stephmodo: Makeover

Makeover

• 31 January 2012



Hello, hello!  I am sorry I've been missing for a couple of days; I realize that isn't like me.   They've been rough ones, but I'm back to my usual daily posting and have so many things to share with you this month!  In fact, I made a very long list...

First off, I want to follow up with you about this makeup post from almost 2 years ago (where has the time gone?).  Since then I've given my makeup bag a makeover, based on some of your recommendations...so thank you!  There were so many comments made and I wonder if any of you made over your makeup bags too.

I kept the Neutrogena Tinted Facial Lotion (a great alternative to foundation and more affordable than the well-reviewed Laura Mercier version), Labello lip balm, MAC powder and the concealer (links all below).  I added a new Bobbi Brown color for lipstick, a new eyeshadow palette (I had the old one for a dangerously long time), and a different mascara.  All in all it's a good mix of drugstore and department store finds, which I believe is the ideal balance; some things you just have to try on before buying and somethings you don't!  Also, I recently started wearing a little blush a few times a week as it's nice to have a little color, particularly in the dead of winter.  I'm still learning how to apply it correctly so if you see me and I look a little uneven, you'll know why :)

What is in your makeup bag right now?  Is there anything new you've discovered?  What about the perfect red lipstick?  I saw a lot of that at ALT, but am not sure I can get away with it myself.  Help!

p.s. I did look into the NARS blush in "orgasm" per your recommendation, but didn't feel like it was quite the right color for me.  Oh and I blushed when I asked the saleswoman about it too...isn't that funny?  I guess we have to laugh at ourselves sometimes, right?!

Labello Lip Balm / Bobbi Brown Blush in Tawny  /  Bobbi Brown Creamy Lipcolor in Brown  /  Neutrogena Facial Lotion - Light Tint  / CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara  /  MAC Pressed Powder  /  Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow Palette  /  MAC Studio Finish Concealer 

20 comments:

  1. Love seeing your picks, I just wish we could see your pretty face. :-) I hope your days are getting a little lighter! xo

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  2. I love, love L'Oreal's Voluminous mascara in carbon black. Once in a while I get suckered into trying something else but always end up going back to my Voluminous. It's been my hands down favorite for 8 years running, even when compared to department store mascaras.

    Also, after doing a little digging, I discovered Beiersdorf, the company that makes Labello, also makes the Nivea brand balm that's now sold in America. I haven't seen the entire collection anywhere but most drug stores carry at least a few kinds. I was happily surprised to discover I could get it without make a trip to France. Not that I don't want to go to France but it would be a rather expensive trip just for chapstick. :)

    I've been considering a tinted moisturizer lately. I was looking at Laura Mercier's just the other day and giving it some thought but maybe I'll try the Neutrogena version first. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  3. Jora, I'd love to know your picks too :) And thanks for the note! Hoping days will get lighter, yes.

    HairyShoeFairy, I'm glad you got to the bottom of the LaBello issue :) I know you're a big fan too! I will keep your recs in mind the next time I'm in the cosmetics aisle. Your mascara rec is intriguing. I think I'm going to try it.

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  4. i echo the "l'oreal voluminous"!
    recently i was gifted the bobbi brown foundation powder
    http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bobbi-brown-illuminating-finish-powder-compact-foundation/3126587?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=3831.
    LOVE it.

    for a lip color, i love the juicy apple lipgloss from clinique:
    http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/clinique-long-last-glosswear-spf-15/2981049?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=450

    and always the nars blush in orgasm :)

    just the basics.

    hope you're well. sad i missed you at beth's last week! too early on both ends!
    xoxo

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  5. I always love seeing the inside of make-up bags.

    The Neutrogena tinted moisturizer was definitely a fave of mine, until my skin got so dry that it started getting scaly and scabby. =\ Santa Ana winds in CA were just killing it. I've since switched to Origins.

    Also, a fun tip if you're experimenting and want to keep costs low: I buy little gift sets from Clinique, or BareEscentuals, etc. It lets me change things up without splurging like crazy!

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  6. Looks like you have great picks. I love Bobbi Brown. I think her creamy concealer and shimmer bricks are awesome. I also love Smashbox Photo Finish for a primer.

    I also want to try red lipstick, but I think I need to start wearing some (rather than none) before I move to the bold red!

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  8. Whatever you were dealing with I'm glad it has passed.

    I love MAC products, I just go through powder so fast. I am currently using some cheap maybeline powder but don't really care for it. When I'm done with it I'm going to try to find a better solution. I also love inexpensive eye makeup and mascara.

    Red lipstick looks awful on me. I can't do that ruby red because of my skin shade, but I can do a lot of pinks and deeper reds. I'm so glad that lipstick has come back into fashion because I think it makes a woman look stunning- no matter her age or what she's wearing.

    Thanks for showing your makeup choices. I think you are beautiful.

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  9. What timing! I was just thinking this morning that it's time to refresh some of my makeup habits. I was thinking of trying some BB eye shadow colors and these look gorgeous.

    I've been using Revlon foundation simply to save some cash and it's been great.

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  10. Hi Stephanie,
    I'm sorry to hear you're going through difficult days. I think that usually calls for delicious French pastries. You are in my thoughts.
    As for my make-up bag. I'm a big fan of mixing dept. store and drug store goodies. I've tried almost every Maybeline mascara and they all seem to work better for me than any of their higher-end dept. store equivalents. I've also been using the "Skin Deep" cosmetic database to make sure my foundation is healthier so I've been using the brand Zuzu that you can find at Whole Foods and it does the trick. The "Skin Deep" database is quite compelling. I just haven't found a mascara off of the database that I really loved.
    Mair

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  11. My makeup bag: 1 neutral MAC eyeshadow, 1 tri-color drugstore eyeshadow (that I use only for the dark grey), maybelline full-n-soft mascara, and a drugstore spot concealer. And I haven't even been using the concealer lately, because my skin is finally starting to look better (sucks being 30 and still having acne!). I've been washing my face with straight baking soda and using walgreen's brand benzoyl peroxide cream. My skin has never looked better. So there you have it--the most minimal makeup bag ever. :)

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  12. Bare Essentials for foundation, mineral veil, eye shadow and eyebrow powder. I really love Fresh lip products. They are fabulous for your lips and have beautiful natural color. I have been wearing the darker red shade all winter. It is so good. I don't wear traditional lipstick and glosses, are a little too glossy! Mascara is Clinique, natural and glossy. Laura Mercier for concealer. And finally, I do love the NARS blush you mentioned. I find it a perfect match for my skin. I can't bring myself to ask for it...I just keep looking! I am glad you are back. I hope all is better for you.

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  13. I just recently bought the "perfect red".
    NARS "Heat Wave"

    It's a lovely red with a bit of orange. It's bright and has taken a bit of getting used to but I am loving it. I will "freshen" it with a bit of gloss after eating and even muted, it's fabulous.

    Embrace the bright!

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  14. Thanks for sharing your faves and hope things brighten up soon! Want to second the EWG "Skin Deep" database recommendation. Jane Iredale products score well for the most part. I'm really liking her Liquid Minerals foundation thinned with a spritz of D20 Hydration Spray. For red lips, like Fresh Sugar Rose lip treatment - it's sheer enough for a color wimp like me!

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  15. Oops - I think it's Sugar Passion vs Sugar Rose :)

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  16. Oh my...so many great tips and ideas. I need to look into that database and a few more lip colors. Funny how NARS comes up again...will have to explore this line a little more the next time I have a gift card to Nordies :)

    I use this type of information as a "makeup" database so thank you for all the tips so far!

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  17. makeup is something I did not wear for many years, and then there was so many new products it became overwhelming. But after a bit of research I found some things I love, and some things I am still searching for. I'm sharing many things in this comment, but I know how frustrating it is to spend on a product only to find it suited for the trash can.

    for a basic moisturizer I love paula's choice skin balancing moisture gel. It is reasonably priced and goes on smoothly without a greasy feel. Sometimes I mix a bit of this with foundation (on an applicator sponge) to create my own tinted moisturizer.

    for reducing shine I use paula's choice skin balancing daily mattifying lotion. I put this over the moisturizer and no shine at the end of the day! Plus it has SPF, so that's covered too!

    I read that using a white eyeliner on the inner rim of the lower lid helped "brighten" the eye, but it just seemed to look unnatural. Then I read that a nude color worked great and looked natural. I found Tarte emphaseyes inner rim brightener and it works really well and stays put all day. I also dot some in the outer crease of my eye (where the smile lines start) and it helps cover the redness there as well to help me looked more fresh.

    I recently found NYC Sun2Sun Bronzing Powder recommended as one of the best bronzers and when I tried it side by side with my clinique bronzer it looked exactly the same. Plus it has a lighter shade for winter, to use on days when you feeling a bit washed out.

    I was once looking for a eyelid highlighter and the Sephora employee introduced my to a wonderful product, Nars in Albatross. Judging from the color I would never have considered it (seems to white) but when it was on my skin it produces a wonderful golden glow that looks so natural. Plus, she told me that it is actually for all over use as well. Anywhere you want a little highlight, under the arch of the brow, a small amount over the arch of the brow, on the inner corner of the eye, or on the top of the temples after blush is applied. It actually helps me to look less tired-a modern day miracle if there every was one.

    I also like Covergirl Outlast All Day lip color. I just about gave up on lipstick because I didn't have the lifestyle to be replacing my lip color all day. This is great! I have learned that if I use a lip moisturizer (again paulas choice is my pick) first and gently blot, I can somewhat modify the intensity of the color, and I find that the color doesn't settle in the creases of my lips at the end of the day. Revlon's color stay overtime works just as well.

    just like everybody else I have tried the pink and green mascara, but just can't feel the love. I also tried Lancome Definicils which I keep seeing as the best of the best, but it just doesn't seem to be worth the extra dough. Covergirl last blast fusion has an awful applicator brush that makes the product clumpy, so I don't care for that either. The best I have found so far is Jane Max Lash 2 mascara. It doesn't make sense for how inexpensive it is, but it works for me. First you apply the volumizer, let dry and then apply the darker coat on the other side of the tube. I use the brown to black which is great for everyday use.

    For a basic lip gloss I like Revlon. They have some great colors and it doesn't seem to sticky for a lower end gloss.

    Chanel makes a great eyeshadow-but pricey. But I think their colors are so flattering as well, which is harder to find in an inexpensive shadow.

    I love the idea of polish, but I am usually involved in projects that make the application not worth the effort. But then I found Lippman Collection Polish. It lasts forever, even without a top coat. Its truly amazing.

    For eye makeup removal nothing beats Almay Oil free eye makeup remover pads.

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  18. Can't live without Bobby Brown cream blush (as I've gotten older my skin has dried out making powder blush look ridiculous), Blinc mascara (NEVER smudges), and MAC coverup.

    I use baby wipes for sensitive skin to clean my face at night, recommended by a dermatologist and it's fantastic. Way cheaper than the "make up remover" wipes.

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  19. I was so glad to see the LashBlast mascara "in your bag" because I was just thinking about trying it.

    I love Bare Escentuals bronzer "Warmth". I am still looking for a good drug store lip gloss (no scent, no stickiness.) I loved NYC for $1.72 for 10 years and then they changed the formula and added scent. I noticed it didn't last long on the lips after that either.

    So right now I'm loving a Lancome lip gloss but at $27 a pop it's a little out of my comfort zone when I have to buy every 3 months. But I do need my lips to look pretty!

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  20. lancome definicils!!!!!!! It's amazing I don't think I will ever go back to a different mascara!

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