A Taupe Affair

If you look online there is a plethora of taupe comparisons as well as reviews but I wanted to go ahead and dip my toe into the taupe review pool. In the past few days I have purchased a Victoria Secret's eyeshadow and my first Maybelline cream eyeshadow.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe
~$5.99 at drugstores

Victoria's Secret in Decadent
$12 in store 

 I always like swatching my new purchases and I happened to find that the VS looked very similarly to MAC's Satin Taupe which is my most used eyeshadow. 

MAC's Satin Taupe
$15 in store or online

Obviously the price difference isn't as alluring but let's take a closer look at the colors themselves.

From left to right:
Satin Taupe, Decadent, Tough as Taupe

From top to bottom:
Tough as Taupe, Decadent, Satin Taupe

In the top photo, in natural light, the colors are very similar. Both contain a nice sheen and have the gorgeous purple with grey undertones that I love in taupes. 

The bottom photo, in artificial light, the colors are less alike. Satin Taupe shows up more golden rather than the silvery Decadent. Decadent even shows up slightly pink.

Tough as Taupe is a very pretty matte taupe that could work very well as a base for either of the more shimmery colors. 

MY VERDICT: These colors may appear basically the same on the lid but to maximize each color, I would pair Satin Taupe with bronzey, golden colors while Decadent would be wonderful with colors that have silvery undertones. For anyone that has both Naked palettes by Urban Decay, I would say that Satin Taupe would belong with the warmer colors of the original Naked while Decadent would be at home with Naked 2. And PS. I LOVE and own both palettes!

What color do you tend to reach for when you need a quick, polished look? I'd love to read your responses in the comments below!

Go Through Life Face First

I mentioned the Clarisonic Mia in my 7 Deadly Sins tag a while ago and a friend of mine just purchased one so as I was texting her, telling her all the info about it, I realized I should just do a blog post because I have a lot to say.

First off, let me say that I LOVE this item. It is the best investment and I could not live without it. While I was researching it last year, I found a lot of people saying that if you have never used it then you aren't missing anything but if you do try it, you will never go back to living without it. I think the reason for that is the noticeable difference on your face. Its brighter and smoother due to the exfoliating properties. I could probably write a dissertation about this product but I will link some videos instead. The first referenced video is the reason why I bought the Clarisonic and the other is a new video that I feel gives really good information.

Michele1218

Beauty Broadcast

Another quick detail to point out is that if you do decide to purchase this, its best to wait for Sephora's annual Friends and Family discount but to be eligible you would have to be a BI or perhaps a VIB with Sephora, I'm not quite sure which. 

It is safe to use twice a day but I limit my use to the night time just for the simple fact that I'm always in a rush in the morning and don't have the time to do anything than quickly wash my face and moisturize.

This is my Clarisonic Mia. I thought it was a special edition pattern but they are still offering it on Sephora's website. 

The scrubber part is removable by inserting the ridges of the plastic cover into the grooves of the brush and twisting clockwise. 

I recommend to remove the brush once a week and rinse it in a solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 2 parts water. It cleans the brush so that any buildup can be removed. 

   

I also use a Q-tip to remove any gunk that may be in the actual Clarisonic after the brush head has been removed.

Before I use my Clarisonic, I remove all my makeup so that the brush isn't unnecessarily dirty. Then I cleanse with the Clarisonic and rinse the brush off with water so that no more soap remains on the bristles. As for the type of soap, liquid face cleansers are fine. The Clarisonic even comes with their brand of cleanser and when I used that cleanser I placed it in the center of the brush. 

Nowadays, I use a solid bar soap from Sibu because it doesn't contain harsh chemicals such as parabens. And it was $5 but my Whole Foods didn't have it supplied so they ordered it for me free of charge!! Sibu was actually just having an amazing sale so I stocked up on a lot of products but I'll do a review as soon as I've used up my current products and I've tested out the Sibu products. :-)

BACK TO THE CLARISONIC.....

So this post has been way to long and if you're still reading this I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to do so...the last bit of information I wanted to provide was how often to replace the brush heads. On the box it says to replace it every 3 months which is a good time frame if you use it every single day. But if you're only using it ONLY once a day I think you can get away with replacing it every 4 months. But I personally change it every 3 months as recommended.

 I also buy the twin set of brush heads.

This retails for about $40 on the Sephora website. Each single head is $25 so you are saving money but buying 2 instead of 1. And I also stock up on the brush heads during that same Friends and Family event because 20% off is nothing to skip out on especially in the makeup world. I buy 2 twin packs so I have the 4 to last me through out the year. And another side note is that I prefer the deep pore cleansing brush because the sensitive brush that comes with the Clarisonic is too soft and I felt like I could withstand a more "rough" cleanse. BUT please keep in mind, no matter what brush you use, it will not hurt as long as you just place the brush on your face and let it do its thing. Brush head types include: Sensitive (default), Delicate, Normal, Deep Pore and Acne.

So to conclude, this is a very important part of my personal cleansing routine and it is an investment in time as well as money. But I honestly would not go back to how I washed my face before. My face is brighter, smoother and my pores are smaller after consistent use of this product. I absolutely love it and I encourage everyone to invest if you want to improve the look of your skin. 

Review: Laura Geller Spackle

I hope to find you all in the best of moods and having a wonderful day. My side of the world is dreary and looks like we might get some rain and this would be all good and fine but I'm trying a clean food cleanse in which I eat mostly green veggies and chicken or fish and I'm not liking it so far....but I digress.

Today I wanted to share with you my thoughts on a sample of a primer that I received from an old Birchbox. If you're unfamiliar with Birchbox, it is a monthly subscription that is $10 a month and you receive 5 samples of various beauty products. I tried it for about 3 months and I have to say that I hated it. The products were intriguing but I never found anything to be worthy of repurchasing. A lot of the samples remain in my bathroom barely touched except for this Laura Gellar facial primer that I just about used up.

This product I used almost every day for 4 months and I'm not completely done with it yet. Its 0.5 oz which is a decent sample size considering the full size product is 1 oz. And it goes for $15.50 on QVC which is the only place I could find it other than the official website. The official website sells the 0.5 oz product for $10.00. Considering the size, you do get a lot of product and whether its worth the money depends on what you're looking for in face primer. There are also 2 shades of the tinted primer in case you're lighter than I am.

I have worn this by itself and under powder and liquid foundation and I find that its better when you use it alone. Under foundation, it doesn't improve the staying power or the application. Without foundation on top, the product sinks into your skin and helps even it out like what you'd expect from a tinted moisturizer.

Obviously from the picture, you can see that its a little lighter than my skin tone, but its blends without any sort of color. 

Its hard to tell from the photos, but there are very tiny, refined specks of gold glitter that lend to the shiny, dewy finish of this product. But its important to note that the glitter does not appear on the face. It blends out very nicely. You  can also tell that it smooths out the skin fairly well. 

However, the product can lead to shiny spots if you apply too much, but that is easily alleviated with finishing powder. 

Another pro is that the product is in the form of a squeeze tube, so bacterial contamination is reduced but getting the last bits of products is challenging. I was having a hard time squeezing the last bits of product out so I went ahead and depotted it for easier access.

Final Judgement: This is a nice alternative to a tinted moisturizer especially in the spring and summer for a dewy finish. Its not ideal for those wanting a matte face or who have oily skin. Overall its a nice way to even out skin but it doesn't camouflage dark spots or acne scars.  As a face primer, it doesn't do anything except add an extra step into your routine. I will not be repurchasing this product since I have so many other primers samples to test out and of course I will keep you posted. :-)

Thank you again for reading this and let me know what kind of primers you like to use or why you don't like to use primers. And also let me know what things intrigue you so I can post relevant things. Have a wonderful day.

TAG: 7 Deadly Sins of Beauty

I am addicted to beauty related YouTube videos and I have many "gurus" that I listen to. This is a tag video that I have seen numerous gurus do and I decided it'd be fun to do in my blog. Let me know what your answers would be!
1. GREED: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? 

This mascara is about 2.99 at Walgreens and its amazing. Lengthening and volumizing for dramatic lashes. But it can also be a bit clumping if you rush with the application. The only thing is it tend to dry so your lashes are brittle. This is semi relieved by using a lash primer. I use the Dior lash primer.

 What is your most expensive?

I LOVE my Clarisonic Mia. Its a bit of an investment but it helps me really cleanse and exfoliate my face. 

2. WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with?

I really love how concealer can mask my dark circles but it has been such a challenge to find the perfect one that I can use on my own. When a makeup artist (MA) applies it, I look flawless and my eyes are brightened. BUT when I attempt to duplicate the look, it doesn't look quite the same. 

What product has been the hardest to get?

Oh my goodness, this nail polish was so hard to track down. This is limited edition (LE) Chanel's Peridot which is a duo chrome polish. Luckily the Chanel employee was able to locate the last available one at a Chanel counter in Wyoming or Montana...or something like that.

3. GLUTTONY: What are your most delicious beauty products?  I really don't know how to answer this particular question since I don't eat my beauty products.....but the beauty product that smells the most delicious to me is my  June Jacob's enzyme mask...I only have a sample but it smells like papaya and deliciousness.


4. SLOTH: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness? 

I bought these multiple eye pencils to use as a base for all my looks, yet I never use them unless I'm practicing a look.  I really should start integrating them into my daily routine.

5. PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence? I couldn't take a good picture of this product but I CANNOT live without my MAC Blacktrack Fluidline gel liner. I have to line my eyes no matter where I'm going. A winged liner look is simple yet so chic.

Welcome

If you're taking the time to read this post, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to indulge me. It has been almost a year since I began my love affair for makeup, beauty, and fashion and my love keeps getting stronger every day. The reason I chose to create a blog is not only to have an outlet to share my thoughts with others who may care about the same things I do, but also to learn from other makeup/fashion enthusiasts. So welcome to my blog and I hope we can learn from one another. :-)