Month: September 2013

Liner Notes: 5 Different Types of Eyeliners & what to do with them

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Hello everyone! No eye makeup series is complete without a liner post, am I right? I think eyeliner is a relatively safe choice for enhancing your eye. It’s sort of like a gateway into eye makeup. I stopped wearing eyeliner in college because someone asked if I stayed up late, because I was afflicted with Eyeliner Raccoon Syndrome. Well, no more! In this post, I will write about types of eyeliner that I’ve had the pleasure of trying. Obviously, it won’t be complete, but I can’t speak for everything! Pencil I think we’re most familiar with pencils. This is certainly what I grew up using (or attempting to use). I find that regular pencil liners are drier in consistency than Kohls (see below), so these are ideal for drawing a line that you want to stay put. In practice, they are also a bit harder to use if you are a beginner, just because the liner “sets” in place right away. Also, the drier formula sometimes causes lines to skip when the pencil tugs at …

Nosy Beauty Vol. 11: Tina

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I’m Maria Kristina or Tina. I’m an Investment Counselor by day and Graduate Student by night. On my days off, I like to watch movies, try different restaurants, travel and shop. I don’t have a lot of makeup compared to others because I try to hand pick products that I will actually use day to day. Since I work for a bank where looking professional is business, most, if not all, of my makeup lean towards neutral colors. I don’t mind wearing smokey eyes or red lipstick but wild, trendy colors are a big no-no. Since I also don’t have the luxury of time to fix myself in the morning, I bring with me products that I can apply in the car. For my face, I alternate Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 – Oil Free in Nude and Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Medium Beige depending on my skin condition. I love these because they even out my skin tone and give a dewy effect without looking thick on the face. They’re sheer to …

My MAC Eyeshadow Palette (Swatches, Looks & Video)

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I know I’ve shown these before, but I have this feeling that it shouldn’t be left out of any eye month. Someone is bound to ask for these, so here: My MAC Eyeshadows. MAC eyeshadows seem to be the gateway to makeup madness. It’s a phenomenon quite unlike anything I’ve seen—anyone who’s at least knee-deep in the business of beauty knows what Satin Taupe, Woodwinked, and All That Glitters all mean. I don’t have a lot of MAC shadows and I don’t have a special relationship with them. I bought my first two eyeshadows in October 2012, and bought the rest in one go. Today, I’ll show you my MAC eyeshadow palette (plus, 2 that don’t fit), and give you a rundown of what they look like and how I use them. Here’s a pretty short video, if you want to see the swatches in action (different angles, etc): Here are the two out-of-palette stragglers. The Runaways: Amber Lights, and Trax — Amber Lights is a “peachy brown with shimmer” and has a frost finish. …

Check in your bags for the long haul with these concealers

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An overview of my current concealer products. In case you have no idea what these do, concealers hide our blemishes, red spots, acne, and dark circles. They do almost nothing to your bags. I mean, let’s be real. No matter how much concealer you put on a surface that it not flat, the protrusion will cause a shadow. Like Krysty, I don’t really like hiding my bags because lighter concealers emphasize them and make them look baggier, or at least more noticeable. I think my issue is more on the ‘puffy’ side than ‘dark circles,’ so when I conceal under my eyes, I keep my expectations in check. Of course the puffs will show when I smile! The best thing I’ve ever done about that is come to terms with it. But that’s neither here nor there! I have found a favorite to use, however! Can you guess which one I like the best? 🙂 THE BODY SHOP TEA TREE CONCEALER (02) I think this might be my pinkest shade. I used this on my …

Drugstore Finds: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

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The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk was made popular a few years ago by YouTube beauty gurus, and I can see why. It’s a chubby pencil that dispenses a rich, white opaque coating in one swipe. Fans of colored eyeshadows that really pop, rejoice! I have a few others in Lavender, Oyster, and Pacific, and while all of them are inferior to Milk in the department of Making Eyeshadows Pop, they’re great for other things. I swatched three eyeshadows over each of the Jumbo Eye Pencil Swatches to observe their performance as a base: On top, I have Addiction’s Sandbar, and to me, it’s a bit too light to arrive at any sort of conclusion. The next row is made by a rust-colored shadow, and you can see the pink tones come out more when it’s over Oyster. The last row is a swipe of a cool blue shadow, 203 by Art Deco, and you can also see the nuance of the change shade the most over Oyster once again. I love Milk, especially …

One-Shadow Eye Looks

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For the lazy bones in you! Each look featured here was made using just one eyeshadow. I was going to make a tutorial… but that would be pointless. Just follow the one-step directions and you’ll be fine! SMOKY EYE — I used Le Métier de Beauté’s Alexandrite, and you can see the tutorial here. WASH & WEAR — Here’s a look that’s pretty similar as well, but you kind of just pat down a shade all over the mobile lid and hope for the best. Using shu uemura’s ME medium brown 885, aka my favorite eyeshadow: Using OCC’s Loose Colour Concentrate in Hum: Using MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque, a rose gold cream shadow: Using Rouge Bunny Rouge Eyeshadow in Solstice Halcyon, a light almost imperceptible neutral taupe: QUICK LICKS — a lick of shadow, a lick of eyeliner, a lick of mascara, and you’re done. This is great for pairing with a bold red lip. Using Bootycall from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette + liquid eyeliner + mascara on top and bottom lashes. …

Drugstore Finds: Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohls

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Today’s review is on a product that I am a little bit scared to talk about because it has reached an insane level of cult stardom. Or something. The Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohls are often touted as a drugstore alternative to many high-end creamy eyeliners because of its rich and creamy texture, as well as impressive pigmentation, and staying power. These do not budge, apparently. And—apparently—I had to try them out. Color me surprised when the first time I used the black liner. I used it to tightline my upper waterline (which, by the way, applies impressively. I have a very sensitive upper waterline) and it was so creamy and smooth, and I loved it. Then it traveled to my bags. And stayed put. I tried it again on a different day, this time on my lower lashline and in between my upper lashes. This is pictured above. Again, after a few hours—a case of smudgerama. Anyway, I guess I should note that I have watery eyes and I live in a country that is …