Sonia Kashuk Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Eye Liner

I had a really fun weekend, despite having little to no plans going into it. Both Friday and Saturday night I rocked a fun eye look, which I got many compliments on. I used Sonia Kashuk's new Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Eye Liner for a Bridget Bordot-esq cat eye of sorts. I drew a thick black line on my upper lids, making it slightly thicker at the outer edge. Then, because I am not perfect when it comes to gel liners with a brush, I smudged it a bit with my finger. The result was a messy cat eyes that was dramatic and fun.The liner lasted all night with no smudging. It even lasted the whole next day and even didn't run when I spent 20 minutes in a steam room on Sunday (great way to end the weekend)! Crazy awesome stuff, this eyeliner!

Line Lovely!

Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner

I get stuck in makeup ruts all the time. Even though I have countless (literally, not worth counting how many) products to choose from, I end up using the same 4 things over and over. To mix it up a little, I spent an extra 5 minutes this morning on my eyes. I used Smashbox's Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in Navy Blue just on my upper eyelids to create a fun cat eye type look. I drew the line fairly thick and used a neutral powder shadow as a base, making the liner the main attraction. The blue (the picture is actually the Midnight Purple, which is also very pretty) is a fun change from your basic black, it REALLY makes my blue eyes pop. It may take a few more minutes than my usual dash of shimmery pink shadow, but it is way more fun. Best part is this stuff lasts and lasts. It doesn't smudge or travel to the top of my eyelid in the middle of the day.

Line Lovely!

L'Oreal HIP High Intensity Pigments Kohl Eyeliner

While I love new ways of putting on eyeliner, I'm not sure L'Oreal did such a great job on this one. Their latest edition to the HIP High Intensity Pigment Collection leave much to be desired. I like the concept of loose kohl eyeliner, but this one is way too messy. The wand is a bit on the rough side and I ended up getting powder all over. I thought the strength of the pigment was decent, but the messy factor was a bit of an issue for me. I liked the golden color for inner-eye highlighting, but the rough brush isn't very pleasant on the delicate skin. Next!

Paint Lovely!

Smashbox Untamed Summer 2009 Collection

Smashbox's new summer collection Untamed is definitely wild. It is inspired by the jungle and its untamed character. The colors are more on the neutral end, but the are not for the shy. The collection includes:

UNTAMED CREAMY CHEEK COLOR: This luxurious creamy cheek color instantly gives you a sexy summer flush.

UNTAMED LIP GLOSS: Two fierce new lip gloss shades with major bite. Glide over lips for luscious color and shine. Available in Raw (deep red-brown) or Flesh (creamy nude)

UNTAMED WATERPROOF SHADOW LINER TRIO: Take a walk on the wild side and create beautifully bold eyes with these waterproof shadow liners in vibrant shades of the tropics. Completely waterproof, crease-proof and ultra-bendable for fearless, all-day wear. Packaged in a chic mirrored animal print deco compact for touch ups anywhere. Airtight lid keeps product fresh. Available in Savage (green, cream, and brown) and Exotic (purple, champagne, and lilac)

DOUBLE-ENDED EYE BRIGHTENER: A portable pencil that instantly highlights and brightens for eyes that roar for attention.

I got to try the shadow liner trio in Savage, the eye brightener, and the lip gloss in Flesh. The gloss is a bit TOO neutral for me, but the shadow liner is really great. It doesn't crease at all and has a lovely bit of shimmer to it. The colors blend well together and create a fun, saucy eye... that will stay on even in the pool! The eye brightener is nice as well used in the inner corner of your eyes with any look, a great way to make your eyes pop!

Untame yourself Lovely!

POP Beauty Cat Eyes Eyeliner

Ever wanted to mimic Bridget Bardot's sultry eye makeup? Or maybe get a little more dramatic with Amy Winehouse's over the top eyeliner? Well, POP Beauty has come out with a wide, slanted tip eyeliner that helps you do just that. Cat Eyes Eyeliner comes in three shades, Black Onyx, Black Dahlia (a Black Based Purple), and Black Olive (a Black Based Olive). It really makes winged eyeliner much easier to achieve. You still need a steady hand, but the slanted tip makes thickening the line gradually toward the edge of the eye a bit simpler. I tried the Black Dahlia, and the result was a hot look, with a little more softness than your tradition cat eye. The pigment is definately intense and lasted all day without smudging. Try one out yourself, if you're feeling cat-like.

Meow Lovely!

Trina Turk for Clinique

Nordstrom has a great GWP for Clinique right now... because the bag it comes in was designed by Trina Turk. All you have to do is spend $25 and you get this awesome sliver and white bag with bright yellow lining. It is decently large, so it can actually fit all the makeup I need for a weekend trip! Watch the video online about Trina Turk and how she came up with the design for the bag.

The GWP includes:
* Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser (1.7 oz.)
* Zero Gravity Repairwear Lift Firming Cream (0.5 oz.)
* Multi-Compact with Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in Beach Plum
and Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in New Clover
* Lash Doubling Mascara (0.14 oz.)
* Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Bamboo Pink
* Long Last Lipstick in Blush Coral
* Silvery Lipstick Case
* Elegant travel bag designed exclusively for Clinique by Trina Turk

So far I like the pink glosswear and the eye shadow duo. If I wore lipstick, I would totally carry it in the hot silver case. But the bag is really the best part.. and totally worth a few purchases. I just love it when Fashion and Beauty come together to make beautiful things happen.

For my purchases, I got another cream shaper for eyes in brown sugar. As I said before, I love these pencils because of how soft they are. They create a great line without hardly any pressure and if you want, they smudge and blend well too. I also picked up a major standby for generations of women, almost lipstick in black honey. Not one for much color on my lips, this is the perfect hint of red. It literally makes your pout look like it does naturally... but better!

GWP Lovely!

Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Liner

Need something to brighten up your look? Go a little outside your your comfort zone and add a little glitter to your life. I swear, it doesn't make you look like a drag queen. It more so looks like you don't take this makeup stuff so seriously. Have fun with Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Liners. I got spandex, a colorful glitter with a dark grey base. I draw on the liquid over my black or blue liner, since its not very dark alone. I am definitely going to try some more colors, to make some more fun, colorful looks happen.

Glitter Lovely!

Anastasia's Brow Duality

A well known trick used by makeup artists is highlighting the inner corners of the eyes to make you look more awake and your eyes look bigger and brighter. I've used varies different highlighting pencils over the years, but Anastasia's are my new favorites. They have a new set out called Brow Duality in two shades so that everyone can get the highlighting they want, whatever your skin tones.

The Brow Duality pencils are dual ended (hence the name) and they come two tones. You can get either Sand/Camille, pink tones of matte and shimmer highlighters, or Lace/Shell, tan tones of matte and shimmer highlighters. Personally, I used the matte end under my brows, to give them definition without adding any darkness to the actual brows. Then I use the shimmer end on the inner corner of my eye and under my bottom lashes a bit. The effect is a beautiful subtle glow. But you could use either side anywhere really. It's all about what your are trying to highlight and how much you want things to pop!

So try one out, which ever will go with your skin tones the best or sounds like the color tones you usually use. I like the Sand/Camille most of the time but the Lace/Shell looks nice if I'm doing a golden glowy look on my eyes. The matte end may not work for all darker skin tones but I think the shimmers could compliment anyone. Brow Duality will be available at Sephora stores starting around October 23 for $23.

Highlight Lovely!

Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow from Benefit

I'm forever attached to my countless powder eyeshadows. Cream eye colors have always, always, always creased on my lids, so I am highly skeptical of any that come out promising the opposite. I have experienced more positive results when I use my beloved UDPP but none really last all day without the tell tale lines on my lids.

Well today I tried two shades of Benefit's Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/liner with the belief that it wouldn't last through the day. After I primed my lids, I smudged birthday suit, a slightly shimmery taupe, all over my lids. Then I lined the top with a small brush dipped in skinney jeans, a shimmery grey. The effect was very pretty and neutral, yet still defined my baby blues nicely. I dusted a bit of a beige powder shadow on top, just to set the cream. To my surprise, when I looked in the mirror 8 hours later (I had a crazy busy day that included feeding 700 homeless people fried chicken in a hot soup kitchen) my eyeshadow was still intact! The name does not lie! This stuff really doesn't crease! I have to give a little credit to the UDPP, but still.

The cream eyeshadow/liners come in these cute glass jars too, with a pretty bird pattern on them. It is very seventies or something. Love the retro thing Benefit does. And I feel like I'm supporting a local business, since they are based in SF too. So check em out!

Cream shadow Lovely!

Make Up For Ever's Aqua Eyes and Flash Color

Make Up For Ever is truly a line of products designed with real makeup artists in mind. Their products create gorgeous color and last forever. The quality is top notch and every time I try a new products I am amazed at the results.

I've seen MUFE's Aqua Eyes eyeliners talked about for awhile, but I never understood what the big deal was. It's just a pencil right?! Well, now I know. These eye pencils are fabulous! They are super creamy and soft, but the pigment is true and dark. They glide right on and then last for hours, even under extreme situations i.e. swimming, crying, scuba diving... ok, I haven't tried that last one but you get the idea. I highly recommend them for all your lining needs.

If you are more into the pot eyeliner thing, you should try MUFE's Flash Color pots. They are super easy to apply with a good eyeliner brush and once dry, they don't budge! I got the Bright Royal Blue, which is super fun to make any dull eye look pop! You can use it for all over lid color or just as eyeliner. What ever is your fancy!

Now I just need to try MUFE's new HD foundation line. I'm sure I'll be amazed.

Color Lovely!

Friends and Family Discount at MAC!

I got the email yesterday, but wasn't able to share the news with you all until now (Thank god they extended it through Tuesday July 17th at 11:59 PST): Get 15% off at MAC.com AND free shipping!!! Not bad huh? Just use the code MACFF08 at checkout.

I have been staying away from MAC for awhile, trying to broaden my horizons, but now seemed like a good time to jump back in! Here is what I ordered (only two things... this girl is on a budget!):

Tendertones Lip Balm SPF 12 in Sweet Tooth, a sheer coral with a white pearl. It sound perfectly pretty for the summer months and I need a go-to lip balm/gloss with some sun protection! The pot its in is also very cute.


Eye Kohl in Haycinth, a golorious-morning blue (their description, not mine, but it sold me!). I love soft eyeliners and I need a fun bright color for a change. I've heard good thing but never tried MAC eyeliners, so we shall see.

Shop Lovely!

Back In Black... Eyeliner

Sorry it has been awhile since I posted. Life got incredibly crazy for awhile there and blogging wasn't an option! But now I have some time to post on some products I've been trying recently and I think you're going to like 'em.

A week or so ago, I was invited to a dinner with Victoria Secret Beauty and I got to meet Linda Hay, their very talented lead makeup artist. Along with being extremely nice and friendly, Linda is the one responsible for all the gorgeous makeup looks in Victoria Secret's ads and runways shows. She has been in the business for years and it shows in her work.

They sent us off with two huge goodie bags full of product! Needless to say, I was a happy girl. They gave us a ton of things from their line of Bare Bronzing products and a few items from their Very Sexy makeup collection. I am IN LOVE with the hot pink and black packaging on the makeup. It's so sleek and sexy.

So far, my favorite item is the black eyeliner. It is incredibly smooth and richly dark. It comes with a smudger on the end, perfect for making a sultry smoky eye just like those Angel girls do! I also like the mosaic eye shadow quad in menage. The colors blend well together and I can do a great neutral look or a darker look all from one compact.



I've only had a chance to try the Daily Glow Moisturizer from the Bare Bronze collection, but I am happy with the results. It actually smells nice (rare with self-tanners!) and gives a nice subtle glow that can be built up on with a few days use. I look forward to trying the rest of the bronzing products.

Beauty Lovely!

Clinique's Creamy Shimmery Eyeliner

My current eyeliner of choice is Clinique's Cream Shaper For Eyes. I bought it in Egyptian (a dark olive green with a touch of golden shimmer) awhile back and I have since gone back and pick one up in Black Diamond (a deep black with a touch of silver shimmer). I normally hate eye pencils that you have to sharpen, but this one glides on so smooth and the pencil is made of plastic, which makes it a breeze to sharpen. I can do a dramatic bold top line or blend it in with my finger or a smudger for a softer, smokey look. It lasts all day and all night without failing. I especially love that it has a touch of shimmer in it, so it is not just plain old black. Try one out yourself, at $14.50, you have no reason not to. I want more shades!

Line Lovely!

Color Is In The Air

Just like I loved Bottega Veneta's lilac eyes yesterday, I am loving the trend towards highly bright pigmented eyes and lips. Sephora's big ads right now are all about "Makeup As Art" and I just love it. You should be afraid of going a little bright once in awhile. Its your chance to show off the wild side and go a little color crazy! Here are some products I love for creating these highly pigmented bright looks:

Make Up For Ever Flash Color is a cream color that delivers highly dramatic shades for a unique and unforgettable look. I love the Bright Blue and Fuchsia!








Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils provide excellent color for your most fabulous looks. Urban has been shocking is customers for years now with over the top, wow-worthy colors and these pencils are no disappointment. I love Gunmetal and Lush the best but they are all lust worthy!






Lancome Color Fever Shine has a lot of color with being too over the top because it's still sheer. The more vibrant shades can be worn to follow this highly pigmented trend and still stay within the bounds of "pretty". I would try Pink In The Limo or Rock Icon Fuchsia for some serious color! Not to mention the packaging is so cute!




Color Lovely!

Laura Mercier's Seduction Collection

Laura Mercier's new Seduction Collection is gorgeous. I love using plums and violets as a sultry replacement for your basic black. "Make a bold statement with deep hues. Scarlet rose lips take center stage while eyes remain seductively dramatic in blue and plum shades of violet. Eyelashes are full and flirty. Nails in deep hues and the sweet scent of violets add the finishing touch."

I haven't stepped into the relm of falsies yet, but I love the eyeliner and the eye-colour quad. Against my better judgement, I might have to rack up my Nordstrom bill a bit higher this month.

Color Lovely!

Sephora Haul!

You know how much I love Sephora... and it had been quite awhile since I did a lunch time trip there. So off I went yesterday to pick up a few things I had been lusting after and to see what I fancied. I showed an enormous amount of restrain, but here is what I walked out with:

I finally picked up a full sized Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36). I opted for the original formula, even thought my skin can get oily at times. I have raved about it in previous posts, so I won't bore you again and again. But if you have never tried a primer, I would seriously recommend checking this one out. it will change your life... or at least your makeup routine!

I also got a new brush: a Sephora brand small shader brush. they don't have the exact one on the web, but it is similar to this one. It is a small round tip, fairly stiff. I use it to pick up a darker color and shade the corner and crease of my eyelid in a sideways v-shape. This look always makes my eyes pop and people always go "how you do that???" Its easy with a great brush like this!

My random find for the day was an eyeliner from Clinique. I have used their liners in the past, but not in a long while. Not sure what brought me over to their display but the Cream Shapers automatically caught my eye. I dislike sharpening eye pencils and I really hate when they are too hard to get a quick line on the eye. These seemed creamy (obviously!) and smooth and I love the hint of sparkle, not too much but just enough. I got it in Egyptian, a fun dark olive. Something a bit different to play up my blue eyes.

Best of all: I hit $100 in my Beauty Bank as a Sephora Insider so I got a free deluxe gift! I opted for a cute little bottle of J'Dior by Dior. It not really my kind of scent, but its a nice addition to my perfume shelf... and maybe a fun little gift for a friend. I just love free stuff!

So, it might be a few weeks until my next Sephora visit, but I promise to continue to share my purchases.

Haul Lovely!

Brighten Up!

Ah, the three day weekend is over and boy am I tired. It was full of good times and all I know is I'm glad that the work week is only 4 days! I went out every night this weekend, drank wine, hung out with old friends and new, and even danced a bit. Lots of fun, but it wreaked havoc on my skin.

On Sunday I couldn't get the dark shadows under my eyes to go away... until I remembered my latest drugstore purchase from a lunch break last week. Rite-Aid was have a BOGO deal on Maybelline, so I finally bought Dream Mousse Shadow in Vanilla Veil. It is a bit tricky to put on. I can't see how you would use anything but your finger, and it wasn't as smooth as I wanted it to be. The color is a white with gold shimmer, very pretty and helps open up my eyes a bit. I'll use it as a base for other eyes shadow, but alone I would fear it creasing.

What really impressed me and took care of that darkness around my eyes after so little sleep was the Cool Effect Cooling Shadow/Liner gel pencil I got as part of the deal (for free! I love bargains, can't you tell?!). I got it in Peach Daiquiri, a bright shimmer peachy color (looks nothing like the swatch on the website!). When I line under my eyes and a bit on the upper inside lash line, my eyes instantly open up. It looks like I had 8 hours, instead of 4! Beautiful!

Brighten Lovely!

New Years Fun With Blue

So here is the look I did for New Years:

I used:

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

MAC Holiday 2005 eyeshadow palette in Cool Eyes (a light shimmer blue all over, and a navy in the crease)

Upper lash line: Urban Decay Liquid Eyeliner in Radium

Lower lash line: Sephora brand cream eyeshadow pen in Pink, and a bit of MAC e/s in Phloof!

MAC Zoomlash Mascara

Pretty fun, yeah? I thought so... but definitely not an everyday look.

Blue Lovely!

Happy New Years!

I'm not a huge fan of New Year's Eve. I feel like there is so much pressure to have a good time, go super big and fabulous, that it's more likely to be a disappointment than the best night of the year. But I am starting to get excited for tonight. My friends roped me into going to one of the big, fancy, over-the-top parties in SF. I am mostly excited to get all dolled up, drink bubbly with my girls, and pretend we are fabulously wealthy and important (there is even a red carpet and everything at this party!). I am wearing the same dress I wore to my company holiday party, since I got so many compliments and hardly anyone saw me. It is a fabulous royal blue coctail dress that just shines in pictures, especially when everyone else is wearing LBDs, as they often do. I got some fab pewter patent leather pumps and a gorgeous smokey jewelled necklace to go with, but I am most excited about the new eyeliner I picked up (of course!). It is Urban Decay's Liquid Eyeliner in Radium, a metallic royal blue, because it matches my dress perfectly! I am a little nervous to try out a new look for tonight but I figure, why not?! I'm thinking a smokey eye that incorporates the bright blue liner, and lots of shimmer and sparkle. I'll let you know how it goes.

Hope everyone has a wonderful New Years! Party Lovely!

Bonus Time! Sephora Here I Come!

Although dull at times, working in finance does have its perks: Holiday Bonus time! After receiving my check today (of which the government took almost half! sniff, sniff), I heading over to Union Square. I had to go pick up tights to wear with my cute cocktail dress tonight at our company holiday party cause its so darn cold in SF right now. Once they were purchased, of course, I beelined over to Sephora to treat myself on a job well done this year:I got NARS's Night Series Mini Palette($55), something I have been lusting after for months! It's quite pricey, but definitely a must have for my eyeshadow collection. All the colors are so shimmery and fun, perfect for creating holiday looks. I don't usually wear green eyeshadow, but I am going to experience with some new color combos and it will be fabulous, I just know it.I also picked up a small bottle of Smashbox's famed Photo Finish Foundation Primer($15.50). Everyone raves about this so much, I knew I had to try it. Not quite ready to invest in the full size, this one is perfect for me to test it out. I have used products with silicone in them, so I know how lovely they make your skin feel. I have a feeling this is going to be a winner!I also got a new brush ($9) for my gel eyeliners. It is actually a Sephora Professional lip brush, but I am going to use it for my MAC Fluidline tonight, since I forgot the brush I usually use at home. The brush is stiff enough for eyeliner and just becuase it says its for lips, doesn't mean you can't use it on your eyes. Think outside the box, ladies.

Of course I am a Sephora Insider, so with my purchase, they gave me a free sample of Frederic Fekkai Glossing Sheer Shine Mist(full size $22.50). Maybe that will liven up my hair this afternoon before the party. Hope so!

Shop Lovely!