UGLY GIRL MAKE-UP

new obsession: pixiwoo

2009-02-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/pixiwoo

amazing sale on stila products!

2009-02-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

amazing sale on stila products!

Now this has got to be one of the best sales I've seen in a while. Visit beautycrunch.com, and you'll see that they have knocked off a large portion of prices on Stila products! One example? Stila's Golden Glow Set ($138 value) is being sold for $13.75. Yes, that is not a typo! There are plenty of eyeshadow palettes that are being sold for less than $10 as well.

More amazing deals include:

Smokey Eye Talking Palette (original $40): $10
Refillable 6 Pan Compact (original $24): $6
Kajal Eyeliner- spring garden (original $14): $3.50
Eyes and Shine- smudge pot trio (original $32): $12

This sale is for a VERY limited time only, and is only for while supplies last!

For free shipping on orders above $50, enter code BEAUTY on checkout.

Beginning January 20th- FREE HIGH END MAKEUP + perfumes

2009-01-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

It almost seems too good to be true, but luckily for us, it is! Chanel, Christian Dior, Estee Lauder, Givenchy and more: they're all giving away free products at various retailers. Why, you might ask? The deal is part of a settlement filed in 2003 that alleged the stores tried to limit sales and scale back on the amount of cosmetics in their inventory, keeping both prices and competition high. A class member will be able to receive one free cosmetics product from one of the manufacturer defendants from which he or she purchased department store cosmetics during the class period, May 29, 1994 through July 16, 2003. You may need to sign a waiver agreeing that you actually purchased these products in that time period.

For more information on which products will available at which department stores, visit cosmeticssettlement.com

25% Off Everything at maccosmetics.com!

2009-01-07T17:26:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard by now, MAC wants you to be superfine in '09, so they are taking 25% off of your purchase (offer code MACFF9)! So if you've been thinking about getting something from MAC for a while now, and haven't brought yourself up to it because you have other spending priorities, then here's an opportunity to get a little bit of that guilt off your shoulders. It's almost like you're buying it from a CCO! If you need a little help on deciding what you want from MAC, consider this video that was recently made by one of my favorites, Scandalous Beauty. It's her take on the MAC Must Haves.

*Offer is valid through 11:59pm EST on January 8th

happy new year from melweenie & friends

2009-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year- 50% Off Your e.l.f. Cosmetics Order!

2008-12-31T12:17:00.000-08:00

UGLY GIRL MAKE-UP EXCLUSIVE

e.l.f. Cosmetics -- 50% Off Orders up to $15

Just enter the promo code:

UGLYGIRL

when you check out.

Beauty Inspiration: Haifa Wehbe

2008-12-30T18:07:00.000-08:00

Haifa Wehbe is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer who was made famous as a runner up for Miss Lebanon. Since then, her title has been relinquished due to her being disqualified (it appears she was married at the time). Her musical career, however, has since flourished and Haifa has become a beauty icon of the Arab world. Her look is often characterized by heavily rimmed eyeliner, a colorful smokey eye, and piercing hazel eyes.

Pretty Girls Make Faces

2008-12-30T15:47:00.000-08:00

Once I read her username, I knew she was a cool chick.

Prettygirlsmakefaces is a beautiful youtuber of Bangladeshi descent and an awesome sounding British accent. She has done numerous fun and bold looks, but in honor of New Years Eve, I will share with you guys a look that I believe is quite fitting for tomorrow night. If you're going out, make extra effort to look especially edgy for your New Years Eve party.

Below is her tutorial on how to do a "quiff" which has definite rock star appeal.

Click here to view tutorial

And to finish it off, an ultra sultry smokey green eye that will make you stand out from the crowd...

Click here to view tutorial

Ulzzangs Unite!

2008-12-30T14:49:00.000-08:00

Phil the moderator from Asian Beauty Blog has created a make-up challenge that has lit up the forums, drawing in dozens of girls to try out the "Ulzzang" craze that has been extremely popular topic among beauty bloggers. The direct translation of Ulzzang translates to Best Face, and is characterized by a cutesy and sweet demeanor. Some love it, some hate it. For further clarification, I found this rather cynical version of the Ulzzang definition on Urban Dictionary:

"Ulzzang

Ugly asian girls slapping a ton of makeup on their faces taking pictures of themselfs with their eyes open widely making hideous pouty faces. They're myspace whores who do s4s, enter myspace picture "contests", dye their hair to a hazel brown color, and wear fake eyelashes. They all like strawberries, throwing up peace signs, weird smiley expressions such as "^-^" or "T~T", ect. One is just the same as the other."

Despite the criticism that it often receives, one can't deny its growing popularity among young girls today. ABB user incandescent's entry on How to be an Ulzzang, a tutorial on how to achieve the look with makeup, remains as the most popular entry ever on ABB's member entry forums. This partly gives reason to why Phil's Ulzzang contest on ABB has drawn in a lot of attention from members. There's also a pretty good prize at stake as well. The winner will receive a free Coastal Scents 88 Eyeshadow Shimmer Palette!

So if you're a fan of the Ulzzang look and want to try it out for the chance of a cool gift in return, there's still time left for you to post your own entry. Winners will be decided by how many post rep's each entry receives, and the winner will be decided on January 7th! So get crackin'!

New Years... another excuse to do showy dramatic makeup!

2008-12-29T20:31:00.000-08:00

New Years is fast approaching, and many of you may be trying to figure out how to style yourself for the big countdown. Along with figuring out what you're going to wear, comes with the equally important decision of what you'll be wearing on your eyes! If you're not fully accustomed to wearing dark, dramatic makeup, New Years celebration is an ideal time to try it out. I came along another one of julieg713's amazing makeup tutorials, and found my favorite new year's tutorial thus far. It's simple and very easy to do, yet looks dramatic and sexy enough to fool anyone into thinking you know what you're doing.

Click here to view julieg713's New Years Smokey Eye tutorial.

M.I.A.

2008-12-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since I've posted anything on this blog or have done any videos, and I feel terrible with myself! I suppose I decided to temporarily abandon the makeup blogging since school started up again, since I had a difficult time juggling school and play time. However, I've been thinking a lot about this blog lately and I decided that this abandonment has gone on too long and I should update at once. My camera is currently not with me right now, so I'll have to start making those videos once I get back to college after break.

As a little gift for any of the readers that I do have left, I shall inform you about this great deal that I found through a fellow blogger over at goldfishcake.com.

It's a $10 credit coupon for eyeslipsface.com! That means, if you factor in the $6.95 shipping, you can get THREE $1 items and still have 5 cents to spare. The code is: SHESPKS5CC2D4

*Update*

A message from Ted the e.l.f. Cosmetics representative:

"The EyesLipsFace.com code listed here was for one time use and was mistakenly coded for multiple use. Hope everyone who used it enjoys our products. Feel free to use the Coupon Code SHESPEAKS to get 50% off up to a $15 purchase.

Your friends at e.l.f. Cosmetics."

Until next time,

Melweenie

Ugly Boy Makeup

2008-09-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

When most men think of makeup, they shudder at the thought and immediately dismiss the idea as something they're just not supposed to do. Quite the contrary, however. With a light application of the basics: concealer, blush, and lip balm, a dude can be transformed to a much nicer looking dude. One that looks less tired and blotchy, and more happy and boyishly handsome. So girls, let your boyfriend watch this video and let them know that makeup doesn't have to be just for the girls. Think of it as less of applying makeup, and more of just another part in the male grooming routine.

Products used in this video:

MAC Select Cover Up NC30

Bare Minerals Mineral Veil

Bare Minerals Glee

Burts Bees Pomegranate Replenishing Lip Balm

Music featured in this video:

RJD2- Ghost Writer

Justene Jaro: Revisited

2008-08-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

What a coincidence that I decided to blog about Puerto Rican-Filipino model Justene Jaro the other day, because she just recently made a post on her blog about the makeup she uses. Here's a listing of her chosen products that she's decided to share with us:

Foundation: MAC Full Coverage Foundation (she uses this sparingly and then blends it very well, concentrating the coverage on the lower part of her face)

Concealer: MAC Select Cover Up

Powder: MAC Loose Powder

Bronzer: Bare Escentuals Faux Tan

Contour color: Cargo Medium Bronzer

Blush: MAC Dollymix or NARS Desire

Eyeshadows: NYX Black or MAC Carbon, MAC Brun, Chanel/Lancome/Urban Decay Palettes, MAC Rice Paper for highlight (she likes this because it's not as dramatic as a white shadow)

False lashes: Justene loves heavy lashes, and prefers to apply them so they are horizontal and forward, as opposed to having them directed more upwards

Lipgloss: Justene sticks to pinkish brownish colors, and doesn't apply a lipliner

lurve gave me a shoutout!

2008-08-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

Make-up guru ILurveMakeup, who happens to be one of my favorites, was kind enough to give me a shoutout on her recent video on her brows! So for that, I thank you Lurve! If any of you were wondering how I fill in my brows, Lurve basically does a great job demonstrating it in this video. Now everyone go watch her videos because she's cool! :)

Click here to view Lurve's video tutorial on brows

justene jaro: model hottie.. and makeup inspiration!

2008-08-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

Justene Jaro is a Filipino Puerto Rican model who is known for her undying sex appeal and beautiful curves. I'm a follower of her blog, where she frequently posts about her daily adventures as a model, her hubby, and her cute dogs. Look closely, and you'll notice that she's always got great make-up as well. She tends to always post plenty of pictures on her blog, and it happens to be a great resource if you just like looking at pretty people and pretty makeup.

Click here to visit Justene's blog

one of the best smokey eyes i've seen

2008-08-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

DRBrooklyn730 has once again blessed us with her make-up genius and has given us one of my favorite tutorials of all time. She's disabled embedding of her videos, so you'll have to click on the link to view the video. Enjoy!

Click here to view DRBrooklyn730's tutorial for Smokey Eyes

Cranberry Eyes

2008-08-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

I must say I'm having a lot of fun playing with the new MAC shadows I've gotten. I'm not so used to having a look with such reddish tones, but I think it worked out fine :).

Products used:

Napoleon Perdis Nude (highlight)
Milani Coffee Shop (crease)
MAC Cranberry (lid)
MAC Black Tied (outer corner)
Clinique Strawberry Fudge Pink (inner corner)
Bare Escentuals Gold shimmer (inner corner)
NARS Black Moon Eyeliner
Maybelline Full 'n Soft Mascara

The traditional smokey eye

2008-08-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

My sister Maggie is back as my test subject in my new video tutorial for the traditional smokey eye. A traditional smokey eye focuses the darker black color on the bottom of the lid, and then gradually lightens in color as you move up the eyelid.

Products used in this video:

Urban Decay Polyester Bride
NARS Black Moon Eyeliner
MAC Black Tied
MAC Knight Divine
Napoleon Perdis Dark Brown
Maybelline Full 'n Soft

Song Featured in this video:

Handsome Boy Modeling School- I've Been Thinking (Ft. Cat Power)

2008-08-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

In spirit of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, I thought I'd share a little interesting note that I had recently discovered. Don't you think that the swimming superstar Michael Phelps looks a helluvalot like the departed make-up genius Kevyn Aucoin?

*edit: remember kids, i thought of this before perez did.

EOTD: DEEP SEA BLUE

2008-08-12T11:44:00.001-07:00

- Urban Decay Polyester Bride

- MAC Aquadisiac

- MAC Clarity

- MAC Deep Truth

- MAC Black tied

- NARS Black Moon Eyeliner

- Maybelline Full 'n Soft Mascara

FilipinaDoll: Next Beauty Blogger Sensation?

2008-08-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

FilipinaDoll is a YouTuber that joined Youtube just two weeks ago, yet she is now the #3 Most Subscribed person this month in the Guru category, and #51 Most Subscribed in general this month. She has shoveled out 13 videos already, and I have loved every single tutorial she has put out. She is a master of colorful smokey eyes, and has a fun personality which makes her very entertaining to watch. Below is a video of hers that is one of my personal favorites, where she uses a color combination that I don't see quite often: Blue and Pink.

Confessions of a teenage makeup queen

2008-08-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

I have something to confess to you. Something that is so very shameful that I have been so hesitant to share it with you guys. I have never owned a single MAC eyeshadow in my life. Before TODAY!!!

I'm not quite sure what took me so long, I sort of have been beating around the bush in terms of buying cosmetics, usually investing money in foundation, powders and such. To be completely honest, I actually wasn't aware that MAC was a big deal until I started to become interested in reading makeup blogs.

But yesterday, I had a plan. I had a plan to introduce something amazing to my collection. I also had a plan to go to the mall. In preparation, I spent many hours on the internet specifically looking for what are the best MAC eyeshadows for beginners, and I had made a list of products that was smart and sensible.

When I had arrived at the MAC store, I guess you could say some of my plans fell through. I had dropped the list and had gone swatch crazy, blissfully coloring my hand with shadows until I looked like a rainbow. Before entering the store, I totally was unaware of the fact that if you purchase a $12 palette with the eyeshadows, each eyeshadow will cost only $11 instead of $14.50. So I decided to go with this deal, and ended up choosing 8 beautiful versatile colors:

Black Tied
Knight Divine
Deep Truth
Clarity
Swimming
Aquadisiac
Cranberry
Beautiful Iris

I also picked up the 217 brush, which I LOVE by the way. It is so so so much easier to shade in the outer V with this brush than a flat brush in my opinion, which makes me so happy because that means I can spend less time trying to correct and perfect the outer corner of my eye. I felt like such a little girl with my bag of MAC shadows, I wanted to go home immediately and play with them and put them in the palette! So now you can expect me actually using some MAC colors that you may be familiar with in my upcoming videos! Yay!

boys wear makeup, too

2008-08-07T23:43:00.000-07:00

There's something magical about watching a man put on makeup. It conjures up a different feeling when compared to watching a girl do her makeup. I can't help but think, "If he can make himself look that hot as a woman, I can too!" Thus, I present you youtuber rayrew, who has been kind enough to capture his routine prior to one of his drag performances.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

2008-08-07T22:54:00.000-07:00

Youtube cutie MakeupVideosAndMore has also done a look using the NYX purple trio, and is a perfect example of how you can step it up with a little more drama by adding and packing on more of a darker purple color to the crease. Here she uses NYX Lake Moss, which appears to me to be very nicely pigmented. The tutorial she has here is ideal for more of a night time look. Enjoy ladies and gentlemen!

Purple Smoky Eye with the NYX Trio

2008-08-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

Today I have a special treat: instead of having to look at me do my own make-up, I'm mixing things up and using my sister as a test subject! I think its much more interesting watching someone else get their make-up done anyway. All the products I use in this video are mostly drugstore makeup brands, which is a good plus. I think the final result looks so pretty and soft. My sister is hilarious, too, by the way.

Songs used in this video:

Yael Naim- New Soul

Flaming Lips- In the morning of the magicians

Sophie Ellis Bextor- Another Day

Anyone interested in trying Napoleon Perdis?

2008-08-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

If you've seen the beautiful and Australian Amy from AskMeMakeup use Napoleon Perdis products in the past, and have always been curious about their products, there is a sale at Sephora, where you can get up to 75% off on some of their products. Their eyeshadow discs which are originally $20 are now $10! Pretty good deal, I say. This sale, however, is quickly running out and it looks like a lot of their products are quickly going, so take a look now!

Click here to go to Napoleon Perdis' sale section on Sephora

What's next for uglygirl video logs

2008-08-04T13:24:00.001-07:00

I apologize for not putting out another video in these past few days, I've been resting it up after arriving in my hometown in Michigan. Yes, I'm on vacation, that means I'm going to update this blog into oblivion. I've just made a couple of videos and am currently editing them, so I just wanted to let you guys know what I'm going to be putting out there in the next few days.

Foundation tutorial using MAC's Studio Fix Fluid
How to pluck those brows and define them using Anastasia's Brow Powder Duo
How to do a traditional smokey eye

Stay tuned.

KIM KARDASHIAN MAKEUP FAQS

2008-08-02T02:37:00.001-07:00

Ignore for a moment why reality TV star Kim Kardashian first got famous (if you don't remember, click here [not safe for work])-- and take a few to admire Kim's makeup skills. There's no doubt that she's gorgeous. If you're not staring at her humongous ass, you're either gazing into those sultry exotic eyes, or admiring those long luscious locks of hers. I'm a visiter of her blog from time to time, and she does offer some of her beauty secrets.

On whether or not she wears eyelash extensions:

"No, I do not wear eyelash extensions... But just started using an eyelash grower called Revitalash. It's amazing! It makes your eyelashes grow soooo much!"

On her family's long, false lashes:

"We wear a company called Red Cherry, but Khloe never wears them. Kourtney, my mom and I only wear them out at night to events or parties. We have very long eye lashes to start with and the trick is to use two different kinds of mascara and really take your time putting it on!"

On her favorite bronzer:

"I love MAC bronzers! I try to use a darker pressed powder like NC45, instead of bronzers with shimmer, because it tends to look to shiny sometimes."

On filling in those brows:

"I use a MAC brown eyeshadow to fill them in a little bit. It's called "walnut." It works really well for me. If I need to fill in some more, I use the MAC eyebrow pencil called 'lingering.'"

On her eyeliner and shadows for a smokey eye:

"I use Stila's black eyeliner and really any dark Mac eyeshadow for a smokey eye."

Was the FAQ section not specific enough for you? Want to copy her exact make-up style? Kim takes us step by step, with full detail, on how she puts on her make-up.

"Remember that everyone's color is different so please ask someone at the store where you purchase your makeup what works for you. Even if you think we have the same skin coloring, our tones can be different and I don't want anyone to waste money on concealer or foundation colors that aren't absolutely perfect!

STEP 1: I always start with a clean face. Then I put on Intuit 'Photo Shoot.' Intuit is a great company and I love the names of their products. Photo Shoot is a make up primer. I put it on after my moisturizer, which basically is like a moisturizer that will fill the pours on your face which will help set the foundation so it will last longer.

STEP 2: I use Cle De Peau concealer stick (it's super expensive, but works for me). It comes in two colors, I use Ocre, which is the darker of the two. I also use M.A.C. concealer (which comes in a little pot) if I run out of Cle de Peau. Everyone's color is different but I use NW25. I put the concealer under my eyes because I absolutely hate dark circles! I also use concealer to cover up blemishes!

STEP 3: After I put the concealer on I put on Make Up Forever liquid foundation. I mix one pump of No. 5 and two pumps of No. 4. I also have No. 3 for the winter time when I am really pale. I mix the foundations to get the perfect color. I blend them with the coolest make up brush. Its the M.A.C. brush No. 180.

STEP 4: Since I hate dark circles, after the foundation, I put on a little more concealer just under my eyes since the foundation makes it darker under my eyes. I use a lighter concealer from M.A.C. NW30 in a little lipstick tube-looking container and I select 'moisture cover.'

STEP 5: To set the foundation I lightly brush on with a big powder brush M.A.C. Select Sheer Pressed Powder NC 30, then to make me a little tanner I lightly brush on M.A.C. Powder NW 45.

STEP 6: Now its blush time! I'm obsessed with blush! I use a color called Gingerly to warm me up and give me a little color and then add a pink color called Cheek to give me rosey cheeks. I just started getting into cream blush and find it works a lot better and lasts a lost longer.

STEP 7: Time for the eyes! My favorite part! I first put down a M.A.C. Paint pot in a light color that matches my skin called Painterly. I just use my finder and put enough onto cover the lid. This creamy shadow makes it so that the powder eye shadow does not crease. Like, if you wear make up all day you will see that the eye shadow begins to crease and get oily, but if you put this paint color down first it won't! I love cream shadow and use the color cream pots too! I love colored shadow; so it depends on the color depend of shadow I plan to wear: If it's black smokey I use Carbon by M.A.C.; if its grey smokey I use Knight Divine or Print; if it's bown smokey I use Embark by M.A.C. I love a fresh shimmery look as well and use M.A.C. Pigment called Tan. Its so pretty! I love bright colors for eye make up! I absolutely love Make Up Forever and don't think anyone does pigment colors better than them. So again, depending on what color you feel like wearing, go look at Make Up Forever's colors to choose from.

STEP 8: I always use black pencil eyeliner. My favorite is Stilla black pencil.

STEP 9: Now its mascara time! Putting on mascara completes the look, but I have it when I mess up and get it on my eye lid and mess up the eye shadow. I used to use Lancome Hypnose, and still do, but I recently started to use M.A.C. Zoom mascara -- which is amazing! I take my time and put coat after coat. I love to layer mascaras so I will probably start with the M.A.C. Zoom and then put Lancome Hypnose on top. I always use a seperator brush to seperate my lashes. I am completely clueless on how to put false lashes on, so I only wear them for photo shoots sometimes.

STEP 10: The final touch is putting on lipstick! I usually use M.A.C. Lipliner called Stripdown (I use it very lightly) and a lipstick called Angel and put Nars Turkish Delight lipgloss on top. Or for my very nude matte lip I wear Nars Belle De Jour and I line my lips first with M.A.C. Subculture lipliner. "

Advice from a real life asian model

2008-07-31T21:17:00.000-07:00

Are you a beginner to make up, and a little turned off by putting on heavy eye eyeshadow? Here's a lovely informative video, coming from a real Ford model. She teaches the very basics of makeup that will give your eyes just enough :oomph: to take you away from the everyday dullness.

A not so common technique to make your eyes look HUGE!

2008-07-31T20:50:00.000-07:00

A very pretty youtuber by the name of cuteindiangrl has made a tutorial using the Coastal Scents 28 Color Neutral Palette, which is fastly becoming popular amongst beauty bloggers and lurkers alike. In this tutorial, she uses a technique that I don't see very often these days. Cuteindiangrl chooses to put the darker brown color not only in the outer corner of the eye, but also the inner corner, then packs on a light shimmery color in the middle of the lid. The result? Holy crap, those eyes look huge! Its very reminiscent of arabic make up, and it is so beautiful. This video is so worth checking out, watch it now!

Dita Von Teese: Girl Crush

2008-07-30T00:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a funny story I found on Perez:

"Poor Prince Charles. The aging royal is a bit out of touch with what's going on around him.

During a recent event at the Cartier International Polo Tournament at the Guards Club in Windsor, London, Prince Charles met the gorgeous and talented Miz Dita Von Teese.

And when he asked what she did for a living, Dita responded with "I'm a dancer."

So what's a horny Prince to do?

He hired the "dancer" for his son's 24th birthday.

We're sure Prince Harry would loved it!

An insider says, “Poor Charles was so embarrassed when he realised what he’d done. He genuinely had no idea about her raunchy stage act. She was stunned when he suggested the idea, explaining that his son loved a good dance. But he gnawed his fist to within an inch of its knuckle when his aides explained what sort of dancing she did for a living.”

Dita is amazing!

They should be so lucky as to have her perform!"

I love love love Dita. She's given us another view of the word "stripper" and reminded us the importance of the tease. No matter where she is, she never fails to look absolutely perfect from head to toe. Take note of how her makeup application is always FLAWLESS. She happens to also come from Rochester, MI, a town that I happened to spend a chunk of my life growing up in. If you haven't seen any of her performances or don't know who she is, take a peak at this video to learn more about her:

Strawberry Fudge

2008-07-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

Makeup used in this tutorial:

All over lid color- Napoleon Perdis Nude
Browbone highlight- UD Polyester Bride
Crease- Brown from Clinique's Strawberry Fudge Duo
Lid- Pink from Clinique's Strawberry Fudge Duo
Outer corner of eye- a touch of Napoleon Perdis Dark Brown
Lid- A dab of Bare Escentuals Gold Shimmer
Ardell Lashes
NARS Black Moon eyeliner
NARS Laguna Bronzer
NARS Orgasm blush
NARS Orgasm lipgloss
Brows- Brunette Brow Powder Duo

Songs used in tutorial

Damien Rice- Unplayed Piano
John Legend- Show Me

Thank you so much everyone who has taken time to look at my tutorials!!! I love reading the comments that I've gotten, its a little weird to think that people are out there actually watching my stuff!

Adele + Mod Eye = happiness

2008-07-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

Up and coming British artist Adele has made the classic 60's mod look into her own. In the video for "Cold Shoulder," her mod eye liner, pure flawless face, and pale pink lip make a stunning combination. Its so simple but I can't get it out of my head! She's gorgeous.

Smokey Cat Eye.. Revisited, Now with Video!

2008-07-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

After realizing how fun making makeup tutorial videos is, I've decided to revisit the smokey cat eye look that I did a couple days earlier, and make a video out of it!

Songs used in video:

Mark Ronson ft. Lily Allen- Oh My God

Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse- Valerie

My first video tutorial! yikes!

2008-07-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

It was my first time making a makeup tutorial video, so I wanted to start out easy with a very basic eyeshadow application. For those who don't have much time before you have to go out the door, this look is perfect. I only use 3 different eyeshadows, and it took me less than five minutes to apply the whole thing. Enjoy!

Products used:

Browbone- Urban Decay Polyester bride
Crease- Milani Coffee Shop
Lid- Urban Decay Sin
Mascara- Maybelline Full 'n Soft
Lips- MAC Skew

For any of those who are wondering, the featured songs in the video are:

Ben Harper- She's Only Happy in the Sun

Platinum Pied Pipers- Open Your Eyes

Soft & Glowy

2008-07-26T16:20:00.001-07:00

I was inspired to mimic a look that I came across by a youtuber by the name of MissChievous. In her video description, she describes it as "a natural glowing look ideal for formal daytime events, such as weddings." I immediately fell in love with it because the colors that she used blend together to create such a soft and pretty mixture of neutral smokey peachy goodness. I don't have any of the products that she used in her video, so I tried my best to recreate the look.
Its not exactly the same and is slightly more bronze in color, but it has a similar feel to it. Watch how she MissChievous created her look in the video below:

The alternative products that I used were:

Urban Decay's Sin all over the lid
Urban Decay's Polyester Bride on the brow bone
NYX's Orange on the crease
Napoleon Perdis' Dark brown applied directly above the lashes
NARS Black eyeliner, smudged
Milani's Coffee shop applied over smudged black eyeliner
Maybelline Full 'n Soft mascara on lashes

Gwen Stefani's Makeup in "Early Winter" is Beautiful!

2008-07-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

Not only is it a good song, but the video is so stunning as well. Gwen Stefani's heavily rimmed smoky eye is so fierce and makes her eyes look so piercing. If you're looking for any artistic inspiration, watch this video.

Scandalous Beauty talks Foundation

2008-07-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

Scandalous Beauty is one of my favorite bloggers that I follow. I love her videos because she is so knowledgeable and has so much experience in the makeup arena. One of my favorite videos that she has done is her tutorial on applying a matte foundation. When I saw this video I was a mineral foundation wearer who was growing more and more tired of the lack of coverage that it had given me, and she sold me on Studio Fix in this one. This is also where I found out about using the MAC 109 brush to apply foundation, which as you will see leaves a beautiful flawless finish on the skin.

Make sure to check out her other videos which are equally educational and entertaining! :)

8 Things that Every Girl Should Have in their Makeup Kit

2008-07-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

For me, keeping my makeup kit relatively small is important because I often need to pack my stuff to stay at my boyfriend's for a couple of days each week. Lugging around a huge makeup train case is way too much for me, so I pick out the tools that are essential and basic, yet have a lot of versatility to them to mix and match. So i compile the things that I definitely use every day, such as foundation, powder, blush, liner, and a few shadows into a medium sized Tupperware box :) I also bring a few brushes that I use daily into a plastic bag. I stuff all of that into my backpack, and I'm ready to go!!!

So for those of you ladies who are new to makeup and don't know where to start in terms of purchases, I've compiled a list of things that you need to have a small yet complete makeup collection.

1. Some form of foundation- Be it mineral foundation, liquid, pressed powder foundation, a foundation is crucial because I believe the flawless face should come first. I used to be a mineral foundation girl, but I finally decided that it just doesn't give me enough coverage. So I've switched to MAC's Studio Fix Fluid, which gives your skin a beautiful finish and you don't need to apply much to achieve it. If you don't need much coverage though, I think mineral foundation is a good way to go.

If you want to try out mineral foundations which may be a slightly healthier alternative for your skin, check out

Everyday Minerals ($5-12). So many people love this foundation, it has so many shades, and its soo cheap!
Silk Naturals ($11.95). This mineral foundation is unique because you create your own shade, and is perfect if you just had a tan and need to darken your makeup the next day. It's very cheap as well!

Looking for more coverage? Try a liquid foundation

Try MAC's Studio Fix Fluid ($26). You really do not need much to even out your skin, it takes as little as a dot. It is definitely buildable, and it doesn't look cakey.
If you're using a liquid foundation, try using MAC's 109 small contour brush ($32) to apply your foundation. This is a trick that I learned from fellow beauty blogger Scandalous Beauty-- it will blend your foundation like nothing else and create an airbrushed look!

2. Concealer- Make sure to apply some concealer to your under eye area and on your eyelid. This will brighten your face more than you know, and instantly makes you look more awake and younger. If you have acne scars or other imperfections on your face, rely on concealer to cover them, and NOT on slabbing on more foundation. If you do this, and put on less foundation, you'll look more natural and will feel less cakey.

MAC's Select Cover Up is great, as it can offer enough coverage to brighten up your eye area and can be doubled up as a foundation as well. I use it to cover my acne scars as well. (if you have a really deep imperfection that is hard to cover up however, opt for something else because its not full coverage)

3. Loose powder to set your foundation- Applying loose powder after you apply your foundation will get rid of that "wet" feel that you have after you first apply it, and will help create a matte finish. Keeping your loose powder in your purse so you can touch up during the day will keep you from getting that oily look. Make sure you dab your face with an oil removing sheet before you reapply your loose powder so you don't get cakey.

I use Bare Escentual's Mineral Veil ($19) - now available in translucent, translucent with a touch of warmth, and translucent with a touch of an ethereal glow.

4. An eyeshadow primer- The infamous Urban Decay Primer potion ($16). It's famous for a reason, it works! It intensifies your shadow's color, literally gets rid of creasing, and also gets rid of any fear that by the end of the day your shadow will end up in places you never knew it could land!

if you want to mix things up and not use Urban Decay Primer potion, check out Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($17)

5. A matte brown eyeshadow- A brown shadow is the perfect color to fill in your crease. I always have some shade of brown in my crease every day, just because I feel like it works with so many colors.

check out Napoleon Perdis' Dark Brown color disc ($22)
or Milani's #18 Java Bean

6. A Black shadow- I'm a lover of the smoky eye, so of course I'm going to recommend everyone to at least get a black shadow. If you don't want a full on smoky eye, then you can dab a little bit of black shadow in your outer v, and it will create a very nice subtle definition to your eyes. You can also apply it wet to create an eyeliner!

I use NYX's Black ($5). Cheap, beautiful, and it does the job!

7. A very light off white color for a highlight- Finishing your eye makeup with applying a highlighting color to the brow bone brings you one step closer to giving your eyes that special POP. No look is complete without it.

You don't need to invest in a super expensive shadow for this, a drugstore brand will just do fine.

8. Pink/peach Blush- If you're not going to put anything on your eyes, at least put on a blush. A blush gives a finishing touch that will prevent your face from looking flat and lifeless.

try NARS' Orgasm blush ($25). It's a subtle color that is a slightly shimmery pinky/peach in color and so many women love and use this blush!

Purple Haze, featuring the NYX Purple Palette

2008-07-25T13:38:00.001-07:00

I call this look the "Purple Haze"-- I threw this look together using the NYX purple palette, which I believe you can purchase for $8.00 on the NYX Cosmetics website, however I've seen it sold cheaper at drugstores like Longs drugs. Its another example of how you can pull off a pretty look without spending a ton of money on the new MAC eyeshadow that just came out, or what not. NYX is just one of those brands that have quality eyeshadows for less.

Products used:

Brow bone- Urban Decay polyester bride
Crease- Milani Coffee Shop
Outer V- NYX Deep Purple
Middle of lid- NYX Prune
Inner lid- NYX Purple
Lashes- Maybelline Full 'n Soft mascara

The Smoky Cat Eye

2008-07-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

The smoky cat eye. Dramatic yet wearable in essence, the look is something that every girl should practice trying on.

It took me a while to be brave enough to put some black shadow on my eye. Black is the hardest color to put on because you have to really pay attention to blending and the color isn't very forgiving when it comes to making mistakes. I find this look to be more wearable than the traditional smoky eye, as the black is focused more on the eye's "outer v" corner and less on the entire lid. Adding a lighter shimmery color to the inner half of the lid will create the illusion of a larger crease and bigger eyes. With a little help from my Ardell false lashes, the look is instant sultry glam.

Here are the products used accompanied by a step-by-step instruction:

1. Apply Urban decay primer potion as a base
2. Highlight the brow bone with a shimmery white color (Urban Decay- Polyester Bride)
3. Shade in the area right below the brow bone with a matte dark brown color (Napoleon- Dark Brown).
4. Apply a matte black shadow to the outer v (NYX- Black)
5. Apply a shimmery shade of light purple to the inner half of the lid, lightly carrying over the black (Bare Escentuals- Nude Beach shimmer)
6. Finally, put one some false eyelashes (Ardell)

This look was done with one brush-- the wet/dry shadow brush from Bare Escentuals, and with a little help from my fingers to blend the shadows together.

Live a Lush Life

2008-07-24T15:47:00.001-07:00

I found it only appropriate to begin my beauty blog with a subject that is probably the most important factor when presenting your pretty face. Let's face it, it's your skin. Some of you may be blessed with perfect skin as it is, however some of us aren't so lucky! Oily skin, break outs, dry spots, scars, etc. and other painful skin problems can ruin your day. So, before you paint your face, I think that you should listen up and really pay attention to what works for your skin. Now, my skin is not perfect, however I feel like my skin has gotten A LOT better than how it used to be in the past. Here's my story on how I found the product that works for me:

Now, depending on where you live, you may have had the chance to stroll by a certain store named Lush at your local mall. Given by the outside appearance of the store and extremely prolific smell that it gives even if you are ten feet away from the place, it wasn't a store that I would normally be interested in or even consider walking into. Fatefully, my best friend had led me into a Lush store in somerset mall in Troy, MI one day to purchase a face wash that her mother had fallen in love with. Experimenting with new face washes sounded extremely scary and dangerous to me at the time, considering the fact that I believed that anything can lead me to break out. The sales people that day were so charming, however, that I had given into their persuasion and decided to purchase a few products just to see how it reacted on my skin.

Oh, my, god, I found my holy grail! Their Fresh Farmacy cleanser and Enzymion lotion had left my skin feeling and looking better than it had ever looked in a long, long time. My skin felt less oily, my breakouts were disappearing very fast, and the cleanser didn't leave me feeling dry. The lotion Enzymion was the first to not break me out. It feels so light on the skin, and it is truly made for oily skin. For those who are suffering from acne, I'm telling you to give this product a try. So many reviewers have said that Lush products have helped them overcome their breakouts.

Today I use Fresh Farmacy (pictured above) once a day every day in the evening after I remove my makeup. In the morning, I use their face wash Coal Face, which helps inhibit the production of oil during the day. I do believe that I can attribute my clear face to Lush. The state of my skin made a dramatic turn on the day I began to use Lush products! To give you more incentive to check out their products, all Lush products:

are made of fresh and organic products, without animal ingredients
are bought only from companies that do not do animal testing
are hand made

Cool, eh? Give it a try.

If you guys are interested in pricing about the items that I specifically use, here's some useful info:

Fresh Farmacy Cleanser

"Cleans and calms blotchy skin"
$8.95 per 3.5 oz
*3.5 oz can last you a really long time. It only takes a little piece of it to create a good lather

Coalface Cleanser

"Removes impurities and tones combination skin"
this cleanser will definitely help keep the oil at bay
$10.95 per 3.5 oz
Again, the 3.5 oz will last you at least a couple of months

Tea Tree water toner

"Tee tree and grapefruit detoxifying facial spritzer"
If you're going to invest in purchasing any of the moisturizers, i HIGHLY recommend you to buy a toner. If you spritz your face before you apply your moisturizer, the moisturizer will last you much much longer because you don't need as much.
$17.45 for 8.4 fl oz
I have been using the same bottle for a year now and I still haven't ran out!

Enzymion moisturizer

"Fesh fruit calms oily skin to make it glow"
$35.95 for 1.5 oz
Yes, it is a bit pricey. But soooo worth it.

Don't forget to check out their face masks-- I've only tried their Brazened Honey detoxifying mask, and its a lot of fun :)

You can browse and purchase their products at www.lush.com!