BEFORE & AFTER (Megan's Graduation FOTD)

I was in Washington last week to attend my little sister's graduation (from Junior High) and she had a dance right after so naturally she came to her big sis (me of course! lol) to do her hair and makeup. My sister is only 13 and still has nice skin; I wanted her to look age appropriate so I skipped any eyeliner and false eyelashes.

I used MAC Careblend Powder in NC 35 on her face to even out her skin tone and get rid of any shine, concealed her eyes with Mary Kay Concealer in Light, I then trimmed her eyebrows a bit and used MAC Brow Set in "Girl/Boy", for her lids I applied MAC e/s in "Bisque" all over her lid and contoured her lid with "Naked" e/s from the Urban Decay Naked Palette to make her eyes pop, and applied L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara. I applied E.L.F Blush in "Fuchsia Fusion" on her cheeks, and on her lips I used "Athena's Kiss" lipstick and MAC Dazzleglass in "Money, Honey".

For her hair, I used my NuMe Styler Flat Iron to make nice loose curls.

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Luminess Air Beauty (Review Part I)

Product: 4 out of 5

Packaging: 5 out of 5

Quality: 4.5 out of 5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Price: $179 for model BC-100, one speed

Kit comes in fair, medium, dark, and tan

Also has 3 types: Satin, Matte, Ultra

Tried: Light and Medium Kit (Ultra)

Would I recommend/repurchase? Yes

Available: www.luminessair.com, www.ulta.com 

I am breaking this review into 2 parts because I had trouble uploading my videos last night (only 1 out of 2 went thru see above), so I will try to re-do them and post them so you all can see how it works. I was REALLY excited to try Luminess Air Beauty Airbrush System ($179), and was so happy to have the opportunity to review it. I have always wanted to try airbrushing and just love the final result of airbrush makeup- where your skin just looks flawless and blemish free, but mainly because I always felt like it gives the 'no makeup' feeling since a few drops covers your entire face. Because I always thought that airbrush systems were pricey in general, I never bothered to look into them or buy one, but the results are totally worth it and it's probably cheaper in the long run considering you'll look like you have your own personal makeup artist. ;)

For my before and after pictures below, I used a mix of F3 and F6 (golden beige and sun-kissed). Using 4 drops of F3 and about 3 drops of F6.

Go here to compare the different airbrush system models.

Description: Provides light to full coverage while leaving a naturally flawless finish. In less than half the time of other beauty routines, Luminess Air minimizes pores, the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and evens out skin tones for the look of perfection! The "Airbrush Look" that was once reserved for models, beauty professionals, and celebrities can now be achieved in the comfort of your own home.  No more dirty sponges, brushes, or fingers!

Sporting my Luminess Tee, wearing it backwards because its plain in the front LOL

Difference between Matte/Satin/Ultra: Matte is of course matte, no shine whatsoever, Satin gives you a more dewy look, and Ultra is a happy medium between the two, looks matte, but gives you a nice glow.

PROS: 
- Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to use, the final result is just amazing! I loved the flawless look it gave me and makes anyone look like utter perfection
- Light weight, I didn't feel like I was wearing makeup, only 6-8 drops is needed of the airbrush foundation to cover the entire face
- Lasted for most of the day, don't have to retouch much, still looks great even after a few hours
- Definitely cuts time in half as it's very easy to use
- Allows you to build your desired coverage, from sheer to full
- Comes in a lot of shades, you can mix shade colors to create your perfect shade
- You can also apply eyeshadow, bronzer, and blush in airbrush form as part of your makeup routine
- Has a cute travel case so it's great to bring on trips!
- Great for people with dry skin too, I HIGHLY recommend using a setting powder to ensure it lasts.

CONS:
- Having to clean it after each use; I don't mind cleaning it of course but it can get tedious, especially when you are dealing with a lot of colors or doing primer > concealer >foundation >blush, etc. You have to add a mix of water and alcohol with the bottle they provide, turn on the compressor, cover the nozzle with your finger so that it back bubbles in the makeup cup/well, then spray all the color out until it is completely clear.
- This particular model has only one setting so it may be difficult working with one speed, but I didn't find any problems with it. (Since other models have 3 settings, one for eyes, face, and body)
- At times it can spray too much even when you are not pulling back on the trigger so hard, so sometimes it can be hard to control. Best way is to spray a little bit of color on a paper towel so you can get a feel for the amount of pressure you need.
- No cover on the makeup cup/well, I haven't spilled yet but I can see how this can be troublesome, BUT the compressor itself has a holster so you don't have to worry about laying it on its side and having the contents spill out.
- Foundations itself may be a tad bit pricey for some, and I am not sure how long each one lasts, might be more pricey if you have to buy 2 to mix shades. It ranges from $29-42 for 0.55oz (larger one) and around $27 (less in some places) for the smaller 0.25oz.

Overall? I LOVE IT. I think it's a great investment, and great for makeup artists on the go for their clients, and even just beginners because it's virtually mistake proof. I love that you can travel with it and its lightweight, and above all the results are just so amazing, you will really be pleased! I think there's a shade to complement everyone.

Air and cosmetics products combine to provide a smooth, natural-looking finish. The illustrated instruction book and DVD offer tips and training for fantastic results with at-home convenience. Choose from Fair, Medium, Tan or Dark to precisely match your skin color.

Foundation and Blush Colors by Skin Tone:
Fair:

• Foundations: Bloom, Golden Beige, Buff and Fawn
• Blush: Soft Rose

Medium:

• Ultra Foundations: Golden Beige, Buff, Fawn and Sun Kissed
• Blush: Natural  

Tan:

• Ultra Foundations: Fawn,  Sun Kissed, Cinnamon and Chestnut
• Blush: Apricot

Dark:

• Ultra Foundations: Cinnamon, Chestnut, Coffee and Chocolate
• Blush: Plum

CLICK TO ENLARGE

 
Luminess Air Pro Beauty Airbrush System Includes:

• Compressor with stylus, made of plastic and metal. Compressor measures approx. 4-1/2"L x 2-1/2"W x 3"H with 5' cord; stylus measures approx. 5-1/2"L x 1/2"W x 2"H
• AC adapter cord with 6' cord
• Airbrush cleaning bottle
• Instruction guide
• Instruction DVD
• Silvertone travel case, measures approx. 11"L x 2-3/4"W x 3-1/2"H, made of vinyl, plastic, rubber and metal
• Luminess Air 7-piece cosmetics Starter Kit includes: (4) .25 oz. Airbrush Foundation shades; .25 oz. Airbrush Bronzer; .25 oz. Airbrush Pearl Shimmer Highlighter; and .25 oz. Airbrush Blush

Product Features:

• Complete airbrushing system - gives optimal coverage for many skin issues, giving a photo-retouched-looking finish.
• Just one airbrush setting for foundation and allover face bronzing.
• DVD and instructional book show you step-by-step how to use this system. 
• Each skintone kit gives a full range of foundations to complement your skin tone. Allows for color variations as your skin color changes from a summer shade to a winter shade.
• Airbrush bronzer - contours face (cheekbones, forehead, chin and jaw line).
• Airbrush pearlizing shimmer - provides a flawless, luminous glow. Use on your cheekbone, down the bridge of the nose, on chin, forehead, neck, decollete and arms.
• Blush - for a beautiful, natural-looking blush.  
• Unit weighs under 1 pound. 

Wearing Luminess on right side of my face (your left), and bare faced on the other

 You can laugh, because I sure did haha, thank goodness for makeup!

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Walgreens Haul

So first I hit up CVS, so today I had to hit up Walgreens to see the new goodies they had in store, especially after seeing sis Lynne's review on the new 2008 collection by L'Oreal featuring HIP Paints (similar to MAC Paints), I had to see it for myself. Physician's Formula is also coming out with TOTALLY organic and natural makeup (i'll upload the pic later).

And you know your boyfriend really loves you if he is driving you to like 3 CVS's and a Walgreens, lol. He was like "What are you looking for?" And I was like "I got to find this thing for my readers", and he was like "Drugstore makeup!?" Little does he know how far drugstore makeup has gone, how much they have changed. As much as I use MAC, I am still faithful to my share of Revlon, Covergirl, Milani, NYX, and L'Oreal. I just use a lot of MAC in my FOTD's because I seriously have TONS of MAC products I need to use them all!

So I ended up getting 5 out of the 6 paints, the one I didn't get was "Witty" because it looked similar to the MAC Metal-X eyeshadow I bought in "Goldspice", so I passed on it.

I bought (from L to R): "Nervy", "Lofty", "Secretive", "Commanding", and "Steely


Now pay close attention because I am going to give the most in depth review on these:

Swatches (first pic with FLASH)


Room light:


Bathroom light (tungsten, most natural setting):



First impression: They really are an awesome dupe of MAC Paints at first glance, they are in similar casing, and almost the same size.

Testing phase: I swatched them on my hand and noticed they were very creamy. I was worried that they were TOO creamy in the sense they would crease or come off, but once I let it dry (a minute or less), it seriously STAYED ON, did NOT budge, rub off, nada. I even washed my hands and it was STILL on my hand. On top of that, it was dry and smooth, not flaky, allowing me to put eyeshadow over it, which means it also makes a great BASE.

My favorite colors are: Lofty, Secretive, and Nervy.

Dupes observations: Now these are not exact dupes, but pretty close to it (I am at the BF's house so I do not have the real thing in front to compare to but I am basing it on memory here)...

Lofty- More of a pinkish version of Painterly with subtle shimmer, or lighter version of MAC "Canton Candy".

Secretive- Very similar to MAC Paint in "Bare Canvas", I currently have Chiaroscuro which is a light taupe/beige.

Nervy- Reminds me of MAC "Groundwork" Paint Pot, awesome bases for brown eyeshadows or for a neutral look.

Steely- Reminds me of MAC "Blackground" Paint Pot, or MAC Shadestick in "Sharkskin". Looks navy blue in certain angles/lighting. Great base for the smokey eye or dark looks.

Commanding- To me, it's a cream form of "Gold Stroke". Has reddish-brown tones to it.



Compared to MAC Paints: I have not done a look with the HIP Paints yet, so I don't want to be too premature to say much about it just yet, BUT off the bat, I think it's a great alternative to the MAC Paints, and of course it's cheaper too. So for gals on a budget and want to try something new, I highly recommend it. I think ALL the colors go great on all skintones and ethnicities as most of them are earthy/neutral colors.

Staying power on the HIP Paints is incredible, it'd comparable to the MAC Paints in regard to staying power, because it really did NOT come off my hand!

LAST WORD: I will do a look soon using them, so far so good, they look very promising. They may be hard to find because not all stores are carrying the newest collections yet, so call your local drugstores such as CVS, Rite-Aid (has an awesome cosmetics return policy!), Walgreens, and Wal-Mart.

Also, they had new INFALLIBLE lipglosses that supposedly last 6 hours. I bought "Undeniably Mauve", put it on and it's a gorgeous color, I ate some cheesy tots from Burger King, ate some donuts, and here's are some pics below before and after I ate. :)

I will do a review on this soon also, as I did not wear it long enough to see if it really does last 6 hours. I did notice however it was a bit drying (as with most stay on lipsticks/lipglosses).



RIGHT WHEN I APPLIED IT:


30 minutes later after I ate some Cheesy Tots!

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End of Summer Cleaning...

I haven't been home enough to really tidy up, so I took today to do nothing but CLEAN!

So here are some BEFORE and AFTER pics of my little makeup station, with my ever-growing collection it's seriously been piling up!




BEFORE


AFTER


BEFORE


AFTER

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Before and After

My inspiration: A book from Robert Jones, the "before and after" photos in this book are phenomenal!



My version, haha, amazing what makeup can do huh???!

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