Lately, I’ve been watching quite a few videos by Australian YouTuber, Schellea Fowlwer, on her fabulous50 channel. She focuses on tips and tricks of applying makeup for those who are older. I’m not 50 yet but I have hooded lids and lines around my lips, and she shares tips on how to work with these aspects. There’s almost nothing I love to watch more on YouTube, and she just gives me the most useful tips and they are easy to replicate.

Her '5 Biggest Makeup Mistakes On Mature Eyes Tutorial Over 50 by Fabulous50s' was my introduction to her and I've referred back to it a few times. Since gravity is already working against you to drag the outside corners of your eyes down, her whole point of this video is that you should always look for ways to bring the eyes up in that area and not down. I was doing a few of her "don'ts" so it was nice to see what they were and why some are not flattering. 

Pull away tips:

• A thick line of liner on the mobile lid will make your eyes appear smaller. Tighlining the top lid is better.
• Black liner on the bottom water liner can make eyes look more almond shaped.
• Don’t follow nature when applying shadow! Don’t bring the shadow all the way down on the outside.
• Neutral or nude eyeliner pencil can open up the eye look.
• Eye primer is a must!
• Only apply a highlighter in the middle just under the brow, not all the way across.

Since I’m loving the new PIXI BEAUTY Eye Reflections Shadow Palette in Natural Beauty ($24 @ pixibeauty.com) I thought I’d try it out using some of her tips. The palette has both mattes and shimmers in it so this sole one can be used to create a whole look.

Click the link to see how I did it and what I used!

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I attended The Makeup Show in Los Angeles a few weeks ago and picked up some products I’m uber excited to try out! Some I had not seen before and some I had on my list to pick up.

Since it’s tax season, I had to really be watchful on my dollars this time around and thankfully the show had a blogger preview so some of the products that were on my list were in the bag the show gave us. Yeah!! I've just started trying some of them out so do you see anything you like?

1. ESUM Pro Finishing Sponges ($20/2 sponges @ musebeauty.com) – here’s a new twist on the makeup sponge – these combines the wedge and oval sponge in one so you can get every inch you’re trying to get to.

2. BÉSAME COSMETICS Boudoir Short Hair Contour Brush ($48 @ sephora.com) – this one is in the same category as those oval brushes that are blowing up everywhere. It feels so nice on the skin and is able to get into all the angles on the face … flawlessly!

3. SENNA COSMETICS Lash Detail Mascara ($20 @ sennacosmetics.com) – I’m really picky about my mascara and don’t like many. I’ve worn this one twice and what I like about it is the super skinny fine brush that seems to be able to maneuver color on ever lash. If you’re looking for natural looking lashes, this might be one to try.

4. NYX COSMETICS Soft Matte Lip Crème in Transylvania ($5.99 @ bedbathandbeyond.com) – I’ve been needing this shade in my life since it came out and has been sold out at my Ulta since it came out.

5. SEPHORA PRO Press Full Coverage Complexion Brush #66 ($36 @ sephora.com) – this seems to be Sephora’s answer to the oval brush craze and I can’t wait to see how it performs!

6. SMASHBOX Photo Finish Primer Water ($32/3.9oz @ smashbox.com and sephora.com) – there’s been quite a buzz on this primer water since it emerged recently. Can’t wait to try this out!

7. VERA MONA Color Switch Duo ($19.99 @ veramona.com) – a genius product! Stroke your brush against the black to remove the color so it’s ready to dip into the next shade. And the white middle part can be soaked in water if you feel like applying shadow with a wet brush.

8. KAT VON D Tattoo Liner in Trooper ($19 @ sephora.com) – from the queen of liner. Need I say more?

9. PUR Browder Perfecting Brow Powder in Medium Brown ($22 @ kohls.com) – this combines a powder with fibers to help fill in sparse areas. Interesting application pointer!

10. MAKE UP FOR EVER Pro Sculpting Lip 2-in-1 Lip Sculpting Pen in #40 Carmine Red ($27 @ sephora.com) – quite a unique twist on giving lips a multi-dimensional look. Can’t wait to try this out!

Have you seen any of the fall products from the 2015 Fall Collection from SMASHBOX? Let’s take a look at two up close! First up, L.A. Lights Blendable Lip & Cheek Color ($29 @ ulta.com, sephora.com) shown here in Beverly Hills Blush (peachy pink with golden shimmer). On one side is a creamy color and on the other is a round rubber sponge to blend it in. They call this one a, “multipurpose lip + check color,” but truth be told, I’ve never been a fan of using one product for both lips and(it) cheeks. When in a pinch? Sure. But right outta the box? Nah. 

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Highlighting and contouring with makeup is all the rage but which palettes do it best? Here are four that are cutting-it for me right now.

KEVYN AUCOIN The Contour Book The Art of Sculpting + Defining - $59 @ sephora.com.

SMASHBOX Step-by-Step Contour Kit - $45 @ smashbox.com and sephora.com.

KAT VON D Shade + Light Contour Palette - $46 @ sephora.com.

COVER FX Contour Kit - $48 @ ulta.com and sephora.com. 

It’s SMASHBOX Full Exposure vs. LORAC PRO Palette 2. They are very similar and both come with a free gift (yeah!) but there can only be one winner! So who will it be? Click after the jump to see the breakdown and see which comes out on top. 

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How much can you really say about an eye shadow? Not a whole lot besides the overall quality of it and maybe some swatches. So here are some that are tickling my … lids right now.

1. ESSENCE Metal Glam Eyeshadow in 02 Coffee to Glow ($2.99 @ ulta.com) – warm summer nights deserve a little glam and gold sparkle and this one does just that to lids without the steep price.

2. CHANEL Soft Touch Eyeshadow in 106 Hesitation ($29.50 @ chanel.com) – this medium plum burgundy can like the below, can be applied wet or dry. Seemed to perform best for me when it was dry.

3. NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow in Desdemona ($29 @ sephora.com, narscosmetics.com) – this is a brand new formula from the brand, can be worn wet (for more intense opaque color) or dry and it just so darn smooth going on and blending in! And isn’t this color pink tha bomb?   

4. And to keep these shadows from moving around in the hot temps, I recommend the new Photo Finish 24 Hour Shadow Primer ($20/12ml @ sephora.com and smashbox.com) from SMASHBOX. 

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

How many makeup pencil sharpeners do you own? I knew I owned quite a few but not 12! That’s way too many but then again, pencils come is so many different sizes these days.

A new one you won’t have to worry about trying to find a sharpener for is SMASHBOX’s new Always Sharp Waterproof Kôhl Liner. ($20 @ smashbox.com and nordstrom.com). Always sharp? How is that possible? Click after the jump to see!

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SMASHBOX just came out with their Spring 2012 – BE DISCOVERED Makeup Collection and I have a few items for review and swatch here – one for the cheeks and one for the eyes.

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Do you ever think about coordinating your eye shadow and lipstick/lip gloss? Now I don’t mean matching them exactly but just making sure they are in the same color family. I’ve put three together that I think really work. What do you think?

 

1. Do you have a go to shade of eye shadow that just seems to get a lot of complements? For me, it’s this China Doll Eyeliner in the color Copper from the NAPOLEON PERDIS line. I’d describe it as a shimmery brick red and I just get more comments on it more than any other eye shadow (how I like to wear it as opposed to a liner) before. $25 @ napoleonperdis.com.

2. Another all-time favorite is BENEFIT COSMETICS’ Dallas. This rosy bronze is just the right amount of blush and bronzer in one container. $28 @ benefitcosmetics.com.

3. I tried a few different lipsticks and lip glosses with the above two products but  the SMASHBOX Lip Enhancing Gloss in Reveal seemed to work best next to matte cheeks to really ties the whole look in together. $19 @ smashbox.com.

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

Makeup primers are all the rage and more lines are coming out with them for the face and eyelids. And now that’s it’s starting to get hotter around the globe, there’s no time like the present to try one out to keep your makeup where you put it. Here are two that are sticking around my face these days.

SMASHBOX Photo Finish Lid Primer in Golden Nude ($20 @ ulta.com) from the Naked Beauty Collection is beautifully tinted in a shimmering nude shade. And this one is not just about helping your shadow stay on the lid longer. It also has ingredients to keep the skin moisturized and to help diminish lines on the lid. How do they fit all of that into this little tube?

L’OREAL Paris Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base ($12.95/.5oz @ ulta.com) has got quite a buzz on it and it seems to be moving to the top of a lot of beauty buff’s must have list. And I think I pretty much agree. It really creates a smooth canvas on the skin prepping it for foundation or powder and makes my skin oh-so-soft.
The only improvement is that I am not really partial to sticking my looks-clean-but-is-probably-not finger into the jar every time to get some. Yes, I could use a little scoop but I really seem to like mine in a tube or wand.

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