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IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream
Okay so I am FINALLY doing my review on the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream. I’ve had this product for a few weeks now and I must say, I really like it. Do I love it? No. Would I repurchase? I’m not sure.
Let’s review it. First off it has a nice thick consistency but, to me, it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. I feel like it “melts” into my so it doesn’t feel like I have foundation sitting like the Lumi does. Next, the box says it is medium to full coverage. Eh, I think it’s more of a light to medium coverage. Now maybe this is purely based on application. I tend to buff my foundation in pretty well. I don’t really care to have foundation sitting on the skin. And well, I’m not great at building coverage so…yeah. The foundation has a bit of a citrus scent but I don’t find I can smell it once it’s on my skin. Apparently, the scent comes from the snail exact? That’s just something I found online.
One thing I really like about this foundation is the finish. Since I have oily skin, this gives me a nice velvety finish. I don’t find it to be matte but it’s also not dewy. Even by the end of the day, I don’t really feel too shiney. I also feel like it has pretty good staying power. I normally set it with my Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder. I should add, I don’t think the powder really helps to keep me “matte” but I do like the powder.
Like I said, I’ve worn this for a few weeks now and even after being out in the hot this weekend and last weekend, I felt like my makeup held up pretty well. Saturday Matt and I went to the NC State game and when we got home I took a pic of my makeup. It lasted through fairly hot temps for several hours.
Okay, I guess I should discuss why I don’t love it and why I might not repurchase. While I love the finish, honestly, I don’t feel like there is anything so super special about this foundation. It has a nice finish and pretty good coverage. It has pretty okay staying power, but for the money I feel like there are other things out there that should work just as well right? Overall, I’m not completely blown away by it. (My favorite foundation of all time was from Estee Lauder but it has since been discontinued for the Double Wear – which I am also not a huge fan of but might revisit at some point. )
This is full finished makeup. 
This is after the game on Saturday. I’d had makeup on all day plus 4+ hours of being outside in the heat and sweating.
My next review will be a review of some new fiber mascara! :O
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No Primer, No Problem!
As you all know, I’ve recently become OBSESSED with make-up tutorials on Youtube. Well, I have a few of my faves, but I also have a few others that I will occasionally check out. GossMakeupArtist is one I occasionally watch. Last week he posted a GREAT tip on how to make your foundation last. Seeing as I’ve been having foundation issues, I wanted to know what his tip was.
Now, before I go into exactly what you do, I just want to say that after I watched the video I was totally skeptical. So much so, that I refused to try this tip during the week. I waited till the weekend so if things totally went South I could just start over. But guys, it worked! Like really worked! So here’s what you need:
- Moisturizer
- Loose powder – translucent or colored (I use my Mineral Veil)
- Powder Brush
- Foundation
Okay, here goes. Apply your moisturizer as usual, then while its still damp, apply a little bit of loose powder on top. I tap out a small amount in the top, swirl my brush, and tap off the excess. The key here is to not use too much. Once you’ve powdered your face, you will apply your foundation. If needed you can add a little more powder over your foundation. (I have combo skin with an oily t-zone so I add a touch more powder to set the look.) Now I know, you aren’t supposed to use liquid over powder. But it works! Essentially you are creating a primer for your foundation.
Here’s what I like most about this tip. You have all the stuff needed already. Plus primers can be expensive. I bought a NYX primer a few weeks ago and feel like I need to use it sparingly even though it was only like $12.00 because I have to use a lot. The other good thing about this tip is, for me anyway, the moisturizer/powder combo also helps to smooth out my pores which helps your foundation sit better.
I’ve done this a few times since I saw it and I have to say, I’m impressed! My foundation seems to stay on a good bit longer than before and I’m not getting as oily in my t-zone. Not to mention it’s free!
Give it a try!
~k
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I went to the MAC counter
God help us all, or really just Matt’s check book! 😉
I’ve had a lot of makeup posts lately and it’s because I have recently become obsessed with makeup tutorials on youtube. I’ll list a few of my fave channels at the bottom. Anyway, they’ve sparked this new found interest/obsession with all things makeup. Mostly though, I’m still looking for “the” foundation. My Stila is still doing okay but my skin has changed and I no longer find I am super oily like I was even a year or so ago. My skin has turned more to a combination to dry skin instead of combination to oily. Maybe age is finally catching up to me but I can’t seem to get enough moisture in my skin. I slather it with thick, heavy creams at night but nothing seems to help. I mentioned I bought a Mary Kay moisturizer a few weeks ago and I do like it under my makeup but I’ve since added Pore Filler primer by NYX. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way this stuff makes your skin feel. It literally feels like silk once you apply it. It also does a pretty good job of filling the pore across my nose and cheeks. It doesn’t help as much for some of the larger pores on my chin though. Overall, I give it 2 thumbs up. I will be purchasing it again.
Okay, so now on to what I really was going to write about, my MAC experience. My new love of youtube has lead to my need for a concealer. Almost all the girls I watch on youtube use MAC’s Pro Longwear Concealer. They rave about how it won’t crease under your eyes. Well guess what, that’s what I NEED! I’ve always had fine lines/wrinkles under my eyes, even a kid I remember having them. I guess it’s just in my genes. So on Saturday I got dressed and ran to the mall. The MAC store was pretty busy so I walked down to Belk to the MAC counter. I found a nice girl who informed me the pro longwear concealer was NOT what I needed and she recommended the mineralize concealer. She also recommended the mineralize foundation since I’d said I’d like a sample or two to test out.
She took me to a chair and went to grab a few items. When she came back she wiped off my current concealer and showed me how to apply the mineralize concealer. Then she decided to apply some strobe cream and foundation. The strobe cream was very moisturizing and had some luminosity to help brighten my skin under the foundation. She wiped off the rest of my makeup on one side and showed me how to apply it. Next she let me do the other half of my face, with her guidance. Looking at everything in their light looked really good. A tad heavier than what I’d normally wear but I felt like I looked pretty. She added some blush, grabbed a foundation sample, and I paid for the concealer.
As the afternoon wore on, I noticed the foundation had started settle a little in my pores but a light wiping with some tissue helped to smooth it over. I knew the real test would be the next day when I applied everything as I normally would. Yesterday after I got ready, I noticed the MAC was still settling into my pores especially across my cheeks near my nose. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid, and what everything else is currently doing. This morning I did my normal makeup routine but I used my fingers to apply my foundation instead of a brush with the same results! UGH! So far, I’ve gone back and forth as to whether I really like this foundation or not. In some lights it looks okay but in others it just makes my skin look dull and gross. Though I should mention the color is pretty spot on. The one thing I LOVE about my Stila foundation is the color. It’s more on the neutral/yellow side and it really helps to neutralize the redness of my complexation and also brightens up my skin. Granted I think it’s a shade too light but still I think it looks pretty good overall.
I should probably mention that so far I do actually like the concealer. It does still settle in my fine lines but it’s not terrible. It could also be I’m not setting it correctly?
For now I guess the foundation hunt is still on. If you have dry skin please let me know what you are using. I’d love a foundation that gives you a nice dewy/glowly look without feeling heavy or greasy.
Here are my youtube faves:
Jaclyn Hill http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6jgzx2g3nlbaYkd8EMweKA
Lauren Curtis http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXbQzhqSvgVZTUyi1T4AU3w
Shaaanxo http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpOz2KEfkSdd5JeIJh_fxw
Happy Monday!
~k
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Oh Mary Kay
Two weeks ago I went on a little MK shopping spree. I bought eye cream, moisturizer, and a microderm kit. My old skin care routine just wasn’t cutting it so when someone on IG mentioned they were using MK products I decided to give them another try. A long time ago, when I was still living in AL, my mom and I started using MK products. We both really liked them, but at the time, it was a little difficult to find local MK dealers. Eventually we stopped and switched to who knows what.
With it back in my mind, I decided to search Amazon and ending up finding the products I was looking for for almost half the price of the MK site. I immediately placed my orders and waited. The eye cream was the first thing I purchased and it actually took the longest to receive. It just arrived on Wednesday. I had to email the seller ask where my order was. Turns out they bought the label but didn’t ship my order until I contacted them. Needless to say I will be writing a review and I won’t use that seller again.
I’ve been using both the moisturizer and microderm kit for close to a week now and so far so good. The moisturizer seems to hydrate my skin without feeling too heavy or greasy. It also isn’t so light my skin dries out. When you put it on it actually seems to feel little powdery. It’s odd but nice. The microderm kit I’ve been using on alternating days. I really like this kit so far. It doesn’t seem to dry my skin out and after it feels soft and smooth. With the microderm kit, I wash my face as usual, blot with a towel but not to the point of drying it, and then use Step 1. It’s really gritty but it’s not uncomfortable. Once I’ve given my face a good scrub, I wash off the product, dry, and add Step 2. I have no clue what Step 2 is or does for that matter but it feels nice. I then add my moisturizer and go to bed.
I feel like my skin tone is slowing improving. The dry spot on my cheek is still there. I’m not sure if it’s getting better or what but the skin is starting to flake off. I’m hoping this is a good sign that new skin is being generated.
I know this isn’t a great product review but if you’re looking for a change, check out Mary Kay. You might be surprised with the results. If I have any drastic results from the eye cream I’ll def post another review.
~k
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Oh Bobbi….
Before Christmas, I booked a “makeover” at the Bobbi Brown counter. Even after the disastrous foundation debacle I wanted to see what a pro could do. I was able to book a 4:30 appt on Friday the 20th. I get to the mall early and walk around for a few minutes. I pass by the Bobbi Brown store and notice it seems eerily empty but I’m early so I head to Belk for a few minutes. About 10 minutes before my appt I head back to the Bobbi Brown store only to find out the makeovers are happening at Belk! Ugh! Back I go.
I get to the BB counter and am given a makeup artist. She’s asks what I’d like to focus on so I say a smokey eye. Now I’m a little thrown because I thought this would be a full makeover but whatever, if someone can teach me how to do a good blown out smokey eye then I’m down. Plus I’ve already gotten the Stila foundation so I’m not sure it’s worth checking out the BB again anyway.
I sit down and the girl hands me some eye makeup remover. After a few minutes and several cotton balls later I still can’t get my mascara off so I comment that it’s not coming. She then realizes I have on waterproof and gives me something that will actually remove it. By this time my eyes are starting to red from so much rubbing. Once I’m done she begins working on my smokey eye. She starts, removes, starts again, removes again, thinks for a while and starts over, again! Then she grabs another girl. At this point she tells me she’s “hit a wall.” Okay then. The other girl comes over and offers a few suggestions. I also pipe in and tell her she can use black on me. Despite my fair skin I can pull off black eye shadow. Actually the darker the better. It makes my green eyes look bluer.
She finally dives in using the BB Smokey Eye palette. At this point all the other makeup artists are packed up and leaving and she’s still working on my smokey eye. I didn’t have anywhere to be so I wasn’t really worried about how long it was taking but I felt bad she wasn’t done yet. Finally close to 5:30 she finishes up. I tell her it looks good and head home but really I’m not that impressed. By this time my eyes are burning and itchy from all the rubbing and removing so when I get home I take a pic and wash my face.
A few days later I decide to try my own smokey eye. I personally think it looked as good if not better than the pro. So once again I was pretty disappointed with my Bobbi Brown experience.
The top pic is from Bobbi Brown. The bottom pic is my smokey eye.
~k
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Stila, stila, stila’n my heart
I’m clever. HAHA!
Obviously I’ve been looking for a new foundation. After watching countless Youtube makeup tutorials I’ve decided not to settle for “just okay” makeup. I’m going to at least try and be fancy. 🙂 Matt and I took Monday off and ran errands, mostly buying Christmas presents. While we were out I made Matt drop me off at Ulta. My plan had been to get a few samples to try. However, once I got to Ulta, I quickly realized NO ONE was going to help me. I wandered around aimlessly for a few minutes before I started trying different foundations on my hand. Nothing really caught my attention until I came to the Stila display. One of the foundations I picked up, the Stay All Day Foundation, was nice and creamy. Aahh ha! I like the texture and feel but at $44.00 it was a little pricey. I looked around a little more and finally decided to just try the Stila. On the plus side, the Stila included a concealer. So that kind of made up for the price.
I went to the counter to pay and asked about the return policy. Sixty days with a receipt. Sold!
Later in the day I finally decided I really really needed to try this stuff out. I washed my face and grabbed my new Stila foundation. The foundation went on smooth and the concealer really smoothed out nicely and didn’t get cakey, not something I normally find. Much to my surprise, it really made my skin look radiant. Guys, seriously, I do not have good skin. It’s always had a rudey tone to it so when I put this on and it made my skin look nice and clear I was in Heaven! It added just the right amount of highlight too. This could also be because I’m pale right now so the color is pretty light but regardless it makes my skin look luminous.
The only downside to this, besides the price, is the little “wand” thingy in the top. I feel like the packaging could be better but as one reviewer pointed out, this makes it easier to get every last bit out of the bottle. So we’ll see.
I’m only a few days in but so far I like this much better than the gross Clinique I was using and I also find it better than the Bobbi Brown. It seems to last all day where the Bobbi Brown didn’t. I hope this continues to do well with my skin because so far so good.
~k
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I’m not sold
A couple weeks ago while getting my haircut I asked my stylist about makeup. She does hair and makeup on the side so I figured she would be a good person to talk to about foundation. I told her what I was looking for and she hands down recommended Bobbi Brown. I went to the Bobbi Brown website and found her Skin Foundation. With almost 600 reviews and a 4.7 star rating I knew I had to try this. The downside? The price. At $47.00 a bottle I knew Matt would flip. I also knew it would need to WOW me. Blow me away!
I ran to the mall over the weekend and went to the Bobbi Brown counter. I told the lady about my skin and what I was looking for. She sat me down to do a color match. Once happy with the color, she proceeded to redo the makeup on my cheeks, nose, and chin. When she was finished she handed me a mirror. I was definitely “blown away” and a little bit horrified. I’m not sure I contained my shock well. She had caked this makeup on my face. My first thought was OMG I still have to go to Lowes. I mentioned it was kind of shiny and she said I would need to finish it with powder. No shit lady. I asked for a sample and also signed up to see one of their professional makeup artists in a few weeks.
By the time I got home I couldn’t deal with the grossness on my face and washed it off. The next day I decided to give it another shot with me doing my own makeup. Night and day people, night and day. (I don’t know that anyone would buy anything from the lady that did my makeup.) The foundation has a bit of a matte finish, which is nice, it also goes on very smooth and is not streaky. All pluses. However, I’m still not sold. I don’t feel like my makeup still looks fresh even a few hours after it’s been applied. It has decent coverage and the color is nice and a little seems to go a long way. It almost doesn’t seem to get oily throughout the day but I don’t see what the hype is all about. And honestly I’m disappointed. I really hoped it would be a miracle in a bottle.
I’m planning to run to Ulta soon and see if they can help me find what I’m looking for. I want something with a medium coverage, maybe a whipped type formula. Something that will add glow (not oil) to my skin and look natural. My inspiration is Emily Thorne from Revenge. Her make up always looks amazingly beautiful and natural even though I’m sure she has a ton on.
I’m totally over the Clinique Even Better foundation at this point. It’s crap. I don’t know if they changed or I changed but I took the new bottle I had back. So now the hunt for awesome foundation continues.
~k
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A New Fave
You know I love mascara right? Well I do! I’ve always had pretty eyelashes and I want my mascara to make them look even better. For months now, Loreal’s Power Volume Collagen mascara has been my go to. You can find my review here. A few weeks ago mom and I were out shopping and we ran to Ulta. She wanted something to make her eyelashes grow and in the process we found Revlon’s Lash Potion mascara. I grabbed a tube of this and she bought the Revlon Grow formula. I normally buy mascara and then regret my decision and switch back to the Loreal but OMG! This stuff is amazing! It hardly clumps and it adds a ton of volume to my lashes. I think I’m most impressed with the fact that I don’t have to do multiple heavy coats to create volume. It only takes a few light coats to really plump them up. (When I say a few light coats I mean layering 1 good coat I guess. I don’t let it dry and add more if that helps.)
I’ve been using this mascara for a few weeks now and I am still impressed. Normally I either like mascara’s at the beginning or near the end of the tube once it’s dried out a bit. I tend to get mascara all over my eyes so if they are too “wet” it’s just a mess but tends to get better after a few weeks. I have problems with this even with the Loreal but not nearly as much with the Lash Potion. For $8.00 a tube this is a must try especially if you are a mascara lover like me!
~k
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Olay CC Cream
I feel like I’ve done a lot of makeup posts lately but I keep buying new stuff. 🙂 Last weekend while Matt and I were at Costco I picked up some Olay CC Cream. It was basically buy one get one free.
I know I’ve raved on here about the Olay Total Effects Cream but Olay is really nailing it! The CC Cream is basically just like the Total Effects as far as consistency goes only I got the light to medium shade which seems to suite my skin tone a little better than the fair to light I have in the Total Effects. My plan is/was to still use the CC cream in with my Clinique Even Better foundation but yesterday I decided that since we were having a lazy day I would just apply the CC Cream. I can’t tell you how much I LOVE this stuff. I don’t think it’s really any different than the Total Effects but honestly I love that too.
The CC Cream offered just enough coverage to help even out my skin and then I applied a little Mineral Veil from Bare Minerals and bronzer. Add blush and mascara and I was good to go. This is my “quick” makeup routine. 😉
So where I really wanted to go with this post is to say that I think I like the Olay CC Cream better than the Clinique BB Cream. As I mentioned the BB Cream still felt a little heavier than what I would want from something that’s touted as a “tinted moisturizer.” With that said, buy the CC Cream! Even if you have a regular foundation, I don’t think you can go wrong with the CC Cream. It’s great to add to your foundation or for days when you don’t feel like spending a lot of time applying makeup. (I wonder if I could return the BB Cream?)
~k
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I’m glowy
A few months ago I mentioned my new makeup routine. I am still totally digging this combo but in the past month or so I’ve added something else to my skin care regime. I added Cod Liver Oil capsules. Of course, I stumbled on this little gem on pinterest one day (apparently this was something I saw, read and did not pin.) Anyway, I thought what the hell so I ran to the vitamin store and picked up a bottle. The bottle contains like 500 pills and was around $15.00. Pretty good deal really.
So I’ve been taking the Cod Liver Oil for a month or so now and in the past week or so I’ve noticed how much “glowier” my skin is. I even had a friend text me to see if there was something I wasn’t telling her. No that’s not the reason my skin looks nice. I am really starting to think it has to do with the Cod Liver Oil. It’s the only thing I’ve changed recently. I’ve only had a few small breakouts since I started taking it too.
If you are looking to add a little something to your skin care routine I would highly recommend adding this oil. It has tons of benefits not just skin related benefits. But who doesn’t want glowy skin?
~k
