Try On Marsala With A Budget-Friendly Brand

Team TME was super excited with Pantone’s Color of the Year announcement. Marsala is such a beautiful hue, but as fearless as we are there are times when even Team TME wonders about committing to products in a particular shade.

Truth be told, we here at TME can be downright commitment phobic. This is especially true when it comes to investing our money on a maybe. So, what’s the answer when one wants to try a rockin’ new color but one doesn’t want to make a huge investment?

Well if you’re not sure if you’re ready to devour Marsala head on, no worries because we’ve found a brand that offers major options for less then $5 per product! essence cosmetics offers a variety of beauty options to ease your way into the new hue … without breaking the bank.

Knockout Pout: essence long-lasting lipstick adds a pop of color. Warm tones? Try dare to wear.  Cooler tones can opt for on the catwalk ($1.49). Want an even bolder look? Line and fill-in lips with the essence lip pencil in red blush or soft berry ($1.49).

Lined to Perfection: For a softer take on the smoky eye, swap your black liner for a Marsala-esque shade. essence long-lasting eye pencil in berry merry is the perfect hue to integrate Marsala into your look ($2.49).

Hint of Color: If you’re still not convinced, try a hint of color with the essence XXXL shine lipgloss in true love ($2.49).

essence cosmetics are available at Ulta.

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Flower Beauty Summer 2014

The Makeup Examiner has tried just about every product from the Flower Beauty line and this budget-friendly brand never ceases to amaze me with its high quality. Who’d have thought that a cosmetic line carried at Walmart would have a single product that I’d fall in love with? Certainly not me! Dear Drew, I’m sorry that I doubted you. I, digress …

In November 2013, TME wrote a preview of Flower Beauty’s offerings for 2014, so please check that out -- “Flower Beauty 2014 Product Preview Exclusive” -- for full view of what Flower has out right now. Let’s move onto a few spring/summer must-haves!

Recently, TME was sent more products to check out, one of them being Flower Nail It! Nail Lacquer ($4.98). Flower nail lacquers are free of DBP, toluene and camphor; are available in 24 on-trend shades, are cruelty-free, made in the USA and … actually work! The formula allows for a quick two-coat application that is both chip resistant and long lasting. TME was sent Aster Place NP20, which is the perfect matte rose and on-trend for every season! But if you’re looking for a few shades to sizzle this summer, try Cosmos-Politan NP11 or Thistle or That? NP7.

Next up, Flower Beauty Shadow Play Eyeshadow Quads ($9.98). The Eyeshadow Quads are available in four palettes, contain Ginko Biloba extract to help keep lids supple and the color delivery is insane. The highly pigmented shadows offer the versatility of going for an intense eye or an ethereal subtle look, the later of which is very hot for S/S 2014.

Moving on to the last, but far from least, two products to grab for the warmer months … Glisten Up! Highlighter Chubby ($9.98), available in three hues, features a sheer, illuminating highlighter with a long-lasting glow that can be used over makeup or alone for a natural glow. TME is addicted to this highlighter! Goodbye Benefit Cosmetics' Watt's Up ($30)! Rounding out the mix is Lip Suede Velvet Lip Chubby ($7.98), available in five shades, but “Life’s A Peach VC1” is a must-have for this season.

I have to mention … again … that Flower Line & Shine Lip Liner ($6.98 - 5 Shades) is still a TME favorite. Aside from the ease of application, the liner glides on and offers all-day wear via a water-resistant formula. I was fortunate to have been sent all five shades and normally I share what hits my desk, but that’s not gonna happen with MY Line & Shine Lip Liner! Readers know that it’s not often that TME goes full-tilt for a product, but the liner is seriously that good!

All the issues that are important for me to support and all the things that I want to stay away from are so beautifully incorporated into Flower Beauty. And, again, TME is compelled to emphasize the price point. With products that are very affordable and offer an array of on-trend hues, one has the opportunity to play. Can we ask for anything more? You can find Flower Beauty at Walmart.

@ypmazzy

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Glam Makeup Tips For the Perfect Holiday Look

We all want to look a little more glamorous, chic, and sophisticated for the holidays. But it isn’t always easy to figure out how to turn our everyday look into holiday glam. The Makeup Examiner will share her own little makeup struggle. TME’s mother was a model and TME believes that, that woman could effortlessly apply falsies in her sleep! Her magic ability to apply false eyelashes, no matter the place and in three seconds flat, did not circulate to The Makeup Examiner’s DNA.

     

TME is a determined woman and eventually mastered falsie application. TME shares this with readers so that they too may be a little more fearless and a little more adventurous. After all, if ever there was a time to try a few bolder moves with our makeup the holiday season is it. So … let the festivities begin!

1. Skin Is In - Any look begins with great skin. And if you haven’t adopted a good skin care regime, you can adopt “fake it ‘til you make it” with a few tricks to get flawless looking skin. The Makeup Examiner’s “Tips For A Fresh and Flawless Face” gives you all the quick and easy tricks to start your glam look with a beautiful canvas.

2. The Eyes Have It - This is where you can have some real fun and try a new, bolder look. Chantecaille offers a gorgeous palette for Holiday 2013 and simple to follow Beauty Guide for a stunning holiday eye look. Punch up the look with the application of EcoTools Lashes that offer five variations from “Barley There” to “Soft & Dramatic,” plus the easiest how-to guide on the planet! Both Chantecaille and EcoTools are cruelty-free, and at $5.99 a pair, EcoTools reusable lashes are a major bargain!

3. Lip Service - The Makeup Examiner tends to stick with an “either or,” as in either go for a bold eye or a bold lip. So if you’re opting for real glammed up eye-popping colors, stick with an understated lip hue. By the same, you can choose to go for a subtle statement with your eyes (yes, you can still glam-up with falsies) and paint your pout with a punched up shade in a stronger hue of red, berry or even pink. One thing to note is that during the colder months our lips can get dry so chose a moisturizing formula like NARS Cinematic Lipstick.

4. Nail It - No look is truly complete sans nail lacquer. For the holidays, add a little sparkle to finish your look with a shimmery shade or add a coat of sparkly lacquer, like SpaRitual Golden Rule, over your favorite polish or alone. The Makeup Examiner just acquired CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in Bombshell #313, from the brand’s new Bombshell Collection and TME is calling this shade “THE” holiday hue for this season!

5. Finishing Touch - Oh, you thought that you were all done once you polished those talons? TME’s latest makeup obsession is Benefit watt's up! highlighter. This product is magic in a tube and can be applied anywhere you want to give a little light, lift or accentuation … like your décolletage.

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Back-To-School Budget Beauty and Makeup Tips

Whether you’re headed back-to-school as a “seasoned” beautynista or are a B-I-T (Beautynista In Training), finding budget beauty products that actually work can be a real challenge. Furthermore, if you are a B-I-T, you may not have the knowledge that you need so as to not waste your money. Spending $3.99 on a product that doesn’t work is $3.99 that you’ve just wasted and that could have been put towards something that you really wanted. Over the past year, The Makeup Examiner has been fortunate to review several brands that are super budget-friendly and actually do what they’re supposed to do.

The first rule of makeup for B-I-T’s … less is more. If this is your first back-to-school year with makeup, you want to show everyone that you’ve matured, not that you went crazy with your mommy’s makeup kit. Let’s start at the very beginning, which is your skin. Before you put a single pigment anywhere on your face, you have to learn how to take care of your skin. Bonus: learning how to take care of your skin now will payoff for a lifetime and for seasoned beautynistas … if you don’t have a skin care regime it’s time to start one!

A great skin care regime is, well, a great thing. But The Makeup Examiner is acutely aware that not everyone is going to go through the entire process. For those of you that just can’t, or even for those that do but are occasionally lazy, Bioré Make-Up Removing Towelettes (30-count $7.99) effectively removes makeup and is oil-free. If you’re seeking a budget friendly, yet effective, skin care line, check out the Pond’s Luminous Clean. Luminous Clean Cream Cleanser ($7.50), Luminous Clean Daily Exfoliating Cleanser ($7.50), and Luminous Moisture Day Lotion with SPF 15 ($6.70). Back to Bioré, if you’re seeking acne prevention or treatment products The Makeup Examiner recommends Bioré Pore Unclogging Scrub ($5.47) or Bioré Acne Clearing Scrub ($5.47).

Now that we’ve gotten through some skin care advice, let’s move onto the fun stuff! To conceal or not to conceal … that is the question. For B-I-T’s, don't believe sales clerks who tell you that you absolutely must wear foundation. If you have gorgeous skin and chances are that you do, why cover it up? Opt for a light BB cream and this goes for seasoned beautynistas too. Although The Makeup Examiner is head-over-heels about Pond’s brand new Luminous Finish BB+ Cream ($9.99), the formula may be too much for B-I-T’s. An amazing budget friendly BB cream is Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream Skin Perfector ($9.99), as it’s a lighter formula.

If you want to add a little kiss of blush, or really go for contouring, CoverGirl Clean Glow Blush ($6.94) is the way to go. CG’s Clean Glow Blush is a 3-in-1 multi-shade compact that will let you customize your color. And you can use just one color or all three. Moving onto the eyes, The Makeup Examiner discovered NYC New York Color Cosmetics and was blown away that this super budget friendly brand delivered products that are highly pigmented and work amazingly well.

NYC New York Color introduced several products earlier this year starting with HD Color Trio Eyeshadow ($2.99) offered in 12 different color palettes giving endless options to play. Next on the NYC Color list is Big Bold Curl Mascara ($4.99), which has a hydrating keratin-rich formula and offers those big, bold lashes that are so hot this season. For B-I-T’s, The Makeup Examiner recommends investing in an eyelash curler, and possibly forgoing mascara. Last, but so far from least, is Big Bold Plumping Lip Gloss ($3.99), available in 12 luscious shades NYC’s lip gloss offers both a mega shine and lip plumping for the perfect pout.

Wrapping up your back-to-school budget beauty bounty is Jesse’s Girl Cosmetics nail lacquers. The brand has twice collaborated with Julie G, first on the Julie G Nail Polish Collection ($3.99) and again on Jesse’s Girl Cosmetics Julie G Frosted Gum Drops line ($3.99). The Makeup Examiner as a quick little secret for grabbing more savings: Before you head to the store, check out a brand’s Facebook page, as they often post coupons. For example, Pond’s is currently offering an addition $2 coupon off of their BB cream. And hey, if you lovelies know of any great deals, share them in the comment section!

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