Tag Archives: mascara

Review: Youngblood Cosmetics

Makeup, Beauty, Reviews, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

IMG_1833

I have recently received an array of Youngblood products and I’m happy to report that they’re amazing!  Youngblood prides itself on being a luxury mineral cosmetics line which is wonderful in my opinion.  I can’t get enough of mineral makeup since it’s so gentle on the skin.

Among the makeup products I received were two Precious Metal Liquid Liners in Sterling and 18 Karat, Outrageous Lashes Mineral Lengthening Mascara in Cobalt, Perfect Pair Mineral Eyeshadow Duo in Desire, Charismatic, Graceful, and Virtue.

The products I’m most impressed with are definitely the Precious Metal Liquid Liners.  You get a generous amount of product in the tube–4.5 ml or .15 fl oz to be exact–, they’re pigmented, and they are super smudge-proof!  As soon as I applied the liner I was blown away.  It only took one swipe for an opaque line and was completely dry in under 30 seconds.

Sterling, as you would imagine, is a gorgeous metallic silver and 18 Karat is, of course, a beautiful metallic yellow gold.  The liner comes in a tube much like a lip gloss.  You twist it open and reveal the wand which has a nice thin brush that’s perfect for creating winged liner or adding small details to your eye makeup.  One thing I will note is that the liner is not waterproof.  However, this may be a good thing for some because it’s easily removed with water.  I will insert pictures below.

IMG_1838
Sterling and 18 Karat without flash

IMG_1842

The next product is the Outrageous Lashes Mineral Lengthening Mascara in Cobalt. To be honest, this was my least favorite product mainly because of how liquidy the formula is.  It did nothing for my lashes and the color was hardly noticeable.  Maybe is will dry out over time and the formula will get better but for now I’ll stick with my regular mascara.

IMG_1843

IMG_1844

Last but not least are the Perfect Pair Mineral Eyeshadow Duo in Desire, Charismatic, Graceful, and Virtue.  These shadows are good quality.  Some are better than others.  Below are swatches on bare skin–no primer.

IMG_1836

IMG_1835

  • The first duo swatched from left to right is Virtue which consists of Passion and Pure.  Passion is a very pigmented rusty red metallic shade, while Pure is  white satin to matte shade.
  • The next duo is Graceful which consists of Azure and Apricot.  Azure is a dark midnight blue with some shimmer running through it.  Azure is somewhat flaky when swatched alone.  Apricot is exactly what it sounds like with a shimmery finish.
  • Next is Desire which contains Iris and Pink Rose.  Iris is a purple with a satin finish and Pink Rose is a pinkish purple with a satin to matte finish.
  • Last up is Charismatic which consists of English Tea and Calla Lilly.  This is my favorite duo of the bunch because I’m a huge fan of neutrals.  English Tea is a medium to dark brown matte shadow, while Calla Lilly is peachy pink shimmery shadow.

Overall I am quite impressed with Youngblood cosmetics.  The Precious Metal Liquid Liners are my favorite followed by the Perfect Pair Mineral Eyeshadow Duos.  Like I said previously, I can do without the Outrageous Lashes Mineral Lengthening Mascara in Cobalt since it’s so liquidy and does nothing for my lashes.

Five Ways to Appear Bright Eyed and Wide Awake when You’re Tired

How to, Makeup, Beauty, , , , , ,

We’ve all had those days when we’re exhausted but don’t want to look like we’ve been up all night.  Whether you’ve had a late night studying or were out partying with friends, you can fool everyone with these tips:

  1. One thing you can do is make sure you use a highlighting concealer under your eyes to brighten up the under eyes and conceal any dark circles you may have.
  2. Another way to appear more awake is to curl your eyelashes and apply some mascara to your upper and lower lashes.  Curling your lashes opens up the eye.  You can even take it a step further and apply some false lashes which will make your eyes appear larger and more awake.
  3. Also, you can line your waterline with a cream colored pencil or a shimmery champagne colored one.  You’d probably want to avoid black liner on the waterline just because it can tend to close up the eyes and make them appear smaller.
  4. Another tip is to add a shimmery eyeshadow to the inner corners of your eyes.  This highlights the area and brings light into your eyes.
  5. You can also line your upper lash line.  This will make your eyes appear larger.

In the picture below I’ve utilized the tips I’ve mentioned.  As you can see I appear wide awake and bright eyed.

photo (2)

Complete product details:

Simple eye look with a pop of teal using Anastasia Beverly Hills contour powders in Vanilla and Nude, ABH Metallic Luster Liner in Liquid Gold, ABH Waterproof Creme Color in Azure, Cultureshock Cosmetics eyeshadow in Emerald, Hair and Makeup Addiction brushes, are Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse in Taupe, their Amazonian Clay tinted brow gel in Taupe, and Luna @lapetitlapinlashes.
Product info:
1.) Prime your lid(I used Urban Decay Anti-aging Primer Potion).
2.) Apply Vanilla all over your lid.
3.) Blend Nude into your crease.
4.) Line your upper lash line with Azure.
5.) Apply Emerald over top of Azure.
6.) Line your lower lash line and waterline with Liquid Gold.
7.) Apply @lapetitlapinlashes in Luna, @tartecosmetics Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara to your lower lashes, and highlight your tear duct with a champagne shadow.
On my brows I used @tartecosmetics Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse in Taupe and their tinted brow gel in Taupe.

Here’s the complete look:

photo (1)

The flower halo is from Mad For Halos.

 

Recent favorites: April 2014

Favorites, Makeup, Beauty, Perfume, Reviews, , , , , ,

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.

Tutorial: Smokey bronze eyes

Tutorials, , , ,

Smokey bronze eyes using the @toofaced A Few of My Favorite Things palette, Demi Wispies by @ardell_lashes, and @hairandmakeupaddiction brushes.

First start off by applying Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze to center of the lid and apply Maybelline Color Tattoo in Rich Mahogany to the outer and inner corner of the lid.  Next, apply Chocolate Milk from the Too Faced palette to your crease.  After that, apply Dark Chocolate from the palette to the outer and inner corner of the lid and blend into the crease.  Next, apply Tinsel to the center of the lid.  Then, apply Anastasia Beverly Hills Covet Waterproof Eyeliner in Noir to the waterline and smudge out.  Next, apply Tinsel to the center of your lower lash line and Dark Chocolate to the outer and inner corner of the lower lash line.  Later, line the upper lash line with Pure Glam from the Too Faced palette. Next, apply Jordana Best Lash Extreme mascara and Ardell Demi Wispies.  Also, highlight your tear duct with Snowflakes from the palette.  bronze2