Contour? Bronzer? YES PLEASE TO BOTH!

I've been meaning to post about this next little gem for a month.
With summer (in this part of the hemisphere) threatening to burn us at every new dawn; it occurred to me "HOLY BIKES, I AM PALE!!" Normally this doesn't bother me, but now and again...YIKERS!
I'd been reading and seeing a lot of this next little beauty product for several weeks and decided, what the hey, I'll bite and try it and so far I'm very pleased!

CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel is a cream/gel bronzer that LOOKS scary but performs beautifully with minimal effort. I'd seen it used on Pixiwoo all the time. The more I saw it used, the more obsessed with it I became! I HAD TO HAVE IT. So I called up my nearest Macy's, connected to the Chanel counter and made sure they would have this must have item. With it being Spring, I really doubted they would have it in stock. Luckily for me, they did! At a hefty $48.00 (U.S.) this was a major purchase for me. Needless to say, I did a fair amount of research and testing before I laid my money down.

Much to my happy surprise, there's little to no shimmer! There is a teeny tiny amount, but it's not truly visible to the naked eye. It's more of a blurring element than a sparkle. The texture is dreamy; smooth and creamy, easily picked up with a dry brush, easily spread over bare skin or foundation (in my case I used it over this BB Creme and continue to be impressed by the results.

On the LEFT I used the Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel as a contour (pre-blended, obviously); and on the RIGHT I used the same product with the same brush as a bronzer. The effect is much more subtle, you may not even be able to see the difference, but it's there. I promise.


Real Techniques - Expert Face Brush (I purchased at Ulta) is the perfect tool for the creamy bronzer. It's not-too-soft, not-too-hard synthetic bristles are almost stubby in the rounded shape but that is exactly what gives you all the control you need! I also used the same type of brush for my BB Creme, but to insure I keep the brushes separate, I painted the bottom of the brush handle with a gold nail polish to remind me this one is for BRONZER. With the brush price point of $8.99, having multiples of this brush is virtually guilt-free.


Recommendation: If you can afford it, I say go for it! The consensus in the vlog/blogosphere is that the product lasts for years and is easily used every day for every look. The blendability is off the charts; while being so emollient, it's not greasy at all which made me even happier with my purchase.

Never fear: Bold Colors ARE Wearable!

Bold colors are always beautiful. But how one pairs them and wears them can be a challenge. Without going "Full Drag", adding bold colors can seamlessly be incorporated into your eye makeup repertoire!

Maybelline New York has really upped their game when it comes to long-wearing, affordable and easy to use products. Their EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24 hour Cream Gel Shadow works fantastic! The pigments are bright. The formula is creamy but controllable. The top layer does tend to dry out and can crumble when you're dipping into them; but once you're past that slight film, the product is undeniable.

The two brushes I used were a flat liner brush from Sephora.com and a lip brush by e.l.f. Cosmetics. Both are synthetic hair that stain easily. Neither one was expensive so if I need to replace them, it's no big deal.






I purchased the Tenacious Teal and Fierce and Tangy simply because I've always loved a good ocean-y blue and years ago in my stint as a makeup artist I found that bright orange is a really fun and workable color. Both colors are beautiful and really do go well together! The cool of the teal acts as a great accent color to a wash of the orange on just about everyone. Though it's not a combination that most would wear. Don't be afraid! It works!!

Using the smaller e.l.f brush, I put a small wash of the orange from my inner lid towards the outer corner. Once I had the orange placed, I used my finger to smudge the color to cover the majority of my lid. (This creates a good background for your lashes.) Next I used the flat liner brush and tap-swept the brush along the outer lid area until I'd built up a good color saturation. Going little by little ensures you can blend any mistakes away. After I'd gotten the top line, I ran the same flat liner under the lower quarter inch or so of my lower lashes. Again, it's all about contrasts. Because I'm so pale, the cool blast of teal really pops without making the undereye look heavy. (Additionally, putting a little color on the outer edge helps draw attention away from my darker undereye circles.) With the Color Tattoo products, working quickly is a must. The product sets quickly, and as promised, lasts. Zero and I mean ZERO fading. I didn't even use an eyeshadow base. These suckers are on. Next, I used the Tightlining Technique and Products from my previous post. Curled my lashes and put on a good coat of Cover Girl 24 Hour Lash Blast Mascara and I was done!

The Maybelline New York Eye Studio shadows were under $9 US each and since so little needs to be used, they will last both on my face and in my makeup case! The general rule is less is more when it comes to bold and bright colors; but don't be afraid! Play with them! They are really fun and are worth the little time it takes to get used to them! Happy painting!