Friday Five: 10/31/14

Happy Halloween!! 

And it's Friday! What a great day :) And here are some great products I have been loving this week!:


1. Baked Blush in Pinktastic by e.l.f.
     I raved about this in my last post about how I LOVE using this as a highlighter. I seriously can't put it down. I even bought two backups of it to bring with me to France so that I wouldn't have to worry about running out of it :) This is a little hidden gem and e.l.f. absolutely nailed it with this product! Holy. Grail. Status!!!

Baked Blush in Pinktastic by e.l.f.

Swatch of Pinktastic by e.l.f.

2. Eyelid Primer by e.l.f.
     This is another favorite I have been loving from e.l.f. I like how it has a wand applicator to apply directly to your lids. It makes it so easy and convenient and then you can just blend it out with your fingers. Like I mentioned in my last post, it is a great primer for your eyeshadow! Long wearing, doesn't crease and only $1!!

Eyelid Primer by e.l.f.

3. Luscious Longwear Lip Liner in Naked by Starlooks
     I have been loving this lip liner this week because I have been trying to attempt the ombre/3D/contouring effect with lipstick and lip liner. Kandee Johnson did a video a while back on tips and tricks on how to master this effect and I was like YASSSSS! She makes it looks so incredible and easy! (Watch her video here to see her tips) So since I love a good nude lip, I have been trying this lip liner with different lipsticks to try to master the effect. It is very creamy and applies so easily. It is a true pink color so I have been pairing it with more truly nude colors like MAC's Myth and Creme D'Nude and I have been loving it! I haven't perfected it quite yet, but it's getting there!

Lip Liner in Naked by Starlooks

Swatch of Naked by Starlooks

4. Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum by OGX
     I've recently become more aware of trying to treat my hair a little bit better by doing deep conditioning masks and trying to cut down on the heat that I apply to it. But I have always used a serum on my hair. If I don't, my ends become so dry, brittle and frizzy. I have been trying out this anti-breakage serum by OGX for a few weeks now and I have really been loving it. It is infused with coconut milk, coconut oil and whipped egg white proteins and my hair is so hydrated, silky and smooth! Not to mention this stuff smells AMAZING! I absolutely love any coconut scent! I get to feel like I am on a tropical island for a brief moment while applying it to my hair :)

Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum by OGX

5. Bronzer in Sol De Rio by Sephora
     This is a limited edition bronzer that Sephora came out with around May. I will try to keep this short since it is no longer available. But I hope Sephora comes out with something like this again because it is HUGE! It is almost the size of my hand! I love that I can easily sweep my brush into it instead of being confined to something so small (like Hoola by Benefit). It is a great matte bronzer that gives you a perfect golden glow. If Sephora does release this bronzer again, or something similar to it, I highly recommend grabbing it before it's gone!

Sol De Rio bronzer by Sephora

Sol De Rio bronzer by Sephora

Sol De Rio bronzer by Sephora
(in comparison to my hand)

I hope you all have a fun Halloween weekend... I can't believe Thanksgiving is just right around the corner! And then Christmas! I love it :)

xoxo Kayla


Find the products I mentioned here:

Pinktastic by e.l.f.

Eyelid Primer by e.l.f.

Lip Pencil in Naked by Starlooks

Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum by OGX

(Sol De Rio bronzer unavailable. Limited Edition)

e.l.f. Products

Bonjour Beauties :)

Before I left the States, I decided I wanted to try out some e.l.f. (eyes lips face) products. I always bypass them at the store because I just never thought makeup ranging from $1-$3 would be quality makeup. But I've been seeing the products pop up more and more on beauty blogs and YouTube so I thought "OK I will try e.l.f. out!" The worst that could happen would be I'm out a few bucks and move on.

That being said, I am absolutely BLOWN AWAY by e.l.f.! WOW! They have some amazing products for dirt cheap! I don't think I have ever been so pleasantly surprised by a line of makeup. I grabbed a handful of products before I left and I know I will be having more sent out to me in care packages that our families send (since I don't think e.l.f. is available in France??). That is how much I am loving e.l.f!

This is such a great brand for any girl. It is perfect for younger girls who are on a budget and just getting into makeup, all the way up to girls who are more experienced with makeup. No matter who you are, you really can't beat getting great makeup for so cheap!

I know that every product by e.l.f. is probably not going to be for me (there was one product that I tried and did not like at all ... and I will include it in my next "products that didn't work for me" post) but I think they have some amazing things going for them! Here are the things that I tried out and I am completely impressed by:

First, I am going to start with the product that if I had to recommend to you just one to get out of the bunch, this would be it:

Baked Blush in Pinktastic
     Ok.. I am not sure why this is labeled as a blush because if you wore it as that, you would look like a big shiny mess! But why I love it so much is because it is a GORGEOUS highlight! I'm not kidding when I say this: I might just like it a little more than Mary Lou Manizer by The Balm... and that has been my go-to highlight! In my opinion, this just gives you the most perfect highlight. Not too simple and muted and not too over-the-top shine. It is just a little different than other highlighters I have tried because it has this stunning rose-gold undertone to it. You guys, it is just beautiful! I can't even describe it. Just to Target, spend the $3 to try this out. You will see what I mean and you will love it too!

e.l.f. Baked Blush in Pinktastic

Swatch of e.l.f. Baked Blush in Pinktastic

Matte Lip Color in Nearly Nude and Natural
      I picked up Natural first and loved it so much that I went back and got Nearly Nude. The formula of these Lip Colors really are great. I am so impressed that it is a non-drying matte formula for only $3! Natural is a pinky-nude and Nearly Nude is a true nude color. The colors are so pretty and I like that since it is a stick, you can precisely line and fill your lips. I like wearing them alone or topped off with a gloss - either looks beautiful! I do have to build up the color a bit to get the opactity and color pay-off that I want, but once it gets there, it is gorgeous!

e.l.f. Matte Lip Colors in Nearly Nude (bottom) and Natural (top)

Swatches of e.l.f. Matte Lip Colors
Nearly Nude (bottom)
Natural (top)

Eyelid Primer in Sheer
     This primer is amazing! And it is only $1!! After trying out this primer, I will not be purchasing any more higher end eyeshadow primers for a while. My eyeshadow doesn't crease at all with the primer, it lasts all day and the true color of the shadows show through. When applied, it is a peachy-nude color, but when you blend it out with your fingers over your eyelid it becomes sheer. It is truly an incredible primer and it works just as great as any high end primer. I just can't get over that it is only $1!!

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer

Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder Duo in St. Lucia
     This is the duo that is supposed to be the dupe for NARS Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer. It even has similar packaging! I don't own the Laguna bronzer but I do own the Orgasm blush. While I would NOT claim that this blush by e.l.f. is a dupe for Orgasm, it is a pretty darn cheap alternative! NARS products are on the pricier side, so if you aren't willing to spend that much, I think you will be happy with spending the $3 for this blush/bronzer duo. I do feel like I have to work at building up the pigmentation of the blush and bronzer as I don't think they have a very good initial color pay-off. But once I work at it a little bit, I think they look great!

e.l.f. Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder Duo in St. Lucia

e.l.f. Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder Duo in St. Lucia

Swatches of St. Lucia compared to NARS Orgasm
Bottom: Orgasm by NARS
Middle: St. Lucia blush
Top: St. Lucia bronzer

Brushes - Complexion Brush and Powder Brush
     I wanted to try out a couple of brushes from e.l.f along with the actual makeup products, so I grabbed these two. The Complexion Brush is almost in the shape of a fan brush and is very thick and dense. I like to use this for contouring because I think the shape of it works perfect to get the bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks. The Powder Brush is also thick and dense but it is sooo soft! I like to use this brush after applying my bronzer and blush to blend out the harsh lines. It blends amazingly! These brushes are also $3 and I think they are wonderful brushes!

e.l.f. Complexion Brush

e.l.f. Complexion Brush
sorry, she's a little dirty from some bronzer! :o)

e.l.f. Powder Brush

e.l.f. Powder Brush

Now that I am on an e.l.f. kick, what are your favorite e.l.f. products?! I need to know what to get next :)

xoxo Kayla
   
Find the products I mentioned here:

Pinktastic

Nearly Nude

Natural

St. Lucia

Complexion Brush

Powder Brush

Friday Five: 10/24/14

Hi ladies! Another Friday which means another Friday Five! I hope you enjoy reading about five different products each Friday to give you an idea for a new purchase... or if you already own them, just hear about how awesome they are again :)

This week it has been all about getting my skin back to normal. Traveling and being in that plane with all that stale, recycled air for so long really does a number on my skin. It is either one extreme of the specrtrum to another of either getting extremely oily or extremely dry. I sometimes get slightly shiny/oily in my T-zone from time to time, but never have to worry about being over-oily and likewise with never having to worry about dry skin. The only time I am effected by it is when I am traveling internationally. Last season when traveling to Italy, my skin got SO OILY for about a week. And this year when traveling to France, my skin got SO DRY for about a week. Apparently my skin just freaks out when I travel! So here is what I have been loving this week to get my skin back in shape!

1. Intense Hydration Day Lotion by Burt's Bees
     I got this little sample in a Birchbox months and months ago. I tried it out a couple of times but essentially, it was forgotten about. Then when I was packing that little baggy you can bring on your carry on with 3oz products or less, I saw this in my drawer and thought "I'll throw this in there since it is the perfect size and maybe I might need a little moisturizing on the go". I am SO HAPPY I decided to bring this along. It has made my dry skin disappear! Like it is named, it is an INTENSE hydration. It is a really thick moisturizer and my skin felt like it was taking a drink of water after applying it! It has a very light, fresh scent and a little bit goes a long way. It has anti-aging properties as well, which is a nice little bonus. After only a couple of days of using this, my skin was significantly better and then completely normal by the end of the week. This would be perfect for girls who have dry skin or get dry skin in the winter months!

Intense Hydration Day Lotion by Burt's Bees

2. Foundation Primer - Protect by Laura Mercier
     To give a little extra moisture to my skin, I have been using this primer this week on the days that I am wearing makeup. It is super hydrating and feels exactly like a moisturizer when applying it. It is has definitely been the most moisturizing primer I have tried. It has been perfect for my dry skin and it is also a very long lasting primer! My makeup looked and stayed great! I also got this as a sample, but it is an amazing sample size! To put it into perspective, Baby Face primer by Maybelline is .67oz and this is .50oz. So almost the same size! I know that Laura Mercier is a little on the pricier side so I am happy I got such an awesome sample size. I also would recommend this to girls who have dry skin!

Foundation Primer - Protect by Laura Mericer

3. Mint Julips Lip Scrub by Lush
     I absolutely love this lip scrub. It gets rid of all the gross, dead skin on my lips and makes my lips so smooth and plump after using it! My lips have also been dry and chapped from traveling, so this has been wonderful for my lips. It smells like mint chocolate and gets the job done so fast. I just take a pea-sized amount of the product and scrub my lips for about 20-30 seconds and my lips are left feeling amazing! If you are looking for a good lip scrub at an affordable price, I highly recommend the Lush lip scrubs! They offer it in different flavors (Popcorn, Bubblegum or Santa - which is cola flavored) and are made of natural ingredients!

Mint Julips Lip Scrub by Lush

4. Mongongo Nutrient Dense Anti-Aging Lip Conditioner by Jersey Shore Sun
       To follow up the lip scrub, I have been using this lip conditioner. I got it in my Ipsy bag a couple of months ago. At first I wasn't all that crazy about it. The smell isn't terrible by any means but it just isn't my favorite. The scent is "Mandarin Green Orange Ginger" and I just would prefer something more minty, vanilla or berry (They do offer a coconut vanilla, which I would definitely like). But the scent isn't a deal breaker and this is exactly what my lips have been needing. It is SUPER hydrating and moisturizing and it lasts for a very long time on the lips. I absolutely love how it makes my lips feel! I also like that it is organic and has anti-aging properties. The lip scrub and this lip conditioner have tremendously helped my dry, chapped lips this week!

Mongongo Nutrient Dense Anti-Aging Lip Conditioner by Jersey Shore Sun

5. Therapeutic Sulfur/Acne Treatment Masque by Peter Thomas Roth
     Since I have acne-prone skin, I was really worried that I would break out from traveling. The day of my flight, I used this as a masque to really give my skin a deep cleanse just so I knew I was taking that extra step to make sure I was starting out my travel on a good note. After I was done traveling, I immediately showered when I got to our new home and used this masque again to deep clean all that yucky stuff that accumulated on my face from traveling. I think by doing this really helped my skin. I did end up getting only a few blemishes in the next couple of days, but I just used this as a spot treatment and it helped to clear them right up! I absolutely love this masque and it does wonders for my skin!

 Therapeutic Sulfur/Acne Treatment Masque by Peter Thomas Roth

Have a fabulous weekend, lovelies!

xoxo Kayla

Find the products I mentioned here:

Intense Hydration Day Lotion by Burt's Bees

Foundation Primer - Protect by Laura Mercier 

Mint Julips Lip Scrub by Lush

Mongongo Nutrient Dense Anti-Aging Lip Conditioner by Jersey Shore Sun

Therapeutic Sulfur/Acne Treatment Masque by Peter Thomas Roth

Blogging from France!

Bonjour! :) If you have been following my blog for a while, you know that I am a basketball wife. And if you are new to my blog, my husband, Tyler, plays professional basketball overseas. We reside in Minnesota in the off-season but live in Europe during Tyler's season. (You can click here to read a previous post and find out a little more about us). This season, Tyler is playing for a team in France and I am finally here! So for the next several months, my blogging will be coming at you from France :)

I am so excited for this new opportunity to experience France with my husband. But I also want to take the time while I am here to take my beauty blogging to the next level. I have been so busy the past couple of months. I was trying to spend as much time with my family and friends before I left and getting things ready to go before I came over from the States that I have not been able to be a part of the beauty community as much as I have wanted to be. I really want to connect with other beauty bloggers/vloggers and support each other in the incredible community. So please! Send me your links to your blogs/YouTube channels! I would love to check them out!

I also want to diversify my audience. I want girls from both the United States and Europe to be able to relate to my blog posts and products that I talk about. Not all of the products that are available in the States are available in Europe and there are also products in Europe that are not available in the States. I hope that by blogging about products available in different areas, girls will learn about different, new products that are out there that they might not have even known about!

I just wanted to write a quick post and let you all know the new update! I am so excited for this next chapter in life!

From our engagement photo session. Will always love this picture :)

xoxo Kayla

Friday Five: 10/17/14

Happy Friday!!!

Let's get into my favorites this week!

1. Bahama Mama bronzer by The Balm
     About a month ago, I took advantage of the sale HauteLook was having on The Balm cosmetics. Everything was 50% off! It does take a while to ship, but it is worth it for the great sales HauteLook offers! I absolutely love the Mary Lou Manizer highlighter and wanted to get a backup. But this is also the only product that I owned from The Balm and I have been wanting to get others. So this was the perfect time to try out a couple more products from The Balm and get a great deal! Pretty much every YouTube girl I see has Bahama Mama as a staple bronzer in their collection so I figured if they love it, hopefully I will too! And yes, it is a great bronzer. It actually has quickly become a favorite bronzer for me! It looks much darker in the pan that what it comes off as. It a matte bronzer and is a perfect golden tan. It doesn't have any orange or gray undertones so it just gives you a beautiful, bronze glow. If you are light-medium complected, this will be is perfect for contouring or just using it to bronze up your face.

Bahama Mama by The Balm

Bahama Mama by The Balm

Bahama Mama swatch in natural light

2. Frat Boy blush by The Balm
      This is the other product I got with my HauteLook order. And can we just take a minute to talk about how CUTE The Balm's packaging is!? I love how they spend time on every product to give it a unique name and corresponding packaging. It is so cute and sassy! If you have been following me, you know that I am obsessed with blush so of course I had to get one from The Balm's sale! I honestly didn't know which one I should choose so I just picked Frat Boy at random. And OMG! I love it! It is so pretty and I don't have anything quite like it in my collection. It is a matte, pinky/coral blush but it has this pretty melon tone to it and I am obsessed with it. I can't get enough of how beautiful the melon undertone is and have been wearing it all week! I need to get more products from The Balm in the near future!

Frat Boy by The Balm

Frat Boy by The Balm

Frat Boy swatch in natural light

3. Instant Age Rewind concealer by Maybelline (in Fair)
     This is nothing new for me. I just have been reaching for it every day this week over my other favorite (MAC Pro Longwear) concealer. I use my concealer for highlighting under my eyes and center of my face - bridge of nose, forehead and chin. The reason I have been reaching for this concealer this week is because Age Rewind is just so convenient. It has the sponge applicator to just apply directly to your face rather than pumping out product on your finger and trying to apply it evenly to your face (like you have to do with MAC Pro Longwear). The sponge applicator on Age Rewind makes it disperse so easily and evenly and quickly. Some girls argue that it is not hygienic to use the applicator over and over again on your face and that you should pump it out on your finger first. But let's get real... I don't worry about that and don't notice any negative effects! And I still love my MAC concealer, but sometimes convenience wins :)

Instant Age Rewind by Maybelline

4. Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay
     I forgot how amazing the Naked 2 palette is. I get so used to using the same palettes over and over that my Naked 2 palette has been neglected for literally months. I used it earlier this week and haven't put it down since. I thought to myself "Why am I not using this more often?!" Urban Decay shadows are just so beautifully pigmented and they apply so easily and blend so effortlessly. The Naked 2 is coming back into my life at the perfect time as it is a GORGEOUS palette for fall/winter. The perfect cool-toned, neutral palette that gives you so many options to create fall/winter looks! I am so excited all over again for the Naked 2 and this is definitely a palette you need in your collection if you don't have it!

Naked 2 by Urban Decay

Naked 2 by Urban Decay
so, so pretty :)

5. Bombshell Forever body mist by Victoria's Secret
     I have this fragrance in a travel size and I am thinking I will need to buy the full size! I have been loving this fragrance lately and love that I am able to throw it in my purse to bring with me when I am on the go. Bombshell Forever has notes of boysenberry, lavender flower and pamplewood. I like how so many of Victoria's Secret's fragrances smell so glamorous and this definitely does not disappoint. It is still fresh and fruity like what I typically like in my fragrances, but I like that with this one I feel more glam when I am wearing it. It also is fairly long wearing for a body mist and I only apply more of it when I am just feeling like I need a little freshening up. It is perfect for day and night wear and I can't seem to get enough of it!

Bombshell Forever by Victoria's Secret

What are some of your favorites this week? Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo Kayla


Find the products I mentioned here:

Bahama Mama by The Balm

Frat Boy by The Balm

Instant Age Rewind by Maybelline

Naked 2 by Urban Decay

Bombshell Forever by Victoria's Secret

Skincare For My Acne-Prone Skin

Hi Beauties!

I wanted to do a skincare post and share what my must-have, essential products are for my acne-prone skin. It is more of a personal post as I share about my acne struggle so it might get a little long! I will start by saying that just as I have stated about how one makeup product might work for one person and not for another, I believe that ten times more when it comes to skincare. Everyone's skin is different and everyone has their own requirements for what their skin needs. This is just what I have found to work for me and wanted to share it with you!

Just for a little background... for about a year now I have been struggling with adult acne. It has been a frustrating and embarrassing year. Ever since high school, I was blessed with only dealing with typical, minimal acne. I never had more than a pimple or two, here and there, and it was never something I worried about. Then last fall, I started getting terrible acne on my back. It literally covered my entire back and it was this dry, itchy acne that just seemed to get worse and worse. Then this past spring, I started getting it on my face. I could at least tolerate the back acne since no one would see it, but then it went to my face and I was devastated. It started on my chin and then just went all over my face, especially impacting my chin and cheeks. It is such a defeating feeling to know that you are trying so hard to take good care of your skin and nothing is working to make it better. But finally, I have found a skincare routine that works for me and I am so thankful. My back acne has completely cleared up (have only minimal scarring left) and my face is finally clearing up (I still get a few blemishes and have some scarring still). I have tried sooo many different skincare products over the past year and constantly looking on YouTube/blogs to see what other girls have used to help their acne. I have finally found some products that are really, truly working for me and I wanted to share what those products are. My routine does not match anyone's I have seen through YouTube/blogs but maybe one or two of the products that I use might work for you as well! (As a side note - I have been visiting a doctor about my acne and I do take an antibiotic that has helped my skin tremendously as well.)

These are six skincare products that I use daily and don't know what I would do without them!:

Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser
     I absolutely love Paula's Choice. Amazing skincare line. Everything is fragrance free with no added dyes. I love using this cleanser as my makeup remover (I usually only use this at night). It is a great cleanser targeted for blemish-prone skin to remove dirt, oil and makeup. It doesn't cause dryness and it reduces the redness of my post-acne marks and active acne that I have. It also helps to minimize the appearance of my pores which is really why I love it so much. I can really tell a difference in the look of my pores after using this cleanser. It is just a great cleanser to get rid of all the dirt, makeup and gross stuff from the day! My skin already feels so much better after just this first step at night.

Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser

Murad Clarifying Cleanser
    This is the cleanser I use to treat my acne and I use it morning and night. My skin reacts really well to salicylic acid and this cleanser has 1.5%. I must say though, when I first started trying it, I didn't think I was going to like it. It smells exactly like a lime margarita and I didn't really want my facial cleanser to smell like that! I have gotten past the scent though and don't even notice it anymore. I am glad I decided to continue to use it because it is an amazing cleanser. It is a gel cleanser that is clinically proven to reduce 99.9% of surface bacteria in less than a minute. It also claims that it "treats and prevents acne breakouts with time-released medication that remains active for hours, even after rinsing". It has Green Tea Extract to provide anti-redness and Menthol to provide cooling and soothing. It feels so refreshing. My skin has never become dry or irritated while using this cleanser. This cleanser helped my back acne dramatically. After a couple of weeks of use, my back was starting to clear up rapidly and after a couple of months, it was completely gone! My face has taken a little longer than my back to clear up, but I truly believe that this cleanser has helped my face as well. It continues to get better and better and I wouldn't want to use a different cleanser!

Murad Clarifying Cleanser

Clean and Clear Deep Cleaning Toner
     For quite a while I was not using a toner. I found that whenever I tried one out, they would really dry out my skin and have a burning sensation. I decided to give this toner a try because it is a formula for sensitive skin. It is so gentle. I use it morning and night and it has never dried out my skin. I love it because it is an extra step after cleansing that gets any extra dirt/oil that may be left in my pores. I also like it because it has a little bit of salicylic acid (0.5%) so it is also treating my acne as well. It just feels so deep-cleaning and refreshing. I really recommend trying this affordable toner out if you have sensitive, acne-prone skin.

Clean and Clear Deep Cleaning Toner

     

Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer
     I actually got the Clean and Clear moisturizer and toner because my doctor had recommended this moisturizer. She said it would be good for my skin because of that small amount of 0.5% salicylic acid in it. I had been using more higher end moisturizers and just wasn't really impressed with any of them so I decided to give this one a try since it did have the acne treatment in it. I have been using it morning and night and been loving it. The formula is great. It is neither greasy nor drying. It just sinks right into the skin. Like the toner, it is not harsh on my skin whatsoever. I like that even after cleansing, I am still treating my acne with my toner and moisturizer, but it isn't an overwhelming amount of the salicylic acid. I was skeptical about using drugstore acne treatment but I really like these two products from Clean and Clear and they have worked for me.

Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer

BareMinerals Biolucent Mineral Brightening Treatment
     This product has truly saved my skin. One day in July, I didn't have any makeup on and I had to go run a quick errand. When I was in the car, I looked at myself in the rear view mirror and I was shocked at what I saw. I saw how my skin truly looked like in bright, natural light and it was so much worse than I thought it was. It wasn't the acne that I was shocked about, it was all the post-acne scars I had. I knew I had these marks but I truly was able to see how bad they were in the natural light. My face was just covered in red/purple marks. I was so upset and it was probably one of the lowest points for me in this whole acne struggle. Then shortly after, I saw one of my favorite YouTubers, Kayleigh Noelle, talk about this product on her channel. She has been dealing with acne for years and she said this product made her post-acne scars disappear. I knew I had to do something about my post-acne scarring and decided I would see if this would work for me too. And I am so happy that it has. The Biolucent Mineral Brightening Treatment diminishes the appearance of dark spots/discoloration while brightening the skin. I just use one pump of it in the morning and one pump of it at night. I either put it on before moisturizing or mix it in with my moisturizer.. just whatever I am feeling! And the results are amazing! It did take about 4 weeks to start noticing a change and after about 6 weeks, I was amazed! (I have been using it for about 2.5 months now) It just keeps getting better and better as I continue to use it. It has cleared up my skin tremendously and just has made the overall appearance of my complexion look so much brighter and healthier. My makeup goes on so much better and I am not using so much because I am not trying to cover up the scars. I only have some scarring left from recent acne and know that it will be cleared up because of this. I don't even want to know what my face would look like if I had never started using this. I wish I had before and after photos to share with you but check out Kayleigh's video here to see her results and her opinion on it too!

BareMinerals Boilucent Mineral Brightening Treatment

Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur/Acne Treatment Masque
     This is another product that has been a lifesaver. I only started using it about a month ago and it has truly blown me away and I only regret I hadn't discovered it sooner! My friend Katie, who I mentioned in my last post, introduced me to this product. She knows about my struggle with acne and said that I must try this out, that it would really help with my acne and that I was going to love it. And um, yes.. I love it!!! I can't live without it now! Like salicylic acid, my skin reacts really well to sulfur. And this masque has 10%!! (No wonder it works so awesome! I was previously using a sulfur mask that only had 6%) This masque is just incredible. You apply it for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times a week and my skin looks so amazing and healthy after using it. It is deep cleaning, oil absorbing, soothing, and literally CLEARS acne! I love using it as a masque, but I love it even more for spot-treatment. If I have a pimple, I will just put some of this on the blemish at night before bed and the next morning it is gone! I know that sounds way too good to be true but it is really that amazing and really does work! I have used GlamGlow and I would, without a doubt, choose this over GlamGlow any day. GlamGlow never worked as a spot treatment for me and this masque gives me much more of a deeper cleaning. If you couldn't already guess, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this masque! :)

Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur/Acne Treatment Masque

If you are struggling with acne, I feel your pain. I know what it is like to wake up in the morning and the first thing that pops in your mind is "I wonder how bad it is today?" and look in the mirror and see a face full of acne. I know it is hard to stay positive but just keep taking care of your skin and it will get better.. It probably won't happen as fast as you want it to, but just be patient. I still have my issues with it. Some days I wake up and my skin is blemish-free and other days I wake up with 4 new friends on my face. I know that it is something I will have to continue to work at but I am so much more thankful for a clear complexion, don't take for granted having clear skin and take so much better care of it. Even if these product suggestions aren't for you, I hope you were at least able to find someone to relate to!

Have a fabulous rest of your week!

xoxo Kayla

Find the products I mentioned here:

Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser

Murad Clarifying Cleanser

Clean and Clear Deep Cleaning Toner

Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer

BareMinerals Biolucent Mineral Brightening Treatment

Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur/Acne Treatment Masque

Friday Five: 10/10/14

Happy Friday, loves!

Hope you are all doing wonderful and had a terrific week :)

Here is what I have been loving this week:

1. Revlon ColorStay Foundation (Golden Beige-Combo/Oily Skin)

     I have been looking for a good, longwearing, medium-full coverage foundation from the drugstore for a while. I hadn't found one that I was really loving and I don't like to use my high end foundations when I am just going to be running to the grocery store. I feel like it is such a waste! So a few weeks ago, I was watching Wayne Goss on Youtube and he had a video on good foundations for covering acne. Thankfully, my acne has gotten tremendously better, but I need something to cover my post-acne scars. The first foundation he mentioned was this Revlon ColorStay foundation and said it is great because it is going to last a very long time and mattify your skin, which will not create any shine drawing attention to the acne. I know that Wayne knows what he is talking about, so the next day I picked it up at Target and I love it! It covers my acne scars and lasts all day long! I am so, so happy I found a longwearing, medium-full coverage foundation from the drugstore that I can use for just any typical day! They also offer this foundation in a formula for dry skin! (If you have acne-prone skin and are interested in the other foundations that Wayne mentioned, check it out here.)

Revlon ColorStay Foundation

2. Don't Despair, Repair! (hair mask) by Briogeo

     I have to admit, I have never bought a hair mask in my life! I always tell myself I am going to get one, but I always find something better to buy... like makeup :) When I received this sample in my Ipsy bag, I was so excited to try it out! I have used it a few times now, and I really noticed a difference after this third use. You just leave it on for 3-5 minutes after shampooing and rinse it out. My hair felt so soft and looked so shiny and healthy! I was amazed! I have been pretty blessed to have nice hair without going the extra mile to take care of it but after seeing the results of this mask, I want to do a better job at taking care of my hair! It is a deep conditioning mask that repairs dry, damaged or chemically-treated hair. It also smells AMAZING! It is infused with avocado, almond, argon and rosehip oils and smells so sweet and fresh. I will definitely be buying a full-size in the near future!

Don't Despair Repair! by Briogeo

3. Shroom by MAC (Satin Eyeshadow)
     I have been using this all week long as a highlighter on the brow bone and as well as the inner corners of the eye. I like it because it is so natural looking - nothing over-the-top shimmery or shiny. MAC describes it as a "soft beige with shimmer" and to me it comes off as a silvery-champagne color. It is very pretty. I also love that since it is a very subtle highlight, it will go with basically any eye look that you create. I am happy that I am able to use it with so many different eye looks because it was a little bit of a splurge purchase! Even though $15 is not by any means breaking the bank, I think that $15 is a little steep for a single eyeshadow! I do love it but wish that MAC eyeshadows were not so expensive! It does seem like it will last a long time and it really is a beautiful shade, so I think it will be worth it!

Shroom by MAC

Shroom without flash

Shroom with flash

4. Peachy Nude by Lipstick Queen (Sinner collection)
     First of all, I just want to say that if you are not a nude lipstick kind of girl, I am sorry you are constantly having to hear about them on my blog! I am just obsessed with nudes and can't get enough of them! :) Peachy Nude is the first lipstick I have gotten from Lipstick Queen. My friend Katie manages a cosmetics store in the town I live in and she introduced me to these lipsticks. I have heard of and seen Lipstick Queen on the Internet but had never actually seen any of the products in person. She was showing me how creamy and buttery and pigmented all the lipsticks were and I was sold! I really could have picked up about 4 or 5 different ones but Peachy Nude was my absolute favorite so I decided I needed to control myself and only purchase one! I have been absolutely loving how creamy this lipstick is! It feels amazing on the lips and the color is so pretty - truly a peachy nude! I highly recommend checking out Lipstick Queen's lipsticks! (PS...Katie also has a blog... check it out here if you are interested! She is an esthetician and a mommy and blogs about beauty, fashion and being a mother! I just love her and I learn so much about beauty from her!)

Peachy Nude by Lipstick Queen

Peachy Nude by Lipstick Queen

5. Women's Shave Gel in Strawberry Tangerine by Up&Up

     This is kind of a random item, but this is seriously the best shave gel EVER! This is by the generic brand at Target but it is amazing! And it is always sold out! Over the past couple of weeks, I had been at Target 3 or 4 times and they were out every single time! Finally, this past time when I was at Target they had some so I grabbed three of them! This scent is supposed to be comparable to the Skintimate Strawberry Tangerine Twist but Target's version smells much better! I also like the formula by Up&Up much better than Skintimate. I like that the Up&Up brand changes from a gel to more of a foamy consistency making it easy to spread over your legs and leaves them feeling SO SMOOTH after shaving! I feel like the Skinimate formula stays too gel-like and doesn't disperse very well over your legs. Plus the Up&Up shave gel is cheaper than Skintimate! Maybe I am crazy at being picky over shaving gels, but if you try it out, I think you would agree the Up&Up shave gel is better :)

Strawberry Tangerine shave gel by Up&Up

Have an amazing weekend!

xoxo Kayla

Find the products I mentioned here:

Revlon ColorStay Foundation

Don't Despair, Repair! by Briogeo

Shroom by MAC

Peachy Nude by Lipstick Queen

Strawberry Tangerine shave gel by Up&Up.... Was not listed on Target's website