Tip Tuesday

One of my daily beauty essentials is an eye base primer from Trish McEvoy. This beloved product also drives me nuts due to the applicator. It can't reach the bottom quarter or top quarter of the contents- often wasting a lot of product.

People I'm sure reach for Q-Tips in this situation- which I experience additionally with a lot of my lip glosses, but then there are fuzz balls. Fuzz balls is your lipgloss are quite annoying. I use a metal make-up spatula to scoop every drop out. It's a professional tool, but you can find sculptor's spatulas at your local craft store.

They're narrow enough to fit in the openings of most beauty tubes. Which when you think of it, with a prestige product averaging over $20 a piece is a great tool to invest in at under $10. I always say it's expensive being a woman- what with all the upkeep, so I hope this little tip will save you a few dollars!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Laura Mercier's Eye Canvas

Oh how I love an eyeshadow primer! Or a good one that is. I wear a shadow primer each & every day, whether I'm wearing shadow or not. A good primer with smooth & even out skin tone in one fail swoop. My tried & true Trish McEvoy brightens & wakes up my eye area like none other. That is, until maybe now. There's a new contender in town: I'm quite excited for Laura Mercier's new Eye Canvas. Pot container aside(boo!), it promises to neutralize discoloration with a foundation like coverage while being smudge & crease proof. It also is specifically for oily skinned gals like moi- rejoice! It goes one step further in saying it will help smooth those pesky little fine lines to create, yup- you guessed it: the perfect canvas for make-up application. Pretty tall order, but coming from the creator of the Secret Camouflage Concealer- I have high hopes! It comes in five shade selections & is available now for $26.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Wish List

Wow- I'm in the mall so infrequently I almost forgot about Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale going on now! Though I'm trying to cut back on my beauty purchases since I have enough make-up to last me my lifetime, the offers are too good to pass up! Let's start with this Clinique kit- if you love soft pinks & purples, this is right up your alley! This kit offers both skincare & make-up for only $45 {I would set these aside for great holiday gifts!}

Often it kits there's a dud or two, Bobbi Brown's is a slam dunk if you gravitate towards peaches & browns- all great wearable colors & basics that won't gather dust. This kit is very affordable for her line coming in at only $80.

I'm a sucker for anything quilted & I go thru liner like no one's business wearing my cat eye almost everyday. The credit card sized cream liner compact builds your make-up wardrobe & a girl can never have too much gloss or mascara! This Smashbox collection is a steal of a deal at $59.


I adore Trish McEvoy's Eye Base Essentials & a deluxe travel size is included in her Timeless Beauty kit, complete with red bow organizer for $125. Have you popped over to the Nordstrom page & taken a peek? What caught your eye- do tell! Worth noting- Estee Lauder has a nice GWP so if you already use their stuff, it's time to stock up! Happy Shopping!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Fabulous Finds Friday

I scooped up this mini Trish McEvoy kit when I was headed off to Punta Cana this past January.{*sigh* wish I was there now!} I wanted an easy brush set that I could travel with & it fit the bill, while coming in the adorable champagne quilted zip case to boot! This set was around $85, though it also included a credit card size compact with 4 shadows & a powder blush.

The brushes are basically the length of my palm & include a liner brush, an all over powder brush, a contour eye brush & a retractable lip brush.

But looky at what we just got in at the boutique! Almost the exact same brush kit in classic Chanel quilted black. It's the perfect size to grab & go for quick summer weekend getaways!

Here's the kit next to a quarter so you can get a true feel for the size. I actually like ours better since ours has a shadow brush that can double as a contour brush, as well. Having the liner brush on such a petite handle also makes it easy to get into the corners of the eye. Best of all-

our steal of a deal price is only $18. Who doesn't love Fabulous Finds! Happy Friday Girleens.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Trish McEvoy

This week I had the opportunity to take an advanced artistry class from none other than Trish McEvoy! The petite make-up maven spoke for two hours about how shes creates the perfect face using concealing, highlighting & contouring techniques. Though I live & breathe beauty as a professional make-up artist, I think it's always important to keep learning!

I scooped up Cream & White Peach small shadows, as well as deluxe sized shadows in Demure & Shell for my kit. They're beautiful soft shadows that will be perfect for bridal make-up.

Of course, I also treated myself to a little something! I picked up her adorable mini voyager. The gold Chanel inspired zippered bag holds a credit card sized compact with four mini shadows- Shell, Cream, Cashmere, Blossom and Easy Going blush, a soft rose.

Also inside are 4 mini brushes- brush 48 blending, brush 23 angled crease contour, brush 50 angled lining & covered lip brush + a mini version of her Sexy Petal lipgloss. This will be perfect to take with me on vacation- only 46 days to go! Until then I have to just settle for weekends- speaking of, what are you beauties up to this weekend?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Nordstrom Gifts with Purchase

My beauties know, I am powerless to resist a good gift with purchase(& sometimes not even so good!) I don't know what comes over me, but I must have them. I love it when companies come up with a tricky dollar amount to hit, so I end up with 2 products I didn't really need & a gift full of stuff I won't really use. Luckily for the recent Nordstrom GWPs - I was pleasantly surprised! This Lancome gift has some great basics- who doesn't need eye make-up remover, as well as make-up in soft universal shades. I'm super picky about mascara, so I'll throw that in my kit.
This Estee Lauder gift with purchase is one of the best I've seen in a while. A nice sheer gloss & soft pink lipstick are perfect for summer time. The blush & highlighter trio is super wearable & great to help your skin achieve that summer glow. The trio can also easily double as eyeshadows. The cleanser is the perfect weekend getaway size, too!

All of those goodies came in this adorable bag, too when you spent just $29! I really don't use the Estee Lauder brand very much, so it was a smart move to put together such a great gift to attract potential new customers. The fabric of the bag is almost identical to Trish McEvoy's kits that start at $85. This is a fabulous find, so I'd scoop it up if you still can!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Nordstrom Beauty Haull

So I guess I know myself pretty well, since I picked up exactly what I said I would at the Nordstrom Sale! Interestingly enough I had originally picked this Bobbi Brown kit($75) up for my sister's birthday. But in comparison to the promo picture I felt the brown is very warm & coppery in person, but the majority of the kit is very cool in undertones...
So I flip flopped & decided to give her this Trish McEvoy kit($85). This kit is perfect for fall & the warm eyeshadow shades will compliment her hazel eyes beautifully! Whether you have warm or cool undertones, both of the kits are a great value each worth over $130 if sold separately.Kits are a great way to try out a good portion of products, as long as you'll wear the majority of the shades. If you know you won't it's not worth it or save some of the pieces for stocking stuffers! What have you guys picked up at the Nordies Sale?
Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Wishlist Wednesday

The Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale starts this Friday girleens & they have some amazing make-up collections! This Blue & Brown kit ($75)from Bobbi Brown has everything you need for a classic, yet gorgeous look. There's not a dud in the batch! If the blue in the eyeshadow kit makes you a little nervous, just use it as a liner.

I have to hand it to Trish McEvoy, she keeps coming out with her adorable planner collections (& did anyone catch her cameo on Gossip Girl this past season?!) These shadows are neutral, but with dimension & great texture to keep them from being boring. This small kit($85) also includes her new undereye concealer which I'm dying to try! Most of you know how much I heart her lid primers, a mini is included.

Here's the bigger bag ($95)that includes face shades, as well to give an all over soft sensual glow. Again everything in this kit is a winner with everything being very wearable. A little secret? Estee Lauder's GWP looks very much like this bag, so if you love it, but want to save some moolah- keep your eyes out for that. I couldn't find a picture to upload, but I'll be snatching it up! Also Lancome has a nice GWP as well, so I will be stocking up on some concealers. Have you seen the sale catalog? What will you be scooping up my beauties?
Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Make-Up Must Have Monday

I am powerless to resist (and my friends were not aiding in the willpower department, either!) Three of us picked up this limited edition kit from Trish McEvoy during a recent Nordstrom's event.

The light blue shadow initially looked a little scary, but the rest of the kit is packed with incredibly wearable colors. The two center powders are definite winners- on the left is a brightening powder & on the right is a gorgeous shadow called Diamond. This gal loves diamonds in any form! A very light nude gloss & a travel size of my beloved Trish shadow primer in Bare rounded out the package.

Here I did a very soft look using all of the shadows. I used the Diamond shadow in almost a rainbow shape in the crease & brought it down into the corner of the eye. That intimidating bright blue? I applied it in a sheer wash across the lid, which actually really brightened the whites of the eyes. I then softly smudged the navy liner on the top lashes & followed with several coats of mascara. All in all, especially when considering the price of individual Trish products, this was a steal of a deal at $95. Sometimes with kits, you end up with half of it being colors you wouldn't use- which is definitely not the case here. Speaking of cases, isn't the turquoise snake organizer deliciously fun? Perfect for quick little summer get aways!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

In the Blink of an Eye

I have been somewhat obsessed with lid primers lately... I had never really used them very much before, but now I turn to them to keep my shadow vibrant throughout the day. I love intense eyes & nude glossy lips! I've tried quite a few lately, & here are my thoughts... Too Faced's Shadow insurance definitely offers more longevity than without. You can also use it to secure some glitter on your lid( you know mama loves her sparkle!)

Probably the most well known shadow primer is Urban Decay's Shadow Potion. It has gotten rave reviews, so what did I do? I went out and bought, in the XL or super sized version no less. Alas, the love affair wasn't there for me. It's not that it didn't work in holding the shadow in place, the issue was I actually thought that it made my lids look more 'crepey' than in reality. Anyone who knows me has heard me say that I'm allergic to aging, so no thank you to crinkly texture!

Trish McEvoy's is still by far, my favorite. It offers smooth coverage, with opaque coverage so you can wear it all by itself. I have it in 5 different shades- need I say more?The only tip, is that it sets quickly, so you need to work quickly to blend it!

Peace. Love. Primer. M

Confessions of a Beauty Junkie

Now I'm in trouble! I was trying so hard to be good, really I was! Then I found out Neiman Marcus is also having a beauty event as we speak and all bets are off! Cuter bag(sorry Saks, they win this go around-I will be getting the darker denim version!)? Check. Gift with Chloe perfume purchase? Check.

What's on my wishlist? Trish McEvoy's Little Black Card in Champagne Truffle looks like a great collection, chock full of wearable colors I will actually use. Not one dud in the offering!

Neiman Marcus also carries the hard to find Armani Beauty line(always an Allure Magazine favorite for their foundations) This shadow palette looks to die for and is appropriately named "Eyes to Kill." With a palette like this, you wouldn't need any others(I shudder at the thought!)

This gorgeous Guerlain palette. I wouldn't want to even use it! I think I need to start displaying products like these around my home! This is beautiful enough to be in anyone's art collection! Since snow is headed our way again *sigh* it definitely looks like I'll be seeking comfort in a little online retail therapy!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

The Glammies!

Happy New Year's Eve my beauties! Are my gorgeous girleens getting gussied up for this evening's festivities? What are your go to products for glamming it up? Welcome to the 1st annual Glammies, my glamour awards featuring products that I couldn't live without this year! I try a LOT of beauty products, I just can't stop myself! This year's top honors go to:

Urban Decay's 24/7 liners(above). At last count I had over a dozen of these lip & eyeliners known for their amazing staying power. Perfect for lining the inner rim or waterline of your eye, which I feel is a must in creating the perfect smokey eye.

J'adore Illamasqua's cake liner- it's rich & decadent. I get the most fabulous jet black cat eye ever from this line from the U.K. that recently made its debut stateside. I am tapping my foot impatiently waiting for the launch of new colors, as I have all 3.

Being True Mineral Foundation (above) for it's natural gorgeous coverage, SPF 17 & anti-aging anitoxidants that are infused with the minerals. My go to for each & every day!

Being True Blush in Apricot- this imparts the most perfect peachy glow, while the esthetician in me loves that it's mineral makeup & good for my skin!

I recently discovered this finishing powder due to its rave reviews across the board from fellow make-up artists. It glides on, reduces the appearance of your pores, fine line & wrinkles- all while leaving your skin touchably soft!

Don't let the bright yellow of the Correcteur shade fool you. This Lancome concealer is perfect for neutralizing the redness resulting from pimples or broken capillaries, while having the sheerest of texture. I always have a few tubes on hand.

After recently trying several shadow primers(stay tuned for my review), I am sold on Trish McEvoys. It leaves the lid smooth while offering enough coverage to use it without shadow. On my days off I throw this & mascara on...it makes such a difference.

This undereye concealer from Clinique packs a lot of coverage in a tiny tube. Even the most stubborn undereye circles are no match! Added bonus? It moisturizes while helping with puffiness. Woo hoo!

This lip lacquer from Paul & Joe is our latest obsession at the spa. It brightens the face instantly with a super glossy, yet sheer wash of color. It is delicious & a best seller.

The Matte side of this highlighting pencil is heaven. Use it on the brow bone to wake up your eyes or on the lid as a shadow base. I heart this pencil so! Tell me gals...what is your most favorite product? What deserves a Glammie in your book? Comment & be entered to win a mini brow kit from Anastasia that includes a mini of my beloved Camilla Highlighting Pencil. Have fun tonight Gorgeous Girls!

Peace. Love. Glammies. M