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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Wanted: Holiday Beauty Wish List

There are a ton of beauty and hair products on my Christmas wish list that I am DYING to test out, so I thought I'd share!

1. Dior Creme de Rose Lip Balm
This balm must be made of gold. It's $27!! Elle Fowler from AllThatGlitters21 absolutely raves about this and she has totally sold me. It's supposed to smell like roses and be smooth as silk. It has SPF 10 in it... That's a justification to buy a $27 lip balm... right?


2. Nars Guy Bourdin Holiday Palette
I already made an entire blog post on this, so I will link it Here
3. Nume Special Edition 35mm Curling wand. This wand is really interesting because it's flat and only has a little clip at the end. It's supposed to give more waves than curls. It's $175 from NuMe.com, but if you go to this YouTube page, Casey always has really good coupon codes for all NuMe products. They make the best curling wands and flat irons! 


4. YSL Rouge Volupte Shine
Another very expensive product that I wouldn't buy on a daily basis. This baby runs for $34... But let me tell ya, I used my friends once and it was the smoothest, tastiest, most beautiful lip product I have ever tried. Amazing color payoff as well, but if you blot it you can also get a really nice sheer shade. I must have my own. They have 19 beautiful colors. And come on, look at that packaging. To die for. 

5. Chloe Original Perfume
This is my #1 favorite perfume. I only have it in the roller ball though because the biggest size happens to be $120. Ridiculous, but it smells like heaven. I could never come up with this on my own, so heres what Sephora says: Top notes of pink peony, freesia, and lychee embody subtle freshness. At the heart, midnotes of magnolia flower, lily of the valley, and rose rise to sublimated femininity. A base of velvety elegance comes to fruition through cedarwood, amber, and honey. DELICIOUS. If you haven't smell this, you have to make a stop at Sephora immediately! Perfume gift sets also make great gifts!


6. Lorac PRO To Go Eye/Cheek Palette
This is always raved about on YouTube, so obviously I have to get my hands on it. It comes with two blushes, 6 shadows and a bronzer. It's great for traveling, not that I travel a lot, but whatever. Its... compact. It retails for $38 with a value of $210. I have never tried anything from Lorac, so I think this will be a great starter piece. 



7. The New Black Demi Lovato Set
Okay sooooo Demi Lovato is my absolute idol- fashion, hair, vocals, the whole package. And if you don't follow her on instagram (what are you doing with your life?) she always has the coolest nails done by Steph Stone who I believe created The New Black polish line. This set comes with a black polish and two different gold accent pieces to place on top of the black. So cool. I want. Heres a pic from Demi's twitter. 

8. MAC RiRi Her Coco Eyeshadow x4
I keep finding myself looking at the MAC RiRi collection and this is the thing I always go back to. This eyeshadow quad comes with 4 (duh, quad) shadows- all really pretty golden shades. MAC makes the absolute best shadows in the biz so this is something I have got to get my hands on.... BUT it's sold out everywhere so I'm going to have to do some serious hunting to get my hands on this one. 


9. Almond Coconut Souffle Body Creme
OH MY GOD. Almond. Coconut. Laura Mercier. What more do you want in life?! Laura Mercier is the shiz but it's like so expensive its stupid. This creme is $55, so obviously I wouldn't buy this on my own (broke college student with no job probs). This scent also comes in a body scrub, body wash, hand cream, etc. It smells so good. I'm about to put this at the top of my list. I can't wait to try this!! Let me know if you have!


10. Hannah Beauty Wall Cabinet
This wall cabinet from PB Teen would be great for my dorm room. I need a space to put my perfumes, jewelry, lotions, random things. It also comes with a mirror, so although this is not a necessity, it would be really nice to have. You could store makeup in here as well. It has three drawers and storage on each door. Really compact and great for storage! 

Those are my wish list items for Christmas. What's on your holiday must have list?!

-- Ms. Makeup

PS- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Monday, October 28, 2013

How To: Make Your Own Sugar Scrub!

Chapped lips? Dry hands? I have the solution for you!

My lips have been extremely chapped recently with the winter months approaching. So, I thought I would mix together some ingredients that I know are moisturizing and see if I can cure my chapped lips naturally! And that I did!

All you're going to need is olive oil and a mix of white sugar and brown sugar. Since I was just testing this out, I only made a little bit, but that's really all you need. First I poured 2 spoonfuls of olive oil into a container (with a lid so you can save the leftovers for later) and then I mixed in 3 spoonfuls of white sugar and 1 spoonful of brown sugar. Add more or less sugar depending on how saturated the oil looks. The sugar exfoliates and the oil moisturizes.

Take your natural scrub and rub it on in circular motions for super smooth and moisturized lips! Then take it off with some warm water and a towel and apply your fav chapstick. I sometimes just take the excess olive oil and rub that on my lips as well because it's extremely moisturizing and feels great. You could also put this anywhere else you need a little exfoliant and moisture. Feet, hands, maybe even your face (don't quote me on that one...)

Test it out and let me know what you think!

-- Ms. Makeup





<---- It should look like this when you're done!



Friday, October 25, 2013

Wanted: Nars Cheek Palette




Today I got an email from Sephora about a new Nars Cheek Palette. AND I WANT IT. Nars makes such great blushes and they always come out with an amazing palette around Christmas time. This year's is called the Nars Guy Bourdin Holiday Collection Limited Edition One Night Stand Cheek Palette. Long enough name, Nars? It comes with all the essentials: Laguna (bronzer,) Deep Throat (blush,) Orgasm (blush,) Mistinguette (blush,) Goulue (blush) and Devotee (highlight.) They're all beeeeautiful. It's an online exclusive and limited edition, so if you want this I would get on it and fast because I know this will sell out quick. Definitely going to be on my holiday wishlist!

-- Ms. Makeup

How To: Store Makeup in College

This post goes out to any college girls who are having trouble with storage and organization for their makeup! I think I have a pretty good setup, so here is what I do!

This is an overall view of my little makeup station ---->
I bought the plastic drawers from Target for $27.97. They're called the Room Essentials Medium Counter Top Drawer in white. Very helpful for organization.


The brush holders came with the brushes I bought from Sigma. Some brushes are from the Mrs. Bunny Essential Kit from Sigma, some Sonia Kashuk and the other ones are just random.


I think I got the mirror from TJ Maxx. It's just a dual sided mirror with magnification on one side. Can be found at Target, Ulta, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.



<---- Here's a closer look at the brushes I brought to school. I store my larger face brushes in one container and my eyeshadow brushes and smaller face brushes in the other container. ---->






Now into the drawers!


In the top drawer I store all my face products. I got the clear organization trays from target for around $5-6. I separate the sections by what I use the most, primers/concealers, and then 2 random products in the back. On the side I put all my foundations, face powders and blushes. 












In the second drawer I put eye stuff. Eyeshadows and primers in the compartments and all my mascaras and eyeliners on the side. Really no rhyme or reason to the mascaras and eyeliners, I just throw them in a pile. Also my eyelash curler from Sephora and some eyelashes and a sharpener!















In the third drawer I put lip products and my two Naked Palettes. These organizers are great for lipstick because they fit perfectly in the compartments. Then I have extra makeup remover pads from Almay and my new kit from benefit on top of the Naked Palettes plus some lip glosses.











I hope this was helpful for anyone looking for ideas on how effectively store your products in college! Help me by sharing this with any other makeup obsessed college girls!

-- Ms. Makeup

Thursday, October 24, 2013

First Impressions: Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara

Yesterday I picked up the Covergirl Flamed Out mascara and I thought I would give my first impressions on it. It was $7.49 from a local grocery store in the shade Black Blaze.

I wouldn't say there is really anything special about this mascara. The wand has an hourglass shape with a wire brush  and has a very dry formula. I don't really see what the hourglass shape does, I mean my lashes looked nice but nothing special. It applied pretty well (2 coats,) not clumpy or anything. Didn't add much curl but a pretty good amount of length. I lasted all day without smudging but that should be standard for any mascara. It was supposed to give a "bold winged-out lash look" (similar to Falsies?) but my lashes just looked normal.

My thoughts: for the price this is a decent mascara. Nothing amazing, nothing really special but it does make your lashes look "nice." But not like WOAH look at her eyes!!! I give it a B. My favorite drugstore mascara is falsies if that gives you an indication of what I like in comparison to this.

Here are some photos to see how it held up throughout the day
No mascara

2 coats Flamed Out


After a full day


Have you tried this mascara?

-- Ms. Makeup


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Top 5 Fall Nail Polishes

Dark nails have to be one of my favorite things about the fall season! Just because it's dark doesn't mean it has to be black! These are beautiful alternatives to the classic black mani. Since OPI is my favorite brand, here are my Top 5 Follishes (fall polishes!)

1. My Private Jet. Noted as Kim K's fav! This is an awesome brown/charcoal with tons of shimmer and sparkle (but not like, pageant shimmer...) It's very hard to describe, but its almost holographic. It is one of the most unique shades I have ever seen and when I heard it wasn't going to be made anymore I bought 4 bottles. But have no fear, you can still find it on Amazon! I always get compliments when I wear this one. 


2. <--- Lincoln Park After Dark. This is OPI, to me. Classic. This is always a go to, no matter what the season is. At first glance it looks black, but it's a really beautiful deep purple shade. Very rich. When you're outside in the light, you can really see the true hues. 


3. ---> Siberian Nights. Similar to Lincoln Park After Dark, but this one is a more true purple and not soo dark. If you're new to the dark nails, this would be a good starter. I know it looks darker in the picture, but I swear it's not!



4. <--- OPI... Eurso Euro. From the Euro Centrale Spring Collection, but it's a perfect transition color to fall. A very deep blue, in between royal and navy with some purple undertones. If you're going for a bold fall nail that isn't black, this is the one.





5. ---> Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ. This is a great vampy deep red. It's pretty much identical to the color of BBQ sauce (hence the name.) Really beautiful shade.




Don't forget a base and top coat! I use the Beauty Secrets Base Coat (Sally Beauty Supply, $3.89) with the ever so famous, Seche Vite Top Coat (Ulta, $9.95.) 

Side review-- On the back of the Seche Vite bottle it says "WARNING! This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm." Hmmm... makes sense because this top coat dries so fast it's sometimes unbelievable. It makes your manicure last an entire week with no chips and full on shine. So what if we can't have babies in the future! We'll have pretty nails, right?! Jk, every time I use this stuff I picture myself not being able to have children in like 10 years. Let's hope is not that serious...

What are your favorite fall polishes?

-- Ms. Makeup


Beware! Pacifica Purify Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes

I purchased these makeup remover wipes from Target about a month ago for $5.99. I usually stick to the Neutrogena or Simple wipes, but I thought I would try something different. (I honestly bought these because of the packaging.) Yes, the packaging is adorable and yes they smell pretty good, but don't be fooled. These wipes burned my eyes so badly that I thought I was having a horrible allergic reaction. I immediately rinsed my face off with water and the stinging went away a little, but noooooo these things BURN. They are formulated without sulfates, petroleum, parabens, SLS or phthalates... whatever that means. I would rather have those chemicals on my face than continue using these fire wipes. I couldn't even finish the pack and I don't want to give them to a friend in fear that they will also burn their faces. If you have even the slightest sensitivity in your skin, I would NOT recommend you try these. I don't want to diss Pacifica because I know they are a great company and a portion of their proceeds support clean water, but they should probably reformulate these.

Did these burn your skin?

-- Ms. Makeup












Review: It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness

I recently saw a video on the It Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream. It seemed pretty amazing so I had to try it. Now, for the size of this foundation (11 ml) this stuff is very expensive. I ordered it off of Ulta.com and it was $32... I would normally never pay that for something of that size but this foundation seemed too good to be true.

"Bye Bye Redness is a red neutralizing and correcting cream that completely cancels redness in your skin from view. Rich in Peptides, Hydrolyzed Collagen and Anti-Aging Technology, Bye Bye Redness camoflages redness and any red-tones skin discolorations from rosacea, broken capillaries, blemished skin, irritated skin, sun damage, scars, age spots, physician procedures and more."

That's a lot to claim! The first time I used this product it didn't react well with my skin. It looked good, but it made me really itchy, especially in the cracks of my nose, and I was extremely disappointed. I later discovered that this was because my skin was going through a weird phase and it was dry (normally very oily.) Once the dryness went away, I tried it again. ITS AMAZING. It doesn't feel like a foundation- it has a whipped consistency and has an airy feel on the face. And it covers everything! Not to the point where it looks unnatural, it just looks like you have perfect skin. As far as the redness in my skin, it does cover it completely. The best part for me is that it stayed matte all day. ALL DAY. I put a powder over it in the morning and when I got home at night, it looked basically the same. That has never happened for me. My skin is usually oily at least 2 hours after applying foundation. Not anymore! For application, I prefer to apply it with my fingers, just because I don't really like the look that brushes give (this stuff also blends right in.) I don't know how, but I feel like this product adjusts to your skin if it is on the fair side because there is no color option when purchasing. Lastly, for the price, yes it is more expensive, but you literally only need the smallest bit to cover your whole face because it blends out so well. If I haven't convinced you yet, then you just have to try it to believe it!

I had never heard of "IT Cosmetics" but now I have to try some more products!

What do you think of this correcting cream?

-- Ms. Makeup

Looks thick, but it's light
as air!
Amazing!






Monday, October 21, 2013

Currently Using: It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Plus Keratin

My hair has been on the dead side lately, so I picked up the It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Plus Keratin at Target to revitalize it. I bought it because it was on sale for $15.99, instead of $19.99 for the smaller size (4 oz.) I had used the regular It's a 10 spray and liked it, so I thought this would be pretty good, too. I love this stuff! I get out of the shower, brush my hair, and spray about 2-3 pumps of this to each side of my hair (don't get it in your roots) then brush again. I love the way this product not only smells, but leaves my hair really shiny and smooth. That is saying a lot because blonde hair is generally hard to get a shine out of. My hair tends to be pretty frizzy and unruly, but with this my hair is much more tame. It somehow also makes the waves in my hair stand out more. I'm not sure if it's supposed to do that, but its a nice added bonus! My hair is looking much healthier since using this product as well. I HIGHLY
recommend this product because it has truly done wonders!

As always, you can find it on amazon.com for much cheaper. Try this:
http://www.amazon.com/Its-10-Leave-In-Conditioner-Keratin/dp/B004K3D0FK/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1382419804&sr=1-1&keywords=It%27s+a+10+miracle+leave+-in+Plus+Keratin

What hair products are you currently using?

-- Ms. Makeup






Here is the list of 10 things this product does for your hair ------>


Currently Using: L'Oreal Youth Code


I recently went home for the weekend and forgot to bring a moisturizer. I headed over to CVS just to buy something cheap to hold me over until I got back to school. But the cute pink packaging of the L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Day/Night Cream reeled me in... The box says, 

Why is Youth Code Texture Perfector Day/Night Cream right for me? Your skin is still young, but its quality is not always perfect. Skin's texture can be rough and uneven, with visible pores and fine lines. Scientifically developed for all skin tones and types, Youth Code Texture Perfector Day/Night Cream helps to improve overall skin quality over time. 

I am 20 years old and I have some acne scaring, pigmentation problems and large pores (so beautiful, right?) This is a pretty expensive lotion for the drugstore. I didn't even look at the price when I grabbed it, but the total came out to $24.99 at CVS! And it's not even a big jar, only 1.7 oz. At the time I thought I was crazy for buying it, but I'm so happy I did! First off, the floral-y scent of this lotion smells amazing. But this stuff really does work. I had never used a texturizing lotion before, but it's supposed to visibly tighten pores, diminish lines, and reveal petal soft skin. And it actually does that. I use this in the morning and the night and it is never too heavy or light. The lotion has a velvety finish and my skin has never been so soft. I don't have any lines to diminish, but I have pretty large pores, and this stuff shrinks them right up! I also have oily, acne prone skin and this doesn't break me out or make me too oily or dry. The packaging is also to die for- hot pink! I highly recommend this day/night cream if you're looking for something new to try! They also have a Youth Code serum that I really want to test out!

What lotions are you currently using?

-- Ms. Makeup

Top 10

For my very first post on Ms. Makeup I wanted to do my Top 10 all time favorites. If I were stranded on a deserted island and I could only take 10 beauty products, these are the lucky ones that would get to come along (excluding makeup brushes.)This includes makeup, hair, skin, etc. I will continue to purchase these things until I find that I have found something of better quality. 

Here we go!


1. Cetaphil Dermacontrol Oil Control Foam Wash. ($12.99, CVS)

This is my favorite face wash of all time. I've been using it for about a year and a half and I have never used something on my skin that I love so much. It doesn't break me out. It doesn't make my skin dry, but it doesn't make me oily either. It doesn't give that horrible tight feeling once you've dried your face.It smells nice. It's just the best. It was developed by dermatologists, so I trust it for my combo/oily skin.




2. Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque ($33, Ulta)

Okay, first off this product smells unbelievable. It needs to be made into a perfume asap. But besides that, this conditions my coarse hair like nothing else. It is very expensive but it can last me a little over 6 months if I use it sparingly. I have never met anyone that didn't love this stuff. It makes your hair beyond soft. I don't know what they put in this stuff, but it is seriously a miracle. I have bought 4 tubs of this stuff, but am currently out. I need it back in my life. You can always find it on amazon.com for much cheaper (around $17 if you look hard enough!)





3. Blow Pro Faux Dry Shampoo ($20, Ulta)

I have used almost every canned dry shampoo from the drug store and I have yet to find one that I love. So, instead of buying a bunch of cans that don't last long, make my scalp itchy, and really don't work, I would rather buy a more expensive one that works wonders. I prefer the powder kind because since I am blonde, it blends into my hair very easily. I wouldn't recommend this if you have dark hair. I can almost always find this at TJMaxx for about half the price and it's usually in the old packaging, which I prefer. No matter what I do, my hair is dirty the next night after showering. But with Blow, I am able to go 2, sometimes 3 days without washing my hair, which is amazing! It adds volume and literally makes it look like I just took a shower. It doesn't have a scent but that doesn't bother me. (Old packaging is on the left, current packaging on the right. Old is better.)




4. Urban Decay NAKED Palette ($52, Sephora)

This product is very over hyped, but for good reason. It is so wearable with a wide variety of shades. Sin, Naked, Sidecar, and Darkhorse are my personal favorites. I have had it for almost 2 years and I have only hit pan on Sin, and I use this thing all the time. Its long lasting and the shadows are great. Urban Decay has amazing color payoff and they last all day (with a primer, of course!) I feel like every skin tone could use this and that is why I like it better than the Naked 2. I don't gravitate towards that one as much.




5. Soap & Glory A Great Kisser Lip Moisture Balm ($10, Sephora)

AMAZING. Hands down the best thing I have ever used for my lips. First off, it smells and kind of tastes like peaches. Sold. I put it on before bed and it makes my lips so smooth and never chapped! I don't know what's in this to make it so smooth! And it's not sticky at all, in my opinion, though I've heard people complain about that. Feels like butter. Must have. 




6. Maybelline Dream Matte Powder ($8.99, CVS)

I have pretty oily skin, so this powder is a must have. It works better than any high end powder I have tried. I am in the shade medium beige. The best thing about it is that it doesn't clog my pores and it lasts a really long time on the skin. Also, this is the most finely milled powder, so you cant even see it on your face, it just makes it look great!





7. Buxom Mascara ($19, Sephora)

I don't think I will ever find a mascara that I love more than this one. I have bought 4 or 5 tubes and I will never stop buying this product. It has a really big plastic wand that makes my lashes so long, dark, full, and beautiful. The consistency is right in between being wet and dry. The only complaint I have is that it sometimes gets on my upper lash line, I think because the brush is so thick, but a quick swipe with a q-tip takes it right off. It has a nice stopper, too. Drug store mascaras don't compare at all to Buxom, so if you're willing to spend the money, this is a must have. I've heard people say it compares to Maybelline the Rocket, but I do not see the similarity. 



8. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner ($18, Sephora)

This felt tip liner is super long lasting and a very dark black. It creates an extremely precise line that is very buildable. I was horrible at winged liner until I found this baby. The stick is very thin, so that makes it easy for me to hold and the liner lasts all day long. 





9. Maybelline DreamLumi Touch Highlighting Concealer ($7.99, CVS)

I love love love this product because it can act as two things- a highlight and a concealer. I use it for under my eyes/ down the sides of my nose and it makes me look up & at em'! I am in the shade Ivory 320, so it's pretty light, but I have fair skin. It has a nice consistency and it's very blendable.


10. Revlon Just Bitten LipStain ($9.29, CVS)
I hate the feeling of lip stick, so I always gravitate towards a stain. I have the colors Passion and Gothic. I love these things. They come with a marker and a balm to give a little shine. When I use these, I can't even feel them on my lips, and they last hours without reapplying! They don't taste bad and they have amazing color payoff! Gothic is a very true, deep red and Passion is a hot pink.


What are your Top 10 beauty essentials?

-- Ms. Makeup