Friday, September 6, 2013

August 2013 Favorites!

I am a little late to post my August favorites but better late then never right? I have a lot of favorites this month, some new some old!




Beauty Blender
This little sponge has become a "holy grail" status tool in my makeup routine. I cannot say one bad thing about it. Don't get me wrong I still use my brushes but for blending purposes it is AMAZING! What I do is I apply my moisturizer, primer, and then I will put my foundation on my face and use my Tarte foundation brush to blend it all in, once its blended in I will then go over it using the beauty blender to make sure there arent any harsh lines and everything is even. I then will do my concealer and undereye concealing and I always dab it on with my finger or I will use the wand the concealer comes with and to blend my beauty blender does it all! Another good use I have come up with for the beauty blender is after I do my eyeshadow, you know how you can use tape or shadow stoppers to prevent eyeshadow from going past the crease? Well what I do is take the pointed end of the beauty blender and I start at the corner of my eye and kind of dab/wipe gently in an upward swipe and it literally cleans up all the eyeshadow thats out of place! Instead of having to use annoying tape or buy any special things just use the beauty blender and it does the trick!

Beauty Blender Cleanser
So awhile ago I purchased the Beauty Blender as just a single and didn't bother to buy the cleanser. I told myself it wasn't worth it and thought what could possibly be so special about it. Well I was WRONG! I used my Birchbox points which was worth $20 to their shop and I got the Beauty blender & cleanser set and only had to pay like $4! But anyway, I got the set in the mail and put away my back up beauty blender and was like "ok lets go see what this cleanser is all about." AND wow I was amazed it has like a light lavender scent which is nice, and a little goes a long way with this stuff. I literally was amazed by how well it got stains out that I never could get off before (I was using Philosophy Purity Made Simple Face Wash previously). I regretted not buying it sooner, so now I have started using it every time I wash my beauty blender AND use it to wash my brushes which may I say also does wonders. Don't get me wrong the Philosophy cleanser is definitely a good runner up and if you get the 3oz bottle its a cheaper alternative and I highly recommend it to anyone, but if your looking for a cleanser that you can wash your brushes and also do the best job cleaning your beauty blender then I recommend getting the Beauty Blender Cleanser!

Chanel Les Beiges (No 40)
So I received this as a sample in a purchase I bought off a lovely lady off Instagram and I was soooo excited when I saw it in my package because I had been seeing it all over IG for the past week. I was wondering what was so amazing about it? Was it the fact its Chanel? The cute packaging? Or was it actually amazing? Well I couldn't help myself so I immediately grabbed a brush and started to use it once I opened my package and let me start by saying it smells so good! I don't even know how to describe the smell but its like a light perfume smell I guess lol. The color I received is No 40 which for my skin type which is Medium it was more of a bronzer tone on my skin. I applied it near my temples and a little on my cheeks and it literally gave me a beautiful glow. It applies so smoothly, and even though its a small portion it definitely goes a long way! The next day I went to the mall to go to my local Mac counter to pick up some things and across from it was the Chanel counter. So I walked over after going to Mac and on display was the whole Les Beiges collection and I was just drooling over it all lol. The associate came over and started saying how amazing the line was and how its perfect for all skin tones and how versatile it is. The lighter shades can be used as highlights and darker as bronzers or contouring, then the shade that matches your skin tone can be used as a foundation or a base for foundation to even skin tone! I was amazed at all the possibilities with this product! The woman said she had a couple samples left of it and since I loved it so much she would give me one lol she only had No 40 left so now I have 2 mini No 40 Les Beiges yay! Since its $57.50 plus tax I knew these would have to do until I had some extra cash. A few days later I ended up getting No 20 for a pretty good deal ($42) every dollar counts so I definitely took advantage of buying it for that much. Its now on its way in the mail so I am sure I will be posting lots of pictures of it because the packaging is gorgeous and a review of No 20 also!

Bareminerals Correcting Concealer (Medium 2)
This concealer is an absolute staple in my makeup routine. I used to have really bad stress acne on my face pretty much on my forehead and near my mouth. I wouldn't say it was like severe acne or anything I would just get breakouts in areas and a lot of the time they scarred which really sucked. So I was in need of a really good concealer with benefits that would help with hiding and healing acne scars. Well after doing some searching and also in the middle of a Bareminerals addiction I got an email from Bareminerals informing me of their new concealer...which I immediately ordered. I got Medium 2 which is perfect for me and it literally covers so well, and not only covers but it also aids in reducing the appearance of marks! Its called a correcting concealer because it has ingredients in it that reduce the signs of acne scars, dark spots, etc which is awesome. I have been using it ever since it came out and I have only needed to buy 2 total because they last so long! My acne has gone away since then (I started using Proactiv) so I haven't really needed concealer in the aspect of hiding pimples. Now I use it to just cover dark spots from scarring and around my nose for redness and I love it. Anyone with problem areas you need covered or anyone with sensitive skin this concealer is worth a try!


Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder (Translucent)
I am IN LOVE with this stuff! I first purchased this when it was in the Aqualillies packaging, I never had used it before but I am a sucker for cute packaging so I just bought it because I couldn't resist. I was in need of a good finishing powder because I was getting bored of the Rimmel Stay Matte powder I was using. I love the whole concept of how Tarte has the dispensing of this product set up, theres a small hole in the middle of the jar and you press down and the perfect amount of powder comes up into the catcher. Its a white powder that at first looks intimidating because it makes me think it will turn my face all white and make me look pale or something. I use Tartes 12 hour amazonian clay foundation which is like a creamy mousse consistency so I need a good finishing powder to set it and this stuff does the job! I dust it all over my face and neck using a soft buki brush and it literally sets my foundation and mattifies it perfectly and makes my face so smooth to touch! It blends right in and you can't even tell it was a white powder. It comes with a decent amount to (9.07g) and I have been using the same jar for about 2 months and still am not even close to being finished. I bought a back up of it though just because I love the Aqualillies packaging so much and didn't want to miss out on getting another of it. So I think I am all set for awhile with this setting powder!


Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder (Bronze)
I just recently got this in the mail from a impulse purchase lol. I started using the translucent version a couple months ago and love it, so I became curious about the bronzer version. I use this daily as a light contour on my cheeks, when I don't want a major contoured look and just need an everyday look its perfect. Its a nice matte bronze color that isn't to dark but not to light either and I just take it and put it under my cheekbones using a flat brush and just very lightly make the line. I apply blush to my cheeks and then use a soft buki brush just to blend out harsh lines and it looks amazing. It lasts all day long and also has Amazonian Clay in it so it has all the great benefits in it!

Tarte Clean Slate 360 Creaseless 12-Hour Smoothing Eye Primer
I had been on the search for a good eye primer and had tried so many products and wasn't satisfied. Because of my sudden love for Tarte products I thought why not try their eye primer. I am so happy I did because now I use it everyday! Its almost like a liquid consistency but not to much to the point its runny or anything. It comes out as white but once put on your eyelid and blended its like it adapts to your skin tone and blends right in. It definitely holds up to its claim of 12 hours because I have worked 8-9 hour days and then gone on errands right from work and gotten home more then 12 hours later and my eyeshadow still look the same as that morning. So Tarte you have me in love with this primer, two thumbs up!

Mac Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage
I was a long time user of Bareminerals Prime time primer and loved it. But I started to get bored of it because I was using it for so long so since I started getting more into Mac products I thought it was about time I try their primer. I didn't want to pay full price because its a little expensive so I didn't end up buying it until I found it at a local CCO for $19! I wish I had bought more then one at the time because I haven't seen it back there since. But I really love this primer, it s creamy white consistency and it applies so smoothly. I feel like it primes and moisturizes at the same time because after I apply to my face it feels like its so smooth and moisturized. I love how long it makes my foundation last because it literally lasts all day long! I am running low on it and really wish I could find it at a CCO again and as much as I love it I am not sure if I will repurchase from Mac but I am definitely thinking about it.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector Concentrate Concealer (Medium)
I was sent this product by It Cosmetics to review and was shocked by how much I love it. I had my eye on it for awhile and was scared to purchase because the set they sent me goes for $38 on QVC and I really wasn't sure if I was ready to spend that much and end up not liking it. I am so appreciative they sent me it because I will now be a constant buyer of this product! The texture is solid but creamy and a little goes a long way so you need to make sure you aren't applying to much or else it will look cakey and crease. If you find the right amount that works for your skin you will love this product. I apply it after my foundation and dab it all under my eye and it perfectly covers all dark circles and bags under my eyes and even freckles! I use the brush they supplied with it to dab it on and then to make sure its all smoothed out I use my beauty blender and the finish is flawless. I definitely recommend this to anyone who has dark circles they are trying to cover!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz (Ebony)
So I was tired of all these eyebrow pencils promising the natural look and long lasting claims! I was desperately in need of a good eyebrow pencil and was always hearing so many great things about Anastasia Beverly Hills eyebrow pencils so I finally caved in and bought even though I was hesitant because of the price. I just want to say that anyone who hasn't tried her eyebrow pencils stop what your doing and go buy one RIGHT NOW lol, jk, but really buy one asap. It has changed my whole eyebrow routine! I got the brow wiz in ebony which is a dark brownish black color and its pretty much a perfect match as long as I apply lightly its a absolute perfect match! It lasts forever and doesn't fade, and the tip of the pencil is so thing it makes it precise when applied. I will forever be using this eyebrow pencil in my daily routine.

Benefit The Porefessional
I bought this after hearing how amazing it was and me being the curious person I am just had to see for myself. I absolutely love it! Its a light/medium color and is a creamy consistency. I apply it around my T zone and very gently blend. It literally melts into your skin and the color just disappears. It acts as a filler and literally just smooths out the appearance of my skin. I wouldn't use it as a full face primer just apply to problem areas, thats my opinion, but totally up to you what you want to do! It prevents any oil from appearing in the applied areas and lasts throughout the day. I normally have very oily skin but when I apply this I don't even need to touch up during the day!

Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller
This dark circle corrector is another favorite of mine! I love using it as a morning wake me up, it has caffeine in it and also since its a roller ball has a metal ball that gives a cooling sensation when rolled onto the skin. I have allergies so in the morning on high pollen days I will wake up with puffy and dark circle eyes. I literally just roll this on and the puffiness completely just goes away and the cool feeling and caffeine just wakes me up! The concealer that comes out is a pale yellowish color and is perfect for under eye circles. Before my foundation I roll it on all over my under eye and then take my beauty blender and blend it all in and literally it does wonders! I think its like $13 at CVS and its worth every cent!

Chella Highlighter (Ivory Lace)
I got this pencil in my Ipsy Glam Bag and knew I was going to love it but wasn't sure what to use it for just yet. I started to use it as a highlight for my eyebrows and made it an everyday thing I used for highlighting. One day I got an email from Chella about this pencil saying 10 ways to use it and I clicked the link which brought me to a youtube video. I watched the video and was amazed at how well it worked for all different things! Heres the 10 ways I learned to use it:
1. mix with foundation for glowing skin
2. apply to water line to wake up eyes
3. apply to inner corners for refreshed look
4. apply under brows to highlight shape
5. apply over brows to open the face
6. apply under eyes to brighten and conceal
7. apply to the top of your lip to highlight
8. apply to the bridge of your nose for a slimming effect
9. apply to the top of your cheekbones to accentuate
10. wear as eyeshadow or eyeshadow primer
Now that I know all the different ways to use it I use it for a good amount of things in my makeup routine, I bought a back up awhile ago and I am so glad I did because this pencil is absolutely amazing!

Bareminerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara
This mascara is so good at giving my lashes a full and voluminous look! When it first came out I wasn't buying into all the hype and didn't really want to purchase. I was given a sample at a Bareminerals counter and automatically became obsessed with it. The brush is thickly spiraled and has tons of little bristles. It literally grabs every lash and just accentuates them! I ended up buying the full size and use it daily it works so well and I haven't had any issues with it flaking or anything so I am really impressed! I have a back up of it too lol I always get back ups of things I love!

TheBalm Frat Boy Shadow/Blush
I never tried TheBalm products before and my Birchbox came with a tiny eyeshadow/blush sample I wasn't really able to get my brush to swatch over it because it was so tiny so I just used my finger to swatch to see how the color payoff was. The color payoff just from a tiny sample was impressive so when I saw that TheBalm was an upcoming event on Hautelook I was pretty excited and hoping that there would be some blushes for a good price. There was a good amount of blushes to chose from and I tend to go for a a peachy coraly color if that makes sense with very little shimmer. So when I saw Frat Boy I knew it was the one for me! I absolutely love the color and I use it as a every day blush! If you apply lightly to your cheeks it just gives a very light color to your skin if you apply a little heavier you will get that lightly flushed color. Its so build-able its amazing, the color payoff is just awesome and I definitely am now hooked!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (Perversion)
This eyeliner is a long time favorite of mine, I want to say for the past year I have been using it! I was getting sick of eyeliners that wore of after only an hour of wearing or hurt when I put it in my waterline and all the other bad things about crappy eyeliner. So when I heard about this liner I was reeled in to buying it. I have since then been hooked and wont use anything else lol. It glides right on and literally is just so smooth! It lasts all day long and doesn't causes any markings on your under eye which I love. Although its a little pricey ($19) I don't even care because it just works so good!

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation (Medium)
I was a long time Bareminerals user and was really getting sick of the whole powder routine and wanted something simpler and in a way funner to use if that makes sense lol. I tried a few liquid foundations from the drugstore and I was starting to like it but the coverage wasn't that great. I saw on QVC a good deal for this foundation & brush and at the time it was 2 easy payments so I immediately jumped on the deal! I am absolutely addicted to this foundation! I love the mousse creamy consistency of it and the coverage is AMAZING! It lasts all day long & has the Amazonian Clay benefits which makes it even better. I literally don't need to apply much and my face has full coverage but feels like I don't even have anything on my face! I have been using it about 2 months and still have the same tube! I actually bought a back up and back up brush last night lol because QVC had the 2 easy pay options available again, good thing I did because this morning they easy pay option was over! So now I will have a back up and 2 back up brushes. The brush I highly recommend buying if you use cream or liquid foundation because it makes it look flawless!


Also not pictured because I have been using a sample size I got at Sephora is Tarte BB Primer (Medium)

This BB primer I use as more of a BB cream or even foundation. On days I want that full coverage look I will apply it after my primer and then apply my foundation over it and it literally gives an airbrushed look! Then on lazy days or days I don't want a lot of makeup on all I need is this and it literally gives a almost full coverage look which you would never expect. I honestly consider it almost as a foundation! I got samples in light and medium and have used up both of them lol. I am absolutely hooked now and just bought a huge set off QVC which I had to get light because the concealer shade I wanted only came with the light set, so I am sure I will also be buying it in medium soon. But honestly anyone who hasn't tried this BB primer go to Ulta or Sephora and get a sample because you will be amazed by how well it works!


So these are my August 2013 favorites I hope everyone liked hearing my opinions :)! I think this is something I am going to start to do every month, or at least try to do. I will post a picture of my favorites to IG and then say to refer to my blog for a full review. Any feedback or blog topic suggestions are greatly appreciated so feel free to comment below, email me, comment on IG, or use any other ways to contact me listed in my contact info :) Feel free to subscribe to my page, which you can do by email at the top right of my blog or just subscribe to it at the bottom :)

 - makeupaddictx3

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