Face of the Day 08.20.2011

This is my go-to, typical make up whenever I want to look polished yet not too overdone. I use alot of golds and rosey colors to compliment my skin :)

Face:

SmashBox Photo Finish Primer

NARS foundation in Stromboli

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC35

Cargo Blu-Ray Powder in 20

Urban Decay Secret Service E/S for the brows

Eyes:

MAC Rubenesque Paintpot

MAC "Brulee" E/S

MAC "Expensive Pink" E/S

MAC "Texture" E/S

MAC "Brown Script" E/S

Urban Decay "Baked" E/S

MAC Dip Down & Rich Ground Fluidlines

L'oreal Telescopic & Voluminous Mascaras

Cheeks:

NARS Torrid Blush

NARS Albatross Highlight Blush

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzer

Lips:

MAC Petting Pink Lop Conditioner

MAC Fanfare Liptick

SmashBox Lipgloss in Afterglow

What make up are you wearing today? <3

Too Faced: Lip of Luxury!

I've been a big fan of Too Faced Cosmetics for a while now, so I decided to give their lipsticks a shot once I saw how cute their packaging was! It's definitely a tube of lipstick that I don't mind putting on in public! The packaging is a shiny light pink color with a big rhinestone on the top! One word, PRECIOUS! <3

I ended up picking up the shade Centerfold, (yes... the name IS centerfold!) It's a mid-tone cool toned mauvey purple-pink color. It's an absolutely beautiful color, but unfourtunately it didn't suit my skin tone so well. I found it too cool toned to compliment my coloring, however, i think that pairing it under a warmer toned lipgloss would make it wearable for me. I think I will end up using the color more in the winter months when my skin is paler and less warm toned.

Overall, the lipstick has a great silky smooth feeling as it's applied to the lips. There is a small sour smell to it, but it's nothing offensive. It has a normal 2-3 hours wear on me.

I think I would skip out on this if you have a warmer skin tone, just because the color doesn't suit yellow-based skin as well as it would for a cooler tone. The shade was a miss for be but I will definitely be trying out other shades in the future!

Have you ever been attracted to a lipstick simply

because of its packaging? <3

My favorite cheekies!

For a while now I have been fancying keeping my eye make up to a minimal (neutral & no eyeliner) and instead I've been playing up either my lips or cheeks. Now, let's not get any wrong ideas here.. Eyeshadow is still my absolute favorite genre of make up. I just think that for so long its been ALL about the eyes and neutral cheeks, which is kind of a waste for me because I do an extensive collection of bright cheekies and lippies. But be forewarned, about half of my favorite cheek products happen to be NARS products.

(but with pigmentation like theirs, who wouldn't be obsessed!?)

Anyways, for now I'll just share my top 10 favorite cheek products!

1. Benefit's Moon Beam:

This liquid highlighter tops any other liquid highlighter that I've ever tried. I find that most highlighters tend to have a pinky tone to them (ex. highbeam), and that is something I definitely don't fancy. What i love this product is that it gives me the freedom to mix it in with my foundation for an over-all glow, on the high points of my face by itself or paired under a powder highlighter for all day wear. It gives a nice "natural" glow to the high points if my face. I find it with not a shimmery finish at all, but more of an iridescent golden-yellowy-pinky tinge to it (if that makes sense!) I couldn't seem to be able to take a decent swatch of it, so here's a full review of it with pictures included :)

2. Benefit's Benetint:

My ABSOLUTE favorite cheek/lip product!! Especially in winter! It gives such a nice natural rosy flush to the skin as if you just came in from the cold. It has a deep berry color in the tube but it comes out as a rosy-flush color (no shimmer) once its blended on the skin. It only takes a couple of drops to get the job done. The best part about this product is that it not only can be used on the lips too, but that it will last ALL day! Many products rave about how long-wearing they are, but this is one that truly performs up to its hype. I also couldn't seem to catch a decent swatch of it, so once again, here's where you can go check it out!

3. NARS Casino Bronzer:

The deeper version of the cult-face "Laguna" bronzer. This deep brown bronzer has a hint of very fine gold shimmer shot through out it. I find this bronzer extremely useful for not only warming up the face, but also doing some serious contouring for when I'm going for a chiseled look. As with all the NARS products, their pigmentation is truly unreal, you really get what you pay for! You need the slightest amount of product!!

4. Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzer:

If you're looking for something completely opposite that of NARS Casino, then this is your best pick! This bronzer has truly been my best friend this summer. It gives such warmth to my face. It's subtle enough where it doesn't look like I have bronzer all over my temples and cheekbones, but it still gives an effect to the skin. I know it'll sound pretty cheesy, but it truly does give me a "sun-kissed" glow!

5. Too Faced Aqua Bunny Bronzer:

I love this bronzer for a variety of reasons, but my favorite has to be that is it a cream-to-powder bronzer so the finish is more natural. I like the ability this product gives me, I can wear it on its own for a great warmth to the face without shimmer. Not only is the color not too dark (making it perfect for day use) but the blendability is a dream. I really have no complaints about this bad boy, it gets two big thumbs up!!

Left to Right: NARS Casino, Este Lauder Bronze Goddess,

Too Faced Aqua Bunny.

6. MAC's Melba Blush:

The PERFECT peachy blush for warm skin tones! I've tried this blush on my friends, my mom and even my grandma! It complimented all of their different skin tones. Even my mom went out and got one for herself because she liked it so much. I find myself reaching for this blush all the time, whether it's a dark smokey eye or a light neutral eye. It has a matte finish but is super blendable and buildable. Melba is definitely my go-to everyday blush.

7. NARS Torrid Blush:

Such a gorgeous pink! It's super fresh and gives a great lifted look to the face! It's a light to medium pink with gold undertones and shimmer through it. It has far less shimmer than the famous Orgasm blush from NARS. I find this as my version of what I would like Orgasm to look on me. Not to shimmery, yet illuminating.

8. NARS Dolce Vita Blush:

Truly a gorgeous burnt rose colored blush. It gives a great pinked look to the cheeks.

Since it is so very, very pigmented. You have to have a very light hand and build

up the color. I reach for this blush usually more often during the fall and winter

months because it'd be a tad much during the spring in summer (especially in the

heat of the South). But if you are a lady of deeper complexion, I recommend this

this blush for you 100%!

9. NARS Taj Mahal Blush:

Let me just begin by saying that this is hands down the most gorgeous blush I own, of all brands! It just doesn't look beautiful in the pan, it looks amazing on the face. It's a mixture of a burnt orange with gold shimmer running through it. It looks BEAUTIFUL in the summer with a nice tan. I take a stippling brush and just lightly sweep it over my cheeks. No need for a highlighter, no need for a bronzer; this blush does it all for warm summer glow.

10. NARS Albatross Highlighter Blush:

I know, I know, this blog post has become dominated by NARS! But really, I find that the quality of their products really does deliver for their hefty price tag. Anyways, Albatross is my favorite Highlighter! And trust me when I say that I've tried A LOT of highlighters. Although it looks scary white in the pan, once applied it becomes a gorgeous glowing light gold. Over time, it has truly become my HG highlighter, I can't imagine myself using anything else! Not only does it work fabulous on its own, but pairing it over a liquid of cream highlighter will ensure your skin to be gorgeous all day. I recommend this more for warmer skin tones or when you have a tan. I also use it as an inner corner highlight and eyebrow color on occasion so it makes my face radiant.

Left to Right: NARS Albatross, NARS Dolce Vita, MAC's Melba,

NARS Torrid, NARS Taj Mahal.

What would your top 10 favorite cheek products be? <3

If all my makeup disappeared...

I've seen this TAG start to go around the make up community on Youtube and some blogs. It got me thinking what products would be my first 10 repurchases if my make up collection were to "disappear". I have to be honest, this TAG wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, but i made deal with it. So here are my 10 must-have products!

1) Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer: This primer leaves my dry skin feeling silky smooth and prepped for my foundation. It makes my foundation application go a lot smoother. It also fills in my pores and makes my make up last a lot longer.

2) NARS Sheer Glow Foundation: OH MY GOD, I don't know where to start with this foundation!! It is my absolute favorite liquid foundation, not only does it hydrate my skin, it gives me great coverage while still feeling light! It works well with or without powder, so it's a great product year round.

3) Mac Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer: I haven't tried a concealer that works so well for me in all different places on my face. It works well over my Benefit's "Erase Paste" for under the eyes as well as over my blemishes/breakouts. It stays put throughout the day, and gives coverage without looking cake-y, what more could I ask from a concealer?

4) Stila Prime Pot: It is basically the same thing as a "Paint Pot" from MAC. Its extremely creamy, and works great on its own, or with eyeshadow worn over it. I have the shade "caramel" which matches my skin tone. This little pot has lasted me ages, so it's well worth the price tag.

5) MAC Fluidline in Dipdown: I don't find myself being a fan of black eyeliner, especially on a daily basis. I find a dark brown to better suit my complexion without weighing me down. This gel eyeliner truly does stay put throughout the day, so I don't have to worry about touching up my eyeliner between classes.

6) MAC Melba Blush: This matte peachy blush is my go-to blush. I love how it compliments my skin tone. It also works well with a variety of different looks and sits nicely on the skin as there is no shimmer/glitter to it.

7) Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller: I roll this under my eyes every morning, itSERIOUSLY reduces my bags and helps the whole concealing process for when i put on my concealer. It refreshes my eyes and helps me wake up. There is rarely a day that I don't use this product.

8) Cargo Blu-Ray High Definition Powder Makeup: I absolutely adore this powder! It gives such a nice satin finish! and paired over my NARS Sheer Glow foundation, it makes my skin lookflawless!! I use this with the E.L.F powder brush and it works great. It offers great medium coverage but be careful and don't over do it, because it can easily make you look over powdered if you use a heavy hand.

9) MAC Quad:

- Brule (top left): I'm not one to love a shimmery brow bone highlight, so brule does a great job of softening ANY eyeshadow look for me.

- Texture (top right): This peachy-brown eyeshadow is the perfect color to warm up my crease, I also find myself using this as a transitional color for more bright looks, but it still works lovely on its own.

- Expensive Pink (bottom left): A rosey-gold eyeshadow that works great on the lid or inner corner. It works great for me especially because it has that pinky-peachy tone to it that warms up my face and still has gold running through it to compliment my skin tone.

- Brown Script (bottom right): I use this either through the crease, in the outer corner or to fill in my brows. Its a warm dark brown without it being too dark, its an absolute staple in my neutral eye looks.

10) Maybelline's Lash Stiletto Mascara: This mascara holds my curl beautifully and last all day. It gives my lashes great length. I prefer length over volume for day-to-day lashes so it doesn't weigh down my lashes.

What would be your 10 first purchases if your

make up were to disappear?

<3<3<3