Soft, easy, smokey brown 
Here is another easy eye look for you this Friday that doesn’t involve any complicated blending or contouring of the eye….just a straightforward shadow application! This is definitely an easy smokey eye…but you don’t have to make it smokey! If you don’t drag your shadow down to the lower lashline, it keeps this as a nice, clean eye while still giving you a little bit of drama for the day 
If you don’t own “Mystery” from MAC…I don’t know how to explain how it is different from any other brown shade other than the fact that it is definitely more on the cool side . The picture below isn’t the best representation of the true color of the shadow..I apologize for that. But at the same time, many of MAC’s shadows look entirely different in the pan than they do on the skin. Any cool medium brown shade will do.
Products Used:
MAC Shadows in “Crystal Avalanche”, “Omega” and “Mystery”, MAC Lipstick in “Velvet Teddy”, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable in “Smitten”, Maybelline Gel Liner in “Blackest Black”, MAC Paint Pot in “Soft Ochre”
PREP:
Apply concealer to the entire lid, all around the eye and underneath the eye. Set with powder. Apply your eyeshadow primer. I use MAC’s Paint Pot in “Soft Ochre”
Step 1:
Using a stiffer fluffy brush or a flat and stiff brush, apply “Mystery” to the entire lid and up..stopping right after the crease of the eye. I also rounded this out at the sides instead of giving it a “V” shape. Using your bullet brush, apply the same color to your lashline and connect it at the sides. We don’t care if it is messy right now…it will look something like this:
Step 2:
Using your stiff fluffy, apply “Omega” where “Mystery” ends and up…stopping at the brow bone. It will look something like this:
Step 3:
Using a stiff brush, apply your highlight from the brow bone down into the inner corner. Using your fluffy, blend, blend, blend your “Mystery” into your “Omega”. Apply your fake eyelashes. Go over any excess glue with your gel liner. Apply gel liner to your waterline and smudge any excess into the lower lash line. Your final product should look something like this:
and this:
Now for the lips. They were an accidental find in terms of the color I couldn’t decide if I wanted to go with the great nudey color of “Velvet Teddy” or if I wanted the great fall feeling of a perfect plum like “Smitten”. So…I tried “Velvet Teddy” on and then took it off because I thought I wanted “Smitten”. Once I had “Smitten” on, I decided I wanted “Velvet Teddy” back….but I couldn’t get “Smitten” off (I told you they were great stains). So, essentially, this color is “”Smitten” with “Velvet Teddy” over it. Turned out to be a lovely combo right?
Erin
Aquaphor–Gold in a jar
So I thought I would do this post now before it gets clumped into all of the other fall and winter posts. After all, I did have my first pumpkin spice latte last week and whenever everything pumpkin is readily available to me is when I start my fall If I haven’t mentioned it before, I pretty much go to bed looking like a greased pig. Attractive right? Yea, I’m sure my husband thinks so too. Anyway, I just love, love, love a lot of moisture on my skin so any product that gives that to me is one that I cherish. On my nightstand right now you will find a bottle of Bio Oil, a jar of coconut oil, a tub of Aquaphor and a bottle of lotion….and that isn’t even counting the actual anti-aging skincare in the bathroom. Do I sometimes use all of these things at once in one big, strange, glorious mixture of oil???….Yes..I have issues. I know this product may not be breaking news for some of you as it has been around forever but this is definitely a product that I think everyone should have before winter hits:
Now…if you purchase this product don’t open it up and go “why the heck did I just pay $8.50 for something that looks just like Vaseline??” It is not just like Vaseline. It has different properties. Unlike Vaseline which is 100% petroleum oil….Aquaphor is only 41% petroleum… so it provides a thicker layer that doesn’t rub off as easily. It also contains things like vitamin B5 and chamomile to soothe. This stuff is not only necessary on my nightstand..but it is an absolute MUST HAVE in my kit. There are just soooo many uses!! I apply some to peoples chapped lips right when they sit down with me so that their lips are soft by the time I am done with the rest of their face. You can tame the brows with it. You can give the skin a dewy glow with it. You can highlight the decolletage with it. You can quickly moisturize dry patches of skin on a clients face. You can tame fly-aways with it. You can use it in wound care and on radiation burns. And apparently people with babies are crazy about this stuff as it is recommended by physicians…. Gah! So many uses! The great thing about this product and the big reason why I am comfortable using it on myself and others is that unlike Vaseline which is pretty much 100% occlusive…this is only semi-occlusive…so it is still letting the skin breathe while it is healing it–Perfect. It also doesn’t contain any irritating ingredients or antibiotics (like A&D) that could irritate the skin. I have just been really, really pleased with how moisturized it is keeping my skin…as that is the best canvas for makeup application! I am also secretly hoping that by slapping it on top of my anit-aging skincare a night I am forming a barrier and forcing it to work!!!! I luuurve you Aquaphor.
Erin
Drugstore Gem-Neutrogena Clear Face Sunblock
I have to admit…I can get a little lazy with the sunscreen on my body (which is unacceptable) ….but I always have it on my face in one capacity or another!! I know there are a lot of you out there like me too because I do your makeup and your face is about two shades lighter than your body 
This is good! There are so many products out there that already have a sunscreen built in…tons of moisturizers do it and now you can barely find a foundation without it so most everyone is getting a little sun protection without really trying. The problem is that most of these sunscreens are only SPF 15 or SPF 25…I don’t know about you but I need more protection than that. Recently, I have been giving myself more peels and more micros and I can’t leave that new skin with a measly SPF 15 protection….or else it is going to end up looking like the skin I was trying to get rid of! That is why I was so happy when I found this face sunscreen that had a whopping SPF 55:
If you can’t read the bottle it says ” won’t cause break-ous, ultra light, oil free and waterproof”. So I have been using it for a few days now and I LOVE it. It is not greasy at all…the scent isn’t offensive like some other sunblocks and it doesn’t leave a white residue. AND no breakouts!! Awesome, awesome stuff considering Shiseido’s SPF 55 retails for $35 at Sephora and Nordstrom and I picked this one up for around $10 at Walgreens.
Erin
Reuse your fake eyelashes!
I am constantly telling people what a great investment fake eyelashes are….because they can be used over and over and over! It doesn’t matter if they are drugstore brand or MAC brand…they can withstand multiple uses! The key to using them multiple times is knowing how to take care of them!
So…what are the keys to reusing your lashes?
1. Don’t use waterproof mascara! —Obviously if it is your wedding day..you are going to want to ignore this. But for any other time, forego the use of waterproof mascara on your fake lashes. It is too hard to get off and it really weighs them down.
2. Carefully peel the glue off. -When you are done with your lashes for the night, gently peel the glue off of the lashes. I do this by flipping them over so they are upside down and I hold on the the actual lash part and gently peel the glue off of the band.
3. If you want an extra “clean” feeling you can dip a cotton swab in alcohol and wipe it along the band. This also helps to loosen any excess glue.
4. Store them in the little box they came in so you don’t find rogue lashes stuck to random household objects
IMHO, full band lashes are a lot easier to reuse than ones that are more spaced apart like the 110′s above. It is just easier to pull the glue off without disturbing the actual shape of the lash. If you find that mascara has clumped up, you can gently “pull” that off too…it should come off easily as long as you don’t use waterproof! There is no “set” amount of times that you can use lashes…just use them until they lose their shape or start to look a little disheveled!
Erin
Romantic pink and purple
I think MAC Haux is my new favorite color….I have used it so much in the past couple of days in a variety of different ways and it just looks so stunning. I think it is because it is a great in between color….it is not too pink, not too purple and not too brown…it is kind of a great mix of all three! I have to say that I love, love, love this look and I think that it is a great look for a “romantic” bride that wants to keep it more natural looking…as well as a wonderful option for those of you looking to branch out from your creams and browns. This is such an easy eye look with very little “risk” for messing up because the colors are all pretty light!!
Products Used:
MAC Eyeshadows in “Crystal Avlanche”,”Yogurt”, “Pink Venus” and”Haux”, MA Paint Pot in “Soft Ochre”, Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Liner in “Blackest Black”, MAC Lipstick in “Creme Cup” and “Plumful” (not pictured)
PREP:
Apply concealer to the entire lid up to the brow, all around the eye and underneath the eye. Set with powder. Apply your primer, I used MAC’s Paint Pot in “Soft Ochre”.
Step 1:
Using your big fluffy, apply “Yogurt” to the entire front half of the lid. Then, apply “Pink Venus” to the outer half of the eyelid…stopping right at the brow bone. It should look something like this:
Step 2:
Using your bullet brush, apply “Haux” to the crease and outer V. Drag that color down into the lower lash line. It should look something like this:
Step 3:
Using your big fluffy (or a more stiff fluffy as I did) blend, blend, blend that “Haux” into the “Pink Venus”. Using a stiff brush, apply your highlight color from your brow bone down into the crease, blend it out a bit with your big fluffy. Apply your fake eyelashes. Go over any excess glue with gel liner. Apply gel liner to your waterline. Your final product should look something like this:
and this:
Isn’t it a nice soft look?? I just think “Haux” makes the look because it doesn’t add too much purple! These lashes are pretty crazy…but I loooove them For my lips, I mixed some “Creme Cup” with “Plumful” to get a nice pink with a touch of purple. Hope you enjoyed!
Erin
