Tag: Make Up

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imagesIt is that time of year when I put away my heavy, dark, over-defined statement makeup and fill my handbag with light, pretty basic products that let my skin shine through. I prefer makeup that take 2-3 minutes to apply often without a mirror. I don’t want to be a slave to the mirror, the heat or anyone’s expectations. I also keep a beautiful notebook sure to inspire and feed my creative flowI wanted to share a few of these products with you and would love to see what’s in your bag!

The Travel Make Up Bag!

SKIN CARE FIRST!

I am still on a @MilkMakeUp kick so bear with me. I hate traveling with my favorite full size skin care items….the anxiety going through security is too much to bear. Ziploc bags with all of your carefully cultivated products undergo scrutiny from agents who could care less that you can’t live without the base of your entire look. So to reduce my stress I rely on full-sized options and travel products from Milk MakeUp….perfectly sized and the solids are TSA-approved!  Fabulous face, dewy and fresh, perfect for every occasion that you may come across.

Matcha-Cleanser-cap-655x1024I love TEA and drink it everyday so Milk Makeup’s All – New Matcha tea skin cleanser and toner are perfect for your summer makeup bag. These products keep your skin cleansed, toned and protected; they also keep you from carrying your entire collection on your travels. My favorite new Milk Makeup products come in solid form so TSA can keep their hands off and you can stay beautiful throughout your adventure.

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The best feature of the Milk Makeup travel kit is that they come in their own adorable travel bag so I can just grab and go! The Milk Make Up travel kit comes equipped with the hangover-killer Cooling Water.  A soothing seawater and firming caffeine stick that helps soothe puffy travel and margarita salt swollen eyes. I apply this product each night and morning. Milk’s Hydrating Oil Stick is goes on next. This hydrating oil vitalizes my skin and help me maintain a healthy glow. Just a dab where you need it and smooth into your face….no need to pile it on. I follow up with the Blur Stick an oil-free primer in a universal neutral shade to blur the look of imperfections. Perfect for vacations when you want your skin to shine through. Let your skin bloom like the flowers that you see everyday! A minimal layer of Ubame mascara, a touch of highlighter, brow gel, rosy blush and lip balm  and you are ready for your next adventure!

Turn that fresh face look into Super Glam with Lashes from ZivaLash! Make your eyes pop and draws every eye in the room! My choice is the Zivalash Kari Ruby Lash!

These silk lashes are lengthy with a wispy flair at the end.  You will get in trouble when you wear these pretties out and about. Now get out there and be glamorous!

 

Travel Light…Travel Easy and Most of All!  Don’t be Afraid To Let Your Line Shine!

 

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imgres-1I am ready to shed heavy winter make up. My last post was all about prepping the skin and finding your perfect lash look. The next step is to find new fresh products to add to my beauty routine.  I love indie brands so I look to them for Spring ideas that will compliment my natural style and take 5 minutes or less to apply in the morning. My go-to beauty products have to fit my lifestyle and let my skin breathe. If they fit into a cute clutch and are multi-functional I am a happy girl! I think I have found my new beauty savior in @Milk


I received a sample Milk’s Sunshine Skin Tint and was instantly hooked. The preservative-free tinted moisturizer went on smooth and gave me even coverage. It dried to a dewy finish without looking oily or feeling heavy. milk-makeup-sunshine-skin-tintMy next step was to check out the website and peruse the other products. The Milk website is FUN! Lots of videos that show you exactly how to use the products. The Looks section and the Us section explain the brand’s philosophy and makes you feel like you are a part of a social movement. Love love love that!

 

milk-makeup-00Milk Make Up’s creators believe that it’s not just about how you create your look; it’s what you do in it that matters. Live Your Look takes self-expression to the next level, showing how our physical choices reflect who we are underneath and unify us all on our paths to self-discovery. 

 

images-2I wanted to test out these products right away so I watched reviews on YouTube and found them pretty lacking so I had to buy the sample and test it out at home. The Blur stick that promised to blur my pores and make me feel like I was not wearing make up at all! I

found a Milk Makeup sample kit that includes all of the best sellers and went at it like a BOSS! The Blur stick is basically a tinted primer and made my skin look matte and minimized my pores with a few swipes across my t-zone. Some reviewers feel as if it tugs at your skin and looks clumpy but I took the time to apply the Cooling Water stick first so my skin was nicely hydrated. milk-x-uo-32The combined products made my skin look great all day. I tried the bronzer and it gave me just enough color to counteract the matte look of the Blur stick. The Lip Color is smooth and creamy with full coverage. It looks fresh without the glossy look that I am trying to avoid.  I stuck with the skin products because I want to sort out the base of my Spring look before jumping into the Milk pool with both feet.Milk Makeup has a full range of productsAs I said before I love it and can not WAIT to buy more. Check them out on Instagram @milkmakeup 

Amazon.com has a great selection of @Milk products!

 

 

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Spring is in our sights…that groundhog be damned! I am looking to freshen up my beauty look with the addition of a few new products. Take advantage of the time cooped up inside avoiding the bitter cold by researching your Spring look. All the information is at your fingertips with a lot or the footwork done by bloggers and subscription beauty services like Ipsy or Birchbox. Sign up and share the code with your friends for referral credit or glam points. Don’t stop there! The beauty industry has a plethora of beauty subscriptions to choose from. 

Don’t let the winter doldrums conquer you. Use this time to refresh your skin from the inside out. I start my Spring prep by adding a few teaspoons of Bragg’s images-2ACV to my daily water intake to clear up any residual skin issues and maintain my weight. Bragg’s is my go to and costs about $5.00 a bottle this appeals to my budget and my inner hippie. The benefits of Bragg’s ACV are far reaching with some using the natural remedy for everything from digestive issues to skin toner. Do the research and figure out what works for you. 

I regularly cleanse my skin with African black soap. Black soap cleanses gently, so it’s ideal for people with rosacea, rashes, dryness and other skin conditions. Some African black soap products contain a plantain extract, which has antibacterial properties that may help treat acne breakouts. abs2Some
people use the soap as a shampoo or mild makeup remover. Available at Whole Foods. Coconut oil, shea butter and cocoa butter round out my skin care regime and keep my skin clear and ready for the sun. Shea and cocoa butter make my skin soft and supple and coconut oil is perfect for oil pulling. Coconut oil pulling is my secret to white teeth but contributes to my overall good health. 

Go easy on your skin. Make the changes a part of your daily routine and you will see the changes in no time. 

Spring Prep Part 2 coming soon….

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I love SUBSCRIPTION BOXES! You can get just about anything delivered to your door these days. Wine, Food, Hair and Beauty products, even Chocolate! The subscription ipsy-vs-birchbox-2-1400x756box craze started in 2010 when two friends started Birchbox a subscription box service that revolutionized the way we shop and discover new products. It’s all so easy and convenient. Go to the website and fill out a profile that gathers information on your skin tone, eye color and product preferences and a sample box shows up on your doorstep with 4-5 make up and skin products curated especially for you. The success of this subscription mail service spawned hundreds of other mail order services and changed the way we discover new products. 

My obsession with subscription boxes started with my love for all things beauty and make up.  Birchbox and Ipsy (try it with this code) are the biggest players in the subscription box craze. Each service costs $10 per month and 4-5 specially curated sample products ship to your address every month.  Birchbox samples arrive in a box, while  its mainipsy-vs-birchbox-2-1400x756 competitor Ipsy sa pink quilted envelope with a make up bag inside. The make up bag alone feels like a free gift and it is a different marketing strategy but equally exciting. I like the idea of a cute decorative make up bag and recycle the bags for other beauty knick knacks that I have lying around and a mystery gift every month is so much fun. 

I am currently signed up for Ipsy and Stitch Fix, a clothing subscription service that has gained popularity in the last two years. I contemplated signing up for Stitch Fix for months andimages-2 it took a pair of amazing jeans on my good friend @WhineandWhimsy for me to get on board. I’d never seen a pair of jeans flatter someone so well and I have been hooked ever since.  Exchanges are allowed and a defective sweater was replaced within days. I have had to tweak my profile and send items back that just didn’t work but I am a very satisfied customer.

Here’s how it works…

The Stitch Fix experience is not merely curated, it’s truly personalized to your taste, budget and lifestyle.The Stitch Fix Style Profile is easy to fill out and takes a few a-partial-group-of-subscription-boxes-weve-runminutes. A stylist is assigned to your profile and personalizes your Fix but it helps to have a Pinterest page that gives some insight to your personal style. The key to success for all subscription services is to realistic about your tastes, your sizes and your budget. I have heard horror stories from people that didn’t like anything in their monthly box. My first question to them…were you honest on your style profile? Do you know your sizes and the colors/patterns/shapes that you like? Most people can’t answer that question. 

Stitch Fix makes shopping not just convenient, but effortless. Like other online retailers, Stitch Fix saves you a trip to the store by shipping items directly to you. Try on and choose the items you want and send the rest back. Returns are easy. Slip the items you’re returning into the prepaid mailing envelope and drop into any USPS mailbox. A 25% discount is the perk of keeping everything that you receive in your shipment. Refer a friend and earn a $25 credit when their first Fix ships!

I love my monthly surprises! Subscription services fill my need for a little something new every month and keep me out of the shopping mall. Do you have a subscribe to a service? Share your experience.