I’m Not Dead.

Hi. It’s been while! I’m not dead. I was just all wrapped up in some things and WordPress had to take a back seat..or a trunk, locked away in a suitcase with a key. OK ok, i pretty much left WordPress for dead. BUT….I’m back! Allow me to fill you in on my life….

It was over a year ago since my last post. I had been talking to you about product reviews and a zodiac series (which i am currently working on and i am very excited to reveal them all…i just have to finish them first).

Since that post back in March 2016, I have been quite busy

1. I attended school and attained an Esthetician’s License
2. Moved in a house for the first time and it has required A LOT of attention
3. Got a new job working at a wig shop, which I will sadly say good bye to at the end of this month to focus on my career as a professional makeup artist

1.School was an interesting adventure. It was about 5 months, almost 40 hours a week, in a small classroom with 6 other females. You do the math. There were some rough times, but ultimately I met some very wonderful women and had an great teacher! I learned about facials, peel treatments, microdermabrasion, waxing, eye lash and brow tinting, and of course makeup sanitation and application. And I won’t stop there. In the beginning of way I am going to make my way up to  NYC to attend The Makeup Show. It is an event help for pros in the industry only! I am so excited to learn and meet others that share my same passion. I will keep you posted as this transpires.

The Makeup Show

2.Our home sweet ….WHAT THE HELL? Haha. We moved into a lovely home that I am very grateful for…but it does have quite a few quirks. Every bit of sweat and tears we put into it the better it gets. I look forward to the journey…maybe. haha. we can always sell if we get sick of it. I’m still unpacking by the way and it’s almost been a year. It never ends.

3.I got fantastic job at a high end wig shop. I assist cancer patients, people who are thinning, alopecia clients, and people just buying for fun. My makeup business has picked up so much that I am going to have to retire soon. It has been my favorite job that I have ever had (besides the Makeup Job, where I work for myself). I will miss the atmosphere but will keep in contact with the lovely ladies that work there.

REVIEW TIME: Colourpop: Ultra Satin Lip

Are these worth your time and $$?

 

 

What are they? A moussey, opaque liquid lipstick

Longevity: They wear fairly long, until you eat any vinegar, oil, excessive napkin wiping. Drink with a straw ladies!

Pigmentation: Really good!

Texture: This is also nice. It doesn’t feel as dry as the ultra mattes, but you’re sacrificing staying power.

Worth the buy? If you really really like the colors, I’d say go for it. From the ones I bought, I’m especially digging Toolips and Mess Around. I regret not buying Frick n Frack.

My Rating: B+

Here are the swatches:

top left to right: trap, kapow, teeny tiny.                                                                                                   bottom left to right: marshmallow, mess around, too lips

Here is a look I did with Mess Around. I used M.A.C.’s Chestnut liner. I’d say that it’s much cooler then Chestnut and I may try Cork next time.

Here is Mess Around!

I really like the color. It’s fairly unique. I especially like how pigmented it is.

What do you guys think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m a Magician/PLEASE VOTE

My apologies for my disappearing act. I meant to post last week, but life happened. I was planning on continuing with the zodiac series. But before I do that, I wanted to ask what kind of reviews/swatches you wanted to hear from me.

Vote in the comments below please!

1. Burberry Velvet Lipsticks: Review and Swatches

I have three colors that are great for spring.

2. My TOP Favorite Highlighters / Iluminators: Review and Swatches

2016: the year of the glow!

3. Colour pop Ultra Satins: Review and Swatches

I have three currently: Mess Around, Toolips, and Marshmallow. Thinking about purchasing others.

4. Your Request

So what’ll it be folks? Burberry? Highlighters? Colour Pop? Other?

Baby’s First Snaps

I did my first snaps tonight guys. 💯💯🍭I’m new to it so if it was scary/awkward to watch then well…it’s probably only going to get more awkward from here. 🍿🍎My snaps include me with no makeup…ZERO MAKEUP, MY WIG COLLECTION, & A HUGE PILE OF MAKEUP MESS.

Add me on there and I’ll add you back. My username is the same as my insragram @beautybyburden 💋💋

Zodiac Makeup: Pisces

Would anyone be interested in me doing a zodiac themed series? I have already done my own astrological sun sign, Pisces.

 

Follow me on Instagram @beautybyburden

In this picture I am wearing an aquamarine (polished raw) necklace, which is my birthstone and sea horse earrings (an element of the sea). Pisces is a water sign, so I wanted to use colors, such as sea foam green and blue. I also wanted to include Pisces’ lucky color: sea foam green.

Here is a color spectrum for Pisces.

Products I used to complete this look:

SEPHORA: Jumbo pencil liner in 16 Glitter ( I used this as a shadow base on the lid)

NYX: Prismatic Eye in Mermaid

MAKEUP GEEK: in the colors Nautica, Masquerade, Daydreamer, Drama Queen, and Corrupt

ESSENCE marker eyeliner

URBAN DECAY: Moondust Shadow in Cosmic

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS: Brow powder duo in chocolate, Illuminator in Stardust, Glow Kit using Crushed Pearl

BARE MINERALS: complexion Rescue in Opal

CLINIQUE: Super Powder in Ivory

MARC JACOBS: Blush in Outspoken, Enamoured Hi-Shine Lip Gloss in Love Buzz

LANCOME: bronzer in sunkissed (matte) PERFECT FOR PALE PEOPLE)

RCMA: No color powder

 

 

 

 

 

ABH GLOW KIT: LOVE/HATE

I usually post on Sundays, but I was preparing for a Superbowl party so things got a little pushed back. Sorry about that. 😦 Today I’m going to talk to you all about my love/hate relationship with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit. Because I am a makeup artist, I bought both, on myself I tend to use “gleam” more, rather than “that glow”  but both palettes contain a variety of colors that would work on a variety of skin tones.

I’m wearing all four colors from the GLEAM GLOW KIT in different spots of my face.

OK, there’s the thing, I was not impressed with these palettes at first. I did not like how they were laying on my face or on my friend (i test products on myself and friends before I use on clients). It just looked patchy and just too uneven!

I’ve learned with these that you have to apply some sort of powder before you lay down the glow kit product. To me, that’s a little annoying because with my other highlighters or illuminators I never had to have a powder barrier.

They also weren’t working with the usual brushes that I’m so used to using with over highlights or strobing powders. I had to use a larger, dense, VERY SOFT and very fluffy brush for the glow kit to come out to how i like it (blended and not patchy). I ended up going with the Sephora 55 Airbrush -which is typically used with liquids. I bought this when it came with a brush kit. And I used to work for Sephora so I got a discount. Anastasia made a brush specially for her illuminators which is $25. I don’t have the brush so I can’t speak on it but I’ve heard is good.

The Sephora 55 Airbrush $34

It’s buildable which is nice so if you use a light hand you can put a nice natural glow. Crushed Pearl (Gleam’s lightest shade) is PERFECT for fair skin tones even though it looks dark in the pan. It’s slightly lighter and less yellow then starlight (ABH illuminator).

All of the colors are pretty misleading actually. And some of these swatches below aren’t accurate either (they are abh’s). Because as you can see in the first picture I posted (with me holding up the palette) i am fairer then the lightest skin in the swatches but crushed pearl is still lighter then my skin tone, making it a perfect highlight for the fairer skinned ladies.

Starburst also appears lighter on me then in the swatches below. I only use hard candy as a blush topper and Mimosa as a bronze topper on myself, but I know that these colors will work on a variety of skin tones.

They are pretty decently priced. You can get a lot of product for $10 a pan ($40 total) and you can remove them out of the packaging if you want, but it’s really nice and sturdy so I’m keeping them in their packaging.

These are somewhat long lasting. I would definitely use a setting spray!

Are they worth it? Well, ABH says that these are limited edition palettes, but I bet that she will come out with singles of these. If you are strapped for cash, and you already have an ABH illuminator, I would wait on these. They’re very nice, but not AMAZING.

***I still prefer the Hourglass lighting/strobing powders to Anastasia Beverly Hills illuminators and highlights. Hourglass Cosmetics are expensive but so worth the money if you can splurge. Whenever I purchase them I make sure I can get them on a discount. BUT Hourglass doesn’t make their makeup mua friendly. The packaging is bulky (albeit beautiful), you can’t customizie, you can’t depot, so you’re just left with lugging around a bunch of compacts. They have made the lighting edit palette, but it’s so small that it’s insulting. I have purchased and repurchased the lighting palette, which is larger and contains one of the strobing powders.  IN SHORT, Hourglass needs to make a LARGER palette with all of the strobing powders -but in good sizes.

thanks for stopping by. 🙂 tell me what you think and let me know if you want swatches!

 

SHADOW BATTLE: Viseart vs. MakeupGeek

SHADOW BATTLE: Viseart vs. MakeupGeek

Source: SHADOW BATTLE: Viseart vs. MakeupGeek

SHADOW BATTLE: Viseart vs. MakeupGeek

OK you guys I’m finally doing this review/comparison on Viseart and Makeup Geek shadows. Please share your thoughts down below…hope you enjoy mine.

So I did similar eye shadow looks on two different days, basically a bronze/brown smokey eye. Now I’ve used these shadows before, you may have seen my holiday makeup looks. I’ve used both brands alone or simultaneously.  I’ve experimented with both brands and feel like I can make a good review at this point.

 

These are kiss lashes in case anyone is wondering. They are my favorite. you can get them at wal-mart or drugstores. they are so comfortable!!!!

This is viseart shadow from the 01 matte palette and the 03 bridal satin palette and viseart gel liner (mixed with some inglot duraline solution)

 

MAKEUP GEEK

 
Pardon the top knot. I had just gotten back from a top knot party. 😋 so anyways… These are makeup geek shadows in moondust, glamourous, and bitten in the crease with an urban decay pencil liner I think.

UGH bitten…it looks so pretty in the pan but then once you start applying it, it just goes EVERYWHERE. it doesn’t look to bad in the picture but that’s because i put a bunch of concealer on top of it. There’s blendable and then there’s this…where it’s just like a two year old smearing food on a wall. That sh*t goes everywhere!

I will say that I do love most of their duochrome shadows (and probably darn near all of their foiled shadows). OMG typhoon is my favorite. just to give you a recap of typhoon:

MAKEUP GEEK: Typhoon Duochrome (lid only) and of course VISEART hanging in the crease (from the 08 Editorial Matte palette)

 

More Makeup Geek: Fortune teller, ritzy, and cocoa bear I really adore this gold and Viseart does not have one this quite yellow.

Some may argue that Makeup Geek Shadows are more unique and brightly colored…but Viseart did this:

To get the sparkles i applied Urban Decay’s Heavy Metal liner in Glam Rock.

and this:

Pardon all of the stray hairs

EFFORTLESS. That’s what I think when I think Viseart. Even when I was trying to do the negative space cut crease. The pigmentation is there, it’s blendable, it’s buildable, it’s beautiful. Overall, I would have to say that I prefer Viseart Eye shadows. I think they are better quality and have more consistent quality throughout their shadows. I have to work a lot less with all of the Viseart shadows and it’s pretty hit or miss with the makeup geek shadows. That being said, I do not think Makeup Geek has bad shadows. I think they have really nice ones and then they have a lot of duds. If I had to return one brand of of shadow and never use it again it would be Makeup Geek.

OK OK…right now you’re probably like, “are you sponsored by them or something?” ha no… i wish. I will say that in terms of inconsistency Viseart does have a select few shadows that appear different in the pan, but you are pleasantly surprised at the color once your swatch or apply. But that is really only with a handful of colors. Most of them are true to pan color and will glide on your lids like a dream and lay beautifully.

Here’s my score for the SHADOW BATTLE:

APPLICATION – Viseart wins

COLOR PREDICTABILITY – This one is tied, for the most part the colors are true to pan

COLOR PIGMENTATION – This one is tied, there a some let downs with each brand, but overall they are both very pigmented.

CUSTOMIZATION – Makeup Geek takes it, you can purchase what ever shadows you want or  ordered pre-made palettes, I will say though, Viseart arranges their shadows nicely in most of the palettes

QUALITY – Viseart takes this one. Although most of the foil and duochrome Makeup Geek Shadows are out of this world. BUT MG just has too much fallout.

PRICE – They are actually pretty comparable. This one is a tie, but leaning towards MG because you can customize and purchase less. Foiled shadows are a wopping $10 a piece (same size mind you) and the duochrome, shimmer, and matte shadows are $6 a piece. On average Viseart shadows are about $6.66 a piece. The bridal satin palette is the same quality of the foiled shadows (maybe a touch less foily) but you pay less for a great product.

OK so who won? Viseart 4 vs. Makeup Geek 4

Each brand of eye shadow shines in different ways.

Have you tried these brands? Which is your favorite?

And let me know in the comments if you want to see swatches!

Up next week is the Anastasia Beverly Hills LOVE AND HATE Glow Kits Review.

 

 

Colourpop: Lippie Stix in Review

By now everyone reading this has gone online and bought themselves some Colourpop. On the off chance that you haven’t I’d like to give a review for you. It will broken down in Color Payoff, Longevity, Value, and Overall Feel and Reaction

I wasn’t completely convinced of all the hype so I purchased two colors for myself and two for a friend. 🙂 the two that I purchased for myself were tootsie and grunge. Both the Lippie and the matching pencil.

Color Payoff: These lipsticks are extremely pigmented. The colors are unique as well. The liner is very creamy and pigmented, but also a just a tad runny. you may need a second stiff liner so your face doesn’t look a mess.

Longevity: The lip color lasts fairly long, that is until you start eating, then you’ll notice some wear. It doesn’t flake off too, which is good. And when I applied it I first applied the lip pencil all over the lips, and then the lippie stix on top of that. This is a makeup artist trick, a lot of people are familiar with it now though because of youtube. 🙂

Value: I’d say the value is pretty high for these babies. $5 dollars each? They beat out any drug store lip product that i’ve tried and returned.

Yes, it can be tricky for the lipstick to not bleed a little, but there are ways around that. you could use another pencil (i find liar from urban decay to work well with tootsie. It’s just a tad darker. You can also apply several thin layers. In between each layer, blot with a lipstick until you have reached your desired effect.

Overall Feel/Reaction: I would definitely buy more (and I have). I also bought their ultramatte lippies. I’ll let you guys know what I think about those when they arrive. Knowing colourpop, it’ll be about a month. But hey, it’s worth the wait.

Besides being a tad bleedy, i’d say that they are just a smidge drying. BUT i did put the entire liner all over my lip, so that may be the reason. Or maybe is the liner that is just drying. Thoughts on anyone who’s tried them?

Also, I’d like to say that Colourpop is great about showing their swatches and how they look on models of different skin color. Personally, I think grunge makes an excellent color for almost every skin tone, while tootsie I think works best for lighter skin tones.

I’ve posted some pictures of the lip with some recent instagram pictures. <<give me a follow if you’d like! i love following back fellow artists/beauty lovers. 🙂

 

Colourpop GRUNGE

Colourpop GRUNGE with a wintery smokey eye

Colourpop TOOTSIE

Colourpop Tootsie with matching eyes

One Brush. 15 Minute Makeup.

  this is a quick and easy makeup look for people that just can’t makeup or a look that gives the face a break.

I did this look in 15 minutes with one brush, granted the brush was duel ended.

I used various Mac cosmetic paint pots to achieve this effortless look -which allowed me to cut the primer step out.

I blended in all correctors, concealers, and foundations by hand

I used the brow wiz from anastasia beverly hills in dark brown.

To cut down on time I used a cream liquid stain from the sephora Collection.

I even used a powder puff sponge when applying setting powder.

The only time I used the brush was for highlight, blush, and bronze. I could have used creams for these as well, but for quickness and accuracy I chose to use a brush because that’s what I’m used to doing.

What’s coming next:

Viseart and Makeupgeek review and comparison.

Colourpop Lippie Stix and Liner Review.