Face of the Day (FOTD)

#FOTD Starring the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette and My New Fave Clinique Lippie

May 20th, 2016 by Jen Clark 28 Comments

Daytime Glam FOTD naked 3 — Today’s daytime glam look!

You guys are all my friends here, right?

That’s what I thought, so I can vent a little bit? I know you guys will listen to me.

Well, there’s only so much my poor husband can handle. As a mom and, honestly, I know that’s partly a cop-out excuse, an introvert, I don’t get out of the house as often as I’d like.

When I do finally peel off the sweatpants that have been plastered to my body since the day before and put on an outfit that doesn’t make me look like a hobo, I want to do something nice with my makeup too. That’s when I usually go for something in the “daytime glam” category, which is what I did today.

But first, the venting. I spent a lot of time on my makeup and hair today, and I even threw on a dress. Lookin’ hot, I was ready for a day out of the house, but my son had other plans. He’s two and a half right now, and I know it has got to be hard to be two. He’s got an amazing vocabulary, but when he’s upset or overwhelmed, he sometimes has a hard time getting his feelings out in a way that doesn’t involve screaming or crying.

We hit the town, but he was not having it. At the first store we went to he had a total meltdown, for reasons unbeknownst to me. I’m talking a screaming-thrashing-snot-flying-everywhere kind of meltdown.

Needless to say, with both of us in tears feeling so sorry for ourselves, we headed home… Just like that, our day out of the house was over.

I can’t even fathom how hard it would be to have two kids, but for those of you who don’t know, I’m having a baby girl in September! 🙂 Moms, please tell me it gets better and that having two isn’t hard at all. Lie to me if you must!

Now for the fun part of this post — the makeup! I recently did a little collaboration with Anna and Adia on how we rock pink eyeshadow, and I went with a really bright look. They did really pretty, more wearable looks, so I was feeling inspired to use some similar colors.

I decided to break out my Naked 3 Palette because it’s full of those gorgeous rosy/mauve tones I was looking to use.

I’ll tell you quickly how I got this look. I started by using ‘Limit’ (a light mauve-y rose) in the crease, then deepened it up a bit using ‘Nooner’ (mid toned mauve-y rose).

[Continue reading…]

Rouge Bunny Rouge Masters of Texture: A Cosmetics Collection Befitting an Old World Fairy Tale

May 17th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 11 Comments

Rouge Bunny Rouge Masters of Texture Collection — Wearing Rouge Bunny Rouge Raw Garden Eyeshadow Palette in 086 Antigo, Loves Lights Highlighting Powder in 066 Goddess, Alchemy Long Lasting Brow Liner in 088 Antimony and Dazzling Siip Tinted Luxe Balm in 091 Pinch of Nude

Ever encounter a cosmetic brand that’s so fabulous, so excitingly enshrouded in mystery that it almost feels magical to get your hands on a few products? For me, Rouge Bunny Rouge has always been that brand.

Perhaps it’s the whimsical product names, the slight difficulty in procuring their products (I’m not certain there are counters stateside, for instance) and the dreamy colors. I almost always feel like birds should be sweeping the kitchen and braiding my hair while I apply Rouge Bunny Rouge cosmetics.

“Rouge Bunny Rouge is quintessentially British — a vision of intellectual beauty, a uniquely Neo-Victorian style … [the brand is] also renowned for its fantastic world of storytelling. Elements of magic, whimsy and mystery are playfully reflected in the names of [the] products.” — Rouge Bunny Rouge

Very early on in my blogging days at Getting Cheeky (and you can tell just how early on by the photography), I managed to get my hands on the stunning shadow in Abyssinian Catbird, and the love affair began. So it was with the excitement of a love-struck fairy-tale heroine that I started playing with the Rouge Bunny Rouge Masters of Texture Makeup Collection.

Please allow for a brief pause while this makeup and classic literature lover swoons…

I can think of no more exquisitely packaged powders than those offered by Rouge Bunny Rouge. Housed in substantial and sleek black external packaging reminiscent of Victorian hat boxes, removal of the lid reveals a weighty black compact and sweet “RBR” monogrammed powder puff.

*swoon*

Rouge Bunny Rouge’s Loves Lights Highlighting Powder ($48) is not your average trend-driven illuminator. Finely milled to the point of feeling like a cloud, these beauties create a diaphanous, rather than overt, glow.

The brand describes the formulation of the powder as being composed of “spherical powders” which “[produce] an unusual perfecting powder with smoothing properties.” While it pained me to swatch away the ephemeral dandelion pattern on the surface of the powder, the result was well worth the temporary torture. I could verily paint myself from head to toe in 066 Goddess (an opalescent pale pink), and 067 Sweet to Touch (a gold spiked amber) pairs well with blushes of a plum hue on my complexion.

As for the Raw Garden Shadow Palette ($55) in 086 Antigo, it’s a work of art. I’ve tried many matte shadows in my time as a beauty lover, and while I have my favorites, it’s not often that I’m this impressed… To be honest, I don’t even remember the last time I audibly said “oooh!” while swatching, but Antigo accomplished just that.

Comprised of a faintly luminous golden pearl, a pink toned mink, rich deep brown and neutral coffee, this palette is as foolproof in terms of creating looks as it is indispensable. I am fully enamored of the texture and highly recommend this particular piece in the collection. Are you a neutral shadow lover? Then run, don’t walk.

[Continue reading…]

Getting Fancy With the Wearable Glitter in the Sonia Kashuk Eye on Textured Nudes 4 Eye Couture Palette

May 17th, 2016 by Adia Goss 13 Comments

sonia kashuk eye on textured nudes eyeshadow palette — Wearing the Sonia Kashuk Eye on Textured Nudes 4 Eye Couture eyeshadow palette ($19.99, available at Target)

The Sonia Kashuk Eye on Textured Nudes 4 Eye Couture palette just screams “fancy night out” to me. It has a nice variety of nude colors, including four really pretty glittery shades.

The matte and satin shades have been great for everyday, but I knew that I wanted to save the glittery colors for a special event.

Like…

My mom is on the board of the Alameda Health System Foundation, which raises funds for the public hospitals and clinics in Alameda County (go, Mom!). I was going to attend the annual gala at a winery (fancy, right?), and I knew that the Sonia Kashuk Eye on Textured Nudes would be perfect.

sonia kashuk eyeshadow palette — This Sonia Kashuk Eye on Textured Nudes 4 Eye Couture palette has all of the nudes!

Nude palettes aren’t exactly uncommon, but I like how this one has three different textures. There are the matte shades for everyday blending; the satin shades are nice for easy washes of color, and the glitter shades are perfect for when you want a bit more drama.

The shadows don’t have names, but here are swatches. These are according to finish, and from bottom to top in the picture above.

[Continue reading…]

What I Wore to Work, ft. Sugarpill’s Loose Eyeshadow in Countess

May 16th, 2016 by Nicole Fraser-Herron 27 Comments

_MG_2362_web — Eyeliner: Sugarpill Countess loose eyeshadow; Lips: Lumiere by Colourpop; Highlight & Contour: MAC All the Right Angles in Light

Do you ever sit down to get ready for work and just…wing it? Sure, I have a few different go-to looks for different occasions, but sometimes I’m down for a challenge.

It usually goes something like “alright Nic, we’ve got 30 minutes to shower, beat thy mug, and be out the door.” I paw at my makeup till I see something sparkly like the pigment Countess by Sugarpill ($13) and some Eyelure lashes that kind of resemble black caterpillars. Then, I decide there is no way to continue on with my day until I have giant, sparkly cat eyes and dense, fluttery lashes.

Isn’t Countess stunning? It’s a deep maroon with subtle aqua reflects that are pretty difficult to capture on camera, but are definitely apparent in real life.

Sugarpill Countess Loose Eyeshadow (5 grams)

Luckily everything worked out this time, because I had to get to work.

I photographed one of my favorite shows, Baloney! Baloney is San Francisco’s first (and only) gay all-male revue. It’s part theater, dance, peepshow, and pays homage to classic burlesque and pantomime. The show was created and choreographed by some of my favorite artist friends and couple, Rory Davis and Michael Phillis. It is among the most visually stunning shows I’ve seen and is a total dream to photograph, let alone just watch.

What happens at Baloney usually stays there, but here are some of my favorite moments I’ve shot from Baloney shows both past and present:

[Continue reading…]

The Best in Beauty From the Boot, Vol. 9: A Face of the Day with Giorgio Armani Beauty

May 13th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 18 Comments

Armani Lip Maestro 400 The Red Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow 5 Gold Blitz — Wearing Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 400 The Red on my lips, and Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow in 5 Gold Blitz on my eyes

Let’s do something a little different today, shall we?

I’ve only ever tried two products from the Giorgio Armani Beauty range, which is definitely not enough to write one of my usual brand spotlight posts. Those two products are so good, though, that I feel like I can’t not somehow tell you about them.

I’m talking about the Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 400 The Red and the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow in 5 Gold Blitz. They’ve been around for years now, but if you’ve never tried them before, here’s what you’ve been missing out on.

Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 400 The Red ($38)

I think the Giorgio Armani Lip Maestros were the first lipsticks in liquid form I’d ever heard of, but they couldn’t be any more different from the moisture-sucking liquid lipsticks we’re so used to seeing these days.

The Lip Maestros are so creamy, and comfy, and lush…

Applying shade 400 The Red on my lips feels like coating them in the softest velvet drape, if that makes any sense… It really makes me understand what a ‘velvet finish’ truly is. Besides, its amount of sheen and point of red are just right.

Honestly, gurl, I think this lipstick is pure perfection.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow in 5 Gold Blitz ($35)

Speaking of pure perfection…

Aside from the hefty price tag, there’s nothing less than perfect about the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow in 5 Gold Blitz. It is the creamiest, most pigmented, easiest to blend eyeshadow I’ve ever tried.

Its gorgeous metallic finish makes your lids look like they’re coated in golden foil – a look they keep for hours, and hours, and hours…

For today’s face I’ve applied 05 Gold Blitz on my mobile lids with my finger and blended it out past the crease with a MAC 217 Blending Brush. Then I’ve applied it along my lower lashlines with a MAC 219 Pencil Brush and diffused the edge with ZOEVA’s 231 Luxe Petit Crease brush.

Other products used for this look include:

[Continue reading…]

A Rockabilly Winged Liner Look: This Eye Look’s Mine, So I Walk the Line

May 6th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 18 Comments

You know I love makeup (duh), but what you may not know about me is that I’ve always been into the rockabilly/psychobilly music scene.

Everybody luuurves Johnny Cash, but I also adore Empress of Fur, the Nekromantix and Tiger Army. Sadly, 1950s-inspired hairstyles and outfits are challenging to keep up with on the day-to-day, especially as a professional and a mom, so I most often indulge my affinity for this “look” by applying a nice big winged cat eye.

When Nicole and I talked about teaming up to show you our tips, tricks and techniques for all things “cat eye,” I immediately knew what I wanted to feature: my go-to Rockabilly Wing! Long before I started my own blog or possessed more makeup than I could choose from on a daily basis, I always had a good black liner in my collection to rock this look quite literally every day.

My arsenal of “tools” has grown exponentially, but somehow I can’t quit this classic.

Grab your favorite liners, put on your favorite vinyl and get ready! 🙂 I’m going to show you how to Walk the Line.

I keep a close watch on this wing of mine,

I keep my cat eye flicked out all the time,

I pick a long lasting liner formula to bind,

This eye look’s mine…so I walk the line.

[Continue reading…]

How I Rock Pink Eyeshadow (A Collaboration With Jen and Anna)

May 5th, 2016 by Adia Goss 26 Comments

pink eyeshadow look — Wearing the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette ($58)

I may have mentioned this once or twice before (or three times or four), but I absolutely love pink makeup. I think pink is a great way to wear subtle color, and since I’ve never met a pink eyeshadow I don’t like, I thought it would be fun to collaborate with Jen and Anna, who’ll be sharing their looks soon, and share with you one way that each of us likes to wear pink eyeshadow.

The look I’m wearing at the top is how I like to rock pink eyeshadow, and I have to thank some awesome readers for the inspiration! One reader mentioned that the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Concentrated Crayons would be great as eyeshadow bases, and another raved about the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette.

I took the comments to heart and used them both for this springy pink look. Thanks so much, ladies! I love hearing your comments, questions and tips, so keep them coming! Seriously, the comments make my day 🙂

To achieve this look, I used Maybelline Color Tattoo 25HR Concentrated Crayon in Pink Parfait as a base all over my eyelids, then applied Zone from the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani palette in my crease using a Morphe E22 brush.

With the Zoeva Luxe Smoky Shader brush (first mentioned in this post on Zoeva), I packed Harajuku onto my lids, and Harajuku, by the way, is a pink lover’s dream! It’s hot pink and sparkly, but when used with Zone it’s not too bright.

And then on my brows I used ColourPop Cosmetics Brow Pencil in Black N’ Brown and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara on my lashes.

pink eyeshadow — I love how this look turned out and am currently obsessed with this Anastasia Beverly Hills lipgloss!

For my base, I used Becca Aqua Luminous Foundation in Warm Honey, and this was my first time using this foundation. For the record, it’s amazing! I’ve tried other glowy foundations (I’ve reviewed Giorgio Armani Maestro Glow and L’oreal Lumi Cushion), but this is probably my favorite so far because of the buildable coverage and longevity.

[Continue reading…]

A Spring 2016 Diane Von Furstenberg-Inspired Face of the Day Feat. the Urban Decay Electric Palette

May 3rd, 2016 by Carolina Braina 24 Comments

Every day is a good day for a turquoise and green eyeshadow look! 😉

Raise your hand if you’re a proud owner of the Urban Decay Electric palette or a similar bright eyeshadow palette!

OK, now, raise your hand if you don’t use it as much as you wish you did!

HA, I see quite a lot of you have raised your hands both times, just like I have…

But frankly, the UD Electric is too beautiful a palette to just gather dust in my makeup drawer, and I’ve decided I want to change that!

So I’m thinking this is the perfect time to finally try the turquoise and green color combination I fell in love with last fall, when I saw the gorgeous look Pat McGrath had created for Diane Von Furstenberg at NYFW Spring 2016.

And if you, too, want to show your brights some much-deserved love, why don’t you get ready with me today? 😉

After applying primer all over the lids, pack a vibrant green shadow on the mobile lids with a firm brush, and blend it out just above the crease using a tiny bit of the same shadow on a fluffier brush, creating an elongated shape in the outer corners. Then prime your lower lash lines, apply the same green, and blend out the edges really well – we don’t want any harsh lines.

Now, wet a shader brush and use it to line the upper lashes with a turquoise shadow. Then blend the edge between green and turquoise so that the two colors merge together.

[Continue reading…]