My Current Favorites!

Hello everyone! It has been a while since I last did a current favorites post on things I have been loving. These are a few products I find myself reaching for often, including some re-discovered items I've had and a couple new ones. I decided to do a quick video to share my thoughts on the following items. 

-Burberry Sheer eyeshadow in Chestnut No. 05

-Burberry Sheer Concealer in No. 04

-Laura Mercier Eye Basic in Buff

-Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner in Black Plum Ink

-MAC Blushes in Peachtwist & Gingerly

-Sephora Crease brush

-Real Techniques Fine Liner brush

-Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream

-Green Tea with Mint Tea bags 

Please share your thoughts on these products or on what you have been using! 

Thanks for stopping by !

:)

An Introduction...

Here is a video I put together of some of the looks I have posted in Blush Tree. It is an introduction to the new youtube channel. If your interested in seeing videos/tutorials please check it out and subscribe. Let me know if you have a channel yourself so I can check out your videos. Thank you for visiting my blog! :)

I will still continue blogging and posting pictures of new looks :)

Brown Smokey Look

Hello everyone! I hope your enjoying the weekend. Last night I decided to play with browns and create a brown smokey look inspired by a makeup photo on Jessica Alba. I did a video where one eye and half of the face is done and the other half filmed to show you step by step how to create the look. 

Thank you for stopping by and feel free to let me know what you think of the look :)

A Video of an Everyday Makeup Look

Hello everyone! I know I have been missing in action these past weeks since I last blogged. This is another update of what I have been doing. Well not literally...but what I have been doing makeup wise. Here is a video I put together using the built-in iMovie of a look I've been wearing these past few weeks. 

p.s. I have recently tried makeup products from Burberry beauty and Giorgio Armani and...Wow! I am really impressed with their line of products! :)

Thank you watching and stopping by! 

Daily Face Products

Everyday I try to venture out a bit with my makeup by wearing a different foundation, eyeshadow and lipstick. Although the look may not be extremely, noticeably different I like knowing my makeup is being put to use. Nonetheless there are a few products I use on a daily basis. 

BeneFit Stay Don't Stray- I always begin a look by applying Benefit Stay Don't Stray primer all over the eyelids and brow bone. This primer helps eyeshadows last longer throughout the day and gives the lid a brightening palette effect. 

Bobbi Brown Corrector- The corrector helps neutralize under-eye circles, making eyes look healthier and brighter. The creamy formula glides effortlessly, by using patting motions with the ring finger. 

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer- After the corrector I use the secret concealer to brighten under eye circles. This concealer is highly pigmented so a little goes a long way. Using a soft brush helps give an airbrush finish.

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage- This concealer is a high coverage concealer, which is why it is meant to be used to conceal blemishes, scars or any discolorations on the face. The compact includes two shades that can be blended to create the perfect shade. I use this concealer when I have a lot of redness on my cheeks, a blemish or sometimes to conceal the discoloration around my mouth. (The light shade is also great for highlighting the brow bone, around the eyes and the cupids bow)

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder- I love this powder! I know my concealer will not crease because this powder sets it in place and brightens the eyes in a subtle way. The powder contains micronized pigments giving the eyes a brightening effect with an weightless feel. 

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder- And after my foundation has been applied my finishing touch is with this Traslucent powder. A loose setting powder that is universal gives a satiny finish, setting foundation for a long lasting wear and giving a "soft-focus" appearance. 

What are your daily face products? Do we share any of these? 

Thanks for stopping by :)

-Anel

Update and New Favorite Brow Product!

Hello everyone! I apologize for my long absence on this blog. I missed blogging and with so many new products I have been loving I thought it was perfect timing to get back on track.

One of my new favorite products is Anastasia Brow Wiz. Anastasia is known for being the brow expert, so when I heard about her Brow Wiz I knew I was not going to end disappointed. This mechanical pencil does not require any sharpening and gives precise application, creating perfect strokes on the brows. I picked up shade Caramel, which is about 2 shades darker than my natural hair color. Since I want a natural brow, a pencil that is two shades darker will only fill in the brows, blending in with my natural color. On one end of the Brow Wiz is the brow pencil and on the other end is a spooley brush. This pencil helps give brows more fullness and definition, framing the face.

Anastasia Brow Wiz: Available at Sephora and Ulta & retails for $20.00/ 0.08 g

Here are my natural brows

And here is the brow using Anastasia Brow Wiz

On the lid I have Benefit Stay Don't Stray eye primer

-Another favorite product

Finished Look!

Products Used:

-MAC Tan Pigment on the lid

-MAC Orb eyeshadow on the brow bone

-MAC Texture on the crease (transition color)

-MAC Espresso on the crease

-MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

-Lancome Definicils Precious Cells Mascara

Thank you for stopping by :)

-Anel

Creative Dream...

        This post is about another thing I enjoy doing for creativity besides makeup. Painting. Both makeup and painting are relevant as they both entail a creation of some kind. A few years ago, before I learned makeup meant more than just the everyday essentials, I was eager to learn to paint. I can still remember when I bought my first set of acrylic paints at Walmart and a set of brushes. A picture of Jack and Sally from the Nightmare Before Christmas was my inspiration for the first painting I did. A couple years later I enrolled in a painting class where I learned more on the types of mediums one can use and the proper ways of caring for your tools (brushes and paints). Since, I've tried to continue painting to keep that fire burning. Here is the most recent painting I have done, using oils on a canvas board.
      What I love about painting is that there is no right or wrong way of painting and one can paint about anything. To me Painting is therapeutic and a creation that can live forever. 
    

Tarantula (Oils on Canvas)

 My Memento Mori for Painting Class
(Oils on canvas)

I hope you enjoyed this post! :)

-Anel

Light Sea Breeze Using BH Cosmetics 120 Palette

Hey everyone! Two weeks ago I received the BH Cosmetics 120 palette I ordered online. I was thrilled to try it out and begin doing bright shadow looks for all sorts of occasions. This palette is perfect for new people (like me) experimenting with a wide range of bright colors with shimmery and matte finishes. And all I can say is this is one of the best makeup purchases I have made. The value of the quality and quantity you get makes the palette a steal. 

Products Used

Face:

-Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick

-Laura Mercier Secret Concealer under the eyes

Laura Mercier Brightening secret powder to set concealer

-Laura Mercier Loose Powder to set foundation

-NARS Irresistablement Bronzer on cheeks

Eyes:

-Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden as base all over lid and brow bone

- MAC Orb eyeshadow on the brow bone

- BH cosmetics 120 palette first edition

-I mixed three light aqua blue colors for the outer lid and on the crease

-For the inner lid I used a lime green 

-In the inner corners of the eyes I used a shimmery lime/yellow color

-MAC Blacktrack was used to line the eyes

-Milani Aqua Liner in Aqua was used on the lower lashline

-Clinique High Tension mascara was used on lashes

Lips:

Bobbi Brown Rich Color in Rose Blossom

Thank you all for stopping by my blog! I hope you like the looks :)

Fiery Eyes Look!

Hello ladies and gentlemen! I am in love with a few products I am wearing here including the while eyeliner and yellow/gold on the lid. There are a number of new products I am playing with so I really need to work on some reviews. 

Products Used:

-Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion was used to prime the eyes

-BH Cosmetics 120 palette (a couple bright yellow shadows were used on the lid)

-A tangerine color was used on the outer lid

-An apple red and magenta were mixed and placed on the crease

-MAC coppering eyeshadow was used on the outer V

-MAC Ricepaper was used on the brow bone to highlight brows

-MAC Blacktrack and Rich Ground were mixed to get this dark copper brown and used to line the upper lashline

-MAC Fascinating Eye Kohl (the white liner) was used on the lower lashine

-And to finish off the look I used Clinique High Impact Mascara on lashes

Lips:

NARS Joyous Red Lipstick

Hope you like the look :)

Royal Blue and Gold

            Hello everyone! Here is a quick post of a look I did. Recently I have been looking for inspiration for upcoming looks. And a painting I am currently working on inspired me to continue doing these creative looks. Also I have my eyes on Makeup Forever Flash palette and was wondering what your thoughts are on this palette. If you know of any other great bright eyeshadow palette please let me know. 

I hope you like the look :)

Products Used:

Eyes:

-I began by priming the eyelid with Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage (the lightest shade) and then setting it with Lancome Dual Finish Powder

-On the inner corners of the lid I used one of my all-time favorite eyeshadows, MAC Ricepaper!

-On the outer eyelid I applied a gorgeous orange-copper shade from Tarina Tarantinos Dreamy palette

-To add more warmth and depth I applied MAC Saddle (a matte shade) on the crease

-To highlight brows I used MAC Ricepaper on the brow bone

----Now onto the lining part!----

-To create the sharp white line I used NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk and then set it with MAC Phloof! eyeshadow

-The royal blue eyeliner is Napoleon China Doll liner in Heaven

-And the gold is Milani Aqua liner in Gold

Warm Sunny Look posted on a Rainy Day!

          Hello everyone! I know I have not been blogging lately. These past few weeks I have been trying to adjust to a new job chapter so I decided to take a break from posting but I do miss it. I hope your all doing great! :) 

So now onto the look...it is warm with a combination of golds, reds and a red-burgundy shade. The LORAC 3D lustre was used only on the eyelid on top of goldmine but my camera did not pick up all the golden shimmers (in person it looks beautiful!) I shaded my brows with MAC Espresso rather than Coquette. I find that espresso gives them a more defined look while coquette makes them look more natural. My new favorite and go-to eyeliner is LORAC Front of the Line Pen eyeliner. It is so easy to apply because of it's fine tip, and it is a true rich black. On the lips I am wearing my new Chanel Rouge Coco in Rouge Orage which is a mixture of reddish-coral shades with pink undertones. 

 Face:

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Warm Honey 5.5

Bobbi Brown Corrector in dark Bisque

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer #04

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder to set concealers

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder to set cream foundation

MAC Blunt Blush to Contour

Lips:

Chanel Rouge Coco in Rouge Orage

Eyes:

Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion

MAC Goldmine on the lid

MAC Coppering on the crease

NYX Rust on the crease and blended into coppering

MAC Handwritten on the outer v

LORAC 3D Liquid Lustre on the lid only

LORAC Front of the Line Pro Liner

Prestige My Biggest Lashes Mascara 

I hope you like the look! 

Xx Anel

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick Review and Before & After Photos

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick

0.31 oz. (9 g)

$41.00 US 

My Shade: Warm Honey 5.5

Keep Reading for a Review and Before and After Photos!

What it is: "Bobbi's innovative Foundation Stick is designed for portability and adjustable coverage. Easy to apply and blend all over the face or just where you need it. For all skin types, except very oily".

Packaging: What makes this foundation so portable is it's packaging. Because it is a stick foundation it is convenient for touch-ups throughout the day (if needed). 

My Thoughts: Let me be honest, when I first heard of this foundation stick my first thoughts were cakey, heavy makeup. And how wrong was I. The creamy formula feels like satin on the skin and blends beautifully.  The coverage is light to medium but can be built for more coverage. As with other foundations I tend to prefer using my finger tips rather than brushes. I find that using my finger tips helps the product blend evenly, especially with a cream-based product. What makes the foundation stick so innovative is it's versatility. It can be worn as an all over foundation, as a concealer on certain areas (to cover redness, discolorations and/or blemishes) and for touch-ups. The finish is natural and a bit glowy. After setting it with Laura Mercier's Translucent Loose Setting Powder I get a satiny finish which I love. The foundation contains no SPF which makes it perfect for photos!

There are 20 Available shades to choose from- Got to love Bobbi Brown!

Before- Foundation was only applied on these areas (cheeks, around the lips, nose and a bit on the forehead). For under my eyes I used BB corrector and LM secret concealer. 

After

Eyes:

Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Buff

MAC Ricepaper all over lid and brow bone

MAC Espresso on the crease

MAC Haux on the crease

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

LORAC Multiplex 3D Lashes

Lips & Cheeks:

Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty

Have you tried the foundation stick or any other Bobbi Brown foundations? 

-Anel :)

Green and Purple Glitter!

Here is another purple and green look. I am using a couple new products I posted on my Last "New Beauty Products". NYX carries small jars of loose shadow pigments and glitters and I could not resist just passing them by; they are so cute! Because the pigment is a lime green and the purple glitter has bits of green glitter I combined both colors. Unfortunately my camera could not capture all the glitter on my eyelids so below you will find swatches of the pigment and glitter. 

Face

-Guerlain Lingerie De Peau #23 

-Laura Mercier Secret Concealer

 Eyes

-Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

-NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk

-MAC Orb eyeshadow

-NYX Lime Pearl Mania all over lid

-Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Flash on the crease

-NYX Purple glitter mania was applied on the lid using Fix+

-MAC Fig 1 eyeshadow on the crease

-Bobbi Brown Gel Ink Liner in Violet Ink

-Bobbi Brown Gel Ink Liner in Shimmer Ink

-Rimmel Eye Kohl 

-Prestige My Biggest Lashes Mascara

NYX Lime Pearl and Purple Glitter Mania

 Lips and Cheeks

-Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty

-Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color in Rose Blossom #11

 I Hope you like the look and thank you for stopping by :)

New Beauty Products II

Hello everyone! I have not been posting anything new because I have been caught up with things at work. During the weekends it is when I try to take advantage of a free day but I will be honest..I have slept in and have not been too creative with doing a look :) So here is a quick post and update of some of the products I have recently picked up. From matte/satin shadows to glitter pigments and a gorgeous liquid lustre, I will have plenty to experiment with.

-MAC 116 Blush Brush

-MAC eyeshadows in Orb, Espresso and Haux 

-NYX Glitter Mania in Purple and Ultra Pearl Mania in Lime Pearl 

-LORAC 3D Liquid Lustre

-Chanel Rouge Coco in Rouge Orage

-Le Metier De Beaute Radiance Powder Rouge in Rumor

Stay tune for Reviews, swatches and looks! 

:)

Bold Red Lips...

           Hello everyone! This bright red lip look was inspired by Lisa Eldridge's new video tutorial, "My long lasting night out look". Lisa is such a beauty and a woman who many admire. Her work reflects natural beauty with a high fashion kick. I absolutely love her videos and after seeing her new one I couldn't help but try and recreate the look with products I own. 

Face

-Guerlain foundation mixed with Chanel Pro Lumiere 

-Laura Mercier Secret Concealer under the eyes

-Laura Mercier Secret Brightening powder to set concealer

-Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder on the T-zone

-Guerlain Rouge Automatique 124 was used as a blush by dabbing it on my cheeks with my fingers tips

<------ ***In this picture I am not wearing eyeliner on the top lashline.****

 Lips

-Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait De Gloss in Fatale No. 61

-NYX Lip Liner in Hot Red No. 817

       -I began by lining and filling in my lips with the lip liner in Hot Red. Then using a lip brush I applied Chanel Fatale. Using Laura Mercier Secret Concealer I traced outside the lips to clean out the edges. 

Swatches: Chanel Fatale & NYX Hot Red

Eyes

-Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion

-NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk on the brow bone

-MAC Orb eyeshadow on the brow bone

-Urban Decay Chopper eyeshadow all over the lid

-Urban Decay Buck eyeshadow on the crease

-Ardell Individual lashes- Flare short black

-Prestige My Biggest lashes mascara

-Laura Mercier Tightlining Cake Liner in Black Ebony

Thank you for stopping by

 & as always your comments are gratefully accepted :)