Mally Evercolor Poreless Face Defender Review

Woo I'm finally back - it seems like I haven't been here for forever! I hope you all had an amazing summer and are still enjoying these warm and beautiful days!

Anyways, let's get on to the review...I'm sure if you've watched QVC you've heard of Mally Beauty and I'm excited to say that this brand is FINALLY being sold at Ulta! So I obviously had to pick up her most famous product... the Evercolor Poreless Face Defender.

When I first opened it, I was super impressed with the packaging. It comes in a sleek purple compact with the sponge you use to apply it. Now, most transparent powders are white in color, but this Face Defender is COMPLETELY transparent, which is something I've never seen before. I took some on my finger and rubbed it on the back of my hand and the consistency is almost too hard to describe but it made the back of my hand feel like pure silk.


This product is said to get rid of oil, fine lines and pores - all which will make you look younger (unlike normal powders which can make you look cakey, dry and old). Moreover, since it is actually transparent, it won't give you a whitecast in photos.


You don't need to use a lot of this product for it to set your makeup and get rid of shine. Also, it is super easy to apply. I still need to touch up every few hours (which is normal for me) but I didn't have to touch up as often as I would normally.


Would I buy this product again? YES!
Would I recommend this to a friend? ABSOLUTELY!!

Bows to Toes Boutique!!

Hey all! I know, it's been a while, but I am back and have a few product reviews and a few other posts in the works that I'm excited to put up for all of you! But anyways, on to the fun part :) ...

I'm super excited to tell you about an AMAZING online jewelry boutique that one of my girlfriends just launched in May. It's called Bows to Toes (adorable name, right?!) and I'm obsessed with the pieces on this site! The jewelry ranges from earrings and rings to scarves to necklaces and bracelets - and all for super low prices!! My favorite part? There's a designer inspired jewelry section which is absolutely fantastic (and who doesn't want expensive looking jewelry for low prices?!)

Link: Bows to Toes

A few other awesome aspects of this boutique is they charge one flat rate of $5 for shipping (no matter the size of the order) and they also ship all orders next day 1st class! Plus there's no sales tax (except if you live in NC, which is where they're based out of). Plus, I was looking around online at a few other online boutiques and Bows to Toes has some of the lowest prices you can find - which is great for us girls because don't we all love justifying ourselves into buying more? :)

Some of the most popular jewelry trends (such as bubble necklaces, David Yurman-style bracelets, chunky necklaces and teardrop earrings) are all sold at Bows to Toes, as well. Seriously, you're going to want to check out this boutique and I'm sure you'll fall in love with it just like I did!


**UPDATE**

I received my first piece from Bows to Toes and am completely obsessed! I wore it today and got so many compliments on it! The piece I have is the Mint Green & Light Pink Necklace. It also comes with a pair of rhinestone stud earrings :) And I want to give a big shout out to Whitney, the owner of Bows to Toes - thank you so so much for this gorgeous necklace! I am so in love with it!!!

Here’s the link to the necklace: Mint Green & Light Pink Necklace

Also, go follow Bows to Toes on Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on their new products!

Facebook: Bows to Toes

Instagram: bowstotoes1

Sigma Resort Palette Review, Use & Swatches

I've been searching for an eyeshadow palette that I could play around with some fun colors for summer. There were a few I couldn't decide between but I finally bought Sigma's Resort Palette and I couldn't be happier! The colors are absolutely beautiful, bright and pigmented. It also comes with a blush (Heavenly), a liquid highlighter (Luminesce) and a double-sided eye liner (Daydream/Earth Goddess) which go perfectly with any eye look from this palette! (Just an FYI: If you're looking to buy this palette, go get it quickly because it's Limited Edition!)

My favorite way to use this palette:

Eyes:
First, I take Luna and put it on my brow bone, inner corners and inner 1/3 of my eye lid for a bright and highlighted look. I then take Fawn and pack it onto the outer 2/3 of my lid. Then taking Topaz and Sigma's E35 brush, I blend it into my crease to add dimension and warmth. If I really want to smoke out my eye for more of a nighttime look, I'll add Muse to my outer V.

The fun part to use this palette is to choose one of the brighter colors (my favorites are Moonbeam or Neela) and put that on your lower lash line. To make this super pigmented, I take Sigma's E30 Pencil Brush, spray it with some setting spray (like Skindinavia's Makeup Finishing Spray or Mac's Fix+), put the brush into the bright color and apply to my lower lash line. By spraying the brush with a setting spray, the eyeshadows will go onto the lash line easier, more pigmented and stay on longer! The eyeshadow also acts more of a gel than a powder this way, too.

Cheeks:
I apply the blush to the upper contours of my cheeks. Then I apply 3-4 dots of the liquid highlighter right above the blush and blend in with my ring finger. This highlight gives your skin an instant glow :)

SWATCHES

Liquid vs. Powder Foundation

Obviously liquid foundation is liquid and powder foundation is powder, but what are the less obvious differences between these two formulations? Here are is a simple explaination of these two different products and what skin types they're best for along with my liquid and powder foundation recommendations that anyone can use.


Liquid Foundation:
-Makes your skin flawless
-More colors to match different skin tones
-Formulations for all skin types
-Lasts much longer than powder foundation
-For young to mature skin
-Can clog pores
-Can be harder to blend
-Heavier consistency


Powder Foundation:
-Great for younger skin (especially acne prone)
-Doesn't clog pores as much as liquid foundation
-A light coverage
-Great if you're running late or on-the-go
-Doesn't photograph well
-Not great for older skin as it settles into pores and fine lines
-Can look cakey if over-applied
-Needs to be reapplied 2-3 times if wearing all day


My Recommendations:

I've mentioned this liquid foundation before: L'Oreal's True Match Super-Blendable Makeup. It has over 30 different shades to match any skin tone. It has buildable coverage but doesn't feel heavy at all and is great for all skin types. The best part: it's only $8 - $10!

I absolutely love Laura Geller's Balance-n-Brighten Baked Color Correcting Foundation when I want quick coverage when I'm in a hurry or when I'm just running errands. The only bad thing about this product is it only comes in three colors. But once you find your shade it's amazing and completely balances your complexion!

Tips to make your eyes look BIGGER, *brighter* and more awake!

Your eyes are the No. 1 way to tell if you're awake or tired. Some days you just don't get enough sleep, but how do you fake your discolored puffy eyes into looking alive again? Here are a few of my go-to tips that I do on a regular basis that really help to open up and conceal my under eyes!


1. Concealer: Our eyes naturally have a discoloration around them. Some are blue, some are red, some are dark brown. The absolute best way to conceal these discolorations is to use a yellow-based or a salmon-based concealer. My holy grail under eye concealer is CoverGirl & Olay's Simply Ageless Concealer in the Corrector color. This is a yellow-based concealer which completely hides dark circles. This product also moisturizes your under eyes, preventing wrinkles, firming the skin and keeping that delicate area soft.

2. Inner Corner Color: This tip is probably one of the most effective ways to brighten up your eyes. Simply take a shimmery white/nude color and put this in your inner corner of your eye. My favorite product to use is the eyeshadow color called "Virgin" from the original Naked Palette from Urban Decay. Your eyes will look vastly different after taking this simple step!

3. Crease Color: To make your eyes look rounder and bigger, take a light brown eye shadow and apply it to the crease. My favorite color to use is Naked 2 from the Naked Basics Palette by Urban Decay and applying it with the Sigma's E35 brush. This is also an easy way to give your eyes a little more dimension if you lack a defined crease.

4. Lash curler: Not all eyelash curlers are created equal! When you curl your lashes, it really widens up your eyes (plus it makes your eyelashes look fabulous too)! I've used many drugstore brand lash curlers and a few high end ones and the curler I have found to be the best of the best is Tarte's Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler. It really does amazing things!

5. Eye Liner: Last, but definitely not least, is eyeliner. When you apply black eyeliner on your waterline, it makes your eyes appear much smaller than they actually are. So in order to make them appear wider, applying a nude eyeliner does the trick! I found the perfect eyeliner for this job: Rimmel's ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner in Nude. And the best part? It's super inexpensive!

Just a Litte Haul ;)

I don't usually put hauls up on here but I decided to try it out! I bought a few things from Ulta and the grocery store (went a little NYX crazy lol!) that I absolutely LOVE, one product I'm so-so about and a few I still haven't tried out. Let me know your thoughts on hauls and/or if you've ever tried any of these products out. Also, PLEASE let me know any products I should try out. I love collecting makeup and trying out new products!!

(from left to right)

1. Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

This is the most perfect color for contouring but I might need to get the darker chocolate bronzer for summer. The best part about this is it smells EXACTLY LIKE CHOCOLATE! And when you apply it, you can taste the chocolate particles - so yummy!

2. Nivea Sun-Kissed Radiant Skin in Medium/Dark

I love this stuff to maintain a little tan on days that I don't self tan. I find that this works much better than  Jergen's Natural Glow Moisturizer.

3. NYX Mineral Set It Don't Fret It Matte Finishing Powder in Medium/Dark

This fishing powder is fine milled and feels super silky on your skin. Plus, it isn't a white or transparent powder, meaning there is less of a chance that it'll give a white cast in pictures!

4. Laura Geller Eye & Lip Spackle

This is by far my favorite purchase of the day! The Eye Spackle isn't anything special, but OH MY GOSH the Lip Spackle is absolutely AMAZING! It muted out my lips (to where I didn't look dead) and without drying them out. and my lipstick didn't feather at all! I highly recommend this product to anyone who wants their lipstick to show up in true color and wants it to last all day!

5. NYX Blushes (Terra Cotta, Rose Garden, Pinched)

Surprisingly, these are my first NYX blushes and I am more than pleased! They are super pigmented, have a great selection of colors and are super inexpensive. Take a look at the swatches in the picture down below!

6. NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in Glow

I've tried this concealer before in a light/medium color and absolutely loved it. So, I figured I'd try out the "Glow" color. I'm not very pleased with this color. It was a little too greasy, moved my foundation around and didn't conceal much :(

7. NYX Pump It Up Lip Plumper in Kim

LOVE this product! It is a perfect gloss to pair with any peach, pink or nude lipsticks. You can also feel this lip plumper work on your lips. I applied this on top of Mac's Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick (after I applied my new Lip Spackle, of course) and it was such an amazing combination!

8. Seche Vite Restore

Not a super exciting purchase but I did need this to add to my Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat for when it gets thick. 

9. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

I have been using this for years and it does wonders for my dry cuticles. Plus it smells fantastic!

10. Organic Raw Honey

Why on earth did I buy honey and put it into this post? Because I use it as a face mask! Honey is great for the skin - it provides antibacterial properties (which helps with acne prone skin) while exfoliating and moisturizing at the same time. It is packed full of vitamins and makes your skin glow :) I just massage a thin layer over my face, leave it on for about 20 minutes and rinse off! If you try this, just make sure you buy RAW honey :)

(NYX Blushes Left to Right: Terra Cotta, Pinched, Rose Garden)

Amazing Drugstore Night Cream?!?

Night creams are an extremely important part of your nighttime skincare routine. They repair your skin while you sleep, deeply moisturize and help prevent aging (obviously)! However, these little pots can cost from fifty to hundreds (yes, hundreds) of dollars! Sure, some of them are worth it, but who has the money to buy those expensive night creams every month?? I have a solution for you :) ...

As recommended by dermatologists, past users, and even Dr. Oz, St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin Moisturizer is an AMAZING anti-aging night cream. As it says on the tub, it "visibly reduces appearance of fine lines & wrinkles." I don't have wrinkles, yet, but have read many reviews of this product and have come to find that this statement holds true. The consistency is light and fluffy - almost a whipped-type texture and it has a light smell - not overpowering at all. At only about $6.99 at the drugstore, you get 10 oz of product!!! Most night creams are only 1-2 ounces and are super expensive. You can't beat the deal of this moisturizer! 

This Timeless Skin Moisturizer does say you can use it both morning and night, but with my oily skin it would just be too oily and moisturizing to use under my makeup. If you have dry skin and are happy with this product in your morning regimen, let others know in the comments!