My 7 Essential Makeup Products for Summer

Summer is my absolute favorite time of the year and it is right around the corner. I love the sun and the high temperatures that make you want to do nothing but swim all day long. Although we are not quite out of Spring where I live, I know a lot of you who live in the south are already experiencing the summer-like weather. Here in Michigan, our summers get pretty hot, but also very humid. This high humidity is one of my makeup's worst enemies. So, certain makeup prodcuts must be worn differently in the summer compared to all year round. Also, summer is a time when your skin needs to be looking it's best with bronzing glow and bright fun colors!

Here are my 7 essential products for perfect makeup in the summer heat :)

Click on any of the bolded product names for the website with more info. 

#1 Primer

In order to make anything last, you need a good base. Foundation and eye shadow primer are musts for me in the summer as well as year round. My favorite eye shadow primer of all time is Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance . Compared to all of the other eye shadow primers I have tried, this is the best, in my opinion. It goes on super silky and creamy. With this, your eye shadow, whether cream or powder, will not budge and crease at all. This is especially needed in the summer when your skin is warmer and sweating more than normal. My current favorite face  primer also happens to be from Too Faced. It is the Too Faced Primed and Poreless Pure which came out in Too Faced's summer 2012 collection. This primer is oil free and mattifying. These are two great qualities that you will want in a primer for the summer especially if your skin is sensitive or oily. My skin tends to get VERY oily in the summer and I need a mattifying primer to keep it under control and make my face makeup last.  

#2 Tinted Moisturizer 

During the summer time I like to wear the least amount of makeup on my face as possible in order to reduce breakouts. Tinted moisturizer is great for the summer. It contains a tint of color that will even out the skin without feeling heavy like a foundation. Most tinted moisturizers contain sunscreen which is much needed during the summer time. I can't stress how important it is to protect the skin on your face from the sun since the face is one of the most common areas for skin cancer.  I love the E.L.F Tinted Moisturizer because it contains an SPF of 20 and it is super cheap! The color match of this tinted moisturizer is great and it feels so good on!

#3 Bronzer

Bronzer acts as double duty for me. First, since I dust it all over my entire face, it helps to mattify my face and help make my foundation or tinted moisturizer last longer. Second, it gives my face a beautiful deep, brown tan. I really like to use matte deep brown bronzers since I use them all over my face as well as to contour. If you don't want to use a bronzer all over the face, but rather on your cheeks for a subtle glow, you would be able to get away with using a bronzer containing shimmer or a sparkle. My all time holy grail bronzer is Too Faced Chocolate Soliel (I didn't realize how much I like Too Faced ha!). Very similar to Chocolate Soliel is Benefit's Hoola Bronzer.  A less expensive alternative to these two is NYC Bronzing Face Powder. 

 #4 Lip Stain

I don't know if anyone else feels the same that I do, but I HATE the feeling of lipstick in hot weather. If it's super hot and humid, lipstick on my lips just makes me feel EW. An alternative to wearing lipstick while still having color on the lips is a lip stain. You are doing exactly as it says, staining the lips. Most lip stains come in the marker form so they are very easy to apply. One of my favorites is Revlon's Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm  in Passion. The Revlon Lipstains include the lipstsain on one end as well as a lip balm on the opposite end to help moisturize the lips after applying the stain. Lipstains literally last for hours. Since you are staining the lips, the color is pretty permanent when you put it on. Some of the color will wear off at the end of the day and the rest can be taken off with makeup remover. 

#5 Waterproof Mascara 

Waterproof mascara is a no brainer. Usually I do not use waterproof mascara since it is very hard for me to get off, but in the summer I feel like I need it, especially if I will be outside at the lake or pool. I wouldn't consider the Covergirl Lash Blast my favorite, but this is the only waterproof mascara that I own at the moment. 

#6 Long-Wearing Eye Shadow and Eye Liner (In bright colors!)

Not only do I love cream shadows  and eye liners for the summer, but I love them in bright colors! Cream shadows, to me, are just easy. I apply them with my finger all over my lid, blend them a little in my crease, and I am good to go! I know that I have gone on and on about the Maybelline Color Tattoo Eye Shadows , but these will be great for the summer. Especially on top of eye shadow primer, the color, vibrancy, and texture of these will last all day long. One of my favorite eye looks to wear in the summer is a bronze or gold color on my lid paired with a bright color eye liner on my lower lash line for a pop of color. The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils  are great for this. These, like the color tattoos, are very long wearing and once you let them set, they will last all day. I wish I could buy these in every color!

Urban Decay 2/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Radium on the lower lash line..

#7 Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray 

To finish it off any type of makeup look, some type of long wearing makeup setting spray is key, specifically Urban Decay's All Nighter. I used this product all last summer and I do not know how my makeup would have lasted without it. This product sets makeup so the face will look less powdery and more natural. It also acts to keep skin matte. This claims to help makeup last for 16 hours and it does live up to it's claim. I would not go a day without using this product, especially in the summer. 

Swatches of All Products Seen Above

What are your favorite makeup products for summer?

Feeling Superb.

If you haven't heard of the new (er) MAC collection In Extra Dimension, then I am sure you have most likely heard about a specific product from the collection. This line introduced Extra Dimension Highlighters which are described as follows:

A liquid-powder highlighter with prismatic reflections that sculpts, highlights, and models the face. The cool, creamy near-fluid formula creates a luminous, well-defined finish. Wears 10 hours. 

I really wasn't planning on buying anything from any of the new MAC collections. I happened to see the shade Superb on a haul and I decided to check and see if it was in stock on the Mac website "just for the hell of it". To my surprise, it was in stock and I totally impulse bought it. 

This highlighter is perfect to add to my growing collection of highlighters. It is a gorgeous champagne frosty highlight. Because champagne is a color that goes great with many skin tones, I knew it would look good. I have been wearing this as either a highlighter for my cheek bones or to add a little luminous glow to the apples of my cheeks. 

These Extra Dimension highlighters retail for $29.00. I know that Superb has been going in and out of being sold out. If you do happen to stumble onto the website, I would recommend checking Superb and the other shades out. :)

Did you purchase anything from this collection?

April Glam Bag

I loved the Glam Bag this month! Their brushes are very high quality and this Urban Decay eye liner is such a pretty color. :)

Have a great night. 

Ulta 20% Online Coupon!

Hello! 

I am now working at Ulta and we are currently doing something called "Friends and Family". 

Go to the Ulta Friends and Family link.

Type the code 238 into the box.

And, you will be able to receive a 20% off coupon for online or in stores! 

You can print off as many as you want for your friends and family.

This is only good for one week though: April 15th-21st.

:)

Project Perfect

This is a post that I have been meaning to do for a while now but I have not seemed to get around to it! 

If you have not hear about  "Project Perfect" or seen other girls post it on their blogs, here is a link to the original blog post created by Amy. She explains it perfectly. 

I was tagged by Francesca from Francescas Beauty Confessions  to do this and also saw this on Life Size Barbie's blog. 

Here are the rules..

1. Post a photo that you like of yourself and say in a couple of sentences why you like it.

2. State some things that you DON'T like yourself but say why others may love to be like that.

3. State 3 things that you DO like about yourself.

A photo of myself that I like..

I like this picture of myself because I was having a good hair, face, and outfit day. :)

Three things I don't like about myself turned positive. 

1. My nose. :/ For my whole life I have hated the size of my nose (I got my dad's nose). Growing up I was convinced that I needed a nose job! Now, after learning the wonders of contouring, I have found ways to make it appear slimmer. Doing this has helped me accept the way my nose looks and kind of like it because it is me. :)

2. My skin. Ever since I hit puberty, I have had pretty annoying skin. If it wasn't breaking out, it was uneven or red. Even now, my skin will still break out, especially from hormones. But, I have learned what kind of products, facial cleansers, and facial routines that work with my skin to even it out and improve it. 

3. My skin tone. This has been a long time battle of mine. I remember the exact moment that turned me into a tanning addict. Someone in high school had made a remark, "Danielle you are so pale". It didn't even bother me really at the time but it kind of pushed me in the direction of getting my first indoor tanning membership. After that, tanning has become one of my greatest addictions. In high school I began going whenever my parents would take me (sometimes every day after school). After I began driving myself I would go just as much. I hate the way that I look and feel when I am pale. I would go tanning year round until this past year when I discovered the wonder of self tanners. I never thought I would actually like self-tanners better than tanning beds but it has happened! I really feel like I achieve a darker and more even tan when I use self tanner than using the tanning beds.  The year tanning membership that I had just ended this February. And, I haven't stepped inside a tanning place since! I know that I may have a moment where I relapse and tan but, now I know that I DON'T have to use a tanning bed every other day and I AM lowering my chance of pre-mature aging and skin cancer.

Three things I like about myself.  

1. My eyes. I have always thought that my eyes were probably my best feature. I got a mixture of my mom and dad's eyes and they actually change color from green to blue. :)

2. My body. This is probably the biggest thing that I have felt self conscious about in the past. Growing up, I was one of those girls who "developed early". So, in middle school I was taller and also bigger than all the other girls in my grade.  I absolutely hated my body. I began to try and change it by running and dieting when I was only in 7th grade! Going into high school I grew into my body more but the feelings I had in middle school were still there. Now, at 20 years old, I love my body. Yes, I know I am not the thinnest girl out there but that is okay. I have learned that curves are actually a good thing! I also now know the healthy ways to keep your body looking good. This includes eating health meals and healthy exercise. I go to the gym about 4 times a week to do strength and interval training. It not only tones my muscles and burns fat but it makes me feel great about myself. I cannot stress enough the importance of exercise and nutrition to everyone! 

3. My hair color. I know that the white blonde is not my natural hair color, but I feel like it is. I have had my hair this color so long that it is a part of me. 

In the past and growing up, I let a lot of the features I didn't like about myself control my life. I was so negative about myself that I would feel sad all the time. I constantly compared myself to others. 

Now that I am older I feel that I have really grown out of most of these feelings. There are those times where I look at a girl and think "Man, I wish I had her bone structure" or "My body needs to look like that". But the fact is, you have to be yourself and work with what you have. 

You have to learn to love yourself and the way you look. :)

Anyone who is thinking about doing this post, I would encourage you to! It is really a great way to look at yourself and see the positives. :)

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Foundation Review (That's a mouth full).

Hello Ladies! 

I wanted to share a review of a foundation that I have been wearing and loving every day for the past 4 or 5 months! I first heard of the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Foundation on Makeup By Tiffany D's countless videos of her raving over this product. During the fall I had been wearing the Make Up Forever Matte Velvet Plus foundation. But, I noticed that my skin was looking dull and dry as I was going into the winter months. I knew that I needed to try a new foundation that would give my face a little more moisture without being too greasy and oily. After hearing her talk about this mixed with a sale on Maybelline products at my local Rite Aid, I knew it was time to try it. 

Product Description 

For All Skin Types

Micro-Correcting Foundation

Instantly erases lines and creases

Skin looks lifted

The Secret?

Exclusive Micro-Corrector Applicator smoothes imperfections on skin's surface

Concentrated formula with Goji Berry tightens and improves skin elasticity. 

CLINICALLY PROVEN EFFECTIVENESS 

(It was in all caps on the label..haha)

This product contains a sunscreen with an SPF of 18 as well as Goji Berry and Collagen. For having a sunscreen in this product, I am amazed at how lightweight and sheer it feels on the skin. To me, it almost feels as if I am not wearing a foundation. I do tend to have acne prone skin and this has not broke me out at all since I have been wearing it. I love that it does not feel super thick and heavy. In regards to the erasing lines and creases and clinically proven effectiveness, I can't really answer this question since I do not have many lines and wrinkles yet. After the course of using this, however, I have noticed that my overall skin tone has improved. My skin tone has evened out and my skin texture is quite a bit softer than before I used this foundation. 

I would classify this foundation as a light/medium coverage foundation. When I use this, it evens out my skin and covers most of my blemishes. If I have some especially red pimples, they will not be covered fully and I will need to use a concealer. 

Yes, there is a pretty strong scent to this foundation. It smells like a mixture of sunscreen and moisturizer. Probably because it contains similar ingredients! If you do not like any type of smell to your makeup, you might not like the how this smells. 

This foundation is currently available in 12 shades.  Because I like my foundation a little tanner then my skin tone and I am self tanning, I chose the shade Medium 320 Honey. I was amazed that this is the 2nd darkest shade! So those ladies of darker skin tones might have a hard time finding a shade to match their skin tone at all. 

Here is a comparison of "Honey" to the only other two foundations that I currently own. I feel like this MUFE has a beige undertone while NARS has a yellow undertone. To me, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Honey has a mixture of the two. 

I wouldn't say that this is a super long wearing foundation. For me, I get about 6 to 8 good hours out of it without using a primer and makeup setting spray. 

If I do use my Urban Decay All Nighter Spray it lasts a whole lot longer. 

I consider the finish of this foundation as a satin finish. It is not completely matte, but not dewy either. I feel that this is why this foundation works for me so well. I do have combination/oily/acne prone skin and the most oily I have gotten wearing this is a slight bit of shine by the end of the day. I feel that for being a moisturizing and SPF foundation, it does a GREAT job at controlling oil.

This foundation comes with an applicator sponge built into the top of the product. In order to get the foundation out of the bottle, you twist the bottle until the foundation comes out of holes in the top applicator. (It takes a lot of twists to get the product out)

Like so..

I personally do not use this applicator to actually apply all of the foundation. I twist the container until the product that I want to use for the day comes out. I then dot the foundation using the applicator onto specific areas of my face where I want to put the foundation. I use my E.L.F powder brush to complete the application process by buffing into my skin.

For those who do want to use this to apply the foundation...On the label of this foundation they state that the applicator sponge is protected with anti-microbial system and does not need to be washed. It only needs to be wiped with a dry tissue. 

Overall, I am LOVING this foundation. As you can see I have the higher end brands like Make Up Forever and NARS and I prefer this foundation over the two for right now. Like I said, I have been using this foundation for around 4 1/2 months and I just purchased my second bottle. The price of this foundation varies depending on where you purchase it from $10 to $12.  Since this is a pretty inexpensive foundation, I would recommend anyone to try it out for themselves to see if you love it as much as I do!

What foundation have you been wearing lately?

Painted Purple EOTD

Hi! 

I hope everyone is doing great today! I know I do not share a whole lot about my personal life on my blog but I am going to start to because I feel that I have gotten to know other bloggers well and some of you may want to get to know me a littler better also. I love this blogging community so much and all of you are so encouraging and positive.

 I want to share with you ladies some really good things that have happened to me lately. The first thing is that I just got a job working for Ulta! I showed my brother my blog one day and he asked me, "Dani, Why don't you get a job working with makeup?". So I thought that it wouldn't hurt anything by just applying to Ulta. And, the next day, the manager called me for an interview! I am working as a cashier but I already love it. Everyone is so nice there and it is great to be able to work around the different brands of makeup and be able to help others discover this makeup.

The next thing that happened is something that I have been working towards for a long time. As most of you may not know, I am a full time student in my 3rd year of college. I have been a pre-nursing major during this time because at my college, you must be accepted into the nursing program in order to continue on to get a bachelor's degree. This nursing program at my school is highly competitive and they only accept those with very high G.P.A's. I applied to be accepted into this program last semester, but was turned away. I have been working so hard to raise my grades so I would stand a better chance of getting in the program. I applied to get in again this semester and I just received my letter of acceptance!! I am so excited to finally be making my way to my career.

  I wanted to share this with everyone to tell you that if you truly want something in life and put in the hard work to get it, you will achieve it. 

On to the makeup!

I finally picked up the "Painted Purple" Maybelline Color Tattoo and was itching to use it. Purple is seriously my favorite bright color to wear as eye shadow. It is so pretty and really brings out the eyes. You cannot really tell from the pictures (I'm sorry my camera sucks) but I blended a dark navy blue on the outter corner. I also placed a pink/purple shimmer eye shadow in the inner corner of my eye. I absolutely love these colors together! 

I wore this look to my first day of orientation at Ulta. 

Face

E.L.F Tinted Moisturizer 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Foundation in Honey

Too Faced Chocolate Soliel Bronzer 
Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Exposed

Milani Minerals Makeup in Natural Tan to contour 
Lorac Perfectly Lit in Radiant for highlight 

Brows

Ulta Brow Style kit

Eyes

Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Painted Purple" as a base

Urban Decay e/s in Flash on top of Painted Purple

Urban Decay e/s in Grifter on inner corner of eye 

Urban Decay e/s in Naked to blend

Urban Decay e/s in Rockstar in crease

Loreal Infallible e/s in Midnight Blue on outter corner
Urban Decay e/s in Virgin as highlight under brow

Loreal Voluminous Mascara 

Lips

MAC Velvet Teddy l/s

For those of you that have requested certain posts, I will be getting to those very soon! I promise. :)