MOTD: MAC Velvet Teddy

I've been receiving a lot of inquiries (from friends and clients) about the matte nudey-deeper beige lipstick- Velvet Teddy by MAC Cosmetics.  Being a lipstick junkie (especially MAC Lipsticks) I never really paid attention to this shade. Everyday for 5 years I would see this shade on the lipstick displayer and I really didn't think anything of it.  I wouldn't even think that this shade would be one of the most sought after shades because of it's celebrity influence (ahem Kylie Jenner). 

I decided to give it a try and match it with Whirl Lip Liner (a Kylie Jenner favorite).  Defined and filled in my lip with the liner and I instantly knew it wouldn't do it for me. It was too bland no definition whatsoever- basically just blended right into the coloring of my lips. I wanted something in the same color family (mauve-beigey tone) but not purple. I searched through my pile of lip liners and found NYX Cosmetics Lip Liner in Mauve. It was perfect. 

Here's a swatch of Velvet Teddy Lipstick, Whirl Lip Liner, and NYX Mauve Lip Liner to give you a comparison of the colors.  ** Picture taken in natural daylight with no filters, Skin tone NC40**

Here's a little MOTD that I put together (I know it's been forever since I last did one. I even forgot how to use my DSLR). 

• Eyes: Smashbox Full Exposure Eye Shadow Palette
• Lashes: Mink Wink Lashes Bombshell
• Lips: MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick with NYX Mauve Lip Liner. 

I know all of you are wanting more makeup pictures and of course videos. Stay tuned!

xoxoTiff

Review: Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Touch Foundation

The road to trying a new foundation.. 

I'll be honest- I always use the same foundation (MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC40) since I was 16 years old (over 10 years ago).  I'm not too adventurous with  foundations because Studio Fix Fluid works perfectly for me, so why should I change? But now I am on the hunt to find some other foundations to add to my collection.  Who knows there might be a better foundation out there for me. I have  decided to review one new foundation every month for 1 year to see if there is something out there that I will fall in love with.   To start my foundation adventure I decided to try a drugstore brand that I've read about and watched YouTube reviews from several of my favorite beauty bloggers.  

The Maybelline Dream Fluid Touch Foundation was on the top of my list. I was very intrigued to see how well it would wear and what type of coverage it would give me.  I did my research before heading to Rite Aid (Maybelline was 40% off and I had a $4 off coupon- it was perfect timing). I browsed through the Maybelline website to see what they said about the foundation.  

The following is taken directly from Maybelline.com 

Breakthrough texture fuses with skin. A finish so impeccable, yet undetectable.
Exclusive dropper
Medium to full coverage, ideal for normal skin.

Why You'll Love It

Breakthrough liquid foundation texture fuses with skin. A finish so imppecable, yet undetectable.

For Best Results

Shake well.
Unscrew cap. Holding dropper vertically,
allow foundation to drop onto fingertip.
Apply to face as usual.

I headed to RiteAid to find the shade, which was not a very good experience the first time around.  Watch the video below and you'll see why.  

Here is a compairson between MAC NC40 with Natural Beige 75 and Sun Beige 85 

Here are my thoughts about the foundation: 

PROS

• the foundation literally feels like silk! It glides on effortlessly and leaves a satin/matte finish.  
• the more I layered the foundation it didn't look cakey or look like I was wearing a lot of foundation. 
• even though it was hard to find a color I found that SUN BEIGE worked for me for my NC40 skin tone.  However, I am interested to see how one shade darker would look.  
• I usually don't like foundation that has a SPF higher than 15 because it has that unique SPF smell.  I did not find that "SPF" scent to this foundation.  However, I did find a scent to it.. like alchohol? But it didn't bother me once I applied it. 

CONS:

• I hate the applicator thingy!!! I really wish it came with a pump.  It would make things so much easier. I feel that applying it to the back of the hand and then applying it with your fingers would waste so much products.  With a pump you can pump the foundation directly on to the brush or to your fingertips.  
• The price is a little high ($10.99) for a 20 ml / .67fl oz bottle.  Is this a typical price for a drugstore foundation? I haven't bought drugstore foundation for awhile so to me this is a little high.  Definitely, check if there's coupons on there to lower the price or wait until drugstores have 40%-50% off or even BOGO (Buy one get one) 50% off.  At least this will save you money and can buy a few other things.  

Will I buy it again? 

I think it's too early for me to give an honest answer.  I really want to dry the darker shade to see if that would be a better match.  If it was on sale again I would definitely re-purchase.  I am eager to see what else is out there for me.  Can't wait to share my findings with all of you! 

Review/Swatches: ColourPop Lippies and Liners

I've been raving about this brand for awhile now because their products are AMAZING and affordable.  A couple of posts back I shared some swatches of the Colour Pop Super Shock Shadows (view the post here) and a YouTube tutorial featuring the new fall color MOTH here.  Now I am excited to bring you their newest products added to their brand- Lippies (lipstick) and lip liners.  Do you have the problem of matching a lip liner to a lipstick? Well, I do! You find the perfect  purple shade but the lip liners out there are not purple enough (more red) or too dark almost black with a gray tint.  No more worrying about this, ColourPop has you covered.  They were so smart to have lipsticks with matching liners for no more guess work.  Of course you can mix and match to create your own colors but I really think this is great idea. 

Below you will find pictures of the colors that I received from ColourPop along with a review/swatch video that I posted on my YouTube Channel.  Hope you guys like!

Please let me know there are any swatches you would like me to do for future videos and blog posts. :)

COLOURPOP LIPPIE & LINER ROCKET Satin- Pinky Coral

COLOURPOP LIPPIE & LINER FETCH Satin - Midtone pink

COLOURPOP LIPPIE & LINER SCANDY Satin - Bright neon pink

COLOURPOP LIPPIE & LINER FLAWLESS Satin - Deep red violet

COLOURPOP LIPPIE & LINER LBB Matte - Plum Wine

COLOURPOP LIPIE & LINER LEATHER Matte - Deep dark purple

Review: Ettika Jewelry

So in love with my Ettika Initial Necklace and pink Braided Bracelets.  The pieces are so fashionable and trendy! Wish I knew about these before to give them away to my bridesmaids for their gifts.  I've been wearing the necklace practically everyday day as it's super simple and works perfectly with any outfit.  The other night I wore it with a simple black dress as I didn't want to over do it with a lot of jewelry. Simple and Sweet!

Ettika has a lot of different styles of jewelry for both men and woman.  View their website to find your favorite!

Review/Swatches The SoLa Look Lipsticks

I wanted to do a quick review/swatches of The SoLa Look Lipsticks.  The colors are rich and gorgeous with a matte finish.  Usually with matte lipsticks my lips tend to start peeling and feel very dry in the middle of wear.  However, with these lipsticks I did not experience any peeling or dryness.  They are so comfortable to wear I totally forgot that my lipstick was even matte. The swatches below are all taking in natural daylight.  Sometimes I wish I could bottle up this type of lighting and release it whenever I want.  It is perfect for swatches as it gives the true color. 

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Gina is a soft pinky-mauve shade, perfect for everyday wear.  If you are not a fan of bright lipsticks this is the perfect color for you.  I love how it's still light in shade but really works well with yellow/golden skin tones.  This shade is the right amount of neutral/light but with a hint of color that's still noticeable but not over the top. It can complement any makeup style from neutral eyes to deep dramatic eyes.  I can't wait to try this color on a bride who wants that lovely neutral toned pink.

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Carolina a brighter magenta pink with a matte finish.  Beautiful color to wear in the summer paired with a shimmery neutral eye or even a hint of gold.  In the swatches I applied two coats but you can totally tone down the intensity with one layer.  I find with brighter matte lipsticks you can really see all the fine lines on your lips and the dry patches.  But not with the SoLa Look Lipsticks, super moisturizing because of Sodium Hyaluronate - keeps lips soft, smooth and hydrated and their 24-Hour HydraTechnology – provides intense hydration for lips.  I should also mention that the lipsticks are paraben-free, lanolin-free and fragrance-free and all made in the lovely USA!  Major pluses if you are sensitive or allergic to certain lipsticks.

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Janelle is my favorite color out of the three!! I just love it and I think I should stock up on this color.  I haven't really come across this particular mix of coral, red, and pink in a lipstick before.  It is drop dead gorgeous! I've been wearing it out for the past couple of days and people have been asking me about this shade.  I like to pair this lip with neutral eyes so the color get all the attention.  If you had to pick a color for summer I would recommend Janelle, you will love it!

I hope you guys enjoyed my posts regarding The Sola Look Lipsticks! Thanks to David from The SoLa Look for letting me try them!