Recent Favorites and FOTD

Since I love experimenting with different products (and since I have a lot of makeup), it's rare for me to wear something for several days in a row--let alone almost an entire month straight.  Most of the products I'm about to mention are new to my collection, whether they were Christmas presents or just something I treated myself to.  Without further ado, I'll jump right into my most recent loves.

Face
My standout face product of the month is the one and only Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze.  This compact makes the most BEAUTIFUL highlight of anything I've ever seen.  It has a nice sheen yet looks natural on the cheeks.  I like swirl all the colors together and dust it on the tops of my cheekbones (a typical spot for highlighting), then I lightly dust it over my cheeks on top of my blush.  The pictures don't do it justice--you just have to check it out for yourself.

Swatched on my hand is the combination of all colors.  Again, this does not do it justice!

 

 

 

I know it's pricey at $42, and many companies have tried to dupe this.  When I really want an expensive product, I think on it long and hard and do tons of research on it before I plunge.  What I got from the reviews is that none of the dupes hold a candle to it.  It had been about six months since I'd started wanting one, so after reading reviews and waiting so long, I decided I had to have it and couldn't be happier about my decision.  I've literally worn this every single day since I purchased it.

I must also mention the primer and foundation I've been using this month. 

The primer, Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Primer Potion, was a Christmas gift from my mother-in-law that came with a mini sized Urban Decay setting spray.  I'd never tried this primer and immediately fell in love with it.  Since my skin has been a little drier from all the acne products I've been using, some primers and foundations have accentuated the dryness (not attractive!).  This did not.  It comes out white and has a very smooth, slightly silicone-y texture.  Once it blends into the skin, the whiteness goes away.  I like to put it on first thing, do my eye makeup as I let it dry, then do my face makeup.  I give this primer two thumbs up.

The foundation I've been using is one I've mentioned, Bare Minerals Original Foundation in the shade Medium Tan.  This is a long time favorite of mine and one I've purchased at least three times.  The shade is perfect for me right now since I'm still a little tan from Maui, and it provides the most perfect finish--it's not cakey at all, but it's not oily.  It just looks like beautiful skin.  Love, love, love it.  That plus the primer make a dynamite combination.

Lastly in this category, I'd like to give a shout out to the ELF Studio Blush in Mellow Mauve.  This is a really nice shade for winter that gives off a bit of sheen.  Oh, and let's not forget to mention that it's THREE DOLLARS!!  My mom complimented my blush one day when I was wearing this and wanted to know what it was.  I apply it with the Real Techniques Blush Brush.

Eyes
How on earth did I live before I had a brush like this??? I am referencing the Sedona Lace Universal Blender EB 09, which is the same type of brush as the Sigma E25 Blending Brush and the famous MAC 217 (but less than half the price!!). 

You're probably wondering what's so special about this brush.  I always wondered that too... until I finally bought it a couple months ago.  It really just does it all.  If you could only have one eye shadow brush, this would be the one to own.

You can pack color on your lid with the flat side, but you may also be able to see from this picture that it has a fluffy tip.  This is perfect for putting color in the crease.  I like to use the fluffy part to feather darker colors from my outer corner inward and up into the crease to create a nice gradient.  You can also turn it vertically and use the fluffy part to blend all your shadows together.  Everybody needs this brush or one like it.  Everybody.

Onto mascara.  I like to layer my mascaras, and lately I've been combining an old favorite with a new discovery. 

The old favorite is L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black.  If you've never tried this mascara, you need to.  It builds really well and creates amazing volume, although I find when you open a new tube, you have to use it for a couple weeks before it yields the best results.  Anyway, I like to do two coats of this mascara, let it dry, then go in for a third coat with Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes.  This is a new mascara for me, and I'm using a sample size that came in the Lashtastic 8-Piece Mascara Discovery Collection, which was a Christmas present from my aunt.  So far, this is the only Mascara I've tried from the collection, but being a mascara junkie, I'm excited to try all the others!

Lips
My lip product category in general this month has been tinted lip balm.  It's low maintenance, you don't need a mirror to apply it, and it provides color plus moisture (critical for winter and especially for those of us living in dry climates).  My favorite of the month has been Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm.  The one pictured here is in the color Pink Blossom, but I've also been loving Rose (which is in my car at the moment).  These are so moisturizing and pretty at the same time!

FOTD
Finally, here is a quick face of the day.  I used all of the products I mentioned above.  For the eyes, I used some of the plum shades from the Lorac Pro Palette.  I love the shadows in this palette but am still trying to find the perfect plum combination.  I like what I did today but still think I can do better.

And that does it for my recent favorites.  Thank you so much for reading!

Much love,

CC

Packing for a Trip: Makeup and Brushes

I'm super excited to travel to Maui with my husband and parents tomorrow, and what better time is there to blog about efficient makeup packing?  I always try to be prepared and give myself options but not bring more than I need.  It's important to think about what kind of trip you're taking, how often you'll be wearing makeup, and how much you'll be wearing.  I know I will be going to the beach almost daily and won't be wearing any makeup for that.  I probably will throw some on for going out to dinner or wherever else, but I know that any  makeup I do wear will be minimal and low maintenance.

If you've accumulated sample sized items over the last few months, trips are great opportunities to try those products out since their compact sizes are good for travel.  When packing, you want to think in terms of efficiency--how can you get the biggest bang out of the fewest amount of products?  Eye shadow palettes are great for travel.  I would recommend only bringing one palette--and make it your most versatile one.  I'm bringing my Makeup Geek Eyeshadows, which I've put in a Small Z Palette.  If you don't have to bring any single eye shadows, great!  The only single I'm bringing is for filling in my eyebrows.  If you have any blush/bronzer palettes or duos, those are great too.  This one is the ELF Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder.  Why bring two single products if you have a two-in-one compact?  For lips, I'm going super low maintenance and only bringing one lipstick and one tinted lip balm.

Face Products

Eye and Lip Products

The same logic applies for brushes--pack ones that have multiple uses.  For example, I'm only bringing one Angled Contour Brush to use for both bronzer and blush.  This Universal Blending Brush by Sedona Lace is a fantastic multi purpose brush that has become a staple in my routine.  This brush roll is a nice and compact way to pack brushes and came with this Brush Set from Sedona Lace.  Other tools to pack include tweezers and an eyelash curler.

If you're like me, you worry that you'll forget something.  The best tip I have to avoid this scenario is to pack your makeup and brushes a couple days in advance.  Do your makeup for the next couple days only with the packed products and brushes.  That way, if you realize in doing your makeup that you're forgetting something, you can just throw it in your bag.

I hope these tips help you pack for your next trip!

Sending love always,

CC