Save Your Pennies: Rimmel Exagerate Undercover Shadow Primer

All you oily lid gals, raise your hand (>>raises hand the highest<<).  Making eyeshadow stay put is a quest for me.  Not just any primer will do.

This primer did not do.

The London Makeup Edit

Being the makeup fiend that I am, packing makeup for a trip is always a bit of a struggle.  I love the time I have in the morning to pick out my makeup and use what feels right that day.  Packing forces me to abandon that process and choose all-purpose, no-fail items.  

For my recent trip to London, I knew I didn't want to fuss much with makeup in the morning (there was too much to be seen out there!) but I still wanted to feel like myself.  And let's be real, I knew I'd be buying makeup out there too so I'd likely have some new items to play around with.   

It's Love: Rimmel ScandalEyes Eyeshadow Paint

In the last few months, I've become a bit of an eyeshadow junkie.  I own far too many palettes than I care to admit and new formulas intrigue me.  But let's be real, I'm still a neutrals-lovin' gal to the core.  I'm not that adventurous.  

So these Rimmel ScandalEyes Eyeshadow Paints caught my eye.  They've got a decent selection of neutral shades and the paint formula with doe-foot applicator is unlike anything I own.  

March Beauty Favorites

Pardon the bit of hiatus in the last week and a half.  I attempted to start a post a few times and I certainly thought about blogging a lot more than that but my brain was like nope.  No thanks.  In fact, my brain is still pretty nope but I'm just gonna power through.  Bear with me.  It will be an adventure for us all.  

Ok, let's get to it.  March beauty faves.  I had a pretty great month for discovering new products and perfecting old routines.  Here we go! 

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm
I've heard about this lip balm so.many.times and always assumed it was super pricey based solely on the fact that it's French.  When I finally got around to investigating it a bit, I realized it's quite affordable for a quality lip balm that will practically last me a lifetime.  The texture is quite different from other balms.  It actually feels a bit dry and even slightly grainy going on but it absorbs instantly, dries matte and leaves my lips baby soft.  It's a morning and evening staple for me.  

Boots Facial Oil
My first go at facial oils! Being naturally oily, it always felt wrong to think of putting oil on my skin.  But I had been reading and hearing so many good things about facial oils lately, that I decided it might be worth trying.  I wasn't willing to commit to a pricey oil yet so I found this Boots version from Ulta online for $9, right in my budget!  It's so gentle and moisturizing without leaving me greasy at all.  In fact, it may be reducing my oil production during the day since I'm properly hydrated.  I'm a convert.  

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation in Light Ivory
After hearing a lot of great reviews for this foundation, I bought it back in February but couldn't quite figure out the best application.  I assumed it just didn't suit my skin and almost gave up! I gave it one last go (with the help of the next fave below) and now I get it.  A little goes a long way and blend blend blend to a beautiful matte finish.  

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
I've always wanted to try the Beauty Blender but I just can't drop $20 on a sponge.  Mama's gotta eat, afterall.  So when Real Techniques came out with a sponge for about $6, I scooped it up asap.  I don't strictly use the sponge for my foundation but I do use it as a final step to fully blend my foundation and concealer.  I dampen the sponge, squeeze it out, and bump it along my face to fully blend my base.  

The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 02
This deserves another quick mention (in addition to last month) since I'm loving it so much.  We're baarreelly hitting spring here in Chicago and that means I'm pasty as ever.  This subtle bronzer warms up my skin without making me look like I've taken up fake-n-bake tanning.

Milani Illuminating Face Powder
I bought this entirely on a whim and almost exclusively because I liked the pretty rose pattern.  I think it's marketed as a highlighter for darker skin but it makes the most beautiful blush on my pale skin.  It's warm and bronzey with a slight dewy sheen.  It's been on my cheeks practically all month.  

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Nothing too exciting here guys.  My trusty Naked palette.  My go-to shade is Naked, it's been my transition shade allllllll month long.  I always add in a little Buck for extra depth too.  

Lorac Pro Palette

Keeping it real boring on the eyes this month with some ol' favorites.  The Lorac Pro Palette is the ultimate palette, in my humble opinion.  It's just got everything I need and I've really been reaching for Champagne and Nude all March long. 

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess
Why did I ever stop using this mascara?  What led me astray?  I don't know but I won't let it happen again.  This stuff is the absolute best for volume, length, pigment, and staying power.  

Benefit Gimme Brow
This stuff.  My brow routine has been taken to a whole new level, y'all.  (< Most boring sentence ever?).  I always used an inexpensive clear mascara to set my brows but Gimme Brow just spoke to me.  It's the best setting gel, pigmented and precise, that keeps my brows in place all day long.  Nary a hair out of place.  It's the little things.  

Milani Brilliant Shine in Bare Secret
I'm having a bit of a Milani love affair at the moment.  This gloss is super affordable, well pigmented and not too sticky.  It's the best pinky-brown shade for days when I have no clue what to wear on my lips.  Which is often.  

Buxom Lip Gloss in Sophia
This was a freebie from Sephora and I was soooooo pleased to see it.  Every time I go to Sephora I convince myself not to spend the money on them but they really are awesome.  Be warned, these lip glosses are super tingly (which I love) but they're beautifully pigmented, super long lasting, and not super sticky.  

So what have you been loving in March?

Attack of the Plums!

Plums!  Plums everywhere!  I'm ready to whole-heartedly embrace some plum colors for fall since I think they tend to flatter me best.  Corals and pinks are fun and all but fall and winter shades are really my jam.  Here are a few of my faves:

1.  Rimmel Show Off Lip Laquer in Galaxy
Have you heard of the phrase "your lips but better"?  It's that perfect shade of lip color that's just a smidge better than your own lips and looks perfect.  Well this isn't quite that.  It's certainly darker then my natural lips but it's still a perfect slliightly purple tone.  

2.  Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine
Despite the (in my opinion) somewhat silly name, the formula of these Dream Bouncy blushes is just great.  I'm a ride or die cream blush girl and this line has some gorgeous shades.  Plum Wine in particular is a wonderful rich plum that I love pairing with a simple cat eye and a light plum or natural lip.  

3.  Maybelline Great Lash in Vision in Violet  
Oooo what fun!  Colored mascara!  Now I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of the formulation of Great Lash mascaras.  I think they don't provide much volume and can sometimes be wet.  However, when it comes to fun shades like this, I like to layer it on top of my usual mascara for an extra pop of color.  For around $5, it's an easy way to make an eye look a bit more fun. 

4.  Revlon Lip Butter in Sugar Plum
This shade reminds me a lot of the Rimmel Show Off shade but slightly less glossy.  It's certainly not matte and it has a lovely sheen.  Just like the Show Off, I reach for this a lot when I'm going for a mostly neutral look but I'm still looking for a slightly darker lip.  

5.  Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten
While it may read a bit red in the picture, this is actually a super pretty plum-y fuchsia and it really packs a punch.  I've found the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains to have a very long lasting formula that can occasionally be drying.  Just be sure to moisturize well before applying and you'll be set.  

6.  Maybelline Baby Lips in Grape Vine
I LOVE this stuff.  I think I've gone through two tubes already and I'm on my way to a third.  Not only are these wonderfully moisturizing, they actually have decent pigmentation.  This provides a great wash of plum to the lips and it's my go-to product for weekends.  Crazy easy.  

7.  Milani Lipstick in Sangria
I feel like Milani lipstick is really an undiscovered gem for most people.  I can't really speak to the rest of the Milani line but I'm crazy about their lipsticks.  The pigmentation is wonderful, they're not drying, and they have decent long-lasting wear.  This shade may look a little intimidating in the tube but it's a very wearable deep plum and it's pretty much THE perfect shade for fall and winter.  

What are your favorite plums this season? 

June Beauty Favorites

 

 My very first "favorites" post!  Considering I spend approximately 70% of my life either reading baking blogs, beauty blogs, or watching You Tube makeup tutorials, I thought it was time I tried my hand at a monthly makeup favorites post.  Goodness knows I own enough products to gab your ear off for the next week.

Ok, first up, hair.

Hair Donut

Boy oh boy do I love this spongey donut thing.  If you're unfamiliar, it's used as a supplement (?) to a "sock bun" which is all the rage on the web.....and in real life.  Basically, I make a ponytail on the crown of the head, put this donut at the base of it and then start swirling my hair into/around it to make either a messy bun or a sleeker bun.  Or sometimes messy when I'm trying to be sleek.  It happens.

This is the quickest and easiest way to make a hairstyle with impact and it's SO PERFECT for dirty hair.  I'm admitting on the internet that I do not wash my hair every day (and sometimes not even every other day) and let's just say I know a thing or two about dirty hair.  Sock bun is the way to go on dirty hair days.

I bought mine at Claire's Boutique (because I'm 12?) for about $6.50 but I've seen them at Ulta, Target, Sally's and a bunch of other places.  Get at it.

Batiste Hint of Color Deep and Dark Brown

Umm, speaking of dirty hair......  You gotta have dry shampoo in your arsenal.  Aside from its obvious use of soaking up oil, it's actually great to use for volume too!  I recently discovered that I was using dry shampoo wrong because I didn't read the directions (obvi).  The trick is, you need to let is sit in your hair for about 5-10 mins so the powder can soak up the oil.  Then brush it out.  It all makes sense now.  

This particular variety says it has a slight brown tint and I would agree that slight is a good description.  I have relatively dark hair so I still get quite a bit of white-cast powder residue but it's really easy to brush through.    

NYX HD Photo Concealer in Fair

Before this concealer, I was choosing my concealers all wrong.  I kept buying that cheap-y stuff (because I'm cheap) that comes in a stick and looks like a lipstick tube.  No no no no no.  Silly Annie.  

This liquid concealer is light and slightly creamy.  I use it to cover up blemishes and for under-eye darkness.  And trust me, I got under-eye circles like whoa.  It's easy to blend and holds up all day.  Luurrv it.  

Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze 

This is just one of my many Color Tattoos and in the pot, it doesn't look particularly impressive (in fact it's not quite so dark in person) but it's a gorgeous warm bronze shade that is totally perfect if I don't have time for much eye makeup.  Just a swipe of this with some mascara and I'm ready to go.  It's also a great base if you're going for a bronze-y smokey eye (and it pairs well with the Urban Decay Naked Palette).  Plus, it takes so little product to make an impact that I'm pretty sure this will last me until 2027.  

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in #109

This lipstick is sooooooo not me.   But it is!  I'm conflicted!  The picture really doesn't do it justice because it's more orange and coral in person.  

I have worn some truly awful orange-toned lipsticks in my time so I just assumed they're not for me.  But I was looking through some Rimmel lipsticks at the store and something about this one really caught my eye.  It's somehow subtle but bold.  I'd say it mostly reads red but with a definite orange tone.  I'll admit, this does dry my lips out considerably after a day's wear but for the price, I can handle applying some chapstick now and then.  

Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Ticket to Brazil.  

Man I have had a tough time finding a bronzer I actually like.  Part of the problem is that I'm so cheap so I'm determined to find a drugstore bronzer for cheap and I started to think maybe inexpensive bronzers just aren't great quality.  Until this one!  It's crazy pigmented and it takes a little blending to ensure it looks natural but the tone suits my skin color so well.  I wear it every day now to add just a touch of color to my skin.    

I probably could have gabbed about a million other products for hours (how did I not mention a nail polish?!) but I thought I'd keep it (sort of) brief.  What have been your favorites this month?