My beauty tips and tricks!

Everyone has their own little tricks that they feel work for them when it comes to their beauty routine, these are mine!

Cold water on a rag- whenever I feel like my face is looking a little dull and I don’t have makeup at my disposal, I go straight for the coldest water I can find. I know it’s so simple, but it really wakes your skin up and brightens my face up. I soak a paper towel in super cold water, or even better an ice cube if you have one! Afterwards, I pinch my cheeks a little bit to give myself some flush in my cheeks and viola, ready to go.

Lipstick on your cheeks- some people with sensitive or acne prone skin may not be able to get away with this because the parabens in lipstick aren’t technically catered towards skin. To me, all makeup is basically the same, just like I always say that men’s products are just women’s products in a black bottle with bold lettering. I use whatever lipstick I’m using on my lips and do a swipe on each cheek and I love the matchy look. Surprisingly, my favorite lipstick on my cheeks is Mac Heroine, a matte purple. Purple on the cheeks is highly underrated. I never seem to break out or have any other issues.

Toothpaste on pimples- I always thought that this was a well known trick but apparently quite a few people didn’t know it. Don’t use a gel, make sure it’s a paste. Just put a nice size dab on before you go to bed and when you wake up in the morning the pimple will be totally dried out and virtually gone. This tip is fool proof.

Concealer as a lipstick base- There seems to be a recurring theme here that many products can be substituted for something you “have to buy.” Example; my MAC prep and prime lip. Literally an overpriced sample size of concealer, but possibly even more drying. Use your regular old concealer as a base so the color will come out true to form, and not mix with the color of your lips. It will also make it last much longer.

Benefit They’re real push up liner; One day presale at Macys!

For those of you who cant wait until next week to get your hands on the new Benefit They’re Real push up liner, Macys is having a one day presale while supplies last! Apparently this eyeliner is supposed to be a foolproof way to use liquid eyeliner. It is the first ever lash hugging gel liner that comes in a matte black gel formula pen. The official launch isn’t until June 27th so this is a great way to get your hands on the product before the rush begins next week. Even if you are not an avid liquid liner user, this may be the product that changes your mind!

 

Click Here for Early Access

 

 

 

New Makeup Collections for Summer 2014!

This summer is filled with new makeup collections being released from a few of the brands that I absolutely love. I am always excited for a new collection, especially summer ones filled with bright colors and a lot of shimmer!

Dior Color Icons Collection- This collection is to be released in the fall, and it is absolutely beautiful. This is their first ever Pre-fall color collection so there will be a lot of buzz around it! The collection has 2 new lipsticks, a 3 color eye shadow palette, 2 single eye shadow palettes,1 liquid eyeliner, 2 fluid sticks, 1 blush, and 3 nail polishes. Dior is out of my price range, but if I was to splurge, it would certainly be on one of their beautiful lipsticks,fluid sticks, or the triple palette because I love all gold eye shadow and I can never have too many. The fluid stick is basically a cross between a lipstick and a lip gloss, I have tried them on before and they really stand in a league of their own. At first, this collection will be exclusive to Nordstrom but for those of you that don’t have a Nordstrom near you, just go on their website. Obviously only images have been released so there are no swatches but as soon as I get my hands on the physical products I will review them!

Illamasqua Matte Effect Collection- This collection is right up my alley! It is to be released sometime this summer. Surprisingly, I have never owned anything from this brand but I hear amazing things about both their blushes and lipsticks. This is a mini collection with just 1 blush and 3 Matte Lip Liquids. The liquids come in clear tubes that look like gloss, go on wet, and apparently dry to matte within seconds. From the swatches I’ve seen, they remind me of the LimeCrime Velvetines that I have written about in an earlier post. I honestly could not choose what color I want, I may have to have them both. Forbidden is a beautiful blue based mid tone pink that reminds me of cotton candy. Surrender is a peachy pale pink color.Exotic is a true bright orange which I obviously am all about. It’s certainly the bolder choice of the three, but it looks beautiful and orange is totally on trend right now. The blush, flirtatious, is a peachy/orangey color that would go great paired with the Exotic lip liquid. Obviously as the name suggests it is completely matte and I think it will pair well with both light and dark complexions because its a very versatile color.

Lorac Pro Palette 2- For those of you not familiar with the original Lorac Pro Palette, it is a staple of many eye shadow collections. Obviously not as widely known as the Urban Decay Naked Palette, but its up there. Like its successor, the pro palette 2 has pretty much every color you could want or need, ranging from completely matte to shimmer overload. It has amazing colors for a smokey eye and also colors to complement your every day look. A lot of the colors are pretty basic, but I find the 2 palette has a few more outside the box colors than the first. It is originally being released exclusively at ulta, so again if you don’t have one near you, go for the website. It doesn’t hurt that their website always seems to have some type of special promotion or discount going on!

 

Daily makeup inspiritation!

Today i’m giving you a little glimpse into my summertime makeup routine. As you know, I am a certified Lipstick nut so the first thing I choose is usually my lipstick then work my other makeup around it. Today I put on a tiny bit more than usual just for the sake of this blog post, but its pretty much on point.

I started with “The Balm” Balm Shelter Tinted Moisturizer in light. This moisturizer also comes in a color even lighter than light that I heard is great for those that are super light. Since I already have some color from the beach the past 2 weekends, I don’t need much more than that for my base. Next, I did “POP beauty” Sunkissed bronzer just over my forehead and cheeks. If I wear it anywhere else I end up having that whole different color neck/face business. I shied away from blush today since my skin is always much redder in the summer. Instead, I opted for Luminizer. Of course I used the “The Balm” Mary-Lou Manizer, which comes in a powder compact and literally makes me glow inside and out! I wish you could hear me squealing every time I write about it. I have my other makeup favorite, Mac Heroine Matte Lipstick on my lips. On my eyes I have both Sumida eyeliner in purple (came in my birchbox) and Earth lights Mascara (picked it up at a farmers market in Paris). Lastly, I used the Maybelline Expert Eye brow pencil to give my brows a little shape and darken them a bit. TA-DA here i am in all my glory. A little different than the queen helene masque picture eh?

Whats in my bag- Lipstick edition!

I am a total lipstick junkie. It is actually insane how many lipsticks I carry around with me on a day to day basis. I’ve been wanting to start a “whats in my bag” post, and what better makeup to focus on than my precious lipsticks! I’m trying to avoid reviewing the ones i’ve already written about so i’m leaving a few of my favorites off the list, but check out some of my older posts if you’re interested!

  

Mac Korean Candy– This color is awesome. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as flattering on my light skin tone as I expected it to, but its a beautiful color and its one of their Sheen Supremes, which I am crazy about. Its a red/orange color, looks more red in the tube and orange on my lips. It glides on like butter and provides moisture for those days when my lip ecfoliator just isnt cutting it and I know a matte isn’t going to work on my lips that day. For such a moisturizing lipstick, I find it lasts pretty much all day. The lipstick itself is flat and circular as opposed to the normal shape of Mac lipsticks but its super easy to apply and I am not bothered by that at all. I am anxiously awaiting the moody blooms collection to get my hands on some new Sheen Supremes!

Rimmel Back to Fuschia– I recently finished my Nars Satin Lip pencil in “Yu” which is an amazing hot pink. I’m not currently in the market for another 25 dollar lip pencil so I figured it’d be easier to just find a drug store dupe, and boy did I ever. I had never tried any of their moisture renew lipsticks before, but I was missing out. The packaging is beautiful and numerous people have mistaken the lipstick for urban decay. It comes in a bright purple mirror plastic with a crown on top, because you feel like a total princess when you wear this! It is a true Fuchsia pink with blue undertones that is pretty much exactly the color I was looking for. I like my lipsticks bright and fun, and Back to Fuchsia is no exception. The lipstick is not drying at all but still comes out matte on the lips and lasts me at least the entire morning. If hot pink isn’t your color they have plenty of other nice colors as well, not as many as Revlon or Maybelline but enough for me!

Maybelline Very Cherry– When it comes to drugstore lipsticks, you really cant go wrong with Maybelline. They have been a staple of women’s makeup for so many years and while I am not a fan of all of their products, their lipstick formula is on point. This color is my perfect red. I spent a long time searching (mostly at Sephora and other high end makeup counters) and I happened to try this on when I borrowed it from a friend. There it was, my perfect true red smiling back at me! It looks beautiful on your lips straight out of the tube, but I prefer to put it on with a lip brush because I think it keeps it from bleeding. Finding a good red for your complexion can be tricky, and while this is blue based the color seems to flatter many different complexions.

Mac Diva– Ahh, my beloved Matte lipstick. I have literally 5 different matte mac lipsticks floating around my bag at any given time, but I figured id go with one I haven’t obsessed over on here as much as the others! This color is a beautiful deep burgundy. Normally, I wouldn’t go for a color such as this but it matched my dress perfectly for my sisters wedding and I knew I wanted to go full out glam and make that my showstopping moment. I love pretty much all Mac lipsticks, but their matte formula must have been made with me in mind. It is super long lasting and not nearly as drying as I find their retro mattes to be. As with any matte lipstick, a little exfoliation and chap stick (wipe off before you apply the lipstick) goes a long way, especially if its for a special occasion. This color will turn heads and give you that sexy vamp look, but I think it’s better reserved for when the summer months are over. I’m still going to keep it in my bag though, just in case!

Loreal Fiery Veil– I think this is my only Loreal lipstick I own, but i’m not exactly sure why that is. This color was my first orange and is from the Colour Riche collection. It was more like dipping my toe into the orange trend rather than jumping in head first like I am now. It’s a great lipstick, and it comes in handy for when I want to have orange lips while still looking work appropriate. The lipstick comes in a skinnier tube and glides on so easily. It gives a much more sheer color than any of the previously mentioned lipsticks and could easily be mistaken for a gloss on the lips. Usually I don’t go for the sheer glossy look but this lipstick produces a beautiful color orange that I cant resist. It has a little bit of shimmer to it without that sticky glossy feeling and gives my lips a break from the massive amount of drying I do to them before my Aquaphor regimen at night. For those of you looking for a nice true orange without going over the top, you have met your match.

 

Just purchased my first domain name!

Quirkybeauties.com is officially mine! Thank you guys so much for the support. Starting this blog has been a great outlet for me and has given me a lot of confidence that people want to hear what I have to say. I know some people wouldn’t take a makeup blog very seriously but I love the interaction and the advice I am able to give! Let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see me blog about in the future!

Urbanoutfitters.com Beauty Bests

I’ve always been a huge fan of urban outfitters. Mostly, I shopped in the stores since there’s a lot in NYC/ Long Island. Since my online shopping has been at full speed, it was only a matter of time before I hit their website. I didn’t even realize what a goldmine I stumbled upon until I finally clicked the beauty section. There it was, the most diverse and overwhelming beauty selection I have ever seen. From all different Japanese brands to colored hair masque’s, I was in awe. Here are some of my favorite selections from their website, I strongly encourage you to check it out.

 

The Balm Products- The Balm is one of my hardcore favorite brands right now. I am lucky enough to work next door to the biggest Duane Reade in the world (literally) on Wall Street, which has all of the balm cosmetics in stock. Other than that, its pretty hard to come by. Their packaging is always so fun and quirky, and the makeup honestly can not be beat. They come in at a pretty average price for high end makeup, but its well worth every penny. Mary-Lou Manizer is one of my products i’ve consistently written about. It is the most amazing luminizer that has ever touched my face. It’s a beautiful powder with tiny little crystalized pieces that swipe across your face with ease. I use it all over my face and I use it as eyeshadow because I just want to bathe in it. Balm Shelter Tinted Moisturizer is also amazing. It comes in multiples shades, moisturizes beautifully, and never leaves a sticky or wet feeling. I’m not even a big fan of tinted moisturizer lately but this was just too good not to buy. Lastly, the lip and cream cheek palette is awesome! It comes in the most adorable little package that makes each blush look like an apple which is enough to make me buy it just with that! Their blushes can not be beat, super pigmented and comes in 6 gorgeous, bold, and unique colors.

Hair color masques/chalk- This website has the biggest collection of hair coloring products I have ever seen. With the trend of hair chalking and pastel colors picking up speed, it’s only natural the brands would catch on. No matter what your preference, they will have a product for you. The Manic Panic Classic Cream Hair Dye is awesome. It’s semi-permanent, comes out after a few washes, and comes in so many colors. They also sell a mixture that will pretty much make any color you choose lighter to give it either a pastel or more toned down color. As far as hair chalk choices, the UO Hairchalk Rainbow Set is awesome. For only 14 dollars you literally get 24 different color chalks to play around with. They only last until you wash it out, which is makes it a lot less intimidating than a creme mask. Either way, playing with hair color is an awesome way to express yourself, especially when it’s not permanent!

Headbands- Urban outfitters has the most amazing selection of headbands in store, so you can only imagine the world their website opened up to me. From Turban, to rhinestone, to flower headbands, they literally have it all. Even for those who don’t think they can pull off the trend, I dare you to browse the site. My favorite is a yellow Watermelon one with a cute little twisty band on it, so cute for the beach or to spice up a plain maxi. I love my jeweled ones as well, that can either be worn across the forehead or to pull back my hair when its acting up, which is like always. I’ve also had my eye on a gold chain headwrap but i’m still trying to determine the level of how ridiculous I would look. Regardless, I’m sure i’l get it anyway.

 

NARS Summer 2014 Gifting Collection

Just stumbled upon this post on the New Nars Summer gifting set available exclusively at Nordstrom. I’d love to write my own post on it but this seems to say it all! I will be definitely be looking into it!

A little peek into the life of Chloe!

Here’s me in all my glory, hangin’ with my favorite products, Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque and Aquaphor all over my lips!

Passionate about purple!

Recently, I’ve been seeing purple popping up all over the place (see the alliteration there) and it is more than worthy of it’s own post! Here are a few ways to rock the purple makeup trend without going too Barney on us.

Anna Sui cheek color in mystic rose– this palette is so beautifully packaged, not to mention the actual blush itself is shaped into roses. Regardless, it’s a hefty price tag but I highly reccomend the splurge! I am loving purple blush right now. I actually just ordered some random japanese brand of lilac purple from urban outfitters (random day of free shipping- I can’t stand paying more for shipping than the actual makeup itself) but il let you know how it goes. OK back to the beautiful anna sui blush. This is magical, especially for us fair skinned ladies. It has an incredible glow and comes out almost sheer if you use it lightly or a deep mauve if you build it up. It’s an extremely versatile color and I’ve seen it look totally different on everyone. For those with darker skin, it could work as an illuminizer with a just a hint more color. Either way it is like crack or fairy dust or fairy dust crack .

Mac violetta– I spend a lot of time talking about my heroine lipstick, but I also need to give credit where it’s due. This color is bold and bangin. It makes me feel like a cool 90s chick with a pony tail and spaghetti strap slip. It is a bold neon purple much lighter and brighter than heroine. With it being summer and all, I may have to put the dark colors away for a little and bring out beautiful bright ones like this color. They also come in one of macs palettes of 6 lip colors in “preferred pink” and pretty much every color is on point, not to mention it’s a great deal.

Lancôme pink envy color design eyeshadow palette– don’t be fooled by the name, this palette is filled with wonderful purples for everyone. Since purple is such a hot color right now, I wouldn’t feel right just telling you one to wear one shade on your lids. This palette comes with 5 different colors. 3 of which are different shades of purple. One is lilac, one is mauve, and one is a bold sparkly deep purple. The other 2 shades are both shades of silver one deep one light and shiny, along with a brush that both lines and applys the shadow. You can’t go wrong with this palette and if you like any of the colors seperately you can buy in a single palette as well. Lancôme has very reliable products and their eyeshadow formula is truly top notch.