What’s In My Travel Makeup Bag?

Hey ya’ll!!

Today’s video is all about what I pack in my travel makeup bag. My husband and I took a trip to Lake Tahoe earlier this month (if you haven’t seen my VLOG from that trip just click here), and I just got back earlier in the week from a 4 day cruise with a few of my girlfriends. I still hadn’t unpacked my makeup bag, so I figured now was the perfect time to share with you what I packed with me. I am going to go ahead and say it now, I am an overpacker. My excuse for overpacking is that I like options, and more than likely I am going to go out of town and wish I packed something that I didn’t end up bringing. I hope you enjoy the video! :)

xoxo,
Casey

Beauty Haul | Sephora, MAC, & Makeup Geek

Hey yall!!

Today I have a beauty haul to share with you. I received a few gift cards and a little cash for Christmas, and of course I chose to spend it on makeup. I picked up a couple things from Sephora, MAC, and Makeup Geek. This is the last makeup haul you are going to see from me for a while, so I hope you like it!

Kat Von D Shade & Light Contour Palette
I got an email from Sephora that this was coming out and I knew right then and there this was going to be a product I was going to pick up with my Sephora gift card. I have only used it once, and want to play with it a few more times to figure out which shades work best for me. I am going to do an in depth review on this sometime in the next two weeks so keep an eye out for that.

 Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer
I have been wanting to try this primer for a while and decided that buying it via gift card would be the perfect time to pick it up because this is a pretty pricy primer. I have heard nothing but great things about it so I’m really excited to try it out. In my video, you will hear me say that I was caught off guard because it was really liquidy the first time I used it. I was swatching everything after I filmed, and after the third pump the consistency was no longer watery. If you plan on purchasing this primer, I recommend shaking it well before using it. I figured my first few pumps were watery from sitting in the bottle and not having been used yet, and I was correct. So far this primer is great, but I still need to wear it a few more times before I can give my final approval.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel & Boscia Cleansing Oil
These are the two products I chose for my Sephora Point Perks. I am almost out of my Philosophy Miracle Worker Retinoid Pads, and even thought I like it, I’ve been thinking of trying something new. When I saw that the Dr. Dennis Gross was a Point Perk, I decided to give it a try. It came with three peels, and after using two of them I can already tell they are stronger than the Miracle Worker. The Miracle Worker is gentle enough for me to use on an every day basis, but the Dr. Dennis Gross is a product I would only use every other night, or once every two to three nights. I love my Garnier Cleansing Oil, and have heard the Boscia Cleansing Oil is fantastic. I’m going on a cruise next week and this will be the perfect size to take with me while I’m away. I’m excited to try it out!

MAC Tan Pigment
I was watching Amanda Ensing’s Best in Beauty video and she mentioned this pigment as one of her favorite products from 2014. As soon as she swatched it, I knew I HAD to have it. This is my favorite kind of color and I am a proud new owner. This is my first MAC pigment (crazy I know). I think this is going to be stunning all over the lid, and especially gorgeous in the Spring and Summer.

MAC Fix +
This is something that I have had on my wish list for some time but haven’t really had any reason to purchase it until now since I finally purchased a pigment. I have tried using eye drops as a dupe for this, but I really do not like using them. Not only is this great to use when applying pigments, but you can use this to enhance pan eyeshadow’s, and as a facial mist, face primer, or setting spray.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20
If you watched my Best in Beauty video, you will know that my favorite concealer is the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind. I have a hard time finding concealer’s that work for me. I have really fine smile lines around my eyes, so almost every concealer creases on me. I have my favorite drugstore concealer already, but I have been wanting to find a high-end one that works for me as well. A girl’s gotta have options, right? I was watching a video from Shades of Kassie, and she mentioned this concealer as one of her favorite products for not only concealing under her eyes, but for lightening up some of her darker foundations. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!

MAC Lipstick in Syrup
When I went to MAC, I was not expecting to leave with this color. I had another shade in mind, but this one stole my heart. I think it’s going to be a perfect “everyday” shade. It’s a good balance of pink and purple tones. It also deposits the perfect amount of color. It isn’t super opaque, and it's not super sheer either, but it is build-able so you get the best of both worlds.

I have completely fallen in love with Makeup Geek and decided to continue building my collection with some of the Christmas money I received. I picked up 4 eyeshadows and 1 blush.

Creme Brulee

 Frappe

 Goddess

 Homecoming

 From Left to Right: Creme Brulee, Frappe, Goddess, Homecoming

 Romance

After this haul, I have decided it’s time for another "No Buy". My last "No Buy" didn’t go so well, but I’m really going to do it this time. I literally don’t need any more make up right now. I need to start using up some of the products I own, before purchasing anything new. I would love to have my "No Buy" go up until my birthday which is March 10, but I’m not sure if I will be able to go THAT long. So for now, I’m putting myself on a "No Buy" through the end of February. If I completely run out of something, like mascara or foundation, then I obviously will purchase another product if I don’t have any backups already. For example, I am almost out of face wash, and that is a necessity, so I will need to repurchase that sometime in the next two weeks. If any of you would like to join me, let me know on Twitter or Instagram @caferg_xoxo. We could support each other along the way, Lord knows I’m gonna need it!


xoxo,
Casey

Trip to Lake Tahoe!

Hey y’all!

Check out my VLOG from the trip!

Kevin and I recently got back from Tahoe and we had such an amazing time! We decided that instead of us going crazy with Christmas gifts for each other this year, that we would take a trip instead. It was my first time in Tahoe, Kevin has been several times and it’s one of his favorite places to go. We stayed busy on the trip, and were constantly out doing something.

We got there midday on New Year’s Day and spent time walking around town, and getting familiar with the area. We rented out ski gear, signed me up for a lesson, and had dinner and drinks close to our hotel. We stayed at the Lake Tahoe Resort and our room was nice and spacious. The location of our hotel couldn’t have been more perfect. We were right in the middle of everything, and right next door to Harrah’s Casino, which we frequented almost every day! :)

The second day, our first full day, we spent the day skiing at Heavenly. The lift was pretty much right next door to our hotel, so it was really easy and convenient to get to. We got there around 9:00  and my lesson started at 10:00. My lesson lasted until about 12:45. I had to take a lesson because I had only skied one other time, about eight years ago, and it was a freaking disaster. Even though I didn’t get to ski much, I’m still glad I took one because I learned the basics of how to stop and turn. You could tell they would only teach the very bare minimum so that you would pay for the next lesson. After my lesson Kevin and I had lunch at the lodge and then he took me on my first lift. My instructor didn’t really explain things very well in my lesson, so Kevin really helped me throughout the rest of that day. After skiing we headed back to our hotel and went to dinner at The Brewery where we shared a pizza and had a few beers. It was definitely our kind of spot! After dinner, we went to the casino and spent the rest of the night there.

The third day we decided to ski again, this time at a different location called Sierra. We had some time to kill, since we were only skiing half the day, so we decided to stop and take a walk near the lake. Part of the lake had frozen and there were quite a few people out, walking their dogs and pulling their kids on sleds. We got out and walked around, and took pictures. It was really beautiful! I really preferred to ski at Sierra compared to Heavenly. It was a lot more relaxed, and the atmosphere was more chill and comfortable compared to the “commercial” feel that Heavenly had. Kevin took me on my very first run, and oh my gosh it was fun! I ended up wiping out a few times, but that’s to be expected seeing as how I’m a beginner. I was pretty proud of myself that I was actually able to ski a whole run without falling! Especially since I had had such a bad experience before.

The fourth day was probably my favorite day. We spent the whole day driving around Lake Tahoe, walking around taking pictures, and stopping by the little towns. The first town we decided to walk around, we found a wine bar and stopped for a few tastings. That’s another thing that I absolutely love to do! We had lunch at a place called Fat Cat there in town, then headed to the next destination. We ended up at a resort where there was a small Casino, and a restaurant right on the water. We had a couple drinks there, played a little Three Card, then headed out again. That evening we stopped in Genoa, and visited the oldest bar there. It was really cool to hear all the different stories about it. After that we headed to a late dinner at David Walley’s. We both ended up getting the same thing, a blue cheese crusted steak that was absolutely amazing! We shared a bottle of wine, and finished it outside by a fire. We headed back to our hotel, and of course ended our night in the casino.

The fifth day, our last day, we decided to ski again at Sierra. It was really nice because it was a Monday and there wasn’t nearly as many people. We skied the Green a couple of times and decided to ski a Blue. Kevin really likes to ski the Blues, but I was really nervous and knew that if I didn’t try it at least once, that I would probably regret it. Let’s just say that I am 100% content on skiing the Green’s, and have no intention of skiing a Blue again! We ended up having dinner near our hotel at this local pizza place. Oh my gosh, it was SO good! I had a spicy blood-orange margarita, and it was the best margarita I have ever had.

The next day, our sixth day, it was time to head home. Our flight was early, so we didn’t have a chance to go on any more adventures that day. With one short layover, and the time change, we didn’t land until 5:00pm. We were excited to see our kids and they were pretty excited to have us back too!

It’s always sad when a vacation ends, but it’s also nice to get home and get back into the normal routine. I was really glad that Kevin and I were able to get away for a little bit and spend some time together. We both had a really great time, and I can’t wait to go back again. I would love to go back during the summertime. Kevin has been both in the winter, and in the summer, and has said that summer’s spent on the lake there are SO fun.

xoxo,
Casey

Best In Beauty 2014 Favorites!

Hey y’all!!

It feels like forever since I have worked on my blog and my channel. The last few weeks have been crazy busy with gearing up for the holidays, Kason’s first birthday, and then a 5 day trip to Tahoe. Now that I’m back home and getting back to my normal routine, I am really looking forward to blogging again. With the start of the new year, I am making it a point at getting on a regular filming and uploading schedule, and showing on my blog some love as well.

Today I’m going to share with you my top beauty favorites from 2014. I basically am going through makeup categories, and sharing with you my most used and most loved products from this past year. There are a few categories that I have not included a favorite product for. Those categories are face primer,  eyeshadow primer, and eye liner. I didn’t include a face primer simply because I have not found one that I’m absolutely in love with. I didn’t include an eyeshadow primer, mainly because I don’t have my favorite primer on hand at the moment. If I were to give you my favorite eyeshadow primer it would be the NARS primer, and an honorable mention is the Urban Decay Primer Potion. For liner I’ve been using the Maybelline gel liner, and the Loreal gel liner. I like both, but haven’t found a holy grail yet.

My favorite foundation in 2014 was the Make Up For Ever HD Foundation. It’s a medium to full coverage foundation, looks amazing in pictures, and leaves a beautiful, natural finish. If I want a bit of a luminous finish, I will skip a setting powder. If I want a more semi-matte finish, then I will set it. I have normal to dry skin, so I can skip the all over setting powder with this foundation and be fine.

My favorite concealer has been the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind. It’s really creamy, has great coverage, and doesn’t enhance my smile lines. I have a hard time finding under eye concealer’s that work for me and not that don’t leave me looking like a creasy mess. This one is awesome, and for the price, you cannot beat it.

My favorite setting powder is the Laura Mercier Invisible Pressed Setting Powder. As you can see, I have hit MAJOR pan and I am almost completely out. I will only be able to use this two or three more times because every time I tap my brush in it, more and more breaks off. I plan on repurchasing another one soon. Being the makeup-crazed girl that I am, I wouldn’t mind trying something new. Let me know your favorite setting powder, whether it be translucent or colored. I’m up for anything!

I have two favorite brow products from this past year. The first is the Anastasia Dip Brown Pomade in the shade Soft Brown. It’s really easy to work with and lasts all day. It’s a waterproof formula, so once it’s on, it’s not going to budge until you wash your face. To set my brows in place, I’ve been loving the Benefit Gimme Brow in the shade Medium/Deep. Not only is this great for setting the brows, but it’s perfect for my No Makeup-Makeup Days. It has tiny fibers in it that help your brows appear fuller, without filling them in.

I have two favorite bronzers from this past year. The first is the Becca Shadow & Light Bronze/Contour Perfector. It has two shades that can be worn separately, or mixed together. As you can see, this is a well-loved product. I love the darker shade for contouring. When both shades are mixed together, you get the most beautiful bronzed glow. My second favorite is the Marc Jacobs Bronzer in Tantric. This bronzer is very light, geared towards fair to medium skin tones. If you have a darker complexion, I’m afraid this bronzer would be too light for you. Even though it is on the light side, it is absolutely stunning. I was nervous when I first purchased it that it would be too light for me, but I absolutely fell in love with it. It’s matte and looks very natural.

I have a few blush favorites to talk about. The first is Becca’s Damselfly. It’s a pretty peachy, coral shade that has a sheen to it. I really love this blush in the spring and the summer time because of the sheen it has, but it is also a color that is appropriate all year round. In fact, it is what I’m wearing on my cheeks today. The next one is NARS Lovejoy. This is a beautiful, rich bronze/terra-cotta color with a tad bit of shimmer. It’s gorgeous in the summer with a tan, and is equally as pretty on fair skin. I have two Makeup Geek blushes, one in Infatuation and one in Spellbound. These are the only Makeup Geek blushes I own, but I’m absolutely obsessed! They are super pigmented, and are very easy to blend. I recently ordered another blush from the line because they are THAT good. Another bonus, they are only $9.99 each.

My favorite highlighter in 2014 was Becca’s Opal. This is the best of the best when it comes to highlighters, and I’m sure a ton of you have heard this product mentioned a million times. It’s a beautiful champagne/gold shade, and will make you look like a glowing goddess. This highlight is very intense, so if you are looking for a subtle highlight, this is not the product for you.

My favorite powder’s have been from the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. They are so universal and can be used a ton of different ways. They can be used to set your foundation or concealer, as a finishing powder, or to highlight certain areas on your face. You could even use them as eyeshadow if you wanted to. They give your face a “lit from within” glow that looks very healthy and natural. If you like a more subtle highlight, and opposite the intensity of Becca’s Opal, then these powders are for you.

By far, my absolute favorite eyeshadows from this past year have been my Makeup Geek shadows. I am SO glad I discovered these little babies. They have been my go-to, most used shadows all year. They are affordable ($5.99 each), very pigmented, creamy, and blend like a dream. They have a ton of different colors too. I have a large Z-palette that I keep my shadows in, and have been working on my collection.

I have two mascara favorites to share with you. My first favorite is the Covergirl ClumpCrusher, and I have repurchased it multiple times. I don’t like this mascara on it’s own, but absolutely love layering it on top of other mascara’s. It’s perfect for lifting, lengthening, and separating lashes. For volume, my favorite has been the Covergirl Lash Blast Volume. I normally like natural bristle brushes, and surprisingly this one has a plastic, short bristled brush. The formula is awesome, and it does a great job at really plumping up my lashes.

Last but not least are my lippie favorites. Being the lipstick lover that I am, I have quite a few to mention. I’m just gonna zip through these little guys to keep this post from becoming a novel. My favorite lipsticks have been the Chanel Rouge CoCo Shine in #57 Aventure, YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in #9, MAC Velvet Teddy, Maybelline Creamy Matte in Daringly Nude, and Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lovecraft. My favorite glosses this year have been Buxom Celeste, Urban Decay Walk of Shame, NARS Chihuahua, and Gerard Cosmetics Lipgloss in Nude.

I hope you really enjoyed today’s post! I’m really excited to see what this year has in store. Let me know if you have any blog post, or video recommendations, as well as any “series” you’d like to see from me!

xoxo,
Casey