Friday, November 21, 2014

My Go-To Makeup Look Recently

Hey ya'll!

Today I'm going to share with you the makeup look I've been wearing lately. This is the same look I've been doing every time I've done my makeup the last couple of weeks. I do change up my bronzer, blush, and other face makeup, but for the most part the eye's and the lip's have been the same. Check out the video below to see how I've been doing my makeup recently.

PRODUCTS PICTURED: Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer, Laura Mercier Invisible Pressed Setting Powder, NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette, MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Soft & Gentle
PRODUCTS PICTURED: Makeup Geek Eyeshadows in Vanilla Bean, Purely Naked, Barcelona Beach, Latte, & Shimma Shimma, Anastasia Dip Brow in Soft Brown, Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep, Loreal Miss Manga & Butterfly Mascara's, Loreal SuperSlim Liquid Liner, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Zero
PRODUCTS PICTURED: Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, Maybelline Matte Lipstick in Daringly Nude, NARS Lip Gloss in Chihuahua


xoxo,
Casey

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Sephora Haul - VIB Rouge 20% Off Sale


Hey ya'll!

Ok, surprise-surprise, I participated in the Sephora VIB Sale. It only comes around twice a year, so no matter what, I usually pick something (more like "some things") up. I have tried almost everything that I purchased and I must say, I'm VERY happy with everything I picked up!
NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette: This is probably my favorite, most exciting purchase out of the whole haul. I was nervous about getting it because it was pricey, but if I was going to get it at all, during the sale was the perfect time because I'd get 20% off. I am so happy that I decided to get it. NARS is one of my favorite high-end makeup brands. I have a few of their blushes, but none of the blushes I currently own are featured in this palette, so really I got three new blushes, a new highlight, and a new bronzer. This palette boasts three blushes, one highlight, and the cult favorite bronzer in the shade Laguna.
Tarte Brazilliance Self Tanner: I recently finished up the St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse and wanted to try out something new. I've heard that this is a nice self-tanner, but it's been a while since I've heard anyone talk about it. I have not tried it yet, but when I do, you will get the low down on how it performs.
Clinique Youth Surge Night Cream: I've used this a few times now and am still not 100% sure if I like it. I recently finished up my usual night cream, and even though I loved it, I wanted to try something new. The first time I used this, it left my face feeling tingly, kind of like when you put on a lip plumper. It's not super over powering, or uncomfortable, just very strange feeling. I was nervous because I thought it was irritating my skin, but I have not broken out or gotten any other weird reaction, so I'm going to continue using it and see how it works out.
BITE Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Truffle: I didn't originally purchase this during the sale. When I was making an online order, I purchased the Buxom gloss in Jasmine. It was described as a Black Cherry color, so I thought it was going to be a really nice deep, red color to top on my burgundy lipsticks. The color wasn't what I was expecting so I decided to return it. I've been wanting to try out BITE Beauty for a long time now, and decided to "bite" the bullet (Do you see what I just did there? Pretty fancy huh?!) and pick something out from the line. This color is absolutely STUNNING! It's a super dark purple, and almost looks black. I cannot wait to create a makeup look using this.
Smashbox Be Legendary Gloss in Vivid Violet: I've been on the hunt for a vampy lip gloss, and this is absolutely perfect. A lot of my vampy lipsticks dry to a matte finish, and sometimes I want to spice things up and wear a really glossy, vampy lip. This is the perfect shade to throw on top of any dark lipstick.
NARS Lip Gloss in Chihuahua: I have had my eye on this little baby for a very long time, but never decided to purchase it. I swear, every time I go to a Sephora, this color calls my name. It's a beautiful, warm, pinky terra-cotta color that really compliments my skin tone. If I haven't been wearing a dark lip, I've been wearing this. I am so, so glad that I finally own this because it's absolutely perfect for me.
Boscia Luminizing Black Mask: I decided to cash in some of my points and the first thing I decided on was this peel off mask. I haven't tried it yet, and have never tried anything from the Boscia line. It seems pretty promising so I'm excited to try it out.
Smashbox Studio Faves 500-Point Perk: I decided to try one of the big point perk's and thought this one was the best they have had in while. I have tried both of the primers and the eyeshadows so far. I must say, the under eye primer is absolutely amazing and I don't know if I can apply my concealer without it now. I totally thought that when they came out with that, that it was going to be a joke, but it's actually an amazing product.

That's everything I picked up during the Fall VIB Sale. Let me know if you'd like to see a review on any of the products mentioned!


xoxo,
Casey

Friday, November 14, 2014

Top 10 Fall & Winter Lipstick's

Hey ya'll!

Today I'm going to share with you my Top 10 Fall and Winter Lipstick picks. I'm going to show you pictures of each lip product, hand and lip swatches, and give you a quick little review of each one. I have a great mix of high-end and drugstore options, as well as a wide range of colors. Enjoy!

Watch my video for hand and lip swatches of each lipstick!

I'm going to start with the nudes and brown shades first. All of these shades are perfect for Fall, and are on the 90's lip trend.
Lovecraft - Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick
This is a gorgeous, matte, pinky-mauve lipstick. It goes on smooth and lasts a long time. Depending on your skin tone it could pull more nude, pink, purple, or mauve. It's a very unique color that I think will suit many different people, and is perfect for Fall.
#3 Beige Ultimate - YSL Rouge Volupte Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick
This is a really creamy, red brown shade. This color compliments all skin tones, and feels really smooth on the lips . The lasting power isn't all that great on it's own, but if it's worn on top of a lip liner it will last longer.
Touch of Spice - Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick
This lipstick is also a red brown shade, but it's more on the mauve side. It has a matte finish, but instead of being really dry,  it's creamy and smooth. It's long lasting and is very comfortable to wear.
Velvet Teddy - MAC Matte Lipstick
This is one of my favorite lip products right now. It's a beautiful dark, nude brown that is perfect for any occasion and can be worn with a really simple makeup look, or a smokey eye. Like Touch of Spice, it's very creamy, long lasting, and doesn't dry out my lips.

Next up are the red's. I recommend wearing a lip liner with these shades to prevent your lipstick from bleeding outside your natural lip line.
Divine Wine - Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick
This is a beautiful, red wine color. Like the other shades in the Creamy Matte collection, it's very pigmented and long lasting. It's very dark, but if applied in a light dabbing motion, can be worn more sheer as a stain.
Cabernet Blend - Milani
This is one of my most worn dark lip shades so far this year. It's a deep, burgundy red color that makes my green eyes pop. Milani is my go-to drugstore brand for dark lip colors. The formula is wonderful, it goes on creamy with a bit of a shine, then later dries to more of a matte finish.

Next are my "Baby Vamp" picks. These are lippies that are perfect for someone just starting out with dark lip colors, or for someone who likes the idea of a vampy lip but doesn't want a super dark and opaque look.
Parisian - Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain
This color is a medium berry-purple shade. It goes on really creamy, kind of like a gloss, then dries to a stain. This is perfect for day time, because it's really easy and long lasting.
Purple Intouchable - YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick
This is my favorite formula from YSL. It's a mid-toned purple shade that can be worn sheer with one coat, or built up to be more opaque. It gives of the prettiest shine, making lips appear larger.

Last, but not least, the vampy purple shades. Again, like with any dark lip color, I recommend wearing a lip liner with any dark color to prevent your lipstick from bleeding onto your skin.
Scarlett Empress - NARS
This is one of the first vampy lip colors I ever purchased. It's a dark berry shade with a purple undertone. It dries down to a matte finish, and can get a little drying on the lips. But if worn under a gloss, it feels much more comfortable. If you dab just a little all over your lips, then top with a lip balm, you will have to prettiest stain.
Sangria - Milani
This is another lipstick that was one of my first vampy lip purchases. It's very similar to Scarlett Empress. It's a beautiful, purple berry color. It's very pigmented and is one of my favorite lip colors of all time. I don't own Rebel by MAC, but I have heard that this is almost an exact dupe for that shade.
I hope you enjoyed today's post and video on my Fall & Winter Lip Pick's. I'd love to know what your favorite Fall lippies are, so feel free to leave them in the comments below so I can check them out!


xoxo,
Casey

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

First Impression: Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation

Hey ya'll!

Today I'm doing a First Impression on the Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation. I've been wanting to find a really good powder foundation for the colder months because I absolutely love the finish that it gives. I think the finish of a powder foundation is so beautiful, more natural than a liquid, and effortless. I also wanted a powder foundation because a powder is so much quicker to apply than a liquid, which comes in handy during the week when I want to look put together, but don't want to put in the time or effort.
Tarte recommends you use the Airbuki Bamboo Powder Foundation Brush with this foundation. I was playing around with the brush while I was at Ulta and it seemed really nice and high quality, but it also reminded me of a brush that I already have, the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. These brushes don't look alike by any means, but the bristles and density of the Airbuki is what reminded me of the Real Techniques brush. The Real Techniques Buffing Brush has short, dense bristles like the Airbuki, so I wanted to try applying with that first to see how the application would go.
Upon first applying the foundation, I immediately knew I was going to be love it. It went on so smoothly, and feels very lightweight on the skin. The finish of this foundation is absolutely stunning! It's not completely flat, or matte, like most powder foundations can be. It gave my skin the most subtle glow which made my skin look, and feel, healthy. I was also really glad that I went with my gut instinct about the Real Techniques brush, because it was the perfect tool to use with this foundation.
I wore the foundation for 8 hours, with no touch ups because I really wanted to test out the lasting power. I was very pleased with the lasting power, and the wear time. The foundation held up very well, and still looked as pretty as it did when I first applied it. I did have a little shine by the end of the day, but it was nothing that I was bothered by, or concerned with. A little shine does not bother me because it adds a bit more of a glow and makes my makeup look even more natural.
I wouldn't go as far to say that this is a full coverage with just one application. I would say that it is a true medium coverage with one application, and can be built up to full coverage which I really appreciate. I tend to go for a medium coverage foundation because I like some of my freckles and other features to show through.

I give this foundation a huge A+ and am so happy with it. This is exactly what I had in mind, and what I wanted, when I was searching for a powder foundation. If you have been contemplating this foundation yourself, I absolutely recommend it and give it my stamp of approval. Also, if you want a new tool to apply it but don't want to spend the money on the Airbuki brush, the Real Techniques Buffing Brush is a wonderful choice and works really great.

I hope you enjoyed today's post and video. Let me know if you'd like to see another First Impression on any other products!


xoxo,
Casey

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Glowing Skin, Fresh Faced Makeup Look - Mom Friendly

Hey ya'll!

One of my subscribers recently requested that I do a Mom Friendly Makeup Look and I thought it was a fantastic idea. Sometimes as Mom's, we want to look pretty and put together, but we simply don't have the time to go full on glam. This look is extremely quick, and easy to achieve. My main focus today was glowing and luminous skin, defined brows, and full lashes. These are the three most important things to me when doing my makeup everyday. I hope ya'll like it!

PRODUCTS MENTIONED: Loreal Magic Lumi Primer, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, Laura Mercier Invisible Pressed Setting Powder, Benefit Gimme Brow, Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer, Makeup Geek Blush in Spell Bound, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Opal, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Zero, Covergirl Lash Blast, Dior Addict Lip Glow


xoxo,
Casey

Monday, November 3, 2014

Ulta Haul! - 20% Off Sale - Makeup, Hair Care, & Skin Care

Hey ya'll!!

Ulta recently sent out their 20% off coupon, good for all products, including all prestigious brands. Lucky for me, I had recently ran out of some of my Skin Care and Hair Care items. I feel like this always happens to me, I run out of my necessities, and the coupon fairy drops by my inbox. I must say, it's pretty awesome! Everything in this haul is a repurchase, except for one thing. Check out my video below to see what I picked up.

PRODUCTS MENTIONED: It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Treatment, Batiste Dry Shampoo in Paisley & Blush, Philosophy Miracle Worker Retinoid Pads, Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Cream, Loreal Magic Lumi Highlighting Pen, Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation

Keep an eye out for a First Impression's on the Tarte Foundation! Also, the Sephora VIB sale starts at the end of this week. Let me know if you'd like to see a video of my recommendations for the sale.

xoxo,
Casey

October Favorites!

Hey ya'll!!

Another month has come and gone, which means it's time for Favorites! Holiday season is now in full swing and I couldn't be more excited. I've got a good group of beauty favorites to share with you this month. I'm gonna keep this blog post short and sweet, so if you want to see what I was loving this month, just check out the video below.

xoxo,
Casey