Tag Archives: Products

 

So, my skin has just decided that it doesn't want to be on my face anymore. Seriously.. its falling off to the point where I can't even put any makeup on and I've been trying everything in my never ending drawer of products. I don't know if it's the heat in my house or what, but the other day I hit my limit and decided to do what every girl does when she has a problem. Pinterest. (SIDENOTE: My mom and I have a deal that if something ever happens to me she'll take my computer and destroy it. I suggest you do the same because as girls, we google some weird $&!*.. don't act like you don't!)

Anyway, I found an article where Lauren Conrad said she swore by Egyptian Magic for her dry skin and I remebered being in a meeting with the girls at InStyle and every one of them said the exact same thing. So, I figured if Lauren Conrad AND the fabulous girls of my favorite magazine say it works, I need it too. It was a matter of seconds before I was on Amazon clicking express shipment. I can honestly say that the morning after I put it on I woke up to the my normal skin back! Not a speck of dry skin in sight! I wish I could tell you the magic ingredients and the science behind it, but if you haven't been able to tell by now, I don't really care as long as it works and this does. If it's good enough for Lauren Conrad, it's good enough for me.

For so long I'd heard so much about how I had to wear a primer if I wanted my makeup to look good and last all day. Being the sceptic that I am, I just assumed it was yet another useless product that someone was trying to sell me. It wasn't until I tried a sample of one in my GlossyBox that I knew I'd been missing out. So, heres a list of some of my favorites!

Boots No7 Colour Calming Primer- I love this one because it hides any kind of redness, whether it's sunburn or blemishes.

Mally Perfect Prep Poreless Primer- Love this one! Just be sure to use something other than your fingers to scoop it out of the pot so you don't contaminate it.

OC Eight- This one is pretty tough to find, but even on the hottest days of summer my makeup doesn't move at all. I only apply it to my t-zone and then wait about five minutes for it to dry before I put on my makeup.

Benefit Stay Flawless Primer-Just like almost every other Benefit product, this primer works amazingly well! It's super thick, so just be sure to apply your makeup with your fingers or a BeautyBlender sponge instead of a brush.

SmashBox Photo Finish Light- I feel like SmashBox is the Holy Grail of primers and a lot of other people agree because it has won pretty much every award there is to win!

HourGlass Self-Tanning Primer- This is the only one that I haven't tried, but have been hearing really good things about it. I'm a sucker for anything self tanning, so let me know if any of you have tried this one!

What are your favorites? Let me know of any that I need to try!

By now you may have heard of the legendary Mason Pearson hairbrush and wondered, "Who in the WORLD would pay that much for a brush??" Well let me tell you.. it's worth EVERY penny. This is one of the very few items that actually live up to its hype.

If you only have one hair brush this should be it. Seriously. My dad (men love it too!) had one growing up and I'd always sneak in his bathroom and steal it. Needless to say, the day I moved out it "accidentally" ended up in one of my boxes and I've used it everyday since (I finally bought him a replacement last year for Christmas). If the fact that I've had my Mason Pearson brush for 15+ years doesn't tell you something, I don't know what will.

One of the things I love about it most is that it lets me go longer in between washing my hair. It redistributes the oil from your scalp through the shaft of your hair, making your roots less greasy and your ends more moisturized. If you like to blow dry your hair straight, I swear this will cut your work in half!

I know it's crazy expensive, but you'll have it for a lifetime. Ever since Ricki was little she called it the "no-ouch brush" since it's the only one that detangles without her running out of the room in tears. (*Sidenote- is there a kids game I don't know about that involves seeing who can get the most tangles in their hair? My kid has to win, for sure.) With all that said, if you're not ready to make the commitment, try the smaller pocket brush and see how you like it. I guarantee you'll be going back for the full size!

DISCLAIMER:I know you all get upset when I post about expensive products and I hate to say it, but you're really going to hate me today. But seriously, I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't absolutely LOVE it and I try to post less expensive options when I can. So, I'm sorry to you and your bank accounts. Mine already hates me.

I think we can all agree that we hate drying our hair, right? Not only does it take me forever but it's never as pretty as when when they do it at the salon. However, my hair is stick straight and when I let it dry naturally it's a stringy mess. If you can relate to any of this, you need to try Oribe Royal Blowout Heat Spray. They sell it where I get my hair done and because I'm a product junkie I couldn't leave without having a bag of stuff that will sit under my sink until it expires. As you all know, I already fell in love with the Oribe Dry Spray because it's one of the few products that doesn't make my hair greasy and flat. My hairstylist showed me how to apply Royal Blowout and I've been using it religiously ever since. It cuts my hair dryer time in half and I swear my hair has never felt softer when I do it myself. I let my hair air dry as much as I can and then section it out, starting at the bottom. I spray one or two sprays of Royal Blowout per section, making sure I only apply it to the ends. If this makes my straight hair shinier and straighter, I can only imagine what it would do it to curly or wavy hair. It's also great for summer time because it helps tame frizzy flyaways! And I know it's crazy expensive, but you just use the tiniest bit so a bottle lasts you forever!

What's your favorite heat protectant spray?

There's no denying I'm a love all things summer and I'm definitely a warm weather girl, but the heat in Charlotte right now is next level. I'm trying to remind myself of all of those freezing cold mornings that I couldn't feel my fingers but it's becoming more challenging as it keeps getting hotter and hotter.

One of my biggest beauty challenges during the summer is trying to keep my face from being shiny but not layering on a ton of makeup. I could easily keep a powder in my pocketbook and touch up throughout the day, but by the time I look in the mirror my skin looks like a cakey mess. I've tried a lot of different products that I can take on the go and my favorite is the Mally Poreless Face Defender. The best way to describe it is if your powder and primer had a baby. I keep it in my pocketbook and if I'm starting to get shiny I just pat a little on my face with the sponge after I blot with a blotting paper. Any shine is gone without leaving behind the matte, ashy look of powder and it diffuses any fine lines I may have which is always a plus in my book!

Have any of you tried Mally Face Defender yet? What's your secret weapon for looking fresh despite the heat?

I bet you'd never guess that I used to be an extreme nail biter. Until one time I was in Hawaii and decided to get a manicure at the hotel we were staying at. Little did I know it would cost me an arm and a leg, so I vowed to make it last for as long as I could. Which surprisingly ended up with me no longer biting my nails ever since! So I always keep nail polish on my nails because subconsciously I feel like it will keep my from biting them!  Read More  >

Maybe it's the Southerner in me, but blush is my "instant pretty" and I have been known to go a little overboard with it from time to time. I've learned that less is more, especially if you have the right color for your skin tone.  Read More  >

As a girl who carries half of her life in her pocketbook, I can honestly say that I very rarely buy the same product twice unless I truly love it, especially when it comes to an easy, everyday lip color. Either it's too bright, too sticky, too hard to apply.. the list goes on and on. But lip color that I've re-bought more times than I can count is a color that promises to look good on everyone, so why in the world would I keep it to myself?  Read More  >

I don't know about you, but when I put my makeup on in the morning I expect it to last for the majority of the day. I don't think thats too much to ask. However, especially in the summer, I'll look in the mirror halfway through the day and its like I didn't even put any on. I've tried every kind of setting powder, spray, primer there is and haven't been all that impressed. I wish there was a way to Shellac your face like you can your nails. Kind of gross, but also kind of awesome. Could you imagine only having to do your makeup once a week??  Read More  >

Can you believe I never wore concealer until about 2 years ago when the makeup artist for The Bachelor put it on me? I had no idea what I was missing and now it has become an absolute staple in my makeup bag. I have different types that I like for different areas and some that are good for all over. On days that I'm just out running errands, I apply a little concealer under my eyes, some blush on my cheeks, a coat of mascara and I'm good for the whole day with half (ok..a third. Maybe a fourth if I'm being honest) of the makeup I usually wear.  Read More  >