May Favorites

Sorry this is going up so late.  I think my sister and her boyfriend and son are going to be moving in shortly so I've been a little preoccupied with that and work and trying to find a part time job...whew, I'm busy!!!

Anyway, On to the good stuff!!!

Skincare:

$65 Nordstrom.com

I recently ran out of my beloved MAC Lightful Foaming Face Wash and needed a replacement.  I decided to splurge and buy La Mer's Foaming Face Wash.  As with the MAC cleanser, a little goes a long way and it is perfectly suited for my Clarisonic Mia.  I love the scent of it which reminds me of luxurious perfumes and elegant older women.  My skin feels so smooth after using this - tight but not dry, just well balanced and smooth.

My favorite eye cream is still Clinique's All About Eyes Rich.  I can say that I have seen a decrease in dark circles under my eyes since I've been using this.  It sinks into your skin without feeling greasy and leaves a nice base for my under eye products.  I haven't seen any decrease in wrinkles but I haven't noticed any new ones for that matter either.  I use this morning and night immediately after washing my face.

$78 Nordstrom.com

The next product that I'm going to talk about is something new that I've been trying for about 3 weeks.  I've put a noticeable dent in it too.  It's the Osmotics Kinetin Cellular Renewal Serum.  My boyfriend got this as a freebee from work and I quickly snatched it up (he has a baby face, what does he want with anti aging serums anyway).  It is supposed to help repair the signs of sun damage and promote a brighter complexion.  Since using this, I have noticed a decrease in breakouts and have noticed that my acne scars are disappearing.  I use this morning and night after my Clinique eye cream. 

Face:

$35 Origins.com

The next item has been a staple in my makeup routine (or skincare routine...however you want to categorize it) and that would be Origins Vitazing.  I was never a believer in color adapting makeup because I simply could not understand how something that started out white could suit so many skin tones.  After hearing all the hype around this product I decided to go into an Origins store to check it out for myself.  Low and behold, the same product that was rubbed on to the back of my hand and changed to match my skintone did the exact same thing to the sales assistant who was significantly darker than I am.  I love that no matter how pale or tan I become, I can use this.  It also gives surprisingly good coverage for a tinted moisturizer.  I'll wear this with a little concealer and powder for an everyday makeup look or under my airbrush makeup for a little more coverage.  Either way, it's a new staple in my makeup collection.

The next product I was also pretty skeptical about when it first hit the shelves and that is the Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller.  This little baby packs all sorts of skin nourishing ingredients and a little pigment to really banish your dark circles.  The roller ball applicator is also soothing on tired eyes and instantly helps to perk them up.  It's lightweight enough that it won't look caky under your eyes and can be reapplied on top of finished makeup for a mid day pickup should you need it (not that I ever do).


Another favorite of mine is a repeat from a previous month.  MAC's Mineralize Skinfinsh in Shimpagne is a beautiful shimmery highlight color that gives dimension back to your face once all the foundation and powder have taken it all away.  Although I have oily skin, I don't feel as though I'm finished until this is applied to the tops of my cheek bones.  Some products emphasize pore size but I have not had a problem with Shimpagne doing that.  I do however try to keep it away from the area right around my nose where my pores are the largest.

$19.50 maccosmetics.com

Lately I've been opting for more neutral blushers like MAC's Pinch O Peach blush as opposed to more coral or pinker shades.  This seems to compliment any look without going over the top.  I also like that it's a more matte finish so I don't look like an oil slick by the end of the day.  I'm all about the glow but I like to add it in strategic places that do not include my entire cheek.

No surprise here...Holy Grail Bronzer has to be Benefit Hoola.  I might not even consider this a bronzer so much as a contour color.  It seems to mimic the color of natural shadows on my face which I prefer to warmer toned bronzers.  I also like that it doesn't have any shimmers to it whatsoever so that it can be used on my forehead as well as under my cheek bones.

The next item is something that I've been kicking myself for not purchasing when it initially came out last September and that is the MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder in Truth and Light.  It's slightly shimmery but not enough that you look like a Cullen when you step out into the sunlight.  The cold feeling of it is refreshing when you want to touch up on a day like today (102° WHAT!!!).  Don't be fooled by the drugstore version of this either.  Revlon's Colorstay Aqua is almost $40/oz, Almay's Wake Up Makeup is $37/oz where as MAC's Magically Cool Liquid Powder is $35/oz.  Drugstore does not alway mean cheaper.  I use this over top of my face powder to refresh my skin.  Despite being 70% water and having a subtle shimmer to it, it does manage to mattify my skin when I'm looking a little oily.

$29.50 maccosmetics.com

Eyes:

As the weather has been getting warmer, I've opted to use a more bronzy pallet on my eyes.  The perfect base for that is none other than MAC's Paint Pot in Indian Wood.  I like the subtle glow it provides to any shadow applied on top of it.  Although I've found that this particular Paint Pot creases more than any others I own, I do find that using Urban Decay's Primer Potion underneath does help combat this a little.

$18 Sephora.com

Since my project 10 pan, I've decided that I am going to use shadows that I don't normally grab for and so I've let my MAC pallets and Naked Pallet have a little break.  I have fallen back in love with Stila eyeshadows - My favorites being Kitten, and Golightly.  These two shadows paired with a little Woodwinked and Indian Wood create the perfect glowy bronze eye.  I have also opted to use my NYX Jumbo Shadow Pencil in Milk in the inner corner of my eye (topped with Kitten) to open my eyes up and create a nice highlight.

Topping my bronzy eye look off is MAC's Smolder pencil and MUFE Smokey Lash Mascara.  In my last favorites I loved layering Fresh Supernova with my Covergirl Lash Blast mascara but I'd found that about halfway through the day, I'd had some mascara run off under my eyes.  Smokey Lash does not leave my lashes feeling as conditioned as Supernova but at least I know it's staying put.  It is also the blackest mascara I have ever used in my life and creates beautifully thick and long lashes in just two coats.

Lips:

Though I'm not a big believer in lip pencils I have opted to use MAC's Trimmed in Pink Lip pencil almost every day this month.  I like the bright pink color similar to Lustering lipstick.  I often pair this with a more nude color to tone it down so it's more wearable during the day.  My favorites are Hue by MAC or MAC's tinted lip conditioner + Lavender in Calm Mode.

Well that's about it for everything.  You won't be seeing many hauls coming up because I am poor and honestly, I've got enough for a while.  I think that'll give me time to do more reviews, face of the days, and maybe even a tutorial.  Let me know what you think of any of these products if you've tried them.

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Collective Haul - Sephora, Origins, E.L.F., Clinique.

After months of not buying makeup I decided to treat myself one last time before I hand over all my extra cash to get new tires for my car :(.  I went to the mall today to have lunch with my boyfriend and also decided to pick up a couple things while I was there.

My first stop was Sephora to check out the new Amazonian Clay blushes from Tarte.  These are said to control oil and last for 12 hours so they sounded like they were right up my alley.  I went into the Sephora and made a beeline for the Tarte section and was kind of overwhelmed by the Amazonian Clay blushes because of all the beautiful colors...which were kind of similar to one another.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to get Dollface or Amused because they were so similar and I was afraid Dollface would be too light.  I ended up bringing both to the register and asking the cashier to just pick one for me.  She ended up going with Amused which is a bright pink.  I have to say I'm relieved that she did because it is unique to anything I have in my collection.  I also picked up Tipsy because I am a sucker for coral blushes and this was the one I really had my eye on.

$25 Sephora.com

While wandering around trying to decide on blush I noticed that they had the Urban Decay Primer Potion in the new tube.  I'm almost out of the little sample that came with the Naked Pallet and this is my favorite eye primer so I figured I'd pick it up because I am doing makeup for a wedding next month and this is much more sanitary and cost effective than the old genie bottle style.

$19 Sephora.com

After that it was on to Macy's to get a back up of my Origins Vitazing.  I'm so happy I was turned on to this.  It is my new favorite cosmetic item.  I like that it doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything and just evens out my complexion without looking overdone.  Granted, I still need a lot of concealer because of my acne scars but on the areas that don't need concealing, like my forehead and the middle of my face, it looks like I just have naturally radiant skin.

$35 Origins.com

As I was walking back through Nordstrom with my boyfriend on my way to the car I realized that I had forgotten to buy my eye makeup remover.  After a quick trip to the Clinique counter to pick up "Take the Day Off" we were on our way.  I have used a lot of eye makeup removers in the past but I've found that this one does the best job of getting it all off.  It also doesn't sting at all or cause me any breakouts but leaves my eye area feeling nourished but not greasy.

$18 Nordstrom.com

After I left the mall I stopped in at Target because I still had some time to kill and there was one on the way home.  This particular Target happened to carry e.l.f. products so I immediately picked up the e.l.f. studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder.  How is this thing only $3?  The packaging itself is high enough quality to warrant a higher price tag let alone the amazing product inside of it.  Seriously, $1.50 each for blush and bronzer!!!  Anyway, in case you can't tell I'm really psyched to give this one a try.  I'm hoping to buy a new brush belt from e.l.f. next month so hopefully the whole brand is as good as this duo.

$3 (seriously!!!) eyeslipsface.com

Well that's it for my haul.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Let me know if you've tried any of these items and what your thoughts are.  I'd really like to know if all of the products by e.l.f.  are as amazing as this one.  

Upcoming Posts:

May Favorites

Comparison/Review: MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder and Revlon Color Stay Aqua mineral foundation

Review - Milani HD Concealer

As promised, I'm going to review the Milani HD Concealer.  I purchased this product in February and I wanted to  it a good try to before I decided to review it.

First off, here's what Milani has to say about their concealer.

"HD Advance Concealer click pen covers imperfections, dark circles, with a weightless, good-for-your-skin liquid formula that leaves a natural finish as it brightens with a soft focus for flawless skin."

"Click pen to dispense product on brush. Apply product underneath eyes to cover dark circles. Brush-on eyelids and inner corners to brighten up the eyes. Lightly brush product over any blemish and or imperfection to instantly conceal."

$8.49 (CVS.com)

Nice idea but it definitely missed the mark.  The coverage just isn't there.   I can't imagine this being a useful product for anyone that doesn't have perfect skin.  It does not brighten (unless you count creating a scary white streak where it is applied) and it doesn't stay where you put it.  It's not a total loss though because the color I purchased was way too light so I can use it under my makeup to highlight before applying foundation and mix it with a darker concealer to create the perfect color for my skin.  Over all, I am not a fan of this product.  I had hoped it would be a similar product to YSL's Touche Eclat but the only similarities they have is the click pen dispenser.  

April Foundation Routine

Since I said I wasn't going to be doing an April favorites post I thought I'd at least include one part of my makeup routine that has changed a bit.  Shortly after I finished my project 10 pan, I decided to go and purchase a few products that I've heard rave reviews about because I felt that the products I had were missing something.  While I like my airbrush very much and am happy with the OCC foundation that I bought once I'd used up the Luminess foundation that came with my kit, I found that I still felt like I was missing something.  Airbrush foundation is not as fast or as easy as you'd think it'd be.  You still have to use concealer and powder and it does not last all day like they say it does.  That being said, I do not regret purchasing the airbrush and it will be a part of my daily routine from here on out.  

Fresh Faced.  I'm a brave girl for putting my naked face on the internet

I purchased the Origins Vitazing about 3 weeks ago and have been loving it.  It's one of those tinted moisturizer/foundations that start out white and react with your skin to change to the perfect color.  It's not fantastic coverage but it's good enough to start off with.  

Origins Vitazing 

All blended in

Once I have that rubbed in, I mix a little of the Vichy Dermablend foundation with my MAC Pro Longwear concealer (to adjust the color so it'll match my skin) and apply that to places that I need a little more coverage.  I then tap my Sigma F82 over the concealer to blend it into my skin.

Concealer

Blended in

Once that is on, I put about 6 drops of foundation into my airbrush gun and go over everything to ensure a seamless makeup application.

Airbrush

I then use the Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller to cover my dark circles.  This product is amazing!!  It's lightweight but conceals so well that I don't even need another under eye concealer after this.  I love that it doesn't sink into fine lines and never ever looks caky.  The best part is that if it does start to fade (which doesn't happen to me for at least 6 hours) you can reapply on top of your makeup and it doesn't look like there's layers and layers of concealer under your eyes.

Garnier Anti Dark Circle Roller

BLEND!!!

I then pat a translucent powder into my skin with a powder puff and apply Bare Minerals well rested under my eyes with my Sigma E40 and I'm ready to apply the rest of my makeup.  I know it seems like a lot of work but it doesn't take as long as it sounds.

All Powdered 

 I find that doing it this way gives me a very natural looking full coverage that lasts all day and that's all I want out of my makeup.

Add a little color and light back to your face and here's the finished product

I'm really happy with the results mostly because it lasts all day.  I don't have to worry about my makeup fading and it never ends up looking caky.  Towards the end of the day some oil does start to show through but it's nothing like it used to be.  I spend most of the day looking pore less and like I have naturally amazing skin.

Anyway, I hope you've found this helpful.  Let me know if you've tried any of the products mentioned and what you think of them and tell me if there are any tips or tricks that you have found that you love. 

Update

This is my favorite picture of him.
He is only 2 days old and so beautiful

OMG!  It has been over a month since I've posted anything but I think I have a good excuse.  Tomorrow my BEAUTIFUL nephew Christopher will be one month old.  I've spent a lot of time at my parents' house in Delaware visiting my sister and her new baby boy and they've spent some time at my house visiting our family in Maryland.  I finally have my house back and can get back into the swing of things.  I work from home and my boyfriend works during the day so I get to spend a lot of quality time with myself doing what I want to do.  It's a huge shock to have someone around you all the time especially when it's my sister's boyfriend who isn't exactly clear on my personal space rules and will talk to you while you're walking into the bathroom and continue to talk after the door is closed.  Oh well, sacrifices must be made to be able to spend time with my family.  On that note, I am so in love with my nephew.  He is the sweetest most well behaved newborn I have ever met and that's saying something considering how crazy his parents are.  I love my sisters but both of them are certifiable.

I haven't really been buying makeup or wearing a whole lot for that matter so I won't be doing an April favorites because there's nothing new to report on.  I did finish my project 10 pan - mostly because I only brought makeup that needed to be used up when I traveled in April so there weren't a lot of options.  It was kind of anti-climatic.  I didn't even realize that I had used up 10 products until I got back home and went to put some stuff in my Back To MAC bag.  I do feel relieved to have used up 10 things but I'm not sure that I really learned anything.  I did end up giving my older sister a big tote of products that I don't use anymore which still did not put a noticeable dent in my stash.  Conclusion - I have too much makeup and must learn to use up more products (mostly MSFs) before deciding to buy something new.  I can say that I do not have any urges to buy any more products at this point as I am very happy with my current routine.

Anyway, there's lots of posts coming up in the near future.  I have a foundation routine I'm very happy with that include a few new products that I consider my holy grail products.  I'm testing out some new skincare as well as receiving facials so I'm going to write about my experience with that as I go through it.    

Review: MAC MSF Natural

Today I'm going to review one of my favorite products of all time - MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.  I've purchased about 10 of these over the past two years and will continue to use them as long as they are available.  The reason I like this so much is because it is so versatile.  Depending on which shade you get, you can use them for foundation, highlight, or contouring.  My favorite way to wear this is actually wet which you can do because MAC's mineral products are baked and will go back to their original form once they're dry.

Here's what MAC has to say about it:

"A luxurious domed face powder with minerals, slowly baked to provide a dimensional yet natural-matte finish. Provides perfect low coverage. Use to set and fix foundation or as a touch-up throughout the day."

I like using this with MAC's Select Cover-up and then I usually scrape a little MSF off onto a glass candle holder and spritz with water, then dip my foundation brush and apply like I do liquid foundation.  You get the coverage of a liquid foundation but it still ends up looking like your skin.  I can usually only get away with wearing this as a foundation if my skin is relatively clear.  If I'm in a rush, I'll just use the Select Cover-up and the MSF dry with a kabuki brush.  Otherwise I'll use it to set a liquid foundation with a fluffier brush.   The only drawback is that this does not come with a mirror but that can easily be remidied if you have one of MAC's beauty powders (Hello Kitty, Heatherette, Dame Edna etc) by swapping out the inner plastic part.  The color range is really great too and includes 8 shades that go from light to deep dark.  I currently have a light medium, medium, medium plus, and medium dark in my collection.  I think it's an all around great product that looks natural on skin while still providing coverage.  

Review: Vichy Dermablend Foundation

I bought this foundation a little over two months ago and I have to say, I kind of regret it.  It's not that it's a terribly disgusting product or anything but it's just not for me.  I purchased it because several of the beauty gurus on youtube were raving about this as a concealer and I guess it works ok for that but it's not my favorite.  I find it takes a lot of time to use and it doesn't look natural at all.  Also, the color is way too light for me and the shade range is really limited.  It creases terribly under my eyes making me look more tired than if I had nothing on at all.  It can tend to make me look oily and transfers really easily.  There are a few things that I do like about it though.  If I want to take the time to mix it with a darker concealer (MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW25) and apply it like Lisa Eldridge does in her Acne Covering Makeup video, the end result is pretty nice.  It does not look natural like it does on the model in the video and it really only lasts for an hour but for that hour, my skin looks flawless.




Even if I use the tiniest drop of this, I end up wasting a lot.  I have not used this as an all over foundation because I have enough of an issue with the thinnest of foundations looking caky let alone one as thick as this.  I'm probably just going to throw this in my kit to use on super pale brides with normal skin.  Not that I'll even use this up but I probably would not repurchase.

Upcoming posts:
Project 10 Pan Update
Review: Milani HD Concealer
Airbrush Foundation
Review: MAC MSF Natural