FOTD - Spring Nighttime Going-out Look

I love wearing bright lip colors in the spring and summer. In fact, I hardly own a nude lipstick - they are all bright pink or orange! I was going out this Saturday night to see my boyfriend's band play, so I wanted a smokey going-out eye, but I also wanted to wear my new favorite hot pink lipstick - Cover Girl Color Sensational lipstick in Fuchsia Fever. I love how it accentuates tanned skin, and its a great pink for day or night. I sometimes struggle with pairing a bright lip and smokey eye, and I think I successfully did it here! Here's what I did:

First I applied my new foundation, Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup in 22 (P), my new shade for my tanned skin. I then contoured a bit with NYX Matte Bronzing Powder in Medium, and added e.l.f. Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder in Sun Kissed, a shimmery golden bronzer, to the cheeks and cheekbone. I filled in my brows with the Smashbox Brow Tech kit in Blonde.

On the eyes, I smudged Maybelline Color Tattoo cream shadow in Tough as Taupe, a brownish gray, with my finger all over the lid. To set this, I patted Urban Decay Tease (which I find is the perfect shadow to set Tough as Taupe with because it's almost exactly the same color) all over the lid and lower lash line. I accentuated the outer V with NYX Nude Matte Eyeshadow in Confession, a medium-dark matte gray. For the crease and outer lower lash line, I used Ulta eyeshadow in Mesmerize, a cheaper version of Urban Decay Lounge or Mac Club. It's a reddish brown base with a teal duochrome flash. I used it wet because it wasn't showing up dark or duochrome-y enough dry. I lined my upper lashline with Urban Decay Blackout. I coated my lashes with Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black.

I moisturized my lips with a bit of Burt's Bees balm before applying Maybelline lip liner in Clear. I then applied my Cover Girl Color Sensational lipstick in Fuchsia Fever. This lipstick looks just as amazing for a day look with nothing but a bronzed face and a swipe of mascara!

Ready to go out tonight!

Smashbox Photofinish Hydrating Primer review

We had been having a very warm winter so far in Chicago, up until about two weeks ago when it finally started dipping below the thirties. The harsh effects of winter finally began taking its toll on my skin. I had been using a Bare Minerals primer for several months, but last week I noticed that it just wasn't cutting it anymore. Dry patches on my face were just being accentuated by my foundation, and my makeup would flake off throughout the day. Not a pretty look.

Then, on a trip to Ulta, a sales clerk broadened my horizons and told me that Smashbox had a line of primers for different skin types, including a moisturizing one for dry skin. I almost jumped for joy. Until I noticed the $42 price tag. "Are you out of your mind?" I inquired with my eyes to the nice sales clerk. "Forty-two dollars for a one-ounce tube of blue goop?"

But oh, what precious blue goop it turned out to be.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I pulled out some of my hard-earned birthday money out of my purse at the cash register. After plunking the red bag down in my bathroom when I got home, I promptly forgot about it until the next morning. After splashing some water on my face, I took a small squeeze of the primer and smoothed it onto my face.

It was love at first swipe. It felt so calming and hydrating to my thirsty skin. It absorbed very quickly, leaving a slightly tacky surface for my foundation to adhere to. I immediately noticed a difference in the way my skin looked after my foundation was applied. It looked healthier and more glowy. By the end of the day, my makeup was still fully intact and with no dry flakes!

If you have dry winter skin (or dry skin in general), I couldn't recommend Smashbox Photofinish Hydrating Primer enough. I think I'll switch back to my $18 primer when the weather gets warm again though...

FOTD - quick and easy sparkle liner for a polished 5 minute face!

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a good Monday. We cozied up with some warm brown sugar chili and cornbread muffins that I made for dinner. It's one of my favorite meals that my dad always made for my brother and I when we were kids, and I think the family I nanny for enjoyed it too. Although the girl was saying she didn't like the skin on the beans - the things that kids insist they don't like just to get out of finishing their plate! ;)

Monday for me means getting a week's worth of grocery shopping done, and making dinner early in the morning in the crockpot so it's ready for us when we get home at 6:30 from basketball practice carpool. Monday is a day that I need my makeup to be quick and easy, so here is a look that I do quite often because it literally takes 5 minutes!

I start out by using a tinted moisturizer all over my face instead of a foundation, because I can quickly swipe it on with my fingers. I currently am using e.l.f. Tinted Moisturizer in Nude. I like this product because it is very pigmented, so it offers pretty decent coverage for a tinted moisturizer. It feels very hydrating, and it is also SPF 20 to protect my face from the sun's rays during the day. I pat my HG concealer - Clinique All About Eyes concealer in Light Golden - on under my eyes to cover up my dark circles. If you are blessed with thick, shapely brows, you can skip the next step. However, my brows are so thin and blonde that I simply must fill them in. Using a Mac angled brush, I fill in the brows with Smashbox Brow Tech in Blonde. I do like this product, although I find that the wax does not keep the hairs perfectly in place, so I may try a brow gel when I use up this tub. On my cheeks, I did a quick swipe of Sonia Kashuk Beautifying Blush in Sunset. I used my new favorite product of the week - Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter - in Tutti-Frutti on my lips.

For my eyes, I used Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Rock Candy on the upper lash line. Rock Candy is a bronzey brown with golden sparkle in it. The formula is a bit sheer on the first pass, so I always do two coats to bring it up to opacity. Also, you must remember to shake the tube before every use or else there will be no color or glitter on the brush. I find that because of the sheerness of the liner, it is very forgiving for a liquid liner, and you do not need to worry about being extremely precise like you do with other liquid liners. Although you do need to be careful to let it dry a bit before opening your eye, or else the liner will smear onto your upper eyelid. I can't explain how much I love this eyeliner. It looks gorgeous, and it will. not. budge. Seriously. It will only come off with makeup remover. I forgot to take it off before I showered, and it was still on after my shower!

To finish the eye, I blended some Urban Decay Bootycall into the browbone and inner corner just to give a highlight. Using a flat eyeliner brush, I lined my lower lashline with Urban Decay Busted, and blended it up to join with the slight wing of the eyeliner. I did not use any other eyeshadow on my lid for this look, because the liner is so sparkly that it gives just enough pizzazz for a daytime look. The final touch was coating my lashes with CoverGirl LashBlast in Black.

And with that, I'm good to go! With a face that took me five minutes to put on, I feel fresh, polished, and ready for the day! (Now if only I could do my hair in that amount of time! I attempted a french braid to disguise my not-so-freshly washed hair, and let's just say it was a big FAIL)

What is your favorite five-minute face look?