Eureka!

I've had several enlightened moments in the last 24 hours, and I'm extremely ecstatic about them!

First, I was thinking about my MakeUpForEver Camouflage Palette which I never use. It really irks me that it was so expensive and it doesnt work for me the way I wanted. The green looks green on my skin rather than concealing my acne scars. I'm sure someone knows why but I'm unaware why this is. Actually the green I still have no solution for as of yet. However! I realized that I could use the rest of the palette as an eyeshadow base! Before I got my hand on eyeshadow primers I had applied too much concealer on my lids (by accident) and realized later that it had held my eyeshadow in place beautifully! So, voila! That is how I'm going to use this palette. I'm going to run out of UDPP (Urban Decay Primer Potion) soon enough and I havent gotten any MAC Paint Pots as of yet (for annoying reasons) and so this would work perfectly.

I'm obviously not one of those people that is okay with getting products that never get used. I am extremely careful with what I buy and it hurts when you invest so much energy into something because you have all these expectations, and then it doesnt work out.

The other moment I had was with a new lipstick that I bought from the drugstore. I had heard gurus talk about Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipstick line and how it was decent for a drugstore brand. And in all honesty, the purple packaging had been sucking me in from the start. But in all honestly, I love this lipstick. I got the shade Precious Brown and it suits my skintone and my lips own pigmentation so amazingly that I just want to apply and reapply and look at how amazing it looks and feels. And it really is moisturizing; I can never wear a MAC lipstick on its own because of how drying it feels but this I dont even feel the need for gloss. I'm so happy with this product. I'll definitely be picking up more of these in a drugstore haul soon.

I also finally got a pencil sharpener. I know, that's just embarassing that I have to mention that. But I'm lazy and I hadnt really needed to until my Urban Decay Zero eyeliner pencil needed sharpening, lol. So I picked up one by Quo and it works amazing. I've learned quickly that with cream liners, the key is to sharpen the slightest amount off because the last thing you want is a sharp point that breaks off. I also love how it doesnt sharpen anything too long; it makes them short which is perfect.

Yay:).

88 Eyeshadow Pallette

To buy or not to buy? That is the question I've been going back and forth on for ages with this palette. I know it's recommended for people who are new to makeup because it has every colour, the eyeshadows are very pigmented, and its extremely cheap considering what your getting.

My problem is that I always decide that I have 2 Urban Decay Book of Shadows (soon to be 3!) which have such a great colour range that they have been great for me so far. I feel like I could spend those $30 on something I need. I'm still building my collection (and I'm not sure anymore if its ever going to be enough) and I have many things that I need and dont have.

But then I hear so many gurus mentioning how they love this palette because if you ever dont have a colour, you can just pull this out and you can find the colour your looking for. This makes me want to get it then! I dont know. There's so many other great products I need first. I think I'll get this palette when I feel like I needed a colour for a look that I dont have. I havent felt that yet so I dont know.

I do think this palette is great for anyone who isnt attempting to follow a lifelong committment with makeup through. It gives you every colour you need and it'll last a very long time despite the fact that it doesnt look like the eyeshadows are very big.

New Favourite Makeup Guru: magicgrl111

OMG! I'm loving this makeup guru. She's not as big as many of the others I've mentioned before but I'm realizing how amazing she is at makeup!

I really appreciate how most of her makeup tutorials that I've watched implemented different techniques. Sometimes with gurus, they use very similar techniques to achieve very different looks. And when you're like me (and you watch them incessently) you start to get bored of the same idea being replayed because you want to learn something new. Although, I have to add, I love that you can use almost the same technique so many different ways as well.

Anyways! Her name is Selby and she's a mid-20's American makeup guru on YouTube. She has about 24,000 subscribers (and she deserves many, many more!) I recently found a tutorial by her and subscribed to see what else she had because I found her makeup results really nice. I've discovered that she uses and owns a wide range of products and uses them in various ways. I'm really enjoying watching her videos.

Plus! She's gorgeous! Everything she does looks amazing on her, and lets face it, that matters when your trying to transform yourself from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan!

Resisting Temptations, Investing in the Right Makeup & Products I'm Considering

Since I've developed this obsession with makeup, I've started to habitually check the Sephora and MAC websites everyday. Yes, everyday. I am aware that they dont change that often, but that's how often I like to look at them. The problem with this is that I'm always discovering these amazing deals at Sephora that I really want to try. Unfortunately, my budget (as well as my conscience) dont allow for that. So I'm often left feeling, "Aw, man!"-ish.

To feel better, I'm going to list below some of the new gift packs at Sephora or sets or weekly picks as they call them, hoping someone else will enjoy them for me.

Best in Bronze Deluxe Sampler ($39)

This set is a "Sephora's Favourites" box which means that its not from a single brand. Sephora has also released a mascara set like this which I own and adore, and I believe this is the second Sephora Favourites to hit the shelves. I personally think this is a GREAT idea. It allows you to really try out (in a fair sample size) all of the best bronzers (or at least many of the great ones) and get a feel for what you like, what you dont, and why. And then, once you know, you can purchase the full size of what you like! I am enjoying the mascara set for many of the same reasons; with the addition that I find I like using these products for as long as they last in the sample size anyway. There's so many products out there that I want to move on and try what else there is! Having a full-size bottle means it either gets wasted or you drag yourself to use it longer than you want to. With sample sizes, that's not a problem. And honestly, 40 bucks is a fair price. Yay Sephora!

Sephora Beauty in a Box - Aqua Essentials Kit ($69)

I believe this set is a bit more recent than the last one but still fairly old. I REALLY BADLY want to get this set. Makeup Forever is such an amazing company and these are amazing products that they've put together. It gives you the chance to try out their new Aqua Creams in very wearable colours (warm beige & taupe) as well as their famous mascara, and some lip products. It's still quite pricey, although fairly so considering the actual prices of these products, but I just cant dish out that much on things I really dont need. I already have great neutral eyeshadows (although not in creams), so many mascaras and I dont know if those lip products would suit me. But if I could, I could easily justify getting this gem.

Despite the fact that this post is about resisting temptations, the truth is I am able to get over them. I am very proud of the fact that I've bought the makeup that I use. There have been very few products that I've bought on a whim and I dont like to waste my money so I'm glad that I've really researched into what I've gotten. I just dont feel like investing in these sets, I dont think they are worth it for me, but if these investments can work out for someone the way others have worked for me than thats whats most important.

Speaking of investments, I am definitely going to be picking up the new Urban Decay Book of Shadows Volume III set to release this fall. I know that there will be repeat eyeshadows (not officially, just by past experience) but I'm willing to live with extra Midnight Cowboy and Twice Baked eyeshadow since, in reality, they are very pretty shades. I'm excited to see what they come up with for this.

I also want to invest in some skin products. I want to get the tinted moisturizer by Laura Mercier but I've been hearing mixed reviews about it. Well actually, I've heard great reviews, I'm just concerned that it's not going to give me the coverage I want. Anddd, it's extremely expensive so I wouldnt want to get it unless I really think it's worth it. I do need a good eye cream though, I'm really looking into Clinique's products since their tested for allergies and are thought to be good for acne-prone skin.

I also need a new foundation. I'm currently using MAC's Studio Sculpt and it's very good coverage but can easily be made to look cakey. It's quite thick and it's not the look I need every single day. I need something that feels lighter on my skin because this foundation is like a mask. While it makes my skin look amazing, I feel like I'm putting my face on everyday with this foundation. I would suggest it for oily skin (since creams are less likely to look oily than liquids) and for those who have scarring or marks because no one can see them with some of this. Great product, but I need something that suits my changing needs and this no longer meets the requirements!

So this ended up being about several things but they are what's on my mind and I feel lighter having said them. Yay blog!

MAC Finishes

So, I've watched a lot of makeup videos as I've said before and I feel like I've caught on to most of the lingo. I still cant get a grasp on the different finishes from MAC though. So in an attempt to better understand them, I'm going to list and explain them in plain english.

(In case anyone cares, I turned to EnKoreMakeup and other web sources to make this)

So I'm going to talk about the different lipstick finishes first. There are six as far as I know. They are matte, satin, amplified cream, frost, lustre and glaze. Apparently, the pigmentation of these lipsticks is different. So they range in how opaque the colour is when you apply it to your lips.

At the one extreme you have matte lipsticks which are the most pigmented and have absolutely no shine. They look like they have the most colour because of this.

Next is satin lipsticks which have a bit of a sheen to them but still no glitter or anything too shiny. Apparently these two are the ones that give you the most colour, with one having no shine and the other one does.

Next is amplified cream which apparently has the creamiest formulation. So this one is similar to the first two in terms of how much "colour payoff" you get from the lipstick. The difference is how it feels; its much creamier in texture. This one also has a sheen to it (it's not matte).

After those comes frost which are, appropriately, very frosty looking. So its basically a very shiny version of whatever the colour is. This one has less pigmentation compared to the others. While the first three seem to differ mainly in terms of the gloss/shine, this one has less colour as well as much more shine.

The next finish is called lustre. This one is a bit more transparent than all the others. So this is kind of like a lip gloss in the sense that it will look different on every person because of the colour of their natural lips underneath.

Last is glaze lipsticks. These are at the opposite extreme from matte lipsticks in the sense that these have the least amount of pigmentation when applied. This one has no shine.

Best Product Reviews

So I was going over my list of my favourite makeup gurus and I realized that the list is fair game when it comes to makeup tutorials, but its different for hauls and reviews.

I thought I'd do a quick list of my favourite YouTube product reviewers:

1. Lollipop26

She is definately the best makeup guru for reviews. Laura seems extremely sweet but she is very honest about all her reviews. There is no being nice to any brand or product for the sake of anything else but quality and performance. I respect her SO much for that. She tends to do more "products I regret buying" and "dont believe the hype" videos which may seem like bashing to some, but not to me. I appreciate videos where people talk about the products that dont work for them because you get to know WHY some products work/dont work for people. Everyone has different skin and every product doesnt turn out the same or look the same on everyone. Its nice to know why it might not work as well as why it may work. Often when its a good product you only hear about how amazingly life-changing it is. I want more details though, lol! Laura gives the full picture. She also gives the full picture when she raves about products, says exactly why they work and what they do. Love, love, loveee!

2. JuicyStar07

Blair also does great reviews. She is very thorough in trying them out; she's mentioned many times that she waited to use products for at least a week, sometimes more, before she did a video on what she thought. I really appreciate that because as a makeup guru, these girls have SO much makeup and they really dont need to put an extreme amount of effort into their reviews but Blair does. I feel like I can trust her judgment of products because of this. Also, and this is for anyone with similar skin, her reviews are perfect for me because we have a similar skin type. She has oily/combination, acne-prone skin and so do I. While I know that this isnt a reason for everyone to watch her reviews, its a personal one thats REALLY important for me. I also understand that despite having similar skin types products may still react differently on our skin but I can at least rely on her advice better than from people who have dry or normal skin. Love, love, loveee Blair and her sincerity!

3. MakeupGeekTV

Many of the reasons Marlena is a good reviewer are the same reasons why she's a great makeup guru. She's sweet yet honest about it. There's no bashing on her channel but she, as with all things, is extremely concerned with being informative for her audience so that they can get the most from every video. You get the sense that she genuinely cares about people who watch her videos and makes a conscious effort not to cheat them out of the real honest truth with any product. She's also very unbiased towards products in the sense that she tries all things. She wont not try Victoria Secret products because they are not generally a makeup line, or try a new makeup brand that no ones heard of. She tries and reviews all sorts of products from all sorts of companies and gives great reviews. She's not afraid to say the truth about the quality of products and how much she likes something which makes me trust what she says!

4. Temptalia

Christine has the most informative website I have yet seen from a makeup guru. Its a lot more professional than the other ones and it seems like more of a business than a personal blog. She tends to say "we" a lot when she's talking about stuff so it seems like she has a team of people who support and help her. So she's a great reviewer because of all the information she has. I feel like I'm getting extremely intelligent, detailed facts as well as opinions about products. She has as much information as there is possibly out there on products, plus she has everything thats coming up, everything that came out. Honestly, her website is amazing. If not her channel, I would say her website is the best one to check out for beauty/makeup related information. She's also very sweet, as all of them are, but very to the point which I appreciate as well.

5. Lisasz09

I recently came across Lisa and I havent really noticed her makeup tutorials (I'm not sure if she even does them!) but she does great reviews. That's basically what I watch from her. She's very detailed, very honest. I like her for the same reason as I mentioned with others; she tries the products thoroughly before she gives a review and is very detailed and informative about the products when she does do a review. I also like with her that she is exposed to very different brands than you typically hear about so if your looking for something and your not satisfied with all the "pop" brands she gives lots of great advice on alternatives.

So I really appreciate all of these ladies for their reviews because they allow me to make educated choices in the beauty products I purchase. We're not all makeup gurus or on YouTube getting lots of free products so I like that I can really find out what the pros and cons of different brands, products, beauty-related items are before I go spend money on them.

Thanks to all of them!

Hourglass Superficial Lash in Carbon

I'm LOVING this mascara.

So I couldnt help it, I opened another mascara from my Sephora's LashStash. I really did try to work with Tarte and I think it would've worked out better if the mascara hadnt been a stain. I mean who is going to want a mascara that stays on their lashes for 4 days? Dont most people wash their faces twice a day? It was impossible to get off. I would think I got it off, and I would get raccoon eyes getting lots of it, but no matter what I did the next morning I would wake up with mascara around my eyes. I cant have that; I have acne-prone skin which will easily break out if theres makeup left on my face overnight. Not to mention, trying so hard to get mascara off means being a little harsh with your eye area (because you keep reapplying the makeup remover and rub the wipes) so I just wasnt happy with the whole idea.

To be honest, I cant see that mascara working for anyone. No matter what, taking it off is a pain and I cant see anyone being okay with that. Maybe the people who love waterproof mascara. I can understand wearing it to the beach or to the pool but you eventually have to take it off. I dont know, maybe all waterproof mascaras are like this and I just dont know the best way to take them off. It just didnt work for me. Sorry Tarte! I wanted to love you, but you made it hard:(.

So back to what this post is REALLY about, lol. I decided to open the Hourglass Superficial Lash mascara in Carbon from my Sephora Favourites set and I have to say I am LOVING it. I thought the brush was really weird looking (most brushes are rounded but this one was like dead straight). I thought that was going to work to its disadvantage but it somehow works great like that! (In fact, the Tarte one was shaped for the eyes and that didnt help). Okay, okay, enough bashing tarte. This new mascara rocks! It lengthens nicely, not the most length I've ever had but pretty good that I wouldnt complain if I wasnt trying to be completely detailed. The part that I love the most about it is how well it separates my lashes! I feel like I have more lashes than Iknew and I can see each one individually which makes my lashes look more volumized even though the formula may not be made for that.

Actually, let me get an official description: "Superficial Lash Volumizing + Lenghtening Mascara is a hydrating mascara that coats lashes in weightless volume and sheen. Eyes are instantly defined as lashes visibly increase in volume, length, and height."

Okay, so I very much agree with the description. I like their technique to volumize by not having a very thick formula but my separating the lashes. I love the result! I am SO happy I opened it, I know I just wasnt going to be satisfied for 3 months with the Tarte one.

Wow, so I checked out the price for the full bottle and it's $26 at Sephora for this full-sized mascara. Honestly, I'm probably going to keep repurchasing this set of favourites because these sample sizes have enough in them to last 3 months, but if anyone cares, thats how much it costs.

Listing Time:

Pros

1. Lengthens

2. Volumizes

3. Nice packaging

Cons

1. Expensive

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Volume 3

OMG!! I just read on temptalia.com that Urban Decay is releasing a new book of shadows this fall! So far I have Volume 2 and Volume 3 (Alice in Wonderland version) and I am so happy with them. I have yet to buy MAC eyeshadows because these two pallettes have given me all the colours I havent felt like I needed! I get happy everytime I open my makeup drawer and see them there. Sometimes I just pull them out and smile when I realize how much I lucked out by discovering them! Check out the image of the pallette below and be as happy as me!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Volume III

Several places where I've read about the pallette I've also read lots of concerns about the rising price of these pallettes and the fact that they have repeats. I think this needs to be put into perspective. These pallettes are amazing quality; they have amazing pigmentation, are unique and give you a great range. More importantly, they are a great size, they will last you a long time, and they are affordable. Yes, I think they're affordable. They're a GREAT investment. They may cost you $70 (Canadian, for Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows) but think about it. There's 16 eyeshadows, 2 eyeliner pencils and one mini primer potion bottle. That's less than $4 a piece. Compare that to MAC or any other brand which gives you the quality that this brand does!

And so what if they repeat colours?! I've learned as I've tried the colours in the palettes that I was less excited about that they ALL look amazing. So having repeats means that you have more of some great shadows. I dont think that's a good enough reason to hate on Urban Decay.

I hope there arent too many repeats but I love em so much I'm probably going to buy it no matter what! I dont care what anyone says, Urban Decay rocks!

Bold Lip Colours

I just watched a video by MeaganHeartsMakeup about how bold lips for the summer. I always have a hard time not irking at her makeup tutorials because she has such a babyface that I feel she's too young for it. But I really do appreciate her taste and committment to the world of makeup and beauty. I also appreciate all her advice. It just, I dont know, I should let it go.

So I'm thinking about bold lips and I feel like they're overrated. I personally dont see the magic in wearing a bold lip just anywhere. I love makeup but I've always believed in it having its place. When I originally got into it, I started wearing eyeshadow designs everywhere I went until I came to the moment when I knew that it just was unprofessional at certain settings to look that way.

(Sidetrack: This is in no way an attack on MeaganhHeartsMakeup's advice, she just inspired my thought process. She was probably just talking about the beach or something.)

So I stopped doing that and started wearing more neutral looks to work, school, volunteer, etc. and started saving my extremer looks for the appropriate occasions. I feel like bold lips, personally, are in the same category for me. I dont think they have any place in everyday. But thats just what I think.

I Love Blogging!

No one may ever find me here. No one may ever care what I write, but I love this space I have to express. I find peace and this enjoyment in writing here that I havent found elsewhere in so long. I love it. I love blogging!

I started a blog once to be able to express myself in my darkest times, I've found that therapeutic before. I never had time for it. I never had energy for it when I was feeling dark. I dont even know where it is anymore. But this, it's positive, it's about something that makes me happy. I love it!

I think this is my sixth post in the past few days of getting into it and I honestly just feel like writing and writing til the morning sun comes up.

Is this healthy?

So my first few posts have been all about makeup products, but I also feel like addressing the question, is makeup healthy for you?

And I dont just mean is it good for skin, but is it good for you emotionally, socially, psychologically? Its physically a plus for most people so that's not something I'll debate. But is it good for you otherwise?

I know that makeup has covered up not just acne scars and imperfections, but also a insecurity about my face that was never overbearing but always present. In today's society, it's difficult not to feel inadequately attractive. We're all exposed to ads and reality series and movie stars who have a team of people helping them achieve their best physical form; but the rest of us dont have that. We cant afford to have a team of people keep as the most perfect that we can be. Even though I know this, I cant help it. Makeup makes me feel prettier.

I cant deny that my surge into makeup was completely random either. I definitely am aware that my the appearance of my skin has deteriorated in the past few years. I know that this isnt without a cause either. It is what it is though. Makeup helps heal that. It makes me feel happy. Its my hobby truly. And I've never had a hobby in my whole life. Strange, right? But it's true. I've never been passionate about something that I did just for the fun of it the way that I am with makeup. I genuinely feel happiness when I think about the gorgeous Alice in Wonderland eyeshadow palette I snubbed from Urban Decay or the Sephora's Favourites Mascara Set that gives me such great exposure. It makes me feel giddy. So what's wrong with that?

Am I a little dependent on makeup? Can I go out without it? No, not anymore. A close friend mentioned recently that in my entire university life, I never wore foundation to school. I wore eyeliner and some gloss now and then, but that was it. And I felt beautiful for the most part. But as life hits you, as your problems grow more real and less easy to resolve, it effects your skin. It truly does, and it's a vicious cycle. The more I worry about pimples, the more I have, the more I worry, the more I have. So where does that leave me?

I know that I am careful about my makeup as well. That I've educated myself and continue to do so to make sure I'm not just putting anything on my face. (Which I think goes a long way.) I think that it helps me emotionally, on a day-to-day basis by giving me simple pleasures in the morning. I'm always excited for the part of my morning where I get to apply my makeup. What combination of eyeshadows will I use? Will I try a look I recently learned? I feel this deep satisfaction when my foundation is neatly laid on my face and I have a clean, even canvas to work with.

I have no conclusions. I dont know enough. I know that much though, so I'll be okay. And so will you.

Product I Regret Buying: Makeup Forever 5 Camouflage Palette Cream

There was SO much hype about this product on YouTube. And I can understand that if your a makeup guru or someone who needs different shades for people than it would workout better for them but for the average person who doesn’t need more than 2 shades of concealer (if that) it’s kind of a waste of $50 (CAD).

I was really excited to get this mainly for the green concealer because I have acne scars that I wanted to cover up. I’m sure I’m just not using this properly somehow but it turns up green on my skin rather than neutralizing the colour. So I don’t know, that was a fail.

Then there’s 4 colours of which only one I can use. The rest all are too light for me (I got the medium range and it’s still too light although I have a pretty medium skin tone) and so I feel like the other 3 are just going to rot. I really regret not opting for the Studio Fix concealer instead of this one. Although I sometimes get the feeling its the way I’m using it and not the actual product. Regardless, it failed for me, and I regret the $50 I spent on it.

Also, it’s very drying. I had heard several makeup gurus say this was the best palette out there but no, its too dry. I have OILY skin, and it was too dry, so I don’t know; another reason why this product was a fail.

Overall, I conclude, that this product is a fail. I try every once in a while to make it work but its just, ew. It makes me conscious of my skin because I know that underneath my eye there is creasing. Which is not normal for me since I never feel any creasing under my eye.

I would not recommend this product to anyone, ever.

Future Hauls

So, I plan my hauls. I dont have all the money in the world where I can just go and buy whatever I want whenever I want. I save up and get things that I personally have researched and feel are worth it for me. Also, I hate the feeling of having wasted money on something. We all work hard for our money and I like to use up every last drop of whatever I buy.

Anyways! lol, I have two hauls that I'm planning right now.

Well, I have one haul coming in. None of these are massive, they're just things I'm getting as I learn about what my skin needs and what can make my makeup look better and so on.

I placed an order for MAC already which I should be getting in the next couple of weeks. In it I ordered a Plum Foolery Powder Blush for my mommy (it's her Mothers Day present which is, I KNOW, super late), the Prep & Prime Face Protect SPF 50, MAC wipes (100 sheets) and the MAC Brush Cleanser.

I dont have even close to a full collection of makeup yet. And what I mean by that is that I dont feel like I even have all the basics yet. So I'm working towards it, getting things slowly, slowly, trying to have a good foundation. So I'll just quickly go through my reasoning for what I bought and why, because I actually have reasons behind each product.

Prep & Prime Face Protect SPF 50: I have acne-prone, oily/combination, yellow-undertoned skin. I noticed, with my MAC Studio Sculpt (which like, MAC has some of the best foundations out there) that my makeup faded. I knew that it wasnt so much the foundation but that during the day I was blotting and I had oils coming out and all that not-so-great stuff. So I learned about how primers make your foundation last a lot longer. Also, I walk a lot of the time when I have to go somewhere that I can get to in like 20-30 minute because it's healthy and what-not. So my skin gets sun exposure when I do that. I dont sun-bathe or tan or anything like that but I still worry about damaging my skin. Also, I dont feel like where I live we dont get sun in the winter. There's sun all year-long. So I also wanted something that protected my skin with a good amount of SPF. Most MAC products will have SPF 15 but if your walking in the sun twice a day for 30 minutes each, SPF 15 isnt gonna do so great. Also, I watched videos where people talked about how great this product was as a primer and I knew I could Back2MAC it. So for all these reasons, I invested in this product. And yes, it's an investment because it's not a huge tube and its $36.50 (CAD).

MAC Wipes: Again, one of my reasons was that I could Back2MAC it so I didnt feel like I'd be wasting any money since I'd be getting free products out of it. Also, I use a lot of MAC face products so I wanted their wipes because I trust them to give me quality. It's actually also the same price as Nivea wipes since they are $8 for 25 and this is $31 for 100. Both come out to abot 32 cents per sheet. Yes, I did the math, lol. So again, it was worth the investment. And I was never going to get free products from Nivea so I thought it would be worth it.

MAC Brush Cleanser: I deep clean my brushes once a week, sometimes it'll go to a week and a half, but I clean them properly that often. However, when I'm done my makeup I always feel like if I had a cleanser I would wipe them off right then so that my brush holder wouldnt get anything on it and also so that I could they wouldnt have bacteria from my face or the air or whatever on them that would just grow and be applied back on my face until I washed them. So for this reason, I wanted to get a brush cleanser so I can keep my brushes squeeky clean. I have the Sigma Face & Eyes 12 piece set (which I really love, except for all the shedding) and it was also an investment ($110 shipping & taxes included for the set) so I want to make sure they last me as long as possible.

I've been thinking about the brushes I have from Sigma and if I would repurchase them since some of htem get used more than others, some never at all, some everyday. And I think what I will do is, as they die *sigh*, I will repurchase that brush from MAC. So slowly, slowly, this way, I will grow my MAC Brushes collection. This way, I will be buying the brushes that I actually use as well. That's another one of my future haul plans lol. I plan a lot, can you tell?

So that's the haul I've already ordered and the one I have coming up I'm hoping to buy the following items: MAC Prep & Prime Skin Refined Zone, Painterly Paint Pot, Powder Blush in Trace Gold, Quo Blotting Powder, John Freida Heat Protect, Bare Escentials BareMinerals Matte Powder (in medium beige) and my Alberto Mousse.

MAC Prep & Prime Skin Refined Zone: I have large pores around my nose. I feel like when I have foundation on and my skin gets oily or sweaty, they show even more. I've had them for a long time, but they seem more noticeable with makeup. I watched videos in which people talked about how this product closes your pores and keeps them that way underneath your foundation. So for this reason, I want to get and use this product.

Painterly Paint Pot: This is the most popularly mentioned paint pot on YouTube. Every makeup guru mentions using this underneath their shadows to get rid of creasing and make their eyeshadow last. I really also like the idea of creams for the eye area (which I could possibly use to even out my skin tone and just keep that way for a simple day) so I want to invest in the one thats mentioned the most. In the future, I plan on getting all the paint pots they have. I'm actually more excited about these than the actual eye shadows from mac. (I honestly LOVE my Urban Decay Book of Shadows II & Alice in Wonderland Palette, the quality of the shadows is phenomenal and I have most colours I will need for a long time.)

Powder Blush in Trace Gold: So far I only have one MAC Blush. It's a mineralized Blush in Dainty. It's a beautiful colour which is a more pinkish version of Nars Orgasm I think. It goes on great, I love the way it looks BUT I have oily skin and it has shimmers. Also, despite wearing foundation (which I dont go for totally complete coverage because it looks unnatural to me) my red acne scars sometimes show here and there. Pink Blush seems to accentuate that even more. So I want to invest in Trace Gold. I've seen makeup gurus wear it and it looks amazing, there's no pink, its a nice peachish gold sheen and I'm really looking forward to having it.

QUO Blotting Paper: This paper works great for me. In all honesty, I go through a lot of sheets pretty quick but I love them and I need to get another pack as I am currently out and its really hot these days, lol.

John Freida Heat Protect: I actually heard about this product from friends who say it really does a great job. I'm also a little concerned about damaging my hair since I straighten it all the time. Well to be completely honest, the last month has been extremely lazy, but I used to straighten it 3-4 times a week for the last 7 years.

Bare Escentials Bare Minerals Matte Powder Foundation: I LOVE this stuff. It is amazing for many reasons but the most important ones are that it reduces oilyness on the skin a lot compared to Studio Fix Powder. It also is mineral powder so its healthier for your skin. It looks more natural on top of any foundation you apply (compared again to Studio Fix Powder, which has no comparison for when your taking pictures, but for everyday...meh). It does go out pretty quick, because it's loose I use more of it (I've finished the pot in 4 months).

Alberto Mousse: I tried the Garnier Fructis but Alberto was my first love for curls so I'm returning to my roots. WinK!

Favourite YouTube Makeup Gurus

My love for makeup was born late 2009; I would say around October. Since then, I have watched tens of thousands of makeup tutorials, probably more on everything beauty related. I've discovered, rediscovered, ditched and put up with lots of different makeup "gurus". Just to give you an idea, I probably watch on average 2-3 makeup related videos a day (when I'm busy) and upto 6 when I have some extra time. I watch them on the way to work/school (yay iphones!) when Im at home and trying to relax, or in the morning if I find some extra time!

Point being, I've watched these gurus quite a bit. I love em all, but I'm going to do a pros and cons because when you're watching them theres certain things that you can trust and other things that they're not so great on. That sounds kind of weird, they're all honest, talented sweethearts. I think it'll be clearer when I actually make the list. So here goes!

(Side Note: I originally wanted to do them in a favourite to most favourite order, but in all honesty, I cant pick any over the others, lol! So this is just a random as they come to mind order.)

My Top 10 YouTube Makeup Gurus:

Numero 1: Fafinettex3

Aubrey (that's her real name) was the original makeup guru that I started to follow. She is an amazing makeup artist. Her techniques, her symmetry, her ideas, her funky personality; all of it. It's all awesome. I feel like she's a close friend even though I've never met her because she talks to her audience as a friend. At the same time, the quality of the looks she creates are as good as anyone on YouTube. I love that she's self-taught because that allows for all of us who are just wearing makeup on a day to day basis to relate to her better. I think she's funny, gorgeous and extremely talented. I would probably recommend her for someone just getting started over anyone else for these reasons. The only thing about the looks is that they take some skill. They're not easy to do looks all the time and its not so simple to replicate them. But this obviously isnt her fault. She's extremely detailed about how to do them, you just have to practice a bit to be as good as her!

Numero 2: MakeupbyTiffanyD

Tiffany was probably the second makeup guru I started to follow on YouTube (so I guess this is becoming kind of chronological lol). I really appreciate how down-to-earth Tiffany is. You wouldnt guess from the way that she talks that she's one of the biggest makeup gurus on YouTube. She always looks amazing in her videos (which is important because she's teaching us how to look a certain way). She is very easy to follow along. She has an amazing range of looks to choose from and I feel her honesty coming through her words. There is absolutely NOTHING fake about TiffanyD. The only thing about TiffanyD (and again, this is not something that she can help) is that her looks are often very well suited to her eyeshape, but not necessarily to others. This is something makeup gurus do address, that everyone is different and you have to figure out what works for you, they are just there to inspire. So this is not a reason NOT to watch her. It's just something that someone who is starting out might not realize, and may be helpful to know.

Numero 3: DulceCandy87

Dulce (yes that's her real name) is phenomenal for makeup ideas. I've tried some of her simplest looks and some of her toughest and was able to successfully remake them for me (which is a big deal yes lol). She finds inspiration in the modern and very edgy world of fashion and creates something extremely beautiful out of it. I respect her for being so confident in who she is, she's unique in her taste but extremely inspiring. I love that her looks compliment any eyeshape, and that she uses a variety of easy to difficult techniques. She has some looks she simply did for a night out with three eyeshadows and some blending, and others that took more. What's the same about her tutorials is that they are useful for the audience. The only thing about Dulce is that she takes sponsorships (they all do but she seems to be compensated for a LOT). I have no proof for this affecting her advice, but it seems to stand out a bit more on her channel. Regardless, I would definitely recommend everyone to check her out. She's always smiling in her videos which I appreciate because otherwise you sit there as if in a lecture hall lol.

Numero 4: MakeupGeekTV

I LOVE Marlena. She is probably the sweetest (from a really sugary pot of women!) makeup guru I've watched. She has the nicest way of talking to her audience, with so much respect and concern for their understanding that you cant help but adore her. I love her makeup tutorials, they have amazing range, she uses a lot of products from high end and drug store. She doesnt make such a big distinction between the two as other gurus might. She is very easy to follow and has created looks for different eye colours and different ages. All makeup gurus do mention from time to time that certain colours and such might suit a certain eye shape or colour but Marlena went the whole way and actually did looks for them. She also does some really unique series (the most recent of which is the Soda Pop inspired!) and works with palettes that she becomes aware are extremely popular in her audience. Its a bit rare for makeup gurus to have the eye shadow pallettes that their audiences do sometimes because they have such a vast collection that they probably dont feel the need to buy such things, but for those of us who dont have such a collection, pallettes are a great advantage. Marlena understands and works with this. I would recommend her for sure.

Numero 5: Michelle Phan

I've been watching Michelle for a long time as well. She was probably one of the first I discovered on YouTube. She is definitely more professional than most of the other gurus, but the problem with this is that she's not as relatable. I have no doubt in my mind that Michelle is an awesome girl, but you dont feel like a friend with her, you feel like your listening to a teacher. Which may not bother a lot of people (and honestly most of the time it doesnt bother me either). But its something thats a bit different than most of the other girls I watch and I personally appreciate it that they seem so real. So now that thats out of the way, Michelle is an out-of-this-world makeup guru. She has such artistic skill that it surpasses others by miles. She is also a visual artist and this translates extremely well into the world of makeup. She has done looks inspired by Avatar, moonlight, theme parks, you name it! She does them extremely well, uses a variety of products (even the Coastal Scents 88 pallette!) and displays them in really nice videos. Its hard to believe she edits the videos herself because they are amazing. They seem like a hollywood series. She has a great range for the everyday as well but she does looks that I feel people probably search for on YouTube for real life as well. She has done looks for graduation, for new years, for clubbing, for a romantic night out. Michelle Phan is definitely the epitome of a makeup guru and no-doubt one of the best in our time. Check her out!

Numero 6: JuicyStar07

Blair is a teenage makeup guru. Impressive right? Even more impressive are her tutorials. She has a natural hand for makeup and what looks good. She has really good taste for what eyeshadows look good together, is very easy to follow and she's extremely sweet about the whole thing. I feel like her and her sister (Elle aka AllThatGlitters21) make an effort to remain genuine in their videos and I really appreciate that. She generally does different eyeshadow than other makeup gurus. While essentially everyone goes from light (inner) to dark (outer) I've noticed that Blair will go outside of the box and do similar looks in a different way. She does great haul videos as well. She has really good insight into the makeup that she buys and why its good. I really enjoy watching her videos and I would definitely recommend her as well.

Numero 7: MissChevious

Julia is a great makeup guru, similar to Michelle Phan in many ways. She's a bit older than the rest I think and is generally more professional but its not overbearing in any way. I love that she takes her creativity to the levels of goth, avant garde makeup. While makeup is fun to wear and enhances everyones beauty, it's nice to see it being used as art as well. She mentioned in one of her videos that she was doing a particular darker look because she thinks her audience chooses her for it, and I am definitely one of those subscribers. I love every one of her looks, which I couldnt necessarily say for other makeup gurus. I love that she always starts out bare (rather than with foundation and everything else already on) so that we can see the real transformation from start to finish. In all honesty, girls who look gorgeous without any makeup are extremely rare. Most of us look tired, pale, etc. without some makeup and its nice to see your favourite gurus for both their natural and created looks. I would recommend her for anyone who is feminine enough to want to wear makeup but also loves rock, dark, gothic styles as well.

Numero 8: AllThatGlitters21

Elle (Blair's older sister) is also a great makup guru. I sometimes find a bit uncomfortable that she's as old as she is and likes glitter, but I'm usually punched in the face by my conscience which reminds me that I have some strange likes and dislikes as well and that we're all human and can love and be what makes us happy at any age. Elle has smaller lids which means that she's great for the majority of us who do not have a lot of lid area to do the looks with that many makeup gurus teach. They're usually lucky enough to have beautiful eyes with lots of lid space to great and accentuate their features through makeup with. I, on the other hand, have a hooded lid and not too much lid area so I often feel limited by the looks that many gurus do when I wanna try them myself. Elle however, has a similar face and manages to do gorgeous looks with it. I personally prefer Elle's hauls and reviews more than her makeup tutorials (even though as I mentioned we're physically more similar) but overall she's a great makeup guru to turn to as well. She's very sweet, very likeable, one of those girls you cant imagine ever having a problem with. I like that she shares bits of her life with us as she does her videos (her cat, her sorority, heating issues at her home, etc.) because it makes her a person for us and gives us all hope that we can achieve what she has as well. Check her out if you have glitter in your veins! (haha?)

Numero 9: MeaganHeartsMakeup

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Meagan. She does really great haul videos, very nice hair-styling, clothing and other beauty related videos, but her makeup tutorials are average (sometimes I feel like I could do better) and she's way too young. I know that Blair is 17 and thats fairly young but its not an inappropriate age to be doing makeup at. A 14 year-old however, it makes me cringe a bit. I feel bad for feeling this way because she's just a kid enjoying something she loves to do, but I cant help but disagree with her wearing and collecting as much makeup as she does. I cant help it, and I also cant help watching her channel. She is also a very genuinely sweet girl(/kid) who has a great taste in clothing and makeup, still working through her skills, but great advice overall. She definitely also has a knack for styling clothing and accessories together in a way that's tasteful for everyone I think. Check her out!

Numero 10: BubzBeauty

Bubz is the most adorable 20 something year old I think in existence. She's extremely cute, very sweet, and a great makeup guru. She's probably the most recent discovery of mine on YouTube and I really do love her videos. I actually like that a lot of her looks arent eyeshadow based. Which is funny because thats what I went to YouTube to learn, but I think she shows us all how to look great without layering on lots of eyeshadow necessarily. She has great eyeliner tricks and hairstyles to spice up the way you look without putting on too much extra makeup. She does disappear a lot though! I know she has a really cute clothing line which took off so I can understand why and I love that's she's still the same Bubz despite it, but I miss her :(! Anyways, lol, check her out she's a great makeup guru as well.

So that's my list, I know I ramble, I cant help it. Support all of these great girls please!

I also wanted to do some Honourable Mentions because I do watch other YouTube Makeup Gurus who are also amazing but didnt make my top 10 list:

Lollipop26

Temptalia

Magicgrl111

MacBarbie07

MakeupbyRenRen

XTeener

Check these girls out as well! I'm huge fans of them as well!

Product Review: Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain

Wow! I'm SO disappointed :(.

I have heard SOOO much about tarte being organic and amazing regardless of it not using the same ingredients as other cosmetic companies. Andddd, oh the packaging. The most gorgeous mascara bottle I have ever seen. So pretty, so pretty I could just open and close it all day.

But whats a pretty face with no brain/or a beautiful bottle with no voom. I dont know what to do with it. I got it with the Sephora's Favourites box of mascaras. Thank God I didnt buy a full bottle. Lurve Sephora for putting those out and letting us all check out amazing mascaras (many of the others are phenomenal, I promise!)

(Slight Sidetrack Alert!)

I expected the worst mascara in that box to be the Sephora brand. No offense to Sephora, they are amazing providers of life-changing makeup, but their own stuff is still kind of meh. Yes, that's right, someone had to say it, its meh. However, I want to chew up my own words (yes the meh) because their mascara is amazing. It's better than the Loreal Voluminous Mascara (which a lotta people swear by as the best mascara of all). I'll be honest, I'm new to makeup. I havent tried a gzillion mascaras yet, but Sephora's blew, my, mind. Lurve it! Check it out:)

So yeah, tarte. Oh my tarte. Oooh tarte. What to do with your pretty bottle. I've decided I want to open up another mascara from the box. My strategy (and logic behind buying it) was that I would be able to use one for 3 months each meaning I would have 30 months of mascara for $50 (Canadian). Pretty awesome logic, right? Not sure it's going to work out that way though.

So now the sort-of-come-on-already problem. Which mascara do I open with this. I dont honestly want to wear this mascara even one more day. I'm probably going to slick it on for day trips to parks and outdoor events when no one will care or notice (even though it'll bug me). But I cant possibly wear this to formal events or to work or school.

I also dont want to waste another mascara product by opening it and not actually using it for 3 months because I was actually able to do that with the Sephora one and it worked amazing for me. In fact, I'm regretting throwing it away right now. Sigh!

OMG, so I just found the description for this mascara which kind of explains it:

TARTE 4 Day Stay Lash Stain (Black)

Keep lashes looking naturally tinted for 4 days without reapplying. PolyFlex technology blends mineral pigments and provitamin B5 to envelop lashes in long-lasting pigment while keeping them soft and flexible."

Okay, so that explains why so much makeup remover made no impact on taking this stuff off. And obviously, you cannot reapply this stuff without creating spider legs (which is kind of what I get in the first place as well, but it worsens with reapplication). In all fairness, the mascara looks better over time. A while after having applied it, it started looking better (but its all length and no volume). If they promise it wont come off for 4 days, I guess the fact that makeup remover had a hard time taking it off is proof that it definitely is able to do that.

Okay, listing time:

Pros:

1. Gives extreme length

2. Beautiful bottle

3. Organic ingredients

4. Long-lasting

Cons:

1. Does not volumize

2. Hard to remove

3. Does not keep lashes soft

4. Expensive

Take from this what you will. I am no expert. I am just a girl learning about and growing with makeup. I do this for fun, as a hobby. I am in no way suggesting that my opinions are facts or should be taken seriously. Enjoy my experience as I share it.