What A Jip: Benefit Stay Flawless 15 Hour Primer

Hey guys!

Anyone who knows me knows I have gone on a serious treasure hunt search for the perfect primer.  I just want something that smooths my skin, minimizes pores and MOST IMPORTANTLY keeps my makeup in place!!! I've found the Laura Mercier primer to be amazing and I've talked extensively about it in my videos.  I was reading someone's blog the other day and saw this product.  After doing a little research I found this product was getting relatively good reviews all around.  I'm not sure who's reviewing this but this product is HORRIBLE.  I'm not one to spend all day re-applying, or fixing this or that; I want a primer that keeps everything in place so there are minimal things I need to fix when I refresh my makeup.

After reading the reviews on this I was so excited to find a primer that would keep my makeup on "all day".  I purchased it from Sephora, applied it excitedly to my face and was beyond disappointed to find a few hours later my makeup was completely gone.  I gave it the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe I'd touched my face a lot that day (still not an excuse for a GOOD primer, but whatever) and tried it again.  I tried this product for over 2 weeks.  Every day, without fail, by like 1pm my face makeup was gone.  I was so disappointed in this primer I can't even say.  A lot of primers claim to minimize pores, or brighten skin, etc. but this one promised to keep makeup in place.  Lies.  Also, let's discuss the $38 price tag.  Vom.

So, this is my "Shame, Shame, Shame" product of the month.  Boo to this, definitely not the primer you want if you're looking for something that keeps your makeup in place!

Have any of you tried this?  What do you think?

xo 

Kelly

Makeup For Brown Eyes

Hey!

So my mom has these gorgeoussss green eyes, my bro has these awesome blue eyes and of course I get my dad's brown eyes :)  I've learned some tips and tricks along the way to emphasize them, and if you use the right colors they can actually look very stunning.  Brown is nice too because there's very few colors that don't work with it.  My favorites are golds, browns and purples, but you can use pretty much any color with it.  Check out my video below to see my look and how I play up my eyes.

Eye Products Used:

Soft Ochre Paint Pot    Retrospeck   Brown Down 
Shroom   Mylar   Blackheart by Naked 3 (Not pictured)


xo 

Kelly

Favorite Foundations

I've found foundation to be really specific to your skin type.  What works for me won't necessarily have the same effect on you and vice-versa. It's important to test out products before you purchase them and Sephora is a great store for purchasing products because their return policy is fairly lenient.   This can be useful when you think you love a product only to wear it and change your mind.  Also, most makeup counters will let you get a sample, so you can try the product before you make a purchase.  Some of the higher end foundations can be really expensive so it's important to make sure you like the product in all lighting before shelling out $40 for it.

My foundation usage has definitely varied throughout the years and I'm currently into experimenting with different foundations based on the occasion.  Foundation is a product that can be used at your discretion.  If your skin is even and you don't have too much you're worried about covering then you can even skip it for an every day look; but if you're going out or just trying to even your skin tone it can definitely make a difference.

Normal or Combination Skin-

I absolutely LOVE Bare Minerals foundation.  It does an amazing job of making your skin look flawless while not being heavy or making your skin feel oily.  I like using the loose powder in the summer or for less of a heavy feel/look and the pressed power when I want a little more coverage.  This product is not the best if you're trying to cover up a lot of scarring or acne, but if you just want an a simple every day look this is should be your go-to.

http://www.bareescentuals.com/bareMinerals-READY-SPF-20-Foundation/USMasterReadyFoundation,default,pd.html

Dry Skin-

I think for dry skin the best product is usually a cream or a mousse foundation.  These are usually lighter than a liquid yet still provide more coverage than a powder would; while often being moisturizing as well.  I am obsessed with the Nars Radiant Cream Compact.  I think the product is great, light weight and moisturizing, while still providing excellent coverage.  Also, the case it comes in is easy to throw into your purse for touch-ups.  It comes in a variety of different colors so I was able to find a color that matched perfectly with my skin tone.

http://www.sephora.com/radiant-cream-compact-foundation-P381712?skuId=1525013

If the Nars compact is a little pricey a great drug-store alternative is the Maybelline DreamSmooth Mousse.  It provides great coverage, is easy to apply and only $10!  This was my absolute favorite foundation in high school when my skin was a more broken out and I wanted coverage without looking like I was going on a photo-shoot.

http://www.maybelline.com/Products/Face-Makeup/Foundation/Dream-Smooth-Mousse.aspx

Oily Skin-

I think mineral foundation is great for oily skin as it's easy to apply to a slicker surface and the powder helps to sop up some of the oil.  However, if you have a lot of acne or scars you want to cover up you might prefer a fuller liquid  coverage, and that's where the Mac Mineralize Moisture Foundation is perfect.  It's a liquid coverage but has the lightweight feel of a mineral product.  I've only recently started getting into liquid foundations as I've never liked the feel of foundation on my skin but this doesn't have that oily after-feel that a lot of products too.  It goes on as a liquid but stays as a more mineral-powder-esq (did I just coin a term...) finish.

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/158/24923/Products/Face/Foundation/Mineralize-Moisture-SPF15-Foundation/index.tmpl

Another great liquid foundation is the Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation.  This product really lives up to it's name and lasts for hours.  It goes on smooth and provides a pretty full coverage while not being too heavy.  While I'm a Mac girl at heart I'll definitely reach for this from time-to-time!

So those are my picks for foundation.  What do you all think?

xo 

Kelly