Bee Luscious: Product Reviews

Hey everyone!
Just wanted to talk about some Bee Luscious makeup items (from Bee Royal Products: http://www.beeroyalproducts.com/- there is currently a 25% discount on your "shopping cart".) I've posted a blog in the past- interviewing a company representative, so feel free to check that out for further details about the brand. I have also done a YouTube eye makeup tutorial highlighting several products, and more will be included in my first "Mature Makeup" video. In short- here are a few general observations about the brand:

-wide range of makeup/skincare
-highly pigmented makeup products
-rich textured powders/shadows
-comparable quality to various high-end brands
-high-end price tag, but you can find periodic discounts to save $$$

"The Naturals" Perfect Compact

I used this palette recently in my "Mature Makeup" video- it's great for an understated, natural, day-to-day look. The 3 center colors have shimmer- and the outer colors are matte. The brown on the far right is darker than it appears, and the taupe shade right next to it with a hint of purple is gorgeous. These are definitely high quality shades, but don't expect a great deal of color payoff on the 3 lighter shades (you'll notice this in the swatches)

Signature Quad Shadow: NaturalistIn my opinion- this is the star eye makeup product of this brand. This was the palette featured in my Bee Royal eye tutorial awhile back. All the colors are matte- and are VERY pigmented. This is some of the highest quality eye makeup I own, and I am not exaggerating. You could get a natural look or a complete smokey eye with this kit- and they are surprisingly easy to blend. Sometimes matte shades are dry, chalky, and a struggle to work with- but these are practically creamy, and are so fun to use. I don't know if I can pick favorite shades in this kit- they're all outstanding for their own reasons!


Swatches: on top- shadows in the "Perfect Compact"-
on the bottom- "Signature Quad" shades.


Automatic Long Lasting Eyeliner in Bark
A rich chocolate brown eyeliner that goes on like a dream. If you have delicate or more loose skin around the eye area, you won't need to worry about having to tug on your lids to get this on. It just glides right on. There is more moisture in this liner than Revlon Colorstay, for example, so it will smudge for you, which is nice... but I would suggest setting it with an eyeshadow to help it last longer. On it's own, it didn't last quite as long as Revlon Colorstay. Very rich and pigmented though.

Rose Bouquet Blush in Pretty in Pink
I've never had a blush that looked as pretty as this in the package. It's molded into a gorgeous rose design, with multiple shades of pink- some deeper, and some lighter. I wouldn't call it a shimmer that the palette gives off- but it's not matte either... sort of a pearly finish. I like to swirl my brush lightly over all the entire palette- and you end up with a gorgeous pink blush. A little bit goes a long way- you don't have to try hard to pick up a nice amount of color on your brush.


Liquid Lustre Lipgloss: Pink Champagne & Euphoric

I love these lipglosses- wonderful pigmentation, non-annoying texture, and a pleasant scent! Pink Champagne is a light nude with a creamy texture- and Euphoric is a coral-toned pink with gold sparkle, and it appears to have a slightly more transparent gel base. It's a much more unique shade than the picture gives it credit for.

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Thanks so much for stopping by the blog and checking out these reviews! Have you tried any of these products, and if so, what did you think? Look for more reviews/tutorials using these products in the future! Have a great day!!

♥Emily

Coastal Scents Color Combos!

Hey friends! How are you? Hope your week is getting off to a great start. Above is a pic of a look I did over the weekend- I honestly did the eye look in only a few minutes- didn't have time to shoot a full video tutorial- but I used th new Coastal Scents 42 Color Double Stack Shimmer Shadow & Blush set. For pics of that palette, check out my post from a few days ago. I used pink shimmer, purple shimmer, and a hint of black shimmer to deepen the crease. Then I used black pencil eyeliner and went over it with the purple shade to get that pretty purple liner look. I also used a combination of pink shimmer & matte blush shades- love the way that turned out!

I was experimenting with some swatches today to get some ideas for new and creative colorful looks- check out some color combos from both the shimmer AND matte palettes below! As always, for more details visit www.coastalscents.com

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42 Double Stack Shimmer Palette

As you can see, the pigmentation is fantastic! I didn't even use a base for any of these. I really wasn't trying to blend them like I would on my eye, just kind of swatching them side-by-side so I can see what they'd look like together. I love that bold purple and green- reminds me of sort of a peacock look! Also- the baby blue and light pink combo is AWESOME- in certain light- the point where they overlap looks like a shade of purple- I LOVE that!! Also the shimmery gold and brown proves you can rock the neutral looks with this palette! Yellow and red would look great with orange in the middle I think. I love that rather than being extremely sparkly- these shades are gorgeous and metallic!

42 Double Stack Matte Palette

The matte shades are somewhat of a new experience for me. It seems like shimmery colors are just more common. However- I'm very excited to crank out some great tutorials. The one on the top left with reddish brown and red reminds me of a chocolate covered cherry. And for summer- how cute would the yellow and turquoise look? The black paired with sea-foam green is pretty- I think it would be fun to take such a pastel shade and deepen it up with that rich black. And who doesn't love purple and pink? That combo would be the matte verison of the look I showed you at the top of the post :D

Thanks for stopping by everyone, and look for upcoming tutorials on these great new Coastal Scents palettes!! :D

♥Emily

Seeking Feedback: Mature Makeup!

Hey Everyone!
What's up? I recorded like 3 videos today! whew! I've gotten a few messages/emails from those seeking some makeup ideas for those in the 40+ age range. I think this is a great idea, and I'm considering doing a "Mature Makeup" mini-series if there's enough interest.

Much like "Teen Tutorials"-- it would be the type of thing anyone could apply to their own routine if they wanted to... I think it would be a good resource for those seeking work/interview/professional makeup ideas. It would be a series of looks that might be more friendly to aging skin and less "wild" eye looks... (matte makeup, contouring techniques, subtle but effective eye makeup). As I talk to my mom, I've been learning more about the unique issues facing aging skin, and my Bobbi Brown book would serve as a great resource as well.

So my question to you is-- do you think this is a good idea? Would you watch these videos? Are you in an age bracket where you're looking for something conservative yet beautiful? Also- any suggestions for what you'd like to see, or tips you think I should incorporate? I know this is kind of a lot of questions but I would really appreciate your feedback! Leave a comment, or email beautybroadcast@hotmail.com

Have a great weekend everyone!!

♥Emily

New Palettes from Coastal Scents!

Hey everyone!
Just wanted to give you a first look at some of the great new palettes from Coastal Scents. As you can see from the top picture- the outer packaging has changed- it's a matte container that now has the palette labeled- yay! That makes it easier when you have more than one. I'm so excited to try these out- and through some preliminary swatches- I can tell that they're the same great quality as the older CS palettes! Look for many tutorials to come on these different items! In my opinion- it's amazing quality for a good price! You all know I value a great deal- and I feel that you are getting a lot for your money with these. FOR MORE INFO: http://www.coastalscents.com

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42 Color- Double Stack

Matte Shadow & Blush

With this palette and the one below- the shadow tray sits on top of the blush and lifts out- you can then place it in the lid like my picture shows. All of the shadows are matte- and I love the color selection. Some of the blushes are matte, some have a slight bit of shimmer. *THE BLUSH SELECTION IS THE SAME IN BOTH THE MATTE AND THE SHIMMER PALETTES!

42 Color- Double Stack

Shimmer Shadow & Blush

Once again I want to stress- the blushes here are the same in both of these new combination palettes. These shadows don't appear to be as shimmery or sparkly as those in the 88 shimmer palette. From the swatches I've done- some have a more pearly finish, and others have a gorgeous metallic look- especially the gold! Can't wait to do a tutorial on it! Of the two combo palettes- I think this one is the most wearable on a daily basis.

Camouflage Concealer Palette

How great would this be for a makeup artist's collection? It comes with 10 creamy shades. I haven't tried them yet but the texture feels great and you're sure to find the color you need. It's hard to pick up on in the picture- but some are more yellow-toned and others have more pink to them.



32 Lip Color Palette
Lip product junkies will go nuts for this. This product should seriously come with a warning. I was almost late for work one day because I got lost in the endless possibilites. I love the texture- there are a few glossy and more shiny shades, others are more matte & creamy. It's so fun to blend and create your own custom colors. I'm in heaven with this palette.

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Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, and I hope you're looking forward to the upcoming tutorials using these products as I am! I'll also provide more extensive reviews so you'll have an easier time making a decision on what to purchase! Have an awesome day!!

♥Emily

Curling Iron Crisis, Viewer Questions, Etc!

Hello!

Hope your Monday is getting off to as great a start as mine... LOL. This morning when I was getting ready at around 2:00 (I work an early shift haha), I was putting my hair up in some velcro rollers, and I was also using my curling iron. About 5 rollers in, I heard a loud pop and noticed a spark whiz past my face- it came from my curling iron! Apparently the cord had started to slowly separate over time and I hadn't noticed it. This pop and spark happened one other time (while I was recently filming a hair video LOL), but at that point I wasn't sure what caused it. This morning it was blatantly clear though-- the inner wiring had become exposed near the base of the curling iron:



I probably should've noticed this sooner, but I didn't. This was a Revlon ceramic curling iron that I used daily and loved :( Please take this as a warning- take a look at the cord on your heat styling tool next time you use it- make sure it isn't starting to do something like this... because if that spark hit me in the eye- which it was very close to- I could be having some serious problems right now. Just a heads up!

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New topic: Fun Viewer Questions!

I recently got a message in my YouTube inbox from TNaraysingh. She had some questions for me that she thought I might be able to address in a video. I really liked them and wanted to get to them quickly- and since I'm pretty much set in terms of videos for awhile- I thought I'd answer them in a blog! yipee! So thanks to her for these great questions!

• What inspired you to make videos?

I watched videos on YouTube for quite some time before I started making them myself. I watched people like PurseBuzz & Enkore, as well as others who seemed pretty new to the makeup scene and just enjoyed putting up fun & entertaining beauty videos! After awhile I started to think- I have a big makeup collection, I love doing makeup, and I basically spent 4 years of college learning how to be a decent communicator- so why not make some videos and see if anyone's interested in watching them? Plus I hadn't seen a lot in terms of makeup on inexpensive brands, so I thought I might be able to offer something new in that way. I'm glad I did!

• What are your top 5 places to shop for clothes?

1. Wet Seal (lots of cheap & fun party clothes)

2. Macy's (nice things for work & some great deals occasionally)

3. J.C. Penney (cute work clothes)

4. Target (tons of variety)

5. T.J. Maxx (I can stay in this store forever looking around)

• If you had to pick only ONE makeup product, what would it be?

Hard question, considering I use so many things. Lets pray that I'm never confronted with this issue in real life. In case I was, I suppose I'd say some sort of stick that can do multiple things... ELF makes an all over color stick in a pinkish shade that I could use on eyes, lips, and cheeks- so that would probably be the best thing for me! I think the shade is persimmon or pink lemonade. Honestly, I'll probably have this question in the back of my mind for a few days and continually change my answer haha ;)

• What's the best thing about making videos?

Knowing that I'm actually helping people. I love hearing from those who say they've tried something I've recommended and ended up loving it. Or they did a look I showed in a tutorial and their boyfriend/husband told them how great they looked and they hadn't heard that in a long time. Some of this stuff honestly brings tears to my eyes. Simply hearing from people that say what I do inspires them- or that they brighten up their day after a long time spent at work... it really makes all these videos seem so worthwhile :) I really love it.

• Are you recognized more as a YouTube makeup guru or a news anchor?

Considering that I'm a local news anchor, I am recognized quite often for that. I've gotten used to walking into a restaurant and getting looks from people and you can just see the wheels turning *now where have I seen that girl before?* People that I see out and about grocery shopping or when I'm out doing a story are so nice. I'm so fortunate to have been embraced by viewers in southern Illinois. It's a great place to live with lots of great people. Only a few times have I been recognized in public for my YouTube videos! If you see me and watch me on YouTube- say hi! I won't bite! :)

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UPCOMING VIDEOS/BLOGS:

(not necessarily in this order)

• Purple & black party eye
• Velcro roller tutorial
• Makeup terminology blog glossary
• Tutorials on new Coastal Scents Palettes!
• Tips from my Bobbi Brown beauty manual

Thanks for stopping by the blog everyone! Have a great day!

♥Emily

French Manicure with Silver Glitter Stripe!

Hey friends!
So it appears I'm a little obsessed with making tweaks to the average french manicure. I believe I'm becoming more coordinated with my left hand- but it's hard! This design is prety un-complicated- but I love the finished look. I think it'd be so pretty for a wedding, prom, party, etc. I'm very happy with it!




Here's how I did it:

• Apply one coat of Orly Bevery Hills Manicure in Beverly Hills Plum (obviously much more sheer than it appears in the bottle)
• Paint on your white tip with Orly French tip... I've decided I like 2 coats of this, the first can appear to be a bit thin in some places.
• NEW PRODUCT I LOVE: Right Stripe by So Easy (Silver Glitter)-- found a bunch of colors at Sally Beauty Supply. It's similar to the LA Colors Art Deco stuff- has a lovely super fine tip that's great for making stripes. I think it cost around 4 bucks... so not as cheap as LA Colors- but I can't find them anymore in stores where I live. Perhaps I'll look into finding some online. I used one coat of this stuff to make the silver stripe, overlapping the bottom part of the white tip. I went over it a couple of times as I painted it on for a more sparkly appearance.
• Then I topped it off with a top coat that it appears won't cause my colors to bleed or thin out. It's Beauty Secrets Hardener High Gloss top coat. It was only a couple bucks at Sally's and it doesn't dry fast- but my biggest concern was that it hopefully wouldn't bleed any of the colors together- and it did a good job :)

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!! I love you guys! Hope you're having a great weekend!

♥Emily

Sephora Spring Beauty Wishlist!

Hey everyone!

How's your week going so far? Mine has been pretty busy. It's the March ratings period for TV... so needless to say I've been doing a lot at the station. I've been doing a weekly series for work called "3 Ways to Save"... (we are channel 3 and I'm a consumer reporter). Anyway- each week focuses on a different money saving topic- so far I've featured food, household products, and today's story was on entertainment. I generally ask for your money saving tips on twitter from time to time- so even if you're not in my viewing area, I'd appreciate your feedback! My Twitter: http://twitter.com/emilynoel83 You can also check my Twitter updates on the lower right hand sidebar of my blog :D

This week in the mail I received the Sephora Spring Beauty 2009 catalog- somehow it still excites me to get the catalog in the mail- even though I can look at everything on Sephora's website. Anyway- thought I'd highlight a few things I'm interested in!! :D

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Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara

$22

There are so many mascaras out there right now that I'm interested in. I'v heard good things about this one, and I really like the look of the brush. I like how the tip is tapered and generally I like traditional mascara wands like this rather than the rubber brush kind.

Stila Precious Pearl Palette

$40

According to the catalog- "this palette (with real pearl packaging) includes six shades infused with pearl powder, plus minerals and amino acids that nourish and soften skin". So that sounds pretty cool- not to mention that I love pearly-finish shadows and these shades look so wearable but still fun. This looks like a pretty good value- since Stila shadows are great quality.

Too Faced Lockdown eyeshadow

$18.50

This cream shadow looks so cool! It's metallic pigment mixed with Too Faced's best selling primer- Shadow Insurance. Since that's currently my favorite primer- I'm pretty pumped about this long wearing cream shadow. I wonder if this is the type of cream shadow that could stand alone without a powder on top? If so, I'd be pretty impressed. I'm very intrigued by this!

Too Faced Girls Dig Pearls Lip Gloss

$18

Yet another pearl-themed product! I'd love to check this out in person to see what the texture is like- and what more affordable product I could compare it to. I really like the shade shown in the catalog- Tropical Pink- but couldn't find a pic on the website that included both that shade and the packaging. It contains Vitamin E and Peppermint Oil- I love minty gloss! :D

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So there's my wish list- key word is WISH. There's a chance perhaps I'll get one of those products in the near future- but I tend to not spend a bundle all at once at places like Sephora. Do you guys have any wishlist items for Spring? What should we all be checking out?

The weekend is near! Have a great day,

♥ Emily

E.L.F. Elements Palettes

Hey everyone!
Hope your week is going well so far. I just wanted to do a quick post on something I've had in my collection for quite awhile- but haven't really talked about much. Not sure why- because this is probably one of ELF's better products. These palettes are called ELF Elements- and the concept is that you can put whatever colors you want in them- they can be blushes, eyeshadow, lip color, you name it. Each item you put in the palette is $1.00, and the palette itself (which is a GREAT quality palette with a nice big mirror, by the way) is also just $1.00. So for a filled pallete, that'd be $5.00. You're welcome for the awesome math skills there ;) I believe these palettes also fit depotted Milani & Mac shadows.

In my opinion, the shadows that go in the elements palettes are better qualty than those in ELF's regular $1.00 quads (the ones that have 4 pre-selected colors in them). These are for the most part more pigmented and easier to blend. Also the lip colors have a nice scent. I enjoy the blush as well, but keep in mind they are small-- the size of a typical eyeshadow-- and may be difficult to fit a brush in. The makeup pans attach to the palettes through small magnets on the bottom of the pans.

In any event, this is a pretty darn good deal. It's nice to be able to customize your palette, and I thought I'd show you some of my own combinations below. You could do an all lip palette, all eye palette, or mix it up like I have. If you want more ideas, ELF's website also has some pre-designed kits that you might enjoy. Just check out this link for more details: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elements.asp

My Natural Earthy Palette

Top Left: Lip color in Nude Blush

Top Right: Eyeshadow in Moonstone

Bottom Left: Eyeshadow in Sage

Bottom Right: Eyeshadow in Mocha

My Berry Palette

Top Left: Lipcolor in Guava

Top Right: Blush in Shy

Bottom Left: Eyeshadow in Wisteria

Bottom Right: Eyeshadow in Dusk

My Smokey Palette

Top Left: Eyeshadow in Ivory

Top Right: Lipcolor in Peaches

Bottom Left: Eyeshadow in Dusk

Bottom Right: Blush in Bronzed

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Would you like to see a tutorial using one of these palettes? Let me know by leaving a comment, or you can shoot me an email: beautybroadcast@hotmail.com

Thanks for stopping by the blog!

♥

Emily

Polka Dot French Tip Nail Design!

Hey guys! I was feeling ambitious this afternoon and decided that not only would I do a french manicure, but I'd add a few bells and whistles to it as well. I didn't really have a plan going in, otherwise I might have done a video on this, but I sort of built the concept as I went. It's definitely not perfect, but it's the type of thing I might be able to improve on the more I do it. Creative nail designs are sort of new to me :) But I love how this one looks!

HOW I DID IT:

• Apply one coat (or two) of a pinky-nude french manicure shade. I used Rimmel French Manicure in French Rose
• Apply a white shade to the tips of your fingernails. Shown here- Orly white french tip
• I decided to take a sparkly pink shade- Rimmel 60 second Stars in Star Shine- and I drew a line along the border of the white french tip. To do it- I used a Loew Cornell paint brush- 4135. It came in a package and has a VERY fine tip. Found the pack at Walmart for only a few bucks. You can also find nail detail brushes at beauty supply stores like Sally's. This step also covers up uneven edges on your white french tip.
• Next I took my L.A. Colors Art Deco polish in White and made little dots along the pink line. These polishes have tiny pointed brushes, so this is fairly easy.
• Then kick back and really let this all get nice and dry. Apply a top coat, I used Sally Hansen Mega Shine since it dries so fast, but honestly, I had a little issue with the pink shade bleeding a bit if I wasn't careful. I don't know if I needed to let it dry longer, or if it was just the particular top coat I used. If there's anyone out there that does lots of nail art and knows of a good top coat that can handle going over multiple colors, let me know!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

♥

Emily

Sponge Tip Challenge!

Hey guys!

I have a fun new challenge to tell you about! Not a contest- however a contest IS coming soon... but this is just something fun that I thought many of my viewers/readers would like to take part in. It was prompted by a message from one of my viewers- she said I should do a tutorial using only those little sponge tip applicators that come with eyeshadows- since many people don't have a huge brush collection.

Not only did I think this was a great idea, I thought I'd ask my viewers on YouTube to post video responses showing their sponge-tip looks, and for those who don't have a YouTube account- you can email a picture of your finished look, along with a list of the products used- to beautybroadcast@hotmail.com ...then I can post those pics here on the blog so everyone can enjoy them! So I hope you'll decide to take part!

The look can be as easy or complicated as you like. Use high-end products, drugstore products, whatever. The only rule is that you use sponge tip applicators and NO brushes for the eyeshadow look.

To see how I accomplished this look with sponge tip applicators, check out my video!


♥Emily

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YOUR SPONGE TIP LOOKS!

Mikala

Kaylee

To get Kaylee's Look:

• Maybelline "cooling effects" shadow/liner stick in black frost used as a base
• Gold from Bustling HIP duo
• Garden Mist by Milani
• Aqua FX by Max Factor (old e/s, way past discontinued)
• Evergreen by Aveda
• Umber eyeliner by Elizabeth Arden
• Maybelline Full n' Soft + Clinique Doubling Mascara

Stephanie

To get Stephanie's Look:

• First i applied e.l.f's eye primer.
• then i applied e.l.f's ivory eyeshadow.
• then i applied e.l.f's pink ice over the ivory.
• then i applied e.l.f's periwinkle in the crease.
• then i blended it all out using a clean sponge tip very lightly.
• after that i applied revlon colourstay liquid eyeliner on my top lid.
• i also applied revlon colourstay on my waterline.
• last i applied covergirl lash blast in black!
  
  

Stephanie M.

To get Stephanie M's look:

• Bare Minerals- Prime Time
• Bare Minerals- Classic Rock e/s
• Jane- After Hours e/s (Part of Chicago Metallics)
• Jane- Underground e/s (Part of Chicago Metallics)
• CoverGirl- Turquoise Tempest
• Maybelline- Define-a-Line e/l Ebony Black
• L'Oreal-Telescopic Mascara Carbon Black

Maria

To get Maria's look:

• Urban decay primer
• elf all over stick pink lemonade
• Hip Flare(orange)
• Hip Flamboyant(yellow)middle
• hip Flare(orange)again
• Mark E/s Tiki(brown square pan in the picture)
• Hip Loose pigment restless for high light(I have pressed it, I don’t like loose pigments)
• Milani color brilience eye pencil uper lid green 03
• lower lashline Aqua02
• water line, prestige water proof eye liner flanel gray
• loreal felt tip liner in black on upper half lid.
• cover girl blast mascara.
  

Ashley

To get Ashley's look:

Prime your eyes. I used Urban Decay Primer Potion.

(All shadows come from Urban Decay Ammo Palette)

Taking a clean sponge-tip, I applied "Sin" to the inner third of my
eye.

Taking the other side of that sponge tip, I applied "Grifter" to the middle
third, and then blended the two colors together.

Using a clean sponge, I shaped the outer corner with "Last Call", filled it
in, and swept it into my crease, then blended together "Last Call" with
"Grifter".

Next, I tempered "Last Call" with a little bit of "Sin" to lighten to color
for a more daytime look.

I swept "Last Call" down underneath my lower lashline, on the outer third. I the added "Grifter" to the middle third on the lower lashline, and used "Sin" to finish off the lower lashline and highlight the inner corner.

I used "Polyester Bride" as a browbone highlight.

I applied Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner in Black Noir to my upper lashline and water line, curled my lashes, and used L'oreal Telescopic Clean Definition mascara.

Kamani

To get Kamani's look:

• Decay Primer Potion to prime the eye
  
• Sephora Highlighting bronzing
  powder
  (the lightest shade) from lash line to brows
  
• Mac Gold Spice in crease
  
• Max Factor 2000 Extreme Lash Plumper Mascara

Pouneh

To get Pouneh's look:

• here are the products i used:
• The cover girl sponge tip applicator
• Cover Girl's professional clear mascara
• NYX trio palette in TS04 (Baby Blue/ October Sky/Pacific )
• NYX single shadow in ES60 Aqua
• Too Faced Liquid- Eye shadow collection
• I Used the lightest color in trio palette in the inner corner and as brow bone highlight
• the middle to the other corner i used the color Exclusive in the too faced palette
• for the utter V i used NYX single shadow in Aqua
• and for the lower lash line i used the middle color in the trio (October sky)
• I used the color Vixen in the too faced palette to line my upper lash line using the pointed tip of the sponge
• and as always used clear mascara on my lashes

No Makeup Days...

(photo courtesy http://www.icanhascheezburger.com/)

On days when you don't wear makeup- is that your fear? That some person (or some cat, haha) will see you and think, wow, she needs to put on some makeup. I'll admit, I rarely go out without makeup on (I pretty much always wear at least a little). Part of it is the expectation people have when they see you on TV looking a certain way... and when you're not on TV you don't want them to be "let down"? (not sure if that's the right choice of words, but oh well). Also, I just enjoy the process of putting makeup on! It's like a hobby for me so I actually like taking the time to do it. Furthermore- I just feel more confidence in general when I know I'm looking my best.

What are your reasons for putting on makeup everyday? Does your job require it? Does it make you feel good? Are you trying to impress someone? Please share your thoughts!

The weekend is near!

♥ Emily

FOTD: Coppery Neutral Eye

Hey Everyone!
Hope you're all having a good week so far. I'm SO excited- I've reached more than 10,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel!! Thank you so much to everyone who subscribes and regularly watches my videos. I love making them! :D

I wanted to do a quick FOTD post.... well it's actually and EOTD (eye of the day). I did a toned-down version of a tutorial I saw Makeup Geek do recently- it was a Pamela Anderson Viva Glam look, and I actually had several of the same MAC products, so I thought I'd try to re-create it in a work-appropriate way. To check out her version- which is beautiful- just click the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF15ITLGsnM

Here's what I did...

-Applied Too Faced Shadow Insurance all over the lids
-Applied MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot all over lids (peachy gold shade)
-With eyeshadow brush, apply MAC shadow in Naked Lunch all over lids
-Apply a wash of Milani Flare (dupe of MAC Coppering) all over crease- extending upward, slightly on top of brow bone
-Deepen outer "V" with a small amount of sketch (dark brownish plum)
-Then highlight under the highest point of the arch with Naked Lunch

-F.Y.I...on my lips is L'oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Eva's Caramel (Eva Longoria Signature lipstick), with Jordana lipgloss in Lovely on top.

Clockwise from left: MAC shadow in Naked Lunch, MAC shadow in Sketch, Milani shadow in Flare, MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque.

Thanks for stopping by the blog, and have a great day!!

♥ Emily

Generic Value Products at Sally's

Is the packaging pretty? No. Does it have a fancy name? No. Is it being advertised in flashy commercials? definitely not. But those are likely some of the reasons why I was able to buy these Generic products for $5.99 apiece-- whereas the real Matrix Amplify sold at Target cost $15.00 apiece!! Generic Value Products sold at Sally Beauty Supply are something those with high-end tastes but small budgets should look into.

The shampoo and conditioner I picked up are the generic versions of Matrix Amplify, a volumizing shampoo and conditioner. I'd like to just say that although I'm a sucker for cute packaing-- I kind of like the fact that the makers of Generic products just said, *hey, we're not going to beat around the bush here. We're putting out the exact same products as brands like Matrix- so let's just make it blatantly clear to consumers*. At least that's what I imagine was said.

As far as this particular product- I've been using it for a little over 2 months now. During that time (winter season) I've noticed that my hair has been so manageable when I style it in the morning. Usually the dry winter air makes my hair very staticky and tough to work with. A quick hit with the blow dryer in the morning- and my hair has great volume already... I don't even HAVE to use a mousse or other volumizing hair product if I didn't want to. The scent isn't anything fantastic, but not bad. Of the two- the conditioner smells the best. I would definitely recommend this duo to fine-haired ladies like myself who like to make the road to BIG hair a little less bumpy. Keep in mind- a great shampoo and conditioner alone won't give you so-called BIG hair-- you have to do some work of your own... what I'm saying is that these products seem to make the process easier.

GVP also offers shampoo/conditioner/styling product knock-offs of other brands- including Paul Mitchell and Nexxus. Check this link learn more about what's available:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shampoo/Hair01,default,sc.html?prefn1=brand&prefv1=GVP&psortb1=category-pos_Hair01&psortd1=1

Another interesting feature-- on the back of the bottle, Generic Value Products list the ingredients in the generic product- side by side with the brand name product. At least with the two products I have-- those lists are exactly the same!! You're working with the same product here people! Why pay for a fancy name and packaging? If those pricey shampoos and conditioners are burning a hole in your pocket, skip on over to Sally's and see if they carry a generic version. :D

Thanks for stopping by the blog everyone! ALSO- thank you so much for those who have been contributing ideas to the MAC dupes forum. Keep in mind that once that post is off of the main page- there is still a link on the right side of the page that will take you there directly. Keep the ideas coming!!

♥Emily

You Ask! No-Flake Mascara, Drugstore Shadow

Hey everyone! If you're new to my blog and YT videos, my You Ask! segment is a time when I address some great reader/viewer questions either in video form or on this blog so others might also be able to benefit from the answers I give. So basically if it's a question I get often, or a question I think will help lots of people- I'll do something like this! Hope you enjoy and learn something new! (FYI: My answers are the exact emails I sent back to those who asked the questions)

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QUESTION:

I need a mascara that does not flake into my under eye. Here is why, I have deep set eyes in addition to dark circles since I was 13 i have just always have had them, now I also lack sleep being a mother of a toddler. I have tried a few mascaras that in hope would not flake because the less darkness under my eye the better right :). I don't need fullness I really only use mascara for work to define my lashes, right now I just use clear .

Can you recommend a mascara that flakes only a little or none at all I have really only tried drugstore brands since I am on a budget but willing to purchase higher end if you say it is worth it.

Thank you for reading my email and I hope to get your feedback. can't wait to see more from beautybroadcast.

Sincerely,
Lexie


ANSWER:

Hey Lexie! Mascaras that don't flake... good question! One that has been surprisingly good for me in that department is Cover Girl Lash Blast. It's not my absolute favorite in terms of being volumizing, but it's still pretty good at that too. It really adheres to your lashes and I don't seem to have any smudging/flaking problems with it.

Another option that's a bit more new to me, but appears to be working really well, is L'oreal Telescopic mascara. I have it in the original version, but they also have something called "clean definition" that I've heard good things about.

The basic Difference between Lash Blash and Telescopic is that Lash Blast is a bit more volumizing, and Telescopic is more lengthening. Also, Telescopic's wand is more narrow and easier to work with, while Lash Blast is known for having a rather large wand that can make it difficult to get to those small lashes in the inner corner.

In my opinion, both do well in terms of not flaking. Plus- they're both relatively cheap, so if one doesn't work out for you- you can try the other for not a lot of money!Hope this helped!

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QUESTION:

Hello! I love your videos so much! They are so helpful to me! I was looking for some suggestions from you about drugstore eyeshadow brands. I am trying to be more money conscious when it comes to buying my makeup. I have watched your eyeshadow videos. Could you tell me what are some of the best brands for eye shadows that will still offer a great quality product. Thanks for your help and input!
Kristi

ANSWER:

Hi Kristi!There are plenty of inexpensive eyeshadows out there that will work wonderfully for you. One of the first that comes to mind is Revlon Colorstay shadow palettes. They come with multiple colors and there is a nice range of palettes to choose from. The shadow is nicely pigmented and very long-wearing. I like the kits in Sultry Smoke, Nude Elements, and Berry Bloom. (probably around 7 or 8 bucks at the drugstore)

(left to right: Revlon Colorstay Eyeshadow in Sultry Smoke, Nude Elements, and Berry Bloom)

Another great option is the Ultimate Expressions palettes from Wet & Wild. These come with 8 colors in them (with a good amount of each!) and they have a nice color payoff. My favorite is the kit in Paradise Cove. These run around 5 bucks.

I've always liked Jane shadows, and if you want a pigmented set for a great smokey eye, check out the 6-color kit in City Tones. You get a gorgeous sparkly black shade that reminds me of a similar black I have from Makeup For Ever. These are probably around 6 dollars.

If you're willing to shell out between 3 and 4 bucks for single shades, Milani is a great option. As you'll see on my MAC Dupes Forum, they are quite comparable to a lot of MAC shadows. Some shades I like are Java Bean, Spice, and Illusion.

I hope this helped those who asked the questions, and those of you who are reading this! Have a wonderful day!

♥ Emily

Yay for Makeup and Beauty Blog!

Hey guys! Just thought I'd take a moment to recommend what I believe is a super helpful beauty website. It's called Makeup and Beauty Blog. Karen (pictured at left- photo courtesy M&B Blog) has such a creative way of writing her entries- they're very entertaining! Not ony that, but she posts some super helpful videos on her site (I believe they go straight to her site, not YouTube).

Another thing I enjoy is that while Karen covers a range of high end items, she doesn't forget the drugstore! I continually check with her blog, and am intrigued to read entries- even about products I don't necessarily care tons about- just because her writing is funny & entertaining. Also, the videos she posts are very very brief, usually covering only one small concept at a time... and I think that's something I can learn from. Obviously I can't condense my tutorial that much- but if I'm just giving a helpful tip- short videos can be more convenient for people to watch.

Anyway- if you get a chance- stop by Makeup and Beauty blog. The website address is http://makeupandbeautyblog.com/

Have a great day!

♥Emily

BOGO Warning!

Hey guys!

Just wanted to give you a heads up on Buy-one-get-one-free sales- primarily at drugstores like Walgreens. Of course you see the tags all over saying BOGO or BOGO half off and that sort of thing. So you pick up not one item, but TWO- and you're so excited about it! Well... I was really excited about my BOGO this past weekend, until I had gotten into my car and down the road-- then looked at my receipt and realized the posted BOGO sale didn't really go through!

This has happened to me once in the past and I should've learned my lesson. When these types of sales are going on, for some reason- the sale doesn't always automatically go through when the cahsier scans the item. USUALLY it does, but every now and then, it doesn't. So pay close attention when you're checking out. Sometimes it just helps to make sure with the cashier that you are indeed getting the BOGO deal, or maybe have an advertisement handy so you can point out that you SHOULD be getting the deal.

I just wanted to let you guys know about this since it really sucks when you're already home and you check the receipt, only to realize you didn't get the discount that was advertised. Has that ever happened to you?

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog!
♥
Emily

MAC Dupe Forum

Dupe: In the makeup world, a duplicate product. An item similar to another item from a different brand; a substitute product. Often a dupe is referred to as an inexpensive alternative to a high end item.

I'd like to devote this blog post completely to MAC dupes. Thanks to my email buddy Maria for giving me the idea. I'm going to create a link on the side of my blog so this post will always be easily accessible.

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Here's how it will work- If you know of some affordable duplicates to ANY MAC products- eyeshadow, blush, foundation, lipgloss... anything... leave a comment and tell me what they are. Then I'll post them right here to this page so they'll be organized for everyone to see. (I'll be updating as often as I can.) If you don't have a Blogger account and would rather send me an email, you can do that too: beautybroadcast@hotmail.com


If the "dupe" product does not have a name-- for example if your dupe is part of a palette-- please provide a description. EXAMPLE: "the light shade in the L'oreal HIP duo in Sculpted"-- or-- "the deep brown shade in the Cover Girl Country Woods quad." Also-- I WILL post multiple dupe products for one MAC item- if you have a different suggestion from the one posted- that's ok!

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BRUSHES:

• 134= Coastal Scents Large Paddle Face brush
• 136= Loew Cornell Maxine's Mop 1 inch brush
• 150= Loew Cornell XXL Brown brushes (goat hair)
• 187= Sonia Kashuk Highlighting BrushCoastal Scents Duo Fiber Stippling Brush, Flirt! Skunk Brush,
• 190= Loew Cornell 1 inch Filbert brush
• 194= Loew Cornell #8 Filbert brush
• 224= Coastal Scents Sable Blending Brush
• 226= Coastal Scents Tapered Blending Brush, Sonia Kashuk Blending Brush (dark curvy)
• 228= Loew Cornell Maxine's Mop 1/4 brush
• 239= Loew Cornell Maxine's Mop 3/8 brush
• 242= Loew Cornell Filbert 7500 C
  

EYELINER:

• Fluidline in Black Track= Coastal Scents Gel Liner in True Black, L'oreal HIP Cream Liner in Black

EYESHADOW:

• All that Glitters= NYX Champagne
• Amber Lights= Milani Sun Goddess, NYX Golden
• Black Tied= Milani Storm, Prestige Onyx
• Brulee= NYX Nude
• Carbon= NYX Black
• Coppering= Milani Flare
• Cork= NYX Dark Brown
• Creme de Violet= Aromaleigh's Pure Eyes Frost Eyeshadow in Desire
• Dementhe= Milani Clover
• Electric Eel= Milani Atlantis
• Guacamole= Milani Limbo lime
• Humid= Milani Clover, Ulta Shamrock
• Jest= Milani Peachy Peach
• Juxt= Milani Garden Mist
• Little Madam= Milani Illusion
• Mulch= Milani Java Bean
• Naked Lunch= NYX Sahara
• Nocturnelle= Milani Shock
• Nylon= NYX Barely There
• Paradisco= NYX Tropical or CoverGirl Tropical Fusion Quad (orange shade)
• Partait Amour= Milani Enchantment
• Passionate= NYX Cherry
• Perverted Pearl= Milani Silver Bullet
• Pink Freeze= Milani Taffy
• Plum Dressing= L'oreal HIP duo in Cheeky
• Sable= Milani Java Bean
• Satin Taupe= NYX Root Beer, NYX Iced Mocha, L'oreal HIP Duo in Sassy (taupe shade)
• Shadowy Lady= L'oreal HIP duo in Wicked (purple side)
• Shale= Milani Icy Plum
• Shroom= Milani Classic Beige or Jordana's Beige
• Sketch= Milani Marooned
• Stars 'n' Rockets= Milani Shock
• Steamy= Milani Clover
• Sumptuous Olive= Milani Antiqued Gold
• Vanilla= Milani Snow Frost, Cover Girl single in French Vanilla
• Vellum= Milani Moonlight
• Wedge= L'oreal HIP duo in Shady
• Woodwinked= Milani Golden Bronze, L'oreal HIP duo in Wicked (brown side)

• Mineralized Eyeshadow Duo in Two to Glow= L'oreal HIP Duo in Flare

FOUNDATION:

• Studio Fix Fluid= Revlon Colorstay

LIP BALM:

• GENERAL: MAC Tendertones= L'oreal HIP Jelly Balm

LIPSTICK:

• Creme d'Nude= Revlon Matte Lipstick in Nude Attitude
• Myth= Revlon Matte Lipstick in Nude Attitude
• Viva Glam V= NYC Cafe

PAINT:

• Bare Canvas= L'oreal HIP Paint in Secretive

PAINT POTS:

• Blackground= Mad Minerals Cream Shadow in Carbon
• Indianwood= Mad Minerals Cream Shadow in Bronze Frost
• Painterly= Mad Minerals Cream Shadow in Bare Necessity
• Rubenesque= Mad Minerals Cream Shadow in Apricot Frost

PALETTES:

• MAC Palettes= Coastal Scents 4 piece & 15 piece palettes (hold same size pan), also http://www.starsmakeuphaven.com/ has empty palettes that hold 15 and 28 shadows

PIGMENTS:

• Antique Gold= Splash eye sparkles in Caribbean Bronze
• Golden Lemon= Splash eye sparkles in Golden Beach
• Pink Bronze= Pure Luxe in Fresh
• Vanilla= Pure Luxe in Copper Aura

PLEASE READ! Disclaimer--The recommendations posted to this blog are not my own. They are the ideas of others who view this blog. Please do not hold me personally responsible for any duplicate products that you do not like. I trust that those who offer recommendations have also TRIED the MAC item they're comparing it to, and legitimately believe they are offering a true duplicate product.