No matter what I try or how many times I try it, mineralize eyeshadows and I just don’t get along. They frustrate me, and using one means I’m adding (wasting) another 15-20 minutes to my makeup routine that really feels unnecessary. I guess it is just not meant to be! I just find that they’re more work than I really want to do for an eyeshadow.I could have just eliminated Blue Sorcery and used Shimmermoss and been a happy camper!

My major annoyances/frustrations were the dusty fall out and the fact that the color faded before I even finished the application. Oh, well — I know there are lovers and haters of mineralize eyeshadows, I just know which side I’m on, even though I want to love them. :P

Oh yeah, and P.S.?  Wet hair never looks very good in photos.  I need to remember to make sure my hair is dry before I take photos in the future!  (That was a total note-to-self.)

(And for your reference, I have tried mineralize eyeshadows from every batch since their inception; I have tried a multitude of bases–UDPP, paint pots, TFSI, CCBs, pigments; and I have tried a multitude of different wetting agents–mixing medium, Fix+, water.)

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), Sour Lemon eyeshadow (chartreuse green), Blue Sorcery mineralize eyeshadow (teal), Deep Truth eyeshadow (dark blue), Prussian eyeshadow (matte, dark blue), Ricepaper eyeshadow (soft beige highlighter), NARS Blue Bayou Eyeliner Stylo (medium blue), Urban Decay Graffiti 24/7 Liner (green), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: MAC Spaced Out blush (peachy-pink), Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (bronze highlighter)
• Face: Kiehl’s Tinted Moisturizer
• Lips: Guerlain Gems Rouge G Lipstick (pinky coral), MAC Young Thing lipglass (creamy nude)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Blue Sorcery = Shimmermoss; Spaced Out = Peachykeen; Young Thing = C-Thru

Directions: Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, pack Sour Lemon eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply Blue Sorcery eyeshadow to the middle and outer portions of the lid. Darken crease with Deep Truth eyeshadow using the 226, then deepen with Prussian eyeshadow with the 219. Sweep Ricepaper eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Graffiti Liner on lower lash line, NARS Blue Bayou Eyeliner Stilo on the upper lash line, and apply Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Spaced Out blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Guerlain Gems lipstick to lips, and then top with Young Thing lipglass for color and shine.

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Here’s a look using the Stila All Doll’d Up Palette that I reviewed and LOVED so much. :)

What’s on the agenda for today? I’m about two minutes away from being late for leaving for my morning classes (one on federal taxation and another on cyberspace), aka I better get my butt MOVING! How’s your Wednesday going?

You will need the following…

• Eyes: MAC Mutiny pigment (teal), Stila All Doll’d Up Palette (light green, blue, and teal), MAC Prussian eyeshadow (navy blue), MAC Femme-fi eyeshadow (highlight), Stila Cobalt Clutch Smudge Pot (blue liner), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: MAC Fleurry blush (coral peach), Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (bronze highlighter)
• Lips: MAC Brave New Bronze lipstick (pinky nude), MAC New Spirit lipglass (peachy orange), MAC Tartlette lipglass (coral)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Mutiny = Teal + Frozen White; light green = Juxt; blue = Tilt; teal = Shimmermoss; Femme-fi = Shroom; Brave New Bronze = Velvet Teddy; New Spirit = Fresh Buzz (not a great dupe); Tartlette = Lychee Luxe

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Mutiny pigment all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, pack Stila’s light green eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply the medium blue eyeshadow to the middle and outer portions of the lid. Darken the outer lid and crease with the teal eyeshadow using the 226, then deepen with Prussian eyeshadow with the 219. Sweep Femme-fi eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Cobalt Clutch on lower lash line. Apply Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Fleurry blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Brave New Bronze lipstick to lips, and then top with New Spirit and Tartlette lipglass for color and shine.

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Here’s an attempt at using MAC’s Photorealism eyeshadow quad :) The photos are a little wonky, because silly me forgot to change the white balance settings before taking these photos, SO I had to muck around with them (to get the right color) in Photoshop. I think they’re *fairly* accurate, but they just look so edited, so I do apologize! I do recommend substituting a different highlighter in this look, but my goal was to only use the quad’s eyeshadows. But definitely feel free to go with something more neutral and less shimmery for a better look :)

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), Silver Fog pigment (platinum silver), Image Maker eyeshadow (soft grey-green), Fresh Approach eyeshadow (pastel green), Grey Range eyeshadow (dark teal), Photorealism eyeshadow (soft gold), Make Up For Ever #20L Aqua Eyes (dark teal), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: The Perfect Cheek (pale pink), Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (bronzy highlighter)
• Lips: Front Lit lipstick (sheer white-gold), New Spirit lipglass (peachy-orange), Lychee Luxe lipglass (coral)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Photorealism = Nylon; Image Maker = Electra; Fresh Approach = Juxt; Grey Range = Deep Truth+Shimmermoss; The Perfect Cheek = Dame; Front Lit = Tanarama; New Spirit = Love Nectar

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. With the 239, apply Silver Fog pigment with water-based mixing medium on the lower lid. On the inner lid, pack Fresh Approach eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply Image Maker eyeshadow to the middle and outer portions of the lid. Darken crease with Grey Range eyeshadow using the 226. Sweep Photorealism eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Make Up For Ever #20L Aqua Eyes on lower lash line9. Apply Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with The Perfect Cheek blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Front Lit lipstick to lips, and then top with New Spirit and Lychee Luxe lipglasses for color and shine.

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I thought I’d use some of the new eyeshadows from MAC’s Love That Look Collection, and I figured I’d go with a pretty obvious, but fun, combination of green, blue, and teal. You can also expect a video tutorial for this look, too :)

P.S. – I totally realize why I rarely use liquidlast liners. If you don’t get it perfect the first time, you can never quite fix it!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), True Chartreuse pigment (bright matte chartreuse base), Rated R eyeshadow (chartreuse), One-Off eyeshadow (medium green), Strike A Pose eyeshadow (dark teal-blue), Atlantic Blue eyeshadow (bright royal blue), Dreammaker eyeshadow (yellow highlighter), Make Up For Ever #17L Aqua Eyes Liner (light green), Blue Herizon liquidlast liner (blue), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Fleurry blush (coral-orange)
• Lips: Lollipop Loving lipstick (coral), Liberated lipglass (shimmery yellow-gold)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Rated R = Bitter; One-Off = Kelly Green; Strike A Pose = Tilt; Dreammaker = Nylon; Fleurry = Springsheen; Lollipop Loving = CB96 (not a great dupe); Liberated = Instant Gold

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the upper lid and brow bone as the base with the 249. With the 239, apply True Chartreuse pigment with water-based mixing medium on the lower lid. On the inner lid, pack Rated R eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply One-Off eyeshadow to the middle and outer portions of the lid. Apply Strike A Pose eyeshadow to the outer third of the lid and bring into crease with the 239. Darken crease with Atlantic Blue eyeshadow using the 219. Sweep Dreammaker eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with #17L Aqua Eyes Liner on lower lash line, and Blue Herizon liquidlast liner on the upper lash line using the 208. Apply Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Fleurry blush using the 129. Apply Lollipop Loving lipstick to lips, and then top with Liberated lipglass for color and shine.

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So much for having mastered false lashes! Trying to use them in this look turned out to be more disaster than gorg. Good thing this was just for fun and not going out, because then I would have been upset rather than just a little disappointed it didn’t all wrap up into a nice little bow. This is a very OTT look, and it was deliberately made that way. I’d probably wear it out, but I totally understand if anyone feels it’s a bit too bright/much for the grocery store ;)  Besides, it looked good from afar, and nobody should be standing THISCLOSE to my eyes anyway, right?!

For those wondering, you can purchase Make Up For Ever at Sephora.com.

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Make Up For Ever #910 Star Powder (springy green base), Make Up For Ever #171 Eyeshadow (shimmery yellow-green), Make Up For Ever #93 Eyeshadow (matte aqua-green), Make Up For Ever #159 Eyeshadow (matte royal blue), Make Up For Ever #167 Eyeshadow (shimmery medium blue), Make Up For Ever #102 (matte eggshell), Make Up For Ever Aqua Black Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow (black), Make Up For Ever Aqua Smoky Lash Mascara (black), , Make Up For Ever #7L Aqua Eyes Liner, Make Up For Ever #156 Genevieve False Lashes
• Cheeks: Make Up For Ever #5 Blush (matte coral-orange), Make Up For Ever #153 Blush (shimmery peachy-gold)
• Lips: Urban Decay Naked lipstick (shimmery pink-beige), Chanel Arlequin Glossimer (shimmering gold)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush), 165 (highlighting brush)

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply #910 Star Powder all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, pack #171 eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply #93 eyeshadow to the middle portion of the lid. On the outer lid and crease, apply #167 eyeshadow with the 226. Darken crease with #159 eyeshadow using the 219, and then blend out with the 226. With #171 eyeshadow, apply it just above the crease colors with the 217. Sweep #102 eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight with the 217. Apply #7L Aqua Eyes Liner on lower lash line. Smudge lower lash line with #171 eyeshadow with the 214 brush, pressing into lower lashes. Apply #156 Genevieve false lashes on upper lash line. Finish with Aqua Black Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow on on the upper lash line using the 208. Apply Aqua Smoky Lash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with #5 Blush using the 129, then highlight with #153 with the 165. Apply Urban Decay Naked lipstick to lips, and then top with Chanel Arlequin glossimer for color and shine.

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