Monistat Chafing Gel As A MAKEUP PRIMER?!

That’s right, you read the title correctly. Monistat CHAFING GEL (different from the fungal infection treatment) is a FANTASTIC makeup primer but I will say, this works best as a primer if you have combo to oily skin. If you haven’t heard about this miracle, $6 product being used as a makeup primer already, then keep on reading for more information and allow me to explain myself before passing this off as completely crazy and weird.

Most of you are familiar with the Smashbox Photo Finish primer ($36) and how this stuff is a cult favorite. I wanted to purchase this and use it for my sister’s upcoming wedding because it was outdoors and like I have said before, my skin gets quite oily and shiny. Before I was going to spend the big bucks, I did a little research and watched a YouTube video by the Glam Life Guru herself, Tati, where she explained that the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel is a great dupe for the Smashbox primer. It was only $6 so I decided to give it a try and if it worked, then I just saved myself a bunch of money.

When doing my research I, of course, compared the ingredients first. The main ingredient in both of these products is Dimethicone. This ingredient is found in a lot of expensive makeup primers because it is an excellent mattifier for the skin (just like how the Nivea Mens post shave balm’s main ingredient is glycerin, another popular primer ingredient). Other ingredients that the Monistat and Smashbox primer have in common are Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, and Trisiloxane. So, the Monistat is just as safe to apply to the face as the Smashbox primer and is perfectly fine to use daily if that is a concern for anyone. The look and texture of the product is pretty much identical to the Smashbox primer and feels very silky and smooth. It does a great job of mattifying the face and blurring any pores. I apply the gel to my T-zone first and rub it in with my fingers, blending outward.

Since I bought this stuff, I have used it every time that I have applied foundation AND I even used it on myself and on my sister for her wedding (check out my previous blog post to see the wedding makeup look I did on her!) and it worked really well throughout the whole day! I did get a little shiny, but it was nothing terrible and neither one of us had to reapply powder.

I love finding odd, hidden gems like this that can save money while giving the same result. I really recommend giving this product a try if the Smashbox Photo Finish primer is something that you are interested in purchasing.

My Sister’s Wedding Makeup!

The beginning stages…

The finished look…

And some last minute touch ups…

(that’s me in the purple!)

Products I used for my sister’s makeup:

FACE:

• Primed with Nivea Men aftershave balm
• Primed with Monistat chafing relief powder gel (Yes, I know it sounds strange but I will explain this in a future post!)
• NYX green concealer (color correcting)
• Estee Lauder Double- Wear foundation (I highly recommend this foundation for any wedding or special occasion it is FANTASTIC)
• NYX concealer in tan (cream contour)
• L.A. Girl pro concealer in creamy beige (under eyes and highlight)
• L’Oreal Matte Infallible powder foundation to set face
• Anastasia Beverly Hills banana powder to set under eyes
• NYC bronzer in Sunny to bronze face
• Kat Von D Shade + Light palette to contour/ highlight face
• Milani baked blush in Luminoso
• Wet N Wild bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana to highlight (I applied this to the tops of her shoulders and collar bone as well for that extra glow).

EYES:

• MAC Pro Longwear concealer as eyeshadow primer
• Mixed MAC Soft Brown and Swiss Chocolate shadows in crease as transition shade
• Applied Maybelline Color Tattoo in beige to lid
• Applied MAC shadow in Satin Taupe to lid
• Applied MAC shadow in Sketch to outter V of the eye and halfway into the crease (I kept repeating this process of adding these four colors and blending until I got the desired look)
• Applied Maybelline gel liner in blackest black and winged it out slightly
• Applied a mixture of Sketch and Swiss Chocolate to lower lash line
• Curled lashes and applied one coat to top and bottom lashes with Maybelline Lash Sensational waterproof mascara
• Applied Ardell Demi Wispies lashes
• Tightlined and lined water line with L’Oreal black eyeliner

LIPS & BROWS:

• Filled in brows with Anastasia Brow Wiz in dark brown
• Set brows with Milani clear brow gel
• Lined lips with MAC Spice lip liner
• Applied Kat Von D liquid lipstick in shade Lovesick

Lastly, I set the face with the L’Oreal Infallible setting spray and a few sprays of MAC Fix +!

My sister has normal to dry skin and it can be a little splotchy in certain areas but this makeup lasted on her the whole night and stayed looking flawless. Makeup typically patches off of her face throughout the day, but this makeup DID NOT BUDGE! I did not even have to touch up any part of her makeup during the wedding (and the ceremony was outdoors). Every product I used is great for photography as well and there was no flashback.

Coconut Oil vs. Sweet Almond Oil

Everyone knows that coconut oil and sweet almond oil have so many different uses in a beauty routine and are very multi- purposeful. I am just going to break down what these oils can be used for and kind of compare and contrast them.

These are the ways that I use Coconut Oil (I get mine from Trader Joe’s for about $10):

• Hair mask- massage into the scalp and on the ends of that hair after shampooing, leave in for about 5 minutes, then rinse out completely.
• Great face and body moisturizer
• The one that everybody knows- makeup remover! This is the best makeup remover I have ever tried. Every time I use this to take off my eye makeup, no matter how waterproof it is, I NEVER wake up with black smudges under my eyes. It gets any kind of makeup completely off and is gentle on the eyes. It is also good for your lashes and over time, if will make your lashes thicker and longer.
• Body scrub- mix some leftover coffee grounds in with coconut oil and use it as a body scrub! This will moisturize and make your skin extremely soft.

These are the ways that I use Sweet Almond Oil ($8):

• Makeup remover (sometimes)- this does a pretty good job, but I have to work a little harder than when I use the coconut oil.
• Face and body moisturizer- I actually use this more often as my face and body moisturizer more often than the coconut oil because I feel it sinks into the skin better and gives the skin a natural glow.
• Under- eye cream- This stuff is awesome for dark circles! I applied this every night before going to sleep for about two weeks and noticed a big difference. My dark circles were not as bad and my eyes not puffy at all.
• Acne scarring- I apply the oil as my moisturizer after my face cleanser at night before going to sleep and noticed that it has diminished the appearance of acne scarring.

Overall, these two oils share a lot of the same benefits, but I do like one better than the other for certain things. Recently, I have been reaching for the sweet almond oil more often because it is a liquid all the time (coconut oil will change from solid to liquid depending on the temperature) and does not have a scent. When it comes to skin care, being as natural as possible is extremely important! Both of these oils are great for any skin type and will definitely improve the quality of your skin (face and body).

Helpful Tips for Applying False Lashes

Here are some helpful tips for those of you who are beginners or just terrified when it comes to applying false lashes!

• Curl and apply one thin coat of mascara to your actual lashes before applying falsies.
• Place the lashes on your lash line without glue first to make sure they do not need to be trimmed. If they do need a trim, always trim from the OUTTER part of the lash.
• You only need to apply a THIN LAYER of lash glue! A little goes a long way and won’t make a mess.
• Once you have applied the glue, let it sit on the band of the lash for about 30 seconds to get tacky. This will help the lashes stick to your eyelid better and make it easier to adjust without getting glue everywhere.
• Apply lashes with tweezers to the MIDDLE of the lash line first. A lot of people make the mistake of applying them at the ends first, but this makes a mess and it is easier to adjust and fit to the eye when placed at the middle.
• When applying the lashes, look down into a compact mirror to get them as close to the lash line as possible and avoid the fake lashes getting caught up in your actual lashes.
• After the lashes are applied, curl your original lashes together with the falsies to combine them. If needed you can apply another coat of mascara to further combine them.
• Apply a think line of eyeliner to the band of the lashes to hide any glue or neaten up the eyeliner that was already there.

** My all time favorite lashes are the Ardell Demi Wispies from the drugstore!**

I hope these tips helped!

Full Glam Makeup for Mature Skin

(Left to right: No makeup, face makeup only, full makeup)

This is a “full glam” makeup look that I did on my mom! This is also the makeup that I will be doing on her for my sister’s wedding coming up. The products I used are not too heavy, will last all day, and did not settle in any lines or wrinkles. That being said, this look is perfect for any special occasion or just a fun night out!

FACE:

• Primed the face with the Nivea Men aftershave balm.
• Applied Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless foundation in shade true beige (222) with an E.L.F. buffing brush.
• Applied Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer in shade medium under the eyes, on the chin, bridge of the nose, center of forehead and blended out with a DAMP Real Techniques “beauty blender”.

** blot face after these steps**

• Applied Coty Loose Airspun Powder in shade translucent extra coverage to set every area that I applied the concealer (I did not “bake” these areas, I just swept it on, left it for 30 seconds, then brushed the excess away).
• Applied Rimmel Stay Matte powder in shade translucent to the rest of the face to set the foundation.
• Bronzed the face with the middle shade in the Kat Von D Shade + Light contour palette using a Morphe M527 brush.
• Contoured the face using the medium and darkest shades in the same contour palette using the Wet N Wild blush brush.
• Applied Wet N Wild blush (sorry I do not remember the name of the exact shade but it was the shimmery coral shade) with a Real Techniques blush brush.
• Applied Wet N Wild “bronzer” in shade “Reserve Your Cabana” as a highlight (this product is marketed as a bronzer, but is definitely a highlight) to the tops of the cheekbones with a Morphe M310 fan brush.

EYES:

L’Oreal La Palette Nude 1

• Applied the same Maybelline concealer as an eyeshadow primer
• Applied MAC eyeshadow in ‘Soft Brown’ and ‘Swiss Chocolate’ to the crease as a transition shade with a Sigma E40 brush.
• Applied the silvery shade (second from right) from the L’Oreal La Palette Nude 1 all over the lid using a Sigma F70 brush. (packed on shadow to brush then spritzed the brush with setting spray to get a better, more metallic color payoff)
• Applied the darkest brown shade (fifth from right) from the same palette to the “outter V” of the eye and blended out.
• Applied the matte black eyeshadow from the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette (you can use any black eyeshadow) as an eyeliner with a Real Techniques liner brush and winged it out slightly.
• For the bottom lashline I applied a mixture of both MAC eyeshadows used in the crease and the dark brown shade from the L’Oreal palette and smoked it out slightly.
• Applied Maybelline Colossal Mascara to top and bottom lashes (remember to curl your lashes FIRST!)
• Applied Ardell Demi Wispies lashes to upper lashline (curl lashes together with fake lashes to combine them, apply a little extra mascara if needed). These lashes are also reusable.
• Tight-lighned and lined waterline with Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeliner in black.

LIPS & BROWS:

• For brows, I filled them in with the L’Oreal Brow Stylist in shade brunette.
• For lips I lined them with Jordana lip liner in shade Hot Cocoa then applied L’Oreal Colour Riche lipstick in shade Saucy Mauve.

Finally, I set the whole face with the Wet N Wild Photo Focus setting spray.

 

The Foundation Tip That Will Save Your Makeup!

No matter what kind of skin type you may have, almost everyone can say that at some point during the wear of their makeup, the dreaded T-Zone can get a bit oily (or a lot oily). This foundation tip will make your makeup look fresher longer and even if you do need to reapply powder later on, it will keep your skin from looking cake-y.

What you do is, right after applying foundation and concealer, before you set your face with a powder, take a blotting sheet or a piece of toilet paper and blot your face. That’s it! No extra product required! It seems insignificant, but blotting before applying a powder will pick up any excess oil and foundation so that the powder won’t lock it into place. By doing just this simple step, it will keep your makeup from looking cake-y and greasy earlier on in the day and leave you looking flawless!

This same rule goes for when you want to touch up on your powder throughout the day. Most people notice they are a little shiny in their T-Zone and the first instinct is just to mask it with powder. By just putting powder on top of oil, it will give a very thick and cake-y appearance. So again, blot the area and THEN set it with a powder. You will notice a huge difference in terms of how the makeup wears and how the powder will apply.

If this tip seems familiar, I watched a Wayne Goss YouTube video where he explained this and it has definitely helped me out and made a huge difference. It works for me, so I thought I would share it with you all!

Top 3 Favorite Concealers

These are my top 3 absolute FAVORITE concealers! I use all three of these as both an under- eye highlight concealer AND as a normal concealer for blemishes.

The L.A. Girl Pro concealer comes in 24 shades (including shades for color correcting) but I use the shade Creamy Beige for my under eye area and for blemish concealing. I do not think that this concealer can be found in an actual drugstore, but I got a pack of 3 on Amazon for $9. Creamy beige is a very popular shade and it looks very orange when squeezed out of the tube, but when applied it will look much better (the shade toast is also a great cream contour). This concealer has a brush tip applicator, which I actually don’t mind. I squeeze a small amount onto the back of my hand to warm it up and then apply it under my eyes with my finger before blending out with a brush or beauty blender. The consistency is thick but very creamy. This is definitely a full coverage concealer, which is why I thin it out a little on the back of my hand for a even application because a little bit of this stuff goes a long way! I do have to set it with powder though, or else it will crease, but I use this concealer every day.

The MAC Pro Long-wear concealer ($21) has always been a cult favorite. This concealer is also full coverage and DOES NOT CREASE. This concealer is also great as an eyeshadow primer and will keep the shadows in place all day without creasing. The only thing about this concealer that I do not like is the pump because it does tend to dispense too much product and is a little hard to control. Other than that, this concealer is awesome and definitely worth the money!

Lastly, the NYX HD concealer ($5) is another favorite. This concealer does not have as thick of a consistency as the other two, but the coverage and thinner consistency still does the job. This concealer comes in 11 shades (including color correcting shades). I use the shades yellow, beige, green, and tan. The yellow shade is great if you are into that famous “banana” under eye highlight look and I like the beige shade for concealing blemishes. The green shade is perfect for color correcting redness and blemishes before applying foundation overtop. I use the green shade everyday and it blends out nicey. The tan shade is my favorite cream contour product at the moment. It blends out very nicely and is the perfect contour shade, especially for olive skin. This concealer blends out perfectly and has a lighter feel, but I do need to set it with a powder.

I feel that concealing will be a trend that never goes out of style, so hopefully this helps the next time you are looking for your new favorite!

 

Favorite Drugstore Setting Powders

These are my ALL TIME FAVORITE setting powders from the drugstore! Even though these help a lot with my oily skin, I still feel that these powders will work for all skin types.

The Coty Airspun Powder in Translucent ($7) is a lose powder and I absolutely love it for setting the under eye area as well as my t-zone. It gives a flawless finish and keeps my oily skin under control all day. This powder is very finely milled and is awesome for “baking” if that is something that is a part of your makeup routine. I do not find that it makes me look cake-y at all and can be applied with a setting brush or beauty sponge. I use the translucent extra coverage shade, but this powder does come in a few other pigmented shades. There is also a fragrance- free version, however I believe it can only be found online. The fragrance is very strong and perfume-y, but it wears off eventually and it does not bother me in particular. Another plus to this product is that it comes with A LOT of product (2.3 oz) which is great because with most setting powders like this one, you typically only get around 1 oz.

The Rimmel Stay Matte ($4) in translucent is a great pressed powder as well. I like it best for touching up the t-zone throughout the day and it does a really good job of keeping the shine at bay. The same goes for the NYX HD pressed setting powder ($10). The translucent shade is great for touching up the t-zone and the banana shade is my favorite setting powder for my under eye concealer. It is not too yellow and gives the perfect amount of brightness. I even use the NYX banana powder more often than I use my Anastasia Beverly Hills banana powder.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with any of these powders and again, they will work well with any skin type. If you have oilier skin and are on the hunt for a great setting powder, these are great not just for the price, but overall.

 

Battle of the Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills vs. L’oreal

Left: ABH Brow Wiz    Right: L’Oreal Brow Stylist

The Brow Wiz by Anastasia Beverly Hills ($21) is probably one of the most cult favorite brow products that everyone wants to get their hands on and for a while, there was not really a cheaper option to this revolutionary brow pencil. That is until L’oreal came out with their Brow Stylist ($7) and I have to say that is is a great dupe for the ABH Brow Wiz and is also less than half the price.

I own both the Brow Wiz and the Brow Stylist and honestly, I probably will not repurchase the Brow Wiz because I feel that the L’oreal option basically does the same thing. I own the Brow Wiz in the shade dark brown and the Stylist in the shade dark brunette and I like it just the same. It does come out a little darker than the Brow Wiz but it is nothing I can’t blend out with a spoolie. The only other difference is that I have to apply a little bit more pressure with the Stylist, but again you can’t beat the price and if you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the ABH Brow Wiz, I think the L’oreal Brow Stylist is your best option.

**NYX cosmetics does have a brow product called The Micro Brow Pencil that I heard is also comparable to the Brow Wiz. I do not own this one, but it is just another cheaper alternative that is available!

 

Top 3 Favorite DRUGSTORE MASCARAS

These are my absolute favorite, HOLY GRAIL mascaras from the drugstore. From left to right: Maybelline Colossal mascara ($5), Maybelline Lash Sensational waterproof ($7), and the Covergirl SuperSizer ($6).

The Colossal and SuperSizer are a match made in Heaven and when I pair these two together, I know that I am always going to have a good lash day. I apply a good coat of the SuperSizer and then follow it with the Colossal, focusing on the tips of my lashes. This way I get volume AND length without my lashes looking clumpy. I have also applied these in reverse order and still get an amazing result. The SuperSizer is also my favorite for the lower lashes. The brush is not too big and it is easy to run the bristles through without getting mascara all over my under eye area.

The Lash Sensational mascara is a more recent find for me, but I fell in love with it after the first use. The shape of the brush gives great volume and length to my lashes and it holds the curl all day. I typically do not like waterproof mascaras just because when I go to take it off later I end up ripping out my lashes and can never get it all off. With this one though, I find that it is easier to take off than others that I have tried.

I have not had any issues with any of these mascaras flaking or crumbling throughout the day and no matter how many coats I apply (within reason) my lashes do not clump.

I highly recommend any of these for any kind of mascara look you are aiming for. These mascaras will always have a place in my makeup collection and I will continue to repurchase each one whenever I run out!