One Brand, One Look: e.l.f.

I had originally planned on doing a step-by-step makeup tutorial including Vine-esque videos for this post but halfway through I actually got called out to work (huge bummer).However, I still wanted to get something up today since I've been sticking to a pretty great schedule so far and that's how this little post came to be.

I was looking through my makeup collection (yes, there's so much of it I like to call it a "collection") and realized that I might actually be turning into an e.l.f collector. From the looks of it I had garnered enough e.l.f. products to use a single brand all over my face. 

Eureka! An idea was born. 

So here's a complete tutorial for this simple, summery, bronzed look that's perfect for a day out with friends or a summer night of adventure.
Since this was all a little rushed and e.l.f. products are generally extremely affordable and much talked about I've included little reviews of most of the products used.

I started with a clean, moisturized face and applied my favorite primer (which was not e.l.f. unfortunately but since I applied it right after my moisturizer I didn't really count it anyway).

Then comes foundation. I used the Flawless Finish Foundation with SPF 15 for this look and absolutely love it. First of all, I love the packing. Glass bottle with a pump? I'm all about that luxury especially at $6 a pop. 

The consistency of the product is exactly what I look for in a foundation and I would even go so far as to say that this foundation is definitely buildable to a full coverage product. I even used the e.l.f. Foundation Brush to perfect the coverage then blended with my finger tips.

Flawless Finish Foundation in Buff

I'm broken out in several spots on my face at the moment and have some serious undereye baggage so the concealer in this next step is key. I used the Stick Concealer in Ivory to cover my spots and dark circles then added the Under Eye Concealer before blending out with the Flawless Concealer Brush.

This brush is a recent purchase and has completely changed the way I apply concealer. I used to have to spend forever blending and covering my dark circles with my finger tips and mounds of concealer but this brush so makes things so much easier as it's the perfect size for under my eyes.

I finished things off under the eyes with a little bit of Glow from the duo end of the Under Eye Concealer in my inner corners and a bit of Translucent Mattifying Powder under my eyes to set everything. 

L to R: Blending, Eyeshadow, Foundation, Concealer

The next step was to fill in my brows a tad bit and I love how easy the Eyebrow Kit is from e.l.f. as it features a powder and a darker wax to set everything in place. I used the kit in Medium for this look and just filled in the sparse patches in the middle of my brows with the powder before going over them with the wax.

Using the Blending Eye Brush and the mini Eyeshadow Palette in Naturals, I started with a medium matte brown color (1) in the crease and blended out. Take your time with this step and make sure everything is blended out well so that you're creating a shadow in the crease for more definition. I then went in with a shimmery shade (2) on the Professional Eyeshadow Brush across the lid working out toward the outer crease and the shadow we just created. 

I made sure everything was blended well then realized that I really wanted to use the Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Toast in this look because it was such a great color. So even though this shadow is a cream product I did apply over the powder shadow I had just used but sparingly.
 I just used my finger to tap the product around the center of my lid, blending more toward the inner corner. This gives a great lustrous effect to your eyes without messing with the set of your powder shadow.
I also added one of the lightest shades (3) from the palette to my inner corner before moving on. 

Now, we're to the point that I would normally apply eyeliner but this is actually the point when I realized that I didn't own any e.l.f. eyeliner so I decided to use Benefit's They're Real! Push-Up Eyeliner so that I could test it out for my review which you can keep you're eyes out for very soon. 

So, after you've applied your favorite eyeliner (I did a Cat-Eye Flick but you can line your eyes anyway you want for a little more definition) you can move on to mascara. 

I used the 3-in-1 Lengthen, Define, & Volumize Mascara which is actually my favorite mascara at the moment and runs for $3 which is a huge bargain in my book. It really does everything it says it does and leaves me with "Oh my gosh!" lashes. 

I topped off this look with blush and bronzer from the Contouring Blush & Bronzer kit in St. Lucia which I actually believe is a pretty good dupe for the NARS Laguna & Orgasm mini duo. I applied the blush from the kit just under the apples of my cheeks and lightly contoured with the bronzer around my temples and along my jawline. 

Now here's the final look!

SUPA CLOSE-UP

Let me know what you thing of this makeup look and tutorial in the comments below! 

until next time

xo

Merisa

NYX on HauteLook

Just a quick update for you all just because I knew you'd love what I've got to say...

HauteLook is having a a HUGE sale on NYX cosmetics at the moment!

There are some mega deals going on so I just had to share my picks with you, of course!

The first thing that caught my eye about this particular sale is that everything is bundled into sets so it's a really great way to pick up some favorites while also trying out some new products at low prices.

As you already know, I love NYX butter gloss so I was immediately drawn to this set of lip products that features the butter gloss in Eclair along with 4 other products at just $12.00. A single butter gloss can run almost $5 so this deal is crazy bread!

It is really hard for me to walk away from this next set, so hard in fact it's already in my cart just waiting for me to press the checkout button.

This Spring Set features some of my favorite eye shadow colors as well as a rose gold shadow stick for just $7.50!

Originally priced at $30 this huge palette is a steal at just $18 as it includes: 

- 52 Eye Shadows

- 4 Blushes

- 4 Face Colors

- 8 Lip Colors

- 1 Lip Liner

 - 2 Lip Glosses

- 2 Dual-Sided Applicators

- Face Brush & Mirror

That's a pretty incredible deal if you ask me. Also, in case you didn't know, the majority of NYX products are Animal Testing & Cruelty Free which is a HUGE plus when buying their products as more lines need to make this possible!

To check out the sale head over to hautelook.com and click here for an invite

until next time, darlings.

xo

Merisa 

Beauty Breakdown: Primers

Is it just me or are primers the new "cool kid" on the block when it comes to beauty products?

I feel like they're everywhere with everyone talking about them lately. It seems like every brand has their own must-have primer (or 2, Rimmel) and they all do different stuff for your face.

To be perfectly honest I got really tired of all the hype. I mean, it seems like everyone's praising primers but what difference do they really make?

Well, that's the question this post is meant to answer!

I dove right in and picked up some primers that caught my eye while at the drugstore...and a sample from Ulta because that little sucker's expensive just to try it.

I've been using the Rimmel Fix & Perfect for a while now but recently gave it up because like I said, what difference does it really make? So I put it up against some real contenders pictured above: Maybelline Baby Skin (aka the techy nerd turned cool kid), Rimmel Stay Matte Primer (every shiny forehead's worst enemy), and Benefit's the POREfessional (the primer Prom Queen)

Let's start out with the odd ball of the bunch

Maybelline Baby Skin: I have heard so much about this product even before it was available in the states so I was dying to get my hands on it when it landed at my local CVS. I seriously had no preconceptions about this product so I was honestly shocked when I squeezed the tube and found clear gel come out. What?! It was so cool. However, it got kinda weird when I went to put it on my face. 

Because it's clear you really can't tell where you're putting it on and the slick texture doesn't help that either as you get the product on your fingers and lose track of how much product is going where. 

While it took a minute to get over the strange texture the results I found around my t-zone helped speed up my decision making process a little more. This product claimed to have Blur Technology when it comes to hiding pores and I must say the word blur perfectly describes what occurs. It doesn't hide your pores but it does blur their appearance making large pores (like mine) practically disappear once foundation is applied! 

I'm giving this product a thumbs up simply because it blew my mind. While I probably won't use it all over my face it is definitely a product that comes in handy on those days that your pores look more like craters.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro: Like I said before, I've been using this primer for a while now and really just use it as a base for my foundation as it does a pretty good job of smoothing things out. While this particularly product doesn't do much for my pores really I have been wanting to see how it would do combined with the Baby Skin product. Definitely something to try very soon!

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer: Rimmel just recently came out with a new range of Stay Matte foundations (which I also picked up) and I love their Stay Matte powders so much that I decided to give the primer in the range a shot too! Looking back on it now, I may have been swayed by the purple packaging because I have yet to see a real different between this and the Fix & Perfect. I will say that the Stay Matte is a thicker formula and does a better job at actually staying matte which is definitely a good thing but during these past few snow days I've found that it actually leaves my skin too matte so I'm definitely holding out to try this one out during the warmer spring and summer days. 

Also, I found that when I combined the primer and the foundation from this range it was way too drying, but definitely a match to try once those shiny spots caused my warmer days start appearing.

Benefit the POREfessional: This product was another bit of a surprise when I opened it as it was a nude color that really set it apart from the others. I think the color had a lot to do with how well this particular primer was able to hide imperfections as it hides pores insanely well and creates an unbelievably smooth canvas for my foundation. I really enjoyed my sample of this product but I honestly don't think I could ever convince myself to pay the $31 price tag for something that's not really essential to my routine.

I realize this looks kind of weird but I just wanted to show y'all the differences in appearance and texture between the primers: (l-r) Fix & Perfect, POREfessional, Baby Skin, and Stay Matte.
(sorry the POREfessional looks a little grotesque but that's all I could squeeze out of the sample.)
You can really tell a difference between the two Rimmel products here as the Stay Matte is clearly thicker than the Fix & Perfect and how weird is it seeing the clear Baby Skin gel? haha

I hope you all have enjoyed this little break down of the primers I've used recently. I'd love it if you left comments below letting me know your favorite primers!

until next time, darlings
xo
Merisa

Huge Spring Collective Haul!

Well, I think it's safe to say that I'm not doing so hot on that whole New Year's resolution deal about trying to be a better blogger but I am here now and determined to make more of an effort (with all of my resolutions) this month!

I wanted to get this post in because it actually introduces quite a few other posts that I have planned for the very near future so keep an eye out for them, Magnolias. 

Let me start by saying this is a collective haul that I've acquired over the past few weeks or so...it's almost embarrassing how much stuff there is to talk about but what can I say? I love to shop! Now let's get to it!

Ulta became my best friend last month...which you can probably tell from the picture below.

The week before last they were having huge Buy One Get One deals on all my favorite brands (which is awesome) so I just couldn't pass it up as it was a great opportunity to try out some new spring looks I've been dying to get my hands on.

Let's just start from the top, shall we?

I actually picked up the Got 2B Rockin' It Dry Conditioner at the Dollar Tree and picked it up because I was simply intrigued by the idea of a dry conditioner. Well, I've given it a try and it is pretty amazing. I know it sounds super strange and sort of time consuming but there's just sometimes when I'm using dry shampoo (aka my favorite product ever, just wait) and I go a little overboard. This solves that issue, a little spray goes a long way in helping keep my locks oil-free but also soft and shiny.

 Like I said, I love me some dry shampoo...it has saved my hair from so many disaster situations and to be perfectly honest when you have hair as long as mine washing it everyday can be a hassle. I had heard a lot of talk about the Batiste dry shampoo and had to get my hands on it when  I saw it on Ulta's website. There are so many different scents to choose from that it was a difficult decision but I'm a sucker for leopard print so the packaging on the Wild variety won out. Honestly, I'm on the fence about the scent, there are days that I really like it and days I just don't so it's kinda strange but overall I think it's a really great product...probably not something I would buy every time I run out but definitely nice to try out different scents. 

I went a little overboard on the primers and Rimmel products so those will actually be featured in a breakdown of my favorite primers post coming later one...sneak peak: really loving the Baby Skin at the moment, definitely worth a try!

In case you can't tell by the picture above, I have a serious addiction to lip products. There are 8 featured above (eek!), 6 of which were purchased at the same time from Ulta...but they were all apart of the BOGO deal with the Ulta brand lipsticks BOGO Free and the others BOGO 50% off. That is not a deal you pass up easily, my friends. 

Here's a close up of some of my favorites but be on the lookout for my favorite Spring lip colors on the blog soon, in the meantime definitely give the new Ulta color core lipsticks a look because they're kinda amazing! (mine are [l-r] Sour Cherry and Cutie)

If you checked out my RueLaLa vs HauteLook post a while back then you would have gotten a sneak peak at a few of the products featured below. The Stila pressed pigments were featured on a serious HauteLook sale...like, I think I only got these for $5 a piece (which is insanely cheap for Stila) and I have to say that I was a little disappointed with them at first but love how versatile they are now that I've used them a few times. I use Acoustic (bottom left) as an eyeshadow trio with the lightest shade all over, the dark shade in the crease, and occasionally the orangey-red on the outer corner. As for the shade on the right, Finale (how cute are these names?), I blend that together and use as a blush...I know, pretty bright for a blush but the color comes off amazingly when used sparingly. Overall, they were a great purchase which is more than I can say for the lip colors which were way off course as far as display color to IRL color goes. 

Speaking of thumbs down products, the product at the top of this photo is actually marketed as a bronzer no matter how much it looks like a highlighter.
I'm a huge Physcians Formula fan when it comes to pressed bronzing powders (mostly because they're the only ones easily available to me it seems) but does anyone else feel like they're really a hit or miss brand?
I've gotten some really great bronzers from them over the years but also some really bad ones and this one unfortunately falls in that category. I was of course drawn in by their packaging (as always) and this one just so happened to be in a sparkly pink package...just begging for me to take it home. However, it also claimed to be specifically formulated for brunettes (looking back now, I guess I really should have gone with the blondes on this one) and that was something that really set this product apart from the rest. I don't know how they think this product will look good on darker haired girls seeing as they are usually the ones with darker skin when it barely even shows up on my beige toned skin!
As you probably know, PF bronzers run on the expensive side as far as drugstore brands go so I've resorted to using this product as a highlighter and even dig into the different sections of the mosaic to use as eyeshadows, something that still lacks luster but hey, why let it go to waste.

What's one of the sure fire signs that you are a Monogrammed Magnolia? It's in the name of course...a love for all things monogrammed!
That's exactly why Marley Lilly Flash Sales are my own personal kryptonite, or rather my bank account's kryptonite. February became ML's month of flash sales as they celebrated every Monogram Monday with one of their signature sales and the very last one featured all my favorites in none other than red, white, and blue! And let's face it, nothing say's Monogrammed Magnolias quite like a red, white, & blue Monogrammin' 'Merica tee! I just had to get my hands on it and rep my faves at Marley Lilly!

There's just something about a pocket tee that makes me go weak in the knees...add a monogram and I'm hooked...add a little Bama houndstooth and I've gotta have it! I adore this shirt and love the super amazing quality of the pocket itself! I don't know how they do it but Marley Lilly has got it going on with these printed pockets and I'm afraid I'm a fan for life. Definitely give them a look and be sure to follow them @MarleyLilly on Twitter to be in the know about the next Flash Sale which is always just around the corner.

Now for the BIG finale, folks!

I now present to you my pride, my joy, my absolute obsession...

my Kate Spade Little Kaelin Primrose Hill bag!!!

It's like the holy grail of bags for me and it was purchased during one of Kate Spade's signature Surprise Sales which I am a die hard fan of! 

I just love this bag and have probably carried it everyday since it arrived on my doorstep. It's a cross body on a leather and chain strap that is just absolutely to die-for, I mean how cute it that bow? Best part? The inside is polka dots! Kate Spade pulled out all the stops with this one!

I can honestly say that it was well worth the money and as my mother would say, it feels like buttah!

For more pictures of my bag and all my finds follow me on Instagram!!!

until next time, darlings.

xo

Merisa

What We Love Wednesday Haul

Just a quick disclaimer, this post has morphed into something much bigger than I intended. What started off as the usual What We Love Wednesday post turned into something crazy when I realized a.) I have way too many favorites at the moment and b.) my Lilly Pulitzer stuff came in today! 

Uh, hello! Of course I had to include Lilly in this post, because I love her! haha!

So, that's when I realized I was just going to call this a What We Love Wednesday Haul since it included so much stuff I've either picked up recently or received for Christmas. 

So here we go:

Makeup Favorites

For some reason the picture below is showing up really red on my screen even though it wasn't like that on my camera or when editing it so I'm sorry if that's the case for you too.

I'm also sorry for jamming everything in one picture, I was trying to hurry. Wow, this is becoming more of a disclaimer post. I'll stop now. 

Most of these products pictured below were new to be in December and they all became quick favorites.

• Let's start with the pink bottle (great packaging) of L'Oreal Paris Color Vibrancy Dual Protect Spray. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, I bought this because it was pink and sparkly. I know, I know, typical white girl. But, seriously, this product makes you reach for it on the shelves if just to shake up the bottle and see the sparkle. Now, when I say sparkle I don't mean there's glitter or anything it's like the product has an iridescent shine to it that's really eye catching. I really like that this product is a 2-in-1 with color and heat protection, but it also seems to really nourish my hair and almost works as an added conditioner which is always a plus in my book.
• I picked up this next product last week when I spotted it in Walmart and I haven't looked back! It is amazing! I first heard of this type of brush in a few beauty guru YouTube videos when they mentioned the Tangle Teezer. I googled the product and then soon realized that it had yet to be released in the US and was a product mainly found in the UK. I was absolutely delighted to find this Goody dupe in the haircare aisle (for about half the price) and couldn't wait to take it home and try it out. Well, it's awesome and has totally replaced my glitter brush because I can use it on both wet and dry hair, which is what makes it so awesome!
• I have never been a huge Twisted Peppermint fan but for some reason that all changed this year when I got a whole bag of Twisted Peppermint goodies from Bath & Body Works for Christmas. This hand cream is amazing and I am so glad B&BW are finally making separate hand and body lotions. It's also the perfect size to throw in your bag, which is what I do because what's my motto? Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
• Going back to the little problem I mentioned in My Night Time Routine post about my eyes, I have been on the hunt for a really great, full coverage under eye concealer and I believe I have found it in Hard Candy's Lite Bright Whipped Brightening Concealer. I picked up the medium shade and I'm so glad I didn't go any lighter because as far as medium shades go this one is pretty light but it truly is a full coverage concealer and is perfect for brightening up your under eye area without drying you out.
• I have found my perfect setting powder and it is Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder in Silky Beige! I love this stuff! It truly is stay matte and I will probably never use another powder, ever...well, until something better comes along, I suppose.
• It's no secret that I love my girl, Britney Spears, but what I love more is her perfumes! ahh! I just love them all, especially Fantasy and I absolutely love that I got this little travel spray in a gift set for Christmas (Thanks, Best Friend Beth!). I love that it's a travel bottle but not a roller ball, because I'd much rather just spritz this stuff all over than roll it on.
• These next two products are my absolute favorite lip colors from the past month and I am rotating between the two. The first is Rimmel's Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in 103 (I hate that they don't have actual names). This is my favorite pink shade at the moment because it is just a few shades darker than my natural lip color, I don't know why that appeals to me so much but it does. I don't know if it's just me but when I put this on I taste/smell cucumbers. I don't know if there's cucumber in the product or if I'm just going crazy but I don't hate it, something I do hate is that this lipstick is a little on the drier side but if I put a good balm underneath or lip gloss overtop I don't seem to have too much trouble. The next color is Covergirl's LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Jam Twist 255. I was really stepping outside of my comfort zone with this color as it looked super dark in the store but after getting it home I loved it so much I wanted to go even darker. I love glossy lip crayons and I love the bright berry color of this balm, it's super smooth and super easy to apply too!

Random Favorites

Now, time for my random favorites, as if I didn't have enough already! haha

I am obsessed with these Blow Pop Minis, in fact I'm snacking on them right now as I type this! :)

They're like little tiny blow pop hard candies and I can't get enough of them.

You might recognize the candle from My Night Time Routine post earlier this week. I love this Champagne Toast candle from Bath & Body Works, the scent is not too overwhelming and the yellow wax actually adds to the glamorous glow when the candle is lit. 

I have been obsessed with list making and note taking lately and my sister gave me this adorable little metal notepad the other day and I've already jam packed the first few pages with my chicken scratch. It also helps keep my adorable chevron iPad stylus/pen handy in my bag!

Another random favorite is this awesome box set that I got for Christmas, it features the first four books of Cassandra Clare's Immortal Instruments Series. I've made it through a few chapters of the first book, City of Bones, and I honestly can't put it down. I'm definitely taking these suckers with me to school next week just in case I actually find a moment to finish them because they are too good to just sit in my room at home unloved.

Now for the real fun!

My Lilly Haul

If you happened to read my January 2014 Shopping Guide then you will have known that this past Monday & Tuesday marked the Lilly Pulitzer New Year Cheer Sale on lillypulitzer.com

Well, I went a little crazy and by crazy I mean I woke up at 8 am to be the first to shop the sale, and it paid off!

I scored this adorable tote in I've Got Butterflies for less than $30 and I must say it was well worth it. This bag actually seems much sturdier and durable than my other Lilly bags that cost much more. 

None of my beloved Lulu items were on sale but I just couldn't help myself, I picked up the iPhone case to match my iPad mini case (which I got from my roomie for Christmas! Thanks, Little Beth!) and my agenda!

I also couldn't resist the little ear buds in Lucky Charm.

When I spotted the Lilly Christmas Stockings on sale I just couldn't pass it up! I was a little worried because I wasn't allowed to pick which print but I'm beyond satisfied with this 'Tiger Lilly' print. :) Cute, right?

I can't wait to get this monogrammed! In the meantime, Audrey will keep her company. 

I hope y'all have enjoyed this peek at my favorite products and my favorite steals from the Lilly sale.

till next time, darlings.

xo

Merisa

What's in My Makeup Bag?

This week has been, as Danielle would say, absolute crazy bread! Ugh! I'm tired of doing papers one right after the other. So, to step away from that a bit I decided to do something fun with a look at
What's in My Everyday Makeup Bag! Woo!
I say Everyday Makeup Bag because if you're a product junkie like me you'll understand that this is where I keep makeup that I use on a regular basis when getting ready for class and just a usual day while I have other makeup bags that have the more fun stuff in it, which I would be super glad to show y'all if you like this post!

I'm kind of obsessed with my makeup bag, for a lot of reasons too! I got it back in the summer from RueLaLa (which is amazing! Click this link for your own invite!) when they gave me a $25 credit in an email, which is proof that you really can find treasures when cleaning out your inbox.
To be perfectly honest, my credit was about to expire and I didn't really know what to get so I picked up the make up bag for like 20 bucks and thought it might make a pretty good gift. Well, I obviously nixed the gift idea and ended up keeping the bag. I mean, really though, who could pass up a Vera Bradley makeup bag?!

I love how versitiale the bag is and how easy it is for me to fit my favorite products inside.

I'm not too big on the pattern, I'm just not that into florals really, I love that the bag has 3 different see-through compartments and can roll up. Very handy for travel or just toting the bag around my dorm. I also love just how much can fit in the bag, it doesn't look like much in the picture but that really is a ton of products!
In the first compartment I have my Real Techniques brushes, which are seriously the best makeup brushes I have ever used! I have the Travel Essentials Kit (which I talked about in my June 2013 Favorites!) and I'm actually planning on getting a few more kits before the holidays because Ulta actually has several of the brushes on their Buy One Get One 50% Off Sale! Also in that compartment I have a few of my most used eye liners.
The middle compartment is the biggest and keeps all of my face products and mascaras. I started an obsession with Rimmel products this summer and as you can see it has continued. I use Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Pro Primer on my face everyday and it's a perfectly smooth, perfecting primer. Rimmel's BB Cream is my go to foundation but I'll explain more about that later on. I top everything off with Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, which is the best powder I have ever used and I highly doubt I will ever use any other drugstore powder, like ever. I also have my mini mascara collection in the middle which you can read more about in this Mascara Monday post. The last compartment has a few eye shadow trios, blush, highlighters, and bronzers, but now I want to take a look at 4 of my absolute favorite products because they deserve some serious attention!

I picked up the Rimmel BB Cream this summer when I was looking for a lightweight foundation that wouldn't sweat off before I even made it to work and fell in love with the amazing ability of the cream to provide lightweight yet full coverage. This stuff seriously keeps it's 9-in-1 promise and even has an SPF of 25! That's just ridiculous. I've probably only went through 3 tubes of this stuff since earlier may so it's long lasting too and only takes a little bit to cover my whole face. I love this foundation!
Next up is the Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara which I have been raving about for what seems like forever! I got this deluxe sample as a part of a Sephora Beauty Insiders promotion and went absolutely gaga for it! So much so that I just recently picked up the full size version of the product on my last trip to Sephora. The brush's unique "S" shaped design leads to insane coverage and gets every little lash, I just love love love this mascara!
My next two products represent two ends of the spectrum with a serious drugstore bargain in the Wet 'n' Wild Eyeshadow Trio and the high-end splurge of NARS Blush and Bronzer duo.

The eyeshadow trio is called Walking on Eggshells and according to this pin from my Beauty Box: Makeup board on Pinterest, these shades are actually dupes for MAC's Shroom, Mulch, and Naked Lunch! These shades are very versatile, easy to blend, easy to apply, and just all around great everyday shades. The NARS duo includes two of their most popular shades and came in my Sephora Superstars Kit (which I promise I will do a review on ASAP), the blush is the beauty blogger fave Orgasm and the bronzer is Laguna. Orgasm is a very corally pink with light gold sparkle while Laguna is a matte medium bronzer that works well for a lot of skin tones. I love both shades but I think Orgasm might be too warm for my skin, or I might just need to use a smaller brush, we'll see.
I hope you liked that look into my everyday makeup bag! Comment below and let me know if you would like to sneak a peek at my fun special occasion products! 
til next time, lovelies
xo
aFm

Fall Beauty Tutorial: The Cat Eye

The Fall semester is jam packed with events from Homecoming to Halloween and everything in between. If you're like me, you're done with the smoky eye/lip gloss routine and ready for an upgrade. Well that upgrade you're looking for just so happens to be a classic look that will take you through this Fall's festivities in a glam and updated way.

The Cat Eye

For this look, we turn to the Queen of Winged Liner, Miss Lauren Conrad!

I grew up with Lauren, or "LC" as she was known as back then, from the time she was in high school on Laguna Beach all the way through to her role on The Hills and her recent engagement (eek!). Not only has she become one of my role models in life but she's also one of the first people I go to when in need of some beauty advice. See her book Lauren Conrad Beauty or her work with The Beauty Department.

I've been doing this look since I first saw Lauren rock it on The Hills so I can say from experience that practice really does make perfect. Don't stress if you don't get it right on the first try, just grab a makeup wipe and try again!

There are probably tons of ways to pull this look off but I'm going to show you my way...two different ways. The first being a dramatic line fit for a night out such as a Homecoming dance (which just so happens to be this Saturday for our university! Go Bears!) and the second is an everyday cat eye you can fit into your normal makeup routine or if you just want to dress up your look a little.

The Dramatic Look

Step One: Prep your eyes! 
I just recently picked up this tip from a friend and it has become one of my go-to tricks. Primer on your eyelid will do wonders for your makeup look! She suggested putting a little face lotion on your eyelids before doing your makeup, I've upgraded to Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion since but both have similar results. 
For a look like this, I usually go without shadow but for extra sparkle I suggest taking a highlighter such as Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! and adding it to your inner corners or using a highlighting shadow in the same area. Remember to stay neutral, otherwise you will overpower the look!
Be careful with the amount of primer you use if you choose to go shadow-less across your lids, if you're not using a waterproof liner things could get smudgy.

Step Two: Line your eyes!
For the more dramatic look you want a defined line and a bold black, so reach for a liquid liner that has a fine tip and easy to hold handle to steady yourself. I use the super affordable Wet 'n Wild MegaLiner Liquid Eyeliner! 

The trick to this is to take your time, rushing will just lead to a sloppy look. Start with your liner at the inner corner of your eye and lightly drag it across your lash line toward your outer corner. That practice I mentioned early makes this step easier with time but if you're having trouble getting a steady line I suggest making 3 dash marks at the inner corner, middle of the lash line, and outer corner then connecting them to keep the line straight and bold.
Staying as close to your natural lash line as possible will lead to the perfect wide-eyed look we're going for, no one likes raccoon eyes!

Step Three: The Wing!
This is part of the line that creates the cat eye effect. For this dramatic look we're going to do a dramatic line. I start by dragging the line out and up from the outer corner then going from the top of the line started on my outer corner and make a small triangle. Fill that in and you've got your look. 
Be sure not to drag your line too far out or too far up. It shouldn't go further than the end of your eyebrow or the top of your lashes.
I'm no LC but here's the dramatic look on me (ahh!).

Everyday Look

For this look, follow steps one and two exactly the same except for a softer look I like to use a waterproof kohl pencil liner. 
Step three consists of just dragging the line slightly beyond your outer corner, just a flick. 
Finish with a coat of mascara and you've got the look, just like Lauren!

I hope you enjoyed it, for more tips on how to achieve the perfect cat eye look check out the links below.

VMA Cateye via The Beauty Department

until next time,
xo
aFm