Had a girls' day with my cousin and stepdaughter

We had lots of fun.
I have also come to the conclusion that I need a better freaking camera. It's VERY difficult to take a picture of myself that looks halfway decent. Like, I look at my makeup and I think, "Wow! That looks amazing!" So I take out my phone and/or iPad and snap a few pictures (both with the rear facing camera and front facing...rear is of course always better quality) and then I think, "Wow! I look like complete poo!"

So. Take these images with a hearty grain of salt. I promise it looks quite good in person. I got compliments.

First I just played with some bright blues. I was kind of shocked at how much of my old e.l.f. pigments I used, considering my $100 haul from Ulta the other day (more on that later). I started this with their essentials shimmer eyeliner in Twinkle Teal. I lined my upper lashline then used a small smudge brush to blend it upwards. I was surprised at how creamy the liner still was, considering I haven't touched it in a few months. Then I took a shadow brush and patted on some of Ulta's eyeshadow in Deep Sea. Then I swiped a nice domed brush in my Naked 2 palette's Suspect and blended into my creases and slightly upward and then used Foxy along the brow bone. 

I'm not sure why I look so pissed off. Possibly because the sun was in my face but that was the only way to make sure I got a good shot of the color or possibly because my phone is shit. Who knows.

My friend Yasmin suggested using a nice eyeliner to bold it up a bit...Next time I'll play with it a little more so it's not so blah.

This next one I really liked. After using a NYX eye shadow pencil in Milk, I used the Charming eyeshadow from my Sephora Cinderella palette. Never knew how to use that yellow but this was perfect. Then, to tone down the yellow just slightly, I patted on a teeny bit of bareMinerals high shine eyeshadow in Bronzed...I think? It's more gold than bronze but I can't find it at the mo to double check. Then I opened up a pot of e.l.f. mineral pigments in Earthy, which has a nice gold tone to it in addition to being a really lovely green. I blended it into my crease and took it slightly above as well as over the outer V and to the middle of my eyelid. I also dipped an eyeliner brush into it and lined my lower lashline with it and topped that off by lining my waterline in black (just to the middle though). Some mascara and voila. 

I quite liked this look and am pretty bummed about my phone being gaaarrrrbage. Then my iPad died, not that it'd be much better, but. You know.

Oh hai...just muh face.

 So also, here is a picture of my cousin with a look I did for her that she liked (but I made her line her eyes herself since I get squicked out by lining other people's eyes). I just used NYX's pigment in Penny, Ulta's eyeshadow on the outer V in Majesty. Topped it off with Foxy once again (UD Naked 2). It looks SO NICE. I did it for work Wednesday and even my husband complimented me. I only have one picture of it that also rather crap, so yes, a new camera is in order.

In the meantime, here's Leslie and me, modeling the same basic look.

My face again...long day at work but it help up. Primer Potion!!

Could never get this to look right on camera!!

Le things.

Another one of my face but today...still not a great picture but dang. I love this look so much!

So I went to Ulta and wound up buying a bunch of things...$100 worth of things. I only got one UD shadow but there's a wicked sale and I'm going to get some of the deluxe eyeshadows. From what I can tell, they're slightly different in packaging and the formula is a little silkier. But at $4 a pop it's worth it to find out. Anyways. I also got that NYX jumbo eyeshadow pencil in Milk since all the beauty blogs seem to love it as a base (and now I do too). Four pigments, 4 Ulta shadows, UD's primer potion (in travel size since I wanted to see how I liked it), and my Too Faced Primed and Poreless primer that I needed. Also a mask that I'm loving so much...I think that's it...

I think once my paychecks start rolling in (I got a new job!), I'll be there once a week or so lol. I'm curious about their salon as well. I'll have to check into that.

That's about it for today! Thanks for bearing along with my rambling and awful pictures and general noobish-ness. :)

MWAH

So I am a makeup noob.

I am. I wear brown and light brown. That has been my life up until now.

I have looked and even owned gorgeous palettes with vibrant, beautiful colors with no flippin' idea how to wear blue or purple or green. 

But with my discovery of a whole world of tutorials, reviews, and sites dedicated to helping noobs like me, I'm branching out. I'm busting out the blues and the purples. No idea what to do with yellow still so I suppose we'll save that. 

I've been slowly accumulating a nice collection of makeup that includes lots of color and finishes. 

Today, I'm heading to Ulta and I have a whole wish list! Might not be able to get everything, but I'm hoping to make a dent. 

Here are some things I want:

I looooove Urban Decay eyeshadows. Except the glitter bomb that is Uzi lol. Since these are so pricey, I'll probably only pick out one or two and try some other less expensive items instead. 

I'm eager to test out the Ulta brand of eyeshadows. The reviews are decent so I'm hoping with some Ud primer potion, this stuff will hold up well. 

A smattering of other items I want. I need more matte shadows for blending and I'm in love with the NYX pigments. 

I also need some brushes I'm thinking...I don't have many on my WL, I actually have a good amount of brushes but I'll probably end up with several! 

I'll be crossing things off as I go. And probably adding on!!