Beauty – Page 64

Too Faced Melted Kisses!! Holiday Makeup Review!

October 29, 2014 & 6 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I am SO excited to be sharing my first review of a holiday makeup set for 2014 with you all today!! I already did my Holiday Makeup Sets for 2014 post, as well as my Holiday Makeup Sets: Top Values on “Leah’s Friday Five” on the Pearls and Pastries Shop blog, and actually getting to play with one of the sets and try it out is making me even more excited for all of the holiday makeup goodness!

Too Faced Cosmetics Melted Kisses

When Too Faced launched their Melted Lipsticks I was intrigued but had been putting off buying them because 1) I couldn’t decide what color I wanted to try, and 2) $21 each isn’t crazy for a high-end lipstick, but it isn’t as wallet friendly as other options either. Needless to say I was hoping that they would have a holiday set that included these, and when I saw this Melted Kisses set I knew I wanted it!

Cost:

$25.00

What’s Inside:

Deluxe Mini tubes of Melted Berry, Melted Fuchsia, Melted Peony, and Melted Nude. Each of these are part of the permanent collection of Melted Lipsticks.

Packaging:

Ummm hellllooo adorable!! I love the little nutcracker girls on the side of the box and all of the glittery details! Would make a super cute stocking stuffer or gift!!

Swatches:

Melted Berry:

Melted Fuchsia:

Melted Peony:

Melted Nude:

First Impression:

VERY pigmented! These are NOT a sheer wash of color at all! They feel nice going on the lips, and the applicator is very soft. I do think that I’ll use an anti-feathering clear liner like this one from Too Faced, or line my lips before using the darker colors especially. They go on glossy but seem to change to more of a matte which I actually really like! These aren’t drying at all and finding a comforable lipstick, especially one that’s more matte, hasn’t been easy these days since pregnancy has made my lips *uber* dry.

Thoughts After One Day:

I found that the Melted Berry color lasted through lunch and I didn’t have to touch up until mid afternoon. These do leave a bit of a stain on the lips as well, so even when it was time to reapply my lips still had color. I will wear a lipliner next time, but mostly because it was hard to get the edge of the lips perfect with such a bold color.

Thoughts On All Shades After 1 Week of Having Set:

I love this set!! My favorite right now is the Melted Berry because it screams fall/winter/holiday season and the Melted Peony is perfect for everyday wear. I think this is a great value and I love seeing more affordable holiday giftsets out there!!

Thank you so much for reading!! And don’t forget to let me know what holiday makeup sets you would like to see reviews on in the comments!! Have a wonderful weekend!!! XO

Ipsy Glam Bag October 2014!

October 20, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I had a post prepared for today, but when I got my Ipsy bag in the mail right before leaving for a night away, I thought it would be a great time to do a true first impression of this bag. Please excuse the not so wonderful lighting, but you can see that I was really in a hotel ; ) Do you subscribe to the Ipsy Glam Bag?

October Ipsy Glam Bag:

The Bag:

The teal color is pretty, but I really don’t care for this bag. The quilted design in okay, but it is SO cheap-y looking and cheap/plastic feeling. I will use it for travel, but it isn’t anything I’m excited about.

Skyn Iceland Glacial Cleansing Cloths:

These smell very nice and worked well removing my makeup in the hotel. Very nice product! But to take the place of my beloved Neutrogena cleansing cloths? That’ll be hard!

Ayres Body Butter:

This is a tiny sample, but I always love trying lotions and body butters! This is made with the essential oils jasmine and rosemary, and I do like the smell. This does feel nice and rich, and I’m going to enjoy using this.

H20+ Face Oasis:

This says it is a hydrating treatment that is oil-free and non-greasy, which is important to me because I have combo/oily skin. I love trying new skin treatments, and am intrigued by the gel texture of this. This is a really high-end product, and I’m excited to get the chance to try it out with this generous sample.

Revlon Bold Lacquer Mascara in 001 Blackest Black:

I already have an unopened package of this from my PopSugar Must Have Box, and now that I have two I am going to try it out. I love trying new mascaras, but I don’t like opening more than a couple at a time. I love that this is a full-size product!

Noyah All-Natutral Lipstick in Deeply in Mauve:

How cute is this tiny little lipstick?! Adorable mini lipstick but it did nick very easily on the edge when I opened it (you can see this in the picture where the lipstick got onto the tube). It is a great color for fall and the formula seems to be very creamy which feels great on the lips. The color seems to be buildable, and I really like it. It did wipe off pretty easily when I swatched it, but we will see how it wears on the lips!

I think I will really enjoy the cleansing cloths, even though they aren’t that exciting, and I really like the body butter as well. I think the lipstick is precious and I like that the color is very buildable! Do you subscribe to Ipsy? Did you like your box this month? I would love to hear from you! I am going to tweak my profile and see if my products improve a bit for next month, although I still think this was worth the $10. Have a wonderful week and thank you for reading!!

Holiday Makeup Sets for 2014!!!!!

October 15, 2014 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Okay ladies, it is that time again, the holiday makeup sets are now avaliable in-store and online!! I am swooning over them, of course, and want to share 5 of my favorites here with you today! I will also be sharing 5 of the sets that I think are the best value and should be scooped up first on Leah’s Friday Five on the Pearls and Pastries Shop Blog this Friday! So be sure to check that out for my thoughts on 5 more limited edition holiday sets as well : ) I would LOVE to have an excuse to get my hands on some of these, so please let me know which sets you would like to see first impressions, swatches, and reviews on!!

Holiday Sets for 2014:

#1 Lip Gloss Roulette by Buxom

I love Buxom glosses, but I only have one full size gloss from the brand, and this kit is an amazing way to try 15 mini glosses! The full size glosses cost $19 each for a .15 oz and the mini glosses are .07 oz…so getting to try 15 is a GREAT value! This set contains both cream and polish finish glosses in a wide range of colors.

#2 La Belle Carousel by Too Faced

This set is STUNNING! Thank you to the wonderfully talented YouTuber Melissa Parada I am in love with this set! It contains little mini palettes that you can seperate and give as gifts or keep all for yourself ; ) You get 3 mini palettes with 4 eye shadows, 2 mini palettes with a blush and bronzer, and a deluxe sample of the Better Than Sex mascara. I love that you could pack these easily for travel, and think they would fit easily into makeup storage because of the slim and seperate palettes.

#3 Paint the Town by Formula X

First of all, HOW CUTE IS THIS?!?! If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know that I love nail polish! I have been wanting to try the Formula X nail polish for long time now and this set would be a fantastic way to try the line.

#4 Melted Kisses by Too Faced

I still do not own any of the Melted lipsticks even after months and months of hearing about them. I was hoping that Too Faced would have a holiday set featuring them because Too Faced always impresses with adorable packaging and beautifully put together sets. For $25 I think 4 dexlue samples is a great value! And how cute would these be in a stocking?! Or for a girlie gift swap!

#5 Everything Nice Set by Too Faced

Okay, so I know that I have mentioned several things by Too Faced…but like I said above, they are the bomb.com at putting together awesome bang for your buck with the cutest packaging to boot. This set scares me a little, I am after all a neautrals girl when it comes to my eye shadow, but the sparkle in this just SCREAMS holiday makeup!! I do wonder how I could store it, I have seen large palettes stored using desk accessories meant for folders, but I would love to try this beauty out!! It comes with 20(!) eye shadows, 2 blushes, 2 bronzers, a mini mascarra, and 3 makeup brushes. I don’t tend to like the makeup brushes that come in these types of sets, but I do have to say that they look adorable and the bag that this palette comes in is sooo glittery and girly…tons of fun sparkle with this set!

Thank you as always for reading! I apprecaite each and every one of you!! I hope that you have a fabulous weekend and can’t wait to hear what makeup sets you are most excited about for holiday 2014!!!

Drugstore Beauty Haul!!!

October 1, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday! And Happy October : ) This month means Halloween, and after Halloween?! In my mind, go ahead and decorate for Christmas!! ; )

I haven’t done a haul in awhile, and today I want to share a small but collective haul from two shopping trips. There are some great things out in the drugstore right now, and if there is anything new that you are loving (or new to you!) please let me know so that I can check it out!! Commenting is easy…just click the link by the title of this post : )

Drugstore Beauty Haul:

Maybelline “The Nudes” Palette:

I shared my love for this gorgeous palette in my September Favorites. I think that most of these colors are beautifully pigmented, and I love that this palette is set up in quads, trios, and duos. I think that this is great for anyone who loves neutral eye shadow looks, and it is a fantastic price point! If you have been holding off on Urban Decay Naked or other high end neutral palettes, definitely give this a shot!

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder in Porecelain Ivory:

This is the powder that replaced the Maybelline Dream Matte when it was discontinued, and it is my favorite pressed powder to set foundation with.

Maybelline Color Show in Dressed To Kill:

This nail polish such a gorgeous blend of a dark purple, brown, and burgundy! Check this out the next time your in a drugstore or supermarket, because even with my *extensive* nail polish collection, I didn’t have anything quite like this! I am loving this color for fall and winter.

Wet n’ Wild Color Icon Trio in Silent Treatment:

I love the Wet n’ Wild eye shadows and this is a trio that I have been wanting to try. The pigmentation is wonderful and I think this will be a great little trio for both everyday looks and a slight smokey eye.

Hard Candy Single and Loving It Eye Shadow In Attraction:

Hard Candy Cosmetics are exclusive to Walmart and there are several items that I love from the line. I think that this eye shadow will make a beautiful crease or outer corner color, and I LOVE the sparkle that it has! I can’t wait to start playing with this color : )

Hard Candy Top Ten Trendsetters Eye Shadow Palette in Birthday Suit:

This is a BRAND NEW item from Hard Candy for the fall of 2014!! Hard Candy Cosmetics has several of these “Top 10 Treadsetter” palettes that just released and I wanted to try this neutral one. I wish the eye shadows were softer and slightly less powdery, BUT with that said I did find that they blended well and lasted all day for me with a primer underneath. I was impressed! I think these palettes are a great option to try colors that you aren’t comfortable with as well because the price point is so low.

Hard Candy Brows Now! Brow Fiber Gel and Highlighter in Light Medium:

I am a big fan of the Benefit Cosmetics Gimmie Brow and I am thrilled to see a fiber brow gel in the drugstore. This can be used alone on your brows or to help set a pencil or powder. The brush isn’t quite as small as the one from Benefit, and more product comes out with the brush on the Hard Candy wand. I love the highlighter end of this product, it is a gorgeous pink-y champagne and it blends beautifully! It reminds me a little bit of the Benefit Cosmetics High Brow, but at a lower price point. I am excited to continue using this!

Thank you, as always, for reading my blog!! And if you have subscribed, thank you so much!! Don’t forget to check out my other social media links which are at the top of this page!! Again, thanks!! XO

September Favorites!

September 29, 2014 & 5 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a great weekend! One of my good friends visited, and we had a wonderful time with beautiful weather! And my alma mater won big at our homecoming game : ) I am combining my beauty favorites and lifestyle favorites into one post this month. Let’s get right into it…

September Favorites:

1) M.A.C Paint Pot in Bare Study

This isn’t new to my collection, but I have been using it a lot lately and have fallen back in love. I love this as an eye shadow base or on days when I want a super natural look, alone.

2) Wet n’ Wild Coloricon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana

This is definitely NOT a bronzer, but it is part of the Coloricon Bronzer collection from Wet n’ Wild, and what it is is a *OMG* gorgeous highlighter. The price cannot be beat, and it comes with a huuuge amount of product. Love it!

3) Maybelline “The Nudes” Palette

I had been holding off buying this because I have so many neutral palettes…but when I saw it was buy one get one 50% off at Walgreens, I went for it because I needed some other Maybelline products. If you do not have this yet and you love neutral eye makeup, or if you have been holding off getting the Naked palettes by Urban Decay or other neutral palettes from high-end brands, YOU NEED THIS! It has had some mixed reviews, but I absolutely love it! I have worn it more than any of my other eye shadows this past month, and think it is definitely worth the $10-12. On the back it shows how you can break it up into quads, trios, and duos which is super helpful for people who maybe don’t know where to start with an eye look, and I find the quads especially to be fantastic! The pigmentation overall is good, although I will say that they wear and swatch much better with an eye shadow primer used first. The packaging is simple, not bulky, and very sleek for drugstore, but my one complaint is that there is no mirror. I could gush on and on about this, and if you’d like more information please let me know because this palette really could have its own post!

4) The Balm Shadow/Blush in Down Boy

This is a perfect baby pink blush! I love this because it looks great with so many eye shadow and lip combos! You can’t go wrong with it, but it is HIGHLY pigmented, so you only need a tiny bit!

5) Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder in Porecelain Ivory

This is my go-to everyday pressed setting powder ever since the Dream Wonder line replaced the Dream Matte line. I like that it gives an ever so slight coverage in addition to any foundation or BB cream you might have on.

6) EOS Lip Balm in Pomegranate Raspberry

I love the EOS lipbalms! And so does my 3 year old ; ) I like to apply these while I’m doing my makeup so that my lipsticks have a nice base…and this lipbalm is even thin enough that my matte lipsticks still appear matte but have a little moisture underneath.

7) Dual Ended Brow Brush with Spooli

Brand really doesn’t matter too much here, there are great low cost options as well as more high-end brushes, but I have been using powder for my brows lately and loving a dual ended brow brush with spooli.

8) NCLA Los Angeles Nail Polish in Rodeo Drive Royalty

I adore this nail polish! I mentioned it in my “Leah’s Friday Five” on the Pearls and Pastries Shop Blog, and it has been on my nails almost all month! I keep re-applying it because I can’t get enough of this gorgeous color!

9) Bauble Bar Arc Pendant Necklaces in Rose Gold

I have been loving my plain rose gold arc necklace layered with my pavé rose gold arc necklace! So simple and beautiful! This necklace from Bauble Bar is similar.

10) Gorjana Viceroy Necklace in Yellow Gold

This is such a beautiful simple piece! It goes well with everything!

11) Minnie Mouse Coffee Cozy

I found this adorable crochet Minnie Mouse coffee cozy from LNRCrochetDesigns on Etsy! The seller is super helpful and shipping was very fast. How cuuuute is this?! Seriously! Cute!

12) Name Bubbles Small Contact Clothing Labels

This is mostly for all the moms out there! Or maybe if someone is stealing your jacket off your chair at the office or your food out of the fridge at work, you too ; ) These labels are WASHER AND DRYER SAFE! And just STICK ON! Amazing. And they come in really cute designs, too. I was able to use a coupon code “B2SNB” for 10% off as well.

13) “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids” by Laura Markham on Audible.com

This book is amazing! Stephan and I are only halfway through listening to this book, and it has changed our relationship with our kids (and eachother!!) for the better. I don’t think you need to be struggling or think there is a problem at all to gain a great deal from this book! I really think this book would be benefital to anyone, with grown kids, or without kids at all! We plan to pick up a paper copy as well to highlight our favorite parts. Seriously, READ THIS IF YOU HAVE KIDS!

Phew! That was pretty long! If you read all that, thank you so much! What things have you been reaching for and loving this past month? I would love to know! I hope that you have a great start to your week, and don’t forget to subscribe!! : )

Ipsy Glam Bag September 2014!!

September 24, 2014 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!!

Well, I *finally* caved! I have been a reading and watching reviews and unboxings of the Ipsy Glam Bag for a looooong time and after some heavy debating between Birchbox vs Ipsy, I decided to ~~go with~~ start with Ipsy. Today I will be sharing what I got in my bag as well as my thoughts/mini reviews. When you sign up for Ipsy you create a profile so you get items that are supposed to be catered to your preferences, as well as skin type and hair type. Ipsy sends deluxe samples and full-sized products for $10/month. If you are interested in signing up for the Ipsy Glam Bag you can do so here.

September Ipsy Glam Bag:

Swatches of NYX Hot Singles Eye Shadow in Burlesque, Pacifica Natural Water-Proof Eyeliner in Fringe, and Cailyn Art Touch Tinted LipGloss in Basic Instinct:

The Bag:

The bag is a cute silver/chrome faux leather with stud details. This bag is cute and a nice size to slip into a purse so that your essentials are easy to grab!

Cailyn Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss in Basic Instinct:

At first I was really excited for this product, and I really do like the lip gloss formula…the color is just not for me! This is a really pretty nude, but the color isn’t the most flattering with my skintone. I *do* like the lip gloss though, and would like to try it in another color.

NYX Hot Singles Eye Shadow in Burlesque:

This is my first NYX single shadow, and I think it’s a beautiful color. The eye shadow has nice color payoff and will be beautiful for fall and winter. I would like to de-pot these into a Z-Palette, and I think they would work well stored with M.A.C single eye shadows.

Pacifica Natural Water-Proof Eyeliner in Fringe:

This is a basic brown eye pencil, and I like brown eyeliner for a more natural look. I do NOT think that this eye pencil is waterproof, but I will continue to use it and enjoy the color.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask:

I haven’t tried this yet, but I am VERY excited to try this! I love deep conditioning treatments, and I am always looking to give my ends some love!

Crown Brush C476 Crease/Shadow Brush:

I have never tried Crown Brushes before but I am excited to try this one out! Duo ended brushes aren’t my favorite, because they aren’t as easy to store, but I do travel at least one or two nights a month, and this will come in handy for that!

I am very happy with my first Ipsy Glam Bag, and although I’m not in love with all of the products, I can pass them onto family and friends who may like them better, and I’ll still get more than $10 worth. What subscription boxes are you loving? What boxes are you lusting over? Let me know in the comments!! : )

Popsugar Must Have Box September 2014!

September 22, 2014 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

It’s POPSUGAR TIME!!!! Today I am reviewing the September 2014 PopSugar Must Have Box.The box contains full size items in all different categories: food, beauty, fashion, home, and sometimes an extra goodie too! The PopSugar box usually arrives between the 10th-15th of every month for me…it ships from California via FedEx Smart Post, which means it goes out FedEx but arrives to my P.O Box. I am LOVING this months box, so let’s get into it!

September 2014 Must Have Box:

Stereo Earbuds by Nicole Miller

$20

I needed a new pair of earbuds, and I can’t wait to use these! I love the dark blue color that I received, though I’m not sure if everyone got the same color. If you are subscribed to PopSugar Must Have Box, what color earbuds did you get? Let me know in the comments!

Superfine Purse Size Hairspray by Orbie

$21.50

I like the sleek packaging of this hairspray, and I will definitely use this for travel! It smells pretty nice, too.

Almond Brownie by Urban Remedy

$6.99

I thought this might be kind of strange…it’s a 100% raw and organic…but it was REALLY good!! It wasn’t the same as biting into a chocolate fudge brownie or anything, but it was a nice dense bar with a nice dark cacao chocolate-y taste. That said, would I pay $6 for one of these? Probably not.

Gold Foil Arrow Pencils by Letter C Design

$7.50

I *looove* the sleek black pencils with the gold details! I haven’t used these yet, but they look gorgeous on my desk! I love that they threw in a small pencil sharpener too, because I haven’t used a pencil that wasn’t mechanical in ages.

Modal Gradation Scarf in Raisin by Tilo Scarves

$125

This is far and away my favorite item in the box this month!!! I looooove this scarf! When I first glanced at it, I only saw charoal, but once opened it is a beautiful mix of grays and a raisin brown…GORGEOUS! Seriously, stunning! This makes the most basic tee look beautiful.

Garance Doré Assorted Girls Set by Rifle Paper Co.

$18

I love having blank notecards to send to friends and loved ones! I also will use these for giveaway winners : ) Super cute!

Special Extras:

Milk Chocolate Sea Salt and Almond Minis by Ghiradelli

This was an awesome “extra”! I am ashamed to say how quickly these disappeared, but hey at least I can blame it on the pregnancy…right??! SOO yummy!

$20 Nike Giftcard

I don’t reeeeally count this, because you have to make a purchase to use this, but I will definitely hang onto it and it’s nice to have on hand.

This is one of my favorite PopSugar Must Have Boxes in awhile! And with a total of $198.99 it is clearly WELL worth the $39 price point since I have already been using most of the products! As usual : ) Have you subscribed to any subscription boxes or bags yet? I would love to hear about them in the comments! I finally caved and got my first Ipsy Glambag and I will put a review up on Wednesday, so be sure to subscribe to see that if you haven’t subscribed already : )

Naked Basics 2 Overview with Swatches and Comparison to Naked Basics

September 8, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I got my hands on the Naked Basics 2 from Urban Decay and have been using it almost daily since, so now I feel ready to give my review and overview! This palette launched on August 19th and is avaliable at both Ulta and Sephora. I also want to share swatches of both the Naked Basics 2 and the Original Naked Basics. The Naked Basics 2 is a cool toned answer to the more warm toned Naked Basics. Both of these palettes cost $29.00 and have 6 full size highly pigmented, mostly matte, neutral eyeshadows.

I think that both of the Basics palettes are a great choice for those who don’t want to play around as much with their eye makeup and just want more basic eye shadows.They are also mostly matte, with the exception of the highlight shades, so they don’t bring attention to aging eyelids. The Naked 1, Naked 2, and Naked 3 are beautiful palettes as well but offer lots more choices that not everyone wants or needs.

Swatches:

Naked Basics 2:

Naked Basics:

Naked Basics 2 in Pan:

Naked Basics in Pan:

*Don’t mind the broken eyeshadow!! It broke shortly after buying it because I got a faulty box but never got around to exchanging it. I love this palette and it gets used A LOT!*

Overall I am really enjoying the Naked Basics 2. I tend to gravitate to warmer eye shadows, so it is quite a change for me but I’m really enjoying it!! I love the fact that you can get a smokey eye or a very natural eye easily with this. I think I am going to have fun bringing in some of my other eye shadows with this palette as well, but you definitely can get a complete eye look using just the shadows provided with Naked Basics 2. I love that these Basic palettes are tiny, perfect for travel, and highly pigmented!! I don’t think you *must* have both, but if you want to try out cooler toned eye shadows, this is a great way to start with some beautiful neutrals. I still am the most comfortable with warmer eye shadow colors because that is what I use the most often, so I think I would still grab the Naked over the Naked 2 for a trip away, but I am excited to keep playing with the cooler tones of the Naked 2!

Have you tried the Naked Basics or the Naked 2? Thoughts?? I would LOVE to hear from you!! I know some people have had enough with the Naked line in general but I am a neutral eye shadow lover, so for me I love trying out all of the neutral palettes!! I still need to get my hands on the Lorac Pro 2!! EEEEEEEK!

Have a wonderful week!! Thank you for reading and don’t forget to subscribe : )

My Top 3 Ways To Apply LIQUID Foundation!!

September 1, 2014 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!!

I received a request to talk about the correct way to apply liquid foundation and today I am going to share my top 3 ways to apply it. I want to also say that I am not a professinal makeup artist…but I do play around a lot with different makeup, make up brushes and applicators, read blogs and watch videos on makeup a lot…so there is that ; ) If you have any questions or requests, please never hestitate to reach out to me! I would LOVE some more participation from my readers!!

#1 Stipple It On!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE to stipple on my foundation!! To stipple means to dot and that is exactly what you do with this technique! You dot on the foundation instead of brushing the foundation on. Stippling on your foundation gives a beautiful diffused finish because the foundation doesn’t go into lines or scars as easily, but rather brushes over them for a beautiful flawless appearance.

What I Do:

I put a little bit of foundation on the top of the hand that I won’t be holding the brush with (so in my case my left hand) between my thumb and pointer finger. I use the pointer finger of my right hand to dot foundation on the area of my face I want to start with because I like to work in sections. I work in sections because if I dotted foundation all over my face some of it may begin to set before I’ve gotten to it. I stipple the foundation onto my skin by making quick dotting motions up and down to get the perfect finish.

What I Use:

My absolute favorite stippling brush is the F50 Duo Fiber from Sigma Beauty. This brush is sold individually as well as in sets. I use this brush so often that I have two so that it’s in constant rotation even when I’m washing some of my brushes. This brush can also be used to apply cream or liquid blush and bronzer.

#2 Traditional Foundation Brush

When I first started out this is the technique I used, and it’s still a great option. I think that this is a great way when you are first starting out with makeup or with liquid foundations. Using a traditional foundation brush can cause streaking, which nobody wants, but as long as you make small strokes it can be fairly easily avoided.

What I Do:

I put the foundation onto my hand just like I described above, but this time I use the brush to brush on my foundation as if I was painting. I am careful to use very short strokes, and change the direction of the brush as I go. Changing direction when using a foundation brush like this helps so that it isn’t all strokes going the same way which can look streaky.

What I Use:

The foundation brush I use the most frequently is my F60 Foundation Brush from Sigma Beauty, but I also have had great luck with foundation brushes similar to this from Real Techniques, Tarte, and Sephora’s brush line.

#3 Beauty Blender Sponge

I am sure by now almost all of you have tried this sponge, and if not you have probably at least heard about it! This is a GAME CHANGER for me!! It is completely worth the price! This allows me to build up the coverage as needed and you can never see the foundation (a big no-no!)…all you see is beautiful skin that looks airbrushed.

What I Do:

I like to lightly dampen the sponge before using it. I use the round end to apply foundation to my chin, cheeks, nose and forehead. I use the pointy end to apply foundation to harder to reach places like my under eye area and around my nose. I both dot and blend the sponge to get the perfect seamless look.

What I Use:

I have only used The Original Beauty Blender but I know there are lots of other imitators flooding the market now! I have read and watched lots of reviews, and the only sponge that seems to stand up to Beauty Blender is the Miracle Complextion Sponge by Real Techniques. The Real Techniques sponge is about 1/4 of the price of the Beauty Blender, so that might be a great option for some people. If you would like to see me do a comparision sponge on any of these sponges, let me know! Also, if you have tried any that you love (or don’t love!!) let me know in the comments!!

I hope that this post was helpful! Please take a minute to subscribe if you haven’t already! Just enter your email into the box on the right side of this page and you’ll get an email to confirm your subscription!! It will make my day : ) : ) If you have ANY questions please let me know and have a fabulous day!!

My Morning Skincare Routine

August 27, 2014 & 1 Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Awhile ago I shared my Get Unready With Me: My Night-Time Routine and now I would like to share my morning skincare routine. While pregnant I do not use certain products, so this will be updated after the pregnancy and I can share that when the time comes.

MY MORNING SKINCARE ROUTINE:

Step 1: Solve Math Problem Alarm App , Drink Water, and Drink Coffee

Math isn’t my thing, and so having the Freaky Alarm App makes sure I get up because I really have to think to solve even simple math in the morning!! The next step is throwing on a sweatshirt or a big comfy sweater because even in August, I’m cold most mornings. And then I drink a big glass of water which absolutely is part of my skincare routine(sometimes lemon water). And then finally, finally, my coffee (decaf right now!)…through a straw of course ; )

Step 2: Hair Goes Up

I put my hair up into a messy bun using a hair tie like these from Lucky Girl Hair Ties on Etsy or a big claw clip.

Step 3: Cleanse Face

I wash my face with my all-time favorite facewash, Purity by Philosophy with my Clarisonic. Then I dry my face with Kleenex Hand Towels to make sure that I’m not putting a dirty towel onto my just cleaned face. I also use a wash cloth just for my face after showering that I change out every couple of days to keep it as clean as possible.

Step 4: Use Toner

My favorite toner is an oldie but a goodie, Sea Breeze, and I like the one for sensitive skin.

Step 5: Use Moisturizer

I use Esteé Lauder Day Wear and it is my FAVORITE of all time!! I love that it has built in SPF 25, and never feels greasy on my combination/oily skin.

Step 6: Use Brightening Eye Cream

I have pretty bad dark circles…maybe it has something to do with two little kiddos and a pregnant mama?! ; ) To counteract the dark circles, I have been using the It’s Potent! Eye Cream from Benefit for a couple of years. I can tell that it helps, because a few times when I have not used it for awhile I can really notice a difference.

That’s it : ) Then I do any needed body grooming, get dressed, do my makeup, and hair. I hope that you enjoyed this post! What do you like to use for your morning skincare routine? Have a fantastic rest of your week and don’t forget to subscribe by entering your email in the box on the right side of this page! Thank you for reading!!

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