Sephora has decided to make “shimmer sheets” (think like oil-blotting sheets) in little booklets so you can bronze, blush and illuminate no matter where you are.
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Will you try this new Sephora goodie for summer?
Say it with me: BIRCHBOX
Think about it — Every month, you receive a dainty little brown box with beauty products like Zoya nailpolish to Ojon hair products to Stila eyeliners to a sample of Bvlgari’s new fragrance.
Safe to say, Birchbox was one of the most rewarding and justifiable impulse purchases of my life (coming from a Sephora junkie and all). For $10 a month, you get a box full of products that you would not have had the chance to try prior to the lovely Birchbox. It’s the ultimate solution to “try-before-you-buy”.
See all the brands they carry here. It also makes for a great birthday present, bridesmaids gift or a gift for yourself. Enjoy!
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For the ladies, what is your signature scent?
KIKO Milano has been one of my best abroad finds yet! Think of a bright and cheerful Sephora setting with all the eyeshadows and lipsticks a girl could dream of…for a fraction of the price.
I’ve bought lipstick (in bright magenta), the Unforgettable mascara and a bright orange nail polish for spring — I can safely say I am completely happy with all my purchases.
Though KIKO may not be your new replacement for your Bare Minerals foundation or your beloved NARS blush, it’s a great place to try out new colors because the affordable prices allow you to do just that!
So take a peek, choose a few pastel nail polishes or poppy lipsticks for spring and enjoy!
Shimmers and neutrals and highlights, oh my! Much like its older sister, the Naked2 Palette by Urban Decay offers endless combination options for a sultry smoky eye or a classic shimmer (depending on the look your going for). Since many of the colors are not in order in accordance with their matching scheme, here’s a few options to start you off:
Office Smoky Eye:
Bootycall #3 (highlight) + Tease #5 (base) + Chopper #4 (blend)
Marry The Night:
Verve #9 (highlight) + Blackout #12 (base) + Pistol #10 (blend)
With Blue Jeans:
Snakebite #6 (dust over lid) + Bootycall #3 (blend all over)
Wham Bam Thank You Glam:
Bootycall #3 (highlight) + Tease #5 (base) + Suspect #7 & Half Baked #2 (blend)
So Seductive:
Bootycall #3 (highlight) + Tease #5 (base) + Suspect #7 (inner half of lid) + YDK #10 (outer half of lid) + Snakebite #6 (crease) + Busted #11 (lashline)
Tips:
* Foxy is a little too yellow for a highlight color, so your best bet is to mix it with Bootycall.
* YDK is pigmented enough to look great on the tear ducts or corners for a going out look.
Spring is quickly approaching and as we shed our bulky winter jackets, we’ll be shedding the unnecessaries of our makeup bags as well. So this time around, when doing spring cleaning (of your makeup bag, of course), keep your to-buy list simple but important. Here’s a few new purchases and new main staples that need to be established this season:
Pink Lips
A classic matte pink pout goes a long way. It’s wearable enough for the every day, it’s chic enough without being overboard and best of all, a light, bright pink can be worn with most complexions. The best selections of pinks I’ve come across have all come from NARS. So, the next time you’re at Sephora, knock yourself out with trying out all the testers! Recommendations: Roman Holiday (FAVORITE), Schiap, Funny Face, Dolce Vita.
Nails, Nails, Nails!
Liven up any outfit with a color that you love as a nail color but wouldn’t love as a skirt for work. From new spring collections by Deborah Lippmann, Butter London and Essie, the options are endless. Try a seafoam green (from Deborah Lippmann) or a pale pink “Trout Pout” or a glittery oyster shade (from Butter London) or a bright go-get-em orange (from Essie). Other recommendations include: Baker Street (cobalt blue) or Haymarket (jade) by Nails Inc.
Everyday Eye Wear
Like the first one, the Naked2 Palette is being swiped off the shelves like crazy…and for good reason. The Naked2 is an improvement from the first (in my humble opinion) and has a set of warmer colors. This is a must in everyone’s spring makeup bag. Tip: Use either “Foxy” or “Bootycall” as your highlight colors to not only highlight the browbone but also the inner corners of your eyes for a brightening effect!
A Pre-Summer Flush
Since it’s a little too early to be rocking a back-from-Santorini tan, let’s start small. Lay off the tanning bed and sprays for a while and just wear a healthy glow. Play around with a combo of bronzer and highlight colors or just wear a sheer layer of bronzer daily. Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights can be buffed into the skin and worn all over cheeks and eyes and gives off the perfect light glow. LORAC makes a bronzer/highlighter duo that makes it an essential staple in everyone’s spring makeup bag. This 2-in-1 is made without parabens and synthetic dyes — yet allows you to contour, bronze and highlight your little heart out. If you want an extra boost of sunshine, try Benefit’s Sun Beam. It’s a liquid bronze highlighter (think if High Beam was in bronzer form) that allows you to brighten up cheekbones and browbones for a sunkissed effect.
While jet-setting and flying off to wonderful destinations seems glamorous, most of the time what you look like getting off the plane is anything but.
One of the biggest complaints I here about flying is how it affects skin. Some say it makes them break out, dries out their skin, makes them look tired or just dulls out their complexion.
Well then, if that sounds like you, then I have found your perfect travel companion. Avene sells a thermal water spray for 3.50euro (about $4.50USD) that is only 1.76oz (which makes it perfect for travel size). Avene’s Eau Thermale can be found in drugstores in Europe (I got mine in France) or online. Not to say you can only limit yourself to Avene’s. Other brands sell equally great sprays, such as Evian, Boots and Vichy.
Multiple uses, the best part. Avene’s spray restores moisture to the face and is perfect for dry/sensitive skin. Not only good for long flights, it works well in the summer to cool off skin after the beach as well as soothes razor burn, sets makeup and cools various irritations.
One spritz and you’re done!
Cheekbones: the best superpower a girl can have. We all have them, right? So how do you go about defining them?
You’ll need a contouring set with a darker shade and a highlight color. Many contouring sets are sold with blushes and setting powder, like the one shown above by Coastal Scents ($19).
- To find the outline of your cheekbones, try sucking in your cheeks (it helps locate the hollows of your cheeks).
- Use the darker/darkest color in your contour set and an angled brush. Start far from the center of your face (aka by your ear) and work your way in. Blend a lot and make sure the color fades out as your make your way in.
- Then use your lighter/highlight color and brush along the tops of your cheekbones (think the outer corner of your eye and then downward).
- Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks (optional).
- Go over with a mattifying powder or a makeup setting spray like Urban Decay’s All Nighter.
* The trick here is not to overdo it!!
Spring semesters have begun and we’re all bound to see some sleepless nights in our near futures. I’m currently in Madrid studying abroad and there’s a lot of sleeplessness here (Madrilenos don’t go out til past midnight on the weekends!)
So in order to conquer this matter, let’s discuss the pesky and fairly unattractive compadre most of us all deal with now and again: dark under eye circles. In Spanish, we call them “ojeras”. A language lesson and a makeup lesson? That’s a win.
When choosing a brand, consider what you’re looking for. Do you need concealer to cover up said circles? Or do you need a little lift to keep your eyes from looking dull and drab?
For full coverage, Bobbi Brown makes a Creamy Concealer that works wonders, especially when you use your finger to dab on when applying. Tip: Dab concealer on repeatedly with your index or middle finger after applying your liquid foundation. It allows it to blend better and avoid streakiness by looking natural.
For brightness, Benefit makes an Ooh La La Lift undereye brightner that has light-reflecting pigments that makes you look awake and chipper without even trying. BeautyHigh.com put together an impressive list of undereye products found here, including brightening undereye pencils for a last minute on-the-go morning boost.
