*My Favorites*
I decided to list my favorite make up products that I use on the daily basis or regularly. I must say that I don’t use foundation every day, because on a good day my face wakes up pretty clear and I wouldn’t want to cake up on myself in the long hours of commuting back and forth to school and my work. It just doesn’t feel good.
Personally I like using my face powder instead of my foundation. And on days when I do use foundation I go extremely wild believe me! I primarily use foundation for extra coverage too. And I don’t need that when going to school, my personal preference.
Now, these 10 products that I have listed are basically what I use to have a clean, natural, and fresh looking face. I am aware that some of these products are on the pricier side, and for the lucky people who live here in The Netherlands like me, I have some pretty good alternatives that won’t break your pocket or your face; if you know what I mean. And if you are interested in where to get these products I will put the links, or store names behind each product so you would know where to go get them! J I mean BUY them…ha!
So, I listed these in random order. Whichever product I pulled out of my go-to make up bag -which I carry with me at all times- first, is the one on the top. By the way, I don’t intend to do an extensive product review, or persuade you in to buying any of these products. I want to give my honest opinion about them why I like them and how they work for me. This doesn’t mean that it will work for you. You should always consult a professional to see what works better for your type of skin etcetera. Since I put my intentions of going to make up school on hold for the moment, I can only tell you my personal experiences. However, I do recommend for instance the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual book or perhaps, visiting Temptalia. She gives an extensive review of all skin colors and the brands that go with them, regarding foundations, concealers etc. and some other great products too!
My 10 can’t live without favorites.
Now I don’t know if you could tell by my pictures but I’m a pretty tan person, but yet I have a yellow undertone. I get very very pale in the winter time, which is unusual for a person originating from the Caribbean. In any case, I am in love with this corrector! I must say that prior to buying this corrector I have used many different types and brands of under eye concealers. I also own the Creamy Concealer from the Bobbi Brown line, which is of thicker consistency and has the powder at the bottom…aha,yeah nothing, really did it for me, until I met this awesome little friend of mine. I work long hours and regardless of what I said before, my face doesn’t wake up looking magical. So the only thing that does it for me is this. It makes me look fresh and awakened and it is by far the best corrector I have tried.
Of course having such a wonderful product comes with a price; you will be spending at least 30 Euro’s or more to own this little puppy. Being a student and all I really watch what I buy, but trust me, it is a good investment.
You can purchase Bobbi Brown products, online via their website, or if you happen to have a Douglass Perfumery or a Beijenkorf in your city go check out their products. I have a great experience with the beauty consultants who work there and they will be more than happy to test out the right shade for you.
This product is a silicone based mattifying primer that smoothes and even outs the skin, before the application of foundation. This incredible product keeps your skin looking fresh and matte throughout the day. It has a gel like consistency and with only a small amount it even outs the entire face. I use this product on the daily basis, and I have gone through 3 bottles of the clear one and half of the bronze version. (Yeah! You read it they have a bronze version of it too! Awesome!) My last little bottle has about a week before it runs out, but lucky for us in The Netherlands the only store that carries Sephora, (V&D) is having a major sale starting this weekend, and you guessed it…I’m going to be first in line to get my hands on as much products that I can carry! You can check it out on my previous post on “new makeup purchases”.
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| The Bronze version |
This primer costs around 13 Euro’s a bottle which I consider to be a good investment if you want your make up application to go on smooth, and stay fresh on your face throughout the day. Again, I do recommend going to the sale, where you can get 3 products for 10 Euro’s on the entire Sephora collection! Yayyy!
I read about this amazing product online, like I usually do when I’m interested in buying a new product. I came across the website and I was in total eyebrow heaven. I have been using Madorr Brush-on Brow in dark brown for about ..hmmm I think 6 years now? And it hasn’t failed me. Now you’re probably thinking what in the name of J is Madorr. Well, let me tell you Madorr is a really good and old brand that has been around for a really long time! Even my grandmother used it! J But I decided to try Anastasia because I have read some really good reviews on the products. As with Madorr the brow powder comes in a small compact. In the case of the brow kit, the compact has two shades of powder one lighter and one darker shade of brown. The kit also contains a pair of tweezers, a duo-end angle brush with a spoolie and also a clear brow gel. What is really neat about the kit is that it also comes with eyebrow stencils. This ensures to get the right brow shape at any time. The other brow kit I own from Anastasia is also in Brunette and it is named “Best in brow Pencil set”. Yes, you guessed it! In this kit all the products are in pencil version. This kit also has stencils, and it comes with a matte highlighter. I had to get the shimmer highlighter too, in “chiffon”. The highlighters provide the extra “focus” on your brows and are simply heavenly products.
The prices on these kits are a bit on the pricier side, but these are really high quality products and Anastasia is a high-end brand. The 5 Elements Brow Kit is 68 Euro’s ($65)
Best Brow Pencil Kit retails at 44 Euro’s ($41)
Highlighter in Chiffon 21 Euro’s ($21)
If you intend to go buy these products I recommend buying the entire kit, as it saves you more money, rather than buying items individually. Living in the Netherlands? Douglass Parfumerie carries the brand! I’m not sure if this is in all the cities, but if you happen to be in The Hague area, our Douglass will provide Anastasia.
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| Best Brow Pencil Kit |
This concealer as MAC describes it: “A lightweight, creamy, discreetly opaque concealer. Provides a smooth, long-wearing invisible coverage for all skin blemishes. Water-resistant, fragrance-free and non-acnegenic. This emollient-based, lightweight concealer is so concentrated that a tiny amount can provide opaque coverage of the skin's imperfections and discolourations. It effectively covers dark circles, blemishes, moles, tattoos and birthmarks.”
So, there is pretty much nothing else I can add to that, except that I absolutely love this concealer, and it is the best concealer that works for me. I have a couple of acne scars from back in the day when my face was infested with pimples. And now, the only concealer that gives me that extra coverage I need is this one.
When doubting the right shade, don't be shy to ask the make up artists/consultants, that work there, choosing the right shade is important!!
When doubting the right shade, don't be shy to ask the make up artists/consultants, that work there, choosing the right shade is important!!
This concealer retails between 16-17 Euro’s ($16,50) and is available at the MAC counters, in Bijenkorf, Douglas, and the MAC Store in Amsterdam.
The next product on the list is the famous Urban Decay Primer Potion. I am in love with this product, because it works miracles with my greasy eye lids. Urban Decay is not available in The Netherlands (wish it was!) so I purchased mine both the Sin and Original when I was visiting London with my friends last year.Not only does this primer make eye shadow colors "pop" more or become more vibrant, but it also does not crease! I prefer the Original over the Sin, for day to day use and the Sin over the Original for an evening look, since the Original dries matte and clear, and the Sin dries into a shimmery champagne color. Very pretty though. I paid £15 for the duo package, and since this was in the Duty Free store on the Ferry, I think I paid less than if I had bought it in "Boots" or other stores in London.
You can purchase Urban Decay products online, or if you are planning to visit England anytime soon you can check them out there! :-)
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| Right: SIN Left: ORIGINAL |
This awesome lip conditioner works miracles for me, because I tend to have dry lips, especially when the seasons change. You can use this conditioner right before you go to sleep so it can hydrate your lips, and in the morning you wake up with kissable, soft, hydrated lips. I also like to use it right before I start my makeup application routine, so my lips are smooth before I apply my MAC lip primer, or a lipstick/gloss. This conditioner does not have that sticky "guwy" consistency and once you apply it, your lips will feel (in my case) relieved and refreshed.
This lip conditioner retails for 15-16 Euro's ($14,50) and like other MAC products is available at MAC counters and could be purchased online.
This lip conditioner retails for 15-16 Euro's ($14,50) and like other MAC products is available at MAC counters and could be purchased online.
"An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!"
I could't agree more! This "water in a bottle" to some, is a "miracle in a bottle" to me! HA! I usually spray a decent amount on my clean face, before I get started with my make up. I makes my skin feel even more refreshed and ready for heavy duty make up application. Some people use it, to set their make up, even though after I finish making up my face a spritz a little, I don't necessarily use it to hold my make up in place. I make sure mi primers do the job, and that the Fix + just adds a little extra support. :-)
This is one of my favorite MAC products, and even though it may be about 19-20 Euro's ($19.00) I really think it's a good purchase.
What I love about this foundation also is that besides having a variety of colors it also comes in different formulas, depending on which type of skin you have!
I have 3 different colors, to mix and match during winter, summer and extreme summer.. that's for when I go back to the island. The one thing that may strike you as odd might be the smell, because it sort of smells like paint, but for some reason your face won't smell like paint, so don't worry about that! :-) Also, it has quite a thick consistency so you might want to work area by area.. Or just apply it really fast! :-)
This particular product is a bit harder to get.. But you might be lucky here,( in NL) in the DA Drogist, or you can also purchase online.
The prices ranges from $ 7 - $ 10. What for me, is a really good price for a great product.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Dark
This is my go-to face powder that never fails. It has rescued me, in times of shiny noses and grease foreheads. This compact powder leaves a matte finish, and even though I touch up a lot with this powder, it hasn't run off my face. I just sometimes have the urge to touch up.. LOL!
The coverage is minimum or I should say low, but like I said, I like my face to look fresh and natural,and mostly MATTE and this powder does exactly that. It does not cake up and the color suits my skin tone, like a glove... seriously! A lot of people might use it to set their foundation, which I do too sometimes, and it comes it in handy to touch up your foundation trough out the day.
For a price between 27-30 Euro's, I'd say look around, see what else you can find. I'm kind of MAC obsessed so I tend to buy MAC before any other. Even though it is a good product, I have had other powders that were slightly cheaper and slightly better.. :-) For instance Clinique!
Mascara's
I really had a difficult time deciding on this one, because all I want are thick, long lashes. So far, I haven't met my match. So, eventhough right now I'm using a MAC Plushlash mascara, I'm still looking for that ONE mascara to help me out in this "short-close-to-no-lashes" situation. In my "haul"-ish I posted the new Advanced Boost mascara by Sephora.. So, that is basically what I'm working with right now.. Keep an eye open for me guys! If you're reading this... HELP!!!
Hope this post was useful and stay tuned for the alternative stores and brands you can try out in case you don't want to spend a whole lot a cash on makeup products!
Until then! <3
Semper ad Meliora,
Sha*
New Make Up Purchases
March 2011
March 2011
When it comes to make-up I really watch what I buy.
It may sound weird to some of you... But I really do my homework before making a purchase. I have to watch hauls and read reviews (especially on Temptalia, I LOVE HER!) before I decide whether or not I really want to purchase a product.
Since I want to pursue make-up artistry in the future, I'd like to start investing in really good, high quality make-up products and tools. Also I love to have MAC Limited Edition products, cause sometimes they are just way too cute!
In any case, I live in The Netherlands, and we get MAC collections waaaayyy too late, when everyone has already swatched, reviewed, and sometimes even hit the pan with some products, that's when WE get them. Although I must say that it has a really good advantage for me, since I like to sniff around everyone's blog to read reviews and look at the products and swatches.
The MAC Wonder Woman collection arrived in The Netherlands on the 5th of March, and I had to be first in line to thick off my wishlist!
After watching all the hauls and reviews, I made up a wishlist with prices (so I know what my budget would be) and carefully decided what was really worth (for me) it and what wasn't.
I ended up buying:
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| I grew up with Wonder Woman, so this collection has sentimental value to me... Don't you just love the packaging? |
1 Lipstick: Spitfire (Satin finish, in what to me is a dark fuchsia)
1 Lipglass: Anthena's Kiss (which matches the lipstick, bright fuchsia)
1 Powder Blush: Mighty Aphrodite
1 Eyeshadow Quad: Valliant ( 4 eye shadows in the Green family)
For in-depth swatches and reviews you can visit Temptalia. :-)
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| Here they are :-) |
Sephora was having a major blow out sale here in Holland at our only department store Vroom en Dreesman (V&D) that carries the brand.
I always make sure to make use of the opportunity to get the products I need, before they run out. I mean, everyone loves a good sale and I'm no exception!! :-)
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| You can choose 3 products of your liking for only 10Euro's! Now, that is a bargain! :-) |
I also look out for other products, that I can't afford to spend a whole lot of money on. In this case it would be eyebrow pencils, make-up setting sprays etc.
I always tell myself before I go inside the store, "remain calm, get what you NEED, and LEAVE!" I always tend to buy 6 or 9 products which would total 20 or 30 Euro's. Today I ended up getting 12 products so I paid 40Euro's. Ugh.. I just couldn't decide what to leave! :-)
This is what I got:
Of course I had to get the Primer. I also got one in bronze, since summer is right around the corner. I got two primers, one for me and one for my friend Lisa. (No Sephora in her city, :-( ).
- The shiny bottle on the left is a make-up setting spray that I decided to get to try out. ( I currently use the MAC fix +)
- Two hydrating & smoothing foundations in the colors D35 and D20. These are not my colors, I got them to try them out on friends. (Guinea pig friends, they are real humans though I would never test on animals!)
- I also got 2 lasting and perfecting correctors in the colors 01 and 02. (number 01 to me has a more pink undertone and number 02 a yellow undertone). What I liked about this concealer pen, is that it has two ends to it. One fine tip with corrector colors (green and pink) and one more thicker with the actual concealer color.
- 2 eyebrow pencils, in the colors 01 and 02 (number 01 is a lighter brown, kind of caramel-ish and number 02 is a more intense coffee color).
- In the middle is the Sephora eye primer, in a twist pen with a brush version, which I thought was very neat. Since I'm currently using the MAC primer, which I apply with fingers. And the Urban Decay Primer Potion has never failed me, but I got the Sephora one anyway to try it out. We will see if it can fight the battle with my oh-so greasy eye lids!
- Last but not least, the shiny silver tube on the right, is a mascara. Advanced lash booster. Now, let me tell you I desperately need my lashes to grow or at least look longer. On the package it is said that it grows your lashes + 1mm and an increase of +12.7% in thickness in a period of one month! It also says that it has been tested on 20 people.. So.. I don't know.. perhaps I will be success story number 21? I will put this mascara to the test and I really hope it works! Fingers crossed! :-) Oh and it's just a black mascara and when I pealed of the silver packaging, the tube is just plain black.
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| Eye Primer |
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| Swatchy swatch |
But what you can do is go online to the website: www.sephora.com and you can see the products on professional pictures :-)
Next I will be posting on my fav's and also on some really awesome make-up books!
Until then...
Semper ad Meliora,
Sha*
Trying a new look with over the top lashes...whooeeiiii
A look from the "top"
I was trying do to a Kim Kardashian inspired look.. It was the first time I tried it.. so bare with me...
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