Love It Or Ditch It- Putting Foundation On With Your Fingers

I know that normally my Love It Or Ditch It's are product reviews but, this is going to be something a little bit different. It is still going to be a review of sorts, however it won't be on a product.

For the past few years I have been seeing tons of people boast about putting foundation on with your fingers/hands instead of a brush. They say that it blends better & that your fingers help warm the product into your skin .

Well, first of all I don't like things on my hands to begin with & think that it would be all too easy to spread bacteria by using your hands (unless you thoroughly scrub under your fingernails & don't touch anything that isn't sanitized afterwords, which I doubt most people do). So basically, I just think that the idea of it is gross in general. Second, your hands aren't generally any warmer then your face. So I'm not entirely sure how it warms the makeup anymore or melts it into your skin.

I have always used some sort of tool to apply my foundation. Even when I very first started out, I used sponge wedges. However, I have used my finger to pat on a little under eye concealer from time to time. I don't personally see a difference in blending or anything & it actually seems to give me a lighter coverage when I do this.

So, with all the hype going around, I figured I should give it a shot & see how it goes.

It was a train wreck! The foundation just smeared all over. There was a ton of streaking & I couldn't get an even coverage no matter how hard I tried. Blending down my neck was impossible & I had an obvious distinction around my ears & hairline. I also had tremendous difficulty getting it into any type of crease (like around my nose). When I put my powder on afterwards, it caked up in some areas & made my skin look really dry in other areas.

I had to wipe it all off & start all over.

After that, I will never be using my hands to apply my foundation again. I will continue to use my fingers to apply creams to small areas (like doting on concealer under foundation or eyelid primer) but never again in a larger area.

My favorite foundation brushes are the Real Techniques Stippling Brush & the Sephora Collection I.T. Natural Foundation Brush. The Real Techniques allows me to build a fuller coverage where as the Sephora Collection I.T. gives a slightly more airbrushed effect. There isn't really one that I like better then the other & generally just switch between the two. These always give me great coverage & a nice blended finish.

If you use your fingers to apply your foundation & have any information or tips, please comment below & let me know.

Poison Ivy Nails & Makeup Look

Poison Ivy has always been my absolute favorite Batman girl. First of all, the whole mother nature theme about her is awesome. That aside though, she has a very classic look but a bit of sexy wildness seamlessly mixed in. She can wear next to nothing & never look slutty & is the only girl I know that can pull off green lipstick! Poison Ivy is by far the most alluring & intriguing of the Batman girls.

The nails I decided to do were inspired by Uma Thurman's gloves in Batman & Robin. I loved the red tips on the green base. I wanted to keep it looking from too much like Christmas, so I went for more of a springy green. I also added some beautiful vines with flowers to tie in more of Poison Ivy.

Products Used:

LA Colors Color Craze Green (this doesn't have a name on it)- I used 2 coats of this as a base because my spring green polish was a bit too sheer

Sinful Colors in Happy Ending- You want a light gold based green. Anything too blue base or dark will make it look like Christmas with the red.

Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in Red- I really do not suggest using this! I had to constantly redo them because it would wear off the tip & streak from the top coat. You can get stick on guides for french tips & just use a red polish of your choice. I chose to make my tips a little thinner on the sides & wider in the middle.

Kiss Nail Artist Flat Stickers set 55772 NS26- I think that these are a perfect match for Poison Ivy. The black vines with flowers are flowy, girly, earthy & just a bit dangerous looking. When using nail art stickers it is best to paint your nails the night before & let them dry overnight before putting on your stickers & top coat. If there is even the slightest bit of moisture left on one of your bottom coats the sides of the sticker will pull up & cause all kinds of problems.

For Poison Ivy's makeup I just kind of went with the flow of what came to me at the time. I didn't really have a set plan or a distinct inspiration. I did try to keep her classic elegant sexiness in mind though. So I guess you can say it was kind of based off of her as a whole.

Products Used:
Urban Decay Primer Potion in Greed
Too Faced Blending Brush
ELF 100 Palette # 69
Wet N Wild Kohl Eyeliner in White
Sephora Shader Brush
Wet N Wild Bright Idea Trio Crease Shade (ELF #14 & #73 mixed)
ELF 100 Palette #2
Wet N Wild Dancing in the Clouds Trio Eyelid Shade (ELF #42 & #47 mixed)
Wet N Wild Dancing in the Clouds Trio Browbone Shade (ELF #62)
Ms Makeup Eye Shading Brush
Urban Decay eyeshadow in Mildew from The Dangerous Palette (ELF #93)
Ulta Smudge Brush
ELF 100 Palette #83
ELF 100 Palette #27
Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil in Stash
Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil in Graffiti
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Dark Brown
Gotta B' Urban Powder Brush
NYC Cheek Glow in Cherry Blossom
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Miami Strip/Healthy Glow Bronzer
Revlon Pro Lip Pencil in Berry
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Matte in 006 Really Red
Studio Tools Concealer Brush


Let me know if you would like to see more neutral looks like this. Also, was the numbered ELF 100 palette easier to follow then my normal directions on which colors I used?

Clear VS Dark Eyelash Glue... What's the difference?

(Just as a note, I am specifically talking about Duo lash glue in this post. I have not used some of the new brush on lash glues that are coming out, so this post does not reflect those)

When 99% of people use clear eyelash glue, you may wonder to yourself why they even make a dark one or what the purpose for it is. I mean if it dries clear why would you want to put something dark on instead? It could smear & leave ugly dark smears everywhere, right?
I used to think the exact same way. I only used the clear Duo & didn't get the purpose of a dark lash glue at all.
Then one day I came across > this < blog post by Makeup By RenRen. One sentence changed my life " If you use clear glue, make sure to go over any shiny spots with black liquid liner. " This was something compleatly foreign to me. I hadn't really thought about the fact that clear lash glue was shiny before. The next day I searched my local beauty store for dark lash glue & it was not as easy to find as I thought. Even though many stores carried Duo, few carried the dark one. Eventually I found it at K-mart (of all places & for a far better price too). I went home & tested a small patch on the back of my hand. It dried to to the most beautiful light grey satin finish. It changed my life forever.

So long story short, dark lash glue doesn't leave you with the high shine that comes from traditional clear lash glue. It's great for when you want to add a little bit of extra volume or length with false lashes but don't want to add liner on the top lid to cover up glue patches. It also works great for blending in those pesky shiny clear lash bands that are sometimes hard to cover. It is so much easier to blend over with a little bit of eyeshadow as well. I also find that it makes it much easier to place false lashes right on top of your own lashes & blend them together nicely.
Now, I do use a slightly different technique to putting on my lashes (both on myself & clients), which may make it easier for me to use dark glue to begin with. I will put a link to the video below that shows how I do it (I use disposable eyeliner brushes so I can just toss them instead of trying to get out the lash glue)
All in all, I almost exclusively use dark tones lash glue now & find it to be a much better option in so many different ways.

I hope that this helped some of you & that you give the dark lash glue a second look now.
If you have any suggestions on a What's the Difference or just have a question about a product in general, please let me know.

Catwoman Nails & Makeup Look

I think that Catwoman has had more costume changes & overhauls then anyone else on the comic book world. I have always been particular to her grey & purple suits with black boots & gloves though (left top & left bottom). The only real action Catwoman I ever truly liked was Julie Newmar. Everyone else just seems to be too risque & fall short everywhere else, either over or under playing it.

Catwoman was never a true villain in my eyes. I mean sure, she stole a few gems here, & there & always gave Batman a run for his money but, she never really tried to hurt anyone or take over Gotham or anything like that. Besides, what girls doesn't want to be chased by a hot guy with a great body & drench themselves in something sparkly? Doesn't seems so bad to me.

For Catwoman's nails, I really wanted to do something that brought out the sparkle. Something that looked like I just stuck my hands into a jewelry case. I came up with a gradation of sparkly glitters & random gems. It came out exactly how I wanted & I really love them. They are so glamorous & eye catching; I think Catwoman would be proud to sport these babies!

Products Used:

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nail polish in Blazing Blue

Petites nail polish in Night

CoverGirl Boundless Color nail sparkle topcoat in City Lights

Nicole by OPI nail polish in One Less Lonely Glitter

Pure Ice nail polish in Cheatin (this is sold at Walmart, 

Sinful Colors in Frenzy is very similar but has more blue in it)

Sally Hansen No Chip Acrylic topcoat

So Easy Rhinestone Box A (I got this a Sally's. you can use any rhinestones that you want, I just liked all the different shapes. make sure to use gems meant for your nails or they won't shine very well. if you don't have a little stick like I do, you can use tweezers or I hear a q-tip works well too)

My main inspiration for Catwoman's makeup was the cover of Julie Newmar's new book. I love the deep wing & the purple & grey tones. I just wanted to make it a tad bit more extreme. 

Products Used:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Real Techniques Base Shadow brush

Jane Eye Zing in Hi Ho Silver

Stila Smudge Stick in Purple Tang

Sephora Smudge brush

Forever 21 Angled brush

Loreal matte eyeshadow single in Raven

Maybelline Eyestudio in Amethyst Ablazed (this little palette is quite overpriced @ $11 but the colors & texture are stunning. you can use any royal purple color & just add the sparkle. Hot Topic makes one of my favorite royal purple colors & it's only $3 [you may have to apply it wet to get the most color though])

Loreal HIP Crystal Shadow duo in Charming

Physicians Formula 2in1 Eyeliner in Ultra Black

Maybelline The Falsies mascara in Black Drama

La Femme blush in Mulberry

Gotta B' Urban Powder brush

Ulta Mineral eyeliner in Plum

Ruby Kisses lipstick in Lavender (I picked this up at my local beauty warehouse so, I don't know where else to get it. Revlon has a similar color called Iced Amethyst, if you are a little more daring you can use their Va Va Violet! Maybelline also makes some beautiful purple shades)

Generic lip brush

I hope that you all liked the Catwoman nails & makeup.

 Thank all of  you for your support on my videos & blog. I really do appreciate every comment & view that you girls give me.

Harley Quinn Nails & Makeup Look

When I fist though of doing a comic book series the first girl to come to mind was Miss Harley Quinn. She is a terrible force to be reckoned with but, always has fun & enjoys every second of it. She is playful & full of spunk too. And her love for The Joker is absolutely timeless.

Enough chit-chat over how amazing this girl is.

When I was planning out my tutorial, I thought that I needed to do something with my nails to keep up with the look (because you girl see so much of my hands & Quinn would never be seen with bright pink digits). I almost immediately thought of her diamond shaped pattern on her body suit & thought that it would be fairly simple to recreate on my nails.

I figured I would film a tutorial (seeing as how I was going to do my nails anyway) & see how it turned out.

Now this is not the best tutorial out there but, I hope that it gives you an idea of what I was trying to accomplish & you understand that I kind of suck at nail art.

Products Used:

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear polish in Black Out

Standard Scotch Tape

China Glaze polish in Ruby Slippers (looking back, I might have put a 

standard red underneath this so that the pattern was more visible)

Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in Red (I didn't care for this too much & 

would rather have gone with some sort of script brush)

Kiss Nail Art Paint in Black

Wet N Wild Fast Dry Clear Coat (any top coat works just fine)

For Harley's makeup I really wanted to keep the essence of her, without making it look like a costume. I decided I wanted to keep the design of her mask but, make it slightly more wearable. I also had to keep the style of her beautiful smile, lining my lips in a way to emulate her perma-grin. I hope you girls enjoy!

Products Used:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Real Techniques Pixel-Point Eyeliner brush
Wet N Wild Palette in Blue Had Me At Hello (bottom left)- any medium grade matte black will work
ELF Eyeshadow C brush- this is the best brush I have found for doing this type of look, it needs to be flat & dense & not too big or small
High Definition Concealer brush
Maybelline Dream Mouse Concealer- I like thins concealer for touching up because it is very dry & won't smear or completely erase what you've done
Real Techniques Deluxe Crease brush
Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner in Noir
Urban Decay eyeshadow in Black Dog from The Black Palette- any highly pigmented black will work
Rimmel Kohl eyeliner in Jet Black
Maybelline One by One Mascara
High Definition Angled brush
NYC Cheek Glow in Cherry Blossom
Sephora Retractable lipliner in Raspberry
Loreal Infallible Lipcolor in Cerise
Cookie & Puss Liquid Sparkle- I bought this a very long time ago from a local shop & I have never bought another red glitter because I have this one but, feel free to comment below with a good red glitter to use instead of this one.

I hope that you enjoyed this look. I tried to keep it true to Harley but still wearable (or at least what I consider wearable!)

Love It Or Ditch It- Collective Review/Haul (July2011)

ELF had a great sale that gave me the chance to try a bunch of things that I've wanted for a long time now & can't get locally. Unfortunately every product I got really let me down & most I really hated.  I did get to try out some other new products that really surprised me with how great they were though.

Please don't forget to vote for your favorite look on my upcoming series of Comic Book Babe makeup looks. I am really excited to start doing these soon.

 Facebook Poll

Products:

(all ELF was 60% off)

ELF Lip Stain in First Date- www.eyeslipsface.com $3

ELF Minty Lipgloss in New York City- www.eyeslipsface.com $3

ELF Matte Lip Color in Coral- www.eyeslipsface.com $3

ELF Mineral Face Primer- www.eyeslipsface.com $6

ELF Eye Primer & Liner Sealer- www.eyeslipsface.com $3 (I did try this again using the tiniest amount & blending it out with a concealer brush. The creasing wasn't nearly as bad but, was still there. It also made my shadow really hard to blend)

ELF Conditioning Lip Balm in Peaceful Pink- www.eyeslipsface.com $3

ELF Pressed Powder in Porcelain- www.eyeslipsface.com $3

Kleancolor Plum & Shine Gloss in Sweet Heart & Sandstone- Asian Boutique $1 (on sale, $4 reg)

Ulta Single Eyeshadows in Twilight, Luna, Mosaic, Turquoise, Sapphire- Ulta $2 (on sale, $7 reg)

Loreal HIP Pigment in Fiery- Walgreens $4 (on clearance)

NYC In A New York Minute Nail Polish in Lincoln Square Lavender, Wall Street, Sidewalk, Midtown- Walmart $ 2

High Definition Ultimate Face Set brushes- Walmart $12

Jessie's Girl Baked Powder Eyeshadow Collection- Rite Aid $7

Wet & Wild Color Icon Palettes in Petal Pusher & Blue Had Me At Hello- Walgreens $ 5

Hard Candy Powder Keg in Kryptonite- Walmart $2 (on clearance)

One other thing that I gave a try this month was Splat hair dye. I was in a pinch & every Ulta Was sold out of my color in Punky. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the dye took to my grown out roots (something Punky doesn't do) & that it was pretty vibrant. It did bleed like crazy though. Also, when I bleached out my hair to redye it, the dye only lifted to a baby pink & defiantly toned my Purple Punky to more of a pink based fuschia. I think that it is a bit over priced at $11 & would highly suggest not using the bleach that comes with it (did that once a long time ago & it destroyed my hair) but, it worked great in a pinch when I had to refresh my hair.