Summer Must Have!!!

Ok, so a while ago my aunt Vikki, and one of my biggest supporters who I definitely don't thank her enough for that, gave me this piece of makeup to try for the summer. Well one day I was meeting her and my mom at Cheesecake Factory and we were sitting outside on the patio and Vikki starts talking about this new product that I need to try and she pulls it out of her purse. All I see is this ADORABLE packaging!!! So that's bonus points already. Packaging is so important but it's what's on the inside that counts!! So she hands me this cute little bright orange compact. I am looking over the product and it is just so cute. There is this amazing hot pink application sponge which is really good quality, which I usually just throw away all the application products in any makeup. So-this application sponge is really nice and you can apply the powder dry or wet. If you get the sponge damp it does and amazing job! I use it even with other makeup products as well!

Okay so this is why I have waited until now to write about this product, look at these amazing benefits that this product offers and all you have to do is put it on your skin!!

-This powder has a SPF of 50!!! This will give you UVA/UVB protection as well as great coverage!! I also like the coverage because it's a nice matte finish so it will help with the oily, shiny skin we get in the summer time.

-This powder as has SPF boosters and it is a mineral-based sunscreen that does not break me out!!

-Contains antioxidants!!! This will help prevent future UV damage and signs of aging!

-Contains licorice extract and tomato derivatives to help naturally brighten the skin and lighten the damage of age spots from the sun!

This product is a No-Brainer!!! All you do is throw it on top of your foundation and concealer and you're set makeup and skincare wise!! Now of course I always promote people putting on a regular SPF as well but if you're really prone to breaking out with sun block then this might work best for you. I really enjoy and the coverage is very sheer so just do your skin a favor and throw it on your face before you hit the front door!

www.physiciansformula.com

$14.95 at all drug stores

MakeUp How-To's!!

Ok, so my last blog I wrote about was my new favorite thrifty concealer!!! I'm still loving it and now I am going to post you step-by-step directions and pictures of my every day makeup looK

First: This is me without makeup----Yikes!!

This picture below is after I applied Bare Escentuals Loose Mineral Powder in Fairly Medium-as you can see it's really helped even out my skin tone, but still super pasty and one dimensional. i really like to match my foundation exactly to my skin tone so with just the foundation on your skin can look really one dimensional-but that's where the next few steps help!

This picture below shows you where I applied my new favorite concealer, Maybelline Fit! This picture is kind of small but as you can see, I have applied my concealer in a triangle shape under my eye. This shape should go up the side of the nose, under the eye and at the edge of the eye you will bring it diagonally back to the bottom side of the nose. I do concealer around the laugh lines, on my chin, around the edges of my nose and in between my brows. I blend the concealer all over lightly and this is what it looks like:

Look how much concealer helps!!! Thank God for that stuff!! After I blend the concealer I put Feather Light Mineral Veil on from Bare Escentuals as you can see below. My complexion is looking pretty pasty and one dimensional.

The point of foundation and concealer is to really even out your skin and give you that flawless skin. I love a nice flawless face but I can't live just like this- I MUST add bronzer to my face!! If you aren't a fan of bronzer I would just throw on some finishing powder and move right to blush. I for one, cannot live without bronzer and this picture below will show you what a difference bronzer makes!!

What a difference!!!! Now that's what I am talking about!! I apply a light, somewhat shimmery bronzer all over my face. It's not really glittery, it just has a nice dewy sheen to it and I really like that look!! Some people prefer a more matte appearance and that's perfectly fine too. I prefer both so for all over my face I use the shimmery bronzer and to contour I use the matte one. The bronzer I used all over my face was Too Faced in Sunny Bunny.

This picture shows me applying the matte bronzer right in the hollows of my cheeks and doing a small "c" at the end of my brows on my forehead. Small step but big results!!! The matte bronzer I used was Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze.

This picture shows my blush step.

This picture is where I just put a darker, matte blush slightly above where I put my matte bronzer. This adds to that contoured, model look and really helps make your cheekbones pop!! The blush I used is Therapy Systems Caramel Sugar. Then I apply a pink blush right on the apples of the cheek bone and I bring it diagonally all the way up to the corner of my eye. Of course I keep distance from the under eye, but once I hit the blush high enough to my eye that's when I know I have gone high enough. I feel like dragging the blush as high as the eye will really help lift your face and really get those cheekbones popping!! This pink blush I used today was Catalina from Cargo.

This picture is my applying a highlighting powder right over the apples of my cheeks and taking it right on the boarder of the top of my cheek right under my eye skin. Just keep the highlighter right on the upper cheekbones! This subdues the bright color of the blush and really help add a pretty glow to your skin.

Ok, this is my eyes just with primer on them. I usually don't use primer on a regular basis but I wanted to show you how even primer makes your eyelids so if you wanted just to look awake and have a quick and easy makeup routine this primer would do the trick. If you have issues with your shadow creasing this primer is your solution! This primer I'm using here is Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Candlelight.

My first step in applying eye shadow is using a really light, nude-white color all over the eye from the lash line to the brows. This really help open up your eyes and I like applying a neutral color like this all over because it really helps all the other colors go on easier. This eye shadow is Bare Escentuals Demure.

This picture is after I added a shimmery brown shadow right in the crease of the eye. All you do is go right in the crease and do a "c" shape back and forth and on the corner of the eye I will help blend it with a sideways "v" shape just to help blend the color. I also get a stiffer brush and line under the lower lash just to add a little color and drama to this look. Plus-I hate when eye liner is very harsh and you can obviously see the dark, black line...yuck! So adding a little eye shadow under the lower lash line will help ease the harshness of liner. This eye shadow I used was MAC in Tempting.

This is a step that if you want to add a little drama and darkness you can. If not, you can just apply that dark brown on the crease like the last step and jump right into the liner. If you do want a little more color then you can add a little darker color on the outer edges of the eye. This color is Mambo by Paula Dorf. I really focus on the outer edge of the eye and I really try not to apply it all over the lid. I like to leave it lighter on the inner corners. I love Mambo by Paula Dorf because it's black/brown with flecks of gold in it, it's perfect!!

After I apply the Mambo shadow I go back over the crease with the MAC color one more time to just even out everything and help it blend. I usually grab a lighter/highlight color and put right in the inner corners of my eye and bring it up to under my brow. This really helps highlight and open the eyes up. I used the Demure color for this.

After I am done with the eye shadow, I use the Mambo eye shadow color and line my eyes with it. Just have a good stiff, flat liner brush and you can line your eyes with any shadow. I first like to line my eyes with eye shadow first then I do a pencil or liquid liner, whichever I choose to do that day.

Next I lined my eyes with a pencil liner. The one I used was Wet 'N Wild black pencil liner. When I line my eyes I line the entire upper lid and do a slight curve at the end for a "cat eye" look. I do not line the entire bottom of my eye I only do about a quarter of the bottom and connect the bottom liner to the top curved up part. It really helps give your eyes this amazing almond shape.

This is the makeup must-have MASCARA!! I absolutely love mascara it's my favorite thing! This mascara I used is Too Faced Lash Injection. This mascara is amazing!! I love it because it creates tubes around your lashes and it's waterproof!! There are a few mascaras that create tubes around your lashes and are waterproof but they aren't thickening. That's why I never liked them! I love a thickening mascara and this is both wrapped up in one bottle!! I love it!

OKAY!!! I LEFT OFF THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP TO PROVE A POINT!!!

Brows!!

This is my finished look without brow powder

This is one brow with powder one with none

how crazy is that????? adding brow powder instantly gives you a face lift!! It completely changes the entire look and really finishes the entire look!

Here is the finished look with both brows done!!

Last but not least!! Lips!!

This picture is me with this fantastic lip liner called Reverse Lip Liner. It helps keep your lipstick from running but it also helps your lips look bigger!! It looks pretty white when you first apply it, that's why it looks so light in the picture but I wanted to show you where I put it, but once you draw it on you just blend a little bit and you can barely even tell!

See? That's the Reverse Lip Liner blended.

Next I applied this cheap liner from Target. The line is called Boots No. 7 and the color is nude. I just applied this around the edge of the lips.

This fantastic little color is from Cover Girl Lipslicks in Cutie. I love this color!!! These Cover Girl Lipslicks are amazing!! I love them!

YAY!!!!! All done!!! Thank God for makeup eh??? Here is a picture of the final product without me wearing a turban :)

All done!!! There ya go!! One day I'll figure out how to make a video so I won't have to do a makeup slide show! I hope this helps!!

Stay Fit!

I have been on the hunt for a great, affordable concealer and I have found one worth writing about! I have been trying this one out for about a month now and it has already turned into a must-have from now on! I use this concealer to help cover the dark circles under the eyes and I also use it to help contour around my nose, in between my brows, and around the mouth and chin. This concealer is really creamy and a little goes a long way. I love this concealer because of the texture and because of the finishing look. The end-results after using this concealer is a really beautiful even, flawless look. This is one of the few concealers that I have found that really gives that flawless look that you would see in editorial work. I always look at celebrities and models and always wonder if there is any way to get that look without breaking the bank and I truly believe that I have found it! Here it is!!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

about $5.00

I bought mine at Target, but all drug stores carry this fabulous concealer! I hope you try it out and enjoy! Remember-little goes a long way!!! My next blog I will show you where I put my concealer (which is a lot of places) to really give the illusion of a perfect complexion. I don't do too many makeup artist tricks for an every day look but I always use my concealer tricks every single day because it can really make a huge difference!!

Go Green!- Hair Edition

Hi! I have been so busy and really have slacked off of the blogging but I haven't slacked off of the testing of new products to write about!! I have a lot of new products to discuss but first I want to write about a new-to-me hair care. I was just doing a late-night hair wash and I was using this amazing little sample bottle of Kevin Murphy when I realized, "I need to share this with people!! Not only is this line amazing for my hair and my hair has never looked better but they are doing something to help the environment and they really go above and beyond other companies. This must be talked about!" Every time I use this shampoo, conditioner and styling product my hair looks flawless and I really put less effort into it than usual. These products do everything for you!!! I also can't get over the amazing effort that they put towards protecting our mother Earth! I hope you read, try and enjoy! You can purchase online or go to The Cosmetic Markets!

This hair care line I am about to introduce to you is called Kevin Murphy. Kevin Murphy is a hairstylist who works completely in editorial work. He realized that there were certain needs and gaps in the hair industry as well as a lack of care for the environment in hair care lines. His products are made from renewable and sustainable resources when possible and they are safe for the environment. All his products contain essential oils, plant extracts and natural antioxidants. All Kevin Murphy products are sulphate and paraben free. He is apart of the Climate Project which is a non-profit global organization dedicated to educating the public about the science and impacts of climate change and work towards solutions at a grassroots level worldwide.

Kevin Murphy Hydrate-Me Wash

This is a fantastic hydrating shampoo that really helps smooth my crazy, large hair. I was a little worried it was going to be a little too heavy but it is amazing!! This shampoo repairs damaged hair and really helps smooth out hair and nourishes it as well! I love the smell of this stuff too! It's a very light aromatherapy scent to it and I love it! It's not too heavy of a scent but it's amazing for men and women. Luckily me and my husband have the same type of hair and he really likes this shampoo as well. This shampoo, or wash as they call it in Australia, is packed with antioxidants as well so it will really give you hair a great boost of what it needs as well as a beautiful amount of shine. One thing that I really like about this shampoo that really stands out from all the others is that this shampoo contains ingredients that are found in skincare that help smooth lines and wrinkles. Adding this to their shampoo has shown to give your hair a glossy shield and will diminish any signs of damage while smoothing out the cuticle of the hair. This shampoo has bergamot and evening primrose oil which help add and lock moisture in your hair, add antioxidants, and really softens hair. Kakadu plum which has a high concentration of vitamin c which stimulates elastin and collagen to help maintain hair's lustre and elasticity as well as smoothing the surface of the hair to lock in moisture.

---I used it and I absolutely love it!!! I usually have to add a lot of stuff to my hair to make it shine and all I have to do is use this and the Hydrate-Me rinse and my hair shines more than it ever has! Like I said I love the smell, my hair feels light and clean but still looks calm and smoothed down. The shine is unbelievable and I am so pleased with this shampoo!!

Kevin Murphy Hydrate-Me Rinse

This is one awesome conditioner!! It contains micro-algae that will add a ton of shine and radiance to your hair! This rinse also has Kakadu Plum and Primrose Oil like the shampoo has. This conditioner really smooths my hair and adds tons of moisture without weighing it down. This conditioner, like it's shampoo partner, contains antioxidants and really retains moisture in the hair. This conditioner, or rinse as they call it, also has Jojoba esters and shea butter which are a great emollient that helps de-tangle and repair split ends.

Kevin Murphy Motion Lotion

This is an amazing, light-weight curl enhancing cream. It doesn't make my hair crunchy or have that wet look that I am not too fond of. This curl enhancer helps diminish frizz and enhance curl in your hair. My hair is big, dry, frizzy and kinda curly. It's not a pretty curly it's a crazy curly (it looks very large and messy). This Motion Lotion really helps define my curl to make it look very beach-wavy and completely gets rid of frizz! I don't even have to add any sort of shine and anti-frizz serum to get my dream hair look! Some major benefits that make this stand out are that is really is a great flexible hold, very light and weightless, adds shine, UV protected!!, color protection and contains amazing antioxidants. There are a lot of amazing essential oils in this product like bergamot, patchouli, geranium and sesame oil which all help balance, replenish moisture, protects your hair from free-radicals and adds shine and control.

http://www.kevinmurphy.com.au/home.php

www.thecosmeticmarket.com

New Mascara!

Ok!! I tried a new mascara while I was shopping at Target and I wanted to write about it! The first time I used it I was not too sure about it. I really love a thick, voluminous, long lash and I wasn't sure if I was going to get that from this mascara but I did! I didn't really like it until a couple of days later, I just wasn't sure about it. I think I wasn't too sure about it because the mascara didn't seem to put a thick layer on there. I can't really explain what my issue was with the mascara but I wasn't too sure about it. But about 2 or 3 days in I really, really liked it! I do love the Revlon CustomEyes mascara as well but I do feel like this mascara really helps with curling my lashes which my lashes usually grow straight out which stinks. I never look like I have those amazing curl lashes but I think this mascara really helps! Here's the mascara of the week:

It's Maybelline Falsies Volum' Express Mascara! I get mine in Blackest Black. I love a major amped up lash so if you like a little more natural look you can just go for regular black or the dark brown. I really think everyone should wear black mascara unless you are super fair with really blonde hair. But I just love a more dramatic eye. I like this mascara a lot because like I said earlier this one really helps add some curl to my usually straight lashes. This mascara doesn't smudge and get on my face which is great!! I have done major working out with this mascara and have never once had to deal with it smudging! This mascara gives you a good amount of volume but not over the top which is good and I also notice that I do not have to worry about having clumpy lashes, I hate that!!! This is a great mascara! I also want to note-I do not use waterproof, I hate waterproof!! I think it's very clumpy and is really harsh on the lashes! Like I said, I have not had to deal with this mascara smudging or anything though! If you really have issues with mascara running or not staying on I'll show you another mascara that does wonders for that issue! I'll write about it in the next blog!! You can buy this Falsies Mascara at any drugstore and it costs about $6.

www.maybelline.com

Want a deep clean?

Before I get started on my blog about getting a MAJOR deep clean I want to point out a few things that I have written about in the past-

I know my name is the THRIFTY makeup artist and I will really try to give you the thriftiest ideas for makeup but I also want to highlight certain skin care and makeup products that are worth the money. When I wrote the blog recently about my skin care regimen I know it seems pricey and there are definitely certain items that you can find that are more affordable but with most skin care I will pay the extra amount because usually with skin care usually if you pay more you get more. Let me emphasis usually though! That's why I'm here for you though! You won't have to pay the money until I try it out first! I am in the process of trying some new thrifty finds for certain skin care but here are some things that I won't skimp on:

-Active Ingredients= I use a glycolic cleanser at night and it is $36 and that is something that I will not sacrifice! I have not found a drug-store cleanser that can even compare to that! So definitely worth the money!

-Serums=These are very important in my skin care routine and I believe that the best ones I have run upon tend to be pricier but they are the best and there is a lot of proof behind that!

So yes, these are the 2 things that are worth the extra money. The day time cleanser and certain moisturizers (as long as you don't want a good active, anti-aging one), and certain (not anti-aging or smoothing wrinkles) eye cream then you can find some decent cheaper ones. I am working on that for you guys right now!

Ok back to my subject here-A deep clean!

I remember about 4 years ago when I first started working at The Cosmetic Market there was this new piece of equipment we were selling that was quite expensive and was supposed to be this amazing deep clean. This "thing" was called Clarisonic. I wasn't too sold on it at that time and then around the Christmas Holiday Oprah put it down as one of her favorite things so needless to say people started wanting to buy these things like crazy and it was a real mess trying to keep these brushes in stock. So I was over this brush before I even tried it out!!! But-3 years later I decide to finally give-in and buy one because all of my co-workers wouldn't stop raving about this thing!! I tried it for the first time at night and after I got done cleansing my skin with this Clarisonic brush I could not believe that I had wasted 3 years of my life not using it! I really take time washing my face at night, I always wash my face twice and always use a toner and will use 3 or 4 cotton pads until they go completely clean. So I didn't think that this brush would make that big of a difference but it did!! Right after I washed my face with it my face had never felt so clean!!! I absolutely loved it! Guys love it too. Since being an aesthetician I notice that men really like scrubby, harsher types of cleansing so this is right up their alley!!

This is the Clarisonic! There are so many different types there is a Mia which is smaller and only has one speed. This one usually runs about $150. The Clarisonic Classic has two speeds and is a little larger than the Mia this one runs about $195. The Clarisonic Plus (the one I have) has 4 speeds and comes with a larger full body brush as well this one runs around $245. When you buy any of the Clarisonic brushes you get at least 1 brush head with it and at least 1 trial size cleanser. The more you spend the more brush heads and cleansers you get which is always nice!

The Clarisonic gives you a patented sonic frequency of more than 300 per second-but on a gentle level! This brush can remove 6 times more makeup and 2 times more dirt than cleansing with your hands alone. After using this brush it gently exfoliates your skin and really leaves it looking and feeling smooth. As I was talking about earlier about serums-they are pricey but they are really good for your skin and if you use a Clarisonic brush before you apply a serum it will help your skin absorb more of the serum and give more bang for your buck! The Clarisonic will absorb 61% more vitamin C after you use it which is great! This brush will also help reduce dry patches on the skin, the stimulation will help reproduce more cells which means that will help fight wrinkles too!

There is a lot of dirt and makeup lost and trapped really deep in the skin that our hands cannot get out. That is where this vibration from the Clarisonic comes in handy because it will break up the dirt and makeup in the skin and bring it up to the surface. So***your skin might get a little worse before it gets better because it will bring up a lot of dirt to the surface so you can get rid of it***just keep to your routine and your skin will be clean and clear and back on track in about 2-4 weeks. When I first used it the Clarisonic pulled up a lot of dirt in my skin so I used it twice a day for about a week. Then I used it just at night. Now I do it about every other night because you want to make sure you don't over-stimulate your skin or that will cause a break out and make sure you replace your brush head about every 2 months.

You can fully charge your Clarisonic and keep it off the charger base for up to a week if you use it twice a day so that's great too!! I went on a beach vacation and did not bring this with me and I seriously had withdrawals!! How sad is that? I was on the beach but I was missing my Clarisonic and was ready to get back to it!!

So yes, this is pricey but it's an investment for sure!! Your skin will thank you!! Now I want to address the other drug-store knock-off of this. I have seen and tried a few but this is the main difference-the Clarisonic does not go in circles it has 3 different sections that vibrate so that's where it give that breakdown of all that dirt that's left deep down in the skin. The drug-store brands do circular motions which just exfoliates *and I think it exfoliates too much! Too much exfoliation is NOT good. You will break capillaries which are almost impossible to repair and it just really doesn't do much for you! So-I know it's pricey but it's definitely worth it to get that amazing deep clean, get that cellular stimulation, smooth fine lines and wrinkles, even skin tone and texture and gently exfoliate!

The green is dirt and oil!

Before

After

you can purchase at The Cosmetic Market (www.thecosmeticmarket.com) or www.clarisonic.com

Jack Lalanne - Face Workout 1 of 30

I love Jack LaLanne! I have his juicer, I love reading about his diet, his workouts and his attitude towards life. He has an amazing look on life and how to live a healthy life. I think if you want to have beautiful skin you have to take great care of yourself as well. What you put in is what you get out. I used to eat tons of fast food, a lot of processed foods and really eat late at night and not only is it really easy to gain weight but my skin was AWFUL! I slowly started working out and eating better little by little and I noticed huge improvements in my skin. I stopped eating fast food and started focusing on organic foods and step by step I moved into vegetarianism. Even when I started eating healthier I could really tell a difference in my skin. I wouldn't get breakouts but very, very rarely. Then, once I started doing a vegetarian diet my skin look amazing plus I felt amazing!!! I slowly moved into taking dairy out of my diet as well. I will still eat cheese on occasion or cook with very little if I need to (it's just something I love and really can't avoid so I eat it!) and I still love ranch dressing! Those are the two dairy items that I just can't live without! I still do eat fish but I think fish and those amazing oils are so good for you and your skin that fish definitely needs to be apart of my diet! Not only do I eat fish but I also take a swig of this every day:

This is Carlson's Cod Liver Oil. I know it sounds really gross but it's good for you and if you really want to take care of yourself you gotta just do it! It is lemon flavored so that helps and truthfully you just take a tiny swig and then chase it down with orange juice in the a.m. and you'll be set! This oil really helps me skin glow and it's really good for you! I also do take fish oil, flax oil, phyto hair vitamins (I'll write about those another day!!), glucosamine, a women's daily vitamin, biotin, b-complex and a greens supplement. I take them throughout the day because you really have to watch out with which ones you can take together and what not so I split them up and really take a few throughout the day. But-I do have to eat something when I take them because they make me nauseous! I'm pretty sure I take more but I can't remember what they are...I'll write about that some time too because I really research what I need to take and what's necessary and what is not. So-you don't have to take all those but like I said earlier-what you put in your body shows on the outside. If you want pretty skin you have to take care of yourself! I do Jack Lalannes facial workouts too. I don't do everything he does and I DEFINITELY do them in the privacy of my own home!!! But it makes sense, you gotta keep those muscles moving!!