DAILY ESSENTIAL?

I recently received some sunscreen from Colorescience that I’m not particularly in love with but then again I don’t absolutely hate it.  I received the Daily UV Essentials which consists of the Daily UV Protector & the Sunforgettable Brush-On Sunscreen. At $78 for this kit, I think that the look and feel of the containers are not up to par with such a high price point. The Unforgettable Broad Spectrum Brush-On Sunscreen has SPF 50, came in a medium shade and is super invisible. I was hoping to see a little more even skin tone but I could barely see a difference in the color on my face. I only knew it was there because my face would look more matte so I only used this over the UV Protector.

The Daily UV Protector has a whipped formula that takes a while to blend out and doesn’t look pretty as it’s being rubbed in. When I finally rub it all in, for a few moments it makes my skin look gray but that fades away quickly and eventually looks more natural. I must say, I really liked how my skin looked.

Overall, there’s nothing I hate about these products but don’t feel it’s worth so much money and could do without the whipped formula to enjoy the whole experience.

https://www.colorescience.com/products/daily-uv-essentials

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

 

CHROMATIC FANATIC

NYX recently came out with a new Duo Chromatic Illuminating Powder just in time for festival season! These shades are for fun or editorial looks and not for your everyday glow. The formula feels gel-like, no big chunks of glitter, and best of all gives a fun gorgeous glow! My obvious favorite shades are Snow Rose & Twilight Tint which have the coolest Duo Chrome effect out of all five shades. The orange shade is Synthetica and for some reason the most pigmented. I’m really digging it for my eyes but not so much my face. Crushed Bloom is the bronze shade and the only shade I would say that is the most natural or wearable, especially for the summer!

Lastly we have Lavender Steel which would have honestly been one of my favorites because it’s gorgeous but this color doesn’t really look good on my skin tone so I just won’t be picking this one up as much as the rest. Overall I recommend picking these up if you’re looking for fun highlighters. The packaging is cute and simple, contains 6 grams of product which is not bad at all for just $8. For a more blinding glow, I recommend trying these over their Away We Glow Liquid Highlighters!

http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/duo-chromatic-illuminating-powder/NYX_415.html?cgid=whats-new

APRIL BEAUTY SHOWERS

 

Holy Moly!

Have you seen this month’s Boxycharm? Once I opened mine up, I immediately gravitated towards the 3-Piece beauty sponge set by PÜR Cosmetics. I can’t remember the last time I tried any sponge that wasn’t a Beauty Blender so I was excited to put something new to the test. I tried all 3 to see if they had anything different about them but they were all the same and I’m glad since I really enjoyed using them. They are a LOT denser then a Beauty Blender and have a smoother surface which I really enjoyed. The heavy sponge gives off a very cooling effect when dabbing it against your face and best of all, it applies my makeup fabulously.

Then we also got Rodeo Drive Highlighter by Ofra Cosmetics! Like, WHAT?! I never tried any of their highlighters before but had heard amazing things about them and now I see why. First of all, I’ve never known such good formula before and it took this highlighter for me to see that. I still love all my other highlighters for the shades and the glow but this is the smoothest one for an airbrushed look. Best of all, it also happens to smell super expensive, just like if it were Chanel or YSL.

We have another HAIRGURT product in the same scent as the last, Strawberry Banana. This time it’s a shampoo instead of a hair mask, which btw, I didn’t really end up liking. However,  I feel like this is going to be different & I can imagine it now. I’m not sure how I feel about the scent yet, it’s sweet and I don’t hate it but it's also not my favorite.

Next we have a Lipgloss by Cargo Cosmetics in the shade Umbria which is a shimmery bronze gold color. I didn’t want to open it and swatch it because I already knew I was giving that product away. I don’t really use that shade often so I rather give this one away to someone who will enjoy this gloss that I’m sure is amazing.

Lastly, we received this 16 Color Pro Concealer Palette by Measurable Difference. The formula is very creamy with light coverage. This palette will suit more medium to deep skin tones and includes some correcting shades for blue undertones. I’ve only swatched a few shades but haven’t really tested it out on my face yet to give a better review. Overall I’m very pleased with this month’s box and was put on to a few new things!

 

Total value of these products, $117.

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

NO LOVE FOR THIS DOVE

 I like to switch up my shampoo and conditioner very often and have used Dove Daily Moisture in the past and have never had any issue. However, this time I had a different experience. The smell was amazing of course & it created lots of suds for me just the way I like it, but I quickly realized that my scalp was beginning to get irritated after the second time using it. I’m not sure if I developed an allergy to the formula (which apparently is common) or if something in their formula has changed but aside from an irritated scalp, it left my dry hair feeling so heavy and flat; it felt and looked like I hadn’t washed my hair in a few days!

I found myself washing my hair more often then I normally would. I didn’t have any issues with the conditioner however so I continued to use that until I finished the whole bottle. The conditioner did it’s job, smelled great but was nothing out of this world. I had purchased the pair in a large size, so now I’m stuck with this huge worthless shampoo that I feel bad throwing away, even though I hate it. 

In Control

 

The moment I tested out the NYX Total Control Drop Foundation, I knew I had to have it. It’s super lightweight almost like water and the coverage can be anything you want it to be! Anything from sheer to FULL coverage, you’re in control. As a make-up artist, I always tell people that I either don’t do my make-up or I go all in and prefer my full coverage.

Last week though I had a cold, like all of New York did, so my skin wasn’t looking lively. I decided to try a tiny bit of this foundation for a rare sheer coverage just to make me look healthy again and was literally in shock at how natural I looked. Up until then I was using this foundation for full coverage only and was still obsessed. Now I can say this is the only foundation I would also ever wear on it’s own without setting, without concealer, without blush, without anything else. The price point for this foundation is reasonable at $14 and there are 24 shades available which is amazing! I was able to get my hands on most shades so I’ve also added this to my kit to share with my clients. NYX does recommend using this with the Total Control Drop Foundation Brush but really any good buffing brush will do the job just as effectively. 

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

Get In The Glow

Anastasia Beverly Hills X Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit

Anastasia Beverly Hills is always killing it with their Glow Kits and their latest one, a collaboration with YouTuber Nicole Guerriero, has no doubt seen massive success. All 6 shades feel inspired by Unicorns and all things Rose Gold. This limited edition palette is diverse with a color for every skin tone, perfect to have in your kit! Most shades are wearable, with the exception of Forever Lit & Daydream which are the more unconventional shades. Forever Lit was the most fun to wear because of it’s lavender reflections! For a beautiful more wearable glow, I've been super obsessed with layering Kitty Kat with either Forever Young or Glo Getter on my complexion.


http://www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com/glow-kit-nicole-guerriero/ABH01-18162.html

 

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

 

 

Doctor's Orders

This post is exactly why I love Boxycharm so much! One of the items included in my last box was the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator which retails for $79! This was perfect timing since I was actually in need of a new exfoliator and I LOVE trying out new skincare. The directions say to use no more then once or twice a week, and I found that for my skin, once a week is enough. I used it as both a soft cleanser and a rough one, depending on the pressure you’re applying as you scrub your face, which I thought was awesome. This exfoliant removes of all my dead skin cells leaving my skin feeling flawless without repercussion. Afterwards, I do recommend moisturizing to bring that back into the skin. The price and amount of product is worth it for a little luxurious skin investment.

https://www.drbrandtskincare.com/products/dr-brandt-microdermabrasion

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

THIS BITES! IN A GOOD WAY....

An unexpected package arrived at my door step this summer and I was ECSTATIC because it’s my first time receiving something from none other then Bite Beauty! I received 6 out of 18 of the new Multistick shades. The creator, Susanne Langmuir, developed these Multisticks based on an old fashion tradition of repurposing lipsticks as blush and on slight occasions even as eye shadows. All 18 shades are basically the typical blush and lipstick colors popular among every single skin tone there is out there. For eye shadow, they’re perfect to create fall looks and some editorial looks if you’re a makeup artist. I can tell you now that these are already in my kit because the colors are all super versatile to help me create natural and high fashion makeup. As lipstick, it has the perfect full coverage with a satin finish that looks matte. On the cheeks and eyes it blends out very sheer and natural WITHOUT creasing all day! It is truly weightless just as they claim, as if you’re simply adding color to your face without adding an extra layer. They’re available for purchase on www.sephora.com and retail for $24.

Swatches shown above. Left to Right: Blondie, Cashew, Cerise, Cocoa, Gelato & Macaroon

Swirl & Sparkle

Kudos to our LA Instructor Greta who collaborated with one of our fabulous Make-Up Tonight sponsors, Swirl & Sparkle, on this gorgeous Limited Edition Brush Cleaner! The molded design was just too fancy and gorgeous that it was hard to actually bring myself to use it. I wanted everything to stay perfect! It has a fresh melon scent to it that is subtle and not overbearing at all. It’s 4oz, making it 3oz more then that of Beauty Blender which also offers a solid brush cleaner as well. The best part is those beautiful gems that become more exposed with every use. Not only are they pretty but it also creates a grit that better helps clean your brushes. On the inside of the lid there are 3 bigger gems for when you are rinsing which works really well although I don’t think they’ll stay on for a long time but I’m really hoping they do! All in all, it was definitely worth the wait. It was the most fun to use, the most practical and definitely did the job while keeping my bristles soft. A must for every makeup lover!

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

IN THE GLOW

Over the past two weeks I’ve been playing with some Marc Jacobs Beauty products and have fallen in love with their new Glow Stick in 700 Spotlight! The texture is cool and buttery unlike anything else I own and the color is a beautiful BRIGHT white gold. I’ve been wearing it alone without other makeup on my face and over a beat face as the base for my powder highlight and THAT’S when I really fell in love! I apply it onto my finger first and then dab it onto the desired areas I want and it remains dewy so it really catches the powder I place over it. Every single time I wear this product, I get so many compliments on my highlight and that’s all a girl could ever ask for. The packaging is very clean as well as easy to clean although it’s white which is a huge relief. But I think the best part is it suits all skin tones since it has both cool and warm undertones and plus it’s sheer so it looks even more natural. It’s pricey but totally worth it!

THE BEST YET FROM ABH!

The new Anastasia Beverly Hills summer releases are EVERYTHING! 

The Modern Renaissance Palette is clearly different from the rest because it’s a chic blush suede! There are 11 matte shadows and 3 satin metallic's and I personally feel the choice of colors can be worn any time of the year. With all the matte shades included, creating new looks will be easy for everyone. I also don’t think any of the shadows were repeated from any previous palettes but I could be wrong. I’m also obsessed with the new detail they gave to the plastic protecting the mirror, it’s definitely more pleasing to the eye and won’t look bad if you decide to keep it instead of removing it. 

The newest Glow Kit to their collection is called Sun Dipped (shown above) and is my favorite by far! I would always start with "That Glow Palette" and end with the "Gleam Palette" for the extra pop but with this Sun Dipped one, I’ve just been using one palette because moonstone and summer are just the bomb dot com, even more then "So Hollywood"!  The other two shades; Tourmaline and Bronzed are perfect for a more natural all over beach glow. Love, love, love this!

Next is a summer edition lip gloss set for just $28! As shown above, It includes 6 mini lip glosses that are the same size as NYX glosses so they’re perfect to keep in your bag and personally easier to hold in your hand while applying. It’s mostly nudes, a berry and blue purple shade so they’re all very wearable and perfect for the summer! Gorgeous!

I saved the best for last. The new Anastasia Beverly Hills "Darkside" waterproof gel liner is the TRUTH! Formula is almost identical to my favorite NARS "Larger Than Life" eyeliner that stays put all day so you don’t have to keep reapplying it to maintain that intense black color. It’s a retractable pencil that slides smoothly with a hidden tiny sharpener to reshape the pencil. How cool is that?! I’m completely blown away with their new releases!

Do yourself a favor and add these to your collection for this summer.

MONTHLY CHARM

My #1 Beauty Subscription hands down is Boxycharm. Every month I share my new box on Instagram (@glossythings) and wish I could go on and on about it...so I decided now that I’m blogging I’m going to share my monthly boxes here as well and not feel bad about getting too into detail about all the products! Here goes... for $21 a month you are getting 4-5 FULL size beauty products!!! It’s so ideal for me because I get to really try out a product and test it out, plus it’s nice that I get to add to my collection for such a bargain! The best part is they work with some amazing brands and most of them are very well known such as Tarte, Make-up Geek, Ofra, Luxie and many more. Another bonus is that unlike other beauty subscriptions I’ve signed up for in the past, you can even receive eye shadow palettes, brushes/brush sets, and hair masks!  Just talking about it is getting me excited for my June box to arrive!!!!

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

NO WAY ALMAY!

Two weeks ago while at Rite Aid, I picked up an Almay Longwear & Waterproof Gentle Eye Makeup Remover just to test it out and check to see if there was anything better then my baby oil. I use to be obsessed with their eye make up remover pads so I did have high hopes and I was super excited when I picked this up on sale. However, this was a total let down! It claims to gently remove all traces of makeup including waterproof mascaras, but that’s clearly not the case. I had to use SO much product to just be able to remove my eye shadow! I think the problem is it feels like you’re simply rubbing your face with water and like water, it really isn’t breaking down any makeup. My eyes would get red from all the rubbing but I will say that it didn’t irritate my skin despite all that. No matter how much I used I couldn’t even fully get my waterproof mascara out and I’d wake up with horrible dark, smudgy circles under my eyes. Baby oil for the win! Don’t waste your money on this even if its on sale, you can get water for free at home.

GLOVE LOVE

I have been waiting to try my new Sigma Express Spa Glove since receiving it last week and finally got to try it yesterday! To be honest I did have my doubts about it since I’ve tried the Bom Beauty Brush Cleaner in the past and didn’t think it was anything out of this world; It didn’t really cut down my brush cleaning time and was pretty squeaky. I must have used it like once or twice before I never reached for it again. The shape of the Sigma Express Spa Glove is what caught my eye since it’s super flexible and has a lot more patented textures for all different types of brushes. It’s easily reversible, one side of the glove is meant for face brushes and the other side for eye brushes.

Cleaning each brush took me under a minute and that’s including the time it takes to get the soap out of the brushes. The universal size is a nice touch because its pretty roomy so it isn’t uncomfortable to get your hands wet. I would highly recommend this to anyone in need of a faster more effective way to clean your brushes or just learning to clean their brushes for the first time, since this gloves makes everything so easy. Also it's priced at $25, which isn’t bad at all for a name brand product that can do all that and can also be latex free! Happy cleaning :-) 

HOORAY FOR MAY!

 My MAY BoxyCharm box has arrived!!! Isn’t she gorgeous? So I’m already most excited about the Makeup Geek blush in ‘XOXO' because the blushes are not even available yet! It makes me feel so VIP! Next, I’m crazy to try The BrowGal brow gel in clear which arrived with perfect timing since I just ran out of my current one. Tonya Crooks is a known Eyebrow artist in Los Angeles, so we are super happy for her for the launch of this product. The packaging is sleek and edgy, so hopefully the product will feel the same way. I also got a cute Ella + Mila nail polish in ‘Pistache’ that also happens to be vegan & cruelty free - bonus! This brand is unheard for me, but I can see these becoming popular very quickly. We also got a Pur Double Ego Dual Ended Eyeliner in ‘Queensland’ that looks so amazing because one side is a liquid eyeliner and the other is a retractable pencil. I just wish I would have received a black one since I have so many in this color for some reason and not enough black, but that's my personal problem I guess.

The color was just right with the collaboration Boxycharm did with Starlooks on an ultra longer lip pencil in ‘Charmed’ which is a gorgeous nude! Lastly I got a Catherine Malandrino Romance de Provence deluxe perfume sample that doesn’t have the best packaging and the smell is too sweet for my liking, but I am sure some will love it. Also the perfume sample is a bonus gift, not one of the 5 promised items. Overall I would consider this one of the best boxes I've received so far from  - do they spoil us or what!? Enjoy Charmers!

 

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

BUTTER UP!

While working with NYX at IMATS NYC last month I discovered they had a Butter Gloss 2.0. It’s called Intense Butter Gloss and I was curious to try them immediately! The difference between the regular Butter Glosses and the intense ones is that the regular ones are sheer and the intense ones are pure pigment. What you see is what you get. I literally haven’t been able to put down ‘Peanut Brittle’ because it is just the sexiest nude gloss I own, no joke. It makes my lips look super luscious while still keeping the same buttery formula form their traditional glosses. I am wearing it in the image above. This shade isn’t too pale or too pink or mauve, its right in between. Just a beautiful creamy luscious color is the only way to describe it!

NAIL IT!

I have always been very into keeping my hands and feet looking clean and perfectly polished for those moments someone compliments your color and wants to get up close. I would genuinely always want to give my friends tips on how to apply their polish perfectly without messing up but was never ever really able to translate it into words until I started working with clients. Now that I do work with my clients, I have been able to express it and I figured it would be a great post! It all pretty much comes down to one very common mistake; applied pressure. Holding the polish brush is very similar to holding a makeup brush in terms of easing the pressure off by placing your fingers toward the tail end of the brush. This is what allows you to create smooth strokes rather then actual brush strokes. Another great and very important tip is to begin in the middle, closer to the cuticle but not actually at the cuticle. You want to slightly and quickly push the paint up towards the cuticle and stop right before you actually touch it and then bring it down to the tip. and repeat the same technique for the right and left side of the nail. For those that like to play with their nail colors at home, in between manicures, this one is for you. Happy polishing ladies! 

PRIMED AND READY!

Using a face primer underneath your foundation is a very important step in not only skin care but also making sure your make up lasts longer throughout the day without having to touch up. Right after applying my face primer I like to apply my eye primer right away and massage it down to my under eye area as well as if it were an eye cream. I find that doing that prevents my under eye concealer from creasing no matter what concealer I go for! It makes perfect sense too because the formula for eye primers have an extra umph meant to specifically PREVENT eye shadows from creasing so why not apply that same concept for your under eye right? I’m not going to lie I have more then one favorite eye primer that all work well with my sensitive eyes and feel very similar if not the same during application. I recommend Smash Box 24 hour photo finish, Urban Decay primer potion (original) or Milani eye shadow primer if you’re looking for something more affordable. 

By Miryam | NYC Makeup Tonight Instructor

PREACH THE BLEACH!

Along side intense hair products, the key to keeping my bleached hair healthy is PATIENCE. Patience is key! This blog was a special request by a lovely follower on Instagram, who wanted to know how I achieved my platinum hair. To be honest, it was a very slow and gradual process. Before getting ready to go blonde, I would do my hair masks two or three times a week instead of once to prepare my hair for what it was about to endure. I use 40vol developer & won’t lighten (aka bleach but lighten sounds better lol) my hair more then twice at a time (which is usually when the hair will tell me its enough for the day). So the first time I went blonde, I had to settle for more of a golden blonde because my hair wouldn’t take anymore processing that day. I gave it a little trim and continued to do my hair masks two or three times a week, to help restore my hair. After two weeks, most hairs are ready to go through that again but I personally don’t mind waiting two months and letting it get stronger. When I was ready for round 2, I achieved a beautiful beige level which I kept for a year or more because I loved it so much. I would only lighten my roots from time to time but didn’t re-bleach any hair that was already blonde. I kept it toned with Shimmer Lights purple shampoo and conditioner to prevent any brass from coming through. Round 3 came recently and it definitely did a number on my hair (even after all of that time) so I barely used heat on my hair so it didn’t disrupt the progress I was making with my hair masks. My favorite toner is Wella Charm ‘Nordic Blonde’ and I plan on keeping it like this for a LONG time especially after all that hard work and patience! So basically your journey doesn’t have to be as long as mine but you should be realistic and expect it to be slower then overnight for sure. The biggest tip in all of this story is listening to your hair when it's telling you enough is enough. Also don’t forget prepping and restoring with hair masks no matter how lazy you feel about it, your hair will thank you! 

BLINKING GOOD BLINC BLACK LASH PRIMER!

I have previously received a Blinc Mascara in a past Boxycharm and loved the tube packaging. However, I was never able to really try it before my mom decided she wanted to keep it for herself! Snooze you lose right?! For this month’s Boxycharm, I received another Blinc product and this time it was a Black Lash Primer for Jet Black Volume! My first impression was that I loved the fact that it was a BLACK primer. The white ones never really caught my eye because I always thought a white base would dull my black mascara. The wand is like a narrow comb so its easy to get to the base of your lashes. After letting the primer dry, I used my Doucce Punk Volumizing mascara and I instantly noticed that my lashes looked longer then they would if I used my mascara on its own. However, aside from the length it really did make my mascara JET black color wise. Although I didn’t notice any extra volume I can’t complain about the extra length!