MAKE UP FOR EVER Remix Tour Chicago - my experience + photos!

        Last Saturday I brought my makeup bag to the MAKE UP FOR EVER Remix Tour's stop in Chicago! As I mentioned earlier (see here), the Remix Tour is all about teaching old makeup bags new tricks. Every beauty gets to work one-on-one with a Pro-Artist to make the most of what she already has. I took a bunch of photos so you could experience the Remix tour with me. Enjoy!

The MAKE UP FOR EVER Remix Tour took place in a huge MAKE UP FOR EVER trailer, not in a store. Most of the stations were inside, however there were a couple seats outside.

I was ushered inside to the seating area with sweets and magazines. I of course took an obligatory Dovey-was-here gold Sperry shot!

While waiting, I filled out the face chart below with my current makeup products and checked out some of the photos of beauty lovers who had had their makeup remixed.

A collage of makeover shots also decorated the walls of the mini lounge.

Here's a shot of the inside of the trailer, where everyone got their makeup done by MAKEUP FOR EVER's Pro Artists! The artists at the Remix tour were from all over the U.S. and even Canada.

I was lucky to get paired with Kelly B., who was awesome! She's a MAKE UP FOR EVER Educator and Artistry director who trains and works with artists at a number of Sephora locations in the midwest.

I chose to focus on MAKE UP FOR EVER products in my makeup bag (see some of my stash here), but any brands were welcome at this event. In addition to learning about my own stash, I had the chance to try new colors at the station as well!

During my 30 minute session, we decided to focus on face basics. The MAKE UP FOR EVER products she used on me were : HD Primer #0, Mat Velvet #35, HD Concealer #335 (undereye), Full Cover #7 (face), HD Concealer #310 (highlight).

I learned a bit about the nuances of MAKE UP FOR EVER concealers. The Full Cover formula has a thicker consistency and is convenient for blemishes as it's tough and more waterproof, while the HD Concealer is a bit more emollient and nice to use for the undereye. The lighter shade of the HD concealer can also be used as a subtle highlight!

My favorite part of the session dealt with brows! Kelly went through the brow positioning basics; it's one thing to know the theory... but another to have a pro do it for you. She suggests starting drawing underneath your brows in the middle, near your arch, then work outwards. If you start elsewhere, your line may become rounded and lose the point of arching.

For the eyes, Kelly chose Aqua Cream #2 (Steel). I learned that a fluffy brush or gentle patting can add a gorgeous veil of color.  The look was finished off with Eyeshadow #40 and Aqua Liner #13.

Naturally, I had to get a list of Kelly's favorite products :

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Smoky Lash Mascara

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Black Cream Eyeliner

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Brow #25

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Blush #2 Raspberry

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Powder

Here's a last look at some of the MAKE UP FOR EVER Stations!

I made a point of enjoying some of the displays before heading out. I wouldn't mind having a MAKE UP FOR EVER lipstick or HD foundation collection that looks like this --- a girl can dream!

... and a final goodbye to the truck. I love MAKE UP FOR EVER's artistry photos!

        Overall, I had a great time at the MAKE UP FOR EVER Remix Tour Chicago. It was really one of the best makeovers I've had in a while (thank you Kelly!). By the end, I looked great and learned a lot. It's not often that you have the chance to get educated by talented Pro Artists in an outside-the-counter experience. I definitely recommend stopping by the Remix Tour if you're able to make its final stop in Toronto. For those who couldn't make it to the tour, there's still good news: MAKE UP FOR EVER is partnering will Skillshare (partnership here) to offer free online classes to the public.

          Thanks for reading! Did you stop by a MAKE UP FOR EVER Remix Tour? What are your favorite MAKE UP FOR EVER products?

Love, Dovey.
Disclaimer: I was invited to this event by MAKE UP FOR EVER All thoughts are genuine and my own.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Makeup Bag Remix Tour Chicago : will you be there?

          Next weekend, I'll be getting my makeup bag 'remixed' when the MAKE UP FOR EVER Remix Tour comes to Chicago! A group of MAKE UP FOR EVER Professional Artists have been traveling across the U.S. teaching beauty lovers new ways to use what they already own. All you have to do is bring in a bag of your own makeup (it can be any brand) and sign up for a complementary 30 minute session with a Pro Artist!

          The MAKE UP FOR EVER Remix Tour will be in the Chicago-land area from April 6-7, 2013. Originally, the event had been planned in downtown Chicago, however I recently got word that it has been moved to Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie. You can reserve your session through  MAKE UP FOR EVER's facebook page. Thanks for reading! Have you signed up or attended the MAKE UP FOR EVER Remix Tour in your city? Let me know if you're planning on attending the tour in Chicago!

Love, Dovey.
Disclaimer : Some of the products in the above photo were sent for consideration, others are from my personal collection. The MAKE UP FOR EVER link in this post is not an affiliate link; it's present for your convenience.

My NARS 413 Bleecker makeover

           A blistering 95 degree summer day and a heavy traveling bag couldn’t stop me from making my way to the New York City NARS Flagship store on 413 Bleecker Street. It’s a makeup pilgrimage that any NARS devotee hopes to make. On my recent trip to New York, I finally had the chance to go to 413 Bleecker with my friend and fellow NARS enthusiast, Ponyo.

          NARS 413 Bleecker is nestled on a cozy street full of high end boutiques. A few steps away, you’ll find Marc Jacobs and BOOKMARC, Marc’s bookstore.  Further down the street, you’ll find other beauty boutiques, including Dyptique (absolutely gorgeous), MAC,  and L’Occitane.  It’s nothing like the madness in Midtown. Bleecker street has a neighborhood feel. The storefront was currently promoting the NARS Orgasm line (see below).

         When we entered the boutique, we were greeted by a heavenly blast of cool air. Next to the doorway, there was a black and white framed photo of Marcel, Francois Nars’ late French bulldog who was a well-loved NARS icon.  On the right wall, there was a small mantle displaying inspirational books on art, makeup, and film, including as Francois Nars’ own, and NARS candles as well.  In the center, there were a few small upright displays of recent collections, including NARS Orgasm, NARS Summer 2012, and the NARS Thakoon nail polish collection. On the far wall, there was long and breathtaking display of all the NARS colors you could possibly imagine. If I remember correctly, there was symmetry in the form of at least two iterations of the entire collection so there was room for everyone to play.  A couple screen monitors played the current NARS Orgasm promotional video with Ginta Lapina. And of course, here were artist stations and mirrors galore.

         Since Ponyo and I were overly enthusiastic about this trip, we were the first people to show up. The staff were nice and let us play around for probably all too long. I'm sure we were there for at least an hour, if not two! Even without appointment on a busy Saturday afternoon, Pierette, the boutique manager, generously made time to give us both makeovers. (Those of you who visited the NARS pop-up booth in the MAKE UP SHOW Chicago, may have met her!).
I have to say I loved the result. The image below is the face chart that she created for me. It's absolutely gorgeous. A work of art. I'm going to keep this memento safely tucked away in a plastic sleeve!

          When creating the look, Pierette asked me what I'd be interested in trying. I'm currently trying to build my NARS singles / permanent eyeshadow collection so I asked for a look with a red-toned brown eyeshadow. I had also wanted to try NARS Maldives Multiple and NARS Buenos Aires velvet gloss pencil for a while, so I mentioned that. You can see the result above, and read how to get the look below.

          I decided to keep my NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe on for convenience sake. Pierette cleaned up my existing eye makeup with NARS eye makeup remover, but kept my NARS Larger than Life Volumizing Mascara on. She applied NARS Smudgeproof eyeshadow base and dusted NARS Night Star, a glittery peach as a base color. (Apparently Night Star was a big seller in Chicago). She applied NARS Nepal eyeshadow, a rosy light brown, on my lids and blended in NARS Lola Lola, a red-tinged neutral brown. She finished by lining my upper and lower lashline with NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliner in Bourbon St., a dark plum-purple. I'd never reach for purple liner, but the richness of Bourbon St. combined with Lola Lola was beautiful. She finished with a simple application of NARS Maldives Multiple on my cheeks. Maldives is a lighter multiple, but it looked very pretty alone in combination with the eye. On the lips, she used NARS Buenos Aires Velvet Gloss pencil in combination with NARS Larger Than Life lip gloss in Gold Digger. Every last bit of the look was love. If you have any of these products at home, I'd definitely recommend trying to recreate it. I certainly will. I wish you could have seen Ponyo's face chart too. It was completely the opposite of mine with NARS Habanera eyeshadow duo on the eyes, but equally gorgeous.

           I certainly wished I could walk out with everything on my list; many of those items have been on my long term wishlist for a while now! However, I did limit myself knowing the NARS Fall 2012 collection is around the corner (it launches on July 13 at 413 Bleecker, lucky New Yorkers!). I purchased NARS Lal Mirchi nail polish from the NARS Thakoon collection. It was the one color I wanted from NARS Thakoon, but it happened to be the one color exclusive to the 413 Bleecker or online. It's of course more fun to buy it in store! NARS Chinatown is a NARS film noir classic and has been on my wishlist forever! Chinatown is the perfect deep red. Its availability on Sephora online is on and off, so I figured I should get it now for convenience and sentimental value. NARS Lola Lola was the product I indulged in from makeover. I don't have any red-browns in my collection since that's a color I'm getting into more recently. It's really pretty and I couldn't be happier to add it to my collection!

          So that's it! My dream of making it to NARS 413 BLKR became a reality and it was just as wonderful as I hoped. I owe a thanks to the staff who made it a wonderful experience and a big thanks to my friend Ponyo, without whom I'd probably never have made it there to begin with!!
 Thanks for reading! Have you been  to 413 BLKR? What NARS products are you loving now?

Love, Dovey.

LUSH Emotional Brilliance preview

          I had the most colorful night tonight at the LUSH Cosmetics unveiling of their brand new color cosmetics line Emotional Brilliance. I love color, LUSH, and cosmetics, so you can imagine how wildly excited I was to be there for U.S. preview! The concept of Emotional Brilliance is for your makeup color to correspond and reinforce your state of mind, as opposed to simply following trends or tendencies. LUSH worked with Strategic Behavioral Therapist Lady Kennedy  to create a list of words that correspond with each color. If you've been prowling the web like me for tidbits on Emotional Brilliance, you might have seen images of the Emotional Brilliance color wheel. Read on for more on that color wheel, as well as my event experience!

          To start on a foodie note, there were Emotional Brilliance themed cupcakes, which I thought were darling. So darling, in fact, that I forgot to eat one. (I'm currently regretting this!)

          Most of us had focused on the Emotional Brilliance color wheel, however it turns out that there are four supplementary makeup products as well: Emotional Brilliance Translucent Powder ($18.95), Skin Tints ($18.95) in Feeling Younger and Charisma, and Eyes Right Mascara ($18.95).


          One of the best parts of the event was that I got to meet fellow Chicago beauty bloggers, including Laurie of Product Girl and Phyllis of Makeup for Life. It's wonderful to finally meet the ladies on the other side of the screen (and it's so cool to meet beauty bloggers that inspired me when mine was but a fledgeling blog).

          For the color reading, we were beckoned into a mystical candlelit back room where we got our color reading from the much anticipated Emotional Brilliance color wheel. The idea is to spin the wheel and as it slows to a stop, pick the first three colors that stand out to you at the moment. The colors and order you pick them in reveal your current state of mind.

Let's go for a spin!

          The three colors you choose will be placed on the middle of the table in the order that they were picked. The first color symbolizes your Strenght or Weakness. The second symbolizes your Subconscious Need. The third symbolizes your Talent, and it is what you require to realize your subconscious need.The three colors I picked were completely different than what I'd imagined beforehand. It's funny how the spin of the wheel really frees your mind of color preconceptions.

          My first color Glamorous, a cool rose pink, was my strength or weakness. (Let's hope for the sake of my beauty blog that it's a strength and not a weakness). Coincidentally, Laurie also picked the same first color; maybe it is a beauty blogger thing. My second color Strong, a fabulous orange red, is my subconscious need. I love orange reds, and can't be happier that my subconscious picked this. My third color Vibrance, a shimmery orange, is my talent. I do love surrounding myself with vibrant colors and experiences! According to the Emotional Brilliance concept, by wearing these colors I'll reinforce these three concepts in my life by both conscious (word) and subconscious (color) association.

          It turns out that all three of the products I picked were LUSH Liquid Lips (the lip products). I'll try to have swatches and a review soon! Depending on the color, there are also Liquid Eyeliners and Cream Eyeshadows. All are priced at $22.95 for 8g.

          The Emotional Brilliance colors all come in clear glass medicine dropper inspired bottles so you can see the color and how much product you have left. The glass can easily be recycled or washed and reused. The black caps that hold the applicators are actually made from plastic recycled from LUSH black pots. (FYI If you bring five black pots back to LUSH, you can get a fresh facemask free!)

          There were so many colors to choose from; it was fun seeing how different everyone's picks were from the wheel!

            I had such a fantastic time at the LUSH Emotional Brilliance event. I'm a color + personality believer, so I can only say good things about the color wheel experience. I totally recommend it! The LUSH Emotional Brilliance Collection Launches July 21, 2012. There will also be an online app where you can get a read in case you don't have a LUSH around. Happy spinning!

Love, Dovey.

NARS 'Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself' Cheek Kit (Nordstrom Exclusive)

Makeup Your Mind Nordstrom Exclusive Cheek Kit (without flash)

As a continuation of my NARS-issistic weekends series, today I'm sharing the Nordstrom Exclusive 'Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself' Cheek Kit. To celebrate the release of Francois NARS's new book, Nordstrom has three exclusive sets: a cheek kit, and eye kit, and a lip kit. I pre-ordered the cheek kit to get signed at the 'Meet Francois NARS' event that I blogged about earlier, while my friend Ponyo ordered the lip kit. I still can't believe I got to meet him!! But I digress...

Makeup Your Mind Nordstrom Exclusive Cheek Kit (with flash)

The NARS cheek kit had a full size Laguna Bronzer, full size Copacabana multiple, and Duo Blush in Orgasm and Angelika. I chose this set because all the products are quintessential NARS basics that I didn't have yet, with the exception of Orgasm. I did almost buy the lip set, but lip colors are a bit more personal and I figured I'd rather just buy the exact colors I wanted. I've only used the products for a couple days now, but here are my initial thoughts and swatches:

1. NARS Laguna bronzer- it's a lot lighter than I thought it would be, which for me is an awesome thing for my light skin ( NC20-25? / NARS Gobi / Bobbi Brown 2.5 Warm Sand). It's a golden brown that has shimmer, but isn't too apparent. I used Bobbi Brown's Face blender brush, which is a very light fluffy blush to contour my cheeks and add some color to my temples and jawline. It was just the perfect amount of color: noticeable, but not too subtle or dirty looking. I was pleasantly surprised! I think I do need to give some credit to my brush though, which does seem to work well for light application.  With the right brush, this bronzer seems hard to overdo, however it likely looks good thanks to the golden tones in my skin. I imagine Laguna might be more stark against cool-tones (but that's just my guess). I can also see why darker skin tones would favor NARS casino, since this bronzer is a lot lighter than I'd imagined! So far, I'm really liking this. The size is huge, and it'll take forever to make a dent in this pan!

2. NARS Multiple in Copacabana- I'll admit, I was a little scared to take the jump and get a multiple after reading reviews about poor lasting time and oiliness, as well as the possibility that it might make me break out.  However, so far I'm pleased, and happy to have this in my stash. Copacabana gives such a nice subtle sheen that really is un-noticeable unless the light is hitting my face. When light does hit my face, it looks really pretty. It's described as being a "silvery sheen", however it looks completely natural against my light olive/yellow skin. I apply using clean fingers to my upper cheekbones, nose bridge, and under the arches of my eyebrows. It's really fun, and easy. I tend to have an oily T-zone, however I don't think the multiple disappears too quickly, and it doesn't look oily either. Perhaps this is because I'm applying lightly with fingers instead of directly rubbing the stick on my face. I can't see how setting it with powder would help ---sometimes having too much powder + cream works against you and causes more sliding. So, so far thumbs up. I don't think it's worth the nearly $40 price tag, but I'm happy to buy it in my kit. I haven't noticed severe break out problems yet, but I'll definitely edit this post if I do.

3. NARS Blush in Orgasm and Angelika - I don't need to write much about the blush. If you follow my blog, you know that Orgasm is my HG blush. Despite already having Orgasm, I purchased this because I didn't have Angelika yet (and wanted it), and I figured a duo would be convenient for travel. I've only worn Angelika once because I've been using NARS Sex Appeal lately, however I'm 100% sure I'll like it.

Swatches of NARS Laguna bronzer, NARS Orgasm blush, NARS Angelika blush, and NARS Copacabana illuminator.

All in all a really nice set of NARS basics for face, if you don't have the products yet. Although, only real makeup junkies would feel the need to add bronzer, blush, and highlighter as a part of their daily routine =P. If you're a "simpler is better" person, I'd probably recommend checking out the other two kits (eye and lip) instead.

I hope you enjoyed reading! There's still more NARS to come.

Love, Dovey.

P.S. Be sure to check out my I met Francois NARS!' post if you missed it. It's the root of my NARS-issistic obsession.

I met Francois NARS!

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