Natural Dewy Makeup Look

This post is all about juicy-looking skin. Radiant. Dewy. Healthy.

As always, I begin every look with my eyes. I used Mac Paint Pot in the shade "Painterly" to even out my eyelid's skin tone. Paint Pots are not primers, contrary to what you have heard. They crease easily, so you should use the slightest amount. I applied it with my ring finger. 

I then applied Inglot #77 Gel Liner to my top lashline creating a flick; this creates the illusion of bigger eyes. I followed with three coats of mascara on my top lashes using Lancome Hypnose Drama and one coat on my bottom lashes.

I took my time with my eyebrows; more than usual. Brows is one of those things that may seem easy to "do" but I find it extremely difficult. I brushed my hairs up and filled any gaps with Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in the shade "Granite".

As you can see below, Lancome Hypnose Drama adds a good amount of thickness.

Prepping the complexion is always important. You should never, ever apply foundation to a un-moisturized face. My go-to day serum is Tatcha Deep Hydration Firming Serum which not only quenches the skin, but also adds a believable healthy glow thanks to the 24-karat gold it contains.

Since I wanted minimal foundation on my skin, I blended a bit of concealer under my eyes -- my favorite, Bourjois Happy Light followed by half a pump of Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream. I applied it and blended it with my fingertips. I've talked about this BB Cream before. It is an ACTUAL BB Cream - not a simple tinted moisturizer. My skin always looks a lot better after I've used this. It also provides a good amount of hydration, and if I don't powder it, it will leave a luminous finish. 

The beautiful blush on the picture above is from Anna Sui, a Japanese brand and the shade is 300. 

A highlighter is a must for a dewy appearance to the skin. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in the shade "Opal" on the top of the cheekbones adds the perfect glow while a bit of Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium creates the perfect contour.

As for the tools I used:

1. Spooly to brush my eyebrows up

2. Anastasia Beverly Hills #15 brush to fill in brows

3. Mac 210 to apply gel liner

4. Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Blush to apply concealer

5. Real Techniques Contour Brush to apply highlighter

6. Mac 168 Brush to apply blush

7. Artdeco Foundation Brush to apply contour

For lipstick I went with Mac Ablaze which was limited edition. If anyone knows of a good dupe for this lipstick, please let me know! I rarely use it because I love it so much.

This is the only picture I edited on this post (PicsArt for anyone interested) because my bathroom objects were too obvious on the background #selfiefail.

May Favorites

Face of the Day (03.05.13)

Hola muñecas! (That means "hi dolls" in Spanish).

So my instagram seems to have a bug because whenever I try to upload a picture, it comes out as a gray 

box. I've read online several users experiencing the same thing-- so I'm guessing it is a bug. 

Anyway, just a quick post today to show you my "face of the Early Morning". I got up at six am and quickly got ready for some errands I had to do this morning.

I kept my look soft, subtle and simple. It was raining really hard when I woke up (which is the worst weather to get up in-- I find the rain so relaxing). The skies were gray, there was a lot of thunder and the day was...blah. So I went with a quickie.

On my eyes I used Chanel Illusion D'ombre in the shade Emerville because it is so fast to put on... you just literally dab some with your fingers. After curling my lashes, I applied two coats of Benefit They're Real Mascara. I used Rimmel London Scandal Eyes in the shade Nude to get rid of any redness on my waterline. I groomed my brows with Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in the shade Brunette. 

Anytime I'm looking for great coverage and a luminous finish in little time, I pick my trusty Dior Hydralife BB Cream. The formula melts into my skin and matches me perfectly. Another plus is the high (30) SPF. I buffed that in with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush (my favorite brush to apply foundation with) and then I applied some under-eye concealer-- Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in the shade 3. I set everything in place with some loose powder-- L'oreal Translucide Luminous Loose Powder in the shade Translucent. For dewy cheeks, I went with Stila Convertible Color in the shade Lillium, followed by Benefit Girl Meets Peal lightly patted on the top of my cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow. 

To finish of the look, I went for a shimmery rosy lip color-- Bourjois Lipstick in Rose Pare. 

Happy Birthday, Mami!

Hi my beauties!

Today (April 27) was my mom's 60th birthday... 

She's the reason why I'm obsessed with skin care, and she's one of the sweetest people on Earth. I've got a few pictures for you aside from, of course, my makeup.

My sister wasn't home on her birthday, which was on April 7th, so we celebrated both birthdays. It was very intimate-- only our closest relatives came over, but we had a beautiful day.

THE MAKEUP

You wouldn't believe it after seeing a bunch of products organized together, but I only had about 15 minutes to do my makeup today-- which is nothing to me, since I usually take a long 40ish minutes. 

I used the Make Up For Ever Aqua cream in the shade 15 as a base, which I applied with my ring finger. I have mentioned before how it's important to work with one eye at a time when using Aqua Creams, because they're completely waterproof and once they set, they set. Moving on to eyeshadows, I used the shades in the Givenchy Travel Palette, blending the darker colors into an outer V. I skipped gel liner today and just used a black kohl liner on the waterline-- Rimmel London Scandel Eyes in the shade "Black". After curling my lashes, I applied two coats of Benefit They're Real Mascara. I filled in any gaps on my already super dark eyebrows using the Clinique Super Fine Liner for Brows in the shsade "Soft Brown". 

I then moved to my face, which I primed with Smashbox Photo Finish Light. I mixed a dot of Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in the shade SX 08 with a drop of Fresh Seaberry Face Oil, blended both together on the back of my hand and then applied it on my face using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush. To conceal my dark circles, I used the Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer in the shade "53 Dark Radiance", and then I set everything in place with the Face Powder in the Givenchy palette. I then sculpted my face with MAC Sculpting Cream in the shade "Richly Honed", applied the blush from the Givenchy palette, and highlighted the top of my cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow with Benefit's Watts Up. 

I had already moisturized my lips using Lush Whip Stick Lip Balm prior to doing my makeup so they would be smooth by the time I applied lipstick. I used Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade "Dolce Vita".

PS: My nose was peeling due to a mask I had used the night before, and I didn't have time to exfoliate this morning, hence the flaky skin on my nose! If you already know about my OCDness, you then already know that, yes, the flakes are gone by now. 

MY FAMILY

My mom, Zulay, and my sister, Paola

That's it for tonight! Keep your eyes open for tons of reviews this week...

Thanks for reading! Have a lovely night and a lovely morning to my sweet followers on the other side of the world! XOXO

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer & Other Florida Experiences

Hi my beautiful dolls!

Sorry I haven't been on Blogger lately. We don't have internet upstairs, simply because this is our vacation condo. I get online downstairs at a recreation room. It's a funny situation right now. I feel like I'm in an episode of Seinfeld. Remember Del Boca Vista?! (You will understand this only if you're a Seinfeld fan). Next to where I'm sitting, there are five lovely ladies in their 70's well dressed, with their makeup done...and from New York or Jersey. This area is known for having a very Jewish, and retired community... The ladies are playing cards and gossiping. I just wanted to share the scenario with you because I thought it was funny... :)

Onto my post. I have so many things to talk to you about! I've been testing many products (and asking for samples is a great way to try things out). For instance, I have to share with you my Inglot experience. I fell in love with that store and the way you can design your own palettes with so much freedom...without anyone behind your back being annoying. It's just a little room in heaven.

That's the makeup I had on yesterday morning. I tried a lipstain by Hourglass which I LOVED but I haven't gotten it, so I put it on at SpaceNK that is inside Bloomingdale's at the Aventura Mall. 

Excuse my weird, awkward facial expression. I tried taking it quick so no one could see me! Anyway, the lipstain is called Hourglass Opaque Rouge and the shade I'm wearing is called Muse. The picture does not do justice to the color.

This is today's Face of the Day. Now, the real purpose of this post was to express my ABSOLUTE LOVE FOR THE KEVIN AUCOIN SENSUAL SKIN ENHANCER. IT IS AMAZING.

I want to make a proper, separate post for the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, but I wanted to talk to you about it really quick before I head out.

I first heard about this foundation by Wayne Goss on YouTube. It was on my Instagram wishlist for 2013, and I can't believe it's finally mine. When you first see the pot, you question yourself: how in the world would I purchase that tiny little thing? It's not going to last a week. But this product is extremely, extremely pigmented and concentrated. A rice-size amount covers your entire face. What is so neat and different about this product is that you have full control over the coverage and the finish. 

The lady at SpaceNK was extremely friendly and collaborative in teaching me how to properly apply this. 

She suggested using a little spatula or Q-tip for hygienic reasons. She grabbed a rice-size amount and mixed it with a facial oil. She then blended it on her hand and used a big, fluffy brush to tap the product from her hand onto my face, beginning at the center. Tap, buff. Tap, buff.

So today I used a Q-tip as well, grabbed a tiny rice-size amount and added half a drop of my Fresh Seaberry Facial Oil. I buffed it onto my skin using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. 

You can use this product by itself, but it is thick. It's not waxy, it's actually very creamy. Adding a little something else makes it easier to maneuver on the skin. You can add anything you want. Your current facial oil, your current moisturizer, a skin enhancer, whatever you want. Everyone has their own personal preference. You just have to play with it. 

The coverage is very buildable. It can be sheer, but it can definitely be full coverage. The finish is satin, but you can alter it depending on what you mix it with. No SPF = no flashback in photography. Honest to God, this is the best foundation I have ever tried so far. I know I have only tried it twice, but man... you can just tell a difference. 

If you're interested in this foundation, I strongly recommend going to a store and get matched. The lady had to apply three different shades until we were finally satisfied. She said to me sometimes you have to mix two shades, but come on, I didn't want to buy two of them. I got the shade SX08 which is good for someone who is NC30-35. 

I have a very good website for you if you're interested in more in depth information about this foundation from a lovely blogger I found last night :)

http://www.shamelessfripperies.com/video/kevyn-aucoin-sensual-skin-enhancer-review-and-demonstration/

Definitely check her video and post out. 

Have a lovely day everyone! Much love. 

Don't Be Afraid of Red Blushers

I posted this picture on Instagram about a month ago when I found the Real Techniques Stippling Brush at my local drugstore. 

I have an obvious adoration for my Illamasqua Cream Blusher in the shade Brazen because you see it in almost every post. It is such a great product. First of all, it does look scary in the pan! It is a bright red and it is extremely, I mean extremely pigmented, which can be hard to work with. 

Many women stick to traditional pink-toned blushers, not knowing that red can look absolutely fabulous when applied the right way - a color similar to the natural shade on your cheeks after a long run our after a day out during winter. 

I'm sharing this post with you today because the Real Techniques Stippling Brush works amazingly well when paired with the Illamasqua Cream Blush. The bristles need to barely touch the product, and simply tap the brush onto your cheeks, then blend. Trust me, you need the tiniest amount. This product will last you ages, making it a product of good value. 

Here is a picture of today's Face of the Day where I'm wearing the blusher. 

Full List of Products

1. Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Light/Medium

2. Illamasqua Cream Blush in the shade Brazen

3. Laura Mercier Secret Concealer shade 3

4. Dior Amber Diamond 

5. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Emerville

6. Clinique Superfine Liner for Brows shade Soft Brown

7. Bourjois Ultra Black Volumizer Mascara

8. Tarte LipSurgence in the shade Envy

PS: The Tarte Lip stain is amazing. It has a matte finish and it is definitely plumping...as you can see!

I'm off to the US tomorrow to visit my family. But I will take my laptop with me to continue blogging. Have a great day everyone!

Get Ready With Me!: Bronzy Eyes + Announcements

Hi my loves!

I worked hard for today's post because I wanted to deliver something helpful since I will be away for a few weeks. I'm going to the US for vacation before I start school in May. Oh, and my youngest brother is getting married in Puerto Rico! I'm so excited! I will take lots of pictures, so you are all coming with me! 

I also might... Well, I'm bad at surprises! I will have a giveaway when I'm in the US. Everything in Venezuela is ridiculously expensive because we have really high inflation, which is why I hardly buy anything here and I would not be able to afford a giveaway. But let's not get political here, because I hate politics and this is a beauty blog. In conclusion, I will work on getting goodies for a good giveaway to thank all of you for supporting me though I'm a "newbie". I have a lot of things I would like to get off my chest by writing a post about it but I worry I might get corny and you might get bored... but I really am thankful to all of you. 

If you want to see my Pictorial, keep reading!

Mac Eyeshadow for Brown Eyes/Olive Skin Pt. 1

I was asked to write about the best Mac eyeshadows for olive skin, but I twisted it a little bit and incorporated two other requests: eyeshadow for brown eyes and a smokey eye look. Smokey eyes can be done in various ways, so for this post I'm focusing on smokey eyes using colors other than black. In this entire look, I'm using three eyeshadows only, followed by other products that can be used to enhance the eyes. 

If you're interested, keep reading!

Me pidieron que hablara sobre las mejores sombras de Mac para piel morena, pero le agregué unas cosas más: sombras que resaltan ojos marrones y un look smokey eye. Smokey eye significa maquillaje de ojos ahumados y se pueden hacer de diversas maneras. Hoy me estaré enfocando en un smokey eye utilizando tonos que no sean negros. Utilicé un total de tres sombras nada más, seguido por otros productos que podrías utilizar si quieres aun más énfasis en los ojos. 

Si estas interesado/a, continúa leyendo! 

Get Ready With Me!: Dewy Skin

Hi gorgeous!

I've been asking and coming up with different ideas myself for my blog and Instagram. Please feel free to leave any suggestions on the comment section down below. 

I've always thought that healthy looking skin is what stands out the most. Whether you're good or mediocre with your eye makeup skills, what matters is a flawless looking base. It makes no sense to have beautiful eye makeup if your skin looks cakey or dull. 

Which is why I have a pictorial for you on how to get flawless-looking skin. Dewy skin. Yep, even for combination skin! If you're interested, keep reading!

Quick and Simple Day Look: Tutorial

Due to the positive feedback I received on Instagram after posting a picture for Face of the Day, I decided to share it with you guys on a video!

@makeupbypatricia

I only got about four hours of sleep, so I looked ridiculously tired when I woke up. I also had very little time to get ready.

This is a great look for when you're in a hurry and you want to look bright. Something as simple as a BB cream can immediately make you look a whole lot better by evening the skin tone and giving it a nice-dewy look.

I also recommend using a good eye serum/cream first thing after you wash your face and before you do your makeup. It really makes a difference. I have an excellent one I'm going to review soon. 

I recorded the video when I got back after six hours, and my makeup still looked pretty good considering the fact that I have combination skin and the city where I live in is very hot and humid. 

I "touched-up" half of my face to show you exactly what I did.

PS: And I terribly messed up my pretty liner.

I know I have to work on better timing, and cropping down the videos. Remember, I'm new! 

Quick Face of the Day + YouTube Video

Welcome back my lovely followers/readers!

I am very excited because I have finally lost my YouTube fear/shyness and not only do I have a video for you right now, but there is another one loading on the way :) be patient with the crappy internet service we have in Venezuela...

Please feel free to subscribe on YouTube. I have no experience/knowledge in video editing whatsoever, so please bear that in mind when you watch my first videos (I hope to get better with time). 

I barely had time to get ready, so this video down below is super quick, just mentioning the products that I used. 

Thank you so much for watching. It means a lot to me.