(Edit: heh maybe not the best choice of a first picture to go along with a post titled "tons of goodies", oh well lol)

So I picked up a bunch of stuff tonight and I’m super excited! I wanted to share all the goodies I got, and I’d love to hear any comments that you might have on anything.

Image 1

Picked up some Pixi Glow Tonic, L’Oreal True Match in Light Ivory W2, and WnW Photofocus foundation in soft ivory. I’m not 100% pleased with how my Revlon Colorstay is sitting on my skin, so I wanted to try a few more drugstore items before jumping to something higher end. I’ve heard great things about the glow tonic, but tbh I’m a little nervous to start it!

Image 2

Got a few items from Amazon, this brush set that has a 4.8-star review with over 6,200 votes (for only $14!) and this liquid nail tape to make painting my nails easier, since I’m getting into that a little more. I haven’t used the brushes yet, but they’re super fluffy and soft!

Image 3

On the third try, I finally managed to get the “buy 5 random shadows for $4” from Juvia’s Place last week. Can’t believe how quickly it shipped! I got Taj, Carlota, Nia (three shimmers), Empress, and Ethiopa (two mattes). I’m glad I didn’t get any duplicates, and while green isn’t something I’d normally wear, I think the colors are all pretty and I’m excited to try out the formula (this is my first time getting their shadows).

Image 4-6

I couldn’t resist getting the $20 mystery box from Too Faced last week. I got a sample of BTS mascara (already have one, unfortunately), a Perfect Eyes eyeliner, a Size Queen mascara (the picture doesn’t do it justice, the wand is flipping huge), La crème lipstick (in a neon hot pink lol), and the peanut butter and jelly palette. Given that the palette alone is $36, I’m pretty happy! I would have liked to have received the Just Peachy Mattes palette, but that one’s $46, so it might not even qualify. Plus I’d rather have the jelly palette than the honey one. 😊

Image 7

Ipsy bag this month – unknown brush (very fluffy!), INT cosmetics shadow in Goddess Gold (not magnetic?? Kind of a bummer lol), trufora triple action exfoliator, and a Tarte Sex Kitten liner sample. I see what people mean about black eyeliner and subscription boxes, I got one from Ipsy last month lol.

Image 8/9

Boxycharm this month – PUR eyeshadow palette (check out that blue!!), The Vintage cosmetic company smokey eye brush set, South Mane eye gel packs, Butter London double decker mascara (so much mascara lol), Pretty Vulgar blush in Blush Hush. I see what people mean (again lol) about Pretty Vulgar packaging; it’s cute, but pretty bulky!

Image 10

Colourpop – I’ve been hoping for a “sorry shipping took so long here’s a free gift”! The red metallic lipstick is pretty bright red for me, but it might make a pretty good topper. I wanted to take advantage of the “get 4 single pressed shadows, get a free magnetic palette” deal, so I got (from left to right) Snake Eyes, High Strung, Glass Bull, and Tea Garden. I also got the “Passing Notes” super shock shadows set, since I don’t have any SSS yet and it was on sale. They feel so smooth, almost wet!

Image 11

I was chatting with someone from another sub and mentioned that I’d only tried one foundation. I guess she had a bunch that she doesn’t use anymore, and asked if I’d like to try them. I of course gratefully accepted, but was SUPER pleasantly surprised when the box had a ton of stuff in it, in addition to the foundations!! I don’t actually have any contour products yet, so that palette will be fun to try, and I’ve been meaning to try the WnW setting spray. Most of the foundations look to be about the right shade, though a couple are too light or too dark, so I might try mixing though.

Yay stuff!!! Now that I have so much stuff I haven’t tried, I have NO reason to buy anything else…no reason at all… 😊

Its really hard to tell what your makeup looks like in this shot because of the downward angle and the hair over the face. I'd recommend posting one where there are less shadows and we can see the eyes and eyebrows more since it will allow everyone to see things better to give you better feedback. Eyebrows in particular are essential for framing the face and one of the hardest things to get right but with the hair in the way there's no way to see them well to really give good feedback. The little bit I can see looks very light so you might want to look into getting into brow products to darken it up and shape it. For a cheap starter brow kit to practice with the ELF brow kit is really good and only $3. I still use that one because my brows are dark enough that I don't need too much but if you have lighter/sparser brows you might like something better. Right now the contrast between the light brows and dark hair is pretty stark. Here is a good tutorial for filling in/shaping brows for someone with fair skin and dark hair.

Again its hard to tell about eye makeup but it kind of looks like you've done some smudgy soft brown liner but again the angle makes it hard to tell. I can see that your eyelashes appear really light so I'd definitely recommend a black mascara. Maybelline has really good mascaras if you are looking for something cheap to start with. Curling eyelashes and applying mascara does a lot to open up the eyes and make your whole face brighter, especially if you have very light eyelashes (mine are blonde so I know the struggle).

It looks like you have a hooded eye shape which means that when your eyes are open most of your lid is hidden and tucked into the crease of your eye. Mine are slightly hooded so my eyelids don't show much. Its a bit tricker to work with but you can still do a ton.

Here's a good easy every day tutorial for a similar eye shape. I love the Shade and Light Eye palette that she uses in the video but its a more expensive item and while it is well worth it you might want to look for similar colors from the drugstore. But this should give you are visual for something you could do.

Liner is tough for your eye shape. I find that it makes a big difference on me but you have to be able to apply the line very thin or it will take over the entire lid space that is visible when your eyes are open. This just takes a lot of practice.

Having a good set of brushes helps too. I am in LOVE with this set from Lamora Beauty. They're cheap but great quality and have just about every type of basic eye brush you could ever need.

Your skin looks really beautiful. Only suggestion would be a bit of blush and maybe some color to your lips. The first youtuber I posted has similar coloring to you. She wears kind of mauvey tones for her more natural looks so you could try and find something similar to this, I think that would look nice on you.

If you like something more colorful then go for that too but its always good to master a neutral basic look and then branch out. Hopefully this helps.

UNDER-EYE AREA + CONCEALER

• PUFFINESS: If your eyes are puffy or something you can hold something cold over them (a spoon that's been in the fridge for a bit is a popular choice) to reduce the puffiness.
  
• CONCEALER: I am lazy and just put a bit of BB cream on my dark circles and call it a day, but if you want to make the extra effort I've heard good things about this Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer although I've never actually used it myself.
  
  CHEEKS + BLUSH
  
  
• REDNESS: I have a ton of redness on my cheeks and I'm not fancy enough for a tone-correcting primer, so after using my regular old ELF Studio primer I dab a bit of this Maybelline green concealer on my cheeks and blend it in with a sponge to cover up the redness.
  
• BLUSH: Blush comes in a variety of forms including pressed, baked, cream, tint, liquid stain, etc. I have no idea how to use blush because my cheeks are already tomatoes but a lot of the gals who ARE into blush on this subreddit have been talking about Sleek blush palettes (because they're nicely pigmented). Again, I don't really understand blush but Robert Jones does so here's his video AGAIN (there's also a little summary about blush if you scroll down which you can read quickly as a little refresher).
  
  LIPS
  
  
• THINGS YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR LIPS: There are a lot of options for lips including balm, tinted balms, glosses, stains, lipsticks, etc. There are also a lot of different finishes especially with lipstick. Remember how eyeshadow how satin and matte? Lipstick does too, and there's a whole slew of other categories which you can see here if you scroll down a bit to the "details" section. MAC has some labels that are unique to their brand, but you get the idea that there are tons of finishes.
  
• MOISTURIZE: Whatever you choose to put on your lips, or even if you choose not to put any color on them, keep them moisturized. You can use Vaseline, Chapstick, Rosebud Salve is pretty popular (it's a tinted balm essentially), etc. Lips look pretty gross when they're flaky and stuff, so do this. Elemis Lip Revive is rather expensive but I love it (they give it out in spa packages if you fly business class on British Airways or else I'd never have discovered it!).
  
• LIP PRIMER: So there's also lip primer, but I just use chapstick instead because I'm not fancy. Just letting you know it exists, though!
  
• LIP LINER: The purpose of lip liner is to define the lips and prevent lipstick from feathering or traveling. It depends on what lipstick you're using (sometimes you won't need to use it), but there is an awesome tutorial on how to use lipliner here. She talks a lot about how to make thin/uneven lips look a little fuller, which is a bonus too!
  
  HOW TO GET ALL OF THIS ON YOUR FACE
  
  
• FINGERS: I just use my fingers for primer and BB cream. It's recommended that you use your fingers for BB cream. Not sure about primer, but again, I'm not fancy.
  
• SPONGES: So there's this thing called the BeautyBlender and a lot of people like it. You're supposed to use it wet (soak it in water, squeeze, then wrap a paper towel in it and squeeze, then use). There are a lot of cheaper dupes on Amazon, and I have a set of four and I think they're okay, but apparently the Beauty Blender really swells up in size when it is wet as you can see here and the knockoffs I have totally do NOT change in size whatsoever when wet, so it's probably not quite the same. What the real thing is supposed to do is give your foundation a really nice finish.
  
• BRUSHES: Brushes are a big frickin' deal, okay? Once I started using the right brushes for the right things (instead of a little concealer brush for everything) my makeup looked a lot better. If you're looking at drugstore options, I use RealTechniques and I like them, but I find them a little bit on the larger size. I know a lot of people like EcoTools and ELF Studio, but if you want to invest in brushes from the get-go you could try looking at a Sigma set. They're on /r/makeupaddiction's HG list for mid-range brushes, especially the Mrs. Bunny set. Considering with the Mrs. Bunny set you get 12 brushes for ~$108, that comes out to essentially $9/brush. Drugstore brushes tend to be about $7-8 a piece, so if you have the money it might make more sense to invest in a nicer set to begin with. I personally have never used a Sigma brush so I can't speak to how good they are, but I just buy everything off HG lists on /r/makeupaddiction and they haven't led me astray yet! There are also a lot of great tutorials on how to use brushes (explaining their different purposes and doing looks with them) on the RT website here and even if you don't use the RT website I think it would still be helpful (since even if you buy Sigma or EcoTools there's still going to be a blush brush, tons of little eye brushes, liner brush, etc.).
  
• FOAM APPLICATORS THAT COME WITH PALETTES: So if you buy a mini eyeshadow palette like a trio or a quad or whatever, you'll likely get a little foam applicator like one of these. Just know, that you can do better than a foam applicator (use brushes!).
  
• CLEAN WHATEVER YOU'RE USING: The Beauty Blender sponge has this "blender cleanser," if you know how to use the internet you should know how to wash your hands, and here's a how-to-clean-your-brushes tutorial.

Heya, welcome to RAoM!! I hope you enjoy it here :D Also, happy birthday c:

I'd definitely recommend picking up the NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk -- it's a great base that really makes colors pop! It's also really creamy, so it blends out easily.

I also love my Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. I have Rendezvous (a very orange-y coral) and Lovestick (bright pink), which are perfect for summer. I also have Romantic (pretty true red) and my sister has Crush (a darker plum), which are great for fall. These are really easy to wear because they feel just like lip balms, but they're also very nicely pigmented.

If you want to play around with a lot more colors, I would say go for the Coastal Scents 88 Original Palette -- I use at least one color from this every time I do my make-up! It's not too pricey, but it gives you a lot to experiment with :)

I think it would be a pretty great time to pick up some brushes. Since you're just starting out, I'd probably go with ELF brushes because they're super cheap. Here are a few of my favorites (although I'd recommend looking in store at Target, because the white brushes are only $1 and the black ones are usually only $3; they might be cheaper on the ELF website too):

Eyeshadow Brush -- great for packing on the color
Blending Brush -- because everyone could use a nice blender!
Contouring Brush -- really great for applying color in the crease
12 Piece Set -- I don't actually own all these brushes, but it looks like a great set to start with, especially for only $12!


As for something I'd like...well, I'm currently obsessing over this lipstick in Black Cherry, because it is the PERFECT color for fall, and I don't have any other dark lip colors :3

Oh yea, and Summer Fun !

Ugh. I know how frustrating it can be to not know where to start. Hopefully we can help you!


I would agree with the previous comment. Go to Sephora and get color matched for a foundation and a color-correcting undereye concealer. You have beautiful skin and I think a light coverage, but Dewey foundation would be the best (I really like the Bare Minerals liquid foundation).


As for blush, I would stick to warmer colors to best flatter your skin tone. This Sleek blush palette in Lace would be a great place to start. Great value, great colors, and it will give you an idea about what you like.


Invest in a quality eyelash curler (important!). Curl as close to the roots as possible and work your way up. Find a drugstore mascara you love.


I'm pretty ignorant about eyeshadow, but I think the Naked 3 palette or any rose-gold palette would look gorgeous on you. You can use a concealer as an eyeshadow primer.


As far as lips go, it's a matter of experimentation. I think warm, rosy colors would look incredible on you, especially if they have a hydrating formula. Ask a Sephora makeup artist to show you different shades, and you can find similar ones at the drugstore.


Quality brushes are essential when starting out. Don't skimp and you'll never look back. You will need a foundation brush, a crease brush (you can easily use this in crease and on lid until you get a flat shader brush specifically for the lid -- just clean in between colors), and a blush brush. Later, you can invest in a fluffy crease brush
for better blending and a flat shader brush.


I hope this helps! Try some things out, and post a picture when you're gone so we can give you CC. I would use a better quality picture next time, so we can see :)


Have fun!

There's not a single makeup wearing person out there who didn't have to practice their eye makeup a LOT before finally getting the hang of it, so don't give up yet!! I have a few tips to offer that helped me improve my own eyeshadow skills. First things first, investing in a good quality set of eyeshadow brushes will make a big difference. There's absolutely no need to buy the most expensive ones available, just look for brushes with synthetic fibers and a set that offers a decent range of sizes and shapes. (an ideal starter set should at least include a medium/large fluffy blending brush, a crease brush, a lid brush, a shader brush, an angled blending brush and perhaps a small liner brush) I've bought great brushes on Amazon for super cheap that I happen to like even better than some of the more expensive ones I own. Morphe also has really nice brushes that are pretty affordable. Good brushes make applying eyeshadow effortless, and with a little practice and trial and error you'll be a pro! Next, make sure you're using something to prime your eyelids before applying any shadow. I find that a thin layer of concealer on your eyelid/brow bone, set with a little translucent powder, works great for this purpose. It's not really necessary to buy a primer just for eyeshadow, in my opinion (unless it's glitter based, you'll need a specific primer for that). Make sure you're starting with the lightest shades first and ending with dark shades. Apply a only little bit of shadow at a time with very light pressure, and blend, blend, blend it out good using small, circular motions. I like to clean my brush off on a dry towel before applying each new shadow color to prevent the shades from becoming muddy. While thorough blending is the key to gorgeous shadow looks, it is very possible to blend your eye makeup too much, so be mindful to not overdo it. You want each shade to look seamless among one another, rather than just solid blocks of color on your eyelid. I would try out some simple eye looks that use just 2-3 basic shades, and once you've mastered those, start experimenting with more adventurous shadow colors and textures. Now, on to eyeliner. It's important to know what styles of liner will flatter your eye shape the best. I, for one, have never been able to make winged liner work with my eye shape, despite many attempts (sadly). Try out different eyeliner formulas, like liquid, pencil or gel to figure out what you like the best. Always take your sweet time while applying eyeliner, rushing may result in uneven and shaky lines which are hard to fix without messing up the rest of your eye makeup. Lastly, just have fun with it. Makeup is all about creativity and self expression! Hope these tips help you, keep trying and I promise you'll see improvement!!

HEY EYESHADOW I do a lot of this shit yes okay.

• I apply eyeshadows after I do my foundation/powder/etc. I almost always use brushes, but if I want some extra pop I'll use my fingers.
  
• Honestly, I only use powder shadows. Cream ones tend to crease on me, even when I use a primer, and it's annoying as heck. I use both pressed and loose, because I looooove indie eyeshadows. The only time recently that I've used a cream shadow was to do this dramatic punky-smokey thing for my Tonks costume for the cosplay night at work. It was NYX Black Bean, and I used it as a base to do everything else over.
  
• P R I M E R. Oh my god. I need eyeshadow primer, because otherwise everything gets eaten and creases like crazy. I'm not especially oily, but I guess my lids are, because everything will crease like crazy after a few hours if I don't use primer. I also have a few types--the ELF one, the Fergie one, the new WnW one, and now the UD Primer Potion because I really liked my sample bottle and ended up picking up an old packaging full-sized for $10 at Nordstrom Rack. I also have the Makeup Revolution mixing liquid or whatever, I keep meaning to try it for liner and then forgetting.
  
• I have a relatively small group of eye brushes, actually. I use the ELF C brush for a base (which also sets the primer), the ELF contour brush for crease and lid colors, and then some fluffy blending brush from an Ipsy bag for blending or light washes. I also have a Buxom brush I got at TJ Maxx for $4 that's really good for laying on color! And as for wielding, I tend to choke up on the handles for better control. I have to be careful with color placement, or else it gets lost. Also, I'm just really picky about things like symmetry and placement.
  
• I mean, I dunno if there's any shadows that are better than the others as a general sweeping answer. I have lots of eyeshadows, and I love all of them. I have an ELF 144-color palette that's actually really amazing, especially considering it cost like $15? All the colors are pigmented and blend pretty well. It has a perfect magenta that I've been using for my eyebrows, too. Plus I have all three of the Naked dupes from Makeup Revolution, plus the W7 dupe of the Naked Smokey, and they all rock. And I mean, I have a couple random mid-range shadows (a sample of something from The Balm's Nude Dude palette, plus a Buxom single), two mid-range palettes (Stila's In The Moment and Tarte's Swamp Queen), and a lot of indies, and a good amount of drugstore, and I like and use all of them. I do some research to see if things will be decent before I buy them, but generally, I'm almost always happy.
  
• I think "most used" would maybe be one of the Naked dupes, but I try to use most of my stuff? I have so much, and I get bored, so I try to mix it up.
  
• My eye shape is round, I guess? But my eyes are very deep-set, and I lose a lot of lid space and crease when my eyes are open. I talked about this on the eyeliner post, too, actually! Because of that, I tend to stick to the same general shape of application, because it's what looks good and doesn't get lost. Like, a cut crease on me would be difficult, y'know? And I'm not sure if I like smokey eyes, since they get so lost in the crease, but my coworkers said that it looked really great and intense on me, so maybe I'll play with that more.
  
• My eyes are dark brown, and I have fair neutral-leaning-warm skin with freckles. I try not to pick things that are super clash-y, but there's a lot of room for me since I'm relatively neutral-toned. My eye color doesn't really affect my choices, most days! Although when I wear my blue contacts for cosplay, it affects things a little. Mostly because I look way different with blue eyes, somehow? I dunno. I tend to be a little less dramatic with the blue contacts.
  
• NOPE I have no idea what I'm doing but it's worked so far for liner. I always do it after my eyeshadow and just kinda try until I like it.
  
• I mean, I don't really remember the mistakes I've made. I just kind of tried until I liked how it looked, honestly.
  
• I think I watched a tutorial for a smokey eye once, but for the most part I don't really follow tutorials? I think I said it last time, but there's just certain looks I stick to because they work for me.
  
  AND HEY LET'S TOSS IN SOME PICTURES FOR REFERENCE? Some of these are old but it gets the point across. First, minimal makeup with no eyebrow raise, so you can see how little lid space I end up with. | Very basic makeup because I was an extra. | Just blue eyeshadow, no other colors. | Semi-glam Supergirl for Halloween this year. | Makeup for a friend's wedding. | And finally, a closer look at my shadow placement!

My recommendations for a starter kit:

Category | Products
---|---
Foundation | this is very dependent on skin type but there're good options in the drugstore for any, the big brands being L'Oreal and Maybelline; I have dry skin and prefer the True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous from L'Oreal
Concealer | Tarte Shape Tape OR the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - the Tarte Shape Tape is more expensive but a much better bang for your buck
Bronzer | Physician's Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer
Blush | Luminoso by Milani OR a Tarte blush
Eye Primer | Milani Eyeshadow Primer
Eyeshadow Palette | Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye (neutrals are best for a starter kit, but you could also get an eyeshadow palette from Juvia's Place or ColourPop)
Gel Eyeliner | Infallible Gel Lacquer Liner
Mascara | L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara or Lash Paradise
Brows | Anastasia Beverly Hills - this brand is the brand for brow products; I prefer their dipbrow but they have powder and pencil products
Highlighter | ColourPop Super Shock Highlighters (Lunch Money, Glazed, Flexitarian, Wisp, Monster are best-sellers); Essence Pure Nude is also a very popular highlighter now
Lipstick | ColourPop Ultra Satins or Lippie Stix
Lip Liner | ColourPop Lip Liners
Beauty Sponge | Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge; two is more than enough
Eye Brushes | I will never not recommended this Lamora brush set. It's what I mostly use on my eyes.
Face Brushes | brand-wise, Real Techniques and EcoTools
Makeup Remover | hands-down, Pond's Cold Cream; for spot cleaning, Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water
Brush Cleaner | EcoTools Makeup Brush Cleansing Shampoo


In regards to what you're thinking about buying - do not buy a silicone sponge. Silicone beauty blenders have very poor reviews - search 'silicone sponge review' on YouTube and you'll find a pretty concrete consensus that they're terrible. They do a poor job of actually blending out your foundation and they make your foundation "sit" atop your skin in a pretty unflattering way. Stick with a regular beauty blender, they're fantastic multitaskers (blend foundation, concealer, cream blush, cream bronzer, liquid highlighter, etc).

For makeup bags, does your sister travel a lot? If not, there's really no point in buying her a makeup bag since it's going to sit in her bathroom gathering dust until the off chance that she needs it. A lot of brands provide complimentary makeup bags with your order (Glossier and Milk Makeup come to mind) so there's really no immediate need to get her a makeup bag unless she travels often.

i strongly suggest going over to /r/HoodedEyes. there are some good techniques there, and practice every day an eye look. I HIGHLY recommend watching this Wayne Goss tutorial on hooded eyes: the straight line technique. I think this will be especially beneficial to your eye shape.

I'd also highly recommend that you learn tightlining. That's actually a pretty simple technique to master but will make your eyes pop.

As for colors for your eyeshadow, i think you'll be most happy with a light base plus one or two darker brown colors, just enough to give the illusion of an eye lift, but nothing terribly dark to make you cringe years later after you have mastered the technique. I personally like to use a light beige base color plus another brown that is basically a contour color because that basically contours the eye in a pretty nice shape but is not noticeable.

As for tools, I was really impressed with this set as a beginner's set. The blending brush is definitely nice.

Now, as for the other stuff, your eyebrows are very nice. They're pretty neat as it is, so it's no big deal. You probably don't even need anything done with those.

As for foundation... honestly, go to sephora/nordstrom/ulta as many times as you can and get color matched. Get samples. Test at home, ask for opinions both IRL and on here, if desired. Go again, and try to get different color matchers each time. Also, avoid that stupid Sephora IQ gimmick device. If you have any redness at all, it'll match you to an incredibly dark color.

To help you answer your questions about tone... ask yourself what colors look best on you. It's a bit difficult for me to get a decent idea of your tone with one photo. But wearing different colors and seeing how your skin looks can give you a decent indication. If you have trouble figuring out what tone the clothing is, you can probably google it and see what others say.

But... going off the one photo, you look more warm.

Okay, so I had to create an album... and I restrained myself, haha.

Husband and I have two kitties, Sweetie Clementine and Optimus Prime Robot Fighter (aka Opie). Guess which one he named? They're from the same litter, even though they don't really look alike anymore, and we got the two ends of the size spectrum: Sweetie is the runt so she's much smaller and Opie is the biggun. Both are very sweet and thankfully, they're pretty well behaved! They've never torn up our furniture (except our old couch when they were learning to jump).

PICTURES OH EM GEE: http://imgur.com/a/T8Uzv

If I won, I would definitely love the Vera Mona Color Switch! Any other little things would be a nice bonus. :)

Thank you for hosting!! I love seeing everyone's furbabies. :)

This is awesome!! I love packages =)

1. My cat, beauty products (skin care, make up, nail polish, pretty much everything), cooking, crafting, and anything keto friendly
   
   
2. eyeshadow brush!
   
   
3. I love care packages! I'm a college student and it's always nice to get a box of things that says someone is thinking about you. When you're in a school of like 30k you don't feel very special. Plus I think they are totally cute and fun and amazing and I totally really especially completely want one.
   
   
4. Moon Knight
   
   
5. You might have to earn it first ;-) ^^don't ^^worry ^^I'm ^^easy

My baby kitty Lucky, is my perfect cat. I had a calico before (or tortoise?) and she was amazing and I guess when I saw this one on a facebook local animal page, I decided it was the coloring and I'd adopt her.

She didn't disappoint. There's one spot, a 2x4, that she scratches. Never on furniture or anything else. Just this one piece of wood.

When she plays, she always keeps her claws in and when she "bites" whether in play or irritation, she never clamps on or hurts you.

Both of these things stand true in the bath as well.

Even when in heat, she wasn't unbearable. She'd moan a little or cry a bit, but only howled incessantly a couple times ever.

She likes her feet massaged, and her belly rubbed. She also used to toke with me, but I have since stopped sharing because my son let her out when she was in heat once, and I couldn't get her in all night...and yep - I'm about to be a grandma. Although this will make me a bad and irresponsible pet owner, I am kind of excited. She isn't that old and hasn't much changed her personality, and hope that it doesn't come to that, because she's perfect. I'm thinking she will teach her babies to be good like her. My favorite thing is how she curls up under the blanket I'm using, head out on my arm, to nap.

Ok, I am stopping now; I SWEAR I am not that into cats haha

*here's an Elf brush I'd like

*or a NYX lippy

*I wanted to try this for an under eye concealer

*[FAVORITE] (http://www.amazon.com/NYX-Soft-Matte-Cream-Paulo/dp/B004LXKVPQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=283BSUOAQ32TA&coliid=IJ4YZ3HV87NMF) matte lip cream by NYX!

) What a fun contest, thank you for hosting. And SO sorry I'm a babbling long winded mouth haha

this isnt rly helpful to *applying* the liner specifically but it can def help the process!

try using a flat, angled eyeshadow brush (something shaped like this: https://www.amazon.com/Glow-Flat-Angled-Makeup-Brush/dp/B00WGSJN4I) to clean up any uneven, squiggly, or just plain wonky lines by wetting it w just a little bit of makeup remover. whenever i do wings i make the best effort i can to get them perfect and then go in w this sort of brush to sharpen lines by running it across the edges of the wing. once u get the hang of it it works like an eraser without ruining your whole look :) good luck! ❤

Brushes:
I love love love these ones from Amazon. The quality is extremely good and comparable with expensive brushes. The variety is also absolutely perfect for a beginner. You get everything you need for an eye look and more.

Palette:
For beginners, I find either the Too Faced Chocolate Bar or the Sweet Peach palette to be good. The color selection is standard and the pigmentation is pretty good. What I think makes them best for beginners is their blendability. The pigmentation and formula is just right to make them super easy to blend without completely blending away the color.

I concur with the new mascara sentiment. Clump crusher is good and so is maybelline's full n soft.

Elf makes a popular brow kit that comes in a few different colors. Or you could get an eyebrow pencil.

I think getting some nice brushes would be a good idea. I absolutely love elf's studio line brushes, which are $3 a piece. It depends what type of brush you would need, but I think some eye brushes would be good. The eye shadow brush, maybe an angled eyeliner brush and a large blending brush or a contouring brush. Elf can be found at target, BTW.

Wet n wild eye shadows are great. But can definitely be found at the drugstore or grocery store much cheaper.

Wet n wild lipsticks are pretty nice too as well as their lipgloss both of which can be found very cheaply at the grocery store.

Eyeliner in stick form is best from NYX, but if you want cream eyeliner, I suggest elf.

And if you want blush, I would also check out elf.

I am not sure how much makeup you use but I tend to be a cushion foundation girl + primer + some smoky eyeshadow.

I have a buttload of air puffs ( probably around 15) and i use a Vera Color Switch, which has the texture of a hair bun sponge and you use it to remove powder from your makeup brushes. It available at Sephora and there a bunch of dupes online. Link on Amazon below.

It is great for shadow brushes, and powder makeup. It is also washable. It pretty much like a spot clean, and I deep clean my brushes probably every few days. (But I love washing brushes, I even dig out my older sisters and moms brushes)...

The great thing about the color switch is that there is NO DRYING TIME. Which is great if you are like me and always only have one good eyeshadow brush. You can use it for everything ^^. And it isn't visually dirty. It removes probably 90-95% percent visible and it so reusable. And no products (E.g. micellar water or anything) needed because I hate using an additional product that might irritate me.

But yea, i have friends who work as MAC artists or MUA and they wash their really often. You can wash your brush as much as you want, as long as you wash properly, and dry properly. The reason that most companies, in my opinion, tell you not to wash too often is that it wear and tears more.

(https://www.amazon.com/Vera-Mona-Color-Switch-Solo/dp/B00HLWOHFE)

Thanks for hosting <3 I love these questions!!

1. My day is great so far! I just woke up and I'm enjoying some Peanut Butter Captain Crunch before getting ready for school (aka makeup time!)
   
2. I start the second part of my summer calculus class today so I am hoping to finish all of my homework each night and study once a day.
   

3. 1: spend time in the morning doing my makeup, because that helps me relax :)
   

   2: Try and workout 3-4 times this week, it is a huge stress reliever and I'm trying to be healthier
   

   3: Spend some time to relax and read a book I'm currently reading, to take a break from homework/studying
   

4. I'll take this ELF blending brush if I win :)

Thank you! :D Here is my bright birthday look!
If I win first place, I would love this brush because I think nicer brushes could really help my eyeshadow game, so I've been wanting to slowly replace my old ones. :)
If I were to win second place, I think these would be fabulous because I always carry my lipstick of the day around in my pocket, and it would be great to have a case with a mirror with me!

Happy happy cake day! Fun contest idea!

1 I'd wear this to a b-day party!

2 'Fraid my wishlist isn't expansive enough :(

3 I want to read this book. It's the third in a trilogy.

4 Fail!

5 Allllllllllllllllll about birds!

6 Purpur

7 Derp!

8 Guilty pleasure. Duh.

9 A tool.

10 This was my FAVORITE movie when I was about 8. I have no idea why it didn't scare me.

11 An organizational item. Sorta.

12 Hobby item = birdwatching. I'd LOVE to get rid of binocular neck strain!

13 "Nerdy"

14 Natural!

15 Nope.

16 Something you wear.

17 At least my friends think this is funny.

18 Nah.

19 Not really.

20 My favorite item, just because it's so flipping pretty! Not necessarily what I want most though.


Bonus: Perhaps you'll be buying some of these for yourself? I bet you'll fill them with lots of tasty food!

This was so much fun!

I'm usually light and girly with my daily makeup, so I decided to go completely different and try out a more "gothy" look. I did my eyebrows as usual because they are a little hard to manipulate, but otherwise I'm pretty satisfied. I went really deep on contouring and highlighting and used a pure white highlighter to make me look even more pale. I really wanted to add in some falsies, but I seem to have misplaced my last pair so...oh well. I'd love this brush from my list, which I believe comes under the £10 limit. If not, I love surprises!

I included a lot of different shots of my makeup, sorry it's so picture heavy. I also included a picture of my more "normal" routine.

My "Goth" Look

PRODUCT LIST

EYES

• UD Naked 2 (blackout)
  
• UD Naked 3 (strange, blackheart)
  
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (Black Bean) - All over lid as base, water line
  
• UD Super Saturated Cream Liner (perversion)
  
• Maybelline The Mega Plush mascara
  
• CoverGirl Clump Crusher
  
  FACE
  
  
• Revlon ColorStay (ivory)
  
• OCC Creme Colour Concentrate (john doe) - contour
  
• OCC Creme Colour Concentrate (vice) - highlight
  
• OCC Skin Concealer (R0)
  
• Darling Girl Cosmetics Soft Focus Blush (paradise pink)
  
  LIPS
  
  
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (Black Bean)
  
  BROWS
  
  
• NYX Cake Brow Powder (auburn)
  
• Blinc Eyebrow Mousse (auburn)

Cool sounds like you got it down! So maybe you can add like a BB cream, blush, and tinted balm to your routine. And possibly also get into natural eyeshadows with a light color on your lid and under your brow then a darker color blended into the crease. I highly recommend one of these Lamora Nudes palettes, because you get 16 great shadows for $12. They are super easy to use, blend well, and have good pigment with little fallout. Very good for a beginner. And for $9 you can get a complete eyeshadow brush set, so you would have a variety of tools.

Not high end but OBSESSED with the brush set I got from Amazon recommended by a lot of people on this subreddit. You get just about every eye brush you could ever need.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016D8SH48/ref=pd_aw_sim_194_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=410r2BpdDOL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL100_SR100%2C100_&refRID=1TF975JNG2HPRTWFYNSC

Usually I'm all about luxe brands or high end brands but honestly if these wear out I'll just keep buying them because they are awesome. They clean out well and very easily and I just get so many choices everyday!

But also love my airbrush crease brush from IT! (Mentioned in another comment)

EDIT: high end not high need. Well come to think of it...both. And changed thread to subreddit because raisins.

Vanity Planet!!!! They have a set of 15 brushes in a case that's valued at $100 but they usually have them marked down 70% so he could get them for $30 right now! I have this set and the quality is amazing. I would definitely recommend them.

Link https://www.vanityplanet.com/products/palette-professional-makeup-brush-collection-1

Also, there is a 7 piece eye shadow brush set on Amazon that I found that is really nice quality for less than $15. I love mine so much!! I have the black/silver set.

Link https://www.amazon.com/Lamora-Essential-Makeup-Brush-RoseGold/dp/B012CZ7WUG

thank you so much for the reply! I think my blending is ok? I feel like I see other people blend on youtube and it looks smoother than my blending. I have to spend a long time on blending. It's good to hear a brush can help with that! I will look at that brush incase I ever catch the chance to buy it. I'll go look into the IT cosmetic brush line now :)!

edit: Are they these?: https://www.amazon.com/Makeup-Eye-Brush-Set-Eyeshadow/dp/B00MNMQKPC?th=1#customerReviews
They have amazing reviews!! I think I might have to get them if they have such a great quality for that price.

Flash This!

1. My favorite bored on the Internet site is Buzzfeed.
   
   
2. My perfect birthday meal is a Papa Murphy's supreme pizza and some cake batter ice cream.
   
   
3. One item! Second item!
   
   
4. Random fact: Cows have best friends!
   
   Thanks for hosting!!

I like Real Techniques for their face brushes, but I think their eye brushes are a bit wonky-shaped. If you use Amazon, Lamora is super cheap and high quality. I love their eye brushes. I have both the 7 brush kit and the smokey eye kit. I've had them for over a year and they've survived washing once a week without shedding and they're just as soft as when I got them.

Thank you!!

I don't have like set brushes but I ordered a set off of amazon they're called qivange they work great for the price!

My one staple brush is the Sigma e40 I've had this brush for like 7 years and it's by far the most amazing blending brush I've ever had.

Since its darn near impossible to know someone's style and color palette without knowing/seeing them, you might look into some makeup brushes. E.L.F. makes some decent, inexpensive ones like this one and if you want to splurge you can go for one of their sets. This is just an example. I have seen them as low as $1 each at target. Brush cleaner is also helpful. They make shampoos but there's also daily spray ones but I think if you use the spray you're supposed to use the shampoo every once in a while too. I actually use the Sephora brand one. For makeup stuff you might also want to check out r/makeupaddiction. I hope this helps and good luck! :)

First of all: yay matte love! Try it on a polish with a shimmer to it and you get a really cool effect. Or glitters. As for cleanup, the best advice I can give is to buy one of these and a bottle of pure acetone. To clean up, you can pour a teensy bit of acetone into a shot glass or the cap, or whatever, dip your brush in and use it to get the polish off the edges. Seriously, it'll change your life. :)

I recently got brushes these off amazon after reading tons of reviews and they’re great it’s a smaller set but you do have some essential eye brushes in there, they blend shadows like a dream also great price point. However if you’re looking for a bigger set BH is good for that

Hahaha every damn time I post some sweet person comments they love my eyelids which I had no idea was even an enviable quality until I came to this sub!

And you bet I have some favorites. The Sigma E25 is imperative for me to do any blending. For more general blending I like the E40 and very precise blending/application I love the E45

Oh my gosh, congrats, Wooly!! You must be absolutely flying right now! I hope you're treating yourself, too, for a job well done!

I have been wanting this sigma E-45 brush for awhile, after seeing it in some YouTube videos.

I also fell in love with this MAC Styled in Sepia lipstick from the matte collection. I think it's such a cool color and totally different than a lot of colors out there!

I have one of their brushes, the SILK Pro Crease Brush, and it is the softest brush I have. It blends like happiness and love all rolled up together and to be honest, I just like to rub it on my face. TMI? Perhaps, but this is the best $7 I've ever spent on a brush. Can't wait to get more.

I missed my chance to use that! Lol. Thank you!! I bought a set off Amazon actually and they're super soft! Here's the link for them: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY8ICR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lfZvDbE3JRWGE
I use these brushes mixed with some from palettes I bought or a random Real Techniques brush. ☺

Personally when I first started wearing eyeshadow regularly, like 1.5-2 years ago, I bought a set of eyeshadow brushes from Amazon. The brand is lamora. I still use them.

Makeup Eye Brush Set - Eyeshadow Eyeliner Blending Crease Kit - Best Choice 7 Essential Makeup Brushes - Pencil, Shader, Tapered, Definer - Last Longer, Apply Better Makeup & Make You Look Flawless https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MNMQKPC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IQ9XDb4AE0ERT

That's so fun that you're turning 26 on the 26th! Happy birthday!

It's my party

I would love to get this Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil. If you don't have Prime, that may slightly exceed $26.

Here is a backup, since I can't figure out the non-prime shipping cost:

This Sigma shading brush + NYX Butter Lipstick - Pops

I have sensitive eyes, and this is my favorite pencil brush:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PR7AODO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have the Chikuhodo T8, and this has a fine point for similar precise placement, but also the smallest little slant from the tip to allow blending over a greater surface area. I use this for both blown-out lower lash shadow as well and precise shadow stamping right by the lower lash line (for when I'm working with more powdery formulas).
I'm still looking for an even softer pencil brush that's still effective, but for $10, this is working well for me for the time being :).

I got this brush set on Amazon for super cheap and it's been perfectly adequate so far: https://smile.amazon.com/Makeup-Eye-Brush-Set-Eyeshadow/dp/B00MNMQKPC/

Hard to gauge how soft would be soft enough for you, though. The fluffy blending brush is very lightweight! But, I mean, duh. It's a fluffy blending brush.

My go-to bored on the internet site (late night shifts at work, basically) are reddit, youtube, and stumbleupon. Boring, I know. I always have a million tabs open of each, too. Here's my tabs right now, just for fun. It's been worse. This is actually pretty tame.

My perfect birthday meal would probably be stuffed artichoke, grilled zucchini (two of my most favorite foods, oddly enough) and something chicken to round it off. Maybe spinach feta stuffed chicken? Yum :}

Sigma brush + Nail art brushes because lord knows I need more brushes...

TIL green tea has less caffiene than black tea. Safe to say I will be drinking black tea on my 16 hour work/school days from now on.

Flash This :D

I second ELF - super soft and inexpensive. I also ordered this eye set off Amazon a few weeks ago and am loving them. I'm an eyeshadow newbie and they've really upped my blending game!

what you might want to do for the best staying power, etc. is apply the translucent powder all over your face in a thin layer with a fluffy brush (after you paint your face with the face paint, of course), then go in with the eyeshadow after. for the eyeshadow step, it kinda depends on the area you're applying- if you have areas of color half the size of your face, a brush like this elf brush might be helpful in filling it all in, but if it's just parts around your eyes or something you can definitely use your fingers if you want.

I haven't used the ELF brush, to be honest. But I find their brushes to be hit 'n miss in general, and I strongly dislike the two eye brushes I have from them (crease and eyeshadow C -- I'm just at a loss for what they think I should do with them). However, I do have this brush and I do wholeheartedly recommend it. It's only a couple bucks more and pro quality, IMO. I have about 5 blending brushes (Sephora classic, Sephora Pro, Smashbox, Sigma, Royal) and I still reach for this one all the time. Also, blending brushes are totally worth it if you don't have one already. Definitely my favorite brush.

It looks like Sigma has a pretty good one.

Qivange

Emax

Mokale

I also use elf brushes. These ones from amazon are super soft and they work well. Plus they're cheap!

Oh OK. I've been eyeing them forever....I will eventually bite the bullet. I heard the icing brushes are dupes for the it cosmetics. I also have these brushes that are on the smaller side but super soft. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MNMQKPC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

I literally just posted about some new brushes I got and I love! I bought two different sets, here are the amazon links:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012CZ7WUG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_cb7ahZaywEGhQ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTTJ797/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_9co76PSoRgI2V

If it wasnt for this I would still be one of those people with eyeliner that dripped wore off. It lets me add a poweder eyeliner and it looks a million times better.

Binary star!

My goal is to run a 5k which is schedulednin 2 weeks. Ive been working out and training for it, and also weight loss. Going to the gym and running has definetly started my main goal for this year.

Poppin bottles!

Congrats on your one year!!

I've been using this cheap Revlon one. Could be a little bit stiffer but is very thin and you can get very precise lines with the angled end. The other tiny fluffy end is good for lightly filling in the front of one of my eyebrows (because annoyingly one is a lot denser than the other) and it doesn't look too harsh, just fuller.

Spoolie wise I'm using the end of an old Revlon eyebrow pencil. I dont like the pencil but I've been too lazy to actually buy a separate spoolie, it does the job.

I bought some on Amazon (Link below) - I was so amazed by the quality of the brushes for its price - The ones that I got from CVS/Rit Aid doesn't last me very long, and the ones from MAC or Sephora is just so pricy although the quality is amazing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MNMQKPC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1

I saw this recommended on here! It's been on my amazon wish list for a while now.

Yeah, basic pencil brushes are super similar to more expensive versions. When you're working with stiff, small brushes, there is much less variety between low and high end.

I use this one from Amazon and I find it to be identical to my MAC 219 pencil brush.

I agree with the other poster about the brushes and I'd also add Vera Mona Color Switch Duo Removes Shadow from Your Brush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HLV4EB2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TaVVzb3V2QXCD to help her switch colors without fully washing a brush

I just ordered these and love them. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MNMQKPC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I already told another commenter and I’m not sure how to like share that comment with you so I’ll just copy it

Primarily
•Sigma E40 Tapered Blending (its really the only tapered blending brush I have but tbh it’s not THAT good, just a medium sized tapered blending brush. Not worth the money alone but I got it in a kit)

•Sigma E30 Pencil brush to darken the crease.

•Sephora brand pointed blending brush with the label rubbed off also Sephora brand small angled brush for brows. They were both in the same set

• a brush I got on amazon in a set. The brand is Lamora and the name on the brush is just ‘blending brush).

•Sigma E65 Small Angle to carve brows

If I’m being honest the softest brush here is the amazon and Sephora one, but maybe I just know nothing about brushes. These specific sigma brushes I listed have nothing special! Hope this list helped anyway! : )

Here they are

My only strife is that the set lacks some nice blendy eyeshadow brushes; however I found a nice set
on Amazon, too.

Ask the seller to issue a refund. If the seller doesn't respond within a few days, open a dispute with eBay.

I think they have brushes similar to the Zoeva complete eye set on amazon if you're interested :)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY8ICR6/ref=twister_B01M7YSHDW?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

I stalked your profile because I'm a creep to see your work with darker shadows. I think the blending is all you need to rock those. Also a lot of tutorials I've followed suggest layering with lighter colors and making a gradient with multiple shadows. They don't exactly have to match the primary dark color, it can be matte taupes and nudes.

I don't know what your brush kit is like but I do recommend these two brushes (E25) (E35) from Sigma. They're excellent for blending, and the E25 is considered a MAC 217 dupe, I don't know first hand since I don't own a 217 but I like the E25 a lot.

No problem!

Clean, textured paper towel or Color Switch Duo: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HLV4EB2?pc_redir=1411833489&robot_redir=1

I like Sigma E65 small angle. $14. here it is on Amazon

Makeup Eye Brush Set - Eyeshadow... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MNMQKPC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share



I recently got these and like them. Not the greatest quality, of course, but doable.

Yes I used an urban decay anti aging eye primer, it is not tinted. I did how ever use a translucent setting powder to set and not an all over shade. I used 3 shades and a shimmer for the lid/ I copied a tutorial I watched and used the same shades
The brush set I use is here
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MNMQKPC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_e92XBb876QMWC (not really sure which brushes I should be using)
I use the big fluffy one the most

One option that I've seen on here (but haven't tried) is using a stippling sponge. I believe that Goss used a similar product in a video.

(Sorry, I can't find the video right now but if you poke around youtube a bit, you should be able to find it!)

Edit - found it!

I believe it is this one :)
http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-Beauty-E25-Blending/dp/B005OZF1S2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404181954&sr=8-1&keywords=Sigma+E25+blending+brush

Qivange Eye Brush Set, Cosmetics Eyeliner Eyeshadow Blending Brushes (12pcs, Black with Rose Gold) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY8ICR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2bIdBbNZZTQVQ


Qivange Eye Makeup Brushes, Eyeshadow Concealer Eyeliner Brushes Set with Portable Pouch (12pcs, Pink with Rose Gold) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MF5SWII/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RcIdBb6DJCYF8


It seems that the ones I got aren’t available but these look the exact same!

Mine is a cheap set off amazon! The "Seven Essential makeup brushes" set from Lamora. I'm not sure if it's smaller than yours, but there's a few options to pick from.

Could it have been the Vera Mona Color Switch Duo? I also saw this somewhere in the past but I'm not sure if it was on here so just a guess.

the Vera Mona solo switch changed my life. It's expensive and some people say a sock bun works as a dupe but I can't live without mine.

If I'm using the same brush, I defer to my Vera Mona. I prefer the convenience of the case. When the sponge needs to be replaced, though, I'll probably just grab some inexpensive stippling sponge.

I did it! I washed them! I've been pretty good lately with washing my brushes every weekend - here is how I do it!

I have a decent collection so far, and a different use for every brush I have, but there are definitely a few more that I want!

Sooo the types of brushes I'm looking for to round out my collection are (and they don't have to be these exact ones of course):

• Small angled brush for gel liner and whatnot
  
  
• Angled brow brush for mah brows (duh)
  
  
• Small eye liner brush because I';m using a lip liner brush right now and I would like to use that for my lips instead hehe
  
  
• Small concealer brush to replace my dead ecotools one :( (all the bristles got eaten up by the ferrule! wtf?!)