#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: About Me

Here I am... Late again with another #Bloggersdoitbetter post.  Sometimes I'm too busy for my own good.

The topic we were given was Lifestyle...and I thought there would no better time to kick my butt into gear and write my "About Me" section for my blog! Please check it out and let me know what you think! 

Took me long enough to write it... That's for sure!

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |

xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: Dream Vanity and Organization Inspiration

Those who know me already know that I have a major makeup storage issue!  

If I had it my way I would have a small makeup room where I could get ready in the morning, blog, and maybe even do my homework during the school year.  My own little space!  However, since living in a small apartment doesn't really give me this option I am taking baby steps in order to create the space I want.  

I currently store my makeup on the floor *gasp* haha, but I'm telling the truth, this is real life!  I keep most of products cluttered around the base of a floor length mirror where I sit on the floor and get ready.  Then the majority of my lip products are in a small organizer and crammed into a few empty candle jars on top of the smallest IKEA dresser you've ever seen.  It's a tragedy.  

When I have the opportunity (and cash flow) to do so I am going to re-do my space and invest in a vanity, some decor, and most importantly organization.  Below I have included some Instagram photos that serve as inspiration for what I would love my space to be. 

In a perfect world I would have cute prints; have you seen Joanna Pop's work on Instagram?! To die for, and she's Canadian!  A large framed mirror and great lighting (of course).  I would have a large white desk, drawers or no drawers it wouldn't matter because sitting on top of it would be a *drumroll please* Original Beauty Box! Which I am ordering soon! Woo hoo!  As well as an acrylic lipstick organizer, and a large stylish tray with all my fragrance sitting pretty inside. 

Like I said the first step I am taking is ordering an Original Beauty Box but I am still deciding between the Original (four drawer) and Deluxe (five drawer, shown above) sizes!  Which do you think I should order?  

I'll have to wake up from my day dream now! I hope you enjoyed this post and I would love to know how do you like to store your makeup? What does your dream vanity look like?

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |

xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: Finding The Perfect Bronzer

Bronzers are beautiful; when using a product that compliments your skin tone can achieve the perfect sun-kissed glow.  However, the trick can be finding the right product in order to avoid looking orange, muddy, or dirty.

To help with your search here are four tips/ tricks to find and apply the perfect bronzer:

Know the difference between contouring and bronzing 
Contouring is the strategic placement of bronzing products in order to make your face look slimmer, your nose smaller, and your cheek bones more pronounced.  Contouring is generally done in the hollows of your cheeks (right under the cheekbones), your hair line, down the sides of your nose, and along your jaw line. A good contour mimics a shadow so as a general rule using a cool-toned brown is best.

Bronzing is dusting bronzer around the areas of face that the sun naturally hits, giving you an all over glow and a slight tan.  Around your hairline, above and on your cheekbones, and down the center of your nose. In contrast to contouring, warm browns are best when bronzing because a tan adds warmth to your skin tone and warm colors will look the most natural.


Using the right tool
For contouring purposes a small and precise brush works best.  Popular among many is the NARS Ita Brush, but it seems hard to get your hands on.  I rarely contour but when I do I chose the MAC 109 rounded contour brush, or the Sigma F86 Tapered Kabuki (which is technically a concealer brush but the dense tapered brush makes application easy)

While bronzing your face a larger fluffy brush will give you a sunkissed glow and ensure you apply an even amount of product.  One of my favorites is the Real Techniques Blush Brush.  It's also a tapered, tulip shaped brush with synthetic hairs that diffuse colors seamlessly into the skin.


Choosing a shade
When choosing a bronzer look for a product 2 shades darker than your skin tone.  This will ensure it's not too dark, which can become muddy; or too light, which may not show up at all.

Like mentioned briefly above it is also important to note the undertones of the products your choosing.  On lighter skin products that are too warm in tone can appear orange.  On most skin tones a golden bronze will work, but if you're really fair (with cool, pink undertones) a more peach tone will compliment you nicely.


Choosing a finish
Once again, generally speaking there are three finishes to chose from:

Matte: Best for contouring, or also what I reach for when I'm using a blush with a lot of shimmer in it.  When using a matte bronzer you run the risk of looking flat, which is why I pair it with a shimmer blush or a highlight.  I like Too Faced Chocolate Soleil in Medium/ Deep but there is also a Light/ Medium shade for lighter skin tones.
Satin: The most natural looking finish.  My favorite go- to bronzer right now is MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Dark Golden.  Not technically a "bronzing powder," but since it is a skin finish (two shades darker than my skin tone!) it's a very natural- looking option.  It blends like a dream and gives the sun-kissed glow we've been talking about.  Satin finishes will also be the most forgiving if you go a little overboard.
Shimmer: Beautiful for the summer time; a bronzer with a shimmer in it will give you a glowing highlighted effect.  NARS Laguna Bronzer is my go to product for a glow-y look as the powder blends out beautifully and isn't too shimmery.  L'Oreal Glam Bronze in Brunettes is a more budget friendly option that gives a beautiful highlighted flush of color to the skin.  

Choosing a finish is completely a personal preference so don't be afraid to play around and try a variety of products in order to find one that works before for you.  Although you can find excellent products in the drug store I'm a strong believer in shopping in places like Sephora that have associates to help you test and try on product (and even return them within 30 days if it's not working for you)

What are you favorite bronzers/ bronzing products? Which finish do you prefer?

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful sunshine.

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |
xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: Wearable Orange {A Summer Trend Pictorial}

Since this week's #Bloggersdoitbetter is focusing on trends, I wanted to try and put together my first ever pictorial on what, in my opinion, is a very wearable orange eye look.  This has been my go to look when I want something quick that is achievable in 10 minutes and still looks cute/ put together. 

1. Prime eye lid with an eye shadow primer.
2. Apply Makeup Geek Beaches and Cream and Creme Brulee liberally into the crease using a large blending brush.  These colors will act as a transition shade and pull your entire look together when you're finished.  Any warm peachy color close to your skin tone will work.  
3. Spray Fix+ onto both sides of a shading brush and pack Trick, a warm copper orange from Urban Decay's Naked3, all over the lid.  The Fix+ will create a foiled look, make the pigmentation pop, and help the longevity of the shadow.    
4. Going in with Makeup Geek's Cocoa Bear (a reddish brown) on a pencil brush place it into the crease and the outer v, concentrating the color on the outer third of your eye.  This will give the look some depth.  Then going in with the same fluffy blending brush, blend out any harsh lines or misplaced product from the previous steps.
5. Using Strange, the matte highlight shade, from the Naked3 palette highlight under the brow bone and the inner corner of the eye.  Apply any mascara of your choice and you're done!

OPTIONAL: To take this look up a notch, or transition it easily from daytime to nighttime use the same pencil brush and Cocoa Bear to smoke out the lower lash line.  Use a black gel eyeliner to create winged liner, and apply a shimmer highlight to the inner corner to brighten your eyes more.

I seem to have done a terrible job photographing this look because the photos don't do Trick any justice.  It's a beautiful shadow on it's own, but combined with the Fix+ it becomes such a beautiful bright orange copper. What I think makes this look so wearable is that although the colors are all very warm toned, and well orangey they are still neutrals and compliment each other beautifully.  

Products used/ not mentioned above:

Primer: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Brushes: Sigma E40, E55, E30  (Read my review here)

Mascara: Bare Minerals Lash Domination

Don't forget to check out the other #Bloggersdoitbetter Trend posts being published today/ tomorrow and search the hashtag on Twitter to connect with all the bloggers involved! 

Happy Monday!

xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: MAC Dupes

Bargain:
noun

Something bought or offered for sale cheaper than usual or expected.
Creating a look for less 

 Or... my first thought: dupes.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm vs. MAC Matte Lipstick

Revlon (left) vs. MAC (right)

One of my favorite drug store products are the Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms, they're pigmented, they last a long time, and they're crayons! I'm a big fan of crayon style lipsticks or balms because they're not only cute but easy to work with. My sister introduced me to the Matte Balm line when she bought me "Shameless" for my birthday around Christmas time last year and when I went in to swatch the rest of the line I couldn't help but recognize a lot of similarities between them and some iconic MAC matte colors.  I chose five of what I believe to be the closest color dupes.

Starting from the left:
Revlon Standout vs. MAC Viva Glam I
Standout tends to be a bit brighter on first swatch but you can build the color up to be almost a dead ringer for Viva Glam I, which has been sold by MAC since 1994(!)  A deep dark red which is classically beautiful, especially when paired  with a bold winged liner.
Revlon Sultry vs. MAC Craving and Twig
This is the shade that inspired this post. I picked it up from a local Shopper's and when I got home I noticed it was similar to my MAC Twig lipstick (far right), but I also thought it seemed similar to Craving (swatched directly to the right of Sultry and on my wish list.) Craving, even though it is an Amplified finish, is a much closer match because they are both more rosier- pink whereas Twig, a satin finish, is much more of a muted brown pink.
Striking vs. Lady Danger
I'm loving this red- orange shades especially for summer.  I find Lady Danger to be a bit bolder and orange-r on first swipe but once again Striking is easily built up for a bolder color.

(Striking/ Lady Danger repeated)

Shameless vs. Heroine

I've seen these two compared before and although they are similar were the biggest stretch for a match in my opinion.  Shameless is a tad darker and it is the only one who's texture is a bit chalky and uneven. 

Showy vs. Candy Yum Yum 

Finally, this is the match I was most excited about.  The colors truly are an exact match.  Showy is everything cult followed Candy Yum Yum is famous for a bright, neon, matte, blue- based pink.  It just may be my next purchase as I have been dabbling with Candy Yum Yum for a long time.  

Direct Comparisons:

	Revlon	MAC
Pigmentation	Bold and buildable	Bold
Scent	Peppermint	Vanilla
Longevity	Long wearing	Long wearing
Price	$6.99- $11.99 CDN	$19 CDN

My only dislike of the Revlon Matte Balms is the scent.  It throws me off to have such a bold color smell like a peppermint chapstick.  However, considering the price difference, I think I can get over it or at least work around it.  One final note is when washing the swatches off my arm I couldn't help but be impressed with both brand's staying power.  I took this photo after scrubbing them with a makeup removing wipe!

Don't forget to search #Bloggersdoitbetter on Twitter to find out how other "Bloggers Do Bargains Better"!

xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: Going Nude This Spring

You may have heard about (or seen) the "Bloggers Do it Better Challenge" recently that Gemma from Touch of Belle has so wonderfully orchestrated.  When I heard about it over Twitter I thought it was a great opportunity for a newbie like me to not only continue to be inspired and have motivation for my posts but also connect with like-minded bloggers.  

What's unique about this challenge is that Gemma provides us with very broad topics- for example, the first one (this one!) is "Bloggers Do Spring Better" which allows each participant to have a creative license and write about absolutely anything and everything.  As a result a network of  connected blog posts with the same theme is established. I love it!

I've been thinking about this post for a long time and I'm almost embarrassed about how late it is- considering it was supposed to be posted this past Monday.  However, since I've been so incredibly busy with a full time practicum and am just now finding the time to sit down and focus on myself for a second I figured it was better to be late than never! *drumroll*

Blogger Do Spring Better: Going Nude

A trend that I've noticed and loved this spring is nude which actually something that is a little new to me.  Is it not the constant struggle to find the perfect nude?  

Maybelline's Dare to Go Nude Limited Edition Spring Collection

Sephora's nude picks for Spring as seen on Instragram

This being said I think when the weather warms up everybody needs some color! Thus for my first even Bloggers Do it Better post I have decided to marry the nude Spring trend with beautiful shades of rose-y pink, and gold with my top Spring picks!

Lips:

A little while ago I was doing a "Lip Duo" tag on Instagram, in which I featured everyone of these little beauties while talking about Nudes.  I can't help it. I love them.  I think the one thing they share universally is how comfortable they are- which is really important to me!  

From left to right:

NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu: This gloss is perfection.  It's just light enough to wash over a dark color to lighten it up for day time and just dark enough to deepen a lighter color.  Plus, just as the name indicates the texture is butter.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Sultry:  I found that this color is very similar to Mac Twig Satin lipstick (I have a comparison post in the mix) but much more of a rosey shade.  The earthy/brown undertones make it easy to wear day- to- day.  This is the closest I've come to a "my lips but better" color.

MAC Lustre lipstick in Naked Bud: This lipstick is limited edition from the Fantasy of Flowers collection released recently.  It's described as a "neutral sheer nude" on the Mac website.  Personally, I find it has just a hint peach undertones which is perfect and what I think makes it the only true nude lipstick I've ever purchased.  The lustre finish is so comfortable and honestly I have nothing negative to say. Well, actually, It wouldd be nice if it wore a little longer but I take beautiful color over longevity any day.  I like to pair it with either my NYX Tiramisu gloss or Mac Nymphette for more of a golden-peach color.

Tiramise, Sultry, Naked Bud

Cheeks:

From left to right:

MAC Warm Soul: This is the definition of the perfect blush.  It's universal.  I can reach for this color no matter what my lip/ eye color is and it never fails me.  It's a beige toned blush with the smallest flecks of gold shimmer.  In the winter I sometimes skip bronzer and just dust this along my cheeks for a healthy glow.  

MAC Superb:  Another limited edition MAC product from the Magnetic Nude collection and also the first ever Extra-Dimension Skin Finish I tried.  What I love about this is it's almost impossible to overdo when you apply it with a brush or like below you can apply it with your finger for a much more concentrated pigment-  both on the cheekbones or directly over blush you just glow. Its beige-y, it's peach-y, its even purple-y in some lights.  Whatever it is it I can't get enough.

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil:  Not the first time I've mentioned this bronzer! (Read more about it here)  Well suited to the name it is a milk chocolate-y shade, soft, natural, blendable. Did I miss anything??  What I have been doing lately when I'm in a rush is taking my Real Techniques blush brush (any tulip shaped blush would work) and mixing both Warm Soul and Chocolate Soleil on my brush applying it in a tapered shape to my cheek bones.  Boom.  Instant fool-proof cheeks.

Warm Soul, Superb, Chocolate Soleil

Eyes:

From left to right:

Naked 3: The infamous naked palettes.  How can you talk about nudes without mentioning them?  I got my Naked 3 palette from my loving boyfriend at Christmas this year. I chose not to swatch it because you can find thousands and thousands of similar photos with a quick Google search.  The versatility of this palette is unreal.  The rose- gold theme makes it unique enough to be able to create a look exclusively with its colors or complement any other shadows in your collection. 

Urban Decay in Sin: When I think Spring and Summer I think cream products.  So I decided to chose two cream shadows and bases to include in my Spring picks.  This primer potion is actually the sample I received within my Naked palette but I've been keeping it in a sample pot to get the most use of it.  The color is so beautiful that I will sometimes just wear it alone with some mascara, but pair it under any of the Naked 3 shades and you've struck gold.     

Maybelline 24H Color Tattoo in Pure Nude: I heard alot about these color tattoos before I decided to finally go out and actually try one.  I picked the lightest color "Pure Nude" which may or may not be limited edition with their Dare to Go Nude collection I pictured above.  I think this shade is comparable but just a touch lighter to Mac's Paint Pot in Bare Study which my mum has used for years under her shadows.  The formula is super blendable so the only issue I took with this is I found if I wore it alone with no shadow on top it creases after a few hours.  What I love about any light cream shade like this is it is not only beautiful by itself but will also intensify the colors of any pigments you place on top.

Sin, Pure Nude

Nails:

Finally, my favorite manicure lately is Essie Eternal Optimist which is an oldie but a goodie.  I think of it as kind of a dusty rose shade. Which sound un-appealing but is actually really flattering on your nails (especially if you have more of a tan/olive undertone in your skin like moi) and since I'm a sucker for an accent nail Nicole OPI The Next CEO gives a pop of sparkle. 

Oh Spring, love love love.  Writing this has me so excited for the change of seasons.  Thank you again Gemma for organizing such a great project.  I look forward to the next one and I promise to be on time! If you are interested in seeing any of the other Spring interpretations (they range from cooking, to personal memories, to beauty, etc.) search #BloggersDoItBetter on Twitter and maybe even get involved yourself or if you have already published one send me your link below!

xoxo