Ask Fancy: Palettes Worth the Price?

Hi Fancy,
I just purchased Lorac's Starry Eyed Baked Eye Shadow (in Evening Star) and I'm really happy with it, but I have to wonder if I'm wasting money buying three shadows when I really only used two and the third for nights out.  It seems almost all companies are selling shadows in three, four and five shade packs, but is it really worth the money to buy them as a group? Thanks! -Ashley, PA

Hey-Girl-Heeeeey,
First off, thank you for your question! I honestly wish I could fist-bump and homie-hug every single one of my readers. So, if we are speaking strictly to value, this palette comes with 3 shadows equaling .15oz for $25.00 and LORAC's individual shadows are .06oz and cost $18. So to purchase these three shadows individually (you would lose .3oz of product) you would spend $54 instead of $25, so I would say the value is worth it. However, I understand your point, that it always seems like there is at least one or two shadows that get neglected in a palette, which can add up to wasted money in the long run. Personally, I like to buy palettes because I go through more makeup (because of personal and client use) than the average person.

My recommendations:
1. Keep your receipt. If you realize the purchase was a mistake, return it.
2. Use darker shadows in place of pencil liner (apply with sharp angled brush) for a more natural day look. This way you don't have to wait for a night out to get some more out of these shadows.

3. Go through your shadows at home before going shopping and determine what is missing or "needed".

I just bought (thanks to an awesome friend who got me a Sephora gift card for Christmas!) Urban Decay's Naked Palette which I ADORE because it has such a variety of color for both day and night.

  Definitely one of my favorite palettes of all time. Urban Decay's pigmentation and quality always deliver in every product of theirs that I've purchased. It's palettes like this that make my heart flutter.

Hope your weekend is as fabulous as you lady!

XoXo,
Fancy

Have a question for me? Feel free to submit it HERE.

Ask Fancy: Multiple Orgasms

"I currently wear Nars "Orgasm" blush, which costs $26. Do you have any suggestions as to a more wallet friendly alternative?" - Ashley, Pennsylvania

Ashley,

Prepare yourself for multiple orgasms. No, seriously, prepare yourself. Nars "Orgasm" blush is so popular there is a great array of wannabes out there.  For those that are reading and haven't experienced a Nars Orgasm here is the blush we are talking about for your reference:

 It is fabulous because it is so universal. It not only looks good on everyone but it is easy to wear- even with a heavy hand, it is never "too much".  It is a sheer peach powder with a pink base and has illuminating gold flecks to give a nice vibrancy and healthy glow.

Now that we know what we are looking for, I give you the three best knock offs for Nars "Orgasm"

The Body Shop's "Golden Pink" blush $15.

 Nars "Orgasm" (Left), The Body Shop's "Golden Pink" (right)

While obviously it contains less product, if you are looking for a less expensive alternative this is about as close as you can get without losing too much of the high end quality. 

e.l.f's Blush/Bronzer Duo $3

Ash, I don't know if you have also seen/used Nars Highlighting Blush/Bronzer duo ($37)?  (Am i only making the addiction worse?) This e.l.f duo is definitely a lookalike.  Um, ya did I mention it costs THREE DOLLARS. While the shades may not be identical and the quality will not be as rich, they are pretty dang close and for $3 isn't it worth a shot? Check out the link above for rave reviews.

Lastly,

Rimmel's Santa Rose Blush, $1.69

Another ode-to-orgasm product that certainly is budget friendly. I mean, everyone deserves a little orgasm now and again, right? Also am I the only one giggling that the product costs 1 dollar and SIXTY NINE cents. I mean...I'm just sayin'.

I want a full report back on whether or not this answer has satisfied your needs. 

 Okay, okay...I'm done with the sexy jokes, I swear.
For today.

Ask Fancy: Go from Rut to Strut

"I am looking for some new color recommendations. My grandma always talks about "summer" or "winter" people and that freaks me out and sounds like they are going to do me up like Mimi from the Drew Carey Show. I have always just bought whatever colors of nail polish/eye shadow/lipstick/etc that I thought were pretty and worn them. Lately I've been kind of bored with what I have but uninspired about what to buy. Can you give me some suggestions? I have light blond hair with a twinge of strawberry to it, blueish greenish eyes, and fair skin. Thanks!!"

 -Saz, Colorado

Wait, you DON'T want to look like Mimi from Drew Carey?!?

I mean...whats not to like?

But seriously. You have it absolutely right to go for the polar opposite of Mimi, because when it comes to beautiful blonde-shells like yourself, less is more. Summer, Winter, Spring or Fall you don't want to take away from your soft & feminine beauty. We want to slightly enhance your natural allure but not distract from it. There are a wide range of colors that will work well for you.

For an everyday non-makeup-makeup-look stick to ivory, kaki, taupe, gold, soft pink & light brown shades of shadow. Stay away from too much liquid liner (& liner in general). Try a little dark brown liner in your water & lash line and smudge it a bit with an angle brush to give it a more natural flow. I would also recommend trying a dark brown mascara instead of black for day. I love Benefit's Bad Gal Brown mascara.

 

Stila's "It Girl" palette would be a great addition to your makeup wardrobe if you don't have many basic day shadows. Its on clearance for $10 (Hollah!)

Smashbox has a perfect "basic" quad on clearance right now at Sephora ($6!!) that is perfect for day looks.

Now Dahhhling, lets talk evening. There is a wide variety of ways you can this basic look to the next level for an evening out. Since you've said your eyes are blue/green my first instinct would be a fun and bold silver and violet smokey eye. It will really bring out the color in your eyes and compliment your skin tone. I recommend going for a soft nude lip and bronzed cheek to compliment the look and make your eyes stand out.You can be a lot more liberal with black eyeliner and mascara to give your eyes a more structured look. I adore this 5 Colour Design palette by Dior.

 A great quick, classic and easy but sexy look on blondes is
a simple eye (ivory or gold shadow & liner) and bold lip.

Stila's Paint Your Pout Red palette has everything you need to accomplish a variety of bold lips.

Oh and its on clearance ($15!) too. Do you love me? Good.

Now if you will excuse me I need to watch this:

I blame you, Saz.

Hey you! Wanna Ask Fancy a question? Submit one here :)

Ask Fancy: Back to Workin' It.

"I was thinking about when I go back to work (from maternity leave), and it occurred to me that I have nothing to wear... on my face. I haven't really been wearing makeup this past year or so, and so I totally need to re-build my stash. I don't have much money to spend though, so is there any way you could put together some sort of "starter kit" for me? Pretty pretty please?I don't wear foundation at all, and mostly just focus on my eyes, so really, I guess what I would need is a good mascara, a few eye shadows, and a couple of shades of lipstick?"

-Marie-Helene, Canada

Marie-Helene,

I know too well about coming out of the newborn-baby-coma you speak of. Us Mamas' spend so much of our time thinking about our precious little ones, we can get a little lost in the process. I'm more than happy to help you pick out some new confidence boosting goodies to help get you back in the zone!
Let's do the damn thang.

Face: Since you are a no-fuss makeup gal, I would highly recommend using a tinted moisturizer (with SPF a 'course) in place of a daily foundation. You only need about a dime size of this product each day, therefore a tube should last you about 5-6 months. I love Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizers (also available in an oil free formula if you are combination/oily) I know- the price point is higher- BUT when taking into account how well it works and how long it will last (if using the correct amount with a foundation brush) it isn't as terrible as it seems. However, if the price point is too much (completely understandable)
Sephora also makes a great tinted moisturizer for about half the cost.

Eyeshadows: I know that you are medium complected with beautiful green eyes, so I am going to encourage you to play a bit because you have a lot of range when it comes to what colors you can pull off well. In terms of the office I think: simple, pretty & easy. A great place to re-build your makeup wardrobe is to purchase a pallet (or two). This is generally the most cost effective way to be able to achieve variety and the colors are already paired for you so it takes away that "Does this go with that?!" anxiety.

Smashbox has an amazing natural eyeshadow quad on sale at Sephora for $6!!!

With his pallet you have the ability to line, highlight & contour your eyes in a very natural but still sultry way. I love to use dark shadow in place of liner, especially for everyday looks. Do you have a thin angle brush? If not e.l.f is great for inexpensive but get-the-job-done brushes.

Now once you have a few natural/nude shadows then I would reccomend branching out and also getting something like this beautiful "Vegan" palette from Urban Decay.

 

I like this for you because while it still has some beautiful rich earth tones that are great for everyday, there is also some fun here for experimenting and branching out. As a bonus it comes with a travel size version of Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion (in Sin) which I LOVE and a mini eyeliner for travel which is great for a hot Milf on-the-go such as yourself.

Mascara: I'm not sure what you are using now but for the most part mascara is a matter of opinion/preference. It's hard to pinpoint something for everyone because a lot of us ladies look for different things (drama, simple, curling, soft, etc). I do know you are looking for simple, effective & affordable. In my humble opinion you can't get a better low price point mascara like Clinique's High Impact Mascara ($14 USD). It works, it lasts & its cheap...and if you time it right they might be in gift and you can get some free crap. I'm not usually a huge fan of Clinique but in the case of this product, I'm down with those god awful lab coats.

Lips: Things I look for in a good lip: moisture and wear-ability. When I was working in an office, I liked to use lip stains and put gloss or chap stick over the top. The reason I prefer lip stains is because they last, really last, all day and you can't feel(or taste-vom) them like I've experience with "long wear lipsticks".

Sephora Collection makes some great lip-stain/gloss duos that are also on sale actually for $7 USD. I think Coral/Gold would be beautiful on you. Additionally, Cover Girl has a great line of lip stain sticks around the same price point. Nude Kiss & Flirty Nude are great everyday shades!!

I hope this gives you a starting point to jump off from.
Please don't hesitate to e-mail me with further questions.

XOXO, Fancy

Would you like to submit a question to Fancy Face? I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to e-mail me!

Simple Golden Smokey Eye Tutorial

This one goes out to my homegirls @the818 & @K_Rose22 aka (in the non-Twitter world) Morgan & Kathleen. So here it is as promised, a step-by-step guide to a golden smokey eye. 

First things first: Groom/fill brows. Personally, I always fill my brows with wax and powder. I am currently using:

Tarte the toolbox: brow know-how Brow Set, Dark

-Cover entire eye area (from lid to under brow) with eyeshadow primer. I used  Benefit's Stay Don't Stray.

-Apply black or dark brown eyeliner in upper & lower water line as well as along the lash line. I LOVE Benefit's Get Bent Brush to apply liner with. It makes life so easy. I simply swipe the brush tip on the end on my Prestige Professional Eyeliner (black) then apply as I would with a pencil.

*Note: I got a few inquiries as to why I am putting on liner BEFORE shadow. For natural looks, I put liner before and smudge shadow into the liner to make it look less lined. When doing a more "going out look" I apply it after.

-Jude throws shoe at the back of Mommy's head. Continue.

 Yes, that black brush hair on my forehead is really happening. 

-Next, I generously applied M.A.C's Cocomotion pigment focusing on the crease area (see below) of my eyes. I use Stila's #2 shadow brush.

 -Now I load up my whole lower lid with LORAC's Serenity Eyeshadow (think shimmery pinky/bronze). You could also use a shimmery white or pink shadow.

-Jude has something on his face. Wait, what is that? Insert scene of me finding A DEAD M.F.ING FLY stuck to the side of Jude's cheek. Yes, it had been in his mouth.

-Vomit. Continue.

-Of course, we gotta highlight under our brows, so I generously swept an apparently nameless white matte shadow by Maybelline from the inner corner of my eye to the end of my brow.

-Can you tell I'm  still upset about the fly? Good.
 
-So we are done with eyeshadow for our "day" look. Next, concealer. I apply Benefit's Erase Paste with my favorite concealer brush by Stila.

-Time to apply a fair amount of mascara. Today I used Benefit's BadGal Brown mascara. I like this mascara (especially for summer) for two reasons: 1. It does not come off. Like, good luck taking it off without professional remover or cold cream. 2. I like deep brown for summer when I wear less makeup.

 *Note: I always crimp my lashes before applying eyeliner. Today I used an eyelash curler by Lancome, although I usually use 
Shu Uemura 24k Gold eyelash curler

-Before putting on bronzer I apply  

Guerlain's Meteorites Powder for Face, which I ADORE.

-I use this fan brush by e.l.f (Only $3!!!I used to use an expensive one from Benefit but then it died and I bought this one to hold me over until I could afford a new one and have yet to find a reason to need to replace it.) to apply bronzer.  To contour my face, I make the "fishy face" and brush the bonzer into the hollows of my cheeks. Then I swipe the brush lightly across the bridge of my nose, top of my forehead and bottom of my chin.

-Ya, I just got out of the shower so my hair isn't done.

-Lips: we are gonna take it way back to the old days of 1995. I promise we are going somewhere with this.

1. Cover lips with concealer. I use M.A.C's Studio Finish Concealer.

2. Outline your lips chola style with a nude lip pencil. I am using one by Model & Co.

Sexy, right?

-Now I take my index finger and blend the concealer & liner together.

-Then my son throws a tantrum because its nap time.

-Lastly I apply a golden peachy gloss, Sephora's Desert Gold.

Ta-Dahhhh!

-Okay, now what if we want to jazz this simple look up for gettin' yo freak on aka going into evening? No problem. Just simply dip your angle brush into some dark brown, copper or black and smudge it into your top & bottom lash line, like so:

Apparently I suck at applying makeup, taking a picture and singing Bootylicious to Jude all at once.

So basically adding the smokey brown amps your sex appeal as seen below. Listening to Bootylicious has the same effect ( X 'jillion).

Since this look is so "safe" you can easily add a bold, fun lip for day or evening. Y'all know how I love me some red lips so I choose M.A.C's Ladybug to wear today.

Not sure why this is blurry but alas we have reached our destination. Are you tired? Jude is.

Ask Fancy: Like a Virgin.

 

"I have no idea, and I mean no idea how to apply makeup. Is there a
makeup for dummies out there? I'm tired of just eyeliner being my
morning routine. I also have some acne scaring, and some current
issues and cannot seem to find anything to cover them, or maybe it's
the application, any tips?
Thanks so much! =)" -Deanna

Deanna,

First off, thank you SO much for writing in. I really enjoy conversing with the people who take the time to visit this blog. It is very rare I find more pleasure insomething as much as talking/working with makeup virgins.

Makeup virgins who can't drive!

Sorry I get easily distracted.

To first address the issue of covering acne scaring, I have a few suggestions for you:

1. Find a good exfoliating face wash to use 1-2 times a week. This will help lessen the scaring over time.
I lOVE Lancome's Pure Focus Exfoliator .

2. PLEASE use SPF on a daily basis if you are not already. It only makes scarring worse. Right now, I am using Biotherm's Sun Sensitive SPF .

3. Okay, now in terms of coverage, thank heavens for DERMABLEND's Smooth Indulgence Foundation! This stuff will cover anything. I myself also have scaring from acne (and years of not wearing sunscreen in high school) and I get compliments on my skin almost every time I wear this foundation.I always reccomend foundation be applied with a Foundation Brush.

Now, in terms of spicing up your makeup love life- know that you are not alone. The #1 thing I hear from women is “I have no idea what I am doing HELP!” So, here are a few suggestions to start:

1. PLAY. Have fun. Mess around with some inexpensive shadows until you get the hang of it. Maybe even before you shower at night, so you don’t have to worry about making “mistakes”. e.l.f has some amazing shadows & brushes for CHEAP. The quality is very high for the cost of their items. I will actually be reviewing one of their new palettes this week (that only costs FIVE BUCKS) so stay tuned!

2. Tutorials. Also every cosmetic brand has awesome tutorials available on their websites, You Tube or Facebook. M.A.C, e.l.f & Sephora have some really amazing ones. At Sephora you will find lots of brands now produce "Makeup Tutorial" pallets that come with the shadow, brushes & instructions on how to create a specific look! Check them out here.

3. Hire backup. Make an appointment during the week (when it is not busy) to sit down with a makeup artist at your favorite counter (I personally think Benefit does an amazing job with customer service). The weekends can get crazy busy and there just isn’t enough time for MUA to really give an antiquate lesson. Now, just because someone is standing behind a makeup counter does NOT mean they necessarily have a clue in the world. It could be their first day for all you know. So, what I would do is ask around to your girlfriends about who they have seen or ask to book your appointment with a counter manager. Will they expect you to buy? Yes. The common minimum purchase is 3 items or $50 for an hour long appointment. BUT you will walk away with hopefully 3 products you love and will feel confident using.

Now, I expect a report back once you feel your makeup cherry has been popped. Spare no details, I'm nosy ;)

-Fancy

You Asked For It.

Amber from Maryland asks, "I need a new everyday mascara. I want one that does not smudge and melt as the day goes on, but one that washes off easily, I do not like waterproof mascara. AND I want it to make my lashes look amazingly long and lush....so anything that fits the bill?" 

 Amber, have no fear- DiorShow is here.

I remember being just a wee lad at the cosmetic counter (still trying to act tough as to not get eaten alive by the other girls)  and the conversation of mascara arose. 

"Which do you use?" the giant red-headed psycho from Shiseido asked me. 

"Ummm...Benefit BADgal" I mumbled.
As I began looking up from the ground, there stood 5 cosmetic girls shaking their heads displeased with me.

"No." the ginger spouted. "No."

"Which do you guys use?" I whimpered as I started picking at my split ends. 

"DiorShow" they all said in unison. As if it was a no-brainer. As if to say, WHATTHEHELLISWRONGWITHYOUEVERYONEUSESDIORSHOWYOUMORON.

Once everyone had gotten over the fact that I was an idiot (Eyeroll) I tip toed over to the Dior counter, removed my BADGal lash and applied DiorShow. The gates of heaven opened and I saw Jesus himself floating on a puffy pink cloud toward me. What's that he is carrying in his hands? is it a DiorShow mascara wand? Oh, praises!

Mmmkay not really but...you get the point. I'm kind of a #mascarawhore now, as it is my life goal to try every mascara on the planet, BUT if you want the creme de la creme baby, look no further. I hope this works wonders for you as I suspect it will, please let me know what you think.

Thank you so much for reading & writing in!!!!

There are very few things I enjoy in life more than chattin' it up with my homegirls about makeup. I often get e-mails with questions regarding all things beautylicious: how, why, where & when. If you too would like to ask me a question (whether it be "How do you apply eyeliner?" to "I need a new lipstick, thoughts?") now is your chance! I hope to start a new weekly segment answering your questions to the best of my ability. If I don't know the answer, I pinky swear I will try and find someone who does!

To submit a question to Fancy Face
CLICK HERE :)

( fancy.fashion@hotmail.com)

PS- I came across this in a google image search:

I. CAN. NOT. BREATHE.