Makeup Myth Tested: Does RED LIPSTICK hide Dark Circles?

I recently saw this thing on social media claiming that red lipstick was the magic secret to concealing dark circles. I thought, "no way!".. red lipstick is so bright !! How could that even be possible? I mean how in the heck does that work? How do you go about blending that??!! I was full of questions and full of curiosity, and I had to try it for myself.

I intentionally did not watch or view the initial post as I did not want to be influenced. I wanted to do things my own way & find out if this thing really works not just for me, but for you, and for the average Joe Shmo. I went into this experiment totally blind, having not even the slightest clue as to what I was supposed to do.

Creating Versatility with Bold Pieces

Normally when I look in my closet and "have nothing to wear" (please, we all have PLENTY in there), I will do some online shopping or run down to the mall to get my fix. But, since my boyfriend and I are trying to save money for a house, sacrifices must be made-- those sacrifices being my shopping habits. So, being on a budget really forces me to be creative with my wardrobe.

I love bold pieces because they challenge me artistically. Those pieces that make me say to myself, "I don't really have anything to go with that," are always the first ones in my shopping cart. Daring, I know. Which, that may sound strange to you guys because y'all know I am all about simplicity and versatility. Well, yes, that is still true, but there are 4 basic rules I adhere to when working with bold pieces to make them... simple & versatile.

Ariana Grande | Makeup Tutorial

Okay so I wanted to do a makeup look inspired by Ariana Grande, because lets admit it-- she's flippin adorable! Normally, it seems like she keeps it pretty simple, but there was something about that black lace dress, the red lips, and the bronze eyes that made me go, "Yep!! That's it!!! That's the look!" So need I say more? 

1. After priming, apply a transition shade to the crease--  Peach Smoothie// Makeup Geek
2. Darken the crease with a complimentary shade, and add a bronze shadow or pigment to the lid -- Creme Brûlée// Makeup Geek & Walnut Noix Loose Pearl Pigment// NYX
3. Further darken the crease to add more dimension-- Cinnabar// Mary Kay
** Note: All shades complement the bronze shade, having orange/brassy undertones
4. Add brown eyeliner and create a wing. I also applied more pigment (lightly) and dabbed upward into the crease and blended all together.
5. (Not Shown//See Below)) Smoke out lower lash line using a shimmer shade and take a dark brown into the outer corner of lower lash line-- Brown Sugar// Makeup Geek & Mocha// Makeup Geek. Then, add your highlight in inner corner and brow bone. Shade I used has a soft yellow hue, which complements the bronze shades better than a "white" -- Nylon// MAC

Lipstick & Lashes | Makeup Tutorial

Are you ready for the easiest makeup tutorial of your life? You're about to get it. I'm sure you are aware by now I aim for easy makeup looks. Part of that is contributed to my lack of time and effort (aka laziness), and the other part is due to the fact I just have no where to go to get so glammed up all the damn time. But, when I do, one of my favorite looks is bold lips, simple eyes and big lashes. It's timeless, it's balanced, it's easy, and it has the ability to match everything and everyone.
So here we go!

1. Start by priming the eyes AND adding a base matching the skin tone or brighter.

Ex: MAC Painterly or Soft Ochre Paint Pots, NYX Jumbo Pencil Milk or Milani Shadow Eyez Almond Creme

2. Take a matte mid tone brown and add to the crease
(I like to focus most of my color on the outer corner and work inward)

Ex: MAC Saddle, Texture or Cork, Too Faced Salted Caramel,
Makeup Geek Frappe, Latte or Creme Brulee, Urban Decay Buck or Nooner

3. Add a vanilla shade to the lid and brow bone.

Ex: Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean, MAC Vanilla, Too Faced White Chocolate

4. Pop on a black winged liner and boom you done!
5. Oh. And did I mention the bold lips and big lashes? Here are some of my favs:

January 2015 Favorites

  

Hello there!

Happy February and Happy Groundhog Day! Spring fever has officially kicked in and my boyfriend has been so excited for fishing. Me, I'm just thrilled The Walking Dead returns next week! It's the only thing that has kept me through the winter, which we had a pretty mild one until last week. Damn you January! Even feeling under the weather, I was still able to gather up some products that have got me through the month!

Maybelline "The Nudes" Swatches & Review

I know, I know. I'm a little late jumping on this band wagon, but that's because I was debating on purchasing it ever since it was released last summer. I was instantly drawn to this palette because of the beautiful neutral shades (duh. I love neutrals). However, I felt I already owned shadows comparable to almost all shades in the palette. 

I cannot tell you how many times I picked up this palette, walked around the store, and put it back on the shelf. Well, the other day I had some "extra bucks" from CVS and thought heck, I have no excuse not to buy it now, I got it for a whopping $5!!!  

Much to my surprise, when I got home I was shocked as to how many shades I did not have dupes for. Most of my neutral shades have warm/orange tones, while most of The Nudes palette has cool/grey tones.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette | Four Looks

I would have to say the Chocolate Bar palette by Too Faced has really become one of my favorite palettes of all time. I reach for this palette for so many different occasions. Featuring both mattes and shimmers, and both colors and neutrals, this palette can be dressed up or dressed down... Not to mention the smell is delectable!  With such a variety of shades I thought this was the perfect palette to do next for my "Four Looks" Series because of its versatility. This palette seriously has endless possibilities and I could probably go on for days, but I'll strain myself and keep it at four (2 glam and 2 simple).

Review | Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

If I could ever recommend only one skin care product to you, I swear it would be this one. Back when I was receiving my monthly BirchBoxes I was sent this amazing product. You have to understand I literally have an entire drawer full of samples so it took me a while to coming around to trying this. I honestly had no desire to try this product because I thought the whole "hot cloth" thing was kind of weird, and quite frankly I was very content with my daily cleanser. Well, I finally tried it and holy hell it is amazing!