Look of the Day: Cool Tone Smokey Eye

Color is one of those things I think a lot of people are intimidated by, but it can actually be very fun and very wearable. This look used cool tones, blue, purple, and teal to be exact, but it will look good on all eye colors and skin tones. You can also use this same technique with any 3 colors you want. You just need a deep shade, and mid shade, and a bright, and you can can recreate several versions of this look. I will list all the products I used below if you want to recreate this exact look, but definitely pick any three shades of your own, use the same technique, and have fun creating new combinations!

Haul! Sephora, Ulta, and MAC

 

Apparently after doing an Empties/Products I Hit Pan On as my last post, I felt like it was time for a shopping trip. I actually did quite well with self-restraint this time, and this is a roundup of trips to Ulta, Sephora, and MAC. I got some necessities and some experiments. But enough about my thought process while shopping, let's get to the products!

SheaMoiture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie 

I like a lot of SheaMoisture products for my naturally curly hair, a few of which I mentioned in my Best Styling Products for Curly Hair, and I kept hearing good things about this, so I decided it was time to try it. I used it today, and I have to say, it might be my favorite of their products. It really helps your natural curls be their best. It is very moisturizing so it really smooths and defines curls, but it is not extremely thick or heavy, so it will not weigh down or flatten your hair. I got lots of body and volume, with really well defined curls, the perfect combination. It also holds and maintains curls really well. Your curls stay in tact and hold up, even when sleeping on them, which is always great because you can go a few days between washes and still have in tact curls.

Products I've Hit Pan On/Empty Products #2

Philosophy Cranberry Medley Hand Cream

I mentioned this and the set it came in as part of my November Favorites. I went through this stuff quickly, and loved it! The set came with three scents, but the Cranberry was the first I used up. It just smelled so festive and perfect for the deep winter. It had a mix of crisp fruity fragrance with warm, spicy undertones. And can we talk about the formula? Granted, Philosophy makes a lot of great formulas, but this has to be one of my favorite hand creams now. It is deeply moisturizing, but not greasy, and if you've read my Winter Skin Savers or My Favorite Fall Skincare, you know that I love any product that feels super thick and moisturizing but that your skin actually absorbs and doesn't just leave a greasy film. This definitely was one of those products. Unfortunately it was a limited edition Holiday set, but they do make the same formula year round in less festive scents.

January Favorites

Conair True Glow Cleaning Skin Beauty Treatment 

I talked about this recently in my post where I called it a Clarisonic Drugstore Dupe and I'm still obsessed. Seriously, how did I think my face felt clean when I used to wash it with just my hands? I use this about every other day because I find every day starts to irritate my super sensitive skin a bit, but even on the days in between I am amazed at how soft, smooth, and just absolutely clean my face feels. I won't talk about it too much because you can read about it in my previous post, but holy wow, I am still amazed, and (again) at half the price of the Clarisonic! Amazeballs.

Look of the Day: Moondust Eyes

I did this look the day I tested the Wayne Goss Powder Under Foundation Method and not only did I end up loving the powder under foundation technique (read why in my link above), but I loved the whole look. I also mentioned recently how I've been liking Metallic Eyes, and  the Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow, which I used for this look. I made a metallic smokey eye with bronzed dewy skin and nude lip. The best part of this look is that you can actually use any color of the Moondust Eyeshadow and just use the same technique to get several different looks. I used the Zodiac shade which I LOVE. It is a black base with green and purple metallic, almost hologram looking shimmer to it. I think this color would be flattering on a lot of skin tones, but is rather bold, so grab whatever shade you like best, there are 7 to choose from, and follow the same technique for a holographic, metallic smokey eye.

Noteworthy: A Clarisonic Drugstore Dupe!!

Conair True Glow

Finally! A sonic skincare brush that looks, feels and works identically (if not better) to the Clarisonic, but for half the price!! Big beauty and skin trends usually end up eventually being copied by less expensive drugstore brands. Sometimes these less expensive dupes are also less quality. Not always, but I would say usually.  However...the day we have all been dreaming of is here. There is a drugstore dupe for the Clarisonic Mia2 sonic skincare brush. It is half the price and just as good. It is the Conair True Glow Cleaning Skin Beauty Treatment. For anyone who has wanted to try or purchase a sonic skincare brush, but the price was holding you back, your answer is here!

Clarisonic Mia2

Sonic brushes have been all the rage since Clarisonic invented theirs, and several brands from Clinique to Olay have made their own versions, but so far none of them could compare.That is, until now. This brush looks, sounds, feels, and works just like the Clarisonic Mia2 , but it is half the price. AND, it actually has some features I like better. The Clarisonic ($149) has 2 speeds and a pulsing timer for 60 seconds. The Conair ($80) has 3 speeds for even more options, and actually pulses every 10 seconds, 6 times, for a total of 60 seconds. I actually like that better because you can clean 6 zones of your face equally for 10 seconds each, unlike with the Clarisonic where it seems like you can still be on the spot you started when the 60 seconds is up. Both come with almost identical two-prong chargers, but the Conair has a charging stand that it sits in, which I really like because it stands upright when you're not using it. I like it because it can dry better being upright, and it probably stays cleaner standing up than just laying on the counter like the Clarisonic. The Conair also comes with two brush heads unlike the one that comes with the Clarisonic.

Conair Sensitive Brush Head

Clarisonic Sensitive Brush Head

Speaking of brush heads, not only is the Conair brush half the price at $79.99, compared to $149 for the Clarisonic, but the brush heads are almost half the price too. You can purchase either Normal or Sensitive brush heads for the Conair, at $8.39 and $14.99. These are the only two options, unlike Clarisonic which offers several brush heads, but each at a whopping $27.00. Replacing your brush head regularly is important, and if they get overused and too worn, they can actually start to irritate your skin. The cost of the brush heads alone would be good reason to choose the Conair, regardless of the initial cost savings on the brush. 

These sonic brushes are all the rage for a reason, they do feel amazing and leave your face feeling noticeably softer and cleaner. I use mine three times a week, and even in the first week noticed that my skin felt softer. I talk about my dry skin and flaky patches frequently, but this has really helped. I noticed much less flaky, dry skin even in just the first week. I also have very sensitive skin, and this has not bothered it at all. Usually any harsh abrasive or physical exfoliant can really irritate certain spots on my face, but this has not bothered my skin at all, only improved it!

Bottom line, I would recommend a sonic brush to any skincare junkie, and the one to buy is the Conair True Glow Cleaning Skin Beauty Treatment.

Powder BEFORE Foundation??? The Wayne Goss Foundation Method-Tested

Wayne Goss is one of my favorite artists on YouTube, so naturally when he had a video titled "This Foundation Tip Can Change Your Life", I had to watch it (you can/should too, right here). In the video, he demonstrates putting a loose powder on your face before applying liquid foundation. He himself even admits that he knows "it sounds mental" and goes against everything we are usually taught about the order of products, but he promises us that it will leave your foundation looking flawless. I watched the video several times over a rather long period of time before I finally had to just try "The Goss Foundation Technique". I tried to follow what he does as closely as possible. I think I came pretty darn close, and I was remarkably nervous. I kept reminding myself I could wash it off if it didn't work, but that wasn't very comforting for some reason.


The verdict?? The master is right. I don't know if I would call it "life changing", but it definitely does create one of the most flawless finishes I've ever achieved. It really did leave my skin looking like velvet. Gorgeous, healthy, velvety smooth, but not flat or totally matte. It also did a great job of making the foundation not cling to my dry patches as it sometimes can. My friend even told me how good my face looked and how great my skin looked that day. I thanked her and said it was experiment, but apparently with great results. The picture of my skin shows how smooth the foundation went on, but also how little foundation you need to use with this technique. You can still see my freckles but my skin looked flawless, a combination that is usually hard to achieve. I'm not sure it's a technique I would use every day (although as I'm saying that I'm trying to think of why I wouldn't, and I can't think of a good reason. Maybe I just need to get comfortable with feeling like I'm doing things backwards?), but I definitely liked it and will do it again. Not only did it instantly achieve a gorgeous finish, but having the powder on first really locked that finish in place for hours. Powdering after always makes me look too dry so I don't like to do it, but if I don't, my foundation does move throughout the day. This was just the answer, a beautiful finish that lasted all day.


I documented the whole process of what products I used and the exact technique I used I also took pictures immediately after applying the foundation and hours later to see how it lasted. 

The pictures above are my skin right after applying (you can see I'm a little skeptical by my expression), and then hours later with a full face of makeup, and the foundation still looks flawless.

Products Used

I did not use exactly the same products he used, but I used almost exact duplicates with products I own and know I like
First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Face Cream, which I raved about in my Products I've Hit Pan On/Empty Products #1
tarte Clean Slate 12-hr Brightening Primer
Benefit Cosmetics 'That Gal' Brightening Face Primer
Clinique Blended Face Powder
MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation, which I mentioned in My Favorite Foundations

Technique

I followed (almost along with the video) step by step exactly what he tells you to do
1) Moisturize your face well and give it a minute to absorb. First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Face Cream
2) Apply a skin primer all over your face. tarte Clean Slate 12-hr Brightening Primer
3) Top that skin primer with a brightening, particularly a light reflecting primer. Benefit Cosmetics 'That Gal' Brightening Face Primer
4) Use any powder brush you have and buff a loose powder all over your face into that primer and wait another minute. Clinique Blended Face Powder
5)  Use your fingers or a foundation brush if you want to (I used my fingers like he does in the video) and apply the liquid foundation.

The foundation will start to almost mix with the powder you just applied to create an extremely velvety smooth texture. It looks and feels a little dusty and dry at first, but after a couple minutes it will set and become a slightly luminous, truly velvety and smooth finish.

Tips

*It NEEDS to be a loose powder. If you have more oily skin, a pressed powder might be alright, but I would say for most skins it definitely needs to be a loose powder or you will apply too much, it will get too dry, and the foundation will end up looking cakey.