makeup lover Archives - Curiously Carmen

If I had a million dollars… (Fall 2014 Beauty Wishlist)

November 21, 2014

It’s holiday season again, my favourite time to buy and stock up on makeup products. Every time this year, I love going into Sephora and seeing what type of holiday gift sets or products they have. Of course, this year is no different and there are so many beautiful products already released/being released. I just wanted to share my top three dreamy picks this holiday season so we can all marvel and stare longingly at their beauty while wishing we all had these. I probably won’t be buying all of these because I don’t have that much money, but a girl can dream and virtually share their beauty….

3. La Belle Carousel – Too Faced

I first saw this in my one too many visits to Sephora and fell in love with the packaging. To be honest, when I first saw this, I didn’t even know what type of products were in here… I was just very captivated by the packaging and the way it was marketed. I loved the romantic and classical look of the packaging…and come on, who doesn’t like carousels? Too Faced made the packaging so dreamy and beautiful. Upon further glance and investigation, I found out that it contains a variety of stunning eyeshadow shades, bronzers, blushes, and their Better Than Sex mascara.

Realistically speaking, I wonder if it is hard to re-package it to its original carousel shape after opening. Because of this reason, the carousel doesn’t seem too practical but it is certainly perfect to marvel at. But at $59 Canadian, you pay a hefty price for something that is just a pretty, novelty piece of decoration. Even if you used it everyday, I highly doubt that you’ll have the time and patience to restore it to its original beauty and should probably stick with their regular makeup palettes. Which is why when I rationally think about it, I know I’m better off without it and probably won’t get it… but it is so pretty to look at!

2. Naked on the Run – Urban Decay

Number two on my list is the new Naked palette, Naked on the Run by Urban Decay. Each holiday season, Urban Decay releases a makeup palette and this year, it is the Naked on the Run. I guess they got tired of releasing Naked 1, Naked 2, Naked 3…haha! It hasn’t even been released yet but every time Urban Decay posts a picture of this on Instagram, my face looks like the heart eyes emoji. I love the shades and vibrancy in my Naked palettes, and I’m sure these will not disappoint as well. I also love their eyeliner, and have yet to open the perversion mascara. This palette would be perfect to bring around as it holds an eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, eye shadow, blush, and bronzer! This product is more practical than the carousel. Can’t wait for the release!

1. Modern Muse – Estee Lauder

To be honest, I fell in love with Estee Lauder’s new Aerin fragrance first but after I was told that it was only sold in one exclusive location in all of Vancouver, I walked around the Estee Lauder counter and saw this. I remember being introduced to this at the 2014 fall media preview event but it didn’t have that much of an effect on me as the Aerin fragrance did, I still really liked the scent of Modern Muse though. Fast forward two months, we were united again and as I sprayed the tester on the piece of fancy cardstock paper, I found myself slowly forgetting about the Aerin fragrance and liking this one a lot. It is described as “lush floral woody” and I would be lying if I said I knew what that smelled like. In my own words instead, it had a very light, floral scent to it that I could see myself wearing quite often. My favourite part of the scent was the jasmine notes in it. I love jasmine tea more than any other green tea, so naturally I was drawn to the strong jasmine and flowery smell. I’ve been thinking about getting is for a few weeks now, and I’m probably going to buy this very soon because I can’t stop thinking about it.

There you have it! The top three beauty products I am currently lusting over right now. I probably won’t be getting the Too Faced carousel because it’s pretty impractical, it’s just nice to look at! What are your top 3 wants right now?

-Carmen

My Makeup Story Tag

November 14, 2014

I have been tagged by the lovely blondebeauty13 to do “my makeup story” tag! I’ve seen this going around the blogosphere for awhile, so here are my two cents on it. Thanks for the tag and keep reading to see who I’m passing this on to.

1- How old were you when you started makeup?
I have been around makeup since I was born, pretty much. There is a professional (well, as professional as Sears photography is haha!) picture of me when I was four years old, on my mom’s lap with noticeable vibrant, deep red nail polish. My mom loves wearing makeup and I guess that’s where it started for me.
I began playing with makeup in Grade 7, so around 12 or 13 years old? That was back in the days of school dances, we would get ready in the school bathroom. Anyone else remember buying things from Claire’s?! I remember receiving an eyeshadow palette from Claire’s, a boutique chain catered especially towards preteen girls. The eyeshadow set was something similar to the one below, but with 6-8 colours only 🙂

2- How did you get into makeup?
I’m not too sure, makeup is something that has always felt natural to me. I don’t wake up everyday dreading putting on makeup, in fact, I really enjoy it. Probably sometime around the first time I started wearing makeup, I began to read a lot of those embarrassing teen magazines that I feel a bit ashamed of now… haha like J-14, M magazine, and Discovery Girls. If anyone read those, please let me know so I feel less embarrassed… I would always go to the library and read magazines like those/novels until the library closed, I was usually the last kid to leave the library. Here’s an issue of J-14 from 2005, back in my prime reading days LOL.. From there, it progressed to Seventeen magazine which I subscribed to for a majority of my high school days. How embarrassing… Why am I admitting to all this publicly…
3- What are some of your favourite brands?
Urban Decay is my favourite brand right now, I love all their products. I also like Benefit, Bare Minerals, and Kat Von D. For drugstore products, I like Revlon, Maybelline, ELF, and L’Oreal.

4- What does makeup mean to you?
To me, makeup is really fun and enjoyable. Makeup shouldn’t be a mask that you hide under, but instead, as something that enhances your features. Makeup makes life more colourful (literally, hehe), and brings together a lot of people whether it’s through Youtube, beauty blogs, or just in person.

5- If you could only wear four products on your face, what would they be?
Eyeliner, mascara, liquid foundation, and eyebrow pencil.

6- What is your favourite thing about makeup?
I love how you can change up your look and dress up. I love how makeup has the power to transform your mood and empower you, and gives you confidence. Also, this is a bit stupid but I really appreciate the packaging and marketing of all beauty products. I admire the design and advertisements of the beauty industry, but that’s probably my Communications (in-process) degree talking. I saw this at Sephora the other day and fell in love with the packaging.

7- What do you think about drugstores VS high end?
I like both, but obviously I can’t afford all high end products which is okay. Drugstore products are becoming more and more innovative, and there are a lot of drug store products that work just as well as high end brands. Just because you can’t afford high end makeup, that shouldn’t limit you to not wearing makeup.

8- What is one piece of advice you could give to a beginner?
Practice makes perfect. No one is born knowing how to create the perfect eyeliner wing/cat eye/ eyebrow shape. See the picture below, we all have been there before at some point LOL. Also, always wash your face and remove your makeup before going to bed to prevent bad breakouts and infections! No bueno =(

9- What is one makeup trend you never understood?
Hmm… this took awhile for me to think about. Heavy lip liner 5-10 shades darker than your actual lip/lip stick. WHY??? Why Britney why? LOL!

10- What do you think of the beauty community on YouTube?
It has transformed the way we view makeup. Great makeup techniques can be taught by the everyday girl, which is very encouraging. It’s so accessible that anyone with an internet connection can learn how to do makeup. I’ve spent many many hours watching beauty videos and vlogs!

I tag (in alphabetical order):

You are also welcome to share your makeup story even if you aren’t tagged, I look forward to reading everyone’s posts! However, please do not feel obligated or pressured to do this if you don’t want to, I won’t be upset or offended 🙂

Thank you for tagging me blondebeauty13, click her link to read her tag!

-Carmen

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

November 13, 2014

It feels like a long time since I have written a beauty post… and it has been quite awhile. I’ve been so busy the last month that I haven’t really been able to go out and try new products, which means nothing really to write about. But I finally had time to open my new products and splurge on some new items as well so I’ll be back to more makeup posts. Yay!

To be honest, I haven’t used any Stila products before but have seen them around for quite awhile. The Stila liquid eyeliner came in an eyeliner set, and it was the first one I decided to open because I wanted to try a Stila product. This is the sample size but the full size product retails for about $26 Canadian.

It’s quite a long name- Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll just call it the Stila liquid liner. This shade is the dark brown – chocolate brown. When it comes to liner shades, I much prefer jet black because it’s more noticeable on my eyes. Brown is good if you want a neutral “no makeup makeup” look, but it’s just my preference. Anyways, I decided to try it and see how it looked.

The packaging of this liner is pretty sturdy and standard. The eyeliner comes as a felt tip, and application was very easy. The product and colour applied instantly at first contact, and it was very easy to glide along my eyelid in one easy sweep, no corrections were necessary. The application was also very even. I was also expecting a lighter shade of brown, but I actually preferred this colour more. When it dries, I found that the colour was actually a bit darker so it does look black.

Now, the important question is… how long did it last? I put this on in the morning, and was out and about for the whole day. Throughout lunch, shopping, and going to a very exciting Canucks game, I am happy to say that the eyeliner did not smudge at all and was in the same condition at the end of the night as it was in the morning. The removal process was also very easy too, it came off with one quick wipe of makeup remover. I am quite happy with this product and am glad that I gave it a try.

Pros:

Very easy to apply in one sweep, no mess at all
Brush is very easy to use and guide
Great lasting power
Rich colour
Does not smudge

Cons:

For this shade specifically, I found it darker after application than it was originally shown (which was a good thing for me since I prefer dark liners)

-Carmen

GUEST POST: Cleopatra Inspired Look

September 5, 2014

Hello everyone! I am happy to have another guest post on my blog, this time featuring a great friend of mine, Rachel. She will be writing about how she created a beautiful Cleopatra inspired makeup look – cat eye lovers, this one is for you! Even if you aren’t a fan of cat eye and/or can’t master the look, read on anyways because Rachel has some great advice AND preview on many makeup brands including Smashbox, Too Faced, L’Oreal, NYX, and Revlon! Thanks for doing a guest post with me, Rach. Hope everyone enjoys, let’s get started!
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Hi lovely readers of Carmen! I am so excited I get to guest post on here, Carmen’s blog is a must read for me. I trust her as a friend and beauty guru/foodie extraordinarie. I am by no means, a beauty guru/expert status and I also use a lot of drugstore products. So if you are one of those girls sitting at home watching Youtube and then proceeding to sit in (not on, in) the bathroom sink, to get just the right angle for that perfect cat eye–we are one.

So, I did in fact sit in my sink to do this look. Winged eyeliner is no easy feat, and doing so with liquid liner is even less so– doing winged eyeliner with liquid liner and being Rachel Carrier -post concussion…even harder. This look came about as I was exploring the beautiful world of Miss Cleopoatra herself. Since school stared again, I have come back in touch with my love of literature and enrolled in all a Shakespeare course (be still my heart). One of our assignments involves memorizing and reciting a soliloquy from the piece you are assigned that week. I got Cleopatra and I was beyond excited. Egyptian inspired make up is bold and intricate and so strikingly beautiful. Balancing rich, dark skin tones with piercing, vibrant eyes and lining everything with thick black creates a contrast and a story that represents the person themself. I started by googling images of Cleopatra. The classic thin and precise dark eye brows that match up with thick winged liner and blue eyeshadow and paired with blood red lips was a starting point. I decided to stick to a pretty classic looking Cleo, and I would just tailor it to the products I had and what colours suit me best…aka not blue.

What I used:
Too Faced- Matte Eye Pallete $50: This is my favourite pallete of all time and a great investment. The brown colour doubles as my eye contour shade AND brows, any double whammy product is good in my books. I tend to stay away from sparkle or shimmer because matte colours are easier to work with on a day to day basis and shimmery colours have a strange effect on my eye.
L’Oreal Colour Riche- New essentials eye quad in 525 $11: When I do use shimmery colours, this is my go to pallete for adding drama and glamour to any look. The pigments are rich and they go on true and do well layered. I suggest stroking your brush through gently and then tapping off the excess and blotting on the pigment before sweeping it on your eye lid for better coverage and less leakage.
L’Oreal Magic Perfecting Base $12.99: I bought this on a whim whilst in London Drugs and shortly after watching a slew of Youtube tutorials. I wanted to have the perfect matte skin that they have, but I was concerned at the price for such a small pot of product. But a little does go a long way, I use it for special occasions when I am wearing foundation. It creates a more even complexion and allows for even coverage.

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara $18: This was a Sephora splurge. But, because of my lack of and short lashes, I need a mascara that will support and add body. I am not sure, if it is the one I will use forever, but it has done me proud.
Revlon Bold Laquer Mascara $9 for 2: To be honest, I bought this because it was on sale. I am not sure how I feel about this mascara yet, the brush feels spiny and the mascara itself has a strange texture that is very laquer-esque. I used it as a base before my Smashbox one because I find it does seperate and add length very well.
Revlon Colour Stay Liquid Liner Skinny $7.99: Revlon was having a buy 2 get 1 free sale. I really love this liner though. It has a super, skinny, precision tip and the formula is wearable but not too sticky and it is forgiving.
Maybelline Scandaleyes Waterproof Eyeliner Khol Kajal $2.99: I swear by this stuff. It is so smooth and creamy, it is wearable and I just love it. I use this on a daily basis to tightline my upper lash line and it creates a natural thick lash line.
Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation- 150 Nude $7.99: I like this foundation because it is light and easily blended with a light to medium coverage. It doesn’t crease or become too greasy on my skin either. I tend to stay away from foundation because my skin has a lot of irritations and foundation makes it worse or can look cakey, but this is nice and fluid which makes for a light finish.
Nyx Lipstick- 511 $3.99: This lipstick is a vibrant red with a nice rich formula. It isn’t super creamy nor is it too sticky. It goes on smooth and leaves a nice stain as well. I like to layer it with other colours.
Sephora Lipstick $16: The tube doesn’t say what shade it is, but I love it. This appears different in the tube than on your lips. You should test it first on your skin tone. It is a really dark plum, but it is defintely a rouge. I like the consistency of this lipstick and wear it often in the fall.
For the look itself, I swept the gold colour eye shadow over my lid to the crease and then dabbed the copper colour in the crease and shaded it in to create a dull smoky eye. I added gold to the inner corners of my eye and lined the inner half of the bottom lid with gold as well. I then used the dark shimmery purple to create a more smoky effect on the outer bottom line as well as in the crease. I enhanced the smoky shadow with the black and brown from my Too Faced Pallete, and I used the white as a highlight for my brow bone. Cleopatra has very defined eye make up look and I wanted to soften it slightly for modern day.

I kept my brows well defined and extended them past where I would usually have them. I used a mix of the brown and the black in my Too Faced Pallete. I then tightlined both the upper lash line and the waterline with my black eye liner, making sure to connect in the inner corner for that signature cat eye. Then I used the liquid liner to extend into my winged liner. In most pictures, Cleopatra’s winged liner meets with her brows. That is too extreme for me, so I left about 2 centimeters of space. I finished with more gold on top and two coats of mascara. My trick for stubborn lashes is to heat your eye lash curler under a hair dryer for a few seconds til just warm, then curl and mascara them.
The final touch was the lipstick. I first used a layer of my Babylips chapstick from Maybelline. Then I did a layer of the Sephora lipstick, I blotted, then a layer of the Nyx lipstick then blot and then I pressed some black eye shadow into it as well with my finger and just blended. Of course, a well angled selfie was due after all this work.

And there you have it folks. An easy and modern take on a classic queen. I may not be as striking as Cleopatra may have been, but I hope to have the confidence and wit that she possessed and was known for having. A beauty from within, so to speak. I had a lot of fun doing this, and I am honoured that Carmen asked me to blog it. Thanks for reading, lots of love to y’all.

-Rach

Estee Lauder Fall/Winter 2014 Media Preview Event (Part 1/2!)

September 1, 2014

Hi readers!

Two weeks ago, I was invited to Estee Lauder’s Fall/Winter 2014 Media Preview Event. It was a lovely afternoon spent learning many new facts about the Estee Lauder brand and meeting other people with the same passion for beauty!

This two-part post is going to be more focused on the event itself rather than a review of all the products. I will try to write reviews of the complementary products that I received in the coming months!

There were staff from Estee Lauder, as well as the PR company that invited me to attend this event. Staff from both parties were really welcoming and made us feel comfortable. In particular, I had a great conversation with the makeup artist on-site, Fiona! Props to great and kind service from both ends, I was very impressed.
We were first greeted by breakfast platters, and a variety of different drinks!
Some of the products Estee Lauder has lined up for the upcoming season! Our host told us that each one of those eyeshadow palettes were inspired by the pictures behind them. I really enjoyed all the shades and palettes that were there, as well as the packaging of the eyeshadows.

The palettes had either a lipstick or nail polish shade that complimented the colours in the palette. Furthermore, the lipstick packaging is actually magnetic, so no need to worry about not putting on the cap all the way by accident and ruining the whole tube.

Moving on, the picture at the top left is a closeup of one of the new eyeshadow palettes. It was my favourite, since I loooove golden and champagne tones. At the top right, is a preview of a new line released by Estee Lauder called AERIN.

I believe it might be launched already by the time my post comes out, but the line is created by Estee Lauder’s granddaughter, Aerin Lauder. The AERIN line is more youthful, simple and neutral, as Aerin herself prefers simplistic makeup.

The bottom left picture shows the night repair lotion, day lotion, and BB cream. Last but not least, the one at the bottom right is their new cream, made with the natural antioxidant benefits of the lovely pomegrante fruit. Like the AERIN perfumes, it smelled absolutely lovely and was my guest’s favourite product that day.

Anyways, that’s it to the first part! The second part will include a revolutionary foundation brush, gold infused foundation, and a makeover! Keep posted and thanks for reading!

-Carmen