Drugstore Diva

Watch my Drugstore Diva Tag here!!

Thank you so much to Rachel from Not Two Normal for tagging me! I connected with her over Instagram. She is super sweet and very supportive of everyone in the beauty community!

Find Rachel on Instagram: @rvyvt 

Be sure to check out her channel HERE!

If you are taking the time to watch this, then I tag YOU to do the Drugstore Diva Tag! You don't have to make your own video - just leave your favorites in the comments below! :)

The categories are:

Foundation
Concealer
Powder
Bronzer
Blush
Highlighter
Eyeshadow
Eyeliner
Mascara - The BEST Mascara Ever!
Liptstick


Let me know what your drugstore favorites are!

xo's

Top 10 Makeup Tips & Tricks | Exciting Announcement

You guys. I'm super excited to announce that I've had my first opportunity as a special guest blogger! My soon to be sister-in-law Kinsey has an awesome blog, www.kinseyhicks.com where she shares her thoughts on beauty products, health-related goodness, and day-in-the-life kind of fun.

I'm sharing 10 makeup tips & tricks that I've incorporated over the years into my own makeup routine and when I'm doing makeup for special events.


To see Tips 1-5, check out my blogpost on Kinsey's blog HERE!

6. Use a tissue to what?!
After applying your foundation, use a tissue to dab (not wipe) your face to absorb the excess product and oils sitting on the surface of your skin. This trick is perfect for any skin type. If you have oily skin, you want to absorb the oil for obvious reasons. If you're dry like me, you probably enjoy wearing dewy foundations, which can sometimes give your skin a little more of a shine than you want. When your natural oils start mixing with the extra foundation on your face... Well, you get cake-face. Not cute.

7. Add dimension to your face.
Contouring and highlighting is all the rage right now. Thanks, Pinterest. While it is a beautiful art, contouring can look extremely harsh and unnatural, and it's just not practical for everyday. Sooo... add dimension by highlighting! This can subtly draw attention to all the right places, mostly to the cheekbones and center of the face. You can easily highlight with a brightening concealer and blend in with whatever tool you used for your foundation to get a more natural look.

8. Smudge that liner!
In my humble opinion, nothing can date you like bad eyeliner. Try taking a pencil brush and smudging your liner, maybe even using an eyeshadow to help smoke it out. If you're feeling really adventurous, try using only shadow (I know, it'll be hard for some of you!) for a more natural, blown out look. It's PERFECT for daytime!

Get a softer look by "smoking out" your eyeliner

9. They're sisters, not twins.
I have always thought that little adage about eyebrows is so funny... but it's so true! I think eyebrows are the most underrated feature. I love a good brow! You will be surprised at what a difference filling in your brows can make, especially in pictures. In the picture below, I barely filled in one brow using Anastasia's Brow Wiz, and as you can see, it really does help to frame the face. Especially for your more mature gals out there, filling in your brows (modestly) can help you look more youthful!

Even slightly filling in your brow can make a huge difference!

10. Use lip liner. I know, just trust me on this one.
Kinda like the eyeliner, lip liner is certainly one of those things can make you look stuck in the 80's if it's not done right. Try using a neutral liner or one close to your lip product to fill in your lips all over. Apply your lipstick on top, and you will be amazed at how long your lipstick will last! This is such a great tip if you're like me and not a fan of lip stains. I have yet to find a lip stain that is super comfortable to wear and doesn't make me look like a dried up drag queen by the end of the night. I would much rather reapply my lippy throughout the day, but using liner helps to make that a less frequent occurrence.

What are some of your favorite beauty tips? I would love to hear from you!

xoxo.

Get Ready With Me | Spring Wedding Makeup

Wedding season is officially here! This tutorial will give you an idea of what I think is the perfect makeup for attending a spring wedding.

Watch my GRWM HERE!

As I mentioned in the video, spring makeup is more about fresh, glowy skin and fun spring-y lips. I focused less on the eyes by washing a simple matte rosy shade all over the lid and placing a hint of shimmer in the center of the lid.

TIP: If you want to feel put together while not drawing much attention to the eyes, skip out on liner and false lashes. Focus more on playing up a fun wash of pink or coral on the cheeks and lips.

Products used:

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser in Brightener
The Balm Cosmetics blush in Downboy
The Balm Cosmetics highlight in Cindy Lou-Manizer
e.l.f. Cosmetics Eye Primer
Urban Decay Naked 3 Nooner (all over the lid and crease and lower lashline)
Urban Decay Naked 3 Dust (center of the lid)
Urban Decay Naked 3 Strange (browbone)
Anastasia of Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Soft Brown
e.l.f. Cosmetics Clear Brow Gel
Rimmer Scandaleyes liner in Nude (waterline)
Stila Kitten (inner corners)
Jordana Best Lash Volumizing Extreme Mascara
Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids lipstick in Pink Pop
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Kiss Me Coral
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

This has been my go-to lip combo so far this spring. Each product is beautiful worn individually, but when the two are combined, it's magical! ;)

xoxo.

March Favorites

Happy April! 

Am I the only one who thinks these months are flying by? I have been so busy this past month. I have been quite the minimalist in regards to makeup, but I have added some new skincare products to my regimen that I'm excited to share. Let's jump right in to this month's faves!

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser | $10.99 at Target
I am loving this cleanser lately. It's a gentle facial wash for normal to dry skin. I love the clean feeling it gives my skin without sucking the life natural oils out of my pores. It doesn't give my skin that overly tight feeling that most cleansers do. The 12 oz bottle is a great deal for the price. Sometimes I use my Neutrogena Makeup Remover wipes before cleansing, but other times I will skip that step and go straight for this cleanser. It removes every bit of my makeup - even my waterproof mascara!

If you saw my February Faves, you will know I have been obsessed with the Mario Badescu Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream. I have two new products from the line to add to my obsession!

Mario Badescu Whitening Mask | $24 at Ulta
I am really big on smells, so I had to smell the tester at Ulta. The smell is not bad, but it is a little strange. It reminds me of the vitamins I took as a child. The consistency is that of a thick paste and it hardens rather quickly. It's hydrating and gentle, perfect for all skin types - even sensitive! While this may not be a necessity in the skin care regimen of some, I love the result of this mask. It makes my skin feel soft and smooth, but even better than that, it really does even the tone of my skin and reduce the redness! This is a huge deal for me, as my skin has a lot of hyper-pigmentation. I had another bout with hormonal breakouts around my chin and mouth. I used this a couple times to spot treat (once overnight) and it really did take away the redness of the blemishes and sped up the healing process.

Mario Badescu Caviar Night Cream | | $20 at Ulta
Between the caviar, collagen, and cocoa butter, this night cream feels so luxurious. I can honestly say this product has helped my dry skin tremendously this month. It is very thick and heavy, so I try to apply it at least an hour before I go to bed (after I remove my makeup and cleanse) so it won't transfer onto my pillow. You blessed oily skinned gals may not like this product as it is very hydrating. But if you have flaky, dry skin like myself, you are missing out on life if you don't have this product!

I guess I could have cleaned the brush before I took a photo...

Real Techniques Blush Brush | $8.99 at Ulta
I don't know why I was so hesitant to jump on the Real Techniques bandwagon. These brushes were designed by YouTube beauty guru, Sam Chapman. They are all the rage in the online beauty community, and if the rest of the line is anything like this brush, I now understand why! This brush is incredibly soft and fluffy enough that it deposits just the right amount of product. I actually prefer using this brush to set my undereye concealer as opposed to using it for blush. I love it and can't wait to try more of her brushes!

NYX Butter Glosses | Creme Brûlée & Vanilla Cream Pie | $4.99 at Ulta
I talked about my first butter gloss in Eclair (read my thoughts here) . I purchased two more colors to add to my collection. I won't ramble on about these anymore, but they are amazing. I never considered myself a lip gloss kinda girl until these came into my life. Uhhb-sessed.

If you saw my Radiant Orchid Faves, then you will have seen the next few products. While I love all of these products, these were the ones I could not stop using! Watch my video to see my thoughts on these products and more.

Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color | Violet Addict | $6.49 at Milani
This lip color has been my jam this month. I love to throw on some liner and mascara and rock this bold, intense lip. It's so easy and super glamorous. This product is very bright and tends to act more as a lip stain because of the insane pigmentation. I don't exactly love the wand because it makes it more difficult to get a clean line, but I can work with it.

Maybelline Color Whisper | Oh La Lilac | $7.49 at Ulta
This is a basically a colored lip balm with a little something special. It's so easy to wear, and I got tons of compliments when I wore it!

Essie 'Play Date' | $8.50 at Ulta
LOVE this color and formula - I wore the same manicure for five days with no chipping! (I used my favorite Out the Door topcoat.)

It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Plus Keratin | $19.99 for 4 fl oz at Target
I received this sample size as a gift with purchase - another one of the many reasons I love Ulta. I've heard so many great things about It's a 10, but it's always seemed a bit pricey to me. The product claims to do 10 things (see what they did there?) instantly:

"1. Maintenance of keratin straightening treatments
2. Increases styling & manageability
3. Perfect for all hair types
4. Replaces lost protein
5. Protects the natural keratin in hair
6. Protects against heat
7. Restores hydration balance
8. Detangles, defrizzes & adds shine
9. Strengthens hair structure
10. Seals cuticles for extra silky hair"

I can't say that I've used it enough to see all 10 of these benefits, but it definitely leaves my hair silky, shiny, and smooth. It's a bit thicker than I was expecting, so I used way too much on my first try. I have quite fine hair, so I just spray a couple pumps into my hands and run it through the lengths of my hair, avoiding the roots. I love how soft it leaves my hair and I'm excited to see if my hair appears healthier after I use it some more. I have two samples to work my way through, but I can certainly see myself repurchasing when they are empty!


I believe that does it for my monthly favorites! What have you been loving this month?

PS. Follow me on Instagram for a bonus fave! @makeupbyaundi

xoxo.