Eyebrows were by far the most intimidating part of my routine when I first began learning how to do makeup. For years, I left my poor overplucked brows alone for fear of looking like Groucho Marx. For a person with light eyes, this often left me looking washed out or sad and tired. About 6 years ago, I discovered the magic that is filling in those brows. That said, I had yet to find a magical product that helped me both add color AND control those pesky little hairs that refuse to lay flat.
I have tried Anastasia products in the past and to be honest, wasn’t really successful with them. My main issue was finding a shade that matched my (then bright auburn) hair. Now that I have an “unnatural” hair color, I thought I would revisit the coveted brand and try out their latest iteration of brow taming – Dipbrow.
The formula of Dipbrow is somewhat like a cream eyeshadow with a touch more gel-like finish. I purchased the color Chocolate, but they have since added quite a few shades to the range, which is great. Since using this little pot of goodness, I have discovered a whole new level of control over my brows. The little hairs that once only pointed in an unflattering downward direction are now nicely coerced into a more horizontal direction. I also get my preferred retro shape in a much easier process with fewer gaps to fill in with a pencil or powder.
Overall, if your looking for a fast and easy way to create a strong brow that stays in place, I would HIGHLY recommend Dipbrow. If subtle is more your approach, make sure you purchase a light enough shade and use very little product – or opt for a brow powder instead. For me, this has saved minutes of frustration per day – and extra minutes mean more time for coffee!
I have been on a huge Tarte kick lately. Something about their packaging along with great quality product has me obsessing in a very real way. As much as I fought buying another lip product, I couldn’t resist the new Lip Surgence crayons.
After quite the search, I settled on the shade Tipsy, which is a warm muted melon. It has a soft brightness to it that just reminds me of Spring. Although these are labeled “Power Pigments” I wouldn’t consider this formula opaque or comparable to a lipstick. It still has quite a bit of sheerness to it but the color manages to show up nicely on lips. The formula is a bit tacky to me – like a lipstick but without the full color. It has a nice minty scent and is easy to use, though, which makes this a great everyday lip product for warmer days.
This is an action that does not come easily to my first-born, perfectionist, afraid to fail self. I have a habit of taking even the easiest of things and making them 10 times more complicated than they need to be. Generally, the over-complication of my life starts with hours of mental angst over a task, a conversation, a grocery list – you name it. I’ve perfected the art of throwing myself into a full-on tizzy (see: perfectionist tendencies).
The only problem with all of this detail loving, OCD living? I fail at it. Every. Single. Time. There is absolutely not a chance in you-know-where that I’ll be able to live up to this ridiculous standard I have set for myself. And I’m learning that that’s okay.
After years of setting myself up for failure (at least in my own eyes), I’ve realized a few things:
1. No one is going to think less of me if I don’t pull out all the bells and whistles. In fact, I’ve found just the opposite can happen. If I take time to just BE in the moment – not worrying about how I look, if that party decoration is placed just right, or whether I’m going to say something stupid – these are the times when I make the deepest connections with people and enjoy life the most. People can smell a fake a mile away; they can tell when we’re putting on our “everything is awesome” face. People also respond in the most amazing ways when we are present and genuine. And they’ll laugh right along with me if, heaven forbid, I burn the cookies or get lipstick on my teeth.
2. The times when I am trying my hardest to FORCE success are the times I am the biggest failure. Even if it looks like a success on the outside, forcing your way through life leads to insurmountable guilt and shame if things don’t turn out just the way you planned. I have heaped so much condemnation on myself in the past because my expectations of what I should be/do/think are completely unrealistic. I’m not talking about setting goals or dreaming dreams. I’m talking about expecting things from yourself that are based on lies. Thoughts like, “If I don’t accomplish this by the time I’m 35 then it’s over,” or “I’m afraid that if I tried that then this (bad thing) would happen and everyone would see what a failure I am.” I am (slowly) learning that I have to give myself some grace even when I feel I’ve failed. I’m still a good person with good intentions and if I just let myself relax I can handle life with more ease and peace than if I force myself to be perfect.
3. I cannot and will not be able to control every aspect of a situation. Ever. I am a card-carrying control freak. I swear one of my hobbies is thinking through a situation or task and planning my response to every possible outcome. This is incredibly tiring and (surprise surprise) has never won me any sort of award. In fact, it can actually keep me from doing the important things because I need to be certain everything is going to go off without a hitch. I overthink an outcome until I’m worn out by even the prospect of a potentially good relationship/opportunity/idea. Do you know what good my control-freakishness has done me? It has made me a tired, cranky, not-so-fun-to-be-around mess. It has forced me to focus on tasks rather than the people I love. It has kept me up at night with fear and worry that I’m forgetting something. Here is what I’ve learned, though: tomorrow takes care of itself. It always arrives – right on time – whether I’ve worried about it sufficiently or not. And you know what? So far, I’ve managed to survive every tomorrow I’ve come up against.
So, I’m learning to let go. I’m learning to calm myself. I’m learning that being busy isn’t as important as just being. I’m learning that it’s okay to not get everything on my to-do list accomplished. I’m learning to just focus on what’s important and let life take care of itself. I’m learning that the more I stop struggling and lean into surrender the more I’m capable of actually doing. I’m learning…I’m not there. And that’s okay.
I love using cream eyeshadows as a base for powder shadows. I know it’s an extra step, but if you really want to get the best wear and most color payoff from your treasured eyeshadow palettes, it really is best to give it something to stick to. Thankfully, you don’t have to buy an expensive cream base or primer these days.
As far as cream eyeshadows, Maybelline Color Tattoo remains my favorite. It has a fairly blendable consistency but still sets for a long lasting finish. My latest favorite is the color Inked in Pink, which is PERFECT to layer under the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. It brings out all the lovely rosiness and gives the colors extra lasting power – it’s like a little dream team!
When it comes to Beauty Balms, BB Creams and the like, I’ve found I am always down for giving them a try. I’m not sure what the draw is – maybe that they come in a tube and seem somewhat effortless. What I’ve discovered is that all BB creams are NOT created equally. They range from gorgeous to acceptable to downright grease in disguise.
When I discovered the NYX Beauty Balm, of course I had to try it. I know I’ve said it about other bbs on the market but, man, this stuff is GOOD. Maybe even the best out of the dozens I’ve tried. The texture is incredibly smooth – it glides on like a dream. It adds the perfect amount of moisture to the skin, but isn’t overly greasy. It also gives one of the fullest coverages that I’ve seen in a BB cream while still looking totally natural. I’m also a big fan of the color, which leans neutral as opposed to the pinker tones I’ve found in most Western BB creams.
For me, this is the perfect everyday skin perfecter. It is also my secret weapon in layering foundations to create a natural but still full-on coverage. In fact, I have worn this almost everyday since purchasing it at the first of the year and am now worried about running out of it. This will DEFINITELY be a repurchase (and I rarely make that kind of commitment).
After quite a significant search, I FINALLY located these images of the QVC Tarte Colored Clay collection I picked up last month (don’t worry, it’s still available)! I’m so happy I get to share it with you at last!
Hold on to your hats…I’m going to run through each piece and give you a little review (since, you know, I’ve now been using this for a month).
Up first is the Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. You may remember my recent review of the similarly named Lights, Camera, Flashes Mascara by Tarte. As compared to that, you can see that the wand is much smaller and it’s a bit easier to get into the inner corner and grab the bottom lashes. This formula holds curl much like the gold packaged version, but is MUCH less dramatic. So, if you’re looking for an everyday version, this might be your girl. As for me, I like to do a layer of this and then top it off with a coat of Flashes for the perfect amount of daytime drama!
One of my surprise favorites in the set has been this blush bronzer in pink bronze (it even made my favorites video). It has just the right amount of bronze, highlight and healthy pink flush to be a fabulous everyday all-in-one cheek product. I hope they eventually bring this one out on it’s own!
While I’m not the biggest lipgloss fan in the world, I do love the pigmentation and moisture that the LipSurgance Lipgloss in True Love gives. It has a pretty shine and stays put fairly well for a gloss. Still not a huge convert, but lip gloss lovers will like this vanilla scented beauty.
A nice addition to the collection is the Clay Eyeliner in Black. I’ve never tried a Tarte eyeliner and it’s been a while since I’ve used a retractable liner, so I was pleased to have this in the set. I usually find that retractable liners don’t always stay put in the water line but I found this formula is a bit drier and will stay put. It’s not the blackest black, but it’s a very nice soft black.
Of course, the thing I was most excited about was the Colored Clay Liquid Foundation. It comes in a really interesting packaging for liquid foundation – a pot with a mesh opening that dispenses the liquid onto your brush. I don’t particularly mind it (I love the beautiful lid and the fact that it’s plastic, not glass) but I’m not sure there’s anything special about the way it applies. The brush that came along with it is lovely – very similar to a Japonesque angled foundation brush I’m obsessing over at the moment. As far as coverage, it gives a light to medium coverage and I think this would be suitable for most skin types – oily skin will want to add a little powder. It wears 6-8 hours well, but after that I noticed quite a bit of fading around my nose and chin (my problem red zones). I got the shade light, which is a tiny bit too dark/yellow for my skin but I was afraid fair would be too ashy/pink. My hope is that when this hits stores, the shade range will widen a bit (usually the case with Tarte items on QVC).
Finally, the kit came with the Colored Clay CC Primer, a color correcting stick primer. This is probably my least favorite of the collection. I found that once applied, it appeared MUCH darker than the foundation – a problem I attribute to it being in a thicker stick formula. To get an even color, I had to apply all over the face which caused some pilling to happen once I applied foundation. It feels nice on the skin once you’ve warmed it up but I didn’t notice a huge difference in coverage on my pores or longer wear time – which is what I look for if I’m going to add a step to my routine.
Everything comes wrapped up in a bright pink cosmetics bag that is quite nice and roomy – although the quality is nothing to write home about. Just a good freebie to toss your new makeup in!
Items are currently available for purchase at QVC.
Le Couvent des Minimes…well, aren’t you a fancy little lip balm? On one of my more recent wanders through Ulta, coupon in hand, I ran across this adorable little french brand. It was hiding demurely in the drugstore side of the store looking all innocent. I saw that the flavor was honey (which I happen to be obsessed with), so I went for it.
Now, this isn’t the cheapest lip balm in the world – it retails for $13.50. Which I would probably never spend, but I’ve had my eye on the Nuxe one forever so I thought, “This is totally a steal.” Famous last words, right?
However, I’ve found that my little splurge was totally justified. We’ve experienced some of the coldest winter days I’ve seen in a while (for Oklahoma at least) and this has carried me through them like a champ. The texture has a bit of grit to it that I know some won’t care for. I found, however, that little bit of texture helps keep lips extra exfoliated – meaning extra smooth. I wouldn’t use this underneath a lipstick because of the texture, but it is absolutely my new go-to for night time application. I used it in my latest PM Skincare routine if you’re interested in watching!
What lip balms do you like to use to keep lips smooth? Have you ever splurged on one before?
First things first – could the name of this eyeliner get any longer?! Good gravy, it’s like they were trying to use up all 140 characters or something. Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about the magic that is this eyeliner.
You may remember me going on about the Pixel liner not long ago. I LOVED it because of the sheer perfection that is the brush. I HATED it because the liquid tends to leak everywhere and ruin all your hard work. Well, the Physicians Formula Eye Booster has an incredibly similar brush tip and doesn’t leak one little bit!
The only downside to this liner is that it’s not the darkest black on the market. I’m not sure if that has something to do with the serum element, but I would love to see a “Blackest Black” version of this product. It also tends to be a tiny bit watery, so shake it well and give yourself a little dry time to let it set.
The control and precision that you can achieve from this liner is very similar to using gel liner and a brush – except you only need one item. I can’t really tell that the serum is doing anything special for my lashes, but if you’re looking for a liquid liner with a brush tip, this is the one I would recommend!!
Over the next little bit, I have a TON of new things to review! While I’m in the testing process with some new goodies, I thought I would share some things I had taken photos of but never gave a proper review.
Up first is Lime Crime’s Velvetine in Pink Velvet. Velvetines are my favorite long-wearing formula. Now, if you really hate long wear lipstick, I don’t think you’ll fall in love with these…but if you only have a slight aversion or think you might like to try them, this is the brand I would recommend. I find that this formula is crazy long-wearing without the weird flaking off issue that most long wear lipsticks have. They are also completely comfortable to wear on their own, without the need for a gloss or balm on top (which I think defeats the purpose of a long wear lipstick).
Pink Velvet is the brightest neon pink, just a touch darker and redder than say, MAC Candy Yum Yum. I love how easy these are to apply. Once the formula dries, it stays put and doesn’t bleed horribly into lip lines. I also find that as you go throughout the day, it wears off fairly evenly without making the lips looking too dry and patchy.
So, final thought. If you are looking for a super long wearing, shocking pink, I say give Lime Crime a shot. Also, they are coming out with 3 new shades in march & I cannot wait to try them!
TIP: TO GET THE BEST WEAR OUT OF ANY LONG WEAR LIPSTICK, EXFOLIATE YOUR LIPS PRIOR TO USING AND APPLY THE TINIEST AMOUNT OF LIP BALM JUST TO THE CENTER OF YOUR LIPS. LET THAT SIT WHILE YOU PUT ON YOUR MAKEUP AND BLOT ANY EXCESS BALM OFF JUST BEFORE APPLYING THE LIPSTICK. SMOOTH, PERFECT LIPS!!
This week has felt like meeting central. While my brain is a bit overloaded with craziness from all directions, I’m doing my best to find the little “big” moments.
100,000 PAIRS OF EYES
Like, on Monday, when The Boy realized I had reached 100K views on my YouTube page and made me a special cup of coffee with his fancy pour over contraption (I’m usually a keurig girl).
WINTER SKIN CARE
In the winter months, I often find my skin needing a bit more pampering, so this week I filmed a few skincare videos featuring my current routine. You can take a peek at them here. Also, please note the Tabby making his appearance in the background!
