Guest Post: A Sulty Smokey Night Look!

Guest Post Written by Marla

Today the incredibly talented Marla of Makeup By Marla shares her Face of the Day (FOTD) from this past weekend. She also goes through the list of products she used to create the look!

On Saturday night I went out with a few friends to �The Marketplace�. The Marketplace is a tiny plaza that has restaurants, boutiques, and a movie theatre. I didn't want to look too made up but I wanted to wear a dark smokey eye to make my eyes pop.

Going out at night is really the ultimate test for your makeup. The staying power and durability needs to be good because you don�t want to have to be reapplying all night! I used a variety of drugstore and high end products that I both rely on and trust to stay put all night.

I will add small anecdotes about products that I recommend wearing when going out at night.

READ MORE!

FACE

Benefit The POREfessional Primer
Revlon ColorStay Foundation in Buff: This foundation is truly amazing, it does not look cakey, feel heavy, or wear off throughout the night. And it also photographs really well which is a plus!
MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20 (blemishes)
Almay Smart Shade Concealer in Light/Medium (under eyes)
MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC25 (light dusting on t-zone): This has been one of my favorites for years! I have yet to experience oxidation with it and it really keeps my face matte and under control. Take this along with some blotting paper when going out and you will have a flawless face all night!
E.L.F. Blush in Candid Coral (cheekbones)
Rimmel Bronzer in Sun Bronze (contour)

EYES

Benefit Stay Don�t Stray Primer (all over lid & brow bone)
Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Tough as Taupe (just on lid): I have had this product for a little over a week but I am impressed with its durability and pigmentation. It helps my shadows appear more pigmented and allows them to adhere better to the skin. Comparable to MAC Paint Pots.
MAC Paint Pot in Let�s Skate (brow bone)
E.L.F. Essential Duo Eyeshadow in Black Licorice (used the black, outer third of eye & blended in slightly)
MAC Eyeshadow in Smudged Violet (inner third & blended with the black, also used as transition color leading to brow bone)
MAC Eyeshadow in Seedy Pearl (brow bone & inner corner highlight)Hard Candy�s Liner in Soy Bean (top & bottom waterline)
Bare Minerals Liner in Noon (under bottom waterline, smudged out): This eyeliner is truly amazing! It glides on easily and can be blended out with ease, but after setting it does not budge! In other words, you wont look like a raccoon late at night!
Clinique High Definition Mascara: Clinique mascaras astound me! They do not flake or budge in the entire day, and they make my lashes look amazing! A definite must!

BROWS

MAC Espresso Eyeshadow
Hairspray used to set brows in place: I haven�t found a better brow set... Enough Said! :)

LIPS

E.L.F. Lip Stain in Heartbreaker: Using a lip stain when going out at night is a way better alternative to a lipstick, it stays on your lips longer and even when rubbed off your lips will have a hint of color. The ELF ones are my favorites because of their pigmentation!
E.L.F. Lip Gloss in Fairy

Hope you enjoyed this look and I hope you got ideas of some new products you can try out when going out at night!

Have a great makeup filled day!

Marla

Guest Post Written by Marla

My name is Marla Ramirez and I'm a 16 year old girl that loves sharing her obsession with makeup. I have a blog called Makeup By Marla, where I share looks, reviews, and new products with my readers. I've done some freelance artistry at a local salon and have also done my friends makeup during winter formal and prom season. Having a mom that is a cosmetologist has really fueled my interest in anything beauty related, whether it be hair, makeup, or skincare! 

Where you can find me: 

Zara Haul! (plus a small rant)

Hey Everyone!

The weekend is here already - I can't believe where the time goes. I've been super busy lately, as February is always a busy month! There's George's birthday (the big 30!!! woohoo!), Valentine's Day and our Anniversary (6 years!) all very close together. So, I have lots of planning to do, with very little time!

I've had several e-mails already for guest posting, and haven't had the chance to get back to them yet. But, I will get back to any unanswered e-mails by Monday.

In other news, I wanted to mention that I think it's official that I'm boycotting purchasing Essie polishes, unless I come across a ridiculously unique shade. For my Valentine's Day themed nails yesterday, I already have chips on every finger. It's one of those polishes where you'll look down at your hands randomly and find that the polish completely peeled off a nail. My mom used the same polish and the same thing happened to her. I mean, that can happen with any polish, but every Essie polish I have is either too thin (streaks galore) or too thick and gunky (like I left it in my car in 90 degree heat). I think I'm going to stick with OPI from now on.

Anyways, onto my haul!

Zara had an amazing sale for January, and I literally went nuts. Everything was an incredible deal, but I wish I spotted the sale earlier so I could have caught some extra goodies!

I purchased three pairs of shoes; one pair of knee-high boots, one pair of ankle boots and one pair of peep-toe heels.

I'm in crazy love with the ankle boots. The leather is so soft, and they just look so classy. They had them in black as well, but I was too late, and they all sold out!

I also purchased two bags that I've been wanting all winter. They were reduced to $39.99 each, and they're both real leather! 

The leopard print bag is huge and really structured. I think I'll be using as a briefcase, rather than a handbag. I've seen it on several fashion bloggers and I think it's such a chic accessory.

READ MORE!

(Source)

I didn't get too many items of clothing, as most of it was picked over. I did manage to get a really cute black blazer and a long grey sweater with elbow patches. The blazer was around $40, and the sweater was only $20.

Lastly, I got this gorgeous teal scarf with matching sequins. I've been wearing a lot of black lately, so I thought this would add a nice pop of color to my outfit! It was only around $9.

That about sums it up for my haul - I'm so happy with everything, especially the shoes and bags. Zara has quickly become one of my favorite places to shop! I've found myself checking their site almost every day.

Hope you all have a terrific weekend!

Talk to you soon!

xoxox

NOTD: Essie Super Bossa Nova with Hearts!

Essie Super Bossa Nova Nail Lacquer

When it comes to painting designs on my nails, most of the time I end up wishing I never attempted it in the first place - as most of the time it looks like I drew the designs with my eyes closed. I wanted to do a simple design in the spirit of Valentine's Day, so I added a little heart to each nail. Not the best job in the world, but I thought the outcome was kinda cute.

I used two coats of Essie Super Bossa Nova, which is a lovely fuchsia with very fine bright pink/purple shimmers. Essie's Nail Polish formula makes me want to scream at times - the first coat applied beautifully, and the second coat was difficult to spread. It was like applying old, goopy polish to my nails. I have this problem with Essie all of the time. But, by the time I applied my top coat (Seche Vite), no signs of a "struggle" showed through. It's a very pretty summer shade for the fingers and toes.

I added the hearts simply by using the tip of a toothpick. I dipped the tip of the toothpick in a small pool of the polish and laid the tip on a slight diagonal to my nail. It should create a half heart shape. Then, repeat on the opposite side to connect the heart.

You can practice on paper to get it right before you attempt it on your freshly painted nails!

You can get creative and draw borders and/or designs around the hearts. With the tip of the toothpick, I made a white dotted outline around one of my nails, and with a glitter nail art pen, outlined another heart.

What's on your nails?! Do you ever paint designs on your nails for the holidays?

Introducing Guest Posting on Miss Natty's Beauty Diary!

Read my 'Guest Posting' page for details!

Revlon ColorSilk Hair Color in Dark Brown + A Few New Hair Products for Shiny Hair.

I know, probably doesn't look like much of a change, but my hair lately has been looking dull and lifeless. I figured it was time for a dye and picked up one that I've been using off and on for years - Revlon ColorSilk Hair Color in #30 Dark Brown.

The instructions are to leave it in your hair for 25 minutes, and I always make sure to leave it in for the exact time, and not a minute over, or I'll end up with almost black hair.

Revlon ColorSilk Hair Color is actually the least expensive hair dye you can find at the drugstore. It's only around $3 a box, and delivers just as well - if not better than the higher priced boxed dyes.

READ MORE!
The color is a very dark, rich brown. It can be somewhat drying, but I make sure to load on the conditioner to add some moisture back into my hair.

For added shine and silky smooth hair, I picked up two products that I'm loving already. Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Penetrating Oil and Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Break Serum. I actually used both products together on my hair, and it didn't make my hair oily. They just made my hair super light, soft, silky and shiny! They also made my hair smell amazing. I would re-purchase the Moroccan Argan Oil for the scent alone.

I will report back with a review on both products as I continue using them. If you use either of these products, I'd love to hear your thoughts about them.

Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Break Serum & Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Penetrating Oil

For my face, something really simple. I'm absolutely loving the eye combo of Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze with MAC Satin Taupe over top. Really beautiful and extends the wear of both shadows. To soften the edge, I used MAC Era with a tapered blending blush. Then, I just added some black liner and mascara and that's it!

Face:
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation mixed with Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation
Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer
Chanel Bronze Universel De Chanel Cream Bronzer
MAC Dollymix Blush
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Powder

Brows:
MAC Cork Eyeshadow
Anastasia of Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

Eyes:
Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze
MAC Satin Taupe Eyeshadow
MAC Era Eyeshadow
YSL Black Cream Eyeliner
Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara
Kiss #02 False Lashes (KPL02)

Lips:
Chanel Bagatelle Glossimer

Hope you all have a wonderful night! I'm off to make dinner. ;)

Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer Review, Photos and Swatches!

Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer

After blogging for a while, you start recognizing the products that get the most praise and recognition. Because of the popularity and rave reviews, you'll ultimately get sucked into purchasing a "blogger pick/favorite" sooner or later, some being great, and others - not so much.

Concealer is one of my favorite items of makeup. I'll never get tired of my endless endeavor, searching my local stores high and low for the best medium-full coverage, lightweight, brightening, non-caking, non-creasing, long-lasting concealer. Maybe my standards are too high? There are some concealers I favor - Hard Candy Glamoflauge (perfecto, but a little too dewy & not long lasting), MAC concealers (Pro Longwear, Studio Finish, Select Cover-up), but I've grown completely bored with them and am on the lookout for a new-found love!

Could it be Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer? I surely hoped so, but it does fall short of my standards.

PRODUCT DETAILS:

• Blends easily for complete yet natural coverage
• Conceals imperfections and undereye darkness all day
• Pure color, natural luminous finish
• Ophthalmologist tested
• Talc, oil and fragrance free, non-pore-clogging

There are six (6) shades in total: Fair 10, Ivory 20, Cream 30, Sand 40, Beige 50 and Latte 60. 

Depending on the store you're purchasing from/location you may have a limited shade selection. The few CVS stores in my area only stocked the lightest 2-3 shades. I ended up getting "Cream" due to the limited shade selection.

Cream is a pretty good match. It's a light-medium, (warm) peachy beige and would work well on skintones in the light-medium range (around MAC NC20-30).

Cream swatched on my wrist.

I need a pretty good concealer to camouflage my undereye darkness, which is mostly red & blue. My undereye darkness is better on some days than others, but most of the time, it looks like I haven't slept in days - so, concealer is a must for me!

I don't mind if a concealer isn't full coverage as long as it has a good consistency and finish. 

Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer has a thin consistency, creamy, yet watery - similar to MAC Moisturecover Concealer or Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. It has a doe-foot (slanted sponge) applicator and once dotted under the eyes, the product blends very nicely with the fingertips.

The coverage is a light-medium, and my darkness is still noticeable, even when layered. Applied over a medium coverage foundation, the results are better, or in conjunction with a corrector. The reviews for this concealer are very mixed. Some say there's not enough coverage, and others say it has a medium-full coverage. No matter how much I layered this concealer, it wasn't full coverage for me. 

I find that it works well on blemishes and spots, so I often reach for it for touch ups and any added concealing my face may need after I've applied my foundation - prior to my setting powder. 

By the end of the day, it will have faded a little bit, so a good helping of setting powder under the eyes is necessary to help keep it in place.

Overall, I'm not disappointed with this concealer - It's not bad, in fact, its one of the better drugstore concealers I've tried. But, it's just not enough coverage for me. I'll continue using this tube, and will not be re-purchasing.

PROS: I was able to find a good shade (Cream) for my skintone, the consistency is light, yet creamy, and it doesn't settle in my fine lines, it covers my blemishes and/or redness very well, isn't drying.
CONS: It does a mediocre job at covering my undereye darkness, isn't long lasting - fades throughout the day, there isn't a very large shade selection, so it may be difficult to some to find a shade match (particularly those with deep to dark skintones).
PACKAGING: I have no complaints with the packaging. It's compact and the applicator works well.
OVERALL: If you don't have severe dark circles and need minor concealing/brightening, this is a fantastic concealer to look into. For those that need a solid medium to full coverage, you may want to look elsewhere. This is a nice little concealer to pop in your bag and use for touch-ups.

Have you used this concealer? What'd you think of it? What's your favorite concealer - drugstore and high-end?

Wet n Wild Don't Blink Pink Mega Last Matte Lipstick Review!

Wet n Wild #966 Don't Blink Pink Mega Last Matte Lipstick

If you haven't tried a Wet n Wild Mega Last Matte Lipstick by now, you ought to put some shoes on and check out your local store. Even though these little lipsticks are on the "lower"end of what your local drugstore has to offer, I believe they are some of the best!

Alright, so the packaging maybe isn't the best, and sometimes the lipstick bullet isn't completely secure (definitely double check before you purchase it by turning it upside down), but the variety of shades and the formula is awesome and comparable to matte lipsticks from the high-end brands.

There are a few new shades that popped up in the line, well, four that I'm currently aware of. All of the shades are bright and vibrant for the upcoming season. 

The shades are as follows: #965 Cherry Picking, #966 Don't Blink Pink, #967 Dollhouse Pink and #970 Purty Persimmon. 

Although I'd love to own all four, I only picked up one for now, which is the lovely Don't Blink Pink.

Don't Blink Pink is an intense, bright berry pink. It reminded me of MAC Impassioned in the tube, but a more pink, less red version. 

It's such a pretty shade of pink, and I don't own anything like it! Even though I own several fuchsia lipsticks, none of them have a cool red undertone like this one. I've been searching for a shade like this for a while, and I'm so happy to have found it - especially for less than $2!

You can also wear a very sheer layer and add a light pink lipgloss over top, such as Revlon Crystal Lilac Colorburst Lipgloss and you'll end up with a very pretty fuschia/hot pink. 

Here it is on my lips..

The formula is wonderful, like all of the others in the Mega Last Lipstick line. They apply smooth and completely opaque with a couple of swipes and have great lasting power. Even though the finish is matte, it's not a dull matte, and doesn't dry out my lips. I would recommend though, applying a layer of lip balm prior to application of any matte lipstick to avoid any dryness.

I'm not a big fan of the look of matte lipsticks in general, so I always pair them with a gloss. This one in particular could just use a teeny bit of clear gloss. 

I absolutely love this shade, and highly recommend it for Spring & Summer!

Maybelline Bad to the Bronze & Tough as Taupe Color Tattoo Eyeshadows Review!

 Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Eyeshadows

Those that follow other beauty blogs, I'm sure you're all very familiar with these newly launched Maybelline cream eyeshadows. They've been flying off the shelves along with the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows, as soon as they hit stores at the start of 2012.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows are cream/gel fomula eyeshadows with intense pigment, that claim to hold up for 24 hours without creasing.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows are available in ten (10) shades: #10 Fierce and Tangy, #05 Too Cool, #15 Audacious Asphalt, #20 Painted Purple, #25 Bad to the Bronze, #30 Pomegranate Punk, #35 Tough as Taupe, #40 Tenacious Teal, #45 Bold Gold and #50 Edgy Emerald.

I only picked up two shades, Bad to the Bronze and Tough as Taupe, which are two very versatile, neutral shades.

Bad to the Bronze is a metallic chocolate brown-bronze with very fine shimmers. It doesn't lean orange or red, and is a fairly neutral shade.

Tough Taupe is a matte dove grey. It appears slightly lighter in the container, but when swatched, the color is a bit deeper. It's very much on the neutral-cool side.

#25 Bad to the Bronze & #35 Tough as Taupe

The consistency is very creamy and easy to use. I found Tough as Taupe to have a drier texture than Bad to the Bronze - therefore, Bad to the Bronze took less time to blend. I didn't have any trouble blending either shade. Both shades distributed well across my lids without drying too quickly or caking up. I was able to build additional layers for more intense color with no problems as well.

My favorite way of applying these is with a synthetic, flat brush - such as a brush that is specifically designed for concealer. I've been using my MAC #194 Concealer Brush or Sigma F70 Concealer Brush and it works perfectly. I've also used my finger tips to "pat" the color across my lids, and it works just as well. 

Swatches of both shades:

And, I also wanted to show what it looks like on the lids with no additional products.

I'm really impressed with these cream shadows and I'll probably pick up a couple more. The only other shades I'd be interested in are Bold Gold and Too Cool.

They are very reminiscent of MAC Paint Pots and work just as good as a base, under a powder eyeshadow. I've tried these with and without a base, and although they do last a full work day on the eyes, a base keeps the color from fading as much throughout the day.

They retail for about $6-7 and can be found at most of your local drugstores.

Victoria's Secret Hot Pink Dazzleshine Lipgloss Review, Photos and Swatches!

Victoria's Secret Hot Pink Beauty Rush Dazzleshine Lipgloss 

It's always hard to resist those tempting bins they have strategically placed near the cash register, so you can rack up your total while anxiously waiting in line. After talking myself out of unnecessary purchases and patting myself on the back for my awesome will-power, I always manage to sucker myself into something glittery I don't need, in those very bins. My recent trip to Victoria's Secret was no exception. 

I'm not sure how new these glosses are to the Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush line, but I believe they are one of their newest additions.

Victoria's Secret Dazzleshine Lipglosses are available in six (6) dazzling shades: Wine, Hot Pink, Cherry, Nude, Opal Shimmer and Pink Rose.

I chose Hot Pink because I thought it would pair well with some of my fuschia lip colors. It's basically a very sheer bright pink filled with bright pink/purple glitter flecks. The glitters are very fine, so you don't feel the grit on your lips. 

They retail for $7 each, or you can purchase 2/$12 ($6 each) or 4/$20 ($5 each).

I actually expected them to be squeeze tubes by the looks of it, but they actually have a doe-foot lipgloss wand. That can be a good, or bad thing depending on your preference. For a cream formula gloss, I like a doe-foot. But, for a clear, glittery gloss, I prefer a brush applicator - kind of like MAC Dazzleglasses. They seem to apply a little more product to the lips.

They all have different scents, ranging from citrus to "dazzling daiquiri". Hot Pink has the dazzling daiquiri scent - It smells like a sweet rum, but faints once on the lips. I'm not big on scented glosses, and kinda wished it would be scent-free, but I guess we can't win them all, right?

 

The lipgloss itself is really nice. It's not sticky, too thick, gritty or too runny. It feels really good on the lips.

It's sheer, but buildable if you want more of an opaque coverage. Although it doesn't get very opaque, but the color will intensify when applied heavier.

I just really don't like the rum scent - yuck.

But, not bad for $6. On the plus side, I really like the packaging! :)

Have you tried these?

75% OFF Select Milani Cosmetics at your local CVS!

As a beauty blogger, I pretty much have a weekly routine of checking out my local drugstore makeup aisles, taking note of all of the new sales and product displays. My drugstore of "choice" is CVS Pharmacy, as most of the time, I fine a little gem in the rough, ticketed to a price too good to pass up.

Sometimes there aren't any good sales going on, but I always make sure to quickly scan each brand section, looking for a little neon orange sticker. That wonderful little sticker means that the item is a whopping 75% off. 

So you can imagine my excitement last night when several items on the Milani Cosmetics Display had orange labels on them! In my opinion, Milani is an awesome brand. You don't hear too much about the brand because they don't do much advertising, are hard-to-find, a little pricey, and they rarely ever go on sale! 

Not everything is on clearance, but there is a good number of bronzers, blushes, nail polishes, nail art pens, eye liners, lipsticks, etc, that are all a part of the amazing deal. 

*Note, if you go to your local CVS and don't see labels on the Milani cosmetics, make sure to take some (select) items to the price-checker, as they should scan the clearance price.

Onto the goodies I purchased!

Milani Minerals Blush is a talc-free pressed mineral powder blush. It's lightweight, pigmented and has a smooth finish. It's available in 4 shades: Sunset Beach, Mai-Tai, Luminous and Sweet Rose. I purchased 3 of the four shades, and have yet to test them out on my face, but I'm excited to try them! I've known for a while that Luminous is a dupe for Nars' popular Orgasm Blush. They do appear quite similar.

Heavy Swatches of the three shades:

Milani Minerals Compact Makeup is a talc-free, pressed mineral powder with a sheer to medium coverage that builds wonderfully. Granted, I've only tested it twice so far, it seems to be a very nice powder. It also has pretty good reviews! It's available in 8 shades, and I picked the shade Nude Buff, which I believe is the lightest shade.

Milani Body Bronzer is a cream bronzer that adds a bronze shimmer and glow to your body. I find it a little heavy, but mixed with a lotion, it gives a nice golden sheen to the skin.

Milani Color Perfect Lipstick are creamy, pigmented and opaque coverage lipsticks in a variety of finishes. The formula is great, but I wish there was a better variety of colors to choose from! Some shades have large, gritty glitter, while some have a lustrous, cream finish. There weren't many shades that interested me, but I chose Mandarina, a bright orange, reminiscent of MAC Neon Orange & Morange Lipsticks. Berry Rich is a bright, cool-toned raspberry shade with rosy undertones.

Swatches:

Milani Nail Lacquer is available in a wide variety of shades. Although the shade selection is very limited at select CVS stores, they do have a pretty good selection of trendy shades. I only picked up two colors for the upcoming Spring & Summer, Pink Pop and La Vie En Rose.

Would you believe I only paid $13 for all of this!? The total was actually about $20 after taxes, but I had a couple CVS coupons & extra cash from my previous trip at CVS. The 75% sale gave me a total savings of $51.15 (before tax)!!! Totally awesome.

Definitely check your local CVS for this great deal!

A little laugh for your day..

I thought this video was hilarious, so, I had to pass it on.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Jewelmint Metal Mosaic Ring Review!

Jewelmint Metal Mosaic Ring

Hey Everyone, quick Jewelmint post today - I purchased another ring that I've had my eyes on for a while. It's one of their older pieces that has been around since I joined a few months ago. It's the 'Metal Mosaic Ring'.

I decided to finally get it after realizing how well it would coordiante with my most recent Madison Avenue Ring. I do of course have other silver rings, but I'm a big fan of the quality of Jewelmint's rings. I have three, and they are all very sturdy, heavy, comfortable and haven't tarnished/discolored in any way.

The Metal Mosaic Ring is available in one color, silver, which is oxidized to give off an antique/grungy look. It's made up of a cluster of different sized squares that are all connected. It's a really unique and "different" ring. It really looks like a small piece of art on your finger.

Kate Bothworth says,

"This ring is the type of piece that will carry over so well from running around in the day to enjoying a night on the town. It's one of my favorite rings we've done so far. Channel Alexander Wang - a little tough, urban and very cool. "

Jewelmint Metal Mosaic Ring

Jewelmint Metal Mosaic Ring

It does in fact, coordinate very well with the Madison Avenue Ring. I've had this ring for a week, and I always wear them together.

**I apologize for this awful picture of my incredibly dry hands. This has been the toughest winter by far on my hands.

As far as the sizing goes, I ordered a size 6, and it fits true to size to slightly large. My left ring finger is always a size 6, but my right ring finger is closer to a 6.5, and it fits both fingers comfortably.

Overall, I'm very happy with my ring. I do like the Madison Avenue Ring better if I had to choose, but I think the Metal Mosaic is a really fun item and I'm happy to own it.

(Image Credit: StyleSpotting)

For new customers, there's a 50% off code handy, which will make your first piece $14.99, with free shipping. The code is "PRETTY" and it is valid until 1/31/2012.