Beauty

Makeup & Hair

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Finally, summer. I couldn’t be more relaxed writing this blog post. I just wrapped up a gorgeous yoga practice (Happy International Yoga Day) and now am eating an evol. Steak Burrito Bowl (they’re so delicious and good for you). Now that it’s finally warm out, I wanted to share a few of the things that help get me through summer!

  1. Jergens Skin Firming Lotion: Let’s be honest – nothing is going to get rid of cellulite. With that said, I still really like this lotion on my legs in the summer. I’m a body butter gal, but that’s too intense in the heat for me. This lotion is a little bit on the thicker side so you feel hydrated, plus it gives your skin a nice smoothing effect.
  2. Soap & Glory Instant Sunkissed Tint Body Lotion: While I’ve tried some self tanners that I really like, I’ve determined that I’m far too lazy with maintenance. Enter this lotion. It has olive undertones rather than orange so you don’t look scary, doesn’t transfer, has a hint of shimmer and smells like a tropical dream. Sold.
  3. Dermalogica Ultra Calming Mist: This mist is great if you are prone to redness. While it’s pricey, I love applying it before my makeup to tone down the redness and add a little extra hydration.
  4. Clinique Pep-Start Sunscreen: This sunscreen is perfect under makeup and is great by itself. It has the slightest yellow tint to help even out your skin and has SPF 50.
  5. Nad’s Body Wax Strips: I’ve tried the Sally Hansen strips, which are so painful, and the Nair strips, which didn’t remove a thing for me, and these are the best. The strip is soft like fabric, not stiff and plastic feeling like other at-home waxes. While these are for body, I’ve cut them up before for my eyebrows. Definitely recommend.
  6. Tweezerman Step-To-It Foot File: This foot file helps keep your feet sandal ready. It has two sides depending on what you need for your at-home pedicure.

Now, a giveaway! I’ve teamed up with 3 of my blogger friends for a HUGE makeup giveaway worth over $200! To enter, check out the Instagram post here. Good luck!

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Marc Jacobs Beauty has always intrigued me, but I haven’t ever been excited enough over any of the products to try one out. When I saw the summer line though, I knew I’d be picking something up. Coconut and almond are two of my favorite scents so when the Coconut line launched, I was all over it. It was meant to be because I was lucky enough to be in the Influenster #CoconutGlow Vox Box. Thank you to Influenster for sending this to test!

Let’s get the cost aside – this is a PRICEY puppy. It’s $44 for .8 oz of product. To compare to another high-end liquid highlighter, the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is $41 for 1.7 oz. However, a little bit of this goes a long way, so I don’t know that you’d ever run out.

This swatch is taken in natural light. Obviously, it’s stunning. A lot of liquid highlighters fall flat when it comes to delivering a bright, shimmering highlight and not just a dewy glow. This gives you a true beaming highlight without having to top a powder over it.

Sephora’s website describes Dew You? as a “Golden Peach,” but I disagree. I think it’s just true gold. It isn’t too warm or cool, it’s just a pure gorgeous gold. You can see that Champagne Pop is a little warmer and slightly peachier. Opal overall is best for medium to dark skin tones.

Now this products biggest strength is that the Marc Jacobs is SMUDGE PROOF! Let me tell you, I really tried to rub this swatch but it does not budge. If you have oily skin and have always wanted to try a liquid highlighter, this is the product for you. This one is not melting off your face, even in the summer heat.

So what do you think of the Coconut line. Are you picking anything up? Let me know!

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For a very long time, foundation was my least favorite makeup item. Aside from some severe dark circles under my eyes, my overall complexion is pretty even, so foundation wasn’t always something that excited me. Plus, when you’re as pale as I am, foundation isn’t always your friend. I’m going to take you through my 4 favorite foundations from the drugstore, each with a different finish to fit your skin.

L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte: $12.99, 12 shades

Covergirl Ready, Set, Gorgeous: $7.99, 7 shades

Neutrogena Healthy Skin: $13.99, 14 shades

L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow: $12.99, 12 shades

Here the shades are watched next to a drop of The Body Shop’s Lightening Drops so you can see how they compare to something that’s nearly white.

L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte: Full coverage, 12-hour wear minimum. This stuff gives you no-joke coverage. If you have oily skin, this is your dream. If you have anything less than oily skin, make sure you moisturize well. If you need to make it a little less matte, this mixes beautifully with its sibling the Pro-Glow.

Covergirl Ready, Set, Gorgeous: Medium coverage, 8-hour wear. This foundation has a beautiful natural finish. What I love most is that when it does start to break up, it continues to look natural and doesn’t look like a hot mess.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin: Sheer-Medium coverage, 6-hour wear. This foundation is best for those that just want to add a healthy glow without a ton of coverage.

L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow: Medium coverage, 8-hour wear…ish. With this foundation, I really notice that a primer makes all the difference. A good primer and this will last for 8+ hours. Don’t prime and you’re looking at only 6 hours.

All of these are the lightest shade, with the exception of the Covergirl. This is the second from the lightest. You can see that the L’Oreal are very neutral, with the Pro-Matte almost running slightly pink. The Neutrogena has a lot of yellow and the Covergirl runs slightly orange. Even if a foundation is a little off for you, just remember concealer can help turn things around and your look will come together once the rest of your makeup is done.

What’s your favorite foundation? Let me know down below!

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It’s only been a month since my last empties…I’m burning through things quickly! Like last month’s I’ll keep this one short and just hit the highlights, along with one giant fail.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Intense Moisture Serum: I am so in love with this serum! It disappeared for awhile and I was so thrilled when it came back (they just redid the packaging). It adds an extra boost of lightweight moisture, making it the perfect addition to your skincare routine or prepping the skin before makeup.

e.l.f. Cleansing Cloths: These makeup wipes have truly changed the game for me. I have never been a fan of makeup wipes – most are either scratchy, irritating or don’t actually take enough makeup off to make it worth my while. These are the opposite of all of my previous complaints with makeup wipes.

Redken Blonde Idol Shampoo: This shampoo makes your hair so soft that you can skip on the conditioner if you really want. It makes a great lather and smells amazing. My only problem with it is that the slight purple tint isn’t enough to really counteract any brassiness that comes through, so you’ll need something more potent if you’re trying to keep your hair cool.

Pacifica Dreamy Youth Day & Night Face Cream: I used this moisturizer on vacation and it kept reminding me of another skincare scent I used to use. I couldn’t pinpoint it until I read “floral stem cells” on the packaging. Immediately I knew it smelled like Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream. If you want the luxury of rose without the crazy price tag, this Pacifica moisturizer is for you.

e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Sponge Trio: NOPE! These sponges are absolutely terrible. I feel so bad saying that, but they are. Despite being extremely hard, they still manage to absorb all of your product and remove it from the skin, leaving you without anything to blend. Just go for the Real Techniques sponges and you’ll be fine.

If you have any questions on some of the other products you see above, let me know in the comments down below!

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