MJK Beauty Blog Entry 3

Hi everyone!  Here are a few of my beauty essentials.

1. Concealer: A good concealer can make you look awake when you've only had 2 hours of sleep.
Some of my favorites include Lush's color supplements and MAC's prolongwear concealer.  I like Lush's color supplement because it's very natural looking and blends well.  MAC's prolongwear has excellent coverage!  It stays on all day!  I rarely break out (I know, what a bitch), so I usually just use concealer under my eyes...I get bad undereye circles.  Which brings me to my next essential...

2. Highlighter/undereye brightener: This may be my biggest must have!  I love a nice glow on the cheeks and love using a brightener under the eyes.  Two of my favorites are Photo op by Smashbox (for under the eyes) and High Beam by benefit.  I really like Lorac's Double Feature, which is a double ended eye product with one end as concealer and one end as highlighter.  You can also use a shimmery eye shadow which is close to your skin tone on the tear duct area of the eye.  It opens up and brightens the eye area.

3. Lipgloss: The main reason I love lipgloss is because I get dry lips.  I talk alot, so it's probably a side effect of that.  There's really not much to say here, although I do have a few favorites.  I enjoy MAC's cremesheen and dazzleglass cremes as well as Tarte's liplglosses and NARS lipglosses.  These are all non-sticky.  The key to a good lipgloss is it's texture. 

4. Mascara: I think a good mascara can also help you look more awake.  It helps open up your eyes.  There are plenty of great brands out there, but I think drugstore mascara's are a great find.  I really don't see much difference between higher end ones and brands like covergirl.  I'm not saying there isn't any difference, but in my opinion it's not worth the splurge.  In my opinion, money is better spend on concealers. 

5. Flat Iron: I would be LOST without my flat iron!  Is that wrong?  Oh well.  Flat irons in my opinion are essential because they keep my hair from looking frizzy.  I know lots of people who have pretty straight hair but use a flat iron to keep their hair smooth.

Save vs. Spurlge

When it comes to beauty products and hair products there is always a question of what is worth the money.  Here's where I stand on some beauty and hair products:

Mascara: Save.  I highly recommend drugstore brands.

Flat irons: Splurge.  A good flat iron will make your life so much easier.  I find many drugstore flat irons to not work quite as well.

Concealer: Splurge.  I don't mean I think you should spend a lot on concealer but definitely find the
right one and in this case if it happens to be one at Sephora, I think it's worth the splurge.  If you're looking for a non-drugstore one that's affordable and works well I'd go with Lush's color supplements.  It's also a great foundation or tinted moisturizer.

Foundation: This is a toss up.  I've found good ones both in drugstore and Sephora.  The great thing about place like Sephora is that you can try the colors on and get the right shade.  I've also found some good ones at drugstores...but it's not the best way to get the best shade. 

Lipgloss: Generally save.  I think lipglosses are definitely something worth saving on.  The only problem is at drugstores you can't try them on and see how you like the color or to make sure it's not sticky.



--Until next time

Maybelline kit--definite clone for Urban Decay Naked kit--tutorial

Holiday Gift exchange!

Holiday Traditions Part 1

November: A few of my favorite things

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Thanksgiving makeup featuring kat von d true love

Thanksgiving Weekend Haul 2010

Pre-Holiday Haul (random--includes Sephora and Forever 21)

MJK beauty blog Entry 2: Beauty for less

Hi everyone!  Here are some ideas for enjoying the luxury of beauty without spending a lot (and in some cases, nothing at all).

1. Suggest a swap with friends.  We did this at my work.  Me and Bri do a nailpolish swap.  Chances are one of your friends owns a nailpolish you'd love to wear and vice versa.  Instead of buying the color, just have a swap.  Borrow the color and let her borrow yours.  This way you get a color you love and you don't have to spend any money. 

2. Get a cheap "manicure" or "pedicure".  I read in Cosmo (and I've noticed this while at the nail salon myself) that when you just go in for a polish change the cost drops.  Usually you end up paying $5 for a "manicure" and $10 for a "pedicure".  Or you can inquire about specials, too.

3. DIY.  Give yourself a mani/pedi.  You can buy a bath bomb (via Lush :) and use it as a foot/hand soak.  Then file and exfoliate.  You can buy a pumice pretty cheap and you'll use it more than once.  Also, a nail buffer can usually be purchased for $2 or so, and you'll use it for months.  You can also refer to the first option and do a swap with a friend to avoid spending money on a new polish.

4. Have a makeup exchange.  Just like the nail polish swap, you'll save yourself some money.  Amongst your group of friends, have someone host a makeup exchange and bring all your unused makeup or fairly fresh makeup that you don't wear anymore.  Obviously mascara probably shouldn't be included but other things such as pigments, blushes, glosses, and polishes are a great idea.  I know there are proper ways to sanitize makeup, so you can google it if you need to.

5. Inquire about sales.  Ask your favorite stores if they're having an upcoming sale or check online to see if they're offering things like free shipping or discounts. 

6. Check out value sets.  Usually around the holiday season brands will have sets with multiples of items such as lipglosses, eyeliners, etc.  You and a friend or two can find sets you like and split the items.  This way you only get the colors you want, and you're splitting the cost.

Random Haul video (Sephora, Macy's, Forever 21) Great Deals

MJK beauty blog Entry 1: Holiday Shopping for less

So, I decided I would try and update my blog at least once a week. 

Holiday Shopping

So, I thought I would do a blog on holiday shopping and how to score deals, etc.

First, Cosmo (magazine) has very helpful tips on scoring deals online.  They first mention cyber Monday, the Monday after black Friday.  Lots of sites will offer extra deals and are often greater than black Friday deals.  This will be November 29. 

Check out these sites for more info:

http://www.cybermonday.com/

http://www.cybermondaycentral.com/

I also read in Cosmo about Free shipping day.  Free shipping day is December 17 and there are more than 1,000 sites which participate.  Visit http://www.freeshippingday.com/ for more info. 

I also read about a great and inexpensive gift you can make for someone.  It said if you go to the dollar store and get a few spa items (ie: a loofah, spa towel...) and a small basket, you can make a cute spa gift.  I thought it was a great idea because it's thoughtful but affordable.  Also, a bath bomb from Lush (yea, sorry I did have to mention Lush :) is a great add on to a small spa gift.  Most of the holiday bath bombs are as cheap as $3.95! 

I also really love the idea of a tea gift.  A girl I work with said she was thinking of going somewhere you can make your own ceramic mug and make one for all her family members.  Then she wants to go somewhere you buy tea (example Teavana) and get everyone their own special tea.  http://www.teavana.com/.
I thought this was an adorable idea.  If you wanted to go a more inexpensive route you could get mugs from the dollar store and get their favorite supermarket brand tea bags.  If they're a coffee drinker you could get them a mug and their favorite coffee blend.  These are also great and inexpensive secret santa gifts. 

Candles are also a great gift.  You can find great deals on candles at yankee candle because they always have a candle of the month, and the candle of the month is always on sale for at least 20 % off. http://www.yankeecandle.com/cgi-bin/ycbvp/retail.jsp.  Another great place to visit is candles by Victoria, which is an online candle store.  They often have deals as well.  http://www.candlesbyvictoria.com/cbv/main.html

Another idea: If you have a group of friends and you exchange gifts every year (with all of them) try and get them to do a secret santa.  This is where you pull a name from a hat and you get that person a gift.  This is more economical because you're not getting several gifts for several people.  Then, one of the group members can play hostess and have the group over to exchange gifts.  Everyone can bring something for food or drink so you're not spending too much money on going out to eat. 

This is the end of my first entry.  Hope you enjoy!

Let's go shopping (some new goodies)

October Favs + MAC a tartan tale haul

Tutorial using Tarte Femme Naturale palette

Mini Haul video (Tarte at Sephora and Lush)

Makeup tutorial using Beauty Rush by Victoria's Secret

Sexy inpired Date Night makeup tutorial

Photos of the finished product:

Makeup Storage

September Favorites! (and Update)

October Challenge!

Hey everyone! Watch my October Challenge video :)

Venomous Villains!! (plus a little Sephora + Lush)

Haul/Review (Sephora, Yankee Candle) Plus mini tutorial--Burlesque

Here's my video...and some photos of what the box for Burlesque looks like! :)

Marie Claire Magazine

So, I basically just wanted to talk a little about a magazine I love right now--Marie Claire.  I love all the beauty articles and features and I like their non-beauty related articles as well. 

I recently got the October issue with Katie Holmes on the cover.  The first thing I absolutely love is their mini book inside.  It's called Marie Claire Fall Fashion A to Z.  It's great because it features trends from letters A to Z and I love stuff like this. 

This month also features a piece on eye liner and how to work with different ones.  They talk about creams, liquids, pencils.  They have tips and pointers. 

I just love all of their beauty artices and features!  They feature higher end brands like MAC and drugstore brands like Covergirl in magazine, so everyone can find something pretty that they can afford. 

I also really love their Career section called The Careerist.  There's something new they touch on each month and I get a lot out of it. 

Just a note, I am in no way being asked to blog about the magazine.  I just wanted to share my fondness :)

So, check it out.  Here's a link to the website and the new issue is available now!

http://www.marieclaire.com/

Golden Eye (makeup tutorial)

Here are some photos of the finished look!  All names of products used can be found in the bottom bar of the you tube video :)

Party eye makeup tutorial :)

MAC Review blog :)

Hey people!  So this is going to be a review blog.  I was going to do a video but haven't had time to get one up :( 

Sooo, here we go!

The first product I want to review is MAC haute & naughty lash mascara.  Ok so this is the one with the two mascara wands.  One has pink at the end of the wand and the other has purple.  The color of the mascara is black.  I kinda really love this!  I'm still very happy with my voluminous macara by loreal, but this is such a great product.  It gives real drama to the lashes and defines them well.  I love it!

The next product I want to review is the 194 concealer brush by MAC.  I do like this.  It blends nicely.  I'm not obsessed with it, but I use it daily and it does the job well.  I like that it gets in small spaces to blend the concealer. 

Next is my kit from Nordstroms from the MAC counter which contained 4 products.  A reminder on those--prep + prime lash, zoom lash mascara, graphblack technakohl liner, and a mini eye makeup remover.  So I guess I'll start with the prep + prime.  This is a great prodcut.  I don't have long, lush lashes so I need this.  It gives a great base for the mascara to go onto.  Next, the zoomlash--I haven't really been using this since I just recently bought the haute & naughty.  I haven't opened it cause I don't want it to try out.  However, I used it before in the store and I used my mom's the other day (she got the same kit I did) and I was happy with the results.  It gave great length.  I really like the technakohl liner.  It stayed on.  It wasn't too creamy that it ran, and it was easy to work with.  The eye makeup remover--I do like this but I have dry skin and the eye area is no exception, so I will probably stick to my ultrabland or 9 to 5 by Lush.  For me they just do a little more for my dry eye area.  It removed makeup just fine, though.  And my mom really likes hers.  She has oilier skin than I do.

Last is the Pro Longwear concealer--I forget what color I am, but I cannot stress enough how much I enjoy this product!  I work hard at covering undereye circles and this product does all the work for you.  It stays on just like it says it does and really covers up my circles.  I looooove it!  I shall not cheat on my color supplement from Lush, though.  I still use that for anything else I need to cover up. 

So, that's my little review blog.  I hope you enjoy.  Sorry I don't have time to put up a video. 

:)

Grey smokey eye tutorial using Too Faced Naked Palette

Seriously, this is the image still?? OMG, well anyway.  Enjoy a tutorial on a smokey grey eye look using Too Faced Naked Palette.  There are photos of the finished product below. :)

Date Night makeup tutorial

Hey everyone!  Enjoy this fun little tutorial on a date night look.  I used the Lucky Tom palette from Hello Kitty by MAC. 

Here are some possible dups for some of the colors.

**Paradisco is not limited edition and can be purchased at MAC stores and online. :)

Creme Royale-this is the lightest color in the quad.  It looks like rice paper to me, which is not limited edition.

Lucky Tom- to me this looks like it could be a match for notoriety, smut, or showstopper.  It is not an exact match, but it would work just as nice.

Stylin'-Hmmmm.  I wish I knew of a good dup for this color!  I really don't but I think any  purple/blue color would work. 

Here are some photos of the finished product :)

(And yes, I'm aware there's less mascara on one eye...I fixed it afterwards)

 

Trip to Nordstroms--Best MAC value EVER!

The set I got for $35!!

PREP + PRIME

Technakohl liner in GraphBlack

Zoom Lash mascara in Zoomblack

MAC and Sephora Haul feat. Haute and Naughty mascara

Here are some photos of the items:

MFS by MAC.  From right to left: MFS natural in medium and  MFS in Perfect Topping




MAC Haute and Naughty mascara





Haute and Naughty Lash 1st photo is the bigger brush (Purple top); 2nd is the smaller brush (pink top)



Lighter colors in palette from left to right: albino, holy bible, slayer (cream), and glock




Colors from Kat Von D Palette Love & Fury


Darker colors in palette are from left to right: crucifix (cream), bloodletting (cream), ace of spades, and odd fellow

MAC eyeshadow in Smut

Colors from CCO by MAC.  From right to left: Bough Grey and Birds & Berries

MAC eye makeup look of the day

Makeup look of the day!

Just some photos of the finished product.  Hope you enjoy.  Watch the video for more info :)

Burmese Beauty/Humid MAC eye shadows

Hey everyone!  So I got a lot of compliments on this particular eye look.  I used the Burmese Beauty quad and the single color Humid from MAC. 

Here's what I did:

First I put down the green color from my Revlon Moonlit Jewels cream eyeshadow quad.  Then, I put Humid (a darkish green color) all over the lid up to the crease. See Photo.

The green color is the one I used as a base.

The above photo is just of the base.

The above color is Humid by MAC.  I got it from the To The Beach collection, but it is a permenant color.

Then I took a blending brush and blended the color burmese beauty (a green/red/brown mix color) into the crease and slightly above. 

Then I mixed the two ligher colors together for the highlight color.


I then took my 219 pencil brush by MAC and used showstopper (the brown color) in the outer corner and underneath the eye to use as a liner.  See Photos.

Then I blended anything that needed to be blended. 

Here are some photos of the finished product:

**Burmese Beauty is a limited edition palette!

Here are the names of the colors in the Burmese Beauty quad:
Prized, Burmese Beauty, Skintone 2, Showstopper --The two lighter colors are Prized and Skintone 2.  The darkest color is Showstopper and the greenish color is Burmese Beauty.

Here's some more info on the palette from Temptalia.com:

Prized is a soft nude beige with pale white micro-shimmer with a satin finish.

Skintone 2 is a slightly neutralized gold with a frost finish. It’s not a cool-toned gold, but it doesn’t have really strong yellow undertones either.

Burmese Beauty is a duochrome of teal and red-based deep brown with a lustre finish. This is very much like Blue Brown pigment except less intense (the brown base isn’t as strong, nor is the metallic finish). It’s a lighter, more pigmented version of Club eyeshadow as well.

Showstopper is a dirty, cool-toned dark matte brown. It works well when used with a brush in actual application, while it doesn’t swatch very well. 

Check out their swatches:  http://www.temptalia.com/mac-fabulous-felines-burmese-beauty-review-photos-swatches-eyes