Confessions of a Concealaholic

Hello there :]

A couple months ago I bought the Confessions of a Concealaholic set by Benefit.  I bought mine for $36 at Sephora.  

In this set you get:

-  0.25 oz "That Gal" brightening face primer

- 0.11 oz Erase Paste in No. 2

- 0.03 oz Lemon Aid color correcting eyelid primer

- 0.03 oz Eye Bright (pale pink) instant eye brightener

- 0.04 oz Boi-ing industrial strength concealer in 01 Light

- 0.04 oz Boi-ing industrial strength concealer in 02 Medium 

- Concealer brushes

I had really been wanting to try out some new concealers since the ones I had just weren't to my liking.  Since this set comes with three concealers that I had ever tried I decided to get it.  I've had time to test everything out and here are my thoughts.  

The That Gal primer has a nice texture, but didn't do anything for me that the MAC Strobe Cream and Liquid don't do.  It adds a bit of iridescence to the area it is applied to, but I didn't feel like it prolonged the wear of my makeup.  It also doesn't give the silky finish that the Tarte Clean Slate primer gives.  I won't be buying a full size of this product, but I don't hate it. 

The Lemon Aid color correcting eyelid primer was a bit dry in my opinion and didn't really do much color correcting!  I tried using this in various ways, but it just doesn't work for me.  

The Eye Bright instant eye brightener was dry as well.  Although it did perk up my eye area a bit I won't be repurchasing it because MAC Strobe Cream gives me the same effect with a better finish.  

The Boi-ing concealers were also too dry for my liking.  They had pretty good coverage but they weren't super easy to blend.  I would recommend rubbing you finger in the products to heat it up before applying it with a brush.  I really wanted these concealers to work for me, but in the end I wouldn't repurchase them.  I don't feel like they perform much better than the ELF concealer I've been using forever.  

Now onto my favorite product, Erase Paste.  To me this little jar of concealer was worth the price of the whole set.  It's a miracle worker!  It covers up my dark circles wonderfully!  I set it with my Laura Geller Balance & Brighten and it stays put until I shower.  I love this product and will definitely be repurchasing it!  It's one of those holy grail products that I wouldn't know what to do without them now that they're mine.  

So to sum up, this kit is great if you're looking to try out a bunch of different products for concealing, but if you dislike dry textures and just want a great under-eye concealer just buy the Erase Paste.  

I hope this was helpful to some of you!  

MAC Hang UP

Hello there!  This is how I would typically wear Hang Up lipstick by MAC (this was also taken on the day of my most recent haircut, but you'll see more of that later). Just a bit of liner, mascara, bronzer and just enough concealer.  These pictures aren't the best or most flattering, but you get the idea.

Also, I would suggest wearing this when your skin is having a good day.  I feel like bold lips can draw more attention to a breakout.

I don't think I've mentioned it on here before, but I started a tumblr a while back.  I don't post often and I'd say it's slightly more personal than this blog, but you can check it out if you like.

I got a date with the night

Hey guys!  So it's getting to be the time of year that I love to wear rich, dark colors on my lips.  I recently picked up a this lipstick at MAC and I've really been loving it.  It's called Hang Up and it is a cremesheen finish.  I paired it up with NYX Currant lip liner.

These pictures were taken the day I bought the lipstick, so I'm just wearing my usual "school" eye makeup.  I wouldn't usually go so glam on the eyes when wear a vampy lip color like this.

Do you get excited for the colder seasons just because of makeup trends?  I do :3

Oh and if you're wondering why my eyebrows have been looking different lately it's because I've been bleaching them.  I really like the soft look it gives--but it also mean I can leave the house without filling in my brows!  Unless I want to look like an alien of course... Well, I guess Halloween is coming up :]

Typical School Day

Hello everyone!

This is pretty much the hair and makeup I've been doing for school lately.  Winged liner (i've been using the Physician's Formula pen one), pink cheeks, and lip balm.

More often then not, my hair is thrown into a topknot.

Quick and easy :]

Old picture drop

Hey guys here are a few pictures from this summer that I hadn't gotten a chance to post yet.  I'm trying to get up to date and back on track :]

Here I am one random day, before a haircut.

And here I am after.  This isn't the same day though, I just wear that dress a lot :]

As you can see I dyed it as well but it has already faded out completely as of now.  And the wind was blowing in my face, so one of my eyes looks irritated >.<

Hopefully I'll have some reviews coming up soon and I'll definitely have more FOTD posts but they're mostly from the camera on my macbook.

Hope everyone is enjoying Autumn!

A little DIY

Hey guys!  I just wanted to show you a little DIY project I'm working on.  I got the idea from Dismount Creative.  You can see the tutorial here.  It is such a cute little clutch so I had to try my hand at it.

Here is my progress so far:

Aggravated by studs!

Nap time?  :3

I'll be sure to show you the finished product whenever it gets done (the studs take a while to put in!)

I might put up a few more DIY posts if I ever get around to finishing all the other stuff I've started.  Does anyone else love DIY?

Today is the greatest day I've ever known

Hey guys!  Sorry I haven't been posting, school has been keeping me busy!  I am enjoying this semester though, Japanese and Spanish are probably my favorite classes.  I like my Anatomy/Life drawing class, but it's 3 hours long and just takes a lot out of me...and staring at naked old people isn't exactly fun :P

Anyways, I just wanted to show you a makeup combination I've been wearing a lot lately.  It's MAC Peaches blush and Freckletone lipstick.

Eyes: Clinique cream liner, Maybelline Falsies mascara (the waterproof one)
Face: Benefit Erase Paste in #2, Benefit Boiing in #1 & #2, Laura Geller Balance and Brighten in regular
Cheeks: NYX cream blushes in Natural and Orange, MAC blush in Peaches
Lips: MAC lipstick in Freckletone

I have a messy desk at the moment >.< 

I hope everyone is having a lovely Autumn so far!  I might do a giveaway soon to apologize for the lack of posts and give you guys a chance to try out some of the things I've been loving lately.  

Oh and the title is from a song by The Smashing Pumpkins, if you were wondering.

She Burns Like the Sun

Hey guys!  So you've heard me talk again and again about the sunburn I got last month, well here's a picture of what it looked like after the worst of the peeling was over.  I was still pink and so sore, but at this point I had gotten most of the dead skin off.  And this is probably the first time you've even seen me without a spot of makeup on...so yeah, be nice!

But anyways, this is what I had to deal with for a while.  It hurt too much to wear makeup (and makeup just made me look crusty anyway!) so I just slathered on moisturizer a thousand times a day and kept an icepack near at all times.

Hopefully my bare muff hasn't horribly disturbed your day!

Red Lips and Floral Dress... Again.

Hello everyone!  Does anyone else always pair a certain outfit with the same makeup, like every time you wear it?  I do... this floral dress is the best example.  If I wear this without screaming bright red lips, the outfit just feels incomplete.  You've probably seen this exact look and outfit together before, but I like it so I'll show it again :]

I wear this dress a lot, probably once a week.  It's so easy, just slip it on and go.  I wear a lot of dresses in the summer for that reason, they're so easy and there's not so much cloth that you get overwhelmingly warm.

This lipstick is my favorite red and it's actually from Wet 'n' Wild (911D), so it's only like $1.99 or something like that.  On me it practically lasts all day, depending on what I eat and drink.  This is the first of their lipsticks that I have really liked.  I've tried several from the same line and they were all too drying and/or chalky and I hate the packaging, but this one is just really great.

I hope everyone has a great day!

"Bronzed Goddess"

Hey everyone!  Sorry for not posting in a while, my school started back up this week and I've been really busy.  I really like my classes so far, but I can tell they're going to be a ton of work.  I'm going to try to schedule a few posts at a time when I get enough free time to do it.

Anyways, this is a bronze/gold look I did back when Nymphette had her July makeup challenge calendar.  I this was for the "Bronzed Goddess" day, before I got that bad sunburn :P

I pretty much just used MAC products and my 88 palette.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend and if you're school just started I hope you're having fun!

More Nature

Hey guys, I've been to another metropark in our area a couple times over the past few weeks.  This one is called Oak Openings and it's huge.  I would say it's probably the prettiest park in Toledo and you should definitely visit it if you have the chance. Here are a few pictures from my visits.

I was trying to get a picture of wild turkeys, but they ran away!  :[

Still trying to photograph the turkeys!

Pretty sunset

Small meadow Tom and I stumbled upon

Another view of the meadow

This summer I've really been trying to take advantage of more of the things my area has to offer.  I'm sure I still have much to discover though!

Have a great day!

Shorties

My bangs are über short at the moment :]

p.s sorry I've been gone for a bit, I've been getting stuff ready for school.  I start the 22nd :]

Soft Purple

I'm sharing another quick look with you.  This is from a wintertime (still getting through all my pictures) and I can't remember all that I used.  I'm fairly certain it's mostly MAC though.  I can tell there's Stars N' Rockets eyeshadow, but I'm not sure what else is on the lid.

I think I just have chapstick on my lips.  My blush is from the Coastal Scents blush palette, I think, and MAC Jest for highlight as per usual. 

Hope you guys like it! 

Plumful

Hey everyone.  This look is from a while back, when the days were bitterly cold instead of sweltering.

MAC Plumful lipstick
MAC Amber Lights and Woodwinked eyeshadows
Ulta Fame Blush

I wanted to do Nymphette's FOTD Challenge Calendar, but I got sunburnt (for the first time in years) pretty badly.  Hopefully I can still get a few in when my face doesn't hurt :P

FOTD with MAC Hibiscus lipstick

Here's a look from a few weeks ago.  A bold lip with winged liner is my go to look lately, it's just so easy.  I used Wet 'n' Wild single eyeshadow in Brulee, MAC lipstick in Hibiscus, Clinique creme liner, and Ulta blush in Fame.  Speaking of the Hibiscus lipstick, I think it might be my favorite purchase of the summer.  The color is gorgeous, the formula is perfect and it lasts for hours.

What's your go to look this summer?

Love: Jeffrey Campbell

I've decided that every week I'm going to type of a post about brands/stores/items that I love.  I know many of us love to shop and I love getting inspiration from other people's style.  I think this will be a nice way to  display my taste in clothing, accessories, shoes, etc.

This week my focus is on Jeffrey Campbell shoes.  Lately this brand has really been increasing in popularity!  I love how eccentric some of the designs are and that the price point makes them attainable.  Most JC's range from about $100 to $200, which compared to Chloe and Christian Louboutin is pretty good.  Here are my current favorites:

Jeffrey Campbell K2

image from shopakira.com

I love these military inspired boots.  They are so cool and with a 4.5" heel they would make me quite a bit taller!  I would probably pair these with leggings and a slouchy, off the shoulder top.

Jeffrey Campbell Lita 

image from karmaloop.com

To me these are the "classic" Jeffrey Campbell shoe.  When someone mentions JC this image is what pops into my mind.  I love that these heels have a hidden platform.  I find that platforms make very high heels and wedges much more comfortable and easier to walk in.  I really like when Litas are paired with skinny jeans and a fitted blazer.  It just creates such a long, lean, flattering silhouette.  My favorite color is the black, just because it goes with everything, but there are so many pretty options to choose from.

Jeffrey Campbell Backbow

image from envishoes.com

These shoes are so cute and super funky.  This is my favorite color combo, although I don't think it's very practical.  There's just something about the deep red paired with tan that I love.  I would like it better without the animal print though.  This is something I'd pair with either leggings or dark wash skinny jeans to show off the details.  I'm not sure what I would wear for a top though :P

Jeffrey Campbell Tardy

image from solestruck.com

These are my absolute favorites of the moment.  I love this deep red color, but I also like the black ones as well.  These are super high as well, I think 5.75" including a 2" platform.  These would let me see into the tall cages and tanks at the pet store!  Between the red and the black I could pair these up with practically anything in my closet.  If they came out with a brown shade I think I'd be all set!

Other styles I like include the pixie, one o one, erikson f, and pixie cut.

Do you like these styles/brand?  What are your favorite shoes/styles this season?

FOTD and 12 Question Tag

Hey guys.  I'm trying to post more often which means more quick/easy posts.  Hopefully I'll get some reviews up soon.  I need a nice sunny day for good photographing lighting :]

Clinique cream liner in black, MAC Quiet, Please lipstick.

This is a look I did a few weeks ago.  I left my hair wavy and just did quick makeup.  Tom wanted to check out a "reptile rally" at a pet supplies store not far away.  I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but Tom really likes reptiles has a leopard gecko named Gin.  It's pronounced "geen" (like green with out the "r") as in Gin Ichimaru from the anime Bleach.  He's a cute little guy and he loves his mum.  I'll try to get a good picture of him.  Actually perhaps I'll do a post on all of our pets.  I just have my Daisy Mae, but Tom has Gin, Nova (a turtle) and Joanie ( a chubby dachshund).  Quite and interesting little collection.

Anyways, the "rally" was a bust as there wasn't anything interesting and Tom was convinced he knew more than the so called specialist.

12 Questions:

1. What do you order at Starbucks? I don't go there often, but when I do I get an Iced Chai 
2. What's one thing in your closet that you cannot live without? Hmm... leggings. 
3. What's one thing that most people probably wouldn't know about you? I'm a really big anime/manga fan.  I guess I don't come off as the "type" to like those things since people are always shocked when I tell them... 
4. Name one thing that you want to do before you die: Live in a foreign country.  Not just visit, actually live there for an extended period of time, not be a tourist.  
5. What's one food that you cannot live without? Frozen vegetables.  More often than not Tom and I heat up those steam packs of mixed vegetables and make rice for lunch. 
6. What quote/phrase do you live your life by? I don't really live by other people's quotes and things. I just try to be a good person by having honest intentions, not doing things to intentionally hurt people and not being afraid to stick up for and help others. 
7. What's your number one most listened to song on iTunes? Sunburn by Muse
8. What kind of style would you define yourself as having? very eclectic 
9. Favorite number: 8, very symmetrical... :]  i wonder if anyone will get that reference. 
10. Favorite books: I read a LOT so this is hard for me. I like anything David Sedaris writes.  The Awakening by Kate Chopin, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, The Moral Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, The Hunger Games series, The Hobbit, The Golden Compass series.  I could go on for days.  Maybe I'll put up a few book reviews.  As for manga I like Fruits Basket, Soul Eater, Ouran Host Club, etc. 
11. Favorite shows: Another tough one.  I like paranormal dramas like Medium and Ghost Whisperer.  Hmm, I like True Blood, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, and Degrassi.  As for anime i'll give anything a try but ones I have kept watching/ finished are Bleach, Inuyasha, Soul Eater, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fruits Basket, Ouran Host Club, Sailor Moon, Mahoromatic.  I'm sure there are many more that I can't think of at the moment.
12. Guilty Pleasure: This summer it's been ice cream.  It's been to hot it just sounds so good on most days.  

Hopefully this post was at least slightly interesting.  Let me know if you do the tag or even if you find any common interests :] 

Nature

Here are some "nature" photos from my area.  In Ohio we have unpredictable weather and a drastic change between seasons.  Sometimes I wish I lived in another state where it's 70 degrees and sunny year round, but I have to admit that Ohio can be quite pretty.  These are just a few shots from last year that I figured I would share with you.

This was taken at Side Cut Metropark a few days after a storm.  The flooding had gone down quite a bit, but there were still little "pools" hanging around like these.  

Waves on Lake Erie.  This picture is deceptive, those waves were actually kind of high.  I remember this was a rather gloomy day.

This was taken on the UT campus while I was walking back to the car.  This past winter was SO cold, the trek to and from classes was horrible.  I had a red nose for months, but at least the snow and ice were pretty.

I hope you enjoyed this little peak into my area.  Do you enjoy the weather where you live?  Or are you dying to leave?

Icing Frost Yourself

I haven't done a nail post in forever.  However than doesn't mean I haven't been wearing and buying copious amounts of polishes.  This is a polish I saw recently on Mean Girl Makeup and knew I had to have it.  It is a very pretty holographic glitter.  It has large hex glitter and smaller glitters as well.  In my pictures i have put on 3 coats, but it still wasn't opaque.  Next time I think I will use a base color and then build this up.  I really like how sparkly this polish is :]

Up close!

I wish my camera could capture how pretty this polish is! Perhaps it's time for a new camera?  

I hope everyone is having a lovely day!

MAC Surf Baby Haul

When I saw the first promo pics for the Surf Baby collection on Temptalia I wasn't that impressed.  I thought the packaging looked cheap and I didn't really think I would get anything.  Then I saw it in person.  Up close the packaging is actually very cute and has a slight shimmer.  I ended up getting Hibiscus lipstick, Gilded White powerpoint eye pencil and Gold-Go-Lightly studio careblend pressed powder.  I really just loved the shades of these products and thought they would all be something I would use often, especially in Summer.  

Cute packaging! 

Hibiscus is a perfect coral shade for summer.  I like that it's a cremesheen because there's no shimmer and it doesn't dry out my lips.  I really like this lipstick.  I should probably buy a backup.  

The Guilded White eye pencil isn't something that is incredibly unique but I really like the subtle gold sheen it gives and it's perfect for highlighting the inner corner of our eyes.  This is the first eyeliner I've tried by MAC and I must say I'm impressed.  I have a hard time finding pencil eyeliner that doesn't smudge on me (even with primer and setting it with eyeshadow) and this stuff stayed put all day!  I'll be trying more of these in the future. 

I don't usually wear bronzer, but as it's summer and I ended up loving the packaging of this collection I decided to get one.  Gold-Go-Lightly is the perfect shade for me.  It is gold/tan toned so it doesn't enhance the natural redness in my cheeks and it gives me the perfect amount of definition.  It isn't too dark or to sheer.  It is definitely buildable.  

Swatches (from top to bottom): Gold-Go-Lightly, Hibiscus, Gilded White

I really like everything I got from this collection.  I was going to get the My Paradise cheek powder, but I decided it was much too shimmery.  I loved the orangey portion though.  Did you get anything from this collection?  

ABC's of Me tag and FOTD

Hey everyone!  It's been a hectic past few weeks for me!  I got new furniture and I've been trying to organize my bedroom and my art/makeup room.  There are still a few pieces of furniture I would like to replace but I haven't found anything suitable yet.  My sleep schedule has been horrible lately too.  I've been staying up till 6am and waking around 2pm O.O  I made myself get up early today though to get back on track and be even more productive.  So tonight I'm going to do a simple post, just an FOTD and a survey I saw on a few other blogs. o


This is a makeup look I did this Winter.  I think this was taken in February or March.  I used some MAC shadows on the lid, Ulta blush in Fame and MAC Quiet, Please lipstick.  It's very simple, I wore this look quite often during that time period.  

A. Age: 20

B. Bed size: Queen, I love it.  I sleep either all stretched out or curled in a ball so it's convenient :]  

C. Chore you hate: washing dishes, for sure!  

D. Day: hmm at the moment any day is good for me.  No school or work gives me the flexibility to do what I want on most days.  Lately I've been organizing like crazy. 

E. Essential start to your day: brushing my teeth and putting on moisturizer. 

F. Favourite colour: lavender, turquoise, and yellow

G. Gold or Silver: either.  My skintone in pretty neutral so I can wear both.  Lately I have been reaching for gold though. 

I. Instruments: I have a keyboard and an acoustic guitar, but I can't play either of them.  One of my goals for this summer is to learn. 

J. Job title: student 

K. Kids: I don't have any and I'm not sure if I want them in the future.  Maybe.  

L. Live: Toledo, Ohio.  It can be oh so boring here though :[ 

M. Mum’s name: Carol  

N. Nicknames: Meg, Weeble, Weebs, M&M, sweetheart, sugarbritches, various sweets and pastry pet names that my boyfriend calls me.  

O. Overnight hospital stays: Infected chicken pox in my mouth when I was very small and getting my adenoids taken out.  

P. Pet peeve: the term "pet peeve" and narrow minded people. 

Q. Quote from a movie: haha anything from Scary Movie 3.  I'm always spitting out lines from that movie.  Hilarious. 

R. Right or left handed: right 

S. Siblings: Carlos and Tanya, both older than me. 

T. Time you wake up: usually around noon, unless I have school. 

U. Underwear: anything comfy and cute. 

V. Vegetables you dislike: Hmm this is a hard one, I like most vegetables.  I disliked eggplant the one time I cooked it, but perhaps it was my fault.  

W. What makes you run late: picking out what to wear and putting on my makeup

X. X-Rays you’ve had: lots, most of them when I was rather young so I don't remember specifics. 

Y. Yummy food you make: Palak daal, vegetarian shepherd's pie, roasted cauliflower...I like to cook. 

Z. Zoo: The Toledo Zoo.  It's pretty nice, you should go if you have the opportunity to. 


Let me know if you decide to do the tag, I'd love to read it :] 

FOTD from New Years

Hey guys!  I'm still trying to get caught up with pictures, so this one is all the way from New Years.  I remember I modeled this after a Michelle Phan tutorial.  I like how it came out, much more complicated than my normal makeup.    I know I used my Coastal Scents palettes for the eyes and MAC jest for the highlight, but that's all I can remember.

The camera didn't pick up the glitter on the inner corners of my eyes :[ 

This picture captures the vibrancy of the colors a little better.

Since I last made a post a lot has happened!  I took my final exams, found out about scholarships, started Spring cleaning, signed up for next Fall's classes, turned 20, etc.
First off, I didn't get the art scholarship that I was hoping for.  At first I was really disappointed but I talked to the other people in my class and the only one who got anything was a senior.  So now I feel much better about it.  I did get a $1500 general scholarship through the university though.  It isn't as much as I first had, but I'm still working on bringing my cumulative GPA back up.  Actually this semester I got a 4.0!  I am SO excited about that and very proud of myself.  I never even got a 4.0 in high school!  Here's a screenshot to prove it!  ^.^

I'm really excited for next semester!  I've been staying pretty busy lately, I've set a lot of goals for this Summer.  Hopefully I will be motivated to post more regularly though.  How have you guys been lately?