Drugstore Series #1 - Makeup

8:33 AM Anonymous 0 Comments

My Favorite Makeup Products from the Drug Store 


As a college student, I try and find good, cheap products from the drugstore. However, my makeup collection probably is consisted of more high-end products rather than drugstore products. Still, there are some items from the drugstore that I absolutely love and use on a daily basis.

On to my favorites: 
Eco Tools Kabuki Brush - This has been my go-to foundation brush for years and I absolutely adore it! It makes my foundation go on flawless and I love that it's so travel friendly. ($7.99)

Real Techniques Setting Brush - This brush is so universal! I mostly use it when I set powder under my eyes, but it also works great as a highlighting brush. ($7.99)

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush  - This brush applies foundation nicely, but I find that it takes a long time to apply my foundation since the brush is smaller. However, I really love using this brush to apply cream products to the face, such as cream blush. ($8.99)

E.L.F Studio Complexion Brush - My favorite drugstore brush of all time! This brush is great for bronzer, powder, blush, highlighter, etc. It can be used to put any kind of powder products on the face, and I have two that I use on a daily basis; this is my go-to bronzer and blush brush. ($3)

L'Oreal True Match Foundation - I really love using this foundation because it matches my skin tone so well and it looks really natural on. It's not heavy and provides a medium, but build-able, coverage. I also really love that there are so many different foundation colors and undertones. The only downside to this foundation is the packaging; I really wish this foundation came with a pump. ($9.99)

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - I've heard a lot of people say that this foundation is a dupe for the Nars Radiant Creamy concealer. However, I don't own the Nars one, so I'm not quite sure if that is true or not. What I do know though is that this concealer works great under the eyes to brighten and cover dark circles. I love this product because it feels hydrating on the skin and provides really good coverage for my dark circles. ($6.99)

L'Oreal True Match Powder - I wear this powder over all of my foundations because it sets the foundation so nicely. This powder never feels "cakey" or heavy and it provides just a small amount of coverage and covers up any of the shininess on my face. ($9.99)

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara - My new holy-grail mascara! Check out my last blog post for an in-depth review of this mascara. ($8.97)

Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls Highlighter - This highlighter looks so natural on the skin and provides the perfect amount of glow! I think that this highlighter is fool-proof because you can never put too much on. ($12.67)

Pop Beauty Sunkissed Bronzer - I received this bronzer in one of my Ipsy bags and I've really enjoyed using this to add some color and depth to my face. It's a great color and it is the perfect balance of brown and orange - but it never looks "scary orange" (if you know what I mean). It's a very subtle color and I like that I can build up the intensity of the color. ($14.99)

Blistex Lip Medex - This chapstick is cheap, convenient, and makes my lips super soft and hydrated! What more can you ask for? I also love that it has a cooling effect and relieves any burning on the lips. Just FYI, this chapstick does have a strong menthol smell. ($1.59)

NYX Butter Gloss - I LOVE this gloss because it really does feel like butter on the lips. It makes my lips look so shiny and plump - these glosses are super popular for a reason! My favorite shades are Eclair, Merengue, and Maple Blondie. Also, these lip glosses are usually buy 1, get one 50% off at Ulta. ($4.99)

e.l.f Lip Exfoliator - Before I got this product I used to always make my own lip scrub with brown sugar and olive oil, but this product is the same thing in a convenient lipstick tube. It makes exfoliating your lips so easy because you simply rub this on your lips as you would a lipstick. ($3)

Maybelline Color Whisper Lipstick - These color whispers are super small and lightweight - I always have one in my backpack for quick touch ups between classes. I like that they aren't super matte and they look more like a pigmented gloss when applied. My favorite color is "Oh La Lilac" ($7.39)

If you guys have any drugstore products that you love, please leave those in the comments down below and I'll check them out! 

Thanks for reading! 




Mascara Dupe Alert!

11:58 AM Anonymous 0 Comments

Clinique Lash Power vs. L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes 


Let me start off by saying that I am extremely picky about mascaras, mostly because I have a love/hate relationship with them. Here's my problem - every (and I mean every) mascara I had tried for years and years, smudged. It didn't matter if the mascara was waterproof because a couple hours into wearing the mascara, it would leave a thick, black smudge under my eyes.

Then came the day where I decided to do some research about my mascara problem. After hopping on my laptop, opening Google, and typing in "smudge-proof mascaras", I read a few reviews about Clinique's Lash Power mascara. 
I quickly fell in love. Where to buy Clinique Lash Power

The Lash Power mascara was the first mascara I've ever bought that hasn't left a smudge. Seriously, not one smudge, and it came off easily with just soap and water. I then swore my life to Clinique mascara... just kidding, but really, I was really excited about this mascara. 

Fast forward a few months - I got pretty annoyed with the Lash Power $16.50 price tag that I was staring at (and paying) every month or so. Mascara runs out fast, and it's something that I have to repurchase quite often. 

$16.50 + tax wasn't looking so good in my bank account, and I wanted a cheaper alternative that would give me the same results. 

I knew that Clinique's Lash Power was using "tubes", or a tube formula, and I figured that the "tubes" were what my oily eyelids needed. 

Again, more internet surfing was required. There weren't a whole lot of results that popped up under my "tube mascaras" search, but the most popular mascara mentioned was the L'Oreal Double Extend. 

I decided to give the L'Oreal mascara a try, being that the price tag was $8.99 - which was a lot nicer for my wallet. Buy L'Oreal Beauty Tubes

SUCCESS! 

I've worn this mascara for a week now and I'm glad to say that I love it just as much (actually, more) than my previous-used Clinique Lash Power. I actually prefer the L'Oreal mascara because the brush in this mascara is a lot bigger than the Clinique. 

Overall: 
The L'Oreal mascara definitely gives me the long lasting, smudge-proof results that Clinique Lash Power gave me. However, I previously felt like Clinique Lash Power wasn't giving me very thick lashes, due to the small brush. The L'Oreal mascara defines my lashes and even makes them look more separated and volumized. I also really enjoy using the white primer side of the mascara from L'Oreal. 

I think that L'Oreal Beauty Tubes is a definite dupe for Clinique Lash Power. Both mascaras give the same results, and both come off the exact same way (in tubes). If you're someone who has issues with smudging mascara (or oily eyelids) try out a tube mascara  - I believe that the L'Oreal Beauty Tubes will make a huge difference. Yay for saving money!


New Favorite Foundation

12:54 PM Anonymous 2 Comments

http://thisisbeautymart.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/x/ex1-foundation-shade-1_1.png

My Thoughts on the EX1 Foundation in the shade F100. 


Where I Bought Mine - Make sure you look up a coupon code for this foundation. Even if it doesn't apply, they will still give you a discount for trying to use a coupon code.  Coupon Codes

Let me start by saying that this foundation was a pure impulse buy. I was convinced that this was going to be my new "holy-grail" foundation after watching what seemed to be video after video about how amazing this product this. What sold me was the coupon code and the free shipping, I thought, "heck, why not? It's drugstore price!"

This foundation meets all my expectations, drugstore and high-end. Although I've only tried a handful of both expensive and inexpensive foundations, I know what looks good and works on my skin. I typically fall under the oily/combination skin type and this foundation claims to keep oil at bay, without looking cakey.

Their Claim :
Say hello to a flawless complexion with EX1 Cosmetics Invisiwear Liquid Foundation (30ml) (Various Shades). This lightweight foundation is specially formulated for Asian, Middle/Far-Eastern or Mediterranean complexions, and is enriched with light diffusers to cleverly detract light away from lines, wrinkles and blemishes. Formulated with 'true colour' pigments, it blends perfectly with your skin tone, creating a natural, skin-on-skin effect.
The non pore clogging formula is 100% oil and fragrance free, making it suitable for even the most sensitive of complexions. Smooth and velevety, this luxurious foundation will banish imperfections to leave you with even, clear and radiant skin. 
- From www.lookfantastic.com 

I put this foundation to the test today, and I've been wearing it for a good eleven hours. So far, my makeup still looks flawless and airbrushed. I'm not super shiny and I haven't touched up with any powder or blotting papers throughout the day.


I was also pleasantly surprised by how well this shade matched my skin tone. Buying a foundation online isn't an easy task, but it worked out pretty well this time. Normally, I wear the shade "W2" in L'Oreal True Match, shade "light neutral" in Tarte's Amazonian Clay foundation, and the shade "Deauville" in Nars Sheer Matte. If you wear any of those shades, then F100 would possibly work for you. I also have to say that I have warm/yellow undertones and if you are someone who has a cool undertone, I doubt that this foundation would work for you because it is geared towards warmer skin tones. The only problem I see with this foundation is that it may become too dark for me to wear in the winter time. If this happens, I will probably mix this foundation with some of my L'Oreal True Match.


The consistency of this foundation looks thick, but it glides on smooth and effortlessly; it didn't feel heavy at all.

Pros
Lightweight, Buildable Coverage, Oil-Free, Price, Pump Bottle
Cons
Limited Shade Range, Inaccessibility (Overseas)

My Favorite Way to Apply: 
With a synthetic brush or sponge (Beauty Blender)
I wouldn't recommend applying this foundation with your fingers, just because it isn't a super thin foundation and it looks much more airbrushed when applied with a brush or sponge. 

My Rating


I gave this 4/5 stars because this foundation really does a good job of looking natural, however, I still have to use quite a bit of concealer to cover my acne scars or dark spots. Still, it's a really great foundation. 

I can't wait to wear this foundation for the rest of the week! It provides the (almost) flawless, even canvas for the rest of my makeup. Seriously, get your hands on this stuff!


Dorm Room Makeup Organization

12:08 PM Anonymous 2 Comments

"Kenzie, you spend so much money on makeup." It's the phrase that I hear all too often in my life. Everyone has their opinion on the amount of makeup a girl should have but, darn it, I think makeup is an essential, and fun, part of life. Now, that's just my drastic opinion and I'm going to stick with it. Anyways, let's get on for the main reason of this post - organization. Organization gives me extreme joy (I know I'm strange), and I'm pretty proud of my new makeup organization. 

Moving into a small bedroom at college was a drastic change for me, and all of my previous organization needed to be changed for my new home here at Washburn. The most exciting part of all my new organization was definitely organizing my makeup. 

All Makeup Organization : Muji Drawers 



If you’ve ever seen a YouTube video about any girl’s beauty collection, then you’ve had to have seen the “oh-so-famous” Muji Drawers. I’m telling you, these drawers get so much hype for a reason; they’re freaking fantastic!

Here’s a link to the Muji Drawers : I purchased the 5-drawers, but there are other drawer options as well.


My organization was pretty simple after these beautiful drawers arrived. I simply just took them out of the package and sat them on top of my desk. As you can see in the photo, I turned the left corner of my desk into my designated “beauty corner” (hence, the name of my blog). It’s an exciting corner, and I can’t get enough of it.

I was surprised by the amount of products that would fit into the drawers. Whatever I couldn’t fit into the drawers, I simply placed on top such as: my foundations, gel eyeliners, primers, eyelash curler, etc. 


Lipstick Organization : byAlegory Organizer 




This organizer was the first one I've ever purchased, and I'm never looking back. These organizers are small, light, and fit a ton of lip products; perfect for a dorm room or small apartment. 

These organizers are by the brand byAlegory  : There are many different organizers (I purchased the Lipstick organizer), there are also lip gloss organizers and compact organizers as well. They come in different colors but I purchased mine in the pink shade. 

I purchased my lipstick organizer off of Amazon, and I think it was only around $13 with free shipping - awesome deal! I can fit 24 lipsticks/lipglosses in this little organizer, and it sits just right atop my desk, again, in the beloved beauty corner (the best place of life). 

Makeup Brush Organization : Mason Jars 



There are many different ways that you can organize makeup brushes, but, for me, I wanted to put them in simple mason jars. Mason jars can be purchased almost anywhere, but I just picked mine up at Hobby Lobby (about $1 each). 

 Mason Jar Link

Next, I just filled my mason jars with clear flower filler beads - Flower Beads Link. Any kind of filler beads would work, but I chose these because they were nice and small. 

That's it! Just add a mirror of your choice and BOOM, your makeup is organized and you can have a wonderful beauty corner just like me. 

WARNING: Time spent getting ready in the "Oh-so-fabulous" beauty corner may increase due to wonderful organization. Don't say I didn't warn you! 




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