makeup in minutes

Anybody else feeling the effects of Daylight Saving Time? Now that it's completely dark outside when I wake up, my body's instant reaction is snooze... snooze.. snooze. Maybe I'll become a morning person one of these days. But that day is not today. Because of my limited time, I'm depending a lot on fast makeup application. If I'm running crazy late, I reach for products I can apply very quickly or take with me if absolutely necessary. I'd say I don't spend more than 5 minutes when I use just these products...

Smashbox BB Cream
This is a matte finish BB cream that I can trust to keep my skin oil-free all day. More on it here. I apply this with a disposable makeup sponge for quick application. 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Spot Concealer
Since BB cream doesn't completely cover the issues my skin is having as of this week, this concealer does the trick to conceal any blemishes. I love that all I have to do is twist the cap, dab a little on each spot, and blend it in with my sponge. I am blessed to not have dark circles, but if I did, I would easily double up and use this as my under eye concealer as well. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
This takes me just a few seconds to set my BB cream and concealer to lock it in place all day long. 

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Medium Dark
I'm quite pale right now and this gives my face some color. If I was a little more tan, I would most likely skip this step. 

ELF Blush in Pink Passion
The bright pink blush looks intimidating in the package, but a light application of this is a perfect flush of pink to perk up my face. 

Maybelline MasterDrama Eyeliner
I usually only apply eyeliner if I skip eye shadow. Lasts all day and it's a retractable eyeliner that doesn't require sharpening. 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
I've raved about this product before. Just swipe a little of this using my ring finger on to my eye lids and it looks likes I actually spent time to do my makeup. 

Maybelline The Falsies Flared Mascara
I like using this mascara on days when I'm in a rush because it dries so fast. It's also the one that I can use on both my top and bottom lashes without the fear of it ever smudging throughout the day. 

If I had to shorten it down even more, I would just use BB Cream, concealer, blush, and mascara. Sometimes I like the challenge of seeing how fast I can apply my makeup. If only I was more into challenging myself to see how fast I could run... 

What makeup products do you depend on for quick makeup? 

xo, Mal

Ulta Sale Starts Today!

The Ulta Beauty Steals sale is back... starting today! These are one-day-only deals for 21 days in March offered in-store and online, however, items do sell out quickly. If you plan to shop in-store, get there early because once the items are gone, they're gone. Most sales will start at midnight online. If you haven't seen the full sale ad yet, click here to see each daily deal. 

Here are my top picks from the sale that I will either be picking up or I already own and recommend to you!... 

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara

This is one of my favorite high-end mascaras that's completely worth the $19, but I much prefer to only spend $10. You're getting a high-end product for a drugstore price. This mascara does everything you'd need it to do: volumize, lengthen, and separate your lashes beautifully. I highly recommend it! 

Butter London Nail Lacquers

I always seem to forget about the butter london polish day. This time, I'm determined to remember and pick up the two colors I've had on my wishlist for a while and check out the new Spring colors. 

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Greed

We all know I love this primer. I own it in the color Eden. The Greed shade is similar to Eden, except it has shimmer in it. You can't go wrong with primer potion! 

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil
I had never heard of maracuja oil until I bought a Tarte kit from QVC a year ago and this was in it. I figured having oily skin meant I would not be using this product. But, I'm glad I did some research and learned this would be great for my skin, no matter how oily it is! I like using this as a replacement some nights to my moisturizer. Just dab a little bit on my face and you wake up with super soft, moisturized skin. You can use it anywhere on your body, but I only recommend using it at night so it can really soak in all the benefits while you sleep. 

What do you plan to get from the Ulta sale? Let me know! 
xo, Mal

february favorites

LORAC PRO Palette 

I'm just in love with this palette. The matte eye shadow options seem endless to me and that's what I love about it. I've reached for it almost every day. See my full review and swatches here! 

L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara

Holy mascara. L'oreal seems to have done it again for me. Since January I've been on a "try new mascaras kick" and this is the only that really stands out to me. It lengthens, volumizes and separates my lashes like none other. Even better, the formula is completely clump free. This mascara means business and I'm loving it. 

Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush
I talked about these here, but didn't have this color yet. This color takes the cake for "your lips but better." It's my go-to lipstick for everyday. 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer + Dark Spot Corrector

Since I love the Instant Age Rewind concealer for dark circles, I knew I had to try the dark spot corrector. It claims to treat the discoloration while you wear it. I have dark spots pretty much all over my cheeks thanks to acne scarring. I think this does at concealing my dark spots and evening everything out. 

NYX Blush in Pinched

I'm a big fan of NYX powder blushes. This one reminds me of NARS Orgasm. Peachy pink with some golden shimmer. It's so pretty an inexpensive. 

Elf Powder Brush

I don't know why I've never bought an ELF face brush before. One of my all-time favorite eye brushes is from ELF (more on that soon).  I guess because it's only $3.00, I would always think "hmmm, 3 dollars probably means hard bristles that could be rough my face." I couldn't have been more wrong. This brush is super soft. It applies and blends my powder, blush, bronzer, whatever I'm in the mood for, perfectly. Really glad I finally spent the whopping $3.00. 

What did you love in February?
xo, Mal

November Favorites

China Glaze Rare & Radiant

This is a perfect Fall-golden-iridescent- multicolored- nail polish for this time of year. 
I think it's also a close dupe for Chanel Peridot. 

Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackest Black

I'm trying my hardest to finish this eyeliner up. I swear it just won't dry out-- but I guess that's a good thing. The stiff tip of the pen makes it easy to apply a straight line, and even great for winged liner. 

Benefit Bella Bamba Blush 

(yeah, say that five times fast...)

This is probably my favorite blush of all time. You can achieve any shade of pink on your cheeks with this.  Even if you apply too much, it can very easily be blended to a subtle pink. 

Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara

This month I realized I have too many about 10 sample mascaras I have yet to try. I've been LOVING Lancome Hypnose Star. The shape of the brush is perfect for separating and lengthening the lashes, and I haven't had any issues with clumping.
Anyone else love this one? 

L'oreal Eye Shadow in Iced Latte
I did a whole post on this one here. Basically, it's the perfect highlight shade for the inner corner and brow bone. 

Maybelline Babylips in Quenched

I think I'm giving up on EOS lip balms. This Babylips is easier to apply and I find it is way more moisturizing on my lips. With crazy chapped winter lips, this is my go-to for moisture about 10 times a day. The name Quenched is spot-on! 

Oscar Blandi Texture & Volume Spray

Something about the cold months that makes my hair feel like it needs to fall flat every single day. I got this Volumizing spray in my Birchbox and I'm loving it so far. 

Clarisonic  "Deep Pore Cleansing" Brush Head

This was my first time trying out a brush head other than "normal" for my Clarisonic. Not sure how to compare the two other than I love them both. I just like the idea of getting a "deep pore cleanse" at night. I recommend trying this if you have a Clarisonic! 

What have you been loving this month? 

xo

Happy Friday, Y'all!

Another work week down. Happy Friday, y'all! 

1. New ottoman from Overstock came in. Other than wall art and bedding, my bedroom is almost complete. 

Now on to bigger projects-- like (re)painting the living room and constructing a fireplace mantel. Halp!

2. Dropped Ben off at the airport. He's in St. Louis for two weeks on a work trip. 

Miss him a lot, but can't wait to see him next Friday! 

3. Shoutout to an avid Pastels and Mascara reader and one of my dearest friends, Danielle! She got a new job and I couldn't be happier for her! I love it when good things happen to good people. I love her to death. Hey Dani!

4. Got to squeeze in two walks around the LSU lakes this week with the roomie. The weather here has been so fall, and I'm loving it. 

5. What would a post be without including some new beauty goodies? You'll notice two things from my Fall Wish List. You've already seen my review on the Maybelline quad, so look for upcoming posts about the nail polish and mascara.

See more H54F posts on Lauren's blog!

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beauty battle: waterproof mascara

Greetings from Florida! I hope everyone's having a great week. I'm not going to lie, I don't want the week to end yet. I've been in Navarre, Florida and we're headed to Destin tomorrow for the rest of the week. My boyfriend and I have our families here so we're spending time with both throughout the week. It's been a great few days, and I just hope the weather stays nice. 

While I'm here, I haven't put on any makeup. Which is just fine with me. My routine consists of washing my face, loading up on sunscreen, and applying some waterproof mascara. I brought two drugstore mascaras with me. I had them in my collection and thought this was the best time to test which is the best. 

The two I'm testing this week: 

1. L'oreal Voluminous Waterproof in black 

2. Covergirl Professional All-in-one Waterproof in very black

It's no secret that L'oreal Voluminous in carbon black is my holy grail mascara for everyday. It's a drugstore mascara that outperforms even most high end mascaras. For around $6.00, you really can't beat it. So, I decided to try out the waterproof version of this to see if it compares to the carbon black. 

I also like the Covergirl mascara. I find it to be a very underrated, but it has always worked for me. 

I simply just wanted to try this one out again. 

The bristles on the brushes are very different. The L'oreal brush (above) is denser and larger than the Covergirl brush (below). 

To test these two, I've been wearing the L'oreal on one eye and the Covergirl on another for the past few days. I've been in the pool, the sun, and the big salty gulf of mexico. 

When first applied, the Covergirl provided more length and volume than the L'oreal. I like the L'oreal too, but it didn't look as "volumized" as I had expected. 

As far as staying power, the Covergirl didn't smudge nearly as much as the L'oreal. The L'oreal gave me a little bit of a raccoon eye by the end of the day. Although both did perform well for most of the day. 

I really expected the L'oreal to work the best. But, in the end, I would have to pick the Covergirl Professional. I haven't tried any high end waterproof mascaras. So if anyone has had any luck with any others, definitely let me know. I 'll continue to use the Covergirl, but always on the hunt for something better! 

xoxo,

summer makeup

For my first official blog post, what better way to start than with some seasonal tips? Summer has not “officially” begun yet, but according to Louisiana, summer began about 2 months ago. Usually in the summer, my makeup routine gets lighter and I prefer to use fewer products. Less is definitely more this time of year. I need medium coverage to help conceal scars and redness, but I don’t want it to melt away in the first few minutes of being in the sun. These are a few products I depend on daily to help my makeup last all day without going overboard on the application. Check back soon to see my recommendations for skincare and hair care!

1: Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer: Foundation primer is key to helping a liquid foundation last all day, especially if you have combination/oily skin. The right primer will smooth out any lines in your face, and create a nice texture for your foundation to “stick” to. Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting is my all-time favorite, but it can be expensive. I use the color correcting green bottle as the green cancels my redness from acne scars. If this isn’t the case for you, I recommend the original clear bottle. I’ve used it and love it also!

2: Revlon ColorStay Foundation (for Combination/Oily Skin): Okay, before I start confessing my love affair with this product, I’ll just say: Go get this now! The Revlon ColorStay line itself is one of my favorite drugstore lines. Here’s a few reasons why this is my go-to foundation for everyday: long wearing, easy to blend (must work fast), medium-full coverage, lightweight, wide color selection, and has SPF 15. You can find it at any drugstore, Target, or Ulta. (If you only need light coverage with some color, I recommend a good tinted moisturizer, like this one or this one.)

3: Laura Mercier translucent powder: Setting your foundation with a loose translucent powder is optional. Us oily skin girls sometimes see it as a must. I bought this one at Sephora over a year ago, use it almost everyday, and I still have a ton of product left. As a mineral powder, it’s superfine and sheer, so it will really help set a liquid foundation and prolong the wear of your makeup.

4: Tarte Park Ave Princess Bronzer: As you probably already know, it’s best to use bronzer where the light will naturally hit your face: cheekbones (forego the blush), bridge of nose, temples and up to the forehead, and the chin. This Tarte bronzer is matte, blends well, and gives a natural finish. Tarte is one of my favorite high-end brands. Their products are formulated without parabens, phthalates or synthetic fragrances. Seriously love this stuff!

5: Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer in Eden: I swear by eye primer. I have extremely oily eyelids as the day goes on. You may not be the same. But, eye primer can be just as important as foundation primer. Because of oil that builds up during the day, my eye shadow used to last 4 hours at best. This Urban Decay primer is the best I've found so far. Now my shadows last 12+ hours. 

6: Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner: Eyeliner is certainly not a “must” for everyday. But I love me some eyeliner on most days. I use this Urban Decay pencil liner because it’s quick and easy to apply on the waterline, and it does not smudge, even after about 8 hours.

7: L’oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara: The L’oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara is my “Holy Grail” mascara. No matter how many others I try, I always go back to this one, even over the high-end brands. The waterproof version is no different. I like the waterproof usually just on the weekends or for days at the pool.

8: Urban Decay All Nighter or De-Slick setting spray: A setting spray is optional. I recommend using one when you’ll be out all day and night, and don’t want to touch up or even think about your makeup. This Urban Decay spray is formulated without parabens, sulfates, and synthetic dyes. Gotta love that.

9: EOS lip balm: Those check out lines get me every time. Ever since spotting this “egg looking thing” at Ulta, the EOS lip balm has easily become my preferred lip balm for the summer. I love the lemon drop scent because it is super moisturizing, has SPF 15, and it smells amazing. Ulta, drugstores, and Target carry these balms.

10: NYX Green Tea blotting paper: Gone are the days of touching up with a powder. I suggest keeping blotting sheets in your purse instead. Once during the day, I’ll use a sheet to soak up excess oils and keep my makeup looking fresh. I use the NYX Green Tea sheets, which you can buy at Ulta.

So, that’s it for my makeup essentials for the summer. I’ll share some skincare and haircare products next. What would you add? Leave me some comments! I love seeing what kind of products other people use and trust.

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