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Latest on Tue, 11:35 am: I just learned a Bare Escentuals store is opening in my area. I know nothing about that line- anything worth looking at? (I think many of us were hoping for a Sephora but sadly, looks like the closest one will remain 4 hours away).
: I think I know exactly the look you are referring to, but as you said, it's damn hard to explain. I tested some matte lip colours while on vacation recently (which I probably would have purchased if the matte look worked on me, which it doesn't in my opinion) and [...]
: O Foxy one, I hope you can help me. I'm in France and seeing this really odd lipcolor on all the girls. It actually isn't a color but a tone or something. The colors vary but they are very vivid and matte. I'm dying to get me one but I [...]
: I've worked my way through several sample pots of it that I've accumulated, and I like it a good deal. I don't think I had a problem with it being too yellow -- my sense is that it's fairly neutral, though probably more towards yellow than the e.l.f. product.
Tomorrow [...]: I think you mentioned that the Colorescience Pro Mineral Sun Protection Powder might be a (more expensive) option to the e.l.f. for the less pink among us. Do you (or any of the other readers) have any direct experience with it? Also, I have a longstanding desire to try the [...]
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240 Comments
I just learned a Bare Escentuals store is opening in my area. I know nothing about that line- anything worth looking at? (I think many of us were hoping for a Sephora but sadly, looks like the closest one will remain 4 hours away).
Ranganathan(Quote)
O Foxy one, I hope you can help me. I’m in France and seeing this really odd lipcolor on all the girls. It actually isn’t a color but a tone or something. The colors vary but they are very vivid and matte. I’m dying to get me one but I have no idea what it is or even how to really describe it to a Sephora clerk. Do you have any idea what this is? I MUST have it!
Thanks,
Baz
baz(Quote)
I think I know exactly the look you are referring to, but as you said, it’s damn hard to explain. I tested some matte lip colours while on vacation recently (which I probably would have purchased if the matte look worked on me, which it doesn’t in my opinion) and would recommend the Kiko matte lipsticks, which I am pretty sure are available in France. They’re inexpensive but also relatively high quality, so would be good for trying out a new look in case you don’t like it, because you won’t have spent too much money. I bought a non-matte Kiko lipstick which I *really* like (it lasts about three hours, so not all that great in terms of wear length, but I love the colour and how it goes on etc.)
If you do like the matte look on you, try the NARS Velvet Matte lip pencils. I always put a gloss over them when I use mine, however if matte works for you, they’d also look awesome by themselves.
chaosbydesign(Quote)
I think you mentioned that the Colorescience Pro Mineral Sun Protection Powder might be a (more expensive) option to the e.l.f. for the less pink among us. Do you (or any of the other readers) have any direct experience with it?
Also, I have a longstanding desire to try the Armani Luminous Silk foundation (too many Best Beauty Buy issues of InStyle, in all likelihood). Is that crazy?
prof_gnu(Quote)
I’ve worked my way through several sample pots of it that I’ve accumulated, and I like it a good deal. I don’t think I had a problem with it being too yellow — my sense is that it’s fairly neutral, though probably more towards yellow than the e.l.f. product.
Tomorrow I’ll try to make a direct comparison with pictures, if I still have any of the Colorescience left.
Re: Armani — heh. You won’t hear any argument from me! I tried very hard to buy an Armani foundation a couple of months ago (though it was the Face Fabric, not the Luminous Silk) and was only saved by the fact that there just was not anything in my color. (I ended up with a Trish McEvoy foundation instead, but when all is said and done I think I should just stick with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish cream and BB creams because they seem to match me so much better.) Armani foundations are generally very well received, and I certainly would have bought one had I been a color match.
Voxy(Quote)
Thanks, biologist! I’ve been interviewing in what I refer to as the “sorta-south” – in some ways it is VERY midwestern and in some ways it is very southern. I’ve been doing okay with a sort of High Summer Business Casual. Lots of linen.
But thank you for the mascara tips. I have another campus interview this week, and it is going to be wretchedly hot and humid. Yay!
pinky(Quote)
Sorry I keep screwing up replies, you guys. For some reason, the learning curve on replies here is similar to the quote function for me on the Other Site. *sigh*
pinky(Quote)
That’s awesome you have another interview! Good luck!
I’m glad I didn’t interview in this weather–although my interviews were all during that stretch of extremely bad winter weather this year.
a biologist(Quote)
I wish WordPress’ comment system were a little more intuitive, but sadly it is not. The last comment plugin I tried to install made the whole thing whacko so I am a little gun-shy about looking for others. Still, I’ll have a browse through the plugin directory and see if anything looks promising.
Voxy(Quote)
Look, I’m getting better, though! I am capable of learning… ;)
pinky(Quote)
Ha! Too funny. I am thinking about your other question and am going to try to put together some options for you tomorrow. What’s your general philosophy on eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick? (e.g., “I only wear neutrals” vs. “I would wear ultraviolet eyeshadow and hot pink lipgloss every day if I could get away with it…”) What have you got in your makeup wardrobe in terms of these more colorful items, and what kinds of formulations do you like/hate? (For example, blush: liquid? cream? powder? gel? … etc.)
Voxy(Quote)
I actually don’t wear blush – I’m really intrigued by the Benefit lipstain/blush combo, so I might check it out next time I’m in a Sephora. Blush is one of those things I never feel like I can get right, so I just gave up.
But, now that I think about it, I wonder if the foundation/eyes/lips combo is what always makes me feel like I look X-Treme. Because my face is so pale – maybe a little blush would actually neutralize the effect. If that makes sense.
My favorite lipstick right now is e.l.f’s Rosy Raisin. It’s pretty natural-looking on me, but it’s a really pretty color.
Eyeshadows… I’ve been experimenting with e.l.f’s mineral eyeshadow in Glamorous. It is WAY fun, but easy to go too extreme with it. I tend to wear one eyeshadow at a time (until I get better at layering and blending. I like pale pinks, browns and goldens… I have a couple of exciting mineral shadows in purples, but I tend to save them for Events.
pinky(Quote)
Can I just say that the E.L.F. SPF powder works like a dream? I really want to try the Jart BB cream, but I’m not currently near a Sephora… I just put the E.L.F. powder over my usual moisturizer and it keeps it from turning into a slick mess, and keeps my makeup perfectly intact in the heat and sun.
It’s like freaking magic, and it’s so cheap that it feels like cheating.
New question: I have kind of dramatic coloring (superpale skin, black hair) and I’m not great with makeup anyway… so when I do wear it, even during the day, I tend to look like I’m heading for the St. Petersburg opera in 1917. Do know what I mean? Yesterday I went to a cookout, and I wanted to look warm and summery, and I can’t seem to master that look.
I think part of the problem is that I lean toward gray and brown eyeliner (my standard is MAC’s powerpoint in gunmetal gray). I usually build around my eyes, so I think that if I could change how I do them, everything else will follow.
For a pale lady with dark hair and hazel eyes… what color daytime eyeliner would you recommend trying out?
Thank you in advance, Oh Goddess of Foxiness. I would be a hot mess without you.
pinky(Quote)
Envious. It’s a little more hot-pink than it seemed in the store, but if I layer/mix it with another shade, I bet it’ll be fine.
Ranganathan(Quote)
Thank you! I will check those out.
You’re the best.
<3
pinky(Quote)
I’m in love with my Urban Decay eyeliner pencil. Stupid question- what do I use to sharpen it? The love, it’s wearing the pencil down fast! :)
Ranganathan(Quote)
I use the Urban Decay eyeliner pencil sharpener now, but before that I just used a regular pencil sharpener (which had not been used on regular pencils first, of course). I’m not sure you’re supposed to use regular pencil sharpeners on eyeliner, but it worked OK for me!
chaosbydesign(Quote)
“I’m in love with my Urban Decay eyeliner pencil.”
Of course you are! :)
Ideally, you would use a pencil specifically made for eyeliners. The shape of the sharpening cone is different than that of a sharpener for your old faithful Ticonderoga No. 2 pencil, so you will probably have less wasted product. However, as Chaos noted, in a pinch the other kind will work.
If you like UD and think you might want to try some of their other products, then you might pick up the UD “Grindhouse” (eyeroll) sharpener, which has two holes: one for skinny pencils like eyeliner, and one for fat ones like their new shadow crayons. I think it’s like $6 at Sephora? It’s a good item to throw in your cart if you need to get over the $50 free shipping line. Sephora also makes their own version, which is almost exactly the same and works nearly as well, and I think it’s $3. It’s convenient to have the fat sharpener in case you end up buying something that fits it (like the NARS Velvet Lip Gloss sticks, for instance); that way you don’t have to run out and buy another sharpener just for that.
Voxy(Quote)
I love them too! Ever since I got the anniversary set, all my other eyeliners are dead to me.
a biologist(Quote)
I happened upon a Sephora while visiting relatives- the trip was now totally worth the gasoline. :) I bought a UD sharpener, lip pencil, and a nifty two-pack eyeliner (Stash and Bourbon). The two-pack was $15 and while the eyeliners were about 3/4 the size of the regular ones, the regular ones are $18 each, so I was happy with the deal.
Ranganathan(Quote)
Oooh! What color lip pencil? I looooove their lip pencils.
Voxy(Quote)
Chime on this – the weather is getting SO HOT, and I’m having a lot of trouble maneuvering enough make up that I look nice…
Voxy, I’ve got a campus visit next week in an area where it’s scheduled to be over 100 degrees and humid. I’m a sweaty lady on the best of days, and I don’t know what to do about my make up. Any suggestions?
pinky(Quote)
Yay for campus visit! My condolences on the conditions. Believe it or not, I happen to be in just such a location right now, on this thing that some people call a “vacation.” The location was not my choice and I have come to realize that I just am not cut out for tropical living. (See: Anne Taintor, “I love not camping.”)
I have to tell you, though, that I have been over-the-moon impressed by the performance of my facial sunscreens, which have managed to keep my face from looking like a sweat slick. I’ve been using the Dr. Jart BB cream (new at Sephora) — the one that’s SPF 45+++ — and e.l.f.’s mineral powder sunscreen SPF 45, which has a slight tint to it. The combination of the BB cream (which is like a primer) and the powder sunscreen is freaking bulletproof. I just came out of being in both the ocean and the pool and my face looks totally undisturbed. (I’m not wearing any other makeup, because why bother, but since both the BB cream and the powder sunscreen have a slight tint, it’s like I’ve put on a foundation.
I highly recommend looking into one or both of these products. The e.l.f. is cheap; the BB cream is not, but I am super-impressed with how both of them are holding up in 100-degree weather plus humidity.
Voxy(Quote)
Pinky, I tested mascaras in those conditions. The best ones in heat/humidity are Tarte’s Lights Camera Lashes and Clinique High Impact.
On a side note, I spent some time in the Old South during my training, and if that’s where you are headed, be advised people dress more formally and women wear more makeup than in other regions.
Good luck!
a biologist(Quote)
Hi Voxy, now that summer is just around the corner I was wondering if you have any tips for maintaining a polished look without appearing too made up. For example, today I feel that I am wearing too much eye makeup with my tank top and capris. Still, I don’t want to look as, um, natural as I do when I first roll out of bed. Is there a post on this that you could direct me to, or do you have any thoughts on finding that balance? Thanks!
ab_grp(Quote)