5 Makeup Products I Can't Live Without

The Five Makeup Products I Can't Live Without

 

1. Mascara

I am lucky enough (not) to have eyelashes with blonde tips.  So, when I have no makeup on, I look like I have no eyelashes.  Not only that, but I also have hooded eye lids, which scream for mascara.  I'm still looking for my holy grail mascara, but some that I like well enough are: Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara, Benefit They're Real Mascara,  and Diorshow Iconic Extreme Waterproof Mascara.  I still have yet to find a drug store mascara that I even remotely like.

 2. BB Cream/Tinted Moisturizer

I've been using the Garnier BB Cream for a while now, and absolutely love it.  I have heard complaints from other people about it being a bit greasy, but I have very combination skin, so it's not a problem for me.  It's been a miracle for me in the summer, when I don't want to cake on heavy foundation along with powder.  I make sure to set it with powder, the Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder is my favorite, and I'm good to go!

3. Eyebrow Powder

The eyebrow powder I have used all my life is the Cliniqe Brow Shaper.  I couldn't live without it.  It lasts an INSANE amount of time, and stays in place.  It helps shape my sparse eyebrows.  I recently went lighter after learning that you should go a shade or two LIGHTER with your eyebrow powder, and I think it makes a big difference.

4. Gel Eyeliner

Gel eyeliner is a hybrid between the smoothest eye pencil you've ever used and a liquid eyeliner.  It's more forgiving than liquid, allowing more time to smudge and correct mistakes.  However, it stays longer than pencil eyeliner.  It also usually washes off very easily.  The two that are my absolute favorites are my Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner and the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner.  Both have very similar application, drying time, etc.  However, I've noticed the Maybelline dries out a bit faster than the Bobbi Brown and that it is slightly less pigmented.

5. Blotting Papers

Since the South Texas heat and humidity tends to be brutal on my already slightly oily skin, blotting papers are a must to carry in my makeup bag.  Boscia Blotting Linens in the Green Tea version are my absolute favorite. 

Another Favorites Post: The Best Bronzer I Have Ever Used

On a bit of a whim recently, I purchased the Nars Laguna Bronzer.  I had never seen it in person, and purchased it online, so it was a bit of a gamble.  However, I had always heard such rave reviews about it, that I thought I'd give it a try.  My go-to bronzer, for, oh, ALWAYS, has been my generic Bare Escentuals Warmth Bronzer that's always been included in my starter kits.  I've never been a huge fan of the color, it's a bit too orangey-red for my skin color.  I'd always use it as a contour only with my small Sonia Kashuk contour brush.  I was never a fan of the application, either:  very streaky and, although highly pigmented, would always fade away rapidly.

The Nars Laguna is the best bronzer ever for my skin tone.  I am medium to fair, depending on the season.  The Laguna is more of a pure brown color, and it scared me straight out of the package.  However, it transfers beautifully, and gives me the natural color I've been looking for.  I apply it with a kabuki brush with great results. 

 

my updated skincare regimen: hydroquinone

Since my 'life changing skin care regimen' post was so popular, I decided to fill all you readers in on my updated regimen, since it has changed a little bit.  This is partly due to my new Birchbox findings, and partly due to being frustrated with my severe melasma issues.  I was so diligent about protecting my face for over a year for wedding preparations that I only wore sunscreen for my honeymoon.  Well, if you know anything about melasma then you probably know that the Caribbean sun isn't the best for your already sun-damaged skin.  While I didn't get sunburned, just being in the sun for a few minutes caused my spots to darken.  I was expecting it, but it was still frustrating to have undone all the work that I had been doing for over a year.

With a recommendation from a friend, I started seeing a new, no nonsense dermatologist.  With my request, she put me on Hydroquinone.  Now, I am not advocating for everyone to go out and ask their doctors for a hydroquinone prescription.  It is serious stuff that is thought to be carcinogenic and has been banned in several European countries.  The FDA also proposed a ban on it in the US in 2006, but has since said it is 'safe in its current use.'

With all the risks aside, I began using it because I knew that it was only temporary.  You use it, it lightens the dark spots on your face (ideally), and then you stop.  I have to say, that within about two weeks, it had drastically lightened the severely darkened area on my forehead.  Within a week, it had completely lightened the dark patches on my upper lip, which were the most unsightly in my opinion.  My forehead still has a ways to go, but I am overall happy with the results.

I am looking forward to being able to stop using it (hopefully) soon, but in the meantime, I am protecting my face like a crazy person by using umbrellas while out in the sun, wearing huts, and applying sunscreen like a mad woman.  If you have severe melasma that cannot be covered my makeup, such as mine, and have unsuccessfully tried other methods, I would talk with your doctor and see what your options are.  Like I said previously, though, I think that it truly should be a last resort and should absolutely not be used long term.    

urban decay naked palette

I had been lusting over the Urban Decay Naked Palette for years, and finally, about a year ago, made the plunge and purchased it.  If you sign up for emails from Urban Decay, you get a discount (I think 20% off), and they had free shipping and included a deluxe sample.  So, I got a great deal on it.  Also, I know that the old palettes used to come with a half black/half brown eyeliner in the kit.  Now, they come with a brush that is also fantastic, and great for the eyeshadow application.

Above is the first half of the palette (please excuse the crappy iPhone pics under bad, fluorescent lighting).

(from left to right):
Virgin:  the best highlighting color.  If I'm pressed for time and my complexion is looking extra dull, I'll sweep this gorgeous color over my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose.  I love it!

Sin:  Also, a gorgeous color, but the shimmer is more coarse than Virgin.

Naked:  The PERFECT base color.  It matches my lids perfectly so that I don't always have to use my UD eyeshadow primer (which is also great).

Sidecar:  Sidecar is the perfect color, BUT there are huge flecks of glitter that fall to my cheeks.  So, I NEVER wear it.  Take the flecks of glitter out, and I would have been such a happy girl.

Buck:  My favorite, favorite color for the crease of my eyes.  It is such a gorgeous, warm light brown, and adds great dimension.

Half Baked:  A great gold color for the inner corner of my eyelids.  It adds a great shine without looking too 'Liberachi.'

  And the last half, from left to right

Smog:  A darker brown than half-baked, and less golden.  Also a gorgeous color.

Darkhorse:  I love putting this color on the outer corners of my eyelid. It's a great brown to give depth.

Toasted:  I love this color as a base for my eyelid when I'm going out or to a nicer dinner where I want to wear more makeup.  Alone, though, this color looks gorgeous.

Hustle:  Probably my favorite color in the collection.  I absolutely love burgundy eye shadows, and I usually end up wearing this on my lids with buck in the crease and then blending.  It is a gorgeous fall/winter color.

Creep:  I love this color for smudging eyeliners.  I take this color and blend it along my lash line to smudge any harsh lines that my eyeliner may have created.

Gunmetal:  I have blue eyes, and this color makes them POP.  I love this color on my lid.

There are a few more things I love about the Naked Palette:
The colors are highly pigmented and they do not fade and/or crease.
They can take you from season to season with the color versatility.
Probably my favorite thing is that you can find TONS of makeup tutorials using the Naked Palette, since it is so popular.  Then, you can make the tutorials your own.

Introducting...Another Gamechanger Hair Product

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil

Oh.  My.  Gosh.  This stuff is incredible.  I have tried several hair oils, and this one is by far my favorite.  I like this one, because it is also a heat protector.  My hair has every type of hair in one:  fine and stick straight as well as coarse, thick and wavy.  If I do a blowout, my hair usually ends up frizzing within moments of stepping outside.  I got this stuff in a Sephora sample and am truly amazed.  It made my hair SO smooth and sleek for days.  I only applied about a dime sized amount, I think more would cause an oil slick, on my damp hair before a blow out.  My hair stayed frizz free and soft for THREE DAYS.  Yes, I was able to have day three hair with this stuff (which I have never done in my life).  I would highly recommend this stuff!

More Lush Love

I am full-on addicted to Lush now.  I have purchased and/or tried quite a few more items from there, and my obsession has just grown.  Also, most people don't know this, but the Lush here does free facials Monday-Friday.  They're amazing, and I would highly recommend one.  You have to have an appointment, but there's no pressure to buy any products; it's just a fun way to try new things.

Here's what I've tried and loved recently:

Buffy: Probably the best, most amazing Lush product I've tried.  That's a bold claim, but this bar is incredible.  It's technically under their soap category, but it's more of a lotion bar, in my opinion.  The bar contains some serious exfoliants and super moisturizing oils that make my skin incredibly soft.  I use this about every other day as the last thing I do in the shower.  I rub the bar only on my legs and arms, rinse off the exfoliating granules, and then pat dry.  The oil and moisturizers stay on your skin, no lotion required, and the softness lasts for days.  It truly is amazing stuff!

Big Shampoo: I was able to try a sample of a purchase my Mom had made of this stuff, and I truly love it.  It consists of super coarse salt granules and a shampoo that causes major scalp exfoliation and cleanliness.  I try to use a clarifying shampoo once a week to remove dry shampoo and product buildup.  I have always used the Neutrogena one, but find that is strips my hair like crazy.  The Big shampoo cleans my hair without stripping.  I notice a huge difference in my hair's softness and texture with the Lush shampoos.  It feels baby soft and smooth.  I use this once a week now and notice a huge difference!

Ocean Salt: This was used during my facial, and I was instantly in love.  Although, my Befine Exfoliating Cleanser is still my absolute favorite, this one is something I use about once a week on my chest and face (I use my Befine every morning).  The smell is divine (like a margarita), and it really works to exfoliate a bit deeper into my pores.  It's a bit too harsh to use daily for my skin, but I absolutely love it. 

The Sick Post

I'm home sick today and pretty miserable.  A sinus headache has turned into a probable sinus infection complete with fever, nausea, and all the other fun things that come with a sinus infection.  Good times at the R household.  At least the Olympics are on, right? 

I have a few things that have helped my allergies and sinus issues (and believe me, I have had lots of them), that I wanted to share with you guys. 

Crane Humidifier:  If you have allergies/nasal congestion/children, run don't walk to get this thing.  I purchased mine on Amazon and have never looked back.  It's currently saving my life on my nightstand as I type.  It's filterless, super quiet, and has a great amount of cool steam.  I love this thing dearly. 

Neti pot:  You may judge neti pots until you are in desperate need of relief from one.  I have had a neti pot for years, and use it often when I'm sick.  I don't even buy the solution any longer, I use generic salt (a very small amount) mixed with water.  I especially like using it when I first wake up in the morning.  I know it's gross, blah, blah, but it's incredible. 

Another great non-pharmacological item to use when you're sick is eucalyptus oil.  It's so soothing.  Also, I've heard that marshmallows are good for soothing sore throats.  Go figure!

I'm back, baby....with Coconut Oil

So, I've taken a two month-ish hiatus from blogging.  June was super busy and July was the month from hell personally, but now I'm back in full force.  I have a LOT to catch you guys up on, but first, I want to start with my new love:  coconut oil. 

I'm a certified Amazon addict.  One day, while I was searching for God knows what, I stumbled upon this coconut oil.  First of all, it's super cheap.  Secondly, the reviews were amazing.  I figured I'd give it a try. 

It arrived at my doorstep of course, completely liquefied, because I live in hell (aka South Texas).  It took a little while to solidify in my house, but once it did, I got to town examining it.  The texture is almost like a really fine, fragile shortening.  It's a milky opaque white when solid and clear when liquid.  It melts at the touch of your hand, or in the microwave in about 20-30 seconds.  The smell, also, is AMAZING! 

Here is what I have used this magical stuff for:

1. Makeup remover:  Bye, bye harsh chemical makeup remover that burns my eyes and stings my skin.  This stuff is incredible and leaves my very dry eyes extremely moisturized.  I get a little dab on my fingers, rub my eyes with it, and wipe off with a cotton ball or dark towel. 

2. Hair mask:  I love using this stuff when I take baths.  I apply from about the nape of my neck down and put my hair in a bun.  Then, I put a shower cap on to generate some heat to open the cuticle of the hair so the oil can penetrate the hair easily.  I leave this on as long as I can, usually about 20 minutes, shampoo and condition normally, and my hair feels amazingly silky and soft afterward.

3. Cooking:  You can replace coconut oil with any cooking oil.  I've used this mostly in sweets.  My absolute favorite thing in the world right now is to add a dab of coconut oil to peanut butter and dip pretzels in it.  It is decadent!

4. Dogs:  Cooper (my longhair Dachshund) has severe skin allergies and issues.  His skin dries and flakes very easily after bathing.  I usually use shampoo and conditioner on him, but sometimes the conditioner residue irritates his skin.  One day, I added a dab of coconut oil while shampooing him.  I rinsed thoroughly, and his skin and fur have never been softer.  It was also super moisturized, smelled great, and saved me the added step of applying conditioner.  I've also given Cooper a small spoonful when I want an instant breath freshener.  He loves it, and it's supposed to be a natural anti inflammatory and good for gum health, so win-win.

5. Sun burns: My sweetie is a keeper in soccer, so he usually comes home with sun burns on the weekend, no matter how much sunscreen he applies that morning.  One day after a particularly hot soccer game, he came home with a red face.  After his shower, he slathered some coconut oil on his face felt instant relief.

There about a million other uses for coconut oil, and tons of forums which recommend uses you probably have never thought of.  It's incredible stuff, and I would absolutely recommend it!

My Thoughts on Dry Shampoos

I used to be a crazy hair washer.  I remember having a friend in college who wouldn't wash her hair but every 4 days or so, and I was disgusted!  Now, I can see how smart she was to not want to damage her colored hair further.  Not washing but every 4 days is a but excessive for me personally, but I have been longing to keep my now healthier hair (after a few inches trim and going darker a few weeks ago), and have tried to go an extra day without washing for the last few weeks.  It isn't as bad as I thought it would be thanks to dry shampoo.

There are TONS of dry shampoos out there.  Some are pricey, and some are not.  I have also heard of many home remedy-type dry shampoos including baby powder and corn starch, which I haven't tried.

I've written before about my beloved Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo.  It is insanely cheap and works very well.  Yes, it weighs your hair down a bit, and it comes out as a white powder.  However, the price easily justifies the few quirks that it has.

I've also tried the Tresemme Fresh Start Volumizing Dry Shampoo.  The price is comparable to the Suave one, but the results just aren't there for me.  It left my hair feeling dirtier than before, and didn't feel as light as the Suave.

I recently received a sample of some AMAZING dry shampoo from one of my Birchboxes.  The Lulu Organics Lavender and Clary Sage Hair Powder is incredible.  It makes my hair feel so clean and soft.  It is just powder like it says, and you have to shake it onto your hair.  So, the application process could use some tweaking (sometimes I end up with a bunch of white powder on my forehead if I have a heavy hand that morning), but it's wonderful otherwise.  The smell is fabulous, and I do really like that is organic (I've been slowly making the switch lately).  I don't quite think that I can justify the cost, though, especially since I love my cheap little can O' Suave.

Either way, though, I think dry shampoos are wonderful.  They can not only revive day-old hair, but they can also add lots of volume and body to thin and fine hair.

Beauty Balm Review

I've been wanting to try a beauty balm for a while now (or a BB as it is labeled most of the time), and finally grabbed one a few weeks ago.  I was hesitant, because I didn't know what to expect, and my skin can be very fickle at times.  I ended up having a few coupons plus my amazing Target Red Card Debit Card where you get 5% back on everything you buy, so I picked up the Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream in Light/Medium.

I absolutely LOVE it.  It may be a little greasy for people who have acneic, super oily skin.  It has made such a difference in the radiance of my skin.  It is similar to a tinted moisturizer, but thicker, and has slight concealing properties.  I still apply my beloved Elta Sunscreen over it, but it truly is a wonderful product.  It is also one of the cheaper BB Creams that I have seen, and I love my some drugstore beauty products, so that is an added bonus.  Even my beloved Real Simple Magazine recommends it.

Do you have any experiences with BB Creams?

It's That Time of Year Again...Anthropologie's Semi Annual Sale

It's that time of year again....semi annual sales time!!  My beloved Anthropologie's semi-annual tag sale started yesterday, so, naturally, I headed over there asap to ogle over their sales.  As of late, I have actually been pretty unimpressed with Anthro.  Even with my birthday discount, I only purchased a few items.  I was pleasantly surprised at both the selection and price of what they had on sale.  Here's what I purchased:

Two Tone Drops in Turquoise

I have been wanting some turquoise and gold Ippolita-esque earrings for a LONG time now, and they are extremely hard to find.  These babies have been on my Anthro wish list for a while now, and finally my store got them.  I purchased them at full price, and they are worth every penny.

Magnetic Fields Tee

I was a bit iffy about this top, but it fits SO well, and is super flattering.  I can picture wearing it during the summer with jeans or shorts with some cute sandals.  I also need to start incorporating more prints into my wardrobe, so I got it.

Do Sul Mug

I recently painted an old craft table we had a gloss white, and it is fabulous.  It's going to be my new craft table/desk.  To go with the makeover, I decided to purchase this and it's matching plate (below) to put on my desk to corral pens and other things.  I LOVE the print and colors.

Do Sul Salad Plate

Drop Waist Mini Dress

I had been eying this dress for a while, and had heard amazing reviews about it.  They had it on sale at my store for a mere $30 in my size, so I snatched it up.  I really love it.  It's pretty short, so it definitely needs tights or leggings for me to feel fully comfortable, but for that price point, I'll happily add something to the outfit to complete it.

Winnowed Lines Tank

I have been wanting this top forever!  Several months ago, I pinned this top and stated, "I WILL have this for my honeymoon."  Well, we got back from our honeymoon over a year ago, and still no top.  It was, however, on sale in my size today, and I snatched it up!

Ribbed and Striped Scoopneck

I've been trying to 'up the ante' in regards to my lounge style lately.  For some reason, I just don't think it's very attractive to my husband for his wife to be lounging around the house in paint-stained college t-shirts.  This top was a great price, and it's super comfortable and very long.  I imagine myself wearing this top with a pair of black leggings on our overnight flight to London in September. 

Overall, it was a great shopping day.  I could have easily gotten more items, but I reined myself in.

a new gamechanger face scrub

I've been receiving Birchbox for a few months now, and for the most part really enjoy it.  In my last box, I received some samples of a face scrub.  Since I've been on Retin A, my face has been insanely dry and peeling (which is what it's supposed to do), and my Vivite scrub just wasn't cutting it anymore.  I have also found that my skin is actually starting to change and become dryer overall.

Here is what came in my Birchbox:

It is Befine Exfoliating Cleanser with Brown Sugar, Sweet Almond, and Oats.  The first thing I liked when I opened it was the scent.  Oh my gosh, it smells like fall, and I want to eat it.  It's fabulous.  The scrub is also super thick and luxurious.  It has a feel and texture that I've never experienced from a scrub before.  And like it says, it's also a cleanser, so it foams.  I LOVE it.  I immediately ordered it and have been using it every morning to slough off the dryness from the night before.  It was changed my skin texture to incredibly soft and smooth.  My face looks more radiant than ever, and I am forever changed.

I may be a little dramatic, but when I find a new product that I absolutely love, I can't wait to share it!  I purchased mine from Birchbox, but you can also find this scrub on Amazon.  Enjoy!!!