Face of the Day (FOTD)

1 Palette, 2 Looks: Youngblood Cosmetics Perfect Pair Mineral Eyeshadow Duo

April 11th, 2016 by Adia Goss 17 Comments

I love eyeshadow duos because they get rid of the guesswork and make it easy to figure out which shadows go well together.

Youngblood Cosmetics is a new brand to me, and when I recently tried their products for the first time, I was really impressed by their eyeshadow duos, particularly the Youngblood Cosmetics Perfect Pair Mineral Eyeshadow Duos in Desire and Charismatic.

Desire has a dark royal blue shimmery eyeshadow and a lighter lavender/gray, while Charismatic has a chocolate brown eyeshadow and a shimmery peachy pink.

I think both are really pretty, but Charismatic speaks to my soul. It’s totally my kind of eyeshadow because the colors are subtle, but also a bit sparkly.

youngblood mineral eyeshadow duo — Youngblood Cosmetics Perfect Pair Mineral Eyeshadow Duo in Desire (L) and Charismatic (R)

Youngblood Cosmetics Perfect Pair Mineral Eyeshadow Duo swatches of Charismatic (first two) and Desire (second two)

[Continue reading…]

Face of the Day With the Zoeva Warm Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette

April 7th, 2016 by Adia Goss 18 Comments

As promised, I’m back with a face of the day using those Zoeva goodies we talked about.

I did one of my favorite makeup looks — softly, sparkly eyes, glowy skin and pink lips. This is pretty much my go-to makeup look, so I like to keep it interesting by trying out and incorporating new products and formulas.

For my eyes, I used two shades from the Zoeva Warm Spectrum eyeshadow palette (indicated below):

face of the day zoeva — The two shades from the Zoeva Warm Spectrum eyeshadow palette.

Whenever I try new eyeshadows, I don’t use primer for the first time because I like to get a feel for how they blend and wear without any help. I loved how pigmented and easy to blend these shadows were, but they could have used the boost of a primer, because I noticed some fading as the day wore on.

The rest of my eye makeup was pretty simple. I just used my favorite Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara and Dior Diorshow Brow Styler Gel (This is one of my current favorite brow products! You can see it in action in this Date Night Makeup Tutorial).

[Continue reading…]

A Tarte-Ful Tuesday Face of the Day With the New Tarte Double Duty Beauty Collection, Makeup Revolution, Dior and More…

April 5th, 2016 by Nicole Fraser-Herron 18 Comments

Today was one of those days when I sat down to get ready, and I wanted to switch things up but still keep it casual.

Enter: navy blue.

I’ve got a red-orange earthy palette happening naturally, and I really like how navy blue brings out the brightness in my eyes.

Maybe my jumper inspired it; maybe I just like to be two-toned. We may never know! 🙂

So right now we need to talk about the new foundations in the Tarte Double Duty Beauty collection at Ulta. I recently tried the Empowered Hybrid Gel Foundation ($39), a medium-to-full coverage foundation that promises to smooth, plump, blur, and moisturize for up to 12 hours. Recommended application is with this Double Duty Beauty Foundation Brush & Spatula ($30).

Tarte Double Duty Beauty Empowered Hybrid Gel Foundation (available in 10 shades) with the Double Duty Beauty Foundation Brush & Spatula

[Continue reading…]

A Bronzed Babe Face of the Day With Too Faced, Estee Lauder, Hourglass and More

April 4th, 2016 by Anna Oh 25 Comments

Inspired by DVF SS16's beauty look — Inspired by DVF SS16’s beauty look

I’m in shorts right now! So let’s chat about bronzers!

I recently created a look inspired by Diane Von Furstenberg’s Spring-Summer 2016 makeup because I wanted to challenge myself to finally use some colorful eyeshadow. And…I loved it! I can’t wait to experiment with more colors now, and I would love your suggestions for eyeshadow looks!

Too Faced Chocolate Bronzers — Too Faced Bronzers (L-R) Milk Chocolate, Chocolate Soleil, Dark Chocolate

Anyways, besides the bright color on the lids, the focus of my look was all on the tanned skin. I used two different bronzers to get a multi-dimensional effect. I grabbed the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzer in 02 Medium ($37 for .74oz!!!) and dusted this all over the perimeter of my face and the tops of my cheeks. This is my favorite bronzer, and I use it all-year! It’s not completely matte, so it blends into skin perfectly.

Finally, I finished with the Too Faced Bronzer in Chocolate Soleil ($30 for .35oz) right in the hollows of my cheeks.

Swatches Too Faced Chocolate Bronzer Estee Lauder Bronzer Goddess — Swatches (L-R) Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Medium, Too Faced Milk Chocolate, Chocolate Soleil, Dark Chocolate

[Continue reading…]

Oh, Baby! Welcome the Benefit Dandelion and Hoola Minis to the Family

March 31st, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 19 Comments

Babies are so wonderful.

They’re the reason I’m here writing this post for you (thank you, Connor Claire!), and they’re the reason that my house is an insane but joyful mess.

Also, when you’re a makeup lover, they’re often the reason you might have yourself a little splurge from time to time, or, seize the opportunity to try a mini version of a normally expensive product at a fraction of full price!

Of course, now I’m not talking about the same kind of babies. Now I’m talking about baby-sized makeup, in all its glorious adorableness, and I know I can’t be the only one inexplicably drawn to “mini” makeup.

If you, like me, can’t get enough of terrific things that are tiny, the new spring 2016 Benefit Hoola and Benefit Dandelion minis are for you (and me!).

Benefit’s much-loved regular-sized 0.28 oz. $29 Hoola and Dandelion boxed powders have been around as long as I’ve loved makeup (years), and now these new smaller 0.12 oz. minis, which sell for $15, make it even easier to get to know this classic bronzer and rosy pink powder without committing to the full size. Or, if you already have a full-size Hoola or Dandelion, now you can add smaller emergency sizes too.

Benefit Hoola and Dandelion Minis ($15 and 0.12 ounces each)

Favorite thing about these is that Benefit didn’t change a thing about them other than their size, because a lot of the time with mini products, there’s something important missing, like a mirror that comes with the full-size version or a magnetized closure, but Benefit must have just pulled out their shrink ray. These have a mirror, a sturdy box, and they snap shut. The brand even went so far as to include teeny, tiny applicator brushes (not shown).

Benefit Hoola Mini, Benefit Dandelion Mini — Benefit Hoola and Dandelion Minis (0.12 ounces each)

[Continue reading…]

Get Cheeky With These Hard Candy Cheeky Tints

March 24th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 11 Comments

Anything with the phrase “cheeky” in it is particularly nostalgic to this beauty lover, given the name of my blog, Getting Cheeky, which I nurtured for several years before “retiring.” So, of course, when I heard that Hard Candy had released a cheek product for spring 2016 called the Cheeky Tints, I was all ears.

Hard Candy was the cool girl makeup brand that I couldn’t get enough of as a tween, and it’s been fun to watch the brand’s style evolve over time.

I remember treating myself to their nail polishes with babysitting money (I won’t tell you when that was…because it will make me feel ancient) and lovingly collecting the rings that came with the polishes in a coordinated hue.

Hard Candy’s Cheeky Tints are part of the “new wave” of high quality makeup that’s fun, but doesn’t break the bank. These tints are available in six shades and, at only $6 each, you can definitely treat yourself to a fair few of them without dipping into your spring break fund.

I tested the Cheeky Tints both with a brush and with my fingers, and while the brush application looked lovely, I suppose I just like finger painting for grownups and favor my god-given applicators.

To avoid letting the product dry down too quickly and ending up with one splotch on each cheek that’s darker than the rest (liquid blush and stain, ladies; we’ve all been there), I make sure to dispense the product onto my hand before picking up the color with my finger and blending into my cheek. I’ve found that with all of the shades, this works best to control the pigment.

Hard Candy’s Cheeky Tints are water based with a thick gel formula that’s easy to control, both when squeezing the product out of the tube and applying. The consistency is incredibly easy to blend and lasts (I kid you not) all day.

I’ve been favoring Goddess applied heavily underneath my foundation to warm up my overall appearance, or on top of foundation for a lasting bronze that helps me look a bit less like I’ve just spent the entire winter in the “arctic tundra.”

But Geisha has been my favorite blush of late. It’s an incredibly natural flush that reminds me a bit of Benefit’s classic Benetint.. It’s perfect and so natural for spring.

[Continue reading…]

An Easy, Beautiful Golden Bronze Eye Makeup Look Using the $5.49 Essence All About Bronze Eyeshadow Palette

March 21st, 2016 by Jen Clark 28 Comments

Is the weather starting to warm up where you live? I’m looking out the window at a gloomy night that is chucking it down with SNOW. Waahh! I just went on (what I thought was) a spring walk the other day, and now I have to bring out my winter coat again! If any of you are familiar with Utah weather, you know that, unfortunately, this isn’t that weird.

I’ll probably have to scrape off my car in the morning, but I’m choosing to be more optimistic with my makeup choices. I’m channeling sunshine with this springtime golden/bronze eyeshadow look.

This look is so flattering on every single eye color, and it’s so easy to do. AND the palette I’m using is only $5.49! It’s the Essence All About Bronze Eyeshadow Palette.

You guys, every single one of you needs to go out and buy one of these palettes. If bronze-y shades aren’t your thing, they’ve got a bunch of different options. Nudes, Roses, Greys, and more! They blend out like a dream and are so pigmented. Love, love, LOVE.

I started out with a matte transition shade in the crease to help the gold blend better with my skin. That’s the thing about this palette — the one con. There are no matte shades.

But, no worries. If you have one, just use a different shade from your stash. I actually used my contour powder today as my transition shade.

IMG_6499_edited-1 — I’m using the three “starred” shades in this look!

[Continue reading…]

A Face of the Day With New Products From L’Oréal

March 14th, 2016 by Jen Clark 36 Comments

How’s it going, you guys!? I’ve been having such a blast doing these posts and getting to chat with some of you. I am so glad to put a face to the beautiful people I’m writing to.

Oh, how is my day going, you ask? Well, let me tell ya. I accidentally fell asleep on the couch in the middle of the day while my son Kai was hanging out in the living room with me (I promise, that is a very rare occurrence).

He knows when to take advantage of people, like when his mom is too tired to function, so he found a blue marker somewhere, somehow, and scribbled all over our beige microfiber couch…

Not cool, Kai, not cool.

Get ready, Karen, because Connor will destroy everything you hold dear! 🙂

So, in light of today’s events, I am locking myself in the bedroom while my dear husband takes his turn at scrubbing the couch, and I’m going to chat with you guys about L’Oréal. That should cheer me up!

I have a theory about L’Oréal…

Let me explain. Did you know that they actually own tons of different brands, including a bunch of high end brands like YSL, Lancome, Georgio Armani, and Urban Decay?

Cool huh? But back to my theory.

I think because they’re involved with so many high quality brands, their makeup is actually comparable quality, just at a much cheaper price.

That would make sense, right? Again, just a theory.

Another great thing about the brand is that they do absolutely no testing on animals, and they haven’t since 1989. That is such a cool accomplishment in my eyes.

OK, let’s get to the makeup.

Using (mostly) L’Oréal makeup, I created this look here…

First I tried L’Oréal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation, and if you haven’t heard of these new cushion foundations, they’re basically sponges soaked in foundation and put into a compact.

Weird, right? I’m a little confused by the whole concept myself, but tons of brands have been doing them, so there must be some perk!

I actually thought it was super convenient. It comes with a little puff that you dip into the product, then pat on your face. I like it because you don’t need a separate brush. Everything you need is right there, although you totally could use another brush or sponge if you like the application better. Just make sure anything you dip in there is super clean. It seems like this product could be a playground for nasty bacteria.

The coverage is pretty light but does build up to be about a medium coverage. I don’t think you’d be able to get up to full coverage with this one. As you can see below, it won’t cover any massive creatures chillin’ on your chin.

As the name suggests, it also gives you the most gaw-geous luminous glow, and I’m all about dat glow. This one is a real winner for me!

Next up is this cute little brow kit, the L’Oréal Brow Stylist Prep & Shape Pro Kit. This one here is in shade “medium to dark”.

How great would this be just to chuck in your bag and have for touch-ups?! It comes with a wax, a powder, a little angled brush with a spoolie on the end, and a pair of little tweezers.

I think the product itself is excellent, but it’s just not for me, just like every other powder brow product I’ve tried. I think that powders don’t work for my brows because, let’s be honest, they’re kind of massive.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my full brows, but I feel like powders just make them look too huge and fuzzy. That probably makes no sense, but pencils just work so much better for me.

If you love using powders and waxes on your brows, get this. I really think you’ll love it.

[Continue reading…]