All About Mattes

It’s true that I have a deep, unending love affair with eyeshadow palettes. And with my collection consisting of both affordable products, as well as super high end luxury… and everything in between, well I think it’s safe to say that I have zeroed in on what I like. And what I don’t. And honestly, what I like for a specific price point. Because really, I don’t have the same requirements for a palette that costs $15 as I do for a palette that costs $130. So let’s explore that a little bit. What do I think truly separates the high end from the affordable? For the most part… it’s the mattes.

I know a lot of people don’t place a ton of importance on Mattes. And sure, if you aren’t going to blend your shadows, then they aren’t important in your eyes. But if you do want that blend, quality Mattes are what you need. I think Brushes make a difference too, but for right now, I’m going to stay on the topic of shadows themselves.

When I first started getting into makeup, I didn’t really notice much of a difference from one brand to the next. Unless a palette was downright terrible, but that’s sort of rare to come across. But as my collection grew, I did start to notice subtle differences, that actually made a really big difference on my end result. Or, the time required to achieve the look I was going for.

There is one word you will hear over and over in the beauty community… and I think that word is misleading. What’s the word? “Pigmented”. While pigment level is no doubt important, it’s not the end all and be all of what makes an eyeshadow great. For me, the way they blend and build is far superior in most cases. When you have a shadow that was made to be the most pigmented, what you are left with is a shadow that is actually really hard to work with. You may be blending for a lot more time than you wanted to commit to doing your makeup. And you may see a patchy application that you can’t really fix. A good example of this is the Anastasia of Beverly Hills “Subculture” palette. I know… a lot of you like it anyway… but it is undoubtedly harder to work with than some other palettes. I have achieved nice looks with that palette as well, so it’s not impossible… but for me… in the end… I decluttered that palette. I have many more palettes that are easier to work with, so why hold on to one that gives me issues?

If you follow me on Instagram, then you may know that some of my favorite brands are Viseart and Natasha Denona. The funny thing about that is the fact that they both have very different formulas from eachother. But I love them both, probably equally actually. And I own [almost] the complete collection of both.

So what makes them stand out to me? Well for Viseart it’s 100% the way they apply and blend. The shadows (Mattes) are more dry in texture than you would expect. But they apply and blend like a dream. I can build them up to my liking, and they are just so easy to work with.

Viseart Apricotine Petit Pro

Natasha’s Mattes feel almost creamy. And I also enjoy how hers blend. But I will say that some shades benefit from a different technique… more of a packing motion then blending afterwards.

Natasha Denona Sunset Palette

But there are obviously other brands that I enjoy as well. I can tell you that probably the biggest surprise hit for me, was the Dominique Cosmetics Latte Palette. This brand was created by a YouTube that I don’t watch. I’m not a fan. I don’t dislike her (well I do dislike the level that she photoshops her images… therefore making young girls aspire to something they will never be able to achieve… but that’s a different story), I’d say I’m just indifferent on her. Neither a fan nor a hater. But her Latte Palette… truly extraordinary Mattes in that bad boy. Honestly right up there with my much more expensive faves. Every time I have created a look using the Latte, I have been impressed with the flawless blend and the speed in which I was able to do my makeup. I was also shocked that such quality shadows could be found at the $45 price point. Do I think the Latte Palette is better than ABH? UD? Too Faced? And all the other mid range brands? Absolutely I do. Unfortunately, so far, only this initial release. Her subsequent palettes I’m not as impressed with. Her Lemonade Palette was an absolute abomination. And her Berries & Cream Palette I feel lukewarm about. I will try her new release, the Rustic… in a few days. But so far, only the Latte Palette is a standout hit in my book.

Dominique Cosmetics Latte Palette

So where does that leave ColourPop? Well, I do like ColourPop. But I really wouldn’t put them in the same quality category as all of the above brands. I can definitely get a great look out of them. If I couldn’t, I wouldn’t continue to buy them. But it does take more time for me to get there. I do think though, that at $12-24 per palette, ColourPop is the best brand at such an affordable price. And I think they set the bar for other brands in that price range.

ColourPop Brown Sugar Palette

I have a few other “hits” that I look at as exceptional palettes as well. And one of those is actually made by ColourPop… the KKWxMario palette. Even though it is made by ColourPop, I found the shadows to be a bit more luxe than ColourPop. I haven’t bought any of her other palettes, but really only because nothing else has drawn me in. I definitely like the quality enough to make another purchase. I’m just waiting for a color story that appeals to me.

KKWxMario Palette

So that brings me to other popular brands. Here are my thoughts on their shadow palettes summed up:

TOO FACED: Haven’t felt they were anything special in a long time.
URBAN DECAY: some hits, some misses. LOVE the Naked Cherry palette.
ANASTASIA of BEVERLY HILLS: Seriously not my favorite. I don’t love their shadows at all. I’ve gotten some great looks from some of their palettes, but I really have no burning desire to keep purchasing their palettes.
MARC JACOBS: another one with hits and misses. I LOVE the steeletto palette.
LIMECRIME: usually worth it when I like the color story. Love the Venus XL2 and the Venus 3.
DIOR: okay. Nothing special. Their lip products are awesome though.
MILANI: sometimes yes, sometimes no. I like the soft and sultry but disliked the all matte palette.
TARTE: okay… I really dislike tarte shadows. They are probably my least favorite and you aren’t likely to see me featuring their palettes on Instagram.
NARS: another one that I don’t love. Better than Tarte. But nothing to write home about.
NABLA: while I really enjoy my two palettes from the brand, it’s the shimmers and metallics I love so much from them. When I really think about it, their Mattes are kind of a pain in the ass.

Please keep in mind that the above opinions are based on eyeshadow palettes alone. Many of these brands have products that I absolutely adore, and even consider holy grail status… just not so much in the palettes.

Favorite Powder Highlighters

Highlighters. They have been enjoyed almost at an obsessive level by many for a few years now. And even though I don’t think I am as in love with them as other beauty bloggers, I still have amassed quite the collection. And I do have favorites that I think you may be interested in learning about. It can be difficult to find highlighters that are light enough for fair/light complexions, and also… there are a variety of finishes out there. So I am going to break it down for you….

HOURGLASS AMBIENT INCANDESCENT STROBE LIGHT:

MILANI AFTERGLOW STROBELIGHT:

NATASHA DENONA SUPERGLOW FAIR:

MARC JACOBS WORTH THE WAIT:

BENEFIT COSMETICS COOKIE:

COLOURPOP DREAMSCAPE PRESSED POWDER HIGHLIGHTER:

COLOURPOP FLEXITARIAN SUPER SHOCK HIGHLIGHTER:

So that pretty much rounds out my faves. I think these are all worth picking up, but I wanted to describe and show them here for you so that you can use this to decide which one (or two) are right for you!

What are your favorite highlighters? Definitely let me know.

What is CG method? And now that I’m 6 months in, what rules am I breaking?

CG Method stands for “Curly Girl Method”, and I have to say, right off the bat, that I hate that. Women are definitely not the only people with curly or wavy hair that can benefit from this method of haircare. But I digress. This method was made popular by Lorraine Massey, founder of the “DevaCurl” haircare line, and fellow curly herself. In a nutshell, you are to avoid certain ingredients in your hair products:

• Silicone

• Sulfates

• Parabens

• Petrolatums

• Waxes

You are also encouraged to refrain from doing things that damage the hair such as:

• Brushing

• Dying or other chemical treatments

• Heat styling (includes straightening, blow drying, and using curling irons)

I am approximately in my 6th month of using this method, and overall I LOVE it, but I have relaxed on some of the rules… so I’m not following it nearly as closely as I was when I first started.

You can see in the picture above that my hair has transformed in a huge way. I honestly never even thought it was possible for my hair to look like this. I really thought that I just had “frizzy, unruly hair”. And I hear a lot of people say the same of their pre-cg days. And I would say that in addition to the ingredients to avoid… the actual methods to applying the products to my hair is what made the biggest difference in what it looks like. You see, my whole life, I cared for my hair as if I had straight hair. I never recognized that different hair types may require different care. And that is the biggest revelation that I’ve had. It really was a revelation, I actually got emotional about it when it hit me. I couldn’t believe that I had expected my hair to do look good when I was basically doing everything that goes against my hair. I wished that I had found this method as a teenager rather than a 36 yr old. I could have saved myself so much self loathing if I had.

One thing that I have noticed holds people back from starting this method is the time involved. I am not going to lie, doing your hair with this method IS a time consuming process. BUT, think of it like meal prepping… instead of spending 1.5-2 hrs on cooking per day, you spend 2-2.5 maybe 2x per week instead. Because it boils down to wash day… that is the time consuming day. I wash approx twice a week, and every other day my efforts are to preserve what I did on wash day rather than starting over each day. To me, the way I feel about my hair now, completely makes the effort I expend on wash day worth it. I actually feel like my hair is a gift now, and I am grateful for it. I never felt like that before. It was a burden. A curse.

So how do I preserve my hair? I use silk scrunches and I put my hair up in a ponytail on TOP of my head. This is actually called “pineappling or a pineapple” in the curly community. I also sleep on a silk pillowcase. And occasionally, I will use a silk bonnet if I really want to be extra. On day two, I can typically just take my hair out of the pineapple and walk out the door. No styling needed. On day three, I sometimes have to add some water to refresh my hair. I have had SOME success with a water misting bottle, but I find re-wetting in the shower, adding a bit more gel, and diffusing dry to be the most effective way for me to refresh. It makes it look like day one hair when I do that. Then by day 4, I am usually ready to wash my hair again.

So what are the methods to applying the products? How is it different.

Well for me, I always do product application in the shower, unless I am refreshing without the full rewet.

So let’s walk through each step I do, start to finish in the shower:

Detangling. I will use a conditioner prior to shampooing , one with a lot of “slip”… and gently work the tangles our of my hair.
Shampoo or Co-wash. As a wavy, I opt for the former more often than not. And I will also use a scalp massager with this step.
Conditioner. I will flip my hair forward, and with “praying hands” I will glide the product over my hair, then scrunch it upward. This is called, “squish to condish” in the curly community. I will often shave my legs while the conditioner is applied.
Leave-in conditioner. I sometimes skip this step. I generally assess how my hair feels each wash day, if it’s dry, I’ll do this, if not, I’ll skip it. I use the same application method as above, and I will let the water hit my hair for a second before I scrunch it.
Curl Créme or Custard. I like using one or the other, and honestly, sometimes both. I’m a bit of a product junkie. And I also like to experiment with different combinations of products. That being said, it’s definitely possible to add too much product… so if you’re just starting out, less is more. Application method is tricky as I now have a few different ways I like to apply products, but to not be confusing, I’ll just start with the way I learned. My hair, soaking wet. Praying hands like above. For creams, I use less product, maybe the size of a quarter on three sections… left, center, and right. For custards, a bit more… maybe double that? You will honestly have to play around to find what’s best for your hair. If your hair is very frizzy and lacking definition, then maybe try more. If your hair falls flat and has very little volume, try less. I will skip the scrunching until I finish the next step.
Gel. I personally love a hard hold gel. I like the crunch… to me, crunch equals hold and lasting power. Don’t worry though, I don’t leave the crunch in. But more on that later. I apply the gel in the same manner as above. And I will also use a denman brush at this point to work the products through my hair evenly. I do this gently though. Then, I scrunch and pulse my hands once I reach my scalp. I don’t scrunch aggressively, but I do scrunch firmly.
Plop. This is what it’s called to use a T-shirt as your hair towel. I actually have a towel that is made of cotton, which I find easier to use than an actual t-shirt. But a regular t-shirt works just fine. Just grab the biggest one you have access to. And tie it with all your hair on top of your head. Leave it like this for about 20 minutes.
Diffuse or air dry. The latter is NOT and option for me as my hair takes 5-6 hrs to air dry. Also, when I air dry, I have no volume and super loose waves. So I diffuse. This is another area that I break the rules. I have a hair dryer that has three heat settings, and I will alternate between low and medium the entire time. Using low the whole time takes way too long to dry. Even alternating it takes 30-40 minutes to dry. That’s about as much as I am willing to spend. More than that and I simply won’t do it.

So there is my washday routine, basically. I don’t think you have to spend a fortune to get started as there are many affordable brands available these days that have “CG Friendly” ingredients.

AFFORDABLE BRANDS:

Not Your Mother’s (curl Talk line and naturals line)
Giovanni Haircare (eco-chic line)
Cantu (not all products, check ingredients)
Garnier (Curl treats line… some have beeswax though)
Texture ID
Biotera (Gel only)
Aussie Instant Freeze Gel

MID-RANGE PRICED BRANDS:

Jessi Curl

Kinky Curly

Shea Moisture

Mop Top

Pacifica (pineapple curls line)

As I Am

LUXURY BRANDS:

DevaCurl
Briogeo
Bounce Curl
Innersense
Boucléme
Rizos Curls
Mahogany Naturals

These lists are certainly not exhaustive, there are plenty of more cg friendly products out there and new ones all the time, as brands are listening to what we as consumers want these days.

There really is so much to talk about when it comes to this method. But I think I’ve already reached the maximum amount of writing that you all are willing to sit and read. Maybe I’ve even gone way over.

If you are interested in starting this method, go for it! I really think you will come to love it as much as I do. Or at very least, learn what you are able to do to improve your hair, and how you feel about your hair. Document the process. Read and watch others who are using this method. And finally, don’t expect perfection. Remember that some days will always be better than others. Learn to go with the flow, and your frustrations will be low.

Oh, and one more thing. I do get asked often if this method can make straight hair curly. And no, I don’t think it can. However, you may have a natural wave that you never realized you did, and it will make that more apparent. But this isn’t really about changing your hair, it’s more about embracing what you have naturally. If you have straight hair, the products that are formulated for wavy and curly hair will likely be too heavy for your hair. Your hair will probably appear weighed down, and maybe even greasy. But, you can still avoid silicone, parabens, petroleum, alcohol, and waxes. There’s nothing wrong with wanting healthier products for your hair, no matter what texture you have.

If you made it through this whole post, I thank you! Let me know if you have been doing this method or if you have been thinking about it.

Nars Endless Orgasm Palette Review

The Nars Endless Orgasm Palette is a limited edition offering from the brand featuring 6 cream shades that can be used on the eyes, lips, and face. I was initially very excited about this release, as I love cream blushes and bronzers, especially in the spring and summer.

The packaging is absolutely gorgeous, if you care about that. And it feels substantial in your hands.

The shades swatch pretty nicely too (below, finger swatches built up on bare skin), so I was really looking forward to using them.

Unfortunately, I don’t have very many positive things to say. First off, it is incredibly difficult to apply. I tried a beauty blender, brush, and even my fingers. I found that they applied very uneven and patchy for the most part. The deepest shades being the worst offenders. For the highlight shades I was actually able to get a nice application using my fingers. But the blush and bronzer shades… they were lifting up my foundation, and looked sheer in some spots and heavily pigmented in others. They also felt heavy and greasy on my skin. Almost like lipstick… but like a child’s lipstick… not great quality is what I’m saying… you know what I mean.

After about an hour or so of wear time, I noticed that they were filling my pores and sitting strangely on my skin overall. Like they were separating. It looked very textured and cracked. Like the surface of an orange but with deep ravines throughout. The next day I tried again, but this time I tried setting with powder. Well that was a mistake. It looked even worse.

So then, as a last resort. I tried it on bare skin. This was the best option. But it was still very difficult to get an even application. So I could say that MAYBE, if you are looking for something to use on bare skin for a quick summer look… maybe it would work for you. But if you intend on using it with any other makeup products, don’t expect it to play nicely with others.

Overall, for me, it is not worth the hassle and the inconvenience of not working with other products. It was a great idea, and had it been a more forgiving formula, I would have been totally on board.

Have you tried it? What did you think?

My Nighttime Retinol Routine

I use almost entirely Drunk Elephant products for this particular routine. A-Passioni is one of their newer offerings, and it it a plant-based 1% Retinol cream. I became an early adopter of this one, and I have found it to be the MOST effective retinol cream that I have tried. It should be noted however, that I have only tried over the counter, consumer based products, and never prescription. That being said, even though I had been accustomed to using Retinol for about 3 years, I still had to slowly build up my usage of this one. I experienced redness, and flaking of my skin when I went to fast. So my advice, whether this is your first time using Retinol, or your first time using this brand’s Retinol…. is to take your time and start slow. Start with one night per week, and do so after you have applied moisturizer. I now do this routine 2-3x a week, and I am quite happy with that frequency. So let me tell you how I started and how you can avoid or reduce the redness and peeling associated with Retinol.

1.) First, I apply the C-Tango eye cream. One pump is enough for both eyes. DE warns not to apply A-passioni on the skin around the eyes, so I use this cream as bit of a barrier in case I am a little sloppy with my application.

2.) I also apply Protini moisturizer on my entire face, then wait a few minutes for the next step. This step though, I’d say, is more important in the beginning. I now sometimes skip this part and it’s totally fine when I do. But doing it did help lessen the initial effects of Retinol in the beginning.

3) for this step, I combine both A-passioni, with B-Hydra serum. I emulsify in my hands one pump of B-Hydra, along with a pea-sized amount of A-passioni. I then apply this combo to my face, avoiding the eye area. I then wait another few minutes before the next step.

4.) This is the only part of this routine that is not DE. I use the Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Balm last. It is an oil balm, and it does indeed feel a bit greasy. I think this might be why people don’t rave about it like I feel they should. I don’t mind how it feels because it gives me visible results (I’ve been using this for well over a year, long before I started using A-passion). It really does make my skin appear more firm and plump. And my skin also looks hydrated and not greasy at all by the time I wake up. This is another one that will help counteract the initial negative effects of Retinol. And although I do occasionally skip the Protini, I never skip this step. It is, in my opinion, one of the best sleeping masks ever created.

One thing I wish I could say differently, is the fact that I did not take Progress Pictures of my skincare. I really should have. I know the effect that this particular routine has had on my skin has been a dramatic improvement. I now get frequent compliments on my skin. I am a former smoker, in fact, I smoked nearly all of my adult life until just over a year ago. My skin had suffered from that. My pores appeared very large, I had lines in my forehead as well as the 11s between my brows. My skin also always looked dull and lifeless in addition to being chronically dry. Now, all of those issues are way less apparent. And my skin also no longer looks dry, or dull. And while I do use other skincare products… this is only my Retinol routine… I can definitely say that the implementation of these products brought on so much positive change that I cannot be quiet about it. I hope that as you read this, if you own some of these products that you will give it a try. Just remember to go slow with the retinol. Start with 1x per week and slowly increase that each week, 1 additional day at a time. If you start to experience redness or peeling, back down and decrease your usage, but stick with it. Have patience and you will see a difference. This is where remembering the story of the “Tortoise and the Haire” can come in. Also, if you are using Retinol, of any brand, it is so important to also remember to use sunscreen daily. Forgetting or skipping this can not only diminish the results you may see, but can also increase the damage you are doing to your skin… which is the exact opposite of what you want.

As I add this picture, I really wish I had done a before/after. I do apologize for not having that. For so long, I would only allow pictures of me when I felt I looked my best. But I feel so much better about my skin now than I did a year ago.

LimeCrime Venus XL II

LimeCrime palettes hadn’t really been on my radar for a while. No real reason other than the fact that my favorite brands to purchase has changed to Viseart, Natasha Denona, and ColourPop over the past couple years. And while I am aware that many in the beauty community found the first look of this new LimeCrime offering to be anticlimactic at best… I fell in love with the color story. The same thing that caused many to complain, is exactly why I knew I must have it. You see, I recognized immediately that it was a fairly unique palette. The muted shades told a cohesive story. A wood nymph, or a fairy, or whatever you wish to call it. But one with a grunge edge. Many palettes do have a color story or a theme… but not many strike me immediately as such a defined vibe. That, to me, is the beauty and the genius of this palette. And unfortunately, seeing the swatches alone does not tend to translate this thought. But here are the swatches anyway, because I know you want to see.

See what I mean? If you are saying to yourself… “eh… doesn’t look that special.” that’s exactly what I figured would happen. But when you get these shades on your eyes, and realize that these muted colors are flattering without being too bold, or garish… that is when you will appreciate the palette. Well, you may appreciate it before then. But while I would categorize this as a “wearable” palette… I would not say this one is boring… and if you know me from Instagram, then you know that I adore “boring” palettes. This is not one of them. I would also say this is a great choice for those of you who tend to refrain from using color. But at the same time, I know quite a few “color lovers” who can’t get enough of this palette either. Just take a look at a few of the looks I’ve created with this palette.

This one is soft and gentle, yet still has color without being over the top.

This one has a dramatic flair but with a level of sophistication that you could wear this anywhere and be proud.

This is quite possibly my all time favorite eyeshadow look that I’ve ever done. This look was done in collaboration with my friend Monica on Instagram, and she chose the colors for me to use. But I absolutely fell in love with this look and I think I could wear it everyday.

Let’s talk about the quality of the shadows… overall, I would say they are very good. But there are a few issues. First off, and most annoyingly, the shade “Sage”, which also happens to be one of the most unique matte shades I’ve ever come across, is not without issues. I find that it does not like to be blended, and if you do blend it, do so lightly. It seems to come across better when packed on. Not a huge deal, but that may throw a wrench in your plans. I’ve noticed that with blending, it can tend to take on a muddied and patchy look.

Also, some of the shades do feel as though they will develop hard pan, so even when I was doing swatches, I opted to scrape some of those shades out rather than rubbing my finger in the pan. The one I think most prone to this is the shade, “Obscure”. And this is another really unique shade. In person, it almost appears to glow.

I would say though, that despite its issues, I find this to be a palette worth owning. The problems do not interfere with my overall adoration of the palette.

I do hope that you found this information helpful in deciding whether or not this palette is for you.

Introduction

Welcome to my brand new blog. I have so much content on Instagram, but unfortunately, with no way to search it, a few days after I post something… it just gets lost and is never viewed again… except of course, if people are searching the hashtags.

But I really wanted to make my content have long-term appeal. Like if you want to see my “10looksOnePalette”, it should be there at your fingertips. Want to know my thoughts on ColourPop? That should also be there.

I do hope that you will join me, as I continue to populate this blog with thoughts, makeup looks, reviews, and so much more. And I encourage you to comment often. Let me know how I am doing, or just say, “hello!”

Welcome to my blog! Here we go!