Category Archives: makeup
Tips for Amping up Your Eyes
You know that the eyes are the first thing you notice about most people, and they are most likely the first thing that people notice about you. Even if you go for a low-key look, there are still some ways you can amp up your eye makeup to draw attention to your face and to feel more confident in how you look. Check out these ways to use makeup and other beauty items to make your eyes appear larger and more beautiful than ever.
Just like an artist’s canvas, you must prepare your eyes for makeup if you expect it to last all day without running. While applying primer may initially seem like a waste of time to you, you will quickly see that it sets up your skin to receive eyeshadow. Primer for your eyelids protects makeup from running even when your eyes get wet or sweaty. Also, be sure to use concealer under your eyes on any dark spots. Pat in the concealer for a natural look.
Highlighter can open up your eyes and make you appear more awake. Use a light-colored or lightly glittering eyeshadow at the inner corner of each eye. To highlight your brow bone, you can use either a light eyeshadow or a highlighting cream.
Eyeliner is what can really make your eyes pop. For an everyday look, be sure to apply a thin line of eyeliner above your upper lashes. Use either a liquid eyeliner for a bold look or a dark eyeshadow applied with a slanted brush for a more natural look. A smudge of eyeliner on your lower lash line can amp up your look for a special event.
Instead of choosing only one eyeshadow color, increase visual interest in your eyes with a multi-toned eyeshadow. Choose two or three complementary colors, or purchase a pre-mixed palette that does all of the matching work for you.
Finally, remember your gorgeous eyelashes. Be sure to curl them carefully to make them appear longer and curvier. Consider using eyelash extensions, such as those from Sugarlash Pro, for weeks of natural beauty. Finish by applying two coats of mascara on your upper and lower lashes.
Remember that one of the secrets to beautiful eye makeup that looks good all day is choosing high quality makeup brands. While you may be tempted to save money on your beauty products, you will actually find that quality products last longer and make you feel more beautiful. When you follow each of these tricks, your makeup will amp up the look of your eyes and give you a bold, beautiful look all day long.
REVIEW: Tea Tree Skin Care by Era Organics
It might not be as lofty a goal as some people’s, but I decided one of my 2018 goals would be to start a detailed skin care regimen and keep it up, twice a day. This proved to not only be something I enjoy doing, but something I am really getting into–I’ve spent more money on masks and moisturizers in the last two months than I have in my whole life!
I really believe that targeted skincare makes a difference, and that is why I use differing products depending on the day and the needs of my skin on that particular day.
Even though I am in my 30’s now, I still get occasional breakouts. I cannot use the same cleansers as I did when I was a teen. I need something that will keep my skin clear, but also make sure it’s not dried out. That’s why I like Era Organics Tea Tree Oil Cleanser and Face Cream.
The Tea Tree Oil cleanser is a creamy, smooth wash that goes a long way even though it’s not a foaming formula. I liked that while massaging it into my skin it felt silky, and did not leave my face feeling stripped after it was rinsed off. After only a couple days of use the spots I already had were clearing up.
My favorite of the two products is the Tea Tree Oil Face Cream. It’s a thick moisturizer, which I especially love in these winter months, because my skin gets dry patches when the cold winds start blowing. The base is coconut oil which is immediately apparent. This cream also has a much stronger smell of tea tree oil than the cleanser does, so be aware of that. With all that being said, this was a fantastic moisturizer for me! I put it on at night since it’s such a thick formula, and in the morning my skin was still dewy and soft.
Era Organics products are all made with natural and organic ingredients such as herb and flower extracts and moisturizing oils and butters. They can be found on Amazon and I believe they are reasonably priced for the performance they offer.
**DISCLAIMER: I was sent these products by the manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by this fact.
Last Minute Gifts are a Breeze with Mary Kay
So Christmas will be here in FOUR short days. If you haven’t finished shopping, you might be wondering if it’s worth it to fight the crowds, to have to drag your kids around the mall, or to take the chance with sometimes unreliable overnight shipping.
Today I would like to let you in on a gift shopping idea you might not be familiar with. And chances are, you can shop right in your neighborhood. Do you have a Mary Kay lady?
Here in central Louisiana, my friend Jennifer Dupont is a Mary Kay consultant, and she has opened my eyes to the new direction this company is taking! Instead of tired old pink lipsticks and basic skin products, you should now think of Mary Kay as a hub for all your premium makeup and advanced skin care needs. Parties are jovial and have a spa-like vibe. Who doesn’t want a mini facial while hanging out with their friends?
In addition to such on trend items as charcoal masks, your consultant has tons of ideas for gifts and even pre-made bundles that will make your gift giving beyond easy.
The cool thing about giving Mary Kay for the holidays is that most of the time, you don’t have to wait. Many consultants keep a large stock on hand and can deliver your purchase within a day or so. 
And if you’re absolutely at a loss for what to give, you can always get a gift certificate! Mary Kay has a ton of items for $25 or under, so your gift certificate will go a long way.
If you don’t need to give a gift, but just want to freshen up your own look, your consultant can help you with that too. Mary Kay has everything from brow gel to lip gloss to liquid and powder foundations, and your consultant would love to help you find the shade that’s perfect for you.
No matter what you need for your beauty and skin care needs, there’s a chance that Mary Kay has a product that can help you! And there are also lines for the guys, body and skin care.
If you don’t have a consultant of your own, I would love to recommend Jennifer! Although she might not be near to you, she can ship items. Jennifer is friendly and loves to meet new people. For all of your Mary Kay needs, check her out here.
**DISCLAIMER: I do not sell Mary Kay nor was I paid for this post! I am helping out my friend and I have found that Mary Kay makeup works for me!
Get the new MATTE London Look with Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation
I’ve had an oily t-zone forever, so it’s definitely a struggle to find the foundation with the perfect mix of shine control, coverage, and staying power. Luckily, I don’t have to look anymore! Say hello to new Stay Matte Foundation by Rimmel London.
Rimmel London is bringing you new Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation – a breakthrough feather light, oil free formula with an airy mousse texture that’s comfortable on your skin, never heavy or greasy. Your new beauty staple delivers all day shine control and blends flawlessly for a natural looking matte finish, all while minimizing the appearance of pores.
The weight is over – finally, shine has met its matte.
I had to go out of town today and needed makeup that I wouldn’t have to stop to touch up or reapply. I knew it would be the ideal day to put my Stay Matte Foundation to the test!
I started off with my usual moisturizer and a primer.
Excuse my unmade bed, let’s all pretend we don’t see it.
As you can see, I have some redness around my nose, and just a generally oily forehead.
So time to put the Stay Matte foundation to use!
See that little blob? That is seriously all I needed to cover my entire face. It was almost a touch too much, in fact.
I dotted the foundation around my face, then blended with a makeup sponge. Can I tell you, this foundation blends like a dream! No visible makeup lines whatsoever!
And here I am with the Stay matte on! I feel that it brightened up my complexion overall while getting rid of the shine and redness.
And how did it perform? Wonderfully! I never had to powder my face once while I was gone all day. 🙂
So I am definitely going to be buying another tube when I run out of this one (which will be a while, as you see from the amount I used)! If you suffer from oily or combination skin ( I wouldn’t recommend this for dry skin), give Rimmel London Stay Matte Foundation a try when it hits American shores in January 2014!
**DISCLAIMER: I received this product free to try from Influenster. All text and opinions are my own.
imPRESS Press-On Manicure–Influenster
I am usually one to do my own nails…one reason is because I always feel awkward when the tech is holding hand at the nail salon (I’m neurotic.). The main reason though, is just that my nails are the one place I really like to be creative and daring. I will try crazy colors and designs on my nails that I would never try in clothing. I think it’s because nail polish can be changed so quickly 🙂
So when I got the imPRESS Press-On Manicure to try out from Influenster, I was definitely ready to try it out–even though I have only had fake nails a couple of times in my life (ah, prom).
The container that the nails come in is really cute–it looks like an actual nail polish bottle! The color I received to try was called Chic Mystique. It’s a pretty ballerina pink with white floral designs overlaid.
The instructions said to just match the nails to your real ones, lay all ten out, then peel off the back sticker and press firmly over your real nails. So I did. Really easy to do, and I love that there was no need to use sticky, smelly glue that I would probably only glue my fingers together with anyway.
I really love how they turned out looking! The color and design are so awesome and definitely right up my alley–I am a girly girl. The day I put these nails on was also the same day we ended up taking down our Christmas tree and all the decorations and lights, and the nails stayed put through all that. I also put together a Hot Wheels track for my son while wearing these. It was a little difficult, but doable. And the nails stayed put.
I actually ended up taking these off myself before they fell off, just because the feeling of fake nails on my hands is not something I’m used to. It was also a little awkward to be wearing them because my real nails were about the same length as the press on ones! They were really easy to remove. I’m sure if I had left them on they would have stayed for several days longer–up to a week!
imPRESS Press-On Manicure is a fast, easy way to do your own nails at home without the mess or smell! I would definitely wear these in different designs, for a special occasion or party. You can find them at many stores including CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, and more. There are 36 patterns and colors in the collection. Check out imPress Manicure to see the other awesome designs!
**Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product to test through Influenster’s VoxBox program. I was not compensated in any way for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine–Influenster
You can ask anyone I know, and they will confirm that I am a lip gloss addict. At this moment I probably have at least 5 glosses in my purse and who knows how many more in my makeup bag. So needless to say I was pretty thrilled when I got the chance to try NYC Liquid Lipshine through Influenster’s VoxBox program.
The shade I got was a really gorgeous neutral called Honey on the Hudson.
The results I got…well, see for yourself.
NYC Liquid Lipshine was everything I could want in a gloss. It stayed put FOREVER, was just the right amount of glossy without being too over the top, and left my lips moisturized even way after I had cleaned it off. It did seem a bit sticky but I may have put too much on.
To top it all off, this fabulous lip gloss retails for only $2.49!! You will pay 3 or 4 times that much for a gloss from some other cosmetic brands…but I’m sold on NYC now! It comes in 10 shades ranging from nudes to fuchsias, so you are sure to find something you will love. You should be able to find it at a store near you, such as Walmart, CVS, Kroger, and many more. Check out New York Color for more information on Liquid Lipshine and other NYC products.
**Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product to test through Influenster’s VoxBox program. I was not compensated in any way for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sweet Southern Home 