L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer

Today I'm reviewing the L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer. This is my first real dip into the "primer" pool. I have just always been hesitant to use them, afraid it would give me cake face or break me out. I decided to try this one because I've never had a reaction to L'Oreal face products and you know I love the Lumi Foundation.

I wouldn't really use it as a primer. I mean, you definitely could if you wanted an all over dewy look but it is not going to matte you out at all. She's a glowy girl, this one. I typically use this by mixing it in with any of my foundations or applying it with a stippling brush to my cheekbones.

One thing I will note is that it comes out runny, even if I shake it up, so use caution when you pump it out. I love the bottle, the rose gold lid is so cute and the pump is perfect for this kind of a product. A little goes a long way.

It gives my skin a perfect glow without looking greasy or shiny. It is a very pretty effect. I really enjoy it mixed in my foundations and am having fun turning some of my more matte foundations into pretty summer foundations (I'm looking at you ColorStay).

Have you used this product? Any fun ways you've found to utilize it? Let me know in the comments!

Top 10 Under $10 Drugstore Beauty Products

I saw this tag going around recently and couldn't resist. It's a fun idea, the top 10 products for under $10. I'm making it drugstore, because that's my favorite place to find hidden gems.

So if I had to...HAD TO...only have 10 products under $10, these are the ones I just couldn't live withouth. The most bang for your buck and hte most impressive products I've found, used and loved. Most of these have already been reviewed on my page and can be found under the Labels tag with a quick search.

1. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

2. L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation

3. Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer

4. Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

5. Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadows (Barely Branded, Bad to the Bronze)

6. L'Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain

7. NYX Blushes (Pinched and Dusty Rose are 2 of my favorites)

8. Revlon PhotoReady Concealer

9. Wet n Wild Eyeshadows (Walking on Eggshells should be in every makeup bag ever).

10. Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Nude. I don't know what I did before I had this little beaut!

Amena Bean Glycolic Moisture Creme

Today I'm going to be reviewing another amazing Amena Bean product from Beauty By Delivery. This one was not sent to me for consideration of a review, but it was given to me as a birthday gift. You guys know how much I love my Amena Bean products and this one just takes the cake. I have been using it pretty religiously since November and have formed a very good opinion on it.

photo courtesy of beautybydelivery

 

The Amena Bean Glycolic Moisture Creme is described as:

A daily reconditioning treatment containing natural fruit acids of Grape, Lemon, Passionflower and Pineapple. All of these natural fruits gently encourage the skin to shed its surface coating of dead cells. Usage on a daily basis will help diminish fine lines, scarring and skin discolorations.Vitamin A, E and C protect the skin from the damaging effects of free radicals and help improve elasticity. This formula is lightweight and oil free.

So...heaven in a jar, right?

I was having some issues with old blemish scarring, hyperpigmentation leftover from pregnancy (lovely), sun damage, clogged pores on my cheeks and just a general dull complexion. Even though I take good care of my skin and exfoliate a few times a week, it just didn't glow or look healthy like I am used to and I wanted that look back.

I use this twice a day. I wash my face with Cetaphil for oily skin, tone with Clinique toner and then apply the Amena Bean Glycolic Moisture Creme. It is a very light, lemony scented cream, absorbs quickly but leaves my skin feeling supple and healthy.

I kid you not, I noticed results within a week. Very dramatic fading of old blemish marks, clarified and dramatically glowier skin, a much more overall even and healthy appearance of my complexion.

This one product has made such massive changes to my skin that I don't know what I would do without it. It's brought back the pretty skin of my teens and twenties. It's just completely changed my complexion. This has replaced my dermatologist prescribed face cream and has pretty much reduced my breakouts to nothing. It's my holy grail product for sure.

This is definitely worth the price, I believe it retails for $20 a jar containing 1.7 fl oz. Even with using this twice a day for 8 months I still have a bit left in the jar. If you can get your hands on it, I just can't recommend it enough.

One thing to note, as with all AHA products please use caution when exposed to the sun. I highly recommend using a daily moisturizer with sunscreen in conjunction with this product.

For more information on Amena Bean products you can contact Elaine at:

Beauty By Delivery

beautybydelivery@hotmail.com

http://beautybydelivery.com

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

If you follow me on Twitter (@lovelydalls) you would have seen that I recently got to experience Ulta for the first time. The closest one to us is about 2 hours away. I was up there for a concert and HAD to go in and check it out.

Let's just say Ulta totally lived up to the hype. They had all kinds of brands that we just can't get where I live unless it's online. It was amazing and so fun. My mom and I were like kids in a candy store!

My 2 main things I wanted to check out was the NYX selection (score) and the Real Techniques brushes.

I loved it because they had sample brushes out so you could feel them before you bought them. I chose the Expert Face Brush and the Setting Brush.

This brush is amazing. I'll cut right to the chase and say it is by far the best utensil that I have ever used to apply foundation. Hands down. I've used Beauty Blenders, MAC brushes, ELF Brushes, Eco Tools Brushes, makeup sponges, everything you can imagine. The Expert Face Brush gives the best application, best coverage, best finish and is the easiest to clean.

This is a very dense but compact brush that is the perfect size for your face, gives you great control and buffs your foundation in for a perfectly blended and gorgeous finish. It has a wonderful handle that enables the brush to stand on it's own, it's very easy to hold and very easy to manipulate. It is also SO soft and I have experienced absolutely no shedding with this brush.

I have tried it with 4 or 5 different foundations, different formulas and have gotten great results each time.

I can not believe something this great was only $9. Totally worth the money. Totally worth the hype and a definite must-have in my collection. Dare I even say it, it's my holy grail foundation brush.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Anti Chip Top Coat

photo courtesy of sallyhansen.com

 

I have used Seche Vite pretty religiously for the past 2 or 3 years. I like it because it dries my nail polish so quickly and leaves them super glossy and professional looking. The downside that I have been majorly overlooking is the polish shrinkage that I've only ever seen with Seche Vite. Even if I wrap the polish around the tips of my nails, it shrinks it from the cuticles.

 

I have been able to deal with it because of the other great qualities but lately it's just annoying me too much. I feel like it ruins the nail art I work so hard on if they already look like they are grown out or have tip wear from polish shrinkage.

 

So I have been trying several different "quick dry" top coats. The trick is to find one that specifically says it dries other polishes, not just a fast drying top coat. I saw this one from Sally Hansen on sale at Walgreens for $2.80 and snatched it right up. Seche Vite is usually $10 a bottle and you can only ever get 1/2 way through a bottle before it turns to sludge.

 

The instructions say to let your polish dry for 2 minutes and then apply this top coat. I totally agree with that. You will see color transfer to the brush if you rush any quicker than that. However, if you wait the 2 minutes, apply a light coat of Insta-Dry and allow it to dry for 30 seconds, it's completely dry to the touch with no shrinkage at all. So....WIN?!

 

I tested this out on a few different manicures with all different kinds of polishes. I get AT LEAST 5 days with no chipping. I would say this gives a 5-7 day manicure on me. Which is very impressive for an at home manicure. No tip wear and my nails stay super glossy with a gel like finish.

 

I can't say enough good things about this little red bottle. It has completely replaced Seche Vite in my mani ritual. 

4th of July Nail Ideas

I was going through nail art on Pinterest last night (as usual) and remembered I had done a couple of cute patriotic nail looks last year. I did a little sparkly nautical mani last night and wanted to throw it out there too. It's not my favorite because I'm testing a new top coat and it streaked the colors a teeny bit. Enough to annoy me. Probably only me, but that's ok.

These looks are all very easy, all using drugstore polishes and toothpicks for the stars and hearts. Super easy, beginner type nail art but if I'm only wearing something for a day or two I'm not going to make it too difficult. Plus it was 96 degrees last night, too...hot...to...create.

We are going to a rodeo and firework show tonight and spending tomorrow on the river and BBQing with the family. Just like our forefathers intended.

Happy 4th of July!

 



 

For this look I just painted all the nails with 2 coats of JulieG "Cabana Boy". I used a very sparkly polish from Nicole by OPI on my index and ring fingers for the firework sparkle look. I used a white nail polish with a thin nail art brush to make the 5 white stripes on each side. I could have used tape for perfect lines but I didn't really want perfect here. When that was dry I used Target Red by L'Oreal and made 2 dots on my middle finger with a toothpick and then connected them to make the heart. Pretty easy. Allowed it to dry and topped with Sally Hansen Insta Dry Anti Chip polish (the one in the red bottle).

 

I found a couple of other mani ideas on Pinterest if you want to put a little more effort in than I did. I thought these looked simple and classy but still festive and super adorable. Like I said, these were all found on Pinterest. It is a great resource for creative ideas to make your own!