Throwback Video of the Week! 4/28/11

Hey everyone! I'm starting up a new concept on Beauty Broadcast called the "Throwback Video of the Week!" I have 557 videos on my YouTube channel right now, so I thought it would be fun to go back through my videos and select one as my throwback of the week! Perhaps you've seen the video before and want to watch it again, or maybe you're new to my channel and have only seen my recent videos! :)

Kalee is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kaleedionne

This week's throwback is What's in Kalee's Makeup Bag! It's one of my all time favorite videos on Beauty Broadcast. We shot the video back in October of 2009. Kalee is one of my very best friends, and we met at the TV station where I work! Kalee is now doing the weather in Birmingham, Alabama. If you've turned on the news at all lately, you know Alabama has been hit hard by a deadly tornado... and Kalee has been in the center of the action- forecasting and watching the devastation unfold. Kalee has so much passion for what she does, as well as the viewers in her area. I know it's been hard on Kalee to be the person that delivers a forecast with calm confidence, knowing that mother nature's fury is causing an absolute crisis on the ground.

So as I pray for Kalee and the many people impacted by the disaster in the south, I wanted to share this video, which may give you a smile. Kalee is a joy to be around, and I know that as viewers in Alabama look to her for guidance, she'll give them comfort and a smile. Thanks for all you do, Kalee, and hang in there! Love you! ♥

Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mono Eyeshadows

Hi everyone! :) Hope Tuesday is going well for you. I gotta say, I didn't really think I'd be trying any more Rimmel eyeshadows after being disappointed by several trios in the past. I found minimal pigmentation, and they just didn't measure up to their drugstore counterparts. But more than a few viewers/readers suggested I check out the Glam'Eyes single shadows... they're fairly new and I've been told they're leaps & bounds ahead of the old Rimmel shadows. Last time I was at Wal-Mart I decided to try a few... I chose neutrals because, if they work out, they can get into my everyday neutral rotation.

left: Jet Black, top: Backstage, right: Dusk

These shadows come in 11 shades, cost between $3 and $4 at Wal-Mart, and according to the Rimmel Website- they have a "soft, silky formula for smooth and intense colour." I gotta say, those claims are pretty accurate! Dare I say, it was love at first swatch! Rimmel has made major changes in the formulation of their eyeshadows, and these singles are great. Does anyone know if the quads and trios also have this new & improved texture? If so, bring 'em on! As you can see in the picture, Backstage is clearly a shimmery metallic shade- but the other two- which at first glance seem matte, have just the slightest... I mean slightest bit of sheen. No sparkle, just a tiny break from being totally matte (perhaps you can tell as the light hits the product in the pan). As opposed to some shadows that feel dry to the point of chalkiness, these are much more creamy and blendable. MUCH moreso than Rimmel shadows used to be.

Left to Right: Backstage, Dusk, Jet Black

My usual swatching policy applies... no primer to help the product... just the product in its natural state, applied with 2 total swipes-- one from the product, and one onto my hand. In terms of these three, I think Backstage (the metallic) and Dusk (the brown) work best together. I like Jet Black, but my one complaint is that it isn't truly "jet black". It's more of a deep charcoal grey. But maybe it wouldn't be quite as blendable if it were a stark black. Who knows. Bottom line- I like these A LOT. Nice color payoff and blendability, nice price... I think Rimmel eyeshadows have redeemed themselves! Now the question is... what colors do I try next...

Daily Nuggets

• I just discovered Tyler Ward Music on YouTube and I've been listening to his stuff while writing this blog. INCREDIBLE.
• I received my Beauty Test Tube that I ordered from QVC today. More on that in an upcoming blog!! (lots of fun products to try!)
• The polish on my toes is about 50% chipped off. hate that.
• Are taco shells that you buy from the store ever not stale? jeesh.
• Cupdate: (that's an update about Cupcake! omg) lately she's been sleeping on a stack of at least 4 blankets. Diva!

Mally More Perfect Palette!

Hey everyone! As you might know, I'm a big fan of Mally makeup! She's a big time celebrity makeup artist (with clients such as Jennifer Lopez!) and she has a great makeup line. If she has a Today's Special Value on QVC, I'm usually all over it! :) But recently I saw a video from itsjudytime on YouTube about a palette she purchased, and it's exclusive to the Mally Beauty website. It looked like a great palette for travel, or just easy everyday use because it has most of your color products all in one kit! So I decided to get it! At $65, it's not a cheap palette- but having used it for a couple of weeks now... I can vouch for how high quality it is! :)

Everything comes in the most adorable little roll-up bag- it's the size of a clutch. It's really the type of thing you'd like to take out and show off- pink, metallic, and so cute!

When you open it up, there's a large pocket that holds the palette, and several elastic holders for 3 brushes and a lip gloss. It rolls up and snaps shut, so everything is secure.

I have tried some other Mally brushes, like those that come with the duo cream/powder blushes, but these seem even higher quality- they have a nice weight to them. The blush brush is decent (probably not my favorite blush brush ever... it's slightly small), the crease brush is pretty standard, but the small smudger/liner brush is PERFECT! It's nice & stiff and is just right for getting a soft liner look. You also get a full-sized lip gloss in Blossom... I am nuts about this gloss! It's a nice opaque, light pink with some metallic shimmer that really makes the face pop! Anyone who enjoys a light pink lip will LOVE this particular shade. It has the built-in brush applicator, which I think is really easy to use.

Left side- blush: Mally's Glow (top) and Romantic (bottom)

Center- eyeshadows: Browlighter & Natural (top)

Shimmering Taupe & Mally's Glow Eyeshadow (middle)

Broadway Bronze & Nolita Navy (bottom)

Right side- Eyeshadow base (top)

Luminous cream highlight (bottom)

Now what you've all been waiting for... the palette! It comes with 2 blushes, 6 eyeshadows, an eyeshadow base, and a cream highlight. I've already tried several of Mally's cream & powder blushes and I've been very impressed... these powder blushes are no exception. Mally's Glow is my favorite!! What a fantastic not too bright/not too light classic pink! Then on the right side- I love how there's actually a little lid that opens up to keep those cream products from getting any shadow fallout on them! I must say- I had some creasing with the eye primer (only used it once)... I plan to try that again and use less to see if it makes a difference. However I do love using the cream highlight- it gives a believable glow just about anywhere... cheekbones, cupid's bow, browbone, tear duct, etc. As for the eyeshadows- check out these swatches...

Love the shadows! The highlight shades (at the top) are nice, but not incredibly unique. The mid-tone and deep shadows really take the cake. I'm really, really enjoying the taupe & bronze shades in the middle! If you ever want to get away with using just one eyeshadow for your whole look- either of those colors are PERFECT! The shimmer in those shades catches the light on the lids, but also builds a contour in the crease- so cool! Both of those colors are somewhat metallic. All of the shades have some degree of shimmer- but those have the most. The bottom shades are great for smokey eyes... I like having a deep charcoal in just about any palette I use, but I find I've actually been using the navy blue the most! :) Just gorgeous.

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Overall opinion: I am so glad I picked up this kit! I think it would make an awesome gift, because the colors are so universal. If you feel overwhelmed by palettes that have a hundred colors in them, I think you'll feel very comfortable with this! You can achieve a natural look... or a dramatic look and there's also a little pamphlet to give you some ideas. Let me know if you'd like to see a tutorial with this palette! :)

Daily Nuggets...

• Speaking of nuggets- I got chicken nuggets from McDonald's today. Not the healthiest option... but it's ok once in a while, right?
• In good health news- I'm drinking more water!
• Cupcake is strutting around the house like a diva after everyone's kind comments on her recent video! Partying Partying MEOW!
• It's muggy out today... a storm is brewing for later tonight.
• Yesterday at work I did a story on sewer grates... people are stealing them & selling them as scrap metal! Not a glamorous news day.

Favorite MAC Lipsticks + Drugstore Dupes!

Hey everyone! Hope your week is off to a good start! I posted a new video yesterday that I am so excited about! :) Initially, I planned to do a video sharing my favorite MAC lipsticks... but to take it a step further, I made it my mission to find drugstore dupes for each of my favorites! It wasn't easy, but I'm very happy with the dupes I found in my collection! It took a lot of swatching (my arm looked SCARY afterward!) but it was worth it! Something I noticed is that you can't just judge the outside appearance of the lipstick itself when you're comparing... sometimes the swatch will come off more (or less) similar than you think! One more thing-- I shot a tutorial on the look I'm wearing in this video- you can expect to see that this week!

Favorite MAC Lipsticks + Drugstore Dupes

MAC Angel ♥ ELF Lipstick in Classy

MAC Creme Cup ♥ Maybelline Shine Sensational in Born With It

MAC Viva Glam II ♥ L'oreal Colour Riche in Fairest Nude

MAC Viva Glam V ♥ Rimmel Moisture Renew in Sunset

MAC Speed Dial ♥ Revlon Colorburst in Carnation

MAC Craving ♥ Maybelline Shine Sensational in Party Pink

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Daily Nuggets

• I got an iPhone!!! And I love it. It's definitely life-changing.
• It's a dreary, rainy day here in southern IL. But I can use a break from the heat... not that it was sweltering here over the weekend, but our AC needs to be looked at!
• Cupcake has found a new napping spot... under my bottom rack of clothes in my closet.
• I got a few new Wallflowers from Bath & Body Works over the weekend- one looks just like a strawberry! Adorable! :)
• I answered some questions on Formspring today. I kind of like the randomness of the questions!
• Over the weekend I did my very first BlogTV!! It was just a test, since I'd never done it before. I'll give more notice before I do it next time. I think you can actually go to the site & subscribe. I had a BLAST! :D

Prom Makeup Class!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to post a blog about the prom makeup class I did at one of my local libraries last weekend! It wasn't really something I was organizing on my own (otherwise I would have publicized it!), but rather something I was asked to come in and do for a small group of girls. It was really fun, because some girls were somewhat experienced with makeup, while others had never used much at all! We spent time discussing makeup strengths and challenges, talked about different styles of prom makeup based on pictures, did a demonstration, and shared the products that need to be in your clutch at prom (emergency kit ideas! Thanks for bringing this up on the Beauty Broadcast Facebook page!)

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Big thanks to Erin for asking me, and also thanks for recruiting the lovely Joelle (shown below) to be my model! :) She's a natural beauty with smooth skin and full, AMAZING eyelashes!

Joelle Before...

Joelle After!

When I was talking with the girls, I sort of boiled prom makeup down to 3 basic categories... Classic (neutral eyes, perhaps a bolder lip), Colorful (playing off the color of your dress or using a complimentary shade on the eyes), or Smokey (bold eye, lighter lip). I showed various pics from my past tutorials to give the girls examples of each look. Joelle decided she wanted a smokey look, and had a blue dress. I thought I'd play off of that, and give her an eye look with navy tones, and something with shimmer!

I used the Coastal Scents Double Stack shimmer palette to create this look. I used a silvery shimmer on the lids and blended it with blueish/purple tones to smoke it out. It was nice to have that palette on hand, because I wasn't sure what color scheme I'd be asked to work with! Besides the eyes, I just evened out Joelle's complexion with a long wearing foundation (Rimmel Lasting Finish) applied with a damp sponge. She said she doesn't like the heavy foundation feel, so this was a way to give her a more natural finish and feel. I used the ELF Studio Complete Coverage concealer (reviewing this soon) to brighten her under-eye area, dusted NYC Sunny Bronzer lightly all over, and used a peachy blush from the CS Double Stack palette on cheeks. Joelle has a lot of natural pigmentation to her lips, so I used MAC Lip Glass in Nymphette to finish the look. She was really happy with the way it turned out, and so was her mom! :D

At the end of the "class" two girls went home with these little gift boxes I made up! They contained the ELF Day 2 Night eye palettes that I recently did a "reviewtorial" on, some ELF lip gloss, my favorite ELF eyeshadow brush, nail files, blotting tissues, and mini containers of eye makeup remover and q-tips. Thanks again to the girls who were there for the class- you were so much fun and I hope you have a great time at prom!

Daily Nuggets...

• It's 2 a.m. and I can't sleep... this is usually around the time when I wake up in the morning! I fell asleep on the couch while Tyler watched basketball.
• I have a new video up and it's a whopping 18 minutes! All about a kit from Tarte.
• Went to St. Louis today & did some shopping. Yes, makeup was involved! :)
• Today was a full day of beauty on QVC... oh the temptations!
• I LOVE PISTACHIOS.
• Has anyone noticed that almost every type of candy makes their own jelly beans for Easter? Now I'm eating Sweetarts jelly beans- can't decide if I like them better than the Jolly Rancher kind!
• I should probably think about sleeping now... so I don't TOTALLY throw myself off schedule! LOL :)