#morphe shadow palettes bad quality

[obsidiancreates]

hiiii sid im thinking of getting into eye makeup, what are the palettes/brands that you use or recommend?

For a more budget-conscious try, I think Makeup Revolution has some good cheap palettes. They're not the greatest quality ever but they're good enough you can practice without much worry about bad pigment or poor bendability. The Revolution x Soph palette is a good mix of some base neutrals and brights so you can play around and experiment!

My personal favorite palette I've ever owned is the Glamlite Ice Cream Dream

This one is mostly color and a lot of pastels, but still some nice neutrals. Glamlite has my favorite formula I've ever tried, ever, but they're only online and a little more pricey (I believe this is $40 or in that range at least).

Along Glamlite lines again I think the original Glamlite x Mikayla is also good for a mix of neutrals and brights! However the neutrals are quite warm-toned for the most part so if you're looking for cooler toned browns it's not the one.

BUT BACK TO BUDGET FRIENDLY AND EASY TO ACCESS!

For eyeliners I usually turn to NYX Cosmetics because they're not super expensive (not cheap either though, usually like, around $8) and have a very wide variety of colors. I've also tried the LA Girl Neon eyeliners and they're okay. All of these eyeliners though, when used in the waterline, are a bit thick and may cause a momentary film/cloudiness of the eye. I usually just blink fast and deal with it, but if it (reasonably) frightens you, just stick to around the waterlines instead of directly in them.

A good eye primer is always advisable. I personally use the Glamlite Eye-cing bases, but they're sold out of a lot of tones of that right now and they're a little thick/wet for beginner bases (sort of a concealer consistency). A lot of budget brands have good eye primers these days, I used Makeup Revolution Prime & Lock for a while and it was good, but honestly most budget eye primers are pretty similar. All that matters is they help with longevity of shadow/smoothness of color application. Just make sure it's not super wet before you start applying shadow, it can make the color patchy.

Here's a link to a vid I made about makeup basics using the first palette I recommended, the Revolution x Soph one! I haven't made a makeup tutorial in a while but there's a few on my channel, most focused around eye makeup since that's my favorite bit to do!

I've also used Profusion Cosmetics, they're a pretty decent brand in terms of formula and the price point, if it hasn't been raised, is phenomenal. Very powdery shadows so there's a lot of fallout, but good color ranges and you can get a 10 color palette for $5.

Eyeshadow can be done entirely using fingers as well, I've done it myself many times, but if you don't want to use them I'd say you need only two or three good brushes for an eye look. A fluffy brush, and a denser brush. If you want more precision, a smaller/more pointed fluffy brush is also good. I personally use Spectrum Collections brushes, but those are pretty pricey and you can find good brushes with a lot of budget brands (stay away from Morphe though they're shady as fuck, overpriced, and all of the people they collab with are of questionable to abhorrent morality).

If you have specific colors you're looking for let me know and I'll make some more specific recommendations!

[turquoisephoenix]

I absolutely love that Rayman Origins introduced some new palette swaps that kinda morphed into their own characters, and some of the most interesting ones were the three Evil Purple palette swaps you unlock late in the game, one of which needing every Electoon cage broken. I've already drawn The First King, but I decided to make a small lineup that includes the other two evil ones and tackle their character designs as well. Plus I imagine that during the events of Rayman Origins, Raymesis made his own team of heroes and was trying to stop the looming threat while Rayman was doing it too. Raymesis's logic was "If I beat this dumb bad guy impersonating the amazing Mr. Dark before Rayman, people will think Rayman is a loser and praise me instead!". 

More details/headcanons on these three under the Readmore.

Glombrox, The Fallen A hulking beast of a frog man, Glombrox was one of the original heroes of the Glade (Globox was even named after him) alongside Mr. Light. When his companion fell in battle against The First Nightmare, Glombrox charged headfirst into The Land of the Livid Dead...and also failed, just like Mr. Light did. But his wounds were more dire, and Jano's Darktoons twisted him into a more corrupt form. Now he's a violent, powerful force that travels the world aimlessly as if looking for a heroic quest to cure him from his ailment and is prone to random, destructive acts of violence. *Does not talk much. But don't mistake that for low intelligence; he was a frog of few words when he was a hero. *Smells really bad because he eats like a garbage disposal. Someone has seen him devour a robot pirate once. *Does not ally himself with anyone but made an exception with Raymesis. No one knows why. Raymesis just assumes it's because of his natural charisma. *Although he's an incredible fighter with just his fists and mighty girth, he's also incredible with a battle axe and a claymore. He's been known to terrorize entire groups of Livingstones just by swinging around a fallen tree branch. The First King of the Minimus Known only by his title, this royal corpse was awakened when robot space pirates invaded The Tomb of the Ancients where he was buried. After spending several years in a mindless state as his soul gradually reattached itself to his corporeal form, only possible because of the high magical signature he naturally gives off, he wandered out of his crypt to find that the world had changed during his long dirt nap. He then decided to follow Raymesis mainly to catch up on the current events and also to keep an eye on the limbless creature radiating such malevolent energies. *Doesn't recognize Polokus in his current form and has vaguely said "I liked him better as a tree" in response to it. *Has made it clear to Raymesis several times that he doesn't like him. Raymesis doesn't care because he starts to tune him out as soon as he starts talking. *Was once one of the most powerful caster of light magic in the Glade. Now is sadly merely "good" at dark magic. *Doesn't need to eat or breathe or sleep. He's insufferable. Raymesis, The Twisted Copy Once named Bad Rayman, he was defeated during Rayman's early years and thought to be gone for good. Unfortunately, an evil double as strong as the spell that Mr. Dark cast wasn't going down so easily and he soon magically reformed with the abundance of Darktoons flooding the world. Now billing himself as The Nemesis of Rayman (or Raymesis for short), he's a petty, smug little brat that will one day prove the world that he's better than Rayman. No one knows how he even organized this ragtag group in the first place since he has none of the qualities of a leader. *DarkRay and Shadow Rayman are not him, but both separate entities from Bad Rayman. It's complicated. *Since he's a copy of Rayman, he understands the value of a good nap. *Has a giant sweet tooth thanks to Candy Chateau. Will Raymesis suceed in his goal with these two allies by his side? ....no, but hey, he had fun punching things.

[funkyfatbabe]

i really wanted to do this makeup questionnaire!! you could say i was tagged by @cacupid (but not really dshjka) so here i am 🥰🥰🥰

What foundation/concealer do you use? 

currently i dont use a concealer bc i havent found one i like and i feel like concealer generally looks a bit cakey on me since i like light coverage, but i use the Too Faced Born this Way Foundation in the shades snow and cloud (mixed together) although i’m thinking of looking into the new Fenty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation since I know they have my shade (tried the matte formula) and I would rather support Fenty than Too Faced! Not gonna try it till ive used up all of my BTW though 🥰

What do you think of fake eyelashes?

i think they can look super pretty! but i also dont like using them myself bc i have deepset eyes and they generally cover all my eyeshadow ! i will use them if im doing a campy / editorial sort of look but im so bad at applying them its barely worth it sometimes fhadsjfak 

What makeup tools do you use in makeup application?

I use mainly a brush set i got from BH cosmetics which are great quality as well as some Ecotools brushes i got from Coles. i also use a cheap makeup sponge i got from kmart bc it does the job and its ridiculous to spend $30 on a sponge that is no different than cheaper sponges!! 

What makeup do you currently wear every day?

i don’t wear makeup everyday but when i do and its not like a ~special~ look i generally use no primer (besides moisturiser), the foundation I mentioned set with my Australis HD Translucent Loose Setting Powder which I’ve only just started using and i like it so far, really finely milled! for my brows i use my Rimmel Wonder’full Brow Gel in 003 Dark Brown since it darkens my brows perfectly bc if I do it too much I look like a neanderthal lmao (love that deep set eye prominent brow bone combo). For eye shadow I generally use my Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina palette or my BH Cosmetics Love Signs palette followed by my Elf H2O Proof Eyeliner Pen (not the greatest eyeliner but since i only do wings and dont fully line my eye it works for me!) I then curl my lashes and apply the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara (the sample sizes last so long). If I’m doing blush it’ll be my Revlon Insta Blush Stick in Nude Kiss or Maybelline Fit Me blush in Rose! Finally i’ll generally use one of my NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams since I find them super comfy and set with Morphe Continuous Setting Mist!!

What do you think of makeup?

I enjoy makeup as a way to express myself creatively since i suck at traditional art lol but i also think it can be dangerous and that the current insta glam makeup that is trendy now is dangerous - no one can look that perfect!!! i also think it fosters self esteem issues with much of the marketing bc thats how they make money, by shaming people!! i also hate when im expected to wear makeup i think its a problem when it gets to that point where someone has literal anxiety about being bare faced, like it can really be traumatic ! also the trend of having tons of makeup i mean that shits expensive and you really dont need that much, it shouldnt be normalised AGH. i also hate how a lot of brands sexualise their products which theyre promoting to young girls !! its disgusting!!! dont call your mascara better than sex or your blush orgasm i get so heated over this, they shouldnt think to use makeup to make them ~sexy~ theyre young girls this makeup makes them look like theyre in their 20s they shouldnt be worrying about their appearance in this way theyre kids AGH

  What cosmetic products have you always wanted to try but still haven’t?

I really wanna try some colourpop products, nothing in particular but i hear their quality is great for the price and if that doesnt draw me in idk what does!

How often do you shop for makeup?

not very often, i usually buy makeup if i need to replace a staple in my routine, or if i see a palette i really like and am in the financial position to buy it / can’t dupe it with my current collection

Who are your favorite bloggers/vloggers?

i LOVE Smokey Glow and Nisipisa, they’re great if youre looking into makeup with a critical anti-consumerism eye

Do you like multifunctional products like lip and cheek stains?

yes! i use my cream blushes for lip stains sometimes and they look very nice 

Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes?

nope! idk if there are any in australia and id rather just buy stuff i want than buy random things that i might not even like

Favourite recent beauty buy?

probably my Sugarpill Fun Size palette! the colours are so unique, but i was rly disappointed in the shade Twitch it under-performed compared to the rest :(

All-time favourite beauty item?

probably my BTW Foundation bc it was the only foundation I’ve ever used that doesn’t sink into my pores and cling to my dry patches

Any beauty brands you won’t support?

Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Kat Von D, Kylie Cosmetics, KKW Beauty, most influencer brands, Huda Beauty, Limecrime, Morphe (when I finish my setting mist I won’t be buying again)

I tag anyone who wants to do this! i dont really know anyone on here so just go for it  💖 sorry that this doesnt make heaps of sense i struggled putting my thoughts into words haha

[not26anymore]

Jaclyn Hill x Morphe The Good, The Bad, and The Fallout - An Unbiased Fan Review

Jaclyn Hill x Morphe The Good, The Bad, and The Fallout – An Unbiased Fan Review

Anyone that follows me on Instagram knows that I have been excited about this palette since a release date was FINALLY announced! Jaclyn Hill was one of the first YouTubers I ever watched and subscribed to and I have never understood all of the hate that she gets. I think she is pretty and sweet. I wanted Champagne Pop but it always ended up that I didn’t have extra money for makeup when it came…

[kurojiri]

Their echoed shadows

Fandom: Harry Potter Pairing:Tom Riddle/ Cedric Diggory Gen: Tom Riddle & Teddy Lupin, Cedric Diggory & Teddy Lupin Summary: Teddy Lupin always had a big heart. It came to no one’s surprise when he wanted to befriend the portraits of Tom Riddle and Cedric Diggory. A/N: Next Gen AU, Young Portrait Tom Riddle/ Portrait Cedric Diggory, with commentary of Teddy Lupin. Word Count: 4,291

“I find the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, to help them reveal the greatest version of himself.”— Steve Maraboli

Or read on ao3

Strangely, it had been Teddy that had started the communication. He had been a young boy, small but still filled with big dreams. Before he had been eleven and a student, Teddy had been given permission to wander Hogwarts when he and his godfather, Harry walked in the hallways and while they've talked with some of the professors. In those occasions, Teddy had watched and chatted with the portraits that had welcomed him. He loved it. They all each had their own stories, with all the different colors and palettes awing him when he visited each time. They all had their landscapes and moods. It made the wizarding world always fascinating for him. For Teddy, it had been fun to interact with them. The conversations almost perfectly mimicked real people. And that had been why he wanted to talk to them. Tom and Cedric. They were both two interesting people. One with dark hair and fair skin that hardly conversed with others. He somehow always had to sport a borderline sneer close to his lips when anyone tried to actively talk to him. (It somehow reminded him when his cousin Draco and godfather were in the middle of a passionate argument. Like for quidditch games or when Uncle Harry wore the jumpers that made cousin Draco feel disgusted to be seen next to him.) He could be friendly enough, and for Teddy, he liked Tom well enough. He just needed help in having friendly conversations.

Which, reminded him of Cedric. He, who was bright and cheerful at first glance, he had that type of aura around him. Cedric had been a great person when he had been alive too apparently. Although, Teddy would never get a straight answer from anyone that had known him no matter how many times he politely asked or overheard, he just knew the bare minimal that he knew that Cedric was the perfect first portrait friend for Tom to have. They were two opposite personalities that Teddy wanted to interact. And Cedric had humored him too in that day when he asked him if he would help Tom loosen his walls and shields, he kept since his portrait had been discovered and allowed to be put inside Hogwarts. The older Hufflepuff had liked the idea more when he had finished asking him. And, it had kicked it off when Teddy spirited through the summer hallways. Hogwarts had been a little quiet but, it still had made Cedric smile as he followed Teddy. His godfather Harry, in the background had looked confused but allowed Teddy to wander around. Nine years old was old enough to have some freedom, especially when there were house elves and other thousands of portraits to watch over him. When he first saw him, Teddy had remembered how pretty the background had been. A sleek couch, a wide library with sunlight that only spring could have had made the room cozy and refined. Tom had been painted wearing a nice relaxed white shirt with ironed slacks and polished shoes. His hair had been sleek too, and when he looked at Teddy his face had been pretty. (Even if it morphed into a scowl and hesitant nod when Teddy lingered in front of him.) He had been able to see how lonely he had been too, as other portraits watched Teddy smile at Tom. At that time, Teddy had given his name, but he had not known Tom’s name. No. It hadn’t been simple back then, Teddy had tried his best but it had been Uncle Harry that answered it when he called him out. He had been about to call him out again, but when he noticed who he was introducing himself to Uncle Harry had automatically reached over to firmly pull Teddy away. “Tom?” His godfather’s voice had been deadly calm. He had questions, of course, and as tense as he had been back then, Teddy knew his godfather would find whatever answers he wanted soon enough. “I never figured you’d be the type to have portraits of yourself back then. Not until—” He stopped himself when felt Teddy’s glaze. “Never mind that, how are you?” He still looked both output for having to run into someone he knew before. The same kind of look reserved for when Teddy knew that meant Tom had been something related to his godfather’s past. Either for the war he fought or school related. Tom, who had been carefully analyzing them didn’t look surprised of how protective his godfather had been. “I am fine. However, I do not know you.” His body still had resembled like a caged animal. “I was created during the very beginning of my fifth year in Hogwarts back in 1942.” It had been a big deal. For Uncle Harry at least, but he never did find out when Teddy had still been a young boy. Yet, Teddy understood that Tom, and Uncle Harry had a history with each other, just not the portrait that they both found in Hogwarts. But it still had been the beginning when Teddy knew what he wanted to do with Tom and his lonely corner where his portrait had been displayed.

One well-known fact about Teddy Lupin, is that once he wanted to be friends with someone, he would do his damn best to achieve that. Whether they were animals, portraits, or people, Teddy had known his role in the world. His own heart had been shaped for that kind of love and empathy. It had been why it had been easy to persuade a kindred spirit like Cedric to join his cause. They both, Teddy and Cedric were willing to be friends with him.

There were no hidden agendas.

Even if at first Tom had been hesitated and very standoffish when Teddy had announced his and Cedric’s arrival. With Cedric being a portrait person, it had given Tom more subtle reactions as Teddy coaxed Tom to allow Cedric to get closer. That day Cedric didn’t step inside Tom’s domain, but he had been able to introduce himself.

It had been a taxing and slow afternoon that day, but Teddy had been happy that Tom did not outright banish them. Or the next day or the day after that. But he had been jealous that Cedric had more time and opportunities to greet Tom than Teddy could. The nine-year-old didn’t deny it, but he had also been very happy to hear that Tom had slowly been nodding off to Cedric’s babbles. (It still had been a little rude that Tom read his books when Teddy and Cedric talked to him, but Teddy had also been stubborn and practically punctual with his greetings.)

Those first days had turned to weeks. Before he knew it, Teddy had to say goodbye. It had been sad that there had not been a portrait he could take for Tom and Cedric to visit him back at home, but with Hogwarts starting again Teddy had managed to have some hours dedicated to Hogwarts during the holidays, provided that a professor or other adult with permission to be in campus would be there to monitor him.

But that had been good enough for him as he noticed Tom getting used to their company.

Just as much as Teddy loved seeing Cedric’s youthful face smiling bigger each time Teddy waved at him. Or when he found out who his parents were.

“Your mom was Tonks? She was a brilliant Hufflepuff.”

Cedric had been a little shocked when he saw Teddy’s hair spontaneously switch colors. But he had also been quick to smile and reassure him too. He could see why Cedric had been made a prefect.

“And also, Professor Lupin too? Incredible. He was of the best Defense teachers I ever had the pleasure of having. You have both their best qualities. (They would be proud of you, and the person you are becoming.)”

With his smile and kind eyes seeing him, and taking in his features Teddy had always felt comfortable when he visited Cedric. He was like the perfect big brother and sort of uncle that a portrait could be. And companion when he checked on Tom. The winter season had been kind, with the layers he wore and not the multiple ones that he would need later on as December roared. Since summer, Tom had still been stony in some topics.

But it hadn’t been that bad. Unlike his godfather, his cousins Draco and Ginny had accepted his bundling friendship with Tom. They had also memories with other versions of Tom. One with an old dairy, and one of an older man. They never told him the whole stories, but they had also seemed to understand what Teddy wanted. As well, they had in turn visited Tom in Hogwarts during the Winter Holidays.

It had been awkward.

When it concerned cousin Draco, Teddy had caught his skin turn pale and somewhat stiff when Tom looked at them both. Cedric had not been there, but Teddy’s warm smiles had done a decent job for Tom to get a feel of his future (and very dead) version’s outcome. His mood had been sullen and reluctant, but Teddy had also been careful when his cousin Ginny’s turn had been a little more talkative. In her end, at least with her red hair pulled into a tight bun and Luna by her side.

Tom had answered their questions, but they all knew his replies would never mean much. She had known Dairy Tom, and Portrait Tom was similar, but not the exact shade she was looking for. Just like how cousin Draco found the youthful face of Tom Riddle to be an alien moment for himself. It had all been accumulated to both his cousins Ginny and Draco to finding their separate perceptions of peace for themselves. They never fully did explain what they saw or needed, but Tom and Teddy welcomed the lazy days when Cedric came into the frame.

Nobody would ever fully know what would have happened if Cedric and Tom were alive at the same as teenagers; but it had been something else entirely that occupied Teddy’s own musings. Each time he saw them both he could see the walls getting lower. Spring came, and Cedric greeted him first when Teddy went to the same corner with Cedric sitting next to Tom. The window had been opened and the curtains were pulled apart. The distance was still palpable, but he had known that Tom was the type to slowly bring others into his circle.

Something that the other Tom versions were capable too, but for other reasons and missions. (He had heard the subplot to that when his godfather thought Teddy couldn’t catch his words.) That spring holiday came and went faster but when he reached ten that summer it had opened another set of memories of watching Cedric work his magic.

“Must you two always be so jolly loud this early in the day?”

Cedric and Teddy would always reply with loud chuckling and giggling respectively as they continued making horrible jokes. Tom would look annoyed, but never too much that it would hurt Teddy’s feelings. They each all knew by then that Tom had a soft side, a rare shade that Teddy wished the other Tom had been comfortable to see and feel with ease that his portrait did.

“Honestly, why I bother with you two, I’ll never know.”

Portraits were not like ghosts. He had been told that. Multiple of times as he grew up. And he knew. Teddy knew.

But it still didn’t stop him from wondering.

He may have been young, but Teddy loved to socialize and see every day as a new beginning and chapter he couldn't wait to start. It had been why Uncle Harry liked taking him to Hogwarts. They both shared a lot, and at the same time, were different in constitution. Magic, and Hogwarts were special to both of them, and it showed when his godfather eventually gained the job as professor for the Defense Against the Dark Arts, it had been rightfully earned and Teddy had been proud of him. His grandmother had said the same when he had been shown the room his godfather would use in September.

“Uncle Harry, can you do me a favor?”

“Sure, Teddy. What do you need?”

“Tom.”

“Potter.”

The portraits were just painting with enchantments that many artists learned how to do. Teddy had loved visiting many, and he had also loved watching the process too when he had been allowed. His cousin Ginny took up painting sometime before he had been born. He saw the rows of landscapes and portraits, some living some not. It all had been lovely, and he knew she loved it dearly.

One time she showed him a portrait of his parents that she made when he had been five. Back then, he had been memorized at the likeness and life she brought to them. But they had not been his parents, they hadn’t met them their living versions, so they had been silent. Left to the imagination of how his cousin Ginny remembered them. Along with their secrets not being shared with them.

(But it had been the start of his quest.

To finding a soul beneath their lines and colors.

To each and every other painting he met since then too.)

Something about painting had become a hobby for him too. He had never been a particularly great artist, but he had fun with it. Abstract shapes had been his expertise, and the freedom to mix his emotions helped him too. It had made his cousins Draco and Ginny to also bond too. Those days when they all went to the painting room his grandmother converted, they all talked about whatever had been in their heads. Silly things, normal boring adult things and funny things.

He loved it when they made animals, or when ocean waves swirled. Each of them had made Teddy see the world they shared with him, it connected him to their hearts. Edward Remus Lupin may have been ten almost eleven but even back then, he realized something profounding. Life was wondrous, dangerous and daring. But with them passing along their wisdoms and experiences Teddy would be fine. He would seek his own adventures and answers. But all at the same time, he knew he would be loved fiercely by both his past, present and future choices and people he’d met on his journey.

Just like how Cedric had and maybe Tom.

(But he couldn’t ever be completely sure. Because, sometimes his gut would fall and his heart felt like it broke. Tom Riddle was a mystery, but he had also been a boy back then. With dreams, aspirations. He couldn’t have been unloved for his whole life.

Because then Teddy—because, then he wouldn’t be able to stop looking at him. And wondering why. Why would the world be so cruel to certain people?)

He ventured out and spent more time seeing his godfather talking to Tom more too. It had been slower than compared to his cousin Ginny, but that had made sense she was a Weasley through and through. She was a wildfire; she always made rounds to figure her emotions and then seek solutions. His cousin Ron had said so too as well his Aunt Hermione when they heard about the times his cousin sought out Tom during the holidays. Compared to them, few people went up to Tom.

Students and faculty alike didn’t pursue Tom like he and Cedric did. But it had come to portrait animals to poke their bodies to Tom’s couch. (Apparently it had been a comfortable couch that many other portrait people wanted to visit.) It had been funny to see Tom shuffle with either being a good host and being anti-social. Teddy could only guess that Tom had few memories and conversations to fully understand and replicate the other Tom from 1942. It explained why sometimes his outbursts came along too.

They were ragged, and uneven when Tom had a row with Cedric. Those rare times had made Teddy sad. As if, he saw the flaws that the other Tom must have faced alone. They hurt him when Tom wouldn’t want to see him too. He was sure it hurt Cedric too when they couldn’t reach a hidden Tom in the castle.

It had been his godfather that spoke to him gently. The summer holiday was looming and with the letter freshly placed on top of the table Teddy couldn’t mask a smile. His hair, deeply dark blue had mirrored him.

“Tom had always had a hard time letting others close to him.” His hair had been tucked behind his ears. His godfather’s hands wrapped him into a hug. “Portrait Tom or other versions of him alike have that same fear to an extent. That doesn’t mean you should take it to heart when he said he didn’t like you. Knowing the git, he must have been scared that you and Cedric are very close friends for him.”

Teddy didn’t let go of his godfather. “But how can someone be scared to be loved?”

The pause had frozen his own heart when he felt one hand brush away the tears from his face. Green vibrant eyes that Teddy always known and loved had that faraway look again. His glasses dropped a bit from his nose, making it easier to see the indents he had for wearing his glasses every day.

“Sometimes, love can be pretty scary. And sometimes people like Tom weren’t always given the same opportunities like the rest to know how it is to be loved or to love others so easily.”

“That’s not fair.”

“No. It’s not.”

Teddy’s heart hurt. Even when his godfather had been close and hugged him tightly. And even though he could guess the correct answer, he still couldn’t help but ask.

His head rested on the crook of his godfather’s neck. “Did anyone ever love him? The one from before?”

His godfather didn’t look at him directly, but he nonetheless answered quietly. “His mother loved him.”

Teddy looked at the portrait of a pack of Crups. “And besides her? Were there any others that were his friends? A second family to watch over him?”

“I don’t know, Teddy. I—never asked the Tom I knew if he did. He had other priorities then.”

The next time he saw Tom, Cedric had already cleaned up most of the mess. It had been cumbersome for Tom to apologize, but Teddy had been the one to understand what Tom couldn’t outright say. He didn’t bring up the outburst, but he had been thankful to see this Tom be loved.

It had been the only thing that helped him when he helped Cedric bring back a smile to Tom’s face.

Teddy preferred that version of him. Smiling and having a light in his eyes. Portrait or not, Teddy knew that they were alive to some extent, which meant that they deserve respect too.

They returned to a relatively fun summer with Teddy catching them up. The stories they all shared were what helped him connect to them, and it showed how much of a big heart he had for anyone and everyone. It also granted him more of a firsthand experience of seeing Tom have the capacity to be free, charming and happy. The stories that he'd been able to learned from them had always been rewarding. And with Tom, it had always felt heavier but meaningful, because he knew how little Tom really revealed outwardly.

Unlike Cedric, who loved to talk, Tom was the type to hide his emotions and lessons in riddles and metaphors. Something, that could have been seen as extra and dramatic. But with Teddy, he liked the challenge. More so when his godfather came along. It had been two years, and with September coming, he hadn’t hidden how much he laughed when Tom and his godfather sassed each other.

It must have been therapeutic for both. Cedric had told him so as he grew older. But when he firsthand witnessed it, Teddy knew too. That and how much everyone else eventually caved to see how much Teddy could make virtually everyone smile at his vicinity. That had been a particular reason why he had been able to keep seeing Tom and Cedric in Hogwarts when he hadn’t been a student before.

(Teddy had noticed how his godfather had laughed at Tom’s face from the very beginning when he saw Teddy’s screaming his name in greeting. And when he chased Tom all around the castle until he acknowledged him. He had been known for being a very persistent kid since he could form sentences as a babe.)

When August came to a close Teddy saw another change to Tom and Cedric. But before he could address it, he had to leave with a brief goodbye. He would return very soon, but before that he would ride to Hogwarts in the infamous train and see what house would fit him for the next seven years.

His godfather would not be in the train ride, but he did have the luxury of having some sweets from his grandmother provided him with. His anxiety didn’t fully stop him from saying hello to other first years, and other older students that recognized him from his time in the holidays in Hogwarts. It made it memorable when he spent most of that day laughing and making acquaintances and friends. It reminded him of how wonderful it felt to be eleven, and ready to learn earnestly to perfect his magic. That and it had been his chance to try out seven years without any super disasters onto his belt.

He had remembered the looks he got when most of his uncles and aunts had asked him to be careful and not follow his father, mother and godfather’s luck to bring too much trouble. Or when they all chuckled when his godfather gave him a playful hug and a certain map somewhat tucked into his pocket.

Once the hat chosen his fate and the name, Hufflepuff had been announced Teddy couldn’t have helped but feel his eyes water by the amount of emotions overwhelming from inside his body. From the faculty table he saw his godfather beam at him. He wobbled out of the chair but as he did that, he couldn’t help but raised a fist out in triumph.

Like mother, like son his hair turned to bubblegum pink in honor of her as he sat down at his House where the other students alike smiled and greeted him. It felt like he arrived to his second home.

The rest of the way into his common room had helped when he saw Cedric greeting other returning students and saying hello to the rest of the first years. He didn’t miss the friendly wink when Teddy smiled at him as he went straight to the dorm room to find his bed. He knew he was proud of him too as he took one last look at his yellow and black tie before he changed for bed.

The early morning brought a smiling Cedric with a Tom that looked both disgruntled but happy to see Teddy. He watched Tom peer at the tie and common room he had been forced to travel away from his domain. His lips twitched to nice smile, the one that made Teddy smile freely and cheekily.

“Not much of a shock really, considering how much you loved to pecked and mothered like a mother hen.”

Tom sat down at a random empty portrait of a kitchen. Cedric did too when he picked up an apple. He admired it before looking at Teddy with a huge grin.

“You’ll make Hufflepuff proud. I can already see it: Future Quidditch Captain and prefect in fifth year.” Cedric had known about Teddy’s wishes to hold up his parent's legacies.

Tom smiled more openly with the common room still empty. “Head Boy in your seventh too.”

Teddy chuckled as they followed him out to the common room. Tom always had the perfect posture when he walked, but over the course of the two years he had Cedric poke at him. He had Cedric put an arm over his shoulder like what friends did all the time. It made him approachable, and human. But what he didn’t expect was the soft and intimate kiss Cedric gave Tom on the forehead and cheek when they reached the entrance to the main hall.

“Ew!! Come on, I’m about to eat you two.” Teddy dramatically said with a fake gag.

They all knew he was happy for them. But it still had been fun to see how far Tom came when he first had arrived to Hogwarts. He rolled his eyes while Cedric amped up the dramatics with loud kissing noises at Teddy’s direction first before he started to aim some raspberries kisses at Tom. Few people didn’t bat an eye at Teddy having fun with two portrait people, but some of the younger generations did.

Cedric gladly greeted some of the other vocal students first while Tom stayed behind him and quietly watched both Teddy and Cedric entertain the rest.

Teddy may have not been able to meet the real Tom Riddle or Cedric Diggory, but he was fine with who he did meet. They were their own versions, with their personalized lives too. Besides, he did after all get to help the Tom he got to meet, and see this Cedric get his own happy ending too.

That was its own victory after all.

[beauty-andtheblonde-blog]

Love her or hate her, you can’t say that Jaclyn Hill isn’t a successful business woman. With 5.4 million subscribers on YouTube, 5.7 million Instagram followers, several brand collaborations under her belt, and rumors of her own cosmetic brand circling the community, she has to be doing something right.

Jaclyn and Morphe announced another collaboration, playing off of her original Jaclyn Hill X Morphe palette that launched in Summer of 2017. The new vault collection was described as leftover shades from the original palette that didn’t actually make the final cut. The Vault is split into 4 palettes with 10 shades in a similar color story. This collection was schedules to launch in June, but when other YouTubers started posting their reviews, there were clear inconsistencies between each palette. Some were as they should be, and some were dry, patchy, and hard to blend. Based on the original palette, this was completely unexpected and came as a surprise to most consumers.

Morphe and Jaclyn soon after announced that there was in fact an inconsistency in the pressing of the eyeshadows, and they would be recalling the Vaults that already went to distribution, and the launch would be put on hold. A new launch date was set for mid-August, and as you can imagine, rumors and chaos ensued.

Some people were saying that their palettes were just as inconsistent and difficult to work with as the first batch, some were thrilled, some were even saying that the “inconsistent pressing” was a scheme to coverup a potential lawsuit with Becca Cosmetics, as the packaging on the Vault is eerily similar to that of the Champagne Pop Face palette.

Personally, I’ve been a huge Jaclyn fan since I was 16 years old, and I even had the privilege to meet her at an appearance she did at a Sephora in New York City. She was so down to earth and humble, and truly took the time to talk to every person who walked through those doors. As most of her subscribers pointed out, her content has been lacking. We know she’s been going through a lot in her personal life relating to her recent divorce, but her own personality seemed distant and uninterested in the content she was actually posting. When we did get a little bit of the normal and bubbly Jaclyn back, it was one big push for Morphe, and not her usual inclusive and in depth reviews or tutorials.

I did order the Vault as a birthday present to myself (cheers to 22!) and because I really wanted to see if these shadows were as bad as people said they were. I was definitely equal parts anxious and excited to get my package in the mail, and immediately went to swatching and testing. I don’t know if I was just lucky, or people are exaggerating the quality (or lack there of) of their palettes for attention, but I love my collection!

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Some shades perform better than others, and some overall palettes within the collection work better than others, but that’s pretty typical in any eyeshadow palette. A transition shade is almost always going to be easier to apply than a dark matte green. The mattes do need more than one layer to swatch nicely, but again, that’s totally normal. No one (that I know of) puts one sweep of a matte shadow on and leaves it at that. You can see how the matte can be viewed as swatching poorly below-

Both of these are one swipe. The shimmer is basically perfect, whereas you can see a jump in pigmentation between the top and bottom of the matte swatch. This went away as soon as I added more

My two favorites so far are Bling Boss and Ring the Alarm, they both contain colors that I use on an every day basis, and it’s been really easy for me to achieve a daytime and night time look without dipping into another palette.

My shadows have been very easy to build, easy to blend, not nearly as difficult as everyone says they are. After Jaclyn posted her most recent video, in which she explained all of the recent controversy and rumors that seem to be following her around, it seems as if we’re on our way towards getting the Jaclyn we all know and love back. She took responsibility for mistakes she’s made and she’s tried to fix everything to the best of her ability, what more can we expect her to do?

I don’t know if some vaults at Ulta are poor quality, but from my own experience, and only my own experience, I would absolutely recommend the vault collection. The set comes in at $49 (and discount codes are applicable), or you can purchase each palette separately for $15. If you are going to opt for just one or teo palettes out of the collection, I’d definitely say go for Bling Boss or Ring the Alarm.

People make mistakes, production issues happen, and people have slumps of not feeling like themselves. Jaclyn did all she could in order to make this right and fix the relationship she has with her fan base, and that’s really all you can do in a situation like this.

If you have your vault collection already, I hope you’re enjoying it! And if you haven’t, definitely keep an eye out for the next restock.

Until next time, may your eyeshadow be blended and highlights be blinding.

Love and Lashes,

Katy XOXO

The Jaclyn Hill Vault- Love her or hate her, you can't say that Jaclyn Hill isn't a successful business woman. With 5.4 million subscribers on YouTube, 5.7 million Instagram followers, several brand collaborations under her belt, and rumors of her own cosmetic brand circling the community, she has to be doing something right.

[sarah-samedi]

Yes, it’s a bad Prince pun. I’m not even listening to Prince at the moment; instead it’s Rammstein, which is precise and gorgeous, romantic, perverted, sexy, silly and serious. So I’m posting the two looks I achieved today: Raspberry and Rammstein.

The basic complexion remained the same for both looks, but the actual colour schemes are different.

Raspberry Ber-ry

The complexion consists of Dermacol Foundation in shade #207, lids primed with NYX Milk Shadow Primer, highlighted with Lucid from KVD’s Shade and Light palette, and contoured — here’s where the differences start — with Urban Decay’s Afterglow Blush in Fetish. A touch of Halo by Cover FX is patted below my eyes to really lift my cheekbones. Brows are Kiss i-Envy in Dark Grey blended with Annabelle’s Dark Brown Brow Pencil for definition and strength.

I have to be honest: when I started this look, I was excited, but by the time I swept Phloof! by MAC on as my base eye colour using a sponge-tipped applicator, I wasn’t quite as sure of myself. This went quite literally from lash to brow, and is a very pale pearl pink. Say that five times fast! Blended and blended and blended and blended until I finally had a soft fuschia halo between the layers of Phloof! is Phoera’s creme shadow in shade #112 Paris. Was I happy with this? Nope! Not yet!

Next in line is Miss Rôse Magic Eyeliner & Seal Eyeliner. Gotta be honest again, and who wouldn’t want me to be: I was very excited about the idea of stamping on my wing, but I was disappointed. Then I flipped the pen around and drew on my wing, and then I was impressed. This liner is blacker than black — like, Urban Decay’s Perversion black, and we all know how much of a Perversion Mascara fan I am, since that’s the mascara I used to blacken my lashes and push them into my Mink 3D Lashes in style D05. To brighten my waterline, I used a teensy bit of Phloof! powder tapped gently into place with Sephora Collection’s Must-Have Angled Liner Brush #90. This brush comes into play again for the Mein Herz Brennt makeup look that follows this.

Last and certainly not least in this luscious look is lips. This is only one product, one I’ve utterly fallen in love with and have about six of their colours: Phoera Cosmetics in #105 Hollywood. This is an amazing matte-to-glitter stain that I’m so impressed with; just by pressing my lips together, the shade goes from an amazing fuschia to a multi-dimensional glitter pout.

Mein Herz Brennt

While the base remains the same — Dermacol #207 and NYX Milk Shadow Primer, the highlight and contour are achieved with Sace Lady Full Cover Foundation in  shade SL231 and set with KVD’s Lock-It Loose Powder, and my cheeks are hollowed out thanks to Lancôme’s Cabernet Blush. The usual fave tools are used to apply these products are: Damp Beauty Blender for foundation and highlight, Makeup For Ever Large Powder Brush #130, and Lancôme Precision Blush Brush, which, to be honest, I’m not even sure they make anymore. Check out the postscript on my standard on brushes after the makeup photos, just as a favour to me. 😘

Doing this sort of eye — a supreme yet simple cut-crease with a creme liner — is terrifying. I’ve been in the beauty business for half my life, quite literally, and working with certain products or attempting certain looks is still supremely intimidating. Learning is a lifelong thing, and I’m still doing it, myself. Since the theme is “My  Heart Burns,” red is the colour palette of choice, here. Sephora Classic Angled Liner Brush #90 sweeps the MAC Pigment/MiniMAC powder in Rose, mixed with a touch of water, along the lashline and through the crease. This creates a wing and a very defined eye on top of a very sheer touch of Phloof! from MAC. Against the red of MAC’s Rose Pigment/MiniMAC jar, the bare-esque skin looks clean and bright. I have to admit, having never done a look like this on myself (but have on others), I’m very happy with how it all turned out. Lower liner (waterline) is MAC’s Feline, from the Kohl Power collection.

Brows are Kiss i-Envy powder in Dark Grey paired with Annabelle’s Dark Brown Brow Pencil, and blended with Morphe Brush E43. Lashes are Sephora Collection × House of Lashes Falsies in Emilia, sealed onto my lashline with Duo Black Latex-Free Lash Glue. Swept on top is Dior’s DiorShow Pump’N’Volume Mascara for separation and blackout. TBH I’m not super amazed by this mascara other than its shade of black, so I call this one a “blender,” to be used with false lashes only.

Lips! Smooch! This is a combo of two colours, one limited edition — Urban Decay’s Mrs. Mia Wallace — and one permanent — Outlaw by Kat Von D’s Everlasting Lip Colours — mixed together to create a full-looking red lip. Added to this is the hat and veil, and I’m done like dinner.

This was a fun look that I experimented with; the liner technique, while initially very intimidating, was easier than expected, fun and flattering against my eye shape. I’d been afraid that a shade as red as Rose from MAC would make me look as if I had pink-eye, but with the right application techniques — slow and steady — I achieved the look I wanted.

You can do this too. It just takes practice. Now that I know I can make a cut-creased eye, I’ll try it again in different colours, different shapings. The key is to play, to experiment. That is where the makeup removing towelettes come in so handy: when you’re changing one look to another, or simply tidying up a mistake. Just remember to learn from those mistakes, learn your contours, love yourself. You are beautiful.

Postscript: A good set of brushes, will, no joke, last 20-25 years if cleaned properly and taken care of. The brushes I use are quality (Morphe, Sephora Collection, Lancôme, Quo), and across the wide price spectrum. Remember, just because something is cheaply priced doesn’t mean it’s cheaply made!

Raspberry Ber-ry / Mein Herz Brennt🔥 Yes, it's a bad Prince pun. I'm not even listening to Prince at the moment; instead it's Rammstein, which is precise and gorgeous, romantic, perverted, sexy, silly and serious.

[fatgothgf]

if natasha denona doesn’t want me to buy dupes of her palettes that are exactly the same quality and pigmentation and creaminess, she shouldn’t make her palettes more than one hundred fucking dollars for 15 shadows

are you joking me sis

lila and sunset are $130 each for 15 shades

that’s a fucking crime go buy morphe go buy bad habit, makeup literally has no reason to be this expensive it’s a fucking joke 

[celaestis-amory]

I'm working on having less clutter in our home so I don't feel suffocated myself, and so I don't suffocate my roommate.

It makes it really easy that our mutual 3rd roommate's cat did pp on these shadow palettes. They're enormous but I loved them - so having them rendered unsanitary really helps letting me let them go c:

I could give a rat's ass about the warm tones in the 35m boss mood artistry palette; it's really only ever been about 2, MAYBE 4 lime green shadows in here. I'm more than confident Miss Angela Nyqvist has got me covered with alts 😌 (and honestly, I should have looked into them before ever even thinking about the morphe palette, because what the fuck. It didn't want to give up any of the pigment, like at all...)

Now the BH Cosmetics palette... hurted. The purple shades were the closest I've gotten in my sizable yet meandering disarrayed and thoughtless drugstore-priced collection to the sweet little pastel lavender shades that pull warm enough to be wearable and not look like a nightmare on me. They would have fit right in with this y2k trend that's probably already outlasting its welcome judging by how kinda inaccessible and unattainable and intimidating it is (and how uncomfortably it reminds the collective of the standards and common practices of the beauty industry of the time the trend is emulating; I love today's warm debridement of the nightmare of the industry landscape of yesteryear, and how patient the world's been with people with body shapes like mine. I absolutely would have loved to have been able to have participated in these trends in an idealized form more closely resembling the willow limbs of back then, but I'm not going anywhere near it as I am.)

But so anyway, cat peed on or around the astrology palette and now it's infused with the stinky. The colors were cute, the baked shadows were hella metallic, the pigment came right off the pan and almost exactly the same on my lid (with the exception of maybe the matte scorpio shade? One of them definitely looks more neutral/cool brown in the pan but definitely pulls cool wine on my lid!!) and I never got enough time to play with the teal shadows, and definitely not with the aquarius shadow (I love to hold onto resentment, but using it with a manifestation of forgiveness might have helped things along; also infusing it with the energy of other aquarii that I DO like c:)

Then there were these cute, comfortable, but ultimately unused smaller more hand-sized palettes that I just didn't use as much as I would have thought or wanted.

I was smitten by the original wet n wild nude awakening palette, despite having purchased either a dud or the formula was just as bad as it appeared to be to me - the original palette gucking sucked and I tried salvaging it in ways with the elf rose gold palette in ways that I didn't even know how to receive any satisfying results :v To this day, I probably wouldn't have been able to pull it off, but if I had put a single red dime to the urban decay naked 3 palette, my native tax bracket would lose and I'd be a class traitor. Again.

So this Coloricon reformulated palette was a beautiful no brainer experience c: She was a fuckin dream - absolutely nothing like that non-trademark iconic predecessor formula for the walking on eggshells palette from before, but still just so much more workable than whatever the original nude awakening was offering.

I'm sad I didn't enjoy smoky essentials more, but i guess the blue just wasn't making the impact I had hoped for? I don't know, it just didn't speak to me, despite my birthstone being a sapphire so you'd think (but, as I'm learning these past couple years, padparadscha fucking exists, and she is such a hoot- I LOVE my peachy/coral colourpop palette dedicated to her :^)

Again, I didn't want the 1 percenters to win, even though I HAD the little hand sized little urban decay travel sized little naked...2? palette, the little one with exactly these shades, if just all-matte, and apparently would have been really decent shadow and face/contour multifunction powder, but I guess I'll never know because I decluttered that shit WHEN I HAD GOTTEN IT FOR FREE, DAMN why.

Oh well. This formula unfortunately doesn't impress me nearly as much as my tarte energy noir, so point: gentrifiers.

I don't know why I bother with hard candy. Some of their shimmer shadow formulas from palettes past had really lived up to the brand name going by the texture. It was like little pop rocks or pixie styx or nerds. A lot of them sucked, some of them barely came out of the pan (it was like rubbing a shiny green brick! There was probably that barrier coating the shadow that would have been resolved with just working through it with a few scraping of a coarse brush to debride it a bit, hit highly-pigmented gold but alas), and too few were exactly as creamy and reflective as I demand any given eyeshadow that deigns to market itself as a shimmer to be. I am brutal about the shimmer shades I have to put coin to.

This. Overcorrection. Was not the direction I wanted hard candy take its shimmer formulas to. I hate makeup revolution shades. Those and this cringey palette feel like playing with literal children's makeup, in that it feels like it's literally made of kids' toys, namely playdoh. It is the weirdest thing and I hate it because it reminds of this one classmate when I was in pre-k and his skin was just gummy. And his features reflected that gummy quality too?!?!? I have no idea how to describe it but SEEING HIM had the texture quality of being gummy when I visually observed and perceived him. Does that make any sense at all???

That's what the makeup revolution and this hard candy formula oil rig pump up from the marianas trench pits of my deeply repressed soul.

I wish I hadn't ever acknowledged the purple palette but I have to hate something, I'm like clinically compelled to.

It looks like I won't be folding laundry "tonight."

[simonalkenmayer]

so like do you have a suggestion for finding good, pigmented eye shadow palettes that won’t break the bank? i’m real tired of restricting myself to shades of pink and brown— especially since they aren’t good pigment wise, but i can’t afford real expensive products because,, art major so most of my money goes to art supplies and restocking my paints/waxes.

You have several options:

The following brands have excellent palettes on their websites: Colourpop, Morphe, Makeup Revolution, BH Cosmetics, NYX (I prefer the Ultimate colletions rather than the regular shadows.), City Colour, Bad Habit (known for their Natasha Denona and ABH dupe palettes)

The following brands sell very inexpensive, but high quality single shadows which are worth purchasing apart and simply installing them in a Z palette, (or turning any container into a palette with a magnetic sheet): Colourpop - $3, Morphe - $2.50-6, MAC - $6, Makeup Geek sometimes has sales in the $4 range.

I recommend building your own palette and stocking it with single shadows. You can depot the ones you already own to make a very good working palette. Mine is a MAC Pro palette Large Double- that’s the black box in the center that has most of the shades in it. It folds in half and cost me $6.

Now, if you have the inclination: Download the Hush and Cute apps. Those contain numerous deals and bargains and so forth.

There are dozens I am forgetting but those are the ones I shop most often.

[sageslays]

Hello Beauty Babes, HAPPY 2018!!!!!

Before getting into it, I wanted to wish you all a freaking amazing year that is full of accomplishments and blessings. I wrote you guys a very special message but it was a bit personal, so I decided to put it at the end of this post. so if you want, you can check it out!

Buuut for now, let’s get into some makeup!

This year has been full of new makeup. Some were good, some were bad, some were returned, but the very few have been chosen for my 2017 favorites!

Favorite Primer – NYX Hydratouch Oil Primer ($13.99)

It’s funny to think that I used to not even be that into primer & now I never go without it.

NYX HydraTouch Oil Primer is unlike any other primer I own. I never thought that using an oil primer would be so beneficial. When I saw it on the NYX website, I thought it was a great affordable dupe for the Smashbox Oil Primer. But seriously, this primer is way more than a dupe. it’s amazing all it’s own. It doesn’t feel greasy, or separate your foundation. It gives your skin and makeup a natural, glowing from within look.

Even when I use other primers, I still use a few drops of this in the foundation I’m wearing to give it an extra boost of glow.

Favorite Foundation – L’oreal Infallible ProGlow ($11.99)/ Maybelline Fit Me Matte&Poreless ($5.99)

I couldn’t choose between these two, so I’ve called a tie.

Loreal ProGlow is a Normal/Dry girl’s dream. It has medium coverage, but it doesn’t feel too heavy on the skin and gives your skin a naturally glowing from within look. I recently repurchased this and have worn it for most of fall/winter.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte&Poreless really suprised me. I thought that because it was matte I wouldn’t like it, but it has the perfect combination of factors that works with my skin, but also gives the benefits of a matte foundation like a flawless finish, long lasting, poreless appearance, etc. I also bought another bottle of this this year and ever since, I haven’t moved it from my vanity. Also, it’s one of the least expensive foundations I own at $5.99 but it performs better than some of my more expensive ones!

Favorite Powder – Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder ($4.99)

When I heard that the Fit Me line was coming out with a loose powder, I was SOOO HYPE! And it did NOT dissapoint! This powder has such a nice consistency. It sets the under eye area amazingly. And because it’s tinted, I also wear this as an all over powder. It locks in makeup so well, I’ve reached for this numerous times this year!

Favorite Concealer – Wet N Wild Photofocus Concealer ($3.99)

I don’t know how else to describe this other than saying it’s bomb af.

It just works! I can’t explain it! It’s just really good, and it blends out flawlessly and doesn’t crease alot, and it has great coverage. This concealer is less than $5 but it works like a high quality product. I have two tubes of this so that I always have some at the ready.

Favorite Contour Product – Fenty MatchStix in Truffle ($25)

I’m Not gonna lie, I did buy the matchstix trio ($54) this came in because it was named after my dog, truffles. But now, it’s my go to contour product. It’s such a gorgeous brown color that looks great with my skintone. It’s not too cool, but not too warm either so it chisels out your cheeks without looking harsh. It blends out like a cream very effortlessly, but it sets into a powder and lasts for hours.

Favorite Bronzer – Iman Luminous Foundation Powder in Earth 2 ($9.69-$13)

I know this doesn’t advertise as a bronzer, but that’s how I use it and it’s my favorite bronzer this year sooo yeah.

I got this on sale at Walgreens and had no idea I would use it so much. it’s such a great bronzer shade and it has some slight gold reflect that gives your face such an amazing natural looking glow and warmth, it’s awesome. I also have another Iman Foundation Powder in a Matte finish in Earth 6 that’s also really nice, but this one has been on my makeup stand for months and I’ve used it consistently.

I’m not sure the retail price because I got mixed results, so I’m not totally sure the price, but it’s around $10-15. You can get it at Target.

Favorite Blush- Sephora Collection Blush -Hot Flush($14)/ Milani Baked Blush – Luminoso ($9.49)

Another Tie! (sorry, i’m very indecisive)

Hot Flush from Sephora Collection is just such a unique blush color. I still have not seen a blush that looks like this. It’s like the color of cheetos but with this beautiful warm golden sheen. It looks so amazing on the cheeks. It’s like nothing I own, and in 2017 I used this all the damn time

Milani Luminoso is just…I mean come on! It’s freakin’ Luminoso! Soo many beauty gurus love this and now I know why. It looks good all the time, on all skin tones, with any makeup look, etc. It makes your cheeks look absolutely amazeballs.

Favorite Highlighter – Girlactick Luminous Face Veil in See Through & Lustre

You guys know I LOVE highlighter and I have alot. You would think this would be a hard category to choose for me, but it really wasn’t. Because I knew that these highlighters dominated 2017.

Girlactik Luminous Face Veil was MY JAM! It not only looks blinding and like you can be seen from space while still somehow looking natural. It just melts into the skin! And, it lasts on your face all day. Lustre is a gorgeous pink toned highlighter and See through has a stunning gold champagne tone. This year I would switch back and forth depending on what my eye look was. If I was wearing a pink or cool toned look, I would grab Lustre. and for warmer looks, I’d grab See through. I did obviously wear other highlighters, but these two were one of my favorite purchases of 2017.

Honorable Mention: Maybelline Master Chrome ($7.99)

This highlighter is not only drugstore, but it is the perfect gold shade for highlighting your cheekbones AND it has a great formula!  The glow is real, and I had to give it a shoutout because I reached for this all year long!

Favorite Eyebrow Product – NYX 3in1 Brow Pencil ($12.99)

I’ve never seen a brow product do so much in one. You have a pencil, powder, and gel all in one matching shade, all in one pencil. And all the products are actually great! The brow pencil is pigmented and long lasting, The powder sets in all the right places, and the gel is hella pigmented and keeps your brows in place all day! This idea is so unique and revolutionary. I was a bit shocked at the price, but after using it, you literally are getting 3 products in one, so it really is worth it.

Favorite Eyeliner – NYX Epic Ink Liner ($7.99)

Don’t be mad at all the NYX. you guys know I love NYX!

I never had an eyeliner that was a holy grail. I kind of just would pick out a liner at Target and hope for the best, but now, I need to have NYX epic ink liner in my life. It’s hella pigmented, the felt tip applicator is pointed, and you get the perfect winged liner that lasts all day and doesn’t budge! You can check all my Instagram (@SageSlays_) video tutorials, and 99% of the time, Nyx Epic Ink Liner is what I’m using!

Favorite Mascara – Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara ($5.59)

I wasn’t going to do a favorite mascara, because I really have a #1 mascara in my collection I just kind of have my favorites, you know? But I realized when I was picking the products for this post that I used this mascara for most of the year.

It was my go to this year. It just works so well, it gives me volume, and length, it doesn’t make my lashes feel stiff or look clumpy. And I don’t wear false lashes, so I need my mascara to be POPPIN’ and this mascara, is poppin’.

Favorite Eyeshadow Palette – Morphe 39A ($32) / NYX In Your Element Palettes ($30)

You guys, I have alot of palettes. Palettes are like one of my favorite products to buy so this was really hard to pick. And even so, I had to pick two for a tie.

Morphe 39A is a palette I haven’t had as long, probably a month or so, BUT ever since I got it, I have used it so much. I’ve created two videos using this palette on IG, and I’ve used it everyday as well. You get 7 big pans for transition colors for all different skin tones, and you get shadows in a variety of colors so you can really get creative. Not to mention the formula is awesome, they’re blendable and pigmented.

NYX In Your Element Palettes were a big favorite of mine in 2017. NYX totally stepped it up. These shadows are super pigmented and easy to blend out, and you can create so many looks with the colors in these palettes. I wasn’t a big fan of the hiked up price ($30!!!) but I do feel like you get your money’s worth. The quality of these shadows is up to par with high end palettes.

Honorary Mention: Lime Crime Venus II Palette ($34)

The Venus II palette is such a unique palette. The shades are one of a kind, and thats why I use it so much. My favorite most used shade from this palette is Mustard and it is the perfect mustard shade. I use it in so many looks to get that warm mustard tone in an eye look. But the palette all together is very useful. Jam and Mud are two shades that I can use on a daily basis and pretty much all the shades are well loved.

Favorite Lip Liner – Sephora Collection Rouge Gel Lip Liner in Monarch ($11)

I don’t use lip liner all the time, but this lip liner was a HUGE favorite in 2017.

The sephora rouge gel lip liners as a whole are amazing, the formula is so unique. it’s not hard or stiff, and it feels so luxurious on the lips.

This shade Monarch however I literally took with me everywhere. It just looks good with pretty much any nude shade. I wore this sooo many times by itself, under a gloss, with a lipstick, etc. it’s such a diverse lip liner and is absolutely a holy grail product. I keep it in my makeup bag so that I always have it with me on the go.

Favorite Lipstick – H&M Beauty Lipstick in Biscotti ($9.99)

I’ve never tried anything from H&M beauty, but this lipstick is awesome saucesome. It is the nudest nude i’ve ever seen. It’s like concealer nude, but it looks good. The undertones in it are not at all pink (which I love) and it works well with so many nude shades. I like to use it sometimes on top of deeper nude shades to lighten them. But my favorite way to wear this is with the sephora liner in monarch.

Honarary Mention: Revlon Lipstick in Sandalwood Beige ($4.99) 

This lipstick is such a gorgeous warm nude. I reached for this alot in 2017 because the color was so stunning, and the lipstick formula was fabulous.

Favorite Lip Gloss – Colourpop Ultra Glossy Lip in My Jam & Cabana Boy ($6 each)

I love lip gloss, I swear it’s making a comeback you guys. But this year, my go to lip gloss was the Colourpop Ultra Glossy Lip in My Jam & Cabana Boy.

Now I know these are two glosses, but they’re so freaking similar. same formula, same metallic finish, etc. But Cabana Boy is more rose gold while My Jam is a gold shade. These look so gorgeous on their own, but they also pair well on top of other lip colors and give them a nice metallic glossy finish. If i’m ever unsure of what lip to where I throw one of these in my makeup bag.

Favorite Miscellaneous Product – NYX Glitter Glue ($5.99)

I wanted to include this product because I’ve literally used it in 99% of my makeup looks this year. pigments, glitters, metallic shadows, I ALWAYS use the Nyx Glitter Glue. It keeps my shadows in place, and it also intensifies the shadow so it really stands out. I even keep a tube of this in my makeup bag so that I always have some on hand! I had to give this product a shoutout because it was well used in 2017.

Favorite Beauty Sponge: Mikasa Beauty Lemon Drop Sponge ($8.25 with code SAGCATHERINE25)

Courtesy of Google.com

I had to mention my Mikasa Beauty Lemon Drop sponge. I was so happy to have Mikasa Beauty reach out to me to become their affiliate. One of the products I tried was this sponge and I’ve used it ever since! It is sooo soft, it blends makeup out flawlessly, and I just love it. This retails for $11, but you can use my code SAGCATHERINE25 to get 25% off of your purchase!

Alright you guys! These are all my favorite products of 2017! What a year of makeup. I’m so hype to try out all the new makeup coming our way and to keep posting about it.

I want to say how blessed I am to have my beauty babes. You guys, the people who share my love for makeup and read my blog and watch my Instagram, you guys make me feel great. I love our little community and I love being able to thrive in it in my own unique way. The beginning of this year was very melancholy for me. to be honest I didn’t really believe I was capable of anything. I was kind of stuck. I spent a lot of time alone not progressing and wishing for a change. I was not only depressed, but was letting my emotions affect my physical health and sickle cell disease and got very sick as well. I don’t mean to make this a long ass sob story, I just wanted to really share so that you realize how much getting to this point means to me. I feel so blessed to be at this point in my life. I still have a lot I need to tackle and deal with, but unlike last year, I now know that I am capable of doing what I set out to. I know some may not think makeup is valuable, but it’s about expressing yourself and showing the world a different side of you every single day. and to anyone that hopefully is a reader of my blog that ever feels incompetent or alone, just keep going. You are EXACTLY where you need to be at this point in your life.

Success is Defined by your Willingness to Keep Going.

Keep up with me in 2018 on social media

Instagram: @SageSlays_    Snapchat: @SageCatherineXO

I love you beauty babes!

Stay Fierce, & Stay Ready for the new year!

XOXO, Sage Slays

Sage Slay’s 2017 Favorites!!! ✨🎉🎊🎉🎊✨💋💁🏾‍♀️ Hello Beauty Babes, HAPPY 2018!!!!! Before getting into it, I wanted to wish you all a freaking amazing year that is full of accomplishments and blessings.

[28dayslater]

a while ago you posted your eyeshadow collection - would you ever do some quick reviews/summaries of what you think of them all? it's a really neat collection and I was thinking of getting some so would be curious to see what you thought of them! thank you and love you xxxx

gonna shove this under a cut

first things first im not even gonna touch all the fake shit i have from ebay bc the quality varies so wildly

zoeva en taupe and matte: love these!! affordable, soft, pretty colours- my only beef is some of the shades arent super pigmented but ooth they are buildable. en taupe is my everyday palette bc the colours are so easy and boring

urban decay naked 3: i used to love this?? and then i happened not to wear it for ages just by chance and i picked it up the other week and was like "wow i dont remember this being so... bad". like its not very pigmented and kind of hard to work with especially the shimmers which blend to nothing & fade super easily. but i dropped £40 on it so i cant throw it out :( its probably a good starter palette but i cant even recommend it for that bc its £££

urban decay tenant: in complete contrast to naked 3 this is MAD pigmented, the shadows are super soft, you have to like go in with a tiny amount and build it up. super bright but not like unusable bc the colours work together. side note the purple shade is terrible

too faced sweet peach: BIG FAN, i love the formula, its like perfectly in between the extremes of "so boring i never want to use it" and "so bright i can never use it unless its for a fancy dress party". also im obsessed w the shade luscious it is BEAUTIFUL. stephanie nicole was WRONG on this one

mac dusky rose times nine: this is another one i remember being better than it is, i used to wear it all the time but i tried it for the first time in a while and it was shite lol, it just all blends together and looks muddy

smashbox cover shot (bold): this was sold out bc it was limited edition so i had to get someone elses off ebay & i actually havent got around to using it yet but it swatches really nicely and the colours are SO bomb. however it is really really little and you dont get a lot for the price

kat von d pastel goth: love this! the shadows are really soft and pigmented i just wish it was more usable really bc theres only so many looks you can do with a full palette of pastels

morphe 12nb: i dont like morphes 35 shade palettes, that is TOO MANY, its stupid, but the 12 pan ones are a winnner for me. super cheap i got it for like £12. shades are neutral browns but theyre not too boring, and theyre really soft and pigmented and blendable, if youre looking to get into eyeshadow this is a good place to start

revolution essential mattes 2: nice boring colours to use in the crease or whatever if youre using something bright on the lid, quality isnt bad but the £4 price tag elevates that to pretty good. comes with one of those stupid sponge brushes which i hate on principle

lime crime venus: i wish i liked this more :( its super pigmented and the shades are so beautiful and make for such a cohesive palette but its really powdery and i find it hard to work with bc its just SO pigmented. i love lime crime but venus just doesnt work for me and i feel guilty abt it

too faced merry macarons: this was limited edition christmas 2016 but im including it bc its the first high end makeup i ever bought, and i love it, ive heard people talk shit abt too faced holiday palettes but thats not applicable to this one bitch!!

ive also got a bunch of single shadows:

makeup geek: the og. if you hear someone talk abt eyeshadow singles they are talking about makeup geek, and thats for good reason. big shade range, not wildly expensive, pigmented and blendable, love em. i have like 5 i think

nyx: theyre pretty good, used to use them everyday back when i didnt have much makeup, and theyre very good for the price

freedom eye foils: 5 for a fiver. let that sink in. LOVE THESE they are mad pigmented and SO cheap

sugarpill: a lot more expensive but also a LOT bigger. havent had a chance to test them out much but the ones i have (poison plum, diamond eyes, frostine) are really good especially poison plum bc i think the matte shadows are sugarpills strength. gonna get more soon hopefully

i think thats everything i have pretty much? prob gonna get more soon tho bc im a goblin who cant stop spending

[capseycartwright]

Hey Lorna you are a makeup icon™ what would you say are your favourite eyeshadows 💞

i got u, amelia! 

ok so, my Fav eyeshadows are probably the two faced ones. i’ve got the sweet peach palette and i want to douse myself in in 24/7. the quality is amaze, and they blend really well, 10/10 absolutely worth the money. 

the naked palettes are always a good shout, tbh. like, personally, i don’t really like the naked smokey, the colours are too cool toned and blue for my liking so i don’t really reach for it ever, lmao, but the original naked palette and naked 3 are unreal, i probably couldn’t live without them.

the greatest discovery of my life (thanks @cats-ass-syndrome) has been the revolution palettes. they’re like a tenner a piece, and gorgeous. as in, i was doing my makeup the other day and didn’t so much as look at all the palettes i’ve spent too much of my money on, the revolution palettes have literally everything you need and are insanely pigmented?? i have two and i want more, ngl.

thats like the extent of my eyeshadow love, ngl. i don’t tend to buy like single shadows or anything, because i lose everything and palettes are (slightly) harder to lose. i have a palette from the balm cosmetics and it’s the worst thing i’ve ever spent money on in my life, its So Bad, do not recommend.

i know the anatasia modern renaissance palette is meant to be amaze but i’m broke af and its like 75€ to get it shipped to ireland, lmao. i would also love to try one of those epic looking morphe palettes if anyone wants to hit a gal whos got no money or access to sephora x 

[pinkthing-blr-blog]

How it all begins!

Us Bengali girls (well most of us) are on a minimum budget when it comes to makeup. I will be giving out a few guidelines that I learned over the years as a lost little newb.

Affordable makeup is the way to go. Yes, we all know makeup is important but we can’t simply spend like there’s no tomorrow! Let’s face facts, we all like saving coins!

Let’s keep it real sis, non-branded or replica products that we used (some still do) are dangerous. Bad formulas, harsh chemicals and what not are being used to make those products. It’s important for us to take care of ourselves. You guys know better, use decent products. There are so many affordable brands out there which are totally worth the money!

With that being said let’s move on to a few products which are staples for me, and hopefully it will give an overview for a list of things that might work for you too!

Instead of using primer and a moisturizer, I use Vaseline petroleum jelly to do both the jobs. It has the perfect consistency. 

Time for beating the face! I use Maybelline Fit Me foundation in the shade 122 creamy beige which has two different types of formulas for different types of skin. I can use both the formulas Matte and Dewy since I have combination skin. Accordingly, if you have oily skin use the Matte formula and if dry use the Dewy finish.

Conceal and define! I use the concealer L.A Girl Pro. Conceal in the shade Natural. It is applicable for all skin types, stays wet for the right amount of time and after buffing it dries down to a matte finish.

Time to set that concealer into place! I use the Flormar compact powder in the shade Medium Neutral Beige. It soaks up the excess concealer and adds the perfect velvety finish to my skin.

I don’t like cream contouring since it takes a lot of time to do and I’m always in a rush so, I stick to my trusty powder bronzer to do the work. I use Technics Superfine Matte Bronzer in the shade Medium.

Moving on to my favorite part, blush! I literally drown my face with blush. I use L.A Colors mineral blushes. I also use the Morphe 35B palette for blush, a little hack that I use every now and then. 

My second most favorite thing to use! HIGHLIGHTER! I can’t express how happy highlighter makes me! It’s the icing to my caked face. I use the Sleek Solstice highlighting palette which has an icy finish and the Colourpop In.Nude.Endo palette which is more on the golden side. Whichever suits the mood, and if I can’t decide I mix them up!

Eyes! I’m a proud mother of three gorgeous babies. Morphe 35B, 35O2 and the Jaclyn Hill eye shadow palette. I guarantee you that there won’t be any eye looks out there that you can’t create. Okay, calm down…I know what you’re thinking. Those aren’t affordable palettes, but that’s not going to stop me from mentioning them! I earned and saved a butt-load of cash to get these babies for myself and I haven’t bought anything else ever since. The devotion is real fam! TBH it is worth every penny for the variety and amount of shadows. Morphe is a well-known brand, the formulation of the shadows is impeccable. According to me, the price range is perfect with the quantity and the quality of shadows that we’re getting. Unlike some other brands out there, but we’re not here for the tea…*SIP* *SIP*

Moving on to eyeliner and mascara, nothing fancy here folks. We all have mascaras and eyeliners of our own choices but I’ll mention what I use anyways! I use Maybelline’s Colossal Big Shot Volum’Express mascara and Master Precise eyeliner.

Brows are something I tend to keep natural at most times, unless I have a full glam on. When I do use something, I count on a hack I learned. More on that later, keep scrolling and you just might find out!

[b1oodpink]

Since you're an artist and you do your own makeup... I just want to ask... how different (or similar) is applying makeup on yourself to creating artwork? (Sorry if the question is confusing) Like... would you say applying makeup is easier if you're a skilled artist? Also, I don't ever wear makeup and I really want to get into it... is there anything you would recommend for beginners?

LOL well first off, im like suuuper amateur at makeup.. im not sure if being a good artist will help you with makeup, maybe for eyeliner? bc u have to have control in drawing in the strokes, but im rly bad at eyeshadow bc theres whole other techniques that go into blending colored powders on skin, and theres that whole thing with adjusting how you do ur makeup w/ ur eye/face shape.. like i cannot do a cut crease for the life of me but, you rlly got to have the right products for makeup and its kinda hard to do a nice look with cheap makeup unless ur super good. 

id definitely reccomend when starting makeup that u get the right tools, the right brushes are super important for blending, otherwise it wont look the way u want it to. bh cosmetics or if u search on  amazon, you can get a rlly nice brush set with most of the brushes you really need for cheap. i usually just use one blending brush for eyeshadow since i do very simple makeup. using the brush is really easy, theres plenty of tutorials online. i like to watch nikkitutorials on youtube bc her videos are fun and she films how she blends things and i think by watching it i get a good idea of how to blend, using soft circular motions. also she shows the process of eyeshadow, starting off with a base and slowly building and blending other colors. as for eyeliner, which i think is the most important bc it completes the look (and its all i ever wear) all it takes is alot of practice, drawing the strokes , making it sharp at the end, and not having to wipe it off everytime. the way i do eyeliner, which for me is the easiest, is like this 

and id deeffinitely recommend investing in a high quality eyeliner for this, i currently use tony moly’s waterproof liquid eyeliner  , but ive used URBAN DECAY’s felt tip eyeliner for a loong time. i think felt tip might be easier for beginners bc its easier to control. anyways yea thats all i really know about makeup haha, also if you want a good eyeshadow palette you should look at Morphe’s palettes bc theyre super gorgeous and inexpensive for the amount of shadows ur getting. doing art on skin is def alot harder than doing art on paper its like almost a completely diff set of skills, cuz everyone can use the same paper but skin is a whole nother thing. but as with anything, practice makes perfect. hope this helps!

[onikabeauty]

Violet Voss x Laura Lee Eyeshadow Palette

I jumped on the Violet Voss bandwagon pretty late huh. I’m guessing the hype and all around their eyeshadow palettes has died down a little but I only recently purchased both the Laura Lee and the Holy Grail from beautybay despite always seeing them on Instagram and Tumblr. I purchased the Laura Lee palette specifically for my kit and I’m going to do a semi bullet review/semi waffling forever for you all so les go; 

THE PALETTE 

Collaboration item from Laura Lee (A Beauty Guru/Youtuber) and Violet Voss

RRP £43, beautybay.com

Permanent or LE? Not a clue 

20 eyeshadows, mattes, satins and foils 

THE GOOD 

A good mixture of mattes and other finishes, including foils which are the bomb. I love ‘Tickled Pink’

Good quality shadows generally

The warm-orangey colour scheme is right up my street, the shade variations are great for personal use and also on clients if you are a freelance artist 

You can create all sorts of looks from a day to evening to a full on sparkly glam eye

It is not the most pricey palette on the planet, comparing g to £ 

Sturdy packaging, it is made from cardboard but it is durable (I’ve thrown it about enough). Furthermore there is a mirror if you are into that. It’s about a 1cm-2cm thick so fairly travel friendly. 

THE BAD 

There are a few dud shades, as in every palette, namely ‘Lou’ the black is not the best black I have ever used, some of the mattes can be a little powdery too but that is not a big worry for me. I don’t think the quality is bad enough to be called overpriced morphe shadows as some say. 

£43 is not the worst but it is pretty steep for a small brand like Violet Voss, I was expecting around the £30-35 range at least 

I actually own pretty much every shade in the palette in singles/and other palettes, they are all very common colours so it was quite literal a waste of my cash BUT the foil shades are life and I cannot be bothered to buy lets say MUG Foiled Singles to carry in my kit so that is why I use my Laura Lee so  much 

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