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My Fiancé Finds My Perfect Eyeliner

by How She Styles March 8, 2018

A few months ago, I wrote a post all about my search for the perfect eyeliner. Finding the perfect eyeliner felt like an impossible feat.

Every eyeliner I was buying was worse than the last. Then when I thought I had found my perfect eye lining device something would happen that would send it to the bottom of the list.

I finally got so frustrated that I bought three at one time to try and compare.

My fiancé had the same plan. While I was sitting at my vanity complaining how there were no eyeliners living up to my expectations, he was Googling.

He did his research on Amazon, and even on Sephora’s website. When I heard that my fiancé had been browsing Sephora it was a dream come true.

He also ordered three eyeliners. I put all six head to head and found my perfect liner that I wear daily.

Let’s start by outlining my eyeliner needs

1. High pigmentation. I don’t want blackish, grey, brown, or blue.

2. Fine tip a must. I want to make creating a wing as easy as possible. This is difficult with an eyeliner shaped like those giant sharpies. The pigment must also actually go all the way to the tip.

3. A lot of eyeliners have great pigmentation, but it doesn’t reach the tip of the eyeliner.

4. Easy to work with. No bleeding, dripping, or pulling off the color. First two needs are pretty self-explanatory, the third just means that I don’t want to go over an area with more color and somehow end up with less.

5. No fading. I don’t want to look in the mirror halfway through the day and see my liner is completely off.

6. Long lasting. I don’t mean on my face (but also on my face). I mean in the tube, I don’t want to have to buy this every month. In my book, eyeliner should last at least three months.

So those are my needs. Now let’s see how each eyeliner stood up to the competition.

The first two were useless and truly a waste of money

NYX Super Skinny Eyeliner

The NYX was grey out of the tube. If I was going for a natural look this would be okay because it stayed on pretty well. However, I am looking to create a fierce and sharp wing which would look strange in a faded grey color so I decided I only needed to wear this one once to decide it wasn’t for me.

Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eyeliner

Next, was a Milani one that just made application a nightmare. It was not pigmented enough so it would just stop distributing product halfway into applying it on my lid and I would have to go over it again. However, when I would try and go over the same spot it would just remove the liner that I had already applied. It was incredible stressful. This was another product I only tried once.

Wet and Wild MegaSlim Skinny Tip Eyeliner

Next was the latest drop from Wet N’ Wild. Their super skinny eyeliner pen was only like $6 dollars so I decided to try it. This was actually the one I was currently using and it was pretty great product, but when it came to application there was much to be desired.

About two months into use (one month after writing my rave review in my monthly favorites), the problems began. The eyeliner would bleed and look really sloppy. Then it would just seep out of the pen without me doing anything like a broken fountain pen. I was wasting so much product!

I figured that maybe it was a dud and that maybe something had malfunctioned at the end of its life so I bought another one. Not only did the same problem occur, but it happened even sooner! Like a week or two after opening the packaging the eyeliner was dripping out again.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

Then I tried what some people call their “Holy Grail” eyeliner –the Stila Stay All Day Eyeliner. This is an eyeliner I have tried before. I had stopped using because the last tube I purchased dried out in two weeks. On top of that, this is the most expensive eyeliner I have ever purchased. For these reasons, I stopped buying it, but figured for this little experiment I would give it another try. It does have the most five star reviews on Sephora’s website, so that was comforting.

The Stila liner isn’t a true black in my opinon. I had forgotten that until I put it head to head with a few of the other liners in the bunch and realized how faded it is. It’s not a huge problem for me and it was a better color than the NYX one. In comparison, the NYX is a light grey and the Stila is a dark grey. The Stila liner also has a way better application than the NYX. It has a skinnier tip, so it was super easy for me to make the wing. It does fade a little bit, the wear isn’t perfect, but none of the liners really were.

This liner is more waterproof than the others I tried in this experiment, but by no means is it totally waterproof. It is definitely more stubborn to remove with just water, but I think if I jumped into a pool with it on it probably wouldn’t stay on.The Stila liner is definitely the most long lasting in the tube compared to the others. I guess it just depends on the tube whether this product will dry out quickly or not which is concerning or maybe they actually fixed that problem.

When I use this liner, product coming out, but it doesn’t always make it to the tip of the pen so it makes lining my eyes a process of making the point to thick and have to go over it a few times with a ton of focus to get the right look.

I was excited to try the last two liners because they are from brands I had never heard of before!

Celavi Waterproof Precision Liquid Felt Tip Eyeliner Pen

The first was by Celavi, there’s an accent in there and don’t even ask me how to pronounce this. The formula on this one is super black and smooth to apply. There’s just one problem with this one, the tip is pretty thick. I really need to be careful when I am applying this one so I can get a point on my wing. If I can take my time and really put the time in applying my makeup I will reach for this. However, that’s rarely the case. I either rush to put my eyeliner on before I’m out the door or rush to get it done in my office bathroom before my boss gets in.

Docolor Gel Liquid Eyeliner

The other liner new to me was by Docolor. This one ticks most of my boxes. The formula is super black and easy to apply no skipping or fading. It looks at the end of the day as when I put it on that morning. The tip on this is super sharp and the liner is distributed all the way to the top of the point. This was a problem when using the Milani and Wet N’ Wild liners.

The only problem with this one is that it’s not waterproof. It says it is, but no to the extent I would hope for it to be. I am pretty sure it will stay in place if your eyes are a little teary from the wind or a lash in your eye, but for a major cry you’ll need to find another liner. I actually cried wearing this and it was almost completely gone by the time I collected myself.

Have you guessed which was my favorite? Probably.

My top choice for eyeliner that I have repurchased is the Docolor.

And yes, my fiancé found this based on the countess positive reviews on Amazon. The best part has got to be the price tag. See the price comparison below and my favorites from best to worst:

Docolor – $7.99

Stila – $22.00

Celave – $4.00

Wet and Wild -$4.99

NYX – $9.99

Milani – $7.99

Has your significant other ever purchased you something that you weren’t expecting and LOVED IT?! Tell me in the comments below!

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Review: Milani Amore Matte Lip Cremes

by How She Styles February 17, 2016

A few months ago Milani came out with a line of liquid lipsticks, which are very hard to get your hands on. I did find two in the shades Lust and Beloved and it’s very pretty, but the formula is not my favorite and I don’t really get what all the hype is about.

After wearing it for a week, it turns out that this formula doesn’t last very long on the lips. After a few hours, it fades or balls up and falls off from the center of my lips. When I tried to get the remainder off and it was like cement: you’ll definitely need makeup remover. I will say they are very matte and they have a lot of really cute shades. However, they are pretty drying to the lips and you can find the same type of shade selection from other brands.

I am pretty disappointed in these because Milani has such great matte lipsticks I was surprised how much these let me down.
If you want to buy a liquid lipstick, pay the extra five dollars and get one of the Sephora liquid lippies.

Beloved

Lust

Lust on the top, Beloved on the bottom (I think these shades were limited edition, but here are the available shades)

P.S. If you love these and they do work for you, don’t be offended. I am just letting you guys know how it worked for me!

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Beauty

Read My Lips: Three Products To Give Your Lips The Perfect Base

by How She Styles February 15, 2016

To have the perfect lipstick application, you’ll need the perfect canvas.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating is a good start. Until recently, I had no idea how or why you might exfoliate your lips, but I’ve been amazed with how much better my lips have felt and looked after removing all that dead skin. Most recently I’ve used a wonderful product called the e.l.f Lip Exfoliator. It’s a cream with large exfoliating granules, and you can use as much or as little pressure as you want as to not injure your lips. It also smells and tastes delicious!

Moisturize

Next you gotta moisturize those babies! I use lip balm before I apply any kind of lip product to make my lips soft and ready for any lip product I throw at it. I use my holy grail lip balm from Blistex the Lip Medex because it really moisturizes my lips, but also sinks into my lips pretty darn quickly!

Lip Liner

Finally, use a lip liner. I know the lip liner trend is really big right now, but it can also improve your lip product application. You can line the outside of your lips or fill them in completely, either way lip liner will give you a clean and even outline. It will also create a base that will help your lip product last longer, and finally it will intensify the color. I love lip liner, even if I wear it alone without a lipstick on top!

I hope these tips helped make your lipstick application a little easier! If you have a tip make sure to tell me in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe.

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Beauty

Best and Worst Matte Lip Products + Swatches

by How She Styles February 28, 2015

A matte lip is a huge trend right now and all the cosmetic companies are jumping on board. I also have a love for the matte lip, so I have tried quite a few. Here are my best and worst of the matte lip trend.

Best Matte Lip Products

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks (Berlin Pictured)

I was blown away by the long wear of this lipstick. I wore this for over 12 hours and only needed to reapply it twice. It felt bulletproof through eating and drinking all day long. It only faded slightly in the middle of the lips, and I was able to reapply with ease, though it did get a little cakey when I reapplied it the second time around hour ten. This line has a shade range with a little of everything, with Lolita as its most popular shade. I will be buying at least one more of these, but will probably purchase as many as I can get my hands on.

Maybelline Creamy Mattes Lipstick (Touch Of Spice Pictured)

People basically lost their minds when this formula came out, and for good reason. This color range is relatively small considering the amount of colorsensational lipsticks in Maybelline’s regular line, but it has all the classic shades everyone loves. A cool-toned pink, a deep wine, and a mauvey brown-toned pink were just a few of the shades that were very popular. This formula is creamy, light, and doesn’t dry out the lips. These colors will stay on your lips for up to five hours before you have to reapply, and they don’t get cakey. Finally, if you are not a fan of the scent of the original Maybelline lipstick, these are a little less noticeable. You need to go out and try this great drugstore formula yourself!

Milani Color Statement Moisture Matte Lipsticks (Matte Naked Pictured)

Milani matte lipsticks have a small range of shades, but the options include a great variety of nude, pink, purple, and red tones. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized how creamy these are; They glide over the lips and leave a pure matte finish. My only gripe is that they don’t wear very long, so you have to reapply, but they don’t seem to get cakey at all. In addition, these lipsticks don’t have the same scent as the original, so if you weren’t a fan of that, you may want to give Milani another chance with the matte formula.

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain (07 Cherry Blosson Pictured)

Amelia Liana from YouTube loves this line especially in the shade 01—a gorgeous red shade. They recently expanded the line to include about … (ten to fifteen) shades. The one thing that bothered me about this line was that the color on the lips does not look the same as the product does in the tube. When I bought one, I thought it would be a dusty rose shade, but it turned out to be a bright cool-toned pink. I forgot to swatch it at the store and I was very surprised. The product itself is pretty nice; it’s not very drying and leaves a nice stain after it fades. I would get another shade from this line, but I would have to swatch at the store first.

Rimmel Show Off Matte Lip Velvets (Meteoric Matte Pictured)

The originals of this line were raved about, so when the matte formula came out, I had to try them. I am in love with the colors, but the formula can get cakey after reapplying so many times. Another issue is that it bleeds a bit outside the lips, so I would wear a lip liner next time. There are only five or so colors, but the two I have, I really enjoy wearing. Every time I wear Meteoric Matte I get compliments, and Atomic Rose is perfect for everyday. Check out my full review!

Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon (Glace Pictured)

If you haven’t heard of Bite Beauty, you are missing out! Bite beauty is a company that makes all of their products out of food-grade ingredients, which means you can eat it, but you won’t want to eat these creamy matte lipsticks. I love the shade selection ( I think there are about 12 shades) and they are sooo creamy on the lips. I would say they are comparable to the Maybelline’s mentioned above. They have a subtle scent and the packaging is simple and sleek. They last up to six hours before you’ll need to reapply. These fade evenly and are not cakey after reapplication, and though they have a high price tag, they are definitely worth a try.

NYX Matte Lipsticks (Whipped Caviar Pictured)

The shade selection is probably my favorite part of this line. There are so many colors to choose from that work on so many different skin tones. The formula is pretty darn creamy and lasts pretty well on the lips. When I do need to reapply, I can just apply right on top of my existing product because this doesn’t get cakey after reapplication. Their nude and pink tones are probably my favorites.

NYX Matte Lip Creams (Antwerp Pictured)

If you want a bright matte lip, go for these matte lip creams. This line has a smaller color range, but so many fun bright colors. The formula has a cake batter scent that I love to smell, but it’s strong so if you are sensitive you may not like it. As for application these apply in like a mousse texture and then dry down matte. They don’t transfer easily, but when they do you’ll have to remove it all before reapplication because it can get cakey.

Worst Matte Lip Products

Jordana Modern Mattes (Matte Pretty Pictured)

This isn’t exactly bad, there are just a lot of things that are better. First off this is a demi matte finish which means it’s just a regular lipstick with a fancy name. I do like the feel on the lips it’s not very drying and it’s a very light formula. The colors are hit or miss, some are creamy while some apply patchy. However, if you do get a shade you like grab it because these lipstick are only two or three dollars. Overall they are nothing special, but for three dollars they aren’t bad.

Wet and Wild Megalast Lipsticks (C905D Pictured)

Another matte formula with a cheap price tag like the Jordana Modern Mattes, but these are waaay more drying. This formula if like rubbing chalk on your lips and it shows every crack and line. These may be pigmented and cheap, but they are not worth it if you won’t wear them.

Lime Crime Velvetines (Wicked Pictured)

Everyone raves about these, but honestly the cons outweigh the pros on this one. First of all they are pretty darn drying, and not just after several hours of wear, but as soon as the product dries. I always wear lip balm with matte formulas and it just didn’t help with this one. Another problem I had was it bleed outside my lips even when I wore a lip liner. It was crazy! A few hours later my lips were looking like I had eaten some serious cherry filling it was gross. I will give this product one thing: it is long wearing. The inside of the lips will fade after eating something greasy or a few hours of wear, but that outer ring requires actual make up remover so beware. Finally the color range is so small: it only has like seven colors. Not worth the 21 dollar price tag.

What are your favorite matte formulas? Do you prefer regular lipstick or liquid for that perfect matte finish? Let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe!

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Beauty

5 Easy Tips For The Perfect Blush Application

by How She Styles February 25, 2015

Blush can be scary for some new to makeup. We have all seen that girl whose blush makes her look like she has a sunburn. However, blush can also make your skin look plump, youthful, and glowing! Here are some tips for choosing your blush and applying it.

Choose a color that compliments your skin tone. Choosing a shade that compliments you instead of making you look like a clown or ashy is the first step to blush application.
Understand the pigmentation of your blush; this is how much color saturation the blush has when it is applied. If it has a high amount of pigment and you are fair skinned, you will need to be very careful and use a light hand or get a less pigmented blush. To help avoid applying too much blush, be sure to tap the excess product off the brush before applying it to your cheeks.
Now for the application. Applying the blush is probably the trickiest part. Apply a small amount of product to your brush and tapping off the excess, you’ll want to start with the apples of your cheeks. The apples of your cheeks are roughly a two-finger width away from the bottom of your nose. From there, blend the color back.
Everyone makes mistakes so if you apply too much blush, take a sponge and gently pat your skin above and around the application area to further blend it out and remove some color.
If you use a blush that is not matte, beware of using a highlighter. This will add too much shimmer and give you a frosted effect on the skin. If you use blush with a shimmer, skip the highlight because it’s probably unnecessary.

Some of my favorite blushes:

NYX cream and powder blushes

Milani Baked Blushes

Tarte 12 hr Amazonian Clay Blushes

Wet and Wild Blushes

Boots No7 Blushes

I hope this helps you apply blush from now on! Tell me about your favorite blushes, and don’t forget to subscribe!

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Beauty

Top Five Most Used Eye Products

by How She Styles January 30, 2015

I use quite a few eye products when doing my makeup everyday, but these five are definitely the ones I use the most. Let me know your most used eye products in the comments below, and be sure to subscribe for more posts like this!

Milani Eyeshadow Primer

I recommend this primer for anyone starting out in makeup. It’s lightweight, easy to use and sheers out well, so it can be used on any skin tone. It’s also a drugstore product, so it’s only six or seven dollars. I have used this everyday since I got it and I think it is just as good as the high-end stuff. This primer keeps your shadow looking vibrant all day long.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper

This is a cult favorite for good reason: it is very easy to use. If you are not an expert at winged liner, you need this in your life. It makes getting that winged look so much easier. It’s not the most “true” black formula, and it is not waterproof by any means, but it stays on for a very long time. Since I have watery eyes, I would prefer a waterproof product, but for now this is my favorite liquid liner.

Jordana 12 HR Made to Last Liquid Eye Pencil

This is a new find, and I only have it in the color “Jade Jewel” because it was on sale, but I can’t ignore its awesome formula. If I need an eyeliner pencil, I always reach for this, even though it’s green. It is so creamy and smooth that there is absolutely no drag across the lid. It’s also waterproof, which can be hard to find in eyeliner in general. I need to get more of these.

e.l.f Eyebrow Kit in Medium

This was my first eyebrow product, but I still reach for it all the time. I love the combo of a tinted wax with a lighter powder to set it. The kit also comes with a small dual-ended brush with one side angled and the other side a fluffier brush for the shadow. I use my own angled brush, but the powder brush is the perfect size for my brows. As you all know, e.l.f is darn cheap, so it’s a great bargain as well. I think this kit was three or four dollars, and I am going to use it until the pan in completely bare.

Lorac Pro Palette

I have a few palettes, but this one is by far the most well-rounded. It has 16 shadows with 8 mattes and 8 shimmers. Most palettes have a least one shadow that you’ll never end up using, but that’s not the case with this product. Every shade is super pigmented and buttery smooth. A common complaint is that the shadows are so soft that they can get a bit powdery, but I have only found that to be the case with some of the colors, and for those I just use a lighter hand. Other than that, this palette is the best forty two dollars I have ever spent on a beauty product.

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