How to Depot Your Shadows and Blushes

So I've mentioned before that my sister is a former MAC artist and is runway certified.  This basically means that i love to pick her brain about makeup and all the secrets of the trade!  One thing she's been doing for years is 'depotting'.  I'll admit i never wanted to try it.  The thought of taking something out of its beautiful packaging and potentially ruining it simply did not sound appealing to me... that is, until now!  You see, in the past year, I've upgraded my makeup case twice!  Well, three times if you count the one train case i ordered not realizing the dimensions were wrong!  So my latest train case purchase is a massive trolley case that i thought would be the answer to my prayers.  Sadly, the bulkiness of my blushes and individual shadows made it difficult to properly store them.  I knew something had to be done... so i took matters into my own hands!  I purchased a few ZPalettes because i knew these were the only palettes I'd trust with my beloved shadows and blushes.  This was the best decision i could have ever made!  I find myself using shadows that had been long lost in the midst of my makeup train case!  So essentially, i feel as though I've gained a whole new set of shadows!  Here's the bonus... if you depot MAC shadows/blushes/bronzers you can take the empty pots and take advantage of MAC's recycling program 'back to MAC' which you've heard me talk about many times on my blog!  So i hope this post inspires you to do the same!  I'll admit, i refuse to depot my Nars shadows... they're just too pretty in their original packaging!

OK Here's what you'll need:

Decide which shadows/blushes/bronzers you want to depot...

Place the shadow pan on a piece of parchment paper.

Once the glue has melted off, you will be able to carefully use your sharp object to remove the metal shadow pan from the plastic portion.  Be careful!  The metal portion of the pan will be hot!

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Peel the adhesive off and place it on the back of the metal shadow pan.

Using your sharpie, write the name and make of the shadow.  In this case, I've depotted MAC's Retrospek.

Place the shadow in your palette of choice and you're done! 

Now remember to snap the top and bottom pieces of the empty shadow pan back together so that you can 'back to MAC' it!

So i found this process to be relatively easy!  I'll admit that i crumbled one of my old shadows which i attribute to the fact that it was already half gone to begin with.  Also, one of my MAC bronzers slightly cracked.  It's totally usable still thankfully so I'm not too upset over it.  What i most love about this process is the fact it makes your shadows, blushes and bronzers more readily available to use while saving you a ton of space!

So lets chat!  Have you depotted any makeup before?  Have you tried ZPalettes before?  What are your thoughts?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading!  XOXO Carla - FMM

MAC Rocker

 

I'm obsessed with lipsticks, lip glosses, lip stains... heck, I'm obsessed with makeup period!  This holiday weekend, we are bidding farewell to Summer and welcoming the start of a new Fall season.  In doing so, many of us consciously begin wearing colors that are more in tune with the upcoming season.  I find myself reaching for wines, bordeaux's, plums and chocolate... gosh, all those adjectives just made me wish i was sitting at a vineyard somewhere sipping some fine wine!  OK, back to lip color!  Recently, I've given you a peek inside my makeup bag.  I mentioned my love of MAC's Rocker.  In fact, i love it so much that i felt it needed it's very own blog post!  This rich wine hue was a limited release which MAC so graciously decided to bring back due to popular demand!  I say, make it a regular fixture in your collection already!  Clearly, it is loved by many!  So this week, grab your favorite mascara and pile it on...skip all the fuss and make Rocker work for you!  This bold yet classic deep red will make just the right statement!  It will say, Fall, I'm ready for you!

 

 

Thanks for reading!  Don't forget to become an offical follower of FMM!  xoxo Carla

Real Techniques

Have you ever felt as though your foundation is looking a bit streaky, or your eye shadow is just not creating the impact you'd hoped for?  Well, don't discard your makeup just yet!  Instead, take a good look at your brushes and determine if perhaps it's time to invest in new ones?  Trust me, a brush can make all the difference in the makeup application process!  You may find that a new brush brings a whole new life to those products you already know and love!  Real Techniques offers high quality brushes at rather reasonable prices!  These beauties were designed with pro makeup artist Samantha Chapman, combining high-tech materials with innovative design to make for a perfect makeup application. 

While representing Allure magazine at the HBA Global Expo this past June, I had the pleasure of meeting one of 'Real Technique's representative who kindly gifted me with these three amazing brushes.  Now I'm not gonna lie, i was a bit skeptical at first!  I'm very VERY partial to MAC & Sephora when it comes to makeup brushes.  However, after trying these, i was incredibly impressed with the quality, the application and the design.  I LOVED that some of these brushes could actually stand upright on my counter!  It made them that much easier to reach for!  I can't say enough about how good these brushes felt against my skin as well as how well the makeup went on.  There was no streaking whatsoever!   I have to say, i love these so much, i want the entire collection! 

Here's another great thing about Real Techniques, their website is incredibly informative.  In fact, if you are a makeup FREAK like myself, then you're already familiar with Samantha Chapman's 'Pixiwoo' YouTube tutorials!  When it comes to makeup, she's more then just an educator but a guru of sorts!  She can help you transform yourself from blah to 'holy gorgeousness' in a matter of minutes!  If you haven't watched any of her videos, be sure to do so and you'll see for yourself!  Also, here's the kicker!  The website has video tutorials for every single brush in their collection!  Take that MAC and Sephora!  Now don't get me wrong, i still love and always will love my MAC and Sephora brushes, but believe me... these will make a wonderful new addition to my hefty brush collection!

Ok so here are the brushes!

So the first brush is the Expert Face Brush, perfect for applying liquid or cream foundation!  You will look 'pixel perfect' even in the harshest of lights!  Its ultra-plush, synthetic taklon bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty-free!

The next brush is probably my favorite!  It's called the Stippling Brush.  The Real Techniques website describes it as the trades secret for creating airbrushed, high-definition results with all types of makeup, and personally, i AGREE!  Coincidentally, Real Techniques must have read my mind, because i had plans to add this brush to my collection the very day that i received it in the mail!  I literally squealed when i saw this beauty!  Especially since it saved me a trip to the make up counter!

From subtle to dramatic, the Shading Brush is perfect for flawless, high definition results!  I know my eyeshadow was perfection when i used it!

 

These gorgeous brushes are available via the Real Techniques website.  If you absolutely must see them in person before purchasing (and i encourage you to), please visit your local Ulta!  Thank you SO MUCH for reading!  Don't forget to become an official follower of FMM!  XOXO Carla

Hey, Sailor!

All aboard!  Set sail this season' with MAC's new collection 'Hey Sailor'... a collection of gorgeous colors inspired by vintage pin-up girls.  The line became available in stores Thursday, May 24th and of course that very day, i graced my local Nordstrom's MAC counter anxious to see the collection in person!  It did not disappoint!  If you are a sucker for great packaging like me, you're senses will tumble overboard with all the nautical navy and white stripes!  I must admit, i had my eye on this one lip liner in Shore Leave that just looked so stunning online when i first previewed it.  I quickly asked one of the MAC artists behind the counter to assist me in trying on this lip liner.  I was a bit worried that the color was too light for my lips.  The color stunned in this pale pinkish coral tone.  I had envisioned it paired with a sheer lip tint.  Unfortunately, i worried that it was indeed to light for me and opted to pass on that particular shade.  I'm still kind of sad about it.  I'm wondering if i can still make it work somehow, but for now, i left it behind.  The bronzers were a perfect complement to this collection.  There  was also a wonderfully bright red nail color in Touch of Red that was perfect for channeling your inner pin-up girl and flaunting your pretty manicured nails while sailing through the town.  I highly recommend you try it!  I wound up picking up a gorgeous lipglass in Rivera Life which is basically a bright reddish orange which i love for this season!  I also snatched a great shadow in Barefoot consisting of a gorgeous gold with olive undertones.  It's the purrrrrfect shadow if you're looking for a little shimmer on your eyes!  Pair it with a few swipes of bronzer, dab some lipglass or suntint (with SPF 20 mind you) on your pretty pout, oh and don't forget the fabulous red nails, and I'd say you're ready for a cruise around Manhattan... or better yet, you're ready to set sail around the French Riviera!  Oui Oui!  So run, don't walk to your local MAC counter and check out this line before it's gone... after all, it a limited edition!  As the saying goes, all good things come to an end!  Au Revoir!

 

 

 

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Anastasia Brow Pen

Remember back in the 90's when Cindy Crawford strutted the runway with her fabulous mole that we all tried to replicate (c'mon you know you did!).  We all idolized her flawless body, her gorgeous hair and her full perfectly manicured brows right? Well, i was not blessed with such.  But i'm certainly not mad at it!  I mean, this is why we turn to our favorite beauty products... they can solve just about any beauty related problem!  For years, i used a brow powder by MAC which i liked very much!  However, one day, while shopping at Sephora (surprise surprise), i found a brow pen by Sephora's own brand.  I was skeptical at first as i did not want to have my brows look as if they'd been painted on (ew!), but i picked it up knowing that if i didn't achieve the look i was searching for, i could easily return it.  Well, i'd found my dream brow solution!  Sadly, when i ran out and attempted to replenish, i realized the Sephora brand no longer carried this product.  I quickly sought the help of one of Sephora's staff members who instantly directed me to a brand i'd never quite heard of called Anastasia of Beverly Hills.  They carried the brow pen i searched for!  I purchased it and prayed that it'd have the same effect on my brows as my previous beloved Sephora purchase.  I was pleased to find that it was just perfect!  This little brow pen can easily transform an entire look.  I still remember the first time i used it, i had a ton of friends ask me what i'd done differently. They noticed something yet weren't sure quite what!  It's a wonderful product that glides on super easily, the pen shape makes it easy to apply giving you lots of control over the application process.  Lastly, it goes on like a powder.  It does not create the look of 'painted on' brows... imagine that!  You get a very natural, yet defined look.  I highly recommend this product to anybody and everybody!  It comes in two shades.  Universal Light - suggested for blonde to light brown hair, and Universal Deep for dark brown to black hair.  I purchased Universal Light and LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  For $21 (it lasts a long time), you can't afford not to purchase it! 

Thanks for visiting!  Don't forget to become an official follower of Fashion Maven Mommy!  Also, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter @fashionmavenmom and "like" my Facebook page.  Hugs

Brushes 101

So this past week has been a bit insane!   I'm so sorry i haven't had time to post but that's where the "mommy" portion of my blog kicks in.  I'm a mommy first and foremost.  I work full time, one of my twins was sick, workshops, yada yada BUT the Summer is almost here and since i'm a teacher i get the Summer off!!!  Better yet, i'll be a blogging fool when i finally have more time to actually get all my ideas together!  I have so many things to share with you!  But making it all come to fruition is sometimes difficult, especially since i like to accompany my posts with pretty pictures which involves actually taking the pics, downloading and editing them.  Ahhh ok, enough... on to the post!

So there were some inquiries in my last post regarding what certain brushes are actually for.  With the wide range of brushes available out there, i can certainly understand how one might be overwhelmed or confused.  I'm going to talk about what my essential brushes are.  These are not the only types of brushes available obviously, but these are the ones i rely on mostly and then some.   I will not however, go into foundation, concealer brushes in this post.  I'll save that for a later post when i talk about just that... foundation and concealer :).

So this first brush is what i use to apply shadow to the lid of my eyes.  It's flat and relatively small making it easy to really get in there and cover the entire lid.

This next brush is an angled flat brush that i use to highlight the area right below the brow.  The angle makes it easy to apply eyeshadow to this particular area. 

The next couple of brushes, i use in the crease under the brow bone.  You can use a variety of brushes for this particular area.  This is the ones i use the most.

 

The last eyeshadow brush i'm going to show you is what i call a "blender" brush.  I use it to blend, blend. blend and blend!!! You don't want super striking lines separating the eye colors, you want them to ease into one another.  Unless of course, you're into that sorta thing! Hey, to each his own right? 

 

The next brush is my favorite blush brush. I use this brush to sweep my cheeks with a dab of blush.

 

 

 

 

The next brush is what i use to apply bronzer... it's an over sized, fluffy brush perfect for adding a little bit of sunshine to your face.

 

This last brush is a 'fan brush'.  I'll be honest, i hadn't the slightest clue what this was for, so i turned to the expert "my sister - a former MAC artist" who clarified this for me.  Now that i know, i actually use it often!  Ok so this brush is used to apply a highlighter.  You can also use it to dust away excess powder away.  I however, like to apply a shimmery highlighting powder above my cheekbones under the eyes as noted in the second picture below. 

*The pallete above was a gift from Sephora after redeeming my 500 rewards points.  It's the 'Naked Look' pallete by Too Faced which you can find here.
**The brushes shown above are from Sephora and MAC.  Also, the blush is by MAC and the bronzer is Shimmer Bricks  in Bronze by Bobbi Brown.

Well, i hope this was informative.  I have a ton of brushes but wanted to highlight the most essential ones (without mentioning foundation/concealer brushes which i'll mention in a later post). 

Thank you so much for visiting.  Don't forget to become an official follower.  Also follow me on Bloglovin, twitter @fashionmavenmom, and "like" my page on Facebook!  Hugs

Make-up obsession

Ever since i was old enough to wear it, I've been obsessed with make-up.  I have very fond memories of my very first purchase of MAC cosmetics and brushes.  I was about 17 years old when i visited a MAC counter at my local Nordstrom.  I was giddy browsing through all the fun colors available to me!  The MAC artist was very helpful and provided me with wonderful make-up tips.  One thing she taught me was that i could use a wet brush to intensify the color of my eyeshadow.  I spent my first mini-fortune (remember, i was only 17) and knew, there was no turning back!  That's how my inner make-up snob (lowering my head in shame) was born.  Don't get me wrong, i own drug store make-up and there are certain products that i will only buy at a drug store, however, a large bulk of my make-up is purchased from Sephora or at a Department Store simply because of my love and admiration for gorgeous, innovative beauty finds.  So, this is the train case i recently purchased.  It looks very similar to the one i previously had and broke.  It's a good size and fits all of my necessities (OK, it carries way more than what i actually need but you get my point).  The only issue i foresee is the fact that it is pretty full... you know what that means right?  No, i'm not going to stop buying make-up... duh!  I will probably need a second case soon! lol  So i thought it might be interesting to first, show you my case filled with products i own and then perhaps, tackling one product type at a type to blog about!  What do you think?  I'd like to do a few video tutorials at some point as well... perhaps my fabulous sister Joann (Joey) can assist me with those since she's a former MAC artist, who's runway certified and worked the VMA's the last time they were held in NYC!  Cool stuff right?  OK, so here it is... i love hearing from you guys so be sure to leave your thoughts!  If there's something specific you'd like me to start with first, let me know and i'll do my best to show you what i use and what works for me.  Thanks!

 

The Allure Beauty Blogger of the Year awards are sponsored by Revlon, so all the Revlon products you see in my case (and then some) were courtesy of Revlon! SCORE!

 

 

 

Thank you SO MUCH for visiting!  Don't forget to become an official member of Fashion Maven Mommy.  Also, follow me on Twitter @fashionmavenmom, Bloglovin and "like" my Facebook page!  Hugs



Accidentally Organized!

So a few weeks back, my make-up train case broke!  Uhh don't you hate it when that happens?  Well, i immediately ordered a new one, and in typical Carla fashion, i failed to check the measurements assuming it was the same as the one i currently owned.  Well, i was wrong!  When it arrived, i knew immediately there was no way this make-up obsessed girl would fit all of her beloved make-up in this new case.  Needless to say i was not a happy camper!  So, i promptly ordered another, this time making sure to purchase the correct one.  But what would i do with this one?  I mean, i certainly didn't feel like shipping it back.  And then it clicked!  This would make a great case for organizing my nail polish collection, which until now, had been residing in a large rectangular plastic container... hardly a pretty home for my gorgeous polish collection!  Turned out to be indeed!  I love how when i open it now, i can see every single color perfectly making it easier to decide on a selection based on my mood.  Key word being "easier" not "easy" by any means since there are so many choices!  But you've heard me say it before, I'm obsessed with nail polish yada yada, so as you can see, i wasn't kidding!  Only thing is, i can't fit much more in this case which can be problematic for future purchases!  Hmmm  As for my manicure supplies, i keep those in a really pretty fabric bag that i found at Home Goods... couldn't fit it all in this one.  I bet if i had the large train case specifically for this purpose, I'd fit it all in there... ok ok, this will have to do for now!  So here are some pictures.  Hopefully, i will inspire some of my nail polish junkie friends to organize their collections as well. 

So when you open the case, it opens up into three tiers on both sides.  My thought was to separate each tier by brand.  Each brand, i tried to separate by shade. 

Getting a picture of the entire open case was quite challenging lol 

Thank you SO MUCH for visiting!  Don't forget to become an official follower of Fashion Maven Mommy by clicking "Join this site".  Also follow me onhttps://twitter.com/#!/Fashionmavenmom, Bloglovin and "like" my Facebook page!  Hugs!