Makeup Forever Step 1 Skin Equalizer- Mattifying Primer Review

Hey Guys I have another product review for you guys today.

I ended up picking this up from Sephora to try out. I have combo to oily skin so I wanted to give it a try mainly for my T-zone.

This product is $37 30ml OR $17 for 15ml

Details:

STEP1 is the range of skin equalizers developed to refine, smooth and even out. Our exclusive Equalizer Complex delivers 3 key actions:

- APPLICATION : makeup goes on seamlessly

- RESULT : optimized color & finish

- WEAR: longer staying power

MATTIFYING PRIMER is the answer to unwanted shine, fighting against excess oil to ensure a matte makeup result. Formulated with our specific Sebustop Vegetal Complex, this first step equalizer instantly reduces pore size and controls shine for a flawless makeup all day long.


My experience with this Primer:

OK guys so this primer is no joke, when it says it's mattifying it's mattifying like big time.
Now I just use it on my extreme problem areas I ended up picking this up from Sephora to try out. I have combo to oily skin so I wanted to give it a try mainly for my T-zone. The product comes out a clearish creamy color and had no scent, which I really appreciate.

This product immediately removes any type of shine to your skin. It is easy to blend and lasts a very long time. Makeup really does apply seamlessly over this product. I am very impressed with it. Honestly my only negative remark about this is if you have mature skin I'd avoid it. I notice that I can't wear it on my forehead where I have most of my wrinkles because it doesn't fill them in like pore filling type primers. It makes those forehead wrinkles very noticeable. I have strictly started applying it to my nose, and the areas surrounding my nose for that very reason.  Those with extremely oily skin can really benefit from this primer. I will continue to use it to prolong my makeup and avoid looking overly oily.

Side note: I have extremely sensitive skin and this did not clog my pores or break me out!

I do recommend this but only if you are oily!

Thanks for stopping by today.

June Monthly Favorites

Hello lovelies and welcome to July, I thought today would be a perfect day to share my June monthly favorites, enjoy!

I want to start off with my two ZPalettes, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these SO much! If you are interested in getting your own, I purchased mine off of the Makeup Geek website. They have super cute ones now, mine are a couple of their older ones. I have my palettes filled with Makeup Geek eye shadows, MAC, Coastal Scents and Morphe eye shadows. The best part of these palettes is that they are customizable. You can buy the colors and shadows that suit you. I consider myself the queen of warm/neutral shades but I wanted some fun bright colors for spring and summer. I went a little crazy and got a ton of shades I would normally not wear. I figured it would be fun to step out of my comfort zone.

Next up is the delicious  Dance 'til Dawn Tropical Tango from Bath and Body Works. I love a lot of their candles but this one was a first for me and it smells SO good! As it says it's very tropical so basically it's fruity, perfect for the summer! It makes me want to be in a tropical paradise like Hawaii. It's like a mixture of mango and pineapple, or at least that's what I think of when I smell it. I have been burning this nonstop this month as you can see in my first picture above, I only have a few more burns left. 

Next up is the itCosmetics Bye Bye Under eye concealer. Some of you might know that I have pretty bad under eye bags and dark circles. Something I struggle with on the daily. I saw mixed reviews on this product but decided I would give it a whirl. Ok so first of all I picked up the shade tan for Medium skin tones. this has on orange undertone which is suppose to be great for hiding those nasty dark circles. I have to say that I love this product but understand the mixed reviews. #1 It is a thick creamy consistency which feels a little sticky or tacky. #2 this product doesn't set on it's own it stays tacky so you can set it OR #3 because it's so creamy if you have dry under eyes this works wonders because you don't have to set it but a little creasing can occur. It really isn't bad at all, I promise. I loath creasing and this has very minimal creasing. I really like this product. 

Next up is the much raved about Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water. So I actually got a sample of this in my Birchbox subscription which I cancelled but I was SO happy to finally get this because it was so raved about. Honestly I felt that with my combo skin it would make me a greasy mess, it didn't. Especially during these hot months, I love it. I use it after I moisturize and before my regular primer and it has this neat cooling sensation. I can't say that it makes my makeup last any longer but I do enjoy it and will continue to use it until I run out.

Next is also a Smashbox product, it's the Photo Finish Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing. I love it! It does such a great job at minimizing the appearance of my pores and keeping my Tzone from being overly oily.   My Holy Grail primer has been the Benefit Porefessional and now I get to add this one to the mix, I do love them both equally. In many ways they are very similar, yet different. For instance, they both have a skin tone texture and both do a great job with hiding the pores but this Smashbox one is just a tad bit thicker. All you oily girls, or combo skin girls out there I say give it a try. It's worth the money. 

OK on this next product I did a full review on it, click here to see the review. All you really need to know is that it's amazing!  

So this Hard Candy setting spray is actually pretty good. I try and test out a lot of setting sprays and this one is honestly not bad especially if you look at the price point! It's not a holy grail by any means but it's a great drugstore alternative. It does a great job at setting my makeup and it does a great job at prolonging the wear of my makeup. It does not last all day by any means but it does last a good 4-6 hours, not bad at all. It does have a strong cucumber smell, which I don't personally mind but others might.  

Next is the Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Cream Bronzer in Warm Tan. This is actually the first cream bronzer I  have ever owned, crazy I know. I really like it. I do use it to bronze my skin and then set is with a powder bronzer. It gives the prettiest glow. This is not for my fair girls out there, this color is a little too warm. You can however buy that lighter shades. 

I left the best for last. Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in 210 Unapologetic. This is a new color for me, not my first colorburst but this color is so beautiful! I love it, it is VERY pigmented and very bright. It's such a gorgeous color for the summer. I have been wearing minimal makeup with a bam in your face lip color! These are so soft and creamy, they don't bleed and they last for a long time! They leave a beautiful stain on your lips even after you eat or drink. This is a must have product and if you don't like this bright color they have a ton to choose from. I personally own three and I want more!

Ok guys those are all of my faves for this month. I would love to see yours if you have a blog or YouTube account or anything you may want me to check out. Just leave me a comment or send me a private email. Thanks for spending time reading my post today. 

Have a wonderful day!

Much Love,

Ipsy-June 2015

Happy one year Ipsy subscription anniversary to me!

I've had my subscription for exactly one year. I find it so fun to get a welcomed monthly gift in the mail ;)

So this month the theme is swim into beauty, perfect for the summer.

So let's start with the bag itself.

I actually really like it. It's black and it says ipsy all over it with an neon bright orange zipper. I love the material, it reminds me of that wet suit material. Perfect to haul to the beach or in my case the pool, river or lake.

Next up is the NYC Liquid eyeliner. (which I currently own so this is a backup)

What it claims to do:

• This long lasting, rich and creamy formula dries fast and stays put. This tapered natural brush gives you the control you need to create a precise and dramatic line. The liquid goes on smoothly without skipping, smudging, or pulling, plus it lasts all day. Create the perfect line, every time!

I really appreciate getting this in black because sometimes ipsy sends me colors I would never really use.  It dries matte and is pretty nice. The one part I will make you aware of is that if you tend to have watery eye like me it can run. Overall though, I do agree to what it claims to do especially if you don't have those watery eyes.

Next let's talk about the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer.

What it claimes to do:

• Create a perfect canvas for foundation application with this silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A & E, grape seed extract and green tea. Worn alone or under foundation, this best-selling, oil-free primer helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish. 

I've owned this primer in the past and like it. I'm not the biggest fan of silicone type primers, but that's the only reason it's just ok for me. I do like it and will get use out of this. 

Next are these sheet masks from Bio Republic.

What it claims to do:

• Life is full of surprises and our skin is no exception! Each BioRepublic sheet mask offers a targeted 15-minute solution guaranteed to help you navigate even your most treacherous skin dilemmas. Packing over half a bottle of potent serum in every mask and loaded with active botanicals, these express facial treatments deliver the vital hydration and nutrients your skin needs to maintain its natural glow. What’s more, all BioRepublic SkinCare products are 100% cruelty free and use materials that are either biodegradable or recyclable, so your conscience will feel as relieved as your complexion.

I've only been able to try one and that is the green tea detox one and I loved it. Honestly though I am a huge sheet mask fan in general. I fully plan on using the other two in the near future.

Next is the treStique

What it claims to do:

• This amazing 12 hour eye shadow has customizable color that you can build from a subtle wash to intense vibrancy. It’s also super blendable with a crease free, smooth finish.

So this is actually a very cute mini shadow crayon. I got mine in Kona Coffee, I tested it out a couple of times. First off I love the packaging and the color payoff, unfortunately the claim that it last 12 hours is incorrect. I only wore mine for 4 hours, with primer and it creased. Total bummer, but hey...it's ok. The second time I used it was in my waterline, that was an even shorter wear time, I don't think it even lasted a full hour. So this is just an ok product for me.

Lastly is the Jcats Liptition Hydration lip stain.

What is claims to do:

• Highly pigmented, hydrating, semi-matte lip stain. A delightfully creamy and lightweight stain for any occasion. Silky, smooth and packed with Vitamin E and plants extract, this stain is your go-to glam tool for sexy. Liptitude will last 24/7 and give you some serious ATTITUDE.

This is my second product from Jcats, let me start off by telling you that the color I got is in Bead. The color is pretty but I would recommend an anti feathering-lipliner because this does bleed. Once the initial color has worn off from eating and stuff, it does leave a pretty stain. This product does last and doesn't have an offensive smell. It's a little minty. I didn't wear it for 24 hours like it claims to last but it did last a full 9 hour work day. This is how it looks on my lips.

Alrighty guys, that is my June 2015 Ipsy bag for ya!

I was pretty pleased overall. I'd give it a 4 out of 5, so not bad at all. 

Click here to join.

Thanks for reading my blog, enjoy your weekend!

Much Love,

May Monthly Favorites

This is one of my favorite videos to watch on YouTube so I decided I would make it a monthly post. It is insane that tomorrow is the last day of May. This year is going by so quickly. This was definitely a great month to try out so many new products though. Here are a few that I used and have loved this month.

Jaclyn Hill Favorites collaboration with Morphe:

I wanted to start off with the very anticipated Jaclyn Hill Favorites collaboration with Morphe. I was so happy when I heard that Morphe was relaunching it because I didn't get it the first time around.  This is limited edition palette and I knew I had to have it because Jaclyn Hill is perfection! The palette itself is super pretty. If you couldn't get this palette don't fret my friends you can get the individual colors (please refer to picture for color reference). You can purchase these colors on the Morphe website for just $2 each. Don't let the price fool you, I will sum it up by telling you guys that these are very pigmented colors, they are all incredibly smooth and they don't have crazy fallout everywhere.  I love this palette to the point that I ordered other individual shades which I love just as much.

Kathleen Lights Collaboration with ColourPop:

My next favorite is from the beautifully talented Kathleen Lights, another gorgeous YouTuber. Can you guys tell I have a little addiction watching YouTube?! ha ha ha. Any ways she did an awesome collaboration with ColourPop. If you have never tried their products I urge you too. They are amazing in every aspect of the word. They are super pigmented and very creamy. This is not my first ColourPop purchase and I know it won't be my last. This made it in my favorites this month because I have been wearing the heck out these shadows. My favorite shadow is the one she named after herself (Kathleen Lights) it's SO pretty!

Lush Lip Scrub: 

The Lush lip scrub has done wonders for my lips. I am unfortunate in that I have horribly dry lips, this product helps me so much. I use it at least once or twice a week. I am huge Lush fan in general, all of their products are natural. They have a few fun flavors to pick from too. I even got one of my sisters into their stuff.

L'oreal Magic Lumi:

This was a product suggested by my friend Becci and I love it so much! I do not use this product as a primer as it's meant to be used. I have normal to oily skin, meaning my T-zone is oily however the rest of my face is normal. I actually use this product with my full coverage foundations to sheer it out and to add that gorgeous luminosity to my skin. I highly recommend it.

Maybelline Fit me Matte + Poreless:

I love this powder. It is finely milled, it's super silky soft. I use this to set my foundation and through out the day to touch up when needed. It does not cake up one bit, it's wonderful. I especially love the price. Can't go wrong with this powder, sometimes I even use it alone as my foundation.This is a great drugstore product that I use instead of my Makeup Forever high end powder.


Beauty Secrets:

There is not much to say about this product other than it's great. I love how it smells (like coconuts). It keeps my cuticles nice and moisturized. I get this at Sally's Beauty Supplies. I have recently been getting my nails done, and this product has helped my cuticles from looking thick and nasty.



 
Revlon Lash Adhesive:
 
This is my holy grail eyelash glue and the fact that it came out in black, sold me. I love it just as much if not a little more than the original. I have tried a lot of eyelash glues and this is the best, hands down.I am allergic to latex and this product doesn't have it and it doesn't irritate my eyes.


 
Morphe Contour Brush:

Ok this is one of the first (but not last) Morphe brushes I have ever owned and I am WOWED by how soft and amazing this is. My contour game is on point thanks to this little guy! I bought a set of Morphe brushes, so stay tuned for that brush review.




 
Real Techniques Blending and Lash-brow groomer:

Real Technique brushes are by far one of my favorite brushes out there. They are extremely affordable and awesome. They are so soft and do exactly what they are meant to do. These are two of my newer Real Technique brushes and I am LOVING them!

 

Benefit Roller Lash:

You guys made it to the end, this one is the last but certainly not least. I have used it non stop since getting it. I love it. It does not flake it's very black and it helps keep my curl. This one is a little pricy but hey, sometimes you do get what you pay for. I personally love it!

Thank you SO much for hanging out with me today, sorry this post was a bit long. I will try to have fewer favorites in the future. Feel free to give me any suggestions you might have. Thank you for all of your love and support, please don't forget to follow and have a fabulous weekend!

Much Love,