Opal Stevens

MAC's Russian Red has been a cult favorite for a very long time and after purchasing it, I can see why! MAC lipsticks are sold for 14.50 for .10 oz, and I think the price is a perfect mid-range that is appealing to all budgets. The cool tone of the red makes this lipstick very appealing as it is dark enough to be worn in the day and night, it is the perfect "mid-tone neutral red". The coolness of it also makes it nice to wear because it makes your teeth look whiter ;) MAC's Russian Red is a matte finish lipstick that is mostly a mid-tone red but it does appear cooler against my warm skin tone, the undertone really depends on the person. It is very opaque and the staying power is amazing, although a bit drying. I usually apply a lip liner all over my lips and then apply the lipstick, this ensures the lipstick will stay all day. The lipstick is part of the permanent line and I would definitely recommend it if you are on the lookout for an amazing red. MAC also o...

2011 was filled with much joy, surprises, and some sadness... It went by so fast, just like every other year. In this post I will be sharing my favorite or most used beauty products of 2011. SKINCARE Philosophy Purity Cleanser:  A non-foaming one step facial cleanser. It removes makeup, cleanses your face, and is also a toner. This cleanser was love at first use for me, I received it in my Birchbox and immediately went to Sephora to buy another bottle. Clarisonic Mia:  I received my Clarisonic Mia and immediately fell in love, I use it along with the Purity cleanser and I have never felt my skin so soft. The fast moving bristles help to clean your skin and wash away impurities. Sweet Pea Body Spray:  Bath and Body Works has released many new scents but Sweet Pea will always hold a special place in my heart. It is the first scent I think of when thinking of B&BW, this year I went all out and I bought the whole set (body spray, lotion, and body was...

“This moisture rich formula hydrates conditions and softens on contact for silky smooth lips. Instantly beautiful, healthy-looking lips designed, formulated and tested by our professional team of makeup artists.”  The description E.L.F provides is pretty much dead on! I am in love with the formulation of this lipsticks. They glide on smoothly and feel like butter on my lips, and at only $1 they are a definite steal.  E.L.F offers a variety of 12 colors, 6 of which are new. I own two: Gypsy & Classy.  Gypsy is a beautiful berry colored pink, while classy is more of a cool toned natural pink.  I have bought Classy two times because I love it so much, it is one of those colors that looks like my natural lip color...BUT BETTER :) You receive a total of 3.5 g of product and it comes in your average lipstick twist-up tube. The container is made of plastic but I have found that it is resistant and does not break easily.  The color pay off is ...

Hello Girls! First and foremost I would like to introduce myself.... My name is MARLA. I am a sixteen year old girl living in a small town and I am totally obsessed with makeup :) I have a blog called Makeup By Marla (creative right? ha ha) and I do different posts on makeup related things. I feel honored to get the chance to be featured on Opal Stevens and I also am really happy I got the chance to share a NYE makeup look with all of you. :) Please don't hesitate in leaving me feedback or tips. HAPPY NEW YEARS! - Marla

Hard Candy Fox In A Box: "A highly pigmented multi-color powder compact that will surely bring out your inner foxy  lady. Each box contains coordinated shades that blend together perfectly and a custom Hard  Candy applicator brush. Sweep across chin, cheeks, and forehead and unleash the foxiness in  you!" Coordinated shades that blend together perfectly Includes custom Hard Candy applicator brush Hard Candy Stroke Of Gorgeous Felt Tip Liner, Storm : "Hard Candy Stroke Of Gorgeous Felt Tip Liner is a long-lasting, waterproof felt tip  eyeliner that defines eyes in one easy stroke of gorgeous. Saturated felt tip delivers a high dose  of intense color. Each liner is infused with growth serum to promote long term lash growth." Hard Candy Kaleyedescope Baked Eye Shadow Duo, Pick Up Line: "Perfect palettes of highly pigmented, wet-dry shadows that instantly bring color & eyes  to life." &...

I'm very excited to announce this week's "Beauty Blogger of the Week" - the beautiful and super adorable Judi! I absolutely love reading all her posts, especially her FOTDs! Everyone should definitely check out her blog My Tongue Split the Hemisphere .  How did you get started blogging? I’ve had personal blogs online since 2002. I’ve written everywhere from diaryland to livejournal to my own domain.  However, I only started beauty blogging this past month.  I had a strong desire to write about the things I was discovering and loving, and I wanted a home for all of the FOTD’s I was taking.  At first I was just sharing these things on twitter, but 140 characters is just not enough! Beauty trend you love? I love the coral trend this summer! Coral lips or coral blush, it looks good on a surprising number of people. Favorite fashion trend? I love seeing other people mix prints, particularly stripes and floral.  I tend to wear a...

This is the same airbrush system used on TV, FILM and PRINT to help make celebrities look flawless. Now Luminess Air brings the same PROFESSIONAL technology home for everyone to use. It's fast, easy and the results are BREATHTAKING. The entire system weights only 1.5lbs and comes with our silver "Hello" clutch bag. This stylish bag holds your airbrush system and has generous space for your everyday makeup! Use it everyday or take it with you while traveling. I am in love - this is one of the most amazing product I have ever tried! This Luminess Air system gives your face a flawless and radiant glow, while completely covering up your blemishes. I was a little scared about reviewing this, because I wasn't sure that air brushing was something a girl with no professional makeup experience could do. But after watching the instructional dvd it was so easy it's not even funny! With this system you can go for a sheer look, a natural look, and even a high-coverage ...

Hard Candy Kal-eye-descope Baked Eyeshadow Duo This is Hard Candy's  Daydream 260 , a shimmery purple and silver color duo. I must say that I absolutely love these two colors! They are nicely pigmented so you don't have to apply too much to get the results you want. And it lasts throughout the entire day as long as you make sure to use an eye primer.  If you want the colors to be really bright and as close as possible to the colors in the compact I would suggest applying them wet (you can find a great article on how to apply eyeshadow wet,  here .) I was really impressed! Hard Candy has many amazing and fashion-forward colors in their  Kal-eye-descope Baked Eyeshadow collection . Hard Candy Hide & Glow Cheek Cheek Tint Duo This is Hard Candy's  In Love 315 , a beautiful duo of a bright pink and a more subtle pinkish-golden cream cheek colors. The colors aren't very pigmented so you have to rub it on your cheeks a few times, but it's seriously easy to do. ...

Everyday Minerals is driven by the urge to help women to feel beautiful by using products that contain only the finest essential ingredients. This organic, vegan, and eco-friendly company is based out of Austin, TX and specializes in healthy, affordable, and sustainable products with a  premium quality and an innovative collection of vibrant colors and shades. Founder, creator of new products, and pioneer in the green makeup revolution, Carina Menzies strives to empower every woman's inner beauty to shine by focusing on what women love most about makeup: effortless application, long lasting qualities, versatile shades, and most importantly, fun!  Swatches From Left To Right: Hot Chocolate (eyeshadow), Smokey Pink  (eyeshadow), Sprung! (blush), DVR Saturday (blush) First of all, I must say that the pigmentation of these blushes and eyeshadows is amazing. Especially considering the size and price of these products. The blushes were only $9, the travel sized smok...