Makeup Monday: 5 Items Worth the Splurge

Last week I talked about some of my favorite drugstore cosmetics and my favorite items if you're wanting basics or to save money.  Today I'm going to swing the opposite direction and discuss my favorite high-end products and what I think is worth the extra money.

Worth the splurge... 

Naked Palettes - I have 3 of the 4 UD Naked palettes (the only one I don't have is the original).  I didn't pay full price for any of mine, but waited until I had points to redeem at Ulta, a coupon, or a gift card (or some combination).  If I weren't such a makeup junkie (or had better self control) I could probably function with one of these as my sole eye shadow collection.  These give great variety, work for any season, and you can create tons of looks.  There are a lot of neutral palettes out there right now that I know are also good quality that will give you the same versatility.  (Honorable Mention:  Too Faced Natural Eye palette ~  I haven't had mine that long, but it's pretty amazing and less pricey than the 3 big Naked palettes.)

Nars Blush - After several years I finally gave in and bought the Nars "Orgasm" blush and it was totally worth it.  I've never really been one for high-end blushes, but this one has such a great reputation that I figured it was worth it.  It's very versatile and I have a feeling it's going to last me a LONG time!

Clarisonic - I purchased a Clarisonic Mia 2 about a year and a half ago and love it!  I did my research on other face brushes and while there are some other good and less expensive ones out there, Clarisonics came very highly recommended.  Once again, I waited until Sephora had a coupon out (it happens about twice a year), so I didn't quite pay full price for mine.  

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliners - I'd never tried a high-end eyeliner until I picked up an UD trio at Sephora.  I'm typically content with my $3 and under eyeliners from Walgreens, but had noticed with spring and allergy season that they weren't holding up so well.  I don't wear my UD liners everyday, but when I know I need my liner to stay looking good for a longer period of time, these are the ones I reach for!

Primers - I've become a pretty big believer in primers over the past few years.  I've noticed I'm a lot happier with my makeup when I prime and it makes my look last a lot longer.  I think investing in a good primer is worth it because it really can affect how the rest of your makeup performs.  I love Benefit's Porefessional and Smashbox's Photo Finish Light for my face.  I seem to have endless samples of eyeshadow primers and really like the ones from Urban Decay, Too Faced, and The Balm.

If you're going to drop extra money on a makeup or skincare item, do your research and make sure it's something that you know you'll like.  None of these things were items that I just tossed into the basket on bought on a whim...  I looked at reviews, tutorials, and swatches online as well as looked at them in store (multiple times) before committing to the purchase.  All of my splurges are also pretty basic items that I knew would give me versatility.

What items do you think are worth the splurge? 

Makeup Monday: Basics Under $10

Makeup Basics featuring Wet n Wild

I have been asked a couple times recently about what inexpensive makeup items would be good for someone new to makeup / someone who doesn't wear it often / someone who lost theirs and needs quick replacements. I wear a mix of high-end and drugstore brands, but this got me thinking about my favorite drugstore items and that I consider to be good basics.

Top to Bottom:

Maybelline Color Whispers - I'm not really a lipstick girl, but these are a total essential for me.  They give good color without being too heavy.  I have so many of these and always have at least 1 or 2 in my purse!

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer - This is one that all of the You Tubers rave about and it lives up to the hype.  It's a really nice matte bronzer that's just enough to help you blend and add a little color without turning yourself into a complete bronzed goddess.

Dark Brown Eyeliner - I have a few brands that I enjoy for good, inexpensive eyeliner.  I like dark browns for a less harsh look (especially when I'm going with a lighter or more neutral look.  Prestige, Ulta, and Jordana are probably my favorite brands!

Cover Girl Clear Complexion Concealer - This is a really good does everything concealer.  It's one of my favorites to keep in my purse for on-the-go touch ups throughout the day.

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation - This is my current favorite foundation.  The coverage is amazing and I really can go without concealer at all most of the time when I wear this foundation.  

NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray - I find this to be very comparable with Urban Decay's All Nighter and De-Slick sprays for a lot less money!

Wet 'N Wild Eye Shadow Trios - This is another item that I was introduced to thanks to You Tube.  I've kind of  become an eye shadow snob since discovering  Urban Decay and Too Faced, but these babies hold their own in my makeup collection. They have a great variety of colors, the pigmentation is awesome, and I think most of the time they run about $1.99 for a trio!

ELF Studio Blush - The blushes cost only $3 each, but they've earned a top spot in my makeup collection.  I think these might be the only blushes I've completely finished and repurchased!

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara - This mascara is perfect if you're wanting full, pretty, natural looking lashes.  It isn't going to give you tons of drama, but that's actually why I like have having this one in my collection!

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser - I'll admit that this is the only drugstore primer I've ever tried, so I really didn't have any other suggestions for primers.  This one is a great bargain and really does a pretty good job without the cost of the high-end primers that you find elsewhere.  

What are your favorite drugstore makeup brands / items?  

Makeup Monday: Ulta and Sephora Haul!

Recent Makeup Buys

A couple months back I wrapped up my 100 day ban on buying makeup and nail polish.  It just so happened that this ended right at the same time both Ulta and Sephora had coupons out.  

(In case you're not aware, Sephora has a Beauty Insider / VIB sale twice a year...  Once in April and again in November.  Otherwise, their brands are pretty much always full price unless you happen to catch a rare clearance find.  Ulta has coupons all the time, but only 2 or 3 times a year do they include the "prestige brands" into those deals.)

I like a mix of high-end and drugstore brands of makeup, so I like to take advantage of these deals when I want to add some fancier brand products to my collection.  I must admit, I went a little crazy, but I'm super happy with everything I purchased.  All of these products are good everyday essentials that I felt were worthy additions to my makeup collection.

Naked Basics Palette - I love my Naked 2 and 3 palettes and have found myself more drawn to the matte shades than I would have thought.  While I wasn't super excited about this one when it came out a year or so ago, I'm so happy I bought it!  It's a definite winner!

Too Faced "Mascara & Bronzing Holy Grail" Set - I've heard a TON of good reviews of the "Better Than Sex" mascara from Too Faced.  This set came with a full sized mascara and good sized mini of their bronzer for the same size as the lone mascara.  So far I really like both of these!

Urban Decay "Triple Threat" Eyeliner Trio - Other than a couple samples, I've never had a high end eyeliners before.  I usually get super cheap ones, but I've noticed more lately that some of those don't last that well throughout the day.  I spotted this little trio at the checkout at Sephora and decided to give it a try.  I like that it's 2 blacks (regular and matte) and a navy, so I got some good, but basic variety.  I've used these the past few days and see why people rave about their quality!  These definitely stay put throughout the day!

Nars "Orgasm" Blush - This one gets rave reviews all the time and I've wanted it for several years now.  I finally went for it and I'm so happy I did!  It's a beautiful color and I now understand how some people say this is most versatile blush out there.

Nars "Orgasm" Lip Gloss -  I've never purchased anything from Nars until now, but this may become a new brand I'll come to love.  I spotted this one when I was picking out my blush and thought it was a gorgeous shimmery nude.  This stuff stays on amazingly well throughout the day, even through sipping drinks and eating lunch.

Smashbox "Quartz" Limitless 15 Hour Cream Shadow -  I have 2 of these already and use them everyday as a base for my powder eye shadows.  I wanted this color for it's pink tone to work with the colors in my Naked 3 palette.  This one has a little more of a shimmery glittery tone than the others, so I've actually been wearing it alone a fair amount!

Real Techniques Blush Brush - I wanted to try another Real Techniques brush since I love my foundation brush so much.  These are really good brushes for the price!

...And one more that I forgot to add to the picture.

Image via Sephora

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette - I bought this one a little bit later as part of my "I Survived the Worst School Year Ever" budget.  One of my friends bought this one last year when were were shopping and she raves about how much she loves this palette.  I love this thing!  I admit, it looks very similar to my Naked palettes, but it really is quite different.  I'm really loving Too Faced right now!

***

Has anyone noticed how the names of a lot of popular makeup products are very sexual?  I personally think it's just a funny and slightly clever way to market things, but I had a friend on Facebook post about how offended she was by all of these names and she wouldn't buy certain brands anymore because of the names.  I joked with my mom about how I was going to have a skanky face now with all of these products.

Anyway...

I picked up a couple drugstore items on sale at Walgreens and a couple NYX Butter Glosses at Target as well, so I'm taking it easy on the makeup purchases again for a while.  I'm not doing an official ban at the current time, but I am going to try to go until school starts again before I get anything new.  I have wayyyyyy too much, so I'm working on using up some of what's in my collection and experimenting with new combinations.  Pinterest is sooooo good for ideas!  :)

  Have your purchased any new makeup goodies recently?!?

Makeup Monday: Favorite Lip Products

Happy Monday!  

 I thought I'd kick off the summer by doing a Makeup Monday post about something that we all love...

LIP PRODUCTS!

I wanted to share a few of my current favorites as we move into summer!  I usually go a little lighter on the rest of my makeup this time of year, so it's a fun time to let my lips stand out a bit more.

The majority of my lip products are drugstore brands, but I do have a few high-end items (most of which were freebies or in sampler sets).  My one high-end lip gloss that I have purchased is the Nars Orgasm lip gloss, which is a new one for me.  I love it!  The color is a gorgeous pinky golden nude that is glamorous, but not over the top.  If you're going to drop the big bucks on a lip gloss, this is definitely one to consider.

The other two are samples from Sephora, but ones that I find myself reaching for fairly often.  Benefit's Coralista is such a pretty coral that is bright, but still one that you can rock everyday.  Buxom's glosses have great staying power and from what I recall they have a nice color selection.

I still love my Revlon Lip Butters, but I must admit that I like Maybelline's Color Whispers a bit better.  They're very comparable, but I like the Maybelline formula better for its smoothness and texture.  

I've not tried any other ELF lip products, but I really like this jumbo lip crayon.  For the $2 or $3 it costs, it's a total steal! 

These lip glosses were my first NYX purchases last year.  They have a HUGE color selection in these!  These are probably my most used glosses these days.  The staying power is okay...  Not amazing like the Nars gloss, but still good.  These are really great for layering over other lip colors (like the ELF crayon) when you want that extra shine.

This NYX Butter Gloss is my most recent Target find.  It was a total impulse buy, but I seriously love these.  I'm definitely tempted to snag more colors.  These are so incredibly smooth and add the perfect amount of color.  I think I prefer this formula over the NYX Mega Shine Gloss (above) and would probably choose to purchase more of these over those at this point.

What are your favorite lip products for summer?

Do you have a brand you love?

Makeup Monday: Makeup Faves

Current Everyday Makeup Faves

I'm a huge makeup fan and I'm always looking for great products and good bargains.  I haven't done a post about makeup in months and some of my favorite and most used products have changed.  I had someone suggest that I do more posts about makeup, so here you go!

1. Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream for Eyes - This is a new favorite that I was introduced to at Spehora a couple months ago.  The coverage is great without being too thick or thin and I love that it has some skincare benefits in it as well.  
2. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - This has become one of my favorite powders ever.  It does a really nice job of setting my makeup and also has pretty good lasting power throughout the day.  
3. NYC "Sunny" Bronzer - I'd seen a lot of great reviews of this inexpensive gem and decided to drop the $3 on it when my other bronzer ran out.  I love that it's a matte bronzer and it's great for adding a little color and blending out my makeup for a more natural sun-kissed look.
4. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss - I'd neglected my NYX lip glosses for a while and recently went back to them.  I've been into neutral makeup looks lately and these have been just perfect!
5. Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer - I've sampled this one a few times, but always went back to my Benefite POREfessional.  I gave this one another try recently and came to really like it so I used some Birchbox points to purchase a full size.  The "light" version is prefect if you're worried about your skin being sensitive or breaking out.
6. NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray - If you're a fan of the Urban Decay setting sprays, you definitely need to give this one a try.  It works just as well, but is a fraction of the cost.  The only complaint I have is that the bottles are smaller, so I have to repurchase more often.  Despite that, though, it is much better deal for an almost identical product.
7. Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation - I recently picked this up during a 50% off sale at Walgreens after hearing a few reviews.  I figured for $2.50 it was worth a try, so I grabbed it instead of my Revlon Colorstay.  I really like it!  The coverage is a perfect not-too-thick but not-too-thin and I haven't even been using concealer expect for under my eyes!
8. Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette - I snatched this one up as soon as it hit Sephora's website.  I love having the rosy and pinky color options.  I wear this palette or my Naked 2 pretty much everyday!  
9. Smashbox 24 Hour Limitless Cream Shadow (in Topaz) - I've been using this as a base for my powder shadows and it works really well.  It gives a little color, but does the same job as a primer.  On days when I'm running behind, I can get away with wearing only this and I don't have to rock the completely naked lid look.
10. ELF Blush - If you haven't tried ELF blushes, you need to!  For $3 each, they're a steal and although they do have some fall out, they last a long time!  

I get asked a lot about the brands that I use and if I go for high-end or drugstore products.  I honestly use a good mix of both.  My Naked palettes are my most expensive purchases, but I bought both of those when I had coupons to Ulta or Sephora.  For me, some items are worth the extra cost, but there are also so many great drugstore products out there!

What are your makeup must haves?  
I'd love to hear your faves and get suggestions for new items to try!

9 Desk Essentials

As I prepare for the upcoming school year, one thing on my to do list is to make sure that I have my own personal desk essentials in order.  Now, we're not talking staples and markers here...  I like to have a couple small bags of necessities for everyday needs or when I pull a long night with conferences or whatever!  

9 Desk Essentials 

1. Lip Balm / Lip Color - This is probably my most used essential.  I like to keep something moisturizing, but with a little bit of neutral color on hand to use throughout the day.  
2. Powder - My skin tends to get kind of gross and oily especially on hot school days.  I've found keeping an extra powder at school is great for easy touch-ups to keep me from looking completely disgusting.
3. Deodorant - This is just a good one to have on hand. 'Nuff said.
4. Body Spray - There are times when I just feel gross after being outside or whatever and a few spritzes of body spray are just what I need to not feel quite so stinky!
5. Hand Lotion - This one is especially necessary during winter!  I also recommend getting the anti-bac lotion from Bath & Body Works to help you fight germs and stay moisturized.
6. Toothbrush & Toothpaste - Sometimes I just feel the need to take a moment to brush my teeth...  This is a total essential during conference week when I wolf down a quick dinner and then have to sit down and talk to parents afterwards!
7. Mascara - Mascara is one makeup item (other than foundation) that I feel like I have to have to look awake and like "me."  I always end up with tons of minis, so these are perfect for stashing away on those days I'm running late or need a little makeup pick-me-up.
8. Nail File - ...Because sometimes you have a nail emergency.
9. Feminine Products - I think this one is pretty obvious, but having a stash on hand has saved me when I forget to refill what I normally try to keep in my purse.  (I keep these in a separate bag in case I need to make a trip to the restroom...  That way I don't have to take everything with me!)

I seem to have an abundance of cosmetic bags around (mostly freebies), but if you're looking for cute bags I recommend checking out Thirty-One or Target for great buys!

What are your desk essentials?

10 Summer (Or Whenever) Makeup Essentials

10 Summer Makeup Essentials

I'm a total makeup girl (duh!), but when the summer hits I change up my routine a bit to keep things a little more neutral to keep up with the heat and humidity.  I took all of these items with me on vacation, but have also found myself reaching for them on a daily basis.

Clockwise From Top Left:

Urban Debay De-Slick (or All Nighter) Spray - I started using these UD sprays last summer and really like them as both a primer and a setting spray.  I've found both of these to work about the same way, but they really do make a difference in how my makeup lasts throughout the day.

Rimmel BB Cream - Rimmel's BB wins for my favorite!  The coverage is really good by itself, but also works really well combined with a regular foundation when I want something with slightly more coverage.  

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - This is another great and affordable essential.  I've even picked up an extra to carry around with me for mid-day touch ups.

Benefit Fake Up Concealer - I picked this up during the last Sephora VIB sale and have mixed feelings about it.  Some days I really like this concealer and other days I'm not a huge fan...  Regardless, it's actually been a pretty good under eye concealer that's done well as the temperatures have warmed up.  (I don't really use this one on my face, just my under eye areas.)

Too Faced Shadow Insurance - I'm working on a sample of this, but really like the lasting power.  I've come to rely on primer to make my eye shadow last all day, especially when it gets hot outside.

Urban Decay Naked 2 - The more I use this, the more I fall in love it!  This has become my total go-to when I'm in a hurry and these were the only shadows that I took on my recent vacation.  It's just so stinkin' easy to make a neutral look with this palette! (Plus, the black works well as a liner!)

Maybelline Mega Plus Mascara - I took advantage of a sale and some Walgreens points and picked this up after wanting to try it for almost a year.  I really like this formula and like that it gives me a natural, yet pretty look to my lashes.  Plus, the staying power is great and I don't even have the waterproof version.

Elf Blush & Bronzer Duo - I've actually used all of the blush and am almost done with the bronzer, but this will definitely be something I pick up again.  For $3, this is an amazing product that has really grown on me.

NYX Lip Gloss - I'm a lip product junkie, but I do really enjoy these NYX glosses.   There's nothing better than to polish off your look than with a nice, neutral lip gloss.

What are your favorite makeup and beauty products for summer?  

April Birchbox

March somehow escaped me without posting a review of my Birchbox, so I wanted to be sure to post about my April box!  

This month's box was a collaboration with Women's Health.  This is probably the best box I've received in a while!  I was super pleased with my goodies this month!

 Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate - I've recently taken more interest in anti-aging products, so I was super happy to get this sample.  I like that it's in a bottle and although small, I think it will be enough to get a good idea on how much I like the product.

LAFCO Fleurs de Baies Bath Soap - I could smell this soap as soon as I opened the box!  This is another great sample size that will be great for setting out when I have guests.

Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick - Full size alert!  This lipstick is valued at $26.55 on the Birchbox website.  I  wasn't sure about the color at first, but it's a good neutral that's a little more on the red side than some of my others.  

 

Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixir - I haven't tried this yet, but I do think it's interesting that they're coming out with anti-aging products for hair now!

Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On - What, what!?!  Another full-size product!  This was the "Birchbox Find" of the month.  

Birchbox, you need to have more boxes like this one!  This month really exceeded my expectations and was well worth my $10!  A coworker who also subscribes brought in her box to show and the only common item we had was the Nexxus stuff.  She also had a pretty good box, but I think I liked my products better.

What was in your April Birchbox?

Skincare Routine

This blog is just kind of a mixed bag sometimes, but in some ways, I really like that.  I like reading all sorts of blogs, so it kind of fits that my own blog goes with all of my random interests and likes.  I hope you all are okay with putting up with my randomness!

Anyways...

I've shared some of my current makeup favorites and I thought I'd also share some of my favorite skincare items.  My skin isn't perfect, but I try to do what I can to make it behave and slow down any signs of aging.

Current Skincare Favorites

Here are my current favorite items that I'm using on a regular basis:

1. I've been a longtime fan of Clinique's Acne Solution bar soap.  A bar of this lasts a super long time.  I keep mine in the shower to use on my face as well as my body after workouts.
2. I used to give my mom all of my Clinique eye cream samples, but I've decided I need to incorporate that into my own skincare routine.  I really like this Clinique Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream and will probably purchase a full-size jar when I finish off my sample.
3. My old roommate bought a sampler set of The Body Shop's Tea Tree collection and gave me a few items that she wasn't going to use.  This moisturizer is a lightweight gel-ish consistency, that's perfect for wearing under my makeup.
4. My mom and I have both become Philosophy fans in the past year or so.  I tried a sample of their Microdelivery scrub and decided it was worth the little splurge.  I use it every other day or so in place of my Clarisonic at night and my skin has stayed super smooth.
5. Oh Clarisonic, how I love thee!  This is probably my biggest beauty splurge, but it was totally worth it!    I bought the Mia 2 and use it everyday!  I think this has been a factor in my skin staying nice in the past few months.
6. I think Philosophy's Purity Made Simple and the Clarisonic are like a dream team for skincare.  These two give me such a deep clean feeling at the end of the day and really gets all of the makeup off of my face.
7. I've also become a fan of The Body Shop's nighttime tea tree moisturizer.  It's a little thicker than the daytime version, but it's become a favorite product of mine!
8. I'm also a longtime fan of Clinique's Clarifying Lotions.  I go back and forth between the Acne Solutions one and the one for oily / combo skin (depending on deals I find).  It's kind of my final step in clean sweeping my face before moisturizer in the morning and evening.
9. I heard about the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque on a blog or You Tube a few months back and decided to pick it up.  It's super cheap at Walgreens (or whatever drugstore) and really is a nice product.  I try to use it 1 or 2 evenings a week.

What are your favorite skincare items?  

Do you have any recommendations for things I should try in the future?

Makeup Shopping Ban (And What I'm Currently Using!)

I've mentioned on my Budgeting Bloggers posts that I'm currently on a self-imposed makeup shopping ban.  I decided to do this starting at the beginning of the new year and originally didn't have a set timeline for the ban.  I recently decided to shoot for 100 days (April 10) or whenever Sephora runs their spring VIB sale.  

Makeup shopping has become one of my weaknesses, especially in the last year and a half since Ulta and Sephora moved in nearby.  One of the biggest things that I wanted to get out of this shopping ban was to work through some of the products I already own and better decide on some of the items that I would eventually like to add to my collection.  I want to eliminate my impulse buys when shopping for makeup.

Current Makeup Routine featuring clinique

This is a sampling of some of the products I've been reaching for on a daily basis lately. These are also the products I took with me when I went on vacation a while back.  It's pretty much what I need for a normal day of going to work or when I want to look a little nicer without going too over the top.

Top to bottom...

I've really been liking my ELF blush and bronzer duo lately and it's a steal at only $3.  This one has a very good likelihood of getting repurchased eventually.

I have yet to actually purchase an eye shadow primer on its own...  I have so many minis and samples to get through.  I'm currently using (and liking) the Too Faced Shadow Insurance.  

Rimmel's Stay Matte pressed powder was an item I decided to try based on reviews I'd seen online.  I think I'm on my 3rd one, so I guess that means I like it!  The quality is really good and it only costs about $4,

I picked up a mini of the Urban Decay DeSlick spray last summer before my friend's wedding and then decided I liked it enough to get the XL bottle on Haute Look.  I'm just now finishing up the XL bottle.  I've been using this as my primer and setting spray.  

Mascara is another product I've not actually purchased alone in over a year...  I've got so many minis!  The one I'm currently using is Tarte's Gifted mascara.  I've never bought a high-end mascara on its own, but this is one that may tempt me because it really makes my tiny lashes look nice!

I've had this Clinique All About Eyes concealer for so long and it doesn't even look like I've made a dent in the tube!  It's a pretty decent concealer, but I think I may try a few others before repurchasing this one.  

I've got 3 little sample bottles of Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl highlighter, so I won't need to buy any highlighting products for a while.  A little goes a long way, but I do really like how this brightens me up.  I skip this step when I'm pressed for time, but I do like the effect that this highlighter gives.

I have a major addiction to neutral eye shadows, but I really like my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette.  I still have a lot of other neutrals I'm trying to use up, but this is definitely the one that travels with me now

Revlon's Color Stay foundation has redeemed my faith in drugstore foundations!  I've been using this since last fall and I'm hoping that I'll continue to love it during the warmer months!

I'd never really paid attention to the brand NYX until I started seeing positive reviews on You Tube.  I've picked up a few of the lip glosses and have found myself using them on a daily basis!

I still love my Revlon Lip Butters and wear one almost daily as well.

I have 3 mini pots of Benefit's Erase Paste concealer (it came in a set with the primer I'd been using) and have enjoyed it more than I thought I initially would.  It works really well with my Colorstay foundation and Rimmel powder at hiding spots.

***

What items are currently part of your makeup routine?  

Do you have any suggestions on must-have items I should check out when my ban is over?