The $20 Makeup Challenge: collab with In the Pursuit of Novelty

I am so excited for my first collab with Christina from In the Pursuit of Novelty. We bonded over our love of makeup, and she has inspired me to try new looks ever since!

For this challenge, you must come up with a complete look for less than $20, brushes and all! I'm not going to lie...I really struggled with this!! My strategy was to pick one feature to focus on. I debated between a bold lip or a smokey eye, and as I've mentioned before, eyes are my favorite to play up! Naturally, I went with the smokey eye look. I couponed like crazy to get under the limit. I managed to get away with a total of $19.64.

I came away with four products: Covergirl + Olay Concealer Balm, Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in #17, L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess Mascara, and Maybelline Eye Studio Master Smokey Longwearing Shadow-Pencil in Smoking Charcoal.

I used the concealer to cover under eye circles and to cover up redness. This actually worked really well under the eyes, but it got a little too dewy on the rest of my face.

 

Next, I started on the eyes. I had wanted to try this Maybelline pencil for a long time. I'm not sure I love it, but it is a super easy way to get smokey eyes really fast! It was a little difficult to blend if you didn't do it quickly. I started with drawing a line across the top lid and smudging it out to the crease with my fingers. Then I drew a V on the outer corner to add a little more depth and shading. After blending this out, I drew another thick line across the top lash line and blended this upward with the smudger on the other end of the pencil. To finish up, I drew a thin line across the bottom lashes and blended this out with the smudger. The mascara was by far my favorite products of the bunch. The formula was awesome, and the brush made it easy to get clump free lashes. Fast, easy, simple.

 



I used the same product for lips and cheeks. This is an awesome tip! When my blush has faded by afternoon, I've used lipstick to dot on my cheeks and blend in for a little more color.

And that's it! Just four products to get a whole look! Hope you enjoyed it, and don't for get to check out Christina's look on her blog!

 

October Favorites

These are a few things I have reached for time and time again throughout this month. I'd love to know what you think of these products and if you love them as much as I do!

1. They're Real! mascara by Benefit Cosmetics $23

 

I almost never buy high-end mascaras. I've tried several...Dior Diorshow mascara, Lancôme Hypnose, Benefit BADgal Lash, Estee Lauder Double Wear, Blinc mascara, etc. None have ever impressed me, and they dry out so quickly it's just not worth the extra money in my opinion. I have been using (and loving) Maybelline's The Rocket mascara. However, I got a sample of this mascara in my birthday gift from Sephora, and I love this stuff! I have to admit...I only paid $7.25 on Birchbox.com using a discount and my Birchbox points. Not a bad deal, right?

 

My eyelashes look nonexistent without mascara. They are super straight and pretty skimpy. With this mascara, it looks like I have a ton of thick lashes. It does an awesome job of fanning them out and making them look separated and pretty. On top of all that, it holds the curl in my lashes until I take it off at the end of the day.

 

 

I love the brush with this mascara. It has rubberized bristles, but the end of the brush is what I like the most. It does an amazing job of grabbing those inner eyelashes and separating and defining single lashes for a flirtier look. That's one complaint I have with The Rocket mascara. The end of the brush is flat and can make your lashes clump together if you're not careful.

 

If you're looking to try a new mascara, this one is totally worth a try!

 

 

2. Maybelline's Fit Me Concealer $6

 

 

I bought this after seeing Jaclyn Hill use it on her YouTube channel. This is a really great concealer! The consistency is actually pretty thin, but it covers so well. It's not drying, and works well with the other foundations I've used. I use it on undereye circles or any blemishes that may pop up. At about $6 (depending on the store), you can't go wrong.

 

4. Maybelline's Color Elixir $8

 

 

I wrote about these in my "Fall Essentials" post, and I am in love with these lip glosses! I'm not even sure "lip gloss" is the correct classification for this product. It is so much more. The consistency is like a lip gloss, the color is like a lipstick, and I have found it actually has pretty impressive staying power. Rose Redefined and Raspberry Rhapsody have been my favorite colors. Since the colors don't show up great in the tube, here are swatches of these two shades:

 



 

 

Raspberry Rhapsody is on top, and Rose Redefined is on bottom. I prefer to wear these alone instead of over a lipstick. I tried layering Raspberry Rhapsody over Revlon's Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie, and I wasn't too crazy about the combo. For me, each look better on their own. Rose Redefined adds just the perfect pink/rose color to your lips that goes with almost every look. I can't say enough good things about the Color Elixirs!

 

5. Laura Mercier Foundation Powder $40

 

 





I debated including this in my favorites. It is my all time favorite foundation. The reason I almost didn't include it is because, to my despair, it is being discontinued and replaced with garbage.

Let me start with why this one is so amazing. This stuff makes your skin look AMAZING. Flawless. I have combo skin and often powders and powder foundations can dry my skin out and make it look flakey around my nose and mouth (gross). Not this one. It makes your skin look perfect in person, but it also makes your skin look equally gorgeous in pictures or on camera. It is super easy and fast to use. I am always running late. Always. I can't help it. It doesn't matter if I wake up thirty minutes before I have to leave or three hours. This product is a huge time saver for me! I like to spend more time doing eye makeup than on the rest of my face, so it's nice to have a product that gets the job done quickly. I normally don't even need concealer when I use this foundation. It covers dark circles and blemishes without needing extra products to cover anything up. It doesn't look cakey or powdery on the skin. Just perfection.

Now, I don't normally say anything bad about products I don't like. In this case, I really feel like an amazing product is being replaced with something that is not even close to the same level. The Smooth Finish Foundation Powder is what Laura Mercier has produced to take the place of the original Foundation Powder. This is how the company describes the new product: "A second-skin, oil-free powder foundation that can be used wet or dry. This silky smooth innovation offers a natural veil that imparts a color-true finish that lasts up to eight hours. It glides on effortlessly, camouflages, hydrates, and blurs fine lines, never settling into them. Ultra fine micronized pigments flex with skin for coverage that is even and flawless. Use it as a sheer to medium powder or build coverage using it wet." No. Just no. None of this is true. When I couldn't find my trusty favorite in Sephora, I asked why there wasn't a place for it anymore. The girl confirmed my worst nightmare...it was being discontinued. She continued to inform me that this new product promised to be even better than the original. I was very skeptical and looked at other options, but decided to bite the bullet and try the new foundation. (Might I mention it is also a little more expensive at $45.) This looks like powder on top of your skin, the coverage isn't even comparable to the original powder, it made me look like I have serious wrinkles and lines, and overall looked terrible. I was SO disappointed. I returned it the next day and ordered two of the original Foundation Powders online.

You can still find it online at Sephora, although two colors are out of stock right now. All shades are sold out on the Laura Mercier website.

If you have tried the new powder and love it, I'm genuinely happy for you. I wish it worked as well for me. If there is anyone reading this who has anything to do with Laura Mercier, please, PLEASE, PLEASE do not let this product be discontinued!!!!

If you know of a product that is as amazing as the original LM Foundation Powder, please let me know. I will be looking for a new one after the two compacts I have run out.

6. Batiste Dry Shampoo $8

 

I try really hard to go a couple days between washing my hair. Some days it's just not possible, but other days, this product is a life saver. It seems like I've tried a million dry shampoos, but this one has definitely been the best I've found. It actually makes my hair look clean, whereas others have only left a nice smell and didn't make much of a difference in how oily my hair looked. However, I won't get this particular scent again. It makes me think of a bathroom freshener. Not necessarily a bad smell, but I don't want to smell like a bottle of Glade, either.

 

7. Devacurl AnGEL (now known as Devacurl Light Defining Gel $18.95 for 12 oz.)

 

 

I have used this gel for years. My hair is naturally wavy/very loose curls. I always come back to this product after trying other curly hair gels or creams. It always makes my waves/curls look defined but touchable. It may make your hair feel SLIGHTLY cruchy, but a couple of scrunches and the crunch is gone. It is actually made to work that way. It forms a "cast" to enhance each curl. It doesn't leave any residue or flakiness in your hair. I always buy this from Ulta when I get one of the coupons in the mail.

 

 

I highly recommend any of these products. Let me know if you try them and what you think!



The Cat's Meow

The cat eye is such a chic, timeless look.

 

 

 

Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, and Sophia Loren are three of my favorite classic beauties known to sport this look.

 

Good news: It's easy to get!

 

Here are my tips and tricks to get the perfect cat eye. I am by no means an expert, but this is what I have found works for me. I usually go for a more wearable "kitten" eye, but you can customize it to look how you want! Make the lines thicker or draw a more dramatic flick at the corner of the eye for a bolder look.

 

 

What you need:

• Eyeliner: I used Maybelline's Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner. Another great option is Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. The Maybelline gel liner comes in a little pot with a small brush, whereas the Stila liner is more like a super thin marker. I prefer the Maybelline liner for the simple fact that it dries to a matte finish. The Stila pen dries super shiny. If you like the shiny liner look, go for the Stila! Both are easy to work with, don't smudge, and last all day.
• Mascara: I used They're Real! by Benefit.

What to do:

 

1. Draw a line across the entire lid. I used the little brush that came with the gel liner, but you can use any liner brush. Make it as thick or thin as you like.

2. Draw an angled line pointing to the end of the eyebrow. This will roughly be the length the "flick". Again, this is personal preference, and don't worry about getting is just perfect. You can make it longer in Step 4 if you decide to do so! I find that it's easier to make it smaller than you think you want, then go back and make it longer. It's easier to add liner than deal with trying to take some off with makeup remover and risk messing up the whole thing!

3. Connect the end of the flick with the line going across the lid, creating a template.

4. Fill it in! You can make any changes you want on this step. Creating the template serves as a guideline. I almost always go back and make the flick longer or the line across the lid thicker. The trickiest part is matching the liner on both eyes. Using the end of the eyebrow as a guideline for the flick helps to get the liner even on both sides. Now add mascara and you're good to go!

One more tip: Don't get too much liner on the brush at once. It will blob on your eyelid and make a mess!

Other options:

• Add liner across the bottom lid. A little or a lot!
• Line all around the eyes for a super dramatic look.
• Don't be afraid of color! Try an eggplant or navy blue.
• Add a little contour. I did some very subtle contouring before adding the liner. I used a light gold with a brown shade in the crease and blended it out for just a tiny bit more definition.
• Try adding false lashes. Obviously this might be a bit much for daytime, but for a night on the town, adding a few falsies on the outside corner of the eye and in the middle will really make the eyes pop!

 

 

 



Experiment and see what works best for you! What are your favorite tricks to getting the perfect cat eye? I'd love to hear!







My beauty favorites for fall! (And a spotlight on Maybelline's NEW Color Elixir Liquid Color Balm)

These are some of my favorite kinds of posts to read and YouTube videos to watch! I think it's about the thrill of the chase...I'm always on the lookout for the ultimate product! When I think of fall makeup, I think of warm colors like gold, army green, and cranberry. Here are my picks to try out this season:
 
(P.S. Bear with me on the picture quality! I don't have the fanciest camera, but I think you can get the idea with these pictures!)

1. Maybelline's NEW Color Elixir Liquid Color Balm

Colors from left to right: Caramel Infused, Rose Redefined, and Raspberry Rhapsody

 

Can we just talk about the packaging for a second? I am a huge sucker for cute packaging, and these instantly caught my eye. They look like clear lipstick tubes and the colors are seriously stunning (there are 20 to pick from!). There is every color from nude, to pink, to dark purple, to classic red. I want them all! Here's the thing though...the packaging is a trick! It really is a tube of lip gloss!

 

 

 

Maybelline describes it this way: "A trio of concentrates delivers the color of a lipstick, the cushiony care of a balm, and the glass shine of a gloss". I'm seriously loving these babies! I had to limit myself to three, and I love all the colors I ended up choosing. Caramel infused is a really nice, neutral with a (obviously) caramel color. Rose redefined is a beautiful pinky rose that I think would look great with bronzy or neutral eye. And my favorite...Raspberry Rhapsody. This color is a purple toned berry. So pretty. As for the texture, I give them an A+! It's just right. Moisturizing without being thick or tacky. These balms are crazy pigmented and provide an awesome punch of color. Since they are a balm, the color doesn't last forever, but it doesn't bother me to reapply a few times in the day. Try these out ASAP!

 

2. Milani Baked Blush in Berry Amore

 

 

 

I love the Milani baked blushes. Luminoso is another all time favorite of mine, but this season calls for a berry flush across the cheeks. Not only are these pretty to look at, but these blushes have a subtle shimmer that creates a glow without using highlighter. Berry Amore is the perfect color to try right now!

 



 3. Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie

 

A berry colored lip is my favorite trend of the fall. Revlon's Lip Butters are all amazing, but Raspberry Pie is a gorgeous berry (duh) color, and the super moisturizing formula feels good on the lips!

 

4. MAC's Eyeshadows in Sketch and Sumptuous Olive 

 

 

Let's talk about eyes. Sketch is a plum/cranberry with a tiny bit of sparkle. This one looks awesome on every eye color! I have only used this as a crease color with a light gold, champagne, or light pink for the lid color. All That Glitters or Naked Lunch work nicely! Sumptuous Olive is one of my favorites. It is an olive green laced with gold. SO pretty! You can wear this on its own or pair it with a brown shade in the crease. I think this color looks best on brown eyes. If you're a brown eyed girl and don't have this in your collection, pick it up next time you're at a MAC counter!

 

5. Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

 

 

 





The infamous Naked Palettes. I use this year round, but I'm including it in my fall favorites for the number of looks you can create with this palette. Honestly, I almost regretted buying this one. I already owned the original Naked palette, and still love it dearly. When I got this one home and compared the two, I was a little disappointed at how similar the two palettes were. I kept it anyways, and experimented with different color combinations. Now, I reach for this palette more than the original. My go-to combination is Half Baked on the lid and Snakebite in the crease.

 

6. Nail Polish!

 

Left to right: Essie Sand Tropez, Revlon Fall Mood, OPI You Don't Know Jacques, Revlon Rich Raspberry, Revlon Bold Sangria, and Sally Hansen Navy Baby

 

I admit it. I have a problem. I have a serious addiction to nail polish. It's embarrassing the number of bottles I own. These are my six favorite colors to get neutral, metallic, berry, or bold nails for the fall!

 

 

 

 

Okay, that's it! I'd love to know what you think of any of these products and hear your favorites for fall!