Most Worn Lipsticks/Glosses

Hi there!  I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays as much as I did.  Now off to a new start of what hopes to be a great New Year!

I have always had a love affair with lipstick.  I am completely obsessed with it.  I love the coverage, the feel, the different textures, the longevity of a lipstick and what may seem a bit creepy to some....simply putting it on! There is just something about pulling out that red CHANEL lipstick in that luxurious black and gold tube that makes you feel like you're channeling your inner Coco darling!

Wearing a lipstick as opposed to a gloss just feels very sophisticated to me.  It's not that I dislike gloss, but I rarely wear one on it's own because I find that most of them are too sheer and don't provide enough coverage.  However, I always put a little in the center of my lip to add a bit of shine but not too much.  I find that too much gloss can give a very "lipstick-y" look which I personally don't care for too much.

Below are the lipsticks and glosses that I reach for the most. The lipsticks have good coverage and feel great on the lips. The glosses have really good coverage as well and aren't sticky at all.

I am not the best at swatches, but I wanted to show what the colors like on skin so that you can get an idea of the true color. They are in order of the listings below.

Lipsticks

Urban Decay - Protest: Peachy Nude with a satin finish

Urban Decay - Fiend: Medium Pink with a satin finish
Dior Addict - Bobo #530: Sheer Light Coral with a touch of shimmer
Revlon - Berry Smoothie (Lip Butter): Berry Pink with a touch of shimmer and a cream sheen finish
MAC - Ruby Woo: Bright Red with a matte finish
EM Cosmetics - Wow Pink: Bright Pink with a satin finish 

CHANEL - Passion: Red with a satin finish

Lip Glosses

CHANEL: Sunset Gold 64: Long wearing Light Gold with shimmer - I think this one may be discontinued :-( 
Maybeline - 110 Mirrored Mauve: Highly pigmented Mave Pink
Maybeline - 300 Lavender Lavish: Highly pigmented Lavender Pink
Giorgio Armani - Pink 501: Long wearing Light Coral Pink with a touch of shimmer 

Giorgio Armani - Pink 518: Long wearing Nude Pink 

                                                                       XOXO,
                                Raven

Sonia Kashuk - Affordable Brush Cleaner

If you are looking for a fantastic, affordable brush cleaner...look no further.  Sonia Kashuk has an amazing one that you can get at your local Target (Link!).  It does an outstanding job at cleaning, smells great and conditions your brushes.  The best part...it's only $7:00!  You need to run out and get one..NOW!

                             XOXO,
                                Raven

The Perfect At Home Manicure

Getting the perfect manicure at home can be a bit challenging.  Especially if you are unsure of what products to use to get that professional, manicured look.  I must say, it has taken me a couple of years - trying lots of new products - to find what really works for me, so I figured I would share my tips n' tricks to achieving the perfect at home manicure.

Things you will need:

• Hand Towel
• Nail File
• Nail Clippers
• Cuticle Pusher
• Cuticle Nippers
• Nail Buffer
• Nail Brush (optional)
• Cotton Square (lint free)
• Rubbing Alcohol 
• Nail Polish Remover
• Cuticle Remover
• Cuticle Oil
• Manicure Sticks
• Chip Skip
• Base Coat
• Nail Polish
• Quick Dry Top Coat

Step 1:
Remove all nail polish from nails, trim and file to your desired length and shape.  Personally, I like to keep my nails short and filed square with slightly rounded edges.

Step 2:
Apply cuticle remover-Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover (Link!)- to cuticles on one hand only and let it sit for 15-20 seconds.  Since the cuticle remover that I recommend using is fast acting, it's better to do one hand at a time.

Step 3:
Gently push back cuticles with the Cuticle Pusher.  The residue that you will see is the overgrowth of cuticle that you want to remove. Wipe it away with the hand towel, while gently pushing the cuticles back.  If there are any little bits that need to be removed, use the Cuticle Nipper to remove them.  ONLY remove the little hang nails or the little rough edges around the nail.  Your cuticles are there to protect your nail bed, so you never want to clip them.  This can leave room for any bacteria to form causing infections. Repeat these steps on other hand.

Step 4:
Take the nail buffer and "gently" buff the nail, getting rid of any rough edges around the nail.  I usually only do this step every other manicure.  Buffing the nail can cause thinning to the nail bed, so you want to be careful not to over do it. Repeat these steps on other hand.

Step 5:
Apply cuticle oil-CND Solar Oil (Link!)- to all nails and massage into the nail bed and cuticles.  Wash hands thoroughly, really getting the cuticle oil off of the nail.  You can use a nail brush to ensure that all of the oil is removed.  Pat nails dry with a hand towel or paper towel.

Step 6:
Check the free edge (tip) of the nail to make sure that there aren't any uneven nail bits from the filing that you did earlier in the routine.  Apply a little rubbing alcohol to a lint free cotton square-Sephora by OPI Nail Pads (Link!) and wipe each nail. This will ensure that all of the oil, soap, or any residue is removed from the nail prior to polishing.  This is a key step! One of the most important steps to a professional quality manicure is a squeaky clean nail bed.

Step 7:
Apply OPI's Chip Skip (Link!) to all nails.  This is a liquid that you put on your nails prior to the base coat to further prevent chipping.  I find that this step really helps the manicure last a lot longer.

Step 8:
Apply base coat-Orly Bonder (Link!) in a thin coat on all nails.  Be sure to seal the free edge of the nail with the base coat. This will really help to prevent chipping too.  Leave some room at the cuticle for a nice clean edge.  This is a step that gives your manicure that professional look.  Allow 2-3 mins to dry.

Step 9:
Apply two thin coats of nail polish to all nails.  Don't worry too much about the streaking on the first coat.  I like to think of the first coat as the foundation or primer.  It's more important to get a nice, even thin layer of nail polish on the first coat. Thin coats of nail polish will help to prevent chipping and extend the wear of your manicure. If you get any nail polish on the skin around the nail, dip your manicure stick into your nail polish remover and wipe it away. Seal the free edge of the nail and allow 2-3 mins to dry between each coat.

Step 10:
Apply a thin coat of quick dry top coat-Sally Hansen Diamond Flash (Link!) to all nails and be sure to seal the free edge.

Voila!  There you have it...the perfect at home manicure.  Some key things to remember:

1. Always clean the nail with a little rubbing alcohol prior to applying any nail polish
2. Apply thin coats of nail polish and remember to seal the free edge of every coat that you apply
3. Allow 2-3 mins in between each coat of nail polish. It's important to let the nail polish dry between each coat to ensure that the next layer of nail polish adheres
4. Wait at least 1-2 hours before getting your nails wet.  You want to make sure that your nails are fully dried before having any contact with water.  Be patient..
5. Apply top coat every 2-3 days to keep the nails shiny and to help prevent chipping

All of these steps are very important for a long wearing, chip free manicure.  Hope this was helpful!  Happy manicuring!


                             XOXO,
                                Raven

Excellent Affordable Gel Eyeliner

If you're looking for a fabulous affordable gel eyeliner, the L'Oreal Infallible Gel Lacquer Liner (Link!) is an excellent choice.  The formula is super creamy and simply glides on with very little effort, which makes it easy to use for the "eyeliner challenged".

It's super pigmented and smudge-proof, which is exactly what I look for in an eyeliner.  Once applied, it has a semi-matte finish, and will not budge until you take it off.  You can also use it as a base for a smoky eye look as well.  It comes with a brush, but I'm not too crazy about it -I actually prefer to use a MAC 266 brush to apply it.

I have owned plenty of high-end gel liners and this one is just as good, if not better!  I even purchased one for my professional make-up kit, and that says A LOT!  The best part....you can get it at your local drugstore...an all-around excellent product!

 XOXO,
   Raven

LES BEIGES

I am super excited and simply cannot wait for this powder by CHANEL (Link!) to hit the counters!  I am dying over this packaging. So chic! I would pre-order it if I could guess what shade I would be from the pictures on the site, but sadly....I am unsure.  Are you going to be adding this lovely powder to your collection? 

XOXO,

  Raven

Favorite YouTube Channels

One of my favorite things to do if I have a little "me" time, is to watch make-up tutorials on YouTube.  There are some really good channels out there, but unfortunately, there are a ton of really bad ones too.  To save you from sorting through the massive amounts of videos out there in the YouTube world, I thought I would share some of my favorite beauty gurus with you.  These are my go-to channels for inspiration, helpful techniques and for the latest and greatest in beauty trends.  Enjoy!




Pixiwoo (Link!)
Lisa Eldridge (Link!)
Tanya Burr (Link!)
Monika Blunder (Link!)
Charlotte Tilbury (Link!)
Smashbox Cosmetics (Link!)
MakeupBySona (Link!)
makeupbyeman (Link!)
MakeupByTiffanyD (Link!)
MakeUpByCamila2 (Link!)
blushingpixie (Link!)
RAEview (Link!)

The Best Foot Scrubber Ever....

Gilden Tree makes the BEST foot scrubbers....EVER.  This is by far the holy grail of foot scrubbers.  I've had mine for at least 4 years now and I will never, ever need to purchase another another one.  It is simply called......the Foot Scrubber (Link!) and it is amazing!  It has two sides, one side scrubs away the dry skin and the other side polishes, leaving your foot soft and smooth.  What's genius about this foot scrubber, is that it's made out of Terra-Cotta and is fired in a kiln, so it never wears out and you will have it forever. Really......forever.


XOXO,
  Raven