Makeup Looks Archives | Makeup By Kim Porter

Makeup Looks

The New Milani Essential Brush Set

May 27, 2016 by Kim S. / Beauty, blog, Makeup Looks, Reviews / 15 Comments

Milani, the affordable cosmetics line has launched its first brush collection – the Milani Essential Brush Set. This synthetic (nylon) brush set features six (6) brushes for the face and eyes to help create a beautiful makeup look using professional quality tools.

I was able to test out each brush featured in the Milani Essential Brush Set, and I’m happy with how the brushes in the set performed. As a fan of synthetic brushes since they offer greater versatility and superior durability over time, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck since the brushes are affordably priced. The nylon bristles of the brush are soft, and allow you to create a flawless, streak-free makeup look.

Foundation Brush – $16

This flat top brush blends powder, cream and liquid foundation. I used it to apply my HG liquid foundation, and the brush applied my makeup effortlessly. My makeup wasn’t streaky, and uneven.

Powder/ Bronzer Brush – $16

This dome –shaped brush is a 2-in-1 powder and bronzer brush that’s great for blending and buffing bronzer or powder into the skin. I used this brush to apply press (not buff) my loose powder onto my skin in the areas where I wanted to reduce shine like my t-zone. I also used it to apply my bronzer, but I found I liked it best for pressing in my powder.

Blush Brush – $16

The tapered bristles of this brush are perfect for precise application of blush. I applied one of my brightest blushes with this brush to test out how well it performed. The Essential Blush Brush worked well. My blush was placed exactly where I wanted it, and the brush blended the blush to perfection. No clown makeup here! I also liked to use it to apply my highlighter.

All Over Shadow Brush – $8

This soft, flat brush is the perfect size for applying eyeshadow or base to the eyelids. It’s a good brush for packing on eyeshadow onto the lid. You can also flip it over to get into the crease.

Blending Brush – $8

The rounded, tapered Blending Brush is great for blending eyeshadow to soften lines, contouring, or even blending concealer. I used this brush for several things like blending shadow into the crease, blending my under eye concealer, and applying contour to my nose.

Crease Brush – $8

The small rounded bristles of the Crease Brush make it perfect for applying shadow to the outer v, sculpting out the eye with precision, for added depth and dimension. Think smoky eye.

The Milani Essential Brush Set can be purchased for $60 or each brush individually, but purchasing the set you saves you $9. The brushes can be purchased on http://milanicosmetics.com/Brushes/.

Have you tried the Milani Essential Brush Set?

Which of these brushes would you pick up?

Brighten Your Look with the Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lipsticks

May 3, 2016 by Kim S. / Beauty, Giveaways, Makeup Looks / 37 Comments

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Although the weather doesn’t really seem like it, but believe it or not, spring is here. Usually, when people think of spring they think of spring-cleaning, but for myself and others in the beauty world spring means new looks using colors that pop! Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick line makes it easy to add that perfect pop of color while keeping your lips moisturized.

I’ve set aside my vampy lips in exchange for a fresh-faced look with just a pop of color using the Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick along with their Grand Entrance Mascara.

First up, we have the Beautiful Moisturizing Lipstick in Pink Pink. Normally, I am not a fan of shimmer in lipsticks, I’m either a satin or matte type of girl, but Pink Pink looks nice on me. The blue-toned pink goes well with my skintone.

Wild Berry, when applied looked a lot brighter than what I thought. I love bright lip colors, so that didn’t bother me. This one is actually my favorite.

Valentine is so pretty! I’ve deemed it one of my favorite red lipsticks. My lips look so full and plump when wearing it. I see myself sporting it daily, whether to work or casually on the weekends.

I love wearing orange shades of lipsticks, especially during the summer. I was happy to have received Marigold. It’s a red with more of an orange tone; however, when applied, it looks a bit redder, and not as opaque as the other shades. It’s pretty, but I prefer my lipsticks to have a bit more color.

I love the look and feel of the Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipsticks. They do exactly what they say they will do: keep my lips moisturized and soft. The lipstick has pretty decent staying power, even after drinking a beverage. I also like that Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick, aside from Marigold, applies with full, almost opaque color with one swipe.

How do you update your look for spring?

NARS Dual-Intensity Blush Panic on Brown Skin

February 1, 2016 by Kim S. / Beauty, blog, Makeup Looks, Product Swatches, Reviews / 16 Comments

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I’m a fan of NARS, especially their beautiful blushers. I was happy to have been able to get my hands on their Spring 2015 release of the Dual-Intensity Blush in Panic.

NARS’ description of the Dual-Intensity Blush:

Featuring NARS’ exclusive Translucent Prismatic Technology, the newly- imagined formula allows for multi-dimensional effects with a uniquely weightless, luxurious texture. Six modern shade pairings curated by Francois Nars offer a universal spectrum of hues that works across all skintones. Sweeps on dry for a bold flush or wet for a translucent wash of color. Dry pigments impart a natural glow that warms the complexion and fuses weightlessly. Dampen NARS’ exclusive Wet/Dry Blush Brush before application for a watercolor effect—dab over the apples of the cheeks and swirl in a circular motion to paint on a subtle tint.

The NARS Dual-Intensity Blush Panic is a beautiful blush compact housing two shades of blush: (r) bright pink and (l) golden coral.

I like applying the NARS Dual-Intensity Blush in ‘Panic’ with my NARS All Day Luminous Foundation (review) as a base. I first apply the left side (golden coral shade) blended lightly towards my temples, close to my hairline. Following that, I gently swirl the bright pink shade on the right on the apples of my cheeks.

Applied dry, the Dual-Intensity Blush ‘Panic’ blends smoothly with ease. I love the beautiful, healthy glow with a flush of color that it provides. These days I prefer a more natural look, and this is exactly what the dry application of Panic provides. However, applying the Dual-Intensity Blush when wet intensifies the pigments and shimmer in the blush, which I do not prefer for myself. The application when wet can also be a bit splotchy. It takes work, and I know that when I’m doing my makeup, I have no time for more work.

Overall, I’m a fan of the NARS Dual-Intensity Blush ‘Panic’. It looks amazing on my brown skin, especially when applied dry. During the winter when my skin can look dull, a quick swirl of this blush brightens it right back up!

The NARS Dual-Intensity Blush retails for $45, and is available in five additional shades: Adoration, Craving, Fervor, Frenzy, and Jubilation.

Have you tried any of the NARS Dual-Intensity Blushers? If so, which, if any, are your favorites?

Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette Review

August 9, 2015 by Kim S. / Beauty, blog, Makeup Looks, Product Swatches, Reviews / 19 Comments

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Just when I thought I’ve reached my max limit on the number of [neutral] palettes to own, in walks in the Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette.

“The true inspiration behind the Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette comes from all these years of trying to understand the usage of shadows and light within the portraits I draw.”

—Kat Von D

The Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette is not your regular eye shadow palette – it features three color quads in neutral, cool, and warm shades that help you contour your eyes to help lift them to look more youthful, define them to create depth, as well as help bring balance and dimension to the eyes whether you need to bring them together or apart.

My Thoughts:

I love the Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette. If you know me, you know that I love my matte eye shadows. The ones in this palette are amazing! Unlike some matte eye shadows I have used, these are not powdery, and do not look ashy on the skin. The eye shadows apply effortlessly – like butter, and it doesn’t take much work for me to blend in order to achieve the look I wanted. And the pigment on these babies! ‘Shax’, which is the black shade, is probably one of the deepest black eye shadows I’ve used, and you only need a little.

The Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette wore well throughout the day on me. On hot 85+ degree-days in New York City, there was no creasing or fading, at all. In fact, after 12 hours, my eye shadow looked the same from when I first applied it.

Below is a look I created using the Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette and the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Ultra Black.

First, I applied a primer, and then I used three shades from the palette as follows:

Lid – Incius (blended up to the crease)
Outer V – Shax
Blending – Solas

Finally, I created my signature-winged liner using the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Ultra Black.

I’d definitely recommend picking up the The Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette. Above is just one look I’ve created using the palette, but the palette has so much more to offer; the possibilities are endless.

The Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette is the perfect palette to add to your makeup stash, especially if you’re a working makeup artist, but even if you’re not, it’s still an excellent palette to own. Its versatility allows you to meet the needs of anyone of any skintone, which means a lighter makeup kit since you don’t have tote along multiple neutral eye shadows because you have it all in this one palette.

The Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette is available for $46 at Sephora or Sephora.com.

Do you own the Kat Von D Shade and Light Palette? If so, what are your thoughts on it.