After searching for the perfect champagne pink eyeshadow for years (literally), I found Kitten by Stila. I only had one question for it: “Where have you been all my life?!”
It stays on through your first few cups of coffee, through a long day of class and yes, all the way through a rough night at the bar. Kitten, you are a true makeup godsend.
It’s fairly pigmented but not obnoxiously glittery (a la NARS’ Hula Hula). Shimmer is the word. And shimmer it does. It layers evenly and easily and can be worn alone or in a neutral smokey eye combo deal. Hello, versatile! Hello, stocking stuffer!
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In the midst of a beauty world with options such as cherry red lipstick, firecracker glitter nail polish, teal eyeliner and hot pink kabuki blush, sometimes it’s nice to go back to basics. And what better time to return than fall? September marks the time to complement the tan you worked so hard for and accentuate your best features with an effortless disguise. Here’s a running list of some products for oomph while staying au naturale:
China Glaze’s Fast Track
Originally from the Hunger Games-inspired collection, this nude shade (with bits of gold shimmer) goes with any outfit while remaining neutral enough for a job interview.
Jouer SPF 15 Lip Sheer in Capri
This one always makes me feel like I’m wearing lipstick without the commitment of wearing lipstick. It’s sheerness and baby pink color makes itsuper natural and wearable everyday without having to touch up every 5 minutes.
Smashbox Eye Beam Double Ended Brightener
This pencil is my dream come true. I’m obsessed with highlighting my browbone, the inner corners of my eyes and lining the rims…and guess what? This one DOES IT ALL. #winning 
Rimmel Glam’Eyes Trio Eyeshadow in Orion A more affordable option than the Naked Palette — good for quick & easy on a daily basis. Use the lightest shade for a highlight, the darkest for the crease and the medium to blend it out!
Urban Decay Naked Palette (1)
Cause the original is always the best. I use all shades on a regular basis (minus the 3 to the right) and am running out, using my Naked 2 and weeping. #semiwhitegirlproblems
Tarte EmphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener
Looking awake is going to be important and a priority, especially when classes start. Save the kohl-rimmed eyes for the bar and opt for a lighter option during the day. Thank you, Tarte, just thank you.
Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup
The name of the product is kind of a spoiler in its own right. Weightless? Check. Naked skin? Check. Ultra definition….maybe is Urban Decay lingo for a matte finish with luminosity.
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Sure, teal eye makeup may be hot and on trend, but the key to mastering eye makeup? Flattering your eye color!
Smashbox is making life a little bit easier for all the brown-eyed girls out there this summer. With their Master Class Eyeshadow Quad, you can play up your best feature with some tailored earth tones. Best part? FOR $10.
You can use these shades individually for a naturally pretty look or combine them to create a soft, smokey eye (just remember to blend). Jazz it up with a pink lip and you’re good to go!
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.
Beauty lovers: REJOICE!
Urban Decay has revamped & relaunched their cult-favorite Naked Palette. Naked2 has been selling out every time Urban Decay restocks their website! (Literally, I added this to my cart, went to purchase and it was gone! True story. Sad story.)
Since I have yet to try the glorious and much-anticipated Naked2, I can’t give a 100% accurate review. However, I do use the original Naked Palette on a daily basis and it works like a dream. High quality, wearable colors that are all blend-able and divine. Nothing but good things to be said.
It gets better. Naked2 has even BETTER colors, extending its family of nudes to above and beyond. For $50, this palette will get you 12 gorgeous eyeshadow shades (5 of them NEW!), a double-ended brush with creaser and a Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Naked.
The new shades include:
- Booty Call (a shimmery light taupe)
- Pistol (a shimmery grey-brown)
- Snakebite (a dark metallic bronze)
- Tease (a pale matte brown)
- Busted (a dark shimmery brown)
Have a look here to see the rest! And don’t forget your Eyeshadow Primer Potion! Good luck on getting your hands on one of these palettes for the holidays!
I’ve scoured the differed “value sets” on Sephora’s website time and time again. Yet, I never found a kit that was all-encompassing. There was always that one product that I didn’t need/want/have a use for.
Then Benefit’s “I’m Glam…Therefore I Am” kit appeared in the ‘Just Arrived’ section. It includes some of the brand’s bestsellers but also useful products and wearable shades.
What You See Is What You Get
It includes:
- Girl Meets Pearl, a soft pink highlighter
- Eyeshadow Palette, with a soft pink, a silvery mauve, a rich deep plum and a dark gray
- Glamming Face Powder, a shimmery pink blush (with brush)
- Mini BadGal Lash Mascara
- Mini Life on the A-List Lip Gloss, in bubble gum pink
- Double Ended Sponge Applicator
- Makeup tutorial
“I’m Glam…Therefore I am” has many wearable pinks with shimmers that highlight the face and an eyeshadow palette that spans light to dark (good for day-to-night makeup). It basically is your makeup routine wrapped up into a chic, Benefit-style box. And the best part? It’ll only cost you $36. Yes, for real. Promise.
Whether you want to just sample some products by Benefit or establish a new routine for colder weather (flushed cheeks and pink shimmers work perfectly for winter), Benefit has got your (very glam) back on this one.
$36 at Sephora
While I’ve been seeing a multitude of warm neutrals, bronzes and olive greens for the autumn season, NARS’ Delphes Eyeshadow Trio works with cooler colors for true goddess appeal.
The limited edition eyeshadow trio comes with: “a sparkling sheer peach, matte dove grey, and frosted sage.” Inspired by the earth goddess herself, the palette can be used for a more sophisticated look. If warm, autumnal colors do not fare well with your skin tone, this is the perfect trio for you.
You’re probably thinking, “What am I going to do with pink, grey and green? And how do I avoid looking crazy?”
Here’s some tips to keep in mind:
- Use the peach shade as a brow highlight because of the shimmer (be wary of glitter chunks)
- Use the grey shade to blend because it’s sheer and build-able
- Use the green shade closest to the lashline because it’s the most pigmented
NARS brings to the table their good reputation of crease-proof eyeshadow that lasts all day. And the Delphes Trio is no different. Wear colors individually or blend all three for the Grecian goddess look. Just add a messy updo.
$45 at Sephora
1) Benefit’s “They’re Real” Mascara — I’ve talked up this product like crazy recently, but it is seriously a must-have mascara. It NEEDS to be in your makeup bag, no if’s, and’s or but’s about it! It’s the best thing since sliced bread…or at least since Diorshow Blackout. For the full review, read on here. ($22)
2) Vera Wang’s Lovestruck Perfume — It’s very romantic and sweet, thus the name. I tried a sample about a week ago and it lingered, borderline sweet floral and kind of vanilla musk. Perfumes need to be tried on before bought, obviously, but if you like Princess by Vera Wang, you’ll like this as well. Consider it Princess’ sophisticated older sister (but only older by about 3 years). ($48)
3) Bobbi Brown Bronze Tortoiseshell Eye Palette — Bobbi’s new eyeshadow palette offers the most perfect neutral shades for autumn (but never dull neutrals, of course)! Think shimmery bronzes, creams, olives, chocolates and golds. Made for layering, not blending. Think of it as a relative to the Naked Palette. ($60)
4) DKNY’s Golden Delicious Perfume — If DKNY’s PR girl was a scent, this would be it. Glam, sophisticated, on-the-go and fun. It smells young without being too young and sweet without being too sweet. With apple, florals and sandalwood, this combination is a winner. ($42)
5) Too Faced Perfectly Pretty Set — I stumbled upon this Too Faced mini set on the Sephora website and realized what a great deal it was. It includes: a mini Lash Injection mascara, a mini Shadow Insurance eyeshadow primer, a Primed & Poreless face primer and a cute little cosmetics bag. For about $16, you get all the glam necessities in a cute bag. Too Faced’s makes a great mascara, everyone needs a shadow primer (but not enough people use it) and a pore reducing primer is priceless (say that 5 times fast!). ($16.50 online only)
6) Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color — Tired of lipstick smearing off within an hour? Annoyed with lipgloss that constantly gets stuck to you hair? Urban Decay now makes a remedy in a quaint little pencil. It’s highly pigmented but also glossy, leaving lips nice and smooth but also fully colored in. UD offers pretty pinks, bright fuschias and fun orangey reds. The pencil is made with paraffin, which is used in hand creams as well to keep things smooth. ($19)
So we’re officially in the double digits of August (how depressing, I know) and hopefully all you ladies are at your peak tan-wise. (And if not, we can fix that seamlessly, don’t worry.)
Here’s a run-down of the 7 essentials you need in your makeup bag that will get you through labor day. The list encompasses products that will complement your tan and combat those sauna-like end-of-summer days.
1) An oil-free primer. If you decide to layer on that foundation during the summer months, make sure you’re using an oil-free (and/or water based primer). The last thing you need is a heavy primer that’ll clog your pores! Try LORAC’s aquaPRIME foundation primer — it’s silicone & paraben free.
2) An illuminator. Brighten up your complexion in one fell swoop with an illuminator that highlights and makes skin glow (even more!). Try NARS Orgasm Illuminator for a peachy/pink/golden flush.
3) Waterproof mascara. Does this even need an explanation? L’OREAL makes a good one and it’s easy on your wallet too!
4) An eyeshadow that complements your tan. I find that I tend to stray away from things like the smokey eye in the summer and opt for shimmery golds, peaches and pinks. The shimmer and the light colors brighten up your eyes and make you look awake — not to mention simply complement a golden tan! NARS makes a great duo called “Hula Hula”.
5) A good bronzer. For those playing catch up or have been stuck indoors a lot this summer (like myself) — a solid bronzer has never done anyone wrong. MAC Bronzing Powder gives you the glow with no sign of any orange. It has a light shimmer to it! What’s not to love?
6) Waterproof liquid eyeliner. People were going batshit crazy when Make Up Forever came out with their Aqua Liner for summer. And honestly, it makes the “tried and true” list because of its staying power and great definition. Definitely worth the investment.
7) Makeup setting spray. Another worthy investment: Urban Decay’s All Nighter spray. 3 simple spritzes after makeup has been applied and dried keeps you good for at least 12 hours — not matter what the weather conditions are.
