Caffeine in a face mask? DIY Mocha-Frappuccino mask

As I was perusing the internet earlier, I came across an interesting article on homemade facial treatments (via Crunchy Betty blog) that reduce eye/face puffiness.  The first recipe was for a Mocha Frappuccino mask.  The idea is that the caffeine in the coffee grounds works as an instant wake-up for your face and combats puffiness that you sometimes get due to lack of sleep/stress/etc.  I was all sorts of interested in trying it myself!  I just think it's a cool idea, even though puffiness isn't something I experience very often.
I'm not sure how much it actually depuffs your face, but it sure leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth, and "awake" after.  The coffee grounds make for great exfoliators!

Mocha Frappuccino face mask:

-2 tbsp. ground coffee

-2 tbsp. cocoa powder

-3 tbsp. milk (whole), heavy cream, or yogurt

-1 tbsp. honey

How-to DIY! :)

1. Add 2tbsp. ground coffee to a bowl
2. Add 2tbsp. cocoa powder

3. Add 1tbsp. honey and 3 tbsp. milk (I didn't have whole milk so I used 2 tbsp. skim milk; it just changes the consistency)
4. Mix all ingredients together

Put it into a tightly sealed container for use!

Just smooth this over your face in the morning, leave on 15-20 minutes for it to dry, and then gently scrub until it rinses off.  And voila!  Your own homemade coffee mask!  

I love stuff like this that is so easy to make.  Do you have a favorite DIY face/body product?  I'd love to start doing more of these, so I'd love to know what you like to make! :)

Mmmm.... looks nice right? LOL.

EOTD using Meow eyeshadows :)

Happy Friday guys!  I'm all sorts of happy today.  It's pay day AND I'm currently on my "vacation" from work because.... I'm going out of town tomorrow!  I can't wait.  I won't disclose where for privacy issues but I'll be gone for a week!  I'm trying to frantically write a few blog posts in between packing to automatically go up when I'm gone; I get so sad when my favorite bloggers go on vacations and are absent for so long.  So hopefully that will work out like I'm planning!

Anyway, this is a quick EOTD that I did last weekend for a party a guy I work with had.  I just LOVE these shadows from Meow.  So easy to work with, pigmented, and beautiful.  The only thing I dislike about ordering from indie brands is the wait time- I get so impatient, LOL. 

Products used:

-Almay Bright Eyes eye base

-Meow Cosmetics eyeshadows in Piranha (center of lid), Boa (outer corner/crease), Obelisk (inner corner)

-Matte beige eyeshadow from Wet n Wild eyeshadow palette in Vanity (browbone highlight)

-Victoria's Secret eyeliner in Dark Brown (upper lashline, smudged into lower lashline)

-Fresh Supernova mascara

Have a great start to your weekend everyone! :)

Makeup goodies from Estee Lauder+FOTD

I don't know if I've really explained my job in much detail here- the one I started this summer, anyway (I used to work at Victoria's Secret, ahh memories! :).  I've mentioned that I work in the cosmetics department of a department store although I'm not at a specific counter.  With my position I kind of "float" to different counters when they need me; if someone is sick, on vacation, or whatever.  So I've gotten to know Estee Lauder, Lancome, and Clinique so far.  Last week I was at Estee Lauder and I came in on my day off to help with an event to launch their new Idealist skin serum.  It was a lot of fun!  We did demonstrations on people, and I didn't really think anything of it in terms of "going out of my way to come in".
Yesterday, though, the counter manager gave me a few "prizes" as a way of saying thanks for helping out- leftover testers of discontinued products that were still at least half full.  I was SO EXCITED guys, haha.  I don't get any of the perks of working at a counter (commission, gratis, freebies, etc.) so I was just beside myself.  I got these two things as well as a sample double wear concealer that I forgot to take pictures of, but I am wearing it in the FOTD under my eyes.  I also got a toner and moisturizer but I might post about that at a later time.
And I really apologize that these are both discontinued items- you can still purchase the eyeshadow quad at AllCosmeticsWholesale.com if you're interested!

Bronze Goddess Sea Star Bronzing Blush 

The beautiful overspray is gone obviously, but I'm still in love with it.  It's the perfect finish for me- not shimmery or frosty, not matte.  I was so happy to get this ahh!

Signature eyeshadow quad refill in Arctic Night 

I love the lilac shade in this, it's my favorite.  The pigmentation isn't fantastic (it swatches fine and gives color payoff), but I have to build it up some when using it in a look.  I really like Estee Lauder eyeshadows from what I've tried so far, though (even ones in the permanent range)!

Swatches:

Sea Star Bronzing Blush- Left to right: Blended,  bronzer side, blush side (sea star part), together

Arctic Night eyeshadow quad

FOTD:

I tried taking close-ups of the eyes but it just wasn't coming out right.  I was just so excited to use these products that I put them together into a look, haha.  I also whipped out that ELF pigment eyeshadow I blogged about previously!

Face:

-Reviva Labs makeup primer (review coming soon!)

-Bare Minerals foundation in Fairly Medium

-ELF Studio Complexion Perfection powder

-Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer in Light

Cheeks:

-Estee Lauder Sea Star Bronzing Blush

-NYC Bronzing Powder in Sunny for contour

Eyes:

-Almay Bright Eyes eye base

-Estee Lauder Signature eyeshadow quad in Arctic Night
-ELF Studio Pigment eyeshadow in Innocent Ivory (inner corners)

-Covergirl Liquiline Blast eyeliner in Brown Blaze (upper lash line)

-Wet n Wild ColorIcon eyeliner in Purple (lower lash line)

-L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara in Black

Lips:

-Reviva Labs Vitamin E stick (as balm)

-ELF Studio Glitter Gloss in Dazzling Diamond

Thanks for reading guys! xoxo

More ELF goodness with Studio Pigment in Innocent Ivory!

I'm so sorry I didn't get this up earlier today!  I meant to write it this morning and have it post automatically when I was at work, but I didn't get to it in time and then I made last-minute plans this evening.  I learned how to play Magic (the card game) tonight with my friends, LOL.  They are huge gamers and I figured it was about time I understood what they always talk about.  Totally irrelevant to this post I know haha, but it was a good time!  I'm definitely not a nerd myself but I can totally 100% appreciate people who are. :) 

Back to makeup though!  These are just some quick pictures/swatches of the ELF Studio Pigment eyeshadow in Innocent Ivory that I picked up the other day, as mentioned in my last post.  Super pretty!

Studio Pigment eyeshadow in Innocent Ivory

I just love the dimension this eyeshadow has!  The reviews online talk about the pink shimmer/duochrome quality which pretty much sealed the deal for me.  Normally I'd never go for a plain white eyeshadow, but this makes it special.  I tried to take a bunch of different pictures so you can get an accurate view of it!

The pigmentation is about average; it swatches great but on my eyes I did have to build it up a bit, although I do think this is partly due to the color of the shadow.  It's a sheer white and gives you more sparkle than anything.  The pink shimmer does look even cooler on your eyes I have to say!

See the awesome pink/gold shimmer it has?

Do you own this shade or any of the other pigment eyeshadows?  I'm kinda loving this... :)

xox

ELF Studio glosses are a lovely surprise! Plus a mini haul.

I did a little shopping yesterday for some necessities, and like always, I ended up buying a few items I didn't need.  Ugh this ALWAYS happens!  In this post I'm going to talk mainly about the ELF Studio lip glosses I found, but I wanted to show you the other things I got, too!

I'm kind of in the market for a new cleanser, although I should stick to what I know works for me.  I ran out of my Aveeno Positively Radiant daily scrub a couple weeks ago.  I have been using my Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel for about a week, but I think it's the reason I'm breaking out in a few areas (which is weird because when I tried it in a sample pack, I loved it).  Anyway, I saw this Aveeno Positively Radiant Brightening Cleanser at Target and picked it up.  I hope it'll be nice for a basic daily cleanser- I love this line of products!

The L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara I will review separately, but my first impression is good.  It gives a lot of length and definition without clumping!  

I was at my local HyVee grocery store and couldn't believe it when I saw an ELF Studio display!  They've always had the regular $1 line display (a four-sided turning stand), but I guess they just recently added one full of Studio products.  I'm not complaining!  They had a bunch of things I've seen online but never at Target- (all Studio line) small angled eyeliner brush, small precision eye brush, pigment eyeshadows, matte eyeshadows, matte lip colors, to name a few!  I was so excited.  The display I found was kind of picked over and some of the shades I wanted were out of stock, but I'll check back in a week or so and see.  I did pick up three things, a Glitter Gloss in Dazzling Diamond, Glossy Gloss in Funky Fuchsia, and Pigment eyeshadow in Innocent Ivory.
I'll talk about the Pigment eyeshadow in a separate post- for now, here are my thoughts/swatches/pictures of the glosses. :)

Glossy Gloss in Funky Fuchsia, Glitter Gloss in Dazzling Diamond, Pigment eyeshadow in Innocent Ivory

I'm totally loving each of these!
The Glossy Gloss in Funky Fuchsia is a gorgeous color.  I go absolutely crazy for shades like this (I love them on my fair skin!).  The formula is soft and smooth, and it applies evenly.  See the applicator below- it's a brush!

This makes it really easy to 'paint' on the lip gloss and get the color to exactly how you want it.  Both the Glossy Gloss and Glitter Gloss have this style applicator, by the way.

You can see by the swatches on my arm and lips below that these are also nicely pigmented.  I was afraid Funky Fuchsia would be really sheer, but fortunately the color stays pretty close to what's in the bottle.  The Glossy Gloss lives up to the 'glossy' claims- it makes my lips look healthy and shiny.  I'm really eager to try more of these!  

They both smell like Jolly Ranchers or some kind of hard candy, so if you're bothered by scents, I'd be cautious.  Thankfully they don't have a taste otherwise I'd lick them off right away. :)

The Glitter Gloss in Dazzling Diamond is just as pretty to look at.  I had a hard time capturing the glitter, but the bottle shots above portray it most accurately.  The glitter is intense, though!  I still find it easy to wear because its in a clear base, but I always love a sparkly gloss.  Dazzling Diamond kind of reminds me of Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure nail polish in a lip gloss form.  It doesn't shine as many different colors, but it has that "glowing" effect.  

Glossy Gloss in Funky Fuchsia, Glitter Gloss in Dazzling Diamond

I couldn't capture the glitter in Dazzling Diamond with the flash on, so I had to take it off for that lip swatch.  I hope you can still get a good idea of how they look, though.  Funky Fuchsia is true to color.

Have you tried these lip glosses?  Have a favorite?  I'm absolutely loving them and how affordable they are!

ELF Mineral Booster in Sheer fits the bill- does it make the grade?

I got this a month ago in my last ELF order and promised its own post/review, so here goes!  This was my most-wanted ELF product for a long time, after hearing so many comparisons between it and Bare Minerals Mineral Veil.  Since running out of my Mineral Veil a couple months ago, I hold it as my 'powder standard'.  There's something about it that I just love but can't quite put my finger on!  It just made my face look so healthy and glowy without being shimmery/glittery/shiny, and I've been trying to find a good replacement that's cheaper.

So, when I saw the ELF Mineral Booster in Sheer online, I knew I had to try it.  Keep reading to see what I think about it!

The Mineral Booster is available in two sizes, small (0.17oz) and large (0.63oz)- the size I have is small.  It retails for $5 on the ELF website, described as:

Achieve the ultimate, translucent "photo finishing touch" to your makeup, our Mineral Booster melts into your skin, infusing it with key vitamins A, B and E to promote healthier skin that’s noticeably silkier and smoother. Completely sheer and ideal for all skin tones, Mineral Booster gently absorbs oil and minimizes the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and pores for a beautiful even finish. Wear alone or buff over our Mineral Concealer and Foundation to lend extra staying power and to achieve a professional and stunning porcelain matte look that will last all day. 

So, it's supposed to give you that photo-finished 'airbrushed' look (which is the minimizing appearance of wrinkles part), absorb oil, and reduce the appearance of pores.  And it's supposed to last all day.

Color/coverage:  In the pot it looks tinted, but the color goes on sheer for me (as it's supposed to be!)- I have read reviews that this looks too dark on some people, so that's something to keep in mind.  I can imagine this would look ashy on darker skin tones, but I can't say for sure; it matches my skin pretty spot-on. 

Consistency:  I hope you can tell from the pictures how fine-milled the powder is.  This is probably one of my favorite qualities because it makes it blend into your skin easier.  You don't get that "I just applied powder I look cakey" look, and you can't even tell you have powder on, woot!  I have normal skin with a slightly oily t-zone, but I typically don't have a problem with oiliness- I don't like to pack on powder products.  Any finishing powder that sets my makeup without looking cakey ranks high on my list!

Quality (Oil control, lasting ability, photo-flawless look):  I tried this over both liquid and powder foundation (powder being Bare Minerals).  In terms of oil control, this is so-so.  Like I said above, I'm not super oily but in the summertime/humidity I need extra help.  I find I need to powder my t-zone once during the middle of the day when I use the Mineral Booster- it doesn't last me all day.  It does set my makeup nicely and gives me a nice finishing touch, but it's a little matte for my liking.  I loved Bare Minerals Mineral Veil for its not-quite-matte glowy finish, and this doesn't fit that exactly.  However, it's definitely the closest thing I've found to replacing the Mineral Veil!  I'd say if you have combination to oily skin, you should look elsewhere for an oil-controlling powder (unless you don't mind touching up).

I do like this powder, but it didn't reach HG status for me- I'm still in the market for a finishing powder that gives me that healthy, glowy look.  I also need something that lasts longer in the summertime when it's hot and humid!

I actually wore this for the whole week straight after I received my ELF order, and then switched back to my ELF Studio Complexion Perfection (the one I'm trying to finish).  I've had to force myself to stick with Complexion Perfection because that's super matte.  Ugh.  It's almost done... just a few more weeks.  ;)

SO.  I'd recommend this if you don't get too oily and want a budget-friendly translucent powder that doesn't cake.  It looks great over liquid and powder makeup but doesn't last all day on combination skin, unfortunately.  

Have you tried this?  Did you like it?  

Meow Cosmetics order, p.2

And the swatches continue!  This post wraps up the eyeshadow/blush/powders/concealer samples I got.  I'm in love, guys.  Now I know why on the Meow website they say "limit two samples per color"- I bet when people find a shade they like and don't want to dish out $10 for a full size, they buy multiple samples.  Which is probably what I'll be doing in the future...

Light Persian Skinny Dipper (contour powder), Shattered Equinox collection Deranged eyeshadow, LushBlush Hugs & Kitties

I really wanted to try one of Meow's "Skinny Dippers", their contouring powders, because I think the idea is really cool.  They coordinate with your shade of foundation so you get the right shade.  I haven't worn their foundation so I wasn't sure what color to get, but I definitely should have gotten the medium Skinny Dipper shade (I figured 'light' would be too light for contouring).  Light Persian might work for an allover powder, but I think it might even be too light, although I plan to work with it.  

Deranged is from the Shattered Equinox eyeshadow collection, and it's just awesome.  I love how it glows in the light.  

LushBlush is described as having a "creamy texture and dewy sheen" so I had to try one!  Hugs & Kitties is a really pale pink with lilac undertones that works as a highlighter on me. 

Crystalline Cat Glow powder, Top Cat finishing powder, Under eye concealer in 2 Frisky Persian

The Crystalline Cat Glow powder has really, really fine shimmer that is hard to detect when swatched or applied (and it didn't show up in my pictures!).   I haven't used this on my face yet, but I'm interested to see if it provides a "glow" at all.

The Top Cat finishing powder is supposed to help with oil control.  I haven't tried this one, either, but my quest to find a super-flattering finishing powder is always on!

The under eye concealer was kind of a shot in the dark in terms of color, but fortunately 2-Frisky Persian suits me!  It's a powder concealer that actually really helps conceal mild dark circles.  I used this today and really like it so far.

Swatch-tastic!

 Kept Kitty eyeshadow, I love you!

Thanks for reading!  Do you own any of these products or have any recommendations?  I'd love to hear them! 

xox

Meow Cosmetics order, p.1

The cat lover inside of me HAD TO TRY MEOW COSMETICS.  Maybe I'm obsessive, I don't really care, but as soon as I saw their cat-themed website my eyes rolled back into my head.  The names are seriously too cute.  Hugs & Kitties?  Kept Kitty?  And of course, my purchase came in cheetah print wrapping paper.  I'm in love.

For my first Meow Cosmetics order I purchased a bunch of samples, and with the two free samples they threw in, it came to a total of 15!  I was so excited to try these and swatch them.  I got mostly eyeshadow, but I also tried samples of their undereye concealer, finishing powders, and blush.  

This part of my order will feature most of the eyeshadows I got.  I'll do another post tomorrow showing the undereye concealer/powders/blush!  The post was getting kind of pic-heavy, so I decided to do it this way- I hope you all don't mind!

Egyptian Treasures eyeshadows: Obelisk, Nile, Ancient

Rainforest collection eyeshadows: Boa, Endangered, Piranha

ScandalEyes Jessica R., CatEyes Caffeine Buzz, IdealEyes Kept Kitty

Random pictures of pretty swatches!

So gorgeous together!  I'm totally loving these eyeshadows, they swatch beautifully and have great pigmentation.  I love the multicolored glitter they have, especially Kept Kitty (that insane gold!).  It's beautiful!  

As much as I love the colors and insane variety they have, I'm not sure I'd buy full sizes.  You can either buy a sample baggie ($1.00) or a 10g jar ($10.25).  I wish they had an in-between size!  

Right now they have an awesome Christmas in July going on- you can purchase from the LE holiday collections this weekend only, and get free shipping (I believe it's US no minimum, international $30+).  I'm tempted..

Stay tuned for part two! :)

Crackle polish looks better in purple.

Recently I was contacted by the lovely people of Born Pretty Store to try out one of their crackle nail polishes.  I've read lots of positive things about Born Pretty Store, but never had purchased anything myself.  I figured this was a great opportunity to do it, especially with my love for crackle nail polish. :)
Since I already own OPI Silver Shatter and a Sally Hansen black crackle, I decided to venture into the world of color and go with purple!  The color you see below is Violet.

Is that not gorgeous or what?  For this manicure, I paired it with Sinful Colors Fiji, which is a shimmering deep violet.  I thought the colors complemented each other really well!  I have on three coats of Fiji, one coat of Violet, and one thin layer of a Revlon quick dry top coat (The Born Pretty Store crackle dries to a matte finish unless you apply a glossy top coat).

Left: Born Pretty Store Violet crackle, Right: Sinful Colors Fiji

If you've ever used a crackle nail polish, you know the formula takes a bit of getting used to- you have to apply it quickly because it dries FAST!  You also have to make sure you don't go over the same areas otherwise it messes up the shatter effect.  I found that this crackle is a lot easier to work with, though (compared to OPI Silver Shatter).  The same rules apply (work fast and efficiently), but the formula is smooth and doesn't dry quite as fast.  I also really like how it "cracks" big enough so the polish underneath shines through.  

Have you tried any cool color crackle polishes?  What about anything from Born Pretty Store?  At $5.50/polish with free shipping worldwide, I'm seriously considering buying a few more!  I'm obsessed with this trend! :)  

And as a special little thing for you guys, Born Pretty Store is giving me a coupon code for 10% off a purchase to share with you.  Just use the code below!

Thanks guys.  Have a great Friday- it's the weekend!

Disclaimer:  I was sent the mentioned product for consideration from Born Pretty Store.  I have no affiliation with the company whatsoever.  All thoughts are 100% true and my own! I would never recommend something I wasn't pleased with. 

Butterfly award, thank you!

The gorgeous Liz from Bronzed Doll just awarded my blog with the Butterfly award!  Thanks so much girl, you're incredibly sweet!  I'm still dealing with some personal issues that have made me not up to blogging.  It's sad to me, because blogging here has always been a delight and something I look forward to.
Seeing this blog award definitely helped to lift my spirits today, though!  You all mean the world to me and every comment/follower/anything makes a difference.
Give me a few days and I'll be back to normal with posting, I promise. <3

The Rules:

1. Link the person back who awarded you

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Answer the following questions below

4. Award this to 15 bloggers

Seven things about me:

1.  I'm a self-proclaimed cat lover and I enjoy frequently posting silly cat videos/pictures on my friends' Facebook pages (that I find while browsing Stumble Upon for hours..).  They think I'm crazy but it's ok.

2.  I could probably exist on apples, pretzels, peanut butter, and diet coke if I needed to.  And french fries.

3.  I want to be a fashion buyer.

4.  I love getting to know people and talking to strangers.  You learn so much!

5.  I have a hard time dealing with change, but years of therapy have taught me how to talk, talk, and talk about my problems.  And it helps, I'm telling you!

6.  I'm independent and love to explore new places by myself.

Questions:

Name your favorite color- Purple
Name your favorite song-  I'm newly obsessed with Garden & Villas.  A really good indie band.
Name your favorite dessert-  Raw cookie dough... with frosting.
What pisses you off-  People with big egos who flaunt it. 
When you're upset you-  Talk about it, act like things are fine.

Your favorite pet-  My cat Turbo.  He's 20 pounds of love. 

Black or white- Black.

Your biggest fear-  Flying spiders.  Crickets are the closest thing I've come to experiencing this.
Best feature-  Oh man, I don't know.  I get compliments on my skin a lot, so I guess that?
Everyday attitude-  Friendly and positive.
What is perfection-  Accepting your flaws, realizing that life has ups and downs that are out of your control but essential to helping you grow.
Guilty pleasure-  Buying makeup.  Uhh.

So!  I'm tagging anyone who wants to do this!  

Thanks so much Liz for awarding me. :)

EOTD: Easy double-winged eyeliner

This is a little stretch compared to what I normally do in terms of eye makeup.  OK, big stretch!  I never do colored liner on my bottom lash line, but I decided to try it.  My next challenge would be to actually wear this out!
I was inspired by a blurb in the new InStyle magazine (with Katie Holmes on the cover) about graphic eyeliner on the runway.  The models shown had thick, winged eyeliner in bright colors.  Theirs was a lot messier than the look I did, so I'll have to try that sometime soon too.
Anyway, for this look I kept everything else simple and focused on making the eyeliner/wing the most important piece.  I used a few different skin toned shades from my Coastal Scents 88 matte eyeshadow palette- I think the matte finish helps make the overall look more refined.  I used the smudge end of the Covergirl Liquiline Blast eyeliner to help create the wing shape, and geesh, smudge-tips are my saving grace!  They make applying eyeliner so much easier.

Thumbs up for sparkle! 

Products used:

-Almay Bright Eyes eye base

-Coastal Scents 88 matte eyeshadow palette, matte beige for lid, white for inner corner/browbone highlight

-Wet n Wild Lust eyeshadow palette, matte deep magenta & matte eggplant to "set" eyeliner, shimmery cream to highlight

-Covergirl Liquiline Blast eyeliner in Violet Voltage for upper lash line liner

-Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips eyeliner trio for hazel eyes, magenta shade for lower lash line

-L'Oreal Double Extend Illuminator mascara

So basically it's just a simple way to pull off a somewhat "bolder" eye look, if you want to go that route but don't want to commit. ;)  Hope you enjoy!

xox

Guest blog: Makeup fit for the summer heat!

I hope you all are having a nice weekend so far!  Today I have a little something different- a guest blogger post!  

I was recently contacted by Josh of Betterfly, a website that lets you search for professionals in a number of different fields.  Betterfly is a really cool tool you can use if you need a makeup artist, hair stylist, etc. for anything at all.  Josh explained that they have writers that do guest blogging and asked if I'd be interested in featuring one on my blog.  Well, definitely!  Today's post is all about tips and tricks to beat the heat so your makeup doesn't melt off.  Sounds appropriate, right? (It's a super-humid 85 degrees here as I type this, ugh!)

I really hope you guys enjoy this.

5 Tips to Help Your Makeup Beat the Heat

• Get a clean face. Before you even think about applying makeup, thoroughly wash your face to remove excess oil. Makeup has a tendency to slide all over the place in hot and humid weather, so it’s best to start with a dry face. Try using an oil absorbing face wash for best results, and carry oil-absorbing sheets for touch-ups during the day.

• Skip the foundation. Your foundation will melt at the first sign of sweating, leaving you with a streaky face. Instead opt for a tinted moisturizer, which is light weight but still provides adequate coverage. You can even make your own by combining a little bit of your foundation with your regular face moisturizer. Most important, make sure that your moisturizer has at least SPF 15!
• Bronze. Summer is the time to let your skin glow, so why not give it a little extra help? Lightly dust a powder bronzer over your T-line (nose to forehead). My current favorite is MAC bronzer in Golden. Also, brush powder blush over your cheeks for a sun-kissed look. Avoid cream-based products at all costs, as they fad fast in hot weather.

• Break out the waterproof products. It’s a no-brainer that waterproof mascara and eyeliner hold up better in the heat, so invest in them for the summer. Also try limiting your eyeliner to just the top lid—the bottom lid is more likely to smear and create dark circles under your eyes.
• Favor natural colors. Dark colored eye shadows and lip stains melt, and the resulting creases on your skin can be really noticeable. Instead, go for light shades of pink and peach that blend with your skin tone. Better yet, go au natural! Piling on products can clog your pores, so take this opportunity to show off your natural, radiant summer skin. 

Lauren Margolis works for Betterfly.com, a website that helps you find makeup artists in your local area. She is a contributing writer for beauty blogs, with a particular interest in New York makeup artists. 

Thanks for reading! xox

Disclaimer:  I am not in any way affiliated with or being compensated by Betterfly. 

Haircut and FOTD :)

Hi!  It's Thursday, which means it's almost the weekend!  Aren't you excited (I know I am!)?

I'm mainly looking forward to 1) getting to go out with my friends Friday night, and 2) not having to work Saturday!  Having a job in retail pretty much guarantees you work weekends, so it's nice to have a Saturday off now and then.  

Anyway, today I got a much needed haircut.  It had been since February since my last!  I went to my hairdresser (whom I only go to when I'm home from school; when I'm at school I end up having to go to those walk-in places) who plays the role of a therapist almost as well as she cuts hair.  I love her so much.  She always has me talk about every part of my life and I end up feeling a million pounds lighter when I leave.  

Nothing too crazy, but I did get bangs.  I brought in pictures of celebrities with more blunt-style bangs, but we decided to do something lighter.  To my surprise, I really like how she cut them!  

I'm loving how this Clinique Perfectly Real foundation photographs!

For makeup, I'm wearing the following:

Face:

Foundation: Clinique Perfectly Real foundation, shade 102

Concealer: Maybelline Super Stay concealer in Ivory

Powder: ELF Mineral Booster in Sheer

Bronzer: ELF Studio Golden Bronzer

Blush: Hard Candy Fox in a Box blush in Spicy & Sweet

Eyes:
Primer: Victoria's Secret Pro eyeshadow primer
Eyeshadow: Wet n Wild Walking On Eggshells trio, Victoria's Secret mineral eyeshadow in Coco
Eyeliner: Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips eyeliner trio for hazel eyes, taupe shade
Mascara: Fresh Supernova mascara

Lips:
Lip balm: Burt's Bees tinted lip balm in Pink Blossom
Lip gloss: Darling Girl Cosmetics lip gloss in Fuchsia Fusion

Have you guys switched up your hair lately?  Hope you're having a great day/night! :)

(A very early) birthday present, meet my new camera!

You know how "mom always knows best"?  I think my mom has proved that saying true at least a thousand times over the years.  She seems to know exactly what I need, what to say, what to do, no matter what the situation is- and in this particular instance, she knew I needed a little pick-me-up.
I've mentioned a few times this summer about my search for a new digital camera (as a birthday present), and since my birthday is usually a couple weeks after I leave for school, we've celebrated it early a few times.  So I was pretty sure this present would come early- not this early, though!  But this afternoon my mom suggested we go over to the camera place and take a look.  To my surprise and delight, I came home with a beautiful, new camera.

Canon Powershot Elph 100HS

Photo taken with my old camera, a Canon Powershot A530 (like 7ish years old!)

I love it so much!  I've had such success with my old camera, a Canon Powershot A530 (see picture below), as long as I get the lighting right.  But it's already around 7 years old and it was just so big and hunky- seriously, every time I'd bring it out with my friends around they'd poke fun at me, LOL.  

This Powershot Elph has so many cool features that my old one doesn't, though.  I won't go into all the details and bore you, but I'm so happy with it.  And it's pink!  It also has HD video, so I'm going to experiment with taking videos as well (if you guys would be interested, of course!).  

A few test pictures!

Review/comparison post of this balm coming soon!

Old camera.  You've served me well! 

Anyway, I hope this camera will help in making my blog better for you guys.  Having better, clearer pictures for the blog was my main motivation for getting something new. :)

Oh!  And thank you all so much for your kind comments in my last post.  I really appreciate your care/concern- it means the world to me.  xox