XOJENBEAUTY: Makeup

4/15/2016

Dupe Alert! Whirl X Natural Creme

A few weeks ago I was going through my lip liners when I noticed two products that looked almost exactly the same. I mean I was surprised because at some point I couldn't even tell the difference. They are by no means exact dupes but they are close enough that I would consider them as dupes.

The two lip liners I'm talking about are the MAC Whirl and L.A. Girl lip pencil in Natural Creme. As you know, there is a huge price difference between the two but they are both known for their quality as well.

DIFFERENCE

Like I said earlier, both lip liner have great quality but aside from that what differs one from the other?

Whirl became a cult favourite and uber-famous when it was said that its the exact lip liner that Kylie Jenner used on her lips. Yes, I'm talking about the "Kylie Jenner lips". Ever since she started posting photos of herself on instagram wearing a 90's brown-pink nude lip shade, every one and their momma went crazy and wanted to know what products she used. And when a fan said that Kylie was wearing Whirl from MAC with Velvet Teddy on top, the two lip products was suddenly sold out EVERYWHERE.

I've had this lip liner for almost two years now and its consistency is slightly different from when I first bought it so I can't really compare it properly. Although, I do remember it being really creamy and smooth as when I was first applying it on my lips. As you can see from the photo above, they are not exactly the same colour. Whirl is lighter and a bit on the pink side. This baby retails for CAD$20 plus tax, of course.

Natural Creme is from the brand L.A. Girl which is known for their PRO Concealers and their affordable yet great quality products. You probably have heard of them or seen their products on instagram. Anyway, this particular product is really creamy and smooth that its so easy to apply. I'm really impressed with the quality since the price is much lower than Whirl. Natural Creme is more on the brown side thus a tad bit darker. I was actually surprised on how the photos came out because in person they really look the same. This retails for CAD$4.99 plus tax.

Even though there's a slight difference with the colours, they do both have the reddish undertone so that makes them similar. I really hope this dupe comparison helps those who are on a budget or if you just want to see if there's a dupe for one of the lipliners. I did a dupe post for Velvet Teddy if you are interested in that one too!

*side note: If you've wondered where I've been for the past month, I just took a much needed vacation from all things social media in sense that I was MIA for awhile. But now I'm back and things will go back to normal!

Have a blessed day!

12/18/2015

Review: L.A. Girl Beauty Brick Blush Collection - SPICE

11/09/2015

Review & Swatch: Sally Girl Eyeshadows

11/06/2015

MOTD: Purple Smokey Eye

10/26/2015

MOTD: Khaki Green | Fall Inspired Makeup Look

I have a new makeup look for you guys and its all about the colour green! Not the super bright or the tree coloured kind, but rather the fall appropriate green. I always wanted to do a look in this colour. Even though it wasn't the shade of green I wanted, I just worked with whatever I've got. Hope you enjoy this look!

Here are the products I used:

(note: The Sephora eyeshadow is no longer available on their website. I still linked it on their page which features other colours. You could still find the exact palette I used on amazon and ebay.)

With primed eyelids, I used #3 and blended it around my lid extending it towards the crease area. Since its such a light colour I added #5 and applied that only on the crease and the outer corners. Make sure to blend properly to make it look airbrushed. I applied #4 on the outer corners to darken them and to make it look a bit smokey. Using my ring-finger, I swooped it on #1 and spritz some setting spray before apply it on the center of my eyelids. This ensures that the colour pigmentation will be intense since the eyeshadow needs help in showing its intensity. Mixing #4 and #5, I applied it below my lower lashes to have that smokey effect. To brighten my eyes, I applied #2 on my inner corners. This is optional, but I added Champagne Pop (I reviewed the highlighter which you can also check out!) because I wanted a brighter and extreme highlight to have a more awake look. Anyways, then I applied eyeliner, mascara and falsies!

On my lips, I used the NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Chocolate Crepe which I also featured in my haul. I didn't use any lipliner because I was too lazy but you could if you want to.

Hopefully you enjoyed this look and gained inspiration from it! If you want more makeup looks in different colours, comment down below!

Have a blessed day!

xoxo,

DISCLAIMER

10/23/2015

Mini Collective Haul | Drugstore Makeup

I don't know about you, but I enjoy watching Youtube videos of makeup and skincare hauls. It allows me to know what other products are out there that I haven't tried, and which companies brought out new items. So that's what I am doing today!

I actually visited and bought new makeup from the beginning of this month from different drugstores. The photo above shows the items that I bought which is not much compared to most hauls. I will have swatches and links of each of the items from their respective website.

Beginning with the face products, I already own the shade 220 Natural Beige of the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte+Poreless Foundation, but I find it to be a bit light. It matches my face but not my neck and chest. The new one that I bought matches my neck and chest perfectly which is in the shade 230 Natural Buff. And, of course, I bought the matching Mayebelline Fit Me! Matte+Poreless Powder.

After watching Nicole Guerriero's How To Conceal Dark Under Eyes With Makeup video, I was instantly curious and hooked on concealing my under eyes. I was never serious about them but when she used the NYX Dark Circle Concealer, I immediately want to get my hands on it! I got the shade Deep which is a bit dark for my skin. Unfortunately, I wanted the shade Medium but, of course, its always sold out! I am honestly still trying to figure out how to use this and what would be the best method of application. Because so far nothing is working...

For the lip products, I first bought the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creme in Copenhagen which is a burgundy colour (it's actually described as rich plum on the website) that comes off as red on my lips for some reason. I posted it on my instagram which you can check out! ~~Excuse the self-promo there.~~ I also purchased the NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Chocolate Crepe which looks really natural-ish on my lips.

One of the most exciting part of my shopping trip was when I bought the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in the shade Rose Velvet (OMG I just noticed that I typed down velvet rose on the photo. That's a mistake! Also, I misspelled matte too! Sorry about that!). The only reason was because it was on sale for only C$3.99! Yes, you read that right! I kinda regret for buying one lipstick in that price so I might check in few days if its still on sale.

And the last two products I bought are the Essence Cosmetics Lipliners in the shade 05 Soft Berry and 08 Red Blush. I featured one of the lipliners in my last makeup blog tutorial which I used underneath the Revlon lipstick. I really wanted to buy a red lipstick shade so I just opted to buy the essence lipliner. Its honestly the perfect shade of red for my skintone! Also, any of their cosmetic line is cheap in price with awesome quality! I actually featured some of their products last August in one of my affordable finds post.

So there you have it! If you have any products to recommend me or if you want reviews and my thoughts of any of the items, comment down below!

Have a blessed day!

xoxo,

DISCLAIMER

10/19/2015

MOTD: Mauve-y Purple Glam Eye Look

If you're wondering why I'm posting on a Monday, that's because I am changing my schedule. I would elaborate more at the end of this post so just keep on reading to see today's makeup look and my sort of announcement.

The eye look consist of mauve-y purple colours from the Tartelette palette. I was inspired to create something from that shade because of the new lipstick I got from Revlon. So let us begin!

Eye products used:

Tarte's Tartelette Palette
Mary-Lou Manizer
Pixi Fairy Dust Favourites - Light Catchers

With primed eyelids, I mixed Natural Beauty, a mauve-y lavender shade, and Bestfriend, a darker mauve-y lavender shade, and applied on my crease area slightly extending towards my inner corner. I make sure that I apply generously but enough to have that colour peeking through when I apply a darker shade. I, then, create a V shape on the outer corner to have a diffused look.

Now, I applied Bombshell, a dark purple with brown undertones, on the outer corner of my eye. I am doing the same V-shape technique but slightly smaller. I also applied that same colour on the inner corners of my eye (only apply on the top of the eyelids not the inner corner where you apply a highlighter). Make sure to tap off the excess before applying because dark colours are a bit more difficult to work with compared to lighter ones. And don't forget to blend a lot! My arms at this part were beginning to ache but I just had to blend to make it look flawless. If you notice that I didn't extend my brush towards the middle of my crease area and that's because I only want the dark purple on the outer and inner corner of my eye.

After blending profusely, I applied Natural Beauty on the centre of my lids. Then, I dipped my brush on the gold pigment colour from the Pixi Fairy Dust Favourites (now that's a mouthful!) and sprayed a bit of setting spray to get a more intense pigmentation before I applied it on top of Natural Beauty. I only tapped the colour instead of brushing it on my lids. Now, I went back to re-apply Natural Beauty, Bestfriend and Bombshell because I noticed that the colours were fading. In other words, I went back and forth with those three colours and the pigment until I was satisfied with how it looks.

To finish it off, I applied a bit of the Mary-Lou Manizer on my inner corners, mascara on both my upper and lower lashes, eyeliner and falsies!

Lip products used:

On my lips, I lined Soft Berry and applied Rose Velvet on top of it. I can't explain the colour of the lip liner but I think the name itself describes it perfectly. And the lipstick was such a steal at my local drugstore because I only paid C$3.99! Its a muted rosy red with grey undertones. I think that is the best way I could describe it.

I hope you find inspiration in this look! I am actually enjoying putting together makeup up looks for you guys. Expect more from me! Haha.

Anyways, regarding my posting schedule, I am changing it to every Mondays and Fridays. I find it more convenient that way. Also, I am shifting my blog more towards to beauty because I am more passionate about it than fashion. I will do OOTDs here and there but not weekly as before. I hope you like the change because I can't wait to do more beauty related things!

Have a blessed day!

xoxo,

DISCLAIMER

10/07/2015

MOTD: Fall Inspired Night Time Eye Makeup Look

9/30/2015

MOTD: Simple Cool to Neutral Tone Eye Makeup Look

9/23/2015

The Fall Lip Edit

Hey lovelies!

Today is a wonderful day because its officially FALL! Yes, people that means fall makeup, warm sweet drinks, layers, layers and more layers! Right now, it doesn't feel like fall because looking outside my window its very sunny. But at least I could get some Vitamin D and maybe a little tan before I go pale (well, the palest I could go) during the next few months.

One of my favourites about the season is the makeup looks specifically the lips. I love me some Fall lip! I mean who doesn't? Dark, vampy lips, cranberry colours, mauvey-grey toned lips... I could go on and on about the different lip colours that everyone including their momma would start wearing.

If you're starting up with makeup and want to try the fall lip trend, you are in the right place! If you're already good with makeup and just want to have some lip colours suggestions, you are also in the right place! I would list and swatch for you lipsticks that I own and that my mom owns that I think I great for this season. In the collection, the shades range from light to dark so that you have options if you want a nude fall lip or that dark lip.

(note: I am not wearing any makeup so you are looking at my natural skin tone. And ignore the bad swatches. :P)

As you can see, the first four lip swatches look very light or natural on my lips. I think this will look great for those who have lighter skin tones because the colour will actually show on their lips. For those who are iffy about wearing dark colours, you could try these colour range too. I was there before so I understand some girls who do not feel comfortable with wearing darker colours like the swatches below.

These lip colours will look great on any Fall eye makeup looks because its very nude. You don't have to worry about whether they will match or not because of the brown-pinkish undertones (brownish eyeshadows are one of the usual Fall eye looks).

For those who love to wear dark lips during the Fall, I think this is more of your taste. I don't know why my skin looks slightly lighter. Just ignore the shifting lighting. Anyhow, these are the shades that I suggest would look good on light to medium skin tones. Pick any lip colour that has brown-reddish undertones or bluish-red undertones. These will look great with any neutral-brown eyeshadows or any you prefer.

If you have darker skintones, the first five shades would probably look like a nude lip colour to you. I suggest getting any dark berry toned lipsticks or a dark brown-red like the MAC Viva Glam III ("a muted brownish-plum") and the MAC HangUp ("deep berry"). I think those will look awesome on you! But if you wanna go darker than any of those, then don't be afraid to do so!

I will also include wrist swatches for you to see the actual colours of each lipsticks I am featuring.

Other lip products that I want to try for Fall are some Colour Pop Lippie Stix in Grunge, Lady, Tootsie, Brink, Pitch, Dalia and Creature. Other than being affordable and having good quality, the colours are so gorgeous for Fall!

Hopefully, you have some ideas on what lipstick shades you could buy for the Fall season. Or if you already have any lip products in these colours and were not sure whether they're Fall appropriate or not, I hope this helped you too! I am truly excited to show you a couple of eye makeup looks that would be coming in a few weeks. If you have any questions or more shade suggestions, comment down below!

Have a blessed day!

xoxo,

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and the products were bought from my own money including my mom's.