Beauty Favorite: MASCARA

Hey y'all! Sorry about the long absence-- I have been gallivanting around the United States, first with my 8th grade students for a whirlwind tour of our nation's capital (LOVE DC!!) and then with most members of my family for a trek up the Colorado Rockies for some lovely skiing. It was definitely a crazy but totally fun two weeks.

But here we are, back to the things of daily life. As promised, this is a post about my absolutely must-have favorite beauty product: Mascara. It is definitely one of those things that wakes up your face whether you have any other make-up on or not, and it only takes seconds to apply.  The thing is, there are lots of mascaras out there, so I am going to outline my 4 favorites at 4 price points. Each mascara I use is NOT waterproof, although they make waterproof versions of each kind (waterproof is too harsh on my lashes). Enjoy!!

1. Splurge: Dior DiorShow Mascara 25$

This mascara is the total package (it should be for 25$ =)). It doesn't clump and it makes lashes long and fluttery. It is easy to remove yet still lasts all day! The big brush helps it go on quick and evenly and boosts the volume.

2. Less Expensive Splurge: Bad Gal Lash by Benefit Cosmetics 19$

This may be my absolute favorite mascara in the world. I only buy it every once in a while due to the price but when I do I am never disappointed. I have been using this stuff since high school. It is the only mascara that I have ever received compliments on-- not once, but SEVERAL compliments on my LASHES. Yeah, it's that good. Big brush, fabulous formula, and looks so natural yet so defined.

3. Mid-Range: Clinique High Impact Mascara 15$

This mascara is what I am currently using and I liked it so much I have bought a second tube. I got it for Christmas in a gift set and it is a great mascara. It's by Clinique so of course it's good for everyone's eyes and it's got a little bit thicker formula than my favorite drugstore kind. It does everything the more expensive ones do and really lengthens.

4. Drugstore: Full N' Soft by Maybelline 5-7$

I've been using this mascara for as long as I can remember. It looks natural, makes my lashes long and defined, and is so gentle I have never had any issues with it. If you want a good, simple, all-around performer without all the extra craziness (which I have found doesn't always do what it says) then this is your best bet.

There you have it! I use black in all mascaras (Very Black in the Maybelline). I have tried brown since I am fair but it just does not define my lashes as well. Of course, you know what's best for you so have at it! =) Let me know if you end up buying any of these and what you think!

Makeup: The BeautyBlender

Ok, so I know I promised a feature blog-post about my dear friend's Valentine's Tea Party but I promise this is coming in a couple of days-- I actually got a request to do a tutorial on using the BeautyBlender and I thought I'd do it tonight before I go out of town on a little visit to see my little brother!

If you subscribe to Birchbox (a monthly box filled with deluxe samples delivered to your door...aka FUN) then there is a chance you received a BeautyBlender sponge in your box. I was SO excited to get one because I'd been wanting to try it but wasn't sure about it since they are slightly pricey. However, now that I have one, I think I would be willing to invest....

pink spongy fun!

Here are some quick tips for using your BeautyBlender:

1. Wet the sponge. This makes application easier and also helps to avoid the sponge soaking up a lot of your product. Make sure you ring it out until it is just damp.

2. Dot or swipe your foundation on the main spots of your face with your finger: on your cheeks, sides of nose, middle forehead, sides of forehead, lower jaw line, and chin.

3. Take your BeautyBlender and start to lightly and quickly dab it all over using the bottom fuller rounded side of the sponge, spreading out the foundation with "spackle-type" dabs. *Yes, it will look at first like your foundation will look spotty and like it isn't going to cover your face but trust me it will!

4. Every so often, you can "swipe" the BeautyBlender to even out the coverage. Try to avoid swiping too much or too hard as it might wipe off what you've done, and you want a really natural, pressed finished.

5. The pointed side of the BeautyBlender can be used to blend under the eyes, the sides of the nose (close to your nostrils) and in other parts of your face that you need to be more precise.

6. Blend until you get the coverage you need!

I LOVE the way using this sponge feels...it's soft and actually kind of fun to use! Plus, you can just rinse it out once a week like you do your makeup brushes (see a tutorial for washing those here). Hope you enjoy using your BeautyBlender! If you don't have one but want one, you can purchase from Sephora (the two for 25$ is a good deal as this basically replaces your use of a foundation brush). Happy Blending!

Makeup Brushes Pt 2: How I clean my brushes

Hello everyone! Today's topic of discussion is how I wash my makeup brushes. There are lots of different ways that you can do this, but I find this to be extremely easy- requires no mixing of any ingredients and costs about 99 cents! 

I use Johnson&Johnson Baby Shampoo to clean my makeup brushes. It is mild, and washes out really nicely. You can get one for 99 cents or less in the travel-size item aisle at Wal-mart or Target. I put a very tiny amount in the palm of my hand and run the brush that I'm cleaning under some lukewarm water. I swirl it around and wash until the water runs clean. I do this with each brush I need to clean. Obviously, depending on the size it takes more or less soap/water. 

I generally clean my brushes once a week to once every two weeks (depends on how much I use them during that time). Face brushes need to be cleaned more often because dirty brushes can cause breakouts-- I learned this the hard way. 

I just got this product a few weeks ago from Sephora. It is a daily brush cleaner that you can spray on your brushes to sanitize them and clean off the most recent bit of producy. I really like this spray. It can prolong the amount of time you go between major washes as well as give you a clean surface for working with each day. I bought this in a small size to try it for only 6$. You need 1-2 sprays per brush, depending on the size.

Now, this is a product that is totally not necessary for drying your brushes, but I got it just for the fun of it. Normally, you can just lay down your brushes on their side on a towel or paper towel (never dry them straight up and down since excess water can settle and cause mildew...emphasis on the "ew"). This product called the "Dry 'n Shape" from Sigma Beauty not only dries your brushes faster (4-6 hrs, normally they will take all night to dry) but it also dries them so that your nice big fluffy brushes don't lose their shape. Like I said, not necessary, but cool if you're interested :) 

These are some of my tips and tricks...hopefully you will find some of them helpful! Do you have any that you use on a regular basis for cleaning your makeup brushes? Share in the comments! Next time, I try out a recipe for Portabello Mushroom Pizza! 

Makeup Brushes Pt 1: DIY Makeup Brush Organization

Let me start of by saying that if you know me at all, you know that I am not organized in any way, shape, or form. When I come across an organization tool that sticks...well, I just have to share it. If it can work for me, it can work for anybody. I first got this idea from seeing the brush displays at Sephora (aka my heaven on earth). Then, when Pinterest came out (aka heaven on the internet) I was inspired to try. This little "project", if you can even call it that because it is so easy, is cute, cheap, and displays your brushes in a fun way while also making them accessible.

First, you'll want to get a small glass candle holder/glass container (I got mine from Wal-Mart for 2.50-ish). You want it to be small enough so that it will make the depth of the beads enough to hold your brushes totally upright (the first time I did it I got a glass container too wide at the bottom). The beads/mini-pebbles are from the home-decor section at Michael's craft store. Obviously, you could get these from anywhere they sell this type of thing, and in any color to match your own decor. I've heard of even using coffee beans, but that might be more fragrant (and not as pretty). I used one package of the beads (I believe they were 5.99). Dump the beads in the glass and voila! You've got a lovely and accessible brush holder!

Next time, I'm going to highlight tips and tricks for washing and drying your brushes to make them last! Do you guys have ways that you use to keep your brushes organized? Did you try this "project"? Let me know in the comments! Enjoy!

Birchbox & A {miracle} Product

Hey y'all! So I promised a little blog post about some of my favorites from this past month's Birchbox and then a miracle product I recently picked up. If you don't know what a Birchbox is, check it out here! 10$ for fun little makeup and cosmetic samples :)
So first thing up is another full-size bottle of Zoya polish. It's a beautiful bright pink, a holiday color with a little zest to change it up from the traditional red, green or gold. I love Zoya polish because they are harmful-chemical free and they are very good quality polishes. Plus, they are basically almost the price of the monthly Birchbox which makes them totally worth it! (To buy in stores you can get it from Ulta or Whole Foods)

My next favorite thing was this beautiful lotion, called LaRocca Champagne and Shimmer. It's so sweet/citrusy smelling and has just enough sheen without being over-the-top-glittery. I am REALLY tempted to buy the full-size!!!

And last but not least, is a miracle product (at least I think so) and I just can't believe I didn't start using this sooner. I picked up some Maybelline Instant Age Rewind under eye treatment concealer. Oh.my.goodness. It brightens and fills in lines (yes I have them at 26, with my fair-sun-damaged skin) and makes the skin under my eyes so bright and even-toned. In a word (or few), I love it. I use the lightest shade, and when I blend it matches perfectly. You only need a little bit! Another plus: it comes with the built-in applicator sponge, so you dont have to use your finger or a brush! More love!

There's my favorites for today! Let me know if you try any!

Make-up Fave

I just got back into using eyeliner again after seeing all of the beautiful pictures of smokey eyes on Pinterest. The problem I've had in the past is that eyeliner won't stay on my big 'ol eyes!
Recently I was in Sephora, where my brother works, and he clued me in to what I needed for certain things.
Here's what I learned: If you want to rim the INNER parts of your lashes, you definitely have to go with a water-PROOF formula...not water-RESISTANT (and yes, there are both!) Seems logical right? But I really didn't even know!
I ended up purchasing this eyeliner in Deep Black.

The formula is so soft and creamy and believe me when I say it stays put! Yet, it also comes off easy when you ARE ready to take it off. I would definitely recommend it as a great eyeliner. I think I will get some more of the fun colors to try! Not sure when I would ever wear them but maybe one day I'll be feeling bold ;-)