Monday, July 8, 2013

I Love Cleansing Oil, and Why You Should Too!


Hello lovely readers, I am going to share with you why I love cleansing oils, as well as the different brands I have tried. For those of you who are not familiar with cleansing oils, they are usually a combination of different oils that you apply to a dry face, whether you are wearing make up or not. You then massage the oil into your skin for about 30 to 45 seconds, loosening the makeup, dirt and oils. After that you get your hands wet and massage again until the oil emulsifies and rinse thoroughly. Now the next step all depends on your skin type and skin care regime. If you have oily or acne prone skin you will want to follow up with a normal cleanser. If you have very dry skin you may prefer to just stop with the oil, it doesn't leave a film or anything on your skin, it just feels nice and moisturized. If you have a cleanser with a targeted treatment you will want to follow the cleansing oil with that. Then, a toner if you use that and moisturizer, hopefully everyone uses that.

I really love them because they remove make up SO easily, even waterproof eye or lip makeup. You don't have to tug at your eyelids at all and it really removes every trace of product. I personally really like the feeling of the oil massaging my skin, and it doesn't bother me on my eyes, but I have heard from some people that it bothers them. The feeling when you rinse your face is so nice and if you use a cleanser afterwards you know that it is really working on your bare skin, not through layers of product.

As far as the brands I have tried go, my favorite is Dermalogica PreCleanse, I enjoy the smell and the light texture it has. My least favorite I have tried is DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, it works basically just as well as the Dermalogica but the scent is heavy, it smells like olive oil, and it is a bit thicker in texture. The brand I am currently using is Kose Deep Cleansing Oil, it has a sort of citrus scent and a more similar texture to the Dermalogica. I am on my second bottle of this and I will stick with it, at least for a while, because it is a such a great price. I actually buy it at a local Asian market for only 10 dollars, which is really nice and convenient. There are many many other brands that make cleansing oils as well, so check them out if you haven't, they are awesome. If there is a cleansing oil you love and you think I should try, let me know in the comments please!

Hope this was helpful for some of you,
xo, Megan

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Rose Gold Hair

Good afternoon all! I put some temporary color in my hair yesterday to try and give it a rose gold look and I wanted to show you how it turned out, and tell you how I did it. Here are a few pictures with and without flash and a close up.

With Flash

With Flash

Close Up with Flash


Natural Light
Ok, now here is how I did it. Obviously I have fairly light hair so the color shows up nice and bright, if you don't have light hair you could try a deeper/darker color, or use hair chalk because that shows up on any hair color. I would not recommend trying to bleach/lighten your hair without the help of a professional, even if it is a small spot.

To make the color I used Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids Hair color in Pink and Orange, and conditioner. You can get Pravana at some beauty supply stores and online. For this application and about a cup extra for touch ups, I used 1 1/4 cup conditioner, I recommend an inexpensive basic conditioner you can buy in a big bottle, it really doesn't matter what brand. In a resealable container I mixed the conditioner, about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the pink color, and about 1 teaspoon of the orange, it is very pigmented so add a little at a time. It isn't exact of course just experiment until you like the color you have made, keeping in mind it will be a little lighter on your hair when it is all done.

Now for application, on clean, dry hair you want to take a small section from the bottom and clip the rest out of the way. With your hands, or a hair color applying brush if you like, start from the ends and apply generously making your way up as far as you want the color to go. I did about 1/3 of the way up. When you are finished with that section comb it through and keep adding sections until your head is done. Depending on how you do it you may want to add some near the top to give it more of an ombre look. The best way to do this is clip the very top layers of your hair away and add streaks to the layers underneath. It blends much better that way and looks prettier in my opinion.

Finally, let it sit in your hair for about 30 minutes and then just rinse out, do not wash your hair or add extra conditioner. It will not transfer on to your clothing/bedding and will last for a few shampoos if you don't touch up. If you have extra just keep in in your shower and use it in place of your conditioner, apply it to colored areas and let it sit about 5 minutes.

Hope this was interesting for some of you.
Thanks for reading,
xo, Megan

Here are some pictures of other times I have done it or had it done, for anyone else who loves pastel hair.





Friday, June 7, 2013

My Favorite Blushes

Hello lovely blog lovers, I obviously have a special love for blush, as you can probably tell by the name of my blog, anyway I wanted to share with you guys five of my favorite blushes. Hope you enjoy!

First up is MAC's Springsheen. It is a beautiful coral color with quite a bit of gold shimmer to it, sort of a more peachy Orgasm, it is also very similar to Benefit Coralista. Because it is a sheertone it is not as pigmented as the regular blush but I think it is perfect for this color because it could be a tad overwhelming with stronger pigment. I have to say that this is one of my all time favorite blushes, especially for spring/summer. Springsheen is suitable for a variety of skin tones and is available where ever MAC cosmetics are sold. MAC blushes retail for $21, or $17 if you buy the palette refill version. 


Next, in keeping with the MAC theme, is Pink Swoon, is a matte sheertone blush. It is a light/medium true bubblegum pink, that leans a little on the cool side. I find that because it is part of the sheertone line it applies fairly lightly but can easily be built up, and is a pleasure to blend. It might be a bit too light if you have a darker than medium complexion, but on the right skin tone it gives the perfect everyday flush. It is in the permanent (for now) collection.


For a cream blush I have NYX's in CB02 Natural. I was reluctant to try cream blushes just because they always seemed like they would be tricky to apply. I picked this one up at Ulta last year and I love it. It the perfect natural blushing color and applying it is really easy for me. I use the Real Techniques Contour Brush and just put it on before I apply powder. I am not as good at applying it with my fingers which seems like it would be the easiest way but I guess not for me, haha. I think this color would look good on any skin tone because it is so natural and can be blended to whatever opacity you desire. The wear time is pretty good for a cream blush probably 3 to 4 hours, but it still fades faster than a powder.
NYX cream blushes retail for $6.99 at Ulta and they are definitely a great value for money. 


Another blush that I love that is a great value is Elf's blush in Twinkle Pink. The pigmentation is really surprising for the price and I love that the packaging is similar to NARS. This is a pink-peach with gold glitter. The glitter is a teeny bit chunky, but for only $3 I think it is acceptable. I love the fresh healthy glow this gives me. I would recommend this for fair to medium skin tones. I picked mine up at Target but I know you can buy online as well. 



Last but certainly not least, is NARS blush in Gaiety. This a matte, very bright, very cool toned pink. It is absolutely gorgeous with a taupe eyeshadow and a similar shade on the lips. I don't wear it very often because it is so cool and I find myself leaning more towards neutral or warm shades, but it truly is an amazing blush. The only NARs blush I own actually, I do have Albatross highlighting powder, but that  is different. This shade can be worn on a variety of skin tones, although you may not like it if you have extreme yellow undertones. NARS blushes retail for $28, and while that is pricey, they also last forever.

From Left to Right: NARS Gaiety, MAC Pink Swoon, ELF Twinkle Pink, MAC Springsheen, NYX Natural

I apologize for the quality of the swatch picture. My camera has been doing this weird, soft focus thing, and I couldn't get it any clearer.
That's all for today, thanks for reading. If you want, let me know what some of your favorite blushes are. 
xo, Megan


Saturday, June 1, 2013

Review: Maybelline the Falsies Big Eyes Mascara

Hey everyone, sorry it has been a while since I have posted. I was just busy finishing up my classes. I am so psyched to be done and that summer is here. Today I have a review of a new Maybelline mascara saw at CVS. It is the Falsies Big Eyes.




I was interested in trying this mascara because I really like one of Maybelline's other double ended mascaras, the 24hr Bold one. The reason this one is double ended is because one side is for your upper lashes and the other for your lower lashes. I choose the waterproof formula because I have watery eyes and it is just better for me, but I do prefer the formulations of non waterproof mascaras much better usually. Here is how it looks:



I really love the way it makes my lower lashes look, the brush is really small so it is super easy to apply. I love the Clinique bottom lash mascara and this reminds me of it. Unfortunately, I don't really care for what it does to my top lashes. It isn't bad, just nothing special and the formula is a bit too dry for me. Honestly I thought about returning it but decided to keep it for the bottom lash side. I have been on the hunt for the best waterproof mascara so give me your opinions please. 

What do you guys think of it? Have you tried this one?

Thanks for reading,
xo Megan



Sunday, May 26, 2013

Celebrity Inspiration

I love the show Modern Family, and I think Sarah Hyland is so pretty. I was browsing through pictures online looking for a makeup look of hers to try and recreate and I stumbled on this one of her in Nylon magazine. I love the bright pink lip/cheek combo combined with the bronze smokey eye. She has such gorgeous eyes! She also has really cool lashes on that are shaped like bows.



        Now here is my attempt. 



        I would say this look is more inspired by hers, rather than exactly like it. I did not have the bow lashes but I used individuals to try and recreate the look that they gave. She has a naturally darker skin tone than me which is another reason the it looks different. Here is a list of products I used and how I used them.

Benefit the POREfessional Primer
- I put this all over my face focusing on my t-zone, next I moved onto my eyes

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Greed
- blended this all over my lid as a base

MAC Pigment in Gold
- all over the lid blended in to the crease and along the lower lashline

MAC Pigment in Bronze
- blended into the crease and outer corner and outside half of lower lashes

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette eyeshadow in Crave
- a tiny bit blended into the outer corner and very corner of lower lashline

MAC Vanilla Pigment
- blended through brow bone and into inner corner

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Black
- a thin to thick line from inner corner to outer corner very slightly winged.

NYX Slide on Pencil in Black
- applied to outer half of waterline, then I moved onto skin

MAC Conceal and Correct Palette in Light
- I used the light pink as a corrector for my dark circles blended with my ring finger, and the NW10 shade as a concealer over the top. I used the NW15 color on my blemishes after I did foundation

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NW10
- applied all over my face and blended into my neck

MAC eyeshadow in Omega
- to fill in/shaped my brows

NYX Cream Blush in Hot Pink
- blended onto the apples of my cheeks bringing it up and a tiny bit in the contour.

MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NW10
- applied under my eyes and on my t-zone to set make up

Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara Water Resistent in Black
- two coats to top lashes and one to bottom.

Ardell Knotless Individual Lashed in Short and Medium
- I applied 3 short and 2 medium to inner corner and 3 short and 3 medium towards the outer corner using Duo lash glue, then added one more coat of mascara

MAC Lipstick in Viva Glam Gaga
-all over the lips

Maybelline Baby Lips in Fruit Punch
- blended on top of lipstick for added shine and to brighten the color

Last but not least,

Nars Highlighting blush in Albatross
-applied to high points of face (top of cheeks, nose bridge, center of forehead, and brow bone)

That was a really long list, but it is everything I used, you are awesome if you read it all.
Anyway hope you like the look.
Let me know what celebrity's look you really love and why, maybe I can try and re create some of them.

Thanks for reading,
xo Megan







Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Currently On My Nails


Hey there fellow beauty junkies, I hope you are all having a day as beautiful as I am here in So Cal.  I just painted my nails and wanted to share the color with you. It is Revlon Colorstay, in Buttercup. The color is a pastel yellow cream, perfect for spring. I am really safe when it comes to nail polish, I like coral and pink and that is what I wear. I am challenging myself to wear some of the more interesting colors in my collection. I bought this one awhile back, but haven't worn it until today. I was expecting not to like it, because I am pale, yellow can make my skin look pasty. To this shade really flattering for me. The formulation is nice, opaque in 2 coats, but I did 3 because I am terrible at painting nails. I picked mine up at Walgreens, but it is available other places as well and runs from about 5 to 7 dollars. What do you guys think about the color? Do you have any other colors from Revlon's Colorstay polish line that you love?

Thanks for reading!
xo, Megan

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Review: Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick

Hello lovelies, hope you all had a great weekend. Today I have a review on Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick in 356 Cherie Bow. I just purchased this a few days ago and I really love it, so I wanted to share why.



I'll start off by talking about the packaging, which is of course, absolutely gorgeous. I am a sucker for beautiful packaging, especially when it comes to lipstick. I want to start a collection, right now I only have this one and one YSL lipstick, my next will probably be a Tom Ford or Guerlain. 


Now, on to the color and formulation. The color is a nice nude pink. For my lip color and skin tone it is the perfect 'my lips but better' color. The Addict Extreme lipsticks claim to be lip color that lasts, but with a more balm-like shine than a traditional lipstick. After a few days of wearing this I can say they do last on my lips longer than most lipsticks, nothing like a stain, but a few hours of perfect looking wear. It feels very moisturizing and luxurious as well. It is on the more expensive side for a lipstick at $31, but it is worth every penny to me, and I will definitely be picking up more Dior lipsticks in the future.

Left: Dior 365 Cherie Bow, Right: L'Oreal the Balm in 818 Nourishing Nude
As far as a similar product goes, L'Oreal's the Balm in 818 Nourishing Nude is similar in color, but slightly more sheer and glossy with a shorter wear time. The price is significantly lower though around $7-8.

What do you think, do you care about packaging, or just try to get the best deal for your money?

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Currently On My Nails


Hello lovelies, I have Wet N' Wild's Wild Shine Nail Polish in Blazed on my nails right now and I am really loving it. Coral shades are my favorite for nail polish, so I may have a bit of a bias. Blazed is a true bright coral with a cream texture. I feel like my hands look tanner with it on and I love the way it looks with gold jewelry. It is a little on the sheer side, with two coats I can still barely see the white of the tips of my nails, but it is not noticeable from a distance. For only 99 cents this polish is a great value, it does chip after a few days but all polish does, on me at least. It is very frustrating, maybe I am not using the best base/top coats.
Let me know in the comments below if there are any products you love for keeping your nail polish chip free.

Thanks for reading,
Megan XO

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Spring Outfit of the Day

Hey there everyone! I went out yesterday for lunch and to do some swimsuit shopping. It was a really nice spring day, but a little on the cooler side. It was also very windy, which is why I look a little silly and my hair is crazy.


Sorry about my son photo bombing :)



I am wearing a taupe button up from H&M I bought a while ago, I couldn't find it on the website but I got a white one the other day and they had a bunch of other colors, it was $12.95. It is really long, even for my stomach, so I tied it at the bottom. My pants are Old Navy Maternity Smooth Panel Skinny Jeans, Old Navy has different sale prices in their stores compared to the website, so watch out for that. My shoes are just simple black flats with bows from Forever 21, they don't have the exact style available but these are similar. 


For my accessories I have on a gold DKNY watch, a dainty bracelet from Forever 21, and my gold chain necklace is from Forever 21 as well. I couldn't find anything close enough to the watch or bracelet, but Forever 21 has some cute chain necklaces right now, I like this one. Finally, my bag is a Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac, in black. I am a little bit obsessed with Rebecca Minkoff Mac bags, I only have two but if I could have every color, I would. 
What is your favorite bag for spring?

Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed,
Megan :)

Monday, May 6, 2013

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo Summer Limited Edition

Hi there everyone, today I have a review of two of the colors from the limited edition Maybelline Color Tattoo line launched for Spring/Summer 2013. I was interested in these because I have four other colors from the collection they released for Fall 2012, and I really like them.
If you are not familiar with the Color Tattoo line they are long wearing cream shadows, similar to Mac Paint Pots, or Make Up Forever Aqua Creams. 




This first color is shade #20 Waves of White. It is a white base with bluish/purple shimmer. It has a bit of a duo chrome effect to it where it looks a little more plain white at one angle, and then more icy blue at another. While I love this color, it is not for everyday, you could lightly apply it as a base if you wanted but any layering results in a very frosty look. I did a sort of galaxy inspired eye with it, adding some pinks purples and blues and it looked gorgeous, but it was an intense look. 





The second shade I picked up is #40 Seashore Frosts. This color is absolutely gorgeous and slightly more wearable than Waves of White. It is a cornflower blue base with a bronzy gold shimmer running through it. It is more duo chrome than the last shade so it is slightly hard to do it justice in a photograph, but at one angle it looks blue, and the next a very shimmery neutral brown. This color can be used as a base for another look or worn on its own on the lid blended into the crease for a pop of color. I tried it with a little bit of a bronze-gold shadow blended into the crease and it looked amazing, very summer-y. 

To wrap it up, if you are a fan of cream shadow I would recommend giving the collection a look, I picked mine up at Walgreens. They run about 7 dollars each, Walgreens was having a buy one get one 50% off sale on Maybelline when I got mine, so it was nice to save a bit of money. 

Have any of you tried Maybelline Color Tattoos, what did you think? What are your favorite eye shadow colors for summer?

Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading, 
Megan :) 




Thursday, May 2, 2013

Face of the Day



Happy Thursday to everyone! Today I have my first face of the day post for you. I am not doing much today so I went for a really simple, laid back look. Products I used:

-Revlon Photo Ready BB Cream in 010 Light
-Maybelline Dream Lumi Touche Highlighting Concealer in Radiant
-MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NW10 (Yes, I am very pale)
-L'Oreal Super Blendable Bronzer in 945 Golden Pearl (Limited Edition)
-Maybelline XXL Pro 24hr Bold Mascara
-Benefit Benetint Lipbalm
-Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
-Real Teachniques Blush Brush



I started by applying the BB cream all over my face with my expert face brush. avoiding my under eye area, the SPF in it really irritates my eyes. Then I added a bit of concealer under my eyes, and around my nose and mouth, blending with the same expert face brush. I topped that off with a light application of my powder foundation using my blush brush. Using the same brush, I applied bronzer to the apples of my cheeks, temples, jawline, and blended down my neck. I put mascara on my top lashes only, and finished off with a swipe of balm on my lips.

It is a simple look, but I thought it came out nicely, so I decided to share. I am using my iPhone for a camera right now but I will be upgrading to something better soon, hopefully (fingers crossed).

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.

<3 Megan

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

April Favorites


These are the items that I have been loving in April. April is a really great month for favorites posts/videos because everyone is breaking out their bright spring time make up and changing out a lot of their winter products. 

My first favorite is a blush/bronzer duo by Elf, in the color St. Lucia. 


This is a product that is well loved and well known by the beauty community, but I only discovered it recently. The hype about this duo is that it is very similar to NARS Orgasm/Laguna duo. Having tried both products, I can say that they are similar, especially the bronzers. The blush in the Elf version is less pigmented and slightly less pink than Orgasm. On the other hand, the bronzer in the Elf version seems much stronger, and less easy to blend than its NARS counterpart. With that being said, it is a great buy for the price, only $3 at Target!
Left: Blush, Right: Bronzer

Next up is L'oreal's Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer.


I have been loving this product for awhile (this is my second bottle), and all I can say is, this stuff is the best! It is the perfect dupe for the Lancome Elcat Miracle, and it has so many uses. I mainly use it as a primer under my foundation, but it is great for subtle highlighting over make up, and you can even mix it in with your foundation. It is a bit pricey for a drugstore brand, but it is much less expensive then the Lancome version, prices vary but it is currently at Target for $10.99.

Left: Lipgloss in Beige, Right: Magic Lumi Primer
My favorite lipgloss of April has been NYX's Mega Shine Lip gloss in Beige.


This is another product that I have heard great things about from a few different YouTubers, and I have to agree with them. I am not a lip gloss person really, it comes off too quickly and doesn't feel comfortable on.  I have only tried one other from the NYX gloss range but I wasn't a fan. This one is really nice though, the color is not a beige, but a really nice pink and it smells like cherries. Its still has the wear time of a typical gloss but doesn't feel sticky or glop-py on. Another plus is that NYX has awesomely low prices if you aren't familiar with the brand. I bought mine at Ulta for $4.99. (Swatch is above).

As far as eyeshadow, I have been reaching most for my MAC eyeshadow in Jest most this last month. 


Unfortunately, as hard as I tried, my camera would not pick up the true color of this shadow. It is gorgeous cross between a nude-brown and a coral color, with a frosty finish. While it is a light shade its not as pale as the picture is showing. I just sweep this across my lid and blend a medium neutral brown in the crease for definition and I love the way it looks. Mac shadows retail for $15 dollars, or $11 if you get the just the pan for a palette. 

My last favorite of April is a mascara, the Maybelline XXL Pro 24hr Bold in Black.

Step 1
Step 2

I recently rediscovered this after picking it up on clearance at Ulta, it used to be my go to mascara a couple years ago. I have very sensitive, watery eyes, and I have to wear waterproof formulas all the time, this lasts on me quite well and does not irritate my eyes. It is a two step mascara, step one being the volume builder, and step two being a topcoat that seals for it 24hrs. It makes my lashes look nice, nothing amazing of but it is nice to not always have to use a waterproof mascara. It is not discontinued but it's hard to find, I have seen it online, it is around the $10.00 mark.

And that is it for my April Favorites. 
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, and have a great day!

- Megan



Monday, April 29, 2013

A Little About Me




My name is Megan, I am 23 years old and I love everything fashion and beauty! I have thought about giving blogging a try for while but I always just told myself it was pointless with all the other amazing blogs out there in this genre. Long story short, I decided to give it a shot anyway and see where it goes. I will have product reviews, face of the day posts, style posts and the occasional haul. Hope you enjoy!