Tarte for True Blood Look

As a Christmas gift to myself, I gave in and bought the Tarte for True Blood palette. Whether it's the colors, the show, the brand or all three, I had to get this palette. For the price, I was very impressed with all that was included. The palette includes:

- 17 eyeshadows
- A sample of Lifted natural eye primer
- A sample of Lights, camera, lashes! mascara
- Small emphasEYES aqua-gel eyeliner

Here are some shots of the palette!

Anyway, I finally had time to play with the palette. Here is the look I came up with.

Here are the steps to creating this look:

1. Prime eyes. I used the primer included in the palette

2. Swipe "Dusk" across the crease

3. Place "Moss" in the outer V and blend into the crease

4. Pack "Waitress" onto the lid

5. Use "Fairy" to highlight below the brow and to erase any mistakes

6. Mix "V" and "Nocturnal" and put on the lower lash line

7. Line upper and lower water line with the Tarte liner

8. Put "The true death" on the inner tear duct and blend up into the crease

9. Curl eyelashes and coat with Tarte mascara


So there you go! Thanks for reading and feel free to post any looks you've come up with using this palette!




This is not sponsored

Acrylic Nails: Are they for you?

I spent two years trying to grow out my nails.

I tried every strengthening polish I could get my hands on...

Ate tons of jello...

And I even took prenatal vitamins in effort to make those suckers grow. Still, they would just rip, tear and chip.

It was the month before my wedding and I had HAD IT! I wanted my nails to look long and beautiful for the most important day in my life, so I had acrylics put on.

As you can see, I was MUCH happier...

So, here I sit with my list of Pros and Cons for having acrylic nails.


Pro: The polish stays on until you take it off. No need to worry about it chipping!

Con: The upkeep. One must go in for fills every three to four weeks to keep them looking fresh.

Pro: This is the perfect solution for those with brittle nails that just WILL NOT GROW!

Con: Everyone is so busy these days. With such hectic lives, sitting in a chair for over an hour can be a pain in the bum!

Pro: It makes those with short, stubby fingers (like mine) look long and lean. Okay...now this may not seem like a big deal to some, but it is for me! When wearing my wedding ring, I looked like a little girl trying on mommy's jewelery! However, with acrylics, my hands look a little more sophisticated and the nails make it a little easier to ignore the little dimples in my knuckles.

Imagine how they would look WITHOUT the nails!

Con: Price. Spending at least $20.00 every three to four weeks may not be within the budget of some.


So that's my list. What are you pros and cons? Do you think it's worth paying the extra every month? Do nails really matter to you? Am I completely insane for wanting mature-looking hands? Leave a comment with your input!

My Face Routine

My favorite thing about beauty blogs is checking out other people's face routines. Which products work for them? Do they prefer liquid or powder foundation? Do they use a primer?

Here, I've included a list of products and the order in which I use them.

Enjoy!



Moisturizer: Philosophy Hope in a Jar. ($60.00/4 oz.)

This lotion is, by far, the BEST moisturizer I've ever used. It has completely evened out my skin tone. Oil or dry, this stuff does the trick!



Primer: MAC Prep + Prime Skin ($26.50/1 fl oz.)

This was the first face primer I ever used and I am still loving it. My make up goes on better and stays put all day. I can definitely tell a difference when I have forgotten to use it.



Concealer: TheBalm TimeBalm in Light ($18.00/0.25 oz.) or Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer in Medium Beige ($42.00/0.5 oz)

This is perfect for covering minor blemishes and under eye circles. It has medium coverage and is my go-to when I don't have time to put on foundation.

This concealer has medium-full coverage and goes on smoothly. A little goes a looooong way with this product. It is perfect for covering sore blemishes and redness.



Foundation: Bare Escentuals bareMinerals in Medium Beige ($25.00)

I've been using this for over three years and it is still my go-to powder. I've tried using other brands, but always revert to this. It gives my skin a soft, natural look without looking too cakey.



Bronzer/Contouring: NARS bronzer in Laguna ($33.00) or Physicians Formula Multi-Colored Pressed Powder in Light Bronzer ($13.49)

The only complaint I have with this is the price. It's a good product, but a cheaper alternative would do the trick just fine.

Once my NARS bronzer runs out, I'll be using this full time. It more pigmented than the NARS bronzer and is cheaper!



Blush: NARS Blush in Deep Throat ($27.00)

Love Love LOVE this blush. The peachy-pink color gives me skin a beautiful glow. I 100% recommend this product!



Highlighter: Benefit Cosmetics blush in Sugarbomb ($28.00) or Physicians Formula Virtual Powder Highlighter ($10.99)

I can't get over the smell of this product. It smells sugary sweet with a hint of fruit. So yummy. It give my skin a peachy glow without making my skin look oily.

This is the perfect highlight. It's a sheer pink highlighter that gives you just the right amount of shine.



Setting Make Up: MAKE UP FOR EVER Mist & Fix Spray ($27.00)

I swear by this product. I used this on my wedding day and my make up stayed on through the tears and sweat! It sets your make up with a soft, smooth finish.


What products do you swear by? Do we use the same ones? Let me know in the comments!

Too Faced Eye Love Palette Review

I was at Sephora last month and was looking for a fun new product to try. After moseying around for a few minutes, I saw this palette at the register. It was a beauty insider 500-point gift. I fell in love with it and cashed in my points for the palette.

Description:

The "Eye Love Too Faced" kit contains an exclusive sampling of the most popular eye shadows from our world-famous, globally adored and BEST-SELLING "how-to" shadow kits! They're all here: Natural eye, Naked eye, Smokey eye, and Romantic eye! Follow along as the easy-to-understand directions turn you into a makeup pro instantly! It's never been easier or more fun to apply shadows! Uncover your innter makeup artist while you discover Too Faced's most wearable, blendable and luxurious shadows ever!

In the Natural Eye look, the two colors are Heaven and Push-up. Heaven is an off white with little pigmentation. This could only be used as a highlighter. In the pan, push-up is a dark sandy-bronze. However swatched, it appears more copper.



The Smokey Eye look consists of the colors Silver Spoon and Smolder. Silver spoon is a beautiful silver with light, sky blue accents. It is very pigmented. Smolder is a standard matte black. It's not the best black I've ever used, but certainly not the worst.





The Naked Eye contained the colors, Satin Sheets and Like a Virgin. Satin Sheets reminds me of Sin by Urban Decay. It's a pale baby pink/champagne with a shimmery finish. Like a Virgin is a matte brown-grey. The two colors did not transfer well to the camera, so I apologize.





Finally, in the Romantic Eye, the two colors are Honeymoon and Ever After. Honeymoon is an olive with a gold shimmer. Ever After is two-three shades darker than Push-up and is a bronze/marroon shimmer. It is very pigmented and is one of my favorites in the palette.



The palette includes a travel-size Too-Faced Shadow Insurance. Overall, I really enjoy the palette. It's perfect for natural looks and will work with all skin tones.


This is not sponsored