Review & Tutorial With a Khroma Palette in Kloé's Kardazzle

Review & Swatchfest: Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Timeless

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Timeless

 I'm assuming Youngblood's EyeshadowQuad in Timeless got its' name from the four light, neutral shades it contains. It's the perfect quad to create a staple, everyday natural eye for any age with colors that flatter anyone. The four shades, Doe, Coco, Haze, and Desert , are formulated to apply like silk and stay for hours. Doe is a cream shade with a satin finish and functions well as an all over lid shade, but really shines as an inner corner and brow bone highlight. Coco is a matte light camel shade that works well to gently define the crease and can even be used to contour the sides of the nose and cheek bones. Haze is a light taupe that is similar to Coco but with more grey. This, again, is a great shade for gently defining the crease, but can also be used to add some depth to the outer corner. Unlike the other shade, however, using this to contour your face can lead to muddied makeup. Lastly, Desert is shimmery light camel – slightly lighter than Coco - and the only shimmery shade in the palette. This is a good all purpose shade that can be worn as an all over wash of color on the lid or as an amped up highlighter when Doe just isn't enough. Another great thing about these shadows is that they can be used both dry and wet. Using them wet won't turn this into a smoky palette by any means, but it will deepen them slightly and help them stay on all day.

Youngblood Eyeshadow Quads have some of my favorite packaging among the smaller shadow palettes out there. With a sleek, matte black exterior with a magnetic closure, it stays shut while traveling but is easy to open and is easily cleaned – unlike the rubberized NARS compacts. It also has nice, big mirror that's come in handy the few times I've use these shadows.  

If you are someone who wants a palette that yields a classic, neutral look for everyday use, this is absolutely the palette for you. With both matte and shimmery shade, it has some variety. And, because each shadow can be used wet (and become a deeper shade when done so), it's like getting 8 shadows in one palette. If you are interested in the quality of shadows, but not necessarily the colors, Youngblood makes quite a few quads with shades to flatter most!

TC: I received this product as part of my partnership with Bluebird Bath and Beauty, however all thoughts and opinions are honest and original. This is not a sponsored post, however it contains affiliate links.

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Timeless

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Timeless

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Timeless

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Timeless (applied dry)

Review & Swatchfest: Cover Girl Clump Crusher Mascara by Lashblast

Cover Girl Clump Crusher 

Cover Girl Clump Crusher 

Over Thanksgiving break, I was not-so-gently informed by my little (and apparently wiser) sister that my lashes were awful. Nothing permanent, mind you, just that the mascara I was using wasn't doing anything in the way of enhancing them (or, in her words, "Your lashes are super clumpy....we need to fix that"). So it was off to the drugstore for us! I had stackable coupons for Cover Girl, so Cover Girl Mascara it would be. Of the two I picked up, their Clump Crusher by Lashblast was the most promising - mostly due to the obvious clump-busting claims. It turns out that it does in fact crush clumps, but might leave a little something to be desired.

To start, the formula feels like any that fall on the drier side; I think the de-clumping capabilities comes from the wand. With one straight side and the other curved, the brush has densely-packed, short, stubby bristles that help comb through lashes and separate them. The shape actually leant itself well to curling lashes nicely. The only problem is that I think the stoutness of the bristles keeps them from getting much product on them, so it takes a couple of coats to really emphasize lashes. Despite needing to be layered, my lashes remained separated! Still, I wouldn't call the impact dramatic. For me, this is definitely a daytime mascara.

There is a great upside though! The subdued look this mascara gives lashes is perfect for my bottom lashes. I have pretty long lower lashes and when I use regular mascara on them, I feel like they are emphasized to the point where they look like venus fly traps (a wonderful analogy I'm borrowing from Shannon over at Gloss + Dirt). Bonus: after multiple trials on the lower lashes, I didn't notice any running or bleeding onto my under-eye area.

If you love natural, but emphasized lashes, this is the mascara for you (and affordable!). If you prefer more dramatic lashes, you might want to explore other options. One thing, however, is for sure: this girl no longer has clumpy lashes. Take that, Madison.

Cover Girl Clump Crusher  on top and bottom lashes (two coats)

Cover Girl Clump Crusher  on top and bottom lashes (two coats)

More Cyber Monday Steals!

• Bluebird Bath and Beauty is offering 20% off EVERYTHING!
• Tarte Cosmetics is offering 20% off your purchase of $40 or more with code CYBER at checkout.
• BH Cosmetics has 60% off eyeshadow, concealer, makeup brushes and more!
• Beauty Bridge is giving you 20% off everything with code cyber20! 
• Get a free beauty bag worth $70 from ULTA with an online purchase of $30 or more!
• Sally Beauty is giving you 25% off your purchase and FREE shipping on orders over $50 with code 555214
• Get 50% off your $25+ purchase from ELF Cosmetics. 
• marc. is giving you a gift set worth $72 with any purchase over $40 with code MKCYBER at checkout!
• Urban Decay is offering two palettes - the Sustainable Shadow Box and the Deluxe Shadow Box - at 50% off!

Crest 3D White Strips - A Fun Challenge, Real Results, & a Giveaway!

I'll admit it: I'm a caffeine addict. And, unfortunately, the only way to get my fix is in teeth-staining, dark beverages like coffee and soda. While I had noticed gradual discoloration over the course of the years I have been feeding my addiction, I never stopped to think about what my teeth would eventually become if I didn't curb my habit, or find a way to reverse the damage. Recently, however, I had the opportunity to see exactly what my teeth would look like, and how others would react to it, when challenged to see just how important a pearly smile is. 

The Challenge: Purposefully stain teeth and see if friends will tell you when you need whitening, like they would if you missed a button on a blouse, or had a crazy foundation mask.

The Characters: Two friends - one visiting from out of town. 

The Setting: I let one friend in on my secret challenge (and put him on camera duty) and told the other that was visiting that something might be different when she saw me next. 

The Results: An initially puzzled expression that led to an immediate guess that there was something "different" about my teeth. Needless to say, she was right. 

While all of this functions as a funny social experiment, it also shows the importance of a bright (or even non-yellowed) smile and reinforces the slogan of the brand that prompted this little challenge: If You're Not Whitening, You're Yellowing. Because of the caffeine habit I mentioned above, stains will gradually accrue on my teeth and if I'm not taking proactive measures to keep them white, they are yellowing. I was given Crest 3D White Strips and decided to see just what these preventative measures entailed. 

I should warn you that I am no stranger to the whitening game. In high school, I tried whitening strips when they were still new on the market and found I couldn't get through more than three or four packs without caving to tooth sensitivity or utter disgust at the goopy consistency of the bleaching gel. With a few years behind me, and tooth sensitivity long gone, I was excited to give these a go and was pleasantly surprised by the results. Bleach goop is a thing of the past with these! In its place is a thin layer of ultra sticky adhesive that lays nicely on your teeth and doesn't budge until you are ready to remove the strips. While the box claims you will se results in three days, it took me until the week mark to notice a difference, but I definitely did! The results are down below with a before picture taken toward the end of summer (when I was still relying on my summer glow to give my teeth a whiter appearance), and the other was taken three days before writing this post. While I didn't have serious staining, I definitely noticed discoloration close to my gum line and, as you can see in the final image, it was completely taken care of at the week mark. I don't know that I will continue to use these daily because I can't collect stains as fast as it removes them. But, I will pop them in once a week to keep the yellowing in check. 

Want to stop the yellowing? Enter to win a pack of Crest 3D White Whitestrips in the Rafflecopter widget below!

Before - notice the yellowing particularly around my gum line

After!  I don't need a tan to make my teeth look white anymore (which is good because my complexion has since whitened as well...)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC: This is a sponsored post for a One2One Network Campaign. I received monetary compensation and product, but all opinions are my own and the results are real!

Review & Swatchfest: EF | Studio Lip Color Palette in L101

EF | Studio Lip Color Palette in L101

EF | Studio is an underrated brand in my book. The first product I tried from the brand was the Cheek Color Palette and I was so impressed that it made it into my top 10 blushes to have. I was eager to try the lip color palette with the hope that it had the same rave-worthy qualities. Spoiler alert: it does!

EF | Studio Lip Color Palette in L101

EF | Studio Lip Color Palette in L101

EF | Studio Lip Color Palette in L101

The EF | Studio Lip Color Palette in L101 is a 5 pan collection with a mix of both subtle and bold shades. The consistency of these is more emollient than a lip stick, but the coverage is just as opaque and all shade but one has a cream finish (it's not matte, but there isn't shimmer to be found). From the left of the palette, there is a creamy nude (Breathless), a nude with soft pink undertones (Bambi), deep plum with brown undertones (Viva Sweet Love), a red with blue undertones (The Cure), and a shimmery gold (Penny Lane).

While I can absolutely see the appeal of this kind of potted packaging for makeup artists, I never personally found it to be user-friendly to the person who wanted to throw a lip color in their bag for effortless reapplication throughout the day. Now, I'm convinced it's because I hadn't found the right lip color. Worn along, these shades will last until lunch (which is more than I can say for glosses and even lipsticks I carry with me throughout the day), so only one reapplication should be needed. Just take care to throw a lip brush in with this palette and it's easy to reapply in the bathroom or on the go (it has a big mirror!). If you are worried about a mess with your makeup brush, swipe it across a paper towel or napkin a few times to wipe away excess and you are good to go. The range of colors in this palette makes it perfect for a day to night transition. It has all the right elements to create the perfect pale pout for the daytime and vamp things up at night. Lastly, this collection of colors makes it easy to mix and match to custom make nearly any shade you want and as well as create the two toned or gradient lip art that has been so trendy throughout the past seasons. If you are at a loss for how to wear the gold shade, use it as a subtle highlight at the center of the top and bottom lip. To see a tutorial where I put together 3 lip looks using this and two other EF | Studio products, check out the Bluebird Blog!

Alone, the EF | Studio Lip Color Palette retails for $45, however you can get it as well as a lip gloss and dual ended lip liner in a set for $49 from Bluebird Bath and Beauty. If this particular palette doesn't seem like the right color selection for you, but you can see the appeal of the palette itself, there is another set (Set #2) that sticks closer to shades of pinks and plums. 

FTC: I received this product as part of my partnership with Bluebird Bath and Beauty, however all thoughts and opinions are honest and original. This is not a sponsored post, however it contains affiliate links. 

Allure Holiday Beauty Box is Available!

The Allure Holiday Beauty Box went on sale on Black Friday and is STILL available! I was shocked to hear that they had lasted this long - especially given that they are $20 cheaper than previous boxes! While you still have to pay $10 in shipping, the total still comes to less than what previous boxes have been alone. Aside from the picture above, I have no other way of knowing what is inside. Edit: There is a tab that allows you to see every product that comes in this box! But, if you want to see a past box, you can see the unboxing I did last spring. The last box had more sunscreen and skin care in it than I would have liked, but this box looks like it will contain more color cosmetics and hair goodies. These boxes are not only a great way to test a lot of products you might not have purchased otherwise, but also an inexpensive way to treat friends and family to pampering in every sense of the word.

Will you be snagging one?

Review & Swatchfest: Styli-Style It's a Breeze Cooling Gel Eye Shadows in Star Bright and Aqua Forever

Styli-Style It's a Breeze Cooling Gel Eye Shadow in Star Bright and Aqua Forever

Styli-Style is relaunching and I have some of the new products they will be rolling out to complete their collection! Although it was a seemingly new brand to me when I first saw their press release, after looking through the new items in their collections, I recognized some familiar faces in their metallic palettes. I had seen them while browsing through drug stores, but never thought to pick one up. After my experience with these pencils, I will think twice before passing up the Styli-Style brand.

The It's a Breeze Cooling Gel Eye Shadow pencils are meant to refresh your eyes with a formula specifically designed to cool your lids. I have two of the ten shades available - Aqua Forever and Star Bright. Aqua Forever leans more green than I would expect it to and has a metallic finish with little to no sparkle or glitter. Star Bright is a metallic light gold with white frost. Neither are opaque on the first pass, but both can be layered easily for full coverage. 

I've used these both as primers and shadows alone and they not only stayed all day during both uses, but they actually cooled like they said they would - and not in an uncomfortable way! It was considerably harder to layer these up on my eye lid, but with a little bit of warming on the back of my hand, they glided on well. The metallic finish and thin texture gave it emphasized the topography of my eyelids (weird, but it's the only way I know how to put it), so I prefer not to wear these alone. But, under shadows, they works wonderfully to amp up shadows and make them stay. You can see them in action in the video embedded below. 

As for the cooling, it doesn't last all day. However, in the morning it serves as a nice, relaxing way to wake up and potentially help de-puff eyes. 

I don't have pricing information just yet, but as far as quality goes, I was pleasantly surprised! These are unlike any drugstore shadow pencil I have come across (although I haven't tried Milani's or Revlon's). They are definitely worth trying once they relaunch! More information on when they hit store shelves to come.

Styli-Style has relaunched and is now sold on the Styli-Style website ($5.49) and Sears.com (as low as $3.85).

Styli-Style It's a Breeze Cooling Gel Eye Shadow in Aqua Forever

Styli-Style It's a Breeze Cooling Gel Eye Shadow in Aqua Forever

Styli-Style It's a Breeze Cooling Gel Eye Shadow in Star Bright

Styli-Style It's a Breeze Cooling Gel Eye Shadow in Star Bright

Styli-Style It's a Breeze Cooling Gel Eye Shadows swatched

FTC: Products mentioned in this post are press samples. I am under no obligation to review or mention them. All thought and opinions are honest and original.

Bluebird Bath and Beauty Black Friday Offer Through Tomorrow!

Bluebird Bath and Beauty, the online retailer I had the opportunity to work with to create a makeup collection with some of my favorite brands and products, is taking part in the Black Friday madness and extended their sale until tomorrow! Use code BBFriday to receive 20% off your purchase of Heyland & Whittle products. That makes sets like Shea Butter Bath Melts and the 10 Soap Gift Box a steal and easy, but great gifts for anyone on your list.

Happy Shopping!

Cyber Monday Deals and Steals!

As promised, here is another round of deals and steals that landed in my inbox for Cyber Monday. With a few days before the big event, I expect to get more, but there are some great deals to take not of in the mean time.

• The Body Shop is offering 50% off site wide, plus FREE shipping with purchases over $30. 
• Too Faced Cosmetics is offering a grab bag worth $97.50 for $19.
• ULTA is promising their biggest Black Friday yet with $10 off of $50 and $20 off of $100 on online purchases with code 85277.
• ELF Cosmetics is selling everything at 50% off with a minimum $25 purchase with code 50WIDE.
• Skindinavia is offering 20% off everything plus FREE shipping and a FREE mini with code CYBER20 domestically and INT20 for international orders. Check out my review of the No More Shine Makeup Finish Spray.
•  Sally Beauty is offering 20% off all orders of $30 and up with code 555363. 

More to come!

Thanksgiving Speedtorial: Jesse's Girl and Styli-Style

Marina & the Diamonds Tutorial: Primadonna

I have so been digging Marina & the Diamonds's song Primadonna as well as the look she wears throughout the music video. To get it out of my system (and stop driving Mr. MUMW crazy with my serenades), I thought I would do a tutorial. It's not what I would call wearable, but fun nonetheless. Hope you enjoy!

Black Friday Happenings!

Hey all! I wanted share the Black Friday deals that have landed in my inbox recently. These definitely aren't all the sales and deals going on, and I'm sure I will get more the closer to the date we get. Still, I wanted to let you know what I have so far that way you can plan accordingly. Be sure to look out for another post regarding Cyber Monday, as well as little posts here and there as I get more deals trickling in. But, for now, enjoy!

Where are you shopping this Friday?

• Skin Authority is offering a buy one get one deal on ALL of their skin care items, so now is the time to try it if you were ever curious. To find out which salons near you are offering the deal, check out their black friday page. Check out the products I have tried and loved here: 

• Smashbox Cosmetics is offering 20% off purchases of $50 or more with code "FRIENDS2012". (Lasts Nov. 21st - 26th) 
• Violent Lips is offering 50% off their entire line of Violent Eyes and Lips on Black Friday and Cyber Monday at violentlips.com. I recommend their violent eyes to help you add a little sparkle to your looks for upcoming holiday events. Check out my tutorial below!

• Lumene is offering 40% all products in their line on Black Friday only. Shop at Walgreens to get your deal!
• Murad is offering $25 off purchases of $100 or more. 
• LiLash is offering their LiLash and LiBrow products at $99 a piece. Buy one of each for just $149! (Lasts Nov. 23rd - 26th)
• The Body Shop is offering 3 items for $30 dollars STORE-WIDE as well as some great deals on value-sets when you purchase $30 or more. For instance, get their Mistletote (pictured below for just $30 when you purchase $30 or more. 

• Philosophy is offering up to 50% off products starting TODAY and lasting through wednesday. 
• Lush is launching a new collection on Black Friday!

My Beauty Graveyard

Review: it Cosmetics French Boutique Blush Brush

it Cosmetics French Boutique Blush Brush 

The it Cosmetics French Boutique Blush Brush ($34.50) is like any other angled brush, at first glance. But, once you take the time to brush it across your cheeks to blush and bronze, you will think differently. The bristles are so soft and fluffy, yet picks up, and lays down, product really well. The shape makes it perfect for anything from applying blush to the apples of the cheeks to applying bronzer to the backs of your cheekbones, and the bristles ensures product is deposited smoothly and evenly.

While the site says the bristles are 100% cruelty-free, it doesn't say whether or not they are real hair or not, so I haven't tried using cream or liquid product with it. It did, however, last well through a cleaning. While the price might seem steep if you are used to brushes on a budget, QVC has a set that includes this brush and a blush for just 50 cents more!

I have nothing but good things to say about this brush, so I encourage you to check it out!

it Cosmetics French Boutique Blush Brush

Bluebird Bath and Beauty Giveaway!

Attention luxury soap lovers! To celebrate the grand opening, Bluebird Bath and Beauty is giving away  a box of Heyland and Whittle soaps. To enter, just like the Bluebird Bath and Beauty Facebook page, share the page on your wall, and comment below this blog post, letting them know you did so. The giveaway ends November 26th, so get your entry in!

Good luck!

Review: it Cosmetics "No-Tug™" Heavenly Luxe Dual Eyeshadow Brush

"No-Tug™" Heavenly Luxe Dual Eyeshadow Brush

The it Cosmetics "No-Tug™" Heavenly Luxe Dual Eyeshadow Brush is a dual ended flat-head/blending brush that boasts anti-aging and "age preventative" properties that come from the apparent lack of tension the brush imposes on the eyelid. While I'm prone to believing the tugging comes from how the brush is used by the owner, that doesn't stop me from loving this brush as a must-have dynamic duo for your brush set. On one side, you have a stiff, flat head with shorter, more dense hairs that are perfect for packing shadows on the eyelids and getting into the inner corner. Meanwhile, the other end has a fluffier domed brush that's perfect for blending shadows out, or applying diffuse color all over the lid. I experienced no shedding and after a somewhat superficial cleaning with a brush cleaner found that it fared perfectly.

The one thing I am unsure of with this brush is the nature of the bristles. In the it Cosmetics website, they note whether or not some brushes are synthetic or cruelty-free, and neither of those things were mentioned alongside this brush. For that reason, I didn't use it with any liquid or cream products.

This brush retails for $24 and, considering you get two stellar brushes in one, it's a great deal! You can purchase on the it Cosmetics website, or on QVC. If you are interested in trying more it Cosmetics products (and I highly recommend you do after both this and my experience with the Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer), QVC will often have unbelievably priced kits that allow you to try multiple products.

Have you tried any it Cosmetics brushes?

"No-Tug™" Heavenly Luxe Dual Eyeshadow Brush 

"No-Tug™" Heavenly Luxe Dual Eyeshadow Brush

FTC: Products mentioned in this post were provided as press samples. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post.

Review & Styling: Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Despite feeling comfortable picking up any beauty product and experimenting, when it comes to hair, I'm out of my element. If I'm not navigating the basic hair tie or bobby pin, I'm lost. So, when I received Goody Simply Style Spin Pin from Influenster, I was a little nervous to see if I could get these to work. Luckily, like so many commercial hair tools, these are made fool-proof.

Two pins are included in one pack ($7.29) and are supposedly all you need to get a bun to stay in place (besides a hair tie). Even though I only use 3-4 bobby pins for a given bun, I was still convinced that two pins- one in the top, and one in the bottom - wouldn't be enough to hold even my fine hair. It turns out my hair might be a little too fine to use these. To get a beefy bun to begin with, I have to tease my hair within an inch of its life. These pins need something substantial to twist into so when it encounters the cotton-candy like structure on my head, it doesn't know what to do. After working with it some and figuring out that I could only partially tease my hair, these ended up going in smoothly. But it definitely goes to show that these might not be right for those with very thin or fine hair.

Despite initially encountering some difficulty, I figured things out and really like how secure just two of these pins keep your hair. While I don't necessarily think their efficacy justifies the price tag, I have to remind myself that these could replace the packs of bobby pins I lose to the bottom of my purse and vacuum cleaners. I just have to keep track of them.

Have you tried Spin Pins?

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Bluebird Bath and Beauty

I have an exciting announcement to make! For the past few months I have been working to help curate a collection of the best beauty products and brands I have come across during my time as a beauty lover for the site Bluebird Bath and Beauty. Devoted to finding the best soaps, bath products, and beauty must-haves, Bluebird Bath and Beauty has everything to pamper you from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep. Inspired by her travels abroad and encounters with exotic and luxurious bath and beauty products, Katie Fontana - the mastermind behind the site - was inspired to create a collection of her favorites and make them available domestically. You will find everything from bath melts to konjac sponges to the silkiest of soaps - many of which focus on containing natural and organic ingredients.

Recognizing that the indulgence didn't have to end after bathing, Katie wanted to create a makeup collection that embodied the same sense of pampering. That's where I came in! I combed through my archives to find the products and brands I have loved the most, and sought out new, sometimes seldom-heard-of brands to make sure I was picking the best. While I will never quit my conquest to try, and report on, new brands and products, being granted the task of forming a collection of must-haves has made me realize that there is luxury to be had in finding the perfect set of products for you. I hope that if you decide to peruse the collection, you find the same!

Another thing I am so excited about is that I got the opportunity to create tutorials showing you how to use some items from the collection. Currently, the Bluebird YouTube Channel has a few videos showing you how to perfect some basic, yet essential techniques - from face shaping to lip looks. I'm not done making them yet, so please subscribe if you are interested in seeing more!

Whether you are a steadfast reader, or joining Making Up the Midwest for the first time, I want to thank each and every one of you for your readership, viewership, and support!

Review & Application: Kiss Ever PRO Lashes

Kiss Ever PRO Lashes

For not being a regular lash wearer, I have been trying quite a few new ways to apply them. First, it was the Kiss lash set with strings (embedded below). Now, thanks to Influenster, I've had the opportunity to try Kiss Ever PRO lashes, complete with a nifty new tweezer alternative and eyelash adhesive.

I haven't met a Kiss lash that wasn't well made. Even the more dense lashes have flexible bands and are among the most comfortable to wear for my somewhat sensitive, watery eyes. Those included in this kit are no different. They flair out slighting on the outer corners, come in pretty short in the inner corners, and look relatively natural when worn. My left eye definitely had lash envy when I put the first one on my right.

The glue is exactly the same as their Premium Eyelashes Stip Eyelash Adhesive with a tapered applicator to make getting a thin, precise strip of adhesive on the lashes easy. Plus, I've never had lashes fall off with this stuff on. They stay until you are ready to take them off!

The last item included in this kit is what appears to be a uniquely shaped tweezer. Unlike a tweezer, however, this applicator has a larger point of contact so that you can press a larger portion of the lashes along the lash line, allowing you to work faster.

I found this kit to be much easier than applying lashes as I would normally (although slightly less easy than those with the string applicators) and think that at $4.99 it's a steal considering all of these products can withstand multiple uses.

Kiss Ever Pro Lashes

Kiss Premium Eyelashes

Lashes on the left, natural on the right.