Top 5 Blushes

Doing the cheeks is definitely one of my favorite things to do when doing my make up. I decided to show you guys my top (5) blushes and tried to keep each color different but... What can I say? I love my nude blushes.

All of these are very blend able and pigmented. These are colors that compliment my skin tone the best and just add that flush of color I love. The best thing is how they're all pretty flexible when it comes to the application. There is no patchiness in the application and the color pay off is definitely build able. Also, the colors I chose are very low key and can be handled by pros and beginners. Since they're all pigmented you need a light hand when applying them, but the payoff is very lovely! These are definitely colors I reach for the most.

 Nyx- 02 Dusty Rose

Sleek- Life's A Peach

Tarte- Exposed

MAC- Oh So Fair

MAC- Tenderling

How Much Is My Face Worth (Eek!)

Let me start by saying how deeply ashamed I feel with the numbers I came up with. I thought this would be a fun post but it's definitely not when you're staring at the end results. I'm definitely putting the brakes on make up until further notice! What will I write about? Oh, I have some plans. Anyway, here we go!

•   Formula 10.0.6- $7
• BB Cream- $30
• Reve de Miel- $20
• NARS Laguna- $34 (I don't use this everyday but I still wanted to add it)
• MSF Soft & Gentle- $30
• Blush Tenderling- $20
• Tarte Setting Powder- FREE (sample)
• Bare Study Cream Shadow- $18.50
• Rimmel Brow Pen- $3
• Mascara- $8
• Lipstick Honey Love- $14.50

This all comes down to a whopping $185! What is this! What have I done! Someone kick me in the arse because that is not okay. Bad, Ivonne! BAD! BAD! Sigh~ The sad part is this is a no make up, make up look. You'd expect I'd look more made up for $185! 

Anyway, how much is your face worth?  

Beware, you might end up like me... curled up into a ball in a dark corner crying.

Fall Lipsticks | My Picks

It's almost that time again where we start getting the urge to wear darker and bolder lipsticks, so I thought I'd show you my picks. These are basically what I'll be wearing all through fall. Beware, many of these are matte and are dry, which isn't good fore dry temperatures so always moisturize your lips before applying.

Monte Carlo NYX Matte Cream- This is a bit of a darker red, more blue toned. It looks more vampy but it still keeps that classic red touch. It's just this vibrant red that looks very nice on all skin tones (I especially like it on ebony skin tones).

MAC Twig- This is a very mauve lipstick that is a shade darker than my lips. This is perfect to start out my fall, not too dark but dark enough. 

MUF Rogue Artist Intense 19- This is a berry color with a hint of gold sparkles. I don't usually go for lipsticks with shimmer but you don't feel the ones in this lippie and they're very subtle. 

MAC Diva- This is a very vampy berry toned lipstick. Perfect for when you have a very minimalistic face and wish to showcase some serious dark lips.

Tom Ford Black Orchid- This is a classic. Elegance is just oozing from this lipstick. This is a gorgeous chocolate lipstick that adds a hint of mystery to your fall look.

Kat Von D Oh My Goth- The name says it all. This is a gorgeous purple with pink shimmer in it. It looks amazing and it doesn't apply completely opaque, you can build up the color. I love this lippie, especially on Halloween. 

I picked all of these lipsticks because they're gorgeous for staring at and for wearing them. There is just something about a clean face and dark lips that adds mystery and I love that. I'm all for the thick brow and dark lips this coming fall. Plus, I just love Halloween and I can't wait to smother dark lipsticks on and prance around. We all have to satisfy that inner goth that comes out every now and then.

What will your fall lipsticks be?

MAC | Tenderling

This was an unexpected buy, the only way to justify it is that I had just recuperated from a horrible face infection I got from my wisdom teeth taken out and I needed to treat myself to something. I had seen this blush before, especially on my quest for a more neutral blush, but it never stood out to me. For some reason on my trip to MAC I was drawn to it and decided to buy it without even trying it on. Best decision I made because I have not stopped using this blush since I got it. 

Where to begin... This just gives me a lovely muted peachy burst of color. It looks very natural and effortless. It blends out smoothly and it's just a little tease of color. This is an everyday blush that gives me a boost of color. Mixing this on top of my BB cream creates the perfect combination of a flawless complexion. I feel really pretty when I have this and my BB cream on. It is long lasting, you will always see that flush of color during the day. I don't have to retouch my blush and I don't end up looking dull throughout the day. I'm so damn happy I got this blush and it's definitely something I reach for daily.

Summer Favorites!

Since I always forget to do a monthly favorite, I decided to redeem myself with doing a Summer favorite! These are the products I've gravitated towards more during this very hot and humid summer. It's safe to say this has not been the summer to cake on make up. The heat here is unbearable and I've been having a lot of skin problems all summer that have me even more stressed. So, I've kept is light. Since there's quite a bit I decided to separate them into categories: Fragrance, Eyes, Face, Cheeks & Lips. Enjoy!

Fragrance:

 Dove Go Fresh Body Mist in Cucumber and Green Tea Scent- This is a product I always have with me. It has a unique scent that dries on very sweet and lovely. This is something I spray on during the day to make sure I don't stick up the place. Hah!

Eyes:

 MAC Bare Study- Although this is a fairly new product, I couldn't help but add it. This is something I reach for easily 4 or 5 days a week. It's just gives an effortless look and shine to the eyes that I can't get with my eyeshadows. Plus, it has a very good lasting power.

Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara Sample- I got this from a friend who sells Mary Kay. I've been really enjoying the finish this has on my lashes. I have very long natural lashes so I get annoyed when the mascaras elongate them, but this does a great job and getting them nice and dark without making the stupidly long and for a sample it's lasted me a good amount of time.

Face:

 Tarte Smoothing Operator- This is by far a holy grail product. I cannot wait to get my hands on a full size of this. This makes my pores small and keeps me matte throughout the day. This little guy is amazing and I cannot comprehend how I didn't know about it sooner. The best part is you only need a pea size amount to cover the WHOLE face!

Clinique Perfectly Real Make Up Foundation- I can definitely say I had neglected this foundation for a long time and fell in love with it all over again. The application is smooth and light, easy to blend in. It gives a nice light-medium coverage that's perfect for this weather. 

Cheeks:

 MAC Refined Golden Bronzer- I stole this guy from one of my best friend who has a tendency to be a kleptomaniac (hi, brenda!) and needless to say she did not like a taste of her own medicine. Anyway, this bronzer just gives such a delicate glow to the skin with the right amount of gold shimmer. I can cheat and say I went to the beach now!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed- This is such an amazing blush that I always carry with me wherever I go. The flush of color it gives looks very natural and soft. The lasting power on this is amazing and goes so well with the bronzer. I couldn't help but reach for it.

Lips:

 Korres Wild Rose Lip Balm- It's no secret I'm a fan of matte lipsticks, but with this heat it's also no secret that I've had to drop my lipsticks and go for lip balms to keep my lips moisturized. The Korres lip balm gives me much needed moisture with a lovely hint of color that is greatly appreciated.

Reve de Miel Lip Balm- This guy is the one I use every morning and every night before I go to sleep. This is definitely what has been keeping my lips from cracking too much. It keeps my lips in check and leaves the soft.

Hot Pink Lip Balm- I got this guy at Sephora for $2 on a sale! It gives a lovely shade of sheer pink on the lips when applied and it looks like you ate a lolli pop. It's lovely.

Runway Trick | Glossy Red Lips

Here's a quick and easy tip for very glossy red lips, as seen on Fall runways. All you'll need is:

• Red Lipstick (I chose MAC's Ruby Woo)
• Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream

This is a really neat and easy trick. You first apply the lipstick of your choice. Then you take a pea size amount of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream and dab it on. Voila, you have glossy red lips. This works with any color of your choice, I chose red since I saw it on the runway. This is perfect for photoshoots and just getting creative. It may be a bit messy but it's easy to clean up! Enjoy!

MAC | Bare Study

Sup, guys? Here today to talk about MAC's cream shadow Bare Study. This is a very neutral pearl/champagne cream shadow that is perfect for an everyday wear. I got this because I'm going through a "no make up, make up look" and i thought this would be perfect to just slap on add some mascara and go. I've been using this for about 3 to 4 weeks now and I do love it but I get annoyed with it sometimes. This is a very gorgeous base and highlighter color that just gives an added radiance. What I dislike is that I feel it goes on streaky when applied with a finger so I tend to use a brush, which minimizes the streakyness but not by much. You have to be patient whilst blending it but once you're done it looks lovely. It's a very subtle color which is exactly what I was looking for. I first was leaning towards getting Stila's Kitten cream shadow but that one leans more towards a pinkish finish. Once this shadow is on (without primer) it has a very good lasting power, about 8 hours or so and it fades beautifully so you can imagine how long it'd last with primer.

Overall, I'm satisfied with the product. I have no regrets on buying it and I would highly consider getting it again once i ran out. But seeing that it is a nice amount of product, I think I can make this last quite a while before I run out. Also, MAC cream shadows tend to dry out so just pop this baby up-side down and let the moisture run to the top, that's how I always leave mine. I think the color is very suitable for any skin tone, from fair to darker tones. Of course, bare in mind that if you're fair skinned this will look like some added shimmer and not much color. Opposed to darker skins which would give a lovely flush of champagne color to the lid. Really, I think this product is a universal product that is lovely on anyone as long as it's used right.

MAC | Face & Body Foundation

'Sup, guys! I bring you a foundation review, this time MAC's F&B Foundation. Now, this took the blogging scene by storm almost two years ago. People were raving how amazing it is and how they loved the finish of it. When it originally came out I was in no way wearing foundation. I didn't know how and hated the feel of it. However, lately I only wear foundation or BB creams on a day to day and I go without powder. With this I got intrigued with the thought of trying this foundation since it's said to be light and water based, so I decided to give it a go. 

The foundation itself is $33 for 120mL, which is very good for a high end brand foundation. If you're looking for a full coverage foundation than steer clear from this one because this foundation gives a very, very light coverage. It has a very watery consistency which blends well to the skin. One pet peeve I have is that it's not matte but I knew this when I bought it. If you have oily skin then you shouldn't even look at this foundation. It gives a very dewy wet look that us normal to oily skin types can barely tolerate let's not even mention oily skins. It's a very hydrating foundation which is to be expected, and it feels very light on the skin. As for lasting, it lasts about 6 to 8 hours on my skin with primer. The foundation itself is not something out of this world and it's not that amazing to me but I do like it. It's a product I don't regret buying but wont buy again when I finish mine. I'll just stick to more matte foundations from now on.

Wishlist

Wishlist by ivonnefg featuring clarins makeup

Dara Ettinger stackable jewelry
charmandchain.com

NARS Cosmetics bronzing powder
nordstrom.com

Chanel bronzing powder
$46 - debenhams.com

Burberry eyeshadow
nordstrom.com

Clarins makeup
$40 - johnlewis.com

MAC Cosmetics blush
nordstrom.com

This is my current wishlist and I truly hope to get all of this bit by bit. Wishlist suck...

MAC Heavenly Creature Light Year MSF

 Most of you may have already heard or seen MAC's new MSF collection: Heavenly Creature. I first say the collection in one of Allurabeauty's youtube channel where she shows the whole collection plus swatches. Overall, I liked only a few of the collection from seeing them in the video. One of the MSF, Light Year, stood out the most to me and I decided to check it out. When actually getting to the store a couple of weeks later I made one mistake...I didn't have enough time to wander around and see. All of this was rushed and that's a huge no-no with products (especially expensive ones). We need time to see, feel, swatch and think and I went from seeing to buying. Now, I'm not saying I regret my buy, 70% of me is happy I got it, but I should have taken my time.

 Here's the thing, the whole collection is gorgeous. I know not all of it swatches how it's supposed to but overall it is good. My problem with Ligh Year is it has way too many gold sparkles in it. You need to be really light handed when applying it or it just looks unnatural! I swear, I was so overwhelmed when I first applied it. Don't get me wrong, I love the peachy color it gives me. When you get beyond the gold shimmer you get a really healthy fresh glow, but the gold shimmer plays a huge roll on this. I'm kinda hoping the gold shimmer doesn't go all the way through the bottom... Sad, I know. Apart from that, I do love the color on me sans the shimmer. Not a huge disappointment and at least I can walk at night knowing I wont get run over since I have reflectors on my cheeks, right? Silver lining! Have any of you gotten any of the other products?

MAC Pigment | Blue Brown

  Sup, guys! I come today to show you a MAC pigment called Blue Brown I got ages ago but never showed you. MAC pigments go for $20 each and from experience I say it's definitely worth it buy if it's a rare color and since they last soooooooooo long. I've had mine for months now and while I admit I use it for special occasions I have used it and it's still at 99%. It's easily a product I see lasting me years if I use it wisely. It's very pigmented and more importantly it's easy to blend out. Even though it looks scary it's very wearable and build-able for a more dramatic look. I just love how it looks like dragon scales! The amount of product needed to do both eyes is ridiculously small. Once you open the pigment it has a small cap inside which is what I use to pick up some of the color. I'm very happy with this guy and it's something I use for special occasions and when I feel adventurous.

Alternatives | MAC Diva & Tom Ford Black Orchid

  It's happened to us all. We come across this lipstick we just need to get , and maybe it's a bit over priced but you get it anyway. Well, almost every lipstick has a dupe or an alternative. Something that comes very close to what you want and the difference in finish is different...and also the price. I was playing around with this MAC lipstick I got called Diva and I remembered a Wet 'n' Wild lipstick I had that seemed similar. When I swatched them side by side I was amazed with how similar they looked. I mean, MAC lipsticks are $15 and the WnW one cost be literally ¢69! Makes one regret the damn buy. Anyway, then I decided to go even further and try it next to my Tom Ford lipstick and I was struck again with how similar they were...even in the names!

 Although the lipsticks aren't dupes for one another they are very good alternatives. Don't want to spend $15-$50 but want that color? Then venture out there and find something similar or even a dupe. Each of the lipsticks have a different finish, which also takes a roll on which you choose to spend your money on, and they all have a slight difference in the hues used but trust me they all are very similar.

  The MAC Diva lipstick is a matte lipstick. Meaning the finish will have no shine and will be drying
It applies very smoothly and is rich in color (as are most MAC lipsticks). I don't find it's that drying, but I personally love matte lipsticks. It gets down to what you prefer so I suggest trying it on at the store before purchase. And last, the wear is very good. I've been known to wear this for 8hrs without more than one touch up for good measure.

  This is the Wet n Wild Black Orchid lipstick that I got for ¢69 at a drugstore. Like the MAC lipstick, it goes on very smoothly when applied. It's a very pigmented lipstick, especially for the price, but the finish is not matte. The finish of this lipstick definitely has a sheen to it but it's not too much and does not dry your lips. This lipstick also has a good wear, although you will have to touch up after eating and drinking, but with that price who cares?!

  And lastly the Tom Ford Black Orchid that I got for $30. It applies smoothly and very buttery. The finish has a slight sheen to it without overpowering. As for the wear, I don't know yet since I've yet to try it on...I'm too intimidated by it. Ha!

 And here are the swatches. Although MAC Diva looks a bit more red-ish here in person it looks very much the same. It has a purple/red hue undertone to it that is very lovely and vampire like. Then we have Wet n Wild's Black Orchid that has a more purple/brown undertone to it. And last we have Tom Ford's Black Orchid that has a brown undertone to it. Again, I'm not saying the WnW one is a dupe, but an alternative and something to consider before buying. Do any of you have some good alternatives or dupes?