Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit-A Review

So the other day I received the Anastasia Contour Kit. 
First let me say, if you become an Instagram Famous makeup artist, you will probably receive these for free and before they are available to the public. 

That is not the case for me. I am not Instagram Famous so I have to stand in line with the rest of the common folk. 

This palette has only been out for a short period of time and it has already reached cult status. Because of this, it is constantly sold out! Plus Anastasia does not offer a pro discount for this item so MUA's you are paying full price. Unless........*twirls mustache*
Unless you are mindlessly scrolling through Instagram and you notice an unassuming post from Anastasia Beverly Hills mentioning that Sephora has the palette stocked. Then you log into your Ebates account and shop the Sephora site at a 4% cash back. Now I know 4% is not much of a discount but if you do as much online shopping as I do, it does add up. 
So I got my order in and within an hour they were sold out again!

This palette is much smaller than I had expected. The packaging is a standard black magnetic flip top with no mirror. You receive 6 refillable colors, 5 matte and 1 shimmer. 

The colors are Top 3: Vanilla, Banana, Sand (Shimmer) and Bottom 3: Java, Fawn, Havana.

Vanilla is a pinkish toned setting powder, Banana is a yellow toned setting powder, Sand is a cool pink shimmery highlighter. I was very impressed with the setting powders as they do not settle into fine lines, even when you are setting the makeup under your eyes. Also, the highlighter is shimmery without looking like a disco ball exploded on your cheekbone. 

The bottom 3 are all the contour colors. Java is a brown with pink undertones, Fawn is a cool ashy tone and Havana is warm kind of burnt brown. 

Fawn is the reason I really wanted to try this palette. I explained to you yesterday how I like to stick to cool taupey colors to contour and this is a perfect shade for me. When I saw Fawn, I knew I was going to fall in love with her and I was right. I used to use Makeup Forever eye shadow in #127 for my contour. Fawn has replaced her. 

These colors are all very soft and blendable and quite complimentary to a wide range of skin tones. I believe ABH will be expanding the color choices for this palette. If you do not see a shade that is a good match for you, hold onto your brushes, she's working on it. 

I highly recommend this palette for everyone! It's $40 when it's in stock. Each pan is .11 oz

I forgot to mention in my contouring post yesterday, you can contour with cream or powder products. Some people powders like these and some people use multiple shades of foundation. Some people use lighter and darker concealers and some use a combination of powders and creams. Just as long as you have lighter and darker color choices in pretty much any medium, you can get it done. 

Repeat from yesterday-This is very subtle everyday shading.

 

 

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Tips and Tricks: How to Look Younger Using Makeup

         How to             

Look less like this

and more like this

as you age!

Everyone wants to stay young. It's part of the universe's trickery that you get wiser as you get older. Well some of us do. They even say youth is wasted on the young and I have to agree. Unless you are Peter Pan, you are probably aging by the second. Good thing I'm here to teach you the do's and dont's, the tips and the tricks to youthful looking makeup! These tips are good for everyone, not just ladies above a certain age. I feel there is a very heavy handed makeup trend right now that can be very harsh looking and age you before your time. So everyone should listen up.

The Do's 

• Do switch to a moisturizing foundation or a tinted moisturizer. Dewy is your friend. 
• Do switch to a cream blush. As we age we lose moisture in our skin, every little bit of dewiness is going to help, so ditch the powders and opt for a cream. 
• Do lighten up on your eyeshadow application. Stick to neutral tones and only use 1 or 2 colors. 
• Do darken up your lashline with plums, blue, green, browns and greys. 
• Do fill your brows in. Darker brows equal youth. Now I don't mean for you platinum blonds to start coloring your eyebrows in black, choose the color appropriate for you and fill em in!
• Do add pink to your color repertoire. As we age we lose the pigment in our skin tone, a swipe of pink blush or baby pink eyeshadow will do wonders to give a more youthful complexion. 
• Do add a little highlight to your cheekbones and inner corners of your eyes to add light and dimension to your face. 
• Do use neutral or bright toned lip glosses or lipsticks. Pinks and nudes are your friends.
• Do experiment with a nice bright eyeliner like a cobalt blue or turquoise green. Bright colors add modern youthfulness and fun! 

The Dont's

• Don't apply a mask of matte foundation. Matte skin will age you in a heartbeat.
• Don't over powder. Lightly powder only where needed. I usually only powder my forehead. 
• Don't apply a lot of dark eyeshadow, especially in the crease. Try to keep darkness along the upper lash line where you start to lose definition. 
• Don't put eyeliner or mascara on the lower lash line. Keep it clean. 
• Don't over contour. Contouring is going to get it's very own post soon but for the sake of this list, harsh contouring will age you. Keep it light and well blended or just stick with a little highlighter. 
• Don't use too much black eyeliner. Again, anything too harsh will age you. Switch it up and try softer purples, greys, browns, blues and greens. 
• Don't wear dark matte lipsticks. Brick red, matte lipstick on a woman of a certain age pisses me off.
• Do not line your lips in dark, lip liner. Lighten it up and skip the lip liner all together or use a nude tone that matches your lip color. Make sure to smudge and soften using your finger or a Q-Tip.  

 
So there you have them! Some quick tips to keep anyone looking like a fresh summer morning and not like some cold winter night! 

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Me trying to keep it youthful!

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Physician's Formula Review

Hi there! 

Sorry I disappeared for a minute but life gets in the way and I went into vacation mode. Thanks to all that have stuck around and I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

So I was lazing around, just minding my own business when I bumped into two products that made me snap out of my summertime stupor. 

Some of the problems us fair skinned lovelies have with bronzing powders are that they can pull too orange or muddy on our skin. A bronzer should make you looked sun kissed, not like an Oompa Loompa and dirt had a baby. So on my recent first visit to Ulta (I know, where have I been?), I decided to try Physicians Formula (a line I do not recall ever trying before) Mineral Airbrushing Bronzer SPF 30 in the shade Light Bronzer. I am so happy I found this product! Let me first say that this is so finely milled, it is pretty much goof proof for anyone worried about blending it. It does give an airbrushed effect and it has a high SPF so it is protective as well. The Light shade has a pinky, sandy, neutral tone to it (no orange!), which works really well with my fair/medium skin. I use it more for contour as it is a satiny matte with no shimmer and blends really well. I am not sure how well this would show up on a darker skin tone but you can try the darker shade. Also, it was less than $8 at Ulta! I believe they had a buy one, get 2nd 1/2 off. It usually runs about $13. My one complaint would be the packaging-it is quite cumbersome. The Bronzer comes with a mirror and a brush (which I will never use) but it is bulky and awkward to carry. 

Hey Physician's Formula, ditch the brush and make the packaging slimmer please!

The Bronzer is showing up lighter in the photo than in person but this shade is definitely for light skinned ladies. 

The second product is a highlighter, also from Physicians Formula. I bought Mineral Glow Pearls in Translucent Pearl after being drawn to the bumpy pearl like texture and the pinkish sheen of the product. I have to say, I am impressed with Physicians Formula's products. This product is again, very finely milled and provided a subtle sheen perfect for highlighting. It is pretty translucent, leaning towards the white side than the pink. It does not settle into lines, it just creates a healthy glow. I would use this on cheekbones, brow bones and down the bridge of the nose. I paid $13.99.

Again, epic fail on the packaging. Another bulky compact with a useless brush. 

All and all, two great, reasonably priced products worth a try.