#KaePop Karrueche + Colourpop Haul

Courtesy of Colourpop Cosmetics

Other than people telling me that she's my doppleganger, Karrueche Tran is quickly becoming a socialite in today's media. Karrueche recently released a line of cosmetics through one of my new favorite brands Colourpop Cosmetics, and i couldn't help myself to a mini haul :) The #Kaepop collection consists of 4 eyeshadows, 3 liquid lipsticks and 3 corresponding liners.  While I'm not the biggest fan of Colourpop's eyeshadows, I purchased 2 liquid lipsticks and 2 liners. Check out the swatches below.

Of the three colors, I chose Kae and Chi. Rooch was a bit dark for me, plus i already have a few dark brown colors in my kit.  See the lip looks below: Chi and Kae with their corresponding lip liners.

I can't say enough good things about Colourpop. The formula stays on my lips throughout the day without feathering, the color payoff is incredible and the price point makes it affordable for everyone.  

The one thing that I did notice about the KaePop liquid lipsticks, is that the doe foot applicator is different from Colourpop's current applicator. See photos below. 

Colourpop's Limbo on the Left and Kaepop's Kae on the right

The Kaepop applicator has a flat rounded 'foot' compared to the current Colourpop applicator. Personally, i love this. You are able to deposit the product more evenly onto your lips, and it feels softer which is always nice.

Overall, of the 4 products I chose from, I'm happy with my selections and can see these colors being a staple in my makeup bag.

Dose of Colors Haul & Swatches

SOOOOOOOO.... we all know I'm addicted to lipsticks. I own more lipsticks than i own shoes.. i think? :) Of all the lipsticks i own, what's my absolute favorite brand? Dose of Colors. duh! IMATS was an opportunity for me to binge and splurge on my favorite brand, and i'm SO happy I did. 

I knew i had to get a few of the new colors: Mood, Desert Suede and Cork. And while i was at the Dose of Colors booth, i picked up Truffle because its such a beautiful color. Check out my swatches and looks below.

Colors: Mood, Cork, Truffle, Desert Suede

Mood

Cork

Truffle

Desert Suede

Mood, Cork, Desert Suede & Truffle

BTS: Beauty Shots

A few months ago (I know, i'm late) I had an amazing opportunity to work with a few photographers and a gorgeous model for head shots.  I love Love LOVE beauty makeup, theres something beautiful about enhancing an individual's natural beauty and focusing on the details. So when I was offered this opportunity i jumped at the chance to work with makeup in this capacity.  

Photographers: 
Faran Najafi
Matthew Richmond

Model:
Erin Marquez

Beauty Breakdown for Erin

Face:
MAC Matchmaster 2.0
MAC NC20 Concealer
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette
The Balm Bahama Mama
The Balm Mary Lou Mainzer

Lips:
MAC lipstick in Pillowtalk

Blush:
Ingot Blush #29

E/S:
Urban Decay Naked Palette 

Brows:
Benefit Brow Zings - Medium

IMATS LA 2016 - The Year of Extra.

As some of you know, i wait all year long to attend the Mecca of makeup conferences.. IMATS. The International Makeup Artists Trade Show hosted in Pasadena, CA. Every makeup artist and beauty enthusiast within a 600 mile radius treks down to Southern California for two days of beauty worship and excessive spending. 

After 6 years of attending IMATS and armed with a full makeup kit, what else could I possibly purchase? Everything.. i bought everything.

Obligatory IMATS photo with my BFFs

House of Lashes had the BEST backdrop, i could stay in front of this stand forever :)

At the Kat Von D booth :)

Meet my boo Jim.. He's my twin :)

After all the fun and Debauchery of IMATS, the next day my fellow BFFs and MUAs wandered off to the local Naimies and Nigels to see what beauty products they offered. Again, i bought more than i wanted, but everything was well worth it.

Now on to the Haul!

Haul:

Dose of Colors: Mood, Desert Suede, Cork, Teddy, Corset, Scarlet Lace, Truffle & Poise

Anastasia Beverly Hills: Brow Wiz, Brow Definer, Glow Kit in Gleam, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Palette & Brow gel

Lashes in a Box: N 20 and E1

Dr. Peter Thomas Roth: CC Cream

Kat Von D: Blush in Hansel & Gretel, Lolita 1 & 2, Shade and Light Palette

Cinema Secrets: Brush Cleanser

Frankie Rose: Prime Addiction

House of Lashes: Bambi, Boudoir, Featherette 

KoKo Lashes: Flirty, Misha, Goddess, Soho

Elcie: Micro Silk Foundation in Warm Ivory

Z Palette: 2 sizes

Aloe: Hawaiian Moon Aloe

Crown Brush: Disposable lip brushes and mascara wands

And for those of you interested in the product breakdown for my war paint, check out the list below:

MOTD:
Face: 
Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation in G60
Cover FX Concealer in Medium
Laura Mercier Loose Translucent Setting Powder
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder: Luminous Light
MAC MSF in Medium Tan
Bronzer: The Balm - Bahama Mama & Betty-Lou Manizer
Blush: Milani - Luminoso
Highlight: Becca - Champagne Pop

Eyes:
MAC: Brun, Soft brown, Rule
Urban Decay: Bootycall
Eyeliner: Tartist eyeliner
Lashes: KoKo lashes in SoHo

Brows:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Soft Brown
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow in Dark Brown

Lips:
MAC etcetera liner
Dose of Colors - Poise Lipstick
 

Beauty 911 - Winter Skincare Routine

Now that winter is here (insert Jon Snow joke), my lips are chapped, my skin is tightening in the cold air and I know my skincare routine needs more love than usual. I've been trying out a variety skincare products that work well with my oily skin and the products listed below are my top 5 products to combat the harsh winter months ahead.

ESSENCE: May Coop Raw Sauce
The glory that is maple tree sap, absorbs deep into the skin flawlessly. The essence hydrates and delivers nourishment to skin, creating a healthy glow and creates a stronger skin territory. This essence helps to prep the skin to better absorb and boost the effectiveness of any products that follow. After applying the raw sauce onto my skin, i notice that there's barely any product residue left on my skin, but i feel hydrated and fresh.

SERUM: Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster
I've been using this serum for 4-5 years and It does not disappoint, I flip out anytime I start to run out of product. This serum is formulated with a vitamin C complex to produce collagen, brighten your skin, and minimize fine lines. My skin always feels healthier and looks brighter like i have JLo glow, but better! 

MOISTURIZER: Ole Henrikson Sheer Transformation
Ok so.. i STAN for Ole Henriksen's products (obvi). For the same 4-5 years ive been using the Truth Serum. I've been using Sheer Transformation. I have oily skin and this moisturizer paired with the serum AND the essence, allows my skin to be fully hydrated and glowing without causing breakouts.  

LIP BALM: Fresh Sugar Advanced Lip Therapy
Honestly any lip balm will do, I own several lip balms but I really wanted to try Fresh's lip therapy balm because of all the amazing things i've heard about it. This product is a hydrating lip treatment that conditions lips for a smooth, fresh finish while boosting moisture and volume. It really works and I worry less about my chapped lips repairing themselves in time for matte lipsticks :)

SLEEPING MASK: Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask
For that extra boost of moisture, i use my Dr. Jart+ Sleeping mask 2-3 times a week. This product is a weightless, leave-on mask that creates a protective barrier on your skin, locking in moisture and nutrients while you sleep! After my essence, serum and moisturizer, at night i lock it all in using this sleeping mask. When i wake up, my skin feels moisturized and smooth!

After many months of trial and error (and breakouts) I've found these products to work the best for my skin type (oily, combination, acne prone skin). And if you have skin like mine, you'll be ready to fight the winter cold with these products.

via GIPHY

<3 

ColourPop Liquid Ultra Matte Lip Review & Swatches

Kitty Holiday Collection (5 pack) priced at $20.00

These ColourPop Liquid Ultra Matte Lipsticks have quickly climbed up my list of faves! I personally have 15+ ultra matte lipsticks and at their price point it's pretty hard to stop collecting.

I purchased the Kitty collection for the holiday along with 6 lipsticks I wanted to add to my repertoire. Photos, swatches and reviews below! 

Full sized ultra matte lipsticks priced at $6.00 each

Packaging:
These lipsticks come in an acrylic tube with a metallic cap. The packaging looks clean, classic and fairly sturdy. I've dropped the lipsticks on hardwood and cement and the packaging stays together pretty nicely, though the metallic lettering on the tube seems to come off pretty easily. Of all my Colourpop lipsticks, I've only had a problem with 1 tube not being able to close properly, dripping product all over the inside of my purse :(

Formula:
The formula of this product is more silky than creamy compared to my Dose of Colors liquid lipsticks. The consistency of Colourpop's liquid lipsticks remind me a lot of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks, very smooth and runny yet opaque. When applied, the finish is a bit drying but it still provides enough elasticity to where its buildable, mixable and not uncomfortable.     

Color:
The color payoff is bright, beautiful and true to the website swatches. When in it's tube, some of the colors can look similar but when applied, the colors have very different outcomes. See the swatches from my purchase below. The first picture is from the Kitty collection, the second picture is from the 6 other purchases. 

Longevity:
I have never experienced Colourpop's liquid lipsticks bleeding from my lips. I typically wear chapstick or prime my lips before i wear any matte lipsticks so I've never had an issue with Colourpop running outside of the lip line. In terms of longevity, I will say that i mixed two colors for my birthday and i never had to re-apply once. On an average day these lipsticks last about 5-6 hours before I have to re-apply.    

Cons:
I have very little cons for this product, it's long lasting with a beautiful color payoff :) The only confusion i had about the holiday collection was that I had no idea that the Kitty lipsticks were miniature versions of the full sized lipsticks, so when i opened my package, I was surprised at how small they were.

Final Thoughts:
At $6.00 a piece, these lipsticks are the ultimate deal! The color selection is incredible, and I would recommend purchasing this product ASAP!

Sephora Friends & Family Haul

Once a year women of all walks of life reach out to that one friend that knows someone at Sephora for their Friends and Family discount. Luckily for me one of my best friends is a Manager at Sephora and offered me the discount willingly without having to harass her (God bless you Maria!). 

The week prior to the sale, I went to my local Sephora (Powell SF) and requested for a few dozen samples of products I was interested in purchasing. I recommend that all patrons of Sephora ask for samples, as it is the best way to test out products and determining if the product is worth purchasing. So I came into the sale already knowing what I wanted :)

Below are the pictures of my purchases, please don’t mind my bed sheets lol.

Cover FX Infusion Drops
These drops transform your everyday beauty products into powerful skincare treatments that are customized to fit your skin’s needs. Custom Infusion Drops can be mixed with anything liquid: moisturizers, serums, oils, primers, foundations, and tinted moisturizers

Fresh Sugar Advanced Lip Therapy
This  lip treatment corrects and conditions lips for a smooth, youthful-looking finish. It is fortified with a high concentration of ultra-nourishing, age-delaying ingredients to nourish your lips.

Becca Backlight Priming Filter
A makeup primer to help blur imperfections and impart a radiant glow. Blended together, they impart a one-of-a-kind, lightweight, whipped fluid that creates a smooth canvas and acts as an instant filter, while the vitamin E-enriched formula minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Ole Henriksen Three Little Wonders
A three-step daily regimen developed for an effective, easy, and healthy skincare routine to treat all major skin concerns.  These three little wonders with indulgent textures and aromas make treating your skin a daily pleasure. 

May Coop Raw Sauce
A hydrating, nourishing essence featuring a silky formula that's highly concentrated in maple tree sap to create a stronger skin environment, helping prep the skin to better absorb products to follow and boosting their effectiveness. 

As you can tell, almost everything I bought was a skincare product since most skin care is 1) EXPENSIVE and 2) Rarely on sale. So the F&F sale is the perfect opportunity to stock up on hydrating goodness and a 24oz Purity Cleanser :)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit for Holiday 2015

For a Holiday product, Hourglass came out with a limited edition Ambient lighting palette pretty early on in the season. And I’m not mad at it :)

According to Hourglass, this palette is a, “Wardrobe of handmade powders, blushes, bronzer, and the debut of the new Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder". And it's, " Designed to give you everything you need to finish, brighten, contour and highlight your skin in a single compact.”

I’m obsessed with Hourglass, I never leave a makeup look untouched with their product. Each powder has optically transparent particles that help with seamless blending, especially when it comes to their blush and bronzer options. 

Now on to the review:

Packaging
The packaging is DIVIIIIINE! The 6 powders are protected in this chocolate/rose gold casing that includes a large mirror. Not only are the powders gorgeous, the packaging is just as beautiful and luxurious as the product itself.

Formula:
These powders have "Photoluminescent Technology” to help refine the appearance of your skin’s complexion, leaving you with a glowing finish. This basically means that the powders help to filter out the harsh lines on your face. AKA it’s like you’re walking around with the “Valencia” filter on your face all throughout the day ;)

Color:
The colors provided in the palette are:

Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light
Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Iridescent Strobe Light
Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush
Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure
Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light

The only new color in the Edit palette is the "Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Iridescent Strobe Light” which is meant for strobing, and I must say the product comes off very glowy and shimmery at the same time. All in all each powder also adds luminescence to every skin tone which makes it universally flattering (Which also puts this palette high on my list of faves). 

Longevity 
The day I decided to wear basically every color in the palette, it was 97 degrees in San Francisco and I forgot to set my makeup with setting spray. I was sure my makeup would melt off! Luckily for my skin, the makeup stayed in place and after 6-7 hours, the color started to dulled out just a bit. Altogether the glow lasted 11+ hours on my face in the raging heat and through date night with le boo.

Cons
The size of each of the powders in the palette is 0.049 oz. In a permanent individual lighting powder is 0.35 oz. The limited edition sizes vs the permanent sizes are drastically different. And for $80.00 per palette I would hope that Hourglass would provide more product for the price. I totally missed taking a picture of my individual lighting powder against my palette, but www.Beautzine.com had a beautiful comparison on their website, so I’ve included it below.

Image courtesy of www.Beautzine.com 

Overall
I'm obsessed. Although i was a bit disappointed in the product sizes, I am still very happy with the product. I love the pigment, texture, finish and most of all, the GLOW. This product is a must have in your kit because it caters to most (if not ALL) skin tones, and provides a filtered light that radiates a glow better than any powder i've seen on the market. 

California Mission Inspired Photoshoot by Loft Photography

Earlier this summer I worked with a group of UBER talented individuals who had a vision for a California Mission inspired photoshoot. I was invited to beautify their gorgeous model for the shoot. I was SO honored to be a part of this shoot surrounded by professionals with an eye for style and design. For more photos and info, check out the blog LemonadeandLenses.com. Credits below:   

Venue: Mission San Rafael
Invitation Suite: Alex Leigh Franklin
Gown: Sarah Seven
Hair Stylist: Justine with Prettyologie
Makeup Artist: Angelie Herreria
Florist: Willene Design 
Model: Amber Fernandez 
oftPhotography.com
LoftPhotography.com/Blog
 

Too Faced - Born This Way Foundation Review

I've been going through my skin care/makeup routine and i decided I want to change up a few of my foundations. One new foundation that i've been a really big fan of is the Too Faced Born This Way liquid foundation.

Packaging
One of the first things that attracted me to this product, was its gorgeous packaging. The foundation is packaged in a frosted glass adorned with gold accents. When i tested the product at Sephora, I loved how creamy yet lightweight the product was.

Formula
This product is described as an oil-free foundation that masterfully diffuses the line between makeup and skin. Whats great about this product is how full coverage AND lightweight it is. The foundation felt almost as if it melted into my skin, leaving a soft and dewey finish. 

Color
I matched best with the color, "Honey". I'm originally an NC42 in MAC, and Honey matches my skin the best. I originally bought Caramel, and it was a shade too dark. The color looks great in natural light as well as with flash, i didn't experience flash back and that gets the thumbs up from me :)

Longevity
This product started to fade after 8 hours. I had no problem with the foundation keeping its color throughout the majority of the day.

Cons
The current selection of foundations at Sephora are a bit limited. Caramel is the darkest shade they offer in store. Too Faced recently released 6 new shades, but they're available online and not in store (Yet!).
In terms of my kit, because its in glass-- the foundation is heavy to lug around. 

Overall
I really like the finish of this product, its full coverage and lightweight which is perfect for a night out or for special events. I have combination skin and I did not have an oily, greasy feeling after wearing the foundation for a full day. A must try ;)

Highlight on Fleek

My addiction to highlighters is real, and it’s beginning to take over my life. 

For someone who owns dozens of highlighters, you would think that I’d stop purchasing new products.. That or I’d be walking around with the shiniest face in San Francisco :)

For the last few months there has been pandemonium in the makeup community due to new and exciting highlighters being released. The 3 highlighters I love and have been using regularly are:
Becca – Champagne Pop by Jaclyn Hill
Anastasia – Riviera & Peach Nectar Illuminators

I know I just received the Anastasia Illuminators, but I love them! I keep all three highlighters in rotation every time I go out. 

Becca - Champagne Pop

Becca – Champagne Pop by Jaclyn Hill
This highlight is described as a “soft white gold with pinky peach undertones.”. Becca’s highlighters typically have a smooth consistency, excellent color payoff and a high shimmer finish, the same is to be said about Champagne Pop. The product glides on effortlessly and compliments any skin tone, not to mention it’s long lasting. The only think that bothers me about Becca highlighters in general is that they have the tendency to break easily. I have to be careful of how I handle their products when in use or when I travel. And I would be DEVASTATED if my baby Champagne Pop cracked into pieces.

Anastasia - Peach Nectar Illuminator

Anastasia - Riviera Illuminator

Anastasia Riviera/Peach Nectar Illuminators 
This highlight is described as, "Like a filter for your complexion, this brush-on highlighter contains a mosaic of brightening powders that impart a lit-from-within glow”. I knew from swatches and Anastasia’s Instagram that these illuminators would be stunning. The finish is more pearly or frosted than it is shimmery. So the “highlight seen from space” look is harder to achieve with these products. In terms of color and longevity, Riviera gave me a a subtle coppery frost that went well with my tan skin. The highlight lasted a full work day on my skin before fading. With Peach Nectar, it gave me a light peachy color that was more shimmery that it was frosted. Again, Peach Nectar lasted a full 8 hours before it began to fade on my skin.

Memoirs of a Geisha Trap Queen

I’m coming back from Japan and the Jetlag and Onigiri withdrawals have finally left my system :) Japan was everything I expected it to be and more, from seizure inducing robot shows to fish market debauchery at 3:00am, it was incredible. My friends and I are fairly open to new and fun experiences, so when one of us brought up the idea of getting Geisha makeovers and taking professional photos, the obvious answer was… “Duh!”.

One of the first things we did in Kyoto was travel to the Gion district to a traditional studio that focuses on Geisha style photo shoots.  From the minute we walked in, to the moment we left, was an experience. 

Makeup Room:
After filling out a form that I HOPE was a photo release? We walked into a room where I met my makeup artist Mei, who led me to her makeup station. The room was set up so a maximum of 4 women could get their makeup done at the same time, so this was perfect for me and my friends.

Setup:
My makeup station had a set of brushes and foundations that each makeup artist used on all of their clients. Mei had a range of foundations and liquid liners that were White, Black and Red.

Process:
When I say this was a process, I mean This. Was a MF PRO-CESS. Mei prepped my skin with a type of wax and then topped that wax with baby oil.. Now, most of you know— baby oil and wax isn’t always the safest way to prime your skin before makeup application, but I figured there was some sort of reasoning behind it.  The white foundation they used on me was placed on my back, my decollate, neck and ALL OVER my face. Mei used a wide Ita brush to place the foundation, and then set the foundation with a large velour puff. Click the links below for videos. 

Video 1
Video 2

Style:
Based on traditional Geisha makeup, they used different techniques to make us look younger. The blush placement was directly below the eyes, and around the perimeter of the face. The red lipstick was placed inside the lip line and my eyebrows were waxed down and filled with red liner. According to the culture, red represents youthfulness, so the placement of red blush and accents are to represent a young, fresh face.  I think i look like; if Mulan and Casper had a baby.. voila:

When we all finished, i could NOT stop laughing! I was happy I experienced wearing a traditional Kimono and donned the makeup of a Geisha, but once I saw all of us in the mirror, i laughed so hard I almost cried off ALL my makeup. For California girls who listen to Fetty Wap and Rich Homie Quan, dressing up as Geisha's was a once in a lifetime experience we will never forget.

Can you tell which one I am?
Neither can I..

LOVE WINS

Last Friday, the decades-long debate abut whether same-sex marriage should be allowed in the US when the Supreme Court ruled that gay and lesbian couples can get married anywhere in the country.

It is no surprise that the city of San Francisco has been a supportive of gay marriage, and last Friday the city was filled with joy and the streets were live with LOVE. In honor of this historic moment, I decided to play with AAALLLLL the colors of the rainbow! For more details, i've listed the products used below.

Eyes:
MAC - Soft Brown, Texture, Orb
MUFE Flash Palette: Red, Yellow, Green, Below
NYX Black skinny liner
MUFE Aqua Smokey Mascara
Brows: ABH - Pomade - Dark Brown

FACE
MUFE - HD Foundation in 173
MAC Studio Powder in Medium Tan
ABH - Contour Powders
Milani Blush - Luminoso
TLS Highlighter - Glow Gawd

LIPS
Dose of Colors - Purple Rain Liquid Matte Lipstick

<3 

TLS Highlighter Review

So i dont know if anyone noticed, but i love highlighters.. I am obsessed with looking as fertile as possible by using any and all beauty highlighters. Just like many beauty junkies, i am a STAN for Manny the MUA. But really, who isn't? Anyway, he put the world on these new TLS highlighters that blew. my. mind.

Of course i had to try these little babies out on my own, so i bought a little starter pack for my kit. I purchased Glow Gawd, Blushing Bride and Sunkissed. Basically 1 highlight per skin tone range. Check out my review for each highlighter below. Please note that i packed on the product to my fingers to emphasize the pigment. When applied, you actually don't need very much to achieve a glowy look.

GLOW GAWD: 

One of their top highlights, Glow Gawd is a soft golden iridescent color that looks subtly sweet when applied to the orbital bone. There are soft flecks of gold that make the pigment more yellow, and looks great on any skin tone.

SUNKISSED:

Sunkissed is a beautiful golden powder that is clearly on the warmer side, but is perfect for those with a darker/warmer skin tone.

BLUSHING BRIDE:

Blushing Bride is a light pink iridescent powder. this color can soften any skin tone, and reminds me a lot of the Hourglass ambient light powders, and is similar to the soft focus light that the product provides.

Price Point:
Each pot of pigment costs $9.75 per 6 gm of product.

Formula:
This highlighter is a loose pigment made up of mica, titanium dioxide, silica and some pigments include iron oxides. I haven't had any of my clients to react negatively from the product, neither did I, so I enjoyed using these highlighters. Also this highlighter is amazing and a little will go a long way.

Packaging:
The pigments come in a plastic container with a twist cap. The product is contained under a plastic filter/grinder that prevents the pigment from spilling out. 

Color:
Overall, I like the color payoff of these highlighters are very pigmented and you can probably see this highlight from space :) Some of the colors look similar but have a subtle undertone that comes through in it's iridescence. 

Longevity:
I've used this highlight on a client, set her with Fix+ and it STUCK to her like glue. I use this product on myself for dinner and dancing but didn't set my face, and the product stayed on for 6+ hours. <3 <3 <3  

Tips: This product is a loose pigment highlighter and i will say that the product can get messy, especially if you forget to close the filter in its packaging.

I like this product and would recommend these colors to any makeup artist and beauty junkie. Especially for MUA's who are starting their kits, these products really provide excellent quality for it's price point. The packaging is cute and fits in any makeup kit so it's easy to travel with. 

Sweet Wedding Anniversary Photoshoot

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of glamming this beautiful woman! This couple celebrated their 10 year wedding anniversary by re-creating their wedding photos including their two gorgeous children.

My bride’s Beauty Breakdown is below:
NC 30 Studio sculpt foundation
NC 20 concealer
Sephora 10 - Mattifying Compact Powder
Urban Decay Eyeshadow – Foxy, Bootycall
MAC eyeshadow – Brule, Crystal Avalanche 
Stila – Contour Bronzer: Stay All Day Bronzer – Light
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Powder
INGLOT Freedom System Blush - 20
Ben Nye – Banana Powder
Dose of Colors Highlighter – Peach Glow
Brows: MAC Lingering
Lips: MAC Angel
Lipgloss: Bare Minerals Moxie Lipgloss in Show Off 

Dose of Colors - The Terra Collection Review

Dose of Colors just came out with a trio of their to-die-for liquid lipsticks! I’ve had the lipsticks for a while now, but I’m just getting around to reviewing the lippies! Of course this trio is limited edition and are some of the most gorgeous colors I’ve ever seen in liquid lipstick form, especially Stone :)

The formula of the lipsticks are same as their full line liquid lipsticks, so of course they’re soft, pigmented and stay on all day. Initially I only wanted to try Stone because I felt like the other two colors were too similar to some colors I already owned. But because you can’t buy the lipsticks separately I purchased the whole set. And I was impressed :)

Brick: I was concerned that Brick was going to be too similar to all the red colors I already owned from Dose of colors, but Brick was more Gray based than blue based.

Below is a swatch of the red Dose of Colors liquid lipsticks that I already own, none of them look the same and they’re all very very pretty! 

Sand: WOW this color is strong. My skin tone is a bit too dark to carry this color off on its own, but I think that it’s a good color to mix with other bright colors if you want to create a cooler tone.

Stone: What a Beaute! Stone is my favorite color from the collection and I think it’ll be a staple color in my kit going forward. 

All in all, I love the colors and I think each lipstick serves a skin tone, they might not all work on every skin tone, but if you work with a variety of skin colors, this kit is for you.

<3

Squeeze, Line and Define with the Tarte Tarteist Clay Liner

I. DIE. For a beautiful winged eyeliner. I envied Amy Winehouse for her courage and commitment to winged eyeliner, It’s the best.. We all know applying eyeliner is not easy, it does take a lot of practice but a good eyeliner will make any artist ugly-cry in amazement.  Friends… Let me introduce you to the Tarte Tarteist Clay Liner. I have been hunting this liner for months.. Unfortunately I slacked on jumping on this product when it first came out and of course, the eyeliner ended up sold out everywhere. The Universe brought me to this liner when I walked into Sephora this weekend. I stopped in the aisle and asked God to deliver me when I grabbed the last box… What can I say, God is good :) 

Now onto the eyeliner! 

Formula: The formula is waterproof and happens to be a hybrid between a liquid and a gel liner. Like most Tarte products, this liner includes Amazonian Clay, this makes the product creamy without being runny, which allows you to define your liner flawlessly without tugging. 

Packaging: You can tell that the packaging for this product was designed with the creative in mind. The eyeliner comes in a squeezable tube and can be applied with the included eyeliner brush. The top of the tube has a tapered round mixing palette so that you can blend the product onto the brush. I Love!

Photo Courtesy of Sephora.com  

Color: BLACK like my soul! After the first swipe of color, you can see the richness of the product. But just like any eyeliner, sometimes (depending on how much product you use) you have to double up on the application to make the color more opaque. 

Longevity: This liner is smudge proof, waterproof and lasted a full work day + a few Happy Hours (+/-10 hours) with very little budging. *flame emojis*

Tips: Be Careful when you squeeze the tube, if you aren’t careful a ton of product will spill out. *crying face emoji*

**Please note that I have combination skin with very little crease in my eyelid. I’ve heard that oily lids, or hooded eyelids have a hard time with this product, but for me, I had no trouble with application or lasting power. 

Overall I love this product and will buy again :)

Relief for Sensitive Skin

Ok.. Confession. I have sensitive skin, I’ve had sensitive skin since I was 8 years old and I’m obsessed with finding new skin care products to try. I have psoriasis and had to care and treat my skin using a variety of different treatments for almost 20 years. I leaned how to control and treat my psoriasis using topical medications and establishing a skincare regimen that works best to reduce my flares. Unfortunately there is no cure for psoriasis, but there are a ton of all natural treatments to ease the pain.

Most recently I’ve discovered an all natural Sappo Hill's oatmeal soap from Whole Foods. I've told anyone that will listen to me about it, and it's glorious. Colloidal Oatmeal (finely grained oatmeal) promotes wound healing, collagen and stimulates the production of immune cells in the skin, this makes your skin stronger. The oats can absorb the excess oil in the skin, removes bacteria and has ultraviolet absorbing properties. Basically the colloidal oatmeal clean's, protect's and calm's your skin.

Photo Courtesy of SappoHill.com  

Since I was on this "all natural remedy" kick, I stepped into my neighborhood LUSH and bought the holy grail of body lotions: Dream Cream. This body lotion has oat milk, rose water, organic cocoa butter, chamomile, tea tree oil and lavender oil. Basically all the best ingredients for sensitive skin thrown in a jar, cracked with magic and sold with a smile. Anyone who's ever researched skin care, knows that oatmeal, rose water, tea tree oil and lavender are all MAJOR remedies for sensitive skin. All of these properties offer antibacterial, healing and soothing effects. Again.. it's organic/fair trade magic.

Don't believe me? Just watch... Slap some oatmeal soap and Dream Cream on your skin and watch the magic happen. After 2 days of use I began to see results! My skin calmed down and the uncomfortable feeling of having psoriasis subsided. If you have sensitive skin like excema, acne or rosacia, oatmeal soap works like a charm. 

Now go on and get your life!

Lime Crime - The Doe Deere Debacle

Le Sigh..

I know I’m late to the party, but shame on you Lime Crime.. Shame. On. You.  I haven’t felt so disappointed in someone/something since Christopher Brown in 2009. There was so much potential for Lime Crime to expand and build a genuine and respectable company, but now their reputation is tainted by the thoughtless and disrespectful comments that the CEO released on social media.

I have loved and have been a fan of Lime Crime since IMATS LA 2011. Lime Crime’s products are amazing, however the way that they have been conducting business as of late makes me sick. It all started with the company’s website getting hacked. The CEO was professional when the cyber hack happened, however, when fans of the product attacked her on social media, Good. LAWD… see her response below:

NOW…. Doedeere should have just took all the private customer information from the site and handed it to the hackers her damn self. When you produce a product and then you insult your consumers, they will publicly humiliate you and turn on you. When I read Doedeere's response, I was offended because I felt like she just spit in my face and on the face of every Lime Crime customer. 

Many makeup artists have publicly boycotted the brand and I don't blame them. I know people wont care very much about the scandal, and will continue to purchase the products regardless of its reputation. But the same people who make the business money, are not proud to be their customers. These customers like the product, but would never promote their business. In my experience, customer hacks should be treated very carefully. Dissing the people who made your company what it is, was not a smart move. A little bit of humility goes a long way and I think we can all learn from this experience.

Girl, BYE!

Stylish Ways to Wear Metallic Tattoos

Photo Courtesyof LuLuDKLifestyle.com 

For IMATS I bought a set of J Cat Beauty DeJa Tu's and a set of LULU dk’s “Love Story” metallic tattoos. I placed a set around my arm in place of a bracelet. For me, I loved this placement because it kept my arm accessorized without all the heavy jewelry weight. 

My absolute favorite place to wear metallic tattoos is on my clavicle. It reminds me a lot of the placement of Rihanna’s “Never a failure, always a lesson” tattoo. And for those of you who are wondering about metallic tattoo's lasting power, each of my tattoo placements lasted 3 days without wear and tear. They don't budge too much after soap and water, although if you're looking to remove the metallic tattoo without having to wait too long, use an oil based remover to ease the removal process. 

All in all I'm obsessed, these metallic tattoos are sexy, fun and it makes a great statement piece :)

<3<3<3