Top 10 Primers: My Favorites For Your Face, Eyes, Lashes and Even Your Lips!

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1. MAC 'Prep + Prime' Skin Refined Zone Treatment (buy it here): I bought this primer after seeing Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog use it in her video on using the MAC Masterclass makeup brushes. It can go under or over makeup, smooths pores and instantly mattifies my skin. It keeps me pretty matte for most of a day, but isn't quite enough for the middle of the summer or a long, 12-14 hour day.

2. Milk of Magnesia Primer: Have I talked about this enough yet? Yes, it's the ultimate mattifier. It can go under (but not over) makeup, I reach for it all summer long for my t-zone.

3. Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Primer (buy it here): Lightweight and it hides all pores. Perfect for when I'm feeling less than perfect myself!

4. Freeze 24-7 Freeze and Go (buy it here): This is even more pore erasing, I reach for this primer most days.

5. IT Cosmetics Tightline (buy it here): Technically this is a primer, so it made the list! Really, this is a black mascara with the smallest brush you've ever seen. It gets really close to the base of your lashes, so similar to the tightlining eye liner technique, it helps make your lashes look much thicker.

6. NYX Shadow Base (buy it here): I talk about this stuff all the time, but really I love it. This is the shadow primer I use most often, I love that it covers up all of my blood vessels and keeps shadows looking great all day.

7. Too Faced Shadow Insurance (buy it here): If I'm going to wear something that is a bit more powdery, I'll use this one. They also make a great glitter version!

8. Urban Decay Potion Primer (buy it here): Also great for everyday eye makeup, a little less "tacky" than TFSI, so better for normal shadows.

9. ELF Glitter Primer: Pretty amazing stuff! This grabs onto any glittery or powdery shadows and just won't let go all day long!

10. Mally Lipstick Primer: I'm not sure why this isn't available alone (it comes in the perfect red lip kit), but it is a whitish liquid that dries to clear. It makes any lippie last all day long, I swear to you! Even with all of my coffee sipping. I save it for "special" occasions. Which means I break it out about once every 6 months. I should probably use this more often!


What are your favorite primers?





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Top 10 Tuesday: My Favorite At Home Manicure Products

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Today for Top 10 Tuesday we're sharing our favorite manicure products. If you read my blog regularly, you'll likely recognize many of these products, they were most recently featured in My Quick and Easy Manicure Routine. I'll discuss why I like each product here, but if you want a real step by step for an at home manicure you should head over to that post instead.

1. Cutex Nail Polish Remover Pads: I love these pads for removing toe nail polish! They're just felt soaked in polish remover, so if I run out I'll grab some craft felt and remover, but I always seem to make a mess on my own. These pads are also great for travel.

2. Acetone Jar: This is my usual method of polish remover. I love these jars! It's super easy to just dip your finger in to remove polish. I use pure acetone jars for glitter polish (this one is the in house Walmart brand) and Cutex non-acetone jars for regular polish.

3. Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover: I use this at least once a week on my cuticles to keep them looking neat, but it also does a great job of helping my feet looking soft.

4. Orly Cutique: Similar to the Sally Hansen product, except I use this one primarily for removing stains from my nail. A light layer for a minute or two, then scrub with a nail brush.

5. Sally Hansen Push 'n Trim: Yes, you aren't supposed to cut your cuticles. But even with regular cuticle remover use, I get those little hang nail things off to the side of my nail that just hurt like crazy every time you bump them. This is perfect for removing just that bit of skin and leaving everything else around it intact.

6. Orly Bonder Base Coat: My favorite base coat.

7. Seche Vite Top Coat: My favorite top coat.

8. Dappen Dish: I clean up a manicure with one of these cheap little dishes. Fill with pure acetone, then using a little stiff angled brush (a cheap eye liner brush is perfect) I brush the acetone along the edges of the nail. The brush is stiff enough to pull off the excess nail polish but it can go under the nail plate edge as well.

9. Orly Cuticle Therapy Creme: I love this thick creme! I use it at night right before bed. In the summer it goes mostly on my cuticles, but during the winter I'll use it on my entire hand.

10. CND Solar Oil: When I need extra moisture in the winter I'll apply a layer of Solar Oil to my skin first, let it sink in for a minute or two and then seal it in with the Creme.


What are your favorite products? I'm always looking for new ones!

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Top 10 Tuesday: My Favorite Mascaras

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Today we're sharing our favorite mascaras! I'm a huge mascara girl, I will try any mascara, especially if it promises long and voluminous lashes. I want to look like I'm wearing false lashes without the hassle. (Check out some of my mascara tips and tricks for long and lush eye lashes.)

I'm experimenting with a slideshow widget today... I thought it was fun, but let me know if you like or dislike it.

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Top 10: Glitter Makeup I Crave

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Today we're sharing best glitter makeup, but I admit that I don't own 10 products! I'm very interested in glitter makeup this season, so I thought I'd share some items that I have my eye on. I'm also sharing my favorite glitter makeup helpers.

1. Too Faced Glitter Glaze: This is a glitter top coat for your eyes! You can use it alone or over other shadows to add a little metallic shine. It comes in gold and silver.

2. Urban Decay Moondust Shadow: I have Diamond Dog already, but I have to say that Intergalatic and Space Cowboy are calling my name!

3. Make Up For Ever Glitters: These super fine glitters are perfect for using just about any where! As shadow, a highlight on your brow bone... you name it.

4. NYX Glam Lipgloss Aqua Luxe: A regular gloss, but with super shimmer! There are a lot of flattering shades, VIP and The Last Party look super pretty.

5. Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liners: Pretty much any of these colors would be an amazing pop of color and fun!

6. Sephora IT Collection Glitter Shadow: So pretty!

7. Too Faced Glamour Dust: This super pretty, sparkly glitter was made for your eyes, and in particular to use with Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue. There are 4 shades but I think I like the nude shade the best.

8. CoverGirl Bombshell ShineShadow by LashBlast: New cream shadows that are shiny and come in a few pretty colors! I can't find any online pics or reviews, but I'm super curious about these!

9. Lorac 3D Liquid Lustre: Similar to the Too Faced Glitter Glaze, but... more liquid!


Do you have a favorite glitter product? I'd love to hear about it!

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Top 10 Tuesday: Favorite Concealers

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I have done a ton of concealer reviews, and I meant to do a big series update this summer... but it didn't really happen. I got distracted by real life.

Instead, I've been perpetually repurchasing the same of the same products over and over. Here are my current faves to erase undereye circles and look more awake! And yes... I only came up with 7.

1. Amazing Cosmetics Concealer (buy it here): This concealer comes in a very wide array of shades and blends the best of the highly pigmented concealers.

2. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer (buy it here) is one of my favorite products from IT Cosmetics. This is a very pigmented concealer, and it lasts pretty much all day.

3. Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener (buy it here): I haven't done a review on this product yet, but I bought it a bit randomly after an impromptu makeup session at the Nordstrom's on Michigan Ave in Chicago, and I. Love. It. I had never really understood the love everyone has for YSL's Touche Eclat (and I still don't), but after using this product I do understand wanting something a bit more luminizing under the eye area!

I apply a little bit of the Amazing Concealer or Bye Bye Undereye to the back of my hand, and then use this luminizer (I love that it comes with an easy to use brush) and mix the 2 together, then pat onto my undereye area. The luminizer really does help, but I need a lot more coverage, so the mix works really well.

4. Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil (buy it here): This is a super, super pigmented pencil. It's perfect for when you have a blemish and want to just hit that one spot. I do have a visible blood vessel under 1 eye (it's been there since I was about 7, you've never seen it because I use a ton of concealer before pics!) and on days that it seems to be even more visible, I'll use a little of this right on the vessel. I have found that it can be hard to blend over large areas, so apply where you need it and pat it right there.

5. NYX Wonder Pencil (buy it here): This could easily be used as a skinnier version of the UD 24/7 Concealer, but instead I use it near my brows! I quickly draw above and below my brows and blend with a finger, and I swear look so much more polished.

6. L'Oreal Magic Lumi (buy it here): The L'Oreal version of that Smashbox Luminizer, love this one too.

7. L'Oreal True Match Concealer (buy it here): This pencil is the slightly less pigmented and easier to blend version of the UD pencil. I think this is the better option for the entire undereye area, and I keep meaning to buy one a few shades darker than my skin to use for contouring, but haven't done that yet.


What are your go-to concealers? I'm always looking for a good one!









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Top 10 Tuesday: Cold Weather Skin Savers

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Today for Top 10 Tuesday, we're talking about our favorite ways to deal with the cold, dry air of winter and all of its effects on your skin. Everyone hates winter skin. You know what I'm talking about, the dry, tight and flakies that are so uncomfortable and make you want to just scratch all day? There are some tricks to deal with it, but really I start adjusting my skin care routine now, before the weather is super cold. It is much easier to prevent winter skin than to try and fix it! Here are my favorite products to keep my skin well moisturized and my eczema under control!

1. My first essential product is a humidifier! I like a cool mist humidifier (my fave is this Crane Cool Mist Drop Humidifier). And I know that they're ugly, but if you don't want one in the middle of your family room then you should hide it in the room you spend the most time in anyways, your bedroom. Humidity is the best way to fight winter skin, and you'll notice a big difference if you're using one! Alternatives include a central humidifier on your furnace (which is what I mostly use, but we have supplemental humidifiers in our bedrooms at my house), if you have radiators you can put a pot of water on the radiator to evaporate. Or, at least consider leaving the bathroom door open during a shower, let the steam escape to up the humidity throughout the rest of your house.

2. and 3. I'm all about gentle face wash year round, but it is especially important during the winter! You want something that will remove all of your makeup and dirt, but without stripping your face. I've been using the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser for the last few months, I use it with my Clarisonic Plus (which is no longer available, but the Mia3 is closest).

4. Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense (my Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense review): Winter is a great time for sun exposure, even when you're in a grey and perpetually cloudy like Michigan. The snow reflects sunlight around that would usually be absorbed, so you actually get quite a bit more exposure than you think you're getting. Protect yourself with a good sunscreen!

5. Derma-e Skin, Hair and Nail Oil (my Derma-e Oil review): I really like all of the Derma-e Oils, though over time this one has become my favorite. I'm currently keeping this in my nightstand, and every night I'm applying a small amount first to my cuticles and then to my entire hand. Serious, even more love for this oil. It is super hydrating and sinks in quickly, I know I'll be using this all winter.

6. Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate (my Kiehl's Midnight Recovery review): Are you tired of me talking about this stuff yet? I refuse to travel without it. Any time I'm dry, a few drops on my skin at night and I'm back to my usual glow! This is a must have for the winter.

7. I haven't written about the L'Oreal Age Perfect Glow Renewal Facial Oil yet, but it's basically the L'Oreal version of the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery. The oils are different, and the L'Oreal feels a bit heavier (and takes a little longer to sink in to the skin), but it does the same thing. So, if you can't get your hands on the Kiehl's, pick up the L'Oreal at your drugstore. I think they're likely so close because L'Oreal is the parent company for Kiehl's.

8. Osmia Organics Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair: This stuff was formulated by Osmia Organics founder Sarah Villafranco (an ER Physician) to help treat perioral dermatitis and it is serious. I've only used it during the summer so far, but any time anything has come up with my lips or that general area, Lip Repair has fixed it within a day. I can't wait to see how well it works in a Michigan winter!


9. Cetaphil Cream (my Cetaphil Cream review) and 10. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (my First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream review) are my favorite go-to products for moisturizing my body in the winter. I have eczema, and I need to be super hydrated to fend off flares. If I could afford it, I'd slather myself in the First Aid Beauty every day, but that just isn't feasible. So, I use mostly Cetaphil (I buy a couple at a time from my Sam's Club), apply it right after your shower, the goal should be within 3 minutes of turning off the water to help seal in moisture. I put the Ultra Repair Cream on to any problem areas and it helps a lot.









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Top 10 Tuesday: My Favorite Makeup Palettes

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This week we're sharing our favorite palettes! I'm a sucker for an eye shadow palette (9 of the 10 here are mostly shadows), I actually have an entire drawer full of them. My favorites are mostly Too Faced, Urban Decay and Stila.

1. Too Faced Loves Sephora Anniversary Palette
2. Stila In the Light
3. Too Faced Pretty Rebel
4. Urban Decay Naked2
5. Urban Decay Naked Basics
6. Lorac Pro Palette
7. Too Faced A Few of my Favorite Things
8. Too Faced Be Merry & Bright
9. Too Faced No Makeup Makeup
10. Too Faced Boudoir Eyes








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Top 10 Tuesday: Fall Beauty Picks

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Today we're sharing items that we want for fall. I didn't necessarily look for fall collection items, but rather for the things I was shopping for this fall. I had categories I was trying to fill, so here are some of the products I was thinking about splurging on, and some that I've been using like crazy!

I'm looking for a good nude lippie still (or really, again, I like to have lots of options, and after checking out the Chanel Fall 2013 Collection, and I've been debating about picking up 1. Rouge Coco Shine in Secret and 2. Rouge Coco in Icone.


3. Bobbi Brown's Bobbi and Katie Palette: Bobbi always has a good palette, and this one is pretty amazing. I still haven't bought it, (I want to see it in person first) I might be distracted by some of the other amazing limited edition palettes she has out now.

4. Pond's BB Cream: Somehow I haven't reviewed this yet, but it's pretty great. It has medium coverage that looks very natural, which is just what I wanted for the fall.

5. L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail in Crazy for Chic: I always seem to want this dark pink tone in the fall. On my nails, on my lips... I have this shade and it's amazing. I just can't capture it in a picture.

6. Too Faced Perfect Eye Liner: I've been reaching for this eye liner in brown and black over and over! It's just soft enough to smudge really well, it stays put all day and I love that the brown really is that perfect shade of dark brown.

7. L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara: I've taken pics for my review but need to find time to write it up. I've really been loving this mascara, the brush is perfect for separating out the lashes. It does give a lot of volume as well.

8. Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Anarchy: My friend Phyrra loaned me this lipstick over the summer, and I had to get one for myself! The color is amazing, it's well pigmented, hydrating and lasts for a long time.

9. Nivea Extended Moisture: I've been increasing my moisturizing as the weather changes and this has been working really well to keep dryness and eczema flares at bay.

10. Too Faced Pretty Rebel Palette: I've been really loving this palette for fall! It's definitely worth picking up.







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Top 10 Tuesday: Beauty Items in my Purse

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When the Top 10 beauty bloggers decided to feature a list of the top 10 items we keep in our purse, I admit I was a bit worried. It's not unusual for me to have a situation like this going on. About 25 lippies in my purse. And yes, that is exactly what was going on when I dug through my purse to write this post (I'm writing this on Monday afternoon). Luckily I did find a few other items in the mix!

I have a giant purse, which is a bit like a Mary Poppins bag. I often use it as a diaper bag as well, and it carts a lot of stuff to and from work. I could probably use it as a carry on for travel if I wanted to as well (yes, it is that big).

To help keep absolute essentials from getting lost, I keep things that I always have in my purse in this cosmetic bag, it is a Clarins Feed promo bag from a few years ago. It's no longer available, but they did just bring out a new Clarins Feed 25 bag if you're interested in getting a great bag, fun products and donating to a great cause!

Inside of that bag, I always have these essentials:

1. Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets: They remove oil without messing up my makeup or leaving behind strange powder.

2. Nivea Extended Moisture Hand Cream: This is super hydrating, so it is perfect for midwest winters.

3. MAC Kissable Lipcolour in Woo Me: This is my perfect balance of pink and nude. Since it is so neutral for me, I keep it in my bag so I'll always have a perfect lippie. It isn't currently available, but it comes back every 12-18 months and I buy a new one.

4. Nivea Creme: Even thicker and more hydrating than the hand cream! I tend to use this when my cuticles are really bothering me (no matter what I do, they dry out when I travel), and it works great on my eczema that I might have.

5. CoverGirl Powder: Of course, this one is no longer available on-line, but it is the Fresh Complexion Pocket Powder. I like that it is a little smaller than other powders and is pretty finely milled. Great for mid-afternoon touchups.


The rest of my lippies tend to just collect at the bottom of my purse. It's a big collection of different formulas, colors and they run from $1 Burt's Bees lip balms to my YSL lipstick (which I'm still trying to love. But I don't.)

Here are the 5 from that collection that I use the most often.

6. L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm in 946 Provence Romance

7. Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Pillow Talk

8. L'Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Lilac Ever After

9. Too Faced Lipstick in Honey Bear

10. Osmia Organics Lip Luster



Finally, an added, bonus, 11th item! This is the lippie that I was searching for so often at the bottom of my purse that it now just lives in the center console of my car. It is CoverGirl Lipslicks Smoochies Lip Balm in C U L8R 210.







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re: this disclosure, I bought everything except for the Osmia and the Too Faced products.

14

Top 10 Tuesday: 10 Picks Under $10

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I had a really hard time picking out 10 products for this feature! Watch for a followup post in a few days (so many things were just over that $10 mark)

1. ELF Eye Shadow Brush $1
This is my stand by eye shadow brush. I admit that I own a ton of much more expensive brushes, but I seem to reach for this one over and over. I have about 6 of these!

2. ELF Studio Contour Brush $3
This is a great brush for the contour of my lid.

3. ELF Smudge Brush $1
I've been using this to smudge out the edge of my eye liner, it has just the right amount of stiffness to smudge the liner a bit but not so much that I move all of it, I still like to have a darker line right at my lash line.

4. Alba Botanica Acnedote Clean 'n Treat Towelettes $5.99
I love that these towels clean, remove makeup, and they have 2% Salicylic Acid! The rare occasion that I just use a face towel, I swear I dream that I'm breaking out because I didn't fully wash my face. With these I'm preventing that!

5. L’Oréal Paris Colour Caresse Shine Stain by Colour Riche $9.99
Have you seen my purse recently? I shared a peek at what was inside my makeup bag on August 14th (my birthday! Which I share with my girl crush, Mila Kunis!) and it was no coincidence that there 3 of these glossy stains in there. I want to buy the ones I don't own, I want them all, they are amazing and yes... yes, I love them.

6. Nivea Raspberry Rosé Kiss $3.19
I've been carrying this tin around in my pocket for the last few weeks. The raspberry flavor is pretty amazing.

7. CoverGirl Flamed Out Mascara $6.49
I love the shape of this mascara wand, it seems to really help when flaring out the edges of my lashes. You can check out a before and after picture in my Flamed Out review.

8. JĀSÖN Vitamin E Oil 5,000 IU $6.39
Vitamin E seems to be coming up a lot in conversation lately. I've had my eye on this oil, it also has Almond, Apricot, Avocado, Sunflower and Wheat Germ. I'm picking some up the next time I'm at Whole Foods!

9. Avalon Organics Lavender Moisturizing Cream Shave $8.50
Mmmm.... Lavender. With a smooth shave.

10. L'Oreal Paris Infallible Super Slim Liner - Black $8.49
I love this liquid liner pen. The tip is super skinny, it is perfect for tightlining!








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Top 10 Tuesday: My Favorite Golds for Fall

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Fall is right around the corner, which is so hard to believe! I'm already starting to crave navy and emerald everything. A little bit of a change up for this fall is that I'm also craving Gold. It's great for fall on its own or when paired with a "classic" fall color such as a burgundy or deep blue. While many of my friends are going antique gold, I'm also adding in a few more bronze and lighter gold colors. There are so many ways to interpret the gold that there will definitely be a way that works for you!








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Top 10 Beach Bag Items

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1. Giant Hat: Mine is from Old Navy circa 1998 or something, but it's almost exactly like this. A big floppy hat is a must!

2. I'm a big reader, and my Kindle means even if I finish my current book, I'll have something to read. I also love that it doesn't matter how sunny out it is, I'll be able to read the screen. And yes, I have the hot pink cover.

3. Giant Sunnies: I wear big sunglasses year round, I'm not a fan of squinting. It gives me a headache. I currently wear a pair from Diane von Furstenberg, they're prescription from my optometrist but pretty similar to this pair.

4. Smashbox Limitless Eye Liner: This is my favorite liner when I need something super waterproof.

5. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer: Yes! One of my favorite concealers is waterproof.

6. Cover Girl Flamed Out Waterproof Mascara

7-9. Assorted sunscreens. I most commonly bring a waterproof body sunscreen (one of my faves is Coppertone Sport, the higher the SPF the better), the Coppertone SPF lip balm is always in the bag, and I love the Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense since it has great UV coverage and won't break me out. You can find out more about my favorite summer sunscreens how I reapply my sunscreen over makeup.

10. Secret Waterproof Antiperspirant: This is always my go-to antiperspirant. It's waterproof. Which means you can't sweat it off and it survives swimming. For real.





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