Guest Post

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

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MAC Future MAC Collection for Spring 2016: Reinventing the Rules of Color and Shine

April 5th, 2016 by Anna Oh 23 Comments

Hi everyone!

Guess what? I learned a new Photoshop trick! Just in case you didn’t notice, but I have gained the power of artificial lens flares. Beware, photography! Yep, it’s totally cheesy/fabulous, but this new MAC collection practically asked for it.

This is the MAC Future MAC collection, and it’s available online right now and coming to stores April 7th.

The collection is all about the next generation of hyper-luminous Mineralize products and new horizons of colour, and true to their description, the lip and skin products have amazingly unique textures and sparkle.

Keep reading to sneak a peek at the future of beauty…for April at least!

Future MAC: The Pout of the Future

future mac mineralize glass — Mineralize Glass (L-R) The Zone, Antireality, Telegenius, Interspatial

swatches future mac mineralize glass — Swatches (L-R) of MAC Mineralize Glass in Antireality, Interspatial, Telegenius, The Zone

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The Urban Decay Summer 2016 Beached Bronzers and Highlighters Are All That and a Bag of Banana Chips

April 4th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 19 Comments

urban-decay-summer-2016-beached-bronzer-face — Wearing Urban Decay Sun-Kissed Beached Bronzer on my face (and on my eyes in the crease), Urban Decay 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighter in Sin on my cheekbones (and in the inner corners of my eyes) and Urban Decay 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighter in Fireball as a blush

When the fab, fashionable seven-year-old in my life (who recently made an editorial appearance in this important discussion about unicorns) saw the packaging for the Urban Decay Summer 2016 Beached Bronzer and Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter, she announced, “It reminds me of the Barbie clothes!”

And you know what?

She was totally right!

Urban Decay has an awesome early ’90s 90210/Baywatch vibe going on with these that makes me think of the hours and hours I spent playing with those oh, so early ’90s Barbie clothes — the same ones that my little lady now enjoys (although she says they’re “retro,” *cringe*).

I have such happy memories of my summers from that time that I’m all about this packaging, but as exciting as it is…the powders inside these terrifically tropical compacts are all that and a bag of banana chips!

Urban Decay Beached Bronzers and Afterglow Highlighters — Urban Decay Beached Bronzers and 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighters

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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

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6 Makeup Rules That May Not Work for You

April 1st, 2016 by Carolina Braina 23 Comments

When it comes to rules, I think that most people fall into one of three categories…

Those who follow the rules religiously, without questioning.
Those who never follow the rules, just because they’re rules — you know, the rebels.
And those who follow the rules only when they think it’s the right thing to do.

Personally, I belong to the third group, but sometimes, especially makeup-wise, after hearing countless times that I should or shouldn’t do something a certain way, I feel like I temporarily lose my ability to judge for myself what works and what doesn’t work for me. And I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in this!

So today I’d like to remind you (and myself) that some makeup rules don’t always apply to everyone. You can follow, or ignore, any rules that you want.

Let’s see what some of these rules are, shall we?

1. Curling your lashes

After hearing dozens of makeup artists and beauty gurus say that I had to curl my lashes, a few years ago I got a Shu Uemura curler and started using it without objection until, one day, I decided to skip the curling step and go straight to mascara.

I realized that my lashes actually looked better! I have short lashes, and if I curl them, they look even shorter! I don’t know if it’s because my particular eye shape doesn’t allow me to get as close to the lid as I’d like, but all I can tell you is that it just doesn’t work for me.

2. Using very light under-eye concealer

Deborah Milano Radiance Creator Highlighting Concealer in 01 Light

These days, it’s pretty common to use a very light concealer to highlight the under-eye area, and I think it does look good on some people, but if you’re as dark under your eyes as I am, chances are your dark circles will just end up looking grey and stand out more.

Not cool!

3. Contouring with cool-toned products

We hear all the time that we should contour using cool-toned powders or creams because it’s the best way to mimic natural shadows on the face. As a general rule, I completely agree with that, but sometimes cool-toned products can look ashy and muddy on very warm skin tones. In those cases, it might be better to use a product with neutral or even slightly warm undertones. Only experimenting will tell you what’s best for you.

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Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel and Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost

April 1st, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 13 Comments

Summer means warm weather, water and lots of sunscreen, even though I’m basically speaking from past experience right now because it’s still so rainy and cold here in Wisconsin that I can barely remember when warm weather feels like…

And as much as I LOVE a day filled with fun in the sun, there’s no denying that it can be rough on my skin. Even slathered in sunscreen, my complexion still pays a price for all of those products, that water and that sweat (it’s not glam, but that’s the reality).

Tarte thought of everything with the incredibly comprehensive Rainforest of the Sea collection, from your base makeup to highlighting to eyeshadow and, yes, even skin care. Loaded with antioxidants and marine-based ingredients, these two hydrating skin helpers here will keep your skin hydrated no matter how much fun you have in your bikini this summer.

The cornerstone of the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea skin care family is the Deep Dive Cleansing Gel ($25 for 5 fl. oz. bottle). Touted as hypoallergenic, it’s designed to be gentle enough to be used in the morning to freshen up your complexion before applying your makeup, and then again at the end of the day to remove your makeup.

Now, even though Deep Dive Cleansing Gel is, indeed, incredibly gentle, and it doesn’t strip and irritate my sensitive skin, it also doesn’t remove all of my makeup all by itself.

That isn’t necessarily a problem for me because I usually remove my eye makeup and as much of my cheek and lip products with a few swipes of micellar water, but if you like a one-and-done approach to cleansing, Deep Dive Cleansing Gel may not be heavy duty enough for you.

“Dive into a rich, lavender oil-infused lather with tarte’s skinvigorating™ daily brightening cleanser. The gentle makeup remover is great for all skin types, and removes excess oil, impurities, and all traces of waterproof makeup. Powered by tarte’s exclusive Rainforest of the Sea™ complex, this vegan friendly formula is fragrance free and sulfate free, and it helps balance and soothe as it cleanses, without disrupting skin’s natural moisture, which can cause acne and other skin concerns. It softens and hydrates without clogging pores, while vitamin C works to enliven and brighten through each luxurious application.”

— tartecosmetics.com

The other item here, Tarte Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost ($39 for a 1.7 oz. jar), is an interesting concept that reminds me of French skin care (I’m thinking, more specifically, of La Roche Posay’s Cicaplast). It’s an incredibly refreshing hydrating moisturizer that has a cooling effect when applied and a perfectly pleasant lemony scent that isn’t overpowering (it dissipates almost as soon as the gel is absorbed).

“Treat yourself to a tall drink of H2O with this skin-quenching water gel. Powered by hyaluronic acid and tarte’s exclusive Rainforest of the Sea™ antioxidant complex, this cooling gel moisturizer helps restore skin’s natural hydration, while replenishing electrolytes for skin that’s fortified, refreshed and healthier-looking. The lightweight moisturizer sinks into skin, leaving no oily or greasy feel behind, while powerful marine antioxidants help skin defend itself from everyday aggressors. Vegan friendly and hypoallergenic, it also has powerful anti-aging and skin-balancing properties to help boost the appearance of firmness, tone and vitality over time – so all you have to do is ‘drink up!'”

— tartecosmetics.com

I have very dry skin, and this feels ridiculously refreshing. I mean, I literally had an “ahhh” moment at one point the first time I tried it.

More importantly, the formula helps keeps dry patches and flakes at bay, and because the absorbed product leaves a slightly tacky texture on the skin, it’s also a great primer — particularly when paired with Tarte Rainforest of the Sea ‎Water Foundation.

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I’m Finally Trying Zoeva! Here Are My First Impressions…

April 1st, 2016 by Adia Goss 34 Comments

So, I have been wanting to try Zoeva makeup brushes and cosmetics for the longest time. I’ve seen so many bloggers and YouTubers rave about them — the pigmented eyeshadows and gorgeous brushes — and the day has finally come. I’m finally trying Zoeva!

I wanted to share my excitement with you guys, so I filmed my first impressions in this video:

I also have photos and swatches of everything I talk about in the video (down below), so that hopefully you guys can get a good idea of what Zoeva has to offer.

ZOEVA History

“ZOEVA is a German brand, founded in 2008 by Zoe Boikou. The brand name ZOEVA is composed of ZOE, the Greek word for ‘life’ and EVA, the very first woman. From a basic range of only 10 makeup brushes, ZOEVA now offers a professional portfolio of over 50 makeup tools and 100 colors for a full face makeup routine. Our products are designed to make a real difference in the way women experience their beauty rituals.”

— www.zoeva-shop.de

Zoeva Warm Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette

Zoeva Warm Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette swatches from top to bottom:

zoeva first impressions — L to R: WR 130, WR 100, WR 070, WR 040 and WR 010

“ZOEVA is dedicated to the self-confidence and unique beauty of all women. Every ZOEVA product is made with love and designed with conviction and passion for makeup. Our ultimate goal is to offer luxurious, high quality products. Helping every woman to discover her individual beauty is our highest ambition. ZOEVA means celebrating yourself and being aware of your individual beauty.”

— www.zoeva-shop.de

Zoeva Luxe Color Blushes in Burning Up and He Loves Me, Maybe

For size comparison, here are the Zoeva blushes compared to NARS and MAC blushes:

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MAC Air of Style: A Fabulous New Floral Fragrance for Any Occasion

March 31st, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 6 Comments

MAC Air of Style Rollerball ($22), a lush, sensual floral scent

I don’t know if I mentioned this in my last fragrance review, but floral scents are some of my favorites. Rose, in particular, but jasmine and gardenia also rank way up there in my tops, so when I got the chance to sniff the new MAC Air of Style, I took a deep breath and jumped at the chance.

First? The layers. I love the different layers.

New for spring 2016 and available now in the MAC permanent line, Air of Style is a slightly heady, luxurious mix just mellow enough for everyday wear.

The description from MAC makes me feel a little dreamy…

“Contemporary top notes of red dates and wild peonies set the tone for your can’t-be-tamed attitude, heightened with an infusion of white pepper. A bouquet of absolute tuberose, orange blossom, and jasmine at the heart gets the pulse racing and feels unabashedly bold with the opulence of ylang ylang and orris. The appeal is magnified by a background of leather blended with rare woods and vetiver — all juxtaposed with creamy hints of tonka beans and golden drops of amber crystals, leaving a lasting sensation of warm intimacy.”

That’s quite a mouthful, but they’re not wrong! “Warm intimacy” is a perfect way to describe this powerful potion.

A little of this goes quite a long way... — A little of this goes quite a long way…

I’ve been wearing it consistently over the past week, and it seems to have blended into my skin in the most fabulous way. I wore a shirt to bed that I’d worn all day after applying the rollerball, and waking up to the diluted but still present scent still on my clothes was exactly as MAC described it: warm and intimate.

Even with intense allergy eyes, this perfume makes me feel put together. — Even with intense allergy eyes, MAC Air of Style makes me feel put together…

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