Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup
A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict
New from Too Faced! These Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipsticks, a new line of long-wearing liquid lipsticks, are supposed to have the staying power of a stain, the intensity of a liquid lipstick and the high shine of a lipgloss.
Comin’ up soon on ye olde testing block.
Here are some quickie swatches for ya… 🙂
Ring! Ring!
KAREN: Hello, this is Karen.
CAITLIN GREY-FANG: Hi, Karen, this is Caitlin Grey-Fang of Modern Werewolf Magazine. How are you today?
KAREN: Great. How ’bout yourself?
CAITLIN: Excellent. I’m calling to first introduce myself and say hello. I’m Modern Werewolf’s new beauty editor, and I was referred to you by Tabs the cat.
KAREN: Oh, hello. It’s nice to meet you.
CAITLIN: I’m writing a story for our blog on modernwerewolf.com that I hope you can help me with.
KAREN: Let me guess — body hair removal? ‘Cause, GURL, I could talk about that FOR DAYS!
CAITLIN: Actually, no. But the next time I do a hair removal story, I’ll be sure to call you. I was actually wondering if you had a moment to talk about brows.
KAREN: I most certainly do! It’s a subject near and dear to my heart. How can I help you?
CAITLIN: Well, as you know, most werewolves are blessed with big, lush brows, which is currently on-trend in the beauty world; however, there are a subset of lycanthropes who do need a little help when it comes to faking full brows.
I was wondering if you could offer a few thoughts on the new $39 Too Faced Brow Envy Kit. I hear from my colleagues that you’re a fan of the line, so I figured I’d call you for the 411?
KAREN: Sure! What a coincidence. I’m actually wearing Brow Envy today.
CAITLIN: Excellent! So tell me about it. Is it already out? And what does it do exactly?
KAREN: OK. Well, it was recently released with the Too Faced summer 2014 collection, and it’s available now at Too Faced counters and online for $39.
It comes with a couple of brow powders, a cream highlighter, a setting wax and several tools, like a tiny tweezers, a small angled brush, a spoolie and some stencils, although — how can I put this? — it’s my understanding that some werewolves prefer the look of a single strong brow.
CAITLIN: A unibrow? Yes, that is the fashion in some packs.
KAREN: Alright. Well, I suppose that if one wanted to create that look, they could do so pretty easily freehand using the products in this kit.
CAITLIN: Great! Could you explain a little for our readers how you use the palette?
KAREN: It’s easy. You fill in your brows with either the Brunette or Blonde powder, or you could even mix both if you’d like, and then set your brows with the setting wax to keep them in place.
Then, kind of as an added bonus, if you want to emphasize the arch in your brows, you can take the pink matte highlighter, run it just beneath the bottom of your brows, and blend, blend, blend.
As for the stencils, well, the idea is to use them to outline your desired brow shape by placing one directly on top of your brows and filling it in, but, truth be told, I never use stencils because the shapes always fit funky on me, so I just freehand it, and I’d recommend your werewolf readers do the same.
CAITLIN: When it gets right down to it, how do you think this palette performs? Do you think a werewolf with sparse brows would be able to get the full look he or she wants?
KAREN: Based on how it performs on humans, I’d say yes, they would. I’ve been using it for about a week now, and one of the things I really like about it is how quickly you can darken your brows with it because of how much pigment the powders pack. My brow hairs are naturally quite dark and, frankly, I was afraid that the Brunette shade wouldn’t do anything for me, but it does! It’s actually pretty intense.
I do have to say, though, that the setting wax and highlighter may not have enough “oomph” for some of the werewolves I’ve seen on TV. The wax doesn’t really have a lot of hold at all — either that, or my brow hairs are way too unruly, LOL! And the highlighter is awfully subtle.
Oh! And if your fur is red or silver, you’re kind of S.O.L. here, as the kit only comes with Brunette and Blonde powders.
CAITLIN: Can I get your take on the tools?
KAREN: Yeah, I’d probably only use ’em in a pinch. The tiny angled brush is difficult to use and imprecise, and the tiny tweezers and spoolie, while cute, might be too small for larger werewolf…hands? Paws?
Welcome! Come on in, everyone! I’m so happy to see your lovely faces this evening. Don’t be shy; we’re all friends here. Just go ahead and grab a spot on the floor — you know, stake your claim — and roll out your yoga mat. We’ll get going in a minute.
For those of you new to the Makeup Meditation series here at Tabs the Cat Yoga Center (tagline: “You won’t find any downward dogs here”), don’t be nervous. This class is for all skill levels. I promise, you’ll do fine.
OK, let’s get started…
First, I want you to quiet your mind…
Good.
Now let’s get into a cross-legged position, and place today’s Makeup Meditation totem, the new Too Faced Natural Eyes Neutral Eye Shadow Collection Palette, in front of you on the floor.
Take a deeeeeeeep breath in, now exhale slowly. OMMMMMMMM…
Perfect.
Extend your arms out to your sides — hold it, hold it, hold it. Now slowly reach forward, taking your Natural Eyes Palette up in your hands, and open it. Fix your gaze upon the nine pans of powder eyeshadow inside.
Let a sense of calm wash over you, and focus your every thought on its mix of matte and shimmery finishes.
Ahhhhh…
Notice the beige, brown, taupe, gold and peach shades. See how they’re laid out horizontally for day, classic and fashion looks?
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If you’re going to yell at your TV for any reason, be it to protest the nonsense that occurs on those Bravo reunion shows (“Leave Lisa Vanderpump alone!”), or to scream “NO! DON’T DO IT!” at that one character in that movie who goes down into the basement where the killer clown is hiding, even though everybody with any common sense at all knows that’s where the killer clown is hiding, I highly recommend that you do so while wearing bronzer.
Here, I’m screaming at the movie The Stepfather while wearing the new Too Faced Bonjour Soleil Bronzing Wardrobe palette, which, by the way, does all sorts of cool sh*t.
More recent Too Faced blog-ery…
It sculpts cheeks, warms your overall complexion and highlights skin for that “I’m dancing in the middle of a Miami street in booty shorts and a crop-top” J.Lo glow.
Heck, even just holding the sassy striped package makes me feel a little better.
I really do believe in the positive power of surrounding yourself with beautiful things — even the littlest, most frivolous things like makeup.
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My dearest friend,
GIRL. Pink eyeshadow. Think about it.
Seriously, though. Snaps. You can do it! Try the new A La Mode Eyes Palette by Too Faced Cosmetics ($36 and available now at Too Faced counters and toofaced.com).
I’ve worn pink eyeshadows plenty of times before and thought, eh, that was fine, but this new summer palette of warm-toned powder eyeshadows is pretty killer. I would go so far as to say that Monaco, the palette’s vibrant pink shade, is the crown jewel in this limited edition kit.
Oh, sure, the other eyeshadows (there are nine powder shadows in total) are expertly paired. Too Faced sets the kit up in a way that completely takes the guesswork out of choosing colors to wear together. The shadows are arranged in rows for day, classic and fashion looks. Easy-peasy!
The shadows are so buttery and creamy that you can blend them with a few swipes. Plus, on top of primer, they last all day.
The kit leans warm, so if you tend to pick up a little color in summer, or if you like to fake the baked look with bronzer, these shades should look great on you.
Oh! About Monaco? YES, you can work it. One of my mantras is to think outside the box. Both in makeup and in life. And that means wearing pink eyeshadow. 🙂
Here’s what I like to do: swipe Monaco in the crease with a thin, pointed crease brush. Next, I take a tapered fluffy brush loaded with Jardin, the golden melon shade from the kit, and sweep it back and forth to blend it out. Then, swap out the tapered brush for a flat eyeshadow brush, and pat Cannes, the coppery shade, on my lids.
Highlight those inner corners with one of the big pans on the left of the kit (golden beige St. Tropez, golden peach Rivera or beige La Croisette); then line with one of the darker shades on the right — shimmery golden brown Soleil, shimmery taupe Cote d’Adure or shimmery navy blue De La Mer.
But ya know, there are so many ways to work this palette. That’s probably my favorite thing about it. You can play it safe with warm, shimmery neutrals, or completely push your makeup boundaries with the pink.
I think you’ll really like it. Yes, even the pink!
–K
KAREN: Ryan, sweetheart, could you please do my back? Mama doesn’t want to burn…
RYAN: Sure, babe.
KAREN: Oh! Hi! How’s the vacation going? Hot enough for ya?
YOU: I’m burning up!
KAREN: You two make such a cute couple. I was just asking RyGos to sunscreen my back. What are you and J-Ren doing?
YOU: Just cruising the beach, ya know, catchin’ some rays.
KAREN: Fun! Wasn’t that beachside buffet this morning dee-vine? I just love breakfast in Saint-Tropez…
YOU: Me too!
Le sigh…
Well, I may not not be kickin’ it old-school with RyGos at a five-star beach resort, but at least I can look the part and pretend with the Too Faced Cosmetics summer collection. 🙂
Inspiration: the French Riviera. We’re talking first class beachside cabanas, Chanel sunglasses and Cristal. Oui-oui, mademoiselle!
LOL!
The release just docked at Too Faced counters and online this week with four new palettes and a new line of liquid lipsticks, codename Melted.
Here are pics and swatches of the four palettes for now, and we’ll do the Melted lippies next week.
I’ll be testing these and getting more acquainted with them this weekend, so check back next week for reviews.
Name: Jerrod Blandino
Location: Irvine, California
Day job/current gig: Co-Founder and Creative Director of Too Faced Cosmetics
Hangouts online: Twitter, Facebook and toofaced.com.
Beauty inspirations: First and foremost, it’s the women in my life. My sister growing up. Kind of the idea of being little and seeing my really feminine, fabulous sister, but she was also super kick-@ss. Fashion. Interiors. Wallpapers. Car paint. Cupcakes. Pastries. California. Of course, the beach. It’s such a big part part of who I am. You know, it literally comes from everywhere. I become very obsessed with things. I love anything retro glam, classic. Ya know, I love trends and I love the ’80s and I’m obsessed with, you know, just accessories and fashion. I love stationary and wedding cakes and chocolate and clovers and chihuahuas. I love horses. I don’t know, I’m obsessed with horses all of a sudden…
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Joyful!
I cannot live without and will never live without my Bulletproof Brows, which is my new product that’s coming out. People will be ADDICTED to it. It will change your life.
My bronzers, my bronzing wardrobe. I have a different bronzer for every different outfit. Every different time of year, every moment. It depends on where I’m going, what I’m doing. I’ve built a bronzing wardrobe that I’m absolutely addicted to and will never give up.
And I love my Amazing Face Powder Foundation. It’s the quickest way to look like you’ve been completely taking care of your skin and have been getting eight hours of sleep and drinking all the water that you should be drinking.
So, those are my obsessive products that I use every day.
Well, that’s kind of funny that you asked that because it’s kind of weird. I was always an artist growing up. I was that little kid who won art shows and was always drawing, and I was obsessed with The Muppets! I went to art school and actually became an art teacher and taught kids art.
Ya know… Well, really in high school, I remember my friend, Bernadette was amazing, and she would spend three hours in the mirror doing her makeup. It was the late ’80s and early ’90s, and I remember thinking that this was just like another form of art. I clicked into that, and I remember the moment it clicked. I was sitting in her bathroom watching her. She was putting on, like, eight different lipsticks to create whatever look she was doing.
And so, then I went to art school. I went to animation school for Disney and Warner Brothers. It was a sort of school where they’d find talent and furrow them in [and it was there] I discovered makeup on accident. I got a job at Estee Lauder behind the counter at Saks Fifth Avenue — it was all totally an accident, freakishly — and on my very first day behind the counter, it all made sense. My art background, my creative background, my dreaming — the way I looked at the world was very cartoonish, always, growing up. I was always ready for, you know, the stuffed animal to come alive and talk to you. I was that kid. I would wait for the rainbow to come into my background so I could climb it and go into the clouds. That was me.
And when I got my first client in the chair, I saw that this was just a different type of art medium, but it was an art medium that would transform people. It would embed self-esteem into women. I saw the transformation that occurred when I was doing my art on people, not on paper. And I was hooked.
My best beauty time-saving trick? Okay! Alright, so this is what you’re going to do. You’ve going to wake up, and wash your face. You’re going to apply my tinted BB Creme, my BB Balm, because it’s got every amazing skincare serum that I’ve ever tried in my life embedded into that formula. It’s full of moisture, full of anti-oxidants, full of anti-aging, decongesting, wonderful ingredients but it also gives great coverage. So, instantly, boom — we’ve got your skin covered.
We’re going to take my Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer that’s full of antioxidants and moisturizing ingredients, and we’re going to spread that around the perimeter around your face, closest to the hairline, around the jaw, and through your cheekbones. Boom! We’ve got you sculpted and you’re ready go.
You’ve got to put on my Better Than Sex Mascara, because it’s so rich, and so thick, and the powered peptides in that thing make it so black that you don’t need eyeliner. So you’re going to wiggle that right along your lash line. After that, a little bit of my Lip Injection Plumping Lip Gloss will get your lips full, pink and luscious, and you’re out the door. You’re ready to go to work, you’re ready to go on a date, you’re ready to meet your kid’s future husband, you’re ready to have sex, whatever you want.
Easy. It’s my Teddy Bear Hair Retractable Kabuki Brush. It’s great for bronzers, it’s great for blushes, it’s great for powders. It’s retractable and twists up and down.
If you keep the head twisted down almost so it’s really tight, and you just get a mound, and the bristles are tight, you get a lot of coverage. You could even use it as a quick eyeshadow brush if you wanted. You could use it as a sculptor. When you twist it up all the way and it gets to its fluffiest self, it’s the perfect bronzer, loose powder, powder foundation applicator. And because it’s synthetic hair, you could even apply your liquid foundations with it. So it does everything!
You’ve gotta smile. You’ve got to feel it. You’ve got to love your life, you have to feel it from the inside. Because you can do anything you want in the world to the outside, and it’s not going to make any difference. The most beautiful people in the world are the people who are happy, who are self-confident, and who love to be alive. Who are joyful, who are kind and full of love. You know?
Oh sh*t, do you really want to get into that? Honey, we’ll be on this call for eight hours.
[KAREN: Okay…so give me the abbreviated version]
Ooooooh, HONEY. Obsessed with skincare! I have lots of great friends in the industry. No, I’m lucky enough to meet and call friends like Dr. Brandt one of them. I’ve been given too much information so… (Laughs.) But because of that, because I know of this, I’ll tell you what I do. A lot of the things I use and love and depend on are in my makeup. Because I’ve realized how important it is, and how important it is to preserve and take good care of your skin. And with science, nowadays, I can incorporate that into my cosmetics.
I’m going to abbreviate it for you because it gets scary! I use DermaQuest Peptide Mobilizer, and then I use Stem Cell Day Serum, and then I use a skin growth gel, it’s Bio-Serum, it makes your skin grow thicker and stay healthy. I do that. Then, I use an eye serum. And I fluctuate back and forth.
Hey, lady, can I give you a lift?
Well…I never say yes to strangers trying to pick me up, but since you’re a pencil, and you’re offering to lift my brows, why not? 🙂
Please excuse my weird expression at the top of this post. I figure, life is too short to not laugh at yourself while applying $20 Instant Attitude Brow Lift by Too Faced, LOL!
Trust me, though, it gets better after the buffing…
A new addition to the Too Faced line, Instant Attitude launches with the rest of the spring 2014 collection tomorrow (Dec. 12). It’s a chubby eye pencil that comes in a matte vanilla shade designed to create the illusion of higher arches.
Apply it beneath your brow bone, or along the entire length of each brow like I’m doing here, and then buff down with a finger or brush (I used Too Faced’s Lid Brush from the fab Shadow Brushes Essential 3-Piece Set).
The result? Instantly lifted brows! Oh, yeah…
I actually do this trick all the time for pics and video. How does it work? Well, generally, applying lighter colors makes that part of the face look as if it’s closer to the viewer (think highlighting). Lighter colors beneath the brow, like with this pencil, bump up that area visually, giving it a bit of a lift.
You can do this with a bunch of different products, too, like concealers, eyeliners — anything, really — as long as it’s several shades lighter than your skin tone.
This new pencil from Too Faced is ideal for this on account of how easy it is to buff into the skin. I usually do this trick with a MAC Chromographic Pencil in NW25/NC30, which I have to swipe more than a few times to soften and remove any harsh lines.
Instant Attitude, by comparison, blends quicker. Swish, swish and done.
