Eye Opener: Beat Fine Lines with Better Hydration

So the other day I was scavenging Sephora for new products which I tend to do when I'm bored and I decided I needed an eye cream, seeing as I'm 26 now and technically that's only 4 years away from 30, so it's only appropriate right? Anyways, I told one of the lovely Sephora girls I needed something for my "lines". She kinda laughed and was like lines? She was foreign so I assumed maybe she had misunderstood me and so I kept saying "yeah my fine lines, around my eyes, you know, these?" Pointing to my eye area. She finally said what lines?? She told me what I had was not fine lines and that my skin is just dry due to dehydration and that fine lines are much deeper. She said what I needed was water, not a heavy wrinkle cream. On top of hydration, one product she did suggest was an Origins eye cream called "Eye Doctor" that increases hydration up to 70% and also protects the eye area against pollution and free radicals and all that yucky stuff that causes aging.

Origins Eye Doctor Eye Cream $34 at Origins.com

It's a no-brainer that more water is great for your skin and body in general, it assists in so many functions aside from making your skin glow and look healthy. Although I knew water was a huge beauty booster, I didn't realize how much it effects aging. If you have dry skin or even if you don't it's important to drink water to give your skin hydration and keep those lines far away. Not only will I be increasing my water intake, I will be using this miraculous cream that seriously is like a huge drink for your eyes. I noticed an instant difference in my eye area. It has lots of natural agents like cucumber, green tea and ginseng and so it's very natural and good for sensitive skin types. If you aren't sure you want to spend the $34 on eye cream just go to Sephora, get a sample and you won't be sorry. Age prevention is never too early!

Monthly Beauty Favorites for April :)

Hello spring beauties! So April is almost over and I must say this has been the most insanely busy month for me but I had time to squeeze in a few awesome beauty finds! I decided I am going to start doing monthly beauty finds so check back every month to see what new products I am loving. Also I would love to hear about any amazing products that work for you so feel free to comment any suggestions you have for me. :)


1. So I am not going to save the best for the last, my #1 favorite beauty product of this month or maybe ever is in that little mystery vial, so what's in it you ask? Jojaba oil! I am going to go off on a major rant about this because it really is necessary. I don't know what it is but I cannot pronounce this word for the life of me..but in case you don't want to be laughed out of the health food store it is pronounced (Ho-Hobo oil) Just a helpful tip! This stuff is gold in a bottle and it only cost me $9. Any health food store or Whole Foods should have it, just make sure it is 100% pure jojaba to avoid any chemical ingredients added. So this has replaced my coconut oil obsession because for one thing, it is way more effective on my skin. If you've been following my Accutane posts you know that I am going through extremely dry skin. This got bad, reallyy bad. So the other day my mom told me I looked like I had fine lines ( I am 26 but everyone thinks I am 18) so this was not something I expected to hear. She told me about some girl at work using jojaba oil for her dry skin so we immediately went to the health food store to get some. I applied it as soon as I bought it, instant relief, no more fine lines.

When I had my derm appt. today my Dr. said my dryness was very mild compared to all her Accutane patients, I have been smothering my face in it and getting hardly any dry skin at all. Not only that, you get this beautiful dewy glow, not greasy looking. It just sinks right into the skin without leaving greasiness behind. It also works amazing as a makeup remover and cleansing oil, I have been using it for all three so it's a great multi-purpose product a.k.a. major money saver. I have done a little research and it is supposed to be great for oily, acne-prone skin as well, it mimics the sebum in our oil glands so putting this on your skin will essentially "trick" your skin into thinking it has produced enough oil. Therefore, reducing your oil and acne! So it is great for all skin types. I could go on about jojaba oil but I am done for now!

2. Laura Gellar Balance N Brighten in Sunswept
This blush has been a favorite of mine for a while but now that it's spring/summer I love that bronzey, rosey-ish look on the cheeks again. I use a regular matte bronzer to contour then I just dust this on the apples of my cheeks and up to my temples. It can work for both a highlight and a blush because it has a good amount of shimmer in it. I would recommend it for medium to darker skin because it does have a lot of darker tones so if you have a tan it will look super gorgeous and really compliment your complexion.

3. Coastal Scents Synthetic Classic Blending Brush
I have been looking for a new eyeshadow brush for a while but didn't want to spend a ton or compromise quality, this was definitely what I was looking for. It's a great crease brush or for just packing on color. I find it's really great for almost any kind of eyeshadow application but especially blending. You don't have to use precision at all, it basically does all the work for you. I hate to say it but it may replace my MAC #217 as my favorite, it definitely has more bang for the buck. They are pretty different but I think this brush is a lot more versatile if you only want to buy one or the other. The best thing about it is the price, only $2.49.

4. Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen
- So I have been on the BB cream bandwagon for a while but my favorite no longer works for my skin due to the dryness (I used Loreal Skin Beautifying BB cream before) I just feel like BB cream is made for summer, it's light-weight, offers sun protection and doesn't give you that cakey look or feel  that you really don't want when it's hot outside, so I went on a search to find a replacement for my Loreal. I needed one with at least medium coverage, a moisturizing effect and SPF. I have found this one at Ulta that exceeded my expectations. I feel like it has the perfect texture that imitates the look of skin and really enhances it at the same time. You will definitely get the dewy glow which I have always been a fan of while getting plenty of coverage.

Accutane Update: 15 Day Review

As promised, I want to give you all an update on my Accutane/Myorisan situation. The pics are completely unedited which I'll have you know, I NEVER do and I am not wearing a drop of makeup so be kind! I have now been taking Accutane for 15 days so I wanted to let you see the progress! Let me tell you I am already impressed. I did have an initial breakout when I first started taking it which only lasted about a week and it was not much different than what I was dealing with before. Now that I have reached the clearing phase I am starting to see some real progress. I am a shameless skin picker and even that isn't stopping the medication from clearing my skin. You know how you pick a zit and the night before and the next day it is total volcano status? I totally pick and the next day it looks like I never even did anything and the zit I picked is already healing. Gotta love that, even though my results would be a lot quicker if I didn't pick. Anyways, I have had no new bumps whatsoever and I can't feel any on my face. Anything you see in these pictures is post-pimples that are just healing. The thing I love about Accutane is that it's a retinoid which causes your skin to peel like a lizard but leaves your skin looking so much smoother, even and radiant. Those with acne marks like me will definitely love this although your skin gets beyond dry and I am only in the first month. As you progress with treatment your symptoms will also progress which means even more dryness coming my way. That being said I am going to tell you how things have been going on the side effect front.

Symptoms I've had:

• Dryness of the mouth, nose and lips-I put emphasis on the lips because you will be medicating your lips 24/7 with chapstick or heavy lubes like Aquaphor or Vaseline, this is a consistent symptom I have been experiencing.
• Tiredness/fatigue- I only dealt with this about the first 3 days or so, I would take the Accutane and instantly feel like falling asleep. I started taking it at night because I have a hard time getting to sleep anyways but this subsided after the 3rd day. This is totally normal and is just your body getting used to absorbing the medication. 
• Headaches-This is probably my most pesky symptom because I have a headache almost every day and really, nobody got time for that! lol. 

Other than that I truly haven't noticed anything but I will update you all again in another few weeks! Let me know if you have any questions on my treatment. :)

My Drugstore Obsessions!

For you cheapies out there who love finding great beauty bargains as much as I do, you're gonna love these awesome products if you don't already own them! They are all very affordable (not the kind of so-called drugstore cosmetics that are barely cheaper than Sephora) The best part is they are products that are great for on-the-go girls who want no-brainer beauty products, or for easy outdoor maintenance. I actually purchased these for a trip to the sand dunes and they were my saving grace, sometimes you don't feel so sexy covered in dust and sand! So you outdoorsy girls or no-fuss ladies, listen up!

1. Maybelline Clean Express Make-up remover Wipes- The advertising on these had me sold at hello, promising to remove even water proof mascara which was a must for being outside. The verdict? These wipes were amazing! They truly got every bit of makeup off and without too much effort. Makeup remover wipes never seem to really work for me but these ones are definitely hard core, they also promise to go easy on sensitive skin so anyone can use them. I found these well worth the $5 to keep me from looking like a hot mess.

2. Maybelline Dream Lumi Highlighting Concealer- All I can stay is this stuff is magic. I have been waiting for a highlighting concealer dupe for YVES Saint Laurent's Touche Eclat for way too long and finally I have it for $6! (YSL's concealer is $40) I find this concealer to be super light, so no settling in fine lines and it's undetectable and looks just like your skin. It's also very brightening, I actually put this on my friend and her before and after was so dramatic I wish I would've snapped a pic! This is great for hangover eyes or just straight tired eyes, a perfect pick-me-up that you should always have in your purse for those unexpected haggard moments.

3. Maybelline Baby Lips- So I have this thing where I have to have a little bit of color on my lips at all times (pretty sure I'm not the only one) otherwise I just feel..well, ya know, dead. So this is like exactly what I have needed all my life, the perfect flush of color while giving me moisture and making my lips smooth and supple like a babies! They definitely nailed the whole baby lips thing, not gonna lie. It's a lot like a balm but you get color that is natural and actually stains a little, giving you color without the obvious effort. Love, love, love it! All my friends were stealing this from me right and left. These are about $4 each and I plan to own them all.

Get your Beach Body on!

Yes, you already know, summer is a mere few months away and bathing suits have already hit the stores..What this means for us ladies? PANIC MODE!!! Wait. What if getting kicking your butt back into shape doesn't have to a traumatic episode of depression and hysterics followed by more binge eating to soothe your pain? Maybe it can be fun, delicious and even easy?? Is it possible? Yes I just found out that it is! While I am clearly no weight loss expert and not claiming to be I am here to tell you what has worked for me, personally. Every girl should know not every diet works for every person, I do not have a lot of weight to lose and I am also not diabetic or anything like that so be careful when trying something new. While this definitely helped me quickly shed my five pound winter weight it may not be the life-long solution you've been looking for, my opinion? It's always worth a try!

This is 3 weeks into my diet change, I am still going strong and will post more pictures as I progress!

My problem might be different than yours but I am now a reformed carb-a-holic. I eat somewhere around 30 grams of carbohydrates per day when ALL I was eating before was carbs. For most people, carbs are what causes your jeans to start cutting off the circulation on your waistline, metaphorically speaking, but cutting them all out is not the solution. Look up information on the Atkin's diet and you will see that doing  this is actually dangerous, so please do not cut them all out! You do need carbs to function. You want to lower your carbs without adding fat to your diet, this can be tricky. You also want to get your carbs from good sources like fruits, as long as you are eating the "good carbs" you are a lot better off! Keep in mind when reading labels you want to always check if a food contains dietary fiber and if it is over 5gs you can subtract the fiber grams from the carb grams. To give you an idea of what my daily diet consists of, here are some general snacks/meals I eat on a daily basis.

1 cup of coffee. I do not add sugar, sugar substitutes kind of make me gag so I buy creamer that is already sweetened. I use the Coffee Mate Natural Bliss in Sweet Cream or Chocolate.

1/4 cup flavored almonds, Blue Diamond Dark Chocolate flavor is amaaazing! You can get them in tons of different yummy flavors

1-2 string cheese, the Kraft Tomato Basil kind are so good!

1 Low-Carb La Banderito Soft Tortilla, 2 eggs scrambled with red pepper seasoning, cilantro, lime juice, mozzarella cheese, crumbled turkey bacon, Cholula hot sauce, avocado

1 Protein Shake: 3 tbsps Peanut Butter, 1 Cup Silk Original Flavor Almond Milk, 1/2 banana, 1 cup Performance Whey 100% Isolate Vanilla protein powder (I bought this at Costco),  2 cups of ice and blend. SOOO good and keeps you full all day! I usually have this later in the day like 5 P.M. so that I do the majority of my snacking during the daytime rather than at night.

1 cup of fruit, I try to steer clear of super sugary high-carb fruits. Berries are lower in carbs and I love them anyways so I eat lots of strawberries! Fresh fruit can be expensive, an alternative is buying some no sugar added frozen fruit to snack on. Click here to see which fruits contain the most carbs/sugar.

1-2 slices Paleo Bread..If you've had this before it does have a very dry, spongy texture but it is the closest thing I have to bread so I will chomp it down without complaint! I might make a PB&J sand which using Trader Joe's Superfruit Organic jam and Jiffy PB Butter ( I'm a PB junkie so I love me some Jiffy but you can cut down on the fat by finding an organic kind at Whole Foods or a health food store.) It's also yummy to put on sliced bananas strawberries with PB.

1 serving Turkey Pepperoni or jerky..I love snacking on this but watch out for jerky labels they can sneak a lot of carbs into the flavoring!

For your cheat: If you have a major sweet tooth you might have to wean yourself off the sugar but I promise a week into this diet you will barely crave it..sugar is highly addictive (as if you didn't know) so like anything else the first few days will be the hardest. I snack on Lindor Extra Dark Chocolate..it's something like 7g of carbs for like 7 squares and they taste like heaven! This well help squash that urge to gorge on sweets and give you a little bit of solace. I honestly don't eat chocolate that much anymore but it helped fulfill my sugar craving in the beginning.

 **I also flavor a lot of my food with hot peppers and homemade salsa! I'm a spicy freak and this really helps me feel like I still get to enjoy my favorite foods!

My recipe for salsa: This makes enough for one person to last a few days. (Keep in mind I usually eyeball the ingredients but these are the estimates I use)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup diced onion
salt and pepper to taste
lime juice
garlic salt to taste
Put in a blender and enjoy fresh salsa that tastes like its always in season!

Skin Update: My latest Products

For those of you who struggle with their skin I have a few products to mention. Note that these are prescription medications and you can't get them in any store, so if you think they might work for you, make an appointment with the dermatologist! First off, I went in with the blunt ambition to be put on Accutane. My friend is an esthetician and has always had skin problems, I saw her a few months ago and she had NO acne..I was shocked and had to know what she was using! Her answer, Accutane. I was a little scared at first after hearing so many negative about this drugs, the law suits and so on..but needless to say I felt desperate to try it even still!

So I made an appointment thinking I would have clear skin in a few weeks..wrong. The process is grueling, in fact you have to have tried and failed an acne product within the last year before most insurances will cover it. So rewind to November, I succumbed to my derm's suggestions of Atralin, Acanya (two creams) and Doxycyclin (an antibiotic). These took at least 2 months to fully kick in, but I did see moderate improvement which made my acne a lot more bearable. In the picture above, this is my skin on a clear day, I am wearing a tiny bit of foundation but I definitely saw results! However, I do still get breakouts more than i would like. Three months passed and I was finally able to get on Accutane. I was just at the derm's today and I have to get blood work done and pass two pregnancy test within a month of getting the medication, this is part of their ipledge program which is government regulated because of severe birth defects. You have to be on birth control as well as use condoms so keep that in mind, even if you swear you are not sexually active they will not leave it to chance!

Anyhow, I asked my derm lots of questions because I was a little nervous about health problems down the road. She insisted the medication is very safe and that she would give it to her kids if they needed it! The drug can effect your liver or cholesterol levels but they monitor this through blood work and make sure you're not having any reactions to it. Other side effects are extreme dryness with nose, eyes and skin, also mood swings that can vary from normal to severe as well as depression. Anyway, I am ready to take the risks and I will update you all constantly on my progress!

Is there such thing as TOO sexy?

As most women are acutely aware, valentines is right around the corner--gasp! I happen to be on an online shopping rampage for lingerie yesterday when I realized something. Why is that when you type "lingerie" in the search engine you nearly get bombarded with a slew of porn-star costumed clad women? Is that really what lingerie has come to and is Victoria Secret truly the only place to find tasteful lingerie? Which by the way, most of their lingerie is close to $100 a pop. I could be totally off base here with this whole lingerie thing but in my mind it seems like a guy wants something to take off not get tangled up in??

I found some pretty intense get-ups which shouldn't shock me (To each his own) but that's just not my style. I have had a super hard time finding lingerie that is pretty-ish and sexy that says I'm trying to initiate romance not S&M (no offense to anyone that is!). Here are some looks I scrounged up, if you're like me and looking for lingerie more on the traditional side.

What is sexier than side ties? here

matching bralette here

Adorable and available in tons of colors too! here

F21 Lingerie is proof sexy doesn't come with a price tag. Here

Sweet and Simple here.

Girly and playful here.

Vintage vixen here.

Defined without the Drama

I love make-up. I'm a girly-girl to the core but lately I have been realizing how silly it is to spend a majority of your morning glued to the mirror, making sure you've mastered a flawless canvas of perfection. I will be the first to say my boyfriend hates it. He understands I feel "pretty" all painted up but he doesn't appreciate the stickiness of my lip gloss one bit. He is very playful, meaning: my makeup is a hot mess after about an hour. I soon started to realize there was no point, unless I'm going to be going out on the town I really don't think it's necessary or very practical to wear a face full of makeup on casual nights. That being said, I will either go bare-faced or try to keep my makeup very minimal.

My latest favorite is keeping things simple but defined. I love a defined eye; you look more awake, your eyes look wider and for me my eyes are my best feature so I'm not going to neglect them for a second. Here are a few defined looks without being dramatic as well as one of my favorite Youtube makeup gurus that really masters this look:

It might look easy enough to create the perfect natural look but its a lot more work in my opinion and you have to fight the urge to going postal with foundation and eye makeup (not so easy for me). The key here is knowing how much is enough and making sure to highlight your best features. 

My personal Take on the look: I used my L'Oreal BB Cream for some light coverage, dabbed on some concealer where I needed it and a light dusting of mineral powder over my whole face. I did some light contouring of my face with my NYC bronzer and I dabbed on some gel blush from Tarte in blushing bride. I also defined my eyebrows (one thing you should never bypass) and just lightly filled them out. I used a few coats of mascara, swiped on some naked eyeshadow from the naked palette on my eyelids and buck from the naked palette for a little definition under my eyes. Then i dabbed on some shimmery highlighter just on my eyelids and brow bone. I actually went hunting with this look if you can believe it, it definitely was perfect for the occasion! 

(sorry about the poor camera quality, I'm working on it!)

Just remember: Everyone is different when it comes to a natural makeup look, the fun part is creating your own and deciding where you need accentuating and what you can leave bare, the point is getting away with less than normal and playing up your natural beauty. Everyone has it, don't be afraid to let it shine! 

Ivy League Style

- 

You don't have to be an ivy league student to rock the oxford flat and it sure wouldn't be a crime to pose as one. The world of fashion is full of posers so if that makes me one I'll gladly join! I'll be honest I am totally digging the spoiled geek chic look that somehow translates to me as pretty, dainty-footed nerd. When it comes to shoes I'm like a bloodhound, I'll smell a trend coming from a mile away and you can't stop me, I'll scour the internet to find them. Sold out? Challenge accepted. You will come to see that shoes are undoubtedly my biggest weakness. The oxford shoe has to be my latest craving, I love their cool, understated simplicity that somehow manages to give any look a preppy, polished refinement. Maybe it's lust maybe it's love, it's truly hard to know when it comes to amazing shoes. 

 These magnificent beauties are known as "The Wurl" in stores or online at Aldoshoes for $50. Just looking at these I can see the endless styling options, adorable and girly with a pleated skirt or sophisticated and classic with a pair of black skinnies. The brogue detailing is so T.Swift-esque as well, I just think they are the perfect shoes for any low-key spring look. 

Review: My Clip-in Hair Extensions from Luxy

All About my Luxyhair Clip-In's

While these extensions photograph well, there is a lot more to them then what meets the eye. First off, I have the 160 gram set in Mocha Brown if you were wondering. This is my first pair of clip-in extensions so I don't really have anything to compare them to but I will tell you my personal experience. The problem with these is you can't return them, in fact my boyfriend recklessly opened the package which immediately says void on the sticker once you tamper with it. Right away I was destined to be stuck with them. There is however, a small part of the package you can open without tampering the void sticker that contains a small sample of hair for matching purposes. If you are going to buy these do your research, thoroughly. 

I only read a couple reviews and somehow got the good side. There are many, many complaints on Youtube about these extensions, just type in luxyhair on Youtube and see what you get. I was hoping to have the fluke pair of extensions that were awesome like others had reported but I was not so lucky. I still wear them, so they are not all bad but if I had the chance  to redo it I would've ordered from somewhere else. Here are some of the downsides I experienced with the luxyhair clip-ins:

1. Very tangly: They are almost never tangle-free no matter how much I brush them and they get really matted if you wear them for very long.

2. Moderate shedding: Definitely a lot more than I would like. About a handful of strands every time I brush them.

3. Chunking: I'm not really sure what else to call this but basically the hair doesn't stay silky and uniform and starts to gather into chunks or sections. 

4. Residue- When I heat style them there is a black residue that gets into my flat iron, this was mentioned in other bad reviews as well, its a coating they use on the hair to make it all shiny.

5. Grey/Blonde Strands- I ordered the mocha brown, not blonde or grey lol..yeah I have a few random strands, quite a few actually that were missed in the dyeing process.
6. Very thin- Since I purchased the 160 gram set which was the thickest volume available at the time I figured I wouldn't have to wear every piece but because they are so thin I have to wear the whole set. My real hair sticks out from the extensions because it's a lot fuller than the luxy hair. I have to work pretty hard at blending them so they don't look so obvious. If you have medium to thick hair they are definitely not a good option, they now have a 220 gram set which of course is about $100 more. Not worth it for extensions that aren't very dreamy. 

Would I suggest spending $150 on these? Not at all. I have heard good things about Bellamihair and Myfantasyhair if you are in the market for good hair extensions. Read your reviews and see what they majority are saying, not everyone can be satisfied but the majority should be. 

My Top Make-up Must Haves for 2013

I have basically used these products all year and these are the ones you can always find in my purse. I love great beauty buys, if you have some of your own that you would love to share then feel free to post below :)

1. Laura Mercier Undercover Pot--Bye Bye dark circles!

So I'm going to confess that while I don't have horrendous dark circles I do notice an appreciative difference with this stuff. I use this everyday no matter what and even if I've had no sleep at all this helps me fake it! It isn't dry like other concealers that can settle in your fine lines, it is very creamy and sets really well. It also comes with LM's award-winning concealer 'secret camouflage' that is raved about everywhere and I have to admit this is a good concealer but I wouldn't buy it without the under eye concealer. It has the secret finish powder in the bottom so you can set your concealer. It's a good little trio to have on hand and is perfect for touch-ups.

Buy here.

2.Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette-dark spots, sun spots, acne=my savior

This is one of my favorite drug store buys, since we all have know I deal with acne this is one product I need to always have in my purse. It's really versatile because it has a powdery concealer for setting and total of three cream-based colors (I use them all). The coverage is great and stays put. You can buy this in stores at Target for about $11.Will buy again for sure!

3. Benefit They're Real! Mascara-No more falsies!

I cannot say enough good things about this mascara, unlike many mascaras there is no false advertising here! This mascara truly makes your eyelashes longer, I don't know how, I don't know why but it just does! I do use this in conjunction with another mascara normally. I just feel it doesn't adhere to the lashes very well on its own and tends to clump so I would suggest a few coats of another mascara first. 

4. CG Lash Blast Infusion-Never lets me down!

This is my staple mascara, it gets my eyelashes super black and dramatic looking like I like them and I do not have the greatest lashes. I find that it thickens and lengthens and I tend to use a million coats and it never ever clumps! I always use this first even if I am using two mascaras but I can use it alone and it always does the job. It does flake a little but I'm not anal about wiping a few flakes away but if you are, this might not be the one for you. Another drugstore buy $8 or so..will buy forever til I find something better! 

5. Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss-This really is the BOMB!

I am the biggest lipgloss whore you will ever meet, I literally have a meltdown if I forget lip gloss but most of the time you can catch me with about 10 or so in my purse. I never seem to find one that it is straight up perfect so I keep buying them and buying them. However, this one is truly perfect. Unlike that cakey-ness you can get with other lip gloss this one is so moisturizing and a little bit goes a long way. It gives you shine, color and protects your lips from getting chapped, it also stays on amazing. I got it in the color root beer, I have slightly olive skin and it is the perfect sheer nude shade for me. Not too pricey-$15 at Nordstrom online or in stores, also available at department stores. 

6. Urban Decay Naked Palette-Holy Grail Eye Shadows

Who in their right mind pays $50 bucks for an eye shadow palette right?! WRONG. This stuff is worth every penny, my justification: You will use this everyday of your life. I rarely use anything else ever and I used to be a loyal MAC lover but honestly this is life-changing and I will never go back. No more wasted money on eye shadow, the colors are so versatile, very pigmented, blendable and last all day or night. $50 at Sephora.

7. L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream-Imperfections be gone!

While I would love to say I use this as my regular foundation, I unfortunately have to go bigger extremes to get my coverage. It has a very thin texture but it goes on flawlessly and blends into the skin like a dream and that's why I love it. If you have great skin it will make your skin look awesome without the giveaway of foundation, it evens out skin tone and gives you that fresh, no make-up look. I use this alone for really casual days when foundation isn't necessary. On most days I use it as a primer under my regular foundation, it smooths everything out and covers the majority of my imperfections. One thing to consider, I have pretty oily skin, its very drying and even I need to use a moisturizer underneath so be aware of that if your skin is really dry. 

8. Tarte Amazonian Clay Water-proof Eyeliner--YES!! No more raccoon eyes!

This is my second pot I've purchased, that being said my only complaint is it dries out pretty quick if you don't screw the lid on tight (lesson learned). It goes on super smooth and I also love the brush, it has a pointy and a smudgy end for creating different lines. The formula itself stays put and is the perfect dramatic black. You can buy at Ulta or Sephora for about $24.

9. Urban Decay Primer-My Eye shadow "Cement"

Since the first day I used this I have no care to try anything else, its on the pricey side but lasts forever, it also makes your eye shadow last forever and ever! I could use the cheapest drugstore eye shadow ever and it would stay on with this stuff. I feel like it evens out the eyelid as well and creates a good base. $20 at Sephora or Ulta. 

10. L'Oreal True Match Foundation-How I "fake" good skin!

I used to have this phobia of using drug store foundation, I had this weird thought in my head that it couldn't possibly be as good as the $40 Make up Forever HD I was using.When summer rolled around my skin got darker and my HD washed me out so I started using this True Match I had laying around. Surprise, surprise, better coverage,way less expensive and it even includes SPF 17. It's also very buildable, you can use less if you want but if you like that matte texture and full coverage it will definitely do the job. Using a foundation brush makes all the difference in the world with any face makeup so just make sure you are using the right tools to apply it. I use the W6 and W5 together to give me the perfect shade or I use one or the other depending on the season. They have another version called True Match Lumi foundation which is supposed to be just as amazing, the difference is it has a little extra glow, let me know if you use it and love it! 

11.NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder- For that Perfect natural glow!

This is my absolute favorite go-to bronzer. I have tried many expensive bronzers in my day and this one beats them all. If you want just a simple, standard bronzer for $2.99 you can't beat it. It is matte without any shimmer, gives you the perfect doze of color. Not orangey, not gold, tan. I have this in the shade sunny, perfect for medium skin tones. 

The "A" Word

The dreaded "A" word.One every woman runs from! Acne. No matter how many times you say it, it can still make you cringe. For me, unfortunately, acne is a part of my everyday life and no matter how much I fight it, its usually there when I wake up. I have however, had my ups and downs with acne and that's why even though I still deal with it every day; I have become a pro on what improves it and what doesn't. I also haven't stopped looking for a cure..when I do find one, you guys will be the first to know!  

Every one's skin is dramatically different, even though you've probably heard it all if your an acne sufferer I want to make sure you know what your skin type is that way I will be able to give you specific help. If you're combination skin type like me, you are oily in the T-zone area (your forehead, nose and chin area) but are mostly dry everywhere else. If you have oily skin, your skin texture will be generally oily everywhere and  if your a dry skin type you will be dry all over. Improving your skin comes from solving these oily, dry or combo inconsistencies. 

Skin Picking

One thing usually leads to another with acne and we end up doing the very thing that provokes even more embarrassment on top of the red bumps that we already have, we pick and pick and pick some more. This leads to total trauma of the skin and further inflammation. While we might thing we are doing ourselves a favor in the moment by extracting the infection, it is far from the truth and actually causes the infection to be pushed deeper into the skin. Usually this means longer healing time and worsening of the mere bump we might have turned into a volcano or worse, an intrusion on the skin that looks awful. What most don't know about skin picking is it actually a disease, otherwise known as "dermatillomania" and yes, I suffer from this so there is no need to be ashamed. In fact, most women I know have this problem but I think mine is more on the extreme side. When I have lots of acne, I usually go to town on it and this leads to scabs that are completely obvious and can't be covered. If you have this problem, I know your pain. My self esteem has suffered and I don't have the confidence I should have. However, I have never given up hope that I can cure my acne and my picking problem. In my mind, the picking is connected to actually having acne, I don't think most of us would do it at all if we had no acne. 

IF you slip up: Picking is a lot less traumatic to the skin if you use an extractor or poke the head of the zit with a pin first, that way it will have an entrance to come instead of damaging the skin. Always sterilize the area first  with toner and soak skin with hot water to open the pores and make it easier to extract. Here are some post-picking tips that will improve things when you do pick, these have helped me a lot and I pretty much always have them on hand!

Neosporin $6.99 at Walgreens (You can get this much cheaper as a generic at Target or Wal-Mart)

Neosporin greatly speeds up the healing process, for large cystic acne I put this and cover it with a band aid, this helps a ton and the size is greatly reduced overnight!

Witch Hazel $5-8 (depends on where you get it, any drug store or even dollar store will have it)

This is incredibly soothing for inflammation, swab some of this one with a cotton face pad or cotton ball and your redness will be diminished in no time. 

Benzoyl Peroxide Spot Treatment $6.49 at drugstores

This persa gel by Clean & Clear offers a high concentration of Benzoyl Peroxide which is an ingredient known for wiping out bacteria on the skin. This is extremely important after picking because you spread a lot of bacteria around with your fingers, make sure to definitely treat the surrounding areas near the pimple with a spot treatment so you don't create more acne. 

Hot & Cold Compression

One thing I do if my skin is super swollen is douse a washcloth and dab it on my face several times, alternating between hot and cold water. This really brings down the puffiness and redness quicker than anything. 

Quirky but Helpful De-Sweller!

This tip might be an embarrassing one to have in the house but none the less its one that works! Either Anti- itch cream or hemorrhoid cream such a Preparation H (That's the only brand I know but I'm sure there lots of generics). These creams do make a big difference with swelling and you can get them at just about any drugstore. *Word to the wise: stash somewhere secret! lol.