Monday, August 13, 2007

Let's Talk Make-Up

I'm very much a fru-fru girly girl and I lurve me some make-up. Anyone with me? Show of hands?

Earlier this summer in an extreme streamlining effort I tossed more than half of my make-up. People--I still had this great Elizabeth Arden gift set that Mrs. O had given me in high school. High school! It was past it's tossing time. I kept it though because I'd loved it so much and I wanted it's last few uses for special occasions. I had several other items for the same reason. I also had several funky eye shadows and liners from the sorority days where there was something to dress-up for every weekend. Sorority days are far gone, it was time to toss.

So now I'm feeling the crunch wanting to buy new make up. However, I don't need any. I still have plenty. But my now comfortable rather than bulging full leather case feels it needs something! Just a little something? (Shh, don't tell my husband!)

What brands do you ladies where? Are you picky about your make-up? Are you brand or product faithful to something? What colors do you like? Do you were light and minimal make-up or a daily full face?

I personally am a Clinique girl, especially for foundation and powder. However I also like Neutrogena. They have a light formula that is great for summer if you need it then (I rarely wear foundation in the summer.) Only some of Clinique's eye shadows do it for me because the pigment isn't as bold as I'd like. However, I do enjoy the strawberry fudge. I do like Mac eye shadows, but they're a little expensive for my tastes. I purchase them when I'm near a make-up outlet and can get them for a fraction of the price. Other than that, I usually buy a brand that has colors I like. I currently have a Maybelline quad of eye shadow that I wear on a nearly daily basis (Designer Chocolates maybe?) and a Rimmel set that is bronzy and brown. However, not all of those colors look on my eyes as they do in the case. I currently have a Clinique blush and bronzer and I use Clinique lipsticks and glosses. I do like Clinique, but the majority of my loot is the product of free gifts as it too is more than i want to pay. Oh, I tend to like Jane eye shadows, mostly because I can pick out each color rather than buy a set for just a color or two that I like. So overall, I suppose I'm not too brand loyal.

I tend to like pinks and browns although purple looks great on my eyes. It's usually my least favorite color, but the color on my eyes is always nice. I am a daily full face too. I work in an office environment feel I'm not complete without it. However I can go lighter on some days, especially in the summer. I wear make-up on the weekends depending on what we're doing. Running errands? A little bit. Going out? The full face. Gardening/running/babysitting/: None.

I also found the new Flirt collection at Kohl's this weekend by Vanessa Manillo. It was really pretty and I acutally liked all the colors in one set. And I think it may be a reasonable price, although I couldn't find it for sure. However I have issues with purchasing this. I'm team Jessica! What's a girl to do?

Hey, how do you girls feel about Mary Kay? It's often seen as "your mother's make-up" but a friend from high school did little bridesmaid makovers for The O Wedding and I was super pleased with my look. The website has a virtual makeover tool and I found some things I like and have thought about purchasing some. Having the little compact thing would be so nice and handy for traveling and road trips, which will be plentiful this fall and winter. But I can't seem to get over the stigma that it's (lowered voice) Mary Kay! Anyone have any rants and raves on it?

Other than that, tell me all about your make-up preferences/routines/brands/and likes and dislikes. I'm sure we can all use a couple of product reviews and tips.

Go ahead, discuss.

8 comments:

Kristen Miller said...

You lost me somewhere around the Flirt collection. ;) I NEVER buy make-up. I usually ask for things I need for my B-day or Christmas. Even then it's like: Cover Girl eyeshadow, Loreal mascara, and Maybeline base. How unexciting is that?

Alicia said...

I'm a fan of Bare Essentials....although, L'Oreal now has a version of the powders for 1/3 of the price! sweetness. I totally have them. For my eyes, I'm pretty sure I have at least one of every color in my collection...from many many assorted brands. Lips....same.
I am a minimalist. I like the powder foundation just to even out the skin tone. Light dusting of blush on the cheekbones, I do my eyes up good though because without the current blue and grey smokey summer eyes I have going....I look like a corpse. Lips, are gloss....always carry a good gloss.

Jenny said...

I love me some make-up too, but my full face on is usually just reserved for the weekends! I have a Bare Essentials bronzer that I love, it's so natural - I'll be a client forever! And the new Cover-Girl mascara (the green one) is great... I have a hard time buying expensive make-up when there are so many good, affordable lines. I'm sure Brittny will tell you, Mary Kay really does have some great stuff! I have several eye shadows and the perfume is amazingly yummy. It's not your mother's make-up, that I can personally tell you. Have fun shopping and scoping out the beauty bargains!

Rusti said...

I'm too lazy for make-up most days - but when I do wear it I use eye liner, eye shadow, mascara, a touch of blush or bronzer and lip gloss... most of which is Avon as my MIL was an Avon lady, as well as some Mary Kay (gasp!!) and a few other miscellaneous items I've picked up here & there... so I guess in the area of brand loyalty - I don't really have any, and in the area of foundations - I'm absolutely no help... so - it seems that I'm not much help at all... although hey - I read that Reese Witherspoon is going to be the new Avon Ambassador or something - I love her :)

Good luck!! Is today really Wednesday Aug. 13th 2008?? Did I sleep through that darn alarm again??

Michelle said...

I must be old if the stigma is "Mary Kay is your Mother's make-up". That's the first time I've ever heard that...but joking aside, I'm a pretty faithful Mary Kay user and have been since I was about 10 years old. I suppose that it didn't help that Mom's very dear friend is very successful with Mary Kay & Mom has sold it since I was about 19 or 20.

I no longer use the facial cleansers/moisturizers, because they break me out really bad (didn't when I was younger) and so I stay with plain old Noxema now. But I'm pretty much a full face girl myself and am addicted to make-up. Not just Mary Kay.

Let me explain....
eye shadows that I wear daily are Mary Kay ~ Spun silk, truffle, and whipped cocoa. I do have a great set that I got by Mac, but it's more to create an awesome smokey eye...blacks, grays, and pink.
Blush is and has always been Mary Kay ~ Nutmeg.
Bronzer however is Maybelline.
Eyeliners are whatever so long as they're either black or black/brown.
I'm a loyal Maybelline Great Lash mascara user. I'll never give that up! LOVE it!
If I need a more sheer foundation than Mary Kay will provide (they have GREAT coverage!) then I'll use Maybelline Wonder Finish liquid-to-powder. I actually really prefer this to the Mary Kay. It's just easier to apply too.
OPI is my choice for nail colors. I'm pretty loyal to them for nails.
Perfumes come from a variety of places. Some of my favorites are from Mary Kay though...I love Belara, and Elige is awesome for special occasions. but then I also love Clinique's Happy. I guess it just depends on my mood.
This one will crack you up...I usually don't wear too much lipstick anymore. Not daily anyway...I tend to have a more neutral mouth (with a little help from flavored lip balms ~ Dr. Pepper, Creamsicle, etc) and darker eyes. My eyes are green so I like the way they look with heavier liner and darker shadows. I balance it all with glossy lips or a neutral lip liner with the balm over it. I'm a lip balm addict!

girl from the south said...

By "dressing up every weekend" do you mean putting on revealing tops that we (actually you) paid way too much for at Wet Seal?

Actually, I really like Mary Kay. It's good for people with allergies, and it's one of the few lines that work with my skin tone since my skin is pale with red undertones.

Southern jezeBelle said...

Thanks for calling me out there GFTS. I had all these lovely Internet people fooled about my sorority girl days. By the way--the tops were only way too much because they were (shamefully) wet seal. I would like to point out I only shopped clearance! :)

And thanks to everyone for the Mary Kay kudos! I think I might try some!! They do have some nice new colors.

Anonymous said...

You asked a loaded question my friend. I'm A MARY KAY LADY! THat's right, I will show up at your door and blow you away with totally awesome pretty new makeup! THat's right! I'm on the plane now! :) Check out www.marykay.com they have all sorts of fun features and you can practice putting makeup on and everything with a model! It's fun. Okay, I want to ramble on, but I will shut up now.