It Cosmetics

Earlier in the month, QVC hosted a charity fundraising event for Cancer and Careers. All proceeds from the 2 hour show packed full of beauty treats went to this amazing organization that helps those struggling with cancer continue to work & live their lives to the fullest extent.

Always up for a new make-up product while giving back,  It Cosmetics Luxe Performance Eyeshadow Palette with 12 eyeshadows caught my 'eye' so I scooped it up. What drew me to the palette was the added bonus of the shadows being infused with their Age Reverse & Prevent Complex. The eyes are definitely a worry for me when it comes to aging- I would say they're my main concern besides hyperpigmentation.

What the complex offers is skincare benefits like hydrolyzed collagen along with vitamins A, C & E  melded together with the pigments. There are what I consider 3 cooler toned shadows beginning at the top, 5 warmer toned shadows following those & then 4 definer shadows. Even just brushed dry on my arm, these four definers at the bottom pack some punch! When wet or using a transforming liquid they become even more opaque & intense.

For a soft day look, I used Earth Angel on the inner lid, Romance on the outer lid, then went with Cashmere & Satin Sunshine on the brow bone.

I finished off the look by using Jet Black smudged along the lash line with a dollop of that Azure cobalt blue to brighten, as well. You can really be a mixologist with this compilation & it's a great value with the shadows coming in at right around $3/each!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Anastasia: Want You To Want Me Palette

Mark my words, if Anastasia of Beverly Hills keeps up with their amazing line of make-up launches, they will start to become a big player in the prestige market. I used to associate Anastasia with only brows- now I think awesome glosses & shadows. Speaking of shadows....

Check out her holiday Want You To Want Me eye offering. The packaging alone makes you feel like royalty! Nestled inside a velvet latched box, lies a 9 pan shadow palette, clear brow gel, liquid liner & dual ended brush.

The shadows consist of soft chocolately browns & regal purples. As a gift, this set looks like a million bucks, but comes in at an affordable $34.

The esthetician in me loves the fact that Anastasia's shadows offer skin care benefits with their Youthful Synergy Complex! Smoother, firmer eye area while sporting sumptuous color? Yes, please! Shades left to right, top to bottom: Platform Wedge, Front Row Center, Ziggy, Members Only, Power Ballad, Jellies, Graphic T's, Brass in Pocket & Iron On. I often use Members Only as brow powder & Iron On wet or dry for liner.  Is this palette going on your wishlist for Santa?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Fabulous Finds Friday: Maybelline

With a coupon burning a hole in my pocket, I scooped up this Maybelline Eyestudio compact recently at Ulta. I had high hopes after the girl at checkout said, "Ohhh I love these."

The compact didn't disappoint- high payoff in terms of color vibrancy with the exception being the highlighter (on top) coming in beautifully sheer with specks of gold glitter.

 I applied the darkest to the lightest shadows working from the outside in & then blended for a gradient look. I also used the darkest shade wet as my liner. This compact is a steal of a deal even regularly priced at $10.99. I played it safe with this selection of nudes called Caffeine Rush, but there are tons of funky shades that will be perfect for creating Halloween looks!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Revlon Colorstay Mascara

I'm a big fan of Revlon's Colorstay family of products. Their eyeshadows rock, in fact I wish they'd launch more colors! Always in search of a mascara that doesn't end up making me look like like I'm on the football team, I picked up their new Colorstay Overtime Masacara.

Below I am sporting the mascara at the beginning of the day, which had a nice brush & smooth application.  I put more coats on the top lashes & less on the lower lashes.

Here's my mascara at the end of a busy day that involved yard work in muggy 90 degree weather, getting a massage (complete with my faced smushed into a face rest for an hour) & getting caught in a rain storm. I was pretty impressed it wasn't all over my face.

When I say, it stays on- it stays on. Here's a shot after cleansing my face twice in the shower & using my Almay Oil Free Make-Up Remover Pads & there's still mascara on my lashes! Thank goodness I had some Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil on hand or I would have been sleeping with it on!  This mascara doesn't list that it's waterproof on the package- but it pretty much is all things resistant! The only reason I'll continue my never ending quest in finding that perfect stay put mascara, is that I don't love mascaras that are so hard to get off it puts my actual lashes in jeopardy! If you use Lancome's BiFacil Remover- I'm sure you'll be good to go.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Anastasia's She Wears It Well Palette

 

Anastasia of Beverly Hills (brow guru to Kim Kardashian) has unveiled this new limited edition She Wears It Well shadow palette.  You get a generous amount of product & a nice brush for $34.

This palette has such a classic shade selection. Sometimes there's a shade that you never touch in a palette, this has all wearable neutrals. It's like a box of yummy chocolates perfect for summer bronze looks, that will then transition perfectly into fall.

Trophy is on my lid, Foxy in the crease & Frosting is on the brow bone. I even used the Toffee shade to fill in my brows & the Onyx shade wet for my liner. What really makes me happy are the shimmer shadows. Anastasia's shimmer shadows feature her Youthful Synergy Complex which is clinically proven 'to firm, hydrate and reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles.'

  Here are the delicious shimmers from left: Trophy, Latte, Glow, Foxy, Sunset & Frosting. As you all know I am "allergic" to aging & the delicate eye area tends to be the first place a lady shows some wear & tear.  We have no sebaceous (oil) glands around the eye area- so it lacks any natural moisturizing factor. I'm adamant about preventative care, but few make-up companies incorporate anti-aging benefits into their eye products like Anastasia. It easy to see why with this collection, any one can wear it well!

Peace. Love Lipgloss.

Anastasia See or Be Seen Kit

Isn't this new Anastasia kit so summer!  The See or Be Seen limited edition kit includes 2 of their Hydrafull Liglosses in Heiress & Plastic, an Illumin8 Eyeshadow Duo in On Set & their Tinted Brow Gel in Caramel.  

As we head into hotter(read humid) weather, I love to pare down the amount of products I use.  I love vivid sheer glosses to instantly brighten up my look. The Hydrafull glosses in this kit just remind me of popsicles! Each gloss retails for $18 each & nearly pay for the entire cost of the kit at $44.

  These glosses are incredibly vibrant & have a patent like appearance, without being sticky. They boost some serious staying power, and as they wear off they leave a stain on the lips that rivals most stain only products! Top shade is Heiress, a gorgeous watermelon hue. Bottom shade is Plastic, which reminds me of a Barbie doll pink.

The Illumin8 EyeShadow Duo in On Set features a coppery bronze palette. One shade is a soft rose gold, the other is like a copper penny. These shadows have serious color payoff. I also love that Anastasia shadows boost skincare benefits to the delicate eye area. We show age first around the eye area, yet it's often neglected! I use Anastasia's brow powders often to perfect my brows,  however this is my first foray into using a tinted brow gel.  The Caramel shade in this kit is unusual in that it's metallic.  It definitely tones down my brunette brows, but it's not the right shade for me-I think it's more ideal for blonds. This kit is not for those faint of heart. But for those out there who appreciate serious color payoff, this limited edition summer kit is right up your alley - grab it before it's gone!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M
*kit gifted for review
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Jouer Cosmetics

Henri Bendel's has a crack like effect on me. Major addiction. I seriously cannot go into the flagship store in NYC without making something mine.  This go around I decided to try Jouer, a cosmetics company known for the ability to connect their individual compacts into customizable palettes.

I picked up the limited edition Blushing Beauty Palette, which consists of the Whisper Tint/ Feather Highlighter duo, Chocolate/Peach Eyeshadow duo, Sheer Matte Touch Powder & Bronzer duo + Cherish Lipgloss. In this picture all of the pieces are actually connected. Worth mentioning- I think I got a lot of prestige product for the price of $58.

Here I am sporting the shadows, powder/bronzer duo & gloss. The colors are neutral classics.  I could see a lot of brides sporting this collection for the summer wedding season now upon us. Though it's listed currently as out of stock on Jouer's website, I would call Bendel's & see if they can ship it to you. It's pure loveliness!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Fabulous Finds Friday: Nyx

NYX is a cosmetics line that is slowly, but surely gaining a spot in my heart.  In my neck of the woods, I can only find it in Ulta & they don't even carry the entire line.  However, what I've been able to get my hands on has been prestige quality pigment at a mass price point.

So I did a little happy dance when Movie Girl got me this Nyx collection for my birthday.  The Nude on Nude collection boasts 20 neutral shadows that easily give Urban Decay's Naked Palettes a run for their money. 10 shades of lip cremes round out this extensive collection for $25. Yes, half the cost of the Naked Palettes.

This collection houses an entire wardrobe of color at your fingertips.  One end of the spectrum is covered with neutrals & the other end offers intense smokey options.  The lip cremes are great soft colors to match whatever eye look you come up with. This collection is a fabulous basic to have if you're just starting out building your kit, but it has the power to make a seasoned artist like myself swoon.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Must Have Make-Up Monday: GloMineral's Alloy Shadow Collection

I often buy shadow kits or compacts because they're such a great value. Sometimes however, you favor a few shades & the rest remain untouched. GloMinerals' Alloy Shadow Compact ($44) has nary a dud in sight, rather it's full of your classic go to shades for the perfect smokey eye. I love that the compact isn't huge either- it's roughly the size of my iPhone. Does anyone else think men must design some of the compacts out there? Because there is no way a woman would make a huge compact- we want to be able to throw it in our purse or take it with us when we travel, without it being super bulky!

For a quick smokey eye, I took the 2 shades in the upper right hand corner- Enigma & Tuxedo and patted them on the natural contours of my eyelid. Then I smudged what was left on the brush along my lower lash line. I used the bottom right shade, Jet, to line my lashes & lower waterline- then topped with mascara. This compact has simple neutrals for day & the intense versions for night- it's a win win. In fact, I'll probably have this compact on hand when I teach my Smokey Eye Class next week at La Papillon- there are only 3 spots left, so if you live in the Baltimore area grab one of the last remaining seats!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M
*Compact gifted for review

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

Lorac 3D Liquid Luster

Even when I'm 80, my love affair with all things sparkly will still be going strong! I'm lucky that as a make-up artist, I can pretty much wear whatever look I want to work. I know those in finance might not be able to get away with some of the things I can! Still there are times, I want to glam up my day look in a jiffy! When I spotted Lorac's 3D Liquid Lustre it looked like a magical potion.

I just shake it & then I put a tiny bit from the dropper on to my hand. As you can see- it's packed with sparkle! Worth the mention, it really stays put.

Here's my eye make-up at the end of a work day. I had been running around like a mad woman, as we were getting ready for our holiday party. I was already running late & I needed a quick pick me up!

I patted on the diamond like Lustre to my eyelids gently with my ring finger.

It really spruced my look up, I added a quick application of a coral gloss & I was good to go! This is a perfect sparkle option to ring in the New Year with or to keep in your purse to take your look easily from day to night!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

LORAC Bejeweled Day & Night Jewelry Box

It's that time of the year *swoon* when some of my favorite lines launch their holiday collections! Armed recently with a 20% Sephora coupon, I did some major damage online. On my list of acquisitions: Lorac's Bejeweled Day & Night Jewelry Box Collection{$56}. I must say when I opened the box my first thought was, " Holy Toddlers and Tiaras!" It looked a little bit more, ahem, elegant online.

I wanted to keep an open mind, as I adore Lorac's buttery shadows. Opening the drawers my hopes lifted a little when I spotted the sparkly day & night palettes.

Upon lifting the top of the Steel Magnolia themed jewelry box, there was a bronzer meant for a giant & 2 rather frosted lipglosses.

Just to be honest, I do love some sparkle as seen here on my cell phone case. The shadow palettes were beautiful on the outside.

But when I opened them, I was disappointed to see how small the actual shadows were. I would have preferred less shades, for a little more product.

Lorac's shadows are lovely. I'm sporting some of the coppery colors from the Day compact.

The Night compact's color shades.

Here's a closer look at the gorgeous shades & actual size, which as you can see most shadow brushes wouldn't fit into completely! I felt like this entire collection had been put into production in a big rush. Quality of product aside(because it is there), this kit just isn't user friendly. Giant bronzers, tiny shadows- the layout is off. The box is not what I would call a keepsake, either. If you want tons of options, in one time use sizing- buy it. Otherwise, skip this one as there are tons of winners that I'll be showing you this holiday season!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Nars Arabian Nights

As a make-up artist, I tend to steer away away from pink shadows. Often pinks, when used near the eyes can make them look bloodshot. However, upon spotting Nars' limited edition Arabian Nights {$45} trio I was pretty enchanted.

I had held off scooping it up until I swatched the palette at Sephora. The colors appeared like regal jewels on my finger tips & the collection had to be mine!

The next day I eagerly delved into the compact, ready to create a major bejeweled smokey eye. The oddest thing happened. After applying my standard eye shadow primer, I patted the magenta shade on inner portion of my lid. What appeared? A deep, matte black color. No sparkle whatsoever. Confused I tried the purple shade on the middle of my lid- matte black again! Just to round out the trio I tried the deepest shade on the outer corner of my lid. Want to guess? This picture shows all three shades applied, which all look the same. Not one to give up without a fight, I attempted again without the primer, thinking that might have thrown the colors off. Nope. Still matte black appeared. I have no idea why this happened, but I must say I was extremely bummed. Alas, these shadows are not what they seem- I'd recommend taking a pass on this one.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Make-Up Must Have Monday

Sometimes I'm captivated with a beauty product in its packaging, but often feel that it doesn't live up to all of my hopes when applied. Shimmery goodness sometimes doesn't even show up or worse it shows up by having fallout all over my cheeks, when it's supposed to be on my eyes!

This is my first purchase of h.wood beauty. I stumbled upon the line while I was in a euphoric shopper's craze in Henri Bendel's in NYC. The line is all natural & organic. I actually had another line's eyeshadow in my hand that I was getting ready to buy, that looked just as pretty in the compact & the brand was more well known.

But when I swatched both brands on my hand- h.wood's paid off colorwise, while the other barely showed up. I've been reaching for the shade, called Beverly, pretty much on a daily basis. It has an almost foil like sheen to it, like when you mix water with loose minerals intensity wise- though it doesn't make my eyelid look crepey. It's like candlelight wherever you place it & let's face it - we could all use a little more light in our life.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M