Drugstore Find: Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Barely Branded

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Maybelline’s Color Tatoos are a fantastic drugstore find. These cream eyeshadows last just as long as any other more expensive version and are just as vibrant and pigmented. Constantly creating new colors and finishes, my current favorite is  Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Barely Branded.

Barely Branded is a warm champagne tone with a metallic/frosted finish. A great dupe/alternative to MAC Bare Study Paint Pot (one of my favorites). A very versatile shade, Barely Branded can be warn on it’s own or as a base to brighten and make shadow stay-put. It has a wonderful creamy consistency that is great for quick and easy application and does not crease or fade, hour after hour.

For a great basic cream shadow that is easily accesible and inexpensive try Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Barely Branded.

How To: Fresh Face

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A fresh face is always in style. Let your inner beauty shine by enhancing your already-beautiful features – not covering them up. Channel that glow-y radiance and opt for an au naturale, fresh face.

NEEDED:

◊ Your Makeup Bag

HOW TO:

PERFECT THE SKIN:

Wash face with your favorite gentle exfoliator. This will help the makeup to blend easily. Favorite: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant.

MOISTURIZE & EVEN OUT SKIN TONE:

Keep skin hydrated with a sheer moisturizer. Try one with light reflecting properties – for a healthy radiance. Favorite: Dr. Jart+ Renewalist Melting Cream

To even out skin tone, grab your favorite – Tinted Moisturizer, Foundation, BB Cream or Mineral Powder – and apply. Choosing the product that provides your favorite finish on the skin – matte, dewy, satin or natural – your choice. Favorite: Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint

Use a damp sponge to create a flawless finish. Favorite: Beauty Blender

CONCEAL FLAWS & HIGHLIGHT:

For visible breakouts and dark spots use a pigment-rich concealer. Dab, blend and build coverage in thin layers. Never use too much concealer, it will just accentuate problem areas. Favorite: Miracle Skin Transformer Treat & Conceal 

Concealing under-circles will instantly light-up the entire face. If you have very dark undereye circles, first apply a salmon-toned color corrector. Favorite: Giorgio Armani Master Corrector

With a luminizing pen dot product under the eye and blend downwards. A luminizing pen brings light and radiance to the skin. It immediately erases any signs of fatigue, and brightens the complexion. This product can then be used as a highlighter on the cheekbones, brow bones and cupids bow. Favorite: YSL Touche Éclat

BRONZE & BLUSH:

Warm-up the skin with a light dusting of your favorite bronzer. Place only where the sun would naturally hit the skin. Temples, cheekbones, a little on the nose and under the jawline for contour. Favorite: Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer

Choose your favorite cream blush. Cream blushes in warm peaches and pinks gives skin a natural, subtle flush. Place on the apples of the cheeks and blend. Favorite: Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Petal Pink

POWDER:

If your skin gets shiny, follow with an oil-absorbing powder. Use only in the T-Zone area. This step can be skipped for those with dry or normal skin. Favorite: Laura Mercier Universal Setting Powder

If you find that you’ve over-powdered, take a tiny bit of light moisturizer, rub it between your palms, and then lightly press your palms onto your cheeks. This will bring back a bit of life to the skin.

BROWS:

Defined arches frame the face, pulling your features into focus. Make sure the brows are groomed and tweezed. Brush and fill them in sparingly with a brow pencil. Favorite: Anastasia Brow Wiz

EYES:

Apply a cream eyeshadow one shade lighter than lid color to the eyelid. Set with a matching eyeshadow and apply this eyeshadow to the inner corner of the eyes. This color can be matte or shimmer – your choice. Favorites: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot & MAC Eyeshadow in Vanilla

Then apply a soft warm brown eyeshadow to the crease area to contour the eye. Using the same soft brown eyeshadow, apply along the lower lashes – blending to ensure no hard edges. This can also be done with your bronzer. Favorite: Urban Decay Single Eyeshadow in Naked

TIGHTLINE:

For extra definition, tightline the eyes with your favorite eyeliner, gel liner, or liquid liner. How-To Tightline Post: HERE.

To make eyes look brighter and wide-awake, apply a nude colored eyeliner to the bottom inner rim.  Favorite: Tarte emphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener

LASHES:

Defined lashes are essential, even for a no-makeup look, you can forfeit shadow and liner, but never mascara. Curl eye lashes and apply two coats of mascara to the top lashes. For an extra boost, use a flat eyeliner brush to grab a bit of mascara from the wand and apply to just the roots of the bottom lashes. Favorite: Fairy Drops Scandal Queen

LIPS:

To get a pretty “your lips but better” look – choose a lipstick, stain, balm or liner that matches your lips perfectly. Press the color into your lips with your fingertip rather than applying it directly from the bullet. Concentrate it in the center and blend out. Favorite: Fresh Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment

Tropical Inspiration: Aqua Eyes

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Bold, turquoise green eye makeup is a perfect summer look. Tropical inspiration from ocean blues and palm frawn greens will make any eye color pop. This color family come in all sorts of textures and consistencies, choose from metallic, shimmering or pastel shades.

Aqua eyes is great look for both day or night. Start with a vibrant turquoise or shimmering green powder or cream eyeshadow and apply all over the lid. Build for more color or leave for a sheer wash. If you don’t want color on the entire lid, try a simple liner. Draw a thin or thick line on the upper or lower eyelid. For true vibrancy, first line the eye with a white pencil and go over with your favorite kohl, liquid or gel liner. This will bring the color to life.

Brighter colors tend to have more pigment and last longer on the skin – so less is more. It’s easier to build color if more is needed,  but harder to remove color if you put too much on.

Here are a few of my favorite tropical-inspired products.

Dior ~ Croisette Edition: $60.00

NARS ~ Shimmer Eyeshadow in Tropic: $24.00

Make Up For Ever ~ Aqua Eyes in 7L – Turquoise: $18.00

Urban Decay ~ 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Siren: $19.00

YSL ~ Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Waterproof in Majorelle Blue: $30.00

MAC ~ Fluidline in Waveline: $15.00

Maybelline ~ Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow in Tenacious Teal & Edgy Emerald: $6.99 (each)

Smashbox ~ Limitless 15 Hour Wear Cream Shadow: $19.00

How To: Quick Smokey Eye

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The key to any smokey eye look is proper blending. The goal is to achieve a gradient effect, dark to light. Standard black is not your only option, experiment with color. Here’s how:

NEEDED:

⋄ Cream Eyeshadow that matches skintone or Eyeshadow Primer

⋄ Powder Eyeshadow that matches skintone

⋄ Kohl Eye Pencil

⋄ Powder Eye Shadow that matches Kohl Eye Pencil

⋄ Pencil Brush

⋄ Q-Tip

⋄ Mascara

HOW-TO:

1. Apply cream eyeshadow or primer over eyelid to create a smooth base. Apply matching powder eyeshadow to set.

2. Use kohl eye pencil to trace top lashline from the inner to outer corners (this does not need to be perfect).

3. With pencil brush – start smudging. The goal is to have the darkest line close the lashline as color fades up.

4. Dip pencil brush in matching eyeshadow and blend the color up and outward from the pencil liner. (the higher you take this on the eyelid the more dramatic the look).

5. On the lower lashline, use kohl eye pencil to create tiny dots between lashes.

6. With pencil brush – start smudging. Dip pencil brush in matching eyeshadow and smudge to set.

7. Use Q-Tip to clean-up. Finish with two heavy coats of black mascara.

Optional: For more drama, line upper and lower waterline.

Tip: I like to finish this look by sweeping a light soft brown eyeshadow in the crease. This will warm-up the entire eye area.

The Minimalist: Becca Eye Tint in Baroque

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What I look for in a cream eyeshadow: ability to stand alone, crease-proof, and coverage.

BECCA Eye Tint in Baroque covers all of these and more. The color is a pale mushroom beige with golden undertones. Perfect for all skintones, this color gives off the perfect sheen. The lightweight formula has a cashmere-feel that glides onto the eyelid smoothly. Water-resistant, this product will not smudge or gravitate into creases or wrinkles. Long-lasting and perfect for on-the-go application, using just fingers.

BECCA Eye Tints combine the easy and even application of a cream with the matte finish of a powder. It can be used alone or as a base, layered under powder eyeshadow. Any shadow placed on top will be more vibrant and true to color. It also acts as camouflage for fine veins and thin translucent skin on the eyelid.

TIP: Shake tube before using, formula can break-up inside applicator.

How To: Glitter

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Sparkle this holiday season with a little glitter.

Application of glitter can go terribly wrong… fast. It is messy and can look too theatrical if not careful. To make glitter appear chic and sophisticated, use only a small amount in a concentrated area.

Start with product. The Illusion D’Ombre Eyeshadows by Chanel are by far my favorite. They have intense pigmentation and provide a classic shimmering effect with one easy-to-use swipe. They can be used with fingers or a very dense brush for perfect application. If actual glitter is desired, loose pigments/glitter are best. Make Up Forever Glitters are soft, concentrated and finely-milled for super sparkle.

How To Apply Glitter:

➺ On clean eyelids, apply eyeshadow primer from lash line to brow bone. (Favorite: Urban Decay Primer Potion)

➺ The glitter will need something to adhere to, apply a cream eyeshadow to the lid. This can be nude or a color that compliments the glitter. (Favorite: MAC Paint Pot)

➺ Using a small synthetic brush, dip into the glitter. Tap off excess.

➺ Press the glitter onto the lid in a dabbing motion. Do not sweep.

➺ Mist a setting spray gently on the eyes and wait to dry. (Favorite: Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray)

✴ If this technique is still too messy, on the back of hand or artist’s palette, mix cream eyeshadow and glitter together and apply to the lid. With glitter application, fallout is expected. Make sure to do eye makeup first and face makeup second. Dab the fallout with scotch tape to clean any loose particles.

Glow-T Gift Guide: Eyes

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Glow-T’s Gift Guide continues with eyes. Give the gift of  beauty this year with glamorous holiday sets. Playful, sparkly, pretty and glittery, these sets provide hundreds of beautiful eye-looks. From coveted neutral palettes to amazing collectors items, here are a few gift ideas for the glamour girl in your life.

Nordstrom ~ Bobbi Brown Long Wear Eyeliner Kit: $42.00

Beauty.com ~ Too Faced Brushes Essential 3 Piece Set: $39.00

NARS ~ Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself Eyes: $85.00

Urban Decay ~ Naked 2 Palette: $50.00

Sephora ~ MAKE UP FOR EVER Wild & Chic Aqua Cream Collection: $175.00