Lilqtpy85.blogspot.com: Urban Decay

Showing posts with label Urban Decay. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Favorite Skincare Products of the moment

A lot of people have some sort of post about a skincare routine. Whenever I watch a video or read a post about someones skincare routine, I always think "why would someone spend that much time washing their face. Don't they have other things going on in their lives?" It seems like they're giving themselves full facials every single night. I don't know about you, but I absolutely do not have time for that. Skincare is important to me but at the same time, I'm busy, lazy, and generally exhausted. I only have about 5 minutes every night to get my face washed and ready for bed. Here is that routine.

Urban Decay Lush Lash System

I had mentioned in a haul about a month ago that I received both the Lush Lash Mascara as well as the serum/conditioner as gratis from Ulta. I have been using both regularly (the mascara daily and the serum as often as I remember it - usually 3 times a week) and have actually noticed results. I was a bit skeptical of these products because they were supposed to be paraben/cruelty free and organic. Plus the price tag was somewhat reasonable compared to other lash boosting products on the market. I'm happy to report that I have noticed a difference in my lashes.

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.

Ulta Haul

As promised, here is a nice big juicy haul from Ulta. I received some products as gratis for being an employee and they will be marked with an asterisk.

I have finally used up the last of my Murad Oil Control Mattifier that I purchased last November and desperately needed a new one because it is literally 115° outside and without it, I would not be wearing any makeup after about 5 minutes.

$39.50 Ulta.com

Collective Haul - Sephora, Origins, E.L.F., Clinique.

After months of not buying makeup I decided to treat myself one last time before I hand over all my extra cash to get new tires for my car :(. I went to the mall today to have lunch with my boyfriend and also decided to pick up a couple things while I was there.

My first stop was Sephora to check out the new Amazonian Clay blushes from Tarte. These are said to control oil and last for 12 hours so they sounded like they were right up my alley. I went into the Sephora and made a beeline for the Tarte section and was kind of overwhelmed by the Amazonian Clay blushes because of all the beautiful colors...which were kind of similar to one another. I wasn't sure if I wanted to get Dollface or Amused because they were so similar and I was afraid Dollface would be too light. I ended up bringing both to the register and asking the cashier to just pick one for me. She ended up going with Amused which is a bright pink. I have to say I'm relieved that she did because it is unique to anything I have in my collection. I also picked up Tipsy because I am a sucker for coral blushes and this was the one I really had my eye on.

$25 Sephora.com

While wandering around trying to decide on blush I noticed that they had the Urban Decay Primer Potion in the new tube. I'm almost out of the little sample that came with the Naked Pallet and this is my favorite eye primer so I figured I'd pick it up because I am doing makeup for a wedding next month and this is much more sanitary and cost effective than the old genie bottle style.

$19 Sephora.com

After that it was on to Macy's to get a back up of my Origins Vitazing. I'm so happy I was turned on to this. It is my new favorite cosmetic item. I like that it doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything and just evens out my complexion without looking overdone. Granted, I still need a lot of concealer because of my acne scars but on the areas that don't need concealing, like my forehead and the middle of my face, it looks like I just have naturally radiant skin.

$35 Origins.com

As I was walking back through Nordstrom with my boyfriend on my way to the car I realized that I had forgotten to buy my eye makeup remover. After a quick trip to the Clinique counter to pick up "Take the Day Off" we were on our way. I have used a lot of eye makeup removers in the past but I've found that this one does the best job of getting it all off. It also doesn't sting at all or cause me any breakouts but leaves my eye area feeling nourished but not greasy.

$18 Nordstrom.com

After I left the mall I stopped in at Target because I still had some time to kill and there was one on the way home. This particular Target happened to carry e.l.f. products so I immediately picked up the e.l.f. studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder. How is this thing only $3? The packaging itself is high enough quality to warrant a higher price tag let alone the amazing product inside of it. Seriously, $1.50 each for blush and bronzer!!! Anyway, in case you can't tell I'm really psyched to give this one a try. I'm hoping to buy a new brush belt from e.l.f. next month so hopefully the whole brand is as good as this duo.

$3 (seriously!!!) eyeslipsface.com

Well that's it for my haul. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know if you've tried any of these items and what your thoughts are. I'd really like to know if all of the products by e.l.f. are as amazing as this one.

Upcoming Posts:

May Favorites

Comparison/Review: MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder and Revlon Color Stay Aqua mineral foundation

Monday, March 7, 2011

Haul March 1st - March 7th

I have a little collective Haul from the past week. I picked these items up from all different places on different days. It's weird to see how much I actually bought in one week until I write it down. At the time I didn't think I was purchasing that much until I went and brought out everything that I've bought over the past week. That being said, I'm excited to share my new purchases.

Last week was really rough at work and I wanted to go to Lush to pick up some bath stuff to help me relax. It has been working so far and I do feel less stressed out. While I was at the mall I stopped in Nordstrom to pick up the Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base. I heard about it a long time ago and was curious but every time I would go and look at it in the store it just didn't seem that special and seemed like it would make my skin look kind of orange. I had gotten a sample of this earlier in the week and just fell in love with it.

$48 Nordstrom.com

$15 Sephora.com

While I was at the mall I went into Sephora to get a new primer. I've like the Philosophy On A Clear Day primer because it has salicylic acid in it to help fight acne. I don't like wearing acne medication during the day but if it's built into my primer, I'm ok with that. I used this about 3 years ago and really liked it. Unfortunately, they no longer sell it at Sephora so I was stuck looking for something similar. Call me crazy, but I prefer primers with silicone in them because I find that they stay longer and help smooth out imperfections. I also like the way my skin feels when I wear them. I chose to buy the Sephora brand Smoothing Primer because it does contain that silicone that I like but it also is mattifying.

Last time I was in Sephora I asked one of the sales girls if she preferred the Makeup Forever Smoky Lash or the Fresh Supernova Mascara. She said she liked the Fresh one because it conditions your lashes and irritated her eyes less. My allergies have been acting up so anything that will make my eyes water less is helpful. I decided to purchase it this time because I am a mascara junkie and justified by saying that I wanted to take care of my lashes more and if I couldn't afford a lash growth serum, this would be a good way to do it.

$25 Sephora.com

I had over 100 points so I also received a sample of the Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara. It's a pretty cute little mascara. It has a rubber wand that does a good job of separating my lashes but I don't think it builds volume or lengthens well enough to actually purchase. It is cute though and I'll use it if I want a natural look (like I ever do).

$18 Sephora.com

$8.99 Ulta.com

A few days later I was trying to figure out what hair style I wanted (I had a hair appointment the next morning) when my friend called and suggested we go to CVS to look at some hair magazines for inspiration. I also had a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase so we decided to take advantage of that. I walked around for a while in the cosmetics department and helped my friend pick out new eyeliner, lipstick, and lipgloss while I picked up and put back several things for myself. The only thing that I did end up leaving with was the Revlon Color Burst Lipstick in Soft Nude. I actually like this color. It's a slightly more opaque and peachy version of Creme D' Nude by MAC. We did end up looking for hairstyles and ultimately decided that I like how I've been getting my hair cut, I just need a trim...and full blunt bangs!

The next day I went to get my hair cut and it took 4 hours!!! I went from a deep auburn to a light coppery, almost strawberry blonde color. Not exactly what I asked for but I'm rocking it so whatever. Upon my many trips from the color chair to the shampoo station I noticed a display in the manicure room that had they Katy Perry by OPI Nail Polishes and I spotted Teenage Dream! I have wanted this color ever since I could no longer get it. That's how things work with me though. If I see swatches online and I fall in love with it, chances are it is already sold out. I heard that Sally Hansen's Strobe Light nail polish is similar and so I bought that and I can now tell you that they are very different and I'm ecstatic that I was able to find it. I might go back and get another one because they had several and do a give away in the future if I ever get more followers.

$29 Sephora.com

I woke up early the next day to go to a kickboxing class with a friend which was truly one of the most difficult and painful experiences of my life. I have decided that I need to start eating better, working out and most importantly quit smoking. We went back to her house and had smoothies then went to a park in our city to walk around their 3 mile lake. After that it was lunch at a health food store, shower and a trip to Sephora again to help her mom pick out new makeup for an upcoming performance. While I was in Sephora, I decided to treat myself to a new eye cream I've been wanting for some time. I had a sample of the Clinique All About Eyes Rich eye cream and enjoyed it very much. Despite it being so rich, it sinks into your skin quickly and doesn't cause any extra creasing of my under eye concealer. So far, I'm pretty happy with it but I haven't noticed any major improvements.

$48 Ulta.com

While out shopping yesterday for a new dustpan and cleaning supplies I tricked my boyfriend into going to the shopping center where our Ulta is by saying that I wanted to pick up a movie from the Best Buy that was close by. We found the movie and then I made an excuse saying that I had to run into Ulta for bobby pins and he could meet me over there when he was done. I actually wanted to get the John Frieda Radiant Red color glaze to help deepen up the red in my hair. Turns out they don't make that anymore so that was a bust but while I was in there, I did see that they had an Urban Decay Naked Palette in a display. Eager to snatch up this coveted palette, I literally ran back to the Urban Decay section to pick one up. They weren't there so as I made my way back up to the front of the store to ask if I could buy the display one (it was unused and in a clear box to protect it from the elements) I saw a whole stack of them. I was tempted to buy two as my sister's birthday is coming up this week but settled for just the one because $48 is a lot of money to spend on her when she does not appreciate hard to find makeup as I do.

$19 Ulta.com

If you purchased over $25 worth of Urban Decay products at Ulta right now you get three free samples. They're really small but I'm actually enjoying them and thinking about purchasing the full size of at least two of them. The first one was the Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in the color Midnight Cowboy. This has become a color that is gaining a lot of hype like Stila's Kitten did a few years ago. They're branching out from just the eyeshadows to an eye liner and now lip gloss. Like the eye shadow it is a shimmery beige color with silver flecks in it. It is a plumping and cooling lipgloss that is not uncomfortable like lip venom. It is sticky but I think the very wearable and beautiful color makes up for it for me. I like MAC lipglasses so I rarely have issues with stickiness. Also included in that was the Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Wallflower. This one is a neutral pink my lips but better color that would be very flattering on a variety of skin tones. The last thing that I got was a sample of the Stardust eye shadow in the color Retrograde. It's a mid-tone purple with a lot of silver glitter in it. I don't buy a lot of Urban Decay eye shadows because 1. They're really expensive and 2. They tend to have a lot of glitter that falls out on to your face and is impossible to get off. It's not really pigmented and the glitter would drive me crazy so I don't think I'll use this. I'll probably give this to my friend who's birthday is coming up.

Well that's if for my haul. As you can see I didn't get a lot at each shopping trip but did end up going out a whole lot. I really have to stop this. Being a makeup artist, I can write these purchases off on my taxes but that doesn't help me with money until next year. I think I'm going to start a project 10 pan in the very near future. Anyway, as always let me know if there's something you'd like reviewed or if you've used any of these in the past and what you've thought of them.

Thanks so much!!!

Monday, February 7, 2011

FOTD

Today's FOTD is inspired by my new makeup from CVS and Lisa Eldridge's video on concealing spots. I started breaking out again recently (it's hormonal) and so I've been trying to figure out the most natural way to cover my breakouts. I stumbled upon Lisa Eldridge's video on concealing acne a while ago and have wanted to try her technique ever since my face blew up a week ago. She has a wonderful philosophy that instead of covering your whole face with a mask of makeup, you should use a really sheer foundation all over to even out your skin and then conceal spots with a concealer or heavier foundation. I tried it today and I have to say, I'm really pleased with the outcome.

I started out by priming my face with my Murad Oil Control Primer down my nose and on my forehead. I then mixed Chanel Pro Lumiere in the color Shell (1.5) with my Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation SPF 42 and then added some of my MAC Lightful Deep Ultra Moisture Creme to thin it out a bit. I squeezed out a little bit of the Vichy Dermablend Foundation and mixed it with my MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer in NW25 because the color was a little light. Using a MAC 217 Brush (like Lisa in the video) I lightly brushed the heaver foundation over the spots that needed some more concealing. I wouldn't say it looks natural...I defiantly look like I'm wearing a lot of makeup and there's nothing any cosmetic can do about texture but I do like the final outcome.

FACE:
Murad Oil Control Mattifier
MAC Lightful Ultra Deep Moisture Cream
Chanel Pro Lumiere (Shell 1.5)
Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation SPF 42 (#20)
Vichy Dermablend Foundation (Opal 15)
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (NW25)
MAC Blot Powder Loose (light)
Benefit Bronzer (Hoola)
MAC Mineralize Blush (Nuance)
MAC Blush (Dame)
MAC MSF (Shimpagne)

BROWS:
MAC Eyeshadow (Embark)

EYES:
Urban Decay Primer Potion (Sin - all over)
MAC Paint Pot (Indianwood - Lid, Up to crease)
MAC Pigment (Jardin Aires - Inner Corner)
MAC Pigment (Tan - Lid and into the crease. Also smudged out eyeliner on top and bottom)
MAC Pigment (Chocolate brown - Crease)
MAC Eyeshadow (Carbon - Outer V and smudged out eyeliner)
Milani Liquif'eye Liner (Black - Upper lashline and water line)
MAC Haute And Naughty Lash

LIPS:
MAC Lipstick (Honeylove)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Face Of The Day

While working at MAC I learned a lot of really helpful tips and tricks that I didn't know before working there. One thing I could never really get was how to do winged eyeliner. I love MAC's fluidline but find that it can be a little difficult to work with if you're a beginner (like I was). I always found that it balled up on the brush and I couldn't get a straight line for the wing. The wings would be uneven and sometimes one would go up higher than the other, one would have a greater angle...I just couldn't get it right.

The other day I watched a YouTube video from Sarah Victor where she's doing Angelina Jolie inspired makeup. One of the biggest parts of it is winged eyeliner. She explained that because she has hooded eyes that are slightly down turned wearing it that particular way created the illusion of a more cat like eye. I have hooded eyes that are slightly down turned so getting a tip from someone who did not have the classic almond eyes was really helpful. She said to draw regular eyeliner using your gel liner then when you get to the end, draw a dot right where your eye creases. Draw a line from your lower lash line to the dot. Connect that line with the line previously drawn on your upper lashes finishing where your eye color starts on the outside. fill in the triangle and you have a perfect cat eye. I tried this today and I'm really very happy with the results.