Instagram Nails #10

Gettin Fresh...

Hormonal breakout and a messy brow. Way to go me. I went to the races with my family the earlier this week and I was rushing to get out the door so I needed a look that was fresh, easy, and fast.

 

Eyes

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige (link!)

Stila Kitten Eyeshadow (lid)

Urban Decay Twice Baked Eyeshadow (lash line)

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow (crease)

Stila Smudgestick in Stingray

NYX Doll Eye Mascara

Rimmel Brow Pencil in Hazel

 

Face

Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Med Bisque

 

Cheeks

Laura Gellar Blush n Brighten in Apricot Blush

 

Lips

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey (link)

 

I don't really have a go to makeup look, but if I did, this would be it. It looks presentable, can be done in 10 minutes and wears like a champ. I do have some thoughts coming on the BB Cream from Lioele but I wanted to give it some more time before passing judgement.

 

What are some of your quick and easy makup solutions?

 

xoxo

Molly

Radio Silence...

So sorry for the inconsistent posting. Casa Molly has been full of visitors and turmoil and vacation the last week and a half and it's made regular internt-ing somewhat difficult. I thought I might makeup (ha see what I did there) for it with a face of the day! YAY!

 

 

 

The face was super basic. I did a bit of my new Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream, MAC's Modern Mandarin Blush and some Cream Color Base in Pearl. I also dabbed some of Clinique long last lipstick in Creamy Nude accross my lips. I wanted a really neutral quality to the face and I thing these products give that effect without looking overdone.

 

I figure this is the perfect midway between summer and fall. Nice warm colors in the eyeshadow.  (MAC's Mulled Cider, Cut to Fit, and Tet-a-Teint) with a nice defined black line on the tightline and the lower waterline (Stila Smudgestick in Stigray) and a statement wing,(Stila Sparkle Liner in Electric) The face is warm but simple and the light application keeps the look summery. I was just playing around when I sat down to do this but I love the way it turned out.

 

Have you guys ever tried a look on that wound up suprising you in the end?

 

xoxo

Molly

Instagram Nails #9

A Fine Liner

I made a trip to Kam Man Food Products Inc this past weekend because I was dying to check out some of the beuty items they had to offer. Not only is this a playground if you're looking for teas, sweets, or anything Hello Kitty, but nearly every inch of the upstairs is loaded with fun foreign beauty products to explore. The one thing I knew I wanted when I arrived was a new black liquid eyeliner. The brand I was really there to look into was Koji's Dolly Wink liquid liner but unfortunately they only had the pencil liners in stock at the time. This meant I could wander around Chinatown looking for another store, or I could take a chance on something new.

Sana Extra Heavy Eyeliner in Black

My gamble on something new has totally paid off. There are very few things I can find lacking in this eyeliner. Before I start talking about what I didn't like I'll talk about what I did like. First the applicator is not the firm but flexible foam I was expecting, but a genuine bristle brush tip that you might find on a traditional dippable liquid eyeliner.

It's a bit difficult to tell here but it is in fact a brush applicator. I was initially dissapointed to see this because I thought it was going to make it more difficult to control the line I was creating. I was wrong. Not only is it a brush but it is a flat brush design. With the face if the brush you can create a thick dramatic line and with the profile of the brush you can do far more precise work. The product also seems to flow more easily through the fibers of the brush than it would through a more commonplace felt tip.

My next favorite thing is that this stuff lasts! I wore this on what had to be the hottest day of the summer to an outdoor barbeque. Even in the very outside corner of my eye where every liner I've ever used has smuged and run this stayed put. In addition to the lasting power this product dries almost on contact with the skin. When you get the product where you want it you can bet that it will stay where you want it. Now on to some of the drawbacks.

L: Four Passes R: One Pass

It is not opaque in one coat. You can see in the photo above that one swipe of this baby is not going to give you a nice dark black line. That said, becaue this liner dries so quickly, it diminishes the annoyance of having to do multiple layers to create opacity. I would say it takes 2-3 layers to get a nice dense black color. In my opinion, with this formula, its gives you the option of a softer black color for days when you want to wear a more subtly defined eye. The product doesn't go on patchy at all but flows over the skin fluidly.

I would say the only real thing I disliked about this was that it stains the skin. When I swatched it both in store and for the photos above it took about 24 hours for the color to fade completely. I thought I would avoid this on they eye by layering primers underneath but unfortunately it still left a faint grey stain behind after the initial removal with the Vichy Micellar Solution.  By the time my cleansing and moisturizing was finished all that was left was a slight grey smudge up against my lashes. For me this wasn't a deal breaker but if you are skeeved out by the thought of any remenant of your day left behind then this liner isn't for you. I would also worn against it if you wear your wings (or just liquid liner) like 363 days a year because I fear the staining might build if you're not careful about removal. As I only currently opt fot liquid liner about 1-2 times a week this isn't going to become a mounting issue for me.  

Overall I'm pleased with my first foray into Asian beauty brands and I have a couple more products to show and tell. I'm also really thrilled with the prospect of something really new to me. It's easy when you spend a good deal of your time browsing products to get bored with the constant repitition.

Have you guys tried this liner? What did you think? Do you have any other foreign beauty suggestions?

xoxo

Molly

Instagram Nails #8

Matte-r of Fact

I get more and more excited for Fall everyday. Earlier this week I showed off some new goodies from the collections and today I wanted to share a lip product that I love all year round in some shades that are great as the weather begins to cool.

Behold the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream!

This is one of the products in my go-to aresenal. They come in great, long wearing colors that apply like a lipgloss and dry to a matte finish. The first one I ever got was in the color Stockholm which is a nude-beige-pink color, then Amsterdam the blue based red and most recently Antwerp the muted peach pink.

I  reach for Stockholm when I'm wearing a daytime smokey look. It splits the line between "my lips but better" and a true nude perfectly for my complextion. I also think a matte nude lip is so hard to pull off that this might be as close as I'll ever get. Amsterdam is just one red in my vast (and I mean vast) collection of red shades. I like it best when my skin is behaving and I can wear this with thick lashes, nude blush, and nothing else. Antwerp was an impulse purchase from IMATS that I often like to pair with warm brown or copper eyes.

L-R  Amsterdam, Antwerp, Stockholm

I cannot accurately descibe how much I love these. They are so light weight on the lips, they don't feather (on me, this is always different for everyone) and once you apply them it takes a mountain (or greasy food) to move them. These colors stay put on the lips until they meet anything oil based. (makeup remover, salad dressing, etc.) They apply like a gloss and you have a few minutes to move them around before they set. Once they do they take on a dry texture (without drying out your lips) and a beautiful matte finish. The color goes on and stays opaque. The color selection is really well rounded and they retail for a measly 5-7$ depending on where you shop. (link!)

If you like a matte finish and a bargain I think you'll find these to your liking.

Do you guys have a favorite matte lip formula? Have you tried these before?

xoxo

Molly