Make up – eyes

Drugstore Favorite: Eyeliner(s)!

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment

Ahh Sunday…one of my favorite days of the week. My other favorite? Friday, of course. But I love Sundays because I don’t feel bad about sticking around the house all day…telling myself I’m just preppin’ for the work week. Although I’ve done very little today other than make myself 2 cups of coffee in the Keurig and watch Roseanne clips on YouTube (honestly, this sitcom is very underrated…I am addicted!)

I thought I’d share one of my drugstore favorites today. It is a trio of eyeliners I came across in CVS when I was pursuing the aisles a couple months back. I saw a display with all these Physicians Formula make up products. I zeroed in on a package of 3 eyeliners (yes 3 in ONE package!). They are the wind-up liners and come in 3 different shades. I picked the ‘Warm Nude’ trio with a bronze, copper, and black combo. To me, they’re more like light brown, dark brown, and black – very universally flattering color palette.

Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio Nude Collection

Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio Nude Collection

They claimed to have staying power…I was skeptical. But 3 eyeliners for approx. $12 wasn’t a bad deal so I picked up a box. And a couple months later (and many wears later), they have grown to be a make up bag staple!

How do I apply: I use the lighter brown under my lower lashes (as not to have too harsh a line), the darker brown on my top lashes. And I save the black for when I want a more dramatic look…like when I’m going out or something crazy like that 😉

These liners DON’T RUN. That’s a huge selling point for me. They never irritate my eyes. And, I like that I can mix and match and combine the colors for a different look. Oh and, being the wind-up liners, they store well and you don’t have to worry about anything scratching your eye. Which happens to me when I don’t sharpen my pencil liners well enough, ouch.

You can also buy @ Ulta here

So there it is…a drugstore favorite – for $12. it’s a great deal! Better than any ‘designer’ liner I’ve tried in a long time!

Happy Sunday! ❤

Tried & True: hall-of-fame worthy eyeliners

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment

Awhile back I posted about two eyeliners – one considered a ‘steal’ the other a ‘splurge.’ I stand by these two as great liners – but recently, I decided there are two other liners in my ‘collection’ that deserve an upgrade to tried & true status.

With the holidays here and all those fun parties to attend – most ladies are willing to dress it up a little more than usual…this is why I want to highlight these liners. One is a liquid, the other is a pencil but goes on smooth and thicker than typical pencils. Both are awesome, stay-put (i.e. waterproof) liners that can create a more dramatic look – perfect for holiday parties or events. I will add, they’re not just for dress-up, I wear these to work – typically one swipe and I’ll stick to the top lid only or layer a nude shadow* over the line – for a more polished/professional look.

*A great shadow to layer on top of a liner to tone it down or to use as a base to brighten the eye area is:  Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in BONE ($21 Nordstrom, Sephora.com etc.) this is a matte shadow – no shimmer, which is GOOD because it doesn’t make you appear too shiny/glimmery for day-time. As much as I like shimmer (in the right places), I remind myself that too much around the eyes can create a shiny effect in photographs, which doesn’t always look good (think, greasy). Something to keep in my this time of year when people are snapping annual family/friend photos!

Liner #1:

Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner ($20 @ Sephora)

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner (featured in ‘jet black’)

If you want a liner that WILL not run or smudge…and I really mean it – get this. This is truly a wear-all-day liner…and it goes on smooth, the fine tip makes it super easy to get as thin or thick of a line as you want. I use ‘chocolate brown’ – I’ll draw a thicker line on my top lid typically making the line thicker towards the outer corner of my lid for an eye-opening effect, while I’ll sweep very lightly under my bottom lashes just to get a bit of color. Sweat, cry, get stuck (or should I say lucky?) making out in a rain storm…your liner will not run if you use this one!

Liner #2:

YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) dessin du regard waterproof – long-lasting waterproof eye pencil ($29 @ Sephora)

YSL long-lasting waterproof eye pencil (featured in ‘plum brown’)

I love this liner – it goes on thick so I usually have to apply lightly.  I was introduced to this liner by a woman who works at the Dior make-up counter – yup, that’s right, think about it… – she was using Dior EXCEPT for the liner, she pulled this out of her case and told me it is her GO TO regardless. This felt like a pretty legit endorsement! The line is super smooth and reminds me more of a liquid. It has very good staying power. I use ‘plum brown’ or ‘deep brown’ – ‘plum brown’ being my favorite because the purple hue is known to make the gold flecks in hazel eyes POP.  I feel fancy when I use this liner- perhaps because it’s a whopping $30 BUT it lasts because it needs minimal sharpening (I typically like it to have a dull tip so I can draw a thicker line and blend with my lash line). Overall, a great liner – the thickness and color of the pencil is like no other pencil I’ve ever used.

I keep both of these liners in my make-up bag. Both are on the splurge side but deliver on quality – they have strong color and staying power. Neither runs out quickly – which is huge when you’re splurging on a make-up product.

Side note: I saw a write up on this (below) liner and it looks SUPER FUN for the Holidays – NYE specifically! I’ve never tried but I’m tempted to use the ‘midnight cowboy’ color for the holidays. It’s called: Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner ($18 @ Sephora)  The sparkle looks so fun…and it comes in a bunch of bright colors -blue, green, purple etc. (that you could coordinate nicely with a NYE dress?? or cute pair of heels?!)

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Line (featured in ‘pale pink’)

Do you have a favorite liner? please share! 🙂

bareMinerals – hits the test kitchen!

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment

I have been meaning to post some follow up on bareMinerals by Bare Escentuals. I wanted to review the foundation and concealer (I know they have other products, but I wanted to start with the flag ship ones first!). This post is focused on the foundation and concealer because my goal was to figure out if the coverage is as good and as long lasting as their liquid counterparts and generally, how my skin would react to mineral make-up. Well…

It has been well over a month since I adopted bareMinerals foundation and concealer into my make up routine and frankly, I’m pretty impressed.

As mentioned in my original post (link below) – I bought the Bare Escentuals – bareMinerals ‘get started kit’ at Macy’s for $60. I got the ‘light’ kit. My skin is fair, I get tan in the summer, but if I don’t wear enough sunscreen, I burn. The light kit comes with a medium tone which is great for the summer months or when I have a ‘fake’ tan.

The starter kit comes with:
· 2 foundations (with SPF 15 in the formula), light kit includes ‘light’ colored foundation and ‘golden medium’ foundation
· 1 ‘all over face color’ in warmth, this is a bronzer
· 1 mineral veil, which is the powder applied at the very end to set the make up
· 1 brush for applying the foundation
· 1 longer brush for applying the bronzer
· 1 smaller concealer brush
· Lastly, my starter kit included a tube of brush cleaner (it depends on the starter kit if this is included)

What I like about this kit – it includes almost everything you need to use bareMinerals. In addition to the kit, I purchased the Multi-task Concealer SPF 20 in Bisque. This cost an extra $18. I wanted this concealer for extra coverage of pimples, blemishes etc. In total I spent $78. This is a good deal, for me – because it includes the brushes – and something like the bronzer is going to last you a pretty long time. I typically spend this amount JUST on liquid foundation and concealer (brushes/bronzer not included).

Quite a few of my friends have used this make up. One thing I really like about it is, it can be used on any type of skin, including more mature skin. Liquid foundations and concealers have a tendency to settle in fine lines/wrinkles…hence why they say as we age, the lighter the better when it comes to make up.

Below I ranked my experience with the Foundation, Bronzer, and Concealer:
+ = positive
-/+ = neutral
– = negative

Foundation

  • + I was surprised with the coverage. I always thought powder based make up wouldn’t have good coverage and therefore wouldn’t help even out my skin tone – but, BM does a great job
  • + I was surprised with how long it lasts! It does last just as long as my liquid foundation – like anything else, after a day of work, it needs a touch up
  • + It wasn’t too matte, nor did it make my face look shiny. The coverage was smooth and side note, it photographed well! No Casper face or super shiny face which I’ve battled with a number of liquid foundations
  • + I have sensitive skin on my face – and I have heard that BM can irritate sensitive skin.I did notice the eczema on my face flared up a bit when I first started using it – but I think that was from a new facial moisturizer I was trying. Either way, my skin is back to normal now and BM isn’t irritating it
  • -/+ I can’t say it feels ‘lighter’ on my skin than typical liquid, but I certainly can’t feel it. Nor do I find that it rubs off on my clothing once it is on (although, I’m sure, like anything else, if I rubbed my face against my collar, some of it would come off)
  • -/+ The brushes are nice, they do the trick – but I don’t think the bristles are the smoothest I’ve tried! You might want to upgrade to a nicer brush – although, I still use the original ones because I’m not ready to spend any more money!
  • -/+ They claim this make up is so pure you could sleep in it. I haven’t noticed any drastic changes in my skin – no fewer break outs, but thankfully, not a greater amount of break outs either
  • – The only thing that bums me out about this is – the powder is messy! I use to be able to apply some foundation/concealer in the car with little mess. But, because the powder is loose, it tends to spill here and there. My vanity has never been so messy! But it cleans up easily

Bronzer

Concealer

  • + Again, surprisingly, it covers well. I didn’t think it could cover the crazy red pimples I sometimes get on my face, but it does
  • + The mini concealer brush is the perfect size for covering blemishes. The bristles feel a lot smoother as well
  • – I thought I could use it under my eyes – but I found it get more powdery looking over time…it might be because of my eye cream. Either way, I didn’t like how it looked under my eyes so instead of using the BM concealer there – I use the Corrector by Bobbi Brown in light bisque and everything blends well (and I get the under eye coverage I NEED)

  • Bobbi Brown Corrector

End game – the foundation and concealer are great products. I wasn’t in love with the bronzer in the starter kit and happened to find a different mineral bronzer that’s awesome. And, I still need to rely on my trusty Bobbi Brown to smoothly cover my under eye circles…BUT, I will continue to use the foundation and concealer because I like the coverage and appearance!

Have you tried bareMinerals? What do YOU think? PLEASE SHARE

  • Original post: http://wp.me/p1kq6s-aR


 


Splurge: funky mascara colors

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment

Mascara…most of us default to black. It’s a staple, it helps define the eyes…without it, I’d look tired 24/7. For some people, mascara is their one and only makeup (must be nice!)

For the record, makeup artists suggest that light-haired/blondes opt for brown/black…and save straight black for night or special event wear.

 

but, other than those standards… how can you spice up mascara? is there anything different you can do without looking like a freak?

here are three (different) mascara colors that are worth dipping into:

  1. Burgundy/plum
  2. Blue
  3. Purple

Why?

  • I’ve read that burgundy/plum and blue are best for making blue eyes pop. However, I’ve tried both colors and thought they look great with hazel eyes as well, if I do say so myself!
  • Recently, I tried purple because I read that it looks good on brown eyes…all in all, it’s a fun, yet subtle pop of color (brings out golden flecks in brown eyes)

If you want to try a burgundy/plum that is safe to use during the work day + that won’t have people saying ‘what are you wearing on your eye lashes!?’

One that I’ve tried and really liked:

  • Benefits BadGal Plum Mascara $19.00

  • Link to product: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P222454&categoryId=B70
  • Thoughts: with some colored mascaras, I sometimes find that I need to start with a layer of black mascara and then layer the colored mascara on top…so that my eyes pop enough. But I like this mascara color alone. It is subtle enough for everyday – but it still gives definition to the eyes. It brings out the golden hues in my eyes. It helps lengthen lashes…it’s not waterproof but I haven’t had a huge issue with it running

A blue mascara that I’ve liked – and should note, the blue is pretty bright and for me is best saved for the weekend – typically I swipe a black mascara on first and then layer this on top…and yes, the blue definitely POPs!

  • Dior Show in Azure Blue (in royal blue #258) $24.50

Lastly, a girl at work ordered a new mascara…I saw the Sephora box on her desk and had to know about the contents. She bought a YSL (YvesSaintLaurent – I cannot pronounce that) purple mascara. She said that she tried her friends and she loved it. I love referrals so I went to Sephora to check it out for myself…

I decided to try:

  • YSL Mascara Singulier Nuit Blanche – Waterproof – Exaggerated Lashes (in Vibrant Violet #4) $30.00

So, there is it…a few fun mascara colors worth testing out. Although the mascaras mentioned above are on the pricier side…Almay is one drugstore company that makes funky colored mascara with a lower price point. Also, keep in mind, these other mascaras can last awhile especially if you’re only using periodically or as a layer on top of black (or brown/black!).

Do you use colored mascara? If so, what color?! and what brand?

Eyeliner…so many choices…

/ BethonBeauty / 4 Comments

Eyeliners…I might have a small army of them. There are so many out there to try. A couple that have bubbled to the top of my list are below. These are very different liners – one is a pencil (needs to be sharpened), the other is retractable…and price-wise they are quite different.

Do you have a go-to brand/color of eyeliner? If so, PLEASE share…

and take a look at these, if you’re in the market for a new liner:

THE STEAL: Revlon Colorstay eyeliner pencil (link to product at bottom of post)

Revlon Colorstay eyeliner

  • Where can you get it: most pharmacies, Target, Wal-Mart etc.
  • Cost: $6-$8 (depending where you go, often goes on sale too)
  • My color: I usually go with the brown, black is too defined/dramatic for my complexion

Why it’s good:

  • It’s retractable – no need for a sharpener…if it breaks, just twist it up and more liner will appear
  • It comes in some good/traditional shades
  • It LASTS…all day
  • It’s waterproof…which is key in the humidity/if your eyes water a lot from allergies
  • The price, it’s cheap – and easy to find!

Any cons?

  • That it’s not available in more/funkier colors
  • Sometimes I need to use a q-tip to smudge the liner around once I apply it – because the line can be harsh/too defined for my taste. I wish the liner cam with a built-in smudger at the end!

THE SPLURGE: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (link to product at bottom of post)

Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner

  • Where can you get it: Sephora, Macy’s, Ulta
  • Cost: $18
  • My color: 1999 ‘glimmering plum’ this deep purple color is supposed to highlight hazel eyes/the gold flecks in hazel/brown colors eyes
Why it’s good:
  • I typically don’t like pencils,  but this applies really smoothly and the pencil keeps its shape
  • Although it doesn’t come with a smudger – it doesn’t really need it because it applies not as dark/defined
  • It comes in a HUGE variety of colors – from traditional, to super funky colors (over 20 colors)
  • I can wear one coat and go more subtle for day OR wear a couple of coats for a more dramatic/nighttime look, it’s versatile!
  • It LASTS…all day
  • It’s waterproof…which is key in the humidity/if your eyes water a lot from allergies

Any cons?

  • The price…anything over $10 is a lot for an eyeliner, let’s be serious
  • It’s a pencil and will eventually need to be sharpened, ggrrr
The products: