Maybelline's SuperStay Foundation

Maybelline's SuperStay Foundation 

(photo courtesy of maybelline.com)

 

As every girl always is, I was worried about trying a new foundation. You have one and it matches your skin tone and you start getting bottle after bottle. At some point though, you find yourself needing a new foundation whether they changed your old one or it's just time to mix it up. For me, it was a sale. I have Urban Decay's foundation, but it's $38 a bottle at Sephora. I was using a Netroeugena  product, however it was $15 a bottle and I didn't need the skin clearing anymore part of it. So I found this one.

For around $9 a bottle, Maybelline's SuperStay foundation surprised me. I got it in Sand Beige and even though it's not the easiest to apply, it's like any liquid foundation and it went on super smooth. I don't feel cakey or heavy. I actually feel very light.

I also guessed the perfect shade while in store. I'm usually one up from the lightest color places make in foundations. This one was no exception and it matches my skin tone perfectly. The next test for it will be when I go outside. It's 85 degrees and sunny today and I used to sweat off both my old foundation and the Urban Decay ones. I powdered post foundation application and will see how it goes! So far so good though.

 

Revlon's Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner

Revlon's Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner

(Photo courtesy of revlon.com)

 

I will say, I'm not really a Revlon product fan. I have a couple of their eyeliners, however overall, I haven't been quite satisfied with their products. Now, to give them some credit, liquid eyeliner is hard to fall in love with. For about $5, this product wasn't really worth it. Maybe I just have some issues with liquid liner. That is very possible. 

I just found that this stuff smudged and was extremely difficult to apply. I'll take my gel eyeliner any day. I gave up after trying this product on liquid liner so there may be some that are much better on the market, but I don't think I'll ever be a liquid liner girl.

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipcolor

CoverGirl's LipPerfection Lipcolor

(Photo courtesy of covergirl.com)

 

Every little girl dreams of her lipstick. She plays with her mother's. It's one of the first things that tells us "oops, she got into my makeup again." For me, it was a late transition into lipsticks. To me, they were for dance recitals. I had no idea of a good color. I liked the vintage and bright reds, but also some softer tones that were closer to my natural lip color. 

Priced from around $5-7, CoverGirl's Lip Perfection was a good starter choice. It has a wide variety of choices, works like a typical lipstick and has good lasting power. I make sure to moisturize with lip balm beforehand, however this stuff sticks around. It may seem like it's coming off at first, but by the end of the night, you'll still notice some color on your lips. 

 

In my makeup bag, I own two of these. One is a soft, pink tone that's good for everyday use. The other is a stunning "Very Cherry" that's bright and perfect for those little black dress nights where looking good is just a priority. The bright red provides a good contrast to the rest of my features and I find it a fearless act when putting it on. It's not a safe color, but it's one every girl should learn to rock every once and awhile, just for her.

Aerie's Bras

Aerie Bras

(Photo courtesy of ae.com)

For awhile, I loved Aerie bras. They had a decent fit and one of my favorites was their lightly lined Ella. They were fairly true to size and I didn't have any issues. I'm not quite sure what happened recently with the company. 

Running a bit cheaper than Victoria's Secret, Aerie bras have sunk. I love their underwear, don't get me wrong, but for bras, I won't really shop there anymore. Recently, their bras are not true to size. They also have a "cheap" feeling to the quality and overall, I'm just not pleased. 

Sizing wise, they tend to run small and when a usually A cup girl is exploring into Bs consistently because the As are too small in both cup and band, something's up. It's not just the cup size that's off. It's also the band size that runs small. Measuring around my ribs, I'm about a 31/32. In an Aerie bra, a 34 doesn't fit. Yeah, I told you something was off.

I enjoyed my Aerie bras while they lasted and I still have a few, however they definitely will not be my number 1 for bras anymore. Underwear and comfy clothes? Of course. But bras I'm headed to VS and their cotton lingerie line especially.

eos Lip Balm in Sweet Mint

eos Lip Balm in Sweet Mint

(Photo courtesy of evolutionofsmooth.com)

 

For around $3.30, eos is definitely one of the best balms I've tried. I purchased it in Sweet Mint and it's actually really fun and minty. The eos design is unique. I find myself wanting to put it on just because it's fun to do so. I go between my eos and my homemade balm from a farmers market. Both prove to be quite effective. The winter is always tough on lips and I had been wanting to try eos for awhile. Not only that, but it's cheap. If you're like me, I want to have a million lip balms everywhere because I have enough purses, backpacks and regular bags that I simply cannot remember to move it over every single time. Definitely worth the $3.

Makeup Life Span

 Do you still have makeup from the beginning of high school and are now in college? If so, that should probably get tossed. Depending on what type of makeup it is, it has a shelf life. Many people think that if they have not used the entire container, it's all set. It's not. Makeup has bacteria. From the transferring to your face back into the bottle or via brush, bacteria is present and to be the healthiest you can be, some makeup should be thrown out after certain times.

The best thing to do is after you open a new makeup, write a date on it and/or an expiration date. The more organized you are, the better. 

Mascara: Every 3 months. Mascara is known as having the highest bacteria to bottle transfer because of the closeness to your eyes.

Eye pencils: 2 years

Eye shadows: Liquid shadows last 12 months while powders are good for 2 years. However, if you have had a recent eye infection like pinkeye, everything needs to be tossed.

Lipsticks: 2 years

Cream blushes: 1 year

Powder blushes and powders: 2 years

Mosturizing foundations and stick concealers: 18 months

Oil-free foundations and liquid concealers: 12 months. 


(Resource: dummies.com)

Upcoming Products

Aerie Yoga Pants
Liquid Eyeliner
Aerie Bras
Victoria Secret's Thongs
Maybelline Concealer
Revlon Eyeshadow
CoverGirl Lipstick
Eos Lip Balm

Bath & Body Work's Pink Chiffon Shower Gel

Bath and Body Work's Pink Chiffon Shower Gel

(Photo courtesy of bathandbodyworks.com)

 

This stuff makes showers just that much better. In my favorite scent (Pink Chiffon,) it helps have a relaxing shower and doesn't make you stink in a cloud of scent afterward. Some scent products have a tendency to stick around for way too long, but Bath and Body Works has it right. For $11 either online or in store, the shower gel also has shea butter in it which helps with dry skin.  

I've tried my fair share of body washes. I've got back and forth with what I like. I think this stuff is here to stay. I use only a bit on a poof (loofah?) and it lathers well. I find myself relaxed afterward and happily enjoy my shower time.

Clean and Clear's Daily Pore Cleanser

Clean and Clear's Daily Pore Cleanser

(Photo courtesy of cleanandclear.com)

 

Recently, my friends and I began the journey on a new health kick. I now work out 6 days a week. I eat healthy. I'm taking my multivitamins and drinking protein shakes. The one downside of this whole thing is sweat. Sure, the exercise and eating right will help my skin. That has been scientifically proven. But the thing with sweat is the amount of it, how it clogs your pores and how much more you have to shower and wash your face. 

 

I didn't want to get an acne treatment cleanser because yes, I do break out around that time of the month, but with the consistent use I'd be using the product, I didn't want anything too harsh on my skin. So off to Walmart I went and found this product for $4.97. So far, I think it was worth it.

 

My skin has felt cleaned and pores definitely opened up and sweat free. I have a routine of giving myself a face massage while lathering up with face wash and it definitely helps reduce stress and make my skin look better. This is a great basic product that can be used a lot, isn't harsh at all and is just a nice overall face cleanser. 

Aerie's Underwear

Aerie's Underwear Collection

(Photo courtesy of aerie.com)

One of the things I've identified and I'm sure many others have identified, is the big brand differences between Victoria's Secret and Aerie. American Eagle's Aerie line is cute. It's comfy. Quite frankly, it's perfect for single girls who just want some comfy, adorable clothes and underwear. Victoria's Secret has the sexy down. They have the red and black lace that might not be perfect for day to day, but sure is great for a date night.

Aerie boasts one of the best quantity for your money as they run 7 for $26 rather than VS's 5 for $25. They run true to sizes as far as their underwear goes (bras can run a bit on the small size. You usually have to go up a cup size or have some fitting trial and error.) Aerie offers a full collection of styles from hipsters to bikini to thongs and everything else. Their Boybrief style is probably the most popular due to its comfort, but the rest are there and easy to find. 

I find that Aerie has actually taken over most of my underwear drawer. They're soft, they're cute and you can find bra matches. The patterns are fun (I own a pair of polar bears, penguins and elephants even) and it's definitely a way to brighten your mood on a gloomy day.