Top 10 Drugstore Makeup Products

Hi Friends!

I posted a video on YouTube on my current favorites from the drugstore! Please click on the link below to check it out :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgNbbP3pDTo

xo Kayla

Beauty Favorites: March 2015

Happy April, pretties!

Here are my favorites from the month of March! Check out what awesome products I have been loving!

xoxo, Kayla

Spring Makeup Tutorial

Happy Wednesday, loves!

I have another tutorial for you! It is a Spring Makeup Tutorial and I love how it turned out! It has a lot of light pinks and just looks so fresh and bright! Please check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN9Iq48nd68

xoxo, Kayla

Friday Five: 1/16/15

Hi Beauties!

Happy Friday! Hope you all had a terrific week! Since December was dedicated to letting you know what my favorite products were from 2014, I haven't done one of my typical Friday Five posts since November! So here is my first Friday Five since then! This week I have been loving: 

1. Rouge Volupte Lipstick in #3 Beige Ultimate by YSL
     I posted on my Instagram earlier this week that I had picked up this lipstick. I was so excited to finally get a YSL lipstick. I have never owned one and have been wanting to pick one up for a very long time but I always seem to find something else I would rather spend $35 on! But I knew January would be the perfect time to get one because in Europe, January is their huge sale season. I mean EVERYTHING is on sale! Sephora rarely runs sales in the States but here, you can find SO MANY things on sale! I knew they would have luxury products included in the sale so I specifically went to Sephora to finally get my coveted YSL lipstick. Luckily, they had a shade that I liked - a beautiful rosy-mauve color :) It feels AMAZING on the lips! I even let out a little "OOH wow!" when I first applied it. It is SO hydrating and creamy. It ended up being 22.75 Euros which is around $27. Although its not the biggest savings, who doesn't like saving a little money on makeup?! I am hoping to pick up a few more treasures as January goes on and the prices drop even lower :)

Rouge Volupte Lipstick by YSL

Rouge Volupte Lipstick in #3 Beige Ultimate by YSL

2. Hydration Lock by Chapstick
     My lips have been way too dry lately! Darn you winter! I asked my mom to pick this up for me to throw in the package she mailed out for Christmas. I saw Shannon from shaaanxo use this on YouTube. I figured since I needed some new Chapstick anyways, I would try this new product out. I was intrigued by the dual ended Chapstick and these lips needed some major help so I figured this would be a good thing to try out. I absolutely love it! It feels even more moisturizing and hydrating than regular Chapstick. It has a Moisturizing end which claims to "smooth and reduce fine lines" and a Renewing end which claims to "condition and instantly soften lips". I am not sure if you are supposed to use a specific end first, but I just use which ever end I take the cap off first! It all ends up getting mixed together anyway! This is exactly what my lips need this winter and makes my lips super hydrated.

Hydration Lock by Chapstick

3. Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush by Clinique
     I did a review on this cleansing brush on my last post. Click here to read my thoughts on it and you will see why it made it into my Friday Five! :)

Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush by Clinique

4. Everything Nice Palette by Too Faced
     If you didn't already know, I am a Too Faced Junkie! I love their holiday palettes that they come out with every year. I wished I could have gotten all of the holiday items they released this season but I had to be reasonable and just choose one. I decided on the Everything Nice palette because it had exactly everything I wanted. I loved that it had a couple of blushes, one of my favorite bronzers (Chocolate Soliel), a highlighter and mascara. Not to mention the beautiful shadows. The main reason I got this was because of the last row of shadows. I don't own any bold, bright shadows. This palette has gorgeous neutral shadows and so when I saw that there was also a row of really bold shadows, it couldn't have gotten any more perfect! These are some of the prettiest shadows I have in my collection. I am just totally in love with this palette!

Everything Nice Palette by Too Faced

Everything Nice Palette by Too Faced

5. TIME tank by Time Los Angeles
     I had been wanting to pick up something from Time Los Angeles for a while. It is a clothing line for makeup addicts - how perfect!! I asked for this tank top as a Christmas present and it was sent out to me from our family in our Christmas care packages. I absolutely love it! They have the CUTEST stuff and it is all makeup related! It is also super affordable! I need more clothing from this line! I posted the picture below on Instagram and Time Los Angeles featured me on their Instagram! If you love makeup, you need to head on over to their website now!

Have a fabulous weekend!

xoxo Kayla

Find the products I mentioned here:

Rouge Volupte Lipstick by YSL

Hydration Lock by Chapstick

Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush by Clinque

Everything Nice Palette by Too Faced - No longer available

TIME tank by Time Los Angeles

2014 Beauty Favorites: Lips

Hello, Christmas Beauties :)

For this next installment of my 2014 Beauty Favorites, I decided I would list my top ten favorite lip products. When I was going through my lipsticks and glosses, I realized a lot of what I have are just different shades/colors from the same collections/formulas. So most of what I list below, I most likely have other colors from the same collection! I also noticed that most of my "higher end" lipsticks are from MAC. (I have four of them listed below!) So my goal for 2015 is to branch out a little bit more and get different lipsticks from different brands and collections! But for now, here are my favorites from 2014 in no particular order!

• Creme Cup by MAC - First I should start off by saying, you are going to see a lot of pink/nudes listed! If you have followed by blog for a while, this will be no surprise to you. I absolutely LOVE pinky-nude lipsticks so several will be listed :) Anyways... In my opinion, Creme Cup is the prettiest pink lipstick of them all! It is the perfect girly, baby pink lipstick and I think every girl needs one of those in their collection! I just love how feminine and soft it looks and I never get tired of it!

Creme Cup by MAC

Creme Cup by MAC

Creme Cup by MAC

• Creme Brulee by NYX - NYX Butter Glosses are some of the best glosses I have ever tried. They are not sticky at all and they are all so pretty! They look great alone or wearing them over a lipstick. I love all of my Butter Glosses and honestly, anyone of them could have made the list! I just chose Creme Brulee because it is the one I tend to reach for more often. These glosses are truly great and so cheap!

Creme Brulee by NYX

Creme Brulee by NYX

• F-Bomb by Urban Decay - I have mentioned this lipstick several times over the past month or two. So I am sorry you have to hear about it again but you know I love it and had to include it on my list of favorites! I absolutely LOVE this red lipstick! I used to hate red lipstick until I tried this one out. I danced from the ages of about 5 to 21 and every recital or competition, we were slathering our lips in layers of red lipstick and I hated it! So I had just always been a little turned off by red lipstick! But I tried this about a year ago and I have been hooked ever since. The formula is so CREAMY and PIGMENTED! It is a classic red and if you are like how I was and not really interested in red lipstick - give it another try. It is amazing what a good red lip can do for your confidence!

F-Bomb by Urban Decay

F-Bomb by Urban Decay

• Anita by NARS - There is something about the formula from the Audacious Lipsticks by NARS that makes your lips look AMAZING! I don't know how it works, but whenever I apply this lipstick, my lips look so plump and full! It is incredible! It amazes me every time! Not to mention, the pigmentation in the formula is out of this world! It is SO opaque and lasts forever! Of course I like Anita because it is pink, but it is more of a darker pink and I really like that about it. In my opinion, it looks really similar to that "Kylie Jenner Lip" color. I can't get enough of this lipstick and have Raquel and Olivia sitting under Christmas tree right now :) (Is it bad I know most of my presents? ;) Whoops!)

Anita by NARS

Anita by NARS

Anita by NARS
(The lighting in the room I took this picture in was a little weird & makes the color look a little lighter)

• Natural by e.l.f. - I love these Matte Lip Colors from e.l.f. For how cheap they are (only $3!) the quality is out of this world. They are creamy and gorgeously pigmented. I think it is one of the prettiest matte lipsticks I own. Every time I apply it, I realize how much I love it. It is also so easy to apply as it in a stick form. It takes no time at all to quickly line and fill in your lips with this product. I am so impressed by e.l.f.'s products and would definitely recommend them to anyone!

Natural by e.l.f.

Natural by e.l.f.

• Honeylove by MAC - I always get compliments when I wear this lipstick so it must have just been made for me ;) Just Kidding ;) I think this lipstick really compliments my skin tone. This lipstick is a matte nude with a peachy undertone - so I think it looks good against my light skin with yellow undertones. I do think this would look amazing on anyone though! MAC's lipsticks are so universal for any skintone and they have so much variety!

Honeylove by MAC

Honeylove by MAC

Honeylove by MAC

• Butter Cream by Gerard Cosmetics - These lighted lipglosses are amazing from Gerard Cosmetics. Not only is the packaging a knock out - has a little mirror on the side, lights on the wand to help you see better, and just overall looks so pretty and luxurious - but the formula in these glosses are amazing. They are so pigmented, extremely creamy and not sticky. I love Butter Cream because it is such a gorgeous pink gloss! It looks beautiful worn alone or amazing on top of a pink or nude lipstick. And Jaclyn Hill created it and who doesn't love her!? I only own three of these lipglosses from Gerard Cosmetics and it is on my list of "Things to get" to get more of them! 

Butter Cream by Gerard Cosmetics

Butter Cream by Gerard Cosmetics

• Ruby Woo by MAC - Ruby Woo is probably one of the most difficult lipsticks to work with, but once you get the perfect application, it is STUNNING! It is a matte lipstick and has a SUPER dry formula and takes a little patience when applying it. Also, you have to make sure to exfoliate your lips before applying this lipstick because no matter how much or how little your lips are dry/chapped or have dead skin, it is going to show big time with this lipstick! Even though this lipstick is a little difficult, it is totally worth it! It is a BEAUTIFUL, classic red and and makes you look so glamorous!

Ruby Woo by MAC

Ruby Woo by MAC

Ruby Woo by MAC

• Creme D'Nude by MAC - This is the PERFECT nude lipstick! It has no type of peach or orange or pink undertones... Just straight up nude! I absolutely adore it! And even though it is nude, it doesn't wash you out. It is a cremesheen lipstick from MAC so it is really creamy and I think this specific lipstick makes your lips look so full. This is one of the more popular nude lipsticks from MAC and I definitely recommend trying it out!

Creme D'Nude by MAC

Creme D'Nude by MAC

• Divine Wine by Maybelline - OK, I have only owned this lipstick for about a week but I am SO IN LOVE with it that I had to include it! When Maybelline came out with the Creamy Matte Line in the fall I grabbed a nude one (Nude Embrace) and loved the formula. I saw a swatch online of Divine Wine and instantly wanted it - it looked so prettty! But every time I went to the store, it was sold out. I never ended up getting my hands on it before I left for France so I was a little disappointed about it! But I knew my mother would be sending out a package with Christmas gifts this month, so I asked her if she could look the next time she was at Target to see if they might have this lipstick to send out. Luckily they did and I finally have it now! It is absolutely GORGEOUS! I have been trying to find the perfect deep, dark red for over a month now. But every time I go to Sephora and try to swatch different dark red lipsticks, everything I found had a berry undertone to it. I strictly just wanted a deep red. I can't get over how pretty this color is! The formula from this line is incredible - it is matte yet SO creamy! I am going to wear this bad boy out over the holidays :)

Divine Wine by Maybelline

Divine Wine by Maybelline

Divine Wine by Maybelline

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone! Have a blessed holiday with your loved ones!

xoxo Kayla

Dupes/Alternatives: Lip Products

Hello Ladies!!

Today I wanted to do a post on some dupes/alternatives for higher end lip products! I was going through my lipsticks, lipglosses etc. and I was realizing that I have some affordable lip products that are SO SIMILAR to my higher end lip products! I thought this post would be great for anyone who is looking to save some money yet still basically getting the same look of a higher end lippie! Here are some great dupes/alternativies that I found in my own collection:




Nearly Nude by e.l.f. - $3 (matte lip color) vs Myth by MAC - $16 (satin lipstick)
     Both of these have a really peachy undertone. Nearly Nude is a matte and Myth is a Satin formula but honestly, they are both so creamy that they come off as similar finishes. Nearly Nude is slightly darker than Myth, but only slightly!

Top: Myth by MAC
Bottom: Nearly Nude by e.l.f.

Myth, Nearly Nude

Honeyed by Covergirl - $5.99 (lip perfection lipstick) vs Creme Cup by MAC - $16 (cremesheen lipstick)
     Creme Cup is more of a true pink and Honeyed is slightly lighter. But the formula of the two are so similar and they look almost identical on the lips! They are both very creamy! Creme Cup is my all time favorite pink and I think Honeyed is a great dupe for it!

Top: Creme Cup by MAC
Bottom: Honeyed by Covergirl

Honeyed, Creme Cup

#708 Pure Red by Kiko - $6.25 (luminous chrome lipstick) vs F-Bomb by Urban Decay - $22 (revolution lipstick)
     These two look exactly the same! The formula, the finish, the color... everything is so close to being identical! Even though I absolutely love F-Bomb, I love that I am able to get a much cheaper dupe from Kiko!

Top: F-Bomb by Urban Decay
Bottom: #708 Pure Red by Kiko

#708 Pure Red, F-Bomb

Honey Nectar by Pixi - $8 (shea butter lip balm) vs Peachy Nude Sinner by Lipstick Queen - $22 (opaque lipstick)
     These two are basically the same color but Peachy Nude is just more pigmented. Honey Nectar is a balm and I think it gives amazing payoff for a balm! If you like this nude color, go for the Pixi one and the color can be built up! Plus, it is going to be great for winter and hydrate your lips!

Top: Peachy Nude Sinner by Lipstick Queen
Bottom: Honey Nectar by Pixi

Honey Nectar, Peachy Nude Sinner

Apple Strudel by NYX - $4.99 (butter gloss) vs Mally Melon by Mally - $20 (high shine liquid lipstick)
     I posted on Instagram that we recieved a care package from home in the US. My family included my Birchbox from last month and it had this liquid lipstick from Mally in it. I saw it was valued at $20 and was excited to get something so great in my Birchbox! Plus, I have zero products from Mally so I was excited to try something out! But as I was testing it, I quickly realized it looked like one of my NYX Butter Glosses: Apple Strudel. Apple Strudel is more pinky but since they both give off a kind of neon pink/orange shade, they look really similar. And even though the Mally lippie is a liquid lipstick, the NYX butter gloss is equally as pigmented. If you are interested in the Mally liquid lipsticks, I would recommend trying out a different shade and if you like this shade - get Apple Strudel and save some $$$!

Top: Mally Melon by Mally
Bottom: Apple Strudel by NYX

Mally Melon, Apple Strudel

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!! Have a blessed time with family and friends!

xoxo Kayla

Travel Makeup Recommendations

Ciao Bellas!

Since the holidays are coming up, there is usually traveling that accompanies it to see family and friends! I thought that I would give you recommendations on some good travel makeup. Since I live out of a suitcase more in a year than I do my own home, I have had plenty of practice on trying to nail down the essentials when it comes to traveling with makeup! I will share what I think are key items to bring with you and hopefully it will help you to not overpack but still have exactly everything you need! 

1. You need a good palette

     Lorac Pro To Go - This palette is my absolute favorite travel palette. You have six eyeshadows, two blushes and a bronzer. It has so many things you need in a conveniently small-packaged palette! The shadows are all neutral so you can wear any outfit, any lip, any accessories and it is going to go with these shadows! You can create a simple day look or a smoky eye for night. This is definitely a must for traveling in my opinion!

Lorac Pro To Go

Lorac Pro To Go

     The Nudes by Maybelline - If you prefer to have more shadow choices, this would be a great palette to have. It has twelve shadows but it is still super slim and small and makes it great for traveling. Like the Pro To Go, you are also going to be able to wear these shadows with anything. They are all neutral and going to look fabulous with whatever you pair with it!

The Nudes by Maybelline

     Chocolate Bar Palette by Too Faced - If you prefer having both neutral shadows AND color, you can not go wrong with this palette! I adore this palette and it has been my favorite for a good six months now! You can create SO many looks with this palette. With a wide variety of color range, you can create the perfect holiday eye!

Chocolate Bar Palette by Too Faced

2. You need a blush that will compliment any look

     

     In my opinion, a peachy-coral blush looks good with everything! It is by far my most favorite shade of blush to wear and whenever I see other girls wearing it as well, I think it looks so beautiful! It looks so pretty on any skin tone! Here are some great options for a peachy-coral blush:

- Melba by MAC (a classic!)

- Luminoso by Milani (a GORGEOUS drugstore blush! You will look like you are glowing!)

- Bellisima by Kat Von D (go to Sephora and check out this hidden gem. STUNNING!)

From left to right: Melba, Luminoso, Bellisima

Bottom: Melba
Middle: Luminoso
Top: Bellisima
(In Natural Light)

3. You need a nude lip, pink lip and red lip

     It is easy to throw multiple lipsticks in your bag causing you to bring way more options than you need! I think by bringing these three lipsticks you are going to have exactly what you need no matter what look you are going for. A good pink lip for the day, a good red lip for going out, and a nude lip for anything in between! Here are some good options:

PINK

- Romance by Covergirl (I mentioned this in my last Friday Five!)

- J. Lo's Nude by L'Oreal (despite the terrible smell of L'Oreal lipsticks, I still love this color!)

- Creme Cup by MAC (my absolute favorite pink lipstick of all time!)

From left to right: Romance, J.Lo's Nude, Creme Cup

Bottom: Romance
Middle: J.Lo's Nude
Top: Creme Cup
(In Natural Light)

NUDE

- Nude Embrace by Maybelline (you can see me wearing this in a recent Insta pic!)

- Nearly Nude by e.l.f. (so affordable and so pretty!)

- Creme D'Nude by MAC (the perfect Nude in my eyes!)

From left to right: Nude Embrace, Nearly Nude, Creme D'Nude

Bottom: Nude Embrace
Middle: Nearly Nude
Top: Creme D'Nude
(In Natural Light)

RED

- F-Bomb by Urban Decay (This is the lipstick that got me hooked on red lips!)

- Ruby Woo by MAC (the best matte red of life!)

- Just Garnet by Wet N Wild (a shimmery, fuschia-red that screams HOLIDAY LIP!)

From left to right: F-Bomb, Ruby Woo, Just Garnet

Bottom: F-Bomb
Middle: Ruby Woo
Top: Just Garnet
(In Natural Light)

4. You need a NYX Butter Gloss

     These glosses are perfection! You need a good gloss to have in your purse when you need to apply something quick and easy on your lips... but they can also be paired on top of your lipstick and it looks gorgeous! I would recommend any of the shades NYX offers! Just go to Target and take your pick :)

NYX Butter Glosses

5. Samples are your best friend

     Now is the perfect time to use those samples you get from Ipsy, Birchbox and other makeup orders! Usually, I always have some sort of sample to cover my mascara, primers, perfumes, shampoo/conditioner and even use up those dreaded foil packets - they really do come in handy when traveling! It is much easier to travel with samples of products than full-size - so don't forget about your samples!

6. Everything else

     Then pack everything else you need!

- Foundation

- Concealer

- Highlighter 

- Bronzer

- Powders

- Brow Products
- Lash Products
- Setting Spray

- Brushes

I hope these are useful tips if you are needing to travel soon! So excited the holiday season is almost here!

xoxo Kayla