makeup blog – Page 3

WHY YOU SHOULD USE THIS HAIRSPRAY!

November 7, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a fantastic weekend! As a beauty blogger, I try a lot of different products so that I can review them and always be learning more about makeup, skincare, and hair care items. Although I love trying new things, I have certain items that I consider “Holy Grail” or that I always repurchase. There is one hairspray that I buy and insist on using EVERY. SINGLE.DAY and today I want to share that with you : )

L’OREAL ELNETT HAIRSPRAY

I love this because it is a strong hold hairspray but it doesn’t make my hair feel stiff. This gives great hold without the heavy, hard feeling that other strong hold hair sprays have. It is expensive for a drugstore hairspray, but it’s cheaper than a lot of higher end brands. The nozzle is great because the mist is very fine and doesn’t get gunked up easily. I like to use this on my curls and then after they’ve set for a few minutes I finger comb them. This is a fantastic hairspray for big pretty curls, because it combs out beautifully. I also use this to tame flyaway hairs or for any of my other hairstyles (*Note: that’s basically a top knot on dirty hair days, let’s be real!).I love this spray so much that I repurchase it ALWAYS and when I left it at a friends last month I noticed immediately and cringed when I used some other random hairspray sitting in my bathroom until I could grab another can of this. Bottom line? Go get some! It’s truly awesome.

Did you find this post helpful? Let me know in the comments! And, use one of the share buttons on the bottom of this post to really make my day ; ) xx

LAURA MERCIER TRANSLUCENT LOOSE SETTING POWDER REVIEW

October 24, 2016 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! Today I want to share a review on a popular, but pricy, translucent loose setting powder. If you have any questions, don’t be shy!! Ask me in the comments : ) Also, let me know you’re favorite setting powder in the comments!

LAURA MERCIER TRANSLUCENT LOOSE SETTING POWDER:

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Cost: $38

This powder contains French cashmere talc, and claims to leave you with a natural finish that also blurs imperfections and fine lines while it also gives a soft focus to your skin.

Why I Love It

I have combo/oily skin, but get very oily on my nose and this powder keeps my skin looking matte but without looking cakey or flat. This is super fine and feels weightless on the skin.

How To Use It

You can purchase the Laura Mercier Velour Puff or use another cosmetics puff to lightly roll and press the powder into your skin. I also like using a medium sized powder brush to tap this into my skin. I like to apply this after applying my foundation and concealer to set my entire face and then apply lightly to my T-zone once all of my makeup is done.

Can You “Bake” Your Foundation or Concealer With This?

Yes! You can bake your foundation or concealer using this powder! However, keep in mind that this powder has a fairly high price point, so you may want to use a lower cost loose powder since a lot of that product does get wasted!

*Note: Baking your foundation or concealer means letting a translucent powder sit on your face for several minutes to allow the heat from you skin to set your foundation and/or concealer and then you dust off the powder with a brush to unveil a creaseless and flawless look. If you are confused about baking or would like to see a blog post dedicated to it, please let me know in the comments!

I hope that you found this helpful! If you did PLEASE share! It truly makes my entire day! And don’t forget to subscribe!! : ) Thank you so much for reading! xx

TOO FACED LIP INSURANCE GLOSSY REVIEW

October 19, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

We have been talking a lot about lipsticks and lip products lately, but that is because to me the cooler months and lipsticks go hand-in-hand! Does anyone else feel that way? But one thing I have been using lately is the Too Faced Lip Insurance Glossy, so today I wanted to share it with you!

TOO FACED LIP INSURANCE GLOSSY:

I love this because it makes my lipstick last noticeably longer without making my lips feel crazy dry like other lip primers I have tried. At first when I tried this I had to get used to the way it changed the feeling of some of the lipsticks on my lips, but the lipstick looking better and lasting longer makes it worth it. The feeling on the lips isn’t bad, it’s so thin that you almost feel like you haven’t done anything, but it really works. I like that this also helps so that my lip color doesn’t feather out. If you lips are super chapped or flaked it won’t make your lipstick appear completely smooth on the lips, but it does help to make the lipstick appear smoother. This will not change your lipsticks glossy, but it will have a sheen so keep that in mind if you’re applying a matte color over this primer. I love using this especially with nude lipsticks that can really look bad if they feather out. Overall? I love it!

What do you think? A lot of days I stick to my favorite Bonnie Bell Lip Smacker Tsum Tsum Balms, but this is becoming a g0-to for lipsticks. Have a wonderful weekend and please share to make my whole day : )

MY FAVORITE DRUGSTORE LIPSTICK!

October 12, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I am absolutely loving wearing lipstick right now and while I love liquid lipsticks and stains, right now I have been reaching for good ole fashioned lipsticks. I have lipsticks that I love from both the drugstore and from higher end brands, but today I wanted to share you the one that I love beyond all others. I haven’t tried every lipstick shade from this line (not even close!) but anytime I want a certain shade I turn to this line because they have never steered me wrong. I do use my Homemade DIY Honey Almond Lip Scrub every few days especially as the weather gets cooler. I also love the Bonnie Bell Lip Smacker Tsum Tsum lip balms at night and dabbed on before I apply my lipstick.

MAYBELLINE COLOR SENSATIONAL LIPSTICKS:

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If you’d like more details on my favorite shades from the line, please let me know in the comments! Be sure to let me know YOUR favorite lipstick line, too!

HOLIDAY MAKEUP SETS AND GIFT IDEAS!

October 10, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of your are having a fantastic start to your week! I know that it isn’t even Halloween yet, but the holiday makeup sets are out so I want to mention a few that I think are a great value because they do tend to sell out early.

HOLIDAY 2016 MAKEUP SETS:

I love so many of the holiday makeup sets that have come out, but these I think are fantastic because you can give the set as a whole to one person, or you can split the sets up to have smaller gifts, stocking stuffers, or even make your own gift sets! I think it would be so cute to split these up and put a few goodies from each set into a stocking for a unique and personal gift.

STILA STAY ALL DAY, SPARKLE ALL NIGHT SET

SEPHORA LASHSTASH

TOO FACED GRANDE HOTEL CAFE

TARTE KISS BLISS TARTEIST MATTE LIP PAINT & CRAYON SET

BENEFIT 1ST PRIZE HIGHLIGHTERS

I hope you have a great week! Be sure to let me know in the comments any holiday makeup that you are excited about : ) Thank you for reading!

HOLIDAY BEAUTY RELEASES! BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDARS!

October 5, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have been excited about the holiday makeup releases since mid summer which seems crazy, but that is when some of the sneak peeks come out! I absolutely love the holiday season and I, obviously, love makeup so putting the two together makes me giddy. Today I wanted to share three beauty and makeup related advent countdown calendars incase you’d like to treat yourself or a friend to a little beauty cheer this holiday season ; ) Speaking of advent calendars, our Elf On the Shelf will be delivering fun ones to each of the kids this year and I am *so* excited about them! Stay tuned to our Daily Vlogs to see those later this season!

L’Occtiane Advent Calendar:

Price: $55

I was excited to see this as an option for those who would like to try a higher end skincare brand. I do wonder if the sizes will be large enough to get a good feel for if you like some of the products, but others like the hand cream and soaps I would think you could definitely get enough of an idea of whether or not you’d like to purchase the full size items. These would also be awesome for traveling if you have an upcoming trip!

Ciaté London Mini Mani Month Nail Polish Set:

Price: $59

I am SWOONING over this one! If you know me then you know that I do not need any more nail polish, but this set is gorgeous! I am swooning over the packaging as well as the colors! I love that you get a great variety of polish colors.

Benefit Cosmetics Girl O’Clock Rock Mini Set:

Price $45

This isn’t quite an advent calendar this year, but you could do “12 Days of Christmas” or just open it the 12 days before Christmas instead of 24. I think this is a great set if you don’t have a lot of Benefit Cosmetics items or maybe for someone who is just starting out with makeup. And Benefit does such adorable holiday packaging!

Have a wonderful weekend loves! Please comment below what you would like to see for the holiday season! Reviews? Gift Guides? Both? Let me know ; ) xx

HOW AND WHY YOU SHOULD ROCK RED LIPS THIS FALL!

September 26, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! My husband, Stephan, and I took our kids to Mackinac Island and had beautiful weather for it. If you’d like to see our trip, you can watch our KwapisFamilyTackles Daily Vlog. Now that September is almost over I have switched my wardrobe and makeup to fall mode, and that includes my lipstick! I have started wearing deeper colors and someone commented to me that they “couldn’t” pull off red lips, so I wanted to do a little post on how you can rock red lips and why I think you should try it!

WHAT RED LIPSTICK IS RIGHT FOR ME?

If you have fair skin and/or skin with pink undertones blue toned lipsticks tend to look the best on you, so look for red lipsticks that lean more pink than orange.

If you have medium or olive toned skin then looking for red lipsticks that are a bit more on the orange side look the best on you.

If you have a deeper skin tone red lipsticks that are more purple or wine colored will look amazing on you.

WHAT RED LIPSTICK “RULES” SHOULD I BE AWARE OF?

I think the biggest thing is toss any rule you hear out the window if it isn’t what makes you feel fantastic! I usually stick to blue toned red lipsticks, but I have my fair share of vampy wine colored shades and orangey reds and even if they aren’t my “perfect” color I rock them ; )

I think one rule that is very important is be very careful if you wear pink or coral with a red lip because it can often clash. Also, be very very careful if you’re wearing leopard or other animal print clothing and a red lip.

As a general rule, stick with neutral makeup looks and keep your red lips the focus of your makeup.

Avoid very pink or dark blush or else you might look like a clown, I prefer a slightly more brown shade and applying with a light hand when I wear red lipstick.

WHY SHOULD I WEAR RED LIPSTICK?

Red lipstick is iconic and timeless, and wearing a red lip can make you feel that way too.

Red lipstick makes you look confident, and there is a very good chance you’ll start to feel more confident too.

Red lipstick allows you to go very neutral with the rest of your makeup and hair but still look like you spent a lot of time getting ready! I love throwing on a red lip when my hair is in a top knot and the rest of my makeup is very neutral! I also love doing a super simple winged eye liner with a red lip and almost no other makeup.

TIPS FOR APPLYING RED LIPSTICK:

Always wear a lip liner! I like to start by carefully lining my lips with a red lip liner and then lightly filling them in with the same liner. I apply one layer of lipstick and if it is not a liquid lipstick I sometimes lightly blot with a tissue (*Tip:a coffee filter works even better for blotting!). Before I head out the door I make an “O” with my lips and put a clean index finger in my mouth and pull it out so that any extra lipstick comes off on my finger and not my teeth.

SOME FAVORITE RED LIP GOODIES:

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Jordana Easy Liner in Sedona Red

This is so inexpensive that it is perfect if you’re just starting out! It also doesn’t need to be sharpened which is a big perk.

NYX Retractable Lip Liner in Red

I love this liner because it goes well with almost all of my red lipsticks.

L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Colour Riche Reds Collection

These are all fantastic lipsticks! I own five of them and shown in this post (the first picture in the post) are (top to bottom) Blake’s (my favorite!), Eva’s, and Zoe’s.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella

This is easy to apply and the wear is awesome! I think this shade looks great on everybody.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Sarafine

This leans a bit more orange than I typically go for, but I love this shade! And I love that I can eat and still not have to reapply! Very long wearing and comfortable to wear.

Lancome Juicy Tubes

If you’re really nervous about a red lip, try a pigmented red gloss first or a tinted lip balm. I also like to add a bit of this gloss to the center of my lips when I want to accentuate my red pout.

If you found this post helpful, please “Pin” it to your Pinterest account using the tabs at the bottom of each post or by hovering over any of the pictures in this post. Have a wonderful day!

URBAN DECAY ULTIMATE BASICS PALETTE PREVIEW! HOT OR NOT?

September 12, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! We had a busy but productive weekend, and I woke up feeling ready to tackle this week! There are so many exciting makeup launches happening soon, and I am so excited to share my thoughts on some of the holiday 2016 collections in the very near future, but today I want to dedicate a post to what could be a GAME CHANGER for a lot of you! Urban Decay Cosmetics is known for their neutral eye shadow palettes, and their Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2 have been incredibly popular, and now they are launching Naked Ultimate Basics. Do you need it?

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics:

(*Photo Credit to Bustle.com)

The packaging is really pretty, and I love that it is a rose gold color. This palette features 12 brand new matte shades, a mirror, and a dual ended brush. There is one highlight shade that is slightly shimmery, but the rest is matte. The palette does feature both cool tone and warm tone shades.

When Can I Get It?

This palette launches on UrbanDecay.com on September 18th, online on Sephora.com on September 20th, and September 22nd in-stores at Sephora. I have heard that some stores have already put them out, but *officially* they aren’t out yet ; )

Do I Need It?

I won’t lie, I am *really* tempted to pick this up because I think it looks perfect for traveling and for when I want to create looks from just one palette without having to grab from other shadows or palettes in my collection. I love that these shadows allow you to do a neutral lip all the way to a vampy lip. I also have one of the original Urban Decay Naked Basics palettes before they switched the packaging, and it doesn’t open well so the black got ruined so that could be an excuse for me…right?! However, that said, I think if you have a lot of neutral palettes already, especially matte palettes, then no you probably do not need this. The Naked Ultimate Basics palette will retail for $55, and the Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2 retail for $29 each, so if you don’t have those already then it might be a great option! I think this is a great palette for beginners, too. It is beautiful packaging, and the eye shadows look gorgeous, and I can’t wait until I can get my hands on one in person to see if it’s a “must” for me. I would call this “hot” but I don’t think it is a must for everyone.

Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2:

(*Note: pictured left to right)

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What are your thoughts? Is this on your list? Let me know in the comments! And please subscribe and make my day!! xx

3 Ways To Get Better Skin In A Week!

August 22, 2016 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a great weekend! Thank you, as always, for taking time out of your busy day to read my blog! It means a lot to me : ) I can *tend* to be a perfectionist (friends and family may be laughing at this “confession” because to them I’m sure it’s obvious!) and have to watch myself so that I don’t fall into an “all or nothing” mindset, and lately I’ve been doing that with skincare. For example, yes I do have a morning and evening skincare routine, but just because I maybe can’t afford a super fancy eye cream, or can get regular facial treatments, doesn’t mean that I should throw in the towel, so to speak. So, today I want to share three very easy ways to really improve the tone, even-ness, and health of your skin.

1. Drink Water!

I know this is an obvious one, but I drink so much water that I can immediately tell if I haven’t had enough water to drink. I really like using a bottle that is large enough to fit 8 servings of water in it. It also makes my lips much more willing to endure drying liquid lipsticks! Don’t drink anything else until you’ve finished the jug of water! I drink a coffee (or three…) each day, but besides that it is almost exclusively water! I will have the occasional glass of wine, and I’ll have a fountain drink when traveling, but otherwise it is only coffee and water. Plus, water has no calories and I much prefer to eat my calories than drink them ; )

2. Do Face Masks!

I recently did a post called “My Favorite Face Masks & How To Use Them” because this simple change has made my skin tone so much better! My skin truly is much more even now that I’ve been doing face masks a couple of times a week. We Daily Vlog (KwapisFamilyTackles on YouTube) and I’ve always vlogged with a bare face occasionally, but I’ve found myself doing it regularly now that I feel better about my skins appearance.

3. Don’t Touch Your Face!

This is so hard! I didn’t realize how much I did this until I made a real effort not to. Also, if you follow me on Snap Chat you have seen that I tend to touch my face / neck while vlogging or Snapping. But, not touching your face really does help keep your face clean!! Just think of all of the things you touch and all of the oils on your hands…not what you want on your face!

I challenge YOU to do this for one week and report back in the comments section telling me if you noticed any changes in your skin! I hope that you do because I think you’ll love how easy it is to make a big difference : ) Please don’t forget to subscribe! xx

HOW TO MAKE YOUR FOUNDATION WORK BEST FOR YOU!

August 15, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a fantastic weekend! I was talking to a few friends recently about what foundations we had been loving and which we maybe hadn’t been loving as much. I realized that a lot of people (myself included until I really got into the blog and YouTube scene a few years ago) will try a foundation once or just one way before giving it a yes or no verdict. Buying a foundation, especially one you’re really excited about or you’ve heard others rave about, and not having it work can be frustrating! So, today I thought I would share a few quick tips for what to do if you think a foundation isn’t living up to the hype.

TRY A DIFFERENT APPLICATION METHOD:

This is absolutely my biggest tip! I have some foundations that I apply with a makeup sponge like the Beauty Blender, I have others that I know I prefer the look when applied with a stippling brush like the Sigma F50, and others still that I apply with my fingers or other brushes. I have some foundations that I can apply any way and the look turns out pretty much the same, but a few of them I dislike one way but love the finish I get using another way to apply it.

SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE AND SOMETIMES MORE IS MORE:

For some foundations they will look and feel cakey very quickly, so I apply a very small amount. Other foundations are more buildable, so I will apply a small amount and then go back in any areas that still have redness, blemishes, or inperfections that I want to cover.

WHAT IS THE WEATHER?:

Some foundations I love on myself in the dry winter months I absolutely cannot wear in the summer, so if the foundation is an oil-slick on you, for example, in the summer, there is still a chance it could be dewy perfection on you in the winter!

GET SHADE MATCHED:

I need to follow my own advice here, but I consider myself a fairly easy shade match because I am so fair that I can usually get away with buying the lightest shade in a foundation range, but definitely go to Sephora, Ulta, or a cosmetics counter at a department store to get color matched whenever possible! If you can’t go to be color matched in person, websites like Sephora and Ulta do offer very good return policies. Drugstore makeup is tricky because here in the United States you typically cannot open the makeup, so you have to just take your best guess as far as color goes. I will say that some drugstores do have very friendly return polices as well, but be sure to check them before you purchase just incase!

WATCH FOR OXIDIZING:

Oxidizing happens when oxygen mixes with the air and this can cause you foundation to turn orange, flake off, and dry out! Sometimes, because of oxidizing, you need to be careful about the shade that you pick because it may change.

USE NATURAL LIGHTING:

Always use natural lighting whenever possible when applying your foundation! This can be tricky when being shade matched inside a store like Sephora, but you can walk outside to take a peek ; ) If you don’t have good natural lighting where you apply your makeup, get a nice makeup mirror that mimics sunlight.

I hope that you found these tips helpful! Never be afraid to ask for samples, ask questions, or return products that do not work for you! Makeup is expensive, and as long as you’re kind and follow the return policies you are absolutely fine girl! Let me know your tips for testing out new foundations in the comments! I would love to hear them : )

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