Tinted Moisturizer Talk!

Hey all!
Lately I've been a tad tinted-moisturizer obsessed. Mostly, because I've found one I prefer over my old Sephora one (which was too sheer and the wrong color for me, I've found). It's the CoverGirl Aqua Smoothers tinted moisturizer in light to medium. Sheer but not too sheer (about 1/2 the coverage of a foundation), it's just right for those "My skin looks great!" days! Here are a few tips and pointers from my experience.

Excuse the badly painted nails - they were freshly painted :) Essie Mint Candy Apple

• Get about a pea size drop, and use your fingers to blend. It's the easiest way to control your coverage, plus brushes can end up wasting product.
• Use it in the morning, and it does triple duty as your sunblock, moisturizer, and foundation!
• As they are moisturizers, tinted moisturizers will leave you with a nice dewy (not greasy) finish. Feel free to follow up with a powder if you prefer matte.
• Overdid it on the blush? Gently blend a small dab of tinted moisturizer over for a lit-from within glow!
• On hotter days, I refrigerate my tinted moisturizer. This does two things: cools down my face, and helps de-puff!

Hope this helps!
Love, Val

P.S. Results from my most recent poll - What's your favorite fall color?
Berry - 20%
Plum - 40%
Gray - 0%
Navy - 40%
Red - 0%

Face of the Day!

Quick face of the day from last week! Just a simple, light pink look. Paired with a ponytail, very casual. :)

Face:
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation in 50
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

Eyes:
MAC Naked Lunch Eyeshadow
Stila Major Major Lash Mascara

Cheeks:
Nars Dolce Vita Blush

Lips:
Lancome "Love it!" Lipstick

Hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you want more "Face of the Day"s!
Love, Val

The Slicked Back, Curly Ponytail!

  Hey guys! So I've been feeling a little under the weather lately, I think I have a cold. I'm fine, but I don't really have the energy to do a proper post today, haha! So instead I'll use  a celebrity pic to demonstrate a hair style I've been loving lately: the slicked-back curly ponytail!
  I tried it for a party last week and it was great! It'll keep the hair off your neck so you won't be hot and uncomfortable while dancing, but the curls make it super pretty. Here's how!

Rihanna rocks the look!

1) Start with clean, dry hair. Prep hair with heat protectant, and if desired shine serum. (I used Chi 44 Iron Guard and Chi Silk Infusion.)

2) Brush back hair into a high ponytail and tie off tightly. Spray hairspray or gel into your hands and smooth down hair.

3) Heat up a curling iron in the size of your choice. Begin curling 1” sections of hair, holding the iron vertically and holding for about 8 seconds. Curl entire ponytail this way, alternating directions. (Hot Tools 1 ¼” Curling Iron.)

4) Shake out curls, mist with hairspray, and curl some face-framing pieces. You’re done!

Hope you all enjoyed! Leave any requests in the comments section. Let me know how it works if you try it. :)

Love, Val

Fall Transition Fashion

Featured (clockwise from top left):
Yves St. Laurent cashmere-blend lizard-print scarf, $695; net-a-porter.com
Plum Soft Buffalo Purse, $695; mulberry.com
Berry Faux Suede Foldover Multi Stud Pump Heels, $25; amiclubwear.com
Nars Semi-Matte Lipstick in Trans-Siberian, $24; narscosmetics.com
Gap cropped easy straight jeans (dark wash), $60; gap.com
2 in 1 berry jersey top, 55 GBP; houseoffraser.co.uk

  Hey all, maybe two posts in one day is a bit obsessive but that's how I roll. :)
  Anyways, I've been hearing a lot about "polyvore.com" in various blogs and I finally checked it out. Basically, you can make your own collage of makeup and fashion right there! It's really awesome.
  So here's my summer-to-fall transition collage. I would love to have all these items!
  Recommendations: layer dark wash denim, shades of gray (the of-the-moment neutral), and rich berry and plum colors that never go out of style. The result: a look that's put together, classy, and classic but just trendy enough.
  Hope you liked! Please leave requests in the comments - now that I've finally gotten around to the fashion request I would love to tackle some more. :)
  Love, Val

Health Kick!

  Hello dolls, well lately I've been on a health kick! As far as obsessions go, this is a good one. I've been trying to work out 3-5 times a week, avoid sugary/fatty foods, drink lots of water, and get good sleep. A bit of a wake-up call for me was when P.E. started in school and I felt weak after one lap around the track! Yikes! But after a month or so of my 'program,' I've been able to run 10 laps around the track (not consecutively, but in one workout). So here are some tips and tricks of mine!

• Drink lots of water. Not only does it keep your body going, but it fills you up, so you don't eat when you're actually thirsty. I aim for the recommended 8 glasses a day, and recommend you bring a water bottle with you everywhere!

• Eat small, balanced meals throughout the day. A good meal is high in protein (chicken, fish) and vegetables, but low in fats and carbohydrates (if you love breads, try whole wheat instead). Fiber and protein will keep you feeling full. Remember to take small bites, chew thoroughly, and drink water throughout to feel more full at the end!

• Get out there and exercise! It doesn't have to be running, but just make sure you're out there and moving. I like taking a walk or bike around the neighborhood, practicing volleyball in my backyard, swimming, jump rope, just whatever you like best! I try to exercise 3-5 times a week, an hour each time (outside of school). Stretch afterwards and hydrate!

• Treat yourself! Just because you're trying to be healthy doesn't mean you can't have dessert! Try a smoothie (plain yogurt, banana, frozen strawberries and blueberries mixed up in a blender is my favorite). They're sweet, delicious, and a great way to get that fruit in. Or, if you're craving ice cream, anything by Skinny Cow is low-fat and delicious!

Remember that I am not a nutritionist, these are just tips I've picked up that work for me! Good luck!

What do you do to stay in shape? Leave a comment!

Love, Val

P.S. I'm going to Sephora soon, any recommendations?!

Drugstore Haul/Update!

  First order of business. I am SO, SO sorry it has been too long!! I was on a quick vacation, then right after high school started. I've been carried away with homework, studying, and my new health kick! But I really missed you guys, so here I am. :)
  Over the last month or so I've accumulated quite a bit of drugstore makeup, and I am so impressed with most of it! Quick haul/review for you guys. Then, I hope to return to my one or two posts a week schedule. :)

R

Face

• Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation (50 soft beige) - This is an amazing foundation! Possibly my new "it" foundation. As in, the one I will wear year round. Glowy, leaves skin soft, just the right amount of coverage (I don't use concealer with it). I have used it consistently every day for the past month and still love it!
• Maybelline Dream Matte Powder (medium sand) - Not cakey, not drying - it's just an awesome powder that's very effective for mid-day mattifying, or when I decide to go matte!

Eyes

• L'Oreal HIP Shadow Duos - They really are super well pigmented! (See swatches below.) I think they're really cute and MAC-esque. I have Mystical, a crystal formula, and a Sculpted, a metallic formula. Only $8 for such great pigmentation, so they're fun to experiment with color.
• Wet N Wild Trio in Walking on EggShells - My cousin and I had a five dollars to spend at the drugstore, so we stuck to Wet N Wild. I had never tried their eyeshadows. I assumed they were chalky and badly pigmented, but picked up a trio anyway. All I can say is, wow. Silky, pigmented, and just high-quality feeling! Be careful about dropping, they're soft! 
• Wet N Wild Eyeliner in Black - At $1, it is surprisingly well pigmented! It's not that super-creamy, kohl Urban Decay/Stila/MAC feel, but it's much better than the CoverGirl liner I had used previously - it's a true black line without pressing too hard.

Lips

•  Wet N Wild Lip Gloss - Okay, so this one's not special. But it's a super sheer fuchsia, so it looked fun. :) 

Okay, all for now. I appreciate all of you lovely followers and I will be posting more. :)
Love, Val

Left to right, top to bottom: HIP Duo in Sculpted (pink and dark purple), HIP Duo in Mystical (aqua and yellow), Wet N Wild trio in Walking on Eggshells (white, brown, and pink)

 

 

 

July Favorites + Stila Winner!

  Hey all, I am back from my vacation and glad to be blogging again! It's time for my July Favorites (ahh!! summer goes by too fast!) but first, the moment you've all been waiting for... the randomly generated winner of my Stila Giveaway:

Alyssa!

  Alyssa, please email me here with your address and I'll have your package shipped ASAP! Everyone else: Don't fret, more giveaways are in the future. :)

  Now, time for my July faves!

 Makeup

• Sephora retractable foundation brush - awesome for applying foundation and also awesome for travel!
• Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation - everything that Revlon PhotoReady lacked; it's glowy, lightweight, and shimmer-free, I love it!
• Blushes - I've been loving blush in general, pictured is Benefit's Coralista but I also love Nars Orgasm and Penny Lane (cream).
• Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm - because I've been chapped lately!
• Stila Waterproof Mascara - waterproof is a must for these summer months!
• Sephora Tinted Moisturizer - for when I want something a little more lightweight; I'm almost out!
• Nars Dolce Vita Lipstick - the most beautiful lip color, a sheer rose tint, most definitely my fall lip color!
• Mac Naked Lunch Eyeshadow - a beautiful skin toned shimmery shadow, great as all over lid color, highlight, or highlight of cheekbones

Hair

• Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves Spray - Just spray onto damp hair and poof! Waves! I wasn't sure it really worked but both my mom and dad commented - unprompted - on how my hair looked wavier than normal. My dad even asked if I'd curled it!

Other

• Teenage Beauty by Bobbi Brown - An excellent book for all teenagers, whether you love or are just starting with makeup. Gives great advice on makeup, skin care, health, perfumes, and more from the famed makeup artist Bobbi Brown! I love her outlook on makeup; she believes in natural beauty and embracing your features.
• My (not pictured) new skin care routine (AcneFree 3-Step Skincare System, Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture, prescription acne antibiotic) has been working wonders on my skin!

  All for now! What have you been loving this month?

  Love, Val