Spring Beauty Review: Spring Neutrals With Some New Faves!

(WARNING: A lengthy but informative post if I do say so myself!)

I know, this season isn't about the neutrals. You want to see bright, bold and shocking right? As I mentioned in past posts, my makeup can be quite boring for a makeup artist. I love a neutral eye because it works for day and you can wear it with a bright lip. No matter what the trends, my neutrals are a staple and never go out of style!

I'm quite old school when it comes to makeup. I love learning new techniques, but I've always steered clear of airbrush makeup. I've always found that the products I use and my makeup technique has a similar effect to airbrushing. I've also heard from other makeup artists that airbrushing really isn't that much faster than doing it manually.

The beauty world was all abuzz when TEMPTU's Airbrush Makeup System was made available to consumers in Sephora. I was intrigued but not enough to buy it. So, when I got the chance to test it out I definitely jumped on the chance.

The basic Airbrush System is $225 USD. Depending on the bundle that you get the prices range. I was sent the System and Face Kit Airbrush Makeup System, a complete set with the airbrush, compressor, 2 foundations, one blush, one highlighter, and DVD instructional video for $345 USD. My foundation match was Warm Beige which matched me with Soft Peach Blush and Gold Highlighter. The pods range from $30 USD to $55 USD (2 foundations come in a package). With daily use the foundation lasts for a month or more and the blush and highlighter for 2 months or more.

This is me wearing the complete system plus other products I'll be featuring in this post. Overall, the system was really easy to use. You can adjust the dial for more or less product. For sheer coverage, you have to hold farther away and for fuller coverage you can apply closer to the face. To make it smooth and blended, you have to apply in a circular motion. I couldn't really tell if my face was being covered when I held the airbrush farther away so I decided to go in closer. The above picture are the results. I found the finish to be really flawless and well blended. On areas like my eyes and under eyes, I did have to blend with my fingers a bit. It felt weightless on the skin and lasted all day long, no fading or sliding. It also applies beautifully over a primer. Warm Beige also matched me really well but I imagine once summer hits I'll have to get a darker shade.

The Soft Peach blush applied really sheer so it took a few layers to get my desired intensity. No matter how strong I went, the blush always looked blended and never left any harsh lines. The Gold Highlighter gave my cheekbones a gorgeous glow that didn't leave me looking overly shiny. Overall, I'm really hooked and think I may convert to airbrushing at least for foundations. However, it seems a bit much for me to apply if I'm just running some errands, but for a night out or a wedding I will definitely be using. The kit itself is really light-weight and easy to transport. Now I want to actually try doing this on one of my clients! Any volunteers? LOL Hopefully I'll get the same effects.

M.A.C.'s Greasepaint Stick in French Quarter ($21 CAD, LE) isn't new for Spring - it's actually from the Venomous Villain collection - but it's new for me this season! During a taping of a special Blogger episode of CityLine, each audience member was given CityLine's makeup artist, Tracy Peart's, favourite makeup products. Ever since that show, I've been using it whenever I get the chance. I'm so in love with this pencil/shadestick and wish it wasn't a LE. I'm wearing it underneath my shadow in the above picture but here is a closer swatch.

It's a gorgeous black-brown with a gold pearl finish. It glides on easily and blends out to the most perfect smokey eye. You can also wear it as an eyeliner but if you want an easy smokey eye all you need is this stick. It's long-wearing and didn't smear on me which was a surprise.

I have a love/hate relationship with NARS' spring shadow trio in Calanque ($45 USD). The top shade is a gold infused platinum with silver flecks, middle shade is a light matte caramel, and the bottom shade is a rich antique bronze infused with gold. In the photo of myself, I used the middle shade as a base and on my brow bone. I was actually surprised at how light it applied on my skin because in the palette itself it appears much darker. I don't find the finish matte at all and has a more pearl/frost finish. I like using it to highlight the eyes. I love the darkest shade and applied this over top of French Quarter, on the bottom lash line and into the crease. The top shade is a question mark. It's too glittery for my liking and has a lot of fall-out. I think this would have been better as a duo as the middle and bottom shades are very wearable. For the price, you're better off finding a dupe in a duo or single shadow. However, I do find myself reaching for this palette quite frequently and I just recently used it during a bridal trial!

When it comes to fake lashes, I have my favourites and know what works. I was really impressed with the style and make of Revlon's fake lashes. In the photo, I'm wearing Revlon's Fantasy Lengths in Intensifying ($6 CAD). It's a nice blend of feathery volume and length. To make it look more natural on my eye shape, I cut the lashes in half and applied only to the outer corner. I also applied the lashes underneath my lash line rather than on top. I learned this technique back when I was working at M.A.C. - the lash line is less visible and looks more like your natural lashes. Since I was going out (I can't remember for what), I didn't take a chance with the glue and used my go-to Duo. I'll have to do a separate review on Revlon's glue.

These two lippies are from M.A.C.'s Quite Cute Collection available this Thursday April 7! I don't usually use a lip liner on myself unless it's a bright or bold lip, but for the sake of testing the pencil Naked Lip Pencil ($15.50 CAD) was part of the lippie of the day.

My smokey eye is what I consider a "subtle" smokey eye. It's not overly dramatic so I could have went for more colour on the lips, but I wanted to keep the look easy and effortless especially for day. Naked is described as a light neutral. It's a bright peachy shade which looked pretty stark against my skin tone. To tone it down, M.A.C.'s Plushglass in Fashion Fanatic, a creamy pale pink worked perfectly. On its own, Fashion Fanatic is pretty much clear on my lips, but when you pair it over a pink or peach lipstick the pink tones really come out. I haven't worn a Plushglass in a while and back in the day I could have sworn it had a minty tingling effect. I'm probably wrong but that's the reason I stopped wearing it. I actually love the way it feels on the lips - it's moisturizing and just hugs the lips not to mention plumps 'em up! The lippie I'm really lemming for from the collection is Candy Yum-Yum, a matte neon pink but seriously - how many bright pink lippies can a girl have?? Never enough right?!

What is your look for Spring? Are you a neutral girl or like to mix it up once in a while? Have you tried any of these products? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them!