2013 Favorites: Makeup & Nails

2013 was a year that I discovered so many amazing products I know will be in my arsenal for years to come. This includes Burberry Cosmetics, a brand I got my paws into at the beginning of the year and immediately became obsessed. At the end of 2013, Marc Jacobs (specifically their blushes) really stood out to me and will certainly be a line that I'll be diving further into over 2014.Even though the video doesn't contain in depth reviews on these much loved products, it is a great way to get an understanding of who I am as a makeup junkie :)

Products Mentioned:

Foundations/BB Creams

Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15

Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45

Concealers

Maybeline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer Radiant

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Waterproof Concealer

Dior Hydra Life BB Eye Creme

Powders

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder Light Plus

Burberry Sheer Powder No.2

Nars Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder

Bronzing/Contouring

Burberry Warm Glow Nude Glow No. 3

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder Medium

Highlighting
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter SPF 25+ Moonstone
Benefit High Beam

Blush

Jouer Mineral Powder Blush Rose

Nars Blush Douceur

Marc Jacobs Shameless Bold Blush 206 Reckless

Stila Convertible Color Peony

Eyeshadow

Burberry Eye Shadows

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Soft & Sexy Eye Shadow Collection

Laura Mercier Artist Palette (limited edition)

Jouer Creme Eyeshadow Crayon Baroque

Eyeliner

Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner Rue Bonaparte

Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes 19L

Brows

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel

Kevyn Aucoin 'The Precision' Brow Pencil Brunette

Lipstick/Lip Crayon

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipsticks

NYX Black Label Lipsticks

MAC Viva Glam II

L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Balm Tender Mauve

Maybeline Vivids Lipsticks

Nars Lip Pencils

Too Faced La Creme Lipsticks

Lipgloss

MAC Cremesheen Glasses

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Glosses

Lip Liner

Makeup Forever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner Pencils

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils

Nails

Julep Cleopatra (Black Latex)

Dior Vernis Nail Lacquers

Essie Disappearing Trick

Other

Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray

Fragrance

MAC Turquatic

Hope you enjoyed!
Love,
Claire

FOTD: Ox Blood Lashes

Today's look is on a slight twist to an easy every day eye. Over the last couple months this has become my go to look when I'm in need of something flattering, fresh, and work appropriate. The star of the show is YSL's Faux Cils Mascara in No.5 Deep Burgundy. This beautiful mascara not only lengthens and thickens, but gives a slight burgundy tint to lashes. As you can see form the photos below, from certain angles, the color can be seen.

As much as I love this luxury product, the focus is on the color, which can be found on the drugstore market as well. For dark brown eyes, I truly recommend trying this slight variation out. For the rest of the face, I used one of my favorite foundations, the Liole Triple the Solution BB Cream and the Maybeline Dream Lumi Concealer in Radiant under the eyes. As always, I set my under eye concealer with Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder. 

 I did a typical combination of neutrals on the eyes: Maybeline's Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze all as a base, Sigma Command all over the lid, Sigma Publicize on the brow bone and inner corner, and Urban Decay Tease in the crease. I also dusted a little of Sigma Surrender in the outer "V" of the eye. This little Sigma trio that you see above is a free gift with purchase that came with a brush set a couple years ago. I also lined my waterline and lower lash line with the Rimmel ScandalEyes in Brown.

After completing the eyelook, I went back to the face and set my foundation with Burberry's Sheer Powder in Porcelain No. 2, bronzed and contoured with Burberry's Warm Glow in Nude Glow No. 03, and highlighted with Dior Amber Diamond. Finally I dusted MAC's Lured to Love on the cheeks and MAC Viva Glam II on the lips.

Hope you enjoyed!
Love,
Claire

Empties: November 2013

The last day of December and I'm posting my November Empties. I've become such a cliche bad blogger. But I promise, I will not apologize. Empty products and mini reviews are fun to read/watch regardless of when and how long it took to finish the product. Moving on, November was a month of finishing large quantities of key hair styling products while also getting rid of a few products that have been needing to move out of my collection. Products to be missed are the Bumble & bumble prep and the Mario Badescu Keratoplast Cleansing Lotion. Be sure to check out the video below to watch my mini reviews on all the products listed.

Products Mentioned:

Dove Go Fresh Body Mist, Rebalance: Plum & Sakura Blossom
Banana Boat Protect & Hydrate Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50*
Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap "Keep Calm Carve On" (Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin)*
Julep Facial For Hands Glycolic Hand Scrub*
the Balm En Root Moisturize My Hair Shampoo*
Bumble & bumble Color Minded Conditioner
DevaCurl Styling Cream*
Suave Kids Double Dutch Apple Detangling Spray*
Bumble & bumble Prep*
The Healing Garden Cleansing Body Wash Soothing White Tea
H&M Body Butter Coconut Line (discontinued)
Mario Badescu Keratoplast Cleansing Lotion*
Etre Belle Collagen & Aloe Vera Hydro Mask*
Origins Clear Improvement*
Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray*
Maybeline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer Radiant*

Travel/Sample Sizes

Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer
Pureology Hydrate Shampoo*
Pureology Hydrate Conditioner*
L'Oreal EverCreme Intense Nourishing Conditioner*
Number 4 Hair Clarifying Shampoo
St. Ives Ultra Moisturizing Body Wash Oatmeal & Shea Butter
Korres Body Butter Apple Blossom*
Origins Modern Friction*
bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer*

* = will repurchase

Hope you enjoyed!

Love,
Claire

Empties: September 2013

As usual, my empties video is over 20 minutes long! Over the past month I came to the completion of more makeup items than ever before! Make sure to watch the video linked below to see mini reviews of all the products I finished up over the month of September. Many favorites went into the recycle bin, but of course there were many that I will never purchase again.

Products Mentioned:

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap Malibu Citrus (discontinued)*

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap Pacific Blue (discontinued)*

Butter London Acetone Free Lacquer Remover Sergeant Peppermint (discontinued)*

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo & Conditioner*
Kiehl's Extra Strength Conditioning Rinse for Dry or Damaged Hair*
LUSH Jasmine & Henna Fluff Eaze Hair Treatment*
Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream*
Lush Sympathy for the Skin Hand & Body Lotion*
Thymes Garden Alchemy Rosemary Sage Shower Gel
REN Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm*
Origins Ginger Float Cream Bubble Bath*
Bioderma Crealine H2O Micelle Solution*
Lumene Sensitive Touch Gentle Cleansing Wipes
Chanel Lift Lumiere Firming & Smoothing Fluid Makeup SPF 15*
MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder Light*
Boscia Skin Perfecting Primer (discontinued)
Stila Lip Glaze Fantasy (discontinued)*
Maybeline Eye Studio Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner Black
MAC False Lashes Extreme Black*
Buxom Lash
CoverGirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara

Travel/Sample Sizes:

L'Occitane Aromachologie Soothing Shampoo*
Tresemme Moisture Rich, Vitamin E Conditioner for Dry or Damaged Hair
Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Heat Protect Spray
Oscar Blandi Pronto Texture & Volume Spray
Orofluido Elixer*
Shikai Borage Therapy Advanced Formula Fragrance Free
Grecian Oil Body Lotion (x4)
Kiehl's Nashi Blossom & Pink Grapefruit Hand & Body Lotion*
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil*
Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Lotion
Origins Blade Runner Energizing Shave Cream*
Kiehl's Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish*
Evian Mineral Water Spray To Go*
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamin C Collagen Booster*
Perricone MD Blue Plasma*
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser (x2)*
Dior Instant Gentle Cleansing Oil
bareMinerals Active Cell Renewal Night Serum*
Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed*
Bliss Triple Oxygen + C Energizing Cream*
Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+*

Lancome Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30 High-Potency Vitamin Enriched Daily Moisturizing Cream*

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye*

Lancome La Base Pro Perfecting Makeup Primer

Too Faced Shadow Insurance*

Paco Rabanne Lady Million Eau de Parfum Spray*

* = I would repurchase

Hope you enjoy!

FOTD 3-13-13

I thought I would start a new series here on the blog. Face of the Days aren't new friends with blogs, but definitely new to The Makeup Architect. I think they are great ways for me to share the makeup that I'm using, and a way for me to share mini reviews on the products I'm trying out. Let me know what you guys think and if I should continue with these kinds of posts. Hopefully yes, because I thought it was so fun to do!

For the look I first started out by smoothing the Hourglass No. 28 Primer Serum all over my face. I'm enjoying this product sample, but not enough to shell out the money, it's good, but not life changing. After letting that set and sink in, I used my trusty Chanel Lift Lumiere Foundation in Ivoire (14). This is one of my favorite (and most expensive) foundations. It gives a beautiful satin finish and the medium coverage, buildable foundation lasts all day (the plastic packaging is obviously not very durable).

To cover the dark circles under my eyes and the redness around my nose I used my MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW 20. This is a full coverage and very blendable long-lasting product. My only complaints are the smell and the over zealous pump dispenser, otherwise its perfect for those of us with those genetic deep purple under eyes. To ensure that there would be no creasing and migrating into the fine lines under my eyes, I used the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil to set the concealer. To cover my blemishes and scars, my favorite is the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW 20, it doesn't budge all day once it's been set with powder; this time was my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.

MAC's Bare Study Paint Pot served as the perfect base for the star of the show, my new Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow in Rosewood. This is THE ultimate in luxury eyeshadows. There is no going back now that I've tried this shadow, it has reset my standards for the possibilities of makeup; over dramatic much? I placed rosewood all over the lid, into the crease, and took it under the eye. I used The Balm shadows from the Nudetude Palette; Sultry to blend out the crease and Sassy on the brow bone as as inner corner highlight. Finally, a little brown eyeliner, Nars Laguna as a contour, Tarte Magic on the cheeks, Revlon Coral Reef on the lips, and Covergirl Clump Crusher Waterproof on the lashes.

This has been my go-to-lookfor a while now and I am absolutely in love with it!

Hope you guys enjoyed!
Love,
Claire

Favorites: February 2013

Another month, another favorites video. This time around I had a lot more makeup bits than normal since I've been experimenting a bit more with different eye looks. I'm pretty settled in my skincare but there were still a few bits that I received as samples that really impressed me as well. Make sure to watch the video below to get a better and more detailed description of each product!

Products Mentioned:

The Balm Meet Matt(e) Nude Eyeshadow Palette

MAC All That Glitters

Maybeline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Amethyst

Nars Brozing Powder in Laguna

Mac Brush 109

Benefit Bella Bamba

Origins VitaZing

Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Repair Eye Serum

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs & Rosewater

Hope you guys enjoyed!

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

Favorites: January 2013

January, a cold and dry month when the heat is blasting and your skin can get dry and flaky. We decided to escape the weather and took a trip to Costa Rica and Panama. Thus, not only was I using products to combat the cold, but I busted out the sunscreens and travel essentials as well. 

Make sure to check out the video below to see full descriptions on why I've been loving these products recently. Also, the list of products is also a list of links of where to find the products mentioned online.

Products Mentioned:

Chi Orbit Ceramic Curling Wand

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil

Lancome Comforting Creamy Foaming Cleanser

Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Cinnamon Kiss

Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie

Jouer Essential Lip Enhancer

Covergirl Clump Crusher Water Resistant Mascara

Maybeline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner in Black

Maybeline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Bad To The Bronze

Laura Mercier Hand Cream in Creme Brûlée

Hope you enjoy!

Love, 

Claire

Empties: August 2012

As you can probably tell, all these videos and posts that are going up seem a little late. I have recently changed from an older blog to this one (my new baby), and will be posting from here on out. However, I really love a lot of my old posts and videos. So I am currently in the process of transferring everything over and reuploading onto the new youtube channel. Unfortunately I skipped over my August Empties and now have to back track. So here is my post and video on the products that I finished over the month of August in 2012. Hope you enjoy and thanks for your patience!

If you are unfamiliar with Empties posts/videos, its just an easy way for one to share their opinions on products they have completely used and whether they would repurchase that product or not. I hope you guys enjoy.

Click read more to see mini review on each of the products (as well as links)