FOTD - Natural Nancy

I've been trying to achieve that glowing, but not frosty, natural, but not made-up look for a while now. I think today I finally nailed it. There are so many tutorials for this kind of "natural" look, but they would tend to look artificial on me. What I realized last year and I need to keep in mind is that not all colors look the same on everyone! It took me a long time to figure out this combination, but finally! Here is my natural, glowing look.

Face

Sonia Kashuk tinted moisturizer in Tan

Laura Mercier Golden Mosaic bronzer

MAC Rice Paper highlight

Benefit Girl Meets Pearl

MAC Stereo Rose, Coppertone

Eyes

MAC Indianwood paint pot

Inglot 368 (matte neutral peach)

MAC Soft Brown, Swiss Chocolate, Mulch, Bronze, Embark, Rice Paper

Urban Decay eyeliner in Demolition
Mary Kay lash primer

Mary Kay Lash Love Lengthening mascara

Lips

Sonia Kashuk lipstick in Sheer Bronzey Nude

What are your go-to products for a natural look?

-Claudia

Birchbox - July 2013

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

{In this month's box}:
BENTA Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream, matifying
100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream, Green Apple
Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect
Benefit "Girl Meets Pearl"
Extra: Birchbox Bobby Pins

BENTA Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream, matifying

I did not like this face cream at all. It left a white residue all over my face. Not the look I normally go for! 

100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream, Green Apple

I'm not a fan of apple scented products, so I was already put off by this sample before trying it. What I did not expect upon opening the foil packet was the striking sour hint within the scent. It reminds me of the sour apple gum I would have as a child and that's not really something I'd like to smell like nowadays. 

Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect

This month's box was jam-packed with samples with unexpected smells. This one blew me away. This sample smells like CHOCOLATE! It's not a bad smell, but oddly pleasant. It also left my ends feeling pretty soft. I wouldn't recommend if you're hungry, haha. 

Benefit "Girl Meets Pearl"

There is so much hype on this highlighter, but I had never actually tried it. I've used Benefit's "Highbeam" highlighter in the past and loved it, so I will probably end up loving this one as well. "Girl Meets Pearl"is slightly darker than "Highbeam" and very sheer in application. I think "Girl Meets Pearl" is more flattering in its subtlety, but not great for those nights when you want to go ALL out. 

Extra: Birchbox Bobby Pins

I don't wear bobby pins much and definitely don't wear large colorful ones. The design is pretty cute, but I doubt I will get much use out of these, so I will be giving them away to a friend. 

This month's Birchbox was all about the working girl, on and off the clock. I guess Birchbox things what us working girls need is to moisturize; two moisturizing creams (one for face, one for body) in one box? This box was just OK for me. It had a few hits and a few misses. What I loved most was the unexpected smells! This box was just fun to open. I can't wait to see what next month will bring.


You can purchase a subscription to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or just go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's box?

-Claudia

FOTD - Goldilocks

Yet another FOTD! I recently purchased MAC's Rubenesque paint pot (review to come later) after months of drooling over it. I used it today in this look I wore to school. Hope you guys like!

I swear I'm not driving here! I just had half an hour to kill till class started.

FACE

Korres face primer
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation in "I'm so Glamber"/ Amber
MAC Pro-longwear Concealer in NW35
MAC blush in Coppertone and Desert Rose
Laura Mercier shimmer bloc in Golden Mosaic
MAC Fix+ spray

EYES
MAC paint pot in Rubenesque
MAC Woodwinked, Expensive Pink, Mulch, Swiss Chocolate
theBalm mineral eyeshadow in You Buy, I'll Fly
Urban Decay eyeliners in Whiskey and Zero
MAC Brun for eyebrows
theBalm mascara in Cheater!

LIPS
theBalm Stainiac

I've been obsessed with gold lately, have you noticed? Don't worry. This'll be the last golden look for a while.

Do you wear makeup to school?

-Claudia

FOTD - Golden Yellow Eye

I decided to go all out with a yellow eye look today. I had been wanting to try this look out for quite some time after I saw a model with a similar look on Sephora. I think the liner should've been way more dramatic, but I'm still learning how to apply it!

FACE

Maybelline Dream Fresh beauty balm in Medium/Deep

Laura Mercier Shimmer bloc in Golden Mosaic

MAC Pro-longwear concealer in NW35

Benefit Highbeam

MAC blush in Sunbasque and Desert Rose

EYES

Urban Decay primer potion in Original

NYX Jumbo eye pencil in Milk

MAC Soft Brown and Ricepaper

Inglot 60 (a very subtly shimmery, bright golden yellow)

MAC fluidline in Blacktrack

theBalm mascara in Cheater!

MAC Brun for eyebrows

LIPS

MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NW30

MAC Honeylove

MAC Lustreglass in Love Nectar

****These lips are too light for the look, but I didn't realize that until afterward. I tan so easily. This color does not work on me right now, haha.

Hope you guys enjoyed the eye look as much as I did! Here it is from a different sun angle.


-Claudia

FOTD - Sweet Gold

Here's a look I wore for going out with my hubby. I decided to put a spin on my usual goldy look by adding some cranberry to it. I didn't take pictures until much later on in the day, so the pictures don't quite do it justice. I may redo this one down the line, because I loved how it turned out. :)

FACE

Korres Face primer

Mac Pro-longwear concealer in NW35

Benefit Hellow Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation in "I'm So Glamber"/Amber

Benefit Highbeam highlighter

MAC blush in Desert Rose and Sweet as Cocoa

Laura Mercier shimmer bloc in Golden Mosaic

Urban Decay All-nighter setting spray

EYES

Urban Decay primer potion in Original

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Gold Shimmer

MAC Patina, Woodwinked, Mulch, Antiqued, Swiss Chocolate, Ricepaper, and Soft Brown

Urban Decay Hustle

theBalm mineral eyeshadow in You Buy, I'll Fly

MAC fluidline in Blacktrack

theBalm mascara in Cheater!

MAC Brun for eyebrows

LIPS

MAC Lustreglass in Love Nectar

Here's a picture of my cat, Logan and I. He doesn't care too much for pictures.

-Claudia

FOTD - Red-y For School

Whenever I start out wanting to create a simple, natural look, I always end up adding a bolder element. Here we have this great red lip. Not so great for school later--where I'll be meeting my ultra conservative Cog-psy professor for the first time-- but still great! :)

FACE

Maybelline Dream Fresh beauty balm in Medium/Deep

Laura Mercier Shimmerbrick in Golden Mosaic

MAC blush in Blushbaby

Benefit Highbeam

Nothing taming those wild brows as of right now, baby!

EYES

Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara

LIPS

Jordana lip pencil in Cabernet

You can tell it's hot here in Chicago by the ridiculous amounts of bottled water we have stacked on our porch.

-Claudia

FOTD - Summer Princess

Friday was "Prince and Princess Day" at my preschool. Yes. This is a thing. 

I was told on thursday to dress up Princess-like, but seeing as how I don't have very many princess-y dresses (and I don't exactly want to wear my best in the infant room) I decided instead to come up with some Princess makeup.

Sometimes my job is awesome. 

Here's my makeup for the day:

 

FACE

Maybelline Dream Fresh beauty balm in Medium/Deep

Revolution Organics Freedom Glow beauty balm in Sunkissed

Laura Mercier Shimmerbrick in Golden Mosaic

NARS blush in Orgasm

MAC blush in Sweet as Cocoa

Benefit Highbeam

MAC Brun for eyebrows

EYES

Maybelline Dream Fresh beauty balm in Medium/Deep
Urban Decay primer potion in Original
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Painted Purple
Urban Decay: Ecstacy, Omen, Junkshow, Chase, Chopper, SWF, Sin
Too Faced blush from Glamour To Go, Fairy Edition palette
MAC Expensive Pink
Wet n Wild Petal Pusher palette, Purple crease and definer
Sephora 5-in-1 Palette (mix of one dark, one vibrant purple and a dark brown)
Urban Decay eyeliner in Burbon
Bare Escentuals Buxom mascara

LIPS

MAC Velvet Teddy + Kinda Sexy

I'm not quite sure why I'm making such a sexy pose here, haha, but alright. This is the dress I wore. I had a lot of fun creating this look! Hope you guys liked! :) 

-Claudia

FOTD - Natural Look

I'm trying out the '365' challenge. Basically you take a picture every day for a year. I set an alarm as a reminder, because without that I doubt I'd remember haha.

So here's the first picture..'purple.'

Face
Rimmel London Fix & Perfect Primer
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B50 - Beige
NARS Orgasm Blush
Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden
Benefit Highbeam

Eyes

MAC Zoomlash Mascara
NYX Eyebrow Kit in Medium

Lips

NYX Natural Lipliner
MAC Velvet Teddy

-Claudia

FOTD - Dusky Champagne

I decided to try out my new Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadow today, but the results were a little unexpected, haha.

What I mean is that the end result does not look purple at all. I started mixing colors in before planning anything out, but I'm very pleased with the result!

There's just the slightest hint of the purple left haha, but it's there!

Products I used:

Face

MAC Prep+Prime
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B50 - Beige
MAC Pleasureful Cream Blush
Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden
Benefit Highbeam
MAC Fix +

Eyes

Urban Decay Original Primer Potion
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Painted Purple
MAC Trax
Urban Decay Buck
MAC Mulch
Urban Decay Smog
Urban Decay Half Baked
MAC Woodwinked
Urban Decay Eyeliner in Demolition
MAC Zoomlash Mascara
NYX Eyebrow Kit in Medium

Lips

MAC Velvet Teddy

FOTD - Date Night

Here's another date night FOTD! I decided to go all out for this one and try out a more dramatic look, which I learned at the MAC counter at Macy's haha.

Ah! Background check! Points for everyone who guesses what's on top of my dresser (Hint: lots of bottles yet to be sorted!)

This is me without my glasses on, hopefully giving you a better look at what the eye makeup looked like! My skin looks a bit shiny here, because I got a little too generous with the highlighter. Whoops!


Products I used for the look:

Face

MAC Prep + Prime
Sheer Cover Concealer in Medium
Laura Mercier Tinted Foundation in Sand
Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette
MAC Sweet Cocoa
Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden
Benefit Highbeam
MAC Fix +

Eyes

MAC Painterly Paint Pot
MAC Expensive Pink
MAC Swiss Chocolate
Wet n Wild Petal Pusher Palette; Dark 'Crease' Color
Urban Decay Eyeliner in Zero
MAC Zoomlash Mascara
Elf Eyebrow Kit in Medium

Lips

NYX Natural Lipliner
MAC Dressmaker, Dressmaker