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

My drugstore skincare & routine

I've never been the kind of person to have one moisturizer for night time, one for the morning, an eye cream, a toner, etc etc etc. I'm too lazy for all that jazz. I like to keep my skincare simple, effective, and fuss free.

Cetaphil Daily Cleanser:

I actually ran out of this stuff about a week ago, but I've been using it for so long I couldn't ignore it. This really does what it says it does- cleans without drying. I've used this for pretty much my whole life in the morning and before bed and never had any problems with it.

Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream:

After I ran out of my usual cleanser, I thought it might be fun to try something new. After trying and loving Burt's Bees Deep Pore Scrub, I grabbed this cleansing cream. The formula feels rich and creamy, and does an impressive job at taking off my makeup. It has a hint of menthol in it which leaves my skin feeling fresh. It's also very moisturizing, which makes my skin extra soft and smooth.

Burt's Bees Peach & Willow Bark Deep Pore Scrub:

I use this around 2-3 times a week for a little extra kick and really like it. I have a review all about it here.

Almay Longwear & Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Pads:

I honestly don't know how I feel about these, but I always buy them and I don't know why. They do the job, and they're definitely the best I've tried, but it still takes a bit of work to get off all of my mascara and eyeliner. Although they are really greasy, they don't irritate my eyes like other makeup remover pads have. I want to try out some other products to replace this, so leave me suggestions! 

Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer:

My favorite. Tried and true. My mom has used Olay moisturizer her whole life, and I really can't function without it. It has SPF 15, it's light, not greasy, but still does gets rid of that awful tight skin feeling. I usually get the sensitive skin one- the last time I've tried the normal formula it bothered my eyes. I also like the one for combination skin, although I honestly can't tell the difference between the two. I think the only major difference is that the one for sensitive skin has aloe in it. Either way, I love this stuff and have bought it thousands of times. I use it after I cleanse my skin in the morning and at night.

What are your favorite skincare products? Leave me your recommendations! x

-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

Tarte Be MATTEnificent Amazonian Colored Clay Matte Eye & Cheek Palette

I'm so excited about this palette.
Let's just take a moment to look at it and absorb all of its beauty.

Left to right: elevated (blush), sand out of the crowd, peach for the stars, two plums up, pink outside the box, rose to the occasion, view from the taupe, dream in chocolate, don't stand black

Are you absorbing it?

Haha but seriously, the colors are beautiful, and so is the packaging. I'm such a sucker for good packaging, and my love for matte shades is a little ridiculous. This beauty comes with eight limited-edition eyeshadows, one limited-edition blush and one double-ended shadow brush. They're formulated without parabens, and they're cruelty free which is always a plus. Another bonus is that it comes with a little card that shows you two makeup looks you can create with the palette.

Trust me when I say that Tarte knows how to make some fine eyeshadows, and I mean really nice. They are so soft that you can see the indentations from the bristles on your brush. I like them all so much I have a hard time deciding which ones I want to use, and I end up using all of them in one eye look. They blend like a dream and I love them all. A lot.

Now, I will admit, the two darker shades at the bottom aren't as luxurious feeling and blendable as the other shades, but they're still pigmented. According to the little plastic slip that came in the palette, they're intended to be used as liners, which explains the difference texture and size.

One little detail that may be annoying to some of you is that the names aren't on the palette itself- so if you ever want to share what shadows your using, you have to keep the plastic slip. Like I said, this probably won't be an issue for most people, but if you're a beauty blogger or youtuber it may be irritating.

The blush is equally as impressive as the shadows. It's a great flush of color that isn't overwhelming but is still noticeable.

As for the brush that comes with the palette, it's definitely better than those sponge-tip applicators, but I wouldn't say that these substitute real brushes. I like the shader side of the brush- it does a fantastic job at packing on color. The longer, blending side of the brush (on the left in the pictures above), is kind of strange. It's a bit too skinny for my liking, and the bristles are on the stiff side. Honestly it's not a big deal- it's still a nice brush compared to what comes in most palettes.

All in all, I'm really enjoying this palette. I think Tarte hit the nail on the head with this one. You can create so many different looks with it. If you're into matte shades, you definitely need to give this a look. A nice, long look. :)

Find it here!

Have a great Sunday!

-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

Update - I made a Facebook page!

Hey guys-

I just wanted to let you all know that rachel j & co. now has a facebook page! I'll be posting updates on blog posts and sneak peaks, so stay tuned by liking the page!

Here it is!

Sorry this isn't a beauty post, but I have a pretty exciting one that should be up tomorrow morning! :)

P.S. It's snowing where I live! We don't get a lot of snow, so hopefully it'll snow a lot so my evening class will get cancelled ;) What's the weather like where you are?

xx

-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

Tips & tricks for getting the perfect subtle winged liner

Getting the perfect everyday winged eyeliner isn't easy, especially if you're like me and have slightly crepey or wrinkly eyelids. It'll look spot on with my eye closed, but then when I open it it looks like a toddler took a sharpie to my eye. (Just me?)

After many attempts, I've found some tips & tricks to getting the perfect cat eye!

1. Line your eye first before drawing the wing.

I find it easiest to start with a thin line close to the lashes. It helps guide the wing, and by starting off with a thin line it gives you some wiggle room to make it thicker if you make a mistake later.

2. Decide where you want the wing with your eye open.

By drawing on the flick with your eye open, you'll know exactly what it'll look like when you're done! 

3. Close your eyes and fill in the gaps.

Based on how your skin folds, there might be a huge gap between your flick and your initial line. That's okay- just connect the two!

4. Add some mascara and you're golden!

(Don't forget that if you fudge up the wing, you can always go in with some concealer to clean up the edges).

Products Used:

Maybelline New York Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner in black

Mally Volumizing Mascara

How was your weekend?? Let me know! 

Have a great Monday! 

-rachel j