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