Jennifer Carpenter Inspired Makeup

I was just lounging on the couch, and Dexter came on. I didn’t feel like moving to get the remote so I could change the channel, so I stayed on. This led me to Jennifer Carpenter, more known as Debra Morgan on Dexter.

She has a unique beauty. Some might think that her nose is a little odd, some might think that she’s ugly. (That came out on the google search! I think she’s gorgeous.) SO! I got really inspired to do her kind of look.

She has a really sporty, athletic and fresh look. Something that can suit girls leaning towards the “Tom boy” side, that they can use it everyday. It exudes a youthful glow and makes it seem like a natural, pure beauty.

{ FOUNDATION }

A foundation with a dewy finish is needed, obviously, so here are 2 options!

Drugstore : Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation.

It’s being sold on drugstore.com at $13.99 with 12 shades to choose from!

High end : NARS Sheer Glow

Currently available on beauty.com , $44 with a wide selection of 20 shades to choose from.

Tip ; if you can’t find the shade right for you, it’d be a good idea to mix 2 shades together and get the perfect color.

If any of them don’t suit you, leave a comment below and I’ll tell you other options to choose from.

{HIGHLIGHTER} optional

In case you’re using a foundation that does not leave a dewy finish, and maybe a satin or matte finish, don”t fret! Highlighters will come to your rescue.

Drugstore : e.l.f studio baked highlighter

This is being sold on eyeslipsface.com at $3 per highlighter. Isn’t that a steal? There’s 3 shades to choose from.

High end : The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

This a great highlighter! Really shimmery, but there isn’t too much glitter till it comes out chunky and pre-school like. It’s sold on beauty.com for $24. For the price you’re paying, I think it’s worth it.

{BRONZER}

for that sporty look, you don’t really need a blush because you’re under the sun a lot and you’ll get the sun-kissed glow. Bronzers somehow give off that tan look and contours your face well, and can be used for contouring. Cheekbones anyone?

Drugstore : Rimmel Sun Shimmer Shimmering Maxi Bronzer

This has some highlight infused in the bronzer, which can add extra shimmer to your face. $6.79 at drugstore.com with other designs to choose from, why another get it?

High end : Jouer Mineral Powder Bronzer

This has been highly-raved by essiebutton, and I have not tried it before, but I trust her taste! When she used it, it wasn’t too light and neither was it too dark, it was enough to give a sun-kissed glow and contour the cheeks to make it look like you spent more time in the sun than you actually did! $28 at beauty.com with 2 shades available!

{LIP PRODUCTS}

For lips, it has to be something sheer and nothing too bright that might turn those lips into statement lips. The whole face is a neutral palette, so a slight tint on the lips can work.

Drugstore : L’Oreal Colour Riche Le Balm

This shade is in Rose Elixir, and honestly, after looking at all the colors, everything would work well except Caramel Comfort and Pink Satin. One’s too nude while the other is too pink. It’s only $7.95 on drugstore.com and it is my current holy grail lip product. Moisturizing while leaving a fairly glossy finish and providing a sheer color. Love in a tube!

High end : Dior Addict Lip Glow

Another product that has been highly raved by Estée, and I must say, after seeing how it looks on the lips, it suits the look we’re going for, perfectly. Not too girly and it’s just awesome. $31 on sephora.com , it may be a little pricey, but for the packaging and product, there isn’t much to complain about.

{EYESHADOW}

Since everything is neutral, the eyeshadow color also has to be neutral. Light browns, taupe and bronze are recommended.

drugstore : CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 4 Kit Eyeshadows ; Pure Romance

This provides the perfect color that’s needed to create her eyeshadow look. The middle two colors can be used as a base and the darker of the 2 can be the contour color. Highlight at the browbone can also be used! It’s $4.26 at drugstore.com

High end : NARS Duo Eyeshadow ; All About Eve

These 2 colors are one of the best to create the look she has. Neutral, not too shimmery either. Available on beauty.com at $34!

{EYEBROWS}

Because Jennifer has full eyebrows, it is essential to fill in ours (if they’re sparse) so they can frame the face as well as hers.

Drugstore : e.l.f eyebrow kit

This has one side that is wax, and the other is a powder. The powder can be used to set the wax once you’re done and the kit also comes with an angled brush and a sponge tip brush for easily application. It’s only $3 and is available at either drugstore.com or eyeslipsface.com

High end : Anastasia Brow Powder Duo

This is almost the exact same color as the e.l.f one, but Anastasia Beverly Hills is known for their brow products, so I personally think that their brow powder will fit in perfectly with your brows, as if they’re real. $23 on beauty.com with 4 different shades!

{MASCARA}

Since the whole face is neutral, there is a slightly greater emphasis on the eyes and thus a mascara with great volumizing and lengthening properties is needed.

Drugstore : Revlon Grow Luscious Lash Potion

This lengthens the lashes well and plus the packaging is so eccentric. A little outer-spacey with dreamy mixed together, neat! Only $7.99 on drugstore.com , what are you waiting for?

Hugh end : Benefit They’re Real Mascara

With all the great reviews I’ve heard, this must be one hell of a mascara. I saw some “swatches” on google and my, my, this mascara volumizes and lengthens the lashes till they seem fake. not that it’s a bad thing, but there’s a huge difference when this is used and when it isn’t. Great to emphasize the eyes! $23 on sephora.com a HUGE steal for the product that you’re buying!

last but not least… {EYELINER}

To add extra mystery and a more sexy and sultry look, opt for an eyeliner that can define the eyes, and create a smokey effect as well.

Drugstore : Physicians Formula Mineral Eyeliner Pencil

Eyeliner on one end, smudger on the other. You can first define the eye and straw a thick strong line along the area near the lashes and use the smudger to blend out everything and create a soft smokey effect before defining the eyes again, if needed. It’s $6.99 on drugstore.com and there’s 2 shades available!

High end : LORAC Eyeliner Pencil

this is almost the same thing as the Physicians Formula one, just that it isn’t really a pencil pencil that you sharpen, but an eyeliner that’s shaped in a pencil. Get my point? It’s creamier and will glide on a tad easier compared to the drugstore version. $18 at beauty.com with 2 shades available!

Now, throw on a blazer or a plaid button up shirt, accompanied with a simple hairdo, you’re good to go!

Also, don’t forget to spritz on some perfume, nothing too girls though!

I hoped you benefitted from this post and stay tuned for another inspired look that will be posted really soon! (Hint : she acted in Tron Legacy!)

Makeup haul {Part 1}

Yippiez, it’s time for a haul post! Well I think it’s more of a haul and review kind of post. I’ve been having a horrible week and when they items arrived, it was just pure joy. I was squealing away when I opened the boxes, haha!

Isn’t that just pure joy?

{1} Maybelline Vivid Lipstick in Pink Me Up

This is a baby! It’s a pretty mauvey pink color, and glides on really easily! But when it’s applied, it’s a deep coral-y pink. Plus point? It smells like boxed cake. ya know, those pre-mix kinds? Especially the yellow cake ones. The packaging is sleek and cute, with a deep purple cap. However there was a problem on the product, it got scratched on something and there’s an ugly protrusion, but maybelline’s still rockin!

{2} Eos lipbalm ; blueberry acai and watermelon.

This smells amazing! Full on watermelon and blueberry, and they smell so yummy, I could almost eat them. almost. managed to get the watermelon flavored one in a “limited edition” eos pack! $10.99 for 4.

{3} E.L.F matte lip color in natural.

The color shown on the packaging was totally (well, almost.) different from the real deal. I like matte lip products just because it seems a little more natural without all the glossy look, but this made my lips seem super chapped. Maybe they are, but the matte-ness enhanced the chappiness, and it totally washed out my lips and was not flattering on me at all. It may seem nice when swatched on hand, but it’s pretty awful on my lips. PLUS! The product wasn’t in good condition, the whole lip color almost fell out from the tube. Definitely not re-purchasing this, well, maybe in other colors.

{4} E.L.F HD blush in headliner

This bottle seems much smaller in real life! I expected it to be bigger, but then, who would need a huge bottle of liquid blush? Hahaha. I really like the color, just a little darker shade of baby pink!

However I really have to work on my liquid blush application skills, I tried rubbing the product in between my fingers and patted on the apple of my cheeks and blended it out. I ended up looking like the Joker’s daughter.

It’s pretty awesome how it has a pump, really hygienic! And, be sure to shake it well before using, so that you won’t get a lot of white water and a little pink liquid when you pump it.

{5} E.L.F lip stain in nude nectar

I guess the shade really lives up to its name, nude nectar, because it is really NUDE when applied. There is no difference in the color of my lips when I use it. Nothing at all.

It comes in a felt tip marker, and it makes me feel as though I’m a child trying to imitate my mum putting on makeup, just that I’m using my markers, haha! I shall check out the other colors and see how it works for me.

{6} CoverGirl lip color in delight.

This is fab. First off, the packaging. It has this metallic mauve purple cover, with the color of the lipstick at the bottom. Makes it look really posh, expensive and high quality. Which are all true because I love CoverGirl. Next, the color. It’s pretty sheer, but you can see the color and there’s a pretty gloss finish that isn’t too much, but cute at the same time. Third, its smell. It smells somewhere between a hospital, vanilla and an average lipstick. Luckily, the vanilla overrides the other 2 smells, so I’m pretty alright with it! However, the cap has to be secured properly, I thought I had capped it but apparently not and I almost dropped it.

Isn’t the color so pretty? I could use it all day.

Here are some swatches!

As you can most probably tell I’m mad over lip products. I didn’t even know I bought some of them till I saw it in the box! Anyways. I’ll stop here for now because it might get a little long and boring.

Stay tuned for my next post! It’ll be coming up real soon.

NYX // CoverGirl

Recently, I bought some stuff off drugstore.com and I’m really stoked about the items I got. I waited for ages and literally screamed and danced with my dog when I saw the package at home. Joy.

In there included 2 CoverGirl products and a NYX one.

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{I} NYX blush in the shade, Peach.

Oh my momma, this blush is super pigmented. One tap on it with a finger, you can see a distinct pink and the pink is really pretty too! It’s somewhere between girly and coral-ly, super pleased with this! Pretty sure it’ll be able to last me a long time since I don’t need much of the product each time I use it. Overall rating, 7.5/10!

{II} CoverGirl BB cream in Light-Medium.

I haven’t tried many BB creams my whole life, but the few that I’ve tried gave me too much coverage, and I personally don’t like that because I don’t want to cover up too much.
This was close to perfect! Covered up some mild ugly places and was super natural. It gives a dewy finish at first, but it’ll be matte once your skin absorbs it. This color suits me perfectly and I would definitely buy it again! However I just wished it smelled nicer. Rating 8/10.

{III} CoverGirl professional loose powder in translucent medium.

I have not tried this yet, but it sure does look promising. The shade again, suits me well and there’s quite a lot of product for the price I paid! I’m currently waiting for my e.l.f brushes to arrive and then I’ll be able to try this baby out. There’s a puff provided inside, but it doesn’t smell too good so I’m not keen on using it. Will do an update once I’ve tried the powder!

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As you can probably tell, I love CoverGirl products. They’re affordable and of great quality! It’ll be amazing if I manage to get sponsored by them someday.

Also, did any one of you manage to get the 50% off deal on the e.l.f website? I went nuts and bought products worth up to $80. Can’t wait till they arrive and I can show you what I got!

Still then, stay pretty!

e.l.f // y.e.t // 3w clinic

What a weird title huh.
They’re actually names of brands! Pretty sure everyone is familiar with the first, eyes.lips.face. Well, this is my first review post and I hope it’ll be helpful to all. If not, some.

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First, e.l.f tinted moisturizer.
I bought it online from a reseller and I was super excited about it because I wanted something like a bb cream, with not as much coverage because it’s a little “fake” to me. However I was totally disappointed by it.
The box was a little sticky and dusty, proving that it’s an old stock (I’m blaming the seller for this) When I opened the cap, the contents really couldn’t stop flowing out. A little like when you squeeze a sausage from its skin. Ew.
With the hope that it works, I used it on my face. It smelled really plastic-y and felt sticky. Personally, I found it hard to blend out because it seeps into my creases, or maybe it’s just me. It barely gave any coverage and definitely did not moisturize.
Disappointed. (But I still love e.l.f for their wide range of cheap makeup!) I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Rating? 5/10.

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Next, the y.e.t concealer! (From Korea)
I really do not know what overcame me to get this, because I personally think that I don’t need much concealing. BUT. Now it has come in handy because those ugly bags under my eyes need to be concealed. Staying up till 2 am doesn’t really make me look good, so I use makeup.
It comes in a really cute box and I love that the tube is kind of big (means more products!)

I use light beige and I think that it’s pretty useful! I use the wand applicator, dot it under my eyes and blend away. It does lighten my eyebags, but doesn’t cover them fully. Something I like because someone with no dark circles? You’re lying. A plus point was that it smelled pleasant. Somewhere between a grandma perfume infused with baby powder.

I would totally recommend it to teens who are getting into makeup and want to put some on, lightly. Rating, 7/10.

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Last! But not least, the 3W clinic natural makeup powder. (From Korea)
Do not be fooled by it’s appearance.

It may seem really “cheap” looking and just no. But what it holds inside, a treasure. I was pretty stoked when I got my hands around the box, for 30grams, it seems big! However I was doubting my judgement for getting it. A plain red box.
When I opened it, I was amazed (truly) by the quality of the puff.

It was super velvety and soft and I couldn’t stop caressing it. (I bet it was screaming “harassment”) When I peeled off the sticker, I was excited to see how the powder matched my skin tone. I’m in the shade light beige.
Puffing some powder onto my hands, I felt a tingle of joy because it gave me a matte, sheer and velvety finish. How awesome is that?! It blends in easily and leaves me feeling pretty and fresh.

I would recommend it to everyone. Everyone. Rating : 8.5/10!

Phew, such a long post! I hope you benefitted from reading this and if you haven’t… That’s a lie because you should have. Haha, just kidding!

Off to make a book cover, till then!