Benefit the POREfessional Face Primer

This primer is super smooth but doesn’t slide too much- it’s very similar to the Too Faced one but has a slight smell (this is the only reason that it’s not my top pick).  Otherwise it works really well in priming the face!  It has a slight color to it, so it helps hide imperfections and works for every skin type.

Best for:  Combination skin

Price:  $29   (.75 oz)

Where to Buy:   Sephora  .  Amazon  .  eBay

Clinique Pore Minimizer Instant Perfector

This primer was one of my first ones I started using as I have problems with pores on my cheeks.   I love using this primer as it does an amazing job at filling in the pores without clogging them.   It isn’t as smooth as the benefit primer, so this will work well on oily skin as it has more of a matte finish.

Best for:  Combination to oily skin;   Those with large pores

Price:  $18  (.5 oz)

Where to Buy:    Amazon  .  eBay .  Some department stores

MAC Mattifying Gel

If you have oily or shiny skin and need a primer that will give a matte finish, this MAC one is amazing!  It has a gel like consistency (which usually means it slides too much), but this one stays put and dries to a very soft yet matte finish.  Since it is so smooth and is clear in color, it should work for everyone.

Best for:  Any skin type looking for matte finish

Price:  $19  (.75 oz)

Where to Buy:   MAC

Palladio Herbal Face Primer

This is another gel like primer that not only preps the face, but slightly moisturizes.   It glides very easily, so I  use this under the eyes where my concealer tends to cake up.  The price is the best selling point with this one as it’s only $12 compared to around $20-30 that most other companies charge. Because it is somewhat slick, I do not recommend this one for oily skin- it works best for dry skin.

Best for:  Combination to Dry Skin;  Mature Skin

Price:  $12  (.68 oz)

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Too Faced Primed and Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer

If I had to choose just one primer to wear daily, it would be this one.  The creamy formula is super smooth but not slick, plus it feels amazing on the skin!  Because it has a slight color, it also helps to camouflage any flaws.  It doesn’t fill in pores quite as well as the Clinique one, but it gives a more satin finish vs just a matte one.  The price is also better for the amount you get (Benefit’s is $29 for .75 oz while this is $30 for 1 oz)

Best for:  All skin types

Price:  $30  (1 oz)

Where to Buy:    Amazon  .  Sephora . eBay

NARS Sheer Glow

This foundation by NARS has been known for giving the most amazing dewy finish to the skin.  It goes on smoothly, doesn’t feel heavy, and covers fairly well.   It comes in 12 different shades (my color is “Barcelona” and I am currently medium warm skin).

The only downside to it is the price ($42- ouch!) and it can cause breakouts in sensitive skin.  I really do love this foundation, but I cannot use it anymore as my face got little bumps all over my cheeks    I still say that this is a great foundation if you want a very dewy finish to the skin, but be careful if you have sensitive skin…

Here is my full review of this foundation:   NARS Sheer Glow Review

Coverage:  Medium

Best for:  Combo/Dry skin, mature skin, those looking for dewy finish

Price:  $42

Where to Buy:

• Sephora
• Amazon
• eBay

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation

Much love,
Marlena

Snacking is definitely one of the easiest ways to fall away from a healthy lifestyle. With this video, Marlena offers us some alternative options to the traditional snacking, full of artificial sweeteners.

These snacks are nutritious, easy, and fulfilling. Marlena is living proof that this works! Let us know if you have any other ideas that work for you! Stay happy and healthy Muggies!

YouTube Link for Marlena’s Video

Cherry Tomatoes

Snap Peas

Almonds

Apples and Peanut Butter

Cottage Cheese and Fruit

Low Fat String Cheese

Hummus with Vegetables

Protein Bars (such as Kellogg’s Fiber Plus)

Caprese Salad on a Stick

Sweet and Crunchy Garbanzo Beans

The Makeup Geek Eyeshadows are shipping worldwide!   If you want to see some video reviews from other YouTubers, check out our review roundup.

Glamorous

This bronzey gold color can we worn at day or night.  Apply a light wash all over the lid for a perfect daytime look, or pair with a dark purple or black to create a dramatic night time look.  I love this one as it’s so versatile!

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Razzleberry

This color is so unique!  It’s a deep raspberry pink with flecks of gold- such a fun color for the weekend.  I pair this up with Cocoa Bear to tone down the bright color.

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Unicorn

It’s not quite purple or blue- it’s the best of both   I would pair this up with Glamorous or Gold Digger for a glamorous weekend look.

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Envy

This is an exact dupe for NARS Night Porter, but 1/4 the price.  It’s a deep shimmery emerald green that is amazing for a night out!

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Sensuous

This muted violet purple can be worn during the day as it’s a sophisticated purple- not too bright but still a fun color.  It has tiny specks of gold, so I would put Glamorous on the lid with Sensuous on the outer part of the eye.  So pretty!

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Chickadee

This is another crossover color- not quite yellow, not quite orange.  It’s a fun color that actually looks great in the crease with a dark brown on the lid.

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Cocoa Bear

A rich, warm reddish brown that is perfect for day or night! This color is unique in that it’s not a traditional flat brown.  I wear this in the crease with Corrupt on the lid for a classic black smoky eye.

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Shimmermint

For some reason, no makeup companies seem to have a nice minty green.  I’m predicting this to be the best color for Spring 2012 as it’s very flattering on all skin and eye colors!

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Moondust

Similar to MAC’s “Satin Taupe”, this shimmery taupe gray looks amazing for day or night.  I love putting all over the lid with “Preppy” in the crease for a gorgeous neutral smoky eye.

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Poolside

This color is not for the shy!  It’s a bright teal with flecks of gold glitter.  The intense color is perfect for summer looks or for smudging along the lashline for a pop of color.

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Maybe it’s just one shadow applied to whole lid, maybe two shadows mixed together from the middle of the lid, or something similar.

I decided to make this post to give you some ideas of how to use you darker shadows differently!

 Highlights:

Makeup is after all just play with lights and shadows, and to use lighter shades to bring certain
spots up more than others, and other points are made darker, so that they look like they’re deeper.

My highlight spots are in the inner corner of the eye, in the middle of the lid, and on the brow bone.

Different eyeshadow shapes:

There are countless ways how you can use your shadows, by mixing different colors, different textures,
and glitters, but here’s some ideas were to apply your makeup’s darkest shade:

 Inner corner:

You can add darker shadow only to inner corner of your lid, which seems reduce the space between the eyes.

 Outer corner:

If your eyes are close to each other, this may make them look further away from each other.
I have used this often, even though I don’t think I have close-set eyes, so I think this suits for other eye
types too.

Both corners:

I think this one is great for everyone,  it can be easily used in both dramatic looks with bold
colors, and with natural everyday looks with neutral colors. It doesn’t make
eyes look wider or smaller, and I think it suits for all eye types.

Outer corner, “catshape”:

Make eye look a bit tilted upwards, which creates a bit mysterious look. Also, if your lids
are bit droopy, this might bring them the “boost” they need.

Outer corner & crease, blended upwards:

This is my own favourite.
Darker shadow is applied to outer  corner and crease, then blended up towards the brow, where it
meets the highlighter, and blends together with it.

This is also good technique if you have hooded eyes, just extend the shadows so that they show up a bit.

Banana:

This technique can make your eyes  appear wider, and your lid “longer”.

Whole inner part:

This one isn’t for everyone, it easily makes you look angry, or your eyebrows look too heavy.
But you might want to try it, maybe with lighter colors.

 Just crease:

With dark color neatly on the crease you can deepen your crease a lot, make your
eyes look more deeper. If you add some light color to your lid, your lid looks bigger.

 Whole lid:

Depending on the color your using, this might be the most dramatic of these styles.
Be careful if you use bright colors, especially if you don’t want to draw too much attention to your eyes.

____

Please remember, that everyone has different eye shape, head shape, nose shape, and that all affects one way or the other to the makeup.
So don’t get depressed if some makeup style doesn’t fit you, just move on to the next style. Eventually you’ll find your own!

Eyes

MakeupGeek 88 warm palette Available at: Makeup Geek

Tools

	MUG Deluxe Outer V Brush
	MUG Soft Dome Brush Available at: Makeup Geek

Top 10 Make Up For Ever Eyeshadows:

#69

This color is perfect for putting in the crease to blend out any bright colors on the lid.  It looks amazing paired with a black or dark brown for a fall dark smoky eye.

Color:   Matte Light Apricot Orange

Where To Buy:    Amazon 

Price:   $19

#169

This is the most gorgeous and pigmented dark gunmetal color ever! Perfect for a rocker look or dark smoky eye.  I’ll even smudge this along the lashline to make my lashes look thicker.

Color:  Iridescent Anthracite

Where To Buy:    Amazon 

Price: $19

#9

This is such a unique color-  light purple, but still bright and is a matte finish.  I love wearing this on the lid with dark purple in the crease.

  Here’s a look Kata did using this:   Purple Flower Look

Color:  Vibrant Matte Lavender

Where To Buy:    Amazon 

Price:  $19

#93

Super bright, but so fun to wear!  I love pairing this with a teal and dark blue for a tropical look

Color:   Matte Bright Green

Where To Buy:   Amazon 

Price:  $19

#49

I LOVE wearing this in the outer V with a shimmery tan color on the lid.  It’s more daytime wearable than you think, plus it looks amazing with gold and black for a dramatic party look.

Color:  Deep Plum Wine

Where To Buy:    Amazon 

Price:  $19

#92

This color is known for being the best bright purple out there.  It’s a matte finish so it blends smoothly, and the rich color looks great on everyone.

  Here’s a look Kata did using this:   Purple Flower Look

Color:  Matte Brilliant Purple

Where To Buy:   Amazon 

Price:  $19

#171

This shimmery apple green color is so fun to wear on the lid with a dark purple along the lashline or paired with gold and teal for another tropical look.  You can also pair with a brown for a more toned down version…

Color:  Iridescent Acid Green

Where To Buy:   Amazon 

Price:  $19

#158

If you’ve been looking for an intense, true red- this is it!  This color is not for the faint of heart…. The best way to pull this off is to put just on the lid and put tan in the crease to tone it down.

Color:  Matte Cold Red

Where To Buy:   Amazon 

Price: $19

#306

This sparkly shadow can be worn for day or night if paired up with some browns.  It reminds me of MAC’s All that Glitters but even better

Color:  Peachy Tan with Gold Shimmer

Price: $19

#159

This vivid blue eyeshadow will stop traffic (yes, it’s THAT bright!)  But it’s such a fun and unique color to wear- I love pairing it with #69 to tone it down some.

  Here’s a look Tina did using it:  Blue Iris Look

Color:  Matte Vivid Blue

Where To Buy:   Amazon 

Price:  $19

Even though it is fun to go through the old Makeup Geek video library and see Marlena in her “early days”, there are some great looks that could benefit from a new video tutorial.

A little while back, we had the Makeup Geeks on Facebook nominate their favorite “classic” Marlena tutorials to be remade in HD and using current products (and inexpensive product kits in the Makeup Geek Store).   Now, that we have the top nominations organized, we’re giving everyone the opportunity to vote for the ones they want to see remade first.

Since it can be hard to choose, we’ll let you vote for your favorite THREE looks in the poll below — have fun and thanks for your help!

MAC Tutorial: Twiggy/ Mod Look

Gold Raspberries

Candy Inspired: Raspberries and Chocolate

Classic Black Smokey Eye

Colorful Arabic Inspired

Kat Von D

Kim Kardashian Inspired

Retro Hollywood Glam: Christina Aguilera

Hillary Duff-Inspired

Mila Kunis Makeup

Barbie Loves MAC

Beauty Blender

This blending sponge is used by celebrity makeup artists as it works amazingly well in applying foundation to give an airbrushed finish.  What makes it unique to other sponges is its egg shape which allows you to roll the foundation onto the skin, avoiding any streaks.  If you dampen the sponge with warm water, it expands to twice its size and gets even softer which makes for a flawless foundation application.  Because of its pointed tip, you can easily get under the eyes and around the nose to blend.  I have to honestly say this is the most ingenious makeup tool out there.

Here’s my full review of this product as well as a video on how to use it!   Beauty Blender Review  

Price:  $17.99 or $22.99 for 2

Where to Buy:  Makeup Geek Store    Amazon  

.

Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge

Although this sponge rings in at $10 instead of $18, I have to honestly say it is worth the extra $8 to get the real thing.  The shape of this isn’t an actual egg so it is very difficult to roll the foundation onto the skin.  Plus its density is too stiff, leaving streaks on the face and not blending as smoothly.  I tried wetting this sponge to see if it got softer, but it stayed the same size and just gave me a wet foundation look…  I’ll be passing the aisle on this one and saving my money elsewhere (like on eyeliners)  :)

Price:   $9.99

Where to Buy:   Target    Amazon  

Do you have a product comparison idea?  Post it below and I’ll do a smackdown video on it comparing the two!

Have a great week, Makeup Geeks!

Much love,
Marlena

Not only are these lipglosses inexpensive, but they come in a ton of colors, are richly pigmented, and aren’t overly sticky like so many other “cheap” lipglosses.  I love how creamy these feel and how I don’t even need to wear lipstick underneath as the colors come out so vibrant.

My favorite colors:  Beige   (it’s actually a pink color- weird, I know…) and Lollipop

Price:   $5.59

Where to buy:   Makeup Geek Store

Lancome La Laque Fever

These lipglosses are also very creamy and rich in color- my favorite part though is the diamond shaped wand to apply the lipgloss.  Some of the lipglosses are more sheer than others, but I found the color “Lucent Nude” to be a gorgeous pink-nude color that is flattering on everyone!  My only drawback on these is the price and the small selection of colors…

My Favorite Color:   Lucent Nude

Price:   $26.50

Where to buy:     Sephora  .  Amazon  .  E-Bay

Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips

I have loved these plumping lipglosses for quite awhile now as they really do make my lips look bigger!  They come in  TONS of different colors and are free of parabens and other harmful ingredients.  I chose Melanie as my favorite color as it is a warm bright pink that looks great on everyone.

My Favorite Colors:   Melanie  and Margarita

Price: $18

Where to buy:   Sephora  .  Amazon  .  E-Bay

NARS Lipgloss

These lipglosses are super pigmented, creamy, and come in several different gorgeous shades!  Kim Kardashian made the color “Turkish Delight” popular- it’s a very pale light pink color that goes great with a dark smoky eye.   I would splurge the $24 and get this color as I haven’t found any cheaper dupes for it yet, but in all honesty, I would get the NYX ones instead as they aren’t that much different.  BUT, I still have these on my top 10 as they are great quality

My Favorite Colors:   Turkish Delight and Angelika

Price: $24

Where to buy:   Amazon  .  E-Bay

MAC Cremesheen Glass

Back in the day when these were limited edition, I bought as many as I could as I love these so much!  They’re uber creamy and pigmented- almost like liquid lipstick.   I like these so much better than the MAC lipglasses as they don’t seem as sticky (MAC should just replace their lipglasses with these as they’re SO much better)

My Favorite Colors:   Petite Indulgence and Loud and Lovely

Price:   $18

Where to buy:    MAC  . eBay

 .

Make Up Designory Lip Glaze 

The MUD lip glazes are very pigmented, creamy, and aren’t overly sticky.  They remind me of MAC lipglosses but in a squeeze tube.  My favorite color is Canteloupe- a rich peach lipgloss that looks great on everyone.

My Favorite Color:  Cantelope

Price: $9.99

Where to buy: Makeup Geek Store

Dior Creme de Gloss

These lipglosses are like the Ferrari of lipglosses- super slick, luxurious, and…. expensive.   If you want to splurge on a lipgloss, I would get the one in #856- a gorgeous red color.   I like these because they aren’t sticky, have a slight shimmer to them, and are very rich in color.

My Favorite Colors:  #856 and #441 “Creamy Rose”

Price: $27

Where to buy:   Amazon  .  E-Bay

Lip Fusion Color Shine

Here’s another Kim Kardashian sponsored product (I’ve lost track of all her products by now…) but I have to say I like these plumping lipglosses as they really do make your lips look full and glossy.  I probably wouldn’t choose these over my Bare Escentual ones, but they still are a great lipgloss.  I like the color “24K’ as its a pale golden color that warms up any lipstick underneath.  The price is a bit steep though…

Price: $38

Where to buy:  .  Sephora  .  Amazon  .  E-Bay

Revlon Color Stay Mineral Lipglaze

These babies are by far my favorite drugstore lipglosses!  I’ve been very impressed lately with Revlon’s products, and you can’t beat the price.  These lipglosses are very creamy and rich and come in TONS of colors.  I love “Continuous Coral” as it’s a gorgeous coral color perfect for summer.

My Favorite Colors:  Continuous Coral and Eternal Blossom

Price:   $6.29

Where to buy:  .  Amazon  .  eBay  .  Most Drugstores

Sally Hansen Lip Inflation

Out of my top 10, this one is probably my least favorite.  BUT, these do feel smooth and most importantly- they’re cheap.  I like the color “Sheer Mocha” as it’s a nice nude color.

Price:   $6.59

Where to buy:  E-Bay  .  Must Drugstores

NARS Blush – “Orgasm”

NARS blushes are known throughout the makeup community for being the smoothest and richest blushes out there.  The top selling color of all time is “Orgasm”- a slightly shimmery peachy pink color that looks great on just about everyone.  This blush gives a subtle glow and warmth to the cheeks (um… maybe why it has it’s name? )    The only downside is the price- at $27 it is a bit pricey for a blush

Price:  $27

Where to Buy:   Sephora  .  Amazon  . eBay

Makeup Designory Blush – “Glow”

When I first tried the MUD blushes, I was actually very impressed!  The texture is very similar to NARS- smooth, richly pigmented, and not overly shimmery.  This color “glow” is almost an exact dupe for the ever popular NARS “orgasm” but is 1/2 the price.  My other favorite colors by MUD are “bubblegum”- a nice bright matte pink, and “soft peach”- a nice warm peach color.  I honestly have no complaints about these blushes- you can get in refills to put in your palettes if you like, or buy in a pot like the picture above.

Price:  $9.99

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

I am going to say that it is worth trying the MUD blush to save some money- this doesn’t mean that I don’t still love my NARS one!  But as you can tell from the swatches, it’s an easy way to save some money

Have a wonderful weekend, muggies!!!

xoxo