Get Ready With Me Series Part 4 & Ulta Lip Crayon review

Welcome back!! I hope that everyone has had a great week!  I’m not going to lie, I am super excited for the weekend.  We have gone out of town for the last three weekends in a row! I feel like all I’ve done is pack, unpack, laundry, repeat!  I don’t know about anyone else, but being out of town can be exhausting!  I’m not complaining because I am really blessed to be able to be doing the things I’m doing, it just leads for busy weeks between work, and playing catch up from the weekend!

This weekend though, we have a wedding for one of the BF’s friends, that’s in town and that’s it!  I’m definitely looking forward to some down time!!

Now… onto the real reason you’re here!  The fourth and final installment of the Get Ready With Me and Review series!!  The last three weeks we have covered the look up to the point that my face look is done and we’re on to eyes and lips. 

If you missed the reviews, we’ve covered NYX HD Concealers (link), CoverGirl 3-in-1 Foundation (link), and HIKARI blush (link)

Today’s review will be on the Ulta Lip Crayon!!

Now, getting started on the look … I know some people do their make up in a different order, but I’ve always been a person who does my face, then eyes, and finish with lips.  Now that my face is done, let’s get started on the face!  Some of this may sound familiar because many of these products are ones that I used in my Every Day Smokey Eye look (link).  Today, however, I was going for a lighter look and so I left out some of the darker shades.

I start with the Mary Kay Eye primer – this happens to be what is in active rotation in my collection right now, I’ve used this for years!

Ulta eye shadow in Bermuda Sand - I apply this all over my eye lid and all the way up to my eye brow.  I use this shade pretty much every day.  Most of my eye looks have this as the base under everything!

Urban Decay eye shadow in Beware from the Oz Great & Powerful pallet - I take this on a big fluffy brush and apply it in my crease.

Urban Decay eye shadow in West from the Oz Great & Powerful pallet - I use this shadow to darken up my outer corner of my eye lid

I then go back in with Beware to buff out West and create a more natural transition.

Ulta eye shadow in Au Naturel – I also use this one every day. The light pink is the perfect shade to blend out the shadows and add just a bit of highlight under my brow.  Taking a big fluffy brush I buff and blend out the edge of the other shadows up to my eye brow. 

For my liner, I apply Revlon Color Stay eye liner in Brown to both my upper and lower lash line. Using the built in smudger to smudge out my lower lash line making sure to only going about 3/4 of the way into my inner corner.  I then use a brown eye shadow to set all of my liner to ensure it will stay all day.  Setting a pencile liner will also help soften any lines. 

Now the last part of my look… Mascara… and I am still using multiple mascaras.  I don’t think it’s possible to get one mascara that adds length, volume, and separates!  The three in rotation right now are:

Revlon Lash Potion by Grow Luscious in Blackened Brown

L'Oreal Paris Extra Volume Collagen Mascara in Black Brown

Almay One Coat, Get Up & Grow in Black Brown

Once my eyes are done, it’s now on to my lips…  Before I even start my makeup, I make sure to pay attention to my lips.  When I am applying my face moisturizer I also apply some to my lips.  Right now I just have a container of Carmex on my vanity that I apply.  This helps in a few ways.  First, by applying moisture to my lips, but also by creating a barrier.  This allows for me to apply all of my face products without staining my lips.  No one likes the foundation on your lips look!  Well, at least I don’t!  SO, once I’m done with all of my other makeup I wipe off my lips (this is usually because I’m brushing my teeth before work!) and then apply whatever lip look I’m going for.

A while back, I placed an Ulta order online and the thing I love about shopping online with Ulta is they send you samples.  Included in my order was a sample of Ulta’s Lip crayon. 

I was super excited when I opened the package and saw that it was a normal color and actually a color that I would purchase!  On top of that, it is a good product!  It has a good color pay out.  This shade is a my lips but better shade.  On top of that it’s creamy and lasts! 

The one thing I don’t like about some lip crayons are the ones that you have to sharpen!  Ugh, who has time for that!?  This one is in a tube that you just twist up when you need more.

This has become a staple in my routine.  It pretty much lives in my purse because I wear it almost every day to work and whenever I’m out and about and need to add some color.  It’s not a color that you really have to think about.  No liner or gloss needed.  Perfect for on the go application!

That’s it for my makeup!  As for my hair, it kept it simple. After blow drying I just used a straightener to quickly straighten out any kinks and to make sure that all of my ends were turned it.

Here's the before and after again!

Breaking it down into many blogs makes it seem like a lot of steps, but this is a really simple look.  Actually, it’s pretty close to my go to look when I just need to get out the door.  You look put together, but not overdone and it doesn’t take long to get out the door.

What does everyone thing of this series!? Is it something you’d like for me to do again?  Let me know!

Also – let me know if you have any products you want me to demo or review! I’m also up for suggestions!!

Are you ready for another review?!  I’ve been on a reviewing kick lately.  Lots of new things to share.  Next week I’m going to talk about Real Techniques’ Miracle Complexion Sponge and the best way I’ve found to clean it!

Until next time lovelies!

Xoxo,

Mikal-Anne

Get Ready With Me Series Part 3 & Hikari Blus Review

Welcome back!  Happy Friday!  We’ve successfully survived another week!! 

This blog is part three of the Get Ready With Me and Review series.  In a series of blogs, I've gone over what I've used to create the look you see below.  The last two weeks we have covered the NYX HD Concealers (link) and the CoverGirl 3-in-1 Foundation (link).  This week we will cover the HIKARI blush.

Now, before we get into the blush, I need to catch you up on the steps between the foundation and the blush.  As covered in the previous blogs, you know that I first use a concealer that matches my skin tone to conceal any problem areas, then I apply the foundation, and lastly I use a concealer that is a little lighter than my skin tone to lighten up areas of my face.  After all of that I apply something to set both the concealer and the liquid foundation.

To set my concealer I use Tarte Smooth Operator.  I got a small sample around the holidays with something I bought. It's perfect to set my concealer!

To set my foundation I use Revlon Nearly Naked Press Powder in 010 Fair.

Next I use NYX Matte Bronzer in Medium. This is a staple in my makeup routine.  I discovered it years ago and have probably used it with every single makeup application I’ve done since then.  I use this to do both bronzing and contouring.  I am not someone who does a very harsh contour.  This is mainly because I am so fair, that too harsh of a contour doesn’t look right. 

Finally, I apply the HIKARI blush in Tango.  I got this in my Ipsy bag back in April (link) and I’m not going to lie, when I saw it, I was very intimidated!  I think the best description for the color is an electric watermelon! I’m so glad that I didn’t let that get in the way of me trying the blush because I LOVE IT! 

This blush has such an amazing color pay out, but it would be really really easy to get that horrid 80’s blush look.  I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.  That super bright color applied very heavily to the cheeks.  That wasn’t even a good look then!

To avoid rolling around looking like someone who is trying to relive the 80’s; I have found the best way to apply this foundation is with a stippling blush.  This allows me to apply a sheer amount and build it up until I get the look I am going for. 

The color adds a nice pink to the cheeks and gives a healthy glow.  I think this shade is absolutely perfect for spring and summer!  I honestly think it would be good for most skin tones too.  It gives that pinched pink to your cheeks, almost as if they are naturally that color and you don’t have blush on at all.

After I apply my blush, I pair this with a bit of a highlight because the blush is completely matte.  This is great for people who have oily skin and want to stay away from the shimmery or sparkly shades.  Today I used the Mary Kay highlight, but I’m any highlight would do. 

Next week, for the final blog in this series, will cover what I did for my eye look and a review on the Ulta Lip Crayon that I got as a sample when I did my Ulta order.  If you’re interested in seeing the lip crayon, it’s included in the blog I did about my Walmart and Ulta haul (link).

Until next week!

Xoxo,

Mikal-Anne

Get Ready With Me Series Part 1 & NYX HD Concealers

Hello Lovelies! Today is going to be the first day of a series that I have never tried before.  This series will be a multi part blog, one each week, that follows along as I do a full face look.  It will essentially be a Get Ready With Me Post. But, the fun twist, I will be doing reviews along the way.

Below is a picture of my bare face look and then the finished look.  

This is such a simple look and is pretty close to the everyday smoke eye blog I posted a few posts ago (link), just a little bit lighter of an eye look. 

Let's get started!

So, a breakdown of the picture above.  The picture on the right is me with a bare face.  As you can see I have that traditional fair and freckled skin issues.  I struggle with some pretty intense under eye dark circles and my freckles tend to make my skin look a bit splotchy. All I have on in this picture would be my moisturizer and on this day I also had some extra sunscreen because I knew I was spending the day in the sun.  Many of my products already have SPF in them, but I like to add face specific sunscreen for some extra little punch of protection!  Gotta love being fair skinned! lol ... oh! I also have a foundation primer on.

I use two shades of the NYX HD Concealer.  I use the Beige shade very first. In the picture by the '1' I have applied the Beige shade in this step.  I have applied this in a few different ways.  I've used my beauty blender and also my Sigma flat top kabuki brush and i have found that I like to do a bit of a combination.  I use the little applicator to apply it under my eyes in a bit of a triangle shape to ensure I'm getting all of my dark circles covered.  I use my flat top kabuki brush to blend it in and then if I feel like I need to help it sink in a little more then I will use my beauty blender to kind of press it into my skin. This shade is a pretty good match for my skin tone already and definitely does a good job of covering those circles. 

After I apply the Beige shade I will then apply my foundation.  On this day I used the Covergirl 3-in-1 Foundation.  Next week's blog I will go over this and share my review of this product!  Stay tuned!

After I have applied my foundation, I will then use the Porcelain shade as an under eye highlight.  I apply this in the same way as the other shade.  I use the applicator to get the product on my face then then blend it out with the Sigma flat top kabuki brush.  I then go back in with my beauty blender to ensure that both the concealers and the foundation are blended well.

This may seem like a lot, but I promise it isn't!  I make sure to use my Tarte finishing powder to set my concealer.  Another important thing, when you are setting your foundation, try to stay away from where you've applied under eye concealer, this helps ensure you don't get a cakey look.

Now... what do I think...

I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!  Way to go NYX!  

If we're being honest, I'm not surprised at all because I don't think there is a NYX product that I've tried that I haven't liked.  The concealer does a good job of both covering up my dark circles, but it doesn't fade throughout the day or settle into any lines.  We all have those little lines around our eyes and in my opinion, nothing can age someone more than to have product settled into those lines.  

I know it seems like over kill that I use two shades of concealer and if I"m being honest, I don't always do this!  If I'm doing a quick look, I will apply my foundation and then just use the Porcelain shade to conceal and highlight and it works great!  

If you're interested in trying this out click here and you can head on over the the Ulta website to take a peek!

Make sure you come back next week to see the next etep and my review of the CoverGirl 3-in-1 Foundation!

I hope everyone has and amazing Independence Day weekend ahead!

Until next week!

xoxo,

Mikal-Anne

Smokey Everyday Face of the Day

Howdy howdy!  As I mentioned in my previous blog, last weekend I had a busy Saturday, visiting our local farmer's market with a friend, working in my garden, and heading to a graduation party for the daughter of a family friend.  When I was getting ready that morning, I knew I needed to do a full face look that would last all day.  When I say last day, I mean without a ton of touch up.  Cause, girls, I am not someone who is good at doing touch ups.  With the exception of my lip color, I don't often apply much after the initial application...  This is what I came up with!

Face makeup:

• Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer
• CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous, 3-in-1 Foundation in 820 Creamy Natural
• NYX HD Concealer in CW04 Beige - for covering up my dark circles
• NYX HD Concealer in CW01 Porcelain - for additional coverage but mainly to highlight my under eye
• Tarte Smooth Operator - to set my under eye concealer.  This is not picture above.  I got a small sample around the holidays with something I bought. It's perfect to set my concealer!
• Revlon Nearly Nake Press Powerder in 010 Fair - to set my foundation.  I apply this lightly all over my face, being careful to not apply where my concealer is.  If it catches where my concealer is, sometimes it can settle into lines. 
• NYX Matte Bronzer in Medium - I both bronze and contour  with this product.  
• HIKARI blush in Tango - Love love love this shade.  It's super pigmented so I apply with with a stipling brush to ensure I have a light hand with it.  I got this in my April Ipsy bag, check out the post here!
• Mary Kay highlight in Pink Stardust - I lightly apply this on the tops of my cheekbones.  Tango is a matte blush and sometimes I just want a little highlight on my cheeks!

Eye make up:

• Mary Kay Eye primer
• Ulta eye shadow in Bermuda Sand - I apply this all over my eye lid and all the way up to my eye brow.  I seriously love this shadow! I don't think I do a single eye look that doesn't start out with this shade.  It is great as a base and just as great all by it's self!  
• Urban Decay eye shadow in Beware from the Oz Great & Powerful pallet - I take this on a big fluffy brush and apply it in my crease.  I use this as a base to start darkening up my outer corner.  But because I apply it with a big fluffy brush it also sets down the shade to work as a transition shade. 
• Urban Decay eye shadow in West from the Oz Great & Powerful pallet - This is the dark shadow that I use to darken up my outer corner of my eye lid.  I place this from my outer corner inwards and start up into my crease.  This is a shade that can be really dramatic or an every day shade.  Just apply as much until you get the look you want.  I often time also bring this down onto my lower lash line to work as my eye liner on my lower lid.  It has a shimmer to it that is beautiful!
• Mary Kay eye shadow in Cooper Glow - Ah! This is such a beautiful shade! It's great for just adding a little extra kick to your eye look.  I take a big fluffy brush and use this to buff out the colors already in my outer corner in and crease.  It adds a little extra without looking like you've put whole other color into the mix.
• Ulta eye shadow in Au Naturel - This is another shadow that use in every look I do.  I take this on a big fluffy brush and I buff and blend out the edge of the other shadows up to my eye brow.  This is a good skin tone color that will make sure you don't have any harsh edges.
• Revlon Color Stay eye liner in Brown - I apply this on my upper lash line and my lower lash line.  Then I use the built in smudger to smudge out my lower lash line.  I only place this from my outer corner to about 3/4 of the way in.  I find on my eye, it is too harsh of a look to go all the way to my inner corner.
• Ulta eye shadow in a dark brown color - Sorry guys! I depotted this color and now I don't know what shade it is! This is a color that matches the eye liner I use on a daily basis.  I use this on an eye liner brush and use it to set the eye liner I have applied. This sets the pencil liner and also soften the edges.

Don't judge me, but I use three mascaras! Yes, three!  But the look I get, I just can't get with just one.  What I love is that with the three mascaras I get three different consistencies of mascara and brushes. This allows me to lengthen, built up volume, and ensure I don't end up with those spidery and clumpy lashes.  No girl has time for that!!

• Revlon Lash Potion by Grow Lusious in Blackened Brown
• L'Oreal Paris Extra Volume Collagen Mascara in Black Brown
• Almay One Coat, Get Up & Grow in Black Brown

Lips and Eyebrow Makeup:

• Chella Eyebrow Color Pencil in Tantalizing Taupe - I got this in my May Ipsy bag, read my blog about it here!
• Jane Iredale Bitty Brow Kit - I use the powder in this kit to soften the edges of the pencil
• Mary Key Eyebrow Gel
• NYX lip liner in Nude Pink
• Tarte LipSurgence in Romantic
• Tarte LipSurgence Lipglass in Visionary

Now, how did it all last... below is a picture I took at the graduation party.  I put on my makeup that morning around 9 am and this picture below is taken probably around 8 pm... 

• My my lip color has rubbed off.  We ate dinner and I never re-applied my lip color.  
• My hair - I had taken out my bobby pins that had the front of my hair pinned up because they were bothering me.  It rained and so the curls in my hair fell a bit flat
• My foundation and concealer has lasted, but my cheek color and bronzer has faded a bit..

Over all, I think this looks good figuring between applying it and this picture I had gone to the farmer's market, planted in my garden, and gone to the graduation party!  

What do you think!?  Would you want to try any of these products if you were looking for a long lasting look? .. I hope you enjoyed this look!  I wear this look often and these seem to be my go to products that I know I can count on!

xoxo,
Mikal-Anne

Products I've Used Up

Ok - so I have to admit something... in preparation for this post, I obviously have to keep my empty products.  Which means I have this basket of empty products sitting on the desk I use as a vanity.. which essentially makes me feel like a trash hoarder!! ... So, to free myself of a little garbage in my life, it's time to share my trash with you!! Here we go...

Dry shampoo - Yes, I know there are four different types of dry shampoo in this picture, but for a while I was on the hunt for the perfect dry shampoo.  I used the tresemme one, I'm not sure what the exact name of it is, but it's the one with the green cap and black bottle.  It worked just fine, but the thing I hated was the smell.  It wasn't a bad smell by any means.  I could just smell it throughout the day and I felt that it was slightly overpowering.  Not my favorite.  So, the hunt began for one that I loved.  

I first tried the Batiste brand.. Even though only two are pictured, I have tried three.  I can't remember the name of the one I tried first (sorry!) but the ones pictured are the Dark & Deep Brown and the Original.  Both of these are great.  They don't have an overpowering smell and the Dark & Deep Brown one is tinted.  Which means if you have dark colored hair, you don't have to worry about getting that white cast that some dry shampoos. In addition they actually work.  I know, right?  A product that does what it says it should! Make sure that you rub in any excess to your hair and watch your hair come back to life. Another bonus, I feel like this keeps working throughout the day. Bonus!

Suave - Of the four pictured, this one is probably my least favorite.  Don't get me wrong, it works and I'm not saying that I wouldn't re-purchase it .. It's just, if I had a choice, this probably wouldn't be the one I'm reaching for.  I feel like there is a fine line between applying the right amount of product and too much.  This is one that can cause that white cast on your hair super easily.  There are times when I would use this, do my hair, and then at some point I would catch myself in a mirror and I would feel like my hair almost looked grey in spots.  I found that I could easily avoid this but applying this to my hair, letting it sit, and then kind of rubbing it in. Most of the time I could avoid the white cast, but I had to be very aware of the amount of product I was using.  I don't know about you, but when I'm usually using dry shampoo, it's usually because I'm running late and need to get out the door quickly.  On those days, I don't want to have to think too much about the products I'm using.

Garnier Fructis, Volume Extend, Dry Shampoo - This one, by far, is my favorite.  All of the good qualities listed above, this one has.  In addition, I am in love with the smell!!  No surprise there because most Garnier products smell amazing!  This product is so easy to use, you don't get a white cast,  and it's long lasting. Something I've started doing on nights when I know the next morning I am not planning on washing my hair, I'll spray a bit of this in the areas I tend to get the most oil.  Then when I wake up the next morning, this product has been working throughout the night and there is less oil to deal with.  I also like to use this on freshly washed

hair.  Sometimes I find that my hair when it is freshly washed can be a bit to slick and has a hard time holding a style.  Adding just a touch of this adds a bit of texture and can make styling a bit easier.

Eye makeup remover - This is something I'm constantly using, using up, and re-purchasing... and to be honest, there's only one type I use and it's the Mary Kay Oil-Free Makeup Remover.  I have used this stuff constantly for 7 or 8 years.  Here's a little bit of a disclaimer - I am a Mary Kay Consultant, but I am for personal use only and so that I can get the consultant discount.  I have a few friends who regularly purchase things from me (one being this very item), but I am not doing this for a career or to make money. I just love a few products and have yet to find any other ones to replace them with... Now, on to the product... This stuff is pretty much the most amazing eye make up remover I have ever used... I remember using noth Clinique and Neutrogea's eye makeup remover but the Mary Kay one knocks those out of the park.  It's removes all eye make up, even waterproof, with ease.  No tugging, residue, or left over make up!! It's awesome and I am never without it!

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation - Pictured above is shade 820 and 840.  What I love about this product is it applies easily, evens out your skin tone, but doesn't completely wash you out.  Your skin still looks natural but just better.  I have loads a freckles and too full coverage products can tend to make me look plastic by covering them up.  the 3 in 1 foundation allows me to even out my skin tone but still look natural.  I still need to add some concealer to cover up the ever hated under eye circles and any bad blemishes I have, but for the most part, this product can cover most things. 

Until next time loves! 

XOXO