SKINCARE *UPDATED*

Hey guys!

I’ve been AWOL for awhile again. It’s kinda my thing. I get busy and forget things. And one thing I’ve forgotten about is my blog. Last year I said I was gonna work on posting more but I did not. So much has happened in the last year. I’ve had 7 jobs in the last year, I moved in with my fiancée, and I’ve started studying to become a personal trainer. Beauty has pretty much taken the back burner in my life right now. Working at Ulta in the fall made me realize how much I miss it but I don’t have the time or funds to spend on finding new products. Plus, not having my desk here makes it hard to even sit down and do my makeup. I’ll always really enjoy makeup but it’s out of my life for right now. But with makeup out of the picture I have focused more on my skin. So enough with me rambling about my life, here is my updated skincare routine.

Skincare 2k17

I usually just stick to the drugstore when it came to skincare. High end skin care adds up fast. But little ol me wanted her skin to be great for once. And luckily, they started carrying this line at ulta. CLINIQUE. When I used to think of Clinique I thought old lady skin. But it works well with my 20-year-old skin. I originally bought just a mini of the moisturizer for 5 bucks. I went through that and was like well let’s buy the travel trio. I bought that in the beginning of December and I am still using it. In the trio, you get: Liquid facial soap mild, clarifying lotion 2, and dramatically different moisturizer +. The facial soap is 1.7 fL. Oz, the clarifying lotion is 3.4 fL. Oz, and the moisturizer is 1 fL. Oz. I Personally am not the biggest fan of the soap. Since it is a travel size I just bring it with me when I travel instead of bringing my regular soap which we will get to soon. The Clarifying lotion I use as a toner. Some people have told me that it is an exfoliant? I haven’t done research on that but I doubt it is true. I just apply that to my face with   round and then apply the Dramatically different moisturizer on my face and neck. I do not use a typical face wash. I use the Shea Moisture Black African Soap. The only downside is it comes in a bar. A BIG THICK BAR. I can’t even shut my soap box still and it’s been almost 2 months.  So, my daily skincare routine is simple now a days. I don’t like applying too many products and clogging up my pores.

Now on to MASKS. My favorite. Everyone recommends the freeman masks, which are awesome don’t get me wrong, but I wanted to try something new. While I was working at Ulta, Mario Badescu came out with this 3-mask kit for Christmas called the Multi-Masker. For $12 you get 3 1 oz. containers. IT includes the Super Collagen mask, the Whitening mask, and the Flower & Tonic mask. When you take them out of the package, each container has a little box on it saying what types of skin types they are for. 

Whitening Mask = ALL TYPES

Super Collagen Mask = COMBINATION< DRY< AND SENSITIVE

Flower & Tonic Mask = Combination, OILY, AND SENSITVE

My skin type is combination but when it is Dry it is dry. They all have worked well for me. I suggest exfoliating after using the whitening mask. IT makes my skin feel like there’s a layer of dead skin on top but after I exfoliate it feels so much better.

So yeah that’s my skin routine now. Keep it simple.

Until next time….xoxo

BATTLE OF THE DRUGSTORE SETTING POWDERS: NYX VS MAYBELLINE

Battle of the drugstore setting powder: Nyx vs Maybelline.

Hello my loves!  It has been awhile but your girl is back for good. I recently picked up the Maybelline master fix setting + perfecting loose powder. I feel like this is one of the first actually setting powders in the drugstore that has the silicone feel besides the elf HD powder. We ain’t even gonna drag her into this one though. On my way home I was thinking hmmm I wonder how this compares to the Nyx HD studio finishing powder.

.I have been testing out the Maybelline one out for a good two weeks now. When I first heard about this product it was on iheartmakeup92’s YouTube channel. When she was working with Maybelline, she brought up how they should make a product similar to the Laura Mercier secret brightening powder. Now I do not own that so I cannot compare but that got me all hyped up. I have tried baking and just setting my face with this powder. While this powder does feel nice on the face, you cannot bake with it. IT doesn’t have that white effect that normal loose powders do. I tried multiple times and it just was not working. This does have a nice finish to just set your overall makeup. The packaging is a black cap with a clear bottom. Now what pisses me off about this product is the sifter. The part to get product out is in one small section. I have to really shake it and get product everywhere to get it out. If the sifter was a little bigger, it would be much more convenient. At Walmart this retails for $9 and you get 0.21 ounces of product. I would give it an 8/10.

I bought my Nyx powder at a store called peebles for $10.99 for 0.21 ounces. I honestly really like this powder. IT is silicone based so if you do not like that feel then do not buy it. It does not have any white cast on your face in flash photography. But like the Maybelline one, you cannot bake without which does suck. The packaging is the same as the Maybelline one but the sifter is bigger! I do still have to shake the product out a bit but it does not go everywhere due to it being bigger I would give this a 9.5/10.

So which wins? I personally prefer the Nyx one but if you cannot get your hands on it, the Maybelline one is just as great.

What would you like to see next?

Xox

A

MY TOP 3 CURRENT SKIN CARE FAVORITES

Hey. Hey. Hey.

Long time no see. Sorry I’m pretty crappy at blogging lately. I’m slowly making my way back into things. But why not come back with some favorites, right?

I used to be soooo into makeup but not so much with skin care. But don’t get me wrong makeup is still a top priority in my life. But I’m learning to take care of my skin better. It has taken some time but home girl is smartening up. Everyone says skin care is worth the investment. While that may be true, I do not have the funds to go out and drop a hundred bucks on an oil. Even though I would love to. So I’m going to show you every other week a few of my favorite items you can get from the drugstore that’s not shit. Keep in mind though drugstore stuff is getting a little pricey lately. Let’s hop right into it.

My top 3 favorite skin care items

1.        Neutrogena rapid clear 2 in 1 fight & fade toner

Hello not as noticeable scars on my face! I’ve always had a scar in my cheek that I noticed but no one else seemed to. This toner has actually made it fade quite a bit actually. I used to use this around this time last year but I stopped because I lost the bottle somewhere. I do not break out often so I’m not sure about how well it works with breakouts. To apply it I just pour a little out on a cotton round and dab it all over my face. You do not need a lot so this bottle should last quite awhile.. The prices ranges from 8-10 bucks for 8 fl. Oz.

2.      Oil essentials soothe lavender & rose hip oil

Do not use this if you’re oily. Because it will obviously make you even more for a little bit. I found this just strolling through rite aid one day and there were 3 or 4 of them to choose from. It was 12.99 so I thought let’s try it. And my god am I happy that I did. It takes some of the redness out of my face. Like yes, make momma happy! It has a really intense lavender scent so if you’re not okay with that, avoid this. After it has soaked in, my face feels sooo soft. I love it. I apply this after my toner day and night. It comes with 1.69 fl. Oz which I thought would last awhile but I’ve used about an eight of it in a month. I plan on trying the others out so if you would like a review of the whole line, lemme know.

3.      Biore pore unclogging scrub

The one thing I hate about this packaging is that it says don’t be dirty on the front of it. Was that necessary? No. remove it please biore. End rant. Anyways, I never really liked scrubs because they were too harsh but this one ain’t too bad honestly. It really does exfoliate my face which gives me a nice clean surface. I use it 2-3 times a week. It ranges in price from 5-8 bucks for 5 oz.

Check out another post ttomorrow and I changed my Instagram name to heytate.

btw the candle holder is 5 bucks at target!

Xox

a

PRODUCTS I REGRET BUYING: PART 1

Hello my loves! Long time, no see. I've been figuring things out and that is why i have been gone..but i'm back now! I figured i'd come back with a products i regret buying. Some of you are really gonna question why I don't like some of these. That is why i'm splitting this up into two parts so I can go into detail. Soooo let's get started!

Lets talk about some not so great foundations..

Top to bottom:

MUFE HD 1 1 7

L’oreal nfalliable in soft ivory

L’oreal magic lumi in w 1-2

Maybelline better skin in porcelain

Revlon photo ready in vanilla

Milani cream to powder foundation in buff

Make Up Forever HD. My color was N 11 1 7. I have to say I was very impressed with the color selection but that was about it. This retails for $42.00 at Sephora. Heft price for foundation, right? If I still had the receipt; this baby would be going back.. I have heard people rave about this foundation for years and I just do not see it. I know it is a satin almost dewy finish. But not matter what primer I use on my face, it just looks gross. Maybe I should hold on to it and try it again in the winter.

L’oreal in fallible 18 hour. Just stay away from it. It pretty much did the same thing the makeup for ever did. I will never purchase this again. Ever.

L’oreal true match lumi, I have shade w11-2. I’m always w 2 in True match. The color was perfect but I feel like some days this foundation could work with my skin but other days, no. If you really like the dewy glow, buy this. But if you have oily skin, stay away.

 

Maybelline super stay better skin in 0 porcelain. When I first got this, I loved it but a week or two later I didn’t like the way it was laying on my face. It was almost like I had another layer of skin and you could tell. It was gross. It seems like a good amount of people do not like this foundation. I haven’t seen many positive reviews. Maybelline step up yo game girl!

Revlon photo ready airbrush effect in vanilla. You already know my problem with this. Glitter.. its literally glitter central and its nasty. The color though is perfect if you have a yellow undertone like me. If they removed the glitter, this would be my holy grail foundation.

Milani cream to powder foundation in  09 buff. I’m almost 100% sure that this is the lightest shade which sucks for the pale princesses out there! But honestly ya’ll should avoid this foundation. It literally feels like greasey fries in the package. Like hell no. it is gross and it sits funny on your face. Avoid this!

Top to bottom:

Sheer glow in in the buff

Sheer glow in blushed babe

Revlon bb cream in 0 1 0 light pale

Garnier bb cream in fair/light

Now on to BB creams, Garnier skin renew bb cream in fair/light. This pulls a lot of orange on me and I really do not enjoy. If you do over do it, your face will look oily. No ne wants that look! IF you want a good bb cream, get the Fergie bb cream in the wet n wild line!

Next is Revlon photoready bb cream. This one feels okay on the skin but if you have a warm undertone like me, avoid it. It pulls a lot of peach and pink. If you’re neutral or cool, try it! It might do wonders for you.

I have two illuminators and they’re both by hard candy which can be purchased at Walmart. They are both in the sheer glow all the way line. These are liquid illuminators hich are really popular right now.  I own blushing babe and into the buff. Blushing babe is pink and into the buff is a beige/yellow.. They are sticky as hell though and fragranced. If youre sensitive to smells. Avoid.

I lost the concealer pictures L

Sonia kashuk all covered up corrector in  porcelain. This is a very yellow toned concealer but its really thick. So avoid it under eyes, it gets really creasey. Its great for under thee brow and acne spots but I usually only use concealer under eyes.. so this is a no go for me.

This almay double sided concealer comes with a highlighter. This is a heavy duty concealer that’s greasy. The concealer is yellow toned while the highlighter is more [ink toned. Its honestly a waste of money. Most almay products are a waste in my mind.

Maybelline dream lumi in radiant which is pink toned and does not hide dark circles.. If you just want a glow, buy this.. I’m assuming if you used a pink based concealer you could just place it on top of that for full coverage with a glow. Bit I just I didn’t really like it.

L’oreal magic lumi highlighter in medium. I used to fake tan a lot in the spring so this was the perfect shade. I actually enjoy this concealer a lot. So you may be wondering why I regret it, I only love the shade medium. When my self tan faded, I went and bought the lighter shade and just hated the color. So it is not the product, it is the lighter shade, if that makes any sense.

top to bottom

Sonia kashuk in warm tan

L’oreal tone sweep in nectar

Wet n wild bronzer

Rimmel in sun queen

Rimmel sun shimmer bronzer in 003 sun queen, it claims it is water proof and it actually is.. but the color is very orange, worse than nyc sunny. I know some people like that look but I hate it.

Wet n wild color icon bronzer and blush. This was limited edition but I ripped the tag off with the name. on ii. This bronzer has red undertones and it is not very subtle. This is legit red brown which would be good for deeper skin tones and Halloween looks. This would not work for everyday for looks for me but for deeper African American skin tones.

L’oreal tone sweep in nectar. One side is an orange toned blush with a cool toned bronzer. This sucks. It has no pigmentation but if it did, I feel like it would be beautiful. I really love orange toned blushes and had such high hopes. I think this is discontinued but you can find it at discount stores still.

Sonia kashuk undectable cream bronzer in warm tan. I bought this because everyone said this was a dupe for the tan de chanel and it might be. I’m not sure. But this taught me I hate cream bronzer. I really wish I liked it because it is so gorgeous. If you can play with cream bronzers, buy it.

Check for a new post next weeeeek!

Xox

A

UPDATE

This is a quick post just to inform you i had emergency surgery yesterday and will not be posting til next week.

im sorry for the inconvenience

xox

A

NEW MAYBELLINE MATTE LIPSTICKS + update!

Hello Loves!

I’ve been gone for about a month.

 A big change has happened and if you follow me on Instagram, you already know! I’m expecting Baby B! I’m currently 10 weeks along and will have my first ultrasound July 2^nd. Why is my ultrasound coming so late? I’ll be honest I had no idea I was pregnant and that was the fastest they could get me in. I will post the first baby bump picture below and please excuse my messy room!

Now on to the lipsticks! Maybelline came out with their creamy matte lipsticks last year with 10 shades. I only own 10 of those shades : 650 Nude Embrace, 655 Daringly Nude, 660 Touch of spice, 665 lust for blush, 690 siren in scarlet, and 695 divine wine. I will be swatching those today as well. Recently they came out with 10 new shades. I got my hands on 5, the rest were sold out. I own 656 Clay Crush, 682 Blushing Pout, 686 Pink Sugar, 687 All fired up, and 691 rich ruby. These retail between $5.50-5.99. I picked mine up from Walmart so far I have not seen them elsewhere. I know people are spotting them at target.

All of those colors have incredible pigmentation without being drying on the lips. The reason these are not drying is the silicone Maybelline worked into the formula. The packaging has stayed the same with the purple cover and silver tube with the color on the bottom. These and the Milani color statement Matte lipsticks are my favorite from the drugstore. They both are not nearly as drying as the Wet N Wild Megalast lipsticks. Now on to the swatches.

The originals.

The new line.

original ten. Right to left: Nude Embrace, Daringly Nude, TOuch of spice, lust for blush, siren in scarlet, and divine wine.

New additions. Right to left: Clay Crush, Blushing Pout, Pink Sugar, All fired up, and rich ruby.

Keep an eye out on friday for baby update. Posts will be monday, wednesday, friday, and Sunday now!

xox

A

NYX Contour + Highlight Palette: Review + Swatches!

NYX Contour + Highlight palette!

I was beyond excited when Nyx came out with this palette. You can buy this at Ulta for $24.99. Ulta also came out with their own and if you’d like a review and comparison of that one, let me know! It comes with 8 powders. 2 Highlight shades, 2 under eye brightener shades, and 4 contour powders. The pans are also refillable and they can be purchased on nyxcosmetics.com for $5.00. I also own the Anastasia contour palette which comes with six powders for $40. 1 highlighter, 2 under eye brighteners, and 3 contour shades. Just comparing the prices and amount of range they have, NYX seems to be  the winner so far. 

The one thing I truly despise is the packaging. It is very cheap. If you shake it, you can hear the pans rattling around. I also found out they pop out easily. The Anastasia packaging is better because the pans pop in an out and are magnetic which comes in hand for traveling... The Nyx one you have to carry around a big bulky palette

The two highlight colors come in a white shimmer and almost like a vanilla. To be honest I’m not a fan of these so it is not something I would reach for everyday but they are highly pigmented so a little does go a long way.. The under eye brighteners includes a banana shade and a vanilla shade.. I personally like them but they aren’t has brightening as the ones in the Anastasia kit. For $24.99 they work great. I actually prefer this banana shade when I bake under my contour. It works excellent for that. Now for the four contour shades I’ve noticed they have a sheen. They’re not sparkly but they are definitely not matte. It doesn’t bother me but it may bother some people so keep that in mind. There is warmer shades that in my opinion are more bronzers and 2 actual contour shades. I do not like the bronzers, they just do not look good on my skin tone. But the lighter contour shade is perfect for me. The other one will work better for deeper skin tones.. I actually prefer this contour shade over my favorite one from the Anastasia kit which is fawn.

Shade names

First row (left to right)

Ice Queen

Soft Light

Cream

Nectar

Without flash

With flash

So what’s the verdict? The nyx palette is worth the palette if you do not already own the Anastasia one. I love how nyx made it inexpensive but It does show in the quality.

xox

A