Prom/Formal Hair and Makeup

 

The prom season is upon us! My favorite little prom test subject has graduated but this year she happened to have a formal banquet the same night as prom so we got her very glammed up.

This look could work for a variety of different events, she even made the hairstyle last until the next day for 2 bridal showers she had to attend. It's classy and fun and most importantly, very easy to do.

I started with her hair. I took a 1 inch curling wand and curled her entire head. After I removed each curl from the wand I kept it wrapped and bobby pinned it to her head for it to cool. Once her whole head was in pins we started on the makeup.

We didn't want anything to dramatic or "sexy", her event was at a religious school and "modesty" was requested. This girl has lashes for days and we thought we'd do a lighter smoky eye and focus on those lashes. I used:

• Estee Lauder matte primer
• CoverGirl 3in1 Foundation
• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer (great dupe for the NARS creamy concealer)
• Rimmel Stay Matte powder on T zone
• NYC Sunny Bronzer
• Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Exposed
• BECCA highlighter in Moonstone 
• NYX Eyebrow pencil in Taupe
• MAC paint pot in Bare Study
• Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 palettes on eyes
• Urban Decay Perversion mascara on top lashes
• CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara on bottom lashes
• L'Oreal Pencil Perfect eyeliner in Carbon Black (not great for a precise line, but great for smoking out)
• NYX lip liner in Nude
• Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Precious
• Urban Decay setting spray

Then we moved onto the hair. I took all the pins out and was left with a stunning head of perfect curls. I finger brushed most of the curls loose and used Beyond the Zone texturizing powder at her roots for volume. Girl loves big hair and I was happy to oblige her :)

I then used a teasing brush for extra volume at the crown. I pulled all of her hair to one side, leaving a small section out which I fishtail braided. I worked that over to the side and began pinning sections of curls. I basically just pinned each curl to her head about half way down the length so that she had some volume but it still looked loose and "sexy messy". I finished it with John Frieda Luxurious Volume hairspray. It's very fine but SUPER STRONG HOLD without getting crispy. Kept her hair in place for 2 days but still looked soft. She has a ton of hair so this ended up being a gorgeous style on her.

Fight Like A Girl

Not sure if I have shared this before but my mom is a breast cancer survivor. She actually got breast cancer two different times and ended up having complete mastectomy's and reconstructive surgery. So this month is near and dear to my heart. My mom is a fireball. A Gypsy, Gold Dust Woman. A wild woman, fearless, individual, completely her own self and strong as a lion. I know people say that all the time, but if you know her you know that to be true. She's the honest to god definition of fierce.

Her motto during her cancer was to fight like a girl. When she finally did beat it and was in recovery, she got two pink boxing gloves tattooed on her inner wrist with the quote "TKO 2006". The year she kicked cancer's ass. Pink boxing gloves have been her muse to keep her fighting, to keep her strong and to remind her of how far she's come and how strong she truly is. One of my favorite shirts of hers says "Hell Yes They're Fake! The Real One's Tried to Kill Me!". It's just so my mom.

I actually got a Breast Cancer ribbon tattoo while she was going through chemo and to this day, faded as it is, it always reminds me how serious breast cancer is and how lucky we were with my mom's recovery and how lucky we are to still have her with us.

Her amazing plastic surgeon recently asked her to be the face of a breast cancer awareness campaign this month and her photo shoot for it was today. I was so honored when she asked me to do her makeup. I didn't even think, of course I said yes as fast as I could.

She wasn't picky, just wanted to look pretty. I decided to go for super flattering colors and warmer neutrals. As you can see in the pics, I didn't need to add any pink to the makeup, she had enough pink going on already (such a bad ass).

I wanted products that would give her a lot of coverage and color payoff and would last through hot lights and a long photo shoot. I used the following:

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation
Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer
CoverGirl Simply Powder Foundation
Mabelline Define-A Brow Dark Blonde
MAC Bare Study Paint Pot
L'Oreal Infallible Amber Rush
L'Oreal Infallible Iced Latte
L'Oreal Infallible Bronzed Taupe
Urban Decay Naked Basics palette (Faint and Crave)
Rimmel Scandaleyes Black Eyeliner
Rimmel Scandaleyes Nude Eyeliner
NYX Dusty Rose Blush
Milani Luminoso Blush
Maybelline The Falsies Black Mascara
Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes from Younique
Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipsticks in In the Flesh and Bare It All
L'Oreal Infallible Lipstick in Forever Frappe

Love You Long Time LADY.

5 minute Rose Gold and Plum Autumn Eyes

Hello Lovelies!

I have been playing around with different makeup since I dyed my hair this color and am loving the different options so far! These warmer, peachy, plummy colors have just spoken to me lately. I have been really enjoying this particular look and it seems to garner a lot of compliments so I thought I'd share it. I do this almost every day for work and it honestly takes less than 5 minutes but has major color payoff and it LASTS all day long.

I used Maybelline Color Tattoo Leather cream shadow as a base in "Creamy Beige". I love the Color Tattoo's, the Leather one's seem to be creamier and I really like the matte color of this one. Warmer than Tough as Taupe so it's perfect for this look.

I then applied L'Oreal Infallible in "Amber Rush" to my entire lid.  It's the perfect rose gold eyeshadow and makes blue eyes POP. I actually apply these shadows with my finger, I find that because they are pressed pigments I get less fall out and a lot more color by applying this way. I just gently pat it over the base, I don't wipe or rub.

Then taking a smaller paddle brush I apply MAC "Trax" to pack the color onto the outer third of my eyelid and then gently buff the line between the two colors to blend.

I then apply MAC "Satin Taupe" to the outer v and under my lower lash line.

I use L'Oreal Infallible in "Iced Latte" to my inner corner and browbone.

Creamy Beige, Amber Rush, Iced Latte, Trax, Satin Taupe

I used a clean fluffy brush to blend. I then applied 2 coats of Maybelline "The Falsies" on my top lashes and Jordana "Best Lash Extreme" on my lower lashes.

I didn't wear eyeliner today but I have worn this look with both a chocolate brown and a plum eyeliner and have loved the results.

On the rest of my face I used Garnier BB Cream for Combo skin, Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in "Fair", CoverGirl powder foundation in "Creamy Natural", NYC Bronzer in "Sunny", Maybelline eyebrow pencil in "Medium Brown" (great for red hair), NYX blush in "Dusty Rose", Wet n Wild Mega Last Lip Color in "Bare it All" and "In The Flesh" mixed together. Hope you enjoy!

CoverGirl Bombshell Volume Mascara

Just...no thank you.

I don't know why I bought into the hype. I should have known better. My long time fav mascara, Maybelline The Falsies, hasn't been impressing me lately. I was just bored and saw this ginormous tube of neon pink wonder and the bombshell name really appealed to me.

Would it make me a bombshell?? Pretty much, no.


covergirl.com

For starters I hate double ended mascara. Who has time for that? If one formula isn't strong enough to give me good results I don't want to apply another product on top of it. This isn't a primer and mascara double ended deal here though, it's actually 2 different mascaras with 2 totally different brushes. Side one is pretty much classic Lashblast formula with the rubber bristled brush. Side 2 is an "intensifying top coat" with a traditional spoolie brush and a much wetter/stickier formula. Side 2 is supposed to seal in side 1.

What you end up with is goopy spider lashes. I've tried applying this several different ways, with eyeliner, without, with eyeshadow, without, hated it all the ways.

It's clumpy, doesn't add volume or length and it feels sticky on. It transferred to my browbone, which is never usually an issue I have and smudged under my eyes. The worst part about it is that while it transfers and smudges it's a literal bi*ch to remove. Even my eye makeup remover that is made for waterproof eye makeup didn't remove all of this. I let it sit on the lashes, I gently tried to remove, then I scrubbed and 10 minutes later still had raccoon eyes and had managed to lose lashes in the process.

I just don't get this mascara and I've never hated a product as much as I hate this mascara. If it works for you, please let me know the secret. If you haven't tried it, I'd save the $9 (really CoverGirl??) and try something else.

Things I'm Loving Lately-Drugstore

I love posts like this because I think it gives someone a good idea of what you actually use rather than just a straight forward review, but I never like showing pictures in these posts. Like...who wants to see my gunky half used tube of lipgloss and foundation? So...I will post pictures and links to help you find these things if you think you'd like to try them. Deal?

CoverGirl 3-in-1 Foundation. I've used almost an entire bottle of this and will definitely be purchasing it again. It's great coverage, awesome finish and hasn't effected my skin at all. It lasts all day without breaking down and doesn't leave my face greasy or too matte. It's literally the perfect drugstore foundation for me. As much as I love Colorstay my skin does not. But with the CoverGirl, it's everything I want in a foundation AND my skin likes it. WINNER. I wear shade 810 or 825.

covergirl.com



Revlon Brow Fantasy. Seriously love this. I have blonde eyebrows that are pretty ashy. It's hard to find a pencil that doesn't get too warm or dark. I've been using powder from my Naked Basics palette and an angled brush for a long time but that takes time. You have to have a steady hand and some patience. With this product you get a pencil and a gel and it's the PERFECT shade of dark blonde. Just enhances my brows without making them look like sharpie brows. You know...not a good look.

revlon.com

 

L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hr Eye Shadows. I've been using Amber Rush for a long time but without a tan it can be a tinge too pink for my every day eyes. I generally like something with a gold reflect to it. I've been wearing Iced Latte and Bronzed Taupe together and they are just so gorgeous. I can use the Barely Branded or Bad to the Bronze from Maybelline as a base for either and they last ALL DAY. They don't budge or flake or fade or crease. The colors are buildable and stunning.

 

loreal.com

 

 

Maybelline Baby Lips Electro "Strike a Rose".  I'm a sucker for anything Rose. This is kind of scary neon in the tube but goes on super flattering and feels really nice on. It's super sheer so it kind of leaves that popcicle stained effect on your lips, just pinched pink.

 

maybelline.com

 

Here's my mug with all of these products on...the lip balm has kind of faded but you can see the color that remains.

 

Daily Makeup-Mostly Drugstore!

It's been a while since I did a little "Daily Makeup" post. I think the last time it was during the spring and A LOT has changed since then.

Obviously these all change if I'm doing anything special, this is just my daily "head to work" face. I can get it done in about 5 minutes and don't have to touch up other than lips at all during the day. These together really work well for me and I am super impressed with the Covergirl foundation. Full review on that coming soon. This is a very quick and easy look for me but one that looks polished and pretty.

CoverGirl 3-in-1 Foundation (Creamy Natural)
Rimmel Stay Matte powder (Creamy Natural)
Maybelline Age Rewind Under Eye Concealer (Fair)
Maybelline Bad to the Bronze Cream Shadow
Urban Decay Naked Basics for browbone and eyebrows (Venus and Naked 2)
Maybelline The Falsies mascara
Rimmel ScandalEyes Liner in Nude on the waterline
NYX Dusty Rose Blush
Milani Luminoso for Highlighter
Vaseline Rosy Lips (Coveted on Pinterest, finally found it and bought a ton. Adorable and amazing little pot of pink goodness!)

Milani Luminoso Blush

This is a much raved about product, it's been reviewed a million times by a million other bloggers. But...this is the first time I've seen it. Milani products were not sold anywhere near me until very recently. I had to grab this blush as soon as I saw the Milani section. I've just only ever heard how amazing it is.

And guess what? It lives up to the hype.

I honestly thought it was way too light when I saw it in the package. I thought it looked like a peachy highlighter. But I resisted the urge to think I knew better and bought it anyway. So glad I did.

This blush is unlike any other blush I own, it's a unique shade of peachy goodness. It has a gorgeous glowy sheen built in that totally eliminates the need to add highlighter. I really like how this makes your face pop, brightens it up and pulls your whole look together.

I can see this working on multiple skin tones and lasting a very long time, as it is a baked product. I swatched Luminoso next to my 3 other favorite blushes for comparison. You can see how different of a color it is but it ends up being so flattering! Definitely a natural, kicked up flush result.

CoverGirl Soft Mink, NYX Pinched, Milani Luminoso, NYX Dusty Rose

 

It looks the most similar to my beloved Soft Mink, but Soft Mink has a more silvery shimmer which makes it a cooler toned blush and Luminoso is definitely more golden and warm. 

I don't much care for the packaging. It feels bulky and fragile at the same time. Other than that, this is a happy addition to my blush collection and I get why everyone obsesses over it.

Thanks for reading!

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm

I am such a sucker for lip crayons. It's awful. I see the chubby sticks and brightly colored packaging and it just sucks me in.

I have been pretty loyal to the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, but the 2 colors I have of those are pretty basic. Honey and Precious. Very good daily basics but nothing bright or exciting.

I saw this color at Target and thought I'd give CoverGirl a whirl. Watermelon Twist spoke to me...

I don't know why they describe these as a "gloss". It's not. The color is beautiful and it feels very nice on the lips but definitely does not have a glossy finish. I'd go much more with the "balm" portion of the description. It feels velvety and moisturizing on the lips.

The staying power is average. Less than the Revlon but still fine. When a product is this easy to apply and feels like lip balm, I don't mind reapplying and don't really expect products like this to last all day.

Overall, I do like this product and think it's great that they have different colors than the other brands. I think this is a perfect spring/summer lip product. Low maintenance with great color payoff. Have you tried any of these? What colors are you guys loving?

Prom Hair and Makeup

This year my super gorgeous cousin Allison went to her first prom. I was so excited when she asked me to do her hair and makeup for it. I don't actually remember if she asked or if I insisted...either way :) We've done hair/makeup for homecoming, but prom is a major deal and so much more exciting.

Her dress was this gorgeous, poppy pinkish red hue that just looked stunning on her. Because it had one shoulder of rosettes, we decided to do her hair all to one side. She chose a voluminous side swept style and I think she chose the perfect hair to compliment her dress.

This was the inspiration picture she chose. I think we got pretty close, with a few little changes because her hair isn't as long as the picture.

I started on her dry hair. I split the hair in sections by layer and sprayed each section with heat protectant. I then curled the hair with my flat iron  and curled it in different directions so it wouldn't clump together. I think curling in different directions was the most vital step to this look. It really gave her hair more volume and kept it big. Which is what she wanted.

Once I got about 1/2 way up her head, I started slightly backcombing each section before curling to give it a little more "oomph" since she wanted volume.

When we reached the crown section, I used Backcomb in a Bottle by Big Sexy Hair. I sprayed at the roots and then slightly backcombed that as well for extra volume. I flat iron curled all of those sections and allowed it all to cool in clips.

Once it was cooled, I started pinning the bottom section. She didn't want a "ponytail" look, more side swept. So I just very loosely (don't pull) started pinning pieces to the side while working with the curl. As I worked my way up I tried to pin on top of the already pinned pieces to create more of a cascading look instead of an updo.

I finished by taking my backcomb tail, inserting it on the crown section and lightly pulling up to get the top to loosen. This created the final bit of volume at her crown. I then placed 3 rhinestoned pins in the twist section of the hair and sprayed the ever loving hell out her hair.

 

 

Now on to makeup.

 

 

 

Because her dress was such an extraordinary shade, we didn't want to try to match or go bright with the lips. So, a traditional smokey eye seemed like a good choice for some drama. This girl has crazy long eyelashes so we didn't have to use fake eyelashes. 

 

I think the combination of a smokey eye with a lighter lip kept her look youthful and fresh but still dramatic and special enough for prom. I used the following products for her makeup look:

 

Face:

Revlon ColorStay Foundation

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

Rimmel Match Perfection Highlighting Concealer

NYC Sunny Bronzer

Revlon Coral Reef Cream Blush

Wet n Wild Reserve Your Cabana Highlighter



Eyes:
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded and Bad to the Bronze
Urban Decay Naked Palette (Sin, Virgin, Halfbaked, Smog, Toasted, Hustle and Creep)
CoverGirl 24 Hour LashBlast Mascara on top lashes only
Sephora Flashy Eyeliner in Ultra Brown on ower lashes and waterline
L'Oreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense liquid eyeliner

Lips:
Bonne Bell Lip Lites Strawberry Parfait

Overall, I was so pleased with how it all came out and was so lucky to be able to be a part of Ali's special day. She's a gorgeous girl who I love so very much and I can't wait to do it again next year!!

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!

Face of the Day

I had all of my makeup laying out this morning and thought it might make a fun post. Here is everything I wear to work every day. Nothing super crazy and I am still on a "no foundation" kick for everyday.

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer (on any spots)
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural in Medium
Revlon ColorStay Under Eye Concealer in Light
Cover Girl Soft Mink Blush
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
Naked Palette Naked on Brows with Angled MAC Brush
Naked Palette Toasted on Lids
Naked Palette Virgin on Brownbone and Inner Corner
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

There you have it. It's about a 5 minute face using some of my all time favorite products. Creates a very light, natural look but one that covers anything I want hidden and lasts all day. One of my go-to looks for sure.

What is your daily makeup routine?

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

CoverGirl Classic Color Blush in "Soft Mink"

Soft Mink was the first blush I ever used and I have to give credit for it to my mama. She's a gorgeous girl and a hardcore Lancome lover. When she let me start buying makeup, this was one that she thought would be appropriate. I've honestly had a Soft Mink my makeup collection ever since.

Soft Mink is a medium, warm apricot-peachy shade with subtle golden shimmer. It's so flattering and neutral in tone enough to wear with any makeup look. I find that the shimmer is so beautiful and subtle that it seriously makes your skin glow. It never fails that someone will make a comment when I wear this blush.

excuse the sockbun and hoodie...GO DUCKS! 

My mom has used Lancome Blush Subtil in Miel Glace for as long as I can remember and Soft Mink is a spot on dupe for it in my opinion. I've owned both and they are identical in formulation, application and overall finish on my skin. Soft Mink is about $25 cheaper as well. So...there's that.





Lancome Blush Subtil Miel Glace-photo courtesy of google





CoverGirl Classic Color Blush in Soft Mink-photo courtesy of allure.com 



This blush sits beautifully on the skin and is exceptional quality, especially for a drugstore blush. It comes in the classic CoverGirl black case. I toss the brush and use one of my own blush brushes. One or two swipes is all you need. It's pigmented but buildable.

I swear by Soft Mink and think this blush could work for a variety of skin tones. I can't recommend it enough.

How Much Is Your Face Worth-Tag

I've seen this post on a few other beauty blogs lately and thought it was quite fascinating. The basic idea is to tally up the cost of all of the products you use on your face on any given day...The Price Of Beauty.

I kind of pride myself on using affordable products but I do let a high end item sneak in every once in a while. So I assumed that I would be in the mid-range, about $30. Um...not even close. Totalling up what you put on your face every day can give you sticker shock!




Face of the Day



Foundation-Neutrogena Healthy Skin $12
Powder-Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Skin Protecting Powder $4 (on sale, regularly $10)
Bronzer-Revlon Bronzed and Chic Bronzer $12
Blush-CoverGirl Classic Color Blush in Soft Mink-$5
Concealer-Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer-$8
Eye Primer MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study $18.50 (purchased with gift card)
Eyeshadow-Wet n Wild Sweet as Candy $3
Eyeliner-Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen $8
Mascara-Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black $8
Eyebrow Pencil-Maybelline Expertwear brow pencil $4
Lipgloss-Bonne Bell Mocha Mousse $4

Grand Total...$86.50

I guess if you think about how much USE you are getting out of each product as well as how long certain things last (Paint Pot, Foundation, Bronzer will last several months before I need to repurchase) the cost makes a little more sense. Just seeing it all totalled up like that, looks like a  LOT of money to me.

Give it a try, how much is your face worth?

Breezy Summer Beauty Tips

Warmer weather calls for LESS maintenance as far as I'm concerned. Summer is when I feel my best, a little bit of a tan, brighter clothes, blonder hair and low maintenace is just the best way to take advantage of all the perks of summer weather. Here are a few of my favorite summer tricks to beat the heat but play up natural, beachy beauty.

1. Ditch the foundation! Like...stat. There's no need for it, it's too heavy and won't make it through a hot sweaty day anyway. Rather than melt it off and clog your pores go with something lighter. A good tinted moisturizer will have a strong SPF but also offer some nice coverage. I adore the Aveeno tinted moisturizer and Origins VitaZing. Summer is also the time of year when glowier skin is not only acceptable, it's gorgeous. Don't bust out that powder at the first sign of glow. Use blotting papers instead if you really can't stand it, but summer skin is glowy. Go with it. In addition to ditching the foundation, I rarely wear eyeliner in the summer. A quick swipe of a Paint Pot from MAC or Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow with 2 good coats of a black mascara (CoverGirl Lashblast 24 hour mascara is GREAT for hotter weather) is really all you need in the summer. I even ditch powder blushes and go for something easier like a cream blush or just bronzer on my cheeks.

2. Go with the flow! Let your hair be. If I flatiron my hair, step outside and instantly the hair around my face is wavy. What's the point?! There is nothing worse than standing in a hot bathroom under a blow dryer and flat iron in 90 degree weather. GROSS. Let your hair do it's thing. Wash, condition, comb it out and apply a product like Moroccan Oil to keep the flyaways down and let it dry naturally. Be creative, try different braids, fishtails, topknots, twists, ponytails, anything that takes advantage of your hairs natural texture. Your hair will love you and you'll love the sexy results.

3. Moisturize! What's sexier than healthy, glowy arms and legs in the summertime. Expose the best of your body, use a nice daily lotion with a good SPF (don't forget your decolletage!) and then a heavier cream at bedtime, paying special attention to feet, knees and elbows! There is no better way to fight aging while keeping your skin looking young than taking good care of it. Vaseline has a gel body oil that I love in the summertime. I also always keep Banana Boat After Sun lotion on hand at all times. It's got aloe and prolongs your tan while nourishing your skin.

4. Brighten up! If there is ever a time to take a risk and try some brighter hues, summer is it. Neons are in right now and my favorite way to use them is with neutrals. It's a much more grown up way to use these bright colors. For example, I'm loving the Sweet Tart lip butter from Revlon. It's a lot brighter than something I'd normally wear so when I use it, I use bronzer as a blush to naturally accentuate my cheeks and use a nice bronzey eyeshadow or go bare. Minimal everywhere else allows the bright lipstick to play up your best features and makes it a lot more wearable. Also try using brighter hues on your fingers and toes. Orly Passionfruit is one of my favorite summer shades for toes. It's a neon pink tangerine shade that compliments tan feet so well. Use a good top coat in the summer and you can get 2 weeks or more out of your at home pedicure. I use Seche Vite.

5. Bronze baby! See my list of my favorite sunless tanners. There are so many GREAT sunless tanners on the market, the possiblities are endless and the results are fast. Take advantage and get that golden goddess glow without damaging your beautiful skin. Always exfoliate first to ensure even application and enjoy that tan!

6. Drink up! Easiest beauty tip in the warmer weather is drink your water. It's just the best way to get beautiful skin, stay hydrated and take good care of yourself. I know water can get boring, add something to it! Lemons, limes, orange slices. I even like the MIO water enhancers and keep one in my desk at work for when that 8th glass of water is getting to be a little BLAND.

7. Exfoliate! When the weather heats up, our skin tends to lose moisture and can dry up. Nothing is more gross than alligator skin. Exfoliating is the best way to clear your pores, keeping breakouts at bay and ensuring you that gorgeous summer skin. I use Neutrogena All-In-One daily scrub in the summer to exfoliate my face daily. For my body I like the Coconut body scrub from Bath and Body Works. It's gentle but effective. This also applies to less obvious areas like your feet! I use a PediEgg a few times a week, especially in the summer on areas like the heels of my feet and the results are immediate. I follow this up with a nice thick moisturizer like C.O. Bigelow Lemon & Pomegranate Body Cream from Bath and Body Works. This keeps my feet sandal ready all summer long!

8. Smooth Move. The warmer weather calls for less clothing. This means paying special attention to shaving to ensure smooth skin. I've found the coolest shaving cream and I swear by it all summer long. EOS Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream. This stuff can be used wet OR DRY (for those last minute shaving emergencies when you don't have time to shower). It's super moisturizing, smells great and gets a super close shave on your legs. Because it's so moisturizing it also reduces razor burn and leaves your legs super smooth.

There you have it, my top tips for easier summer beauty!

Lazy Summer Makeup

I admit it...I've been "makeup lazy" lately. It's been beautiful here and I've gotten a little bit of color from the sunshine and admittedly have been wearing less makeup as of late.

My routine has been significantly slimmed down the past few weeks, so I wanted to let you know what I've been using daily.

Aveeno tinted moisturizer (as SPF, moisturizer and daily foundation)
Revlon PhotoReady cream blush in Coral Reef
Revlon PhotoReady bronzer in Bronzed and Chic
Maybelline Dream Lumi highlighting concealer under eyes
Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze
Revlon LipButter in Sweet Tart
CoverGirl LashBlast mascara in Very Black


And...that's it. All of these products are very "light" on, as in they don't feel heavy and I can apply most with my fingers. However, they LAST all day long and look pulled together really well.

There you have it. A lazy girls guide to easy, breezy summer makeup!

I also rediscovered a body spray and lotion I got a while ago from Victoria's Secret, "Good Day Sunshine". I love this stuff. It's the nicest, grown up summery smell. It's light, but happy and stays all day long. Says it has notes of bright peach and blue freesia. To me it just smells feminine, happy and clean. Not sure if they still sell it but as fast as I'm using this up I'm going to need to restock soon!

5 Products for a 5 Minute Face

Let's be honest...there are mornings when I don't feel like busting out the entire makeup kit and doing a whole "face" of makeup. It's laziness or lack of time or sometimes I just don't want the feel of all that on my face, sometimes I want something easy and fresh.

I've created a look using 5 items that don't require a bunch of tools or time and still looks lovely. It can be done in under 5 minutes, lasts all day and looks polished and done. No one has to know it only took you 5 minutes.

Here are the products:

Origins VitaZing- As a moisturizer and light foundation in one
Maybelline Bouncy Blush in Hot Tamale-Applied with a finger on the apples of the cheeks
Maybelline Dream Lumi Highlighting Concealer-Under eyes, around nose, top of cheekbones. Makes you look awake.
Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze-applied with a fingertip, more on the lid and then fade out to the brow bone
CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara- Top and bottom lashes

And if I have 2 extra seconds, I'll use Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait.

Easy Peasy!

Favorite Blushes

Oh blush...

Is there anything better than an awesome blush? One that makes you look fresh and awake while also giving you a healthy glow and makes your whole face come alive?

I tend to lean towards more apricot, rose, peachy shades of blush. I just find on my skin, these are the flattering shades and the ones I always go for.

Here are 5 of my tried and true, repurchased several times, favorite blushes:

As you can CLEARLY see, some of these are VERY loved. All the way to the pan. Don't judge.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Peach Satin. This is so FUN, and feels so wierd and awesome. I have a few of these but this is the shade I always grab. You can apply it with your fingers or I've also had nice results with a foundation brush (now dedicated only to cream blushes). This is almost spongy, you don't wipe product out of it, you almost tap your finger in and some transfers over. It's literally BOUNCY. These go on sheer but are easily buildable, you can wear them alone or almost as a blush "primer" and apply another powder blush on top to set it. They are long wearing and very pretty on.

ELF Blushing Bronzer. I think I have used this in some form every single day since I purchased it. I've purchased 2 more as gifts. This is AWESOME! Lovely pigmented peachy blush.

MAC in Peachykeen. Obviously well loved. I've repurchased this a few times.  It is a gorgeous deep peach with golden sheen. SO flattering and so saturated, you don't need much to get great results with this one.

CoverGirl Classic Color blush in Soft Mink. I have used this blush for over 15 years. It is one I always have on hand, it is universally flattering, it's got enough sheen to make your skin glowy but is not sparkly. This blush is just amazing and so beautiful.

Physician's Formula Mineral Glow Pearls Blush in Rose Pearl. One of the pinkiest blushes I own but SO incredibly gorgeous. Even in the package, it's pretty. Several shades of rose all in one package, swirl your brush across it and see amazing results. It's also shimmery, but not overwhelmingly so. This blush is buildable, but you see instant results. You don't have to use much and it's such a great, romantic look.

What are some of your favorite blushes? Any I should try?

Nail Of The Day

Needed something bright and cheery after the weather we've had this week. SNOW...in March. And a ton of it. GROSS.

For this look I chose NARS Orgasm with CoverGirl Boundless Top Coat in Pink Twinkle on my ring fingers. Seche Vite top coat. This combination is a very long lasting one. I love the NARS nail polishes, they last really well on my nails. This one is just such a pretty, glowy peach shade with golden shimmer. Opaque in 2 coats. I find that the Seche Vite doesn't shrink NARS as much as it does some other polishes on me, so that's a great added bonus to a gorgeous color! In fact, I love this color so much and it made me so happy this morning that I busted out the NARS Orgasm lip gloss and wore that today too!!

Song of the Day: Cape Town-Young Veins