What It Is: theBalm Nude ‘tude Palette

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Most makeup junkies I know love neutral eyeshadows. Sure, brights are fun, but neutrals are definitely more “everyday” and appropriate in every situation. Every makeup lover needs a palette full of neutral shades that’s great for a quick daytime look and traveling.

theBalm is obviously one of my favorite brands and I’m thrilled that they have finally decided to bring us a neutral palette! Nude ‘tude has two different looks, “Feeling Naughty” and “Feeling Nice”. They both contain identical shadows, but feature different artwork. Let’s see how the shadows performed!

How To Use It:

Nude ‘tude contains 12 neutral shadows, ranging from white highlights to black and brown liner shades. There is also a mix of finishes, which makes for versatility. Below I’ve swatched all 12 in natural light. Read More »

The following post is courtesy of our uber fashionable friends at CollegeFashion.net!

As we get closer to the end of the school year, many of us are going on internship/summer job interviews- myself included. On College Fashion, we have already covered How to Dress for a Job Interview and How to Get the Internship of Your Dreams. However, in addition to dressing to impress, your makeup and hair needs to look natural and polished for interview success.

Interview beauty can be tricky because you want to make sure you’re making a good impression, while still looking natural and chic. This post will help you achieve the perfect interview look to help you score the job/internship of your dreams! Read More »

It’s no secret that I love Bare Escentuals Mineral Makeup.  I ban myself from going in the store because I simply can’t control my credit card when in the presence of such amazing makeup. 

When friends need to go in I blab on and on about what they should get, to the point where sales associates consider offering me a job.  Don’t worry though, I don’t actually work for a mineral makeup company so everything I’m telling you is legit; no one is paying me under-the-table (but if you are from B.E and are lookin to throw some dough my way…hit me up). 

Okay, so before you dismiss this as just another article advertising mineral makeup, listen up: I’m going to tell you exactly what the benefits are so you can decide if mineral makeup is right for you. There are so many things you need to know (beyond what those ladies tell you in the 3am infomercial) and you may realize that mineral makeup is the best thing for you and your punim (that’s face.)

- Many types of regular makeup (i.e. certain liquid or compressed powder foundations) contain harsh chemicals or fragrances (synthetic dyes, preservatives, etc..)

- Mineral makeup doesn’t contain these extra chemicals and instead most mineral makeups contain titanium dioxide, which is a natural anti-inflammatory and sunscreen.  This is especially beneficial if your skin has inflammatory issues (like if it gets red easily or you have acne).  The color in mineral makeup is also a natural pigmentation. Read More »

If there is one thing I hate about eye makeup it’s that there seems to be only two options for daytime: swiping on the mascara for a boring, casual look, or doing it up so that you look like you’re about to go clubbing.

Where’s the in-between?

Well, there is one and I found it. This week I’m showing you a natural eye that adds a bit of pop to your everyday makeup routine. It’s super quick and easy and a great way to look good for a day on campus (and not a night out at the bars).

I have a love/hate relationship with Sephora. I love walking through there and playing with all the makeup, but I hate how there is just so much. How am I supposed to know which brand is best? Which one looks best on my skin? Which mascara is worth $45 and why is that better than my $6 mascara at home?

It’s all quite overwhelming.

And that’s why I choose my friends based on how good their makeup looks. Ok, so that’s not (totally) true, but I do depend on my friends to guide me in the direction of quality products for my face. When they tell me they love a product or brand I trust them, and I haven’t been disappointed yet.

Most recently, a friend of mine started going on and on (and on) about Tarte cosmetics. I knew nothing about them, but after spending an hour with this girl (of which, only 5 minutes were not spent talking about Tarte), I decided to take the brand for a test run myself. I ordered some of their most popular products online (it seems that various beauty editors are quite enamored as well) and tried them out.

And let me just say – I am addicted. Like seriously addicted. Not only are the products super high quality, but they are completely natural, healthy and earth friendly as well! I’m a major recycling dork (I even reuse Ziploc bags….) so that is something that is really important to me.

Anyways, I tried out a bunch of things, but here are my all-time favorite Tarte products: Read More »

With the summer heat in full swing it can be tempting to cut out the beauty regime completely and opt for some SPF 45 instead.  But don’t! The hottest beauty trends for summer ’09 looks are actually pretty simple. You can get that face looking flawless in no time, whether you’re heading to that summer job or off to the beach.

This summer the ideal face is neutral with eyes that burst with color.  Bright color. You may think it’s hard to pull off, but with these quick tips and products, anyone can do it:

Flawless Matte Bronzer: Start your summer look with a clean matte face.  Skip the moisturizer, which will add shine, and instead opt for Sephora Brand’s Anti-Shine Primer; it will moisturize while providing a shine free base (yep, it really works).  Then, swipe on Bare Essentual’s bronzer in Faux Tan.  This summer is all about having a natural looking tan and a shine free face and the light minerals in this bronzer won’t make you look cakey.  Plus, if you have a sunburn it’s safer and much more natural to even it out with a mineral bronzer than to try and use concealer to even out those lines.
Extra bonus: It has SPF 15 built in to help prevent a sunburn to begin with!

Natural Nude Lips: Nude lips are all over models, celebs, and fashion magazines.  Unlike bright, bold lip colors, you can sport nude lips during the day or night, even at the beach.  Try Bobbi Brown’s Lip Gloss in Buff, Beige, or Nude, depending on your skin tone. It’s a little pricier than your usual drugstore find, but the color is beautiful and totally worth the splurge.

Slightly Rosy Cheeks:  Put away your bright cheek stains and choose a cheek color that will add a natural flush.  To really get the look of the summer, steer clear of just swiping the blush on the apples of your cheeks, and instead sweep up lightly towards your temples. This gives your face an all over glow that is fresh and rosy.  Try LORAC’s Baked Matte Satin Blush in Exposed.  Read More »

Along with the beautiful summertime weather we are all so freaking excited about comes the not-so-beautiful summertime shine. Not the shine of the gorgeous sun, not the shine of that hot guy’s beach body, but the shine of your oily face. Not. So. Hot.

Oily faces are definitely not cute and leave you feeling gross, dirty, and, well, oily. Not to mention a reflecting surface for camera flashes. But warm weather doesn’t have to mean a slippery face; there is something you can do about it! There are several types of products out there to help with your shine, from anti-shine powder to oil absorbing blotters.

Below are some of my personal favorite products that are easy to carry with you all summer to stay looking matte and fresh. (Smelling fresh, however, is a whole different article…) Read More »

So if you live in a normal part of the country, it’s probably starting to get nice and sunny outside (note to Syracuse: please stop snowing). You’ve brightened up your wardrobe and bought some peep toe pumps, so now it’s time to brighten up your face.

In honor of what April is supposed to bring, and as a reminder to Syracuse to get with the program, I decided to research some bright makeup products to create rosy cheeks, stunning eyes and chase out winter gloom. These goodies are sure add a little spring to your step, so pick em up and dare to be bold!

Bare Escentuals: Destination Ensenada: This kit includes four powdered shadows and comes in a lime green case. The colors can come out muted or super bright if you’re feeling extra springy. The kit includes a rose pink, baby blue, bright green, and a gold/tan hue. It’s like spring in a compact.

Dior 5 Color Spring Bouquet: This palette of spring colors is a little more muted, and includes floral pinks, whites and browns. This is perfect for a daytime spring look that is still bright and fresh.

Benefit Poisetint: This little bottle looks like a nail polish but it is for lips and cheeks. It is a liquid see-through tint that stays on all day. It’s easy to apply and create a warm sun-kissed glow. Read More »