My Daily Skincare Routine

I thought since January is all about fresh starts I'd take a minute to show you guys my daily skincare routine and talk a little about some newer products that I'm loving.

One of the newer items is the Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover cream. This stuff is a revelation. It's not greasy at all. None of that gooey, grease feel you normally get from eye makeup remover, and it works on waterproof mascara. BONUS. Quickly and easily removes eye makeup without feeling harsh or greasy and leaves my eyes and eyelashes happy. Really good find.

Next is the Clean and Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub. Do you know how hard it is to find just a basic scrub that isn't geared toward anything but exfoliation. HARD my friends. I like this because it's got a lot of scrubbies without feeling harsh and also has a cool tingle which just makes your face feel super clean.

That teeny itsy bitsy bottle is the Philosophy Clear Days Ahead cleanser and can I just say one of the best cleansers I've ever used. My skin freaked out over the holidays...I think the stress of the rebuild, the holidays and the super cold temperatures did a number on my problem areas (my cheeks). This is one of the first salicylic acid products I've used and liked. I will definitely be purchasing the larger bottle when this baby one runs out.

Neutrogena Acne Stress Control toner. HOLY GRAIL STATUS. This reminds me so much of the original Proactiv toner that I loved. This one has a slight cucumber scent to it but it's not a burny-painful toner. It definitely works and has helped clear my cheeks up in record time. I can't say enough good stuff about this toner. I know the Acne Stress line can be hard to find (not sure if they are discontinuing??) but this toner is great and if you see one, I'd highly recommend snatching it up and trying it out.

Amena Bean Glycolic Moisture Cream. I've done a full review on this before, it's still the bees knees in my book and one I use every night with great results!

Origins Make a Difference cream. I use this in the morning and it helps keep my skin supple and hydrated without getting greasy or over moisturized. It has a slight satiny quality to it and I just love this stuff.

Clinique All About Eyes eye cream. I only use this at night and a little goes a long way. I use this more preventatively than anything else, just to keep the wrinkles away not to really treat anything yet. It's lightweight and effective and does not irritate my eyes.

Girls Night Out

 

This past weekend a bunch of us girls went out to celebrate the upcoming wedding of one of my girlfriends. I was feeling daring and decided to do a gold and black smokey eye.

I don't usually like a black smokey eye. If I do one, it's typically a bronzey one as I just find it to be more wearable on me and not "too much". But, if you can't do a fun eye look with your girlfriends, when can you really? I used the black more toward the outer corners of my eye to keep it looking open and not too raccoony.

I didn't use false lashes, but you definitely could if you wanted to amp the look up.

For this look I'm wearing:

Face:
L'Oreal True Match Foundation mixed with Clinique Even Better
MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural powder
Revlon PhotoReady Concealer
NYC Bronzer in Sunny
Revlon PhotoReady blush in Coral Reef

Lips:
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Precious

Eyes:
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded as a primer
Urban Decay Naked Palette:
1. Virgin on Inner corners and browbone
2. Half Baked on the middle of the eyelid and bottom lash line
3. Smog on outer 1/3 of eyelid
4. Hustle on outer V
5. Creep to intensify outer V
6. Naked to blend and on eyebrows
Maybelline black gel eyeliner on top and bottom lashes and also tightlined
Maybelline black The Falsies mascara on upper lashes
Maybelline black The Rocket mascara on bottom lashes

My hair was done using a 1 inch Hot Tools flat iron.

March Favorites

Finally. Does anyone else think March was like the longest month ever? Maybe it's because we had Spring Break in the middle or something. It just seems like it's been March for-EVER.

On that note...here are the products I used and loved during the long ass month of March :) It's a lot of Clinique for some reason too.

I am wearing 4 out of my 5 favorite things in this look! Foundations, Eyeshadow Trio, Blush and Lipgloss.

1. Wet N Wild "Silent Treatment" palette. I've been wearing this pretty much all month long. I can wear this 2 different ways, with the medium shade over my lid with the pink shade as a highlight or I use the pink shade on my browbone and eyelid and use the medium shade as a crease color (see above photo). It's soft but looks polished either way. These are very pigmented so you don't need a lot of color and they last all day. For under $3 this is a must have palette for me.

2. I've been mixing 2 foundations this month to get a look I am loving. I like both on their own but neither is the right shade for me right now. I am mixing L'Oreal True Match in N2 and Clinique Even Better in Neutral. I mix equal parts on the back of my hand and apply with my MAC foundation brush. The result is a perfectly glowy face. Love love love.

3. Estee Lauder Pure Color High Gloss Ultra Brilliance Lipgloss in Flash Dance.  I love Flash Dance because it looks like a super bright pink in the tube but turns into this flattering shade on the lips. It just instantly perks my face up. Also, Estee Lauder has some of the best scented lip glosses I've ever tried. The consistency is perfect as well. Not too sticky, just perfectly glossy.

 

  

4. Clinique "Happy" perfume. I have used this since high school. I really only ever use it around springtime because it is just SO springy. Something about it always takes me back to springtime. It's so fresh, girlie and literally "happy". I have been wearing this pretty much nonstop all month.

 

 

 

5. Clinique Blush in "Cupid". It's been on the favorite list before and for a good reason. One swish of this blush lights up your whole face. It's a universally flattering pink, perfect for spring and just gives that sweet pop of pink we all love! I have gone through 2 of these blushes and will definitely keep purchasing it. It is a fantastic blush!

 





Face of the Day

Thought I'd do a quick face of the day today. I've been trying a little more of a "minimalist" approach to my eye makeup and being braver about brighter lips. I had fucshia lips yesterday. For reals.

I find that if I wear my eyeglasses I don't need as much eye makeup as I normally use. It's enough to just look finished and then use a punch of bright lip color to really make your face pop behind those glasses.

Today I am wearing:

Loreal True Match mixed with Clinique Even better to get the right color.
MSFN applied to my Tzone.
NYC Bronzer in Sunny
CoverGirl blush in Soft Mink
Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple
Maybelline The Rocket Mascara

And...that's it folks. No eyeshadow or eyeliner. It actually feels very nice and fresh. Not something I'd do every day, but it's nice for a little break!

Mistletoe Makeup

 

 

Warning: This is NOT a tutorial. I was at home Saturday night organizing my makeup stash when I pulled out the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette. An idea for smokey green eyes popped into my head so I tried it out. I ended up loving the look and wanted to pass it on. It's **almost** 100% drugstore and so festive, but still very wearable I think. I tried it with a nude lip but it didn't pop for me like I wanted it too. I tried a red lip and viola...Mistletoe Makeup!

 

 

 

 

Here is a list of the products I used:

 

1. Clinique Even Better Foundation

2. Revlon ColorStay Under Eye Concealer

3. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Powder

4. NYC Sunny Bronzer

5. Clinique "Cupid" Blush

6. Sephora Waterproof Eyeliner in Glitter Green

7. Wet n Wild Comfort Zone Palette (3 green shades)

8. Urban Decay Naked Palette (Virgin as a highlight, Naked as a brow powder and Buck in the crease)

9. Maybelline Blackest Black Gel Eyeliner

10. L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black

11. Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat (you can see the shimmer in some pictures)

12. Clinique "Merlot' lipstick



November Favorites

Can you believe it's December?!?! It's going to be spring again before we know it. Holy Moly this fall just flew by. It's that time again for my favorites from the previous month. Here's what I couldn't stop using for the month of November!

Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream. I can't stop using this stuff. It's gentle but effective and leaves my face feeling super soft and glowing. LOVE love love this scrub!!

MAC Primped Out Essentials Perfectly Plush Brush Kit. I received this as a gift for my birthday and just adore it. The bag is pretty small and went into my makeup bag collection for travel, but the brushes are AMAZING. It's basically everything you need for an everyday makeup look. Foundation, powder/blush, eyeshadow, crease brush and the angled brush is what I use for powders on my eyebrows. Great little kit!

Urban Decay Naked Palette. I started using this again as fall rolled in and am pretty sure the love affair is going to last awhile. The colors are just SO perfect for this time of year and don't require much effort to get a great look. I've been using Sin and Buck together pretty consistently this last month and think with a black cat eye and red lips that would make a perfect festive makeup look!

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner. I've been on a gel eyeliner kick lately and this is the one I always grab. It just lasts all day and is so precise, but something about gel is a little bit softer than a liquid black eyeliner. I really like this formulation and think it's a great drugstore alternative!

Covergirl Fresh Concealer. This was my go-to under eye concealer before I found the Maybelline Dream Lumi. I recently ran out of Maybelline and had a backup of this so started using it again. I just really love the look this gives and I think it does a great job of brightening my under eye area. It's a little bit less creamy than the Maybelline so I don't need to set this with anything.

Clinique Cupid Blush. What a gorgeous little pop of color. I am really impressed with this blush and haven't used anything else since I got it. It's a pretty neutral rosy pink and it just perks my face right up. It's so pretty! It's also very pigmented, which hasn't always been my experience with Clinique Blushes, but Cupid is exceptional!

all photos courtesy of amazon.com

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup

If you follow me on Twitter (@lovelydalls) you know that I've been going back and forth with Clinique. I used their Superfit foundation religiously for over 8 years. When the colors I needed started to always be "out of stock" I feared for the worst and within 3 months found out they were discontinuing Superfit. This was a few years ago. Since then I have struggled to find something I loved as much and I have found several foundations that I really like (Healthy Skin, ColorStay, Lasting Finish). However, I have never found one with the dewy glow that Superfit provided.

I've done a lot of research online and decided to try the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous foundation. It claims to have 3 ingredients that actually improve your skin over time with continued use, antioxidants, Vitamins C and E and Liquid Light technology for an instant luminious glow. It also has an SPF of 20.

I was curious. I've never used a L'Oreal foundation before. I purchased mine in the shade Shell Beige. They offer 3 different lines of shades, warm, neutral or cool with15 shades to choose from.

The packaging is awesome. It's a pump foundation with a lid. SO CLEAN. I apply with a foundation wedge, I find that dewier foundations get the best finish when applied this way on my skin. I am seriously impressed. It is 40% water so it's very liquidy but pigmented. I find it to be medium but buildable coverage. It instantly brightens my skin, gives a luminous and glowy finish and stays all day. I set with a little finishing powder applied with a fluffy brush and stayed glowy but oil free the whole day. It definitely gives that "lit from within" look on your skin. So pretty and my skin loves it. Usually when I get home the first thing I do is wash my makeup off because it feels gross after being on for a whole day, but not with this foundation. It still manages to feel fresh, even after a whole day of wear.

This feels so comfortable on, not heavy or chemical. It has no real scent and sets nicely on the skin. For a dewy finish foundation I didn't get any transfer and it didn't oxidize at all which Superfit did. I get the same glowy, dewy finish that I loved from Superfit but a much better (LESS ORANGE) color selection and much better pricetag ($12.99). This is hefty for a drugstore foundation but with results like this I will happily repurchase. I feel like this is not only a dupe for Superfit, it's far superior and exactly what I have been looking for in a foundation. I am so happy with this product!

**ETA: Further research into this amazing foundation makes me think this is might be an even closer dupe to Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation. Here's that description...

What it is:A complexion-enhancing foundation with SPF 15.

What it does:
This oil-free, fragrance-free formula with SPF 15 sunscreen is made with Lancôme's Aura-Inside™ technology, which recreates the true, natural light of perfect skin. Its lightweight texture enriched with soothing rose extract provides 18 hours of hydration and sheer to moderate coverage for a natural finish without a cakey effect. It creates a complexion that looks beautifully bare and lit from within.

What else you need to know:
This foundation is dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, non-irritating and does not cause break-outs. Suitable for sensitive skin. Contains 37% pure water

Favorite Lip Products

Next to foundation, I am almost as obsessed with lip products. I am also very picky about lip products. I do not like them too sticky, too scented, too "slippery", or gritty. I also prefer that the color payoff on my lips somewhat resembles the color in the tube. There are few things more annoying than finding a gorgeous color, putting it on and having it only make your lips look shiny, NO COLOR. What's the point?? So here are a few of my favorite, tried and true lippies:

Rimmel Lipstick in Airy Fairy: I am not a big fan of nude lipsticks. They make me look like death warmed over. However, this is a warmed up, pinky nude that never looks too pale or fake. It's flattering on and lasts so long. This one is always in my purse.

Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine: There is not really any color associated with this product, but that's ok. It's a sheer neutral pink in the tube. Which, I love the tube. You used to only be able to get these in the pots and I always felt like that was gross and messy. The tube is nice. It feels luscious on. Paraben and sulfate free, it just melts into your lips. Great on it's own or under your favorite lip color. Deeply moisturizing without being greasy. A classic!

NARS Lip Gloss in Orgasm: You know I love this color. It's golden, peachy and super saturated. The only thing about NARS is that I don't love the "flavor" of their lip glosses. They smell slightly more plasticky than I prefer, but the payoff is pretty impressive.

Clinique Lipstick in Fizy: I honestly don't even think they make this color anymore, but it's been a favorite for YEARS. I ratholed a whole bunch of them and am down to my last tube, so I'm making it last forever. This is of those colors that just makes your whole face pop and look alive. It's like a warmer, bronzey neutral that just works. The formula is great, long wearing and creamy.

BareMinerals Lip Gloss in Cupcake: I really like this color, but in general...I love this whole line of lip glosses. I have several. This one is so loved it's almost gone, but the others are just as awesome. They smell so good, feel awesome on and have a great payoff. Never sticky, also paraben and sulfate free. Like a lipgloss and a lip treatment all in one.

Not pictured (Because it's in my purse...ALWAYS):

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait: The greatest thing ever. This is one of the only ones of the lip butters with shimmer, it's the prettiest shade. These feel like chapstick but have color like lipsticks, they are amazing. Easy to apply, awesome color payoff, great selection. These lip butters are a must-have product.

What are some of your favorite lip products?