One of the reasons that many people don’t get the best color payoff is because they aren’t utilizing bases. Bases not only make your shadows last longer, they make them stand out!  Let’s re-cap. There are matte bases and creamy bases.  I typically use the matte bases alone for a soft matte look. When I want color to pop, I layer the creamy base over the matte. Creamy bases are known to crease easily, so this is why I layer them with a matte. Check out my guide to eye shadow primers for more info!

I’ll demonstrate how to make your eye shadows look more vivid and more expensive! I’ll be using the NYX Jumbo Pencil in Horseraddish and the Covergirl Queen Eye Shadow Quad in Blue Notes.  To be completely honest, I was extremely disappointed in the color payoff of the Covergirl shadows.  There was virtually no pigment to them.  Nevertheless, I was determined to make my $5 purchase work!

Read on for the step by step picture tutorial on how to make your eyeshadows pop! Continue reading “Make Your Eyeshadow Colors Pop!” »

I’ve recently been on a mission to find amazing liquid eye liners. Now that I’ve been a makeup freak for years (not to mention a MAC fan), I tend not to branch out on certain items. In fact, the only liquid eyeliners that I have ever used are by MAC. At $16.50, and as basic of a product as it is, I knew that there had to be something comparable for a smaller price. So, I asked my friends on Twitter for advice, and many of them told me about the CG liner. At this particualar store, the liner was $7. This is actually a liquid liner pen, so all of the makeup is included inside the applicator pen.

What I Loved
Stiff, sharp tip
Rich, black color
Long lasting color

What I Don’t Love
Tiny product
Even smaller handle

For side by side MAC/CoverGirl swatches, read on! Continue reading “CoverGirl Line Exact Liquid Eyeliner” »

I have no clue what is going on in the universe, but my skin is changing!  I’m an oily girl through and through, but for the first time ever,

my skin is super dry!  Every day I catch myself in a mirror, I see dry, flaky skin!  What the freak?  Luckily I had a few items around the house for dry skin.  In fact, these are the only items that I had in the house for dry skin! They’ve been lounging around my mother’s bathroom for months.  Here’s what’s been helping me out!

Make Up For Ever Serum ($38) astounded me the first time I heard Dany Sanz talk about it!  It’s so packed with amazing stuff that it hydratesyour skin for hours at a time.  In fact, as the day goes on, your skin retains more moisture. Since my skin was super oily at the time, I gave the bottle to my mother.  But this random flaky skin of mine has me using it, and since then everything is so much more tame. There are SO many positive effects for using this stuff! Just a bit of this serum gives you a 520% increase in hydration in only 15 minutes.  Seriously, this little bottle is astonishing. Read more about the miracle juice here!

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief ($34)is a gel like moisturizer that completely hydrates. Just rubbing a little on your hand shows your skin just how amazing it really is! Truth be told, it was the only moisturizer that I had in the house made for dry skin.  (Although my mother has dry skin, she is old school, she uses the nearest body lotion no matter what is in it!) Just realized that in the product description, it says this is great for all skin types? Who knew?

You all know that I’m pretty big on all natural skincare, so using these products typically wouldn’t be the norm for me.  I ran out of my Juice Beauty Cleansing Gel ($22) (and it’s out of stock at pretty much every Sephora in Maryland).  The sales associate at Sephora told me about Boscia Clear Complexion Cleanser with Botanical Blast.  She said it was all natural, but not organic like Juice Beauty.  She also said it would compare the best to what I’ve already been using.  I’ll give it a few weeks and let you know how it goes!

Note: The Clinique and Make Up For Ever products were sent as samples for me to review.

There’s so much to say about a day like today.  After all, it’s a day that shouldn’t exist.  Within upcoming years, hopefully it won’t.  There are so many ways that you can fight the cause, and here is the most fun ways.  MAC Cosmetics has been fighting to HIV/AIDS awareness for years now.  The Viva Glam Campaign is the greatest.  For $14, you not only get an amazing lip color,  every penny of the proceeds go to those affected by HIV/AIDS.    Nobody discounts on these products, by the way.  Employees, MAC Pro members. No one.  Absolutely amazing.  Helping the cause, and looking fabulous while doing so.

There are  6 permanent lipsticks and 2 glosses in the collection.  These are two of the only lipglosses that I have ever re-purchased (not only because of the cause, but because the colors are perfect).  Viva Glam V lipgloss is one of the most perfect neutral pink glosses on the market.  It can be worn with brown liners, or reddish liners.  Viva Glad VI adds a ruby finish to your lips and when I tell you that you’ll be hooked, I’m serious.  I love wearing it with Currant, Vino, or Velvetella!  Here are two swatches of the colors.  More info to come!

Kudos to Sephora for this awesome contest!  Want free makeup, skincare or hair products?  Here’s your chance to win!

All you have to do is log onto Twitter and say:

@Sephora, All I want for Christmas is____.  #sephoraclaus  (I’d suggest you copy and paste this! You must include the @sephora and the #sephoraclaus hashtag.)

Everyday, Sephora will give one lucky tweeter the present of their dreams.  Check out http://www.sephoraclaus.com/ for more information. Who would have thought that in the time of surreal opportunity,  the makeup junkie that I am asked Sephora Claus for the Sephora Brand Deluxe Fragrance Sampler for Her?!  Of course there is a ton of makeup that I wanted, but I didn’t realize how much I love fragrance until a month ago.  Why not try this huge selection, which is a little costly at $75.  With this purchase, you get a voucher to purchase a free full sized bottle of any one of the fragrances in the sample set. Sweet.

There are so many hundreds of Holiday sets up for grabs this season. Being the beauty fanatics that we are, you’ll want to go crazy I’m sure. This is the best time to try a few products for the best value! Here are my top picks from Sephora’s Holiday offerings!

Lashstash Mascara Sampler ($39)
Aren’t we always looking for the new best mascara? With Sephora’s super cute mascara sampler, you get to test some of the industry’s best! Includes Laura Mercier, Tarte, Hourglass and more!

Smashbox Eye Wish Palette ($44) and WISH for the Perfect Pout ($29)
This is the first time that I’ve seen Smashbox come out with a super trendy palette. The pigment is great and the selection is outstanding! Watch out Urban Decay!

Want more suggestions? Continue reading “Holiday Gift Sets from Sephora” »

The name “Alien” made me a bit biased about the fragrance.  For some reason, I thought it would be a green glass bottle with a citrus scent.  Clearly, I was wrong.   This scent is out of this world.  Hands down, one of my new go to perfumes.  I put it on my wrists, then walked around the house.  Every member of my family shot me an instant “yes” when I asked what they thought!  If you’re looking for a frilly, soft, girly scent, this isn’t what you want.  If you want a mysterious, sensual, dark scent that is sure to get you compliments, here’s your winner!

This isn’t the everyday Alien that you are usually addicted to, however.  The original Alien is placed in a patent pending oak cast and distilled for 8 weeks!  The result, a richer, even more sensual, even more mysterious fragrance that’ll keep you coming back.  Be advised, this is a limited edition masterpiece.  Don’t be caught without it!

So, the fashionista in me instantly thought of the perfect outfit to wear with this fragrance.  Most definitely a little black dress, preferably a little strapless above the knee number (like this bad boy by Alice + Olivia) and five inch heels.

Alien de Liquer by Thierry Mugler ($95) at Sephora and Neiman Marcus.

Here’s today’s Frequently Asked Question, submitted via Email! Feel free to comment and let us know what your favorite eye shadow base is!
Hi Chica,

In an effort to enhance and prevent creasing in the color of my shadows, I have experimented with both Painterly and Urban Decay Primer Potion. While the primer potion works, I don’t like the container it comes in so I opened it up to get the few remains. When that happened it dried out in 24 hrs. I bought Painterly over the weekend and its not creamy and leaves this ashy residue. Are there any other primers you can suggest?

I’m having issues with my shadows being ashy-looking and I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Should I move to pigments with a mixing medium or should I try more matte shadows?

Any suggestion would be great!

Scandalous Beauty: Well, let me first say that since I have used MAC Painterly Paint Pot for years and it’s the only base that has consistently worked for me. It can dry out quick, so it’s best to use it sealed at tight a

s possible and store upside down. (One of my Youtube views taught me that!) Urban Decay Primer Potion is a cult favorite that has never worked for me, so I completely understand.

But, what works for some might not work for all, and I respect that! I’ve heard quite a bit about Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Apparently, It’s Urban Decay Primer Potion’s only real competition. I’ve never tried it. An inexpensive-ish base that works well if you’re going to stick to frosty eye shadows, try the L’Oreal HIP Cream Crayons. They literally don’t come off. Seriously! They come in over 5 colors, but the shade “Meticulous” is a nude beige that works as a good natural color. You’ll need a good makeup remover to get it off. I hope this helps!

I’ve got some amazing things to say about this fragrance, and some not so great things…or so I thought.  The entire advertisement for Parisienne is exquisite. I loved the mysterious tone. The photography, the story line, Kate Moss, the bustier dress *squeal!*, all magnificent.  I’m definitely a fan of the soft purple smokey eye and pale pink lip.  The glass bottle looks as though it was crafted for royalty. Very unique.

The scent however. A strategy is involved. At first, I get the harsh aroma of cough medicine. Over powering, extra sweet and slightly syrupy. Completely geriatric.  75 year old Park Avenue with a Yorkie geriatric, to be exact. At this point, at least 3 or 4 times in the past, I have scrubbed it off.  I figured it might grow on me.  Today, I forgot I put it on, and ran some errands.  Around 30 minutes later, I smell baby powder.  Not what I was hoping from the YSL powerhouse.  But now, about an hour after the initial spray, I love what I’m wearing! It smells sexy, in a “come a little closer” type of way. I’ve tried on the scent several times, and definitely had a bad review to dish. But now that I let it sit, I’m extremely pleased. Definitely the perfect for the 3rd date when you want to reel him in!  If I were to close my eyes and sniff my wrists, a sexy little black dress and clutch definitely come to mind.  I’d advise you to spray it before you do your hair and makeup, just to give it a little time to work its magic.  $65 for 1.4 fl oz., Sephora.com.
Check out more reviews on the scent at Totalbeauty.com!