Favorite Skincare Products

I’ve always had troublesome skin growing up. I wasn’t very nice to my skin when I was a teenager and even coming into my twenties. Throughout the trials and tribulations I’ve gone through with my skin I’ve picked up products and steps that have helped my skin get clear, and stay clear.

For my daily cleanser I use Philosophy Purity. This was a game changer for me. I always thought I was washing my face fully and really cleaning and cleansing my skin but I wasn’t. It wasn’t until I saw all my favorite YouTube gurus ranting and raving about this product that I decided to pick it up. Now I can’t go a night without it. I use it everyday and I use it at night. It takes off all my make-up and leaves my skin feeling clear never dry and tight.

For my morning cleaner or for the days I’m not wearing make-up all day I turn to LUSH Angels on Bare Skin. It’s such a light weight cleaners and it feels amazing on the skin! It’s something that you need to get use to how to use. It comes in a block that you break apart, apply water and moisturize into the skin. It has lavender in the mixture which helps control any inflammation brought on by acne and redness. LUSH describes it as “For heavenly soft and perfectly balanced skin, take a bit of Angels on Bare Skin, mix with a little water and massage all over your face and body. The kaolin clay base deep-cleanses while finely ground almonds and lavender flowers gently exfoliate away dry skin. We add lavender oil to soothe and balance, and rose absolute to calm redness. If it’s smooth, radiant skin you’re after, this is the cleanser for you!”

I’ve fallen in love recently with Boscia Clear Complexion Treatment for my acne scars and those pesky bumps. The Willow Bark helps control my oil, while getting rid of acne scars from when I was a teenager. About the treatment “This treatment gel is formulated with a botanical blend of willow bark extract, rosemary leaf extract, and geranium extract to help unclog, reduce, and purify pores. It firms skin and supports natural circulation, improving skin elasticity to help control oil, clear congested skin, and prevent future breakouts and blemishes—without irritation—for a clear complexion.”

I’m a huge LUSH junkie so besides using Angels on Bare Skin I normally buy 2-3 masks every time I’m there. Their masks come in a small pot and are all natural so they only last a couple of weeks or so and are usually meant to be refrigerated. My favorites are Cosmetic Warrior, now this one is definitely different. Cosmetic Warrior is a Fresh Face mask that has garlic in it, yes I know garlic. Like I mentioned earlier I wasn’t very nice to my skin when I was a teenager and I have the ugliest acne scars, this helps with those tremendously. LUSH says “Cosmetic Warrior is kind to problem-laden faces thanks to moisturizing egg whites and honey, which smooth and tighten the pores, and cleansing garlic and tea tree oil for a fresh, clear, happy face.”

My other favorite which probably comes to most of you as a shock is Mask of Magnanimity from LUSH. Everyone and their mother has this mask but when I tell you it works, IT WORKS! Around those special times of the month my hormones like to play tricks on me and the most stubborn acne pops up. I apply a layer of this around my face, leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash it off. The next morning I see a significant difference in my skin with the size and color of my acne. LUSH states, “Our inventors created Mask of Magnanimity to be the ‘ultimate face mask’, intense but not harsh or abrasive on the skin. We recommend using Mask of Magnanimity weekly to keep the skin in good condition.”

Lastly, the biggest change and best change in my skin care routine would have to be the amazing Clarisonic Mia 2. I don’t know how I went to long without buying this. Now it’s a pretty penny for a face washing machine but let me tell you it’s amazing how well it works. I can go a day or two without using it and I can tell a massive difference in the texture and overall look of my skin, not to mention stubborn acne popping up. I don’t use it every time I wash my face only at night with my Purity face wash. I was my face first by hand with my cleanser to remove make-up then go in with this guy!

What products do you guys swear by? Let me know!

xoxo

Touch of Teal: Spring/Summer Eye.

This Spring & Summer season is all about bringing bold and exciting colors into your make-up style. From pinks, yellows, greens, and blues – any of these bold shades will surely brighten up your look! Sometimes bright colors can be a bit intimidating or difficult to wear. If you’re feeling a bit shy for stunning shades, try incorporating some color into your makeup! It’s a really fun and easy way to change-up your make-up style for the warm months, since if you’re anything like me you’ve been rocking fall colors up until recently.

This season’s staple is a touch of teal on the eyes. It looks great with every eye color – bringing out blues and greens and brightening up brown eyes. Here is my favorite way to wear this look.

Under the Eyes:
I rocked under the eye teal the other day and I love this look. I’m blessed to have big blue eyes and this is a way I’ve learned to rock the teal but there’s many ways for all different eye colors and shapes. The lower lash line of your eyes is a great place to start with adding some color into your eye makeup look. For this area, try using a pencil eyeliner, especially if you’re adding the color to your waterline. It’s easy to control the line and you can smoke out the color if you so desire! I would recommend Urban Decays 24/7 Glide on Pencil in “Deep End”. I followed up my liner with a vibrant teal color by NYX Cosmetics to smoke out my lower lash-line.

Layered Liners:
For those of us with a delicate hand and love the winged eye look there are awesome ways to layer your gel or liquid liners to create a more dramatic eye look. Just do your cat eyes as usual and then add the teal eyeliner right above your regular eyeliner to create extra drama. Liquid eyeliner is ideal for creating this look and I love Milani’s Ultrafine Liquid Eyeliner in “Emerald Glisten”. It’s a beautiful teal color and it’s affordable as well! I find this keeps with the classy and classic look of the solid black cat eyeliner but brings you closer with the teal.

All Over Teal:
If you’re feeling adventurous and daring then completely smoking out your eye with a blue/teal color is definitely right up your ally. One of my co-workers loves this look and I find myself complimenting her make-up every time she rocks it. You can go bolder if you wish, by adding a eye-catching teal pigment to your lids and lower lash line. Or you can keep it simple with a light teal or blue on your lids and incorporate a natural lip. The light shimmer of the blue or all around boldness will make your eyes stand out and sparkle.

Let me know which colors you like to incorporate into your style for summer.

xoxo

Flawless Foundation Tips

Who doesn’t want perfect skin? When you splurge on a foundation that’s supposed to be “life-changing” and it doesn’t do nearly what is claims to do, it’s natural you get frustrated. Your first instinct is probably to march right back to the store and return it and never look back, right? I’ve learned that there’s many different tips n’ tricks to getting that flawless foundation we’re all looking to achieve.

Not every foundation works with every skin type and the ways you apply one foundation, isn’t how you should apply all. The way someone with oily skin puts on makeup won’t necessarily work the same for someone with dry skin. And with all the different types of brushes and sponges nowadays, it gets rather confusing. So what’s a gal to do? Use a brush? A sponge? Or what about nature’s best makeup tool, your fingers? And not even that, what’s the best way to actually go about applying the product? Do you buff? Stipple? Swipe? It’s all rather confusing.

After speaking with my girlfriend and constantly chit-chatting about what new beauty product we’re using or just bought. Also speaking with them about how I apply my foundation compared to them, I’ve learned there’s numerous ways to go about this. It’s going to be a lengthy post y’all so bare with me.

1. Moisturize before foundation.
You want to apply foundation on freshly moisturized skin. Moisturizer will help the foundation blend & sit on the skin better! Also, putting foundation directly onto your face actually can clog your pores even worst than without it.

2. Primer.
A primer is applied after moisturizer and before foundation. A primer glides over your skin, pores, acne, etc. creating a barrier between your skin and your makeup. A primer acts a second skin by smoothing over any imperfections to make your skin look more smooth and even. Also, some people believe (like me) that primers actually help your make-up last longer. There are so many primers in the market for every skin type. Whether you have dry or oily skin, acne-prone or sensitive there’s something for you. I’m a fan of smoothing primers like Benefit Porefessional, Tarte Clean Slate Poreless, ELF’s Mineral Primer, Smashbox Pore Minimizing Primer. These will all have smoothing, perfecting effects and for someone like me with bigger pores they make all the difference.

3. Skincare.
Skincare plays a huge part in how your foundation, and make-up in general, sit on your face. Using nightly serums and cleansers help with your skins appearance in the morning. Also, I use to HATE washing my face in the morning, I like my sleep so adding anything extra to my already short morning routine wasn’t going to happen. It wasn’t until one day I did and I could tell the difference in my make-up all day! Using a face scrub or an exfoliating product once to twice a week will make your skin smooth and ready for makeup application.

4. Using the right Brush, Sponge or Finger Technique.
I have oily-combination (meaning I’m oily and still manage to be dry in some areas, fun right?) and acne-prone sensitive skin (again, fun right?). I have to be careful with some of the brushes and products I use. When my dry skin decides it wants to start peeling, using a damp Beauty Blender can give the added moisture my skin may need without me having to do too much buffing, which in turn causes me to peel more. My go to is usually the Beauty Blender but for some they love a brush. When I do reach for a brush, I reach for Sigma Flat Top Kabuki Brush and work my foundation into my skin using circular motions and buffing.

Some other tips, I use to be all about the matte foundation. Since I’ve gotten older and am learning to embrace my “glow” I like more of a velvet finish (not too dewy or matte), it really just looks like skin. Using a highlighter in the areas I mentioned in my Guide to Illumination post really help to break up that overall matte look. Also, using a light setting powder over your foundation really keeps things in place and gives it an overall finish. For days I want a fuller coverage I reach for my Bare Minerals Ready Foundation Compact. For days I’m pretty ok with my coverage or for days I’m running around and outside I reach for something lighter like my ELF Cosmetics Translucent Powder.

What are your favorite tips n’ tricks for applying foundation?!

I hope this helps!

xoxo

My Everyday Face + products

I wanted to talk simply about what I layer onto my face for my “everyday face”. For being a beauty and make-up lover, I mostly don’t wear make-up all that often. I wear the most make-up when I’m at work or out for the evening, but running errands around town I’m mostly bare face. I’ve always loved make-up and there was a time in my life I wouldn’t be caught dead without it on my face, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed it’s not always needed. There are some instances though I do want to put on a little something extra, or for those days that I wake up super late.

I usually start off with my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer or Tarte BB 12-hour Primer. Depending on my acne situation depends on which product I grab. Tarte tends to have a fuller coverage for my liking, espcially for those “times of the month.” LM just gives off a natural glow, both look very much like skin though. I have high cheekbones, which means my cheeks are normally red all the time and in the summer months I have freckles. I have no reason to cover or hide those in a full-coverage foundation so keeping it light and simple is the way to go for me.

Next, I do move onto concealer. I don’t reach for my full coverage concealers though. I will grab my NYX Dark Circle Corrector Pot or MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter. The NYX pot is an orange based product that is meant to lighten and brighten any dark circles, acting as a contrasting color. It’s super simple to swipe it onto your finger and dab it underneath your eyes, just to make you look awake. MAC’s Prep + Prime Highlighter Pen does the trick also in regards to just making yourself look awake and highlight those darker areas.

After I have my face make-up down I grab my Too Faced Better than Sex mascara and put on a heavier coat of mascara on my top and bottom lashes. This just opens up the eye area and doesn’t make everything look to matte or bland. I just wiggle the brush on my bottom and top lashes, not taking the time to curl and coat and re-curl like in my other routines.It just makes you look like you have an effortless eye look, which you do, but classy and put together. I’m usually on a time crunch anyways in my “everyday face” so a couple a slabs and I’m ready to rock.

Brows, I’m a brow girl, it’s quite rare you won’t see me with brows on. For my everyday face I usually go for something more simple but still able to create full-ness in my brows. I grab my Benefit Cosmetics Gimmie Brow for a quick and simple brow. With this product there’s not defining or sculpting, only simple brushing to create a fuller brow.

Lastly, I go to my cheeks. For an everyday look I’m not going to bronze my entire face, I’m actually not going to use bronzer at all. I’m going to grab my Becca Cosmetics Highlighter in Moonstone and whatever blush I feel like for the day. Since I’m using a highlighter I don’t wanna grab anything with a shimmer so a matte blush will do. Apply the highlighter to the top of my cheekbones and down my nose, while focusing my blush on the apples of my cheeks and up to create a sun-kissed glow. It’s a simple trick to look healthy and radient.

Lastly, my lips. Grabbing my favorite flavor in my EOS Lip Balm Ball and brushing it around your lips is just perfect. For any additional color, I may grab by Maybelline Baby Lips in a pinker color for the added color without compromising the moisture.

That’s about it! My “everyday face” isn’t anything too crazy because it doesn’t need to be. The perfect amount of enhancing just enough to not go unnoticed.