swatchin'

Hey guys,

This week ULTA was having a crazy awesome sale on Revlon, Almay, and NYX cosmetics--40% off BABY! holla.  I decided to be good and only bought a few Revlon and NYX lip products. Talk about self-control. but, i mean...let's be honest here: i'll probably go back before the week is up and snag a few more things. 

Anyway, thought I'd share some swatches of the goods:

left to right: Blackberry (creme), VaVa Violet (creme), and Very Red (matte) 

Randi says that she's never picked up Revlon lipsticks because they have "old lady" packaging. ha! it's pretty true.  They don't have the most attractive packaging, but they are some of my favorite lipsticks.  They are a great formulation, good pigmentation, and they retail for $6.99ish.  

NYX Mega Shine Gloss in Plush Red and Natural

These NYX glosses are the shiz, guys. They are SO pigmented and have good staying power. I highly recommend running out grabbing a few of these while they are still 40% off. Dooo it!

Okay, that's all. Until next time! :)

xo, bee.

Back to the Basics: Eye Primer

HEY, YOOOOOU GUUUUUYZ!! (Goonies reference, anyone? No?! Shame on you. Click here.)

To continue on in with our back to the basics segment, I thought I'd talk about another important primer that is near and dear to my heart: Eye Primer.

When I'm helping people at work, I often hear the complaint that they "can't" or "don't like to" wear eye shadow because it gets all over throughout the day, it creases, wears off etc. It breaks my makeup-loving-heart that these women have never heard of eye primer!

Eye primer is similar to face primer in that it helps the product to stay all day.  It also keeps the colors you are using true to pigment.  A lot of time the color of a shadow looks sort of faded if you aren't using a primer on your lid.  You usually have to use a lot more product to get the same sort of saturation.  Most importantly, in my sweaty-lidded opinion, it keeps the shadows from creasing (that ugly build up of product that usually looks like a line right across your lid.) HALLELUJAH. --I have to tell you  a sad story about that. i get a sad little pit in my stomach when i look at my wedding pictures because i didn't know about eye primer at that point in my life. And i got married in AUGUST. So...needless to say, my eye makeup had pretty much melted off my face by the end of the night. NOT COOL, GUYZ. So, please. Learn from my mistake! Anyway...

My all-time fave is:

Urban Decay's Eye Primer Potion (in Original)

I prefer the original because it dries clear, so I can put whatever I want on top and it doesn't change the look.  The other formulas are gold, bronze, and flesh toned (great for those with lid discoloration).  I also love this primer because you only need a tiny amount so it will last forever. Great investment! Just like face primer, there are a BAJILLION to choose from.  You just need to find the one you love.  I know Randi doesn't love the Urban Decay primer, but it works great for me! and...i'm the one writing this post. SO.

I hope this helps! Let us know in the comments if you have questions (no matter how silly or small) and we will do our best to answer them. :)

Until next time...

xo, bee

Back to the Basics: Face Primer

Hello, cute readers!

i have been doing some thinking regarding the content of our little blog here.  i haven't posted in a while because i have been too busy to film any good tutorials...and because my camera is on the fritz.  Poor little camera. Sad face. But i wanted to start a series where we discuss and, maybe for some of you, introduce basic products that we feel are essential for great face.  So! Let's begin, shall we...

Primer

Primer is one of those products that i didn't know existed until a couple years ago and i want to punch myself and the entire world in the face for not telling me about it sooner. How did i manage to function without this stuff?! Honestly, it's embarrassing. 

When you think of the word primer, it most likely conjures up bad memories of painting your home or a piece of furniture, etc.  You're on the right track!  Makeup primer serves a similar purpose as paint primer.  It preps your face for the makeup you are about to apply, making it last longer, look better, and helping you avoid what i affectionately like to call...the "Midday Face Melt." You can get primer for a variety of things but one of the most basic (and i feel most important) primers you should be wearing is face primer.

There are about a bajillion different kinds of face primers out there and they each will do something different for your skin.  The basic idea of a face primer is that you are filling in any fine-lines, pores, scars, etc. so that the foundation you are going to apply doesn't sit in those crevices making them more noticeable.  It gives your skin a more flawless finish. who would say no to that? answer: no one, ever.  You can get primer that will help if you have discolored skin, oily skin, dry skin, mutant reptile skin. jk. there isn't a primer for that. but really, people. if you have a face, there's a perfect primer for you. My faves are:

Benefit's the POREfessional

Urban Decay's Pore Perfecting Primer Potion

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

There are so many other primers out there and finding what works best for you can seem daunting.  But never fear!  Knowing what skin-type you have (oily, normal, combination) and what you'd like your primer to accomplish is a good place to start.  For example, some primers can make your skin look luminous but if you have oily skin they might make it look even shinier.  (Learned from experience.)  Just head out to your local ULTA or Sephora and ask for help. People are always willing to get you what you need. :)

I hope this helps! Until next time...

xo, bee.