderma is what causes it to be slightly sticky. Then again, many skincare products do contain castor oil as a hydrating ingredient and it is not always a bad thing. You can take a look at the ingredients and decide for yourself.

Bioderma Ingredients

La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution Ingredients

 

I got both my bottles from Amazon but sometimes you can also find the La Roche-Posay at a cheaper price on www.drugstore.com and CVS. Bioderma is a French brand and a little more difficult to buy in America.

I will definitely put my Bioderma to good use and it finish it all, but between the two

 the La Roche has my heart!

Berlin There Done That

I've fallen in love with OPI's Berlin There Done That from the Germany Collection!

What do you think? Should I take up hand modeling? LOL!

If you've previously loved OPI's You Don't Know Jacques, another amazing neutral shade, then you will definitely love Berlin There Done That.

Left: You Don't Know Jacques. Right: Berlin There Done That

It is  more of a milky gray with less of a brown undertone than Jacques, and it will truly go with everything in your Fall/Winter wardrobe. Sometimes OPI can be hit or miss when it comes to the opacity of their shades. It really bugs me when you have to apply 3 really thick coats to achieve anything resembling the color of the bottle. Not so with Berlin! Two coats is all it takes to get a beautiful, non-streaky coverage!
Try it, you'll see!

MARILYN FEVER!!!

A very important thing happened in makeup history today.

The Marilyn Monroe Collection by MAC came out!

I have always been a huge Marilyn fan so when I found out that MAC was doing a Marilyn collection, I knew that despite my very meager budget, at least a few of the products would be mine! I vowed to only eat canned tuna fish and cereal if it would allow me to lay hands on this collection!

But by the time I was able to get online and check it out, the entire collection was SOLD OUT! I immediately called my local MAC store and they did have a few pieces left in stock. Let me reiterate that the Marilyn collection came out TODAY and it is selling out faster than you can say hot cakes! I was able to get my hands on three beautiful items, but lets be honest here, it really wouldn't matter if they were the ugliest shades I've ever seen. It's MARILYN MONROE, people!

What's better is that I actually do love the colors I got! 

Now, I really do wish I was a die hard Marilyn collector who would never once touch the items, save them in a shadow box under archival lighting, and later sell them for a million dollars, but I just can't help myself! I've already tried everything on and I shall be wearing it all as often as possible!

And I think that when the products run out I will always keep the packaging as my own personal little collectors items. Think how cool and retro they will look 20 years from now!

And now, without further ado, here are some pics of the little beauties!

How wonderful is this packaging???

Marilyn Monroe Powder Blush

Marilyn Monroe Powder Blush in The Perfect Cheek

Marilyn Monroe Powder Blush in Legendary

Marilyn Monroe Powder Blush in Legendary

Marilyn Monroe in The Perfect Cheek

Marilyn Monroe Powder Blush in Legendary

Marilyn Monroe Powder Blush in The Perfect Cheek

These shades look quite muted on camera and in person, but on fair skin they are actually very pigmented! The Perfect Cheek has a nice plummy undertone and Legendary is a beautiful soft peach.

Marilyn Monroe Dazzleglass in Phiff!

Of the two Dazzleglass shades in this collection this one had a very slightly peachier sheen but it is essentially a clear with high shimmer

Top to Bottom: Marilyn Monroe Dazzleglass in Phiff, Marilyn Monroe Powder Blush in The Perfect Cheek, Marilyn Monroe Powder Blush in Legendary

Photo update the next morning: Using The Perfect Cheek blush and Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Precious with Pfiff! on top

Face Mask and Lipstick???

I wasn't planning on doing a review today at all. But as I was washing my face this evening I saw some bumps looming, dum dum DUM...and I thought a good purifying mask might be in order. Out came my little unsung hero, the same mask I've been using since I was old enough to put a mask on (which for me was probably around 4!), the one and only Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque!

Masking it up!

Now I have used  many, many face masks in my skincare career, some that were great and some that were awful, some that were cheap but mostly they all seem to cost a fortune, and I still always keep a tube of Mint Julep Masque at the ready. It's smells minty, as you would imagine, feels creamy going on, and leaves your skin feeling tightened, toned, and very soft. The best thing about this little wonder aside from that fact that it really does work, is the price! This gigantic tube only cost $3.79! For that price, you practically owe it to yourself to give this mask a try!

As for the second part of this review, you may notice that my lips in the picture above are rather nicely stained.  This wonderful phenomenon happened quite by accident and was only noticed as I was applying the mask! And just like that, my next beauty discovery was born! ;)

Earlier in the day I had applied one of my forgotten Cover Girl Lip Perfection lipsticks and went about my business. I had some soup, did a little cleaning, some bathroom organizing, face washing, teeth brushing, and mask applying. It was only then that I realized how bright my lips still were! Amazing! This lipstick is not a longwear formula, it's just a regular old lipstick in the amazing shade Tempt (I'm pretty sure I got this in a buy one get one half off sale at Walgreens but it's available almost anywhere), and it is perfect for Fall, which is why I pulled it out today in the first place. But I guess I had never realized the staining power that this particular shade gives! When Tempt is applied in the usual way, it feels smooth and creamy, and as it wears off the stain left behind feels comfortable and not tight or dry like some stains. It's a beautiful cool cherry that's not too pink and not too red and it will now be a go-to shade to keep in my purse! There's something about a red stain that is so much more wearable than a full on lipstick. You don't have to worry about it getting on your teeth or feathering out at the edges. That said, this shade performs great as both a classic creme lipstick and a stain giving it a solid A+ in my book!

Have you ever come across a go-to favorite by accident?

Cover Girl Lip Perfection in Tempt

Fall Beauty

I love the changing of seasons and the opportunity to try new things with hair and makeup! This morning was one of those amazing mornings where the sun was ultra bright, the wind was blowing everything about, and it was hard not to smile at the pure joy of it! Because there was that perfect mixture of coolness and warmth in the air, I was inspired to create a makeup look that would blend the cooler tones of Fall with the warm ones. And pretty much like clockwork, when Fall comes around, I start itching for red hair and Brittany was happy to oblige me! Keep reading to see what I used to create the look.

I love how this hair color changes in different lights!

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough As Taupe, Urban Decay Smoked Palette using Kinky, Freestyle, & Mushroom applied with the Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush, Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Eyeliner for Hazel Eyes  applied with the Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque and Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light Sheer Tint

 

glominerals pressed base in honey light applied with the Ecotools Kabuki Brush, & mark bronze pro applied with the Real Techniques Blush Brush

Origins blush in Autumn Glow (discontinued but you could use this instead) applied with the Real Techniques Multi Task Brush & Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Stonewash (discontinued but you could use this instead) applied to brows with the glominerals Dual Brow Brush

Origins Flower Fusion lipstick in Tulip & Almay One Coat Get Up & Grow Mascara

What makeup colors say "Fall" to you?

Stormy Day Makeup

I realize this may be somewhat abnormal, but sometimes I like to match my makeup to the weather. Or my mood. Sometimes the weather and my mood match, and that makes it even better! For instance, one morning last week I woke up and saw these beautiful, bright, yellow rays of sun coming out from behind a big, ominous looking cloud. So that day I wore a silvery grey eyeshadow all over the lid with a pop of bright yellow at the inner corners. It makes me happy, what can I say! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of that day's makeup so I can't share that with you, but yesterday dawned a very, dark and stormy day. And it pretty much stayed that way all day. So, I decided it was the perfect day for a dark, blue smoky eye and I had just the palette in mind to complete the look: The Smoked Palette from Urban Decay!

 Here's what I used to create the look:

1. MAC Paint Pot in Painterly smudged all over the lids with finger

2. Avon Big Color Pencil in Night Glisten scribbled on the lower half of lid and then blended in & upward with the glominerals texture eye brush

3. Urban Decay shadow in Evidence pressed into Night Glisten with the Real Techniques Shading Brush, then blended upward with the glominerals texture eye brush

4. Urban Decay shadows in Mushroom & Verve blended together from the crease upward with the glominerals texture eye brush

5. Urban Decay shadow in Freestyle blended into & above Mushroom & Verve to blur the dark line with the Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush

6. Urban Decay shadow in Kinky pressed under the brow line with the Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush

7. Urban Decay shadow in Verve tapped into the inner corners with the Real Techniques Shading Brush

8. Urban Decay shadow in Evidence smudged 3/4 of the way under the eye with the Real Techniques Shading Brush

9. Loreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara on the top & bottom lashes to finish it off

I wonder what tomorrow's weather will be?

Top 10 Makeup Items I Would Repurchase

Lately I've seen a bunch of people blogging or YouTubing this Tag: Top 10 Items I Would Repurchase. As usual, I love seeing what makeup goodies other people can't live without, so I was inspired to create my own list. The premise behind the tag is that these 10 items would be the first things you would repurchase if somehow all your makeup had been lost, stolen, broken, etc.
At first it was really hard to narrow the list down because one of the things I love about makeup is changing it up every day! But when I went through everything, I did have some clear cut go-to items that I really would not want to be without. These are also the items that I am most likely to travel with when I am only able to pack the essentials. I did cheat a little bit and put two items per category on some things, since the shade I wear depends on how light/dark my skin is at the moment!
So without further ado, My Top 10 Items I Would Repurchase are:

1. glominerals pressed base in golden light or golden medium
2. glominerals camouflage concealer (for the face) in golden or natural
3. Bobbi Brown Corrector (for undereyes) in Light Bisque or Light to Medium Bisque
4. mark by Avon bronze pro in Pro Golden
5. glominerals blush in bellini or glominerals cream blush in guava
6. MAC Paint Pot (eyeshadow primer) in Painterly
7. Almay One Coat Get Up & Grow mascara
8. Bobbi Brown Stonewashed Nudes Palette (but since it was limited edition & can't be repurchased, my close 2nd choice for eyeshadow is) glominerals Alloy Eyes Collection (both palettes contain shades that I use to fill in my brows too, so they do double duty!)
9. Physicians Formula Eyeliner Trio for Hazel Eyes (a brown, black, & purple/pink)
10. MAC Viva Glam V if I want a nude lipstick, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie if I want a pink lipstick

Hope you enjoy this list and I would love to know what your Top 10 Items would be, so leave me your list in the comments below!
Also, leave me a comment if you'd like an individual review on any of the products listed here!

glominerals pressed base & glominerals camouflage

Bobbi Brown Corrector & mark bronze pro

glominerals blush & MAC Paint Pot

Almay Get Up & Grow, glominerals Alloy Eyes, & BB Stonewashed Nudes

Physicians Formula Eyeliners, MAC lipstick, & Revlon LipButter