Todays Face

Products Used:

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 220

MAC Blush in Cheek 

BareMinerals contour in Fresh 

BareMinerals highlight in Well Lit 

e.l.f. Eye Primer

MAC eye shadow in Club

No Name Eye Palette

NYX Eye Pencil in Black

Maybelline Falsies Mascara

MAC Myth Lipstick

Revlon Just Enough Buff Lipstick

Clinique Gloss in Bamboo Pink

Step 1 After moisturizing, I used my Fit Me foundation and applied it with a M.A.C. 187. Instead of stippling, which is what this brush is actually intended for, I buffed. Buffing is just spreading the makeup in circular motions, it gives a really even finish and helps the product set into the skin. I threw on a little blush in Cheek from M.A.C. and then applied the highlight to my cheeks, and down the bridge of my nose.

Step 2 The real focal point of this look was in the eyes. Although I'm usually not one to wear heaps of dark colors on my eyes I actually really liked the way this turned out. Fist I primed my lids with e.l.f.'s Eye Primer. I then used a peachy / coral eye shadow in and a little above my creases and then used an NYX pencil liner in black to line my top lashline. and then applied M.A.C.'s Club to the lid. This is a really unique color, when first applied it's a dark reddish brown with a little black and then it has a duochrome effect where it turns a little teal and blue shimmer. It's really beautiful. I tried to get a good photo of the amazing color effects. I definitely recommend this eye shadow because it's so pretty! I made sure to concentrate this over where I put the black liner because it makes the teal shimmer really pop having a dark colored base like the liner. As it moved up my eye to just below my crease I gently blended just a touch.





Step 3 I took the peachy eye shadow I used on my lids and put in beneath my bottom lashline and then went over it with the Club eye shadow. I made the Club end slightly higher than the other pigment so you could see both of the colors beneath my eye. After that, I lined my upper and lower water lines with my NYX pencil liner in black and popped on a couple coats of mascara.

Step 4 To finish this look off I used a thin layer of M.A.C. Myth lipstick, it's a really muted pale nude so I needed to go over it with something that had a little more pigment. In this case that was Revlon's In The Buff. Because my lips were a little chapped I put a gloss over them (this hides my cracks in my lips pretty well) I used Clinique Bamboo Pink, this too is a muted nude but it has a hint of pink and some sparkle. All together it created a really lovely lip look.

 This was a look inspired by Mila Kunis' makeup at the MTV Movie Awards. While I was getting my daily fix at makeupalley.com someone posted a picture of her there and said someone should do a dupe of it. That someone ended up being me and and fellow beauty blogger (you can find her dupe here). I had the idea that a few people should try out this cool because I thought it would be interesting seeing how different people interpret one same look. Take a look at hers to see the different ways we did everything! This was a really fun look to do with the deep, sultry colors. I hope you liked it! I hope that I'll be doing more of the friend dupes in the future!

Here's the photo I attempted duping!

XOX,

- Mj

5 Beauty Items I Can't Live Without

I've created a list of what us people obsessed with beauty products call holy grails. I know, a bit extreme, but once you've found a product that works for you, you'll understand. All of these items have given me outstanding results without fail. Below I'll get into all the deets about why they're close to my heart (or face, rather!)

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser "...great for daily makeup removal. Originally formulated for dermatologists, this cleanser is gentle on your skin and sensitive to your skin’s needs.Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser will not strip the skin of natural protective oils or emollients, or disturb the skin’s natural pH balance. Recommended for years by dermatologists, it is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is gentle enough for children, teens and adults." 


 I find that the description couldn't get any better. I wash my face with this both day and night and it has amazing results for both. In the evening, I dampen my face with warm water and massage about a quarter sized sollop all over my face (it removes makeup like nobody's business!) and remove with a warm, damp wash cloth. It leaves my face fresh and ready for bed. When I get up in the morning I begin my skincare routine with this stuff. Again, I wet my face with warm water and massage a quarter sized amount all over my face. Only this time I leave it and let the product soak into my skin. Normally, with face cleansers this is a no-no but Cetaphil can be used wet or dry. I do his because my skin is a little on the dry side so letting it set gives me a nice smooth finish. This is really a great cleanser and I recommend it to anyone with sensitive skin. Actually, it can probably cater to all skin types! 
(Source:http://www.cetaphil.com)

M.A.C. Fix + "An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!"


OKAY OKAY, I know I just got this yesterday, but it's seriously that amazing to me! I spritzed this all over my face after moisturizing and I feel like I can almost skip the step of putting on moisturizer (I would never though because my moisturizer is where I get my SPF) but it's really that quenching to my oh so thirsty flesh. After I let it dry I put on all my other makeup, minus mascara, and the Fix + another go. This step is supposed to set your makeup so it will last longer throughout the day. But it also gave me this amazing fresh dewy look that made my makeup look like real skin. You know how your natural skin has a different finish that a made up face does? ...well this stuff brought back that natural softness and satin feel. I will honestly use this product for the rest of my life. 


M.A.C. Cream Colour Base Pearl  "Versatile and multi-purpose, Cream Colour Base can be applied directly to bare skin, or layered over foundation, moisturizer, or powder. Apply with a brush, sponge, or fingers.  Colour effects range from a light veil to highly dramatic, depending on method of application. Fragrance-free." 

Well, thank God for my friend who recommended these items to me. My face has been missing out on this heaven sent item all these years and I never knew it even existed. It's like this stuff was made for my skin. I put it on after my foundation and it gave me an angelic glow that looked like it was coming from within rather than makeup. I applied it on the apples of my cheeks, my cheek bones and down the bridge of my nose and I honestly got that no makeup look. I can't say enough good things about this stuff! 




Maybelline Falsies Mascara Blackest Black "False lash glam. Corner-to-corner volume for 300% more visible lashes!"

I've been using this mascara for about a year now and the results I get are wonderful. I like really dark, intense, huge lashes. I feel like they really bring the whole look together. Another great thing about mascara in general is you can put just that on and it seems like you don't need anything else. Fortunately, I have the kind of lashes where they work with whatever product you put on them. So The Falsies really do give me huge, glamorous eyelashes. I've provided a couple pictures from past looks I've done so you can take a look at my lashes.










Softlips Beezwax Lip Conditioner "Enriched with jojoba oil and Vitamin E, Softlips Beeswax lip conditioner nourishes and moisturizes the way nature intended."


I take time into taking good care of my smoochers. Once a week I exfoliate them with my sugar scrub and a toothbrush to remove any dead skin cells. I also apply Softlips about every hour if not more. Unless I'm wearing lipstick. In that case I slather in on before I apply that. This stuff leaves my lips kissably smooth and I also get a nice satin finish.

I really emphasize finding products that you love and that love you back. There are items out there in the huge work of beauty that will give you results like you've never experienced, all you have to do is find them! If you have found your holy grail share it with us in a comment. I love finding out other products that people love.

Until next time,
XOX
- Mj

New Stuff for Cool Girls: M.A.C. Haul

Hello friends! Sorry about the technical difficulties we had on the site today in regards to photos, thankfully, everything is back to normal and everyone's happy! Yay! So anyways, a lovely friend of mine just gifted me some holy grail M.A.C. products. Since I'm new to the makeup world I have never owned any of these products and thought it would be perfect to share me experiences with them on here to share with all of you! Since I just got them today I want to wait about a week to give my review, just so that it's thorough and I have time to build my opinions and learn the optimal ways these products are used. As of right now sitting here looking at them is even wonderful so I'm sure I'll enjoy them even more when I put them on! Haha! The products are as follows:

• M.A.C. Cream Colour Base in Pearl. "Versatile and multi-purpose, Cream Colour Base can be applied directly to bare skin, or layered over foundation, moisturizer, or powder. Apply with a brush, sponge, or fingers.  Colour effects range from a light veil to highly dramatic, depending on method of application. Fragrance-free." 

• M.A.C. Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Springsheen. "Colour for the cheeks and face. Various formulas. Different looks...Highly pigmented, long-lasting powder. Applies evenly. Blends well. Stays put. Remains consistent. Strong payoff."

• M.A.C. Fix + Skin Refresher and Setting Mist. "An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!"

(Source: http://www.maccosmetics.com)

Thoughts so far

Cream Colour Base (CCB) in Pearl. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this as the pot the product comes in was larger than I expected. This will definitely last me a long time! The color is a sheer (but buildable) pearl with a hint of gold highlight. Upon reading reviews from makeupalley.com I learned this product can be used in a number of ways; some of those being, on the cheek as a highlight (underneath or over other products), down the bridge of the nose, and on the eyelid as a base (this will make whatever color you put over it POP (;  

Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Springsheen. This color is described on Specktra.net as a pinky / coral with a slight gold shimmer. When I swatched it, it seemed really sheer. That's something I need in a blush because I don't do the whole red circles on the cheeks like a doll look. My blushes need to be blendable and have a natural colored base so it almost looks as if I'm not wearing any. But blush addicts, don't let this deter you! Springsheen is super buildable and will give you a fresh peach from princess land look if that's what you heart so desires. A swatch for this can be found here.

Fix +. I haven't had much experience at all with this but it's intended for applying before and after you've put on your face makeup (I'd spray it before mascara to prevent any bleeding / fallout). It's supposed to set everything and soften it all up. I'm hoping to achieve a creamy satin finish with this so we'll see how everything goes tomorrow.

*I will be posting swatches and looks using these items and do a full review in about a week.

XOX,

- Mj <3

+1 Button

So, in March, Google introduced something called the "+1 Button" this is very similar to a "like" button on facebook. It is featured at the bottom of each blog post I write and I would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to click it if a particular post strikes your fancy. All it does is notify me that you enjoyed the post and make is easily available for others to enjoy it as well!

Here's what it looks like:

Thank you!

XOX,
- Mj

*it is located down here, by the comments and labels (: