Makeup Challenge: Winged Liner

I hate when there are makeup tricks that best me. I typically try my hand at things and get them right pretty quickly. Learning to put a darker shade in the crease, using different brushes, contouring, all of that came pretty easily. False eyelashes were a bit harder but it turned out once I got some decent lash glue, they weren't so hard after all.

But winged liner...man, I don't know how anyone gets that right. I've been able to successfully wing one eye. But the other eye tends to not even look like a wing, let alone a matching one. I've been testing out all of my makeup lately, and tossing/rehoming things that I don't love. Almost all of my makeup lives in my bathroom now, and it is all of my very best products. I have been enjoying rediscovering favorites now that I am not focused on using up stuff I don't love. During this process, I found two liquid eyeliners, both which get great reviews online (Urban Decay 24/7 and Stila brands), sitting unused. I tend not to liquid line, I think my pencil liners do a good job and look a bit softer. But I certainly know winged liner is made for liquid liners. I plan to eventually experiment with gels too, but right now I want to focus on using the liquid liners, and mastering this elusive makeup skill that I'd love the option of doing.

So challenge accepted, winged liner. Every day I have makeup already on, at the end of the day before I take it off, I am going to try to do winged liner over whatever I have on already. I won't be messing up any makeup I've already done, no need to take it off and redo anything, but I will be getting practice 3-5 days a week and getting better. As of now, I seem to be capable of doing a not-totally-terrible wing on one eye. Now, I just need to make that one eye a little better and sharper, and be able to do a wing on the other eye with my non dominant hand. And one magical day, maybe they will even match and I can rock the look outside my bathroom at the end of the day.

Ipsy: August 2014

I am a beauty junkie. Part of what I love is trying new things - when I can get a product in miniature, I do, because I rarely finish products due to having so many I like to use and switch between. Most people would say the subscription boxes are not worth the money because you get one or two things you like, and several you do not. This is probably true for many people, but I always really enjoy three out of the five items sent at least, and happily pass along anything I do not to friends who might enjoy it more.

Ipsy is one of my favorite services - it satisfies the urge to try new things, and only costs ten bucks. What I receive usually well exceeds that, even if  I remove the things I didn't like. This month wasn't a bust, but it wasn't my favorite month.

The bag is a summery, wipeable plastic in a tube shape. I like this shape - any bag where the zipper is at the very top, more product fits in than ones where the zipper isn't on an edge. It being cheap, wipeable plastic means it might look super cheap, but it is sanitary and good for protecting your bags and products if you travel.

Here are the products - this is not so much a review, as I have only tried them once or twice, but more how excited I am to receive them, and their value.
                                                

Klorane Extra Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk: I hate dry shampoo. I never use it. I wish the trend would calm down so I could stop getting them in my subscription bags. I miss the hair oil craze. I will be rehoming this. Value: around $6.50

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Primer: I use primers, but not nearly at the rate I receive them in these bags. I am kind of over them in general, but I will eventually use this. Value: $11.25

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara: This is the real winner of the bag. It is newly released, from a well known and high quality brand, and a product I am sure to always need. I actually always buy mascara trial sets from Sephora and only ever have one mascara open at a time - in three months (the appropriate life span of a mascara) I never use full sizes up so I LOVE minis. Value: $5.50

Jersey Shore Sun Mongongo Anti Aging Lip Conditioner in Mandarin Green Orange Ginger: Hello to the bizarre flavor name (what exactly is a green orange?), and the less than appealing brand name that elicits bad reality tv associations. But, this product is organic and natural, which I love in lip products, and it smells amazing. It is very buttery on the lips and even though I need more lip balm like a hole in the head, I am super happy to have this one. Value: $5.50

J. Cat Beauty Flying Solo Eyeshadow in Half Naked: This is a very light peach shade that seems to have good pigment, is soft, and shimmery without being metallic. I haven't worn it yet but I like that it is a color, but also neutral, making it possible for wearing to school. The inexpensive full sized price surprised me, I would have pegged it for closer to six or seven dollars, possibly even more. Value: $2.99

Total Value: $31.74
Paid: $10.00

Verdict: Not my favorite bag, but I don't feel like I wasted my ten bucks either. Given that I use any "extras" as thank you gifts or ways to bulk up Christmas or Birthday presents, I rarely find myself wishing I hadn't paid that much. I used to have Birchbox, and generally found it to be lacking in value and often disappointing - I never feel that way with Ipsy. Can't wait for the next one!

First Impression Face

It is no secret that I love me some beauty products. I am not the type to wear makeup every day, as I am a firm believer in using makeup to enhance, and boost confidence, but not to feel uncomfortable without it at any point. I wear makeup most days I see people right now, because I have had a fairly solitary summer, but something tells me that a few weeks into student teaching I will be bare faced more often than not.

I met my teacher this past week for my first placement and I have to say, a LOT of my anxiety has fallen away. She seems really knowledgeable and relaxed, and is a lot of fun. I spent two afternoons helping her set up the room and chatting, getting to know each other, and getting to know the school/classroom. This coming week I plan to go again at least once, as well as attend the fourth grade open house for parents. I feel like when I walk into my seminar next week I will feel very ahead of the curve. I am planning the first social studies project on continents and countries and states and such, reviewing the differences, and am putting up the welcome bulletin board (though due to incredible lack of artistry, it will likely be the most unoriginal board ever). My second placement teacher has yet to get back to me but I heard that a classmate had her last fall for pre student teaching and loved her, so overall I am feeling very lucky indeed.

Before meeting my teacher, I wanted to feel my very best. I love wearing brighter, smokier, and generally very visible makeup. But in a professional situation, I am also good at the natural face. Here are the products I used, and love. Apologies for picture quality - I am using an iphone, and took these in a bit of a rush. There are no pictures at the end of my whole face, as I am trying to keep my face off the radar for now through student teaching and job hunting, this is more a big set of product recommendations.

The Porefessional: One of the best face primers, one I turn to regularly.

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream: Has spf 35, solid coverage, but not as heavy as plain foundation. I strongly prefer BB creams, and usually prefer Asian ones, but this came in a set and matches my more tan skin tone of summer and I actually like it a lot.

Bobbi Brown Corrector: I have hereditary dark circles you wouldn't believe, and this cancels out the blue.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer: I like to mix drugstore and high end products - this one gets a lot of hype on youtube, and for pretty good reason. It is thinner in texture, covers well, and layers over the corrector well.

Nars Cream Blush in Penny Lane: This is the most subtle rose pink I own, and it is cream to powder. I put it underneath powder usually, as it starts out as cream, but also so the powder can blend it out. This is my go-to subtle blush that looks perfect and natural on me every time.It is well loved, as you can see.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Dim Light and Luminous Light: I LOVE the Hourglass powders. But at over fifty bucks a pop, they are a huge splurge. But, they are gorgeous. I have foresaken all other setting powders, instead using Dim Light. The day I met my teacher, it was pouring rain and cloudy. Normally I would never use shimmery face products when I want to look subtle but the sparkle in Luminous Light is so fine, that I added a little to my cheekbones and forehead to prevent sallowness. Resisting buying the bronzer-like shade of this is tough for me, particularly during Sephora F&F sales.

Rimmel Natural Bronzer: I use the lightest shade, as I am NOT a big bronzer user. Only this year have I really started appreciating it, particularly matte bronzer. I contour using a more cool toned brown shade, but did not want a contour so much as a glow on the rainy day. I took just the slightest touch of this to give just a little warmth, as I am still a bit of a bronzer-phobe. 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Beige-ing Beauty: I love this product - I have yet to find a high end brand that does a better job. I only wish they didn't release so many limited edition collections I can't get my hands on. This has a lot of sparkle, but is in a nude shade, so it doesn't look too over the top. I think light shimmer on the eyes in very neutral shades looks put together and beautiful, visible yet not over the top. 

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow in Rose Gold: To tone down the sparkle, I layered this soft pink that is "shimmery", but I would not exactly call it shimmer. The shimmer is more like a sheen, not so much sparkle. Mixed with the beige, it doesn't look too brown or pink. Pink shades tend to give a lot of life to my face, and this past year and a half I have become a big fan.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, shade Nooner: I love this palette. Trick is my favorite shadow in it, but it was just too bright for a professional look in my opinion. I have only in the past six months started using matte shadows in the crease on days I am doing a more toned down look (otherwise, I don't care if my eyes look like two disco balls, I love shimmer and sparkle!), and Nooner is browner than the other matte in this palette, Limit, though it is darker. Limit tends to make me look a bit red in the eyes when I am doing natural eyes, so a light dusting of Nooner is perfect.

Lancome Eyeshadow in Laced Up: This was a gift from a friend, and it is a flesh toned peach on me that makes a great under the brow color when I don't want to highlight exactly, but to even out the skin tone a little and bring a little brightness.

Anastasia Brow Wiz Pencil: I prefer pencil to powder when I am going for a lighter, but still filled in brow look. Brow powder, for me, always results in a bit stronger color payoff that looks good, but I didn't want to overdo. 

Kevin Aucoin Curling Mascara: I got this in a Glossybox, and I enjoy it. It is black, but is definitely not a dark black - it actually looks more gray straight out of the tube. 

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Underground: This shade is a medium brown shade that isn't dark and is slightly on the cool side, so it defines, but is impossible to be harsh. It is my go-to "subtle" liner.

Maybelline Color Elixir in Caramel Infused: Lip products are some of the best to get from the drugstore. This is super balmy and comfortable to wear, and looks tan in the tube, but shows up on me as a brown mixed with pink, so it is very neutral. It is shiny but not shimmery, and the shine dies down after about a half hour to become a more natural sheen.