Hacks! Hacks! DIY Beauty Hacks Part 1! How did you survive without these beauty hacks?

I am a sucker for Pinterest and Youtube. I probably watch Youtube at least once a day. Okay that isn't true. I watch hours of it when I have the opportunity. My one main subject is, of course, makeup. I watch tutorials, reviews and look books. I do watch other feeds but the one lately that I'm drawn to is Beauty Hacks.

Beauty hacks are hilarious because mostly these failed experiments are brought to us courtesy of Pintrest. I think most people have this weird fascination with all of the grandiose things you can do, or make, on that damn website. The truth of the matter is that most of the alternative methods/products on the website is unattainable by most people. But yet we still visit it for hacks, recipes, fashion and DIY tips for the home.

To save you the time of browsing through a lot of hacks, here are the 5 I have tried and they actually kinda work. *Please note that I am not a professional crafty person and that the results, while achievable, still require more work upfront. There is no real order here as far as easiest to hardest.*

Hack #1:  BB Cream

BB Cream is the slightly less expensive cousin of foundation/primer. It is great because most of the time BB Cream is a mixture of lotion, primer and foundation. So rather than piling on all three you can simply use one product (not counting sunscreen).Summer is one season where the BB Cream is most wanted simply because it sits lighter on the skin. Or people with great skin and need less coverage than with a medium or full coverage foundation. But BB Cream, while still not as expensive as foundation and primer, is still spendy on a product you may or may not need. Here is your hack: don't buy it, make it. Yes, you read that correctly (and may already know this hack) make your own BB Cream. Simply take your foundation, primer and face lotion and combine it. By customizing this hack, you can have greater control on the coverage and the color. Pale one day and bronze the next? Change the amount of foundation added.

Hack #2: Concealer

Ok...this beauty hack is on the weird side. Wait, let me try again. It is an outside of the box hack. There are a lot of hacks coming that are pretty weird. This one is just "re-purposing" Concealer is used in two ways. It covers up imperfections such as zits, scars or dark shadows and it is used to add highlight to an area. This hack is designed more for the first purpose of covering up imperfections. If you run out of concealer and have a zit from Hell, simply take some of the leftover foundation that crusts up around your pump, lid or dropper. Don't even act like you don't have some! It's just a fact of life, much like the toothpaste junk. Take a dab and apply. Easy peazy!

Hack #3: Applicator for foundation (and concealer and highlighter and whatever else you need to apply onto your face!)

This is one hack that you are going to think is absolute whack, but bear with me. There are lots of ways you can apply makeup on your skin. You can use a brush, a beauty blender, a sponge, a cushion and even your fingers. But did you know you can use a boobie cutlet? You know. The chicken cutlet looking bra insert that you use to make the ladies fluffier and more perky. It's silicone feeling addition to bras that give us the va-va-va voom we want.

Yep...that little squishy thing. You use that in place of a brush, sponge, beauty blender or your fingers. Here is why it works: it doesn't absorb foundation like your other applicators which results in less foundation etc being used. It does come with a few downfalls. The first is that it feels like a dick slapping you in the face if you get too vigorous. It also takes some practice and getting the right rhythm and application technique down just right. Once you do that then you are golden. This hack can make blending seamless. I don't recommend this for powder though. The silicon pad will pick up powder easily but it picks up too much. So skip its use for powder, and eye shadow...oh and also eye linger, mascara and don't use it on your eyebrows. I mean you can use it but that is really going to take Wizarding Level 12 to get it on properly.

Hack #4: Using a fork as a contour stencil

Remember when you were a kid and you would try to suspend a spoon from the tip of your nose? Well now you get to play around with a fork! With contouring all the rage, and it doesn't look like it is stopping any time soon, perfecting your nose can be a little problematic. You get it right one time and the other attempts fail. You wind up with a nose that looks like you had a botched nose job. Not attractive! Here is a short cut. Place a fork on your nose and line up the fork with your nostrils and the center of your nose.

See? You highlight the center and contour the sides. You are left with a perfect nose and it is repeatable provided you use the same fork, and place it in the same was. But lets stamp this Hack as Fact!

Hack #5 Spoon for  cut crease

So the new makeup trend is the cut crease. I'm not talking about you getting into your crease and blending so it flows seamlessly. That is a cut crease but not what I'm talking about, even though I guess it still applies regardless. I'm rambling, let me go on. The crisp cut crease helps those who have mature, hooded or eyes that have a bit of extra skin or droop. This is a method for making your eyes look larger and giving you a dramatic pop. Here is what I'm talking about:

See that line...that is a cut crease and let me tell you...it is gorgeous. The artistic beauty that you can attain with makeup, a brush and a spoon is pretty sweet. Now this isn't a look for everyday unless you want it every day to which I say...Hell ya! The one thing this absolutely teaches us is how easy we can change the structural look of the eye. So the spoon technique is this:

This MUA is using it to give herself a very crisp line. At this juncture you can blend, blend, blend and make it a seamless look or you can go in and add that sharp edge. Either way it is gorgeous. So yep the spoon isn't just for slurping down your cereal or soup. You have to try this!

Bonus Hack!

Congratulations you have reached the bonus level. You've made it through some basic makeup hacks and now you can rest. But you need to take off that makeup before you do so and here is one more hack for the road.

DIY Makeup Remover Wipes

I always advocate thoroughly removing your makeup each night. It is important to clean your skin. The better care you afford your skin, the better complexion. There is no one right way to go about it though. I love my Makeup Eraser and then a quick cleanser some nights. Other nights I do the full facial, exfoliate, mask and then moisturize. And occasionally I am just beat and want to grab a makeup wipe. This is especially true when I've messed up my makeup and need to redo quickly.

I've seen packages of makeup wipes sell for more than $30 and that is absolutely outrageous. If your disposable makeup wipe costs more than .25 each...you are getting ripped off. No if's and's or but's. You don't need to go out and buy them if you are using them at home. Now if you want to keep a pack in your car or purse then find a reasonably priced set. My local Asian market sells a huge variety for about $3.00 for an entire container and they come in a variety of scents.

For home use....make your own! Making your own makeup remover wipes puts you in charge of what goes on your face. A manufacturer can tell it is cruelty free, vegan, no preservatives, natural, organic etc but you really don't know that for sure. So skip the guessing game and make some yourself. You will need a small Tupperware bowl with a lid, a roll of heavy duty paper towels that are soft, a large, sharp knife, baby shampoo, a little bit of lotion and some water. That's it.

Your bowl needs to be able to fit half the paper towel roll. You saw the paper towels in half and place them in the bowl. In a separate bowl mix water, lotion and baby shampoo. You don't want it overly soapy, you just need it to gently cleanse. Test out the fluid on the back of your skin. If it wipes off well without any soapy or lotion residue then you have the right mixture.

Add enough water to come up maybe 1/4 of the way, place the lid on and shake...shake...shake. You want to get the paper towels wet but not overly saturated. Drain the remaining water until there is only a slight amount at the bottom of the bowl. That's it. Cap and set aside for later use. I store some of the liquid in a bottle to wet the wipes as needed.

So there you go! Some simple but unexpectedly useful beauty hacks. If you have a hack and want to share it...let me know!

What the Hell? The Hell You Say!

I love starting off with a very emphatic statement. It is something I say quite often but in this case we are discussing Elizavecca MilkyPiggy Hell-Pore Cleanup Mask.

That's quite a mouthful! Depending on how current you are with makeup trends, you may have not heard of this mask. There are several Youtube Makeup Professionals, and Enthusiasts alike, who have reviewed this product. *On a side note you really need to check out some of these guys and gals because they offer a load of tips. Tati, Graveyard Girl, Vintage or Tacky and Wayne Goss to name a few.*

This mask is pretty unique. It has a very catchy name and the process of removing unwanted junk on your skin is spot on. This is the mask to end all masks if you need to remove blackheads, whiteheads or simply a buildup of dried skin.

 I've used this product about 3 times and it is definitely interesting. I use masks about once a week to help my skin and when given the opportunity to try the Hell-Pore mask, I had to jump on it. Even at my advanced age of 29+++++ (haha!) my skin does have issues with blackheads around my nose and along my temple where my glasses sit.

You open the package and the first thing you realize is that 97% is in a foreign language. I'm guessing it may be Chinese or Korean simply because these countries often have unusual products and right now are the happening trend.

The instructions are pretty scarce if you cannot read the package but you get the general drift of how to use it. You clean your skin, gently pat dry and then apply the mask. Pretty standard stuff.
You then wait until it completely dries. I will give you this tip, and it applies to all masks: use a thin, even coat that avoids the baby hairs around your hairline and your eyebrows. You don't want to give yourself an accidental waxing!

So now your mask is dry and you start to peel. This is the point where I'm not sure why the Youtube MUA/MUE belly ache. This mask definitely pulls out imperfections and it does it a little painfully. I don't think it is painful but there are those who do and it really depends on how used to masks you are and what your tolerance level may be. It could also be that I haven't used it correctly...that actually may be the truth because it certainly isn't my skin not needing it.

When I used it on Maesin I was pretty quick about ripping it off because I wanted to see if that would yield greater results and surprisingly it did. I'll test it again going slowly because I want to know which way removes the most impurities.

Hell-Pore can be found on many websites and apps but the best price so far seems to be from Amazon. I'm including the link here. It retails for $11.30. That is a very good price for a mask! I have two other masks I use, an Elizabeth Arden and the Caudalie Set. I am in love with Caudalie. Simply in love with the mask, serum and lotion. I urge you to snatch up a sample set and give it a whirl!

Back to Hell-Pore...this is product that you need to give a chance. It is pretty unique and the same company offers up other products designed to give you glowing skin with less imperfections. It is pretty cheap and if you have Amazon Prime you will not have to pay for shipping.

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!

Stop! Dewy finish? Yes please!

Get oily!

With winter finally making its appearance it is easy to let your skin suffer. The warm, dry air in our homes can become problematic. You stay hydrated, you moisturize and still feel as if your facial skin is brittle and stiff. The outside air doesn't help it either. But there are some additional steps you can take to ensure you have baby soft skin that glows and gives you a dewy finish. You just need to get oily!

Before jumping into the products you can use on/for your skin, it is best that we talk about your skin. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and has the incredible job of keeping all the necessary bits in and keeping infections at bay. Skin is complex. It is easily dried out and in patches can be extremely oily. So to say you should add oil to your skin can be a bit confusing. Won't that make your oily skin even worse? Won't it cause breakouts?

The answer is no. In most cases it is not going to cause breakouts and it can actually help reduce oil production. When you consistently apply products to eliminate oily skin, it has the opposite effect, the same with washing your face too often. As your skin dries, your body kicks into overdrive and your sebaceous glands produce even more oil. This is a never ending cycle. It's the same type of cycle when you use EOS lip balm or Chapstick. It softens your lips but the moment it wears off...your lips are dryer than before so you reapply.

Dermatologists recommend that you do not over wash your face as well. It strips the skin of its natural oils but did you also know that your oily skin is due to genetics? If you suffer from overly oily skin, you are probably producing an excess of dihydrotestosterone. This wonderful hormone probably made its debut on your skin during puberty. And you here you thought puberty was just a squeaky voice, awkwardness with your crushes and just being clumsy in general. Pfft.

We could spend a lot of time on the ways to discourage oil production, get it off the skin and discuss medicines but those are all remedies for ridding yourself of oil on the follicle level. The tip I'm going to share with you now is one that will improve the appearance of your foundation and give you a dewy complexion without making your skin an oil field.

Here's the tip: apply oil to your face. I was hesitant about doing this because my T-zone can be very slick. But after watching some of my favorite MUE and reading about this tip, I decided to give it a try. Currently I use an oil to clean off my makeup, especially my mascara. I didn't want to use that so I searched for a different oil that would go beneath my makeup. After careful consideration, I decided to go with Laura Mercier's  Flawless Skin Infusionde Rose Nourishing Oil (1.0 ounce).

It is $62.00 a bottle if you do not find it on sale or use a discount. It is spendy, I am not going to lie. However...this bottle will easily last a year  and that is with almost daily use. It smells wonderful. A light hint of rose adorns your skin and you are left with this dewy, glowing finish that will come through your foundation.

I cannot recommend this enough. Even with the current rage being matte everything, you can still have this effervescent glow that comes from the drop or two of oil. You only apply a few drops, rub your fingers to spread it and then pat it gently onto your skin. Voila! Beautiful, fragrant skin that gives off a dewy finish. You can use this as a substitute for lotion or you can use it with.

If you do not want to spend that money, there are other oils out there that I hear are quite great as well. Tarte has their Maracuja Oil (the 1.7oz jar) for $48.00 on Sephora. There are others on Sephora and Ulta that work the same way. You just want to use caution in the type of oil you use. Some are better suited for removing makeup.

This winter give your skin a much needed break from the dryness brought on by the cold, wind and even the heat in your home. Give an oil a chance.

Value your skin and health...Be aware of where you purchase your makeup!

In a past post I discussed makeup (as if that is a shocker) and the discussion in question is where to purchase your makeup.

I admit that makeup, especially the good kind, is hella expensive. If you don't buy drugstore brands then your wallet takes a hit. And I'm not bashing drugstore brands as there are a lot you can find which are amazing dupes for high end makeup.

There is one thing you should NEVER, NEVER do however and that is buy makeup on Ebay, an overseas website or any of the other "discount" sites. Why? Because those are rife with impostors and that $20 savings could turn out to be a very costly mistake. Costly in the wallet for doctor visits and wasted money.

Do you see the common thing about each of these? They are all super cheap! Win...right.

No, I'm afraid not. First let's take a look at the first picture. Lime Crime is a great makeup that is highly pigmented, vegan and all natural. You are never going to buy the legit Venus I and II palette for that much. Take a look at the packaging. Notice anything other than price? There is no name. Now take a look  here and check out how the real packing comes.

Let's move on down to Younique, Too Face's Peach palette and the Jeffree Star Skin Frost.

Once again you have bargain basement prices. I'm not saying that you will always crap out when shelling out a few bucks for makeup but you'll never get the same quality. In fact most of the dupes come from China. I have a big issue with that just on the animal cruelty side of things. China tests on animals and that is a no go for me.

Second, and this is the most important, China and other countries that offer dupes will recreate the formula with cheaper material. Check out this link to read about the dangers. You could be putting lead on your eyes.

Not good.

The most popular brands all have scams. Even if you luck out and don't wind up seriously sick, you are still not getting the quality you expect.

Here is my suggestion, and I hope you take it: Buy from reputable websites and sellers. Ulta, Urban Decay, Sephora, Younique, Too Faced...etc, you get the drift, all will gladly sell you the real deal. Always go to your trusted sources. It may cost you more but you will be buying the real thing.

Trust me on this one. If you want great, safe makeup then buy directly, through a reputable website or store, or your local Younique gal.

Modern Renaissance Palette, Makeup Forever, Lipsense and Urban Infusions

Happy November 3rd my Kats and Kittens!

Halloween is in the rear view member, it is a glorious Fall day and I have some product reviews to share with you.

The products for today's discussion are:

Anastasia: Modern Renaissance Palette
Urban Infusions Moisturizing Lotion
Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes
LipSense in Nutmeg
tarte's tarteist Clay Paint Liner
Jeffree Star's Ice Cold Highlighter
Makeup Forever in M-540 Taupe

So let's get down to business and let me embarrass myself by putting a picture up. Note: I take horrible selfies.

The video, if it actually plays, is me rubbing my lips and then showing you that there is ZERO transference. None. Zip. Nada. It's the LipSense. I love long lasting lipsticks. I have many in my makeup arsenal but this one doesn't break apart. And no other lipstick I've ever tried can say the same. There is always breakage around hour 4. They start to flake up, get chewed off or wind up on my coffee mug. *The video sucked and I'm not showing it*

Not this one. You begin to see breakage on the inner portion of your lip around hour 6. Around hour 8 is where it doesn't look as great but it is still there. Bonus! The one caveat is that you need to make sure and reapply the gloss. The gloss is what gives it moisture and not feel like a desert has taken up refuge on your lips.

There are three things that I do not like about the product though and one is the initial burn. It has alcohol as one of its ingredients and there is a slight burning sensation. I've been told, and read, that this doesn't last for long and it is working to rid your lips of dry and flaky skin. Crossing my fingers on that one.

The second and third things are minor. The color is long lasting and if you decide, in a few hours, that you want to change out of that color and go for a different one...it is hard to remove. I'm sure there are easy ways but everything I have tried has involved vigorous scrubbing. Like I said though, that is a minor concern. Most people wear their lipsticks out and then reapply.

The third thing is finding the right color for your needs. LipSense has a ton of different colors in shimmers, frosts and mattes. I lucked into seeing my colors in person by having a wonderful friend that is selling the product. However...there are so many you want to swatch and test out and unless you have someone that has samples of all the colors, you are out of luck. Unlike Sephora, Ulta, Macy's, Nordstroms, Mac etc...you don't have that ability. My suggestion would be to pick a shade on the chart that closely resembles your favorite lipstick color and try it out.

Next up: Anastasia's Modern Renaissance Palette

This palette is a makeup enthusiast's wet dream. It screams FALL! The warm tones can be worn by absolutely everyone. The transitional shades are easy to blend out and packing on color is incredibly easy. The only thing I caution on is that these are highly pigmented eye shadows. That means you take only the barest amount and blend, blend, blend before picking up more.

Divine. Using this and the Naked 3 palette ensures your eye shadow is on point for any occasion. Pick this one up and you will definitely not regret the purchase. I am not going to lie to you, the price...it's up there. Take a look at the Sephora website Anastasia Modern Renaissance

Next on the review is Urban Infusions' Moisturizing Lotion. I had the great pleasure of working with one of the owners and I wanted to try some of their lotions. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love lotion. I have been a dedicated Bath and Body Works user for over a decade. Even though BBW is a great body lotion, it can be overpowering. And it does leave a residue on your hands that can be very off-putting.

Many people avoid hand lotions because of the feeling left behind. You know the one. You put it on and it takes forever to be absorbed and then disappears in an hour.

Not this one and to test it out...I've been using it on my face as well as my hands and feet. I have extremely sensitive skin and this absorbs beautifully. There is not sticky residue. Your hands and face feel satin smooth.The scents are mild and pleasing and it is an all around fantastic product. I cannot urge you enough to try this out.

The website doesn't feature the lotions at this time but you can visit the Urban Infusions Facebook page to learn more. Trust me...you are going to want to try their products out. It is plant based and all organic. Your skill will love you for this!

I will tag my LipSense provider in the posting and you can visit her party page for details on how you can purchase a LipSense product. The same goes for the Urban Infusions products.

Try these out and let me know how YOU liked them.

Kardashian Contour?

Hello my darlings!

Today's installment is courtesy of the contour revolution. The sweeping movement to use those dark, brown pigments or shadows that give you the Kardashian sculpt where your face is transformed. The use of highlighters, powders, creams, and concealer that gives that golden and shadowed visage.

But..................................................... (and there is always a but), it isn't a look for some demographics.

Some simply look overdone and the contour only makes them seem as if they have a faux, too bronzed skin tone. It isn't a good look.

Contouring the traditional method of using a dark powder (or foundation, cream etc) and a highlight has its place and far often it is overused. We look at Youtube videos, instructional videos or read up on how to use it. And for some it does work. But if you have pale skin and do not tan easily, it is not the look for you.

But.......................I want that prominent cheek bone. I want to make my face look slimmer.

Rest assured my little minions it is still possible to sculpt your face and give you a flattering, not bronzed and overdone, finish. In fact it is absolutely 100% effective for most skin tones.

What devilry do I have to sign up for in order to get this look?

It is easy. All you need is a good eye shadow, blush and the right highlighter. Let me explain.

I have pretty fair skin that does not take well to the traditional contouring. And when I tried using the traditional method, I looked fake baked. And I tried many different contouring kits. The ones with a darker shadow, medium shadow and what many consider a highlighter. They simply did not work. But I'll share with you what did and explain how to apply it successfully.

Let's start with the basics which are always your brushes. You will need a small contouring brush, cut brush or a sponge. You will need a fan brush and a short blush brush.

The contouring powder you will need is a taupe powder or cream that falls closer to a gray. This is your base for creating the defined look. Next you need an all purpose blush. For fair skin types one blush that stands above the rest is NARS Orgasm. (To be honest it is a blush shade that everyone should have. It is flattering to every skin tone.)

A good highlighter is next. Skip the highlighters that come in standard contour kits. It is not the one you want because those tend to be only suited for medium skin tones. You want a pale shimmer, a pink shimmer or even a blue shimmer highlighter. I highly, highly recommend two brands.

Jeffree Star's Skin Frost line. There are some incredible shades available. Just remember, though, that you want a paler color. Stay away from the overly warm. I highly recommend using Ice Cold and Peach Goddess together to create a great multidimensional effect.

My other go to favorite I recently discovered is Urban Decay's Afterglow 8 Hour Powder Highlighter. I chose Sin and Aura.

Take your contour brush and swipe the contour shadow and tap against your hand. This removes excess product. You want to slowly build your contour shade because it is much easier to blend and add than it is to remove.

Imagine a line that stretches and swoops from the top of your ear down below your cheek bones that ends a few inches from the corner of your mouth. If you are worried that you don't know where to swoop and stop, simply suck in your cheeks. That is the natural curve you want to create a shadow. That area is what will bring out your cheek bones.

Apply your powder and blend, blend, blend but try to stay within that natural curve.

Next comes your forehead and temple. Imagine the number 3. The 3 starts at the center of your hairline. It goes along the hairline to your temple and then to the hollow of your cheeks. Make SURE that you use the minimum amount of color. Dip in taupe shadow, tap and then move it along your skin.

Let's tackle that jaw line. Your jaw line is what will help slim your face, help eliminate any less than thin area beneath your jaw. The effect will be a more pronounced jaw. Same principle as before. Use the shadow sparingly. Remember: You can always add more but taking it away is a pain in the ass.

Your blush should be just a subtle pink or salmon to the apples of your cheek. Use as little powder as you can. You don't want the porcelain doll effect. You want just enough healthy pink that livens up your face and adds depth.

Highlighter time! Get out that fan brush. Remember all the lessons above in regards to be judicial in the amount of product? This is where it is very important. Highlighters need to build and the amount varies on where it is applied. You will be applying this to your upper cheekbone directly beneath the outer corner of your eye, the bridge of your nose, the cupids bow and right above the arch of your eyebrow.

Fan the brush through the highlighter, tap and sweep. I use two different highlighters. The first one is the darker highlighter that is more of a peach tone. The peach tone will add tremendous depth against the taupe contour. Sweep it on top of your cheekbone, above the arch of your eye and down the bridge of your nose.. Then add just a little bit at your cupid's bow on your upper lip.

Now it is time for highlighter number 2. This is an optional step. I love using a lighter highlighter because I want my cheeks to not be as round and it adds a step of glam to your makeup look for the day. I absolutely love Jeffree Star's Skin Frost in Ice Cold. It is GORGEOUS. He has others in a Mint and now in shades such as lavender. You can't go wrong with these unless you put too much on at once. These are hyper-pigments and a little goes a long way which is good because they aren't as cheap as others. I'd gauge them to be a bit middle ground in the price line.

There you go! No need to look like you are a fake bake contour. No need to let bronzers give you that orange glow. Use taupe's and create a depth that is incredible. Fair skin people unite and say Hell No to the Orange Glow! We can't all be olive toned beauties where the standard contour works.

White Concealer...You Must Be Joking!

White Concealer...you must be joking right?

Actually my dolls, my kats and kittens, my reason for sharing my love of makeup, I'm not joking.

Let's rewind a bit. Lately I've been trying new brands of makeup and looking at tricks and tips that are a bit more edgy than I normally default to simply courtesy of YouTube. I'll be honest with you. I spend a several hours on the weekends simply watching YouTube videos. I love learning about new tips, tricks, techniques and products. Invariably between surfing videos and watching my favorite makeup stores, I wind up purchasing something new.

It's an addiction. It's an obsession and maybe there is a bit of a makeup hording problem. Okay so hording is a little harsh.

But let me tell you about two products that have changed the game and I want to share a tip with you that I've been trying out for the last month or so.

I really love the Kat Von D Lock-It foundation but it can be a little too much so I use it on days when I'm looking for a total full coverage face. It's absolutely magnificent if you are going full on because it gives you a flawless finish.

I had read about the new primer from Kat Von D that is in the Lock-It product line and initially I was against ordering it. I have several different primers. * Stay tuned below for my tip for using primers*. But I was running low on my Too Faced Hangover Primer and thought about the best primer to use on the Lock-It foundation.

I finally gave in and tried the Lock-It Primer.

It is a game changer. It is absolutely light and keeps my makeup from sliding around. And that is something that not a lot of primers can guarantee simply because of the formula. Most primers are put in just the areas of coverage needed but then it leaves lines where the foundation feathers out. This primer is perfect for your entire face. And using it with the Lock-It foundation changes the full face coverage's game.

You use less of the foundation and you get a look that is polished and looks fantastic. No more sliding foundation. No more lines where the makeup slides and begins to look spotty. Even the nose (which is always a problematic spot when it comes to applying foundation) works out perfectly.

As always the caveat is using this with the appropriate foundation. I've mentioned time and time again that formula's are something you should inspect before ANY makeup is purchased. Here is the primary ingredients in the Lock-It foundation:

Water, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone

Here is the primary ingredients for the primer:

Water, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Jojoba Esters

Look primarily at the first two ingredients because it is those that make the combination of the Lock-It foundation and the Lock-It primer so extraordinary. Both start off as water based. Check out the second ingredient. A Dimethicone and a Shea Butter Ethyl Esters.

Now past blogs, and foundations/primers do not combine a -icone with a water in their ingredients simply because in most foundations these two would counteract each other. A -icone is going to be slick. A water is going to go on more sheer and go into the skin.

What magic is this?! Who sold a soul to the makeup Gods????

These two babies were born to be forever united.

I can't even begin to tell you how smooth this combination comes together. You can use a stippling brush, one of the popular oval brushes (which you know I absolutely adore the concealer brush because of its density and it easily applies foundation for an air brushed finish), and a beauty blender.

You MUST try this duo.

Now on to the next product from the Kat Von D line that is pretty new. Kat has taken a cue from Too Faced's Born this Way line of foundations and concealers, with making a huge range to fit any skin tone. It's pretty awesome in a world where you are limited to Fair, Neutral, Buff and so on.

But there is one concealer within the line that is very different than what you may have see before and what you have used. It's the

Lock-It White Concealer.

This isn't a taupe. This isn't a fair. It is absolutely white. No if's, and's or but's.

If you have under eye circles, want to provide some amazing highlights... this baby is for you.

I put on my regular concealer and then add this sparingly to my under eye area, down the bridge of my nose, a dot above my cupid's bow, a dollop between my eyes and a little bit on my chin. Blend in gently and you are rocking the effects. It makes contouring easy, it makes your highlighted area pop and if you have dark circles...banished.

It is amazing. Especially for us pale skinned creatures. It is absolutely gorgeous when contouring. Tanned or darker skin tones...this is the primer you have been waiting for your entire life.

This is a game changer and if you combine it with the Lock-It foundation and primer you are going to easily contour AND have an airbrushed finish. Trust me.

I am going to be honest about one thing though. Price. These three items do not come cheap. The foundation is $32.00, primer is $32.00 and the concealer is $26.00. Click on the hyperlinks to purchase them at Sephora. (If you buy makeup...my first choice is always Sephora because of the killer rewards program and they are a bit more upfront with you. Plus if you become an awards member you get free make-over's.)

I know, I know...that's a bit much for makeup. But these have a lot of product that lasts, you don't have to apply much so it really evens out in the long run. For me it is worth it.

Gals, I can only say this, "Try these out." You can ALWAYS return them to Sephora for a refund. They have a no  hassle return policy.

Now I said I was going to give you a tip on concealers but that was before this long ass post. You'll have to wait until another time.

Kisses, Hugs and all that jazz!

Makeup Eraser Glory

Let me first start off by apologizing for the huge delay in posts. My goal, when starting out, was to share tips, techniques and products that hopefully would inspire each of you to share your tips, techniques and products you love.

Now that we have that out of the way I want to talk about removing your makeup. One of the biggest mistakes most of us make, and I try my best not to do it. It's sleeping in my makeup. When I have a full face makeup I always take it off but when it is just a light powder and minimal eyes...I lazy out.

When I totally wash my face, its with the Aveno  foaming face wash and I  also use an maracuja or coconut oil to remove my eye makeup. *Tip...that is the best way to remove waterproof makeup and it leaves your skin feeling soft and supple.*

But there are times when I use makeup wipes. They are handy and are a fast way to get ready for bed and prepare your face in the morning. And you can't discount how easy they are to pack in your bag.

The problem I've always run into was that you go through them quickly and unless you have a place that you can get them super cheap...they can be expensive when they begin to add up.

The answer to any of the dilemmas above is the Makeup Eraser. It is a long piece of a polyester blend and is completely organic, chemical free. And best of all??? It is good for almost 1000 washes. And let me explain how it works and how those number of washes are incredible.

When you get your Makeup Eraser you are instructed to wash it in the washing machine first and then air dry. Next is to remove your makeup. Wet the Makeup Eraser and start taking your makeup off. One side is super, super soft and the other side is super soft to exfoliate. It completely removes any type of makeup.

That's it. When the Eraser is complexly dirty you simply wash again. I use mine all week, every night and its ready to hit the washing machine on Sunday. So imagine kicking those makeup wipes to the curb and buy something that works even better, and is cheaper!

The cost for the Makeup Eraser is around  $20.00. Don't buy it at Sephora because it is more expensive there. I found mine on Amazon. Here is the link. Don't buy the knock-offs either.

Go grab you one and then let me know how you like it. Or if you already have one...share your story, good or bad, on how it works for you!

Love, Kisses and Hugs.

Me :)

A Brush by Any Other Name...

A Brush by Any Other Name...

First let me apologize about the delay in posts. With graduation for my daughter approaching and the end of my oldest daughter's Freshman year, combined with work; I've not had enough time to pick through my huge stash of products I would like to post a blog about. That being said, this blog is one of those essential tools that women use. An applicator.

The hot new product of the year has been these brushes.

These brushes (and there are several brands now) are the "big" thing lately. There are countless YouTube videos, vlogs and blogs about these applicators.

The first, and undoubtedly best, came from arti's. The price tag definitely reflects the pioneer brush, and without a doubt it is probably worth it. The raves on the foundation brush are through the roof. You can pick up one of these brushes for $55.00

I didn't want to spend that kind of money on a brush so I found a set on Amazon and thought, "Holy crap this is a great deal! I can get a set of these for $20.00." Wahoo! I was extremely excited about trying these out and with such a range of brushes, I was confident that I would finally master the art of blending beautifully. I would be able to chuck my beauty blender, and MAC stipple brush to the "seldom use" drawer.

The brushes arrived and were unboxed quickly. The first tell tale quality alert came with the packaging. It was very cheap but I pushed on because I couldn't wait to try them all.

I grabbed my favorite foundation and tried out the largest. Nope...too big. Then I came to the 2nd and 3rd brushes. Excellent. Now to try out the smaller brushes for my eyes and eyebrows.

Failure. They were cumbersome and didn't blend well and I felt like I was about to snap them off.
And that was even true of the larger ones that did successfully apply my foundation. The narrow neck, combined with flimsy plastic handles, made application a bit awkward and I felt like there was no support to the brush head.

I've used these brushes for over a month now and I can say, without a doubt that the 2nd and 3rd round brush absolutely work. The 2nd to largest is not pictured because Maesin snagged it from me. But that's okay because the 3rd largest (shown as the 2nd from the left) really did the job perfectly for me.

If you notice the small oval brush pictured 3rd from the left, you'll see that it has been used. I tried to use this brush for concealer and it was an epic fail.

Concealers, in my opinion, have to be applied with a damp beauty blender. It is the only way to really get that product into the skin and produce a flawless finish. This holds true to under eye circles as well as highlighting.

I do give one or two of these brushes a solid A. They do not absorb as much foundation as a beauty blender, however you shouldn't apply the foundation directly to the brush. Your best bet is to dot your face with foundation and then let the brush do its magic.

The brush is very densely packed with soft bristles. It is that denseness that makes this brush a far superior applicator than other makeup brushes. All of my other makeup brushes for foundation tend to leave swirls that have to be blended and blended. And I have some very high end brushes. MAC ain't cheap y'all! But this brush, even though it is the knock-off from the original, works. I get an airbrushed finish and I get compliments on my makeup. I was told that I had beautiful skin. That is definitely a WIN! Your makeup foundation should give you that flawless finish. That's the goal of any foundation you use.

Before I leave you to your day, I do want to pass along a tip that I learned by watching other's videos. Many of the MUA will remove a bit of product from areas that tend to get cakey. For me these are the lines around my mouth and the edges of my cheeks. I tried it and it definitely helped removing the wrinkles and/or made them less visible. You should try it sometime.

My final advice is this: buy one or two of the round brushes. Don't buy the largest because it is way too big to use on your face for foundation and it does diddly squat for powder. It's just awkward.

Pick up one that is a bit smaller and try it out. Be forewarned though that it is something you will have to get used too because it has a different feel in your hand.

My score:

Blending: A+
Construction: a very weak C
Price: varies (start off a bit cheap and then invest in a high quality oval brush)
Does it work?: Yes but it takes some practice.

Be A Goddess: Lime Crime's Venus I and Venus II Review PLUS a Bonus Tip

Be A Goddess: Lime Crime's Venus I and Venus II Review

Lazy, rainy Saturday's are the perfect time to practice some makeup so while I hear Maesin and her friend giggling before they start dolling up for prom, I thought I'd finally get around to reviewing Lime Crime's Venus I and Venus II palettes. (I'm also throwing in a "HD Powder Tip"

Let me first start off by apologizing about the grunge hair. It's a Saturday and I'm absolutely ready to get rid of this mop. It spends a lot of time pinned up. This is actually the longest my hair has been in decades. But we aren't here to bemoan that.

To preface the review, the entire eye shadow review is solely done with each respective palette. I wanted to show the versatility of this highly pigmented eye shadow.

As I've mentioned before, high pigment eye shadows are absolutely wonderful but I also want to mention that they can be extremely treacherous when just starting out. High pigment eye shadows are a beast. You have to carefully layer the colors and be gentle. If you pack a lot on right away, it is so hard to distribute. The payoff for layering and building is definitely worth your time to try and master them.

Let's begin with some pictures. Try to ignore the incredibly red skin because after the eyes I decided to go full on full coverage. I'll mention what I used as I go.

Here is the Venus I palette is a treasure trove of warm, rich colors. They definitely fall into the Reds and I love that. My favorite palette is Urban Decay's Naked 3 Palette and it is for just this reason. For being a red head, surprisingly red tones in eye shadow play out beautifully. Here is the look:

 Now let me remind you to please ignore the red skin with the broken capillaries around my nose. This entire look was created with just the Venus I Palette. I did not borrow any other colors and the only thing not from the palette is my mascara. (Unlike a lot of makeup enthusiasts...I'm not really into the false eyelashes. Maybe because I suck putting them on. Meh...maybe I'll start practicing or just saving up for lash extensions!)
Anyway...back to the eye shadow. I did a very high cat eye but it didn't turn out that well. The brown I used I didn't go bold enough and I am not always a fan of cat eye. I've learned to do it well with just about any media but it doesn't suit my face. I guess I'm just old school.

Next up on the other eye is the Venus II Palette

 This one is a terrible picture. I went out of my comfort box and played around with the mustard yellow, the bright Robin egg blue and the very sparkly black. You'll be able to see it them both better here. One note...the black used for the eyeliner is more like a deep purplish black with a lot of sparkles. I love it!

 There...now you can see the differences. This also features a full face makeup with contouring (not easily seen on this picture.) It is with Kat Von D's Lock-it Foundation (please see previous review). Younique's Scarlet concealer. (I think that is the color.) and LA Splash matte lip stains and two different colors of shimmer. I think all told I used 4 different lipstick products to get that gradient effect.  I am also wearing a taupe eye shadow as a contour. Why? Because people with fair skin like mine often do far better with shades of grey and taupe as contours because anything else makes us look a bit orange. Mascara is one coat of Lights Camera Action by tarte. And Makeup Forever's HD Powder.

I really, really like the Venus Lime Crime world of products. Palettes aren't cheap but these would hit into the affordable line. No, not as affordable as drug store lines but still pretty great considering that a little goes a long way.
Shop here for the best Venus I and II deal You can get both palettes cheaper than buying them separately.


All told the whole effect is pretty good, I'd say. I do think I need to apply more of the stand out colors, like the blue, to really showcase how great these colors are. And next time I'll take more time when doing the whole look but as I said, rainy Saturday.

Oh...by the way. I haven't forgotten my bonus tip. None of these pictures have a filter. They have no enhancement besides makeup. But I do want you to see how a flash and lighting can change your look entirely. Have you ever seen a celebrity on the runway have a lot of white powder beneath their eyes? I see commentary from everyone when that occurs. It's almost a crime (ha! You get it...considering we have talked about Lime Crime.) Moving on.
HD powder is awesome but it can catch you unaware. I blended my powder, contouring and foundation very well. But I still missed taking some of the HD powder away after baking.

That is the effect with flash. You don't see the powder in the previous pictures because it is in different lighting and not using flash.
So beware! The cake and bake can catch you looking like your eyes are trying to do drugs. :)

I hope you have enjoyed our time together today. it has been fun for me and now the makeup has been washed away.

Lime Crime Venus I and Venus II Palette rating: Pardoned by the Judge with a slap on the wrist (4 out of 5)
Pigmentation: 5 piggies
Blending ability: Moderate blenders so 3 out of 5 blenders.

Kat Von D's Lock-It Foundation...Cover it up!

Review: Kat von D Lock-it Foundation

I’ve been such a bad girl with my reviews and blogs. It’s been chaotic lately and I’ve had a lot going on but the good news is that I have at least 3 reviews coming to you.

Today I want to cover Kat von D’s super, duper full coverage foundation, the Lock-It Foundation.

The Lock-It Foundation is not new to the makeup world but it was one of those items that were marketed to a select audience. The original audience was primarily for people looking to cover tattoos. And this foundation addressed that perfectly with only one other type of makeup that is absolutely the best for covering up anything. Krylon is the makeup of choice for Fx and it is one used heavily in the Drag community. It’s why they have the best makeup and can transform their faces into virtually anyone.

Back to my review…

Lock-It comes in a wide array of colors and that is always great, but they took it a step further and addressed cool and warm tones. You can pick your shade and then pick the tone. Fabulous!

I chose the lightest shade and it was a mistake. I should have gone one darker but it isn’t something absolutely horrid. A little powder and it is fine. That being said, when they advertise this as full coverage…they ain’t talkin’ about your normal drugstore full coverage foundation. I’m a die hard fan of Urban Decay’s Born this Way which is marketed as a full coverage. When you compare that to Lock-It…all the others look sheer.

We have all seen YouTube videos where someone grabs their foundation and goes to town on their face. They all look like flawless coverage that can hide any imperfection. I’ve even seen people mark their face with a Sharpie. Those are really deceptive practices because they NEVER show you up close and personal and never show it at the end of the day. I can promise that the Sharpie will eventually come through. Lock-It? You will never see it. Period.

The problem I had with this foundation is that it really is too much coverage for my face. I have problems with red tones (which this completely addressed) but I don’t have wide spread breakouts, scars or really big issues that need a full coverage.

The second issue to be aware of is application. Do you know how you have some foundations that you can dab on a brush, or beauty blender, and then just run with it? I don’t recommend doing this with the Lock-It foundation. You really need to dot your face and then connect the dots, so to speak. The thickness of the formula does not spread as easily as others and this is completely a consistency issue. I dotted my face and used my brand new awesome make up brush (I’ll review another time.) The application went on well. I also tried it with a damp beauty blender and it took more work but it left a smooth finish.

Third issue: it does not do well if you try to thin it out. I didn’t want the heaviness of a full coverage on hot days when I tend to get sticky. (Y’all know what I mean ;) When you are flushed and feel like you are in a swamp. We don’t have humid days here but when it gets warm, I do not want to feel caked down.)

Trying to thin this out with a BB cream or lotion just didn’t work as well as I thought it should. I think it goes back to the formula. This is not ever meant to be a sheer foundation. I’m sure there are people who can make it sheer but for me it was just not as successful as I wanted it to be.

Fourth Issue: Dry spots. If you have any rough spots, dry spots, or flakey bits…this will accentuate those. You MUST exfoliate and moisturize WELL and use the appropriate primer. In this case I would highly recommend using Kat Von D’s Lock-It Primer. Typically I have one or two primers that I use for every foundation in my arsenal. One for water based foundations and one for silicone/dimethicone and I don’t often buy ones that match the foundation. In this case I highly recommend you making that additional purchase.

 

All issues aside, I still plan on keeping this foundation in my lineup. I usually always have at least 5 different types of foundation at any given time and this one solidly rounds out the full coverage.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5 Shonté’s approve.

Get Naked! Urban Decay's Naked Palette

Get Naked! Urban Decay’s Naked Palette

 

 

Let me first go on record as saying I’m an eye shadow collector. I love eye shadow. I have probably around 6, maybe 10, different palettes. Is it a problem? Eh…depends on who you ask. Some women like jewelry, some like nail polish and some even like shoes. Wait, I actually like all of those as well to almost a compulsive, hording level. It’s a problem. You got me.

But there is a reason why I love eye shadow palettes. (We will talk about the shoes and nail polish at a later time.)

Eye shadow palettes give you amazing versatility in one spectrum of shadow. You can create a finished look only using that palette. And we are talking well above the quick swipe of one color on your lids. Palettes are useful, especially for makeup enthusiasts, artists or even the newbie. A palette combines all of range of tones that can be used to build incredible dimension. Yes, there are some that are one trick ponies, and I have a couple I’ll eventually get around to reviewing, but on a whole when you aren’t sure which shades of eye shadow can be combined easily…go with the palette.

The palette I want to discuss today has been around for a long time. It is Urban Decay’s original Naked Palette.

Look at those beautiful earth tones! This is the basic palette that should be in everyone’s makeup drawer. It has shades that compliment every skin tone.

When I purchase a new makeup product, I test it out multiple times. For eye shadow’s I do the finger test first. You want to look for pigmentation. Great eye shadow’s should be very pigmented. There are always going to be exceptions but on a whole you want to get more bang for your buck. The more pigmentation, the less you need. It also allows you to build with less fall out. The test is easy, simply take a finger and run it up, down and then up again on the eye shadow. Take a look at your finger. Is it barely there? Or does the product adhere to your finger easy. (Yes…the light shades are harder to see but even those should pass this test.)

See how well the color picked up? Next comes the swatch. This will serve two purposes. The first is seeing if that pigmentation will transfer well to your eye lid. The second is to match to your skin. There are some shades that look great in the packaging but when you swatch, you get an entirely different color.

These colors definitely stay true and apply very evenly.

How important is it that an eye shadow applies evenly? Extremely important because it limits fall out, flaking and stays where you need it. Some eye shadows will stick in one area of your eye and that may not be the desired effect you wish. I have some that are so hyper-pigmented that you have to daub them on and it takes forever to blend. I’m not saying that I don’t love those colors but it does take more work to make the colors blend and appear seamless. As you can see in the picture above, the Naked Palette drags very easily and it shades out. The only tool used was my finger.

The last test of an eye shadow is how you look wearing the colors. If Kennedy had not already had this palette, I would have tested it in Ulta or Sephora before buying. Taking back eye shadow can be a tremendous pain in the ass. But since she had this one, I knew that I would like the colors. I’m a devoted fan of Urban Decay so it wasn’t too much of a leap to purchase a few (ahem! All) of their palettes.

As far as how it looked on me?

I loved how seamless the colors blend from light to dark. I didn’t go too crazy with this because I was in a hurry. It was using four colors: Naked, Buck and Hustle as the primary and blenders. And just a dab of wet Smog.

Wet? Yes, I wet an eye shadow sponge and then dipped and tapped. You would be amazed at the intensity you can achieve with that little technique. I don’t recommend it for your entire eye but if you want to add some glimmer or a very distinct looking highlight simply wet and apply. (You don’t have to get it sopping wet and it really lasts a long time if you use a setting spray as the liquid!)

Here is the final look for the day:

I am not entirely pleased with the total effect but the eye shadow was definitely on point. I even used the same palette as my eyeliner.

Final tally for the original Naked Palette:

Pigmentation: A+

Consistency: A+

Even application: A+

Color range: A (I’m not giving this a plus because I think they could have swapped out one of the same glimmer tones for something a bit richer and more distinct)

Contrasting colors: B (Many of the colors are glimmers and it only has one or two true matte eye shadows. I think a great palette has an equal number.)

*Why is matte important in a palette? Glimmer eye shadows tend to make older eyes look even older because it easily settles into the lines. Matte’s are a girl’s best friend if she is over 30. Adding in glimmer shadows for enhancement are A++ for any age.*

There you go! My advice is to give this one a chance to become your “go to” shadow palette. It works for any skin tone, has enough range for any one palette and it is definitely worth the $55

So now Kats and Kittens, you sound off. What shades are your "go to" and what palette can you not live without?

Next time we will be talking about Kat Von D's Lockit Foundation

Mirror Mirror on the wall..Who has the best lashes of all?

Flash those Lashes!

 

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who has the best lashes of all?

You do my dear!

Well Kats and kittens I have fallen a bit behind on when I was going to post about my favorite mascaras but today is your lucky day! I’m going to share with you a little bit of hard earned knowledge and some of my most favorite mascaras. (Notice I made that plural. I actually switch it up depending on the need for the day…I jump ahead of myself though.)

Mascara is, without a doubt, the most transformative and easy way to come out looking ready for the day. In my opinion it is the one product to take on that deserted island, tuck into your purse, pack in your tiny overnight bag or just hurriedly apply when you are pressed for time.

You apply and go. Beginners can use it. Experts use it. Ladies…never skip those lashes.

But did you know what the secret to the best lashes possibly is and how to get those luscious lashes?

Your brush! The next time you go apply your makeup, take a moment to look at your mascara brush. As mentioned in a previous blog, the mascara wand is relatively a new player in the makeup game. The earliest wands were simple brushes. Today you have a wide variety of brush shapes, bristle textures and density. All of those things are important in choosing the right mascara.

Let me be the first to admit that when I grab mascara I only pay attention to the formula when it applies to color and water fastness.  But there is a lot of science behind that formula! Lengthening mascara adds fibers to extend those blissful tips. Thickening has serums that add density. Honestly…you definitely should pay attention to what ingredients you are packing on your peepers. As I’ve mentioned a hundred times, makeup should make your skin glow and not add distress or be a health risk.

Enough about that because I’ll be bringing it up as a reminder later!

My favorite mascaras currently are:

·         Tarte’s Lights, Camera, lashes

·         Lancomes’ Hypnose Drama

·         Makeup Forever Smoky Extravagant

·         Ulta’s Amped Lashes

It is really hard to narrow it down to just one because each offers something different. The Smoky Extravagant wand shape is hard to beat for an all around mascara. It is usually the first one I suggest to someone else. The formula is rich, thick and holds true. And it is easy to apply without looking like you put it on while riding a roller coaster. Perfect for the mascara novice!

 

 
 
It has bristles that are tightly packed which are going to add some volume. It is easy to build some length. You can purchase at Sephora or on the Makeup Forever website. Price: $24

Tarte’s Lights, Camera Lashes is my current daily wear. My one complaint is that it lacks the thickening power due to the bristles. (Notice how most everything comes down to that one trait? Hint…it is all the time.)

This does have the limitation of not being curved so you have to ensure that you use your eyelash curler properly. If you tell me that you don’t prep your lashes with an eyelash curler then I’m not certain we can continue our relationship.

You can purchase at: Tarte, Sephora and Ulta. $21.00

*If you purchase it on  3/26 from Ulta…it is only $10.00*

Just kidding! You’ll get one from me at Christmas. (Just don’t expect a high dollar one.)

Too Faced’s Better than Sex is PHENOMENAL. I love the formula, I love the shape of the brush and I love how my lashes look. My one complaint…it can go on too thick sometimes and you can wind up looking like you have those crappy fake Halloween lashes that are made from plastic. This is one brand that requires diligence when applying. You are definitely going to need to prep the mascara wand with removal of excess product and you’ll have to comb through your lashes to stop clumping. (It’s still worth it!)

Purchase at: Ulta, Too Taced, Sephora. Price: $23 *Get the Deluxe one from Ulta and you will only pay $12. It’s the “trial” size but there is a lot!

Lancome’s  Hypnose Drama: I got a sample from a purchase at Sephora and it may go on my “To Buy” list when the credit card goes down from my recent makeup purchases. This is marketed as an “Instant full body, volume mascara.” And it is an all around great product. I’m not a huge Lancome fan because I believe that they are often overpriced based on Brand name.

BUT…this mascara beats all others in the brush category. It is the perfect blend for volume, length and shaping. I love this wand!

Nab this at Sephora for $27.00 or you can visit any department store and they probably carry it.

Now for the dark horse of mascara, Ulta’s Amped Lashes. This is only making my list because I use it to separate my lashes and add that tiny bit of length. The formula is okay but I hate the rigidity of the brushes. They definitely feel plastic and hard. I can name several drugstore brands that are continuously making that mistake. Stop giving us something so hard! I get that it is about lash separation to lengthen but geez!

See how sparse the bristles are, how flat the shape? Use it as a separator and you’ll do fine but don’t go into it expecting to have those “amped” lashes because it doesn’t do that.

So there you go. It’s my favorite mascaras currently. The Tarte, Too Faced and Makeup Forever mascaras are pretty great and while they don’t give you the YouTube lashes (which you gals already know are just fake lashes? Right?), they do their job extremely well.

One minute before you jump off…I want to remind you, again, about the safety of your eyes. Please toss out those mascaras you’ve had sitting around for more than 3 months. The tubes are an absolute breeding ground and the wand is probably the only makeup brush in your arsenal that does not get cleaned daily or weekly!

If you are not sure you want to invest in a full size tube, go with samples or travel sizes. They cost less and let you experiment more.

Now it is your turn to tell me…what is YOUR favorite mascara and why?

Until we talk again, kats and kittens…MUAH!