Helpful Eye Makeup Pictorials

Do you love those smoky eyes you see in magazines? Love to do a cat eye, but can never get it to look right? I recently came across this article on Glamour.com and it has great pictures and instructions, so I thought I'd share - Five Super Helpful Eye Makeup Pictorials. You can see:

• The sultry smoky winged eye
• The traditional cat-eye
• The smoky metallic eye
• The multi-tonal eye
• The 'natural' eye    

(from India-Jewel Jackson on Pinterest)

I've tried the natural eye and it's so easy to do. It takes just a couple of minutes to do both eyes and it's great for an every day look! Now if only I could get my eyebrows to look like those in the pictures...

Maybelline Dream Fresh Beauty Balm

Continuing on with my tinted moisturizer adventure, I bought Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector. Is BB Cream a tinted moisturizer? Sort of - but it does a little more than the typical tinted moisturizer.

Beauty Balm (sometimes referred to as Blemish Balm) is a single product that perfects the skin's appearance while also protecting it from the sun and environmental factors. Some also offer other benefits - but it varies from product to product.

Here's the "8" in Maybelline's 8-in-1:

• Blurs imperfections
• Brightens
• Evens skin-tone
• Smoothes
• Hydrates
• Enhances
• Protects with SPF 30
• 0% Oils and heavy ingredients

I purchased mine at the local Ulta store - it was $8.99, plus the Maybelline products were buy one, get one 50% off - and I was able to use a $3.50 off $10 coupon. So I got the BB Cream & a lipstick for $9 and change - great deal!!

The store had a display set up in the center aisle, and they had little tester bottles of all the colors. I really appreciate it when a store does that! This product comes in five different shades (most BB creams come in one or two): light, light/medium, medium, medium/deep, and deep. After trying both the medium and medium-deep, I picked the medium-deep. I almost never need anything this shade, so I think the colors tend to run a little light.

In the above picture, you can see that the sunless tan on my hand is a little uneven - and the lighting is a bit off, so the BB cream looks a little on the orange side (it's not).

As you can see, once the product was blended, the color on my hand looks more natural, and the uneven areas of color are not noticeable. This picture is a more accurate indication of the color.

This product is really nice - especially for the price. It has a creamy consistency, no fragrance (that I noticed), it's easy to apply and blend, and you can layer it for more coverage. It is a little on the sheer side, but as I said, you can layer it - and you can also use concealer (I use Amazing Cosmetics' Amazing Concealer in medium beige), and powder (I use a mix of Meow Cosmetics' Pampered Puss Naughty Chartreux & Flawless Feline Fierce Chartreux). For me, it lasted all day with a light dusting of powder, and I didn't notice any more oiliness than usual - as a matter of fact, there may have been less oil. Plus, it did seem to make my skin look a little more smooth - I like that!

Bottom line - I still like Cover Girl NatureLuxe foundation best, but this is a close second. It's a nice product, and I would buy it again.

Aveeno Tinted Moisturizer

If you read my review on the Cover Girl products the other day, then you saw that I mentioned also purchasing an Aveeno product. I'm going to review that product now - it's called Positively Ageless Correcting Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30. I bought this at ulta.com, and the price was $19.99.

I love that this product is in an airless pump bottle! Less mess, the product doesn't get contaminated or exposed to air - it's great. Unfortunately, that's where the greatness ends. I will say that the consistency of the product isn't bad. It's creamy and smooth - there's no separation like you sometimes see in products that have a higher SPF. However, it's too thick and is difficult to blend. It also has a pretty strong fragrance - both a sunscreen smell and a perfume smell - and it's not pleasant. Another drawback is that the color is really orange-y.

Lulu has a different Aveeno tinted moisturizer - hers is called Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30. She doesn't really like hers either. It's in a different type of pump bottle, and the product is not smooth at all. It appears to be separated and when you try to smoosh it around to mix it, it's a little lumpy. Ick. The color is better, but she has the lightest shade, which would never work for me while I have a sunless tan.

My plan is to return this product to Ulta - and buy something else. :-)

Cover Girl Tinted Moisturizers

I've been trying some new tinted moisturizers lately. I used to love Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer, but for some reason, it feels a little heavy and greasy to me now. So when Ulta had their Cover Girl items "buy one get one 50% off", and the tinted moisturizer was already on sale, and I had a coupon for $3.50 off $10, and if I spent $25 I got free shipping and a bag of samples - how could I resist??

I bought the Cover Girl Smoothers SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer in light to medium (they also have fair to light) and the Natureluxe Silk Foundation in Dune. Now I know the Natureluxe isn't really a tinted moisturizer, but it is a lightweight foundation with SPF - and it was on sale for $6.99 (reg. $11.99) - so I wanted to give it a try. I also bought an Aveeno tinted moisturizer, but I'll do a separate review on that.

In the past, Cover Girl and I haven't been friends. I hated the smell of their products, I could never find a color match, the consistency was icky, and my skin was always oily with breakouts. I have to say that I'm glad we can be friends now - I really liked both of these products - and they had great reviews on Ulta.com, so I'm not alone.

The Cover Girl Smoothers SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer has a really light consistency that is easy to apply. There is just a faint hint of product and it's not unpleasant. I did get the darkest color offered and it's almost too light for me - so if you have a dark tan, this probably won't work for you. Once it's applied, it dries in a couple of minutes, leaving your face feeling like you're not wearing makeup. If you have areas that are uneven in color, you will most likely need to use a bit of concealer or add some powder. The coverage isn't the sheerest I've seen, but it's not the best for uneven skin tones. I did apply a light dusting of powder over it and it lasted all day. I really didn't have any more oiliness than usual. With some added protection from a good (matte) sunscreen, this would be great for at the beach or regular daytime wear. As you can see from the pictures, it looks like it's a pretty good color match - but it's really just a half shade too light.

The Natureluxe Silk Foundation is probably my new favorite foundation. I love this stuff!! It has a great consistency that is easy to apply, and it has a bit more coverage than the tinted moisturizer while still maintaining that lightweight feeling of wearing no makeup. It also doesn't settle into creases or lines. There is a very faint scent, but it smells more like "ingredients" rather than an actual fragrance. If you need a little more coverage, you can layer this a bit without it looking caked-on. Dune is a really good match for me and it also pairs well with Amazing Cosmetics' Little Amazing Concealer in Medium Beige. I haven't noticed any more oiliness than usual - and I do top it with a dusting of powder. This product does only have an SPF of 10, so I wouldn't rely on it at all to provide enough protection from UV rays.

What's your favorite tinted moisturizer?

10 Beauty Products...

I just read an interesting article on Glamour.com: The 10 beauty products every woman should own ...


Their list:

1. blush
2. concealer
3. eye cream
4. red lipstick
5. BB cream
6. mascara
7. dry shampoo
8. deep conditioner
9. face wipes
10. sunscreen

I disagree with a few of their choices. I never wear red lipstick. I never use face wipes for fear that the ingredients will cause irritation or breakouts. And I never (well, almost never) deep-condition my hair. So I made a list of my own...

My list:

1. a good broad-spectrum sunscreen (I like Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion, spf 60 and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock spf 70
2. tinted moisturizer or BB cream (I'm testing some new ones, so I'll let you know my favorites)
3. blush (I love Meow Cosmetics' Delusions - they describe it as a soft, dusty pink, but on me it's a peachy pink)
4. mascara (my favorite is Maybelline's Full & Soft (washable), it's inexpensive & reminds me of Dior Show)
5. mascara base (IMO, the only one worth using is Shiseido's Nourishing Mascara Base)
6. concealer (I really like Amazing Cosmetics' Amazing Concealer - I buy the "to-go" size, it lasts a long time)
7. eye cream (the one I'm using is an eye cream & concealer in one - Olay Total Effects Eye Cream + Concealer - however, I can't find a link for it, so I assume they stopped making it (of course) and I'll soon be on the hunt for a new one)
8. dry shampoo (I use the one from IFP, but I also like Oscar Blandi's Pronto & I've heard Batiste is good)
9. YLBB/nude lipstick/lipgloss (the best will vary since everyone is different, but I like Benefit's Full-Finish Lipstick in Lady's Choice & Sally Hansen's Natural Beauty Forever Stay Moisture Gloss in Sparkling Nude)
10. makeup setting spray (I like Urban Decay's All Nighter)

So what's on your list?

Facial Moisturizer Reviews

I've tried several facial moisturizers recently - some were anti-aging, some were just "plain" moisturizers - so I'm going to share my thoughts on each. I don't usually use a moisturizer on my face (other than I Feel Pretty's Pretty Pearlfection Facial Lotion), but some of these were really nice.

Algenist Concentrated Reconstructing Serum
Pros: thin, clear serum with a nice consistency, absorbs quickly & completely, no discernible fragrance
Cons: Very pricey; comes in a dropper bottle (I would have preferred some type of pump bottle that didn't expose the product to air - especially at this price level.)
Repurchase? No - mostly due to price
Price: 1 oz. - $95
Ingredients: Water/Eau (Aqua), Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Niacinamide, Algae Exopolysaccharides, Tetrapeptide-21, Beta-Glucan, Algae Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit (Apple) Cell Culture Extract, Inula Crithmoide Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris (Bamboo) Leaf/Stem Extract, Glucosamine HCL, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Ergothioneine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Sorbitol, Xanthan Gum,  Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzoic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Citral, Fragrance (Parfum), Phenoxyethanol.
Product description from the Algenist website: "A smooth, advanced anti-aging serum formulated with a high concentration of the revolutionary ingredient alguronic acid to rebuild skin firmness and elasticity while restoring skin density and elasticity. Wrinkles are minimized and skin radiance is boosted."
Note: I used this for almost two weeks & I don't think I saw any difference. Maybe someone who wasn't already using anti-aging products would see a difference. For the price of the product, I would've liked to have seen some change within 2 weeks.

Boscia Recharging Night Moisture Cream
Pros: this is probably a good moisturizer for those who require a thicker, more moisturizing cream
Cons: smells like ashes/charcoal, too thick/greasy for me (and probably for those who tend to be oily or prone to breakouts)
Repurchase? No
Price: 1.4 oz. - $44
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Squalane, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium (Willowherb) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Ampelopsis Grossedentata Extract, Phytosterol, Glycogen, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa (Peony) Root Extract, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Carboxymethyl Dextran, Potassium Carbomer, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Extract
Product description from Boscia website: "A concentrated moisturizer that works overnight to nourish and revitalize the skin. Repairs, strengthens and improves skin elasticity and firmness."

shipping information

Shipping Information:

This product can be shipped to any country to which SkinStore currently ships.

DOT Restrictions:

There are no restrictions on the delivery of this item - you may elect to have this item sent Next Day, 2 Day, or through our standard delivery method.

additional information

Note: I really hate that so many of the Boscia products have that nasty ashtray smell.

DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-free Moisturizing Dew
Pros: clear, lightweight product with no fragrance, absorbs quickly & completely; comes in an airless pump bottle
Cons: may not be moisturizing enough for those with dry skin
Repurchase? Probably - this is a nice product for those who like a light moisturizer
Price: 1.67 oz. - $38
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalene, Beeswax, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Triethanolamine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Allantoin, DMDM Hydantoin, Polysorbate 80, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice.
Product description from DDF website: "An oil-, fragrance-, and dye-free moisturizer for all skin types, including acne-prone skin. Contains aloe vera, vitamins A, E and C, and grapeseed for comfortable hydration. Will not clog pores. Lanolin-free."
Note: This was one of my favorites. It's a very nice oil-free, fragrance-free, lightweight moisturizer that comes in an airless pump bottle & isn't outrageously priced.

L'Occitane Radiance Moisturizing Cream
Pros: none for me
Cons: thick cream that never completely absorbed, slightly medicinal fragrance, caused a lot of itching on my neck (most likely due to the fragrance)
Repurchase? No. I think this product has been discontinued, but I wouldn't buy it if I could.
Price: ?
Ingredients: I'm not going to bother typing them since the product doesn't seem to be available
Note: I really wish cosmetic companies would stop putting so much fragrance in their products. So many people have sensitivities - and this one was very heavily fragranced.

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation
Pros: lightweight, white lotion-like product that absorbs quickly & completely
Cons: may not offer enough moisture for those with dry skin; it's in a jar (I wish it came in an airless pump bottle like the Truth Serum)
Repurchase? Possibly - I liked this one a lot
Price: 1.7 oz. - $45
Ingredients: Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Tribehenin, Glycerin, Steareth-20, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Sucrose Dilaureate, Polysorbate 20, Cyclomethicone, Octyldodercanol, Xanthan Gum, Pisum Sativum (Pea Extract), Steareth-2, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fusanus Spicatus Wood Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Seed Extract, Sorbitol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Berberis Vulgaris Fruit, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Vaccinium Myrtilus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limomum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Calcium Ascorbate, Dimethyl Sulfone, Superoxide Dismutase
Product description from Ole Henriksen site: "So sheer in texture, this luxurious oil-free cream feels light and silky as it penetrates the skin and helps fade discolorations such as freckles, age spots and sun damage without the use of chemicals. Instantly nourishes and retexturizes the skin, smoothes facial lines and provides intense free radical protection to prevent further damage."
Note: This was one of my favorites - if it came in a pump bottle, I would've already bought a full-size

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster
Pros: lightweight, oil-free, orange-colored serum that applies easily & absorbs quickly; contains antioxidants; non-irritating & didn't cause breakouts; love the airless pump bottle that the full-size product comes in
Cons: I felt that it left my skin feeling slightly tacky, but it could be that I applied it too heavily (I don't think I did, but who knows?)
Repurchase? Maybe.
Price: 1 oz. - $48
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Calcium Ascorbate, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Euphrasia Officinalis Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Oleth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Benzophenone-4, Sodium Hyaluronate, Thioctic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Fragrance (Parfum), Yellow 6.
Product description from Ole Henriksen site: "Like a daily vitamin for your face, this high powered vitamin C complex helps smooth out lines and wrinkles and prevents further damage. Loaded with antioxidants to fight off environmental aggressors and moisture-binding ingredients to keep your skin nourished and protected, this aromatic serum is absorbed instantly and penetrates to the deeper layers of the skin to provide long term results. Sensitive skin prone to irritation will benefit immensely from the calming properties of this oil-free serum."
Note: My skin seems to like the Ole Henriksen line of products. I will probably buy this one in the fall & use it throughout the winter months.

Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer

How many disappointing products have you tried in your search for the perfect concealer? If you're like me, it's way more than you expected - and you're tired of looking. Well, look no further!!

I read about Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer somewhere - and it had really good reviews. I've been wanting to try it for awhile now, but that would involve a trip to Sephora to get samples - and I always seem to forget.

Luckily, an Ulta recently opened about 5 miles from my house - and they carry Amazing Cosmetics. Gus & I stopped in there the other day to take advantage of the $7.99 Shaper hairspray deal, and while I was there, I asked for a sample of the Amazing Concealer. A salesperson helped me determine that Medium Beige was most likely the best color match, and she gave me a generous sample to take home. (There are 10 different shades.)

This stuff is truly AMAZING!! I love it! It has a wonderful consistency, is easy to apply, and offers great coverage. And you only need to use a tiny amount! They gave me about a teaspoon of product - I've used it for a week and I haven't even made a dent in the sample. I apply with a small concealer brush.)

This stuff stays in place all day long - even when I'm cleaning the house or exercising. It doesn't separate at all - it really is unnoticeable except for the fact that it has completely concealed whatever you were trying to conceal. Skin just looks like perfect skin.

Pros: great consistency, easy to apply, waterproof, no creasing, lasts until you remove it with cleanser, a tiny amount gives great coverage, doesn't look "cakey" under powder
Cons: ? - I can't think of any. Price may be a factor for some, but the smaller tube is affordable & should last a long time.
Repurchase? Yes - ASAP!!
Ingredients: Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Petrolatum, Lanolin Oil, Ozokerite, PVP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Cucumbar Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol. May contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI77492)
Price: $28 for 0.2 oz., $42 for 0.5 oz.
Note: I was a little concerned about breakouts when I saw the first three ingredients, but so far, I haven't had any problems. If I do have issues down the road, I will update this review. Also - when the salesperson tried the Medium Beige concealer on my skin, I felt it was a little too light - but the darker ones seemed to have too much peach in them. After trying it for a week, the Medium Beige is definitely the right shade - so be sure to try the product for a few days before deciding on a color.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind foundation

I really like Maybelline's Super Stay foundation (True Beige), but it's a little heavy - especially for summer. Plus the color only works if I'm sporting a fairly dark medium tan. I wear Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 (Sand) a lot in the summer, but sometimes, it's not quite enough. So I thought I'd give Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment makeup a try.

As you can see, it has a funky domed sponge applicator tip (similar to a flocked makeup sponge), and you turn the maroon collar to dispense the makeup into the applicator (like some lipglosses). Supposedly, this applicator will help "erase" lines. I assume it does this by keeping too much makeup from getting into facial lines. Does it work? Eh. Not impressed. For me, it just seemed to take the makeup right off my face, leaving very little behind.

The label says that the product offers SPF 18 and super-concentrated goji berry & collagen (supposed to tighten & improve skin's elasticity). I can't say for sure whether it works or not because I didn't use it enough to see a change.

I purchased 190 Nude - and that color does work well with a very light sunless tan (like I have in the winter). But it's too light for my summer sunless tan. There is just a very faint fragrance to the product - it's not horrible & does dissipate quickly. It also has a nice texture/consistency - but it is just too sheer for me. It's even more sheer than the LM Tinted Moisturizer.

However - all is not lost! The Maybelline Super Stay foundation that I find too heavy & dark works wonderfully well in summer when mixed 50/50 with the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, which is too sheer & light. It's a really  nice consistency and gives medium coverage. I do find that my face tends to get a little oilier after a few hours with the Instant Age Rewind added, but a little IFP pearl powder or powdered mineral makeup takes care of that.

Are you wondering how I mix the two foundations together when the Age Rewind has a domed covered top? It's easy. I just twist the maroon color until a pea-sized amount of the foundation appears on the applicator, then I use my finger to remove it. I have a small glass rice dish that I use for mixing makeup - so I just put that in the bowl, then add about the same amount of the Super Stay!

Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base

Do you remember when I blogged about my holy grail eyelash product, The Makeup Mascara Base by Shiseido? It's the only thing that makes mascara work on my faulty eyelashes.

I had a moment of panic a few months ago when I heard that Shiseido was no longer going to be available from US stores. Then I heard that they were only going to sell it from their own US store. For some reason, I was still able to get one last tube from Sephora.

Then about 3 months (?) ago, I noticed that Sephora no longer had any Shiseido products - but they hadn't taken down the links to the Shiseido page. I started scouting around for the Makeup Base elsewhere on the internet. No luck. Panic set in. Surely they weren't discontinuing my favorite product? I NEED this stuff!! What was I thinking? Of course they were discontinuing it - that's what happens to just about every product I love.

When Sephora had their friends & family discount, I searched for Shiseido again - and this time they had some Shiseido products!! No Mascara Base. Sadness. But I did see a product called Nourishing Mascara Base. The reviews were mixed - with a lot of people saying that it didn't work as well as the original. I decided to give it a try anyway.

OMG. I love this stuff!! I like it even more than the original!

I didn't save a list of the original product's ingredients, but I found this on Makeup Alley:
Original product ingredients: C11-12 isoparaffin, dextrin palmitate, polyethylene, cyclomethicone, trimethylsiloxysilicate, polymethylsilsesquioxane, microcrystalline wax, isostearic acid,  trioctanoin, phytosteryl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, tocopheryl acetate, silica, macadamia ternifolia oil, methicone, tetradecene, iron oxides, titanium dioxide, mica 
Nourishing Mascara Base ingredients (from the box): C11-12 isoparaffin, dextrin palmitate, disteardimonium hectorite, trimethylsiloxysilicate, isododecane, sucrose tetrastearate triacetate, PEG-10 dimethicone, polyethylene, macadamia seed oil, polyglyceryl-6 esters behenate, butylene glycol, water, hydrogenated polysobutene, sucrose tetrasostearate, PEG-20 hydrogenated castor oil trisostearate, trimethylsiloxysilylcarbamoyl pullulan, arginine, nylon-12, ultramarines, tocopherol, zinc oxide, polysilicone-2, silica, BHT

The cost is the same - $23 at Sephora. The brush is different - it's a really skinny brush with short bristles, as opposed to the fuller, tapered brush with the original. The consistency is also different - it's more of a thin gel now. The color is still clear. For me, this product goes on more smoothly and really makes my lashes hold the curl. Mascara is easier to apply and doesn't clump - and it stays on all day. I feel like this product may last longer than the original, too.

Definitely a keeper!!

Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder

I'm not a big fan of finishing powders - mostly because I've never really found one that did anything wonderful for my skin. Until now. I used a code to get a free sample of the new Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder (and mini fan brush) from Sephora. I put off using it for a couple of weeks because I figured it wasn't going to be any different from all the others I had tried. Wrong.

For some reason, this powder does great things for my skin! It doesn't have any spectacular ingredients - nor are there any ingredients that I haven't tried in the past. But whatever it is about this powder, it works for me and I love this stuff!

It's a very finely milled mixture of calcium aluminum borosilicate and silica. It's very white, but it completely disappears when you apply it. It seriously only takes about 1/8 tsp. (maybe a little less) applied with a fan brush to cover my entire face.

It doesn't give my face a totally matte look (but matte doesn't look that great on mature skin anyway), but it makes my pores so much less noticeable. I don't get any oily breakthrough or separation of my makeup - which has been an issue in the past with finishing powders. Another great thing is that it works for me whether I'm sporting my natural pale skintone or a light or medium tan.

A 0.4 oz full-size jar is $34 at Sephora.

Everyday neutral brown look...

This is just a quick & easy neutral brown look that I do a lot because it's, well, quick & easy, LOL!

(I know, I know! I'm really pale! I haven't used self-tanner in over 2 months!)

Have a great holiday weekend!!

Meow Evil Eye

I am totally in love with Meow Cosmetics' Evil Eye eye shadow!! Such a pretty color! It was part of their Halloween Zombies Collection. It ended up looking mostly grey on me, but according to the description on the site, it is "dark plum/purple with blue-black undertones and bronzed metallic iridescence".

(I misspelled the shadow I used on my lid - it's actually "Thalia" - 

it was misspelled on my sample baggie, LOL!)

Purple and green everyday look...

For some reason, these shadows didn't photograph true-to-life on my eyes, so I swatched the shadows and was able to get a photo that shows the colors more true-to-life:

I think I'll try this again - but with shadows that have less shimmer. I also think I need to bring the color up out of the crease just a bit more.

Anyone have any color suggestions?

Grey smoky eye

My everyday version of a grey smoky eye...

What are your favorite grey shadows?

Clio & Erato have Espresso...

Another basic everyday eye in neutral browns. I think I should've made the liner a bit thicker along my upper lashline, but I was too lazy to go back & fix it, LOL. I used a couple of Meow Cosmetics' shadows from their new Sunless Sea collection - Clio & Erato (love them both!) - and MAC's Espresso.

If you haven't tried any of Meow's new shadows, I really recommend these:
Sunless Sea - Clio, Erato, Thalia, Calliope
Shattered Equinox - Melancholy
Halloween Zombies - Evil Eye (only available through 10/31)

Green smoky eye

As I've mentioned in the past, I rarely wear green eyeshadow because it just never seems to look good with my eye & skin color. I did a green smoky eye hoping that would work, but I'm still not totally pleased with the color. Maybe I just need different shades of green. I think these greens are too close to my eye color to really do anything to enhance my eyes. But I'm going to share the look because it might work for someone else.

Another smoky eye...

Yes, I've been playing with my makeup again...

I'm not sure how well I like these colors together, but I didn't notice anyone pointing & whispering, so it must've been okay.  :-)