My Bag
Got a lot going on today with church, a funeral and super bowl parties, so I'm just gonna do a quick review of what's in my bag. My make-up bag, that is. I have a ton of make-up that I don't use regularly, so that's in a separate bag. These items are strictly my essential, go to items. Any time you see me wearing make-up (which is not all that often) I will be wearing something from this selection. Disclaimer: the majority of this stuff is from at least a year or more ago because I don't use it often enough to refresh my stash. So lets get started!
These are my favorite travel moisturizers and lotions. From left to right we have First Aid Beauty's, Ultra Repair Cream, Intense Hydration. I love this stuff, it leaves your face feeling so smooth and nourished. I use mine at night after I've removed all my make up so it has all night to seep into my skin. It doesn't have an overpowering scent (just clean smelling) and is the perfect size for traveling. Next, The Body Shop's mango hand cream. I love cream better than lotion because it is thicker and I feel like it lasts longer. This scent smells just like fresh mangoes and fells so luxurious going on. Finally, the Shea Moisture, Radiance Moisturizer is so good for your skin! It's got coconut oil (nourishing, moisturizing, vitamins, iron and fatty acids), hibiscus flowers (treats dry/rough skin, improves skin tone), and songyi mushroom (brightens, evens skin tone) in it. All of these things are so great for the heath of your skin and will leave it looking and feeling beautiful.
Starting with the blush pallet, I got it as a gift awhile ago. It's from H&M and is so versatile for whatever occasion you'd need. The only color I don't use is the light pink. However, I use the middle magenta every day and love the bright pop of color. The brown I use for light bronzing. I just got the Smashbox contouring pallet and I am really impressed. It goes on so soft and matte. It's got everything you'd need: contouring, bronzer, highlighter. And it's easy to use and apply. I always use bb cream instead of foundation, and I love this one by Garnier. I like bb cream because it's got spf, lightweight coverage and has health benefits. You can't go wrong with make up that helps your skin! Although, I would be interested in trying another brand, cream or foundation - this is just what I'm used to. As far as the CoverGirl Tru Blend goes, I'm not that impressed. It's kind of dry and flaky feeling. I got it because it was affordable, but I don't think it really offers anything to my look, other than coverage. I keep it because I haven't found anything better and there is still a lot left over. So, I would be interested in hearing what youthink would be a good switch.
This is my favorite section of my bag. I LOVE eye shadows (and eye shadow pallets - obviously)! I used to be a lot more creative and adventurous when it came to detailing my eyes, but I've since slacked off since living in the hottest part of SC (that practically melts your make-up off your face) and becoming a full time mommy. At the top, we have Sephora's Wonderful Dreams pallet. I probably use this one every time I put on eye shadow. I just LOVE the neutrals in this set. My favorites are soft cookie, marron glace, hot cocoa and pretty sunrise (I love the light shimmer). Next is the Tarte Just Deserts pallet, I bought this one because of the light and gold tones and ended up loving the grays too. These colors are great for every day, and are so smooth going on. I just got this Smashbox photo op eye shadow trio (with the contouring kit). It's the best. You can literally wear it for any occasion. The neutral colors are so pretty and luxurious. I will definitely be a repeat customer for this pallet! Lastly, we have another Sephora makeup pallet that's got eye shadows, blush and bronzer. To be honest, I only use this for the light shades and a few brown ones. I actually had to buy the Tarte pallet because I was running out of the lighter shades. I've probably had this pallet for 3-4yrs (can't remember) because I refuse to throw out my eye shadows! The one's I've used the most in this set are: white gold and beige, then: bronze and apricot, finally: deep burgundy and wine. You CANNOT go wrong with a pallet! You can create multiple looks, have something for every occasion, and carry them all in one confined place. They are usually pretty affordable too, and you're getting a lot of options/versatility for your money.
Next up: eyes! This is the ONEpart of my beauty routine that I never let die. I have pretty descent colored eyes (green hazel) so when I make them pop with liner and mascara I feel so pretty and put together. My eyelashes are light blonde (like my hair) and I look like I don't have any without make-up, so I always put on mascara. This CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara is so great. It gives me bold, dark, thick looking lashes in just one application. It's supposed to be a bold/volume mascara, but I don't think it really is. It looks more natural to me. I wear contacts and have sensitive eyes and this does not interfere with any of that (and for that I am grateful). The Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon is THE BEST eyeliner out there (in my not so professional opinion). It goes on smooth (no clumps), bold matte color, stays on at least 24hrs, waterproof and has a twist up bottom (no sharpener needed!!) I have these two brown ones (brownie & earthquake) that I use for a more "everyday" look and a black one for a more bold/dramatic eye. You cannot go wrong with this eyeliner.
My other beauty favorite, lippies!! I love a good, bright, bold lip. Most of my colors are reds and neutral mauves with a few bright purples thrown in there. Most of these are my more recent purchases. The Milani color is Precious and it's actually a little bright for me (almost too pink). It's a matte and kind of flaky and it doesn't stay on very long, but it smells amazing and goes with almost every outfit, so I still wear it quite a bit. The bright purple MAC is Heroine and it's a matte as well. It's so gorgeous and bold and it's smooth as butter and stays on 1/2 the day. This is what I wear with a neutral/boring outfit to spice it up (literally the best accessory ever). And it goes really great with my green eyes & blonde hair. I actually got this dual Bite lipstick set for Christmas and have been trying it out ever since. It's so fun and convenient to have two lipsticks on one stick! The pink side is Pepper and the other is Bronze. I like to put Pepper on the outside and Bronze in the center for a classic summery look. It goes on well but I wish the colors would be more defined (they kind of blend in together). Last, but certainly not least is (my personal favorite) Lolita by Kat Von D. Now, she knows how to do lipstick. This is a perfect liquid matte and it DOESgo with everything. As a matte, it is a little drying, but not as bad as some others. This is still my go to lipstick and it lasts for several hours.
Finally, gotta have a sweet scent to go with that pretty face you just spent hours on! These fragrances are so feminine and dainty! First is Tocca's Giulietta. This is my first Tocca perfume and I love it. It's sweet without being sickly sweet (like a 12year old). It's a little more sophisticated and womanly. They describe the scent as: sweet top notes of ylang-ylang, green apple, and pink tulips bloom into the floral delicacy of lily of the valley, vanilla orchid, and lilac. This is EXACTLY what it smells like. So refreshing! Another favorite of mine is Viktor&Rolf's Flower Bomb. It is more sweet than Tocca's and serves a different purpose. This one is my daily wear. It's pretty flowery and girly when you first put it on (vanilla, amber, jasmine and freesia), but the stronger notes fade away and you're left with a soft flower fragrance (centifolia rose, patchouli and woodsy). It reminds me of summer and sun and fun. It's a very lively perfume that leaves you feeling (and smelling) feminine without trying too hard. This bottle costs $85 and I got it FREE from Influenster and I'm so glad I did because it's become a staple for me.
Well, that's the end of my roundup! Hope you enjoyed going through my bag and checking out my make-up stash. I would love to hear your recommendations or good values that you've found in your make-up searches in the comments below :) Have a happy Sunday night! <3 Amanda
