nars

Monthly Favorites- November 2015

Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve done a favorites post. I’ve come across a handful of holy grail products so I figured I’d show you.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

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This product has been one of my favorites for a few years now. I stopped using it because I had been using the Urban Decay concealer. I made the switch to NARS again because my under eyes have been really dry. The NARS just works better with my dry skin. I like this concealer because it’s light enough to wear everyday, yet it also builds nicely for more coverage.

Erborian BB Creme

ErborianI always love to search for new products and read reviews online. I came across this product during the VIB sale at Sephora. It was sold out online, but I when I went to the store they actually had it in stock. A Sephora employee raved about it so I went ahead and made the purchase. This has been a part of my everyday routine ever since I bought it. It’s seriously AMAZING. It makes my skin super soft and flawless. I always get tons of compliments on my skin when I wear this. I’d definitely recommend getting a sample and trying it out.

MUFE 134 Large Powder Fan Brush

mufeI mentioned this product in my last post, my flawless foundation routine. This brush is ideal for contouring/bronzing. Not only are you able to create the perfect line, but it you can also blend it out beautifully.

Diorshow Brow Styler Pencil

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I had been using this in the universal shade but last month I purchased the universal shade dark brown. I prefer the dark brown a lot more, especially for the winter time. This is my favorite brow pencil!

Glamglow Flashmud Brightening Treatment 

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I like this mask because it’s a lot more gentle on my face than the other Glamglow masks. My face always  feels super soft when use it. It also does a great job at removing the dry flakey skin around my nose.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lips

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I wanted to give these guys a quick little shout out, mainly the color More Better. It’s a beautiful deep berry. I wore this in my last post. So far I am loving these liquid lipsticks. I’ve also tried the color Beeper.

Flawless Foundation Routine

Hello beauties! I’ve been asked a few times what products I use to achieve a flawless face. In this post I’m going to show you all of the products I use including the most important tools.

Step 1: Moisturize and Prime

I’ve been using the Belief True Cream Moisturizing Bomb (rewards), Origins Ginzing Eye Cream, and the YSL Blur Primer (deluxe sample). I apply the primer in the center of my face and around my mouth.

Step 2: Apply Foundation and Concealer

IMG_2426I am currently using the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation and the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. My foundation is in the shade Natural Beige and my concealer is in the shade Custard. The concealer is about one shade lighter than my skin tone. I normally use the UD Naked Concealer, but my under eyes are a little to dry for that one right now. I also love using the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer.

The most important tool to use when blending in foundation and concealer is the Beauty Blender. The only thing I dislike about using it is how long it takes takes to blend. Feels like foreeevvveerrrr. But it works and it’s the only tool that blends everything flawlessly.  I first apply my foundation and then my concealer. If I really want to highlight under my eye then I apply the concealer in a triangle formation. I also apply it on my chin, cupid’s bow, tip of the nose, and the center of the forehead. I blend my concealer with the beauty blender as well.

Step 3: Set Foundation and Concealer

IMG_2423The KEY to a flawless face is setting it with powder. My favorite powder to set my concealer is the yellow shade (Lucid) in the Kat Von D Shade and Light Palette. This really highlights the under eye and makes it look flawless. To do this, I use the Real Techniques Sculpting Brush. I gently press it on the same areas I applied concealer. I NEVER blend in, just press onto the skin.

To set the rest of my face I use the NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder. You can use any kind of brush for this. I normally use a larger powder brush. I feel like the NARS powder is underrated. People rave about the Laura Mercier one, but I hardly ever see anyone mention this one. I’ve never tried LM (it’s on my list), I’m sure it’s great, but this one gets the job done too. This product also works great for the ‘baking’ technique.

Step 4: Bronze, Blush, and Highlight

mufeNow the fun begins… First, I apply bronzer, the middle shade in the same Kat Von D palette. I hardly ever take the time to really sculpt my face. I’ve seen many people ask how to contour and what tool to use. I don’t think contouring is necessary more than half the time, just add a little bronzer and your good to go. I do believe the right brush is needed. I prefer to use a flat type of brush. I’ve been using the MUFE Large Powder Fan Brush.  This brush is amazing and makes bronzing/contouring so easy! It allows you to create the perfect line. I also run the brush across my nose, top of forehead, and around jawline. You could also use this brush to apply blush and highlight. It’s a huge brush so it takes a while to get used to holding it. But once you do, you’ll love it!

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After applying bronzer, highlight, & blush

Finally, I apply blush and highlight. Those two vary from time to time. Lately I have been using a Tom Ford blush/highlight duo that came out last year in their holiday collection.

Step 5: Setting Spray

I don’t really like my face to look too powdery so I always apply a setting spray. My go-to’s are MAC Fix Plus and Urban Decay All Nighter Spray. If I want my makeup to last all day and night then I use the Urban Decay.

I also wanted to mention that if I am wearing a lot of eyeshadow, like a smokey eye, then I do that first. I normally apply the foundation, then the eyeshadow, and then the concealer. This way you can easily clean up any fallout or mistakes. You can really use that concealer to clean up the eyeshadow.

So there you have it. Those are all of the steps I do to achieve a flawless look. I usually do this about once a week. I prefer a lot less steps and makeup on a day to day basis.

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*Eyebrows: Diorshow Brow Styler, Eyeshadow: KVD Shade + Light Eye, Liner: KVD Tattoo Liner, Lips: Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in More Better.

Thanks so much for reading. I hope this was helpful. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions!

XO, Diana

 

 

Favorite Lipsticks for Fall 2015


I recently posted my favorite affordable lipsticks for Fall/Winter. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, you can check it out here. Of course I had to give you guys some higher end options. This was honestly very tough for me. I didn’t realize how many dark vampy colors I had, but I think the lipsticks I chose are great/different options. I apologize in advance for the lighting. These Seattle clouds do not give any natural lighting.

IMG_1710Dose of Colors Truffle ($18)- I’ve already mentioned this lipstick on my blog a couple of times. It’s a great nude with a mauve-y tint. My favorite part about this lipstick is not needing a lip liner.  You can check out my shade of the day post here.

IMG_1728Too Faced Melted Berry ($21)- This lipstick is a very pigmented berry fuchsia color. A little goes a long way with this lipstick. It does have somewhat of a glossy finish so I like to apply translucent powder over it. I purchased mine in a holiday set last year. Check out this year’s set at Sephora. You get four mini lipsticks (including berry) for $25.  I honestly think Melted Berry is worth purchasing alone.

IMG_1718NARS Audacious Lipstick in Audrey ($32)- I LOVE this lipstick. It’s so different and it’s not a color people tend to go with. Which is why I love it so much. It’s described as a red currant. It’s basically a muted red with a little bit of brown. I really like the Audacious line because every color is extremely pigmented.

IMG_1735YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats Lipstick in 206 ($36)- I’m not that big of a fan of brown lipsticks but this one is doable. It’s a very pretty matte red brown. It’s very creamy and not drying at all. The formula is very similar to the NAR Audacious. It also has that wonderful YSL smell to it.

IMG_1749Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Noseferatu ($20)- I think everyone needs a medium-dark red lipstick and this is it! I have been loving this lipstick with the NARS Velvet Lip Liner in Lanikai.

IMG_1744NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Train Bleu ($26)- is a deep deep purple. Very similar to NYX Transylvania but this one is 10 times better. It’s a lot easier to apply and more pigmented. I also love the shade Damned. It’s more of a berry red.

I did not use a lip liner or primer for any of these. I wanted you guys to see the true color. I can’t believe I was able to narrow my choices down to 6. I know there are tons of options out there, so I hope these are different to what you have seen so far. For the lipsticks I didn’t include, I will be posting in future shade’s of the day.

Thanks for stopping by!

XO, Diana

My Bronzer Collection

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Summer can only mean one thing…  Bronzed dewy skin. I am a sucker for bronzers (and highlights) in the summer time! I’ve had several people ask for a bronzer recommendation. Bronzers can be very pricey but I personally think it’s a product worth investing in. I was only going to mention my favorite bronzers but I figured it would be a good idea to show you my full collection and tell you all about them.

Radiant Bronze Light

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I’ll start off with my current favorite, Hourglass Ambient Bronzer in Radiant Bronze Light ($50). This is the ultimate bronzer for summer. It gives such a beautiful glow. It’s the perfect balance of orange and brown. It has tiny tiny shimmers when you look closely. I am wearing it in the picture to the right. I also love this bronzer because a little goes a long way. It is very finely milled yet very pigmented.

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Tarte Park Avenue Princess ($30) is another one of my favorites. It gives a beautiful natural glow. This one is a little more pigmented than the Hourglass. And it is has more of a golden glow as opposed to micro shimmers. It’s a little more brown as well. I’ve gone through two travel sizes. I should have just bought the full size a long time ago!

too faced chocolate

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil ($30) is my favorite matte bronzer. It has a warm brown tone. I like it because I can use it to bronze my face or even contour. I prefer to contour with cooler tones but this guy gets the job done too. I own a couple travel sizes of this as well.

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Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzer ($48) is the only cream bronzer product I own. I mentioned this product in my March Favorites and you can check it out here. It’s easy to get intimidated by looking at this product because it looks very orange. Once buffed into the cheeks, it looks very pretty and natural.

Filmstar

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow ($68) is another favorite. The shade of the bronzer reminds me of Chocolate Soleil except its a little lighter. The bronzer is very subtle and gives a natural glow to the face. I’m surprised at how natural the glow is because it’s more of a taupe shade. The highlight in this palette is also very nice.

nars casino NARS Casino Bronzing Powder ($39) used to be a favorite of mine but then I discovered the previous ones mentioned. This is the very first bronzer I owned and I used it for years. This is the second one I own (full size). This product looks very dark on the pan but it’s a lot lighter once on the skin. It’s describe as a “dark brown with golden shimmers.” There really isn’t anything wrong with this item. I’d say its in between the Hourglass and Tarte bronzers. I prefer the other two because they are a bit easier to blend.

MUFE sculpting duo

Last but not least is the Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #2 ($39). I’ve talked about this item a couple times. I last mentioned it in this post here. This bronzer is more on the orange side. It’s not my favorite but it’s still wearable. This compact is worth purchasing just for the highlight alone so I do not regret buying it!

I am a NC35 in MAC for reference.

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All pictures taken in sunlight.

I also own MAC Cosmetics Sun Dipped Pro Longwear Bronzer. This product came out in a couple of limited edition collections. I wish they would come out with this again because it is a very beautiful bronzer! I had a travel size of the Too Faced Sun Bunny Bronzer at one point and I really loved it.

What is your favorite bronzer? Do you have any recommendations? I was thinking about trying Make Up For Ever’s new Pro Bronze Fusion.

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend so far!

Shade of the Day- L.U.V.

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All makeup worn is featured in May’s Makeup of the Month.

Today’s post features Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid lipstick in L.U.V. ($20). I mentioned this item in my previous post. It is a bright violet with a slight cool undertone. These liquid lipsticks are extra matte and and last all day.

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A lip liner isn’t really necessary but I lightly lined my lips with MAC’s Lip Pencil in Magenta. NARS Audacious lipstick in Angela is a lot lighter. I’d say MAC Heroine is similar as well but I don’t own it.

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MAC- Heroine, LUV, NARS- Angela

IMG_2113Here’s a picture of yesterday’s OOTD as well!

Top- TJ Maxx

Jeans- JCPenny

Shoes- Converse

Necklace- Baublebar (old)

Bag- Marc by Marc Jacobs 

Happy Saturday!

-Diana

April 2015 Favorites

It feels so good to be back in the blogging world! I am finally back from Cancun and getting back into the groove of things. I decided to show you some of my favorites from April. I have been using most of these products everyday especially while in Cancun!

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Hourglass Ambient Bronzer in Radiant Bronze Light– I am a sucker for bronzers and this guy is one of my favorites! It’s the perfect bronze color and gives a beautiful glow. I also love it because it is very finely milled and super easy to blend.

Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo in 2 Golden-I have been using this only for the highlight.  The bronzer is a little too orange for me. You can check out the swatch here. This product and the Hourglass bronzer are the perfect pair.

NARS Blush in Madly-I’m not that much of a blush person and I tend to go towards more neutral ones. This one is a neutral peachy pink.

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown– I gave up on finding a cheaper alternative and decided to go back to the Brow Wiz. I used to purchase the Dark Brown but since I’m more into a natural brow, I purchased Medium Brown.

Dose of Colors Kiss of Fire– I mentioned this in my favorite lipsticks for spring post. You can check it out here. When I first purchased these lipsticks I wasn’t a very big fan, but that changed after a few uses.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream– I have calluses on my hands from weightlifting and this is the best lotion to moisturize my hands.

Stay tuned for my next post. It will include OOTD’s and MOTD’s from my trip in Cancun! All of these products will be included.

-Diana

Shade of the Day- Dragon Girl

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend so far. I was finally able to relax and get some much needed sleep. I dragged my husband to the movies today to watch Cinderella. Best movie ever!!! I didn’t have much time to get ready this morning so I did a simple look with a pop of color (my go-to look).

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Today is a very special shade of the day because it features my FAVORITE lipstick of all time! Every time I can’t decide on a lipstick to wear I ALWAYS reach for this one. It’s the perfect shade of red with a tint of pink and a blue undertone.

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The NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils are one of my favorite lipsticks. They are very easy to apply, perfect when you’re on the go. The only negative is having to sharpen them. Dragon Girl is my favorite color but I also recommend Damned, Mysterious Red, and Train Bleu.

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Products used:

Face: Dior Skin Nude Air Foundation, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, Charlotte Tillbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

Eyes: Buxom Lash, Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara, Rimmel ScandalEyes Nude Eyeliner, ABH Brow Wiz in Medium Ash

Here’s my comfy outfit of the day for ya!

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#OOTD: Sweater- Nike, T-shirt- Zara, Jeans- F21, Shoes- Nike, Bag- Tory Burch

-Diana

Gym Beauty Bag

IMG_1219I go to the gym in the morning before work 3-4 days a week. Of course I am in a rush after every workout so I only have about 20 minutes to shower and get ready. Since I have less than ten minutes to do my makeup, I try to go with as minimal products as possible. This has been my go-to makeup bag for a couple months:

1. Origins GinZing Enery-Boosting Moisturizer– I don’t think this moisturizer is amazing by any means, but it gets the job done. It has an amazing citrus scent and absorbs into the skin quickly so I can apply my foundation right away.

2. Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream– Now this eye cream I do love. It does feel very refreshing and cool, and also absorbs quickly. It has a pink tint with tiny shimmer particles so it’s brightens up the eye. 

3. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation– I’ve had this foundation for a couple years and I always forget how much I love it. I prefer to apply this foundation with my fingertips. It’s very lightweight and gives a good medium coverage (perfect for everyday). This foundation is the perfect balance between dewy and matte. I prefer dewy foundations but this one still works well with my dry skin (also works great with oily skin). It has a great finish so it does not need to be set with powder. I am in the shade 30 Beige.

IMG_02134. NYX HD Photo Concealer– I picked this concealer up a couple months ago at Ulta. I’m really liking it so far because it gives pretty good coverage, blends easily, and has a nice consistency. It has a good lasting power even though it settles into creases a bit. Just like foundation, I blend this with my fingertips.

5. NARS Casino Bronzer– This bronzer was my go-to for a couple years but I slowly forgot about it since I purchased other bronzers. It’s a warm-brown powder with golden shimmers that give the skin a perfect bronzed natural look.

6. BECCA Mineral Blush– I have the shade Wild Honey which is described as a “peachy nude.” This color is perfect for an everyday natural look. These blushes are very easy to blend and have a good lasting power.

7. Real Techniques Blush Brush– This brush is perfect to use for bronzer and blush!

8. Anastasia Brow Powder Duo– I’m a huge fan of the ABH DipBrow Pomade but it’s not ideal when I’m on the go. I have the brow powder in the shade Medium Brown. I use it with a cheap eyebrow brush I purchased from Walmart years ago. I wouldn’t repurchase this product because I could easily use a matte brown shadow for same results. However, I would recommend if you are a beginner. I have been trying out a couple of L’Oreal brow products and will have a review for them soon!

9. Too Faced Shadow InsuranceI purchased a set that included this one and the Candlelight one for $10 a while back so that is why I’m using it. I prefer the Urban Decay Primer Potion but this one gets the job done too.

10. Sigma E40 Tapered Blending Brush To give my eyes a little definition, I like to use this brush with my bronzer in the crease. It’s very easy to do and gives me a little bit of color.

11. Kat Von D Tattoo LinerWhen I have a little bit more time on my hands I like to do a thin winged line. I love this eyeliner because it has an actual brush tip so it does not fray like regular felt tip liners. 

12. Dior Iconic Overcurl Mascara– This mascara replaced my ALL TIME favorite mascara, Buxom Lash Mascara. It gives my lashes good volume and curl without having to use an eyelash curler. It also doesn’t make me look like a raccoon at the end of the day. I have tried many mascaras including high-end and affordable and this is my favorite.

So there you have it! What are your favorite everyday products?

Happy Tuesday!

-Diana

Shade of the Day- Charlotte

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Today’s lipstick of the day is the NARS Audacious lipstick in Charlotte. I’m soooooo ready for Spring but I’m not ready to say goodbye to my dark red and berry lipsticks! This color is described as an “oxblood burgundy.” I don’t really have anything else like it. It’s a nice deep red with a blue undertone.

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These lipsticks have a satin, semi-matte finish. They feel nice on the lips and aren’t drying at all. They are so opaque all you need is one swipe! This color lasts a good 5-6 hours and leaves a good stain. Even though the price tag is a bit hefty ($32), I’d say they are worth it! I also suggest trying out Anita.

Oh and no liner needed with this baby!

Happy Sunday!

Diana

Shade of the Day- Valentine’s Day

image I FINALLY get to talk about all the lipsticks I wear. This is one of the biggest reasons why I was so excited to start this blog!

Kat Von D- Backstage Bambi, NARS- Costa Smeralda

Kat Von D- Backstage Bambi, NARS- Costa Smeralda

Today’s lipstick choice is Backstage Bambi by Kat Von D. These liquid lipsticks are by far my favorite formula. They are super long lasting and do not transfer AT ALL. This color is a vivid hot pink with a blue undertone. If you don’t like extra drying lipsticks then try MAC Pink Pigeon.

KVD, MAC

KVD, MAC

I lined my lips with NARS Velvet Lip Liner in Costa Smeralda. I was so excited when NARS came out with these last fall because I am such a fan of the Velvet Lip Pencils. These liners are also long lasting and will prevent any feathering. I will say they are a bit tough to apply and can even be a little sticky. It doesn’t bother me because of the color pay off and longevity make it worth it.

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I hope you are having a wonderful Valentine’s Day. My husband and I decided to go on a mini road trip to Portland! Yay for yummy food and tax free shopping! Happy weekend!

Diana