Mini Ulta Haul

Mini Ulta Haul

On Saturday, I made a trip to Ulta to pick up a few new NYX products.  If you don't know about NYX or what it is-you need to check it out!  They are considered a drug store brand makeup line found mainly at Ulta or online at nyxcosmetics.com. Over the past year or two, they have really taken off from your basic eyeshadows, lipsticks, lipliners/eyeliners and their most famous product: the NYX jumbo eye pencil.  The NYX jumbo eye pencils are compared to the MAC paintpots (as the whole line is very comparable to MAC except much more affordable) which are eyeshadow bases that help intensify your shadow color and make it stay on longer.  Now they have evolved to lip plumpers, lip creams, shine killer, pore filler, beauty blotters, foundations, concealers, bronzers, etc!  They also are coming out with more and more eyeshadow palettes.  So needless to say, over the past year or so, my makeup collection has gotten bigger with lots of NYX products and I love them.  Basically, if you don't have any NYX products, I suggest going to Ulta to try them.  (eyeshadows and lipsticks are like 3.99)  Enough about my love for NYX and on to what I got.  (I used my actual camera instead of my iPhone for pictures and it's an older camera because my good one got stolen on vacation and I haven't had a chance to replace it but after seeing the quality of these pictures, I will be getting a new one ASAP so bear with me through some of these photos!)

The beautiful orange bag!! (much brighter in person)

LEFT TO RIGHT: NYX High Definition Photo Concealer in Beige, NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Candyland, NYX Round Lipstick in Strawberry Milk, Bare Minerals Eye Shadow in Queen Tiffany, NYX Pore Filler, NYX Matte Bronzer in Deep Tan, and NYX Bronzer/Blush Combo in Ibiza

Up Close:

And Again:

Swatch of NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Candyland.  It's a beautiful Barbie pink color perfect for the summer that looks good on just about everyone

NYX Round Lipstick in Strawberry Mild which is another light Barbie pink color.  Strawberry Milk + Candyland look beautiful when they are paired together

The only non-NYX item I purchased was Bare Minerals in Queen Tiffany.  I have had this color since I was 19 because it is just a gorgeous, classic color and I just needed to pick up a new one.  These shadows are great because they can be applied dry or if you get your brush wet, the color intensifies.

Here is the packaging for the bronzer/blush duo and the matte bronzer.

The bronzer/blush duo is perfect to throw in your purse or bring with you when traveling because it is a 2-in-1.  There were three different ones to choose from and I chose this one because it had the darker bronzer and a beautiful pink blush that is unlike any other blush I have.  (I gave in and used the phone to re-do the images, the other ones were HORRIBLE)

Here is the Matte Bronzer in Deep Tan *Matte meaning there is no shimmer or sparkle in the product.  I already have oily skin so if I use a bronzer with shimmer, when I start to get oily, that will only intensify it!  Also, the matte bronzers, in my opinion, look more natural.

I used the bronzer Saturday night and I do like it, however it is a little chalky/dusty when I put my brush into it.  However, the color payoff is great and I did like it on

AND randomly, on my way home, I had to return something to JC Penney's and found this ADORABLE Hello Kitty tank top.  It was $10 but to my suprise, when I went to pay, it was only $7.50! (winning!)  At the JCP I went to, there were several left in case you are interested.  I thought this would be cute to run errands in or do a casual lunch in

I know I didn't talk much about the NYX Pore Filler but what it does is give your skin an overall smoothe and flawless base before putting your makeup on.  It is supposed to shrink your pores and minimize any flaws in your skin.  I used this as well Saturday night and it did give my makeup a more even surface to work on.  But I used it alone without using an oil-mattifier and I did get greasy pretty quick.  So I will try it again, on top of an oil mattifier and hopefully it shall work better next time :)

Thanks for reading, XOXO!

PS-If you are wondering what is on my nails in the reflection: Essie Orange, It's Obvious! (this is my favorite nail polish brand BY FAR) used with Nutra Nail base coat and top coat for the Shellac Manicure look

How I achieve the perfect tan!

How to achieve the perfect tan!

Exfoliate!!
This will get all the dead skin cells off your skin and even your skin out.  I either use a loofah and body wash or a body scrub of some sort.  Also, make sure that you have freshly shaved or waxed.

I found this body scrub at Ulta and the loofah is $1 at Wal-mart. 

Moisturize!!
Before I go out, I hydrate my skin with lotion.  Usually I like to use coco butter as it is thicker and will keep my skin hydrated longer.  The sun will better tan moisturized skin than dry skin. 

Protect!!
Before I even get out in the sun, I put any sun block on that is needed.  For my face, I love Clinique SPF 40 Oil Free.  It does not leave my face greasy at all and it really protects my face from burning.  I don't typically put sunblock on my body. (Shame on me) And don't forget a good chapstick for your lips.  I use Nivea A Kiss of Shimmer (pictured top) because it protects my lips but also gives them a pretty pearly finish. 

Optional:
When I get into the sun, I use good old fashioned baby oil to tan with.  I have found that it works the best.  Any of the Banana Boat or Hawaiian Tropic products work well too-anything oil based.  Some come with an SPF built into them and others don't.  My all time favorite one is Hawaiin Tropic Amplifier with carrot oil but can not find it any of the drug stores anymore.  The carrot oil attracts the sun and amplifies your tan so be careful!! 
I recently picked up Austrailian Gold Continuous spray with instant bronzer (pictured top) but can honestly say I am not a fan. It has SPF 15 (which is good to protect the skin) but I feel like with the bronzers in it, the tan I am getting is from the bronzers and not the sun. The bronzers in it make the product a little drying.  I personally would not get any sort of tanning oil with bronzers for that reason and because after the shower, you can put bronzers on. 

After Sun Care!!
I love my Banana Boat After Sun with aloe.  It keeps my skin moisturized, the aloe helps with any sun burn, and the Vitamin E helps extend my tan.  After being in the sun for any length of time, it is important to moisturize.  The sun is so drying on your skin along with chlorine, lake water or salt water that you need to keep your skin hydrated.  Sometimes I add in Loreal Sublime and mix it with the Banana Boat lotion to give me a golden bronze look.  And like I say in EVERY blog: DRINK TONS OF WATER!!

And now all you need is a cute pool bag, towel and a magazine!

**All these products can be found at Wal-Mart, Ulta, Target or your local drug store (CVS or Wal-greens) 

Thanks for reading, XOXO!

Sugar Lips

Sugar Lips

For my birthday, Sephora gave me a complimentary birthday gift: Fresh Sugar Mini Lip Duo with SPF 15.  I have heard about this lip treatment but it wasn't high on my list of products to get so I was pretty excited to get this.  In a nutshell, this lip treatment will nourish and protect your lips from damaging wrinkle-causing radicals and the sun's UV rays while plumping your lips. Itis formulated with oils, antioxidant rich vitamins, wax and real sugar.  It does NOT contain Parabens, Sulfates, Dyes, etc. 

This is what the packaging looks like:

This is what the they look like: (.08 ounces)
Sugar is on the right and Sugar Rose Tinted is on the left

Here is the actual product: (I accidentally flipped them, so now Sugar is on the left and Sugar Rose Tinted is on the right)

AND finally, a swatch of Sugar Rose Tinted....

As you can see, it's a very natural and sheer wash of color compared to what the color looks like in the tube.  Both of them smell like a lemon icing on a cake so it's very refreshing and pleasant.  And this stuff goes on like butter!  It is so soft and smooth on my lips.  There is no waxy feeling and it is much thinner than regular chapstick.  I have really enjoyed these samples even though I didn't really notice the plumping too much but it did keep my lips hydrated for a long period of time and kept them soft. 

These can be found at Sephora for $22.50 for 0.15 ounces in 6 different colors.

Would I purchase one for that price?  Yes, however I would use it sparingly at night before bed and in the AM before I leave.  I would NOT apply this freely all day long as you will go through it VERY fast because it literally goes on like butter! 

Thanks for reading, XOXO!!

How I Store My Makeup Brushes!

How I store my makeup brushes…

So now you have all these make up brushes, how do you store them?  This is how I store mine.  (I did NOT come up with the idea; I simply use it and am sharing with you)  

*Everything came from Michael’s

*Vase (they have all different styles and sizes so you can choose accordingly to what fits your brush collection size)

*Vase Filler (2 bags) plus 1 bag of the decorative vase filler beads

=> Under $20! 

*Other stores like TJ Max, Marshalls, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. have different vases/jars that would work too.  You can also decorate them with pretty ribbon, bows, or whatever your creative mind can come up with! 

I put my dirty brushes in a pencil holder found in the office supplies section at K-Mart (or wherever you shop). 

Other Ideas:

~Makeup bag

            *But don’t store your brushes with your makeup!  Have a separate bag for your brushes. 

~Brush roll-folding bag with slots for each brush

~Brush Cup Holder from sigmabeauty.com

            *These are pricey as you get two cups (no brushes) for $20.  When unsnapped, there are two cups for your brushes and when they are snapped together like this, they are perfect for traveling!

~3 drawer storage-Face Drawer, Eyes Drawer, Random Drawer

~Any sort of office/desk organizer

~Be creative!  Think dividers/separators/organizers/slots

TIPS:

Keep makeup brushes separate to avoid germs and bacteria getting in the bristles (ew)

Keep them in a room temperature environment

Don’t store them in your bathroom.  The heat and moisture from your showers can cause rusting on the brush handles over time if moisture gets in it. 

Thanks for reading, XOXO!

Love & Don't Love

A Product I Am Loving………..

Nutra Nail Bullet Proof Strength (Base Coat) + Nutra Nail High Gloss (Top Coat)

            I found this at Wal-Mart last week and decided to try it.  It came in a special combination pack where I got both polishes in the same pack for $4.98.  (I thought I still had the box it came in but I must have tossed it)  When I just apply top coat to my polish, within 1-2 days, it’s already chipping.  Annoying.  I decided to try this and see if it would work or not.  I used nail polish remover on my natural nail to get all of the oils off of it so the polish would stick better.  Then applied: 1 coat of the Nutra Nail Bullet Proof Strength (the box recommends 2 coats), 2 coats of my nail polish, then one coat of Nutra Nail High Gloss Top Coat.  This stuff is awesome!  My nails went one full week with very minimal chipping!  Just the tips of a couple nails chipped.  Several people asked me where I got my nails done at because they thought it was a manicure.  It made my nails very thick/strong and there was no scratching of any sort on the polish by the week’s end.  I could have went longer but wanted to change out the color. 

      You can see the minimal chipping on the top of my middle and ring finger, remember, this is after 1 full week of wear and tear!

       This hand had NO chipping.  Just some regrowth from my nails growing out.  And i didnt apply any more top coat through out the week and you can see just how shiny they still look. 

*My only complaint: takes a long time to dry.  I let it dry for 35 minutes before I did my makeup, and I noticed a little bit of scratching in the polish from it not being fully dry; but there was no additional scratching from anything else during the week.  So you need to have patience with this product.  But for the price, I can definitely have the patience.

*Would I buy this again? ABSOLUTELY!  My polish lasted for a week and looked great.  And for less than $5, you can’t beat that! 

*What I’m wearing on my nails: Ulta Mint Condition and Essie in Tour De Finance

And A Product I Am NOT Loving.

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector in 1.7 ounces for $73

I have a few dark spots on my face from the sun.  I really don’t have any acne scars or anything like that but I do have a small red spot from where I got a sun spot removed. This product has been something I have had my eye on for months and months.  After reading many great reviews on it, I decided to go for it.  After about 6 weeks, I noticed some SLIGHT fading in the color but the spots were still very much visible.  The small red spot I had has completely faded out.  Now after almost 9 weeks, I have not seen much more fading.  The instructions are to apply this twice a day over your dark spots.  I have done this RELIGIOUSLY 2 times a day, for 9 weeks and have got minimal results.  For the effort I’ve had to put forth applying this twice a day and the money I spent, I was hoping for better results.  I will finish the bottle out since I did invest in it.  They say after 12 weeks you will see your full results and I know I am not quite there yet, but there has been minimal transformation.  This is just my personal opinion of the product as there were hundreds of reviews where people had great results in their opinions.  (I have not been in the sun AT all since using this as it is winter/spring here, and the FEW times I have tanned, I covered my face)  I will say that if you do invest in this and decide to try it, go with the smaller bottle as it is 1.0 ounce for $49.50 as the product does last and a little bit goes a LONG way.  It’s a very thin textured white serum that spreads easily on your face and does require some dry time to soak in to your skin.  If you have acne scarring, I would recommend this product to you but if you are just trying to fade or get rid of sun spots, I would NOT recommend this. 

*Would I buy this again? Nope.  I’m not impressed with the results. 

I am going to try the Proactiv Dark Spot Remover once this runs out as I think it has stronger ingredients in it and I will be SURE to review that for you. J

Hope this helps, and once again, thanks for reading! XOXO

5 Makeup Brushes.....

5 Makeup Brushes EVERYONE Should Have In Their Makeup Collection

There are so many different makeup brushes, brands, and types out there it’s hard to know where to start or what you need in your collection.  My personal favorite brand of brushes is by Mac.  They are top quality with minimal to no shedding and give awesome results but I am not saying that you need to run out and drop $200 on brushes for your collection.  There are several other brands to check out such as Sigma (sigma.com), Sonia Kashuk (Target), Sephora and Japonesque (Ulta).  I am going to show you the 5 basic brushes everyone should have and will be showing the Mac ones, but I am just trying to get across the TYPE of brush and what it is used for rather than promoting that specific brush from Mac.  Any brush line will have a dupe of it, just depends on your budget/wants/needs! 

**No particular order

·         Foundation Brush- Use this to blend foundation in circular motions going upwards to create a flawless airbrush effect on your face.  Using your fingers or a sponge just smears it and will not give you the same results that a brush would.  Also, using a foundation brush will allow you to use less product than using your fingers or a sponge would (the foundation soaks into the sponge almost immediately!).  The two levels of bristles let you layer the product however sheer or heavy you want the coverage.  For a fuller and heavier coverage application, look for a brush with dense, flat, firmer bristles (See Makeup Geek brush below)

                                  *Mac 187 Duo Fibre Brush

                               *Makeup Geek Foundation Stippling Brush (Makeupgeek.com)

·         Powder Brush-I personally love using a kabuki to apply my powder/bronzer.  The rounded dome tip fits the curves and shape of your face perfectly to apply the product.  The fact that it’s small is a convenient bonus because I can just throw it in my makeup bag and go while the small base gives me more control.  It also helps with buffing out your makeup to give an even appearance across your face. 

                                         *Mac 182 Buffer Brush

·         Blush Brush-This can work as a multi-tasking brush: perfect for applying blush or contouring your face.  If you prefer a more precise application, then go with an angled blush brush but if you prefer a softer and more natural look, then look for a more fluffed dome. 

                                  *Mac 129 Powder/Blush Brush  (this could be used for both your blush and/or powder)

·         Shadow Brush-Perfect for applying/packing shadow to the eye lids.  The shadow will go on so much nicer when applied with a brush instead of the shadow applicators or your finger.  And it also gives you more control of where you want the shadow to be. 

                                    *Mac 213 Fluff Brush

·         Blending Brush-This is my favorite brush to use!   Look for one with a fluffed rounded tip to help with blending out eye shadows.  This brush will help you create the perfect smoky eye!  I literally use this brush EVERY time I do my makeup.  It is definitely my go to brush.  If there is one brush I would recommend you to splurge on, it would be the Mac 217 Blending Brush as there is no dupe as good as this actual brush.  It is worth the investment and if you take care of it, it’ll last forever.  I use this almost every day, and have definitely gotten my money’s worth. 

                                           *Mac 217 Blending Brush

...AND…don’t forget your brush cleaner!  If you are going to spend the money on your brushes: TAKE CARE OF THEM!  Brushes can also harbor lots of dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells which can lead to breakouts so it is important to clean them for sanitary reasons as well have your product be true to color when you apply.  EX: if you use 3 different blushes, and aren’t cleaning the brush, you will eventually end up with all 3 colors in your brush and on your face.  I clean my brushes every 7 uses.   Eye shadow brushes I clean every 2-3 uses so my colors aren’t mixing in the brushes.  Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser is what I use to clean my brushes and it works very well.  I have heard of other makeup artists using baby shampoo and that it works just as well; I personally have never tried it. 

Here is a promo code for free shipping on any Mac purchase that is good through Sunday April 15th and 11:59 EST: Cheek

 

Hope that helps….thanks for reading…XOXO!

Ulta + Supply House Haul

Ulta + Supply House Haul

On Saturday, I went to the beauty supply house, Peel's, and then went to Ulta because I had my 20% off everything in the store coupon!  You do have to have your cosmetology license to get into the supply houses, which I do have mine.  Everything I bought at Peel's, can be found at Ulta. 
**I purchased everything on my own

Supply House Purchases:
L to R
It's a 10-this product literally does 10 things for your hair
*Repairs dry damanged hair
*Adds shine
*Detangles
*Control Frizz
*Seals and protects hair color
*Prevents split ends
*Stops hair breakage
*Creates silkiness
*Enhances natural body
*Flat iron spray & thermal protector
This stuff works wonders!!!!
Fake Bake Flawless-I have heard from many beauty bloggers that this is the best at home self tanner you can get.  It comes with a mitt to help prevent streaking and I am so anxious to try it.  Mine came with a bonus item of a moisturizer spray to put over the self tanner when I'm done to keep my skin hydrated.  Ulta does carry this but when I was there on Saturday, it did NOT come with the moisturizer spray.
Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Shampoo-This stuff rocks and smells amazing.  Big Sexy is one of my favorite hair care lines ever.  I actually bought this for my mama tho! 
Kenra Volume Spray 25-This is an industry's favorite and has won so many awards.  I rotate between this and Big Sexy Spray and Play Harder.  This isn't as firm of  a hold as Big Sexy but it still gives great hold and leaves the hair workable.
Nicki Minaj Minis-This set comes with all her OPI Collection Polishes, Did It On Em', Fly, Pink Friday and Metallic 4 Life.  What's nice about the mini collection is you get all the polishes and since they are small, you don't feel like you are wasting your money.  We all know, you get a new polish, wear it several times then it ends up in the back of your collection and is replaced with the new latest and greatest collection. And this actually isn't for me either, it's for a friend's step daugher's birthday who LOVES Nicki. 

Ulta Purchases:
L to R:
EOS Lip Balm in Honeysuckle-I hear so much about this line of lip balm and hand lotion, I had to jump on the band wagon and try it! It's very convienent to just keep in your purse and have it at all times
EOS Hand Lotion in Berry Blossom-Same story as the lip balm.  I found these by the check out at Ulta and they got me with their marketing tactics because I didn't have any intention on going out of my way to try these items!
Revlon Lip Butter in Gumdrop-When they lined first launched, there were SO many colors I wanted to try, but I only got 2 in case I didn't like them.  I had gotten Strawberry Shortcake which was a beautiful barbie pink and Creme Bruele which was a pretty nude color.  They don't last super long on your lips and I find myself re-applying often, but for the price, they are great colors! So I got Gumdrop, which is a soft lavendar so I could pair it with a gloss I had gotten (Swatches below)
Benefit They're Real! Mascara-Once again, I have heard SO much about this mascara but have been hesitant to drop $22 to try a product I may or may not like esp since I have thin eye lashes as is and only certain mascaras work for me.  They had a travel sized one for $10, and I decided to try it and I LOVE it!!! I will definitley be purchasing this again.  I love the wand on it and it really thickened my lashes. (I will be doing a blog later on mascaras I personally like)
Macadamia Hair Mask-Can't get enough of this! Just needed to stock up since it was on sale
Essie in Orange, It's Obvious!-this is a beautiful orange color that is going to look so pretty this summer on tan skin
Essie in Tour De Finance-I already tried this color on my nails and it's a new favorite! LOVE it! it's a fuschia pink with blue-ish undertones.  Anyone who likes pink polish: GET THIS!

I had gotten the lipgloss on the right, Revlon Ultimate Orchid, randomly one day at the drug store.  But when I used it, it was a very sticky texture on my lips and I didn't care for it BUT I liked the color.  So the Revlon Lip Butter in Gumdrop, is a very translucent lavendar that doesn't show up that well on your lips (I prefer brighter lips! If you like a softer lip, use it by itself) Well when they are combined, it gives the perfect color and texture and costs about $13 for both depending on any sales you may catch. 
Left: Gumdrop
Middle: Ultimate Orchid (You can see the dry sticky texture it gives off, and that was after only about a minute swatched)
Right: Combined!  You can see the beautiful color and texture the two combined gives!!

Thanks for reading XOXO!