Fantastic Skin Care: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum

Fantastic Skin Fridays!

Area: Eyes

Concern: Aging Skin; specifically sagging skin around the eyes

Product: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum

Price: $21.99 

Function:

Sagging eyes getting you down? I’ve got hooded lids and so sagging eye skin is something that as I get older I will have to be conscious of. You can look tired, old and worn out so easily if you have hooded eyelids and you are not using products to counter act sagging eye skin. This is a serum designed to help firm and lift the skin around the eye using a peptide complex. Dermatologists will tell you to use a combination of peptides, retinoids, and antioxidents in your anti-aging skin care regimen. This eye serum can be used twice a day or in conjunction with a different eye product once a day (using this during the day if using a retinoid eye cream at night).

I have been using this product for about 2 months. I like to use a skin care product for a month or two since it takes a while to see results with skincare products sometimes. I did not notice a difference in my eye are using this product. However, I do not suffer from obvious sagging issues right now. This may prevent the issue and that is a good reason to use it if you are concerned with sagging. Though, I would skip this if you have more serious issues like deep dark circles, wrinkles and sagging skin. If you have these issues, you need a stronger and more specific eye cream that tackles those issues.  

Money Saving Tip: Look for at www.ulta.com and earn points on your purchase that you can use later.

Quality: ***/5 (There was not a noticeable difference and it’s pricy for a drugstore item)

Perks: Peptides and vitamins

Bang for your buck: ***/5 (It is an average serum and not a “wow” product)

Repurchase Quotient: I might but I'm looking at others at the moment...

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

What do you use on your eyes for skincare? Creams, serums, or a combination of the two?

  

ELF Studio Powder Blush Review

ELF Studio Powder Blush in TWINKLE PINK

What is it?

A budget friendly shimmering pink blush. This blush is $3.00 and can be purchased at eyeslipsface.com.

The Real Deal:

This blush comes housed in a sleek black plastic container that resembles the classic look of a NARS blush. This blush is incredibly inexpensive. $3.00 for a blush is less than what you would pay for a basic drugstore company blush. I like the price very much and I was eager to try this specific color. I enjoy light pinks in the winter time and this has a little golden shimmer in it. Shimmer on winter skin makes it appear healthy and moisturized during a time when we are probably starved for moisture regardless of skin type. The product is very powdery and you must tap off the excess before applying it to your face. However, the blush itself is very pigmented and it blends superbly!   

Action Shots: 

Overall, this blush is a hit and I would enjoy purchasing and trying out more of these blush colors! I really don’t mind the fall out issue. This is because fall out from blush can be easily eradicated by tapping off your brush prior to application. Next, blend the blush into your cheeks creating a colorful glow instead of a line of product (which is noticeable to everyone and it flatters no cheeks). Budget friendly ladies will love these, and so will first time makeup users.   

Quality: ***/5 (It is very powdery and the shimmer does not stick in the product well)

Perks: Cruelty free.  

Bang for your buck: ***/5 (Great pigmentation, just be careful of fallout)

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

What is your preferred type of blush formula: powder, loose, or cream?

November Tip: Bright Smokey Eye

Tutorial Tuesday: November Tips

How to create a bright smokey eye look

Tools: Revlon Photoready Eye Shadow Palette in METROPOLITAN, Too Faced Better Than… Mascara, ELF Studio Blush in TWINKLE PINK, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Super Saturated Lip Pencil in GLINDA (Limited Edition OZ palette)

Eyes: Apply an eye shadow primer all over lid and onto brown bone. Start with your base shadow. Use a light shimmer in your skin’s natural undertone (mine is pink so I used a pale pink shimmer from the Revlon palette) apply this shadow onto your eyelid just underneath the brown bone. Apply on the inner upper and lower eye corners and blend onto the rest of the eye lid. Next, take a shimmering gray shadow and apply it on the outer 1/3 of your lid. Blend into the outer part of your eye’s crease only. Blend away the demarcation between the gray and the shimmering base color. Next, apply a brown shadow to your upper outer lash line. Concentrate the color on the outer ¾ of the lash line only. Line your lower outer ¾ lash line with the shimmering gray. Skip eyeliner for a day look and then just add mascara.

Face: Add a soft blush that mirrors the base shadow that you used. Ladies with yellow undertones can use a shimmering light brown blush. Ladies with rich orange undertones can use a shimmering orange blush in apricot (for lighter orange tones) or a shimmering deep burnt orange with hints of red for a deeper skin tone. Shimmer blushes should be applied a little higher since shimmer "highlights" parts of your face. Focus the color on the tops of your cheekbones and blend upward at an angle into your temples. 

Lips: Finish using a natural looking hue that has subtle shine. Stay away from the shimmer on your lips to prevent you from looking a little too glowy. Instead, concentrate on finding a gloss that has “vinyl” or “wet” in the description. Choose a color that coordinates with your lip’s natural hue. My lips are a dark rose pink naturally. So I always choose natural colors that tend to be on the pink side. This prevents me from looking washed out and dead.

 Where to Wear?

1. Thanksgiving: Here’s a simple makeup look that is presentable for all families and looks nice in photos.

2. Work: During the holiday season, change up your go to work look for this (the shimmer makes your look more awake and ready for business).

3. Casual outing: Not the type of girl to go full makeup on a date? No need to; but change up your look here and there and you will start to notice how certain features can be emphasized just right! 

ELF Hypershine Lip Gloss

ELF Hypershine Gloss (Essential Collection) in VIXEN

What is it?

A twist tube of shiny lip gloss with a built in brush. The product is $1.00 and can be purchased at eyeslipsface.com. The product aims to give you shine and subtle color.

The Real Deal:

The lip gloss texture is gel like and the brush applicator allows you to apply with precision. The color VIXEN is a bright watermelon pink without shimmer or glitter. It is sheer in color but noticeable. Wear time for this product is between 2-3 hours depending on if you are eating/drinking or not. The product wears off evenly so that there is little to no product visible on the lips between applications.

Action Shot:

This lip gloss is perfect for both the lady on a budget and teens trying out makeup for the first time. Many of the colors come in light tones to give even the shyest of makeup wearers a reason to buy. This can be used by itself and I would not recommend it over lipstick as most lipstick formulas do not mesh well with gel like formulas atop them.  

Quality: *****/5 (The gel is light weight and no stickyness!)

Perks: There’s no added benefit

Bang for your buck: *****/5 (At this price you can buy all of the colors and give in bunches as presents!)

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

What does a products price tag mean to you? Do you think cheap makeup has little to no worth?

Avon Wrapped in Velvet Eye Shadow Palette

Avon Wrapped in Velvet Eye Shadow Palette in CRUSHED VELVET

What is it?

A luxurious in feel palette of 4 super shimmery shadows and one dark powder liner. This product is $10.00 and can be purchased at www.avon.com or through an Avon representative.  

The Real Deal:

The shadows are extremely shimmery and have little to no fallout. They are almost slightly sticky feeling but go on nicely. This is a shadow that you need to pat on and then blend. Swiping this on is not an option because you will pull a lot on your lid. There are many options for looks with this palette. You can create a shimmery day or night look. This comes with a basic elongated sponge applicator.

Action Shots:

Swatches from bottom to top are taken from left to right shadows in palette

 This was created using swatch 1 as a highlighter, 2 all over the lid, and 3 in the crease and blended out on the sides of the upper eye area. 

This was created using swatch 1 as a highlighter, 2 all over the lid, and 4 on the outer corner of the eye and blended into the middle area of the eye. 

This palette is perfect for the holiday season from Thanksgiving on through New Year’s. You can create myriad looks using this one shimmery palette. Sometimes shimmery shadows can leave fall out all over your face. However, this shadow formula has very little if any fall out issues. Furthermore, the colors are very vibrant in pigmentation whether or not you use an eye shadow primer. I really like the color choices in this palette. However, if you like silvers and blues the other color option: VELVET SMOKE has you covered! 

Quality: ****/5 (The formula is very nice for a cheaper shadow.)

Perks: There’s no added benefit

Bang for your buck: ****/5 (You get a good amount of product and an applicator)

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

What holiday shadows do you like the best? Colors, finishes… etc. ?

Throwback Thursday: NARS Danmari Blush Palette

Throwback Thursday!!!

Spotlight on: NARS Danmari Blush Palette

Colors: Hungry Heart, Orgasm, Desire, Casino, Super Orgasm, Sin

Price: $65.00 (2011 Limited Edition)

Repurchase Reasons:

Obviously I cannot repurchase this exact item. However, would I repurchase NARS blushes? Yes. NARS blushes are legendary in the makeup world. Sure you can find great blushes that are cheaper elsewhere. However, these are still really phenomenal. I love blushes. There is something about my face color that needs blush in order to look “normal”. I also love using odd colors and I am not afraid of using bright colors or abnormal blush colors. This palette was a great purchase because each blush in there is .12oz and the full size blushes from NARS are .16oz. These means that you get pretty much a full size blush in a convenient palette. The colors that I use the most from this palette are the highlighter (hungry heart), Orgasm, and Super Orgasm.

Sin is a nice berry color with a very subtle golden shimmer. It is my least fave to use just because it’s not usable for my skin tone for every season. It looks fine during fall, winter and spring, but not good for summer. Desire is a bright deep hot pink with a matte finish. I love using this one all year long. It is very pigmented and it looks great with a bright pink lip and a subtle neutral eye. Orgasm is a peachy pink with a noticeable golden shimmer. Super Orgasm is a rosier peachy pink with light golden glitter in it. It’s not a good daytime blush; very appropriate for night time though. The highlighter is a creamy white with small gold glitter. Casino is a medium matte brown. It’s great for summer or creating depth in the face for contouring.

Overall, NARS blushes are iconic for a reason. There is little to no fall out (exception is the glitter in super orgasm) and the colors are unique and flattering for many skin tones. Women of color will enjoy the newly released Guy Bourdin blush palette which is selling for $65.00 and includes three staple blushes in the NARS collection and three unique never before seen deep reddish colors.

Application Techniques:

Place shimmer blushes high up on your cheekbones to highlight them. Place matte blushes a little lower (just underneath the cheekbone) and blend towards the back of the cheek in an upward angle to create a “hollow” cheek look.

Drool Worthy Pics:  

Hungry Heart, Orgasm, Desire

Casino, Super Orgasm, Sin

Hungry Heart Highlighter, Orgasm, Desire, Casino, Super Orgasm, Sin 

Try before you buy: Locate your NARS counter in an area department store or try at Sephora!

Quality: ****/5 (High pigmentation makes these blushes last longer in the pan)

Perks: No added perks

Bang for your buck: ****/5 (buying high end blushes in palettes saves you money when you really like a product. Go one step forward and use your VIB 20% discount during the first week of November)

Disclaimer: I purchased these with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

What palettes do you go nuts for? Eyes, lips, blushes?

November Tutorial Tip: Trade in your brushes for your fingers!

November Tutorial Tip: Use fingers instead of makeup brushes

Why?

Makeup brushes are used by gurus and ladies who enjoy their uses all the time. However, when I’m pinched for time, I find it tedious to extract the correct brush… Sometimes I have to sift around to find the right one, I’ll accidentally knock one out of the jar and it lands on the floor.. yuck! Therefore, I use my fingers to create basic makeup looks to get out of the house quickly!

Tools: My fingers, of course! Tarte BB Primer in Light, Korres Lip Butter in Plum, Mary Kay eyebrow pencil in Brunette, NYX Naturals eye shadow palette (shades 1, 4, and 5), ELF HD translucent powder, and NYX mosaic blush in Dare.

Face: Prep face with moisturizer, I used an oil free one from Juice Beauty. Apply one layer of the Tarte BB Primer (or your choice of foundation). Dab spots of product on your face. Then work section by section. I split the face into 3 parts: Forehead area, and the I split up the remainder of the face equally down my nose. Start in one area and fully blend product around to desired finish. Use a very light touch in a circular motion. Keep your first three fingers together and use those to blend product. Continue to use this for all areas of the face, ending with product blended down under the chin and slightly into the neck area. Add another coat of product if desired… I added 2. Apply powder (this can be tricky without a brush) either with a brush, puff, or if you lack both of those, then use a wad of clean facial tissue to dab into product and gently dab and buff onto skin.

Cheeks: Take your finger and rub it around the blush. Then dab the blush onto the apples (puffiest part) of your cheeks. Blend in a circle upwards. Then add more blush to your finger and rub and blend the blush on the back part of your cheeks (on top of the cheekbone away from the apples and at a slant upwards) Blend both blush parts together to achieve a more natural looking flush.

Eyes: Use your fingers for the different colors of shadow. I used my ring finger for the highlighter, my middle finger for the all over color and my index finger for the outside/crease color. Use a dabbing motion on the eyelid to gain desired pigmentation. Then slightly blend with the same finger. This creates a professional looking soft focus that most brushes achieve. Finish with eyeliner and/or mascara.

Eyebrows: Use a pencil to fill in brows and then run your finger (I use my ring finger) along the brow to blend and extend the color.

Lips: This is the easiest! You can use whatever you want since most lip glosses and lipsticks come with their own application ease. However, in the spirit of the event I used a potted colored lip butter from Korres (which really is the best texture of lip butter I have ever used!) I dabbed my finger in the product and then dabbed and blended the color on my lips.

That’s it! Go ahead and try out using your fingers to apply your makeup and see what you can do! It’s a great way to save time and experiment with a different way to apply makeup… you might even find you get a different and more appealing eye shadow application!

Disclaimer: I purchased these with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

ELF Cosmetics Mineral Lip Gloss

ELF Mineral Lip Gloss in PAGEANT PRINCESS

What is it?

A smooth and non-sticky lip gloss infused with shimmer. This lip gloss sells for $3.00 and can be purchased at eyeslipface.com. This lip gloss contains vitamins E and A (retinol) which can help stave off the aging process. It is listed as being paraben free.

The Real Deal:

The lip gloss comes in a fairly small tube but is very inexpensive in price. The tube is a very nice package and the applicator is a doe foot applicator with soft acrylic fibers on it. The strainer near the top takes off a lot of product from the applicator. This means that you will need to apply several coats to gain a nice coating on the lips. The color is very nice and is a great neutral pink for myriad skin tones. The pink is light and can be described as a muted blush. The shimmer in the product is gold toned and adds a nice finish to the lips. The color can be used on top of lip sticks, but the formula wears best on its own.

Action Shots:

This product lasts for about 2 hours on its own without eating or drinking. The color is near complete opacity and is very flattering on the lips. This is a great choice for a minimal makeup day as it can be applied without a mirror. Also, this is a great neutral color to balance out a more dramatic eye look. Use this over brown nude, and muted pink shaded lipsticks only. There are 8 colors total ranging from light to deep. ELF has made sure that every basic color has been represented from light virtually no color to deep raisin and an orange toned coral as well.

Quality: ****/5 (For $3 this lip gloss packs a serious quality punch!)

Perks: Vitamins A & E might help stave off the aging process of the lips while the product is paraben free, and cruelty free!

Bang for your buck: *****/5 (Such a great product for such an awesome price! Sign up for their alerts and get it cheaper during sales!)

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not being paid for my opinion.

Have you tried any ELF cosmetics products before? If so did you like them or were they duds?