Favorite Fall Lipsticks

Fall is a beautiful time of year, and I absolutely love the makeup trends that come with it. Plum blushes, neutral eyes, berry lips- I love them all! I rustled through my lipstick collection and pulled out my favorite fall lip colors to share with you. These are my absolute favorite fall nude, berry, and plum colors.

1. Maybelline Party Pink- This is a beautiful berry shade that is perfect for this time of year. Maybelline lipsticks are my favorite, because they are pigmented, moisturizing, and affordable.

2. Maybelline Plum Paradise- This is a darker plum color that works great for night time. Definitely make sure you use a liner with this color since it is so dark.

3. Maybelline Warm Me Up- We all have our perfect "my lips but better" lipstick and this is mine. I love this color because it is appropriate for work during the day, but I also would wear it out to dinner or on the weekends. It's a beautiful mauve color.

4. Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Pinkberry- This shade is similar to Warm Me Up, but it is a few shades darker. It's still a great color for day time and is perfect for fall.

5. Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Get Ready- This was a sample I got at Ulta, and I'm actually surprised I haven't gone and purchased several shades of this lipstick. The formula is super creamy and it glides on like butter. This shade is a lighter berry color that is perfect for day or night.

6. Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in Hooligan- This is a beautiful mauve plum color. It would be great for any time of day during these fall and winter months.

I hope you all are having a great fall! Enjoy your boots, scarves, pumpkin picking, apple cider, and of course fall makeup!!

XOXO,

Meredith

Empties! September 2014

I have a bunch of products that I've used up! This is my favorite time to do product reviews because you have time to form a full opinion on the product. I have a lot to go through, so get comfy and grab a snack!

Skincare

Mario Badescu Acne Facial Cleanser- Lately I’ve felt like the products I’ve been using have been a little too harsh, but I still want to get rid of the breakouts I have in my problem areas. This cleanser is great for acne because it clears your blemishes up, but still is gentle on your skin. Right now I’m trying out the Cetaphil cleanser, but I might go back to the Mario Badescu if I don’t end up liking Cetaphil.

Clinique All About Eyes- This is a really nice eye cream for day and night. I bought this product on accident because I meant to buy the rich version, which is a little thicker consistency. I still liked this eye cream, but next time I will probably go back to the rich version.

Mary Kay Clearproof Cleanser- This is part of the Mary Kay Clearproof Acne Set that I purchased a few months ago. It was a decent cleanser, but I have other cleansers that I feel work better for my skin.

Boscia Self-Defense Vital Antioxidant Moisture- This is a pretty nice daytime moisturizer. I wanted to try it out because I LOVE the Boscia Super-Charge Overnight Moisture. I didn’t particularly love this one, so I won’t be repurchasing.

Olay Fresh Effects Bright on Schedule Eye Awakening Cream- This is a cooling eye cream that is great for the morning. I love the way it feels to put under my eyes in the morning, and I definitely think it helps de-puff the eye area.

Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil- I use beauty oil at nighttime about once or twice a week. It’s nice to give your skin an extra boost of moisture. This one from Boscia is light-weight, so it would be good if you’re interested in trying beauty oil for the first time. In the future, I’ll stick with my favorite oil, Josie Maran Argan Oil.

Boots Expert Sensitive Hydrating Serum- I haven’t tried many serums, and I don’t usually think they have much affect on my skin. This one is nice to add an extra boost of moisture, but I don’t think it makes a big difference in my skin.

Million Dollar Tan Cabana Tan- I know everyone on YouTube and in the beauty world raves about this self-tanner, but I am not a fan! The pros are that it doesn’t smell bad and it gives a pretty natural looking color. The major problem I have with this self-tanner is that it always turns out very splotchy on me. I end up with spots that are too dark and spots that look like there was no product. Also, it wears off within a few days and gets very patchy! Let me know what is your favorite self-tanner. I’m ready for a new one!

Hair Products

Batiste Dry Shampoo- I’ve talked about this dry shampoo in my monthly favorites, and I absolutely love it! I will definitely repurchase next time I make it to Ulta!

Tresemme Dry Shampoo- I don’t think this is a terrible product, but I don’t think it’s the best at absorbing all the oil. There are definitely better dry shampoos out there.

It’s a 10 Miracle Leave in Plus Keratin- I’m pretty sure my hair is addicted to this product. It hydrates, detangles, and makes styling much easier. Unfortunately, it’s pretty pricey and doesn’t last very long. I’m on the hunt for a less expensive version, but for now it’s my holy grail hair product!

Makeup

Urban Decay B6 Vitamin Infused Complexion Prep Spray- This product is supposed to reduce redness, minimize pores, and absorb oil to prep your skin for makeup. I didn’t notice any change in my skin or makeup, so I won’t be repurchasing this product.

Benefit Porefessional- This is one of my favorite primers. I like it because it fills in your pores, while also mattifying. This is my 2^nd or 3^rd bottle I’ve used up, so it’s safe to say I will repurchase again.

No7 Lift & Luminate Foundation- I never hear anyone talk about this brand, but they have really great foundations! This one has great coverage and is easy to apply. With the amount of foundations I currently have, I won’t repurchase right away, but probably in the future!

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner- I really like this eyeliner because it’s easy to use and is super black. The only issue is that the felt tip gets flimsy after a while and makes it difficult to do a wing.

Milani Eyeliner Pencil- This is a really nice black pencil eyeliner. It glides on easily, and it’s easy to blend out with a smudge brush. I need to get to CVS to buy another!

Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner- I can’t even tell you how many of these I’ve used. It’s my holy grail gel eyeliner, and I repurchase over and over!

Too Faced Better Than False Lashes Nylon Lash Extension System- Usually when I don’t like a product I give it at least 3 tries to give it a chance. That was not the case with this product. First of all, the fibers fell in my eyes, which I couldn’t stand. Then, when I put on the mascara, my top and bottom lashes were sticking together so bad I had to take it off and use different mascara before I even left for work. Needless to say, I don’t recommend this mascara!

Urban Decay Setting Sprays (All Nighter and De Slick)- I love both of these setting sprays. De Slick is my favorite for summer when my skin is oilier. I like to use All Nighter during the fall and winter when I don’t need to mattify my skin.

I’m glad I finally got around to writing this post, and now I can throw my trash away! I’m thinking of doing a fall makeup look next so keep your eyes out for that! J

♡ Meredith

August 2014 Favorites!

Happy Labor Day! I've been enjoying a relaxing long weekend. It's the end of another month, which can only mean one thing..monthly favorites! I only have a few favorites this month, so this will be short and sweet!

·      Lorac Pro Palette- I finally took the plunge and bought this much talked about palette! I went back and forth between the originally and the Pro 2, and I just had to get my hands on the OG! I definitely love the color selection of this palette. It’s easy to do a simple day time, work appropriate look, but you can also get a really dramatic nighttime look. My favorite shades so far are Nude, Light Bronze, Taupe, and Sable.

·      Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer- I don’t use eye primers every day because I don’t really have trouble with shadow creasing or wearing off, but I really enjoy this primer when I’m doing a more dramatic eye look and want everything to stay put. It does a good job of keeping everything in place while still allowing shadows to blend out easily.

·      IT Cosmetics Celebration Foundation- This is my first powder foundation! I wanted to find something that would be quick to apply without having to mess with liquid foundation. I don’t think this foundation has quite enough coverage for me to wear on its own, but I like using it on top of a tinted moisturizer or BB cream (my current favorite is the UD Naked Beauty Balm) to add a little more coverage and act as my powder.

·      IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush- Yes, I know this is a $48 makeup brush, but I practically hugged it when I felt how soft it was. It is the most luxurious brush I own, and it makes me want to buy so much more from the brand! Ulta recently come out with a line of IT brushes for Ulta, which are a more affordable line of brushes from the brand. I’m super excited to check them out!

·      MAC Cosmetics Peachykeen Blush- This has been my go-to summer blush. It’s the perfect peachy, pink shade that will flatter almost any skin color. I love that it has just a subtle amount of sparkle, which is perfect for summertime.

·      Murad Oil-Control Mattifier- I’ve been trying to wear BB cream lately instead of foundation just to save time in the morning. This makes me extra oily, so I have to offset this by using this mattifier. I like to apply this all over my face and use a pore filler in problem areas, and it’s a perfect primer combination.

I hope everyone had a great August! Thanks for reading. J

XOXO,

Meredith