The Best of Stila: My Favorites from One of My Favorite Brands

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1. Perfect Me, Perfect Hue Eye & Cheek Palette (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): I haven't bought it yet, but this looks so amazing that I had to include it! Yes, it is in my cart to buy today! Just right for your skin tone, it has shadows, and 2 blushes. There are different versions for different skin tones. Great for the gym or travel.

2. Got Inked Cushion Eye Liner (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): These are super pigmented and lightweight, I love them! You will need the brush from Stila to get a good result, so grab one of those if you don't have it yet. Check out my Got Inked Liner Review

3. HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): Another great volumizing mascara. The mascara seems to go in and out of stock, so grab it while you can! Check out my Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara Review, and you'll find out why you also need the primer.

4. Perfectly Poreless Putty Perfector (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): I can't seem to find my review of this product, but it offers easily buildable medium to full coverage that looks natural and only takes a few minutes! It seems to sit in my drawer too much, I forget that it's there. I've pulled it out now, don't be surprised when it shows up in more posts!

5. Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): This is a pigmented blush that is very liquid, almost like water. I just pat it on my cheeks and it gives a great glow! Rosewater is my favorite, but I've gotten my friend Joyce addicted and I believe she has a couple of shades. (check out my Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush Review)

6. Nude Interlude Color Balm Lipstick (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): I have this in Meg and Sophie. It's more of a tinted balm with just the right nude shade. Perfect for swiping on your lips when you're on the go!

7. Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palette (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): I have this in both Soul (pictured) and Spirit, and I love the neutral shadows! They have just the right amount of shimmer and work great for almost any look. Check out my review and swatches of the Soul and Spirit Eyes are the Window Shadow Palettes.

8. Stay All Day Bronzer For Face & Body (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): This is a huge bronzer, and it has a great sunkissed glow. Here's my Stay All Day Bronzer Review.

9. Smudge Pot (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): It works as both a shadow and a liner, won't budge but somehow you can easily remove it.

10. Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): This is definitely the best liquid liner pen out there. I've found others that I like (L'Oreal comes to mind), but this is still the best pigmentation and it makes the crispest line.

11. Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): This is on of my go-to eye liners. I love that it is an automatic pencil (sharpening drives me batty), and has just the right amount of smudge when I run a brush over it. It lasts all day! I use Damsel most of the time, it's a dark brown that isn't quite black so it isn't harsh, but adds a lot of definition.

12. Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): Yes, it really does stick around most of the day! I apply it over moisturized lips, first around the outside edge like a liner (the foam doe foot applicator makes that easy), then 2 light layers on the inside.

13. Stay All Day 10-In-1 HD Beauty Balm (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): It doesn't really offer a lot of coverage, but it does some great smoothing out and making everything look better. Perfect for days you don't really want to wear makeup or to layer under other products.

14. Convertible Color (at Sephora, Nordstrom or Stila): This is a cream that works on your lips or on your cheeks. It doesn't spread as easily as the Watercolor Blush (not a surprise given the differences in consistency) so I usually apply this one with a brush. It lasts all day and is nice and glowy! My old stand by color is Lillium.

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What To Buy From Stila's Warehouse Sale

Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links I Bought It



Now that Cyber Monday has come and gone (sigh), there's still the Stila Warehouse Sale to shop! Here's my favorites, you have until 12/7 but stuff sells out pretty fast!

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Adding Some Depth: Eye Makeup Alternatives

I Bought It Affiliate Links


As much as I love the classics, after a while black, brown and taupe get a little old when they are the only shades that you use to create your eye look every day. Yes, they're pretty, but sometimes a girl needs to do something a little bit different!

Currently one of my favorite ways to spice things up a bit is to use the Stila Got Inked Cushion Eye Liner in Smoky Quartz (you can read my full Stila Got Inked Eye Liner review from August). I love that this color has a bit of metallic shimmer, is neutral but definitely not boring!

6

A Little Sunkissed Glow: Stila Stay All Day Bronzer For Face & Body

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I'm a pale girl. I long ago embraced this, and my complete inability to get a tan. I don't get red but I do get clumps of freckles that aren't cute. They make me look dirty. So, I (somewhat) shun the sun. I hang out in the shade, I wear sunscreen daily, and I own a couple of great sun hats.

3

New Adventures in Lashes: Stila HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara and Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer

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I've made no secret of my love of all things lashes. I'm a big fan of long and lush lashes, but I hate, hate, hate falsies. I think they are a major pain and I refuse to use them. So, I'm always on the hunt for new and exciting mascaras! When Stila released their HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara and Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer, I was pretty excited! I love Stila, and with product names like that, you know that I was all over these products.

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Playing Up Your Eyes: Stila's Got Inked Cushion Eye Liner and La Quill Precision Eye Liner Brush

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Liquid cushion makeup has been a big hit lately with foundation, and Stila has brought it to eye liner! Their new Got Inked Cushion Eye Liner is a super pigmented liquid, it comes in a cushion that when pressed will release just the right amount of product. I strongly recommend using it with the La Quill Precision Eye Liner Brush, which is perfect for getting an even line of eye liner.

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Stila Eyes are the Window Spirit and Soul Palettes Review and Swatches

I Bought It Affiliate Links



This post has been a long time coming. I bought the Stila Eyes are the Window Spirit and Soul Palettes in August 2014, on a pre-birthday vacation run to ULTA for travel sized body wash and shampoo. The palettes had just come out and while the reviews were mixed, I'm a big fan of all things Stila, and especially Stila shadows. So, I splurged and bought both for myself. And obviously I took them on my trip the next day, so my pics are post-first use (sorry! It was my birthday, birthdays come before beauty blogging!)

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Made For The Heat: Trying Out Stila Summer

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Now that the heat really has started to hit some areas of the country, I'm in the mood for summer beauty! I want brighter colors and products that are made to stand up to the heat and humidity. Luckily there are some great releases out there right now, and some of the best are from Stila.



Aqua Glow Perfecting Primer

So, this primer isn't terribly different from other silicone primers out there now. They all do a great job of smoothing out your skin, making pores and other skin imperfections less obvious when used under your makeup. They even work when alone, and you can layer a little over your makeup mid-day if you need to smooth things out. All of that is true of this primer.

What really sets the Aqua Glow Perfecting Primer apart from others is the form that it comes in. Rather than being a liquid/lotion consistency, this is a stick. Which means that it is easier to travel with! You can put it in your makeup bag and not worry about it spilling everywhere. It doesn't need to go in your liquid 3-1-1 bag if you're carrying everything on to a plane. And when you apply it, you get a little cool feeling from it, so it's perfect for mid-day touchups on a hot summer day.




Aqua Glow Perfecting Bronzer

This liquid bronzer is perfect for creating a very natural glow. It evens works for me, a super pale girl! You can use just a tiny amount all over (tip: mix it into your morning moisturizer to thin it out a bit), or apply a little extra directly where you want it. I would only recommend this for adding a sunlight glow, not contouring. It's a bit too golden and has shimmer, so it really is perfect for faking a little extra summery glow! The coverage is light but it builds very easily. It feels very lightweight on my skin and lasts all day.




Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush

My favorite product is definitely the Watercolor Blush! This blush comes in 5 different shades, I tried out Water Poppy and Rosewater, but I'm definitely picking up Water Lily and Shimmering Lotus as well.

The formulation is very interesting. It comes in a pot, and you can see that there's a mesh holding the blush in the bottom of the jar. (Note that the lid is made to prevent it from coming out as well, don't worry about this spilling all over.) It's very thin, definitely thinner than most face lotions.

To apply, you just dip in a finger, pat over your cheekbone and then blend with a finger or brush. It is very natural and subtle, but can be layered for more color. I've become a bit obsessed with the Rosewater color, it's a beautiful light pink! The color lasts all day and stays put even on hot and humid days.




Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick

Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks aren't new, but they're one of those formulations that so many people love and whenever they come out with new shades they get snapped up! This season there are 5 new shades. I'm wearing Amalfi, which is the bright coral-pink shades. I really want to try Bella, which is also a bright pink. These are a bit tricky to get the hang of, but once you do they're amazing! They last almost an entire day without smudging or wiping off. The key is to start with moisturized lips and then apply very, very thin layers. Super thin. It's worth it!




All of these products are available at Stila

Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links

3

14 Stila In the Light Palette Tutorials to Try Now!

I Bought It



Blog Posts
Neutral Eye using Stila's In The Light Eye Shadow Palette by by Jessica Dawn

Tutorial: My Everyday Look by Hanatastic Beauty

Quick Look: A "Bubbly" Metallic Eye in Under 5 Minutes (Ok, this one is mine! I forgot about it and found it on Pinterest. Oops!)

Stila In The Light Get Ready With Me Tutorial by My Newest Addiction

Valentine's Day Makeup Look and Stila In The Light Palette Look 2 - Inspired by Miley Cyrus by Makeup Matters

Soft Smokey Looks ft. Stila in The Light Palette by Pink Beauty Heart, this one is for asian girls complete with great diagrams showing where to put the shadow to make the most of your monolids!

Neutral Smokey Eyes Tutorial Using Stila In The Light Palette by My Vanity Treasures, nice big pics showing everything!


YouTube Videos
Get Ready With Me: Stila In the Light! by Kathleen Lights

Get Ready With Me: Stila In the Light! by Goo Roo Beauty

STILA In The Light Palette | Eye Tutorial by Mrslolalynn

Prom Makeup Tutorial by Lauren Curtis

Stila Natural Eyes Palette: Purfect Cat Eye Make-Up by EverythingLuxy

Neutral Soft Makeup by MaskCara

Get Ready With Me ft. Stila 'In The Light' Palette by Rosanna Pierce

3

Ask Away: Everyday Products and Using Them Up

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Ok, this is sort of stupid...but....I have so much makeup and I am always stumped what to keep in my daily get ready bag (not a bag that you take in your purse). I try to switch it up by the week but honestly at this rate I will never use anything up! Does anyone else have this issue?
-Danielle

So, there's no way I'm every going to use everything up. I could stop buying now and still have eyeshadow well into old age (and I'm going to live a long time, my grandma is 105!), if you need proof, go look at my beauty storage post. Warning: do not look if you are a minimalist. I have a lot of stuff, and yes, most of it is organized in drawers, but apparently having things out on a counter makes some people twitchy.

The truth is that I rarely finish a product unless it is a true every day product. I thought I'd share the products (well, makeup and skin care) that I tend to finish and repurchase over and over! Some of these probably look very familiar!



1. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 (buy it here): You're probably tired of me talking about this lotion, but it's my go-to for in between other product testings.

2. Kiehl's Midnight Recovery (buy it here): Amazing for when my skin is dry or irritated.

3. Hard Candy Take It Off Eye Makeup Remover: I stock up on this at Walmart! It takes everything off with basically no work. Love that!

4. Pond's Luminous Finish BB Cream: I swear, I will write a full review some day! I'm using this pretty much every day instead of foundation, and I have a few friends and my mom hooked on it as well. I got an emergency phone call from my mom last week about it, she was at ULTA with my sister looking for it! She thought it would be perfect for her on an upcoming vacation.

5. Amazing Cosmetics Concealer (buy it here): Well pigmented, it lasts all day and comes in a lot of different shades. I use it alone or mixed with primer, BB Cream, highlighter, you name it! I'm light golden.

6. Cream Blushes: I use cream blush almost every day, and I tend to use either Stila's Convertible Color in Lillium (which I listed as one of my 9 Best Products From Stila, buy it here) or Maybelline Bouncy Blush.

7. Mascara: I'm a big mascara girl, but I rarely buy the same one twice (in the interest of "research" for the blog, but I admit that I've always been this way). Two that I have repurchased (multiple times) are Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara and CoverGirl Clump Crusher (which was one of my 5 Favorite CoverGirl Products.

8. IT Cosmetics Your Brows But Better (buy it here): This is my favorite brow pencil. I have others that I'll use, but this pencil is skinny and automatic, so it is like you just sharpened it. I featured it in my how to groom your eyebrows and fill them in post.

9. NYX Wonder Pencil: I've been using this pencil in multiple shades and have just repurchased them. The light is great for over and under my brows for a bit of added definition and I use the dark on either side of my nose for a bit of contouring. I recently featured the Wonder Pencil in my best concealers post.

10. Eye Liners: I've previously established that I am an eye liner girl (check out my eyeliner drawer on Instagram), but even though I have a pretty big selection at home, I fully admit that I have a few formula favorites and I like to keep them stocked up in the basic shades of brown and black. There are some days that I just want the Smoky Liner from Elizabeth Arden, or when nothing else but the Perversion Liner from Urban Decay will make me happy.
• Stila Smudge Liner (buy it here): Damsel is a super dark brown that I love
• Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner (buy it here): I keep this around in black
• Elizabeth Arden Smoky Liner (buy it here): This one I have in black, brown and midnight, which is a very dark navy. I'm out of black and brown, and forgot to repurchase the other day when I went to 2 (!) ULTAs on the same day. Obviously next time I'm bringing a list!
• Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kôhl Liner (buy it here): I bought this in Penny Lane over the summer when one of their Makeup Artists convinced me it was amazing. And O. M. G. she was right! It is just soft enough, smudges beautifully and stays all day. You twist the cap on and it advances the liner automatically and sharpens it. So cool! I use Penny Lane as more of an accent on my lower lash line since it isn't a dark color, but I just bought black a few days ago and I know this formula is one I'll be collecting for now on.
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil (buy it here): Pictured is Perversion, which is a deep matte black. This is definitely one of my go-to black colors. However, I think this is probably my favorite overall eye liner formulation, and if I want a "fun" color, then I always check Urban Decay first! The colors are always rich and true and I would much rather have that purple in the 24/7 formula than anything else! Grab the Ocho Loco2 Eye Liner Set while it's out there, this thing is a steal!

11. Eye Primers: I never skip this step! Eye primers make my shadow look much more professional, not to mention making it last all day and covering up any visible blood vessels (I'm super pale, so I have a lot). I use the NYX every day, it is basically like a concealer with primer capabilities. For days that I need to grab on to a little more powdery shadows, I'll add a light layer of Too Faced Shadow Insurance on top, and if I'm going really glittery I'll add ELF Glitter Primer (not pictured because I haven't repurchased, though I did buy 3!)

12. Wet N Wild Nutty: This is my go to taupe shadow! I love to use it in my crease, it pairs up great with pretty much everything. It's a near dupe for MAC Satin Taupe, though the lower level of pigmentation makes it work a tad better for me.

13. Lippies: I have a lot of lip products, and usually have around 20 in my purse at any given time. Yes, I have issues. The ones that I repurchase are usually these 2, the L'Oreal Caresse lip gloss stain (Lilac Ever After is a great pinky-nude) or the CoverGirl Smoochies, hydrating tinted balms. I haven't used any up, but I want to collect more of the Urban Decay Super-Saturated lip gloss pencils and Too Faced Lip Injection Color Bombs. So, I'm buying new colors!

Do you have a beauty questions you want to see on 15 Minute Beauty?


Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links , many of these items were sent initially by PR but have been repurchased by me, over and over!

2

My Current Skin Perfecting Makeup Routine

Back in April I sharedhow I apply liquid foundation, which works great for me, but was a bit too heavy for the summer. I lightened up my routine some over the summer, reviewed a few products, and mentioned some product mixing here and there...

I'm now using the same routine almost every day with great results and it is so different from what I was doing with my foundation that I think it is definitely time to share the update! You can find the products in this tutorial in my How to Fake That Glowcollection.

1. The Pond's Luminous Finish BB Cream is the main reason that I'm not updating my routine for the fall/winter. I seriously love this stuff. This is a lightweight moisturizer, but with a little bit of light deflection, which is great for looking glowy and more awake. It has light coverage, almost up to a medium coverage. I apply roughly a centimeter line of the BB cream to my entire face right after I get out of the shower, just smearing it all over the place. I then go deal with my hair, which takes about 10 minutes or so. When I finish my hair, I won't need to do anything more with the BB Cream.

2. The next step is concealer! I am currently mixing 3 products on the back of my hand. My ideal mix is usually about 2 parts concealer (this Amazing Cosmetics Concealer is one of my favorites), 1 part brightener (Smashbox Photo Op) and 1 part primer to smooth things out (Freeze 24/7 Freeze and Go). The Smashbox offers just enough light reflection to brighten up my eye area and make me look more awake without being glittery.

I mix everything up on the back of my hand, and my body heat helps to melt it all together. I pat this onto my under eye area. I apply in a triangle with the points being my inner and outer eye corners and my nose. So, it does extend out beyond the circle under my eye. Blending out like this seems to help make me look a lot more awake! Be sure to get the inner corner of your eye as well. I gently pat and product into this area without tugging or rubbing.

3. Now everything needs to be really blended. I am more than a bit obsessed with my Beauty Blender sponge! I use my sponge dry, though I know most people will get their sponge a bit damp before they use it. I dab the sponge over my concealer to blend it, concentrating on the outer edges to blend it in to my skin. I also pat the sponge on any areas that need a little more blending from the BB Cream, usually this is just the end of my nose.

4. Once I've blended everything, I apply my first layer of blush. Why? Because I'm a super pale girl and without blush all day long I get asked if I feel ok. I get the best results with the Stila Convertible Color, this is my favorite Lillium. I apply it just to the apples of my cheeks with a brush.

5. Now I use the biggest end of my Beauty Blender in my powder, the Cargo Cosmetics HD Picture Perfect Translucent Powder. The container has a mesh, I just pat the sponge on to the mesh and I pick up the perfect amount of powder. Now I just pat the powder onto my t-zone, over the concealer and blush to set everything. The powder is very fine and with the Beauty Blender you can't even see that it is on my skin. Love that!

4 (again). Time for more blush! The powder brings down the intensity of the Lillium quite a bit, so applying a very small amount with my brush will punch up the color a bit. I've found that layering my blush like this makes it last all day, avoiding the awkward questions about my health.

6. Finally, if I'm feeling up for it I'll apply a little bronzer! I've been using the Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Light/Medium Matte Bronzer. It's great for pale girls like me, it's light enough to work for my skin without any shimmer or orange tint. I usually apply just a little under my cheeks for contouring and then under my jawline for a little added definition.


Have you been mixing products together to get the results you want, or am I the only one? What about any great new face products you've found recently?

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My eBay Collections were curated as part of my collaboration with eBay #followitfindit and Style Coalition.

5

Quick Look: A "Bubbly" Metallic Eye in Under 5 Minutes

I Bought It


I've had more requests for quick and easy eye makeup, in particular those with fewer shadows. I agree, it does feel like a lot of tutorials out there use a lot of shades, I can usually only handle 3 colors, on a rare occasion 4. Most days I use just 2, and one of those is the Wet 'n Wild Nutty that I pretty much always put in my crease. (Are you guys tired of that color? I should probably brand out some, but the shade seems to just be perfect for me. And it is only $2. That's a win right there.)

Anyways, I found images in my iPhoto for this look, from June 9th! I still had long hair, and according to my calendar I wasn't doing anything in particular on that Sunday, and these pics were taken during toddler nap time, so about 6 hours after putting on my makeup.


What I used:
• Stila In the Light Palette (check out swatches over on Making Up the Midwest and some great tutorials using the palette on Babble)
• Wet 'n Wild Nutty
• Stila liner in Damsel
• CoverGirl Flamed Out Mascara
• L'Oreal Visible Lift Rose Gold Blush
• Julia's Lip Tint in Hot Chick Pink

The eye look itself was very simple. I applied Bubbly from the In the Light Palette over my lid up and slightly over my crease, but not onto the brow bone. Nutty was then used in the crease. I smudged Damsel into my lash line and finished up with 2 coats of Flamed Out Mascara.


Do you have a go-to weekend makeup look?

3

Get the Look: Elizabeth from The White Queen

Nothing to Disclose


Have you seen the new television mini-series, The White Queen? It started airing on August 10th here in the US, though it's already almost completed in the UK. As usual, this amazing series was created by the people over at the BBC. It's based on the books by Philippa Gregory, mostly The White Queen, but also The Red Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter.

I watched Episode 1 this weekend on my DVR, counted down the hours until episode 2 aired (it was less than 6 but I was not very patient) and now I'm debating about buying the DVD series from Amazon and probably all three books. I can tell you that watching Rebecca Ferguson play Elizabeth is definitely making the wait for the next season of Downton Abbey a bit easier!


One of the reasons that the series is so enjoyable is definitely watching Rebecca Ferguson. To say that she's beautiful seems to be an understatement. She's wearing very little makeup in the series, but what she does have seems to only emphasize her amazing skin and features. Not to mention her hair.... it really makes me regret my recent Bob (which I'm still getting used to), and wishing for about 3 feet of very voluminous extensions. It's almost enough to make a girl give up her giant makeup stash and recreate Rebecca's look every day.

I'll definitely be trying to emulate this no makeup but natural look on a few of my "down" days, here's what I think would work best to do it.

I couldn't find any images of Rebecca's hair at the beginning of episode one, but she has very long blonde hair with a bit of strawberry tint. Her hair is pulled back off of her face with small braids, and then tied (with what appears to be cords the same color as her hair, here I have 2 different Faux Leather Suede Necklace Cords, I'd use something similar in a color that blends in to your hair).

I'd recommend starting with Redken's Guts 10 to help add texture, volume and to hold the style. It's a spray that comes out as a white foam. I love it on my roots to add a little volume without teasing. Add it to wet hair, comb through and then blow dry. You need volume and texture, so don't worry about making things perfect here!

Once the hair is dry, it is crimped (yes, with a 1980's crimper) to add extra texture and volume (in case you didn't save your crimper from 30 years ago, they're selling them again! Bed Head Crimper). Once you have enough volume and texture, it's really a matter of playing around with how you want to pull back your hair. Add in small braids, twist sections, just make sure you have some volume and it falls nicely around your face.


Elizabeth's beauty is a real feature in the series, and they've tried to keep it fairly natural. Rebecca has amazing skin with freckles, and I love that they are really show cased. She is fair but her skin is a little bit sunkissed, to recreate this look I would use a light concealer like Maybelline's DreamLumi Touch, which has a bit of light diffusion in it as well. To get a light sunkissed look without looking powdery, try Stila's One Step Bronze, concentrating on places that the sun would hit you like your cheek bones, forehead, chin and nose.

Elizabeth has a very pretty flush, I would try a cream blush like Maybelline Bouncy Blush (Peach Satin) or Stila Convertible color (in Gerbera). Try to stay in the pinky-peach family, and concentrate the color on the apples of your cheeks. Pair it with a similar tone on your lips, a lip stain like Stila Yumberry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain would be a good match.

There was minimal makeup on Rebecca's eyes, but when she did have on shadow it appeared to be a very light wash of a matte light grey or a light brown-taupe. Try Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe, Stila Smudge Pot in Gray or NARS Soft Touch Pencil in Goddess.

When she had on mascara it was on uncurled lashes, dark brown rather than black, and not a clump was in sight! I'd try CoverGirl's Clump Crusher mascara, which is formulated differently than other mascaras and has a specific distance between bristles to help prevent clumping.

Finally, a slightly defined eye brow was key to the look. I'd go for IT Cosmetics Your Brows But Better Brow Power Skinny Pencil, which has a slightly ashy tone and works with almost all hair colors.


Have you seen The White Queen? Am I the only one obsessing over this mini-series?

4

Top 10 Tuesday: My Favorite Cream Cosmetics

Product Sent for Review



A quick peek at some of my favorite cream products and my favorite post where I've reviewed or used them (though I think I haven't mentioned the Cover FX before).

1. Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil: Super pigmented, it's easy to just put a little right where you need it and blend with a finger. I usually wear FBI.

2. Stila Convertible Color in Lillium: I need to repurchase this since I'm almost out, but this has been my go-to blush this summer.

3. Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation: Cover GX does a great job with skin tones, and I swear that it looks so natural! (I wear N20)

4. NARS Multiple in Copacabana: The perfect highlighter

5. NARS Multiple in Orgasm: The cream version of my favorite splurge blush

6. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Pink Plum: Another great cream blush that I turn to often. I apply with a brush.

7. IT Cosmetics Hello Light Anti-Aging Crème Luminizer: My new favorite highlighter for my cheek bones, it catches just enough light.

8. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Mushroom: Super easy to use as a liner or a shadow, it lasts all day.

9. Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadow in Matte Navy Blue: My fave dark smoky eye!

10. CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in Lime Green Flame: I'm looking for an excuse to use this one again.







Product Sent for Review

9

Inspiration from the Greek Islands: A Sultry Smoky Eye

Nothing to Disclose

Today I have another amazing makeup look from Brandy Gomez-Duplessis, again from Donna Karan International Market Week. Brandy says,

"Today's makeup inspiration comes from my love of the sultry Greek Islands. Women are very sexy there and they love their bodies. Donna Karan's collection today took me to that place so I created a flawless makeup look that would take you from day to night. It's all about clean skin, shades of coral, and beach with no one thing being the main focus."

Best of all, Brandy created this amazing look with makeup that you can easily pick up with a trip to a store near you! I love that she uses a lot of non-pro products to create looks that are just so pretty. I could recreate this easily for going out to dinner and it would look great!

3

Makeup Wars: My Favorite Go-To Summer Complexion Fixer

I Bought It Myself


Today for Makeup Wars we're sharing our favorite summer complexion fixers. We all switch up our makeup routine once the warm weather hits (especially once it becomes hot and humid!) and not all Tinted Moisturizers, BB Creams, CC Creams, DD Creams (are we up to NN Creams yet?).... they're not all created equal. Like me, all of the bloggers in Makeup Wars have tried countless foundations, tinted moisturizers, you name it. And we all have our own favorites for the summer.

This summer, I've found myself repeatedly mixing about 4 parts Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm to 1 part Amazing Cosmetics Concealer (I'm light golden, in case you were wondering). The combination is more coverage than most BB Creams, but has a similar lightweight feel and blends perfectly into my skin. It stays perfect looking all day! I think I'll probably be using this trick well after summer is over!

14

Brandy Gomez-Duplessis Shares Her Donna Karan International Market Week Look, Hint: A Trip to ULTA Will Get You Everything!

Nothing to Disclose


During Donna Karan International Market Week, Celeb Makeup Artist Brandy Gomez-Duplessis created many different looks, and when she offered to share the looks, and the products she used, with my readers I jumped at the chance! Just look at the model's makeup.... Yes, super pretty!

Brandy says that the look was inspired by her love for exotic locations like Capri. Look is simple with brown/bronze eyes and flawless skin, natural lips and you can almost feel the breeze coming off of the Mediterranean! The best part is that you can pick up all of the products with a quick trip to ULTA (except for the lip gloss. I can only find that on-line, but it is $1.25. Can't argue with that!)

A quick peek at the amazing Paul Andrew shoes backstage. I want them all!

Read on to see what Brandy used to create the look.

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9 Must Have Products from Stila

I Bought it Myself Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links


I've long been a Stila fan. I love how easy so many of their products are, how long lasting they are, and that the company seems to really focus more on just being pretty than trendy. It's also a big bonus that they frequently have on-line warehouse sales so you can get great deals.

1. Stila Convertible Color (Shown in my favorite shade, Lillium): Stila bills this as a creme blush/lipstick combo. I confess that I don't get a lot of color when I use it as a lippie, so this is strictly a creme blush for me. I apply with a brush, though sometimes will feather it out a little with a fingertip. The result is a very pretty flush that lasts me all day.

2. Stila Eye Shadow (shown in Wheat, a great basic shadow for pale girls): I have a pretty big shadow collection from Stila, and I have to say that they never disappoint. They're well pigmented, blend well and last all day. I especially love that you can buy them already out of the pan and just pop them into an empty compact (which they sell pretty cheaply. But they're actually really nice compacts.)

Some of my favorite colors: Dune, Eden, Oasis, Shell, Wheat, Grace, Heather, Espresso, Java.

They also come in kind of amazing compacts. In the Garden has a great collection of tans, golds and greens which you won't find on their own. And I wait in anticipation every summer to see what they're including in their amazing travel palettes, which are small enough to travel with but big enough that they feel like a major deal (which they are!)

3. Stay All Day 10 in 1 Beauty Balm: There are more versions of this beauty balm now, but this is a definite crowd pleaser. It comes in 1 shade, but I swear it works for pretty much every skin tone, working to even things out a bit and make everything apply more smoothly.

4. Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner: I swear that liquid liner pens are a million times easier than a pot and brush. Lots of companies make these pens, but the Stila one is my favorite. It has a slightly longer tip, which makes application a bit easier (tip: apply with the pen on it's side, not the very end, for more control), and this pen seems to put down a little more product than similar pens from MAC and Milani.

5. Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick (shown in Beso): Super pigmented and easy to use, this lipstick is perfect for a red lippie (my favorite is Beso), and it lasts all day.

6. Smudge Stick (shown in Damsel): Love these! They are like eye liners, but a little easier to smudge, and can easily be used all over your entire lid as shadow. They frequently come out with amazing limited edition colors (like at the holidays, their Seeing Stars set was to die for), if you see a special one you like, definitely stock up!

7. Forever Your Curl Mascara: Another mascara that I could have sworn I had reviewed but never made it to the blog. If you use a lash serum, you'll know what I mean when I say that sometimes your lashes can become resistant to curling. Apparently Latisse is especially known for this (in addition to having the lashes go all over wonky ways), and while I use Revitalash, if I go a little while without using it (maybe trying to wean myself off...) then my lashes do the same thing. It's like they are protesting the lack of Revitalash.

Anyways, about the time this curling mascara was released, I was trying to come off of the Revitalash, and my lashes were unhappy and would NOT curl. I bought about 6 different curling mascaras, and this is the only one that helped. Plus, it offered some nice length and volume. It's the only curling mascara I recommend now!

8. Lip Glaze (in Honeydew): Not sticky, a little color and I swear these things last forever. There's a lot more gloss in that pen than you realize! Sarah Lucero once told me that Grapefruit and Honeydew are the most universally flattering of the shades.

9. Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color (shown in Midnight Blue): This is basically the Smudge Stick in a larger form. Again, you can smudge it and after a minute or so it "sets" so that it really doesn't move anywhere. I've worn it snorkling in Hawaii without issues. For real.


Stila Cosmetics
I Bought it Myself Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links

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Makeup Wars: My Travel Beauty Essentials

This week for Makeup Wars we've decided to concentrate on travel beauty. Some of us will show what we pack, what we bring in our 3-1-1 bag, how we keep our skin glowing despite the arid environment of an airplane, etc. I've decided to show a bunch of what I'd be bringing if I left for my next vacation tomorrow. Actually, my next vacation isn't too far off, very soon my husband and I will be taking our 2 year old to Walt Disney World for her first visit! She's proving to be as much of a Disney fan as I am (our current favorite videos are Winnie the Pooh, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Peter Pan), so you can only imagine my excitement! Even better, while we're in Orlando my friend Nancy from Beauty 411 will be at the resort as well, and I'm really looking forward to seeing her!

In all of my Disney preparations for our first visit with a toddler, I've been reading a ton of travel tips, and you can see some of what I've been reading over on my Disney travel tips Pinterest board. I'm planning on doing things like bringing things to occupy my daughter while in line, I have rain parkas for those sudden Orlando showers, even little laundry soap pods for our in room washer and dryer! If you have some Disney World travel tips for toddlers, definitely share them with me! I want everything to go as smoothly as possible.

In the meantime, if I was packing up tonight, here's most of the beauty items that I'd bring with me. I'm not a girl that can pack everything in to a carry on, I am the super over packer. Honestly, I'm not even sure that I can do 1 night with a carry on. I'm trying to be more minimal (for me) on this trip. I still want to feel like myself, but I'm limiting my shadow and lippie options, etc. (Remember, I'm the girl that usually has 20-30 glosses in her purse. Not really on purpose, but that's just the way I roll.)

These are the bags I usually travel with. I previously featured them in my hospital bag post, though I use them all the time when going out of town. The first bag was sent to me by Trina, but I liked it so much that I bought 4 matching bags (not all of them are here, they're spread amongst various suitcases). I love them because they're lined, so if anything spills then the mess is contained. They're the perfects sizes and shapes, and I especially love that the big bag has removable matching clear bags.

1. Olay Body Wash: This is an anti-aging one, though somewhere I have the Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash somewhere here too. I have a smaller shower poof here, but really only because it was in my travel bag. I'll likely swap it out for me Beautisol Exfoliating Mitt.

2. Ummm... yes, shave gel and a razor. Venus and Skintimate.

3. I'm still undecided about body lotion. Here I'm showing Kiehl's Creme de Corps, though I usually use Cetaphil Cream. I haven't decided if the Kiehl's will be enough moisture for me.

I usually travel with whatever skin care I'm testing at that time, though I do try to add in a few "emergency" items to help cope with issues due to travel.

1. Pevonia Hydrating Sunscreen: Obviously I'm a big fan of sunscreen, and since I'm going to Florida I'll need a decent SPF to wear every day. This has SPF 30 and is very light weight.





2. My current regimen from Pevonia Spa Clinica is obviously what I'd pack to come with me.

3. I'm currently pairing my Pevonia C Evolutive Eye Gel with the rest of the PSC. It's great under makeup and to decrease puffiness.

4. Kiehl's Midnight Recovery: I don't travel without my Midnight Recovery! A few drops on my skin before I head to bed and any dryness from a long flight is just... gone. Love that.

More sun protection!

1. Coppertone Kids Wacky Foam: My daughter has become a bit resistant to my slathering of lotion, so I'm hoping that this foam will persuade her! A foam also sounds lighter weight than the usual lotion that we use.

2. Coppertone Lip Balm: I once had a sunburn on my lips, and I swear, never again! This Coppertone Sport also has sun protection.

3. Aveeno Baby Sunblock Lotion: This is my old stand by for my daughter, I'll still be bringing it, but likely it will be my husband and I using it.

1. L'Oreal Advance Haircare Total Repair 5 Shampoo and Conditioner: I'll be decanting my shampoo and conditioner into smaller bottles, but I'm really loving this new line from L'Oreal. Seriously, amazing.

2. DermOrganic Hair Masque: Wow. Seriously, the best hair masque ever. And it only takes a minute. I'm always worried about how my hair will respond to water when I'm out of town, having a few applications of this with me will make me feel a lot better!

3. L'Oreal Advance Haircare Color Vibrancy Dual Protect Spray: It looks like a regular shine spray, but it is so much more. It smells amazing, gives me great shine, and oh yes, it protects my hair. It has some UV protection and protects against heat up to 450 degrees. L'Oreal, please, please, please start making this in a travel sized bottle!

4. Ojon full detox Rub-Out Dry Cleansing Spray: Birchbox sent me a travel size of this great dry shampoo, so it's coming with me! It isn't powdery, doesn't leave a white mess, just soaks up oil and adds great volume. Love that.

5. DermOrganic Leave in Treatment: DermOrganic's version of the hair oil that everyone has. This one has Argan Oil and does a better job than others (**cough, cough, MorrocanOil**) at making my hair soft and shiny. Oh, and it is almost impossible to use too much, my hair seems to just suck this stuff up.

6. DermOrganic Volume Foam: This is a great "mousse" that really is a liquid that foams up with a pump. It adds volume and some hold to my hair without becoming sticky.

7. Sarah Potempa Beach Waver Curling Iron: Yeah, so this is amazing. And I'm still obsessed with it despite frying my hair with it over the summer. My newly dark hair does seem to look better when a few curls have been added (I think it looks a bit harsh when really straight. I'm probably just not used to it), and the curls are WAY better as 2nd day hair. So, Volume Foam for just the right amount of hold, curl, and I'm good for a few days. That sounds like vacation hair to me!

1. Kiehl's Lip Balm #1: I wear it every night. I can't go to sleep without it. I might be addicted.

2. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Concentrate: This product is really interesting. It is kind of hard and feels almost waxy at first, but when you get it out it quickly melts and just sinks into skin, healing everything. It's insane moisture. It's how I'm surviving this winter.

3. Elie Saab Perfume: So, I really need to just fully review this perfume. I'm wearing it every day (my husband loves it), and I've mentioned it a few times. It's made me put all my other perfume testings/reviews on hold because I only want to wear it. Anyways, they just came out with this really great travel atomizer (that's the gold thing), but what is really great is that there are 3 vials of the perfume! So, you can refill it. You simply twist the gold atomizer, and something comes out of the top, you spritz from there. So, it's pretty hard to get it all over the place.

4. Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve: This is the hand lotion I leave in my white coat pocket at the hospital so I tend to travel with it, though it might not make it in the suitcase due to the FAB Ultra Repair Concentrate. We'll see!

5. Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide Toothpaste: This is a new minty flavor, and it is wintergreen (!!! Love that!!!) and it doesn't taste like peroxide. I'm doing a lot of tooth whitening stuff with my new hair. They were white before, but with the new hair my skin looks lighter and more porcelain, and somehow white teeth just didn't look quite as white. So, I'm sticking with toothpaste for now, but I have another Rembrandt 2 Hour Whitening Kit already in my bathroom. I might do it, not sure yet.

6. Revitalash: Love this stuff, it's given me amazing eye lashes.

7. Aveeno 1% Hydrocortisone: In case my eczema flares

8. Clindamycin Gel: This is my prescription for my rosacea.

A lot of these are my oldie but goodies, things that I know will work. See below for a few more details.

1. Eyeshadows, primer is my NYX primer, there's a stick shadow from Mally and 2 Urban Decay liners (Zero and Underground).

2. Lippies: I have a nice array of colors here, but the real star is the Mally Beauty Lip Primer. I can't find it alone, but it comes with the perfect red lip kits. It's a white-ish liquid that becomes clear, and creates a slightly sticky base for under lipstick. IT IS AMAZING. Oh wait, did I yell that? Yes. I meant to do that. It makes all lipsticks better, last much longer and not come off when you sip your coffee. Get it.

3. Face Items: CoverGirl TruBlend in my new shade of 410, It Cosmetics Concealer, TruBlend Pressed Powder and my Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray.

4. Mascaras: Obviously, a curler and my CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara and the new Maybelline Rocket Mascara. An amazing combo.

5. Some blushes, a travel Tweezerman and Clean & Clear Oil Control Sheets.

6. Milk of Magnesia Face Primer: Basically, it is 75% MoM and 25% water. I have it in a little Nalgene bottle so it won't spill, and it is definitely coming to Florida!


1. Mally Shadow in Saddle Shimmer: It's kind of a gold. So pretty!

2. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

3. Stila Travel Palette, this one is an old one, "Road to Radiance Across the USA"

4. Watch for a post soon, but this is the PUR Minerals Beautiful Creatures Palette. Amazing. I might need a backup.

1. Stila Convertible Color in Lillium

2. Stila Travel Palette: I don't know the name of it, but the convertible color in this palette is pretty close, I might leave my beloved Lillium at home. And that is a little claw mark in the product, my 2 year old tried to dig it out with her fingers... I guess she liked it too?

3. Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Color in Oleander

1. MAC Baby Sparks
2. MAC En-Chantée
3. L'Oreal in Lilac Ever After and Infinite Fuchsia
4. Fyrinnae in Lollipop-Pop
5. Maybelline in Made It Mauve

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