Vid Tutorial: Bronzer/Blush For Beginners

McKennaRishmawybeauty blogger, blush, blush for beginners, bronzer, bronzer for beginners, contouring palette, contouring with bronzer, easy makeup tutorial, how to, how to apply blush, how to apply bronzer, makeup blogger, makeup for beginners, Urban Decay, Urban Decay Naked Flushed, Urban Decay Native, Youtube makeup tutorial 2 Comments

Okay, so I promise that my next post will be a written one! I’m working on an article about my experience following another article that’ll shows the steps for emulating a certain celebrity look, and I’m super excited because it involves bright eyeshadow (a rare thing for me). But for today, it’s more video tutorial practice!

Again, the aim for my tutorials is to be like, ridiculously simple and obnoxiously basic. And always under ten minutes. Today this will look like discussing bronzer and blush, and how to apply both. If you already know what you’re doing and if you’re already some expert in color correcting and could even offer Jaclyn Hill a few tips at this point, well, then maybe this isn’t for you. So chill out and prepare to not be impressed. I am not Huda Kattan.

On the flipside, if you’ve ever been unsure about where or how to apply bronzer, blush, or both at the same time and you just want somewhere to start, I’m here for you. And note that my finished results really aren’t that much different from what I start with- the aim is never to transform, but rather to simply enhance. Obviously you can build on blush and bronzer from the point where I leave you, but the biggest takeaway is the where and the how. Enjoy! xo, MR

March 15, 2016the Makeup stuff.

Vid Tutorial: Concealer For Beginners

McKennaRishmawyconcealer, concealer brush, concealer for beginners, easy concealer tutorial, easy highlighting tutorial, Glossier Stretch Concealer, Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer, makeup for beginners, makeup vlogger, NARS Creamy Radiance Concealer Leave a comment

Concealer is weird. We grow up thinking it’s just for zits, and then we transition into thinking it’s just for dark undereye circles. Well, I’m here to tell you that that ain’t the case! Check out my first tutorial (well, real tutorial) on how and where to apply concealer. There’s so much more you can do with it besides just covering up a pimple! xo, MR

March 11, 2016the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Review stuff.

My Three Very Favorite Makeup Brands

McKennaRishmawyBareMinerals, BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream, bareMinerals Oil Obsessed Total Cleansing Oil, BareMinerals Original Foundation SPF15, best beauty brand, best bridal makeup, best foundation, Bloomingdale's, Bobbi Brown, Bobbi Brown cosmetics, Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner, Francois Nars, Glossier, Kate Middleton wedding makeup, Leslie Pladgett, NARS, NARS All Day Luminous Foundation, NARS blush, NARS Bronzing Powder Laguna, NARS Creamy Radiance Concealer, NARS Exhibit A, NARS Train Bleu, NARS velvet matte lip pencil, natural bridal makeup, natural lipstick, Nordstrom, Sephora 1 Comment

I’m not known for being loyal to one brand in beauty. This goes for the haircare variety, skincare, makeup, perfume, whatever. I will try anything, from any brand, whether it costs five dollars or five hundred (and no, I’ve yet to try any five-hundred-dollar products yet because cash money). But if you look in my train case, you’ll see the Revlon mixed with the Dior and I like it that way. I’ve used drugstore products on brides and they have worked. I’ve also invested in a couple pricy eyeshadow quads that nearly every one of my brides has worn as well. I’m game for nearly anything in makeup, and my brand allegiance goes about as deep as that of the sweet ladies that Chris Brown likes to sing about. And I don’t plan on changing.

This is also one of the reasons why I never intend to become an associate for any direct sales cosmetic or skincare line- I could make all the money in the world and I know I still won’t be loyal. I don’t want to be tied down to or obligated to rep any one name. That is, unless I create a line of my own one day …

But every so often, I am asked to name my very favorite makeup brands. That’s honestly a hard thing for me to nail down, but I’ve got a few. You’ve probably got items from each of these brands in your own makeup bag because they’re so popular, but they’re popular for a reason, and you don’t make a bajillion dollars from bad product. Each of these companies is over twenty years old, and all of them possess a single, brilliant founder that inspires me with both their creativity and entrepreneurial savvy.

Bobbi Brown– This makeup brand is responsible for allowing me to have peace with my own aesthetic as an artist.

When I’ve done brides (or myself, anyone really), I’ve always felt a little less-than for not wanting to go all out with the theatrical, transformative kinds of makeup that is so popular these days. It’s true that I simply do not possess some of the skills for really dramatic makeup, but honestly, I don’t really like that kind of makeup and I don’t know if I’d use those skills much even if I had them! At times, this has left me feeling a little incapable and “uncool” in the world of contouring, baking, YouTubing, color correcting, strobing, spackling, and champagne-popping.

However, in 1991, Bobbi Brown apparently felt the same way. “To be honest,” she says, “I wasn’t really a great makeup artist—I wasn’t one of these makeup artists who could transform a face. I just always had shortcuts to make things work because I loved it so much.” That year she debuted a line of ten natural lipstick shades as the very first part of her mission to create “a great collection of edited, natural-looking makeup”. The rest is history that you can see at Nordstrom, Sephora, or Bloomingdale’s the next time you happen to wander in. The brand that Bobbi Brown single-handedly founded is very much what I’m about in life and in beauty- perfected basics. Nothing crazy, nothing fancy, no circus tricks- just really beautiful, classic makeup. Her eyeshadows share nowhere near the same range as say, MAC, but they are just what you need (and yes, her “Taupe” shade really is the perfect taupe!). Her lip shades are flawless, her concealers (in cream or stick form) are legendary, and her Long-Wear Gel Liner is not to be matched. And let’s face it- when Kate Middleton decides to do her entire face in Bobbi Brown for her own wedding day, you know it’s legit. Bobbi is a huge inspiration to me as a female entrepreneur, and she has made me feel like there’s room for me in the beauty world.

NARS – And now for a favorite brand that is near polar opposite of the aforementioned.

The packaging for NARS is sleek and modern, but their color offerings are even more so. NARS has the absolute best range of blushes I’ve ever seen, and no other brand I’ve tried seems to match the innovativeness and quality of their shades. Their basics such as the Creamy Radiance Concealer, Bronzing Powder in Laguna, and All Day Luminous Foundation are amazing, but they’ll go for the shocking color makeup, too: a shadow duo featuring lime green paired with cobalt (“Rated R”), a matte purple-black lip pencil (“Train Bleu”), and a vermillion red blush that looks like it belongs on a clown (and that very blush, called “Exhibit A”, was the inspiration for this blog’s title). However, it’s not as if NARS is cranking out any and every eyeshadow shade you can imagine; you can tell there’s still a thoughtful editing process behind the collection. In the end, you sort of feel like Rihanna when wearing NARS- really, really pretty, very fashion-forward, and kinda naughty.

Founder Francois Nars continues to be one of my major inspirations in makeup. You can definitely sense the fashion influence in his brand; Nars’ personal eye for photography and his background in fashion make his line feel sexy and provocative. His collaborations with more controversial artists like Steven Klein and Andy Warhol give the line an unmistakable edge, and yet as an artist Francois Nars has always seemed very grounded. I have one of his more famous quotes pinned to my inspiration board at home: “Do not be too serious. It’s only makeup!”

bareMinerals– Every time I think I’m going to graduate from this brand, I get sucked back in. I can’t help it.

A couple months ago, I was speaking to an associate at Sephora about bareMinerals. She stated that she felt the brand was sort of for beginners, for those that are just starting to get into makeup, but that it wasn’t something you stick with forever. I was contemplating a new foundation, and I considered moving on to something else besides the SPF 15 Original Foundation of theirs that I’d used for SO long. This loose-powder mineral foundation saw a miraculous kind of overnight success when bareMinerals founder Leslie Blodgett was given a spot on QVC to pitch it back in 1997. I was sort of sad at the thought of quitting this beloved brand’s foundation because it’s also one of the most high quality natural lines you will find (seriously, the foundation has just five mineral ingredients), but I figured it was time to be an adult and move on!

However, I randomly popped into a bareMinerals flagship store the other day and had one of the employees go crazy on me, just for fun. It turned out that the foundation shade I’d been using was now too dark (thank you, Illinois), and she matched me with my correct shade tested it on my face. And there it was, the reason that I’d loved bareMinerals for so long- my skin looked perfect. The associate had cleansed my face using their new skincare line (a gorgeous oil cleanser that I’d totally consider for myself, by the way), applied primer, then applied the makeup, and my adoration for the brand was suddenly renewed. After some decent skin prep, this line’s original foundation just makes your skin look so unbelievably fantastic that I cannot stop singing its praises even at 28. Their blushes possess the same qualities, their primer receives remarkable ratings, their concealers are all over Instagram, and their variations on foundation are unique and great for all skin types (and I personally love their Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel for warmer weather). Whether the brand is actually for “beginners” or not, I say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

And there you have it. Like I said earlier, I honestly have no loyalties, but if I had to choose three, these would be the three. At first I thought it was funny that my favorite brands are a bunch that seemed to have absolutely nothing in common with one another, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that they all share a significant, common thread- they all place a strong emphasis on good skincare. Bobbi Brown, NARS, and bareMinerals all feature their own beautiful skincare lines, and each brand very much emphasizes the importance of a canvas that is well taken care of. Bobbi’s luxurious creams and oils have been around for a long time, bareMinerals has always been about makeup that is good for the skin even though they only just debuted a full-range skincare line of their own, and Francois NARS himself said, “If the skin looks beautiful, everything else will look great. Skin is the most important part of makeup.”

There are some really great makeup brands out there that turn out incredible color product, but the skin isn’t made to be the priority. Kat Von D, Urban Decay, TooFaced, and Stila all are incredible makeup brands, but they’re not about the skin and they don’t feature skincare. My personal makeup philosophy has always been about putting the skin first, and so I’m rather pleased to see that my most favorite brands come from a similar line of thinking. I would probably include Glossier on this list as well, but they only have skincare at this point (except for BoyBrow) and have yet to debut their color makeup. Well, I mean, they are debuting color makeup this Monday, so this list may grow a lot sooner than later.

Let me know if you concur, what your favorites are, and what you’re trying these days! Have fun! xo, MR

February 3, 2016the Makeup stuff., the Skin stuff.

Winter Makeup Inspiration

McKennaRishmawyAlicia Vikander, Alicia Vikander SAG Awards, bridal makeup, Burt's Bees Lip Crayon Sedona Sands, Chanel cosmetics, Charlotte Tilbury, Dior beauty, Jamie Greenberg, Kristen Stewart, Kristen Stewart Sundance 2016, Lipstick Lifestyle, Louis Vuitton, most flattering makeup, Natalie Portman, Natalie Portman Jane Got A Gun premiere, Padme, Pati Dubroff, PopSugar, red lip, SAG Awards 2016, smokey eye, Star Wars, Stila lipstick Natalie Leave a comment

So, if you follow me in my various social media outlets, you know the SAG Awards were a relative disappointment to me. I think my favorite dress honestly may have been Brie Larson’s thanks to its unexpected details, but beyond that, I was considerably underwhelmed. Again. However, what the SAG Awards were lacking in dresses, the month of January certainly made up for in awesome celebrity makeup.

This is the kind of makeup that I find so inspiring, mostly because it actually seems accessible and real and like something I could repeat on myself. I love makeup that is still beautiful but doesn’t exist for the sake of itself, and doesn’t insist on completely transforming its subject. Ironically, red carpet celebrity makeup is much less intimidating to me than anything like what I see on YouTube or Instagram with all the palettes and powders and contour creams, however fun that all may be.

So the following three looks are ones that had me gasping and reaching for my own makeup brushes this past month. The subjects all happen to look extremely alike, so you’ll need to forgive me for my unintentional-but-glaringly-obvious lack of diversity in this post. However, it is beautiful makeup nonetheless, and I think everyone can appreciate that.

Kristen Stewart at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival premiere of “Certain Women”

K-Stew is my jam when it comes to a smokey eye. She frequently wears a smokey eye and it seems to fit her supposedly moody disposition (though this smile would say otherwise), but I absolutely love the look and am always thinking of either her or Keira Knightley when trying to replicate it on myself. Friends know this tends to be my go-to look when I really want to “do my makeup” – a smokey, smudged-out eye paired with little else, hence the nearly-bare lips. Good stuff. And just yesterday, Kristen was announced as the new face of Chanel cosmetics so I’m pretty sure we have a lot more smokey awesomeness coming down the pipeline.

Makeup artist Jamie Greenberg was responsible for this look, and you can check out her blog for the exact routine and products she used on Kristen (which are almost all Chanel, of course). And what a fun surprise- Greenberg used Burt’s Bees Lip Crayon in Sedona Sands on her lips. That little guy is sitting in my makeup bag at this very moment! I knew that paired well with tons of eyeliner.

Alicia Vikander at the 2016 SAG Awards

This is the kind of makeup we call “timeless”. Makeup like this, on any skin tone, on any woman, for any occasion, will never not be beautiful. Look like this at Prom, look like this on your wedding day, look like this at work – it will never be an issue. I know it helps to have otherworldly skin like Vikander, but honestly, even if you have acne or some type of skin insecurity, the color features of this look will still work for you. Yes, they will. Why? Because it sticks with the very best strategies for flattering anyone’s features- a rosy-ish lip that looks like it’s just come in from the cold, glittering eyes surrounded by an earth-toned shimmer, full, voluminous lashes, groomed eyebrows, and gently sun-kissed skin. Even if you don’t have pristine skin (and I’m sure a bit of makeup was involved in giving that illusion, too), your features will still be nothing but enhanced with makeup like this. You would just vary the choice of shades depending on your skintone.

Charlotte Tilbury created this look to complement Alicia’s stunning Louis Vuitton sequined gown. The Australian edition of PopSugar did a full feature on the look here, complete with a run-down of every single product used. Remember that the prices for the mentioned products are translated into Australian dollars, so they don’t cost quite that much stateside.

Natalie Portman at the New York City premiere of “Jane Got A Gun”

Good ol’ Natalie Portman. I think the first high-end product I ever purchased as a teen was Stila’s lipstick that they’d made just for her back in the day, appropriately named Natalie. It was sheer, a berry color with purple-ish undertones from what I remember. Of course it’s now discontinued and who knows what happened to mine, but I remember thinking as a fifteen-year-old girl that I would finally look like Padme once I got my hands on that lipstick. Padme isn’t exactly the worst film character to look like, but her choices are pretty questionable and I’m not sure how much the lipstick actually helped my cause. I managed to date someone similar in character to Anakin Skywalker, so I guess the goal was met? Minus the whole awesome space opera part that made it actually worth it?

Fast forward some ten-odd years later and here’s Natalie again, still looking gorgeous as ever with a deep, crimson lip. There’s something so fragile and feminine about Portman’s features that makes a dramatic lip stand out on her in ways that may not be the case with others. I love her nearly porcelain skin here. When I try to let my skin lose its color, I find it doesn’t give off a Snow White etherealness so much as it does a yellow-green Tales from the Crypt vibe. It’s all about those undertones, man. They’ll get ya.

As the face of Dior beauty, you can count on every product used here on Natalie to be Dior. Lipstick Lifestyle did a great feature on the whole look recounting all of makeup artist Pati Dubroff’s steps. I’m eyeing the eyeshadow and liner duo used that’s to be released as part of Dior’s spring makeup collection, but I’m certain it’ll be a little out of my reasonable price range (especially considering my lame empties challenge, which I guess I’m continuing with indefinitely). I’ll just need to shop what I own.

And now I’m looking forward to seeing what beauty awesomeness (and hopefully gown awesomeness) the Oscars will hold for us. Hopefully there’s some Leo awesomeness involved in that, too, because if there isn’t there will probably be some type of bear-attacking-you-in-nineteenth-century-Canadian-wilderness hell to pay. xo, MR

Image credits (in order of appearance) to: Vanity Fair, Getty Images, Mike Coppola for Getty Images

January 29, 2016the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Review stuff., the Skin stuff.

#EmptiesChallenge Update 2

McKennaRishmawy#emptieschallenge, Acure Organics Argan Chlorella Night Cream, bangs, BareMinerals Original Foundation SPF15, Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes, ColourPop Chilly Chili, ColourPop cosmetics, ColourPop UltraMatte Liquid Lipstick, CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara, empties challenge, Lush Cosmetics Eau Roma Water Toner, NARS Creamy Radiance Concealer, Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Treatment Lotion, Origins A Perfect World SPF25 Moisturizer, Sally Hershberger Hyper Hydration Super Keratin Spray, Sephora, Simple Micellar Water, swag, swag haircut, Unite Eurotherapy 7 Seconds Conditioner Leave a comment

Let’s see. When we last talked about my empties challenge, I’d forgotten that I was doing it in the first place and got a blowout that wasn’t even worth it. Kudos to me. Over the past two months, I’ve managed to remember my challenge but Christmas, Sephora gift cards, and an appointment with my home hairstylist happened. Yikes. And I was silly and decided that I wanted to try ColourPop cosmetics, too. I felt like I could justify it because ColourPop items are six bucks each, but add in the shipping and you’re basically at eleven bucks. Oh well.

My main expenses, when it comes down to it, were the hair appointment and the extra money I spent at Sephora on top of my gift card. Because you know how getting one item for free at Sephora somehow makes purchasing two more seem okay? Yeah, I don’t know how that works in the brain’s economy, but somehow it makes sense, kind of like the real estate bubble of 2008 and subprime mortgages. Oh and I also stopped by Lush Cosmetics and picked up their Eau Roma Water Toner, because I had a staff lunch right next door and I wasn’t sure when I’d be there next. I’m really exercising such a great sense of self-discipline.

Anyhow, I have run out of a couple things this past month. I’ve finished off my Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Treatment Lotion With White Tea, A Perfect World SPF25 Age-Defense Moisturizer With White Tea, and another CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara. I’m closing in on the following: NARS Creamy Radiance Concealer in Custard, Unite Eurotherapy 7 Second Condition Leave-In Detangler, Sally Hershberger Hyper Hydration Super Keratin Spray, Acure Organics Argan Chlorella Night Cream, Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing towelettes, and quite possibly my BareMinerals SPF15 Original Foundation in Light. Still little progress on any color cosmetics, but I have been doing better at applying more frequently. I don’t exactly blast through stuff like this blue and purple eyeshadow duo from NARS quickly.

So if I’m going by the ratio of the challenge (and not counting any of the things I received as Christmas gifts, because it’s just too difficult), I’ve “paid” for my hair appointment by running out of the two Origins products. I purchased some Simple Micellar Water again too, so the mascara and one of the others that I’m almost out of will pay for that. The two other things I picked up at Sephora and the Lush toner, however, are unpaid for until I officially run out of the rest of the almost-empty products plus one additional item. Time to keep working. And notice I’m just not even counting the ColourPop, I’m just that over it. Whatever.

All this to say, it’s very easy for non-necessities to accumulate. It happens quickly, and we tend to make purchasing decisions impulsively. I need to learn to take my time. It’s becoming much easier to see what I really need though, which is kind of neat. I found I couldn’t do without the micellar water as a makeup remover after a couple weeks, and I repurchased my same Origins moisturizer with my Sephora gift card after deciding not to spend it on something more frivolous. So, I’m learning, but I’ll keep hammering away at the color cosmetics in the meantime.

I have to say that the ColourPop decision wasn’t exactly the worst, though. I took my time figuring out what color of their UltraMatte liquid lipstick I wanted to try and I finally landed on a shade called “Chilly Chili”. Like the Stila kind I’ve mentioned before, this stuff does not come off but the color payoff is pretty great. I can’t wait to wear this plum-brown in the city, and I like it with my bangs.

All right, I’ll probably be back soon with a SAG Awards post, so see you then. xo, MR

January 19, 2016the Makeup stuff.

When More Is More: Kardashian-Inspired Makeup

McKennaRishmawyArdell accent lashes, banana powder, Bare Minerals Original SPF 15 Foundation, BeneFit The POREFessional, contouring, CoverGirl The SuperSizer mascara, cut crease, exaggerated lipliner, eyebrows, highlighting, Instagram makeup, Jaclyn Hill, Joyce Bonelli, Kardashian inspired makeup, Kardashian-Jenner, Kat Von D Shade and Light palette, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, liquid lipstick, MAC blush Buff, MAC Mineralize SkinFinish Soft And Gentle, makeup blogger, makeup tutorial, MakeUpForEver HD Foundation, Mario Dedivanovic, Michelle Phan, NARS cream shadow Thebes, NARS Creamy Radiance Concealer, no filter, nose contouring, social media, Stila Stay All Day liquid lipstick Patina, Youtube makeup Leave a comment

I used to think I really loved makeup. Well, I mean, I do love makeup. A lot. I always thought I loved it more than most people. However, within the past couple years or so, makeup as we know it has changed forever in some radical ways. And in light of this, I have to say that my love for makeup as we know it now has become more of a journey than a certainty. Let me provide a little background.

The rise of the Youtube video blogger in the 2000’s transformed the world of makeup through the power of shared knowledge. Suddenly, everyday women all over the world were able learn and practice difficult and elaborate techniques thanks to thousands of tutorials posted by other everyday women all over the world. Some video bloggers have reached mega-celebrity status like Michelle Phan and Jaclyn Hill, with their worth now in the millions. Instagram offered another avenue for sharing makeup knowledge, along with its glow-giving filters and other fancy apps with capabilities of blurring and retouching our complexions.

Then came the variable with the most impact- Kim K and her Kontouring Kingdom. Suddenly the world of makeup was launched into the stratospheric heights of what once seemed impossible. Social media took quick notice, and now you can’t scroll through your feed once without noticing a woman showing off that signature Kardashian-Jenner look: contoured cheekbones, a contoured forehead and chin, golden-yellow highlighting thanks to some type of banana powder, shimmery, pearlescent highlighting across the forehead and cheeks, a contoured and highlighted nose, immaculate eyebrows, full, voluminous lips sporting a matte, liquid lipstick, layered eyeshadow with a flawless cut crease, thick, perfectly-drawn winged eyeliner, and dramatic false lashes. Throw on a couple filters and there isn’t a flaw in sight. It doesn’t exactly look natural either, but in this new phase of makeup artistry for every woman, more is more.

I’m not consistently drawn to this maximalist kind of makeup as most know; I find myself more inspired by the work of celebrity makeup artists as opposed to what I see on Instagram (with folks like Mario Dedivanovic and Joyce Bonelli excepted). However, it is fun to think about all the possibilities in your train case after watching a tutorial on the most elaborate smokey eye you’ve ever seen. Even if something isn’t quite for you, it can still be inspiring.

And so, I decided to have a little fun last night and just go for more. And man, did I not feel like myself. This was no single wash of eyeshadow topped with a bit of kohl liner and mascara like I usually do for a night out or something. I followed the formulas of multiple Youtube bloggers that I’ve watched and went through every step in what felt like a game of human paint-by-numbers: mattifying primer, liquid foundation, powder, concealer, contouring, banana powder, illuminating powder, blush, shadow primer, layered eyeshadow (four shades), eyeliner, mascara, false lashes, lipliner, and liquid lipstick. Everything I used is pictured above, except for the false lashes (which were just accent lashes by Ardell).

And none of the following photos have any filter on them. I’m simply standing in front of a soft lamp for the ones featuring the finished look.

BAM. Crazy! The difference is almost laughable, isn’t it? It probably would’ve helped to give a bit more of a smile in the photo on the left, but hey, for dramatic purposes we’ll leave it as it is. Not hiding the bangs under a beanie helps as well, but when it’s -2 outside and you’ve just arrived at work after battling the oppressive elements, you’re probably going to put your bangs in a beanie too.

But it didn’t turn out too bad, did it?! I have to say that I liked how I looked in most every picture I took, which isn’t typical for me at all. That is one thing that this kind of makeup can do well- photos are suddenly not so intimidating. You just have to find your favorite angles that show off the makeup best.

Also, understand that to many women (and men too, from what I’ve seen on Insta), this is still total amateur hour. I did not take things anywhere near as far as some Youtubers or bloggers take them, and a lot of people would probably still consider this a soft, natural look. I don’t, but it starts to become a matter of relativity. Many people have had countless hours of practice with Kardashian level, “extreme” makeup, and they can do much, much more than me in terms of talent and technique. This is just one of my first takes on it.

I’m convinced that the one detail that really takes things to the next level is the highlighting on the nose. It’s what kind of gives you that ethereal, almost plastic look. The Kat Von D Shade and Light contouring palette is also key- I really, really like that palette. I’ve watched several Youtube videos on how to get the most out of it, and it’s amazing what you can do to the shape of your face with six simple shades. I tried to do the exaggerated lipliner for that crazy Kylie Jenner effect too, but the fact of the matter is she gets lip injections. There are complicated contouring and highlighting techniques that can give the illusion of much larger lips, but that tends to require a couple shades of creamy concealer and I only have my match shade. I just tried things with nude liner and liquid lipstick.

The liquid lipstick I used on my lips was also hard to work with outside of the natural lip line because once it sets on your skin, it dries within seconds and doesn’t budge. You can’t make any adjustments or changes. It’s seriously high quality stuff, but you do not wear it for comfort or ease of application. I used Stila’s Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina. You might be able to tell that the lip lines got a little smudgy because I tried to rub the lipstick off in some spots, but it didn’t work. I basically had to go to bed with this stuff on and it is so unbelievably drying. Not exactly the comforting, moisturizing formula you’d use in weather with a wind chill factor of -15 degrees.

No filters here, I promise! Just in front of a lamp (especially because it was night and there was no natural light to be found). I’m under a bright light on the left side too, though.

I have to say, the transformative power of Youtube-inspired makeup is undeniable. It works, especially in terms of making you feel glamorous and photo-ready. However, it’s not a realistic everyday look for me and my life. Now that I know I can do it though, maybe I’ll take a stab at it more than once a year. I just wouldn’t want this to ever feel like the norm because that can take the fun and novelty out of it. For now I’ll just be sure to keep washing my face and taking good care of my eyebrows. xo, MR

January 17, 2016the Makeup stuff., the Review stuff.

Best Of: Brown Eyeshadow

McKennaRishmawybest brown eyeshadow, best eyeshadow, best MAC eyeshadows, Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow Slate, Bottomless Java eyeshadow, eyeshadow, L'Oreal Bottomless Java, L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Eye Shadow, MAC, MAC Cork, MAC Pro Longwear eyeshadow, MAC Uninterrupted, most flattering eyeshadow, Urban Decay Naked palette Leave a comment

Most folks who are into beauty will tell you that there’s always that one makeup item that they continue to purchase, almost impulsively, in multiple varieties and brands, even though acquiring more of that item is completely unnecessary. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the person who has nine different hair masks, or the girl who keeps buying new highlighter (whether liquid or a solid or whatever) over and over even though she’s barely made a dent in one of them.

There always seem to be one or two items that we’re particularly drawn to, and over the years we find ourselves in possession of a substantial-yet-laughable collection of said items. For myself, it seems to be any type of my-lips-but-better color that’s just between pink and what would probably be categorized as nude. A second one for me would be brown eyeshadow. I’m discussing the latter today.

When I refer to “brown” eyeshadow, I get that the term can necessitate some explaining. I do not mean bronze or rust, or anything with too much of an orange cast. Sometimes, I guess I might be referring to something within a taupe range, but I really do believe that its a true brown that catches my eye the most. That’s not to say that my attraction to shades of brown hasn’t been refined over the years. I think I was naturally drawn to more earthy tones in the first place because I grew up watching my mom wearing lots of shimmery shades of copper and bronze. I think the first eyeshadow I ever chose for myself was a peach CoverGirl single shade, called “Peach Parfait”. You’d think that as a teenager I’d be more attracted to striking jewel tones, and yet even as I grew up I always identified brown or earth-tone shadows as my favorite and what I felt to be the most flattering on myself and others.

I tend to see most people agreeing with this. There’s a reason why Urban Decay’s Naked palettes possess the cult status they now do, and there’s a reason why they were made in the first place. These palettes we know so well are comprised of metallics and rose-golds and now a huge variety of shades, but there’s a general starting point that you can detect and it begins with the idea of ultra-flattering brown. Just look at the case of Naked 1.

But anyhow, on to four particular shades of brown that I am personally in love with.

Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Slate may be part of the whole taupe thing I mentioned earlier. It’s definitely not a classic warm brown, but it’s certainly not silvery either. It reads as a matte, milky, cool grey-brown on the eyelids and it works perfectly for day by itself, or you can really build it up for a smokier night look. I discovered this shade by researching what Princess Kate used on her wedding day, and yep, this is one of the actual shades used! I think she layered it with about three others, but I’ve worn this a few times by itself and I love it.

I purchased L’Oreal Infallible 24HR Eyeshadow in Bottomless Java after reading about its use on Kate Beckinsale for an Allure magazine cover shoot. Eyeshadow is usually the last thing I’ll purchase at a drugstore when it comes to beauty. I always find the color payoff to be terrible and the shadow pick-up on the brush to be bad. You know how sometimes you tap a brush into the shadow and it only seems to rub it around and make dust without ever picking anything up on to the actual brush? That’s most drugstore eyeshadows. This L’Oreal line, however, is honestly great. The pigmentation is awesome and every brushstroke is loaded with rich color. This particular shade would be gorgeous on any skintone, and I favor this color over a couple of MAC’s Veluxe Pearl shades. Rim your eyes with this shadow and blend it up into the crease, pile on some mascara or false lashes, and that’s pretty much all you need for a night out.

There are about ten MAC eyeshadows that are considered essential shades to many makeup artists. If you’re accustomed to the brand, you’ve probably heard of Shroom, Naked Lunch, Sketch, All That Glitters, or Cork. This last shade has been such a staple of mine over the years that I think it’s managed to make it on every bride’s eyelids that I’ve worked on (mine included). It’s a very basic, matte shade described as “muted golden brown”, and it’s managed to be a building block in nearly every multi-layered eyeshadow look I’ve done. First I’ll use a shade like Shroom or Orb to even out the discoloration of the eyelid on top of shadow base, but I almost always follow that up with Cork to begin adding warmth. A look I’ve repeated multiple times is blending Cork in nicely all over the lid while adding lots of kohl eyeliner in Smolder or Feline (and I took this idea from a page out of InStyle that I’ve kept for years).

Finally, for a bit of a wildcard brown that has a slight twist to it, MAC is my friend once again. Their Pro Longwear Eyeshadow in Uninterrupted is described as “dark camel with semi-matte finish”; it has a lot more gold in it than the other shades I’ve mentioned. However, it’s discontinued! That’s sort of the beauty and tragedy of MAC- they hold on to their timeless classics and there are always so many shades to play with, but if you fall in love with one of the many that gets discontinued, it’s quite a bummer. It’ll probably take me forever to get through Uninterrupted though because the stuff really does last an eternity. I don’t even use base when I wear it; it’s that potent and long-lasting. I love this shade for its brightening properties- blue eyes look Blue Fairy kinds of blue with it, brown eyes look more yellow-gold, and green eyes look sort of hazel with it. And hazel eyes just look extra hazel!

What are the products that you keep purchasing over and over? Anyone else happen to have a brown eyeshadow addiction like me? I actually haven’t purchased a Naked palette yet, probably because I’m a proud hipster and don’t want to own what I feel like everyone else owns, but knowing me, I’ll crack one day. One day. xo, MR

January 10, 2016the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Nails stuff., the Skin stuff., Uncategorized

What I Brought Home From My Vacation

McKennaRishmawyAlterna Caviar Replenishing Moisture Shampoo, bangs, best face wash, best moisturizer, best products for dry skin, Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching serum, Chicago beauty blogger, dark nail polish, Davines, Elle magazine, Erborian Solid Oil Cleanser, Fresh Seaberry Restorative Body Cream, Glossier Boy Brow, hair trends 2016, in flight beauty routine, InStyle magazine, Justin Kamm, Karuna skincare mask, Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, Korean double cleanse method, Korean skincare, Living Proof dry shampoo, MAC Kohl eyeliner Smolder, Ole Henriksen Empower Foaming Milk Cleanser, OPI Lincoln Park After Dark, Orange County salon, Origins A Perfect World SPF25 Moisturizer, Salon 9, Sephora, Sephora haul, Shiseido Ultimune, The Montage at Laguna Beach, travel beauty routine Leave a comment

My Christmas vacation this year consisted of a trip back to southern California, where the sun shined unbelievably for the full nine days that we were there. What a beautiful time it was. I had flapjacks with Dad, went on a traditional shopping excursion with Mom, laughed my butt off with my family as we celebrated Christmas, stood basking in the warmth of Laguna Beach, saw so many friends that I love, managed to squeeze in quality time with a few of them, and just had an all-around great time being around people and places that I’ve missed.

But of course, me being me, I couldn’t resist listing what I got out of this trip that pertains to the nature of this blog. Namely, what beauty experiences did I walk away with during my time in the Golden state?

A new appreciation for flying

This trip involved my first flying experience in over four years. While the flight into California was ridiculously turbulent (as in the-captain-issued-a-preemptive-apology kind of tubulent), the flight back was actually quite pleasant. I enjoyed a couple issues of Elle and InStyle, a Korean serum mask, and a very small glass of Bailey’s just for fun.

Adding the tiniest bit of luxury to my flight almost made it feel like a borderline chic experience. Hey, when you’re flying second class and your knees are touching the awkward, hungover twenty-one-year-old’s knees next to you, you kinda have to make it work, even if it means that twenty-one-year-old almost jumping out of his chair at the sight of you wearing a creepy Hannibal mask next to him.

A serious Sephora haul

Now that you’ve heard me complain a couple times about how dry my skin is over here, you’ll be glad to know that my mom-in-law came through with two products that I’m so excited for, and a couple that I picked up myself thanks to a generous gift card from my mom.

I’d wanted to try an oil cleanser since my skin starting drying out over here, and my mom-in-law came through for me with this one. I received Erborian’s Solid Oil Cleanser as one of my gifts. Out of curiosity, I took home a sample of this from Sephora and it is some dreamy stuff, let me tell you. It smells so fresh and relaxing, with a spa-like green tea fragrance. The unique consistency is that of a thick, stiff goop, but take a minute or two to really massage it into your dry skin. It is delicious.

According to the Korean double-cleanse method, you’re then supposed to follow an oil cleanser with a foaming cleanser (though I’m sure the oil cleanser is probably enough for most people). I’ll be using Ole Henriksen’s Empower Foaming Milk Cleanser (once I finish what I currently have), which also smells relaxing and calming. I’ve been so into finding scents that lift my spirits lately. Doing little things like enjoying a smell, or listening to soothing sounds, treating yourself to a coffee, or doing a relaxing yoga session in your apartment are things I used to right off as sad, temporary attempts at trying to avoid reality and ignore life’s troubles. Now I realize they’re just ways of enjoying your freaking life. And another small way of enjoying life- dry shampoo. The highly reputable Living Proof formula was also a Christmas gift, and it’s especially helpful for managing the new hairy addition to my forehead I came home with (see below).

My own Sephora picks include Alterna’s Caviar Replenishing Moisture Shampoo, Shiseido Ultimate Power Infusing Concentrate, and Origins A Perfect World SPF25 Age-Defense moisturizer. I’ve used all three of these items before and I enjoy each of them. After running out of my fourth bottle of Rahua shampoo, I’m choosing to give it a break and focus on intense moisture throughout the winter with my hair, especially as I grow it out. The Alterna is great for that. Concerning the Shiseido, I have said that I like Caudalie’s Vinosource serum better and I believe I still do. However, Caudalie is good for intense moisture but it doesn’t necessarily help with other areas of concern like spots, etc. The Shiseido is a little more geared toward all areas, so I’m going to see how well it multitasks. And the Origins moisturizer is a nice one that I’ve been using for a while now. I’ll stick with it.

My only bummer was having my new bottle of Fresh Seaberry Restorative Body Cream, a gift from my sis-in-law, detained by TSA because the bottle was too big. Poop. Once again Mom saves the day by sticking around just long enough at the airport for my husband to run it back to her so she can ship it out.

A super-dark manicure

Ever since growing my nails back, man, I am addicted to painting them. I do darks, nudes, or a true red. For my manicure that I got with my mama (thanks, Mom!!), I chose OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark, a cult fave, for New Year’s and to go with my mostly basic wardrobe that I’d packed for the trip. It’s a really deep purple that is barely distinguishable from black, but that’s why I like it. Once you catch the color in the right light, you see the eggplant hue shining through. It can work as an interesting accessory (and yes, I consider painted nails an accessory).

So, here’s the best shot I got of them, which also happens to be the best shot I got of an extremely fancy-pants bathroom at the Montage in Laguna. Two for one.

BANGS

Because I knew I’d be able to book an appointment with Justin at Salon 9, I had to take the opportunity. I’ve been rocking a mid-length, rather grown out ombre’d lob since summer, and I figured I could go for a couple small-ish changes. We darkened things a bit and went for a richer brunette while still leaving some shimmering highlights within the length. The real addition here though, is the new arrival of bangs. Whew. I had forgotten what a commitment they are, but I really want to make them work this time. I mean, really. I want long hair down to my chest like I had before, but now with long bangs. I want bangs to be part of my integral look for a while, so I’m in it for the long haul. And don’t make fun of my robe or slight-smeared eyeliner here. I’m wearing MAC’s kohl liner in Smolder, which I consider my Jack Sparrow liner because it always smears and you just have to roll with it. A pirate’s life for me.

What this has meant so far is styling them every day, somehow. I can’t get away with just throwing everything up in a bun and leaving the bangs scraggly and bent out of shape after getting out of bed; they have to be styled. I mean, there’s looking French, and then there’s looking hungover-French. Bangs cowlicked up past your forehead can put you in hungover-French territory, so styling them is a necessity. Sometimes this means just tweaking with a flat-iron, sometimes it means wetting and washing them and starting all over. It’s very difficult not to fuss with them throughout the day, but you have to remember that their shape doesn’t need to be perfect. Gone are the days when bangs needed to be precisely uniform and round brushed, so the look still isn’t as high-maintenance as it might’ve been, say, seven years ago. You can get away with a much more laissez-faire feel now, but you still need to make sure things look cohesive.

For me personally, I think bangs are a good exercise in self-maintenance and forming a consistent routine of trying. I very much look forward to the care and keeping of them. Cheers to caring more in 2016! xo, MR

December 14, 2015the Friends stuff., the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Skin stuff.

Five (Truly) Small Christmas Gift Ideas

McKennaRishmawybath bombs, beauty emergency kit, beauty gift ideas, best gifts on a budget, Christmas gifts, Christmas gifts for beauty addicts, drugstore mascara, easy gifts, gifts for beauty lovers, holiday gifts, inexpensive gifts, Korean sheet masks, Korean skincare, Lush cosmetics, Sephora, soaps, soy candles, Target, Tony Moly sheet masks, Whole Foods, Whole Foods beauty department 1 Comment

I absolutely love shopping for gifts. I love finding practical things, or things that remind me of the recipient, or items that might be trendy and push the receiver’s boundaries a little, even if they decide to take it back.

In general, I really enjoy the gift-buying process. However, in years past, my spending has easily snowballed because of how much I tend to find or wanting to match the value of everyone’s gifts. That can’t happen this year, though. The gifts need to be much smaller, and yet I’d still like to have some fun putting them together. So, what I have here is a list of five different, very small gift ideas you can give to the beauty or bath enthusiast you know that will provide them with a luxurious experience. And the best part? They’re all under twenty bucks (not including tax).

Your own version of a “beauty sampler” or “beauty emergency kit”

Stores like Sephora like to sell their own beauty “emergency” kits, but they can still cost quite a few bucks even for the value they might have. Beauty box subscriptions can also be really fun, but they certainly cost more than a flat rate of twenty bucks. If I were to create my own version of sampler for a friend, I might think of it as a “day to night” kit and include the following: a pair of false lashes, a perfume sample, a pack of blotting sheets, a travel-size dry shampoo, and maybe a mini version of some kind of lip color I like.

The fun thing about this idea is that you can really make it your own. And it may sound incredibly cheap, but if you’ve acquired a lot of beauty samples over the past year, perhaps you can select a few of them based on what you know your friend enjoys, package them nicely, and there you go! Done. This is an idea that could potentially cost you under five dollars.

Three of your favorite drugstore mascaras

Come on, what girl doesn’t love opening a new, fresh tube of drugstore mascara? Now, if you go to Target, the prices on cosmetics will be cheaper so I’d suggest shopping there (or Wal-Mart, if you can manage the chaos). Maybe you could determine your gift recipient’s favorite kind of mascara first and include that within the three. What I’d probably do is choose one kind I know they like, one kind I know I like, and maybe a “wildcard”, like a new kind that perhaps neither of you have tried. If you play it right and shop around enough, you can still come out under $20.

For instance, if I swing by Wal-Mart and purchase a tube of Cover Girl’s The Super Sizer by LashBlast ($5.94), Maybelline Lash Sensational ($6.94), and Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies ($5.94), I’m at a total of $18.82. Easy.

A couple Korean sheet masks

Korean sheet masks are super trendy these days, but what’s fun about giving them is that you can choose a couple different kinds for different skin needs. For instance, Tony Moly (sold at Sephora, along with a myriad of other brands) sells sheet masks in packs of two and there is huge variety to choose from within this line alone. They have masks for radiance, clarity, hydration, pore care, and many others. One pack of two costs $7.50, bringing your total to just fifteen bucks if you choose to give two packs.

A sheet mask is a nice little end-of-the-day thing to enjoy with a glass of wine and Netflix, or a soothing treatment to use on a plane ride that can prevent dryness. And, the fact that many of your friends may not have tried them makes them a fun novelty that beats another bottle of lotion.

A couple bath bombs or beautiful soaps

Now, I know that not everyone takes baths so you may want to investigate your friend’s bathing habits first, but bath bombs are my current fave form of entertainment that doesn’t involve Cheetos or spending more money (although I guess you can always eat Cheetos while taking a bath- I’m not quite there yet). Lush Cosmetics makes fantastic, completely natural bath bombs that turn sitting in a tub into a fizzy, whimsical, almost chic experience. They all smell amazing in their own way, leave your skin feeling great, and have their own unique qualities that makes choosing just one such a difficult ordeal. Bath bombs, I might add, are also very Instagram-able once they hit water. None of Lush’s bath bombs cost over $7; you could choose one of the bigger ones as a single gift or two smaller ones.

Another similar idea is to give a couple lovely soaps. I know that Cost Plus World Market carries a huge variety of beautifully-packaged soaps for around five or six bucks each, and I personally love displaying them in their pretty packaging or on a cute soapdish to use. Whole Foods carries a nice variety of ethically-made and ethically-traded soaps too for around the same prices.

A single, awesome candle

You can find great candles – and even better, soy candles – everywhere, for a whole range of prices. My favorite thing for candles is to find a small business that carries a few different kinds to choose from. The city I used to live in had an amazing old town area where you could find lots of unique ones; I’d suggest digging within your area for the small businesses and see what they have first. However, you can always go to Target and choose a big soy candle with great packaging that your recipient will enjoy displaying.

Nowadays I get all my candles from Target (as I haven’t explored too many small businesses yet), and they’re the easiest way to make your home feel just a bit more luxurious. Even if I don’t actually like the scent of a candle I receive, I can still burn it outside on my patio or in the bathroom when guests are over. They are always useful, no matter what.

Let me know of any reasonably-priced gift ideas you’ve had for the beauty addicts in your life. A great beauty gift doesn’t always have to be the latest Naked palette or a full-size bottle of perfume. If you offer beauty services yourself, you can even gift a free blowout to a friend, a free mini makeover, or whatever you feel suited to give. I mean, this is always an option:

Merry Christmas! xo, MR

thebrightblush

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