Falling in Love with Pigments

I had forgotten how much I love pigments. Pigments are color at its finest. A loose powder that can be used dry (as is), or wet (mixed with a medium such as water, or MAC's Fix Plus). When used dry, pigments are a softer wash of color. But when used wet, oh my goodness: The color is intensified and the shadow stays put for a very long time. 

I had gotten a set of four pigments from MAC a few years ago, and they sat in a forgotten makeup bag ever since. Today I 'found' that bag and happiness ensued. A color called "Mauvement" inspired today's look, following are pictures and steps on what I did.



Excuse the hair, it's not working with me today...

I like the shadow from the eyelashes...

Spraying a brush with Fix Plus, I dipped it into the pigment and patted (not swept) the shadow all over my lid up into and just over my crease. Then I used Naked [from Urban Decay's Naked palette] (a light nude brown) and blended the pigment up into my brow bone. Next I used Virgin (a light champagne color) and swept that as a highlight near my eyebrows and inner corner of the eye. Since blending the light brown took away some of the pigment on my brow bone, I added a little more Mauvement pigment onto the brow bone. The eye needed a little more definition, so I took a dark brown with gold glitter eyeliner (Twice Baked from Urban Decay) and lined my upper and lower lash lines, making a slight wing. Topped it off with a coat of Too Faced's "Better Than Sex" mascara and the eyes are done! Super easy, with a ton of shimmer/color payoff.  Below is a better picture of just how pigmented the pigment is (haha).

Do you see that shimmer/glimmer?!? I took these pictures with just the close up & flash on my camera.

I'm happy with the result, very simple but with a surprise of flash when I blink I guess you could say.

Because of the neutralness of the eyes, I wanted to do a soft cheek and bold lip. I used Shiseido's Face Color Enhancing Trio in the shade RD1, and a Lancôme La Laque Fever in the shade 384. The Shiseido Trio is basically just a blush that is swirled around to combine all 3 colors, it creates a soft peachy color with a soft highlight. The lippie is an intense pink. The texture of this isn't the greatest, it's extremely sticky at first and takes two coats to build up the color, but once it wears off a little bit, a very nice pretty stain is left behind that lasts a long time. I don't suggest eating directly after applying it.

I got hairs on my upper lip!



Shiseido Trio & Lancôme La Laque Fever

MAC Pigment in Mauvement, Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Twice Baked, & sample size Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara.

Side note: Pigment is a little pricier than a 'normal' eyeshadow but a little goes a long way and a small tub of it will last a very long time. If you haven't ever tried it, I suggest giving it a go and find out for yourself just how easy they are to use. Have a good day and remember to smile pretty!

Tricky 3 (Using Urban Decay's Naked 3)

Trick is a gorgeous color in the Naked 3 palette. It's like an orangey/pinky glimmer goodness for your eyes. I watched a YouTube video this morning using Naked 3 and figured I would put my own spin on the look. If you don't know yet, Urban Decay has this whole "Naked" line of shadows, lip glosses, face powders, etc., that are geared towards the nudes. The "3" is pink nudes, soft, romantic, and pretty. I have used it a lot lately, as I am thinking of spring. In the wintertime I go a little darker with my makeup, but now that it is warming up, I am liking softer colors. Okay. Here we go....my "Tricky 3" look down below:

 
I really, really like how this turned out today. It was soft and somewhat subtle, the focus being on the eyes, but the cheeks/lips rounding it all out.

 

Do you see the shimmer? I first applied Trick on the "balls" of my eyes all the way up into the crease, patting the eyeshadow into place. (Patting a shimmer shade will help keep the glitter intact and prevent fallout.) Using Limit I took a fluffy crease brush and blended out the harsh line from Trick. Then I took a small stiff crease brush (I use ELF's $3 crease brush...it's amazing) and applied Nooner into the crease and a slight "v" on the outer corner of the eyes. I used Limit to blend a little more, up above my crease and onto my brow bone until there were no harsh lines. For the space just below my brows I used Strange as a highlight (this shade is matte and perfect for the brow highlight).

For the finishing touch, I used UD's 24/7 Liquid Liner in Smog on my top lash line, then used a dark brown eye pencil on the outer 1/2 of my lower lash line. It looked too blah, so I took a pencil brush and swept Trick on top of the brown pencil and all the way into the inner corner of the eye. Finished off with a coat of mascara and done!


Side view

Can you see the freckles on my nose?!?

The blush I have been loving lately is Mac's "Warm Soul". (Pictured above). It's a gorgeous warm, almost peachy light brown color with a slight shimmer. When I went into Mac to get a new foundation, the girl used this on me and I had to have it. I believe if I were stuck on an island, this is the blush I would want with me. You can see it on my cheeks 3 pictures above. I also used the bronzer from UD's Naked Flushed palette and a Smashbox highlighter on my cheek bones, down my nose, and on the sides of my upper face.

Above are 7 of the colors from the Naked 3 palette. I used Strange, Limit, Trick, & Nooner. For my lips, I used a Cargo Cosmetics lipstick (can't remember the shade) and a Lorac gold glitter gloss. Hope you liked today's look and thanks for reading this!

Leave me a comment with your favorite blush!

Vice 2 Neutrals/Golden Eyes

I never used to like to wear neutral eyeshadow. I thought it boring and always liked brighter colors on my eyes. Looking back at pictures, what was I thinking?!? I got the Vice 2 palette from Urban Decay for the bright colors, but have honestly used the neutrals more than anything. Now I realize that there are times when a neutral eye is better than a bright eye. Granted, I still love those bright colors, but have learned to use them as a pop instead of a full eye look. Older and wiser I suppose. (When I am brave enough I will find one or some of those old photos...)

The other main reason behind my not going full on clown with the brights: The night before my husband and I got married (rather, eloped in Vegas), he told me I look like a clown with all that nonsense on my face, specifically my eyes. For a while I quit wearing makeup all-together, but that wasn't me. I am a tried-and-true makeup addict, and honestly, I feel better (inside and outside) when my face is on.

So, here it is, yesterday's look using the Vice 2 palette, all bottom row shadows with a touch of gold glitter from MAC on the inside corners for added sparkle.

Makeup items I used:
Eyeshadow: Urban Decay's Vice 2 palette - all bottom row colors
Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil - Roach (gorgeous chocolate brown with gold shimmer
                Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil - Whiskey (on water line)
Blush/Bronzer/Highlight: Urban Decay's Flushed palette
Lips: Hourglass Femme Nude lipstick - Nude #3

~You can click on any of the pictures to view larger~

Tip of the day: Glitter on the inside corner of the eye will catch the light, giving a little something extra to your look. It's definitely a personal preference, so go with what you feel comfortable with.

Leave a comment with your favorite nude eyeshadows/palettes!

Naked 3 Everyday

Have you jumped on the Naked train yet? I was so very excited for Urban Decay's release of the Naked 3 palette and was lucky enough to have been one of the first to get it. The drama that surrounded its release due to not enough being manufactured definitely made it all the more exciting to have gotten my order in before they ran out the first time. That said, it has become the palette I use the most. I have the original Naked, but not the Naked 2. I like the cooler colors that is in the original & 3, feel they look better on my skin tone.

Here is the look I did today using the Naked 3. It looks subtle in the photos up close I think, but face-to-face it is a little more "in your face". I am still trying to figure out the best way to photograph, so please bear with me!

The products I used are as follows:
Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow - Seashell Pink
Urban Decay Naked 3 - Trick, Nooner, Factory, & Strange
Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil - Roach
Lancôme - Hypnose Drama mascara
MAC blush - Cubic
Smashbox Soft Lights - Shimmer
Urban Decay Flushed - bronzer
Tarte Lipsurgence Lipluster - Glitzy

I really like how the pinks look with brown eyeliner, gives it a softer feeling.

When applying my eyeshadow I use the same technique every time, just switch up the colors to create different looks. Some days I use perversion eyeliner on my water line, other days I leave it bare, depending on the look I am going for. I suggest always using an eye primer, I use Too Faced's Shadow Insurance, the one in the pretty blue tube. I never used to use a primer, but have found that it is the secret to not only helping your shadow stay in place all day, but it helps to place color where you want it, instead of the shadow slipping all over. It is also really helpful for shimmer shades, keeps the glitter in place.

Have a beautiful day everyone!