Maybelline Dream Velvet Foundation 10 Porcelain Ivory

Beautiful Skin Secrets

 As someone with super sensitive, dry, and occasionally acne prone skin, finding an entire group of products I can not only use, but also see wonderful results from has been a feat! First in our lineup is an admittedly easier one, eye makeup remover. I've been using Maybelline Clean Express for waterproof eye makeup, it is good, this is my second bottle, but I don't notice a difference between it and other duel phase eye makeup removers if I'm being honest. Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, herbs, and rosewater : My face makeup remover. I spray this on my cotton square, and on my face and remove all of my makeup with it with out it drying or irritating my skin, and it smells like roses! I think this is my 3rd bottle, maybe 4th. As a plus it isn't too expensive and has free shipping from nordstrom, if you have a hard time finding it. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser Has saved my face from intense pain problems it was having all of last fall. I tried just about every facial cleanser in existence (no joke) and everything was burning my skin horribly. Then came my love. I washed my face and no pain. I was in shock. 4 months later, after using this twice a day everyday, still no pain. It's a miracle to me. It is a little more expensive for a face wash, but I've used less than half of my bottle in 4 months, because it's very concentrated and you only need a pea sized amount for more than enough lather. It cleanses my skin, makes it soft, my acne has dramatically decreased(almost none), it's not as dry as it was, I couldn't recommend it enough. Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate has been my go to moisturizer, always at night, sometimes during the day as well. I was previously using 100% Jojoba oil as my moisturizer (my skin doesn't like many traditional moisturizers). However I was finding my skin was not getting moisturized enough. I decided to try this based on the great reviews and ingredients, and I love it. I do find it moisturizes more than the jojoba oil was, and importantly-with out breaking me out. My only complaint is my skin can sometimes use even more moisture, so it's not a complete miracle for me, but I do plan to repurchase. That leads up to the next product, Trader Joe's Nourish Anti-Oxidant Facial Moisturizer. This isn't a product that I use everyday, but I have been layering on top of the midnight recovery concentrate when my skin needs even more moisture. It is cheap, and has good ingredients so it's an easy one to keep around for when needed. Saving the best for last - Kiehl's Skin Tone Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream. I use the shade fair. This one product has made the biggest difference in the improvement of clarity and evenness to my skin. It makes my skin look younger, and brighter, and healthier, almost instantly. Every day I wear this I see an improvement to my skin, that night. I have already purchased a backup and I'm not running out of my current one for a little while longer. It's that important to me that I have it. It has vitamin c, which is what I'm attributing most of the visible results to. SPF 50, which is effective, I burn easily and have spent hours in direct sunlight in the afternoon with this on, and no sun burn at all. It has light - medium coverage, and can make me shiny depending on what powder I set it with (I've been liking l'oreal with it), but it is worth it. It doesn't burn my sensitive skin, and not only does it not cause acne, but it seems to be helping to keep it away.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my current skincare routine, leave me a comment if you have any questions!

my top 4 loves

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder - 10 Porcelain

I recently picked up the Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder in 10 Porcelain, to have as a keep in my purse and give me some coverage on no makeup days, product. First I purchased it in 15 Ivory and looked like an Oompa Loompa, very orange fake tanned! However that is on rather pale skin, it may look normal on actually tanned people. I will agree with other reviews that this line does run dark. Porcelain is a light beige. It is not white for the truly colorless porcelain crowd. It is slightly darker than my skin tone (on my face, not hand) but I think it blends ok and works alright. It does feel sort of heavy, and suffocating, like other drugstore powders, but it is not the worst I've used in that regard. I don't think it looks as cheap as the milani or covergirl powders applied to the face. I am comparing the weight to the laura mercier mineral powder, so that is a high standard, but even though it looks more natural than any other drugstore powder I've used, it's not as silky and weightless as Laura Mercier. I gives light coverage, maybe medium if you really pack it on. It will not replace a concealer. I can still see my freckles. As a dryer skin person I also prefer to spray this with some Mario Badecsu Facial Spray.UPDATE: I love this powder for setting foundation so much more than on its own. It is sadly still too dark for me, and when trying it with more dewy foundations/bb creams I've noticed it does not control shine very well. But it does give a beautiful finish to the skin when used OVER something else.

Below are photos taken in direct and indrect sunlight, with the product on one half of my face only.

Best of Beauty 2013 : Top 13

Happy New Year!! 

Here is my list of my Top 13 Beauty Products of 2013:

(see a list of all products under the video)

1. CoverGirl Outlast Foundation
2. Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter
3. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded
4. Urban Decay Anti-Age Eye Primer
5. Too Faced Chocolate Soliel Bronzer
6. Buxom Lip Gloss
7. Tarte Skinny SmolderEyes Intense Eyeliners
8. Sephora by OPI S-Age is just a number
9. Trader Joe's Spa Face Wash with Tea Tree Oil
10. Arcona Magic White Ice
11. Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye Cream
12. Clear Men's Strong and Full Shampoo
13. BlushingPixie Blushing Pixie's YouTube Channel    

  Makeup I'm wearing in this video:
________

Face-
CoverGirl Outlast Foundation in 810
Victoria's Secret Bronzer in Heat Wave
Estee Lauder Blush in Audascious Plum
Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter

Eyes:
Tarte Skinny Smolder Eyes Intense in Gold
Too Faced - 525 Market
BareMinerals - 500 Thread Count
Lancome Definicils Mascara

Lips:
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Darling

Nails:
Victoria's Secret - I'm No Angel  

 

Maybelline Color Tattoo - Inked in Pink

Maybelline color tattoo in Inked in Pink is one of my favorite color tattoos, it is a very wearable metallic pink that is soft enough to not look garish. It has a nice satiny finish, wears very well with no creasing on me for about 8 hours, and is a great base.

Above in direct sunlight.

Below on me with Milani Rich Java Baked Shadow in crease.