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

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!

   

   

   

   

   

Just a Little Update…

Hi Ladies!

I did a post a few days back about my up and down relationship with primers and how I have yet to find my perfect one. I just wanted to post a photo of my skin without any primer being used underneath my makeup. My skin has seriously been loving no primer and looks amazing without it right now. I can’t even bring myself to try a new one yet because I am so happy with the results of using just a good moisturizer and foundation.

In the photo I am using the Philosophy Hope in a Jar light-weight moisturizer(if you would like a review on this product let me know because it’s one of my new favorites). I let the moisturizer sit on my skin while I do my eyes and then go in with the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Foundation (review coming soon). I started by applying this all over my face with my fingers and then taking my already damp Beauty Blender, spray a little bit of Fix + from MAC onto it and then blend my foundation onto my skin. After this step I like to let my foundation sit for a minute so I do my eyebrows and then continue onto my face. I then did my concealer with MAC Pro Longwear and blended it out with a Beauty Blender and set it with a very light Mineralize Skinfinish from MAC and then set my skin with the Hourglass Cool Translucent Powder on a large fluffy brush from Real Techniques. Then I did some light blush and bronzer and finished it off with a setting spray from Skindinavia for Dry Skin

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