I've been experimenting with new and old brow products in my drawer the past couple weeks. So far these three babies have been my favorite combination. It's fast, easy, and I love the results. The color is perfect and lasts all day.

I start with my Illamasqua brow cake in Motto. The color is described as a warm taupe on their website. It's an accurate description but sometimes when I look at it, it feels slightly cool toned. What I like about these brow cakes is that they aren't super powdery. The powder doesn't poof all over your face. You can also mix this powder with water for a more precise line. I have yet to try that but the dry finish works great. I like to use it with my Anastasia brush spooly.

My second and final step would be to set my brows with Benefit's Gimme Brow in the dark shade. This is a great product when you are in a rush because it adheres to the brows really nice and can be built up. It also dries fast which is great because I don't like the feeling of wet brows.

Looking for a new eyeliner? You might want to try Benefit's They're Real liner. It's the first of its kind, a gel liner in a pen like applicator.

First twist, swipe, then wink... bingo you have a come hither winged eye! I found the liner to be a little strange to work with at first but it came out super black and creamy and it did not budge for anything. You want a no transfer liner, this is it. I really liked the rubber tip that can be use to smudge as well as drag a sharp line.

You have to be careful with this liner because it is a b*tch to try and remove any mistakes afterwords. I think that is why they now sell the They're Real Remover, because the liner and the mascara are waterproof. Although you can get them off with an oil based remover it can be difficult on occasion.

I still love my Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner but with some practice this could be a nice product to have on hand when I want the gel liner look with a much more convenient way to apply it.

 

Sephora recently had a 15% off code for about a week and well, I went crazy. lol I figured it was a good time to get things I had been looking at for a while and have been wanting to test/try out. Plus it's springtime and I love all the glowy makeup that comes out this time of year.

If you went shopping during the sale, let me know what you guys picked up too!

Sephora Collection Universal Lip Liner - clear
Too Faced Pardon My French Set
Benefit Cosmetics Dandelion
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner - Midnight
BECCA Beach Tint - Fig
Kat Von D Monarch Eyeshadow Palette
Nars Bronzer - Laguna
Kat Von D Shade Shifter Eyeshadow - On The Road
Nars Blush - Nico, Sex Appeal
Tarte Maracuja Bronzing Serum
Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick - Melted Nude
Tarte Bronze & Glow Matte Bronzer & Cheek Tint - Park Avenue Princess
Nars Matte Multiple - Altai
Illamasqua Powder Blush - Lover
Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural - N40 Pastel Coral
Nars Lipstick - Honolulu Honey
Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee - Coral Oasis, Honeymoon Honey
Buxom True Hue Blush - Euphoria
Make Up For Ever HD Blush - Fawn
Marc Jacobs Beauty Highlighter Gel Eye Crayon - (Luna)Tic 64
Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster
Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask
Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Cleansing Gel

image from toofaced.com

image from musingsofamuse.com

image from sephora.com

image from sephora.com

Dior Lash Plumping Primer
Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara
Benefit Gimme Brow - medium/deep
Eucerin Redness Relief Daily Perfecting Lotion SPF 15
L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation - W1
Too Faced Milk Chocolate Bronzer
Mac CC Pressed Powder - Illuminate 
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - Vanilla

Here is my makeup of the day... a moody blue grey smoke. It's a great look to go with all the nautical clothing this time of year. A nice spin on the smokey eye without any black shadow while still having depth. The colors remind me of a jazz club. I wanted to test out more colors from the Too Faced Matte Palette and this is what I came up with.

Products Used: 

Eyes:
Too Faced Matte Eyeshadow Collection - velveteen bunny, pebble, and london fog (such a gorgeous navy!)
Buxom Insider Eyeliner - sapphire
Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara
Benefit Gimme Brow - medium/deep
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - vanilla

Face:
Eucerin Redness Relief Daily Perfecting Lotion SPF 15
L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation - W1
Too Faced Milk Chocolate Bronzer
Laura Geller Bronze N Brighten - Fair
Maybelline Hi Light Blush - Natural (limited edition shade)
Mac CC Pressed Powder - Illuminate 

" BETTE DAVIS once said that she owed her success to brown mascara. But if Davis were alive today, the actress with the famously dramatic eyes might give the same credit to her mascara brush. "   (NY Times)


I've collected some of my favorite lash products to share with you. These are by far the best lash enhancing tools I have come across. Like I have said in previous posts I like long and thick (spidery) lashes. I put on multiple coats of whatever mascara I am wearing. These ladies add some serious drama. 

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Loreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions - Length like no other! This baby can give you volume plus length in a few swipes. The brush is great for your lower lashes too because it is slim and has sort of that comb like shape. The tiny bristles grab each lash and extend them for miles. It comes in waterproof and regular. 

Maybelline New York The Falsies Mascara, Black Drama - This baby has lash fibers right in the mascara itself. They build onto each other as you layer. I love the brush and texture. This is definitely a keeper in my book - a great way to have the falsie look without the glue and sometimes the weight of a strip of false lashes. 

Dior Extase - This was last week's Friday Favorite and it will continue to be a favorite for a long time. I think it's similar to Covergirl's Clump Crusher Extensions in that the formula has a similar texture but this one is much more black and needs fewer coats. Friday Favorite - Dior Extase

Dior lash plumping primer - A great addition to the Loreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions or any of these for that matter... It prepares your lashes before your mascara and adds that crucial extra layer for extreme length and conditioning too. I feel like it protects my lashes from harsher mascaras. 

Benefit They're Real - This mascara is no joke. This formula will create that false lash effect quiet simply. I do find it is harsher on my lashes so I don't always wear this. It does not say it's waterproof but I feel like it is that is how strong it sticks to your lashes. I definitely need to work with this to get it all off at night but that would also be from how many coats I use too. 

DivaDerme Lash Extender Lashes in a Bottle - Lash fibers are an interesting product. What you do is put a coat of mascara or primer on your lashes and then swipe the fibers on your wet lashes (the come with a mascara like brush) then add another layer of mascara for instant false lash drama (layer for even more drama)! I have sensitive eyes but this does not bother me. I would just be careful since they are small fibers and can fall in your eyes and cause irritation. 


Covergirl Clump Crusher Extensions  - Clump Crusher Extensions is not the blackest mascara on the planet but this feathers out and lengthens my lashes beautifully. I love the light texture. My lashes never feel brittle when it dries. It's a mascara that I feel like I need to use a lot of coats to get the desired effect but it is worth it in the end. The brush and formula help prevent clumping. It's a real steal. 

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Here is an interesting article about mascara and how it has changed... The Art of the Lash Advances

It comes in two colors, light/medium and medium/deep. I have been using the medium/deep since my hair is dark right now. I find that it accentuates my brows and dries to a quick (not crunchy) finish. I have never used a tinted brow gel before, this is a new thing for me and so far I have to say it's awesome! The application brush is small so it makes filling in your brows easy and mess free.

This is what Sephora has to say about it:

What it is: 
A brow-volumizing fiber gel. 

What it does: 
This innovative brush-on fiber gel adheres to skin and hair creating brows where before there were none. It builds easily for thick, lush arches, thanks to a tapered brush for blending and a precision tip for shaping. The fiber gel is water resistant, long lasting, and buildable for natural-looking brows.