Fall Wishlist

Now that I'm back there are quite a few items on my wish list for Fall. It's still quite warm in New York but I'm already excited for Fall: layering, darker lips and darker nail polishes. To transition from Summer to Fall here are a few things on my shopping cart mind:

1. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat
Charlotte Tilbury is launching in America next week (finally) and I've been wanting this lip liner forever. It's supposed to be a super natural finish that just makes your lips look better and fuller.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Palette
Oh how I want this!!! I'm not really an eyeshadow palette kind of person. I don't know what it is about burnt reddy brown tones but I think they look incredible on eyes. All the four shades look stunning and I think will look gorgeous for fall. I do like the idea of eyeshadow palettes and bringing them away for travel though - can't wait to get my hands on this.

3. Oskia Renaissance Mask
Not that I need another mask... but... if Anna from Viviannadoesmakeup says this is like the REN Glycolatic Radiance Renewal Mask (which I repurchase on the regular) but TIMES TEN then I think it's a no brainer that I need to get my hands on this as well! It is quite pricey so I will probably just keep my eye on this one but a girl can dream.

4. REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial
Again... I don't need another mask but this mask might find it's way into my beauty cabinet. It's Lisa Eldridge approved. Need I say more? I love that's its super quick - even great to pop on in the morning while you're brushing your teeth! And also great for night when you're really tired but still feel like your skin needs a little extra attention - slap this on for 1 minute and you're done!

5. YSL Nail Lacquer in 50 Bleu Celadon
This shade is right up my street. I have a thing about pale blue nail polishes and this one from their summer collection is gorgeous! I have never tried YSL nail polishes either... I've heard really good things!

6. Kerastase Nutritive Masque
I have recently gotten more and more highlights in my hair and although it does not feel too damaged, I think it's important to do hair masks once a week to help put the moisture back into your hair. I have heard all good things about this brand but I have yet to try one of their products.

What's on your Fall Wish List?

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The Return

I have been away for far too long. I decided to take a break last month because I got married!!! And then I was away on honeymoon so I have neglected the blog (but I'm already back on Instagram!) We went to Fiji and had the best time and I am eagerly awaiting our wedding photos and once they are available I will post some on www.eliandcynthia.com

Thanks for reading everyone! The blog is back!

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Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment

I first received the Sunday Riley Good Genes as a sample and since then I finished the bottle and became hooked. The directions say you can use this as an every day serum or you can apply a thicker layer and use it as a mask. This treatment helps brighten, hydrate and restore damaged skin in the long run. Over night I feel my skin looks refreshed in the morning (especially the first few times I used it I really noticed a difference). This product claims to have a lot of long-term benefits so I'm happy with my decision to purchase the full-size and keep using it! (The packaging is really nice, too!)

I absolutely love this product but there are two cons: price and smell. The smell is not unbearable and it goes away after a few seconds but it definitely quite strong at first. This is a pricey treatment but I seriously haven't found a product where I've seen instant results like that before so for my skin I think it's worth it. It does sting a little the first few times for a few seconds but it goes away. I would definitely try to get a sample at a local Sephora first to see if it works for you!


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Clinique CC Cream

I know the BB and CC cream phase might have passed now, but I was looking through my stash and although I really like my current tinted moisturizers and foundations, I was lacking a good oil-free higher SPF base for every day. I was also lacking a darker base because I've gotten slightly tanner... This is where the Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream comes in. It has SPF 30 (most of my bases only have SPF 15). It's oil-free which for me is super important in the summer time. And it comes in a good range of shades so you can find a good match for you! I got the shade light-medium. I've been using it for the past week and I really like the results. It's the first full size CC cream that I have bought. I don't notice a huge difference between BB and CC creams to be honest.

This CC cream has light coverage. It's not as liquidy and as easy to blend as some bases I have tried before but I think the trick is not to really pack on too much. I made that mistake the first time I put it on and it looked a bit cakey. Go in with light layers and you'll get a much more natural skin looking finish. It looks pretty good over my spots right now. I still go over them with more high coverage concealer but as a base they do a good job going over them. It feels great on the skin though out the day and I do feel like my skin looks very bright and healthy with this on!

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Lipstick Storage Organizer

I have quite a few lip products and it was getting a little out of hand... I used to use the muji drawers for all my makeup but it was hard to keep the lipsticks in them so I have been storing them in this handy little acrylic organizer. It holds a total of 24 lipsticks and this is a great way to organize and display your lipsticks! I always have a hard time finding where I put my lipsticks so this has been such a great help. Now I can always find exactly the shade I'm looking for!

Lipstick Storage can be found on ebay here.

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Red White and Blue Nails

July 4th is tomorrow and the easiest way to look patriotic is to dress up your nails! For Red I chose Essie Russian Roulette, for White I chose Blanc,  and for Blue I picked Butler Please. There are a million different possibilities and combinations and looking online is always great for inspiration (especially pinterest!) I decided to go with a pretty subtle way of incorporating these colors on my nails. Last year I actually did the American flag but this year I did something a little more simple. I posted a picture on Instagram last night and here is the result:

Hope everyone has a great long weekend!!

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The Summer Switch: For Oily Skin

Summer for my skin means I need to control the oil and the shiny t-zone. The heavier moisturizers and products I used in the winter cannot be used in the hotter months because it just melts off my face and looks bad. First thing I've switched up is my cleanser. I've switched to a gel cleanser because gel cleansers can absorb away the excess oil on your skin. I'm currently using the First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay. This gel cleanser feels really nice and gentle on your skin. It foams up a little so it feels very soft. Not only does it help get rid of excess oil, it unclogs pores, the really cleans the skin with the combination of red clay, rosemary leaf oil and botanical antioxidants. It helps control break outs and also helps reduce sebum production which can often lead to more spots.

Next I have switched up my moisturizer. In the winter I really go for heavy duty creams because my face can feel so dry and cracked but in the summer I'm as shiny as you can get. I recently picked up the La Roche-Posay Effeclar Mat. I love this moisturizer so far. I've been using it for a few weeks and I think it's really helps my makeup last all day, helps reduce shine, makes my pores look smaller and my skin looks smoother. It feels light-weight and it creates a nice matte film over the face. Hope this helps anyone who is looking to switch up their routine for summer!


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June Favorites

June has still been a month of experimenting with my skin. It's still a little spotty and I'm still trying to achieve a good routine. So far I have found a few things I really like and will continue to use religiously the next month since the wedding date is approaching!

I've been using the Bliss No 'Zit' Sherlock mask about once a week to help calm and soothe my skin. This unique mask comes straight from the Bliss spas. The packet contains the powder that you have to mix with water (the kit comes with a scoop so you know exactly how much water to mix). It's a very thick gooey mask that you pack onto your face. When it dries, the mask rubberizes and it helps declog pores, absorbs all excess oil, soothes skin and help prevent future breakouts. I love peeling it off my skin. The skin under the mask always feels so soft and matte!

SPF has been a MUST this summer to help protect the skin. I have been reaching for very high SPF lately and this Chanel UV Essentiel Sunscreen SPF 50 has been amazing. It's super light weight, non-greasy and almost feels like a fluid primer. It works well under makeup and it's just been a staple the past month. I also have been loving the Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot corrector for my under eye cream. First of all I love the applicator. It's a nice cool metal tip that feels really good against your skin in the morning. I also love that this formula is oil-free and so easy to blend into your skin. I've just really enjoyed using it so far.

On my lips I have been loving matte lipsticks and lip stains. I have been feeling quite oily this summer so a nice matte lip makes me feel much less oily. I love the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lip colors. They are super pigmented lip stains that are matte and don't feel flaky or dry on your lips. I got the shade Pink Pong which is a rich berry stain and I think its such a flattering color! They last really well on your lips too! I have had full meals while wearing this and it still looks great after!

Setting powder is very important for the oily skin gals. This month I discovered the beautiful Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder and I got the shade in Dim Light. It's a natural peach beige color. It's a very unique finishing powder that really refines your complexion making it look best in whatever light you are in. And finally, I have been using the Pai Skincare Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil nightly to help with my acne scarring. I just did a post on this last week but I have been using it all throughout June and really fell in love with the product. You can read my review here.

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Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil

Countdown to my wedding day is becoming very real. To help me get rid of some scarring and old marks on my face I have started using the Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil. So far I have been using it for about 3 weeks. I heard a lot about this product online which is why I needed to include it into my skincare routine. I wanted to wait a little before mentioning it on here, but so far I am seeing results and I really look forward to slathering this on every night. This stuff is seriously scented and very oily. It has a very orange tint to it and you do need to wait awhile for the product to sink in before you go to sleep otherwise beware of getting it on your clothes and sheets in bed. It does sink in after a few mintues and you don't feel the oil on your skin at all anymore. I still like to apply another later of oil-free moisturizer on top, too. This oil is high in Trans-Retinoic Acid which helps boost the skin's natural healing process. Along with rosehip oil which has proven to be very effective in improving the appearances of scars, acne scars, fine lines, stretch marks and sun burns. I really do think it is beginning to help reduce the scarring on my right cheek. I hope in more time I can report back with more results.

I like that in the morning my face really does look like its more plump and the redness is not as noticeable around my old acne scars. Pai is a really great certified organic brand that I want to try more products from! I have only been using it at night but I might up the game and use a few drops in targeted areas in the day time as well...

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Eyeko Haul

I received a very exciting package in the mail! My Eyeko order!! I ordered this directly from the UK Eyeko website because they had free shipping to the US with $50 purchase! I didn't see any US beauty websites carrying the new eyeshadow sticks Alexa Chung collaborated on so after browsing the website I had to have some things...

I mainly really wanted the new Me & My Shadow sticks. I heard about them and then I saw Lisa Eldridge use them on Alexa in her Alexa Chung Makeup Tutorial and that was it. I needed them. I have a huge love for eyeshadow sticks because they're so easy to apply and to travel with! Alexa had the genius idea to have one end be the twist up eyeshadow and the other end be an eyeshadow brush!!! So genius! I really wanted the Taupe color because that looks like an everyday go-to shade for me. Then I thought it would also be nice to have a slightly darker smokier shade, so I got Chocolate, too. I love the name, too, Me & My Shadow super cute. I've been wearing the taupe shade all across my lids this week blended out. I love it.

I was going to only pick up the 2 eyeshadow sticks, but then I saw this set: Eyeko Alexa's Red Carpet Look. It had the new Me & My Shadow stick in Taupe (check), the Eye Do Mascara which I've been dying to try and the Visual Eyes Liquid Eyeliner in Ebony! I have been using the eyeliner the past few days and I really like the fine point. It's much thinner than my Lancome Artliner and it's fast becoming a favorite. It's one of those felt tip pens that is very easy to work with and pretty stiff so it's easy to control what you're doing.

I also think Eyeko threw in a Hydrogel Eye Patch which is so nice! Can't wait to use it!

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Bath & Body Works Watermelon Lemonade Candle

My favorite thing about Bath & Body Works are the candles. They have a crazy amount of selection and they are always coming up with cool new fun scents. I normally burn candles much  more in the winter but Bath & Body works has a lot of really nice light summer scents that I think are worth checking out! I picked up this Watermelon Lemonade candle because I absolutely love lemonade and the watermelon is a really nice summer scent that I really enjoy smelling summer nights. It smells so good!!! Maybe not for everyone but I absolutely love it. I like the mason jar and lid it comes with - something you can easily reuse for makeup brushes or storage after the candle is done - and the designs are really sweet! This scent was a little hard to find (and I couldn't find my exact one online anymore) but if you really love it, it comes in a few other sizes and products!

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Empties #10

10th Empties post?! I've used up so many products!

I finished my second Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil. I freaking love this stuff. I use the shade Medium Ash (now called Medium Brown) and it's such a good brown brow color. It's not too orange or red toned and looks incredibly natural. I finished my first The Body Shop shampoo that I have ever tried. It's the Rainforest Balance Shampoo which helps people with oily hair. It definitely has this very squeaky clean feeling when using it. You can really tell the difference when you compare using with say a moisturizing shampoo. Overall I really enjoyed the shampoo.

I'm sad I finished up the DDF Protective Eye Cream. First of all it has SPF 15 which I think more eye creams should contain SPF. Second it comes in a nice clean pump that is really easy to use. It blended nicely into the skin and felt smooth and moisturizing under makeup. I didn't really see a huge correcting dark circles but I think its more for smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles.

The MISSHA Time Revolution White Cure serum is a brightening and skin color correcting serum. Any Missha product that I have tried always smells and feels incredible on the skin. I liked to use this every morning under my moisturizer and SPF. And right before I used this I used the Aesop B & Tea Balancing Toner which uses Green Tea to help hydrate, balance the skin and refine pores. I wasn't extremely fond of the scent but it was just ok. I did like how this felt on my skin. It was very gentle and I know it's great for sensitive skin. It made my skin feel very clean and soft.

Another product that I didn't really love the scent (at all) was The Body Shop Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion. I thought it was a great lotion but I couldn't get over the scent. I did use it up completely and I wish I had it again because I was using it when my skin was in pretty good condition. Now it's really acting up so I might repurchase it but I'm not really fond of the smell so it might not happen. I am in the market for a new oil-free blemish prone moisturizer for morning and night. Let me know if you have any recommendations!

Finally I used up my beloved Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-In Conditioner. I absolutely love this stuff. I love spray leave-in conditioners and this one feels great and really detangles your hair. I might try a few other brands but I highly recommend this one and will repurchase it soon.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

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Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque

I have oily skin. Clay masks are great for oily skin. The Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque is an excellent gentle deep cleansing clay based mask. I apply a thin layer all over my face and wait about 15-20 minutes for it to dry. I like that this stuff feels very moisturizing and creamy from the tube. It's super easy to spread on your skin and feels amazing. It's a pale sand color and dries even lighter. It does tingle a little on my face but I don't mind when masks do that. As it's drying, it really tightens your face and you seriously feel like you're getting a mini face lift. This would not be a great girls night mask because once it starts drying you won't be able to move any muscles on your face. After the 15-20 minutes you wash it off and you're left with super clean soft skin!



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June Birchbox 2014

Birchbox time of the month again! This month the theme was Away We Go in partnership with JetBlue. All the samples were related to travel, whether it be flying somewhere, road-tripping or even staycation-ing.

First, I noticed the cute packaging for the Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo. It also came with a little packet for the conditioner and another little packet of the leave-in treatment, but the shampoo bottle is adorable and what caught my attention. I love the light shade of pink and it seems like it would be very milky and softening.

Always good to travel with some body lotion. This one is the Gilchrist & Soames London Collection Body Lotion. It's packed with botanicals like grape seed to help moisturize and soften the skin. Lip product of the bunch is the Cynthia Rowley Beauty Creamy Lip Stain in the shade, Valentine. Looks like a pretty deep pink color. I love lip stains and will be curious to try this one out because it claims to be very moisturizing and shiny. I also received the Catherine Malandrino Fragrance. This is the designer's first fragrance and it's very fruity and summery. Will be a good sample to toss in your bag.

Finally the Caudalie Polypheno C15 Anti-Wrinkle Defense Serum! This serum helps smooth over your wrinkles to give your skin a more youthful appearance. I'm not incredibly concerned about wrinkles so this will be a good product to pass on to my mom.

And that is the end of my Birchbox!

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Sephora Haul

I did a quick Sephora order the end of last week. I had a promo code for free shipping for VIB members so I didn't have to spend up to $50 to get free shipping. I had been hearing  a lot of buzz about the Sephora Collection Pro brushes and when I heard they came out with a mini I had to get it because I don't have a great travel size foundation brush and this sounded perfect. This brush is called the Sephora Collection Mini Multitasker #45.5. Obviosuly this is the mini version of #45. The description says its the perfect synthetic brush to apply mineral makeup but I have a feeling I will be using it for foundation.

The other 2 things I ordered were the Soap & Glory Hand Food because I'm almost out of it and I needed to supply it immediately. This is just a great hand lotion for your purse that isn't sticky and feels very moisturizing. A lot of people love the way this smells but I'm pretty neutral about that. And finally I picked up 2 Sephora Collection Ribbon Hair Ties in Ivory and Black. I really love these hair ties and they are on sale for $1 so that was just too easy to add to cart...

Everything else I got was part of the Sephora rewards program. I used 2 100-point perks to get the Tarte Flush Cheek Stain and the Elizabeth & James Nirvana White roller ball perfume (which I think was an amazing deal). I have already opened both. Do not be scared about the cheek stain colors. They appear very strong and dark in the tube but they apply so sheer and light. They look very gel-like on the skin. They blend very easily but I need to use this a few more times to really get a good opinion. So far I am loving the Nirvana perfume. It is made up of Peony, Muguent and Tender Musk. I absolutely love that it comes in this roller ball, too.

Here is a close up of the adorable Sephora Collection mini brush. As you can see it's tiny compare to my hand. This will be so nice to throw in my makeup bag for travel. Plus it comes in this little case so if I can keep that intact I will be able to keep it much cleaner too.

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

Look at this beautiful setting powder. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light. She is a beauty. I haven't really delved into any other setting powder other than my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. I have been very loyal to that one.  It is described as a neutral peach beige powder. I don't know what the technology behind this is... all I know is that it makes your skin glow and look incredible. They are finishing powders that capture your skin in the best light possible. Dim light is a really natural looking shade on me. I think the most popular shade is Diffused Light which is  more yellow but since I am naturally a little darker I went with Dim Light.

It looks a little shimmery in the pan, but on the skin you don't see any sparkle or shimmer. Your face just simply looks glowy and radiant. This also helps blur your imperfections and hide your pores. What I like best about this is that it doesn't look powdery on the skin - it looks very natural and light. I just dust this under my eyes and on my t-zone to reduce some shine. The packaging feels very luxurious as well. Overall it is a little pricey but it's a wonder last step to your makeup look.  

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Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Color

A new drugstore lip product I have discovered recently are the Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Color glosses. I usually love a good lipstick or crayon but something about these really stood out to me. I'm so happy I picked up 2 shades because they're absolutely lovely. They have an easy to use doe foot applicator and the formula is seriously smooth and moisturizing. They look super shiny on the lips and give them a really pouty look. They make your lips appear more full. I like the packaging too and there are so many good shades in the range. (by the way, I took these pictures before I decided I was going to do instagram posts for June...)

I got the shades, 090 Rose Redefined (bottom) and 075 Fuchsia Flourish(top). Rose Redefined is a great rosy pink for everyday. It's just a really pretty wash of color on the lips. Fuchsia Flourish is a wow bright cool toned pink that looks stunning on. I'm resisting to but more but overall I'm very happy with these!!

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Marc by Marc Jacobs French Bulldog Cosmetic Cases

I stumbled upon this adorable cosmetic pouch by Marc by Marc Jacobs. I found it in 3 different sizes. I don't really need another makeup bag... but how can I resist? For those of you who don't know, I have a 2 year old french bulldog named, Riley. I found the print also used for iPad and iPad mini cases. I can only find it on websites overseas so the shipping is a bit too much... But seriously - Super cute makeup bag!!!

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May Favorites

For the month of June, I'm going to change up the format of my blog and only post instagram pictures as the drive of my content.

Today's post is May Favorites!

Three items I used religiously this month were the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion at night and the Benefit Porefessional paired with the Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Concealer in the morning. These three together have kept my spots under control. The drying lotion dries up any acne I have overnight. The Porefessional creates a smooth canvas over my face so I can apply my makeup evenly. And the Concealer is high coverage and not cakey so help cover any of my dark spots or blemishes.

I also discovered a new way to use my Real Techniques Setting Brush. I used to use it to apply powder highlighter to my face, but I don't always use highlighter and I found a much better use for it. Now I use it to blend in my concealer! It's great for under the eyes or any spot concealing.

On my lips I have been loving the Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Colors. I have a post on that coming up so stay tuned for that. And now that it's summer I have loving wearing the MAC x Proenza Schouler lipstick in Mangrove. It's my favorite matte orangey red!

Finally, it took me awhile to get used to the Kevyn Aucoin 'The Mascara Volume' mascara because at the end of the day when you are removing it, the coats of masacara that wrapped around your lashes completely come off. It kind of freaked me out at first to be honest but now I think it is gentle and doesn't leave your eyes a huge mess. I don't think it takes off any of my lashes and the mascara itself is super lengthening and not clumpy at all!

Hope you guys enjoy the instagram posts!

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High Coverage Concealer: Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Concealer

As I mentioned on Tuesday's post, I have been rather spotty recently and I hate caking on makeup so my go-to make up routine has been to apply a light base (either tinted moisturizer or bb cream) paired with the Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Concealer with SPF 20.  I got the shade Honey which is a pretty good color match for me.Today I wore it on top of La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50 Face Mineral Tinted Sunscreen. This has been such a good purchase this month because none of my current concealers even compare now to the coverage this ones gives. I like that it feels lightweight on the skin and most importantly it doesn't cling to dry patches or spots in a weird way and still makes your skin look like skin. It's easy to blend, long lasting and overall my face hero right now.

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Favorite Lip Product Of All Time

My favorite lip product of all time has to go to the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks. They are no stranger to my blog as I have mentioned them many times before but recently I just ordered 2 new shades that you cannot get in the States from Amazon and I am beyond happy about them! You can pick up 3 shades at Sephora here, Nudist, Fuschia-Ristic and Plum Jam. The bottom two swatches above are Fuschia-Ristic and then Nudist. I swatched Plum Jam in the store and wasn't really that impressed with the color.

I ordered Bashful and Raplumzel online recently and I'm obsessed with these two new shades. On the lips Bashful is much more light pinky wash that is really beautiful and pretty. Raplumzel is more of a berry toned color that is sheer and looks so beautiful on the lips. I am so happy I ordered these!

What I love most is the consistency of these gloss sticks. They are not stick and feel incredibly moisturizing on the lips. They don't bleed and I love the twist up crayon. They are essentially chubby sticks but they give your lips such a glossy finish! I am in love with these... can you tell?

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Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

I was starting to feel a little down because recently my skin has become very spotty. I've turned to a skincare cult product to help me fight my blemishes and keep my skin... as clear as possible: the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. My skin has been very oily lately and although I think this has helped me with some of my spots overnight, some of my blemishes (mostly on my forehead) are still taking awhile to get rid of.

First of all you do not shake this bottle. You dip a q-tip in the bottle so it picks up the pink sediment at the bottom and you dot it on your blemishes after you finish your normal routine at night. Using a combination of calamine and salicylic acid, this product dries out your pimples overnight and really does reduce their appearance by morning. You definitely look pretty crazy with a bunch of pink dots all over your face but you're just going to sleep and it's really not that bad. Do not rub the product into the skin, you just gently dab the q-tip on the areas you need it. I've been using this every night all month and it's a very affordable product as well!

Also another fun fact, if you place this on a mosquito bite it helps reduce the itch. I recommend you try this if you're dealing with spotty skin this month!

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Ole Henriksen Mini Haul

Picked up these two little bits on a recent trip to the store. The Ole Henriksen Visual Truth Eye Creme and the Ole Henriksen Enlighten Me Skin Tone Corrector.

The eye creme is for anti-aging and for preventing fine lines and wrinkles. It is packed with vitamin C and their signature African red tea. This product seems to have really great reviews on Sephora so I thought it would be nice to test out. Great for morning and night time and hopefully I will really enjoy using it.

The skin tone corrector is a product I am always on the hunt for. I know serums won't be able to actually repair blemish scars but they can some what help the appearance. This serum is made with THC, lactic acid, lemon and mulberry extracts. I always hear people mentioning lemon has a natural skin lightener so that was a key ingredient for me. You can use this morning and night on your face and down your neck.

If I find these two products to be very good I will be sure to mention them again in a monthly favorites!

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New In: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Fluid

New in from Chanel is the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Fluid with SPF 15 gifted for my birthday!! I am so in love with this base and I have only been using it for a week. Chanel packaging is always so nice. This little tube is really cute. I have been using foundations pretty much all winter so it's nice to switch to something much lighter on the skin for summer. This feels like a very light tinted moisturizer on the skin. It's for days when you feel like you're having an amazing skin day. I'm currently dealing with some breakouts so I need to pair it with some heavy concealing but I really want to wear this all throughout summer. I think it would feel really great on the skin during the hot months. It helps give your skin that healthy radiant glow and it also contains hyaluronic acid which helps retain moisture in your skin! I have this in the shade B30 which is the perfect color for me.

Have you tried this new Chanel base?

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Lip Product Addict Tag

Of course after I watched Amelia and Estee's youtube video called the Lip Product Addict Tag, I had to do it. I had to because I sort of kinda maybe am a Lip Product addict...

TAG QUESTIONS
1. Favorite balm/treatment?
This is a hard question for me because I haven't found a formula that has completely wowed me. I do reach for the EOS lip balms quite often and currently I'm using the Malin & Goetz Lip Moisturizer but I have yet to find a holy grail lip balm. 

2. Best eye-catching red?
I would have to say my current favorite to wear would be the new MAC x Proenza Schouler red lipstick in Mangrove. I love MAC lipsticks to begin with and this collaboration is seriously a dream. It's got a bit more orange in it than most of my red lipsticks but I think it really flatters and brightens up your face.

3. Best luxury & best drugstore?
My favorite luxury lipsticks I own would have to be the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks. They are sheer lipsticks (some shades are more pigmented than others) but for me I really love my most wearable every day lipsticks and these are perfect. I love the packaging. They're so nice to carry around in your handbag and they're super moisturizing which is very important for me.

My favorite drugstore lip product would have to the be the Revlon Lip Butters. I have so many shades and they're also just so easy to apply and wear. 

4. Best MAC lipstick?
My all time favorite MAC lipstick is Rebel!

5. The most disappointing?
I was pretty disappointed with Fresh Sugar Plum Lip Treatment in Plum. I don't like the smell and I don't like the color or consistency really. This is pretty pricey and I just didn't think it was worth it. Mostly I really don't like the color and how it looks on my lips. I like the packaging but that's about it.

6. Liner - yes or no?
It's rare that I will wear lip liner... Maybe if I know I am going to wear a dark lip or if I'm being photographed and I want to cheap my lip line a little bit but generally no.

7. Best gloss?
I'm not a huge gloss person. I do own a couple but I never find myself reaching for them. I just love the consistency and feel of a lipstick or tinted lip balm much much more. The closest to a favorite lip gloss for me would the be YSL Glossy Stains. I have shade 7 and it leaves a really pretty coral stain on the lips. They're very liquidy to apply but they dry quickly on your lips and they don't leave them dry or cracked. The applicator is really unique and easy to use, too. Love love these.

8. Something extra!
My favorite lip product that I have in my collection is probably the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Nudist. Just had to mention this because it's a lip crayon but they look like gloss on the lips! They're so easy to apply and they don't leave your lips sticky. My only complaint is that they only have 3 shades in the states and I want them to bring more over here!

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Korres Pomegranate Set

I picked up this Korres Pomegranate Prescription Set because I have never tried the Korres Lip Butters and thought this was such a cute little starter set. It comes with a full size version of the Pomegranate Lip Butter which is a sheer coral color. It also comes with the Pomegranate Lip Butter Glaze which has been very bag friendly for me these days. I love the color and consistency of these lip butters. I find the Glaze to be more pigmented and I prefer the regular Lip Butter but I'm not the biggest fan of lip products you have to use your fingers. I do like keeping the lip butter at my desk and I use it all throughout the day!

This set also came with two mini skincare treatments: the Pomegranate Mattifying Treatment and the Mattifying Primer.  I haven't had a chance to try these two products out yet. The Mattifying Treatment is perfect for oily skin gals like me and it claims to reduce the appearance of pores. I will definitely try this soon under my makeup. This stuff also has some serious amazing reviews on Sephora so I look forward to testing it out! The Mattifying Primer is water-based and also helps reduce the appearance of pores. I'm hoping the treatment will be a long-term treatment that actually helps reduce the appearance while the primer is only temporary. I'll report back!

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MAC x Proenza Schouler Blushes

One more MAC x Proenza Schouler collection post. Left is the gorgeous Ocean City and to the right is Sunset Beach. Just look at how beautiful they are!!!

So MAC had a little bit of a mix-up when sending out their blushes. I had originally ordered Ocean City but they sent me Sunset Beach! After calling them a few times and reading other people talk about this problem on instagram, I was told they would let me keep Sunset Beach and they would send Ocean City free of charge since it was their mistake. Woohoo! Now I have both the blushes and I love both!

Here are the two blushes swatched. I blended the ombre color together. Ocean City is a very peachy coral blush and Susnet Beach is a bright pop of barbie pink. They aren't as pigmented as they look in the pan which is a good thing so I just take my brush, swirl it around to mix the ombre colors and blend it in to my cheeks. I love the packaging and everything about these 2 blushes. I am happy to have a cool tone pink blush because this is something I normally wouldn't pick up but it's still beautiful to wear. Overall I am super happy about all my Proenza Schouler purchases and love using them!

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Birthday Perk From Sephora

Today is my birthday! And that means I get to pick up a birthday present from Sephora! This year they have a little Make Up For Ever treat. It includes the Smokey Extravagant mascara and a cute little Rouge Artist Natural lipstick in N9. I don't really own any Make Up For Ever products except for their HD Invisible Cover Concealer which I use under my eyes. The lipstick looks like a very sophisticated deep rosy color. I love minis and this one is super adorable! I want to try their foundations and more concealers because I hear all amazing things about it!

Woohoo! Can't wait to celebrate tonight with my friends :)

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May Birchbox!

This month's Birchbox was really cute and in collaboration with Kate Spade Saturday. The box has the cute Saturday print and pop of yellow tissue paper. It also included a coupon to use on your next Kate Spade Saturday purchase!

First, I got some SmartyPants All-in-One Fiber Gummies for Weight Mangagement. The pack only included 2 which is 1/3 of the recommended serving size. They taste a little more like DOTS instead of gummy bears so it might not be fore everyone. I love gummies... so good thing the price for a full-size supply is too expensive for me to get.

I also got a set of Nexxus Color Assure Pre-Wash Primer, Shampoo and Conditioner. This looks perfect for bringing on holiday. Since I have started highlighting my hair again this will be good to help lock in color longer without sulfates. I have never used a pre-wash primer before so that will be interesting to test out!

I also got the Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow. I love my BB creams! This one is rich in antioxidants and hydrating aloe. I will report back to let you know if I like this one. I received another Supergoop! product. This one is the Everyday SPF 30 Cellular Response Technology one. It's lightweight and water resistant. I have another sample I love by them so I imagine this one will be great as well!

Finally I got the Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink. I was super excited when I saw this came in the package but a little disappointed by the color. It's a bright bright pink that I find a little hard to wear. I have heard bloggers mention this so I think the forumlas are great but the bright pink leaves me a little hesitant to wear it.

That's it for this month's Birchbox! Let me know what you got in your box!

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April Favorites

This month went by so quickly. It was a busy month. The big change I noticed this month is that my skin began breaking out. A lot. I have been paying extra attention to my skincare routine at night to help calm and prevent future breakouts. I used the Origins Super Spot Remover pretty religiously this past month. I kept to the same skincare routine and addition to that I added the spot treatment. I have recently discovered a new blemish treatment which I will review soon but in April I was all about the Origins one. It's a gel treatment that doesn't feel like it dries out my skin. It isn't over-night effective for me but I do think it helps speed up the process to clear skin.

On my lips I have been keeping the EOS Lip Balm in Honey Dew always close by. I finished the EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit last year and holy crap these smell so amazing. I am absolutely obsessed with these lip balms. Another lip product I have been loving is the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuschia-Ristic. This is a gorgeous sheer red-coral color. These rank high on my All-time favorite lip product list. Seriously they are super easy to apply, they twist up and the stick retains a good shape, the colors are sheer but also buildable to be pretty vibrant and they are really glossy and beautiful without being sticky! I also have the shade Nudist and Sephora only carries one other shade, a more plum color, which I have a feeling will end up being mine pretty soon.

On my face I have been loving Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. Any time I have an event or I know I will be photographed I go for this foundation. It gives your skin nice coverage and makes your face look really healthy and smooth! It has no SPF so it's really amazing for photos. Another face product I have been using every single day is the Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in Medium. The color is amazing for my skin tone. It's made for every single skin tone but for me it's great because it's an ashy-brown with no shimmer and looks very natural as a shadow or contour on the face. I love it and the packaging is small and compact!

Finally this month I found myself using facial wipes quite a bit. They feel great right before and after a workout and they felt amazing this month to use when you're on the plane. I've been using the Simple Radiance Cleansing Wipes and they feel gentle and just are great to use! Note: I don't really use this as just a makeup remover because I also use my Bioderma and then wash my face after with a cleanser as well.

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