Showing posts with label Smooth Operator. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smooth Operator. Show all posts

Friday, July 31, 2015

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


Friday, July 24, 2015

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