eyes Archives - Page 12 of 13

E.L.F. Studio Eyebrow Kit (My HG eyebrow kit!)

July 3, 2014 Leave a Comment

Since my last beauty post, I have promised a drugstore product because I realize I haven’t done much of those. The elf studio eyebrow kit is my favourite eyebrow tool and brow makeup to use. I love how it is super easy to apply, how long lasting it is, and how natural the colour looks on me. I’ve been using this kit for the past eight months everyday, and just recently ran out. Unfortunately, I live in Canada where we do not sell elf products in drugstores, so I usually stock up when I visit the US (US Targets or Wal-Marts sell them for cheap!) or ask my friend to kindly order them online for me!

Simple packaging of the product. The packaging is very sturdy, I’ve dropped it a few times on tile floor but it did not shatter. The left side is the pigmented wax, which kind of gives off a gel-like texture. The lighter shade on the right is the powder, which sets the eyebrow colour. For me personally, I never used the right side since it was too light on my skin. I only used the pigmented wax.
It comes with a small angle and eyeshadow brush, along with a mirror. For $5, this is a really good deal and you get a lot more than what you pay for. The angle brush helps you to colour in your eyebrows with more precision. I normally just use the angle brush from this kit. I know that some people are a bit nervous to use a brush and stick with eyebrow pencils, but to be honest, the application process is tremendously easy.
Yep… as I mentioned earlier, I just recently finished my first kit. Looks a bit gross, eh? Oh well. I am pretty surprised that it lasted me this long since I use this every single day. Anyways, since I use this eyebrow kit daily, I’ll just attach a few random photos from the past few months when wearing this. I think that the shade is suitable for my skin and like that it’s not too harsh of a colour, what do you think?
Random picture #1: This picture taken from my Face Shop mini haul post!
Another random picture from last month…Yes I know my hair is a mess, it was very windy that day in my city and we were by the water 🙂 Also, say hi to Polka the cat again!
Taken in Disneyland back in January! Read my post on confessions from a Disneyland skeptic 🙂

I hope you enjoyed the post, thanks for reading! Comments make my day, and I would really appreciate your support! What are some other eyebrow tools that you girls love? I heard that the Anastatia Beverly Hills one is amazing too, but I can’t justify paying $30+ for it when my $5 kit works wonders! 🙂
-Carmen

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (My HG eyeliner!)

June 18, 2014 7 Comments

Ever since I bought the Sephora “Draw the Line” eyeliner sample yet two years ago, I have found an eyeliner that has never disappointed me, or caused frustration. An eyeliner that has stood unwavering by my eyes, never giving up on my shortfalls, accidental eye grazing, or washing away in torrential downpours that Vancouver sees waaayy too often. This is my all day, everyday, dress up/dress down eyeliner- my reliable rock when all my other eyeliners have failed me. Yes, it may sound a tad bit dramatic, but the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner is my Holy Grail of eyeliners.
Application: I usually shake the pen before using. When applying, the brush is very flexible and thin, which makes it super easy to create flawless eye lining, whether it is a cat eye look, or just your simple, everyday look. The colour on the brush tip does not “fade” as you are drawing the line, so you can apply your eyeliner in one, quick, and easy go!
Long lasting: This eyeliner will last all day without smudging, hence the term “tattoo liner”. I also love how pigmented the colour is (I have “trooper”), and the shade will not diminish or fade throughout the day. It is also waterproof, but removes easily with makeup remover (I use The Body Shop chamomile eye makeup remover).
Value: This sells at Sephora for $22 CAD. I would say it’s worth the money, because it’s hassle and worry free and will last you for months if not a year, even if you use it daily. It’s so tricky to find long lasting, high pigmented, and non-time consuming eyeliners. I rather stick with this eyeliner than buying a couple of eyeliners from the drugstore for the same price. Yes, you may get two for the price of one of these, but quality over quantity :)!
That’s it to this short review! The eyeliners in the Sephora “Draw the Line” set change yearly, and I have loved all the eyeliners that came in that set (seen above). It’s a really great opportunity to try different brands for a cheap price. The set was around $35 but before you think it is expensive, think about this. It came with six high end professional eyeliners, three of which are full sized. The full sized Urban Decay 24/7 liquid eyeliner (which was included) comes to $23 itself. while the Smashbox gel liner pot (came with full sized) is $25 by itself. Drugstore eyeliners cost around $7-10 dollars each these days, so if you were to buy six drugstore eyeliners which aren’t as good quality, you would still be paying more. Do you have this eyeliner set as well? If yes, let me know which one is your favourite! (Picture from http://bestthingsinbeauty.blogspot.ca/2012/12/sephora-favorites-draw-line-eyeliner.html)
Here is another picture of the eyeliner, taken from my Naked 3 eyeshadow palette 🙂 Anyways, I hoped you liked my review and mini blurb about value sets. I’ve noticed that most of my makeup reviews have been purchased from Sephora, I will probably focus on a drugstore product for my next review 🙂 They are easier on the wallet and if you’re lucky, you may find one that’s just as good as the higher end products! What drugstore products are your favourite?
Don’t forget to follow me on Bloglovin because I’m lonely over there, and comments/feedback here make me extremely, extremely happy 🙂 Have a great day!
-Carmen

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

June 15, 2014 5 Comments

(Post updated on February 17, 2016 with pictures)

My first Fiesta Friday! I hope that makeup reviews can be included in fiesta Friday, let me know if you girls are okay with makeup reviews for Fiesta Fridays? I look forward getting to know everyone!

Back to back Naked palette reviews! This one will be short and sweet, since I wrote a post on the Naked 2 yesterday already.

The Naked 3 is essentially the same ingredients and design, but with a different shade of colours. I like to think of the Naked 3 as more rosier and pink shades. Just because it’s the newest one (for now), does not mean it’s any better- the only difference are the shades! I decided to use Naked 3 today so that I could show you guys what it looks like.
Packaging is a sliiiightly bit different, but same durable case and no eyeshadow fall out from moving it around.

Comes with the same Good Karma double ended brush as the Naked 2!
I just noticed that even with this palette, I used the golden tones more than the rosy ones…. Rosy shades don’t look that good on me, I always feel that I look as if I have an eye infection with pink. As usual, I primed my eyes with their primer potion, and used “trick” all over my eyelid (#6 from left). On my outer corner, I used “mugshot” which is a shimmery brown tone (#2 from right). For my inner corner, I used “darkside” (#2 from left).
Another thing I like about these palettes are their versatility. This is my casual, everyday look for eye shadow but I love that I can make it even simpler, or more dramatic. There are so many shades and options to choose from, your possibilities are seriously endless. Which shades do you like wearing together? Let me know in the comments!

You may be wondering why I need 2 Naked palettes? ~~Because I’m a crazy makeup hoarder addict~~ I actually received both as gifts on two separate occasions. I am looking forward to the Naked 4 palette if Urban Decay is going to introduce one, can’t wait to see what shades that palette will have. Well, there you have it – Naked 2 and Naked 3. Which palette do you like better?

Two years later, I’m back to edit this post and add in another makeup look I created with the Naked 3 palette! You can read my Valentine’s Day 2016 post in detail here.

-Carmen

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

June 14, 2014 2 Comments

I love my Urban Decay products. I was introduced to the UD Primer Potion in Grade 9, and have been loving their products ever since, from their 24 hour liquid liner, to the Naked Skin foundation (review here), and finally, their Naked palettes.

So far, UD has launched 3 Naked palettes which have all seen insane reception from the beauty community. Whenever they announce a release, Youtube blows up with beauty gurus reviewing the product. For good reasons too, this is one of my beloved eye palettes! I have Naked 2 and Naked 3, but like the Naked 2 more because of the shades!

Simple packaging of the product. The physical palette is pretty sturdy, you can throw this into your bag without damaging the product. I brought the Naked 3 for my trip to Disneyland back in January, and it lasted fine all throughout moving around from my luggage to the hotel room and what not. I’ve noticed that some cheaper eyeshadow will fall out if moved around or dropped, but not the “case” for this.
Ahhhh…the beautiful shades. You can tell which shades I love using more than others. When it comes to eye shadow, I only wear champagne or golden tones. I used to wear purple a lot, but bright colours haven’t really been in style anymore and I love how champagne colours make my eyes look brighter and whiter.
Application: The brush that the palette comes with is really good as well. It is called the Good Karma shadow brush and is double ended, with both a shadow and crease brush. The shadow brush is used for general application, while the crease brush is used to add dimension (to your outer or inner corners of your eye, for example).
Long lasting?: I always use my UD Primer Potion with my eye shadow. If I don’t, my eye shadow will crease within an hour and it will fade away. With the primer, my eyeshadow will last at least 6 hours with no touch up, which is good considering I have oily skin. I’ve worn this to work, and even if I sweat or run around cause it’s a busy shift, my eye shadow looks untouched or unsmudged with the primer. For the sake of the review, I did not wear the primer tonight. I noticed that after four hours, the eye shadow was pretty much gone. I would highly recommend using a primer, or have the kit with you to touch up.

Value: Naked 2 at Sephora is $62 Canadian. Naked and Naked 3 are the same price as well. It just depends on which shades you like. Considering the quality and colour of the palette, I would say that it’s a good investment as the palette is very versatile and durable!

Pros:

Beautiful range of shades!!! (ranging from neutral to dramatic looks)
Can experiment with many different colours to create a look that you love
Comes with a their Good Karma shadow and crease brush & mirror
Easy to carry on-the-go
Comes with 4 samples of their different primers
No fall out!! (major pet peeve of mine, urgh)

Cons:

It is $62, so it is definitely an investment
Lasts longer with primer potion (I suggest the UD Primer Potion, as you can sweat a lot but it’ll still hold up)
Would not recommend if you do not like sparkly eye shadows or shades (Naked and Naked 3 have different shades than the 2)

Up next: Maybe the Urban Decay Primer Potion or Naked 3? Which one would you like? Thanks for reading!

-Carmen

Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool

June 6, 2014 Leave a Comment

I haven’t done a makeup review for awhile now, eh? Currently, most of my days have been spent at school or studying at home, where I don’t even bother wearing makeup anymore. But I have missed writing about makeup so I decided to quickly put some on and write this post as a study break. The Too Faced 3 way lash lining tool is not like your typical liquid eyeliner, as you’ll find out below. This eyeliner came in the Sephora “glitz and glam bag” set that my cousin gave me during Christmas. It sells for around $28 CA by itself. I’m not sure if the one I have is the full size, since the gift basket did come with a few sample products.
I used my pen just to show the size comparison. I really like the branding and packaging of Too Faced products, especially the type of writing style they gave. I’ve always been confused about their company name- Too Faced. Reminds me of someone who has a lot of cakey foundation on? Is it just me? Anyways, the first few times I used this product, I was very confused because I’ve never seen anything like it before. In contrast to a normal liquid eyeliner brush with one tip, this brush has a triple tip.
The triple tip brush serves a couple of purposes. Firstly, it allows you to “dot” your eyeliner across the root of your lash line, making your lashes look fuller. I suppose you can do this with a normal tip eyeliner brush (my L’oreal one seen on the right), but it would take longer, and the normal brush tip might be looser/softer or thicker, which will give away the illusion of your “natural” thick eye lashes. Secondly, the triple tip allows you to tight line better. I find that since the tip brush is flatter, as opposed to the rounder ones, you have an easier time when tight lining your eyes. Thirdly, it claims to give you an easier cat eye and winged look, but I don’t really see much difference in that arena.

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First impression: I was a bit confused and had to practice a few times before I got the hang of it. At first, I was annoyed with this eyeliner and thought it was stupid, but it’s actually really good for tight lining since the tip is so thin and wide. You have to make sure that the tip of the brush is parallel with your eyelid. If it’s not, you’re going to have a tough time and it’s not going to look nice because you’ll have three awkward looking streaked dots all over your eyelid. Here, since I suck at explaining, I took a picture (which I felt really stupid as I was trying to get the right angle… you’re welcome guys lol).
As I mentioned above, notice how the brush tip is parallel to my eye lid. To achieve a nice, smooth, and even line, make sure that your brush is parallel to your lid. For normal eyeliners, it doesn’t really matter which way you angle your brush, but for this one, it matters! 🙂
The brush tip in this picture is not parallel to my eyelid. So, when I draw the line, you will see the three dots of the eyeliner vertically which is what you do not want! It will also be harder for you to wing your eyeliner if you hold the pen this way. Also, if you’re wondering, I am wearing this Too Faced eyeliner in the two pictures.

Pros:
-Easy to create a natural looking and full lash line without the appearance of eyeliner
-Easy to tight line due to the flatness and width of the brush
-Goes on smooth and longlasting

Cons:
-Will take a bit of time to adjust, and find the right angle
-The angle of the brush matters when applying, unlike other eyeliners
-If you are not a fan of tight lining your eyeliner, stick with other products
-Expensive

Would I recommend this product? For $28, I would not suggest buying this product if you do not like the natural “no makeup, makeup” look. It’s a good eyeliner if you want it to look natural. If you like your eyeliner dramatic and noticeable, you’re better off buying other liners with a better value. I would not use this eyeliner for a fancy, dress up event because it’s very subtle. Yes, I can create dramatic eye looks with this as well, but since the purpose is to create a natural looking full lash, what is the point of spending $28 when I can do the same thing with a brush that costs less and is thicker? I hope you enjoyed the review and found it helpful!

-Carmen