Quick Ramble: “Strobing” and Korean Skincare

Hello, hello!

Today I just want to do a quick little post on skincare because I’ve been quite obsessed with it lately (more than usual that is…) and I’m noticing a few trends popping up I thought you’d like to know about!

First, Korean skincare.

I have watched about a million YouTube videos in the past few days, and read about two million articles on how the general Korean population takes care of their skin. They have such beautiful skin, it’s unreal! They also use about 10 different products on their faces each night and I can’t help but wonder if that’s at least half of the reason they’re skin looks so hyper-real.

As for Korean makeup, which I’ve also been pouring over, I understand that a very dewy look is popular over there and it’s easy to see why – it’s gorgeous! I personally have never been too into matte makeup to begin with and have very few things that are truly matte, so this is great to me. Healthy, youthful skin is always in in my book.

In a (not so?) coincidental turn, “strobing” has been blowing up my Instagram. If you’re not sure yet, this supposed new trend (as I understand it) is when highlighter is applied to the high points of the face without contouring. It creates a very dewy glow that is being attributed to the French (though I think it’s very similar to the Korean look…!) and is predicted by many to be the Next Big Thing.

Whether or not “strobing” really is the new contouring, I think it’s lovely, trend or not! Now excuse me while I hunt for the perfect cushion BB cream…

XO

Maybelline Baby Lips Gloss Review/Swatches (and some Burt’s Bees too!)

Hello, hello!

Yesterday at the store, I (somehow!) wandered into the beauty department and noticed a new product I had to get my hands on: Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss!

As an already huge fan of the Baby Lips lip balms (if you haven’t tried one, I highly recommend them), I had a good feeling about these new glosses and was really excited to try one out! There were about five or six colors available where I was, and this pretty peach was the one that caught my eye. If you read my blog at all, you know I’m an absolute sucker for anything peach/peachy pink, so this one was a no-brainer! This shade is called “Life’s a Peach” (cute!).

As for the color, it’s a bright, cotton-candy pink peach shade in the bottle and as swatched, but it doesn’t have too much color payoff on the lips – more of a pretty tint.

(This is how it looks on my bare lips – above)

As for the formula, this is not at all sticky and is so lightweight it feels much more like a rich balm than a gloss. When I first put it on, I was a little self-conscious because it seemed to emphasize any and all cracks and lines in my lips, but after probably only 3-5 minutes, the gloss had moisturized my lips so well they really did feel like baby lips 😉 and looked amazing!

To sum it up, this gloss is a new favorite. I’m so in love with the hydration it delivers, and the light tint it gives my lips as well as the soft peach scent. It doesn’t taste bad or feel sticky, and the packaging is really cute. I think this is great for summer especially because it’s so lightweight and hydrating and gives lips such a healthy look. For under $4, this is a great buy and a great example of how great drugstore makeup can be. I’m a wee-bit obsessed with this gloss right now, and may or may not already be thinking of whether or not I need another shade or two… 😛

Let me know what you think of these glosses (whether you’ve tried them or not), and/or Baby Lips! I’m a bit of a fan as you can tell… 🙂

P.S: I also picked up Burt’s Bees lip balm in Vanilla Bean, and holy Toledo…I love it.

Maybe I’m a sucker for too many things, but when it comes to peach and Vanilla Bean, I’m not sorry!

XO

Bronzed Makeup Tutorial!

As much as I would like to, I haven’t been filming many videos for my YouTube channel lately. I’m frustrated because I have the vision in my mind of what I want, then I’m unable to do it with the technology I have (a phone and natural lighting…). I’m glad I’m able to do at least something, but it’s still a wee bit annoying. However, I recently received a video request on Instagram and it’s inspired me to make not only that one, but another as well! I’m back in it! Haha

This one is a look I did last week that I thought turned out really pretty. I’ve been self-tanning lately, so my face and body aren’t matching up anymore and I used bronzer to compensate. This is also partly inspired by a look one of my favorite makeup artists, Lisa Eldridge, has on her YouTube channel. It’s a very natural, laid-back, summer look. Let’s get started!

As usual, I started with washed and moisturized skin and clean hands. I skipped primer and applied L’Oreal True Match Foundation in “Soft Ivory N1” all over my face with a BeautyBlender. Then I did some spot concealing with my Cover FX Cream Concealer in “N X-LIGHT”, using fingers to pat the product onto blemishes.  Using a fluffy brush, I set that all with a pressed powder that matches my skintone (Maybelline Fit Me in “115 Ivory”) to prevent fading and add a bit of extra coverage. Going back in with a lighter concealer, Maybelline Dream Lumi in “Ivory”, and a flat Crown Concealer brush, I concealed dark circles, then set that with the same powder and a Lancome Blending Shadow Brush to prevent creasing.

With a BareEscentuals Flawless Face brush, I swept Too Faced’s Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer onto temples, my forehead, cheekbones, the bridge of the nose, jawline, and neck, making sure to blend fully. These are the areas that get touched by the sun naturally, so applying bronzer to them makes the look believable and flattering. This was the most important step for the look because it would help my face match my body and add that summer feel to my look! (Unfortunately…because of the lighting, I feel like you can’t really see the color too well on my face even though I added quite a bit. I’m definitely gonna have to find some different lighting for these videos…!) After bronzing and blending, I used an ELF Blush Brush to apply Covergirl Cheekers Blush in “Rose Silk” to the apples of my cheeks, blending it into the bronzer. This step isn’t necessary, just something I like to do to add a little more color to my face and make the bronzer a little less stark. Then, using a RealTechniques Setting Brush, I applied MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish highlighter in “Soft & Gentle” to the high points of my face to add a bit of a glow and enhance the slight contour of the bronzer.

For eyes, I first set my lids with Too Faced’s Shadow Insurance Primer. Using the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette, I used the soft, shimmery peach shade “Marzipan” all over lids, applying with a MAC 217 Brush. Then, using the same brush, I went in with “Triple Fudge”, a matte dark brown, from the same palette and emphasized the crease and the Outer-V. With the same color, I used an ELF Smudge Brush to dot the lower lashline for subtle emphasis, then used a Tarte liner brush to smooth the color onto the upper lashlines. With everything blended well, I moved on to lashes by first curling them with my Revlon curler, then applying a light coat of L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in “Black Brown”. I chose a lighter mascara than usual because I didn’t want anything to look too obvious, and a mascara with brown in it is more naturally enhancing than just straight black. I also only applied enough to create a little definition so the whole look would come across as more effortless than “done”.

For the finishing touches, I applied IT Cosmetics Brow Power to brows using short, feathery strokes to fill them in and subtly shape them. For this look, I think just about any lip color would look great from a bright red to a cool melon, however, for the surfer-girl-just-back-from-the-beach vibe I was going for, I didn’t want to stray too far from my natural lip color. I chose Tarte’s LipSurgence gloss in “Exposed” to just lightly add a little shine and hydration as well as enhance the color that was already in my lips. Feel free to alter this to your own color of course, or try something completely different!

And that’s the look!

I think this works well for just about any summer occasion, and can be easily dramatized by either changing the lip color, adding a cat eye, or even just adding more mascara!

I hope you enjoyed 🙂

XO

Outfit Challenge: Day 3!

My grandma was, and still is, one of the greatest blessings of my life. Spending time with her was always the best part of my day, and it was never enough. I’ll always love her so much and carry her around in my heart. A special way I get to still see her and feel close to her is by wearing her jewelry. She passed down so many amazing pieces to me, including pieces she’d been given by her beloved grandmother, which brings me to today’s outfit:

Create an outfit around your oldest piece of clothing

This outfit is centered around the necklace of course, which was given to me by my grandma and is one of the pieces that was given to her by her grandma. It’s a rose and yellow-gold cameo necklace made from conch with a Mother-of-Pearl teardrop. My great-great grandma lived during the 19th Century and into the 20th Century, making this, by far, the oldest piece of jewelry I own and perfect for this challenge!

This piece is very precious to me, and I plan to wear it only on very special occasions. However, today I’ve made a dressy-casual outfit that would work well for a romantic date. 🙂

Paired with skinny jeans and a delicate cami, the necklace is the focal point and the piece that elevates the outfit into date territory. The pink/nude heels play up the peach and pink tones in the necklace, drawing further attention to the piece and tying the whole look together.

For makeup, I’d pair this with a sweet look. Dewy skin, full lashes, and a soft pink pout would be perfect, as well as full, softly curled hair. 🙂

There you have it! That’s all for now – thanks for reading! 🙂

XO

Jeans: Gap

Cami: American Eagle

Heels: Forever 21

May’s Ipsy Bag!

This month’s Ipsy bag was much better than last month’s in that everything was in one piece when it got here…!

This month’s theme is “jet-setter” and I think that means all the products are ideal for travel…? Either way, I’m liking everything I got.

Out of the several types of bags available this month (all with different phrases), I’m pretty happy with the one I received – pretty darn cute (and true!).

First product: this bronzer by Pixi by Petra in “Summertime”. This shade is pretty soft, which works best with fair skin like mine. This is also unlike most bronzers I own in that it has a slight gold shimmer to it. This goes on very light and is working well for me as a way to achieve more of a glow than for bronzing. This is pretty when applied over cheekbones for a hint of color.

This BellaPierre eyeliner is actually…a gel! Gel is my favorite formula for eyeliner because it’s easily applied, wears well, and has a very natural look to it. It’s a slight pain to have to use a brush every time though, so this pencil solves that dilemma! This color is a very true black and it wears very well. Because it’s waterproof, this stays put and is best removed with an oil based makeup remover.

This Caviar CC Cream is a product I actually already own, and Im happy to have a replacement! This really does everything it claims AND smells like roses…I love it!

This Detoxifying Citrus C Facial cleanser by Peter Lamas, is a product Im probably going to use on my body instead of my face. It smells nice and has a nice gel formula, but I find that products that claim to “detoxify” tend to do just that, and bring problems to the surface to be dealt with. For some this is great, but for me, I feel more confident just leaving those blemishes under the surface instead of inviting them up to everyone’s attention!

Lastly, this Ozone 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil to prime glosses (which I also received samples of in “Failbait”, a plumy rose, and “Bittersweet”, a bright purple that reminds me of “Pure Heroine” from MAC). This pencil is creamy and clear, and I plan to use it with all glosses. I have high hopes for all three!

Meet Me at the Pineapple

On Monday, my boyfriend and I took a quick trip to Portland! I’ve been a few times, but never actually to enjoy things so it was a nice adventure! We stayed in a beautiful hotel, ate amazing food, and shopped in a five (!) story mall. So much fun!

The Sephora I went to was huge! I was in there for days checking every little thing out, and I could’ve gladly spent rent in there but I narrowed it down to just one product 🙂

I have quite a few foundations and BB creams and everything in between, so, as much as I wanted to, I decided I should hold off and instead buy something that will help me use the ones I have more often. I decided on this concealer by Cover FX because it’s really highly-pigmented and will give that full-coverage I want. I prefer to have a light base all over, then conceal well instead of just a full-coverage foundation all over – usually. This should help with that, and help me to use the bases I already have more often.

I did pick up some samples as well! I’m going to try out the Nars Luminous Weightless Foundation (a very full-coverage foundation that I think may be too heavy for me but we’ll see!), and the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation. The Nars one intrigues me though it’s so full-coverage, because it could be a one-step-wonder. The few times I’ve tried it on, it’s been a bit too matte for my liking though, so I’m going to try it for real and figure it out once and for all! The Bobbi Brown one is great…it’s hydrating and light with great coverage that still looks like skin. For me, that’s ideal. However, it’s a bit too spendy for me right now so I’m just going to sample it and make sure it’s as wonderful as I think! I also got a mini perfume with my VIB points there 😉

I was also pretty well behaved at the mall (no easy feat with a two-story Forever 21 and a three-story H&M!), and only picked up one thing for myself…

Now, don’t ask me why I got this bracelet…I have no idea why. It’s gaudy and big and not at all my usual style. But, for some inexplicable reason, I was drawn to this and kept going back to it! I just think there’s something so cute about it! I spent forever at Charming Charlie trying to make up my mind about this, but I decided I’d regret it if I didn’t get it, and I promised myself I’ll wear it often! Judge me if you must, but I just think it’s the cutest thing.

That’s all for now!

XO

April’s Ipsy!

Good morning!

I know it’s a little late coming, but here’s a look at this month’s Ipsy bag – “Beautifully Bohemian”!

Why is it late, you might ask? Well. I had a bit of a problem with a few items in this bag…

This is how my blush first showed up a few weeks ago. Yikes! What was supposed to be a pressed powder could’ve been mistaken for a loose one. It was a mess. I tried to solidify it again with rubbing alcohol, and it worked, but it still just isn’t quite the same.

My perfume was also completely empty! Nothing smelled like it had leaked out, so I don’t know what in the world happened but it was bone-dry.

The good news: Ipsy’s customer service team was great. When I told them the problem, they were sincerely nice and sent me replacements for the damaged products – no questions asked.

The new products are completely in tact and we can now properly review! 😉

The first item we’ll do will be the infamous blush:

By the brand Hikari, and in the shade “Tango”, this blush is a very bright rose pink. The formula is pretty pigmented, AKA, a little goes a long way, and the color is pretty true to how it looks in the container. That being said, it’s a great way to make cheeks pop and I’m loving this with doe eyes and a matching rose lip. Perfect for Spring!

Next is the Nude Dude eyeshadow from The Balm in “Fit”.

I’ve always wanted to try The Balm’s products ever since seeing the cheeky (get it?) highlighter Mary Lou-Manizer. I love the cute humor in their products and have heard nothing but great things about the actual formulas. First of all, the packaging is adorable. It opens like a little book (about tall, dark, and handsome men apparently), and has a magnetic closure so it stays secure. The shade is a shimmery copper brown that has a bit of a rose gold tint once it’s on. The formula has nice color payoff, and wore all day through errands and dinner!

Next is the Hey Honey Good Morning honey silk facial serum:

This says it can be worn alone, under day and night creams, or as a primer and that it’s fine for all skin types. I still get a bit apprehensive about new facial products however, because I’m so acne-prone. But, I’ve thrown caution to the wind and used it as a primer! So far, I haven’t noticed any break-outs (knock on wood!), and it wears very well. It’s a very thin, silky formula that’s the color of honey and smells like flowers! I have a hard time with primers because they either don’t work like I want or they break me out, but this one is pretty hydrating and smooth so I know I at least don’t dislike it. I’ll have to keep wearing it to reach a final verdict!

Next up: Starlooks lip gloss in “Cuddle”.

This lipgloss really closely resembles the eyeshadow in my opinion, so they work really well together. It’s a copper rose-brown shade with a silver sheen, which makes it stand out among the millions of other coppers with gold shimmer. It’s a bit sticky, but applies well and lasts for quite a while. I think this is going to look even better with a tan, and will be appropriate for any occasion this summer. 🙂

Last but not least, the perfume!

This is “Femina” by Jor’el Parker, and it smells realllllly pretty. It’s definitely floral (my favorite), but it smells like it has touches of vanilla and musk, which really anchor it. While I normally don’t like musk, this one doesn’t seem too heady. Thr scent reminds me of going on a walk during Spring, when there’s still the smell of rain and heavy winter in the air but the flowers are blooming and the sun is shining. 🙂 I’d say this is a daytime scent, but the heavier notes make it perfect for nighttime as well. I plan to wear this to the movies during the day through to dinner at night!

Alright! That’s the bag finally!

Happy Tuesday! 🙂

XO

Spring, Spring, Spring…!

Florals, pastels, and lace…oh my! 🙂

Spring is here, and with that comes my need to go shopping for some wardrobe and makeup updates!

Accessories are always a good way to refresh any wardrobe because they work well with the majority of what’s already in your closet but can instantly update any look. For me, that meant some new shoes, a new handbag, and some new jewelry.

These floral shoes caught my eye because they’re a nod to the Valentino studded pumps I’ve lusted after for a while now, but with a floral (Spring!) twist. A pleasant surprise: these are one of the most comfortable pairs of heels I’ve ever worn. Another pleasant surprise: they were only $25 at Rue 21!

These beauties are the perfect example of a classic with a twist. The stripes on the toes make them unique, but the style is “classic pump” all the way! These will go with everything in my closet, can be worn for work and play, and are truly the most comfortable pair of heels EVER. My toes aren’t bunched up and the arch hits right where it should. I can’t wait to wear these with absolutely everything and not have to worry about my feet aching. 😉

This bag…oh, this bag…

Since I opened my first fashion magazine, I’ve wanted a classic quilted Chanel bag. It’s the first clothing item I’d buy myself if I won a million dollars. So when I spotted this bag, in all its quilted leather glory, it immediately caught my eye. Of course it’s not a dead ringer for my beloved Chanel bag, but it’s close enough to satisfy my craving (for now!) and different enough that it’s not what I’d consider a tacky “knock-off”. It’s big enough to hold all my things, a color that will go with everything, and has simply pretty hardware that makes it look more expensive than it was. For example, the gold tassel on the zipper is one of the reasons I bought this. It’s well-made and detailed, lending a vintage quality to the bag and making it special.

Now, my boyfriend was not a huge fan of this necklace because it’s so dainty, but that’s just why I love it. I’ve always had a soft spot for dainty jewelry anyway, but this caught my eye for several reasons. I love that each little bar has subtle sparkle; it catches the eye but isn’t “blingy”. I also love how the design almost looks like fringe or spikes, which makes it a little edgy. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and sassy and will look great on it’s own of layered.

This little charmer has pearls, pink, AND a rose… I couldn’t resist 🙂

For beauty, I haven’t really had anything in mind, I just found a few things I think will be nice additions to my favorite looks!

The first, the Chanel foundation, is a long-time favorite. I’ve tried countless others, but this is always the foundation I find myself measuring the others against, and they lose!

The fluid, lightweight texture of this can’t be beat, and the coverage is enough to conceal but still look like real skin, only dewier. It smells divine, and is best when applied with fingers which I find very convenient. It’s just a favorite for me. 🙂

These little beauties are Stila Convertible Color pots that came as a trio at Ulta (and for only $20!). While they’re smaller than the individual pots, the pigment is so rich they’re bound to last a while and, I don’t know about anyone else, but I could never pick just one shade – this way I didn’t have to!

The color on the left is “Peony” – peach with a little coral. The center is “Camellia” – a truer peach with a bit of caramel. The right is “Tulip” – a rich/cherry plum color.

They all apply well and last all day. They can be used on lips and cheeks (a favorite of mine), and are perfect for tossing in your purse. This trio is the “Beauty in Bloom” set, and there is another trio available called “Blooming Bright”.

Next is the NYX Wonder Stick in Light/Medium (the lightest shade). This is for contouring and highlighting. I usually use powders for this, but I’ve wanted to try creams for a while. Being so fair, it’s hard to find the right shades, but this seems to be a good match!

One end is to highlight, which is supposed to be a bit lighter than your natural skin tone. This might not do the trick because it looks pretty close to my natural tone, but I suppose I can always use it as a concealer if not! 😉

The other end is to contour, and this is the shade I have the hardest time choosing. What’s available is always too orange or too dark for me, but this seems to have a cool tone to it and seems closest to what an actual shadow on my skin would look like. A good way to tell is to compare the shade to your go-to powder contouring product, and this is pretty darn close to mine.

I think it’ll work well! 🙂

Last but not least, is one of my holy-grail products: Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter.

I can’t express how much I love this stuff. It’s ultra-hydrating, creamy (think Cool Whip), and natural. I first bought the Vanilla Bean scent and it’s honestly one of my favorite scents in the whole world. It smells so. good…! My heart broke slowly as I ran out of it (after almost a year too!), so I knew I needed to get some more. The Vanilla Bean scent wasn’t available on its own, but this plain Vanilla one was and is almost double the size! The catch? This one has shimmer to it.

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about having shimmer all over all the time, but when I actually got it home and tried it out, I loved it! It’s not glittery or even really shimmery so much as illuminating. It’s like it has little crushed up pearls in it instead of diamonds, and truly just gives skin a glow. I think I got this at the perfect time too now that Spring is here. More skin being shown off means it’s gotta look good!

I hope you enjoyed reading this, and now have some more ideas of what you’d like to do to update your look for Sping 🙂 Remember trends come and go, so only buy something if you truly like it whether it’s “in” or not. For example, if you’re loving the 70’s vibe that’s trending, try out a suede jacket or pair of boots. They’ll work now, but still be great when it’s cold and something else is the new thing! Same goes for makeup – if you love it, wear it!

Happy Spring!

XO

Floral heels: Rue 21

Tan pumps: Nine West at TJ Maxx

Quilted bag: Ross

Silver necklace: TJ Maxx

Rose necklace: LC Lauren Conrad at Kohl’s

Foundation: Macy’s

Stila Trio: Ulta

NYX stick: Ulta

Body butter: QVC

Ipsy bag!

After weeks of suspense, I finally received my first Ipsy bag the other day!

The neon pink bag was a beautiful sight to see in my mailbox, and the adorable floral pouch inside was even prettier. The five samples I received included a hair oil, a concealer brush, an eyeshadow duo, a lipstick, and a highlighter.

For those who don’t know, Ipsy is a monthly subscription service that delivers beauty products based on your preferences for $10/mo. You sign up, take a quiz, and wait! On the first of the month, they bill, then ship, and by the middle of the month, the lovely pink envelope greets you at home!

I was slightly worried the products I got might not be what I would’ve chosen for myself, but I was pleasantly surprised!

The shade of lipstick is a pinky-nude, which is my favorite – the shade “Pops” in the NYX Butter Lipstick collection. It wears well and is very hydrating, and it’s also unlike any other shade I have so it’s very welcome! I think it looks great with just about any look, but my favorite so far is with brown eyes and soft rose cheeks.

The eyeshadow duo is by Pixi by Petra and called “Apricot Glow”. It has a warm brown-y, orange shade and a shimmery champagne shade. They look beautiful together of course, but also great on their own. This is a perfect example of something I never knew I’d love because it’s a little outside of my comfort zone. Orange is never really a color I choose for anything I wear, but these wear more like neutrals that just have a slight warmth to them and the effect is really soft and pretty. I plan on wearing these with peach blush and lips for a soft, candle-lit glow!

The Coolway Glow Oil Treatment hair oil is so-so for me so far…it smells very nice and spreads evenly over hair unlike most oils, but I haven’t really noticed too much of a difference in my hair. It’s possible that I didn’t use enough (since my hair is almost to my booty nowadays!), so I’ll keep trying it!

The concealer brush and the highlighter are probably my two favorite products right now. I always love a good highlighter, but this one’s different; it’s best for the inner rim of the eye. It’s by Chella, and it’s called the Ivory Lace Highlighter. I’ve tried nude eyeliner and white eyeliner to brighten the eye before, and they never look quite right on me…they always come across too obvious and make me look a bit ill to be honest! This one is different – it’s just light enough to pop but matches my skin closely enough to look subtle (and not like I have jaundice!). The pencil can also be used to highlight the brow bone or inner rim of the eye, but I find it matches my skin too closely to really have any effect. I’m loving it as an eyeliner though, and, hey, maybe a concealer? 🙂 The brush is the Oval Concealer Brush by Crown, which is a brand I’ve always wanted to try. I’m not disappointed! The brush is soft, but smooth and dense enough to spread concealer evenly without picking the product up. It’s a bit too wide to cover small blemishes like pimples, but I’m loving it for the under-eyes.

Needless to say, I’m very pleased with Ipsy and all my new samples. I can’t wait to see what I get next!

XO

*This is not a sponsored post. I am not affiliated with Ipsy or promoted by the company in any way.

Cinderella, Cinderella…

In celebration of the movie being released in just a few short days (!), and the beautiful collection by MAC, I’ve been indulging in some dress-up – with makeup that is. 🙂

When MAC’s Cinderella collection hit stores on March 5th, I hurried over to Macy’s and scooped up the two items I’d been lusting after since first seeing the collection: “Royal Ball” Lipstick and “Happily Ever After” lipglass.

Seems I got them just in time, too because the sales associate told me there was only one more lipglass left after mine and the other one was already sold out! Phew!

“Royal Ball” is a pinky-nude with a touch of iridescence. It’s perfect on it’s own, but it looks even more enchanting (couldn’t resist) with the gloss.

“Happily Ever After” is a soft pink with blue shimmer that gives lips the look of being in the moonlight at midnight 😉 It gives terrific shine and wears as beautifully as all the MAC lipglasses.

The collection is quite perfect for my taste because it’s very soft and, you guessed it, natural. It’s all about some well placed color and shimmer, and that’s right up my alley. 😉 For date night recently, I had to use my new beautiful lip products, and the look ended up being centered around them.

I thought it turned out nice, and I wanted to recreate it for you! When I did it again, I used a few new things just to see which I liked better. I’ll post what I thought worked best:

First, a princess always has a smooth, dewy complexion (even if a fairy godmother helped). I started by smoothing on a pore-minimizing primer to clean, moisturized skin. Mixing my foundation and a brightening primer, I applied it from the center of my face out with a foundation brush. Then I dabbed some concealer on any blemishes that were still showing, and used a slightly lighter concealer on the corners of my mouth and under my eyes to subtly brighten. I lightly set it all with a dusting of pressed powder.

To get the flushed look of falling in love with the prince, I used a baby pink blush to color the apples of my cheeks. While Cinderella doesn’t look too bronzed, I wanted to add some extra color to my face, so I used bronzer to warm my forehead, temples, and chin, and subtly contour my nose and cheekbones, blending it all into my neck.

And for the part that makes it magical: highlighter. I used a pearly-white powder on the tops of my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, above my brow bone, and on my Cupid’s Bow to give that “princess-y glow” and make my whole face look dewy and illuminated.

For my eyes, I used a little primer to make sure there wouldn’t be any creasing (before or after midnight), and applied a shimmery ivory, focusing the color on the center of the lid. For subtle definition, I swept a small amount of light, shimmery brown to the creases and blended. I then used a creamy white eye pencil to brighten the inner corners of my eyes and blended it with a smudge brush. For the brow bone, I used a light pink pencil and blended well. Along my lower lash-line, I smudged a deep purple pencil into lashes. (I think it’s a fun pop of color that’s almost indiscernible, and it looks great with the soft baby pinks.) After curling lashes, I used a curling mascara and a thickening one together to create that doe-eyed princess stare, then filled in brows lightly with a pomade.

And, of course, I finished the look with my two new lip products. 🙂

I’m kind of obsessed with the look right now and will probably be wearing it when I go see the movie this weekend. I think it works well for just about any event – even a royal ball.

Have a happily ever after…

XO

Products Used:

Benefit Porefessional Primer

L’Oreal True Match foundation in “N1”

Benefit That Gal Brightening primer

MAC Pro Longwear conealer in “NC15”

NYX Concealer Wand in “CW01”

Maybelline Fit Me pressed powder in “110”

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil bronzer

Benefit “Dandelion” blush

Physician’s Formula Mineral Glow Pearls in “Translucent Pearl”

Benefit Stay Don’t Stray

Benefit “She’s So Jetset!” palette – “Champagne Please” and “Pretty in Mink”

Benefit High Brow

NYX Eye Pencil in “Milk”

Mally Evercolor Eyeliner in “Black Violet”

Benefit Roller Lash mascara

Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in “Medium Brown”

MAC lipstick in “Royal Ball”

MAC lipglass in “Happily Ever After”