What's On My Face #1

After my crazy, last minute impulse trip to Manhattan on Monday and a slew of tests, homework and projects being thrown at me this week, my make up routine has been at an all time low. I've been wearing as little of make up as possible, considering I'm getting next to no sleep with how busy I've been. So without further ado, here's what's been on my face this week.


FACE
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in BR12 (pictured)/Covergirl Whipped Foundation in Ivory
I've been alternating foundations this week based on coverage. For days that I'm feeling really lazy, or don't need a whole lot of coverage, I've reached for my Chanel foundation of course. I'm sure I've raved about this enough now that you're sick of hearing about it so I won't go on any longer. And I'd be willing to bet same goes for my beloved Covergirl Whipped. I'm nearly out so it's really just been about finishing off the pot, and the added coverage doesn't hurt either.

EYES
MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly paired with Benefit's They're Real/EM Cosmetics Lash Gallery Clean Volume (pictured)
Some more tried and trues here, to no surprise. I've been so lazy about eyeshadow that I haven't even been wearing any. Painterly is pretty much a perfect match for my eyes, so I just use it all over the lid to neutralize and leave it at that. Sticking to my favorite mascaras, they both have the same awakening effect on my eyes (thank God), but Benefit's offering gives off a more natural look.

BROWS
Essence Eyebrow Designer Pencil/Maybelline Great Lash in Clear
I dug out my Essence pencil after it's been at the bottom of the drawer for a while, and now I'm not sure why I ever put it down. I've been turning back to filling in my brows with a brunette color since my hair has faded quite a lot. This pencil gives off a very natural finish and it doesn't require a whole lot of effort to fill in. As always, I finish off and keep them in place with Maybelline Great Lash.

What are your go-to's on busy weeks?

xx
Tessa

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This Week's Favorites #1


This week I thought I would just share with you a couple (or five) items that I've really been loving the past week. Once I get into the habit of things I find myself doing the same makeup routine everyday, oops.

Anywho, two of my favorites are foundations. This week, like pretty much every other week, the YSL Touche Eclat has caught my eye. I won't even go on about this product because I'm sure you guys have heard enough about it by now. There is a twist to this, though. I recently purchased MAC Face and Body and I decided to be a tad experimental and mix the two. I was kind of surprised at how well they meshed. It has a pretty long wear when mixed and seriously just looks and feels like a second skin. The YSL makes the face a bit dewy while the Face and Body just completely evens the skin tone.

The mascara favorite this week is the Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume. I had been lusting over this product and was gifted it by Rachel for Christmas. I honestly love it just as much as I thought I would. It definitely defines the lashes perfectly and makes eye makeup look complete without being extremely dramatic. I've been doing a simple eye routine this week and this mascara made the whole look appear to be more polished.

Continuing on with eyes, my Paint Pot in Stormy Pink has been getting a lot of love recently. I decided for some reason to step out of the realm of bronze and neutral eyeshadow and this was the one that I ran with. I love this color because it does feel a bit more springy and lord knows I'm dying for the weather to get above 0.

The last item in this weeks feature is the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. The tip on this is absolutely phenomenal. It is extremely thin and allows for complete precision. This week I have been just applying it has a very thin line with a flick. This eyeliner makes it practically foolproof.

What have been your go-to products this week?
xx Tori
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Get Ready With Me | Gameday

I tried to get this up ASAP considering the Cats won and I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate by showing you how I did my make up for the game. Yes, I am indeed crazy enough to drive two hours on a Monday night to watch basketball. Also, not sure what happened at the beginning of the video, or why it's choppy in some parts — Sorry!


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Tuesday Talk | The Red Lip Edit

     Seeing as this Friday is Valentine's Day, we thought we'd share our favorite red lipsticks to don. Whether you have a real date, or you just decided to be fancy before you retire to a night of Netflix - we've got you covered.


rachel
NARS Dragon Girl
     Much thanks to Jenny for bringing this into my life. I'd been eyeing it up for ages and shiiiit was I missing out. It's a little off from a classic red which keeps things interesting. Personally, the pink undertone helps it sit nicely with my cool-toned complexion. Though as Lisa Eldridge wisely stated, it provides a nice contrast on warmer tones as well. The formula is spot-on, it's perfectly matte and is one of the least drying varieties I've tried. It feels very thin on the lips, unlike some that can feel quite heavy. Still, the longevity isn't lacking. Touch-ups will also be a breeze since this comes in pencil form. What more could you ask for?

tori
MAC Lady Danger
     I should probably go ahead and film a MAC lipstick favorites video because I own way more than I should. Anywho, I absolutely adore Lady Danger. It is just so bold and bright that it stands out from among other reds, by bold and bright, I mean it's practically neon. I went ahead and lined my lips with "Lasting Sensation" to intensify the color even more.  I can't really see this color going wrong for anyone. I have more of a yellow to neutral undertone while Rachel has pink undertones and it looks A+ either way. Of course with it being MAC, I love the texture of this lipstick. If i'm feeling a lil fancy, I'll go ahead and wear this as a stain when I'm at work. Let that also translate as, "wow I don't want to be here let me put on foundation, mascara, lipstick and be done."

tessa
Maybelline Are You Red-dy
    This little gem is one I've been known to borrow from my mother from time-to-time. It's a pretty true, bright red with some pink-ish undertone to it. You could wear this full on for a bright, intense effect but you can easily sheer it out and make it more day-wearable. Personally, I'm all about bold lip colors so I'll keep everything else neutral, but you could also rock it with a smokey eye, a la Lisa Eldridge's newest tutorial. So no matter your plans (unless you're planning on a full on Netflix binge like me), this is easily a go-to red.
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Saturday Makeup | Splurge vs. Save

     If you recall, I’ve written a post akin to this before. I quite liked the idea of options so I’m resurrecting it for a second go. This time around I’m talking casual Saturday makeup. I’m usually out and about so I aim to be put together but effortless. Some weekends I go for more or less makeup, but I usually gravitate toward the middle.

DEFINING MASCARA | MAC Gigablack Lash vs. Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara
      For a casual Saturday I usually opt to make eyes the focal point, so I let mascara do a lot of the heavy lifting. I don’t want to layer on the volume but I do want a nice lashy look. MAC’s offering has a slender wand that can maneuver well to perfectly fan out the lashes. It never clumps and will hold a curl all day – fo real. I’ve fully reviewed the Flower mascara so I won’t warble on too long. The brown shade is deep enough to define yet is less harsh. A solid option to achieve that doll-like eye.

SUBTLE EYESHADOW | MAC Woodwinked vs. Maybelline Tastefully Taupe
     I’m no stranger to brown eyeshadow so this was a no brainer. A slightly shimmery, neutral tone adds depth without being heavy. Swept over the entire lid and along the lower lash line, I achieve a subdued smoky eye suitable for day wear. These particular shadows are fairly comparable quality wise, though I will say I slightly prefer the warmer tone of Woodwinked.

MINIMAL BASE | Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Cameo vs. DIY Tinted Moisturizer
     A slapdash approach to base is usually the route I go on weekends. I solely want to even my skin tone and remain incredibly natural. Honestly, I’m not head over heels for Laura Mercier’s option but it’s still very nice. It leaves a subtle glow to the skin with the added benefit of SPF 20. Though I actually prefer my DIY option. As of late, I’ve mixed a drop of Revlon Colorstay with a pump of my CeraVe moisturizer and used fingers to apply. Me gusta.

SOFT BLUSH | Tarte Thoughtful vs. e.l.f Tickled Pink
     Feminine, pretty blush is my go-to for these days. It lifts the face and balances the brown-toned eyes. Tarte’s shade is lovely but if you prefer something a bit more subdued opt for the e.l.f. Both will look flattering and round off this simple look well.

     What are your weekend staples? Until next week, I’m off!

xx
Rachel


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On Repeat #38

JEN
Teleport 2 Me, Jamie - WZRD feat. Desire
     This song is my jaaaaam. Fun fact: WZRD is actually Kid Cudi. This song was released in 2012 and the fact that I have spent two years without it in my life makes me depressed. The background music by Desire is one of my other favorite songs ever, Under Your Spell, from the Drive soundtrack. This song has an ethereal feeling to it from Desire while maintaining the catchy beat Kid Cudi is known for. Also I just find it super relevant, being in a long-distance relationship and all. You'll find yourself singing (rapping) along to this while walking to class, I can guarantee it.



TESSA
Beachin' - Jake Owen
This week's choice is brought to you 100% by Rachel's love for this song. And also satellite radio, but mostly Rachel. Are you even expecting anything else from me at this point? I promise I'll get back on my music game (outside of country) sometime. As much as I wish I could credit Rachel for this, it's actually just because it's about -5000 degrees with a foot of snow on the ground here in lovely Kansas. And as much as I love winter, I would much rather be on a beach. So I've been listening to this and avoiding the fact that it's actually negatives outside, along with the fact that there's not a margarita in my hand — though there have been several mimosas. Not to mention this song is super catchy and you can't help but sing along when it comes on. Unless you don't like country, in which case I feel sorry for you. This will probably be another summer anthem for me so on that note — summer, please hurry.
TORI
All Night- Grand Ole Party
Hopefully this will cancel out the horror of country as listed above (sorry, Tessa). Anyway, my song choice was initially "Fire In My Head" but I couldn't find a link (life is rough). Anyway, I love this girl forever, Kristin (Dee Dee) because her voice is actually ridiculous and she has the style to match. Dee Dee played drums and sang in Grand Old Party and is now currently the vocalist and guitarist in Dum Dum Girls, which I adore as well. I have had Under Our Skin on repeat all week and I don't see that stopping any time soon.




RACHEL
You Only Live Once - The Strokes
     Seeing as I've been cooped up in my room nearly all week thanks to this shit show of a snowstorm we had, I really didn't branch out musically. My life was mostly consumed by YouTube. Lo siento. However, I did listen to some old school Strokes pretty heavily the past couple of weeks. I know I've mentioned Julian's solo album but I love the group just as much. "You Only Live Once" is definitely in my top five of their discography, along with "The End Has No End", "Electricityscape", and "Someday". Unfortunately, I haven't properly listened to their newest album Comedown Machine but I do like "Tap Out" thus far. They never fail to be kickass, so if you haven't checked them out pleaaaaase do.
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One Swipe Shadows

MAC Constructivist, Urban Decay Naked 2, Urban Decay Liar, bh cosmetics Sun, Maybelline Barely Branded
We all have those mornings where we don't feel like doing our make up but still need to manage to look presentable. Enter: minimal make up and one sweep shadows. Now, I myself am more than likely to sweep on at least two shadows, but we know all too well I'm notorious for running late and slapping on a couple products to make the bare minimum of presentable. Obviously the options are endless, but here are a few of my favorites.


Urban Decay Naked 2 (from Naked Basics)
From my very well loved Naked Basics palette, this shade was the first I hit pan on. And I'm pretty sure I cried when I discovered you couldn't buy it separate from the palette. This is the perfect matte brown shade and would work on multiple skin tones, and gives the perfect wash of color. I like using it with a fluffy blending brush as it distributes the product perfectly between the lid and the crease, giving you the appearance of trying harder than you actually did. A+

Urban Decay Liar (from Naked 3)
Another newer addition to my collection, thanks to Jen. I typically like to use this palette when I'm going out but there are days when I reach for it to create a day look. This offering isn't as dark and harsh on the lid as Mugshot or Factory, but still has a brown undertone that allows you to pull it off on it's own.

bh Cosmetics Sun (from Galaxy Chic Palette)
I got this sample a while back and am tempted to buy the whole palette based on this color. It's a marbled reddish color with gold and looks absolutely gorgeous on the lid. I love pairing this with winged liner for a bit more of a dramatic flare.

MAC Paintpot in Constructivist
This is the newest addition to my collection, but quickly became a favorite. If you don't want to spend the $20 at MAC, Maybelline's Bad to the Bronze has a pretty similar effect, but not as dark. I'm never big on shimmery shadows, but this color gets it right, and it adds a little bit of dimension that otherwise would be nonexistent.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded
Of course this had to make the list, a go-to of mine for the whole summer, Barely Branded is the perfect champagne shade. It's not too golden, silver, brown, or anything. It's pretty much straight up champagne. I like to use this on it's own or layer it under another shadow.

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