Summery Winged Eye

I wasn't planning on doing anything out of the ordinary with my makeup when I woke up today, but ...well, sh*t happens.

Here's a list of the products I used:

Face
Dr. Jart Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm
Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder
MAC Select Cover Up Concealer in NW20

Cheeks
Contour: Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess
Blush: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Dollface

Eyes
MAC Paint Pot in Painterly (base)
MAC e/s in Soft Brown (crease)
MAC e/s in Espresso (crease)
MAC e/s in Satin Taupe (lid)
Urban Decay e/s in Blackout (outer V)
Urban Decay e/s in Venus (inner eye corner and brow bone highlight)
Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black
Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Mascara

Lips
Burt's Bees Lip Gloss in Rosy Dawn

First Impression: Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer

I've been looking for an under eye concealer/corrector to brighten up my eyes and cover up my dark circles for a while now.  I've been particularly picky with what I put on my face this year just because, well, I'm not 21 anymore.  With the momentum from the argan oil movement highly branded by Josie Maran, it's only natural that other cosmetics companies join the "healthy oil" bandwagon.  Tarte Cosmetics introduced maracuja oil.  

I've never really paid much attention to Tarte cosmetics.  However, once I tried their Amazonian clay blushes and bronzers, I looked into Tarte cosmetics a little more.  As you recall from my previous blog post about the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush, I was mighty impressed with Tarte's use of Amazonian Clay.  So when I heard about their use of maracuja oil, I was immediately intrigued.

Extracted from a rare Brazilian fruit that harvests in August, maracuja oil is naturally rich in nutritious essential fatty acids (EFAs) and vitamin C (a skin brightener!).  Because of these qualities, maracuja oil promises to brighten dull skin, restore and rebuild dry skin, and combat signs of aging.

Maracuja infused concealer that's advertised to be creaseless?  Why ever not??

The texture of this concealer is creamy and a bit on the thick side.  The thicker consistency surprised me as it's a bit counter intuitive for the under eye area, where you want to keep product minimal and thin to prevent creasing.  As I rubbed the concealer between my finger tips, I thought to myself, "This concealer's gonna be a gimmick."

BOY, WAS I WRONG!

Using my ring finger to blend the concealer (ALWAYS use your ring finger when applying product to your eye area, ESPECIALLY the under eye), it literally glided onto and melted into my skin.  I believe it's actually better not to use a brush to apply this concealer as the warmth of your fingers will assist the product to blend into your skin for a more natural finish.  

The coverage is definitely full coverage.  My dark circles were instantly gone.  

Is it brightening?  Yes.

Is it truly creaseless?  I had it on for a little over 7 hours but it remained creaseless as promised.  The concealer stood up to a typical hot summery California day, air conditioning, and a nap.  

Likewise, it is long lasting.  Despite the heat, the AC, and a nap, the product remained in place for the 7 hours I had it on.  This is not surprising since it is advertised to last for 12 hours.

As to the ingredients, this concealer is formulated WITHOUT parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, synthetic fragrances, and gluten.  

Overall, I'm extremely excited about this new addition to my makeup collection.  It's brightening, creaseless, long lasting, waterproof, full coverage, and is formulated with healthy and safe ingredients for the skin.  

Verdict: C'est bon!

Makeup - Smokey Cat Eyes

Today's fun look is a smokey cat eye.  Read on to see what products I used!

Face
Dr. Jart's Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm
Chanel Matte Lumiere - #30 Cendre
YSL Touche Eclat in 1.5 Radiant Silk
Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder

Eyes
MAC e/s in Carbon
MAC e/s in Wedge
Urban Decay e/s in Blackout
Urban Decay e/s in Foxy
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
MAC Select Cover up in NC20
Model No. 21 False Eyelashes

Brows
Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow in #25

Cheeks
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Dollface
Tarte Matte Waterproof Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess

Lips
MAC Cremesheen Glass in Right Image

Review: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush

Advertised as being infused with "natural clay harvested from the banks of the Amazon River and naturally baked by the sun," this blush promises to last for 12 hours on all skin types.  Amazonian clay minimizes oil for oily skin.  Those with dry skin will benefit from the nourishing and hydrating properties of Amazonian Clay.

Winner of the 2011 Allure's Best of Beauty and a Sephora Bestseller, this blush is formulated without parabens, mineral oil, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs, and Tricl.  The clay is obtained from the basin of Amazon River where the clay is at its highest nutrient concentration.  The nutrients are further locked in by the baking from the sun.  At this point, the clay is then shaved down to a finely milled powder and infused into Tarte's formulas.

Two of the line's most popular colors are Dollface, a light pink, and Exposed, a nude.  I opted to try Dollface to not only test the longevity of the product but also the color pay off.

Color me impressed.

The blush itself comes in a colored plastic compact that matches the color of the actual blush you purchase, which I like.  The blush itself has a soft texture to it.  I use the Real Techniques blush brush to apply this product and it applies beautifully - no streaky or harsh lines with a smooth application.  It has good color pay off and can be layered for a more intense look.

So did it last 12 hours?  You bet it did!!  In fact, after at the 13th hour mark, even after I took a nap, I woke up to find the color still on my face.  This could very well be because of the primer that is in my bb cream, but I've worn other blushes with a different primer and it never lasted past 4-5 hours.

As someone who hates doing touch ups throughout the day and is always searching for long lasting makeup, I love this blush!

Retails for $26.

Verdict: Tres Bon!

What's in My Makeup Travel Kit

Let me introduce you to what I use to store my toiletries, hair accessories, and makeup for when I travel.  Henri Bendel, how do I love thee for this ADORABLE Large Hanging Weekender Bag.  This is one of the bestsellers at Henri Bendel.  Compact yet stores a lot of items.  

And this is what it looks like when opened.  This bag can hang inside of a hotel bathroom for convenience.  I use the compartment all the way to the left to store hair accessories (bobby pins, hair ties) and other knick knacks such as safety pins.  I use the middle compartment to store toiletries such as qtips, eye makeup remover pads, lotion, skin products, contact lens solution, contact lens case, deodorant, lotion, tweezer, and razor. 

The right compartment stores all of my makeup.  Here's the break down:

Brushes
Real Techniques Stippling Brush
Real Techniques Powder Brush
Real Techniques Multi Task Brush
Real Techniques Blush Brush
Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush
Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush
2 - MAC 217 Brush
MAC 224 Blending Brush
MAC 219 Pencil Brush
MAC 212 Flat Definer Brush
MAC 249 Large Shader Brush
MAC 263 Small Angle Brush
Smashbox #21 Arced Liner Brush

Makeup (left to right) - all in travel friendly sizes (less than 1 ounce)
OCC Lip Tar in Kava Kava
MAC Select Cover Up in NC20
Make Up For Ever Aqua Brows
Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (below the Aqua Brows)
Make Up For Ever Duo Mat Powder Foundation (below the gel eyeliner)
Dr. Jart Black Label BB Cream
DUO glue in dark
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC false lashes
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Perversion (below the false lashes)
YSL Touche Eclat in 1.5 (below Perversion)
Lorac Pro Palette
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Dollface (pink compact)
Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette (below Lorac)
Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess (right of Naked Basics)

BB Creams - Overview and Review

History
Started in the 1960's by a German dermatologist and later introduced in Japan and Korea in the 1980's, BB cream is one of the latest cosmetic rages.  BB stands for Beauty Balm, Blemish Balm, Beblesh Balm or Blemish Base (the Koreans apparently have a trademark on "blemish balm").  In Germany, it was used on patients post skin surgery to help soothe and regenerate the skin.

Asian v. Western BB Creams
In Asia, BB Cream is first and foremost a skin care product with cosmetic properties.  It is a 5 in one product: moisturizer, primer, serum, foundation, and sunblock.  Asian BB creams are also usually formulated to include skin-whitening properties as flawless glowing porcelain skin is highly prized in Asia.  Most Asian BB creams are limited in the number of shades available to match your skin - the reason being Asian BB creams are formulated to oxidize to match the user's skin.  This is why I don't concern myself with the grayish tint/cast of the cream itself as it later oxidizes to match my skin tone.

Western brands of BB creams tend to function as a cosmetic product with skin care properties (opposite of Asian bb creams).  A few brands I've taken note of due to their healthier ingredients are Smashbox's Camera Ready, Boscia, and Tarte.

Multi Purpose
This all-in-one product can be used alone like a tinted moisturizer or as a base for foundation.  To increase its staying power, apply powder to set the cream.

Verdict

I tested a lot of BB creams, both Western and Asian brands.  I enjoyed using Dr. Jart's Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm the instant I applied it to my skin.  I found this BB cream to have the most coverage out of all the BB Creams I tried.  I stippled extra product onto my problem skin areas to conceal my blemishes.  Unlike the Missha and Skin79 BB creams, Dr Jart's BB cream does not have a grey tint or cast that requires oxidation.  However, because this BB cream comes in only one color, it isn't ideal for darker skin tones.  I am one who always has to set my foundation with powder (the joys of having combination skin!).  However, I would be ok with just applying this BB cream without setting it with a powder.

As for the skin benefits, I noticed a difference in my pores once the BB cream set:  my pores shrank, my skin tone evened out, my skin appeared "brighter", and the formula had a satin finish.  It was hydrating (the only skin product I used prior to applying this cream was toner) without leaving my skin greasy.

This product definitely functions as a BB cream should: provide skin benefits with some cosmetic properties.  I was surprised to learn that Dr. Jart, despite its name, is actually a Korean bb cream.

Coming in second to Dr. Jart's Black Label Detox BB cream is Missha.  I'd wear Missha alone and set with a powder.  Skin79 is another popular line of BB creams.  I may be the odd man out but I was unimpressed with this line's staying power (and I tried the pink, gold, and diamond lines).  However, the Skin79 BB creams functioned fantastically as a primer and kept my foundation beautifully matte and long lasting.

Missha BB Cream in #23

Skin 79 BB Cream line

I was most disappointed with Smashbox's Camera Ready BB Cream.  While the line boasts of a range of colors to suit all skin tones out there, it really just functioned as a tinted moisturizer with some skin benefits.  This alone wouldn't be a problem BUT the point is to function as a bb cream.  When using that standard, Smashbox falls short.  It also couldn't match the staying power of Dr. Jart and Missha.

With all of that said, I'd like to issue a disclaimer: my reviews are based upon how these products worked for ME.  Obviously, everybody is different.  Plenty of my friends adore and love the Skin79 bb creams.  Smashbox's BB cream is also highly rated and raved by other makeup artists.  It all depends on what you want from a BB cream - do you prefer one with skin benefits over cosmetic benefits or vice versa?  Also, the BB creams themselves may also be inherently limiting for users - some only come in one color, which excludes a number of skin tones.  The point of this post is to just give you a bit of insight and overview of BB creams so that you are armed with information to use to select the best bb cream for you.

Which BB Cream(s) have you tried and which BB Cream is your holy grail?

Date Night Makeup using Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette

Happy Friday all! Here's a look created using Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette.  Great for heading out with the gals or for a date tonight!  

Face
BB Cream No. 23
Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Plus #40
MAC Select Cover Up in NW20

Cheeks
Tarte Amazonian 12 Hour Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface
Tarte Matte Waterproof Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess

Eyes: Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette
1. Naked 2 - all over lid and crease color
2. Foxy & W.O.S mixed together - lid color
3. Faint - crease color
4. Crave - outer corner emphasis
5. Venus - inner corner and brow highlight

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Jet Black

Aqua Brow #25

Lips
MAC lipliner in Subculture
MAC lipstick in Pink Plaid
MAC lip gloss in Right Image

For my review of the Naked Basics Palette, click HERE

Las Vegas Wedding - Jennifer and Lance

Like many other brides on their wedding day, Jennifer did not get much sleep the night before.  Still, this gorgeous and down to earth bride was nothing but smiles, jokes, and preoccupation with her vows during the morning of her wedding.  With a scant 3 hours of sleep, she understandably was concerned with how her makeup would turn out.  She opted for a natural look.

Quite frankly, when you have features as gorgeous as Jennifer, you don't need much makeup.  She made a gorgeous bride walking down the aisle.  Face aglow with happiness, she was surrounded by a sea of people who were as equally happy to see her marry her best friend.  Their vows were heart felt yet still delivered the right amount of humor.  It was touching and truly an honor to be in attendance.

I had a fabulous time not only doing Jennifer's makeup but her entire bridal party.

Face:
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation
Make Up For Ever Duo Matte Powder Foundation in 207
Tarte Concealer

Eyes:
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Baked
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Bourbon
Urban Decay Half Baked Eye Shadow (Naked Palette)
Urban Decay Dark Horse Eye Shadow (Naked Palette)
Urban Decay Blackout Eye Shadow (Smoked Palette)
MAC Mylar Eye Shadow

Eyebrows:
Makeup Forever Aqua Gel - #15

Cheeks:
Nars Laguna
Sigma Paris Palette Rouge & Peche blushes
Sigma Paris Palette Lumiere highlighter

Lips (not shown in photo):
MAC Creme Cup