Tag Archives: makeup

Tutorial: Creating an Ombre Lip

Ombre lips are very trendy especially for Fall.  I often get questions about how to achieve this look and it’s honestly not that complicated.  Below I’ve inserted a pictorial and listed the steps.

photo (1)

  1. First, you should exfoliate your lips to remove any dead skin.  You can either use a lip scrub or a soft-bristled tooth brush.  This will also make your lips appear more plump because, as stated in an online article, you will increase the blood circulation to your lips.
  2. Next, you’re going to want to outline your bottom lip with your lipstick.  You may even want to use a lip liner if you’re using a dark colored lipstick just because that can help prevent the lipstick from feathering and bleeding outside your lip line.
  3. After that, go ahead and outline your upper lip with your lipstick.
  4. Next, use either a lip brush or your finger to blend the lipstick into the center of your lips.
  5. Finally, apply a lighter colored lipstick to the center of your lips to create contrast.

This dark, vampy lip combo is absolutely perfect for Fall and Winter.  Pair these lips with a simple neutral cat eye and you’ll be good to go.

This ombre technique is useful in making your lips appear fuller.

Remember, there are no rules when it comes to makeup so get creative with your ombre lips! You can apply a lighter color around the outside of your lips and a darker shade in the center.  You can even start with either a lighter shade or darker shade on one corner of your mouth and have it fade to dark or light.

Here are a few other ombre lip looks I’ve done in the past:

Red Velvie and Plumberry Pie lipsticks from Beauty Bakerie
photo 3 (1)
Honey and Marshmallow lipsticks from Beauty Bakerie
photo 2 (1)
Divine Dime Cosmetics lipstick in Bell, Feyoshe Cosmetics lipstick in Nude Beach, and Tarte Cosmetics LipSurgence in Thoughtful

 

Tutorial: Metallic Light Blue Smokey Eye

Tutorial: How to create a metallic light blue smokey eye using @colourpopcosmetics eyeshadow in Sugar, @eyekandycosmetics glitter in Chocolate Chip, the @urbandecaycosmetics Naked Palette, # 047 lashes by @elegantlashes, and @hairandmakeupaddiction brushes.

Product info:
1)Apply Maybelline Color Tattoo in Test My Teal to lid(I already primed my eye with Urban Decay Anti-Aging Primer Potion).
2)Apply Buck to your crease.
3)Apply Sugar to your lid.
4)Blend a darker matte brown into your crease.
4)Line your upper lash line with Creep.
6)Blend Hustle into your crease.
7)Line your lower lash line with a dark matte brown and Buck.
8)Apply Chocolate Chip glitter to your lower lash line.
9)Apply Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes mascara to lower lashes, # 047 Black @elegantlashes, line your waterline with a black pencil, and highlight your inner corner with a shimmery champagne shadow.
Brows are @anastasiabevelyhills Brow Powder Duo in Medium Brown.

Review: New Anastasia Beverly Hills Products- Maya Mia Palette, Waterproof Creme Color, and #3 Brush

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills has recently launched three new products.  These include the Maya Mia Palette, Waterproof Crème Color in Jet, and #3 Brush which can all be purchased on www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com.

  

First off, I want to talk about the Maya Mia Palette.  It was designed in collaboration with @maya_mia_y on Instagram.  I’ve been playing around with this palette for the past few weeks and I must say it’s easily become one of my go-to eyeshadow palettes.  I enjoy the fact that it contains mostly neutral shadows but also incorporates a few pops of color.  As far as pigmentation goes, these shadows are great quality.  I’m also a big fan of the packaging.  I like how it’s made of cardboard, has a magnetic closure, and is relatively thin and compact.  Not to mention the design is too cute! The palette is cruelty free, retails for $29, and is reasonably priced in my opinion, considering it includes 10 eyeshadows, a double ended eyeshadow brush, and “Get the Look” cards that show you how to achieve five different eyeshadow looks. Below, I’ve included swatches of each shadow.

(No flash) Shadows from left to right: Vanilla, Warm Taupe, Sienna, Deep Brown, and Nude
(No flash) Shadows from left to right: Vanilla, Warm Taupe, Sienna, Deep Brown, and Nude

 

(With flash)

The swatches above are of the first row of shadows in the palette.  Vanilla has a satin finish, Warm Taupe, Sienna, Deep Brown, and Nude–which blends in with my skin tone– are all matte.  One thing I’d like to mention is that this palette, like the Lavish Palette also by Anastasia Beverly Hills, includes Sienna.  However, that doesn’t bother me seeing as Sienna is one of my favorite transition shades.  The only shadow in the palette that I’m not head over heals about is Nude just because it doesn’t really show up on my skin.  Having said that, it does work as a base shadow.  Also, I’d like to make note that all of the photos in this post are unedited.

(No flash) From left to right: Aqua, Fresh Peach, Glisten, Caramel, and Gold Bar
(No flash) From left to right: Aqua, Fresh Peach, Glisten, Caramel, and Gold Bar
(With flash)
(With flash)

The bottom row of shadows only contains one matte shadow, that being Caramel.  Aqua, Fresh Peach and Gold Bar have satin finishes and Glisten is shimmery.

    

The accompanying brush is double sided and is well-made.  The bristles are soft and the flat shader brush side is good for packing on shadows, while the pointed pencil brush side is nice for applying shadow along the lower lash line or deepening your crease.

  

Next up is the Waterproof Crème Color in Jet.  It retails for $18 and comes in a glass pot just like the ABH Dipbrow Pomade.  I really like the texture of this product and the fact that it’s matte.  I’m not really into the whole glossy/shiny eyeliner look so this is right up my alley.  This can be used as a liner or a cream shadow.  It would make the perfect base for a dark, dramatic black smokey eye because it doesn’t crease or smudge.  As for the waterproof claim, they aren’t kidding!  I applied the product to my wrist, let it set, then rubbed vigorously and it didn’t even budge.  Oh, and I didn’t even mention the intensity of the product.  This stuff is black! Not an off-black or grayish black, but a true inky black color. Below is a swatch of the Waterproof Crème Color.

(With flash)

   

Lastly, we have the #3 Brush.  It retails for $18.  It’s flat and tapers to a point which makes it ideal for lining the eyes.  You can flip the brush on its side and create a super thin line or use the other side and create a much thicker line.  I also find that this brush is helpful in creating winged liner looks. Below, I’ve drawn some lines using the #3 Brush and Waterproof Crème Color.

(With flash)
(No flash)

 

Recent favorites: April 2014

I’ve been loving a bunch of products the past few weeks and I thought I’d share them with you all.

Here’s a list of the products I’ve been absolutely loving:

  • Vitagoods Spin for Perfect Skin brush, which comes with 4 different brush heads(Use the code BeautyC33 for a 70% discount on www.vanityplanet.com. The final cost will be $30 and includes free shipping for the United States & Canada.) This brush system has been amazing for my skin! In my opinion, it’s comparable to my Clarisonic Mia 2. It’s extremely gentle on my skin and removes all of the dirt and dead skin cells.  I also love how it comes with 4 different brush heads. For a more info on this system check out my separate blog post reviewing it.
  • Next up is the @itcosmetics My Sculpted Face Palette. This bad boy is amaaaazinggg. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, but this one is more accessible since the ABH one is currently out of stock.  The It Cosmetics palette can be found at ULTA for $38.00.  Another reason I enjoy this palette is because the powders are waterproof.  That really is essential for me since I live in the hot, humid South.
  • I’ve also been obsessed with my rose gold @luxielush brushes.  First off, they’re gorgeous! But beyond aesthetics, they have synthetic hair and blend all of my cream, liquid, and powder products out flawlessly.  I can’t get enough of them! Use the code Cassie for 15% off www.luxielush.com/
  • I also adore my @hairandmakeupaddiction brushes. They’re similar to the Luxie Lush brushes in that they’re both made of synthetic hair and are super soft.  I love these guys as well.
  • Another recent favorite has been @tartecosmetics Amazonian clay blush in Captivating.  This is the most perfect peachy, coral blush.  It’s matte and long lasting.  I’ve pretty much been wearing it everyday lol.  Love it!
  • Next is @tartecosmetics Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara.  If I recall correctly, I’ve been using this since November of 2013.  I only wear it on my lower lashes since it doesn’t seem to hold the curl of my upper lashes.  However, it looks stunning on my lower lashes! This mascara is great because it conditions your lashes as well.
  • My newest favorite is the @tartecosmetics Brazilliance self-tanner.  I started using this April 24th and it’s pure magic! This was the first self-tanner I had ever used and it definitely changed my opinion of them.  It creates such a gorgeous, natural looking tan and you see results within 8 hours of application! I have a before and after pic on my Instagram(with 3 applications).  So, if you’re in the market for a great, streak-free, “long-lasting” self-tanner, check this out!
  • Next are the @anastasiabeverlyhills Pro Concealers.  These guys are soooo good! (I have a separate blog post reviewing them). But overall, I love them because they provide such full coverage, work beautifully for contouring, and are great for under eye circles.  I never experience any creasing(I always set my face, including my under eyes, with powder).
  • @anastasiabeverlyhills Brow Power Duo in Medium Brown has been a long-time favorite of mine.  I’ve been using it for almost a year and it never fails me! It’s the perfect shade for my hair and has great lasting power on me.
  • @cultureshockcosmetics High Frequency Luster in Joy has been one of my favorite glosses lately since it’s a perfect coral shade for Spring.
  • Next, one of my all-time favorite nude glosses, @alexapersicocosmetics Naked Lip Velour, is something I’ve been reaching for whenever I do a dark smokey eye.  It’s just a gorgeous nude!
  • @alexapersicocosmetics HD pigment in Pixi Dust has been another recent favorite, it’s such a beautiful shimmery golden color that I love to wear on my lid and lower lash line and pair with bronzer for an all-over glow-y look which is perfect for Spring and Summer.
  • The @urbandecaycosmetics Naked Palette, of course, makes my favorites list!  I recently purchased this, I’d say, within the past few weeks–I know… I’m SUPER LATE in jumping on the bandwagon– and I’ve been reaching for it non-stop.  It contains some of my favorite neutral shadows and is easy to create an everyday look without even thinking.
  • So, I’ve recently become a perfume addict and Florabotanica by @Balenciaga has become one of my all-time favorites(how many times can I say favorite? lol).  I don’t even know how to describe it but I’ll try… It’s definitely a classy, mysterious, and sexy scent in my opinion.  The scent definitely develops the longer you wear it on your skin.  The lasting power is phenomenal on me(almost a full work day.  Maybe even longer) and it goes extremely well with my body chemistry.  The notes include: Carnation, Wild Mint, Turkish Rose Essence, Hemp Leaves, Vetiver Roots, and White Amber.
  • My last recent favorite is Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes mascara by @3dlashesbycandicec.  I received this product for review a few weeks ago and now I’m hooked!  It adds incredible length and volume to your lashes(I have an extreme before and after pic on Instagram).  Overall, I love that it’s buildable so you can add minimal length and volume or go all out and achieve super dramatic lashes without falsies.

Review: New Violet Voss Eyeshadows

I received seven super pigmented eyeshadows from www.shopvioletvoss.com (@shopvioletvoss on Instagram) and they are amazing! I was tempted to buy the new Urban Decay Electric palette prior to receiving these but decided against it since these are so vibrant and blendable.

Some of the shadow do appear to have slight shimmer particles running through them but they aren’t noticeable when applied to the eyelids– they appear to have a matte finish.

The shadows I received are

  • Patty, a matte purple
  • Bridgette, a matte sky blue
  • Giselle, a matte green
  • Yvette, a matte yellow
  • Ophelia, a matte orange
  • Giana, a matte pink
  • Ryder, a matte red

Overall, I definitely recommend these shadows! They’re easy to blend and are matte, which I love!  Sometimes it’s hard to find nicely pigmented brightly colored shadows(especially matte ones!).

Here are the swatches of all seven colors (Keep in mind I didn’t use a primer or base.) :

swatch

 

As you can tell, they are incredibly bright and beautiful!

I created a purple cut crease look using Patty, a gorgeous matte purple.

Here are some pictures– All product details can be found on my Instagram page, @BeautyByCassie93.

My Go-to Everyday Look

Dramatic looks and false lashes are not something I do everyday.  I go for simple neutral looks for school and work.  I mean, who really has time to get super dolled up every single day? Lol.  Anyway, this has been my current go-to look as of late.  It incorporates bronze-y tones which are always a good option and don’t require much thought, in my opinion.  I can throw this look together and be out the door in no time.  I enjoy looks like this because I want to look put together but not overly done during the day.

See below for product details.

Everyday bronze look
Everyday bronze look

Skin: Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Loose Powder and @tartecosmetics Amazonian Colored Clay Bronzer Blush in Pink Bronze.

Eyes: @alexapersicocosmetics Tuscany Sunset palette and @tartecosmetics Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara on lower lashes.  On my upper lashes I did a coat of Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof to hold my curl and then Too Faced Better than Sex mascara over top.

Lips: @la_mir_cosmetics Lip Gloss in “Lavish Lies”

Brows: @anastasiabeverlyhills Brow Powder Duo in Medium Brown.

Brushes used: @hairandmakeupaddiction and @rccosmetics.

Review and Swatches of Tarte Spring 2014 Power Pigments

4

How cute are the new Spring 2014 power pigments by Tarte?!  As I stated in my previous post about the Tarte Spring 2014 Cheek Stains, the packaging is adorable.  The power pigments have coordinating shades in the cheek stain line and each shade has matching packaging.  The eight shades available are True Love, Natural Beauty, Exposed, Blissful, Tipsy, Blushing Bride, Flush, and Fearless.

These new power pigments are extremely pigmented and I really do enjoy them.  In this post I’ll be showing swatches on my wrist and lip swatches.

If you were wondering if these are similar to the LipSurgences, they are similar in shape but they are definitely much skinnier and contain less product.  A regular LipSurgence contains 0.10 ounces of product, while the power pigments contain 0.04 ounces.

The power pigments retail for $24.00 USD each for 0.04 ounces.

*Click images to enlarge.

2

 

3

 

Here are close ups of each power pigment.

  • First up is True Love, a sheer watermelon color.
True Love
True Love
  • Next is Natural Beauty, a sheer rosy red.
2
Natural Beauty
  • Then we have Exposed, which is a nude pink shade.
Exposed
Exposed
  • The next shade is Blissful, a warm peach color.
Blissful
Blissful
  • Next up is Tipsy, which is a sheer coral color.
Tipsy
Tipsy
  • Then there’s Blushing Bride, a rosy pink color.
6
Blushing Bride
  • Next is Flush, which is a sheer berry shade.
Flush
Flush
  • Finally, we have Fearless, a pink coral color.
Fearless
Fearless

Now, here are swatches of the colors on my wrist–in natural light and direct sunlight.

1

 

And now for the actual lip swatches (Click image to enlarge).

True Love
True Love
Natural Beauty
Natural Beauty

 

Exposed
Exposed
Blissful
Blissful
Tipsy
Tipsy

 

Blushing Bride
Blushing Bride

 

Flush
Flush
Fearless
Fearless

 

 

 

 

Review of Tarte Spring 2014 Cheek Stains

All of the 8 cheek stains for Spring 2014
All of the 8 cheek stains for Spring 2014

Here are the new Spring 2014 cheek stains by Tarte.  I’m really loving the cute new packaging! These cheek stains are nicely pigmented and can be built up to achieve more intense stain if desired.  The eight shades include True Love, Natural Beauty, Exposed, Blissful, Tipsy, Blushing Bride, Flush, and Fearless.  The rounded top cheek stains are gel based, while the flat top stains are a cream based formula.  All of the cheek stains are easy to blend and can be applied with your finger tips or a brush.  I prefer using a small stipple brush to apply them.

Besides wearing the cheek stains alone, I like to layer a similar powder blush shade on top for even extra lasting power.  This technique is especially great for hot, humid Summer days.

Tarte cheek stains retail for $30.00 USD each and contain 0.5 ounces of product.  Even though 0.5 ounces sounds like a small amount, the stains are very well pigmented therefore they should last a long time.

Each of the eight cheek stains have a coordinating Tarte Power Pigment shade.  I will be posting pictures and swatches of the power pigments in a separate post.

*Click images to enlarge.

  • The first cheek stain is True Love.  It’s a beautiful sheer watermelon shade.
True Love
True Love
  • The next shade is Natural Beauty.  This is a sheer warm rosy red color.
8
Natural Beauty
  • Then, there’s Exposed, which is a nude pink.  It’s formerly known as “Awakening”.
7
Exposed
  • The next cheek stain is Blissful.  This is a warm peach shade.
4
Blissful
  • After that, there’s Tipsy, which is a sheer coral color.
6
Tipsy
  • Next up is Blushing Bride, a rosy pink shade.
5
Blushing Bride
  • The next stain is Flush.  It’s a sheer berry color.
1
Flush
  • Lastly, we have Fearless, a pink coral color.
3
Fearless