Ain’t she purty?

I also picked up Jazzed lipstick, a very pretty mid-tone bright coral that looks great on most skin tones. I might need to use a lip liner or another gloss on top to wear it out, but I could pull it off on its own depending on the occasion.

I knew I needed I Like it Like That lipstick, too when I swatched it at the Pro store last week (they were sold out). It’s a cool tone lightish pink that looks almost lavender-ish on.

I also got Call My Bluff lipstick because it seemed like the perfect nude—it is! It’s just a tad too light for me, but I can make it work.

Here’s swatches of all three lipsticks. Call My Bluff is swatched at the top but can be barely seen.

I thought I was done with my little In the Groove haul, but like most limited edition makeup collections, the second I see it on someone else’s blog, I want it…lol. So then I also got By Candelight MSF, a gorgeous light peachy gold with shimmer that isn’t too warm or too cool toned so it works on most skin tones. I use it as a higlighter for my NW47 skin and it’s soooo pretty. (BTW, all the MUAs at the MAC counter I went to had on I Like it Like That lipstick with black-rimmed eyes, manicured brows and super contoured cheeks—gorgeous!).

I’m not much of an eyeshadow person these days and I never really liked mineralized eyeshadows but after seeing swatches of Togetherness (grey, purple, and lavender–pictured and swatched above) and Style Influencer (dark peach, metallic blue, and frosty white–pictured and swatched below) mineralized eyeshadows, I had to have them…lol. These aren’t super metallic and sparkly like I’ve found with other mineralized shadows–they have a hint of shimmer and the finish is sooooo pretty! What I like most is that you have three eyeshadows in one little compact—perfect for on-the-go looks.

My hands were SUPER dry…lol. My bad.

Then because Sally Hansen’s No Chip Age Correct makes my manicures last a week, I’m loving nail polish again. I ordered China Glaze nail polish in Four Leaf Clover described on many sites as a Kelly Green but also many sites have said this color cannot be photographed in its true glory. I’m on board then! I actually wanted to order more shades from China Glaze’s Up and Away Collection (Peachy Keen, Sugar High, and High Hopes) that came out earlier this year, but my Sally’s doesn’t have it anymore and I did find it on Amazon via a seller’s store, but for 4 nail polishes, my total came up to $32. No bueno. I’ll just stick to one for now and cross my fingers I’ll find the rest in a random store one day…lol. Check out the collection swatches here.

P.S. The Style and Beauty Doctor reader (and my play cousin) Ebony asked me for a complete breakdown including skin care products I used for a look I twitpic’d on my way to the Lady Gaga concert Friday night in NYC. Check it out:

Please know that I take horrible pics…lol. And the heat got to my hair. Anyway, here’s the breakdown:

1. Since it was SUPER hot on Friday and I had been running around all day and had sat under the dryer at my salon, my face was HOT, greasy, and sweaty. So when I got home, I cleansed with both Perricone MD Nutritive Cleanser and LUSH Coalface Cleanser to remove my previous makeup and to get my skin back to clean. After that, I toned with Perricone MD Firming Facial Toner and moisturized with Clinique Even Better Moisturizer. After moisturizing, I took a paper towel and blotted my skin to remove any excess oils (a cool trick I picked up from Sam Fine’s makeup DVD).

2. Then I applied Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer in Mocha using MAC #190 brush. Mocha is a new shade and I’m sooo glad they added it because Walnut was just a smidgen too light for me. BUT if you’re NW47 like me, make sure you get the Oil-Free Mocha TM. For some reason the regular Laura Mercier TM have the same shade name but the colors are different. The regular TM in Mocha is too light for me. I might buy a full bottle of this pretty soon as the sample I got from Sephora is about to run out…lol. I also blotted my face down with a paper towel after applying the TM to remove excess oils. I set with Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder in Caramel using MAC #187 brush. I normally set with Becca Loose Finishing Powder in Nutmeg, but my face gets too oily for it on super hot and humid days. I blotted again with a paper towel.

3. My brows had been freshly threaded earlier that day by Rajni at Aveda Natural Look in Queens Center mall I just brushed them up with MAC #204 brush. Rajni’s been doing my brows for the last 5 years and she’s the bomb! For my eyes, I used Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Mat Black 01 on my upper and bottom waterline. I love MUFE Aqua Eyes because it’s waterproof and lasts all day with only a tad bit of fading on the lash line on me. I went over the MUFE liner with Sephora Nano Eye Liner Pencil in Glitter Black on the top line and underneath the bottom waterline for a slight silver glittery look. I highlighted the inner corners of my eyes with Sephora Nano Eye Liner Pencil in Iced Brown. Finished with a coat and a half of Rimmel Glam’Eyes Lash Flirt.

4. For my cheeks, I broke out my new Illamasqua Blush in Tweak using MAC #168 brush. You can’t see it in the pics, but it’s a beautiful bright coral-pink. I applied it heavy and then set it with loose powder (using MAC #187 again) for a glowing from within look (plus I really love blush…lol). I added MAC By Candelight Mineralize Skinfinish on the tops of my cheekbones to highlight using Crown Brush Studio Series Flat Bronzer Brush C108 (it’s only $4!).

5. And on my lips is the shocking, glossy fire engine red Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in NSFW. And it sure ain’t safe for work! It’s a much brighter red than what you see in the pic and you have to be super careful because this stuff transfers on everything…lol. I used my fingers to apply it, but I seriously suggested using a brush like MAC #242 because this stuff stains like crazy). I had to woof down a taco on my way into Madison Square Garden for the Gaga concert since they don’t allow food in and got lip tar EVERYWHERE…lol. I didn’t care much about looking crazy because everybody looked crazy at the concert…lol.

6. Then I blotted my face again with a paper towel and set my makeup with a few spritzes of Urban Decay De Slick Makeup Setting Spray.

Tools of the Trade:

More M·A·C…

And that’s that!

So what did you do/buy this weekend?

Back in October we discussed How Much is Too Much when it comes to having way too much of things like makeup and clothes. Many makeup-fiends (like myself) have a stash of products so large that sometimes you forget what you have in there. Or if you’re like me and have been wearing the same makeup look to work for the past 3 months (I am sooo not a morning person so I go for what’s quick and routine), then I propose a challenge: wear at least one item from your stash everyday for a month! Not only will this force you to get creative, but it will also show some love to those forgotten products in your kit.

The challenge starts TODAY! All you have to do is post what you’re wearing today and what item from your stash got shown some love. You can even upload a pic of your look from your computer right in the comments section. We’ll keep all the looks for this month in this post so it’s all in one neat place. I’ll bookmark this post on the sidebar so all you have to do is click on the “Shop Your Stash Challenge” image and you’ll automatically be redirected here. This will be so much fun! Hey, you might even get some product ideas from what others have posted. But for this to work, everybody has to really get in the spirit and comment (especially you lurkers out there–don’t think I don’t see you in my site hits…lol)

And here’s some incentive for you to keep the looks coming–the person who participates the most in the challenge by posting looks comments (extra points for image uploads) throughout the month will win their choice of one of these cute makeup organizers from Target (up to a $40 value) to keep your stash all stashed in! International beauties are also welcome to enter.

How to comment:

So post those looks–I’ll even jump in on the fun!

Actress Nia Long was recently spotted looking absolutely gorgeous in neutral makeup at the In Style magazine Summer Soiree. What gives this “I’m naturally this beautiful” look a subtle “pop” is the bright (yet still subdued) color on the cheeks. Here’s the breakdown on how to get her look:

1. Great makeup looks start with great skin. Be sure to properly cleanse and moisturize your skin. (See The Skinny on Skin Care, Are You Taking Good Care of Your Brown Skin?, and Get Gorgeous Skin). Using a foundation primer like Laura Mercier Foundation Primer (try this for dry skin or this for oily skin) will help to “fill in” any fine lines and helps give your makeup a smooth foundation.

2. To get skin really looking gorgeous, apply a sheer highlight like Yves Saint Laurent Teint Parfait Complexion Enhancer in a shade that closely matches your skin tone with either a foundation brush or makeup wedge. If you need more coverage, first apply a liquid foundation like MAC Studio Fix Fluid and then apply a light coating of Complexion Enhancer. Set face products with a loose powder like Becca Fine Loose Finishing Powder or Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder.

3. Make sure your brows are properly groomed. They are the key to a fabulous face. See Get Beautiful Brows.

4. To make your eyes look alluring like Nia’s, first start out with an eyeshadow primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion. An eyeshadow primer helps to smooth out any creases on the eye lids and helps eyeshadow last longer. Next apply an eyeshadow in a color similar to your skin tone to the lid. Then apply an eyeshadow a shade or two darker to the crease. Next apply a shade two to three shades lighter than your skin tone on your brow bone. For eyeshadow colors for your skin tone, check out MAC Eyeshadow Guide.

Line your eyes with a waterproof black eyeliner pencil like Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Mat Black (this stuff is wonderful because your eyeliner will stay put ALL day even on the waterline). Apply two coats of mascara (I love Yves Saint Laurent Luxurious Mascara and Maybelline Lash Stiletto). For even bigger bolder lashes, check out How to Get Luxurious Lashes.

To brighten under the eyes or to fake a full night’s sleep, be sure to apply Yves Saint Laurent Touce Éclat in a shade that closely matches your skin tone to the area.

5. To keep neutral makeup from looking too washed out, a touch of color is needed. Grab NARS Blush in Taos and dust it lightly on your cheeks with an angled blush brush for a beautiful rosy-coral glow. Also see Blush 101.

6. Dress your lips in a neutral tone gloss. If you’re a dark skin girl like Nia, try MAC Lustreglass in Trance Plant. Fair skin, try MAC Lipstick in Blankety; medium skin try MAC Lipstick in Creme D’ Nude; olive toned skin try MAC Lipstick in Half N’ Half. Bobbi Brown also has a wide assortment of nude lip colors for all skin tones.

7. After your makeup is all done, spritz your face with MAC Fix + Spray. This genius stuff will help to set makeup, revive your makeup after a few hours, and help avoid the dreaded “cake face” look. Plus it feels really great on hot days.

8. Go forth and be gorgeous!

What are some of your favorite makeup looks? Tell me in the comments!

Lipstick Jungle star Lindsay Price was recently seen in this gorgeous makeup look at a MAC Cosmetics and V Magazine party in celebration of the new Hello Kitty Collection. The great thing about this look is that it can be flattering on a wide range of skin tones and eye shapes.

To start, try a mineral foundation like MAC for light coverage that allows freckles like Lindsay’s to shine through. Try MAC Mineralize SPF 15 Foundation Loose.

Next, apply a sheer bright pink blush on the apples of the cheeks. Try MAC Blush in Dollymix or Mineralize Blush in Love Thing.

Next, apply an eyeshadow primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion to the eye lids. Then line eyes with a black eyeliner pencil like Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Mat Black. Take an angled eyeshadow brush and smudge the liner. Then dip the angled eyeshadow brush into a matte black eyeshadow (try MAC Eyeshadow in Carbon) and “wing” the eyeshadow at the corners of your eyes. Don’t worry about getting it too perfect for this look because next you will blend the eyeshadow like it owed you money. Use a blending brush like MAC #224. Then apply a few coats of mascara.

Last, apply a sheer pink gloss to the lips like MAC Cremesheen Glass in Petite Indulgence.

Ms. ’5 time Grammy-nominated singer’ Jazmine Sullivan recently released the video for “Lions, Tigers, & Bears” off her self-titled debut album. Not only am I loving the song and the video, but I am absolutely loving her makeup! So I thought it would be fitting to do a recreate on this hot look which is completely flattering on various skin tones.

FACE:
1. Cleanse, tone, and moisturize skin as usual.

2. Apply a foundation primer like Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer.

3. Apply a satin finish foundation like NARS Balanced Foundation. Set the foundation with a loose powder like Becca Fine Loose Finishing Powder.

4. Give the face a few spritzes of MAC Fix+ Spray to ensure a finish that looks like real skin.

EYES:
1. Apply an eyeshadow primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion all over the eyelids.

2. Apply a lilac matte eyeshadow shade all over the bottom lid. Try MAC Eyeshadow in Purple Haze.

3. Apply a frosty pinkish-purple shade on top of the matte shade. Try MAC Eyeshadow in Parfait Amour.

4. Apply a pinkish beige eyeshadow on the brow bone. Try MAC Eyeshadow in Grain.

5. Using a pencil brush, apply a shimmery silver shadow to the inner corners of the eye and under the bottom lash line. Try MAC Eyeshadow in Electra.

6. Line both the top and bottom of eyes (just the top if your eyes are on the smaller side) extending the line a bit past the outer corner. Try Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Liner in Mat Black.

7. Apply dramatic false eyelashes (trim them to fit the length of your eye) with lash glue. Try MAC #37 Lash with Duo Adhesive Glue in Black.

CHEEKS:

1. Apply a matte pink blush like NARS Blush in Desire.

2. Top the cheekbones with a highlighter like NARS Blush in Albatross.

LIPS:

1. Make sure lips are properly exfoliated and moisturized. You can exfoliate the lips by rubbing a clean toothbrush over them and then top with Chapstick.

2. Apply a lavender creme lipstick like MAC Up the Amp Lipstick. Smudge the lipstick either with a lip brush or your fingers.

3. Top the lipstick with a pale pearl gloss like MAC Lustreglass in Morning Glory.

And here’s the video: