My Daily Essentials: Makeup

 My morning routines consist of rolling out of bed, grabbing coffee and breakfast, then makeup and clothing time! Within my makeup routine, I have my daily essentials–products that are 

vital in getting me out the door while still looking my best all day.

(From top left going clockwise) 

1. Revlon Colorstay 24 Hour Foundation (150 Buff): *Holy grail product alert* I don't know how it covers and blends so well while still staying put (mind you, shine-free) throughout the ENTIRE day without ever breaking out me out! I don't know how it works and I don't care, I am just happy it does.

2. Physicians Formula Conceal Rx (Fair Light): This stuff is some serious business right here. With the consistency of a thick paste it conceals with ease and doesn't budge once it sets.

3. The Body Shop Bronzing Powder (02 Fair Matte): Most shade of bronzer are too intense or ruddy looking for my fair skin. However, this shade is PERFECT for my fair skin ladies out there! It's pretty light and not too pigmented allowing easy blending for a natural glow.

4. NARS Blush (Orgasm): A cult classic, this shimmering beauty affords the perfect natural peachy-pink glow and works on just about any skin tone! After all, there is a reason why it has a cult following.

5. L'Oreal Lash Out Butterfly Effect Mascara (Black): I rarely go a day without mascara, it ties a makeup look together and makes everything look more polished. Plus, the tips of my lashes are blond so mascara is a must for when I want to look pulled together.

6. Maybelline Define A Brow (Light Taupe): This is like mascara for me–having filled in brows just pulls a look together and looks more polished. I don't do a ton of filling in, I like to just enhance the shape of my brows a bit.

7. L'Oreal Super Slim Infalliable Liquid Liner (Black): I reach for this liner whenever I don't want to bother with smudging pencils or time-consuming cream liners (which, to be honest, is most days.) It's pen-like shape features a very fine tip making it a breeze to apply in a pinch. No smudging or budging here, just clean liquid lines that stay put all day.

8. Maybelline Dream Touch Lumi Highlighting Concealer (Ivory): I talked about this product all of the time. It brightens the under eye beautifully, no matter if you stayed up too late watching Netflix, without weighing your eyes down or settling into fine lines!

9. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder (Natural): To set my new face in place, the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder comes to the rescue. Never looking cakey, this powder locks everything in place and gives my face the nice matte look that I am always wanting.

Check out my daily essential makeup brushes here.

Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara Review

Claims:

"This lash-enhancing mascara instantly builds lash volume by 400%. The patent-pending formula with a touch of olive oil penetrates and helps plump the core of each and every lash. The Visible Volume Brush coats and builds even the smallest lashes with rich, volume-building color. No clumps, smudging or flaking!

Healthy Volume® mascara rinses clean with any Neutrogena® makeup remover or with soap and water. Get beautiful, conditioned and volumized lashes with the sweep of a wand." -Neutrogena

Pros:

• It may have made my eyelashes a little longer and thicker after continuous use, but nothing dramatic.
• The packaging is nice and sleek.

Cons:

• It didn't build up volume...at all. My eyelashes looked almost the same as when I wasn't wearing mascara.
• For some reason it would not coat the tips of my lashes. The mascara would somehow just slide right off (problematic for my slightly blonde-tipped lashes.)
• Couldn't hold a curl...and I have naturally curly lashes so it was surprising when mid-day my lashes looked flat.
• My final complaint is how difficult it was to remove! I even had the non-waterproof version, but it just didn't budge. When I thought I finally removed all of the mascara, I would still wake up with raccoon eyes.

Bottom Line: Sadly, I would not purchase this mascara again. I tossed mine after about a week and a half because it was really not working for me. Sorry Neutrogena, just not a fan of this one!

CVS Beauty Haul!

Hi Loves!

There were a lot of great deals at CVS on the makeup this week and I had a 25% off coupon as well as a $6 off a beauty purchase of $30 or more. I went a little coupon/deal crazy just to see how much I could save. I found a $1 off Covergirl eye makeup coupon online at coupons.com In store, there were a ton of great deals. My CVS had: Spend $15 on any Covergirl eye or lip and get $5 extrabucks. (which is basically a free $5 off on any future purchase.) They also had a deal for any two Neutrogena products purchased you get $6 extrabucks. On to the haul!

I picked up the Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara and Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara (left)–both of which I have never tried but looked promising.

I also grabbed a couple of the Covergirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencils which I LOVE (bottom left). I have the metallic brown called Melted Caramel Flame and I am obsessed. I decided to try Ginger Flame (shimmery pink gold. Almost a dupe for Urban Decay Sin) and Ashen Glow Flame (shimmery olive). They stay put all day long and are super easy!

The last two things I wanted to try were a Covergirl lipstick in Honeyed (a nice nude pink) and Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm in Sunny Berry (bottom right).

Total Before Coupons: $58.75  
(when did the drugstore get so expensive?!)

Total After Coupons: $33.21 –plus another free $6 in 

extrabucks to use on my next purchase!