Category: eyes

Buxom Color Choreography Eyeshadow

I’m always looking for a nimble eyeshadow palette that can create loads of looks. Urban Decay has done a great job with both of their NAKED palettes. But sometimes all those options can be overwhelming and its size is a little clunky for travel. On my recent jaunt to Napa, I brought Buxom Color Choreography™ Eyeshadow in Swing. Its brillant neutrals can easily handle a pretty matte lid, smokey chestnut liner and vanilla highlighter. Layer the rose and peach, and wet the chestnut liner for evening.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Buxom (I am also fairly new to the brand), it is an off-shoot from Bare Escentuals. The luxury collection is a little rock n’ roll – edgier and bold. The shadows have the same high quality as the Ready to Go shadows by BareMinerals. But I would say the Buxom shadows are slightly softer and I find them more blendable. You don’t get the skin care benefits, but I find the powder easier to work with. Definitely a personal preference situation.

Every one of these six palettes have a range of shades that work beautifully together. They layer very well. And the darker colors sheer out for those who prefer a more natural look. For those of you who love to play around with looks, you can eek out numerous variations with these five shades. I’m all about neutrals so I knew Swing was going home with me. But I also have Hip-Hop, in an effort to branch out of my taupe rut. The gold has quickly become a favorite and the grey sheers out to a pretty silver. The navy makes for an unexpected liner.

These also work to toss in your purse. I’m impressed that the little application wand has real brushes that can handle a touch-up in a pinch. Available at Sephora.

SOHO Professional Brush Collection

Makeup brushes can be a pricey investment. I’m all for building a collection of investment-worthy brushes over time. But sometimes your budget doesn’t allow or you need a second set. Enter SOHO Professional Brush Collection available at Walgreens. They offer a wide selection of brushes to fit every function. They are ergonomically designed and quite beautiful. I’ve found they work great across the board and have come in handy as I fill in my collection with the more “specialty brushes”.

I’m so smitten that I am giving one of you a carbon copy of my collection of SOHO brushes (worth over $50). My favorites are:

  • Powder Brush
  • Highlighter Brush
  • Small Shader Brush
  • Crease Brush
  • Concealer Brush

Enter to win using the widget below. Open to anyone in the US. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Urban Decay NAKED Palette GIVEAWAY

I’m guessing most of you have heard of the NAKED palette from Urban Decay. If not, then here is a little recap: 12 tremendously flattering, neutral eyeshadows that are brilliantly crafted to be blendable and long-wearing. It is packaged with a professional-quality, cruelty-free Good Karma Eyeshadow Brush, plus a travel-size Eyeshadow Primer Potion in original formula.

This is such a comprehensive palette. I love Naked, a matte buff, as a base. Half-baked is a great shimmer. Sin makes a great highlighter. And the darker shades work as a pretty alternative to black eyeliner.

I just happen to have an extra one, and couldn’t resist sharing it with one of you. Open to anyone, anywhere! Enter to win using the widget below:

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CoverGirl Eyes

I’ve found a new drugstore duo from CoverGirl that can’t be beat for summer days. I love the crease-proof, sheer look of CoverGirl Intense ShadowBlast Eyeshadow in Brown Bling. No need to fuss with a primer – it is already built in! This is perfect for those long, hot days. Not only is it water-proof but stays like a champ. The brush is spongy and a breeze to maneuver.

Follow up with CoverGirl Liquiline Blast Eyeliner in Blackfire. This pencil is super creamy and doesn’t tug at your skin as you apply it. The shade is a blendable, grey black – not too severe for summer days. The other end is a smudger which I actually use. It isn’t too stiff and does the job blending out the pigment.

Both for under $15 at drugstore.com

by Lindsay Rogers

LORAC Wild For TANtalizer® Collection

For my recent trip to Los Angeles for LuckyFABB, I brought along this summer kit by Lorac. I knew for a conference that was held literally at the shore, I needed a summer look that was still natural.

The set contains:

The bronzer is on the darker side but still worked for my light-medium skin. I used it under my cheekbones, forehead and neck. It would also look great on the collarbone and décolleté. This is on the shimmery side of bronzers and gave a very healthy glow. The eyeshadows were a subtle range of shimmery taupe. The lightest (Fierce) is a great highlighter. Both middle shades work on the lid, and the darkest (Saber) makes a great, natural liner. I love the gloss – nurturing and perfectly nude. It does have a slight cake batter smell. Wish they had gone with a more tropical coconut or vanilla flavor, but I don’t mind the baking scent.

Nuance Salma Hayek Anti-Aging Tinted Eye Brightener

I was already hooked on the Nuance Salma Hayek Oxygen Activated Foaming Face Wash reviewed here. But a new batch of products, including the Anti-Aging Tinted Eye Brightener, was recently added to the lineup. Add this to my list of drugstore superstars.

This is a pen with a brush at one end. You twist the bottom as the product enters up from the center of the brush. At first, the pigment looks peachy orange, but it goes on perfectly. It promises to be universal and I think it would work on any skin tone. And not because it is sheer, because the darkness under my eyes is evened. It adds a bit of yellow to my reddish skin making it smooth.

Lemon extract & vitamin C help nourish the skin and provide antioxidant protection. Blue Agave’s age-defying properties help soothe, hydrate and firm the skin both instantly and continuously. Caffeine invigorates the skin to help reduce the appearance of puffiness. Haloxyl (Haloxyl is a trademark of Sederma, Inc.), an advanced peptide complex, helps to minimize the appearance of dark circles and sculpt the eye area for fresher, vibrant, more youthful-looking eyes.

A little more about Nuance: Salma Hayek wasn’t just a celebrity name to slap on a product line.  Her grandmother, a cosmetologist who developed home remedies, inspired throughout the development of the line.   Salma was active in the creation of products and you can really see her Mexican heritage in the ingredient list (blue agave & lemon). She covered the bases: Ophthalmologist tested. Dermatologist tested. Hypoallergenic. Noncomedogenic. Fragrance free. Paraben free. Not tested on animals.