April Favorites!

Hey guys, I know I've been pretty absent lately on my blog but I'm going to be making some life update posts soon to fill you in on everything that's been going on!

On another note, it's crazy to think it's already May and we're almost half way through 2013. I thought New Years was yesterday?! But any who, on to what I've been wearing on my face throughout the April since I feel like I give the time flies speech every month ;)

Drugstore.com Haul!

If you guys remember a week or two ago Drugstore.com was having a sale where their beauty department was 40% off, and you best believe I took advantage of that!

MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer: Review & Photos

A lightweight, creamy, discreetly opaque concealer. Provides a smooth, long-wearing invisible coverage for all skin blemishes. Water-resistant, fragrance-free and non-acnegenic. This emollient-based, lightweight concealer is so concentrated that a tiny amount can provide opaque coverage of the skin's imperfections and discolourations. It effectively covers dark circles, blemishes, moles, tattoos and birthmarks. Enriched with antioxidants (derivatives of Vitamin A and Vitamin E), it also contains silica to help absorb the skin's oils. Concealer has broad spectrum SPF 35 protection and is available in a wide range of colours. It can be applied with a medium to firm fiber brush (try the 242 Shader Brush), a latex sponge, or the fingertips.

New packaging is being phased in for this product. Your shipped product might look slightly different than the one shown on this site.

 7 g / 0.24 US oz US$18.00

Where to Buy: maccosmetics.com, $18.00 

The MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer ($18.00 for 0.24 oz.) is one of those items in my collection that I've had a love/hate relationship with since I got it about a year and a half ago! It was recommended to me by the makeup artist at MAC when I was looking for something that would really help get rid of the hyperpigmentation I have on my face left over from acne.

I have the shade NW20 which has pink undertones which in turn help cancel out the blue/purple of the hyperpigmentation. Its really important that you get the right undertone in your concealer otherwise it won't do what you want it to! It MAC terms, NW basically means "not warm", warm being yellow toned. So if you're getting something marked NW you're getting something with a pink undertone (the confusing idea that MAC has is they label colors by what color you're not) which is generally good for covering up dark colors like blue or purple. NC is "not cool", so you're getting something with a yellow undertone because pink is cool toned, generally used to help cover up any redness.

It takes a while to get used to that way of thinking, but if you just go to a counter or store the makeup artist will give you the right color if you tell them what you want the concealer to cover!

But now onto the MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer Review!

July Favorites!

Is it weird that I'm glad summer is winding down and coming to an end? My birthday is in July, so of course its my favorite month, but I think I'm just ready for boots, scarves, and all the gorgeous jewel toned colors that come with fall! But until then (we still have a way to go before the seasons change), here are the things I've been enjoying in July:

January Favorites

Wet 'n' Wild "Comfort Zone" Eyeshadow Palette

This palette is actually my moms that I've swiped from her makeup drawers (everything is so much more appealing when its not yours)! I've been really loving wearing the first golden butter shade on the inner third of my lid and the shade below that on the outer two thirds with a bit of the dark shimmery brown below that in the crease.

Wet 'n' Wild "I ♥ Matte" Eyeshadow Palette

To be honest, the only reason I wanted this palette was because of the matte white shade! But I've actually been showing the neutral side A TON of love. When my eye looks are supper shimmery I'll mix the white with the cream color below it for a highlight, I often use the peachy-brown color in my crease, and the dark brown/black are often my choice for eyeliner smudged along my upper lashline! I don't think I'll ever get much use out of the colored side, but hey for the matte neutrals, it's completely worth it!

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in "Tutti Frutti"

As you probably know, absolutely everyone in the beauty community has been going gaga over these puppies. I wasn't intending on buying any since I don't typically wear lip products other than lip balm, but I saw this on sale at Kmart towards the beginning of the month so I thought what the heck. Of course I went for the bright orange shade (I'm not sure what this new obsession is with the color orange...) and I'm so in love with it! Its not totally as moisturizing as everyone has been saying, but better than a lipstick and I don't need a mirror to apply it, so it actually gets some use when I pop it in my school bag. Its going to be the perfect color come spring!

COVERGIRL Lash Blast Volume Mascara in "Very Black'

This is probably pretty gross, but I've had this mascara for probably about a year (I never end up throwing anything makeup related out)! I just cracked it back open and have fallen back in love with it! I've been having so many mascara related issues lately (meaning I can't freaking find one that I like...) and instead of buying loads more I thought I'd just shop my stash. I used to hate this mascara, but I've been craving those really volumized looking lashes lately and the COVERGIRL Lash Blast Volume certainly gives me that. The only thing I don't like is the size of the brush, I often end of getting the mascara all over my eyeshadow, and how the formula doesn't hold a curl very well. I really want to try the new Lash Blast 24 Hour, let me know if its any good!

MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer in "NW 20"

My skin has been wonky this month, breaking out left and right, so I needed to break out my heavy duty concealers. I stopped using this for a really long time because I found it looked pretty cakey, but I'll sacrifice looking natural if I can get rid of a huge blemish on my face! I've been having problems with getting new hyperpigmentation on my cheeks which has me in a bit of a tizzy, I never ever break out of my cheeks let alone had discoloration there. But now I've just got to deal with what's on my face and use the MAC Studio Finish Concealer to try and cover it!

Revlon Nail Enamel in "Carbonite"

As we're getting closer to spring, I've been trying to keep my wardrobe toned down a bit because I've been craving bright neon colors even though its still winter. But I've found it easier to satisfy my cravings if I keep most of my outfit in black and grey with one pop of color. So in keeping with this theme, I've been loving Revlon's Carbonite (I actually think this is discontinued, but I got mine at a Big Lots). It's a great neutral color but the gorgeous silver shimmer keeps it from being boring!

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag!

Face:

Revlon ColorStay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin in "180 Sand Beige"

CARGO OneBase Concealer + Foundation In One

MAC Studio Fix Powder in "N5" 

MAC Blot Powder Pressed in "Medium"

Cheeks:

e.l.f. Studio Blush in "Peachy Keen"

e.l.f. Studio Blush in"Candid Coral"

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Blush in "Blushing Peach"

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Blush in "Rosy Glow"

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Concealer Pink Highlighter 

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

 MAC Paint Pot in "Indianwood"

 Stila Smudge Pot in "Kitten"

 COVERGIRL Eye Enhancers Trio in "Cafe Au Lait"

 Wet n Wild Color Icon Trio in "Walking On Eggshells"

Rimmel Special Eyes Precision Eye Liner Pencil in "Black Magic"

Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume Mascara in "Soft Black"

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express in "Blackest Black"

Hi lovelies!

I just got back from spending some time visiting my dad, so I thought I'd share the makeup bag I brought with me! I kept it pretty minimal since I wasn't gone for long, and as you can see I completely skipped on all lip products (other than lip balm of course)!

So let me know what you guys keep in your travel makeup bags :)

August Favorites

I'm sorry, I could've sworn yesterday it was only June?!

Like every month, this one went by exceptionally fast! August is never fun in my opinion, only because it means I have to start thinking about getting back into school. 

I actually start my senior year tomorrow, and I wish I was more excited! I kind of want it to be May already so I can just graduate and be done, I'm really over highschool. My junior year was the MOST stressful one yet, I swear there was barely time for me to breathe so I kind of feel like I didn't get much of a break between that stress and the new stress of SAT's, applying to college, paying for college...blergh.

But anywho, here are the products I've been loving throughout August! I'm not going to do my usual description for each product about why I've been loving it just because I have a million and one things to do before tomorrow!

Bath & Body Works Strawberry Lemonade Moisture-Rich Body Lotion

China Glaze "For Audrey"

MAC Paint Pot in "Indianwood"

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in "Medium Sand"

Cargo OneBase Concealer + Foundation in "01"

L'oreal HIP Jelly Balm in "Plush"

Physicians Formula For $3 And Under?!

I found such a good drugstore deal this week that I couldn't resist sharing it! Anyone who's ever browsed the drugstore makeup isle knows that Physicians Formula is one of the most expensive brands. I always pass it up because let's face it, who wants to pay up to $14.99 for something at the drugstore, I mean that's more than a MAC eyeshadow!

But I have the solution: get all your heart desires of Physicians Formula for $3.00 and under!

CVS is currently having an in-store sale from 5/15-5/21 that gives anyone with a CVS card $6 off of any Physicians Formula foundation, powder, bronzer, blush, or concealer.

Now that's an in-store deal, so you can combine it with this darling coupon, which gives you $5.00 off any Physicians Formula product, and the limit is one coupon per item purchased, so you can use one on every Physicians Formula item you buy!

If you've done the math, that's $11.00 off any foundation, powder, bronzer, blush, or concealer! Most of Physicians Formula's blushes and powders are only $11.99, so how much are you paying? Only $1.00! And their concealers are only up to $8.00, so you will get those for free!

Here's my Physicians Formula haul (so far, I'm going to back to get more!) from CVS and the price I paid for each item!

Please excuse the poor picture quality!

• Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Blush in "Blushing Berry"

Price: $1.00

• Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Blush in "Rosy Glow"

Price: $1.00

• Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls in "Beige Pearl"

Price: $3.00

• Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Blush in "Blushing Rose"

Price: $1.00

• Physicians Formula Les Botaniques Botanical Bronzer in "Sunny Buddy"

Price: $1.00

• Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Correcting Concealer in "Green/Light/Pink Trio"

Price: Free

• Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Correcting Concealer in "Yellow/Light/Pink Trio"

Price: Free

MAC And Sephora Haul

MAC:

Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 in NW20

I asked the woman at the MAC counter to recommend a concealer that would be really thick and do a good job at covering up blemishes/my discoloration. She told me about the Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35, tried out a few colors, and told me NW20 would suite my skin the best. I wasn't expecting anything spectacular since the makeup artists never put on enough product when trying things on in the store because they don't want to risk it looking cake-y, but I was amazed to see that all of the little blemishes and discoloration were completely GONE! I've always struggled with finding concealers that will cover up the unsightly dark blue marks on my face from picking at my acne (such a bad habit!) because most makeup artists have told me there's no way to completely cover it up. But I find that if I put a few layers of the Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 on, it's like liquid skin; this is my first ever holy grail makeup item!

Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in N5

 My mom actually bought this foundation a while ago, and her skin has looked so good ever since! So when I went to MAC, I knew this foundation was a perfect fit for me, especially since I have oily skin and powder is pretty much the only thing I can wear! So I asked the makeup artist (who was such a sweetheart by the way, none of that you-look-young-so-I'm-going-to-be-snotty crap!) to match me to a color, and she said I could either wear NW25 or N5. I was surprised because I thought I would have been NW20 like my concealer? But I guess not! My mom's color is actually NW25, so I opted against that because I think she's way darker than me (plus it would probably come across orange-y on my skin!). I should've asked the makeup artist to

try out N5 on my skin before I bought it, but luckily it's my absolute perfect match, so she has a good eye! So far, I'm absolutely loving this powder!

  Lipstick in Creme d'Nude

I knew when I went to MAC that I really wanted to get a nude lipstick, but I just wasn't sure which one would work for me! The makeup artist tried out a bunch and we both came to the conclusion that Creme d'Nude looks the best since it has peach undertones so I wouldn't get the "concealer lips" look (which I honestly want to try just putting concealer on my lips for a look!). I had previously looked at this color online, and it didn't really appeal to me since you can tell from the picture above, it looks too pink and dark to actually be a nude (lesson learned that you really need to look at things up close and personal!). This color has become one of my go-to lip products for the Spring and I'm so glad I picked it up!

Sephora:
Two Faced Shadow Insurance

Two Faced Shadow Insurance has been on my list for such a long time! I kept debating between this and the Urban Decay Primer Potion, but the whole "depotting" aspect to the Primer Potion really put me off, so I decided on Shadow Insurance! At first I really didn't think it kept my shadows on any longer than they would without a primer, but I found that I need more than just a little speck due to my oily skin! Now I really love this eye primer, and I'm glad I picked this over Urban Decay!

Be on the lookout for reviews on all these products!

Cargo OneBase Concealer + Foundation

I went to Sephora about a year ago and asked them for a good concealer to hide the dark spots on my face, and the woman recommended this. I actually don't think they carry Cargo products anymore? So that might make purchasing this again a little difficult, but If you're looking for a concealer with heavy coverage, I'd invest some time in trying to find this.

Pros: It covers the dark spots on my face pretty well with in a couple of coats, and I never need to reapply, this concealer lasts all day. I've recently started using this as an eyeshadow primer, and it actually seems to work pretty well. The tube is huge and you get a ton of product so it will last such a long time; I've had mine for over a year and there's more than half the tube left.

Cons: The product is really liquidy, so I like to put my powder on first and then put this on so it has something to stick to. With the little doe foot applicator I don't know how you could actually use this as a foundation? So Cargo should re-think their packaging, plus this silver tube is pretty ugly compared to other concealers. I also feel that the applicator spreads bacteria on my face when I use it to cover up acne, so they really should just have it be a squeeze out tube.

This Cargo concealer is pretty pricey at $26, but if you're looking for something with multi purposes, this product is worth it.