the expert face brush

There's something really nice about finding your absolute-gotta-have-it-favorite-go-to brush. While we have others that can do a similar job, there's comfort in knowing you have found "the one." When it comes to foundation application, I've been on the hunt for a brush that gives perfect, even coverage without breaking the bank. There's just so many different types of foundation brushes. It really just depends on your preference and needs. I have four Sigma foundation brushes. All of which I love, but none are "the one." I've had this brush all along. I was just using it for other things like contouring, setting powder, and sometimes blush. Basically everything except foundation. I tried it out only because all my other brushes were dirty and I figured I should switch it up.

The application was amazing. It's the perfect size, very soft (probably the softest brush I've ever used), gives a great finish to the skin, and best of all-- it's inexpensive. The tapered bristles allow foundation to be applied from all angles rather than just one. And as long as you wash it regularly, it's like good as new each time. 

Like I mentioned before, you can really do anything with this brush. Except maybe apply eye shadow. :) I just highly recommend using it for foundation.

You can find Real Techniques brushes at Ulta or online for $8.99. 

What's your favorite/go-to foundation brush? 

xo, Mallory

april favorites

It seems like a lot of what I've been reaching for lately has been the color pink, and I didn't even realize it until I took these photos. Not sure the reason for this, but I do love pink, so I guess it's okay. Here's what I've been loving lately...

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Amused: This has been on my wish list for quite a while. When Sephora sent an email with a VIB coupon, I figured it was the perfect time to finally purchase a couple of wish list items. I originally went with the intention to purchase the shade Dollface, but after swatching it, I realized I wanted a more intense and rich pink shade. This is a highly-pigmented, matte bright pink. Apply with a light hand and its a perfect flush on the cheeks for Spring. 

Rimmel ScandalEyes Kohl Eyeliner in Nude: I've never owned a nude shade of eyeliner, but always a little interested. Black is my go-to. These are brand new and already have great reviews. I figured a $6 nude eyeliner couldn't hurt. I like applying it just in the inner corner of my waterline. I then finish the waterline with my usual black liner. It helps keep that black junk from forming in the inner corner and also brightens it up bit, which is a plus. 

NARS Turkish Delight: This was my other Sephora purchase. This is my first NARS lip product and it's well worth the splurge if you like light pink glosses. You can wear it alone or over a lipstick to lighten it up. Going to be my go-to shade for Spring/Summer nights. 

L'oreal Shocking Extensions mascara: I couldn't help but include this as a favorite again, just to let you know that I'm still loving it. Check out that post if you're interested. 

Covergirl Outlast 3-in-1 Foundation: This is probably the most surprising favorite for me. I've loved my Revlon ColorStay whipped foundation ever since it's come out, but for some crazy reason,  I can't control my urge to try something when I hear great things, especially foundation. Covergirl is not my go-to brand for makeup, so I really didn't expect to like this. But I do. This shade is too light for me, so I'll have to go pick up a darker one when my Summer tan kicks in, but as for the formula and quality of the foundation, it's amazing. Let me know if you're interested in a full review! 

China Glaze polish in Shocking Pink: If you love hot neon pink and do not own this color, I recommend picking it up. Not only is the color spot on, but it lasts longer than the average on my nails. I'll be painting my nails and toes with this a lot more come Summer. 

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Wink: Just when I didn't think I could love the baby lips line even more, Maybelline came out with new shades. This one is beautiful! It's the your-lips-but-better chapstick that you can't help but want to apply all day long. I still love the one in Quenched, but it's colorless. This one is perfect for when you need moisture and color quickly (read: without a mirror). This will be going straight in my beach bag! 

Have you tried any of these products?  What are you loving lately? Let me know! :)

Mallory

happy friday y'all!

So this week I finally stopped being lazy and started blogging again. Just in time for a Friday post! Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! 

1. Started off the week with brunch (and a bloody mason) with my boyfriend and his parents. Love some quality time over a meal. 

2. Finally (a year and a half later) put a bookcase in my living room to fill the empty nook. It "only" took me three hours and two mistakes to put it together all by my handy-woman self. I really like it! 

3. A Sephora VIB sale meant picking up two things that have been on my wishlist since the beginning of time. NARS turkish delight and Tarte amazonian blush in amused. I'm in love with both. 

4. When I saw this tee, I knew I had to have it. Chanel + Nola love is my kind of jam. Loving the white version... but now I want all the colors... 

5. Tomorrow will be the first time I've ever sold things in a garage sale. I feel like I've covered every inch of my condo for things to sell. Getting rid of old crap makes me feel lighter already.  Maybe I'm weird, but I don't think I was born with a sentimental bone in my body. I have no problem getting rid of things, I just hope most of it sells! 

Check out Wednesday's post if you haven't already! And, see more H54F posts on Lauren's blog. Happy Friday! xoxo

Mallory

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

favorite bronzers

Now that my summer tan is fading fast, I'm relying on my bronzers to add some color to my pale face and perk it up a little bit. I like using deep bronzers to contour the hollows of my cheeks, and softer shades for all over my face for subtle color. 

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny

This is your basic matte bronzer that I feel could work on any skin tone. I have only ever used this for contouring. I like using this for "day time" looks because it has a more natural finish. It's a very wearable bronzer for everyday. You can find this bronzer for around $2.50 in any drugstore or Target. 

ELF Contouring Bronzing Powder

This is my go-to bronzer when I want a perfectly "Kim K." contoured face.  

If I know I'll be taking more pictures, going to a dark venue, etc. that's when I like using this bronzer. It's a very deep tan color, but still very blendable. I only use this for contouring because it is way too dark on my skin for every day.  The best part about this bronzer is that it's $3.00 AND it comes with a blush.  You can find ELF products at Target or eyeslipsface.com. 

MAC Mineralize SkinFinish Natural in Medium Dark

I really really really like MAC Mineralize Skin Finish. It's the perfect finishing powder that doesn't look "cakey." I wear this every single day to set my foundation. My shade is Medium Dark, but there are 10 shades to choose from which means you can get one that matches your skin tone or one a few shades darker to make it your bronzer and add some subtle color like I do. 

MAC MSF costs $29.00 and is sold at any MAC store and online. 

Tarte Park Ave Princess (matte waterproof)

I feel like there is nothing Tarte can do wrong! This is a matte waterproof bronzer, which is what kind of sets it apart from many other bronzers for me. I don't always need waterpoof during the winter, but it can come in handy during the summer months. This bronzer adds some color  and has a very smooth finish. You can find Tarte online or at Sephora or Ulta. 

Here are some swatches. I apologize for the MAC swatch. It blends in pretty well with my skin so it hardly shows up! You can see the darker shades, especially ELF, are really deep colors compared to the Tarte and MAC options.

What is contouring? 

And, in case you were wondering about what contouring is, it's actually very simple. You should apply bronzer on the hollows of your cheeks, the outline of your forehead, the sides of your nose, and under the chin/neck area. It's all in how the light hits your face "naturally." By contouring, you're making certain parts of your face more defined and making it appear slimmer. Who doesn't love that?

  

What are your favorite bronzers? 

xo

lip stains: tarte vs. revlon

I'm not much of a lip stain girl. The bold lip stains that I have tried made me look like Edward Cullen just took a bite of Bella for dinner. Point is- after cringing at myself in the mirror after two different attempts of trying lip stains, I've kinda given up on this product. 

Some things just weren't made for everyone, right?

My personal preference are lip balms, tinted lip balms, and lipstick.  Only problem is, I often always forget to re-apply throughout the day, thus just looking plain jane. Then I started becoming really interested in these crayon-shaped "lip balm stains" popping up everywhere that claim to be a moisturizing lip stain offering a glossy finish, increased moisture, and long-lasting color. First by Clinique and Tarte, and now Revlon. 

The Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Stains have been around for a while. They claim to provide hours of moisture and lasting color on your lips and they "naturally increase the skin's water content for a 'plumped up' appearance." Ingredients include Jojoba oil, Vitamins C and E, and Peppermint oil. And as with any Tarte product, they are formulated without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, and sulfate. 

Tarte LipSurgence retails for $24.00 and there are seven shades to choose from. 

This year, Revlon released the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, an obvious attempt at putting a similar product to out-do the Tarte version for a third of the cost.

These can cost $7.00 - $9.00 and they come in twelve shades. 

What is really great about both products is the packaging. 

Both have a retractable crayon, so a sharpener is not needed.

[L to R: Tarte Amused, Revlon Sweetheart, Revlon Cherish]

How They Apply

Tarte Amused is a darker coral/red that applies more sheer than you would expect. The label says "natural lip stain" so the fact that it applies more sheer makes sense. This glides on so smoothly. It really feels moisturizing and has a strong mint scent.

The Revlon stains apply more true to color. I find that the Sweetheart applies very opaque and Cherish is a little more sheer, but both are "what you see is what you get." These also have a strong minty scent. They apply a little less smooth than the one by Tarte. 

[Tarte Amused, Revlon Sweetheart, Revlon Cherish]

Which one lasts longer and is a truly a stain?

I find that the Revlon outlasts the Tarte. 

So which is worth the purchase?

It depends on your preference. 

If you prefer a more "natural" lip stain, with very moisturizing ingredients, and have a little more money to spend, I would go with Tarte. 

If you are looking for a long-lasting "stain" with a wide range of colors to choose from and don't want to spend that much, go with Revlon. 

They are both great! For me, it comes down to price. I would have to choose Revlon! 

Do you own these? 

Which do you think you prefer? 

Have you ever tried the Clinique version (chubby sticks)? 

I'm curious! 

august 2012 favorites

Another month down, another favorites post.
This month I re-discovered some old favorites and fell in love with some recent finds.
Here are my standout products for August 2012...

Skin 

Simple Hydrating Moisturizer

The Simple brand is new to the US this year, but has been very popular in the UK for quite some time. I’ve been looking for a daytime moisturizer that is very light since I have oily skin. I use just a little bit daily, and I think my skin has loved it. No breakouts so far!

Hair

Aveda Volumizing Tonic

An oldie but a goodie. I’m a loyal fan of Aveda products, but have been keeping this buried in the back. Started re-using it and I am now on a mission to finish this. I spray my roots with this when my hair is wet, put it in a pony while I do my makeup, and then blow dry. Instant volume and it smells amazing.

Nail polish

Orly - Rage

You can read my recent blog post here about why I love this polish.
Great polish for the fall!

Urban Outfitters - After Hours

I bought this glitter polish because it reminded me of OPI Teenage Dream from the Katy Perry collection. Except this one looked like it had finer glitter that would be easy to work with. Loved the way this applied and it stayed on for over a week as an accent nail.
Makes me want to try more UO polishes.

Essie - Lady Like

Such a classic. When I bought After Hours by UO, I had no clue what I would try pairing it with first. As soon as I saw this one in my drawer, it was a no-brainer.
I feel like these two polishes were made for each other.
To see how I wore Lady Like and After Hours together—here is my Instagram photo.

Tools

Real Techniques Brushes: Buffing and Shader

Bought these brushes recently at Ulta. I like using the buffing brush for contouring with bronzer; and the shader brush is perfect for applying eye shadow. I have a hard time finding the perfect eye shadow brushes because my eyes are small, and most shader brushes are too big for me. This one is perfect.

Tarte Eyelash Curler

My trusty Revlon eyelash curler finally got kicked to the curb. I needed to upgrade to something that was gentler and had better grip. This one by Tarte does not disappoint. And it came with a sample size of my favorite Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. That may have swayed my decision just a little bit.

Makeup

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bold Gold and Bad to the Bronze
Don’t want to beat a dead horse since I just blogged about these. But holy moly—these are seriously amazing. Bad to the Bronze has been with me since these first came out, but of course I had to pull it out after buying some new colors. I’ve been wearing Bold Gold literally every day. I went tailgating in 100 degree weather, went to the LSU football game, and went out afterward with friends-- and this did not budge at all by the end of the night. I highly recommend that you check these out if you haven’t already!

Wet N Wild Blush in Pearlescent Pink

Wet n Wild does a lot of things right that many people still don’t know about. Nail polish, eyeshadow-- and definitely blush. Their blushes are SO pigmented and they last all day. This one is a gorgeous pink with a slight golden shimmer.
These retail for $2.99—a freaking steal.

Fresh Sugar Lip Balm
Got this as the Sephora birthday gift. Good thing it was free because I would not spend $22 on a lip balm. But this is so moisturizing and I can totally see why the price tag is so high. It feels like butter on your lips and it is one of the best lip balms I have ever used.

Have you been reaching for any of these same products?

What else have you been loving lately?

under eye concealers and brighteners

There are a lot of products that I switch up often. Mainly because I haven’t found that “perfect one” to do the trick, or sometimes they all work fine and I just want to have options when I’m getting ready. But when it comes to under eye concealers and brighteners, I have found what I’ve been looking for, and I’m not really in the market to switch it up any time soon. But to be honest, I think I may be blessed by the “under eye circle gods” (or something like that) because I do not have a dark circle problem… yet. I’m sure one day I’ll eat those words, but for now, I mainly focus on brightening the eye area with concealer and brightener. In addition to concealing any dark circles or hyperpigmentation, brightening the eyes gives a more well-rested appearance.

It’s also a good idea to brighten the under eyes when you know you’ll be taking a lot of pictures. The effect of having your cheekbones contoured with bronzer and the brightened under eyes really helps define your face in a photograph.

Under eye concealer can be tricky. You want it to match your skin tone, cover dark circles, brighten, and have a thin consistency so it’s not gathering in any fine lines a few hours later. These are three products that I feel do the best job of meeting all of those criteria.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer

This is my absolute, “holy grail” under eye brightener. I use the shade Ivory, which I believe is the lightest shade. This stuff is amazing. The texture is very smooth with a gel-like consistency. It’s so easy to blend. I apply this after my foundation. I make an upside down triangle (between the eye, cheekbone and nose) and just blend really well. This costs around $7, and I think it works better than any high-end brand. Highly recommend this one.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser

Before the Highlighting Concealer came into my life, there was this Maybelline Dark Circle Eraser. (Maybelline on a roll!) If you’re not interested in brightening your eyes, and just want to cover dark circles, this is your product. It is a more yellow-toned concealer, so that could be a plus or minus, depending on your skin tone. But, it does come in six shades, so it’s worth checking out to see if any will work for you. The sponge applicator aspect may scare the germaphobes out there, at least it did for me, but this one is “anti-microbial” so it kills all bacteria. This concealer also contains goji berry. I’m not exactly sure of the benefits of goji berry, but it sounds nice. :)

Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer

There are some concealers that are just too heavy to use under the eye, such as the MakeupForever concealer. Great for imperfections on the face, but not the eyes. This Tarte concealer is really great if you have serious dark circles. It’s a thin enough consistency for easy blending and still provides really good coverage. It's a little more expensive, but if it works for you, it might be worth the investment. 

**UPDATE** 
Fun fact of the day: Miley Cyrus uses this Tarte concealer! The proof is in this pic from her Twitter account. Not that you need Miley's approval to use, but I enjoy seeing celebs use products that they aren't paid to endorse. 

ELF High Definition Powder

If you really want to get fancy with it to help the concealer last all day/night, you can set it with powder. I like using the ELF High Definition Powder. This is $6 at Target and you will never run out. It’s massive and you only need to use a small amount at a time.

The Brushes

Sigma P84 Precision Angled Brush

Sigma P80 Precision Flat Brush

If I haven’t mentioned it before, let it be known that Sigma brushes are the best… and they happen to be my favorite. I have the Synthetic Precision (Sigmax) collection of brushes. The bristles are made of synthetic hair, which do not soak up all of the product like many other brushes can do, causing you to waste it. These two brushes are part of a set of 4 that I have. They blend concealers SO well, it’s like using a fingertip but more sanitary (assuming you have clean brushes!).

Tip: Don’t forget that the skin around your eyes is the most sensitive. Never pull and tug when blending. Just pat lightly with your ring finger or brush. Tugging the skin too much can cause wrinkles. No bueno! So yes, remember that when applying any creams, foundation, or moisturizer.

july favorites

Face:

MAC Mineralized Skin Finish (MSF) in Medium Dark

This has completely replaced my Laura Mercier translucent powder for setting my foundation every day. This provides a slight hint of color, which help match my face to the rest of my body since I'm a little more tan now. My favorite brush to use is the Crown Brush C405, perfect for applying this MAC MSF.

ELF Contouring Blush and Bronzing Duo

This is one of my favorite ELF products, but I forget how much I like it until I start using it again. I like this bronzer for the summer because it’s one of my darker ones, that I can only get away with when I have a tan. This duo is a close dupe for the NARS “laguna/orgasm” blush and bronzer duo, except this only retails for $3 at Target.

NARS Orgasm Blush

Speaking of NARS, I only have one their blushes, and it’s their best-seller, Orgasm. One of my favorite summer-time blushes. It looks pretty intense in the pan, but it goes on as a subtle coral-pink with a hint of golden shimmer. I’ve been reaching for it everyday these past few weeks.

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlight

I definitely don’t use highlighter on my cheekbones everyday, but when I do it’s always this one by The Balm. I got mine for half off on a Hautelook sale. Many times I’m turned off by highlighters because they are too white, or just way too “sparkly.” This one has a natural finish with some shimmer. My favorite brush for applying is the ELF fan brush.

Eyes:

Tease from the Naked 2 Palette

It isn’t often that I prefer a matte eye shadow over one with shimmer. This one, “tease”, is in the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. I probably wear this on my crease 6 days out of 7. You can apply it lightly for an everyday look, or build up the color for a more dramatic smokey eye. My favorite shadow out of both of the Naked Palettes. I like applying it with the Sigma E25 Blending brush.

Maybelline MasterDrama Eyeliner

I’m usually biased to the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner pencil, but decided to give this Maybelline eyeliner in Midnight Master a chance after hearing good reviews. It’s a very opaque midnight black, long-lasting, doesn't need sharpening, and is inexpensive.

Lips:

Tarte Maracuja Oil Lip gloss in Peaceful

I received this gloss in a Tarte set. I put it to the side for a couple of months because I couldn’t figure out, for the life of me, how to get the product to actually come out. After seeing it in a magazine as a favorite, I busted it out and didn’t stop clicking the tube until I  finally saw some product come through the brush. I’m still not sure why it’s so difficult, (I’m sure it’s user error!) but it’s been one of my favorite lip glosses this month nonetheless. It’s not sticky, and is a perfect sheer pink for summer.

Skin:

Clarisonic Mia

I finally got a Clarisonic! (Thanks mom!) And like the rest of the world, I love it! After getting off of Accutane in 2009, my skin has been near-perfect (minus the scars). But recently I’ve noticed more frequent breakouts around my chin. It’s not enough of a problem to go back on Accutane, and quite honestly I would dread doing that. And since topical gels never did anything for me, I’m hoping the Clarisonic can help prevent any breakouts in my problem areas. We’ll see, but so far so good. My favorite gentle face wash to use with it is the Neutrogena Naturals face wash.

What have you been loving in July?