FOTD: TAN!

I love summer. 
It's such a good excuse to get out into the sun and be a bronze goddess. 
Over the past few weeks, I've managed to build up a pretty good tan so I can safely say now that bronzer has become a staple product in my everyday makeup routine. 
During the colder months when I'm more pale, I really only use bronzer to add some warmth to my face or to contour a bit. In summer, I put my bronzer everywhere! I always put sunscreen on my face, so in contrast to winter, my face now is actually lighter than the rest of my body (no orange face for me)
I've been really into using my Chanel's Soleil Tan de Chanel (or Bronze Universal, whatever you want to call it) cream bronzer to add an even bronzed tone all over my face. I use it lightly with a kabuki brush to give my complexion on even bronzed base
Here's the final result

And y'all know me, I used my newly bronzed visage as the perfect foundations for a summer makeup look.
Here are all the products I used to achieve this look: 

In typical ME fashion, I used a lot of products to get a fairly simple look. To me, it's all about having the most flawless base and then building up the extras (i.e. eyes, lips, cheeks) around that perfected complexion. One day, I swear, I'll have to do a FOTD using minimal products. I promise I can do it! 

FOTD: New Products!

Featured in a recent haul, were a bunch of products from theBalm that I picked up from Hautelook. Using a bunch of products from that haul, I came up with this look:

As I mentioned above, a great deal of the products I used for this FOTD were from that Hautelook haul of theBalm. I got a good deal of the quality of the products from this FOTD and I've been using them more frequently as of late. I'll try and give y'all an idea of what I think of these products 

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FOTD: More like "the same makeup I have been wearing all week"

Is it a makeup rut if I've been following the same makeup routine for the past few weeks? Or does it just mean that something has finally contented me enough to not want to change it. Call is laziness, inspiration, perfection or whatever, but THIS is the makeup that I have been wearing...

Holla!

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FOTD: Lazy Weekend

FOTD: Bronzed and Gilded

I wanted to do a look to get me out of my winter rut. It's been so nasty and cold out and I just wanted to bring a little bit of sunshine and warmth back into my life. I decided to load up on fake tanner and bronzer to help me achieve that. Here's a rundown of what my desk looks like when I get an idea for a makeup look and/or blog post...(don't mind the Tim Ho's coffee cup)

First thing's first: I wanted to a get a good, solid tan base before I dived into this daring look. Just because you put a bit, or a lot, of bronzer on your face doesn't mean the rest of your body will pull off the bronzed look without a little help. I used the St. Tropez bronzing mousse all over my face, neck, and chest to get an even tanned look.

 

The reason why this bronzer is so great is because a) it's a mousse to it blends really easily and seamlessly into the skin and b) it's got a greenish hue to it. Most bronzers are slightly more orange, leaving that oh-so-snooki fake n' baked look. When it's got more green undertones, it looks browner against the yellow/pink hues in our own natural skin tones.

In person, this look is a lot more bronzed. The sunlight coming in from my window is slightly washing me out.

FACE:

1. foundation: Garnier Skin Renew skin perfector bb cream in light/medium (full review here)

2. concealer: Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer in 52 medium radiance - this concealer is super easy to blend and covers blemishes and dark circles alike

3. bronzer #1: Soleil Tan de Chanel bronze universel - the best and only cream/gel bronzer on the market

4. blush: Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush in peach satin (also used in a previous FOTD post found here)

5. highlighter/bronzer: NYC Blushable Cream Stick in Urban Spice (full review of these cream blushes coming soon)

6. highlighter/concealer: YSL Touche Eclat

7. highlighter #1: Benefit High Beam

8. under-eye setting powder: Benefit Powderflage

9. setting powder: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium

10. bronzer #2: Rimmel Natural Bronzer in 021 Sun Light

11. highlighter #2: Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips in Vegas Strip

12. setting spray: Urban Decay "All Nighter" long lasting makeup setting spray

As you can tell by the number of of highlighters and bronzers I used for this look, I was really focused on a glowing bronzes look that would stay put all day. Layering gels or creams with powders ensures the staying power of a makeup product. I finished up my face makeup with a setting spray to seal everything in and really ensure everything would stay.

EYES:

primer: MAC Paint Pot in Rubanesque (a really beautiful peachy-gold that's a great base for shimmer shadows)

shadow: Physician's Formula Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow in Nude (below are the two colours that I used for this look. I'll have a review of this palette coming soon)

eyeliner #1: Urban Decay 24/7 glide on pencil in Demolition (worn in the lower waterline)

eyeliner #2: Benefit "Gilded" (technically this product is marketed as a "tangerine gold highighter" but I'll just say eyeliner for simplicity. I used this product on my lower lash line to add brightness)

Mascara #1: CoverGirl lashblast 24hr (upper lashes)

Mascara #2: Maybelline Lash Discovery waterproof (bottom lashes)

Eyebrows: Maybelline MasterShape eyebrow pencil in Blonde (the colour of this eyebrow pencil is the exact same as Omega by MAC, my go-to eyebrow colour. Having a pencil helps to speed the process along on days when I don't have a lot of time to pull a look together or if I'm just plain lazy)

LIPS:

lip colour: NYX soft matte lip cream in London

balm/gloss: Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss

 And that's the finished look! Stay warm in these last few weeks of winter...the sunshine is on its way!


xoxoDarlingBuds

FOTD: Drugstore edition

I decided to do a FOTD using only drugstore products. All of these products can be found at a drugstore and they are all ranging in price from $3 to $15. Not too shabby. 


FACE:

Primer - Hard Candy Sheer Envy primer. Honestly, this isn't my favourite primer, but for the sake of this look, it was all I had. It has the same silicone-y feeling that you get with other primers such as Smashbox Photo Finish. It's that silicone-y aspect to the product that fills in lines an pores ad makes for a smooth application and feeling. I don't like this product that much because I find that it feel a little greasy and slick, not just silicone-y. It does a pretty good job as far as primers go: keeps my foundation in place all day and makes for a smooth makeup application over top of it. 
Foundation - Neutrogena Healthy Skin liquid makeup in 20 Nautral Ivory. I talked more in depth about this product in my first FOTD post which can be found here. I still absolutely love this foundation and it hasn't changed from my everyday routine to now because, coincidentally, it's still a drugstore product, yay!
Concealer - Revlon PhotoReady concealer in Fair. This is a really creamy concealer that is super easy to blend. It's not cakey looking so it's perfect for under the eyes. I find that I have to build the product a little bit more in order to get better coverage on certain darker spots and blemishes on my face, but otherwise, I really like this product. Even if I do have to build it up a bit more, it never looks to thick and unnatural. Good stuff!
Highlighter/Concealer - Rimmel Match Perfection concealer in the shade 3. I like this product even more than YSL Touch Eclat (which I also featured in my previous FOTD post). It's more of a concealer, yes this is true, but I find that it's highlighting capabilities are even more outstanding than YSL. And it's a bajillionX cheaper. This is a seriously worthwhile buy. I want to try out the lighter shades, but even for me shade 3 is pretty good.
Blush #1 - NYC Blushable Cream Stick in Plaza Pink. This is my only other drugstore cream blush other than the Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush which I used, once again, in my first FOTD post and also in my Valentine's Day makeup. Plaza Pink has a bit of shimmer in it, which y'all know I like, and it's basically a cream version of Nars' Deep Throat, which I also love. It's super easy to blend and the colour last a pretty good while. Obvi I top it with a powder blush on top (you know that's how I roll) so the staying power is pretty decent. And this product is like $3! What's not to love?
Powder - Maybelline Dream Matte powder in Medium. In no way am I "medium" for the majority of the year. This is my summer colour. I did have a lighter version of this powder, actually I had 2, but they both broke!!! I was so peeved. This is a really great setting powder, and it gets rid of shine instantly for touch-ups, without looking too caked on and powdery. The only really annoying thing about this product is that 2 out 3 that I've purchased have broken. That's a major bummer for a great product 
Blush #2 - Rimmel Powder Blush in 102 Santa Rose. This blush is so pretty! It's has a satin finish, and it's a really pretty yet subtle pink with a hint of coral to it. Considering that you can find it for $4 to $6, depending on what drugstore you go to, this blush is a steal! It's actually so pretty and since breaking out for this post, I solemnly swear to use it more
Bronzer - Rimmel Bronzing Powder in 021 Sun Light. For a really long time, this was my go-to bronzer. When I first started wearing bronzer, this was the first one I got. I've since branched out and tried different brands, but after preparing for this post, I've decided that this one is my ultimate drugstore favourite. It has really buildable colour, so you can either just give yourself a light dusting for a bronzy glow or apply it more heavily for contouring. There are a couple different shade you can buy of this product too, some are matte like Sun Light, and some have shimmer. The only con is that I hate the packaging, but the stuff inside is good. 

Highlighter - Maybelline eyeshadow in Champagne Fizz. Obviously this is not meant to be a highlighter, but I really love the effect it gives. Elle Fowler, otherwise known as AllThatGlitters21 on youtube, first spoke about using this particular eyeshadow as a face highlighter. I don't know how she got the idea but it's genius! 


EYES:

Primer - Maybelline Color Tattoo in Too Cool and Tough As Taupe. Unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure you've heard of these new products to come out from Maybelline. Maybelline has been in a serious whirlwind of new products! These Color Tattoos are basically cream eyeshadows, but they are very comparable to MAC paint pots. They are great to use as a base because they don't crease and provide a good base colour for anything put overtop. 
Eyeshadow - Maybelline eyeshadow Quad in Natural Smokes. All of the quads from Maybelline's "stylish smokes" range are really good. The colours are very wearable and pigmented. I could honestly just bring this quad with me on vacation and be fine. Obviously I don't, but I could. Great stuff from Maybelline. 
Mascara - top: Covergirl Lashblast 24hr. This is basically one notch above waterproof mascara. You needn't worry about your mascara running or flaking with this bad boy. Lashblast isn't my favourite mascara; I don't like the wand, bristles and the watery formula, but I bought this because I was in a pinch and I needed a long-wearing mascara for a certain occasion I went to. This doesn't come off easy either; you'll probably wake up in the morning with racoon-eyes, but if long-wearing is what you wanted, than that's what you get with this mascara. 
        - bottom: Maybelline Lash Discovery (waterproof). This is a really great mascara to use to separate each individual lash. But it's especially awesome for lower lashes because the wand is so itty bitty! Multi-purpose mascara, another great buy from Maybelline. They're awesome!
Eyeliner - Prestige waterproof in Star. This is a shimmery, white eyeliner that I used on my lower waterline just to make it appear that my eyes were larger and more awake.
Eyebrows - Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Blonde. This is a really neat product. It's double-ended: on one end is an eyebrow pencil used to fill in your brows, and then on the other end is a tinted brow gel used to set your brows. Everything you need is in this little tube. 

LIPS:
Lipliner - Prestige in 206 Silk. Apparently this lipliner has a bit of a cult following. It's just the perfect pink-nude colour for any lip look. It's a super smooth liner, so it's easy to apply, and it lasts a really long time!
Lipstick - Rimmel Kate Moss collection lipstick in shade 03. This is a really beautiful fuchsia pink colour. It's a really great shade for spring and I can't wait to get more wear out of it. The new Kate Moss collection for Rimmel features about 6 shades of lipstick. It's a similar formula, if not the exact same formula, to Rimmel's Lasting Finish lipsticks. They're very pigmented and long-wearing. 
Gloss/Balm - Rosebud Salve. A staple in any cosmetic bag. This stuff is basically pink, rose-smelling vaseline. It's useful for a bunch of different things, but I really like it on my lips because it gives a hint of colour and a lot of shine 


SO That's the finished look! Here's a close up, and so you can see more details on my eyes...

DONE!

these types of posts are fun to do, but man do they take a while...until next time!


xoxoDarlingsBuds

FOTD Valentine's Day Makeup: Think Pink!

I'm not really into the whole Valentine's day thing, but I can't deny that I love the little trinkets and baubles that shops sell around this time. I love all the little cute little heart shaped things that come out at this time of year, but the holiday itself is a bummer. 
To lighten my spirits, I decided to do a little Valentine's Day makeup idea. Enjoy!

CHEEKS:
I followed by regular foundation routine, found here. I switched up the blush a bit though by choosing a more pink blush rather than coral. I used the Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush in "pink blush" underneath my setting powder (because it's a cream blush) and then I topped it with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in "Blonde" for some more pink and little shimmer. 

EYES:
For the eyes, as per usual, I primed my lids with MAC's painterly paint pot. This product is perfect because it washes out any discolouration or veins that show on my eyelids with a pale pink that matches my skin tone - so it's just like second skin!

I chose all pink colours for this Valentine's Day tutorial (go figure), and it just so happens that the best pinks I have are all from MAC.

orb, jest, da bling, cranberry

From left to right: Orb, Jest, Da Bling, Cranberry. I used jest on the inner half of my lid to lighten it up a bit. Da Bling went on the outer half of my lid to add even more of a pink pop! I used cranberry in the outer V to darken up the outer part of my eye and to add definition. Orb is a boring, skin tone, satin finish colour that used under my brow bone for a highlight.

To define the eye even more, I used my Physician's Formula eye boosting liquid eyeliner in Black and created a winged eyeliner shape.

To soften up the liner, I used my cranberry eyeshadow again and a flat angled brush to make the line a little less black and a little more pink. Running an eyeshadow over an eyeliner (gel or liquid preferably) is a really quick and easy way to create a soft eyeliner and add a bit of colour. 


LIPS:
I followed through with the pink theme and chose to do a hot pink lip. I used a new product from CoverGirl called blast lipstick in the shade Perky to create a ombre effect to the lips. This product is double-ended: one side is darker, while the other is more shimmery and lighter. By applying the lighter shade in the centre of the lip creates a fuller looking lip. 
I topped it off with a lipgloss from Revlon from the ColorBurst range in the colour Hot Pink. Fun lip look - check!

And that's, that! Not going to lie, this is a really pink look. But it's festive and Valentine's day oriented so it's allowed.

Happy Valentine's Day!


xoxoDarlingBuds

FOTD: Face of the Day

Today is Tuesday January 31 and today I felt like having y'all get ready with me. This is everything I'm wearing makeup-wise today...

FACE: listed in the order applied
primer - Benefit Porefessional (a great primer to use not only for long-lasting makeup but also to hide the look of enlarged pores)
Garnier anti-dark circle roller (I use this mostly as a primer for my real under eye concealer because I have heinous dark circles)
foundation - Neutrogena Healthy Skin liquid makeup in 20 Natural Ivory.(this foundation is supposed to be a dupe to Nars Sheer Glow. I haven't tried the Nars foundation but I know I love the one by neutrogena. It leaves a nice finish to the skin, doesn't look cakey, and provides buildable light-medium coverage.)
Bobbi Brown corrector in porcelaine peach (a great holy grail product. Hides my dark circles and stays on all day)
Yves St Laurent Touche Eclat (This product is stupidly expensive and I don't know if I think it's worth it. I use it under my eyes just for a touch of illumination, and in other places I want to highlight. I don't really see that big of a difference in terms of illumination. I'm still going to keep using this product until it's gone because it would be such a waste of money otherwise. This is a product that I think is definitely not worth the hype.)
concealer - Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer in SC-3. (This product truly is the perfect concealer. It doesn't look cakey when applied sparingly, and you only need to use a little bit to achieve really great coverage. I don't use this product under my eyes because it's a little to heavy, but on blemishes, redness and discolouration, this concealer is the best.)
blush #1 - Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush in Peach Satin. (This product is the new cream blush to come out from Maybelline. They've since discontinued their line of dream mousse blushes and replaces them with these. The colour payoff is very good and the product is easily blendable. I like the product, for what it is, but I think the bouncy aspect of it is a total gimmick.)
bronzer #1 - Chanel Soleil de Tan (Some people say that they think that this bronzer is too orange, but for my skin tone, it works really well. It's a cream/gel consistency bronzer so it's a really different kind of product. It buffs into the skin seamlessly and it lasts all day. I apply Soleil de Tan underneath my setting powder for 2 reasons: 1) It's a cream/gel so if it was applied over powder it would look really cakey and 2) I'm really pale so I can look this product look really natural by applying my setting powder over top - it glows from underneath my makeup)
highlighter - Benefit High Beam (I know I already said that I use YSL touche eclat as a highlighter of sorts, but it's not ever enough. I use high beam for the perfect highlighter on the tops of the apples of my cheeks. It catches the light so beautifully and really adds a little je-ne-sais-quoi. Word of caution, do not apply high beam over powder, only under!)
Benefit Powderflage setting powder for under-eye concealer. This product is really unique - it's a very finely milled pink hued powder that you use to set your under-eye concealer so that it doesn't crease. Not only does it set it, but it also highlights dark areas to create luminosity. I sometimes use powderflage around my nose and on my chin just to highlight other darker areas on my face)
Setting powder - MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light Plus. (This powder set to a satin finish so it's perfect for the desired dewy/highlighted/satin look to my skin that I want to achieve. It can be used as a setting powder or even by itself as a powder foundation. Light Plus is my winter shade, whereas Medium Plus is closer to my summer shade. This is my all time favourtie powder - I only wish it came with a mirror, that way it would be great for on-the-go touch ups)
blush #2 - Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde. (I don't know what it is, I guess I'm scared that all of my makeup will be gone by the end of the day, but I like using cream products under my foundation and then topping it off with a powder. Hence the two blushes and two bronzers. I featured the Blonde mineralize skinfinish in my Mini MAC haul a little while back. I've been using it everyday since. I love the sheen it gives to the skin and the colour is a really lovely and fresh pink. It's the perfect "blush" for me at the moment. I really really want the other mineralize skinfinish from the MAC Naturally collection but I HAVE TO STOP MYSELF...but they're so pretty.)
bronzer #2 - Bourjois Delice de Poudre bronzing powder in shade #51. (This bronzer smells like chocholate! It's so neat. I also like the shade - it works well with my Chanel Soleil de Tan. I use the powder bronzer basically all over my face, neck, and chest because like I said, I'm really pale. This bronzer adds great colour to the skin without looking too orange and fake. I'm thinking of buying the next shade up #52 but obvi not until I use up this one...

EYES: listed in as close to the order applied as possible
eye primer - MAC paint pot in Painterly. (I really like paint pots. They're super easy to apply and blend with your fingers, they last all day, don't crease, and provide a great base for eye shadows. Painterly is a must-have colour because it blends in perfectly with most lighter skin colours so it covers over any veins and discolouration on the eyelids.)
eye shadows:
    1. Stila in Kitten. (A really pretty, shimmery pink-champagne colour that creates a good wash all over the lid. It really makes the eyes pop and sparkle)
    2. Urban Decay Naked Palette - Half-baked (middle lid), Smog & Darkhorse (outer V), Naked (crease), Sin (brow highlight)
eyebrows:
    1. Naked (from UD Naked palette) filled in the brows with a small angled brush
    2. Revlon Colorstay Brown Enhancer in Blonde (tinted wax to set my brows and add a little more colour to make the perfect shade for me)
eyeliner:
    1. Physicians Formula eye booster liquid eyeliner in Black. (apparently this eyeliner contained a lash boosting serum that is supposed to enhance your lashes. It's not the best liner on its own, it's not very opaque and smudges a bit, but if its claims are true, I'll keep using it.) 
    2. Maybelline Master Drama eyeliner in Midnight Master. A super black and long-lasting eyeliner from the drugstore. I used this today on my tighline to add more depth and volume to the look of my lashes. I use this sometimes on my lower waterline and it lasts all day.)
    3. NARS Larger Than Life long-wear eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte. (This eyeliner is a nude/skintoned liner that I use on my lower waterline on especially tiresome mornings. It makes you look more awake by widening the area of your under-eye area. I like it better than using a white eyeliner on my waterline because it looks too stark and unnatural.) 
    4. Prestige waterproof eyeliner in 10, Star. (This is a really pretty shimmering white eyeliner pencil that I use in the inner corner of my eye to add a touch of lightness and shimmer to open up the look of my eyes.)
mascara: Bourjois Volumizer (Seriously the coolest mascara. It has 2 wand options, 1 or 2. 1 takes off more product that leaves a wand with just enough mascara on it to lengthen and separate your lashes. While the second option leaves the wand packed with product to create a more volumunious look. Sometimes I either use 1 or 2 but today I layered them together. 

Eyeshadows used from the UD Naked Palette:
Virgin (brow highlight),
Naked (eyebrows & crease),
Half-baked (centre lid),
Smog & Darkhorse (outer v)

LIPS:

lipstick - Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Primrose. (A really pretty pink colour that can be made to look like your lips are just naturally that beautiful pink, juicy colour. I love this lipstick! It's so effortless)

lipgloss - Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush lipgloss in Candy Baby. (This lipgloss smells so good! Like candy/baked goods/delicious! It's not too sticky and there is actually colour pay off, which is surprising for a lipgloss from VS.)

And that's the finished look. Honestly, it takes me a long time to get ready in the morning, but I love it! I love putting on makeup; I find it relaxing and I always look forward to the different colour combinations I come up with to create a look I love. I know I use a lot of products and there are probably some steps I could really do without but this is the routine that I've come up with and I don't plan on changing it anytime soon. It works for me :)

So ya...that's the way I do it. I like it :) For now that's the look I'll be wearing, until something else tickles my fancy. Then I'll do an updated post. So you can expect that next week (HA!)

Have a great day, y'all! I'll be posting more soon to come

xoxoDarlingBuds