Summer Skincare Routine…

Hi Ladies!

Summertime is currently upon us but sadly it feels as if it is already leaving… During the summer months my skin always gets a little crazy with the sunscreen, sun exposure, late nights my skin honestly takes a beating during these months. In the last few weeks though I have found a skincare system that works wonders on my skin and I think you all can find that some of these products will be amazing if incorporated into your skincare routine.

The Basics:
I used to use a straight proactive treatment and I just never got the exact results I wanted, mind you I think the entire system is AMAZING it was just way to harsh on my skin (I used the Original Proactive Extra Strength Formula). I was also washing my face with an Aveeno facial cleanser which I liked but it wasn’t as hydrating as I would prefer. When I began to think about changing my skincare regime entirely I knew I wanted to focus on a couple of things hydration, acne treatment, and brightening. With my current routine I have seriously found such a nice combination which gives me everything I have been missing with other products.

Removing Dirt & Makeup AKA Face Wash:
Every night I started with the same first step, removing my makeup or just cleansing my skin. To remove the surface of my makeup I start with makeup wipes ( any brand works for me) this step is only to remove the first layer of makeup and should not be used as your only cleansing step. Then I go in with my Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser which I picked up from my local CVS. OH MY GOSH you guys, this product is incredible. It is a white cream that you scoop out of the jar and lather onto your face, you should put it on like you are applying a facial moisturizer and then once it has completely covered your face you take a soft towel or tissue and wipe off your face and your makeup will glide right off onto the towel or tissue. After this step, your skin feels like you just put on a really nice moisturizer. Then I go back in with a makeup wipe just to ensure I got it all off of my skin. I use this product both morning and night time because it really deep cleans.

Removing Eye Makeup:
After my skin is completely free of any makeup I go in with an eye makeup remover. It’s important to use a cleanser or cream that is designed or gentle enough to use on your eye area because many cleansers may be too rough to put around your eyes. Recently I have been obsessed with the Benefit They’re Real Remover. This product is also a cream and I just put a small amount onto my ring fingers and massage both eyes and eyebrows for about a minute then I take a cotton pad and gently wipe off the cream and melted makeup. I only use this product if I have been wearing makeup on my eyes so at night.

Toner:
Once your skin is nice and clean you want to apply a toner onto your skin and this step is the most important one and most exciting for me because of the product that I use for this step. Recently I started doing some research on the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar and I found that if you dilute it, it can be an amazing product to apply onto your face as a toner. The vinegar helps to restore your PH levels, keep your skin clear, and also is not drying. To make this toner I take a small travel container that has a removable lid on it and fill it with a little less than half of tap water then I take straight Apple Cider Vinegar and fill the rest of the container with it. You can use a spray bottle, jar, or whatever you have laying around the house as long as you can either spray it onto your face or soak a cotton pad in it. You also want to make sure that whichever ratio of vinegar to water that you use you always end up with more vinegar. It took me a few times to find the right ratio for myself but now that I have, it’s amazing! I only use this product at night because of the smell.

Serum:
This is a step that I regulate, I only apply a serum every other night because it is a Vitamin C Serum so too much of this would not be good for my skin. The one I use is from Mario Badescu and I have loved this product ever since I got it and it really does last forever because I am only using it ever other night. I just apply a small amount onto my skin and allow it to sink into my skin before applying any other products.

Acne Treatment:
I don’t suffer from really bad acne but the acne that I do have is always very stubborn and hard to get rid of. Recently I have been loving the Clearasil Rapid Action Vanishing Treatment Cream. It’s important to apply this straight onto your acne marks so I will put this on either right after my toner or right after my serum because if I try and put it on over a cream then it won’t sink into the pimple as well. Once my entire face routine is done I will then take the Proactive Solution Refining Mask which I use as an acne spot treatment. I apply this after the rest of my face products because for me this can be very drying.

Eye Cream:
I recently started using an eye cream in order to hydrate my under eye area because they were getting very dry and my concealer was really settling into those dry areas. I have been loving the Clinique All About Eyes Cream which is actually more like a gel. It is supposed to reduce any under eye puffiness but I just love it for the hydration that it’s been giving my under eye area. I apply this product in patting motions all around my eyes and even onto my lids.

Day & Night Moisturizer:
During the day time I like to keep my face nice and hydrated but I don’t want to use anything that will make my foundation slippery when I put it onto my skin. I picked up the Hawaiian Moon Aloe Lotion at Phame and this product honestly isn’t anything incredible but it’s been helping to keep my skin hydrated and soft throughout the day. For night time I have another product that I am excited about which is Coconut Oil. I started using raw coconut oil as a night time moisturizer about a week ago and it has made such an incredible difference for my skin. I buy raw organic Coconut Oil from my local Whole Foods and just use a spoon to scoop some out onto my fingers then I warm the product up into my hands until it is a watery consistency and then I apply that all over my skin and it just provides the most intense natural hydration.

XOXO

Amazing Skin…

Hi Ladies!

I’ve been so busy recently with jury duty and everything going on during summer I have barely had any time to even put on makeup! I decided on Tuesday though to treat myself and go to Sephora to pick up a few new products. I went into Sephora with the intention of getting a few foundation but honestly came out with so much more.

If you have yet to try out Sephora’s Colors IQ you are seriously missing out… I was originally going to get a YSL foundation that I have heard wonderful things about but couldn’t find a color that really matched my skin.I asked one of the sales associates to match me and instead she did the Color IQ test. Since forever I have always though that I have very very pink and red undertones but to my surprise I am completely yellow, almost to the end of the yellow scale! I was shocked to say the least because everything that I buy has some kind of pink tone to it…which would explain why sometimes I feel like my skin is just so blah and has no life to it because I have been using the wrong undertone for WAY to long.

When Jennifer (Sephora sales associate) asked me what foundation I was interested in I told her the YSL one but instead she recommend the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation because I told her that I love the way the Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation lays on my face I just wish it actually lasted 12 hours for me. So I decided to try the Double Wear Foundation in a bit darker shade than I would usually get and also in a very yellow tone. Before you even finish reading this you just need to know…this is by far the best foundation I have ever used. I am such a fan of full coverage but I don’t want it to be too full wear it starts to look cakey on my skin and make me look like I am wearing a complete mask. This foundation glided onto my skin and although it is more of a dry foundation and sets to a powder finish it made my skin look so healthy and luminous I can’t even explain how. As you know, I have very dry skin and recently my forehead has been very patchy with dry skin but this foundation did not sink into my dry areas and accentuate them it covered it so well. I noticed that I only needed one layer of foundation and it completely covered every single blemish. I applied this foundation with a Makeup Geek Buffing Brush (which is my new holy grail foundation brush) and it looked airbrush. Another thing I loved was how the rest of my products worked so well on top and underneath the foundation, even though the foundation was thick it wasn’t hard to blend in concealer or bronzer. I put the foundation on at about 7pm and when I came home around 3am my face still looked airbrushed and perfect. I found that this foundation seemed to hold the rest of my makeup in place throughout the night to which I loved.

Will You Love It?
If you have dry skin or oily skin this product will be amazing for you. I think people who have oily skin will really appreciate this because not only is it oil free but it just creates such a nice matte canvas to your skin you really don’t need to worry about touching up because you get oily throughout the day. If you have dry skin honestly this foundation could be a hit or miss, if you prep your skin well with a moisturizer and apply this about 20 min after you won’t have a problem but if your skin is VERY dry I would say to exfoliate and moisturize and then try out this foundation. Also this is very full coverage so I would recommend using this foundation when you will be taking a lot of photos and being out for a long time because it sits very nicely on your skin in photos and in person for a long period of time but if you like a natural finish this won’t be your favorite foundation.

The photos posted have absolutely no edit so you can completely see how perfect my skin looked with the foundation. Also if you would like a complete product list just let me know!

XOXO

On The Bad Days…

Hi Ladies! 

So have you ever had one of those days when you look in the mirror and it seems like every part of your makeup looks pretty terrible? Yesterday my skin was so patchy, my eye shadow was not blended well, and my lashes looked tiny. Needless to say, when you have one of these days all you want to do is run home and wash off all your makeup and crawl into bed but sadly that is not always an option. So when I got off work early I headed over to CVS to pick up some new face wash (I knew I was going to need something more than what I was using lol) and some gel liner. I decided in the CVS makeup aisle that when I got home I was going to try a look solely based on gel liner because honesty, liner in general terrifies me. I’ve always loved the way it looks on me but for a perfectionist like myself when your two wings don’t match up you might as well not wear makeup. SOOO when I got home I went to work with some Maybelline Gel Liner, a Mac liner brush, and some good crease colors and this is the look I cam up with. I actually really loved it! Sometimes when you do a bold liner your eyes can look kind of funny but with the crease color (it’s just a red brown color) it really made my eyes stand out and made them look so much bigger! I knew I wanted to do something interesting to I took the liner into my inner corners which for the first few hours I really enjoyed but after a while it seemed to bleed and look like a mess so I wiped it off before the night ended. If you guys have any ideas on how to make that not happen please let me know! I was thinking that if I set the inner corner with black eye shadow also it would keep it in place, but that just seems like it could get messy really quickly. I finished the look off with some dramatic Ardell lashes which are my current fave and a serious dupe for the House of Lashes Iconic ones. 

If you guys would like to see a step by step of how I got this look just comment below and I would be glad to, also let me know what you think about the liner in the inner corner!

XOXO

A Little Glamour…

Hi Ladies!

One of my favorite things to do is get all dressed up for a dinner and movie night with my boyfriend. I use these nights to experiment with some new products and styles of makeup. I wanted to show you guys my go to brown smokey eye and heavily contoured face (that seemed to not come up in photos). Products will all be listed below! 🙂 

EYES:

• I like to start with my eyes before the rest of makeup just because I tend to be messy and use tape to get a precise line and I don’t want to pull off any of my foundation and hard work I have already done on my face. 
• Prime: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly ( I put that on with a concealer brush and just blend it out with my finger, I usually put it from my lash line to my eyebrows.) 
• Set: I like to set that cream with just any cream shadow, I used my MAC Skin Finish in Light. 
• Crease: MUG Coco Bear ( I build it up and blend it in with a MAC 217, take your time with this shadow and really build it up). Then I take MUG Creme Brulee with the same brush and build up that color so I have a warm crease, it should be darker at this point and should really define your crease but you really just want to focus the colors in the outer part of your eye so put the brush there first and blend out whatever color you have left on your brush into the inner part of your eye. 
• Lid: Then I go into my Anastasia Lavish Palette and take the darkest brown shade that has shimmer in it and pack it onto my lids with a Sigma E55 brush. When I’m doing a smokey eye I like to use shimmer on the lid because it makes it more flirty and a little more soft, I am personally not a fan of an all matte eye. 
• Touch Up: I then go back in with my MAC 217 brush sometimes I have product on it (left over creme brulee) but this time I went in with it clean and just blended the shimmer color into the crease so there was no harsh lines. 
• Liner: Then I went in with Maybelline gel liner and a thin pencil brush from an art store. 
• Lashes: I started with DUO glue in Black and use the Ardell 419 Curvy lashes. 
• Brows: I used Anastasia Dip Brown in Auburn with her eyebrow brush and set them with her brown gel. 

FACE: 

• Prep: I started by moisturizing my face with the Philosophy Hope In A Jar for Dry Skin and Clinque Eye Cream
• Prime: I added just a tiny bit of the Tarte Flawless Primer to my skin just on my cheeks. 
• Contour & Highlight: I used my RCMA palette taking the white shade to highlight and the second darkest brown shade to contour around my face. I then took my beauty blender and just blender the edges of this into my skin. I applied this to my face using a flat concealer brush from Bare Minerals. 
• Foundation: I took my Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Foundation on my beauty blender and put the foundation lightly onto the areas I highlighted first and then blended it into the contoured area very lightly. 
• Extra Highlight: Since the concealer palette hide any dark circles or imperfections I then took my MAC Prep and Prime pen in Radiant rose and blended this into the areas I put the white concealer area for some extra highlight. 
• Set: I set my under eye with MAC Skin Finish (using the contour brush from real techniques) in Light and contoured area with Hoola Bronzer from Benefit (using a tapered brush from sigma)  and the rest of my face with Buff from BEN NYE (using a large powder brush from real techniques) 
• Contour: Taking a MAC 109 I used the Anastasia Contour Kit to contour my cheeks, forehead, and nose. 
• Blush: I used the tapered brush from Sigma again to apply a coral color from my BEN BYE Cheek Palette. 
• Powder: MAC soft & gentle, I used my finger. 

LIPS: 

• Prime: I started with Vaseline about 30 min before. 
• Liner: Lined my lips with MAC Strip Down and colored them in lightly with the liner also.
• Gloss: Urban Decay Liar 

Some Great Lashes

Hi Ladies! So recently I told myself that I would start experimenting with some makeup techniques that I’m not used to so that I can just learn the ins and outs of makeup. One of the first things that I made myself start doing was applying false eyelashes. For me, false lashes have always been so complicated and annoying but recently I have been wearing them every day because of the amazing effect that they have on my eyes. A few months ago I bought a pair of the accent lashes from Ardell which are just lashes that you apply to the outside part of your eye (they give you are very cat eye effect). Applying these shorter lashes is so much easier than applying a full lash strip and not to mention faster. Yesterday I took the Ardell 138 lashes which are very dramatic lashes and basically cut each lash in half leaving the outside edge a little longer than the inside (these are full lash strips) then I applied the longer strip to the outside of my eye, let it dry and applied the next stip right on top of that lash but on the very outer corner of my eye. This seriously gave my eyes such a beautiful shape. I added some drama by doing a dark brown cat eye also which is usually covered my the lashes but it still adds to the shape of your eyes. As you can tell, there are no false lashes on the inner corner of my eyes which is something that I like but if you have never tried this kind of false lash it will take some getting used to. This obviously is not your average everyday look but I don’t mind it being dramatic. These kind of lashes are perfect for everyday (you don’t need to double them and you can purchase more natural looking lashes so you only get a slight cat eye look) because they are quick to apply and you don’t need to worry about that inner corner coming up or having the lashes feeling super heavy on your eyes. I definitely recommend this style of lashes to someone who has watery eyes because the inner corner of your eyes are left free of any glue of lashes so the water will not undo the glue. 

It’s totally about how you feel when it comes to the shape of your eyes but I would really recommend try this look. 

XOXO

Foundation Dupe…

Hi Ladies!

I had this notion in my mind for a long time that high-end products work better, last longer, and are better quality than drugstore products (when it comes to makeup). I started to find that while there was a VERY obvious difference between some high-end products and drugstore products there were also a few that were very similar and you would not need to go spend a ton of money for makeup. Let’s be honest, when it comes to putting something on my face like foundation, lotions, and concealers I really don’t mind paying extra for something that I know is… 

1. Not tested on animals
2. Lasts long
3. Designed without sulfates or parabens 
4. Organic
5. Sometimes gluten free

There are some things that you really should not skimp on just because of the price. With this being said I know a lot of people still want the option to spend a less at the drugstore for makeup and I think I have one product that everyone is going to love…

Comparison between the Revlon Color Stay Whipped Foundation & Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Foundation

First off the Revlon Color Stay Whipped Foundation. Revlon states, “Finally, truly decadent makeup offers ultimate performance. The mousse-like texture feels like silk on your skin. And, the time release formula balances skin for a flawless look. All day flexible wear without flaking, caking or feeling heavy.” This foundation is just that. It comes in a small pot (which I think is one of the flaws because of the cleanliness of the item) but you would simply scoop out some of the product with a brush or your finger and go from there. I like to use a foundation brush (any brand or style that I bought to use specifically for this) and scoop the product onto a makeup plate (you could use the back of your hand, back of a clean eye shadow palette, whatever) I then take a flat top Kabuki brush to first lay the product evenly all over my face and then go back in with my damp beauty blender to thin out the foundation and make it look airbrushed. I found that this foundation lasted all day and gave myself a matte finish. Although I don’t mind matte especially in my T-Zone, I would add a little illuminater to the product next time I used it. If you have dry skin (especially in the winter time) it’s a great idea to use a cream foundation because it adds a lot of cushion to your skin and some hydration through the cream. When you apply a liquid foundation sometimes it will settle into any flakey areas of your face whereas a cream will completely camouflage that area. A few good points about the foundation… 

• Did not feel like I was wearing a drugstore foundation at all
• Felt really creamy on the skin
• Easy to blend
• Good color selection at the store
• No fragrance
• Did not look cakey
• Only had to touch-up a little on my cheeks during the day
• Made my blush and bronzer glide on
• Concealer looked great with it.  
•  Powder also glided onto my skin when I set the foundation

   

  **SKINCARE TYPE: This product is apart of their color stay line which means that it is formulated to last a lot longer and to be almost water proof so when you want to remove this product it’s important to remember that you can not use just a basic cleanser, instead you need to double cleanse at least or use an exfoliating cleanser because this product will really sink into your skin. 

   

  Next is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Foundation: 

  I have been using this foundation for a little over four months now so I have really used it at different points in my skin experience (when I have been more dry or more oily) and I have found that this foundation really withstands a lot. Whether you have dry skin or oily skin this foundation will truly last you all day long. One thing that I really like about this foundation is that it comes in a squeeze bottle so its a lot less messy and you don’t have to worry about spreading germs throughout your makeup products. I usually just squeeze some onto the back of my hand, add some illuminater and buff it onto my face with a flat top kabuki brush, then I go back in with my beauty blender to make sure that everything is seamless. This foundation really glides onto the skin and makes your skin look perfect, its one of those foundations that you would reach for during “that time of the month” because it is full coverage but it does not make your imperfections look cakey, it simply erases them. I have not had any problems when using this with either my MAC Pro Long Wear conceal or also my Tarte Concealer, both really glide onto the skin and do not separate or crease during the day. This is a foundation that I find I barely need to touch up with and I would choose this foundation on a day I know I will be taking photos, moving around a lot, or it will be hot. 

   

  Overall: 
  I think that both foundations are great but you can get away with buying the $15 Revlon Foundation instead of the almost $40 Tarte Foundation. Both are so similar it’s hard to say which one is better. I think that I will continue to use my Tarte Foundation until it runs out and then switch to the Revlon Foundation. You are going to get the same finish, same all day feel, same lasting power, and overall same quality with both products so I say…save your money and go to the drugstore!

   

   

   

   

   

Skin Care 101: Washing Your Face & Face Wash…

Hi Ladies!

For years makeup has been a huge part of my life, I seriously get a thrill from shopping for makeup or getting my winged liner just perfect. I could honestly say that makeup is a serious addiction for me as well as many other bloggers and youtubers. One of the most important parts of makeup though that I have learned is the proper care of your skin because no matter how much makeup you put on during the course of the day, eventually you have to take it off (or hopefully you are taking it off). Taking care of your skin is so crucial to how your makeup is going to look. To start, I’ve never had perfect skin in anyway, my skin fluctuates from acne to being dry to oily to every possible bad skin day you can image so I have found a system for myself that I am currently loving, a system that helps keep my skin in check.

Rule #1 of makeup and skincare, WASH YOUR FACE. You need to be washing your face at night and in the morning. I’ll be honest, I used to go through a whole extravagant skin care routine at night, wake up put makeup right onto my face and then wonder why I was breaking out. I am someone who suffers from dry skin so washing my face in the morning and at night might seem like a drying task but honestly if I don’t wash off all that heavy cream that has been laying on my skin for 10 hours my skin just doesn’t feel the same the next day, yes it’s moisturized but it’s not entirely healthy. Unless you are changing your pillow cases every other night and washing them correctly then you need to wash your face because the bacteria that can grow on your pillows just over night is enough to cause a break out and let’s be honest we don’t have time to wash our pillow cases that frequently so washing your face is an easy step in the morning to not only wake you up, close your pores, and wash off any bacteria. With that being said, you don’t necessarily have to go out to your makeup counters or Sephora and pay $60 for a cleanser, you just need one that works for your own skin type.

The Basic Face Wash:
I understand how hard it can be to find a face wash you love when you are so overwhelmed with the options at your local makeup store or drugstore but there is one face wash that is almost universal for all skin types, it is the Purpose Gentle Cleansing Face Wash. This is a soap free and oil free liquid that becomes a lather consistency when mixed with water and melts away your makeup. This is a basic face wash, it is not going to do anything else then take off your makeup and any dirt. I know so many people who have used this and really love it because it’s gentle, it does not take the hydration out of your skin, doesn’t make you more oily, and lastly this will not break you out. When you are looking for a face wash and you just want one that will remove the first surface or makeup and dirt then you need a face wash with simple ingredients, the more acids you start adding to the wash the more of an affect you are going to have on your skin. If you want to try a more high end face wash then you should invest in the Philosophy Purity Made Simple wash, this wash is ideal for every skin type because it does not contain any harsh soap or oil and is more like washing your face with a lotion but don’t worry this will not make you more oily. I personally love this face wash, it’s amazing for those nights when you just want to crawl into bed and forget about your makeup because it does most of the work for you.

Cleanser for Oily Skin:
If you have oily skin it’s important to focus on using products that will absorb the excess oil on your face so choosing products with a gel consistency are ideal. When you are looking for face washes you need to avoid products that contain natural or synthetic oils, perfumes, and additives because while these may not seem to make a difference, these can actually cause you to become more oily and eventually clog your pores to the point where you have breakouts. You need to focus on finding products with antioxidants and hydroxy acids and it’s important to incorporate some salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide which is almost always found in a gel cleanser rather than in a creamy cleanser than becomes a lather. By using these acids you will clean out your pores and reduce the build up that oily skin can have. You have the opportunity to use more acidic washes and you should take advantage of that but remember not to totally strip your skin of moisture by adding in a hydrating moisturizer after washing your face at morning and at night.
Good Cleansers: Dove Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, Clinique Wash-Away Gel Cleanser

Cleanser for Dry Skin:
If you have dry skin your main purpose when it comes to makeup and skincare is to MOISTURIZE but the hydration starts at the root of your skin care routine which is washing your face. If you have dry skin you want to find cleansers with moisturizing properties these properties will create a barrier for your skin that holds in moisture and prevents dryness. Cleansers that contain antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents and barrier-repair moisturizing ingredients are all properties you should be looking for. Look for products also that contain alpha hydroxy acids which will help exfoliate the dull skin and eventually allow the moisturizers to skin into the skin. Liquid and foaming cleanser clean the skin gently without removing the necessary natural oils to keep your skin hydrated. It’s important to remember that oil based cleansers may be good if you have dry skin but not acne prone skin so find a cleanser that has basic ingredients and avoids acids and oils.
Good Cleansers: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, Boscia Soothing Cleansing Cream, Pond’s Cold Cream

Cleaner for Acne Prone Skin:
If you are more prone to red pimples then you need to focus on finding products that benzoyl peroxide which will kill acne-causing bacteria and make your skin appear less red and irritated. If you start using too high of a concentration of the benzoyl peroxide though it will make your skin appear even more red and inflamed so look for cleansers that contain only 4 percent of benzoyl peroxide and list the ingredient lower in an ingredient because then it is more diluted and more gentle to the skin. For this skin I recommend a cleanser like Neuutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser. If you experience a problem with blackheads then try a cleanser with salicylic acid like the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash and SKinCeuticals LHA Cleansing Gel another good alternative to try here if you are looking for an entire skin care regime is the Proactive Extra Strength System because of their products are formulated based on salicylic acids.

Cleanser for Sensitive Skin:
Sensitive skin types usually get irritated when you introduce and ingredient to your skin that is to harsh. For this skin type you need to look for mild ingredients like aloe, cucumber, natural extracts, and antioxidants in lower concentrations. You especially need to avoid anything with an alcohol base to it, harsh toners, scrubs, and overall anything that could be potentially rough to the skin.
Good Cleansers: Avene Extremely GentelCleanser for Intolerant skin, CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser which contains glycerin and ceraminds to help restore your skin’s barrier.
It should be noted that if you have sensitive skin it might be a good idea to look for a skincare regime that is all natural and organic because that will be the most gentle on your skin. You should also remember to avoid any kind of product either makeup or skincare that has some kind of added fragrance.

Let me know if you have any specific skin care related questions!

XOXO

Coverage & Protection All In One…

Hi Ladies! 

Recently I went on the hunt for a good CC cream, one that would not only make my skin look great but also have the vitamins and sunscreen in it to make my skin great without makeup also. When researching the true benefits of CC creams I found this, “Anyone who wants the anti-aging benefits of peptides, niacin, algae, vitamins A, C, B, E, hyaluronic acid, and hydrolyzed collagen and SPF 50+ UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, Physical Only, Non-Chemical Sunscreen should be using a CC Cream.” CC creams are literally packed with so much good product for you skin it’s impossible for your skin to not look beautiful and glowing with or without the product. 

I fell in love with the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream which is a full coverage cream with SPF 50+ and packed with the vitamins listed above. The product is amazing, it glides right onto your face with a brush or just using your finger tips, gives you wonderful coverage, and makes your skin appear as if it is glowing from the inside out. The product does not have any shimmer in it but it does give your face a nice dewy sheen. When I first picked this product up my skin was very dry and this acted as a double moisturizer also because of the vitamin C within it (a super hydrating vitamin). If you have oily skin then I would recommend setting this cream with a powder because it will slip and slide if you do not. It blends out very well too making it a perfect cream for everyday or on the run because you don’t need to use a brush for it, you can simply put it on with your fingers. On the back of the packaging it says to reapply this cream every 2 hours because of the sunscreen benefits but I think you would need to reapply it anyways because this will not last you an entire day. I am not very oily but after a few hours I was oily and my skin was peaking through so reapplying this is a must for a long day. This product is perfect for more of a beach day when you aren’t worried about having to reapply this over powders and you are using this as a sunscreen or just for running quick errands. Either way, I felt that this product made my skin look better when I took the cream off, my skin seemed plump and healthy with a glow and it looked like I just had a facial, it did not look like I had been wearing makeup all day. I would recommend this product to everyone! For $38 you are getting a lot of really good product. I think this cream would be great for women who are concerned about aging, sensitive skin, dry skin, and women at the beach or running errands. 

 

How I Use It: I start with a clean face and then apply some of my Benefit Professional to my skin after my moisturizer I let these to products soak into my face for about five minutes while I finish my mascara then I take the CC+ Cream on my fingers and blend it into my skin but not all the way, then I go in with my damp beauty blender and blend everything out one last time (this creates a really nice thin layer of the product and makes it look like my actual skin). Then I finish my concealer and highlight and set everything with my Hourglass Powder. 

XOXO
 

The Real Deal With Eyebrows…

Hi Ladies, 

I recently did a post about how important contouring is and the wonderful effects it can have on your face if done correctly but there is another popular step in beauty today that needs to be discussed, eyebrows. Eyebrows literally shape your entire face. You can change so much about how your face is perceived if you have awesome brows. I try not to follow by many beauty rules or set too many restrictions and guidelines but I vowed to myself awhile ago to never leave the house without my eyebrows being filled in. If you honestly don’t think it will make a difference I beg you to go into your makeup collection, take a brown (or matching shadow) on a flat definer brush and fill those babies in! 

We all know that Anastasia Soare (Anastasia Beverly Hills) is known for not only her impeccable pros and the vision that she has for others brows, but the phenomenal products she sells also. Her business is so successful and so important to the makeup world right now. Her products are seriously revolutionary for today’s world and trump over most others in the category. Recently she came out with her Dip Brow Pomades which are a creamy consistence of eyebrow heaven. I personally use the Dip Brow Pomade in Auburn every single day. Some may say that it is too harsh for a normal day-time look but if applied correctly and with a light hand you will achieve beautiful full brows that will last you all day by adding a touch of her brow gel. 

While I do love the Dip Brow, I began my eyebrow craze with Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse (seriously a mouth full). When I first discovered that I wanted a more thick brow and the pencils and powders weren’t doing it for me this was the first product in a pomade moussey form that I tried and honestly I loved it. It was thick but precise and really allowed me to create the brows I wanted at the time. I bought mine in Medium Brown and I found it was perfect for my light brown hair because it never went on very thick or dark. 

 

Comparing: 

Overall both are great products but they do have some distinct differences

1. Tarte’s Brow Mousse is definitely more thick and if you aren’t used to this kind of formula it can be kind of a mess. While the Anastasia Dip Brow was light and seemed easy for someone new to these products to handle. 
2. Both of the colors were the same level for both brands (medium browns) but for Tarte it had an obvious grey undertone and seemed quite dull when compared to the rich color of the Dip Brow. These could be a negative or a positive depending on who is using this product. I actually did not mind this grey tone to it, at times I think it made it look more natural when it was blended out on my brows. 
3. Both of them last very long. Whether you end up setting them with a brow gel or not these act as a little bit of brow gel because of the texture to them. It is kind of like putting gel in your hair, it might move a little but for the most part the shape will hold all day.
4. I did find that the Tarte Mousse was waterproof, it took extra work to get it completely off at night which I didn’t mind because I knew that even if it rained or I jumped into a pool, it would stil be stuck to my brows. The Dip Brow was slightly waterproof but if given the choice I would choose the Tarte Mousse

Honestly both of these products were so similar and I do not have complaints about either of them. I think it would depend on what exactly you are looking for in an eyebrow product and how advanced you are at creating your shape with a pomade or mousse. Overall I would choose the Anastasia Dip Brow just because it is not as thick and a little bit easier to work with. 

XOXO

Contour & Highlight in One Perfect Palette

These are the two shade options available

Hi Ladies!

So as we all know contouring and highlighting is as essential as drinking water these days. Whether you’re Kim Kardashian or anyone else, the benefits that contouring and highlighting can have is simply phenomenal. While to some, it may seem unnecessary you can get a serious transform in a matter of minutes with just a little dark powder and cream.

I recently attended IMATS in LA this past January and was overwhelmed with the amount of cream palettes that all of the big makeup brands were offering. I ended up choosing a wonderful palette from RCMA Makeup. The palette comes with 18 shades of concealer ranging from dark to light (mind you there are two of these palettes depending on your skin tone, since I am fair I chose the VK #11 because it had more shades to compliment me). This palette is phenomenal! It was seriously worth every penny I spent (I don’t remember the exact price because the IMATS prices were a little different than the normal prices but it currently retails for $27.00)

Although the palette can seem intimidating at first I would definitely recommend trying a cream contour. Concealer palettes make this easy because they offer you such a light shade and then one that is much darker than your normal skin tone. This concealer is formulated to be very creamy and sheer so you will need to build upon it for a more intense highlight. If you are a pro, this kind of palette is ideal because of the price and also the variety of colors that you get because it is so versatile.

 

How I Use It:

I start with my normal foundation routine but I usually apply a thinner layer when I know I am going to contour with cream. After my foundation I take a MAC 189 concealer and dip into some of the lightest shade (if you are using this palette on multiple people then scoop the product onto something separate) I then take the lightest shade and draw a triangle under both eyes down to my cheekbones, a triangle in the center of my forehead, a swipe on my cupids bow, and a triangle on my chin. Next I take a beige color from the palette and swipe it onto the hollow of my cheeks, on the sides of my nose, the area that was not covered by the highlight on my forehead, and on my jaw. I then take any duo-fiber brush and lightly blend out the highlight and then take my beauty blender to blend my contour in ( I like using my beauty blender for this because I want the dark product to stay exactly where it is, if you move it too much you can change the shape of your face and make it look bigger or wider.) After everything is blended I set all the creams ( for my highlight I set with MAC Pro Emphasize powder & for my contour I set with Benefit’s Hoola.)

 

In case you can’t get your hands on this palette try using a light concealer from the drugstore, I like the Maybelline Age Rewind (so blendable and comparable to a high-end concealer) and for contour try the Sonia Kashuck Undetectable Cream Bronzer (there are two shades). If you want more of a liquid contour try a few shades darker than your skin tone in the L’oreal True Match foundation (beautiful foundation from the drugstore)

 

XOXO