The Lust List: Summer Edition

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer:
This is one of those products that has been on my shopping list forever.  I always swatch it in store, get excited, put it in my basket and then put it back every time, thinking to myself "I'll just get it next time!"  It has a beautiful consistency and is supposed to have the technology in it to diffuse light, and soften your completion.  Retail: $32.00

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Polish:
I find that my skin always clears up in the summer time; it's amazing what a little sunshine and vitamin D can do for your complexion!  I always like to revamp my skin care routine around this time of year and I'm yet to find an exfoliant that I absolutely love.  First Aid Beauty (FAB) is a brand that's new to me and this facial polish (doesn't that sound fancy?) uses natural exfoliants that are supposed to be gentle enough to use daily.  Sounds to me that it could potentially become a new summer skin care essential.  Retail: $30.00

Buxom Show Some Skin Weightless Foundation:
I've been using my Naked Skin Foundation on a daily basis but as the weather gets warmer I think I need something with a natural finish and offers some SPF protection!  I love BB creams and this foundation claims to "combine the benefits of BB and foundation with light to medium coverage and SPF 30"  which sounds pretty damn good to me.  Retail: $41.00

Benefit Gimme Brow:
I love the idea of this product; it's meant to give you a natural brow effortlessly, which I like (who doesn't), and it's waterproof.  I've read some great reviews and I think it would be perfect for summer time when I want to do the bare minimum but still look put together.  Retail: $26.00

Benefit POREfessional:
(Not pictured) This is another one of those products that has been on my shopping list for so long.  I received a sample with purchase from Sephora a hundred years ago and immediately fell in love.  It probably has the best texture out of all the primers I've tried... But it seems that primers are always the things I put off purchasing.  I guess I would rather buy a powder or a foundation than something that goes underneath it.  Retail: $37.00

Have you tried any of these products? What's on your wishlist this season? 

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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.

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xoxo

Spoil Your Mumma for Under $50

Mother's Day is coming up quickly (Sunday, May 11) and each year I find that it gets harder and harder to come up with something that shows my mum how much I appreciate her.  Thus,  I thought it would be a good idea to compile a list of pretty things my diva mum likes in hopes it will help you find something perfect for your fabulous mum (that won't break the bank)!

1. Lush Bath Bombs: What is better than the gift of relaxation? No honestly! Is there anything better?  Lush has a huge selection of handmade natural bath bombs each formulated for different reasons- mosturizing, sleep inducing, calming- and their range of scents is anywhere from lavender and florals to sweet candies.  Basically there's something for everyone.  My favorite is Butterball which is made with cocoa butter to moisturize the skin.  They range in price anywhere from $3.95- $12.95
2. Lush Bubble Bars:  Along the same lines, Lush has a line of bubble bars which I think are very unique.  Opposed to traditional liquid bubble bath- you crumble a portion of the solid bar into running water and it suds up your tub!  Similar to the bombs there are all sorts of scents and each is formulated with unique oils to serve different purposes.  Pictured above is Sunny Side, which disolves into beautiful shimmery golden water and is full of citrus oils and vitamin D.  They range in price from $4.95- $12.95.
3. YSL Rouge Volupte Shine: These lipsticks are so luxurious.  The Volupte Shine feel like butter on the lips and look like they are fit for a queen.  They provide a sheer wash of comfortable color which is perfect for a busy working mum.  They retail at Sephora for $39 and are availble in 19 different shades.   
4. Fragrance:  I believe fragrances are one of the best gifts.  Rollerballs are great to stash in purses and desks and usual average at about $25- $40 (Nest's "Midnight Fleur" is shown above, $30).  Or, if you're unsure about what type of fragrance your mum may like mini fragrance collections make great gifts.  The Coach Mini set (shown above) includes deluxe samples of four Coach Poppy fragrances for $48 and even better is that often retailers like Sephora or Shopper's Drug Mart have Fragrance Sampler promos that include multiple small samples that you can try and then later exchange for a full size of your favorite!
5. Flowers: It may seem cliche but Mother's Day is in May when tulips and daffodils are blooming and beautiful.  A bouquet of bright Spring flowers is always a good idea and the perfect gift if you and your mum live in different cities. Simply call a local florist and have a bouquet delivered to her door!

Splurge

1. Naked 2:  My sister and I bought this palette for our mum for her birthday in December and she loves it.  She uses it every single day and has already hit pan on a few of the shadows.  Neutral palettes likes these make great gifts for mums because they are full of wearable every day shades.  We chose Naked 2 because the cool taupe shades happen to suit our mum's style the best but there are three unique Naked palettes, each retailing for $62.
2. Full size Fragrance: Once again, I believe fragrance makes a great gift, so if you have a little extra money to spend this month upgrade that rollerball to a full size bottle of a brand new scent .  Alien by Thierry Mugler is one of my mum's recent favorites.  It's a rich woody scent with floral notes.
3. Dinner and Drinks: Finally, one of my favorite things to do with my mum on any occasion is take her out on a mother- daughter date.  There's nothing your mum will love better then spending time with you, especially if you don't see her very often! So take her out somewhere nice and treat her to a delicious meal.  

I also thought it was worth mentioning that every year my sister and I get together to organize gifts for our mum.  This way, together, we can afford something a little nicer that we wouldn't have been able to apart!

What are you getting your mumma for Mother's Day?

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