Golden FOTD and Maybelline Illegal Lengths First Impression

Happy Friday! Today I am sharing a golden eye look I played around with and my first impressions of Maybelline's Illegal Lengths mascara.

In a previous post I wrote about Tarte's Smoldereyes jumbo liners and how I just am not a fan. I keep playing around with them to try and make them work for me, and I did have some success with them in this look. After running Laura Mercier Cafe Au Lait through the crease, I placed the Gold Smoldereyes jumbo liner in the outer and inner third of the lid, as well as under the lower lashline. In the center of the lid I placed NYX  Yellow Pearl and ran Antique Gold, a green-gold color, in the crease as well.

Since I was having a good Smoldereyes day I thought I would try my luck with the skinny black Smoldereyes liner and lined my top lid and waterline with it.

For mascara, I used Maybelline's Illegal Lengths for the first time. Let's talk about that, shall we?

Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara First Impressions

Maybelline Illegal Lengths is a fiber extension mascara. Some people experience irritation or severe flaking of the fibers as they fall off from your regular lashes. As a lover of bold lashes, I am always looking for something give me a false-lash effect, and wanted to try this out. It did apply easily and this was only two coats.

 Once concern I have so far is that you can see the fibers sticking out at odd angles from my regular lashes...they look like they've gone haywire! I'll have to see if a lash comb helps with this, but if it just removes the fiber, what is the point? Granted, most people are not as up close to my lashes as these photos, but it is a bit annoying.

In comparing to my other mascaras, it does seem to give me more length and a good amount of volume. So far I am very interested to see how this mascara ends up working out and will be wearing it for another week or so before I give a full review.

FOTD Products Used:
Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer
NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Dark  Brown/Brown
Tarte Smoldereyes Jumbo Liner in Gold
 Tarte Smoldereyes Skinny Liner in Black
NYX Eyeshadows in Antique Gold and Yellow Pearl (round trio)
Laura Mercier shadow in Cafe au Lait (crease), Vanilla Nuts (browbone and inner corner)
Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara in Blackest Black (top)
Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof in Black (bottom lashes)

What products have you tried lately?

XO
Beauty Cents

MAC Sketch: Swatch and in two FOTD's!

Hi there! One of my favorite eyeshadows to play with is MAC Sketch. It's part of their permanent collection and I see it used in YouTube tutorials quite often. I have had it in my makeup bag for years. Today I thought I would share swatches for any of you who have considered it or are in the market for a dark plum, as well as show you two ways I wore Sketch this week.

 Sketch is great because it is so blendable and buildable, like most MAC shadows. Want a light wash of medium plum? Does that. Want a smokey plum eye? Does that too. How about a wine liner? No problem. It is so versatile that it is no wonder many people consider it a staple. The swatch above is just one layer. Like with every other MAC shadow I have owned, the staying power on this is really impressive and literally lasts all day and well into the evening without a touch up.

So, how did I use Sketch this week? Have a look, and let me know what you think! I am always trying to improve and change up my techniques.

Sketch FOTD #1: Plum All Around

 Here I worked Sketch into the crease and lower lashline, with Lancome Color Design eyeshadow in #311 "You've Got the Look" on the lid. You've Got the Look is in the same family as Sketch but is a shimmer with a good amount of glitter in it. There's a good amount of fall out with this shadow, so I definitely recommend tapping it out well before applying to your lid. I also worked NYX Sahara (dupe for MAC Naked Lunch) along the lashline, inner corner and under the brown to lighten up. This ended up being a little more dramatic and bold than I normally do during the daytime, especially as a glasses wearer, but I was pretty pleased with it anyway!

 Products Used:

Lancome Teint Idole Foundation in Bisque 2C

NYX Mosaic Powder Blush in 06 Rosey

NYX Sahara

Lancome Color Design 311 You've Got the Look

MAC Sketch

Rimmel Scandaleyes Liner in Nude

Sephora Waterproof Smokey Cream Liner in Must Have (black)

Buxom Amplified Lash Mascara

NYX Brow Cake Powder in 02 Dark Brown/Brown

Sketch FOTD #2

Following the earlier FOTD's high level of vibrancy (for me!), I tried out a toned down use of Sketch by pairing it with a gold shadow on the lid and just blending the two pretty well.

I worked Sketch under my lower lash line, gold into the inner corner, and Kat Von D's Enjoy The Silence (from her True Romance Shadow palette in Saint) on the browbone. I am totally aware my eyeliner job is quite sloppy on this eye! But hey, I can't be the only girl who is flying out of the door on work mornings like a crazy person.

Products Used:
Palladio Cosmetics Herbal Wet/Dry Powder Foundation in Cypress Beige
NYX Mauve Blush
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Sandstorm
NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Dark Brown/Brown
Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer in Light
Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Eyeshadow in Gold
Mac Sketch
Kat Von D Enjoy The Silence Eyeshadow
Revlon Colorstay Liner in Black Brown
Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude (waterline)
Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake

What do you guys think? How have you used Sketch? Is it a staple in your makeup bag, too?

FOTD: On Trend, Office Friendly Spring Turquoise Liner

Hey everyone!

I am seeing blue, green, and purple liners all over the place on YouTube for the spring, especially on the lower lash line. Here's my take using MAC Steamy shadow as a liner:

I used gold on the lid, tan in the crease, and MAC's Steamy, a great frosty turquoise shadow on my lower lid as well as halfway through my lash line. I followed the blue out under my winged eyeliner for a little oomph that still felt office appropriate!

Have you tried this trend?

Products Used:
Garnier Miracle Skin Perfecter for Oily/Combo in Light/Medium
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder 
Laura Mercier Eyeshadow in Camo
Laura Mercier Eyeshadow in Cafe au Lait
MAC Eyeshadow in Steamy
Tarte SmolderEyes liner in black
Buxom Amplified Lash Mascara in black
NYX Brow kit in medium/dark
NYX blush in Mauve

XO,
Beauty Cents
 

Face Of The Day: Goldi-Bronze

Hello all!

I thought I'd share with you my Face of the Day. I am certainly not a makeup expert or artist, just a regular 20something trying to find looks that work best for me and my coloring. At the very least, I hope sharing this helps anyone considering a product see what it looks like on someone with my complexion.

I work in an industry where I can get away with a little creativity, so sometimes I take advantage of that with colored eyeliners and so on. I've named this look Goldi-Bronze because of the eyeshadows used.

 I used a gold shimmer shadow as the base and a copper-bronze in the crease. I topped it with a shimmer brow highlight.

I had a little fun by using a Stila smudgestick in Moray as my liner. Its a really gorgeous olive green. I will definitely swatch and do a review of this in a bit. Its dark enough to define the eye, but still gives you some glitz. I also used Rimmel's ScandalEyes in nude for my inner rim.

I completed the look with a light/medium pink lipstick and a soft blush. I feel like this one (NYX Mauve) is great for giving a little flush without overpowering anything.

Products Used:
Revlon Colorstay for Combination/Oily Skin in Buff
Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer
Laura Geller The Real Deal Concealer in Light
NYX Brow Kit
Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Wet/Dry Eyeshadow in Gold Rush
MAC Eyeshadow in Mythology
Stila Smudge Stick in Moray
Rimmel ScandalEyes in 005 Nude
Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara in Black
NYX Mauve blush
Rimmel Airy Fairy lipstick
ELF powder and eyeshadow brushes
Bare Escentuals blush brush
Not Pictured: Benefit Hoola bronzer

Hope this post helps you see how any of the products used looks on fair skin!

XO,
Beauty Cents