FOTD: Spring Eyes + Nude Lips

I am craving Spring Time. I need warmer weather, sunnier days, and blooming flowers. Winter is still kind of lingering around where I live; so to cheer myself up, I decided to play around with some spring makeup! I went with super fun colors on the eyes and a easy, effortless nude lip. Hope you enjoy!

1. Foundation + Concealer

I am obsessssed with this YSL BB Cream. It's definitely the BEST I've tried yet. It is literally the only thing I've been wearing on my face for the last couple of months. To cover up blemishes, I used the NYX HD concealer which is an amazing, amazing affordable concealer. For under the eyes, I went with my trusty Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser.

2. Set foundation/concealer

To set my under eye concealer and brighten that area, I used my all time fave Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. To set the rest of my face makeup, I used the Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray.

3. Bronzer + Blush

 To contour and bronze, I applied NARS Laguna, per usual. For blush, I used blush that's starred in the photo above from this NARS Foreplay Cheek Palette. The shade is "Orgasm". I actually found this palette at Nordstrom Rack reduced from $50 to $35, which was a total score. It was a limited edition product so I'm not too sure where you can find it.

5. Eye Shadow!!

Step 1...

Since I was going to be using brighter colors, I wanted to use a white base so that everything would pop more! I used the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk over my entire eye, from lid to brow bone. These jumbo eye pencils crease like crazy on me, so I definitely recommend setting it with some sort of powder. I used Wet n' Wild single shadow in "Brulee" to do this. This shadow was discontinued so use any light matte shadow you have in your collection. Adding this shadow also allows for everything to blend more smoothly.

For any bright colored eye looks to come off nicely, I think it is 100% necessary to start with a light brown shade buffed all through the crease. This helps blending and prevents everything from looking like clown makeup. I used MAC Soft Brown for this step. I buffed this through the crease with a large fluffy crease brush. I like to take my time blending this and I want to look super diffused and soft.

Step 2...

I saw this "Luminous Lilacs" Maybelline Eyeshadow Quad at the drugstore and immediately fell in love with the color combo. This was my first time using the quad, and though I was able create a pretty look, I am overall disappointed in it. The color pigmentation just isn't there, especially with that peachy pink shade that I used over my lid. I actually had to take the blush I used, NARS Orgasm, to replace that color because it had zero pigmentation. BUT I still like the look I created with this even though the pigmentation wasn't great.

First, I took, in replacement of the pinky peach shade in this quad, NARS Orgasm blush and applied it all over the lid. Next, I took the shimmery green shadow and applied it directly into the crease with a more precise crease brush. I blended that absolutely gorgeous purple shade in the outer corner and the outer 1/3 of the crease. I also blended the purple and green shades on the lower lash line! I took a clean blending brush and blended everything out. I took the shimmery white shade and applied it into the inner color. Be careful with this shade though. It is the a little chunky so you may have fallout and it is fairly pigmented so you can apply too much.

6. Liner + Mascara

To finish off the eyes, I applied Maybelline Gel Liner in "Blackest Black" along the upper lash line and winged it out. For mascara, I went with my favorite YSL Babydoll Mascara.

7. Lips

For lips, I used the Maybelline Color Elixir in "Nude Illusion".

And DONE!

So all I have left to say is HURRY UP SPRING! Me and my makeup are ready for your arrival. I hope you enjoyed this look and I hope you have an amazing day!!

xoxo,
Paige

February Favorites: Beauty + Random

Happy March! I had a fantastic February, but I have to say I'm glad it's over. I need winter to finally be over so I can happily enjoy some spring weather! Over the course of the month, I didn't try out a ton of new products but I still wanted to share with you guys a few things I've been loving. I also have some TV Show and Music favorites that I've been obsessed with that I really want to share also! Hope you enjoy!!

1. Real Techniques Contour Brush

I am OBSESSED with this brush. This has been giving me the absolute perfect contour! The brush is super soft to begin with. It is the perfect size for getting into the hollows of my cheeks and it is the perfect density, meaning it applies the perfect amount of product...not too much and not to little to where you have to keep building the color up forever and ever. I adore this brush and I highly recommend it!

2. Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Inked in Pink"

I love the Maybelline Color Tattoos in general. They are one of the best products at the drugstore in my opinion, and you can read a full post I did on them here. I picked up this particular pink shade this month when I did my Valentine's Day Makeup post, which you can read here. I have been loving it ever since I used it for that post. It is a perfect base for any eyeshadow look you create with the Naked 3 palette. It plays so well with all the rosy shades of that palette!

3. Wet n' Wild Shadow in "Creme Brulee"

This is such an amazing drugstore find. Wet n' Wild have amazing eye shadows for the price and I am obsessed with this single shadow. It is the perfect off-white matte highlight shade. It looks so good on the brow bone! The shadow is super buttery and pigmented. I have been using the crap out of this since I picked it up!

4. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara

I owned this mascara several months ago and loved it. When I used it up, I was trying a ton of new mascaras so I didn't repurchase it and holy moly, I forgot how good it was! I got this sample from Sephora and have constantly been reaching for it since. It thickens the lashes so well. I have a full review of this, which you can read here.

5. ELF Eyebrow Kit

This is the best drugstore brow product I have ever used! The kit comes with a brow powder, a tinted waxy type product, and a small brush that I never really use. I have used the brow powder on its own, the wax on its own, and the two mixed together and I loved the way each of them looked. My favorite is definitely the tinted wax. It's super quick and easy and it hold your brows in place! You do have to be a little careful though because it can be easy to go overboard since the powder and wax are both very pigmented! If you do use this or purchase this, then definitely build up the color slowly!

6. Maybelline "The Buffs" Lipstick in "Nude Lust"

Maybelline recently launch this line of nude lipsticks which they named "The Buffs". I couldn't wait to pick up a few shades! This "Nude Lust" shade is my favorite thus far. It is a really flattering nude on my skin tone. It's a pretty true nude shade, but it does have some pinky undertones. It is slighlty more pink in person than it appears in the swatch. This has been my go-to nude recently!

Random

TV
1. The Following

So obsessed!! The first season of the show is already on Netflix and the second is on TV now. It is a super interesting psychological thriller that centers around FBI Agent Ryan Hardy and insane writer and serial killer Joe Carrol. This is a must-watch show!

2. Teen Wolf

I have watched Teen Wolf from the beginning, but this new season is on a next level! The plot of this season is addictive and I can't wait to watch every Monday. If you love shows like the Vampire Diaries, then you will love this. The first few seasons are on Netflix! I'm pretty much in lovvvve with Stiles :)

Music
1. Arctic Monkeys- AM

Now that I finally listened to this whole album, I am obsessssssed!

Thanks so much for reading. I am so excited that it is March and that Spring is finally on its way! I hope you have a fantastic day!!

xoxo,
Paige

Birthday Beauty Haul!

I don't know about youuuuu, but I'm feeling twenty-twooooo! Last week was my 22nd birthday which is super duper exciting. I had a wonderful birthday surrounded by lots of people I love and by lots of food I love ;) I also did a bit of naughty makeup shopping to celebrate. What's a birthday if I don't go a little crazy buying some new beauty products? I popped into Sephora yesterday with my mom and I can't wait to share with you some of the pretty new beauty products I picked up!

1. DiorSkin AirFlash Spray Foundation 

I'm a confessed foundation junkie and I have been eying this foundation for months now. It is pricey so I resisted as long as I could, but with a little birthday cash in my wallet, resistance was futile. I am so excited to try this out and will do a full review!!

2. Tarte CC Be MATTEnifficent Amazonian Clay Eye & Cheek Palette

GORGEOUSNESS! I am over the moon excited about this palette. First off, the packaging is stunning. It comes with 8 limited edition matte shadows, 1 limited edition blush, and a double ended eye shadow brush. I adore matte shadows and any of the Tarte products with the Amazonian Clay are absolutely fantastic! The shadows in here are buttery soft and I can't wait to play around with different looks. I will do a full post on this palette with swatches and everything! This palette is priced so fairly for a high-end palette with so much product in it. It's $36 and you are definitely getting your money's worth from it.

3. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in "Luminous Flush"

Hourglass is one of my favorite high-end makeup brands. Every single product I have tried from the line has been amazing quality and I really get a lot of use out of the products. I have the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder in "Diffused Light" and I adore it, so when I heard about the launch of these Ambient Lighting blushes, I had to get my hands on one! Each blush color is marbleized with one of the Ambient Lighting powders. This shade in "Luminous Flush" is a brighter pink shade with the "Luminous Light" Ambient Lighting Powder running through it. I can't wait to use this!!

4. Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick #22

 

I have seen this lipstick here and there in tutorials and blog posts and I thought it looked like such a gorgeous nude. It is a light peachy nude and I really, really love it so far. The lipstick is very pigmented and has a satin finish. Plus, it is shade #22, which is oh-so-fitting.

5. YSL Babydoll Mascara

This is a repurchased product. I ran out of this a couple months ago and I was missing it so much that I had to pick it up again! It is pricey but it is such an amazing mascara. I highly, highly recommend it!

6. Beauty Blender

This is another repurchase. The beauty blender is my absolutely favorite way to apply foundation and concealer. My other beauty blender was getting pretty worn so it was time to pick up another!

7. Tarte Brazilliance Face and Body Self Tanner

I really want to expand my horizons in the self-tanner world. I am so ridiculously pale and it is almost scary. I read great reviews on this and I can't wait to try it out! Tanned skin, here I come!

8. Make Up For Ever Birthday Gift

Sephora gives a birthday gift every year during your birthday month if you have a beauty insider card. This year the gift is a few Make Up For Ever deluxe samples. It comes with a lipstick, mascara, and if you're VIB Rouge, then you also get a pencil liner. I am super excited to try these products out. I love, love, love, the lipstick shade already!

Well that about does it for my birthday beauty haul! I will be featuring all these products in posts coming up so follow my blog if you want to see those! Thanks for reading!

xoxo,
Paige

Review: Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

I am definitely a primer girl. After a couple years of using primers before my foundation, I can't imagine not wearing one. I think they can make such a difference in terms of how smooth foundation applies, how long it lasts, and how visible your pores are. My all-time favorite is the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer (full review here) but I have been looking to find a good drugstore option. I was super excited to see this product at my drugstore because I have been dying to try it out! I have worn it consistently over the past few weeks and have definitely been able to put it to the test.

Product Rundown

Price: $6.99

This product claims to have "instant blur technology" which erases the appearance of pores on the face. It can be worn on its own or under foundation.

My Thoughts

I had read some pretty poor reviews of this product after I picked it up, so I was super optimistic about loving it. I would agree that it isn't the greatest primer out there, but it also isn't bad by any means either. I think it is a good drugstore option if you are just starting out with makeup and want to try a primer. It will create a smooth surface for you to apply foundation over. I found this made my foundation over the top look more even than just foundation alone. The biggest issue I have with this product is that it claims to blur your pores, but it really did not have that effect on me. I saw no reduction in the visibility of my pores. Also, this is not a primer that is going to prolong the wear of your foundation. My foundation would wear off throughout the day as it would had I not worn any primer.

So overall, this is a product that will provide a smooth base and will allow your foundation to look smooth, blended, and perfect. It does not blur the appearance of pores and will not prolong the wear of your foundation. That being said, it is better than most primers I've tried from the drugstore and for the price, it is a good option if you are looking for a very simple primer. I will definitely still use this product. I prefer to wear it on days where I just have to head out the house for a few hours and won't be wearing my makeup all day. If you are just starting with makeup, this will probably be a great option for you if you are wanting to try out a primer.

I hope you found this review helpful! Have an AMAZING day!!

xoxo,
Paige