New England Patriots Makeup Look | Tutorial using Kat von DInnerstellar Palette, NYX, elf Cosmetics

Living in Massachusetts, of course I am a Patriots fan.  With today's game, I decided to do a little makeup look to celebrate their hopeful road to the Super Bowl.

New England Patriots Eye Makeup Look

Prime eyes with NYX Stick in Milk

Pat Dios (shimmery silver) from Kat von D Innerstellar Palette all over lid

Blend dark navy blue from elf Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Smokey Sea over outer 2/3 of lid

Using pencil brush, tap Killing Moon (black) from Kat von D Innerstellar Palette in outer corner

Blend Killing Moon (black) from outer v into crease

Gravitron (vanilla) from Innerstellar Palette as eyebrow highlight

Orion (matte taupe) from Innerstellar Pallete in crease to blend

Tap the navy blue in the middle of the lid to brighten up and bring out the blue

Line upper eyes with NYC Liquid Eye Liner in black, baby wing
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Liner in Dime on lower lash line
Use a smudger brush to pat navy blue over the silver liner on lower lash line

I like to pair this with a red or reddish lip to make the whole face the Patriots colors (blue, silver, and red)

Patriots blue eye makeup + red lip

What else is on my face:

elf Mineral Clear Primer [review here]

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation in 100 - Ivory

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer in 10 - Light

RCMA No Color Powder

elf Blush in Mellow Mauve

the Balm Manizer Sisters Palette - Cindy Lou Manizer Highlighter

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen or Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Outlaw

Alternate Lip: Kat von D Outlaw over NYX Copenhagen

the full Patriots look

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows and Travel Vault | Review

Having heard about Makeup Geek for a long time now and the hype about them being comparable to MAC eyeshadows, I finally took the plunge.  I've checked them out many times online but could never chose between all the beautiful colors.  So when I had some birthday money at the end of the year, I finally caved in and narrowed down my list.  

As I was narrowing down my list, I saw a sale pop up that took the shadows from the usual $6 to a mere $4.80!  Shipping is so reasonable from $1.99 for shadows but $3.99 for the shadow plus the Travel Vault.  At the drugstore there are some shadows that run around $8 so this was a steal even with shipping!

{This post includes affiliate links.  Affiliate links are where I make a portion of sales from links used, which helps keep Beauty Freckled going.  Thanks for your support!}

Makeup Geek is an online brand started by Marlena of YouTube fame.  She set out to create quality eyeshadows at affordable drugstore prices, and the lines includes blush, highlighter, brushes, pigments, lipstick, and is constantly growing.

Originally, I was going to get the Starter Kit and Vault Palette Bundle which is a Marlena curated bundle of 9 starter eyeshadows that all work together.  Instead, I took that list of shadows and kind of created my own little kit of shadows that I thought would create different looks together.

These are the Makeup Geek Eyeshadows I got:

Shimma Shimma - shimmery ice cream vanilla
Homecoming - shimmery cool toned beige/brown
Moondust - shimmery cool toned taupe
Prom Night - shimmery pale gray-toned purple
Drama Queen - shimmery deep plummy purple
Nautica - shimmery navy/midnight blue
Corrupt - black with subtle silver glitter

All the eyeshadow pans have a  weight of 0.064 oz [1.8G] and are cruelty free.

I also ordered the Makeup Geek Travel Vault Palette to put them in.  The travel palette holds 9 eyeshadows or four blushes/bronzers or two blushes and six eyeshadows.  The fact that you can customize your configuration for whatever trip you are going on is so fantastic.  The MUG eyeshadows don't require any extra magnets to hold to the palette, they magnetize right to the bottom automatically.

The package came in a small black cardboard box with a round Makeup Geek sticker over the closure.  Inside, all my products were nestled inside tissue, then the eyeshadows bundled in their own tissue and the travel palette in a box.  The eyeshadows have the signature pink and black on the outside.  The packaging is very reminiscent of what MAC eyeshadow pans come in, if I remember correctly.


My first look I did was using Homecoming all over my lid, Shimma Shimma in the inner corner, and Corrupt on the outer corner.  I also swept Homecoming to line my lower lash line to define it a bit more.  I thought it was a neutral look that was a little bit smokey on the over v, but looked appropriate for day or night.

The quality of Makeup Geek shadows is amazing!  I cant believe how little you need to get such great pigmentation.  I am so impressed, especially for the price.  I will definitely be ordering more and making these a staple in my collection!  The travel vault is super sturdy with a strong magnet, and not nearly as heavy as I thought as it would be.  The only bad thing is that you may get fingerprints on the outside, but that's easily fixed with a quick wipe down with a makeup wipe or soap and water.

The ONLY downside (and this only being nitpicky at this point) is that the shipping can take up to a week (at least for me) - mine was about 5 days once it shipped.  They were also backed up with holiday orders and the mega-sale so it took about 5-7 for it to ship.  I was just too excited to get my MUG goodies!  Seriously though, even the expedited shipping wasn't a terrible cost, so that's a definite option for next time I order.

I definitely want to check out their brushes and blushes next time I order.  The quality and price of the shadows I got was amazing.  Using a mix of drugstore and high end, I wouldn't even have known these were drugstore priced eyeshadows.

Their customer service is on point too - I emailed them twice with questions and they always answered back within 24 hours and were super super nice.

I would love for you to check out Makeup Geek!  The quality and customer care is so worth it.  I always appreciate extra help, so here is my personal affiliate link if you are so inclined.  As always, the money goes towards running this blog and doing what I am passionate about.  Thank you from the bottom of my makeup loving heart ❤️ 💄!

What I Wore in High School | Makeup Throwback to High School

I know many YouTubers are doing the "What Makeup I Wore in High School" tag, but KathleenLights was the first one I saw with this video tag on this topic and I thought the idea was so cute!

Here are the products I used in high school - which is when I started wearing makeup.  Keep in mind I went through high school in the late 90's and early 2000's so it was a lot of that grungy neutral brown lip.

- CoverGirl Clean Foundation and Powder
This was the first combo I used, but then found the Neutrogena which I liked better so I struck with that.

- Neutrogena SkinClearing Liquid Makeup Foundation in Toasted Honey (100)
I had super oily skin in high school (more so than I do now) and had breakouts as a result of it.  They weren't the worst breakouts by far, but enough that I was bothered by them.  This foundation helped a lot!  I wore this through college and its so light and has an almost cooling effect to it.  I had another shade that sometimes I would mix or use for the other season.

- Neutrogena SkinClearing Pressed Powder
This is now discontinued but replaced by Skin Clearing Mineral Powder.  Again, wore this through college and really loved that it wasn't super cakey.

- Neutrogena Soft Color Blush in Sweet Raisin
This was replaced by the Healthy Skin Custom Glow Blush & Bronzer Duo in Raisin Glow which I used too.  It was more shimmery than the original, but still a nice color.  They now have the Healthy Skin Blushes which are just a square pan of blush.

- Neutrogena Weightless Volume Wax-Free Mascara
Again, this is now discontinued but it came in a black tube and was super light weight and so pigmented, I loved it.  It didn't feel like anything on your lashes but made them stand out.  I naturally have pretty long lashes, so all I need is something to volumize them and make them stand out a bit more when I wear an eye look.  I wish they still made it.  Possibly my fave mascara...ever.

- Cover Girl Eye Slicks in Purple and Green
I was all about the purple eyeshadow since my eyes are a hazely-green color.  It was pretty much the only color I used I would bet.

Neutrogena Skin Clearing Makeup | CG Eyeslicks

© BeautyFreckled

- The Body Shop Eyeshadow Palette
My cousin bought this for me and it came in a red tin that had about four neutral and purple shadows, a few lip pans, and some matching brushes with a mixing palette in the lid.  This was used all the time.

- Bonne Bell Lip Smackers Vanilla Frosting Lip Gloss and Lip Smackers Lip Balm in Strawberry Kiwi Comet
It was the late 90's early 2000's...enough said.

- GAP Makeup Bag in Silver
It was a small rectangle similar to the small Sonia Kashuk bags.  I could fit my basic daily stuff in it: foundation, powder, blush, mascara.

- GAP Dream Perfume
I didn't realize they don't sell this anymore in the original GAP stores but I know they have it at their outlets so if you were a fan of any of the GAP scents check them out there.

- The Body Shop Spirit of Moonflower Perfume
This was about the time I became obsessed with The Body Shop and probably beauty products in general.  It also led to my Tea Tree obsession.

I was HUGE on lip glosses and lip balms and always had about five in my pocket or bag at a time.

I didn't wear eyeliner until college, and even mascara was later in high school I believe.

If you have been reading BeautyFreckled from the start you probably know I am a Neutrogena superfan and as you can see, I have been since back in my high school days.  I think their products are such good quality and I love that they are about the skincare behind the makeup and how they can have a dual purpose.  (Totally not sponsored and I am in no way affiliated with them - I wish!).

I hope you all enjoyed this trip down memory lane.  Comment below if you used any of these products and what YOUR high school favorites were!

Chocolate Banana Smoothie Recipe | New Year's Resolutions 2017

My New Year's Resolutions are generally all the same every year, and not always because I fail, but because I know there is always room for improvement.  So for 2107 I will share them again, just to remind myself:

1. Take better care of my skin
2. Drink more water
3. Exercise more, and more mindfully
4. Meditate more, be more mindful
5. Eat better, learn to eat clean

{This post includes affiliate links.  Affiliate links are where I make a portion of sales from links used, which helps keep Beauty Freckled going.  Thanks for your support!}

In 2017 I will also take advantage of what I have around me (including using up some of those beauty products in my closet before buying new ones!) so I am starting with my trusty Nutri Ninja Pro to share with you a delicious smoothie I just whipped up!


Chocolate Banana Smoothie
1 banana
2 Tbsp PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter
1 Tbsp cocoa powder (I used Dagoba Organic Pure Cocoa Powder)
1-2 scoops protein powder (I used Orgain Organic Protein Powder in Vanilla - optional)
1 handful ice
a splash of water

Blend until desired consistency.  Serve with Hummingbird Glass Straws.  The Hummingbird Glass Straws are so comfortable to drink out of, and I hate wasting straws (or getting smoothie all over my face from drinking right from the blending cup - I'm that kind of klutz) so these were a great purchase for us.  My daughter can use them too - great for kids.  I saw them on the Weelicious blog and knew I had to try them - we love them!

I hope you enjoy this Chocolate Banana Smoothie recipe I created.  It reminds me of the Jamba Juice Peanut Butter Moo'd that I used to love, but without costing me 470-770 calories!  Next up is trying that Wendy's Frosty dupe smoothie recipe!

Stay tuned for more of my smoothie recipes to come!

Let me know your favorite smoothie blends below AND what your 2017 resolutions are?

** This post is NOT sponsored in anyway. I did not receive the products for free.  I paid for all the products above with my own money.  Reviews are 100% honest.  Recipe is by myself, BeautyFreckled, using ingredients I had on hand and to my own personal taste/preference.  Please check with your doctor before starting any new diet or fitness regimen. **