Summer Lovin'

With the change in the weather to summer, I must admit that my makeup use tends to taper off. By that I mean that I usually will not do a full face look. If you took a look in my purse during the summer, you'd see a few different moisturizing lip balms if I want some sort of color, and a couple of chapsticks. During the summer I find that my lips usually feel really dry and at times it is so bad that it feels like they are cracking, so chapstick or lip protector is a huge deal for me. Also having something with some spf when you know that being outside a lot is really important. For chapsticks I usually reach for the medicated formula by Chapstick. I also usually have a Babylips by Maybelline in my purse, for a pop of color I have Grape Vine, and for moisture Quenched, for some freshness Peppermint.

     In the summer I try to wash my face at least twice a day, however, with my combination skin type, I'll skip the morning if my skin is super dry that day. Anyway, I also try to incorporate a face safe moisturizer with a bit of spf into my routine. With this simple step your skin will thank you later, with it's more youthful appearance. Skin cancer is a part of my families medical history, so I try to be aware and take care. Cetaphil, Aveeno and Olay all have really great spf moisturizers that are budget friendly. I've also been thinking about Yes To Carrots.

     After moisturizing if I really have some blemishes that I want to cover, I will apply a BB cream. Currently I have Garnier in light/fair, but sometimes it oxidizes to a different color than my skin tone, so I'll just spot treat and use less product to just even out my skin tone.

     Either way, with or without the BB cream step, I will always try and do an eye look even if it's just a basic neutral smokey eye. For this I have a slew of Wet n Wild Color Icon palettes, the ones I gravitate to the most are: 8 pan - Comfort Zone, 3 pan - Sweet As Candy, 8 pan - Petal Pusher, 6 pan - Vanity, I also adore the 3 pan palette in I'm Feeling Retro. For another budget option I also wear colors from fellow beauty blogger and also Youtube beauty guru Judy Travis's ItsJudyTime's palette from BH cosmetics. I've been following Judy's Youtube and blog for a while now. She actually inspired me to start blogging myself. Anyway, top off my eye look with some mascara, Great Lash by Maybelline and I'm all set.

     What's you summer look, any products you gravitate towards when hot temps and late night roll around? Do you find yourself changing up you look when the seasons change? Let me know in the comments! Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far.

   

My First Experience...ZOYA First Impression with Pics.

I don't own many higher end nail polishes, most polishes I own came from the drug store and cost at most five bucks. I just find spending so much on one polish to be a little crazy, especially cause I'm in college and definitely on a budget. So a couple of months ago when I received a ZOYA polish in my ipsy bag, lets just say I was super pumped about trying it out.

     The color I received is called Odette, which is a muted purple hue. Work friendly, not too eye catching, just a violet/purple. So today I finally had the chance to try it out an while the color is stunning, I will say I'm a bit disappointed when it comes to application. I've heard from some people who have used ZOYA that it can be a very one coat friendly polish. Lets just say my polish is not one of those.

     I forgot to take a picture after one coat but I'm just going to say my nails looked like a mess. I'm not a fan of the tiny brush that Zoya polishes have, precision is all well and good, but I'd rather have an even application of product then a streak fest any day. Not a fan. Anyway, with a sigh, I knew it was going to take a second coat, so I waited...and waited for the first coat to dry.

     Then I noticed a second pitfall of this polish, it took forever for a single coat of polish to dry. Forty minutes later I gave in and applied a second coat. Maybe I should have waited another ten minutes, cause I had some bubbling that after some fixing is still visible on a couple of my nails. I'm sorry, but I am not someone with the patience to wait for almost an hour to let my nails dry. Even if I can just put on a show and zone, almost an hour, that's just not me.

     I almost gave up and just wrote off this polish, but I really do enjoy the color, it's not quite as bright as it looks in the bottle. I feel it's more of a spring into fall color then a spring/summer look. Still it is a really lovely color. So instead of removing it all and starting over, I went ahead and waited for another thirty to forty minutes, went to get a bite of food and immediately nicked and smudged my nail, so still not dry...great. At least this polish has quite a bit of shine to it that you can't see the nick and smudging unless you know where to look.

     All of this has left me on the fence about Zoya, and granted this is a first impression and I do have a blue Zoya polish to try sometime and I just might. I hope it isn't an every polish same experience kinda thing. Cause at this moment I'm so frustrated by the whole thing that I don't see myself buying this product or recommending it to friends.

     Are there any polishes you've tried that have made you feel this way? What are some polishes you've tried and wrote off as a fail? Let me know in the comments below.

E.L.F Baked Blush Reviews + (Swatches)

Recently, I bought myself a couple of e.l.f's baked blushes. The two colors I purchased were Peachy Cheeky and Rich Rose. They were on sale for $1.50 on e.l.f's website where they usually cost $3. When it comes to blushes I usually prefer peachy tones with my fair skin type over pink tints that can at times feel a little clownish to me when wearing.
     E.L.F describes this product on their site as being a long-lasting formula providing a smooth and even application for a soft shimmering healthy glow. The blush features ingredients such as jojoba, rose, sunflower along with grape and apricot oils to help hydrate the skin. In order to use the product you can apply it dry like any normal blush to the apples of your cheeks for a hint of color or you can apply this blush wet, by dampening a brush for a more vibrant look. Then you build color until you reach the look you want.
   
     Now for pictures:

Rich Rose

Rich Rose Swatch

     After using this product for almost a month, I'm going to just go ahead and say that I don't see myself re-purchasing this product. If I do I will buy Rich Rose over any of the other shades as to me I received the best bang for my buck, with the color and pigmentation of the product. However when it comes to Peachy Cheeky, the product to me was a complete fail.

Peachy Cheeky

Swatch 1 (warm lighting)

These Pictures Feature the most pigmentation I've managed to get from this blush so far. Trust me, I had to work for it to even show up. (If only it looked like this all the time, so pretty. -sigh-)

Swatch 2 (natural light)

     Upon using the product dry, I've noticed a distinct coating on the blush that prevents getting any real pigmentation. Upon noticing this coating of some sort, the next time I tried the product with wet application to essentially the same effect and using the product wet didn't seem to get rid of the coating of the surface.
     As of now, I have tried both application methods of this product and have also tried to build, with little to the awful effect of destroying my foundation application (with the pulling off of product and streaking), thus having to remove my makeup and start all over again. Trying to build, at least for me, made no real difference, still providing little color.
     So those are my thoughts on these blushes, if you've tried them let me know what you think in the comments below. What would you like me to review next?

My Go To Makeup

Sometimes you just have one of those days...the roll out of bed, have to get ready to head out the door in the next half hour or less, kind of days. I want to look good and ready to take on the day with out really trying. On those days I reach for my Go To Makeup, makeup that I keep handy for THOSE days. 

     I've gotten in the habit of not leaving the house for extended periods of time with out my Go To routine. I try not to go out without at least primer, maybe concealer plus a setting powder, and for sure have some kind of an eye look going on. It might just be personal preference, but I feel more put together with my eyes done, like I actually tried to get ready. 

     The products in my look are no fail products in my eyes, because who wants to go out wearing a concealer that breaks down less then an hour after you put it on, or an eye shadow that melts or has creasing no matter what steps you take to prevent it (the use of a great primer), or a shadow with no color pay off no matter how much pressure you apply or brush you use.

These are the products I turn to time and again for a no fail, great, put together, easy look:

                                           
                                               Moisturizer: e.l.f Daily Moisture Stick 

I have combination skin, so essential for any dryness, which I tend to have on my cheeks and under my eyes.

                                    Primer: (Currently) e.l.f. Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer

This is just been what I go for lately, my primer changes, but I usually use an e.l.f primer.

Foundation: Covergirl Outlast stay fabulous 3 in 1

I'll use a little bit of this foundation if I have something special (but not too special) going on and really want to hide an imperfections (blemishes...etc.)

 Concealer: CoverGirl & Olay -- Fair/Light

I'll use this concealer under foundation (if I wear any) or for light coverage by itself, it is also buildable and moisture packed, so I don't need to worry about my dry spots in my combo skin, which is always a huge plus for me. ^_^ 

                                     
                                 Setting Powder: NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in Translucent

Combination skin, this takes care of my oily t-zone and chin, doesn't accentuate my dry areas this powder just keeps everything makeup wise in place & it's SO cheap (maybe cost me $3).

                                    Eyeshadow Primer: Wet 'n' Wild - Fergie Take On The Day 
                     

New product to my routine, your eye shadow will NOT move if you use this, and a little goes a LONG way, cost me $3 dollars, only downside is it causes some eye shadow fallout for me, as it drys quite fast.

  

                         Eyeshadow (Palette): Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon Collection in Comfort Zone

I absolutely love WnW's Color Icon 8 pan palettes, actually most of their eye shadows in general, cheap (at around 3-4 dollars) and the pigmentation is just amazing. I also love that I can mix and match with their shadows and make all kinds of looks from a basic neutral, to way out there, theme looks or a classic smoky eye.

                                                             
                                 Mascara: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Very Black

Love this formula, also great in waterproof. This is just my standard go to mascara, and it never dries out on me.

Now this is not saying I won't switch it up with different eyeshadow palette here and there but most of the time when I'm in a rush this is it.

What are your go to products(in a rush, no makeup day but I just have to wear this)? 

Do you have a makeup product that you consider your holy grail (if it wasn't made anymore you wouldn't know what to do)? Ever had a favorite product discontinued, what was it? How did you cope, what replaced it?