It has been about a week since I filmed my first impression on this foundation which you can watch riiiiiight here! For more thoughts, read below the video.

Everything about this foundation sounds right – hydrating, dewy, great coverage. But I have SUCH mixed reviews on this foundation! While I love the way the foundation sat on my cheeks, I found that it quickly wore off my nose especially and chin. I’ve tried a few different primers but none of them seem to make the foundation adhere to my nostrils (does anyone have a tip for this problem?!). Benefit’s Porefessional has been working ok with this foundation but I still haven’t found the holy grail combination!

I also found that I don’t like either a brush or sponge to apply this product – I actually prefer using my fingers! I never use my fingers to apply foundation but I was getting desperate and I really want to love this foundation so I tried it and I loved the result! Because it is a thinner, lower coverage product it is ideal for applying this way, much like a BB Cream.

PROS:

• Perfect color match
• Thin formula that easily builds
• Lasts well on the places it does stay
• Looks natural on the skin

CONS

• Dropper is not easy to use and doesn’t dispense product consistently
• You need a lot of product! Both my sponge and brush sucked up a considerable amount of product
• Without proper setting it easily comes off

I put together a few alternative Valentine’s Day looks for the Cool Down Blog! The red eye/black lip combo is giving me some serious My Chemical Romance vibes and I dig it BIG TIME! Peep the blog post & video below!

http://cooldownblog.com/valentines-day-makeup-amber-rae-beauty/

Filming a Valentine’s Day look will forever be special to me, as it was the first video I ever uploaded. If you want to check out the cringe-fest that was my first ever video you can peep it here! Anyways, I wanted to use this crazy pretty Stila Magnificent Metals eye shadow I rarely touch & what better excuse to use a pinky, insanely reflective shadow than for the sake of the day of love? If you have time to play with makeup before a date, DO IT! If that’s not your thing, who cares. I know you are just as beautiful without a stitch of makeup on your face & so do your loved ones. Enjoy your day with whoever is lucky enough to spend it with you! xx

PRODUCTS

• Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer
• NYX First Base Primer
• Makeup Forever HD Foundation – 117
• MAC Prolongwear Concealer – NW20
• RCMA No Color Powder
• MAC Prep + Prime 24 Hour Extend Eye Base
• Makeup Geek Eye Shadow – Beaches & Cream, Purely Naked, Bitten
• Stila Magnificent Metals Eye Shadow – Kitten
• Kat Von D Tattoo Liner – Trooper
• Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Volum’ Express Mascara
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara
• Kat Von D Shade + Light Blush – Piaf + Poe
• Makeup Geek x Kathleen Lights Highlighter – Starlight
• MAC Prep + Prime Lip Primer
• Rimmel Lip Liner – Spice
• NYX Lip Lingerie – Exotic
• MAC Fix+ Spray

Friends! It’s been a minute. I haven’t filmed for a bit because ya know, life happens. We are in the midst of house hunting, trying to cope with politics & catching up on much needed sleep after the holidays. The first video back is using the stunning Persona Cosmetics Identity Palette, which is supposed to be excellent for brown eyes (spoiler alert: IT IS!). I have been following Sona on YouTube forever, and was super stoked when she announced her own cosmetics line. Her aesthetic is sultry, sexy & perfectly blended, so I knew whatever she released would be along those lines. If you want to know how I feel about the palette, watch the video below!

PRODUCTS

• Urban Decay optical Illusion Primer
• Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer – Light
• Makeup Forever HD Foundation – 117
• RCMA No Color Powder
• MAC Prep + Prime 24 Hour Extend Eye Base
• Persona Cosmetics Identity Palette
• MAC Fix+ Spray
• Urban Decay Naked 24/7 Glide-On Double Ended Pencil – Naked 2
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara + Primer
• Colourpop Cosmetics Brow Pencil – Bangin’ Brunette
• Becca Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector – Champagne Pop
• Tarte Bronzer – Park Avenue Princess
• MAC Ariana Grande Lipstick
• NYX Lip Liner – Prune
• Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color – Caviar Couture
• Wet n Wild Photo Focus Setting Spray

I want to start by thanking every single one of you for reading my posts, watching my videos & leaving sweet comments. It means so much to have people enjoy  and connect to what is my greatest passion & hobby, outside of my 9-5. I can’t wait to enter into a new year full of fresh new ideas and brand new content! I hope you all have the best holiday season of hugging the people you love, putting away a few of your favorite beverages & dousing yourself in a fair amount of glitter.

Here’s a roundup of some of my personal favorites from 2016 – let me know what you want to see in 2017!

A+ song, bf cameo & GLITTER!

This combination of colors still gets me psyched.

Potentially the most fun I’ve ever had with a makeup look – like a unicorn barfed on my face and I loved it!

I used a color outside my usual go-tos, paired it with glitter & couldn’t believe how cool it looked. Trying new things is neat!

My boyf knows his way around a makeup collection but it’s hilarious hearing him try to explain it, and being so shocked by how much it takes to look decent!

Easily the most festive look I’ve ever created, inspired by a stunning, talented woman!

Love you all! xx

Confession – I like a country holiday album. Country music is not a part of my repertoire, but for some reason I have been all about Kacey Musgraves’ album A Very Kacey Christmas. It is classy but sweet, including classics and originals. When she released her latest video I was mesmerized by her glittery lips, fluttery eyes and green-ish cut crease eye. I loved it so much, in fact, that I tracked down a glitter lip & recreated this look for you! Just in time for your holiday parties.

PRODUCTS
Smashbox Photo Ready Oil Primer
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation – Mont Blanc
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer  – Light
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer – Light
RCMA No Color Powder
MAC Prep + Prime 24 Hour Extend Eye Base
Makeup Geek Eye Shadows – Mirage, Typhoon, Purely Naked, Envy
BH Cosmetics Shaaanxo Palette
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner – Stingray
L’Oreal Gel Liner
L’Oreal Primer Mascara
Marc Jacobs Mascara
XO Beauty Lashes (from the Naturals set)
Physician’s Formula Bronzer – Butter Bronzer
Becca Cosmetics Jaclyn Hill Highlighter Palette – Pearl, Champagne Pop
Tattoo Junkee – Pucker Up Lip Color

I was rifling through my makeup collection looking for inspiration for this video & came up with my favorite look ever using collaborations by different YouTubers! Dramatic and glittery and with a twist of color.

PRODUCTS

• Too Faced Power of Makeup Palette by Nikkie Tutorials – Painkiller, Makeup & Chill, Mystic Hour, Wanted, Chocolate Bronzer
• Too Faced Shadow Insurance
• Too Faced Glitter – Glitterally
• Too Faced Stretch Marker – Black
• L’Oreal Liner – Turquoise
• Becca Backlight Priming Filter
• CoverGirl Ready, Set Gorgeous Foundation – 120
• it Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye – Light Medium
• RCMA No Color Powder
• Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Glow Palette – Prosecco Pop, Amaretto
• Makeup Geek x Kathleen Lights Highlight Palette – Starlight, Sunlight
• House of Lashes Tinkerbell Collection – Just Wing It
• House of Lashes Glue
• Maybelline Volum’ Express Pumped Up Mascara
• Colourpop Lippie Stick – Aquarius
• NYX Dewy Setting Spray