Beauty Products That Will Help You Hang On to Summer

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Can we just talk for a minute about how it's already mid-August? Like, how did that happen?! Fall is seriously going to be here before we know it, but as always I'm living in complete denial. Summer will forever be my favorite season (and you can't make me change!). Last year around this time I wrote a post about some beauty products that will help you hang on to summer (you can check that out here if you want). Since that's still one of my favorite posts I figured I would bring it back. Don't fix what's not broken right?!

Lush Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub

Let me just start by saying that the smell of this product is worth it all on it's own. I know that makes me sound like an actual crazy person, but I'm serious. The smell that hits you when you open the trademark little black pot will instantly transport you to having a cocktail on the beach (sign me up!). The ingredient list includes sea salt, avocado, coconut, lime, and vodka. Yes, I said Vodka. Besides smelling like actual heaven, it's also a great scrub. There are some thick minerals of sea salt in there that do a great job of exfoliating your skin. It's perfect for scrubbing off any dry skin before you shave. This is a little on the pricier side at $21.95 for 4.2 oz., but like I said: totally worth every penny (On a side note: we finally got a Lush store in my city, so it's safe to assume I'm always broke).

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

I've said it before, and I will say it again: Not Your Mother's is one of my favorite drugstore haircare lines of all time! They make seriously good stuff at a super affordable price. My hair is on the thicker side and naturally curly so sea salt sprays usually work well for me, and this one is no exception. Again, the smell is amazing. It's like someone put coconut and sunshine in a bottle (that makes sense right?). What's really great about this spray though, is that it gives you a nice amount of texture without being sticky. And the best part? You can get it at the drugstore for only $4.79!

Tarte Park Avenue Princess Contour Palette

This is a little palette that I've had for a while, but that I've found myself reaching for a lot recently. It features a full sized bronzer on one side with a half blush/half highlight on the other side. The bronzer is in the shade Park Ave Princess and is a pretty light bronzer, but it works really well on my fair skin. It's also very easy to blend, which I appreciate (bronzer has always been my makeup nemesis). The blush is the shade Posh which is a light pink. You literally can't go wrong with a light pink blush. And finally, the highlight is the shade Champagne Gold which is sort of a white gold. The highlight is not super pigmented, but I feel that it does give you a nice little warm glow. It's so handy to have all three of these products in one little sleek palette. Who says you have to lose that summer glow?! Oh and you can get this palette for $34, which is a great value for everything you're getting.

L'oreal True Match Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator 

I picked this up at the drugstore recently (full review here), and I've found myself using it a lot. I have the shade Rose Gold which I can only describe as a mix between a bronzer and a highlighter. It gives you a nice glow with a little shine mixed in there. You can wear this all over you face for serious glow or in targeted areas. I usually apply a little to the top of my cheekbones, above my eyebrows, and on the bridge of my nose. I think this would be the perfect product to help you transition into fall while not completely giving up that glow. You can get it for $12.99 at the drugstore. 

Lucky for me it's still 90 degrees here in Nebraska so I don't have to give up my beloved summer quite yet. How do you plan to hang on to summer?

XO- Brittney

Read More

Stila Aqua Glow Perfecting Primer

Hello Beautiful Ones!

We are definitely in the middle of summer, it's a sunny 91 degrees here in nebraska, and I couldn't be happier! There is something about summer heat that just makes me feel so weightless and happy, but you know what else the summer heat does? Melt off your makeup (ugh). This is of course unless you have a great makeup primer! So today I'm telling you about a new one: the Stila Aqua Glow Perfecting Primer.

Stila is marketing this product as a primer stick that is cooling, hydrating, and reduces pores and redness. That all sounds pretty good to me, so I was pretty excited to try this. In fact I was basically stalking it in Sephora for a couple of weeks until I finally convinced myself to buy it (My curiosity won out against my frugal side this time). I also found it interesting that it comes in a stick form, most of my favorite primers come in tubes but this seemed like it would be especially handy for traveling. 

The first thing that I noticed when I popped open the lid was that it, is a solid but it has the consistency of a gel when you touch it. Then I actually put it on my face... oh my goodness, it really is cooling. It kind of reminds me of an aloe vera gel that you would use to calm sunburned skin, except it doesn't have all that sticky mess that comes with an aloe gel. It feels so good to apply on a hot and sticky summer morning. 

When it comes to application you can either rub some onto your finger and apply it that way or just go for your face with the stick (which is usually what I do). It feels very light on the skin which I love. It isn't a miracle on pores or redness, but I do think it helps. The big plus is that it is very hydrating, and possibly most importantly it makes my makeup stay on my face even in the heat (hallelujah). My favorite moisturizing primer for a long time has been the Too Faced Hangover, but I have to say that this one gives it a run for its money. I just love the cooling properties of this Stila primer. 

Bottom line? This is a MUST HAVE for the summer or someone who lives in a warm climate. Definitely worth the $28 price tag. 

Have you tried this one? Let me know! As always thanks for reading and make sure you go out and enjoy the sunshine if you're lucky enough to have it (she says from inside an air conditioned coffee shop)! 

XO- Brittney 

Read More

5 Beauty Products That Will Help You Hang On to Summer

Hello Beautiful Ones!

This post is for all of you out there like me who are desperately clinging on to the last of the summer sunshine before fall completely takes over. I will happily swap out my tank tops and flip flops for cardigans and boots but you better believe that I'm going to hang onto my favorite summer beauty products until the bitter end. I've gathered up 5 beauty products that will not only remind you of carefree summer days, but can also be nicely transitioned into fall.

Marc Jacobs Honey Rollerball- $22
I really love buying perfumes in rollerballs because they are so portable. You can easily throw this little guy in your purse (or your beach bag if you're lucky) and you're good to go. Something about this fragrance just screams summer to me. It has a sweet and sunny scent. A few swipes of this and even the coolest fall day will feel a little warmer.

Jergen's Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer- $8
This is a year round love. I'm sure most of you have tried this one before, but just in case you haven't I'm going to rave about it a little. This is basically a great moisturizer combined with a light bronzer. Perfect for hanging on to that nice summer tan a tiny bit longer.

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Shampoo- $5
It is no secret that I am a firm believer in the Not Your Mother's brand of hair products (you can read all about my obsession here). When I first tried this shampoo all I wanted to do was stand in the shower and sniff the bottle (sorry for that mental image), but seriously you guys this stuff smells amazing. The best way I can describe the smell is coconuts and sunshine. If this shampoo doesn't transport you to the beach then I don't know what will.

e.l.f. Essential Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal- $1
e.l.f. is another favorite drugstore brand. When you compare the quality of the product with the price there is no rival in my opinion. This facial whip is a gorgeous shimmering highlighter to give you that gorgeous summery sun kissed look even on a gloomy fall day. Here is a color swatch:

Milani Baked Bronzer in Glow- $10
Once again, anything I can use to extend my summer color is a win for me. This bronzer is perfect because it's not too dark and just adds more of a shimmery glow than anything. This can also double as a great highlighter. Here's the color swatch:

Now we can all live in denial that colder temperatures are among us. And if you are one of the lucky ones who live in a place where it's always warm, can you send me some sunshine? I promise I'll adjust eventually. Stay sparkly beautiful ones!

XO- Brittney

Read More

Summer Skin Favorites!

Hello Beautiful Ones!

It's no secret that summer is by far my favorite season (sandals and sunshine never fail to put a smile on my face)! Unfortunately though, my naturally pale skin doesn't always agree with my intense love for the heat and sun of summer. For the last several years I've been turning to Jergens for all of my bronzing/summer skin needs. So here are my current summer skin favorites from Jergens:

I've been using Jergens Natural Glow for a long time now. If you are looking for an easy, natural looking, light glow for summer you NEED to try Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. I use the Fair to Medium formula, but if you have a naturally darker skin tone (or you just want an extra bronze boost) you can get the medium to tan formula. Over the years they have tweaked the natural glow formula to improve the scent. It has a very light smell that is pleasant and not overpowering which is refreshing for a bronzer. I start using this at the very beginning of summer, sometimes even in the spring. I apply the Natural Glow after I get out of the shower. Make sure when you are using bronzer you apply a little extra to the spots that may be a little drier like your knees and elbows so that the color applies evenly, also don't forget to wash your hands when you're done so you don't get orange hands! I've never had any problems with streaking from this product. This is a tried and true favorite that I recommend 100%.

Now on to a new favorite that I have discovered just this season: the Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream. Again, this cream comes in two different shades: All Light Skin Tones, and All Medium-Deep Skin Tones. Obviously I'm using the light one because I'm painfully pale. This cream is advertised as "a total body breakthrough that instantly hydrates and illuminates, and in 5 days evens, firms, and corrects." Now that I've built up at least somewhat of a glow from the Jergens Natural Glow I've been using this one to sort of even everything up. I tend to get terrible bruises all over my legs and I really feel like this helps to make them a little less noticeable. The texture is really creamy and lovely, the scent is light and fresh, and it's super moisturizing. This will help you even up your skin tone, but it doesn't necessarily bronze. I may have just found a new year-round favorite! 

Let me know if you've tried either of these, and I  hope you all are having a lovely and glowy summer! 

XO- Brittney

Read More

How To: Handle a Sunburn

Hello Beautiful Ones!

In case you haven't noticed, the sun is hot out there! I just recently went on a trip to Colorado where I spent some very relaxing time in the cool mountain air (heaven!). Unfortunately though, I forgot to apply sunscreen when I went hiking. The result was that I looked like a very tired and very red tomato! To make matters worse I had to go to a wedding the day after I returned from my trip (YIKES)!

It's always important that you apply sunscreen when you're going to be outside for long periods of time, but just incase you find yourself in the same predicament I found myself in I thought I would give you some of my tips on how to handle a pesky sunburn on your face! Here is my tool kit:

First, you're going to want a cooling gel that you can apply to the burn to reduce some of the stinging and redness. We all know that sunburns can be very painful so your first priority is to make yourself as comfortable as possible. You'll want to make sure you get a gel that contains Aloe Vera. I had to desperately buy one in a gift shop in Colorado, but it did the trick! I used Sun Bum Cool Down, but you can use any kind of aloe gel you want.

Once, you've calmed down your skin a little I would suggest that you moisturize, moisturize, moisturize (seriously!). But no matter what, if you're burned bad enough your skin is probably going to peel. That's where I found myself the day before the wedding. So I just took a dry washcloth (you can also use a damp one if you prefer) and I gently scrubbed off the dry and peeling skin. It's kind of like a really gentle exfoliating treatment. You could also try a very gentle and hydrating scrub but I would try to avoid anything too gritty or abrasive so that you don't irritate your skin. I did this the night before I was going to be applying the makeup.

Now that you've handled the peeling you're still going to be red. I would suggest using a really good primer that's going to help you combat that red and make it easier to cover up with your makeup. I used Clinique's Superprimer Color Corrects Redness. I've raved about this one before, but I just really like using it for covering up blemishes or red patches. After your primer you are good to apply your foundation like usual. After I put on my foundation I still had a little bit of red poking through so I reached for a product I had gotten in a Benefit try it box I had bought at Sephora: Benefit Some Kind of Gorgeous Foundation Faker. You can use this alone or with your foundation for a little extra coverage. I had bought the Benefit sample box for other products, but so far this one has come in pretty handy, I'm thinking that I might have to buy myself a full sized one when it runs out! It goes on really smoothly and then acts like a light powder once it's on your face. So cool!

I hope these little tips helped you out. Hopefully next time we'll all learn our lessons and apply the sunscreen in the first place!

XO- Brittney

Read More

Summer Colors: Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée

Hello Beautiful Ones!

The sun is shining and it is a gorgeous hot summer day here in Nebraska! It's the perfect day to sit and sip a frozen cappuccino (spoiler: that's exactly what I'm doing!). Normally I tend to gravitate towards pinks and neutrals for my face, but weather like this always gets me in the mood for bright and happy colors.

During a recent trip to Sephora I picked up the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée in the color Poppy Paradise.

You can now get two shades of the cheek gelée (poppy paradise and pink escape) in a mini size for $13 compared to the regular size for $22. Sephora describes the cheek gelée as "an innovative coconut water-infused cheek gelée with up to 14 hours of color and hydration." I use my finger to dab a little on my cheeks and then buff out the color using my blush brush. The lasting power is pretty good, although 14 hours might be a little bit of a stretch! I would say, for my skin at least, it will stay for a solid 8 hours. I also like that this product is moisturizing, it glides on smoothly and is not heavy at all.

As I said before this is a little outside of my normal color palette, but I'm really loving the pop of color for the summer. This goes on pretty sheer so you can build up the color if you want a more dramatic look. Here is a swatch of the color:

Finally, I am seriously loving the mini size. When I was checking out at Sephora the cashier helping me was gushing about how cute and little it was, and I have to agree! This little mini would be perfect to throw in your purse for a mid-day touch up or in your travel makeup bag. I just generally love minis because they allow you to try new products without completely breaking the bank (woo-hoo!).

Hope you all are having wonderful and colorful summers! :)

XO- Brittney

Read More

Current Makeup Favorites for Summer

Hello Beautiful Ones!

It is officially summer here in Nebraska! The heat has arrived (I'm happily sitting inside my air-conditioned house with a glass of iced green tea as I write this)! Even though I do occasionally complain about the heat, I have to say that I would definitely choose this over freezing cold and snow (controversial opinions... I know). I guess I'm just a summer-time kind of girl! If I could wear flip-flops all year round I would be one happy lady! Oh well... I guess I just have to enjoy it while I've got it!

In the spirit of embracing everything summer, I've pulled out three of the makeup products that have become my current summer staples:

Smashbox Limitless 15 Hour Wear Cream Shadow in Topaz- $20.00

I picked up this cream shadow in Macy's a few months ago and I have been loving it ever since! The formula is really smooth and creamy. I bought the color Topaz, which is a light and shimmery golden color. I put this over my trusty Urban Decay eyeshadow primer and it stays on really well. This is a summer staple for me because it's easy, all I have to do is swipe a little on my lids with my fingers and I'm good to go!

e.l.f Essentials Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal- $1.00 (Yes, you read that right!)

I picked this up on a whim at the grocery store the other day, and I've been pleasantly surprised with how much I actually love this! The color I grabbed is Lilac Petal which is a very light and shimmery nude/pink. This is beautiful on the apples of your cheeks when you just want a little extra glow. Again this is very easy, no brushes required!

Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm in Peppermint- $3.99

I'm sure you have all heard about Baby Lips by now, but I don't think I'll ever stop talking about these! I absolutely LIVE in this clear peppermint flavored one. This lip balm is extremely moisturizing and has a nice faint peppermint smell. It's also perfect for the summer because it has SPF 15. Even our lips need sun protection!

Thanks for taking a break from the heat with me. Let me know if there are any summertime makeup favorites that you absolutely can't live without. Hope you can all stay cool!

XO- Brittney

P.S. Let's have a Twitter Party! :)

Read More