Fresh picks for cheeks and lips!

L-R- Hard Candy Fox in a Box blush duo, Cargo Beach Blush, Essence XXXL Shine lipgloss, NYX Blush, Revlon Colorburst lipgloss and CoverGirl Lip Perfection lipstick.

I don't know what it is about blush and lip gloss lately!  I'm always finding myself picking up a new blush and gloss when I don't need one.  I LOVE blush...I'm always looking for that perfect shade that highlights my cheekbones and gives my face good color.  Gloss is the same way.  I want a gloss that makes my thin lips fuller and comes in a shade that goes with everything!  That's not too tall of an order, right?!

Covergirl Lip Perfection lipstick in Feline (see swatch below)

This past weekend I picked up a few blushes, some tubes of gloss and a new lipstick.  I was standing in Target and met a nice woman who was in search of a new foundation brush.  I recommended a great Sonia Kashuk one (flat blusher brush) and she recommended to me a new CoverGirl lipstick which I had to pick up of course!  Makeup lovers unite!  Because of her suggestion, I picked up CoverGirl's Lip Perfection lipstick in Feline for around $6.  It states it helps smooth and improve the overall appearance of lips.  Anything for better lips I say!  I really like this lipstick.  It does go on smooth and the color payoff is great.  It seems to last longer than my other drugstore lipsticks too.  I received many compliments over the weekend while wearing this shade and I will probably pick up a few more.

Cargo's Beach Blush in Miami

I also stopped by Ulta and got a few items.  I've heard a lot about Cargo blushes and I almost picked up a set from Cargo that included an AWESOME blush but I backed down at the last minute.  I picked up Cargo's Beach Blush in Miami instead.  It is like a blush and bronzer in one.  It goes on incredibly smooth, is not too bright but it gives my cheeks a soft glow.  It does have some shimmer, however it is not too chunky nor glittery.  I really am excited about this product and I hope to pick up some more Cargo bronzers and blushes in the future.  You can find it at Ulta for $28. 

NYX blush in Terra Cotta

I also couldn't resist picking up another blush by NYX.  I chose Terra Cotta which is a warm, bronze-toned blush which will make a great contour shade that will be perfect for summer.  This shade is more shimmery than the Cargo blush and is more bronze.  I find that NYX blushes give a lot of bang for your buck and go on smooth.  You can find this blush at Ulta for $6.

Hard Candy's Fox in a Box Bronzing Duo in Skinny Dipping

Hard Candy is always a great brand to get a lot of color payoff for very little money.  You can find Hard Candy at your local Walmart.  In the past I've recommended their Sheer Envy primer (see review here) and now I want to recommend their Fox in a Box bronzing duo in Skinny Dipping.  This duo contains a bronzer and cheek color.  You can use each color individually or you can combine them.  I prefer to swirl my brush in both colors to get a gorgeous, warm coral that will be perfect for this summer.  There are more expensive brands that carry wonderful coral cheek colors but if you are looking for good color at a small price, then pick up this choice for $6.  I love the texture and the cute packaging (Benefit anyone?!).

L-R Blush Swatches- Skinny Dipping, Terra Cotta, Miami

Top-Bottom Lipgloss/Lipstick Swatches- Revlon's Rosegold, Essence's Glamour To Go and Covergirl's Feline

I would not have normally picked up another one of Revlon's Colorburst lip glosses since the one I purchased in the past failed to impress me (see review here) however I had a certificate for a free one, so I went ahead and picked up another.  Revlon's Colorburst gloss just isn't for me.  I really don't think it's opaque enough and the color is too streaky.  It's really a shame since they have a nice color selection and good packaging.  I do like Essence's XXXL Shine gloss though.  I find that it is not only super shiny but it goes on smoothly and is super cheap.  You can find it at Ulta for only $1.99!  At that price you cannot find another gloss this great.

Skincare Routine & a quick everyday look!

You could say I am a little obsessed with skin care.  I have always been wary of the aging process.  I don't mind getting older, I just don't want to look older!  Skincare is an essential part of aging because if you don't take care of your skin, it's the first to show your true age.  Sometimes genetics play a role into how old your skin looks, however I don't want to take any chances so I make sure I try my best at keeping my skin clean and protected.

It is important to make sure you wash your face daily and never sleep with make up on.  The best place to start your skincare routine is in the shower, using a great facial cleanser.  I have a drugstore favorites and a high-end favorites for all of the skincare products I use.  My favorite drugstore cleanser is Neutrogena's Fresh Foaming cleanser ($6.99).  It is amazing at taking off makeup and it really leaves my skin super clean.  A high end pick would be Philosophy's Purity cleanser ($20.00).  It is thinner and foams less than Neutrogena's but it does the job just as well. 

After using a cleanser, I love to exfoliate my skin.  Exfoliation scrubs away dead skin cells which help generate new cell growth.  Being extra careful when choosing your exfoliator is essential since many are rough and irritate sensitive skin.  My drugstore picks for great exfoliators are St. Ives Apricot scrub ($3.00) and Biore's Even Smoother Microderm exfoliator ($13.99).  I find that St. Ives cannot be used daily (at least not on my sensitive skin), however it does a great job on my face and body.  Biore's exfoliator is more gentle and can be used daily.  My high end pick would be Philosophy's Microderm Exfoliating wash ($25.00).  It is amazing!  It's gentle enough to use everyday and I promise you will see results just after a few uses.  My skin is always brighter after using ANY exfoliator.

After cleansing and exfoliating you want to tone and moisturize.  Toning helps shrink pores and moisturizers help thirsty skin become hydrated.  Moisturizers also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, frown lines and problem areas around the eyes.  Toners are based on personal skin needs.  Drugstore toners can vary widely.  If you have dry skin, you want to avoid using a toner with alcohol since alcohol can be very drying.  Neutrogena makes an alcohol free toner for $7.99.  Also a lot of women love Seabreeze.  I'll be honest, I haven't used Seabreeze in many years but it's affordable and does the job well-especially if you have oily, acne prone skin.  You can find the original Seabreeze toner for $4.99.  A high end toner that I have found recently is Elemis' Soothing Apricot toner.  Not only does this toner clean and tighten my skin, it smells great and is very gentle.  You can find the Elemis' Apricot toner for $33.00. 

Moisturized skin always keeps a face looking fresh and young.  The older we get, the less oil our skin produces, which helps to age, wrinkle and dry out our face.  Moisture is essential to great skin.  A good moisturizer goes a long way and it can be overwhelming to pick one since the skincare market is saturated with so many choices.  If you have oily skin a good drugstore choice is Olay Complete All Day (Spf 15) moisturizer ($4.00).  A high end choice would be Clinique's Dramatically Different gel ($25.00).  If you have normal to dry skin try Olay Regenerist's UV Defense lotion with spf15 for $20.00.  There is one moisturizer that I love above all others.  I highly recommend Ahava's Smoothing Moisturizer ($34.00).  It is labeled for normal-dry skin but I find that it works wonders on my sensitive, oily t-zone.  It absorbs quickly and has no overwhelming smell!

Of course skincare doesn't stop with these steps.  You also may find that you need area specific products (examples-eye creams or lip scrubs).  I find though that a good cleanser, exfoliator, toner and moisturizer are the basic steps needed for a fresh face.

Below you will find some pictures of me without makeup.  I suffer from dark circles, bags under my eyes and the occasional acne bump which usually shows up on my forehead or chin.

*As you can see above there is occasional blotchiness and dark circles.  Fighting discoloration with exfoliation is good however sometimes it can be because of hormones or genetics.  Dark circles are also more common with people who have brown eyes. 

~Quick Everyday Look~

Since you want to work hard at cleaning your skin, why turn around and layer a lot of makeup on that great skin that will age you?  Using light colors and oil-free products can help reduce acne breakouts and leave you looking younger. 

I start by using a primer on my skin (to help matify my t-zone).  Afterwards I applied Rimmel's Lasting Finish foundation and I set it with NARS loose powder in "Flesh".  After powdering I used Laura Geller's Bronze-n-Brighten bronzer all over my face and neck.  Next I applied NYX's "Peach" blush to my cheeks for a little color.  On my lips I chose L'oreal's Colour Riche lipstick in "Candle Light".  On my eyes I chose to use Wet N Wild's "Walking on Eggshells" palette.  For the eye look, begin by using the lightest shade all over your eye.  Next, take the bottom shade and pat it on your lid.  Lastly, take the darkest shade and focus it on your outside corner of the eye.  This is a great palette to use everyday.

Lastly I finished my look with a quick swipe of Wet N Wild's Coloricon eyeliner in the gray shade (it only costs .69!) and Clinique's High Impact mascara.

Favorites of the Moment!

If any of you are like me, you hate dark circles and dull skin.  I suffer from serious dark circles.  I have deep, almost purple, dark circles under my eyes which only get worse as the week wears on.  Since I am up at the crack of dawn each day (and I rarely get to bed at a decent time each night), I find that my dark circles get darker and by Friday they are downright scary!  I can't tell you the number of concealers I've tried.   

Aside from battling my lovely circles, I find that I really enjoy a good facial scrub.  As we age our skin begins to lose elasticity, moisture and becomes dull.  I always try my hardest to take care of my skin and one way to ensure it is always glowing, is to exfoliate.  Not only do I ALWAYS wash my makeup off before going to bed but I always try to exfoliate a few times each week.  I find that even mild exfoliation keeps skin healthy and glowing.

Philosophy's The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash and Amazing Cosmetics Concealer in "Fair"

After complaining about a lack of a great concealer, my kind husband took it upon himself to find the "ultimate" concealer for me last Christmas.  After a trip to Ulta (and with a little help from a patient saleswoman), "Santa" came home with a small tube of Amazing Cosmetics concealer.  Amazing Cosmetics makes many different types of makeup products but are known for their exceptional concealer.  It only takes a pea-sized portion to cover much of the face.  I usually take a VERY small amount and blend it under my eyes after applying my moisturizer.  After blending the concealer in with a blending brush, I apply my foundation then powder.  Combined with my NARS loose powder, I feel that this concealer is worth every penny.  It goes on smoothly, covers and corrects evenly and is very easy to blend.  The only drawback is the price and shine.  I find that this concealer goes on well but you must set it with a loose powder (especially if you have oily skin) since it tends to look shiny.  In regards to the price, some ladies feel $42.00 for .5oz is high but I haven't found anything I like better.  Cle' de Peau makes a lovely concealer (or so I've heard) for $70 but I'm not ready to pay that much!!

Swatch of Amazing Cosmetics Concealer in "Fair"

As I mentioned earlier, exfoliation is another key to good looking skin.  Not only does it work, it feels good and gives good results.  Like concealer, I've tried lots of different exfoliators.  I've used Avon, St. Ives, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Yves Rocher & H2O, just to name a few.  I find that Philosophy's Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash beats them all. 

First let me say that I really enjoy Philosophy's product line.  Their body lotions, perfumes and shower gels are of the highest quality.  I am in LOVE with "Pure Grace" and just like with that scent, my mother in law introduced me to their skincare line.  Since she is a fan of this wash, she wanted me to try it too.  After a few uses, I could tell a difference in my face.  You simply massage it into your face while damp then rinse.  The wash has micobeads which lightly exfoliate but are gentle enough to use everyday.  Some exfoliators warn to only use once a week and since my skin is very sensitive, I find that even once a week is too much when I use those products.  This wash will not scratch your skin and I even use it on my hands which help my hand cream absorb better and makes them look younger-which is always a plus!  Philosophy's wash is gentle, has never made me break out and really makes my face look and feel clean.  You can find the Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash at Ulta or Sephora for $25.00 for 8fl oz.