Category: Pamela

Undercover Hero Products: or three things we can’t live without that you might not know exist

Magicians keep their tricks close to the vest. And while we believe our patron saint, Gwen had it right when she sang “magic’s in the makeup” we are more than happy to spill our secrets!

Each of these products serves a specific purpose, but also acts as a secret multi-tasker and makes life easier all-around. But surprisingly–we were each unfamiliar with the others’ selection!

So here are the products we are dubbing our personal “undercover hero”–and perhaps just what Bonnie Tyler’s been holding out for all these years:

Pamela

Dermalogica Skinperfect Primer SPF 30

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I’ve tried lots and lots of primers through the years and have never really seen the benefit of them… in other words, none of them seemed to do anything for me. Until this one. If I had to guess, this is just totally different because of the dual purpose it offers. We all love killing two (or in this case more than a few) skincare jobs with one product.  Dermalogica’s Skinperfect Primer does just that with an SPF30 for sun protection, silicones paired with soy protein to create a smooth “primed” texture to the skin and peptides to improve the firmness of your skin. It also has a neutral tint which helps even out skin tone. In addition to all those awesome properties I feel it is by far the best primer I have used in regards to increasing the longevity of my makeup.  I use this daily, over my moisturizer – sometimes on it’s own for a “no makeup” day, otherwise I wear my foundation or tinted moisturizer over it. Pro tip: Dermalogica loves to sample their products. If you can find a salon/spa that retails their products, swing by and see if you can get a sample!

Jess

Urban Decay Ultimate Ozone Multipurpose Primer Pencil

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This is seriously one of those products that you look at on the display at Sephora and roll your eyes. What the hell do you need a clear lip pencil for?? Lucky for you, I bought one during a sale where I needed one more thing to get free shipping, and now I’d be pressed to live without it. Here’s why:

As a lip primer, this thing is priceless. It is made with jojoba oil (my favorite!), so it adds some moisture to the lips, which I need-always. The formula, though, is more tacky than slippery, so it really works well to grab onto any pigment (lip color) that you put over it. This little pencil is a godsend underneath drying liquid lip or matte formulas, since it gives you that protective buffer layer and fills in any cracks or bumps in your lips that get magnified with a matte lip. Think of Ozone like double-stick tape for your face- I also like to use it in my waterline to help grab onto eyeliner and prolong the wear, or over a blemish to help concealer grab on.

But that’s not all! If you have issues with feathering, you can line outside your lip line to create a magic “fence” your lipstick won’t cross! If you didn’t do that, and have some feathering, or your lip color went off the rails and you need to clean it up, YOU CAN USE THIS AS AN ERASER. Did I just blow your mind?!?! You can also use it to erase non-lipstick emergencies, like when you sneeze just after putting on your mascara.

Both Sephora and Milani have great dupes for Ozone if you’re interested in giving a clear pencil a try. As we head into fall trends of deep, matte lip colors, I think it’s worth having in your makeup drawer!

Lyn

First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy: Brighten, Depuff and Smooth

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I was born with dark circles under my eyes. And if I get  three minutes less than my requisite eight hours of sleep a night, my bags are packed and ready. Plus I’m always running late in the morning. And by always–I mean–ALWAYS. Thank goodness I found this First Aid Beauty under eye treatment!

I use the light/medium, but it’s also available in medium/deep. As soon as I dry off from my morning shower, I dot a little of this pink cream under my eyes and smooth it across my under eye area with the flat metal applicator. The cool metal helps to settle down any puffiness and the pink cream has a little shimmer that brightens the dark circles and smooths out fine lines.

On low make-up days, I put on a little mascara and lipstick, and I’m done. When I’m going for a more polished look–after I brush my teeth to allow the cream to sink in–I’ll cover the area with my foundation or tinted moisturizer and maybe dot on a concealer. But the great thing is that I really don’t have to use anything else. It’s a fabulous product that accomplishes a bunch of stuff at once–just like the name suggests–and is a huge time saver on days when I need to get moving quickly! I get to moisturize my under eye area, reduce bags, and cover the circles in one sweep. Who doesn’t love a triple threat!

What’s your Undercover Hero? We can’t wait to give it a try! Share in the comments below!

These heroes were purchased with our very own hard earned cash–and are worth it! All photos courtesy of the brand websites.

There seem to be millions of NYX products. These are the ones we love.

NYX! It’s a brand that’s hit or miss for us, but when they hit, it’s a really good hit! I like to think of NYX as the Forever 21 of makeup- they stay on top of the trends, and if you’re willing to spend some time looking, you can score some gems on the cheap. While you can find NYX at a lot of stores, Ulta is a great place to check out their huge selection WITH TESTERS. Also: they often have NYX on BOGO50. !!!

PAMELA

The NYX Micro Brow Pencil is the best dupe I own. A dupe for what you ask? The Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil, which retails at $21.00, and that seems totally reasonable, because if you have used the Brow Wiz, you already know that it’s pretty frickin’ great.  Do you want to know what’s great-er? Saving money. The Micro Brow pencil will set you back only $9.99. NYX has 8 shades to choose from, whereas Anastasia has 9, and they are all really similar so it’s pretty easy to find a match. The formula is a little stiffer than the Anastasia, but not enough to make you mad you saved money.  Plus: spoolie brush. I feel all brow pencils should have a spoolie brush on one end…. life is just easier that way, you know?

Have I ever mentioned that I love highlights? Yes, I do. The NYX Illuminator in the shade Ritualistic is one of my favorites.  It’s not too overwhelming and has a really pretty golden sheen.  I think it’s pretty perfect for everyday. At $8.99 it’s a really great value, and I would say a great “starter” highlight for a first time highlight user. Feel free to use this highlight everywhere (who am I kidding?  Use ALL highlights, everywhere!)

JESS

Did you know that NYX has BRUSHES?!?!? And they are really decent! I needed a fluffy blending brush, but was having a hard time finding one I liked at the drugstore, and didn’t want to spend $20 on a small brush. I use this Pro Blending Brush every day- it’s the exact right size, doesn’t shed, and lays your shadow down without much trouble. Sure, it’s $9.99, but they are often on BOGO50 (like right now!), so why not get two brushes?? I think you can only get these online for now, but I think I will be ordering a few more soon.

Last Halloween, my husband and I went as Jack Burton and Gracie Law. I needed a true red pigment for this makeup look, and planned to just use a “close enough” bright blush. But then Pamela suggested I check out NYX. BOOM. NAILED IT. The Primal Colors Pressed Pigments ($4.99) fit the bill perfectly. I assumed I would need to build this color with a few layers, but no- it went on bright in one sweep, giving my Urban Decay shadows a run for their money.

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I’d like to give the Hot Black a go, and some of the other colors look like they would just be fun to have on hand. (Let’s see… at $4.99 and buy one get one 50% off… that’s about $30 for all 8. Cheaper than most palettes!)

LYN

I’m not sure what YouTuber first told me to set my undereye concealer with NYX High Definition Finishing Powder in Banana, but I’m sure glad they did! The yellow powder seems intimidating, but it is perfect under your eyes–and I promise you–my concealer never creases, no matter which brand I use. It only takes a little bit to do the job–so at $10–it will last you a long time. I use mine daily and I only recently hit pan!

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My lip product addiction is real. So of course my next pick is from NYX lip line. I’ve tried their Matte Lipsticks, Soft Matte Creams, Butter Lipsticks and Glosses and the Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks. But my favorite is the Intense Butter Gloss. The pigment is insane and the texture is so creamy. Very rich–in both color and feel. One of my favorites is Spice Cake, a bright pinky purple.

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Not only is it a great product–but the price is right. At only $6, you can try out trendy seasonal colors or colors that you aren’t sure you’ll wear that often without making a serious financial commitment.

Making NYX exactly like the Forever 21 of makeup! Have favorite NYX products? We’d love to hear about them. Share in the comments below.

We buy NYX with our own money. Luckily, their products are pretty inexpensive!

Our Favorites from the New Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks Launch

June 5th was a big day for lipstick junkies like the three of us at E&N. We are in agreement that Urban Decay has one of the top lipstick formulas and we have all been devoted users/collectors for ages. Basically—between the three of us—we have a lot of UD lipsticks floating around.

So when Urban Decay announced they were launching 100 lipsticks in their new Vice line—we paid attention. But we had questions: What colors would they be? Would our favorites go away? How would the formula change? Would we HAVE to repurchase new formulas of lipsticks we still had in the old model? How do you decide between ONE HUNDRED shades?!! (here are more detail on the launch.)

Turns out—our questions were answered quickly and definitively. They had all the colors—including our old favorites. We didn’t need to repurchase ones we already had because they weren’t THAT different. And with a cheaper price point $17 vs the previous $22—we could afford to try a couple new shades and take them out for a spin. So we decided we would each try two new shades that are a little different than ones we currently own and report back.

Here’s what we found:

Lyn: I was only going to buy two of the new Vice lipsticks and ended up with five—one that I will definitely return (Rapture: kind of a blah shade and I probably already own something similar), one I’m still figuring out (Safe Word: might be too light for me) and three that I love. But—per the assignment—I’ll stick to two favorites—with an honorable mention. (see what I did there?)

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Cruel—listed as “Red with copper shimmer (Pearlized)”

Surprisingly, my two favorites are in their new Metallized collection, which is described as “a cream with a high level of pearl.” I generally steer clear of lipsticks with any shimmer or glitter in them. But I swatched it at Sephora and fell in love! I would call it straight up copper—more red/brown than my usual true reds.

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The shimmer is perfect for summer and will take me seamlessly into fall. I am crazy for this shade.

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Zealot—listed as “Satin red with micro-shimmer (Pearlized)”

This one is gorgeous—and was a gift from Jess for my birthday. (that girl gets me. she should start a blog or something.) Jess gave it to me before I left for a work trip. When I got back—I picked up Cruel and was freaking out about the Metallized collection. The next day—I found the Zealot she gave me and realized I hadn’t tried it on. I did and I’ve been wearing it in rotation with Cruel ever since.

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It is a warm red, so definitely not pink or bright, and the shimmer is divine. I probably wouldn’t have tried it since it’s a red—but I’m so glad I have it—it’s completely different than my other reds.

Honorable mention to Tampered—listed as “Deep mauve (Comfort Matte) (Sephora Exclusive)”

Pamela: I ended up with 5, and now reading that Lyn did too, I don’t feel so bad about it. I’m not still figuring any of them out, am not returning any and am already planning which ones I want to buy next…. because I am ridiculous. Just before the launch, I got a deluxe sample in the mail from Ulta that had 24 of the new (and a few old ones, that I already had) shades, along with a giant “chip chart.”

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Both of which helped plan my attack. I was able to cross out the colors I knew I had, and circle the ones I wanted or was hoping to check out (seriously, it was like getting the Sears catalog before Christmas when I was a kid) and I got to road test a few!

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ZZ – Listed as “soft pink-purple (cream)”

I don’t often wear true baby pink shades, I just don’t think they suit me. And I’ve always wanted a really real lavender/purple shade, but the couple I have tried in the past have been too straight up purple, which is cool if you’re Katy Perry, but doesn’t lend itself to a daily look.. So, I threw on ZZ one night before leaving to teach yoga. A couple of my students told me how good they thought it looked (thanks ladies!) and when I told them it was just a sample I was trying, they told me I better go buy it.  SOLD.

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I think this one leans more purple than pink, which is what I wanted, but I can still wear it daily without it looking too shocking.  I really love it.

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INTERROGATE – Listed as “medium peachy rose (cream)”

I love a bold red lip, but my daily go to shades are nudes.  I can’t get enough nude lipsticks. And the new Vice collection includes 30 “nude” shades. Naturally, I bought a few, but Interrogate is probably the most different from the nudes I already own.  It’s a deeper shade, and reminds me of something I would have worn in the early 90’s (in a good way).

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It’s not too rosy but also not too orange.  It’s perfect on the days that I want my lipcolor to stand out a bit more, but don’t want the all day maintenance of rocking a bold red.

In case you were curious, and I know you are, the other three I bought are MORNING AFTER “pale baby pink with blue undertone (sheer)”, EZ – “bright red-orange (cream)” and INSANITY – “soft warm nude (cream)”

Jess: About a month before the launch of the new Vice lip colors, all of the Revolution Lipsticks (the old formula) went on sale for $11! I took a bit of a gamble that the formula wasn’t going to change that much, and may have loaded up a bit on the oldies. Glad I did, because Catfight (“pink-fuchsia with slight red undertone”) did not make the cut into the new 100! But because of this front-loading, I am only up to THREE Vice lipsticks.

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Catfight, OG formula

I feel like I need to mention how incredibly overwhelming the Vice display is. Pamela is SUPER LUCKY to have gotten that cheat sheet- 100 is A LOT of lipsticks! And they are all beautiful!! On my first go, I found myself totally blocking the display, in a trance, trying to stop myself from being drawn to the colors I already own. I realized I was lip-blocking another Sephora customer, so I apologized, moved over, and as she settled in and focused, her eyes glazed over too, as she said “well, I guess I can rule out that green one… only 99 to go!” On that day, I only came away with Lyn’s birthday lipstick, but went back later and ended up with…

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PDA- listed as “bright medium pink (cream finish)”

 

Perhaps you’ve noticed a trend here at E&N… we like to gift each other things that end up becoming obsessions. A few years ago, Lyn gave me an Urban Decay lipstick sampler pack- a whole bunch of baby lipsticks! They are the cutest ever! I fell in love with the shade Ladyflower, which was ONLY available in that kit. Grrr! In the new launch, Ladyflower is back, but it’s not the same color, and now it’s only in the sheer formula, and the sheers are not my favorite. PDA, however, is almost identical to the old shade, and the cream formula is aces.

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This is a great daily pink for days you’re not quite into having a bold lip, but still want to have a bit of a pop.

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NAKED- listed as “nude-pink (cream)”

This one is my “not a color I normally go for” color, but I’m glad I have it. As I mentioned earlier, Urban Decay’s cream formula can’t be beat- it’s so moisturizing, the color lays down great, and they fade without getting chunky. Naked is a perfect choice on “no makeup” days, and also works beautifully with a dramatic, smoky eye.

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It’s just an easy shade that looks like almost nothing, but maybe something, and feels good to have on your mouth.

Since Lyn has been so excited about the Metallized finish, I just picked up BIG BANG (bright pink sparkle (metalized)), and I can’t wait to test drive it! Is Tuesday a good day for a sparkle lip? Why the hell not.

What Vice shades have you excited? Any new favorites? Misses? We NEED to know! Post your findings in the comments below.

(All photos compliments of Urban Decay unless otherwise noted. We purchased these lipsticks with our own money–except for the ones we gave each other as gifts. )

Our Can’t Live Without Summer Essentials

Summer is so great, and yet so fleeting. The three of us are in complete agreement that summer is not the time to be futzing with products but should instead be spent with sun on our faces–protected by sunscreen–obvs, toes in the water and summer tunes in our ears (our full summer playlist at the bottom). So we’ve broken down our top three summer essentials–at least two of us did *cough JESS cough*–and can’t wait to hear yours!

Pamela:

SPF for face and body – I’ve been called the sunscreen police once or twice before. Sun protection is really important, people! No matter the season I ALWAYS have sun protection on my face, but in summer, with so much skin exposed I lather up full body, daily as well…. you never know when you might find yourself outside when the days are long and the sun is out. For face I opt for a moisturizer with an SPF, and whatever I put on over that as far as SPF in my makeup is a bonus. This year I am really liking Dermalogica’s Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 for face, and Juice Beauty SPF 30 Sport Sunscreen for body.

Official summer jams – To me a summer jam is either a song I fall in love with over summer or just a song that embodies the feeling of summer…. driving with the windows down, sun shining, singing along.   Could be new, could be old…. but it has to be played non stop, all summer long.  In any case, these are my 2016 summer jams thus far:

Usher – Crash

Beck – Wow

Leisure – All Over You

Sam Hunt – Make You Miss Me

Bronzer – With wearing sunscreen (properly) I rarely get much of any color, especially on my face. But like most of us, I feel a little golden color in the summer months is just really pretty.  Enter bronzer. I have always shied away from bronzer due to the fact that it just seemed to make me look dirty…. not a good look. It turns out though, I just needed to find the right one.  This year on a whim while at Target, I decided to buy Wet n Wild’s Color Icon Bronzer with SPF 15 in the shade Ticket to Brazil.  You guys.  I LOVE this bronzer!  I was intrigued initially with the SPF in it (bonus SPF – never a bad thing) and the price is definitely right at $3.99.  It’s a big pan, so you get a ton of product for the money. Also it’s not matte, it has a very slight sheen which I feel like for me personally makes it more wearable (and not dirty looking).  I have been using it in place of my blush as well as a little on my forehead along my hairline, my neck, on my collarbones, and shoulders if I’m wearing a sleeveless shirt. Throw on some highlighter and a bold lip and I’m good to go. I think it’s pretty great.

Lyn:

St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub – There was a time I used this classic scrub on my face—horror! Even reformulated, it’s a bit too harsh as a facial scrub. But it’s perfect for the back of your arms, chest, and back—all the places that get uncovered in the summer—and could be prone to bumps or breakouts.  And I wax and I’ve found it works great at preventing ingrown hairs. Plus it’s cheap—less than $5—and I get it at Target.

Easy Go-to Eye Makeup Routine – I start this look with the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Minor Sin. This primer works great as a stand-alone shadow. It provides shimmer but not in an overwhelming way. Mostly—it looks like you are awake and put some sort of effort into getting ready for the day—even though all you had to do was dab a little on your finger and pat it into place. It doesn’t crease and legit lasts all day–it even stands up against summer sweatiness. (If you already own the Urban Decay Naked palette–and you’re not in the market for a new product–you can also just use the “Sin” powder shadow to get the summer shimmer effect.)  I like to complete the look by lining my lower lashes with Urban Decay Sidecar, which is also in the Naked palette and using my favorite summer mascara, the CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara. I love all the options in this line–but my favorite is the green tube–it lengthens your lashes, but still looks fresh and natural, and stays put. One might even say it’s easy, breezy, beautiful…

Favorite Summer Songs, Latin edition – Nothing says summertime to me like these five tracks:

Suavemente, Elvis Crespo

Salome, Chayanne

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom, Selena

Magdalena, Mi Amore (quimbara), DLG

La Tortura, Shakira with Alejandro Sanz

Jess:

Summer Hair is the Best Hair – I know it’s not a popular opinion, but I love love love my hair in summer, especially since getting it chopped off to chin length last month. My secret to this love? Verb Sea Spray. I use it on wet hair after washing, but also to refresh and scrunch dry or damp hair later in the week. It gives your hair enough “dirt” to hold a style without feeling weighed down and gross, plus it smells fresh, not perfumey or like coconuts. A second must-have in my summer hair arsenal, after I noticed my hairstylist friend using it on herself and her daughter periodically while poolside in Mexico, is Bumble and Bumble Tonic Lotion. This is a great detangler, product re-activator, and just makes your scalp feel good. It even soothed a little sunburn I got on my forehead once! I always keep a travel size of this guy in my beach tote. Despite these miracle sprays, I also love that, in summer, it’s much easier to get away with tying a cute scarf or bandana around your dirty pool hair, or wear a trucker hat to the gym. Summer! A time to embrace your inner slacker!!

Vans! – Someday, I will gather all of my Vans in one place and realize that I have a problem. That day, however, is not today. I love the timeless look of a classic Vans Slip-On, and yes, my all time favorite is the “Spicoli” black and white checkerboard. Some people might think “oh, but what would you wear with such a zany print?”, and the answer is EVERYTHING. Jeans, shorts, casual dresses, leggings… turns out, checkerboard is a neutral. Who knew?? These are the shoes I would pack if I was following Lyn’s packing rules. They offer the summertime ease of a flip flop (no socks, needed, slide them on and you’re out the door) without the danger of flip flops (I drive stick, plus chasing an ice cream truck down in flippies is hard). Bonus: easy on and off in airport security, and I can deadlift in them. Vans are super affordable, so having several flavors to choose from, based on your mood, is fun and easy. Vans! (Real talk: while writing this, I may have perused the Vans site and considered buying more…)

Summer Blockbuster Movies – I’m not sure why- maybe because I share a birthday with JAWS, maybe because I spent my childhood summers living up north where movies were our main source of family fun- but I have always loved summer blockbusters. Please give me aliens, explosions, dinosaurs, superheroes, natural disasters, unnatural disasters, sharks, snappy one-liners, improbable scenarios, science experiments gone awry, giant insects, and Jeff Goldblum to save the day. This summer, I am super excited for Ghostbusters, The Shallows, Star Trek Beyond, Suicide Squad, and obviously, Independence Day: Resurgence, even though the reviews are total shit. (I am saving The Conjuring 2 for Haunted October- no spoilers!)

And overachieving with an extra essential…

Jess’s party boat jams –

Head Over Heels- the Go Go’s

Five More Hours- Deorro ft Chris Brown

All Night Long- Lionel Richie

Don’t Let Me Down- Chainsmokers

 

https://open.spotify.com/user/122453366/playlist/4hOWlYQ9nz2Sggygw8OCUf

 

We Don’t Know How To Feel About Eyeliner

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Lyn: I’m kinda the worst when it comes to eyeliner. In my defense–there are three key reasons why liner and I aren’t friends.

  1. I’m super klutzy with it. It’s never even and can look super janky. It also doesn’t help that I’m always running late and perfect eyeliner takes a patience I don’t have.
  2. I feel like it takes hours before my upper lids aren’t completely puffy in the morning. (There really ought to be a serum/primer to help with this–UD get on it!) Within minutes–it looks like the liner is an inch from my lash line–no matter how tight I try to apply it..
  3. I read that putting eyeliner on small eyes makes them look smaller. This probably isn’t true–but given the above issues—it gives me a reason to skip this step.

But my January Birchbox gave me new eyeliner hope. (Yes–I still get Birchbox–and Ipsy. I’m always one month from cancelling but then…) I received the Eyeko Fat Liquid Eyeliner–and I love it. I’ve been getting Birchbox for so long–this is the second Eyeko liner I’ve received. I actually really liked the other one too. And it lasted a really long time before drying out.  

This liner creates a really heavy line. It’s easy to hold and works like a marker. But because the line is so thick–which I love (ask Jess and Pam about my Flair addiction)–I can really give it one swipe and it’s pretty good to go. So when I wear a bold, black liner–this Eyeko liner has been the one I reach for–and will definitely be repurchasing.

 

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Jess: I wear eyeliner quite a bit. Not every day, but when I do, it’s because I’m either trying to really bump up my look, OR I’m having a super lazy/rushed morning and trying to fake that I am put together and/or awake.

On a regular day, or as a base on a fancy day, I reach for my favorite Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil. Over the years, I’ve collected quite the range of colors- these pencils are so creamy and easy to use, and the color range is amazing- but my go-to shade is Hustle, a slightly metallic medium-brown. It is pretty fool-proof to apply in a hurry, and adds something special while staying neutral and daytime appropriate. My second favorite is Perversion, the blackest blackety black pencil in the universe. This one is definitely reserved for Super Fancy Makeup days, because the drama is real! It’s perfect for lining the inner rim/waterline.*

I’m also a big fan of liquid-lined eyes for days when I can’t deal. I realize this sounds like an oxymoron, but hear me out: If I throw on a winged liner, a quick coat of mascara, and some long-wear bold lipstick, I don’t need much else, and I am good for the entire day. I look like I’m actually awake, and I don’t have to worry about touch-ups, transfers, or Snapchatting while looking like a monster. This look takes about 3 minutes to achieve, and makes an early Monday morning outfit of black leggings and a t-shirt look suddenly chic.

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lazy vs fancy

My all time favorite, holy grail, ride-or-die liquid liner is Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner in Trooper. It is unique in that the tip is an actual brush, providing a line that is easy to apply and make as thick or thin as you like. This liner also lasts, like, forever. I’m sure you’re not supposed to keep using a liquid eyeliner for a year, but… it’s just so consistently good. It wears all day, the color is super pigmented and once it’s dry, it is LOCKED IN. This will be a liner that I will mourn if it is ever discontinued.

A drugstore runner-up that I’ve been enjoying is the Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner– it has a felt tip, but it is flexible enough to make application pretty foolproof. I’ve only had it a few weeks, though, and the tip is starting to dry out. But, for less than $10, it’s a good back up in a pinch.

*I’m pretty sure Lyn’s inside-voice telling her that eyeliner makes your eyes look smaller is a throwback myth from the 80’s, when girls (the “burnouts”, we’d call them) would wear black liner ONLY on the inner rims of their eyes. I hated this look so much that I refused to line my waterline until only, like, within the last decade. Lining the rim can instsantly make your look more dramatic- just be sure to also outline the OUTSIDE of your eye to make it look more open and bigger. You can also fake looking awake by lining the inner rim with a nude or white pencil.

Pamela: I NEVER wear eyeliner.  I have nothing to contribute to this post.  The end.  Okay, not really.  I do sometimes wear it.  Like, twice a year.  I think the reason I rarely wear eyeliner is a combination of, I am really, really bad at applying it, and I have never found one eyeliner I have loved and that has given me the look that I want/wish for.  Having said that I LOVE the look of liner and am totally jealous of girls that can pull off a fierce winged line.  It’s my dream.

I purchased the Kat Von D Tattoo liner that Jess loves so madly because she loves it, (and it looks great on her), but I can’t get it to work for me…. not to the point where I think it looks good at least. If I do try to do a winged liner I def have to use post-it’s or scotch tape  to get clean lines. And even at that it usually still looks like a mess and takes a good half hour. Plus, the KVD tattoo liner looks shiny to me, and I don’t dig that in an eyeliner (ask me about my highlight addiction though. That’s a WHOLE different story.)
The one go to liner I do have that I can manage a simple line with is the Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes liner in 1L-star black, which is a muted black with a tiny bit of shimmer. I feel that it’s buildable and easier to correct mistakes. If I am wearing this one though, I usually wind up smudging it out for a smokey look (because I just can’t be bothered to fix all the mistaking that’s happening.) All in all I’m often not sure if I have the right eye shape for an awesome cat eye, or for liner in general, so that’s the biggest reason I skip it. But I plan to keep trying…. maybe even three times this year.

Ready? Try these tricks!

  • Start easy! Use a brown or grey liner or eyeshadow to add some soft definition and depth. Smudge it out with a stiff brush to smooth out any wobbles.
  • Not ready for black? Navy, plum, and even maroon shades can really make your eye color pop, without the severity of a black liner.
  • Ready for a wing? Use a soft brown shadow and an angle brush to sketch in where you want it. Extend the line of your lower eyelid, staying outside the crease of your eye, then fill in the triangle to the desired thickness
  • Really ready?? Take a deep breath, ask Jesus to take the wheel, and GO FOR IT!! Don’t think about it too hard. Don’t over-analyze. Remember that no one else but you will be 3 inches from your face. Cover with bangs or glitter if it all goes to hell.

Remember, makeup is fun!! You can always start over. Unless you’re running late.

What are your favorite eyeliner looks and tips?? Tell us in the comments!

All opinions are our own. All products were purchased individually with our own cash money. None of these links are affiliate, because we are not that baller. No one is giving us any free stuff, but even if they did, we would still be up front with you on what we like. However, if Kat Von D, Jane Marie Feltes, or Wende Zomnir want to hang out with us, we would gladly make snacks.

 

Hey What’s Up Hello!

You know those friends who, even if you don’t get to see each other’s faces in person as often as you’d like, are always in your life to watch your back? The ones that you can Snapchat from bed in the morning when you still have crazy hair and puffy eyes, but really need to ask about their thoughts on Lemonade? Or that you can shoot a random text to about whether or not you should buy this new lipstick, and they tell you to go for it even if they know full well you have 10 tubes of a similar shade, but this might be the one? The friends that you have to plan whole weekends out of town to spend together, because once you get talking, you talk about EVERYTHING? And also, NOTHING? And it is the absolute best, because sometimes you just need to talk about shit without having anywhere else to be?
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We are Lyn, Pamela, and Jess. We are obsessed with makeup, music, fashion, pop culture, food, and lipstick. We prefer Vans to stilettos. Sometimes, we have adventures. We love a good workout, but won’t say no to a rum cocktail afterwards. We like to try new things. We are not in our 20’s. We are pretty good at some stuff, but we are also still figuring a lot of stuff out… together.

Hello. Will you be our best friends?

XO

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