Simple

I've found a new love in my nighttime skincare routine. I have said before how much I hate hate

 hate taking off my makeup. I love the feeling afterwards, but the actual process - ugh. 

So needless to say, I'm a big fan of wipes - it's a one and done deal. I don't need 3 million items just to take off my makeup (i.e. wasting several cotton pads on mascara alone). I really love the Simple Skincare Cleansing Facial Wipes - they pretty much cut my routine in half.

Besides saving me time and doing it's (amazing) job, I feel good about using them, too. They are:

[x] non-drying - no alcohol  [x] no greasy residue - no oil

[x] no dyes, no artificial perfumes  [x] no harsh irritants

[x] hypoallergenic  [x] dermatologist tested

Pretty much what the brand is: simple. Simple ingredients, simple decision.

Spring Favorites

I'm definitely a gal that loves her makeup; but when it comes to the warmer months, I cut back the amount of products I use in my daily routine.

Lately, I've been using the four products below on a daily basis and have been loving the results. It creates a dewy, highlighted look that has been perfect for Spring and is super easy!

Here's the breakdown:
[x] use Tarte's BB Tinted Treatment; this is a BB cream, tinted primer and sunscreen all in one. Bam.
[x] highlight the tops of your cheekbones, cupids bow and brow bone with Benefit's Watt's Up! highlighter
[x] pop a peach shimmery blush on for some color; I love Milani's Baked Blushes in Luminoso
[x] heavy up on mascara, but also put a white or nude liner on the inside of your bottom lash line. this will brighten up your eyes and also make them appear bigger.

that's it! you're all set for a (hopefully) warm day. and if you'd like, you can amp up this look with a bright peach/orange toned lipstick, which is really in this season. I'm still searching for the perfect shade for my skin tone, so if you have any suggestions, please spill! :)

Quick & Easy: Bright Liner

I tend to hit snooze a few times each morning, even if I had high hopes the night before of trying a new eye look the next day. I obviously want to look like I attempted to put myself together for work.

What better way to do that and ring in spring at the same time, with a pop of bright liner?
You can keep it simple everywhere else like I did and match it with a peachy/nude lip, or get a little crazy and pair it with a bright, pink lipstick.

BH Cosmetic's Malibu palette; blue shadow for liner and orange/taupe crease color

I used a liner brush and decided to only create a small wing for the day.
If this was something you'd like for a night out, you could definitely amp it up with a dramatic wing.

Glam Glow: YouthMud Review

Remember when I caved (here) and bought a GlamGlow mask, that I wasn't too impressed with?

I ended up exchanging it for the YouthMud, which I had a feeling I'd be more happy about.

Thankfully, I totally am! This mask leaves you with that "I just seriously did something good for my skin" feeling; you know, that tingly, my-pores-no-longer-exist feeling? So good.

And ladies - I really felt that way for the next few days. I saw a huge difference in the size of my pores (smaller, obviously) and how my makeup set and lasted throughout the day.

I aim to use this once every two weeks - since it is on the pricier side, I'll swap this out with another mud-based mask on the off weeks.

 If you haven't already, I recommend to start investing in skincare. It doesn't have to be anything crazy - a product at a time. You will see a total difference in your skin!

Battle of the Concealers: NARS vs MAC

When it comes to concealer, I prefer a product that will last all day (duh), is crease-less and has a medium to full coverage. The past few months I've been torn between NARS' Radiant Creamy Concealer and MAC's Pro Longwear Concealer. If you're also a make-up junkie, you know that this is quite the battle. You're usually a fan of one or the other. So what does a girl do? She buys both of them, obviously!

Here's the deal: 

I was matched for both - they look pretty different, right? I swear they both work with my skin tone.

So the NARS applicator is a wand, and MAC is a pump. 

This does not make a difference for me, but some people have their preference. 

NARS: 

medium to full coverage

hydrating formula

antioxidant protection against damaging free radicals

light diffusing technology

My opinion: I love that this concealer gives your under eye area an instant boost. I've used this to highlight, as well. But it's definitely not crease-less. Like, within a couple of hours, I saw creases. Not cool. But I do feel better when I use it, knowing it's infused with moisturizers and antioxidants. 

I'm doing a favor for my skin, while doing a favor for you and me by covering my dark circles.

MAC:

medium to full coverage

matte finish

15 hour formula

My opinion: This shade is darker than the NARS concealer, but still matches my skin tone. It doesn't give me that instant luminous boost I was referring to with NARS, but it does last. And doesn't crease. I'll use this to cover up blemishes, but not to highlight. When using MAC, I often grab prep + prime and highlight the key points on top of the concealer.

The verdict? I don't know. It all depends on what works with your skin. One is hydrating, while the other has a matte finish. They are both great for different reasons, and it's up to you to decide what's more important for you.

It's Been a While...

I have been totally off my game the past few weeks - I apologize.
I'm sidetracked because I'm moving into a new apartment and lately that's where all of my energy and focus has been.
And also because I had to start packing all of my favorite products!
I forced myself to keep it to the minimum this week - no masks, unnecessary lip liners or glosses, and eyeshadows. Do you know how hard that was?
I have a few new products I'm obsessing over and need to share with you guys - so I promise it will come next week, when (hopefully) everything is unpacked!
You know I had to go on one last shopping haul before I have the responsibility of paying rent. :)

The Oil Pulling Trend

You may have seen a lot about this 'oil pulling' business on social media this past week. I read about it on one of my favorite blogs, The Skinny Confidential and was very intrigued. 

Simply put, oil pulling is supposed to be the shit for your basic existence. It's an ancient practice that has 5,976 benefits (slight exaggeration) and we're all just realizing this now! Some benefits include:

[x] teeth whitening and all over healthier teeth/gums

[x] clears up sinus issues

[x] helps with skin issues

[x] hangover cure

[x] overall detoxification

So to be honest I was a little weird-ed out about the whole process. I mean, putting coconut oil (I used coconut, some use sesame) in your mouth for 20 minutes seems a little extensive. And how can just swishing a teaspoon of it around in your mouth provide all of those benefits? 

The answer: I don't know, but it does. Anything that has to do with basic oral hygiene, I jump right on that bandwagon because honestly, it's one of the most important things to me. 

So if I can whiten my teeth while getting rid of my awful sinus/allergy issues? 

Sign me up now. 

I've been pulling oil for the past 5 days and I can honestly say that my allergies have been much, much better. They are still there, just not as intense.

As a teeth whitener, I think we're getting there! I haven't seen any outrageous results but I also think it takes some time.

Hangover - yes. I tried it on Saturday morning and felt a little less shitty about an hour later.

So that's the story. Verdict is to go pull some oil, my friends!

make sure it's organic and unrefined!