By Terry Ombre Blackstar: The Eye-Wateringly Expensive Product that's Worth Every Penny

I mentioned in my Travel Makeup Bag post that I recently became the proud owner of a By Terry Ombre Blackstar eyeshadow stick. Whenever I find a brand that I didn't know was available in the US and had only heard UK bloggers rave about, I just have to try something (see my Current Skincare Loves post where I felt the need to pick up both the Peptabright and Hydraluron serums from Indeed Labs). Everything at the By Terry counter I stumbled upon in Barneys New York looked so beautiful that I had a hard time picking one product, but in the end I went with the eyeshadow stick because I thought I'd get the most use out of it.

Now, let me start by saying that this line is incredibly expensive (as in this product was $43, a lip balm is $60, and foundation is $115). But judging by the quality of the one product I have, I think the line might just be worth every penny. This is one of the most versatile eye products I own. I can apply it all over the lid or as a liner, in the crease for some added oomph, built up to a rich color or sheered out. It applies like a dream as well. For cream eyeshadows I'm used to the Maybelline Color Tattoos which feel quite thick and dry, so I was so surprised to feel how creamy and almost wet this felt.  It's so easy to blend out - literally just one swipe with a finger and you have a perfectly diffused wash of color. And once it sets, it's there all day. I have the problem of while having super dry skin, I still get very oily eyelids and every eyeshadow will crease on me without a primer (and sometimes with primer, too). I had heard that these wouldn't budge all day, so I decided to put it to the test, and the first time I tried it I did not use a primer. When I felt that creamy consistency I mentioned earlier, I felt that things would not fare well for me. But I was absolutely amazed that at the end of the day, my eyeshadow looked exactly the same as when I had applied it in the morning. This has become my ultimate running late product because it literally takes me 5 seconds to swipe on and blend out, and I know it'll be there all day.

I should probably mention that the color I got is Misty Rock. It's the most beautiful blend of purple/gray/bronze/brown/taupe with maybe some red thrown in, too. Since it has so many facets and tones to it, it would look beautiful on any eye color. The purple and reddish tones in it really call attention to my brown eyes, but there's a flattering color for any eye color mixed in there. I've worn this almost every day since buying it, and I've already added the colors Bronze Moon and Brown Perfection to my Christmas list!

Have you tried an Ombre Blackstar before? What did you think?

Autumn Lips: The Brown Tones

MAC Patisserie, MAC Creme in Your Coffee, Maybelline Touch of Spice, Maybelline Caramel Infused, MAC Whirl

If you read my Berry Lips post, you'll know that I fully embrace that autumn trend. But one other lip trend I've really gotten into this fall is a lovely alternative to all the berries and burgundies - still rich but with hints of brown rather than purple.

The palest and most "MLBB-ish" of the roundup is MAC's Patisserie Lipstick (a Lustre formula). This is simply a sheer neutral pink. It's too light to have a real brown tone, so I'd say there is some beige running through it. This makes it look super natural and a good one to pair with an autumn smoky eye - though this is as nude as I'll go.

Another pick with a hint more color is the Maybelline Color Elixir in the shade Caramel Infused. I'm a huge fan of the Color Elixirs so it baffles me that I only have two in my collection. This caramel shade is a bit more pink than the name would suggest, but still does have that hint of brown in. I absolutely love the formula of these - they're so creamy and moisturizing and almost feel like a gel consistency. They're not sticky at all yet last a while on the lips, and the most fascinating part is how "cushion-y" it feels on the lips.

The first lip product that got me into this trend was the MAC Lipstick in Crème in your Coffee. It's a creamsheen formula, so it's super moisturizing and feels lovely. This is a similar shade to the Color Elixir, but a little deeper and more noticeable on the lips. On me, I think this is the most flattering of the bunch. If I don't want to go too bold on the lips but still want something noticeable, I'll almost always grab this. A similar color by MAC but matte and a little more brown is Velvet Teddy. I'm hoping to add it to my collection soon, but it's always sold out thanks to the news that it's the one Kylie Jenner uses.

Another product that fits perfect into this color family is the MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl. It's a dark nude color with quite a lot of brown to it - it's perfect on its own or with a layer of Crème in your Coffee or Patisserie on top. Other lip pencils from MAC I'm dying to get my hands on are the ones in the colors Soar and Spice - judging by the name of Spice it would fit in with my collection nicely, and Soar is more of a pink/mauve option.

The latest and most bold addition to my collection is the Maybelline Creamy Matte Lip Color in the shade Touch of Spice. I'm pleasantly surprised with how much I like the formula of these. They're not a true flat matte, but rather more of a satin finish. I like that because you get the longevity without the discomfort or drying of the lips. On my lips this pulls a little more red than the swatch is showing, so it does look like a true spice color.  A similar product also from the drugstore is the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry (which I sadly no longer have in my collection but must repurchase!).

Are you a fan of the brown-toned trend?

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?

A couple weekends ago I went to Boston for a few days to visit my sister at school. I was able to mostly whittle down the contents I lug around in my usual makeup bag to a more travel-friendly edit, so I thought I'd share my picks with you.


I was anticipating not wanting to faff around with a time-consuming base, so I opted for the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. I love how this looks just applied with fingers, so I didn't even need to pack a brush.  I also threw in the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer because it can be used on dark circles, blemishes, and redness, and it can also be easily blended in with fingers. For brows I went back to old favorite Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz so I wouldn't have to fuss with the brush and the pot for the Dipbrow Pomade. For eyeshadow I decided to bring the Naked2 Basics Palette because it's my current favorite palette. It houses 6 eyeshadows to create an array of looks, and the size is perfect for travel. It also has a nice-sized mirror, so it cut out the need to bring a separate one. To apply the eyeshadows I brought my MAC 217 brush because it's brilliant at both applying color and blending it out. I threw in the sample size of the Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayon in Brown(Out) not only because of its small size, but also for its creamy consistency that is so easy to apply and stays all day. I couldn't go without my eyelash curler, and I also brought the L'Oreal Telescopic Extensions Mascara because it's good for both minimal makeup or layered up for a more dramatic look. For cheeks I also brought along another no-brush wonder, the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Pink Escape. Usually I bring along way too many lip options, but I pared it down to MAC's Patisserie lipstick and the Maybelline Color Elixir in Caramel Infused. I was recently so excited to finally find the Stella by Stella McCartney Eau de Parfum, and especially in a rollerball, so I just had to throw that in as well.

And as a reward for sticking with me until the end of this post, I also thought I'd include the mini-haul of a couple new products I got. After searching numerous Sephoras and always finding them sold out, I finally found the Nars Audacious Lipstick in Audrey in Barneys New York. It's one of the most beautiful colors I own, a muted yet deep berry-red, and so far it's one of my favorite lipstick formulas - a creamy satin finish that's so comfortable to wear and very long lasting. My sister picked up the same lipstick in the shade Anna, and I'm definitely eyeing that one up as well. While looking around Barneys I stumbled upon a By Terry counter and was so thrilled because I was unaware the brand was available in the US. I just had to pick up an Ombre Blackstar in the shade Misty Rock, a flattering mix of purple/red/taupe/bronze, because of the love it gets from Tanya Burr. I sense a rave for this product coming up in a post soon, so keep an eye out for that!

What kinds of products do you bring on a weekend away?