Raves & Reviews: Eyeliners

Eyeliner is the most intimidating makeup item in my bag. I started using it regularly in college and ever since I've been struggling to find the perfect fit for my style. I'm still not very good at applying it (getting better) so the way it goes on and how thick the tip is are the first things I look for. I've come across some samples lately so let me tell you about what I've been trying lately: 

Tarte EmphasEYES High Def Eye Pencil (Sephora, $18): 

My favorite these days - goes on very precisely, probably because of the fine tip and relatively hard consistency. If an eyeliner is too creamy or thick I end up getting it all over the place, so this makes it easy for me to apply with broad strokes right above my lash line, moving outward. The green is great daytime alternative that is subtle while still providing definition. 

Rock & Republic Bound Gel Eyeliner (Neiman Marcus, $24): 

I think I'm going to love cream eyeliners. Having to use a brush actually makes it much easier for me to apply, while still getting the rich and defined look of a less chalky liner. R&R has some fun colors, but it seemed a little dried out when I put it on. 

Despite the dryness, I threw some of this on with my regular makeup this morning and was pleasantly surprised by how much of an impact it had without being too . . . "va va voom". It made my eyes really stand out without standing out itself. 

Sephora Brand Slim Eyeliner Pencil (Sephora, $5): 

I have this in navy and am surprised by how great this eyeliner is for how little it costs. Perfect option if you want to check out different color liners for fun before committing to a more expensive brand. As long as you keep it sharp, it's easy to apply too. 

My Beauty Philosophy

Long before I even thought about starting a beauty blog, I was looking around the web, just trying to find one to read. There are some good ones out there (links to come!) but they seemed to fall into one of two categories: 

The Beauty-ista: These blogs are written by the beauty-obsessed for the the beauty-obsessed. Every new product is reviewed, every celebrity makeup artist referenced or interviewed. Features include: trend alerts, links to shopping sites, name dropping. 

Moms-on-a-beauty-budget: These blogs are all about beauty steals, deals and gifts-with-purchase. Usually written by mother-daughter teams or mother-mother pairs, these blogs are all about how to get runway results on shoestring budgets. 

What's wrong with what's out there? Nothing . . . but what about the rest of us? I'm willing to pay for value - if I can only find it. I'd love to try the newest trend - but I need step-by-step instructions (preferably with pictures). So with no further ado, I'd like to introduce you to The Pretty Analyst's Beauty Philosophy. This is what the blog is all about! The Pretty Analyst believes that beauty should  . . . 

1. Bring out the best in you

I believe makeup should be natural - almost to a fault. I was 20 before I worked up the courage to wear my first truly RED lipstick. We've all seen women and girls who let their makeup wear them - and it's such a shame because so much of beauty is owning what we've already got, highlighting our favorite parts and downplaying the parts we like a little bit less. I love products that make my green eyes greener, my pale skin brighter and my thin hair smoother. In my book, it's better to enhance than to hide.  

2. Never be one-size-fits-all

I guarantee you that if you ask a handful of your closest girlfriends, half of them will love their gloss sticky and the other half matte. Half will complain about foundation that doesn't cover enough, the other half will complain about foundation that doesn't breathe enough. Some parts of beauty are universal - I will always swear by moisturizer, no matter who you are. But most parts are surprisingly personal - even beyond skin tone or eye color. Beauty has a style of it's own, and when I review products it will always be something like, "If you like your blush subtle, you'll love Stila but if you like it to last, you've got to try DuWop". 

3. Be worth it

I hate spending $50 on a product that I'm not satisfied with. I also hate spending $5 on a product that I'm not satisfied with. There's plenty of marketing out there, but my favorite products have always been discovered through recommendations of friends. I've made countless friends and family try my Clarisonic Skincare Wand - every single one has bought it, despite the $195 price tag. In beauty, I believe it's all about value. You can buy 10 shades of drugstore shadow that will last you a month for $40 or you can buy a LORAC palette that will last you a year - either way you'd better love it! My hope is that this blog will help you learn what's a good value for you - so you can enjoy more beauty for your buck!

4. Be fun

Beauty can be intimidating. We're inundated with information about new products and new looks - but it took me two years and a tutorial with my wedding makeup consultant to figure out how to do a smokey eye. But she taught me that beauty - above all- should be fun! She handed me a makeup sponge with a bit of liquid foundation dabbed on it and showed me how it could remove the smokiest of eyeshadow from places you didn't want it. And with that little eraser I learned how to play with my makeup. Now I try to play around with looks and get creative with my colors - if I don't like it, I just take it off - or just blend in some more color! Playing with makeup doesn't have to be exclusive to makeup artists or bold young-and-singles . . . it should be for all of us, be it a weekday morning or a big night out. 

If this resonates with you - keep coming back! If not, send me your thoughts - I want to hear them too. Either way, thanks for coming by and hope to see you back soon!

Welcome to the Pretty Analyst!

When I tell people that I work for a beauty retailer - this is what they think of: 
Which means when I have to explain to them I'm actually a Finance Analyst, it's kind of a downer. My job looks much more like this: 

Except my computer is usually on, my cube is grey, and in general my building is darker than this one appears to be. But I am blond, so there's that. Don't get me wrong - I love my job. I think Excel is AMAZING, and I love playing with numbers. It's just not as glamorous as being a makeup artist. 

Despite the fact that I'm (clearly) an Excel geek, ever since I started working in the beauty industry, I've noticed that everyone from my friends to random people on BART have started asking me for advice on products. What eye cream is good for preventing wrinkles? What brush should I use for mineral foundation? If I have oily skin, which moisturizer would you suggest? 

After a few months of trying to explain the difference illustrated above, I gave up and just started trying to answer their questions. I'd go online and read product reviews. I'd ask coworkers on the product side for their thoughts. And most of all, I'd check out any and all samples I could get my hands on through my job, and then tell my friends all about them. I've been doing this off-line for my friends for a while now and recently I started thinking - why not do it online for more people? 

There are plenty of beauty blogs out there for people who *love* make up - about new trends and flashy products - but what about for us Finance Analysts who like make up but find it perplexing sometimes? I want to stay on top of the trends, but my boss wouldn't be thrilled to have me show up to work with neon eyeshadow, even if it is a beauty retailer's corporate office. And it's great to hear that there's a brand new $95 anti-aging cream, but with my limited clothing-shoe-makeup-combined budget each month, is it REALLY worth it? 

So at the very least I'll be blogging for the same friends I've been talking to about all this stuff - TJ: I'm glad you love the Sephora eye palette, Ash: let me know how the eye cream works out - and hopefully a few other people will find my advice helpful as well! 

Welcome to The Pretty Analyst!