Have you tried HAC-ing yet (highlighting and contouring)? I mean really tried it like you see in the picture below by @DressYourFace and do your whole face? I have but not this heavy and I still can’t get it to look right all around my face; just parts of it. Like I have the cheeks down and then around the outside of the face, well, most of the time it looks right … I think.

Part of the reason I think I always feel it could look better is that I feel like I’m using the wrong brush and wrong shades of HAC-ing powder. I made some recommendations from some palettes here but for me it seems that most of the shades work for me but not all of them, for the most part, in a given palette. Maybe I just need to take a few of them to someone who really knows how to do it and get a tutorial already! Or, I can just stick to keeping it simply with these next two that I find work great for me. 

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Are you ready to talk fall makeup yet? September issues and all that jazz? Now that my birthday has passed, I’m ready, so let’s start with some standouts … 

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It's a foundation showdown between Laura Mercier and IT Cosmetics! Two that seem to be very similar but one may have something a little extra, so who will take it? See the details on each below!

First up -- 

LAURA MERCIER Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide ($48/1oz @ sephora.com and lauramercier.com)

What It Is: A 12-hour wear, oil-free foundation that blurs the appearance of imperfections for a smoother-looking complexion. What it does:Laura Mercier’s lightweight foundation leaves skin with a natural-looking matte finish. It works on all skin types, visibly evening skintone and minimizing the appearance of pores. Infused with Hydro-Brilliant Technology, featuring reflective waters and natural silica that create brilliant color-true shades, it is humidity-proof, sweat-proof, and water-resistant for longer, carefree wear. Available in 24 shades. 

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1. OLIVIA GARDEN FingerBrush Vented Hair Brush ($13.96/small, $14.76/medium, $15.56/large @ ulta.com) – I’ve never really turned to a hair brush to give me a great scalp massage but this one really does! The curved shape helps it hug the scalp and it has ionic bristles to help hair dry fast when used with a blow dryer.

2. OSCAR BLANDI Polish Blow-Out Crème ($25/4.2oz @ amazon.com) – Never does a blow-dry session go by where I don’t use a defrizz product. And this one from OB is doing it for me right now. The Jasmine Calming Complex it help repel humidity keep frizz and flyaways far away.

3. SHU UEMURA Detail Master Directional Fixing Spray ($38/6.3oz @ shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com) – I’ve been practicing my 40’s vintage hair waves lately and this spray really helps hold it the style in place without being crunchy.

4. KERASTASE Laque Dentelle Micro Mist Fixing Hairspray ($20.50/2oz, $36/8oz @ kerastase-usa.com) – a product that can be used with heat tools seems to be a rare find these days but I’m really loving this one as it helps my hair curls last longer than without and no product crunch when using it.  

5. ECRU NEW YORK Acacia Protein Hair Masque ($25/8oz ecrunewyork.com) – with all that we put our hair through these days, a quality hair mask is simply essential. This one contains Acacia Collagen, sunflower seed oil, Shea Butter and Marine Extracts to repair strands.

6. DEVA CURL My Deva Towel ($12 @ amazon.com) – are you still using a regular ol’ towel on your hair when you get out of the shower? Terry cloth towels promote frizz and are poor at drying the hair and this can be used on any type of hair. 

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

I was able to get my bloody paws on the new MAKE UP FOR EVER 30 Years 30 Colors 30 Artists Palette today and wanted to share some info and pics with you on it.

What It Is: In celebration of their 30^th anniversary, MAKE UP FOR EVER partnered with 30 elite makeup artists from all areas of the industry including celebrity, fashion and beauty, TV film and theater as well as Brand Creator & Artistic Director Dany Sanz. The brand’s unique story is shared through the eyes of these artists who helped shape it into a cult favorite for professionals and the public.

The palette is divided into three black trays each carrying 10 shadows in the following 3 categories: smoky, brights, and neutrals…”

And as you can see here, I’m jumping on the brights in the box to show you them right now!

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Do you have a favorite scene in the Pulp Fiction movie? I think everyone does! I mean who can forget the dance, Urge Overkill’s awesome rendition of, “Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon,” the shot of adrenaline … and that’s just the standouts in the first hour of the movie!

URBAN DECAY just put out the Pulp Fiction Collection of 5 products that was inspired by Ms. Uma’s character of Mia Wallace. Of course my big question since I first heard about this collection last month was, why now? And then I saw that the movie came out exactly 20 years ago this year but imdb.com sets the date as September 23rd, so even though it’s a tad early, it still counts!

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The secret to getting your makeup look done and out the door in 5 minutes is to use multi-taskers like ones that are tinted. Since you don’t have to be as precise with tinted versions, time is on your side. Here are some in each category you should cover in order to at least look polished.  

First up is a Tinted Moisturizer or tinted BB Cream. They can be applied with your fingers or a sponge and not only are they usually available in quite a few shades but they give just a hint of tint so you don’t have to worry about overdoing it. And some even come with a built-in SPF, so you’re saving a few extra seconds on your routine right there! Here are some I recommend:  

1. PIXI BEAUTY H2O Skintint $24/1.18oz @ target.com

2. BEAUTY ADDICTS Mineral SheerTINT $32/1.25oz @ beautyaddicts.com

3. MAYBELLINE Dream Pure BB 8-IN-1 Beauty Balm Skin Clearing Perfector $8.99/1oz @ maybelline.com and walgreens.com <--- this is a good one too if you are prone to acne.

4. TOO FACED Tinted Beauty Balm SPF 20 $34/1.5oz @ toofaced.com

Just remember that if you do choose one that doesn’t contain sunscreen, make sure you apply some before one of these. 

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Are you a fan of the subscription box craze? I have not deboxed one in some time but I got my unboxing on with the latest one from a collab from GLOSSYBOX and CosmoProf North America (CPNA). By now you know what Glossybox is but what is CPNA? It’s one of the biggest beauty tradeshows that takes place in Las Vegas every July, so this year’s took place just a few weeks ago. When I attended the first one ever many years ago, it was different than what it is now, which is more brand-friendly, so I may check out next year’s show.

Anyway, back to this beauty box. The collaboration called Boutique ~ GLOSSYBOX, debuted at the show and allowed attendees to hand-pick 7 deluxe samples from 20 featured exhibiting brands and this one I received to check out came with the following:

• Mastey Color Protecting Leave In Therapy Spray (8oz)
• OPI Nail Lacquer in Pink Through It (full size)
• Dr. Lili Fan Probiotic Age-Defying Eye Serum (.5oz)
• Be A Bombshell Cosmetics The One Stick in Flustered (full size)
• Skin Nutrition Cell-CPR (.34oz sample size)
• Royal Apothic Cream Crème Moisturizing Body Crème (.5oz sample size)
• Kokostar Deep Conditioning Steam Hair Wrap (one piece)

Some pretty great stuff inside this one but know that once this one sells out on their site, that’s it. What I like about this one is that it contained some brands I was not familiar with! Yeah! I love to try new-to-me brands. This limited edition box is $40 and goes on sale @ glossybox.com starting tomorrow August 15^th, so make sure you get yours! 

I thought we had a brand new product on our hands from DOLCE & GABBANA with these Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks ($36 @ saks.com) but upon doing some research, I found that these are just new added colors to the existing collection. Doh! I just love trying out a new category of beauty product.

Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks

What It Is:  A velvety smooth lipstick with a satin gloss center. (the outside core) is matte pigment and a high-shine core that delivers a burst of boundless moisture for an impeccably balanced and sensual effect. Smooth, soft, and deliciously drenching, the Passion Duo Lipstick leaves lips with a sumptuous depth and scale of color.

Wanna know what my take on these is? Click after the pic!

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I think pink makeup has to be my favorite this summer and here are some that are at the top of my list and in my purse!

From L to R clockwise:

COVER GIRL Colorlicious Lip Gloss in Whipped Berry from Katy Perry’s #Instaglam Collection $7.99 @ walgreens.com.

TARINA TARANTINO Dollskin Cream Blush in Mr. Pink $29 @ dermstore.com.

CIATÉ LashLights Luminous Lash-Tip Colour in Famous $17 only @ ciatelondon.com.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Lip in 21C $19 @ sephora.com.

MILANI Rose Powder Blush in Bella Rosa $7.99 @ milanicosmetics.com and walgreens.com.

NYX COSMETICS Butter Lipstick in BLS01 Razzle Fiesta $5.99 @ nyxcosmetics.com and ulta.com.

MAYBELLINE Master Glaze by Face Studio Blush Stick in Pink Fever $8.99 @ walgreen.com. 

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

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