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EYELASHES, TO FAKE OR NOT TO FAKE?

Being that it is Halloween, I thought what better day to talk about fake eyelashes? They are a great way to help make your eyes pop for that special holiday like today, on birthdays, for New Years Eve, or just a special night out. If you ever look at a picture of your favorite celeb and think to yourself “I wish my lashes were that full and lengthy” remember that they’re probably fake, and you can have them too! I feel like a lot of people are scared to try fake lashes because they think it will look obvious that they have them on or they are scared that the lashes might peel off at a corner and ruin a perfect Kodak moment (I use to be that girl). There are so many different kinds out there that it’s hard to pick which ones work best for you. I’ve tried out several different brands and found my favorites. For those who want their fake lashes to blend in with their natural ones to those who want bold/loud lashes, I have a brand for you:

MAC #4 ($15.00): In general, MAC has great lashes that vary in size, length, and drama. MAC lashes #4 works great for me because I have naturally long lashes that are extremely thin. These lashes add the perfect amount of thickness (without looking super fake) and draws just the right amount of attention to my eyes. If you have thick lashes and want to add length to your lashes, I recommend trying #2. I love the wispy fringe effect these lashes give. It elongates your lashes while blending in with your natural ones. If you buy the lashes in store, they put them on for you, and it stays on all night (no ruining Kodak moments for me). The best part about MAC lashes? You can absolutely reuse them!

Shu Uemura Dazzling Black Diamante ($28.00): If you’re looking for fierce lashes that say “look at me”, these are perfect! Shu Uemera lashes are theatrical and scream runway model. I think they would be great for a special event, holiday, or costume party. Although the lashes are costly, they are of the highest quality, as all products under the fab Shu Uemura brand portfolio. The Dazzling Black Diamante is apart of the Fantasy Lash collection. I love these lashes in particular because they are diamond lined and not to mention created specifically for Madonna! From feathers to tribal print, there are several other glamorous lash lines that you can check out, get inspired, and purchase on Shu Uemera’s US site. 

If you are looking for more of a permanent fix to your lash problems, there are other options:

1. Lash Extensions: It’s exactly what it sounds like. This procedure attaches lashes to your already existing eye lashes allowing you to shower, swim, and live your day to day life as if they were your own lashes! Sound silly? It’s actually a common trend that’s been going around recently and can cost anywhere from $100-500 dollars. I actually have a friend who did it and she looks great and loves the results! If this is something you’re looking into, my recommendation is to wait for a coupon to turn up. It will make the procedure much more affordable!
2. Lash Lengtheners: These products help your natural lashes grow by applying a coat every night before bed to your upper lid along the lash line. I’ve actually tried this out myself, and it definitely did work. Keep in mind that lashes naturally fall out, so with that, your new full lashes will as well. 

If fake lashes aren’t your thing, but you still want something that’ll do the trick of fake lashes, I found that CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara will make your lashes look fuller, thicker, and longer for any night out on the town!

COMING SOON: How to apply fake lashes and the best eye lash curler

What do YOU think of fake lashes?

ARE YOU A NARSISSIST? GRAB THE DUO!

Eyeshadow lovers everywhere can sympathize with me in the dilemma that I always face whenever I go shopping- wanting it all! The NARS Duo Eyeshadow is one my favs because it solves my problem of not knowing which ONE shadow to pick by giving me TWO. The shadow lives up to the NARS name and glides on smoothly with an almost buttery feel. 

NARS DUO EYE SHADOW:

The best part is the combinations are endless. There are over 40 different color combos to pick from. Here are some of my favorite ones that go perfectly with my skin color/type: 

• Rajasthan: Combo of a smokey black/blue with golden/champaign brown. Being that I am a fan of the smokey, smoldering eye look, this shade is my number one favorite pick. The color combo is GREAT for Fall and has a more matte finish compared to the other shades in the collection. For some reason, the color is no longer sold with the collection at Sephora or Nordstrom anymore, but if you want it, you can order it on online for cheaper than the other shades by clicking here. 
• Bellissima: Combo of shimmering beige and grey/brown. When I am looking for an eye shadow that makes me glow but doesn’t stand out too much, I lightly apply this shade. It blends GREAT with my skin tone!
• Violetta: Combo of smokey lavender and soft metallic violet. There are some super fun shades in this collection, but my favorite of the more bold shades was Violetta. It’s not too out there (such as the Rated R shade which is a bright green and cobalt blue combo), but still adds an extra flare to your eyes from your everyday shades without going too crazy. I recommend Violetta for those who are wanting to experiment with new colors but don’t want to be THAT extreme.

Why do I love this shadow so much? A few reasons:

• The dual concept is great and the colors paired together work well blended with one another OR worn separately. In most eye shadows that come in pairs, I’m never really a fan of both shades, but NARS does a great job of combining colors that work! There is is a color out there for everyone varying from bright, vibrant colors to more neutral tones.
• Works GREAT as a powder liner. If you don’t like the liquid liner look or you want to thicken up the appeal to your eyes, the shadow was created to work for that purpose as well.
• For those of you who prefer cream shadows because you have dry skin, the NARS Duo eye shadow comes in a cream form. My favorite cream shadow in the collection is Madagascar. 

Downsides?

• It’s not the cheapest shadow out there, but it is a value pack being that it comes in two shades. It’s $33 dollars at Sephora (unless you want the Rajasthan which is on Amazon for $24), great quality, and comes in conveniently thin packaging. 
• Most of the shades have a glittery look to them (not usually a fan), but the colors work well with a little shimmer. It will def add a pop to your eyes for a night out on the town! 

P.S Don’t forget to apply primer to your eyes before the eye shadow to get the best, long lasting color possible. Read about my fav. primer here.

Are YOU a NARSissist? Have you tried the Duo?

OLAY DID IT AGAIN: BEST, AFFORDABLE EYE CREAM

Bags, dark circles, wrinkles, and dryness- I don’t understand why any of these problems exist, but the fact of the matter is that they do, so as women we go on the hunt for the best possible way to treat the problem. There are thousands of eye creams out there that promise the same thing. They say they are the best out there and no other cream can compare to what their magic cream can do. I’ve fallen for the same tricks most of you have, and 50+ dollars later, was heavily disappointed.

After trial and error, I finally found an eye cream that helps with moisturizing, dark circles, and anti-aging (yet to be determined and hopefully won’t be for a very long time!). SO here it is: 

OLAY Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream:

I’ve always been a fan of Olay for the simple fact that the brand makes quality products for the mass market. This is the first eye cream I’ve come across that doesn’t cost a fortune and gives me the results that I am looking for. You can learn more about this eye cream including key ingredients that make this cream work the way it does and application instructions on their website.

BTW, if you happen to have $130 dollars to spare (nbd), I have another recommendation that I’ve tried out. Shiseido Future Solution LX  has unmatchable hydration and has been rated as a top eye cream by virtually every beauty magazine. I just don’t think it’s worth it, especially when I think about how many MAC eyeshadows I could get for the same price (it’s 8 incase you were wondering). 

What’s YOUR favorite eye cream?

YOUR FACE IS A CANVAS: USE PRIMER!

I discovered primer a few years ago and realized what a money saver it ends up being! I’m so used to coating layers of makeup on in order for it to show up, but with primer, I no longer have to. I was going to Sephora to get my regular products and saw a girl getting her makeup done. The makeup artist described his work as a “masterpiece”. At first, I thought this was a bit extreme. I mean, this isn’t the Mona Lisa? I really feel like I now understand what he meant by that. 

Our face is a canvas. We can “paint” it however we want. If you prime a canvas before painting it in order for the colors to pop and last, why wouldn’t you do the same to your face? This is especially useful for those of you who buy drug store products that aren’t as highly pigmented. Primer can help a dull, chalky eye shadow appear bright and radiant. There are two different kinds of primer I use:

For face: Smashbox ‘Photo Finish’ Light 

What I love about the Smashbox primer is the light weight texture. It glides on easily and doesn’t make you feel like your makeup is caked on. I recommend getting the tube over the bottle so you can make use of every drop (I know the bottle looks prettier, but the tube is also easier for travel!). One tube can last up to 5 months!

SIDE NOTE: If you don’t care to try the product on before purchasing, you can find it on Amazon for 10-15 dollars cheaper. 

For eyes: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

I got this free as apart of an eyeshadow kit and fell in love. Before this primer, I used MAC Paint Pot. I liked the MAC primer because of its matte finish (if you prefer the matte finish, I recommend the MAC primer), but it left creases in my eye due to its thick texture. The Urban Decay primer smoothly lays across the lid and feels light (not the mention fabo packaging!). The wand makes it easy to spread the primer and dab on any necessary areas. It really helps liner and shadows last longer without fading throughout the day.

If you want to hear other people’s thoughts, read more amazing reviews on the Urban Decay Primer on Sephora’s website.

Do YOU use primer? 

FABO EYES: THE “CAT-EYE” LINER LOOK

I’m a huge liner girl. I think eyeliner is a great way to make your eyes pop. What’s great about liner is that you can use it to make your makeup look dramatic OR light depending on the occasion. I personally think eye liner is one of those products you DON’T have to splurge money on. I love my pencil and liquid liners and they are from drug stores. To read what my favorite pencil liner is, check out my post on how to get my smoky eye look!  For most occasions, I use liquid liner for the top of my eyes and pencil for the bottom. I like using liquid for the top because you can shape the corner of your eye better with it. My favorite is the “cat-eye” look you can get with liquid liner. This is a great way to make your eyes pop without doing over kill with eye shadows. My favorite star to do this look is none other than Lauren Conrad:

So how do you know how far out to go with the liner? I found the best technique is using the end of your eyebrow and the far corner of your eye. Imagine a line connecting them and that’s the direction the liner should be pointing. I don’t recommend going too far out, but you can dramatize the length depending on the event.

This is a great way to change up the way you do your eye makeup. I feel like when people think of “cat-eye” they automatically assume heavy eye shadow. Sometimes you DON’T have to wear heavy shadow and can just use liner to give the look (once again depending on the occasion of course). The BEST eye makeup to compliment a simple cat eye look is as follows:

• Heavy mascara: Make those lashes pop with several coats of mascara to your top lashes and a light coat to the bottom lashes.
• Bottom liner: I start mine at the very corner, but once I reach mid eye, I begin to darken the amount of liner I use. **BEAUTY TIP** I like using black eye shadow as bottom eye liner with this look! I recommend trying it out. It gives a smolder look to the eyes.
• Bottom shadow (OPTIONAL): Sometimes I line my bottom liner with a MAC White Frost eye shadow to add a pop since the liner on the bottom isn’t applied heavily. This still keeps the cat eye look simple. Keep in mind, the top lid SHOULD contain the heavier makeup for this look!

What YOUR favorite liner technique?