First Look Using Makeup Geek Eyeshados

This is the first look I created using my new Makeup Geek eyeshadows.

Affordable Face of the Day

I recently did a face of the day post using nothing but high end/expensive stuff, so I thought I'd do one using nothing but stuff available at the drugstore.

Detroit Tigers Opening Day Face of the Day

Baseball's back!  Today was opening day at Comerica Park in Detroit, and the first Tigers game of the season.  I watched the game on Fox Sports Detroit with Rod, Mario, and Gibby (Kirk Gibson) on commentary, which is always fun.  Of course I had to use some Tigers colors (orange and blue) on my face.

Happy Easter Pastels FotD

To my readers who celebrate, happy Easter!  To those who don't, happy Sunday where everyone else is obsessed with pastel colors, chocolate bunnies, and eggs.  I don't really celebrate Easter anymore (we did do Easter-y stuff in my house when I was a kid) except maybe eat a Cadbury Creme Egg.  I did use a bunch of pastel shades for my makeup, and it seems kind of Easter-y.

Michigan State Basketball Final Four Look of the Day (featuring Emma)

MSU is playing in the Final Four (the semi-final game in the NCAA basketball tournament) this evening, so I absolutely had to use some green and white eyeshadows today.  I went rather dramatic with this look.

Face of the Day with NARS (featuring Charlie)

I was going to make an April Fool's Day joke about not blogging anymore, but I thought that would just be too mean.  :P

So instead, I'm just going to show you my face with a bunch of NARS makeup on it.

Here's all the NARS stuff I used.

Another Face of the Day with the Vice 3

I still can't keep my hands off the Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette.

First Day of Spring Look of the Day

Happy Spring Equinox!!  Who else besides me is absurdly excited about spring?

I matched my eyeshadow to the top I'm wearing.  And, yes, my hair is pulled back in a clip again.  And I forgot to put in some earrings.

Chicago Travel Makeup Bag

I just got back from a trip to Chicago with my family (minus my husband because he had to work (sad face)), and I thought I'd show you what I took in my makeup bag.  If I showed you my skincare, this post would take forever to read.  Besides, I like looking at travel makeup bags more than travel skincare stuff.

MSU Go Green Face of the Day

So, the Michigan vs Michigan State football game was a couple weeks ago, and I thought I would cheer on the team by going crazy with some shimmery green smoky eyes (MSU colors are green and white) and peach lips.  I also wore my blingy Spartans shirt.  Michigan State is playing Ohio State this evening, which is the other big game of the season for them, so this look would work for today, too.  Hmmm.  Maybe I need to replicate it seeing as how it worked last time (MSU won).

Eyes:
   from the Urban Decay Naked Palette -- Naked eyeshadow in the crease
   L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Golden Emerald on the lid and lower lashline
   Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Eyeshadow in  Bone under the brow
   Jordana 12 Hour Made To Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Jade Jewel on the lower waterline
   L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

from left: L'Oreal Golden Emerald, Urban Decay Naked, Elizabeth Arden Bone, Jordana Jade Jewel

Cheeks:
   Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush in Peach Beach

Lips:
   Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream lipstick in Shimmer Naked Dolly
       -- from the Too Faced Under the Mistletoe lipstick set

from left: Too Faced Peach Beach blush, Too Faced Shimmery Naked Dolly lipstick

The star of this look is definitely the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Golden Emerald.  It is ridiculously pretty.

Blurry to show that sparkle!

It sparkles on the eyes.

I'm convinced that MSU won the game because of my smoky eyes and sparkling Spartans shirt.

Go Green!  Go White!

Hey, I have a question.  It is "smoky" or "smokey" with an e?

Opening Opera Night in Detroit

The 2014-2015 opera season in Detroit has started!  Saturday was opening night, and the Richard Strauss opera Elektra is the first opera of the season.

Elektra is the story of a woman who is determined to kill her mother (Klytemnestra) and her mother's lover (Aegisth) for murdering her father (Agamemnon).  She enlists the help of her brother (Orest), but her sister (Chrysothemis) just wants a normal life with a husband and children.  Elektra's family tree looks something like this (she and her siblings are all the way at the bottom):

The scrim was painted to look like the family tree scrawled on a chalkboard.

The opera is quite interesting in that it is presented in one act with no intermission.  Elektra is on stage through the entirety of the opera.  It requires a soprano with great stamina and vocal range.  Christine Goerke was fabulous as Elektra.  Seriously sublime.

Elektra is a nicely "heavy" opera in the sense that it is both a tragedy and the music is kind of bombastic and grand.  I always describe this kind of music as the kind that "makes you feel like your stomach is being pulled out through your nose."  I felt slightly wrung out after the opera.  Love it!

Elektra's dress is all bloody!

The opera house was showcasing some of the costumes from this season, including Elektra, Madame Butterfly, and The Merry Widow.

I'm looking forward to The Merry Widow for the costumes alone.

Now, because this is a beauty blog, here are some photos of the makeup I wore on my face:

I'm not sure what happened with the lips in this picture.

On the eyes: Darling Girl loose pigment in Jeweled Taupe on the moving lid
                     from the LORAC PRO Palette
                               -- mix of Mauve and Sable in the crease
                               -- Nude in the inner corner by the tear duct
                               -- Cream under the brow
                     Physicians Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner liquid liner in Ultra Black
                     Tarina Tarantino Hyperliner eyeliner in Tommy Jet on the lower lashline
                     L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

Blurry to show the sparkle!

from left: DGC Jeweled Taupe (swatch over Fyrinnae Pixe Epoxy because that's how I wore it), LORAC PRO Palette Mauve, Sable, Nude, Cream

Look at that sparkle!

P.S. Pardon the super shiny forehead -- I remebered to apply my Mally Poreless Face Defender AFTER I took the pics, and I didn't have time to retake the photos.  I don't retouch my photos either (unless I'm attempting to make the colors more true to life).

Cheeks: NYX Powder Blush in Taupe to contour under the cheekbones
              Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush

Lips: YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Opera Rose (of course)

from left: NYX Taupe blush, Hourglass Luminous Flush blush, YSL Opera Rose lipstick

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to take any photos of my husband and my parents.  Boooooo.  Next time for sure!

Elektra got rave reviews, and rightly so.  It was amazing.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Palette Look 3

So, are you tired of seeing this palette in action yet?  I am still using almost every day.  I used the purple shades in the MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Palette.  Sort of surprising I didn't use them first, huh?  I loooooove the sparkly purple called "Blueberry".

I used: from the MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Palette
               --- Blueberry (sparkly purple) al over the lid
               --- Black Purple (deep blackened plum) in the crease, outer v, and lower lashline
               --- Milk Tea (matte tan) above the crease
               --- Pinky Beige (shimmery pink shell) in the inner corner
           Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Eyeshadow in Bone under the brow
           Tarina Tarantino Hyperliner eyeliner in Tommy Jet (black) on the waterlines
           L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

from left: MUFE Milk Tea, Pinky Beige, Blueberry, Black Purple, Elizabeth Arden Bone

Cheeks: NYX Blush in Taupe under the cheekbones to contour

              Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush in Peach Beach

Lips: Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm in Demure

from left: Too Faced Peach Beach blush, NYX Taupe blush, Revlon Lacquer Balm in Demure

Blurry to show some of the sparkle!

This is probably my favorite look so far.  I love purple shadows and sparkly shadows, so sparkly purple shadows make me go crazy with happiness.  I'm not sure how the name "Blueberry" was chosen for the sparkly purple shade, but it is cute.  I think they should have gone with "Purple Sparkly Goodness That Ingrid Will Love" for the name.

I've been a little erratic on the posting and reading my favorite blogs front, and I'm sorry about that. I'm hoping to get back to something a little more regular soon.  Thanks for sticking with me!!