February Favorites! (And not-so-favorites)

Happy march :) Since February just ended I wanted to share with you guys a few of the products I have discovered within the past month or the ones that I have been using a lot more this past month. I'll skip the long introduction so here they are :)

• Lush Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub: I discovered this a long time ago and it worked wonders for my hands, but I tried it on my face recently and I can not even describe how amazing it made my skin. I could tell it absolutely rid my pores of anything clogging them and my skin was so incredibly soft. I like a lot of face scrubs but this is by far the best as far as what it does to my face. And, perhaps my favorite part of this product is the smell! It leaves my skin glowing and I would recommend to anyone with any skin type.
• Yes to Cucumbers Soothing hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes- I got a travel size pack of these for my purse when I just feel like my skin is getting oily and I need to remove my makeup and feel fresh. It does the job SO well. It removes every trace of makeup and mascara, doesn't irritate my skin at all, and they are so convenient. I use them in between face washes (usually in the afternoon or evening) or when I am too lazy at night to wash my face.
• Fresh Twilight Freshface Glow- This is the first illuminator I've used but I am pretty impressed for what it does to my skin. It does exactly what it says: gives me a fresh glow and highlights wherever I put it (usually just a tiny amount above my cheekbones.)
• Flirt! Peek-A-Blush Sheer Powder Cheek Color (Color 15: Oh Please!)- I usually love Nars Laguna bronzer for days when I am wearing minimal makeup and need some color in my face. Sadly, I ran out so I picked this up at Kohl's with a gift card. This is the first product from this line I've used but I am really impressed. I bought it on a whim because the color was phenomenal. I've seriously never seen a color like this before. It's so pretty on my skin and I only need a little bit for that bronzed look.
• BareMinerals 100% Natural Lip Trio (Perfect Nude)- I bought this because it was a great deal. Only $30 for a BareMinerals lip liner, lipstick, and lip gloss. The colors go on and stay on very nicely and I definately think this is a universally flattering nude lip set.
• Smashbox Photo Finish Light Oil-Free Foundation Primer- I got the .5oz trial size of this primer to try it out because I have heard great things about this primer and Smashbox Cosmetics in general. I used it for the first time under my makeup for a school dance. It really did make my makeup look amazing and after hours of dancing and sweating in a hot gym, my makeup was STILL on and I had no trace of shine on my face. I was amazed, nothing has ever worked like this for me before.
• Garnier Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream- I bought this because I can not stick with a moisturizer for long, this was a great price (about 7 dollars), and I like gel moisturizers. This works great for me. It is oil-free and keeps my skin not dry, but not oily all day. It is my favorite, so far.

And now, my not-so-favorites (just a few):

• Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser- everyone seems to love this face wash but it was definitely way too gentle for me. I need a gentle cleanser but this seems to do nothing at all for me. It doesn't really remove any makeup, it leaves a yucky film on my face when I rinse it off, and I've been breaking out a bit more since I bought it. Unfortunately, It comes in a 16oz bottle so I need to use it all up :(
• Almay Pure Blends Liquid Makeup- this is the first liquid foundation I have tried and I know it is not the best. I got it on sale at Target so I decided to try it. It claims to be 97% natural which is always great, but that's as far as the benefits go. It made my skin SO oily the second I applied it, it is way too watery, and does not blend well at all. The texture is almost gross. I usually love Almay products, but I was very unimpressed. I guess that's what I get for a sale item though; I'm sure they make other liquid foundations I would like more.

Thanks so much for reading :) Please subscribe and let me know your favorite/least favorite recent products!

Everyday Natural Routine

Hello :)
I haven't blogged in a while, due to the fact I have close to no followers :( oh well, hopefully that will change!

I wanted to stress my absolute OBSESSION with the BareEscentuals makeup and skincare line. It is beyond amazing. So, today I will discuss how to do a natural, everyday look with the basics of this makeup line. Most of the products can be bought in a Bare Minerals Starter Kit at Sephora, BareEscentuals, or Ulta.

First off, make sure you prep your face by cleansing, toning, and moisturizing (I'm hoping to do a skincare routine post soon) with whatever products you find work best for you.
Next, I use the Bare Minerals Prime Time Foundation Primer. I use one pump and spread it all over my face, especially my cheeks, chin, and forehead where i put more makeup. Then, I take a pretty small amount of the SPF 15 matte foundation (my color is fairly light) and use the Full Flawless Face brush and swirl it onto my brush from the lid, slightly tap off the excess foundation, and buff all over my face for about a minute to blend it evenly. (I know the swirl, tap, and buff is the signature Bare Minerals routine, but it works and i would suggest anyone to do this :)
Next, I take any concealer to match my skin tone (I prefer liquid concealer rather than the minerals, I need a lot of coverage for my acne) and i dab it on my blemishes and then blend it into my foundation using my ring finger. Then, I take the Bare Minerals concealer brush with the matte foundation and seal the spots I already concealed. I also make sure to conceal under my eyes with this.
Next, I take Warmth (the Bare Minerals bronzer) and use the same swirl, tap, buff process BUT I only use a TINY amount (it is very pigmented) and i only lightly sweep it under my cheekbones and my temples using a fan brush.
Now, I take my Bare Minerals Blush (I use pretty much a different color every day) and also, using the fan brush, lightly sweep the blush on the apples of my cheeks and across my cheekbones. I do this until i get the color I desire.
I then take a taupe colored eye liner and use it to LIGHTLY fill in my brows. You don't need anything darker than taupe, no matter how dark your hair is. Sometimes i take an iridescent champagne eye color and, using the Defining Crease brush, dab it in my inner corners to open up my eyes.
I take the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil (i prefer the original or tinted) and swirl, tap, and SWEEP it on my face all over. You do not want to buff it on and blend your makeup too much together.
I finish it off by curling my lashes and applying the Buxom mascara and maybe some lip gloss.
Voila :)
Let me know what you think and send me your daily routines!
Thanks, Jessica

Current Favorite Products :)

Hi everyone!
I want to do a post about my favorite products and review them because I love reading posts like this and getting ideas of what to try out. I am going to try and do a monthly favorite products post at the end of each month as I get better at posting. My favorite products are simply just the products I have been using a lot lately or in the past month. Hope you enjoy:)

• Bare Minerals Matte Foundation- Fairly light. I absolutely love this foundation. I have been using the regular Bare Minerals foundation for about 4 years and just discovered the matte form. If you have oily skin like I do, this foundation provides great coverage. I only use a little for the medium coverage I need and it covers beautifully while keeping my skin from getting shiny throughout the day.
• Bare Minerals Prime Time foundation primer. This keeps my makeup on without a doubt and definitely reduces the massive size of my pores. I don't know what I would do without this primer.
• Fresh Twilight Freshface Glow. This is by far the best highlighter I have tried. I mix it with my primer and it just makes my face look awake and well-rested.
• Buxom Mascara. This mascara is AMAZING. The brush is huge and seriously coats every lash so perfectly and evenly. I have the absolute shortest, thinnest, most sparse lashes ever and this makes them look triple the length and SO full. I use this on special occasions.
• Lorac Starry Eyed Baked Eyeshadow Trios. I have these in the colors starlet and evening star. I love the color combinations. Although a little pricey, these are definitely worth it. These shadows are amazingly pigmented and they stay on all day for me, which I have never been able to say about eye shadows.
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. This helps my eyeshadow stay on much longer than with no primer at all. This is the first eye primer I have tried so if anyone has found an absolutely amazing one I'd love to know :)
• Nars Highlighting/Bronzing Blush Duo-Orgasm/Laguna. This blush and bronzer is the best I have ever tried. The formula is amazing and the color is flattering on any skin tone. I've had this for about 5 years and it is SO worth the price. It is great for daytime, everyday makeup.

I hope everyone loves these suggestions and I would LOVE to hear yours because I'm always in the mood to try new products :) Thank you so much!

The Importance of Brush Cleaning!!

   I can not stress enough how important it is to clean your makeup brushes. The day I started cleaning mine, I noticed an immediate change in my skin and the way my makeup went on. It was absolutely amazing! Most people I know had no idea that they could and were supposed to wash their brushes. When your brushes are clean, your makeup will be applied so brilliantly and the pigments will be so much more beautiful. And, if you have sensitive, oily skin like I do, dirty makeup brushes will only make the situation so much worse.

   Cleaning your brushes is so simple. No matter the shape, size, or type of the brush, the steps are all the same. Brush cleaning should be done about every 7-10 days (depending on how much you wear and how often you wear it). If your brushes get very brittle and become tough and not smooth (bad adjective use, sorry!) then you can condition them using these same steps but with conditioner.

Here is what you need:

• all of the brushes you use
• a brush shampoo (you can buy these at most beauty stores, including Sephora and Ulta) OR a gentle shampoo/body wash (I use a gentle baby shampoo and it works perfectly :) )
• a sink with hot running water
• a small wash cloth

STEPS :)

1. Place all of your brushes next to the sink. Make sure the water is about as hot as you can stand to touch. Have the washcloth handy next to you.
2. Take which ever brush and completely soak the bristles (hold them in the water so that the bristles are faced down. You don't want water to get inside of the handle. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AT ALL TIMES YOU ARE CLEANING!)
3. Dispense a small amount the brush cleaner into the palm of your hand. Make sure your hand has some water on it.
4. Take the wet brush and, in a circular motion, swirl the brush around in the cleaner.
5. Rinse the brush and your hand. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until, when you rinse the brush and squeeze the excess water out there is no evidence of pigments left in the brush.
6. Smooth out the bristles so they all go the same way.
7. Lay the brush on the wash cloth to dry, leaving the end with the bristles to hang off the counter top to allow even air circulation.
8. Repeat these steps with all of your brushes :)

I hope this helps everyone! Leave comments or suggestions to let me know what you think :)

Makeup Organization

First and foremost, I think my first real post should be about organizing your makeup space. After all, I think displaying all of my products is half the fun of owning them :) It is so important to have your makeup organized. It allows you to see everything you have (so you don't make the mistake of purchasing something you already own), so you can make your routine in the morning faster (this is crucial for me), and because it looks and feels lovely to have all of your makeup in order and displayed nicely. If you're like me, you probably spend most of your earnings on makeup, so why not have it look nice in your room/bathroom too?

What I'll be showing and talking about is what works best for me, my products, and my routine. You may think of something completely different, and if so, i would love to hear it because I'm constantly reorganizing everything.

First of all, I find it important to keep my everyday makeup close by and the most accessible. Try to find a place that will keep everything at room temperature, which will make everything work better and last much longer. Unfortunately, I keep mine right next to my window :/ it just seems to work out that way.

I place the makeup I don't use as often (or, that doesn't look as pretty on my desk) inside small, organized baskets in my desk drawer. I keep the makeup I use most often in an awesome makeup organizer with many compartments, and it spins so I can easily access everything (picture and link below). I keep my brushes in a pencil holder, and all of my hair products I use everyday in a wire basket. Also, the lighting in the small corner of my room is awful, so i have a Conair magnifying lighted mirror, which is perfect for me.

I try to keep all of my different types of makeup grouped (eyeshadows, blushes, eyeliners, brow fillers, mineral veil, foundation, and face colors), but you may wish to do it differently. I then organize by color, season, or sometimes by brand. I keep all of my primers, mascaras, tools, pencils, and a few lip glosses and lipsticks in the top of the organizer so I can see them easily.

You don't need to buy expensive organizers. I find the ones that are sold at Target to be great- you can get clear drawer organizers there or small 3-4 drawer clear tubs to go on top of your vanity. Train cases also work perfectly.

I do what works best for me and my huge stash of Bare Minerals. I would love feedback of how you organize your makeup station!

Thanks :)

Link to my spinning organizer-click here

About Myself :)

Hi Everyone!
   I started this blog on a whim and thought it would be fun to share my interests/obsessions of all things related to makeup and skincare on a blog. :)
A little about myself:
I am sixteen (and a half) years old, so I'm a junior in high school. I absolutely love cheerleading, and i used to be a swimmer, although my time doesn't allow it anymore :(
I live in Missouri, it is boring so I have plenty of time to think about and try out new products, which is one of my absolute favorite things to do.
Everything I know about makeup and beauty I have learned myself, unfortunately I have no sisters or best friends who are makeup fanatics like I am, so I'm constantly reading about new products, watching tutorials, and I'm constantly trying out new tricks and trends, or making them up myself. You could say I'm a beginner at this, but I consider myself an expert because only I'm aware of my complete, outrageous obsession with all things makeup :)
I will try to post about once or twice a week, or whenever I spark up an idea. If you have any ideas please let me know! I am very new at this.
Thanks!