I can't believe it's already Friday.  Sorry for the lack of posts this week, it's been a little busy.  In exactly 1 week I'll be in CHINA!!  To say I'm excited is an understatement.  But this week has been filled with all the last minute details for the trip of a lifetime.  It's starting to finally sink in, that we will be on a plane for 13hours.... with a 3 year old.  I'm so scared, that with the time change and all, we could have a cranky girl on our hands.  She's a great traveler though.  She's been on a plane numerous times (my husband is a pilot) and we've been to Mexico 2x in the past year, so I'm sure she'll do fine.  But for some reason, I'm just nervous....  Wish us luck!  I've stocked up and all sorts of snack, have her Innotab packed with an abundance of extra batteries and all sorts of new books and games, and with movies on the plane, I'm sure it'll be fine :) Or at least I'm trying to convince myself of this....

  Now, enough with the rambling....  Today's 'Frugal Find' isn't just one product, but rather an entire cosmetic line.  I was first introduced to Essence last Summer when I was in Oregon and stumbled upon the line.  I fell in LOVE with the fact that everything in the line is under $5...  Yep, my kind of line.  I had seen reviews on different product from the line and figured I'd give em a try.

  The first product I picked up was the Multi Action False Lashes.  It gives full lashes and doesn't flake off like most fiberous mascara's.  I was sad when it was finished as the line wasn't yet available in Canada :(
  BUT, last week I finally found a Shoppers that was carrying the line.  So I picked up a bit if everything to try.  As you can see it the picture to the right, I picked up and tried out the #34 Walk of Fame nail polish right away!  I'm SO impressed with it that at $1.49 per polish, I'll be going back to get more.

  I'm also really pleased with the glosses and lipsticks too (also around $2.49),  I'll be getting a few more color's in the near future.

  Have you tried out any Essence Cosmetic products?  What are your favorite?
 

  I will admit, I have a girl crush on the Beautiful Emma Stone and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone on this one.  Her bright red hair and creamy complexion are TO DIE FOR!  She recently sported a shimmery blue eye liner look at the 17th Annual Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, and I knew I had to recreate it, in a more 'mom' approved way.  I like shimmer, but when I'm out at the park with my girl, I don't like to look like I'm going to a party, if you get what I mean...

  Here's what I wore:
-MAC Studio Tech in NW20
-Hard Candy Bronzer in hula hula
-ELF HD Setting Powder
-MAC Blush in Fashion Frenzy - BRIGHT Pink so use sparingly
-Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr in Bad to the Bronze as eye primer up to the crease
-DIOR One Color Eyeshadow in Bronze - up to the crease and lower lashline
-DIOR One Color Eyeshadow in Snowball - brow bone highlighter
-ELF Cream Eyeliner in Midnight (matte navy color) on top and outer corner of the bottom lash line
-2 coats of the Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara on the top lashes
-NYC High Definition Mascara on the lower lashline
-Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake

  Emma's look is done in a warmer look with coral cheeks and lips, but I choose to go with a cooler look in Pinks

  They say the eyes are the windows to the soul...  and I believe that.  I think that if anything, your eyes are one of the easiest features to accentuate, even if its just with a good curl and coat of mascara. 

  My 'Frugal Find' today is one that I couldn't live without.  I use it EVERY day before I apply my mascara.   It's E.L.F. (eyes lips face) Essential Mechanical Eyelash Curler and guess what,... ITS A BUCK!!!! Yep, $1.  Hard to believe that something this cheap would actually work, but it does.  I actually find myself 99% of the time grabbing this one over my pricey Shu Uemura eye lash curler (which is also great BTW).
 It's so well made and very sturdy.  It has a nice curve to it which is great for all eye shapes and it has a silicone rubber pad that allows the appropriate amount of pressure to curl lashes naturally.
  If curling your lashes isn't part of your every day routine, I highly suggest splurging on this baby to help open up your eyes and allowing your soul to shine!  You won't be disappointed!

  One of my New Years resolutions (last year) was to become better at sewing.  So over the past year and a bit, I've been practicing.  I can now happily say that I can sew a mean straight line :)

  I already have an Etsy online Shop but after running it for almost 2 years, I've decided to put together my own online store (take out the middle man and stop paying them... ya know).  I hope to have it all up and running by May 2012 but here is a sneek peek as to what there will be....

  All makeup brush rolls are made with high end designer cotton and can be washed in the washing machine  and tumble dry.  They're are 10 brush slots but can hold more than 10 brushes as you can put more than one in each slot.

 The shop will also have baby blankets, camera straps, crayon rolls... and SO much more.

   If you'd like to do any pre-orders of these amazing makeup brush rolls (which are great for traveling or even bridesmaids gifts) I'll be selling them for $20 with $5 shipping to US & Canada.

          Email me @ makeup-by-erin@yahoo.ca and I'll send you an invoice

  I have to admit, I love shoes..  Lets face it, what women doesn't :)  When I got married though, my shoes were less than comfortable.  They looked great, but boy can beauty kill.

 If only TOMS were around back then.  I have a few pair of them now and pretty much wear them everyday.

    Check out these beauties.  Shiny, pretty AND comfortable.  The perfect wedding shoe if you ask me!  Oh ya, and if your not familiar with TOMS, with every pair of shoes purchased, they donate a pair to a child in need.  So your also doing a good deed too.

 Not too sure if you've heard about all the buzz on these babies, but they are well worth trying out.  I've been wearing my 'Bold Gold' almost on a daily basis and I'm IN LOVE!

  The Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Eyeshadow are being compared to MAC Paint Pots, and if I do say so myself, they are a pretty great 'dupe' at a fraction of the price.

  They come in 10 colors ranging from bright blue, purple and orange to matte taupe and gold.

  I personally don't wear alot of color, so I went with Bold Gold, Tough as Taupe and Bad to the Bronze.  They're all highly pigmented, easy to use (I apply with my finger) and really do wear for a long time.  I haven't tried to wear them for 24hours, but I'm sure they would if I was ever in need of looking great for 24hours...

  You can wear them on their own or use them as a base/primer for your other powder shadows.  I was wearing Bad to the Bronze the other day, and before I went to the gym, I tried to wipe a bit off with a tissue (like I normally do with regular powder shadows) and it didn't smudge.  There wasn't a single spec of color on the tissue!  These are going to be great for the Summer heat... I can just tell...

  As I mentioned, they are a great dupe for MAC Paint Pots.  Infact, you can even switch the lids on them.  The textures are so similar as well, if not identical.

  As a professional Makeup Artist, I would proudly use these in my kit.  If only they had a few more neutral colors... 

  If you haven't pick one of these up, I suggest you do.  I got mine for about $6 each and I think I'll go get a few more bolder colors for my kit.

                                          Have you tried them yet?  What are your favorites?

Hey Everyone,

  Would you like to advertise on Makeup By Erin?  It's SUPER affordable and spaces are limited!  And as a start up 'Thanks' I'm giving the spaces away for FREE!!!!

  Enter 'APRILLARGE' and receive the Large Ad space FREE!!  (Hurry, there is Only 1 Large ad space available)
  Enter 'APRILSMALL' and receive one of 5 small ad spaces FREE!!!

  Your Ad will start on April 1 and run for 30 days.

  Check out my 'advertise' page for more details!

  I'm addicted to reading all the fashion blogs about 'what they wore', so I figured, why not do a makeup edition :)  I'll figure out how to have you all 'link up' and share what you wore too!  If any of you know how to do this, PLEASE share it with me ....

  This is pretty much an everyday look for me.  I have blue/green eyes, so I like to make them pop with golds and bronzes.  I don't wear foundation every day, but I do like to even our my skin with my new favorite product, BB Cream.

Here's what I wore:
-I mix half and half Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream in Medium/dark with the VIP Gold Collection Skin 79 BB Cream (this one is way too light for me, but I LOVE the texture and all the added benefits it has) the two together for me are a perfect match
-conceal under eyes with Revlon Photo Ready concealer in #003 Light Medium
-bronze/contour with Hard Candy's So Baked Bronzer in Hula Hula
-blush from The Body Shop in #04 Golden Pink (great dupe for NARS Orgasm)
-Set with ELF High Definition Powder through the T-zone to take away any shine
-prime lids with Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr eyeshadow in #45 Bold Gold
-set the gold with NARS eyeshadow in Goldfinger up to the crease
-add the bronze side of NARS eyeshadow in Key Largo into the crease for definition
-highlight the brow bone with the peach size of NARS Key Largo
-line the upper lash line with ELF Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Coffee
-curl lashes and apply a generous amount of Revlon Mascara Grow Luscious in Black
-Lips are in Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

         


        Here's a closer look at my eyes.  

**Great tip, yellow/gold tone eye shadows make the whites of your eyes appear white**

  Have you ever wanted to look like a Movie Star or Celebrity?  There flawless, beautiful and look like a million bucks have been spent just trying to look like they do.
  Truth is, they're real people too.  Sure, most have had 'alterations' to their bodies and faces, probably get expensive peels every other week and have makeup artist and stylist following them around 24/7, but they too have flaws. 
  Check out this Celebrity Close-Up site where you get to see Celebrities, close-up...  Makes me feel a little better about my uneven skin tone and fine lines.

  I am a gloss girl through and through.  Sure, give me a great lipstick and I'll rock it, but I won't leave the house with out a coat of gloss (or tinted balm), it just makes me feel a little more 'put together'. 
  I was at the post office a few weeks ago, which also happens to be a Rexal and I stumbled upon the cosmetic section.... (by stumbled, I mean I always go to this post office as it has a cosmetic department :)  It was having a sale on there NYC Cosmetics.  Now, normally I pass on REALLY cheap makeup, but something was calling me to try one.  Boy, am I sure glad I did.  I picked up one of there Liquid Lip Shines in Fashion Avenue Fuchsia #579.  It's a beautiful bright color and ended up ONLY being $1.49  WHAT A STEAL!

  Now they 'claim' the benefits are pure pigments, 3D-effect shine, the lips feel moisturized creamy and soft texture and are non-sticky and I agree with most of their claims.  However, I find the color to be a bit sheerer then it looks.  I like this though as I prefer a suttle statement look on an daily basis.  The texture is nice, not necissarly moisturizing, but nice.  It has great shine, but doesn't last long, maybe 2 hours.  I do like though that the color sticks around after the shine is gone.

  I wouldn't quite call it a doe foot applicator, but more of an elongated doe foot.  It bends a bit while applying which makes it easier to apply it precisly.

  It's a beautiful Fuchsia, almost a Raspberry if you will.  It's sheer, but buildable.

  It gives a great pop of color and I'm sure it's going to be one of my favorite Summer colors.  If I find them on sale again, I will definatly be picking up a few more colors!

                  What are your favorite 'frugal' lip glosses?