5 Effortlessly Natural Blushes

My go-to for a great natural cheek color is Korres #15 Natural, which gives my cheeks a little warmth and natural color without being too pink or plum. I also really love Tarte Exposed, which gives a little more color but still retains a soft, natural result.

1. Tarina Tarantino Neopolitan Lane — soft medium brown
2. Burberry Russet — medium-dark brown with orange undertones
3. Korres #15 Natural — medium-dark brown
4. Tarte Exposed — muted rosy plum
5. Burberry Cameo — muted plum

What’s your go-to blush for a natural cheek color?

Look:  Neutral Eyes + Vampy Lip

And the third look I did to test out MAC’s new Pro Longwear eyeshadows!  I don’t know what’s going on this week, but I’m already exhausted!  Can you believe it’s already Wednesday?

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Primer (primer),  MAC Carefree Eyeshadow (white gold), MAC Legendary Black Eyeshadow (black brown), MAC Make Your Mark Eyeshadow (medium-dark brown), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow (highlighter), MAC Black Black Chromagraphic Pencil (black), Hourglass Film Noir Mascara
• Face:  MAC Matchmaster Foundation (03), Korres #15 Natural Blush (nude brown), Guerlain Les Violettes Mineral Powder (03), Guerlain Parure de Nuit Pressed Powder & Blush (illuminator)
• Lips:  MAC Soulfully Rich Pro Longwear Lipcreme (deep wine berry)

For eyes, start by laying down your eyeshadow primer all over the lid and until the brow.  Apply Carefree eyeshadow on the lower two-thirds of the lid with the 239.  In the crease, gently brush Legendary Black eyeshadow with the 222 and diffuse above the crease.  Apply Make Your Mark eyeshadow in the outer corner and lid to add warmth with the 239.  Use Black Black eyeliner on the lower lash lin, then soften with Carefree eyeshadow.  Finish lashes with Film Noir mascara.

For face, apply Matchmaster all over face with the 193.  Add color to the cheeks by gently dusting Natural blush near apples and blended out towards temples with the 116.  Lightly dust on illuminator with the 165 or 188 on cheek bones.  Set with Les Violettes with the 134.

For lips, apply Soulfully Rich onto lips.

Check out more photos!

Look:  Warm Green & Brown

This was the second look I tried to test drive MAC’s new long-wearing eyeshadows!  I don’t know if I’ve paired green (without being brownish or olive) with browns – it’s a very earthy combo!  Hope you’re having a fabulous day!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Primer (primer),  MAC Fresh Flare Eyeshadow (green), MAC Keep Your Cool Eyeshadow (grayish brown), MAC Lie Low Eyeshadow (medium-dark brown), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow (highlighter), Urban Decay Lucky 24/7 Eyeliner (copper), Hourglass Film Noir Mascara
• Face:  MAC Matchmaster Foundation (03), Korres #15 Natural Blush (nude brown), Guerlain Les Violettes Mineral Powder (03), Guerlain Parure de Nuit Pressed Powder & Blush (illuminator)
• Lips:  MAC To the Future! Pro Longwear Lipcreme (nude), MAC Show Me! Pro Longwear Lipglass (peach brown)

For eyes, start by laying down your eyeshadow primer all over the lid and until the brow.  Apply Fresh Flare eyeshadow on the lower two-thirds of the lid with the 239.  In the crease, gently brush Keep Your Cool eyeshadow with the 222 and diffuse above the crease.  Apply Lie Low eyeshadow in the crease to add warmth with the 239.  Use Lucky eyeliner on the lower lash lin, then soften with Lie Low eyeshadow.  Finish lashes with Film Noir mascara.

For face, apply Matchmaster all over face with the 193.  Add color to the cheeks by gently dusting Natural blush near apples and blended out towards temples with the 116.  Lightly dust on illuminator with the 165 or 188 on cheek bones.  Set with Les Violettes with the 134.

For lips, apply To the Future onto lips and then layer over Show Me.

Check out more photos!

My Special Occasion Look: Red Lips

I don’t know why, but one of my go-to looks for a special occasion is red lips paired with a gold eyeshadow look. I didn’t have much time, so I only snapped a couple of photos of this look. I’m also still mad that Ore photographs so blah relative to how TA-DA it is in person.  Hope you’re having a beautiful Tuesday!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), Illamasqua Ore Pure Pigment (shimmering gold-bronze), Urban Decay Darkhorse Eyeshadow (dark bronze), Urban Decay Virgin Eyeshadow (highlighter), Make Up For Ever #10L Aqua Eyes Liner (bronze), Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara (black)
• Face: Guerlain Parure Gold Foundation (02), Guerlain Voilettes Loose Powder (03)
• Cheeks: Korres #15 Natural Blush (pink-brown)
• Lips: Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque (red), Chanel Exces Extrait de Gloss (sheer red)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Ore pure pigment on the entire lower lid to cover.  Then, apply Darkhorse eyeshadow into the crease and blend outwards and on outer third of the lid with the 226.  Diffuse the crease color by applying Virgin eyeshadow above to highlight the brow bone with the 217.  Apply #10L liner on the lower lash line and finish lashes with Inimitable Intense mascara.

For cheeks, apply #15 blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Dragon Rouge Allure Laque first, and then layer Exces Extrait de Gloss for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Test-driving Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall Collection:  Attempt #1

Don’t let that preview image fool you, this look did not make it past my front door.  I’m sure you’re thinking, “Well, why bother showing us?” Because inevitably, I’ll be reviewing the products I used in this look, and it’s proof positive of my experience.  Loved the lips, but the eyeshadows just weren’t working.  They didn’t seem sheer, and they felt soft and smooth, but I couldn’t get them to stick for the life of me.  I packed on three or four layers in a futile attempt to get the colors to look true-to-the-pan.  A tackier base (like a creamy eyeshadow) helps, but you’ll need to get creative to get these to work.

I will also admit fully to giving up at a certain point and not even bothering to fully blend it out–everything just kept blending away into a faded, slightly muddied mess.  But you know what’s funny?  In reality, few people would really notice anything was amiss, especially since your eyes remain open for longer intervals than closed.

This my process when I review products, even product types I may have tried before, even from brands I enjoy.  I may not always share the process (I often wear a mash up of all sorts of products in disarray, so it’s not exactly pretty, LOL!), but I had originally aimed to create and share a look around the collection in addition to testing wear and application.  It didn’t work out as a look, but perhaps sharing the process will also help (and help you understand my review, which will follow shortly).

What I used…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), Dolce & Gabbana Divine Eyeshadow Quad (soft nude, medium beige, medium pink, dark purple), Dolce & Gabbana #11 Eyeliner (silvery gray), Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara
• Face: MAC Pro Longwear Foundation (NC30), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Korres #15 Natural Blush (pink-nude)
• Lips: Dolce & Gabbana Orchid Lipstick (fuchsia-purple), Dolce & Gabbana Vibrant Lipgloss (fuchsia)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply the pink on the inner half of the lid and pull upwards along the inner crease. Lightly blend the medium beige eyeshadow on the outer half of the lid with the 239. Next, apply the dark purple eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending onto the outer lid. Blend the nude eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying #11 eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Buxom mascara.

For cheeks, apply #15 Natural blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Orchid lipstick first, and then layer Vibrant lipgloss for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Blending, schmending!  I gave up!

Do you see how… almost patchy the color is?

MAC Fabulous Felines:  Burmese Beauty Look

Happy Friday!!   Here’s a quick look I whipped up using the Burmese Beauty quad as the jumping off point…  My apologies — I forgot to take a close-up of the lips for this look!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Skintone 2 Eyeshadow (muted gold), MAC Burmese Beauty Eyeshadow (red-toned brown with teal), MAC Showstopper Eyeshadow (matte dark brown), MAC Prized Eyeshadow (neutral highlighter), Bobbi Brown Black Plum Kohl Eyeliner (plum), Hourglass Film Noir Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Korres #15 Natural Blush (brown with pink)
• Lips: MAC To Pamper Lipstick (taupe nude), MAC Spree Lipglass (champagne coral)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Skintone 2 = Patina + Goldmine; Burmese Beauty = Club/Blue Brown; Showstopper = Brun; Prized = Shroom; To Pamper = Brew; Spree = Lychee Luxe
  

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Skintone 2 eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid and pull upwards along the inner crease. Lightly blend Burmese Beauty eyeshadow on the middle and outer portion of the lid with the 239. Next, apply Showstopper eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending onto the outer lid. Lightly tap Skintone 2 eyeshadow above the crease. Blend Prized eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Black Plum kohl eyeliner on the lower lash line and lightly tapping Skintone 2 eyeshadow below. Finish by sweeping lashes with Film Noir mascara.

For cheeks, apply #15 blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply To Pamper lipstick first, and then layer Spree lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!