Makeup for Glowing Skin

I am all about being bronzed and glowy this year.
These are some of my favorite face and eye products for looking like a glowing mermaid!

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow, Urban Decay Half baked eyeshadow, Stila Kitten eyeshadow, MeMeMe Dew Pot in Willow Whisper 5

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal, Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light, Nars The Multiple in Orgasm, Buxom eyeshadow in Mink Magnet, CoverFX Click Stick Highlighter in Bubbly.

What are your favorite products for glowing skin?

My Travel Makeup & Skincare Routine

I recently went to Las Vegas, not far from me but far enough.
Traveling means I get to use up a bunch of my miniature products, which I was psyched for (ask the boyfriend).  It also means that I really need to figure out what makeup products are really essential to me, which was hard because I have a blush palette I love, but it is rather large.

I had a method to my madness.
I packed everything I would normally use, which sounds ridiculous but it was my system, then I went through it all again and asked myself "do I really need this for the three days I'm gone?"
I would narrow it down to if one product could do the work of two, do I need a blush palette when I'm going to be in forty degree Celsius weather?, do I need two highlighters?
The only thing I couldn't get myself to agree on was mascara. . .I brought three. . .did I end up using three? No.  I used the same one every day.

What I started with was excessive. Not pictured, is an eye shadow palette that I brought and used once.  And all I used it for? my inner corner highlight.  I brought a lipstick, but all I ended up using was my Lancome Juicy Shaker (in cotton candy), love these things!  The Nars soft matte complete concealer was awesome for the hot weather and I think I claim it as my all time favorite concealer after this trip.  I just want to mention that I never hear anyone talk about the Buxom lash mascara, I freaking love it.  It never flakes or clumps on me and makes my lashes look so good, I need to invest in the full version.

I thought for sure I would be into wearing a lot of makeup but a)I was wearing sunglasses half the time and b)it was sweltering!  I was more into caring for my skin and hair, as the heat attacked it.

I used my regular shampoo and conditioner, and just transferred them to small containers (hair routine coming soon), but this soy leave-in treatment from SexyHair helped so much while down there.  I am a blush person and I only brought this one from Charlotte Tilbury/Norman Parkinson Color of Youth, and I only used it the first day. My Charlotte Tilbury bronze and glow was a must though, along with the Becca under eye corrector.

I recently used my points to get the First Aid Beauty set at Sephora and have been dying to use these minis and finally got the chance. 
Face cleanser- While it is good and didn't effect my skin in a bad way, I'll pass and stick to my Neutrogena.
Coconut Primer- I am not sure. . .I like the way it felt and the scent wasn't bad, but I just didn't notice much difference if that makes sense. I would save my money.
Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum- I liked this quite a bit, but seeing how I have other serums I like slightly more I'm not buying the full size.
Ultra Repair Cream- I did not like the scent of this but I really like the cream, a lot.  The scent goes away quickly so I may the full size in the future if suddenly Eucerin stops making my favorite.

I brought my bum bum cream by Sol de Janeiro and never used it once!  But trust that I've been using it like crazy since I've been home...plus I did transfer my Brazilian Crush spray into a smaller container to bring on the trip and wore it every day.

Since we've been home I've been embracing a no makeup makeup look more than usual, mostly just concealer, bronzer and highlight.  It feels very summery and I'm loving it.

What are your travel essentials?
Expect a beach post later this week as we're headed out for some waves today!

Summer Essentials 2017

Time for my annual Summer essentials update!
I feel like this year is different than years previous.
Normally I have a BB cream or tinted moisturizer and so far this year I haven't put one on my face, I've been embracing my skin while it's behaving.


I have been loving freckled, bronzed skin and natural looking mascara.
Not much skincare is included in this post, but you can check out my current routine here.

 -Sunscreen has become a must for me as I am all about skincare.  This one from Aveeno is 30SPF, doesn't feel greasy, blends into the skin nicely and is the last step in my skincare routine.
-I am loving bronzer, I've never really been one for it until this year and this Hourglass one (Diffused light) is killing it for me.
-While I am not using a tinted moisturizer or foundation, I still feel the need to conceal and I like the Nars complete concealer (vanilla) for this.  It blends in nicely to my own skin tone and creasing is almost non-existent.
-I received this Charlottle TilburyXNorman Parkinson Color of Youth healthy, happy lip & cheek glow, in my lucky bag from Beautylish earlier this year, and I thought nothing of it at the time.  But the coral color and the fact that it's a multi use cream has been amazing for this warm weather!
-Hylamide HA Primer, provides a nice blurring effect and canvas for all this rose-y cheeked, bronzey-ness.

 -I'm all about mermaid colors for the eyes.  The new Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Highlighting Eyeshadow Palette volume 3 and NYX single eyeshadow in Mermaid, are perfect for this.  Some may not like the shimmers in the Tarte palette, but I am a fan.
-I just started using the Lancome juicy shakers about a month ago and I am in love.  I'm not much of a lipstick person so these are perfect for me.  I love this one in Freedom of Peach for Summer.
-For bright under eyes I've been using this Becca under eye corrector for quite awhile now and would highly recommend it.
-Lastly my favorite mascara this year, Buxom Lash Mascara.  I love the wand, love the separation, love the length it gives, and best of all I can work all day and not have a smudge under my eye.

-Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal, I can't believe I haven't used this sooner.  Such a pretty glow for Summer without looking 'shiny'.

-CoverFx click highlighter in bubbly, I love highlighting my top lip with this or using it under a powder highlight for an extra glow.

-Clarins lip perfector in 04Petal, is a great sheer Summertime gloss.

-Another product from the company Deciem (I know, I'm obsessed), this time from The Chemistry line, Heel Chemistry has saved my dry feet.  I just think it is amazing.  I apply it either before I go to work or right before bed, once a day and it's just been like magic.  I'm not embarrassed to wear sandals or go barefoot.

-Last but not least, the brand as a whole that's been a winner for me is Sol de Janeiro.  The smell of everything they produce is amazing and just is Summer to me.  I was ecstatic when they released the 

Brazilian Crush body spray and scooped it up instantly. I've never religiously used a body cream until now and this is my second tub of the Bum Bum cream.  The shower gel, Brazilian 4-Play, I could just sit and smell it all day.  It can be Summer all year long using this brand.

What are your Summer essentials? Please let me know in the comments!

My Everyday Makeup

Today while I was getting ready I had everything out and thought that I would share what I use on an everyday basis for work.

It's looks like a lot of products but I try to keep it pretty simple.  You know, one of those "no makeup makeup looks".

Usually I start with primer (not pictured as I am out of this) and I use Angel Veil by NYX.
Next I'll move onto a base and I prefer a more sheer coverage than a foundation.  Lately I've been back into using my Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue in Buttercream, I blend most of it in with my fingers and then go over it with a damp Beauty Blender.  I add some Mac Pro Longwear concealer under my eyes (dabbing a bit on my eyelids too) and anywhere else I think I need it (around my nose, chin and sometimes forehead).

I use my Besame French Vanilla powder to set under my eyes and Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder (not pictured) on my t-zone.  I don't do anything dramatic to my eyes but I do like to set the little bit of concealer I placed on my eyes with a cream colored eye shadow, so I've been using Urban Decay's Foxy (my favorite one to use).

Next is a new step to my routine and that is warming up my face and doing a light contour of my cheeks using Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze and Glow (I also use the highlight after I do my blush).
I am absolutely in love with the 'Cherry' blush in the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani blush palette! It's been my go to blush since the palette came out.

For brows I use the NYX microbrow pencil in 'espresso' with Anastasia Beverly Hills brow gel to set it.
I use the Shu Uemura Lash Builder Eyelash Nourishing Serum on my lashes (obviously) and sometimes this is all I will put on, but the last two weeks I will put the Benefit They're Real Tinted Lash Primer over top just so my lashes aren't so pale looking.

And that is it!
It seems like a lot of work but it takes ten minutes max to do this, depending on how distracted I get.

I hope to film a get ready with me video some time this weekend so keep an eye out for that.

Have a fun Easter Weekend!

My Birthday Weekend!

We spent my birthday weekend, actually just Saturday, in The City!

We got up at five thirty, yes in the morning, showered, had coffee and breakfast, got all dolled up and then headed to the float plane.
Typically we'd take the ferry to The City, but we got a deal on the float plane and it only takes 20 minutes versus and hour and a half. Plus I had never been on the float plane and Nathan was dying to go.

It was so much fun, definitely a highlight from the weekend.

When we arrived we walked a few blocks and sat at a Starbucks playing scrabble for an hour.

All the shops opened up at ten. So we wandered, looking at what stores I'd want to go into.
I had planned out all the clothes I wanted but when it came to it, I couldn't cough up the fifty dollars they wanted...per t-shirt. Ridiculous (I say this now, just you wait...)
First shop we went to was the Disney store (of course).  There were sales, so I bought a Minnie Mouse purse and Nathan got me a t-rex lunch kit from the movie "The Good Dinosaur". One day I'll have to explain this t-rex obsession.

We did hit up Victoria's Secret because I had a $15 off coupon (how could I resist?) plus Nathan gave me money to spend specifically at Victoria's Secret.
After hitting up Urban Outfitters and realizing how overpriced a plain tank top was we went to Japadog (picture above, except I kind of devoured it before realizing I didn't take a picture)

Japadog, a Japanese hot dog. I went for the beef hot dog with Japanese mayonnaise, the most delicious teriyaki sauce and seaweed. Oh my god, I can't wait until we go back in three weeks!

After lunch we headed over to Granville Island.
Except I lead us the wrong direction and we had to walk across The City (about 25 minutes).
It sounded like a great idea: go shopping at the market, get some fresh produce, sit in the brewery and get a little bit tipsy.
We hated it. It was far too busy.  We're talking shoulder to shoulder busy. I've done Comic-Con and that was busy but this was just rude busy.  No one cared, people said rude things to you to get you to move.

We won't go back.  The brewery there is the Granville Island Brewery, which makes my favorite beer the Winter Ale and the wait was over thirty minutes.
By this time we were hungry and irritated and wanted to sit down and eat bad for you food and have some beers.
We spent a whole hour there and decided to take the ferry back to The City and walk across town (again).


We ended up at Red Robin, a classic.
They were so great there, as usual, we ordered some kind of spicy fries to begin with and I could not eat anymore than 4, they were burning my mouth.  We explained the situation and they happily brought us onion rings instead.  We enjoyed our onion rings and some beer, which I wish I could remember the name of because it was so good.
I highly recommend going to Red Robin in Vancouver, I have never had a bad experience at any location actually.


So, after we were a little bit buzzed from our beers. . .actually quite a bit buzzed we started exploring again.
I was in a giggly mood and apparently in a shopping black out:

"We sell it in a kit with a brush that's made in Germany", she said "You'll save five dollars" she said.
A hundred and fifty dollars later. . .
Nathan picked up a pair of shoes there and nearly passed out.
Later I had an anxiety attack on the ferry home.
But I must say, the brush feels luxurious and the product lives up to the hype.  I have never had a good experience with carving out my cheekbones until now.
I am addicted.

I didn't buy much else except for a pair of jeans.
So I will be waiting until those t-shirts I want go on sale online.

All in all it was a fun weekend and I'm glad we went on a shopping/people watching trip.
See you in a few weeks for the car show Vancouver!