Make-up I like

You, Me & 5 Bucks

April 13, 2009 by Jillian

I’ve been under the weather this past week.  Living like a recluse, curled up on the couch watching way too much T.V. just waiting for the worst to pass.  Antibiotics are such a drag – All I’ve wanted to do is sleep.

You know you’re really sick when after 3 days you’ve watched everything of interest on DVR and on Demand.  By Thursday night I’d really run out of options, and had begun scrapping the bottom of the T.V. barrel, watching things like ‘Dress My Nest‘ and ‘Snapped.’

But I was desperate for entertainment.  I mean, what else do you do when you’re sick?  I guess I could have read a book or something, but when I’m not feeling well I really do prefer to be mindlessly entertained.  So, I’m home…With my ass planted firmly on the couch…And ‘Reality Bites’ comes on.  My first instinct was to change the channel.  I HATED this movie when my sister took me to see it in the theater in 1994.  I just didn’t get it.

Now, post H.S. and college…I swear I thought I was watching a different movie.  Suddenly it all made sense, and I was sitting on the couch nodding my head in firm agreement that reality does in fact, sometimes, bite.

If you don’t remember this movie, here’s the trailer:

What I loved most about this flick were all the varying shades of red lipstick worn by Winona Ryder and Janeane Garofalo.  I especially LOVE the matte red color on Winona Ryder in the bar scene when Ethan Hawke’s character does a horrific cover of the Violent Femme’s ‘Add It Up.’  Her lips are 90s matte, grunge perfection.

Here are my favorite shades of red lipstick – All under 5 bucks :)

Wet ‘n’ Wild Silk Finish Lipstick, Hot Red ($1.29)

Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaSlicks Lip Color, Passion Fruit Pink

($2.99)

Milani Velvet Lips Lipstick, Red Carpet 214 ($4.49)

Disney Red Apple Lip Balm SPF 15 ($5.00)

Shhh!

April 13, 2009 by Jillian

I’ve been keeping this one to myself for a while.  As a makeup artist, and a blogger I do feel a certain responsibility to let my clients and readers in on the latest and greatest in all things beauty.  Then, sometimes I stumble upon something that is such a find, that I just want to keep it to myself.

I am totally the product of my mother in that way.  For example:  I once had this AMAZING colorist.  I mean…AMAZING.  He moved to another country, so now no one in the U.S can have him.  But before he moved, he made me all sorts of shades of blonde that were all equally fabulous.  My hair was so perfectly colored that women would stop me on the street daily, desperate to know the genius behind my luscious locks.  Whenever they would ask, I would respond with ‘Oh this, this is just some box color.  My friend did it for me.’

LIES.  And all of the curious women who asked totally knew that I was lying.  But, my mother always said ‘DON’T GO TELLING TOO MANY PEOPLE ABOUT AMAZING THINGS JILLIAN, BECAUSE THEN EVERYONE WILL HAVE IT AND THEN IT WON’T BE AMAZING ANYMORE.’

I sort of agree.  I also feel kind of guilty for holding out on all of you.

It’s just that now I’m torn.  I WANT to tell you about this amazing beauty find, because it’s what girlfriends do – They share information on beauty and other girly stuff.  Then there is a part of me that wants to keep this to myself, so as not to ruin it.  Once this catches on it’s going to be huge…Like…Sephora…Only, NEXT LEVEL.

Ugh.  Ok. (Let me catch my breath).  Here it is. (I can’t believe I’m sharing this – God, I am SO GOOD TO YOU ALL).  It’s called…

SASA.

Sasa is kind of like Sephora, but they only have standing locations throughout Asia.  Thankfully, they have a website, and they do ship internationally.  The thing that makes Sasa the next level Sephora is that they have things you have never heard of in the U.S.  Products that are rare and amazing…

Looking for Bird’s Nest Eye Mask?  Yeah.  They’ve got it. (P.S.: It’s edible.  Not sure why you’d want to eat it, but just in case you feel compelled to do so – It’s safe).

Or, maybe you’d like to try hairspray for your EYELASHES.

Dying to try Bai Cheong Lung pills?  They have them!  Don’t know what Bai Cheong Lung pills are?  No problem!  Apparently they moisturize the body, give you energy, help with absent mindedness, and post-partum!  Seriously, why isn’t everyone taking this???

Desperate for that wide eye’d doll look?  Try Sasa’s Super Dolly Powerful Mascara guaranteed to give you dolly eyes that will be the center of attention everywhere you go!

I could go on and on…But I think you get the idea.  Basically Sasa has EVERYTHING.  Things that you can’t even imagine.  Things that you would never know that you needed or even wanted until you realized they were realistic options.  Sasa is all the brands that you already know (Olay, Loreal, Dior etc.), PLUS hundreds of foreign brands that you never even knew existed.

The best part is that they always have sales! I’ve even found products that are carried at Sephora on the Sasa website – FOR A DISCOUNTED PRICE! Before you let international shipping turn you off from trying them out, you should know that you get free shipping on orders over $75.00.

What are you waiting for?  Explore Sasa today!

Beauty That Gives Back: Trees for The Future

April 12, 2009 by Jillian

I know there are lots of people out there who think the beauty industry is shallow and meaningless and only for those that embrace their narcissistic side.

I completely disagree. Beauty is a powerful thing, and it does have the power to effect change.  Just ask the good people at Smashbox.  To celebrate Earth Day 2009, they’ve come up with a limited edition eco- friendly palette available exclusively at Sephora stores nation wide.  The palette contains 4 shadows and a blush – All of which are certified organic (organic makeup = simple, healthful, and as close to nature as beauty gets). Plus, everything is housed in a recyclable compact and carton made from sustainable materials and printed with eco-friendly ink!

The color ways are suitable for all skin tones, with the neutral tangerine hued blush being a must have for everyone! Additionally, all the shadows are super blend-able so you can mix and match the perfect shades for you.

Bonus: With each purchase, a tree will be planted by Trees for the Future, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating sustainable environments through forestation throughout the world.

This is organic beauty at it’s best – Beauty that gives back!

Get yours for $45.00 just in time for Earth Day on April 22nd at Sephora.

R.I.P: Mac Blush in Prism

March 25, 2009 by Jillian

I killed this blush.  KILLED IT.

I don’t do this very often.  Mostly because I have so much makeup (and I’m not talking about my professional kit, I’m referring to my own personal collection), AND I’m obsessed with new product.  Usually my ADD kicks in after I use something a few times which keeps me constantly trying something new.

Products hardly ever die by my own hand.  Except for mascara.  I go through mascara like water – Probably a tube every 3 weeks.  But, that’s about the only product I’m killin’ on a regular basis…So when I finish something, it’s MAJOR.

I loved this blush.  Not initially though – It was not love at first swipe AT ALL.  This blush sat at the bottom of a drawer for a year before I touched it after using it one time. Then one day I felt like changing things up, and re-discovered it, and suddenly it had a new life.

And it’s been love ever since.  It’s really obvious if you look at the remains:

I even busted the clear part of the top off.  It’s THAT deep.

Prism blush from MAC was my every day staple.  I used it constantly.  And when I had to go somewhere at night, I would dress it up with a shimmer highlight, or use it as a contour blush by pairing it with another color.

I would buy it again, but there are so many products out there, and life is too short for me to only wear one blush.

Prism, you will be missed.  You gave great face.  Thank you.

What was the last product you completely emptied out???

Chic Shopper Chick: Superbowl Stunner

February 27, 2009 by Jillian

Check out my latest post on the Chic Shopper Chic site:  A ‘how-to’ for Jennifer Hudson’s makeup at the Superbowl earlier this month!

The post can be found here.

100th Post!: My Make-up @ the Bijules Fall 2009 Presentation

February 27, 2009 by Jillian

This picture is from the Bijules Fall 2009 presentation last week. I wanted to share the makeup I was wearing, but this image of me hanging a sequin lamae heart on the wall isn’t exactly the clearest.  This picture, taken after I cut the heart out of a giant gold tent, is one of the only photos I have from the night.

I know you can’t really see, but I’m going to tell you what I’m wearing anyway:  Josie Maran Tinted Moisturizer, with a dusting of Bare Minerals Foundation to set.  Bare Minerals Blush in Giddy Pink on cheeks, Benefit Posie Tint on Lips with Chanel Glossimer in Lollipop.  And, of course – Multiple layers of Benefit Badgal mascara on my lashes.

Now that we’ve gotten the make-up out of the way…

Check out the new Bijules Rock Collection – It’s fierce.

Then take a moment to view the new Leona Lewis video (Bonus: Chace Crawford makes an appearance.) Her makeup is PHENOMENAL (as always) plus she’s rocking a Bijules bar ring just like mine :-)

Fun Times at Sephora!

February 26, 2009 by Jillian

sephoraYesterday I spent almost 2 hours inside a Sephora with my friend Jen.  I’m a makeup artist, she’s a beauty addict and together we’re TROUBLE when surrounded by so many options.  I’m pretty sure the sales people were overwhelmed by our presence as they watched us flutter around the store from one display to the other.  Now, I know what you’re thinking:  Why would I need to go to a Sephora when I get products sent to me all the time?  Well, despite the fact that I get sent tons of cosmetics and products almost daily, I do make the occasional trip to the store to actually make personal purchases.  I’m a real girl too, and sometimes I just need to get my shop on.  Naturally, my favorite place to shop is Sephora, and every time I set foot in one it’s serious, and I never leave empty handed.

This trip resulted in 3 purchases:

Sephora Brand FACE Foaming Cleanser: Tried this last night, and was very good although it did not really foam.  Was more like gentle sudsing gel.  Some of the reviews on Sephora’s site are a little bit ‘angry’ with customers writing all sorts of things about being annoyed by the misleading use of ‘foaming.’  Personally, the lack of foam didn’t bother me much since it still got the job done.

Sephora Brand Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15: Haven’t tried this yet – Still have some of my favorite leftover, so will have to review at a later time.

Sephora by OPI nail Polish in IM Beauty:  A super cute lemon yellow nail polish.  Color is very soft, and not at all offensive like some of the other yellow polish options I have come across. (You need this, it’s adorbs).

I had more in my basket.  Trust.  I just tried to be sensible and remind myself that I have more products in my apartment than most people , and that thought helped me to put several items back on the shelf that I didn’t think were must haves.

What I did not get was the Dior Airflash BRONZER.  That was a tough one to put back.  I mean, the stuff was made for me.  Seriously.  But at $60 a can, I just couldn’t justify the purchase especially when I have THREE airbrush machine’s in my possession which I can use at any time to create the exact same look.

I won’t lie…I’m still considering going back to get it.  I had completely forgotten that I had tested and LOVED it, until my roommate asked me what was on my face because she NEEDED to have it.  *Sigh*  I should have snapped a photo to post here, so you could see how fabulous it looked.  Oh well, next time.

Eventually, I will find a way to justify the purchase, but until then I’ll just break out my trusty airbrush compressor to replicate the look.

I am also considering going back to get this glitter eye gel from Sephora Brand. In the store it didn’t look like anything any more special than the dozens of other glitter type products I have in my arsenal.  Then I got in the car, and I did a quick check in the mirror (couldn’t help it, yo), and it was really subtle and sparkly and feminine and PERFECT FOR SUMMER.  Eh.  Will add it to my wish list and cop it in May just in time for the sunshine.  It was only $10 bucks so it isn’t like it’s terribly expensive, and since I wear glitter all the damn time, I know it will be a useful item.

My friend Jen got a bunch of other stuff – Maybe she will kindly grace the comment section with her product reviews.  Jen, are you out there?  I know you read this site…

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