This should mostly be labelled a Makeup Geek look week, but there’s one Inglot look in the mix as well!
This is the look I wore on my birthday this past month. I usually opt for orange and red as they’re my favourite eyeshadow shades, but this year I added some orange glitter I got from Lit Cosmetics.
Eyes
InglotAMC Shine 15 all over the lid.
InglotMatte 382 on the outer corner.
Makeup GeekCreme Brule through the top of the crease.
Makeup GeekBada Bing in the outer corner.
Makeup GeekVanilla Bean on the brow bone.
I used Tarte‘s Black gel liner to create the wing and applied BenefitThey’re Real mascara to my lashes. On my lower lash line, I applied some Too FacedGlitter Glue and then taped on California Soul glitter from Lit Cosmetics.
Rest of the Face
Bronzer: Joe FreshSand
Blush: Bobbi BrownApricot
Once I got my hands on the Makeup Geek foiled shadows I just couldn’t stop playing with them!
Eyes
(all Makeup Geek)
Envy through the crease.
Magic Act all over the lid.
Houdini on the outer half of the lid.
Vanilla Bean on the brow bone.
Tarte‘s Black gel liner to create the wing and Too FacedBetter Than Sex mascara on my lashes. On my lower lash line I first applied MACPhone Number eye pencil to the outer corner, then layered Houdini on top.
Rest of the Face
Bronzer: Joe FreshSand
Blush: IllamasquaHussy
Lips: NYXFortune Cookie
More Makeup Geek foiled shadows!
Eyes
(all Makeup Geek)
Creme Brulee through the top of the crease.
Center Stage all over the lid. Also used to line the lower outer lash line.
Flamethrower heavily through the crease.
Too FacedBetter Than Sex mascara is on my lashes.
Rest of the Face
Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in shades 51 Light Vanilla and 52 Vanillamixed together
Bronzer: Joe FreshSand
Blush: TarteCharisma
I’m really loving playing with reds even moreso lately! Someone at work called this a Valentine’s Day look and I suppose it kind of is… Although I kind of see this as more red than pink, but to each their own!
Eyes
(all Makeup Geek)
Purely Naked through the top of the crease.
In The Spotlight on the inner half of the lid.
Razzleberry on the outer half of the lid.
Vanilla Bean on the brow bone.
Tarte‘s Black gel liner to create the wing and Too FacedBetter Than Sex mascara on my lashes.
Rest of the Face
Bronzer: Joe FreshSand
Blush: essence Autumn Peach
Highlighter: Too FacedCandlelight
Lips: RevlonPapaya gloss
This is a look from November that I had kicking around on my harddrive.
Eyes
(all Makeup Geek)
Glass Slipper all over the lid.
Shark Bait on the outer half.
Creme Brulee through the top of the crease.
Vanilla Bean on the brow bone.
Shimma Shimma on the inner tearduct.
TarteBlack gel liner to create the wing andEstee Lauder Sumptuous Infinite Daring Length + Volume on my lashes.
I don’t know who decided they were in officially in charge, but every year Pantone picks a colour of the year. Sometimes it seems to follow trends, and sometimes it seems totally offbase. (Where the hell did Radiant Orchid (2014) come from anyway? I mean really.) This year we got blessed (lol) with Marsala.
Introducing MARSALA Pantone 18-1438. A naturally robust and earthy wine red, Marsala enriches our minds, bodies and souls.
Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s not the colour of any red wine I drink. This is more of a lazy brick colour. Too much of the brown, not enough of the red. I guess we have Kylie Jenner to thank for this colour.
Leaving out my opinions regarding the Kardashians seemingly influencing this colour of the year, I have to say it’s not bad. It’s an unexciting shade, but it’s very, very workable. I know none of us truly care about the colour of the year, as it certainly won’t be impacting anyone’s makeup or clothes after the month of January, but I wanted to see what the hell I had in my stash that would come close to this colour.
MAC Mystical lipstick and NYX Spongecake gloss
First up are the lip products. MAC‘s Mystical was from this past year’s summer collection and it was about the only lipstick shade I had that fit into the Marsala zone. More of a pink tinge on this one, but it makes it infinitely more wearable on my skin.
NYX‘s Spongecake surprised me. I’d never think of this guy as even remotely brick-coloured, but when I compare it to the Marsala swatch above, it comes out surprisingly close. More orange-toned, for sure, but still in the “zone”.
l-r: NYX Spongecake, MAC Mystical
Unfortunately Mystical was a limited edition item but Spongecake is a year ’round drugstore item for those who have NYX available to them.
MAC Sea Me, Hear Me
This blush is such an odd one to me. MAC‘s Sea Me, Hear Me (yet again, limited edition) looks pinky-er in the pan, orangey-er on my skin and yet somehow still appears “more Marsala” than anything else I owned.
MAC Sea Me, Hear MeMakeup Geek Bitten and L’Oreal Golden Mahogany
My favourites of the bunch are the eyeshadows. I’m really hoping that people learn to experiment with eyeshadow more and embrace reds, or even just brick reds, on their lids. Red eyeshadow, or any shadow in that family, has a very special place in my heart: It can be a flattering colour or an incredibly loud one depending on how you pair it.
l-r: Makeup Geek Bitten and L’Oreal Golden Mahogany
Makeup Geek‘s Bitten is a longstanding favourite of mine and a must-have shade from the brand. I think it fits best with the Marsala theme out of anything I own, so at least I can feel trendy while wearing it.
L’Oreal‘s Infallible in Golden Mahogany is slightly more electrifying however. It definitely adds far more red into the mix, and coupled with that shine, it’s a stunner.
So while I’m not jumping for joy about a colour of the year, I am interested to play around with the colour and see what combinations work out best for me. I hadn’t done it intentionally, but when I look at the blue of the Alluring Aquatics collection mixed with the colour of marsala, I’m thinking I could really work with those together.
How about you? Is this something that interests you? Have you got products that fit into the colour of the year theme?
A few looks from November I had kicking around (!) on my harddrive, and a few from my recent vacation in Ottawa over the holidays. Enjoy!
Hnnnnnnnng. I will never tire of Too Faced’s Melted Berry lipstick. I even like matching my eyeshadows to it!
Eyes
(all Makeup Geek)
Bleached Blonde all over the lid.
Bitten on the outer half and through the crease.
Vanilla Bean on the browbone.
Mascara: BenefitThey’re Real
Liner: Tarte black gel liner
Rest of the Face
Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla mixed with Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Light Vanilla
Powder: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal
Bronzer: TartePark Avenue Princess
Blush: TarteDazzled
Lips: Too FacedMelted Berry
Anything cat-related on the internet and I’m all over it. And when I have an internet cat on my t-shirt? It just gets even better. I grabbed some inspiration from Nyan Cat here and went with it.
I stuck to the blue and the red since that’s what stands out to me the most in that shirt. Plus I was doing brunch… it certainly didn’t call for a full rainbow!
Eyes
NYXAsphyxiation all over the lid.
Makeup GeekRazzleberry in the outer corner and through the crease.
Makeup Geek Creme Brule through the top of the crease.
Playing around with the Laura Mercier Artist Palette for Eyes and Cheeks (2014). I will never not be astounded with the texture of her eyeshadows!
Eyes
(all Laura Mercier)
Pewter all over the lid.
Deep Night in the outer corner and through the crease.
Cashmere through the top of the crease.
Vanilla Nuts on the brow bone.
Liner: Tarte black gel liner
Mascara: BenefitThey’re Real
Rest of the Face
Bronzer: RevlonBronzed & Chic
Blush: Laura Mercier Rosegold Shimmer
Lips: Bite Fig
No real theme for this one, I was just playing around with Makeup Geek eyeshadows I rarely used and came up with this look.
Eyes
(all Makeup Geek)
Shimma Shimma all over the lid.
Goddess on the outer half of the lid and lightly through the crease.
Cocoa Bear in the outer corner.
Vanilla Bean on the brow bone.
Liner: Tarte black gel liner
Mascara: BenefitThey’re Real
Rest of the Face
Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla mixed with Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Light Vanilla
Powder: Hourglass Ambient Lighting in Ethereal
Bronzer: TartePark Avenue Princess
Blush: TarteDarling
A quick look that was mostly done just to try out Benefit‘s Push Up Liner (no review forthcoming on it, but my impression of it is pretty much “meh”. It’s okay, but it’s not better than a potted gel liner with a brush.).
Winter seems to be the season when everyone busts out a red lip. It was around Christmas (several years ago) when I finally got comfortable wearing red lips and I’ve not looked back. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favourites, with a bit of variety amongst the shades… but rest assured… these are all *red*.
All of the products listed in this post are readily accessible products (none of them are limited edition), so you should be able to find them if there’s something that draws you in.
MAC – Russian Red
The red that started it all – MAC‘s famous Russian Red! This was the first red lipstick I picked up, and it’s almost ruined me for all other reds! It’s matte, so it stays put without me having to worry about it too much, which is one of my chief concerns with bright or dark lip colours.
MAC – Russian Red
I’m wearing this without a lip liner here, but I usually pair Russian Red with MAC‘s Brick lip pencil to clean up the edges.
NYX’s Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie
And for the softer side of Sears things, if you’re not used to wearing bright colours, here is NYX‘s Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie. Since it’s semi-sheer, it’ll ease you into wearing brighter colours. Half the battle with bright colours is getting used to seeing yourself wearing them. Once you get used to it, you’ll find it’s far less stressful to wear something “different” in public.
NYX’s Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie
This gloss will look good on its own, but it also pairs nicely on top of top of a red lipstick as well. Since it’s a gloss though, it doesn’t have the same lasting power as a lipstick does.
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic
While rooting through my reds, I re-discovered Revlon‘s Romantic balm stain. This stuff looks wayyyy better on the lips than I remember it being! It has enought pigment to look like a lipstick, but it’s got a beautiful amount of shine to it as well.
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic
Also slightly sheer, and feels really lovely on the lips. This one is one of the easier reds – you can slap this one on without thinking about it too much.
Wet n Wild 910D/Red Velvet
This one kills me. I picked up Wet n Wild‘s 910D/Red Velvet lipstick on a whim because I thought it was another colour and holy CRAP – this is AMAZING. It’s also a matte shade, and it packs just as much of punch of colour as MAC‘s Russian Red does, although obviously a different shade.
Wet n Wild 910D/Red Velvet
And it’s cheap as chips too! I think it was something ridiculous like $2.
Rimmel Apocalips in Big Bang
And for those of you who want to make an even bigger impact with your lips, this may do the trick. There’s nothing subtle about Rimmel‘s Apocalips in Big Bang. It’s a liquid lipstick which means you get insane pigmentation with amazing gloss. The glossy bit does die down after an hour or two, but you’ll still be left with beautiful pigmentation.
Rimmel Apocalips in Big Bang
What’s not to love about that colour!
Now, since you’re wearing a red lip, you’ve got to be careful. Use a lip primer. Use a lip liner. Check your teeth and corners of your lips whenever you go to the bathroom. (Basically… use any reflective surface to cheek your mouth out, whenever you can.) Use the “put your thumb in your mouth, lock your lips around it and pull out” method to get as much lipstick off the inner ring of your lips. I tend to stick with the “swipe my tongue over my teeth” method, but it doesn’t get always get all of the product off.
When in doubt, mattes are better at staying put than anything remotely glossy. I’ve also had surprisingly good luck with liquid lipsticks too.
Swatched out lips
The after effects of all that lip swatching. I gotta say, I think I love this mixed up shade the most!
Oh boy. This was the month of Sephora’s VIB sale and IMATS. I didn’t do too badly really, as I do feel like I reigned myself in a bit, but I’ve definitely got an excessive amount of new goodies play with. (Not that this is a bad thing!)
Too Faced – Everything Nice palette (regularly $68 CAD, purchased for $54.40 CAD)
Unfortunately I have no clear full shot of this palette since the lighting has been atrocious lately (I rely on natural lighting and winter-time is so not my best friend for photos). Too Faced‘sEverything Nice palette was a last minute impulse buy during the VIB event. I had last year’s Too Faced holiday palette and figured I didn’t need this. Then I saw a few too many YouTube tutorials on it and I snapped it up during the sale. There are some repeat shades in this palette when I compare it closely to the previous one, however there is a surprising number of shades that are not.
I’m not a huge fan of the slightly bulkier packaging, but it’s a beautiful all-in-one face palette that includes 20 eyeshadows, 2 blushes and a bronzer and highlighter. There’s also a mini Better Than Sex mascara as well. Excellent quality and a great deal all around. The only completely STUPID thing about this palette is that it WILL NOT FIT into the glittery pink makeup bag it came in. No amount of shoving worked here. And considering this palette has no real closure (no latch or super strong magnet) this is a completely idiotic move in my eyes. If you have last year’s bag though, it will fit in that one.
Too Faced Melted Candy (regularly $25 CAD, purchased for $20 CAD)
This was just tragic. I already owned Too Faced‘s Melted Candy but then I fell out of my pocket on my way to work one day. Since this is one of my top five holy grail lip colours, I had to pick it up again during the VIB sale. Stunningly vibrant shade, this one is a definite keeper. Unless… you drop it and lose it.
Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes & Cheeks (regularly $70 CAD, purchased for $56 CAD)
I was so enchanted with Laura Mercier‘s 2013 holiday palette that despite not being overly enamoured with the colours this year, I still wanted to snap it up. The shadows are just as I expected – buttery soft and blend like no other shadows I own. (As a note, when I bought this, it was 70 bucks on Sephora’s site. I did get the VIB discount, which knocked it down to $56, but it’s CURRENTLY on sale on Sephora’s site for $59 CAD.)
NYX Studio Liquid Liner in Extreme Silver ($7.49 CAD)
I actually picked up NYX‘s Studio Liner in Extreme Silver on Halloween night for use for my Halloween costume. I haven’t used it since… and I’m kind of wondering just how often I’m going to use a silver liquid liner…
Finally! My extra products that I bought on vacation in Vienna were shipped to me (I had stupidly left them in a car) so I have a few overseas goodies to add in the mix. First up is Labello‘s lip butter in Coconut. I’d not seen this flavour in the Nivea lip care line (they’re the same company) so I snagged it up to try out. It’s lovely, but it has the same “makes your lips white” problem that I have with all the other potted Nivea products.
Manhattan Natural Bronzing Powder (~6€)
I’d heard a bit about the brand Manhattan, but wasn’t really sure what to buy from the line. I like bronzers a lot, so I picked up this one. It doesn’t seem to have a shade name other than “Natural Bronzing Powder”.
Manhattan Eyeshadow Base (~ 5€)
Also from Manhattan is their eyeshadow base. I’m curious to see if this will work on me at all.
Lavera quad in Cuprum Glam (8.99€)
This one was stupidly expensive for what it is but hey, I was on vacation! Lavera‘s eyeshadow quad in Cuprum Glam interested me because that bottom green shade has some interesting duochrome to it.
Look by Bipa in Crystal Jam (2.79€)
I bought this Look by Bipa lipstick (Crystal Jam) purely because it reminds me of my favourite eyeshadow from Inglot. How I’m going to wear a shiny, shimmery orange lip… I have no idea. But there you have it.
Real Techniques – Duo Fiber Set ($30 CAD), Powder Brush ($10 CAD) and Miracle Complexion Sponge ($10 CAD)
Next up is my IMATs stuff! I snagged up a bunch of Real Techniques brushes I didn’t have yet” The Duo Fiber set, the powder brush and another Miracle Complexion Sponge because mine is starting to get pretty ratty.
Naked Cosmetics pigment stacks in Ivory and Tropical Paradise ($55 CAD for both)
AT LONG LAST! I have been oogling Naked Cosmetics pigment stacks for a very long time. A few years ago they were heavily touted on YouTube and I’ve been itching to get my hands on them ever since. They had a deal on, so I picked up two stacks – one in Ivory (these are white pigments with a coloured duochrome – they are GORGEOUS) and Tropical Paradise(your standard bright colours, some with a duochrome). I’ve used them a bit and so far I’m over the moon about them. I’m not a huge lover of pigments, I find them messy, but these are so, soooo worth it.
Morphe 36 Glam Palette ($19 CAD)
If Jaclyn Hill is to be believed, Morphe products are the second coming.
Morphe 36 Glam Palette ($19 CAD)
So I picked up a palette of brights (36 Glam) because it was nineteen bucks, the quality felt nice under my finger tips and it was a little too pretty to walk away from. I’m sure this looks like clown makeup to some people but I’m just sitting here like “YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS COME TO MAMA”.
I’m hoping the quality on these Morphe brushes are good because they were incredibly cheap as well! The small angled one is working out really well for my eyebrows so far.
London Brush Company – #0 Fine Art Liner ($10 CAD)
Mmm such lovely photography (I’m kidding, really). I picked this up from the London Brush Company because I’ve been wanting another small liner brush for my gel liners. At the moment, I’m feeling like the brush hairs are too long. Makes it a bit floppy for applying gel liner.
Lit Glitter Kit ($40 CAD)
Another brand I’ve been dying to try out! Lit Cosmetics was having their usual kit sale – $40 for their glitter base, three glitters, two brushes and a puff that helps remove glitter from your face.
Lit Glitters in California Soul, Lemon Tart and Back in Black
No real theme for this one, I was just playing around with Makeup Geek eyeshadows I rarely used and came up with this look.
