LOTD: Makeup Geek Shadows

Please forgive the air-drying, carefree hair of mine! Haha I decided to add to my Makeup Geek collection and above are the new shades in my new Z-Palette before I added the ones I've had. I used Cupcake on my brow bone, Twilight on my lid, Drama Queen in the outer one-third and crease, and used In the Spotlight as a highlight, which I already had. I'm also trying a new mascara because I needed a waterproof one. It's Covergirl Flamed Out. I'm liking that it stays put but I miss the fullness Too Faced Better Than Sex gave me. I'm always on the lookout for the perfect mascara! Aren't we all?! Which mascaras are you loving?

Spring Green LOTD: Anastasia Beverly Hills Self-Made Palette

Can we all just take a minute to appreciate...EVERYTHING?! Life isn't perfect but I think that's what makes it so great. Take a deep breath in (seriously do it—you won't regret it!), and smell the spring air! Hallelujah! We have made it through the doldrums of another winter! I don't know if it's because I'm a 90s child, love Spring/Easter, or what but I love pastels; not to the point where I would paint the walls in my house a pastel color, but I do love wearing them and decorating with them to get into the Springtime mood! Hence this post! I introduce to you this spring green look. 

For this look I used a little more of the darker foundation than I've been using this summer (remember I mix two shades), added Fix + to my blush brush before applying Milani's Dolce Pink. On my lips I have Too Faced's Melted Metal Peony. For my eyes I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills Self-Made palette. I primed my lids with Urban Decay's Primer Potion, blended Sherbert generously on my brow bones, applied Treasure beneath my brows and in the inner corner of my eyes, pat Isla on my lids, and used Hot Chocolate in the creases and outer third of my eyes. I think a brown eyeliner would have been more ideal, but I didn't have one, so I just stuck with black. If you're wearing something with black in it, a great alternative to Hot Chocolate would be Spirit Rock blended out so as to not be so dark. I hope you liked this fresh faced, dewy springtime look. Check back for more reviews coming soon. As always, thanks for reading! :)

LOTD: Christmas Day Look using the Tartelette In Bloom Palette

A little late, but here's my Christmas Day look!









To get this look I first primed my lids, then applied Smarty Pants to my crease and brow bone area, pat Rocker on my lids, with Funny Girl as a highlight, and Leader and Activist in my outer third and crease, I've been going a little bolder with my eyeliner wing, but have still been using the Ulta Automatic eyeliner in Black/Brown. I also used my regular trio of mascaras. For my lips I used Kat Von D in Outlaw. I love the formula of Kat Von D's liquid lipsticks, so I've been buying more shades. What looks did you come up with for Christmas?

LOTD: Tartelette In Bloom Palette

I was immediately drawn to this palette because of Firecracker, so naturally, that was the first shade I couldn't wait to use! I used a primer and then in a windshield wiper motion I applied Sweetheart in my crease up to my brow bone. After that, I pat Firecracker on my lids and Rebel over Firecracker in the outer one-third of my eyes, I used Funny Girl as a highlight, and Leader to deepen Rebel. I love the way the shadows blend! I bought the Tarte neutralEYES palette back in 2013 and ended up returning it because I hated everything about the shadows. I was extremely hesitant to purchase this one because of that, but had heard nothing but good reviews and sure enough, I am in love! They must have changed something because this is a night and day difference. One of my complaints about the neutralEYES palette was that the shadows weren't pigmented enough, but the ones in this palette are and are true to how they appear in the palette on skin. I especially love this palette because there are so many combinations that I can't wait to try, so check back for more looks!

LOTD: Urban Decay NAKED Smoky Palette

I'm finally accepting that it's fall, so I've started using my NAKED Smoky palette and have come up with an easy, everyday look that I wanted to share. Here it is:









I have a little bit of beef with this palette—I don't like the transition shades! Maybe they're only too close to my natural skin color, but they just don't get the job done. I ended up using the Too Faced Natural Matte palette's Strapless on my brow bone before using the shadows from the NAKED Smoky palette. From that palette I used Dirtysweet on my lids, Password in the outer third and creases with Smolder over it to deepen it up. For a highlight I used High. I used my usual Ulta eyeliner and mascara trio. Since I was wearing turquoise and had a less dramatic eye look, I figured I could try out a pretty cranberry lipstick I recently got from my Sephora points. It's a Bite Beauty lipstick in Kir Royale. It also came with a lipgloss in the same shade (which I don't like at all!!!) I love the lipstick though! It's so smooth and hydrating, which I'm grateful for since my lips (and my skin for that matter!) haven't transitioned as well with the change in weather this year. What are some products you use this time of year either because of colors or to combat colder weather?

LOTD: Urban Decay NAKED Smoky Palette

I'll admit, I held off on buying this palette for a while—even after going the day it came out and swatching it with the BFF. It just didn't do anything for me! I felt like the colors were too similar to the other 5 (!!!) Urban Decay palettes I own, let alone shades I have in other brands of palettes or singles. I ended up buying Too Faced palettes instead, and have loved them, yet I was still drawn to this palette. I ended up swatching it every time I went to Ulta or Sephora but couldn't justify buying it. Sephora ended up having a 3X the points at the beginning of August, so I purchased some staple items and the palette. I thought if I wasn't impressed, I could always return it. I left on a trip right after I received it so it did not make the cut for which palettes I was going to bring. (I only bring palettes I am familiar with and know quick looks to get me out the door fast.) So since getting back I have been wanting to try this new palette and I have to say, my hesitation was unwarranted. What I thought were your typical smoky shadows, were actually very diverse shadows! They might look similar to each other and similar to other shadows we all already have, but these really are a different kind of amazing. The pigmentation, blendability, quality, and intensity are one of a kind! I highly recommend this palette! Here is the first look I came up with:











Thanks for reading! Let me know if you try this look! :)

LOTD: The Balm's Balm Jovi Palette

I've been doing this look this week and have been loving it! To get this look I applied Allegro from my crease to my brow bone, Blink 1982 on my lids, Alice Copper on the outer one-third of my eye and crease, Iron Maid-In as a highlight with Third Eye Blinded in a triangle above my irises. For blush I used Milly as a cream base with Don't You Want Me? over it and Solid Gold lightly on my cheekbones. For my lips I used Vanilly. Voilà! It's a perfect no-fuss look that still looks put together! I've noticed it makes my blue eyes pop and goes great with anything I wear! I hope you can recreate it!

Thanks for stopping by! :)

LOTD: LORAC PRO Palette

I have resisted buying eyeshadow for nearly a year—and it's kind of a miracle! In an attempt to shop my stash and use the many palettes I already have, I put a new look together using a palette I've had for a while, the original LORAC PRO palette. I applied Mauve in my crease and on my brow bone in a windshield wiper fashion as a transition shade. Next I pat Gold on my lids and then blended Pewter over it to get the shade I wanted. In the outer third of my eye and in the crease, I applied Deep Purple. It's so important to blend, so I do that with a fluffy brush in between each step. For a highlight I used Nude below my brows and in the inner corner of my eye. Then I used MAC's Pro Longwear Eyeliner in Rich Experience on my top lash line and Ulta's Automatic Eyeliner in Black to my lower waterline. I curled my eyelashes and then used Sephora's Full Action Mascara to separate my lashes, Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara to get my lashes really thick and luscious, Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara over to keep my lashes curled up, and Blinc Mascara to keep my mascaras from flaking. After that, I pat Champagne above my iris to add dimension to my eyeshadow look. On my lips I have Too Faced's Melted Melon Liquified Long Wear Lipstick. For my face I used Makeup Forever foundation in 135 and bareMinerals foundation in Medium, since I've gotten a little sun. I used Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer as a contour, Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush (in Fresh Pink I think, but it's worn off!), Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink over that, and filled my brows in with MAC's Lingering.

I hope you're having a great summer! Thanks for reading! :)

LOTD: Independence Day

Happy Independence Day!!! My love for America can't really be put into words but it swells in my heart as I experience all the carefree moments that I am able to enjoy because of the liberty this country possesses thanks to so many sacrifices made by others!

In patriotic fashion, I present you with my Independence Day look, a navy smoky eye:

For any eyeshadow look I always start with Urban Decay Primer Potion! I used Nooner as a blending shadow (UDN3), Downfall as a base (UDV3), Reign on the inner and outer thirds (UDV3), Houdini on entire lid (MUG), Center Stage on entire lid (MUG), Unbridled (LORAC UNZIPPED) blended above blue shadows into Nooner, Magic Act in a triangle shape just above my iris (MUG), Heroine (UDV3) pat on the outer side of Magic Act, Evidence (UD Smoked) pat on the inner side of Magic Act with In the Spotlight (MUG) as a highlight below brows and in then inner corner of my eyes. I finished off this look with eyeliner, mascara, my usual face makeup, filling in my brows, and Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick in Pomegranate.



Thanks for reading! I hope you're all enjoying the freedoms of this country with your loved ones!

LORAC PRO Palette 2

I'm all about navy smokey eyes, and I loved the Navy this palette had, so I gave it a shot today. I used Silver, Beige, Charcoal, Nectar and Navy. I like it! What looks have you come up with using the LORAC PRO Palette 2?

LORAC PRO Palette 2

I used Rosé all over my lid, then Mocha from the middle of my lid out and then used Cocoa in the outer V. I blended it out with Nectar and used Snow as a highlight. Simple, but oh, so summery! To keep with the summery, shimmery look I sprayed my blush brush with Fix+ and used my Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink and put Bare Escentuals' Buxom Lip  Gloss in Kanani lightly on my lips. I just used Ulta's automatic liner in Black/Brown and Blinc mascara to finish my eyes.

For my face I used Urban Decay's NAKED Skin foundation in 3.5 and bareMinerals foundation in Medium to set it. Before my blush I used Too Faced's Chocolate Soleil Bronzer to warm up my skin.

I hope you're all enjoying this beautiful and time of the year! Thanks for reading! Now go out and get some fresh air! :)

LORAC PRO Palette 2

I bought the LORAC PRO 2 Palette and it came the other day. Here's a look I created using it:

I used LORAC's Behind The Scenes eyeshadow primer first. Always use a primer!! It makes a huge difference! First shadow that caught my eye was Chrome, so I set out to use it. I pat it on my lids and brought it into my crease. Next I pat Plum in the outer part of my eye and also brought that into my crease. I then took a clean, fluffy brush and buffed it out. Then I used Nectar and softened the line even more. For a highlight I used Snow. Who would have thought I would have snow on my face in July?! I thought this created a nice look that is very casual and everyday, yet looks put together. I look forward to created and experimenting more with this palette.