Soft Orchid

Here's a quick post with a look from last week.  I don't recall the complete breakdown of products that I used, but I can definitely remember some of the key ones!

For base, I used Smashbox CC Cream in Fair.  The blush is Illamasqua Morale with Armani Belladonna palette as highlight.

On my eyes, I started with Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Orchid.  Then I layered on a bit of Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Impulsion (inner corner).  I used Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Diapason to darker the crease and outer corner.  Then some Stila Bliss to blend out the crease.  I added a bit of the dark charcoal shadow from the Chante Wild Horses palette to my outer corner.  And I smudged UD Psychedelic Sister eyeliner pencil into the lash lines.  I used a pastel purple Korres pencil on my waterline.

I just have some Hourglass lip oil on my lips.  Geez, they look so blotchy to me like this.  It's odd how I'm so aware of the uneven tone in photographs but don't seem to notice it in the mirror.

I got a few compliments on my eyes, so I wouldn't mind recreating this exact look or a similar one soon!  I mean.  PURPLE.  Always so good.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Dubstep Remix

Face:
Armani Fluid Master Primer
Koh Gen Doh Aqua PK-0 mixed with Ardency Inn Americana Fair Pink
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1 (under eye)
Nars Light Reflecting Powder Loose
Guerlain Meteorites Perles du Paradis <3

Cheeks:
Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Highlight 01
Dior Rosy Glow

Eyes:
Wet 'N Wild Fergie eye primer
UD Shellshock
UD Dope
UD Voodoo
UD Coax
UD Lovesick
Tokidoki e/l pencil Mozzarella
Stila Stay All Day black pen liner
UD e/l pencil Psychedelic Sister
MUFE Smoky Extravagant
Blinc Kiss Me Amplified
MUFE Aqua Cream #7 (brows)

Lips:
Ardency Inn Modster Lip Vinyl Dubstep Remix
Tarte Lip Luster Adored


This was fun.  Seriously.  I'm sorry if I look hot and overly pink.  I was definitely warm when I took the pictures this morning.  Also, my hair is looking shabby!  I've been using my Urban Decay Vice 2 palette quite a bit lately.  I like it!  There are a few colors I still haven't touched yet, but overall I am having a good time with that palette.

This particular base mix did well until about hour nine, then it turned into total chaos on and around my nose.  It probably didn't help that I was on fire super duper hot right about then!  I still love the coverage of the Americana concentrate but I'm not sure I like how finicky it is.  Or maybe I'm expecting too much from my flawless full coverage base to last past eight or nine hours.  I've always had trouble with full coverage foundations.

I have some older looks from last week that I still need to post!  Hopefully I can do that soon.  :)  Thanks for stopping by!

The Tornado

Face:
Kat Von D face primer
Wet 'n Wild Coverall 815
Maybelline Fit Me concealer Fair
Nars Light Reflecting Powder Loose

Cheeks:
Lorac Flaunt blush
Tokidoki Luminosa highlighter

Eyes:
Wet 'n Wild Fergie eye primer
Belmacz Midnight (base color used on lid and lowers)
UD Tornado (lid into crease)
UD Magic (to blend out edges mainly above outer crease and on lowers)
UD Aura (blue looking side on very inner corner area and peach side to blend out inner crease area)
UD Oz (gold side patted over inner half or so of lid and a tiny bit on lowers to mirror)
Stila black pen liner to tightline
Stila Smudge Stick Purple Tang (uppers)
UD Rockstar pencil liner (waterline - topped with Tornado e/s)
YSL Babydoll mascara
Dior Iconic Overcurl (lowers only)
Tokidoki Luminosa (brow bone)
Hourglass Arch Soft Brunette brow pencil

Lips:
Bite Cuvée Blanc

Now for some random thoughts about new things used here!  The WnW Coverall foundation is pretty darn good, yeah.  Four dollar foundation?!  Are you kidding me?  It's better than decent.  I did get a little shiny through the day, but I can thank hot working conditions for that and just my skin's normal behavior this time of the year.  I've only worn it the one time so far, but my initial thought is YAY and go get you some.

The YSL Babydoll mascara is good, but not blowing me out of the water.  The brush provides excellent separation, definition, and a really pretty look.  Not much extra length or volume to be had, though, I fear.

Also, the next time I use Oz eyeshadow I really need to use a sticky base!  The glitter all fell down onto my face, making quite a mess.  None is visible on the eyes even.

I'm trying to work on my blush placement.  It's more in a contour position that what I normally do.  I think I like it!  

That's all for now.  Thanks for stopping by!

Mauvewood in Action

Face:
Dr. Jart + Renewalist BB Beauty Balm
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1
Nars Light Reflecting Loose Powder

Cheeks:
Dior Aurora 01
Illamasqua Katie
Laura Mercier Baked Matte Radiance Highlight 01

Eyes:
WnW Fergie eye primer
Tarte SmolderEYES chubby pencil Silver Black (lid base)
Shu Uemura Prestigious Bordeaux palette
- dark purple on the lid, blended into crease
- lavender on the inner crease
- beigey tan as transition
- coppery brown smudged into lowers
- sparkly gold on inner lowers
UD Smog e/l pencil on lowers, under shadow
Stila Smudge Stick Damsel (waterline)
Stila black liner pen (tightline)
Hourglass Arch Soft Brunette
Perfekt clear brow gel
PTR Lashes to Die For mascara (base)
Guerlain Maxi Lash
CG Clump Crusher water resistant (lowers)

Lips:
Sephora + Pantone Astral Lip Glaze "Mauvewood"


I love this!  I'm only grumpy with myself for not seeing that my inner crease on my left eye was badly in need of blending/toning down.  Well, to be fair, I did see it as soon as I was in my car on my way to work!  Something about that car mirror reveals all truths.

I wish the camera had better captured the really cool multi-colored shimmer of the purple shadow on my lids.  The silver glitter in the base is dominating where I feel in person it was much more delicate, dimensional, and just plain magic.  Yes, to me, pretty shiny sparkly = magic.

What do you think of Mauvewood?  Lovely, isn't it?

Eclipse Eagle

Face:
Nars Light Optimizing primer (under eye)
Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer Fair
Illamasqua Concealer 115 (spots)
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1 (under eye)
Nars Light Reflecting Powder Loose

Cheeks:
Too Faced Bronzed & Poreless bronzer
Illamasqua Hussy
Sephora Microsmooth Luminizer 01 Stardust

Eyes:
WnW Fergie eye primer
Inglot AMC Pure Pigment loose e/s #35 (lid into crease)
RBR Eclipse Eagle (crease)
RBR Snowy Egret (inner corner)
MUG Shimma Shimma (brow bone)
Lorac Posh e/s (transition)
RBR Volcano Fairy-Wren (outer corner)
UD Oil Slick e/l
UD Ether e/l (lowers)
Stila Stay All Day black liner pen (tightline)
Hourglass Arch Soft Brunette
PTR Lashes to Die For mascara (base)
Dior Iconic Overcurl 
CG Clump Crusher water resistant (lowers)

Lips:
Hourglass Aura Sheer Lip Stain Flush


There's just something about this that I can't put my finger on - I look feverish?  Maybe it's the blush.  In any case, I really like the eyes.  I think Eclipse Eagle is going to be a versatile taupe for me!  Gotta love a taupe that loves you back.

My Week in Review

Alright then.  This is going to be a rather long post featuring pictures from the past week.  This first look is from Sunday.  I'm wearing Maybelline Color Tattoo in Seashore Frosts supplemented with colors from the Tarte Aqualillies palette.

For liner, I used a blue-gray Buxom smoky stick and Jordana's brown pen liner.  I'm slightly disappointed in how subtle Seashore Frosts is, however, I hear it is great layered, so I will be game to try that next.

My lip color is Belmacz Glow in Ruby and my blush is Nars Boys Don't Cry.

Not sure why these two photos turned out so "cool" compared to the previous ones, but I rather like them!

I believe I was wearing the Tarte BB primer with BECCA pressed mineral over top here.

Monday's look was a bit odd, I must confess.  I guess I was going for something kind of techno-futuristic.  I debated between this lip color (YSL Glossy Stain 18) and something really neon pink.  Perhaps neon pink would have been nicer as I look pretty washed out in these photos.  Nars Gaeity is my blush.

On my eyes I am wearing Belmacz Silver Swan, which I'm really sad to say is already showing signs of shrinkage and drying up.  I've not had it that long and have only used it once before!  :(  My package seems a bit loose, so maybe that's the reason why.  In any case, for something as expensive, I do expect more.  I lined the upper lashlines with Urban Decay Dime pencil and smudged Nars Barrow Street liner into the lowers.  The pink mascara is from L.A. Splash.

On Tuesday I went for dramatic smoky eyes!  I used Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Mirifique as my base color and Fantasme as the inner corner highlight.  UD Creep eyeshadow went over the lids and around the lowers.  Catrice Vanessa's Paradise was the teal color used.  On the waterline I had Sephora Flashy liner in Flashy Brown.

My blush was Addiction powder in Amazing and my lipstick was Bite Cuvee in Blush.

I really loved the sparklies from Mirifique and Fantasme - they were much better in person!

For Wednesday's look, I used Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Cocoa as my base and on the lowers.  I blended L'Oreal Infallible in Liquid Diamond over top on the lids and into the creases.  This combo was not my idea, but taken from Missy, a.k.a. "dreamonnnnnn," of MUA.  Stellar combo!  I thank you!!  I used the brown Jordana liquid pen liner to line, as well as a dark brown Bare Escentuals liner for my waterlines.

On my cheeks is Guerlain Terracotta Light Blondes 01 Halees.  I'm still not sure if I can pull off bronzer as blush - but heck, some days I just want to and I don't really care.  The glow from it was really nice.

Cocoa is kind of magical with my eyes, I'm starting to think.  LOVE IT.

On my lips I am wearing Shisiedo Lacquer Rouge in Sunstone 312.  The formula on these is just plain awesome.  They are long wearing, light feeling, and do not dry my lips.  I highly recommend them.

Last, but not least, is Friday's look.  This one features Illamasqua's Paranormal palette (green and purple shades).  The palette is really creamy.  I'd say more cream texture than it is powder.  The shadows I used are decently pigmented yet somewhat hard to work with.  I also experienced minor creasing.  Not too happy about that!  The colors are really gorgeous, though, so I'm sure I will try to make them work again in the future.  :)

I used UD Kush lightly over top of the green Illa color, hoping to minimize any creasing.  RBR Gracious Arasari was in the crease with Too Faced Cocoa Star in the outer corner.  On the lowers, I smudged the purple Illa color into a blue-purple Sephora Flashy liner pencil.  UD Uzi was on the very inner corner and Virgin was my brow highlight.  Also, I lined the uppers with UD Mildew pencil.

I actually really like all the colors on my face here and find them to be nicely harmonious.  My blush was Tarte Tipsy powder and my lipstick was a combination of Tarte Buff and Achiote pencils.

I look extra glowy here because I was HOT!  Also, I learned that I do not love Clinique's CC Cream with BECCA Mineral over top.  It was okay, it just didn't wear as flawlessly through the day as I had hoped.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Let me know if you have questions about anything that I used that is not mentioned, or anything at all, really.

Moulin Rouge

Face:
Smashbox Dark Spot Correcting Primer
Make Up For Ever HD 110
Illamasqua concealer 115
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1
Nars Light Reflecting Loose Powder

Cheeks:
Dior Aurora 01
Illamasqua Naked Rose
Too Faced Smurf Illuminating Powder

Eyes:
Nars eye primer
Too Faced Romantic Palette -
Soulmates (highlights)
Cut the Cake (lid)
I Do (crease and smudged into liner on lowers)
Un-Veil (outer corner and "v")
MUFE Aqua Eyes 11L (smudged into uppers)
MUFE Aqua Eyes 19L (lowers)
Jordana brown pen liner (close to lashes on uppers)
Stila black pen liner (tight line)
Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base
Laura Mercier Faux Lash
CG Clump Crusher water resistant (lowers)
Hourglass Arch brow pencil Soft Brunette

Lips:
UD Ozone pencil
MUFE Moulin Rouge Rouge Artist Intense


I sloppily applied my lipstick straight from the bullet.  I really need to learn to just do the right thing and use a brush!  I adore this lipstick.  It wore quite nicely and only dried my lips very minimally by the end of the day.  I touched up the center of my lips every few hours and after eating, of course.

The HD foundation surprised me because I didn't hate it.  I have not worn it in a long time and the last times I had tried it, I was really displeased with how it wore, especially in my t-zone.  It always got so shiny so quickly!  This time around, I did get a little shiny midday, so I used a blotting paper on my nose.  Near the end of the day I was shiny in my t-zone, so I used another blotting paper.  Otherwise, it was comfortable and looked really great.  I might keep playing around with it to see if I can come up with an even better combination of primer and powder.  And blotting twice a day isn't necessarily a huge annoyance for me.  My neck looks super white and even yellow compared to my face, in these pictures.  I can assure you that it was a really good looking match in person.  (I swear!)  Also, in my defense, pasty neck never looks its best when up against the stark black work shirt.

I want to try and wear more red lips.  I don't think I wear enough.  It's tough, though, since I love so many different lip colors and finishes!

Thanks for stopping by!

Purple Hurts So Good

Face:
GA Fluid Master Primer
VL Water Canvas Porcelain
Illamasqua concealer 115 (spots)
BareMinerals Stroke of Light Luminous 1 (under eye)
Nars Light Reflecting Powder Loose

Cheeks:
Dior Aurora 01 bronzer
Stila Custom Color Blush
Tokidoki Luminosa

Eyes:
Nars eye primer
BareMinerals Ready eyeshadow quad The Dream Sequence -
cream - inner corner and brow bone
matte purple - lid
iridescent purple - crease and smudged into liner on lowers
shimmer taupe/purple - a tiny bit on the inner lowers
UD Perversion pencil e/l (uppers with iridescent e/s smudged into it)
UD Psychedelic Sister pencil e/l (lowers, under iridescent e/s)
UD Asphyxia pencil e/l (waterline - pointless, should have skipped)
Stila Stay All Day black liner pen
Hourglass Arch Soft Brunette
Benefit They're Real!
CoverGirl Clump Crusher water resistant (lowers)

Lips:
Lip Fusion gloss in Crave (these fo' sho do plump!)


Not long after I took these rather lovely pictures my eyes began to water and became irritated.  I couldn't say which of my multiple of purples caused the problem, but they continued to water and be angry for many, long hours.  I regret that I did not just take it all off, despite being busy at work.  I digress.  Most makeup lovers probably know that purple pigments can be dicey as they often contain red pigments, which are notoriously irritating to the eyes.  I find that about half the time I'm just fine and half the time I'm not.  In any case, I shall not give up on purples.  I love them too, too much!  Today I've let my eyes rest and recover and I will be back and up to no good with the purples again tomorrow, no doubt.  :)

How fab does the Vincent Longo Water Canvas foundation look in the photos here?  I'm impressed.  It was getting a little oogly on me around the nine or ten hour mark (some shininess and mild breakdown), but really, that's not shabby at all.  Also, that might have been the primer's fault.  I still haven't decided how well the Armani does for me in terms of longevity, while I know I do love its silky feel initially.  Also, I am so pleased with how the Water Canvas literally feels cool, moist, and refreshing as it's being applied.

Let me know your thoughts about any of this!  And thanks for stopping by!