Smog

Apparently, the marketing group at Urban Decay has a different concept of what smog looks like.

vs.



Image courteousy of U.S. EPA


Hmm...I'll have to rethink my argument.

Urban Decay's smog color is definitely a sexier version of what I recall from spending summers in Southern California with my relatives as a little girl. UD's Smog is a deep brown with a golden shimmer and irridescent sparkle, a very sensual looking bronze and one of my all time favorite UD eye shadows so you know I was super excited to find this shade as a liquid liner.

Lately, I've been eye lining obsessed and as a fan of the UD 24/7 collection, you know I couldn't wait to get my hands on a bottle of this stuff. Especially since I got over my fear of liquid liners. Okay so this may not be the first time I've used one but I usually favor pencils. Liquid sometimes accentuates any dry flaky parts of my eye - making any eczema outbreaks in this area look that much worse. Also, I'll forget I'm wearing it and rub my eye. It's usually not a pretty look after I realize I just ruined a perfectly black lined eye.

As you can see - no irritated looking eye here:

Other products used:
MAC Espresso e/s with #266 brush - eye brow
TFSI primer
NARS Biarritz - lid to browbone
NARS Cyprus - lid to crease only
Chanel Inimitable Noir Mascara

The brush tip is pretty flexible and since I like a more firm, felt tip I was a bit worried. Would I be able to have any control of this brush?

I have been using this for the past week and I now feel pretty confident using this but if you are a pro with type of liquid liner than this will be a cake walk. Just do remember to shake the bottle well before using. This is an easy color to wear. It's subtle, therefore low maintenance. I love this shade best with nothing more than MAC Indianwood Paint Pot on my lids and lots of layers of black mascara.

Other colors used:
NARS - Larger than Life Lip Gloss - Place Vendome
Chanel Joues Contraste - Rose Tourbillon (cheeks)
It is long wearing after it sets (takes about 55 seconds) and it will stay put. Glad to report that it doesn't irritate my eyes and I've been having bad bouts of allergies lately. It took some gentle rubbing with my Neutrogena oil-free eye makeup remover to get it all off. And once the color lifts, it flakes off.

Final assessment: I am thinking about which color to try next.

You can find this at Sephora, participating Macy's and online/$18 USD.

Signature Blue

In attempt to resurrect the love for my current (massive) stash of product I found this neglected liquid liner:

MAC's Superslick Liquid Liner in Signature Blue.

I love wearing this with a very nude eye so the blue pops and brightens my very dark brown eyes. It's a dark navy with soft pearl - I love that it still looks wet after it dries. It doesn't go on as opaque as I like in the first swatch but because it's a liquid liner, I try to overlook that. I wait for it to dry (under a minute, if drawing a fine line) and reline until I get desired intensity. I love the felt tip applicator - it's flexible and pretty easy to draw fine lines. Once it sets, it does not budge. But when it's time to remove your makeup, it is easy to remove - makeup remover or even with soap and water. It will flake off when you dry your face with a towel.

So subtle and effective.



Don't you just love efficient beauty products?

This is a permanent item  (YAY!) and retails for $17.50 USD

Larger Than Life: Long-Wear Eyeliner

First, it was about the Orgasms, this past summer we were yearned for Laguna and now we want to be LARGER THAN LIFE!

Sitting alongside the Larger Than Life Mascaras are the new Larger Than Life Eyeliners. They come in nine fabulous colors. I thought I purchase the black pencil, Via Veneto because it's usually a staple in everyone's makeup bag. I feel that if the black liner doesn't deliver then I become dubious of the rest of colors offered.

I am glad to report that I'm in love with this new eyeliner and I cannot wait to try the other colors. My current go-to black pencil was MAC's Power Kohl Liner in Feline. It's pitch dark black but it also smudges like a MoFo so I am constantly reapplying this to my lash lines and water lines.

I applied this look - MAC Woodwinked on my lid, Soba in the crease and Arena on my browbone (on top of TFSI) - around 6:15AM. This looked stayed in tact past my treadmill running session at 1:00PM. This new NARS liner glides on easy without any tugging or resistance. It goes on pretty opaque and does not budge once it sets. I was most impressed that even my waterline still looked pretty good - I just touched that area up a bit.

Another added bonus that I love about this pencil is that it swivels and it also comes with an attached sharpener (on the end of the pencil) so you can restore the original sharp tip. It's not as delicate as the Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof pencil. I think I broke most of the tip off than I actually used when I tried to sharpen it. It pisses me off thinking about it considering how much they cost - $29! I even like this better than my old favorite, MAC's Technakohl liner in Graphblack. Yes it's inexpensive, it swivels and doesn't require a sharpener but if you like having a fine tip to your  eye liner then this pencil would frustrate you. Also, Via Veneto goes on a whole lot darker in just one swipe. I would have to trace at least 2-3 times to get MAC Technakohl in Graphblack to look as dark (see arm swatch below).

Here's Via Veneto right between MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack and UD 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Oil Slick. It looks like a strip of black leather between these two liners.

I got geeky and timed all three pencils to see which one set the quickest. Via Veneto did win with a drying time of a minute and ten seconds. Next was Graphblack -one minute and thirty-four seconds and surprisingly, the UD pencil took almost two minutes to set.

My Final Assessment - I'm trying to decide which color I will buy next! There is also the Larger Than Life Lip Gloss, a Sephora exclusive. I am eagerly waiting for my next mail haul to test that baby out!

This was purchased by yours truly at Sephora in JCPenny's, $23USD. Also available online.

Blue Noon vs. Float on By

I wanted to briefly compare this summer's teal pencil offering from MAC's Surf Baby with last summer's To the Beach collection.

Float on By - Top
Blue Noon - Bottom

For a shade that has the word Blue in it's title, it looks a bit more green, don't ya think? Or maybe it's just the way  it registers on my (NC42) skin.

Blue Noon on my waterline smudged lightly.

Float on By on my waterline.

As subtle as their differences may be, I think I'm starting to like Float on By more. I feel like it's more vibrant on my eyes - a brighter sheen, whereas Blue Noon just looks like a flat aqua green liner on me. Because I don't have a color like Blue Noon in my stash, I am leaning on keeping it.

I could totally change my mind by tomorrow morning.

They wear about the same amount of time - I apply first thing in the morning around 6:15AM and I won't touch it up again until after my lunchtime workout (12:30ish). It's just a matter of intensity preferences.

Rollergirl, Summer 2011

No, not Heather:

But from Urban Decay's latest offering for Summer 2011:




(the cute cardboard packaging really sold me)

 Comes with a mini Lip Junkie gloss in Crush - HOT pink (.12 oz)

(back)



(even the spine of the palette is cute!)

Okay so let's look at the colors:



(Cue in the OOOOH's and Aaaaaah's)

It also contains a mini deluxe (oxymoron, I know) 24/7 liner in Whiskey (.03 oz). I believe this was the same pencil included in the Half Baked palette from 2009 (?). It's pretty much Bourbon without the glitter - it's also my favorite if I had to choose between the two. I wish it was sold permanently in the 24/7 pencil line up. Woodstock - hot pink shimmer, Verve (exclusive shade) - like a pearly oyster shell, Suspect - like wet copper sand glistening in the sun (also my favorite from the palette), Darkhorse (from NAKED palette) - described as a 'bronze, plum shimmer' via Sephora site. But it seems more like a dark chocolate shimmer on my skin.

top to bottom -
Woodstock
Verve
Suspect
Darkhorse
Whiskey liner (on the side)

Bourbon vs. Whiskey:



(L to R: Bourbon, Whiskey)

Taken with flash just so you can see the glitter.
And here's a swatch of the Lip Junkie gloss, Crush (HOT pink):

I took this palette for a spin this morning:

Suspect on lid

Woodstock on outer corner (I want to play more with shade just because I want to prove to myself that it won't make me look hungover or like I'm have a bad eczema attack!)

Darkhorse on crease

Verve on browbone

Whiskey - smudge 3/4 in on both top/bottom lashline

On my cheeks - NARS Orgasm blush layered with South Beach Multiple stick
Lips: Crush Lip Junkie gloss (no liner).

For reference: NC 42/LM tinted moisturizer in Caramel/NARS Syracuse

Because these are shimmer finishes, I didn't notice any blatant fallout around my eyes - a common drawback from glitter UD shadows. I am really loving this palette. Urban Decay always delivers the look I'm going for in the summertime: sexy but with a hint of attainable edge. Does that make any sense? I feel like the Half Baked palette gave more of the edgy surfer girl vibe with it's gold/copper/teal shadow offering. Whereas, Rollergirl may be that same surfer girl at night hitting up a dive bar, live show, retro 80's night at the roller rink or just getting into trouble in general.

You know the kind of girl, I use to be 5 years ago! Except the surfing part.

Retail price:
$32/USD
Online, Sephora, Ulta

From the pages of Allure - June 2011

I had a love affair with Allure - a magazine that focused exclusively on beauty? It debuted in 1991 and I was just smitten.


(image taken from allure.com - loving the shot of Stephanie Seymour)

It introduced me to makeup artists - Stephen Marais, Pat McGrath, Francois Nars, Dick Page, Kevin Aucoin (RIP), Gucci Westman that would eventually have their own lines or become creative directors for mega cosmetic brands.

The magazine soon featured tear out - how-to/tip cards. There was one in particular that just really pissed me off - "How to take an effective shower" or something like that. Really? Was I that ignorant that I needed tear out cards to take with me for my morning showers? It reminded me of that episode of Seinfeld where Kramer was getting tips from Jerry on how to take a shower. At any rate, I just felt that the magazine mocked my intelligence and I stopped my subscription and turned my back on the magazine for quite sometime.

Yes, I do take my magazines pretty seriously.

Recently, I had a conversation with my favorite counter S.A. (sales associate) at Chanel - Nordstrom. The lovely Ms. M and I were chatting about our favorite magazines over the years and she brought up Allure. I rolled my eyes and told her about the said tear cards. She agreed that it was lame and unoriginal but she also made a valid point - being in the beauty industry she constantly learns what's new (brands and procedures), what's expected to come out and keeps her abreast of what's going on now.

That said I went back to the magazine - plus Ms. M. has flawless tastes and her makeup picks for me have been on point.

So I give you my EOTD inspiration from this month's issue with the lovely January Jones (Mad Men's Betty Draper) on the cover:

(allure.com)

There was a whole feature on beauty ideas (hair/makeup) for summer. And what I love is that they break down either products used or recommended. I am playing with the bright teal lined summer eyes. I love that the only pop of color is the liner - keeping the lids neutral - barely there.

Yes, I did take a picture of a magazine for this example!

The key was to blend a blue liner with a teal so I blended my UD 24/7 Binge with my MAC Float On By:

L to R:
UD Binge - Navy
MAC Float On By - aqua blue - not really traditional teal but I wanted to use this color.
Blended together - you get a lovely deep denim blue with a bit of a gold sheen to it.

Rest of my eye:
MAC Arena on lid
NARS Abyssinia on browbone
layered on top of TFSI primer
lots of Chanel Inimitable Intense - black

Because I love the combo of blue liner and coral/orange lips, I went with NARS Gilda (coral) on my cheeks and Revlon Colorburst Gloss in Papaya (pink-orange) on my lips.

Not only are magazines and print ads are a good source of inspiration but it also challenges you on translating what you see on the runways and print and how you can work it at a button down 8-5 work environment.

Now if only advertisements can stress that the mascara you see advertised CANNOT promise you the look of false eyelashes without the use of false eyelashes!

UD 24/7 Binge is part of the permenant line and retails for $18 USD. At most stores that carry the UD line as well as online. MAC's Float on By was a limited edition from last summer's To the Beach collection - retailed for $14.50

Undercurrent eyes

I have a love/hate relationship with MAC Limited Edition items - especially their Mineralize Skinfinish Powders. But that's not what I'll be featuring today. I have a good collection of MAC limited edition eyeliners and I pulled out a lovely that I haven't used in a while.



(This is just part of my eyeliner collection)



L to R:
Undercurrent - teal/green with gold glitter
Float on By - icy aqua, blue shimmer
Designer Purple - bright, violet w/purple glitter
Sense of Style - darkened navy that almost looks charcoal
Molasses - dark chocolate brown with glitter
Fly By Blu - black with blue glitter
Feline - flat, coal black

So today's eye look involved Undercurrent.

This is a great way to wear a pop of color to the office. Also, one of my favorite summer eye looks.

The rest of my eye:
Indianwood Pigment Pot - lid
Woodwinked e/s on lid
Soba e/s - crease
Bare Study Pigment Pot - browbone
Teddy - eye kohl - top lashline
Undercurrent - smudged on lower lashline - this great staying power. I didn't have to touch this one up during the day.
**Do not use on waterline, this has big chunks of glitter that can scratch your eyes - also has some fallout around the eye area**

I think this is when I kept an open mind to color liners. I was just a black and dark brown pencil kind of gal but then I fell in love with the MAC color selection. Unfortunately, the really great colors and certain formulas (pearl glide, kohl power) are limited editions. So if you do come across an amazing shade, do pick it up! I am actually kicking myself for not picking up an extra Feline pencil. It may not have the staying power of the technakohl liner but it just looks so sexy smudged.

I have since started collecting other great colored liners from different brands - UD, Chanel, D&G but I find myself always coming back to MAC for interesting and fun colors!

Retail price for Eye Pencils:
$14.50/USD

EOTD - Olive Smoky Eye

It was another morning where I just didn't want to be bothered with a complicated, intensely blended look that needed 5 different shadows and included 3 different textures. Yes, I have been lazy lately. I guess I'm already in Summer mode and yes, it's still April.

Well I took these three shades and tried to make the best of it. So here's my smoky olive eye look:

and this is what I used:




(NC 42 forearm)

 L to R:
MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot - peach gold cream shadow (lid)
MAC Sumptuous Olive - khaki w/pearl (lid)
MAC Soba - light golden brown shimmer
UD 24/7 Eyeliner - Stash - Drk Green/Gold (top lashline/smudged bottom)

I apologize for my lack of enthusiasm but at least I'm trying. For a Tuesday morning, it sure feels like a Monday.

Maybe this will cheer me up:

A fan video of one of my new favorite bands: The Ettes
Crown of Age

If anything I am now pumped to meet with my trainer at the gym this afternoon!

Stuck in the Middle...

That song is in my head right now and I guess it's appropriate for the way I feel at this moment. Lately, I have been a bit uninspired so I'm reaching for things that are pretty much "No Brain - No Thought". So I am using my shadow sticks smudged just up to my orbital bone and I smudge - layer with lots of mascara and call it a day. Then I finish with tinted moisturizer, coral blush and glossy nude lips. Yes, I'm done in a little over 10mns but after a few days straight it's boring.

So what do I do??

I tried to take some inspiration from the break we just received from the rain here in the SF, Bay Area. I wanted to jazz up my eyes a bit so I went for the mossy green in my Wet n' Wild palette.

I just used these three colors for a quick eye look.

Green - Lid
Golden Brown - Crease
Champagne - Highlight

Liner - Chanel Black Jade
Mascara - Diorshow Extase

The final result - MEH

Maybe it's just a result that I'm catching yet another cold. I did try to add some health to my cheeks by using Tarte Amazonian Clay Long-Wear Blush in Flush. It's not helping.

I think I need a long nap and another cup of tea and perhaps an attitude adjustment.

Sorry folks, I know this was half assed. Back to the drawing board for me!

Colored Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7

If I had to choose my favorite fun colored eyeliners it would have to be from the Urban Decay 24/7 collection. These are great colors - I think it releases my inner roller derby girl! Well in my fantasy roller derby world I'd wear bright eyeliner, torn tights, pink elbow/knee pads and kick major ass. So yes, I'm wearing this brand of eyeliner in my fantasies - also they stay on very well. If it could survive my lunch time spin class session then I assume it can take on sweaty, elbow throwing, roller skating sessions.

NO, I am a nice girl...really! Sorry ever since I watched Whip It I keep thinking, "yeah I can do that".

Today I went with Ransom - a bright irridescent purple, which I find leans on the cool bluish side. I like that this is not glittery, I could use it on my waterline if I choose to.

However, I had to work at getting to show up on my top lash line. I'm wondering if it's because I'm dark skinned (NC 42). I had no problem getting it to show up on my lower lash line. I did feel like I was playing beat the clock looking for my #219 brush to smudge it because when it sets it's there most of the day - well unless you rub your eyes vigorously.  It comes off easily with my Almay eye makeup remover but I do find that I have to work at removing liner on my bottom lash line. I like wearing this kind of color with a nude eyeshadow so all the focus is on the liner.

I got this in the UD Super Stash set ($36) last year. It came with nine other deluxe travel sized liners. I think these sets are a great way to try out a bunch of colors without having to commit to a full size (retails $17). If I find a color that I don't like I can just sharpen and sterilize it and give it away to a family member.

I added lots of black mascara, neutral blush and lipstick and I was out the door!