Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

You Need at Least One Thing From the MAC Brooke Candy Collection Lip Products for Summer 2016

April 28th, 2016 by Jen Clark 24 Comments

Brooke Candy has come out with her second MAC collection in less than a year (available now online and coming to stores May 5th). I think that speaks to how well her first collection did! This one’s about half lip products, and there’s something for everyone in there.

Among the lip products are a lip pencil and lipstick in MAC’s iconic Whirl shade and its twin called Pamela as a Vamplify lipgloss. There’s a trio of deep vamp-y shades in the lip pencil, lipstick, and gloss, and a couple of staple bright lipsticks that everyone needs.

Let’s start by taking a look at the lippies in the collection…

MAC Brooke Candy Lip Pencils, $17.50 each

All hail MAC lip pencils, am-I-right? I love these. They are so creamy and give you such a sharp, crisp line. TBH, I love just wearing liners on their own, and they act like a matte, long wearing lipstick! And these colors? So on trend! Whirl is one of those must-have colors that belongs in every makeup lover’s kit. It was made uber famous when Kylie Jenner mentioned that it was one of her most loved lip colors.

Night Crawler, one of the shades in the collection, is just so stunning. The pigment is dark and opaque and looks amazing on the lips.

MAC Brooke Candy Whirl Lip Liner (dirty rose)

MAC Brooke Candy Night Crawler Lip Liner (deep plum)

MAC Brooke Candy Lipsticks, $18 each

There is not a single dud in among the lipsticks in this collection. Like I said in the title, you need AT LEAST one of these in your life. The matte shades (Whirl, Doo-Wop, and Witching Hour) are some of my favorite mattes. They feel creamy but have what I would call a satin/matte finish. They aren’t the kind of mattes that suck the life out of your lips, which is oh, so nice, and the amplified shade (Mind Control) packs a punch with amazing pigmentation and a pretty shiny finish.

MAC Brooke Candy Whirl Lipstick (matte dirty rose)

MAC Brooke Candy Doo-Wop (matte blue toned pink) — MAC Brooke Candy Doo-Wop (matte blue-toned pink)

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My Mom, My Angel: Finding the Perfect Mother’s Day Card #sponsored

April 28th, 2016 by Karen 35 Comments

As a participant in the Hallmark at Walgreens Signature Mother’s Day campaign, I received compensation in exchange for writing this review. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own. @walgreens #HallmarkAtWalgreens #CareWithACard #sponsored

If you happened to be cruising the Walgreens on Third Street in San Rafael, California a few days ago (among all the places in the world!) and saw a teary lady standing by the Hallmark Mother’s Day cards…yes, that was me, in all my sniffly glory, LOL!

Oh, didn’t you know? I cry in all public places now, and I’m especially susceptible to it when a holiday like Mother’s Day is involved, because I get all the feels, man!

I was there picking out a Mother’s Day Hallmark card for my mom, and as I stood there looking through the cards and reading them, I started thinking about my baby girl standing there in an aisle someday looking at Mother’s Day cards for me… Next thing you know, the tears are pooling up, and I’m on the next nonstop train to Emo Station.

That’s one thing having a baby has done (other than make me cry at the drop of a hat in public spaces). I have a whole new appreciation for my mom and how strong she’s always been.

She was born in a village in the Philippines and moved to the U.S. with my dad in the ’70s. She was in her mid-20s at the time, and I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been to move halfway around the world to a place where she didn’t have any family or friends, and where the customs and culture were so different from where she came from.

My mom and Dad in the '70s — My mom and dad in the ’70s

This was when keeping in touch with people was much harder than it is now. You couldn’t just jump online to find the answer to any question, or Skype your family when you felt homesick, or wanted advice on babies, or job searching, or fitting in.

When I think about how it must’ve been to live and work here and raise two kids without help from any family, while also holding down a full-time job, it hits me — really hits me — how hard it must’ve been, and just how strong she is.

But yet, whenever my mom came home from work, even when she was tired after a long day, she was usually in a good mood and happy to see me and my brother, which brings me to another thing that I think of when I picture my mom — kindness.

She’s always there when I need a caring word, or a little bit of sympathy, or some encouragement. She has a sweet and tender nature about her, and she’s always there with a hug if you need it.

And even though I joke with her sometimes about how she loves to pinch pennies (she’s a retired accountant, after all!), I have to give my mom mega props for being so darned practical when it comes to finance-related things, especially when it comes to planning for the future. It’s one of her many superhero talents!

Just one example: my mom wanted me to go to college, and she didn’t want me to worry about having to take out loans or be in debt after I finished, so she planned and saved enough money while I was growing up to put me through school. My education is a gift from her that I don’t ever take for granted.

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What Beauty Trends Are You Bad At?

April 28th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 18 Comments

Wet n Wild Contouring Palette in Dulce De Leche ($4.99)

I’m an oddly curious cat when it comes to other people’s makeup habits, and one thing I’ve been wondering lately is…how does everyone out there who’s amazing at makeup learn how to do what they do?

I’ve learned most of the little bit I know from the internet — from buzzfeed lists about makeup, to blogs, to YouTube tutorials.

And what about trends? Which ones are you bad at?

Here are the main beauty trends I just can’t get behind:

Contouring (too complicated)
Strobing/over-highlighting (I look too oily)
Overdrawn lips (I have enough naturally)

These are just a few of the “trends” that I find really difficult. But contouring might be the most difficult one for me. Every time I see an article about how easy it is to contour, or how to copy a Kardashian style, or which products are the best ones for contouring, I immediately click.

I think I’ve been trying to figure out contouring since it first became popular!

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Getting Gritty, Glossy and Grunge With MAC Studio Eye Gloss

April 27th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 21 Comments

Do you ever want to pull out all of your makeup and do an eye look that you would otherwise never wear? This grownup “play time” — I constantly crave it. Constantly. And lately I’ve been toying with the idea of a 100% black smoky eye.

This neutral-loving girl has almost always approached smoke safely, rarely venturing out into the deeper end of her Urban Decay Naked palettes…

Aaand then the MAC Studio Eye Glosses happened, and I could no longer resist my desire to experiment.

I mean, indulging in makeup play time is a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it, right? 🙂 In the interest of makeup experimentation, I think I’m up to the task.

I can’t help but notice that the MAC Studio Eye Glosses don’t always get the best reviews…but I think they’re a runway makeup artist’s dream. They’re also temperamental and require some patience, just like an expensive sports car. The eye gloss trend definitely falls more into the editorial/runway makeup category than the everyday makeup lover category that most makeup lovers are comfortable with.

They come in a carefully curated range of colors ($22 each) intended to really amplify your eye looks with a new texture, rather than a new shadow finish.

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From One Artist to Another: An Overview of the Kiko SS16 “The Artist” Collection

April 27th, 2016 by Anna Oh 15 Comments

kiko face chart — Kiko “The Artist” Collection Face. (I made a download available of a full face chart below.)

Kiko Milano is one of my favorite beauty brands because they create such superb products at nominal prices. I first heard about them through a friend who had traveled to Italy, and I’m excited to see their stores popping up stateside! Now I don’t see a Kiko store coming to my neck of the woods in Atlanta anytime soon, but ordering online makes it just as easy.

For spring 2016, Kiko presents “The Artist” — a limited edition collection to inspire you to become a canvas of your own. The packaging is minimal and clean and was inspired by an artists’s tools. I’m pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail.

kiko artist foundation brush — The Artist Foundation Brush ($15)

kiko artist glacial light soft sifter foundation — Kiko Artist Glacial Light Soft Sifter Foundation ($15)

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3 Fun Facts About Connor Claire

April 27th, 2016 by Karen 58 Comments

Fun fact #1: Although she likes wearing fancy dresses, sometimes she enjoys dressing casual, too (the jeggings and the top in these pics were a gift from her Uncle Al, who’s in one of the pics below).

Fun fact #2: Her nickname is Coywolf.

I know, completely ridiculous… The backstory: Connor likes to make these coy expressions where she purses her lips and looks mysterious, and so I say to her all the time, “You’re cute and you’re coy!” El Hub kept hearing me say it over and over, so one day he dubbed her “The Coywolf.”

Yes, I know. Ridiculous! 🙂

Fun fact #3: Her favorite lullabies are “I Just Called to Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder and “Hey Jude” by The Beatles.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Chris Chang of Poesia Collection: Look at it! JUST LOOK AT IT!!

April 27th, 2016 by Jen Clark 30 Comments

The Chris Chang x MAC collection — The MAC x Chris Chang collection

If you’re a color lover, you NEED to indulge in the MAC x Chris Chang collection! Everything about this collection is perfect, stunning, amazing, and any other similarly descriptive word you can think of. While you may glance at the collection and think, “WOAH, NELLY!! No way, Jose!” there really are quite a few things that are extremely wearable. But, it’s also a goldmine for those who like to get creative with their makeup.

#FOTD using the Chris Chang x MAC collection

The collection arrives online May 5th (in stores May 12th) and sells through June 9th, so act fast if you want to get your hands on anything!

Chris Chang, the fashion designer for Poesia, says that his inspiration “…comes from the traditional aesthetics of ethnic tribes and costumes from various countries, as well as the transformative world of art. My designs are for women who are eccentric and confident. Color is the integral fuel of my imagination and the spirit MAC and I share. This collaboration is a dream come true for the maximalists of the world.”

I need to get a little bit OTT for just a second about this packaging. Excuse me while I get emotional… Everybody, this is the most delicious, make-my-heart-skip-a-beat, give-me-an-eyegasm packaging I have ever seen in my entire existence. I literally *gasped* when I opened these for the first time, and my jaw sat on the floor for a good 5 minutes. The colors and patterns are just so aesthetically pleasing, as are the actual products.

Here’s a quick look and swatches, and I’ll have more thoughts and pics of the products in action over the coming days (here’s a closer look at the lipsticks)…

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Music Festival Inspired Makeup Tutorial With a Pop of Blue

April 27th, 2016 by Jen Clark 26 Comments

Warm bronze eye shadow with a pop of blue

My social media feeds have been blowing up with cute photos and snapchats of really cool, trendy people at music festivals, so I decided I would (try to) channel my inner cool person and came up with this makeup look I’d wear if I were to go to said festivals.

I love this look so much! I can’t wait to wear it this summer. I think it makes a huge impact, but it’s totally easy to do. And you can customize it if you want to. You could switch out the bronze-y shades for taupes and the blues for some lavender.

Mmm, that would be gorgeous!

I’m using the Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette and the Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Palette in Aquamarine Dream.

Yes, I know the Too Faced Palette has a blue shade in it, but I’ve been dying to try out the Pixi palette. The colors make my heart pitter patter.

The Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette, $49

Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Palette in Aquamarine Dream, $12

I wanted a really warm crease, so I put “peanut butter” (an almost orange matte brown) from the Too Faced palette in the crease and just above it. By using a really soft, fluffy brush and taking your sweet time blending, you’ll get that diffused look we all aim for.

Too Faced "peanut butter" in the crease — Too Faced “peanut butter” in the crease

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