This site has moved to www.nerdygirlmakeup.com!

Hi! I've officially moved over to my new website: http://www.nerdygirlmakeup.com I already have new tips, looks, reviews, and more on my new site, so please visit me there! I have always wanted to make a website about makeup, and I'm excited that this day has finally come. :)

I was once told that girls only wear makeup to impress guys. I never believed in that -- to me, makeup is a way to express our inner creativity, to showcase art on our face -- our mobile canvas. Makeup is a fun way to explore colors, and it's also a way to bring out confidence. Although it's nice to get dolled up for a date, I don't think that makeup's sole purpose is to impress people that we want to like us. I see makeup as another opportunity for learning and expressing ourselves.

My goal is to break the stereotype of the nerdy girl, who are thought to not care much about their appearance. Sometimes we're just too busy studying or working, as nerdy girls tend to put those first. Makeup can be intimidating if you don't know anything about it. Now that time has come where learning makeup will be easy. My goal is to break down application techniques so that you can focus on being creative with colors and enjoying makeup.

I just finished my degree in Computer Science, and I finally have more time on my hands to write about makeup, hair, fashion, and cool nerdy gadgets. I also completed my professional makeup artistry certificate in Hollywood last summer, so that I can share what I have learned. Nerdy Girl Makeup is a place where I can share all my interests in all things pretty and nerdy, and where I can help nerdy girls learn about (and love) makeup too.

Comments? Ideas? Requests? Feel free to e-mail me at , and let me know! See you at my new site!

Dupes: MAC vs. Milani Eye Shadow

Hello my lovely readers! You may have noticed that I like using Milani powder eye shadows from time to time in many of my looks. Although I could use MAC eye shadows, I intentionally use Milani sometimes to show how great the colors are. Milani is definitely a wonderful alternative to some of the MAC eye shadows, especially if you don't want to spend as much money. Milani eye shadows typically sell for $3.99 USD (regular price) whereas MAC eye shadows are $14 USD (or $11 USD for a MAC Pro refill pan).

I came up with the idea for this post a few months ago, so I was slowly buying both Milani eye shadows and MAC eye shadows that look similar so that I could post more dupes for you. So here they are!


MAC "Stars 'N' Rockets" and Milani "Shock" are very similar. "Shock" is a little more purple toned, but I usually use "Stars 'N' Rockets" on top of a purplish base to bring out the purple anyway.


MAC "Black Tied" is a bit darker than Milani "Storm", but they look pretty much identical if you apply a couple layers of "Storm" to make it darker. They also match in the silver shimmer as well!


I couldn't decide which one Milani "Java Bean" would be a MAC dupe for. I think the closest in shade is MAC "Mulch" (they look the same even in the pan), but the closest in shimmer would probably be "Twinks" or "Glamour Check!" (part of the Starflash collection). What do you think is the closest match?


The first Milani eye shadow I bought was "Blue Ice". I got it when I barely owned any blue eye shadows. Of the MAC eye shadows I have, the closest one to "Blue Ice" is "Fall Deeply" from the MAC Devoted Poppy: 6 Classic Eyes palette (Holiday 2008 Collection). They vary a little in color, but I think it's still a close match for the price.

I also own two of the Milani Runway Eyes single eye shadows ("Leaf Green" and "Caribbean Sea"), but I don't think they are as nice as the smaller Milani eye shadows in my pictures. The Runway Eyes are more expensive too (I bought mine for $4.99, which I believe was on sale). Don't be deceived by the pretty shimmer -- as soon as I swipe some off the top, the rest of the eye shadow underneath doesn't have the same shimmer. Boo.

I highly recommend checking out the Milani powder eye shadows (there are more shades than the ones I've included in my pictures). I also have the Runway Eyes Fashion Shadows in "Glamorous Gems" -- this is awesome too! It comes with six colors, and the colors are vibrant. They are a little pricier though (~$8.99 USD), but I got mine on sale for $5.99. I also looked it up on Amazon.com, and I found some for only $6.99!

I usually buy Milani products at Walgreens and Target, but I think they are sold in other places as well (Longs/CVS). They also have a website: http://www.milanicosmetics.com

One last thing I want to mention in this post:

I'm going to have my very first contest/giveaway soon, so subscribe to (or follow) my blog so that you don't miss it! :)

MAC Prep + Prime Line Filler Review

I got a free sample of MAC Prep + Prime Line Filler from my nearby freestanding MAC store. I never got a sample from MAC before, so I was pleasantly surprised when they gave me this cute little container for free (which I'll definitely be using to put loose pigments in when it's empty).

When I applied MAC Prep + Prime Line Filler on my hand, I could really see a difference -- the lines were filled in, holding up to its name.

I also tried it underneath my eye. Granted that I am still young (in my 20s)and don't have many lines to fill in (yet), the effect wasn't too noticable. It did leave my under eye area feeling extremely smooth and silky though.

After trying it out, I'm no longer in a rush to buy the whole tube (especially now that it's part of the permanent line). I do think it works though, and I recommend it to those who are looking for a product to smooth fine lines and wrinkles. There is a slight scent to it though (for those with sensitive eyes--like myself, but it didn't irritate me), so you might want to try it in the store or ask for a sample before you decide to buy it.

My Coastal Scents Collection (+ Sale)!

Coastal Scents is having a 15% off sale off everything on their website! Orders must be placed before April 26, 2009 midnight EST.

Here are the products I bought from Coastal Scents so far:

• 88 Piece Makeup Palette ($21.95 regular price; $18.66 after discount)




• Ultra Shimmer 88 Eye Shadow Palette ($24.95 regular price; $21.21 after discount)



• 10 Piece Professional Blush Palette ($16.95 regular price; $14.41 after discount)
• 28 Piece Eye Shadow Neutral Palette (great for everyday makeup and weddings) ($21.95 regular price; $18.66 after discount)




• Contour & Blush Palette ($19.95 regular price; $16.96 after discount)




• Pink Kabuki Brush ($4.99 regular price; $4.24 after discount)





• Italian Badger Angle Brush (currently out of stock -- but this one had a really weird odor to it when I got it. I had to wash it several times and air it out before I started using it.)

I use the Ultra 88 Shimmer Palette the most (I've posted a few looks using this palette), so I definitely recommend it, especially if you do not have very many colors in your makeup kit and you want to start experimenting with different colors without have to spend a lot of money.

These are some of the new products that I want to order:

• 42 Color Double Stack Matte Shadow & Blush (not so much for the blush, but the eye shadows look awesome -- looks like it has some potential MUFE dupes) ($28.95 regular price; $24.61 after discount)




• 42 Color Double Stack Shimmer Shadow & Blush (unfortunately the blushes are the same as the ones in the matte kit, but the eye shadows are great -- some MAC dupes for sure! I will probably stack the shimmer and matte eye shadows together in one palette and put all the blushes in the other.) ($28.95 regular price; $24.61 after discount)

• 66 Color Lip Palette (the blue lip colors look a little out there, but I'm curious to see how it looks!) ($19.95 regular price; $16.96 after discount)
  

• Jumbo Italian Badger Fan Brush (to use with my MAC Mineralize Blush Duos that are extremely pigmented) ($11.95 regular price; $10.16 after discount)
  

The Hot Pots look really nice too, but I don't want to get addicted. I think I'll stick with these for now.

Do you have any Coastal Scents products? What's on your wish list?

Stila Precious Pearl Palette Swatches + Thoughts

I was initially pretty excited about this Stila eye shadow palette, because I really liked how the swatches turned out (on top of a base). However, the colors were actually a lot nicer on my hand/arm than they were on my eye lids. I wore the four eye shadows from the left, but I wasn't impressed. And to make things worse, my eyes got extremely irritated -- I'm not sure whether it's the crushed pearl or not. I wear contacts, and I have never experienced that type of irritation with any other product.

I ended up returning it at Sephora -- no questions asked. I used the money I got back to buy a U-Pick Prescriptives quad e/s refillable compact at Macy's (they have a buy 3 get 1 free deal). I haven't tried Prescriptives before, but I figured after how bad my eyes were feeling, something that sounds like a medical term would be worth a shot. :)

After what I went through, I don't really recommend this product. In case you do buy this Stila Precious Pearl palette, just be careful with your eyes! My vision is bad enough already :\

MAC Sugarsweet Haul and Swatches

I had a very long week filled with midterms and homework, and now that I'm officially on Spring Break (as of 3PM today), I went to the mall after school and hauled these items from MAC's Spring 2009 collection called Sugarsweet.

Here are the swatches of the items I purchased:

(click on image to enlarge)

I initially wanted to buy Red Velvet shadestick, but after trying it on I decided to get something I would use more often. So instead of the pinkish-red color, I got Butternutty (light white gold color similar to Beige-ing shadestick) and Penny (copper color similar to Indianwood paint pot). Butternutty is a great highlighter color as well as a base color for your entire lid.

Here's how Dear Cupcake looks over Red Velvet (Sugarshot e/s is on the top without any base, Dear Cupcake over Red Velvet is on the bottom):

Dear Cupcake e/s looks just as pretty over Butternutty as it does over Red Velvet -- it just ends up looking like light pink rather than hot pink.

The 5 lipsticks from this collection are awesome. I wish I could have bought all of them. I ended up getting three, because I couldn't decide which one I wanted most (this is where a shopping buddy would have come in handy haha).

This is how I eventually convinced myself to get all three lipsticks:

1) I don't have any lipstick that looks like Bubbles. This light creme color would look great when I wear dramatic smokey or colorful eye shadow. Also, Bubbles applied on top of any lipstick will make the overall color lighter.

2) Lollipop Loving is the lipstick I originally wanted to get (after reading other reviews online). I have been into peach-colored lipstick lately, and this one has green shimmer in it. Too cute!

3) Touch lipstick is a very nice natural color. It's the perfect shade of brown -- not too dark and not too light. Also, this color matches really well with the shadesticks I already decided on getting.

So there you have it! Definitely check out this collection!

:B

(P.S. I'm off to Australia tomorrow, so hopefully I'll find some local brand drugstore makeup to blog about!)

MAC Soft & Gentle is... soft and gentle!

If you want the look of sun-kissed cheeks, MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish will do the trick. It is also great for toning down blushes that are (too) vibrant.

It sells for $25 (USD), but it comes with a lot of product. I've used it everyday for a month now, and it still looks untouched. Although, if you do find yourself falling in love with this item -- no worries! MAC has added this shade to its permanent line! :)

BEFORE

AFTER!

MAC Holiday Haul Swatches!

Here you go! Click to enlarge :)

MAC Holiday Haul

Items from Little Darlings, Passions of Red, and Adoring Carmine! I also ended up doing a little review of the face brush set. Although I was not fond of the 187 brush, the others were pretty good.

MAC Haul with Red She Said and Holiday Brush Set

Just wanted to share a picture of my most recent MAC haul. For anyone looking to buy any one of the three holiday brush sets (basic brush set, eye shadow brush set, and face brush set), BUY IT AT NORDSTROM!!! They're selling it for only $35 there, compared to $50 at MAC! What a deal!!!



I also picked up some Red She Said items -- mineralize eye shadow trio in Inter-view, MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Stark Naked (LOVE IT!) and Red She Said Amplified Creme Lipstick. These are my favorites from the collection. At first, I went to the mall looking for the mineralize eye shadow trio in Threesome, but I ended up liking Inter-view better -- especially since I wanted to buy makeup for my upcoming Classic/Vintage Pinup Makeup Tutorial and Threesome doesn't look that great with red lips.

If you have any questions about any of these items, leave a comment and I'll let you know as soon as I've tried these on!

:B

Tarte The Vanity Limited Edition Palette Review

I bought tarte's newest palette at Sephora. It's called "The Vanity", and it's a follow up to tarte's "We Wish You Well" holiday palette from last year. It comes with 16 brand-new eyeshadows, 16 brand-new lipglosses, a luminizer, a mineral powder bronzer in Park Avenue Princess, a mini "Lights, Camera, Lashes!" mascara, and 2 brushes (one eyeshadow and one eyelining)! It was $52, but for 41 items, that's only $1.27 each!!!







My swatches are below (the eyeshadows/lipglosses/blushes do not have names so I couldn't really label them here -- but the eyeshadows are in left to right order from top to bottom row. Click on the images for a better view):









I also recorded a review on YouTube. Check it out!



Overall, this palette is great! tarte makeup has Vitamin E in it too (good for preventing premature aging)! This palette would make a wonderful holiday gift for your makeup loving friend or family member (or yourself!).

Here's the pumpkin orangy bown look I did using everything from this palette (except for the eye liner):



:B

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Review

I picked up Urban Decay's Book of Shadows palette at Sephora. I bought it for $45, and I think it's a good deal, especially since the eyeshadows are really pigmented. It comes with 16 eyeshadows, 2 brushes, and 1 travel-size primer potion. I recorded a review on YouTube:



Here are my swatches (with and without flash):





8 BEST-SELLING SHADES
Goddess (midnight blue with lots of electric blue microglitter)
Shattered (bright green/blue shift)
Roach (deep brown with reddish sheen)
Smog (deep coppery bronze)
Baked (rich bronze)
Last Call (plum punch)
Grifter (sheer lavender with lots of silver microglitter)
Midnight Cowboy (golden beige with gold glitter)

8 EXCLUSIVE SHADES
Perversion (matte black)
Mayhem (deep purple)
Gridlock (medium brown)
Sidecar (bronze sparkle)
Shakedown (shimmering taupe)
Scandal (peachy-pink)
Absinthe (electric green)
Protest (dark green)

:B

First Post!

Hi everyone! I'm starting up this new website about makeup, hair, fashion, good deals, and anything nerdy! I'm currently a full-time student, so I will try and update this as much as possible between exams and projects. I'm a computer science major, and I've loved makeup all my life. I'm not a professional makeup artist or anything, but I have been wearing makeup since... 5th grade! :-X I will also be making makeup videos and posting links here from YouTube. I like all makeup brands, especially MAC. I try to experiment with different brands though, from drugstore to Chanel and Dior just to see if there really is color payoff. I will post hauls, reviews, and any bargains that I find. Hopefully they will be helpful to you on your journey with makeup! That's about it for now! Check back again! :B