Bare Minerals Bare Skin Brightening Serum Foundation

So I might be a little bit of a foundation junkie! I'm always looking for the perfect foundation plus I love to try out high end vs. drugstore makeup. So now that is summer and I'm a little tanner my Double Wear foundation was getting too light so I was on the hunt for a new one. I wanted something that would be light weight but still give amazing coverage and that had a wide enough color range to match my undertones. Then I started seeing the Bare Minerals commercials and I knew I had to have it. The problem was I didn't want to spend that much money on a foundation and a brush and then hate the product so I waited. Then Bare Minerals had their 20% Family and Friends sale and I started looking up reviews on the product and doing my research. Everything I heard was great for the most part so I decided to go for it! Now this foundation is $29 and then the Skin Perfecting Brush that you use along with it is $28 so if you get both your going to spend $57 without tax for the set. That being said it is a 1oz bottle so standard size but it is a serum foundation which means you won't need as much so the bottle will last longer. They say to shake it really well and then start with 2 drops for light coverage, 2 more for medium and then 2 more for heavy. I like to use 6 drops total, so like 2 for each cheek/chin so that's 4 and then 2 more for my forehead. Even though 6 drops is considered Heavy coverage it doesn't feel heavy on the skin at all!! The website says this foundation is a skin loving formula with No Silicone, Oil, Parabens, or Fragrance plus its Hypoallergenic and Non- comedogenic (won't clog your pores). It has a coconut-derived base with jojoba coated mineral pigments and lilac plant stem cells. Plus it has Vitamin C to reveal a bright more even- toned skin with a no makeup effect. It also has a none chemical broad spectrum SPF 20 in it! It is obviously full of amazing ingredients to help give your skin that youthful dewy finish but not all those icky chemicals we don't want on our face!

So lets get to the nitty gritty! First the foundation, because it doesn't have all those icky fillers and such you have to make sure to shake it up really well before you use it. The bottle has this nifty little dropper so that your able to put it in the little bowl in the middle of the brush. I love this bottle, and the dropper makes it super easy to get out and control how much you get out. The foundation blends out seamlessly and I feel like it helps the rest of my makeup go on more smoothly. It does leave my skin looking bright and it has a nice dewy finish without looking oily or shiny, and it lasts all day without wearing off in places like I've had other foundations do. Ive used it with and without a primer and it looks great both ways, so on days when I'm in a rush and need to skip a few makeup steps this is great!! I do have to say though if you have oily skin and don't use a mattifying primer under it this might not be for you because of that dewy finish. They are available in 20 different shades and Bare Minerals has a shade finder online that's pretty awesome. It asks you a few questions about your skin tone and your undertones to helps you find the right shade, plus it has tips to help you figure out your right undertone! My personal color is Bare Honey #15 which is very Golden so in the bottle it looks too yellow for me but when blended out it matches my tan skin perfectly! ( I don't tan my face so its lighter then the rest of my body)

Now shall we talk about the brush?! Let me start by saying I love this brush and I am glad I bought it with the foundation, its super soft and the little bowl in it where you put the drops of foundation is cool, I feel like it helps distribute the foundation throughout the brush so that it blends seamlessly. The bristles aren't too long that it drags the foundation and leaves it looking streaky but they aren't so short that they are poking you in the face and its uncomfortable. Plus they are fine so I don't feel like the foundations is just getting soaked up into the brush and cleaning it is a breeze! That being said, if you are on a budget like most of the world and you want to try this foundation it is not absolutely necessary for your to buy the foundation and the brush. If your really wanting to splurge on a great foundation but the fact that you also have to buy this equally expensive brush is stopping you don't let it. You could put this foundation on with pretty much any buffing or stippling brush, or even a sponge! So I would just go for it!! Over all an amazing product and it's actually gotten me more interested in the rest of their products! Have you guys tried anything from Bare Minerals that you love?! Let me know and keep in contact with me on Instagram @LovingLIfeMakeup and on Twitter @LovingLifeMUA Thank guys!

Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation

I have to start by saying this is the first high end foundation I've ever tried. I went to Dillard's because they were having a huge clearance sale and i needed some pants for work. While I was paying for my knew colored skinny jeans the girl at the register told me that Estée Lauder was having a gift with purchase deal going on, who's going to say no to free makeup! So I went down to check it out and started talking to the girl at the counter. 

Now lately at work I have been noticing places where my makeup was wearing off from sweat and what not, and  I've heard of Double Wear a few times on YouTube before. The lovely lady cleaned off my face and color matched me. This was great because it's always hard finding the right color with the right undertones, they always end up too pink! Plus they have such a huge color range (31 shades) so there really is something for everyone! After she found my color we continued to talk while she did my make up showing me other products she loved, I really had a great time talking to her! My color ended up being 3N1 Ivory Beige 10 and it costs about $37 for 1oz, so it is on the pricey side but I have to say it's a medium to full coverage so you don't need as much! Just a dollop on the back of your hand and you can do your whole face! The fact that it's called Double Wear rings true this stuff stays on till you take it off. I've slept in it and only had a few patchy places when I washed my face in the morning. At work it stands up without fading or getting cakey! It always looks natural and won't cling to any dry spots but still holds up on the oily parts of my face.

I highly recommend this product if you have a problem with your makeup not lasting throughout your day or looking unnatural because you can't find the right shade, getting color matched helped! I will definitely be buying more of this and probably before this bottle runs out, I'm thinking the next shade darker because summer is coming up and I will be outside a lot so I'm going to develop more of a tan. I think if your able it is definitely worth the splurge, you want to start with the best base possible. It will help the rest of your makeup last longer and look better no matter if it's a $1 blush or a $27 bronzer. I've applied this using a brush, my hands, and a Beauty Blender and it looks great everyday. Most of the time I use a primer under mine but it's not mandatory, the staying power is there no matter what! You guys know I love my drugstore makeup but I have to say I think this one is a keeper. Have you tried Double Wear? What do you think about it, let me know!

Maybelline FITME Shine Free Foundation Stick

 Maybelline's new stick foundation is just what I've been looking for! Because it is in a stick for instead of a liquid its much easier to take with you on the go and apply touch ups though they might not be needed. The lightweight gel formula of the foundation makes it incredibly easy to blend and it also has this nifty little "anti-shine" powder core that "instantly dissolves excess oil" and "blends to a natural matte finish". Its everything i dreamed of! I have combo skin that tends to get oily in the T-zone and dry on my cheeks.

Ok so i know this might be rambling but it stated out with a trip to Ulta and I remembered that I've been looking for a good drugstore powder to put in my purse in case I was out and needed to touch up. I picked up the Maybelline FITME presses powder in 315 soft honey, little did i know that for about 6 months this would become my main setting powder(It was only replaced because i bought my first MAC product ever).Push forward 2 months and that have come out with a FITME foundation stick! I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

I bought both of mine from Target for $6.99 each. I use color 310Sun Beige for the outsides of my face kind of like a contour and color 240 Pure Beige in the middle of my face and blend the 2 together. I love the creamy texture of the stick its so easy to just put a few stripes on your face and blend them out with your finger or a brush. I've even used this product without a primer underneath and been pleased with the outcome, the key is to blend. You don't want to use this product as some sort of foundation marker, add a few swipes and blend, if you need more just repeat its incredibly blend able. I do set mine with a powder and i have to say i don't feel greasy or look shiny after a few hours outside and i live in the south so that's saying a lot! I've found myself reaching for this over my Covergirl 3 in 1 Stay Fabulous Foundation.

New to Nudes

 Color Whisper Nudes

Are you just now starting to explore nude lipsticks like I am but don't want to end up looking like you just put concealer on your lips? I have been in love with nude lips but could never really find the right color for me, plus I didn't want to end up looking like a bad episode of Jersey Shore. I didn't want such a strong color that it completely blanked out my lips but glosses weren't giving me enough color. Then the Maybelline Color Whispers came out, stronger than a gloss but not as heavy as a lipstick. The perfect way to try out some nude colors! So I went to target and picked out 3;
 #20 Mocha Muse, #30 Pin Up Peach, #35 Coral Ambition.

Though 2 of these look and sound like they wouldnt be considered a "nude" the formulation of the Color Whisper line makes them nude on the lip. Plus with the Bold lip color trend happening this summer these are much more toned down and more natural looking. Some people might not consider these lipsticks because they are so light on the lip but I feel like they are the new generation of lipsticks. They go on sheer and smooth like a great lip balm but the color is buildable and the color lasts like a lipstick.

                                                         #20 Mocha Muse

This is definitely the more skin toned out of the three colors making it more of a traditional nude. It reminds me of a color a used to wear when I first started using make up in middle school.

                                                        #30 Pin Up Peach

This is definitely the most colorful of the 3, a little pinker than your normal nude but with so many bright and bold colors coming out this summer its nice to see a calmer more natural pink.

                                                     #35 Coral Ambition

This is coming off more frosty pink then it is in person, when in actuallity it is a great sheer light coral color.

• I bought these at Target for $5.94

NYX Cosmetics Butter Gloss Review

NYX Cosmetics Butter Gloss (A review and swatches)

I went to Ulta the other day to return some lip gloss that i had bought 2 of and i decided to give the NYX Butter Gloss a try, they were having a buy one get one 50% off on NYX products so why not. I picked up 2 very spring time colors and 2 that i call more of a neutral/nude.

 (Starting from the bottom left and going clock-wise; Cherry Cheese Cake, Apple Strudel,Vanilla Cream Pie, and Tiramisu.)

 

Cherry Cheese Cake 

                The color of this Butter Gloss is a great bright orange/coral color. It might be a little intimidating in the tube because it is such a bright color but because it is a Butter Gloss it comes off much softer and more wearable on the lips. This color and product is a great way to ease yourself into the brighter lip or even the orange lip trend this summer!

Apple Strudel

               This is a beautiful light pink color with just a little bit of peach in it. I love putting this one on top of some of my brighter lipsticks just to make them a little more everyday. This color and the formula of the Butter Glosses helps it mix with any lipstick beautifully without over powering or completely covering and changing the color . Its also a great color to wear on it own!

Tiramisu

              This one ended up being my surprise favorite of the 4 that I've tried so far! Even though I never jumped on the nude lip train I find myself reaching for this color almost everyday. Its not a brown or a pink, its the perfect hybrid of both! Though I think it might look more brown on a lighter skin tone.

Vanilla Cream Pie

             I call this color more of a neutral/nude for my skin tone but it  is a great rosy pink. This is a perfect everyday going to the office color. It stands out enough on the lips to help you look more finished and polished when your running out the door.On the other hand it could easily step up any lipstick.

The Formulation

             The formula of this Butter Gloss is what this lip product addict has been looking for her whole makeup life! They are so thick and creamy without being heavy or sticky, the color pay off is great while still being a bit sheer like a gloss should be. All and all I think these are my favorite lip product I have from NYX. I plan on going back and getting every color they have! If the color doesn't look goof on me then I know my friends will love them just as much as I do!

Where I buy...

I get all of my NYX Cosmetics Products from Ulta, I'm lucky enough to have one right around the corner. The Butter Gloss is $4.99 each but they often have a Buy One Get One 50% off sale on NYX products. I definitely recommend them to anyone!