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NARS Arabian Nights Smokey Eye Makeup Tutorial

Phyllis — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:26:09 +0000

As requested, here is a look with step-by-step tutorial on NARS Arabian Nights Trio Eyeshadow, a gorgeous trio of black shadows with glitter. Hope you guys like it!

Step 1. Prep the eyelid with NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base to ensure more vibrant and longer-lasting color.

Step 2. Using a small synthetic brush, apply NARS Lili Marlene Cream Eyeshadow on the eyelid. This will help to prevent glitter fall out.

Step 3. Pat – don’t sweep – the middle shade of NARS Arabian Nights Trio Eyeshadow (black with purple glitter) onto the eyelid. A dense brush like Korean brand Piccasso #239B is perfect for this.

Step 4. Using a pencil brush like MAC #219, darken the outer v with the black with silver glitter shade located right of NARS Arabian Nights Trio Eyeshadow.

Step 5. With a fluffy brush like MAC 224 Blending Brush, blend the black shade onto the crease and soften the edges without touching the color on the center.

Step 6. Brush the shimmery white shade in NARS Pandora Duo Eyeshadow under the brow bone with a flat brush like ink by Zing 07 Highlighter Brush. Blend downwards.

Step 7. To play up the purple glitter, add a dab of the pearlescent purple from NARS Jolie Poupee Duo Eyeshadow in the center of the eyelid. This will also add a nice twist to an otherwise plain black smoky eye.

Step 8. Run a black pencil eyeliner like Jealousness on both upper and lower lash lines.

Step 9. Soften the liner with the right shade in NARS Arabian Nights Eyeshadow Trio.

Step 10. Using a black liquid liner like Jealousness Waterproof Eyeliner in Smoked Black BK-II, reline the upper lash line.

Step 11. Apply mascara add a pair of fake lashes like Jealousness Fake Lashes in Bewitched JS-507 for maximum intensity.

Done!

How are you guys wearing Arabian Nights?

Victoria’s Secret Holiday 2011 Masquerade Deluxe Eye Palette Review, Swatches and Photos

Phyllis — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:46:34 +0000

Ever since I laid eyes on the new Victoria’s Secret Holiday 2011 Collection, I knew I had to get one of the eyeshadow palettes. And since I already own a bazillion warm neutrals, I went with Masquerade, a gorgeous palette of cool-toned shadows.

Victoria’s Secret Holiday 2011 Masquerade Deluxe Eye Palette
The Masquerade Deluxe Eye Palette comes in the prettiest red case with a black bow in the middle and a lace-like design on the two sides. Inside houses a large mirror on one side and 5 cool-toned neutral shadows with a double-ended brush on the other. On the back are also instructions on how to use the colors.

From the left to the right, we have:

* A shimmery white.
* A frosty icy lilac.
* A shimmery grayish taupe. This is the most pigmented and my favorite out of the five.
* A shimmery taupe that is just a bit darker than my NC30 skin. I find this to be least pigmented.
* A dark blue with sparkles. This seems less frosty than the others.

The colors go very well with one another. Color payoff is also good and true to what you see. Without a primer, I get a good 5-6 hours of wear before they start to fade a little. Below are swatches of them without a primer.

Swatches of Victoria’s Secret Holiday 2011 Masquerade Deluxe Eye Palette

My only rant is the flimsy applicator. It does not seem to pick up the colors that well and the bristles feel a bit rough on the skin. A sponge applicator would be much better.

Below is me wearing the shimmery grayish taupe no the eyelid with the dark blue as a liner, icy lilac on the lower eye and shimmery white under the brow bone.

What do you guys think?

Overall Rating:

Victoria’s Secret Holiday 2011 Masquerade Deluxe Eye Palette is available at http://www.victoriassecret.com and VS stores for $26.

Disclosure: The product in this entry was purchased by me. Please see my Disclaimer for more information on my posting policy.

Maybelline Give Me Gold Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow Palette Review and Swatches

Phyllis — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:14:40 +0000

Maybelline has really stepped up the game with its new eyeshadow formuals, as seen in the Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow and Eye Studio Color Explosion Eyeshadow Palettes.

Maybelline 05 Give Me Gold Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadows
The Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow Quad comes in a portable, rectangular case that looks much cooler than the old school Expertwear Eyeshadow Quads. The design is also extremely similar to my favorite Kate eyeshadow palettes when I was in high school. Inside the case are 4 powder eyeshadows and a double-ended sponge applicator, which is wider on one end for eyeshadow application and narrower on the other for liner application.

The colors are a gorgeous combo of white-gold, yellow-gold, coppery bronze and dark chocolate. They go very well with each other and are perfect for day and night.

The shadows apply with a creamy texture and good pigmentation, though a primer like NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base will make them pop even more. I also find them – except the bronze shade, which is more metallic – to be super shimmery (a common trait found in Asian eyeshadows), but they do stay on quite well without too much fall out.

Below are swatches and pictures of me wearing the shadows. I used the white-gold as a highlighter, the yellow-gold and coppery bronze on the eyelid and blended the dark chocolate on top of black eyeliner along the lashlines.

Overall, Maybelline Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow Palette is a great buy, especially at this price. If you are a fan of Japanese eyeshadows, I highly recommend you try these since they are comparable. I will review the Maybelline Eye Studio Color Explosion Eyeshadow Palette next week!

Overall Rating:

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow is available at drugstore.com and drugstores nationwide for $9.99.

Disclosure: The product in this entry was purchased by me. Please see my Disclaimer for more information on my posting policy.

Pixi Holiday 2011 Ultimate Beauty Kit Review, Swatches and Photos

Phyllis — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:49:41 +0000

Swedish makeup brand Pixi always has one of the cutest yet affordable Holiday Collections and this year, we have the Ultimate Beauty Kit – a palette with fifty-six colors for the eyes, cheeks and lips in both cool and warm shades so you can create different looks for both day and night. Swatches and pics of me wearing the colors after the jump!

Pixi Holiday 2011 Ultimate Beauty Kit
Housed in Pixi’s signature light green card box, the Ultimate Beauty Kit measures a portable 7 inches by 7 inches and is 0.6 inches thick. Inside the two flaps are a large mirror on the top, sixteen eyeshadows on each side along with eight blushes and sixteen lip glosses and lip creams in the center.

The colors are all beautiful and apply smoothly with great pigmentation. Don’t believe me? Just look at the swatches below!

The Pixi Holiday 2011 Ultimate Beauty Kit is available in Target stores and target.com for $40.

Disclosure: The product in this entry was provided by the manufacturer for consideration. Please see my Disclaimer for more information on my posting policy.

EOTD: Graphic Rainbow Eye Makeup With Yaby Eyeshadows

Phyllis — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:56:59 +0000

Spring is finally here so below is a graphic rainbow eye using the Yaby eyeshadows I picked up.

What I Used

* NYX Cosmetics HD Studio Photogenic Foundation in Sand Beige (review here)
* Yaby eyeshadows in Gold Bar, Eggplant, Mermaid Blue, Dragon Fruit and Platinum – from lashline to browbone
* Yaby eyeshadow in Emerald Sea on lower lid
* Barry M Liquid Liner in Black t0 line
* Makeup For Life Lashes in #Diva
* Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara in Extreme Black on lower lashes (review here)

Remember to take advantage of the exclusive 20% off Yaby Cosmetics coupon code before it expires in March!