Top 5 Summer Foundations

With the hotter months in full swing I am loving a lighter foundation for my face. Now for me a lighter foundation could mean I mix my full coverage foundation in with some moisturizer for a more sheer coverage or it could mean I just slap on  BB cream and call it a day.

Here is a list of sheer coverage to full coverage foundations for your face. This list will be helpful for anyone with dry to oily skin. These are in no order, it is just simply the way I organized them.

Neutrogena Visibly Even BB Cream
Price: $11.20
I am currently wearing this BB cream in the shade fair to light (I haven't had much time for the sun recently) and I am loving how it it making my skin look radiant today. I would recommend this BB cream for anyone who is looking to go out in the sun, to the beach, or out on the boat. If you are looking to have an even complexion, brighter skin, and sun protection (SPF 30) I would recommend this for you! I have dry skin and this gives me sheer to light coverage with a brighter glow.
Recommended skin type: Dry or oily

Garnier BB Cream
Price:$9.19
What they say about this product is it combines oil-absorbing mineral perlite (volcanic glass that has a high water content to hydrate), a natural tint, and a touch of hydration. It controls shine, minimizes pores, hydrates, and protects skin (SPF 15). I would wear this BB cream when I had more of a tan since I found the color to be darker than my face normally was. It feels extremely hydrating on the skin which obviously I love! Pore minimizing is a bit of a stretch I would say, I didn't see any results with that. It is a light coverage and again I would use this only out in the sun because I like a tad more coverage for work and running errands. But like the Neutrogena I would recommend this to either skin type for sun protection!
Recommended skin type: Dry or oily

It Cosmetics CC Cream
Price: $39.00
Worth every penny! This CC cream is everything and more to me. I wear this all the time, even when I work a 12 hour shift. It is a CC cream which is color correcting, full coverage, anti-aging hydrating serum, and SPF 50! Their motto for this cream is your skin but better and I 100% back them up on that. It gives so much hydration and sun protection I love it! Did I mention I love it? ;) It is a fuller coverage cream so most people would not feel comfortable wearing to the beach or in full sunlight but for hot days that you will be inside and outside and you want full coverage and SPF this is the stuff!
Recommended skin type: Dry or oily

Loreal True Match Lumi
Price: $9.22
This has always been one of my favorites for its dewiness. It is about a light to medium coverage and it could be buildable. It has an SPF of 20 and a pretty bad flash back so I would recommend this during the day or at night if you are not taking pictures. I find I have to go a couple shades darker to not look washed out in this formula. With all that being said don't get me wrong I do very much like it, just for a short amount of time because it is not long wearing either. Your skin will look luminous and healthy when you put in on though!
Recommended skin type: Dry

Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation
Price: $48.00
This is a oil-free foundation that delivers a full coverage effect with just one drop. It has a last power of 16 hours! The formulation is highly pigmented which allows you to use just one or two drops and covers your whole face. I find this foundation does last a long time ( I would say more like 10 hours) but it does cling to my dry patches :( So for you more oily girls you would love this stuff for summer! It feels like you are wearing nothing but have flawless skin. It is a bit more pricey but for amount you have to use to cover your face this will last you about twice as long as a normal foundation would and who doesn't love NARS packaging. Hello, it's gorgeous!
Recommended skin type: Oily or combination

I'm going to throw a 6th BB cream that I love... Nars Pure Radiant Moisturizer!!! I have used this numerous times in a sample and I have put it in my Sephora shopping cart more times that I can count. With the hefty price tag of $42.00 I haven't gotten myself to buy it yet but it is amazing stuff! It has a more medium coverage but with the same hydration and SPF as the top two BB creams. It will definitely be in my future purchases I just am trying to use up what I have right now before buying more (wish me luck).

I hope you enjoyed and tell me in the comments what your go to summer foundation or BB or CC cream is!

Hugs,

Tara

How to start a makeup blog

I have taken days and nights and weeks researching this very same blog post.

How would I start a makeup blog? How could I ever make it interesting enough for others to want to read?

The answer is so simple! Make it true to you. What I mean is be honest and real. Write like you talk and make it seem like you're telling your best friend your best secrets.

Blogger makes it simple to start it has great layouts already made for you with a simple tab that has the scary word of "post". I am no expert at blog posts but I write what I know and I stay true to that.

Check out Etsy! They have layouts ranging from $20-$100's but the great thing about them is they can even install them for you if needed :)

Here is a couple of my favorite Etsy layouts:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/182855503/blog-design-blogger-template-beauty

https://www.etsy.com/listing/206747180/blogger-template-blog-template-blog

Enjoy :)

FEBRUARY MAKEUP BUDGET

I know that I am a couple weeks behind on posting and I hope you guys don't mind but I still wanted to put it up. I splurged on some more expensive drug store facial moisturizers so my makeup was more on the cheaper side. As you can tell I was really into buying from the drugstore this month :) 

Here is a run down of all the products I picked up during the month of February.

e.l.f Studio contour blush and bronzer- $3.00

e.l.f Studio blush- $3.00

e.l.f Studio eyebrow kit- $3.00

Sonia Kashuk cream bronzer- $10.99

Revlon Age Define foundation- $11.99

Cover Girl Ink It eye kohl- $5.99

Milani Lip Gloss- $5.49

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss- $7.99

Cover Girl Nail Polish- $5.99

Loreal True Match concealer- $7.99

Loreal Revitalift- $19.99

Loreal Age Perfect moisturizer- $17.99

Oscar Blandi- $6.00

Loreal Coupon (used two $3.00 off) -$6.00

Coupon $5.00 off $30 purchase
_________________________________
Total: $104.80 (tax included)

All together this month I spent $104.80 which went a little over but I had a couple dollars from the month before and I can just dip into next month for the extra 2 dollars ;)

I'll give you a peak of what I got for my birthday as well...

I was going to do a whole blog post about this as well, but I am running out of time so I will just post the picture :) Enjoy!

What items do you think I should purchase the month of March?

Hugs,

Tara

Sorry the pictures went missing for this post. Fail.

February Beauty Favorites

So today I wanted to share my February favorites! This is my favorite thing to watch on You tube and read about on blogs so I am going to try and make it a point to post this every month :)

Naked 3 Palette $52: At first I was very skeptical about this product because the hype was so high and I was unsure how much I really enjoyed it. There is a bit of fall out on some of the shadows but the color payoff and staying power is worth it! I'm slowly becoming a huge fan, for some reason its just taking me a while.

Nars Translucent Powder $35: I accidentally bought the loose version of this and wanted to buy the compacted version but I am so glad I got this one. It is the perfect setting powder for your concealer. It makes your skin feel velvety smooth.

Estee Lauder Double Wear $37: This foundation is very full coverage and matte. I only like to wear this foundation with the Loreal Magic Lumi because it makes my skin have a luminous feel mixed with full coverage foundation. If you follow me on Instagram you will know how much I am in love with this product!

Mac Prep and Prime $25: This orange primer I use under my eyes before I put on concealer to conceal my dark undereyes. I have always had dark blue under eye circles and the orange in this product counteracts the blue. It also keeps my concealer on all day long.

Lorac Front of the line Pro liner $25: I received this as the free gift with the Lorac palette and it makes winged eyeliner so simple. I have had this liner for months now and the felt tip has yet to become even the least bit dry.

Loreal Butterfly mascara $9: I have mentioned this in my drugstore mascara review but I had to include it in my monthly favorites. This is my new go to mascara for work. It makes my lashes so long and full, seriously go out and buy it! The wand is not like most and a little scary at first but its easy to get used to.

Mario Badescu facial spray $7: Heaven! This facial spray is made to even out the tones on your skin and I do think it calms down on redness. I use this nightly after I wash my face. I am in love with the rose smell and the way it makes my skin look.

That's all for this month. Hope you guys enjoy!

Hugs,

Tara

What is your favorite facial cleanser?

WOW WEDNESDAY | BUXOM LIP CREAM

I'm finally back with a Wow Wednesday!! I have been overwhelming busy the month of February with work, packing, trying to find a house, our honeymoon and just life in general so please understand the lack of posts. 

On this beautiful Wednesday I decided I would look back in my archive pictures (with moving I was in no mood to find the camera and charger and take new pictures) and see what product I wanted to use for my "wow-ness." Buxom was a product I knew nothing about until the lovely Jaclyn Hill talked about it in one of her videos. 

I decided to pick up the color "White Russian" which at first I thought would be a more mauve color than it really is. It gives any lip color you put on the perfect amount of sheen and makes your lips look plump and gorgeous! I have contemplated many times running out and buying every color in the line but with my beauty budget I need to think more realistic. I have owned this lip cream for about 4 months now and I truly love this product and one day I will own more :)

Hope you guys enjoy this short and to the point Wow Wednesday, I promise once we move I will be back on track with regular weekly updates.

Leave me a comment below on what you would like to maybe see a review on or any ideas you would like me to write about. I love writing for your enjoyment :)

Hugs,

Tara

DRUGSTORE MASCARA REVIEW: L'OREAL

After much anticipation here is my second drugstore mascara review on the lovely L'oreal. I have tried a ton of drugstore mascara and I can easily say that L'oreal is my all time favorite! A great mascara to me will lengthen, volumize, and curl your lashes without flaking or requiring paint thinner to remove. Let me tell you about my lashes so you can get a better understanding of my reviews: I have long, curled, very light (almost blonde on the tips) lashes. If I don't wear mascara you can barely see my lashes and when I wear mascara people think I have false lashes on.

 L'oreal Lash Out Butterfly:
I really really like this mascara. This mascara (for me) does exactly what it says. It gave my lashes that "butterfly" effect. It gave me great length and made my lashes go up and out like a butterfly. Every time I wear this mascara I feel it makes my eyes look elongated. This also did not flake on me and I can easily wear it all day to work.

L'oreal Power Volume Black Smoke 24 Hour:
This is my holy grail mascara. I used this mascara every day for months. When I first purchased it the formula was too wet for my liking and didn't dry fast enough. I kept the lid slightly unscrewed for a day and the formula dried up just a tad and became the perfect mascara for me! This is the brush that I always look for to make my eyes look voluminous. It made my lashes look extremely long and full. It lasts all day yet it was still easy to get off at the end of the night. I also didn't have to worry about it smudging onto my upper lid throughout the day.

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black:

This was the blackest mascara I have ever used. In the picture is the waterproof one (which I don't recommend because it smudges easily) but the original one is top on my lists of loves. In one application this mascara will give you volume and length. You can easily build this up without looking too cakey.

L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess: ($6.11)
This mascara is the only one I would not repurchase. The wand is very flimsy and large. I did like the short bristles but that was all I liked about this one. If I put more than one coat on it made my lashes look clumpy and stick together. Whenever I would try and brush them out it would still clump. I had to read reviews on this one to see if I was applying it wrong and reviews are all over the place! This mascara might work for you, remember this is just my opinion!

What drugstore mascara is your favorite?

I hope you guys enjoy this review :)

Hugs,

Tara

HOW TO QUICKLY CLEAN YOUR MAKEUP BRUSHES

So you know how to pick out the perfect brush for contouring or foundation but do you know how to properly clean that brush? Before I got intensely involved into the beauty world I was unsure of how often we needed to clean our brushes. I was sure if I cleaned my brushes every couple of months I was doing pretty good. Boy was I wrong! Washing your makeup brushes should be a part of your regular beauty routine. When you use your brushes, bits of makeup, oil, dirt, and bacteria can get trapped in the bristles. So while it might seem time consuming it will save your skin from clogged pores and breakouts! Makeup brushes are an expensive tool needed to apply makeup, so cleaning them daily can help save your investment :)

I have found a quick and simple way to clean your makeup brushes at home. For my everyday routine I picked up the Sephora daily brush cleaner (any daily cleaner will work). I just quickly spritz it on the ends of my brushes and wipe off on a baby wipe. This is an important step if you are working with dark colors a lot and don't want color's to transfer. Once a week it's time for a deep clean (your brushes will need time to dry, so after you apply your makeup you can do your deep clean in minutes).

Here's my tips on how to clean your brushes

What you need:
1. A shallow bowl
2. Baby shampoo or antibacterial soap
3. Olive Oil ( I used Argon Oil because I had no olive oil)
4. Your sink
5. Lint free towel

What's next:

1. Begin by running your brushes DOWNWARD under the water. Focus on the bristles and not the part of the brush that connects the bristles to the handle. If you get that area wet too much the glue will loosen over time and bristles will fall out.

2. Fill a shallow bowl with your soap and a little bit of oil. Swirl your brush around in the soap to coat the bristles.

3. Gentle rub the bristles in your hand to make a lather.

4. Run under water and repeat if bristles do not come out clean (the water should run clear).

(For my foundation brush I wait to clean that last and just swirl it in the bowl and rinse, and repeat 2-3 times until the bristles are white again)

5. Place brushes on a towel to let dry (I roll the upper part of the towel so my brushes are facing downward)

And there you go, your brushes should be clean as a whistle. I washed my brushes today and it took me 5 minutes! Hopefully this helps you guys out with cleaning yours!

What is your favorite brand of brush?

Hugs,

Tara