Favourites? Never.

This is not a favourites post.  I repeat, this is not a favourites post.  It's a ... I happened to use this a lot this past month post.

Fine, it's a favourites post.

First up?

Clip-on earrings - I visited my roommate's mom at her house and she offloaded a ton of vintage costume jewelry on me - sweetest woman ever!  Not to mention she has the most amazing Louis XIII taste.

Shu Uemura Lash Curler - this is not technically new, but I just found it after months of searching and I'm enjoying looking more awake than usual.  If you're interested, it was on my windowsill behind a sheer curtain.  Yes, I'm a moron.

SHM - If you follow juicystar07 and allthatglitters21 on their new site Elle & Blair, they put up posts about getting ready in the morning.  I'm not the most organized/focused person in the world so I find that having a down to the quarter hour detailed routine makes me calm down and makes me study (ps, just finished finals!).  Comment below if you'd like me to share mine - I love reading other people's but I feel like mine is never interesting.  I also adore What's In Your Bag/Carry-On/etc. posts, so if you have one, link it in the comments!

MAC187 - I mentioned that I got this brush in this post.  I would like to retract what I said about it being an impulse purchase - my boyfriend bought it for me (impulsively).  Anyway, I bought this to use with liquid foundation, but I have found a new use for it - highlight!  I use it with Benefit High Beam and I love love love the finish.  It looks so natural and not at all streaky.  I also recently tried it with Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation and the finish isn't bad for that either.  For some reason it has a hard time with the MUFE HD foundation...it's fine on my face and forehead, but right around my eyes I have trouble buffing in the product.

Dulce de Leche - I've always loved this, but they always run out of this one at Williams-Sonoma by the time I get there they only have the chocolate one.  I mean, also good, but I like my dulce straight up caramel.  I try not to be a barbarian and eat it out of the jar by itself, but it won't stop staring at me.  When I have a little more self control, I slice up a banana or open a carton of Haagen Dazs Vanilla Bean ice cream.

What did you have fun with in April?

Reader Request: Eye Shadow Application, Part II

Dear Anonymous Eye Shadow Novice:  Here's the more relevant portion of the tutorial you requested =)

Today I'll show you a smoky eye with an intensely detailed process.  After this post, all my looks will include a step-by-step guide, but probably without the painstaking detail that this post has.  It would just get too long and I don't think anyone wants me to ramble like that.

Please do take into consideration your own eye shape and skin tone when adapting placement and choosing colours!  I have a fairly average eye so I hope it'll be relevant for most of you!  If not, refer back to this post or send me a photo and I can try to guess what changes you can make!

PS:  I don't usually do a typical black smoky eye so I highly encourage you to use fun colours!  Nothing gets me going like purple or copper =)!

1. Prime the lid with GOSH Velvet Touch Eye Primer
   I use the tiniest dab and it's usually enough for both lids.  I use my fingers to smooth it all over - from my lashline to my brow and underneath the eye.  I've used a concealer brush for this before, but it's just faster and more even with my fingers.
   
   
   
   

Reader Request: Eye Shadow Application, Part I

One of you lovelies commented on this post and asked that I show you how I apply my eye shadow.  Can I just take a moment to say that this is my first request and I'm super excited??   Call me a dork, but it's a sense of blogger-validation I've never felt before.  So to you, dear Anonymous Eye Shadow Novice - thanks for validating my blogosphere presence!

Note:  I was going to do an actual application for this post but it ended up being scarily long, even for me.  So today I'm sharing my brush philosophy, and on Wednesday will come the actual shadow portion.

How to shadow?  Nay, dear reader - how to brush!

One day...I will.

Let's get down to business.

It was far too early for this...

...hence why the colours are a little awkwardly washed out.

As promised, my first BH 120 Palette look. 

Not my best look ever (note to self: waking up early to blog before breakfast never works), and I think the early morning light kind of messed with my camera.  Please do bear in mind that the colours were so much more vibrant in real life, and my camera just doesn't do it justice.  These also stayed on pretty well - they lost some pigmentation, but left almost a stain-like finish on my lids.  Intriguing!

Please also disregard my really awkwardly/dry/foundation-covered lips.

It's too early for this.  *sad*

Lynn (who you may remember from here and here) stopped by and I couldn't help but force neons on that gorgeous olive skin!  Isn't that the coolest shadow map?  I've never worked on another eye like this before!

May I just add - no primer!

Look papa, I'm a REAL blogger!

I just received my BH Cosmetics 120 Palette - first edition!

I had to get this since every guru on Youtube had one - yes, I am indeed one of those.

Opening remarks:  I have an issue with drugstore products - I am a huge you-get-what-you-pay-for believer.  Whenever I see these good reviews about these gigantic palettes from Coastal Scents/BHCosmetics/etc, I have such a hard time believing they'll be good.  I always think maybe people are saying good for how much you pay for them?  I'm always looking for budget products that are as good as department store, and I don't think I'll find something exactly the same.  The closest I came was L'Oreal's Bare Naturale mascara, and they discontinued that.  Heathens!

Concerns: Many people had an issue with their palettes arriving damaged due to poor packaging or rough handling.  Just wanted to let you know that mine arrived with plenty of paper wrapping, bubble wrap and several boxes - none of the shadows were cracked or damaged.  Also, for you Canadians - I ordered directly from the site and received the palette maybe 5 days or so after the order processed.  Not too shabby!

So my thoughts on this palette?

Summer Essentials...

I'll call it part-haul, part-rec; the beginnings of my summer arsenal!

Clockwise (ish) from top left corner:

• Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch sunscreen: Make sure to rub this in really well or it'll leave a chalky cast.  I'm bad at reapplying though (I'm paranoid it'll just ruin my makeup) so I'm also looking for a powder alternative.  Let me know if you like one in particular!
• Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation: I know, full-coverage foundation for the summer??  I totally get it, summer's about being light and fun and make-up free, but!  I currently use MUFE HD Foundation and set it with Lise Watier Mineral Compact powder, and using the Laura Mercier Silk Creme, I get full enough coverage that I can skip powder, but still hide any blemishes.  If you're worried about the make up sliding off...
• Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Setting Spray:  I was using All Nighter before, and it left an oddly dewy finish that wasn't awful, but was a little shinier than I wanted.  I feel like my make up lasts just as long with De-Slick, but with less of a "glow" and more of a velvety finish.
• Friendship bracelets: I'm a terrible jewelry person - I buy a ton of it and never wear it.  This summer, I resolve to accessorize with at least one piece of jewelry each day.  I'm particularly looking forward to woven, fabric bracelets, so I've started myself with these two from H&M!
• OPI Dim Sum Plum:  I feel so pink this summer!  I never wear pinks or reds (I'm partial to blues/greens/purples), but I can feel a shift coming on!
• MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in LoveForever!: I'm feeling a matte lip this summer!  Nothing too dark or too nude, a buildable pink like this is so perfect for daytime neighbourhood exploring adventures.
• Maybelline Gel Liner: It doesn't crease/budge/stray/smudge.  Sold.
• EOS Smooth Sphere: It doesn't actually work that well, but I love love love the novelty.

What are your essentials??

Weekend Tidbit

I went out for the first time in a while, so I just thought I'd post the look I did for a little dinner and lounge-hopping =)

I'm also testing a new camera before I purchase it.  Opinions?

It might not be the best comparison since my light was rapidly disappearing

Review: BellaPierre 9-Stack Shimmer

In my first year of university, my then next-door-neighbour texted me one day saying she'd spent $300 on mineral make up.  It was right around that time that mineral make up burst onto the scene, so I was particularly intrigued.  She'd gotten a starter kit, some brushes, but I was particularly intrigued by a tower of shadow that they'd thrown in for free.  I'm a sucker for packaging like this, my head just goes "Ooh, sleek!"  

The line was BellaPierre, and if I recall correctly, they recently had a sale on HauteLook!  My friend was and is a die-hard organic/natural/vegan/recycling person, and she's recently switched to BareMinerals, but she tells me that she still uses her stack of shadows.  It's been three or four years and she says she hasn't made a dent!

I got my own stack today; if you follow me on twitter you'll know that I had a weird mix-up.  The box that my kit came in showed the Iris collection but I ended up with the Pandera collection.  I was a little sad since I wanted some bright, primary school colours, but I was too lazy to go exchange it and I like the colours anyway!

I just realized that the swatches are backwards
and I can't figure out how to rotate the photo.
Swatched over GOSH Velvet Touch Primer

As with all mineral pigments, they claim you can use these for eyes, cheeks, lips, nails, whatever, but I never end up actually using it for anything other than its intended purpose.  With these colours, I'd find it a little hard to use any of htem on my lips or cheeks (maybe if I wanted a really nude colour or as a highlighter?).  I'm still a little sketched out about dipping clear nail polish into powders so I don't usually play around with that.  I'm really liking the first gold swatch on the right though, so I might try that for my nails.

Click for bigger photos!

My first...

Well, lots of things.  But most importantly...

My first MAC brush.

How is this possible, you ask?  I guess I just never got around to it.  Yeah, there's no excuse, I'm a bad beauty blogger =) hopefully this first one will be enough to make up for the lack of MAC tools in my life.

First in my collection?

Review:Too Faced Natural Eye Palette

So I finally got around to checking out this Too Faced Natural Eye Shadow Collection after months of holding out for Urban Decay's Naked Palette.  Oh, who are we kidding - I still want Urban Decay Naked, but this will tide me over for the time being!

Applesauce? Is that a Euphemism for Something?

I finally got around to figuring out how I can reply to your comments! Thanks to this lovely blogger, I now have a "reply" on my end, and I can finally start talking back!  Don't let your kids get that though - that's when they get annoying.

I hope nothing like this happens:

From damnyouautocorrect.com

Dior SS'11 - Brights for Spring!

I'm not really one of those style.com trollers - I used to be, but the shows get soooo overwhelming after a while! What I've started to do now that I've become more beauty-centric, I've started picking and choosing models I like and finding looks via their beauty/runway photos.  I've done a Coco Rocha look before, and now I'm starting to branch out into my newer crop of girls, starting with the beautiful Frida Gustavsson!

I saw this colour on her lids and I was like, ....that looks just like my not-quite-forgotten Urban Decay Fishnet eyeshadow!   Some photos...

Shhh....It'll Be Our Secret

So here's me without make up - i.e. what I currently look like now that it's finals time.

and here...

Masquerade? But I can't seem to find mine!

Peruana actually came to me to help her with her mask and not her hair, as I may have led you to believe.  She came up with the idea herself and just asked me to weigh in an opinion.  I love the idea of painting on a mask instead of actually wearing one.  If you've ever been to a masquerade, you'll know that it gets really, really hot under those things.  You're far better off with a little liquid liner and a good setting spray!

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow!

Happy April Fools, lovelies! 

I'm not going to play a trick on you, but here's a much-requested one!

I simply love having long hair to work with - especially when it's as healthy and shiny as Peruana's is!  You'll remember her from this post.  What I didn't mention in the previous post (nor can you see it in the photo) is her luscious HAIR!  She never touches it with any sort of blowdryer/curling iron/flat iron.  My friends with lovely hair all have something in common - they never abuse it.  Maybe I should stop...

Before: Hair in natural texture, with a little root-lifting spray

Step 1:  Spray in a root lifting spray - I used L'oreal Tecni Art Volume Architect Blowdry Lotion - and blowdry, lifting the sections as you go, or flipping your head upside down to let gravity do your work.

Step 2: Take 2 inch pieces of hair (less if you have shorter hair), and wrap them around a large barreled curling iron.  Again, take the length of your hair into account.  If you have relatively manageable hair, you can probably skip this step, but Peruana's was so clean and textured that it kept raising static.  One effective way to remedy this was to apply more direct heat.

Step 3:  I parted the hair diagonally across the back of her head, and started the fishtail braid at her crown.  I apologize for the lack of picture, but none of them came out quite as well as I'd hoped.  Maybe a video next time?  I started the braid so high because Peruana has pretty fine hair, and this was one way to boost the volume at her crown (in addition to teasing, of course!  I thought she'd kill me what with all the damage I was doing to her hair...).  

Basic Fishtail Braid -I don't know that I can make this sound as easy as it is, but here goes:

1. Separate the body of hair into two sections - you should end up with two sections of hair, A and B
2. From the back of the A, grab a smaller section of hair.  Take this section, and cross it over the rest of A and incorporate it with B.  As in, just hold onto it with the rest of the hair in your right hand.
3. From the back of B, grab another equally tiny bundle of hair, and cross it over B to join forces with A.
4. Continue until braid is as long as desired.

Notes:

• The smaller the section you take, the more intricate the braid will look.  Smaller sections look like smaller "scales"
• This will work both ways - in the above directions, I tell you to take a section from the back and cross it over the front.  You could juts as easily take a section from the front and cross it behind to get a reverse fishtail
• It doesn't matter where you get the hair from, as long as it comes from the opposite section and can cross over the rest of the hair.
• I love this look the most when someone can manage to turn it into a French fishtail.  Apply French braiding theory to the above diagram, and you'll see what I mean.  Post for another day!

Stay tuned for the rest of Peruana's look. Hint?  Masquerade!