MAC Haul omg!

(clockwise from top: MAC Bronzing Powder in Golden, MAC cream blush in Posey, MAC eyeshadow in Carbon & Trax, MAC Fix +)

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Hey everyone!! This weekend Tyler and I made a trip to St. Louis! It's not a very far drive from where we live, but far enough to where it's kind of a special treat if we go. We went with no real agenda this time, just to do some shopping and get out of town for awhile. One thing I love about St. Louis is the wonderful access to makeup! I had the chance to hit up the Sephora store, as well as MAC! woohoo!

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As I've said in the past, I don't buy a lot of MAC makeup. It's not because I don't think it's good quality- because I really love almost everything I've tried. Basically I don't have much access to it where I live (I know I can order online, but at that price it's nice to see it in person), and also, I tend to not buy a great deal of high-end makeup period. I pride myself in being able to do cool things with drugstore products, and just because I've picked up a few MAC things doesn't mean that will end. In my opinion, there's also something very cool about using brands like MAC side by side with dollar store brands- showing that really, almost any makeup can make you look good if you know how to use it! But anyway, as the makeup enthusiast that I am- I get a thrill out of picking up a brand that I only purchase every once in a great while. I definitely appreciate it when I DO save up to make a purchase! :D

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I knew I wanted to pick up some Fix+, since it's such a multi-purpose type of product. It can do so many things... set your makeup, serve as a mixing medium, etc. Plus you get a lot of it and I think it'll last me awhile. I also wanted to kick off the warm weather season with a new bronzer- I specifically talked to the MUA about something that wasn't too shimmery- and she gave me a quick application of "Golden" bronzer. Loved it! (she told me she liked how I did my makeup as she put on the bronzer, and I left the store all giddy & excited- just ask Tyler). I also knew i wanted Carbon eyeshadow- kind of to see if this super pigmented black is all it's cracked up to be. Plus I can use it in many different ways. Then I thought I'd get a shade that was so unique, I couldn't turn it down. Trax is a lavender with golden undertones (pic doesn't do it justice)- a shade like I've never seen from any other brand. Finally, the cream blush in Posey. I was inspired to get this by Kandee the Makeup Artist on YouTube. She's delightful- and I loved the way she incorporated this juicy pink blush into her tutorials.

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So that's my MAC haul everyone! Some more additions to my small, and slowly growing MAC collection. To those who watch my videos and are MAC lovers- what are the must-have items, in your opinion? Myself and others would love to know!

Have a great day everyone!!

♥

Emily

All Star Blushes!

(top: L-R... ELF blush in Flushed, Rimmel blush in Peach, Milani Minerals blush in Mai Tai

bottom: L-R... Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Whipped Strawberries, Cover Girl Cheekers Blush in Plumberry Glow, Cover Girl Cheekers Blush in Golden Pink)

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Hey everyone! I get a lot of blush-related questions. So I thought I'd show you some of my favorites (which are ALL very affordable), and tell you why they're so great! Next time you're in need of a new blush- keep these in mind!

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*ALL STAR BLUSH AWARDS*

Most Asked About Blush: Milani Minerals in Mai Tai

When I get comments on my videos asking "what shade of blush are your wearing? it's pretty!" they most often come when I'm wearing this great peachy-pink blush from Milani. It's so pigmented and takes very little to show up on your face. Even more vibrant than it appears in the picture. This would be a great summer blush for any skin tone.

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Best Contour Blush: Cover Girl Cheekers in Golden Pink

This is the contour shade I use on a daily basis to make my cheekbones stand out. It works with any brighter blush shade on the apples of your cheeks. It's practically like a bronzer but with just enough warmth to look really nice on the cheeks. Also makes a nice contour for your forehead and jawline.

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Best Blush for Smoky Eye Looks: Rimmel in Peach

There are a lot of blushes out there that have peach in the name, when they're actually just a mix of peach & pink. If you like that true apricot/peach shade with more yellowish undertones than pink- check out this awesome blush from Rimmel. It gives your face a nice healthy look- without being over-the-top... making it a great pick to wear along with a more dramatic smokey eye.

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Blush that gives you the "just worked out" glow: ELF in Flushed

I'm so impressed by this $1 plum-colored blush from ELF. I think it has a great color payoff, and a sheer wash on the apples of your cheeks will give you an unbeatable glow. It looks like kind of a deep color in the package, but keep a light touch and you'll have healthy color that looks great.

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Best Pink Blush: Cover Girl Cheekers in Plumberry Glow

In the package this blush looks like a vibrant pink... perhaps something you might stray away from, thinking 'that's too bright for me!' Let me tell you- it's not. This gorgeous pink with a hint of shimmer is probably one of the most wearable blushes for skintones across the board... whether your fair or dark tan. Like the other Cheekers blush I mentioned above- I keep repurchasing this every time I run out.

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Blush that's most fun to apply: Maybelline Dream Mousse in Whipped Strawberries

If you haven't ventured into the world of Dream Mousse blushes & bronzers- you're missing out. I wasn't a super huge fan of the dream mousee foundation- but I find these blushes to be even lighter in consistency and more blendable. You feel like you're putting the world's lightest frosting on your face haha :D I like the Whipped Strawberries shade because it's not shimmery- just straight pretty pink color. While this is a cream and not a powder- it manages to not feel heavy at all. love it!

Thanks for checking out the blog today! Have a good one!

♥

Emily

Let-Down Alert: Revlon Double Twist Mascara

"Yuk, goopy. Are you really going to put that on?"

-A direct quote from my husband Tyler when I showed him the Double Twist Mascara wand.

Could the same company that brought us revolutionary products like Colorstay Foundation and incredible eyeliners also deliver something completely ineffective and difficult to use? Unfortunately my friends, the answer is yes.

In my opinion, Revlon made a big mistake with its Double Twist mascara. As one who enjoys the rubber brush mascaras for their precision, and traditional mascara brushes for their volume- I thought this would be the best of both worlds- a mascara wand that incorporates both rubber bristles and traditional bristles... claiming to give you all the advantages of both varieities. I trotted up to the checkout at my local Walgreens so hopeful... but ended up really disappointed.

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Double Twist comes in a short stocky, overall cute red tube. The brush is tapered at the tip, and also where it connects on to the wand. As you can probably see from the pictures, it's that tapered area near the wand that ends up with an incredible amount of mascara buildup. In any mascara, there is a mechanism inside that basically cleans off the mascara wand as you pull it out. In my experience- sometimes they pull off far too much of the product... but with this- I felt like it wasn't doing anything. Not only the brush, but the wand itself had an excess of product- most wands I use come out totally clean. In the picture below- you can see that you're left with a large amount of goop to contend with right at the mouth of the tube. Yeah that's real fun to mess with after a frustrating application process.

So how can you get a decent application with this stuff? Well you can wipe off the excess product with a tissue, then very slowly and carefully apply it to your lashes, then take a separate lash comb to take away the clumps... but who has time for all those steps every single morning? It was so hard for me to get this on my lashes without depositing tons of product. After my best attempt, my lashes looked thick alright- but also incredibly weighed down. The curl was gone and they were just kind of there. Obviously thick, and not cute.

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It's important to note that in a previous question of the week (which had gotten around 900 reponses) the vast majority of those who answered said the biggest flaw a mascara can have is being clumpy. So therefore- resist the urge to pickup this pretty red tube of mascara. If you're in the market for a nice drugstore mascara try L'oreal HIP, CoverGirl Volume Exact, or L'oreal Lash Out to name a few.

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

♥

Emily

Broadcast YOUR Beauty!

Hey everyone!

I am so excited! I'm starting up a fun new feature on my blog- and it's also way to get your beautiful faces out there for all to see! Here's the deal: It's called Broadcast YOUR Beauty! If you try out one of my tutorials (ANY of them) snap a picture of the look you've tried and email it to me! Just let me know what look you're trying to duplicate- you don't have to use the same products as me, and you don't even have to tell me what products you used. I will then post your pictures under this blog! I've created a special link for it on the right. I just thought this would inspire others to test out some of the tutorials- and see that they really are easy and fun!

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EMAIL YOUR PICTURES TO:
beautybroadcast@hotmail.com

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*Don't forget to tell me what tutorial of mine you used as a guide!

*For some really clear pictures of some of my different YouTube tutorial looks- head to my Beauty Broadcast Facebook Fan Page- (there's a link on the right hand side of the blog)

Thanks everyone, and have a wonderful day!!
♥
Emily

aubz628
Easy Green & Pink Eye Tutorial

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PrincesseJen

Wear Anywhere Neutral Eye

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lauren4291

Dramatic Smokey Pink Eye Tutorial

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MAKEUPFANATIC83

Peach & Brown eyeshadow tutorial

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Priyanka

Lazy Weekend Makeup Tutorial

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Audri

Smoldering Olive Eye Tutorial

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Ana

look inspired by: 88 Shimmer Purple & Gold

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Jessica

88 Shimmer Purple & Gold

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Kathleen

Teen Tutorial: Sparkly Honey Brown

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Amanda

Date Night Eyes: Plum with MAC

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Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Eyeshadow!

Hey everyone! Meet one of my new favorite eyeshadow products! It's from Physician's Formula- it's the Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner. Sorry I got a little crop-happy with the picture above HAHA- but that set is the Smoky Hazel Eyes collection. It is so great!! I know I don't have hazel eyes, mine are brown... but it really doesn't matter. Not only did they sell different "smoky" sets- but also just regular groupings for each eye color.

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I'm definitely going to be picking up some other color groupings of these- and I think it's important that just because a certain set is labeled "brown eyes" or "green eyes" doesn't mean those are the only people who can use them. Try whatever you want! There are so many options within each 9-color palette, you can't go wrong. I was initially drawn to the Smoky Hazel set becaues of the pretty deep mauve tones- and the rich charcoal & black colors. It's just a really nice assortment. As far as the texture- they're all pretty shimmery- some more than others- and they feel basically the same as the Shimmer Strips bronzers (which you can totally use as eyeshadow too!)



I've been mixing and matching shades throughout the whole palette, but if you want some more direction- definitely hold on to your packaging. It points out that you can use the top 3 colors in the palette for a natural look, the middle 3 for a playful look- and the bottom 3 for a dramatic look. Some of the darker shades can make good liners (as the name of the product suggests)- and you get an angled sponge-tip applicator, which I haven't used a lot but can be nice for getting into small places.

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Head over to your local drugstore, or visit the Physician's Formula website for more details:
How to Use
Smoky Collection
Original Collection

It's my sister-in-law Sarah! I used the palette to do her makeup for her graduation. I also used it in my Carrie Underwood tutorial! :D

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Have a great day everyone!

Emily

Back in action baby!

(sneak peek: my Carrie Underwood 100 Most Beautiful Tutorial!)


WOOHOO! These 10 days without cable and internet feel more like a month has just passed. You'll remember- a severe storm knocked out my power completely for almost a week- but it took even longer for the cable/internet services to get out and take care of their part of the job. This morning I actually did an interview with the head honcho of the cable/internet company- about why it's taking so long... then- I could hardly believe my eyes- I was driving down my street on my way home from work- and there was a Mediacom truck! They were fixing the problem and within an hour or so it was all back up and running.

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I might be making this seem like it's the biggest crisis in the world, which is most certainly isn't- but during this period of time when I couldn't post videos, I really realized just how important it is to me. It's really a huge part of my life and I just couldn't feel quite right when I wasn't doing it. So I'm really glad to get back in the saddle. Needless to say, I'm completely behind on emails, YT messages, comments, etc. It's never been easy for me to keep up with that (considering I also work a full time job with unusual hours) but I will do my best to get back to those who've asked me questions.

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As of right now- I'm uploading my Carrie Underwood tutorial- WOOHOO! And I've just painted my nails a cool creamy nude shade, my hair is in a Turbie Twist (after a shower it's the best way to get my hair drying out), and Tyler is watching ESPN on TV. After going this long without cable, it's like I don't even care what's on TV as long as it's working. Tomorrow I plan to post sort of an update vlog on my channel, just getting everyone up to date with what has happened/is happening. Thanks again to everyone for the kind messages, and thanks for continuing to read my blog- those who do are my most loyal supporters! Have a wonderful week!

♥

Emily

Random Beauty Quizzes!

Hi!
As I feared- we've gone almost all the way through the weekend- still without internet. I don't want to belabor the point, but I just wanted to let you know why there were still no videos up. I'm once again at the law library with Tyler... where I can at least post blogs and stuff. I ran across this website with zillions of quizzes (that's when you KNOW you're bored haha!) and I thought I'd take the beauty-related ones and post the links so you can try them yourself! (results are not scientific LOL) Have fun!
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Emily

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What Type of Beauty Are You?

http://www.blogthings.com/whattypeofbeautyareyouquiz/

You are a Classic beauty!

You have a timeless beauty that looks great in every decade Instead following trends, you stick to what works And this means you never skimp on your beauty routine Upside? Your classic looks tends to attract gentlemen - not boys.

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What Color Nail Polish Best Fits You?

http://www.blogthings.com/whatcolornailpolishbestfitsyouquiz/

Your Nail Polish Color is Magenta

How you're unique: You're confident - and you show everyone the true you Why your style rocks: You have the attitude to carry the most outrageous outfits off What this color says about you: "Look at me. I know you want to!"

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How Girly Are You?

http://www.blogthings.com/howgirlyareyouquiz/

You are 64% Girly

You're a pretty girly chick, and you're not ashamed to admit it (or wear pink). But you're also practical. You can hang with the guys, as long as they're not too gross!

Sterling Minerals Review

(all images courtesy www.sterlingminerals.com -

click the picture above to visit webiste)

Hello everyone!
Hope you're all having a good weekend so far. If you've been watching my videos for awhile, you may have noticed that while I sometimes use liquid foundations- I've also experimented with many different brands of mineral makeup. Some of them I love, and some of them I really don't like! Sterling Minerals is on my love list. In the past I've raved about Everyday Minerals, which I also love, but sometimes I hear from those who say it's irritated their skin and they've had to discontinue use. It's worked fine for me, but I wanted to test an alternate product that claimed to be very skin friendly... so if EDM didn't work for you- maybe this would.

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I really can't provide EVERYTHING there is to know about this brand here on my blog- but the Sterling Minerals website is extremely informative and will likely answer any questions you may have. They have a section called "research center" http://www.sterlingminerals.com/research-center.asp which is a great place to learn more.

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According to the website: "You can enjoy a 4 in 1 money saving formula of Sunscreen, Foundation, Concealer, and Powder. Our minerals will do more than just calm and prevent irritation; they will assist in healing and repairing your skin, and will prevent flakiness, and the itchy feeling that can occur with some other brands. They are feather light on your skin and will not settle into fine lines. They will trap excess oil and retain moisture against your skin giving you a lustrous, soft, natural looking veil lasting all day until you wash them off. Colors are transfer resistant and are virtually waterproof, sweat-proof, and will hold up in high humidity."

Foundation: $24.00

My shade: Hannah- Velvet Rose Petal formula

The first thing I noticed about this foundation was how soft it felt on my face. It gave my face a very matte appearance and seemed to be medium coverage- but it is quite buildable, while still giving you a natural, not caked-on look. This is one of the most long-wearing mineral foundations, it took me through my work day staying matte- even under the bright lights on the anchor desk!

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The neat thing about this brand is that they have 3 different foundation formulations: mine is Velvet Rose Petal for Normal to Oily skin, and it's meant to give you the most opaque coverage. They also have Dewy Rose Petal for Normal to Combination skin, and Delicate Rose Petal for Normal to Dry and Sensitive skin- woohoo! -I know some of you are in the market for a mineral foundation that caters specifically to sensitive skin! Also- the website gives very clear descriptions of each shade- making it easy for me to pick the right one.

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Mineral Blush in Sunset $15.00

I LOVE this blush! It's a super pigmented deep coral shade. Blends beautifully into the skin and I think this particular shade would work great on a variety of skin tones. It's like my Milani Minerals blush in Mai Tai- only a little heavier on the peach and lighter on the pink. On the Sterling Minerals website- they give descriptions with each blush saying what skin tone it would work best for- really cool!

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Satin Rose Finishing Veil $22.00

Like many mineral makeup brands- sterling minerals also has a finishing veil meant to keep skin looking matte, fresh, and decrease the appearance of pores. I'm not sure how to describe this, but the texture on this particular product is very powdery and dry- this might be hard to comprehend- since clearly, the line of makeup is indeed made up of various powders. It's not necessarily a bad thing- but this product seemed very dry as I was touching it with my fingers- but on my face it really did add to the matte effect I was after.

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Overall Impressions

• My skin did not have any adverse reactions to the products- they seemed to be very gentle and after continuous use- I felt the condition of my skin actually had improved!
• Fantastic website- loads of info about the products- including ingredients- and it's very user friendly in terms of finding the right shade.
• All the products are very easy to blend, and manage to provide good coverage yet a lightweight, non-cakey feel- this is a big deal to me.
• The foundation had great staying power for me- even after a day at work
• The blush is fantastic and I'd imagine the other shades would be equally pigmented and pretty
• The finishing veil is nice- but I'm not sure how well it would work for extremely dry skin... because it had sort of a dry, powdery feel.
• The price is obviously higher than what you'd pay at the drugstore, especially for the foundation- however if you're looking for something that caters to the health of your skin- this might be worth checking out
• There are samples available on the website- but they are not free. They're $3.50 apiece and the containers aren't necessarily filled to the brim with the product. The website says you should be given enough for 7 days worth of applications. http://www.sterlingminerals.com/samples.asp

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Thanks for checking out this review everyone! Please let me know if you've tried this brand, or are planning to try it. What did you think? Once my internet is back up and running at home, I'll definitely be using this product in tutorials so you can see it in action. Have a great day!

♥

Emily

High Quality Bargain Eye Brushes

Hello again! YES- not one, not two, but three blogs in one day! For more on how I'm getting this accomplished with no internet at home, check the Kat Von D post.

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As I've mentioned in the past, I believe Coastal Scents has some great quality brushes. They are wonderful for those who're watching their budget- or even if you're not watching your budget and you just want some super makeup brushes. Are you in the process of building your brush collection? I'll walk you through some terrific eye brushes- ALL OF THEM ARE LESS THAN $3 EACH! (all photos courtesy www.coastalscents.com)

Professional Brow Comb $1.49

This is nothing wildly different from any other brow comb I've had... except for the fact that the handle is somewhat short and seems to be less likely to snap off- which has happened to me with several other brow/lash combs. One end of this is a comb that you can use to go through your lashes to remove clumps once you've applied mascara. The stiff, brush-like bristles on the other side will help you tame/shape your eyebrows- a critical part of doing makeup in my opinion.

Angle Brow Define Brush $1.79

This is such a nice little brush to use to fill in your brows. I like to use a matte dark brown eyeshadow to fill in a small scar on the outer half of my left eyebrow. This brush has just the right amount of stiffness to give me natural looking coverage, and the angled edge makes it very user-friendly. Like the first brush, it has a short handle, which is very convenient for traveling.

Sable Contour Brush $1.79

Do you wish you had more control when applying shadow to your crease? Do you feel most crease brushes are too big? Do you struggle achieving the "outer V"? If you answered yes to these questions, you should probably get this brush. I often mention my Essence of Beauty Crease brushes from CVS, and this is very comparable to those. The bristles are dense, and not only is this nice for keeping control of your crease shade- but it smudges colors nicely as well. This brush is yet another member of the short-handled family.

Synthetic Deluxe Crease Brush $2.79

From the looks of the pictures- you're probably thinking this is the same brush as the one above, only with different colored bristles. Well, looks can be deceiving because this brush is very different. It's a bit larger than the sable brush- and it's probably the softest eyeshadow brush I've ever used. That soft quality- paired with the DENSITY of the bristles makes this ideal for giving your shadows that expert-blended look. Terrific for blurring the line between shadow colors, and small enough to work nicely in the crease. This is such a unique brush and I've yet to find anything like it elsewhere. Definitely a must-have!

Taklon Angle Liner $1.85

Well, this is not the same brush I have, but it's close. For some reason I couldn't find the Taklon angle liner brush I have on the website anymore. Mine has a maroon handle and grey-ish bristles. You've probably seen me use it in some tutorials. (The label on the brush I have says 1B113 Taklon Liner). I've been using it every day since I first got it. I love using it to apply a shadow over my lower liner to set it for the day. It meets some of my most important brush critera: soft, dense, holds its shape, and cheap! Since the one pictured is also a Taklon angle brush- I'm sure it's pretty similar. If you wanted to cut corners a bit- you could use that Angle Brow Define brush as a liner brush as well.

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What are some of your favorite Coastal Scents brushes? Please share!

Have a great day,

Emily

Review: Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer

Hello everyone!

Since I'm still without internet and I can't stand not doing makeup stuff- I had Tyler take me to the law school so I could use the computer there to at least post some blogs. I think lots of people in the area continue to be without cable/internet service. I'm just trying to make the best of it! I've been waiting to do video reviews on some things for awhile now- and I still might- but those of you who follow my blog will be getting the inside scoop. I would post videos from here too- but the uploading process takes too long and I don't think these computers have the capabilities I need for that. Not to mention the fact that I'm probably not supposed to be here doing this... but oh well! It's completely dead here since the school year is over.

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer

(photo courtesy sephora.com: click here for more product info)

So now on with the review!! Have you gotten your most recent Sephora catalog in the mail? Perhaps you noticed a product from Sephora's Kat Von D line called "Tattoo Concealer". (Kat Von D is a famous Tattoo Artist, in case you weren't aware). You might be thinking- how many of us really need a Tattoo Concealer? Well- this isn't strictly for tattoos- but I believe the title of the product indicates how much the product is capable of. It can be used for blemishes, undereye circles, and various other imperfections.

Kat Von D

(photo courtesy sephora.com)

I believe this pretty much says it all about this product: I've been using it daily since the first time I tried it. In the words of sephora.com: "This oil-free, long-wearing formula makes blemishes, dark circles, tattoos, and imperfections disappear. It is perfect for any occasion that calls for a flawless look." I couldn't agree more!! I have this concealer in #1 Light. It costs $25 at sephora.com. It's obviously more than I usually spend on makeup, but as you know, I tend to splurge a bit when it comes to concealer- because that "wide awake" look is pretty important when you're a morning news anchor.

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Compared to my other concealers- you really get a lot of product for your money with this- it comes in a pretty large-sized tube. I use it primarily on my under-eye area and unlike my Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer kit (which I still LOVE- don't get me wrong)- this Kat Von D concealer is much more lightweight, which is a nice bonus as we head into summer when things start melting off our faces. The coverage is phenomenal, but it doesn't get cakey or greasy at any point in time- remember- this product is oil free.

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I top it off with a light dusting of loose powder and it's there for the entire day. AND ANOTHER THING: as with any under-eye concealer, I apply this all the way up to my lower lashline to take care of any and all discoloration. As a result, I feel my lower liner has stayed on better with less smudging. All of you eyeliner wearers know- this is a super amazing thing.

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Overall- I'm able to achieve the same flawless look that I get with my Bobbi Brown concealer- but I feel like I'm using less product and paying less money. Hopefully you don't consider this to be an "overshare" but I have a small (tiny) pink megaphone tattoo on my lower left abdomen. Of course I had to see if this "tattoo" concealer would actually cover that up. I'd say it covered it up about 85%. Paired with some extra powder- I think this stuff could completely cover it up.

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Thanks for stopping by the blog everyone- and "have a wonderful day!!" (That's how the people at my cable/internet company ended each call on the 3 occassions I called to check their progress on the outage- LOL)

♥

Emily

Quick Update: Power, but no Internet

Hey guys!
Good news and bad news to pass along! The GOOD: On Wednesday evening the power came back on at our apartment. No more feeling arond in the dark trying to get ready for work.The BAD: The cable and internet are still not up and running, which almost annoys me more than not having power, because it means I can't post videos.


Let's hope it gets restored soon. Here are some upcoming videos/blogs that you can expect once I get internet access again:


-People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful- Carrie Underwood (tutorial)
-Sterling Minerals (Review)
-Coastal Scents Bargain Brushes (Review)
-LA Colors Nail Polishes (Review)
-My TV News Makeup Routine (tutorial)
-More Brand Favorites Videos (my must haves from brands like L'oreal, Rimmel, etc.)
-More Teen Tutorial/Mature Makeup vids
-Warm Weather makeup! Using bronzers, SPF, etc. (tutorial)


And MUCH more! I've got a lot of lost time to make up for! :D
Have a great day, and a great weekend!
♥
Emily

Storm Aftermath: Still No Power!

(photos courtesy http://www.wsiltv.com/, WSIL is the TV station where I work)

Hey everyone- Not sure how many people know about this- but this past Friday a HUGE storm rolled through my region- leaving a lot of destruction in it's path. It has knocked out power to thousands and I am still without power myself in my apartment, so I'm writing this blog at work (had a few minutes of down-time :) Fortunately the lack of power is the only thing I have to complain about- there was no damage to my apartment, vehicles, etc. But as you can see through the pictures I posted- there was a lot of widespread damage throughout the region. I've never seen so many trees uprooted, falling on homes and vehicles. We have been happy to report- there was only one fatality caused by this horrible storm. Some people are referring to it as an "inland hurricane" due to the 100+ mile per hour winds and the pattern it resembled on radar... however out chief meteorologist insists it's not a hurricane (they have to form over water), but rather it was a "macroburst", a widespread storm with very high sustained winds.

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When the storm happened- I was actually on my way to my sister-in-laws graduation several hours north of where I live. We barely made it 15 miles before we were caught in the storm, and had to rush into a restaurant- debris was blowing everywhere- it is definitely my scariest storm situation so far in my life. Once we were able to get back on the road, we saw semi trucks on their side, huge trees blown onto the interstate, and many damaged buildings.

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After spending a day or so in Charleston, it was time to head back and see what damage was waiting for us in Carbondale. (that was Saturday). We've been without power for days now, and it's been so hard to get ready for work. As you know, I anchor a morning newscast- so it's obviously going to be dark outside... but with now power I can barely see what I'm doing to get ready. I have to basically light a bunch of candles and try to not light myself on fire while I use hairspray.

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On Monday I thought I'd just be able to do a little getting ready at home- and I'd be able to finish at the TV station, since a generator keeps the building running... So I toted my blow dryer, curling iron, and other stuff, and arrived early so I could get the process going... only to find that to conserve power, the only lights in the building being used were the studio lights (only to be tunred on a few minutes before the broadcast) and a few newsroom lights. No bathroom lights, no lights in the makeup area. What am I supposed to do? This probably sounds like a trivial problem, and it is, but when your show broadcasts to thousands of people, you kind of like to see yourself in the light first. I just thought you would be interested in this bit of info, since this is a beauty blog! :D

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Today (Wednesday) when I arrived at work- full power was restored at the station, but I'm still without power at home. I assure you that as soon as power is back- I'll be posting videos almost daily- just like before. I've got a Carrie Underwood 100 Most Beautiful people tutorial all ready to go! Thanks to everyone for bearing with me, and for the kind comments you've sent. I really appreciate it, and hope to be back up and running soon!

Have a great day!

♥Emily

Bee Luscious 5-Color Eyeshadow Palettes

Hey everyone!

If you've browsed the website for Bee Royal Products, perhaps you've noticed these 5-color shadow sets under the site's "Cosmetics-eyes" section. I've mentioned the neutral palette before, but after trying several others I wanted to give an overall review. In the swatches, there is no base used- I wanted to show you what the shadows themselves were capable of. In some cases I've seen some patterns that remain constant in all the palettes, so I thought I'd share my thoughts with you. First- here are some quick comments on the these palettes as a whole:

PROS:
-Nice packaging. Classy black palette with a nice mirror, and a double ended brush you can actually use
-Generally, the fifth shade in all of these palettes is very nicely pigmented and intense
-Getting 5 colors in a palette is nice- you can create a variety of looks in one palette
-Nice selection of color groupings to pick from
-The matte shades are VERY silky feeling. They build-up nicely on the eye, especially the deep tones

CONS:
-At 36.95 per palette, it's a little pricey
-As you'll notice from the swatches, the lighter shades in the palettes are kind of sheer, in some cases they're not pigmented enough
-Not a huge issue here, but on the website, these are all listed individually throughout the "cosmetics- eyes" section of the website. It would be a little bit easier to look them up if they were all under one category.

THE NATURALS

THE NATURALS SWATCHES

-Good palette for a natural, everyday look- I used this in one of my Mature Makeup tutorials

-The lighter shades don't show up quite enough for my liking

-Love the darkest matte brown color & the second darkest mauve-brown shade

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SEA & SKY BLUES

SEA & SKY BLUES SWATCHES

-The most pigmented palette of the bunch, especially the white shade, the center blue, and the dark navy
-Used this in my wearable blue eyeshadow tutorial and it worked great
-Nothing much bad to say about this palette- it's great!

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AMETHYST GEMS

AMETHYST GEMS SWATCHES

-I thought this would be my favorite palette of the bunch, but instead it was my least favorite

-None of the shades are quite as pigmented as I thought they would be. The dark plum is decent, and the center shade is kind of pretty and frosty... but as a whole it's very sheer

-Palette would be better if they lost one of the light shades and threw in an even deeper plum

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RAINFOREST GREENS

RAINFOREST GREENS SWATCHES

-I really like the selection of shades in this palette- expect a tutorial using these soon

-Loving the two deepest green shades together, very pretty and pigmented

-I like that a yellowish green was thrown in to add some variety

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Thanks so much for taking the time to read my remarks on these products. Honestly, I was expecting a bit more quality for the price, however I do find the blue and green palettes to be excellent. Overall, my favorite Bee Luscious Eyeshadow product, and one of the best eyeshadow products I own is the Bee Luscious signature palette in Naturalist. All of the shades in that palette are matte, pigmented, and practically creamy. Here's a link if you want to see what I'm talking about:

http://www.beeroyalproducts.com/store/product.php?productid=378&cat=7&page=1

Have a great day everyone!

♥

Emily

New Video Series: People Mag's 100 Most Beautiful!

To all who love the celebrity-inspired looks- you're going to LOVE this! As you may know- People Magazine recently put out their 100 Most Beautiful People edition. While I won't be doing all 100 looks (some of them are men, duh! LOL), I will be doing some of my favorites.

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Certain looks, like my first one for Jennifer Lopez, will be a direct re-creation of the photo in the magazine. For others, I'll base my look off of that particular person's signature makeup look that you may often see them wearing. For example- in my second installment of this series- I'll do a Carrie Underwood look- using some signature aspects of her makeup- which may not necessarily be an exact re-creation of her pic in the magazine... besides, some pictures on the "Most Beautiful" list are quite small!

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Just wanted to update you on this new series- so look out for these videos on my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/emilynoel83

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Have a great day everyone!! Thanks so much for the kind messages and comments, they really make my day! Please bear with me though, my inbox on YouTube is doing some strange things- like not telling me if messages have sent, and not telling me if the friends I've added have actually been added as friends. Hopefully that gets all cleared up soon. Don't forget, if you watch me on YouTube make sure you subscribe- and tell your friends! :D

♥Emily

Sephora Calypso Soul Palette + Guest FOTD!

Hey everyone!

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you're having a great weekend. Just wanted to post my review/recommendation for the new Sephora Calypso Soul palette- it's awesome! It really strikes me as a great gift item- and that's why I added it to my list of Mother's Day Shopping Ideas in a recent video.

I love the fact that this 5-color palette could give you a traditional smokey eye- but you also have a couple of fun colorful shades to play with. These are also VELVETY soft shades- kind of different from some Sephora brand eyeshadows I've tried in the past. They actually remind of my Smashbox shadows- plus the packaging is SO cute!!

The cost is $32 on Sephora.com... click this link for more details

Last weekend when my sister-in-law Sarah was visiting, I used the palette on her, and I've used it on myself quite a few times too. Below is the look I did on her- My "guest" Face of the Day!

• Step 1: Go all over the lid with the shimmery white shade
• Step 2: Apply the turquoise blue shade on the outer half of the lid and into the crease
• Step 3: To better define the outer V, use the charcoal grey shade on the outer half of the crease, this will do interesting things to the blue- keeping the blue-ish tone but making it deeper.
• Step 4: Use the charcoal shade with a liner brush- it can serve as your lower liner
• Step 5: Highlight with the second lightest shade in the palette- it's gold-toned
• Step 6: Liner upper lashline with black pencil liner
• Step 7: Apply mascara & false lashes for added drama!
  

I chose to keep the look kind of soft- but the charcoal shade in the palette allows for lots of drama if that's what you're going for. Or you could lay off of that dark shade a bit to let the blues/greens show up more! And this is part of why I love the palette- it's so versatile!

Have a great day everyone!

♥Emily