Beauty Finds, Tips, and Tricks

I've tried it before, but I ended up with a matted, flat mess. Anything with the slightest but of weight screws me over. I alternate a gentle clarifying shampoo from suave and the herbal mint shampoo from Whole Foods. I use Aveeno moisturizing conditioner with a Neutrogena triple vitamin deep treatment once a week. My ends get super dry and fuzzy. I think the humidity is what screwed me with the dry shampoos. My hair is super straight, no body, grows forward, and has two demonic cowlicks... One in the front (bangs are a nightmare) and one in the back. It's the one at the crown that usually makes me have to wash daily. To reset that fucker. Unless I'm planning to pull it up that day.

 

For the ends, try an Oil spray. It helps so much with the dryness. Organix makes one with coconut oil. Just on the ends, while it's wet.

 

I have to wash mine every day if I want to wear it down. I try and do every other day and ponytail on the off days.

 

I have tried the boar bristles, but the static is insane. I'm going to find some of these oils.

 

Spray a little hairspray on the brush to tame the static.

 

I looooooooooove Sinful Colors.

I have good luck with OPI, Essie, and China Glaze, but for me, I only get them when they are on sale/I have a coupon. It's hard to justify the price, though, when I swear by Sinful Colors and Revlon Longwear.

Seriously, I can't say enough good things. Sinful Colors are da bomb dot com.

 

Sorry not sorry?

 

PRODUCT RAVE TIME.

Holy shit, dudes. I've had this for a few weeks and wanted to try it out for awhile before I said anything definitive.


This shit right here.

The Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer from NARS. Mine is in Light 1, Finland. Also has SPF 30.

First off, it's a perfect skin match. I'm pale, but with neutral undertones (I'm not cool or warm), which is hard to match, since most really pale foundations are either really pink or really yellow.

Second, it smells amazing, which is rare for any foundation, especially one with SPF.

It's buildable to medium coverage, which is nice, but usually not necessary for me.

Most importantly, it makes my skin look AMAZING. It's like I have nothing on my face. I'm obsessed, guys. And it LASTS. A lot of times with tinted moisturizer (especially on oily/combination skin like mine) it just slides off throughout the day. Not this. I'm so impressed. And NO BREAKOUTS.

It's definitely a splurge at $42 a bottle, but the bottle is BIG and you need maaaybeee the size of a pea to cover your face.

FIVE MILLION STARS.
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To add, here are the colors available.

(1) Finland - Lightest with a neutral balance of pink and yellow undertones
(2) Alaska - Light with a neutral balance of pink and yellow undertones
(3) St. Moritz - Medium with a neutral yellow undertone
(4) Annapurna - Medium with a neutral peachy undertone
(5) Cuba - Medium with a neutral balance of pink and yellow undertones
(6) Malaga - Medium dark with warm caramel undertones
(7) Seychelles - Medium dark with golden olive undertones
(8) Martinique - Medium dark with warm red undertones
(9) Polynesia - Dark with warm chocolate undertones

 

Yes! They definitely have it at Sephora, because that's where I bought it! Just go in and ask them to test you. You're pretty light, so maybe Finland or Alaska? The MUA there put it on my whole face so I could see what it looked like before I committed. I love Sephora and their full size testers.

 

As do I, at least in the warmer months. I go a little heavier in the winter and on special occasions.

I'm wearing the NARS in the most recent picture I posted (like 30 minutes ago) in effin whenever and Pick my Hairstyle. It feels like it blurs your skin. It's amazing.

 

So do I, especially this time of year.

I'm wearing Alba's CC cream today. Very light but still covers what I need/want it to cover.

I'm really not big on buying all high $$ brands. I pick and choose where I splurge and save.

 

Also this one if you want to see it in natural light:

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I'm the same way. I have a few high end products (smashbox mascara/palette, NARS TM, a MAC lipstick...), but I mostly go for drugstore/moderate brands. I'm living of little to no income, so I find products I like and stick with them. I also swear by NYX and Revlon, and Wet n Wild makes eyeshadows that are better than several prestige brands I've tried!

 

I'm so with you on Wet n Wild.

Oh, I tried the Milani brow kit and am really liking it. I honestly haven't used my Anastasia brow pencil (and I loved it!) since I tried the Milani.

There are definitely some great, cheap drugstore brands that are worth checking into. I hate beauty snobs who can't be bothered with anything that's not high $$. WTFE.

I guess my big splurges would be on skincare. That's super important to me as I get older. I don't buy them because they're expensive - I buy them based on how they work with my skin.

Revive and AHAVA are part of my regular routine. Every now and again I'll use Skinceuticals - they make a great anti-aging acne liquid.

 

AHAVA is great. I have a super awesome clay mask that I love!