Crush Me with Color – Stila Crush Lip and Cheek Stain

Watching Lisa Eldridge’s makeup videos have set me off on a jaunt to try some of the products she uses.

On the to do list still are Chanel D-Ombre eye shadow in #82 and Infallible Eye Color in White.  She used both of these on asian models so more so I am interested.

The overall category of search was for liquid blush. The By Terry blush is online only and a little pricey, and Sephora does not carry the MakeUp Forever liquid either.  

In Sephora, I was walking around and was checking out Josie Maran’s cream blush, which is really a gel with a more solid texture.  When you sample it-it is thicker than a gel, but thinner than a cream. The color goes on very sheer. 

The other option that the makeup artist/salesperson suggested was Stila’s Crush Lip and Cheek Stains.

In exactly the same packaging as their lip glosses, you twist up the product which comes out on a stiff brush. You can put the brush directly on your skin/lips, or apply with fingers. 

But it is a stain so probably not.

I use the brush and then a foundation brush to blend it in quickly.

Lisa Eldridge suggests liquid blush as they go on sheer–put them on just after your foundation is drying but not tried.

I mentioned them to my hair stylist and she said, she had purchased one of Stila’s glosses and they got stink.

So, I went back and smelled it. It smells like the name so far – Passion Fruit. Sort of sour sweet fruity?

So we’ll see.

I think I’ll go back and try the Josie Maran product tho.

k

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Trish to Trash-Eye Base and Eye Lift

I’ve seen the Trish McEvoy products when I was still in love with Bobbi Brown and then Laura Mercier.  I wasn’t falling over myself to buy their kits that had everything you need in terms of color in one of those 80-s filo fax binders.  I still have nightmares of people who organized their days that way and forced me to do the same. I think I did the filo fax thing-meaning I carried the binder, but I never did the post it thing, the move projects to the next day and order them thang.

Rather I liked to write my notes and my schedule in the binder-mostly as a sales tool. Why? I would open it toward the end of the sales call and ask – how about we meet next week at such and such time?

Anyway.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I attended the Nordstrom sneak preview Early Access event and I obviously got caught up in the moment,

I had watched Trish’s videos on applying her products like Eye Lift and Eye Base. So I had gone to Nords with the idea that I wanted the Eye Lift-which is basically an eye shadow primer.

Now I know from passing the Trish counter by (only stopping to buy gel liner once or twice), that her products are supposed to have beauty benefits besides color. So watching her smooth on the product liberally on the model in the video, I thought hmm must work pretty well.

Same goes for the under eye product – Eye Base. Maybe I get confused with the names but they are her two main eye products. With the Trish triangle of light – which is pretty much the same as Bobbi Brown’s secret to beauty or whatever she calls basically smearing concealer from the inner corner of your eye pretty much to the edge of your cheekbone. 

Bobbi’s actually makes you look pretty good but it does not photograph well – see her books.  The women look odd with all that concealer. Lighter hand please.

So I bought the kit with the Eye Base, Eye Lift, Bronzer/Blush/Highlighter/Magic Powder, an eyeshadow and lip mini palette, a lip pencil with lip brush and mascara.

I have tried everything except the mascara at this point.

I was pretty disappointed with the “gift” at Honolulu Nords. It was a cosmetics bag. PERIOD.

My very nice artist/salesperson gave me a few samples of Fresh, YSL foundation, and an eye thing. But really that was it!

The cosmetics bags itself was the gift. Having spent $200+, I went online to check it out.  It turns out that Nords online had a gift with purchase, and explaining my disappointment, the very nice customer service person sent me a gift with Trish lip gloss and mascara. The mascara is great. The lip gloss is pretty, but no staying power.

So back to the base and lift-I tried a lot of product, a little product. I warmed it up on my hand before applying, I tried more moisture base to help it spread.

Both products were like spreading clay.

Considering we are talking about the eye area and it’s delicate texture – this is just bad.

I went so far as to go back to Nords and ask the product rep what was the deal? He said to use less-a pin point. Still didn’t work.

I didn’t even want to pass them on to friends to try their luck.

Into the trash.

k

PS

The lip pencil with brush on the end is good. However, Trish, please revisit the quality of the package supplier.  The tops from both sides kept slipping off. When I tried to secure them tightly-one side cracked the side making it useless.

 

Thrillsville! Nars Smudge proof Eyeshadow Base

I’ve been searching for an eye shadow primer so when I wear color-it shows.

The other thing is I always have eye cream and sunscreen on my eyes so it’s a challenge for weak competitors.

Awhile back I tried urban decay eyeshadow primer anti aging formula after I got a multi pack sample of all of their formulas.

I used it for a couple of weeks but i noticed that it dried my eyelids out and made them look crusted.

Fail.

I watched trish mcevoy videos and was convinced her eye base was a wonder product.

It’s a lot like laura mercier’s eye primers. Same drying. Plus the trish product creased and fell apart after a ballet class.

I asked the revive/trish guy at nords and he suggested a lighter application.

No difference.

My new fav, Lisa eldridge used the Nars product in her videos. It comes in a tube with a sponge wand. It has a little silicon so it has some slip going on and smoothes on easily.

What’s more my eye color lasts without creasing and the product doesn’t dry out my lids.
Yay!!
K

Why Not?

I’m at the workout gym and see the jerk who decided he knew better not to pay me or my vendors.

Thug.

Thing is me letting it make me angry is not pretty.

Especially since the person who referred him now calls him a compulsive liar.

Breeds more ugliness.

All I and others can hope for is before the guy is on his deathbed someone or something makes him take ownership of his personal ugliness and failure at being a human.

K

Goodbye Michelle, Hello Lisa

No dis on Michelle Phan, I love watching her videos especially the early ones that had tips like how to clean your brushes, do it yourself masks etc.

Her makeup artistry creates great looks with a lot of emphasis on the eyes of course but  I find myself getting a little bored lately with super dark smoky eyes and dark lips to match.

Besides, I get that celebrities like to keep it sizzling with info on their love lives, but frankly it’s not that interesting. Maybe if you’re in your thirties like Phan is, but I’m not, I dunno – her love life bores me.

Anyway.

A while back I youtubed Audrey Hepburn Breakfast At Tiffany’s make up and one of the better videos featured this woman with an accent.  I watched it a couple of times and tried the technique which is pretty simple with a white/light base on the eyes and just really clean lines, soft color and winged liner.

I know it looks a little silly with the crown-but the look is classic.

I just had a bday a month ago and had a belated birthday lunch and my friend emailed the photos. That day I had forgotten my makeup kit and only had my eyes on-eyebrows, mascara and blue liner on the upper waterline. Lucky for me I had some sunscreen moisturizer and always have balm.

Really not enough makeup for photos tho.

So checking out videos for mature skin or aging eyes or whatever I found Lisa Eltheridge again. She’s a makeup artist out of the UK-she uses a range of US products from Max Factor and Revlon to department store brands like Chanel and Dior.

What I like about her techniques for aging folks or not, is her looks use a light hand for color.  This particular video emphasizes a glowy base, the model’s skin is quite wrinkly, but somehow the magic of makeup makes it less noticeable without heavy concealing, just moisture and light colors.

She’s like Bobbi Brown but a lot less screechy-Bobbi tends to use natural color and really too much pop.  If you look at Bobbi’s books, her models use so much concealer that all you see is concealer and a big thick gel liner line. Her shadows are beautiful but too sparkly for aging lids.

Lisa recommends getting away from using all neutral beiges and such on aging eyelids and adding soft color, “defining” the eyes.  She also uses gel blush for softness.

I particularly liked this one because the look is professional and polished.

In any case, I spent a good part of the morning watching her vids.

Check it out!

k

Only When I Dance I Feel Like Myself

For a while now I have had a hard time finding clothes or shoes that I like.

I’m not interested in even trying some trends on.

I just read in the paper yesterday about a new boutique opening by someone in their 30s or so. Her comment was that women in Hawaii dress too young for their age.

I bet that ruffled some feathers.

True, our beautiful weather allows us to wear shorts and tanks almost all year around, or some variation of casualness, but I guess the fashion person’s aim is to provide a more sophisticated spin.

I’m for that.

Wow-I totally spun off in a different direction.

But I guess the point is–we often see ourselves through a different lens than how others see us.

A few days ago, the point was brought home when a friend from high school was visiting from the mainland. Hadn’t seen him since, nor, sorry, didn’t remember when my other friend mentioned him in an earlier visit.

Typically, the name rang a bell, but…

So, as the day approached for the reunion, I was listening to Boston and Journey and other music popular in the 70’s on Pandora.

And I felt myself being pulled back to that time oh so long ago – like 35 years!

And I began to think of him in the same way I remembered him-with his bangs, wearing a plaid long sleeved shirt and jeans, lanky build and easy smile.

When I actually laid eyes on him-somehow, I could still see him as he was so many years ago.

I guess its like when I see couples who’ve been together forever, they seem to look at each other the same way. They don’t see the affects of the years-they see each other as how they looked when they first met.

That’s pretty cool.

I’ve been having a weird crisis of self-reflection to myself. Like when I was in SF, I saw a lot of clothes, but nothing that really felt right.

I used to have closets and closets and closets of choices-but I’ve paired that down to my work uniform of an Alpine t and green shorts, and a few wrap dresses for client meetings.

I’m a simpler version of myself. Must mean I’ve found myself in some way.

But then, when I dance, no matter how I feel that day.

I feel ageless.

I’ve found where I live and what makes me be free.

So the outside package shouldn’t really matter.

Right?

k

 

 

5 Minute Fitness-PopSugar Fitness

In my ongoing challenge to do something about my body vs my face, doing something physical is the much bigger challenge.

It is infinitely easy to surf the web or troll the make up counters or glossy magazines to find something new to try.

After all, beauty product only takes a flick of the finger to apply and Woila! I’m young again!

I wish.

But getting me off the couch, or desk chair is much harder.

And I used to be known for being a fitness fanatic.

The solution came in the form of Pop Sugar Fitness on youtube.  Hundreds of 5-10 minute videos and some a little longer, that address every inch of your bod. http://www.youtube.com/user/popsugartvfit

When I became challenged with sleeveless tops and the fact that my leather mini skirt wouldn’t zip, I knew it was time to get my okole in gear.

My favorites are:

Tank Top Arms

Abs Without Crunches

What I really like is after 5 or 10 minutes I feel energized and interested in trying something more or else. If I want to do more abs I can click on another video.  The instructors are clear and cue well.

At this point in my life, time is my most important commodity.

So Pop Sugar Fitness is perfect.

Check it out!

k