Can It Survive 9 to 5? 6.25.13

Let's see how my makeup held up after work today! I applied my makeup at 6 AM, and I returned home after 5 PM. I did not reapply any makeup during the day.

Please see My Beauty Profile for extra info on my unique concerns.

Left: Freshly applied makeup / Right: After work around 5 PM

Makeup (in order of application)

• Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Foundation in Natural Ivory
• Covergirl CG Smoothers Concealer in Light 710
• CoverGirl Professional Loose Powder
• NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Natural
• Wet N Wild Fergie Take on the Day Eye Shadow Primer
• Tarte lock & roll 12-hour eye shadow duo (cream and shimmer used)
• Wet N Wild Color Icon Shadow Collection in Comfort Zone (brown shades)
• Rimmel Volume Flash Mascara The Max in Extreme Black
• Tarte LipSurgence lip luster in pouty
• Estee Lauder lipgloss 
• Mary Kay Makeup Finishing Spray by Skindinavia

Outside factors to consider

• Weather: Humid, some rain, mostly sunny and warm
• Environment: Mostly in my office
• Crying/Sweating: Maybe some sweating
• Eating/Drinking: Yes, for lunch and some water during the day

Let's give a standing ovation to the Wet N Wild eye primer!!! I reviewed this product yesterday, and a friend asked me today to post an "after work" picture of myself with the Wet N Wild eye shadows.

No creasing at all. My shadows look just as shimmery and fresh as when I applied them this morning. I love the extra "oomph" the Tarte lock & roll cream and shimmer shadows gave my eyes.

Yes, more lip product is needed. Nothing gold can stay, huh? The Tarte LipSurgence is moisturizing and well-pigmented, and my Estee Lauder gloss only enhanced the pink beauty.

As for my face, I find that my tone stayed fairly even throughout the day. I could have used some powder to freshen  up my look. That Mary Kay spray helps out tremendously in these hot summer months!

How was your makeup today? Did it last for a good while?

Pretty Panda's Ponderings

• I really hope Sephora (or some brand) will release a Megara-inspired makeup collection. She is my favorite Disney girl!
• Nothing like a stomach ache after dinner, am I right? :/

Wet N Wild's Fergie Take on the Day Eye Primer Review

Eye primer is something I wish I had known about in high school. (Maybe it wasn't even around when I was in high school?)

Marching band and band camp in the hot summer meant sweat, football games on humid Friday evenings, and messy hair under a marching hat (plume and all, y'all). I didn't over-do my makeup on festival days or for football games, but some mascara and eyeliner were typical. By the end of the night, I looked like I had been hanging out with Beetlejuice (if only!).

Playing that piccolo at a football game. Pep band only, so I didn't have my uniform on.

Many eye primers are expensive and available only at high-end retailers. Imagine my joy at discovering that Wet N Wild has an eye primer! I found it at Walgreen's for only $4.99, and a little of it goes a loooong way.

This liquid eyeliner blends in well with my skin tone. I am fair, so I am not sure how it looks on darker skin tones. I imagine it is sheer.

Be careful not to squeeze the tube too hard--a little pressure is all you need! Otherwise, you'll waste valuable primer!

This primer does not irritate my eyes at all, either!

The true test: how well does my eye shadow last?

Let's see!

 Morning (BH Cosmetics 88 Color Matte Palette)

 Late afternoon

Morning (BH Cosmetics 88 Color Matte Palette & Tarte purple liner) 

Late afternoon

Sorry for the tired-looking "late afternoon" pictures!

Overall, my shadow is almost as vibrant as in the morning, and I had no creasing. That is very important to me, especially since I sometimes go out after work and don't have time to re-apply makeup, especially eye shadow.

Should You Try It: Yes, yes! It really works!

What: Wet N Wild Fergie Take on the Day Eye Primer

MSRP: $4.99 at Walgreen's

Pros: Keeps eye shadow crease-free and pretty vibrant throughout the day

Cons: I honestly don't think it has any!

Have you used this primer yet? What is your favorite eye primer? Let me know!

Pretty Panda's Ponderings

• Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime" is my summer jam.

• I am addicted to Animal Crossing: New Leaf. I don't want to admit how long I played it this past weekend.

Makeup Tag: Would you rather?

Happy Thursday, you guys! I saw this on Beauty Broadcast's blog, and I decided to do it myself! Feel free to fill it out.

1. Would you rather lose all of your mascaras, eyeliners, lipsticks, and lip glosses or lose all of your palettes and eye shadows?

Jeez, this is difficult. Can I buy more after losing them? I'd keep my palettes and eye shadows since those tend to cost me more.

2. Would you rather chop off all your hair or never be able to cut it again?

Chop it off! It becomes ridiculously tangled and dry if I don't have it cut at least two to three times a year.

3. Would you rather have a coral cheek or a pink cheek?

Coral. It's a beautiful combination of pink, orange, and peach. <3 

4. If you had $1,000 to spend, would you rather buy clothes or makeup?

My practical mind says "clothes," but my lustful mind says "makeup." Hmmm... I would have to see what I needed more! 

5. Would you rather apply lipstick as eyeliner or eyeliner as lipstick?

Eyeliner as lipstick. Black lips for Halloween! 

6. Would you rather only shop at MAC or Sephora?

Sephora. There is more of a variety, and I love trying different brands.

7. Would you rather only use one eye shadow color or one lip color for the rest of your life?

Lip color. I tend to use similar shades anyway. My eyes are my playground!

8. Would you rather wear winter clothes in the summer or summer clothes in the winter?

I live in southern Louisiana, so I already have the chance to wear summer clothes in winter! Winter clothes in our summer--oh, dear Lord. :X I think you could actually send yourself to the emergency room from a heat stroke.

9. Would you rather have dark nails or bright nails all year round?

Hm, I guess bright nails. About seven years ago (high school days), I loved anything dark and Gothic.  Now I am a little peppier but still adore morbid fashion. >:)

10. Would you rather give up your favorite lip product or your favorite eye product?

OK, oddly enough, I would give up my favorite eye product (my Fergie Wet N Wild eye primer). My lips are dry and chap easily, and I need my balms. I'd find a new eye primer somewhere!

11. Would you rather only be able to wear your hair in a ponytail or a messy bun?

Ponytail. I am wearing one right now. (Fun fact: As a kid, I loved Dixie Kong from Donkey Kong Country, so I wore a ponytail every day. EVERY DAY.) 

12. Would you rather never be able to paint your nails again or never use lip gloss?

Confession: I am nail biter. I paint my toes, though. I could go without painting my nails.

13. Would you rather shave your eyebrows and have none at all or Sharpie them in everyday?

I would Sharpie them in; shaving them off would frighten kids and adults alike.

14. Would you rather live without makeup or nail polish?

Nail polish--I bite my nails. :/

Pretty Panda Ponderings:

• Listening to "Penny Lane" by The Beatles while I answer these!
• I ate rabbit for lunch at The Lion's Share. It really does "taste like chicken."

Ipsy Bag: What is it?

Before I went to Japan, I was subscribed to Birchbox. It's $10 a month for samples of high-end beauty products, like conditioner, eye shadow, primer, perfume, and plenty of other goodies. I loved it and was actually a little teary-eyed when I had to cancel it. My friend Erin saved me four boxes while I was gone, and for that kindness and generosity, I am forever grateful. :)

I'm back in Louisiana now, and I was aching for a monthly subscription box. I admit that Birchbox had been disappointing me: I received tiny perfume samples (the teeny ones perfume sales reps give you at department stores) and random samples that didn't appeal to me. I had enough skin creams to hydrate four families.

Then I saw a picture on Love Shelbey's Instagram account that intrigued me: Ipsy Bag.

What in the world is an "ipsy"?

I ventured to the site and looked around. Hm, take a free 3-minute beauty profiling quiz. OK... I like this, this, this, that, that, this... Not too different from Birchbox in this regard.

Wait. Wait. Wait. I can see what each month's bag contains before it arrives?

That's pretty sweet.

$10 a month? I can handle that. God knows I spend more than that on beauty products a month...

So far, I have received the May and June Ipsy bags. Michelle Phan, YouTube beauty guru extraordinaire, and several other beauty gurus (Promise Phan, yay!) created this program, and their special touches are evident.

 

May Ipsy bag contains Zoya nail polish (GieGie), Mirabella lipstick (Posy), Pacifica perfume roll-on (Island Vanilla), Anastasia  Mini Clear Brow Gel, and Yaby Concealer Refill (Buff)

 Wearing the Mirabella lipstick in Posy

 June Ipsy bag contains Starlooks lip pencil (Tickle Me Pink), NYX cream blush (Natural), Cailyn Cosmetics Line-Fix Gel Liner (purple), Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil, and J. Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette (neutral colors)

 NYX Cream Blush in Natural

 Hm... I am supposed to use this on my body and not around my eyes. 

Starlooks lip pencil in Tickle Me Pink. Goes on smooth and creamy.

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil. Glides on smooth and looks pretty. :3

 Cailyn Cosmetics Line-Fix Gel Liner in purple. On the left, I had just applied it. On the right, I had tried to remove it with just water and a washcloth. Pretty resistant!

I love the cute little bags that the products come in, too! It's like Christmas once a month.

For $10, I think this subscription is worth a try. You can cancel at any time, and you can rate the products after you try 'em out.

Do you use Ipsy? What about other subscription boxes? Let me know!

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Review

Let's just call these newfangled BB creams what they really are: tinted moisturizers.

But pretty rad tinted moisturizers.

I have tried only the Garnier BB Cream (its full name is Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream), and I will buy it again.

Here's what the product claims to do:

"Skin concerns, such as discoloration, dullness, blotchiness and dryness can come from a number of different sources. It's hard to find just one product that addresses them all. Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream immediately and effectively fullfills your skincare expectations with just one multi-benefit product that combines intense moisturizing skincare + immediate skin perfecting coverage for skin that looks naturally more even, radiant and smooth."

"It’s a new idea in skincare. B.B. Cream is a hybrid formula that offers advanced skincare + immediate skin perfecting coverage in one single beauty product."

This is how you're supposed to use it: 

"Gently apply Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream to face and neck prior to sun exposure for instant coverage and correction as well as for protection. Reapply as needed."

 Left: nothing on my face. Right: After applying the Garnier BB Cream

 Left: nothing on my face. Right: After applying the Garnier BB Cream

I use the Light/Medium shade for Combination to Oily Skin.

If you decide to try this, I cannot stress enough how easily the product dispenses from the tube! Do not squeeze too hard, or you will waste it.

I love this BB Cream, but I don't find that it performs all the miracles it claims to do. I think of it as a perfect solution for those days I don't want to wear too much makeup but still want to even my skin tone. It covers well and dries to a powdery finish. It doesn't become too shiny as time passes, but I do powder my face or use a setting spray anyway.

The SPF 20 is also a great addition to this product, especially since it is perfect for the summertime. 

You can use it in lieu of your foundation like I do, or you can apply a light amount before your foundation. It's pretty thin, but I imagine you could use it as a concealer, too.

I have used the classic version of the Garner BB Cream, and I found it made my skin shiny and oily. The product was thicker, too, and it had a strong fragrance that those with allergies would not like. The new formula is fragrance-free.

Should You Try It: Yes. It is an affordable and effective tinted moisturizer--okay, BB cream. :P

What: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream

MSRP: Varies but is between $10 and $13

Pros: Dries to a powdery finish, covers well, decent SPF, great for sunny days

Cons: Does not seem to live up to its "miracle" claim

Have you used Garnier's BB Cream before? Have you tried other BB creams? Let me know!

Pretty Panda's Ponderings

• I love Chinese food, especially lo mein.
• I know fast food is terrible for you, but if I had to pick the best shake place, Sonic would make the competition crawl.

6.17.13: HauteLook Sale on NYX Cosmetics

HauteLook sale alert: NYX Cosmetics are on sale until Wednesday, June 19, at 8 AM PST.

I own the HD face primer, Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk, and the white eye primer, which helps to intensify my eye shadow and prevent creasing. That Winter in Moscow palette is so tempting, but I really do NOT need anymore eye shadow for a while (want, yes--need, NO!).

Just wanted to share this with you guys!

XO,
Celeste

My Current Makeup Storage

Hi, everyone! I spent the early afternoon swimming and playing with Katsuke. It looks as though it may rain, so I'm glad I jumped in when I did.

Today I am going to share my current makeup storage. I bought this Caboodle's "It" bag set at Walmart after watching Beauty Broadcast's video review on Caboodle's storage options. 

I had to add some extra makeup bags to this set, and you'll see why!

Let's rewind to my former makeup storage system: this hanging travel bag that I LOVED. A family friend had given my sisters and me each one with our initials for Christmas a few years ago.

This bag was invaluable while I lived in Japan, but its zippers couldn't handle my massive amount of cosmetics. :( I had to bid it adieu. *sniff*

For extra storage, I have this desk organizer from Walmart. I saw my cousins' organization when we went to visit them in Florida, and I really liked this idea.

I still use it to store my hand creams, lip salves and nighttime balms, and little tchotkes.

Let's dissect that Caboodle's set!

Empty biggest bag. I store all of the smaller bags inside.

Second-biggest train case bag. It folds well and is roomy enough for all of these palettes! My huge Mary Kay compact fits in it just fine.

Travel-perfect case. I use it to store my round cosmetics and little items. My brushes are too long for the brush storage. :/

Clear plastic makeup bag. I store my lipsticks and an eos lip balm in here.

A pencil case that is perfect for my liners and mascaras. I also store my tweezers  and pencil sharpener in here.

This slim case came with some brushes, but I removed them and stored my eyelid primers.

I had too much makeup to store everything in just the Caboodle's set, so I brought in reinforcements. Nothing gets left behind!

Here's a Clinique makeup bag that holds my face makeup.

This little apple bag came with the apple-pattern makeup bag, and I store my concealers in here.

My May Ipsy bag stores my lip glosses.

My Mary Kay brush set came with five professional brushes (out because they're drying after their weekly deep cleaning). I store my brushes in here (duh!).

My EcoTools brushes fit nicely inside my Mary Kay brush holder, too.

Our Mary Kay consultant is a family friend, and she had prepared our gifts one Christmas inside these precious travel bins that tie up on all four corners. Untie them to make a flat piece that you can bring with you on trips. I place my makeup in here and swap it out depending on what I want to wear. I apply my makeup in the bathroom, so this system is so convenient. Grab and go!

I really like my current makeup storage system, but I can see myself needing some drawers as time passes. One of the two zippers on the huge plastic Caboodle's bag did break because of the amount of products I had forced inside it, but that was my fault. The one good zipper is going strong!

How do you store your makeup? Let me know in the comments!

Pretty Panda's Ponderings

• Katsuke plays fetch with us just like a dog would.
• I cannot wait to go to Mechacon in August!
• I commissioned an independent seamstress to make a Kitana costume for me (it's completely modest--I know what you were thinking!).

6.14.13: HauteLook Sale on Ouidad Curl Products

Happy Friday, everyone! I can't wait to write more blog posts this weekend and spend some time playing my video games I've been putting aside. 

I wanted to alert my fellow curly-haired ladies and gents that HauteLook is having a special on Ouidad right now until Saturday, June 15, at 8 AM PST  (tomorrow!).

I have used the Climate Control shampoo, conditioner, and styling gel, and they all work well together at keeping my tresses frizz-free and conditioned. You don't need to apply plenty of product to achieve your desired results, either.

Check it out!

XO,
Celeste

Tutorial: Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Day Look

Have any of you tried the Too Faced Boudoir Eyes palette? The colors are beautiful and perfect for any eye color. I love the peach, pink, purple, taupe, and black shades so much; I can use this palette to create a day look that is suitable for work and a night look that is perfect for a date or going out.

Here's an everyday look that you can try with this palette or with similar colors!

Step 1: Gather your brushes.

I used my EcoTools brush set for this look. It's inexpensive and has high-quality brushes.

Step 2: Apply an eye shadow primer to your eyelids and under your brow bone.

I used WetnWild's Fergie Take on the Day primer--cheap but on par or better than higher-end primers!

Step 3: Apply the shade In the Buff (matte white, top row, left) all over your eyelids and under your brow bone.

I used the biggest, fluffiest brush for this.

Step 4: Apply the shade Sugar Walls (shimmery pink, middle row, second shade) to your eyelids.

I used my small flat brush to lightly dab the color on my eyelids.

Step 5: Wet your brush--be careful not to saturate it; gently press out excess water if you need to--and use it in Sugar Walls again. Apply the wet shade to your eyelids.

This method is called foiling and creates a more intense color.

Step 6: Apply the shade Voulez-Vous (matte plum, top row, right) to your outer "V" to add definition and slight smokiness.

I used my angled fluffy brush to help create a "v" and to gently dab on the shadow.

My eye shadow is uneven and a little messy. Gotta fix that!

Step 7: Use a fluffy brush to blend in the shades and sweep away any fall-out. You can also even out your shadow.

To blend shades, gently sweep them into each other where they meet so that they look flawless and natural. Basically, instead of colors just "splatted" on, they'll make a uniform, continuous look!

You can also use a cotton swab to gently brush away any excess shadow or product.

Blended and clean!

Step 8: Apply eyeliner. 

I used Avon's Glimmerstick's eyeliner in blackest black. If you want to smudge the liner, you can use a small brush or even your finger. I applied some liner on my waterline as well.

Step 9: Apply mascara.

I used Rimmel's Volume Flash The Max Mascara in Extreme (or Ultra) Black. I applied it to my top and bottom lashes.

You're all done! Now bat those lashes and enjoy your day!

Approximate time needed for this look: 5-10 minutes

Pretty Panda's Ponderings

• I haven't had much time to play Animal Crossing: New Leaf because of work and my article for July in What Now, but this weekend will change that!
• I love Arby's Reuben sandwich! <3