Favorite Things: Makeup

I don't claim to be a professional makeup artist - I'm probably more on the level of "tiny human with a crayon" - but I do have to look nice for work, and I want to look nice outside of work, so that means wearing some makeup. I do claim to love sleep, which means I want to stay in my warm bed as long as possible. I also am super busy, so I don't have time to redo my makeup in the middle of the day as it awkwardly smudges off or gets shiny. I'm also not a makeup snob, as you'll find - I use a mixture of what suits me best, no matter the cost, brand, etc., as you'll see. In case you're not following, I like the simple, easy things that last all day and make me look my best with not much work. I've found a few products that do just that so I thought I would so kindly share with you!

1. I never paid much attention to my eyebrows aside from getting them waxed until about 3 months ago when I was getting a pedicure at the Pink House. I mentioned to my mom that I needed my brows waxed and they said they could do it for me. Perfect! When she was done, my eyebrows looked better than they've looked ever in my life, and I couldn't figure out what the heck made the difference. After much thought, I realized they had color, they were defined, and remembered she used a pencil on them after waxing. Well duh, it was time to buy a brow defining pencil. After trying a few, I fell in love with this pencil from Avon. It's gotten to the point that if I don't pencil my brows in the morning, I feel completely wrong. Buy it here from Avon or find a local representative. Right now this is on sale for $1.99. 


2. I haven't ever been a huge fan of wearing eyeshadow, but I recently stumbled upon Maybelline's Eye Studio Color Tattoo. Hi, new best friend. It meets the criteria of staying all day, not fading, not smudging. It's a cream gel shadow so I don't have to carry around brushes - just use my fingers, dab a little on, and I'm good to go. You can layer the colors if you'd like, use as a primer for powdered make up, use by itself, or even as an eyeliner.. I typically wear the Barely Branded - it's a nude color that just gives something other than my face makeup color to my eyes. I have pretty sensitive eyes, and they don't have bad reactions to this and my eyelids don't get awkwardly oily (gross!). Bonus: it's available at every store from Walgreens to Ulta & is super cheap, and I've never worn MAC, but everyone who has says it's exactly like MAC just cheaper. PS: You don't have to go overboard with it like they do on the Maybelline website... I wear it and my eyes look completely normal, promise. 
   
   
   
3. I have a tendency to get shiny through the day, but applying this at lunch will keep me shine-free! Neutrogena's Shine Control Powder doesn't add any weird color or make you look pasty, it just does what it's supposed to do: control the shine. I've tried a million powders and this is my favorite. Again with the sensitivity, this hasn't caused breakouts or itchy-ness. The onlly downside is it comes with one of those cheap sponge-like pads to apply. Instead, I use a fluffy brush to apply. I like to keep this in my purse so I can use it whenever I need. I buy it from Ulta or Target but it's another cheap-o drugstore brand so it's available everywhere! (There's also a shine control primer that's wonderful if you're in need of extra shine control!)


4. CK One Color - I use the foundation, the concealer and the mascara! This is literally my favorite makeup I've ever worn, ever. The foundation (pictured) is a serum, foundation and primer all in one, plus it is SPF8. Yay!! It has a light scent so it doesn't have that nasty makeup smell, it goes on light & natural but covers well, and lasts all.day.long. They have a nice range of colors to pick from, and you've got to admit this packaging is super cute. You can get it for $30 at Ulta. Like I said, I also wear the mascara in Show/True Black ($18 at Ulta), and people are always asking "WHAT kind of mascara is that?! It makes your eyelashes look AMAZING!" People, maybe I have some pretty good eyelash genes. But then I'm forced to admit that it really is just an amazing mascara. Last, for those days you have a little "pal" pop up, the mousse concealer is awesome. I wear Sand in both the foundation and the concealer ($20 at Ulta).
   
   
   

5. My last favorite thing today (I know, like every other logger) is the EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm. I love the Strawberry Sorbet, and have one for work, home and purse. Before I tried it, I'd been told they were super waxy, so let me stop that rumor right here! These are moisturizing and last so long, plus they smell great. They don't have any color but sometimes I do wear them with a lip stick/lip stain. I've been told the lotion is equally as awesome so that's next on my list to get.

And there you have it, the list of my favorite makeup! What makeup do you love?

I was not compensated in way way for this review - I bought all the products and wrote the reviews on my own.

I just wanted to share this awesomeness with you all since I love it all so much :) 

PS: there are new fun things over on the Pretties page!

Sweetheart VoxBox

I signed up for this super cool thing called Influenster about a month ago, mainly because I love BirchBox & who wouldn't want to receive a box full of free fun! I was selected for the Sweetheart VoxBox, and I received some pretty awesome products that I likely wouldn't have otherwise tried, but I'm glad I did. Read on to see what I got and what I thought:

via

The first thing I saw when I opened the box was the Olay® Fresh Effects "Va-va-vivid" product. I'd just bought a Nutrogena Wave literally four days before, so I wasn't overly excited about this initially. The Wave didn't seem to do much, so I didn't have high hopes for the Va-Va-Vivid. But, since I got it free & had already said "okay I'll review it," I popped it out of the cute little slightly annoying plastic packaging and squirted some of the cleanser on the bristles. Note: bristles - not a disposable scrubby pad. These rubber bristles were soft and squishy so they didn't hurt my face or scrub off the top layer of skin :) I tried it with the cleanser it came with, the cleanser I got from BirchBox and the cleanser I usually use, and it worked fine with all three. I love that I can use whatever cleanser I want and don't have to keep buying refill pads (side eye, Wave), and it's small enough to be able to go anywhere. Oh! And it's battery powered - no charging here. All positives in my book! Needless to say I'm definitely using the bristles off of this. Buy the Olay Fresh Effects V-Va-Vivid! Powered Contour Cleansing System here!

via

The Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response deodorant (whew, what a mouthful) was....interesting. It lasted all day & worked great even through workouts, but that was about all that I liked about this deodorant. I don't like anything too strong, and this was definitely very strong - so strong, in fact, that people several feet away commented on "that citrus smell." It wasn't a bad smell by any means, but I don't love smelling like a lemon all day. In short: it's great for the gym bag but it's not replacing my every day deodorant anytime soon.

via

I'd been wanting to try this for quite a while and I just hadn't bought any, so I was glad to see it in the Sweetheart VoxBox. I don't have the kind of hair that you can just spray something in and it looks perfect; my hair definitely takes a bit of work, so anything to make it look a bit better is a plus. I liked what it did to my hair when I used a curling iron on it then sprayed Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing  Sea Salt Spray (another mouthful!) - it just made it a bit more awesome and texture-y. I didn't like the results of scrunching my hair then adding this - hello frizz-ball! It definitely adds the texture! :) They say you can use it on damp or dry hair, but I've obviously had better results starting with dry hair. It smells good, too! I'll definitely buy this when my {huge} sample runs out (Bonus: it's super cheap. Like, $5 a bottle. Win!).

via

The SkinnyGirl Daily Coco-Nut with Peanut Butter bars were better than I anticipated, but the coconut & peanut butter combination didn't sound too appealing so I'd set the bar pretty low. In other words: I still wasn't really a fan. According to their website, these contain only 180 calories per bar. Only 180 calories? That seems great, until you realize you can instead have a whole bunch of fruit (hello sweet deliciousness) or almost a whole serving of Hershey's Kisses (9 pieces/200 calories per serving). And guys, I like chocolate, so clearly we know what I'd pick. So, these aren't the worst things I've ever tried, but let's just say that unfinished sample bar is as much as I ever intend to eat. 

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I'm an @Influenster and you can be too! Be a tastemaker for access to perks, products, and offers. 
http://bit.ly/Q7ZOvM

February Birchbox Review

Every month I talk about how much I love Birchbox products, but during February I completely forgot to talk about the products! #BloggerFail Anyway, I got a notification telling me that my March box will be here Thursday, so clearly I needed to get in gear and tell you about my latest goodies!

Lancôme LA BASE PRO

The Lancôme LA BASE PRO is a silicone-based primer. When I first tried it, it felt a little oily on my fingers and I just knew it was going to leave me oily and/or broken out. Not so! It was awesome, easily blended and felt weightless. Of course, when I read the description on the card I quickly discovered it was an oil-free formula, which made me super happy.

Miss Jessie's Original Pillow Soft Curls

I love the curls and volume this gave my hair! I put it in before going to a basketball game one evening and didn't have time to dry my hair before going, and yet it still made fun curls and was an easy way to wear my hair (hello, lazy days). This smells kind of like fabric softener, and the Original Quick Curls smells like lemons, and I definitely prefer the soft clean smell of this one to the strong citrus of the other, although they both work about the same.

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator

This scrub made my face feel so soft! As everyone said in the reviews, it leaves your skin bright (hello, name clues) and happy. I used it by itself and with the Olay Fresh Effects scrubber (which you'll hear about soon in my Sweetheart VoxBox review. Lots of reviews, you guys!).

Color Club Fiesta Collection Wild Cactus

The last two times I got a color club nail polish I was super disappointed - the colors were just gross and the polish didn't go on well or last for any amount of time. I've been wanting to inject a bit of the color of the year in my life, and this seemed like a great way - if the polish was any good. I put it on immediately & went to an AmPo game, where I realized it was the perfect green to cheer on the Panthers. I was quite surprised - the color went on well and lasted long enough for me to take it off a few days later (my nail polish changes frequently). This is definitely a winning color.

Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel Squares

Since these boxes arrived around Valentine's Day, of course BirchBox included chocolate! I always have loved the caramel & chocolate combination, and of course this didn't disappoint.

Want to receive a box full of fun goodies every month? Sign up for BirchBox! It's just $10 a month & you get awesome full size & trial size products.

Birchbox Review: January 2013

As I've said many times before, I receive a lovely package of goodies every month called a Birchbox. For $10 a month, I get to same some really awesome products. Most of the time I like what I receive and occasionally I order full size products - like the lip gloss, curl cream and CC cream I fell in love with. Sometimes, that isn't quite the case. Regardless, it's a fun surprise every month and the fancy samples are always handy to have. If you'd like to sign up for Birchbox, click here. Take a look below to see what I received this month!

1. Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner

Birchbox description: 

Twiggy fans, rejoice: this London-based brand's liquid liners let you create mod looks in a flash. Rather than frustrating us with hard-to-control brush tips, they feature a pen-style applicator that's completely goofproof. Give your basic black a break and experiment with rich Olive or punchy Turquoise. They're guaranteed to make your eyes pop ... The precision pen tip allows you to control the thickness of the line you create and vary the intensity of your look. Plus, the fade-proof formula will hold up all day and night.

My thoughts:

Love at first...sight? My first impression of this lovely little stick was it didn't feel smear-y as I put it on, which was a definite plus. It lasted all day and stayed put exactly where I had intended it to! With regular stick eyeliner I find it likes to fade through the day, and other liquid eyeliners I've tried either were too runny or the "brush" part was a hard piece of foam that felt like it was poking my eye. This was the perfect black color and didn't go on too thick and make me look like I'd gone overboard. Needless to say, I definitely am buying this!

2. Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo

Birchbox description:
At the end of a long week we could all use a fresh start - the same goes for our hair. When product buildup and styling stress leave your locks feeling dull, use Number 4 Hair Care Clarifying Shampoo, subtly scented with white freesia, golden amber, and warm musk, to gently cleanse without stripping moisture or color.
My thoughts:
One word: ick. By 2:00 I was searching for a ponytail holder because I couldn't stand the feeling of my hair. It just felt gross, dry and kind of stringy. It looked fine, but I didn't like the way it felt. I definitely won't be purchasing it in the future, but I have about half the sample bottle left if anyone in my area would like to try it - several others said they liked it when I read the reviews (many mentioned they had short hair, so maybe that's what the deal is - mine is long).

3. Aerie Shimmer perfume

Birchbox description:

For its latest fragrance venture, Aerie set out to create a non-cloying scent that's equal parts delicate and warm ... The crisp scent combines sweet vanilla with a lovely peony and citrusy bergamot ... This enchanting scent is a blend of bergamot, peony, and a subtle hint of vanilla. According to designer Keith Flore, the glass bottle is inspired by the look of messages you can read through frosted windows. 

My thoughts:

It smelled like something my little brother's 15-year-old friends would wear, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. It definitely smelled good, but just reminded me of something you'd smell in the halls of a high school, not on someone who's been out of college for two years. Looking through the reviews, several others felt the same way. In fact, I'm thinking this particular sample will be going to one of my brother's friends. 

4. Caudalie Vinexpert Radiance Day Cream SPF 15

Birchbox description:

Free of parabens, sulfates, and petrochemicals, this SPF-infused cream contains viniferine, a compound extracted from the grapevine that's been proven to help even out skin tone. In addition to fading scars and age spots, it helps boost skin's overall luminosity over time. Papaya enzyme and mango butter keep skin glowing as you go about your day.

My thoughts:

Okay, this stuff is pricey, so I get that Birchbox wasn't going to send much of a sample. But, if it is supposed to do something "over time," give enough to at least get more than two days use out of it. It also had a funky grape cough syrup smell to it that I didn't like. Overall I really wasn't that impressed.