Got Gift Card?

Susie recently wrote in to tell me that her SWEET sister gave her a gift card to Sephora....LUCKY!!! =D She wrote to ask what she should keep her eyes out for, what should she get? WELL let me thiiiink LOL. I have received quite a few emails like this one so I will give you a list of my MUST haves regardless of price and depending on how much you want to spend or how much your gift card is for, you can pick and choose =).

First and foremost of you do not have the Urban Decay Primer Potion (UDPP) you are SORELY missing out and need to rectify that situation like NOW! It is the best primer I have used, thus far, that keep my shadow looking vibrant all day long with NO creasing or fading.

Next I have to give a HUGE shout out to Makeup Forever's HD Foundation cuz this stuff is where it's AT!!!!! It's like silk, it's build-able, lightweight and lasts till the cows come home. It's a little pricey but when you are in the market for a staple like foundation, TRUST me you will NOT be disappointed!!!

This bronzer from Urban Decay is wonderful. I love the natural color and the matte finish. When contouring you don't want as much shimmer or else the sun will hit it and take away whatever shadow you were trying to create. You don't want to use a straight brown when going for a more natural look so this one is perfect. I get my baked bronzer in "Toasted".

The skin underneath our eyes is very delicate and very different from the rest of our face. I think we all have made the mistake of putting too much product under there (especially powder) and seeing our skin turn to reptile mode! Not a pretty look and no one really does it on purpose...I hope ; ). I use this miracle powder that is very fine, pinkish in hue to eliminate dark coloring and very good for your skin. In all, Benefit has a good track record for producing products that are heavy metal free, they do not test on animals and are phasing out all products that aren't gluten free.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat

*DISCLAIMER*

I have YET to purchase this product but let me redeem myself by telling you why it's on the list. This too is a pricey product ($40 for .1 oz) but VERY worth it especially if you are a makeup artist. I have shadowed and trained with some AMAZING artists and have read about all the rest HA! I kid you not, every single ONE of them owns this product and swears by it. While on a job I used it from another kit and was astonished at it's magical powers of giving an instant eye lift and "eight hours of sleep" to models that had some darkness under their eyes. It was also great to contour with....yeah, it's my next purchase (insert sheepish grin).

Don't you love watching old movies where the girls bite their lips and pinch their cheeks for color? LOL I think it's so funny and yet so cute to see what they went through to get that natural flush in their cheeks. Well we don't have to resort to such painful measures. We have some great products on the market and this is one I love. This is a water resistant, gel based cheek stain that just GLOWS!!! I love using this on brides and for commercial work since it is so natural and yet build-able to give you a romantic flush. I also LOVE that this product is formulated without all of the harsh chemicals you find in most cosmetics today. Isn't that awesome??? Paraben FREE.....HOORAY!!!!!

For those of you that have been here at the blog for a while or for those that have browsed through the archives will remember this. I said casually in a video that I highly recommended everyone going out and getting "Naked". BOY was I mortified as I received a ton of emails pointing out what I had said and having a giggle about it =). After the natural blush in my cheeks wore down I think I corrected that statement in the next video LOL. I love the EYESHADOW "Naked" from Urban Decay and I'll tell you why. Those that have learned and put into use facts about contouring know that subtle things can make a HUGE difference! This color, for me, is a light skin toned brown that enhances me crease, temple area and sides of my nose with natural ease. It gives just enough color to make a difference and if you don't believe me do one side only and look in the mirror. RIGHT?!?!? Yup, it's wonderful. I also use this color a TON when doing a smokey eye. I bounce back and forth between this and the bronzer to warm up said smokey eye. Few people know that you need to use a color in betwEEN the dark on your lid/crease and your brow bone color. A color that is natural, soft, and can "marry" the other two extreme colors together. I have found Naked to be a great shadow color to use for this. Go out and get "Naked" everyone.....you know what I mean!

On the same topic ; ), I think all girls need a good nude lipstick. One that doesn't match your skin or foundation like Myth (MAC) but one that will have just enough color to not fade your lips away and make you look washed out. This has just enough sheen and brown to it that wearing it with your fav smokey eye will be irreSIStible!!! I love to use this in the center of my lower lip when doing a bold color in lue of Myth if I feel Myth is too much of a contrast.

Well there's the list ladies! Those are the things that I would first look into and purchase from Sephora. From a MUA standpoint though I must share what I secretly long for....are you ready?

The Makeup Forever Flash Color Palette. (In Kronk's voice) "Iiit's beeaaauuuuutiful." And BOY is it!!!! This bad boy would be so fun, amazing and versatile to use. It could be used for lips, cheeks, eyes EvErYtHiNg!!!!! Jenni wanty!!!!! What are your go to's at Sephora? Want to add to the list? Write a comment below!