Nars Satin Lip Pencil: Palais Royal

As you may have read in my post awhile back, I am obsessing over cranberry and wine lip color for this fall and winter. Luckily, I stumbled on the perfect product to achieve this look. Nars Lip Pencils are all over amazing products- look in my purse, you will always find about 2-3 of them! They come in matte, gloss and satin finishes, and they have great shade ranges. What I love most is that the formula comes in a jumbo pencil, so there is no need to carry a lip liner.
Anyway, back to the color! Nars Palais Royal is a satin finish wine lipstick, which is exactly what I was looking for.   It is perfect for achieving the vampy, dramatic look I love.

Me sporting my new fav lipstick! Other makeup: MAC Omega eyeshadow and Fling Eyebrow Pencil (brows), Bare Minerals Foundation, Nars Creamy Concealer, Bobbi Brown Corrector Stick, Nars Orgasm blush (complexion), Urban Decay Primer, Vice 2 eyeshadow palette, 24/7 eyeliner pencil in Whisky (all by Urban Decay), Marc Jacobs Gel eyeliner pencil in black, and L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara (eyes). Whew!

Product Review: Vinylux CND Nail Polish

I am so sorry for the lack of posts lately, I was on vacation-but I am back! I wanted to write a quick review of an awesome nail product that I absolutely love. Vinylux CND is a nail polish that is longer wearing than regular polish and less harsh on nails than gel polish.  The polishes come in a variety of colors, including matte and shiny/shimmery finishes. The polish is applied as usual and is topped with a sealing topcoat, which dries relatively quickly - and no curing like with the gel manicures.    The first time I had a Vinylux manicure, the polish lasted for more than a week with no chipping. When the polish started wearing off, it was very easy to remove with regular old nail polish remover.   The only issue may be finding a salon or spa that offers this awesome product. I highly recommend it if you can find it! I am loving my pale grey shade from my most recent manicure :)  Checkout the Vinylux website for a video on how this product works.

Wedding Makeup!

This weekend I was lucky enough to provide makeup services for a beautiful bride (unfortunately, of whom I did not get a photo) and her bridesmaids and mom.  They were such a fun group to work with, and I thought I would share some photos of the makeup!

Products I used: Face Atelier Foundation, Temptu Concealer Wheel, Urband Decay Naked Basics eyeshadow palette, Urban Decay Naked Vice 2 Palette, Urban Decay Naked Palette, MAC Gel Liner (black), MAC Kohl Liner (teddy), MAC Longwear Eyeliner (duck), MAC eyeshadow (Omega and Brun- to fill in brows), Smashbox Browtech (taupe), Tarte blush (as highlighter: exposed), L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara, and BH Cosmetics 10-color Blush Palette.

A Quick Lesson on Highlighter

I received a request to write a post about highlighters.  I love the illuminating effect of a good highlighter, especially for a special event.  You can use it on the high planes of your face; in other words, cheekbones, cupid's bow, brow bone, etc.  It is recommended NOT to use it on your forehead or nose in most cases, since it may cause a shiny look that may not be flattering.  You can find highlighters to suit your skin tone, so it looks like a "natural" glow rather than a stripe of shininess.  Those with paler skin with pinkish undertones tend to look best with a silvery or light pink highlighter.  Folks with golden undertones look best with a gold or pinkish gold product.  Women with a deeper complexion can use bronze or a darker gold. You can find highlighting products in liquid, cream, and powder formulas, and you can apply them with your fingers or a brush.  My favorite highlighters are below!

1. Benefit Watt's Up

This is a cream stick formula.  The one shown is in a trial size, but the real product is bigger.

2. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Exposed

This is a powder formula with a gold undertone.

3. Nars Albatross

This is another powder formula with a iridescent gold finish.

4. Benefit High Beam

This is a liquid formula with a light pink tone.

From top to bottom: Watt's Up, High Beam, Exposed, and Albatross

You Are What You Eat!

You may not be aware of it, but the foods you eat can really make a difference in your appearance.  Here is a list of foods that can help make you look more radiant, youthful and healthy.

Foods rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6: Helps hydrate and replenish skin and hair.  Foods to eat:  Oily fish (sardines, tuna, salmon), walnuts, flaxseeds, and nut and seed oils

Antioxidants:  Help destroy free radicals (disease and cancer causing molecules in the body), and can increase the plumpness and elasticity in the skin.  Foods to eat:  Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, green tea, coffee, wine

Zinc:  Speeds up healing, helps heal acne, and brightens a dull complexion Foods to eat:  Shrimp, green leafy vegetables, eggs

Vitamin A: Helps skin stay supple, keeps eyes and hair healthy 

Foods to eat:  Whole milk, liver, oily fish, eggs

Vitamin C: Helps produce collagen for skin elasticity

Foods to eat: Peppers, peas, kiwi, strawberries

Beta-carotene: Protects against aging effects of sunlight

Foods to eat: Spinach, apricots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, tomatoes

Inspiration of the Week: Brown smokey eyes

This week I have been forgoing my usual cat eyeliner and instead have been really into a simple brown smokey eye.  It is a great way to enhance any eye color and can be done pretty easily, as long as you have a good black or brown eyeliner and a brownish eyeshadow.  You can decide if you prefer the shadow to be shimmery or matte, and you can smoke it out as little or as much as you want. Top with mascara, groom your brows, and you are good to go.

All images from Pinterest.  Collage via Pic Collage App.

Product Lust List- Fashion Designer Turned Beauty Product Creator edition

Two of my favorite designers launched beauty lines recently.  Tom Ford Beauty and Marc Jacobs Beauty are both awesome lines and offer some interesting and unique products.  You definitely pay for the designer name, but the products I  tried from both lines so far are very good quality.  If I had to choose a couple products to purchase, these are the ones at the top of my list:

1.  Tom Ford Beauty Bronzer :  Since Tom Ford Beauty products are so pricey, I have only tried a couple so far (lipstick and liquid eyeliner- AMAZING- will have to write product reviews soon!)  I have been eyeing Tom Ford's Bronzing Powder, but at $95 a pop, I can't stomach it.  I may have to try the Nail Lacquer in Ginger Fire, a vibrant reddish orange.  At $32 it is still a bit of a splurge, but based on the quality of the other products in this line, I am sure it is worth it.

2.  Marc Jacobs Beauty LoveMarc Collection:  I have yet to try Marc Jacobs lipstick, but this limited edition palette is calling my name.  The collection includes 13 of Marc Jacobs gel lipstick encased in a black jewelry box.  This sucker is $350 (YIKES) and I am sure is amazing, but again, just can't do it.  Something else by Marc Jacobs Beauty that is a little less pricey is the Showstopper 7- Piece Holiday Set .  At $89 it is still pricey, but would make an awesome gift for the holidays (or as a gift to yourself!).  This set includes perfume, mascara, eyeliner, lipgloss, eyeshadow, a mirror and a cute makeup bag.

Hopefully I don't influence you to add more products to your own wish lists.  I would love to hear what products are on your radar.  Please share in the comments section if there are any products out there you want to try but haven't yet, whether it is the price or any other reason :)

Product love: Tarte SmolderEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner

I have been using Tarte's SmolderEYES liner on and off for awhile now, but seem to always come back to it when I am in the mood for a simple, lasting smokey eye.  This Tarte eyeliner comes in a jumbo pencil with a smudge applicator on the opposite end.  The waterproof formula is creamy and easy to blend, and comes in a variety of colors.  The best thing about this product is you can create a smokey eye in 2 steps, and who doesn't love that?! Normally when I use this liner I start with Urban Decay primer on my lids, then quickly swipe on a similar shade of eyeshadow to the liner.  You can DEFINITELY use the liner as a shadow, but I think it blends better with powder shadow underneath it.  Then just line your upper and lower lash line, smudge with the smudge brush, and apply mascara.  

AND the Amazonian clay and minerals contained in this product prevents flaking, keep skin nourished and makes the color extra-vibrant.  

A quick phone photo with the liner...please note that the makeup was applied about 8 hours ago!

Inspiration of the Week: Something to look forward to trying this week

This week I am really into dark burgundy lips and gold and bronze eyeshadow.  The darker lip feels right for the cooler weather, and burnished eyeshadow balances out the look without seeming too harsh or heavy.  You should even out your skin tone with a light foundation, BB Cream or tinted moisturizer when wearing the lipstick (if you don't, the red in the lip product will bring out the redness in your skin).  Also, a bit of matte bronzer around your hairline, temples, cheekbones and jaw will help you from looking pallid.  It may seem scary at first if you are not used to the darker color, but it looks so chic. 

Photos courtesy of Pinterest (Clockwise: Dior  Runway (Tumblr),  Web.stagram, Jmaybelline, i.style.tk)
Collage made on Pic Collage App for Iphone

Products to try for lips:  Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Shame, OCC Lip Tar in Black Metal Dahlia, Cheapie: NYX Cosmetics Round Case Lipstick in Snow White

Products to try for eyes: Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, Bobbi Brown Rich Chocolate Eye Palette, Cheapie:  Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow and Liner in Nude