beauty on a budget: Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Makeup

long-wearing foundation is a great option for me because i have oily skin. some formulas just slide off of my face no matter how well i prep before applying them. Maybelline's new SuperStay 24HR Makeup promises 24 hour wear and no rub off. so how does it compare to my HG makes-me-look-flawless-no-matter-what-and-doesn't-go-anywhere-until-i-take-it-off foundation, Double Wear by Estee Lauder?

here's the scoop:

i was a bit sceptical, and not really looking forward to using this foundation, but i had to get over myself and just do it (and i did spend my own money on it!). to really put it to the test, i decided to take it through one of my 1 1/2 hour workouts (hey, it says right on the bottle that it lasts through heat, sweat and humidity, i had to do it!).

so, i ran for 30 minutes then took a 1 hour spin class. by the end of both, i was impressed with what i saw. there was foundation on my towel, but my "face" didn't look like it was melting off. of course, the makeup wasn't perfect if you looked at it really close, but i thought it held up well considering what i had just put it through.

following my extreme experiment, i decided to be fair and wear it for a week under normal conditions-- just everyday life. the formula has a buildable coverage, and is a bit thicker in consistency compared to DW. i noticed it didn't always look great by the end of the day, but overall, it kept decent coverage, held up well and removed easily at the end of the day.

one thing i really am not happy about is the lack of shades available (only 12). my shade, Caramel, is the lighter of the only two dark shades. i realize this is a typical issue with drugstore foundations, but this could always change.

have you tried Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Makeup? what do you think?

xo
pic taken by me :)

Get Her Look: Vanessa Minnillo

Vanessa Minnillo was recently spotted getting primped before a day out in the hamptons at the Maybelline New York & Garnier Surf Salon that was located at The Surf Lodge in montauk. the look was casual and beachy, but still very pretty.

here's how to get her beach-ready look:

makeup artist Kerry Malouf prepped Vanessa's skin with Garnier Nutritionist's new Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream Moisturizer, then used brand-new products from Maybelline New York to give her a pretty, beachy glow, including Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation, Eye Studio Color Gleam Cream Eye Shadow in Blue Freeze, andThe Falsies Mascara, which Vanessa could not stop raving about. she loved how fab The Falsies made her lashes look-- it's her new obsession!

next, hairstylist Danny DiMauro smoothed Vanessa's hair with Garnier Fructis' new Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector foloowed by Color Shield Instant Color Sealer Lightweight Leave-In to add shine and UV protection. finally, he finished the look by creating, sexy tousled waves, perfect for a day in the hamptons.

new products are so exciting, right?! Maybelline has been releasing some greeat products lately-- i just purchased The Falsies yesterday (will be bringing you my thoughts soon)-- and that Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream Moisturizer sounds like it could be amazing. i'm keeping my eyes peeled...

xo
info and image courtesty of MML PR

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara

mascara, as most of you know, is a must-have for me. this new one, Lash Stiletto Voluptuous from Maybelline, recently caught my eye, and i had to try it (yes, i bought it myself). while i thought the the original Lash Stiletto was just ok, i absolutely love this new version so much more.



the brush is curved, similar to my holy grail, absolutely-cannot-live-without-it mascara Lancome Hypnose Drama. the formula is good, too-- it isn't too thick, but just enough to get lashes looking full.



take a look at the before and after pics...



before



after


so, what do you think? have you tried Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous yet? you can find it at your local drugstore and mass retailer.

xo

Mary-Louise Parker at the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards

dressed in an amazing single strapped, deep purple Zac Posen dress, Mary-Louise Parker shined on the red carpet of the Emmy's...

makeup artist Tina Turnbow was inspired by the deep purple and indigo tones in this dress, as well as the gunmetal grey accessories. to play up these colors, Tina brought out Mary-Louise's best features with a dramatic yet classic smoky eye, blushing pink cheeks and nude lips.

here's how to create the look:


face:




Mary-Louise already has beautiful porcelain skin, so Tina kept her face looking pristine by applying Maybelline New York Dream Liquid Mousse in Classic Ivory with touches of Maybelline New York Dream Mousse Concealer in Light under the eyes and to the tops of the cheeks to give a contoured look.


cheeks:

to compliment her skin, Tina brushed on Maybelline New York Mineral Power Naturally Luminous Blush in Gentle Pink to the apples of the cheeks to give the look of a soft natural flush.


eyes:



Tina's inspiration for Mary-Louise's entire look was the gorgeous opal-toned smoky eye she created with Maybelline New York Expert Wear Stylish Smokes in Amethyst Smokes. she used all four shades in the palette to play up her eyes and add drama, and the deep purples complemented her creamy skin and dark hair beautifully.

she then followed with Maybelline New York Line Stiletto Liquid Eyeliner in Black on the upper and lower lash lines. to showcase the gorgeous jewel tones of the shadows, Tina only applied one coat of Maybelline New York Pulse Perfection Vibrating Mascara in Very Black.


lips:



for a barely-there, neutral lip, Tina lined the entire mouth with Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lip Liner in Toast. she then followed up with Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipstick in Nearly There.


body:

to complete the look, a soft dusting of Maybelline New York Mineral Power Illuminator in Nude was brushed along her collar bones, arms and legs for a radiant glow.


find Maybelline products at your local drug and mass retail locations nationwide and online at drugstore.com


xo
photo credits: Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com and marylouise-parker.org

Emily DiDonato at 'The Septemeber Issue' Premiere

Maybelline spokesmodel Emily DiDonato exuded her sunny and spirited personality at the new york premiere of 'The September Issue' with the help of makeup artist Jo-Anna Lynn for Maybelline New York. Jo-Anna was inspired by Emily's inner radiance and glowing personality and created a look using Maybelline New York's latest and greatest products. Jo-Anna kept Emily's makeup fresh but added a touch of color to her eyes and lips.

here's how to get the look:



for face:
Jo-Anna created a flawless glow with Maybelline New York Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation in Nude. she then used a lighter shade– Porcelain Ivory– as a highlighter on the upper cheekbones and brow areas. Jo-Anna finished the look with Mineral Power Naturally Luminous Blush in True Peach, applied just to the apple of the cheeks for a touch of color.




for eyes:
Jo-Anna added a light wash of gray smoulder on the lids with Maybelline New York Expert Wear Quad Palette in Natural Smokes. she applied and blended the deeper shades of shadow, and finished the look with Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Mascara in Very Black to add length and drama to her eyes.




for the lips:
Color Sensational Lip Liner in Nude was applied only to the upper lip and the corners for a little definition and pout. Joanna used Color Sensational Lipstick in Totally Toffee. to add some shine, she finished the lips with Color Sensational Lip Gloss in Touch of Toffee.

xo
photo credit: Jamie McCarthy/WireImage.com

What Products Do You Find Overrated?

it's not a surprise that i use a lot of beauty products. i do it in order to bring you what i think is worth spending your hard-earned money on. but these are just my opinions, and you may even find yourself disagreeing with me from time to time. not everyone agrees on what products are amazing. in fact, there are a plethora of products that are surrounded in hype and have just as many people loving them as those who don't share the same sentiment.

i asked my fellow beauty-lovers via Twitter to answer this question for me: what product(s) do you find to be over-rated? see if you can spot the pattern...

@sugarshock: Creme de la Mer!

@ReneeRouleau I second Creme de la Mer! It's loaded with Mineral Oil...the cheapest quality oil on the market.

@fourniercomm I have to agree Creme de la mer

@BeautyBlogger Maybelline GreatLash Mascara. Have no idea why so many gals love it.

@WLCO Eve Lom Cleanser, Creme de la Mer, Strivectin

@BeautyITBag Did anyone already mention Hylexin?

@BeautyChick101 Definitely Creme de la Mer. I've never seen the amazingness behind it!



did you see it? yep, an overwhelming 5 out of 7 of these beauty-loving gals said Creme de la Mer! i admit, i actually like it, although i did prefer the gel over the original.

here are some other products i found while surfing the 'net that have been deemed "over-rated" by people who used them:

Bare Minerals
Philosophy Hope In a Jar
Benefit BadGal Mascara
Smashbox Lipgloss
Proactiv Skincare


out of the above products, i definitely think Proactiv is over-rated. it dried out my skin so much i literally started to get wrinkles around my eyes and forehead, and it did nothing to clear up my skin-- not good! in any case, tell me...

what product(s) do you find to be over-rated? tell me in the comments!

xo
image source

Get the Grey Luxe Look Courtesy of Modelinia.com

summer is officially in full swing and Modelinia.com has some fabulous videos to give you tips on the hottest makeup trends to keep you look great now and into the fall season. one of those trends just happens to be one i've already been incorporating into my routine-- grey and silver eye makeup.

greys and silvers are a fabulous way to do a "neutral" eye because it works on all skin tones and can really give your look a dramatic feel without overpowering your whole face. this trend has been seen on the runways of the Marc Jacobs and Matthew Williamson fall 2009 shows, as well as on celebrities like Kristen Stewart, Hilary Duff and Alicia Keys.



Johnny Lavoy, Maybelline's resident makeup expert and the host of Modelinia.com's series Get the Look, offers a step by step tutorial on how to get this classic look in the below video using Maybelline products, but it can really be done using any brand-- you'll need shadows in light silver, deep charcoal, and almost white shades as well as a dark grey eyeliner, your favorite black mascara and a sheer lipgloss.



btw, Johnny's clients include JLo brand, Angie Everhart, Ethan Hawke, Rosie Perez and Laura Peron and his work has been seen in the pages of Vanity Fair, Elle, Glamour, Ocean Drive, Seventeen and Stuff.

for more videos, visit modelinia.com

xo