Currently obsessed: flawlessly nude

Hi all!

I've had quite the interesting spring break. We finally moved into our new house! I'll save you guys the boring details, but the move went well even though the drive was long and dramatic. Literally I almost got into a car accident after witnessing one two cars in front of me, and then a bus almost hit me. Thankfully everyone was alright and my car has good brakes. :-)

But anyway, the whole time I was on break I've been wearing the same look and been reaching for the same products, so I wanted to share it with you guys since I love it so much. Sound cool?

First off is my Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra foundation. I plan on doing an in-depth review on this little nugget, but I really like the flawless look it gives me. Keep your eye out for a full review with swatches and such soon :-) Along with Lancôme's foundation, I've been testing out the widely raved about Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in the pink brightening shade. I use this under my beloved Maybelline Fit Me concealer to brighten up my eyes. I've actually been reaching for this instead of my Bobbi Brown corrector, which is crazy since I have religiously relied on that product to help conceal my dark circles ever since I bought it. I'm not sure I would say that it's a dupe for the expensive corrector, but it has been doing the job just fine for under ten dollars. Next is a new find for me, which is Rimmel's Exaggerate Full Color Lip Liner in 032 Innocent. I've never been big on lip liners before, but I love this. It's a small detail that can polish any look. It looks fantastic with my favorite nude lipstick (read about it here), and it's super cheap. Hallelujah. And to pull of my flawless, nude look, I've been absolutely loving the blush elavated from the Tarte Be MATTEnificient palette. It's a very natural yet still noticeable matte color that is unlike any other blush I own. It paired along with my favorite nude lip combo and a subtle smoky eye is a match made in heaven.

What have you been loving lately? Tell me about it!

-rachel j

NARS The Multiple

(above) one layer of NARS the Multiple in undress me, (below) blended out with finger

Hi guys!

A while back before the new NARS Matte Multiples came out, I got this one in undress me, which is a nice light pink with silver glitter. Sephora's website describes them as an "All-in-one, cream-to-powder, multipurpose makeup stick." I hadn't heard much about them, and I love their powder blushes so I thought it would be a cool thing to try. 

Honestly y'all, I'm not blown away.

Whenever I apply this directly to my cheeks and blend it out with my finger, it smears my foundation around. Not what I had in mind. I've read reviews by fellow beauty bloggers who really like this product, and I think it may just be this color, but the pigmentation is barely there. It looks good when you initially put it on or swatch it, but as soon as you blend it out the color is gone. All that's left is a sea of little silver glitter. I like glitter, but I'd like for the color to stay too. I've tried applying it to my fingers first and then dabbing it on my cheeks but to no avail. I've heard some people using a synthetic stippling brush; tried that, same results. I'm aware that this is a light pink, but I am very pale, and if it doesn't show up on my skin I don't know whose it will. It's just so sheer I don't know if it's worth it to me.
I've tried layering it, and it does make it more visible, but at that point the glitter starts to get everywhere. The glitter is by no means obnoxious; in fact I quite like the sheen it gives me, but it still didn't live up to my hopes. You can also use this on your lips, but I find it way too drying for that.

All in all, this shade is disappointing. I'll continue to use it, but I'll definitely be layering other blushes on top to get more color out of it. Hopefully the other shades are more promising, but I think I'll just be sticking with their powder blushes for now. 

What do you think about the multiples? Do you like them? Let me know your thoughts below xx

-rachel j

Spring break: beach makeup must-haves

Hi everyone!

I can't believe it's March already, and that it's getting into spring break season! My spring break started yesterday, which seems so early. Anyway, since I figured some of you might be going on vacation soon, I decided to make a post all about what kind of beauty products I would bring along for a trip to the beach. Let's get into it!

FACE- Simple with spf

Whenever I'm on vacation or hanging out in the sun, I just want to have something on that evens out my skintone while protecting it at the same time. I really like Garnier's BB Cream- it has really nice coverage, a matte finish and spf 20. Best drugstore BB cream I've tried so far.
It's also nice to bring along a multipurpose concealer. Maybelline's Fit Me concealer in shade 15 works for my undereyes and any spots that happen to pop up.

EYES- Quick and waterproof
For eyebrows I chose my Stila waterproof browcolor because it's easy to apply, and it's long lasting which is great if you'll be swimming or even sweating out in the sun. As for my eyes, I would coat my lashes with Maybelline's The Falsies waterproof mascara and be done.

CHEEKS- Long lasting flush
Some powder blushes just don't stay on the skin very long, and when I'm on vacation I don't want to constantly be reapplying my makeup. The Balm's Stainiac cheek and lip tint is a great alternative to powder blush. It comes with a doe-foot applicator that you dot on your cheeks and blend in for a great flush of color that stays all day long. I find it is a little too drying to use on my lips, but I love it regardless. The shade I have is called beauty queen, which may look scary at first, but really is an amazing color.

LIPS- Light and glossy
This is totally optional, as you could just wear your favorite lipbalm and call it a day, but I love a good pinky-nude lipgloss for any occasion; even for hanging out at the beach. NYX's buttergloss in éclair is one of my all time favorites, and finishes off any look perfectly.

I hope you all have an amazing weekend and a great spring break, whenever it may be. What makeup would you bring on a beach trip?

-rachel j

My new go-to nude

Hey everyone!

A few weeks ago I decided that I wanted to get another Rimmel lipstick. I love the moisture renew formulation; they're creamy, pigmented, and don't dry out my lips. I wouldn't say that they're long lasting lipsticks, but because they aren't drying I don't mind reapplying them a few times throughout the day.

I ended up leaving the drugstore with the shade Nude Delight. I've heard good things about this shade on youtube in the past and decided to give it a shot, even though I wasn't sure if it would suit me. Being on the pale spectrum of skin tones, nudes more often than not make me look dead. 

Luckily that was not the case! 

This is a no-brainer color for me. Whenever I'm in a rush, have a crazy smokey eye going on, or just can't decide what shade to go with, I pick this one. It's not too orange or too beige, and it has a nice peachy pink undertone that doesn't wash me out. It's unlike any other nude I've tried before. Two thumbs up!

Have you tried any lipsticks by Rimmel before?

I hope you have a great week!

-rachel j

Stila stay all day waterproof brow color

I actually got this product because my mom tried it and didn't care for it, so she handed it off to me. Thanks mom! Here's what it claims to do via Sephora's website:

 "Create natural looking and defined brows with this innovative waterproof brow color. A precision felt tip pen applicator ensures easy application and the unique formula glides on with ease. It won't smudge or run and stays in place until you say when!"

I definitely think it does what the description says. The results are very natural looking when using the brow color alone, although I much prefer to use it after I fill in my eyebrows with a powder. It's perfect for cleaning up the edges of my brows and makes them look super crisp and polished. 

Since I like nicely filled and defined eyebrows I don't typically use this product on its own, but if I'm in a rush I'll quickly run it through my brows so they don't look so sparse. I've been using this brow color for a while now and I haven't experienced any smudging or smearing. It's not 100% waterproof, but it doesn't slide off easily like a powder would. There are a total of 3 shades to choose from, ranging from light to dark. The one I have is in medium, although I think dark would suit me better.

Overall, I think this is great if you're going for a natural look, or if you're like me and want to use it as a finishing step to your normal brow routine. 

What's your favorite method to filling in your brows- powder, pencil, or something like Stila's stay all day brow color?
xx

-rachel j

Quick thoughts - Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream

I got a request by one of my lovely readers to give a quick first impression/my thoughts on the Smashbox camera ready CC cream! I got a free sample from Sephora and gave it a go this morning. Here we go!

PRODUCT DETAILS & CLAIMS:
This color-correcting cream is a game-changer with its proven ability to visibly lessen the appearance of dark spots, sun spots, and post-acne marks instantly and over time. The advanced, lightweight formula neutralizes and brightens skin for a more even complexion, while it primes, perfects, protects with SPF 30, moisturizes, and controls oil (via Sephora's website).

PRO'S:
-SPF 30
-Easily to apply in a rush
-Good lasting power
-8 different shades to choose from
-Offers a .50 oz mini size in 2 shades for $19.50
-Supposedly improves skin tone over time (I can't attest to that as I've only used it once)
-Light coverage evens out skin tone and covers redness
-Looks natural; not cakey, doesn't cling to dry patches 
-Doesn't feel heavy or greasy
-Can be used on its own or under foundation as a primer
-Photographs well

CON'S:
-$42 for a 1.0 oz bottle
-Doesn't cover blemishes
-Can get a bit greasy after 5-6 hours of wear, although that is easily fixed by setting it with a powder or using a primer (which I didn't do for the sake of this post)

DRUGSTORE ALTERNATIVE:
-Garnier's Skin Renew BB Cream

Overall, I'm impressed with the lasting power of this CC cream. Usually I find that BB/CC creams get super greasy or just slide off in a couple of hours, but I was happily surprised.  As someone who already owns a bunch of face products, I don't think I'll be buying this soon, but I do like it & it would be great for the upcoming spring and summer. It'd also be perfect for someone with relatively clear skin who just wants to even out their skin tone- or for those lazy days where all you wanna do is slap on some makeup and get out the door!

I hope this helps you! Let me know if you like this kind of post, maybe I'll make it into a little series :)

-rachel j

Valentines Day look

Hi guys!

Since tomorrow is Valentines day, I thought it would be fun to show you a makeup look you could wear, even if you're not going out or doing anything fancy. It's nice to have an excuse to wear even more pink. ;)

I started out with E.l.f.'s eyelid primer to prevent creasing. Then I applied a matte white shade from Tarte's MATTEnificent palette (post all about it next!). I used my NARS blush in Desire as an eyeshadow and used my finger and lightly pat it on my eyelid. Then I took a fluffy brush and a medium brown matte eyeshadow and blended it out in the crease. Next I used the dark plum shade from the Tarte palette and popped it in the crease as well. With what was left on my brush, I blended it over the pink shade on my lid to tone it down.

After that, I took the medium brown shade I used earlier and put it under my bottom lashes, & did the same with the dark purple- focusing more on the outer edges.

I used a brown eyeliner from Revlon on my lids and blended it out for a smokey effect. I used a white eyeliner pencil for my bottom waterline to make my eyes pop.

For a highlight under the brow I used a cream concealer lighter than my skin tone. I curled my lashes, and added mascara and tada! That's it.

Here's a list of all the products I used:

FACE:

L'oreal True Match Foundation in n2

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in 001 Transparent

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick in Fair 01

CHEEKS:

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in Milk Chocolate

Milani Illuminating Face Powder in 03 Beauty's Touch

EYES:

E.l.f. eyelid primer

Tarte MATTEnificent palette

NARS blush in Desire

Revlon Grow Luscious Lashliner in 002 Espresso

NYC Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in 926 White

Mally Volumizing Mascara

LIPS:

NYX Butter gloss in éclair

I hope you guys have a great Valentines day & a good weekend! 

-rachel j

Mini Sephora haul

Hi everyone!

A couple of days ago I ordered a few things that I've had my eye on for quite a while, and they just arrived in the mail! I'm super excited to try them all out. I ordered the Tarte Be MATTEnificent palette (post about it here), Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra 24H foundation, and the NARS Multiple in Undress Me. 

I also got three free samples: a Tarte blush in Dollface, smashbox CC cream in light, and a face mask.  

Be expecting posts on these puppies in the near future! :) What are you most excited for- the Tarte palette, the foundation, or the NARS multiple? 

-rachel j

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

I've heard so many good things about this primer, I decided that I should try it. Little did I know that it cost a small fortune- $52 for a 1.0 oz bottle. Luckily they sell a smaller size- .33 oz for only $18. I know that may not seem like a lot of product, but this actually lasted a long time; not to mention I still have some left. One pump will cover your entire face, and I only use half-a-pump on a daily basis to cover my problem areas. 

Here's what it claims to do:

This clean, satin-finish formula helps keep makeup looking fresh and prevents fading. Veil Mineral Primer also absorbs excess oils and minimizes the appearance of pores by evenly distributing light to help hide and soften skin imperfections and fine lines.

Hourglass did an amazing job on packaging, especially considering this is the smallest size they offer. Usually the travel size versions tend to be a little lacking in the packaging department- but that's not the case. The bottle is glass and the pump is really nice. Overall it just feels expensive.

The texture of this primer is what makes it so amazing. It makes your skin feel so luxurious and smooth, making foundation glide on with ease. It also has SPF 15, which is extra nice if your foundation doesn't have spf in it. I do notice that my foundation lasts longer when I use this product, but I don't find that it helps control shine. So if your skin is on the oily side, I don't know if this would do anything for you.  But for dry to combination skin, I like it. I'm going to keep trying other primers as I want more shine control & this is pretty expensive. I highly recommend getting the .33 oz bottle the first time. 

Find it here!

What's your favorite primer? Would you pay $52 for the 1 oz bottle?

-rachel j

How to get sculpted (& believable) cheek bones

I'll be the first to admit that I don't have naturally amazing cheekbones. I mean, they're there, but they're not as evident as I'd like them it to be. In the process of learning how to make the best of my relatively round face, I've learned how to make my cheekbones look more impressive without looking overdone.

I've started out with my foundation, eye makeup and concealer done. As you can see, it's a pretty flat surface I'm working with here.

Before:

The first thing I do is go in with a matte medium brown eyeshadow with an E.l.f. small stipple brush. The eyeshadow I'm using is from an old L'oreal palette- I use the one on the bottom left. Any matte brown will do the trick, as long as it's not too dark; adjust the shade based on your skin tone . I concentrate the color in the hollows of my cheeks, making sure not to apply it too low on my cheek. Making a fishy-face helps.

Using the same color, I put a little on my temples. 

Then I use my Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in Milk Chocolate with the Real Techniques Blush Brush, which is much bigger and is perfect for all over bronzing. I apply this over the initial contour and bring it up onto my temples to help blend it in and warm up my face.

Then using the same Real Techniques Blush Brush I apply my blush to my actual cheekbones; not under them. By applying blush higher on my cheeks, it lifts the face rather than making it look saggy. Because saggy is never a good look. Ever. Today I decided to use Luster by NARS.

And tada! Cheekbones!

After:

Thanks for reading! :)

-rachel j

FOTD #2- Clean and Fresh

Hi everyone!

I'm currently working on putting out some awesome new posts, but I didn't want to keep y'all waiting, so I decided to do a quick FOTD! I hope you've all had an amazing week! Be expecting some tips & tricks, reviews, and maybe even a tutorial soon! ;)

FACE:

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 120 Ivory

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque 

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent 

EYEBROWS:

Kat Von D Saint palette carravaggio

Stila Stay All Day Eyebrow Color in medium

EYES:

NYX Love in Paris palette

Maybelline New York Master Precise liquid liner in black

Mally Volumizing Mascara

CHEEKS:

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in Milk Chocolate

E.l.f. Blush in tickled pink

Milani Illuminating Face Powder in 03 Beauty's Touch

LIPS:

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in 080 Strawberry Shortcake

-rachel j

NARS Blush

Is it summer yet?

It's been a crazy week. Getting used to doing homework after over a month of doing nothing is quite the adjustment. I've been feeling a little bit run down the past few days, and that's why I haven't kept to my usual blog every-other-day schedule. Hopefully I'll be back to it soon!

Anyway, I love NARS blushes. They're super pigmented- it's almost scary. They blend well and last all day. What more could I possibly want from a blush?

Left- Desire, right- Luster

Desire gives me a wonderful pink glow when used with a light hand, and Luster gives me a nice bronze-y look that I crave all year long. 

Get them here! There are sooo many colors to choose from.

Have you guys tried NARS blushes?

x

-rachel j

Favorite drugstore lipsticks

What's up guys?

This past weekend I noticed that I haven't really talked about lipstick yet. So here's a little post about my favorite affordable lipsticks!

Top row, left to right:

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss 09:

I love this shade when I want to look extra classy. It's a deep berry toned red.

 Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss 06:

This is such a bright and pigmented color! I love the Kate Moss Rimmel lipsticks; they are really smooth and glide on easily. I get compliments all the time when I wear this one.

Revlon Super Lustrous Shine 805 Kissable Pink:

This is a nice bright yet sheer pink that looks relatively natural on the lips. It's also pretty moisturizing. I like to wear it when I'm in a rush or when I can't decide which lipstick to wear.

Bottom row, left to right:

Revlon Super Lustrous Creme 613 Just Enough Buff:

It took me a while to like this beige-y nude. I'm not really a nude kind of girl- I usually stick to pink colors, but I really like this when I've got a lot going on with my eyes or if I wear a bright blush. 

 Rimmel Moisture Renew 235 Pink Star:

Pink Star is a peachy pink with some fine shimmer in it. It's a fun color without being too bright.

 Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter 027 Juicy Papaya:

The peachiest of them all, and I love it! The name really suits it. It's very moisturizing and it lasts a pretty long time. It's not as thick as the ones by Rimmel, but it still has a good amount of color to it. 

These are just a few of my favorites- I had a really hard time narrowing it down! I tried to have a bit of variety color-wise instead of only having loads of pinks or nudes. I also didn't notice until I was typing this post that they're all either by Revlon or Rimmel! Funny how that happens.

What do you think? Tell me your favorites in the comments x

-rachel j

REVIEW: Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette - Saint

Hi everyone!

I've had this palette for well over a year now, and after using it almost everyday, I can say without a doubt that I love it. I'm amazed that I haven't hit pan on any of these shadows. While there are definitely some shades I use more than others, I still like and use all of them. They're pigmented, smooth, and overall just great quality shadows. Sometimes I wish it had a few more matte shades, but I really can't complain because I like them all so much.

The palette is a good size- not too big, not too small. The packaging is also very cute and detailed, but it's still durable.

The palette also came with one of Kat Von D's autograph pencils. I love using it in my waterline for a more dramatic look. It's a great little liner! I just don't use it as much as my liquid liners because I hate sharpening it (I'm lazy).

Left to right: heavens, enjoy the silence, <3, downtown, sunny, pray for me, bookworm, caravaggio

Here are some close-ups: 

heavens, enjoy the silence, <3, downtown

enjoy the silence, <3, downtown, sunny, pray for me

pray for me, bookworm, caravaggio, autograph pencil in puro amor

It costs $36 at sephora, which isn't too shabby considering you're getting 8 quality eye shadows and an eyeliner!

Find it here!

Have you tried anything by Kat Von D? x

-rachel j