Unsung Heroes

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner

September 5th, 2013 by Karen 4 Comments

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Taylor Leigh of mylucitedreams.com. You can also find Taylor on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

When Karen asked me to review just one item, a ‘Holy Grail’ item, from my own personal makeup collection, it wasn’t a task I took lightly. When I think HG products, I don’t think favorites, but I think of a product that is a tried-and-true staple, and one that has been around for some time. A product that I can’t do without, nor one that could be be swapped out for another. I considered a very select few and ultimately decided upon the Aqua Liner from Make Up For Ever.

My favorite makeup look is undoubtedly the ‘cat-eye’. It is a look that has become my signature, and the product in which I can rely on time and again is my HG liquid liner, the Aqua Liner from Make Up For Ever. As someone who suffers from seasonal allergies, or just plain everyday itchy, watery eyes, I need my liner to last. The Aqua Liner delivers a budge-proof, smudge-proof and waterproof line in an easy flick. Clean-ups are easy with any water-based makeup remover before the liner dries. Although, once this baby sets, it won’t even fade until you remove it with an oil-based cleanser. I personally recommend coconut oil and a warm muslin cloth.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Illamasqua Zygomatic Cream Blusher

September 4th, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Tiffany Nguyen of willworkformakeup.blogspot.com. You can also find Tiffany on Twitter and Instagram.

You know that shade of blush that just seems to always suit you, without fail? For me, it’s a pinky beige. Something not too pink, nor too brown; more of a complexion enhancer, if you will. I’m actually kind of embarrassed to admit that I have more than a few variations of this in my collection, but one blush in particular stands out in my mind…maybe because I feel like it doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves!

Illamasqua is a brand that just knows how to make blush. I’m a fan of their powder blush formula, too (Hussy, anyone?), but their cream formula is particularly divine. Zygomatic is a seemingly boring pinky beige, but coupled with its dewy, long-lasting, non-sticky formula, and it becomes one of the select few fail-safe blushes in my collection I know I can always rely on.

Although Zygomatic certainly does not fall short in the pigmentation department, it’s not quite as dark as it appears in the pan, so it’s probably better suited for light and medium skin tones. It’s creamy without being greasy, and it blends out with close to no effort at all (I use a brush, by the way. Not really of fan of using my digits!).

The long-running Makeup and Beauty Blog Unsung Heroes series features much-loved permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.

I have terrible lighting in my apartment, and I often fall victim to the I-thought-I-barely-had-any-blush-on-but-I-actually-look-like-a-clown phenomenon once I see myself in natural light, but not with Zygomatic. Being more of a subtle shade, once it’s on, my complexion just appears awakened and healthy, rather than looking as though I’ve obviously applied a cheek color. Great news for those of us who may be more heavy-handed with our blush application (you know who you are!).

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) Lip Tars

September 3rd, 2013 by Karen 8 Comments

Guest blogger Celia San Miguel wearing OCC Lip Tar in Anime

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Celia San Miguel of sickathanaverage.com. You can also find Celia on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

The word “tar” might not conjure up beautiful imagery, but don’t let that dissuade you from checking out Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics’ range of oh-so-sexy Lip Tar shades ($18 each). Introduced in Fall 2008, OCC Makeup’s Lip Tar coats lips with super-saturated, astoundingly opaque pigments with a satin-y finish. The formula, meanwhile, incorporates several beneficial botanical ingredients — chiefly hemp oil, which is rife with nourishing and softening omega fatty acids; peppermint oil, which has a cooling effect and also boasts antimicrobial properties; and antioxidant-rich vitamin E, which protects lips from free radical damage and prevents premature skin aging.

Swatches of some of my favorite Lip Tars: Anime, Lovecraft and Electric Grandma

Each 100% vegan lip color is packaged inside a tiny, pocket-sized tube that, although small, will last surprisingly long given that you’ll only need a bead-sized amount for each application. Ideally, you should use a lip brush when applying the Lip Tar shade of your choice since the color saturation is almost mind-blowingly high, and you’ll want to be precise when smoothing the color onto your pout (and that goes double if you choose an ultra-bright shade like Beta, Anime, or Demure).

There is literally no product on the market that compares to OCC’s Lip Tars in terms of consistency, texture, color payoff, or longevity. Each Lip Tar shade packs a mighty punch in the opacity department, balking at the notion of wimpy sheer hues and instead embracing a bold, flamboyant, adventurous and bodacious approach to color. Pigment saturation aside, I find the Lip Tars to have a delightful texture — they’re not sticky or tacky like some glosses nor do they have the clump-prone creaminess of a lipstick; instead, they have an almost oil-like feel, though their consistency is by no means runny or watery.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Le MÃ©tier de BeautÃ© Peau Vierge Correcteur Concealer

August 21st, 2013 by Karen 6 Comments

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Xiao Lim of MessyWands.com. You can also find Xiao on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram.

Just to prove the HG-ness (Holy Grail-ness) of this concealer, in the picture above the tube is completely extended. I am almost at the stage where I have to dig the stuff out with a brush, and I’m close to tears. After all, at $95 these things cost an arm and a leg to replace.

Said concealer, Le MÃ©tier de BeautÃ© Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium, is the first concealer I would ever use up. Prior to this, my favorite concealer was by Cle de Peau, and though that concealed discolorations and under-eye circles very well, it felt a little dry, and the blending wasn’t as seamless as I hoped it would be.

LMdB Peau Vierge Correcteur is creamy, but not heavy, and from the get-go it merged with my skin as if it were a part of it. I may never know whether it’s my eye cream or the Peau Vierge treatment in the concealer that keeps (most) of my dark circles away, but you won’t see me chancing it by changing my routine.

Without any makeup (except drawn-in eyebrows!)

(It’s just my luck that when I had to take an important picture, a giant pimple popped up.)

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Chanel Rose Initiale Joues Contraste Powder Blush

August 20th, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

Chanel Rose Initiale Joues Contraste Powder Blush ($43)

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Sunny Hu of mostlysunnyblog.com. You can also find Sunny on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Have you ever gone from feeling lukewarm about something to realizing that life without it would be pretty tough? Well, that’s my story with Chanel Rose Initiale Joues Contraste Powder Blush ($43). I’d read that it ticked all of the boxes for a good blush when I first got it, but I wasn’t in love. It just seemed so…ordinary.

It turns out, that’s the secret to its versatility!

The long-running Makeup and Beauty Blog Unsung Heroes series features much-loved permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.

Neutral Pink Chanel Rose Initiale is just pigmented enough to show up easily, and the blendability makes sure you never have to fear going too far with it! The tiny shimmer in there looks like a satiny sheen on the cheeks, which gives it a natural finish and keeps it from looking dull.

On the left: Chanel Rose Initiale swatched heavily; on the right: blended out

While Rose Initiale might look like any other pink, it works with absolutely everything! It’s magical! When I can’t decide which blush to wear, I go for Rose Initiale. When I want to take face shots for five different lipsticks in one go, I reach for Rose Initiale. From berry to wine, from nude to red, I have yet to find one single lipstick Rose Initiale doesn’t work well with.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadows

August 19th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Monika Wykurz of Rocaille Writes. You can also find Monika on Twitter and Instagram.

When Karen asked me to write about one of my holy grail products, I went straight to my Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadows ($6 each), not only because they are some of the best powder eyeshadows I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, but also because I have a personal connection to the brand. Being Polish, I’ve known and loved Inglot products since long before they hit the US market. In fact I used their shadows for my high school prom makeup when I still lived in Warsaw.

The Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadows are buttery smooth, creamy, pigmented, long-lasting powder eyeshadows that come in a huge variety of shades and finishes, and they retail for $6 each. You can mix and match the shades as you please and have them arranged in a palette (different sizes available), or you can purchase your pans separately and store them however you like. I tend to keep mine in a large Z-Palette.

My Inglot collection has grown over the years. You see, every year when we visit family in Poland for the holidays, I pop into an Inglot store and have never walked away without at least a couple of their square pans. (Before the squares, I used to buy the round pans, which fit perfectly into my MAC palette, but the shades remain the same no matter the shape.)

The long-running Makeup and Beauty Blog Unsung Heroes series features much-loved permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.

Choosing my favorite shades is a bit like choosing a favorite child, but I wanted to give you a couple of suggestions if you’ve never tried these before. I have three favorite finishes I stick to — Matte, Pearl and Shine. The Pearl finishes have a smooth, metallic finish (similar to MAC Veluxe Pearl), while the Shines tend to be more satin with a lot of shimmer.

If you like neutral warm tones, you can’t go wrong with no. 112, 337 and 402.

If you love taupes and purples, my favorites are no. 153, 344 and 420; and for highlighting the inner corners or as an all-over light wash of color, no. 142 and 397 are simply stunning.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Guerlain Chamade (164) Rouge Automatique Lipstick

August 18th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

Guerlain Chamade (164) Rouge Automatique Lipstick ($35)

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Terive Swerts of BellaChique.com. You can also find Terive on Twitter and Facebook.

Allow me to introduce you to one of my all-time favourite lipsticks — Guerlain Chamade (164) Rouge Automatique Lipstick ($35). I truly love the Rouge Automatiques in general. They’re simply one of my favourite lipstick formulas. Guerlain is definitely a high-end brand, but the Rouge Automatique lipsticks are a great alternative if you don’t want to splurge on the more expensive Rouge G’s. They’re more affordable with arguably better packaging, because let’s be real here, the Rouge G’s are pretty heavy to carry around just like that, especially if you like to carry five of them like I do.

Chamade is a medium pink with a delightful glossy finish. It’s neutral with a slightly warm tone, and on my lips it looks even a bit coral at times. It really is a true pink with a bit of red in it, and that’s the beauty of Chamade. It’s the perfect medium-toned lipstick. When you wear it, you can go either way with your makeup. Go very light on your eyes, and you get a fresh-faced look with a touch of fresh pink on the lips. Or, you can go a bit darker on your eyes and use Chamade applied with your fingers for a lighter touch. You can also build it up to a nice strong pink with some red, or wear it lightly with gloss. Don’t be scared when you see a tube of Chamade looking darker than it really is!

The long-running Makeup and Beauty Blog Unsung Heroes series features much-loved permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.

Chamade is a shade unbound by seasons. You can wear it whenever you want! All year round. It has that timeless factor that I really love. The formula is another great trait of the Rouge Automatiques. They’re moisturising and creamy without being heavy. The finish is like a nice sophisticated shine, not overly glossy. And let’s talk about the wear time! It’s the main reason I favour these over so many other lipsticks. They last pretty long for a formula like this. I usually reapply once a day, but that’s it.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: NARS Galapagos Eyeshadow

August 17th, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Jessica Revitte of gettingcheeky.com. You can also find Jessica on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

I often find myself approaching my makeup collection like a game of Scrabble. I know I have a major point scoring word right in front of me, but somehow I just can’t quite visualize what it is — only to realize later that I passed over a big hit time and time again. The same unfortunate haze sets in when I regard my shadow drawer. I know what’s there and I know the potential that all of the incredible and carefully selected products have; yet I struggle to grasp their individual or collective potential.

Karen and Tabs gave me a straightforward prompt: write about an unsung product that I couldn’t be without chez-Getting Cheeky. I tend to over-think things though (see the Scrabble analogy above), and this prompt ended up becoming an exercise in why I should be more attentive to the capabilities of all the products in my collection rather than a select few. One such much-loved, long term favorite that I shattered and subsequently repurchased is NARS Galapagos eyeshadow ($24). For some incomprehensible reason I allowed this brand new shadow to sit unloved in my drawer until now. I’m left wondering why? It’s a one-shade wonder!

In my book, the mark of a perfect product is something that can be used in many different ways. Galapagos checks all my boxes in that respect. At first swatch it seems quite light on the pigmentation: one might even go so far as to say that it’s a disappointment in comparison to the rich appearance of the shadow in the pan. Like many powder shadows NARS offers Galapagos is a sleeper hit. Don’t write this shade off before you watch it transform before your eyes. Build the color for a complex but diffused soft brown, or apply wet for a rich shimmering fudge. What NARS simply describes as a “coconut bronze with gold flecks” is so much more. In my time with Galapagos I’ve found ways to use this shadow dry, wet, blended, smudged and as a straight line. This shadow shines in every application.

NARS Galapagos swatched heavily dry, lightly dry, wet and as a liner

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