My Skin Care Routine

When I was younger I always got compliments on my skin, I guess I was one of those lucky kids/teens that didn't suffer from acne or having too oily or too dry skin. Honestly though I have always taken care of my skin, I didn't always have the routine I do now. It was a lot more simplistic. After discovering serums and eye creams when I was about 17 I haven't ever been able to just use cleanser and moisturizer. Even though I had good skin I didn't have great skin. Once I started a more "complicated" skin care routine I saw a dramatic difference in the way my skin looked. It was always clear of pimples, I would get the occasional black head on my nose but my skin didn't glow. Now on my no makeup days my skin just looks so healthy and naturally dewy even though I do not have oily skin . 

Once I turned 25 my skin completely changed! it wasn't terrible but I would get those painful deep under the skin pimples on my chin as well as a bunch of little bumps. Now going from having skin where you would occasionally get one pimple to painful pimples and bumps on your face really has an effect on how you feel about yourself. It took me a while to go out without makeup on when I had these breakouts. It took me about 5-6 months to get it cleared up for the most part, I still get the bumps on my chin and an occasional painful pimple but for the most part I have gotten it under control.

Products I use

Necessity
1. Makeup removal
I really like to use remover wipes because I have lazy nights and that's the easiest but I have really liked using an oil cleanser  and then going in with my cleanser.

2. Cleanser
I have used a variety of cleansers over the years but my favorites would have to be the Murad essential c, And the DDF glycolic cleanser 
3. Toner
After cleansing our skin is naturally acidic and the pH balance should be between 5 and 6 but most soaps/cleansers can disturb the natural balance. A toner is going to come in and remove any excess makeup and balance out your skins pH levels. A toner is going to protect your skin by closing your pores which reduces the penetration of impurities and envionmental contaminants getting into the skin. Toners can do lots of amazing things my favorite thing that they can do is to bind moisture to the skin leaving my face radiant.
4. Moisturizer
Urban Decay and Cetaphil but I will occasionally pick up a different one to try 

5. Pamper
When I think of "pampering" my skin I think of masks and peels but really in my opinion in order to have great skin you need these things in your skincare routine even if you only do them once a week.

Massage techniques really helps get oxygen to that area, getting oxygen to the surface is a natural form of anti aging. More blood flow to the area increases collagen production, I don't know about you but I really like to have that radiant glowy skin and that's what the collagen production does. 

Your skin the largest organ on your body so you really want to take care of it. Always use a moisturizer if you have dry, oily or normal skin. Excessive dryness can cause aging a lot quicker and flaky skin, if you don't use moisturizer and you are oily your skin thinks it needs to produce more oil and nobody wants to be extremely oil. 

What are some of your favorites when it comes to skincare. I love trying new products!

Urban Decay Shapeshifter Palette Review + Demo

When I first got this palette I was so excited for the powder contour and highlight the cream side not so much. The dark contour shade looked way to dark and not the right color. It took me about two months before I even touched the cream side and oh my goodness I wish I would have used it right away. The contour shade gives the most beautiful natural contour. It is super pigmented so you do not want to go in with a heavy hand but it is super easy to blend out.

I have been using it non stop for a natural contoured look. The best thing; you only need this palette! You have your concealer, contour and cream highlight as well as color correctors and then you flip it over and you have your powders to set all the creams. The powders are very finely milled and soft so you are not going to end up looking cakey after applying cream and then powder. I have pretty normal skin but occasionally my face will get a little dryer around that time of the month when I'm using acne products. The powders still look very natural and subtle. Nobody likes to have their face look like they have on layers of makeup so I know the thought of using the creams and the powders might be a little intimidating.

I didn't go in with a whole lot because a little does go a long way

 Time to blend!

I just love how it gives a subtle contour but still looks glam.

 This is the final look with the powder and cream 

Full Coverage foundation routine

My foundation routine has changed so many times in the many years that I have been doing makeup. I mean I took my very first makeup class when I was 13, I have always had a passion for all things beauty and I love just playing around finding new and better ways to apply my makeup. I guess thats what made me originally go to school to be an Esthetician. I've had lots of days where I've tried to apply my foundation like on a YouTube tutorial I have watched and since everyone's skin is different it did not look good on me and not to mention we apply more when we are doing video tutorials so the makeup shows up better.

I probably will never go back to applying my foundation, concealer etc any different than I do now. Obviously I have normal skin so if you have oily skin I will also include tips in there for you!

Make sure you are always starting out with a clean fresh face. I usually apply my makeup about 10-30 minutes after I wash my face and put on serums and moisturizers.

Foundation tips
Start with a little bit, if you need more coverage you can always add you don't want to cake up your face.
Make sure you are using one right for your skin
Don't use one that is too dark, I would rather go a little lighter and just add bronzer than have that dark line around my neck.

My full coverage foundation order
Nyx hydra touch primer (my favorite primer ever)
Oily skin tip: use a mattifying primer or pore filling primer or both ;)
Lancôme teint idole foundation
mix any liquid highlight into foundation for extra dew if you like that look
Tarte shape tape
Oily skin: you can try to not set concealer but if you feel it is creasing or sliding off your face just add some powder
Urban Decay shapeshifter palette (cream contour)
Now here is the weird part for most people, I don't set my face with powder.  If you have oily skin just go ahead and set your face. When I would set my face with powder and walk outside I didn't like the way my skin looked. You could tell that I was wearing makeup. Even though I am putting on several things without adding powder my skin just looks very natural and glowy but flawless. If I get any creasing under my eye I just tap it out a little bit with my ring finger, with the shape tape though I really don't get creasing.

Since I first used this brush it is the  only one I use to apply my foundation. It is the best ! (Urban Decay optical blurring brush)It is so tightly coiled that it isn't going to shed and pretty much does all of the work for you. Plus it is  made from recyclable materials.

Don't mind my chipped nails lol but I love mixing this temptu liquid glow into my foundation 

This pixi glow mist makes my skin look so dewy all day long I spray it on before and after makeup application

If I want to go a little more glam I will add powdered bronzer highlight and blush. Since I didn't use a setting powder I don't feel like I am caking on powder and it still looks very natural.

Friday Favorites

I am living for all things bright and colorful this summer, anything yellow, orange or pink. Colorful things just always put me in a good mood and my first favorite this week would have to be the nail polish I have been wearing non stop. I don't know if you have tried Morgan Taylor brand nail polish but it is seriously the best. The color that has been on my nails all summer so far has been Pink Flame-ingo; now how cute is that name. It is a bright cheerful coral pink color. 

So I could pretty much live off of chips and salsa alone. Anyone who knows me knows that, that is my favorite food of all time. Well chips, salsa and tacos. But really the amount of chips and salsa I eat is ridiculous. The other day we went out to explore Pine Island which is an island about 10 minutes from where we live and on the way back we stopped at a farmers market. They  not only had some of the best fruit but Travis also snuck in a jar of salsa without me knowing and surprised me with it when we got home. See I get excited over salsa haha its a problem. It literally was the best I have ever had and I am super picky with my salsa. I will for sure be going back there and buying it several more times. If you have a place you can get homemade salsa without having to make it yourself I totally would snag some up.

This pink flamingo pool float has been every where and I mean every where. We drive through the neighborhood and every pool has one in it and people have it at the beach. Every time we go to the store I want to get one, I think i'm going to have to go out and get it before our next beach trip because Bryleigh also wants it. How cute would she look just floating around in a pink flamingo floaty, although she calls it a mango floaty lol.

I just love this dress it is so bright and I could definitely see myself wearing this to the beach or out to dinner. Just pair it with a pair of wedges and you're good to go. 

I really want to get a pair of birkenstocks. One in every color! I remember wearing these when I was younger and I am so excited that they are coming back in. They are so comfy, they may not be the best style but with all the cute new colors I love them. 


What are some of your favorites from this week?!

Tutorial using Morphe 35F Palette

Since moving to Florida I haven't really applied makeup or fixed my hair, natural all the way. Actually yesterday was the first day I fixed my hair with a curling wand or any heat styling products. I have really missed coming up with different looks each day and playing with colors. I decided to pull out an oldie but a goodie. I haven't used the Morphe 35F palette in so long and technically it is considered a "Fall" palette but I think it is great for summer as well. I decided to go with one of my favorite looks; orange and bronze. I wanted to stick with dewy skin since I was going a little darker on the eye makeup. 

Products I used:
Face
Smashbox primer oil
Lancome teinte idole foundation shade 410 bisque
Tarte shape tape concealer 
Wet N Wild photo focus powder
Benefit Hoola Bronzer
Jouer highlight Topaz 
Milani Luminoso blush
Pix by petra glow mist (the best stuff ever!!)

Eyes
Morphe 35F
Urban Decay 24/7 glide on eye pencil shade 
Urban Decay perversion mascara
Lashes are a cheap pack I got on Amazon (gotta love amazon:)!)

Lips
Urban Decay 24/7 glide on lip pencil Stark Naked
UD Vice Metallized liptsick scorched

Must Haves For Your Makeup Bag

When it comes to your makeup bag you need to have a few staples in there at all times. I don't store my makeup in a bag when I am at home but when I travel I always have to have certain things in my bag. Every girl knows what her go to makeup to use every day is but I'll share a few things that I never go without.

Primer (ok occasionally I go without primer)

You can never apply makeup without prepped skin, a good primer is always a necessity in your makeup bag. A primer is going to get your skin ready for foundation and make the foundation go on a lot smoother and last longer. If you don't like primer just use your moisturizer. 

 Foundation

When I travel I always take one or two of my favorite foundations. When traveling you don't want to be trying on a bunch of new or different products because when traveling already affects your skin. It can dry it out, cause breakouts; I like to have a separate skin care bag with me as well (that can be for another post) but I keep sheet masks in there to help keep my skin on track. I really don't like to take glass bottles with me either because nobody wants their makeup bag looking a mess and all disgusting from busted up foundation. 

Concealer

Concealer should be in every makeup bag, you can use it to cover acne spots or if you have dark circles. I like to use my concealer to highlight with so I like it about one to two shades lighter but if you want to use it on other spots of your face rather then to highlight just get your skin color:) Concealer is also great if you're out in the sun or if you don't want to wear a lot of makeup that day but still want to look fresh. On my no makeup makeup days I like to throw on a little bit of concealer under my eyes and any areas where I might get redness depending on the time of the month.

Powder

Once the foundation and concealer are on you are going to want to set everything. I like to store a loose powder and a pressed powder in my makeup bag. It depends on the day and mood i'm in on what powder I am going to use and sometimes I will just use both. A translucent and a fuller coverage powder will always be in my bag. The translucent is great for setting the under eye but I also like to use the full coverage powder under my eye sometimes if I look tired and need to look a little more awake! Usually a translucent is best if you have dry skin and just need to set under eye concealer. I don't really like to put powder all over my face.

Lip Products

I say lip products not just one specific thing because I usually always have a chapstick, matte lipstick and a gloss in my bag. Somedays I want a matte lipstick that is going to last all day (mostly every day) some days I just put on chapstick or a gloss and go. One thing I always have with me at all times though is chapstick. Chapstick is not only going to be in my makeup bag but literally all over my house and several in my car. 

Mascara

I always have to have mascara because I just feel naked without some mascara. I have really short lashes so my makeup bag will always have false lashes as well. I actually hate putting on mascara; it is my least favorite part of doing my makeup but I always have to have it!

Lash curler

I always and I mean always have to have a lash curler even if I am not doing my makeup or wearing mascara I will still curl my lashes just to give a little something and make my eyes pop a little.

Bronzer, blush and highlight

These three products are all very important for your cosmetic bag. You don't have to use all three but just adding a little bronzer or blush after foundation, concealer and powder is going to add some color back into your face. I can never go without highlight when I am not wearing a lot of makeup I will add a little bit of liquid highlight to my cheekbones for a natural glowy look. The good thing about having these three products in your bag is that really they are all you need. Highlight for your cheekbones or as eyeshadow and I like to use bronzer not only to warm up my face but to add some dimension in my crease as well. You will be surprised at how well bronzer and blush blended together in your crease look! Such a beautiful but super simple look.

What are some of your go to staples and what does your makeup bag look like?!

Best and Worst Beauty Blenders

My favorite way to apply foundation is with a beauty blender, beauty sponge whatever you want to call it and whatever brand you use. I have literally tried every "beauty blender" on the market so I am going to share my favorites and not so favorites with you. 

My all time favorite is the actual beauty blender. Shocker I know, everyone loves the true beauty blender and honestly it is really great. It is the softest sponge and applies foundation so perfect, when I use this sponge my foundation looks so natural and flawless. I use the round bottom to put on foundation and the pointy top to blend out concealers under my eyes. 

I have found something very similar to the original and in my opinion it is just as amazing. If you have not tried the L'oreal Paris Infallible beauty blender you need to run not walk, actually get in your car and race to Target, Wal-Mart etc. and pick up one of these sponges. You and your wallet will thank me. The price point is pretty great $6.99 vs $20 i'll take the $6.99 since the quality of both products is very similar and applies makeup the same way.

Pink and white sponges are from Ulta, black is japonesque and the tan is the beauty blender

orange is ulta and pink is the L'oreal 

So Ulta has two beauty sponges that are Ulta brand and one is surprisingly really good and the other not so much. The one that is shaped like the actual beauty blender is decent. It does the job it is soft just not as soft and squishy as the original. The other Ulta brand sponge is ok but i wouldn't waste the money, granted it is only like $4 but still just spend a couple more and go for the L'oreal pink sponge or you could get the set of ulta brand sponges for $10. $10 for two sponges is  really good deal and if you are on a budget I would definitely get this little set,you won't be disappointed. 

I actually really like the Japonesque sponge it is very similar to the good Ulta sponge. I like that it is black so it doesn't look as dirty as the others and it applies makeup very smooth and flawless. It is soft and has the round bottom to apply foundation and pointed top for blending out under the eye. Really you cannot go wrong with any of these sponges. I think I got the set for $17 and it came with japonesque cleaner, large sponge and a mini which is also great for under the eye. 

I have tried a few sponges that I haven't liked and the ones that I just despised are from Pur cosmetics. I received these in my boxy charm one month and I was so excited because it came in a pack of three. Then I used them, no matter how much you run them under water they do not get squishy like the beauty blender, I do not like the way they apply my makeup honestly out of all of the sponges i've used these are the worst. They have a round bottom and one side is flat but odd shaped so I don't like it for under the eye plus its really hard so I wouldn't want to use it under my eyes anyway. These are a bit pricey for the quality you are getting I would probably choose the $4 ulta sponge over these. 

I hope this has helped if you were on the fence of which blenders to get and if you really wanted to spend the $20 on a beauty blender. If you have the extra I think everyone needs at least one beauty blender just to try out because I really love mine but I always reach for the L'oreal sponge now. 

Lancome Teint Idole

I have been trying out a new foundation for about a month now and I cannot hold off from sharing with you any longer!! I wear this when we go to the beach because it has an spf but I also wear it when I want to go full glam. This foundation is perfect because you can do a really light layer so you get that sunscreen and cover any imperfections or you can go ahead and add a little more for full coverage. This foundation leaves a velvety natural finish, it makes my skin look so so smooth and doesn't look like I am wearing foundation. It claims to have  24 hour wear and transfer proof, it is not transfer proof but it doesn't rub off as easy as others and I have no clue if it stays on for 24 hours because please do not leave makeup on your face that long. 

I first heard of this foundation at work, I was at an event for Urban Decay and one of the girls and I were heading to a different store and her skin looked amazing. When she told me she was wearing Teint Idole I ordered it right away. I fell in love with it as soon as I put it on, I put it on one side of my face first and it made it look so smooth but not flat. I was nervous that this was going to leave a matte finish, I do not like matte foundations. 

If you have dry skin you are going to love this foundation (in my opinion though its perfect for any skin type), this gives me such a natural look but has great coverage. Usually when I try a new foundation I will tend to break out on my chin but with this I did not, thats when I know its a great foundation. The only thing I don't like is I ordered online and the shades are pretty hard to figure out because there are 28 of them so I ordered two.The darker one actually works perfect so in the fall/winter I can just mix the lighter shade in with the darker one. I got the shades 320 bisque and 410 bisque. I would definitely run out and grab this foundation if you do not have it already.

xo

Ashleigh

Note Cosmetics

It has been awhile since I have last blogged about makeup and I am so glad to be back talking about some amazing new products I have been trying out. A little while ago I was sent some things from Note Cosmetics. I want to let you all in on this makeup line because I haven't been able to put a couple of the products down since first trying them!

First up my favorite product. The bronzer, I am a sucker for bronzer,I am always wanting to try new ones. I'm not gonna lie when I first opened this up I was like seriously thats not going to look good on my skin tone. It looked super light in the compact but when I applied it, it went on so smoothly and looked so natural and beautiful like a sun kissed glow. Who doesn't want a sun kissed glow.

(I do have the highlight, bronzer and lip color on in this picture, how gorgeous is that highlight?)

Another way you can get that beautiful glow is to go in with their highlighter. This highlighter isn't going to give you that blinding highlight where you can be seen from space which is why I think it is going to be my go to highlight for summer. This highlight is going to give you that beautiful lit from within so if you have plans for the beach or just a date night this summer I would pick up this highlight you are going to look like a glowing goddess. 

I just love the shades in the eyeshadow palette when I want to do a smokey/sultry eye. You have to build the darker colors up a little bit but they are beautiful and sometimes I like not so pigmented shades you don't have to worry about picking up too much. Nobody wants to look like they got punched in the eye and with super dark shades it can tend to look like that so this palette I think is perfect for someone just getting into makeup and doesn't really know that you have to blend blend blend! 

I am pretty sure this is the brightest lipstick shade I own and I have a lot of bright shades of lipstick. This lip is more like a neon coral and I love it!! I have worn it quite a few times and I always get compliments on my lip color when I have it on. It isn't a super long wearing matte lipstick but it does last a pretty long time and even if it rubs off after you eat or drink it leaves this really pretty soft coral color on your lips. 

Disclaimer: I was sent these products but all opinions are my own.