Don't Make Me Blush

  I bought a couple new makeup products the other day, just out of the blue. I walked down the makeup aisle at a Walmart not actually needing anything and I decided to buy a few things in the same color palette and create a look with it. And I have to say it turned out nicely! I like it! The colors I wanted to go for was more of a blush color.

  Here you go! This was a super easy, fast, and fun look. I'm just going to keep it short and sweet and fill you in on the new products and the "blush" ones that I used. I also think I might do this color scheme for my New Years get together. :))

Rimmel London Scandleyes Eyeshadow (bluffing)

NYX HD Blush (hamptons)

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Liner (nude)

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick (blushed)

Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish (powder room)

REVIEW // Milani Metallic Lip Cream and Matte Liquid Eyeliner

  I have found the BEST Holiday lip product! It is super shiny, metallic, and lasts for a longggg time. It is the Milani Amore Matte Metallic Lip Cream. I saw someone post about this on Instagram awhile ago and I went on the hunt for it for MONTHS. I know you can order it online but I didn't feel like ordering something online that was only $8.99! I checked my local Ulta, Walmarts, CVS, and Targets that carried Milani and could NOT find it. I had given up until one day I had to work in a different town and I ran into the Walmart over there and guess what...THEY HAD IT! And they had one left of the two colors that I wanted so I scooped them up along with an eyeliner I have been looking for for a long time as well. This lipstick is amazing. I wore it through a 10hr work day, through eating and drinking and it DOESN'T MOVE.
  I think this lipstick would look beautiful for any Holiday parties that may be coming up. I even wore it for my Halloween Costume! :D

  The eyeliner that I was looking for is the Milani Stay Put Matte 17hr Wear Liquid Eyeliner (whew..they don't like short easy names do they?!) but this eyeliner is "sweat proof" and "tear proof" which is amazing. One of my eyes tend to water a little more than the other one and I am an AVID liquid eyeliner girl and this eyeliner is practically the only one that does what it says..IT STAYS PUT. And it's only &7.99! I don't know why this eyeliner isn't talked about more often. It is now my GO TO.

 Here are a few pictures of the eyeliner and lipstick. Let me know what you think!

The first color is 01 Chromattic Addict. The second is 02 Matterialistic. I am also wearing the eyeliner in both pictures and it is 01 Black Matte of course.

 Typical me to forget to put on mascara and have wet hair! 

"Mesmerizing Mermaid"

 Hey you guys! It's one of my favorite times of the year, FALL! And with that comes HALLOWEEN! You obviously know I love to play with makeup and I like to do things for Halloween that I don't normally do throughout the year. 

  This year I decided to try a pack I found at Target, just to see how well it could come out and basically do a review//how-to makeup look. It was only $5-$7 and was by Wet N Wild. Normally I don't purchase much Wet N Wild products the quality isn't that great. This one was called "Wet N Wild Fantasy Makers 'Mesmerizing Mermaid'" It wasn't crazy expensive so I thought I'd give it a try. It came with stencils, paint, and eyeliner.





 Here is what I came up with. Now, I sent a picture to a few friends and I had one come back saying I looked like a lizard rather than a mermaid. So, I'll be optimistic and say it's versatile. If you'd like to go out as a reptile instead, HERE YOU GO!

 
All I really did was use one of the stencils that look like scales on my forehead and the upper part of my cheek bones, where highlighter would normally be applied.  I only used the gold, green and white colors. I also used the eyeliner that was in the pack on my lash line, upper and lower. This is actually a great eyeliner that I may use for other occasions. :) But other than that, I'm not the GREATEST when it comes to costume makeup, but I think it turned out okay. :) Be honest and tell me what you think!

Here is everything else that I used to complete the look.

FACE:
Maybelline Coverstick Corrective Concealer(green)--I used this before ANYTHING
Maybelline FitMe Foundation (222)
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (vanilla)
Covergirl TruBlend Pressed Powder(translucent medium)
NYX Cheek Contour Duo Palette(chcd01)
Palladio Matte Blush(peach ice)
Maybelline Master Strobing Stick
NYX Matte Finish Spray

EYES:
Covergirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil (335 green)--This is the majority of what's on my eye lids
Maybelline The Rock Nudes(greenish glitter color)
LOreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (midnight black)
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (trooper)
Fright Night Shimmering Lashes

LIPS:
Covergirl Colorlicious Gloss (melted toffee)
Gold Glitter from the makeup pack



PS..I did have to edit the pictures a little bit so that you could actually see a little detail. I only have an iPhone and use natural lighting. I'm looking into a better way to get better quality pictures. So bear with me!

When To Toss Out Your Makeup

  You could ask my boyfriend, my family, and even some of my friends and they will tell you that I love my makeup and that I am a hoarder, BUT one thing that I ALWAYS think about is how long I have had certain products and when I need to replace or toss them.
  I once heard on Tyra, of all things, about how nasty certain makeup and skincare products can get and how bacteria can build up in mascara and fountain tubes and it FREAKED. ME. OUT. So ever since then I have been quite cautious and I wanted to share a few things with you guys.

  One of the main reasons I wanted to start this blog was because I wanted to show people how drug store and lower end makeup brands are just as good as those super expensive brands. I won't lie, I have a few of them, like NARS and Kat Von D eyeliner, but what I'm about to share with you is another reason I don't like to drop tons of $$$ on these things, as much as I LOVE makeup.


  First things first, ALWAYS store your makeup and skincare products in a cool, dry place. Make sure they are out of direct sunlight. These are the main reasons that bacteria can easily form in your makeup. Liquid based products grow bacteria much faster than powder or powder-based products. These can can last 18mo-2years compared to liquid products lasting around 6mo.

  Foundation(oil-free): Can last up to 12mo MAXIMUM. These products can also dry out quickly, as well as, the oil free liquid concealers.

 Foundation Stick/Stick Concealer: 18mo max.

 Lipstick: Up to 2yrs.

  Lipgloss: Up to 6mo.
     If any discoloring starts to happen to either the lipstick or lipgloss, TOSS IT. This is a perfect reason for tossing out old colors and getting new ones for a new season, right?! ;)

 Eye Shadows/Pencils: 2yrs. Make sure hands are clean and dry when touching or inserting fingers into a product. This helps prevent bacteria from forming within. 

 Liquid Eyeshadow: 12mo.
     If any type of eye infection occurs, TOSS ALL PRODUCTS USED immediately. The infection can easily reoccur because of the bacteria trapped in mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, etc.
  
 Liquid Eyeliner: 3mo.
  
 Mascara: 3mo. With mascara and liquid eyeliner you're shoving a lot of air back into the product every time you push the want back in. This causes bacteria to easily form within the liquid.

 Hair Products: 1yr. Supposedly hair spray can last longer though. 

  I know this is super depressing to hear. I just see SO MANY people posting pictures or videos of all of the makeup they have and I just want to know, how long have you had most of it? I definitely have a lot of makeup that should be tossed right about now too and I know it's hard to let go of a lot of products that you have spent so much $$$ on. So I just wanted to reach out and make some of you aware about what can happen with makeup that you have sitting around for many, many years. This could also be the reason many girls have issues with breaking out. Your makeup could be too old! But doesn't this also give us the reason to just purchase more of our favorite products? ;)





**Sources**
WebMD
Dummies.com
Goodhousekeeping.com

REVIEW // Maybelline Master Strobing Stick

  I have found the BEST highlighter/illuminator bang for your buck. It's the Maybelline Master Strobing Stick! I bought mine at Target for $7.99. It's obviously all the buzz because it took me multiple trips to Target and Ulta to find it. They were always out!

  There are two shades. One is a light highlighter/Illuminator and the other one is more of a glow, it's a little darker. The darker one is similar to the NYX Illuminator that I have and posted about before.

I saw this advertised in a magazine and I thought I'd give it a try. I have always wanted to look like a disco ball. hehe.

                               

  These pictures are not edited and I only have on foundation and the Maybelline Master Strobing Stick.

  You definitely don't need a lot of it. This is after just one swipe and blending in. It totally stands out and gives me the glow and highlight that I want. Now, I'm a face toucher through out the day, so it's a little worn off by the end of the day but it does last a good while. 

Totally recommended!! 

1960s Inspired Makeup

  Last weekend I went to a really fun theme party, Mad Men, or the 1960s time period. It was SO much fun. Besides being able to see my friends I haven't seen in awhile and spend quality time with my boyfriend, I LOVED dressing up. I never get a chance to get dressed up from head to toe, but when I do, I try to go all out! Once I did my makeup it hit me that this would be a FUN post to write about and show you what my  makeup looked like. :D

  Now the 60s had A LOTT of eye liner, which for me was a major PLUS. I love me some winged eye liner. It's basically a staple in my every day makeup. I was also inspired by a model of the time, Twiggy, and her extravagant eyelashes. So I also tried to incorporate those too. I bought the individual lashes so it was easier for me to apply and they stick waaay better than the strips of lashes do.
  As far as lips go, it was mostly nudes and pinks. Nothing too crazy. So I just went for a shiny, slightly metallic, light pink.
  Never forget blush!

Face:
Maybelline FITme Foundation (matte + poreless 222 true beige)
NARS concealer (vanilla)
CoverGirl TruBlend Pressed Powder (translucent medium)
PUR Contour/Highlight Powder Duo
NYX HD Blush (hdb11 amber)
NYX Liquid Illuminator (born to glow)
 NYX Finishing Spray (Matte)

Eyes:
Sephora Colorful5 Eyeshadow (pale to rich taupe--I used the lightest only for glittery purposes)
Maybelline The Rock Nudes (the shiny nude color and brown for the crease)
Kat Von D Eyeliner (trooper)
LoReal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (midnight black)
Ardell Stacked Individual Lashes
Maybelline BrowDrama Crayon Pommade (dark brown)

Lips:
NYX Lip Liner (spl810 natural)
CoverGirl Lipstick (015 breezed peach)

Sun Kissed

So it's about damn time I write something new! Sorry guys, I would throw out the excuses of being busy, which is true, but I've also been lazy and I apologize. So I wanted to do a makeup look for the Summer. A natural eye with a bold lip. Great for during the day or going out to dinner with your man or girlfriends!

Face:

Maybelline FITme Foundation (matte+poreless 222 true beige)

NARS Cream Concealer (light 2 vanilla)*

CoverGirl TruBlend Pressed Powder (translucent medium)

PÜR Contour/Highlight Powder Duo

NYX HD Blush (hdb11 amber)

NYX Liquid Illuminator (born to glow)

Eyes/Brows:

Sephora Colorful5 Eyeshadow (pale to rich taupe)*

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (trooper)*

L'Oréal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (midnight black)

NYX Eyebrow Pencil (ep05 dark brown)

Lips:

WetnWild Mega Slicks Lipgloss (548D berried treasure)

**So I did kind of go against my brand and used a couple of higher end products, that you can't get from Target, Ulta or a drugstore. But in my defense I got them for my birthday and had to use them. Plus they are easily replicable with different products!

I also suggest using a little more illuminator(highlighter) than I did. I had a good amount on, but of course with my wonderful iPhone camera quality it just doesn't show up as well. :(

Shower Routine // Spring Edition

 Like I've said before staying moisturized from head-to-toe is SO important for me all year round! And it should be for you too, especially if you have dry skin. 

For my body: 

Olay Fresh Outlast Body Wash - This smells AMAZING. I love the flowery smell for Spring and Summer. And I swear this body wash feels as though it is mixed in with lotion too. It's great!

EOS Shaving Cream - Mixed with natural shea butter and vitamin B it leaves your skin feeling super smooth much longer than other shaving creams, I feel like at least. Haha. 

NIVEA In-Shower Body Lotion - THE HOLY GRAIL OF MOISURIZERS. Also, the Cocoa Butter one is THE BEST. I've tried a few different in-shower lotions but this one tops it. It's for dry to very dry skin and when you get out of the shower you definitely don't need to put on anything else for the rest of the day. And it's only $4.99 at Target and CVS. Get it. You won't regret it. 

For my sad hair:

Dove Nutritive Solutions Intensive Repair Shampoo - I use a shampoo that helps repair any damage I have to my hair. It has Keratin in it so it at least makes me think I'm getting the job done. I'm not gonna lie. I just started using this so I'm not exactly sure how well it's Doug. I needed something new. That's for sure.

Garnier Whole Blends Smoothing Conditioner - MORE cocoa butter and coconut oil. This does make my hair feel smoother, soother, and not dry. Plus just smells like summer. :)

***All items can be found at Target and CVS :D

What do YOU want to see?

 Hey ladies(and gents)! I am sorry I haven't been posting much, just been really busy with work and personal life. I wanted to take the time out to ask YOU GUYS what you want to see me post more of for the Spring and Summer! I have a couple things in mind, just haven't been able to get around to getting the pictures taken. Do you want me to post more on skincare? Hair care? Makeup looks? Need advice on anything? What would you like me to review?

  Message me on here or just send me an email. I'll take ANY type of advice. :)

Photo done by the very talented and beautiful Anna Lamm.

Makeup for Glasses Wearers

  This post is something that I deal with quite often, and that is wearing makeup with glasses. Sometimes I feel like my eye makeup just won't show up or stand out when I wear my glasses, and I figure I can't be the only one that thinks that am I?! Now I have been wearing glasses for 13 years now and I work in a vision center and deal with glasses EVERY DAY! I was also inspired by the makeup professional duo, Pixiwoo on Youtube, but I thought this would be fun to do cause I wanted to experiment with my makeup and new products that I have purchased recently.

Here is what I came up with! 😆

  

 

FACE

•Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous Foundation(825buff beige)

•Covergirl Smoothers Pressed Powder(710translucent light)

•NYX Cheek Contour Duo Palette(CHCD01)

•NYX High Definition Blush(HDB11 amber)

EYES

•Maybelline The Rock Nudes(bottom left trio on lid, dark brown in the crease, and then dark purple underneath my eyes to give them a "tired look")

•Maybelline Line Stiletto Liquid Eyeliner(blackest black)

•Maybelline The Falsies BIG Eyes Mascara(black)

•Maybelline BrowDrama Crayon Pommade

LIPS

•NYX Liquid Suede(soft-spoken)

In My Purse

  So I thought I'd share with you all what I like to keep in my purse for "makeup emergencies" or what I use to keep me "touched up" all day long.

                                 

I like to keep the Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Fresh Complexion Powder Foundation for small touch ups through out the day. My nose tends to get red more than halfway through the day and this stuff is perfect to whip out and just dab on my blemish. It comes with a little sponge and mirror so you can see what you're doing right then and there. It's also great for those random lipstick smears that happen outside of your lips. (Especially those lipsticks that love to stain your skin!) AND did I mention the mirror? You know you will always find a reason to need that.

Second, I like to keep my NYX matte black liner for when I just need to touch up those water lines, as well as, my Revlon Colorstay Skinny liner. You just never know when you might cry off your eyeliner and what's worse than when you have one eye with a little flick, or wing, and NOTHING on the other eye. I don't usually use waterproof so that's why I tend to carry these around with me.

Next, I ALWAYS carry around various lipsticks and glosses with me. I never know what mood I might be in and what would look best with where I will be going. (Pictured: NYX Liquid Suede in Sandstorm, Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Rouge, Rimmel Stay Glossy in Blushing Belgraves, and my go to lip balm, Burts Bees in Caramel Apple.)

Last but not least, I like to carry either a perfume or a body spray with me too. Who doesn't like to smell good!!? Most of the time it's a travel size body spray that I usually get from Bath and Body Works, but my best friend got me a little travel size Victoria's Secret Forever Sexy perfume for Christmas and I LOVE it. So that's been my go to lately. :D