Month: April 2017

Long Lasting Makeup Routine for Hot Weather!

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Summer is a beautiful season, but as we all know, there are times our makeup can turn a tad frightening when mixed with the inescapable heat and humidity. I’m talking about the uneven fading of our face products, our eyeshadow creasing from oily lids, lip products transferring onto the chin or right below the nose…we’ve all been there! You’re sweating and your “effortless glow” has morphed into a “ghastly grease.” I’m here to share with you some tips and tricks to getting your makeup to last and look great while doing so during these hot summer months!       

Face 

     

It only makes sense to start with a clean canvas, so make sure you’ve removed all excess oil from your skin before you begin any makeup application. I use two different primers during the summer, one to lightly hydrate my skin and one to fill in my pores! The Too Faced “Hangover Rx” Primer does a great job as a moisturizer that also preps the skin for makeup. It has a slightly sticky texture, which will help everything you put on top last for a long time! I also press the NYX “Pore Filler” on the areas I tend to get the most oily. Basically just throughout my t-zone, since that’s where I also have my largest pores. This product works best if you simply press a small amount into your problem areas, rather than rubbing it in all over your face in large circular motions. I use the Tony Moly “Panda Dream” Cooling Stick to hydrate my under-eye area and help my concealer go on smoothly! This product has a really soothing, cold feeling once you apply, which feels extra awesome when it’s hot outside! 

          

Now that our skin is completely prepped and primed, I actually just add concealer on the areas of my face that I want coverage, rather than using foundation all over. Whenever I know I’m going to be outside and sweating, I try to put as few layers of products on my face. I always need to cover my dark circles and the redness around my nose and chin, so I just use a full-coverage concealer, like the Tarte “Shape Tape” to help hide my problem areas without adding extra layers of cake on my face. I love that this concealer in particular is super long lasting and will not settle into fine lines throughout the day! I do set my entire face with a foundation powder, to give a light layer of evenness to my skin tone and help mattify the look of all the liquid products we just used. I love the Tarte “Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation” in “Medium Neutral” because it gives my skin a fresh look and holds up throughout the day without fading or clinging to dry patches! I would highly recommend this product if you’re a big fan of using powder foundations or go for a more natural makeup look on a day-to-day basis! Next, I add a warm-toned bronzer to my temples and cheeks, but I also take a large, fluffy brush and blend out a light layer all over my face too. I like for this makeup to look more seamless and less contoured! The M.A.C bronzer in “Give Me Sun” is super warm and looks like my natural face shade when suntanned! I will then use a Tarte “Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush” because they last all day throughout the heat! These are some of my favorite blushes and they come in a variety of shades! I love using a more nude/neutral shade of blush when I know I’m going to be outside because my cheeks naturally get flushed and this way, I’m not adding to any of the redness! The shade “Sensual” is a perfect natural shade that blends in perfectly with any bronzer! I love to highlight, so I just make sure to go with one that doesn’t look too icy or frosted on my skin tone since I do tan during the summertime. I have been loving the MakeupForever Highlight in “02 Golden” because it’s a true gold shade that looks gorgeous on the cheekbones and high points of the face! I also sweep some on my shoulders and décolletage whenever I’m wearing tanks or off-the-shoulder tops for that extra glow! The Urban Decay “Chill Makeup Setting Spray” is a new product in my collection, but I’m so impressed by it already! I’ve been using the regular “All Nighter” version for years, but I love the cooling sensation of the “Chill” version! Setting sprays will help your makeup last 10x longer and give you a softer appearance by laying down all of the products on your face so you don’t look overly powdery or matte!

   

Eyes 

   

I have oily eyelids during the cold, winter months, so you can only imagine what happens when it’s hot outside…my eyeshadow is wrecked! It will bunch up and crease everywhere unless I use a really good eye primer! I highly recommend the Smashbox “24-Hour Photo Finish” Shadow Primer if you also struggle with unattractively oily eyelids! This one just works the best under hot, sweaty conditions, than any other eye primer in my collection. If I know there’s a good chance I’ll be wiping my eyes or just outside for a long period of time, I make sure to keep my eyeshadow as simple as possible. I’ve been obsessed with the Laura Mercier “Caviar Stick Eye Colour” and for a more natural look, the shade “Rose Gold” has been my go-to! These cream eyeshadows will stay put all day and come in really pretty shades. I was so impressed with the pigmentation, longevity and their ability to hold up against sweat. These are very close to being classified as waterproof in my book. When it’s humid outside, I get a little intimated to do my traditional winged eye liner, just because there’s a good chance it could get wiped away or smudge. I do still want to define my upper eyelid, so I use the Stila “Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner” in “Lionfish.” I basically just draw a line right on my top lid, blending into my lashline and gently smudging out to give a softer look. This is a super low-maintenance, low-risk way of rocking eyeliner in the summertime! If you love waterproof mascara, then of course that should be a top pick when choosing makeup to hold up in the heat! However, I can’t stand wearing it because it’s of it’s difficulty to remove, so the best formula I’ve found in a regular mascara is from Benefit Roller Lash! It’s really long lasting and will hold your lashes curl, plus it doesn’t smudge or flake, which can be an all too common problem during the summer. Raise your hands if you’ve suffered from sudden Raccoon eyes syndrome. I couldn’t forget to mention my holy-grail eyebrow product for every single month, regardless of the weather and that is the Anastasia Beverly Hills “Dip-brow Pomade” in the shade “Brunette.” I love that this is long lasting, but also nearly waterproof so you don’t have to worry about half of your eyebrow sliding off your face. This can take some getting used to and you only need the smallest amount to fill in your entire eyebrow, so make sure to practice using this product beforehand! 

        

Lips

     

I’m not a fan of wearing really heavy or bright lip products when I’m going to be outdoors in the summertime because I fear that they’re going to transfer or smudge onto my face. I also don’t enjoy wearing super matte lipsticks because I get dry/irritated lips when it’s sunny and humid outside and that just makes my situation so much worse. My favorite way to have color on my lips, while still staying hydrated and being long lasting, is by filling in my lips with a waterproof lipliner and applying a chapstick or lip treatment with SPF over top! It really helps lock in the liner and give my lips a healthy, smooth appearance. I’m obsessed with the Stila lip liners because they’re retractable (yay for no sharpening) and they last for hours without fading! I love wearing the shade, “Marsala” because it shows up as a peachy-nude color on my skin tone, which is my favorite to wear with natural makeup looks. I’ve been using the Makeup Forever “Ultra HD Lip Booster,” which is just a clear lip serum that moisturizes and plumps up the lips without being sticky or overly glossy! I also wanted to mention the Nudestix “Matte Lip & Cheek Pencil” in the shade “Whisper” because this is a matte lip color that doesn’t dry out my lips and hasn’t transferred, even when it’s really hot outside! I’m not sure why this formula is so long lasting, but this is also a really good product if you really want to use a lipstick! 


   

I hope you learned some new tips to help your makeup stay intact, even when it’s hot outside! I figured that with summer approaching, this would be helpful information to know! What are your tricks to ensure your makeup stays put in the summertime? Let me know by leaving me a comment! Thank you for reading! 

      

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Sephora and Ulta Haul!

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It’s both a blessing and a curse when Ulta and Sephora have sales at the same time. I decided to be slightly practical, mainly purchasing back-ups of my most used products…but of course, I also had to throw some pricey items (that I’ve been too fearful of purchasing at full price) into my cart as well! I wanted to show you what I got, but also provide some mini-reviews and swatches, so you can decide if you want to try them out too!       


New Products

    

BECCA, First Light Priming Filter: 

    

I can’t lie, I totally bought this product just because it’s purple. The lavender hue is supposed to give your face a brightening effect, which sounds great. I have another primer by BECCA that I love, so I had high hopes for this one to work too! The first thing I noticed about this was the intense citrus smell. It didn’t bother me that much, but it’s definitely noticeable…so if you don’t like that scent, then I would pass on this! Once I applied to my skin, I didn’t think it did anything too drastic. I feel like it primed well, my makeup looked pretty on top of it, but I didn’t notice a brightening effect. My first impression of this product is that it’s good, but I don’t know if it does exactly what it claims to do. I’m going to continue using it and hoping for the best, but I may end up categorizing this as, “makeup that doesn’t live up to it’s hype.” 

      

PÜR, Eye Polish Pure Pigment Eye Primer + Top Coat, “Silk”: 

    

I’ve always been curious about the PÜR brand, but I never tried anything out! I recently watched a YouTube video where KathleenLights was speaking so highly of these liquid eye shadows, so I had to try them out for myself! I got the shade, “Silk” which could be described as a bronze, copper shade. The texture is like a gel-liquid consistency. It comes with a silicone eyeshadow applicator, but I found its most effective to just apply with your finger tip. Initially, I was a bit concerned with how liquid they were, just because I could see the major creasing and transferring happening in my future, but these actually stayed put! I was also impressed at how easily you can layer this product! With other gel/cream eyeshadows, I notice that the more product I apply, the more likely I experience uneven application with random areas of the eyeshadow separating. These Eye Polish’s definitely perform to their claims and stay put! There are some other great colors in the range that I’m definitely going to try out now! 
      

Urban Decay Cosmetics, Chill Cooling and Hydrating Makeup Setting Spray:

      

I’ve tried the regular “All Nighter” setting spray by Urban Decay, but I wanted to see if their “Chill Cooling and Hydrating” formula would be equally as great! I love the cooling feeling that this one gives, it’s super refreshing. I didn’t notice that it did any extra hydrating, but I’m going to continue to use it to really test that out! I cannot do my makeup without using a setting spray to top it off. Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist swears by this technique to extend the wear time of her makeup. He insists on fanning the entire face right after spraying the setting spray! The added pressure from the wind you’re generating by the fanning motion, helps the product absorb into your makeup, rather than just sitting on top of your skin; good to know! 

   

Anastasia Beverly Hills, Duo Brush #12:

     

I didn’t really “need” this product, but I’ve always admired it in store and just decided now would be a good time to try it out! I fill in my eyebrows using the Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade and this is the recommend brush to use with it. I really loved how precise I could carve my brows out and then flip to the other end and brush the product through. I feel like this saves me time, since it’s double-ended, which is another major plus! 

      

BareMinerals, Gen Nude Buttercream Lip Gloss, “Fly”: 

     
I really love BareMinerals lip products and I’ve heard so many great reviews about their Buttercream Lip Glosses! I decided to try out the color “Fly,” which is describe online as a “radiant tan with gold pearl.” I really loved how non-sticky this is! It didn’t last a long time, but that’s to be expected with glosses so I just reapplied as necessary. I really love the comfortability of wearing this, plus the color is beautiful! I don’t typically gravitate towards shimmery lip colors, but I think this will be beautiful during the summer months when I want that all-over, dewy look!

     

House of Lashes, Eyelash Adhesive:

    

I held out on buying this product for the longest time because I thought I could make the DUO one work for me. I tried this glue for the first time yesterday and wow…just wow. First of all, it doesn’t stink like the other lash glues and I know you know the exact smell I’m talking about. Secondly, it goes on a pearly white color and then changes to a turquoise blue and then to black. When it gets to the blue stage, that’s when you know it’s tacky enough to apply to your natural lash line! This held my falsies in place through wind and rain. I am a proud supporter of this product and would highly recommend it if you love wearing false eyelashes!

      

Belief, Aqua Fair Skincare Set, Sephora Exclusive: 

    

I picked this up because it had great reviews and I’ve been wanting to try out Belief skincare for awhile! I’ve only used the products once, but so far I like them! Very hydrating, but super lightweight, which is nice for the warmer months when I don’t have severely dry skin! I also love that these products have a slight lemon scent, so fresh and so clean-clean! 

    

MakeupForever, Ultra HD Lip Booster, “Clear”: 

    

This is kind of a glorified chapstick, but it’s fine guys because I GOT IT ON SALE, OKAY?! I purchased this because I wanted a moisturizing lip product to wear underneath drying liquid lipsticks or alone for no-makeup-makeup looks. This one is super glossy and wet looking on the lips, without being sticky! It also fills in the small lines on my lips, which is kind of nice. This is a good product, it’s just not a must-have in my opinion! 

    

Givenchy, Mister Brow Groom Universal Brow Setter:

    

I really didn’t want to buy this product, like I tried very hard to not purchase this, but I just couldn’t help myself. This product is so hyped and had awesome reviews, so I decided that getting it 15% off would somewhat justify its unreasonably high price point. I did really like the way it made my brows look, but it wasn’t as life changing as I had hoped! It kept my brows locked in place all day, but I just thought it would’ve made them look bushier or more editorial or something extra! You definitely don’t need this product, but if you’re looking to make your brow game a little more boujee, then I would say go for it! 

     
Tried and True Products

     

Tarte, Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer, “Light Sand”: 

    

I mean what more can I say about this concealer. I feel like I’m always hyping it up because it’s seriously THAT GOOD! It’s super lightweight, never creases into my fine lines and lasts all day! It comes in so many shades, so you’re bound to find a color that suits your skin tone best! I highly recommend this product if you’re looking for an amazing under eye concealer that won’t let you or your bags down! 

     

Too Faced, Hangover Replenishing Face Primer:

     

I feel like I’ve bought over 5 of these primers…they’re so amazing! I use this as a light moisturizer during the warmer months when my skin isn’t as dry. One of the main ingredients in this product is coconut water, so it smells super tropical every time I apply it! It’s very light on the skin and gives you a sticky base that your liquid or powder products will cling to! 

     

Buxom, Full-On Lip Cream, “Dolly”:

     
Buxom lip glosses are my all-time favorite because they’re super shiny and actually plump your lips! I can’t believe I never purchased the shade “Dolly” because it’s my favorite, mauve-pink shade that I love to wear. They do have that extreme minty feeling, but I’ve grown so used to it over the years that it doesn’t affect me anymore! These glosses are very sticky, but I think that’s what helps them last so long throughout the day. Smooth, slightly plumping and opaque; what more can you ask for?! 

    

Kat Von D, Shade and Light Palette Refill, “Lyric”:

    

This is my favorite “banana” colored powder to set my under eye area with! I do find that it gives just an extra amount of brightness and really helps me look awake! I’m so happy they sell the refills of these powders now because I was always hitting pan on the brightening shades in her contour palette! 

    
Kat Von D, Tattoo Liner, “Trooper”:

     
I’m pretty sure I’ll continue to purchase this eyeliner for the rest of my life. If you know me, you know I love winged liner and this product helps me get the perfect flick each time! It’s super black and will last forever on your eyelid! If you have struggles with liquid liner or felt-tip liners, I think you’ll find this one so easy to use. It’s a must have product in my makeup collection! 

      


Thank you for checking out my picks from the Sephora and Ulta sales! I love stocking up on items that I know I’ll use and also giving myself a good excuse to try some pricier items as well! What are your staple makeup products that you continually repurchase? What are some high-end things that you think are worth the money? Leave me a comment and let me know! 

     

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How I Organize My Makeup Collection!

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I am a happy owner of the popular “Alex” drawer system from IKEA. This organizational unit is awesome at storing beauty products. The depth of the top five drawers are perfect for laying down eyeshadow palettes or stacking powders and single eyeshadows. The four bottom drawers are even deeper, making them perfect for storing bulky makeup bags or other larger beauty tools. Initially, I tried to organize my collection by designating a drawer to each type of makeup item. For example, my top drawer was only filled with eye products, my second drawer full of skincare, my third held all my foundations and powders, etc. This system lasted for about a year, until I realized that the inside of the drawers looked so messy and disorganized. I was burying products under more products and not properly evaluating what I already owned and needed to use. 
      

I began doing research on ways that other “Alex” drawer owners sorted the contents of their units. I saw that a lot of people recommend the “Linus” drawer system from The Container Store. I had never previously shopped there, but I was intrigued by the idea of a store being solely dedicated to organization. The “Linus” system looks like it’s designed for kitchen or desk drawers and allows you to configure the layout since they come in different sizes and shapes.

     

The “Linus” collection has two different categories of sizes; Shallow and Deep. I will list the different ones that I bought and my purposes for each one below! 

       

Deep

  • 4″ sq. – These are pretty small, so I just stored some small hair masks, think sample sized products in this. 
  • 4″ x 8″ – I used this for storing single eyeshadows and eye primers.
  • 4″ x 12″ – I stacked my single blushes (fits Tarte) and highlighters. You can fit three of these next to each other in one drawer. 
  • 6″ sq – I used this for storing my ColourPop liquid lipsticks, lippie sticks and NYX butter glosses. I reach for these every day, so I plan to keep this container on my vanity.     

    

Shallow

  • 3″ x 6″ – I put samples that come in little packages with online orders into this! 
  • 3″ x 12″ – I was able to fit my Too Faced small eyeshadow palettes into this. I also used this for bronzers as well!
  • 6″ x 12″ – I stacked my ColourPop single eyeshadows into this since it’s so narrow. It kept them from rolling around when I close the drawer, which was perfect! 

          
I would highly recommend the “Alex” drawer system if you are in the market for a storage unit that can blend in with the other furniture in your room. It really holds a lot when you break it down drawer-by-drawer, but it doesn’t take up that much space. The “Linus” collection from The Container Store is awesome to sort your items by category and understand visually what you have. Since they are acrylic, they’re super easy to clean as well! I can see these working great in a kitchen too since you can place the various sizes of containers together to fit in one large drawer. 

      

What are some ways that you’re able to manage your makeup collection?! I know there has to be some other creative ways to store and organize! I also want to know how you are able to rotate items through your collection, does anyone participate in Project Pan or do Shop My Collection posts? I would be very interested in reading and finding ways to actually use the makeup that I’ve purchased! I hope you had a very Happy Easter and thank you for reading! 

     

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What’s In My Bag?!

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Am I the only one that likes reading these types of posts?! I can’t exactly explain why it’s so fascinating to find out what other women carry in their bags, but I wanted to show you what’s in mine! I recently bought the Rebecca Minkoff “Always On Regan” Tote from Nordstrom and it is seriously the best bag ever! Not only is it large enough to carry everything one could possibly need, but it has a lot of pockets and zippered areas on the interior for storage and added organization!       

    


Of course I have the standard items, like a wallet and sunglasses. I also carry my Erin Condren planner because I make daily to-do lists and love staying organized. I also make sure to keep my cute Kate Spade business card holder handy. I keep my keys on this little puff, which actually makes them super easy to find! One way I like to keep my bag from becoming a complete black hole is by dividing things into different categories. So for example, I have a makeup bag with only beauty products and then I have a hair/skincare bag to keep the other items separated. It may seem high-maintenance, but this way I always know where everything is. Picture never having to look for a hair tie again….it works! 

    


I thought it would be cool to see some of the makeup I like to always keep in my bag. You never know when you need a touch up so I like to bring mini versions of the essential products I use on a daily basis. For lips, I like to choose nude shades to keep things simple. This way I know that no matter what my eye look is, I’ll have something to match! I also choose a variety of finishes; matte, glossy, satin, etc. so I have variety depending on my mood. My current favorites are the Marc Jacobs “Primrose” lip liner, M.A.C “Velvet Teddy” lipstick, Buxom “White Russian” lipgloss, and Bare Minerals “XYZ” liquid lipstick. I keep a mini mascara just to freshen up my eye look throughout the day. I love the Too Faced “Better Than Sex” Mascara because it will quickly add volume without looking clumpy. I always wear a nude eyeliner on my waterline to brighten the look of my eyes, my absolute favorite is the Tarte “Fake Awake.” For my face, I keep the NARS “Orgasm” blush, Benefit “Hoola” bronzer and Laura Geller baked foundation powder. These are all classic products that I love in their full size versions as well. I always keep a rollerball of perfume in my bag, right now I’m loving Prada “Candy” because it’s a really light, sweet scent that is perfect for Spring! 

   


In my other little bag, I keep other essential “skincare” types of products. I love the First Aid Beauty “Vitamin Hydrating Mist” to refresh my face midday. I have a mini-travel sized deodorant in case I forget to put it on when I leave the house, embarrassing, but true. I love Aquaphor for chapped lips because it instantly moisturizes and heals. It’s also great to wear underneath really drying liquid lipstick formulas. I keep a hair tie at all times for obvious reasons, I love the ribbon ties because they prevent the breakage that comes from the standard elastic ties. I love the Origins “Peace of Mind” peppermint essential oil to use whenever I have a headache or feel anxious. The L’Occitane hand cream is a holy grail product of mine! Trust me when I say it’s completely worth the money! 

     
I hope you enjoyed reading this post about what’s in my bag! I always want to be putting content out there that I would want to read, so I hope you found this as intriguing, as I find other bloggers post on what they carry around on a daily basis! What are your must-have products that you always have on hand? Let me know in the comments! Thank you for reading! 

    

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