Trend Worth Trying::: Sultry, Bronze Eye

Photo of Rachel McAdams: Troy Jenson's Website

Doesn't that look hot?!

The bronze smoky eye is more of my "everyday look", but it seems that the metallic gold/bronze smoky eye has really taken hold as the hot makeup look for summer.  Despite the perfectly blended and meticulously applied looks in these images, all it takes to get your glow on is a quick smudge of a deeper bronze shadow along the lashline and on the eyelid and blend, even with your finger. That will give you a pretty amazing and similar look with far less product and time involvement, which in the summer, is perfect. And on (preferably spray tanned) skin, with a sweep of pale shimmery peach blush and a nude or pale peach gloss on the lip, this is a pretty amazing look.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Lancome Tient Idole Ultra 24 Hour Foundation

The Lancome Tient Idole Ultra 24 Hour Foundation is another product I have been using for a while and finally think I have the hang of, and the hang of saying all of that crazy long name.  It's not an everyday item for me, but I have been incorporating it a lot more lately, simply because it's helped with coverage around my eyes.

I was not really sure about this shade, which is 100N and I believe is the lightest one they offer, but it seems to be working pretty well, despite being WAY pinker than I would otherwise go with. The girl at the counter applied it under my one eye and around that area and some woman that was at the Jo Malone counter was watching along while she sniffed candles waiting for her daughter to pay for something, and she walked over and said "oh my god, that is just...incredible. It almost erased your circles!"  She could've been a drone, a robot, a shill (she wasn't) but I was sold at that point. Because it really makes a noted impact to me. Since I focus it around my eyes, and less around my face, I am ok with the color being a little pinker than I'd wear otherwise.  I had a perfect color match with the Estee Lauder Double Wear but it would not stay on my face and didn't play nice with concealers.

PRODUCT REVIEW: VanityMark UltraBrow in Gingerella

So after discovering and confirming that Covermark changed the formula on my beloved Brow Markers, I started looking for a replacement that was not in a goofy ass purply color that makes no sense with a coppery red head of hair.  I had been using my fallback powder from BareMinerals, a mix of Redhead and Strawberry, more Strawberry than Redhead. But the looseness is a mess, so I was hoping I'd find similar in a pressed format.  I wanted the Urban Decay Brow Box, but they no longer cater to redheads, which is an annoying trend with cosmetics and hair companies.

I read about Vanitymark's UltraBrow on Phyrra's site a while back, and saw that they carry TWO redhead options, one for lighter and copperier heads, and one for auburn and darker/cooler reds. I went with Gingerella, for the coppertops.  I ordered it from Brett Friedman's site directly on a Monday and had it by Thursday. I see now that they have a nice special too, 2/25 so I might order a couple backups.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Yaby Cosmetics Concealer and Paint Pot/Eyeshadows

Yaby Cosmetics was new to me until about a few months ago, it was wildly popular all the sudden on some makeup forums, especially related to bridal makeup, and it started popping up on blogs.   It was raved about, esp the eyeshadows and pearl paints, for color payoff, blendability and longevity which I assume is why bridal artists love it so much.  

The products were developed by a Canadian makeup artist who has a huge portfolio, esp in editorial work. Their swatches are PRETTY amazing. They offer great, close up shots of the pan. I ordered from Yaby's site, on a Thursday, and got it exactly 6 days later via UPS international. The company is based in Canada and shipping was 1/3 of the total price for the order, pretty insane, so plan for that. I went with the cheaper UPS option bec I didn't want to risk extensive damage from the postal service and while it was really pricey, I am kind of glad now that I did. 

PRODUCT REVIEW: TARTE SmolderEYES Waterproof Clay Eye Liner & TARTE EmphasEYES Waterproof Clay Eyeliner

While at ULTA picking up something I actually was out of and did "need", I checked these out and ended up buying one of each in Bronze. The color was nice for each though they are slightly different in tone, one is slightly warmer than the other.

PRODUCT REVIEW: It Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Stain in Pretty in Peony

After reading a few reviews on this around the internet, and seeing a few QVC presentations on it, I finally bit the bullet and picked it up in "Pretty in Peony" because it looked close to my Nars TORRID blush, slightly brighter maybe. And my assessment was really close.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer

Photo Credit: Tartecosmetics.com

I have waffled on trying this stuff out, and didn't end up buying it, opting instead for a little sample jar of it after playing with it in the Ulta store.  I got the sample in the LIGHT, which is fairly pinkish in the jar and on my hand, but when I put it under my eyes looks way less pink, and really I could've probably use fair or light easily, but for the whole shade range it is not a big range at all.  Just 5 shades, and I suppose it would be easy to get a decent working shade with, though darker skinned women are going to really have a hard time tonally.

PRODUCT REVIEW: "Eye Fidelity" Waterproof Mascara by Kardashian KHROMA BEAUTY

Photo credit: Instyle.com

Like some kind of lemming...or idiot...or sucker...or krazed mega fan, I lapped the KhromaBeauty display in the Ulta nearest my home about maybe 4 times before grabbing the waterproof "Eye Fidelity" mascara the other day. I figured it was worth a shot considering they know lashes, right?

PRODUCT REVIEW: Nars Blush, Torrid

I have always known NARS to make a nice blush. I have owned a few and returned a few, just bec I didn't love the color. Lately I'd been using a Cover Girl blush in a shimmery bright coral/peach, and I liked it, but I wanted a bigger pan for my brush to go over so I didn't have issues with stripes on my face. NARS was my first pick besides CARGO but CARGO didn't have a shade in stock I wanted.  I love the shade of Orgasm, but it's such a gold glitter bomb that I took it back. I was about to go with Deep Throat, a similar shade which is far less of a glitter bomb, til I saw Torrid. It's a deeper peach with gold shimmer and it's gorgeous on vs the more rosey shade of Deep Throat.  NARS blushes have pretty intense pigment and color payoff, so it's very important to not load the brush up.

I have used it every day for at least two months now, and I am in love. And you can barely tell I've used it. Fantastic color, fantastic blendability, and super soft on the skin. 

NARS is sold at Sephora and Nordstrom, and quite a few other locations. I got mine at Nordstrom for $28.00.

Photo Credit: Narscosmetics.com

PRODUCT REVIEW: Giorgio Armani MAESTRO "Fusion Makeup" and Concealer

Ah the great Armani Maestro savior...It's been hyped for months now all over the internet, all over the blogs and magazines. But I fail to see WHY.  I am really trying to figure out if what these other bloggers reviewed is what is for sale and available to the masses. I didn't get a "press sample" (nor have I ever!) and I am seriously convinced that the press samples they send out are nothing like what actually goes on sale. Because otherwise I would have encountered some kind of miracle water in the Nordstrom Galleria over the weekend and instead I got samples of this shit.

PRODUCT REVIEW-LET: Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara

I was looking for a non-waterproof option for weekends that would be there but not waterproof for days I don't want to mess with serious makeup.  From the first use, the non-waterproof was extremely wet. Like, destroyed curl wet. So I let that sit now for a couple weeks and it's a lot better.  However, it's something I fear will not last me much longer, esp since I only use it on a day a weekend or something.  

I also picked up the waterproof option, which again, was also quite wet. I gave that another two days, and it made a significant difference. It was great for a whole week, every day. However...after that first week...it was dried out to the point nothing would come out on the brush but a clump or two. So either there's VERY little in there, or that tube is not airtight...I can usually got 4 months unless I am piling it on before I need to toss a mascara.  

The brushes are both very nice, large, and very plush. They left my lashes looking awesome, no clumping, and the carbon black was a great shade of rich black. It was VERY waterproof, in a good way. I didn't worry about rubbing my eyes either. It stayed.

However..for $7 or whatever I paid for each one...the waterproof can not be worthless that quickly. I had to toss it a week later and that's not going to fly with me!

This is available at drugstores.

My current products...March 2012

I've gotten a few emails about this so I thought I'd put up a list....

Follow the jump to get a full list! 

FOLLOWUP ON It! Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye....Its falling into the PASS category.

Photo: QVC.com

I have given this a couple go-arounds now, and even several months before coming back around at it, and I am NOT impressed, not at all. I am wondering what product(s) were actually used on the models on the QVC presentation because the consistency and the total lack of opacity does not jive with the results they showed on the presentation--at all.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and Crema Nero Eye Cream.

Photo: ArmaniBeauty.com

Most of my in-real-life friends and acquaintances know that I am very pasty white. And by very pasty white I mean that ream of paper you just bought that said Ultimate White 100% brightness. But I am not your typical pasty white. I am some gross mix of white, olive green and yellow. Like jaundice or ...sick looking. And that's just my everyday look. 

So when I am looking for a foundation, it's a battle. Not many brands cater to my skintone, and tend to stay pretty neutral, or in my language "PINK". The closest matches I have ever found are Laura Mercier Oil Free in Porcelain Ivory (actually this is dead on, if only it would just stay on my face for more than an hour), Shu Uemura Face Architect in 964 and 974 mixed, and apparently now I am pretty close in the Giorgio Armani line, with I think #2...though it is still a little pink for me.

PRODUCT REVIEW: ShadowLiner by Smashbox

I picked up the Smashbox TSV last year through QVC (Beauty Shortcuts) and I am IN LOVE with the shadowliners now! The first one (only one I kept actually) came with a shade called Starstruck, which is like a figgy brownish shade (brownish plumish). I also bought the Shadowliner in Hollywood, which is kind of a bronzey brown color. Both came with the brush to do it, which is pretty amazing in terms of value, those brushes cost like $30 a pop usually, and QVC packages them together with the product. (PS: I love LOVE love QVC. Love.)