REVIEW: Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation

2016-11-15_15-30-11I recently purchased the new Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation. I LOVE their Naked Foundation and use it all the time as my go-to daily wear foundation.  I have oily skin and the All Nighter is a full coverage (very full coverage!!) matte foundation perfect for oily skin.  I watched tons of YouTube videos about the foundation from those beauty vloggers with all different combination of skin and almost everyone loved it.  I had my doubts that everyone was telling the truth since how can everyone love the same foundation when everyone’s skin and wants are so different.  But I figured, I’ll give it a chance.

Formula

The formula is very opaque and full coverage.  I found I needed to make sure I used a small amount and built up coverage in order not to look cakey.  There is also no need to set it with a powder as it does dry down matte. I found the longer I wore the foundation on my oily skin, the better it ended up looking.  I did find that if I used a moisturizing primer (I used TooFaced HangoveRx) that the foundation applied better and didn’t cling to any dry patches around breakouts or my nose.

Shade

While it can be difficult to match your shade initially once you find the right shade its a perfect match.  Since the formula does oxidize you need to really make sure you give it time in store when picking a correct color.  Urban Decay has it broken out into quarters for their numbering system.  Anything ending in .0 is a warm undertone, .25 is a neutral undertone, .5 is a pink undertone, and .75 is a golden undertone.  Not major color tone has all the different breakouts.  I wear 3.25 which works really well with my skin tone.

Wear

When they say 24 hour wear, they really do mean it.  It sticks to your skin and doesn’t budge.  I didn’t find I needed to touch up my foundation due to my oil breaking through but I will say if you blow your nose it does break it down faster.

Rating

This is now one of my top 3 foundations which I rotate through. I recommend this product to normal, combo and oily skin folks.  If you have dry skin, you may not like it as much.

4.5 STARS!!!

REVIEW: Estee Edit Inside Track Eye Kajal

I love a great eyeliner and prefer to use pencils versus a gel or liquid liner.  Typically I only line my upper and lower waterlines so to find one that is long wearing and does not bother my contacts is difficult.  The Estee Edit Inside Track Eye Kajal retails for $22 and comes in four shades.img_0919

Formula – The formula is creamy and easy to glide on both the lid and waterline.  I did find with the darker colors, if you line your upper waterline, once you blink it transfers to the lower line.

Wear – The best thing about this eye pencil is that it lasts a long time.  I checked my makeup throughout the day and even at the 8 hrs mark it was still going strong.  That is the sign of a great long wearing kajal liner.

img_09191Shade – The color payoff is amazing.  I tried Extreme Black/Gunmetal and Navy Brat/Baby Blue and both were true to color.  With 4 shades to choose from, each having a duel end, you get a great variety of basic colors.  I would love to see them come out with some great statement colors next.

Rating – Overall this is a wonderful eye pencil which I can’t wait to continue to use on a daily basis.  I recommend this product to all, especially those with contacts.

4 STARS!!!

TAG: THIS or THAT

Alright everyone, it is time for a TAG.  THIS or THAT tag is designed for everyone to choose one option from each category.  You only get a choice of two and surprisingly sometimes you really want to pick both.

Makeup
Blush or Bronzer: Bronzer
Lipgloss or Lipstick: Lipgloss
Eyeliner or Mascara: Mascara
Foundation or Concealer: Foundation
Neutral or Colour Eyeshadow: Neutral
Pressed or Loose eye shadows: Pressed
Brushes or Sponges: Brushes

Nails
O.P.I or China Glaze: China Glaze
Long or Short: Long
Acrylic or Natural: Acrylic
Brights or Darks: Bright
Flower or No Flower: Flower

Body
Perfume or Body Mist: Body Mist
Lotion or Body Butter: Body Butter
Body wash or Soap: Soap
LUSH or Other Bath Company: A bunch of others

Fashion
Jeans or Sweat pants: Jeans
Long sleeve or Short: Short sleeves
Dresses or Skirts: Dresses
Stripes or Plaid: Stripes
Flip flops or Sandals: Flip Flops
Scarves or Hats: Hats
Studs or Dangly Earrings: Studs
Necklaces or Bracelets: Bracelets
Heels or Flats: Flats
Cowboy Boots or Riding Boots: Cowboy Boots
Jacket or Hoodie: Jacket
Bershka or Zara: Zara
Mango or Zara: Zara

Hair
Curly or Straight: Straight
Bun or Ponytail: Bun
Bobby pins or Butterfly clips: Butterfly clips
Hair spray or Gel: Hair spray
Long or Short: Long
Light or Dark: Light
Side swept bangs or Full bangs: Slide swept bangs
Up or Down: Down

Random
Rain or Shine: Rain
Summer or Winter: Winter
Fall or Spring: Fall
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate
Coffee or Tea: Coffee!!!

I am adding a new section as well.

Skin
Dry or Oily: Oily
Makeup Remover or Balm/Oil: Balm Oil
Cleanser or Scrub/Exfoliant: Cleanser
Moisturizer or Sunscreen: Moisturizer

I tag all bloggers to complete the THIS/THAT tag.  Tag, your it!

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REVIEW: Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin

I LOVE Maybelline products and have been a devoted user since my teen years.  So when I decided to give the Better Skin line a go.foundation

I purchased the foundation in 25 Nude Beige which is slightly pink on me but I made it work. I like the way it blends into the skin and let the natural finish of my skin come through.  I have tried it with and without primer (since I am typically not one to wear primer) and found that it worked well both ways.  I applied it with my Morphe M439 and sponge and liked the application better with a brush. It is build able to a medium coverage and doesn’t get cakey on the skin. The packaging is great since it has a pump but I did find it got kind of messy in the cap after a few uses. Overall I think this is a great daily wear foundation but typically I do like something a little more full coverage

concealerI like my concealer a little lighter than my foundation to highlight under my eyes so I choose shade 20 Light. The consistency is lightweight and oil free.  It blends out easily and provides just the right amount of coverage to help conceal my dark circles.  It does need to be set with a powder to avoid creasing under the eyes.  I did also use this to highlight the middle part of my face along my nose, forehead, and chin.  It features a standard doe foot applicator wand for easy application.

powderSince I have oily skin, 99% of the time I use an all over face powder.  I picked up the shade 50 Natural Beige.  This shade is slightly too dark for me under the eyes but perfect for all over the face.  This powder is finely milled and a great setting or touch up powder.  If I’m at home, I typically prefer a large dome powder brush but for on the go, the sponge in the compact works just fine.  It does give you a little more coverage so I do find when used in combination with the foundation, I can obtain a more full coverage finish.

Maybelline is an awesome brand and I can’t wait to try more new products from their line.

Don’t forget to check out my last makeup review on the Marc Jacobs Remarkable.

My Monthly Favorites | August Favorites

It’s that time to go through my favorites for the month of August.

La Croix Sparkling Water in Passionfruit is my favorite go to drink (besides the gallons of coffee).  I have never been a big water drinker so in order to incorporate more water into my routine, I started drinking flavored sparkling water. After testing all the brands and flavors out, Passionfruit by La Croix is definitely my favorite of the bunch.  Its light and refreshing and since its carbonated I am tricking myself into thinking its soda (with no calories). La Croix is available in most grocery retailers, target and online at amazon. Thank you Amy for introducing me.

Carli Bybel Pallet from BH Cosmetics has just the right combination of mattes and shimmers and of course my favorite a variety of neutrals for everyday wear.  I had been on the hunt to find a replacement for my Stila The Natural palette since its discontinued even though I LOVE IT.  A few of my favorite colors are close dupes in the Carli Bybel palette. The best part of all is the low price. You get 14 eyeshadows and 4 highlight colors for only $14.50.

Mac Paintpot in Painterly has been my go-to eyeshadow base for as long as I can remember. Its the perfect shade to cover any veins and prep my eyes for any type of shadow. On my no-makeup (who am I kidding, minimal makeup) days, I typically will just use this with some mascara and be good to go.

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer in Sunkissed is the perfect summer glow especially for light skin tones. I am able to give my skin some color without hours in the sun. I find it layers well over my foundation and provides an even application. The packaging is compact and sturdy as well perfect to through in my travel bag.

Colourpop Lippie Stix in Oh-Snap is the PERFECT nude.  These lippie stix are long wearing without being drying to the lips. I throw this on over my lip mask and its the perfect sweep of pinky nude or I can layer it over my NYX mauve lip pencil for a deeper color.  I love wearing my lippie stix over most of my liquid lipsticks.

Have you tried and loved these products lately?

** Make sure to use eBates for cash back at BH Cosmetics and Mac.

Mascara Q & A Time

Thank you Queen of the Girl Geeks for creating a great Q & A all about mascara.  Everyone should go check out her blog.

How many tubes of mascara do you own?

Actually only 10 different ones right now (with a couple of travel sizes as well) but I had just cleaned through my mascara drawer. I also typically run through mascara really fast so it never stays around for very long.

Favorite Mascara?

My favorite high end mascara and go-to is Diorshow by Dior. But I am always down for a good drugstore mascara and that would have to be Best Lash Extreme by Jordana. I always have a tube (or two) of each of these in my stock pile.

How long have you been wearing mascara?

Since I was 14, so about 25 years consistently. I wore it before that but only for special occasions or dance recitals.

Favorite color of mascara?

The blackest that black can get. But I am down for pops of color on my lower lash line every so often. Purple is my favorite with my grey eyes.

Favorite guy in mascara?

To be honest, I haven’t been into the whole “guys wearing mascara” since I was a teen and most rock bands did it. While it doesn’t matter one way or another if a guy wears mascara, I typically don’t notice a guy for that reason. Although if their lashes are on fleek, I will definitely give them props.

One coat or two or three?

Two if not three. I have pretty decent length but need help with volume without taking away from length. I also always curl my lashes before hand. Otherwise they stick straight out.

False or Not?

For daily wear, no falsies. But I love them for special occasions.

Waterproof?

Only for the pool or beach.  I like the L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Waterproof version. Its not a staple in my collection but I know I can find it on the go at anytime.

These types of Q&A’s are great as you get to know a little bit more about my beauty likes.  If you recreate this blog post make sure to tag me in it.

My 5 FAVORITE Bronsers

Kat Von D Shade + Light Face Contour Pallet

This is THE BEST contour bronzing pallet on the market right now.  With the 3 shades of warm, neutral, and cool tones, its perfect for any skin tone. I can warm up my face with a wash of color or chisel my cheek bones for a more structured look. Perfect for traveling and 100% cruelty  free.

Retail cost $46.00

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Natural 1

I found this wonderful bronzer by accident while scanning the Sephora page. This is a wonderful neutral bronzer that works really well with my skin.  It gives great coverage and is easy to blend.

Retail cost $42

Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer

This is my go-to bronzer. I always know that no matter what my skin is doing or what foundation I have use, this bronzer will always look good.  It is the perfect combination of sun kiss glow without being too grey (cool) toned.

Retail cost $29.00

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer

If you are not a fan of scents, this isn’t the bronzer for you but to me, this makes me feel like I am on a tropical island with an umbrella drink relaxing the afternoon away….when in reality, I am probably working my butt off in an office. This is a very lightweight bronzer you can build up. Better for lighter skin tones.

Retail cost $14.95

NYX Matte Bronzer in Medium

For being this cheapest of my favorites, this is probably the one one I pick up 2nd. I own 3 different shades depending on my tan and love this both to contour and bronze my face up. It blends perfectly and I never feel orange even though it is a warm bronzer. I find this is one of the best to use for a nose contour.

Retail cost $9.00

REVIEW: Marc Jacobs Remarkable

I think foundation is one of my favorite makeup items to try.  It can be so different depending upon how my skin is acting, so testing each foundation out takes time.  I typically like a demi-matte to matte full coverage finish.  I also find I go through phases with foundation where they will look awesome for awhile and then all of a sudden I can’t make them work for the life of me.  I never count something out though because as stated previously, my skin plays such a big role in my foundation routine.

I have decided to start trying more foundations and give my reviews. Its been awhile since I branched out so here I go.

I kept hearingRemarkable.jpg everyone with oily skin rave about the Marc Jacobs Remarkable foundations so I decided to give it a try. Retail cost is $55.o0 for 1 fl oz. It is available on the Marc Jacob’s website as well as Sephora. I have the color Bisque Neutral 27 which was a perfect match. There are 22 shades to choose from which is pretty good.

I really like this foundation but if I am noticing my skin is more on the combination side, I must use a luminous moisturizer or primer or it will cake up on the dry areas of my face.  I like to apply it with my makeup sponge (prefer the Real Technique Miracle Complexion Sponge) over a brush.  You only need a small amount to cover your face and neck with medium coverage and I use my concealer to add any additional coverage as needed.  I do set any areas I conceal with a powder especially under my eyes otherwise I will get creasing.  My whole face doesn’t need a powder but if you are extra oily, then I would suggest it.

I do suggest this foundation and will continue to keep it in my foundation rotation.

Do you have any suggestions on what I should try next?