Neutral Zone 

With Spring time being just around the corner I decided to create a soft nude look on the eyes and lips. The warmer it gets the less I want to wear a full face. It’s something about light colors that suit everyone’s skin tone, especially when the suns out. Below you’ll see my creation as well as the products I’ve used.

     

Products used:

Ex1 foundation (shade 300)

Dr. Brandt Pores no more Primer

L’Oreal Brow Stylist Definer (brunette)

L.A Girl Orange Corrector (for under eye area)

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (NW35 for dark spots)

Maybelline Fit Me concealer (shade 25 Medium)

MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Bronzer (Dark Tan)

Charlotte Tilbury Blusher (shade Ecstacy)

Becca & Jaclyn Hill Highlighter (champagne pop)

Stila Eyes of the window eyeshadow palette (mind)

Rimmel Super Curler Mascara

Clinique Skinny Stick eyeliner

L’Oreal Super Slim felt eyeliner

NYX lip liner (shade ever)

Nars Audacious lipstick (shade Brigitte)

Gerard Cosmetics Gloss (nude)

Hope you all enjoyed this almost spring look. Till next time.

xx, Gwen

Mac “Stone” Lipstick

Having been a cult favorite for some time now, Mac cosmetics has finally come out with some of their signature lip pencils in lipstick form. The color “Stone” is a sexy matte greyish taupe brown that is so on trend right now! This color is muted on its own for everyday use or can be vamped up with some gloss on top for a sexy night transition. I personally would not wear it unless I had a full face just because it makes my skin tone look a little sickly on its own. With a nice highlight and blush, cat eye and bold lashes this lippie is sure to call everyone’s attention. Check it out on Mac’s website or try it on in store! Link down below.

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Mac “Stone” Lipstick

Toodles, Ari

Mac X Nasty Gal “Gunner” Review & Swatch

When two amazing brands have a collaboration , it’s fair to say everyone goes a little nuts and scours the internet looking for reviews and swatches of the new products (or maybe I am speaking for my sister and I).Mac x Nasty Gal is no exception to this rule. This partnership has created a high intensity collection of three lipsticks and nail lacquers to bring out your inner #GirlBoss. These bold colors are perfect for the fall/ winter season and I’m so glad I snagged the one I really wanted the most. Featured below is the lip color in “Gunner”, on my tan skin it goes perfect with a neutral eye and loads of mascara. Or if you are really bold, pair it with intense eyes for a night out! The consistency is classic MAC, which for me means a tiny bit drying but overall has an intense color pay off that makes up for it. Links and alternatives down below!

Some tips to make your lips look luscious:

-Exfoliate lips with a scrub (I skipped this part because I was so excited to try it and it definitely makes a huge difference)
-Try using a lip brush or angled liner brush to outline your lips first with the color (instead of using another lip liner that may alter the violet color)
-Dust translucent powder on your lips for the ultimate matte effect
-Use a small amount of highlight on your cupids bow

mac and nasty gal, gunnar, lipstick, winter, fall, color, purple, lips, makeup, motd, beauty, blogger, beauty blogger, swatch, on dark lips, dark skin

NO FLASH

NO FLASH

mac and nasty gal, gunnar, lipstick, winter, fall, color, purple, lips, makeup, motd, beauty, blogger, beauty blogger, swatch, on dark lips, dark skin

mac and nasty gal, gunnar, lipstick, winter, fall, color, purple, lips, makeup, motd, beauty, blogger, beauty blogger, swatch, on dark lips, dark skin

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Hope you guys enjoyed this swatch on my darker lips, what are some tricks you guys use to make your lips BOLD color ready? Comment down below!

Mac Cosmetics & Nasty Gal -Lipstick in “Gunner”

You can also check out the colors Cyber and Heroine by Mac as alternative’s since this Nasty Gal collection is selling out fast!

Toodles,

Ari

MAC Haul (Collective)

Over the last two months or so I’ve found myself gravitating towards MAC products. Although I have always been a fan of their lipsticks I had not tried too many of their other makeup products, until now that is. Reading reviews online and browsing at the actual store has opened my eyes up to a few new products that I would like to share with you all. Check out what they are down below…

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Couldn’t leave the store without picking up a few new shades of Lipsticks…

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Peachstock: (Satin) Nude with Peachy undertone
Viva Glam II:(Satin) Nude with Taupe and Pink undertones
Twig: (Satin) Nude with Brown and Pink undertones
All fired up: (Retro Matte) Blue-toned Red

From Left to Right: Peachstock, Viva Glam II, Twig & All fired up

From Left to Right: Peachstock, Viva Glam II, Twig & All fired up

Top: Sweet as Cocoa sheertone blush Left: Pro-longwear concealer in NC30  Middle: (top to bottom) Prep and Prime lip base, Prep and Prime highlighter pen in Bright forecast and Pro-longwear waterproof brow set in Bold Brunette Right: Pro-longwear paint pot in Layin' Low

Top: Sweet as Cocoa sheertone blush
Left: Pro-longwear concealer in NC30
Middle: (top to bottom) Prep and Prime lip base, Prep and Prime highlighter pen in Bright forecast and Pro-longwear waterproof brow set in Bold Brunette
Right: Pro-longwear paint pot in Layin’ Low

These Products above were new purchases (except for the prep and prime highlighter which was a repurchase). Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
Sweet as cocoa is a Mauve/ light Plum colored blush with slight shimmer. Once applied onto the cheeks the shimmer is not visible.
Pro-Longwear concealer in the shade NC30 has a thick and creamy consistency and is the perfect shade to conceal my under eye area
Prep and prime lip base is great for applying underneath Matte lipsticks which could be drying at times (especially MAC’s retro matte formulas)
Prep and Prime highlighter is great for highlighting (under the eyes, bridge of your nose, cupids bow and chin) the shade I picked up is called Bright Forecast and it has a yellow undertone.
Pro-longwear waterproof brow set has got to be my most favorite product out of the bunch. Your brows will not be going anywhere after setting them with this long lasting and highly pigmented product.
Pro-longwear paint pot in Layin’ low is an eyeshadow base which will help your shadows adhere much better to your eyelid. I love to sometimes just wear the base alone because this shade matches my skintone perfectly and it helps my eyelids not look as greasy.

What are some of your favorite MAC products? Share down below!
These items can all be found at your local MAC store, department store counter or online!

Till my next shopping spree,
-Gwen

Fall/Winter lipsticks

Well everyone winter is definitely upon us up in the big apple. Why is it that we always seem to jump to the next season so quickly? Anyways I wanted to share with you all the lipsticks I’ve been wearing for the last two months. I can’t get enough of the mauves, berries and burgundy shades! They truly give such a nice pop of color to any makeup look! Here they are:

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From left to right:
MAC: Craving (amplified)
Pink mauvy shade perfect for everyday

NYX soft matte lip cream: Prague
Muted violet with slight mauve undertones

Revlon creme lipstick: Raspberry Bite
True raspberry color

Milani lipstick: Sangria
Dark berry/plum

MAC: Fashion Revival (matte)
Dark muted raspberry

Lorac matte color crayon: Merlot
Wine shade (just like the name)

MAC: Dark Side (amplified)
Oxblood with dark brown hue

These can be purchased at your local Drugstore, Ulta or MAC store/counter

What are some of your Fall/Winter favorites? (Comment down below)

Stay warm my friends,
Gwen

Makeup Looks

Happy Sunday Everyone! It’s been a while since I have done a makeup post so I decided to photograph the looks I did on mis mejor amigas before a casual night out. I am also working on my application skills and what a better way to do it right? Lets take a look at these beauties…

L-R Cinthia, Lucy & Emily

L-R Cinthia, Lucy & Emily

First one up is Cinthia: She has really great skin and normally doesn’t wear any foundation. She asked for the “jlo glow”. Here’s a closer look at what I came up with:

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Face: Hourglass veil primer, Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 foundation shade #857 (golden tan) mixed with Gerard Cosmetics BB plus illumination. MAC prep and prime in bright forecast (undereye brightening), Anastasia Contour kit Shade Fawn and Havanna. BH cosmetics blush palette (peach shade) Mary-Lou- Manizer for highlight. Brows: Anastasia brow wiz in Dark Brown Eyes: MAC paint pot in layin low,  shadows: Amber lights (Entire lid), Texture (crease) and naked lunch (brow highlight). Revlon matte shadow in Rich Sable (outer corner).NYX jumbo eye pencil in white (base), E.L.F false lashes and Sephora Rio nights gel liner Lips: Limecrime lipstick in Cosmopop and Gerard Cosmetics gloss in the shade nude.

Face: Hourglass veil primer, Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 foundation shade #857 (golden tan) mixed with Gerard Cosmetics BB plus illumination. MAC prep and prime in bright forecast (undereye brightening), Anastasia Contour kit Shade Fawn and Havanna. BH cosmetics blush palette (peach shade) Mary-Lou- Manizer for highlight.
Brows: Anastasia brow wiz in Dark Brown
Eyes: MAC paint pot in layin low, shadows: Amber lights (Entire lid), Texture (crease) and naked lunch (brow highlight). Revlon matte shadow in Rich Sable (outer corner).NYX jumbo eye pencil in white (base), E.L.F false lashes and Sephora Rio nights gel liner
Lips: Limecrime lipstick in Cosmopop and Gerard Cosmetics gloss in the shade nude.

Next up is Lucy: She and I can talk makeup for hours upon hours! She too has great skin and loves defined brows. Here’s what I created on her:

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Products used:

Face: Becca Ever matte primer, Tarte Amazonian clay in the shade tan-deep sand mixed with Bare Minerals Bareskin Foundation in the shade Bare Caramel. Mac pro long-wear concealer in the shade W35 & W30 Anastasia contour kit in the shade Havana, MAC prep and prime in the shade Bright Forecast. BH Cosmetics blush palette (berry shades to the top right) Mary- Lou- Manizer for highlight.  Eyes: MAC paint pot in layin low. NYX jumbo pencil in white. Buff (brow highlight) Rose (lid)from Lorac Pro Palette 2, Revlon Matte shadow in Rich sable (crease) and Makeup geek's Bitten (outer corner). Loreal voluminous mascara, E.L.F Lashes and Sephora Rio nights gel eyeliner. Brows: Anastasia brow wiz (dark Brown) and dipbrow pomade (medium brown) Lips: Rimmel Lip Liner in Cherry kiss, Too Faced Melted lipsticks in the shade Berry.

Face: Becca Ever matte primer, Tarte Amazonian clay in the shade tan-deep sand mixed with Bare Minerals Bareskin Foundation in the shade Bare Caramel. Mac pro long-wear concealer in the shade W35 & W30 Anastasia contour kit in the shade Havana, MAC prep and prime in the shade Bright Forecast. BH Cosmetics blush palette (berry shades to the top right) Mary- Lou- Manizer for highlight.
Eyes: MAC paint pot in layin low. NYX jumbo pencil in white. Buff (brow highlight) Rose (lid)from Lorac Pro Palette 2, Revlon Matte shadow in Rich sable (crease) and Makeup geek’s Bitten (outer corner). Loreal voluminous mascara, E.L.F Lashes and Sephora Rio nights gel eyeliner.
Brows: Anastasia brow wiz (dark Brown) and dipbrow pomade (medium brown)
Lips: Rimmel Lip Liner in Cherry kiss, Too Faced Melted lipsticks in the shade Berry.

Last but certainly not least Emily: Doesn’t she have great lashes? (no falsies used). Emily loves bold lips which is why I wanted to give her a softer eye look, Here’s what I came up with:
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Products used:

Face: Hourglass veil primer, Neutrogena nourishing long wear foundation in the shade warm beige, MAC prep and prime in Bright forecast, Anastasia contour kit in the shade Fawn, MAC blush in peaches, The Balm Mary-Lou-Manizer for highlight.  Brows: Anastasia brow wiz in the shade chocolate Eyes: MAC paint pot in "layin low" Naked 3 palette in the shades Dust (lid), Nooner (crease), Mugshot (outer corner) and Strange (brow highlight), Sephora Rio nights gel liner, Mascara Loreal Voluminous Lips: Rimmel in Cherry kiss and MAC Fashion Revival lipstick

Face: Hourglass veil primer, Neutrogena nourishing long wear foundation in the shade warm beige, MAC prep and prime in Bright forecast, Anastasia contour kit in the shade Fawn, MAC blush in peaches, The Balm Mary-Lou-Manizer for highlight.
Brows: Anastasia brow wiz in the shade chocolate
Eyes: MAC paint pot in “layin low” Naked 3 palette in the shades Dust (lid), Nooner (crease), Mugshot (outer corner) and Strange (brow highlight), Sephora Rio nights gel liner, Mascara Loreal Voluminous
Lips: Rimmel in Cherry kiss and MAC Fashion Revival lipstick

There you have it guys. Hopefully these looks can be of inspiration to you.
If anyone has any makeup looks you would want to me try please let me know down below.

Thanks to these silly girls for letting me experiment with them IMG_6502 (2)

Hasta Pronto!
-Gwen

JLo Glow

I am so sad that Mother nature did not give the big apple a scorching hot summer this year. We are now in the middle of August already experiencing September like temperatures, don’t get me wrong Autumn is my other favorite season but I still needed some more sun in my life! Ok, enough with the rant, if you’re like me and did not get the chance to visit the beach here is how I created a faux tan or that JLo glow as some would call it before summer officially ends.
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To achieve this glowy bronzy look I used all of these products below:
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From the Mac palette I used Brown Script (lower left) on my crease and lower lash line. I used Amber Lights (top right) on the entire lid From the Lorac palette I used Buff (top row left) for my brow highlight and Mocha (4th from the left on the bottom) to touch up the outer v and lower lash line

From the MAC palette I used Brown Script (lower left) on my crease and lower lash line. I used Amber Lights (top right) on the entire lid
From the Lorac palette I used Buff (top row left) for my brow highlight and Mocha (4th from the left on the bottom) to touch up the outer v and lower lash line

– One of the main products in making the skin appear more dewy is to add a liquid illuminizer to your foundation. I opted for the Gerard Cosmetics BB plus illumination crème, a pea sized pump is all you need to mix into your foundation and it will cover your entire face.
– Another key component in creating a bronzy effect is of course bronzer. I used my L’Oreal true match powder in the shade Cocoa to warm up my entire face. I also took a contour brush and very lightly carved under my cheek bones.
– Lastly what will give you the ultimate glowy effect is a highlighter. For this particular look I chose the Sonia Kashuk illuminating bronzer in the shade goddess. This color is really golden and gives you the perfect sunkissed glow.
* This is an extra step, but since I wanted to mimic Jennifer Lopez’s all over bronzed look I also placed a mixture of brown and bronzy shades on my eyes and finished the look with her signature peachy nude lip.

I leave you all with a photo of the woman who not only inspired this look but also inspires me to work hard.

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Here’s a detailed list of the products I used:

Benefit Porefessional face primer

Bare Minerals Bare Skin Foundation in the shade Bare Caramel

Gerard Cosmetics BB Illuminating crème

Tarte Maracuja creaseless concealer in the shade Medium Tan

NYX blotting powder in the shade Medium/Dark

Anastasia Brow Whiz in the shade Brunette

Lorac Behind the Scenes eyelid primer & Pro Palette 2 colors: Buff and Mocha

MAC Eyeshadows Brown Script and Amber lights

Too Faced “Better than Sex” mascara

L’Oreal Privee lipsticks in the Jennifer Lopez and Eva Mendes Shades

NYX Butter Gloss in the shade Cherry Cheesecake

*Products can be found in your local drugstore , Sephora or Ulta.

Hope you all enjoy what’s left of summer!

-Gwen

Orange Lips

Hello lovelies today I will be talking about a fun lip color trend, and I’m sure you’ve already guessed what it is due to the title of this post. I am a girl who loves a bright lip, especially during the summer months. Whether you have a fair complexion or a deeper one there is an orange that will work for you. Below you will find product names and swatches. I have a mix of drugstore and higher end options giving everyone an idea of what would work for their budget. Lets begin!

Top four hand swatches from left to right: NYX butter gloss in  Peach Cobbler NYX lip butter in Hot Tamale Maybelline Vivids in Vibrant Mandarin Milani in Sweet Nectar Bottom hand swatches from left to right: Revlon Just Bitten balm in Rendezvous MAC amplified lipstick in Morange Limecrime lipstick in Cosmopop

Top four hand swatches from left to right:
NYX butter gloss in Peach Cobbler
NYX lip butter in Hot Tamale
Maybelline Vivids in Vibrant Mandarin
Milani in Sweet Nectar
Bottom hand swatches from left to right:
Revlon Just Bitten balm in Rendezvous
MAC amplified lipstick in Morange
Limecrime lipstick in Cosmopop

NYX Butter Lip Gloss in Peach Cobbler

NYX Butter Lip Gloss in Peach Cobbler

NYX Lip Butter in Hot Tamale

NYX Lip Butter in Hot Tamale

Maybelline Vivids in Vibrant Mandarin

Maybelline Vivids in Vibrant Mandarin

Milani lipstick in Sweet Nectar

Milani lipstick in Sweet Nectar

Revlon Just Bitten lip balm in Rendezvous

Revlon Just Bitten lip balm in Rendezvous

MAC amplified lipstick in Morange

MAC amplified lipstick in Morange

Limecrime lipstick in Cosmopop

Limecrime lipstick in Cosmopop

NYX, Maybelline, Revlon and Milani products are sold in your local drugstore as well as Ulta. MAC products are sold in MAC stores or online. Limecrime products are sold online only. Links can also be found above under the first picture!

What are some of your favorite summer lip colors? Leave your suggestions in the comments section.

-Gwen

V-day Collab Outfit & Makeup Inspiration-Sexy & Fun!

Whether you have a valentine or not the following outfit and makeup can serve dual purposes for inspiration for this upcoming special day or any sexy night out on the town. Heck maybe you can find a valentine wearing this … Continue reading

Easy weekend look

The weekend is almost here guys! I cannot wait to wake up without any alarms on Saturday morning, ahhhhh bliss!
Most of my weekends consist of running errands which leaves me little time to put on a whole face of makeup. However,  I don’t want to leave my house looking like a sleep deprived ghost, so a simple yet polished look is what I typically go for. Six easy products later and I am out the door!

Step 1. Revlon Photoready BB Cream in “Medium”
Step 2. Tarte Maracuja Concealer in “Medium tan”
Step 3. Stila convertible color in “Camellia”
Step 4. Benefit Gimmie brows in “Medium/Deep”
Step 5. Benefit “They’re real Mascara”
Step 6. Mac lipstick “Riri Woo”

This look is pretty much long lashes and a bold lip! My absolute favorite simple look!

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And there you have it my friends. Below are links to these items (some of which you can purchase at your local drugstore or sephora).

Revlon BB Cream
Tarte Maracuja Concealer
Stila Convertible Color
Benefit Gimmie Brows
Benefit They’re real Mascara
Mac Riri Woo

Have a great weekend everyone!
-Gwen