Anastasia…a Friend to Us All

LIPSTICKKKKKK. I am sure that I get repetitive in saying this, but I love lipstick like Kel loves orange soda. I do. I do. I dooooooooo. So earlier this month when Anastasia, I speak as if I know her personally, launched her lip palette I was all over it. I watched swatched videos, drooled over beauty influencers snapchats, and stalked her website. I knew that the pigmentation was gonna be everythinggggggg because Anastasia does not do anything half steppin’. I did what any addict would do, I convinced myself I needed it for my “clients” and not just myself. It was a business decision…

I placed the order on her website as soon as it was available. Tracked the package like a hound on a fox. And when I got it, I opened it and slathered my lips with the first color my eye was drawn to. Pigmentation. CHECK. Opacity. CHECK. Comfortability. CHECK.

The palette is called Vol. 1, so I imagine that there is going to be more to come. And I can’t wait. It includes an array of comfortable matte colors. 18 to be exact. 5 of them are primary colors for mixing. The others are purple, pink, and a nude for every skin color. The palette comes with a mixing palette and a brush with a spatula on the other end. It retails for 48 dollars.

I did a wear test of the red at work. I ate, drank, and talked too much.

The first two are just as I applied it once I got ready for work. The third is even after I ate lunch. Still comfortable and still pigmented. The last one is the last hour of work. About 9 hours after I put it on. AND I didn’t reapply because I was not about to carry that palette with me all day. Overall, I was impressed by the lipstick and I cannot wait to mix colors in the palette. In Alissa Ashley’s video she made a grey green and I wan’t to replicate that. I just have to find the perfect eye look to match that slay with.

Thanks for reading! Comment down below if you know of any other lip palettes that I should try. Until next time!

New year, Same me, Better skin.

Here we go. Skincare.  New year, Same me, Better skin. I have oily skin, by the grace of God, my skin has not been acne prone. I do have a crop of pimples pop up every once in awhile, usually on my damn chin. And when those nasty zits rear their ugly heads they decide to hang on for what feels like years. And because of these super disrupting inconveniences, I am launching an attack on my pores in the form of mud masks. I have of course inserted some fun photos of myself in each mask. Oh, sidenote. And this is an especially timely post as my best friend and roommate, Alexis, pointed out to me that today is Friday the 13th. So this post is like in honor to Jason Voorhees or something and the mask that he wears. I am not super knowledgeable of horror movie type things because I am what you call a scaredy cat.

So I tried three masks, varied in pricing. So let’s talk about the one I liked the least, which happened to be the most expensive. The Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask. A long pointless name for a pointless product. It definitely made my skin feel softer but I didn’t notice any difference in my pores or enhance any dullness. I tried this mask three times and it didn’t dry down at all, which is something I find essential for a mud mask. This mask retails at 58.00. The brand carries several masks and I have tried two others. The 24K Gold Mask Pure Luxury Lift and Firm Mask, which was also pointless but kinda cute because it was gold. Now they do have the Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, which works beautifully, smells strong, and basically, polishes your skin. Love it. Seems like the shorter the name the better the product. These masks can be found online at Sephora.com or in stores.

Next is the one I liked moderately but wasn’t head over heels with. The Pixi By Petra Glow Mud Mask. I like this mask because it deeply cleaned my pores and left my skin feeling supes soft. This mask is 22.00 and definitely a great starter mask. It works well and is worth its price. I would suggest this mask to anyone with oily skin, big pores and on a budget. This mask can be found at Target.

Last. And certainly, the most effective mask is the Pur Dirty Girl Detoxifying Mudd Masque with Pascalite Clay. Pur calls themselves the complexion authority and they are DAMN RIGHT. This mask tingles at first and dries down completely. I mean my face stalled. I could not react to anything. I am actually wearing it as I write this and usually I laugh at my hilarious prose but I am totally incapable of that at this moment. This could be irritating to some but you get such wonderful results. Your skin will tighten, your pores will close, and your skin will be exfoliated. Honestly. I cannot find a downside to this mask. It retails for 29.00, but with shipping and everything I paid 23.00 for mine with a discount code. The code is Jackie, after my constantly mentioned fave Jackie Aina. Get this mask and be blessed.  This mask can be found on Pur’s website or at Ulta. Online and in stores. ALERTTTT, do not wear this mask longer than the 20 minutes the bottle suggests. You will be in a pickle. Promise.

Thanks for reading!  I will update you all with the glorious wonders that this Pur mask has done for me in future posts. Comment with some good masks you have found for your skin that you would suggest for me! Until next time!!

LaBronze, Four Time MVP

Hey, all!

I am not gonna even bore you guys with that whole thing where I apologize for my absence and try to explain it. I am just slack and busy. But I was not too busy to get my hands on that Jackie Aina x Artist Cotoure collab. Meaning, I made an elaborate plan to purchase it. I had two eyes watching it, and we got it done! Amen.

Jackie is incredible. Her Snapchat’s are like a feature film with the baddest, wittiest woman alive. She is basically the beauty world’s Rihanna. No fucks to give but slaying us one selfie at a time. OH, aaaannnnddddd she just hit one million subscribers on youtube. I am proud to be among that number. Congratulations Jackie!!!!

For the collaboration, Jackie created a true rose gold highlighter and named it Labronze. Witty name for a witty woman. Labronze is also her twitter and snap name if anyone wants to follow. Jackie stated in her video that she made Labronze bc she was missing a true rose gold highlight. There are far too many “rose gold” highlights that are more on the cool/ silver tone. This shade will work on ANYONE. The only requirement is to not be afraid of a glow because the highlight is a loose pigment and packs a wallop of shine. I choose to use a Morphe m510 when I am not playing any games and a fan brush when I want a more subtle beam. Extra tip! Spray a setting spray on top of the highlighter after you initially apply it, wait until its almost dry and then add some more. If you do that, you will need sunglasses for your own selfies.

I documented my order and obsession on Snapchat.

The people were not ready for this sheen!

 

 

 

She was too happy!

 

The collaboration is limited edition and sold out within the hour. They did bring it back, but that sold out too… Maybe, fingers crossed…they will bring it back one more time. The collaboration also includes Jackie’s four favorite Diamond Glow Powders in a cute mini form. Those are Illuminati, Conceited, Sugar Daddy, Double Take. And they are all incredibly beautiful. The collaboration is 49.99. I am sold on Artist Couture and even more in love with their CEO, Angel Merino.

If this collab launches again, those that don’t have it should definitely try and get their hands on it. Again, I want to congratulate Jackie on her one million, LaBronze, and honestly her life. Stay tuned for the next post…hopefully, it won’t take me two months. Until next time!

 

UPDATE! The last time to get it is tomorrow at 10 am PST!

She’s back!

Y’all. I have been so incredibly slack with posting. And I miss it but I am obnoxiously busy. And I have been struggling to find some inspiration. And I wasn’t about to serve y’all with some half-baked posts. But now I am back and ready to be in this again!

This post is gonna serve as a life update and an update on the products I have gotten my hands on in this last month.

First. Great excitement. I was featured in an online publication. Beingbonded. It was founded by an amazing pair of women, Brittany and Sam, that wanted to explore the dynamic of the female friendship and just empower women as a whole. You can find the article here…Tori Evans: Flawless Face and Friendship That Sparkles. And while you are there check out the entire website, its worth the time. Promise.

Next. I got a new job. The only crucial thing about that is the amount of expendable income I will have for makeup, food, and beer.  OH, and I dyed my hair purple, so that’s fun!

Lastly. I got to do something super duper awesome. I got to work with a local non-profit, Peek a Boo Pretty Girl. They hosted a Girl’s Day and  had about 20 high school girls there for a day of self-love and self-care. I got to participate in the makeup workshop portion. I had a blast and would love to do it again. It felt wonderful to align my passions with some volunteer work within the community.

On to the fun part, and the beauty part. Purchases made!

Let’s talk about the not so great purchases.

1. RCMA Makeup VK Palette. I got both palettes ,10 and 11, for client makeup. I had a client recently and I used it on her. It was hella chalky and didn’t warm up at all to blend. I added moisturizer to it in hopes that the consistency got better…but it didn’t. That’s gonna be a return.
2. I have never ordered from Lime Crime before and didn’t have a problem with my order. But the product I received did not work for me. I have been on the market for a good burnt orange lipstick for awhile. And after I saw Iris Beilin wearing Pumpkin in a look, I fell in love. When I got the color it was a bit patchy and I ended up passing it on to a friend.

THE GOOD STUFF

1. I ordered a couple of limited edition palettes from Morphe. Coffee Toffee and Awesome Blossom. I always expect the best from Morphe and they definitely delivered!
2. I have never ever been more pleased with the coverage of a foundation than with the Marc Jacobs Beauty, Re(marc)able Full Coverage Foundation Concentrate. They were not playing around! My face is beattttttttttt! And the match is perfect. My only critique would be to expand the line into deeper shades.

Here are some pictures from Girl’s Day! As always the photographer is, Alexis Schwallier.

 

Oh and the Purple HAIR! HEYYYY!

Feels good to be back! I got the juice again! Until, next time!

 

Ride Or Die Makeup!!!

Here I am. Bringing another challenge created on Youtube to my blog. Jaclyn Hill created the “Ride or Die Makeup Challenge” and I saw a couple of my favorite YouTubers create the challenge on their channels. Alissa Ashley’s was super cool, and she made it into a tutorial.

I loved doing this! As a makeup lover, I am always exploring new products and trying them out. But there is always a favorite, one that sticks out. When I began my blog, I mentioned my favorites so this is an excellent time to update my favorites and explain to y’all while I LURVE them.

First things first. The base.

• Foundation: NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in New Guinea. This foundation is EVERYTHING. It is so incredibly light weight and pigmented, I can hardly stand it. It lasts all day and the match is perfect.
• Concealer: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC45. This is the concealer I use to highlight. I have only been using it for a little more than two months, but the use has been religious. Generally, one pump of the concealer covers all of my highlighted areas and my sad, sad dark circles.
• Bronzer: Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Deep. Bobbi Brown, girl! You did that! I searched high and low and side to side for a bronzer that actually brought color to my face. I love this bronzer, and I fear the day I hit pan.
• Contour: Makeup Geek Contour Powder in Half Hearted (Warm Medium) and Koyvoca’s Contour Stick in Aphotic. If I am going full tilt I cream contour and set it with the Makeup Geek Powder. I love the effect of cream contouring and feel slayful when I do it.
• Setting Powder: Sacha Buttercup. NEED I SAY MORE. And for the rest of my face I use Mac Studio Fix Powder in NW45 and that adds more matte coverage for me.

Eyes.

• Shadows: I always go to my Morphe 350. I know its famous upon the blogger community. But I adore a 3 step nude eye look with a wing.
• Liner: For the aforementioned wing I use Kat Von D tattoo liner. Enough said, I will never use any other liquid liner.
• Mascara: I am devoted to Too Faced, Better than Sex BUT in recent weeks I have stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara has captivated me.

 

I am not sure this is what Jaclyn Hill intended but I felt like a badass all day. There is something about wearing products that you know work for you that makes you feel like the shit. And I mean that is usually how I feel anyway, but I digress… I took some cute pics of myself on the way to work! Here they are!

 

I will save my brush favorites for another post, AND I was thinking of doing the “How I Did My Makeup in High School” Challenge. I think that one will be hella funnnnn. Thanks for reading, until next time!!!!

Caught in the whirlwind…

It’s happened to all of us. We watch a youtube video or see a swatch of a product on Instagram and instantly we are CONSUMED. We need it. Whatever IT is. A highlighter. An eyeshadow palette. Lipstick. But, we have to think of our realities. Rent needs to be paid and groceries bought. So we try to push that Natasha Denona eyeshadow palette out of our minds.

However, sometimes. We lose. We lose the battle and run to Sephora’s website, put whatever our obsession is in our cart, checkout, and impatiently wait for those two business days to pass…because you know we got that Flash Shipping.

I am saying all of this, only to say that I lost. I was caught up in the whirlwind and bought Kevyn Aucoin’s Sensual Skin Enhancer. I was patiently obsessed. Meaning, I repeatedly checked Sephora’s site just to look at it but I didn’t buy it for months! I was proud of myself, but once I was overwhelmed by the desire there was no fighting it. One last chat with my friend Kristin did me in. She truly is the worst and best influence in terms of my makeup purchases.

On to the actual product review. The Sensual Skin Enhancer is definitely the most pigmented and heavy duty concealer I own. But it blends beautifully. I chose the color SX11 because I like a super highlighted look but I definitely could have gone up a shade. SX11 is a tad golden for my taste I prefer more of a neutral undertoned concealer. But that just gives me another reason to buy more makeup, right?!?! I dot the concealer on with my Morphe concealer brush. I use the E10 brush to place it, which has since been discontinued. A comparable one is an E10 brush from the Elite 2 collection.  I have used both my G2 brush from Morphe and a Beauty Blender to apply. I liked the brush best for the application. The BB seemed to just move the product around and not buff it into the skin. I did, however, use the BB to blend out the edges of the concealer after I blended it out with the brush. And I set it with Sacha Buttercup Powder.

This is a thin layer of the concealer.

This is that same concealer blended out.

The Morphe E10.

This is the tip of the G2 brush. Excuse the messy tip, I just used it today. We all know what a Beauty Blender looks like.

Is it really a DUPE??? Part 1.

I have been all over blogs and youtube searching and searching for dupes for two of my most coveted beauty products. I am doing this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I want to find cheaper options that work just as well. Secondly, I need to expand my makeup repertoire. I am the queen of grabbing the same products day after day. AND THATS NOT HOW YOU LEARN AND DEVELOP SKILL.

I know. I know. I am ranting and I haven’t even mentioned the products. The first one is NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Biscuit and Amande and the second is Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner in Trooper. Those two products are almost always involved in my glamour. If I am going to rock a wing, you better believe I am grabbing Trooper. That applicator makes it so so easy for me to get a precise wing. On days where I haven’t gotten enough sleep and my dark circles are as deep as the night sky and as sunken in as the grand canyon, I reach for the NARS. This happens fairly often, because there is always something to marathon on Netflix OR I got caught up watching Youtube videos. The concealer is so hydrating and it is as equally full coverage.

Now for the Dupes, I am trying the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer and the Maybelline Master Precise. I learned about the NARS dupe from Jennie Jenkins on Youtube. And I am not sure where I saw the Master Precise, but I won’t claim it as an original thought. Both of these products “claim” to work the same as my holy grails. I am not really that skeptical, I just don’t like changing up my routine. (I am writing this before I try it, I will check in after)

Ok guys, I tried it. Verdict is in. I really enjoy the Maybelline Concealer. It isn’t as full coverage as the NARS, but I don’t mind that on my more chill makeup days. It’s really really creamy. And it hydrates and lifts my under eye. I wouldn’t call it a dupe but I am a fan and will continue to use it.

For the Master Precise. I am not such a fan. I don’t mind it, but I definitely won’t ever pick it up before my Kat Von D. Its really black and pigmented so thats a plus. BUT its stiff and not as easy to use as the Tattoo Liner. And it skipped a little for me as I was creating the wing, KVD Tattoo Liner’s tip is always saturated.

NARS is on the left and Maybelline on the right. KVD on the left and Master Precise on the right. The doe foot applicator on the Maybelline is a bit smaller but that didn’t really matter in application. The applicators on the liners were very similar. But like I previously mentioned, the tip of the drugstore liner was way more hard to work with.

ANDDDDD here’s a selfie for good measure.

Alright, guys! Thanks for reading! Comment below with any good dupes you have found. Until next time!

KOYVOCA Swatch and Review!

I am using March as my makeup hiatus. I am not buying any makeup and I truly feel like I am about to die. Am I being melodramtic? Absolutely. Do I even care? Absolutely not. Prior to this hiatus I ordered from Koyvoca, Makeup for Dark Skin. Its a black owned business based out of DC. The price range is great. I think the most expensive thing I saw on the site was 16 dollars. They make everything to order, so I had to wait a little minute before it showed up. I think I got it in about 12 days. And boy am I glad because my makeup heartache has been soothed for a couple of days.

I orderd the kv Classic Setting Powder in medium deep, the Hi-Life Highlighter in Liquid Gold, and the Contour Stick in Aphotic. Everything I ordered from Koyvoca is extremely pigmented! The highlighter holds true to the name. It is GOLD and gorgeous. When I first swatched it I literally had to catch my breath. The formula is super creamy and blends out beautifully. The contour stick was a bit difficult for me to move around on my face at first but, I am pretty sure thats because it was cold. Once it sat in my room for awhile and not in the cold mailbox it applied much better. The color was a true match to what I saw online.  And finally, the Setting Powder…I think this was by far my favorite product out of the bunch. It is finely milled and gives my makeup a beautiful finish and staying power. This is the first loose setting powder I have found with such great pigment and lasting power.

From Left to right: Contour Stick in Aphotic,Hi-Life Highligher in Liquid Gold,kv Classic Setting Powder in medium deep

These are the above products blended out.

I definitely have plans to order more things from Koyvoca. I really want to try their lipsticks. They have some beautiful nudes for people of color. The quality and price range is on point and supporting black owned businesses is important! Until next time!

Photos by Alexis Schwallier.

Makeup Geek, Contour Powders

Makeup Geek just launched (Jan.27) their contour powders. And they are BOMB. I never thought I could be a contour girl, bc they always looked so severe on me. Or maybe I wasn’t doing it right, which is totally possible. But these powders are perfect! First of all, Makeup Geek thought of everyone and everything. They have four cool and four warm tones in varying shades. Makeup Geek’s CEO, Marlena, made a swatch video of all 8 shades. I love that they’ve expanded upon the idea that all contours don’t have to be cool tones, because those types of shades didn’t mesh will with my undertones and I would look muddy. I ended up getting Warm Medium and Warm Deep. They look a lot lighter in the pan than on the skin.

Warm Deep left. Warm Medium right.

Warm Deep left. Warm Medium right.

Warm Deep left. Warm Medium right. These photos were taken under direct light.

SWATCHES, Warm Deep is on the left and Warm Medium is on the right.

In this photo of the pans, warm medium on left and warm deep on right

Warm Medium right. Warm Deep left.

For reference, I am NW47 in MAC and have medium deep skin with mostly red undertones and very little yellow.

These powders are silky smooth and blend out like a dream. Literally, after applying with one swipe of the brush you could almost be done. But, I like a more diffused look so I blend mine out. I use the Warm Medium for a daily subtle contour. When I am going for shock and awe and want leave every passersby gagging, I use the Warm Deep. It gives me nice definition without looking like I am wearing layers and layers of makeup…even though I obviously am. My only complaint about them is that you need to have a Z Palette or something like it. They only come in the pans. 10 out of 10 recommend. Makeup Geek, y’all did that!

Nice to officially meet you.

So like, my best friend is a photographer (alexisschwallier.com) and when I decided to do this blog I needed some bomb pics. She agreed and was paid in Reese’s and salad. I was going for a bronze smokey eye and bold lip. And I think i did it, y’all! Please, enjoy my face and general awkwardness.

OK, so quick review on this lipstick. It was Colourpop’s Ultra Matte in Rooch. I really really loved the color. But it started crumbling immediately. And this one dried quicker than all my other colourpop lippies. I am used to them drying down super fast but this one was like 1!2!3! I am gonna give it another try and see if it was just me. We shall see.

Makeup Details:

Eyes:
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Kat Von D tattoo liner
Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara
Urban Decay Bitter in Crease
Urban Decay Delete in outer corner
Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Stereo on lid
Colourpop Swerve Gel Liner in waterline
Becca Champagne Pop in Inner corner

Brows:
Anastasia Brow Definer in Medium Brown
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown

Face:
Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in New Guinea
Nars Creamy Concealer in Amande
Ben Nye Banana Powder
Makeup Geek Contour Powder in Half Hearted (YASSSSSSSSSSSS!!!)
Nyx Ombre blush in Nude to Me
Black Radiance Artisan Color Baked Blush in Warm Berry
L’OREAL True Match super-lendable powder neutral in Cappuccino

 

NOW FOR THE FOOLERY.

 

THIS IS ME TRYING TO BE GRACE JONES. But I just look a mess. AH, Well.