Brand Focus: Make Up For Ever by Trisha S.

Hey Girls!

I finally got a break from makeup school to check out a cool new brand! Here's the low-down on Make Up For Ever, available at your local Sephora.

As much as I love MAC Eyeshadows, there are a few colors that I just was not able to find in the permanent line up. So, being the impatient makeup junkie that I am, I decided to venture out and see what I could find to satisfy my color craving. That’s when I discovered Make Up For Ever. I had been eyeing the brand for some time at Sephora but hadn’t really looked too hard until one day…. That’s the day I fell in love!! Here is a review of a few of the colors I purchased along with swatches. I hope you like them too!

#168 is a shimmery green with some blue undertones to it. It is not quite aqua and you can see the blue more when you move it around. The shimmer is subtle, definitely not chunky glitter or anything like that.

#311 is a diamond shadow which means that it is more shiny than the shadows you find in the regular line. #311 is a dark burgundy color with shimmer. I actually did not find this color to be any more sparkly than #168 or any of the other shimmers I have. The texture is awesome though. Very soft!!

#79 is a very dark almost black purple. It is supposed to have shimmer to it but it is very subtle and you really have to look for it. This is one MUFE shadow that I do not like the texture of.

#75 is a matte hot pink. There really are no words to describe how much I love this color! It is the perfect shade of hot pink and the texture is surprisingly soft for a matte shadow.

#99 is a matte scarlet red. This red is not too orange and not too much of a blue red. It’s just a great shade of plain old red. Very soft in texture as well.

#92 is a matte vibrant purple. I love this color as well. It is a little on the blue side of the purple spectrum but it so bright and can be layered well with other shades of purple for the most awesome purple smoky eye ever!!!

#169 is iridescent anthracite (whatever that is). To me it is just the ideal color for layering with #92 for that dark smoke eye! It is a dark charcoal base with tons of sparkle in it!!

#171 is a sparkly acid green which is almost yellow green but with more green. It kinda reminds me of a ripe Granny Smith apple all polished up!! I find this color to be not as pigmented as some but with a few layers it’s beautiful!!

So next time your at Sephora, stop at the MUFE display and check it out for yourself!

WARNING: Some of these colors will STAIN your eyelids if you do not use a base!! Even with a base they can still leave a faint stain!!

MAC Holiday Sets Review by Reana S.

Hey Ladies!

The weather is cooling, the leaves are changing, and the holiday season has officially kicked off! Has anyone stopped by a local MAC store or counter to see the new holiday sets? I had the chance to preview these great sets ahead of time and have some thoughts to share with you! The holidays are all about gift GIVING (not getting, sorry ladies!) and these kits were designed with that intention, but we all know that gift giving can wear out the wallet if you don't plan and stick to a budget! As such, my review will involve a lot of price/value discussion. There are 4 collections of holiday sets to choose from, priced at a range to suit everyone on your list...

The least expensive sets are the Lip Kits, priced at $22.50 each. One set, Heavenly Dish, contains three lip colors (two lipsticks and one gloss) in neutral tones and the other, Possessed by Pink! contains three pink tones. The packaging is cute and is priced perfectly for a $25 and under gift exchange but if I had the choice for myself, I'd rather pay $14 for a full lipstick that doesn't require a brush or unsanitary finger dunk application!

Next in price are the four eyeshadow palettes, each containing 6 shades and priced at $36. Devil May Dare is a warm, neutral palette, Mystic has cool colors, Smoke & Mirrors is a non-traditional smoky-eye palette, and Sorceress has some fun n' funky colors to play around with. These are great gifts for someone who needs more color variety or who is trying to build their collection. These palettes fit easily into a purse or makeup bag, for quick and easy makeup application on the go. The colors are very similar to the holiday collection from last year, but I know they are useful because I always pack my two palettes from last year when I am travelling! They are so well-packaged and so not prone to breaking.

MAC has added face kits this year, priced at $38 and containing three fun face products. The Hocus Focus colorful is great for lighter skin tones, while the Fabracadabra kit is better for warmer, darker skin tones that want to look sun-kissed bronzy. Both kits contain a product that can be used to contour, a blush, and a highlighter. Again, a great gift for someone who needs to bump up their beauty routine! I actually like both sets for myself, as they are once again really conveniently packaged and saves me the hassle of packing the three individual products into my purse, makeup bag, or travel makeup bag. This is one of my favorite sets this holiday season, so I highly recommend checking it out for yourself and a friend!

Next up are four bag sets, each priced at $36 also. Two sets contain lip products (a mini liner, mini Dazzleglass, and full sized lipstick), and two sets contain eye glam (a mini Zoomlash mascara, mini eyeliner brush, full-sized Fluidline, and full-sized pigment). Each set houses its products in a cute, tiny bag with a huge bow and button. I liked these sets but they aren't very big for the price. The value is good, however, as one MAC pigment is $20 and Fluidline is $14. Its a nice little gift if you know someone who really wants these items, but otherwise I personally feel your $36 could be spent on a bigger, more impressive gift. Just my opinion though!

Now we have some fabulous brush sets, priced at $49.50 and each containing 5 "key" brushes in a miniature size. These sets come in a very pretty, larger case that can be re-used as a pencil case, or clutch maybe! The quality of these brushes are better than the usual MAC special-edition brushes and so is the selection. The favorite seems to be the Wave of a Wand set, which contains a foundation, blush/powder, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and contour brush. This is a great gift for the $50 and under list and is definitely worth the money.

The most expensive and "exclusive" gift set is the Exclusives Mineralize Sets, each priced at $59.50. There are two, one pink and one bronze, and each contain a mini kabuki brush, mineralize eye shadow, mineralize blush, and mineralize skin finish. Both sets are absolutely beautiful and make a great gift for your favorite friend!

Last but certainly not least, MAC has released a special Viva Glam lip set for the holidays. The set contains two lipsticks and one gloss from the Viva Glam collection and is priced at $22.50. The best part of this set is that the entire purchase price, $22.50, goes to the MAC AIDS Fund. Nothing says holiday spirit like giving to such a worthy cause, and for us to buy this set is actually like giving two gifts. I highly recommend picking this up to benefit the MAC AIDS Fund and surprise a friend, all for less than $25!

That concludes our MAC Holiday set wrap-up, I hope you found this post to be helpful and informative in your holiday gift giving decisions! Good luck and happy shopping ladies!

Love,

Reana

Makeup Academy Finale! by Trisha S.

Hey Girls!

Well, I have some great news! I made it through Makeup Academy!! This class was so much fun and very educational! I am almost sad that it is over because I made some good friends. The one good thing about it being over is that I can finally sleep in on Saturdays!!

The first order of business when I arrived to our last day was the dreaded final exam!! 100 questions about everything we had learned over the 9 week period! Of course, I aced it. Next we waited for our models. Mine got stuck in traffic so while everyone else was already starting, I was waiting…. Finally she arrived and it was time to get down to business and put my skills to work! My model was very pale, redhead, freckles, and blue eyes. She is super gorgeous and very sweet on top of that! We had a lot of fun talking about life while I applied her concealer, foundation, powder, blush, and eyeshadow for the day/natural look.

Let me just say that natural is not my forte so it took me a while to get this down just right. I practiced on my neighbor and myself for three days before the shoot. After the natural look was applied, we took a lunch break and then drove over to the studio where the photos would be taken. We had about 10 minutes to retouch the face and apply lipstick and gloss before the shoot.

After the day shoot we had to go back and bump up the look for evening. I chose to apply only one eyeshadow over the existing shadow to make it easier on myself. I applied a different color lipstick, some pink gloss, pumped up the blush, and we were set!!

After the evening shoot we were presented with our certificates and had our class picture taken. It was so much fun! I had such a great time and learned so much. I already have my picture back from the photo shoot and they will be posted in our Gallery this weekend. Be sure to check out www.reanamation.com for the finished pictures!

Love,

Trisha

Product Focus: Primer by Reana S.

Hey Divas!

Have you ever wondered what the heck makeup primer actually is or does? Has anyone at Nordstrom ever tried to sell you an expensive primer without actually explaining its use? I neglected using primer for many years because of the price and a lack of understanding of its use. As I have developed as a makeup artist though, I have began to rely on primer for that perfect, flawless photo-finish. After using primer in my makeup artistry work, I have seen its amazing results and have decided to try it for myself. I have since tried the three most popular primers on the market, Korres Silicone Free Primer, MAC Prep + Prime Face Primer, and Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. Here is my review of each product...

Korres Silicone-Free Face Primer

$28 for 1.1 oz, available only at Sephora

This is a very popular formula because it does not contain any silicone, parabens, or sulfates. I personally find the product to be a bit expensive, but just had to try it after reading the great reviews. I use a MAC 190 brush to apply the primer all over my face, after moisturizing and before applying any makeup. The results of this product are bittersweet. I sadly did not notice any difference in the way my makeup looks and lasts on my face. I do see an overall smoother application, but not the flawless, photo-finish look that I have seen with other primers. I did, however, notice a difference in the quality and condition of my skin. This primer seems to have helped lessen breakouts, most likely because it does not contain silicone (which clogs pores) and because it provides a barrier/protective layer between my skin and makeup. This means that my makeup won't get absorbed into my skin and my pores won't get clogged. So, eh...its a cool product I guess. I'm neither impressed nor depressed!

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

$36 for 1 oz. available at Sephora and some department stores

This product is always popular in beauty magazines and for photo shoots. Many makeup artists swear by it, and the secret being out has led many consumers to purchase the product as well. I got a free sample at Sephora and was later given a full-size by a Smashbox brand representative. First and foremost, the product is very heavy and sticky. It contains a generous amount of silicone, which gives the appearance of flawless, camera-ready skin but can also clog pores. I will admit that I really didn't like the way that this product felt on my face, but absolutely loved the photo-finish that it gave me. Problem being, I had plenty of little blemishes on my face before the end of the day. My skin is usually blemish-free so this was NOT a good experience for me. My overall conclusion of the product is that its good but expensive. It does what it promises but leaves you with a nasty consequence. I would recommend using this product once in a great while, when you know you will be under heavy lighting or taking pictures. It is probably more economic to just snag a free sample at Sephora (the ladies there will give you one if you ask nicely!) whenever you are anticipating an occasion, or schedule a makeup application with Reanamation Studios who keeps the product handy!

MAC Prep + Prime Skin

$25 for 1 oz. available at MAC stores and counters

This primer is a good happy-medium in the sense that it does not have an overwhelming amount of silicone but does have enough to do the job of providing you with a smooth, even surface to apply your makeup. I call this product "colorless foundation" because it smoothes over your blemishes, fills in lines, and fills empty pores as well as a foundation does, without the hassle or cost of color-matching through the seasons. This product does contain silicone so there is some possibility of pore-clogging, though I have not had any bad experiences with blemishes. This primer costs the least of the three, and is eligible for the Back 2 MAC Recycling program, where you can collect 6 empty products and trade them in for a free specified MAC product (see our previous post!).

Bottom Line?

I highly recommend primer and love using it every single day now. It is great to use the MAC primer with some simple MSFN powder and just be DONE for the day! I recommend using the Korres primer if you have problem skin and the MAC primer if your skin is usually worry-free. The Smashbox Primer is nice if you're into it, but I recommend getting a sample to try first. I hope you enjoyed this review! Until next time...

Love,

Reana

Makeup Academy Weeks 7 & 8 by Trisha S.

Hey Girls!

With the end of makeup academy rapidly approaching, things have been hectic! Not only with makeup life, but with personal life as well. Weeks 7 and 8 were short weeks for me because of the preparations for the final exam and photo shoot. In Week 7 we talked about eyebrows and mascara. Let’s look at eyebrows first.

When measuring your eyebrow, you are going to use two things, your nose and your eye. Your eyebrow should start evenly with the bridge of your nose. Your arch should be even with the outside of your pupil closest to your temple. Lastly, the eyebrow should end diagonally with the end of your nose and end of your eye. You can use a pencil or makeup brush to help you align the eyebrow.

There are two types of cosmetics that are made to help you fill in the shape of your brow: Pencils and powders. Pencils are preferred for the correction techniques of the eyebrow. Make sure the pencil point is sharp and start by drawing little “hairs” in the direction of the natural growth of the hair. Powders are used to fill in empty space in the brow but are not recommended for corrections.

Now, onto mascara. The purpose of mascara is to give color to the lashes and make them appear fuller. You can also use mascara to help blend artificial lashes to natural lashes. The most common type of mascara is the wand type. There is also a cake type and a crème. The cake type is activated with water but is not waterproof. The technique for this type of mascara is a little hard and a specific brush is needed.

In Week 8 we briefly touched on evening makeup. There are several things to consider when doing evening makeup. What is the event for, what are you wearing, and what type of lighting the event is in. These factors all play a role in what type of makeup to apply. Most people do not wear glitter everyday, unless you’re me and don’t care!! But in evening makeup, glitters and iridescent colors are most acceptable. After we talked about evening makeup, it was the end of our last class!! We had a model call to choose our models for the photo shoot and then reviewed everything we had learned for the big test that we would have the next week.

Stay tuned to hear all about the photo shoot!

Love,

Trisha

New MAC Mascara! by Reana S.

Hey Divas!

Are any of you girls fans of MAC mascara? Well I definitely am! I have tried tons and tons of mascaras, from both the drug stores and department stores, and always end up back at MAC! I love every single mascara MAC makes, some more than others, but they are all good quality formulas, last a long time, and are moderately priced.

MAC recently released their newest mascara, Zoom Fast Black Lash. This new mascara is the same formula and brush as MAC's tried and true Zoom Lash; the only difference is the color of the formula. The new Zoom Fast Black Lash is very highly pigmented black, making your lashes darker and sexier. I of course scooped up the new mascara the minute it came out and have been using it for about two weeks now.

Zoom Lash is my favorite mascara so I had pretty high expectations, but the new Zoom Fast did not impress me. I did notice a slight difference in color, but my lashes are naturally black so the difference was not outstanding. I still love the Zoom Lash formula so the new mascara is still a great mascara, but I'm not a die hard fan sorry!

Bottom line? The new Zoom Fast Black Lash is a great formula, has an excellent brush, and overall is a great mascara but I didn't need to rush to try the new formula to find this out. It is a great mascara for you to buy and try next time you need a new mascara and I highly recommend it, even though for me personally it didn't excite.

How do you like this new addition to the MAC Mascara family?? Let us know!

Love,

Reana

Product Focus: Cream Eyeshadow by Trisha S.

Reanamation Studios is starting two new post series: Product Focus and Brand Focus. Our Brand Focus posts will talk about a specific brand and put it in the spotlight for the entire post. What do we like or dislike about this brand? What are the price points? What products MUST you have and what can you probably skip? Product Focus will take a particular product, usually one that is a bit unordinary, and talk about our experience with it from different angles including brands, consistencies, colors, textures, and ease of use. You have already read Reana's Rock & Republic Brand Focus and now it is time for our very first Product Focus, a review of Cream Eyeshadow by our very own Trisha! Hope you enjoy, and feel free to e-mail us through our website to suggest a brand or product for our review.

Cream eyeshadows… if you’re like me, you either love ‘em, or you don’t!! I have long been a cream eyeshadow skeptic so I decided to put a few popular brands to the test.

Too Faced: This line of cream Shadows is called Lockdown, and I must say... it’s true! These creams are smooth and easy to work with. They stayed with me for HOURS and no creasing! I was amazed! I like to use these as a base and then use some eyeshadow over them to get the wild looks I adore!

Dramarama: Dark Brown. Chocolate brown with a coppery gold shimmer

Bondage: Light Brown. Gold with gold shimmer

Bedroom Eyes: Medium Brown. Tan with gold shimmer

Prisoner of Love: Pink. Medium pink with shimmer

Jail Bait: Light Pink. Very pale pink with shimmer

I’m Guilty: Aqua Blue. Beautiful shade of aqua with silvery shimmer

I would love to see some more colors in this line because as of now, there are only six and three of them are brown shades and two of the six are pink.

Urban Decay: These cream shadows are also amazing! I love the wide range of colors that are available and the staying power that I got from them. There are twelve colors to choose from so I am sure there is one just for you!! I only swatched seven of them because my hand was running out of room and the lady at the store was watching me like a hawk!! LOL!!

Sphynx: Light pink with iridescent and silver glitter

Moonshine: Pale silver, almost white, with silver glitter

Asphalt: Black with tons of shine. Silver and iridescent glitter in his made it my favorite almost instantly!

Radium: Metallic blue with lots of shine

Midnight Rodeo: Pinkish gold with lots of silver glitter

Grass: Super shiny, metallic grass green. I love greens and this one is awesome!

Delinquent: Purple with tons of shine! This is a metallic shadow and the purple is kinda on the dark side but not real dark.

The colors are super pigmented and since there is such a wide variety, you don’t need to use eyeshadow with them. I found it helped me if I put a little foundation or powder on my eyelids before applying them. This helped with the creasing which I only got if I wore them for 10 or more hours.

Benefit: I have heard so many good things about these “Creaseless Cream Shadows” that I HAD to run out and get some. I found them to be super soft and very easy to work with. That was as far as my WOW went. There are 16 shades to choose from but most of them are fairly similar. Pinks, corals, and golds, with a few dark colors thrown in.

I loved “Skinny Jeans” so much that it almost broke my heart to return it. It was a soft grey with gold, red, and green glitter in it! It made the perfect base for a sultry smoky eye which is one of my favorite looks.

I tried three times to make this stuff work for me and failed each time. At the end of the day... creases. Now I don’t like to be negative about products but here’s the fact. If it says creaseless in the name, then I expect it to be creaseless! I tried setting it with powder, tried using a primer, and tried putting it over foundation or powder. Each time I was disappointed.

Hopefully these tips help you in your decision to use, buy, and try cream eyeshadow. I had fun testing all of the products and hope you stay in touch with me at trisha.reanamation@gmail.com. I would love to hear of any success stories and how you made it work for you!!

Love,

Trisha

Updates! by Reanamation Studios

Hey Beauty Buffs!

Has anyone noticed that we've been out of touch lately? Sorry about that! We have been very busy updating our precious website,

www.reanamation.com

for the Fall 2009 season. Make sure to check out the site for all kinds of new photos of our work, both professional and fun. We will resume blogging this week, sharing with you news and updates about the new MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash mascara, Dazzleglass Cremes, DSquared launch, Holiday launch, and Trisha's final weeks in Makeup Academy. Be sure to visit us often so you don't miss a beat!

Love,

Reanamation Studios