Cosmetics Company Store Mini Haul!

I went to a Cosmetics Company Store for the first time ever and I was beyond excited.  I tried to keep it under control because I could have easily walked away with half of the store and an empty bank account...  I let myself buy three things and here they are!

The first think I picked up was the Estee Lauder Raisins eyeshadow duo.  I have been wanting this for a while now thanks to Tanya Burr and Zoella... Every time they used it I was so intrigued by it and I had to have it.  Luckily I came across it in the store because I have heard that it is difficult to find recently.  Anyway, I absolutely love it.  The lighter color is a shimmery light pink champagne color and the darker color is a slightly shimmery deep burgundy color.  Until the Naked 3 palette I would have been nervous to use these colors myself, but I am loving this palette so far.  Not to mention the packaging is amazing!

This is a light swatch of each color.  The shadows are very pigmented and blend nicely.

Next is also thanks to Tanya Burr... She has spoken about the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and when I saw it in the store at a discounted price, I had to have it.  They had quite a few shades so I was really able to play around with them to find my perfect match.  I chose 1W1 Bone 17.  I'm not sure what the numbers correspond to but I thought I would include them anyway just in case.  I am very happy with this foundation.  It is nice to apply, and of course I use my beloved beauty blender.  It does not look too cakey on my skin and it really does stay in place.  I have noticed that it can feel a bit tacky on the skin, but as it sets, most of the stickiness goes away.  The color works very well for me and I am very impressed with the formulation of the product.  If only I had tried this sooner!

It is more of a yellow based shade, and it blends nicely to match my skin.  It is not too think but it does have a consistency that goes along with a long wearing foundation.

The last item that I picked up was definitely an impulse buy.  It is a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Centre of Attention.  I have never owned a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish and this one just caught my eye.  This product is highly pigmented and very shimmery.  I do use a very light hand with it, and for me there are no chunks of glitter or anything crazy, but there is a lot of shimmer.  I find myself straying away from the gold portion on its own because it is a very true gold.  However, the gold and the pink can be mixed for a nice highlight, and the gold can come in handy with certain looks.  The pink is much easier to wear, and it transfers onto the skin as a very light pearly pale pink.  When blended out I do not see the pink shade, but the shimmer does stay.

The top swatch is the pink on its own, the middle is the gold and pink together, and the bottom is the gold on its own.

I am very excited to have finally made it to a Cosmetics Company Store, and I know that I will need to visit one again in the near future...  It is definitely Disneyland for makeup addicts!

Everyday Foundation Routine

I recorded my everyday foundation routine!  I do have fair skin and I try to keep my everyday look subtle and natural, but I still enjoy applying makeup.  This is the routine that I have been doing for a while now to achieve my everyday look.  I hope you enjoy!

Products mentioned:
Revlon Colorstay Foundation in 110 http://bit.ly/1iav2iT
Ulta Super Blender Sponge http://bit.ly/1tEjpW6
NYX Dark Circle Concealer in Fair http://bit.ly/1mFMij3
Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Foxy http://bit.ly/QG65Rr
Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Park Ave Princess http://bit.ly/PuOYBg
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed http://bit.ly/QG6nrK
MAC Studio Fix Powder foundation in NC20 http://bit.ly/1lGJfaG
Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder http://bit.ly/1hlwDlh
Brushes www.sigmabeauty.com

Recent Haul!

I recently took advantage of the Ulta 20% off members only sale.  I did try to hold back a little bit but I did pick up a few things.  I also have a couple of items from other stores included as well.  I hope you enjoy the video! (I thought the thumbnail was too funny to change... we will see if I keep it)

Links to products mentioned:
Clarisonic Luxe Facial Brush head: http://tinyurl.com/l5abchg
Ulta Super Blender Sponge: http://tinyurl.com/mhoycks
NYX Dark Circle Concealer: http://tinyurl.com/k5xvq73
Revlon Colorstay Foundation: http://tinyurl.com/nqkp5ur
NARS Sheerglow Foundation: http://tinyurl.com/ma9xzbm
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: http://tinyurl.com/kk8kjar
Herbal Essences Naked Cleansing Conditioner: http://tinyurl.com/mrg3hzl

Another new blog post will be up shortly so keep an eye out!  :)

Current Foundation

I have been using the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation on and off for about a year and a half now.  I find that even when I temporarily find something new, I always gravitate back to this.  I use the shade W1-2.  This shade matches my skin perfectly.  I am pretty fair, and I always try to find new ways to illuminate my face.  This is a challenge for someone who is already fair, because so many people are able to find a foundation or a concealer in a shade or two lighter than they would normally wear to use in an area that they want to highlight.  I am so jealous of these people!  I am usually the lightest or second lightest shade in a line so I don't really have the option of picking up a product that is lighter than me.  Anyway, I really do love this foundation.  It claims to be "healthy luminous makeup," and I find that it is illuminating without being glittery and overly dewy.  I would say that this creates more of a satin finish on my skin, and I usually do add some Rimmel Stay Matte powder over my t-zone just to set the foundation.  This formula blends very nicely and it does not cling too much to blemishes or dry patches.  I would recommend this to people with normal to dry skin, as it may be a little too dewy for people with oilier skin.  It has an SPF of 20, but I usually use it pretty sparingly, and have never had an issue with a white cast.  It is in a glass bottle, and has a pump and a clear plastic cap (not shown in photo).  I have travelled with this foundation and have not had any issues.   

 

This foundation has a light and slightly runny consistency.  I find that this really helps it to blend and melt into the skin.  I usually use about one pump on the back of my hand and apply a light layer of this to the center of my face and then blend it out toward the edges. I typically use the Sigma F80 flat-topped Kabuki or the F82 round-topped Kabuki.  To be honest, I usually use whichever one is clean, but I do prefer the F80 for this foundation.  When I am finished, sometimes I will go over my face again with a TINY bit extra if I feel like I need a little bit more coverage.  

I would say that this foundation provides medium coverage.  It balances out skin tone and redness, but it does not hide your real skin.  I hate when foundation is super obvious, so I like that this one can be kept light.  I do find that if this is used too heavily, it really can sink into pores and fine lines, but if you use a primer and try to keep a light hand, you should not have a problem with this.  I would say that it wears pretty well throughout the day, and it does not blotch on me.  In my experience, it usually remains natural-looking through the day.  Depending on the day's activity, I do find that I may need to blot towards the late afternoon, but nothing too crazy.  

This foundation has never caused me to breakout, and I never have trouble fully removing it with my Mac Cleanse-Off Oil.

Overall, I would recommend this foundation.  It is always my go-to and it is easily accessible in most drugstores.  I paid around $11 at Target.