Recent Drugstore Finds!

I gathered up some of the new (well, new to me) drugstore products I've found on sale at various places that I wanted to try out! I rarely buy anything full priced; I wait for it to go on sale, look for coupons or go somewhere where I know the price will be cheaper like Target or Walmart. Actual drugstores like Walgreens or CVS  can be so expensive! Here's a look at products I've picked up:

I got the Maybelline Pure BB Cream in Light, because I've heard great things about how this version is better for oily skin since it has salicylic acid in it. After wearing it a few times, I do like it for days when I don't want full on make up but just something to even my skin tone. It's a little more matte and has more coverage than other BB creams I've tried, which is definitely a plus!

Top: swatch blended out

Next, I've been OBSESSED with this Nyx Prismatic Eye Shadow in Fireball! It's a fantastic metallic orange-red copper shade that feels so creamy to the touch. I have found that they do crease a bit, but using a good eye shadow primer should fix that. I want to go back to get more shades!

Two lipsticks I've picked up recently is another Nyx High Voltage Lipstick in Stone and Rimmel London Lipstick in Airy Fairy. Stone is a nude beige, which is trending right now, and looks nice on it's own for a very nude lip or mixed with brighter lipsticks to mute them a little. Airy Fairy is a nude pink that has a satin, almost slightly frosted finish. The finish doesn't bug me too much because the color is beautiful for when I want a lighter pink nude lip instead of my usual mauve toned nudes.

Nyx High Voltage Lipstick in Stone

Rimmel Airy Fairy

Lastly, I've always wanted to try the L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Blushes! I got the shade Baby Blossom, because I don't have any cool toned, light pink blushes and I've heard it's a dupe for the Benefit Dandelion blush. It's really soft and blendable, but isn't super pigmented so it takes a few layers for the color to show up on my skin for a faint wash of color. I think it'll look so pretty in the winter when I'm at my fairest.

That's everything I've picked up recently from the drugstore! Have anything you've been loving lately? 

P.S. Tonight is the last night of Shark Week! So sad. I've been watching it every night and has been my favorite part of summer for years. Fins up for Shark Week! :)

Coastal Scents Forever Blushes

Blush is one of my favorite makeup items; there is just something magical about applying blush to make my face look alive and healthy! I do admit though that I can get a little carried away and go heavy handed on the blush. I just can't help myself. Annnnnnnyways, I found these three gems that I totally forgot about and started using again!

Let's take a closer look at the Coastal Scents Forever Blushes!

I only own three out of the 18 blushes in the Forever line: Poetic, Beautiful and Passionate. There is a wide variety of colors and finishes to suit every skin tone! These powder blushes are long-wearing and highly pigmented, and come in a cute compact and half mirror in the lid. They are $7.95 each but I got mine when they were 50% off so they were only $3.95! Still, under 8 bucks for a blush that is going to last you a forever is worth it and is on par with most drugstore blushes. 

Poetic is a satin finish. nude- peach with a little gold sheen. It blends well on the cheeks and gives the cheeks a subtle peachy color with a little glow. Great for summer! I wore it today actually. :)

Beautiful is a matte, dusty rose blush that gives a nice pink- mauve color to the cheeks. This shade is my typical go-to shade and is what I'm drawn to the most. They named it beautiful for a reason!

Passionate is a matte, deep burgundy that is dark and intense! A little goes a long way with this one, and because you only need the tiniest amount I find it's a little harder to blend. But it's absolutely gorgeous in the winter and resembles the flush you get after being in the cold. Even though it's harder to work with, it's so worth it and is one of my favorites.

I eventually want to order some other shades in the future because these are great, affordable, long-wearing blushes. I definitely recommend! Checkout the Coastal Scents website frequently; they are always having sales!

Have you tried any of them? Have a favorite shade? Sound off in the comments!

xoxo

Jessica

Must-Have Brushes

When I first started using makeup on a regular basis, I had probably a max of three or four brushes: a powder brush, blush brush and two kinds of eye shadow brushes. Oh boy has that changed! I especially feel like I have a never ending brush collection when it comes time to washing them all. I pulled out a few brushes that are staples in my collection and that I HAVE to use almost everyday.

Not pictured: My Beauty Blender because it was GROSS looking, but it's a MUST for my foundation everyday. I don't even know how to apply foundation using a brush anymore because it's the only thing I will use.

Real Techniques brushes are among my favorites for the variety of good quality synthetic brushes at an affordable price. If you're a beginner and are looking for brushes to start your collection or just want to find a specific brush for a specific function, Real Technique has it all. My favorites are the Powder Brush, Blush Brush and Sculpting Brush.

The powder brush is your basic large, fluffy yet somewhat dense powder brush that I use to set my foundation. The Blush Brush is ideal for blush and bronzer since it is a bulb shape and can get around those cheekbones no problem to deposit a smooth, even application of product. It's probably my favorite out of the three! The Sculpting Brush is fairly new and is prefect for contouring without producing harsh lines since it blends so well. Check out my post on my comparison between the e.l.f Contour Brush and this one here!

For setting my concealer and highlighting, my go to's are the e.l.f Small Stippling Brush, Real Technique Setting Brush and e.l.f Small Tapered Brush.

The Setting Brush can really get in under your eyes to powder your concealer to prevent creasing. The Small Tapered is good for setting concealer as well or for highlighting all over the face or precisely hitting the tops of the cheekbones. The Small Stippling brush I use for my cream blushes and highlighters a.k.a Colour Pop Cheek products. It's soft and gives a blended, diffused look since it;s stippled into the skin for a flawless application without disrupting your other makeup. The e.l.f Studio line of brushes is really great and are even CHEAPER than Real Techniques. These two are only $3!

Out of my gazillion eye brushes, these four are my ride-or-die favorites that I use daily. They are among the cheapest and oldest assortment of brushes but I love them. Real Techniques Shading Brush, Coastal Scents Classic Blender Crease Brush, Essential Tools Shade & Blend Brush, and a SOHO Brush that I can no longer find anywhere and I have no idea what it's called because the name has worn off. But this guy is a fluffy blending brush that has been with me for YEARS and is one of my remaining OG brushes. I don't know what I'm going to when he kicks the bucket because it's my favorite...

The Shade & Crease brush is from Walmart and is duo fiber brush that helps blend out my crease color beautifully, while the Shading brush packs on my lid color and the Coastal Scents brush helps define my 'outer v' with a darker shadow. All of these create amazing eye looks and are good brushes!

Another favorite powder brush is the EcoTools Powder Brush because it's so soft, fluffy and perfect for setting my make up with a finishing powder to blend everything together. It also has more of a paddle shape instead of the larger, more round powder brush from Real Techniques.

Those are all of my must have brushes at the moment! What are some of your favorite brushes?

xoxo

Jessica

My Favorite Mauve-Nude Lipsticks a.k.a The 'Kylie Jenner' Lip

I don't think anyone's lips have been more talked about than Kylie Jenner's'. I mean MAC Whirl lip liner is basically a legend now that everyone who goes into MAC searches for and comes out empty handed. Luckily, they just released Whirl lip liner in a matte lipstick form which I'm sure will be sold out in a heartbeat. Whether you dig it or not, it's insanely popular at the moment. I can totally see why; it's one of my favorite lip colors to wear and is my favorite type of nude. I gathered up some of my favorites, mostly drugstore, nude-mauve lipsticks to share with you all!

Colour Pop Lippie Stix in Lumiere

Nyx Round Case Lipstick in Thalia

Maybelline Creamy Matte in Touch of Spice

Nyx High Voltage Lipstick in Flutter Kiss

Milani Color Statement Moisture Matte in Matte Naked

Nyx Matte in Whipped Caviar 

MAC Lipstick in  Faux (satin)

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry 

A majority of my favorites are mattes, with only two being being a satin or glossy finish. What can I say? I've been on the matte train lately and can't seem to find the exit. 

Touch of Spice and Sultry are more on the red side of mauve-brown (they look much redder in pictures), while Matte Naked leans more brown nude. Faux is also a hair lighter and pinker than the others. Lumiere and Whipped Caviar are a darker mauve-pink brown that I absolutely adore. Personally, I think all of these are gorgeous colors and are of great quality. If you are looking for a 'Kylie' lip color that will suit your taste and skin tone, try out one of these! 

What are your favorite mauve-nude lipsticks?!

xoxo

Jessica

June 2015 Favorites!

June is coming to an end and that means it's time for my monthly favorites! Summer is in full swing and there has been some gnarly heat waves that have not been doing great things for my make up. So most of what I have been wearing this month has fantastic staying power through heat, sweat and cuts down on my face looking like an oil slick. Here we go!

Let's talk foundation. My favorite combo has been the L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte in 102 Shell Beige and L'Oreal True Match in W3. While I cannot live without my Infallible Pro-Matte, I have a love-hate relationship with True Match. When first applied it looks beautiful, skin-like, natural and has minimal dewiness that I don't mind. Four hours later, I look so greasy and foundation is sliding right off my nose and chin. But when combined with Pro-Matte, oh my gawd, so good. It lasts my full work day, even on a 100 degree day, and still looks great when I come home. 

The bronzer combo I can't stop using is my theBalm Bahama Mama and my tried and true Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls in Light Bronze. I use the Bahama Mama (which is matte) to lightly contour and the Glow Pearls (shimmery) to warm up my face. I have always repurchased the Glow Pearls when I run out because the shimmer is subtle, gives my face a nice glow and is fool proof to use since it blends out so well. When you first open it though it does have an intense glitter over spray like most Physicians Formula products do, but that is easy to dust off. Mine is well loved obviously! 

Check out my other post and swatch on the Bahama Mama bronzer here since I feel like I always talk about it!

Since blush fades the quickest for me, especially in the heat, my Colour Pop Blush in Birthday Suit has been my go to because it's staying power is fantastic. It's a nice natural pink shade that actually stays on my cheeks throughout the day. 

Since I tend to look extra oily dewy in the summer, I try not to highlight too much. The Wet n' Wild Color Icon Bronzer (really a highlighter) in Reserve Your Cabana is what I've been using almost every day. The sheen is so subtle and soft that it looks like a very natural, 'glow from within' highlight since it's more of a beige powder. Some say it's the closest dupe at the drugstore for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders and gives a similar effect at a fraction of the cost. Plus it's a huge amount of product that you get for under 4 bucks!

I've been going pretty minimal on the lips and using more lip butters/balms since my lips have been so chapped lately. The Maybelline Color Whisper in Made-It Mauve has been my favorite. It's a mauve-brown that gives my lips a wash of color and feels hydrating at the same time.

An eye shadow quad I've been obsessing over is the Maybelline Eyestudio in Copper Chic. These shadows have such a smooth, buttery feel that they almost feel like a cream! They are also super pigmented and metallic. 

My ultimate summer staple is setting spray, because without it my makeup would melt right off. My Skindinavia Bridal Setting Spray has been a life saver in this heat and helps not only keep my makeup in place but minimizes shine from oil and sweat. 

What are your favorites for this month?! 

xoxo

Jessica

High End Haul: Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette and MAC

Hey guys! These few items I've recently picked up have been on my wishlist for what feels like an eternity.I finally got the guts (and the funds) to bite the bullet and purchase them. Do they live up to my hopes and expectations? Let's find out!

Side note: this book Cindy Crawford's Basic Face is a make up book I got as a gift in 7th grade when I first started wearing make up. Though the information inside is timeless, I don't think anyone foresaw 'basic' having any other meaning in the future. So now every time I pass this book on my shelf I chuckle a little... #basic.

I have been on the hunt for a versatile, yet neutral all matte eye shadow palette for a LONG time. The Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette answered my prayers! For $46 you get 12 all matte neutral shadows that are of great quality and blend seamlessly.

Some shades are a little more powdery than others but I don't even care! They are separated into 3 "quads." The left four are neutral brown toned shadows, middle four are cool toned shadows and the last quad is warm toned browns. The warm quad is my JAM! Love reddish browns. It does not come with the brush she made to go with it though; you have to buy it separately which is a bummer. But it's not like I don't already have an over abundance of eye shadow brushes so I'm fine without it.

Is it worth the hype? Yes! Especially if you don't already own a matte palette and you prefer neutrals. Hell, I would still buy it even if I had a billion similar palettes. It's versatile and can produce a variety of looks on it's own or paired with other shimmery shades (holla at Colour Pop!).

Next I picked up the infamous MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle ($32)and MAC Lipstick in Faux ($16). Hard to believe, but these are my first MAC purchases. *Gasp*! And I call myself a make up junkie. I just haven't gotten around to it honestly and I finally caved.

Let me just say that Faux is where it's at. It's a satin finish and is that mauve brown everyone goes nuts for. Love it! Perfect nude shade for me.

Soft & Gentle is a baked highlight that is like a golden peach champagne shade that can be overpowering if not used carefully. It's a beautiful shade and will last me forever, but is it worth the hype? I don't think so. I feel like I'm about to be chased down by a hoard of MAC fans any minute for saying that.

But hear me out!

It's because I have a dupe that is literally $3, basically almost the tax amount on what you pay for Soft & Gentle. It's the e.l.f. Baked Highlighter in Blush Gems, and it is almost exactly the same. It's a tad on the warmer side towards bronze and not as finely milled but on the face it's identical to Soft & Gentle.

I say save your money and buy the e.l.f. version instead! It's basically the same but laughably cheaper. But hey, if you're a hard core MAC gal Soft & Gentle is still a beautiful highlight.

Have any suggestions for future MAC necessities? Have a product that you don't think is worth the hype? Comment!

xoxo

Jessica

Summer Nail Color Favorites

Summa' summa' summa' summatime! And that means I'm now wearing sandals or flip flops on a regular basis, exposing my toes to the world. Here are a few nail polishes I've been obsessing over lately to help my toes look fabulous!

(Kimono is from Target, and clutch is Billabong that I got from a store on the Oregon coast.)

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in 240 Babe Blue

(Periwinkle blue)

Ginger + Liz Colour Collection in Poole It Together 

(Orange toned red)

ORLY in On The Edge

(A true indigo, but my camera was picking up mostly blue)

Essie in Butler Please

(Cobalt blue)

ORLY in Push The Limit

(Neon coral)

LVX Nail Lacquer in Mynt

(Mint Green)

Look at how gorgeous and bright these are!

Most of these I got from Ulta or Target with the exception of LVX which I got in a Boxycharm here. Unfortunately I can no longer find Poole It Together from Ginger + Liz on Ulta's website but I got mine on clearance so I would dig through the bins to try to find it! My mini Essie was from a holiday set but you can buy the full size version at either store.

Orly On The Edge is to die for. It truly is indigo; a blue-purple that is distinctly neither one. In some lights it's more purple and in others it's more blue. SO COOL. It is honestly my favorite out of the bunch, and if I were to only recommend one it would be this one. Push The Limit is my favorite nail color on my toes because I love me a bright, see-it-from-space nail color on my toes in the summer. And when you want a bold nail color that isn't bright neon, Poole It Together is so nice and summery, especially paired with a super glossy top coat like the Sally Hansen 3D Shine Top Coat.

I also have been loving the light pastel shades like LVX Mynt and Sally Hansen Babe Blue because they are so light and pretty. I'm currently wearing Babe Blue now with the Sally Hansen Big Matte Top Coat.

I've either been loving a super intense glossy look or very matte, no shine at all look right now. Sally Hansen's Big Matte Top Coat and 3D Gel Shine Top Coat are great for transforming any polish into a gel like manicure or flat matte. Definitely recommend! But I do have to say the Gel Shine does take a little longer to dry so putting a quick dry polish on top of that helps seems to speed up dry time.

What are your summer polish picks? Let me know in the comments what I should pick up next!

xoxo

Jessica