By Request

More new things! I've been on a shopping kick lately. I had been so good about avoiding frivolous makeup purchases, but where I'm living these days there is not much to do. We all know well enough that boredom = shopping. I was very very keen on these particular items mainly because the last time MAC released one of them it dissappeared from displays almost instantly and the other becasue it's almost fall and because I'm a sucker for anything in a vampy burgandy color.

It doesn't hurt that I love a good matte lipcolor for fall.

MAC Candy Yum Yum

MAC Rocker



L: Rocker R: Candy Yum Yum



The catalyst for the whole order was Candy Yum Yum. I had to have it. I missed out when it came out last year with the Quite Cute collection and instantly regretted it. It's so bright and exciting and fun. I also feel like it's a nice adventerous way to do bold lips without going the red route. Rocker on the other hand was an impulse purchase. It looks just like my very first MAC lipstick, Dare You, but with a more fogiving formula for a color that dark. (Dare You is a cream sheen and bleeds like a bitch)

I got even more excited the next day while shopping my stash and came accross this baby.



Barry M Lip Paint #52



This little baby is Barry M Lip Paint in #52 Shocking Pink. If you're thinking what I think you're thinking then you're thinking correctly.  Dupe city baby! This is more likely good news for all of you lovelies accross the pond but it seems to me that the two colors are identical.

L: Barry M     R: Candy Yum Yum

They are dead on. Barry M might pull a bit more blue in some lightings but I think you can't beat a find like this. There is however one very important difference between the two products. While matte lips are never hydrating the Barry M formula is absolutely devastating on the lips. It will litterally suck your lips dry so if you plan on opting for the alternative  have a good lipbalm ready. Candy Yum Yum on the other hand is the most comfotable matte lipstick I've ever owned. It is rivaled only by some of the more recent NYX offerings and even then I think it might be more comfortable to wear. If you're really lemming for the color I the Barry M is a dead on dupe for MAC's Candy Yum Yum.

MAC Lipsticks (If Still Available) Can be found here- Link!

Barry M Lip Paints can be found here- Link!

xoxo

Molly

And so it begins...

The new fall makeup collections! YAY! I love it when the drugstore releases new limited edition things. It is an exciting affordable way of sprucing up your routine without going overboard. (In theory.) When Nouveu Cheap posted about the new Maybelline fall displays yesterday (link!) I planned to go out this morning and see if I could hunt down the new display in my area. Sure enough Rite Aid #2 had the full display of the new Color Tattoo Cream shadows and I greedily helped myself to two. (but will likely wind up getting all four) The display also has Bad to the Bronze and Audacious Asphalt out as well but the four new shades are Barely Beige, Gold Shimmer, Rich Mahogany and, Mossy Green. I picked up the former two, Barely Beige and Gold Shimmer.

Top: Gold Shimmer Bottom: Barely Beige

One thing is important to bear in mind here. These are limited edition so if you see a color in the display you like, get it, because there is no way of knowing if it will resurface.

Yay for shrink wrap!

 

These two colors are beautiful as are the other two limited edition shades in the collection. They are all gorgeous neutral, wearable, and perfect not just for fall but for all year.  My first thought when I looked at these was "Why weren't these colors part of the initial Color Tattoo launch?" Barely Beige is the perfect shimmery nude wash of color and is very reminiscent of MAC's Bare Study Paint Pot. (they may be dead on but I don't own the MAC to compare.) Even the Mossy Green shade has enough gold and brown tones in it to pass as a neutral and would be suitable for day to day use. It just seems to be out of joint a little. I know it wasn't too long ago that we all used to complain about not being able to find crazy makeup colors at the drugstore but these are all really complex and beautiful shades that would make an ideal addition to the permenant Color Tattoo family.



Top: Gold Shimmer Bottom: Barely Beige

 

I hope some of you guys found this helpful and that you manage to get your hands on some of the new colors before they vanish. The display I found these in was brand new this morning and full, so if you're on the hunt start now and if you don't find them right away keep checking back.

xoxo

Molly

Instagram Nails #7

There's A Light

I might be in the minority on this one, but I love a good shimmery spring/summer cheek highlight. I don't even mind if there is a little glitter in it. Don't get me wrong it's nice to have a more natural option sometimes, but I find that most highlighters can be manipulated to create a number of different effects on the skin.

Let's start with the creams...

L: Illamasqua Cream Blush in Lies R: Revlon Highlighting Stick in Golden

Creams are by far the best way to get your skin to look naturally luminous. While both of these products rank as some of my favorite highlighters they are very, very different textures and and create equally diverse effects on the skin.

The Illamasqua Cream Blush in Lies (link!) was my very first product from the brand and for a long time was one of my favorite products period. The texute of this is strange. In fact I think if this were intended to be a solid cheek color I would probably not care for it. In the case of a highlighting item however, the light, slippery, slick nature of this works tremendously to create a bright sheen accross the areas it's applied to. This type of texture would lead you to believe that the product doesn't last on the skin but quite the opposite is true.(at least in the case of my normal to combo skin) The product may look pink in the pan but blended on the skin it comes across as a high shine silver white tone. This for me is an extreme glossy bright look, for some though I can see it being more of a nightime choice. As with any highlighting product if not applied properly it can emphasise imperfections.

The Revlon Highlighting Stick in Golden was a limited edition item from one of the more recent Revlon collections. If you can still find it I highly reccomend it. It's a great multi-use product and provides a nice warm golden sheen on the skin. It's a drier consistency and has a much more believeable finish on the skin. These are the types of colors I usually aim for and if you're looking for a subtle effect it's far easier to achieve with a product like this.

Now the powders...

L: LORAC Luminizing Powder in Spotlight R: ELF Studio Bronzer in Warm Golden

LORAC Luminizing Powder in Spotlight



ELF Golden Bronzer swatched individually R-L and swirled together on the far left

These two are both clearly more golden and less shimmery than the other offerings. The effect they offer is relatively similar. The ELF Golden Bronzer (link!) offers a nice variation of shades that don't really function as a bronzer but easily make a lovely highlighter or even a nice set of neutral eye shades. I clearly gravitate towards the lightest of the shades. I find that swirling them is just a bit too dark to be convincing but leaning toward the lighter end of the powder suits me nicely.

The Lorac Luminizer (link!) is really similar in color to the ELF but the difference in price leads to one key distiction between the powders. The quality of the shimmer in the Lorac Spotlight is infinitely more refined than the ELF powder. It's the perfect choice for anyone. If you're looking for a natural vibe you can use a nice light hand or if you're like me you can go a bit heavier for a more in your face effect.

Highlighters are one of my favorite summer must haves. As much as I love them in the Summer I don't often reach for them when I'm paler. I have so many more than what I've shown here but these just happen to be the ones that I reach for the most often.

Do you guys have any favorite highlighters? Do you have any products that you only reach for this time of year?

xoxo

Molly

Caught

Dress: Old Navy Shoes: Target

This outfit consists of some of my favorite bargin pieces that I've found lately. The dress is the epitomy of a basic. I found it in the sale at Old Navy about a month ago for just under 12$. It's a woven black poly material with a drawstring waist and adjustable straps. I have worn and reworn this to so many different places and for so many different events it is hands down the most versatile item I've gotten all year.  I've donned it as a beach cover-up, to a casual luch and with heels to a more formal birthday dinner. I love it. Period. It is the best 12$ ever spent.

The shoes I spoke about briefly in a post not too long ago. (link!) Just simple litte red peep toe flats, perfect for days that require minimal walking. They can't handle anything strenuous as they are pretty poor quality, especially for something from Target. I've always felt their quality was better than other discount retailers but lately the shoes in particular have been dissapointing. They don't seem to wear more than a couple of weeks before they start to just fall apart. I really should start spending a bit more on my shoes. I do love the color and they've been a nice summer shoe while they lasted.



Earrings: From a Local Boutique



These earrings were a total impulse purchase. About six months ago while I was Christmas shopping I saw them and just could not say no. I'm not sure if it was from freely letting go of all of my money on my loved ones that made me not think twice before shelling out the $15 on these or if I just loved the sheer size of them. I'm not sure what it is about them but I still just love them. I don't wear them that often, there just aren't many occasions to wear life size dream catchers from pinholes in your ears. (Also they hurt like a BITCH) Against this dress though, they are a perfet stand-out accesory.

Ring: F21 Nails: China Glaze Stone Cold (So Blurry! Sorry!)

 I love this nail polish. It sat in my untrieds basket for months but, I finally caved and decided to give myself a litte reprive from all the summer neons and opted for a nice deep dark matte gray instead. I love it. It stays matte and lasts without chipping for three days. For a matte polish that's like an eternity.

Eyes: Wet n Wild Bake Off Contest Palette Lips: MAC Ever Hip

Another product I've been reaching for lately is the Wet n Wild baked eyshadow palette in Bake off Contest. Its an old limited edition holiday palette the has some really lovely warm brown colors in it that are just so perfect for the warm summer weather. Ever Hip, on the other hand was a lucky CCO find back in the springtime and I'm only now starting to get some use out of it. I find when I'm pale the color is just too orange but now its a perfect neutral peach shade.

Have you guys found any good bargins lately? Or maybe rediscovered anything in your stash?

xoxo

Molly

Instagram Nails #6

And Bushytailed...

Excuse my absence last week. I was distracted from posting due to some family obligations. This by no means is to imply that my relentless makeup-ing was interrupted. A couple of weeks ago I picked up a few things from Sephora. I already showed you a two of the items here (link) and here (link). The last item I saved because I wanted to talk a little bit about another product I'd used for the same purpose.

One of the most popular goals in applying makeup on a daily basis is to use products that help you look more well rested and awake. Brightening the eye area is probably one of the most popular makeup related tricks in the book. (Right behind a smokey eye, which is funny because the two looks are fundamentally opposite.) I would say that the most popular method is to use a lightly colored eyeliner on the inner, lower, rim (waterline) of the eye. People often dance back and forth in regard to which color they actually prefer for the job; white, or nude. I thought it would be neat to throw together a comparison to get an idea of which color looks, brighter, more natural, etc...

First things first... a creepy close up of my naked eye,

I'm pretty lucky that I don't have an over abundance of redness inside my eyes. Just horrendous bags and dark circles. First up it's NYX Slide On Eyeliner in Pure White.

This is a really blatent way of adding brightness to the eyes. I like the look of white when I wear winged liner. I love the retro vibe of it and I even like how stark it looks. I find it is also a really great alternative for an evening out if you don't want to wear a dark color on the waterline. At 8$ it is a budget friendly liner with decent staying power, even on my waterline which eats through almost anything in an instant. I do find though, on a daily basis, I prefer this.

This is the NARS Larger Than Life eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte. Compared to the NYX this is no bargin. A 23$ eyeliner splurge to be exact. There are some upsides to the price though. This lasts an enternity on the waterline. I can apply this in the morning and come the end of an 8 hour workday this still lingers near the middle of my eye. I'm so pleased with it that I almost want to get this in  the black version (Via Veneto I think) but I'll have to make my way through the two pencils I already have.

 It's also a retractable pencil which means no sharpening and no loss of product. The nude color is a great alternative to white on a day to day basis. It keeps the eye area bright while remaining nearly undetecable from a normal distance. I highly reccomend looking into a nude liner for your water line if you're looking for ways to brighten your eyes in a subtle natural way. I especially reccomend the NARS Rue Bonaparte if you, like me, have very diffucult waterlines and are looking for a product that really will stick.

Have you guys ever tried either of these tricks? Do you prefer one over the other?

xoxo

Molly