Oh What Dark Circles You Have

OMG, Dark Circles

Oh, my goodness, can dark circles been hidden? I mean seriously, can dark circles that make you look like the night of the living dead zombie's, actually be hidden? YES! Yes, my friend the dark circles can be hidden... but first, what causes dark circles?

There are a lot of different things that causes dark circles.. some medications you may take can contribute to dark circle because some medications causes blood vessels to dilate.   During the wonderful allergy seasons, when you are rubbing your eyes a lot because of the pollen, it can cause dark circles. During my research, I found that sleeping on your stomach causes dark circles, I never knew that!! Of course not getting enough sleep causes them, as well as being fatigued.  Now this is something I found really interesting, when we have those wonderful horrid bags under our eyes, it cast shadows and that makes us look like we have dark circles.  And of course let's not leave our aging. Yes, beauties, aging causes our skin under our eyes to get thin and because of the loss of fat and collagen like magic, we have dark circles appear!! Lovely, right?

Don't give up hope, that is the most important thing.  There are different makeup techniques you can do that will help to hide the dark the circles, and believe it or not, this can be done without having the makeup crease under your eyes to make them look even worst.  I have watched A LOT of videos by some fantastic Makeup Guru's and I am in the process of trying the techniques as well.

You will Need:

-Under eye Moisturizer
-Foundation
-concealer (one shade lighter than your foundation)
-Setting Powder
-beauty blender 
-concealer brush

Start by placing a good moisturizer under your eyes and allow it to set and/or absorb for a least five minutes or so.  Next add your foundation to your face with a dampened beauty blender and try to avoid putting foundation under your eyes. Next 'pat' the concealer on your under eye area with a concealer brush.. remember pat the concealer on.  Next take your dampened beauty blender (yes, the one you used for the foundation will be fine) and pat the concealer into your under eye area until it is smooth. DO NOT RUB the concealer onto the eye area or anywhere else. Once the concealer is placed and you feel it looks smooth, take a small fluffy brush and dip it into your loose powder and tap the brush to knock off any excess powder.  GENTLY, and LIGHTLY apply the powder over the area's you placed the concealer.  Apply the rest of your makeup the way you normally do.  Place some highlighter over the concealer, but use it sparingly.

DO NOT FORGET to use a setting spray-that will help set your makeup and it will also give you some hydration.  Evian has a fantastic mineral water mist that is great to carry along with you and during the day if your eyes begin to look like they are creasing.. use this misting spray, it feels great, hydrates your skin, and smells really good to me for some reason!!

**Please note:  if your dark circles are VERY DARK you may want to consider using a peach correction concealer before you place the lighter concealer under your eyes.

Makeup Beauty Hauls

I have been watching so many YouTube videos from (which have become my favorite) Makeup Guru's.  Nikkii Tutorials, aLovetartMary, and Kandee Johnson, just to name a few out of a very long list.  Anyway, they have some amazing tutorials, amazing product reviews and amazing laugh your ass off videos (Nikkii Tutorials, you and Jeffree Star Rock!!!)

So as I am watching these videos, becoming more amazed each time I watch them.  I often wonder if 'blogs' ever get the same attention as video's? Maybe not though, it is a hell of a lot easier to watch something than reading it.  Than I wondered, can anyone really get to know a person's personality through blog post?  I am still out in left field with that one.  I am told all of the time, I write exactly the way I talk in person... so when you read my post, it is like me talking to you. *laughs* Yes, nothing in my post is prim and proper.

So here are my thoughts... if I was to start writing about my beauty hauls, my restrictions I am putting on myself about purchasing makeup, whats in my purse kinda of post, would anyone care or read them? I do and I would. May be I am just a curious kind of female who loves to hear about peoples opinions about makeup, what they carry in their purse (talking about makeup, nothing personal!) and what their loves and hates are in makeup. Who all subscribes to beauty clubs each month, what is your favorite, least favorite?  I am thinking it would be cool...

I have been wondering lately if I should focus more on videos.. and although I know that may be the best way.. I am just not feeling it.  I believe there are stars, and there is a background for the stars to shine.  I like being the background, and/or behind the scene kinda of person, I have always been like that.

To quote Bette Midler from the Rose, "Hello is anybody out there?" What are you thoughts.. seriously?   Do you think blog post could capture someone's attention enough to get to know the author and to be interest enough in reading other post they wrote or will write? Or hell no.. reading beauty blog post is like adding ingredients to a giant pot of stew -adding one more ingredient is not going to make that much of a difference, or will it?

These Bags are not for Traveling

What in the world? Bags under your eyes-O.M.G.!! Well, this is another article in my Mature skin problems. When many of us hits our 40's - 50's- and so on, we start to experience many different strange things.  When we age, fat deposits collects under our eyes causing "Bags" or eating too much salt makes us retain water and the fluid builds up in our eye sacks. Or when we do not drink enough water, the water rushes to these bags because the eyes feels dehydrated.  I have the worst problems with bags under my eyes.. and I refuse to even think about getting surgery. That is just not my kind of road trip!! So instead I research and I do a lot of it.

I have watched numerous video from some fantastic people YouTube. I have read so many articles my bags under my eyes feel like they are loaded with rocks.. but yet, I continue on my quest to try and find answers some where.  I love reading makeup tips from Cosmopolitan, they often have some great tips and tid-bits that can help many of us. They had a list of the top 10 eye creams and at first I was going to add them, but decided against it.  But this was pretty interesting, they said the skin under our eyes is 10 times more thinner than the other skin on our face.  What?  And it goes on to say that it ages 36% more faster.  Good Grief I did not know that!!

Okay so they say using L'Oreal Revitalift is an excellent eye cream and was listed number one on the list.  Hmm.. So L'Oreal Revitalift triple Power Eye Treatment contains hyaluronic acid which steeps into the skin and plumps the skin up. The container has a metal tip and supposedly that helps to shrink bags. Wouldn't putting spoons in the freezer do the same thing?

So, bags under the eyes.. Aging, Generics, Fluid build up, not enough sleep, water retention... what can we do?  Elevate our heads at night by using two pillows..I do that, no change. Bags under the eyes in not generic in my family that I know of... so that leaves the one thing that I do know a little about.. "MAKEUP".  Hide'em and keep on keeping on.

When you look into a mirror, put your head down, like your are putting your chin to your chest.  By doing this you will see the dark shadows that the bags are casting over your eyes. This is what I do, if you do it different, I promise it will not break any kind of etched rules.  I put my concealer on under my foundation.. many will put it on over the foundation. It does not matter which way you do it!!  Use a small angled brush that fits in the shadowed area fairly good.  Place some concealer a shade lighter than your normal skin tone. DO NOT RUB THE CONCEALER ON.. Pat it into the shadow area.  Next use a loose powder and lightly pat onto the concealer to seal it.

What are some things you do? Please list them below in the comment section, thank you in advance.. I promise, so many people suffer with this problem, that I am always looking for new things to try.

I am not Blushing, it is called Rosacea

                                                  Eva Thomas Younique Presenter

Another one of my articles in my 'working with mature skin series' is dealing with redness in your complexion, also known by Rosacea. Redness of the skin is usually caused by Rosacea, which is a skin condition that one in four people have but never heard of.  It is pronounced: Row-zay-shuh. At first rosacea comes and goes usually once someone hits their thirties. That is not to say that younger people never get it, it is means that usually rosacea will hit people when they hit their thirties.  Once it sets in, you will begin to notice tiny blood vessels appearing all over your face, and/or in patches.

There are no cures for Rosacea but there are treatments.  There are several triggers that if you have rosacea these things can irritate it more, sun exposure (here we go with sun damaging effect again), stress, alcohol, spicy foods and some cosmetics. That is why it is important to use non-irritating, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic (makeup that does not clog the pores) cosmetics when at all possible.

There are a lot of different makeups designed just for those who suffer with rosacea. It is real important  to use green tinted based correction concealer with UVA and UVB sun protections.  On the color scale green is directly across from red which means green cancels out red. It is best to use an oil free foundation and concealer.

When you are applying makeup use soft smooth taps, by using a good foundation brush. It is real important to use a makeup brush and not your fingers, because our fingers have oil and other impurities on them which could irritate the rosacea even more.

Younique Moodstruck Mineral Concealer does not contain oil, and can be used wet or dry.  Applying the concealer brush is very important.. add a little of the powder in the lid of the mineral concealer and add a touch of water to make it creamy. By using the concealer brush, tap the conceal on gently all over the area you want to cover.  This is a trick I swear by when using concealer.. after you apply the concealer use some transparent powder and with a small brush apply the powder to the areas you covered with concealer.. this helps to set it, ensuring the concealer will last all day.

Younique also has a Touch Mineral Powder Foundation, that feels like heaven on your skin. Again, you want to make sure you are not using a foundation or concealer with oil.. so both of these items, the Moodstruck Mineral Concealer and Touch Mineral Powder Foundation would make great options for those who suffer from Rosacea.

One of the best things about purchasing from Younique is they have a fantastic return policy!  It is called the "Love it Guarantee"  You have 7-14 to return the item no questioned asked. So once again it is a win-win deal!!

To Young To Know Better

Unfortunately, we did not know until later in life about all of the damage we were doing to our skin. As teenagers growing up in the late sixties and seventies our main concern was getting as dark as we could, as fast as we could.  I personally remember using a lot of baby oil and of course I had to use the silver blanket sheets because I had to draw as much of the sun to me as possible! The more sun, the more burnt, the darker the tan. A motto used by a ton of teenagers when I was young.

One of the best or should I say most beautiful things about being so tanned was wearing soft colored clothing, pinks, lavenders and even white just enhanced our skin so much. Those colors just looked so beautiful with the bronzed skin, oh man did we look good!!

A few years down the road you begin to notice these crazy little brown spots appearing. Like one day there were none and the next day like magic, wham... there they were!!  What in the world? Then brown spots start appearing on your face, except now they are large brown patches! You try a thousand and one different concealers, along with foundation and the darkness still sneaked through!  You try adding color correction concealer along with regular concealer and foundation now not only can the brownish color still be seen, but now your face looks cakey, ashy, and you feel like you just want to give up and just wear a mask!

This is my own experience because my only concern as a teenager was worrying about how dark I could get. Today I have a lot of sun damage on my face, not the best place for discoloration. I have literally tried so many concealers, that I felt there would never be any hope in hiding the patches. I have wrote a few articles about some good products I have tried. Like Julie August correction concealer pallet, Mac has a peach correction concealer that is semi ok, Ben Nye has a pretty good correction concealer pallet and neutral set colorless powder, but to be honest nothing seems to work as good as the product I am about to tell you about.

Younique Cosmetics has three different kinds of foundation, cream, powder and liquid. Since my skin is mature, I wear the cream foundation. Along with the foundations Younique has a very good concealer called Touch Mineral Skin Perfecting Concealer. Remember, I have tried a lot of different products and this one is among one of the best I have used. But there is a trick to applying the concealer and cream foundation that will indeed help to hide brown patches.  Always try to apply a primer first.  Next take a concealer brush and pat the concealer onto the brown area you are trying to conceal.  Let it set for a moment, if you do not have the coverage you want, pat another coat of the concealer on.. be sure to smooth out the edges!  Wait a second and take a small brush and use a colorless powder and lightly tap the powder over the areas you added the concealer.  This helps to set it. Tap on the cream foundation and you will be amazed of the coverage you will get.

The whole point to this post is just to let you know I am fully aware no matter what you read, often in life we need to experience and learn things the hard way.  Now I often wonder, if the beautiful bronze skin I had as a teenager (which was temporary) was worth all of the imperfections I have today which are now permanent.

I would love to tell you more information about Younique Foundations and Concealers, just contact me here or you can check out the product here.  I can actually help you earn these two products FREE if you are interested in hold a virtual online party.

Lipstick Addiction Can it be?

Lipstick, oh my goodness. Is enough, ever going to be enough? I am starting to believe the answer is no. No there will never be enough lipstick in your collection EVER...  I did a Google search to see approximately how many different shades of lipsticks there are, one of the answers was something like 14,588 shades.. that is considering that each lipstick company has approximately 30-50 different shades. Now stop and think about this for a moment, if there are 14,588 approximately different shades of lipsticks, does that come to close to the amount of lipsticks each of us have in our own collections? Let's NOT even forget about our lip liners, lip balms, and other lip products!!

What I am thinking is if there are 14,588 different color lipsticks, there  has to duplicates. Same shades different names?? There are a ton of red color lipsticks, think about it, there is red lipstick with yellow and/or warm undertones, red lipsticks with blue and/or cool undertones-that is a huge amount in and of itself-and that is just red lipstick shades.  I read that women have been wearing lipstick for over 5000 years. Now back in time they did not have tubes of lipstick like we do, they would grind minerals, fruits and so on and apply that to their lips.  But still, we are talking about a huge amount of lipsticks from many different sources!

Okay, is it possible I am making excuses as to why I cannot seem to avoid the lipsticks online and/or in the store?  And once I find a brand I like-Goodness knows I just have to have a lot of the different colors!! TWO huge examples.. I love, love LASplash lipsticks! I have written articles and reviews on their products. They are long wearing, do not dry out your lips, etc, etc, etc,.  Than NYX Liquid Suede Lipsticks... omg!! I cannot get enough of them. So here we are again, right back where we started.. is it possible to be addicted to lipstick? YES!!! My opinion only but I truly believe like everything else, we can be addicted to lipstick too.

Look at this way, as each season changes, our complexion changes, therefore we need to embrace the seasons too with lighter colored lipstick, med tone color lipsticks, bold color lipsticks for the winter months.. it is endless. WE NEED to change our lipsticks as the season changes too. OH, MY, GOODNESS!! Another freaking excuse, right? 

NEW Makeup with a side dish of YUM!

Can you say YUM, Younique Bonbon's?

Yesterday, it felt like Christmas in March when I got my Younique order. It was filled with some of our new items and I am over the moon about them.

First I got one of our new products the Lip Bonbons!! I do not like tinted lip gloss or tinted lip balms, so I ordered the Vanilla Milkshake Bonbon and I am crazy about the product. Younique has five delicious scents, Vanilla Shake which is clear/white, chocolate truffle, red velvet cake, cherry cobbler and raspberry cheesecake.  Each are tinted except for the vanilla milkshake.  The scent of these little jewels is beautiful, they have five natural oils, that helps keep your lips moistened and nourished all at the same time. One of the most unique things I love about these little bonbons, the cap screws on, ensuring your product will remain intact and fresh. They are GREAT to use at night especially after using a lip scrub. When I woke up this morning my lips felt smooth and the scent of vanilla just topped everything off.. if you love vanilla, think about trying the Vanilla Milkshake... you will love it!!

Just case you may have missed it, my lip scrub I do nightly.. or try to do nightly, is a little coconut oil and tiny bit of sugar.  I rub that on my lips for a few minutes and rinse off.  Wearing the bonbons would help even more considering they have so many wonderful oils in them that is very beneficial to your skin.

Now, this is truly an amazing item, Younique's new Liquid Eyeliners!! I am 100% blown away with the these liners. I have used some great liners one being Kat Von D's liner.  Younique eyeliners are very pigmented, no smudge and water resistant.  The felt tip gives your full control for a beautiful cat eye, or a perfect wing. One of my favorite ways of using the pen is for lining on the lower lashes.. the tip works perfect and gives you the thinness most perfect line!!  

Of the two I am going to be very honest, the bonbons.. are amazing.  I plan on keeping extra of them in my collection.. if you have tried them or plan on trying them, please share below what your thoughts are on them... Have a beautiful bonbon day everyone!!

Makeup and its Power

Really? Does Makeup have Power?

I have been thinking a lot lately about what empowers a person? Grant you, I guess I could be considered old school with a modern twist! *laughs* okay, I am really not for any kind of movement, I feel both men and women should always feel empowered, and as sad as it is sometimes it is mostly women I run across that does not feel as powerful as they should feel.

Since I was a teenager, I have always worked a job.  There is something embedded in me that if I do not earn my own money it makes me feel weak (crazy right?).  I am not the kind of person who lives my life for money, but I am not dumb either, it takes money to survive in the world.  As I have written in many different post, makeup has always been very important to me. I have seen so many things that involved makeup and women feeling empowered because of compliments!   But I also love my other work as well, writing, art, photography.. all are a huge passion of mine. 

Being a Younique Presenter has provided everything I need as far as building a career that will not jeopardize my other work. I love the uniqueness of being a Younique Presenter. Most of my work is done online anyway.. but I do not have to babysit my Younique business, nor do I need to schedule travel time, party preparations and so on. I share my knowledge with my parties, play games, answer any questions.. but all of it is done on time that would not interfere with my other duties.

With Younique, I do not have to collect the money, send out the orders, handle returns, all I do as a presenter is share what I know, answer questions and encourage my hostess. The investment to become a Younique Presenter... is only paying for a small kit that will introduce you to the products if you are new to the company.  It is a tiny investment, in compare to what you can do with 'your' company-plus you get to keep all of the products in your kit!!

So to me, Yes there is a lot of power in makeup.. it can help you to earn more money, it can make women feel good and empowered knowing they are making their own money, and better, a little lipstick can set a persons face and make them look like a movie star!! But getting down to the nitty-gitty being a Younique Presenter would never interfere with you being a mother, wife, care taker, or any other role you have.. Younique is a great way to bring in a little extra money and perhaps even make enough so you take your family on a nice vacation. The sky is the limit...

Yes, indeed there is a lot of power in makeup.  Do you want to learn more about becoming a Younique Presenter? Visit my page it will tell you everything you need to know. 

If you would like to have a virtual party, you can reach me on FaceBook here.. what a great way to earn FREE products!!

Younique Tranquility and Inner Peace

Younique Tranquility and Inner Peace Colors

While going through my beauty feeds I found the most interesting article that involved this years (2016) colors for Spring.  Every year Pantone - The color authority selects a "color of the year" and this year (2016) it is Rose Quartz and Serenity (a light blue).

As I was reading this article and looking at the different makeup companies products in Rose Quartz (Light Pink) and Serenity (Light Blue) the first thing that came to my mind was Younique's Makeup products.

So here is my Younique Cosmetic's list of Rose Quartz and Serenity colors in their collection!!

Younique Moodstruck Precision Eye Pencil Liner in the color: "Polish" it is a very light blue that is one of the most beautiful blue colors ever.

Moodstruck Mineral Pigment Powders: In the colors:  "Vulnerable" (which is one of my most favorite pigment powders) It is a beautiful dusty rose color that reminds me of a piece of raw rose quartz.  And of course "Playful" which is a light baby blue which is almost the color of the sky.

Splurge Cream Shadow's, in the colors: "Danity" and "Dreamy".  "Danity" is a beautiful light frost pink color that is beyond beautiful and "Dreamy" well what can I say except this light blue cream shadow is so beautiful it is dreamy!

Moodstruck Opulence Lipstick in the color: "Ritzy" the Lucrative Lip Gloss in "Loveable" and the Stiff Upper Lip Lip-stain in Skittish. Let's not forget the Precision Lip Pencil in the color "Perky".

To top the whole thing off, lets not forget about Younique's Refreshed Rose Water that helps to hydrate the skin, adding a moisturizer feel to your skin. Roses help to tone the skin and acts as a natural astringent.  The rose fragrance has always been and will always be one of the most beautiful scents there is, it is very relaxing.  It has been a favorite romantic scent for centuries.

This is my "Pantone" color list of products for Younique.  Younique's cosmetics are indeed filled with Tranquility and Inner Peace, have you ever researched the company? Judge for yourself.. take a look at what the company is all about.

Wishing you a very Tranquil and Serenity Springtime!!!

Is it possible to be in love with makeup?

                 Is it possible to be in love with makeup?

Okay, so here is the deal, I just got my March 2016 BoxyCharm box and OMG, was it fantastic!! I mean seriously, come on.. when I say fantastic, I mean it in every sense of the word.   I have not tested all of the products yet, two I am madly in love with, and one I am still testing, and will do a follow up shortly. Okay.. so here is the March 2016 BoxyCharm box!!! 

So here is the March 2016 Boxycharm Box... right off of the top, BoxyCharm.. you get a double 10 points for this box!!

                Chella Tantalizing Taupe Eyebrow Pencil

I can tell you THIS is an item that I hope I never have to be without. It is the best ten hold bard eyebrow pencil I have ever used. The color is perfect, it is long wearing, it is very slim so it makes lining your brows so easy. I just cannot say enough good things about this eyebrow pencil.. I love it beyond words!! On a scale 1-10 YOU GET AN EASY "10"

Luxie Small Contouring Brush

If you remember I recently wrote a review on Smashbox Contouring Compact!! It is one of the best products ever.. This morning I decided to use this brush for the contouring and it works 100 times better than the Smashbox Brush! WHAT????? Yes, it is true.. this brush fits perfectly in the area you use the darker contour powder. It adds just enough product in the exactly location you want it. The bristles are soft, it picks up just the right amount of product, the brush being pink adds an extra touch!! The compacted head, is the true magic of this brush.. it will glide across your face like velvet! I am in love with brush.  On a scale 1-10 YOU GET AN EASY "10"

           Clark's Botanicals Anti-Puff Eye Cream

I am still testing this product and will complete an update in a few more days... The remaining items in the box, again I will do an update as soon as I test them!

Springtime Lips

Springtime Lips

Springtime is the south, is almost like summer. But still in the spirit of spring along comes new clothes, new makeup, and of course new LIP colors!!

So you wonder....if you are use to wearing nothing but rich, dark, bold colors, and you try to do a transformation into light, soft spring colors, where in the world do you start?

To be very honest with me, it actually started out experimenting with nude lips. I know, I know... it was a little hard for me honestly. The first time I tried putting on a nude lip, I kept messing it with and soon ended up with one of my dark, rich, bold color lips. So what I did was I did a nude lip, hurried and took a photo and posted it online to get people's opinion. No, I am not the type to seek out approval or ask permission.. opinions can be good sometimes if presented the correct way.  Once I did my nude lip and posted it, I got a good response and all leaned towards the nude coloring. After playing with nude shades for a long time (it seems) I am now a Nude Colored person.

After the nude colors, I wanted to add a softness, and what better represents softness than pink tones. This has really been a fun for me because I do like pink a lot. BUT I will always and forever be a matte girl so LASplash's RoseGarden velvet was perfect for me! So after playing and falling in love with several different pink shades....

I wanted to really go out there and tried some coral colors!! Okay, I really like the corals, but I also love red lip-color as long as it has a yellow undertone.. red lipstick with blue undertones looks terrible with my complexion.  So yeah... I think springtime lip colors has bloomed in my collection.. want to see more?

What are you favorite springtime lips.. have a photo? Post it below and share!!!

The Power of Makeup

So what would the power of makeup mean to you? Here is what it means to me, there is this little girl who lives in the same nursing home as my mother.  She is such a beautiful girl, truly she is. Every time I see her regardless if she has makeup on or not, I always say hello to her, and I always compliment how beautiful she looks. Some days when I see her she may not have makeup on, and her smile is not as bright, and her eyes are not as joyful. The days I see her with makeup on and I speak to her telling her how beautiful she looks, it is as if there is someone standing behind her holding a light, she is shining so brightly.  See to me, that is what the power of makeup can do for a person.  It does not take much to enhance your natural beauty.. but just a touch of makeup can make a huge difference.

Back in 2014, I lost my husband of 13 years to cancer.  I spent all of 2015  trying to figure out how to get myself out of limbo and begin living some kind of life again. I was invited to an online party by one of my friends.  I had never heard of Younique before, so like I always do, I researched them.  I watched some of the videos of the other presenters and cried right along with them.  Everybody joins different organizations for different reasons.  My reason was to try and piece my life back together after losing my husband. My Grief Therapist asked me one day if I knew what I was going to do with the rest of my life as far as my career. What is your one passion? She asked.  Makeup, not having to think about it at all... my answer was makeup! I wrote all about this story on my post called:  It's Never too late to Make Dreams Come True.

Younique Cosmetics is a lot more than a company selling skin care and cosmetics... it is a company that empowers women, and has a donation program and are committed to improving the lives of women all over the world.  It is a U.S. based organization that inspires hope in women who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse.  They always empower parents to protect their children and lead the public dialogue about the epidemic of childhood sexual abuse.

Younique is the first direct sales company to market and sell almost exclusively through social media.  All of the Virtual parties have no limits.. you can invite anyone you like.  Hosting a party is as easy as sharing a link and having the hostess share her experience about the products she loves.  Today money seems to be short in a lot of families.  Hosting a party is a great way to earn FREE products, and if you wanted to make some extra money that is as easy as investing $99.00 for your Younique starter kit.  There is no inventory you have to keep in stock, you do not have to ship the product, collect money or anything. Everything is done for you- all you do is share your love the products, and everything else falls in place.  So, yes, there is a lot of Power in Makeup.

Younique Moodstruck Pallet 1 Warm Shades

So let's pretend it is a Friday night, and we are getting ready for a date!! Let's dress the eyes and the lips using Younique's Moodstruck Pallet #1.  It is warm shades of peach and brown tones.  In this pallet,  you get seven beautiful shades of eyeshadows that can be worn dry and/or wet.  The color's include Elated, Sincere, Brassy, Chipper, Swanky, Forthright and Zealous! So here is the combination I used on my eyes!!

I started off with Elated covering my whole eyelid up to the brow.  Next I used Brassy right above my crease line.  Then I used Chipper in the natural crease and I blended them together really good. Still using my crease brush I gently added Forthright to the outer corner and a tiny bit in the inner corner of my eyelid.  In the very middle of my eyelid, I added a touch of Swanky.   To enhance that I added a touch of Splurge Cream Shadow in the color Tenacious. I used Forthright under my lower lashes then added the Perfect eyeliner.

Of course what Younique eyes without 3D Fiber Lash Mascara? I lined with eyes with the Liquid Eye Liner in Perfect and I lined my waterline with the Precision Proper Pencil. 

Now everyone that knows me knows it is all about the lips!! I am wearing a coral lip-stain and Rose lip liner... I topped that off with Lucrative Lip Gloss in the color 'Lovesick'. 

One of my favorite things about using Younique's makeup or any makeup in general, you do not have to cake it on to enhance your natural features.. I love Younique eyeshadows because the long-wearing, soft and they are very pigment.

So there you have it.. my first post using one of three Moodstruck Eyeshadow Pallets!!

Smashbox Contour Kit-I so love you!

I am so in love with this item. Finally, a makeup kit that I can actually use and feel I can do a decent job doing. Contouring... I could make a list of do's and don't's and talk about how much money I have wasted on the wrong products.. but nope, going to focus on the positive because being in love is positive right?

This morning after using my new Smashbox Contouring Kit.  I personally like the results, of course, I have a lot more to learn, but I feel it came out okay. Let me share a little about what is in this kit:  It comes with a contour, a bronzer, a highlighter.  It has a mirror on the inside of the compact WITH directions how to use each product!! AND it came with a contouring brush. I believe for today, this is my favorite makeup item!!

I am creating my own method of doing my contouring like I believe everyone should. I only contoured my cheeks (You know when you make the fish face and suck in your cheeks), nose and under my bottom lip, I did not do the hair line or anything. Next you use the bronzer on your cheek bone and the highlighter right above your cheek bone.  Once you blend it all out, this is the results. 

I will be very honest, I have never used a product that was so easy to use. It feels fantastic on your skin, the directions are sent from the Divine and so easy to use.  I cannot say enough good things about this product... on a scale 1-10 Smashbox Contouring Kit you get a '10'

Kitten Heels Loves Ipsy MarchGlam

Well, Ipsy, you did again, very nice March 2016 Glam Bag! I was so excited because we're getting an NYX Liquid Suede, when I seen the color, I thought wow, that looks familiar but I was overwhelmed with excitement because my bag was going to include one in it!! *Big Sigh* I had to purchase Kitten Heel a few months back.. it is a very good red lipstick!

NYX Liquid Suede

I am just going to start here because this product is one of my favorites.  I started wearing NYX Liquid Suede a few months ago.  It is a stain, it does stay put and it does feel good on your lips.  I especially like this color: Kitten Heels, the red has a yellow undertone which goes good with my neutral complexion. They have several different colors. I promise you will fall in love with this product.  IF YOU DO, be sure to check out their color Amethyst, it is a rich bright purple color! On a scale 1-10  No Doubt a 10!!

Illamasqua Precision Ink 

One of the things I really liked about this eyeliner is although it has a brush applicator, it is really a little firm not as hard as a felt-tip but pretty firm for a brush.  I really like applying my liner with that kind of brush.  The color is rich, it really is a nice liner. It just would not be my favorite one because I do like felt-tip liners. On a scale 1-10 I have to say a 7.5

Organic Surge Daily Care

I am a 100% Lavender freak! I love the smell, I love how it relaxes you;  to be honest there is not anything I do not like about lavender.  This hand cream totally rocks! It smells fantastic, the texture is very nice, it absorbs into your skin very fast and it leaves your skin feeling like silk.  I cannot wait to check out their website!!  On a scale 1-10 this is no doubt a 10!! 

Mellow Cosmetic's

I love, love, love this product!! First thing right off of the bat, is the color is beautiful! It is a good color for my complexion, it does not have too much orange or red.. it is just right for me!  It is a matte which is perfect for mature skin (which I have), the texture of this powder is great.  Yeah, I am looking forward to seeing what else the company has.  On a scale 1-10 no doubt a 10!!

Vera Mona Lotus Eyeshadow

This is just plane out cute!! I know you want to hear about the product.  This color is called Clover. It is a very pretty color, it is shimmery but does well on the eyelids, especially if you have hooded eyelids...this color brings out your lids.  I also used it in the corner of my eyes just to add a little something extra.  The texture is really nice, to me, it almost felt like it was hydrated or something.  The only problem I have with this shadow is it is so shimmery.  It would be perfect in matte form and/or for younger eyes.. it is just not a shadow I would personally buy.  Very nice product though. On a scale 1-10 I am going to go with an 8. 

Well, Ipsy I am going to give you a 10 again this month! You just keep making everybody want more and more.  If you would like to join me at Ipsy please click here and you can be surprised next month with the rest of us.  Keep up the good Glam Bags Ipsy!!!

Daily Skin Routine

Well, let me start by saying, I am fully aware that many people do videos on their daily skin cleansing technique as tutorials (wow, was that a mouth to type). I am not as comfortable as of yet, to do a ton of videos, so I write mine out, hope you don't mind reading!

Very long story short: In my makeup artist course, I had to do an assignment where I had to show a photo of my face with NO makeup and explain my daily cleansing routine. *LAUGHS* OMG, I hated doing that trust me, it is a scary sight to see me without makeup! Well, all of this forced me to take a closer look at my face, and to be honest, it scared the hell out of me.  There is no one to blame except myself for being too lazy to take care of my skin when I was younger. BUT, I also believe it is never too late to start a good cleansing routine, so this is mine now and has been for the past few weeks. And yes, I am hopelessly devoted to my cleansing routine. It sounds like it takes forever, but actually, it goes pretty fast!

Night Time 

At night, I will use one of Younique' s Shine Eye Makeup Remover Clothes I am so in love with these things!! Next (although you do not need too) I cleanse my face with Divine Daily Moisturizer, After that (which by the way, my face feels soft and smooth, not hard and dry) I use a Mac Fast Response Eye Cream (which I have never used an eye cream before) because I noticed these horrible bags and discoloration under my eyes.. *frowns* Than I notice I have all of these horrible lines around my lips so I started using Olay Regenerist Instant Fix Wrinkle Cream. I only use this around my lips, and I can promise you this is NOT an instant fix wrinkle cream. It is helping but it is not instant!! The final thing I do is seal everything down with Glorious Face Primer to seal all of the moisturizers and other treatments down. I always condition my lips with some kind of lip treatment balm.

Day Time

In the mornings I use a Shine Eye Makeup Remover Cloth (no rinsing needed) then I put on the Divine Daily Moisturizer, Mac Eye Cream, Olay Regenerist Instant Fix Cream, and the last thing I add before my makeup is: either Glorious Face Primer OR Porefessional Primer. OH, NO.. I am using a different primer during the daytime? I am actually experimenting with it.. supposedly porefessional primer is suppose to help your pores not look so big, so I am testing the product... I did not want you to think I am forgetting my BFF Primer!!!

After doing all of this, I tackle putting on my makeup and that completes my Daily Skin Routine Ritual!!! Do you want to share yours with me? If you drop off your link I will read your's!! Just leave it in the comment section (points below) it is that easy. Have a great day everyone!

Building a Fan Club

Say What??? A Product Line that is building its own fan club? Now that speaks volume of words.  But, I am learning that is what Younique Makeup is all about, the products speak for themselves!

This is only a few actual testimonies from people that have recently been introduced to Younique's Products. Now, I am sure YOU can relate to this, you know and/or have a lot of people in your life that just says things the way they are.. when although you do not know these people (I don't think) they are not the type of people to just say words for smiles and giggles (aren't you loving me cleaning up my language?).  These are true, 100% word for word testimonies.

The 3D Fiber Lash Mascara is such a huge hit. I believe it's like our lips, most people want beautiful full lips that resemble a famous movie star's lips; we all know of and have seen!! Well, having long beautiful lashes with a lot of fullness is something else many women look for in mascara's.  I am personally a mascara junkie... I have tried a TON and I literally mean that throughout my years!! The 3D Fiber Lash Mascara, really impressed me.

So, I hope everyone has a fantastic day!! If you have any questions about Younique Makeup, just click here and send me a message I will gladly get back with you!!

Hello My New BFF-Younique Primer

Younique's Glorious Face and Eye Primer

So in your opinion, why do we wear face primer, eye primer, lip primer, or any other kind of primer that is available out there? Seriously, aren't we all so busy that the less time it takes to apply our makeup, the better!!!  Halt.... here is why wearing a face primer is very important.

Okay, well, first they sell primers with correctors in it.  If you have a lot of redness, the primer will have a green tint, if your complexion is dull, they have primers with pink tints.. the list goes on and on. I suppose my skin is passed hope when it comes to wearing colored primers because I have not tried one on that ever helped (as far as the discoloration I have on my face).

We also wear primer, to create a smooth pallet for our makeup.  If you have FINE lines, many primers will help conceal and/or fill the FINE lines on your face.

It is a product that will last you a long TIME! Seriously, if you use any more than a pea size amount on your face, you are over doing it... It takes very little primer to give you a smooth pallet.

When you put a primer over your moisturizer, the primer helps to seal in hydration, therefore, it helps you to get more benefits from your face serums and moisturizers.

One of the best benefits wearing eye and face primer is, it helps your makeup to stay on all day and for whatever reason, your makeup will look fresh all day!

I can honestly say, I will never go without wearing primer again.  I honestly did not think a lot of makeup items mattered  until I started taking my makeup artist course.. now things I am trying has opened a whole  new world for me. 

Makeup Addiction 101

Okay, so here is the scoop... I believe with no uncertainties that I have become a makeup addict!!  Now, I know it sounds funny right? I mean seriously, addicted to makeup... you are out of your ever-loving mind!!!

If truth be told, in your own mind, what would make someone a makeup addict?  Here is my somewhat kinda odd and strange experience story...

I have always, and I do mean always found a way to get some kind of makeup since I was a young child. Of course, I did not spend $30 for a tube of mascara, goodness, I use to pay way less for a really cool mascara made by Cutex for less than $2.00. I loved it BUT like most things I like in the makeup world it either gets discontinued, and/or the company no longer deals with makeup.  So even as an adult, my makeup shopping spree's never stopped, I would always find some excuse to purchase some form of makeup.

I think and/or believe now I have stepped out of the makeup closet and proclaim I am without a shred of doubt, a Makeup Junkie!!  I would rather spend $5.00 on some kind of makeup, instead of spending $5.00 for lunch. I am a coupon clipper, right, and I save my money only to splurge on makeup.

I watch a ton of video's on YouTube, I do a ton of research on different products, and I find myself HAVING to try different new makeup that I see people talking about. Which leads me to my makeup addiction world today...

It seems like it is not enough that I am a QC Makeup Artist Student or a Younique  Presenter.... no of course not... today I had to apply for a job working in the makeup section of a store! I hope I get the job it would be sort of cool.  Now I am starting to think that I need to work another outside job just to feed my makeup addiction.  Do I JONES when I do not get new makeup?  NO, but I will find an excuse to run to the store to get something and I just have to go by the makeup section.. and of course; when I do that I have to get something because it just will not let me leave the store without it.

Now that I have my makeup case fully stocked, my new adventure is, purchasing new makeup items so I can write reviews on them!!!! Oh, yes, and let's not forget about all of the Youtube videos I watch and they are talking about new products I have not tried.. like RED EYELINER!! (which I ordered some.. it hasn't arrived yet... but still I know its on its way)

I have not wrote or made videos on my makeup shopping spree's or my empty containers of stuff I go through monthly.. I mean is that something people really want to know about? Well, maybe the makeup shopping spree, BUT empty containers?

Can ANYONE out there identify with what I am talking about?? I mean how many different shades of pink lipstick is enough?? Somebody, please tell me I am not alone.... anybody?