The beauty noobz guide to make up (part one brushes)

Recently I was online and talking to a friend of mine who was asking me about make up. She started off by asking me if I subscribe to birchbox or ipsy. For those of you who don't already know both of these are companies where you subscribe to a monthly fee and they send you beauty products every month. Birchbox from what I know has a lot of hits and misses, everything is sample sized but it does have a shop to buy the full sized products. Ipsy also does the same thing but they ask you what kinds of things you like to use and dislike using and depending on that send you an array of items to try every month.

After we talked about them (I do currently subscribe to Ipsy) she started picking my brain about make up, different types, and what works best, but she also confessed to me that she did have brushes but didn't know what to with all of them. So I got the idea to break it down right here. I'm going to be using the make up brushes I got while I went to make up school. They are 15 brushes and all have a unique use, however, go with what you feel. If you want to use a fluffy brush for a light contour down the sides of your nose go right ahead. This is just to give you a general idea and get you started.

1. Foundation Brush

The foundation brush is usually used for even application of moist products this includes your primes, moisturizers, and liquid foundations. Now most people enjoy using make up sponges, or face brushes for this task. The key to the even application is that if you start to develop a patch of skin that looks as though it has too much product, take your fluffy face brush and buff it out. By buffing it out in a circular motion you spread the product and no longer have a big blotch.

2. Powder Brush or Face Brush

This brush is usually used for powders. Anything that you want all over your face or applied in a concentrated amount. For example, powder foundations, setting powders, translucent powders, or something like a skin finish that is more sun kissed and bronze. However, if you want a more concentrated application of blush I found that these brushes work well for that. 

3. Angle Brush

The angled brush is usually used for powders, you can use them for blush, contouring the cheeks, forehead and chin. I've also found that they can work well with more liquid products like when you contour the face with a darker foundation or a liquid bronzer. They can also be used to apply highlight.

4. Concealer Brush

The concealer brush is usually used for patting on your concealer. However this is sometimes flawed since it may be harder to blend out with the brush as opposed to your finger, but most likely more sanitary. This brush can also be used to lay down primer, and to this day if my brushes aren't clean and all I have is this brush I'll pat down eye shadow with it. (That's a bad habit)

5. Firm Shadow

Brushes like this one are really kind of tough. You wanna get in pat down your product and really move along because that thing will start to hurt if you start to windshield wiper motion with it. It can be used for a really concentrated amount of color, or to apply glitter. Also works really well for applying a cream base to eyes.

6, 7 & 8. Eye Shadow Brushes

These pick up lots of color, and they also pat on like a dream. If you want an allover color these brushes are the way to go and they range in size usually for whatever comfort level you have. I have big eyes that are too small to comfortably use the large eye shadow brush on myself. However, the smaller one does the same thing and fits comfortably to my eyelid. You use 'em for eye shadow, any shimmer or sparkle you'd want to add on top of anything really.

9 & 10. Fluffy Brushes.

Fluffy brushes also come in all shapes and sizes. Some people prefer them bigger, rounded, coming to a point or thinner, they make them in all different shapes and sizes for you guys. The point of a fluffy brush is to blend. Usually you use the blending color in your crease to help make your eye shadow not look like it have very harsh lines. You don't want people to be able to clearly tell where your eye shadow ends and your under brow highlight begins. You want it all to blend. You can also use these without a product. By swiping a clean brush upon an area you can soften the amount of product applied. 

11. Pencil Brush

These brushes are usually used to apply color under the eye. Lets say you want to smoke out some black eye liner under your eye, you pick up shadow on this brush and sweep it back and forth. (Be careful though, if the brush is too big for your eye it can get into your eye.) it can also be used to smoke out pencil (or still wet gel lines) on your upper lash line. You don't want a harsh black line on your upper lash line, pick up a matte brown shadow and smoke out the top line.

12, 13 & 14. Liner Brushes

Now with these they also come in all shapes and sizes. These brushes can be used to apply powder to the eyebrows, apply eye shadow as an eyeliner or apply gel liners. Some people prefer the angled liner, especially when you are trying to wing out your eyeliner. The flat liner also works extremely well for winging out liner. (I'll teach you how to do that with the different liner brushes soon) Or some, myself included prefer the old long liner brush, which is usually harder to use for people new to make up.

Last but not least...

15.  Lip Brush

These little guys are used for lip products. Lipsticks, lip glosses, lip stains, you name it and you can use a lip brush with it. Now you don't need to use a lip brush (unless you are doing make up on other people) but the lip brush helps with the colors that are harder to keep in the lines. There are lipsticks shaped differently, or just too dark that stain so it's sometimes best to just fill in your lips with the brush.

Well for now that's all. Hope you liked it. Feel free to comment or ask any questions you still have.

Also don't let price fool you. You don't need high end Sigma or MAC or Crown Brushes to make something beautiful happen. There are plenty of brands that are great and way more affordable. Try EcoTools, ELF brushes, (Crown Brush usually has a sale once every two months on Hautelook.com) BH cosmetics has great brushes, Real Techniques works well also. So look around and find what works for you.

Reds part two (Picture heavy)

Alright now for part two of this blog, that in all honesty was oh so hard on my lips. Seriously swatching on the lips makes for some really awful dry, chapped aftermath. ANYWAY, I digress ^-^ you didn't come here for me you came here for the info, so off we go.
The products in this portion are higher end (except for the first one) and can be found online or in stores depending on where you live.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in #070 Cherry Tart $3.99 (ulta.com)

Claims- Hydrating with sheer to medium color. Comes in 20 shades. 

Lip Butters are just lip butters. They are hydrating and have a little bit of build-able to them. I like the color whispers a bit more because of the formula but lip butters are amazing. They give off true to tube color, have good color pay off, and wear evenly. I own five of them and even a shade like red velvet which looks completely unflattering on me can be sheered out for a small wash of color and hydration. So more like a lip balm instead of a lipstick. like before these are not matte and will last you a bit longer than lip glosses.

MAC Cosmetics in Lady Danger $15.00

Claims- Matte, and a coral red color.

It is pretty matte, more of a creamy formula compared to the other two MAC lipsticks I'm going to show you. It is transferable and most definitely has a hint of orange to it. If you want to try something more orange and you already like how reds look on you give this one a go. It isn't a pure wash of orange or red and it does look great on multiple skin tones. Be aware that matte shades will last longer on you than glossy shades. Also, all MAC lipsticks have a hint of vanilla smell, to me at least.

MAC Cosmetics in Russian Red $15.00

Claims- Matte, High Intensity blue red. 

Russian Red is a fabulous more blue red, which if I'm not mistaken helps your teeth look whiter. It also looks FABULOUS on lighter skin tones. It is matte and a little bit of a drier consistency than Lady Danger is. Both will budge with food, drinks, etc. but if you put a good lip liner on before this one will last you for a few hours.

MAC Cosmetics in Ruby Woo $15.00

Claims- "A very matte, vivid blue red"

When Ruby Woo says it's matte it MEANS it's matte. The only problem with it being so matte is the fact that it feels so dry. Some of you may not have a problem with this but for me it settles into fine lines and accentuates flaws. Now, I will say that there is an easy remedy to this (for me at least) and that is to apply a THIN (unless you want to take away that intense matte) layer of lip balm and then apply lip liner and the lipstick. This is the longest wearing out of the three matte shades I own because of how dry it is. It is also a blue red so it will make your teeth look whiter, it's just a tad more vibrant than Russian Red. It hits you like a classic Marilyn Monroe shade.

Limecrimes Velvetines in Red Velvet $16.99 (limecrimemakeup.com)

Claims- "Rich, velvety red."

Okay if I'm being honest with you, I have the biggest love hate relationship with this one. I was made aware of this through my make up teacher who was always sporting a FLAWLESS red lip. These are fairly new I believe and my gosh are they hard to find! The limecrime website is always selling out of these and considering the fact that with shipping these bad boys turn out to be about $20 a pop, it gets expensive. However, this applies like an opaque lipgloss with a doe-foot wand and dries to a matte color that barely transfers at all. Does it budge when eating or drinking? A bit, not anything that a quick touch up to the center of your lips won't fix, but without that it lasts HOURS. I've gone to sleep wearing it and woken up with it still on (not with it looking flawless but it was still there) it is amazing. It doesn't go on streaky but I HIGHLY recommend using lip liner with this product as it may bleed a little around the edges. If you are lucky enough to live in the Hollywood area you should try to research Naimie's in North Hollywood, they sell them at website price, without shipping. Just food for thought.

Anyway that rounds off all 10 red lip stuff I have.

Hope you enjoyed.

Lemme know if you have any questions in the box below.

Also any comments.

Just please be nice ^-^

Tid-Bits

• I wrote half of this yesterday and really wanted to post it up I was so excited!
• I am super curious about the new Marc Jacobs line at Sephora, I might scope it out on Sunday, if there is anything left.
• I'm going to give my boyfriends mom (at this point everyone calls her my mother-in-law) a makeover next month and I'm SO excited. I picture it like the Clueless scene.
• Just got back from the Macaroni Grill, I ordered cheese ravioli with alfredo sauce.. so delicious, I'm still full but I want my left overs like right now.
• So happy I have someone around to support my latest endeavors, so in case you are ever in the Huntington Beach, CA area and want to check out some books or toys go check out Phat Collectibles! ^_^

Reds part one (picture heavy)

So instead of just going through the three different shades of MAC reds I decided to branch off and do a few different types of red. I'm going to talk about their pigment, shade range, how long it lasts (since some of them claim to be long lasting) and so on. Since I do have at least 10 different shades of red in different formulas I decided to talk about them all but cut it in half or else it would be a complete drag to read through. So here we go...

Loreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge in #343 Red Fatale $9.99 (as listed on website)

Claims- Lasts 10 hours with high color pay off and shine. Also moisturizes lips with Vitamin E to keep lips feeling hydrated and comfortable.

As you can see it does add a pack of color and shine. It does feel really nice on the lips and is a true glossy (semi orange in these pictures) red, I haven't noticed any bleeding into fine lines but with red it is always safest to line the lips so that you have a very clean application. It is not smudge proof and it will transfer/stain things so be careful with this one as it doesn't dry into a smudge proof application. Since it does transfer it should be implied that with eating, drinking and even talking for an extended period of time it will not last all 10 hours, but I have had about a good 3 hours without need for reapplication.

NYC Ultra Moist Lip Wear #308 Retro Red $0.99 (as stated on website)

Claims- Have a built in moisturizer for a dreamy consistency that will take your look to the next level at rock bottom prices.

As you can see with this one you do get a very true red and pigmented. The lipstick doesn't claim to be long lasting or matte, so it will transfer, more so considering it isn't matte. The lip color will last me about an hour, more so if I'm not eating or drinking. It didn't settle into fine lines on my lips and did wear comfortably. So all in all this one is something to buy if you want to try a red lip but you're kind of scared. You cannot go wrong with a dollar price tag.

Maybelline Color Whisper by Color Sensational in #45 Who Wore It Red-er $7.49 (as stated on website)

Claims- "Pure color pigments suspended in a weightless gel. No heavy waxes or oils. Soft, sexy gel-color"

Now yet again, doesn't claim to be matte or long wearing so this will transfer and won't last too long on your lips. It usually lasts longer than a gloss on my lips but I usually re-apply this constantly. If you can tell it implies on the packaging that it is a red but when applied in a swatch or to the lips it looks more pink than anything. The product is light weight on the lips and doesn't feel uncomfortable. The color is also build-able to a certain extent. Just don't expect the color to not have a semi-sheer quality to it. Over-all I really do love these lipsticks.

Maybelline Superstay 14HR Lipstick in #065 Ravishing Rogue

Claims- 14 hour lipstick, doesn't "drag" (I'm guessing means bleeding) doesn't dry your lips, and won't let you down. 

This lipstick I think has been my biggest let down out of every lipstick I've talked about so far. (Including the last one which wasn't even correct color wise) The lipstick has a scent to it, a sweet smell that almost covers up all chemical smell. The color is beautiful, it was one of the first red lipsticks I ever bought and with a claim like that I just didn't think I could go wrong. First of all the lipstick I have has tiny specks of glitter in it so when it begins to wear off at around two hours your left with this really unflattering layer of glitter that pools up in fine lines. Also when you first put it on it feels smooth and creamy, really nice, but as it starts to cling to your lips it becomes sticky, which I suppose helps it stay longer, but considering the fact that it only stays two hours I wouldn't purchase another one. It does have great pigmentation though. Will transfer, not matte.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in #520 Wine With Everything $6.39 (drugstore.com price)

Claims- Creamy texture, wears evenly.

This particular shade has a pearl finish to it, which makes it reflect light all funny. It's a wine color that I've had forever and really flattering if you don't want to go for the pin up red color. It is soft and creamy and will wear pretty evenly unless you are eating or drinking in which case the lip color will fade inside the lip but keep it's definition around your lips. It's not matte (the line does carry matte shades though) and not long wearing, it will wear like any other lipstick. It feels comfortable and light weight on the lips and has a variety of shades and finishes. 

All of these can be found at a drugstore near you and are less than $13. I used the Jordana lip liner on all of these looks and like I've said before I need a better camera, but I did the best I could for the time being. Tomorrow I'll post up the other five so come back for more ^_^ Also leave me any comments if you have questions but please be kind.

Jordana Lip Reviews

So since I'm addicted to buying all types of beauty products (and I say beauty because I'm on a very strange nail polish kick lately) and I'm really trying to start this blog, and get to doing stuff with it I decided to work my way around some new products that I bought recently and have been playing with for a while now. All the lip products are Jordana which you can buy at Walgreens and are fairly inexpensive.

Now if you follow my personal account on Instagram (beatlesxchic) then you know that I promised on Saturday to review them and to be honest I've been itching to try them ever since, but because I haven't actually taken them out for a spin I won't be able to give you an educated review on how long they last on your lashes. Also, like I've stated before all the pictures are cropped because I have a really awful 5 mega pixel camera and really awful lighting in my very pink room. None-The-Less when I try to use the sunlight in my room as lighting everything in my pictures get a pink tint. So with that, lets start this bad boy.

Okay lets start off with the simple stuff. The lip products.
First I decided to buy the Jordana Lip Out Loud Super Shiny Gloss in 104-BFF

Regularly $2.29 but Walgreens is having a BoGo 50% off sale right now so it was $1.14

Now as you can see in the swatch the gloss isn't very pigmented. It is a sheer gloss that has a hint of fuchsia in it, which in some cases is exactly what you want and/or need on some occasions. If you're lips are really pigmented naturally don't expect this product to do much more than look like a clear gloss. However, on the up side this gloss smells like candy. The sweet smell is powerful enough that you will smell it on your lips for a while after application. 

The gloss gives a very nice sheen, doesn't feel sticky or tacky in any way. It also doesn't give your lips that awful shine that makes them look greasy either. Over all I really do like the gloss but if you want something more pigmented for about the same price try the NYC Liquid Lipshine in Fashion Avenue Fuchsia which has more pigment to it and the color is basically what you would have expected from BFF, only be very aware that the NYC gloss is a little bit sticky and a thicker consistency. 

Now I also bought the Jordana Twist and Shine in 04 Candid Coral.

This lip balm stain is $3.29 at Walgreens.

Now maybe it's just the shade that I chose but as you can tell it isn't very pigmented. It does follow the big balm stain trend but it doesn't feel like the Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stain, it feels more moisturizing, and more light weight. However, with two swipes of the Revlon stain I get a fairly pigmented red lip, while with this one I kept trying to build up the color to no avail. But with lighter colors it's usually very normal to be less pigmented if, like I said before, your lips are more pigmented. 

You can see that on my lips it looks less coral and more like a soft pink. It does reflect light nicely and feels really comfortable on lips. In fact, dare I say I actually liked the feeling on this on my lips more than the Revlon lip stains. This doesn't wear as awfully on my lips and dry them out the way the Revlon balm stains did. However, my lips are super sensitive to dryness so you may not feel the same about the Revlon balm stains as I do. I am curious to try more of the Jordana stains in the different colors they offer though.

Lastly I have heard beauty bloggers rave about the Jordana lip liners and let me just say... wow.

I bought the Jordana Easy Liner For Lips in Sedona Red for $2.29

Sedona Red is a bit darker than I thought it would be. But my gosh is it gorgeous! It is the PERFECT lip liner for a shade like MAC's Russian Red which is a smidge darker than their more vibrant reds due to the more blue tint to it. I digress, my next post will have something to do with MAC reds though so keep an eye out for that.

I'm very pleased with this liner to be honest. First of all it's retractable which means that I don't have to carry around a sharpener with me, and if you are a make up artist you understand that if you can cut anything out of your kit, you do it because kits get incredibly large. Also when you're out and you need to reapply your lip stuff the worst thing that can happen to you is that you find out your pencil isn't sharpened and all you have to work with is basically wood. Now I usually use the MAC lip liner in Cherry for my red lip needs and while Cherry is the perfect shade for all the reds I have in my collection, and let me say I have a... ... few. BUT the Jordana liner is just... perfect. It glides on like a dream! There isn't any tugging at all it's just like buttah! It's just something that I want in multiple colors to add to my kit and personal collection because not having to sharpen something, plus the inexpensive price tag, plus the texture is awesome. I just wish they had more of a color selection than their 13 colors that they have on the website now. I would like to try their other retractable liners though.

Anyway, I'm done for the moment toodle-loo ^-^

Tid-Bits-

• I was listening to Lorde radio on Pandora and my gosh is it just a great mixture of female Electro/Indie Pop. 
• I have a big obsession with winged liner and red lips. 
• Don't know if I should do a red lips blog or just a red MAC lips blog. 

My first ever "dupe"

So I'm almost positive that if you are reading this, a beauty blog you no doubt have heard of a dupe and you more than likely know what one is. Now in case you don't know, don't feel left out, a dupe is when you find a duplicate, usually an identical (if not pretty darn close) product that is usually less money than a certain higher end product.
Now there are a few that are always in circulation. For example, it's a widely known internet fact that Urban Decay 24/7 liners are very close in comparison to Milani Liquid Eye pencils. There are also a lot of blogs and youtubers that love to show MAC dupes which are usually every ones bread and butter. Who doesn't want MAC quality products for half the price? Am I right?
Well the funny thing here is I have a dupe but the other way around. Now if you'll recall L'Oreal came out with a special limited edition line of make up made for Project Runway last year and the year before. Now I am a sucker for Project Runway! I love watching them get all creative and every other show that I've watched that has anything to do with fashion has fallen short. So of course I was extremely over the moon when I found out that they were releasing lipsticks (which I am a complete sucker for) and with such BEAUTIFUL colors. So after seeing a vibrant fuchsia lip gloss that my older sister couldn't help but parade around me I began hunting for the perfect fuchsia. I needed one and NO ONE would change my mind. So I bought lip glosses, and lip butters but they fell short, UNTIL, I found the Project Runway #685 "Audacious Amazon's Pout" and it was perfect!
However, since it was limited edition I worried that once it was finished I would have to hunt again, never to find my perfect fuchsia again. Then while I was getting my kit ready for tomorrow I realized that MAC's "Girl About Town" was the exact same thing. Not only is the color the same but the formula is exactly the same.
So in a sense, I didn't dupe correctly since my dupe for a drugstore lipstick is a $15 MAC lipstick, and I am pretty sure I'm late to this game anyway, but I thought it was funny and make up related so I decided to share.

Also sorry for it being this way, I will be better about this once I get a better camera. *crosses fingers* My birthday is coming up anyway.

Tiny Tid-Bits

• I had to pause breaking bad marathon to do this because I get sidetracked easily.
• My kit is set so that I can take portfolio pictures tomorrow... yay?
• Always bribe your friends for help, it's rude to freeload.
• Shout out to the Sanchez sisters for being amazing and helping me out tomorrow.