Beauty Spree

I went to a few stores the other day in search of some beauty products I had been researching. Although I couldn't find everything I was looking for, I did purchase these:

• Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush (cheaper on Amazon than what I paid!)
• Pro Factor Dual Blade Makeup Pencil Sharpener
• Loreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush
• e.l.f. Tone Adjusting Face Primer in green
• Maybelline Brow Drama Pro Palette

Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush:

I was looking for a brush to apply powder with and this one is perfect! It is light and fluffy, while providing good blending power. I love everything pink so that was an added bonus. I also like that it is retractable and comes with a lid. I have also been using it to apply highlight along my cheekbones and nose.

Pro Factor Dual Blade Makeup Pencil Sharpener:
Not much to say about this except I needed a new sharpener and I love that this one has a built in shavings holder.

Loreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush:

One of my favorite Youtube makeup artists Jaclyn Hill talked about this shadow in a couple of videos. The color is beautiful, its a beautiful shimmery rose gold like color. It looks great alone or on top of another color. Look at that shimmer!

e.l.f. Tone Adjusting Face Primer in green:

I tried this product out awhile ago and just bought my second bottle. Having fair skin, my face gets red very easily. Any sort of irritation makes it turn red, so annoying. This primer gets my face ready for makeup and also cancels out any redness because of the green color. They make primers in different colors depending on your issue: green for redness, lavender for tone adjustment (brightening), and salmon for a glow. Other brands may offer other benefits as well. I have tried the Make Up Forever primer and while it worked and smelt great, you cant beat the price of the e.l.f. one. It also has a really weird texture that I like, it comes out liquid but goes almost like a powder on your face.

Maybelline Brow Drama Pro Palette:

Although my brows were looking great using the pencil I have mentioned in previous posts, I decided to try something different. When I saw Maybelline had come out with a brow line, I was excited as I am a Maybelline lover. It took me a couple of tries to get it right but I am liking the results. Make sure to not put too much powder on your brush, just start small and build up from there. I like that powder offers more precision compared to a pencil. The wax doesn't do much for me but maybe that's because my eyebrows pretty much stay in one spot all the time and don't need to be tamed. The highlight is just meh for me. I prefer a white highlight because my skin is so fair. Would I choose powder over pencil? Jury is still out on that one.

I am currently obsessed with my Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter which I received in my glam bag March 2015. Over a year later and I just started using it, isn't that terrible? When I received it, I didn't really know what I was going to use it for. Now, I use it under and above my brows to help create a sharp, clean line. It blends in perfectly with my skin. I wouldn't consider it a highlighter for me however since it is the same color as my skin, more of a concealer in a stick. I highly recommend it!

Hope you enjoyed this beauty spree review, thanks for reading!

Remember to let your inner beauty shine! xoxo,

Katrina

April Ipsy Glam Bag!

Finally received my April Ipsy Glam bag this week after waiting for what felt like forever! I received the following products:

• Pur-lisse Blue Lotus + Seaweed Treatment Sheet Mask
• Ren Global Protection Day Cream
• Buxom Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold
• NudeStix Lip + Cheek Pencil in Mystic
• L.A.B. Just Blending in Brush

Pur-lisse Blue Lotus + Seaweed Treatment Sheet Mask:

This mask felt AMAZING on my face! It was cooling, comfortable and smelt great! It smells a lot like my Philosophy cream actually, which I love. I like that you can just put it on and forget about it. Minimal mess or cleanup. My skin felt soft and renewed afterwards and the packaging is beautiful (I love all things lotus).

Ren Global Protection Day Cream:

This product is hydrating and anti-aging; not to mention that it is 100% natural.

Buxom Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold

The Buxom lipstick swatch is on the right in the above picture. It goes on liquid then turns into more of a lipstick consistency. I love the color and it has lasting power. The packaging is also totally cute.

Nude Stix Lip + Cheek Pencil in Mystic:

Out of the two lip products I received this month, I like this one more (swatch is on the left in the above picture). I like this one because it has a bit of a glossy look to it. The color is great and I like that its a pencil so it ensures precise application. I haven't used it as a cheek pencil and I doubt I will because that's not something I am into.

L.A.B. Just Blending in Brush:

Personally, I can never have too many brushes! Each one gives a different affect to my makeup. This one came at a good time because the blending brush I was currently using wasn't fluffy enough. This brush is great for getting in the crease of the eye and blending it out for a flawless smoky eye.

Overall, I am happy with the products in my glam bag this month. Want an Ipsy Glam Bag of your own? Use this link to get one: https://www.ipsy.com/new?cid=p_share_ref&sid=link&refer=286ms

Remember to let your inner beauty shine! xoxo,

Katrina

Look of the Day: A Bit Badass ;)

 

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope everyone is having a great weekend, I know I am! Even though its Sunday, I felt like getting a little dolled up (why not?). This look is pretty basic but still makes a big impact.

 

On my face I used the Maybelline BB Cream in the color light and applied it with my kabuki brush. When using this brush I like to stipple the makeup on at first to get it into the pores, then I blend it in a sweeping motion. I skipped the contour and powder today, I felt like keeping it simple and fresh. I did add a little bit of highlight in the form of Sephora Radiant Luminous Drops in the shade Champagne to my cheekbones only. The BB cream gives me enough of an allover glow that I don't need it elsewhere.

 

 

I concealed my eyes with Covergirl + Olay CC Eye Rehab with the kabuki brush again. The eyeliner is Maybelline Eye Studio gel liner in black. I have tried applying eyeliner in many different forms (stick, liquid etc.) but gel is my favorite! Gel liner goes on smoothly, you have more control and this little pot lasts a long time. My eyelashes are done with Smashbox Full Exposure mascara.

 

 

 

Now for the pop of color, the lips! I got around to trying my new liquid lipstick a couple of weeks ago but didn't have the chance to post about it. Its NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in the shade Kitten Heels. As I have written before, I do not wear a lot of bright lipstick because I think it looks funny on me but this is an exception! I love the color and overall product. It goes on smoothly, you only need a little bit to cover your lips and it has major staying power. Lip liner is not needed with this full coverage product. This will be my go to red lip from now on.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial/makeup review! Feel free to let me know if there is a product you would like reviewed or any sort of beauty tips.

 

Remember to let your inner beauty shine! xoxo,

Katrina

 

Back to Basics

Lately I have been feeling as though my face has been weighed down by makeup. I have always been a relatively natural woman and that has always felt best to me. After experimenting with different foundations I am back to using my staple Maybelline Dream Fresh BB.



I have tried a few other BB creams and none compare to this one! It offers 8 benefits plus light coverage. My face never feels like its caked on with makeup and it goes on easily. The benefits are:

1. SPF 30
2. Blurs imperfections
3. Gives a natural glow
4. Smooths skin
5. Compliments skin tone
6. Hydrates
7. Fresh feeling
8. Oil-free

For my under eye area, I started using a product I had used previously, Covergirl + Olay CC Eye Rehab in 310 fair. It conceals dark circles while brightening the eye area, evens skin tone, reduces the color of discolorations, fine lines and wrinkles. The serum hydrates the skin over time. It has worked better at covering my dark circles than other products I have tried and it has that Olay scent I love.



For spot concealing I like to use Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser in light. I like that the applicator is a sponge, making it easy to dab a little on an imperfection while brightening the area. Sometimes I use this as a highlighter along my nose and middle of my forehead as well. Of course, the original purpose of this product is for dark circles and it works pretty well for that as well.



In this picture, I am using Sephora Radiant Luminizing Drops for a highlight along my cheekbones in the color Morning Light. I am enjoying this product so far, it gives a nice, luminous look to my face. The price was great($19) and will last a long time as you only need a little bit of product. I like to use my makeup sponge to apply it, ensuring there isn't too much product on my face.

On my eyes I used Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Stick in 001 Witness White in the corners and under my brow. The brows are done in my usual Ofra eyebrow pencil and mascara is Smashbox Full Exposure.



 



The lipstick is Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in 640 Summer Angel.

Some choose to wear no makeup, some a little, some a lot. It shouldn't matter to anyone what you choose to look like, it is your face after all. So keep doing what makes you happy and face the world with confidence!

Health Update

Its been awhile since I have posted, life has been feeling very busy. I feel like I have a million things I want to accomplish and not enough time to do them. This has been getting me stressed. I have even considered quitting the blog but I have had some people say they would like to continue reading it so I am going to continue!

This post is an update on my health pursuits as of late. I had given PGX a try and dropped pounds quickly the first few days. After that I saw no results in weight loss; the only thing it helped was my digestive system but that may be due to drinking more water as well. It did not make me feel more full nor did it suppress any cravings I had.

I also tried the maca energy supplement and did not see much results with that either. I am considering continuing it however, since it has so many beneficial vitamins and minerals in it. I have also read that it takes awhile to see results.

Today, my family and I began the 17 Day Diet again. We have attempted this diet a couple of times in the past and given up. The first time we tried it, we all had great results with my dad and I losing around 20 pounds! If you are unfamiliar with the program it was developed by Doctor Oz and is available in a book format. It is basically eating really healthy, natural foods. The meals consist of green veggies, fruits, lean meats (chicken and fish), egg whites and lots of green tea (3 cups a day).  After the first 17 days, you incorporate other foods into your diet for cycle 2 then again with cycle 3. There are three cycles in total. Day one has been a bit of a struggle, I am not feeling very motivated. I want to lose the weight but I am depressed over giving up sweets and carbs. I know this feeling will pass and my body will adjust while starting to feel more energized and happy. I think that when you eat a lot of the wrong foods, your taste buds are altered so that when you have a food in its natural state, it tastes bland to you. Once the taste buds adjust, you start tasting foods the way they were meant to be. You even start craving and looking forward to the healthy foods every day. For example, today I am excited to eat my yogurt because it is my bit of sweet for the day. I highly recommend this diet for people who like to have meal plans set out for them. Its easy to follow and you will find in no time that you know which foods to eat and which to avoid.

I am optimistic that this diet will be successful this time around with the support and motivation of my family. Keep checking in to see posts about our progress! Wish us luck!

Eyebrows Are Important

Eyebrows have the power to make or break your face. I have seen a lot of women with overly penciled in eyebrows and ones with eyebrows that could be drastically improved with pencil. This photo of me shows the difference of pencil(left) vs no pencil(right). I have a few spots in my eyebrows that are not very thick, especially closer to the nose. I have been filling in my eyebrows for a couple of years now and am very happy with the results it gives me.

How to fill in your brows: The eyebrow pencil I am using currently is Ofra Universal eyebrow Pencil (Ipsy score!) Perhaps the most important bit of advice I can give you is to not press to heavily with the pencil. You want to lightly fill in any gaps you may have while shaping. If you press heavily, it will just look bad. Also be aware of where your eyebrow should start and end as well as the overall shape. A good way to figure this out is to hold the eyebrow pencil diagonally from the tip of your nose upwards. Where the pencil meets your eyebrow area is where the eyebrow should begin. Whether you want a thick or thin brow is up to you, play around with it a bit and see what you like! After I have filled in my brows I like to take an eyebrow brush and lightly brush the brows. I find that this softens the look a little and makes sure everything is in place. It is also a good idea to have a highlighter under the brow to further define the shape and give the brow a lift. Any highlight works, I most often use the highlight in NYC Individual Eyes for blue eyes palette. Keep in mind your overall eye makeup, a white highlight may not look as nice as a champagne one.

Here's a tutorial from one of my favorite Youtube  makeup artists Linda Hallberg