Back to School Series: Whats in My School Makeup Bag

Hello hello!

Today I will be sharing with you whats in my school makeup bag. I actually don't bring any makeup to school, but if I did, and I know some of you do, then these are the products I would definitely bring!

I divided this into three main categories: essentials, optional, and glamour...so if you're one who wears little to no makeup or if you're one who enjoys a full face of makeup, you'll definitely find something here for you!
In each category, you'll notice that I skipped concealer, foundation, and bronzer...this is because I tailored this to fit me, I don't usually wear those products on a daily basis, so I skipped them. Feel free to add them in any or all the categories! And to keep this more "student budget friendly", I kept all the products in this bag all drugstore/low-end products. The products mentioned are some of my all time favorites from the drugstore.

So what's in my makeup bag? 

Here are all the products that could go into my school makeup bag this year. Of course if you were packing the same products featured here, you could break them down the way I'll show you in a bit...I'm breaking them down because personally, I wouldn't be bringing all these products all at together. 

Here are my makeup essentials that I will most likely bring everyday no matter what season.
I think this set is perfect if you're new to makeup, if you have been using makeup for years, if you're in middle school or high school or even college. This set contains all my makeup essentials that will bring some color to your face and keep you looking more awake in the mornings.
Sunscreen is so important for your skin and your face, if you refuse to use sunscreen, then at least try to use products with some spf in it. A lipbalm is a necessity as well so even if you don't have color in your lips, at least you don't have chapped lips. I also like using tinted lipbalms (or lipstains like I have here) because it adds some color to your face without needing too much precision and without taking too much time from your mornings to apply. I sometimes like to use tinted lipbalms as cream blush, just make sure you blend it very well and quickly. I also like using mascara because it makes you look slightly more awake in the mornings. And lastly, a mirrored compact is very important in case you need to make touch ups or fix your hair, or check out someone behind you ;)
It might also be nice to add a blush into this set just to bring more color to your face.

Here are some optional products and tools that could be someone else's essentials.
In this set are also some basic essentials that could make you look more awake and groomed. The nude eyeliner on your waterline could make your eyes look wider and give you a more awake/alert look. Using an eyelash curler before applying mascara could help you achieve that more awake and alert look as well. Lastly, the clear brow gel could fix any wonky eyebrow that could have resulted from sleeping on one side for too long...I'm sure that has happened to all of us at least once!

Here's my glamour set, where there are again, some products that could be in someone else's essential set. Here, you could add a foundation or bb (or cc or dd) cream if you'd like, but I'm not a foundation kind of girl so I tend to stay away from those kind of products on a daily basis.
A blush is just to add more color to your face, I really like this e.l.f. studio blush in Pink Passion for that because it looks so natural when you apply it very lightly. This Rimmel Scandaleyes is a waterproof (not at all in my opinion) Black felt tip eyeliner so its very convenient for anyone. The Maybelline The Nudes eyeshadow palette is just another glamour item if your the type of girl who can't go without any eyeshadow, I love this palette because its very inexpensive for being an eyeshadow palette and the shadows here are gorgeous! The e.l.f. eyelid primer will just help those eyeshadows form The Nudes palette to last on longer and make the colors more vibrant. Since its a nude primer, the e.l.f. eyelid primer will also cancel out any uneven tones on your lids.

What's going into your school makeup bag this year?

Let me know in the comment section below :)

-Mary

For tips on how to make your lipstick last longer, click here!
For tips on how to make your blush last longer, click here!

Click here for a full review and swatches of the Maybelline the Nudes Palette!

Click here for a tutorial using only the Maybelline the Nudes Palette! 

Makeup tip #2: How to Make Your Blush Last Longer

Hello there!!

Today, I have another Makeup Tip to share with you! 
In case you missed it, my first one was on How to Make Your Lipstick Last Longer.

Just like lipstick, if you choose the right shade of blush, it can help even out the appearance of your skin, making it appear brighter, clearer, healthier, and over all looking flawless. The right shade of blush can even enhance the color of your eyes and hair. But how do you make that perfect blush shade last all day without it fading and without you having to reapply it between hours of wear? In this post, I will share with you some tips and tricks I like to do to make my blush last all day.


Before applying any face primers or makeup, always prep your face with a moisturizer, this will not only prevent your skin from drying out, but it will also act as a base to help your makeup have something to hold on to.

Typically (when doing a full face of makeup), after my foundation, I would put on my bronzer, my blush, and then my highlight. So after I have my bronzer on, I would pick any blush shade of my choice and any brush of my choice...recently I have been loving the e.l.f. Studio Kabuki Face Brush to apply my blush! I find that it gives such a natural looking finish and it is sooo soft! 

If I was using a powder blush, I would just dab, not swirl or swipe, my brush on the surface of the blush, making sure I have just enough product on the tip of my brush (usually it takes about three dabs), then very gently, I would blend that blush on my cheeks in circular motions. Not even going back for more, I would blend and blend that little amount of blush on my cheeks until it seems to fade out to almost nothing. When it seems like the blush is 'gone', that's when it has been fully blended into your skin, here's when I would go in and dab for a little more product, then I would just blend and blend...and go in for a little more...and blend and blend...I do this until I get my desired amount of pigment on my cheeks. 

I find that doing this technique not only makes my blush look very natural, but it also makes my blush last on for hours! This has worked for me while using both highend and lowend blushes and it has worked for me with all types of finishes too. 



Another option of how to make your blush last longer is to use a cream blush underneath your powder blush. Doing this not only sets your cream blush in place, but it will also give the powder blush something to hold on to...so your cream and powder blushes work together like a team!

Another way to make your blush last longer is to use a setting spray after your makeup. You could either lightly mist your face (recommended especially if you have oilier skin) or you could heavily 'drench' your face...of course don't literally drench your face, but I personally like spraying a lot of setting spray on my face after all my makeup is on and quickly fan it down so my hard work won't smear off. I find that doing so really makes my makeup look so natural and skin-like and it gets rid of all the dry powdery looking finish (since I use all powder products). After you've misted (or drenched) your face, you could lightly set your face with a setting powder to eliminate the dewy finish of the spray and then reapply a very light layer of blush once again.



I hope you found this helpful!

Thanks for reading!!


-Mary

Maybelline The Nudes Palette | Smokey Eye Makeup Tutorial

Hello hello!

Today, I will be sharing something a little different...
I'll be doing a makeup tutorial on this black and gold smokey eye for you guys using only the new Maybelline The Nudes eyeshadow palette. And yes, I know...a smokey eye using The Nudes palette and not The Smokes palette...

Also keep in mind, I'm still experimenting with the lighting and I'm still learning to work with this camera so my tutorials aren't 'top quality' and are not the best...but I'm trying.

Here's the final eyeshadow look using only the Maybelline The Nudes Palette

With my lids already primed with the e.l.f. eyelid primer, I applied these two shades on my crease, with the lighter shade blending more upwards towards the browbone and the darker brown shade focusing more on the outer V and crease while still slightly blending upwards into the lighter shade. For this, I used the Real Techniques duo-fiber eyebrush and base shadow brush.

Using the RT base shadow brush, I gently blended this black eyeshadow right over the darker brown shade from the previous step, this gives the black shade a less harsh look when being blended and smoked out into the lighter shades.

Using the RT accent brush, I took an e.l.f. Smudge Pot in 'Gotta Glow' and placed it on the moving part of the lid, focusing on the inner half of the lid and lightly blending it outward, I also blended this on the inner corner and the inner third of the lower lash line to match the top.
With a slightly larger brush that has the same shape as the RT accent brush (an unbranded brush), I set that e.l.f. Smudge Pot with the light gold shade from the palette. Using the e.l.f. Smudge Pot underneath makes the gold eyeshadow more vibrant. 

Using the same unbranded brush we used with the gold eyeshadow in the previous step, I mixed these two dark brown and bronze eyeshadows to blend out and reduce the harshness of the light gold eyeshadow.

I then used both the the RT duo-fiber eye brush and the base shadow brush and blended more of the black eyeshadow into the crease, blending into the dark brown and bronze eyeshadows  from the previous step and with the rest of the black eyeshadow we placed earlier.
Make sure you have the same exact order of eyeshadows for the bottom lash line...have the light gold in the inner corner and lash line, the dark brown and bronze in the middle, and the black in the outer corner, connecting with the top eyeshadows.

Finally, I lined my eyes with the e.l.f. Black Cream Eyeliner and slightly winged it out.
From here you could curl you eyelashes and add a good lengthening and volumizing mascara and you'd be done with this look.

This is optional, but to add more drama to this smokey eye, I added a pair of false lashes from eBay and went over the glue with this Love & Beauty Black Liquid eyeliner.

For the rest of the look, I used the e.l.f. Mineral face Primer, L'oreal True Match Mineral Powder Foundation in 'Natural Beige W4-5/464', Smashbox Photo Set Pressed Powder in 'Dark' (for bronzer), Smashbox 'Hint of Bronze' Blush (for bronzer), Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in 'Flush', e.l.f. Studio Blush in 'Pink Passion', Milani Bella Gel Powder Eyeshadow in '28-Bella Chiffon' (for an all over highlighter), e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in 'Nude', false lashes from eBay,  eos lipblam, and a Revlon lipstick in 'Black Cherry'.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Thanks for reading!

-Mary

Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette | Review + Swatches

Hello hello!!

I'm a neutrals girl whether in my wardrobe or in my makeup. I enjoy the look of neutral colors with an exception of an occasional pop of color.

My everyday makeup always features neutral lips and neutral eyes...I typically reserve a smokey look for a special occasion. I often find myself always on the hunt for the perfect drugstore or low-end eyeshadow palette that will do the job right. I want to wear something on my lids, but I don't want anything too crazy shimmery or anything too dark and smokey. 

I already own the Lorac Pro Palette, but I wanted to have a drugstore alternative to that palette (I'm not at all trying to say that this is a dupe for it). So I was thrilled when I saw the new Maybelline The Nudes eyeshadow palette being reviewed by Emily Eddington on her emilynoel83 channel on YouTube back in May. As soon as I watched her review and tutorial for it, I was convinced and I went on a major hunt to find it - WalMart, CVS, Walgreens, online - no place had it yet. But I finally found it at my local Target for only $9.99! I was particularly excited because I love drugstore makeup and this palette was only $9.99! 

Price Comparison:

 CVS for $12.99  

 Ulta for $9.99

 WalMart for $9.98

This palette comes with 12 total eyeshadows. I find that only one of them is actually glittery, two are shimmery, four are satiny,  and the last five are 'matte' (they have the tiniest bit of shimmer, but on the eyes they look matte).
For reference, I labelled the shadows by number...Top row (from left to right): 1-6
Bottom row (from left to right): 7-12

 These are the best eyeshadow primers I like to use with the Maybelline The Nudes Palette.
The two top ones are e.l.f.'s smudge pots in 'Back to Basics' and 'Gotta Glow', the middle one is NYX's White Eyeshadow Base, the two bottom ones are e.l.f.'s smudge pots in 'Brownie Points' and 'Crusin Chic', and I forgot to include this in the picture, but I also like using e.l.f.'s Eyelid Primer in 'Nude'. 

Here are all 12 eyeshadows swatched without any primer underneath.

Here are all 12 eyeshadows swatched with e.l.f.'s Eyelid Primer in 'Nude' underneath.
I typically use this and lay an e.l.f. Smudge Pot over a certain area (such as 'Gotta Glow' in the inner corners and inner half of the lid).

Here are all 12 eyeshadows swatched with NYX's White Eyeshadow Base underneath.
I find that the NYX White Eyeshadow Base is the best primer to use to get the eyeshadows to look the closest to what you see in the palette.

Left Swatch: Shade 9 alone
Right Swatch: 'Gotta Glow' underneath Shade 9

Top Row: Shades 2 and 5 alone next to Shades 2 and 5 with  'Crusin Chic' underneath
Bottom Row: Shades 7 and 8 alone next to Shades 7 and 8 with 'Back to Basics' underneath

Top Row: Shade 4 alone next to Shade 4 with  'Brownie Points' underneath
Bottom Row: Shade 10 alone next to Shade 10 with  'Brownie Points' underneath

Overall, I really like this palette and I would highly recommend it for anyone trying to find a good everyday neutral palette. I would definitely recommend you to use a good primer underneath as well, otherwise the shadows would come off very easily and you would miss out on what this palette could offer. At first I was actually disappointed by the pigmentation of this palette (I got used to the very pigmented Gold from the Lorac Pro Palette), but as soon as I got enough time to play around with this, I've learned to really enjoy it!! I really like how this palette could give you such a natural everyday look to a dark smokey look.The only downside to this palette is that there are some very similar shades with just different finishes, such as shades 2 and 5, and there are some eyeshadows that are amazingly buttery like shades 6 and 8, but there are super dry and chalky eyeshadows like shades 1 and 12. 
I would give this palette a 4.4 star rating.


Click here to checkout my tutorial using only the Maybelline The Nudes eyeshadow palette.


I hope you found this helpful!
Let me know what you think in the comment section!

Thanks for reading!


-Mary

Keep In Touch With Me!

Keep in touch with me through social media and email to be the first to know when a new blog post is up!
I make a blog post at least twice a week and post daily on Instagram.
Feel free to email me with any product review suggestions, questions, advice, etc. all are welcome!

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• Email: wndr14lnds@gmail.com

-Mary

Makeup Tip #1: How to Make Your Lipstick Last Longer

Hello hello!!

If you choose the right shade of lipstick, it can make your skin appear brighter, clearer, and over all looking flawless and it can even bring out the color of your eyes. But how do you make that perfect shade of lipstick last all day without you having to reapply it between hours of wear?
In this post, I will share with you some tips and tricks to make your lipstick last longer.

Before applying any face primers or makeup, always prep your lips with a lip balm, this will moisturize and nourish your lips, providing a smoother base for your lipstick later on.

After applying your face and eye makeup, grab your lip pencil and lipstick of your choice. Lip pencils are your best friend when it comes to applying lipstick. Out lining and filling in your lips with a lip liner will prevent your lipstick from smudging and 'bleeding' outside of your lip line. Since lip liners are wax based, they will increase the longevity of your lipstick and provide a base for your lipstick to hold on to. 

Remember, less is more! Apply a thin, but generous layer of lipstick on your lips, too much lipstick will naturally smudge and come off very easily.

Between layers, blot your lips with a tissue, this will remove any excess oils that are naturally in your lipstick.

Apply a final thin, but generous coat of lipstick. And there you have it, you're good to go!

It is optional to apply a lipstick sealant such as Lipcote, Mehron's Lipstix Lipstick Sealer, Sally Hansen's Lipcolor Sealer, and Sealed With a Kiss's Roll On Lipstick Fixative.

Another option is after one layer of lip liner and lipstick, press one ply of tissue over your lips and blot your lips with a loose powder, this will absorb any excess oils from your lipstick and this will keep your lipstick looking matte.
A final option is to use a lip stain instead of or under a lipstick or gloss. Even after meals and drinks, lip stains will leave a pigment on your lips. 

-Mary

Benefit: They're Real Mascara- First Impression Review

Hello hello!!

On the hunt for a mascara that gives you the perfect false lash effect?

Well join the club! I am too! 

This is a first impression review of the Benefit They're Real Mascara, in a couple months I may or may not update this post to see if I still feel the same way I currently feel about this mascara. We'll have to see.

The Benefit They're Real Mascara claims to lengthen, curl, volumize, lift and separate lashes while still being long-wearing and smudge proof.  This mascara features a uniquely designed rubber bristle brush that "reveals lashes you never knew you had". Sounds hard to believe...but lets see what this does for me.

This is a close up of the wand, it is a rubber bristle brush that has spikes at the tip of it.
I'm not a big fan of the brush, I feel like it doesn't work well with the formula of the mascara and therefore creates clumps (especially with those spikes at the tip).
I find that if I go too close to my lash line with this brush, it actually pokes and hurts my tightline.

Here's my curled lashes without any product on it.

First coat. I definitely see some length beginning to build up. If I were to use this as an everyday mascara, one coat would do the job. I feel like the brush really separates my lashes and the spiked tip is really good for getting the inner and outer corners of my lashes.

Second coat. I am definitely seeing some decent  length and volume in my lashes. At this point, I still feel like the brush does a good job at separating my lashes, but the spiked tip could cause clumps since it is a little difficult to clean off any excess product between the spiky bristled tip.

Third Coat. At this point, my lashes were already getting really clumpy and spidery looking, which isn't exactly my thing. So I am being completely honest here, I did not go all the way with the third coat. As soon as I went in for the third coat, I was already seeing clumps form at the tips of my lashes, so using the tip of the brush, I just added a little definition at the inner and outer corners of my lashes.

My top lashes at three coats. You can see how focusing the tip of that brush on the outer corner of my lashes really flares out that specific area.

According to the Consumer Panel Survey in the Benefit website...
94% saw dramatic length & volume
90% saw base-to-tip curl
94% saw visible lift
100% saw long-wearing results

 

Now lets see where I fit in in this survey...

Saw Dramatic Length & Volume:
I would definitely agree that this mascara provides dramatic length and volume. Based on the last photo of my eyelashes with three coats of Benefit's They're Real Mascara, I already know that I wouldn't be going out on an everyday basis with this type of dramatically defined lashes. 

Saw Base-to-Tip Curl:
After three coats of this mascara, I did not notice my lashes losing its curl whatsoever. I curled my lashes before applying the mascara I did not see any visible signs that the mascara helped curl my lashes even more, I have to mention though that it held up the curl even after 9+ hours of wear!! Impressed about that!

Saw Visible Lift:
Totally agree! Even after 9+ hours of wear, my lashes definitely remained perky and lifted! 

Saw Long-Wearing Results:
Definitely a long wearing mascara, I've been wearing this mascara for 9+ hours and I'm wearing it as I'm typing this post right now! I haven't experienced any smudging or flaking so far.  9+ hours of wear without any smudging or flaking? Quite impressive!
 

Benefit's They're Real Mascara is rated with a 4.4 star customer rating in Benefit's website and I do agree with that rating. I would personally give it a 4.5 star rating!

Overall, I think this mascara is a great mascara! I love the formula of this mascara, I love how it provides great length and volume to my lashes and I love its ability of holding up my lashs' curl and keeping my lashes perky and lifted even after 9+ hours of wear! I really like how this mascara doesn't smudge or flake on me.
What I don't like about it though is its rubber bristle brush! I feel like the tip of it really picks up so much product and the brush itself would be better off without the spikes at the tip. I don't like the fact that the mascara starts to get clumpy after only two coats and looks spidery by the third coat, I feel like the brush just doesn't work well with the formula of the mascara and therefore creates so much clumps. 

I will definitely tryout this mascara underneath my favorite Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara for a very dramatic look!

If you decide to pick up Benefit's They're Real Mascara, don't forget to let me know what you think about it!

-Mary