NOTD: Butter London Polish - Rosie Lee

My Two Cents: At $13.99 i'm not too sure that these polishes are anything special. At least not anymore than an OPI polish or a Sally Hansen polish. The glitter in this polish however, is beautiful and vibrant and I quite like the color. My only gripe is that after about two months of owning this polish, it dried up on me and I was not even halfway done with the polish!

Bought at Plum Market

Would I repurchase? Not at 13.99.

Have you ever tried the Butter London Polishes? 

L.A. Colors Mineral Powder - Sand

^Sand, Soft Honey (recently repurchased)

I've been using this powder since I started makeup and am just getting around to reviewing it! I've tried other powders but I always find myself coming back to this one! Its just so smooth, silky and gives me the results I want.

Since I've more than hit pan on this the pictures may not give you the most accurate picture of the product but I just wanted to at least mention it on my blog before I finished it. I don't know when I'll be able to buy it again since its a product I can only find online now :(

The L.A. Mineral Pressed Powder is a must try powder for those who like a concealer and powder look or who need something to set their foundation. The collection has a range of colors from that I think could match many skin tones. I am an NC 45 in Mac and the shade Sand fits me perfectly. As you can tell, I am in desperate need of another powder!

My favorite part about this powder is that it has some type of illuminating property that is not shimmer. Most powders I use give me a "powdery" look that this one does not give me at all! 

Update: Now in my winter shade, Soft Honey is a perfect match and I still love love love this powder. 

Pros:

Inexpensive

SoftTexture

Large color selection

Illuminating Finnish

Cons:

Availability

Plastic Packaging

Where can you buy this? Its available at Cherry Culture but I've also seen it in some beauty supply stores here in the US.

Would I repurchase? Yes, if I can find it in a store :)

WHAT POWDER SHOULD I TRY NEXT??

Hitting Pan - Products i love !!

When you've used a product to the point where you've hit pan, you must really enjoy it. Or it could be that you don't know what else to use, but in my case these are products that I've really enjoyed using and that I would repurchase over and over and over :)

Cover Girl Powder in Tawny - I don't use this so much as a powder because its about 2 shades darker than my skin but its perfect as a matte bronzer for contouring. In small amounts it looks very natural and doesn't look dirty.  The undertones are neutral which can make it have a very 'brown' look but its perfect for creating that shadow. Perfect color for contouring my nose. This was my first matte bronzer and I haven't been able to break away from it!

E.L.F. Contouring and Blush Duo (the original one) - I hate the blush. Too glittery and doesn't show up otherwise on my skin. The bronzer however... :D I love it. Its dark enough to contour with and I can use a big powder brush and put this all over my face. I use this every season of the year. It not matte but its not shimmery. There are sparse sparkles in it which I quite like.

L.A. Colors Mineral Powder in Sand - Smooth, silky powder that i loveeee! Too bad I can only find where to buy it online :( I love how this makes my skin look. Some powders make my skin look so dryy, but THIS makes my skin glow without needing bronzer! I used this most of the summer over a primer and it was perfect. Coverage is light to medium and perfectly build-able without looking cakey. It has some kind of illuminating property but its not shimmer or glitter, it just... glows! Full review coming soon :)

Hope this was helpful,

My Inexpensive, Efficient Brush Cleaner

How do I keep my brushes fresh, clean and soft without shelling out any more than 99 cents? Girl, lemme tell you... 

:D

Pros:

*Soap free

*Dye Free

*Hypoallergenic

*Cheap

*Does the Job

Cons:

*Fragrance some may not like

If you gave this a try or you already use baby wash as a brush cleaner let me know!

UPDATE: I now use and unscented version by Johnson's!

Face of the Day: An Everyday Face

My "Everyday Face" is ever changing, so it would  be wrong to call this look my everyday face. But, this IS the makeup that I've been wearing this week as the new semester has started. I apologize i didn't take a picture of the completed look, I wasn't feeling very photogenic today :/

1. I first set my brows with my ELF brow set gel. I love this for my unruly brows.

2. Next, ELF Studio Tinted Moisturizer applied with my fingers. I don't need to set this with powder because it has a matte finish.

3. I then used bronzer to warm up my face. I used the Cover Girl powder in Tawny, a powder a few darker than my skin tone, with my ELF Complexion brush just under my cheekbones and on my temples and jawline.

4. For my eyes I used my Milani Eye Tech Eyeliner Pen in Black for the first time! Verdict: I love it. Whenever I do liner I wing it out. I also applied Maybellines Plush Mascara in Black focusing on my bottom lashes and the center of my top lashes, as it tends to look better behind glasses. 

5. For a light color on my cheeks I applied L.A. Colors Mineral Blush in Tenderling, a pretty light pink with a light shimmer. I used the included little applicator, not shown in the picture.

6. I finished this look with my ELF conditioning lip balm in Peaceful Pink. I liked how it matched the blush.

Done! Let me know if you want to see more of these!

Thanks for stopping by,

E.L.F. Haul: 50% off Studio Sale!

My first E.L.F online haul!

Super excited for my first online makeup haul ever! I just had to jump on this 50% off sale :D

With my order came a free brush set which may end up as someones Christmas gift...

MY LOOT!! :

ELF Maximum Coverage Concealer

ELF Tinted moisturizer in Almond (a needed backup)

ELF Tinted Conditioning Lip balm in Peaceful Pink and Blissful Berry

ELF Makeup remover Pen

ELF Contouring  Blush and bronzing Powder in Turks and Caicos

ELF Glossy Glosses

ELF Pressed Powder in Almond

ELF Angled Brush

ELF Mineral Powder Brush

ELF Contouring Blush and Bronzer Cream

ELF Eye Enhancing palate in Brown 2

I had more in my cart but they didn't send me some things. I guess they didn't have in stock because they gave me back the money later. I was sad because one of the things was something I really wanted.
:( 

Things I ordered that i didn't get:

Elf Brow treatment gel Duo - Dark 

Glossy Gloss in Ballet Slippers

Things I wanted that they didn't have in stock:

Studio Mascara Primer

Small Stipple brush

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT:

Reviews are coming soon!

My Go-To Nude Lip

Hi! Curious about a new nude lip combination to try? Well, you've come to the right place! Whenever I'm feeling the nude lip look, this is my go-to!

 Wet N' Wild Mega Last - Just Peachy Lipstick (a matte light pinky peach)

NYC - Nude York City Lip gloss (a nude beige with silver shimmer)

Swatches:

I felt that this was a more accurate picture of the lipstick...

WNW on the left, NYC on the right

and this a more accurate picture of the gloss.... 

WNW on the left, NYC on the right

On the Lips:

What is your favorite nude lipstick, gloss or combination? I would LOVE to know, I am aways looking for more nude lip products.

I must be going through a phase :D

Simple Face of the Day for School!

I didn't have a set makeup routine for school and everyday stuff this month or last month for that matter, but I wanted to give you guys an idea of my everyday face, so... here it is,

a natural FOTD :)

1. ELF Studio Tinted Moisturizer: A favorite of mine since I began makeup. Applied this first just with my hands.

2. Next I applied the bronzer from my ELF bronzing and blushing duo (this is the original one). I applied it on my cheeks and on my temples. I like how it darkens my cheeks and makes my tinted moisturizer blend seamlessly into my hairline.

3. I then set my brows with this ELF brow set gel. I have extremely unruly brows. No need to fill them in for everyday :)

4-5. I then do my eyes with a little L.A. colors Shadow in Beige in the inner corner for a little brightness and finish my eyes with the ELF Lash Extend mascara on my bottom lashes and CG mascara on my top lashes.

6. If I am feeling like my face lacks color or if I'm going for a nude lip then I'll put this Maybelline mineral blush in Fresh Plum over the bronzer.

7-8. I finished my look today with my favorite lip combination -WNW Just Peachy and NYC Nude York city.

^ No photoshop applied!

This picture was taken about an hour after school so this is 9 hours into my day! I never do touchups during the day with the exception of my lips. I re-applied my lips today after my coffee in the morning and after lunch.

Hope you guys enjoyed this! Let me know if this is something you'd like to see more of in the future!

Urban Decay Primer Potions - Original and Sin (PIC Heavy!)

My UDPP original has been my go to eyeshadow base since I started makeup so I thought I'd try one of the others!

Urban Decay Primer Potions in Sin and Original

The Specs:

* .34 US oz

* Bought at Sephora and Nordstrom Rack

* There is new packaging!

* Potions are only $9 at the Rack or $18 at Sephora

* Comes in 4 shades: Original, Sin, Eden and Greed

* Comes in a super cute Jeanie Bottle tube

*This much product will last you a very long time! I've had my original for over a year now... not even close to done!

UDPP Original:

*Flesh toned in the tube but blends perfectly clear on the lid!

*My favorite of the two - holds shadow better and bending is super easy!

UDPP SIN:

*Champagne color with silver shimmer

*Love this for a simple eye look of just mascara and this 

Swatches:

Love these! Easy to use and make my eyeshadow last as long as I need!

Good value if you can find them for $9!

Even though eventually I will have to depot these I'm not worried because makeup projects are always fun :)

Comparison to the ELF $1 primer coming soon!

Rachel's Mini Halloween Face Painting Guide

ITS ALMOST HALLOWEEN!

Often around these kind of child-oriented holidays, someone is having a party for their kid or my church has an event and I am more often than not asked to face paint!

Last weekend, my church had a Trick-or-Trunk where everyone came and there were concessions, moon jumps, FACE PAINTING and games. There were also around 25 cars with trunks decorated and full of candy and you could go around and get candy from each trunk!

So, the day came and went and I did my job (i don't ask to get paid since this is more of a hobby for me) and I thought it would be something nice to put here!

If you plan to do some cheek art this season and you'd like some ideas, you've come to the right place!

Keep reading for a look at my little guide!

Colors you'll need:

Fall Colors like yellow and orange you can't go without. All your primary colors but you can skip blue. I don't know how that metallic pink got in there.

You can get a kit from Michael's if this is going to be a one time thing for you but DON'T GET THE STICKS! Those face painting pens that click up are very waxy and barely show up on darker complexions. No acrylic paints even if it says non-toxic!

Paints I use:

They aren't cheap but if you think you'll be doing this a lot you may want to invest in some good paints. Sillyfarm.com is your best bet for online shopping. I like all the Wolfe FX paints except for the orange  and the purple.


Brushes I use the most:

I think I have upwards of 20 brushes but these 3 never let me down! If I only could take 3 brushes these would be the ones! You don't have to get brushed by brand, just by type.

The flat brush makes great circles, pumpkin shapes, good for filling in designed ect. The small liner brush is good for outlining, small dots and small swirls and the larger detail brush is perfect for swirls and leaves and faces.

My cheek art designs of choice for this year:

Satisfy girls and boys and save time by making them choose from a sheet with designs you know you can do and do quickly. This was my original. I painted on paper, cut them out and glued them  in an order on the sheet. This is the original, however I made a copy for the actual event.

Spider web, Bat and a Moon, Simple Pumpkin, Skull (i did them without blood on small children), Witches pot, Smiling Pumpkin, Evil Pumpkin, Candy Corn and Cat in the Moon.

I really hope this helps you in your face painting adventures this year! I hope to do individual tutorials for each design on here for you guys :D

Rachel

PS: Followers make my day <3

Cheek art for School Spirit!

Have you ever tried to show some SCHOOL SPIRIT with face paint?? Try it! Whether it be for your sons, daughters or even your own team, it really adds some fun to the event!

I painted this on my mom for my last PowderPuff Football game:

I painted an S for our school and a few maple leaves (since we are the maples) and I wrote go seniors since I was on the senior team.

She got to show her support AND she got quite a few compliments!

What do you think?

<3 Rachel

Ps: Followers make my day!

E.L.F. Studio Tinted Moisturizer

What do I think about this Tinted Moisturizer?

Can you tell its really been around? :D This is my 2nd tube! I even used this product during my year stay in Thailand because it beat the heat! 

What E.L.F Says: 

This lightweight and hydrating formula is breathable and provides anti-aging sun protection with UVA/UVB SPF 20. Achieve even skin tone and naturally radiant skin with this moisturizing sheer tint of color. The smooth formula enhances your complexion with the nourishing key ingredients Aloe, Cucumber and Vitamins A, C & E.

If your not ready or just don't want to shell out big bucks for a tinted moisturizer I highly recommend you check this out. It used to be that if I wanted to find a tinted moisturizer for my skin color, it meant big bucks. These days, however, a lot of drugstore brands have been coming out with all these BB cream/Tinted Moisturizer type products in more colors than just one or two! Can't complain about that!

Also if you like to drop the foundation for the summertime or just are a no-foundation kinda girl like me, you might find a lot you like in a product like this. 

Packaging: Sleek black, mimicking the other studio products. I think squeezy tubes for Tinted moisturizers are great. I do occasionally clean the part where the product comes out because it can get gunky. The see through window at the front is not a sticker, you are actually seeing inside the bottle!
Smaller than your average 1oz foundation (your getting .88oz).

Color: As I'll show you in the swatches, Almond, the shade I use, is more on the yellow side. If you are an NC 44/NC 45 in MAC, you could nicely get away with this color. I am a NC45 in MAC and this matches me almost perfectly. In the winter, I find myself switching to the shade Sand.

Product: The finish on this is matte. In no way oily. It smooths into my skin so nicely and leaves a very natural finish. The feel once blended into my skin is smooth and dry. I almost never set this with powder because the matte nature of it gives me the option to and I love the natural finish. Sheer coverage.

Pros:
*7 colors to choose from, Almond is the 3rd darkest shade so if your darker you still have 2 shades to choose from!
*Dries a natural matte
*Wears all day
*Tube Packaging
*Skin benefiting ingredients (Aloe, Cucumber, A, E,)
*SPF 20
*Sheer coverage
*Smooth finish
*$3 (what a deal!)
*Travels well: Has been all around the world with me!

Can be purchased online or at Target

Cons:
* Smells like sunscreen
*You don't get a full 1 fl oz

 Swatches:

How I wear this tinted moisturizer:

To wear this I skip primer so that It can blend into my skin easy. I put the product on the back of my hand and warm it up with my fingers. I use my fingers to apply, then pat my face to press it into my skin. I usually use a matte bronzer around the edges of my face and lightly contour so that it fades the color into my hairline and neck.

If I need this to last through more than school, or I need it to last through a special event, I spray it with the elf Mist and Set and once that dries I apply the NYC translucent powder.

Would I repurchase? OVER AND OVER!

Dear E.L.F people:  I am really proud of your color selection, thanks for taking notice of the darker skinned women in this world and not leaving us out and having affordable products for everyone to be able to try :)

<3 Rachel

Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

I don't know about you but foaming cleansers have always been my favorite and when I saw this I was instantly sucked in by its foaming powers :P 

Unfortunately, it didn't really do what it was supposed to do...clean my face!

^ One Pump of the Foaming Cleanser

The Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser is supposed to be an oil free, soap free, bla bla bla, foaming cleanser. I was hoping that it would remove makeup too but I was wrong for even expecting it to clean my face.

After a few days of using this I noticed the overall quality of my skin going down :(  I would clean my face with this and dry my face with a hand towel and there would be makeup on the towel (and just so you know I remove most of my makeup with a makeup removing cloth before even going to the sink). My skin felt dry, not clean, dry.
        
Oh, and did I mention that this is the most drying cleanser I have ever tried in my life?

Pros:
Price ~$7
Contains Salicylic Acid for blemish treatment
Oil Free
Soap Free
FOAMS! (i love foam)

Cons:
Didn't clean my face
Sucked all the moisture out of my face
Strong Fragrance (surprised me when i opened the bottle and my skin is sensitive to fragrance)
My skin didn't feel smooth after cleansing, it literally just felt dry

Purchased at: Target
Would I repurchase? Umm, hell no.

Have you tried this cleanser? Does it work for you? Let me know! What is your favorite cleanser?

<3 Rachel