No Muss Monday - FOTD

I decided to do a face of the day today because it's 92° outside and while most people would just skip the makeup all together, I have decided to wear a minimal amount of makeup that still leaves me looking polished.  I would say this look took about 7 minutes to do all together which is really saying something. Please excuse the crappy picture quality, I had to use my iPhone.

Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation Review

I've started thinking about my life (getting really deep here haha) and what I want to do and so I've decided to really buckle down and get this makeup artist career up and running.  I've applied to a few different studios and have a few photo shoots coming up in the next couple weeks.  With these upcoming jobs comes new products for my kit.  The first one being a foundation that is photo friendly.  Enter Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation.

$34 Sephora.com

February Favorites

Another month has come and gone and now it's time to share my favorite beauty products for the past month.  I've really been trying to shop my stash this past month but there are some new products featured in this post.

My favorite eyeliner for February was the MAC Creme liner in black.  It has definitely lived up to my expectations.  Once activated with water, it becomes a very inky black that does last all day.  This is by no means waterproof but I have had no issues with it moving until I wash it off at the end of the day.  The best part is that it doesn't take a lot of product compared to MAC's fluid line so I think this will probably last me for the rest of the year.

$16.50 MACcosmetics.com

My next favorite is a paint pot by MAC in the color Rubenesque.  This is a peachy shade that suites my skin tone nicely.  It can be worn on its own or layered under shadows for more color impact.  I find myself reaching for this over any other bases that I own.

I purchased the Vichy Dermablend foundation at CVS earlier this month and while I find it to be too thick for foundation, it really has made its way into my routine as a concealer for my face.  This creases a little too much to be worn as an under eye concealer but it covers blemishes and discoloration very well. A little goes a long way so if you use it sparingly, it is undetectable once blended.

$19.50 MACCosmetics.com

I have been loving the peachy warmness of MAC's Style blush.  The slight shimmers make my skin look radiant without accentuating skin texture.

Chanel Pro Lumiere has fought its way back into my heart this past month.  If I make sure to wear a primer and powder, it looks absolutely flawless.  It's a lot of work but if I am planning a night out, this is my go-to foundation.

I've been wearing a lot of neutral eye shadows this month which makes me think I really need to purchase the Urban Decay Naked Palette.  If only it would come back in stock anywhere.  My favorites include Soft Brown, Sable, Saddle, and Honey Lust.  I'll generally wear at least two of these colors every single day.

Another favorite of mine has been MAC's pearl glide eye liner in Industrial.  I like wearing this light shimmery blue on my lower lash line to bring out the blue-ish tones in my eyes.  I do have green eyes but they are quite light and paired with the right color shirt or eyeshadow they can sometimes look more aqua than straight green.  I wore this eyeliner with MAC's Yogurt, Soft Brown, Saddle, and Brown Down eye shadows on Valentines day and it looked really beautiful.

My Favorite bronzer of the month has been Benefit's Hoola.  This is a new product to my collection and will probably remain there for as long as Benefit keeps selling this product.  This matte bronzer is perfect for contouring as well as giving the sun kissed look to my face when I feel like being tan.  I like to bring this down my neck to blend my foundation with the rest of my body as well.

$8.95 LushUSA.com

Before I get into brushes I'd like to mention a product that I purchased a few months ago from LUSH.  I used it a couple of times as a toner but didn't really think it did anything special.  It is the Tea Tree Water and I recently started using this before my moisturizer.  I find that it wakes my skin up in the morning and helps control the oil throughout the day.  It doesn't smell pretty but it smells clean - Kind of like lemon juice concentrate.


As you know I purchased some brushes from Sigma this month and wanted to give myself ample time using them before I did a review.  I still find myself reaching for these more than my MAC brushes every day.

I find that the Chanel Pro Lumiere foundation goes on best when used with a traditional foundation brush as opposed to the flat top kabuki brush I generally use.  I like the Sigma F60 for this because of its synthetic bristles and smaller shape.  It applies the right amount of product without absorbing and wasting too much.

When I'm not using the Chanel foundation I like the F82 for liquid foundations.  I find the smaller, denser brush gives me more control than the F80 and allows me to get into smaller places on my face like under my eyes and around my nose.

Like the MAC 252, the sigma E60 is great for applying all over color.  The tip is great for applying color along the lower lash line as well as into the crease and on the outer V.

I think my favorite of all the sigma brushes is the E40.  The MAC 224 was my favorite brush of all time for a long time and the E40 is coming in a close second.  The larger, fluffier head is great for blending out the crease as well as concealer on the face and under the eyes.  I find this to be much more versatile than the MAC 224.

Well those were my favorites.  Most probably came as no surprise because they are such tried and true products.  As the weather is getting warmer I've been finding myself getting a little more bold with colors and using a lot less on my face.  I can't wait for spring to come.  I desperately need a change.  Please let me know if you want a review of any of the products mentioned above.

Upcoming reviews:
Mabelline One By One Mascara
Vichy Dermablend foundation
Pantene Beautiful Lengths conditioner
Milani HD concealer
Clarisonic Mia

Review of Sigma Brushes

As you know, I recently posted a haul of Sigma brushes.  I'm going to review them today not comparing them to their MAC counterparts but instead I'm looking at them on their own.  I'm going to tell you what I like, what I rarely reach for, and what I think really need improvement.

Must Haves:

F30 - Large Powder Brush
This brush is dense but still fluffy at the same time.  This is wonderful for applying loose powder because it evenly distributes the product and blends at the same time.  I have not had issues with it shedding or bleeding color.

$16 Sigmabeauty.com

F60 - Traditional Foundation Brush
I don't usually use the traditional foundation brushes because I feel like they eat up a lot of product and can look streaky.  I do not find that to be true with the sigma one.  It's a smaller brush but thicker and had synthetic hairs.  The smaller size is perfect for getting right under your eyes and blending out concealer.  I have a pretty large under eye area and it does fit in there perfectly.

$14 Sigmabeauty.com

F82 -  Round Top Kabuki Brush
I find myself reaching for this brush more than my F80 now.  It's made from the same Sigmax HD brush hairs but is smaller and somehow denser.  I love applying liquid foundation with the F60 and then blending it out with the F82 because it can get in smaller places like around your nose and under your eyes better.  If I need a little more coverage somewhere, I stipple it on using this brush.  No more streaks, no more unevenness, and best of all no shedding.  This brush is absolutely perfect.

$16 Sigmabeauty.com

E40 -  Tapered Blending Brush
I love love love this brush.  It's fluffy and dense at the same time - like a little F30.  I have found so many uses for this brush and use it every day.  It's great for applying under eye concealer and blending it out, great for blending crease color, great for applying my Bare Minerals Well Rested.  I'm considering buying a back up.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

E35 - Tapered Blending Brush
I know I said I wasn't going to compare the Sigma Brushes to the MAC ones but I will make an exception for this one because I bought it as a replacement for the 222.  I like this brush a lot but find that it is not much like the 222 and more like the 224.  It is fluffier than the 222 but still good for placing color in the crease.  Fortunately I have a large eye area and so a larger brush actually works well for me.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

E25 - Blending Brush
This brush does exactly what I wanted it to.  I like using this to apply liquid concealer under my eyes as well as for paint pots.  It blends them out in one easy step.  The fact that it is a travel brush has nothing to do with the quality of it which is rarely the case.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

E60 - Large Shader Brush
I like this brush.  As I said, I have a large eye space and if I want to do a wash of color on my eye, this is the right brush for the job.  It places color and blends out edges easily.  It can also pack on color so if you're using a harder to work with color (luster eyeshadows) it will still get the job done easily.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

Worth Checking Out:

F84 - Angled Top Kabuki Brush
I haven't really used this brush much.  I don't know if it's because I'm so happy with the F82 or if it's something else.  I tried using this to apply contour color and just wasn't impressed.  It didn't really pack on the color how I like and used a lot of product in the process.  It probably works amazingly well for liquid foundation but I just don't know yet.  I'll probably give this another go later today.

$16 Sigmabeauty.com

F70 - Concealer Brush
This brush is supposed to be used for under eye concealer but I don't think it's great.  It seems to be too firm and may pull at your under eye area during application.  I don't think it's particularly great for applying concealer on the face either...I'm kind of a fingers girl when it comes to concealer.  It's not a bad brush I just don't really use it.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

F50 - Duo Fiber Brush
I'm not crazy about this brush because it's kind of flimsy.  Duo Fiber brushes are great for stippling on liquid foundation but this one kind of folds under the pressure and doesn't give you enough control.  The only reason this didn't make it onto my needs improvement list is because it is good for applying blush or blending out blush.  It is incredibly soft and I've had no problems with shedding.

$16 Sigmabeauty.com

E70 - Angled Shader Brush
This brush is ok but I don't find myself reaching for it often.  It's a little flimsy so I don't like to use this for brow highlight.  I don't think there's anything wrong with it exactly and I'm sure I'll find a use for it at some point but I'm not in love with it and I don't think it's necessary in a collection.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

E55 - Eye Shading Brush
It's not that this is poorly made or anything but it's just sort of generic.  It is exactly like every other lower brand eye shadow brush.  It puts color on your eyes but it's not dense enough to really pack it on.  I think there's other shadow brushes out there that are better.  I will say that it's a good brush for applying brow highlight.  It's like a baby 227.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

E30 - Pencil Brush
This brush is nice but it has a lot of give to it and it does not come to a point as much as I would like.  It's good for blending out eye shadow along your upper lash line and applying color to your outer V.  I don't really think it should be considered a pencil brush, more of a precise crease brush.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

E65 - Angled Liner Brush
This is not a liner brush.  It is way too thick to do any sort of thin lines.  It is good for eyebrows though so I don't hate it.  It's not essential but it's not a complete waste either.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

Needs Serious Improvement:

F40 - Angled Contour Brush
I have the same issues with this brush that I do for the F50; it is to flimsy.  I haven't found anything that I can use this brush for.  It is too flimsy for blush and defiantly too flimsy for contour.  It's not good for blending or placing color.  Maybe it works for some people but I just don't have a use for it.

**I'm thinking that maybe I was being biased about the F40 because I love my MAC 168 so much and they are such different brushes.  I was getting ready to apply cream blush today which I rarely do (oily skin) and grabbed for my 188 when it occurred to me to try the F40.  It actually worked out because it's less dense so it applied the color more sparingly than if I were to use a denser brush.  Sorry F40 - I spoke too soon**

$14 Sigmabeauty.com

E05 - Liner Brush
Like the E65 this brush is way too big to be a liner brush for your eyes.  It might work well for lips but I think that if you're going to designate a brush for something it should at least work to do that.  I don't think I'll ever use this except for fantasy makeup.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

Well that was my review.  Overall I'm happy with my brushes and would repurchase most of them given the chance.  They are very well made brushes and I look forward to many years of use.

Sigma Haul!

After a long day in the office I came home to find my order from Sigma came in the mail today.  I've had great experiences with Sigma in the past, both with their products and their customer service.  Ever since I saw the new Make Me Up collections, I've wanted the Aqua brushes to match my makeup room which is a lighter aqua and a darker turquoise (much like the brushes themselves).  I'm really excited to start using all my new brushes.

The first thing I got was the Make Me Cool Brush set. 

$99 Sigmabeauty.com

This set comes with 12 brushes and a hard case that snaps closed.  When opened, you can use the two cups as brush holders.  I haven't used them yet but my first impression is that they are pretty nice brushes.   The handles are darker and larger than I expected but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  When I first opened them up they smelled a little funky (kind of like wet paint) but I'm hoping that washing them will take care of that. 

Brushes included in the set:

Small Angle - E65

Medium Angled Shading - E70

Large Shader - E60

Pencil - E30

Large Angled Contour - F40

Large Powder - F30

Duo Fibre - F50

Foundation - F60

Concealer - F70

Tapered Blending - E40

Eye Shading - E55

Eyeliner - E05

As a bonus for ordering this set you get a short handle E25 which I'm really excited about because I wanted to get another MAC 217 for paint pots and concealer and now I don't have to!

A few months back I lost my beloved MAC 222 and have been looking for a new one ever since.  The MAC stores and counters around me always seem to be out of stock so I've had some trouble replacing it.  I was excited to see that Sigma was offering the E35 which is supposed to be a comparable brush for 1/3 the cost.  I'm excited to give this a try and see if it measures up.

$9 Sigmabeauty.com

As I've said in the past, I am in love with my F80 and so I was debating on whether to get the F82 or the F84 because I've heard such great things about both of them.  I sucked it up and just decided to get both and I'm happy that I did.  The F82 is smaller than the F80 but equally dense and soft.  I haven't decided what I'm going to use this for (probably contour or liquid foundation) but I'm really psyched to try this one out as well.

$16 Sigmabeauty.com

The F84 is the Angled synthetic Kabuki.  It is equally soft and about the same size as the F80.  I'll probably use this for liquid foundation as well because the edges will fit in smaller areas like around your nose and under your eyes.  I may use this for contour as well. 

$16 Sigmabeauty.com

I'm really anxious to try all of these out but I'm going to wait patiently until tomorrow when they're dry.  I plan on doing a full review of each of the brushes after I use them for a bit so I can see what I grab for and what I use each of them for.  Hope you enjoyed.

January Favorites

As promised, here are my January favorites.  Some of these items were recent purchases and some have been in my collection for a while but I just recently fell in love with them.  

Nuance Mineralize Blush:  This is the first mineralize blush I've purchased and I have to say, I love it.  I was put off by them in the past because I thought they were too shimmery which can make textured skin look even more bumpy.  I was very very wrong.  This shade is a perfect peach shade that looks natural and compliments my light complexion in the winter.  It also blends easily and doesn't fade.  I find myself using this every day and layering with other blushes to compliment various looks. 


Shimpagne MSF: This Mineralize Skin Finish came in the Fun In The Sun Mineralize kit from MAC's holiday collection in 2009.  It is similar in texture to Soft and Gentle MSF but more beige than pink.  A little goes a long way with this since it's so shimmery.  I like this for the tops of my cheek bones and my cupid's bow.  I find it a little too shiny for my nose. 


Play on Plums Mineralize Eye Shadow :  One of my favorite eye looks to do is to put Expensive Pink Eye Shadow on my entire lid and Cranberry in the outer V.  I recently purchased the Play on Plums Mineralize Eye Shadow and have fallen in love with it.  It is the perfect compliment to my green eyes.  ($19 MACcosmetics.com)

MAC Wedge Eye Shadow:  I got this eye shadow last year and haven't really used it up until recently.  I like using a bronzer to contour my face but I've found that a lot of them are too orangey and look kind of fake.  I started using Wedge to contour my cheek bones and find the cooler color to look more like a natural shadow than bronzer.  I also like this as a transition color in my crease.  ($14.50 MACcosmetics.com)


MAC Blanc Type Eye Shadow:  Another eye shadow I purchased a year ago that I didn't use very often, probably because my skin has been too tan and looked unnatural.  Since I haven't been tanning in months, this makes a great highlight now.  It's matte so I like to use this when I have a lot of shimmer on the rest of my face.  

Bobby Brown Corrector :  I've talked about my dark under eye circles in the past and have found that this is works great to solve that problem.  I got the color Light Bisque because I am super pale right now but it comes in 10 different shades so you're sure to find the right one for your skin tone.  It's very creamy and a little goes a long way and the light pink color works fabulously to neutralize the bluish shades under my eyes.  ($22 bobbybrowncosmetics.com)


Bare Minerals Well Rested: I use this every day under my eyes to set my concealer.  It lives up to its name and brightens to make me look like I've gotten a full night of sleep.  It also helps my concealer last all day and stops my eye liner from running.  ($18 Nordstrom.com)


MAC Prep + Prime Skin Refines Zone: I bought about 2 years ago at a CCO and didn't really think too much of it at the time.  I ran out of primer recently and decided to use this on my T-Zone and across my cheeks around my nose.  A few minutes after applying I noticed my pores shrinking and my skin felt really soft.  This helped my foundation stay on and reduced caking around my nose.  ($19.50 MACcosmetics.com)


MAC Lightful Deep Ultra Moisture Creme:  Despite its name, this moisturizer is very light weight and more of a gel like consistency than a cream.  I use this twice a day and it immediately sinks into my skin making it feel soft and hydrated, never greasy.  It also has a light fresh scent that is very refreshing.  I always feel like I'm doing something really nice for my skin when I use this.  ($38 MACcosmetics.com)

MAC 275 Angled Shading Brush:  This is another item that I've had in my collection for a long time and didn't reach for it very often.  Recently, I've been using this for my highlight color.  It packs color on my brow bone perfectly and then blends it out nicely so there's no harsh line.  ($24 MACcosmetics.com)

Sigma F80 Brush:  Once again, holy grail product and a great company.  This is the softest brush ever and is so wonderful for liquid foundation.  I swirl my foundation on a candle plate and then tap the brush into it and buff it onto my face.  It applies the right amount of product and buffs away any harsh lines.  I had a little issue with it shedding recently while I was deep cleaning it and contacted Sigma who are sending me a new one no questions asked.  I think the fact that they can stand behind their product and are dedicated to such great customer service really says a lot about the company.  I will be purchasing additional brushes in the future for my kit because of this. ($16 sigmabeauty.com)






Well that about wraps things up.  I've really enjoyed playing with makeup this past month and I'm excited to experiment with new (and old) products next month.  Until next time, here's a picture of Bailey.  

He likes to keep with the current makeup trends too!

bareMinerals Well Rested for Eyes This award winning shadow base by bareMinerals is perfect for brightening the skin under your eyes or anywhere you wish to brighten dark shadows.

Favorite Products of 2010

Some of my favorite videos are the ones where the beauty gurus share their favorite products of the month and seeing as how it's the end of the year, I thought I'd start off by doing my favorite products of 2010.  Next year I'll start doing my favorite products of the month.  I'm going to do the categories of hair, skin, makeup, nails and miscellaneous. 

HAIR:



$28 Ulta.com



$36 Ulta.com

I've tried a lot of different shampoos this year and wasn't really impressed with any of them so there will be no favorite shampoo product of 2010.  For conditioner my favorite was the Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque.  I mix this with the Healing Oil Treatment once a week and it makes my hair so soft.  It smells better and is less expensive than the Moroccan Oil but works the same way.  After my shower, I wring out my hair and put about a half a pump of the oil treatment on the ends.  It protects my hair from heat styling and makes it really shiny and smooth. 

FACE:

$11.49 drugstore.com

My favorite Cleanser of the year is Cetaphil daily facial cleanser.  This gentle cleanser was recommended to me by a dermatologist when I was a teenager suffering from terrible acne.  I hadn't used it in a while because I get bored easily and like to experiment with other products but I always seem to go back to this cleanser.  I recently bought it when I ran out of eye makeup remover and needed something gentle to remove my eye makeup.  This is the best cleanser for removing everything.  It cleanses without stripping your face of moisture and it leaves your skin so soft and smooth.  It's also really easy to find because it's sold at all drug stores and grocery stores. 



$30 MACcosmetics.com



My favorite Toner of all time is the MAC Lightful Active Softening Lotion.  I love the whole Lightful line but this is one product I repurchased again and again.  It removes any traces of makeup while leaving your skin balanced and moisturized.  After a few days of using this I'd noticed most of my acne had disappeared and after a few weeks I'd noticed that the scars were fading fast.  I'm a believer that MAC actually does have great skincare that most people don't give a chance.

$40 MACcosmetics.com

My favorite Serum of 2010 is a product from the MAC Lightful Collection again.  It is the Charged Essence Serum.  Used after the softening lotion and before your moisturizer it really helps other products sink into your skin.  I noticed similar effects with this that I did with the Lightful Active Softening Lotion but I noticed that my skin felt smoother and looked brighter when I used this as part of my routine. 

$27 LaRoche-Posay.US

I tried a lot of moisturizers this year and have found that the La Roche-Posay Effaclar M Daily Mattifying Moisturizer was the best one for me. When you put it on, you immediately feel an almost cooling sensation.  It then goes to work gently exfoliating your skin to improve the texture over time.  After about 3 minutes I noticed less shine and smaller pores.  It has a nice clean scent and an almost gel like consistency.  It also makes a great base for powder foundation. 



limited edition Clarisonic Mia
$149 Clarisonic.com



The Last product I'm going to mention for Skin is the Clarisonic.  There's a lot of hype around this product and people wonder is it worth the money.  I'm here to cast my vote with a screaming HELL YES.  It does all the work for you.  I have never had cleaner skin than when I use my Clarisonic.  It really does a great job of getting that dirt way down in your pores and also exfoliates daily.  I'm not sure if any one of these products has made a difference in my skin but it hasn't looked this good since I was 14.  If you don't want to shell out almost $200 for the classic Clarisonic, get the Mia.  It does the same job and it's $50 less.   They usually come in cute limited edition colors like lavender and yellow as well as pink which Clarisonic says that they donate money to people with cancer. 

MAKEUP:



$40 MACcosmetics.com

My favorite primer of the year would have to be the MAC Prep + Prime Skin Brightening Serum.  This product came out early in 2010 and was a staple in my makeup routine for a long time.  It was similar to the lightful serum but I felt that it helped my makeup last longer.  I believe it was also infused with the MAC charged water. 



Favorite Foundation of the year goes to Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation SPF 42.  I've done a blog post on this foundation already and I continue to be impressed by this product.  I apply it with a Sigma F80 brush and then press it into my face around my nose and any places I get oily with a cosmetic sponge.  This has helped with the pooling up around my mouth and when I use it with the MURAD Mattifier, I don't see any of the negative things I had to say about it in my previous post.  It covers well, stays on my face for a long time, has a perfect color match and it doesn't oxidize. 



$20 (Benefitcosmetics.com)

The women on my mother's side of the family have a very similar facial structure.  We all have high cheek bones.  I seem to have this more than any of my sisters which means that I look great when I smile and there's lots of room for blush but I also have greater bags to cover under my eyes.  Paired with dark circles, I often look like I'm exhausted.  I find that a lot of under eye concealers crease on me due to my eye shape and so it's hard for me to work with this.  Enter Benefit Eye Bright.  This light pink under eye brightener is creamy enough to be blended with a brush but light enough to resist creasing.  I apply my foundation and then apply this to the areas that need a little more brightness under my eyes.  It's a great product that can be used on the waterline that looks a little more natural than a white.  I also use it as a brow bone highlight sometimes. 

 

$16.50 MACcosmetics.com

My other favorite concealer is MAC's Select cover up.  This was the very first concealer I ever purchased from MAC and it is still wonderful.  Like I said, I have an issue with concealers creasing on me but not with this.  I don't remember what it is but something makes this concealer set so it doesn't budge.  You also get a lot more product with this concealer than any other concealer MAC sells. 

$26 MACcosmetics.com

For powder it is hands down the MAC MSF Natural.  So many people love this powder and it's no secret why.  It comes in a variety of colors ranging from very light to very dark.  When applied with a fluffy brush it does a great job of setting your makeup or you can use a more densely packed brush to get a more fuller coverage.  I like to use this in the summer with MAC's select cover up under my eyes.  I buff it into my skin with a kabuki brush and it just gives the most natural flawless coverage.  I get compliments on my skin every time I wear this.  People will say "oh you have beautiful skin" and I always reply with "no, I have great makeup". 

$18 Ulta.com

My favorite bronzer is Bare Minerals Warmth.  It works on any skin tone and has actually lasted me years because of how pigmented it is.  You use just a little bit and it's great for giving you a sun kissed glow.  It's a matte blush so it's also good for contour.   

Sadly my favorite highlight came out in a limited edition collection from MAC early this year.  Thankfully, MAC seems to re promote their recent mineralize skin finishes a lot so chances are I'll be able to pick this up again if I run out soon.  My pick for best highlight color of 2010 is MAC MSF in By Candle Light.  It is a light fleshy peach with frosty gold veining and looks beautiful as a highlight especially when applied with a light hand.  I've heard that Dior's Amber Diamond Shimmer powder is a good dupe for this but I've never tried it so I'm not sure.



For favorite blushes it's not so much a specific shade so much as it is a general color.  My pick for favorite blush of 2010 is MAC's Bite of an Apple Blush from their Disney Venomous Villains Collection.  I went a little insane with this collection and bought almost everything but the must have on my list was this blush.  I noticed in at least 5 collections this year there was a peachy or coral blush color and I missed out in every other collection this year.  I think we all remember how quickly Ripe Peach Blush Ombre sold out with the Spring Color Forecast collection this year.  So when I saw that there was going to be a beautiful coral blush with the Disney collection I jumped at the chance.  The fact that it comes in adorable packaging just sealed the deal.  I'm almost glad that I missed out on the other blushes because I may not have gotten to enjoy this one which is now as coveted as the RP Blush Ombre.  I think this is such a great color because of how universal it is.  It works on the palest of people to the darkest of people.  It give a lit from within glow to the most mature of skin and compliments any makeup that is worn.  My other pick for favorite blush goes hand in hand with Bite of an Apple and that is the NYC Blushable Crème Stick in Plaza Pink. Again, a beautiful coral color but this time it's in a cream form.  I like to warm this up on the back of my hand and then apply with a MAC 188 brush.  This looks great under NARS Orgasm or any warm pinkie blush. 

Again sticking with the Peachy theme, my favorite eyeshadow base is MAC Rubenesque paint pot.  It's a great shimmery peach base that looks good on all skin tones under a lot of neutral eye shadows. 

Now for favorite eye shadows.  There's a lot to mention and they're mostly MAC.

• MAC Tan pigment - This shade looks beautiful with my green eyes.  I like to pair it with MAC Tempting in the crease and MAC Gilt By Association Mineralize Eyeshadow on the outer V



MAC Naked Pigment
$19.50

• MAC Naked pigment - There is no better highlight.  If I were allowed one eyeshadow for the rest of my life it would be this one.  It's a fleshy beige color with subtle gold shimmer (although I find new colors in there every time).  It makes a wonderful cheek highlight, gorgeous inner corner highlight, lovely all over the lid color.  All around LOVE
• MAC Wood Winked - Great on its own or in the crease.  I love Veluxe Pearl finishes because they're so beautifully shimmery and easy to blend. 
• MAC Tempting - I usually dislike Luster eye shadows but this one has decent color pay off.  I like it in the crease and on the lower lash line.  Compliments light eyes well but also good on brown eyes.
• MAC Grand Entrance - Beautiful inner corner highlight.  Love it all over the lid or used sparingly as a highlight.
• MAC Sketch - A favorite amongst most MUAs.  This dark reddish burgundy looks great in the outer V or as an eyeliner.
• MAC Naked Lunch - Beautiful neutral pale pink with shimmer.  This is a must for bridal makeup.
• MAC Blue Flame Mineralized Eyeshadow - Black with blue glitter.  This eyeshadow is best applied wet with a small brush.  Use all over for a smoky eye or over black eyeliner for a subtle splash of color.
• MAC Gilt by Association Mineralized Eyeshadow - A must for smoky brown eyes.  I find that this works best when scraped off into a loose eyeshadow  and applied with the MAC 226.  It is more natural transition than black in the crease. 
• MUFE #307 - Beautiful smoky black eyeshadow with silver glitter.  Easily blendable and a new staple in my makeup collection

Favorite Eyeliners:

• MAC pearl glide eyeliners - These are by far the best eyeliners that were released in any MAC collection this year. Many vibrant colors that are great for lining your eyes or can be smudged out and make a great base.  These are the best eye liners for your waterline because once they set, they are waterproof and are not going to budge.  Subtle shimmer and a wide variety of colors make these my favorite eye liners of the year.
• Loreal carbon black liquid liner -  another hyped up product and I have to say I agree.  It's very black which is hard to find with liquid eyeliners.  I also really like the easy to use spongy applicator which allows for the thinnest lines as well as the control to do a great winged eye liner.
• MAC Teddy Eye Kohl - This is a beautiful bronze eye Kohl that looks great with green eyes.  Dark enough to make your lashes appear thicker but still more natural than black. 
• MAC Smolder Eye Kohl - My love.  My first MAC eyeliner ever purchased.  This smudgy black eyeliner is just gorgeous.  It can be applied with an angled brush or on its own.  I like to set this with an eyeshadow to prevent smudging.

Lips:

• MAC Viva Glam 5 -  A beautiful my lips but better color.  This shade goes with any makeup look.  Perfect for bridal.

• MAC Viva Glam 6 Special Edition Gloss - This gloss adds that extra umph to any lip.  Looks great on its own too. 
• MAC Lily Land Lip Gelees - Rarely do I purchase something in every color it comes in but I couldn't pass up these lip gelees.  Glittery and pigmented without being sticky, they're everything that dazzle glasses should be.  Can't pick a favorite here.
• MAC Innocence Beware Lipstick - Another pick from the Disney Venomous Villains collection.  This limited edition shade is what I wish Creme De Nude was on me.  It's slightly pinker so it compliments my skin better.  It gives me a nude lip without making me look like I just slopped some concealer on my lips and rubbed Vaseline on them.

BRUSHES:

These are my favorite brushes of the year.  I used them almost every time I did makeup. 

Face:



$16 Sigmabeauty.com



• The Sigma F80 is the best brush for liquid foundation.  I used the MAC 109 for a very long time but it kept shedding.  Enter the F80.  The synthetic hairs are the softest hair on a brush ever.  It's densely packed and does a great job of buffing the foundation into your skin giving you a flawless airbrushed finish.  It disperses the color just as well.
• The MAC 165 is my favorite brush for highlighting.  Its tapered ends are perfect for placing color down the bridge of your nose, Cupid's bow, cheek bones, and around my eyes.
• The MAC 187 stippling brush is perfect for placing a heavily pigmented blush without making it look clown like.  It can also be used for powder and cream products.
• MAC 130 - I like to use this brush to apply powder under my eyes.  I find that it's small enough to fit right under there and applies the right amount without looking cakey.
• MAC 182 - This brush is great for applying powder foundation.  I use this to buff my MSF Natural into my skin and also to blend out too harsh blushes.   

Eyes:

• The MAC 217 brush is my all time favorite brush.  It's great for placing color as well as blending.  I use this for paint pots, crease colors, all over lid colors, applying brow bone highlights...everything.  If I could have only one brush for the rest of my life it would be this one.
• I like the MAC 252 for packing on all over color.  I have a large eye space and this saves a lot of time when I'm trying to place one color in a large area.  I use this almost every day.
• Sometimes after placing a crease color I find that my lid color has faded to the background a little bit.  I use the MAC 239 to reapply the lid color because it's small enough to fit right on my lid without disturbing the crease too much.  It is also dense enough to pack on a lot of color. 



$29 MACcosmetics.com

• The MAC 224 is great for blending the line between my crease and my brow highlight.  I like to use a color like Soft Brown with this because it's a nice transition and the 224 diffuses the color nicely.
• The MAC 226 is my favorite brush for doing outer V and more defined crease work.  It's more tapered than the 224 and 217 so it's good for fitting in small areas. 
• The MAC 219 pencil brush is my favorite for placing color on my lower lash line.  I like to use this brush to smudge out eyeliner on the upper lash line as well. 
• Last but certainly not least, I love MAC's 227 brush for the highlight area. This densely packed brush does a great job of applying color to my brow bone as well as bringing down my crease color if it's been blended up too high.  This is also great for doing a wash of color all over the lid.

My favorite Mascara of the year has to be Cover girl Lash blast.  It really lifts my lashes and gives them amazing volume while separating them.  I often get asked if my lashes are real when I'm wearing this mascara. 

Category MISC:

Other honorable mention items that may not fit into the categories listed above are below.

• Nail Polish - Orly Galaxy Girl.  This nail polish is a perfect dupe for MAC's Formidable that came out with the Disney collection.  I love all the colors. When you turn it one way it's sort of blue/green and then look at it another way and it's a gorgeous purple.
• Bath and Body Works Winter - I love this smell.  It smells like snow and fireplaces and pine...or...Winter.  I went a little crazy with this scent.  I bought the Wall Flowers, 6 of the 3 wick candles, and the room spray.  YUMMMM.
• My Uggs.  They're new to my life, an early Christmas present from the BF, but I have worn them every single day since he gave them to me.  They're so comfortable, I put them on before I leave my bedroom and don't take them off until it's bed time.  They've been a real life saver because I live in a drafty old row house with crappy heat.
• Crystal Light Green Tea Peach Mango.  I've been trying to drink a lot more water but it's difficult when I have gross city water.  I've tried other crystal lights but I can not get enough of this one.  It's so yummy and refreshing.
• My sweet little pupper. Like my Uggs, he is fluffy, White and Tan, and oh so warm.  The only difference is that he comes to bed with me and stays there all night.  Currently, he's curled up right next to me, keeping me warm. 



(Left) Ugg Bailey Buttons
(Right) my Bailey Pupper

Well I think that'll do it for now.  I spent all day working on this (in between actual work, of course) but I think it's time for me to get up to bed.  Keep a look out for my favorites of the month.