Milani Runway Shadows: New Shades

Hey everyone! I had the opportunity to try some new Milani products for the season that the company's PR team sent to me. Considering I've already bought a considerable amount of Milani makeup and enjoy the brand, I was excited to see what this season will hold, and plan to give lots of reviews as I test things out! Initially, I was drawn to these individual "Runway Eyes" shadows in these pretty soft colors. They're packaged basically the same as the baked collection, and since these are also baked, the application options are the same... you can apply these dry for a soft look, or wet for more intensity. If you'd like to see how to work with the whole wet/dry application concept, check out this video. The best price I can find on these is $4.99 at cherryculture.com.

Runway Eyes from left to right: Golden Touch, Peaches & Cream, Antigua

The shades look super pretty in the packaging, but they clearly included a lot of glitter. I was totally unimpressed by my initial swatches, because glitter seemed to go everywhere, and the swatches weren't very intense. Applied on the eye with a brush... the actual pigment in these shades was even more sheer and relatively undetectable. However, paired with just a bit of water, the metallic pigment really came out in these shadows-- showing off much more color along with the glitter. You can see for yourself in these swatches...

Dry swatches

♥

Wet Swatches

♥

While I'm probably not going to waste my time applying these dry, I will most definitely be using them wet for a pop of sparkle & shine on the lids. I'd really suggest sticking to the lids with these colors, because while the golden and peach shades seem like highlights, it's really a whole lot of glitter for the brow-bone. Applied in a concentrated way on the lids- you get pretty sparkle without a total glitter-fest all over the eye area. When you apply them wet, you have more control over the glitter, instead of it flaking everywhere. I can see these colors being worn alone, or paired with a deeper contour. Antigua is gorgeous wet- and I'm excited to apply it with deeper olives in my Too Faced Natural at Night palette for a smoky look.

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• Thanks for the great feedback on the last blog post that mom wrote. She's working on more! :)
• My day was made watching a re-creation of my Chocolate Covered Cherry look by Misty. I love the joy you see on her face as the look develops. When I watch things like this, I feel such total fulfillment in what I do. I am so thankful to have inspired people!
• I'm enjoying a non-alcoholic Crystal Light Mojito. Yep, it's a real party here!
• Looking for an incredible gift or home decor? My sister is now selling prints of her watercolor paintings! All kinds of sizes/price ranges. Check them out!

Mom Approved: Cover Girl Line Blast 24 Hr.

Hey everyone! Sorry for the little blog break. February is shaping up to be an especially busy month in terms of speaking engagements and events outside of work. But I'm getting back to blogging! This one happens to be a guest blog from my mom, Jackie! She's in her 60's, and I get lots of requests for videos with her, and info on what kinds of products she likes. We're planning some different videos for the next time we get together, but meanwhile, she's providing me with some product reviews! This one was a product I recommended to her because she has some specific needs where her eyeliner is concerned. I think it's nice to share reviews from different perspectives, so take it away, Mom!

Cover Girl Line Blast 24 hr. - A Guest Review by Emily's Mom, Jackie

"Emily recently informed me of one product that solved two problems for me. Being Emily's Mom has its advantages!

Aging brings about problems that I inform Emily about. She always seems to come up with an answer. In the process, she is learning about aging skin and can, therefore, help another age group of women. The item she suggested is "Cover Girl LineBlast 24 hour." It is a felt tip eyeliner with a very delicate point that flows on smoothly with one stroke. I chose "Eternal Brown 805" as I have lighter hair and wanted something less harsh than black.

My previous liners were Almay Liquid, which would practically blot off, just under my brow bone, if I "teared up." This was due to my skin sagging a bit and coming into contact with the liner. I then tried Maybelline UltraLiner in a waterproof formula. This product was somewhat thicker and the applicator brush was less precise, making it harder to apply. LineBlast works well for me because I can wear it all day and don't have to worry about it transferring or smudging onto other parts of my eye.

The second problem she addressed with the "lineblast 24 hour" was that in applying it to the lash line, the point was so small that it did not brush across the lashes and add product where you did not want it. This makes the application of mascara easier, as there is no residue of eyeliner on the lash."

Thanks for the review, Mom! She's enjoying this liner, and so am I. I have it in black and love the staying power, and how it dries matte. Something to keep in mind- store the liner with the tip facing down (in a cup or something) so the liquid will flow to the tip and extend your use of the product. To see this liner in action, check out my College Girl Beauty: Night Out tutorial or my Valentine's Day Chocolate Covered Cherry look. It costs around $6 at the drugstore.

Got a question for mom?

E-mail beautybroadcast@hotmail.com and put "Ask Mom" in the subject line.

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• I'm writing an hour-long speech for a Teen Conference this coming weekend. It's kind of centered around self-confidence... let me know if there are any useful bits of advice I should include.
• Posted the latest video in my College Girl Beauty Series this morning!
• I was watching "The Bodyguard" last night... believe it or not, I don't think I've ever seen that movie before. Enjoyed it! RIP Whitney.
• Tyler made another pot of his healthy turkey chili. I can honestly say I LOVE it!
• I just asked Cupcake if there was anything she wanted to add, and she turned her face in and covered it with her paw, like cats do. Too cute.

My Top 5 NYX Mega Shine Glosses!

Hey everyone! I know, back to back lip blogs! Yes, I'm a little obsessed. And you know what's cracking me up right now? The effect I added to the photo above is the effect you see on a two-year-old's photo at Sears. You know what I mean? But instead of seeing an adorable toddler face, you're seeing a fist-full of lip gloss. LOL. Anyway... Ashley on Facebook told me she was interested in getting some more NYX Mega Shine Glosses (Emily Award winners), and she wanted to know my favorites! And I think it's a good thing to share, since NYX has such a big color selection. It's hard to know where to begin when you're looking at swatches online. (FYI- these are $3.99 right now at cherryculture.com)

There are a few reasons why I love this particular line of glosses... the texture is really nice. It doesn't feel sticky to me at all, yet it's just thick enough to not slide right off your lips. The color selection is awesome, and you can expect to really SEE color on your lips. I've tried maybe a dozen of these glosses, and only ONE is what I'd classify as being "sheer". Everything else is quite opaque and will really lay down some good color on the lips. They also seem to even out the texture of my lips nicely, and the shine? You bet!

So here are my favorites... just listed from lightest to darkest as they appear from top to bottom above. (There are still others I like, but if I had to pick a top 5, here they are!)

• Beige Pearl... a light, shimmery-metallic gloss. Reminds me a bit of one of my favorite Revlon Super Lustrous Glosses, Foiled. I often use this for a pop of brightness in the center of the lower lip. But for a nude lip that really glows, use it all over!
• Sweet Heart... This shade is probably best described as pearly peach. You don't see big flecks of glitter, but just a smooth pearly finish. More opaque than Beige Pearl.
• Cosmo... Goodness! Don't get me started on Cosmo. This is a total face brightener. It's hard to call it "neutral" with all the gorgeous shimmer & shine, but it really is a rosy neutral that I can see working on many skin tones. I used to be obsessed with Jordana Pretty Shine Gloss in Lovely... then it was discontinued, but this is pretty darn close.
• Beige... Yes, you read that correctly. This fresh, creamy pink was named "Beige". I don't understand it, but whatever the name, I love this pink. No shimmer, no pearl, just pink perfection in lip gloss form. Definitely a go-to pink gloss!
• Copper Penny... I think of this one as a metallic raspberry. You know I love my berries! It comes off on the lips pretty much exactly how you'd expect from looking at the packaging. I know the name is a little misleading, but this is a super-wearable berry!

Swatches shown in the order shades are listed above...

Beige Pearl, Sweet Heart, Cosmo, Beige, Copper Penny

These glosses have a typical doe-foot applicator. My only complaint is that you have to be a little careful as you insert the applicator back into the tube. The opening is kind of narrow, and if you're not careful, you can end up with product coming out and getting around the portion to the tube where you screw on the cap. Hasn't been a big issue for me, but just something I wanted to mention.

Thank you so much for taking the time to check out this blog, and thanks to Ashley for requesting it! Hope everyone is having a great week! :)

Daily Nuggets...

• Time is flying this year... can't believe I already posted my Valentine's Day tutorial!
• I've started watching "The Voice" this year! Getting caught up on last night's show as I write this blog :) I love the concept!
• Guess I never really noticed before- Blake Shelton has quite a nice head of hair!
• Cupcake has been a magnet for bathroom towels lately. If she finds one, you can bet she'll be napping on it!
• If you keep up with me on Twitter, you know I've been candy-free for more than a month now. Seems to get easier the longer I keep it up! I'm now more satisfied with having a piece of fruit for my sweetness.

Six (or more) Lip Looks- One Kit

Hey everyone! Thought I'd throw together a blog on a kit of lip products I'm loving. I got it with a gift card my sister gave me for Christmas (Thanks Pup!)... it's Sephora Favorites- Give Me Some Lip- a $25 collection of some of Sephora's best-selling lip products. If you want to experiment with high end lip products... this is the way to go. I love the idea of getting six for the price of what one high end lipstick sometimes costs!

I titled this blog "Six (or more) Lip Looks", because beyond just wearing all of these on their own, you can layer different ones for some interesting effects. They're all small-sized... but in my experience with little lip products... they can still last a really long time! This adorable tin makes for a cute presentation... I know if I didn't already have this- I'd opt for a tin of lip gloss over a tin of chocolate as a Valentine's Day gift! :)

I love how no two lip product formats were the same... you get a plumper, a traditional sheer glossy gloss, a lipstick, jumbo pencil, stain, and an opaque gloss. There's also a great color variety... if nude, berry, red, or pink are new to you- this is a great way to give a new color a test drive. I wanted to show you what each of these look like on the lips!

♥

Bare Escentuals Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish in Leslie

This lip product is an Emily Award winner for best lip plumper! I was glad to get to try I shade I didn't have... this one is a pretty peachy-gold. I enjoy the minty tingle and truly do notice some plumping action! The gloss level is great and it's just tacky enough to wear longer than most other glosses I own.

♥

Kat Von D Painted Love Lipstick in Celebutard

This is a line of lipstick I've never tried, and while I enjoy the color, it's probably not something I'd spend full price on for a full-size (Just not that unique). It's a pretty, creamy nude with a slightly pink tone. I feel like it looks a little dry on my lips on its own, but if you just want to have a nude base for a gloss, it's a nice option. In fact, in my last blog (FOTD) I was wearing this with the Buxom gloss in Leslie on top-- really pretty!

♥

Lancome Juicy Tube in Berry Bold

Bold isn't exactly the way I'd describe this shade... it's definitely one of those sheer, transparent glosses with just the slightest hint of pink. I do enjoy the lightly fruity scent, and the shine that Juicy Tubes provide. This is a pretty generous sample size... in fact I have some Juicy Tubes that came in a Lancome multi-pack that were smaller than this one. I also prefer to layer this gloss over Benefit Benetint- which is in this kit as well.

♥

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Fame

This is a beautiful opaque pink lip gloss. Feels really smooth on the lips without being sticky. I'm not nuts about the scent of this gloss... forgive my description here- but it smells like makeup. Like a series of blended chemicals without anything sweet or fruity to cover it up. It's not terrible, and I only really notice it as I apply the product, but just an observation. I REALLY like the shade though.

♥

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint in Moody

Say hello to the star product in the bunch! (At least, in my opinion). I love the color, and I also love the formula/format of this product. I had only tried one LipSurgence pencil prior to this one, and it was a relatively light, shimmery peach color. To see that they also have a straight up creamy, richly pigmented reddish/berry is awesome. It looks downright intimidating in the picture toward the top of this post, but that deep dark burgundy gives way to this gorgeous color. These have a minty scent, but no tingle. Even this small size twists up, so there's much more to use than just what currently appears at the tip. Some might call this a jumbo lip pencil, but I'd call it a jumbo tinted lip balm pencil... it's very nourishing on the lips, but goes on with the great control that jumbo pencils provide. Look at that shine... no gloss required!

♥

Benefit Benetint

This rose-tinted lip and cheek stain is a pretty cool product. Gotta admit, it's kind of hard to get past the floral, perfume-like scent and slap it on your lips... but I do love the end result. It's a berry stain that's long wearing and just looks really natural. Like I said earlier, it's really nice if you want to put a clear gloss over the top... because even if the gloss wears off, you'll continue to have a nice stain on your lips. I would've shown it on the cheeks as a blush, but I already had a different blush on from shooting a Valentine's Day Tutorial (Coming Soon to YouTube!)

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• I'm making some sort of buffalo chicken dip/concoction in the crock pot. We'll see how it turns out!
• Went to Wal-Mart to get a few supplies for Super Bowl snacking... I swear everyone else there was doing the exact same thing. Clusters of people around the cheese, frozen pizza, chips, etc.
• Who are you rooting for in the SuperBowl? I'm not generally a fan of either team, but I'm going to root for the Giants.
• Benetint was the last product I swatched on my lips so I just left it on... surprised they aren't feeling more dry by now. Cool! :)

♥

Have a great week everyone & thanks for reading! :)