FOTD: 8/24/11

face: neutrogena healthy skin enhancer medium-olive 60
mac studio careblend pressed powder medium/dark
eyes: covergirl intense shadow blast blue bomb
lips: smashbox o plump

Covergirl Eye Haul

Lash Blast Fusion- Very Black
Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner- Onyx (these two were sold together in a value pack for $9.99.)
*I was originally going to get the Natureluxe mascara, but that was over $7, and this was a better value.*
Covergirl Intense Shadow Blush Blue Bomb

I've only tried the mascara & eyeliner so far, and I love them both.  The mascara isn't as volumizing as the Avon Supershock MAX (which i LOVE), BUT it doesn't clump my lashes (like the Supershock sometimes does).  This really lengthens my lashes and gives the effect of more lashes, because it separates them all.  My lashes really stand out with this on, and it's easy to use on the bottom lashes.  If you want super volume, this isn't going to do it, but it's perfect for everyday use.

I LOVE the eyeliner.  I used this one back in the day.  I love retractable eyeliners.  This is great and really precise.  I'm a newbie to eyeliner, and this one is really easy to use.  I like to use it on the waterline too and add powder around it so it won't smudge or run.  It really works well.  This stays put all day and didn't fade or smear off.  Impressed!

I've yet to try the shadow blast.  Just picked it up lash night at Target (the other items were from Walmart).  I'll let you guys know how I like it!

Happy Tuesday! :)

FOTD: 8/21/11

Face: MAC Pro Longwear SPF 15 Foundation NW35

Cheeks: Mark Good Glowing Blush Cameo Glo & Benefit 10 Highlighter overtop

Eyes: Mark iMark Metallics Eyeshadow Golidluxe on entire lid & inner crease (also under inner eye), Covergirl Power Point Plus eye pencil Onyx, Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion Very Black

Lips: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 1

In A Rush Makeup: Ft. All Avon & Mark Products

Was in a rush this morning. Had to take my baby girl to the dr she was running a fever and all stuffy.  Didn't have time for foundation or powder, so I threw a few Mark/Avon items on.  I used my Mark Hookup (so handy!) that has a lipgloss on one end & an eyeliner on the other.

Eyes: Mark Metalliner Quick Silver, Avon Supershock MAX Mascara, Lined bottom lash line with Avon LiquiGlide Glimmersticks Brown

Lips: Mark Lots of Lacquer Rush

*New* Foundation Routine

Routine for when I wear makeup 

(which is when I have somewhere to go: Work, Church, Shopping, etc)

Somedays, I don't wear a base (foundation/tinted moisturizer).  When I'm just around the house or running errands, I don't usually wear anything besides a little concealer (if necessary) and lipgloss (MAYBE eyeshadow if I'm in the mood for it & mascara, depending on how creative I get).  However, when I do go out, I like to use tinted moisturizer (or light coverage foundation), and for special occasions, I like to use foundation (medium/full coverage.  

Base(s):

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer (tinted moisturizer) in Medium to Olive 60 for everyday coverage

I will sometimes set this with a layer of MAC's Studio Careblend Pressed Powder in Medium/Dark, when I want extra coverage or a smoother skintone.   This tinted moisturizer has been my favorite base to use lately.  When I don't want a heavy foundation, I'll use this.  (I threw this on this morning on my way to Church, without setting it.)  This tinted moisturizer comes in a plastic tube with a pump (which I love!).  The packaging is very sanitary and the pump makes the product easier to control the application. I usually use one to two pumps of this for my whole face (including eyelids).  This tinted moisturizer is SPF20, which is great.  It doesn't feel or look greasy throughout the day, like a lot of tinted moisturizers do.  This has a bit of a semi-matte finish, which is ideal for me because my skin tends to go on the oily side in the Summertime.  However, this still gives my skin a nice "glow" to it and makes my skin SUPER baby soft.  There is a retinol treatment in this, which is what contributes to the soft, smooth feeling that it gives to the skin. 

When I have a special occasion to go to, where I want fuller coverage, I will use Revlon Colorstay SPF 6 liquid foundation with Soft Flex in 330 Rich Tan.  The Colorstay foundation gives pretty much flawless, full coverage.  (It is buildable, but I suggest that you don't build it to much, because it can look "too made-up", and  I'm sure no one wants to look like they are wearing tons of foundation.  We want to look like we have naturally flawless skin, without foundation.)  This covers EVERYTHING.  When set with the MAC Studio Careblend powder, this gives complete FLAWLESS, FULL coverage.  

Blush/Bronzer:

I almost ALWAYS wear blush, no matter if I'm wearing tinted moisturizer/foundation or not.  I LOVE blush, and how it adds life and brightens up your face.  You can get the same brightening effect with bronzer as well.  I generally just use blush, but sometimes, I will contour my cheekbones with bronzer.  

My Go-To blushes are Mark's Good Glowing Mosaic Blush in Chica and MAC's My Highland Honey blush (both powder blushes).  (Chica is a gorgeous true coral, and My Highland Honey is a true peach.)  The both add a natural glow to my naturally tan skintone.  I generally like a neutral look for work, so Chica & MMH are perfect for that type of look.  On days when I want a pink cheek, I have been reaching for Benefit's Posietint Cheekstain.  (Posietint is a creamier consistency than Benetint & easier to work with.)  Posietint shows up nicely on my NC40/42 skintone and gives a natural pink flush.  Another blush that I've been reaching for a lot lately has been Mark's Good Glowing Blush in Cameo Glo.  (I got it in the Get It All For A Steal Palette.)  Cameo Glo is the perfect blush for a natural looking cheek.  It gives just enough color to the cheeks and is a neutral nude/rose color.  I LOVE it.  (It kind of gives me that look for a blush & bronzer in one.)   For bronzer, when I do contour, I like to use Benefit's 10 Bronzer/Highlighter duo.  (I actually love using this bronzer to contour with Mark's Cameo Glo, and then applying the highlighter side over top!) or Tarte's Park Ave Princess (my deluxe sample is lasting me a long time).   If I'm traveling, I'll use Maybelline's Fit! Me Bronzer in Deep Bronze.  (This stays in my purse.)  The little brush works well for contour, and it's nice & compact for travel. 

Updated Skincare Routine

Skincare Routine:

I actually went back to a cleanser that I used ridiculously in college, when I used to live on campus in the dorms.  I had a big tub of this: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser for All Skin Types.  I used to used this as both a face and body wash in the shower.  My skin was always clear with this.  I decided to give it another shot when my skin was acting up in July.  My chin was breaking out in cystic under the skin acne, and I didn't know what to use on it.  (I'm left with dark purple scars, but the Tea Tree Oil is helping fade them.)  I tried the Purpose Gentle Cleanser, and it helped calm my skin but was also VERY drying.  (The dermatitis that I frequently get under my nose flared up badly after using the purpose.  Dry flakes everywhere.)  My grandmother had an extra tube of the Cetaphil in her bathroom, so I decided to give it another try since it worked well before.  (*note- the Cetaphil Bar Soap broke me out last Fall, and I won't try that one again.  It was nice as a body soap though.)  The Cetaphil liquid cleasner, that I now use as part of my routine (instead of the Mark That's Deep cleanser), is similar to the purpose but it's not drying at all.  (If you have oily skin, the Purpose may be best for you.)  My skin has been clearing up with using the Cetaphil.  (I don't know why I ever stopped using it.  I had such good results in 07-08 with it.)  It's such a basic cleanser, which is the best way to go if you have sensitive skin.

 I have been using The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil as a spot treatment on blemishes and scars.  It really works wonders and helps a lot with fading acne scarring.  My only issue is that for only .33fl oz, this has only lasted me not even an entire month, and it is quite pricey $9.  I discovered in Vitamin World a different Tree Tree Oil that is 1 fl oz for $7.99 (2oz for $14.49).  Since I'm all out of the Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil (which I did have to order & pay shipping on), I think I'm going to try the one from Vitamin World next. 

I've been using the Noxema Triple Clean Anti-Blemish Pads as kind of like a toner.  These help get access makeup and dirt off that the cleanser doesnt. 

Recently, what I'm been doing is first removing my makeup at night with MAC's Cleanse Off Oil (this lasts a long time because a little goes a long way.  I purchased this at the end of March, and I've only used about a 1/4 of the oil.)  (When I don't wear base makeup, then I skip that step & just cleanse.)  Then, I cleanse my face with the Cetaphil cleanser.  I spot treat scars (& blemishes if I have any).  In the morning, I will just use the Noxema Triple Clean Anti-Blemish Pads (after my shower) to remove dirt & impurities.  I've been using this routine since the middle of July.

Jabot Cosmetics Lipgloss Duos: Swatches

Here are swatches of each color.  I swatched on my hand and also on a piece of paper, which may be easier to see than on my hand.  So far, the red is my favorite.  It has the best color payoff.  I'm wearing it right now actually. ;)  I wore the pink today, and I also tried out the nude.  The pink has decent color payoff.  It's a very soft shade of pink.  It's easy to wear and would work well for a minimal makeup look.  The pink would also work well with either a bolder or more neutral eye.  The nude doesn't have much color to it.  It shows up slightly but looks more like a clear gloss on my lips.  If I apply a few coats, it shows up as a very neutral color.  Nice for neutral makeup and would look great with a bold smokey eye.  The red is everything I hoped it would be.  It gives me that nice cherry red lip, that is very wearable and can be worn with a variety of looks.  It reminds me of how my lips look after eating a cherry popsicle (yum!).  I LOVE it.

                                                        (left to right: Nude, Red, Pink)

Jabot Cosmetics Lipgloss Duos

Jabot Cosmetics Come To Life!

I was excited to see that the famous cosmetics line from my favorite show, The Young & The Restless, has finally come to life.  Whoever came up with the idea to bring Jabot to life (off of the small screen) is a sheer genius!  The fact that the quality of these products are amazing is a huge plus too!  I've read such great reviews on the products, and I'm excited to try more.  I'm LOVING the lipgloss, and I'm completely satisfied with my purchase.  

I had originally wanted to pick up the individual duel sided lipgloss, which retails for $15.50, but they were all sold out by the time I had gotten to HSN's website.  I watched the premiere presentation on HSN last week, with Tracy Bregman (Lauren on Y&R).  She is absolutely gorgeous.  I ended up ordering the Lipgloss Duo instead, which is $22.  I was able to purchase this with the Flex Pay.  The duo is actually a steal.  (I later discovered that night on Ulta's website that the single lipgloss was in stock, after I'd already purchased the duo). (If you would purchase each gloss separately, it would cost $31.)  I'm glad I chose the duo, because you save money that way.  I received 2 duel sided lipglosses.  There was a choice of a red shade or a coral.  I chose the red.  I received one gloss that had a red & a nude shade, and another gloss that had a pink & a nude shade.  I've only tried the red & I'm loving it!  The color payoff is great, and the formula is amazing.  It's not sticky, like a lot of lipglosses on the market.  This is supposed to have plumping affects.  This gloss gave my lips a slight gentle tingle when I first applied it, but that quickly went away.  

Me wearing the Red shade of lipgloss.

You can find Jabot's products on HSN.com and Ulta.com, as well as Ulta stores in the US.  Jabot will go live again with Tracy in October, and I'm sure the Flex pay will be available again.  There are going to be new items out, and possibly a fragrance in the works, for the Holidays & early 2012.  There are a variety of skincare (anti-aging) products currently available, as well as a foundation (that Tracy raved about, and I can't wait to try!), a cream blush stick (in stock on Ulta.com), a concealer/eye highlighter duo, and ofcourse the lipglosses.  I can't wait to see what new items come out for the Holiday season.  Eventually, I'm going to try the foundation & cream blush.  I'll be reviewing those as well.  

I highly recommend trying out the lipgloss if you are curious about Jabot's products and aren't sure what to try.  The lipgloss is AMAZING! (I actually like it better than my MAC Lipglasses.)  These smell great too, kind of like Starburst candy.  If you are just a lipgloss lover in general want a nice gloss with good color payoff, give this a try!  You will not regret it!

FOTD: 8/3/11 Ft. New Mark/Avon Items

Face: NEW! Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Cover Liquid Foundation Medium Beige

Cheeks: Mark Good Glowing Blush Cameo Glow

Eyes: iMark Metallics Truffle & Goldiluxe & Avon Supershock MAX Black Mascara

Lips: Sephora Shimmer Lipgloss Orange Juice

*I'm absolutely LOVING the iMark Metallics shadows.  I've never tried the original iMarks, but I've read some great reviews on them.  The iMark Metallics are AMAZING.  The quality is great.  I've tried MAC eyeshadows, and these are completely TRUMP MAC.  I LOVE shimmery eyeshadows, so these are perfect for me.  I'm excited to try out the other colors that I picked up.  I just now took off my makeup (12:20am), and I applied the shadows around 12pm.  They did not crease or fade one bit.  The colors were still vibrant as ever.  The pigmentation is pretty darn good; I didn't prime my eyes or anything.  I'm most happy about the fact that these didn't crease and held up all day long.  At the end of the night, they looked just as good as they did when they were first applied.  (These are going to hold up for my 8 hr workshifts without fading! Score!)  I'll let you guys know what I think of the other colors.*

*I'm also in LOVE with Cameo Glo.  I had no desire to try this before I ordered the Get It All palette, but I read really high reviews on this on Makeupalley (4.7 out of 5!).  I also saw this on youtube on Markgirlana, and it looked amazing.  Our skintones are similar, and we both wear natural in Mark's foundations.  I LOVE this color.  The above picture does it no justice.  My grandmother even commented that this looks so natural (& she's often tells me that my blush is overdone! I do have a heavy hand with blush lol).  This is a beautiful rosy nude shade that really warms up & brightens my complexion.  The consistency is super smooth and easy to blend, just like the other Mark blushes that I've tried.  It's matte, which is great.  I'm completely satisfied with this blush, and I'm excited to get more use out of it.  It's natural and neutral enough to wear with a variety of eye and lip looks.*

*So far, I'm loving Avon's New Ideal Flawless foundation.  I only have the tiny sample tube, which will give you about 2 uses.  The full 1 fl oz side comes in a bottle with a pump, which is great! I love foundations that have pump.  They are super hygienic and convenient.  I applied this at 12pm and removed it at 12:20am, and this looked just as fresh as it did when I applied it.  This gave me such a natural finish, while still giving amazing coverage.  I LOVE how lightweight it is on the skin.  This blended out seamlessly, like a dream, no caking at all.  I felt like I wasn't wearing anything on my face.  This covers quite well.  I didn't need concealer with this.  It's buildable.  I think I may end up liking this better than the Smooth Minerals Liquid, which I LOVE, because this has a more natural, matte finish and didn't transfer one bit.  (Unfortunately, when I wore Smooth Minerals Liquid 2 days ago, it somehow transferred on the front and sleeve of my blouse!  I didn't notice until I was on my way out to a job interview! Luckily, I still got the job!!)  This one didn't transfer or melt off one bit, and it was just as hot today as it was when I wore the Smooth Minerals.  I LOVE that I didn't need concealer with this.  Medium Beige is the perfect shade for me.  I will most likely be purchasing this in the next campaign.  This is recommended for all skin types, and I think it will work well on most skin types.  I wish the sample size was larger! LOL*

Mark Trend Insider 9 & Avon's Newest Foundation (C18)

Mark Get It All For A Steal

 (Rep Price $16.80, Magalog 9 Price: $28)

Mini Nail Lacquer Industrial, Steel Plum, Snap To It Mid Palette, iMark Metallics Lava & Jazzy, Good Glowing Blush Cameo Glo

iMark Metallics (NEW!)

(Rep Price $3.60 each, Magalog 9 Price $6 ea)

Top: (Clockwise) Moonshine, Truffle, Avon Idea Shade Flawless Liquid Foundation (invisible cover) Medium Beige), Goldiluxe

Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Foundation $8.99 (new for Campaign 18)

Swatches:

Good Glowing Blush Cameo Glo

iMark Metallics

Jazzy, Lava, Goldiluxe, Truffle, Moonshine

Jazzy, Lava, Goldiluxe, Truffle, Moonshine

Cameo Glo