Sophisticated Sparkle

I love me a bit of sparkle. I do. 

It does seem that the older I get the less I gravitate toward it though. I'm not sure whether it's the removal process or if I just prefer the clean look of a cream or shimmer finish.

That said, when I do wear glitter I like to look for slightly understated but still glitzy shade that makes it hard to tear my eyes away from my tips. 

These days these three shades are the ones I've reached for the most. 

Ed Note: 3 Fall Picks From the Drugstore

It was a good weekend for me at the drugstore. I had very few Fall things on my to buy list and as of now I have no plans to add anymore...besides nearly all of MACxRHPS when it makes it's debut. (Any second now!!)

Normally I go ape shit for all things Autumn and apart from a latte or two I have exercised pretty stellar restraint this year. First of all I picked up one more, and probably the only other Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick from the permanent display that finally landed at Rite Aid this week.  Divine Wine is a deep, blue toned, rasin red shade that gives a very "Snow White" effect on my seriously un-tanned skin. 

I still love the formula on these and the shade selection is great for a new launch. If you haven't tried these yet I highly recommend. 

Next up I went for two fall nail shades that I have been lusting after for weeks.

Try This! Nourishing Nailpolish Remover

I had been meaning to try this nail polish remover trick for a long time now. I have been pretty loyal to my Beauty Secrets Acetone (not pure acetone) remover for nearly 4 years. It's easily located at a Sally's Beauty Supply but that is like the one thing that is impossible to find in New York City. 

So today we're doing an at home version of Zoya's Remove+. I used the ratio wonderfully deduced by the absolutely brilliant Michelle at Lab Muffin. If you ever wanted to know why or how your products work puhhhlease go read her blog. So informative and so smart. 

The real key here is a mixture of straight acetone, water and glycerine and Oh.My.God. does this stuff work miracles.

It has all the remove-ability of pure acetone but leaves my cuticles feeling insanely soft and hydrated. 

For a grand total of 7$ up front this is one beauty DIY worth trying sooner rather than later.

No Drama Here

 I am a fortunate creature in that I have a nice full brow. I can easily get away with very little work on a day to day basis and my caterpillars still look shapely and full. 

That said, most days, I still like to run something simple through them to make sure they stay in place and to beef them up a smidge. 

For the last few months I've been using the MAC Brow Set in Beguile** and have really quite enjoyed it but...when the Maybelline Brow Drama in Deep Brown landed at Target a few weeks back I was looking for this to be a nice budget alternative.

Well it's not quite a replacement but it is a nice addition to the budget brow options on the market. 

Let me explain.

The Fall Beauty Edit

So every season I like to take stock of my beauty routine and swap out my currents things for some more "seasonally appropriate products."

Now the whole idea of seasonally appropriate is a little dumb to me but I do like to think about the things I typically like to wear or think I will want to wear as the seasons change.

So if you're stumped for seasonal inspiration or just looking for a new round of products to try have a cup of tea and peruse this video!

Finally Something Great That Isn't Limited Edition

Nothing is more magical than when a brand releases a product that is really quality and surprising and that is available to purchase for more than a nanosecond. 

*cough* MAC *cough*

I find that of all of the brands at the drugstore Maybelline is the most notorious for releasing limited edition versions of cult products in the shades that most everyone want all the time.

This time though, they have brought out a line of Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks in a nearly perfect spectrum of crowd pleasing shades in a stellar matte formula.

Matte lipsticks are the best.

The Spectrum: Cranberry

Gah! I love this time of year. 

I love the red lips and the leather jackets and the layers. I love it. 

Get ready: as much as you heard me bitch about Summer I am going to fawn over Autumn twice as much. 

The first color I reach for is often a muted red, brown shade that is very reminiscent of a Cranberry. See how that works.

Check out what products I will be  reaching for in this color category all Fall long.

The Fall Wishlist

(Via Beautylish)

I love a good fictitious shopping cart. I know it's not an uncommon thing for us ladies (and gents) to browse the digital aisles for fun new things to add to our lives, add them to our cart and then never hit the checkout button.

You get the thrill of making the selection without actually spending the cash. Win Win! Now lately I have struggled with choosing a few new things to add to my routine and so there they sit, in my cart, waiting for the day I cave and hit checkout.

None more so than the above Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Quad that just launched on Beautylish a couple weeks back. Initially I thought I was going to get the Vintage Vamp quad but now the more I browse the more I think I may prefer the Dolce Vita. It has a little bit more versatility and the red tone is still represented for the season.

 Although this might have to wait for the collection I have much antici...

Ed Note: The Five Product Face

 

There is nothing I would love more than to have 20 well rested minutes every single morning to paint my face for the day.  For this to happen I would have to be a morning person.

I am atrocious in the morning...like really bad.

So to make-up (ha! see what I did) for my time management shortcomings I have gotten my bare makeup necessities down to a 5 product science.

To see how to achieve a 10 minute face with 5 products explore life behind the cut.

C'mon...you know you want to!

Holy Sh*t I Am So Excited: The Skincare Edition

I went to Duane Reade this past Saturday with the intention of just grabbing a few necessities...loofah, toothpaste etc but, as I was scanning the skincare selection a hot pink box caught my eye.

Praise be to the beauty gods; indeed labs infamous hydraluron has FINALLY made it's way stateside!

In Transition

 If there is one thing that I know about makeup it's that the products that make the biggest difference in your routine are the ones that look the least impressive in their packaging. Bronzer, eyebrows, and concealer I'm looking at you kids. 

Add to that list a nice transition shade and you have a collection of beautiful ugly products that I would be hard pressed to do without. 

Transition colors are generally light to mid-toned brown and beige shades that help to bleed color from your eyelid up into your crease. There are a few shades and tricks you can use to add this step into your routine. 

The Discard Pile: Concealer

So the makeup adventure is one full of hills and valleys. Sometimes you find things that work amazingly well and you and can't image your routine without them and then sometimes things look like shit...

Such is life...

 

I always love reading posts where people talk about things they don't like because I think that can sometimes be even more helpful. The things someone doesn't care for in a product have actually convinced me to buy the very same product because it sounded like it would work for me and what I was looking for. 

So on that note...let's look at some failures.

Lippy B*tch

Ah Fall lipsticks. Over the last week or so I have finally started busting out my best Autumn shades and formulas for the lips and I am loving it. I think it's an instant face game changer. 

To keep this concise, because I could ramble on about this shit forever, I picked three formulas and a high end and a low end option for each.  

Something for everyone and all that!

So from left to right...

Capsule Wardrobe: Single Eyeshadows

Eyeshadow palettes are great. They are amazing value for money (well...most of the time) and they give you and endless variety of choices.

 Who doesn't love that?!

Well sometimes on Tuesday at 7:45am the last thing I'm reaching for is a palette with a variety of choices. Now 7:30 is a different story...then bring on the options but 15 minutes can make or break the morning routine.

And what about you ladies who only need a choice or two?

Ain't nothing wrong with being a swipe and go girl. On that note I'm going to go over 3 shades to consider when you're looking for a one and done single shadow. 

Give Good Face

Sometimes the tools make all the difference. 

I think that is especially true when you talk about base products. 

While I think finger application is often a more everyday woman reality sometimes when you get your hands on the right brush you can save time and look great. 

It's especially nice when you can make this happen for around $9.

Apples of Your Cheeks

The one kind of blush color I always come back to when the weather is cool is a bright red-toned berry shade. 

When applied lightly these give a wind bitten flush on the cheeks that is really brightening and flattering on the skin. 

The added bonus of dramatic blush colors like these is that they work on every single skin tone no matter how light or dark.

Very unusually for me two of my three favorite shades for this kind of flush are creams. I think it adds to liveliness of the shade and as this is a look I go for mostly in fall and winter I don't have to worry about the product migrating.

|Weekend Bonus| About Face: Autumn High Contrast

Exciting news boys and girls! The blog was featured in print on Friday in the September 2014 issue of BORO Magazine! My lovely friend Liz photographed and interviewed me for the piece and I am really proud of how it turned out!

 In said interview I mentioned one of my favorite fall looks and I wanted to recreate it for you on the blog today!
There have been many incarnations of this look for me. Each done with a variety of similar but different shades on the eyes but, the very first version of it happened with Urban Decay's Naked Original Palette and the shade Smog.

Fresh Coat

Guys it's almost here! I've been bitching for months about the weather and the hot hot hot Summer. (In reality it wasn't really that hot, I'm just dramatic.) Now the mother-load of seasons, especially in NYC, is knocking on our door. 

Makeup rules in general I believe are pretty much bullshit but, something about the cooler air makes me reach for all of the navy, burgandy, emerald, and eggplant shades my collection has to offer.

Since I tend to have a love hate relationship with the application of any and all neon nail polish my fall wardrobe tends to make it's debut on my tips. 

This means today is all about the best of my Fall polish wardrobe.

August Beauty Favorites 2014!

 

 I promise tomorrow we'll be back with less video content and more bloggy business but if I'm honest after the holiday weekend I'm a little behind.

That said, I thought we could take a little walk down makeup memory lane and look at all the goodies I've loved this month!

Life is lived behind the cut!

The Daily Glow Redux

I fund a routine that I love! That's rare.

I spoke about it here. Now I'm gonna show you how I do it,

Life is behind the cut!