Shine spectrum

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So it comes as no surprise that my go-to going out look is a bronze smokey eye.  I feel like most of my tutorials on here feature that look, just with different products used.  I find that a bronze or copper smokey eye is the most flattering for my skin type, and eye shape and colour, that although I sometimes tend to venture on a different path, more often than not I always go back to my tried and true.

So this brings me to this post.  Yes, it’s going to be a bronze smokey eye, but with a twist.  Let’s change it up with some shimmer.  Every beauty blogger has a wish list of items that they just need to have in their life, but for various reasons (price, availability), it’s not in their collection yet.  My number one?  The Stila Magnificant Metals Foil Finish Eyeshadow in Kitten.  I’ve been lusting after this coveted shadow for awhile. It’s unique in that it’s a cream flakey shadow that you combine with a mixing medium to create a shimmery, sparkly, metallic shadow that is unlike anything I have seen, or even have in my makeup collection (and my collection is rather large).

I finally bit the bullet about a month ago when I was gifted a $25 Shoppers Drug Mart gift card, and rather than spend the cash on something practical (contact solution, tampons, etc.), I just had to have that particular shadow.  Oh, did I mention that it retails for C$42?  Yeah, there’s that.  So you can easily see why I just haven’t said “F it” and bought it because yeah, technically I don’t need it, and it’s a lot of money for one shadow. But now that it’s in my collection, it’s love.

I’ve used this shadow pretty much every time I go out, since it brings the right amount of sparkle to any look.  Pair it with a winged liner and some false lashes and you are good to go for any night out.  Since I was going out this past Saturday and I had some time to sit down and do my makeup (I had an hour to kill before this Asian buffet place we were going to #hangry), I thought this would make a good post since this particular shadow is extremely popular and even if you don’t have the metals version of it, Stila’s Kitten is a cult favourite.

Final 2 Steps 1. Lay down an eyeshadow primer and fill in your brows.  I used MAC Paint Pot in Nubile because it’s skin-coloured (this was LE, but Painterly is a good dupe).  Then, with an orange shadow (like Make Up for Ever Artist Shadow in S-74) and a fluffy crease brush, work this lightly into your crease.

2. With a rose-coloured shadow (like Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in I-808, which also doubles as a blush) and that same fluffy crease brush, work this over the orange colour.

3. Next, with a flat shader brush and a cream shadow, like MAC Naked Lunch, apply this over your lid area, concentrating the colour from the inner corner to the centre of the lid.

4. With Stila Magnificant Metals Foil Finish Eyeshadow in Kitten, place this lightly (using your fingers) over the neutral shadow you applied on your lids.

5. For the crease, apply a sand-coloured brown.  I used the lighter shade from the NARS Cordura duo.

6. Apply your eyeliner, winging it out, mascara and false lashes (if you wish).  I used Rimmel London’s new ScandalEyes Giant Liquid Eyeliner in black, CoverGirl LashBlast Bloomsies mascara with New York Color Smokin’ Hot Show Time mascara over top, and some Ardelle lashes for extra volume.

7. Apply your foundation and concealer.  Then, along your lower lash line, lie down a base.  Since we are placing that same brown that we used in the crease, I put CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in Caramel Flame. After, place the sand brown over top and then put a nude-coloured liner in the waterline to open up the eye area.  I used Rimmel London ScandalEyes Kohl Kajal liner in nude.  Coat your lower lashes in mascara.

Final 1

For foundation, I used NARS Sheer Glow in Vallarius, IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye in Light for concealer with the banana shade from the Anastasia Contour Kit over top, Maybelline Fit Me foundation sticks in Cappuccino to liquid contour, then used a shade from the Anastasia Countour Kit over top.  For blush I used Make Up For Ever HD Blush in #19, and for lips I used NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair over my foundation lips. To set everything I used Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix.

Yes, it’s like my billionth brown smokey eye, but I absolutely love this one.  This look is also great without the foiled shadow over top, but if you’re like me, you’ll love the extra glitter ;).

What’s the number-one item on your beauty wish list?

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Spray and set: Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix

Title If you are a makeup girl, you know you’ll need more tools than just eyeshadow and mascara. My usually makeup routine can be anywhere from a 10- to 12-step process.  Your makeup routine should start with a primer (after you apply your moisturizer of course) and then end with a setting spray.

For those of you not in the know, setting sprays gained some massive popularity when Urban Decay premiered their now-iconic sprays.  I’ve tried UDs sprays but haven’t bought one in forever because they are incredibly pricey.  Like primers, setting sprays can run you anywhere from $15 and up.

So why do you need it?  Well, it holds your makeup in place for longer.  Have a special event (weddings, grads, etc.) that you need your makeup to hold up for?  Don’t forget to set it with these special sprays.

I’ve tried a variety of different ones and they are increasingly in popularity (L’Oreal Paris just released a drugstore version), but the old stand bys are still proving that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Close up

Take Make Up For Ever’s Mist & Fix for example.  Available in two sizes (125ml for $34; 30ml for $14), this makeup must-have delivers long-lasting hold on your makeup.  It has key setting features, including moisturizing benefits.

Mist & Fix has an O2 skin complex, which provides oxygenation to the skin while making it more radiant without a shiny finish.  They actually just relaunched this product, which the new-and-improved formula provides moisture to the skin with polyol, a molecule known for its moisturizing properties.  The formula is also alcohol-free and dermatologist tested, making it suitable for every skin type, even sensitive skin.

So how does it work?  Setting sprays are a colourless liquid, similar to water, that you spray on after all your makeup is finished. It provides an invisible shield against environmental stress factors such as pollution and extreme temperature changes. Mist & Fix uses acrylic copolymer as a main ingredient for its film-forming properties to create a non-sticky, protective shield resistant to rubbing and sweating. It prevents your makeup from fading, so you look as fresh as you did when you first applied it.

Before and after

I’ve been using the Victoria’s Secret Prep & Prime spray for a few years now (it retails for $14.50), but I have to say that I was quite impressed with the Make Up For Ever version.  For awhile there I just thought setting sprays were more of a self-fulfilling prophecy, as in if you think its doing something, it is; but that isn’t the case with this one. Yes, my makeup isn’t as fresh as it was at 8 a.m., but I want to note that the 6 p.m. photo is after a full day at work and even a workout.  I would say my makeup held up pretty darn well throughout the day. Best of all, and this is such a minor thing but makes a world of difference, the spray nozzle on this product works great.  Weird to mention, but you get a nice even spray on your face.  Sometimes they get sticky, which concentrates the product on one area, which can make your makeup smudge.  Totally the opposite of what you are going for with these.

Overall, I highly recommend this setting spray.  Yes, it’s a pricey investment, but if you are a makeup fanatic, or if you have a special event coming up, I would look into investing in this product.

Do you use setting sprays?

Please note, this post contains product that were sent by PR. All opinions are my own.

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Totally tanned: L’Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze self-tanning serum

Title

Well my friends, it finally feels like spring.

With that spring feeling comes cuter clothes, rain boots (for all that melting snow), a lighter jacket, and more attention to detail on how I look.  So naturally I start busting out the self tanners come mid-March.

I’ve said it before, I am a self-tanning queen.  I’ve tried mostly all the popular ones and although I like some more than others, I’m usually not too much of a snob when it comes to looking bronze the “chemical” way.

Brand-spanking-new this season from L’Oreal Paris is their Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Serum, a sister to their lotion bronzer. This 100ml bottle serum gives you a natural bronzed glow that is billed to last up to two weeks (when applied everyday for three days).

Serums are new to the self-tan game and this was my first time dabbing into them.  I do prefer a mousse as opposed to a lotion nowadays as the ease of application is better and the mousse is usually tinted so you see the colour (which prevent streaks).  This guy feels like a gel that you rub into your skin.  You don’t see the colour, but it’s incredibly fast drying, and best of all, has a perfumed scent, something different from that “self-tan smell”.  I applied the product at night and when I woke up I had a nice glow.  Nothing too dramatic, but noticeable enough.  Obviously, the more days you apply it the more darker you’ll appear, but since it’s spring, I wanted something not too noticeable.

serum

My absolute favourite part of this tanner was the fact that it didn’t leave you with a smell.  It was perfumed when you apply it but that quickly goes away.  I usually find myself smelling of tanner the day after my application, but not with this.  That alone is worth the purchase (seriously, if you use self-tanner on a regular basis you will know the struggle).

There appears to be some shimmer in the formula, but rest assured, you don’t notice it when it’s applied.  I also put this on my face and it didn’t make me break out (not that I’ve ever broken out before from a tanner, but I know that’s an issue for some people).

Swatched

Overall this stuff is as good as gold.  I was actually quite surprised how well it worked as you don’t even feel it after it’s applied (sometimes you kinda feel sticky after applying tanner), so I was a little hesitant that it would give me colour at all.

I do realize that the tan isn’t as noticeable in the before and after photo above.  Trust me, in real life I looked bronzer than usual (a coworker even asked if I put on tanner). This was also one application. There’s many self tanners out there and not everyone likes being full-on bronze in one application (usually I do, but for this time of the year, I don’t mind a subtle glow), so with a formula like this, I think this particular product will be right up a lot of people’s alleys.

Keep a look out for this guy at your local drugstore, because it’s well worth it!

Will you be trying out L’Oreal Paris’ new Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Serum?

Please note, I received this product from PR. All opinions are my own.

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