#nationallipstickday Special Post- My Favorite Lipsticks

Top Drugstore Products: Eyes, Lips & Nails ♥

Hello fellow Beautykins,

  

Yes, I just called y'all "Beautykins". I thought I'd give you a cute name. Anyways, welcome to part 2 of my top drugstore products. Today we will talk about eyes, lips and nails. The drug store has a plethora of these types of products, from shadows to eyeliners, mascaras to lash fibers, lipsticks to lip glosses and top coats to gel kits. The drugstore is like the cheap Sephora these days, and less cray cray. So, let's begin, shall we...

Spring/Summer Lipstick Lookbook ♥

Hello Beautiful People,

         Today I made a video lookbook which I will link below. But this isn't just any lookbook, it is a spring and summer lipstick lookbook, showcasing some of my favorite lipstick for the warmer seasons.This Lookbook features both drugstore and high-end makeup brands. Below I have posted pics and the names are each color. 

Click here for video!!

Sephora & Lush Haul ♥

Hello Beauties,

            If you follow me on Instagram, y'all know that I make a stop at Sephora and Lush on Saturday. I posted a pic of my bags but this post will give you a peek inside to see what I got my sticky little fingers on. So here goes...

Sephora

I went in Sephora without a plan, and if you ever shop at Sephora, you know that going in without a plan is like going into the unknown. You can end up doing some serious damage. After walking around aimlessly for about 30 minutes, oohing and awing at everything I saw I finally settled on two things. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in 'Ebony'
I have been eyeing this pencil forever but the price tag ($26) kept stopping me from committing. Finally I cracked. Was it
worth it? Well, so far I give a resounding 'Heck Yes!!!'. I love how thin the tip is and how it doesn't give off a harsh pigmentation. This little spooly in the end also helps tame strays.

OCC Lip Tar in 'Stalker'
If you read my post in the Lip Tars then you know I am a fan. I love red but they never seem to last, so I thought I'd pick one up in red.












Lush Cosmetics

This was my first encounter with Lush and after hearing dozens of Youtube gurus and a fellow Instagrammer rave about this store, I thought i'd give it a whirl. One thing I will say, this store is like a candyland for bath lovers so tread lightly.

Cupcake Face Mask
This mask is meant for oily or acne prone skin and since I love mud masks I thought I'd pick it up. The downside to these is that they do expire after 14 days and need to be refrigerated. But it smells of chocolate mint and that makes up for it.







Magic Wand
Not gonna lie, this was probably the one thing I was determined to get. I had heard about what it did and I knew I needed it.
Basically you swirl it around in your bath water or hold under running water and the water turns pink and bubbly, not to mention it smells like cotton candy. EEK!! Love this thing.

 Shoot For the Stars Bath Bomb
I also heard a bunch of things about this one. It smells like Caramel and it apparently spins whilst shoot out glittery stars. It also shoots colors of pink, blue and silver. Sounds like it's gonna be a fun one.







Sex Bomb

Apparently this is supposed to be a romantic bath bomb...WHO KNEW?! Anyways, I will be enjoying this one solo...it has a combination of herbal scents and turns the water pink. Sounds sexy...lol

Twilight Bath Bomb
This was another one that I actually knew i was going to walk out with. I had seen pictures on Pinterest for this one and I was in love!!! This one is supposed to recreate the magic of a starry night...in your bath. It is a bedtime bomb so there are scents of lavender. The water turns blue, purple and pink gives off glitter, imitating a starry night. I look forward to this one.






 Click here to see my coinsiding Yotube Video!!!




Well Ladies and Gents, That all for now. I will be making another trip to Lush soon so please let me know what I should get next time. Comment below!

Until next time...

Review: Maybelline Color Vivids and a Bittersweet Announcement!

Hey Everyone,
            The Pretty Pauper here! Hope you all had  fantastic weekend and are now enjoying this Monday. I don't know how you all spent your Sunday evenings but I spent most of the night reading tweets after tweet about the MTV awards. Man! So much drama and scandal packed into one room. Ha! Well, all drama aside, the stars had some pretty awesome looks tonight which I am always interested in. Now, on to the review!

Today, I am giving you a review on a product i have been using and loving for a while now. It's the Maybelline Color Vivids Lipstick.

Product Summary
These bright shades claim to offer bright opaque color that last all day. The vivids line come in 8 shades and offer a honey nectar formula that claims to soften lips and keep them hydrated. They come in an orange tube and have a color swatch and name on the bottom. They run for about $9 at any drugstore that carry Maybelline.

The Application
The application is pretty normal. No special instructions are stated so I just applied like normal. I noticed the color instantly and on swipe applied a bright, pigmented shade.

The Lasting Power
These bad boys stick well. I did re-apply a few times through out they day when the center or my lips would fade but that was just me being picky. I would say these guys last a good amount of time but they will leave residue on cups or food. These are not a stain so they don't dry out the lips either. 

The Final Word
I love them! These super pigmented shades are now a staple in my makeup collection and really surprised me. They last a long time, the color payoff is good and they come in a variety of fun shades. I look forward to re-purchasing and purchasing other colors in this line! Go get them now!!!

From the Left: Haute Plum, Pink Pop and shocking Coral

 

So that's it guys! I know this is a short, to the point review but I wanted to give you guys something to chew on. Now, onto the announcement.

As you know, life can get crazy and that seems to be whats going on here these days. Between work and plans and family, something always gets tossed on the back burner. I have been so busy and my life has been insane! The next few weeks is going to be crazy crazy CRAZY. I have so much to catch up on and I need to take a break. SO, The Pretty Pauper is going on hiatus. I love you all to bits and I will be back within the next few weeks. I am unsure of a date but I will keep you informed and posted. You can follow my twitter for updates or even check out my instagram which are all linked on this home page. When I get back I will be back with full force. I am hoping to have more posts throughout the week and more youtube videos up soon too. My video editing program is giving me technical difficulties and it will take me time to figure those out too. But stay tuned for that. I have an interview with an up-and-coming makeup artist coming your way when I get back as well as a HUGE review on my new Lime Crime Velvetine!!! So stay tuned for that!

I want to take a moment to thank all my loyal readers and members. I love you all and appreciate all your support. I will be back full throttle soon, all I need is some time to re-coup and deal with the craziness!

So, that's about if folks! Please stay tuned. I also want to know....when

I come back, what are some things you want to see on  the blog? Tutorials, more reviews, D.I.Y's...etc? Please let me know.

So, until next time my loves. Au revoir! 

Love,

Sarah XXO

Flawless Foundation tips

Hello my Pretties,

            How are all my lovelies doing this evening? I hope your all having a fabulous week so far. I know I am still stuck in Saturday and the week can be quite the drudge when your mind is far behind in the weekend. All your thinking about is partying, relaxing and not working. Anyways, enough with the jibber jabber, let's get to tonight post. Tonight we are going to discuss tips on how you can get a flawless foundation look. I suffer with acne and I need an effective way to cover those zits, scars and pores. If you suffer from this type of skin or you are just willing to get some foundation tips, then this post if for you. I'm going to also tell you what products I use to get these result. This is just what I use, you may know of something that works better for your skin type, so keep that in mind.

Step 1 to flawless foundation is the prep! Some people don't think they need to prep their skin before applying foundation, but in all honestly, speaking as someone who use to skip this step, it is more important than you think. Clean, glowing and moisturized skin will give a seamless, smooth canvas to work on. I usually start by using a witch hazel astringent to tone the skin. This also removes surface oils that will get trapped an cause pimples. Then, I apply a facial serum to help minimize the appearance of scars and to control oils throughout the day. Finally, apply a moisturizer. This will prevent the skin from flaking and help with a smoother application of foundation. And that is it for the prep!

Here are the items I use to prep:
-Thayers Peach Witch Hazel
-Beyond Belief Facial Serum
-Clean And Clear Moisturizer

Step 2 is to prime the skin. Alot of people like to skip the primer as well. Primer fills in fine lines and wrinkles and pores. This gives a smooth appearance to the skin and also helps your makeup to stay in place longer. Trust me, I notice a huge difference when I forget to apply my primer.

Here are some primers I use:
-Smashbox primer
-Hard Candy Skin Perfecting Primer

Step 3 is to apply your foundation. I use a Sephora Pro Buffing Brush #62 to apply my foundation but you can use your hands or a makeup sponge to apply it too. I start with my forehead and work my way down my face. Apply it lightly, you can use concealer later where you need it. Make sure to blend the edges and don't forget your ears (yes your ears, the point of foundation is to even out your skin tone and you want your ears to match the rest of your face). Moving on...

I use Covergirl Clean Makeup for oily skin

Step 4 is to conceal. You only want to use concealer where you need it!!! I can't reiterate that enough, you want your makeup to be like a second skin, not a mask. I use two different concealers, one for bigger and harder to cover blemishes and the other for smaller blemishes and under eye circles. If you have heavy circles under eyes you can use a yellow tinted concealer and if you suffer from redness you can use a green concealer. Word to the wise about green concealer, make sure you blend well! Sometimes when its not blended properly you can see a green tint in certain lighting. Also make sure your skin is well exfoliated because the concealer can get stuck in dead skin making it hard to blend. I also use my #62 brush to buff in my concealer but you can also use your fingers or a sponge to apply.

Here are some concealers I use:
-Vichy DermaBlend Foundation Stick (Actually a full coverage foundation)
- Essence Cover Stick
- Paladio liquid concealer in mint

Step 5 in to seal your work. Finally your going to want to set your makeup with a powder. Alot of people use a translucent powder t set the makeup because it doesn't add any color to the skin. Some people use a pressed powder as well. Make sure when purchasing your powder that you aren't purchasing a powder foundation. This will only make your foundation appear cakey and thick.

I use Rimmel London Stay Matte pressed powder.

And that is it! I use these techniques everyday and I usually look pretty flawless ha ha! I have some serious acne these days and I have some before and after pix of my foundation to share with you guys. My face has seriously exploded in the last little while so please be kind. My face might freak you for 5 seconds ha ha!

Not Bad right?! Well, that my tips, do you have any foundation tips to share? Please do below!

Thanks for reading guys!

Hot Trend Alert: Bold Lips

Hey all you Beauties out there in cyberspace,

              Well it's Friday and that means it was payday for moi and payday equals shopping. I ended up in Sephora (Yes, when I say "ended up" I mean "made a bee line for it") and I really wanted to find a bold and funky lip color. You know when you go into Sephora there is like a rainbow of lip colors and a huge variety of brands to choose from. I was looking for more of my normal, pink, red or coral but I noticed a purple color from Makeup Forever and instantly fell in love. Bold lips are a huge deal for the season and I gotta say, I'm lovin' it. I just love how diverse all the color palettes are. It's super exciting. But some people (including myself at one time) feel like it takes alot to pull off bold lips. They think it will wash them out or that people will look at them funny. Well, here are a few pointers for pulling off bold lips.

Tip #1
Bold lips are fun, a raspberry color in the fall can warm up any look. A hot pink in the summer can make a beach day your very own photo shoot and a cherry red can make anything look good. But sometimes people underestimate the power of a bold lip. They go way too far. When thinking bold lips, think in terms of less is more. You really don't need a whole whack of eye shadow on your eyes to pull of the bold lips. My first tip is, when wearing bold lips, take it easy on the eyes. A naked eye will allow the lipstick to do all the talking. I like a do a matte skin toned shadow all over (up to the brow) and a thin winged liner on top. On the bottom I usually opt for a gold or white liner. This gives definition without screaming overdone.

Tip #2
Bold lips are fun but only if the color lasts. I have learned this lesson the hard way. I have got out of my house with some awesome, sexy bold lips but by the time I arrive at my destination, the lipstick has worn off and only lines my lips. This is a problem alot of us have and I find when I skip this step, I regret it later. Here's the deal: You want to apply your lipstick (preferably with liner but that doesn't always happen), Blot, reapply, blot and reapply again. This seems like alot of work but trust me when I say, you will notice the difference. You can even apply a dab of translucent powder between coats as well and you can do a third round of application for a more intense color, if you desire.

Tip #3
Take your time. This is the most important tip because the way you apply bold lipstick defines the way it will looks at the end of the process. Sometimes life gets rushed and we just need to hurry out the door, but lipstick defines the look and you never want to rush a high pigmented color. High pigmented colors can leave a stain when removed, therefore no matter what you do to try and remove it, there will always be a faint stain. My thing is, follow your natural lip line if possible and if the lip line is undefined, then use a lip pencil in the closest shade to the lip stick color you are using. This will help give an even shape.

Tip #4
My final tip for you is, wear your lipstick with confidence! Sometimes when trying something new that no one has seen you in before can make us self conscience that people are staring and lets be honest, sometimes when someone walks into a room with bright orangy red lipstick we tend to notice that first. But when someone walks into the room and shows that no matter what anyone thinks, they feel fabulous, that's when these colors work.

I hope this little list of tips gives you some food for thought and helped you decide if the bold lips trend is for you. Remember, 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder', so if you think your beautiful, the world will too. So go out and rock those bold lips!

Up Next on The OBQ: Ever heard of 'tight lining'? If not, you'll want to check out my next post AND my review of E.L.F is coming soon too! Stay Tuned...

 

Hair One Review & New Lipstick from M.A.C

Hey Everyone,

How are my Beauts doing this fine evening? Good news, my blog has been getting way more views thanks to everyone who has been recommending. I wanted to again give a special shoutout to anyone who recommended me. You guys are all fabulous! Don't forget that I also have a facebook page yearning for fans.

So, are any of you familiar with the product Wen ? If not, it's basically a sulfate free cleansing conditioner. I came across a 'knockoff' if you will, of Wen called Hair One. It probably about a forth of the cost of Wen. I have never tried either, until now. I found the Hair One packettes at a local Sally Beauty Supply store and decided to give it a whirl. (I also needed to wash my hair that night and had ran out of shampoo) It was about $3 for the packette. I have alot of hair, it's finer, but I have alot of it. The packette, suprisingly, covered my whole head. Since it's sulfate free, the are absolutly no suds, which means that it wont lather at all. It's basically putting conditioner all over your hair. Before you write this off, let me explain the benefits. Cleansing condioner claims to cleanse and moisturize the hair without stripping the natural oils or the color. Cleansing conditioner is a good idea when taking a break from the normal everyday shampoo's because it gives your hair a break from sulfates which can weaken hair and fade color.

When I started putting it on, I noticed that I needed alot of it. There is alot more required than normal shampooing. First, you have to rinse your hair thouroughly before applying the cleanser. Then you apply a good sized amount to your roots and work it in for like 3 minutes. When I say 'Work it in' , I mean WORK IT IN! I had to add more to cover my roots. After that you add it to your hair to cover mid-shaft to the ends. I really worked it in to get the full affect and the best results. The instructed suggest leaving it on for 3-5 minutes before rinsing.

So, was it worth the work? Was I converted to Hair One girl? Well, the answer to both those questions is a big fat 'NO'. I thought that it was more trouble than it's worth and was quit disappointed. I am one of the people who likes their hair to squeak when it's washed. And I'm sorry, sulfates or no sulfates, I like my shampoo to lather. I think it cleansed well, but I just don't like this 'sulfate free' thing. It really defeats the purpose to me. Now that being said, some people try not to wash their hair often and may appriciate this product as being a cleansing conditioner. I am not now, nor will I ever be a Hair One girl. I will stick to my Mane 'n' Tail thank you.

Now, onto bigger and brighter things, like my new M.A.C lipstick!

I am totally in love with this color. I tried it on for the first time today just before work. My theory was that by the time I got to work it would be rubbed off anyways, but it didn't! This stuff stuck like no tomorrow. It lasted me my entire 6 hour shift (was a pale pink by the end of the day). I got tons of compliments on it. This was quite a splurge for me, it was about $20ish after taxes. But after seeing my manager with it, I knew it was meant to be.It is part of the Viva Glam collection and it's a Nicki Minaj color. Apparently every cent goes to charity too, so I guess that's a good thing. Looking hot and supporting a good cause, sounds fair :)

Well, that's it for me Lads.

Lots 'o Love.

Sarah