Sunday, June 30, 2013

A Few of My Favorite Beauty Things: JUNE

I seriously can not believe it's already July! This year is flying by so quickly! Regardless, this month there are a few beauty things that I have really been loving and I'm just going hop right into them...

1. Maybelline Color Tattoo: Bad to the Bronze

These awesome Maybelline Color Tattoos were featured in one of my Fab Friday Feature posts, and if you want to know in-depth about these cream shadows you can click here. I've been loving this particular color this month! It's perfect for the summer. It is so easy to sweep across the lids for a quick eyeshadow look, and it STAYS IN PLACE in the summer heat, which I love. The pigmentation is also just amazing!
2. Wet n' Wild Blush: Pearlescent Pink

I am obsessed with this blush. It's a gorgeous peach blush with subtle gold shimmer, and it's super pigmented! Don't let the pigmentation scare you though. I use this with a light hand on my favorite blush brush and it blends beautifully. The formula of this blush is so silky and smooth. It feels and looks like a high-end blush, but it's only $2.99! It's definitely comparable to NARS Orgasm.

3. Benefit Watt's Up  

This is such a nice champagne cream highlighter. It looks gorgeous on top of the cheekbones, the inner corner of the eye, on the brow bone, and on the cupid's bow! It's a great multipurpose highlighter. It is so creamy and so blendable. I've been using it all the time lately!

4. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 

I have a full review of this mascara that I recently posted, which you can find here. I won't go too in-depth since I do have that review, but I just love this mascara. It's definitely my favorite of the moment. It lengthens and volumizes and doesn't clump!

5. Revlon Lip Butter: Juicy Papaya  

 Revlon Lip Butters are one of my all-time favorite lip products and I have been loving this Juicy Papaya color lately. Such a gorgeous color for summer- a pretty pinky coral peachy color. I love how easy these lip products are, just pop these on quickly and you don't have to worry about them bleeding or fading off funny. I just love these products so much.

6. Essie Nail Polish: Butler Please 

This color is amazing! It's such a bright vibrant cobalt blue and I'm a big fan. I have an olive skin tone, and a lot of blues look a little off on me. This one is perfect though! I know that I will be wearing this color over and over again this summer.

And there you have it! Hope you had a wonderful June and here's to a fantastic July!

xoxo,
Paige

Friday, June 28, 2013

Fab Friday Feature: Clinique Superbalanced Makeup

A couple weeks ago, I posted my first Fab Friday Feature post here on my beauty blog. These posts will feature some of my favorite and fabulous much-loved products. All products featured are very tried and true and some of my all-time favorites! Today's featured product is the Clinique Superbalanced Makeup, and I have loved this particular product for a few years now.


Product Rundown

Price: $23.00 USD

This foundation is marketed for combination skin types. I have normal skin though, and it works wonderfully for me. It is oil-free and is supposed to "add moisture where needed and subtract oil where needed". The foundation is medium coverage. It comes in 22 shades. My shade is #28 Light.

My Thoughts

Holy Moly, I love this foundation and I have for years now. I love the price for starters. For a higher end product, the price is very reasonable compared to most $40-$50 high-end foundations. The medium coverage is perfect for everyday purposes. It has such a natural finish and makes your skin like super healthy slightly-dewy skin. I have relatively normal skin, but there are areas of my skin that do get a little oily, and this foundation is able to control that oil throughout the day. It wears really well. You can definitely get a good 8-10 hour wear from this foundation. I also love that it comes in so many different shades! The actually texture of the product is relative wet, and my favorite way to apply is simply with my fingers or with a flat-top kabuki brush.



I have already repurchased this product many times and I will continue to in the future. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone with normal or combination skin!

Have an amazing and fabulous Friday!

xoxo,
Paige

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Review: Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara

If there was only one product I could use for the rest of my life, it would definitely be mascara. I love trying new ones and I have recently been loving this Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara!

Product Rundown
Price: $19.00 USD

This mascara is marketed as a lengthening, curling, volumizing, & conditioning mascara. It is free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances or dyes, petrochemicals, and phthalates.

It contains waxes that are supposed to lengthen and condition lashes as well as ProVitamin B5 that is supposed to treat and thicken the lashes.


My Thoughts:

The before and after above is just one coat of mascara. It definitely delivers on lengthening and voluminizing. I LOVE the way this mascara applies. It's a super smooth application and IT DOES NOT CLUMP, even with multiple coats. I have really straight lashes, and most mascaras don't have enough hold to keep my lashes curled all day. This one does though, which is the main reason I love it so much. I am all about really black pigmented mascaras, and this mascara definitely is. I love that the product is free of parabens and sulfates, and all those things I listed above!


The brush is medium-sized bristle brush. I definitely prefer these applicators versus plastic wands. This medium sized brush makes it good for both the top and bottom lashes. This mascara gives me everything I want in a mascara. It is one of my favorite mascaras of the moment and I would definitely repurchase!

xoxo,
Paige



Monday, June 24, 2013

Goodbye Dry Lips: How to Keep Your Lips Soft & Smooth

My lips get dry SO EASILY. So I set out on a mission a few months ago to create a routine that keeps my lips soft and smooth. Using these tips I am able to maintain nice, smooth lips anytime of year!

1. STAY HYDRATED. This is the best tip I can give for preventing dry lips. Drinking plenty of water will to keep your lips more moisturized on an internal level.

2. EXFOLIATE. Exfoliating your lips will remove any dry, dead skin of the surface of your skin. This step instantly smooths your lips. Also, exfoliating brings more blood flow to your lips which plumps them and makes them look bigger, which is always a good thing! My favorite way to exfoliate is with LUSH Lip Scrubs. The one I am currently using is Bubblegum flavor, and it seriously smells and tastes just like bubblegum!

You can also make your own lip scrubs. You can find tons of recipes if you just google DIY lip scrub.

3. MOISTURIZE WITH A GOOD LIP BALM. Find a lip balm you love and use it religiously! I'm currently in love with all the eos lip balms. My favorite is the Pomegranate scent. Smells amazing!


4. USE MOISTURIZING LIP COLORS. Use more moisturizing lip products, especially if your recovering for severe dry lips. Lots of lipsticks can dry out your lips even more. My absolute favorite moisturizing lip products are the Revlon Lip Butters.


(from left to right: Sweet Tart, Tutti Frutti, Juicy Papaya)

Use these tips and your lips will stay silky smooth! Hooray smooth lips!

xoxo, 
Paige





 

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Sweatproof Summer Makeup!

There is no worse feeling than your foundation sweating off and sliding down your face on a hot summer's day. Now, I'm not a girl to wear heavy face makeup everyday during the summer, but there are days when it's necessary and the last thing I want is have my foundation sliding off.

Thankfully, there are some amazing products that can save your foundation in the summer's heat!


1. PRIMER. A face primer definitely helps your foundation last longer, especially in the heat. This Hourglass Mineral Primer is the single greatest primer I have ever tried. I am not a fan of silicone-based primers, which feel heavy in my opinion. This Hourglass primer is not like that at all. It is super smooth, creamy, and light, and it makes your foundation glide on so much better. I definitely notice a difference in the lasting power of my foundation when using this product. It is one of my holy grail products, especially in the summer!

2. MATTE POWDER. A good matte powder is great for controlling excess oils during the summer. The Rimmel Stay Matte Powder is my favorite, and it is super inexpensive which is a HUGE plus. 

3. MAKEUP SETTING SPRAY. A makeup setting spray is an amazing product to have in the summer. It will help your foundation stay-in-place all day and prevent any slipping and sliding. This Urban Decay De Slick is my favorite!

Combine these all together and your foundation won't be going anywhere on a hot summer day. Hope you all have an amazing summer!

xoxo,
Paige

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Battle of the Bronzers: NARS Laguna vs. NYC Sunny

Up for battle today are two bronzers which have gotten a lot of hype here in the beauty community. NYC's Sunny Bronzer is a much talked about and loved drugstore bronzer, while NARS Laguna is a cult-favorite that has been reviewed in abundance. I have had both of these bronzers for a while now, so I thought it was time to give my 2 cents and show how I think these two bronzers stack up against each other.

NARS LAGUNA

Price: $36.00 USD


I love this bronzer. The color for me is so perfect. It really adds that sun-kissed natural bronze to my face. It is not orangy whatsoever; it's a very true tanned bronze shade. It is not completely matte; it does have some gold shimmer in it, but I personally like that. The texture is also very nice. Smooth, velvety, and not at all chalky. It blends out so nicely. I use this to contour when I want a more dramatic look and also just to add a natural bronze glow to my cheeks.

NYC Sunny

Price: $2.99 USD

Amazing bronzer for the price. The bronzer is completely matte which makes it great for contouring. However, for my personal skin tone, it did come off a little orange. Now, I am pretty pale and I have seen it on darker skin tones and it didn't come off so orange. It is more chalky and less-pigmented than the NARS Laguna, but it can be built up. The blendability again isn't as great as the NARS, but it isn't bad by any means. It definitely is a nice bronzer and so perfect for anybody on a budget!


 To sum it up.....



I think both bronzers are worth trying to see if they work for you. After using them both, I would probably only repurchase the NARS Laguna, but I would recommend NYC sunny to anyone who is looking for an affordable, drugstore bronzer.

Have an amazing day!

xoxo,
Paige

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

How to: Brighten Your Eyes & Look More Awake!

I'm a college student which often entails staying up late studying and getting up early for classes. In the morning, I often don't want to bother with a full face of makeup. I like to just do a few quick things to make me look awake and alive after a long night. A huge difference maker is the steps I will outline down below. I love using these quick steps (they take less than 5 minutes) to instantly look more awake.

Step 1: Inner Corner Highlight!

Benefit's What's Up is one of my favorite highlighters for really opening up my eyes. It's a stick-form cream highlighter in a champagne shade. I like to pop this in the inner corner of my eyes to instantly brighten them. It makes a huge difference. You can use any highlight shade you want or have on hand though!

Step 2: Line Waterline with a Nude Liner!

This is my all time favorite nude liner for the waterline. It's the Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in Nude. Placing a light shade of liner in the waterline brightens and opens your eyes, making you look wide awake and well-rested. It also makes your eyes look bigger. This particular Rimmel liner is super inexpensive at the drugstore and it stays in place all day.

Step 3: Curl Lashes + Mascara

 Curling your lashes and adding a few coats of mascara will open your eyes up even more. It also defines your eyes! These are 2 of my favorites mascaras of the moment: L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara in blackest black & Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes. The L'Oreal is more of a lengthening/separating mascara while the Tarte is more volumizing mascara.

Step 4: Use a Highlighting Concealer under Eyes + Set with a Brightening Powder

Cover up any darkness under your eyes with a highlighting concealer. This step definitely combats tired-looking eyes. My favorite all-time is the Yves Saint Laurent TOUCHE ECALT concealer, but it is quite pricey. A good drugstore option is the L'Oreal MAGICLUMI Concealer/Correcter. I pat either one of these under my eyes using my ring finger until it's well-blended. Then to set that, I LOVE using this Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. It brightens your under eye beautifully and is seriously one of my favorite products.


These steps are super quick & easy. Combined, these steps take me less than 5 minutes and they make such a difference. This routine makes me appear so much more awake and alive and well-rested. Hope this helps!

xoxo,
Paige













Saturday, June 8, 2013

Face of the Day: Simple Neutrals with a Pop of Pink

Happy Saturday! For today's look I kept it pretty simple, like I usually do. A neutral eye look, some winged liner, & pink lips! 
 

Products I used:
Face: MAKE UP FOREVER HD foundation (N117)
          Revlon Colorstay Concealer (02 Light)
          Rimmel Stay Matte Powder (001 Transparent) 

Eyebrows: Benefit Instant Brow Pencil (medium) 

Eyes: Naked Basics Palette (WOS, Naked 2, Faint)
          Urban Decay Primer Potion
          Maybelline Color Tattoo (Tough as Taupe- on lower lash line)
          Maybelline Gel Eyeliner (black)
          Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara
          Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal Liner (005 Nude-on waterline)

Blush/Bronzer: NARS Laguna Bronzer
                           Wet n Wild Pearlescent Pink Blush

Lips: Revlon Lip Butter (090 Sweet Tart)

Hope you have an amazing Saturday!

xoxo,
Paige

Friday, June 7, 2013

Fab Friday Feature: Maybelline Color Tattoos!

TGIF! And what a better day to feature some of my tried-and-true favorite products here on my blog. These Friday posts will display some of the all time favorite products!

Today's featured product is the Maybelline Color Tattoos. These are some of the best cream eyeshadows that I've tried (high end & drugstore)!

These are richly pigmented and glide on really nicely. My favorite thing about these cream shadows is that they stay in place. There are super long-wearing and don't crease. The ones pictured above are some of my favorite color choices. I am neutral eyeshadow kind of girl, if you couldn't tell. 

1. #70 Barely Branded 
2. #25 Bad to the Bronze 
3. #35 Tough as Taupe 

Another thing I love is how versatile these products can be. They are great eyeshadow bases. I love using Barely Branded as a base for a variety of looks; it keeps shadows that you layer over top from creasing and also makes the color POP more. These are great on there own as well. For a quick eye look, I like to sweep Bad to the Bronze all over the lid and blend it up in the crease. I often smudge Tough as Taupe along my lower lash line to define my eyes & I prefer it over dry shadows because there is zero fallout as the day wears on. 

These shadows retail for roughly $6, but it does vary depending on where you purchase them from. I love these and I will definitely continue to repurchase them. I know that Bad to the Bronze is a much-loved color among tons of people in the beauty community, so if you want to try these out, I'd recommend that one for your first pick.

Happy Friday and hope you have a fantastic weekend!

xoxo,
Paige

Thursday, June 6, 2013

My Spring/Summer Nail Polish Picks!





If you're like me, then you are obsessed with nail polish. I can't walk out of Target or a drugstore without picking up a new color or two. I particularly love when the warmer months roll around because of all of the fun & amazing color choices!

I trucked through my nail polish collection & landed on these 6 wonderful shades as some of my top picks for the spring/summer! The names are.......

1. ole caliente: a vibrant orange/red 
2. butler please: slightly obsessed with this one. a bright cobalt blue (brighter than it appears here)
3. in the cab-ana: an absolute gorgeous turquoise
4. maximillion strasse-her: weirdest name ever BUT such a perfect shade. a muted gray/mint color.
5. nice is nice: one of my all-time favorites! the perfect pastel lilac!
6. fiji: total favorite among tons of people. the perfect light pink almost-white color. makes you look super tan!

And there you have it! These wonderful shades have all been on my nails this spring & I love, love, love them. For a little more narrowing down, if I had to choose one of these for the entire spring & summer, it would definitely be #5 NICE IS NICE. Totally in love! Hope you found this helpful :)

xoxo,
Paige

Sunday, June 2, 2013

My First Review: The Body Shop Body Butter DUO

Woooohooo my first review on this blog! In honor of this first post, I chose to review a product that I absolutely ADORE. I have been trying this body butter out for a few weeks & I am in LOVE. The Body Shop is known for great body butters, & this definitely delivers.

This vanilla body butter definitely delivers on scent. I am very sensitive & picky when it comes to scents and smells but this is a glorious rich vanilla. It's not one of those heavily artificial super sweet vanilla scents. It's very natural & warm.
I love this particular body butter because it is a DUO. There is a thinner side labeled for "normal skin" & a thicker side for "dry skin". The thick side is so rich & moisturizing, & so perfect for dryer areas of your skin. It absorbs beautifully, as does the thinner side. The thinner butter is the perfect after-shower moisturizer. This body butter does not leave any film or greasy residue, which is a big plus in my book! It simply leaves your skin feeling noticeably softer & smoother, feeling ultra hydrated.

Here's a couple of swatches to give a better look at the texture. Overall, this body butter has everything I look for. Scent, texture, & blendability are all wonderful. The link to this product is down below. I actually found mine at TJMaxx for only $6.99, so check there is you're looking for a bargain! The Body Shop also often has sales, so you can definitely find these body butters reduced. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone in the market for body moisturizers, & I will definitely be repurchasing.

Click here to buy:

http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/body-moisturizers/body-butter/regular-body-butter/vanilla-body-butter-duo.aspx