Tag, you're it! My Go-to Products

Note: I realize that a lot of these products are more expensive than what I normally feature on this blog. Because these are items that I constantly use on a day-to-day basis, I think it's okay to splurge on them because you get more bang for your buck. Still, I encourage you to leave some of your more reasonably priced go-to products in the comment section!


Primer: L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base ($12.95)

Foundation: Revlon PhotoReady Makeup in 004 Nude ($11.95)

Concealer: Clinique All About Eyes Concealer ($15.50)

Setting Powder: Clinique Blended Face Powder ($19.00)

Blush: Rimmel London Lasting Finish Blendable Powder Blush in Peach ($4.37)

Contour/bronzer: Napoleon Perdis Mosaic Bronzer (No longer listed online, but I think I paid $6.00 for it at Sephora)

Mascara: Rimmel London's Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara ($7.50)

Eye Shadow: mark.'s I-Mark Custom Pick Eye Shadow in Nomadic and Tiki ($5.00 each).

Eye Liner: Sonia Kashuk's Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Liner ($8.99)

Lip stick: Rimmel London Lasting Finish Intense Wear Lipstick in In Vogue ($5.00)

Lip Gloss: mark.'s Juice Gem in Juicy Pomegranate ($6.50)

Can anyone recommend...

A good eyeshadow primer? Like, one that costs less than $10? I've been using mark.'s Please Hold Eyeprimer ($8), but I've noticed that it's been creasing like crazy. Soo.. leave me a comment with your suggestions.

Get the Look: Earthy Eyes

Recently, I've really been digging blue and green eyeshadows. I think it perfectly compliments my skin tone (olive-beige) and blonde hair. At the same time, you can easily adjust the pigmentation to better match your own skin tone/hair color.

Eyes: Pack a light or lime green eyeshadow like mark.'s I-mark in Dragonfly ($5.00) all over the lid, up to the crease, using small patting motions to reduce fall-out (loose eyeshadow bits that fall onto your upper cheek bones and smudge terribly). Then, with a stiff dome brush, apply a darker, foresty green eyeshadow like mark.'s I-mark in Retro Peacock ($5.00) in a soft v-shape in the outer corner. Blend the area where the two meet with a softer, feathery brush to reduce harshness. Line the upper lids with your favorite black eyeliner as tightly as possible. You want the green to stand out most! Then, curl your lashes and apply a fun, night-out mascara like Maybelline's The Falsies Mascara ($6.99) for thick, dramatic lashes.

Face: Conceal any imperfections, especially dark under eye circles that will distract attention from your gorgeous eyes and can make your skin look hallow. You can use a bronzer to lightly contour your face, but don't do anything too drastic. Gently blend a pinky-peach blush into your cheekbones like mark.'s Good Glowing Blush in After Glo ($7.00).

Lips: Go for a soft, neutral pink gloss like mark.'s Lots of Lacquer in Rush. Wipe away any gloss that strays from your natural lip line and your look is complete!

Tag, you're it! Products I regret buying

In all honesty, I don't really regret buying any beauty products, because I feel like they each serve some sort of purpose and while they might not necessarily work for me, they could definitely work better on someone else. So, with that in mind, these are a list of products that I didn't exactly love..

1) Urban Decay's Cream Shadow in Delinquent ($17.00 at Sephora)
This eyeshadow looked great in the tube and DID serve as a great base coat for really dramatic, purple smokey eyes, but I got this weird tingling sensation on my lids whenever I used it. It didn't necessarily hurt, but it certainly didn't feel great! Honestly, I don't reach for this product very much because it feels so weird. The packaging also kind of sucks because while you can easily get the product out the first time or two, it seems to clump at the bottom and then you actually have to squeeze the tube to get it out... it just gets really messy. I think for the price, it wasn't worth it.

2) Laura Geller's Lipstick in On Stage ($15.50 on her website, but I think I bought it on clearance at Sephora for $5 o5 $6?)
I bought this lipstick in hopes of a great, night-out-on-the-town, bright red color and it delivered on that end. However, I find it to be pretty drying and it almost seems to flake off? Not cool! I do still use it on occasion, but it's not my number one red lipstick. I don't think I'd really recommend it.

3) Buxom's Travel In Style Lipstick and Lip Polish Duo ($18.00 at Sephora)
I really bought this set because of the beautiful coral-orange lipstick that I fell in love with in the store. Needless to say, I hated the gloss when I got home because it was gooey and gross (also wasn't a huge fan of the plumping formula. I knew it was a plumper in the store, but I don't think it really did much for me and I found it sort of unrealistic) so I used just the lipstick with another gloss over it. But then, like a week after purchasing the set, the lipstick broke! The whole pigment stick fell out of its holder and got stuck in the super-thin cap. I was pretty upset. So overall, I just had bad experiences with the set, but I'd consider buying the lipstick on its own if the manufacturer could create a new packaging for it.

4) mark.'s Shimmer Tubes Hook Up Gel Blush in Rose, Peach, and Bronze (I think these were $2.00 a piece? I bought them in the last chance section and they return every once in a while)
I think these are gorgeous colors, but they're just totally sheer as blushes. I love the concept and the formula, but they don't show up at all on me (except for the bronzer, which for some reason looks like dirt). As I'm typing this, though, I think I'm going to experiment with them as eyeshadow bases or highlighters, so I'll get back to you when I do that!

5) e.l.f. Essential's Hypershine Gloss Box ($5.00)
These glosses were too sticky and gooey for me. The colors are gorgeous, but the formula was not for me and the applicators were not fun either. They got really messy and gross.

6) BonBon's Eyeshadow in Copper and Purple ($0.99 at Walmart)
These shadows were just too powdery for me. It didn't matter how I applied them, they always got messy and were more hassle than they were worth.

7) Almay's Nearly Naked Cover Up Stick ($6.97 at Walmart)
Too creamy and oily. This concealer creased on my skin so quickly and never stayed put. I like the pureness of Almay's products normally, but this concealer just did not work. I also had it in my purse for about a week and it melted and got super-messy.

What are some products that you're not a fan of? Are any of the products I dislike ones that work for you? Let me know!

Lipstain Love

I think I’m seriously addicted to lipstains. For real.

It all started before Halloween one year. I decided to do a few practice runs on my nun makeup before the big costume party and everything looked great except for my lips. If I used lipgloss, my mouth felt gooey and messy. Lipstick looked more polished, but I felt like I had to reapply it every 5 minutes because it wore off so quickly. It was then that I discovered the lipstain: a cool, marker-like makeup product that gave you a gorgeous pout for up to 12 hours.

The first lipstain I loved was mark.’s Kissink Lip Tintmarker in Red Siren ($7.00). The lipstain’s packaging literally looked like a mini magic marker, which freaked me out at first. Did I buy a cosmetic product or did the company accidentally send me some of their office supplies?

Nevertheless, I tried it out and was pleasantly surprised with the end result. I had a gorgeous, berry-red lip that lasted about eight hours before it began to fade. I could even layer lipstick on top of it and it lasted longer than five minutes!

To be honest, though, mark.’s lipstain looks really strange when it’s first applied. In fact, it had a really ugly brown color at first that freaked me out (once again). Oh no! Did I just dye my lips a weird coffee color?! But the color faded into a beautiful red within one minute and my wave of fear washed away.

Recently, I discovered Maybelline’s Color Sensational Lipstain in In The Buff (on sale for $4.19 at Ulta right now). Definitely a new favorite product! Like mark.’s stain, Maybelline’s product also comes in a magic marker packaging, except it’s slightly larger (more product? Yay!). I was happily surprised to find that it had a delicious berry scent that I had never noticed in another makeup product before. While the stain only lasted half as long as mark.’s lipstain, it still looked gorgeous on and wasn’t awkward to reapply in public (mark.’s could look a little strange because of the dark brown color).

Overall, I would strongly recommend a lipstain to anyone that is sick of lipglosses and lipsticks. Be sure to exfoliate lips before applying it, though, because a stain can look very drying.

Have you used a stain before? What were your experiences with it? If you haven’t, would you ever try one?

Review: mark.'s Juice Gems

Lipgloss, in some ways, is the best makeup product you can own. It can add color or sparkle to an otherwise nude lip, it can hide chapped or dry lips, and it can make a flat-colored lip more three dimensional and eye-catching.

But finding the perfect lipgloss can be hard work. Often times, the formulas can be too thick and gooey, leaving your mouth a stringy mess when you try to talk, eat, or drink. Other lipglosses can be too liquidy and run right off your lips and down your chin which is definitely not attractive. I've tried lipglosses that smell funny, have huge chunks of glitter, are drying, or are just too hard to deal with. For a while, I even considered giving up entirely on lipgloss because the brands I tried made me look like a beauty amateur.

A few years ago, I was introduced to Lancome's Juicy Tubes when I went shopping with my Grandmother. The makeup counter was giving out free mini Juicy Tubes with select purchases and my grandmother gave me hers because she thought I would enjoy it more, as a young girl. I was thrilled with it! I thought I was so mature because it was a highly pigmented formula that looked like lipstick, but was still a gloss, so I could get away with wearing it to ballet class.

Over the years, I forgot about my Juicy Tube until I was cleaning out my makeup bag one day and I found it at the very bottom. Instantly, I remembered my sheer joy with a product that was for ladies and girls at the same time. Oh, how long it had been since I had been enraptured with a lipgloss! Though this particular Juicy Tube had expired, I vowed to get more to replace it. That was, until I realized they were $18.00 a piece. Eighteen dollars?! Where was I supposed to get such money? Guess I'd have to stick to my old, less perfect lipglosses until I could actually afford such a luxury product.

But then, I met mark. and discovered their Juice Gems. The Juice Gems looked exactly like Lancome's Juicy Tubes and came in just as many colors as their counterparts. And for only $6.00? That was it: I had to try them out!

The first Juice Gem I got was in Fig, a beautiful caramel color that went on relatively sheer, but still had a little bit of pigment and some subtle shimmer. The gloss smelled exactly like its name and lasted for hours -- even through a Starbucks date. How cool! I was smitten (and so began my love affair with mark., which I'll write about later).
From L to R: Honeydew, Cherry Pop, Mango Tango, Fig, Pomegranate, and Pretty Wild Honey Child
(I'm so sorry that the picture is flipped! I took these on my Macbook and I haven't quite figured out the editing software yet. If you can help, let me know!)

Since I got my first Juice Gem, I have amassed quite a collection that includes Mango Tango (an orangy-nude metallic color that goes perfect with blue or teal eyeshadow), Cherry Pop (a bright red glitter gloss that completes any party lip), Honeydew (a very pale, glittery nude perfect for subtle glamor), Pretty Wild Honey Child (not marketed as a Juice Gem, but pretty much the same product), and Pomegranate (a hot pink gloss with no glitter and my personal favorite). And mark. constantly introduces more shades all of the time, sometimes as permanent products and sometimes as seasonal items.

Swatches! From L to R: Fig, Mango Tango, Cherry Pop, Honeydew, Pomegranate, Pretty Wild Honey Child

Juice Gems, for those who have never seen a Juicy Tube, are small lipgloss tubes that are about 3 1/2 inches long and have a slanted edge with a spout at one end to apply the product. This is perhaps my favorite selling point, because this type of packaging is far more sanitary than doe foot applicators or pots. Because the applicator does not touch the entire product at once and then one's finger or lips, less germs are likely to reach the product. For those who are interested, you can also easily clean the applicator tips of the Juice Gems with a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol.

A view of the applicator and tube.

mark.'s lipgloss formula is flawless. It's smooth, not too thick, smells exactly like it's fruity name, and has the perfect balance of matte/glitter/metallic/shimmer. I would recommend Juice Gems to everyone, regardless of your age because it is youthful, but not immature. And for the incredibly low price, how can you afford not to?

Have you used mark.'s Juice Gems? What do you think of them? I find them to be a total dupe for Lancome's Juicy Tubes. Any other lipglosses you like?

The Great Debate: Gel Liner vs. Liquid Liner vs. Pencil Liner

Lining your eyes is an important step of any beauty routine because it can make the overall look more dramatic, more playful, more sultry, or even more polished. It all depends on what tools you use and the technique used to draw the line.

Eyeliner can be a disaster, though, if you're not familiar with the products available and simply dive in without picking one that you're comfortable with. The three main types of eyeliner I would recommend checking out are pencil liners, liquid liners, and gel liners. Also, try out a waterproof formula because eyeliner can run or smudge and leave a big sticky mess if it's not waterproofed.

Pencil Eyeliner
Considered the most easy to work with by many beauty brains, pencil eyeliner is just that: eyeliner in a pencil form. This means that when the point gets dull (or breaks) you can just pull out your sharpener and get a point back that works for you. The best pencil eyeliners have a creamy formula, not a dry one nor an oily one. Creamy formulas will be a cinch to apply and manipulate (i.e. smudging), but will not budge after they settle on the eye. In my humble opinion, it is hardest to find a good, creamy eyeliner pencil at a decent price as many drugstore brands are too oily and slide all over the eye. Still, if you think pencil eyeliner is for you (and it is, for anyone new to eyeliner), you should check out Rimmel London Waterproof Eyedefiner ($4.12 at Walmart), L'Oreal Extra Intense Eyeliner ($6.50) or mark.'s No Place to Run Eyeliner ($8.00). Please note that if you go to Walmart or another drugstore, you will see cheaper pencil liners on the shelves. I would not recommend these products because the formula is either too dry or too oily.

Liquid Eyeliner
This type of eyeliner can be extremely messy if not used with a steady hand and gentle application. However, if you practice making lines on the back of your hand first and take your time when applying it around the eye area, then your eyeliner will come out gorgeous! I find liquid eyeliner best for job interviews or important business occasions because you can make the thinnest line possible with it, which looks more polished than a pencil liner. You cannot tightline or use liquid eyeliner on your waterline, though, because it will not dry properly and then will lead to a runny mess that will irritate your eyes. One of my all-time favorite liners is e.l.f.'s Waterproof Eyeliner Pen (only $1 at Target or eyeslipsface.com!) because the formula is long-lasting, waterproof, and quick-drying and the packaging is so much easier to work with. The pen looks exactly like a pencil, except it has a felt tip and never needs to be sharpened, so you can literally draw it right onto the eye. Some other stand-out liquid liner formulas include Maybelline Line Works Liquid Liner ($5.94), Covergirl Liquid Liner Pen Line Exact ($6.97), and mark.'s On the Edge Hookup Liquid Eyeliner ($6.00).

Gel Eyeliner
A happy median between pencil and liquid liners, gel liner is my preferred type of eyeliner. I find that a good gel liner has a creamy consistency, but is quick drying and very smooth on the eye. Gel Liner is applied with an angled or thin brush that can be purchased separately or sometimes comes bundled with the liner. I have seen people apply gel eyeliner directly to their waterlines and then seal it with some eyeshadow in the same color. While I've never tried it, I'm pretty sure this would actually work and give you a long-lasting, smudge-free line. Gel Eyeliner can also be used as an eyeshadow base if you smudge it across the lid (really good technique for dark, smokey eyes). Sonia Kashuk's Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Liner ($8.99 at Target) is by far the best gel eyeliner I have ever used. It's creamy, non-drying, and easy to apply. Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner ($6.98) is another well-reviewed gel eyeliner and comes with an application brush as does e.l.f.'s Studio Cream Eyeliner ($3.00).

No matter which eyeliner product you pick, remember to throw out your old one and buy a new one every 3-4 months regardless of whether you used it up because bacteria can collect in or on it and you don't want to put that near your eye.

Which eyeliner is your favorite? Is there a particular product you love? Tell me all about it in the comment section!

The Search for the Perfect Liquid Foundation

Foundation is definitely the most important step in any makeup application because it evens out your complexion and creates a truly blank canvas for you to work with. Therefore, finding the one that is perfect for you is really, really important. So what should you consider when comparing foundations? I'd recommend looking at texture, thickness, coverage, time it takes to dry, and oiliness, but you can judge foundations on tons of other qualities as well.

Over the past year and a half, I have made it my business to try as many liquid foundations as possible in search of the one, as in the one foundation that will highlight my best features, lovingly hide what I don't like, and will stay with me forever (yeah, I just compared finding the perfect foundation to finding true love.). In this post, I'll give some reviews of the most noteworthy products and hopefully help you find your true love.. er, I mean foundation!

1) mark. Get a Tint Tinted Moisturizer Lotion ($9.00)
This is actually a tinted moisturizer -- different from a foundation because it is more sheer and lightweight -- but I count it as a foundation because you still apply it after your primer and concealer, but before eyeshadow or powder. A decent amount comes in the tube which is fantastic!
Pros: Lightweight, contains SPF 15, has a moisturizer built into the formula.
Cons: I noticed that it completely melted while I was outside over the summer which is NOT good. It got in my eyes and stung terribly. This product also takes a while to dry.
Final Verdict: Great product if you're not going to be outside in the sun. Which is kind of silly, since it does contain SPF protection.
Rating: 2.5/5

2) Rimmel London Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation ($6.90 at Ulta)
Love the packaging because the tube is super thin which makes it easy to slip into a makeup bag for travel. At the same time, the tube is a bit small, so I feel like I'm not getting as much product as I paid for.
Pros: Thicker consistency, good coverage, creamy application, dries within 45 seconds of application.
Cons: I don't think it actually lasted 12 hours like it promised. And I didn't really notice any shine control.
Final Verdict: Although it doesn't do exactly what the packaging promises, I still think this was a pretty good product and would consider purchasing again if only for travel.
Rating: 3/5

3) Covergirl TruBlend with Blendable Minerals ($6.50 at Walmart)
This brand has a reputation for being a strong contender in drugstore makeup, so I thought I'd give it a shot. The packaging isn't too cute and the pump got dirty kind of quickly. The glass bottle also kind of scared me (if I drop it will it shatter and get foundation everywhere?), but it was thin and easy to fit into a makeup bag.
Pros: Pump makes it super easy to apply, great coverage, thicker consistency.
Cons: Seemed to take forever to fully dry, left my skin feeling a bit oily. I don't think it actually lasted all day, especially in my t-zone.
Final Verdict: It's a great back-up foundation, but I'm not sure I really love it. I'll probably purchase it again because the price is so fantastic.
Rating: 3.5/5

4) Revlon PhotoReady Makeup ($11.97)
I heard wonderful things about this foundation from other makeup gurus on Youtube, so after much thought (because it is a bit pricey), I decided to give it a try.
Pros: OHMYGOSH! Almost everything!! It's incredibly lightweight, but gives fantastic coverage. No scent, SPF 20, dries quickly.
Cons: It dries quickly. Haha.. I know I just said that was good, but since it does dry pretty fast, it's very hard to blend it once it's on your skin. So, if you're not quick with your foundation or stippling brush, your foundation could look a bit streaky. The bottle is also made of glass and is a bit of an odd, round shape.
Final Verdict: This is the best liquid foundation I've ever used! It's smooth, has great coverage, light formula, and dries quickly with no oiliness. LOVE it!!
Rating:4.5/5

Do you have a foundation you'd like me to review? Or do you have your own review for one of these products? Share it!

White eyeliner is your best friend

Seriously.

If you pull all-nighters, cry your eyes out at a chick flick, or just have a really bad cold, white eyeliner is the best thing you can use. Apply a thin line to your bottom waterline (just above your lashes on your lower lid) and it instantly makes your eyes brighter, whiter, and bigger. How gorgeous!

You can also use white eyeliner along the inner corners of your eyes when doing a dark smokey eye so that the gray/purple/black/blue eyeshadow doesn't make you look like a raccoon. Another awesome trick? Apply white eyeliner allover your lids before applying a really vibrant color. The white base coat will make that color pop and look infinitely brighter.

At the moment, I'm really hooked on mark.'s No Place to Run Eyeliner in White On ($8.00). Yeah, this is kinda pricey for an eyeliner, BUT it does last forever because it seriously is waterproof. Therefore, you probably will not need to reapply it throughout the day.

So yes. White eyeliner + you = Biffles