subtle smoky eye

if you've ever read this blog before, you know that i'm more about the statement lip than i am the statement eye. to me, it's so much more comfortable to do neutral eyes and slap on a bright lipstick. but i was in an experimental mood last saturday night, and decided to try a not-too-dramatic smoky eye. i thought the result was appropriate for a lingerie shower:

i first applied wet 'n wild's idol eyes creme shadow stick in "techno" all over my lid. then i brushed on a layer of maybelline's shadow quad in "natural smokes." i liked how the purple still kind of came through.... 

the purple shade, "techno", is the one i used

 

on top, i layered the top left shade, the one labeled "lid"

by the way, i just figured out this weekend that if i curl my hair with a curling iron, and then hairspray it upside down, it turns out awesome like in the first picture. i really should do that more often, but i'm just so gosh darn lazy (about hair. about makeup, not so much).

new nail polish: wet 'n wild megalast in "red tape"

i'm not sure i'm a red nail polish type girl. i've never really worn it before. red nail polish always says high-maintenance and trashy to me, but i thought it would be nice to branch out of my usual blue/green/purples* and experiment with something new. i loathe the idea of getting stuck in a rut.

i took these pics yesterday, six days into my manicure. is that incredible or is that incredible?? as you can see, i finally had some chippage on my index finger, but that didn't happen until yesterday! wow. these wet 'n wild megalast polishes are seriously well-formulated. love them. here's proof:

from L to R: "red tape", "haze of love", "bite the bullet", "private viewing"

i now own 4 of them. they last longer (and are easier to apply) than any other polish i've ever tried.... BUT i don't make it a habit to try higher-priced nail polish (OPI, essie, orly, etc.). within a couple days of painting my nails, i usually get bored and am ready to switch colors anyway. 

*about the blue/green/purple thing.... apparently those are "my" colors, because that's all i ever wear- shirts, nail polish, colored eyeshadow, jewelry.... i've yet to find a shade of blue or purple that i don't like with my coloring. now green, on the other hand, is quite a bit trickier....

wet 'n wild color icon eyeliner in "green"

ok, i'm back! if you've been wondering where the heck i was, i've been sick all last week. i had some crazy virus that included fever, chills, cough, head congestion, vomiting.... haha, too much information?

anyway, i'm finally feeling better and actually feel like getting dolled up with makeup again. my husband knew i was really sick last week when i didn't even feel like putting on any makeup at all! ha.

well, in trying to look alive again today, i tried out a new shade of eyeliner, hoping it would make me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. i've been looking for the perfect shade of emerald green eyeliner (like this) for forever:

photo: glamour

isn't it beautiful?? i really love it with brown eyes, but i was hoping it would make my blue-green eyes more intense, too. you can judge for yourself:

i think i like it! finally, a green eyeliner that actually shows up on my waterline! it's so hard (at least in my experience) to find a colored pencil eyeliner that's vibrant enough to make an impact and soft enough to glide on easily. would you be shocked to know that i paid 50 cents for this pencil?? wet 'n wild was having a 50% off sale (!!) last week at walgreens, so i just had to buy it (and the purple liner too). even at full price, these eyeliners are only 99 cents! now these are the brand-new reformulated liners that wet 'n wild just put out. so glad they did, because the old ones sucked haha.

here's a lovely swatch of the color:

pretty, right? not too teal, not too olive. i don't think olive makeup is for me :S. not with my coloring. i do better with gem tones, i think.

new nail polish: wet 'n wild megalast in "bite the bullet"

a polish that's not really new to me, but it's new to you-

with flash: looks a lot like the color in the bottle, doesn't it? until you see it....

 

 without the flash! now it looks more greige/mushroom-y

shown: katie showing off her mani and her new HUGE green ring.... love!

in real life, the shade is somewhere in between. it's definitely more of a dull purple than a greige color. i used 2 coats, no top coat, just fyi, if you're into that sort of thing....

 

today's face is brought to you by some new faves!

(i tried to post this yesterday, but blogger was being moody.... sorry)

this is what my face looked like yesterday:

face:

maybelline dream smooth foundation

maybelline dream mousse concealer (under eyes)

maybelline superstay concealer (under eyes)

covergirl cheekers blush in "classic pink"

wet 'n wild natural blend pressed powder

eyes:

maybelline define-a-line eyeliner in "chestnut brown"

wet 'n wild color icon eyeshadow trio in "walking on eggshells"

maybelline great lash mascara in "blackest black"

maybelline define-a-brow eyebrow pencil in "light blonde"

lips:

e.l.f. luscious liquid lipstick in "cherry tart"

this is a really basic, subtle look that i imagine would be appropriate anywhere. it's all about brightening up the eyes, but still looking natural. i LOVE the chestnut brown eyeliner. this maybelline liner has quickly become my favorite, and not just because the packaging is lime green! it goes on soooo smoooooth. plus that medium brown color is just great. somehow it makes my eyes look more blue than green, like black or brown-black liner usually goes. in this look, i lined my eyes all the way around, but it still looks natural and bright-eyed! because this liner goes on so smoothly, it only lasts about half a day before disappearing, but having to touch it up once a day isn't a big deal to me, i still love it!

ok, on to another favorite product. this wet 'n wild eyeshadow is super pigmented and smooth. plus is never. creases. ever. isn't that incredible for a $3 eyeshadow? i never would've tried it if i haven't read glowing reviews online. the pink shade (the very lowest one) is great for a wash on your eyelid. it reminds me of pink satin ballet slippers because of its shimmery finish. the brown shade is perfect for shading your crease. i've been using this for a lot of my looks, even without the pink shade.

here i have the pink shade on my lid, and the brown blended into the outside corners and crease.

even without a flash, look how glowy and pretty it is!

i've been doing this eye look a lot lately, either when i look really tired, or when i just want something subtle that pairs wear with any kind of bright lipstick! i've yet to try a lipstick that clashes with this eye makeup.

enjoy! more looks coming, i promise!

new nail polish: wet 'n wild megalast in "private viewing"

have you tried the new wet 'n wild polishes yet? and by new i mean a few months ago.... well you should, because they're amazing! they're $2, available everywhere, last forever, and are all super sophisticated colors. here's the first one i tried-

2 coats, no top coat

,i really like this shade. it's kind of so ugly that it's awesome. lucky magazine featured a shade like this a few months ago, and i much prefer it to the dark taupe shades that are soooo popular these days. kind of reminds me of chanel inattendu:

photo: makeup and beauty blog

or this awesome rimmel one (in milk chocolate) that is now defunct:

photo: mocha mishmash

wet 'n wild's "megalast" formula is amazing, by the way. i've bought another one, and still want more!

 

so what do you think about this color? kind of reminds me of chai tea... mmmmmm, chai tea. i should go make myself some. isn't rainy weather perfect for a hot cup of chai tea? and jazz.... and jelly shoes!

wet 'n wild idol eyes creme shadow pencil in "pixie"

i have a confession to throw out there: i LOVE me some cream eyeshadow. i would wear cream eyeshadow all the time, if i could get away with it. i love the consistency, the easy blending, and the metallic or pearly sheen of them. they just have much more of something special to them than do powder eyeshadows. 

the problem is, there don't seem to be many good ones at the drugstore. and there certainly aren't very wide color selections. i've worn the revlon cream eyeshadows before, and they're just ok. nothing very wow about them, at least not to me. 



anyway, i saw a good review online about this cream eyeshadow that's (gasp!) only 2 buckaroos! i swear, i will buy just about anything for $2. pathetic, i know.

and surprise, i actually like this! the color is a kind of champagne/taupe and the consistency is very smooth. easy to glide on. the finish isn't particularly metallic, which is ok, because i like how subtle it is. just a nice flattering wash of color. kind of like a candlelight glow. because it's so subtle, this shadow stick is ideal for highlighting the browbone. i hate it when people use white (or any kind of pale) shimmery shadow to highlight their browbones and it's just way too shimmery and metallic. i want my browbones to subtly catch the light, not blind you with a ridiculous amount of shimmer. 


it's also really great for swiping over the corners of your eyes (the tear duct area), or underneath your lashes to look very awake. and because it applies smooth and not sticky, it's perfect as a powder eyeshadow base. i've tested it with multiple colors, and it keeps powder eyeshadow on longer, makes it more vibrant, and adds a little extra glow. love. 

review: wet 'n wild megalast long-wear lipstick

so i'm frantically memorizing lines for "oklahoma!" which is coming up soon.... and of course i get distracted and wonder.... how should i style my hair on stage? what shade of long-last lipstick should i wear?

so when i went to walgreens the other day to get a new wide-tooth comb, of course i HAD to hunt for a good lipstick for the play. i wanted something that was kind of berry-hued for my character (i think red is too dramatic.... berry is nice and innocent, i think. she is a country girl after all, not that i know anything about being a country girl.... ha!). and it definitely needed to be kiss-proof (*ahem* sorry, husband). in the past i've used many different shades of covergirl outlast lipstick, but i didn't really wanna shell out $8-9.... so this is what i picked!

photo: wnwbeauty.com

the color i picked is "eternal", which i thought has pretty flattering, and still visible from stage. unfortunately, when i tried to apply the color, it felt really strange on my lips! it had a mousse-like texture.... which is great for my maybelline dream mousse blush, but looks kinda funny on your lips.... i let it dry for a long time, then applied the clear balm. now the balm did feel good. but after applying it, i tested my lipstick, and it rubbed right off! it had the staying power of gloss! weird....

"First, apply the rich, liquid color, then seal it in

with the ultra-conditioning topcoat for satiny color that lasts."

ummm, i'm missing both the "liquid" and the "satiny color" part.... it was kind of gritty.... i did test the balm with a different brand of long-lasting lipcolor, and it works! plus it feels good on its own, too.

so unfortunately, i'm still looking for a good lipstick for stage.... i may ask kasmira from whatiwore2day, because she acts a lot, and always has a bright lipstick on.

in my makeup bag

1. wet 'n wild ultimate minerals loose powder in 270 fair

i used physician's formula mineral powder for a long time (which is kind of expensive for me), until i realized that it was making my winter skin look cakey. i tried this on a whim, and it makes my face look silky and smooth. i think it's the little shimmer particles in there. and um, have i mentioned that it's cheap? about $5!

2. EOS lipbalm in honeysuckle honeydew

how else can you moisturize both lips at once? this stuff is awesome. i like how it feels like it actually sinks into your lips, instead of sitting on top. i always slick this on before i go to bed, because it's not greasy and doesn't get all over my pillow.

3. rimmel fix & perfect face primer

i've posted about this before, but i apply this just under my eyes before my concealer to keep me from looking like an old lady, which i'm not.... yet.

4. ecotools brush set

my sister bought this for me for my last birthday (thanks, amy!) i use these every day! i use the big fluffy brush for my face powder (when i wear it.... sometimes i don't), the concealer brush for uhh concealer, and the angle brush for my eyeliner. i just dip the brush in my mascara excess, and line my lower lash line with the awesome blackness. i've successfully eliminated the need to buy eyeliner anymore! woot.

5. revlon colorstay active light makeup in ivory

GREAT STUFF. feels like tinted moisturizer going on, totally blends into my skin, and lasts all day. i never wanna use anything else, if i can help it.

6. maybelline great lash mascara in blackest black

you guys know how i feel about this stuff. the day they discontinue this neon tube of inky goodness will be a very dark day indeed.

7. maybelline cover up stick in medium beige

what? why medium beige? i know you've heard that you're supposed to apply an undereye concealer that's lighter than your skintone, but i always think that it only draws attention to the problem. this medium beige color has enough pigment to hide all of my darkness and looks way more natural than white under my eyes. trust me, i think i did that all through high school. eep.

8. maybelline dream mousse blush in soft plum and peach satin

these blushes are great. they blend in effortlessly, and have a touch of shimmer. super easy. i have 2 shades listed on here because i'm always switching.... if i wear blue or green, i wear the soft plum shade. i wear the peach one for pretty much everything else. am i the only one who thinks that blue, green, and teal look awful with anything orange-based? maybe it's just me....

9. mary kay signature concealer in light ivory

this is the only non-drugstore product i always buy! i think they've since changed the packaging and shade names, but this is what i still have in my makeup bag. it lasts forever, and i only need a little dab every time. it's a super lightweight liquid that completely covers little discolorations and acne. plus it's waterproof. it's $10, so a little more pricey than the rest of my items, but like i said, it'll last about a whole decade.

10. maybelline define-a-brow pencil in light blonde

the lightest pencil i can find! it totally makes my brows look natural and not too sparse. plus i just really love the green packaging. but without the cute packaging, it would still be the best eyebrow pencil i've found.

11. physician's formula baked wet/dry eyeshadow in baked sands

i've used other shades before, too. these shadows are great. they look almost metallic when you apply them wet. i use the darkest shade in this trio to line my eyes when i want a softer liner look than "blackest black." like when i want to wear really bright lipstick.

wet 'n wild lipstick in "tokyo-a-pink-pink"

umm, i saw this at walmart a couple of weeks ago, and i had to buy it! it does have tokyo in the name, after all.

 

  

it looked kind of coral in the tube.... on my lips? most definitely not. more like cool-toned hot pink. i couldn't decide if i liked it or not, so i took half of it (it's only $2!) and mixed it in a pot with a too-brown tinted balm i had. now it's a pretty sheer rose-brown lip tint. and i still have half a tube of that super bright lipstick, in case i get an inexplicable urge to wear a so-bright-it's-scary lipstick to my 8 o'clock microbiology class. yeah, right.