Primer and Base

The key to good eye makeup is an excellent primer and eyeshadow base. You could use the best eyeshadow in the market and still get lackluster results. Of course you cannot count on a $5 shadow to perform as well as $50 one, but a primer and base make a whole lot of difference. 

First let me be clear about the difference between a primer and base.

A primer is used to coat the eyelids prior to the application of eyeshadow and/or base. It is used to:

• ensure that the eyeshadow stays in place
• prevent creasing, smudging, and 'melting'
• boost vibrancy of eyeshadow

A base is used to make the eyeshadow "stick" and "pop" more. Without the use of a base, you would have to pack the shadow on quite a lot until you get your desired results. A base makes the color show up much stronger, and also gives the illusion of dimension. ( Note that products that may be used as an eyeshadow base will not always actually say "eyeshadow base," although there are companies that do make such products.)

Now on to the fun part. Here are my favorites in the base and primer department:

PRIMER

1. Too Faced Shadow Insurance - $28 MUST HAVE

I put this the first on the list because it literally is, the best. I can honestly say that this primer put Guerlain's Ombre Eclat primer to shame (and that one is so much more expensive.) This product PERFORMS and is my bestfriend on those long nights that I need my eye makeup to last. Nothing to say but praises for this one. 

2. Urban Decay Primer Potion - $24

This cult favorite comes second on my list, as I just don't think that it performs as well as the Too Faced one.  It still is good, though. I am glad that they changed the packaging because before, it was super hard to get all the product out and half of it pretty much just goes to waste.





3. Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer - $22

Smashbox has great products, and their lid primer is no exception. This primer is very easy to blend and goes on smoothly. It prevents creases and smears, and makes your shadow last. The only thing is that when I got this, it was all used up within a month. It's kind of expensive for how much product you get out of it.




BASE

1. Mac Paint Pot in 'Painterly' - $20 - MUST HAVE!

This has got to be the best eyeshadow base in existence. I've been using this product for years and it has never failed me. Painterly is a nude beige color, so you can use it under ANY eyeshadow. It's very creamy and goes on like a dream. My eyeshadow goes on much better and lasts longer with this as a base.

Note: Paint pots may actually be used as eyeshadows on their own. There are very nice and pigmented shades available!



2. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils - $5

These guys are SUPER convenient and easy to use. You simply swipe them all over your lids and blend them out with your fingers. The ones I use the most often are 'Milk' (white) and Pure Gold (gold). They are immensely pigmented (that it's actually quite difficult to get them off) so you only need a little bit. I use these babies when I want to make my eyeshadow 'pop' more, and to make it last longer, too.




That's it!

As always, thanks for reading!

Living up to the hype

So I've been hearing A LOT about these Revlon Lip Butters, and I finally made a trip to the drugstore to check them out. Turns out that they are more popular than I thought, as I went to 3 different stores downtown and they were all pretty much sold out. After much crying, I found them at Shopper's Drug Mart in Surrey. I picked up these three colours: 

Tutti Frutti, Lollipop, Strawberry Shortcake

I wanted to pick up more, but the selection was very limited. Apparently the store had sold out of these babies three times already. Bah!! There's 2 or 3 more colors that I must have.

Anyway, I LOVE the Revlon Lip Butter. They are SOOOO creamy, pigmented, and long-wearing. I wore Strawberry Shortcake today, which is my favorite, and it lasted until lunch when I had to wipe my mouth with a  napkin. 

Here are the swatches:

Strawberry Shortcake, Tutti Fruti, Lollipop

As you can see, they are quite pigmented and very creamy. They glide on like a dream and feel glorious on your lips. These lip butters have the pigmentation of lipsticks and the texture of lip balms. Just perfection. They actually remind me of Mac's Slimshine which is one of the very few lipsticks I ever wear. I usually don't like wearing lipsticks because I feel overdone and I just become very aware of the fact that I have lipstick on. But yeah, these are different. 

To sum up: I love them. They certainly live up to the hype, although I was told that SOME shades are better than others... some are SUPER sheen and don't even show up. Well I plan to pick up the other shades I want and perhaps do another review of those. 

Also, I wanna stock up on these 3 colors that I just LOVE, because who knows if they'll be available all the time...

Thanks for reading :)

Quickie

Hey guys!

Just wanted to let you know what's coming up for this week:

• Mac, Sephora, and Drugstore haul (new purchases)
• Eyeshadow Prep
• Favorite nail polishes
• Makeup routine (as requested lol)
• Favorite mascaras

Perhaps a video?

Thanks for reading =)

Joane

Hair Woes

Here are my favorite hair products of all time!

1. Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Mask - $35-40 MUST HAVE


I have been dyeing my hair since I was in the 9th grade, so you can imagine the condition my hair is in. 2 years ago I dyed my hair BARBIE BLONDE (shut up) and it did extensive damage to my hair. It looked dry and fried and irreparable beyond belief. Then, salvation came in the form of this hair mask from Macadamia. It's called Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Mask. You apply it to wet, clean hair, wait 7 minutes, and you instantly have magically luscious hair. It smells great, too. Since this is a deep conditioning mask, you only want to use it once or twice a week. This stuff works wonders and I highly recommend it especially if you have color-treated hair!



2. Morrocan Oil Oil Treatment - $15-40




This leave-in hair treatment smells heavenly and makes your hair soft and shiny without weighing it down. I find that a lot of leave-in hair products are too heavy and greasy, so I generally stayed away from them until I found this one. This stuff is oil based so you only want to use a little bit. Little goes a long way. You can apply this to damp or dry hair, and expect amazing results!

You can buy this at most hair salons. A little pricey but totally worth it.




3. Biosilk Silk Therapy - around $20



I couldn't decide if I like Biosilk's Silk Therapy better than the Morrocan Oil Oil Treatment, so I am just going to post both. I just LOVEEEE the smell of the Biosilk one (and it's less expensive) I've gone through many bottles of this product because I use it literally everyday. Silk Treatment makes your hair shiny, silky, and smooth. Whenever I have those days when I just don't feel like doing my hair after a shower, I just apply this to wet hair and I'm out of the house. It controls frizz and tames my often wild hair from going all static-y when air-dried.
And as if it wasn't awesome enough, it can also be used heat protection from styling tools :)


4. AG Sterling Silver Toning Shampoo - $25-60

I have dyed blonde hair which is simply the hardest hair color to manage. If you don't take care of it right, it can turn all orange and brassy. I've tried several 'purple' shampoos for blonde hair and I got to say that AG makes the best one. This shampoo smells nice and sweet, and is super effective in toning blonde hair. I use this every other day together with the corresponding conditioner and it has kept my hair from going brassy! No complaints at all.

Tip: If you are using this product, make sure to not use it everyday, as the toner can be VERY drying on your hair!





5. K-Pak Reconstruct Shampoo - $20-30






My favorite daily shampoo is the K-Pak Reconstruct. It has a nice formula that is gentle yet effective at the same time. It's hard to review shampoos as the results vary from person to person. Some people use drugstore brands such as Herbal Essences and claim that it's the best thing ever, while others spend hundreds of dollars on high-end products just to be satisfied. My suggestion is to keep looking for that one that works for you, unless of course, you've already found it.




6. Sebastian Professional Shaper Plus Hairspray - $15-20




I don't really use a lot of hairspray, but when I do, I always reach for my Shaper Plus. This stuff is what is often used on the runways to create those towering heights of teased hair. (I used to tease my hair a lot) Apart from being great for backcombing, it's also got a flexible hold. When I curl my hair and spray this on, I am still able to run my fingers smoothly through my hair and style it. The smell is not too overwhelming like other hairsprays, either. Simply the best one out there.



7. Cake Satin Sugar Hair & Body Refreshing Powder (Dry Shampoo) - $12-15

It's funny how I'm sitting here talking about hair, when I constantly commit the ultimate "hair-don't" that is washing my hair daily. My hairstylist always yells at me for being stubborn and not listening to her when she says that it's simply brutal to wash my  hair everyday. Guys, I have honestly tried to abide by this rule, but I just CAN'T! I feel gross and greasy when I skip on washing my hair!

Anyway, this dry shampoo from Cake is a dream for hair in between washes. (It's what got me through whenever I attempted to skip shampoos.) Basically it's a powder that sprinkle into your hands and run through your hair, concentrating on the roots. It absorbs excess oil and eliminates that greasy texture. The powder is a light brown but matches pretty much all hair colors. (It also comes in an even lighter color for blondes)

I keep one in my locker at work and I use it to retouch my hair when I feel it's falling flat. It just gives your hair instant volume. Trust me, this is a life saver.

So this is it for now! Will be doing a part 2 in the near future. Please let me know if there's anything that just works wonders for you! Thanks for reading!

Get Naked, Again.

My mundane life suddenly got a lot better yesterday. Why? MY NAKED 2 FINALLY CAME! (Well, not really...my boyfriend had to pick it up from the post office. Lol.)

Anyway, I am BEYOND excited to finally have it I cannot even emphasize it.

A lot of people are saying that if you have the original Naked palette it is a waste of money to buy the sequel. I have to say that that isn't true. Although the palettes are very similar, they are still very different (if that makes sense...)

The Naked 2's shadows are mostly matte, whereas the ones in the original palette are mostly sparkly. That being said, if you own both then there's a great variety to choose from. Personally, I like naked 2 a lot better. I think that the matte shadows are better for daytime looks. ( I don't really go out so most of my makeup is done for daytime.)

The palette came with a "cooling and plumping" lipgloss that I just absolutely hate. It feels WEIRD on my lips. I hate plumping lip glosses. Why couldn't they have just included the primer again?

Anyway, super excited to play around with it and I'll post more later on :)

Original Naked (on top)
and Naked 2 

Original Naked on top, Naked 2 on bottom

Tried and Tested.

I love nail polish more than the average human being. That being said, I have tried and tested a gazillion nail polishes and nail stuff. I SWEAR BY ALL OF THIS STUFF!
Here are my picks for the best nail products:











1. OPI RapiDry Top Coat - MUST HAVE


This is quite possibly the best thing, ever. Not only does it make life simpler by making your polish dry to the touch within a minute, it also makes the color more vibrant and shiny! RapiDry dries fast and turns into a hard and shiny top coat that helps prevent chipping and cracking. 


I am absolutely in love with it and cannot think of anything that even comes close.


$14

2. OPI Nail Envy

I just started using Nail Envy and I can already tell the difference it makes to my nails. Since I grow my nails quite long, they tend to be a little brittle at the tip. Nail Envy hardens my nails and makes them more resistant to breakage and chipping. (I work in retail so I tend to break my nails quite often) Obviously, this product won't make your nails rock-hard but it toughens them up for sure. Quite pricey, but worth every penny if you ask me.

$19

3. Essie "Matte About You"


This product takes ANY nail polish from a gloss finish to a matte one. The end result? A velvety, cashmere-looking polish. Simply apply a coat on top of dry nail polish and watch the magic unfold! Very cool. 


I have to say though that it took me a couple of tries to get it right. If you don't do it properly you'll end up with a streaky finish. The trick is to apply just the right amount (not too much, not too little) and make sure that it's even all throughout. 


$10











4. Sephora Nail Polish Corrector Pen - MUST HAVE!

You know how when you paint the nails on your non-dominant hand, the result is flawless--while the other hand looks like a crime scene? Weep no more, for I have a solution to that. Sephora's nail polish corrector pen is literally the easiest way to clean up the mess. Simply glide the pen across the excess nail polish and you're good to go!

$8











5. Tweezerman Manicure Set

Not much to say other than Tweezerman is the best when it comes to beauty tools. I swear by their manicure set, as I do with their tweezers.

That's it for now!  I will be making a part 2, as I am not even close to being done. I am sleepy and tired though. I will also be making a post about my favorite nail polishes sometime this week. Stay tuned.

Thanks for reading :)

Gimme Gimme

Today I just want to talk about stuff that I've been wanting to try. I'm probably going to be getting them sometime this weekend.

1. Diorshow Mascara - Dior 
This mascara has been getting a lot of buzz lately, and I want to see if it lives up to the hype. I have really thin, almost non-existent eyelashes and if this mascara works for me, then it'll be amazing for everyone else.

2. Prisma Chrome Eyeshadow - Sephora Limited EditionThese babies look promising. I swatched a few of them at Sephora last week and I liked the pigmentation and texture. They also go on very nicely. I can't wait to try them! Going to pick up Moon Beam and Black Diamond.

3. Kabuki Brush Set - Sigma 

Sigma has the BEST brushes, apart from Smashbox. Therefore, I cannot wait to get my hands on the Kabuki brush set. I'm going to be ordering them online and I just know that it'll take a million years to freaking get here. I'm very impatient when it comes to waiting for my packages. 

4. All Nighter Long Lasting Make Up Setting Spray - Urban Decay                                 Sometimes, primer just isn't enough. Especially on those long days at work, you'll need something more to make sure your make up doesnt melt right off your face. Urban Decay claims that this spray "keeps makeup in place for up to 16 hours." I'll be the judge of that.

5. Danmari All About Cheeks Palette - NARS  This is what I'm most excited about. This palette has got it all. Blush, Highlighter, and contouring! Screw it. I'm going tomorrow during my break and buying it.

I will post a review as soon as I get the chance to purchase and try these out! Thanks for reading :)