TheBalm Review

Top to bottom, flash and then no flash: Cindy-Lou, Mary-Lou, and Toile.

I recently scored some sweet deals for TheBalm because Nordstrom Rack's online app thing had a flash sale, and they finally all came to me on Tuesday. I'm not sure why, but they shipped my three purchases separately? And so I got the Cindy-Lou Manizer first, and then yesterday swooped the Mary-Lou Manizer and the ever beautiful Instain blush in "toile." 

here ! 

I'm absolutely mad about this blush color, I purchased it because I had a dream about strawberries, and when I woke up to a text from my darling fellow blogtress and makeup artist extroadanaire Amanda Storey saying to check out the sale, the description of the color was "strawberry," and so obviously I had to have it. 

Cindy-Lou looks a lil weird on me, as I'm so damn pale, she is a rich pinky gold, similar to Benefit's Rockateur. And I think that generally looks better on people who have a bit of color. 

Mary-Lou on the other hand is perfect. A yellow-gold highlight that is just soft enough to make you feel all delicious and warm inside. It is as if you are just so damn brilliant that you are glowing from the inside out.

All three have a very creamy kinda texture, so no chalky weirdness. 

I will definitely be needing more blushes soon ! 

I have Mary Lou and toile on here ! 

Mini Makeup of the Day post

So last night was my first go at a flower crown and I think I actually did pretty well ! I may be selling these dudes so keep an eye out!

So for makeup today I did my usual things, and added some new guys! 

I just got one of three of my purchases the theBalm in the mail, the Mary Lou-manizer. She is a rose gold highlighter/illumninator baby and is different from most highlighters I'm used to as she gives me a bit of color. 

I also have a different shadow primer on as I ran out of painterly, which I basically just use every day to kill my eyelid discoloration. So I've been wearing MAC's "let's skate" in it's stead. Pretty and sparkly and I'm told they made this guy apart of the permanent collection, which is delightful. 

Am trying out the covergirl beyond gorgeous concealer, and it's alright. Nothing to write home about. Not life changing, bla bla. 

And finally.. Today I'm wearing my Russian Red by MAC, which really is always my favorite red. No matter where I stray, I always come back. Probably the Russian gypsy in me. 

So this is just a tiny update as I am still working on transcribing my interview with the wonderful Amanda Storey. I also have a couple posts on back order(if you will,) that I need to edit on a proper computer before I post.

All the X's and O's,

Sarah 

Lip/cheek Round 3! Julie Hewett

If you weren't already aware, I own a massive amount of makeup. Especially lip products, and cheek products, and every now and then I buy a special lady that goes both ways. *wink* This product by Julie Hewett, the "cheekie" cheek and lipshine in the color "Bette" is a delightful wonder. I first spied it on one of my favorite bloggers that I have been following since the days of livejournal, Keiko Lynn.  This color is sortof a dusty rose with a bit of a shimmer. Not overwhelming shimmery but just enough to give it some depth !

Other things on my face:

Benefit Cosmetics "they're real push up liner."

Anastasia "brow wiz" in ash blonde.

Too Faced "candlelight glow" highlighter. 

Tarte amazonian clay 12-hour concealer in the lightest color 

Maybelline waterproof cat eyes "colossal volum' express" with Rimmel "scandeleyes" layered on top.

Bésame soufflé foundation in "bisque"


Coming soon will be my review/post about about the Bésame cream rouge..

Bésame Cosmetics Wish List

Brightening violet compact

When I discovered the existence of the pressed powder I was super bummed out that I bought the loose powder, as it is known that I am terrible at using things that are loose powder. Also look how damn cute that compact is !

Black Cake Mascara

This I need solely to feed my curiosity. I had to watch a youtube video on exactly how this works, but it really looks like something I could fall in love with. There's something just so novel about being able to go through the very same makeup movements that some of my favorite silver screen sirens had perfected.



American Beauty Lipstick

So it is true that I need another red lipstick like I need a hole in the head, but then again.... you can never have enough red lipsticks.


Portrait Pink Lipstick

I think the first time I saw this lipstick was on instagram on @iddavanmunster, who is easily one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.



Apricot Cream Rouge

Oddly, I wasn't able to properly locate the apricot cream rouge on the website, so please forgive my instagram shot. So I obviously need this product, as I so desperately love the classic cream rouge that they make. Also, it perfectly ties in with my cheek and lip jam(get it? Jam! Apricot!!) that I have going on.

Lip/Cheek Round 2, Jouer Cosmetics

Today's makeup !!

Tarte concealer on assorted blemishes and under eyes.

My coworker Belle's Pixie color corrector under my eyes. 

Bésame lavender loose powder. 

Jouer "peony" on my lips and cheeks.

Nars "Copacabana" high light.

My usual mascara and brow routine (see yesterday's post)

Benefit Cosmetics They're Real eyeliner; today I wore it without primer underneath to test it's longevity. 

So I thought I would do a few days of showcasing my lip/cheek products ! 

This Jouer product is really a treasure. It's texture is like nothing I have ever experienced. It's application reminds me of playing with my mom's watercolors as a child. It's a touch drying on the lips, which I find common amongst cheek/lip combos like this, so I used the new Posietint Lipbalm by Benefit to keep it fresh throughout the day. 

A makeup of the day post !

Today I have on....

Becca beach tint in "dragonfruit" on my lips and cheeks. 

Nars highlight in "Copacabana."

The random Marilyn Monroe powder from MAC that I forgot I owned.

Bésame soufflé foundation in "bisque"

Benefit Cosmetics they're real liner

Maybelline waterproof cat eyes "colossal volum' express" with Rimmel "scandeleyes" layered on top.

Anastasia brow wiz in "ash blonde," outlined with MAC studio finish NW15 concealer.

And set with my new favorite discovery for my incredibly dry skin: NYX Dewey finish setting spray ! 

My love for Becca products grows with each product I pick up. These beach tints are marvelous and a little really goes a long way. I went in to Sephora to get samples of the highlighters "moonstone" or "pearl," but after being forced into two different awkward conversations with workers, I ended up not realizing that the cashier hadn't put my samples in the bag and gave me some other weird samps instead. LIFE IS HARD. 

Anyway, I mentioned earlier a magic thing I just discovered with the NYX Dewey finish setting spray. Sooooo I don't know if this spray makes me makeup long lasting, but it DOES make me extra dry skin not be flakey and creepy. Despite how much I moisturize there is still a struggle of foundation getting flakey around my chin, but with this guy my skin looks damn good. 

Oh and this extremely fashionable crocheted headbandy thing? I made it. I am grandmas.

Looking good is the Best Revenge

So, in three years I've only had one real complaint, other than recently when I told someone to please use a tester mascara wand next time she wants to try the mascara....

Mascara girl got PISSED and even though I had my Benefit sweet as pie voice on and said it was "not a big deal" at least three times, she was still furious for some reason and said "WELL IF IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL, THEN WHY IS IT A BIG DEAL???" "....it's for your health and safety and the health and safety of others..." So that was weird and she asked me to write down my first and last name and I was like "CERTAINLY!" Still in my sweet as pie voice, but I digress...

So my actual complaint was from this one woman and her posse of other women. To make things short and sweet, I did a meh job on a woman who wanted things that our makeup really can't do. 

So the next day the woman in charge of the aforementioned posse came in, said lots of mean things about me, including but not limited to "she should not be allowed to touch a humans face," AND left a mean note just to sorta top it off. 

So! This woman made another appointment for another posse of women to get their makeup done and requested NOT ME, but of course I had to be there. So I went out of my way to look stunning and be sweet as pie sickeningly nice to her.

All in all it wasn't very eventful, I didn't get into any fistfights with clients, but looking good is definitely the best revenge!