I feel pretty--NOT! THE COSMETICS THREAD

Is this it?

http://search.ulta.com/search?userid=Guest&w=red+earth&x=0&y=0

Oh yeah that's it! I didn't see it at the B&M store. I did see some brand called Sugar but apparently this is not to be confused with SugarBaby.

Complicated cosmetics are complicated.

Yeah, I got my secret potion at ulta. Something happened to Red Earth. They had a zillion stores in Australia and then suddenly none.
My SP is the MS001? It looks really white there, which it is i guess, but it has that effect where when you move it in the light you see pinks and whatnot. I really want to try Magician. Im into all thing gold these days.

Here is the Sugarbaby:
http://www.cherryculture.com/cosmetics/makeup/sugar-baby/sugar-baby-gleam-cream/16444&cat=0&page=1

oh and i would recommend Moonshine in the Sugarbaby Gleam Creme

i finally broke down and bought nars orgasm blush yesterday after months of lusting after it. so excited to put it on today!

there's nothing like putting on a brand new blush ;)

and was it worth it?

I bought the Smashbox primer... I'm not really that happy with it! It doesn't do anything but make my skin -feel- smooth; I was under the impression that it'd help my concealer stay on longer/be stronger but there's no noticeable difference :(

i will let you know once i get it on!

i'm sure it will be... i've only tried it on in the store 15 times in the past few months...

the half-dozen or so promotional emails that sephora sent me over the past 3 days must have worked. i stopped in earlier today and got a new, very dark (brownish-black cherry) lip gloss from smashbox and one of the new opi for sephora nail polishes ("metro chic" - a murky, lavender-ish grey).

not sure why the opi for sephora polishes are several dollars more than the regular opi line, though. bah.

I've used up all my lip glosses and tints and I basically liked all of them and want the exact same things again (one red, one pink, one clear) but am so lazzzzzzzzy and I hate running errands in midtown. Oh Sephora why are you not next door?

i am going to sephora tonight (i have to return something). laurel, come with me!

i'm going to the one in union square thos
then to black & white

I forgot about B&W!! Maybe I go with! Mmm Thai food in my chompers.

lol i love this thread title

you should come! i am starting school on monday and so this is my last social outing for awhile.

though, i will still probably go home earlier than you would like :P

what did tza think of that blush?

we never found out! i assume things are good, though. nars blushes are reliably awesome.

(and so they should be, at those prices.)

OOOH I got gray nail polish (Recycle from China Glaze) and really rather liked it! Mr. Que did not. He called me corpse hands.

Last year I wore Russian Navy on my toes and he called me corpse feet.

so yeah stfu Mr. Que!

i like russian navy. it's much more multidimensional than i thought it would be.

Russian Navy = many years ago a friend of mine went for Halloween as a sailor from the Kursk. Corpse feet indeed.

i have decided that i need to start wearing some foundation because my perioral dermatitis is not going away no matter what i do and i look like a blotchy freak. does anyone have something that is really light and non-irritating, but hides redness/blotchiness really well?

perioral dermatitis is basically like rosacea, but around the mouth. from what i can tell.

I'm waiting for it to get a little cooler before I don Russian Navy again.

I also want that grey you describe Lauren. I think that line also has a gold one I like.

it's nice, but i wish it was a bit more truly grey.

Bell I think I mentioned this on some other thread, but I am fond of MAC's studio fix as a foundation alternative for evening out blotchiness, which I have in spades on my cheeks.

It's a powder-type thingy that the MAC ppl put on with a brush (huh?), but that I just dab on with the sponge included in the compact. I like the consistency a lot--not too heavy or cakey--and was lucky to find a color that worked well. I use it just on my cheeks and leave the rest of my face au naturale or with a bit of cheapo Shine Free translucent powder if necessary.

Does anyone have recommendations for something cheap for brows? I don't want to spend $30 on a little brow kit when I just something to keep them looking groomed.

benefit's brow zings compact is $30, but i've had it for about 2 and half years now, and it's still good. it has a powder, a wax, two brushes (a stiff, angled one and a softer one for blending) , and really cute miniature tweezers. probably one of my favorite products of all time.

(at the other end of the spectrum, my mother just uses a dark brown eye pencil , which seems to work fine as long as it's applied sparingly.)

I suppose if it's lasted you that long it's probably a good investment. I've never really used an eyebrow pencil although I'm thinking of letting my thicken out a little so maybe now would be a good time to start.

$30 is a lot, though. i was a lot more careless about money back then!

I use a little bit of brown eyeshadow and it does wonders for my brows. I use Smashbox primer on my face now too so I guess a bit of it gets on my eyebrows before I get the shadow on.

Elyse Sewell (ANTM alum, working as a professional model in Asia) posted a blog the other day saying that all the pro makeup artists usually use Maybelline Great lash (the pink and green tube) but there has been a shift in the industry! Apparently the new big thing in mascara is Intense XXL.

http://a1468.g.akamai.net/f/1468/580/1d/pics.Drugstore.com/prodimg/192398/200.jpg

Now we all know! She also said almost everyone is using Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner that comes in a pot.

http://img2.timeinc.net/instyle/images/2008/pf/03/GBW/020108_bobbibrown_a.jpg

I've never been able to apply gel eyeliner well.

i really don't get the love for great lash. i actually have a tube at the moment, given to me by my mother who mistakenly bought some in a buy one, get one offer. it SUCKS.

let me count the ways that it sucks:

1) runs/transfers with the blink of an eye
2) thin, short brush
3) kinda clumpy
4) doesn't lengthen
5) any volumizing effect comes from aforementioned clumping
6) staying power is poor

maybelline must have made a deal with the devil to promote this stuff, because it's still the standard industry line that GL is not only good, but better than anything else.

I can't seem to find a drugstore mascara that I <3. Bad Gal and Diorshow are current favorites, but damn $$$.

maybelline's define-a-lash is okay.

I've been more satisfied with Great Lash than any other mascara I've ever used! For me, the brush doesn't clump up, it doesn't clump on my eyelashes, and it goes on thickly and looks striking *shrug*

I agree re:Great Lash. I like Rimmel's mascaras.

i tried a rimmel mascara, based on a rec on an earlier beauty thread, and i loved it. by far the best budget mascara that i've tried, but... after about a week of use, i started getting itchier and itchier around the upper/lower eyelids, culminating in the morning i woke up with red, puffed-out, scaly patches around my entire eye area. so that was that for rimmel and me.

i've switched to rimmel (glam lash is my choice). easily the best i've used in a long time.

I bought an obscene amount of make-up this morning. It's going to be like Christmas for 4 years running, when the mail arrives.

hee.

i'll share the info: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/ is selling almost everything for $1 since nordstrom has bought them (to be the new house brand, i think). no idea if it's good stuff, but you can't get much cheaper than that.

unfortunately they're just a $1 company all the time, it's not nordstrom stuff.. common email viral hoax :P

though I do keep meaning to buy a whack of brushes from them since brushes are so expensive and I keep hearing they are the true secret of makeup success! if you google E.L.F. promo codes you can usually find free shipping/$5 off/etc

I buy a lot of Sonia Kuscak (?) brushes at Target. They're great.

huh! good to know. came via a friend of a friend (they always do).

haha yeah I heard it when I first heard of them too! I think we were talking E.L.F. in that massive thread that birthed ILS

Ahhh oh well! I still have loads of lip-gloss which if it provides an alternative to Stila at $24 apiece I'll be ecstatic; and some pressed powder which I mostly need for stage performances and sweat absorption, so a light and transparent texture is not a priority if it turns out to be cheap-O. And blotting papers. :) I will enjoy my bounty v much.

arrr, makey!

...terrible, sorry.

have to chime in here for big <3 on rimmel mascara - the one in the pink tube that comes with a comb instead of a brush is A+++++

btw I did my friend's hair and makeup for her wedding this weekend, i will post pics, but i think I did an awesome job!!!

oh yes pics please!

Well isn't that timely... E.L.F. must lurk here, I just got the three-day offer that the code EGBRUSHAK gets you 50% off brushes, limit 5 per customer.

hey quincie, i recently found out benefit's high beam is almost as good as the sugarbaby and red earth stuff.

close ehough to not feel the need to chase sb and re all over england and australia.

re: mascara im still pro-lash dye. i dont know why youd bother with anything else.

i want to try it, but i'm afraid of blinding myself.

As a natural sort-of-blond I am v v intrigued by lash dye.

its hard to blind yrself but it def hurts when you get impatient with it. before i started using it i never put mascara on my bottom lashes and now i realize that although i am naturally brunette my bottom lashes are 1/4 dark and 3/4 blonde. so when the dye goes on its like spiders legs or something. looks good though!

benefit-cool I am near a Sephora and can definitely pull that one off. Thanks sunny! Tho "high beam" sounds kind of intense, like I am bound to fuck up and end up looking like i dunno some raver kid.

noooo....id never recommend anything glittery unless it was some kind of ltd ed mac pigment. its a sheen. a beautiful glowing dewy sheen.

how often do you dye them, sunny? I'm intrigued, mostly because I am lazy and have medium blonde lashes

im lazy about it. i guess you could do it every six weeks? i think thats the lifecycle of an eyelash. When I do do it i always do it twice in the same sitting to really kick in the effect.

i still have not opened my deluxe sample vial of stila shimmer. i am irrationally afraid of it.

do it! remember crescent moon from just above cheekbones to just above eyebrows

then take a photo of yrself because that stuff up your photogenic factor by about a gazillion

BuyMeBeauty.com was recently written up as the cheapest beauty site on the web.

ooo...im going to check it out. i dropped $270 at sephora a few weeks ago on god know what.

and while im bitching about sephora id like to say fuck you to dr brandts pores no more.

wow $270! I don't spend that in a year on makeup hahaha. but I look it. I may look into this eyelash tint stuff, I had no idea what the lifecycle of an eyelash is :D

there was an unintentionally funny profile of dr. brandt (he really exists) in elle earlier this year. he splits his time between a florida and a new york practice and seems to exist on egg whites and fake tanner.

sunny, i started using your lash dye on my brows/lashes at your recommendation like a year ago. definitely a+. i still wear mascara when i'm going out usually because it's more dramatic but you really do see a definite difference. and yeah, it's easy to use guys, i've done it drunk.

What brand of dye are we talking about?

i've done it drunk

haha. youre gold, schef

Is there anything the schef hasn't done drunk? We should have a poll. I can personally vouch for "made bacon", "cleaned house", and several others. A witness may be required.

this is what i use:
http://www.1000hour.com.au/images/1000hr-07-dye-kits-codes.gif

i think this stuff is illegal to sell in the USA?

and I should point out that mixing the blue/black dye with the natural black dye results in some impressive effect

even for green eyed girls like me

it is illegal in the united states but i just went on the internet and ordered it from an australian website. they sent it in a package labeled "CHEMICALS"! it upset my boyfriend for days that he had to sign for a mysterious foreign package labeled "CHEMICALS", so it's like a little bonus.

ha

my mom actually lives about 10 minutes from where they make the 1000hr lash stuff so shes got some order coming at her before her xmas visit.

lol CHEMICALS!!!!

is it useful for people w/ brown eyelashes? will it enhance? or is it rly only good for blondes?

are aussies obsessed w/ eyelashes? i was getting a manicure and this girl came in and gave this whole explanation about how she was from melbourne, asutralia and was visiting new york and had these little bunches of false eyelashes and could they replace them for her? it was like a 10 min explanation to just say 'do you guys do eyelash extensions?'

i feel so not pretty lately. maybe it is the weather today? i have been so exhausted i felt like i needed foundation instead of tinted moisturizer but i've gotten so used to the moisturizer that foundation feels nasty! how to not look ghastly but also not have spackle?! eek.

where in nyc are you ladies finding rimmel products? i have looked at duane reade, cvs, target and walgreens and never found them!!!

walgreens def have rimmel here in the south but its always on the end of an aisle away from the other makeup stuff. rimmel retail marketing people not very hardcore, i guess

And TZA i have dark dark brown eyelashes on the top and the dye makes a HUGE diff. i might be able to talk my mom into bringing some extras for those in need. not so secret santa presents.

^_^

i'm going shopping today! sephora, here i come! also clothes. and shoes. OMG.

the cvs at 17th & park ave south has rimmel stuff.

excellent!

Oh man I think I am getting on board with the eyelash-dying program!

In other news, I scored a pretty cool Anne Klein suit for $23.35 at Filene's on Thursday. Seriously, as best I can tell there is zero reason to ever pay full price for a suit, because if the sale rack at the department store doesn't hook you up, Filene's and Loehmann's will.

so if you do eyelash dying does using clear mascara then give the same effect as regular mascara on undyed eyelashes? i would love to not have black flecks under my eyes by the end of the day!

well it looks like youre wearing mascara all of the time. i dont really understand what you mean by adding the clear mascara. like ally said though real mascarar on top of the dyed lash is pretty incredible.

i meant clear just for shaping/making them look substantiaL? but maybe that is not needed. this sounds fun.

yeah for me personally, i have very curly lashes naturally so i don't worry about the shaping thing (i have literally never used an eyelash curler or had one used on me, and am vaguely scared of them) but i think if you're someone who'd normally curl your lashes or use curling mascara, you might want some clear mascara or brow gel? to hold your shape better post-curling.

also the walgreen's on atlantic and 3rd has rimmel too.

wait, nyc ladies who are interested in trying this lash/brow dye product, just give me a holler and come by and i'll do it for you and you can decide for yourself if you want to purchase. i got a ton of it, the tubes you get really are a lot more than the 12 applications they say it is.

weirdly if you buy $75 AUD worth of this 1000 hr lash biz you get a free hot eyelash curler. kind of like a curling iron for your lashes? ouch.

i actually like my lashes straight. im jealous of the asian chixxors in the regard and many others.

Man now I want eyelash dye but I don't want to order it wtf me. I am all thinking like 'maybe I cld just use the regular stuff.' Bcz I am crazy I guess. I have wanted to dye my eyebrows. I wish I hadn't thrown away all my bottles of developer & shit when I moved. Probably good tho bcz I would be tempted to dye my hair again.

Abbott PLEASE dont use the regular stuff.

I know.

schef, i would love to have an eyelash-dyeing party. i assume that tza and laurel would be likewise interested...?

take at party before and after closeups pls

waht color do you have schef?

i have blue-black and i have dark brown!

we should definitely have this party though! i'm using exclamation points all over this post!

i wanna come. show off my clumping technique.

blue-black sounds great.

When is party? I want in.

whenever works for everyone!!

please to explain "clumping technique"

well its pretty simple. instead of delicately brushing it along your lashes you pick up chunks of it with that poor excuse for a wand and clump it on your lashes until they feel like they weigh a ton. also important is to get it rigth down to your eyelid. yes you'll feel some stingy. the trick is not to let the resulting tears mess up your job.

do you use vaseline, schef?

i haven't recently, because i am lazy, though it seems like clumping it would require the vaseline...?

HELLO my e.l.f. stash just arrived and even if the quality is not great, it's like three Christmases to open a box and have two dozen bits of goodies in it! I have so many lip glosses to try, suddenly....

yeah i always use vaseline because i get the dye everywhere (xp)

So someone should bring the Vaseline, I guess. And the eye drops, for afterward. And the Valium.

Lash dying frightens me.

Laurel, report back on the e.l.f. quality.

I have a feeling the lip gloss is going to be fine; the pressed powder/foundation, probably not so much. Will report.

i'll bring vaseline, i have a ginormous tub of it, for tattoos.

If you have some blonde lashes and some brown lashes, what should you do?

Dye dye dye?

yes!

Okay, help me, I Love Style -- you're my only hope.

I got a pot of silver and dark grey cream shadow yesterday. Now...how do I use that to pull off the smoky eye? I'm a reasonable hand with eyeliner but I go for cat-eyes with no blending, so this grey thing is new to me. Instructions? Suggestions?

i would apply black liner, then apply the shadow, then reapply the liner and maybe smudge it up a bit.

a tiny bit of liner on the lower lash line is good, too, but you really have to watch that it doesn't end up all down your face.

lots of mascara, too.

i nearly bought the bare minerals smoky eye kit @ sephora yesterday but then i thought it would be too drastic and all of their shadows seem to have too much sparkle.

and another thing! you might want to add some powder over the cream shadow to prevent creasing/smearing.

we should play around with this stuff on saturday.

I've used my fingertips for powder shadow application ever since I got a makeover at the Lancome counter and the make-up guy did, but the cream needs a brush. Fortunately I have a whole set of brushes that I never use!

Re creasing: I put the stuff on at probably 8.30am, now it's 10 and the dark color along my lash line has completely disappeared and/or gone into a crease. The silver on the whole lid seems fine. Grr. Argh.

laurel you might need some MAC eye primer BUT i find covergirl concealer does the same job.

Lauren are you talking liquid liner both layers, pencil both layers, or liquid then pencil?

pencil liner both layers, usually, although you could do liquid on top of the shadows/pencil.

since smoky eyes are supposed to be artfully messy, you need the blendability of a pencil liner, i think.

ooh i don't like using cream shadows, they always make a big mess. i've stuck to stila powders for years and years and i will not branch out.

i just do smoky eye all with my powders, i was doing brown for a while instead of grey though (i also just use powder with an eye liner brush as eye liner etc etc -- i think i'm just inept at anything besides kohl pencil and powder). it seemed more "summery" whatever that means.

i don't remember what thread it was on, but someone (sunny??) was asking what lip gloss blair wears on gg. it's one of givenchy's pop glosses.

ooo...thanks!

i can't stand cream eye shadow! it makes me feel greasy and gross. seconding stila - i only have 1 of their shadows but i really like it and have received compliments on it - which is weird, because it's eye shadow!

I've used my fingertips for powder shadow application ever since I got a makeover at the Lancome counter and the make-up guy did, but the cream needs a brush. Fortunately I have a whole set of brushes that I never use!

Hmm, I do the exact opposite. I should probably have a pro show me how to put stuff on.

People, you must invest in the Urban Decay Primer Potion. One of the best cosmetics investments you can make.

i've been stuck on brushes for some time now. i lol at the days when i used to just use that little foam sponge applicator thing that came in the shadow compact (though a lot of shadows come solo w/ no tool these days). i left my brushes at home by accident and the past few days of finger and/or q-tip application have been somewhat trying.

i have been using the primer potion at the recommendation of lots of chilxors, but i have to say i haven't been blown away by it! i feel like some days it works better than others, which is kind of odd.

I think you have to use a light hand otherwise it might crease itself. Overall I love it, my shadow lasts all day.

yeah, you really have to apply it lightly. using the wand gives you too much, and like s. says, you can get creasing and dryness. i smear a little bit from the wand on to a q-tip to apply.

i always apply cream shadows with my finger, and although i try to use my brushes i usually end up applying the powder shadows that way as well (unless i'm doing something really ambitious, which is like never). the problem with the latter is that you (or i, anyway) end up transferring oil from your fingers to the shadow over time, and it kind of screws up the texture. i periodically scrape the top layer of my powder shadows because of this, but just using a brush would be the best thing.

People who use brushes: do you clean one color out before you use a different one? Do you have multiple brushes for your colors? This seems like the part where it all breaks down for me.

i pretty much only use one color most of the time and any accent color is applied with a different brush. i like to clean them regularly, though. i gave up foundation brush because i felt like i was never getting it clean enough and it freaked me out. i've not used a brush for cream shadow because i avoid cream shadows like the plague. maybe fingers is the way to go there. it seems it would be messy!

even though i have at least half a dozen eyeshadow brushes (thanks to an old friend who used to work as pr for a cosmetic co.), i still wash after every use. the brushes just get too mucky otherwise. it's not that much of a hassle, though - a tiny dab of liquid hand soap ; lather; rinse til the water is clear. squeeze out excess water with a tissue, then kind of fluff back to the normal shape. they dry pretty fast.

I usually just flick the powder out and then wash them once a week. lazy.

Yeah me too.

People, you must invest in the Urban Decay Primer Potion. One of the best cosmetics investments you can make.

― Our DJ's better than all these bands (Susan), Wednesday, October 1, 2008 7:40 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

A saleswoman at sephora tried to talk me into this but she had talked me into so much stuff already i was already deep in buyers remorse.

LADIES - I lash dyed last night.

OMG and? I am v excited to do this on Sat. I'll have you all know I even bought glassware so I could serve more than two people at once (we're perpetually short of dishes).

i took some cellphone pics. will post momentarily. (No before shots unfortunately)

OMG my work has block ALL photosharingsites. WTF!!!!!!!

ok. here we go. Not the greatest photos ever but this is day after dying and without and makeup.

http://diamondstate.us/katharine/lash.jpg

http://diamondstate.us/katharine/lash2.jpg

i guess i didnt really highlight the top lashes in those angles

lol at eyes still bloodshot 18 hrs later.

We have so much to look forward to! Can't see the upper, no, but the lower ones look good; all the color but none of the clumping. So excited, guise.

that was supposed to be "without ANY makeup" at the top of those photos. You guys should totally take mid process photos

althought they may be used against you in a court of law

BLACKMARKET LASH DYE

Well since SOMEONE invited ALLY, I expect there'll be a metric ton of photos. Never fear.

well i never.

Hello, Snap-Happy. :D

i've switched to rimmel (glam lash is my choice). easily the best i've used in a long time.

― the schef (adam schefter ha ha), Monday, September 22, 2008 2:22 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

i also found glam lash at walmart with free kohl pencil.

I am astounded at this Rimmel love. I thought it was the worst mascara I ever used! I had the black and blue tube though - maybe I should try to black and pink.

i thought the one i had (red tube) was really good, but good lord was i allergic to it!

I like the black and pink and the black and red.

black and red (magnif'eyes or some such nonsense) is my favorite mascara, and i've tried to dye my lashes without great effect. so might not work that well for people with dark-ish hair?

i think the lash-dyeing is only effective for light lashes. laurel's blond lashes look totally different, but the dye had zero effect on mine. it was fun, though!

i keep trying to convince myself they are darker but i think it is psychological. maybe the lower ones are more pronounced? it was fun! so i'm not too upset.

How long does the dye last?

i think a month-6 weeks?

1000 HRS!

I LOVE IT. I look like a normal person, which is to say, someone with eyelashes. I also did my brows which I can now see prob need some shaping (when they're blonde it doesn't matter!). I'm sold, I will buy this dye and use it on the reg.

photos pls!

Are there any decent drugstore foundations?

I am thankful that I have pretty decent skin, but after a few years of trying various foundations I finally went back to CoverGirl's plain glass bottle formula and I love the stuff. I put Smashbox primer on underneath and it looks as good as any foundation ever has on my skin.

I might look into that. I think Allure said AquaSmooth was good but I'll saw was the powder-to-wet kind which I'm wary of. I want to use a primer as soon is it cools down. I was thinking Smashbox although someone told me Laura Mercier was better.

i'm interested in make-up forever's new high-def colored primers. they come in green, blue, yellow, etc to correct various imperfections, and they're also supposed to control oil and make skin look smoother. if they do work, then i think one of those would be sufficient on its own without foundation.

i have the hd foundation now - it's actually way less heavy than you'd expect, and does not look too cakey. hmm maybe i should stop and get a primer sample? i used to have one of their primers (in a white tube) but it was not particularly good at oil control.

I use L'Oreal's Infallible Make-Up as foundation and/or spot concealer, it's SPF 18 and has good coverage -- it covers up redness better than the other things I've tried in the last couple of years.

oh sephora gave me a travel size DDF ultra-lite oil-free moisturizing dew (lol @ that name) for my 100 points last time and it is nice! almost feels like a primer and wears really well under makeup. i still use a cream at night, but this is good for mornings.

i got a sample of the balm's stainiac, which is their version of benetint (their packaging and overall aesthetic really rips off benefit, btw). it's great! while i love b-tint and never had any issues with streaking or application, the gel is just easier to deal with, and it's half the price. rah!

ooooo...that stuff looks good. which color did you get?

also, has anyone tried any of these new mascaras with eyelash extensions? is it for real?

i got beauty queen, i think? it's the reddest one, most similar to benetint.

I got a massive box (25 items) of E.L.F. cosmetic brushes and such last night.. they're pretty good! One brush was a little wonky though because the glue that held the top piece to the handle came apart.. but I made it hold tightly by putting a piece of kleenex in. Very impressed with having all these fancy brushes to put eyeshadow on with!

i also am interested in this eye-lash extending mascara. it seems like it makes no sense!

right. "...extensions wash off in warm water..." what? there are really extensions??

is that the one w/ the spiraly weirdness on the commercials?

i got that tubes mascara crap on a whim the other day bc i was in the drug store and needed mascara. it is WEIRD. i don't think it looks particularly good - long lashes, but not very thick (individual lashes not separated/fluffed enough). the washing off is bizarre... it kind of slides off instead of dissolving, so i ended up with little black shreds all over my sink. kind of gross.

which brand is it, tza?

l'oreal double extend - red and white tube

i got maybellines XXL extensions microfiber mascara. seems pretty much the same minus the tubes - def longer but not thicker

Can anyone recommend an eyeshadow primer other than Urban Decay's? I love it and definitely plan to buy it again but really can't justify spending $18 on it now. If there was something cheaper that worked even half as well I would be happy.

almay makes one, but i haven't been able to find it in stores. it's available from drugstore.com, though.

mac make one but i imagine it would be in the same price range

I'll check out the Almay one. I should just bite the bullet as I get a lot of usage out of UD. But I'm holding out for a Sephora giftcard for birthday/xmas.

too-faced make one that's like, $2 less than UD. not much of a savings.

smashbox o-gloss: new favorite thing!

Throwing out make-up. . .How often do you do this? It occurred to me this morning that much of my eyeshadow is at least a year old. But there's so much left! I'd have to spend so much to replace them.

Susan - Loreal do a primer too which I believe is called Decrease and is pretty good.

http://www.allyou.com/your-self/beauty/redesign-beauty-whentocanit-0001017/index.html

why should you get rid of foundation after 6 months? i think that's less a hygiene thing and more performance-related.

http://ellegirl.elle.com/beauty/teen_beauty_tips/content/when_to_throw_out_makeup.html

this one gives eye shadow 2 years.

Yeah I'm thinking shadows might be more of a performance thing. Unless you apply them wet. That would surely encourage bacteria growth. I have a general idea of when you should throw them out I just don't do it. Wondered if I was just nasty or something. . .

ENBB, I'll look into Loreal. I cut my UD in half and am getting a litte more mileage out of it.

oh i need to do that! mine's dying. how do you keep it from drying out once you cut the tube?

I only cut it halfway so I can close it back and then keep it in a ziploc bag. Not perfect but gives me a little more time.

really though, that lip gloss is amazing (the o-gloss). it is like their gel rouge that is supposed to adapt color, so you end up with perfectly pink lips that look like they have a clear shine over them, not some weird sticky pink gloss. also seems to be v conditioning!

god id have to throw out 90% of my makeup if i went by those time lines. there's no way i'm giving up my limited edition MAC pigments. you'll have to pry them from my cold dead hands.

somebody teach me about mac. i was in their store a few weeks ago and it was a little overwhelming and the colors were so bright. how do you choose stuff that does not make you look clowny? i don't trust their sales people, who are usually queens.

i do, however, love the eyeliner of theirs i've been using a few years: powerpoint pencil in bordeauxline <3

When I cut my UDPP in 1/2 I got like twice as much out of it and stored it in a little plastic pot I had. I swear I got at least 4 months worth after scooping out the bits the wand wouldn't reach. It was incredible. I'm also too poor atm to justify the UDPP so just got the Loreal stuff and think it's a pretty good substitute in a pinch.

i don't trust their sales people, who are usually queens.

this is true even in arkansas

TZA MAC is very evening for me. A cooler person could pull off a bright pigment in the day time but that person isn't me.

Have you ever looked at MAC on Ebay. Shit is crazy. People run out and buy up all of the ltmd edition stuff then split the contents of the 7.5g MAC jars into smaller .5g jars like its cocaine or something.

actually now i look it doesn't look like anyone is doing that on eBay anymore. maybe they got stopped for health reasons.

ok that is just nuts!

The only MAC I have is a tinted lip conditioner. It's like a light lipstick, really nice. But it's almost out and apparently not made anymore. :(

mac stuff does tend to be super-bright, which is why i like it, although the neutral/bronze-y shadow (patina) and soft brownish-rose gloss (spite) i'm wearing today are both from there and are pretty understated.

Lauren I think we've talked about Patina before - it's AWESOME. It's probably the eyeshadow I wear most often!!

I love MAC shadows. I honestly think they're the best out there. I bought their 15 pan empty palatte and buy the pan shadows that fit in it rather than the pots. They're cheaper and it's more portable. Some good neutral-ish basics are:

Shroom - light off white highlight color
Patina (YAY) - as above
Sable - brown with sort of purpleish undertones
Woodwinked - gold
Shale - v wearable purple
Satin Tape - Taupe brown with silvery undertones

I may be one of the few people out there that does not like the Lipglass. I do however love the Tendertones lipblams have have been wearing Pucker a lot lately.

I am running low on most of these.

SS I think e-bay did stop that pigment selling stuff. I actually bought some of the .5 gm jars a long time ago from ebay since the pigment jars are huge and I'd never use a whole one. I think I still have them all and that was well over a year ago.

shale is great. i also wear satellite dreams a lot, which is a brighter, more plummy purple. but in general, i guess most of my mac stuff is kind of loud. some eyeshadow colors i have: frosty lime green, dark metallic gold, bright turquoise, bright true blue, metallic forest green, metallic silver, matte almost-black, etc. plus metallic purple and navy eyeliners. the trick is to find stuff that works with your complexion, and then don't wear anything else too strong with it.

really though, that lip gloss is amazing (the o-gloss). it is like their gel rouge that is supposed to adapt color, so you end up with perfectly pink lips that look like they have a clear shine over them, not some weird sticky pink gloss. also seems to be v conditioning!

― ;n_n; (tehresa)

tza, tell me where i find this? this is basically the kind of gloss i am looking for!

advice: i wear barely any makeup since i am lazy, but i do use a light bronzer every day to even out my skin. it's just a NZ$20 cheapie, but i'll need a replacement soon. any recommendations? it has to be pretty light, as i hate the fake-tanned look.

Have you tried a tinted moisturizer?

RR:

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P202004&cm_mmc=us_search-_-GoogleBase-_-P202004-_-1057959&_requestid=42976&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1057959

No recs on the bronzer - sorry!

RR they also make O Glow which does the same gel color adapting thing on your cheeks

i want to go take photos of all my mac pigments now

yeah but i prefer dry application - not real keen on rubbing stuff into my face. my bronzer is idiot-proof: super quick to apply, and it never looks uneven or streaky or weird.

i finally started using my sample of stila all-over shimmer. i really like it so far, although i barely put any on - just some in c-shape around the cheekbones/temples as directed by sunny. it seems to give a nice boost.

The boy gave me a nice diamond pendant for my birthday but I was thinking "damn, I already had that Sephora gift card spent. . ."

xmas. . .$200 sephora gift card. :D What will I get, what will I get.

I just spent my MAC gift card on 6 pan eyeshadows for my pallet. I'm already in "house clothes" mode but might have to do makeup now just to try them out.

Also, I bought the O Gloss a couple weeks ago and LOVE it.

I have been curious about the O gloss. . .so the custom color bit works out well?

i like benefit stuff usually but i can tell you now that firmology does nothing but make your skin pink.

in an iridescent way.

i have the o-gloss and it looks pretty bad on me so im not sure about the custom color claim. i have o-glow too which looks ok. probably wont buy again.

guys im so in love with MACs face primer. The 50+ SPF one is a little thicker and yr skin looks a little less glowy but if youre putting foundation over it its actually a little better than the original. no foundation - the original looks better IMO. both so great though.

also ive finally found a foundation that works for me (MAC too btw). it only took until my 30s.

I might buy the O-gloss off ebay to save some $ in case I hate it.

So primer gets thumbs up? I almost got the Smashbox color correcting version (I get red and blotchy as the day goes on.), but backed off. I'm loathe to pile more stuff on my face and worry about the heat humidity here making it slide off.

Lately I've just been using tinted moisturizer. I got one at Sephora this weekend which the "skincare expert" claimed would work like a primer while also providing SPF and color correction. I'll see how it goes this week (It was $35 so it better go well. . .)

Other purchases: perfume, Metro Chic polish (love), dry shampoo and Fekkai glossing cream, more primer potion (the almay stuff did not work.) I need to write UD though about that shitty bottle). They gave me samples of DDF sulfur mask and Boscia cleanser and toner. I'd like to get the mask as I know it's great for breakouts. But, damn, it's stinky. Don't know if I can get over that.

Ooooooh I too love the Metro Chic polish.

So I wrote Urban Decay about the crappy potion primer bottle and got this reply:

We are working on the Primer Potion packaging problem and have been since we first started hearing about this. Getting a new package in the works is the #1 priority here right now, and you can expect to see a repackaging of the Primer Potion that allows you to get as much out as possible. It probably won’t be in a pot (it would dry out too fast that way), but it may be in a tube or a re-engineered vial. We can’t say yet what it is because we are exploring several options, but we plan to get it out as soon as we can. If you are interested, we will let you know what we decide to do, and when it will come out. If you’d like to throw in your two cents about what you want, please go for it, but do it soon. If you don’t ask, we won’t know, and we will definitely be taking our customers’ ideas into account.

In the meantime, don’t feel compelled to cut open your Primer Potion. We did some experimentation and found that with some banging on a hard surface, you can get most of the product out. Just hold it lid-side down, and give it a couple of good whacks each time you need more Potion. Although that’s not ideal, you’ll definitely get significantly more product out.

--

Also you guys might know this but I just read it yesterday: HELLO KITTY MAC LINE!

Hmmmm - I don't think any amount of banging on that little tube will get out the amount of product I discovered when I cut it open! Good that they're working on new packaging though.

oh lord!

susan, if that tinted moisturizer is not good, take it back! i have returned foundation i hated there before. no need to waste $35.

i am also scared of putting too much on my face (i feel like i already do) but i also feel like my skin is really dull/wintery lately. what is a good brightening foundation that does not make you look like you rolled around in a pile of glitter?

that does not make you look like you rolled around in a pile of glitter? should be added on to the end of every make up question.

i cant see that hello kitty line on MAC yet

Here's some photos of the MAC stuff

Oh I will definitely take that tinted moisturizer back if I don't like it. So far it's doing well except it's not helping the redness/blotchiness. Which is what I really want. A color correcting primer + foundation might be my only option for that but I really hate to go so heavy.

primer doesnt have to be heavy and you dont need to use foundation with it. i usually dont

Yeah I was wondering if primer would be effective just over tinted moisturizer. I just really don't want to pile foundation on top of those. When I go back I'm going to ask for a sample of the smashbox one. What brand do you use Sunny?

i use mac (normal face primer and the 50+ SPF one). i have used the orange smashbox one and it was fine. mac just works better for my skin. smashbox are the only color correcting primers i know of though. i guess green conteracts red, right?

also, ive never seen, or even thought of, a brush holder before:

http://www.temptalia.com/images/maccosmetics/media_hello008.jpg

oh the thing i really like about smashbox primer is that it makes your skin feel weirdly velvety.

I am at the point where I need to cut my UD primer tube open as well - but glad to hear that they may do something less stupid next time!

My Grandma bought me a set of LAncome brushes for Christmas and the one for pressed powder is so soft and luxurious, I feel like I am rubbing a newborn's head against my cheek. BLISS. creepy bliss, that is.

I love that velvety sensation too sunny!

The Chanel tinted moisturizer is really nice and worth the $$$. Also the hydrating serum is probably the best product I've ever used on my face in my life.

hydramax?

Yeah! That stuff is the most A+ ever.

cool. i might try it. im sick of olay shite.

Hey, yeah, I threw Olay over just about a month ago. Hydramax is great because you only have to use a little, little bit and it lasts forever.

anyone have good suggestions on eye cream? Over the holidays I realized what horrible undereye bags my mother and aunt have and am terrified they are also in my future.

I don't have a suggestion for that, but I am in the market for an eye cream, too.

I do know that Benefit makes this under-eye concealer called eye-con that, over time, makes your undereye area actually brighter even when you're not wearing it.

Sunny, they'll give you a sample of Hydramax. Actually, they'll give you a sample of anything that's not powder, and it always comes in a tiny little Chanel pot. I love those.

nice!

What is "mineral" foundation? I just bought some from Neutrogena. Also, my sis gave me Boots eyeshadow mousse in lavender, which seems to last.

i think it's just meant to be all-natural -- i've never tried one because i've been told they are heavier.

neutrogena offers a liquid version tho, which i've never seen advertised as mineral make-up before -- they used to (maybe still do?) have that copper-based make-up, i wonder if this is a retread of that?

The mineral powder foundation I tried (Bare Essentials?) made my skin look really bad. It just highlighted all the bumps on my face.

I got the O-Gloss yesterday. The color seems okay to me but I really like the staying power. I usually use stains - Benetint, Stila Convertible Color or Lip Envy - but unfortunately they don't seem very staining.

Hey, the mineral foundation I have is virtually unused if anyone wants to trade me something for it. Not sure if trading make-up is considered gross but I imagine things like powder and hair products are safe. Does it clean up lip products to wipe them down with alcohol?

not sure how much it cleans them but that is what i've always been told to do when testing things in places like sephora or dept. stores.

This seems like a good place to promote a website started by a friend of mine for people to compare/discuss/recommend skin care products:

http://www.beautystat.com/

The guy who started this has been working in the cosmetics industry for something like 20 years now; it's not really my bag but maybe y'all will find it interesting/worthwhile?

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/style/beauty/beauty-blog/Ramy-eyebrows-tweezing?src=rss

BREAKING NEWS STORY

seriously what is this

Frozen yogurt is her weakness? Yeah I'm sure she's a giant fattie.

I picked up a cosmo the other day for the first time in years. I really don't remember that magazine being so stupid.

the O-gloss sounds a bit bs-ish

The first intuitive lip gloss, this innovative formula goes on clear and then reacts with your personal skin chemistry to instantly transform into your own custom shade of pink. O-GLOSS is packed with our exclusive microcirculating Goji Berry-C Complex™(...)

still want to try it tho

I'm really liking the O-Gloss. I could see the color being too pinkish for some but it works out well for me. Like I think I said above, what I love the most is its staying power and un-stickiness. Big thumbs up.

Also have decided Smashbox's tinted moisturizer is mine for good.

Does anyone use any DDF or Boscia skincare products? Worth the money?

i have a DDF moisturizer and its so globby and sticky and heavy that i washed it off 5 minutes after putting it on and never used it again.

OK ladies I need recs for moisturizers and pref something I can find at CVS as I have some extra bucks I want to use. Has anyone used any of the higher end stuff they sell there - La Roche or Vichy? Any good? I am open to all suggestions though. Would prefer something anti-aging. I have separate sunscreen so it doesn't need to include SPF. THanks!!

i'm really liking La Roche-Posay's toleraine fluide moisturiser. and i have v v sensitive skin. i had tried the toleraine riche but it was too riche... this is pretty good and feels very light yet actually moisturizes! and isn't totally full of weird stuff. i think it might be my fave moisturizer ever except for estée lauder's idealist, which is $$ and has a slight perfume to it and might not even exist anymore

i bought mac blush 'dollymix' (briight pink) - now i own a total of two blushes! i love blush now. not as much as mascara, but close.
and i bought mac technakohl liner in 'graphblack'

i think this is happening partly b/c on new year's i half-jokingly referred to 2009 as my 'year of feelings. and glamour' - it is all coming truuue!

i just bought mac penultimate liner which is the best liquid pen liner ive ever tried. also a pigment that reflects 'antique gold'. nice.

what is the technakohl like, robyn?

antique gold, ooh

the technakohl is great - glides on beautifully, very black, maintains black colour when purposely smudged (doesn't go blue or whatever like some eyelines) - and whoa, stays on - definitely need makeup remover to get it off.

the blush seems to be fooling everyone into thinking i get enough sleep and am at one with the universe

Yeah, I really need an eye cream. I look like Mick Mars.

Somebody please tell me what nail polish Beyonce was wearing on the ball tonight. Must have. . .

what did it look like? just curious

can't find any pictures. This fierce, shiny silver.

hi there -- i just got some lipstuff called WetSlicks

it's not awful.

cover girl, right? what is it like? i want a new set of everything, esp new foundation.

yeah CG -- it's kind of pasty (like not goopy), smooth and shimmery. not bad for the price.

i want a new set of everything too! but i'll come clean: i've stopped wearing powder/blush for the time being. it was clogging my pores too much. now just moisturizer, concealer and eye stuff.

is wetslicks the little squeeze tube gloss? I have some of that, it's the only stuff I can stand! I still swear by my CG outlast lipstick though
I have been wearing blush this week and feel I look so healthy!

pasty is not ideal to me. i like a sheer stick but it's hard to find one that will last longer than 5 min :(

well it IS sheer -- i just mean it's not like gross, you know? it doesn't go on like cheap sticky gloss.

i know glosses are rly tricky

PS ya it is the one in the tube, finefine

So I won $100 today and I'm going to stop by Macy's after work. I want to get one nice cosmetic item around $30 but can't make up my mind what. Anyone really like any benefit products they're recommend?

has anyone tried benefit's erase paste? any good?

That's what I bought! I also got suckered into buying this blush:

http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/gp/product/B001L1OGWU/sr=1-2/qid=1234488613/ref=sr_1_2/184-6410987-5563141?ie=UTF8&n=164982011&bcBrand=core

Will report back on both.

What is erase paste? explain pls.

The only benefit I use is Benetint, mostly as a blush, occasionally lips. I want to try Tarte cheek stain though.

Lately I've been using a "deluxe" sample of Photofinish deciding whether or not I want to buy a primer. It's okay. I think it makes my skin look a bit smoother and I don't have to use any powder. Also (wait, it's Benefit!) Eye Brightener. That's pretty awesome. Mostly b/c it's a big pink crayon I get to mark on my face with.

i was looking for an under eye concealer and found a make up artist reviewing another product but recommending erase paste as not falling into lines etc

im going to look into this eye brightener biz

i also badly want the MAC hello kitty brushes + holder but $50...ugh. i dont know.

hmmmmmm

oh btw fyi when i said i want new everything i lied bc i still <3 nars orgasm blush

sounds like i need me some erase paste, brightener and Benetint. oy, one day. til then i get to pull off the tired but sexy, ashy look ;)

i am also a fan of benefit eye bright instant health stick.

ooo...i also want to try oscar blandi root touch up/highlighter pen

woah that sounds scary.

i think it just covers (doesnt dye). i THINK.

Have not used at home yet but the benefit blush I got and linked to above is pretty much exactly like Orgasm with a little less sparkle. The amount of sparkle in Orgasm is the only thing that I less than love about it.

oh no, i just rubbed my eyes and i forgot i was wearing eye stuff

could be worse, the eyeliner is white.

ooh and i got some mascara in royal blue, which is so fun in the morning

i srsly still think that my discovery of blush has made me a better person

rrrobyn, i bought that mac blush you mentioned upthread. i made the guy try it on me first because it looks so pink in the packaging. as soon as he put it on i blurted out 'oh my god! i look like im alive!'

hahahaha

oh no, i just rubbed my eyes and i forgot i was wearing eye stuff

― Surmounter, Friday, February 13, 2009 3:45 AM (8 hours ago)

I do this all the time. One of the reasons I don't like wearing eye make-up. Shit is itchy.

The only benefit I use is Benetint, mostly as a blush, occasionally lips. I want to try Tarte cheek stain though.

This is the exact switch I made; I love the peachy shade of Tarte.

I accidentally got addicted to that stupid AmazeMint covergirl lipgloss with Crest in it.

tarte cheek stain made me break out
it was kinda...gummy? i thought it was the best shit ever at first, then i noticed a sad blush-area constellation of red bumps and had to discontinue immediately

aw u_u

i never break out on that part of my face for some reason

only places the phone touches

I needed a replacement for Chanel's Instant Lash mascara which I've used for like 15 years but has been discontinued and a Dior saleslady convinced me to try DiorShow Blackout, claiming it would give me big 80s style lashes, which I dig, and it would be super dark black. It's a rip-off. It's not inky black and the formula is pretty thin. I liked the look of the giant brush but overall, I wasted 30 bucks on it. I'm not sure where to turn now. I haven't had to try any new mascaras for a long time. I did try Chanel Exceptionel (sp?) and it's ok, but not great.

Good stuff for puffy eyes: Clarins eye contour gel. This stuff actually works! It tones down the puffiness and darkness underneath and makes you look refreshed and years younger.

Deep creases around the eyes: LiftFusion Transdermal Eye Lift and LiftFusion Triple Threat Wand. Both worked wonders on the wrinkles around my eyes which were so deep. The former is more expensive and works better, but the latter is a lighter formula which might work better for some. The eye lift might not be the best bet for sensitive skin as it produces a tingling sensation as it starts to work. I have the hide of a rhinoceros so nothing fazes me. :) In either case, the effects are almost immediate.

Clarins eye contour gel. This stuff actually works! It tones down the puffiness and darkness underneath and makes you look refreshed and years younger.

This is now on my shopping list. I fear the bags all the women in my family carry and wonder if an eye lift could be in my future.

I've never used anything but drug-store brand mascaras. Is there really much of a difference. I still sing the praises of Rimmel. What I love most about theirs is how each one has a different brush. Also want to try that new Stilleto (is it Loreal? Maybelline?)

Blush! I'm stuck here. I'm almost out of my benetint, which I like, but want to try something else. the breaking out possibility of Tarte is making me second-guess also many reviewers complain about their hair getting stuck in it (!). I've used Urban Decay Lip Envy on cheeks before and I imagine the consistency is similar to Tarte. it was alright.

Nars Orgasm? Since everyone else has, you know, over it I'd love to try it. But my acne-prone skin puts my off on powder blush and I hear it's shimmery. Shimmer is the main reason mineral foundation didn't work for me. It just seems to highlight any bump on my face.

uh yeah if that clarins does what you say it does i am half tempted to not care about the cost.

Bought the benefit erase paste. Still doesn't beat the old covergirl concealor

oh and i totally hate the dior show black out, too! luckily i just had a sample tube and didn't spend $ on it.

my aunt always gets clarins. she always gets those eye creams on sale at marshall's, for like real cheap.

still rep for the badescu hyaluronic eye cream at night but i was using ceramide eye gel in am and it does not really de-puff.

my problem with nightcreams is that unlike you, t, i can't put too much moisturizing creams on w/ out breaking out (you don't have this problem, right?). i really need something that nourishes without clogging my pores which i don't know that this exists.

I think the answer to combination skin is to nourish from the inside and dry up the outside, or at least this is my approach. More water water water to drink, more fish, more healthy fats and stuff, nuts and seeds, good oils in the diet -- and then treat the skin for acne and just barely moisturize enough and keep exfoliating.

i think i am going to have to get this clarins eye gel soon. i figured my big black undereye bags were the result of sleeplessness and a bad diet and stress and not enough water, but all those things have vastly improved in the last 8 months and the eye bags have not diminished at all.

re: mascara, if you're looking for big 80s style lashes which is basically what i'm into, try cover girl lash blast. it's not 100% perfect but it's pretty good, doesn't smudge, comes in a black-black as well as shimmery blacks, bulks up lashes pretty quickly, and it only costs like $5 so if you hate it no big loss.

I have been using this Lancome mascara that my grandma bought me (got some gift card & decided to splurge on me, yay!) and it made my lashes so long that yesterday a few of them kept hitting the inside of my glasses lens! very distracting.

everyone should listen to Surm, wetslicks is the best gloss in the world.

it really is, i've become addicted

I get incredible colour* out of my Cover Girl outlast lpistick so I don't really use the gloss much but mmmm I want some now. Mine is strawberry!

*I had a dinner party last week and my friend said she'd "obsessed" over her lipstick because "Alexis always has the best lips" and I think that's the best comment about me in 2009!

i got some rimmel mascara today with a weird curvy brush why bc it look intersting. will see how it goes.

do they sell calrins @ macys? i have a gift card and i might just go after work. i feel like my diet and exercise have improved a lot in the past few months, but my stress and not sleeping have kind of canceled that out, so i need all the help i can get!

surm, i generally do not break out from moisturizers. the only time i tend to have blemishes is around my period (the one reason i miss being on birth control), but i have noticed that my skin has been a bit oilier this winter than last on basically the same care regimine. not sure why that is... my pores seem a little more clogged but not blemishy right now. should i get a facial?

Thanks for the tip on the Cover Girl Lash Blast. I'm going to give it a whirl. And yes, the larger Macy's sell Clarins. I've been using the eye gel since last summer and I tell you, when I forget to use it, people ask me if I'm sick or was I up all night. Ugh.

i got cover girl lash blast (i got the "luxe" kind in black emerald) thanks to ally's recommendation here and yeah, it works great

not feeling this rimmel curve stuff

those curve things confuse me, i end up poking myself

got a papaya wetclicks on surmounters recommendation, lovin it

soon my makeup bag is going to be all ilx haw

I got the lasblast too because I like big 80s lashes like Allys said and so far I really like it.

SS - I am liking the erase past but only for undereye area. Am still using CG stick concealer on any other blemishes etc.

this clarins stuff seems pretty great, but i hope i am just not imagining that bc it was $$$$.

wetCLICKS lol, i mean wetslicks obv

any ladies like bare minerals? i have some never-opened "warmth" and foundation in "light" if anyone wants it. no way i will ever be dark enough to use this stuff. i will send it to you if you want it!

you will never be dark enough to use light!!

she a fair girl ;)

glad u liked the wetslicks!

i have to say, bare minerals always looks really good on my girlfriends. very smooth.

i think i might buy this clarins contour gel, too. i don't even know if my eyes always looked like this but it is an emergency situation.

it looksl ike crap on me (the bare minerals). just found the box for the starter kit with those two in it...

i had to use fair. i think even fairly light was too dark?

guava splash wetslicks lip gloss is nothing short of amazing

that's the kind i just got!!!

HA!

I forgot about this thread/board. . .

I'm going to get some wetslicks although I'm sure I used it years ago and did like the stickiness. Can someone describe the sticky factor and staying power?

Reposted from ILE:
thought this might be the thread to ask about............ eyelash perming.
Sounds mental but my eyelashes are pretty long but dead straight, even drooping down at the outer corners which makes me look half asleep. I curl them with metal curlers that I heat up with a hairdryer for a few seconds but this doesn't last very long.

Anyone tried eyelash perming? If I could just get them to curl up 90 degrees I'd be happy!

ppl worry about the weirdest things

i just bought a lipstick i love: yves st laurent rouge pur opium red. it costs more than a lipstick should cost, but guys it's awesome!

i had no idea eyelash perming was a thing.

susan i didn't see your question!

WETSLICKS staying power is pretty good, and it's not a gross stickiness at all. feels very clean, and not gunky.

much better than the neutrogena one, IMO

lol that lohan launched her own self tanner?!

http://mtblog.allure.com/beauty/blogs/reporter/lohantan_main.jpg

lol yesss, and it's like, why would anyone want to look like her tan?

guys i have a new product. it's called Clinique City Block Sheer Shimmer with SPF15 in Golden. it's like a lightweight foundation/tinted moisturizer

I had that one but I feel like it had a lot of sparkle. It was too much for daytime use for me but I feel like you could probably rock that.

man i want to try that

girl, you know i can deal with the sparkle

<3!

after all my bitching upthread i somehow bought more bare minerals (in fair, lol) the other day because it was $17 cheaper than the foundation i'd run out of (makeup forever hd stuff - amazing!) and now i am like uh why did i do that? i think it was bc my friend was here and her skin looked great and she was using it (also super white like me... maybe whiter). but now i am having buyer's remorse.

also that clarins eye stuff... i feel like after the first few uses, it did nothing? maybe you get used to it?

i think i am allergic to this shit!!!

Ugh that sucks. Sorry Tza. I didn't like it much either. I've pretty much given up on foundation anyway. I don't really need it. I can cover what needs to be covered with a little concealer. I am, however, taking recs for a good pressed powder.

i remember not liking it before but i think i was just fooled by my friend's skin looking good. but damn. itchy! bumpy! and a little burny!!! :(

i returned that stuff but my face still has these unsightly tiny little bumps that i can't get to go away!! any products good for calming a bad skin reaction? it looks horrible. i feel like a teenager!

i got ;this today. curious to see if it actually works! i used to use the smart shade. i am intrigued by the 'balancing' claim here. needed something a little lighter for summer. actually lately i am just using concealer and finishing with powder bc it is too hot/greasy for foundation.

have yall tried this crazy thing or similar!

http://img.delivery.net/cm50content/18607/17339/product-1.jpg

the fuck is that

it's not one o those ones that vibrates is it?

what the

no its just a spherical applicator apparently. supposedly it makes shit easier

i fear change

i don't get it

at all

Almay line smoothing undereye concealer is fucking amazing

followed by a touch of undereye gel apoiajsdpfojapsoifajpofijapsofjapsfoijaspofjdsfasfasdfas hello sunshine

i love this Hard Candy concealer palette. cute little brush attached. mine came with different, lighter colors on the right side:

http://s4.hubimg.com/u/2185703_f260.jpg

that is intense

I love that it's called "Nobody's Perfect," too.

love that

but yea who's wearing concealer that orange

that is what's wrong with america today

i think it is either some trick of the light or a different palette than mine, cause yeah mine has normal skin colors on it. haw

and green?

oh snoball, you have a lot to learn about make up

green reduces redness!

yes, by making things look green

by adding green to pink, which makes neutral iirc

see one color wheel

Guys I have now seen TZA in person and she is so so pretty and her makeup is awesome.

basically I need her to move to dc and put makeup on me

Isn't she lovely!! Oh hooray.

FYI Get her a job and she'll move anywhere.

oh really??? i need someone to come to chicago for a weekend at the end of this month and do my makeup!! are you good with hair as well, tza?

Well her hair looked awesome too so I'm going to bet that yes, she is also good with hair.

i have one of these finishing powders in pink and white from revlon

http://www.beautyheaven.com.au/product_images/23197/RevlonColourstayMineralFInishingPowder.jpg

i have to tell you, it's fucking awesome

oh you guysssss <3 <3
quincie is a freakin' knockout w/ a+ hair, clothing, and makeup, so i don't know what the problem is here. but <3 u all!

Get back here soon, T!

Surm, one of my SILs put something similar in my Christmas stocking (I think it is Smashbox illuminating finishing powder or something like that), and it does seem to do a nice glowy thing without being overtly glittery!

finishing powder. do you put it all over your face? like, it's a finisher for your foundation?

yes it's kind of light, with different tones of color and slight sparkle. a dusting on your nose and cheekbones is enough, as ur finish.

nice! i will try that on your recommendation

love this thread

me too. even in my hiatus it is one I always checked.

ok so i'm gonna need a bunch of make up in the next week:
super light foundation
mascara
blush
lip stain

urgent recommendations needed! blush and lip stain: very light, natural colours. i know nothing about make up - i never wear it anymore, except for a bronzer and a bit of eyeliner. my bronzer has run out and i can't find i good replacement for it.

what price range we talking? drugstore or department store?

you can not go wrong with nars orgasm blush, no matter what your skin tone. it adds some great color/flush/radiance without looking overly 'blush-y'. i can not wear bronzer bc i am too pale, but my sis described orgasm as being bronzer-like when she tried mine. it's not cheap, but it lasts forever and imo is v v worth it.

i would rather pay drugstore prices, but it's kind of important, so i guess department store?

i should have been collecting this stuff over the last few months, rather than trying to buy it all in one go :/

also if you don't want to buy a foundation, i suggest going to sephora and describing the type of foundation you're looking for and then getting a sample of it. will be more than enough to use for the wedding.

T is right about Orgasm on all points. It's amazing and will last upwards of a year because it's very pigmented and you apply with a very light hand. Also it really does look great on most ppl.

oooh the sample thing is a great idea!

Another idea would be to go get your makeup done at a dept store counter and then just buy the essential items but get drugstore knockoffs and copy the look at home. Are you good at applying?

no, i'm terrible! i've never even worn foundation in my life! i'm lazy!!

i'm getting my actual wedding day makeup done professionally, but we have an engagement photo shoot + a reception brunch day after wedding, so i need something more than what i have.

should i try orgasm or is it too pigmented for my skin type?

i don't think it is that pigmented - i think it is less pigmented than regular blush, which is why i like it so much. it gives a "glow" and a hint of color.

Surmounter Theresa and I are both v v fair and we both swear by it. It's worth at least testing it out at Sephora. They are actually awesome at returns so you could also buy it and play around with it. If you don't like it they'll refund you with a receipt or exchange it without one.

x-post - really??? I think it's really pigmented. Funny. I can only use very little. If I put too much on it looks like I got slapped!

give the name, it should look like you got f***ed ;)

well, yeah lol

I just know that i need to apply with a much lighter hand than any other blush. Anyway Justine and Surm should try it. Why? Because it is awesome.

surm, that finishing powder - could i use it on its own, like a bronzer, or does it need to be worn with foundation?

i wear it over just concealer! but remember it's a bit shimmery, so if ur looking for more coverage, i would try something else beneath it

i'm going to try orgasm -- i could use a bit of a "flush" color!

tehresa and q you both look great while i have always been v clueless about this makeup thing, tbh. i hardly wear any and always feel kind of weird if i do. but maybe should get some blush due to being perpetually wayyy too pale. has anyone tried this stuff?
http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/gp/product/B000FBK5HW/sr=1-2/qid=1267551716/

Daria - yes, I have tried it. Some ppl swear by it but I wasn't a big fan. While the color is nice I found it pretty tough to apply correctly because it sets really quickly and if you don't blend immediately it makes dots on your cheeks. Also, it stains your hands!

just1n3 -- just an idea, but maybe "lots of makeup" for these events just isn't for you. if it's going to become a big ordeal and not feel natural, you shouldn't worry about stuff like foundation, etc.

a little concealer, mascara, blush, and lip gloss should be enough for someone who doesn't normally wear makeup. why go nuts?

i like nars penny lane blush, btw. i'm vv fair and it's just right for me. one pkg has lasted me forever.

I hate all my make-up but I don't know if I care enough to search out replacements.

Especially my foundation, suddenly it seems like a horrible choice.

i guess basically i think makeup should be fun, and if it is not fun, then why do it? pretty sure no one will recoil in horror if any of us are not wearing foundation.

Daria you have the kind of beautiful pale transluscent skin and lovely features that require no makeup! Plus cool glasses, which I think of as an eye makeup substitute.

Therese had perfect glowy cheeks, so if that was Orgasm, I recommend.

Here are my thoughts for just1n3; I am not a product junkie or anything but I am very very picky about the stuff I wear:

super light foundation: I am pale, like something very sheer (just enough to even out skin tone a little bit; I'm OK with my broken capillaries and sunspots shining through in all their glory because to cover them would require something v. heavy), and have settled on MAC studio fix--it comes in a bazillion colors so easy to match (get MAC SA to help you). I think it is maybe $25, so high for drug store but low for department store foundation.

mascara: I like Kiehl's (~$12), L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black (a thread recommend iirc; cheaper than the Kiehl's), Bad Gal ($$), and Dior Show ($$$).

blush: again, I'm pale and like a subtle blush; Clinique's powder blush in Honey has been my go-to since high school. Don't recall what it costs because a compact lasts literally YEARS.

lip stain: I don't really have on (more of a bright lipstick gal myself), but Clinique's Black Honey is OK--I keep it in the car for quicky lip color when I've forgotten my lipstick.

I should mention that the MAC Studio Fix is a powder foundation--I just use the spongey thing that comes with it (dry), and it is easy-peasy even for me.

a testament for my love for this thread--I started reading it immediately rather than my just-delivered annual performance review ahahahah.

It's spring and I'm the palest I get all year -- haven't gotten any sun in 6+ months, and the bracing winter breezes that pinkened my cheeks for a while there are all gone. Have become all one color and terrifying.

Will go to MAC counter this wkend and try the studio fix, thx q.

q otm re d: i recall lovely skin! don't muck that up with makeup if you don't have to!

i may have to check on that mac foundation. i was using makeup forever hd for like 2 years but since my skin's 'change' in the past 6-9 months it doesn't absorb as well and i feel like i have this film going on and i want to wipe my face off after an hour. like it all rises to the surface or something. v weird.

and yes, i was wearing orgasm @ ethiopian night, so there! i am also v v pale right now :( pics my friend took from that dc weekend make me look ghostly!! that benetint stuff always makes me think of the rouge gel we would put in our caboodles to use for ballet recitals. remember caboodles?!?! <3

can we get some photos up in this thread? here is a shitty iphone picture of me with my completed census form:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4441473078_238446f0a8.jpg

i am wearing makeup! not much. blush, eyebrow powder, mascara, concealer. not sure why i bother, looking at that picture.

I have been looking for an old school caboodle all week and can't find one. Anyone know where to get one these days?

what is the greatest concealer to cover the worst zit i have ever had in my life?
my. rainier has decided to relocate with me, via my chin :( :( :(

what about eyeliner, ladies? i have this eyeliner i've been using for ages, but it comes off really quickly. this normally doesn't really bother me, since i'm just wearing casually, but i would like something a bit better quality.

i don't want to actually look 'made up' - i just want to look like a better, fresher, smoother, more even-toned version of myself!

I love the L'Oreal Lineur Intense but it's a liquid liner, so you have to be good with the brush AND be okay with the dramatic, clean-edged look. NB: I think this item has an unusually good brush for its price and for being a drugstore product!

having never applied liquid eyeliner in my life, now is probably not the best time for my first attempts. plus, i think it might be a bit heavy for the look i'm going for?

Well the thing is, it never comes off. Actually it PEELS off, at the end of the day, in big chunks. So at least it has that going for it.

i have been on this mac powerpoint eyeliner for years and it's great. very easy to apply. lasts well. my color is bordeauxline but i am sure there are lots of good ones!
do not use a gel eyeliner, it will flake off!

i like the bad gal eyeliner from benefit

probably gonna make this my mission saturday morning. kind of dreading it, as make up counter girls freak me out a little :/

i wish i could go with you!

me too! i wish i could take my one friend here, but she's moving house this weekend. i need someone who knows what they're doing, bc that sure is hell isn't me.

protip: do not let any sales people do your makeup if you do not want to look like they do. if someone has way too much makeup on, etc., they are probably going to do your face similar to how they do their own. beware.

i had a hilariously bad experience with that at a "makeup party" where apparently they make everyone up to look super fucking old. my every crease and wrinkle was highlighted by that disgusting mineral makeup and then they gave me garish eye makeup "to highlight my best feature". they also lied to me about my skin.

it was like a Whatever Happened to Baby Jane makeover. We all looked ancient (this was for someone's quasi bachelorette party, she won the makeovers at an auction) and then we went out for brunch in a hip neighborhood. It was really really really embarrassing. Worse than I would have imagined.

bette: alright, who wants brunch?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Bette_Davis_and_Joan_Crawford_in_Whatever_Happened_to_Baby_Jane_trailer.jpg

joan: i would love some! you look great btw!

http://www.cinemaretro.com/uploads/babyjanehires.jpg

xxp that's what scares me! so many of them look so garish!

another thing to remember: girls working at sephora are not necessarily trained makeup artists, they are just retail workers most of the time. so, if you think they are giving you ridiculous advice, don't take it!

we finally got a sephora in little rock last year. i dont walk out of there without spending $300+ and i dont even wear much makeup.

Just1n3, i wore liquid liner for years and theres a real simple trick to make it perfect. first apply as normal. youll no doubt mess it up somewhere. then get a damp cotton bud, pull the outer corner of your eye as far as you can and then run the damp cotton bud along in a straight line. works perfectly every time.

tza, does the nars orgasm blush have glitter in it. im very pro glow but anti glitter.

it is shimmery but not glittery

a very, very fine shimmer - less than a shimmer powder, which is i guess where the glow comes from.

ahh. nice. the pics on the sephora site look very glittery

seriously interested in this. i have never found a foundation i like.

http://a248.g.akamai.net/7/248/8278/20070112190028/www.sephora.com/assets/dyn/product/P104914/P104914_hero.jpg

Sunny there is another version of Orgasm out now that has extra shimmer (I think it's called super orgasm or something like that) - maybe that's what you're looking at? I can't imagine that one because although T is right about the very fine shimmer, I'm also sensitive to shimmer and it took me a while to get used to O for that reason.

sensitive to shimmer!

Sunny, have you tried that foundation yet?

Another really pretty light shimmer is Benefit 'Georgia Peach'. It also smells really, really good. I don't use this every day because I don't like powdery things on my face. I use Tarte's cheek stain in 'tipsy' (how appropriate) for a light glow. I don't really notice much shimmer, just glow. Tipsy smells sort of lightly fruity and pleasant.

why do i like make-up to smell? that is weird.

Oh yeah - I like both tarte stain and the benefit stuff. Good call.

I read the book 'how to not look old' and it said not to use powders on your face, just creams and liquids. I have been keeping this in mind and notice that powders DO make me appear older by accenting wrinkles and making my skin look dryer. Products like Tarte cheek stain instead of a powder blush make a huge difference in looking glowing and moisturized and young...

anyone else find that to be true for you?

absolutely! i only use cream blush and eyeshadow don't have any other powders.

totally see the logic in this. but sometimes u just need to put some powder on. it feels nice, it can look amazing. i think too much powder is bad for the skin in general, and of course it makes sense, that a dry substance would make your skin look less moisturized than a cream. but they both clog your pores, and they both have their various uses, in different lightings, moods etc.

i actually wish i could wear more moisturizer/powder -- my pores clog so easily! i try to rock the "radiating from the inside with just a little bit of concealer" look most workdays but sometimes i just need to make myself up, no matter what the consequences!

powder makes me look like a drag queen.

it makes my face look like it's made of paper
NAGL

oh god I use powder everything--so much easier than creams for this clutz

lol well u don't have to put THAT much powder on! a light touch goes a long way, IMO

(xp)

u can use as much as you want quincie :)

I don't really use powder powder that much unless I'm shiny, but like powder blush, powder eyeshadow. . .

Like I totally admire cream eyeshadow but have no idea how you actually go about applying it.

cream blush would make me break out like WOAH

i use a little brush and put it in the eyeshadow, then put it on my eye, blend with finger if necc.
not hard. sometimes i wonder if i'm doing this all wrong, because i've never felt that applying makeup was in any way "difficult"
maybe i'm just bad at it and don't care?!

also come to think of it, that Tarte blush made me break out something fierce, but nars is fine

ok so i made a list of all your recommendations and marched into sephora, but i got freaked out and overwhelmed! the nars orgasm blush totally didn't work for me - it made the broken capillaries on my cheeks look worse (i think because i have freckles maybe, and not a nice even skin tone??). i minced around in there for a bit before giving up and going to the MAC counter at macy's. i let the girl plaster me with makeup and came out with blush, lipstick, lipliner, mascara, eyeliner, bronzer, lip plumping gloss and the studio fix foundation recommended by quincie.

kind of surprised by how cheap mac stuff is - it's really expensive in nz.

whoa! MAC haul!
i've never tried studio fix but am kinda afraid of it for some reason. i think b/c my skin is so sensitive to bacteria that even with powder i immediately replace the sponge thingy that comes with it with a new cotton pad thingy every couple of days.

anyway! my newest discovery: i was using makeup forever hd foundation, which i really liked in coverage but found too heavy in feeling, plus it was causing breakouts, i finally realized... my skin is super sensitive and dry yet prone to clogging up and breaking out in all sorts of fun and different ways (pimples, rashes, whatevs) even though it is, in essence, quite nice skin, when under control.... so yeah, i went in search of something new and ended up with Clinique Supermoisture foundation - it is pretty awesome. and easy to apply. and slightly shimmery but naturally so. very pleased with it, and my skin is clearing up like magic, even tho i am a total stress case these days.

i am starting to wonder if they changed the hd formula some how because i used to love it and now it feels like a film sliding around my face. i will get a trial of the clinique, though i am v hesitant to buy anything else until i get to new climate/humidity zone and figure out how my skin reacts.

why do i like make-up to smell? that is weird.

what about the way lip glosses and lipsticks taste?

Benefit, Stila, and Bourjois all taste good. Smashbox is nasssstee, and Urban Decay smells like vitamins.

I'm super happy w the Bare Escentuals Buxom lip gloss. It's a tingly lip-plumping kind, but my lips don't feel swollen or w/e as much as just tingly like using peppermint chapstick.

It's not too slimy, a little sticky but ymmv, nice gloss, good colors, good level of sparkle for me w/o looking like auto body paint.

And the taste is extremely minimal!

Fav color: "Amber"

true! i am a sucker for my reaction to make-up smell/taste far more than what it actually looks like on my face. of course, i prefer both to be fantastic.

today, i saw a hotel maid wearing blush with actual large pieces of glitter in it. it was nagl for sure. of course, it made me think of this thread and our desire for "subtle shimmer", which she clearly had not found.

I totally lazed out of going to a cosmetics counter on Friday -- I shopped for jeans at Macy's on Wed so that was my consumer/customer experience for the week (and then some). But Rrrrob, I will try the Clinique foundation, b/c I hate my old kind right now and my skin is peelingly dry on the surface and yet turns into an oil slick compl w giant infected whiteheads, overnight.

Also going on and off BC hormones at the mo which is not helping.

I was inadvertently glittery yesterday because the silver color on my primer tube was flaking off and getting on my hands and face.

Jus1in3 what color lippies did you get? I have lots of MAC lipstick!

oh shit, i have no idea on the names! i will check tonight at home.

so the MAC girl starts doing my face, and it's going pretty well till she gets to my lips. i'd told her i wanted a pretty soft colour, a shade or two darker than my natural lip colour, and a bit glossy. so she slaps on this peachy pink lip gloss, one of those ones that is REALLY wet looking... she turned away to grab something and i looked over to see my husband staring at me in horror, so i mouthed 'BLOW JOB LIPS'. seriously, i looked like a porn star with that mouth.

i ended up getting an actual lipstick, one with a bit of a sheen and more of a natural lip-pink colour. it's super light-weight, which i love since i usually hate wearing stuff on my lips. this one i can actually see myself getting some use out of.

i was pretty surprised that the MAC girl didn't know the old hairdryer-on-the-eyelash-curlers trick - do any of you do that when you're curling your lashes?

no!

lol at ur story

back in the old days, when i used to bother wearing makeup a bit more often, i used to run my eyelash curler under my hair dryer for about 10-15 secs before using it - works much better (same principle as a curling iron, i guess). i went and bought some eyelash curlers AND some complexion brushes (i was impressed by the idea of applying liquid foundation with a brush).

I do this! Every day! Works so much better than sans dryer.

lol tbh i thought you meant blow-drying yr lashes so they curl up more. which i may or may not sometimes do...

rrrobyn!

i haven't used an eyelash curler in years. i just can't be bothered.

which is silly considering all the things i can be bothered to do.

i was rather embarrassed when the MAC girl asked me to curl my own lashes - but pleasantly surprised that i remembered how to do it and didn't stab myself in the eyeball with the thing.

I stopped doing this because I always managed to pinch the shit out of myself but when I used to do it I used the hairdryer trick too. :D

i had a few bad episodes where i somehow fucked it up really ~crimped~ my eyelashes, which is def NAGL

Oh yeah I've def done that. It's pretty bad.

i try to get my lashes straight as possible but im a curly haired person and spend my life straightening so its probably habit or something.

kate i havent tried airflash but intend on visiting mall this week so hopefully i can try it out

post before and after pics, sunny!

i got two foundation samples from a girl at sephora who looked so so scary. she had pink and yellow and black and maybe silver on her eyes. it was O_O. but she told me she doesn't get commission so i didn't feel bad that she spent 30 min trying stuff on me. then i went to mac to check out that stuff q recommends but the queens were too busy doting on some stupid cute girl who was like 'no really, it's ok, i don't have a lot of time, just looking' and i couldn't get anyone to help me so boo to them.

I saw a Hello Kitty eyelash curler in Target last night.

Ooooooooo.

lol tza

let me guess, was she blond?

no! she was one of those asians with a tan and very nice accessories/hair.

probably lives in belltown condo that mommy and daddy bought her

or did you mean sephora girl? i think she was brunette but i forget. v v pale skin so her crazy makeup looked even more ridic.

i use nothing that is in powder form fwiw

even my eyeshadow is liquid (chanel ombre d'eau)

quincie: my mac lippy is 'syrup'

omg i got my makeup done at this supposedly chi-chi salon in chicago and it was SCARY. i told her i wanted a natural look, not too heavy, natural colours etc and she put a ton of black eyeliner on me (why not dark brown, given my colouring??) and about 60 layers of concealer and foundation and powder, and this awful brown lipstick. i almost cried, it looked so terrible. but everyone back at the house insisted i needed it heavy for the photos, so... i guess we'll see. i changed out the stupid lipstick for my own, tho.

Where did you go?

mario tr1occi or something like that - i can't remember the spelling

my mum also got her makeup done, and her woman did a much a better job than mine

Never heard of it, but it was kind of a slim chance that I would have. I'm sure the pictures will be lovely!

(I've never had my hair or make up done for any kind of formal event and NOT immediately washed it out/taken it off. I finally learned my lesson and refused to submit to the hair stylist on my last go-round as a bride's maid, much to the consternation of the bride's mother (who had taken me aside at the rehearsal dinner to tell me to make sure I at least washed my hair (not because I looked like a dirtbag; just because she was a bitch on wheels)).)

i wish more people who did makeup for events like that remembered that makeup is supposed to make you look like a prettier version of you, not like another person. how hard is that to remember? maybe if you do people's makeup all day, it becomes exhausting to find out about each customer and what would be best for her? why is this endeavor almost always so disappointing?!?

I wear MAC's "Syrup" too. :D

xp i know!! my in-laws' guest bathroom has one of those mirrors with the lights around it, those ones that show up EVERY LITTLE THING on yr face, and when i looked at myself i could see the foundation about to slide off my face. gross.

so i tried testing this foundation today but the picture would not give me an accurate color eye. in my bathroom it looks to dark. in pic in natural white i look washed out. sigh. i think i will wait until next week and go shopping with sister and make her tell me what looks good :D

justine, did you not take the makeup you bought with you? you should have had her use that stuff.

not to be critical, i just meant i thought that was specifically why you bought it.

i wish i had! in fact, i wish i had just done my own! i bought that makeup for our engagement photo shoot and for our reception (which was the day after the ceremony). BUT i was so rushed the day of the engagement thing that i slapped it all on really fast anyway! which is why i'm glad i bought stuff that i will get a lot of use out of anyway. i really love the mac lipstick, actually.

i have a thing against mario tr1cocci. i had a gift cert for a facial there, and the woman who did the facial said i had the dryest skin she'd ever seen. way to be tactful, lady. fuck you. i do have obscenely dry skin, but at a salon, you're supposed to be pampered, not treated like a freak.

the engagement photos are great, justine. you both look lovely and happy. :)

yes justine you look great in the pics!

thanks rox!

SO i have been wearing makeup pretty much every day since i bought this mac stuff, except workshop days, AND I LIKE IT! in fact, when i had to work in the store the other day, my co-worker told me i looked 'pretty' for the first time!

i can't believe i've never owned blush before. it's changed my life.

also, the mac girl taught me an amazing trick, which probably everyone here already knew but:

putting eyeliner on the inside of the top lid - i always wondered how women got that thick lash look and now i know!

A good blush is truly a godsend, particularly if you are just feeling/looking crappy.

I am not totally clear on this "inside the top lid" technique? Like, do you come in *under* your lashes to do this? The side of the lashline adjacent to the eyeball itself and not the eyelid/brow side of the lashline?

*is confused*

under the lashes, adjacent to the eyeball - i know, revolutionary!

like, i always thought it was done ~above~ the lashes, which i could never ever do, it always looked super crooked and awful.

Whoa--I have never heard this! I will try it! I am pretty good with cake eyeliner applied with a wet brush the usual way, but I like the idea of something more subtle. I tend to wear BIG lipsticks so I try to take it easy on the eye makeup, but my lashes definitely need help.