MORPHE MONTHYLY BRUSH CLUB | MAY 2016

img_9623

Hey guys! It’s that time again!

Time for the unbagging of the Morphe Monthly Brush Club!

If you haven’t read one of these posts before, this is a monthly subscription service, much like an Ipsy or Boxycharm, except instead of getting some sample size cosmetics from brands you may or may not have heard of before, you’re getting at least $30 worth of full size brushes each and every month!
And they’re Morphe brushes, so you know they’re amazing!!
This service is $19.99 a month with free shipping to the US and Canada, and you can sign up yourself at www.liveglam.com – and if you pay a whole year up front, they send you a FREE Morphe 35O Palette – which if you been around on YouTube or the blogosphere or the makeup world in general, you know just how coveted an item that palette is!

So let’s jump in and see what they sent out this month!


MORPHE M441 PRO FIRM BLENDING CREASE ($5.99)

This goat hair brush is amazing at blending out your transition colors, and buffing out any harsh lines. There’s just something about goat hair and the way it deposits and distributes product, it’s just….magical.

MORPHE M433 PRO FIRM BLENDING FLUFF ($5.99)

Another goat hair brush, this one is just slightly smaller, making it a great sized brush to get into the crease of the eye. I already own this brush, as well as the M441, but they seem to get dirty quickly (everything shows on the white goat hair) and I don’t like to over-wash them, so it’s always great to have backups!

MORPHE E1 DELUXE POWDER ($22.99)

This brush alone is worth more than what you pay for the monthly subscription! And I’m so glad to see Morphe giving us brushes from the Elite Collection. It’s also my understanding that this was a new release exclusive to members first – which is always exciting, too! I can’t wait to try this one out and see how well it performs!


Have you guys signed up for your monthly subscription yet? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of it!! I love to hear from you!

Come follow me around social media!
Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram : @dlynnesposito
Facebook : Affordable Gorgeous
Snapchat : dlynnesposito

And feel free to reblog this post and share my social media with your friends! Your support means so much!

LOTS OF LOVE!!
img_9363-3

ST. PATTY’S DAY MAKEUP TUTORIAL #2

Hey guys!

So while, I have another St. Patty’s Day makeup tutorial coming your way, I thought to myself “why not share the slightly different look that I wore to the parade yesterday?!”

Yesterday, my husband, my son, and myself went to the annual St. Patricks Day parade in New Haven (Connecticut) and had a great time! But the couple days leading up to the parade, I knew I wasn’t the type of person to wear the funny hats, and dress in head-to-toe green; but I knew I would try to create a killer green smokey eye!
Hey, some people dress their body, I dress my face – it is what it is!

In any event, I was actually really impressed with how the look turned out (despite being crazy rushed in the morning – I’m a mom before all else, and well, baby needs to be ready first!) and I wanted to share with you how I achieved my parade-ready look!
SIDE NOTE * It was quite warm out for March, with a touch of humidity, and my makeup did…not…budge!*

If you want to see how I created this look, then just keep reading!


 Working with more pigmented, shimmery shadows than usual, I knew I wanted to do my eyes first. So I started by priming my eyes using the Urban Decay Primer Potion (still working off my little Sephora VIB sample), and then went over my lids and slightly into my crease with my NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in ‘Milk’, and blended that out with my finger.

 

 First, I wanted a warm transition shade, so I mixed ‘Beaches and Cream‘ and ‘Peach Smoothie‘, both by Makeup Geek, and dusted that back and forth sloppily into my crease using a Morphe M441 brush.

 

 They shadows I’m using are samples of Urban Decay singles, I believe, that I received with an ULTA order sometime last year, and never really got around to playing with. So, I started with the shade ‘Mildew‘, which is a shimmery, mossy green shade with the slightest gold reflect. I tried using a Morphe M167 dampened with some MUFE Mist & Fix, but because they’re carded samples, I was having trouble picking up enough pigment, so I ended up packing it on with my finger, from the inner corner, to about halfway across my lid.

Next, I used my Morphe M433 brush to pick up some of the shade ‘YDK‘, which is a shimmery, golden/champagne-y/brown shade, and dusted that lightly over my crease where I laid down my transition shade, and running it just over the edge of the green shadow to soften the line. Then, using a Morphe M169 brush, I carefully started working in the shade ‘Blackout‘ into the outer V, and blending it out with a tapered Morphe M330 brush. You can build on that black color as much or as little as you want – I didn’t want it too dark, but I didn’t want it too light, either. Once I had almost no product left on my brush, I started to very, very lightly drag it over the green in the crease, keeping it very low – #hoodedeyeproblems.

img_9421

Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Liner in Blackest Black

Taking a baby wipe (I ran out of makeup remover wipes), I removed any fallout from under my eyes (and fair warning, there’s gonna be A LOT!) and also sharpen up the edges of the shadow, and then apply some winged liner using my Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Liner in ‘Blackest Black’ (yes, I finally replaced it!) and a Morphe M160 1/8 brush. Click here for my winged liner tutorial!

 

 Next I applied my foundation. I mixed Revlon ColorStay Foundation for Oily/Combo skin in the shade ‘Nude’ with a pump of the L’Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer on the back of  my hand, and applied it with a Sigma F80 brush spritzed with MUFE Mist & Fix.

 

 For concealer, I’ve been trying out a sample of the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15, which I applied with my ring finger in a V shape, and blended out with a damp Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Then, using ‘Lyric’ from the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette, I set the concealer under my eyes, and in the center of my face (forehead, nose, chin, etc) with a Morphe M438 brush.

 

 Back to the eyes – taking a Morphe M432 flat definer brush, I picked up a little bit of ‘Blackout’ and worked that really tightly up against my bottom lashes, matching it up to my winged liner and stopping about halfway. Then, using that M169 pencil brush again, I smoked it out using ‘Mildew’, all along the lower lash line. Finally, I just applied some Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara in ‘Black’ to my top and bottom lashes, and popped on some Kiss Blooming Lashes in the style ‘Tulip’.

img_9564I filled in my brows using the NYX Micro Brow Pencil in ‘Ash Brown’, and set them in place with my Anastasia of Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel.

 

 I used Physician’s Formula Argan Wear Bronzer and a Morphe M527 brush to warm up the skin, and then applied a light contour to my cheekbones, forehead, nose, and jawline using Makeup Geek Contour Powder in ‘Breakup’ and a NARS ITA brush. For blush, I wanted to keep it kind of low key, so as not to compete with the eyes and make myself look too overdone, so I chose Milani Baked Blush in ‘Luminoso’ on an angled blush brush (mine is from Walgreens) and used my Morphe M501 to apply BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in ‘Opal’ to my cheekbones, cupids bow, and the tip of my nose.

 

 Finally, for the lips, I chose Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipstick in ‘Nude Light/Medium’, and gave myself a bath in MUFE Mist & Fix. And voila! All done!


 And there you have it! My completed St. Patty’s Day parade look!
Sure, I could have just slapped on some green eyeshadow and walked out the door, but what kind of fun would that have been?! This look would be great if you’re headed out with your friends to a local pub (if you’re old enough!) or if you just feel like being a little extra festive that day!

Most importantly, have fun with it – make it your own! Makeup is supposed to be fun!! And if you recreate this look, tag me on Instagram (@dlynnesposito) so I can see it, too!

Come follow me around social media!
Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram : @dlynnesposito
Facebook : Affordable Gorgeous
Snapchat : dlynnesposito

And feel free to reblog this post and share my social media with your friends! Your support means so much!

LOTS OF LOVE!!
img_9363-3

REVIEW & MINI TUTORIAL – URBAN DECAY ‘NAKED ON THE RUN’ PALETTE

 You guys….if there was ever a do-it-all palette, it’s the Urban Decay ‘Naked On The Run’ Palette! 

My sister got this limited edition item for me for Christmas, and it took me for-ev-er to even break into the box, because of it’s limited edition-ness. Generally I like to keep items like that sealed up for as long as possible, but well….it’s just too gorgeous not to use! Unfortunately, to my knowledge it is no longer available.

This palette is capable of everything from a gorgeous daytime appropriate look to a smoldering, sexy nighttime look!

Ok, ok, I won’t tease you anymore, let’s get started!!


PACKAGING

 

 The palette itself is a magnetic closure box made of super sturdy, heavyweight plastic in a rose gold finish with the name printed in gold on a brown and gold marbleized background. When you open it up, there’s a very large mirror on the inside lid.

CONTENTS

 

 Inside this gorgeous palette you get six brand new eyeshadows (Dive, Fix, Resist, Dare, & Stun), including an extra large pan of a gorgeous shimmery champagne-y shade called 50/50 (the perfect shimmery neutral which doubles as a beautiful highlight), a blush, a bronzer, a full size lip gloss in the shade ‘Sesso’ (a beautiful rosy pink with pink shimmer), a travel size ’24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Stag’, and a travel size ‘Perversion’ mascara!! It’s everything but your foundation and concealer!

 

Left to Right : Dive, Fix, Resist, Dare, Stun, and 50/50

Left to Right : Bronzer, Blush, 24/7 Liner in Stag, Naked Gloss in Sesso

 APPLICATION & WEAR

So I wanted to do a fresh, glowy daytime look that anyone can wear using only this palette (with the exception of my foundation, concealer, and brows, of course!) to show you just what it’s capable of.

For day, I first apply ‘Fix’ to my crease, blending it well, and once there’s minimal to no product on my brush (which is a Morphe M433) I start blending upward just to soften any harsh edges. Then using the same brush, I pick up a bit of ‘Dare’ and being to work that lower in the crease, really focusing on the outer corner of the eye. I’ve kept the lid bare on the inner 2/3 to apply some ’50/50′ with my finger, and blend that together at the outer corner with ‘Dare’ on the M433. I tightline my eyes with the ’24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Stag’, and smudge a little bit onto the upper and lower lash line (but only the outer third) by taking a little of the same pencil liner on an angled liner brush, like the Morphe M160 1/8, and then apply two coats of ‘Perversion’ mascara to my top and bottom lashes.
Next, I bronze the perimeter of my face (the product is too warm to contour with), and swipe on a little blush to the apples of my cheeks, then use ’50/50′ to highlight my cheekbones, cupids bow, and a little on the center of my nose. Finally, a swipe of ‘Sesso’ lip gloss and I’m done!

 

Overall, every single product housed in this palette performs exactly as I would expect – the shadows, blush and bronzer are pigmented, smooth, and blendable and wear all day long, the liner stays put, the mascara makes my lashes look like super natural falsies, and the gloss is absolutely beautiful! This palette is a total 10!!


Have you guys tried it yet? What are your thoughts? What is your favorite go-to all in one palette? Leave me a comment and let me know!

And as always, please take a moment to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito, and go give a like to the Affordable Gorgeous page on Facebook! And share this article with your friends!!

LOTS OF LOVE!!
img_9363-3

MAKEUP FOR DAYS WHEN YOU ‘LITERALLY CAN’T EVEN’

You know the days I’m talking about – you went out the night before, you’re getting sick or getting over being sick, you’re just plain tired, Aunt Flo’s in town; those days.

Today is one of those days. Everyone in my house has the flu, and despite my best efforts to stay healthy, I’m feeling a little run-down myself. So while I had a totally different tutorial planned for today, this one took over. Because, well….I literally can’t even today.

So let’s get started!


As always, I prepped my skin by cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing. Then, I primed my face with Fruit of the Earth 100% Aloe Vera Gel. I know, it probably sounds weird, but it works! And don’t worry, that review is coming soon!

Next, I applied some BB cream. I wasn’t in the mood for foundation today; the mixing, the buffing, the blending….I wasn’t having it. Instead, I used my Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream in ‘Light Sheer Tint’, and stippled it on with a Sigma F80, before buffing it out all over my face. I find that even though it’s a BB cream (which basically means ‘glorified tinted moisturizer’) I get pretty good coverage with this brush.

Now, to color correct. Because, dark circles. They’re a bitch. Taking my Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller, which has a yellow/peach undertone, I applied that in the inner corner of the eye (where there’s the most noticeable darkness) and blended it out with a damp Real Techniques sponge. Then, for brightness, I applied NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in the shade ‘Vanilla’ under my eyes, on my lids, on the forehead, down the center of the nose, sides of the nose, cupids bow, chin, and any blemishes, and blended it out with the same sponge. Then I set everything with some ‘Banana’ powder from the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit and a Morphe M438 brush.

I decided to keep the eyes with pretty much nothing on them. They feel itchy and watery and really, no waterproof mascara or liner would be remotely comfortable, so all I did was take a Morphe eyeshadow in the shade ‘Flipside’ on an M433 brush, and dust it into the crease, just to sort of contour the eye, so it doesn’t look so blank and small. Easy enough. You could curl your lashes if you want, but I chose not to.
For the brows, again, I really didn’t feel like going in with any color, or penciling them in, so I just combed through them with some Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel just to make them look a little polished and have some definition.

Now, you might wanna make sure you’re sitting down for this part….I’m not contouring today. Like, at all. But I did go in with a bit of bronzer just to warm up my skin, so taking some Rimmel Natural Bronzer in ‘Sun Light’ on a big, fat, fluffy Morphe M140 brush, I dusted that all around the perimeter of my face, and a little down my neck. Then I added a touch of peachy blush, using Milani Baked Blush in ‘Luminoso’, and just in case I wasn’t glowing enough already (if you can’t see my highlight from space, I’m not wearing enough!) I applied my Physician’s Formula Mineral Glow Pearls Powder in Translucent Pearl onto my cheekbones, sides of my eyes, down my nose, and on my cupids bow using a Morphe M501 brush.

For the lips, I applied NARS Lip Gloss in ‘Dolce Vita’, and then gave myself a bath in Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. Then I put in some pretty stud earrings, took my messy bun down, threw on some comfy sweats and moccasins, and I’m done!

 


I told you it was easy! Like I said, I had something totally different planned for today, but when I started looking at the products I had in mind for that look (I’ll post it soon, I swear!) I just wasn’t feeling it. I couldn’t bring myself to put forth that much effort today.

What are your go-to looks or products for day when you ‘literally can’t even’?? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Come follow me on social media!
Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram : @dlynnesposito
Facebook : Affordable Gorgeous
Snapchat : dlynnesposito

And feel free to reblog and share my social media with your friends! Your support means so much!!

LOTS OF LOVE!!
img_9363-3

SPRINGTIME PINK MAKEUP TUTORIAL

 Lately with all the spring trends popping up in magazines and on the internet, I’ve been totally feeling spring makeup vibes! Maybe I can entice it to make an early appearance by using spring colors, what do you think?

In any event, on a recent Pinterest binge, I came across this board, #glossierpink, and it’s from the company Glossier, who’s primary focus is on skin care first, and makeup second. They have a great selection of beauty products created based on feedback from women like you and me, which is really cool. But all the pinks, you guys; they inspired me. They had the most gorgeous, springtime blush tones, and I knew that I wanted to build a look around all pinks!

So if you want to see how I created my #glossierpink look, just keep reading!


Starting with the skin, I’m going to be priming my face with Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer, to smooth any lines and fill in my pores. Once that sets into the skin, I’m going in with Maybelline Fit Me Stick Foundation in 11o, and then blend it out with a flat top kabuki brush (mine is no-name, but it’s the same as a Sigma F80).

Then I’ll conceal and highlight under the eyes, the forehead, down the center of the nose, the cupids bow, the sides of the nose, and my chin, using NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in ‘Vanilla’, and blend it out with a damp sponge, and immediately set the concealer with ‘Banana’ from the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit and a Morphe M438 brush.

Now I’ll be contouring, using my new Makeup Geek Contour Powders. First I’m going in with ‘Breakup’, which is made for porcelain skin with cool undertones, with a NARS ITA brush. Then, for a slightly more sculpted and dimensional look, I’ll add a little bit of ‘Infidelity’, which is a cool toned shade for fair skin, on an e.l.f. Small Tapered Brush, concentrating it more towards the ears, where I want my contour the darkest. Next, using my Real Techniques Blush Brush, I’m going to apply L’Oreal True Match Blush in the shade ‘Innocent Flush’ to my cheeks. To highlight, I’m using my Physician’s Formula Mineral Glow Pearls (which are no longer ‘pearls’, see my DIY post here) for a soft, radiant, pink glow, on the cheekbones, tip of the nose, and cupids bow.

Now onto the eyes! If you haven’t already primed your eyes with your concealer (like I usually do) you can do that, or use your favorite eyeshadow primer. I’ve been loving my LORAC Behind The Scenes Eye Primer that came with my Pro Palette 1 & 2 – that stuff grabs on to your shadows and they don’t budge!

So for this look, I decided to use all Morphe eyeshadows. And you guys, for $2.29 eyeshadows….they’re gorgeous. You know by now my love for Morphe products. I don’t have to tell you. I’m going to start by picking up the shade ‘Swine’, which is a light, neutral mid-toned brown transition shade, and dust that in the crease using a Morphe M433 brush. Back and forth, in windshield wiper motions, and then small circles, focusing most of the product on the outer corner.

Now, I’m going to pick up the shade ‘Peekaboo’, which is kind of a mauve-y pink shade, and using the same brush, put the right over the first color. Back and forth, buffing it in and making sure there are no harsh lines.

Next, I’ll take the shade ‘Pretty In Pink’ (a matte, cotton candy pink) on a Morphe M330 brush, and apply that on top of the first two, keeping it very low in the crease.

Finally, using my finger, I’ll pat a little ‘Wink For Pink’, a shimmery, pearly baby pink, onto my lid, and then go back to the M330 with no additional product on it, and just buff out the line between the shimmery shadow and the ‘Pretty In Pink’.

 

Now that your shadows are on, go ahead and add some winged liner (or not, totally up to you!). I did a thin wing (see the photo below) with Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Gel Liner in ‘Blackest Black’ and a Morphe 160 1/8 brush. Check out my winged liner tutorial here.

 For the lower lash line, I’m going to pick up a little of the shade ‘Treasure’, a slightly shimmery warm brown, on a Morphe M432 brush, and wiggle that into my bottom lashes but only on the outer third of my eye. Then I’ll blend it out by taking some ‘Swine’ and ‘Peekaboo’ on an M169 pencil brush and run it back and forth along the lower lash line, right over ‘Treasure’.

Now I’m going to highlight the inner corner and brow bone with that same Physician’s Formula highlight that I used on my cheeks on a clean M169, and apply a few coats of Covergirl LashBlast Clump Crusher Extensions Mascara in ‘Very Black’ to my top and bottom lashes.

Don’t worry, we’re almost done! But we absolutely can’t forget the brows – after all, they frame the face, and help to pull the whole look together. I’m going to fill them in with my NYX Micro Brow Pencil in ‘Taupe’, and set them with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel.

Finally, for the lips, I slightly over-lined them with NYX Retractable Lip Liner in ‘Nude Pink’, and then applied Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in ‘Pink Lemonade’ over the top. Give yourself a bath in some setting spray; I used Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray, and we’re done!

 


Wow, that was a long one! But for someone who usually sticks to neutral shades and brown tones, I’m really feelin’ these pink tones! I hope you guys enjoyed this look! Leave me a comment below and let me know!

Come follow me around social media!
Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram : @dlynnesposito
Facebook : Affordable Gorgeous
Snapchat : dlynnesposito

And feel free to reblog this post and share my social media with your friends! Your support means so much!

LOTS OF LOVE!!
img_9363-2