I have really been neglecting this blog, it's been almost a year since I've posted anything and I really miss rambling endlessly about beauty products. Here are some posts I'm planning:
-Lizzie Olsen inspired makeup tutorial
-Various product reviews (benefit blushes, Ulta lip products, and various Elf things)
-a festive new years eve look
I got a set of Urban Decay eyeliner's (I gave two to my mom so this isn't the complete set) but I really love them, as do most people, so I decided to do some swatches of these for anyone interested.
color names (from left to right): lucifer, speed blue, razor gray, tequila, sinner, rad purple, leather, and galeano)
I ordered this palette with some early Christmas money I got, and it came in the mail today. I was so stoked when I saw the Sephora box at my door because it's been a very long time since I have bought any kind of eyeshadow palette and it was about time for me to get a new one, and after using this today I am very happy I chose it. After ripping open the package and sifting through my free samples, I dove into creating my first look and was very surprised at how pigmented and how easy to blend these eyeshadows are. I knew this would be a good palette but I didn't think it would immediately become a favorite (which it did). As I said, I did my eyes first thing in the morning when the package arrived, and just took my makeup off an hour ago so after 12 hours of wearing these colors, they did not fade at all and looked flawless. These are shimmer shadows (and although I'm a matte lover) I could get used to these. The shimmer doesn't overpower the shadow by being overly glitzy, it is good to know it doesn't look like I'm wearing a disco ball on my eyes. These shadows are smooth, not chalky at all, and a dream to use, it's a crazy good product.
I stopped using liquid foundation a few weeks ago because it doesn't do well for my oily skin, but I thought I would do a review of these just for fun. First of all we have CoverGirls Clean Sensitive Skin makeup in #210 (Classic Ivory) and Neutrogena's Healthy Skin liquid makeup in #10 (Classic Ivory).
The Comparison
The first major comparison that I have between these two foundations is the consistency. CoverGirl's makeup is more thick than Neutrogena's. I found that CoverGirls makeup stayed in place when I placed it on a makeup sponge while Neutrogena's makeup was runny and slid down the sponge (see below)
Note: the foundation on the left is Neutrogena, notice how it is runny. The right is CoverGirl and it has a thick consistency that kept it in it's position.
Also, the CoverGirl makeup is oil free, and I really noticed this. I'm not saying that the Neutrogena makeup was extremely greasy but it did feel more oily than CoverGirls. However, Neutrogena's makeup gave me a lot more coverage with the same amount of foundation as CoverGirls. I have red cheeks, and the Neutrogena makeup evened out my skin tone completely while the CoverGirl makeup muted the color while not completely eliminating it. Additionally, even though both of these foundations are in the same shade of Classic Ivory CoverGirl has more pink undertones while Neutrogena has more yellow undertones, this didn't affect me really but it's just a bit of information that might be helpful to someone.
The left is CoverGirl while the right is Neutrogena (both colors blended very well and matched my skintone with ease)
Finally, CoverGirl is hypoallergenic and is for sensitive skin while Neutrogena has SPF 20 (which is fantastic! I love when makeup has an spf because protecting your skin is always important) and apparently helps clear up your skin. I'll be honest, I've never worn this long enough to see if this was true because liquid foundations make me break out and wreak havoc on my skin (this is more of a personal problem, not a problem due to the foundations because everyone has different skin types).So, I really cannot say one of these foundations is better than the other because it's all about preference. If you like good coverage and don't mind a foundation that has a slight oily feeling when applying go for Neutrogena, but if you want something light feeling with light coverage go for CoverGirl.
Today I realized my hair was kind of coarse and not very voluminous, my first thought was to try to find a cheap salon to get some sort of treatment but I won't have the funds for a few weeks, and I wanted awesome hair as soon as possible so I attended the University of Google and found some great treatments (I mixed and matched some recipes). I made a simple egg hair treatment mixture and now my hair is bouncy, soft and wonderful. If you're interested in the concoction you can google it or just use this one.
1. Seperate your egg, put egg whites in one bowl and the yolk in the other.
Yolks
Egg Whites
2. Whisk the egg whites until they are frothy, then pour them in the cup.
3. Whisk the yolk like you're making scrambled eggs and add it to the cup
4. Add two teaspoons of Olive Oil to the cup, and two teaspoons of honey
(either add two teaspoons or one tablespoon)
5. Mix concoction
Directions (on using the mix):
1. Shampoo your hair like normal
2. Rub this stuff on your hair, and leave it for a few minutes
3. Rinse of with cold water thoroughly, you don't want anything left in your hair!
That's it really, the egg has vitamins in it that is great for your hair and gives it a nice sleek smooth shine while the olive oil makes it nice and soft, I added the honey so the mixture was not runny so if you don't have any honey you can ommit that step. I know this seems a little gross (I was really apprehensive to put egg on my hair) but it works really well, and as long as you rinse your hair thoroughly everything will be fine.
I remember when I was first dipping my feet into the cosmetic world I didn’t know much, and it took a lot of buying bad products, or products I never really used to finally get the perfect combination of items I loved. I thought I would make life a little easier for anyone who is just getting started in make-up and wants to know a few basics that are helpful.
1.Concealer
I think that foundation can be omitted in most cases, it’s fun to have but it’s not really a must have for someone just starting out. Concealer, however, is a bit important because it’s so versatile. You can use it to hide under eye circles, blemishes, and as an eyeshadow base. My favorite concealer is Almays Bright Eyes Concealer, it’s technically an undereye concealer and eye base, but I use it for my blemishes too and it works just fine.
Almays Bright Eyes Concealer: $5
2.Mascara
If there is one item that is truly important to have, I think it’s mascara. If you just apply mascara and nothing else, you automatically make your eyes pop and it is an easy step. Mascara comes in so many shapes and forms, you have ones for length, volume, both, etc. It’s really hard to recommend mascara because everyone likes different things but one that I am quite fond of is L’Oreal’s Voluminous mascara, I’ve been using this brand for over a year and the product has never clumped up on me, it also makes my lashes look fantastic without making them look spider legs! Also remember to dispose of your mascara every 3 months because it does go bad and you don’t want to get an eye infection.
L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara: $7
3.Eye Liner
Like Mascara, eye liner brings drama to your eyes in a subtle way, and most drug store brands will not cost you much. My favorite brand is Almay’s because it goes on very smoothly and is easy to smudge!
Almay Eyeliner: $8
4.Blush
Like Mascara, Blush can make you look very fresh and put together, it gives your face color and brightens up your look a bit. I used to be afraid of blush because I didn’t want to look too clown-like but once I learned the art of “less is more” it became a favorite of mine. I think a good basic day blush would be a neutral one that is not too pink but more peachy. I recommend Revlon Matte Blush as a good one to start out with. I’m a fan of this because it’s matte which mean there’s no shimmer to it (like there is with some CoverGirl blushes) and there’s a great color selection.
Revlon Matte Blush: $10
5.Neutral Eye Palette
When I was a youngin’ getting into makeup I was always nervous about eye palettes, when I had no eyeshadow I didn’t know which ones to purchase. Now I think the best starter is a simple neutral quad so that you can do basic everyday looks. If you don’t have any brushes yet, don’t worry about it just use the applicator it comes with (I know a ton of people look down on these, but if you’re saving for brushes they will have to do, just make sure to use your ring finger to blend your look). I love the Physicians Formula Classic Nudes quad just because it is so easy for beginners to use, use the lightest color as a highlight, the second to lightest color for your lid, the third to lightest color for your crease (blend with your ring finger if you don’t have a brush) and use the darker color for a little bit of drama or smokey eye.
Physicians Formula Classic Nudes Palette: $7
6.Lip Gloss
Lip Gloss is the finishing touch to all looks, so it’s important to have. My favorite is Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Lip Gloss because it’s cheap and works really well.
