FOTD: New Display Pic

Finally! A new blog post. I have been meaning to get this posted for many weeks now. Sorry for the wait!
I have a new display picture for my blog and this is the makeup I was wearing the day that I snapped that shot. 

the new display pic

I was in a blogging/photographing mood that day. I'm really happy with how all the pictures turned out and I am also very fond of how "natural" looking my makeup was that day. 

I'm not one to get all decked out in makeup everyday, I'm not joking. I always like to have a flawless base, i.e. my foundation and concealer, but in terms of eye makeup, on a day to day basis I like to keep it neutral with a subtle shimmer. The look that I'm wearing in this picture is SO ME it's not even funny. 

Face:

My Soleil Tan de Chanel and I have been inseparable all summer long. It has been a key product for me to even out my tan and tone down a bit of the redness in my face, inevitable from hours of sun exposure. I then used my handy dandy Bobbi Brown corrector in Porcelain Peach to get rid of the look of dark circle under my eyes. To even out my skin tone, I used the new Maybelline Dream Fresh BB cream in the shade Light-Medium. I've only used this product a handful of times so I don't yet have a good feel for how much I do or don't like it. My typical concealer routine consisted of Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer in shade 52 to cover any blemishes and discoloration. Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser in Light to add another layer of concealer to my insanely dark circles; and finally Rimmel Match Perfection highlighting concealer in shade 003 to add some brightness to my face. I set that all with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in the shade Medium Plus 

Cheeks:

I have been loving my new blush, Well Dressed from MAC (full review of this blush can be read here). This blush just adds the nicest hint of colour to my cheeks. I then contoured and warmed up my face a bit with Physicians Formula Bronze Booster in the shade Medium Dark. 

Eyes:

I found some NYX eyeshadows stashed away in my collection that I brought out to use for this look. Ever since then, they have been a staple in my makeup bag.

The lighter shade on top is Champagne. I used this shade on the inner third of my lid. The darker shade on the bottom is Iced Mocha and I used this shadow on the outer part of my lid to add a little bit of dimension.

I used Almay's One Coat Nourishing Triple Effect mascara (what a mouthful of a name). It's decent enough, but it didn't provide me with enough length or volume, but I do really like the wand and brush - full with natural bristles. 

Lips:

I decided to keep the lips pretty neutral, glossy, and feminine. I chose this pink gloss from Dior that I've had lying around forever (Dior Addict Ultra Gloss Reflect in shade #257). This was just a simple and clean way to finish up the entire look. 

xoxoDarlingBuds

P.S. this little gem came out of all the pictures I took for this FOTD. I couldn't resist, I had to include it. It's so funny! 

NYX False Lashes

FALSE LASH EFFECT

I first showed these lashes in my Hautelook NYX haul. I finally decided to try out a pair of the lashes that I got and see for myself how they wore.
 






















First of all, these lashes were too long for my eyes so I had to trim them down a bit. Second of all, they were a bitch to apply. The lash band is very thick and hard to shape to your own eye shape. Once I had the glue on and was trying to position them on my lashes, I had problems with the corners - they wouldn't stay down! I tried 3 times to get the lashes to sit properly on my natural eyelashes and they wouldn't cooperate. This is the best that I got.

From this photo, you can clearly see the lash band. I didn't put any eyeliner over top because I wanted to show you how these wore on their own.

The effect of the actual lashes is very nice. I love the intersecting bits of lashes...it's just creates a really voluminous look.

The lash band is just so annoying! It wouldn't stay down where I wanted it to, and based on that, I don't think these lashes are worth it. The time it takes to get these to look good is ridiculous. I prefer Ardell lashes that can easily be found at any drugstore. They have an invisible band, making them easy to bend to your own eye shape, and also making them easier to camouflage into your own lashes.
Major bummer, because these NYX lashes looked like they could be a great dupe for MAC lashes. No go :(
I'm going to give them another chance, and see if with more practice I can these lashes to cooperate better. We'll see...


xoxoDarlingBuds