An Engineer's Beauty Diary

Hey everyone; I hope you're all doing well! Today I'm bringing to you all a review on the NYX Baked Blush in the shade Chiffon. There are 12 shades that retail for $6.99 at Ulta and Ulta.com. Without further ado, let's get straight into the review! Chiffon is a gorgeous light to medium tone bronzy, peachy, pinky, shimmery shade that works wonderfully for the summer time. It's not so shimmery that it looks obnoxious; it has fine shimmers in it that make the skin look like it's glowing. The blush has a nice pigment to it, but not so much that you have to be careful with how much to apply. This has definitely become my go-to blush for everyday. Ulta has 40% off right now on NYX products, so if you'd like to try out this color or some other colors, these blushes are around $4 for now!  If you're afraid of how shimmery this is, don't be! It may not look like much as a swatch, but on the cheeks, it translates amazingly and doesn't have ...

Hello all! I'm here today with the promised review on the best mascara that I've ever tried. That mascara would have to be the MAC Opulash. Let's get into the review! This is by far my favorite style of brush because it grips every lash and coats them to perfection. This particular tube of mascara is kind of old and dried up, but I don't use it anymore as of right now. I haven't had the chance to go and purchase a new one, but the Maybelline Colossal Volum' mascara that I just did a review on is perfect and easily accessible right now. The formula is a bit on the drier side, but it isn't so dry that it's flaky; this is truly the most perfect formula I've ever come across. This mascara volumizes and lengthens to the extreme! When I wear this, my lashes almost hit my eyebrows, which is crazy awesome. It never clumps and you don't have to worry about getting the waterproof version because the regular version can last through sweat, oil and te...

Hey everyone! Here is the update that I promised on the new Maybelline the Colossal Volum' Express Mascara. I've been using this mascara for only a few days, but it's an amazing mascara! As you can tell from the picture above, the brush is quite large. There are a good number of bristles and it's a standard brush in the sense that it's not made of plastic. The big brush can cause issues if you have a smaller eye space or if you want to apply this on your lower lashes. I haven't had any issues with smearing, smudging or flaking, which I consider a win because it's been almost 100 degrees here. It's amazing for length and volume; it pushes my lashes up and holds them there without drooping. The formula is slightly more wet than some other mascaras, but not so wet tht your lashes will stick and clump together. There is a faint rose scent that apparently all Maybelline mascaras have. I may do a comparison of this mascara and the Falsies Flared, which ...

Hello everyone; I hope you're all doing well! A few days ago, I decided to try out a new mascara, just because I was tired of the Maybelline Falsies Flared. I went to Ulta with the hopes of trying out and loving the L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara. I bought the waterproof version because some reviews said that it could smudge or flake easily. Well, they were right. Even with the waterproof version, it smudged on me like no tomorrow. It was great in volumizing and lengthening, but it just smudged too easily. I would have raccoon eyes within 30 minutes of applying it, and that's staying inside in an air conditioned and cool environment. I loved the definition it gave my lashes and it was probably the closest dupe to the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes. The Tarte mascara had issues with smudging on me as well. I just picked up the Maybelline Colossal Volume, so I'll probably put up a review of that within the week. Thank you all so much for reading and I hope thi...

Hello everyone! Today I'm bringing to you a review on the MAC Party Line lipstick. I've been wanting this lipstick for a while, and I've been avidly using it since. Here's a picture of the ingredients below: It's a lovely mid to deep tone of pinkish red. It's a cremesheen finish, which means that it has a bit of gloss and shine to it. Vibrant and bold once built up, but neutral and wearable when applied thinly. I read some reviews before buying this, and almost every reviewer had complaints of this migrating outside of the lip line. For me though, I've never had this issue; it wears for up to six hours without a need for touching up. Those six hours can only be achieved with no eating or drinking, though. I can safely say that this in no way migrates, smears, or feathers outside of the lip line. there's a delicious vanilla aroma to this lipstick, as is apparent with all of MAC's lip products. I hope you all enjoyed reading this! Pl...

Hello everyone; I hope you're all doing well on this Thursday morning! As promised, I'm brining you all a review on the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. I have been using and loving this foundation ever since I bought it a few months ago. In fact, this foundation is featured in my previous post, my Sweat-Proof Summer Foundation Routine .  My skin type is oily, sensitive, and acne prone. I can easily get spots if my skin hates a product. One of the best things about this foundation is that it doesn't contain parabens. Let's jump straight into the review! Color. I have this in the shade 2.0. The shades that end in .0 have a yellow tone and the ones that end in .5 have a pink undertone. I have fair Asian skin that has definite yellow undertones. This foundation suits my skin perfectly. Texture&consistency. This foundation has a very liquid and runny texture. It literally slides off the back of my hand if I tilt it even slightly. Given the textur...

Hello everyone! I apologize deeply for being gone so long. I've finally finished up school and am on summer vacation, so definitely expect more posts. I am touched by the new comments! Today, I'm bringing you all a new foundation routine that I've been using almost every single day. The foundation itself is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. This routine is simple and involves only three products that ensure a long lasting face. I have been able to use this routine with success for the past few warmer months and I have EXTREMELY oily skin. The first step is to prime the face. I like to use the bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer in original. It has a nice smooth texture that preps the skin well and ensures that the foundation and concealer stay on all day. It can be purchased from  here for $24. The next step is to apply the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. I use the shade 2.0, which is a pretty perfect match to my skin tone. I'm going to do ...

Okay, I know that in my first review of this, I didn't give it glowing marks, but it has progressively gotten better, if you've read my update post on this. And now, this has become one of  my Holy Grail face products, right next to Revlon Colorstay. I was able to get this for an awesome price on Amazon.com, for about $20 and from a great seller that got this to me super quick! I ordered on a Friday, at nighttime, and got it on Monday; plus, this one was made in 2013, so it's fresh. I love to use this everyday with a regular, disposable, triangle, damp sponge. Using this for a while, I've noticed that this lets my skin breathe, much more so than a heavy foundation. I've gotten over the scent, which simply fades away easily now after application. I just put my bareMinerals Matte on top to set it, and I'm all set to go! Best of all though, this has AMAZING, WONDERFUL coverage! I don't even have to use a concealer with this, and I think this covers bet...

Image Credit to Sephora.com Hello everyone! Today I'm bringing to you yet another review on yet another powder type product. I'm sure by now you would know what it is from the title... but just in case, it's the Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. Such a long name, but anyway, let's get straight into the review! All right, to the important stuff: I really wanted to like this, and I used it for a while thinking that it worked amazingly; I had read reviews on this product being the miracle worker for oily skin, keeping people matte all day long; I had thought this was going to be the HG for me when I need to touch up. Now, all these things that I just listed are very exciting, but I didn't get any results with them. NONE. AT ALL. Instead, I was still very oily and shiny, and this powder broke me out so badly that if I used it, I would have a few new zits within either the same day or the next day. The good thing about this is that it makes th...

Today I have for you a review on the Maybelline FIT me! Powder. I've had this powder for almost two years and have only just noticed now that it doesn't suit my skin AT ALL! I can't believe that I had liked it for such a long time without any qualms... I use the shade 120 Classic Ivory, as you can probably tell from the picture above. I also made sure that I got the ingredients in with this shot, and from what I can tell, there aren't that many ingredients involved in this powder, but do note that talc is the first one listed. This powder has a very nice, smooth texture and at first glance, the color is just fine, but when I actually have this on, it turns my face extremely pink! I remember wearing this powder on top of a foundation that matched my skin perfectly and then looking into the mirror at lunch time and seeing that it had completely turned my face a pinkish color. Also, I've noticed that when I wear this powder, it makes me an oil slick...

Hello all! I just wanted to post a quick update on the Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream since I've been using it for a little bit longer now. I still stand by the awesome coverage and color. Now, though, I quite like the thick texture, since I've realized that I really don't need to apply that much for amazing coverage. I also tried it underneath my Revlon Colorstay as a primer, and it was AMAZIMNG! My skin stayed matte and shine free all day if I top everything off with the bareMinerals Matte Foundation. It's amazing how little I have to use of this bb cream and foundation in order to get that amazing, flawless look! So, it's definitely established that I like it as a foundation base, but what about on its own? On its own, I must say that the coverage is still spectacular, but oil control is still dismal. I get oily within 3 hours and have to blot after 4 or take the wrath of my glaring, reflective t-zone. I'm in the process of finding a mattifier or ma...

Hello everyone! Today I'm bringing you a review of the Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream with SPF 30 PA++. I got three sample sachets of this bb cream from Lioele Texas  for $1.99 plus shipping, but with your order, they let you pick out two samples and when I got my package, they gave me two extra sample sachets that was totally unexpected, but a nice surprise! I must say that shipping wise, they didn't send me a confirmation, so I went through a few loops with that, but it's worked out now. Anyway, let's get into the review. This bb cream has an extremely thick texture, so much so that as you can see from the picture, there's literally a blob of it that's standing up by itself! After blending it slightly, I can definitely still feel that it's a super thick texture, and very little is needed to cover the entire face because this spreads out so much that if I kept blending, it would probably cover my entire arm! The color is a bit yellow ...

Today I'm bringing to you all my thoughts on the Maybelline Sunlit Bronze Eye Shadow Quad that I've rediscovered in my collection. I've had this for a while but I haven't used it in so long, so I thought that busting it out and using it for a week would be good for me! Now onto my thoughts! As you can probably tell from the picture above, these shadows are very shimmery and metallic, almost to the point of being glossy, which I absolutely LOVE! I'm always on the look out for shadows that look to be shimmery and glossy. The lightest shade is said to be a dupe for M.A.C.'s Femme Fi, but I've never owned that color so I wouldn't know. It is a gorgeous super shimmery, metallic cream with golden undertones. The next shade is an orangey gold, again with tons of metallic shimmer, they all have the same finish. The third is a warm, orangey, rose, copper tone. And the last is a shimmering, greyish taupe color that's supposed to be the definer shade,...

Hello everyone! Today I'm bringing you a post on how to disinfect or spot clean both makeup and brushes. Let's get into it! All we're going to need is a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol, dirty brushes, tissues, and any makeup you want to disinfect!   Oh, as a side note, I got the spray bottle from a dollar store, it came with two other bottles for traveling purposes and these can be found in the beauty isle; also, I didn't think it was necessary to show pictures of tissues. It's really simple from here; just take the spray bottle, hold it a few inches away from the makeup brush and spray liberally, then swirl it around on the tissue until all the tissue is free of any color! For makeup, spray a few more inches away than you did with the brushes, just so that they get a misting of rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol should dry within a few seconds, so then your brushes and makeup will be instantly usable! If you use a touch up powder,...

Hello everyone! We're still in winter, so following up my exfoliation post, I thought I would show you all 5 tips on applying makeup to flaky skin. I have super dry and flaky skin on my cheeks right now and if I apply anything that has a pigment to it, like foundation or BB Cream with my fingers or a buffing brush, the flakes will go crazy! #1. DO NOT BUFF! If you use any type of buffing brush, it's a form of micro exfoliation, meaning that it's going to bring the flakes to a head and make them extremely noticeable. #2. Use a damp sponge. If you use a damp sponge and take the BB Cream or foundation on it and then pat it onto the skin, the flakes will stay down and none of them will become noticeable, giving you a smooth flawless finish. #3. Use a Patting Motion with Fingers. If you're applying your base makeup with fingers, instead of rubbing in circles, pat or press it into the skin, so that the flakes won't be disturbed and become noticeable. #4. ...

Hey everyone! Today I'm bringin g to you a exfoliating scrub that you can make at home with just one ingredient: oatmeal. Oatmeal has shown to have antioxidant properties that will not only help to calm the skin, but brighten and tighten the pores as well. I've heard that some people who have had really bad acne have used this and it calmed their skin down like no other. Since it's winter right now, I'm having major problems with dryness and flaking on my cheeks so I thought this would be the best time to bring you this easy DIY! All right, before you even start, make sure that you have a sink that has something to catch the oats in, otherwise you will have a super clogged mess on your hands! Next, take a bit of the oats and use a bit of warm water, but don't let it get too mushy, otherwise the exfoliation factor is completely lost. Take the moistened oats with your fingertips and with a gentle circling motion, rub it into the skin where it's particular...

Hey everyone! I did some shopping when I first got the VIB 20% discount and then the $20 discount from Sephora, but have yet to actually write a post about what I got, and I also went to Ulta last Sunday and bought only two products, but I got amazing deals on my purchase using coupons, which I will let you all know about at the end of this post. Also, I didn't buy all these things at once, I've accumulated these products from three different trips. So without further ado, let's get into my purchases! 1. Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam Photo courtesy of Sephora.com This cleanser is a repurchase for me, and since I had the discount, I picked another one up to stock since it's the cleanser that I use everyday, morning and night. I have an in-depth post about this  here  along with the toner and it's featured in my updated skincare routine coming soon. Oh, and sorry about the stock photo, I just couldn't find a place to take a...

Hey everyone; I hope you all are enjoying the more frequent and regular posts! Today, I thought I would give you all a post about a few of my favorite contour powders, which in some instances is bronzers, but I'm including some other types of powders that can be used for contour, such as eye shadows. I'm starting off with an actual bronzer, this is the Tarte Mineral Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess. I'm sure there's been many raves and review on this, and I'm going to say it's a rave product for me... sometimes. Now the reason for that is because this bronzer can sometimes look a bit too orange on my skin, but as a contour, it somehow is able to settle into the hollows without looking like an actual orange. It does have a bit of a golden shimmer sheen when swatched and in the pan, but it's not noticeable on the skin unless it's applied super heavily. I like to take a rounded or the angled brush that I made myself and sweep this in the  ...

Hello everyone; I hope you are all doing well! Today I have for you an update on one of the products that was in one of my early posts when I had just begun blogging, the Avon Magix Face Perfector SPF 20. The reason I wanted to bring you all an update is because I've stopped using it for a while now and have seen a great improvement in my skin, so let's get into it! I used to use this as a primer and for a while, I thought it was an awesome staple product for me and as a matter of fact, this is my second tube of this. I purchased both tubes online on Amazon because I didn't want to order from the Avon site, and the store that they had in my mall had been closed down before I got a chance to go in and pick one of these up to try. I now realize that this product feels very heavy on the skin, and was probably adding if not causing all of my breakouts and acne problems on my skin. I believe this was the culprit of my acne, and I had told my dermatologist last fall when ...