My Holy Grail Face Brushes

Hi Everybody!

I have been loving a handful of my brushes for summer. There are certain brushes you just know will never let you down so I thought I would share my current holy grails!

Current Holy Grail Face Brushes
Current Holy Grail Face Brushes

Beauty Blender & Solid: I love this little sponge. I know there are a lot of more affordable versions of the beauty blender and I’ve tried a couple, but there is something about the technology of the beauty blender that I find cannot be replicated. The way that it blends out my foundation or concealer makes it look so natural, I love it. I got this solid as a 100 pt sample from Sephora and it is perfect for quick rinses of my brushes. I have heard however though that just a simple bar of soup works just in well!

Mac 125 Split Fibre: This was part of the Mac Wash and Dry collection and I thought the packaging was so cute. I ended up buying the face brush version of this first and thought the split fibre idea was so cool so I bought the contour brush as well. I think this brush is really great for both cream and powder products. I actually find this brush to be the only one I like when applying the MUFE Pro Bronze Fusion.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush: I’ll be honest and say I HATE the packaging of real techniques brushes. I am slightly OCD and like all of the brushes in my little brush cup to look nice and clean and pretty and this brush throws off everything. That being said it is my all time favorite for applying my foundation. I rarely use anything else. I LOVE this brush probably more than any other brush I own. The way that it applies my foundation is so flawless looking, I couldn’t ask for more. I especially like this over some other more typical foundation brushes because I feel that it doesn’t eat any product – whereas some of my denser brushes I feel like half of the product gets lost in the brush.

Sephora – Pro Domed Stippling Brush: I pretty much only use this brush with my cream bronzers, but it does suuuuuch a good job of blending out product it is great! This is easily my favorite way to warm up my face on just a day to day basis. I feel like this brush is really well made and is perfect for cream products.

Sephora – Pro Contour: I use this brush primarily for setting my under eyes. I think it is the perfect size and shape for getting powder in smaller spaces. I do also use it for contour because the tapered edge is great for getting into the hollows of your cheeks. This is prob my most used / versatile brush.

Zoeva – Face Shaper: This brush I use with my Kevyn Aucoin creamy glow duo (which by the way is the best contour product ever!). This brush is also great for cream products – and for contouring in general. It is the perfect size for precise placement

Zoeva – Silk Finish: When I am not using my beauty blender, I use this brush. I think it blends out product beautifully. It is super soft and yet dense enough to really blur out any clumps of product or harsh lines.

Zoeva – Powder: This is another one of my most used brushes ever. I think this brush is fantastic. It is large and great for powdering your entire face. It is extremely soft which is one of the main things I look for in a powder brush, and just does a great job of evenly applying powder. I also use this at the end of my makeup application for any finishing powder or to do one last little bit of blending.

Elf – Ultimate Kabuki: I got this brush online after hearing great things about it online. I think this was such a good purchase! Elf is so affordable and this brush has so many uses. I use it as an all over powder brush and also as a sort of bronze/contour brush as well. When I want a more natural / all over bronze look rather than an actual contour this is my go to. It is super soft and for the price you really can’t beat it!

Scout - sharing his favorite as well
Scout – sharing his favorite as well

Just for fun – thought I would share Scout’s favorite too as he was so eager to show it off 🙂

Let me know your fave brushes or recommendations!

xxoo Melissa

My MAC Collection – Lipsticks

Hi Everybody!

Happy Friday!

I know I missed National Lipstick Day by a couple of days, but I figured it was as good a time as any to give you a little glimpse at my current MAC lipstick collection!

MAC Lipsticks (outlined from L to R below):
MAC Lipsticks (outlined from L to R below):

I have 9 lipsticks from MAC – a mixture of Lustre, Matte, Retro Matte, Frost, and Satin finishes.

(L to R, Top to Bottom): Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler, Call the Hairdresser, All Fired Up, Amorous, Rebel, Viva Glam III
(L to R, Top to Bottom):
Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler, Call the Hairdresser, All Fired Up, Amorous, Rebel, Viva Glam III

Velvet Teddy (Matte): a true neutral deep-tone beige. – One of the Kylie Jenner shades. This is a great shade, I think it is perfect for a fall nude lip!

Angel (Frost): a soft baby pink. I typically don’t like super frosty lip shades, but this wears beautifully on the lips. It is one of my go to everyday shades that is a nude pink with a hint of shine. It almost looks like a neutral, pinky gloss. I think this formula is also pretty moisturizing, although not tremendously long wearing.

Syrup (Lustre): a true pink with almost purple / lavender undertones. This is one of my other most used shades. It is a perfect “my lips but better” color that I can wear with virtually any look.

Razzle-Dazzler (Lustre): This shade is a creamy peach color – almost like a creamcicle – perfect for summer! I love this lipstick paired with a shiny gloss and a simple face of make up. So cute for everyday in the summer to add some freshness to your look!

Left Top - down and right:  Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler
Left Top – down and right:
Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler

Call the Hairdresser (Lustre): This lip was from the “MAC is Beauty” collection – and I am happy that it is permanent! It is described as a “rosey mauve” but I find it to be more of a true rosey almost hot pink color. I love this one because it is a lot more sheer than my other lipsticks. With the more vibrant pink I think it is nice to be able to start out a bit more sheer and then build up the color depending on your mood 🙂

All Fired Up (Retro Matte): I bought this color recently in preparation for my upcoming trip to Hawaii. I wanted a really eye catching fun color that I wouldn’t normally be able to get away with in day to day life. I can’t wait to pair this bright fuchsia with a summer dress while I’m away.

Amorous (Satin): This was my first MAC lipstick! I remember walking up to the counter and wanting a “dark” lip to wear for my holiday christmas party. I had never really strayed from the neutral pink lip gloss at this point so I thought all dark lips looked silly on me. The woman at the MAC counter was great and helped me pick this cranberry shade out – to this day still one of my favorites for a night out!

Rebel (Satin):  This is a cult favorite and for good reason. It is a creamy plum purple that looks great on a variety of skin tones. I love this color for the winter time. One of my favorite berry shades for holiday parties!

Viva Glam III (Matte): I’ll be honest and say that I totally accidentally ordered this color. I think I meant to order Viva Glam II as I was browsing around the site for some Kylie Jenner -esk shades. When I got this in the mail I was pretty surprised to find this shade as it is VERY dark compared to even the dark shades I wear. This is described as a brownish plum, which I would agree with. It is quite dark, so with my fair skin looks a little silly. However, I could see it being beautiful on a darker or more olive complexion.

(L to R, Top to Bottom): Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler, Call the Hairdresser, All Fired Up, Amorous, Rebel, Viva Glam III
(L to R, Top to Bottom):
Velvet Teddy, Angel, Syrup, Razzle-Dazzler, Call the Hairdresser, All Fired Up, Amorous, Rebel, Viva Glam III

Let me know your favorite MAC shades and finishes! Another couple I have been eyeing is Creme Cup and Coral Bliss and Ruby Woo.

Hope you enjoy!

xxoo Melissa

Makeup Look: Pop of Pink

Hey Everybody,

As you may have seen in my recent Nordstrom Anniversary Sale post, I purchased the Nars “Blame it on Nars” cheek palette. I, of course, wanted to use it right away. I figured a casual Friday night out was the perfect time to try it out!

Check out the look I came up with below:

Pop of Pink Summer Look
Pop of Pink Summer Look

I used the following products for this look and think it came out great!

Products Used - details below
Products Used – details below

Face:

Maybelline Dream Pure BB – light/medium (I mixed this with a couple of the FX Custom Cover Drops)

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops – N30

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit – Vanilla set my under eye area and Fawn for a light contour

Nars “Blame it on Nars” – Day Dream

Becca – Champagne Pop

Eyes:

Not sure why the lips look so orange in this light - but the true shade is shown in the first pic :)
Not sure why the lips look so orange in this light – but the true shade is shown in the first pic 🙂

Too Faced – Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette

– Butter Pecan all over the lid

– Bon Bon smoked out from the middle of my lid to the outer corner

– Caramel in the outer corner as well

– Truffled in the crease blended with Mousse

– Peanut Butter smoked out in the crease for a hint of warmth

Mac Fluidline Gel Eyeliner

Loreal Telescopic Eyeliner – mixed with Greater than MDM Flow mascara

Brows: 

Benefit – Gimmie Brow in medium / deep

Lips: 

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Fig

Summertime Pop of Pink
Summertime Pop of Pink

Hope you all like the look!

xxoo Melissa

Make Up of the Day: Reviews – Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Hourglass, Make Up For Ever and others

makup flatlay
Today’s Look

Details of this look (as depicted – listed below from Top to Bottom, Left to Right):

Hourglass-  Ambient Blush: Mood Exposure:

I love this blush! It’s such a unique color that adds a beautiful flush perfect for any occasion. Looking at it in the pan it looks purple – but once applied to your cheeks it adds just the right amount of pink to make your skin look naturally healthy. I know Hourglass products are rather pricey but the way that they lay so naturally and make your skin look airbrushed makes them worth every penny.

Becca – Shimmering Skin Perfector – Opal (liquid version):

This product has totally changed up my routine this summer. I was skeptical about buying this – especially as it is not cheap! I decided one day to take the plunge and haven’t looked back. My personal favorite way to use this product is to mix it with my primer. I find applying a pump of product before my foundation gives my skin such a natural looking glow it is perfect for summer.

Chanel – Soleil Tan de Chanel – Bronzing Makeup Base:

I don’t know how I did my makeup before purchasing this product. It is truly amazing and worth every penny. Not only does it look great on a vanity (I mean, look at that packaging), but also it adds such a beautiful touch of radiance to the skin. I was a little worried this shade would be too bronze / orangey on my skin – but the formula allows the color to be as sheer or built up as desired. My favorite way to apply this is with a large stipple brush applied to the areas I would normally contour. I think adding this on top of a tinted moisturizer with a touch of mascara and a lip gloss makes for the perfect “no makeup makeup” look.

Make Up For Ever – Artist Palette Volume 2 – Artistic:

I bought this palette mainly because I didn’t own any Make Up For Ever eyeshadows and I really wanted to try them. I thought this would be a nice addition to my collection as it has a couple more “unusual” shades. I’ll be honest and say that at first I was not impressed by this palette. I found that the shadows swatched really well and felt super buttery but just didn’t look great on my eyes. I tried applying them with different brushes and even adding fix + to my brushes before application and nothing seemed to make them look as good as they do in the pan. THEN – one day I was in a hurry and slapped them on with my finger and everything changed. They looked amazing. I have been obsessed. I literally have worn these shadows every day for the past month.

Hourglass – Ambient Lighting Powder – Mood Light:

I use this powder once I am done applying my makeup as a finishing powder. I LOVE the way it makes my skin look and I think this particular shade is perfect as a finishing powder. I know technically they are all “finishing powders” rather than highlights, but I find my luminous light powder to be much better suited as a highlight. If you are looking to get airbrushed naturally beautiful skin, this is the powder for you!

Make Up For Ever – Pro Bronze Fusion – Natural Matte Sand:

I very recently bought this bronzer and to be honest, I am really unimpressed. I do want to give it a couple more tries but I find that it reallllly lacks pigmentation. I like setting my Soleil Tan de Chanel with a bronzing powder and thought this would be great as I had heard amazing things. I don’t know, for the price tag I was expecting more. I may end up returning it to Sephora, but do want to try out a couple different brushes and application techniques first in case I am just missing something.

Mac – Fix + – Limited Edition Lavender Scent:

I really like Fix + and I know it is a staple in a lot of collections. I primarily use it as a way to amp up shadows or blushes by spritzing my brushes with it before applying. When I saw they came out with limited edition scents I knew I wanted to try one and this lavender scent is incredible. I actually now started using it as a setting spray as well because of how relaxing and just happy the scent is. If you can get your hands on one of the (I think 5) scents they just came out with you should!

Urban Decay – Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer:

Ugh, they really need a new name for this product, although if I had to name it myself it makes perfect sense. This concealer really is a completely weightless yet full coverage concealer. On days where I am particularly tired or in need of a more dramatic under eye brightening I use this product and every time I am impressed. I do set the concealer to prevent it from creasing but I find that it lasts all day and looks natural on your skin while providing great coverage for dark circles. I tend to go a shade lighter than my foundation to really brighten up and highlight the undereye area.

Marc Jacobs – New Nudes Sheer Lip Gel – Understudy 114:

I bought this lipstick because I fell in love with the packaging, I certainly am happy I did! This color – Understudy (114) is an amazing everyday natural terracotta pink. It is the perfect pop of color to go with any look and the formula of the lipstick is extremely creamy and nourishing.

It Cosmetics – Your Skin but Better CC Cream:

I use this CC Cream when I know I am going to be in the sun all day. It wears really nicely and it has 50 SPF which is perfect for my fair skin. The CC cream itself goes on similar to a sunscreen in texture and it has amazing coverage. It is packed with anti-aging and hydrating properties so really does the duty of a moisturizer and foundation in one product. Because of its formula I typically set this with a powder as it can be a little wet looking on the skin at first.

Bobbi Brown – Shimmer Brick – Pink Quartz:

I love the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks – I think they are great multi purpose products . I use mine as a highlight and it gives the most perfect glow to my cheek bones. I also use this as an eyeshadow or an inner eye highlight to open up my eyes. I love when products can be multi-use!

Loreal – Telescopic Mascara – Carbon Black:

I just recently bought this mascara after I had heard such good things about it – because ya know, I needed another mascara to go along with the 4 others I have open at the moment….. I was very skeptical because I have been LOVING my Too Faced – Better than Sex Mascara and I really didn’t think this one could top it. While I don’t know that it is better than the Too Faced one, I do think it is equally as good at what it does. This mascara is reallllllly lengthening and the wand is so unique. I find that I am able to literally comb my lashes one by one and apply just the right amount of mascara to get my desired look. The most amazing thing that I found with this mascara however is the INCREDIBLE curl power it has! I have very flat straight lashes and even eyelash curlers cannot keep them curled for more than an hour. This mascara had me looking like I was wearing false lashes all day. It was insane and ultimately what immediately turned this into one of my favorites. This paired with the Better than Sex mascara are the perfect combination of length and volume.

My Make Up of the Day
My Make Up of the Day

I hope you guys liked this post – if you have any questions about any of the products mentioned let me know!

xxoo Melissa