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HONEST REVIEWS FROM A BEAUTY ADDICT

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SHOULD YOU BE ACTIVE WITH YOUR SKIN BY USING MARY KAY’S TIMEWISE VITAMIN C ACTIVATING SQUARES

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Mary Kay has developed a new way of delivering Vitamin C to your skin. It is through a small dissovable square. When I say small, I mean about the equivalent of a dime. By mixing water and your favorite serum, Mary Kay states that the square will help even out your skintone, will give your skin radiance, and help out with fine lines and wrinkles.

Mary Kay Timewise Vitamin C Activating SquaresI have to admit, going through the four steps to achieve the above benefits is a lot. So why undergo these steps when you can purchase hundreds of serums which already contain vitamin C? Another issue I found is the dosage of the vitamin C in the Mary Kay product is not verified. If I am adding something to supercharge my skin care routine, I want to know the dosage of the product I am using for that supercharge.

But there are some advantages to the TimeWise Vitamin C Activating squares. I did see some radiance, and my skintone was a little more even. I will admit that the evenness the squares gave me was not equivalent to what I see when I go to my dermatologist for a peel, but I did see some difference.

As much as I would love to recommend the Mary Kay TimeWise Vitamin C Activating squares, I cannot. The amount of effort I put in to “supercharge” my serum, is not worth it to me. Especially when I can purchase a serum which already contains vitamin C. So save your dollars and put it towards another serum that contains vitamin C.

6 TIPS TO MAKE YOUR EYE MAKEUP LAST ALL DAY

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Making your eye makeup last all day is much easier than you think. There are no sacrificial lambs to be made to the makeup gods that will make you look as good at 5pm, as you did when you first placed your makeup on that morning. However, here are a few easy tips that will make your eye makeup last:

  1. WASH YOUR FACE – You always want to begin your makeup application with a clean surface.
  2. FOUNDATION – When you go to apply your foundation, make sure the foundation is oil-free. Also, when you are applying your foundation, start off by applying it in light layers because a little bit goes a long way. If you start off with too much foundation it will have a cakey appearance. One good way to apply your foundation is with a damp beauty blender. It will give you a more natural appearance.
  3. SETTING POWDER – Use a setting powder (loose or pressed) to help your foundation stay in place. Personally, I like using a loose powder. I take a large, fluffy powder brush and lightly dust the powder over my face. The powder will help absorb excess oils that may cause any eye makeup to slide off.
  4. EYE PRIMER – Moving on, take your favorite eye primer and apply it over your eyelids. The primer will help show the true color of your eyeshadow, assist in the blending of your eyeshadow, and will help your eyeliner last without smudging or creasing.
  5. EYE MAKEUP AND OILY LIDS – When choosing an eyeliner and mascara, make sure both of these are oil-free and waterproof. Mascara and eyeliners have a tendency to smear under your eyes after long hours of wear. The waterproof and oil-free formula will help prevent this. Unfortunately there is little you can do to prevent oily lids.  Now, when it comes to stopping your eyeshadow from creasing, this is what I recommend–preventing creasing lies in the prep.
    • First start with a good eye primer as mentioned above. DO NOT have a heavy hand when applying eye primer as it will work against you. Make sure you have a light hand when applying.
    • Then move on to your eyeshadow. When you apply your eyeshadow, take your brush and apply by pressing the eyeshadow onto your lids rather than in a brushing motion. When you apply your eyeliner, apply it as close to your lash line as possible, keeping it as far away as possible from the center of your lids. The center portion has the most oil.
    • Finally, when applying a mascara, try to use a fiber mascara. The dry finish will help prevent smudges.
  6. FINISH – When you have finished applying your eye makeup, set your makeup with a setting spray. I recommend Mehron Barrier Spray or Cinema Secrets Super Sealer. The setting spray can help refresh your makeup and lock in your look all day.

There is nothing worse than spending a lot of time getting your eye makeup the way you want it, only to have it disappear two or three hours later. It has happened to me many times, and it drives me crazy. I hope that some of these suggestions will help keep you looking great all day.

OMG! IT’S SO BIG! VOLUMIZING MASCARA BY ELIZABETH MOTT

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We all want a mascara whose formula lengthens and curls without any smudging, and one which lasts all day. Introducing “It’s So Big” by Elizabeth Mott. The hourglass shaped wand will define, lift and separate your lashes and give your lashes extreme volume. The bristles on this mascara are wrapped with flexible tubing polymers. This means no smudging, clumping or flaking. It also makes the mascara sweat, tear and water-resistant. One of the better parts of the Elizabeth Mott mascara is that it evenly coats your lashes from root to tip; even this hard to reach inner and outer corners.

 

It's So Big Elizabeth Mott Mascara

It's So Big Elizabeth Mott Mascara Swatch

I am a huge fan of Too Faced’s Better Than Sex mascara. But one day I was playing around on the Internet, and I came across the Elizabeth Mott It’s So Big Volumizing mascara. According to the reviews and claims of the It’s So Big mascara, I was under the impression that the mascara was similar to that of the Better Than Sex mascara. So I decided to take a chance and give it a try. And I am very glad I did. The Elizabeth Mott It’s So Big mascara is perfect for those individuals who suffer from short lashes or want more volume to their lashes. The mascara allows you to place multiple coats on your lashes without it looking overly clumped or heavy.

If you suffer from oily skin or live in a humid environment, you do not have to worry about your mascara smudging all over the place. This is near and dear to me since New Orleans is extremely humid during the summertime. And at the end of the day or home from an evening out, the Elizabeth Mott It’s So Big mascara comes off, just as easily as the rest of your makeup. No harsh scrubbing required.

While this mascara sounds to good to be true, it really does live up to its promises. And if you are in search of a mascara that will give your lashes volume without all the smudging, then I do recommend the Elizabeth Mott It’s So Big mascara.

The Elizabeth Mott It’s So Big mascara retails for $19.99, and may be purchased at http://www.makeupmania.com

 

MAKEUP BRUSH BRANDS I’M LOVING NOW

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There are plenty of pretty looking makeup brushes on the market; ones that have handles which look like a unicorn horn, or have purple glitter, or swirlly handles, etc. But pretty makeup brushes do not always equal high quality makeup brushes. If you want your makeup to come out looking its best, you are going to need a brush with a good reputation and one which performs well. Here are some of the cosmetic brushes I love and recommend based on research and experience.

  • REAL TECHNIQUES – If you are searching for basic makeup brushes, these have an excellent reputation. The brushes are soft, versatile and cruelty-free. The Real Techniques can be used with liquid, cream or powder makeup. The brushes were specifically designed to create detailed contouring and highlighting, the application of smooth foundation, and precise eyebrows. The price for the Real Techniques individual brushes starts around $9.00. A set of brushes starts around $17.00 and may be purchased at http://www.realtechniques.com or ULTA.
  • MORPHE BRUSHES – Looking for good quality makeup brushes without maxing out your credit card? Morphe brushes are the answer. The brushes are sold individually and by the set. Whether you are new to the makeup scene or a professional makeup artist, the Morphe brushes are superior in quality and affordable, allowing you to have a complete assortment. For me, their foundation brushes cannot be beat. And I love their contour and eye crease brushes. You can buy individual Morphe brushes starting around $10.00. A set of Morphe brushes begins at $14.00. The brushes may be purchased at http://www.morphebrushes.com. This year Morphe collaborated with Liveglam and now have a month club selling a set of three to eight brushes. The monthly club is $20.00 per month. More information about the monthly club can be found at https://liveglam.com/morphe-brushes/.
  • ELF COSMETICS BRUSHES – Great quality, cruelty-free and affordable, ELF provides all of the things we look for in a cosmetic brush. When you think of ELF, you do not necessarily associate the brand with excellent makeup brushes, but these brushes are soft to the touch and densely packed and allow your makeup to be evenly applied. The ELF brushes are sold separately and in sets. What really got me hooked on these brushes was the powder brush. It was large, soft, dense and would work well when applying loose powder. The cost of the of the brushes begin around $3.00. The ELF brushes may be purchased at http://www.elfcosmetics.com, Walgreens and ULTA.

Of course there are higher end makeup brushes. But I wanted to review brushes that are known for being high-quality AND affordable at the same time. The best place to purchase the above listed makeup brushes is the Internet. Makeup stores do not always carry the brush company’s full line of brushes.

I hope this blog has given you some ideas of good-quality, affordable makeup brushes which will live up to its name.

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