Here is the beauty post of all beauty posts - my best of beauty for 2014!!! This is a compilation of all my favorite beauty products from the past year - and you will surely want to bookmark this post for future shopping trips. I have listed all the items mentioned in the video below and you can search my blog for more in-depth reviews on all of the products. Scroll down to watch the video and don't forget to subscribe!
I finally uploaded a makeup tutorial! Well, not exactly a tutorial, but more of a video of me applying my makeup. LOL This is a look I do regularly and is perfect for every day. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe!
Have you entered my $75 Sephora gift card giveaway?!!! Enter here.
Sometimes I'm the first to jump on the new launch bandwagon, and other times I sit back, wait and watch for the first few months of the debut to decide if I will end up getting anything. While I thought I was going to pounce when Charlotte Tilbury first launched, I surprisingly decided to wait and test out the product in store rather than buy sight unseen. Fast forward a few months and I've finally found the products from the line that really wowed me. Here is a look at my initial stand out favorites from the Charlotte Tilbury line:
1. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow - This bronzer/highlighter duo was the first product offered from the line when it initially hit the US market, yet I was skeptical about it. Bronzers can be hit or miss with me first because I'm so pale and second because I have oily skin and don't want anything too frosted. But all the reviews were so stellar that I finally had to try it for myself - and I now know why it's so loved. The bronzer works perfectly for my fair skin and the highlighter gives a gorgeous glow to the cheekbones. It must be noted that when dabbing my brush in, a lot of powder is picked up so I need to dust off the excess before applying. But once I do, my cheeks look like they've had a mini vacation.
2. Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Sophisticate - I will be the first to admit that I was not totally jazzed about the eye palettes when I first saw them simply because they all seemed too shimmery. While I can do sparkly occasionally, I really wanted something I could wear every day and matte is always the answer for me. Then I saw this eye palette in Sophisticate and knew I had to have it. When I first dipped my finger into the formula to swatch it, I literally had to take a second look to make sure it was in fact a powder. It was THAT smooth and creamy. And as I suspected, it blended beautifully and has quickly become a palette I enjoy wearing regularly. As you can see from a few pictures below, the pigmentation is medium - not too intense and not too sheer. Exactly the way I prefer it.
3. Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in First Love - This was the first CT product I owned and fell in love with it immediately. The idea is to use the two colors separately as a cheek color and apple-of-the-cheek color, but I just love swirling the two together. I have to definitely tap my brush after one swirl around the compact because the intensity is strong and a lot of product gets picked up. But once the excess is dusted off, the color looks beautiful on the cheeks. It's a nice neutral and pairs well with both nude lips and bold lips.
4. Charlotte Tilbury Color Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil in Dark Pearl - I've professed my love for jumbo eye pencils a million times before, so it should come as no surprise that I adore this product. Out of the entire range, this will be for sure the product that I buy multiple colors of for my collection. This particular shade, Dark Pearl, is a stunning plummy brown that wears as a lid color as well as a liner color. The texture is super creamy making it easy to blend, but thankfully it dries down shortly after to a more budge-proof finish. I already have my eye on a few more shades and my poor online cart at Nordstrom is itching for me to check out already!
5. Charlotte Tilbury The Retoucher in 1 Fair - I love me some concealers and especially ones that I can use in a pinch as a foundation. This Retoucher is designed the mimic the retouching that a photographer does when editing a photo - and after test driving it for a few weeks I can say that is exactly what it does. The formula is the perfect mix of creamy yet lightweight and provides the perfect amount of coverage for my dark circles and specific areas of redness that plague my nose and chin area. And in addition to the flawless finish it provides, the staying power of this pen is quite intense. I found it to last a good 8 hours if not more without any signs of fading or disappearing. The true test will be when the summer comes around and humidity gets to it. That is when the product will really be put to the test.
6. Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Mascara - I knew I was in for a treat just from the name of this mascara. It perfectly described how I like my lashes to look - full and FAT! I may wear my makeup more on the natural side but I like my mascaras intense and bold. No wimpy lashes here. And true to the Charlotte Tilbury look which is often quite bombshell and sultry, this mascara does not disappoint. It makes lashes look thick and long while still managing to do a great job at separating and not adding any clumps. It almost makes me want to wear a smokey eye more often. Almost. :)
*pr samples included
What have you tried from the Charlotte Tilbury line? Leave me a comment below!
Have you entered my Sephora $75 gift card giveaway?!!! Enter here.
Nothing better than a birthday haul, right? Here is a look at all the products I recently purchased for my birthday. All products are listed below. Enjoy the video and don't forget to subscribe!
I know - that title is a little bit of an exaggeration, but all my fellow beauty addicts can relate I'm sure. *wink* Both palettes were new brands to me, as I have not tried much from either Lorac or Mark. but I can say that I certainly will try more in the future. Though these palettes may seem similar to each other to an average person (i.e. my husband who said to me "those look identical, why are you going to put them both in a post?" Ugh, mind your business), but to our trained beauty-loving eye, we can all see how different they are from one another. One palette is a bit more warm and rosy, while the other features more gray and taupe based shadows. See? Validation for needing both.
1. Lorac Unzipped Palette - Calling all rosy-neutral fans!! This is for you. I can't say I always gravitate towards a pinky based gold or brown, but I was surprised how well these wore on my skin tone. I was afraid they would come out too orange, but I was happy to see more of a bronzed-golden look to most of the shadows when worn. Most have shimmer except for the palest and deepest shades, but the kind of shimmer that you want to wear. No disco ball eyelids here. The texture is creamier than I anticipated and I felt the colors blended beautifully. I found that the first 6 shades of the collection wore well as lid colors while the last 4 (top two and bottom two on the right of the palette) were better for crease and liner colors. And the best part? It comes with a mini eye primer sample which was just what I needed when I travel.
2. Mark. On The Dot Neutral Eye Color Compact - First things first - how cute is this palette??!!! MEEP! The shape and size of the shadows remind me of those candy dots and candy makes me happy, ergo this palette makes me happy. The minute I unboxed this after Mark. sent it over, I rushed to the bathroom to play with it. The colors are simply perfect! The taupes, gray-browns and plums are just the sort of shades I prefer to wear most days. The pigmentation strikes that happy balance between not too rich and not too sheer, which to be honest is my ideal shadow formulation. While my initial reaction with super pigmented shadows is always "WOW!", I then realize I find myself working harder to blend them down so I can wear them during the day. Here it was easy to apply my desired amount of color with only a few strokes and little to no blending. And the fact that this palette fits in the palm of my hand makes it a no-brainer for travel, overnight trips and makeup bag status. I just received this a few weeks ago and I'm already making predictions that I will hit pan on it. And is there any greater honor for a makeup product? I think not.
*pr samples included
What are some of your favorite neutral eye palettes?
Today's post is going to be a huge enabler, so I should just warn you now. Lots of makeup and skincare pictures and tons of great recommendations so beware. Space NK has been one of my favorite beauty stores for years. They tend to carry a very different assortment of brands than your average Sephora or Blue Mercury, and their curation of products is superb. Since many of the brands are unique or not widely found, I figured I would do a round-up of my best product recommendations, so if you haven't shopped there before you can possibly use this as a starting point. And if you have shopped there, then maybe you can discover some new products to try. While they have multiple free standing stores, you can also find Space NK shops inside many Bloomingdale's stores across the country. But before we get to recommendations, let's first start with a few pics of one of the stores (this one is located in Soho, NYC) just to get your beauty excitement building.
Now that we have (somewhat) toured the store, let's get down to the good stuff. My recommendations! Here are some of my favorite products and/or brands from Space NK.
1. Eve Lom Cleanser - The cleanser is a cult classic and for good reason. It helps to cleanse, exfoliate and remove makeup like no other. And when used with the accompanying muslin cloth (this video helps to show you the proper way of using the cleanser), my skin is always left glowing and soft. I've recently begun using products from their newly released complexion range and fell immediately in love with the Radiance Perfected Tinted Moisturizer, Golden Radiance Bronzing Powder and Light Illusion Concealer.
2. Sunday Riley Face Oils - I love the entire Sunday Riley range (Good Genes is a holy grail product), but specifically felt that her face oils are worth a mention. There are three different ones that target different skin concerns such as complexion-balancing, anti-aging, nourishing and are truly exceptional. I use Artemis regularly and find that it's helps to balance my skin by adding in the necessary hydration and oil, thus making my skin less oily. And if you just have extra money burning a hole in your pocket, give a peek to the Start Over Active Eye Cream and Ceramic Slip Cleanser - they are staples in my skincare routine.
3. Sachajuan Hair Repair - I rarely talk about hair products on the blog, mainly because I don't tend to stray from what works for my hair. I have curly hair that I straighten daily, while simultaneously struggling with an oily scalp and dry ends. When I received this Sachajuan Hair Repair last year, I was unsure about the brand and whether it was worth trying. Little did I know it would become one of my holy grail hair products after only one use. It's a mask I use once a week on the ends of my hair to help strengthen them and not only has it helped repair my hair, but my hair grows like a weed now!
4. Hourglass Cosmetics - I had to take a picture of the entire Hourglass display because there were too many products that I recommend to put in one picture. From the Ambient Lighting Powders, to the Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick, to the Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil, primers and foundations, everything from this line is exquisite. This is the one brand that I have the most products from in my makeup collection - and that should tell you everything.
5. Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse - One of the best multi-purpose oils you will ever try. I have tried almost every body oil around, and this one will always remain a favorite. Easily absorbed, incredibly nourishing and great for just about anywhere on the entire body. This is a cult classic for a reason, folks.
6. Lipstick Queen products - This brand focuses on just lip products and for that, I love it. One of my all time best nude lip shades is the Lipstick Queen Saint Pinky Nude. The Chinatown pencils are better than any jumbo lip pencil I've tried and their new Silver Screen lipsticks are a spectacular full coverage lipstick with the ease and slip of a lip balm ('You Kid' is the perfect beige-y neutral from this new collection).
7. Diptyque candles - Well these certainly aren't new to many of you, but Space NK has such an amazing selection of Diptyque candles that it's worth a mention. And since many of you ask me what are some of the best scents to begin with when buying your first Diptyque candle, these are my recommendations. Ambre, Roses and Baies - can't go wrong with any of them.
8. Chantecaille Lip Chics - These are by far one of my favorite lipsticks of all time. I don't find them spoken about often but the texture, pigmentation and feel make this formulation one of the most magnificent things to ever grace my lips. It's hard to describe exactly, but when I apply the lipstick, it feels as if the color is fusing to my lips. The texture never gets dry and keeps my lips the most hydrated out of any formula I currently own. The two shades Anais and Daphne are two neutral lip staples, yet I am anxious to add a few more vibrant shades to my collection.
9. Nudestix - If you missed it, I did an entire review on this brand - and it was a glowing one. You should know by now how much I love a pencil anything - lip, eye, cheek, etc, and so this brand was right up my alley. The magnetic eye pencils were my stand out favorite (Twilight is the best taupe), while the lip pencils are all in varying shades of nudes. How amazing is that? An entire line dedicated to nude and neutral tones - it's like they made it just for me. How nice.
And if this post wasn't already a list of beauty amazing-ness, it gets better. Space NK is running their "Discovery" promotion beginning today through October 21st which encourages you to discover something new from Space NK. Take $20 off any order over $75 with the code DISCOVER20 when you check out online. You will also have your choice of three samples and free ground shipping on your order (US customers only). Head to the site for more details. And if you want to know what is currently on my Space NK list of things to "discover", I made a little compilation below. You guys know I love a good beauty wish list.
I've decided I am going to stop making generalized statements about beauty products, makeup or skincare. Because just when I say something definitive, I find a product to contradict my thoughts. TYPICAL. I was never here for lip glosses, and now I am loving a ton. Buxom, Laura Mercier, Hourglass - the list goes on. Ugh, when will I learn? And now here I am again eating crow about cream eye shadows. I don't typically gravitate towards them and try to avoid them when I can, but lo and behold I found some I love, and have to go back and eat my words. Currently the only cream eye shadows holding court in my collection are my Chanel and Laura Mercier cream shadows.
1. Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Mono Cream Eye Color - Though I assume all cream shadows will perform the same, in reality they are all quite different. The first thing I noticed about these D&G shadows was their intense pigmentation and how small an amount I needed to cover my entire lid. The matte shade in Cocoa was gorgeous as a base for a smokey eye, and the other two shades Dahlia and Innocence were great when worn alone on the lid. The second thing I noticed was how incredibly fast they set, so you need to work quickly. I made the mistake initially of applying too much on my lid and by the time I got around to blending it, it had set already. So use a small amount and build up. But the effect of a fast dry down time is the incredibly long wear time. These are NOT MOVING once you apply them, so make sure you plan a long day ahead of yourself because your shadow is going the distance. I still use a primer with these just because I have insanely oily lids, but I'm inclined to believe that these may wear well alone.
2. Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadows - The Buxom shadows are a tad more sheer and stay emollient on the lids for much longer so you don't have to rush to blend. They are quite shimmery when swatched but the shimmer dulls down a bit once on the lids so they can easily be worn during the day. I find that I definitely need a primer with these since they have such a creamy texture, but nonetheless they last all day once I add my trusty Urban Decay Primer Potion or NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. Of course Golden Retriever was my favorite, but surprisingly Shih Tzu was a runner up. That golden olive green looks gorgeous when blended with warm browns or plums. Chihuahua is a stand-out silver that is little black dress approved. I can see that worn with a smokey gray eye and bronzed cheeks and lips. And while Poodle reads quite yellow on my arm, it looks natural when on my lid and has been one of my favorite colors to wear with red lipstick.
What are some of your favorite cream eye shadows? Tell me in the comments below!
There are so many great things about blogging (and a few icky ones but let's be positive here folks), but probably one of the best aspects is having the opportunity to try brands that I haven't tried before. Now Laura Mercier has been around for a number of years, but it was not a brand that I ever tried prior to blogging (I know, where have I been?). Fast forward 2+ years and a handful of my holy grail products are from Laura Mercier. If you don't believe me, just click here to scroll back through my blog and see all my reviews.
The range of products she is most known for are complexion products, which are essential to creating Laura Mercier's famous "flawless face". And since I have a few of her foundation products, powders and concealers, I can attest to their ability to create a virtually perfect complexion. Even though I am quite confident in my makeup applying abilities (I did work behind the makeup counter for years), I was excited when the Laura Mercier team asked me to go visit my local LM counter and sit for a complete makeup consultation in preparation for this post. Frankly, it was one of the best experiences I've had in a long time and it reminded me why it's important to go back to a counter now and again to get that professional experience.
After sitting with the Laura Mercier makeup artist for 45 minutes, I realized there were so many great tips and tricks I had forgotten and was unaware of when using her products. Understanding how to work with a brand's products from a brand representative makes all the difference. So first we discussed the flawless face and why it's important to Laura Mercier:
A flawless face creates the perfect setting for the rest of the makeup.
Starting with a clean, even face is like starting with a great palette.
Letting one's natural skin show through is very important in creating a flawless face.
After I got the why, we dove right into how to get that flawless face:
Starting with the right skincare is essential. (don't have to tell me twice)
Decide what finish and texture you want before exploring different foundations. If you don't know, explain to the beauty consultant what sort of skin you have, your concerns and your lifestyle.
When choosing a foundation color, it is always best to choose 3 shades and swatch them on the chin. Start by the lip and pull down to the neck to make sure it matches completely. Use your finger to press it into the skin and the color that disappears is your shade.
Only a dime-sized amount of foundation is needed to cover the entire face. (I was using way too much. Whoopsie)
When applying foundation, start in the center of the face and blend outwards towards the hair line, ears and jaw.
Use a damp sponge or fingers to apply the foundation. The warmth of the fingers helps the foundation disappear into the skin. This can be a matter of preference, but after seeing the makeup artist apply both the primer and foundation with her fingers, I was amazed at how beautifully it blended into my skin.
The steps to the Laura Mercier "flawless face" are: skincare, primer, foundation/tinted moisturizer, concealer/secret camouflage and setting powder.
Here is my finished look with just the primer, secret camouflage, and tinted moisturizer, with a touch of bronzer on my cheekbones. I was amazed at how everything came together to give the most beautiful, but natural coverage and a true "flawless face".
If you are new to the Laura Mercier brand, below is a cheat sheet for my recommended products to try. I have starred the must-have essentials.
Foundation Primer* - Laura Mercier is one of the original makeup artists to speak about using primer, so you can be sure these are some of the best around. There are a few different ones for various skin types, but I prefer the original primer while another popular one is the Radiance Primer. See all her primers here.
Tinted Moisturizer* - Always on the best of beauty lists, this truly is flawless skin in a tube. Weightless on the skin, it gives a natural satin finish. I prefer the Original Tinted Moisturizer in the shade Porcelain, but there is an oil-free version as well.
Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide - This is her newest foundation to launch and it's a stunner. An oil-free formula that gives medium coverage and blurs imperfections. It has an impressive shade range - 24 to be exact, great for any skin type (which is rare for a foundation), and is one of my favorite formulas. It is quite unique in that is has to be "activated" before use by shaking the bottle for 10 seconds, and once it's applied, it's like pure perfection. If you care to see me sing its praises even more - I reviewed it on the blog here and in this video. Told you I liked it.
Secret Camouflage Concealer* - Your dark circles, skin imperfections and discolorations have met their match with this concealer. It's a cult classic because it allows you to mix two shades together to help color correct and get the perfect shade for your skin.
Invisible Setting Powder* (Loose or pressed. I have both. Yup, obsessed.) - This is hands down one of the best powders I own, and it works for any skin tone. It never fails to set my makeup and keeps it looking flawless and matte ALL. DAY. LONG. And don't forget the puff! Using the puff has made all the difference. I apply to the skin in a press/roll method for an invisible and gorgeous finish.
Full Blown Lash Volume Mascara - I am a mascara junkie, so I can appreciate a good formula from a bad one. I always keep a tube of this around to use as a base mascara because it gives the most perfect separated and lengthened lashes. Often thicker formulas can clump too easily so using this first is always guaranteed to give me a fuller look without the lashes sticking together.
Lip Glace - I always say I not here for lip glosses, but then I find another one that I adore. These definitely have a creamier feel on the lips than typical glosses so I enjoy wearing them alone or layered over lipsticks.
Creme Smooth Lip Color - Being a lipstick lover (and lover is putting it mildly), the Creme Smooth formula satisfies my lipstick checklist. Intense color. Check. Wide range of shades. Check. Smooth and comfortable on the lips. Check. I am on my 6th color from this range and don't plan to stop any time soon.
Caviar Eye Stick - If you don't love the ease and simplicity of an eye shadow stick, I am not sure we can be friends. These Caviar Eye Sticks are ideal for any occasion because they go on easily, blend smoothly, come in a gazillion colors and set for all day (or night - heyyyyy).
Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact - To find a bronzer pale enough for me and with just the right amount of shimmer vs matte properties is nearly impossible. However, Laura Mercier's baked formula manages to do the impossible. I call it my "vacation in a compact" because it imparts the perfect amount of color without turning my face into an ooompa looompa.
I hope my tips and recommendations come in handy if you are looking to explore more Laura Mercier products. All her products can be purchased at Nordstrom, Sephora, Bloomingdale's or LauraMercier.com. And to end on a fun note, Laura Mercier is currently running an Instagram contest where you upload a picture of your "fresh face", use the hashtag #LMflawlesscontest and be entered to win $1000 (um hello, that is enough makeup for a lifetime) worth of Laura Mercier products. Contest begins October 14th.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Laura Mercier through her partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Laura Mercier, all opinions are my own.
It's taken me a while to come around, but I am finally here for these Buxom Full-On Lip Creams. Though I am a complete beauty junkie, the truth is there is still so many great, cult-classic products that I have yet to try. And Buxom cosmetics was one of those lines that I managed to overlook all these years. Many of you have told me over and over how amazing they are to wear and reading the reviews on Sephora says it all. I am still a lipstick lover inherently so it will always take me a bit longer to come around for glosses, but after trying these three Buxom Full-On Lip Creams, I can say with the utmost certainty that they are as good as everyone claims.
I know there is a ton of buzz around the lip polishes, which I believe are a bit more sheer but I was delighted when I had the chance to try these lip creams. A bit heavier in coverage and no shimmer, these lip creams felt like the perfect hybrid between a gloss and a light lipstick. They tingle on the lips because they have a lip plumping effect that feels more cool and refreshing than irritating and bothersome. In the tube the colors look quite vibrant, but on the lips they sheer out to the most perfect shades. Creamsicle was my favorite out of the three because while I love a pale coral, many can often appear too candy-like on the lips and are most certainly not suitable for everyday wear. White Russian is essential for a smokey eye and bronzed cheek while Cherry Flip may just be the most gentle and wearable red lip out there. Those looking to dip their toes into the red lip waters without being overwhelmed, I highly suggest giving Cherry Flip a second look. It took me a little bit, but I can finally say I am here for these Buxom glosses. Now the only question is....what colors to get next??!!
Here is the second video that I filmed while I was down visiting my parents a few weeks ago. It is the makeup products that I brought with me on vacation. Enjoy!
There have been so many new foundation launches recently that I can hardly keep up. I can't try them all, but I picked the three that interested me the most. I know everyone has been chatting about the new Tom Ford foundation, and there is a lot of buzz about a new Dior one coming out this fall, but these are the three that I truly had a desire to try.
1. Estee Lauder Perfectionist Youth-Infusing Makeup (in shade 1N1) - On the love/like scale, this fell onto the "like" side for me. It does have a similar texture to the YSL and Laura Mercier, and applied a bit sheer. I was able to build it up, but had to be careful in certain spots that it didn't pull or cake up. It is a bit more hydrating than I prefer so I think this would be a great foundation for those with dry skin. However, when set with powder, it did wear well for most of the day. I did find that I started to get oily around the 4-5 hour mark, so powder touch ups are necessary for me when wearing this foundation. The color was ok but skewed a bit too pink for me though I bought one with a neutral undertone. I am going to continue to play with it using brushes, sponges and primers to see if I can find a combination that works the best. Stay tuned over the next few weeks and I will give updates on my Instagram.
2. YSL Fusion Ink (in shade B10) - I bought this without knowing anything about it other than the media buzz. There was said to be a 12,000 person waiting list in the UK for it, which just about blew my mind. 12,000? For a foundation? Even I am not that much of a beauty lover, but still I bought it on the first (or possibly second) day it launched so I guess I shouldn't be throwing those stones in my glass house. Anyhoo....onto the formula and my thoughts. It is exactly like the Armani Maestro as many of you told me it would be. A thin, oily formula that dries down instantly after application. And I sadly was just not a fan. I liked the Maestro initially, but after a few months it became hit or miss for me. This, unfortunately was just a miss. I got super oily a hour or two after application, it was hard to blend and it pulled on dry patches that I didn't even have. I rarely do this, but I actually ended up returning it, which should tell you a lot. Maybe it could work for someone else, but it was not my cup of tea.
3. Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide (in shade Creme) - Unlike the YSL foundation, I had done my research on this one. I swatched it in store, read reviews and found my correct shade. The formula felt very similar to the YSL/Armani texture that can be hit or miss, but I am happy to report that it is a total HIT!!! OMG - do I love this foundation! It is a bit thicker than the YSL, and blends like a dream. No pulling on dry patches, just enough coverage, a natural matte finish and it looks like second skin. I did get oily halfway through the day but nothing that my trusty By Terry powder couldn't fix. The finish is absolutely magnificent, the formula is oil free and great for all skin types - it's like everything I could ever want wrapped up into one foundation. If you are on the fence with this one, I urge you to get off and pick this up. Like now.
* pr samples included
Have you tried any of these foundations? What are your thoughts?
Just as I cannot pass up a good cupcake, the same can be said for jumbo eye and lip pencils. I want each and every one I see. So naturally when NUDESTIX came across my radar, they pulled me in like a tractor beam. And then there is the whole neutral color scheme that only served to make them even more appealing. NUDESTIX kindly sent over some samples for me to try and I have been putting them through the makeup gauntlet. Below is a look at the swatches of all the shades I tested.
1. Eye Pencil - The 2 colors I tried were Smoke and Stardust (bottom two swatches), which are a harder formula and wear more like a traditional eye liner. I initially wore these all over the lid as an eye shadow but found they creased a bit after about 5 hours (even with primer), so I switched to using them just as a traditional eye liner. This proved to be a much better option for me and loved the effect they gave the eye. Smoke looked beautiful smudged around the entire lash line (upper and lower) for a delicate smokey eye, and Stardust is the perfect inner corner highlight. Each comes with a sponge on the opposite end to help blend the liner, though I found that my finger worked equally as well.
2. Magnetic Eye Color Pencil - I have the colors Twilight and Angel (shown above in the middle two swatches), and absolutely LOVE these with every ounce of my being. I simply cannot sing this pencil's praise enough! They are so smooth, creamy and glide on effortlessly. I apply them directly to the lid (over primer) and then blend with either my finger or a synthetic brush. Oh, and then I just sit around and wait for them to crease. Still waiting. Frankly, I may be waiting until I am 80 because I have yet to see these bad boys move. I am actually wearing them now as I write this post and they are still going strong at 7:03 p.m. at night after applying them at 7:45 a.m. this morning. Yup, that's almost 12 long hours my friends. Amazing. Oily lid gals - get in on this immediately.
3. Lip & Cheek Pencil - The 3 colors I tested were Soul, Mystic and Blush (shown in that order top to bottom in the above top 3 swatches). While they are for both lips and cheeks, I used them only on my lips. I wish I could tell you I had a favorite shade, but frankly I loved them all. You are on your own with this one. Of course they all give that "my lip color but better" so I'm not sure you can go wrong with any of them. Moving on to texture....*mumbles with hand over mouth* I like them better than my NARS pencils. What? Who said that? That's madness. (omg, but it's true) They are incredibly creamy without being too soft (you know, the ones that break and smush as you apply - my Bite pencils are guilty of that), and they stay incredibly emollient on the lips. I do have to reapply every 4 hours or so, which doesn't bother me. They do not dry my lips out, they are super wearable, oh and they come with their own sharpener. Yes, you need to try at least one. Maybe two. Don't blame me if you buy three. I had nothing to do with that.
