Infatuated: NYX Dark Circle Concealer

Hi Lovelies!

Infatuated is a new series in which I will tell you about a product that I am either currently obsessed with, or that I use regularly and couldn't live without.

I've been having trouble with darkness around my eyes lately, and have been on the hunt to find a product that will cover up the blue tones without looking cakey or fading away. My darkness is not in the traditional under-eye area - oh no, nothing can every be "normal" when it comes to me - but in the inner eye area, where my eye meets the bridge of my nose. This is a tricky area to cover, as it is hard to reach and it is an area that is often in shadow.  At this point, you may be asking yourself: what's a girl to do? Enter: NYX Dark Circle Concealer.

NYX Dark Circle Concealer, $6.00

One day, when I was at Ulta looking at expensive solutions to my problem, my friend suggested I try the NYX Cosmetics Dark Circle Concealer. It had the main component I was looking for - orange/peach undertones that cancel out the blue tones of my dark circles. At $6 it was much better priced than the majority of products I was considering, so I figured I had nothing to lose, and lots of brightness to gain!

One of the many fabulous things about this product is that it does not have just one universal shade that is supposed to be flattering for all skin tones but really only works for one; oh no, the Dark Circle Concealer comes in 4 shades: fair, light, medium, and deep. This means that almost anyone with dark circles can get the help they deserve! I use the shade light, and it is a perfect match for me.

Before - note the blue discoloration on the inner corners of my eyes

After using NYX Dark Circle Concealer on the inner corners only - the blue is gone!

Now, there are many peach colored concealers out there developed to cover the dreaded under eye circles, such as It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector, $29 and Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer, $39. I've heard wonderful things about these products and I am sure that they are amazing (I do intend to try them out myself, just to compare, and I will let you know what I think); however, if it comes down to paying $6 or $39, and the $6 product does the trick, you know which product I'm choosing!

Fully concealed eye

My current eye concealer routine is to dab the NYX Cosmetics Dark Circle Concealer on my inner corners and pat in with my finger or a small brush (the E.L.F. Flawless Concealer Brush is awesome for this). Next I apply Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer in the shade light on my under eyes and blend, followed by Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil to set everything in place; this is a super fine, light powder that does not crease under my eyes, and I highly recommend it for this area.

Another example of a completed eye

 I want to note that I only apply the peach colored concealer to my inner eyes, where the darkness is the deepest. NYX Cosmetics Dark Circle Concealer is pretty thick, sort of like a creamy paste, and because of this it is able to fully cover the circles and last throughout the day. However, my dark circles are not too bad directly under my eyes, so if I can get away with a concealer that is lighter in coverage,  then that is what I do. I know people who use the product underneath their entire eye and get great coverage without the cakey look, so do what works best for you. Keep in mind that a little goes a long way with this product, so apply sparingly and build up to the desired coverage.

Eh, just one more example of what my eye looks like after I'm all made up!

I am loving NYX Cosmetics Dark Circle Concealer - I think just adding that little bit of brightness to my darkest area makes a huge difference! I use this every single day, and I would die  go into a black void never to return be so lost without it!

Do you have problems with dark circles? What do you use to keep the darkness at bay?

Thanks for reading - live a beautiful life!

~Jessica

Lip Love: Not so Nude

The '90s called, and they want their lipcolor back...

A big trend right now is '90s inspired lips: shades of brown, a la Friends-era Jennifer Aniston:

Sourced from Pinterest

While a nice escape from the bright lip colors that we have been seeing as of late, the brown lip can be a little harsh and intimidating if not applied correctly. To keep things fresh and modern, think rosy-brown or beige-toned nudes - AKA, "Kylie Jenner Lips".

Instagram: @kyliejenner

Kylie overdraws her lips, making them appear fuller and more prominent. It is rumored that she uses MAC Lip Pencil in the shade Whirl,  with a mix of MAC Lipstick in Brave and  MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam V  on top. Whatever combo she uses, it looks beautiful, and it's making me want some not-so-nude '90s lips STAT!

Instagram: @kyliejenner

This look is easy to achieve, with only two simple steps:

1. Using a natural colored lip pencil, line your lips just outside of the natural lip-line. The key here is to SLIGHTLY go outside of your natural lip - you don't want too look like you went overboard on the Juvederm!

Really, too much??   Source

2. Next, you want to fill your lips in with a matte nude lipstick. And Voila - pouty, 90's inspired Kylie Jenner lips of your very own!

For this look, I used Sephora Nano Lip Liner in Queen Quartz, with Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Daringly Nude on top, resulting in a pretty pink-nude lip color. 

Sephora Lip Liner in Queen Quartz and Maybelline Lipstick in Daringly Nude

For a little bit deeper nude look, I lightly lined and filled in my lips with NYC Automatic Lip Liner in Naughty Nude (this color can become quite dark if you apply more pressure, so you can achieve many different looks with one liner), and then layered New York Color Expert Last Lipstick in Creamy Caramel on top.

NYC Lip Pencil in Naughty Nude - top is light pressure, bottom is medium pressure

NYC Lip Liner in Naughty Nude and NYC Lipstick in Creamy Caramel

 If you have naturally pigmented lips, you can add a third step, which would be more of a prep-step; use a concealer to cover the perimeter of your natural lips and set with powder. This creates a blank canvas, so when you exaggerate your lip line with a liner, there are not two obvious lines competing for attention.

Another thing to keep in mind is that, unlike the '90s, we are not going for an obvious, darker brown outline with a light lip color in the middle. When you line your lips, color in the entire lip to keep uniformity, and keep your liner and lipstick shades in the same tone range to avoid the dreaded "ring around the lip" look.

Furthmore, though matte lipcolor is on trend at the moment, don't feel like you can't use a satin or gloss finish, if that's what you prefer - it's all about what works best for you and makes you feel fabulous!

You can really use any shade you like with this look, but since today's focus is on beige/nude hues, here are some great options to try for yourself, both matte and satin finishes:

Milani Lipstick in Enchanted Topaz  ($4-$6) - part of the new limited edition Bedazzled Collection, this lipstick is a matte, nude beige. It is a drier formula, so make sure to exfoliate your lips well before applying.

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Daringly Nude ($5-$9) - a slightly more pink-toned medium beige shade. This is a creamier matte formula, and feels great on the lips.

New York Color Expert Last Lipstick in Creamy Caramel ($2-$3)- a sheer nude/brown shade; this is a your-lips-but-better color that looks great layered over a nude liner.

NYX Round Case Lipstick  in Thalia ($4-$5)- A simply gorgeous medium pink/nude, sort of a mauve with beige undertones, it pulls more nude when layered over a natural lip liner

L'Oreal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Lipstick in Jennifer's Nude ($9-$10)- pinkish beige nude with mauve undertones. this looks beautiful by itself, or layered over a matte lipstick in a similar shade (like Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Daringly Nude) 

Clinique Different Lipstick  in Tenderheart ($16) - A mid-tone blushing nude/brown that is a more traditional '90s lip color. While fairly sheer, this lipstick can be built up or applied over a natural liner for a more opaque appearance.

The options for nude lipstick shades are endless, so experiment with a few (or a dozen!) to see what works best for your skin tone and color preferences - there is a nude lipstick out there for everyone, even if it isn't a traditional "nude".

Do you wear nude lipstick? What's your favorite brand/color? What are your thoughts on the "Kylie Jenner Lip trend"?

Thanks for reading!

~Jessica

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