Hidden Gem At The Drugstore!: Hard Candy Strobing Drops

Actually, Hard Candy products can only be found at Wal-Mart (as far as I know), however these drops are a drugstore price and can be found online!

Hard Candy Look Pro! Illuminate & Strobing Mix- In Drops in White Pearl ($8)

For me, Hard Candy products can be hit or miss, but I was drawn to this product the second I saw it! Also, I am not sure if they have other shades, White Pearl is the only one I have seen.

Just a few first impressions:

• I am not a fan of the cardboard packaging. It kind of reminds me of cheap makeup I used to play with when I was younger (lol) but the product is really amazing.
• When you screw off the lid, it has a dropper applicator and there is a button type thing on the top that you press to drop out the product.
• The product is liquidy and if you tilt your hand, it will run down.
• This can be mixed in with a foundation, moisturizer, or used on their own.
• When I first dropped it onto the back of my hand it looked to be too glittery (common with drugstore products), but when I rubbed it in it created the most beautiful highlight. There is extremely fine micro-glitter in the product, but it is not chunky or obvious at all.
• It blends out really easily and evenly.
• A little goes a long way, so for $8 you are getting a great amount of product.

 

When I applied it on my skin… it created the most beautiful and natural looking white pearl highlight (hence the name). The micro- glitter is completely undetectable on the skin while still giving a gorgeous highlight. This product is so easy to use and is perfect if you want to achieve that summer glow. I have not tried using this mixed in with my foundation or moisturizer just because my skin is already oily and I do not need my face to look all- over glowy. BUT I love applying this on my cheekbones, cupid’s bow, browbone, inner corner (wherever you like to apply highlight) and I am obsessed! I have also used this on the tops of my shoulders and collar bone to really make my skin glow. This is also a great base to apply a powder highlight on top of to really enhance the color and make your highlight more intense (this is my favorite way to use this stuff!).

Overall, I love the versatility of this product and how it can be used in so many different ways. It blends out really nicely so it can be used on many different skin tones. I think this would work for you if you have deeper skin as well. If you are looking for an inexpensive liquid highlight option, definitely get your hands on this!

Bronzed Eyeshadow Look- Morphe 35O Palette

Here is the eye look I did using ONLY the original Morphe 35O eyeshadow palette. I love this palette and the colors are gorgeous and amazing quality. I already designated a previous post all about the 35O so go check it out!

B- Base, T- Transition & bottom lashline, L- Lid, C- Crease & bottom lashline (I also used the shade second from the left on the very top row as a brow bone and inner corner highlight). I tried to use as many shades as possible because there are so many to choose from! Again, every eyeshadow I used came from the palette and I sprayed setting spray on my brush AFTER I picked up the shimmery bronze shade to enhance the pigment and make it look more metallic.

 

If you want to know what other makeup products I used feel free to ask me!

NYX Butter Glosses

I am absolutely OBSESSED with the NYX Butter Glosses! They are by far the best lip glosses I have found at the drugstore and are very affordable at around $5 each.

They are opaque, not sticky, and smell so freaking good!

 

These are the swatches of the shades that I was able to get my hands on. From left to right: Angel Food Cake (mauve shade), Tiramisu (pinky nude shade), Madeleine (beige/ brown nude shade), and Fortune Cookie (peachy nude shade). I love using these over a matte lipstick when I want a glossier look and they last a really long time (depending on your day). I especially like to use the Fortune Cookie shade in the center of the lips to make them appear more plump and give a slight “ombré” effect.

They do have a few more shades at the drugstore that were sold out but on their website they have a larger variety. But if you are looking for a great lip gloss option, definitely give these a try!

Hidden Gem At The Drugstore: Wet N Wild “Bronzer”

Wet N Wild has definitely been stepping their game up at the drugstore with all their recent product launches (omg if you haven’t tried their all white brush set you have not LIVED). Anyway, this product in particular I have mentioned a few times in previous posts already, but this product is just so awesome that I think it deserves its own post.

Wet N Wild Color Icon “Bronzer” in Reserve Your Cabana ($3.99)

I put the word bronzer in quotes because this is actually way to light to be a bronzer for any skin tone but it is the most beautiful white gold highlighter. I feel like this product is a little underrated, especially with the new Wet N Wild MegaGlo highlighters that everyone has been obsessing over.

I use this highlight EVERY DAY. Even when I am not putting on full makeup, I will just add a little bit of this stuff under the brow, inner corner of the eye, cupid’s bow, and just a little dab on the cheekbone. I used this as the highlight when I did my sister’s makeup for her wedding and it looked beautiful (I have a post all about her makeup- go check it out!). I would not say this gives an “intense” highlight, but if you are looking for something glowy and more subtle/ natural, you need this in your life.

It does have a lot of kick- off when you go to pick up some product, but the payoff and look is beautiful and I have not been able to find anything else like it at the drugstore, it is amazing!

Best Drugstore BB Cream!?!?

I have never been a big fan of BB/ CC creams (I feel like they basically do the same thing) because they make me look too shiny and do not give me the coverage that I like. However, I bought the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream ($12-14 for 2 full ounces) and I am IN LOVE!

 

 

 

I tried this stuff about a year ago when the BB cream trend was picking up and I hated it at first and ended up just giving it away. It looked to orange on my skin and made my face a greasy mess. BUT, lately I have been wanting to wear something lighter than a foundation that still evens out my skin tone and gives me decent coverage. I decided to give this one a try again because every time I searched for BB creams, this one came up EVERY SINGLE TIME! So, I thought maybe they redid the formula or something, then I realized that the first time I tried this product, I bought the shade that was too deep and one one made for dryer skin types. No wonder it was so greasy on me! However, if you are on the dry side, their formula for dryer skin types will work really well for you.

This time around, I bought the light/ medium shade for combo to oily skin types and it is AMAZING. I was scared at first that it would be too light on my skin because when I dotted it on my face it looked a little too pale, but after buffing and blending it into my skin it matched so perfectly that it almost seemed to adjust to my skin tone.

Here are more reasons why I am in love with this product:

• Lightweight formula that provides good coverage (I do not need to conceal my blemishes with this stuff!) and evens out skin tone beautifully.
• Works as a sunscreen with SPF 20.
• Keeps the shine under control ALL DAY!
• You get 2 full ounces for around $12, which I think is pretty awesome.
• Can be used as a “foundation” when you want to wear something lighter. Products apply onto this very nicely.
• Formula is on the liquidy side and easy to blend evenly.
• It is buildable if you want more coverage (but at that point I would just use a regular foundation).
• I like to mix some of this in with my regular foundations for get the benefits of both products and add SPF. You could even use this as a base for your foundation for extra coverage that won’t look cakey.
• The finish is not completely matte, but not shiny at all. It just looks like a better version of your own skin!
• Dries down completely and does not feel sticky or tacky on the skin.

The two active ingredients in this product are 3% Octinoxate and 4.7% Titanium Dioxide.

Side note: There are a couple of different packagings for the same product and it is a little bit harder to find the shade medium/ deep in stores.

Once again, I love this product and really glad that I gave it a second try and got the one that was right for me this time! If you are on the hunt for a great BB cream that will perform well, especially in the summer, definitely give this one a try. It is a really great product and I really think you will like it!

YouTube Made Me Buy It!- RCMA No Color Powder

Back again with another edition of “YouTube Made Me Buy It” and this time I am talking about a product I am sure you all have heard about- the RCMA No Color Powder! I purchased mine off of beautylish.com. It is $12 on the site, but including shipping the grand total was about $17, BUT you get a full 3 ounces of product which is pretty awesome. For a full sized Laura Mercier loose setting powder (I have read that the RCMA is a dupe for this one), you will pay $40 for only one ounce of product.

So, is this product just hype? Keep reading to find out what I thought!

Just some quick background info: I first heard about this powder from “YouTube famous” beauty vlogger KathleenLights. She RAVED about this stuff and designated a full video just about this powder. In that video she said she first heard about this powder from makeup artist and also beauty vlogger Wayne Goss who also raved about this product. Since then I have seen so many beauty vloggers using and loving this powder and I have been wanting to get my hands on it ever since.

This powder claims to:

• Have no color or pigment, so it will not altar the color of your foundation.
• Will set concealer/ foundation without caking.
• Not leave a white cast on the skin.
• Have no flashback in photography.

 

Now that I finally got the product and tried it out, in my personal opinion, I completely agree! I am already OBSESSED with this powder! If you have dry skin- buy it. If you have oily skin- buy it. If you’re a makeup artist- buy it. If you’re not a makeup artist- buy it. This powder is just so amazing. You get so much product for such an affordable price, it is undetectable on the skin, it does not leave a white cast or flashback in photography, has no scent, and is as fine and soft as can be. This is a great powder if you are into “baking” the under eye area and other parts of the face or if you are just looking for a quick and easy setting powder. The only little gripe I have about this powder is that I wish it kept the shine under control as well as my Coty Air Spun powder does, but it is nothing that bothers me that bad or is extremely noticeable (especially because it does not claim to be a mattifying powder).

Again, I am completely in love with this product and definitely believe it is not just worth the hype. It performs as well as a luxury powder if not better and will last FOREVER!

I highly recommend this product for anyone who is on the market for a loose setting powder, whether you are on a budget or not!

 

 

 

 

Products I Regret Purchasing!

One of my favorite things to read about are beauty products that people regret purchasing and I’m sure I am not the only one! A lot of the time a product can be so hyped up and then when I actually try it out for myself, I find that sometimes the products are not as good as I would have hoped.

So, here are the drugstore and high end beauty products that I wish I would have left on the shelves. If you have and love any of these products, remember that makeup is personal and certain products just do not work for everyone and that is totally okay!

 

Maybelline “The Nudes” eyeshadow palette

This palette is extremely affordable, but the pigmentation and formula of these shadows is not even worth the $10. I found that these shadows were extremely patchy and it took too much time and effort to blend them out. Also the pigmentation, especially with the matte shades, is just not good enough. I have way too many eyeshadows, even from the drugstore, that I reach for way more. I ended up giving this palette away to a friend because I just never used it. I was excited to get my hands on this when the palette first came out because there was so much hype about it, but I really wish I would have spent the money on another product.

 

Maybelline Fit Me! Bronzer

 

I love the liquid foundation and pressed powder from Maybelline’s Fit Me! line, so I decided to try the bronzer. Bad idea. This bronzer has almost no pigment and is really patchy on my skin. I was just really disappointed in this products, especially since I love the other products from the line. The formula is really dry and when I swipe my finger across it, almost no pigment shows up. This bronzer just did not meet my expectations and there are many other bronzers from the drugstore that perform so much better than this one.

 

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil- Free Acne Wash

I really wanted to like this product but it did nothing for me except dry out my skin, which makes my skin produce even more oils. I am obsessed with the scent of this product, but it did not perform at all. I prefer the original Neutrogena Oil- Free acne wash (orange) way more over this one.

 

Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara (Purple)

I have green/ hazel eyes, so I love to use a plum colored mascara on my bottom lashes to make them pop a little more. I love the shade of this mascara because you can’t even tell that I am wearing purple mascara, but it still just does something to enhance my eye color. That being said, I still regret purchasing this mascara because for the ridiculous price tag, it does not do anything that outshines any other plum colored mascara. This mascara flakes throughout the day and can apply a little clumpy. I still use it just because I have it and it was so expensive, but I definitely wish I would have saved my money.

 

Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner (Fervent Blue)

This is another Chanel product that I wish I would have left alone. Yes, the color is gorgeous and it definitely is waterproof, but performance of this eyeliner does not justify the $30 price. I would definitely recommend the Rimmel Scandaleyes waterproof liners over this one and they are also way creamier and easier to apply.

 

Maybelline Single Eyeshadows

Maybelline just has not been on board with their eyeshadows. These single shadows lack pigment, are extremely patchy, and powdery. They are really cheap, but just do not do anything. If you are looking for a good single shadow from the drugstore, go for the L’Oreal Colour Riche shadows.

 

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

This might surprise a lot of people, but allow me to explain. There is nothing about this palette that I do not like, I just rarely reach for it. The colors are beautiful, the pigmentation and formulation of these shadows is awesome, but I just do not really go for these rosey shades that often. I use my Naked 2 way more. I still use this palette sometimes, but I wish I would have gotten the original Naked palette over this one just because I know I would use the colors more. However, if you like these pink shades, then I definitely recommend this palette. It is worth the money if this is the kind of eye look you go for.

 

The Original Beauty Blender

I should have known that a $20 sponge was just ridiculous, but everyone was freaking out about how amazing the Beauty Blender was so of course I bought it. I really regret spending the money on this because I love the orange makeup sponge from Real Techniques so much more and it is a fraction of the price! I have since thrown away my Beauty Blender because I had it for so long and rarely used it. Now I just stick with the Real Techniques sponges.

 

Clinique Line Smoothing concealer

 

I regret purchasing this concealer because it was expensive and I love my Maybelline concealers so much more. This one was really thick and gloppy and creased a lot under my eyes.

 

 

Hopefully y’all enjoyed this post! I love seeing products that people regret purchasing. Again, if you love any of these products that is great, they just did not work for me!

 

 

 

The Struggle Is Real: Cellulite

With summer just around the corner, for girls one of our biggest insecurities is the dreaded CELLULITE!!!! Cellulite is just fat deposit beneath the skin that makes the surface of the skin appear a little “lumpy”. I really only have cellulite on the backs of my thighs but it can appear on people’s hips, stomach, and butt.

I am going to share with you my favorite way to not only REDUCE the appearance of cellulite, but exfoliate your skin to get it silky smooth for summer!

You may have heard of dry skin brushing before, but if you have not, it is probably one of my favorite beauty tips known to man! There are many benefits to dry skin brushing and one of the biggest ones is a reduction in the appearance of cellulite. Here are a few other typical benefits:

• Increase circulation
• Exfoliation
• Eliminate toxins (leading to cellulite)
• Even out skin tone

Personally, I have noticed that my skin is a lot softer and the cellulite on the backs of my thighs has reduced, but it does take time. Also, the first time I dry brushed, it did feel extremely rough and scratchy but that is normal and you will get used to it. It is typical for your skin to be more sensitive after the first time you dry brush just because it is a pretty extreme exfoliant. I love the feeling after though, my skin feels extremely soft and it tingly.

This is an example of what a typical dry brush looks like. I got mine from Target for $5, but you can find them on Amazon or any health food store as well. Just be sure that the bristles are NOT plastic.

If you are thinking about dry brushing, there is a certain way it should be done:

• Dry brush before you take a shower, when your body is completely dry (no lotion). This can be done at any time of the day.
• Start with your feet and brush upward all the way to the tops of the thighs in long single strokes.
• Go over each area twice (I do not recommend doing more than twice because it can make your skin too sensitive)
• Brush in circular motions around your bellybutton and the backs of your thighs.
• Brush upward on your hips and back
• Brush in circular motions on your butt.
• AVOID underarms, bikini line, breasts, face/neck.
• Start from the hands and brush upward towards your shoulders (go over twice, long single strokes).
• Rinse your brush afterward.

If I did not answer all of your questions, there are tons of videos on YouTube that show you how to dry brush because there is a method to the madness. If you are really wanting that soft and glowing cellulite- free skin then I would definitely try this out! It is something to get used to but it quickly becomes relaxing and I love the results!

 

Makeup Guide: Maybelline Concealers

Maybelline is known for making some of the best concealers on the market (not just for drugstore brands)! I have not tried all of the concealers Maybelline offers, however I have tried the four most popular ones and fallen in love with them! The next time you are on the hunt for a great concealer, try the Maybelline ones!

 

Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser ($8)

Everyone has at least seen or heard so many great things about this concealer. It is probably Maybelline’s best selling concealer and the one that many celebrity makeup artists love as well. I love the Neutralizer shade because it has a yellow undertone, but there are six shades including a brightener shade, which is more pink toned. This concealer has twist up packaging and a sponge applicator, so it feels really good to apply. The product itself is very thin, but has light to medium coverage and feels very comfortable on the under eye area. I also like to use this concealer when I am in a hurry and just want to look more awake because I do not need to set it with a powder. The only downside to this product is that while it claims to be a “dark circle treatment concealer”, I do not find that my dark circles have diminished, but I still love the product.

 

Superstay Better Skin ($8)

This option is also fantastic. It is a little bit thicker in consistency and is on the fuller coverage side. This concealer is offered in six shades as well. I have olive skin and the light/ medium shade is perfect for concealing my under eye area as well as blemishes on my face. I really love this concealer because it DOES NOT CREASE if you set it with a powder. If you are going to get one concealer from Maybelline, I really recommend this one.

 

Fit Me ($5)

This is another Maybelline concealer that is a favorite. The consistency is more liquidy than the Better Skin one, but the coverage is the same. This concealer is a great dupe for the NARS creamy concealers. Another cool thing about this product is that they are awesome for cream contouring because they are not extremely thick and blend out really easily. If you are knew to cream contouring, I really recommend these concealers becuase they are fool proof. This concealer also comes in six shades.

 

Master Conceal ($8)

This concealer is the thickest and most full coverage out of the bunch. If you like that extreme full coverage concealer look, then this will be your go-to. You definitely need to set this concealer with a powder or it will crease on you, but the coverage is great and it does not look cake-y.

 

 

 

 

YouTube Made Me Buy It: Morphe 35O Palette

Morphe is a much talked about makeup brand within the YouTube beauty community, especially this eyeshadow palette- the Morphe 35O palette ($23). They are originally known for their fantastic, yet inexpensive brushes, however they have been killing it recently with their eyeshadow game. This palette is geared towards people who are really into warm shadows (especially the orange-y shades). There is absolutely nothing cool- toned about it! It is a combination of mattes, shimmers, and metallics (although they did recently release a 35O all matte palette and a 35O all shimmer palette).

Beauty vloggers and people I knew personally kept raving about this palette and how awesome it was, so of course I had to buy it for myself. I am a sucker for warm neutrals and reddish/ orange-y shadows and if you are too, then you need this palette in your life! 

 

Honestly, you could survive for the rest of your life with just this palette. Just by looking at it, the variety of eyeshadow looks you could get out of this thing are endless. It gives you so many options for transition shades, lid shades, and shades to deepen up the crease and “outer V” of the eye.

The pigmentation of these shadows are out of this world! They are so incredibly pigmented it is almost hard to believe this whole palette is less than $25! The metallic and shimmer shades are ridiculously gorgeous and are so “buttery” and smooth. They look and feel expensive. The matte shades are just as pigmented. The matte shades to have a little bit of fallout, but that is to be expected with shadows that are so pigmented. These shadows are not patchy (use eyeshadow primer of course) and blend really easily. Another great thing about this palette is the size of the pans. They are larger than MAC eyeshadows, so you are getting a lot of product! Morphe does sell individual eyeshadows for $2, but the only downside is that the ones in the 35O palette cannot be found individually, they are exclusive to this palette.

I highly recommend this palette and think it is totally worth the hype! It is very versatile and just a fantastic eyeshadow palette to have in your collection if these are the kinds of eye looks you go for. I am planning on posting an eye look using only this palette soon!