Week in Review | December 23rd through December 29th
Happy Saturday! I always enjoy seeing what makes up the week’s top ten highest-reviewed products, so I hope you find it somewhat interesting as well! 🙂
What was your week in review like?
My skin tone/coloring:
Favorite look you wore:
Most used product of the week:
Any new beauty discoveries:
Week in Review
Pat McGrath Leatherette LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium-dark brown with warm, red undertones and a satin finish. The...
Pat McGrath Leatherette LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium-dark brown with warm, red undertones and a satin finish. The...
Pat McGrath Unfaithful LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium plum with warm undertones and a cream finish. The pigmentation was...
Pat McGrath Unfaithful LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium plum with warm undertones and a cream finish. The pigmentation was...
Make Up For Ever ME614 Graphite Brown Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a deep, chocolaty brown with subtle, warm red undertones and a...
Make Up For Ever ME614 Graphite Brown Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a deep, chocolaty brown with subtle, warm red undertones and a...
Make Up For Ever D326 Black Bronze Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a blackened brown with soft, warmer undertones and a sparkling sheen. ...
Make Up For Ever D326 Black Bronze Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a blackened brown with soft, warmer undertones and a sparkling sheen. ...
Pat McGrath Lust Angeles LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a soft, medium beige with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish. I found...
Pat McGrath Lust Angeles LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a soft, medium beige with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish. I found...
Pat McGrath Exxotica LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a muted, dark purple with warm undertones and a cream finish. It had nearly opaque...
Pat McGrath Exxotica LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a muted, dark purple with warm undertones and a cream finish. It had nearly opaque...
Pat McGrath She's So Deep LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep, red-toned brown with subtle, warm undertones and a cream finish. It...
Pat McGrath She's So Deep LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep, red-toned brown with subtle, warm undertones and a cream finish. It...
Make Up For Ever I328 Bronze Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a medium, olive green with warm, golden undertones and a pearly sheen. It...
Make Up For Ever I328 Bronze Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a medium, olive green with warm, golden undertones and a pearly sheen. It...
Wet 'n' Wild Halo, Goodbye MegaGlo Liquid Highlighter ($5.99 for 0.50 oz.) is a light pink with strong, warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It had...
Wet 'n' Wild Halo, Goodbye MegaGlo Liquid Highlighter ($5.99 for 0.50 oz.) is a light pink with strong, warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It had...
Make Up For Ever M322 Khaki Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a medium-dark, mossy green with subtle, warm olive undertones and a matte...
Make Up For Ever M322 Khaki Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a medium-dark, mossy green with subtle, warm olive undertones and a matte...
My skin tone/coloring: MAC NC 23 ish, light to medium with warm undertones
Favorite look you worn: MAC Rose Gold palette, Cosmic Nude blush, Dare You lipstick, Show Gold Highlighter – this was sold in a face kit; I had everything already and thought I’d try it and it works. Great holiday look.
Most used product of the week: All of my staples.
Any new beauty discoveries:
1. Castor oil for lash growth! Thank you Nancy T. for the recommendation and info on this. I bought some organic castor oil from Amazon (Aura Cacia brand) and bought the 16 oz. size, not knowing anything about viscosity or consistency, how much needed, etc. and it is way, way more than what I need. I only need to use 1 drop on a cotton swab per eye, so I bought 2 oz. squeeze bottles and am going to make little ‘lash growth kits’ (complete with cotton swabs for application) for my friends. I have only been using it for 2 weeks so I don’t have any results that I can solely attribute to the castor oil (I stopped using Rodan & Fields Lash Boost one night and started castor oil the next), but already I’m liking it just as much (if not better) than Rodan & Fields Lash Boost. I love the results from R&F LB but I can only use it every other day because I think it exacerbates my nighttime dry, itchy eyes and my lash line gets a little sore and irritated.
2. Castor oil for dry eye? For the lat 5 or 6 years I have had really dry eyes, especially at night (thanks, 40th birthday!). Like clockwork, about 8 o’ clock until I go to bed, my eyes will start watering. I thought it was allergies or correlated with some spore cycle or something, but my eye doctor told me that my eyes don’t close all the way, so when I blink or go to sleep, my eyes aren’t “sealed” and they can get dry. It’s especially bad in the winter. Anyway, I think the castor oil might be doing double duty for me – I think it also might be acting as a nighttime eye(ball) moisturizer when I add it to my lashline. I’ve looked it up as a moisturizer for dry eyes and it’s either “yes, amazing!” or “no, it will damage this or that”, but so far, it’s been great for me. I wake up and my eyes aren’t puffy or sore, no itching or burning or blurriness. I can’t attest to any lash growth, but the relief from my itchy dry eye situation alone is worth it.
My skin tone/coloring: light/medium warm
Favorite look you worn: several looks with UD Heavy Metals + mattes from various palettes
Most used product of the week: Laura Geller Balance-n-Brighten
Any new beauty discoveries: Smashbox Always On Metallic Matte. XO, Vlada is my soulmate but all 5 colors I bought have performed well.
Skin tone: Very fair with cool undertones, MAC NW5-10
Favorite look worn: Well, I only wore makeup twice in the past week so I am going to go with the look I created yesterday. I broke down and purchased a product from the Kylie Jenner Makeup line. I got the e/s palette in purple and in burgundy. I haven’t used the burgundy yet but used the purple palette. I liked the look I got out of it but it was a little bit of work. The shadows were pretty stiff in the pan and I had to really work my brush to get any product, particularly in the lighter shades. I used the palest lavender shade over the entire lid, lash to brow bone. I used the deep blue and deep purple in the crease and blew both shades out in a more cat eye effect. I used the palest shimmery pink shade on the inner third of my mobile lid and put Stila Magnificent Metal e/s in Diamond Dust. Since I only paid $9.99 for the shadows I wasn’t unhappy. I used my Chosungah 22 foundation and Coffret D’Or Smile Up blush. I mixed two shades of the blush 01 and 03. For lips I used Kat Von D liquid lip in Double Dare over Nuxe Reve De Miel lip balm. Overall, I was pretty happy with how the look turned out.
Most used product: My Coffret D’Or blushes. I believe they are from the Kanebo Cosmetics brand but honestly, since I don’t read or speak Japanese I could be all wrong!!
Beauty discoveries: I don’t know if I would call it a discovery or not but I was getting low on my Benefit Porfessional primer and also low on my FAB coconut primer so I mixed the two and really liked the effect. They really seemed to enhance each other.
My skin tone/coloring: NC15
Favorite look you worn: A neutral eye look I did with a custom Buxom palette and a red lip (Ruby Woo)
Most used product of the week: Bare Minerals Barepro foundation. I love it.
Any new beauty discoveries: I’m way late to the game but the Laura Mercier Translucent powder is everything to me.
My skin tone/coloring: Very fair with neutral undertones; magenta/red hair; hazel/green eyes.
Favorite look you worn: EYES — UDPP in Enigma. Too Faced Chocolate Gold Palette: Rollin’ in Dough (base); Old Money (inner 2/3 of lid); Holla For a Dolla (outer 1/3 of lid); Money Bags (lower lash line); UD Tempted (crease); Looxi Beauty HL in Voodoo (brow bone, inner corner). E.l.f. Expert Liquid Liner in Jet Black (cat eye); UD 24/7 Eye Pencil in Perversion (upper and lower waterline); Physician’s Formula Sexy Booster Va Va Voom Mascara. LIPS — Sugarpill Liquid Lip Color in Strangelove. FACE — E.l.f. Mineral Infused Face Primer; e.l.f. Flawless Finish Foundation in Porcelain; e.l.f. HD Powder in Sheer; Sephora Tranquil (contour); Mary Lou-Manizer; Tarte Exposed; e.l.f. Original Mist & Set.
Most used product of the week: Lancome Teint Idole 24H Long Lasting Foundation (hormonal cystic acne = need full coverage); Too Faced Chocolate Gold Palette; Black Beauty Cosmetics (etsy) e/s in Lizzie Borden (shimmery bright red; it’s really beautiful foiled); UD Primer Potion in Enigma.
Any new beauty discoveries: Black Beauty Cosmetics has fantastic liquid glitter eye liners! They are packed with glitter, no fallout, and they don’t bother my eyes. They clean up easily with makeup remover. Probably the best liquid glitter liners I’ve ever used. I had bought a teal and silvery-green, and I liked them so much I went back and ordered purple, red, emerald green, and gold.
My skin tone/coloring: fair, cool
Favorite look you wore: MAC Studio Careblend powder in place of foundation; Dior Rosy Glow blush; on my eyes, the lightest shade in the Clarins 03/Brown quad all over my mobile lids and nothing else at all but liner – I think it was Sephora Diving in Malaysia; I dabbed my lips with Smashbox Legendary lipstick and then smoothed/spread it around with a lipstick brush for a more natural/less full on red lip.
Most used product of the week: Dior Rosy Glow blush, Estee Edit Radiance Activator Prep+Treat+Glow
Any new beauty discoveries: the “old” MUFE Golden Khaki/D320 eyeshadow; so glad I was able to grab this.
My skin tone/colouring: Porcelain, with pink undertones
Favorite look you worn: On Christmas Day, I used my new Chosungah 22 foundation in porcelain, just stunning, with my new Huda Beauty Smokey Obsession palette with EA Rustic Red lipstick and it all worked very well together.
Most used product of the week: All my staples.
Any new beauty discoveries: That I love the Elf foundation in porcelain, recommended by Rachel here on the blog. It is an excellent daily foundation, medium coverage and looks perfect on my skin. Thank you Rachel!
I’m so glad to hear the e.l.f. foundation worked well for you!
Favorite look worn: KVD Saint and Sinner. Martyr in the crease. Rosary on outer corner of eyelid. Chalice on inner corner of eyelid. Colourpop Super Shock Eyeshadow in Sailor as inner corner highlight. MAC Teddy Eyeliner (I’m using it up). Makeup Forever Excessive Lash mascara. Benefit Dallas Blush. Pixi Rose Lip Treatment #2 Rose
Most used product : MAC Teddy Eyeliner and Benefit Dallas Blush
New beauty discoveries : I’ve tried my first Viseart eyeshadow. So far I like it but I’m not convinced it’s better than others I’ve tried. The “it blends itself ” comments are an exaggeration. Colourpop pressed eyeshadows blend just as nice and last just as long. I like what I’ve tried but I know I’m not missing out of much if I pass on their $80 plus stuff
Curious what brush…specific or style..you use with Dallas. You are far more fair than I, and Dallas is kind of my nemesis. Way too intense. I’ve panned lots of Benefit blush, and that one usually looks way OTT, and does not blend away. Tan Mahal and Exhibit A, which are hella bold, are easier for me than Dallas, and I love that pucey vibe. Maybe it shares more than I would like to admit with Hoola, that looks, well, I’ll leave out the gross analogy, and say the old light brown M&Ms. Bad.
Taj…it tried to say tsk….to quote kvd Stupid Autocorrect!
I’m fair but neutral so I can pull off a lot of colors without them pulling too warm or too cool. I will say Benefit Dallas is new to me. I ran out to purchase it and use my 20% off coupon from Ulta bc I heard it was being discontinued and I always wanted to try Dallas but kept passing on it. I like it but as for nude blushes NARS Madly or Clinique Nude Pop are much better imo. So far though I have been wearing it using a very light hand, using a round blush brush from Up& Up (ahem Emily Noel is no influence on me ahem ahem) and pairing it with Laura Geller French Vanilla highlight. I also take a flat top blender brush to blend out my blush so nothing is too kabaam! Funny what you say about Hoola. It for sure can go too intense quickly. I like the Hoola light much better bc it’s more flattering for my fair skin. I will say I much prefer my Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer or my TF Bronzed & Poreless over Hoola but then I don’t tan and only use bronzer for some warmth to the skin. Discontinued but I think Milk Chocolate Soleil is comparable to the Bronzed & Poreless. Benefit blushes in general are rather new to me. I always passed on them bc they were so gimmicky. I only really like Rockateur and Hervana. Sorry for the ramble. Best of luck!