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Archives for July 2016
My Recent Beauty Favorites | Video
It’s been 5ever since I’ve posted a video, so I thought I’d share some of my recent favorites. In fact, since filming this 3 weeks ago, I already have new favorites, so maybe I will get the chance to share those next month. I’d really love to get back into the swing of things with blogging and YouTubing, but lately snapchat, twitter, and instagram have been my go-tos for quick sharing since I’m so much more busy than I used to be. But, it’s good to be busy! Because, http://www.exposeyourselfusa.com/video-production/miami-video-production/ is helping me anyway.
Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder has been my transition back into pressed powders- I was using loose for way too long and it’s such a mess for traveling, although I do fancy myself a bit of baking!
Jouer Long Wear Lip Crème in Lychee is my go-to liquid lipstick. They have the best formula in the game & this color is just perfection on my skintone, and works from day to night.
Make Up For Ever Artist Eyeshadow in M546 Dark Purple Taupe is a gorgeous dusty rose shadow that is great both as a crease color or to create a halo lid effect. I like how cool toned it is, and the MUFE eyeshadow formula is amazing~ I need more!
Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Brow is one of my all time fave brow products now because it’s so easy to apply & lasts all day. The shade 40 is perfect for my hair most of the time, and 50 makes a great darker shade for nighttime.
Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencils have been the only liners I’ve used in the past few months. I use the shades in S50 & M14 the most- S50 is a wearable everyday color & M14 is closer to black
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water is my new replacement to primer, because, honestly- I don’t think primer works with my skin type anymore. I haven’t worn much primer in months, and don’t see much of a difference on days I don’t wear primer vs. days I do. I can’t say this necessarily makes my makeup last, but it feels good & the mist is so fine that I don’t mind dousing myself in it.
Fig & Yarrow Complexion Water is more of a skincare-centric water that I use because I love the neroli scent. I’ve gone through it super quickly & wish I had more of it! I want to try more of their products because I’m impressed thus far.
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion has been my hero after struggling with a few pimples around that time of the month. I don’t break out much anymore, but this product stops pimples dead in their tracks.
I haven’t used serums much until trying H2O+ Beauty Infinity+ Renewing Youth Serum– I love the texture & scent of it, and it makes my skin feel great. I still owe a review on the rest of this line, but I’m really impressed with their revamp!
If you love exfoliating, Radical Skincare Express Delivery Enzyme Peel will be your best friend. It’s one of those peels that balls up when you rub it in, which I know is *kinda* BS, but I do think it works. I use a similar product post-brazilian to prevent ingrown hairs, oddly enough. The Radical one smells amazing & is both gentle and effective. Use code OLIVIA on RadicalSkincare.com for 20% off!
A must-have I’ve talked about before is the OUAI Texturizing Hair Spray, which I accidentally put in my carry on on the way back from Toronto and I finally mustered up the courage to buy another one. It’s amazing for hair that tends to get flat- I like it both for straight and curly hair. I’ve heard a lot about Oribe’s Texturizing Spray, and this one is a bit less expensive- although I may try that one next.
ASOS is one of my favorite places for plus size clothes. I picked up the Missguided Plus Satin Bomber Jacket on a whim, as I liked the style on other people, and fell in love with it more than I thought I would. I’ll have to pick up some other colors for sure as bombers make great lightweight summer jackets.
Share your current favorites in the comments below- I’d love to hear what product should be on my radar (like I need any more).
**This post contains products that I have received for free-for more information, please read my Disclosure Policy**
Jeffree Star Cosmetics Skin Frost in Ice Cold & Velour Liquid Lipstick in Gemini Review & Swatches
A brand I’ve been dying to try this year is Jeffree Star Cosmetics. I’m no stranger to Jeffree, I used to follow him on MySpace back in the day and have even seen him multiple times at Warped Tour (and even have the pics to prove it). I may have even made a J-Star inspired tutorial (that shit is private now for good reason.). Anyways, I was holding out on trying the line until I could get my hands on the Ice Cold Skin Frost, and I luckily enough was able to snag it one relaunch along with Gemini, which to me, looked like my perfect everyday lip color! Also, if you don’t follow Jeffree on Twitter or Snapchat, you may be confused about those Cinnabon Delights. Just trust me & try them. He made them go viral, basically, so I thought they’d be the perfect prop with his products. 😉
The Skin Frost in Ice Cold is everything. The pan size is huge (hello, pan size) and the color is unlike any highlight I’ve ever bought. I usually stick to gold and champagne highlights, but seeing as I’m pale as f*ck, Ice Cold is perfect. The formula is great- pigmented but won’t make a weird line across your face when applying. It shows up so well both day & night! They’re a great deal at only $29. I’m hoping he comes out with more shades that are wearable for light skintones!
Velour Liquid Lipstick in Gemini is a gorgeous terra-cotta nude that is extremely wearable for everyday. I stick with wearable colors because 90% of the time, I’m working, so I’d rather get something I can wear often. I’ve already tried his formula because my roommate has Androgyny. Actually, I have it because I stole it from her. The thing that is different with Gemini is that it has a root beer scent. I’m not crazy about it, but it isn’t noticeable on the lips once it dries down. I found that it doesn’t last amazingly while eating, but I’ve found the reapplication process to be hassle-free. I probably coated on 3 layers throughout the day (albeit the layers were super thin) and I had no crumbling or flaking. I recommend removing the majority of the product from the doe foot before applying, as applying too much will cause some issues.
I took a quick iPhone photo to show you what the both look like- I haven’t had the time to pull out the tripod lately. But, as you can see the skin frost (on cheeks, nose, cupids bow) looks amazingly natural and lit from within, and Gemini makes for quite a gorgeous wearable nude!
If you guys haven’t tried any of Jeffree’s products yet, I definitely recommend you try to stay tuned on Twitter for a restock. They’re reasonably priced and perform well- the only frustrating part is trying to get your hands on them!
Luma Hair Straightening Brush Review
A trend I’ve seen sweeping the hair tool section lately (although it’s an old concept, a la hot combs), is hair straightening brushes. I have been interested in trying one, as burning myself while straightening is always an issue. Luma Brush is a surprisingly affordable $79 and promises to straighten hair 10x faster.
I’ve been testing this out for a few weeks and I do like it to straighten my hair every day. Unlike a flat iron, it doesn’t make you hair pin straight, but it works well for a natural everyday look. I wish I could adjust the temperature on it, as it’s preset and I don’t even know what the temperature is. In order to get the straightest hair possible with this brush, I pull my strands taut while pulling the brush through. It doesn’t burn your head at all, as the tips are capped with silicone, and every time I’ve used it I haven’t felt like I would come close to burning myself.
Personally, I’ll be keeping my traditional flat iron. But, I’ll be using the Luma on days where I just want to tame the wavy frizzy parts of my hair. I think this would be great for younger girls that are just learning how to straighten their hair, as there’s such a smaller risk for burning yourself!
**This post contains products that I have received for free-for more information, please read my Disclosure Policy**
Glossybox x Tony Awards: June 2016 Glossybox Review
I’m a tad bit late on my June GLOSSYBOX, but I thought I’d still share it because I thought it was a good one. GLOSSYBOX partnered with The Tony Awards to craft the perfect products to have you red-carpet ready. The box included:
CAOLION Premium O2 Bubble & Cool Pore Pack Duo: These were one time use samples and I’ve been dying to get my hands on a bubble mask. I loved the bubble mask but my reactive skin didn’t love the cooling mask, as it kind of made my face feel hot & cold at the same time. I’ve been dying to get my hands on a bubble mask, so I was so thrilled to see this in the box!
Sinful Colors x Kylie Jenner Trend Matters Nail Polish: Nails are always a hot-ticket topic on a red carpet, and Kylie Jenner’s been making waves in the beauty industry since the launch of her lip kits. I think this color looks cool, but I wear gel polish so I won’t be able to try!
Icona Milano Emotion Allowed Mascara: I haven’t tried this mascara yet (I use one tube at a time since they go bad so fast), but the brand is new to me and I can’t find much about it online other than the fact that it’s Italian.
Sebastian Professional Whipped Crème & Dark Oil: I’m guessing the whipped crème is some sort of mousse, but I can’t use many products in my hair as it gets flat. I do like oils in the ends though, so I like that there are two options.
LA Splash Lip Lacquer in Red Carpet: I like LA Splash a lot, but don’t wear red lips much as they look terrible on me, but it is the perfect award season red.
Tan Towels: A tan is the perfect accent to any red carpet look, and fake is best in this case. I don’t tan much, real or fake, because I’ve always enjoyed being pale. But, I may try these for bikini season.
If you’re in the U.S. or Canada, and have $21 to spend on some of the best beauty products, definitely give GLOSSYBOX a try.
**This post contains products that I have received for free-for more information, please read my Disclosure Policy**