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Bare With Me: Do You Wear Makeup at the Gym?

May 6th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 18 Comments

Health is something that often gets lumped in with beauty, and for a while I’d been toying around with the idea of joining a gym. I’ve done a number of home workouts, the most recent being the Beachbody series, and I had some mild success with it, but at this point in my life, I really need to be at the gym. I need to get out of my head, and go back to the gym and enjoy working out for myself.

Today I wanted to talk about the idea of wearing makeup at the gym and ask what you do. I’m personally staunchly against it, mainly because my skin would stage a coup. I have a tendency to break out even when I just rub my face the wrong way (I’m not even kidding!), so rubbing my face when it’s hot, sweaty, and full of makeup is just not an option for me.

But I understand the appeal of wearing makeup to the gym. On a recent visit I didn’t see too many done-up ladies, but I did see someone with fully done eyebrows (I could not even handle that).

One of the things I find so frustrating is that women are often pressured to be 110% on all the time, even when we’re just trying to get in a workout.

I understand the convenience. If you’re working out early in the morning, you can easily put on a little makeup before an easy workout and just head to work afterward.

But many people feel that it’s awful for your skin, and that you shouldn’t wear cosmetics that could clog your pores while you’re working out. Your body can’t cleanse itself of toxins if your pores are clogged by your favorite foundation.

So why do we do it? Insecurities, convenience, because we want to, or because we just don’t think it’s bad for us.

I’m still figuring out what my skin likes and needs from day to day, and I can say that while I’d encourage a girlfriend to go bare at the gym with me, I wouldn’t discourage her from doing her thing if she wants to.

If I were to wear makeup at the gym, I’d have to take the route recommended by the makeup artist in this article. I’d go with some SPF (like the one I’m carrying in my gym bag), maybe a brow pencil, and some tinted lip balm, at the most.

What about you? Have you ever worn a full face to your favorite class, or do you always go bare? Are there any situations when you absolutely won’t wear any makeup at all? Let me know!

Marcella Yakalis

Marcella Yakalis is a freelance writer living and working in Brooklyn, New York, with two cats, one snake, and one very patient boyfriend. She writes about family, relationships, and oppressive retail culture. She can also be found on Twitter and Instagram.

How I Rock Pink Eyeshadow (A Collaboration With Adia and Anna)

May 5th, 2016 by Jen Clark 34 Comments

Pink eyeshadow?! This was a first for me, and I have to say, I. AM. OBSESSED! I’ve used lots of rose tones on my eyes before, but never anything bright pink. I decided I was going to use a bright pink just as a transition shade, but then I got carried away experimenting, as I always do. Sometimes it’s so fun to just take your time, and do something fun with your makeup that you wouldn’t normally do, and I’m so happy with how it came out.

I got together with Anna and Adia for this look and we decided on pink. I was like, “Wait…I don’t own a pink eye shadow…but I own lots of blushes!” I use bronzer as eye shadow all the time, so why wouldn’t blush work the same way?

I grabbed my favorite, the Elf Blush Palette in Light and used it for the majority of this look, and I’ve gotta tell you, if you don’t have this palette already, get your booty to Target and buy it. It’s only $6 and has 4 incredibly soft, pigmented, blend-able blushes. The colors are just perfect as blushes, and now, as eye shadows too! It even made a special appearance in my Top 10 Under $10 post over on Jen Leigh Beauty!

Pink eye shadow look — A pink eye shadow look using the e.l.f Blush Palette in Light

I do have one important tip when using bright pink eye shadow that might help before you give it a try, because with pink shadow, if it’s used incorrectly, you can end up looking a little diseased and zombie-like.

When the pink is right up next to the whites of your eyes, your eyes will look sore, so the solution to this is to put something between your eyeballs and the pink. In this case, I put a brown eyeliner on my water line and plenty of mascara. Problem solved!

See how the brown on the water line breaks up the pink?

Here’s what’s on the rest of my face!

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How I Rock Pink Eyeshadow (A Collaboration With Jen and Anna)

May 5th, 2016 by Adia Goss 26 Comments

I may have mentioned this once or twice before (or three times or four), but I absolutely love pink makeup. I think pink is a great way to wear subtle color, and since I’ve never met a pink eyeshadow I don’t like, I thought it would be fun to collaborate with Jen and Anna, who’ll be sharing their looks soon, and share with you one way that each of us likes to wear pink eyeshadow.

The look I’m wearing at the top is how I like to rock pink eyeshadow, and I have to thank some awesome readers for the inspiration! One reader mentioned that the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Concentrated Crayons would be great as eyeshadow bases, and another raved about the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette.

I took the comments to heart and used them both for this springy pink look. Thanks so much, ladies! I love hearing your comments, questions and tips, so keep them coming! Seriously, the comments make my day 🙂

To achieve this look, I used Maybelline Color Tattoo 25HR Concentrated Crayon in Pink Parfait as a base all over my eyelids, then applied Zone from the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani palette in my crease using a Morphe E22 brush.

With the Zoeva Luxe Smoky Shader brush (first mentioned in this post on Zoeva), I packed Harajuku onto my lids, and Harajuku, by the way, is a pink lover’s dream! It’s hot pink and sparkly, but when used with Zone it’s not too bright.

And then on my brows I used ColourPop Cosmetics Brow Pencil in Black N’ Brown and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara on my lashes.

pink eyeshadow — I love how this look turned out and am currently obsessed with this Anastasia Beverly Hills lipgloss!

For my base, I used Becca Aqua Luminous Foundation in Warm Honey, and this was my first time using this foundation. For the record, it’s amazing! I’ve tried other glowy foundations (I’ve reviewed Giorgio Armani Maestro Glow and L’oreal Lumi Cushion), but this is probably my favorite so far because of the buildable coverage and longevity.

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Just Take Me With You

May 5th, 2016 by Karen 44 Comments

To quote The Purple One (aka Prince):

I don’t care where we go.
I don’t care what we do.
I don’t care, pretty baby.
Just take me with you.

Each day, Connor smiles more and more, and every time she does it, I swear, I hear music playing (even when there isn’t any!). 🙂

By the way, did you happen to notice how there’s not one, not two, but THREE giraffes up in the mix in these pics? The big one she’s holding is Sophie the Giraffe (a gift from her Nana), a toy that many little ones love, and apparently it’s been around forever.

I had no idea… Ya learn something new every day!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo! ??

Try Clinique’s Chubby In The Nude Foundation Sticks for Blendable, Bountiful, Beautiful Coverage

May 5th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 7 Comments

Wearing Clinique Chubby In The Nude in Voluptuous Vanilla ($24) — Wearing Clinique Chubby In The Nude in Voluptuous Vanilla ($24 each, available in 10 shades)

Hey everyone!

So, if there’s one thing I’ve mentioned before, it’s how much I like convenient products. If there’s anything complicated involved, I won’t be interested in using or doing it for long.

This has probably been a driving force behind why I keep my makeup routine so simple.

“Simple” and “convenient” are two perfect words to describe Clinique’s Chubby In The Nude Foundation Sticks ($24 each, available in 10 shades), with their cream-to-powder finish and buildable sheer-to-medium coverage (they’re part of the amazing Chubby stick line).

They’re even easier to blend when you use a sponge or a damp brush, which I realized this past weekend while visiting my boyfriend’s parents. I didn’t bring the right brush with me, so I had to use my fingers.

The Clinique website recommends applying them like this:

Draw several strokes of foundation across the forehead, cheeks, chin and down the bridge of nose.

For sheerer coverage, fingertip-blend to a seamless finish.

For moderate coverage, use Clinique’s Buff Brush to buff foundation into skin using light, circular motions.

Applying with my fingers was a little frustrating, mostly because of how sensitive my skin is. I mean, the Chubby stick slogan is the #ChubbyDoodle, which stands for all the different ways you can draw your foundation on for different coverage, and I like the concept, but rubbing the foundation into my skin with my fingers was…less fun.

clinique-chubby-in-the-nude-foundation-stick-side — Forgive my red nose; I’m sick yet again.

Here I’m wearing Voluptuous Vanilla, which falls into the “moderately fair” category. Incidentally, I also like the suggestive names (like Curviest Clove and Abundant Alabaster) and the particular way Clinique grouped these from very fair to deep.

clinique foundation stick, chubby in the nude, — Clinique Chubby In The Nude Foundation Stick in Voluptuous Vanilla and Bountiful Beige

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Where Do You Stand on “Matchy-Matchy”?

May 4th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 26 Comments

Nails Lips Color Combination — Wearing Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Flame on my lips and MAVALA Nail Color Cream in 103 Cobalt Blue

Having just completed my third decade on this planet is making all sorts of existential questions pop inside my head. Like…

Where am I going?

What am I doing?

What is the meaning of life?

Chicken or egg?

Jess or Dean?

To rent, or to buy?

To dream, or to earn?

To match nails and lips, or not to match nails and lips?

The list could go on and on, but I’m sure you’ll agree with me that this last question is the one that needs to be answered first. I mean, how am I supposed to figure out my place in the universe if I can’t even decide what lipstick to pair with my nail color, right? 😉

So, let’s see… In my earlier makeup-loving days, I had a phase when I would often wear red lipstick and red nail polish at the same time, but, now that I think of it, these days I definitely tend to avoid that. Instead, I prefer to use two different shades that go well together. For example, I like pairing orange and blue, like I did today.

I also tend to avoid wearing the same color on my fingers and toes. Something I do pretty often in the summer months is wear a bold shade on my fingers and a neutral on my toes, where my nail polish tends to last longer. This way, when the polish on my fingers chips, I can change it without having to worry about the new shade not matching well with the one on my toes.

Fingers Toes Nail Polish Combinations — L-R: Formula X Nail Color in Monumental, Essie Nail Lacquer in Fifth Avenue, Smith & Cult Nailed Lacquer in Doe My Dear, OPI Nail Lacquer in Incognito in Sausalito, Collistar Gloss Nail Lacquer in 521 Caramello Golosa, KIKO Milano Power Pro Nail Lacquer in 07 Peach

Where do you guys stand on the whole “to match or not to match” conundrum? Do you have any favorite color combinations to share with me? Sandal season is just around the corner. I need inspiration! 😉

Carolina Braina

Hey, ladies (and gents), it’s Carolina here, reporting live from Bologna, Italy, to bring you the latest and greatest in beauty from the good ol’ continent! For an extra dose of that timeless Italian glam with a touch of humor and self-irony (because, you know, laughter is the best makeup), come say hi at carolinapage.eu and Instagram.

Why the Newest Tarteist Blush Palette Is a Work of Art

May 4th, 2016 by Anna Oh 18 Comments

If you’re not interested in saving money, Tarte’s newest blush palette won’t be for you.

But for the rest of us, it’s an amazing product worthy of our makeup-loving interest. The limited edition Tarteist Blush Palette ($38) has four pretty, feminine blushes in small, smart packaging, and with the words, “The Blush Authority,” confidently emblazoned across the mirror, Tarte already knows it’s everything you’ve (probably) been wishing for.

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Graduation Day Done Right: Hair, Makeup and Nail Tips for a Long-Lasting, Camera Ready Look to Take You From the Ceremony, to Your Post-Grad Family Fetes, to the Big Festivities at Night #sponsored

May 4th, 2016 by Karen 22 Comments

This post was sponsored by imPRESS Gel Manicures. Designed for every mood, every moment. Check out imPRESSmanicure.com for more colors and designs!

Aren’t graduations the best? They’re one of my favorite milestone events, because not only do they commemorate a major life success, but they also herald the start of a new adventure.

I dunno… I just love that feeling of endless possibilities. It’s like, “the future’s so bright, you gotta wear shades.” (Extra big ups if you actually get that reference.)

If you’re graduating this year, first, congrats, babe! Second, when you get to the end of the ceremony and everybody is throwing their caps up into the air, please throw yours as high as you can! — because I never got to do it at my graduation ceremonies (don’t know why, but it wasn’t allowed). And this way I can live vicariously through you.

Third, we gotta talk pre-grad hair, makeup and nails (of course), because graduation days, in my experience, tend to be looong.

There are the pre-parties (more on these in a sec), then the actual ceremony, then the post-ceremony celebrations, and then, if you’re a champ, the post-post-celebration parties at night.

That all adds up to a long day and a long night, and seeing as how everyone’s a photographer these days (hello, camera phones!), it doesn’t hurt to be camera ready for all of it.

First, let’s start with your makeup. 🙂

Makeup

One word: primer. Before you paint that face, prime that skin.

Makeup primers work a little like paint primer…except they’re for your skin and not the walls. They fill in uneven areas so that any products you apply on top of them — like your concealer, your foundation, etc. — look smoother and last longer.

I’ve taken roughly 10 gajillion pictures for le blog (give or take), and I think primer makes a HUGE difference, especially when it comes to face products like foundation and concealer.

Primers also help your makeup apply more evenly, so you don’t get any of those funky patches where your blush or your eyeshadow look darker in some spots than others.

But the main reason I suggest wearing primer on graduation day is longevity. That’s primer’s superhero power — the ability to grab makeup and not let go — so if you’re having a long day, which then goes into a long night, your makeup stays intact longer and doesn’t fade as quickly.

I’d do a face primer, and then also an additional eye primer for your lids. For face primers, I love the Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primers ($37), because a little goes a long way, so I don’t have to use very much (which means that it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing an extra layer of spackle), and they help my makeup last a good 12-14 hours.

I use the Smoothing Primer For Large Pores & Fine Lines on my combination skin, but if you have oily skin, try their Mattifying Primer.

For eye primer, NARS Pro-Prime Smudge-Proof ($26) is the best one out there in my opinion. It will hold onto your eye makeup like Tabs clutches his Chanel purse filled with cat treats! — and it won’t let go until you wash it off.

Here are a few more grad day makeup tips…

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