The Color Workshop Makeup Kits

Hi guys! I wanted to give you a quick review of the makeup line The Color Workshop by Markins. This makeup line is more prominent during the Christmas season, found in stores like Wal-Mart. These kits come in a large variety from $3 to $30 and include, depending upon which kit you purchase, eyeshadow, bronzing & contouring kits, lipstick & gloss, face powders, makeup brushes, lip liners, mascaras, eye liners, blushes, etc.

In my opinion, the best deal for 2011 includes a full train case kits full of a huge variety of eyeshadows, blushes, lipsticks, lip glosses, mascaras, eyeliners, lip liners, a pro makeup brush set, bronzing/contouring powders, face powders and more for about $30.

They also have a variety of nail kits too. These kits, ranging between $5-$30, contain nail polishes, stencils, nail dryers, manicure kits, etc, depending on which kit you choose.

The Color Workshop kits are worth every single penny. I get a lot of these kits each year because my family is well aware of my makeup obsession. I would recommend these kits to anyone who is on a tighter makeup budget because you get so many colors and products that it is easy to recreate any makeup look. These colors are heavily pigmented and work great. Here are a few swatches of this years $15 kit below. 

I will say the face powders are probably the worst part of the kit because the large train case kit contains only 2 shades, which will not match skin tones as well. But the rest of the products are great for the price. 

The next 7 days I will be posting one makeup tutorial each day using only The Color Workshop makeup kit products, with the exception of foundation, concealer and setting powder. Make sure you come back and check them out; I will include everything from the traditional black smoky eye to a bright colorful look. This next week will focus on how these inexpensive products really are worth every cent. 

Run out to your local Wal-Mart or visit the Markwins website and pick up a set! Or better yet, add your favorite kit to your Christmas wishlist. These products don't have the power of MAC but this deal can't be beat when you are receiving a nice silver makeup train case full of at least 100 different makeup products for $30! 

Makeup doesn't have to break the bank; use what you have & buy what you can afford. Makeup looks, styles and tutorial can be recreated using any makeup product or brand, as long as the colors are similar. Stay true to YOU!

Til next time....<3 Missie <3

Foundation Routine: Winter

Hi guys! I was doing my makeup this morning and realized I had not shared my day to day winter foundation routine. I decided to write this tutorial and share it with you guys, listing every stop & every product I used for my face routine now that my summer tan is fading.

Products

• NYX Concealer in a Jar: Yellow &  Beige, mixed together on the back of my hand
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind foundation in classic ivory
• e.l.f. Translucent Loose Powder
•  NYX Phi Phi Blush & Bronzer combo, I use the Blush side
• Tools: flat powder/face brush, large powder brush, angled blush/bronzing brush & my fingers (clean, of course)

Here is my winter foundation routine. It takes about 10 minutes at most, excluding moisturizing. Have fun!

1. Moisturize! This is most important. I have been using a very, very, very small amount of vitamin E oil and massage it into my entire face and neck. I let it set for just a few minutes to give my skin a chance to absorb some of it. Besides being an awesome natural replacement for the skin's natural oil -sebum-, I love how smoothly it helps my foundation blend in. Plus, it is said to improve the skin's elasticity to prevent the signs of aging & reduce the appearance of acne scarring and large pores.
2. I add my foundation to the back of my hand so I can measure how much I wish to use and it makes it easier to add to the brush evenly. First, I use the flat powder brush to stipple the foundation all over my face. Then, using the same brush, I work the foundation in making small circles around my face and working the foundation down into my neck so I have one color tone.
3. I blend the two concealers to the back of my hand. Using my finger, I pat the concealer into my under eye area and over any imperfections.
4. With the large powder brush, I lightly dust the translucent powder onto my face & neck, starting at my T-Zone and working out toward the hair line.
5. With the angled brush, I work the blush into my cheekbones & the apples of my cheeks. 

This is my every day foundation routine. If I have extra time, I use a small, round face brush to contour my cheeks and use my fingers to add highlight to the tops of my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and right above the indention in my top lip.


It's pretty quick & simple. For a more complete coverage foundation, I switch it up and use the Revlon Photo Ready Foundation. It's pretty heavy but gives even, flawless coverage.

Til next time.... <3 Missie <3

Jennifer Lopez Makeup Tutorial: Sexy Silver

Hi guys! Today, I decided to go for a seriously dramatic eye but steering clear of traditional blacks and browns. I stumbled across this photo of the beautiful Jennifer Lopez a few months back and tucked it away for a future tutorial. JLo's eyes are rocking top to bottom silver, with just a hint of bluish purple, bronzed skin, a nude/slightly pink lip and barely there mascara. Because her eyes are so bold, no lashes were used and just a layer or two of black mascara is used instead. Jennifer Lopez's look is incredibly beautiful!

For you blue eyed girls out there, this silver and blue eye makeup will make your eyes pop and increase the blueness. Remember, as long as you are using similar colors, brand & cost doesn't matter. Use what you have! Finding similar colors will create the same look. Let's get started!

Beauty Supplies

• Foundation and concealer: whatever you normally use, applied in your normal fashion. For complete coverage, some foundations require two coats.
• Bronzer: Any bronzer will work; however, Jennifer used a more honey bronze color.
• Eye primer: If you don't have a eyelid primer on hand, cream eyeshadows work great to really enhance the eyeshadow's vibrancy and give longer lasting wear time without creasing. Of course, you can use a concealer as a substitute as well.
• Deep blue/purple eyeshadow: For an example of this color, click here to see MAC's Contrast, which is what I used for this tutorial. Of course, any similar color with work, so don't think you must purchase this exact eyeshadow. It is just an example of what the color should resemble.
• Matte medium silver or gray eyeshadow: this color is going to be used vary sparingly to add a little depth to the eye. Click here to see the color I used called MAC's Silver Ring. Again, I cannot stress enough that you can use any brand as long as the color is similar.
• Shimmer silver eyeshadow: This is the main color for the eyes. Any shimmery silver will work. 
• Black eyeliner
• Black mascara
• Nude lip liner
• Baby/pale pink matte lip gloss
• Eyeshadow blending brush, flat eyeshadow brush, pencil eyeshadow brush, small blush brush and large powder brush

Let's become JLo fab!

1. Apply your foundation and concealer normally. Because Jennifer's skin is smooth and flawless, I used Revlon PhotoReady Natural Beige-005 and applied it with a flat powder brush. Then, I patted on a little NYX Concealer in a Jar under my eyes and on any other perfect imperfections (like this giant zit  on my chin!) I mix Yellow (CJ10) and Beige (CJ04) together on the back of my hand because I have a slight yellow undertone.
2. Time to capture Jennifer's bronzy glow! I used the small rounded blush brush to apply Solar Riche Bronzing Powder by MAC to my cheekbones and temples. Then, I used the large powder brush to blend the bronzer out, so that you have that nice JLo glow but without packing on too much bronzing shimmer or letting it darken your face too much.
3. Now, time for the eyes! The eyes are my favorite part of any makeup tutorial because the eyes can be completed with so many different colors, techniques and styles that it changes up any look. With your finger, apply your eyelid primer of choice to your eye. To really maximize the silvers for this look, I used Cleo Silver Desire cream eyeshadow (no link available) & applied it from lash line to eyebrow. 
4. With a flat eyeshadow brush, pat on the silver shimmer eyeshadow from lash line to eyebrow. I used NYX Silver Pearl. If your eyeshadow is prone to loose fallout, you may want to skip your concealer in the beginning and add it after you complete the eye portion.
5. With a very light amount of the darker gray/silver eyeshadow and the blending brush, work this color into your crease and 1/3 of the outer corner of your eyelid gently. You are not aiming for a deep tint of color but to simply add depth to the shimmer silver shade. Continue blending in small circles until the colors are well blended. 
6. Use the pencil eyeshadow brush to add the blue/purple shade to your crease. This color should go from the outer corner across the crease, about 2/3 of the way across. Blend the color back and forth until their is a hint of color here, without overpowering the silver base shade.
7. Use what color is left on the pencil brush to line your lower lashes, from corner to corner.
8. Line your water line with black eyeliner. Add a thin line of black eyeliner across the top lash line. Any eyeliner will work; I used e.l.f.'s Cream Eyeliner in black with an angled eyeliner brush.
9. Add a little more of the blue/purple shade to the pencil brush and work it across the black line you previously created across the top lash line.
10. Put on a coat of black mascara to your top and bottom lashes.
11. Fill in your lips entirely with the nude lip liner. Cover it with a pale pink matte lip gloss.

Now, you are rocking one of my favorite Jennifer Lopez looks. It looks like a lot of work but actually it's pretty simple, once you get started. Remember, use what you have and rock a beautiful YOU!

Singing Jenny From the Block til next time..... <3 Missie <3

Follow Me On Twitter!

Hi guys! I just created a Twitter page @MissieBeauty and would love for you all to follow me. I'll follow you back, I promise.

Can't wait to see your tweets!

Tweeting away til next time.... <3 Missie <3

Makeup Brush Essentials

A makeup brush makes the difference between a smooth, blending makeup application and an uneven, streaked application. I own 35 brushes which is a huge cut from the previous 53 brushes I owned. I cut them down last month, first by ones I could tell were obviously old and falling apart. Then, I put a brush into a separate container every time I used it for an entire month. Any brush I did not lay my hands on once during that month was thrown out. But of these brushes, only about 6 of them are what I consider essential and are definitely must haves, in my opinion.

These brushes have a specific part in applying different makeup easier with a better end result. All of my favorite brushes are by e.l.f. (eyes, lips, face) which are found at Target. To start with they are SUPER affordable, $1-$3 (a few are $5-7) but the ones I use are in the first range. Besides cost, they are really good quality brushes. This isn't a get what you pay for scenario. I think the quality far surpasses the cost. Why buy the high priced tools, if the affordable ones work great? (And I was NOT paid to say these things...I am a mother of three and am constantly looking for the best quality for the lowest price!)

• Stippling Brush: This brush is used to apply foundation (wet, dry or creamy). It has two layers of bristles, basically a top and bottom layer. Many people use the brush for the entire foundation application but I use it to just add the foundation to my face. When I use this brush, I dip it into the foundation and with the bristles point directly to my face, I tap the brush all over. This results in 'splatters' of foundation on the face. You can use it throughout the whole foundation process by creating the 'splatter' effect, then using the brush to blend in the foundation using gentle strokes in an outward (toward the hairline) motion.  My thoughts: With very thick or creamy foundations, I use the MAC 187 because it is firmer and larger which works best when smoothing out thicker foundations. But with my normal liquid foundation, Revlon Age-Defying (yes, I am getting old LOL), I use the e.l.f. Total Face Brush for all over coverage and use the e.l.f. Foundation Brush for my eye, nose crease and problem areas that may need a little more direct coverage.
• Complexion Brush: This is a wide, soft bristled brush perfect for apply all over powder. This brush is also called a total face brush that I mentioned above. It is just a basic, large powder brush. My Thoughts: I use the e.l.f. Studio Collection Complexion brush because it is super soft and it really seems to hold the powder and apply it without coating my hair and clothes.
• Concealer Brush: This brush is a really short, closely bristled brush that comes with a slightly rounded end. This type of brush applies concealer to small areas very easily.My Thoughts: I do use the e.l.f. Concealer Brush occasionally, mainly if I have a breakout I want to hide and it does a really good job of focusing the concealer to that specific area but it can take several coats because the brush size doesn't hold much concealer. Normally for the under eye area, I use the e.l.f. professional Foundation Brush because it covers a larger area without more than one layer of concealer. To be completely honest, I use the e.l.f. Concealer Brush for applying gel eyeliner to my top lash line. It works really well for drawing the lines.
• Crease Brush:  A soft, rounded brush, this is a definite essential in applying eyeshadow because it is not only gets the eyeshadow directly into the crease but is perfect for blending the shadow colors to avoid lines. It is absolutely my favorite brush because eyeshadow application is my speciality area. My Thoughts: Yep, I use an  e.l.f. brush here, too. The Studio Crease Brush to be matter of fact and I LOVE it! It is super soft and blends so easily and quick. Many of the brushes I have are either harsh on the soft eyelid area or take forever to blend!
• Basic Eyeshadow Brush: This one is available in so many different forms it is all just a matter of personal preference. The shorter, slightly wider brushes work best for applying color to specific areas of the brush with fewer applications while the longer, slightly thinner brushes work well for covering larger areas. The slightly slanted brushes are for defining specific areas of the eye with color and work great for the corners of the eye, too. My Thoughts: Once again, I use  e.l.f. tools, the professional Eye Shadow Brush and the Defining Eye Brush. This Eye Shadow Brush is a shorter,wider applicator that allows me to add colors to the specific parts of the eye. I use the Defining Eye Brush to add highlight to my inner corner to open up the eye and I use it to add go back and add color to areas of the eye that may have been blended too much or need just a little deeper color for a full effect. Both brushes are super soft which I find is important because the entire eye area is damaged so easily.
• Bronzing/Blush Brush: This one is an essential to some and not to others. I use this kind of brush a lot so it is an essential to me. The face doesn't look right if the eyes and lips are done, the face is smooth with foundation and powder but the cheeks are colorless. Even though foundation/concealer/powder are great at giving a smooth, even complexion and hiding any skin flaws, they can give the skin a washed out look without a little color. My Thoughts: I use the e.l.f. (shocker huh?) professional Bronzing Brush mainly because I like the way it only holds small amounts of bronzer/blush at a time. It has a slant which is perfect for contouring the cheeks.
   
  
  

Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer Review

Hi guys. I just started using this product about a week ago and decided to post a review about it. Let me start by saying, I despise any self-tanning products. I have probably tried out a zillion of them and none of them gave the type of results indicated by the bottle. Some turned me orange, some streaked no matter what type of application method I used, and one (Deep Dish Self Tanner-the first I ever used) not only left me with a slight orange color but literally began to peel off like sunburn. Except it literally took skin with it and left me covered in open, burn like sores. The last one I tried (about 3 years ago) actually caused blisters to form which looked like red pimples with a clear bubble on top. YUCK. After that, I gave up.

When I saw the Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer on sale, I stopped to take a look. To start with I liked the fact that it also claimed to firm the skin. Although I work had to stay in shape and take care of myself, I am 29 years old with 3 children- I could definitely using some firming. I do the same thing I always do with a new product…what I call the 5 purchase tests. Smell, texture, look, price, and too good to be true. The too good to be true factor means, is the packaging claiming the product gives results that seem too good to be true? I decided to give it a try. Here are my results and thoughts. I decided to give a quick list rather than keep it in blog form because I tend to talk (or type) too much.

1. Did it turn my skin/hands orange? Not exactly. My skin tone is not orange but even though I took off my rings and washed my hands and nails with soap immediately after applying the lotion, I noticed a slight orange color beginning around my nails. The next two days, I used a toothbrush with soap to scrub my nails and still the orange color deepened. I used bleach to remove the orangey tint. I had to find an alternative to using my hands (see #2.)
2. I used large, foundation sponges (a pack of 25 at the dollar store) to apply the lotion all over. This worked perfect because I could avoid the orange color on my nails but still get the product spread all over evenly. And instead of rubbing it into my elbows and knees (harder to get an even color in these areas) I used the sponge with the left over lotion on it to apply to these areas very gently. Worked perfectly!
3. Do you see immediately results? No, I did not ever notice an immediate darkening of my skin tone. But around by morning (I put it on before bed); I could notice I had applied more products. I tan very easily but I have yet to reach the color indicated on the back of the bottle. I do have a nice golden tan about 2 shades darker than before.
4. Did I get my money’s worth? I do not notice any firmer skin. I was very lucky and do not have abdominal stretch marks or any excess weight/skin from my babies. So I can’t really point out a specific area that needed attention to really test this aspect of the Jergens Natural Glow. I kind of was just hoping for a ‘stop it before it actually needs firming’ result. LOL This lotion is definitely a great moisturizer, probably one of the best ones I have used recently. And it does give a nice, healthy boost in color. I would definitely say I got my money’s worth as I only paid $4.99.

I would definitely recommend this product for someone looking to self-tan. Based on the results, I figure it would take around 14-21 days of everyday use to achieve the color results indicated on the bottle. I have used just enough to coat my skin and used it on my total body and about ½ of the product is already gone. By that estimate, you can get about 2 weeks’ worth of use out of each bottle.

I’m definitely not a fan of self-tanning. The orangey tint to my nails in the beginning almost made me stop using it. But if I do like how it moisturizes and very slowly increases my skin tone in a golden shade. Compared to other self-tanners, the Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizers gets a gazillion thumbs up!!

Tanning up til next time.... <3 Missie <3

Summertime Makeup: 'Sunkissed' Tutorial

Hi guys! This is my absolute favorite makeup look for summer!! And it is the easiest look to create for a summer inspired sunkissed look but at the same time doesn’t require the full foundation, powder coverage.

The steps are super simple and I will upload photos and a video as soon as I can. The instructions are pretty self-explanatory and the amount of makeup required for each step just depends on your own skin tone and condition as well as your personal preferences.  The eyeshadow colors really should be heavy pigmented. This just means the color is deep enough to be seen brightly/darkly with one to two coats.

B. Koi Cosmetics: A "Delusion" Look

Hi guys! I order makeup from eBay often, usually in huge wholesale lots so that I get a large variety of makeup from different companies so I can test them out. Recently, I received an eyeshadow lot that included a small, clear container of a deeply pigmented teal color called "Delusion" by B. Koi. This was my first encounter with this company's products so I dropped a note thru the contact us link on their website www.BKoiCosmetics.com for a little more information and almost immediately, I received a reply. This wasn't one of those automatic replies but a personal, one on one conversation directly from the company owner, DJ Murphy. This was amazing because it shows this is one of the few companies who care about their consumers and are willing to help in any way! Thank you your very wonderful, helpful email and for that type of commitment to us makeup fanatics!

Avon: Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation and Cream to Powder Foundation

In January, I ordered these two products from the Avon website because I had read several reviews about them that raved about the complete coverage the products offered when combined. I ordered both,  tried them out once and through it in my foundation drawer. It created an extra thick, caked on look that I didn't like. I have very, very freckly skin so I do tend to use a shade darker foundation to even out my skin tone but it required too much to even my skin tone with these products. They just did not work the way I hoped.

On  Monday, I decided to try the Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation and Cream to Powder Foundation a different way to see if I could get some use from the products. I have used them both every single day since!! I just use them a little differently that normal. Try this application method!

1. Use a large face/powder brush to apply a light coat of the Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation all over your face. Blend it in very well.
2. Using a small concealer brush and apply the Cream to Powder Foundation to any blemishes or other problem areas. Then, use a foundation brush or your fingers to apply to your under eye area. Blend well. You can also use your fingers to lightly coat your eyelid in the Cream to Powder Foundation in place of an eyelid primer.
3. Lastly, take the large face/powder brush to apply another coat of the Smooth Minerals Powder to your face. Blend well, paying special attention to your under eye area and any other problem areas.

Previously, I applied the Cream to Powder Foundation then covered my face in the Mineral Powder Foundation. It resulted in an extra thick foundation that really did not cover much or blend in well (i.e. those pesky freckles were very visable...my face looked like a thickly iced cupcake with chocolate sprinkles. LOL). The way I am currently using these Avon products offers a complete, even coverage but in a way that appears natural. And the Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation has a slight shimmer so it works as an all over bronzer, too. I am loving it!!
                                   Til next time......  <3 Missie <3

Makeup Tip For Blue Eyes

For my fellow blue eyed ladies, my favorite tip for making those blue eyes sparkle and stand out is dark, dark silver eyeliner. I actually use a large Cleo eyeshadow stick in the color Metallic Stone. Some of the smoky dark grays actually work similarly but grays are much duller than silver shades and the effect isn't as noticeable.

BH Cosmetic 88 Color Standard-Matte Palette

Hi guys!  At DaisyDudette's request, here is my final thoughts on the BH Cosmetics 88 Color Palette Standard Matte Eyeshadow. I am loving this palette. BH Cosmetics really did a terrific job combining heavy pigmented eyeshadow colors in such a large variety that the ideas for looks are limitless. I'll have a tutorial using this palette shortly!

Hi guys! One of my favorite subbies, Karen aka Blueeyez21389, requested I repost my tutorial on the smoky eye look. Smoky eyes are beautiful, especially the way Kim Kardashian rocks it out. But my version is a little more silver, a little less black. I just don't feel that black is very wearable as an eye color, most of the time. It is very beautiful and dramatic but my version is super sexy, too....just a little less dark. With lots of silver and shimmer, this is a major sultry look. So, let's get to it!

What You Need: I prefer to give colors, then include the brand and color I actually used. This way you can duplicate the look even if you don't have the same products and tools that I used. The actual products & tool are listed in Italics but remember; always use what you have! Find similar colors, regardless of brand, and follow my steps and viola! a beautiful, daytime smoky eye! Some eyeshadow colors may be less pigments than other but just keep patting on the color until the desired shade is reached. 

Here's a pic of the actual Smoky Eye Edition eyeshadows. I also added links to the products and tools. :-)

• any eye primer- Skin Vitamins, silver sparkle cream eyeshadow (concealer or cream eyeshadow can substitute regular eye primer- the silver cream shadow made the silver eyeshadow really pop)
• light silver shimmer eyeshadow with heavy pigment: e.l.f. BeautyBook: Smoky Eye Edition- last row, color 1
• medium silver shimmer eyeshadow with heavy pigment: e.l.f. BeautyBook: Smoky Eye Edition- last row, color 2
• traditional black eyeshadow: e.l.f. BeautyBook: Smoky Eye Edition- last row, color 4
• highlight eyeshadow- color of your choice: Cleo jumbo eyeshadow pencil- Sand Castle
• black eyeliner pencil: e.l.f. Brightening Eye Liner- black
• mascara: Covergirl Eyelights- Black Sapphire
• Brushes: MAC 249- Large Shader brush, MAC 224 Tapered Blending brush, e.l.f. Defining Eye brush, 2 Q-tips

How You Do It: Remember, use what you have!

1. Apply eye primer from your upper lash line to your brow bone and a small amount under the bottom lashes. Because I used a shimmery silver cream eyeshadow for my primer, I applied it with a Q-tip to avoid getting my brushes stiff and covered in cream eyeshadow.
2. With the MAC 249 (or any eyeshadow brush of your choice), apply a good amount of the light silver shimmer shadow from your upper lash line to your crease. If you make small, patting motions, there will be less eyeshadow cast off around your eye and it will really help the powder shadow adhere to the primer for a more vibrant color.
3. Using the other side of the same brush, apply the medium silver color to your outer corner and about 1/3 of the way onto your lid. Then bring this color down from the corner and line the bottom lash line. Your bottom lash line should meet the eyelid corner evenly. This brings the eye together. Using the side of the brush the light silver shade was applied with, make very small back and forth motions at the point on the eyelid where silver meets black. This softens any harsh lines and allows the lids to look as if the colors flow evenly from light to dark. Do not over blend or your colors will be muddy.
4. With the Defining eye brush, add the black color from the outer corner to your crease. Do not go below the crease onto the lightest silver and do not cover the medium silver in the outer corner. Instead, start at the outside corner and move up then across the crease area. Move back and forth along the crease until the desired color is reached. I went deep black to really create a smoky eye. Because we are only adding the black to the crease area, it will really contrast with the silver shades for serious depth and vibrancy.
5. With the MAC 224 (or any crease/ blending brush), add the highlight color under the eyebrow, down to the black. Then work this color around the inner corner of your eye. Adding the lightest color to your inner corner will really open up your eyes.
6. Blend, blend, blend and when you think you are down blend some more. Use the same blending brush and begin by making small windshield wiper motions where the highlight meets the black. This softens the line where the colors meet. Then, blend the outer corner by making small circles where you applied the black only. This will lift the black slightly so it touches the lower part of your brow bone. Finally, run the blending brush back and forth across the lid to soften the color, hide any harsh lines and create a smooth transition from light to dark color. The black should be darkest at the outer eye corner and gradually softening across the crease toward the inner corner. Keep blending until the result is satisfying for you.
7. Use a Q-tip (or a pencil makeup brush) to smoke out the eyeshadow at the lower last line. Run the Q-tip back and forth across the darkest silver color we applied to the lower lash line until it is blurred. No straight, harsh lines in a smoky eye!
8. Line the upper lash line and lower water line with the black eyeliner. Apply several coats of mascara.

The Smoky Eye is all done! Remember, makeup tutorials provide the 'how to' behind specific looks. The results are whatever you make them. You are the one wearing the makeup so use colors that work for your skin tone, hair and eye color, and preference. Blend more for a lighter smoky eye, blend less for a darker smoky eye. The best thing about smoky eye look is that it can be done with any colors and the results will always be fabulous!

Til next time.....<3 Missie <3

L.A. Colors Eyeshadow Tutorial: Flirty Pink, Blue & Purple

Hi guys! I realized I have been posting lots lately but like I said before, I am trying to add my content from the previous blog to this one. Anyways, this look is a super fun and flirty look using shimmery pinks and blues, which we know when combined gives a very beautiful purple shade. By layering pink and blue then shading in specific areas to achieve the purple color really adds depth to the eye versus using just a pink and purple eyeshadow. This way the colors flow from pink to purple with just a hint of blue in the background.

Again, I always list the colors first, followed by the actual products I used. This way you can dupe the shades to achieve similar results. The part I enjoy most about my Pink + Blue = Purple look is that the colors are not applied to be super bright but instead, are very subtle, soft girlie colors so you can wear this anytime. For a dramatic, night look, I would really pack the colors on for a WoW factor.

 

e.l.f. BeautyBook: Bright Eye Edition- Green Shimmer Makeup Tutorial

Hi all! I went to Target yesterday and immediately went to the e.l.f. collection. I was so excited to see all of the e.l.f. BeautyBooks on sale for $2.89. These are great eye palettes and at an even better price. You get 12 eyeshadow colors and a Brightening eye liner in each book. I got 2 Bright Eye editions and 2 Smoky Eye editions. Check out the pics below the tutorial. You really get a lot of eyeshadow colors for under 3 bucks. That's why I love e.l.f. It is so affordable and it really is terrific, deep pigmented products. Why pay way more for expensive, top of the line brands when e.l.f. gives great quality for barely nothing? Anyways, here's the tutorial for a Deep Green Shimmer look! This look is PERFECT for brown-eyed girls because green really sets off the color of your eyes for a more brighter, vibrant look. (color swatches below)

My Summer Foundation Routine

Hi guys! Here is another email request, from my sweet subscriber Ms.Stellah. I change foundations frequently, depending upon what type of coverage I need that day as well as what my current skin tone is. During the summer, I use a much darker foundation than the colder months. But here is my current favorite face products and routine. Thanks Ms.Stellah for the nice email and request! If anyone else has any requests for a specific topic, celebrity look, occasion or using certain colors or products, please feel free to email me at melissa4085@aol.com!


Products:

• e.l.f. Essential All Over Cover Stick- Light Beige (your concealer should always be lighter than your foundation, especially if you have dark circles under your eyes like the rest of us sleep deprived moms)
• Revlon Age Defying Foundation with Botafirm, SPF 20- #15 Early Tan
• Stila Hydrating Finishing Powder
• e.l.f. Concealer Brush, MAC 187 Stippling Brush, e.l.f. Total Face Brush

Five Minute Foundation Routine:

1. First thing I do is add a generous amount of the Revlon foundation to the back of my hand. I coat the MAC 187 in the foundation and add all over my face. I do not blend immediately. This first step is just added the foundation to the five face point: both cheeks, nose, forehead & chin. Basically, I just touch the brush all over my face to make splotches of foundation, known most commonly as stippling.
2. Using the same MAC brush, I blend in the Revlon foundation all over. I always blend out toward my hair-line to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. I make sure every area is has a light coat of foundation and that there are no obvious lines anywhere. This color is a perfect match for my skin tone so I do not need to add any to my neck.
3. I add the e.l.f. All Over Cover Stick to my Concealer brush and apply to any problem areas. For my under eye area, I make dots with the brush and use my ring finger to blend inwards, towards my nose. Your ring figure reduces the risk of damaging this area and by blending towards the nose, instead of away from it, it decreases any visible wrinkles.
4. Using the e.l.f. Total Face brush, I add a generous amount of the Stila powder and add it all over my face, in small circles. I usually add a very generous amount to my under eye area and any other areas where concealer was used. This Stila powder is translucent so it works for any skin tone and gives a very light finish.

Now, I use this for my normal, every day makeup. But if I was going to do a video or full face photos, I would use the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation instead of the Stila translucent powder. I am a freckle face and normally, love every one of my freckles because they are apart of what makes me, me. BUT if I am doing something that thousands of people will see, I prefer a more even skin tone look.

Depending upon the lighting, my girl next door freckles can take on a life of their own and give my face a very splotchy look. But by using the Studio Fix Powder plus Foundation as a finishing powder, my face appears even and smooth. These freckles will multiply a thousand times and group together to form huge brown splotches which is why I wear sunblock and most of my foundations and moisturizers contain a small amount of SPF.

I hope you enjoyed my summer foundation routine! Don't forget to subscribe!
                                                   <3 Missie <3

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips?? Nah, I Don't Think So

Hi Loves! Everyone is raving about the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips. Just in case you don't know, these are nail appliqués made from real nail polish and comes in a large variety of beautiful styles, colors and designs for about $8. All you do is apply the 'sticker', press firmly to your nail and trim off the excess. There's no drying time but the results look just like a professional manicure. This product lasts up to ten days without chipping or peeling. I got the pretty butterfly pattern that lasted a grand total of 3 days. I was going to do a tutorial anyways BUT.....


I recently seen a similar product called Nailene DuraColour Nail Strips at my local Dollar Tree. Just for fun, I grabbed a few boxes. After my Sally Hansen Salon Effects peeled off, I replaced them with DuraColour Nail Strips in a super cute purple butterfly pattern. (I love pink, purple and butterflies!) These cheap babies stayed on for 13 days and even then, only one nail started to peel. I replaced it with another one and got 4 more days before the rest started to peel. That's a two week difference. And for only a buck! The only drawback I found was the DuraColour strips left a very sticky residue while the Sally Hansen version didn't. This may be because the cheaper version has a larger amount of adhensive, which would also explain the longer wear. But a little acetone nail polish remover took it right off!

If you have a Dollar Tree near you, go grab a pack. There are a lot of patterns and colors to choose from and each pack comes with 36 nail strips.  Of course, everyone may experience different results but I love these things. The Sally Hansen ones are super cool too but just didn't last as long as the cheaper version. Just think...for the price of one box of the Nail Effects, you can get 8 different styles of the DuraColour. I took several different pictures over the total 17 days which I will post the first thing in the morning. It is 1:19 am here and I am exhausted. I also have a tutorial with step by step photos that will be uploaded tomorrow. So check back to see how it is done! Don't forget to subscribe and follow me on Twitter (@DivaliciousMoma.) There is also a "The Divalicious Momma" Facebook page.

This is everything you get in the DuraColour Nail Strip kit. It has 36 strips which is enough for 3 applications. I really prefer a subtle design verses one that covers the whole nail so I chose this cute corner butterfly. Thats a lot of nail strips for $1!

I also wanted to mention one of my favorite sites for beauty and fashion www.elleandblair.com. They are two of my favorite YouTube Gurus and they share some amazing insider information on all things beauty! Check em out!
                                                                        <3 Missie <3

Nailene DuraColour Nail Strips Tutorial

Hi guys! If you read yesterdays post, you know I tried both the Sally Hansen and the Dollar Tree version, DuraColour by Nailene. For this tutorial I actually used the cheaper version, but you can use any brand you want because the steps are virtually the same! Have fun! You can subscribe to this blog via email to receive every post directly into your inbox as soon as I post something.


What you need:

• DuraColour Nail Strip Kit: (or whatever brand you want) In this kit, you get 36 nail strips, 2 wet towelettes and a two sided nail buffer.
• Clear top coat nail polish
• for lack of  a better name- Wooden cuticle pusher (this worked best for me but you can use anything you want): This will tuck the edges of the strips into your cuticle area to give a longer wear time.
• Trim Ultimate Manicure System (completely optional): works like the tools used in the nail salon. I used this in place of the included, smaller nail file. I used the buffer tool. It gave a rough service without removing too much of the nail the way a file would.
• Nail clippers or nail scissors
• Marker (optional): explained in Step 4

How You Do It: DuraColour Nail Strips in Lavender Butterflies

Step One: Begin with clean, polish free nails. This kit works for both fingers and toes. If your kit came with the towelettes, wipe each nail to clean it up.
Step Two: Use the rough side of the enclosed nail file or the largest buffer tool with the Ultimate Manicure System (or whichever version you are using) and run it over your nail a few times to give a rough surface. The adhesive will stick better and last longer to a rough surface than it will a smooth one. I prefer to use the electric ones. It is much quicker and less work on my end.
Step Three: Beginning with your left pinkie, find a sticker the same width as your nail bed. The rounded side will lie against your cuticle, with the square side straight out. Each size will have about 2 same sized strips. Once you know what size strip fits your left pinkie nail and have lifted the strip from the paper, place a number 1 where the nail strip was. That way you know the next time you go to apply the strips which size fits which finger. Fingers will be numbered 1 for the pinkie and ending with 5 for the thumb. You don't have to do this...I did because it made it easier when I wanted to do this again.
Step Four: Lift the strip from the paper from the square side. Place the correct sized nail strip evenly on your nail, with the rounded part as close to your cuticle as possible.
Step Five: Firmly run the point of the wooden cuticle pusher around the rounded edge of the strip and up both side of the nail. This gives a really tight grip on the edges which is one of the most important steps to get a lasting application.
Step Six: Use the reverse side of the enclosed nail file (mine was white) to press the strip against your nail. Begin at the cuticle and firmly press the strip against your nail, working your way out to the end of your nail. This works out any bubbles and adheres the strip in place.
Step Seven: With nail scissors or clippers, clip off the excess strip. I use scissors to cut off the excess, leaving about 1/4 an inch extending past my nail. I save the part I cut off because it can be shaped and used as another nail strip in the future, unless you have really long nails. By saving the excess strip, you can double the amount of strips per kit. Then, I used a small nail clipper to trim down the remainder to the shape of my nail.
Step Eight: Use the reverse side of the enclosed nail file again to press the ends in place. Then, use the file to file the edges to your nail shape.
Step Nine: Apply a clear top coat to give it a shine and give the strip a little extra adherence. You don't have to do this if your prefer not too.

**Tip** If you can't find a strip the exact same size as your nail, use a smaller one closest to your nail size and follow the above steps. Before applying the clear top coat, use a same or similar colored polish and a small, eyeliner brush to add the polish to any part of your exposed nail that the strip did not cover. Allow it to dry and add a clear top coat. I promise nobody will be able to tell and this is a lot easier than trimming down a strip that is too large!!

Hope y'all enjoy. I have pics showing my nails at days 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, 15, and 17. I felt they made the post a little to overpowering but if anyone wants to see the results throughout these days, just leave a comment or email me and I'll be glad to post the pics. Also, if any of you have a specific product or tutorial request, please email me at melissa4085@aol.com and I'll get it up right away.

The next few tutorials will be focused on celebrity inspired makeup. These are probably my favorite to do and I will be doing Kloe, Kourtney and Kim Kardashian in this month's Redbook, Paris Hilton's makeup for her reality show, "The World According to Paris", Allure promotion ad, Jennifer Lopez look in the Us Hot Bodies article, and the Kendra Wilkinson's Us Body After Baby photo. If you have a celebrity you wish me to write a tutorial about, email me and I will be glad to include them.

I love emails from my subscribers/readers and usually spend time every day trying to answer them all. Some days I have 500+ and some days I only have 20, but I answer each and every one of them. And even if I got a million a day, I would still dedicate any amount of time it took to answer them all. Without subscribers,  viewers or readers,  I would not be doing what I love and I appreciate every single one of you!  <3 Missie <3

e.l.f. Haul: I Love e.l.f. & Target!

Hi guys! You all know I love e.l.f. so today, I went to my local Target and bought lots of new e.l.f. things to share with you guys! I got a few other things but I decided to do a separate Target haul post because it's a large variety of different types and brands of stuff.

Here's what I got today and a quick review. I included the link to each product I purchased. If there isn't a Target near you, you can order these products from the e.l.f. website and right now there are two great coupon codes. The first gives free shipping on orders over $25 and the other code gives you 50% off ALL of the e.l.f. Studio brand. I wish I had seen this before hitting Target because I would have definitely used the 50% off coupon code. Go check it out girls!

1. Studio Angled Eyeliner Brush: I love this brush because it makes applying gel eyeliner really simple. Because the brush is slightly bent at the end, it gets into the corners easily. The well defined point of bristles gives really straight lines.
2. Studio Cream Eyeliner-Black: I was running low of this product so I went ahead and grabbed one. It really stinks to be in the middle of doing my makeup or a tutorial and not have what I need to finish! This is my favorite type of eyeliner because it really gives you total control over how light or dark your liner is and the amount of eyeliner you use.
3. Essential All Over Cover Stick- Apricot Beige: I have the lighter version of this (can't remember the exact shade...but its really light) and I use it to hide blemishes. It's really thick so it hides pimples great!
4. Essential Blending Eye Brush: You can never have too many good quality eyeshadow brushes! Plus, brushes were 10% off at this Target location til Saturday. Might as well get a few of my favorites while they are on sale!
5. Eye Crease Brush: See above!
6. Essential Duo Eye Shadow Cream- Coffee & Cream, Sugar Cookie: These are great for eyeshadow bases. I use the Coffee & Cream with the Teal Dreams and the Sugar Cookie with Nymph Dreams to get really vibrant eyeshadow colors.
7. Studio Corrective Concealer Quad: This comes with four types of concealer, each for a specific type of problem area. Two neutral shades, a green & a pink. I'll give a review of the product after I have given it a go.
8. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara - Crystal: This is just another item I was running low on. I use this on my eyebrows after I have filled them in and brushed them into place. Comment if you want to hear my heart breaking (to me) yet hilarious eyebrow waxing experience from this past Saturday. LOL I don't really use this as a mascara.
9.  Brightening Eye Color - Ethereal, Nymph Dreams, Rocker & Teal Dream: These are 4 different quads from e.l.f. I like the fact that the colors all compliment each other well. The only one I do not own is Rocker so I will try to get a tutorial and in-depth review of it up soon. I use the Ethereal quad a lot, it's probably my favorite out of all the e.l.f. quads because it contains perfect neutral colors for an every day look.
10. Eyelash Curler: self-explanatory. My youngest daughter got my old one and pulled out the little soft sponge thing and I didn't realize it until I spent 20 minutes trying to curl my lashes and all I exceeded in was cause some severe pain. LOL These were included in the brush sale.
11. Studio Kabuki Face Brush: I love, love, love this brush for mineral, powder foundations to buff the foundation into my skin. Here is a really great tip for those of you that use powder foundations *the more you buff the powder into your skin, the more coverage you get.* This is great for those of us with problem skin that require a full coverage. I learned this at the Makeup Misses convention in Carrollton Ga last year. Just remember to really work the foundation in and get a fuller coverage, work the brush in small circles all over your face. I don't really like the flat topped buffer makeup brushes, they tend to be a little to rough on my face.
12. Regular & Waterproof Mascara Duo- Noire: This mascara has a water proof mascara at one end and a regular mascara at the other. I bought this for my travel makeup bag because vacation time to Myrtle Beach is quickly approaching . By purchasing the duo, I can have a waterproof mascara for the beach and still have the basic mascara for other times.
13. Luscious Liquid Lipstick - Nude Pink, Raspberry &Pink Lemonade: Nude Pink and Pink Lemonade are my favorite e.l.f. lip colors. I don't know about the rest of you but I apply my lipstick/gloss about a zillion times a day. These lipsticks are super shiney without being too sticky. I used the Raspberry as soon as I hit the car and it is a beautiful glossy color.
14. Essential Eye Widener- White (a white eyeliner)- This is another self-explanatory item. When used on the water line, the white eyeliner brightens the eye and opens it up. I also use it as my inner corner color to give my eyes a pop.

I added up my e.l.f. purchases and all I paid for the above products was $32.53. That is an amazing prices for the number of items I purchased.


Til tomorrow......<3 Missie <3

e.l.f. Products I Wouldn't Recommend

Hi guys. I received an email request which asked me to list any e.l.f. products that I didn't love, since I post so much about e.l.f. Like with any company, there are products you love & products that just aren't worth the money, even if it is only a buck. I do rave about e.l.f. because a large portion of their products are great and of course, they are very cheap. But I don't love everything e.l.f. produces. Some products didn't produce the results it should have, some didn't work for my specific needs & some were just beat out by competitors.

Here is my e.l.f. dislikes and why! Thanks GlitterBabe227 for the request! If anyone else has any product reviews or tutorial request for a specific look, color or product, feel free to email me at melissa4085@aol.com

• e.l.f. Studio Corrective Concealer: I got this a few weeks ago and this is definitely a no-go with me. First off, when I opened the package there were tiny drops of liquid on each of the 4 colored concealers, I originally thought it probably because the foundation sweated some. But when I swiped my finger across it, the liquid was oily. This is the first uh-oh for me because it shows the concealer formula isn't blended well & is separating. The next issue is the pigmentation. I prefer a complete coverage concealer, with a lot of pigment to hide under eye bags & redness so I can go lighter on all over foundation. As you can see from the picture, this concealer quad had very,very little color at all. Even with numerous layers of it, I still got hardly no coverage at all. This might work for those lucky gals with flawless skin but for anybody with even the smallest imperfection, I just can't see this working. (On a positive note, the e.l.f. Studio Complete Coverage Concealer does the trick, if you apply it correctly.)
• e.lf. Eyelid Primer in Sheer: This is just to thin to actually work well. It provides very little base and doesn't really intensify your eyeshadow colors or prevent creasing. But try e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in Pearl & Champagne. They work really well and add a very subtle shimmer to matte eyeshadows.
• e.l.f. Mascara Duo: Regular & Waterproof: The first time I bought this, it worked fine. Nothing exceptional about it but it did the trick. When I started to run out, I grabbed 2 more Mascara Duos in black & black brown. From the original opening, the mascara was clumpy, thick & gave just a bare hint of color to my lashes. I suspected I bought an old batch so I threw these in the trash. I decided to do an experiment. I bought a Black Mascara Duo from 2 different Targets. Same thing happened: thick, clumpy mascara that just didn't work.. This isn't even worth the buck!
• e.l.f. Beauty: Face Manual: This is another of e.l.f.'s Beauty Book palettes where you get several different products in one 'book'. This edition comes with 4 face shimmers, 4 concealers, 1 blush & 1 bronzer. First let me say, the shimmers work GREAT! They can be used anywhere and look fabulous! But for the rest of this palette, it doesn't really do much. The concealers are textured more like a foundation & may work well as an all over very light foundation but as far as concealing, it didn't do much. The colors are really orange/yellow based but even after three different applications to one under eye area, I still couldn't tell I had used a concealer at all. The bronzer & blush are ok. Both are great for a very light, slightly shimmery look but for contouring & blushing the cheeks, it would take several coats because these are not pigmented well at all. Except for the 4 shimmers, the other products aren't worth the hassle of trying to get any concealing or contouring accomplished.

There ya have it! Now, I normally love e.l.f. but not every manufacturer can hit the nail on the head every time. There are a lot of hit & misses before nailing the formula perfectly. These products just didn't work well for me. Like with all things opinion based, we all have our own! That's what makes us individuals! Til next time! <3 Missie <3

Say Bye-bye to Under Eye Bags!

Hi guys! I have awful, dark circles which I completely blame on the 3-4 hours of sleep I get a night. I am sure you all have seen Kandee Johnson's video on concealing under eye circles & until a few days ago, I swore my this. But although it hid the discoloration perfectly, the swollen, saggy part of my under eye area was still visible. Since I have tried ever single product to rid myself of this problem to no avail, I decided to play around with it a bit. And woooohooooo....I found the perfect method!!! I am so excited about this! It took ten years off my face without buying all those expensive products. In fact, you can use any brand you choose to get the same results. My motto for makeup, fashion and skin care is "it's what you do...not what brand you use to do it." :-)


Here's what you need to bring back that perfect, baby smooth under eye area.

1. silicone based translucent powder with a clean, makeup pad
2. Cream concealer: one shade lighter than your current skin tone
3. Cream concealer color corrector: 1 green, 1 pink based & 1 yellow based
4. Liquid foundation of your choice (as long as it matches your skin tone)
5. THE BEST TOOL EVER::: Your Fingers (hehe) because they warm up the concealers & foundations for a smoother application. Of course, if you are doing this on someone else, you may want to use a concealer brush.
6. An old or blank, clean & sanitized CD

Now, let's get busy kicking those tacky bags' booties!!

• Start with a clean, moisturized face. Apply your liquid foundation all over your face, avoiding the eye area. Blend well.
• Dab your ring finger into the three corrective concealer colors, getting a small amount of each color on the tip of your finger, and pat this directly into the under eye area in the shape of a crescent moon. Continue to gently pat until the colors aren't visible. Nobody wants to add green, yellow & pink to the blue bags unless you are trying for a rainbow look.
• Use your finger to add about a dime sized amount of the light concealer to the clean CD. Slowly add the silicone translucent powder to this, blending it together with your finger, until the consistency resembles toothpaste. Sounds icky, I know. But it works so well. By using your finger to combine the two, it warms up the mixture for an easier application.
• Use your ring finger to create the triangle under your eye. Draw a line from your inner eye corner down the length of your nose. Now, create a line from inner corner to outer corner of your eye. Connect the outer corner line diagonally down to the bottom of the line by your nose. Here is your concealing triangle. Fill the triangle in with a light coat of the concealer/powder cream. Remember to use light patting motions because this area is damaged very easily.
• Continue to pat the triangle until it is barely visible. Do not blend out; allow the triangle to keep its shape. I know it looks strange & too light/visible for your face but we aren't done yet!!
• Using a small amount of your foundation and gently pat it over the triangle. Continue using your fingers & blend out this foundation into your face.
• For a little extra coverage, apply a light coat of the translucent powder with another makeup pad & gently press it into the triangle area. If you are looking for a deeper coverage, use a powder based foundation over the concealer & your entire face.

By combining the concealer & the powder, you get a more in-depth coverage. The silicone in the powder seeps into the indents & fine lines of your skin and fills them up for a smoother look. When you mix it with the concealer, the silicone fills in the bag area while the concealer hides the colors. You can add the concealer first and top it with the powder but your results will not be as good as combining. Plus, if you add concealer, silicone powder then foundation, you will get a very caked on look. If you do concealer, foundation then the powder, the skin is topped with liquid & therefore blocks the silicone based powder from filling in those lines & sags.

Try it!! You will love it! Concealing under eye bags and loving it...til next time....<3 Missie <3

Bright Eyeliner Tips & Tricks

Hi Guys! I recently received an email question about using brightly colored eyeliners, pinks, purples & greens specifically. These colors are perfect for adding a special P0P to your eyes. Whatever bright color you are wanting to use, keep the rest of your makeup neutral colors & light.
Here are a few tips to get the most of your popping eyeliner!

1. Keep your eyeshadow colors neutral & light. Pale brown, bronze, honey & gray colors are great background colors for bright eyeliners because it makes the color more noticable.
2. Tighten up those water lines with a black eyeliner pencil. This just means to apply a light coat of a basic black eyeliner to each of your lash lines, directly between each of the lashes. Expose the inner lash lines by gently lifting the upper eyelid & pressing gently underneath the eye.
3. Apply two coats of the colored eyeliner on the upper eyelid only, from corner to corner.
4. Find a matching eyeshadow color and add it on top of the colors eyeliner to hold the color in place & make it more vibrant.
5. Use a pencil brush to line the lower lashes with the matching eyeshadow. The eyeshadow will give a smokey, vibrant look to the eye that is harder to achieve with just the eyeliner.
6. Curl your lashes. This will open the eyes up & had to the dramatic effect of the eyes.
7. Apply a generous amount of black mascara. The bright eyeliner color will contrast against the black for a more colorful effect.
8. Keep the cheeks & lips very nude. This brings all the focus to the brightest part of your face, which will be your eyes.

To find the most complimenting colors together, use the color wheel. I even use this when using colored eyeliner so I know if the liner will compliment or contrast with my natural eye color. But you can use this for all sorts of makeup applications, from choosing complimenting eyeshadow colors to matching a shadow color with a cheek color. Nothing looks more clownish than unmatching makeup from your eyes to cheeks to lips.

The most important tip when experimenting with awesome eyeliner colors is to have fun! There are no specific rules, just tips & tricks to getting the most from your makeup. Til next time.... <3 Missie <3

Vitamin E Oil for Those Perfect Imperfections

Hiya guys! I wanted to share with you guy my favorite inexpensive beauty product: vitamin E oil. I use a very inexpensive version of straight vitamin E oil and it only costs around $2.  But I use it for everything. Originally, I purchased it to use as a natural moisturizer for the winter months because I have really, really dry skin. I applied a little oil to my face and neck each night before bed and loved it.

It is now my favorite moisturizer...I don't use anything else.  But I noticed after about two weeks of use that my terribly dark eye bags and laugh lines had improved 100%. So....that got me thinking about the additional uses of vitamin E oil and I decided to try it out for some of these other problem areas, too.

I worked as a facial technician for about 2 years in Originally Organic, a small day spa in my area that used only au naturale products. I had a folder full of natural product info, benefits and things like that. I dug out my folder, found the vitamin E oil section and jumped straight into trying it out...I never really tried out many of the products before.  (Yeah, I know I am crazy for working in an organic spa and still spending tons on skin products that were anything but natural!) I have even wrote several beauty articles about the effects of vitamin E oil on the skin but never really tried it out on myself.

Here is the perfectly imperfect beauty areas that I have seen the most impact on from using vitamin E oil.

• Dry Skin: And I mean dry skin anywhere! Elbows, knees, face, neck...The skin absorbs the oil quickly and it acts as a supplement for sebum, the skin's natural oil. Its amazing!
• Stretch Marks: The effect of vitamin E oil on stretch marks is debatable but I think it all depends on your personal skin type, elasticity and the stretch mark intensity. Let me make it clear, I do not have deep, discolored stretch marks and never have. I have the thin, light stretch marks on my lower abdomen and my hips. Keep in mind, these stretch marks are years old! But after around three weeks of using vitamin E oil, I noticed that I actually had to search for the marks whereas before they were fairly obvious before. I took before and after pics but didn't include them in this post. If anyone would like to see, I'll add them to the post later...I wasn't sure if it would be too weird or not.
• Scarring: This one I didn't try out on myself but instead on my 7 year old daughter. She has a large, triangular shaped scar at the crown of her head where another child hit her with a rock and she had to have stitches. The scar was both discolored and bulging...and it would not grow a single hair. Because of its location, it could be spotted a mile away. I applied the vitamin E oil to the scar each night before bed with a Q-tip and massaged it in for several minutes. Today is day 16 and the scar had lightened significantly. Although it hasn't reduced much in size, the biggest benefit came when I noticed the scar was sprouting out little hairs like crazy. This was the most exciting part because if the scar grows hair, then the hair will hide the scar. Yay!
• Eye Bags and Fine Lines: I already mentioned the change in the eye bags and fine lines but I wanted to touch on it again. The vitamin E oil didn't really effect the color of the eye bags BUT it completely changed the size and shape of the bags. My eye bags are somewhat blueish but the bigger problem is they are deep set and swollen most of the time. Nothing has worked and ever with color corrector, concealer and foundation, their appearance was still rather obvious. However, after the vitamin E oil, the bags are sooooooo much less noticeable. They no longer appear swollen or heavy. The color is still there but it is now much easily hidden with beauty products. As for fine lines, they, too, have reduced in size and heaviness. Vitamin E oil increases the skin's elasticity and therefore, making it much less affected by aging. If the vitamin E oil did absolutely nothing else, I would still use it daily for the effect on my eyes.

There is lots of information out there on vitamin E oil as a beauty product. It has benefits from hair growth to dandruff control and even acne fighting benefits but I can't give an opinion on these benefits because I did not personally try it out for these areas. If I haven't personally used a beauty product.....you won't see it reviewed or suggested on my blog. I was in no way, shape or form paid or endorsed for sharing my thoughts on vitamin E oil with you guys. I just loved the product and its very, very cheap price and wanted to let y'all in on this little beauty secret!

Til next time.... <3 Missie <3

Make Those Lips Kissably RED!

Hi guys! Today's post will be all about red, sexy siren lips. As I stated in one of my Thursday Confessions, I don't really like do the whole bright red lipstick.  (Which reminds me, I missed last weeks confession so this Thursday will have 6 fun facts about me!) I never felt it complemented my face. I have rather large lips, a total jumbo sized cupid's bow. When I use bright, deep colors, all of the focus goes on my plump mouth. It overpowers the rest of my makeup as well as giving my skin a paler appearance and deepening the color of my girl next door freckles. Plus, red lipstick fades quickly and if you don't constantly reapply, your lips take on a orangey, faded old school teacher look. YuCk! Maybe all of that is in my imagination but not anymore. I have found the absolute perfect way to achieve a sexy, kissable siren red lip without it taking over my entire face.

Remember Pinky & the Brain? Everyday they were trying to take over the world. Except in this case, red lipstick was trying to take over my face! But I kept experimenting with different type of red lipsticks, gloss, stain, pigment, matt, shimmer, cream, etc. All gave the same overpowering, Pinky & the Brain effect. Then, I decided to do just a little more playing around to see if I could find a way to pull off this amazingly sexy lip style. If you have issues wearing a red lip but really want to sport this trendy, divalicious look, follow the steps below for a more wearable look.

* Remember, this is a list of products I used. As with any makeup style, use what you have! *

• e.l.f. Corrective Concealer Quad: (Dark Neutral color 4 & Pink color 3)
• e.l.f. Eyelid Primer: Sheer
• e.l.f. Studio Translucent Powder with large powder brush (I used a really fluffy kabuki, purchased from Ulta although I can no longer see the brand or number)
• Cranky Girlz Red Blush lip liner
• Juicy Lips: Red with a lipstick brush (this is a cream lipstick)
• e.l.f. Hypershine Gloss: Vixen

Create a wearable, siren red lip!

1. Use your finger when apply the Dark Neutral shade of the Corrective Concealer because the warmth will soften the concealer for a smoother application. If you are not using the e.l.f. quad, chose a concealer that matches your skin tone. Any type will work.
2. Apply the neutral colored concealer all over your lips and extend out 1/4 of an inch around your lips. Be sure to very gently blend out any visible lines by patting the edges around the concealer.
3. Brush on a very light coat of translucent powder to the area where you placed the concealer. This will lock in the concealer and fill in any lines around your mouth. Now your mouth should resemble a pale, skin toned palette.
4. Apply a few dots of the eyelid primer to your lips and with your index finger, pat it into the area. I wanted a more neutral lip to start the application with as well as trying to maximize the length of time my siren red lipstick stayed in place without touch-ups. Hey, if an eyelid primer can give a lasting eyeshadow application without smearing or creasing and brighten up the pigments of the color, just think what it can do to your lips!
5. Line your lips with a red lip liner. If you have full lips like me, line a little on the inside of your actual lip edge to give your lips a smaller appearance. The concealer and powder will hide the part of your lips you do not line and color.
6. Once again using your finger (I hope you are wiping off your finger after each use and not combining a bunch of products), to fill in the area below your lip liner with the pink corrective concealer like you would a cream gloss or lipstick! There are 2 reasons I added this step but you can skip it if you feel it is too much product. The pink color gives a similar background color to the red and will not alter the shade you are applying. The primer plus powder will lighten your vibrant red. Also, this pink concealer only adds to the stay factor and reduces reapplying time.
7. With a lipstick brush, apply your bright red lip color all over, beginning at the lip liner edge. Do not add a little and then rub your lips together. Instead, use the brush to apply the color and blot once on a tissue.
8. Top your lips with a shiny long-lasting red lip gloss. I used a shiny red from e.l.f in Hypershine Gloss Vixen.

Now you have a perfect, lasting red lip. Instead of taking both the liner, lipstick and gloss in my purse, I only carried around the gloss. Because of the concealers, powders & primers we used, the actual red lipstick will have very little fading. But for touch ups, the red gloss will bring back the brilliant red.

Keep in mind eating and kissing will rub off almost any lipstick application. But don't let that stop you, glossy red lips are meant to be kissed! Til next time....<3 Missie <3

Sculp Those Cheekbones: Contouring How To

Who doesn't want those sexy, sculpted, prominent modelesque cheekbones like Ms. Tyra Banks?

Khloe Kardashian Makeup Tutorial: Dramatic Eyes

Hi guys. I've said it before and I'll say it again.....I love the Kardashian girls! I am watching Kim's Fairytale Wedding-Part Two and realized I hadn't posted my take on a beautiful eye look worn by Khloe Kardashian Odom. Aren't these eyes the sexiest? Khloe is absolutely gorgeous in this photo but when isn't she a knockout? The best thing about this Khloe eye look is that its perfect for day and night.

Instead of using top of the line makeup products, I recreated these sultry eyes with inexpensive eye products so that everyone can capture these dramatic brown eyes. (see below the tutorial for the list of products I used) We know Khloe rocks the best cosmetic products, but who wouldn't if they had the means to do so? Most any look can be recreated with inexpensive products, as long as the colors are similar and the technique is right. Let's get to it!

What you need:

• eye primer (if you don't have a primer, see Step 1 for using what you do have as a substitute)
• white eyeshadow (with just a little shimmer to truly capture the look)
• pale brown eyeshadow
• medium brown eyeshadow
• dark brown eyeshadow
• black eyeliner
• black mascara
• blending eyeshadow brush
• pencil eyeshadow brush
• medium eyeshadow brush
• eyelash curler

Get to work:

1. If you don't have an eye primer, blend in concealer from your upper lash line to your brow and run a small amount under you lower lash line. Top it off with a face powder or translucent powder to seal in the concealer.
2. From upper lash line to eyebrow (especially at your brow's arch), brush on the white eyeshadow with a medium eyeshadow brush to highlight your brow.
3. Choose your matte light brown color; think coffee with cream. With a medium eyeshadow brush, brush this color on from your upper lash line to just below your crease, more specifically in the 1/3 section of your eyelid nearest the inner corner. Also, add a little of this color to your eye's inner corner to open the eye up.
4. Time for the drama! Add a small amount of the dark eyeshadow to your pencil eyeshadow brush. Start in the outside corner, creating a triangle shape covering 1/3 of the lid with a point even with your outer corner. Work the color all the way across the crease. Now, take the blending brush and blend the color in, to avoid harsh lines. Now do the same with the medium brown, blending it up above the crease to the lower part of your brow bone.
5. Take turns adding the darker brown and the medium brown to the outside corner.  Layering colors works to do two things: for a dramatic effect and to give depth to not only your eyes but the colors themselves . Each person is different; each makeup product is different. To capture Khloe's eyes, I layered and blending the colors on top of each other 5 times. It may take you more or less. You'll know when it looks right.
6. Take the pencil brush and run a little of the medium brown color under your lower lash line to bring the eye together.
7. Line your top and bottom lash lines thickly with blackest black eyeliner, even your water line. Curl your lashes and apply several coats of black mascara. All done :-)

It's a pretty simple process. I'll admit blending and layering techniques require practice but if you are an everyday makeup girl like me, you'll have it down pat in no time.

Here's the products I used:

• e.l.f. eye primer

• e.l.f. Professional 100 eyeshadow palette: column 1, color 1 (highlight), column 8, color 1 (light brown), column 9, color 1 (medium brown), column 9, color 10 (dark brown)

• Covergirl Exact Eyelights- black eyeliner

• e.l.f. Lengthening & Defining black mascara

Rocking a Khloe eye til next time.... <3 Missie <3

MAC 2011 Holiday Collection Glitter and Ice

Hi guys! Have any of you purchased MAC's holiday collections this year? I am really loving Glitter and Ice; I can't decide which is my favorite color/piece! Currently, this holiday collection is sold out on the MAC website but  is still available in some MAC store locations. I love the cooler colors, they really compliment my skin tone. Here is a run down of the colors, including a few swatches, descriptions and pictures. For price info on the 2011 Glitter and Ice holiday collection pieces, I have included links for you guys, too.

Glitter and Ice

Glitter and Ice contains 34 pieces, including several of MAC's more popular products like Paint Pots, Dazzleglasses and Mineralized Eyeshadows and much more. The colors are like sleek, marbled glass...just beautiful!!!

Mineralized Eyeshadows

• Snow Season: swirls of pale pink, taupe and hints of bronze
• Hold That Pose!: marbled gray, light pink and mauve
• Fresh Ice: silver sparkle
• Winterized: swirls of multiple colors- beige, taupe, silver, bronze and black
• Frozen Blue: silver and gray with hints of black swirls
• Shimmermint: pale green

 

Paint Pots

• Let's Skate: shimmery pinkish peach, very faint with applied
• For Effect: champagne shimmer
• Morning Frost: black with pearl shimmer

Lipsticks

• Such Flare: matte deep red
• What Joy!: shimmery raspberry (satin)
• Double Spin: pale mauve (cream)
• Soft Sable: taupe (frost)
• Eloquent Air: sheer, shimmery silver (glaze)
• Whirls and Twirls: sheer pink with gold shimmer (glaze)

Dazzleglass

• Spanking Rich: deep reddish pink with silver and fuchsia sparkle
• Pleasure Principle: palest yellow (almost clear with applied) with lots of bright, multicolored sparkle
• Dressed to Dazzle: pale pink with silver sparkle
• Love Alert:  magenta with fuchsia sparkle
• She-Zam: clear gloss with silver sparkle
• Glitter and Ice: nude gloss with silver sparkle

Technakohl Liner

• Practice Makes Perfect: shimmery navy blue
• Going for Gold: gold shimmer
• Silver Skates: shimmery silver
• Smooth Maneuver: black with faint hints of silver
• Seasonally Spicey: brown shimmer
• Fancy Moves: shimmery purple

Nail Polish

• Get Noticed!: matte traditional red
• Unconditionally Fabulous: palest pink (dries almost clear) with multicolor sparkle
• Festive Finery: deep purple/gray with faint glitter

Opulash Mascara

• Bad, Bad Black: standard black mascara

Beauty Powder

• Snowglobe: frosted pink (shimmer)
• How Beautiful!: bronze (shimmer)

*This MAC holiday collection also has a gorgeous pair of false eyelashes!

These are beautiful colors for this fall/winter season. Remember, these items are for a limited time only! As always, for every high end makeup product available, there is a much more affordable, duplicate color out there. If you want to find similar colors to the MAC holiday collection at a more reasonable cost, print out the photos and hit your local drug store or beauty supply store.  Many of these products are just as high quality but cost HALF the price of the MAC line.

Til next time....<3 Missie <3