Quick and dirty Clinique haul and swatch pics!

So, the other day Clinique had a promo on their website for four free minis and free shipping with a $40 purchase. I've been dying for some of their Cheek Pops and I thought it would be a great time to try them. But I backed out at the last minute and I'm so glad I did!! The very next day I got an email from Gilt City with a $30 off $80 deal! And the Gilt promo had its own gift with purchase, so I got like nine gifts PLUS $30 off! Okay, so pics.

(Top row: Liquid Facial Soap Mild, Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+, All About Shadow Trio in Pinks, Cheek Pop in Ginger Pop. Bottom row: Lash Power mascara, Lash Doubling mascara, Cola Pop lipstick, Sugared Grapefruit lipstick, Mega Melon Chubby Stick, All Heart lipstick, Cheek Pops in Rosy Pop and Cola Pop)

And swatches.

(Top row: Pinks trio, shades are Strawberry Fudge duo and Morning Java. Middle row: lip colors in All Heart, Sugared Grapefruit, Mega Melon, Cola Pop. Bottom row: Cheek Pops in Rosy, Cola and Ginger)

These are just first impressions, but the lip and cheek pops swatch beautifully! I'll report back after actually wearing them! I don't even know what to wear first!

Also, I know the four mini promo ended, but if the Gilt voucher is still available, go for it! They do these periodically, so even if you miss this one, go sign up for Gilt City. This is my referral link, so I'll get credit for referring you and you'll get credit, too (I think it's $25 off a purchase). You don't have to go through my referral, though. I just want to be honest. I've gotten some amazing deals there (vouchers for Clinique, Bobbi Brown, SpaceNK, and lots more!), and I'm going to make a separate post about where to get the best beauty steals.

Until next time,

Sara

Undertones and depth, finding the perfect foundation!

Finding a foundation match can be super frustrating! The first step is identifying your skin's undertone. You can be cool, warm or neutral, with varying degrees among them. There are lots of ways to figure yours out. I recommend the following:

• Look at the veins in your wrist. Are they predominantly green, blue, or a mix? It's not 100%, but it's a good place to start. If they're blue, you're likely cooler toned. If green, you probably lean warm. A mix of both indicates neutral. My veins, I am neutral leaning cool.
  
  
  
• Look at a picture of yourself standing in a group of people. Warmer people will look more golden, cooler people more pink. You can compare where you fit within the ranges of skin tones and at least get an idea if you're cooler or warmer than the others in the picture.
• Get color matched at a MAC counter. Any brand can do a foundation match for you, but I recommend MAC because they clearly denote cool and warm shades in their color names. I should mention, though, that MAC has a different system. Colors with C or NC names denote warm/yellow tones. W or NW denotes cool/pink tones. Sounds backward, I know. But it IS a good way to get a match. It's kind of become the universal foundation language. For example, I'm NW20 in MAC, so I can ask online in makeup forums for recs in other formulas based on that. The 20 part of my MAC shade indicates depth.
• Get matched at Sephora through their Color IQ system. While it's still in its infancy and I've heard lots of stories about wrong matches, it got me dead right both times I tried it. How it works is, you go in with no foundation (or be willing to let them remove it) and they use this "camera gun" to take three pics of your skin in different areas (for me they did jaw, neck and forehead) and the system takes the three pics and uses them to find your match. The system uses the following Pantone shades:

5R shades denote the most cool/pink tones, with 5Y being the most warm/yellow. 1-2Y/R indicates the most neutral of tones. The 01-15 at the end indicates depth of tone. For example I am 1Y06. 1Y is neutral, 06 is a light-to-medium depth. The cool part about the Color IQ system is it gives you matches in every foundation Sephora carries. It's not perfect, but it's a great starting point.

The second part to finding your foundation is knowing your depth. Nobody wants to walk around in a foundation that's five shades too dark or light! The best way to test depth is to swatch the foundation you think is the right color onto your jawline. Next to it, swatch one shade darker and one shade lighter. Now GO OUTSIDE with a mirror. Store lighting is horrible for determining the right shade. You need natural light. Does one of those shades seem to disappear into your skin? If so, that's the right match! If not, repeat with lighter or darker shades as needed. If nothing is working, you just may not have a match in that brand/formula. If you're willing (and you're hellbent on getting THAT particular brand/formula) you can probably mix two shades to get a match. Before you go to the trouble, you could always just keep looking, though. It's all up to you. 

The third part is all about formula. Once you know your color, find the right foundation for your skin type! There are SO MANY OPTIONS, it would be hard to not find the right one. If your skin is drier like mine, look for moisturizing liquid or cream foundations. BB/CC creams are also great. If you're oily, look at powder, mattifying or oil control foundations. If you're combo-skinned, look for balancing formulas. If you have normal skin, just chose the finish you prefer. You have matte, satin and dewy options. You also have a large variety of coverage choices. It's all down to preference.

A couple of other valuable tools in finding matches are Temptalia's Foundation Matrix and Findation. You start with known matches and and it gives you matches in other foundations. Both of these databases are made with user contributions, so there is a strong possibility of user error, but it's a good starting place.

The search for the perfect foundation is a bit like a quest for the holy grail, but knowing your shades and your needs are good starting points on your quest. 

Until next time,

Sara, aka Beelzebubbles

My favorite lipsticks.

It's probably no surprise that I love lipstick. I love all makeup, but lipstick is the one cosmetic I can't imagine living without. With lipstick alone, I can look polished enough to face the day. And if I'm feeling particularly down, red lipstick is almost like the Prozac of makeup! An instant boost in confidence!

(The current rotation of lipsticks; changes seasonally.)

I rank my favorite lipsticks by color, formula, texture and scent. Having neutral-to-cool, light-to-medium skin (MAC NW20, Sephora Color IQ 1y06), I can wear a huge variety of colors, but I tend to wear reds, nudes (think lips, but better. Not concealer lips!), and corals most of all. I look ghastly in pale colors (most anything lighter in tone than my natural lip).

I'm 34 and my tastes in lip color have shifted plenty of times in the last 18 years (I was 16 when my lipstick obsession began). In 1996, I loved brown lipstick (didn't we all, though?), red lipstick and anything with shimmer. By 1998, it was goth-y purples (think MAC Media). In the early 2000s, it was pale and frosty (MAC Gleam). Around 2005, I started getting into sheers. Red lips were always something I loved though, even when I was 5 years old. That never changed.

Today, I challenged myself to choose 10 lipsticks that I can comfortable call my favorites. These things change daily, but right now, these are my favorites. I wear them frequently (even bought multiple backups of one that was discontinued). It was VERY hard to choose 10 of over 200 and I actually felt anguish over my decisions, because I love all my lipsticks. I'll list some runners up at the end of the post. :)

(The final cut! From top: Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Currant, Kevyn Aucoin Bloodroses, Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter Fig Jam, Lipstick Queen Saint Nude, Revlon Super Lustrous Toast of New York, Bite Beauty Cin Cin, Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil Chablis, Bite Beauty Apricot, Lipstick Queen You Kid, NYC Sheer Red)

(Kevyn Aucoin Bloodroses, Bite Apricot, NYC Sheer Red, Sonia Kashuk Currant, Revlon Toast of New York)

Kevyn Aucoin Bloodroses- a blackened blue-toned red. Instant glam! $35 at Beautylish

Bite Apricot- an orange based red with a slightly brown tone. A "safe" red, and the warm undertone keeps it from going fuchsia like some reds do on some people. $24 at Sephora

NYC Sheer Red- a blue toned, muted deep red. Another "safe" red, good for someone not wanting a screaming red. $1 (not kidding!) at CVS stores.

Sonia Kashuk Currant- totally on trend for the Pantone 2015 Color of the Year- Marsala. Somewhere between red, brown and plum, a very flattering fall shade for just about anyone (unless brown tones tend to wash you out). $10 at Target

Revlon Toast of New York- redder and warmer than Currant, ToNY is also in the Marsala family (along with Revlon Rum Raisin, which didn't make today's list). $8 at drugstore.com

(Revlon Fig Jam, Bite High Pigment Pencil Chablis, Bite Cin Cin, Lipstick Queen Saint Nude, Lipstick Queen You Kid)

Revlon Fig Jam- this is the discontinued one, so if you want it, eBay is probably your best bet, though I may have bought them all. This one is a damn near universally flattering color. It looks crazy dark in the tube, but it applies sheer and shiny, enhancing your own lip color. It's browner and redder than Clinique Black Honey (which comes off cooler toned and more berry on me), but in the same family.

Bite High Pigment Pencil Chablis- this is the brightest, pinkest and most opaque shade to make my top 10. It's a bright watermelon pink with a hint of coral in person. The HPP formula is creamy, semi-matte and quite opaque, so it's great for a pop of color with an otherwise neutral face. Lasting power on these is pretty fantastic as well. $24 at Sephora

Bite Cin Cin- a muted coral. This (and Apricot) is the Luminous Creme formula, which is absolutely lovely on my dry lips. Creamy, but not slippery, and the color is not completely opaque, but not sheer at all. $24 at Sephora

Lipstick Queen Saint Nude- I love LQ's formulas! The original line came in Saints and Sinners. The Sinners are opaque and matte (which my dry lips do not love) and the Saints are sheer (but not shiny) with a lovely natural finish. I had a really hard time choosing among my Saints, but Nude is probably my favorite. It's a warm, terracotta type color, not really "nude", but lovely and natural on my lips. Honestly if you're lipstick-phobic, any of the lipsticks in the Saint line would be a great place too start. $22 at Ulta

Lipstick Queen You Kid- my most expensive (seriously, buy this on sale) lipstick, but also one of my most loved. It's a true "my lips but better" shade and the formula is so plushy and comfortable! It's a pretty shiny finish, which usually means it'll have crap lasting power, but this formula clings to the lips and manages to last until my next meal with no problem! $50 at Ulta

I have to give honorable mention to some lipsticks that didn't make the cut, because truthfully, they may be next week's favorites!

Revlon Lip Butters in Red Velvet, Wild Watermelon, Tutti Frutti, Pink Truffle.

Clinique Different Lipstick in basically all the colors (another fantastic formula!), and the Chubby Sticks.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Protest and Sheer Revolution in Liar.

Lipstick Queen Saints in Rust, Berry and Coral.

Cargo lipsticks in Dubai, Paris and Bordeaux.

Last thing, I wouldn't love my lipsticks nearly as much as I do if I didn't have amazing lipliners to accompany them! My favorites are Nyx Natural, Mauve and Ever, and MAC Chicory!

These are my top lipsticks without regard to season. I'm going to do a top ten summer lipsticks next time.

Until then,

Sara, aka Beelzebubbles

The brushes I use every day (which is why they are dirty).

          Good brushes can make all the difference in makeup application. I remember using the sponge applicators that came with eyeshadow and how frustrated I was that my eyeshadow never looked like the pictures in the ads. Then some years ago, I discovered brushes.
          My first brushes came in an Estee Lauder holiday blockbuster (the ones you get with a fragrance purchase- White Linen Breeze was my jam!) and looking back, they were pretty bad. But compared to what I was used to (sponges or fingers*), they were revolutionary! I used those brushes for absolute YEARS. I wish I still knew where they were so I could take a pic for you.
          I've truly only gotten on top of my brush game in the last few years. I have a LOT of brushes that are decent, but the following are my superstars.

(From left to right: It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Radiance Wand No. 14, Sephora Airbrush Concealer No. 57, It Cosmetics It Brushes for Ulta Velvet Luxe Allover Shadow No. 322, Hakuhodo J5523, a Sephora brand angled eyeliner brush from a set I bought many years ago-label is worn off, MAC 187SE, Bobbi Brown mini Face Blender)

Sorry they're so dirty, but I'm going to write a post on washing them soon!

It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Radiance Wand No. 14- This is my fluffy setting/finishing powder brush. I got it in a QVC Today's Special set, but it's very similar to THIS, which is $26 at Ulta.

Sephora Airbrush Concealer No. 57- I use this for applying/blending undereye corrector and concealer and also for my undereye setting powder. $24 at Sephora. (It comes with a black handle now, but don't be alarmed, is still the same.

It for Ulta Brushes Velvet Luxe Allover Shadow 322- I use this brush for laying down my base eyeshadow color, for highlighting the browbone, and for blending edges. If I'm going for a soft look, I could do all of my shadow with this one brush. $26 at Ulta.

Hakuhodo J5523- My first Japanese brush and it is a dream! It is made of the softest goat hair ever and it is an amazing crease brush. A true workhorse. If you have a small eye area to work with, I'd honestly skip the brush above and use this one as the allover brush (and get a smaller brush for the crease). $28 at Hakuhodo.

Sephora brand angled eyeliner brush- I apologize that this one doesn't have a name or number. I'm sure it did once, but I've used it for 8 or 9 years now and it's long rubbed off. It's a fantastic firm, thin brush, though. I use it for tightlining and for lining the lower lid with gel liner or eyeshadow.
Functionally, it is probably very similar to THIS. $14 at Sephora.

MAC 187SE- This was part of a holiday set. I also own the full sized version and it's the same quality, I just like the shorter handle. Just so you know, though, most MAC brush sets are NOT the same quality as their individual counterparts. Also they make am individual short handle version now, but they didn't when I bought this set. This is a pricey brush and with all the great stippling brushes on the market today from E.L.F., Real Techniques, etc., I don't find this particular brush to be a necessity anymore. Although, if you wear highly pigmented blush (or you're afraid of blush looking clownish, like I used to be), it is well worth your time and money to have a duo fiber brush similar to this one. $42 at MAC.

Bobbi Brown Face Blender- This is another brush that came in a kit and isn't available in this size individually. I use this brush for sheer blushes and bronzers and to blend edges of more pigmented blushes. It isn't the softest, and I really wouldn't recommend spending $50 on it, but it is very useful for my purposes. Available at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.

If you're just starting to acquire brushes and would like some decent ones on the cheap, I recommend checking out E.L.F., Real Techniques, and Sonia Kashuk brushes. As you learn more about what you're looking for in a brush, you can always start branching out. As tempting as sets may seem, I don't recommend them. The quality is rarely as good as individual brushes (you'll notice, I don't have any other brushes from the sets above featured-for a reason).

Eventually I plan to acquire more Japanese brushes, as my budget permits. If you want to explore Japanese brushes, I recommend Hakuhodo, Chikuhodo and Wayne Goss.

*Fingers still play a very important role in my makeup application! I use them for 99% of foundation application, some concealers, and all cream eyeshadow and blush. Don't dismiss your fingers, they're great beauty tools!

I'll post about other brushes I love on another day, because I have many more! These are just the ones I cannot do without. I hope this has been informative, it's certainly longer than I had planned!

Until next time,

Sara, aka Beelzebubbles

PS- All of the products in this post were purchased by me. I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned.

Expiration dates on beauty products and when you should really toss them.

In writing this post because someone on my Facebook asked if makeup expires. The asker received a variety of responses from "You should throw everything away every three months!" (!!!) to "I'm still using five-year-old sunscreen!". These are both extremes and the truth is a gray area in between.

The following are my guidelines and are purely opinion, based on years of loving and collecting makeup, perfume, nail polish and other beauty products. They are not scientific (lipstickology isn't a real science, folks) and shouldn't be substituted for advice from a medical professional.

Skincare

• Sunscreen- please heed expiration dates on something as important as SPF. It helps prevent skin cancer!! 
• Cleanser- toss it if it smells funny, but I've found most cleansers to last a very long time. I've been using the same Philosophy Purity cleanser for over two years and no issues.
• Toner- same as cleanser.
• Cream/lotion in a pump dispenser- the pump dispenser prevents contamination from fingers, I would say that you're safe for at least a year from opening. If the product starts to separate, or smell "off" in any way, it's time to replace it. If the product contains SPF and you use it as your source of sun protection, please follow the SPF guideline.
• Serums (vitamins, hyaluronic acid, etc)-vary by ingredients. Vitamin C can come in many forms (Ascorbic acid and L-Ascorbic acid are the least stable and you should follow the packaging guidelines, or if you're DIYing, toss as soon as you see the product yellowing- that's oxidation, meaning the antioxidant properties are breaking down. Magnesium and sodium ascorbyl phosphate and ascorbyl glucoside are more stable forms of Vit. C and it's best to just follow packaging guidelines). With other serums, go with the smell/texture test. 
• Creams/lotions in jar packaging- use these up or toss within 6 months. Every time you stick (even clean) fingers in jar packaging, you're contaminating the product (and exposing it to oxygen). I don't even recommend using products in a jar, but sometimes it's unavoidable. You can always decant the product into a more sanitary or smaller package (I reuse tiny Clinique and Estee Lauder GWP containers- just clean them well) with a clean spatula and stretch the shelf life a bit. 
• Beauty oils, like argan and maracuja- they all have different shelf lives and you can definitely tell with your nose. New argan oil should have a slightly nutty, neutral aroma. When it's turned, it smells like old cooking oil. Smell them when you buy them. As long as you didn't buy old oils, you're safe until they've changed significantly in scent (sometimes they'll get thicker when they've turned as well).
• Rx treatments like Retin A- follow the expiration dates on the packaging.

Makeup

• Foundation/BB or CC Cream/tinted moisturizer/liquid concealer- these are generally safe to use until they separate, smell bad or oxidize (oxidation will cause them to turn darker or orange). If there's an expiration date on the package, it's usually indicating that the SPF in the product has expired. If you use foundation as your source of sunscreen (please don't if you spend more than 20 minutes outside a day), you'll need to replace when the product expires. Otherwise, if the product smells right and hasn't changed in texture, you're okay.
• Powder products including powder or mineral foundation, setting or finishing powder, eyeshadow, blush and eyebrow powder do not expire (the SPF in them does, though). You can use these indefinitely. If the top of a pressed powder product forms a hard layer, scrape that layer off (and clean your brushes!) and your powder should still be good underneath. 
• Pencils (eyeliner, lipliner, brow)- they last years, typically. Just sharpen and if the product hasn't become dry and crumbly, you're safe to use them until the pencil is used up.
• Cream eyeshadow, blush, rouge, gel eyeliner, concealer in a pot- safe to use until the product dries out. If you feel the need to sanitize, pour some 70%+ rubbing alcohol on them, let it sit for a minute, pour alcohol off and let the rest evaporate. 
• Lipstick- if it becomes hard/dry/waxy in texture or starts to smell different (sometimes like crayons), it's probably time to let it go. Continuing to use it won't hurt you, but it's kind of gross (not judging, though, I know what it feels like to have your favorite discontinued!).
• Wand products like some concealers, eye primers, lip glosses- I'm more careful about products used on and around the eyes than I am with lips. If the product changes consistency (lip gloss goes gritty or starts to smell off) I usually toss. One of my eye primers separates if I don't use it frequently, but after a bit of kneading the tube, the consistency goes back to normal and texture isn't any different from when I opened it, so I'll use it and toss after about a year from opening. On the other hand, I had a Chanel Glossimer that I used for 6 years before it developed a smell (sort of a chemical, plastic odor), so I used it until then.
• Mascara and liquid eyeliner- these are products used close to the eye and I don't believe in risking it. I'm also pretty cheap, so I don't exactly adhere to the three month rule experts suggest, but I usually toss at 6 months. If you are prone to conjunctivitis, styes or have sensitive eyes, stick with the three month rule! 
• Brushes/sponges/applicators- technically not makeup, but still an important product to address. I've noticed that many who aren't makeup junkies (and some who are!) like myself don't wash their tools! Sponges and brushes are breeding grounds for bacteria. The sponge that comes with powders and powder foundations (and especially cream compact foundations!) needs to be replaced regularly! Don't use it for the entire life of the product! You can get replacement sponges from Sephora or any place makeup is sold really. And brushes collect dead skin cells and oils. Wash them at least once a month if you use them for powder products and at least once a week if you use them for cream or liquids. Next time I wash mine I'll post a tutorial.

Fragrance

• Just use your nose. I have some that have turned after a few years and some that are still going strong after 15+ years. Store them away from heat and light and they SHOULD last a good amount of time. 

Nail Polish

• If it isn't completely dried up, it's still good. Even almost completely dried up, sludgy stuff can be revived with THINNER (NOT ACETONE-EVER!!). If you've thinned your nail polish with acetone in the past, it will eventually change color and texture and be ruined. Thinner is cheap at Sally Beauty Supply. If you care about your polish, go buy some now!

I realize this is a long post (I have put a lot of years into creating collections that I love) but I hope it's been helpful for someone. There is a lot of misinformation out there about expiration dates, and a lot of it is because the manufacturer simply wants you to believe that your eyeshadow palette "expires" so you'll buy a new one. Then there are some expiration dates you should totally pay attention to. It's important to know the difference.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! Some of you may know me as Beelzebubbles on Makeupalley.com. I've been reviewing products and posting on the boards there on and off since 2000. I created this blog to post pics, swatches and reviews of products and to share my love of beauty products and fragrances with you. I'll also be posting occasional blog sales. I hope you enjoy!