Review on Sigma Brushes & My Favs!

A Couple of months I received an amazing brush kit from Sigma called the Extravaganza Copper Complete Kit. This kit comes with 29 brushes including face, eye and lip brushes.  I was familiar with a few Sigma brushes such as the E40, E25 and F80 but I hadn't really tried out any of the others.

It didn't take much for these brushes to win me over. I absolutely fell in love with Sigma brushes. They are amazing quality for a reasonable price. Sigma carries a lot of brushes that are dupes for MAC brushes but at a cheaper price. I love MAC brushes and i'm not going to say that I don't love them anymore but they can ring up your bill by a couple hundreds with just a few of their brushes. Luckily for me I have a pro discount but in the future when I have to replace some of my brushes I will definitely get them from Sigma.

For those of you who don't know too much about Sigma and what brushes you should purchase, I'll give you my recommendations. The pricing for the brushes are for silver handle brushes only. All copper and gold handle brushes are a few dollars more.

1. Sigma E40- Everyone needs a blending brush as a staple in their brush collection. This one is great for blending out transition eyeshadows. Since it is a fluffy brush, the eyeshadow distributes evenly on the eyes.

Price $16.00 USD

2. Sigma E25- This is also a blending brush and the exact dupe for MAC's 217. I like to use this brush to apply darker eyeshadows into my crease. If you have small eyes you can just purchase this one and skip the E40 brush.

Price $14.00 USD

3. Sigma E30- The pencil brush. This is another dupe for MAC's 219 brush. I use this for applying dark eyeshadows to the outer v of my eye. The brush has a small pointed tip so it makes it easy to have control of where you want to apply the eyeshadow. You can also use this brush to smudge out the lower lash line.

Price: $14.00 USD

4. Sigma F70- Need a good concealer brush? How about a brow highlight brush? How about 2 in one? Look no more. First and foremost this is a concealer brush and I use it mainly to apply my eyeshadow base but it also works great as a brow highlighter. Anytime I use eyeshadows right under my brow, this right here is my go to brush.

Price $14.00 USD

5. Sigma E06- One of the things i always struggle with is a winged liner. I've been doing makeup for years and still to this day I always have issues getting that perfect wing. I'm sure a lot of you can relate. The Sigma E06 is my baby when it comes to winged liner. The way the brush is designed makes it so easy to accomplish the task. I like the fact that it's a very thin small angled brush. Try it out for yourself and you'll thank me later.

Price $14.00 USD

6. Sigma 3DHD- My holy grail foundation brush!!! Exciting news...this brush will launch on Sigma's website on October 6, 2014. Let me just say that applying foundation has never been so easy. This brush was designed to make the application of foundation easier without you having to make any facial movements. All the angles in the brush makes it easy to get into all the crevices of the face. It doesn't leave any streaks and gives you an airbrushed finish. This is a highly recommended face brush.

Price Not Released. Available on Sigma's website October 6th.

7. Sigma F35- My go to brush for highlighting the face. You can use this brush to set your under eye concealer or to add that glow to the highlights of your face.

Price $24.00 USD

Although I do have more Sigma brushes that I love, these are the ones you can start with. There are obviously other essentials such as a contour brush, powder brush, blush brush, etc. but for now I leave you with the ones listed above. I will eventually create an updated blog post with my favorite brushes from a variety of brands.

 To purchase any Sigma products, click the link below.

 http://www.sigmabeauty.com/?Click=660894

My Favorite Face Highlighters

Hello Everyone! So sorry I've been away for such a long time. I will be updating my blog more often. I have many products that I want to review and share my thoughts on.

Today I want to share my favorite highlighting powders. Am I the only one obsessed with highlighters? I'm so big on dewy skin & highlighted cheek bones so keep reading to find out what highlighters I'm obsessed with.

Before I begin let me just share with you that my skin tone is fair. Regardless, I'm sharing with you highlighters that will work on different skin tones.

1. MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade (Fair to Medium Skin Tones)

This is an oldie but a goodie. I am a fan of most MAC Skin Finishes and this one is a favorite for me. In the compact it appears white with gold and light blue reflects in it but on the skin it is appears as a soft pearl. I usually wear this highlighter over MAC's Hush or Pearl cream color base to give it some  intensity. What i like about this highlighter is that it doesn't have obnoxios glitter in it so it also looks good on mature skin.

Price $32.00
http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/159/30735/Products/Face/Powder/Mineralize-Skinfinish/index.tmpl


2. Too Faced Candlelight Glow (Fair to Medium Skin Tones)

I haven't owned this product for a long time but I have been loving it. This is a duo highlighter so you'll notice that the left half is a sheer gold and the right half is a rose colored powder. The pale gold is meant to warm up the skin while the rose is meant to illuminate the skin. I normal just swirl my brush to get both colors and then apply it to my cheek bones. Since i'm fair, this highlighter appears as a pale gold on me but if you're in the medium skin tones or if you have a nice tan, this will look amazing on you.

Price $30.00 USD
https://www.toofaced.com/p/face-powders/candlelight-glow-duo/

3. NARS Albatross (All Skin Tones)

This is a highlighter that I believe is universal yet it will look different on everyone. At first this highlighter can seem a bit intimidating since it looks white in the compact but when you swatch it, you can see the gold undertone. This highlighter is a yellow gold so it may come off very yellow on some people depending on their skin tone. It is also very pigmented so be light handed with the brush. Even though I love this highlighter I personally think it looks best on
medium to dark skin tones.

Price $30.00 USD
http://www.sephora.com/blush-P2855?keyword=nars%20albatross&skuId=957324&_requestid=147273

4. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light (Fair to Light Skin Tones)

This highlighter is new to me. I heard about it through some of my favorite beauty gurus and I had to try it for myself. This is a very soft muted highlighter and again, it's great for those who don't like over the top highlighters. This powder will make you look like you're glowing from within as Jaclyn Hill would say. This is something I would also recommend on mature skin. This shade appears as a cool white powder in the compact and on the skin as well. This one is on the pricey side so if you want to save some money I would recommend MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade as a substitute for this one.

Price $45.00
http://www.sephora.com/ambient-lighting-powder-P377723?skuId=1483510

5. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal (Light to Medium Skin Tones)

Out of all the highlighters, this one is my current obsession right now! I can't say enough about it. This highlighter is a golden opal pearl as described on the Becca website. It is one of the most pigmented highlighters I own so I have to use very little when I apply it. I use this almost on the daily and it just gives my face the most beautiful glow.

Price $38.00 USD
http://www.beccacosmetics.com/us/store/perfectors/perfectors/shimmering-skin-perfector-pressed/

6. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone (Fair to Light Skin Tones)


Since I am a fan of these Becca highlighters I decided to throw in another one. I use Moonstone when  I want a very white highlight. This one is a pale gold but it looks more like a pearl color on my skin tone. I personally think this highlighter looks best on fair to light skin tones because it just reflects beautifully on the skin. If you are dark remember to stay away from anything that's light because it can look ashy on your skin tone and that's one thing you want to avoid.

Price $38.00 USD
http://www.beccacosmetics.com/us/store/perfectors/perfectors/shimmering-skin-perfector-pressed/

7. MAC Extra Dimension Skin Finish in Double Definition

I had to throw in a limited edition highlighter that I absolutely love. Don't you just hate it when MAC released limited edition items that you fall in love with? It's even more painful when you start hitting pan. I love all of MAC's Extra Dimension products. The pigmentation is amazing! Double Definition is a bronzy gold highlighter. I only wear this when I have a bit of a tan but I definitely love to use it on my dark skin toned clients. You can still get something similar at the MAC store. I believe Gold Deposit will be a good dupe.

(Limited Edition. Not sold anymore)

I hope you enjoyed this blog and if you're looking for a good highlighter, I also hope this blog gave you some ideas on what to purchase next.

Smoky Prom Makeup

I'm so sorry i've been away for a while. It's been a hectic month. I work 6-7 days a week and barely have time to throw my feet up and relax. So for the past couple months i've been ordering my video recording equipment. I finally had some time to put together a youtube video. I filmed this tutorial on my little sister who is a senior in high school. I felt like this tutorial fit better on her since she will be attending prom in just a couple of months. My sister is a big fan of a smoky eye & some glitter so i came up with this. I hope you enjoy this tutorial. There will be more coming your way when time permits. Thank you all for the love & support AND patience. It's been a long time coming. Don't forget to like & subscribe!!!

Bronzed Eyes & Colored Liner

Wearing neutral shades can get boring sometimes but then again, wearing colored eyeshadows can be risky. If you don't know how to pair your colored eyeshadows, then it's safer to stick to the neutrals. Though there are hundreds of brown shades of eyeshadow, sometimes they can all look the same. I know I have over 50 brown eyeshadows and I always stick to using the same ones. Well guess what? There is an easy and fun way to play with color without worrying if it's too much or if it's going to make you look like you have bruised eyes. Try switching out the same old black eyeliner for a bold and fun colored eyeliner.

Any colored liner will work when you're wearing neutral shades. I love pairing my brown toned shades with a pop of bronze or gold on the eyelids. Throwing on a colored liner makes the eyes pop. Now if you really want to use a colored liner that compliments your eyes, try using a color that is opposite on the color wheel. For example: if your eyes are green, the color opposite on the color wheel is purple. Purple compliments green eyes very well so I would throw on a gold eyeshadow on the lid and a purple colored liner. That will not only make your eyeshadow pop, but your eyes as well. Give it a try.

This is an example of how to pair your neutral shades with a pop of color.

1. ALWAYS start off with priming your eyes. My go to eyeshadow primer is MAC painterly paint pot. You can apply this with a concealer brush or your finger.

2. On my crease I started with MAC's Soft Brown eyeshadow followed by MAC's Brown Script. I used a 224 blending brush by MAC to blend out these eyeshadows.

3. On the outer lid and crease I used MAC's Folie eyeshadow and blended it out using MAC's 217 blending brush.

4. For the lid I used a pigment by Alexa Persico Cosmetics in the color Bronze Baby. To keep it from falling out, I first primed my lid with Too Faced Cosmetic's Glitter Glue. For the application of the pigment I used MAC's 242 brush.

5. Now for the fun part...I used an RC Cosmetics eyeliner brush and a gel liner by Alexa Persico Cosmetics in the color Purple Ink. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this gel liner. Right away it transformed my entire look. On my lower lash line I used the NYX Comsetics wonder pencil in light.

6. The lashes I used for this look are from Le Petit Lapin Lashes in the style Luna. They are so soft, beautiful and light weight.

This is one of my favorite looks that I've created this year. Many people wouldn't think of pairing a colored liner with their eyeshadow but it really looks beautiful. If you don't have any colored eyeliners, don't worry. You can DIY at home by using any colored eyeshadow and mixing it with MAC's fix + or even eye drops.

Skin Care Tips & My Skin Care Routine

Before I share my skin care tips and daily skin care routine, let me say that I held back on posting on this subject until I noticed results in my skin. I've never had bad skin but I've had problems with break outs here and there. My biggest problem were comedones. I would get them all over my cheeks and chin. For those of you who don't know what comedones are, it's a more technical word for black/white heads. This made me insecure about my skin and covering it up with makeup made it even worse. Though I'm only 25, I'm always worried about wrinkles, sun spots, dark circles and everything else that comes along with aging.

Keep in mind that the way you eat has a lot to do with the appearance of your skin. Smoking & too much alcohol can contribute to poor skin health. I don't have a problem with that since I don't smoke or drink. One thing that has been a challenge for me is giving up caffeine. I've read that caffeine can also contribute to the development of acne. Since I'm a big coffee drinker, I'm not willing to give that up so I had to compromise with myself and give up soda. I've also changed my diet and the way I eat. I'm eating more vitamins and a lot of green foods and drinking plenty of water. Since then, I can say my skin health has improved beyond my expectations.

I wear makeup almost every day especially since I work in a professional environment. It's rare that I have a day off to let my skin breathe. Before I go to bed at night, I remove all of my makeup with a Neutrogena makeup remover wipe. For the past month I've been using the Vitagoods Spin for Perfect Skin brush along with some new cleansers I purchased. I can't tell you if it's the brush I use, the cleansers I've been using, or a combination of both that have contributed to my healthy skin because I use them together. The first cleanser/exfoliator I began using is the Paul Thomas Roth beta hydroxy acid 2% wash. I heard mixed reviews on this exfoliator, both good and bad. I have oily skin and this product may work differently on everyone. I did not find that this product dried me out like most people said it would. After the first use it left my skin feeling very soft and fresh. After 2 weeks of using this product, I did not see a significant difference in my skin so I wanted to try something else. I purchased the Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser and daily moisturizing lotion. I've heard so many good reviews on Cetaphil so I wanted to try it out. I've been using it for a week now and it's made a significant difference in my skin. For my morning skin care routine I use the cleanser and moisturizer.

Twice a week a use a peel off mask that I've been loving. I mentioned this product in my January Favorites blog post. It is the Boscia luminizing black mask. This mask is awesome because it's so easy to use. After I wash my face I apply it and leave it on for 20 minutes while I watch TV or while I'm on the computer. Once it's dry I peel it off. It's cool and kind of gross at the same time, because you can see the mask pulling out dead skin, impurities and excess oil. Over time and with constant use this mask will help the skin feel less oily, brighter and softer.

I am also working on scheduling regular facials to help with the up keep of my skin.

If you want to purchase the Vitagoods brush at a discounted price go to www.vanityplanet.com and use code m2spin at checkout for 70% off plus free shipping.

*I recommend everyone does their research on every product before purchasing. Every product has its pros and cons and will work differently on everyone. There are reviews all over the internet for all kinds of skin care products.

Pretty in Pink Eyeshadow Look

Before I get into the details on this look I want to give you some makeup tips.
I always get asked...

• "How do you get your eyeshadow to look so vibrant?"
• I wet all my lid eyeshadows (except matte eyeshadows) with MAC's Fix + to make them appear more opaque and vibrant. Depending on the eyeshadow, I pat on a few layers on to make the eyeshadow pop. The brush I always use on my lid is MAC's 242 brush.
• "How do you get a clean sharp edge along the outer v/crease?"
• I either use a MAC wipe to clean up the eyeshadow fall out and as I'm doing that, I drag the wipe up towards the brow (at an angle). That will give you a clean precise finish. The second option is to use Shadow Shields. This will not only catch any fall out, but also give you a sharp edge along the outer crease. Check them out www.shadowshields.com
• "What are you must have eyeshadow brushes?"
• Read my blog on my favorite eyeshadow brushes :-)

Now onto this look i did. Pink eyeshadow can be tricky because if you're not careful it can be over kill on the eyes or it can make you look sick. I always like to warm up my crease with neutral shades to balance out the look.

Before you apply your eyeshadow make sure you apply a good eyeshadow primer. My go to primer is MAC Painterly Paint Pot. It is a pro longwear base and it helps my eyeshadow last for 10+ hours. A lot of people have asked me if this is good for oily lids. I honestly haven't had a problem with it or on myself or on my clients but it's going to work differently on everyone. You can always go to the MAC counter and ask for a sample so you can try it out before you purchase it.

1. Start by taking a fluffy blending brush (MAC 224) and the color Soft Brown by MAC. This is going to be your transition color. Again, make sure you blend, blend, blend. That is the key to a flawless look.

2. If Soft Brown is dark enough for you, then skip this next step. I love warming up the crease with deeper neutrals so taking Cocoa Bear from Makeup Geek and the same blending brush (MAC 224), buff that into the crease. Remember not to take it too far up.

3. To add some definition to the crease take Damson by MAC (Pro Color) and place it in the deepest part of your crease using a smaller fluffy blending brush (MAC 217).

4. Now for my favorite part of this look. I LOVE MAC pressed pigments. I own almost every shade and they are the best. A lot of people use their finger to apply these but I like to take my flat shader brush (MAC 242), spray it with some MAC Fix + and then dip it into the pressed pigment. The pressed pigment used for this look is called Rock Candy. I don't know if they still have it in stores or online but I believe MAC has a lighter pink shade that will also work. You want to make sure you pat this color on. I always add 2-3 layers of the pressed pigments just to make the color really opaque. I use the first layer wet and the other 2 dry.

5. I love wearing a thick liner especially when I have a lot of color going on. I feel like it helps tone down the look a bit. For this look and all my other looks I use my favorite liner at the moment, MAC Blacktrack Fludiline. I apply this with my RC Cosmetics liner brush. For the bottom waterline I used MAC smolder and smudged it out with a 217 brush and Cocoa Bear eyeshadow.

6. The lashes used here are by House of Lashes in the style Noir Fairy (black). www.houseoflashes.com

On the lips I'm wearing a lipliner by MAC and I apologize for not being able to provide the name. I've had it for a while and the name rubbed off. I don't know if MAC still carries it. For my lipstick I'm wearing a pink lipstick that was hand made for me by www.five11fashion.com. You can find it on their website under the shade "Pretty in Pink" for $12.00 (USD). All their lipsticks are hand made so make sure to check them out.

Hope you try this look out and if you do, let me know if my tips helped.

February Favorites

Wow! Again, I can't believe how fast another month has gone by. Time for my monthly favorites. I love posting monthly favorites because it's not just about makeup. I get to throw in my favorite beauty products.

First monthly favorite is...

The Lorac Pro Palette

Lorac Pro Palette $49.00 (USD)

I love purchasing palettes because i feel like you get more for your money. I can create so many looks with all these eyeshadows. The thing i love most about this palette is that it has 16 eyeshadows; 8 matte and 8 shimmer. Every palette should have a good amount of matte shades and that's why I love this one so much. Keep in mind that these eyeshadows can be worn wet or dry. I blogged about using wet eyeshadows earlier this month. Every bride that has scheduled a bridal trial with me has shown me a picture of previous looks I've done using this palette. I highly recommend this palette to be in your makeup kit especially if you're a freelance makeup artist. You can create anything from bridal looks to sultry evening eye looks.  www.loraccosmetics.com

Shadow Shields $9.99 (USD)

To get into my next monthly favorite I just want to mention that I don't use tape to create my sharp clean edges nor do I recommend it. All I do when I finish doing my eyeshadow is take a clean MAC wipe and clean up any fall out dragging it up towards my brows. I did get some Shadow Shields this past month which I loved and became a monthly favorite. Shadow Shields are exactly what the name states. They're adhesive shields that you place under your eyes when doing your eyeshadow and they catch all the fall out. These are great when working with glitter and pigments but I use them even when I'm only using eyeshadow. These are versatile because they can be used to create that sharp clean edge or as a guide to create a winged liner. You can even use them to get a clean lipstick application.  You can purchase them at www.shadowshields.com or at the nearest retailer. They have a list of retailers on their website.

Too Faced Cosmetics Blush $30.00 (USD)

Last month I entered a contest on Instagram that Too Faced Cosmetics and @vegas_nay were having and I ended up winning. I won the entire Too Faced Spring Collection and though I loved everything I received, I especially loved their Peach Beach blush. I am more of a neutral blush vs. a pink or coral blush wearer so this blush just won me over. The packaging is also gorgeous!!! 



Vitagoods Spin for Perfect Skin

As much as I love makeup I also love taking care of my skin. I have been into a lot of skin care products lately. I don't have perfect skin but I always do my best to improve what I have. I received a spin brush from www.vanityplanet.com called Spin for Perfect Skin. What I love about this brush is that it's not just for your face but also for your body. It comes with 4 detachable brush heads; 2 for face, 1 for body & 1 for your elbows and knees. The brush is waterproof so you can use it in the shower. The brush is supposed to minimize the appearance of pores, remove bacteria, capture dirt, oil and excess sebum. I've only used it for my face along with a cleanser and so far I've seen improvement on my skin. The retail price of the brush is $99.00 (USD) but you can purchase one for only $30.00 (USD) plus free shipping for the United States when you use coupon code m2spin at checkout. 

Agave Healing Vapor Iron $149.00 (USD)

Lastly, I leave you with a good hair product. I don't have the healthiest hair in the world. I began dying my hair at age 17 and until this day I'm constantly changing my hair color. The bleach and hair dye has damaged my hair a lot and even when I let my hair grow out I go and dye it again. Another thing about me is that I'm not the type of person who can go without washing my hair. I have to wash my hair everyday. The feeling of just waking up and going to work without my hair being washed is so uncomfortable. Since I put heat on my hair almost everyday I was glad to see that Agave came out with a healing vapor iron. I know that there are other brands out there that have put something on the market similar to this one but this was the first time I had heard of it. If I'm going to put heat on my hair, I might as well use something that is going to be less damaging. I was very impressed with the results after the first use. My hair felt soft, healthy and looked so shiny. Lately I've been giving my hair a rest from the heat so I'll throw it up in a bun, but when I do style my hair I use my Agave Healing Vapor Iron. You can purchase one at www.sephora.com for $149 (USD).