Top 5: High End Powder Blushes

Another new series to begin here on The Makeup Architect and on the accompanying YouTube channel, Top 5. In this series I will pick a category, i.e. high end powder blushes, select my top 5, and talk away about why they are so fantastic and how they've changed my life. This is serious business. This time around powder blushes hit the stage. Hope you guys enjoyed and let me know if you have any ideas for what other categories would be of interest; eyeshadow bases, eyeliners, lip treatments, foot creams, hair masks, or anything you can think of!

Products Mentioned:

Nars Douceur

Tarte Exposed

Lorac Exposed

Laura Mercier Lush Nectarine

Nars Gaiety

Hope you enjoyed!

Love, 

Claire

Empties: February 2013

Just because there are fewer days in February, it does not mean that I will finish fewer products. Really though, the addiction has not faltered and I still finished an entire bag of products over the month of February. Yes, many of the products took months of use, but still, I have a problem. Regardless, here are the products that I finished over the month of February.

Products Mentioned:

Red Flower Italian Blood Orange Cleansing Hand Soap*
Softsoap Deep Cleansing Sea Mineral Hand Soap*
Home & Body Company Olive Leaf Oil Oil Hand Soap in Lavender Vanilla*
Klorane Soothing Make-Up Removing Wipes with Cornflower Water
Boscia Restorative Amino 3-P Firming Treatment
Walgreens Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
Pixi Waterproof Makeup Remover
Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner*
Origins Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger Body Scrub*
Zoya Remove+ Nail Polish Remover*
Studio 35 Beauty Regular Nail Polish Remover Pads*
Julep One-Step Polish Remover Packette (x3)
Lush The Enchanter Bath Bomb*
Lush Father Christmas Bath Bomb*
Lush Cinders Bath Bomb*
Lush Snow Globe Bath Bomb*
Studio 35 Beauty Premium Cotton Rounds
Sensodyne Full Protection plus Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste*
Vitafusion Vitamin D3, 2000 IU Gummy Vitamins*
Crystal Peel Vitamin E Lip Therapy*

Sample/Travel Sizes:

Ahava Deadsea Water Mineral Hand Cream
Lorac Tantalizer Body Bronzing Lumenizer in Deep*
Algenist Overnight Restorative Cream*
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream*
bareMinerals Advanced Protection SPF 20 Moisterizer
Kiehl's Amino Acid Conditioner*
Bumble & Bumble Color Minded Conditioner*
Cristophe Denise Richards Volume Extend Finishing Spray*
Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Eau de Toilette (x2)*
Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum*
Coach Poppy Eau de Parfum (x2)
Hanae Mori Eau de Parfum
L'Occitaine Almond Shower Oil*
Skin & Co. Roma Bagnodoccia D'Olivia Cleansing Body Gel with Olive & Sicilian Orange Extract*
Aveeno Daily Moisterizing Lotion
Korres Body Butter Basil Lemon*
MAC Zoom Lash Mascara

* = I would repurchase

Holy Crap!
Love,
Claire

Get Ready With Me # 2: Date Night

A soft look for an evening out with your boo.

This video shows not only how I like to get ready for a date night, but also how I like to use pink eyeshadows. A color that many times can make you look sickly, I like to use the warm toned pinks to create a soft and romantic look. In this look I used only the Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadows that I am absolutely in love with. I used both the Star Treatment Palette (that I picked up around the holidays) and the Next Big Thing Quad (from the most recent collection). With a little black eyeliner and a pink lip, this look is not too bold so that your date won't be looking at your makeup all night long.

Products Used:

Hourglass No 28 Primer Serum

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Jouer Lip Enhancer

Jemma Kidd Mineral Skin Nourishing Tint SPF 20 in 02 Cameo

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW 20

Bare Minerals Minral Veil

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow in Bragging Rights (The Star Treatment Palette)

Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow in Smash Hit (The Next Big Thing Palette)

Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow in Ensemble (The Next Big Thing Palette)

Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow in Rising Star (The Next Big Thing Palette)

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Blackest Black

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Pencil in Jet

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium Deep

Lorac Baked Matte Satin Blush in Exposed

MAC Fix +

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss - True Color in Fame

Empties: November 2012

The ridiculous amount of products that I went through this month was overwhelming. I am moving in the middle of December so I made it my life goal to finish as many half-used product as I could find in my beauty cabinet. In the process of doing this I found some new loves and remembered why I stopped using some products the first time around. 

Product Mentioned:

Bioderma Crealine H2O Ultra Mild Non-Rinse Face & Eye Cleanser*

Exuviance Gentle Cleansing Creme*

Kiehl's Cucumber Herbal Alcohol Free Toner*

J.R. Watkins Sugar & Shea Body Scrub, Grapefruit

2x Love & Toast Persimmon Plum Sugar Scrub*

Bliss Fat Girl Scrub

Pure Spring Strawberry Pomegranate Bath & Shower Gel

LUSH Almond & Coconut Shower Smoothie*

c. Booth Lavender Mineral Bath Soak*

Burt's Bees Therapeutic Bath Crystals*

Tresemme  Tres Two Hair Spray*

Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel*

H&M Coconut Lime Body Lotion

Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes

Butter London 'Powder Room' Acetone-Free Lacquer Remover*

Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash*

Crest Pro-Health Complete, Fresh Mint*

Caltrate Calcium & Vitamin D Gummy Bites

Target Up & Up Adult Gummy Vitamins*

Walgreens Cotton Swabs

Studio 35 Premium Cotton Rounds*

Clarisonic Sensitive Brush Head*

Sensodyne Pronamel Fluoride Toothpaste Gentle Whitening*

Lorac Multiplex 3D Lashes Volumizing & Thickening Mascara

Ulta Voluptuous Volume Mascara

MAC Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Sundipped (Hey Sailor! Collection)*

Samples/Travel Size:

Lancome BI-FACIL Double Action Eye Makeup Remover*

Arcona White Tea Purifying Cleanser

Red Flower Bioactive Berry White Peat Exfoliant

Love & Toast Clementine Crush Shower Creme*

Pharmacopia Citrus Body Wash*

Shikai Color Reflect Daily Moisture Conditoner*

Shikai Color Reflect Deep Shampoo*

Julep Best Pedi-Creme Ever!*

Ahava Dead Sea Mud Dermud Intensive Foot Cream

Kiehl's Sunflower Color Preserving Shampoo*

Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Deeply Reparative Hair Pak*

Marvis Whitening Mint Toothpaste*

Colgate Total Care Toothpaste

2x Sephora Instant Moisterizer*

Dermadoctor KP Duty*

Dermadoctor KP Duty Intensive Priming Serum

Laura Mercier Flawless Face Polish*

vbeaute Eye Never Nourishing Eye Cream*

H20+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment*

Thierry Mugler Alien Eau de Parfum

Kenzo Flower Eau de Parfum

Lancome La Base Pro Perfecting Makeup Primer*

Liole 3D Skin Fix Makeup Base

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer*

Miracle Skin Transformer 'Vanish' Instant Imperfection Corrector

Miracle Skin Transformer

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum

Stila In The Light Eye Palette*

Bare Minerals Stroke of Light Eye Brightener

Anastasia Brow Gel*

* = I would repurchase

Hope you enjoyed!

Favorites: November 2012

Another month, another favorites video. A little skin care and a few makeup products. These videos are great opportunity for me to share my favorite products of the moment. Hope you enjoy!

Products Mentioned:

Liole Triple the Solution BB Cream

MAC I'm The One 

Lorac Soul

Pixi Flawless Finishing Powder: No. 0 Translucent 

REN Clear Calm 3 Replenishing Night Serum

Laura Mercier Flawless Face Polish

Tarina Tarantino Hyperlight Brightening Pen

Lancome Definicils High Definition Mascara

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss: Tease

MAC Rebel

MAC Wedge

Nails Inc. Basil St. 

Julep Demi (I said the wrong name in the video)

Hope you enjoy!

Love, 

Claire