Citrus Twist Look Using Bare Escentuals Shadows and MAC Gel Blush

Here's a look and tutorial using some of my eyeshadows from Bare Escentuals. I've always said that I love BE's glimmers and glimpses shadows, but I hardly use them, but when I do, I always get amazed at how pigmented and rich they are. I also like how they really stick to your lids when a good eyeshadow base is used.

I also used my favorite mineral liner from Bare Escentuals, Black Ruby, wetlined on the upper lashline. I used my trusty Bare Escentuals Liner/Shadow Quad compact using the amazing eyeliner brush along with it:



It's so easy to wet-line minerals using this quad. All I do is put a drop of my MAC mixing medium in the receptacle, add some minerals, mix it until it becomes a thin paste, and - voila! Amazing mineral eyeliner for you! It's so compact and travel-friendly that you can actually keep it in your purse for those weekend getaways.

Here is a step-by-step tutorial using Bare Escentuals shadows. All products Bare Minerals (Bare Escentuals) unless otherwise noted.


Apply UDPP on lid and smoothed on brows. Apply MAC Perky Paint pot on lid.


Tap a little bit of Citrus Twist on the lid. Take your stiff shader brush (MAC 239 or Loew Cornell 3/8 Maxine's Mop brush), swirl it in the product until all the minerals are properly tucked in the bristles. Tap the excess, and apply Citrus Twist dry on the lid using patting motions.


Like so.


Using a similar but clean shader brush, apply Shantung on the outer V.




Using a fluffy shader brush, apply Wild Woman Melissa on the crease and outer V, then blend the colors together using the MAC 224 brush.


Using Sonia Kashuk's blender brush, apply MAC mineralize shadow trio in Inter-View (used brown side) on crease, blending into Wild Woman Melissa. Add some more of the latter if needed to deepen the crease. Blend everything using the 224. Using Stila Brush No. 5, apply Cultured Pearl on browbone to highlight. Mix Black Ruby with MAC Charged Water, and wetline on upper lashline. Apply Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero to tightline and on waterline. Add mascara.











I also love MAC's gel blush in Just A Pinch. It's very easy to apply on the cheeks (just make sure to use clean fingers!), and it doesn't look splotchy on my skin at all. I like how it gives a truly natural lit-from-within flush.

Face:
Monistat gel as primer
MAC Prep + Prime Refined Skin Zone on t-zone
Earthen Glow mineral foundation in Yuan Yuan
MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NC20
Dayna's Rested mineral undereye concealer
DreamWorld whipped creme in Peach (finishing powder)
MAC gel blush in Just a Pinch

Lips:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
MAC Way to Love lipstick
MAC Virgin Kiss lipglass

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation and Concealer Review, Plus a Hello Kitty Look

NOTE: For product information and official promo images, click HERE.



Studio Sculpt Foundation

I admit, I was really iffy about doing a review on the Studio Sculpt foundation because a lot of you know that I only use mineral foundation. The first thing that touches my skin has got to be the purest mineral makeup there is, or else my skin would really act up, and hello zit farm! To expound on how insanely sensitive my skin is, I once went to the MAC counter for a makeover, and the MA used Hyperreal foundation on my mineral-spoiled skin. I grew two zits in a span of only three hours from the time Hyperreal was applied on my skin! I promised myself that I would never ever touch liquid foundation again, and I admit, up to this day, my skin just loves mineral makeup. It is its salvation, and my skin doesn't just thrive with mineral makeup, it blooms and heals because of it. However, I was really curious about Studio Sculpt because I read that this is MAC's answer to all the High Definition makeup inundating the beauty market right now. Add to the fact that I've read a slew of rave reviews about the Studio Sculpt, that really made me take the plunge and - gasp! - try goopy, gunky liquid makeup again.

Nonetheless, I still wasn't convinced that I could risk having another zit farm on my face because of one review, so I made a very small precaution that I think made a huge difference: to create the "mineral barrier" my skin needs and demands, I buffed in a very very small amount of LaurEss mineral foundation in Pure Yellow before I applied Studio Sculpt. I would say that in the future, I will always take the extra step of applying a very light layer of mineral foundation before applying liquid makeup, just to create the mineral "force field" that would shield my skin from ingredients in liquid makeup that cause adverse reactions.

I believe this extra step worked, because I've been using Studio Sculpt for two straight days now, and I have yet to see one small zit (remember my skin reacts to liquid foundations in as fast as three hours). I am amazed! If only for the fact that it doesn't break me out, Studio Sculpt foundation should earn two thumbs up!

Now to the nitty gritty. I have tried other liquid foundations in the past, and unlike Studio Fix Fluid or Hyperreal or even the Makeup Forever High Definition Foundation, the Studio Sculpt comes in gel form. It is not the gel that we actually visualize in our heads when we read that word, but it is gel in the sense that it has a thicker, creamier consistency. I am an NC30 in MAC, but this time I used NC25 because NC30 looked too dark on my skin. I also read that the shades of Studio Sculpt run dark. I applied it on my skin using the MAC 109 brush in fast buffing strokes because this formula dries up real fast. I set it using the Cargo Blu-Ray High Definition pressed powder.



The verdict?

UPSIDE: I love the finish. It is very creamy, and flawless, flawless, flawless. It makes my pores look smaller, and just gives an overall creamy look. It is not too matte, but not shiny either. The gel formula makes it easy to conceal dark spots and prevents it from being streaky. Wow, I can't believe I would be able to say that about a liquid foundation! I like the light feeling, or at least the feeling that I am not wearing liquid makeup at all. Usually when I wear liquid foundation, I really feel the weight on my skin, and it would most often itch. The Studio Sculpt doesn't do that. I have MakeUp Forever's HD foundation and I prefer Studio Sculpt over the MUFE - the finish just looks better on me. BEST of all, the Studio Sculpt didn't break me out!

DOWNSIDE: It is still not mineral makeup, so this is not something I would wear everyday. This would be great though for nights out, for special occasions, or on those days when I just want to wear it.

Studio Sculpt Concealer:

The concealer comes in paint pot pots and, like the foundations, the shades run darker than the usual concealers. That said, I used NC20 in Studio Sculpt.

UPSIDE: Can you say holy grail concealer? Oh my, I thought nothing could rival my Urban Decay 24/7 pencil concealer in creaminess, ease in application and concealing power, but it just got toppled from the top spot by the Studio Sculpt concealer. This baby si SO creamy, so easy to blend, but very opaque and would really hide stubborn dark undereye circles! It doesn't settle into fine lines because I blend the product well with my finger. I can't believe how it can effectively conceal and yet still look natural on the skin. I also apply mineral concealer on top of it and it wouldn't cake at all. Miracle product! MAC's Studio Finish concealer doesn't even come close to how creamy and easily blendable Studio Sculpt is. Studio Finish is thick but is quite hard to blend, especially on the undereye area. I totally would recommend Studio Sculpt over Studio Finish.

DOWNSIDE: None that I can think of, at least for now.

Overall, I was really very surprised with these two products. They are really of top notch quality. I have combination skin with a very oily t-zone, and yet it tolerated and even liked Studio Sculpt foundation. The concealer is one of the best I've tried. If you need to get just one product, I highly recommend the concealer. It works great on the undereye area and covers imperfections really well.

Finally, here's a look using the Studio Sculpt duo, the Hello Kitty Lucky Tom palette, Hello Kitty Fun & Games beauty powder blush, and other MAC products.















(All products MAC unless otherwise noted)

Eyes:
Beige-ing shadestick all over lid, brows and to line lower lashline
Perky paint pot on lid
Paradisco eyeshadow packed on lid using the 252 brush, to line inner lower lashline using Sonia Kashuk mini contour brush
Firespot eyeshadow on the crease using the 217 brush
Mulch eyeshadow on outer V using the 217 brush
Lucky Tom eyeshadow to contour crease using Sonia Kashuk blender brush, to line outer lower lashline using Sonia Kashuk mini contour brush
Creme Royal to highlight browbone using the 227 brush, on tearducts using Sonia Kashuk mini contour brush
Coastal Scents gel liner in Truffle
Victoria's Secret kohl pencil liner in Black Velvet to tightline and on waterline

Face:
Monistat gel as primer
LaurEss mineral foundation in Pure Yellow (very light layer)
Studio Sculpt foundation in NC25
Studio Sculpt concealer in NC20
Dayna's Rested mineral undereye concealer
CARGO Blu-Ray high definition powder
Fun and Games Beauty Powder blush using the 136 brush
Refined Golden bronzer to contour using the 138 brush

Lips:
Creamola cremestick liner
Ravishing cremesheen lipstick
Live & Dye lipglass

Chocolate Citrus Using Bare Escentuals and MAC

I'm featuring a step-by-step illustration of chocolate citrus eyes using my Bare Escentuals glimmer shadow in Citrus Twist, and MAC shadows in Sunplosion (too bad this is limited edition, but it is SO gorgeous) and mineralize shadow trio in Inter-View. But before I do that, here's my beautiful MAC 227 brush that I just got in the mail, it is breathtakingly pretty:





The head is humongous compared to my other MAC shadow brushes, but it is excellent for highlighting the browbone or for doing a wash of color on the lids. The hairs are so soft and dense. I am so glad I got this brush.

Anyways, here is the step-by-step illustration. All products MAC unless otherwise noted.


Apply Urban Decay primer potion all over lid and browbone. Smooth with finger. Using a fluffy shader brush, apply Perky paint pot all over lid.


Using the 242 brush, pack Bare Escentuals Citrus Twist glimmer shadow dry on the lid using quick patting motions.


Using the 224 brush, apply Sunplosion shadow on the crease.


Using Sonia Kashuk blending brush, apply the brown side of the Inter-View mineralize eyeshadow trio on the crease and outer V, blending into Sunplosion. Add more Sunplosion to blend into Inter-View, and add more Citrus Twist if necessary.


Using the 227 brush, apply NARS All About Eve eyeshadow duo (I used the satin/non-shimmer side) to highlight and on inner corners (I love this duo! Review coming up).




Line using Blacktrack fluidline. Tightline and waterline using UD 24/7 liner in Zero. Apply Ardell 109 falsies, apply mascara.





I used Make Up Forever HD foundation in 123. LOL, shocked? I still prefer mineral foundation, but I have a whole bottle of this and I don't want it to go to waste, so I used it. Finish and coverage are great but it's not something my mineral foundations couldn't replicate with a little help from a good hydrator spray, and mineral foundations are better on my skin and are all-natural. This foundation looks flawless, however, but I certainly don't like to use it everyday. I used Aromaleigh Ultra Resolution finishing powder in Clear (cheaper clone of the MUFE HD loose finishing powder), NARS Super Orgasm blush on cheeks. I used MAC Lightly Ripe lipstick and MAC lipglasses in Illicit and Live and Dye.

Corals and Browns Using Mineral Shadows

Here is a look featuring coral, bronze and brown mineral shadows. This is the first time after a long while that I used my Bare Escentuals shadows, and I was really pleasantly surprised that they really apply well even without foiling. I have had Bare Escentual shadows for two years now, but I got sidetracked by mineral shadows from smaller mineral companies. Now I can't wait to play with my Bare Minerals shadows. Also, today I went to the mall with the family and I went inside the Bare Escentuals boutique that had just opened a few months ago in our area. I had a lot of fun playing with the beautiful eyeshadow glimmers and glimpses. We have Sephora and ULTA where one can also play with BE colors, but the BE boutique has a hundred times more colors and selections so it was definitely mineral makeup heaven right there.

Anyways, here is my look featuring Bare Minerals shadow in Radiant Rebecca.


Apply UDPP on lid and smoothed on brows. Apply MAC Perky Paint pot on lid. Using Loew Cornell 3/8 Maxine's Mop 270 brush (MAC 239 dupe), apply Radiant Rebecca dry on the lid using patting motions.


Using Stila #9 blending brush, apply MAC mineralize shadow in Inter-View on outer lid and crease (used dark brown side).


Using a fluffy brush (I used Studio Tools medium shadow brush), apply Silk Naturals mineral shadow in Superstar to blend with Inter-view and Radiant Rebecca.


Apply more Radiant Rebecca as needed. Blend the darker color into the lid color using Stila #9 blending brush. Apply MAC Sweetjoy eyeshadow to highlight. Apply Almay liquid liner in Brown. Fill in brows, apply mascara. Apply Radiant Rebecca on inner lower lashline using Sonia Kashuk pointed pencil brush, and Inter-View brown shadow on outer lower lashline. Use UD 24/7 glide-on eyeliner in Zero to tightline and on waterline.





Face:
Monistat gel as primer
Adorned With Grace mineral foundation in Hope 3.5 and Hope 3.8 mix
UD 24/7 pencil concealer on undereye area
Bare Escentuals Well Rested over UD 24/7
DreamWorld creme topping (finishing powder) in Butterscotch (silk formula)
MAC mineralize blush in Nuance

Lips:
Jordanna lipliner in Nutmeg
MAC lipstick in Mellow Flame
MAC lipglass in Splendid!

MAC Neo Sci-Fi Take Two

Here's another look using MAC Neo Sci-Fi eyeshadows and Soft & Slow lipgloss which is also part of the collection. I amped the colors up by using Indianwood paint pot underneath, and I also applied falsies to complement the bold colors. I likewise used Firespot eyeshadow from last year's Moonbathe collection, and as expected, it went well with the Neo Sci-Fi colors.

Also, I am using a new mineral foundation, this time it's Pure Anada, a Canadian company. I found out about this brand while browsing MMU forums, and I saw this lovely look using this brand from Vely, a co-mineral makeup enthusiast (I can't post the link to her blog entry as it is only viewable by friends and family). I was so intrigued by this brand because it looked so flawless on her. I bought 12 samples of foundations, finishing powders and eyeshadows for only $9 including shipping, and I was so surprised when it arrived in just a couple of days. Needless to say, I immediately tried it out. I think I found a good match in the shade Flaxen Field. I liked the brochure of products that came with my order, basically introducing the company to the consumer and the different shades and formulas of its foundations, finishing powders, eyeshadows and blushes, and also a step-by-step instruction (you can view their brochure on their website). I'll create another look featuring its eyeshadows in another entry.

















Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick on lid and smoothed on brows as base
MAC Indianwood paint pot on lid
MAC Expensive Pink eyeshadow on lid
MAC Firespot eyeshadow on middle of lid
MAC Time & Space eyeshadow on outer lid and crease
MAC Magnetic Fields and Satin Taupe eyeshadows on crease and outer V
MAC Femme-Fi eyeshadow to highlight and on tearducts
MAC Blacktrack fluidline to line
MAC Brownborder technakohl liner on waterline
Rimmel and MAC mascaras
Red Cherry falsies #103

Face:
Camellia Rose skin-smoothing primer
Pure Anada mineral foundation in Flaxen Field
Physician's Formula Mineral Wear cream concealer
Bare Escentuals Well-Rested
Bare Escentuals mineral veil
MAC Beauty Powder blush in Secret Blush

Lips:
Rimmel 1000 Kisses stay-on lipliner in Epic
MAC lipstick in Fleshpot
MAC lipglass in Soft & Slow

Neutrals, Oranges, and Greens

I have amassed quite a bit of FOTDs lately as I have been either too lazy or too tired to post them. As a result, I think (I hope not) I have forgotten some of the products I used for these. I remember vividly though the foundations I used for these looks: Joppa, DreamWorld, and Meow (with a layer of Oceanmist underneath). I love these brands as they control my oilies and yet do not make my skin super dry. I am always amazed by the ultra-smooth finish these foundations give.

For this first look, I used my limited edition and rare MAC eyeshadow in Sunplosion for the first time. Yes, the first time. I'd wanted to really pack it on so that the beautiful vividness of the coppery orange could be seen, but I didn't have the time. Also, I didn't want to wear a very bright eye look for work, so this would have to do. I did commit a cosmetic mortal sin, though - I totally forgot to put on (the horror!) - mascara! I was such in a hurry that it completely slipped my mind. I know, eye makeup without mascara looks funky to say the least - but hey, nobody's perfect!







Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base on lid
MAC eyeshadow in Cosmic on lid
MAC pigment in Sunplosion on crease, above crease and outer lid
MAC Bronze eyeshadow outer V and crease
MAC Vanilla pigment to highlight and on inner corners
Indelible gel liner in Chocolate Mousse

Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Joppa Full Coverage foundation in Light #3
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Lumiere Pure Silk powder in Sand
Lumiere silk blush in Au Naturale
MAC Sculpt powder to contour

Lips:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
MAC lipstick in Honey Moon
MAC lipglass in 1N

Here's a green look featuring some of my MAC aquas and greens that I've been neglecting recently. I can't believe I've forgotten how buttery smooth these glide on my lids and staying power and color pay-off are amazing as always. I used Surreal on the lid, Guacamole mid-lid, Humid and Greensmoke on crease and outer V. I used Vanilla pigment to highlight and on inner corners, and Nightfish fluidline. I used my favorite DreamWorld mineral foundation mix in Theia and Tethys. This time, since I am getting a bit darker, I used a teensy weensy amount of Tethys and added some more Theia.







Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
DreamWorld mineral foundations in Theia and Tethys (80-20 mix) (Luna formula)
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Lumiere Pure Silk powder in Sand
Cory mineral blush in Spiced Plum
MAC Sculpt powder to contour

Lips:
I forget!

Finally, here's a neutral look using Franchesca's (Adorned With Minerals) eyeshadows and Oceanmist foundation in Dandelion for my first layer, then Meow Flawless Feline foundation in Naughty Abyssinian as my second layer. This is my first time to mix (well, layer) two different brands together and it wasn't a disaster, IMO. I used Lumiere's Pure Silk finishing powder in Sand over it. I applied Lumiere blush in Au Naturale to finish the look





Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base on lid
Adorned With Minerals shadow in Pearl Latte foiled on lid
Adorned with Minerals shadow in Sugared Mulberry foiled on outer V
Adorned with Minerals shadow in Dutch Chocolate on crease
MAC shadows in Nylon and Ricepaper to highlight and on inner corners
MAC Nightfish fluidline

Lips:
MAC cremestick liner in Beurre
Silk Naturals lipstick in Bliss
MAC lipglass in White Magic