June Faves ✼

This has been a month of dewy skin, glossy lips, thick lashes and a touch o' bronzer. Read on for my faves!

FACE
Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer is a lovely, illuminating base. It's very sheer, but I love how lightweight it feels. Perfect for summer.
On top, I apply Revlon ColorStay Blemish Concealer. It contains salicylic acid (great for treating acne), making it perfect to cover blemishes. On lazy days this is fine for an undereye concealer as well. (I apply it with my MAC 217 brush - great for a seamless, no-makeup look.)


CHEEK
Urban Decay Afterglow Cheek Tint in Crush is a beautiful, bright cheek color. I love the brightening, youthful effect this gives to the cheek.
Benefit Hoola Bronzer is my trusty matte bronzer! Read back on my old (embarrassing) Sephora Haul for more.


EYES
I like to define my eyes with Estee Lauder Artist's Eye Pencil in Softsmudge Brown. It's a great warm brown color that I pencil in across my upper lash line, then wing at the end to mimic flirty outer lashes.
Sephora Nano Eyeliner in Pearl Beige goes in the inner corner and the waterline for sparkly, bright eyes.
Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara adds great volume and nice length to the lashes, all while conditioning them! I noticed a difference after the first use - my lashes felt stronger and thicker.


LIPS
Nars Lipstick in Barbarella is THE coral color I have been looking for! It's gorgeous, sheer and it matches my walls. Love.


I hope you enjoyed these faves!! Would you like a review on any of these products?

Love, Val

P.S. I'm going away for Fourth of July weekend, but I have a post pre-scheduled and I'll be back soon!

February Faves!

It is once again time for my monthly favorites post!

Makeup

1. Revlon Berry Haute Lipstick: I love it so much! See my review here.
2. Stila Perfecting Concealer (in 'C'): It's a great full-coverage liquid concealer. I use tiny dots on my under eyes and any blemishes for a beautiful flawless look!
3. gloMinerals loose base (in 'Natural Light'): This I use over the concealer. It sets my makeup, mattifies, and adds some coverage. I love how natural it looks.
4. Benefit Coralista Blush: It's such a beautiful, flattering color! This is definitely my Holy Grail/go-to blush.
5. Urban Decay 24/7 liner (in 'Bourbon'): This rich brown with shimmer starts out super creamy and blendable, but within 30 seconds sets and stays all day! I love the fabulous pigmentation as well. (This is a mini that I got with my Summer of Love set.)

Tools

1. Sigma F80 Brush: (not pictured) So multi-purpose! I use it to blend out my concealer, to apply foundation when I need it, for powder.... The list goes on! See my review here.

All for now! What are you loving??
Love, Val

P.S. Results from my most recent poll!
"I like to play up..."
75% said "my eyes"
37% said "my clear skin"
25% said "my lips"
12% said "my cheeks"

Rosy & Frosty: A Tutorial

Hey guys! First, thanks so much for following my blog and entering my giveaway!!

Second, I have a tutorial for you all! It's a super-quick way to embrace the season. I like to think of it as a caught-up-in-a-snowstorm look. Enjoy!

1) Foundation. I like to skip powder for a nice dewy finish in winter. (Revlon Colorstay in Nude mixed with moisturizer)

2) Rosy stain. Time for a winter flush! Add the liquid stain to your cheeks, temple, lips, and even the outer corner of the eyelid for an allover rosy look. (Benefit's Benetint)

3) Now, to incorporate the frost! Dust shimmery white shadow all over the lid. I also used mine on the bridge of the nose, tops of cheek bones, and cupid's bow for some facial highlighting. (Sephora Mono eyeshadow in Aspen Summit)

4) Add mascara. For fun and a twinkly surprise, I added more of the white shadow to the tips of my lashes afterwards. (L'Oreal Telescopic clean definition in black)

5) Finish off your lips with balm to protect from the harsh winter dryness! (eos lip balm in sweet mint)

Done! You should look rosy and frosty, and you can be out the door in five minutes with this one.

All for now-
Love, Val

*CLOSED* New Year's GIVEAWAY!!

Hey girls and thanks for 50+ followers! To thank you all for supporting me, I've compiled a little giveaway for you all. Enjoy! :)

Rules
1) You must be a follower of my blog to enter - because I want this to be a gift to a follower. :) It's easy and free!
2) You must be a) 18 or over, or b) have a parent's permission (so I can ship it to you).
3) Just fill out the form below to enter. 
4) You get one entry for following via Google Friend Connect, but there are three bonus entries available.
5) This contest is open internationally and I will pay shipping!
6) Contest closes February 25th at 11:59 PM PST. I will choose the winner using this website by numbering off the entries and then generating a random number.


Enter



Prizes - one lucky winner will recieve:
-Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in "Tattle Tale"
A very pretty, shimmery light gold color. great for all-over lid, and lasts all day!
-Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara in "black/brown"
I've read the reviews for this one and it sounds like a great mascara!
-Stila Custom Color Blush in "Self-Adjusting"
Really awesome - it'll change color to suit your skin tone.
-Pink Body Mist in "pretty & pure"
I tested out all the scents and this one was my fave!
-Beauty Rush lip gloss in "melonrageous"
Very comparable to Clinique Moisturebalm in Raspberry, which is a favorite of mine.
-Korres Quince Lip Butter
Highly acclaimed lip butter to keep your lips moist during winter!


Good luck! If you have any questions, feel free to email me (valzcloset@gmail.com) or leave a comment below.


Love, Val

What I've Been Loving

Hey girls! This was going to be a November Faves, but now we're a week into December. So here's my "What I've Been Loving" post :)

Face
My new foundation routine (pictured) consists of Stila Perfecting Concealer in 'C' on blemishes and undereyes, then a quick dusting of gloMinerals Loose Base in 'Natural Light.' Effortless, and very natural looking. I like how it feels like I don't have makeup on!

Eyes
I've been wearing plum/mauve tones on my eyes recently (I've been told that it brings out my coloring). First, I lightly sweep gloMinerals eyeshadow in Blackberry up to the crease, then follow up with a coat of Benefit Bad Gal Plum mini mascara.

Lip/Cheek
I am in love with Benefit's BeneTint; it's a beautiful liquid cheek color in a rosy shade, great for a "caught in a snowstorm" flush. I've been wearing it on the cheeks, and then applying just a bit to the lips for a slight stain.
In other lip news, I've slowly worked lip glosses back into my makeup routine! Pictured are Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing gloss in Raspberry, Revlon Super Lustrous in Pink Pop, and Nars Turkish Delight - but I love a lot of glosses.  :)

Hair
I've been doing a super-lazy style a lot recently: quick low bun with my hair parted on the side, but to add some flair I braid two tiny sections beforehand. I think it makes it look a little more deliberate, no?

Random

Nutella Hot Chocolate is delicious! (I learned from the lovely missglamorazzi's video recipe.) Basically, you heat up 1 cup of milk on the stove and whisk in 2 T Nutella spread. Now, you may think this would lead to an overly sweet, cheap tasting hot chocolate, but it doesn't! The result is delicious; somehow it ends up with a very sophisticated nutty taste. Mmm. I have literally been having one a day.

 All for now! What have you been loving?

Love, Val

October Favorites

Hello all!
Just a few things I've been loving this month - I've been doing simple looks every day (no eyeshadow, same thing every day...) But I'm going to start switching it up again soon :)

Makeup:

• Maybelline Concealer Stick (medium beige) & Maybelline Dream Matte Powder (medium sand) - I've been using these two as a "foundation" everyday, for a light-coverage matte look. Yes, I'm back into matte! I think I go through phases...
• Benefit Coralista blush & Nars Dolce Vita blush - These two go together because I've been pretty much switching off between them every day! Coralista is a fresh, pretty light pink with hints of orange and Dolce Vita is a beautiful dusty rose.
• Stila Major Major Lash Mascara - I love it because it provides curled, volumized, fanned-out lashes without any clumps so it looks completely natural. Great for quick, no-time-to curl lashes!
• Nars Dolce Vita lipstick - I wear this with the corresponding blush :) It's the same color, but sheer and glossy. So gorgeous.
• Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing gloss in Raspberry - And this one, I wear with Coralista blush! Just enough raspberry color with a nice moisturizing effect.

Hair:
  I've been wearing my hair up (bun, ponytail, braid...) and unstyled for the majority of the month *guilty smile*. Good for the hair, but to be honest it's just out of laziness. November, I feel, will be a straight-hair month...

  That's all I've been loving this month! What are your October favorites?
  Love, Val

Megan Fox Inspired Makeup

  Hey girls! I figured it's been too long since my last makeup tutorial, so here's one for you all. It's inspired by a look Megan Fox wore to the Armani Show at Milan Fashion week: hot pink glossy lips with dramatic, black winged eyeliner. It's perfect for nights out, or (if you're daring!) a spiced-up everyday look.

Megan, as always, looks amazing in the makeup!

1.) As usual, start off with foundation. Then, add a light layer of powder to set for a semi-matte finish. Conceal, and define your brows, if you need to (I didn't). Try to keep the foundation looking light, as we don't want to distract from the eyes and lips! (Revlon PhotoReady foundation in Nude, Maybelline Dream Matte powder in Medium Sand)

2) Now, for the winged liner! Use your liner of choice (powder, gel, pencil...); I like liquid for a dramatic line. Create a line across the upper lash line, getting gradually thicker towards the end. Then, finish it off with a thick wing angling towards the brow, and a little liner on the lower lash line. Don't forget to heap on the mascara! (Stila Stay All Day waterproof liquid liner, Stila Major Major lash mascara)

3) Add a light dusting of bronzer, taking it from the temple across the cheekbone. (Benefit Hoola bronzer)

4) Wrap things up with a fuchsia lip! Carefully outline the shape of your lips, fill in, then blend with a finger for even coverage. Coat with clear gloss. (Revlon Just Bitten lip stain in Passion, CoverGirl clear gloss)

5) Done!

  Hope you liked the tutorial! I absolutely love the look... considering wearing it to my next school dance! Have a great weekend and thank you so much for all the support. :)

  Love, Val

How To: Highlight, Blush, and Contour

Enter my giveaway if you haven't already!

  Hello readers! I hope your summer is going well. So today I have a bit of a tutorial for you all on cheek makeup - highlight, blush, and contour. You can do all three things with an angled blush brush; I use the MAC 168, but Sigma, Essence of Beauty, and Sephora carry angled blush brushes too. I only got the brush in the first place because I knew if I was going to invest in a MAC brush, it needed to be multifunctional, and the 168 seemed like the best choice. (If you don't own an angled blush brush, any ordinary blush brush will do.) So without further ado - the tutorial!

1) Contour. Find the hollow of your cheek (the slightly concave area next to your ear) and follow it for about two inches. (If you have no hollow just follow the line from the top of your ear to your mouth.) This is the line you'll want to contour along. Dip your angled brush into a matte bronzer a few shades darker than your skintone - I used Benefit Hoola - and contour along that line. Use your fingers to blend until the line appears natural when in full view. Your face will now appear slimmer and better structured - the contour gives the illusion that your cheekbone is casting a shadow. Cool, huh?

2) Blush. Clean your brush on a paper towel and this time dip it into the blush of your choice (I used Benefit Coralista). Smile to find the apples of your cheeks, and using short downward strokes apply the blush all along your apples and up to your temples. Be sure not to put the blush too high and blend with your fingers if necessary. This will bring a dose of color to your cheeks.

3) Highlight. Clean your brush again, but now select a highlight color. For light skin tones, I'd recommend a pink-toned highlight; for medium skin, more of a champagne color; and for darker skin, a golden highlight. I like Naked Lunch eyeshadow by MAC. Pick up some product again and sweep it across your cheekbones at a 45 degree angle, right on top of the blush. This will add a healthy glow to your face.

Done!

Hope you liked the tutorial! I've been loving putting emphasis on cheek makeup lately and hope you try it out.

Love, Val

Sephora Haul!

Hi girls! Oh, my, goodness, I LOVE SEPHORA!! The last time I went I was 10 and only interested in their nail polish. I went Saturday, and I had to restrict myself to three things. I probably spent a half hour in there trying out everything, and I mean everything! So without further ado, here it all is. (And I am 110% satisfied with my purchases!)

First, I'll talk about the Urban Decay Summer of Love kit. I knew I wanted something from Urban Decay, as I'd never tried the brand before, and I was about to buy the single eyeshadow in 'Chopper' for $17. However, then I saw the Summer of Love kit! For $24, it includes four eyeshadows, an eyeliner, and their famous primer potion in Sin. The pigmentation of everything is AMAZING! The eyeshows are fabulous, the eyeliner glides on beautifully, and the primer potion intensifies any eyeshadow times ten.... needless to say, I love it all. :) And FYI, none are full sized, but hey I can repurchase if I run out!

Eyeshadows in Flash, Maui Wowie, Chopper, and Smog; 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner in Bourbon; Primer Potion in Sin.

Next, a bronzer! It's almost summer, and bronzer is definitely a must. I've heard great things about this Hoola bronzer by Benefit. First, let me just say the packaging is adorable, and it comes with a cute little brush... which I will probably not use, and it sheds, but it's convenient if I'm going to throw this into my purse. I tried it out, and I love it! Not orange, not muddy, but the perfect matte brown that will make you look beautifully sunkissed. It applied wonderfully, and this bronzer will become a part of my daily routine.

Finally, my first Nars purchase ever! It's their blush in... you guessed it, Orgasm. It's probably the most highly acclaimed blush ever, though I've heard all of the Nars  blushes are great. The reviews are correct, this peachy pink blush gives me the perfect flush, that 'I just woke up like this' glow. Finely milled gold shimmer adds a subtle sheen. This is also a new part of my daily routine! :)

The color is actually a bit darker than it appears in this picture.

  Can you tell I'm super excited?? Anyways, I've learned that Sephora is my new heaven, and now I know what to ask for for my birthday... Sephora gift card! Next time I will have to get Benefit's primer and High Beam, as well as more Nars blushes, a multiple, and a lip gloss. *Guilty smile*
  Anyways, I'll stop rambling now! Talk to you all later!
  Love, Val
  P.S. You want it, I'll do it! Help me out and comment me with requests!

Makeup Haul!

Hey all! So a couple weeks ago I placed some makeup orders at Amazon and Dulce Cosmetics (a very inexpensive brand recommended here), and now that I've had some time to test them out I'm doing a haul! Enjoy!

From left to right, top to bottom: boi-ing concealer, baked powder, muffin cake blusher, baked blusher, essential eye brush kit, brilliant fusion palette, eyeshadow trio, duo lip gloss and liner, and liquid eyeliner pen.

1) First is Boi-ing Concealer by Benefit in 02. I bought this concealer because I'd gotten a sample of it before and LOVED it! Boi-ing is a cream concealer that is great for undereye circles, redness, and blemishes. When I use this I skip the foundation.
2) Next, Dulce Cosmetics baked powder in 02, a sheer, marbleized powder that instantly mattifies my skin. I like to buff it in with a powder brush.
3) Now Muffin Cake blusher by Dulce Cosmetics in 04. This is a really pretty blusher, marbleized between light gold and pink, and it shows up as a nice peachy flush.
4) This is Dulce Cosmetics' metallic blusher in 04, but I like using it as a bronzer! This is great for that shimmering, summer glow.
5) Now for a change of pace, some brushes! This cute Sonia Kashuk essential eye kit comes with five eyeshadow brushes: a large eye shadow brush, an angled bush, a sponge applicator, a crease brush, and a smudge brush. While shorter than I expected, these brushes do the job much better than what I previously used (the applicators shadows come with or my fingers)!
6) Possibly my favorite purchase, Dulce Cosmetics' brilliant fusion eyeshadow palette in 02 is a gorgeous mix of pigmented shimmering neutrals, perfect for an everyday or formal eye.
7) Now another eyeshadow by Dulce Cosmetics, their Viva Trilogy trio in 05. I bought this shadow on a whim, and I'm glad I did, because the shimmery red, brown, and pink are great for a glam party eye!
8) Next, Dulce Cosmetics' duo lip gloss and liner in 05. While the lip gloss is pretty standard, I do like the frosty pink color, and the brown liner it comes with is actually really nice as a casual eyeliner.
9) Finally, PenAbsolute liquid eyeliner by Dulce Cosmetics. This is my first liquid eyeliner ever, and I was surprised at how easy it is to get a nice, thin line. The pen applicator is definitely a plus for us eyeliner beginners!

That's all for today! I hope you enjoyed the haul, and check out some more photos after the jump!
Love, Val