Two Looks, One Face

I just got a new no name eye palette from a dollar store and it's full of some amazing sheer and shimmer eye shadows. Last night I chose to try two different looks, they're similar and the idea behind it was that you could do one look in the morning for work / school / daytime and then just by adding a couple extra things you could take it up a notch for an awesome evening look. Note: I have no mascara on in these pictures so it's incomplete, I think mascara is what really pulls everything together so just use your imagination. This is just a reference tutorial if you would like to try a similar look.

This is the day look, I used the highlight color from Wet'n'Wilds Walking On Eggshells Palette for an all over and browbone highlight. Then I went through with a golden peach with gold shimmer, I applied this under my bottom lashline as well. This was done using a MAC 217. In the crease I used a bronze / copper shimmer shadow to give the look some depth, my inspiration was a sort of tropical sunset toned down for a work appropriate look, to achieve this I used Sephora's Angled Crease Brush. I finished everything off using a MAC 266 Angled Brush and NYX's matte black shadow, I ran it across my upper lashline and gave it a soft 'flick' at the end for some drama. 

Now, bring on the night!

For this look, I took the crease color from the day look and pulled in closer into my inner corner and beneath my lower lashline. I really love this color with brown eyes, I feel like it brightens everything in a seductive Keira Knightley way. Obviously, I added lots more liner, I used an NYX pencil to line my upper and lower waterlines. I also added more liner to the top and smudged it with, what else, a smudger!

By the way! 

Sorry I've been gone for so long, I've recently been accepted as an extern at a business I've been trying to get into for quite some time now. I'm having to invest a lot of time into the externship which leaves me little time for my blog, makeup, and other things that make me smile /: It's quite saddening to me, but I'm trying to understand it as a sacrifice that has to happen. I'm not stopping my blogging in anyway, so don't fear! And I'll still try to keep up as much as I can I just wanted to share what was going on. Thank you everyone who reads and takes time out of their day to see what I have to say, it's so crazy (: So again, thank you thank you thank you!!

XOX,

- Mj

Todays Face: Summer Skin

If you can't tell, I've become a little bit of a makeup addict. I'm always thinking about ways of perfecting things and color schemes. And I'm totally not one of those people who keeps all their beauty secrets to themselves, I think everyone should be given the opportunity to gain knowledge and I'm more than willing to share mine! I've been on a search to create the perfect summer glow, I'm really not one into the matte looks, and I've finally found something that satisfies me!

I've starting using some new products (the reviews for them can be found here). Although my skin is less than perfect at the moment (I'm in the process of fixing this) this new makeup regimen I've found is giving me the best results I've had so far. Be for warned, I like a really, and I mean really  dewy glowing face. So, if you're skin is oily you'll probably want to skip a step or two (I'll note which ones).

• Cleanse and pat dry (don't wipe) face. 
• Apply Dermologica or Skinceuticals moisturizer (any moisturizer you've found works for you will do). Let Soak into skin for a couple minutes.
• Massage whatever sunscreen you like, I use Banana Boat Sun Wear Faces SPF 30. It's oil free and has all this other good stuff for your skin. LOVE. *oily skin can just apply the sunscreen only, leaving out the other moisturizer.
• Apply two (2) parts Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 220 with one (1) part Revlon Colorstay in 240, and one (1) part illuminating lotion (Skinceuticals Emollience is the one I use) *oily skin, skip the lotion mix. Apply a layer with Real Techniques Foundation Brush (review coming soon). 
• Pick up M.A.C. Cream Colour Base in Pearl with fingers and pat onto apples of cheeks and cheek bones. You'll also want to give this a little bit of time to melt into your skin for a more natural finish.
• Lightly dust a peachy blush with shimmer from your cheeks swept up to a little past the outside of the eye and a little into the hollows of the face, I used M.A.C. Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Springsheen. 
• Apply M.A.C. Cream Colour Base in Pearl again down the bridge of nose, inner corners of eyes, and browbones. If you want even more glow you can pop it over where you first applied it as well. (this is okay to do over a powder blush, you just have to make sure to set everything when finished, I'll get to how I do that) 
• Using a powder brush, apply a mineral bronzer to the hollows of the face, temples, jaw bone, and anywhere else you'd like a veil of color.
• Set everything with a powder like Fit Me Pressed Powder in 220.
• Spray all over face with Fix + for a fresh finish and to really set the makeup (if you're more on the oily side, skip this step and use a setting powder). 
• Put a couple coats of Maybelline Full'n'Soft mascara, I used soft brown. 

And there you have it, summer fresh! If you have any other questions about this look or any of my other looks, just ask! (; I love getting comments!

XOX,

- Mj

My Favorite Summer Beauty Trends

LIPS
I'm not going to limit myself here my saying a few colors I like, instead I figured it'd be a bit more visually exciting and informative if I showed you! (although, at the moment I'm obsessing over corals, watermelon, and baby pinks, muted nudes and light pink!) Gosh, I can never just pick one.

(Note: The photos of the lovely ladies with fabulous lips were found on google, as for the rest, they are my photos. You are more then welcome to use them if need be, just be sure to site back here!)

NEUTRAL FACE
The way I do a neutral face is as follows. Refresh, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize, refresh, light layer of sheer foundation, touch of bronzer, sweep of highlight, vaseline mixed with a bronze eyeshadow (or just wet it if your scared of the vaseline...idk it works for me so I like it) on the lids, black mascara, and gloss. Done and perfect. There's nothing better and faster than fresh beautiful makeup that looks effortless and this is one of those looks for me that just works with my skin and look. This is a routine that never fails me, even on my bad days!

SWEET CHEEKS
M.A.C. Springsheen keeps looking at me from my vanity, sending me telepathic love letters. And I'm doing it back. I've fell in love with this blush all too hard. I love everything about it. Here's a few different ways I play with my new best friend:

• Popping on a light wash then bronzing and contouring, this gives for a bronzed and brown based face with a pop of freshness. 
• Another look is using many layers for a shimmering perfectly peach flush. 
• Finally, putting it on my eyes, I LOVE using this color as an eyeshadow just by itself with some brown mascara and barely anything else, perfect beach makeup.

Also, pairing this, or rather any blush, with M.A.C. Cream Colour Base in Pearl makes for the perfect glow. I'm wearing this duo in most all of my photos!

BOLD LASHES
I've always been a fan of lashes. The bigger the better is how I feel. Even when I go to the beach and wear no makeup at all, I still have at least 3 coats of thick mascara slathered on my lashes. Why? Because I like it, and that's that. Though I am not a fake lashes advocate for a number of reasons, those being, too much work, too artificial, and not to mention I just suck at applying. So, unless I'm going to an event or creating a dramatic look I'll never waste my money on false eyelashes. Plus, I just love my faithful black lashes, they take mascara perfectly and pretty much always are on their best behavior. (yes, I am referring to my lashes as an entity) 

PURPLE PEEPERS
From lavenders, to violet, to grapes and wines...purple eyeshadow has made its mark on my makeup love list. How do I like to wear it, you ask?

• Using deeper hues for a sexy, refreshed smokey 
• Lining the whole of the eye with a vibrant violet 
• Perfectly innocent periwinkle lids. 

Pairing any of these with huge black drama queen lashes just takes the cake for me! They're all lovely, and versatile (if you've got the colors!) My advice, start purchasing all different shades of purples and play with them. I promise you'll find one at least one color you fall in love with. *Always go drugstore first (even though I'm an advocate of almost ALL makeup being drugstore) when trying new colors, you can also pop over to your high end counters or Sephora and ask a beauty rep to give you a go around with your new squeeze. Hopefully these people know enough about makeup to provide you with a range of swatches where you'll find at least one love of your life.

MONOCHROMATIC MAKEUP
I say this really  meaning natural "naked" makeup. But since I hate saying naked makeup, cause if it were naked, we wouldn't be having to have this conversation...about makeup, I'm calling it monochromatic. There's only a few monochrom looks I would do personally and they're all relatively similar. Peach, coral, pink, brown, beige. That's it (YES, I know you can create other monochrome looks using bright not natural colors, but that's not what I'm talking about here). BUT the beauty you can create with these colors are amazing. I think using one color throughout the look gives a feeling of effortlessness and a light natural vibe. For my next FOTD I'll play around with a few monochromatic looks. I have no idea how they'll turn out but I hope I like them, and you too of course!

Here's leading lady Rachel Bilson in a bronzed monochrome look.

And another favorite of mine, Mila Kunis. This makeup seems to allow you to peer into her soul through her amazing eyes. Then again though, her eyes always intrigue me to create beautiful looks.

I know these aren't the only things everyone's loving at the moment, but I'm not one to follow on the tail of the latest trends. I like what I love and that's that! (; I am finding some trend of my own here for summer and that comes down to one word, effortlessness. Sexy, subdued, naturally gorgeous makeup will make anyone feel like a goddess of the sun.

What looks are you loving for this season, or any season rather!?

XOX
- Mj

Sweet Sun

Hello lovelies! So, I've taken a short break from the interweb and headed out to soak up the sun and spend some quality time with my sweetheart. I'll be back to blogging as usual tomorrow, I've got a lot of NYX swatches, more e.l.f. and some other great things coming up! <3

Talk to ya soon!
XOX,
- Mj