Author: Carina

Makeup No-Buy Update: One Month Mark

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One month ago, I put myself on a Makeup No-Buy, and this is just a little update to let you know how I was doing. 🙂 So far, I’ve only purchased two things with points from a loyalty card: — e.l.f. Liquid Eyeliner — essence Stay All-Day Long-Lasting Eyeshadow in Glammy Goes To… I’ve also received two gifts from my aunt: — BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal — BECCA Beach Tint in Guava And, that’s about it! Skincare things and clothes don’t count, though, and I’m beginning to think I should have a spending ban altogether. Le sigh. All in all, I think I’ve been doing pretty good, though.

Makeup Inventory: Highlighters & Illuminators

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In one of my recent posts, I decried the hype of a cult favorite—the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade, which I reviewed here—and a number asked Well, what’s a good highlighter for you? I don’t own the most favorite one I’ve tried (I don’t know why), but I do own eight others (again, I don’t know why). I’ve been planning this for a while, and never got around to it, so I hope you appreciate the effort and I hope this short overview helps you out. 🙂 Let’s begin with the one I don’t own, but whose effect I loved—the NARS Illuminator in Orgasm. I received it as a sample, which dried up. I never got around to purchasing the full size, just because. Here it is, in action: It’s a really pretty, peachy-golden pink creamy highlighter that you can put on the “high planes of your face,” or just mix in with your face base. I thought I would hate the shimmer, but I really don’t. To be fair, it actually has more of …

Instagram FOTD Rewind: Vol. 2

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Hello everyone! Here’s just a collection of a few looks from the last few weeks. Check out the first batch here. Funnily enough, I’ve stopped posting FOTDs on Instagram because I feel weird about them. Maybe I’ll just post some here every once in a while. 🙂 4w ago: MAC Paint Pot (Bare Study), MAC e/s (Satin Taupe, Handwritten), MAC eye kohl (Prunella), MAC blush (Springsheen), MAC lipstick (Twig) 4w ago: MAC Paint Pot (Bare Study), Chanel Ombres Fleuries (Delicatesse), MAC e/s (Mystery), MAC eye kohl (Prunella), Majolica Majorca Lash King, Chanel Joues Contraste (Frivole), Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Mood Light), Le Métier de Beauté Colour Core Moisture Stain Lipstick (Miami) 3w ago: MAC Paint Pot (Bare Study), NARS e/s Duo (Grand Palais), MAC eye kohl (Teddy), Eye of Horus Mascara, Tarte blush (Flush), Hourglass Ambient lighting Powder (Mood light), Le Métier de Beauté lipstick (Bondi Beach) 2w ago: L’Oreal Infallible (Amber Rush), shu uemura e/s (ME medium brown 885), NYX eye pencil (Emerald City), Maybelline The Falsies Mascara, Revlon Mineral Blush (Roseberry), Le Métier …

Overhyped Products

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Inspired by Cami Loves Kiwi’s recent video and the hype that surrounded MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade (review here), I’ve gathered together a few products that I feel like are overhyped. It’s a good mix of drugstore and higher end products. Here is a summary, but I go more in-depth in the video: — Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains (review): Love these, hate the stains they leave behind. Regardless of the shade, my lips turn a more orange-y color. — L’Oreal Lucent Magique Light Touch-Up Pen: Nothing special. — L’Oreal Shine Caresse & YSL Glossy Stain (comparative review): Generally a so-so formula. I don’t get the fuss. — YSL Rouge Volupté Shine (review): Was originally a fan of the formula, but when I forgot to bring a tube for reapplication and my lips dried up like a shriveled prune. It’s not bad, but it’s not all that. — Sara Happ The Lip Slip & The Lip Scrub: Great products, but too expensive. — NARS Blush in Orgasm: I don’t think it’s flattering for all …

Quickie: Illamasqua Blush-Up Brush

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Here’s a super quick post on one of my favorite tools as of late: my recently-acquired Blush-Up Brush from Illamasqua! It’s a very tightly-packed, narrow brush with short, soft bristles and a long handle. It’s supposed to apply blush in a revolutionary~ way, eliminating the need for a contour. Here is a tutorial from the Illamasqua team, explaining how. As you can see, it deposits pigment in a different way than brushes usually do. Going by the shape of the Blush-Up Brush, it’s supposed to apply blush in an angular way. When placed right under the cheekbone, it creates a stark line that highlights the hollows of the cheeks, which I suppose is what they meant by it “eliminat[ing] the need for contour.” I don’t know if it works all that well for me if I use it like that, but it does really well for normal blush and contour application, which I think it should be recognized for. Tarte’s Exposed used to be my “standard” for a good blush brush. If the brush can …

Quickie: The Body Shop’s Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream

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Today, I’m quickly featuring a current bag staple of mine, the Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream by The Body Shop. I’d been eyeing it in Japan, but I couldn’t really bring myself to buy it for whatever reason. Because The Body Shop has been on sale for what seems like forever, I took the plunge and bought myself the hand cream. Product Description: “A pure sensation for hands. This ingenious everyday cream with absinthe extract moisturises hands and leaves them feeling soft and super-fresh. — Moisturizes — Leaves hands feeling fresh — Heady Fragrance notes of bergamot, petit grain and neroli” My favorite part about this is the smell. It’s a very crisp and clean smell—I don’t think it’s heady at all, though a lot of people have said that it’s masculine. I feel like it’s a very neutral smell, but that could just be me. I actually detect more of a verbena scent, which is what attracted me to it in the first place. It’s supposed to get rid of yucky smells on your hand. …

Link Love Vol. 9

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Are you cool/neutral/warm? by Sineady Cady of The Makeup Chair Summer Glow by Sabrina of The Beauty Look Book — a selection of ‘perfect bronzers’ and ‘natural illuminators’ for that warm summer glow. Lipstick Week by Shari of The Misty Mom — technically, this is just an introductory post, but check out her MAC army in the image. I’m excited! Lipstick Week: NARS Satin Lip Pencils by Liz of Project Vanity — an awesome first post by Liz! Lipstick Week Day 1: Orange Red by Claire of Aucuparia Brumalis Lipstick Week by Krysty of Vain Jane Writes Suqqu: Fall 2013 by Haru of Rouge Deluxe Makeup Tips: Prepping & Priming the Face by Natalie of Natzi’s Stash Summer Makeup: How do you overhaul your look? by Makeup Monster MAC All About Orange Lipstick Swatches by Jane of Life’s Entropy MAC Peach & Coral Lipstick Collection by Jane of Life’s Entropy Tellie’s Misadventures: Galaxy Eyes by Beauty by Tellie Tutorial with Luxury Summer Beauty Treats! by amodelrecommends