Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup
A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict
Before I became an illustrator/designer, I worked at Dior. It was one of my part-time jobs in college and a rewarding experience that sparked my love for fashion, luxury, and well…Dior.
I’ll always have a soft spot for the brand. I feel like they do everything with an understated (or, an amazingly dramatic!) elegance.
Their Summer 2016 Milky Dots Collection has a playfully elegant edge that I find refreshing for the classic brand, and here’s a look at some of my favorite pieces from the launch.
I love having LOTS of brushes at my disposal, so for me, affordable makeup brushes are the way to go! But all makeup brushes are not created — or priced — equally.
For face makeup brushes, here are a few that have earned my gold star sticker of approval.
The Sonia Kashuk Star Struck Large Powder Brush is one of the softest natural hair brushes I own. In fact, none of my higher-end brushes can apply bronzer as well as this one.
I like this full rounded brush because I can really work powder into my skin with it. Unfortunately, the set I got it with has been discontinued…and I also didn’t love any of the other brushes in the set. Still, I would re-buy the set just for this one brush.
Another Sonia Kashuk brush, except that this one IS still available (it’s permanent). My nickname for the No. 29 brush is “the bunny butt” brush because it’s so round and soft! It’s the perfect medium size to fit into the cheek contour or right on top of the cheek as well.
This one is a little bit pricier than my other brush recommendations, but I think the plastic handles hold up very well over time.
It’s been hot here in Georgia lately…like SO hot that I’m running to my car now, yet despite the heat and sun, my legs refuse to tan, no matter how many skirts and dresses I wear. I think my legs might be invincible, guys, LOL!
To combat my blindingly white legs, I’ve been using a bronzing oil, Too Faced Royal Oil Coconut Oil Body Bronzer, and I think it may be a go-to this summer.
But that’s not the first step in my summer skin routine.
It all starts with the bath…
I finally get it… Baths are great. In my new home, I finally have a separate bathtub to relax and lounge in, and the new Shea Moisture “African Water Mint and Ginger” products inspire me to make time for them.
I start with a capful of African Water Mint & Ginger Detox Bubble Bath & Body Wash ($9.99) in the bath. It’s not SUPER soapy — which I like — so there’s no need to jump into the shower to rinse off.
But hands down, my favorite product of the set is the African Water Mint & Ginger Detox Hand & Body Scrub ($9.99). I love the feeling of the sugar breaking down as I rub it into my skin. I feel squeaky clean AND moisturized at the same time because of the oils and shea butter in the formula.
Before I hop out of the bath, I’ll quickly finish up with the African Water Mint & Ginger Detox & Refresh Hair & Scalp Gentle Shampoo ($10.99) and African Water Mint & Ginger Detox & Refresh Hair & Scalp Conditioner ($10.99).
The conditioner doesn’t wow me (it’s very thick and lotion-y), but the shampoo makes my scalp feel brand new. I use it once or twice a week to combat the hot, humid hair situation (you know — life in the South).
So…#whatmakesyoublush?
For me? Spicy food, walking around on a cold day, and a little swirl of this Limited Edition Value-Sized NARS Orgasm Blush ($39, 0.28-oz).
I can’t open a magazine without seeing pictures of this iconic pinky peach blush in a shoot or reading an inspiring woman casually mention that it’s one of her go-to’s. I think it has to be one of the most famous blushes in the world.
And now it’s SUPERSIZED. This limited edition $39 value size has the same amount of product as a full-sized 0.28-oz. NARS Bronzer (compared to a regular 0.16-oz. $30 NARS Blush, which is about 40% smaller).
NARS Orgasm is sort of like a chameleon, and if you don’t already have one (or more) pans in your collection, it’s a classic. It can be subtle or dramatic; warm or cool. I’ve tried Orgasm dupes in the past, but most of them run peachier/pinker/darker/more metallic, and none of them hit the mark like NARS Orgasm does (hmm…).
Right now, I seriously can’t help smiling every time I look down at my nails. 🙂
I’ve had negative time for my nails since starting night classes, but the new Dior Polka Dots Colour & Dots Manicure Kits ($31 each; three limited edition color combos available) remind me what a fun manicure can do to brighten my mood. Every time I’m driving or typing, I feel more put together!
I usually do my own nail painting, and I’ll stick to a few classic colors, rotating every two weeks or so, but I get bored of these same colors real fast. So, with these Polka Dots not only do I get two beautiful shades of the best polish formula (IMO), there are many ways to wear them together — or alone! If you can’t already tell, I’m completely smitten.
As part of the 2016 Dior Summer Milky Dots Collection, each manicure kit comes with two 0.23-oz. bottles and a sexy “Dior” branded dotting tool. The dotting tool has also been a pleasant surprise. Now I can easily draw with my other polishes too.
The color combos — in classic Dior fashion — are elegantly intriguing; my favorite being 002 Confettis. The light orange shade is really doing it for me…and I WILL be using it alone in the near future! I’ve had no issues with the lighter color showing up on the darker color either.
Dior nail polishes have an outstanding formula. They have a medium consistency and apply opaque with two coats using a wide brush. One of them, Junon, is one of the longest lasting polishes in my collection.
Never shy of a great matte lip, I leaped on these new $22 Too Faced La Matte Color Drenched Lipsticks the first chance I got.
Too Faced recommends warming them up against your lips before applying them, and I positively agree with them on that. Amazingly enough, the initially dry texture, doesn’t actually dry your actual lips. In fact, my favorite thing about the formula is how little product actually sits on your lips. The texture’s very thin and comfortable.
Too Faced introduced 10 shades of La Matte Color Drenched Lipstick, and here are pics and swatches!
When In Doubt is described as a matte cool beige, and it has a lovely subtle pink tinge to it.
“I’m not strange, weird, off, nor crazy, my reality is just different from yours.”
~ Lewis Carroll
Those are some inspiring words, and they’re words that UD also uses to describe the new limited edition $60 Alice Through the Looking Glass Eyeshadow Palette and $18 Lipsticks, sequels to Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows. With an emphasis on individuality and embracing the things that make us different, this collection is for the beauty risk-takers!
Even with the neon kaleidoscope eyeshadow colors, I didn’t find the palette difficult to wear. I’ve heard some mixed reviews about the shadow formula, and that’s open to interpretation, but I will say that the best-performing eyeshadows also happen to be the ones that matter the most. I think it says a lot about the palette’s wearability that I was able to come up with an Alice-themed look on my first try!
There are enough smokier neutrals, along with a trio of terrific matte blending shades, to bring harmony to the bright and quirky shades.
The words “contouring” and “easy” don’t usually fit into the same sentence for me, but I think it is possible to have them both with this particular popular palette: the Too Faced Cocoa Contour Palette ($40).
Most contouring palettes have a LOT going on, but this one has such a logical, simple layout. It only has four pans, but it always comes in handy, no matter if I feel like wearing a little makeup or a lot. Contouring has never been a part of my daily makeup routine, but I’m surprised by how quickly I’ve grown to like using this palette!
