The Perfect First Date Makeup

So the hard part is over: you've met someone you fancy. Who knows how, maybe it was fate, maybe it was tinder, but what you do know is tonight's the night you will have your first real date with this dreamiest of dreamies. You're completely ready, you went for a jog this morning you moisturized last night, your girlfriend is going to call you fifteen minutes in to make sure you have an out if you need one, a you've just spent the last three hours gliding through the aisles of Sephora picking out the perfect makeup that will make you feel confident, flawless, and like your very best self.

Let's begin with the eyes, because that's where you decided to splurge. You picked out Burberry’s Rose Pink No. 10 eyeshadow palette; the texture like butter and the color payoff is fantastic. You can create a soft smokey eye effortlessly because the colors blend so well. To finish off the eyes you create a fierce cat eye with Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner which is the darkest of all the black eyeliners and you top it off with her Immortal Lash Mascara for a look that will last well into the night. And for the most important element of your face, your brows! You have chosen wisely to try out the new Anastasia Brow Definer, and your brows have never been fleekier ! 

Now for a flawless face, you must start with a flawless base. Benefit’s newest product, the Porefessional Matte Rescue, this will keep your foundation perfect and shine free all night. But to balance the matte primer, we must choose a hydrating foundation, Hourglass Illusion hyaluronic skin tint buffed all over with a beauty blender sponge will lock in the moisture and keep you skin from cracking away like a dying Lord Voldemort. To highlight your cheekbones, you've chosen the holy grail of highlighters, Champagne Pop by Becca Cosmetics. 

For a little extra glamour, you put the highlighter on your temple, Cupid's bow, and the tip of your nose in addition to your cheekbones. You'll be a vision in every room you walk in. And for something that will last all night you dab on a little of Becca’s beach tint in “watermelon” on the apples of your cheeks to enhance your natural flush, as if you've got a joke on the tip of your tongue all night long. 

As a final touch, you paint your lips with Becca’s Beach Tint Lip Shimmer Soufflé in watermelon to match your blushing cheeks, to give you the perfect kissable pout.

Gifts that Pair Perfectly with your Zodiac Sign

Astrology has been around for hundreds of years, it is commonly thought of as a search for human meaning in the sky. It has had its hands in everything from historical events to attempts at divine communications. It's truly a special contribution to society and has gained a more mainstream popularity due to horoscopes being readily available at the click of a button. Here's my favorite astrology button click http://astrostyle.com/daily-horoscopes/

If you haven't yet been introduced to the wide world of astrology, you're sincerely missing out. Everything will come together when you know why your best friend born in November is so feisty, and how your boyfriend born in July can sometimes get a little introverted. Or even why your other, most awesome friend born in October is so damn charming. 

This gift guide will both treat you to a little secret knowledge about each of your friends as well as provide a secure gift giving tool if you're having trouble finding a gift mystical enough for that extra special magical creature in your life. 

Capricorn: 

As the mountain goat, Capricorns are always aiming to reach the top of their mountain, especially in regards to their career. They're big readers so any book on their chosen path will be adored. Also any related piece of technology that would help with their career will be loved. An Applewatch would be all your Capricorn friend can talk about this holiday season, or if you haven’t the funds, a great blazer or pair of shoes that can make them ooze confidence at work would be perfect.

Aquarius:

Aquarius is the proud weirdo of the zodiac. They're different and want everyone to know about it ! They often dress in a way that calls to mind a different time, and are attracted to an era long past - for your Aquarius friend, a unique vintage garment or piece of jewelry, or even a strange vintage trinket for their home would make their day. Try this fancy cape from Urban Outfitters Urban Renewal

Pisces:

Pisces are your friendly, sensitive friends, and while they are often a bit flighty and absent-minded, this is a friend that won't use the planner or watch you get them to help them stay more organized - even if it would really help them. They'd be more interested in an experience. Take this friend to a concert, out to dinner, or for a facial and they'll feel so valued and appreciated.

Aries:

Aries is ruled by Mars, the god of war. These smart and strategic friends are always full steam ahead about something, and it's usually not related to work. For them, a job is what allows them to pursue what they really want to do. Get them a gift related to whatever that is for them. Maybe it's yoga, and you can get them a meditation shawl, or music, and you can get them tickets to see one of their fav artists, or photography, and you can get them an attachable lens for their iPhone. Pay attention to what they spend all their leisure time doing, and hone in on that.

Taurus:

Taurus are hard workers, but they're here to create beauty in the world, so indulge that side of them to make them the happiest. Even the cheapest things look expensive on your Taurus friend. This graceful bull goddess would love some lipstick from the newest, hottest line, or a piece of fancy looking jewelry - even if it's super inexpensive. Everything has to be just right for the Taurus woman, so unless you know their sizing and how they like things to fit to a T, stay away from picking out clothes for them. This vintage inspired lipstick by Besame Cosmetics comes in its very own velvet pouch!

Gemini:

Gemini are super energetic, quick-witted, and fast moving. They're usually creative - singers, musicians, artists - give them gifts they can use in their creative endeavors. Paint or makeup brushes could be a great idea. Because they're so creative and full of ideas, this is one sign in which a gift card to Amazon or Sephora would actually be a thoughtful and appreciated gift - they're probably 10 steps ahead of you and already know exactly what you want, and a gift card can be what allows them to get it.

Cancer: 

A Cancer is the most sensitive, sentimental, introverted sign of the zodiac. This person most appreciates a gift from the heart. A scarf you knitted or a painting you made, or even a piece of jewelry you made will be something they treasure forever. Even a gift you buy that reminds you of them/an experience you shared together will be a hit. The birthstones for a Cancer are Ruby and Moonstone, so perhaps if you’re not the most talented gift maker, you could also tie a bit of your knowledge of them into the gift.  This moonstone necklace from the Robin Woodard Etsy shop is everything 

Leo:

Your Leo friend loves to be the center of attention, and as a result their fashion choices are always interesting. Don't be afraid to get a purse, article of clothing or piece of jewelry that would be too "loud" for most people for your Leo friend. Even an eyeshadow palette with wild and vibrant colors would be well-loved by your Leo friend. The “Burning Heart Palette” by Sugarpill Cosmetics should do the trick

Virgo:

Out of the whole zodiac, Virgos are most impressed by success and status symbols. Since most of us can't afford to buy our Virgo friends a Cartier love bracelet, get them something they can luxuriate in: take them out to a nice dinner, get them a massage or a facial, or even get them some nice bath bombs or bubble bath so they can have their own spa day at home. Pop! From Lush Cosmetics will turn their tides!

Libra:

Libra are the the social butterflies of the zodiac. They pay a lot of attention to how they are received by others, so they especially appreciate gifts they can show the world and have a great story about. Unique jewelry or an article of clothing in their style is always a hit, and they'll love to tell people the story of you giving it to them when they receive compliments on it. When they're not out being social butterflies, they're probably cuddled up at home - gifts like fuzzy blankets and warm slippers or PJs will also be well-loved by your Libra friend.  These are the cat’s pajamas

Scorpio:

Scorpios are the dark, mysterious, occult-lovers of the zodiac. Anything magical or mystical would be well-loved by your scorpio friend - books about witches, astrology, mythology, etc., crystal jewelry or crystals in general, things in that realm will appeal to your Scorpio friend. Llewellyn's 2016 Witches' Datebook will keep your Scorpio friend on track with her spells for the whole year ! 

Sagittarius: Sagittarius is the biggest free spirit of the zodiac. For them, life is a buffet and they want to sample everything. Work is just a means to pursue their passions, so don't get them anything too work related or serious. They're passionate about travel, or whatever it is they use to expand themselves - maybe playing an instrument, painting, etc. They love consuming information, so books about exotic places they could potentially visit one day will appeal to your Sagittarius friend, or unique items from other parts of the world they can use to decorate their homes will always be well loved. Pay attention to what they dream of, and feed that. Perhaps a pair of sunglasses to go with a book on travel as they plan their trip to Italy?

Skincare Routine, featuring Sunday Riley Luna oil

 Which As the world knows, I love skin care. Sometimes I dare to say I love it more than makeup. It's often hard for me to choose. Putting all the lotions and potions of my face at night feels both glamorous and feminine; things I like to try to portray myself as at all times. I have dabbled and touched and smelled probably every product on the market for every different type of skincare and have wittled my routine down to just the essentials... 

Step one, cleanse: lately I've been in love with cleansing balms. Currently I've been using Emma Hardie amazing face moringa cleansing balm, but I'm also partial to Clinque's take the day off. 

Step two, exfoliate: as I've mentioned before I'm a lover of Dr. Gross and praise for this brand as my skin savior. Naturally I've been using their Alpha Beta Peel  which I've fallen in love with as well. 

Step three, treat: after that,  I use my trusty  Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution and then to keep my pores from getting clogged I throw on some 

overnight clearing gel by Dermalogica

Last step: after all that, lather myself with the magical blue oil that is Luna Sleeping Night Oil by Sunday Riley. Now this product is really something special. It is one of the only products I have put on my face and noticed a difference in my skin the next morning. It really gives you a flow from the inside out, evens out my skin tone and even seems to tighten my face up and minimize the appearance of my pores. It's well worth the price tag. And it is also made with a bit of a different type of retinol that is more gentle on the skin than others. I will be buying this product forever and then telling my future grandchildren about it when they ask for bedtime stories. 

And that is what has been keeping my skin in check ! 

Sephora Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Color

So a while back I was obsessed with cream lipstains. To the point where I had a week of lipstain reviews. At this point in my life, I just want to rub my lips together, and as such I feel that my lipstain days are in the past. That being said the Jeffree Starr cream lipstains are now the best I've come across. So to my surprise, Sephora launched this lustre lip creams and they turned out to be everything I want in a lip: long wearing, brilliant color payoff, comfortable. And most importantly I could rub my lips together. I started with the color "fig" and have since bought two more. I am in love! 

Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution

Once upon a time (two years ago) I developed adult cystic acne. It was awful and rude and I cried every night and didn't know what to do besides pile on the foundations(yes, plural.) When it finally started to get better, I was left with awful acne scars around my chin and overall t-zone area. I spent weeks searching Google trying to find a product that would get rid of my scars and help keep the acne away. I finally came across my miracle product: Dr. Gross's Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution. This magical product comes in a tincture-like tube and you place a few droplets onto the included pads and rub the solution onto your face. After three days of using it my skin had already improved immensely. Before I was embarrassed to be seen with my pink polka dotted scarred skin, and after two weeks I felt okay to go outside without a mask or foundation on. It has saved me. I still use it to this day, and anytime anyone has a problem with scars, I immediately recommend this product. Viva la Dr. Gross ! 

The Internet is for Buying (all the) Things!

So I've developed a bit of an addiction to internet shopping, and I'm comfortable with that. My Gypsy Warrior obsession started with a collaboration between them and one of my favorite artists that I follow on Instagram, Deerjerk. She makes the most incredible wood carvings that I have ever seen. Not that I've seen lots of art in this medium, but that's what makes her work that much more brilliant. So after I scooped up a "potions" crop top and a "kiss of doom" muscle tee during one of gypsy warriors sales, I thought.. What else?

Other websites to check out would be Nastygal, Modcloth, Black Salt, Tobi, Gilt, Blackmilk, Wheels and Dollbaby, and if we added makeup to this list it would be never ending! But the aforementioned are one of the following: special, not found in America, awesomely fast shippers. 

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! 

Deathiversary !

So two years ago, I got into a pretty bad car accident in which I didn't die but probably should have. I wasn't injured AT ALL (aside from the bruises I had on my arm because the ambulance failed five times at attempting to give me an IV, and some cuts on my scalp from glass) and it was a really really strange thing to experience. So this year and last I have been referring to May 17th as the anniversary of my death. (My mom calls it my "second birthday" and sent me earrings, my mom is easily the best mom.)

Last year I made my twin drive me around and I got some more moths tattooed on me by Erik Jacobsen at Idle Hand. This year I drove myself to some random woods in Marin, and then my best friend Brian, who was the one who picked me up from the ER and had whiskey, took me to this beautifully Peruvian food restaurant. Delicious and magical.

And on Saturday I am going back to Jacobsen at Idle Hand and am getting a sunflower, which I was inspired to get for a number of reasons but top of the list being my favorite artist, Van Gogh, and his creepy and sad and wonderful sunflowers.

 

This post slightly lacks beauty, but I am currently obsessing over the Wet n' Wild Megalast lipsticks !

Also on the topic of beauty, I just ordered Poppy King's book Lessons of a Lipstick Queen and can't wait to read and report back !

Sephora Cream Lipstain Revisited !

I have a massive post on how much I love the Sephora cream lipstain so I will keep this one short and sweet!

Easily, of the stains I tried this past week, my favorite. Lime Crime comes in a close second, but Sephora wins ! 

Why, you ask? Because it goes on smooth like liquid lipstick does, and stays on forever without any stickiness, only very soft and velvety delicious texture. 

The only drawbacks are: it's tricky to apply, one needs a fairly steady hand and the applicator isn't too forgiving. And you can't really touch it up without it getting slightly crumbly. However, given that it never ever comes off, you don't really ever need to reapply. 

This post is also brought to you by my Tinkerbell hair ! 

Limecrime Pink Velvet Review

This was going to be my final cream lipstain review and then I was going to dedicate a post to the cream lipstains I do not own but desperately want to try. But I may just do another post about the Sephora cream lipstain, just so that I can properly compare it to the Lime Crime, which I wore today !

So, Lime Crime I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with. There's a touch of a controversy surrounding the company's founder and after reading into it, I was kinda put off. I'm not going to go into detail about all of that, because this post is based on the lipstain !

So! Pink Velvet is pretty damn awesome. It goes on smooth like creamy lipglossy goodness, and dries soft. It lasts for most of the day, with the center fading only when I had lunch. And it just feels so light and delightful, as if I'm not wearing anything. The center does get a bit crumbly at the end of the day. But otherwise awesome ! The color is also magically bright. And I can't remember if I had said this before in my post about Lime Crime, but the reason I finally bought Pink Velvet after resisting the Velvetines for so long is that I had a dream about it before it existed. Gypsy third eye and all that.

This last picture is after four hours of wear and eating lunch, not too shabby !

Hourglass Cosmetics Cream Lipstain

Although I only bleached and toned my hair this weekend rather than picking a color, I wanted to continue with my cream lipstain reviews !

So next on the list is Hourglass Cosmetics. I talk a little bit more about it in this post, but I also wanted to give it a closer look...

I purchased the color "canvas" after watching a youtube video from one of my favorite youtubers, Cami of CamilovesKiwi. It's the perfect shade of pale pink, and it really does last all day. It isn't too drying, it does stay a touch sticky rather than soft like the NYX stain, but I'm comfortable with that. The wear on this product is amazing, in addition to the fact that it basically doesn't budge. These pictures I took were after six hours of wear and jussssst a touch of crying. Also this was my first attempt at milk maid braids since I've had hair(that wasn't reallllly short, that is,) not so bad. The highlight I have on my cheeks is Watts Up by Benefit Cosmetics. 

Dying my HAIRZZZZ

Sorry about the interruption of the week of cream lipstains, I am currently dying my hair one of the following colors and it requires all of my attention... We will return to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow ! 

NYX soft matte lip cream

After a thirty+ minute search of my apartment for the NYX cream lipstain that was on the schedule for today, I realized a few things. 1. I desperately need to organize things, and 2. I have more makeup than most of the world.

Finally after tearing everything apart I was able to locate the baby, NYX soft matte lip cream in Monte Carlo. Also amongst the rubble I rediscovered my Lush Cosmetics Bubblegum lip scrub and my Caudalíe lip conditioner, so I thought, "hey, how about we put these dudes to use!" (Yes, I sometimes refer to my lip products as "dudes") 

So I casually lip scrubbed and licked off the excess bubblegum sugary deliciousness and coated my lips in the lip conditioner. I then proceeded to do the rest of my makeup routine, which today included some other lost and now found items: Inglot's bright blue mascara, and Makeup Forever's white eyeliner. 

After all that jazz, I removed the excess lip conditioner (really actually just fancy lip balm TBH, but I do so love a good lip balm) and applied Monte Carlo... 

So what I remembered about when I first bought it is that it seemed a touch like the product had dried out a bit. That was still the case, but despite my hesitation I went for it, because I am devoted to the cause !!!

AND! I'm really happy I did. This product is truly everything the name says. It is very soft, definitely matte, and a lip cream. It stays put and doesn't bleed, unlike the Giorgios of yesterday, and fades pretty damn evenly. Even after I ate my bagel with egg and cheese it just sortof casually slipped off, leaving behind a pretty little stain. Not bad for six whole dollars, aye? Especially versus the thirty three dollars the Armani lip maestro will put you out of ! 

Two thumbs up for this dude, and I may have to reintroduce him into my rotation.

Up tomorrow… Hourglass !

Five Days of Lipstains Reviews: Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro

The cream lip stains I own are:

- Sephora brand

- Armani 

- NYX

- Hourglass

- Limecrime 

What I haven't tried that I want to:

- Pretty Zombie Cosmetics 

- BMB Cosmetics



I already devoted a whole post to the Sephora cream lipstain that I love, which I will link here ! So let's move on to the Armani "Lip Maestro" ....

So, to be quite honest, I LOVED this product so very hard when I first bought it, the texture is everything you could hope for when it comes to these long wearing products: velvety, soft, not sticky. It lasts for ages, and the color was damn good. However, at some point I noticed it got fairly bleedy. Which is something I can't really deal with. So I slightly retired it, tossing it in amongst my other millions of red lipticks in favor of something else.




I recently revisited it after my twin telling me that she lost hers. Now.. the color seems a little different from what I remember, a little more orange than red. And it still bleeds. But it is fairly long wearing and so velvety soft! However, it's definitely NOT my favorite. I found that I liked wearing it underneath other lipsticks to give the lipsticks that I liked better a longer wear.. IDK! Oh, and the apron I am wearing in this photo, (that would be the pink bow-tie, white collar, blue ruffles action) is what the lovely Sutter Store ladies and myself will be wearing for the rest of this month, courtesy of whoever won the last project runway: under the gunn !

I would recommend, to avoid the bleedy, to use a long wearing lip liner. I used Urban Decay's 24/7 glide on lip pencil in the color "69"
and was careful to only put the lip maestro right UP to the liner and not over it!

…..And I also scored some sweet rings that match my tattoo today ! Win !

Up

Tomorrow, assuming I can find it: NYX