A couple of weeks ago, on my way out of Sephora, I ran into these shadows. I had to go back to the counter because once I saw this color on my fingertips, there was no way I was leaving without it.
Soooo pretty…
Soooo hard to photograph….
This brilliant metallic cream shadow comes with a primer and a mixing tray to help you get the perfect foil lid. The color is buildable from a semi-sheer shimmer to a full on opaque foil. It’s easy to mix up, and application with fingertips is best. Admittedly, I can see how this product could be a little tricky for makeup newbies —I faced some difficulty getting my eyes blended evenly— but, practice makes perfect!
This particular color, Vintage Black Gold, is a smoky brown-gold that reflects crazy gold the more you build. I had no problems with fallout on my cheeks during application, and, most importantly, I had no problems with fallout into my contacts. That’s the WORST.
This eye look is all Vintage Black Gold on the lid, and under the eye. I used my fingertips to apply it to my lid, and a very thin brush to line under my eyes.
The $32 price tag is a little steep. I really can’t remember ever paying that much for a single shadow before, actually. But, this color and this finish together is kind of my dream. Jason was with me when I found it at Sephora, and he didn’t even protest a little bit about the price because, as soon as I touched the shadow, I started SHAKING WITH EXCITEMENT. Clearly, we were meant to be, me and Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow in Vintage Black Gold. Our love is powerful.
A little bit of this shadow goes a long way, and I really like getting the primer and the little tray included, so the price wasn’t that painful. I think it’s worth it for how easy this product makes it to get this high-metallic foil look.
Hey! It’s the beginning of September! You know what that means?! Time to review my August Birchbox!
It also means my birthday is exactly one month away. Barf. 32, I see you. That’s ok. Beyonce just turned 32. If I’m ever doing anything the same as Beyonce, it has to be right.
August’s Birchbox theme was “Finishing School.” Which is like, OK, whatever. I ain’t about balancing books on my head, and I don’t buy into your patriarchal construct that I have to keep my knees together when I’m sitting down. SLOUCH ON, SISTERS.
Kerastase Bain Chroma Riche Cleanse
What they said: Shampoo that uses vitamin E and powerful UV filters to restore moisture and preserve color.
What I say: I broke my no-poo regimen to use this, and it was worth it! It made my hair feel incredibly soft and, dare I say, luxurious. But, I’m happy with my co-wash system, so I won’t be buying this. It was really nice though, I’m happy to have finally been able to try this brand. I do wish they’d sent me a shampoo and a conditioner instead of two shampoo samples.
pūr~lisse pūr~youth preserve age delay skin serum
What they said: Powered by peptide complex Lotus Lupine 5, this clinically proven anti-aging serum firms and smoothes.
What I say: I don’t know what the hell Lotus Lupine 5 is, but this serum is really really nice. It feels velvety between your fingers, almost powdery. It glides onto your skin and feels wonderful. I don’t know if it really works for anti-aging the way it says since this isn’t really enough to be able to tell for sure, but I’m very interested in a full size product.
stila stay all day liquid lipstick in beso
What they said: Long lasting liquid lipstick in a wearable red that glides on like a gloss, but stays put like a stain.
What I say: I am cuckoo bananas for this lipstick (stain?). The little applicator is soft and spongy, it feels great to use and it makes controlling the slippery color a little easier. The red color is gorgeous, and the wear is phenomenal. I honestly don’t know exactly how long this will say put on your mouth since every time I tried to swatch it, I ended up having to wipe it off because it got late or whatever. Birchbox says to take your time during application because once it’s on, it’s not budging. That’s good advice here. I did all kinds of stuff with my mouth wearing this product, and it only wore off a little bit in the center. This was another product that has made Birchbox worth it for me. I probably would have just walked past these at Sephora and never given them another look, but now I want them in all different colors! Love it. A+
Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner in Black
What they said: This extra bold liner combines rich pigment with long lasting wear – no smudges or smears.
What I say: I wish this was true, but the liner disappeared off one of my eyes so fast, I thought maybe I forgot to put it on that one. Maybe it was just my extra oily eyelids? With a primer, this liner would probably be fine. I did like the soft consistency of the pencil though. Did you ever used to melt your eyeliners with a lighter to get them to be more of a liquid? That’s like a good high school trick. This liner has a soft melty texture that’s similar without the risk of a burnt eyelid. I always like to have extra black liners around, and this one was full size! So, even though I wasn’t impressed, that’s good? It’s like the joke at the beginning of “Annie Hall”:
“There’s an old joke – um… two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of ’em says, “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible.” The other one says, “Yeah, I know; and such small portions.” Well, that’s essentially how I feel about life – full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness, and it’s all over much too quickly.”
Like that. But with eyeliner.
Benefit Cosmetics Triple Performing Facial Emulsion + Total Moisture Face Cream + It’s Potent Eye Cream
What they said: A three step system for scoring an ultra radiant, youthful, and deeply hydrated complexion.
What I say: I already bought this system when it first came out a couple years ago. I took it all back. I really hated it! The perfume smell was way too much, and I didn’t like the way it made my skin feel. I didn’t even open these samples because I already know the score.
Overall, August’s Birchox was a hit. I was into everything but the Benefit stuff. I am REALLY not mad at that stila lippie. Totally worth the $10 this month.
This was the eye look I did on Saturday night before we went out to a party.
With the exception of my Stila liquid liner, my mascara, and my white highlight liner, I used all Urban Decay products.
First, I applied UD’s Primer Potion in Eden to my entire lid up to my eyebrows. Second, I used “KINKY” (matte nude) from UD’s Smoked Eyeshadow Palette over my lid to the crease. Third, I used an angled brush to apply “GUNMETAL” (dark grey) from UD’s original Naked Palette to the area a little above my crease and down to the outer corners, connecting in a “V” to my upper lash line. If you want to make your eyes look bigger, creating a false crease a little higher than your actual crease is a way to do it. Third, I used a fluffy brush to wash “TEASE” (taupe) from UD’s Naked 2 Palette over my entire lid, up to the dark grey crease, blending the edges as you go. Then, I picked up a little more of my matte nude color on my fluffy brush, and blended the outer edges of the grey crease. Last, I used “BOOTYCALL” (frosty white-beige) from the Naked 2 Palette to accentuate my brow bone, always blending.
I lined my upper lash line and water line with “WHISKEY’ (dark brown) from UD’s 24/7 Double-Ended Glide-On Pencil, then I lined below my bottom lashes to about 3/4 across, leaving the area near my tear ducts, unlined. I went over the top line and created a winged line with my black Stila liner. Then, I used a white liner to line my bottom water line to also give the appearance of bigger eyes. I finished it off with my They’re Real mascara from Benefit on my top lashes only.
Since this look uses dark colors, I did my eyes before I did my foundation. That way, you can clean up any fallout you have and sharpen up any edges you’d like to define with your foundation brush. I’m not wearing it in this picture, but I did a nude lip.
Add a bun and giant earrings, and you’ve got yourself a look!
Sorry the photo quality isn’t great. I wasn’t taking pictures to put up here, I was taking pictures to check the blending and symmetry. Remember in “Clueless” when Cher takes Polaroids of all her outfits because she doesn’t trust mirrors? It’s like that. Plus, I was showing off and sending pics to my sister. Shame on me! PSYCH! I’m not ashamed.
Please don’t mail me and tell me that’s not Robert Smith. I know it’s not. I’ve been crying to “Disintegration” for 20 years now, for fuck’s sake.
I wanted to start sharing some of my long time favorite products with you guys. There are so many options out there, and great buys aren’t limited to what’s new right now. I’ve been painting my face for a long time, and I have some tried and true faves that I love to recommend.
I love a 60’s cat eye so much, if I could only choose one eye look to do for the rest of my life, it would be that.
I love a 60’s cat eye so much, I based my wedding day makeup on Priscilla Presley.
Ohhhh, ‘Scilla, baby!
Wedding day liner, lower right corner
Liquid liner didn’t come easy for me. I started messing with it when I was about 16, and it was pretty much a disaster every time I tried to put it on. I would literally cry tears of frustration and just, like, despair, when I’d slowly and carefully line my entire eye, just to totally mangle the wing; or, I’d do one perfect eye, and then the other eye would refuse to match up, no matter how many times I’d try to wipe it off and fix it. Or, worst of all, I’d get two reasonably presentable eyes, but I’d open them before the liner was completely dry, and my entire eye would be ruined.
I persisted though. And through my hours of careful training, my hand grew steadier and my lines grew smoother. Now, I can draw on a gracefully swooped wing in seconds. That’s not to say everything always goes great, it doesn’t. In fact, just the other day I had to redraw one wing several times before it would match. Sometimes, your face just won’t cooperate, you know?
Amazon, $17
I’ve been through several different brands and types of liquid liner, and this one from Stila is my hands down, favorite. Last time I was in the market for a new liner, I looked at several other marker-like liners, and none of them had a tip so fine as this one. That super fine, pointy tip is what puts this liner over the top for me. It makes it so easy to fill in tiny spots between lashes, and to draw a precise point on my wings. If I want to make the line thicker, I just take a more parallel angle with the pen, and it’s perfect. It dries fast, so I don’t open my eyes and ruin everything, but not so fast that I can’t quickly fix a mistake. The pen is easy to control, and it’s comfortable to hold. The liner itself is good and dark, and it doesn’t skip or tug.
A lot of liquid liners will dry kind of shiny, and this one is no exception. If it’s particularly noticeable, I’ll dip a fine brush in some matte black shadow and go over the line.
I wore this liner on my wedding day, so you know it’s good. I was not playing games that day.
It’s usually $20, but as of right now, Amazon has it for $17.
