#MOTD Big Lashes and Nude Lips

Hello everyone! After a few weeks of going either bare faced, or very minimal makeup, I finally felt well enough and had a good excuse to get a little dolled up. Today I was going to a champagne brunch with some girl friends so I wanted to do something a little glam, but nothing too over the top. I ended up going with big fluffy lashes, a smoked out lower lash line and nude lips.

 

Products used:

-Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in 2.0

-Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Light Warm

-Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit to set

-BECCA Damselfly Blush

-MUFE Lro Sculpting Duo #2 for bronzer and highlight

-NYX Blonde Eyebrow Gel

-UD Naked Smoky Palette (look for a review this coming week!)

-Sephora Duo Reflects Eyeshadow in Mermaid Tail on lower lash line

-BellaPierre loose eyeshadow in Excite

-UD Black Velvet 24 Hr glide on pencil in waterline 

-Benefit Rollerlash Mascara

-Nubounsom 3D Mink Lashes in "Bella" ("LivforLashes" for $$ off!)

-Too Faced Melted Nude and Melted Sugar lipsticks mixed

I really like how it came out! It's glam but still a little understated and totally wearable for the day, even more so without the dramatic lashes (even though I'm dying over these 3D minks!!). 

What was your #MOTD today? Tag #livforlashes on Instagram so I can't check it out! And be sure to follow me on  social media for more pics, updates and more!

xoxo

LivforLashes

Follow me on Twitter! @LivforLashes

Find me on Instagram @livforlashes

Email: liv_2008@icloud.com

Check-In Chit Chat

Hey everyone! Long time no see and I really apologize for that. So much has been happening the last few weeks and sometimes life comes before blogging. I was thinking of doing a little chatty check-in type post every few weeks just to slow down for a minute and talk to you guys, catch you up on what's been going on and just taking a little break from the beauty stuff. 

I know the past month or so I've been lagging on the posts, but I've been trying to soak up the summer with my girls. My husband is in the Marines and he is currently deployed, so it's just us girls until around Christmas and I've really been trying to just take a break from everything and spend as much time with them making memories. We've spent a ton of time at the different beaches here in San Diego, just lazing around and whatnot and I can say that I'm not sorry about not posting. My girls then spent a couple of weeks with my parents in northern Arizona so I was working quite a bit at the hospital for a while there. 

I also ran into some health issues a week and a half ago which really put a stop to everything. Long story short, I had car trouble outside of Yuma, Arizona driving home to get my girls so I was quite literally stranded in the middle of the desert in 115 degree heat for almost nine hours which lead to severe dehydration and heat exhaustion. I've mentioned before that I am Type 1 diabetic, so pretty much anytime I get sick, or my body is even a little stressed, my blood sugars can get a little crazy, which can be very dangerous for people with T1D. I took myself to the emergency room expecting a few hour stay getting IV fluids and ended up spending an entire week in the hospital getting my electrolytes back in the normal ranges and trying to control my blood sugar. Super scary but thankfully everything worked out fine and I'm feeling back to normal again. My little scare has given me a few ideas more in the "lifestyle" category as far as posting some things about wellness and self-health and maybe incorporating some healthy food tips (I'm a strict clean eater, former vegetarian for 18 or so years) and whatnot. Let me know what you guys think about that. 

But now that I'm feeling better, I wanted to check in with everyone and just stop to chat. Blogging is just a hobby for me, but after a while you really begin to invest your time and effort into your posts, so going even a few days without posting can really make the guilt set in. But I would much rather post quality and informative reviews, and fun pictorials or MOTD posts for you guys than random posts with no content value. I hope you all understand. I'm excited to get back into the swing of things and I look forward to lots of fun posts for you guys! Have a fabulous day everyone and thanks again so much for taking the time out of your day to read my little blog. 

Much love,

Olivia aka LivforLashes

New They're Real! Push-Up Liners from Benefit Cosmetics

So as many of you have probably seen on Instagram and YouTube, Benefit Cosmetics recently released new They're Real! Push-Up liner and Mascara in fun new colors. At first I wasn't too interested. I don't personally think colored mascara looks good on me and I wasn't too impressed with the original liner since it's so hard to work with. But after getting to play around a bit with the new eyeliners in store the other day, I caved and picked up the They're Real! Push Up liners in Beyond Brown, Beyond Blue and Beyond Purple. 

Basically it's a gel liner in a pen form, which sounds like a good concept. However, the original push up liner in black is pretty difficult to work with. You twist out the product and apply it with the silicone tip, which makes the liner skip a little and the actual gel liner was a little too dry for my tastes. These new liners though are totally different. The application is the same, but it feels much creamier and so much easier to work with. The gel doesn't set as fast as the black, so you really have time to play with it and place the eyeliner where you want it without worrying about ruining your whole eye look. Samantha from Batalash suggests twisting out the product on to a palette and using a brush to apply it, which is a helpful tip for easier application.

The color of the actual liner is a little darker and muted than I originally expected, so it definitely makes them more wearable for everyday makeup looks, but I was a little disappointed that it isn't as bright as the packaging suggests. Still, they're such fun shades. The brown is a deep coffee brown, the blue is a pretty navy, and the purple is a gorgeous eggplant shade.  

Now the packaging says it wears for 24 hours and that it is waterproof. I certainly didn't wear mine for 24 hours, but it held up beautifully for a good 14 hours before it started to crack and flake a little. And as far as the waterproof claim, if you've ever tried to wash off the They're Real! Mascara or black liner with water, it's nearly impossible. It took a good deal of (gentle!) scrubbing with an oil based eye makeup remover to fully remove the purple liner from my eyes. So I am definitely impressed with that part. 

All in all, I really like these eyeliners. They're more user friendly than the original black and I really like the creamier formula. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun eyeliner to change up their makeup routine. The colors are safe for everyday wear and perfect for a subtle pop of color that anyone can pull off.  

These are available in four new shades (brown, purple, blue and green) as well as the mascaras for $24 each!

Summer MAC Lipstick Haul + New From the Matte Lip Collection

A couple of weeks ago I stopped by my local MAC counter to check out some of the new matte lipsticks and to pick up some back ups of my favorites and I went a little nuts. I got my usual nudes but I also wanted to pick up a few bright shades for summer. I bought 8 shades, either new ones or ones I used to own but forgot about, and after posting a picture on Instagram of my little haul, I had a few requests for a review and swatch post. Enjoy and maybe you'll see a shade or two that you'll like!

Tropic Tonic

This is part of the new matte permanent collection and I was instantly drawn to it. It's a super pretty orange-coral shade and I am in love! It's super pigmented with one swipe and I know this will be a favorite this summer. This wore for about four hours before fading in the center of the lips. It was super easy to reapply without building up or settling into my lips lines.

Men Love Mystery

I love me some purple and lilac lipsticks so when I first saw swatches of this, I knew I wanted it. It's also part of the new permanent collection. It's a pretty deeper violet shade with pink undertones and I love how pigmented it is without being patchy. This one would look amazing on deeper skin tones. This wore for about 3 hours before fading. My lips felt slightly dry after a couple of hours, but a little bit of lip balm helped.

Relentlessly Red

I could have sworn I had this but I guess not so I bought it. This is a retro matte formula so it is a tad drying on me but I couldn't resist the bright cool toned red. It's such a sassy shade and I can't wait to wear this one around town this summer. This wore for almost 6 hours before fading to a really pretty red stain, and again, my lips were a little dry, but nothing too uncomfortable.

Flat Out Fabulous

I've been lusting after this for years but never thought I could pull it off, but after being a little more daring with my makeup lately I decided it give it a try. This is also a retro matte but not as drying as I expected. However, I definitely need a good magenta lip liner to tone down the fuschia of this shade a bit. This wore for almost four hours before needing to be touched up.

Stone

The coveted lip pencil is now a lipstick! Stone is one of my favs so I definitely wanted the lipstick. It's not as grey toned as the pencil but I really like the shade. It's definitely cool toned but more brown and it's a perfect neutral but still with a little drama at the same time. This one wore for about 4 hours before fading away, but it also felt a little creamier than some of the other matte shades, so not the least bit drying.

Whirl

This was a no brainer. Another fav lip liner, the lipstick is a little more terra cotta colored. It's like a darker version of velvet teddy, so I know this one will be a favorite of mine. It's a warmer brown which can be hard for me to pull off, but with a good lip liner this will be amazing. It wore for almost five hours before getting a little patchy in the center of my lips.

Sushi Kiss

This one is one of my favorite oranges ever! I had this years ago but lost it so I'm happy to add it back to my collection. It's a satin formula, so not as opaque as the mattes but I love how it's a little neon and a little wild. It reminds me of Orangesicles! Definitely will be one of my go-to shades in the coming months. This wore for about three hours before getting patchy, but reapplication is quick and easy without having to worry about it getting streaky or built up in your lip lines.

Sweet & Sour

Another rebuy, this is another orange-y shade. It's a cremesheen formula, so it's definitely sheer, but it adds a pretty wash of summery orange to the lips. This is similar to Tumble Dry from the Wash and Dry collection, only more pink. This will be a perfect very day lipstick this summer when I want a little color. The wear with this formula (and no lip liner) is typically only a couple of hours, but it leaves my lips feeling soft and hydrated which makes up for the wear for me.

And that does it! Summer is my favorite season, so there was definitely hot weather in mind when I chose some of these shades. Can you tell I like orange? Haha! Well I hope you enjoyed this post and I'd love to hear what you've picked up from MAC lately, or any thoughts on the new matte lipsticks!

xoxo

LivforLashes

June Ipsy Glam Bag Review

I have another Ipsy glam bag review for you guys! Just a refresher or for any new readers, Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service where for only $10 a month, you'll get sent 5 deluxe samples of beauty, skin care or hair care products. Plus, they are sent in a reusable little makeup bag, with each month being a different theme. This month, the theme was #SwimIntoBeauty with everything being beach or sea inspired. 

The bag this month is probably one of my favorites so far. It's a jet black bag with a neon orange zipper made from the same water resistant material as wet suits, so totally pool or beach friendly. The word "Ipsy" is in cute pop out letters all over the bag for a fun texture.

Let's jump into the samples!

First up is a sample of the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. I already love this product, so I'm happy to have a little mini, perfect for travel. A little goes a long way and I love how this gives the skin a smooth flawless base so I'll definitely be getting use out of this.

Next up is an eyeliner pencil from Ofra cosmetics. I have a few things from this brand so I already know the quality and this eyeliner is amazing. It's a super pretty mermaid turquoise color that i definitely know will get a ton of use this summer. And the formula is so creamy it makes applying it a breeze. 

I'm not big into lotions but I really like this Lavanila Body Butter so far. It has a light vanilla light scent and doesn't leave me feeling greasy or sticky, which is what usually drives me crazy about lotions. Plus this brand uses organic ingredients with no harmful chemicals, and the Shea and cocoa butter leaves my skin super soft. 

The next item is a mini nail polish in the shade "Power Source" by FormulaX. It's a bright coral shade that is a favorite of mine for summer and I can't wait to give myself a beach-ready pedi (no rhyme intended haha) with this polish. The formulas of these polishes are great and they don't chip as easily as other brands so this will definitely be a must have for beach days. 

Last up is a product that I've never seen from a brand I've never heard of. It's an eyeshadow crayon from the brand TreStique. At first I thought it was just another jumbo shadow pencil, but after some online research it looks totally cool. It's an upcoming brand whose products are all in the form of a stick or pencil. Each one comes with a magnetic cap and enclosed smudger which is neat. And the shade of the one I received is a deep brown that will be a perfect base for smokey eyes or to smoke out the lash line. 

Overall I am in love with my June Ipsy Glam Bag! There wasn't a single product that I didn't like or won't use and the bag itself will be so awesome for those lazy San Diego beach days coming up this summer. And this month I actually got my bag before the end of the month, so I must say that I definitely have no plans on canceling my subscription anytime soon. 

Are you a glam bag subscriber? Which products did you get his month? Thank you so much for reading and have a great day!