1st Impressions & Comparison: Garnier Skin Review BB Cream *Oil Free*

                   (me wearing the oil free version on Sunday *my 25th bday!*)

I tried out a sample of the original version in medium/deep first and wore it all day and all night on Saturday.  I really liked the lasting powder (lasted all day and night), finish (natural finish-"my skin only better look"), and the fact that it had great oil control (didn't have to blot at all all day or night).  My skin is sensitive, and the original didn't break me out. 

I had purchase this in the oil free formula in the same shade and tried it out Sunday and Monday.  The oil free version is said to help control oil and is for combination/oily skin.  Believe it or not, the original version controlled oil better for me than the oil free version made for oily skin! I had to blot my t-zone about once when I wore this on Sunday (did not use a powder to set this that day).  On Monday, when I wore this to work, I set it with MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder, and I had to blot my face 3 times! (Not happy about that!)  I feel like the original version had better oil control for me personally.  (Everyone's skin is different.)  Also, I feel like the oil free version may have broken me out (would have though that the oil free would have been better for my skin!).  My skin is still acting up after I stopped using it (used the NARS Pure Radiant tinted moisturizer yesterday and today).  My skin is a little better today though.  I can not say for sure if it was the oil free version that was breaking me out.  I have sensitive skin and was also breaking out in small hives (which I think is from eating too much grapefruit for the past week).  I did cut the grapefruit out and didn't have any today, which I think may have helped.  I will try the oil free again in the future to see if it was really breaking me out. However, I think that I'm going to purchase the original version because I liked the finish and how it performed better than the oil free. 

1st Impressions: Garnier Skin Renewal Miracle BB Cream

Garnier Skin Renewal Miracle BB Cream

*original version*

~*medium/deep*~

(wearing Garnier BB Cream, Covergirl & Olay Concealer Balm, Stila Illuminating Powder Bronze (cheeks), Benefit Bella Bamba Blush, NYC Lippin Large Lip Plumper Pink Champagne, Urban Decay Aquarius Eyeshadow (over top of L'Oreal Linear Intense Felt Tip Liner, Benefit They're Real Mascara)

I tried a sample of this in medium/deep on a card that was in a magazine, just out of curiosity. I've seen the American BB creams in drugstores for months now but never had the desire to try one. I never saw the point in them because they seen like glorified tinted moisturizers. I'm glad I tried this one though. I love how it looks like my natural skin, only better. This evens out skintone and gives my skin a more polished, glowing looking. Has nice coverage too!

I've now had this on for 10 1/2 hours, and it still looks as fresh as it did when I first applied! I didn't even have to set this with my MAC Studio Careblend pressed powder, which I use everyday to set my makeup with. I usually use the Careblend pressed powder to add more coverage. I'm surprised at how well this covers, while still looking so natural! Also, I didn't have to blot my face at all! Huge plus! I absolutely love not having to blot my t-zone. (that gets so annoying!). i liked this so much upon application (loved the way that it looked) that I ran out to Walmart (only 5 min away) and purchased this in the oil free version.  (I chose to try the oil free version because I like to stick with oil free products & my t-zone tends to get oily about halfway through the day.)It was $11.97 for 2 oz, which is a steal. Compared to other foundations/tinted moisturizers/bb creams, where you only get 1 oz. (NARS Sheer Glow is $42 for 1 oz!) Love the tube as well. I think I may have found a more 
affordable dupe to my NARS Pure Radiant TM. 

Favorite Eyeliner Ever! *Covergirl LiquiLine Blast*

These liners are absolutely amazing.  I've tried the violet, green, black, and silver shades so far, and these liners have awesome staying power.  The black one is always sold out every time that I go to Rite Aid or Walmart.  I recently picked up the Green Glow & Silver Spark.  This is my second time purchased the green shade.  It's a gorgeous, vibrant lime green color (reminds me of Urban Decay).  The pigmentation is great, and the best part is, these last all day long.  I line both my top and bottom lashline with this liner, and it does not budge at all! I have had issues with eyeliners in the past (*Maybelline*cough cough!) that smudge or fade like crazy on the inner part on the bottom and on the waterline.  I don't have to worry about these smudging or fading off throughout the day.  I usually apply my makeup around 8am on a workday and remove it around 11:30pm (something's even midnight).  15 hours with no budging or fading= pretty darn AMAZING!!!
This is my first time trying the silver shade.  It's more of a grey color with silver sparkles throughout- gorgeous!! The silver is perfect for a smokey eye look and suitable for day as well as night.  (I've worn both colors to work.)  The silver is also a nice alternative for when you don't want to use black liner.  

Here are swatches of both the Silver Spark & The Green Glow:

FOTD Friday: 2/8/13 Ft. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

(wearing NARS Pure Radiant in St Moritz, MAC Supercontinental Blush, Covergirl LiquiLine Blast (green glow), Maybelline eyeshadow (blue), Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara, NYC lip plumper Pink Champagne) 

 I decided to pull out my NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer (a staple this past Summer) and use it today, because I haven't used it in a while.  It was my go-to tinted moisturizer this Summer.  I love how it's not super sheer, like many tinted moisturizers out there, and it's not greasy/oily.  It does not make me oily, and actually keeps my face from getting oily throughout the day.  The main reason why I haven't been using this a lot is the price.  It's $42 a pop, and I noticed that there's not much left in the tube.  If I used this daily, it would get expensive to keep repurchasing.  (I purchased it during a beauty.com friends & family sale with 20% off. I wouldn't pay full price.)

I've been looking for something with a more natural, lighter coverage than what I've been using throughout the Winter.  I love the glow that this gave my skin! Usually, I have to blot my t zone by midday.  I only had to blot today 1 x around 6 pm (i put this one at 8am & usually have to blot by 3pm with other products).  There was barely any oil on my blotting paper, which was a huge plus!

I wore this from 8am to 12:50am.  I touched up my face with the MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder (which I set this with) around 6pm, when I was out and wanted some more coverage.

This very lightweight and blends nicely.  It makes my skin feels soft.  My favorite part about this foundation is the natural glow this gifts my skin.  This also has amazing coverage for a tinted moisturizer.  This is great for the "my skin only better" natural look.  Makes a great base for bronzer/blush as well!! I'm definitely going to start using this again and repurchase during another Friends & Family sale.

Benefit They're Real Mascara Review

I received the travel size of this, along with an itty bitty sample size of the Watt's Up Highlighter as my Sephora birthday gift.  I've been curious about this and wanting to try this since it first came out, so I was happy that this was my free gift.  I'm always on the search for something that gives me super long lashes (the false lash look).  My lashes are naturally short, and I hate fussing with false lashes.  I've been  so many drugstore mascaras and even the famous (& expensive) Diorshow (which didn't impress me).  None of those mascaras gave me the false lash look I was looking for (not even the L'oreal False Lash mascara).  I wanted to know if this really did live up to the hype of giving the false lash look.

Verdict:

This really gives me the false lash dramatic look that I've been on the search for for YEARS!!!

I was so impressed! I love the flexible wand too! It's sized perfectly for getting the bottom lashes, as well.  This gives my lashes crazy length! This really does live up to the hype!

The only downside I can find to this mascara is the price.  It's $23 for the full size and $10 for the deluxe travel size. 

I will be purchasing this in the future because I love the look that it gives to my lashes. 

A+ for Benefit!

How I Achieve A Luminous Glow (Everyday Face)

I've noticed that I get more compliments on my complexion and how young looking my skin is when I use certain products, compared to when I use others.  My skin seems to look more radiant and smoother when I use certain products. These are the products that I use to help me get a luminous glow to my skin.  I prefer to have some shimmer for a glowy sunkissed complexion, as opposed to a matte look.  (However, somedays I like to go for a more matte look, depending on the occasion and my mood.)

Here's what I use to achieve a smooth, glowly complexion:

1. REVLON PhotoReady Airbrush Foundation (shade rich ginger)- 
I absolutely love this foundation.  I wasn't expecting good coverage from a mousse-like foundation, but boy was I wrong.  I feel that this covers very well & is buildable, without looking cakey or overly made up.  It's light to medium, buildable coverage.  I like to go with 2 layers of this for the desired coverage of my choice. It comes out like a mousse (foam) but blends out to a liquid.  Blends like a dream, doesn't cling to dry patches, and applies so smoothly.  It does have very small flecks of shimmer in it, but nothing extremely obnoxious or extremely obvious.  It gives a nice, luminous glow to the skin & that's why I love it.  Love that it gives a natural look, and doesn't scream "I'm wearing tons of foundation!".  It just looks like natural skin, only better & more enhanced.

2. NARS Casino Bronzer or Tarte Park Ave Princess Amazonian Clay (mineral) Bronzer 
(on cheeks & down nose for contour)- 
I don't always use this.  Sometimes, I just use a shimmery blush & skip the bronzer.  But when I want a more defined cheek or want to warm my face up with a sunkissed glow, I love to use either of these 2 bronzers.  (Casino is darker and more brown bases, where as  Park Ave Princess is more golden toned.)  They both have shimmer, but not overpowering.  Personally, I prefer to bronzers with shimmer.  When I use matte bronzers, they tend to look very flat & muddy.  I love the dimension and glow that the shimmer gives. 

3.Shimmery (not glittery) Blush- MAC Daft Pink (discontinued L.E), Hard Candy Living Doll
My favorite at the time is MAC's Daft Pink, which is a perfect swirl of bronzy gold & pink. This has the perfect amount of shimmer for a natural baby doll pink glow.  Not too overpowering.  This is great for an everyday look for work or school.  Hard Candy's Living Doll is great for this look as well (& super affordable).  Living Doll is a gorgeous pink (more vibrant than Daft Pink) with just the perfect amount of shimmer for a beautiful angel-like glow.  

I really like to use shimmery blushes because they work as a blush & highlighter in one.

*I usually finish off my everyday look with a neutral or pink lipgloss or lipstick (I like to use Revlon Lip Butter in Cotton Candy or NYC's Lippin Large gloss in pink champagne.) & a neutral or light colored eyeshadow (usually no liner for daytime look).  (really like Urban Decay's Aquarius & shades from Mark's On The Dot Neutral Palette)

*NEW* Covergirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm & Covergirl & Olay Concealer Balm

I picked up the Jumbo Gloss Balm in Coral Twist.  After debating for the longest between the coral shade and the hot pink (which I will be going back for).  I like to stick to pink lip colors for everyday use, but the color was a fun change.  The pigmentation is really nice and these are quite glossy.  They remind me of the Revlon Lip Butters (which I love!) but in a crayon form.  They also have more pigmentation than the Lip Butters.  I find that when the glossiness wears off, it leaves a nice stain on your lips.  I would like to try more colors.

I also picked up the new Covergirl & Olay Concealer Balm in shade medium.  I was looking for a new concealer.  I have been using the Neutrogena Skin Clearing Concealer for years, which I love for under the eyes as well as blemishes/redness.  However, that one is quite pricey.  I'd also been eyeing up the new L'Oreal crayon style concealer, but that one was pricey as well.  I chose this one because I absolutely love the Covergirl & Olay Tone Rehab foundation, and this was advertised to work well with that.  This covers well real and blends like a dream.  It doesnt cling to dry areas or wear off throughout the day.  I love how it's in a cute little compact tube that reminds me of a lip stick/balm.  I recommend trying this out!