Stocking Stuffers

Any makeup lovers knows that Sephora is to us like a Candy Store is to a kid. Conveniently enough, they've taken the guess work out of stocking stuffers, and on the front page you can find a link to their full inventory of mini products.

Or click this one

My favorite mini products from this list I wouldn't mind seeing in my stocking include.

Too Faced Beauty Editor Darlings Set

Sephora by Opi in Perfect Reds Set

Sephora by Opi Tinsel Town Collector's Set

     

I'm So Sari, Mermaid to Order, Never Enough Shoes, Here's Lilac In' at You Kid

Sephora by Opi Nail Polish Colour 

To the Glitter End, Sugar Plum Fairies Gone Wild, Come To Paparazzi, Hollywood if I Could

Sephora by Opi Jewelry Top Coats

Not all the nail polish is on Sephora's stocking stuffer list, but it's nail polish. It's an obvious stocking stuffer choice.

Dupe

December 11th - Dupe

This is supposed to be a cheaper alternative to my favorite product, but all my favorite products aren't very expensive at all, and if I found a cheaper alternative I'd maybe save no more than a dollar because I really shop around.

So I decided to go with what I keep my products in.

I bought this recently, just tagging it on with my Black Friday sale buys because I actually just used to throw all my makeup in a bin and several small bags I have gotten over the year. At $50 it was an expensive impulse buy, both with cost of shipping (since it's heavy) and the actual item cost. I can't complain on the quality, however. It's very sturdy and the material it's made out of will 

At $17.25 on Amazin, this is about the same size as the other one, but you can't be sure of the quality. I am just using this as an example for a cheaper option, but considering how much I paid in shipping for the case I got, buying something locally would have been a better way to go. Though I have now learned my lesson, if you're buying something heavy buy a local alternative.

Peacock

December 10th - Peacock

Primer:  Velvet Touch Foundation Primer by GOSH

Foundation: True Match in Porcelain  by L'Oreal

Contouring: Vampyres Veil in Moonlight and Virgin by Manic Panic

Setting Powder: Face Powder in Transparent by Marcelle

Eye base: Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk by Nyx
Eyeshadow: 120 Eyeshadow Palette 1 by BH Cosmetics
Eyeliner: Super Skinny Marker in Carbon Black by Nyx 

Mascara: Doll Eye Mascara in Volume by Nyx
Eyebrows: 120 Eyeshadow Palette 1 by BH Cosmetics 

Lipstick: BH 32 color Lip Gloss Palette

Magazine Challenge

December 9th - Magazine Challenge

The look I picked was from an online store actually

http://www.gothiclolitawigs.com/

Primer:  Velvet Touch Foundation Primer by GOSH

Foundation: True Match in Porcelain  by L'Oreal

Contouring: Vampyres Veil in Moonlight and Virgin by Manic Panic, 

                  Contour and Blush Pallet by BH Cosmetics

Blush: Duo Blush Palette by BH Cosmetics

Setting Powder: Face Powder in Transparent by Marcelle

Eye base: Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean by Nyx
Eyeshadow: BH Party Girl by BH Cosmetics
Eyeliner: Super Skinny Marker in Carbon Black by Nyx 

Mascara: Doll Eye Mascara in Volume by Nyx
Eyebrows: BH Party Girl by BH Cosmetics

Lipstick: BH 32 color Lip Gloss Palette and Black Generic Halloween Lipstick

Delay

Sorry to those few, if any, who follow me. I have been really sick as well as dealing with the usual things stormy cold weather does to limit me, so I am really behind. I haven't given up! Every day will be completed.

Lash Stash

December 8th - Lash Stash

It's no secret, I have really thin, sparse and light coloured lashes, another complaint about being a ginger. Because of this I rely on a few tricks, good mascara, and fake lashes when I want to amp it up a bit.

For Mascara, I have two go to options.


Doll Eye Mascara by NYX in Volume

There aren't words for how in love I am with this Mascara. I use it almost all the time as it gives me the appearance of longer, fuller lashes instantly. The only time I don't use this is when I need something lighter for reasons including only wearing mascara. That's when I use my next go to Mascara.

Lash Blast Mascara by Covergirl in Black

There isn't much to really say. It is exactly what you want in a mascara, no more no less, and it's easy to find at any store.

Mascara is usually not enough to make my lashes look full, as the water line shows the roots of my lashes still, so I always make sure to colour in my top water line and lash line with black eyeshadow and my trusty angle brush. It's well worth the extra work.


And as mentioned, when I need to amp up my lashes, I use fake eyelashes.

This is the set I like prefer the most. It gives a very natural look. You can really go with any brand, you just need shop around for a price and look you like. I don't use eyelash glue, however, as I find my sensitive skin doesn't really react well to it, and it never stays on. Believe it or not, I actually use Spirit Gum.

Again, brand doesn't matter. I don't think mine is even the same as this reference picture. You don't need the super strength hold stuff, the kind I have is a small Halloween makeup bottle you find at dollar stores and such. As with anything, do a skin test to make sure this won't harm you first. You aren't supposed to use Spirit Gum around your eyes, I advise against it, thank you lawyer cat, but it's what I do for me with a careful hand. If you are going to do this, be VERY careful.

Favorite Primers

December 7th - Favorite Primers

 

Going to keep this short since I'm not very keen on which primer to use for which skin, and to help cover what, but these are the only two primers I've used and have not had much motivation to try a different one, but wouldn't mind suggestions to give a shot.

I use BH Cosmetic's Foundation Primer for everyday makeup and when my skin isn't having a bad skin day for whatever reason. I seriously love BH Cosmetics, their product is worth far more than what they sell it for, their shipping is always fast without any product being ruined or pressed powders being cracked, and don't  get me started on the pigments in their eyeshadow line, nrrgggggggsooogood. This wasn't my first primer I tried, but I believe I picked it up on sale for around 10$ last year, so I thought why not? I haven't decided which is honestly better between this and the other brand I use, but it's easily less than half the price for roughly the same amount of product. Has not bothered my sensitive skin at all. Always goes on smooth, and my Foundation never clumps on top of it.

I also use GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer by the company Gosh, which is a Denmark cosmetics company under-represented in Canada. I found their line by fluke at a local Drug Store (Where I buy my pink and purple hair dye, even though Shoppers Drug Mart isn't supposed to have it) so I picked up some different things from them to play with, including my first primer ever! I never needed primer, but since taking new medication my skin needed some help getting foundation to go on evenly. I was blown away with how much better and smoother my skin looked even with just primer on, and have never looked back since. I am not sure you can still buy GOSH in Canada, but his set me back 25$, which I believe is still cheap on the primer cost scale (Which is a little depressing). So I use and save this for my bad skin days only, since my cheaper BH primer doesn't always measure up on those days.

Alright, wrote more than I meant to, but those are my favorite and only primers. Tada!

Contour & Highlight

December 6th - Contour & Highlight

Contouring rarely shows on my face, and highlighting only does because the only way to get it to show is to make it almost pure white. So for fun I did some exaggerated contouring on my cheeks and nose. Try and ignore how zombie like I look, I don't crave brains. Just Iron. 

Ombre Lips

December 5th - Ombre Lips

My new lip palette hasn't arrived so this was done with halloween black lipstick. Yep, the cheap dollar store kind. It shows.

Frosted

December 4th - Frosted

Dealing with Anemia, hense late uploads, rushed makeup, and unruly brows! Atleast it gives me a really pale base for "frosted"

Primer:  Velvet Touch Foundation Primer by GOSH

Foundation: True Match in Porcelain  by L'Oreal

Contouring: Vampyres Veil in Moonlight and Virgin by Manic Panic

Setting Powder: Face Powder in Transparent by Marcelle

Eye base: Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk by Nyx
Eyeshadow: 120 Eyeshadow Palette 2 by BH Cosmetics
Eyeliner: Super Skinny Marker in Carbon Black by Nyx 

Mascara: Doll Eye Mascara in Volume by Nyx 
Eyebrows: 120 Eyeshadow Palette 2 by BH Cosmetics 

Eyelid and brow glitter: Liquid Crystal Liner in Crystal Hip and Crystal Silver by Nyx

3 Makeup Products You'd Recommend to a Friend

December 3rd - 3 Makeup Produces You'd Recommend to a Friend

Alright, I spent most of yesterday thinking this one over, and I've come up with three and an honourable mention.

First off is Manic Panic's pressed powder.

I bought Virgin first, which is just pressed white powder, for costuming. I found out that it blended really well into my skin and it was only a little bit lighter (A scary though, huh?). I ended up picking it up later on again when I ran out, and decided to try Vampyre's Veil in Moonlight as well. Moonlight is only a touch darker so it works perfectly on top of my foundation, along with Virgin used for very natural highlights. If you have pale sensitive skin like me, you want these. It goes on velvety smooth and wears light. Never once has it aggravated my skin or worn off. I still suggest using a transparent powder over top to set it, but it's all weightless and breathable.

Doll Eye Mascara in Volume by Nyx

I was skeptical about this mascara, but I decided to just grab it when I ordered my Jumbo Eye Pencils from Nyx, and I am happy I did. When I'm wearing it I sometimes get asked if I am wearing fake eyelashes, since my natural eyelashes are very thin and light. It's easily built on and layered without looking globby, to really give that thick and full look to your eyelashes. It also gives you a bit of a curl without need of a curler.

Super Skinny Eye Marker by Nyx

Another sucessful impluse by. I have really shaky hands most of the time, so I have a hard time dealing with eyeliners that are unforgiving. This liner is very forgiving, and goes on smooth and iseasy to create a flawless wing tip with it for a cat-eye. I use an angle brush to put on black eyeshadow as a base for my liner, I find it easier after that way. I just apply this on top of the base, and it makes it look like I have a really steady hand.

Honourable Mentions

Use a primer for all over your face before you apply any makeup. DO IT. I put it on right after my moisturizer lotion. It helps fill in your pores, to let you put on flawless foundation, but it also protects them from your makeup. Primers depend on your skin type and really trial and error, but you won't realize how much you need to use a primer till you have. You won't go back. 

Mellow Yellow

December 2nd - Mellow Yellow

The real challenge? Gingers should never wear yellow. Never.

Primer:  Velvet Touch Foundation Primer by GOSH

Foundation: True Match in Porcelain  by L'Oreal

Contouring: Vampyres Veil in Moonlight and Virgin by Manic Panic

Setting Powder: Face Powder in Transparent by Marcelle

Eye base: Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk by Nyx
Eyeshadow: 120 Eyeshadow Palettes 1 & 2 by BH Cosmetics
Eyeliner: Super Skinny Marker in Carbon Black by Nyx 

Mascara: lash blast volume in black by Covergirl (my backup mascara, when I can't find my doll eye)
Eyebrows: 120 Eyeshadow Palette 2 by BH Cosmetics 

Lipstick: Intrigue Flirt by Elizabeth Arden (super old)
Lipgloss: Shine Supreme Lip Colour in Marvelous Shine (even older, was my grad lipgloss, I guessed the name since a lot of it has rubbed off)

Items on Your Wish List

December 1st- Items on Your Wish List

I managed to grab my BH Cosmetics wishlist items on Black Friday because of their great sales, but these are the items I didn't manage to get.

Sparklicity Pure by Tarina Tarantino in Pure Nude

Shadow Insurance by Too Faced

Dollskin Cream Blush & Pressed Sparklicity by Tarina Tarantino in Mr. Pink

Sephora by Opi in many colours. Favourite- Here's Lilac In' At You, Kid.

Revlon ColorStay in Ivory

Covergirl CG Smoothers Concealer in Fair

December Challenge!

December Photo a Day Makeup Challenge

December I will be following the challenge set by Makeupbymissb on Instagram. I am not sure where this elusive instagramer recides on the internet, so an Instagram link will have to do.