2014 Beauty Favorites: Face - Part 1

Happy December, loves! I absolutely love Christmas and it truly is the most wonderful time of the year :) I love everything about the Christmas spirit and only wish it could last longer!

I mentioned in my last post that I would only be doing one post a week in December. I also said that I would be sharing my 2014 Beauty Favorites with a different category each week. This week: FACE! Since there are so many sub-categories that apply to the face, I am going to be doing Part 1 - Foundations, Concealers, Powders and Brushes - this week. Next week I will do Part 2 - Blushes, Bronzers and Highlighters! 

I have a ton of favorites in each sub-category, but I am going to try my best to pick my top 3 for each. (I don't know how I am only going to pick 3 blushes - my obsession!) 

I want to share all of these favorites with you because they are all AMAZING PRODUCTS! If I had to downsize my collection, these would be my top picks that I would want to save because I don't know what I would do without them! If you are on the hunt for something new, you will be able to find out what my recommendations would be for everything makeup-related over the next few weeks!

FOUNDATION:

     If you have been following my blog for a while, you have seen me mention that I have been struggling with acne for about a year (you can read my story here). Thankfully, I haven't had a breakout in well over a month and I am so, so grateful! These foundations are amazing at covering acne as they provide medium-full coverage. But as I am continuing to have clearer skin, I am still loving them as I can apply a more sheer, lighter application! So whether you have acne-prone skin or normal skin, I am sure you will love these foundations as well.

• Double Wear Foundation by Estee Lauder - This is the best foundation of life and I absolutely love it. It is seriously amazing! It provides the best coverage! It is so flawless and lasts all day long. For real, it will not smudge or wear away for 12+ hours! I also think the price tag of $37 is amazing compared to how many higher end foundation can cost you $60+. You are getting a great deal for a high quality foundation. I always recommend this foundation to girls. If you have never tried it, go to Sephora or Estee Lauder counter and ask for a sample. You will be hooked as well!

Double Wear Foundation by Estee Lauder

• HD Foundation by Make Up For Ever - This is a close second for me. It also provides a flawless finish and lasts all day as well. This is slightly less full coverage than the Double Wear - this is more medium coverage. This foundation is specifically created with film and camera in mind. This is a foundation that will look flawless if you are going to have an event where you will be taking lots of pictures!

HD Foundation by Make Up For Ever

• ColorStay Foundation by Revlon - If you are looking for something more affordable but still have a foundation that will last and look great, this is it! This is the foundation that I wear on an average day. Since my other foundations are more expensive, I hate wasting them on days where I am just going to be running to the store or getting groceries. But I still think that this foundation provides a flawless finish just like my other two favorites. The only con I have with it is that it does not last nearly as long as the others. I would say it will definitely last you a good 6-8 hours before it starts to break up in places (at least that is what I have experienced and definitely not the "24 hours" it claims). But for a drugstore foundation, this is a true winner and it is by far the best drugstore foundation I have tried!

ColorStay Foundation by Revlon

CONCEALER:

     These three are the only concealers I own and continue to repurchase. I have tried others in the past, but nothing works as great as these! 

• Pro LongWear by MAC - I mentioned in my last post that this is the concealer that I wear when I want to do a full on makeup look. It doesn't crease on me and creates the most perfect highlighting and concealing effect (since I use a lighter color than my skin tone). It blends so easily into the skin and it always blows me away at how perfect it looks. I just love this concealer!

Pro LongWear by MAC

• Age Rewind by Maybelline - I also adore this concealer. It is so affordable and it also creates an amazing highlighting effect when using a lighter shade. I think the MAC concealer creates a little bit more of a brightening effect, but this still does a great job at highlighting and concealing. I also don't notice any creasing when wearing this concealer and have gone through countless tubes of this bad boy!

Age Rewind by Maybelline

• Boo-Boo Cover-Up - This has been such a little blessing to me! Now that I am getting over acne, I have a lot of discoloration, spots, scars etc. This concealer blows me away at how incredible it is. It covers up any scarring that I have so effortlessly. The product is a little bit on the thicker side but it blends out to perfectly to cover any flaws. It never looks cakey and I can't even tell where it begins and ends on my skin when it is blended out. After applying it in my problematic areas, you can't even tell I ever had blemishes! It also has ingredients in it to lighten your scarring and heal. It is truly amazing and if you have any scarring or flaws you want to cover up, I HIGHLY recommend trying this out! 

Boo-Boo Cover-Up

POWDER:

     I have been using these powders consistently for several months now. I haven't tried any new ones recently because I have been so happy with these!

• Banana by Anastasia Beverly Hills - OH the infamous Banana! I had to try the hype out and I am loving it. I use this to set my under eye concealer and it works like a charm. I am impressed with the formulas of the concealers that I use, but I am always setting it with Banana and feel like it really just gives you an extra hand at the longevity of under eye concealer. 

Banana by Anastasia Beverly Hills

• Light Reflecting Pressed Powder in Translucent Crystal by NARS - I love how this powder feels so light when applying it. It barely feels like you are putting anything on your face. It is so sheer and you will never feel cakey with this powder! It is super silky and sets my makeup perfectly. It is mattifying yet creates a soft, luminious glow. SO pretty! This is definitely my go-to setting powder (as you can see below how much use it has gotten!) and I absolutely love it!

Light Reflecting Pressed Powder by NARS

• Mineral Veil by Bare Minerals - I also like to use the Mineral Veil to set my makeup. I just tend to reach for my NARS powder because it is pressed and the Mineral Veil is loose powder. It tends to get messy and I am finding myself some days not even wanting to deal with it. I do still think it is a wonderful powder to set your makeup. It just melts into you skin and creates a luminious glow as well. I wouldn't say the NARS one is any better, I just use this one on days when I have more patience :)

Mineral Veil by Bare Minerals

BRUSHES/SPONGES:

     I know I cant complete a full makeup look with only these three brushes, but these are the top three that I would recommend spending the money on and investing in. There are a lot of affordable brushes that work amazing, but in my eyes, nothing compares to these three and totally worth every penny.

• Beauty Blender - This obviously isn't a brush but it is something that I think any girl interested in beauty and makeup needs! The pointed side is perfect for blending out concealer and the bottom is great for foundation. It can be used wet or dry and gives you a flawless finish. I definitely recommend spending the extra $15 on the Beauty Blender over the Real Techniques sponge. In my personal experience, the Real Techniques sponge did not compare to the Beauty Blender!

Beauty Blender

• F80 Flat Top Kabuki by Sigma - Although I think the Beauty Blender is great for foundation, the F80 is ten times better! This brush is going to make your foundation look perfect and flawless. You don't have to worry about looking cakey or having any streaks with this brush! When I heard all the great reviews about it, I thought it was too good to be true. But it truly is that amazing! If you want to look flawless, you need this brush in your life!

F80 Flat Kabuki by Sigma

• E40 Blending Brush by Sigma - I just love this brush. I love doing my eye makeup and I honestly think part of it is because of this little guy! It is so perfect for blending out colors in your crease. In my opinion, crease work is what gives so much depth and definition to the eye. This brush disperses the shadow evenly and beautifully. I know that I will never have any harsh lines when using this brush because it just blends out the shadows so easily. You must try out the F80 and E40 from Sigma, ladies!

E25 Blending by Sigma

You might be thinking "What about primers?" Honestly, I don't remember the last time I bought a full size primer. Probably well over a year ago! I have just been using samples ever since. The reason I haven't purchased a full size primer in so long and not including any in my favorites is because I really don't have any. I will use some that I "like", but I haven't found a face primer that has truly blown me a way. I just use samples that I get and it does the job. Maybe next year I will found that I can't live without :)

Have a wonderful weekend and I will be back next week with Part 2!

xoxo Kayla

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: 9/26/14

It's Friday which means it is time to share what I have been loving this week!

1. Maybelline Matte Lipstick in Nude Embrace

     There has been a lot of buzz about these new matte lipsticks from Maybelline so of course being the true makeup addict that I am, I had to get one! And of course being the true nude lipstick addict that I am, I had to get Nude Embrace! Although I probably own more nude lipsticks than I really need, I actually do think that this color is different than the other nudes that I own. Nude Embrace has a brown undertone to it, which I typically do not care for. But I love it in this formula! I don't think it comes of too brown on the lips and with it being a little bit of a darker nude, I love it for Fall! It is perfect for a daytime look and I love wearing it alone or with a gloss over it. Sometimes I feel like some matte formulas are too drying on the lips but this is super creamy and doesn't dry out at all. I really want the Wine color from this collection but it's always sold out wherever I go! Hopefully I can get my hands on it :)

Nude Embrace by Maybelline

Nude Embrace by Maybelline

Nude Embrace by Maybelline

2. Shea Butter Lip Balm by Pixi in Honey Nectar

     Another lip product that I have been loving is this lip balm from Pixi. I received it in my Birchbox and was impressed I got a full size product for once in my box! Immediately after trying it out I knew I was going to love it. It is SUPER hydrating on the lips which will be so useful during fall and winter when my lips tend to get dry and chapped. But what I love even more is that it has color to it and it is pigmented! And it's a peachy-nude. Perfect for me! I could wear this lip balm without any lipstick, gloss, etc and I am still going to have a great wash of color on my lips. I definitely see this being a go-to lip product over the next several months when I need something moisturizing for my lips but want something to go with my overall makeup look. (This would even look awesome paired up with Nude Embrace!)

Honey Nectar Shea Butter Lip Balm by Pixi

Honey Nectar Shea Butter Lip Balm by Pixi

Honey Nectar Shea Butter Lip Balm by Pixi
I apologize for you having to see my veiny wrists in all my swatches! ;P

3. Anastasia Beverly Hills Custom Contour Palette

     Of course I have been loving my contour palette otherwise I would have not written about it this week! If you haven't checked out my review, click here to read about how amazing this palette is!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette

4. Blush Brush by Real Techniques

     This is my first ever Real Techniques brush! I always intend on trying out Real Techniques, but I just have never gotten around to it. But I am happy I finally DID get around to it and I absolutely love this blush brush! I have not been using it for my blush though, I have been loving it for contouring! I love how it tapers up at the top and it is just the perfect size and shape for contouring! It does an amazing job at dispersing my bronzer and blends it out perfectly. This brush is also incredibly soft! It feels amazing! I am so happy with this brush and I can't wait to try out other brushes from Real Techniques.

Blush Brush by Real Techniques 

5. Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (in 3W1 Tawny)

     HOLY. MOLY. I am going to try to keep this to a minimum, but if this gets a little long I just can't help myself! I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS FOUNDATION!!! It is hands down the best foundation I have ever tried in my entire life and has already made it as a holy grail product for me. About a month ago, I had talked about how happy I was with the Make Up For Ever HD Foundation. I still think it is a great foundation and will continue to use it. But then I tried out this baby. And this is the love of my life! This gives the most flawless look to my face I have ever seen. It is a full coverage foundation and if I apply it at 8am, at 6pm it is still going to look exactly like it did at 8am. I am not even kidding! It covers any imperfection and this foundation alone gives me so much confidence just knowing how amazing it makes my skin looks. I have mentioned before that I truly believe that having a great foundation is the key to having a beautiful makeup look... and this exceeds all my expectations! Stop at an Estee Lauder counter and ask for a sample of this if you have not tried it out! I think you will agree how incredible it is!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Have a wonderful weekend, lovelies!

xoxo Kayla

Find all the products I mentioned here:

Nude Embrace by Maybelline

Honey Nectar Shea Butter Lip Balm by Pixi

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette

Blush Brush by Real Techniques

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Friday Five: 9/19/14

Is it really Friday again??

I try to post a couple times a week, but this week I didn't get around to it. I got caught up trying to solve the problem of my computer not allowing me to access my photos. After several days of trying to figure it out myself, I finally called tech support. It took about a half hour for the guy to figure out what the problem was but everything is finally fixed and I can finally post photos again on my blog :) I have some ideas for some reviews coming up that I am excited to share with you so be on the lookout for that!

OK enough rambling.... Makeup Time :)

1. Chocolate Bar palette by Too Faced
     This is my forever favorite eyeshadow palette. I think I do a pretty good job of trying to mix up my palettes and use them all equally, but nothing will ever be as good as the Chocolate Bar palette in my eyes! I have let my love for this palette get to me this week and haven't been giving any of my other palettes any love. This palette is just so gorgeous and the looks you can create with all of the shadows are endless. It truly the ultimate palette... You have matte shadows, shimmer shadows, shadows that range from neutral to deep plum/maroon, amazing pigmentation, lasts forever and it smells like CHOCOLATE! I would HIGHLY recommend adding this palette to your collection! You just can't go wrong with it and it would look amazing on any skin tone or eye color!

Chocolate Bar palette by Too Faced
mine isn't so pretty any more after tons of use!

Chocolate Bar palette by Too Faced

2. F80 Flat Kabuki by Sigma
     Sigma. I love you. Your brushes are incredible! I could really ramble on about several of their brushes, but this one is my favorite. For quite some time, I was using a Beauty Blender (which I still absolutely love and use for concealer) to apply my foundation. Then I got the F80 and started kind of alternating between the two. But for a while now, I only want to apply my foundation with the F80 by Sigma. It TRULY makes my foundation look flawless. It just makes my foundation melt into my skin and it looks so stunning. The brush is SO soft and SUPER dense and makes applying foundation so easy. You really will be amazed by the results if you have never used this brush. Your foundation will never look streaky or cakey when using this. If you want a perfect foundation application, you need this brush in your life!

F80 Flat Kabuki by Sigma

3. Le Volume De Chanel by CHANEL
     I got a sample of this mascara when I ordered the Chance Eau Tendre Moisture Mist by CHANEL. I don't know what it is, but it is SO hard for me to be impressed by a mascara. I find mascaras that I "like" and will use, but I can honestly say there is not one mascara that I "love". It is kind of disappointing! But I think I might see some hope! I really have been enjoying this mascara and think I will actually purchase a full size! It does a great job at giving my lashes length and volume and I like that the formula is not messy and doesn't get all over the place like some mascaras do. I am pretty excited and hope that as I continue to use it, it will become my go-to mascara. I want to have a mascara I can't live without! ;) And plus... for a luxury brand, this mascara is absolutely comparable in price to other mascaras! I feel like I am getting a steal at $30 for CHANEL when other mascaras like Benefit, Too Faced or Lancome range from $23-$32.

Le Volume De Chanel by CHANEL

4. Bronzer by Sephora in Los Cabos
      This the very first bronzer I ever tried several years ago and I have continued to repurchase it over and over again. It is just a really great everyday bronzer for my lighter skin tone. It is matte and very long wearing. I have been using Benefit's Hoola bronzer quite frequently lately and the reason I have been liking it so much is because I realized it is so similar to what I have been using for years! I decided to swatch the two one day and they look almost exactly the same! Los Cabos really is a dupe for Hoola! Hoola is just the tiniest bit darker when first applied, but Los Cabos can definitely be built up! If you have been interested in trying out Hoola ($28) but aren't wanting to spend that much, save some money and purchase Los Cabos ($17)! You really can't even tell a difference! (Will show swatches below)

Los Cabos by Sephora

Los Cabos by Sephora

Bottom: Los Cabos (one swatch)
Top: Hoola (one swatch)

5. Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Color by Sephora in Mulberry
     Two words: HOLY. PIGMENTATION. I have been wanting to grab one of these Lustre Matte Lip Colors for a while now, but never could decide which one to get. I finally decided to grab Mulberry while at Sephora last weekend since it seemed like a good Fall color. And I must say that the formula of these Lip Color's blows me away! It is kind of a mixture between a lipstick and a lip stain and this has got to be one of the most pigmented lip products I own. And it really is long-wearing... It is super creamy, hydradting and this little baby is not going anywhere once you put it on your lips! If you are looking for an affordable lip product that is going to last all day or night long, you must check these out! They have a great selection from nudes to deep colors and I think I need to pick up a couple more!

Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Color by Sephora

Mulberry
isn't that insane?! .. sooo pretty!

Have a great weekend, Gorgeous Girls!

xoxo Kayla


Chocolate Bar palette by Too Faced

F80 Flat Kabuki by Sigma

Le Volume De Chanel by CHANEL

Los Cabos bronzer by Sephora

Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Color in Mulberry by Sephora

Makeup Tag!

Hi loves! Hope you all had a fabulous 4th!!

So...Is it ok to do a makeup tag if someone doesn't technically tag you?? Hahaha! Well, I am going to do it anyways! I saw these questions and I decided I should fill them out so you all can get to know me just a little bit more!

20 Makeup Facts About Me!!

What foundation do you use?

My current favorites are (drugstore) Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 foundation and (high-end) Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour foundation

How about concealer?

Drugstore - Maybelline Age Rewind

High-end - MAC Pro Longwear 

What do you think of fake eyelashes?

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Even the most natural looking ones can change the look of your makeup dramatically!

What brand of mascara do you use?

I am always looking for a good mascara!! My current favorites are YSL Babydoll and Dior Diorshow

Sephora or MAC?

Both! Duh :)

What makeup tools do you use in makeup application?

Beauty blender, eyelash curler, and brushes... Mostly Sigma... AMAZING BRUSHES!

Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes?

Of course! 95 percent of the time I use Too Faced Shadow Insurance. All time fave!

For the face?

Right now I am loving Rimmel's Stay Matte primer

What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?

This is a toughy because I am an eyeshadow palette hoarder! If I had to pick just one color, it would be Salted Caramel from the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette. Soooo pretty as a transition color!

Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?

I use both! Just depends on what I am feeling for the day!

What is your favorite lipstick?

MAC Creme Cup. I'm in love!

How about lipgloss?

I would have to go with any of the NYX Butter Glosses!

What is your favorite blush to use?

Oh boy. Another toughy. I am obsessed with blush as well. Kat Von D Bellissima is a beautiful peachy-coral color. NARS Orgasm is a must have! And don't even get me started on MAC blushes...best blushes ever!

Do you like drugstore makeup?

Yes! The drugstore has great products!

Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?

I would really love to! But right now everything I know is from me doing my own makeup and getting tips from other beauty lovers!

Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?

I am TERRIBLE at winged eyeliner! I can't master it for the life of me! If I attempt it, I have to go extremely slow and I always feel like it looks a little off!

Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?

I do like both but I am definitely more of a neutral girl!

If you had to choose just ONE makeup item, what would it be?

Yeah right! That is impossible to answer! Don't ever ask a beauty lover that ;)

In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?

I love so many products from so many different lines! I would have to say though that I am partial to Too Faced and MAC! And NOTHING beats Anastasia Beverly Hills brow products. Do not know what I would do without my brow wiz!!

What do you think of Makeup??

Obviously I love it! I love trying new products and learning new things about makeup! It's so much fun and I love sharing the love with you all :)

Share with me some of your makeup facts!!

xoxo Kayla