My Makeup Besties ♡

make/up best/ies phrase 1. Favorite cosmetics 2. Trusty beautifiers 3. Lifesavers

Definition taken straight from the Val Dictionary! I can always rely on my personal makeup besties to help me out when I'm looking "ehh", to get me ready in a flash, and to brighten my mood in the morning. Here they are!

 

Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer - makes my skin look fresh, healthy, and not made up
Laura Mercier Secret Concealer - camouflages dark under-eyes without looking cakey 
MAC Satin Taupe Eyeshadow - can be popped on the lid and blended for an easy smokey look
DiorShow Iconic Mascara - gives a big, separated lash effect in a flash
NARS Dolce Vita Lipstick - enhances my natural lip color and moisturizes
elf Tickled Pink Blush - adds a fresh, natural pink to the complexion

What are your makeup besties??
Love, Val

PS - Sorry I was gone for so long! School + cross country = a very busy start to September. But I'm back for good! ;)

June Faves ✼

This has been a month of dewy skin, glossy lips, thick lashes and a touch o' bronzer. Read on for my faves!

FACE
Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer is a lovely, illuminating base. It's very sheer, but I love how lightweight it feels. Perfect for summer.
On top, I apply Revlon ColorStay Blemish Concealer. It contains salicylic acid (great for treating acne), making it perfect to cover blemishes. On lazy days this is fine for an undereye concealer as well. (I apply it with my MAC 217 brush - great for a seamless, no-makeup look.)


CHEEK
Urban Decay Afterglow Cheek Tint in Crush is a beautiful, bright cheek color. I love the brightening, youthful effect this gives to the cheek.
Benefit Hoola Bronzer is my trusty matte bronzer! Read back on my old (embarrassing) Sephora Haul for more.


EYES
I like to define my eyes with Estee Lauder Artist's Eye Pencil in Softsmudge Brown. It's a great warm brown color that I pencil in across my upper lash line, then wing at the end to mimic flirty outer lashes.
Sephora Nano Eyeliner in Pearl Beige goes in the inner corner and the waterline for sparkly, bright eyes.
Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara adds great volume and nice length to the lashes, all while conditioning them! I noticed a difference after the first use - my lashes felt stronger and thicker.


LIPS
Nars Lipstick in Barbarella is THE coral color I have been looking for! It's gorgeous, sheer and it matches my walls. Love.


I hope you enjoyed these faves!! Would you like a review on any of these products?

Love, Val

P.S. I'm going away for Fourth of July weekend, but I have a post pre-scheduled and I'll be back soon!

Rave: NARS Dolce Vita Lipstick + Blush

Today I have for you a review and some swatches on two wonderful NARS products: Dolce Vita lipstick and corresponding Dolce Vita blush. I absolutely love each of them, worn separately or together - so let's get into the rave review!

Sorry for the dim lighting, it made the picture more true to color.

Swatches: lipstick on top, blush below

Me wearing both products!

The Lipstick

Finish: Glossy, but not overly so - sort of like a lip balm.

Consistency: Weightless and super moisturizing!

Color: Nars describes it as a "dusty rose," and I couldn't phrase it any better. :) It's definitely the perfect "my lips but better" color for me.

Payoff: Sheer, but buildable.

Wear: Unfortunately this does not last very long for me, probably only 2 hours. But it's quick to reapply!

The Blush

Finish: Matte texture. If you look really closely, there are a few tiny sparkles, but nothing visible when on the cheeks.

Color: Same as the lipstick when swatched or worn; in the pan it looks a tad more purple toned.

Payoff: Super, super pigmented! Have caution when applying this, only take a tiny amount to start.

Wear: Lasts all day, as most powder blushes do for me.

Overall: Each product has a gorgeous, flattering color to it and excellent quality. If you're willing to make the investment, these will become staples in your makeup collection.

To buy: Lipstick, $24 and blush, $27; at NARS or Sephora.

All for now! Hope you enjoyed this review, and have a great Sunday.

Love, Val

March Favorites + Blog-iversary!

Hey girls! As is is already April, it's time for my March faves post. The month of March was another simple one for me. However, I do have some new products to mix in with some old faves. So here we go!

FACE:
Stila Perfecting Concealer - This is, yet again, a fave of mine. I PROMISE to review it soon!
NARS "Orgasm" blush -  A year later, I still enjoy this blush! It actually looks really pretty and natural, not too shimmery. I love the peachy/hot pink color.
Elf Blushing/Bronzing duo - This is my first elf product, and for $3, I am super impressed! The bronzer is perfect right now, as I am not yet tan enough to pull off my Hoola bronzer. Review?

EYES:
Clinique "No-Show Taupes" eyeshadow duo - I am completely in love with this duo. The colors, when used correctly, feign the look of a gorgeous natural eye shape. Love.
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner in "Black" - I don't usually like eyeliner for every day but have gotten into it this month. I use a thin line on the upper lash line for a very subtle look.
Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara in "Black" - Another old fave of mine! It fans out lashes nicely without clumping.

LIPS:
Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in "Raspberry" - Feels like a lip balm, with a hint of color and shine.

That's all for my March faves! Oh, and Happy (belated) one-year Blog-iversary to me!! I seriously cannot believe it's been a whole year. Thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate all of you who have made blogging so fun for me.

Love, Val

FOTD: Speed Dial & Woodwinked

Just playing around with my new MAC stuff and thought I'd do a quick Face of the Day!

Face:
Stila Perfecting Concealer (Shade C)
Mac MSF Natural (Medium Plus)
Nars Orgasm Blush

Eyes:
Mac Painterly Paint Pot
Mac Woodwinked eyeshadow (all over eyelid, into crease, and on lower lash line)
Wet N Wild Color Icon eyeliner in Black (upper lash line and inner rims)
L'Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition Mascara in Black

Lips:
Mac Speed Dial Lipstick

Hope you enjoyed! Happy St. Patty's day! I hope you're all wearing green *virtual pinches*!
Love, Val

Beauty Stocking Suffers

Looking for some quick last-minute gifts? Here's some quick gift ideas in the beauty category. I tried to pick out things every woman would love!

Stila Custom Color Blush, $20; sephora.com
Mac Eyeshadows, $15; nordstrom.com
Diorshow Mascara, $24; nordstrom.com
Nars Dolce Vita Lipstick, $24; barneys.com
Bobbi Brown Lipstick Trio, $40; neimanmarcus.com

Stila Custom Color Blush is an awesome idea; looks hot pink in the pan, but it changes to a customized color once you put it on. The color is supposed to perfectly complement the coloring of the wearer. Cool, huh?

Mac Eyeshadows are relatively inexpensive and of great quality. Every girl needs some. :)

Diorshow Mascara has been very highly rated. While I have never tried it, I'm sure everyone would love  a great new mascara!

Nars Dolce Vita Lipstick is a gorgeous color and has amazing, lightweight formulation. It looks great on everyone.

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss Trio has three beautiful colors to play around with!

Enjoy your holidays! What are you buying for your loved ones this season?

Love, Val

What I've Been Loving

Hey girls! This was going to be a November Faves, but now we're a week into December. So here's my "What I've Been Loving" post :)

Face
My new foundation routine (pictured) consists of Stila Perfecting Concealer in 'C' on blemishes and undereyes, then a quick dusting of gloMinerals Loose Base in 'Natural Light.' Effortless, and very natural looking. I like how it feels like I don't have makeup on!

Eyes
I've been wearing plum/mauve tones on my eyes recently (I've been told that it brings out my coloring). First, I lightly sweep gloMinerals eyeshadow in Blackberry up to the crease, then follow up with a coat of Benefit Bad Gal Plum mini mascara.

Lip/Cheek
I am in love with Benefit's BeneTint; it's a beautiful liquid cheek color in a rosy shade, great for a "caught in a snowstorm" flush. I've been wearing it on the cheeks, and then applying just a bit to the lips for a slight stain.
In other lip news, I've slowly worked lip glosses back into my makeup routine! Pictured are Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing gloss in Raspberry, Revlon Super Lustrous in Pink Pop, and Nars Turkish Delight - but I love a lot of glosses.  :)

Hair
I've been doing a super-lazy style a lot recently: quick low bun with my hair parted on the side, but to add some flair I braid two tiny sections beforehand. I think it makes it look a little more deliberate, no?

Random

Nutella Hot Chocolate is delicious! (I learned from the lovely missglamorazzi's video recipe.) Basically, you heat up 1 cup of milk on the stove and whisk in 2 T Nutella spread. Now, you may think this would lead to an overly sweet, cheap tasting hot chocolate, but it doesn't! The result is delicious; somehow it ends up with a very sophisticated nutty taste. Mmm. I have literally been having one a day.

 All for now! What have you been loving?

Love, Val

October Favorites

Hello all!
Just a few things I've been loving this month - I've been doing simple looks every day (no eyeshadow, same thing every day...) But I'm going to start switching it up again soon :)

Makeup:

• Maybelline Concealer Stick (medium beige) & Maybelline Dream Matte Powder (medium sand) - I've been using these two as a "foundation" everyday, for a light-coverage matte look. Yes, I'm back into matte! I think I go through phases...
• Benefit Coralista blush & Nars Dolce Vita blush - These two go together because I've been pretty much switching off between them every day! Coralista is a fresh, pretty light pink with hints of orange and Dolce Vita is a beautiful dusty rose.
• Stila Major Major Lash Mascara - I love it because it provides curled, volumized, fanned-out lashes without any clumps so it looks completely natural. Great for quick, no-time-to curl lashes!
• Nars Dolce Vita lipstick - I wear this with the corresponding blush :) It's the same color, but sheer and glossy. So gorgeous.
• Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing gloss in Raspberry - And this one, I wear with Coralista blush! Just enough raspberry color with a nice moisturizing effect.

Hair:
  I've been wearing my hair up (bun, ponytail, braid...) and unstyled for the majority of the month *guilty smile*. Good for the hair, but to be honest it's just out of laziness. November, I feel, will be a straight-hair month...

  That's all I've been loving this month! What are your October favorites?
  Love, Val

Lauren Conrad Inspired Makeup

Enter my giveaway if you haven't already - you have until August 1st!!

Hello lovelies! Today I have a full-face makeup tutorial for you all (my first!).  It's a makeup look inspired by Lauren Conrad. I've never seen the Hills, so I can't say I'm a fan of Lauren Conrad, the person; but I read People and her makeup is always gorgeous! Fresh, natural, and dewy. Without further babble, the tutorial!

1) Start off with a foundation-ready face. Lauren has clear skin, so be sure to use a good concealer, especially under the eyes. Lightly sweep a sheer powder on the t-zone to set and mattify, but avoid the cheek area because we want that to be as dewy as possible! (Sephora tinted moisturizer in bronze, Benefit boi-ing concealer in 02, Dulce cosmetics powder in 02)

2) Lauren has simple eye shadow, so start by concealing your lid with a base or concealer, then use a light shimmery color on the lid and browbone. (MAC painterly paint pot and naked lunch eyeshadow)

3) The most drama in Lauren's makeup is the liner and mascara! Use a liquid liner to draw a thin line across the upper lash line, then make a small wing at the end angling up towards the brow. Then use a coating of mascara for volume. (MAC PenUltimate liquid liner, CoverGirl LashBlast Volume mascara)

4) Apply a soft pink blush. I'm using a cream blush, for more dewiness, and applying with my fingers. Then highlight your cheeks (I go into more depth here!). (Nars Penny Lane cream blush, MAC naked lunch shadow)

5) Lauren always has very natural, glossy lips. So I used a peachy pink lipstick, blotted, and used a clear gloss over! (Revlon ColorBurst lipstick in Peach, CoverGirl lip gloss in clear radiance)

Done!

Hope you liked the tutorial! Leave me any request you can think of, and I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Val

Sephora Haul!

Hi girls! Oh, my, goodness, I LOVE SEPHORA!! The last time I went I was 10 and only interested in their nail polish. I went Saturday, and I had to restrict myself to three things. I probably spent a half hour in there trying out everything, and I mean everything! So without further ado, here it all is. (And I am 110% satisfied with my purchases!)

First, I'll talk about the Urban Decay Summer of Love kit. I knew I wanted something from Urban Decay, as I'd never tried the brand before, and I was about to buy the single eyeshadow in 'Chopper' for $17. However, then I saw the Summer of Love kit! For $24, it includes four eyeshadows, an eyeliner, and their famous primer potion in Sin. The pigmentation of everything is AMAZING! The eyeshows are fabulous, the eyeliner glides on beautifully, and the primer potion intensifies any eyeshadow times ten.... needless to say, I love it all. :) And FYI, none are full sized, but hey I can repurchase if I run out!

Eyeshadows in Flash, Maui Wowie, Chopper, and Smog; 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner in Bourbon; Primer Potion in Sin.

Next, a bronzer! It's almost summer, and bronzer is definitely a must. I've heard great things about this Hoola bronzer by Benefit. First, let me just say the packaging is adorable, and it comes with a cute little brush... which I will probably not use, and it sheds, but it's convenient if I'm going to throw this into my purse. I tried it out, and I love it! Not orange, not muddy, but the perfect matte brown that will make you look beautifully sunkissed. It applied wonderfully, and this bronzer will become a part of my daily routine.

Finally, my first Nars purchase ever! It's their blush in... you guessed it, Orgasm. It's probably the most highly acclaimed blush ever, though I've heard all of the Nars  blushes are great. The reviews are correct, this peachy pink blush gives me the perfect flush, that 'I just woke up like this' glow. Finely milled gold shimmer adds a subtle sheen. This is also a new part of my daily routine! :)

The color is actually a bit darker than it appears in this picture.

  Can you tell I'm super excited?? Anyways, I've learned that Sephora is my new heaven, and now I know what to ask for for my birthday... Sephora gift card! Next time I will have to get Benefit's primer and High Beam, as well as more Nars blushes, a multiple, and a lip gloss. *Guilty smile*
  Anyways, I'll stop rambling now! Talk to you all later!
  Love, Val
  P.S. You want it, I'll do it! Help me out and comment me with requests!