Milani Cosmetics: Hits and Misses!

Good Evening Mavens!

I hope everyone is having a quick and productive work week.
I have to say that I am happy that I forced myself to sit down and write this blog. I have been recovering this week from a string of unfortunate events. Not to be a downer because I am still in good spirits. I will give you guys a brief synopsis of it toward the end of the blog.

MILANI Cosmetics

So Today for my beauty review I want to talk about the brand Milani. Milani is a cruelty free brand which I am always down to try, as well as an affordable brand that is available at most drugstores (oh hey). I first heard about Milani from a co-worker who said it was recommended by beauty blogger. Needless to say I have been grabbing pieces here and there to try out ever since then. I will say on a whole I really enjoy these products and I definitely have more "Hits" to share with you than "misses" so let's get it started.

The Hit List:

#1 Milani Conceal and Perfect liquid Foundation.

I wanted to start with the best! This foundation is by far my FAVORITE drug store foundation. The coverage is there and it also has staying power. This is one definitely worth the hype. My only regret is not scooping up all the bottles in my shade that Walgreen's had that day. If they came out with a few more shade options I feel like a good deal of people would use this product. I am wearing the shade Light Beige.
The texture is creamy and the bottle comes with a convenient pump. At an average price point of $9.99 you cannot ask for more!





#2 Milani Cream Lipsticks

When I was was a little girl I loved lipsticks. I had little holders for them and I actually liked the smell. In my teens an twenties I fell out of love in with stick lipsticks...until I met these lovers. All of Milani's lipsticks have exactly what you want out of a lipstick. Good coverage, hydrating feel, and lasting power. I am not going to say that these last on your lips forever but they do hold their own with a coffee mug. They are affordable averaging around $6.50 each. They have a vast shade selection for these and the best part is they smell amazing...well I think so.
The two shades I have are Rose Femme and Cinnamon Spice. 


#3 Milani Baked Blush

There is only one blush I have been using this past month and it is the Milani Baked blush in the shade Rose D'oro. No matter what makeup look or skin tone I have found this blush to be universally flattering. I have used it on many of my friends and no matter the skin texture this blush blended like a dream and gave the perfect subtle  flush. I think no matter what stage you are in your makeup game you will like this blush. Retails for approx. $7.49



#4 Milani Metallic Matte lip creme

If you like these to things : metallic and liquid lipstick, then you will like these. They wear a really long time and the metallic finish is subtle enough to be wearable for daytime but still noticeably metallic. I just wish these were available all the time...wah.
Retails for approx. $8-10.00


Hit me Milani one more time!
everything can be related back to a song....

The Misses:

#1 Milani Brow pomade

I had high hopes for this one. I figured if one drugstore brand would nail this it would be Milani. The problem I had with this product was that it was far to mousey, I know that isn't a word. It didn't apply neatly and didn't look to natural in my opinion. I know this sounds weird, but it felt like the texture of lipstick.... no good. 

#2 Milani Powder foundation.

I purchased this after I had already had the Conceal and perfect concealer. I thought it it was anywhere as good it would be a great foundation setter or quick no-makeup looks. I tried this product out for months now and I just don't get it. It is incredibly sheer and brushes off almost as fast as it brushes on..umm no Mr Miyagi (karate kid reference).








So those were my hits and misses from Milani cosmetics. I have a lot of respect and admiration for this brand and hope they continue to do well. If you are looking for a great cruelty free, affordable and accessible brand then head down to your drug store and check them out! 


Now Real quick let me catch you up because it's kind of funny.
Last Friday I broke my 3 year record of never having  sick day at work. I was running a 101 temp and popping Motrin every 4 hours. Tommy and I had already had tickets to go to a concert that night and I really wanted to go...so I did. I piled on the makeup which did disguise my sickness quite well. Anyway after some whiskey an torrential down pours we were leaving the concert and I slipped and fell, hard. I mean really, really, hard. There was silence from the crowd when I went down and when Tommy picked me up I instantly started crying. I am not a public crier especially about pain I can usually hold it together. I limped to the car o.k. enough to know that I didn't break anything. Saturday morning I woke up to bad sprain.The rest of the weekend didn't spread out any smoother. On Saturday, I burned my hand on soup Tommy made for me...ouch. Sunday, I was at a concert (an amazing one) in Providence and some super classy person in the balcony decided to spit their gum over the railing. The gum plummeted straight into my hair...eww. Luckily my hair escaped unscathed due to my wilderness scout bestie, Bridget and some ice cubes.
Alright so enough with reminiscing about crap let's move on. I want to end on a positive note. The two concerts I saw last weekend were awesome. Two completely different genres, metal vs. folk but each one was enjoyable. I am so lucky that I can spend time with my best friends bonding over my first love, Music. I hope I have a lot more of these experiences in the future because I am grateful for them.
I hope everyone has a great and spooky weekend! Remember to not burn the candles at both ends though. Pace yourself ;)

Here's a relaxing clip of the Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats show that I saw on Sunday.
This one was taken the night before the show we saw but you should hear the whole song! xoxo Thanks for reading guys love you!
Bewitching looks on instagram!

LA GIRL Lip Glaze paints swatches and review!!! :D

Wearing shade "Pin-up"

Hello all, happy humpday!
Let me start off by saying that I am sick...wah wah. I was sent home early today to "rest" meaning, take care of that crap because tomorrow is busy lol.
Most of the afternoon I have been snuggling Kittens and my boyfriend in a blanket cocoon but when I saw my packages from Amazon came, it gave me an adrenaline boost and made me want to put all the lip glosses on my face!
So about two weeks ago when I received my Buxom lip polish in the mail (also amazing). I was so impressed by it that it made me want to start expanding my gloss collection. I have been on a liquid lipstick kick for about 8 months but in my earlier makeup years I was all about lip glosses. I went through my collection and although I had a decent variety of glosses I just felt like they were all mostly sheer lip toppers. The Buxom lip polish has a great lasting consistency but the color was very translucent. I decided to hop on YouTube and see what the beauty bloggers were raving about. So one of my favorite YouTubers, Kathleenlights did a couple of videos on the L.A. Girl Lip glazes. I like her reviews because she is genuine with her opinions of products and always does swatches.
L.A. Girl is a cruelty free and affordable makeup line with some high quality products. I think it is important for people to know that there is affordable options and this particular brand is underrated in my opinion. It takes a bit more digging to find the quality products in the drug store world but if you're frugal then you can find some amazing stuff.
On to the swatches!!! o.k. so just a foreword , I am under the weather as I said and I have not one bit of makeup on my face except for the lip glazes. Even my cover photo I had to throw a filter on so I did scare you darling readers!
I got these 6 on Amazon for roughly $12.00 dollars (such a steal!). There was another set that was more nude tones but I went for the colorful deep ones because of my caramel skin ;)
From Bottom to top the shades are:

1. Babydoll
2. Coy
3. Pin-up
4. Blushing 
5. Bombshell
6. Hot Mess

Get ready for some Cold and flu season close ups! mwah

So this is the first shade baby doll and it is a super opaque and light pink color. I used a disposable doe foot applicator for some of these because even application can be tricky because of the squeeze tube packaging. I actually like this color more than I thought I would. Come through baby doll....

So this one is called Coy and it is anything but lol. This is a very loud purple color. I usually stay away from bright purple lipsticks but... my hair is purple now so I think i can create some fun goth looks with this... maybe pair it with a midnight liner mmmm

This shade is called Pin-Up and it is my favorite! It is a deep glossy bright red which I think will look stunning for all the upcoming holidays! Oh and with a full face on Obviously...

So this shade I is called Blushing. I thought it was going to be the token "nude" shade out of this set but it actually packs a lot of color! Still a very pretty mauve/pink color. I don't know if it is too loud for work but maybe we'll find out tomorrow.

This shade is called Bombshell and will be beautiful on all of you blonde fair ladies out there. I feel like it photographs well and out of all the shades I feel like this one was the most even application. A good thing to remember is that shades can change the formulation of your products.

This last shade is called Hot Mess and it is most certainly that! When it comes out of the tube it is Jack o' lantern orange!! I was kinda excited for this shade after seeing it on Kathleen lights and I guess it photographs well but ... it looks very silly on me in person. Also when spreading this one out it would become patchy. I may be passing this one onto a friend or maybe trying it over a liquid lipstick.





Wear Time: So I have been currently wearing the red shade for about 4 hours now. I have eaten dinner, drank hot coffee and blown my nose a bunch. I will say that the glossy finish is gone and some of the pigment but, it has left a flattering stain on my lips that is still quite red. NOT BAD for a lip gloss...just saying.

Final Impressions: So even though there are some inconsistencies with is product when you consider the price point, it's great! It is a super pigmented gloss that gives you the look of having a lipstick on with a brilliant shine. I do think that you need a lip brush or liner for this product to apply even. Also, the packaging could be better but I can't complain with how inexpensive they are. The squeeze tube can be hard to control and can ooze out easily. The last thing is that the color on the packages are not do not match the color that is in the tube which is why I had to swatch them for you. That all being said I love this product! I cannot wait to use it in some makeup looks when I am feeling a bit better.

*This maybe one of the only blogs that you see me without any other makeup on and with my nerd goggles. Only because I love makeup not because I feel insecure without it. Never wear makeup because you feel pressured to. Being beautiful on the inside is ultimately the most glammed up you can be. Thanks for reading. Love you guys. Check in with you next time!xoxo
Don't forget to stay updated on fun looks by following My Instagram!

Custom foundation mixing and Rock n' Shock weekend.

By the way I dyed my hair Purple! I love it.
I am totally feeling the season now!
I used one of the custom foundation shades for this look.

Hello Bewitching Mavens!

I am going to try to switch it up with this entry and save all my personal ramblings until the end of this. It all started last week when I was looking for a certain foundation because it was the closest to my current shade of tan, and I pulled 13 foundations out of my kit. I felt my cheeks turning slightly red, I mean who really needs thirteen different liquid foundations? As soon as I asked myself the question I started rationalizing it like a true makeup junkie would by thinking about all the different shades of light tan I turn throughout the year and how it  was necessary to match them all. Then something dawned on me. Instead of digging through to find my best shade, I should be utilizing ALL of my foundations by custom mixing them to get my perfect shade every time.

I ran to the living room and grabbed one of the clear glass coasters from the coffee table (Score!). I mixed an estee lauder double wear foundation that was too dark for me with the L'oreal Lumi foundation that was currently too light for me and well...
Abra Freakin' Cadabra!
My skin was covered flawlessly! I do not say that lightly. I am a person that will stand in the mirror for a long time after applying foundation and keep bouncing my beauty blender and checking for any area where the transition isn't seamless.
If you are truly a makeup lover and find yourself with more than one foundation please consider trying this. I do recommend using clear glass or mirrored steel for mixing because you really do not want any other background colors interfering.
Another fun thing about doing this is that it takes the best components from your favorite foundations and mixes them together for extra slaying. For instance, the Estee Lauder double wear foundation will stay on weightlessly all day but there are times where I feel like it is too matifying for my combination skin. So, when I mixed it with the L'oreal Lumi foundation and it added the perfect amount of dewy luminosity while still holding through all the day's events.
I cannot wait to try this out more I feel like cosmo mixologist serving up looks that will leave you feeling yourself more than absinthe! haha sorry I get more ridiculous in the later the night gets.

Rock and Horror weekend.

It's Sunday, which means that my stay-cation is now coming to a close. This makes me very sad. I am not looking forward to returning to conformity but such is life I suppose. It was nice to take my time getting ready every morning and visiting all of my friends. Breaks from work are necessary for mental health.
This past Saturday I attended the Rock and Shock festival in Worcester, MA. I am not going to say google this one because it isn't as picturesque as my recent adventures. This festival included a Horror convention and then a 7 hr metal concert with rotating bands. The Horror convention was fun with plenty of creepy things to see. Not for everyone but I liked it!
There was also some famous faces there from some infamous Horror Movies like Malcolm McDowell from A Clockwork Orange and Matthew Lillard from SCREAM. Tommy scored a deal on some sweet T-Shirts and I was even able to convince him to get his face painted. Look at how cute he is!

Although it turned out a bit more kid like than he wanted.. hehe

Thanks sooo  much for reading as always! Try and keep that focus up during the weekday grind. I know how it can wear on your psyche. You're all amazing! xoxo check out My Instagram! for more fun looks.

Sweating is sexy...melting is not. Hiking adventures and L'oreal infallible eyeshadow review.

The foliage reminded me of fruity pebbles.

Happy Thursday makeup addicts!

Hope everyone's work week is flying by. I was lucky enough to have a few days off this week. It has been relaxing which is all I can really ask for. It's so important to take time for you, to get back into a healthy directive. Tommy (the fisherman bf) has been off from work  too which is an added bonus because I feel like we haven't had much time to spend together last month.
My soul is constantly craving progression through balance. Unfortunately, this is my hardest obstacle. Here's a few examples, I have completely submerged myself in beauty products within the last couple of years but, the amount of cooking that I do has decreased.  I have been devoted to being a good "kitten care taker" to Comet and Nova but I my attendance at the gym has decreased. It's time to really push myself over the next few months so that 2017 has a great running start to success.
Anyway, I went on an above decent hike yesterday with my bestie and her adorable daughter, Hana and their pup Harley. Hana is a year and a half so we clearly needed to bring baby supplies. This was great for adding to our workout. One thing I love about time with my friends is everything is positive and due to that we are always having fun no matter what hurdles lay before us. In this case it was literal hurdles in the form of tree trunks and a baby carriage but we worked it out by working out. We got to the place that is titled "White banks" in our town and walked around the beach. Bridget, always teaching, was showing Hana different forms of life in nature and how they are all sacred and useful (side note: all of my friends have amazing energies). We took some pictures of the fall foliage and the changing landscape in our area due to the dry summer we just had. We thanked mother earth for her gifts and made the trek back. I think every year in October I will take a week off. It's really the best month of the year. During this hike,  I sweated some and was splashed some but to my pleasant surprise my makeup (because I am overdressed for life) stayed put! So well in fact I felt that I needed to share.

Bridget and Hana Rose

                                                          

Makeup Review Time!!!!!! (why you're most likely reading this after all)
L'oreal Infallible 24hr eyeshadows!

Retails at drugstores for around $6.99

Let me start by saying that this is not a new product but, I think it is so amazing that I felt it needed a written review.
Packaging: This product is packaged in small pots, made to maintain the moisture in the product. Although not included in the picture above the shadows have a twist off cap and a plastic guard underneath that compacts the shadow down.  The plastic guard is the only annoying part but it does serve a purpose.
Application: When applying this product it is best to use your fingertip. If you have super long nails then you could use a flat makeup brush although I found that this does not pick up the product that well. The texture is that of a loose powder that turns to cream when spread on your lid. Try to apply in more of a stamping/blotting motion rather than swiping. Swiping the product will not carry the pigment and cause fall out. The result is quick and noticeable. It gives an instant opaque shimmer to any area of the eye you want it!
Wear time: The best part about this product! I know that it markets as a "24hr shadow" but most brands are exaggerating when they say that. This product did perform amazing! Lasting a whopping 16 hrs of no smudge or crease! The pigment held up well and was only starting to fade a bit after laying down on the couch before showering last night. I definitely put the durability of this product to the test yesterday and it didn't disappoint one bit.
Final impression: If it wasn't already clear by the start of this review I LOVE this product and strongly recommend it to my fellow beauty mavens. It is long lasting, easy to apply and very affordable giving you the most bang for your buck!
As always thank you so much for reading and if you ever need any makeup tips or ideas then follow me on instagram as well! @metal_mermaid31 My instagram!  I am forever trying and modeling new looks on there for all to try! Love you guys keep that inner light aglow! xoxo

I used the shade Iced Latte for my inner corners and Lid. Shimmer for days!!

Don't settle for less...in life and in concealer.

Hello all!

Thursday night and I am feeling the weekend vibes. One more day left of work and I am pretty much on my stay-cation! I have to work a half day Tuesday but that's it. I am really looking forward to having time off to do more creative things and most importantly spend time with my Boyfriend who is out at sea most of the time.
Although life is really crazy busy right now and I feel like I am just barely keeping my head above water, I have so much to be grateful for. I dream of the day that I can make a living doing what I love but in the interim, I do like my job, my boss is amazing and I learn new and interesting things all the time.
The fact that I am even able to go and get new makeup and explore my passion for it is a complete luxury and that's why I feel like I have to share with you.
Blah! o.k. so on a more upbeat note my first concert of the month is on Saturday and I cannot wait to get fully graveyard glam for Parkway Drive at the House of Blues! Here's a sample, warning it's metal :)
https://youtu.be/Na4itwfNO6M 
The way I do my "metal glam" makeup is by far my favorite. It is really no holds barred and I am looking forward to blogging about it.

TALK ABOUT SOME DAMN CONCEALER WOMAN!

Today's beauty topic is based around concealer and how the formulation and undertone is a huge deciding factor when purchasing.
Below is a picture of the current concealers in my makeup kit. I have tried a lot more believe me! So to go over some basics that you probably already know:

• Get your correct undertone, no one wants an oompa loompa appearance. I will do a blog later on that goes more into depth about skin tones.
• Get a concealer that is 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation color. If you are medium/tan skin I recommend getting 2 shades lighter.

What are you using the concealer for? 

1. If you are using the concealer for under the eye/face highlighting then you definitely want it to be on the lighter spectrum.
2. If you are using the concealer for blemish or sun spot covering then you want the shade to be closer to your foundation color.

Coverage levels : Everyone's skin type is different, a known fact. Some people require more coverage and others need more hydration. We all want staying power. For the people who want more full coverage concealer look for a thicker formulation, these concealers can be a bit more difficult to blend but it will give you your desired outcome. I do not recommend this kind of concealer if your under eye tends to run dry. Instead, opt for a hydrating medium coverage concealer. There are several good ones in fact the last two in my photo are my top two, one drugstore one higher end.

Why do I have so many?
I have so many concealers because I am a sick individual...just kidding. I have so many because finding your perfect concealer is usually not a first at bat home run. I had to experiment with different shades and I didn't settle for the one that blended and looked alright. If I am trying to look good then I am going to look DAMN good. My makeup is going to be blended better than frozen drinks in my Ninja. This requires a bit of patience and disappointment. Example, today I returned the Kat Von D lock it concealer. I really wanted to love this. First I got the wrong shade which is no ones fault but my own but, when i applied it went on really thick and oxidized on my skin within minutes leaving a tangerine racoon glow..not cute.

Application: To apply your concealer use a damp beauty blender. I have no other suggestions for this it simply works the best.

My winner: My top concealer, ride or die is Urban Decay's Naked Skin concealer in the shade medium neutral. Retails for $28.

Ramble on: Well that's it for tonight I think I typed my fingers almost off  and tomorrow is a full work day. I did just want to say that my opinions on makeup are my own. I have had a lot of trial and error to arrive to these conclusions. I just want to share what I have learned I am not trying to tell anyone that they should do anything a certain way. Makeup is about self love and expression and should be done to make yourself happy.
Have a great weekend I will catch up with you on Sunday! 

Just wanted to post a pic because I miss him...sigh. ; P

Whimsical wedding weekend and Anastasia Glow kit review!

10/02/16


Hello bloggers and beauty lovers! It is officially the season of the witch and I couldn't be more excited. This past weekend two of my close friends made a lifelong commitment to each other in an absolutely beautiful ceremony that took place in Tiverton Rhode Island. Giving you another google search moment...... Historically cute right?!
I had the honor of being one of the "Lady Maids" in this wedding and was also able to gain beauty experience. I took on the task of doing all the fellow lady maid's makeup for the day of the wedding. This was amazing for me because it gave me an opportunity to experiment with color on more fair skin tones. Knowing the theme and colors before hand was most helpful too. I was so painstakingly nervous but you don't get better at what you love by playing it safe. I had to trust myself and what I have learned over my 20+ years of being a makeup addict. I knew that makeup would be intimidating for some and the proof had to be in the pudding. I found myself shielding the mirror until I was done lol. All of them told me they felt beautiful at some point during the evening and they most certainly were. The whole night was just surrounded by a feeling of unconditional love and definitely made this mermaid a little watery eyed. Lashes stayed on though...;)

VW bus photo booth.....Amazing and original!

O.k. so now that I have caught you up on my life per usual...let's get on to the beauty review!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit: That Glow

Retails for $40

Glowing from within even in low light.
This stuff is BOMB!

Let me say that I am a HUGE fan of highlighters. I think that they absolutely kick up makeup looks to a celestial level. That being said, I am also super particular on the finishes of the the highlighters I use. If it gives the skin any texture or gives a separated granular appearance then I am all set because no one is trying look reptile like on weekday. Although, those type of highlighters can usually be salvaged by using them as intense shimmer eyeshadows.
Anastasia Beverly Hills makeup is a cruelty free company that pumps out quality!! This glow kit is amazing and was the clutch hitter this weekend when I made up the lady maids! I think that it gave all of them a fairy like glow which went perfectly with the flow of the evening. It is extremely soft without giving too much kick back. It is very pigmented without being too creamy of a texture. You get a lot of product in this kit and is definitely worth the investment. There is a color to go with whatever look. Some of the other glow kits I don't think are as versatile as this one (just my opinion).
Most importantly: This product leaves a glowing appearance that shines from within. It looks like natural candlelight has kissed your face. It is so gradient and blends in with your makeup (or bare skin) flawlessly. I suggest using a fan or petite tapered brush for applying this. Using a light hand is important. To apply, dust over the high planes of your cheekbones in small wide circles. If you want to glow for the gods then sweep the highlighter down the slope of your nose and across the cupids bow of your lips.

This month: October is by far the best month of the year! Fall fashion is in full gear, everything is pumpkin flavored and more bold makeup looks are popping up on all forms of media. I have a lot of concerts and events coming up this month and I can't wait to experiment with some dramatic rocker looks. I will have reviews and perhaps walk through tutorials on my blog! Thanks for reading. I am not ready for Monday at all. I feel like I have been floating on a cloud all weekend and I am not ready to come back down yet! Oh well the beat goes on...xoxo
Instagram: @metal_mermaid31