What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?

This month I am planning on doing a lot of traveling, so I figured I'd share with you what I plan on bringing with me! 

As I travel more, I've started to realize that I don't need to bring everything that will fit. I've added so much stress onto myself by overpacking and I've learned to just to bring what I only truly need. This goes for makeup too. As you all know, I am a bit of a makeup junkie and it's really tempting to bring all of my lovely products, but I am not going to do that to myself. So I've vowed to bring products that either are compact, can be doubled up (meaning more than one use), or are small travel sized. 

 Here's what I plan on bringing on my spring break trip:

*Note* What may seem like minimal products for me, may seem like a lot to others. Again, keep in mind I am a bit of a makeup junkie.

I get a ton of travel sized products in my ipsy bags each month, so I made sure to pack them to save space and to get good use out of them. The two mascara samples I brought are this Tarte one and this one (from an ipsy bag). Now, I know I don't need to bring two mascaras, but one is almost out, so I needed to make sure I had a back up. 

 I packed as my highlight, my sample of Benefit High Beam, which I will also use as a cream eyeshadow. Eyeliner is my go to Urban Decay 24/7 pencil which has both brown and black. (Both of which are almost out!) I packed a sample of the Urban Decay Primer Potion that should last me a long time. I also brought a new favorite, the NYX Jumbo eye pencil (shade milk) which I will be talking about on the blog soon. The primer I packed was this sample of the Too Faced Primed and Poreless which I've never tried...so we will see. Of course I had to bring my holy grail foundation (also because I didn't have any foundation samples) the Urban Decay Naked Skin (Shade 0.5). 

 I packed my Nars The Happening Palette (No longer available, I got w/ my mom's discount). I love this because it's so travel friendly! It has both blush and bronzer AND 4 eyeshadows... it also is really compact! 

Again, I know it's not totally necessary to have two blushes, but blushes are my thing and I just wanted options. (Again, I'm a woman and want my options!) The Tarte Amazonian Clay blush shade is Fearless, but it's been discontinued... too bad, it's a favorite! And last is the Bobbi Brown eye shadow palette that is so compact and small... again perfect for travel! (Shade is Champagne Quartz eye quad) I got this as a freebie, and love it. It gives a great neutral eye look.

and I'm not going to go into too much detail here, but these are the brushes I'm bringing with me:

Of course my favorite foundation brush (Real Techniques Expert Face brush) and a few ecotools kabukis for the face thrown in there. For eyes, I packed a mix of ecotools and a random cover girl brush. 

Oh! For makeup bags, I get a ton with my ipsy subscription, but I have always loved Forever 21's selection of cute, affordable bags. (That's where my polka dot one above is from.)

Hopefully you found this post helpful if you plan on traveling anytime soon! 

Product Love: It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush

I am the kind of girl who loves to spend time doing my makeup in the morning. It's a hobby for me so I enjoy being able to spend time doing it. With that being said, I am not the kind of girl who carries 40 billion (hyperbole) makeup products in my purse and I will almost never touch up my makeup throughout the day. Ain't no body got time fo' that.

So I have been on a hunt for a lip stain that will last all day so I don't have to reapply it. I've tried the Benefit and Revlon stains and they work just fine, but I didn't really find a color option that worked for me as an everyday shade.

After doing some research, I decided that I wanted to try the It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush and when Ulta sent out a 20% off coupon, I went and snagged it up. I picked out the shade "Je ne sais quoi".

image via

  I absolutely fell in love with this lipstick the second I applied it. At first, I was turned off by the shade because it looked almost clear. Not to worry though, once applied it turns to a gorgeous pale pink shade. It goes with any look and really does feel like a moisturizing lip balm on your lips. The color lasted me all day long, through three meals and lots of talking, without having to reapply once. I can honestly agree with it's claims of being a 4-in-1 product (your lipstick, anti-aging conditioning lip balm, ultra-hydrating lip gloss, and your lip stain)  and I completely think that it is worth the investment, as I've been using it everyday since I got it!

I can't say enough good things about this lipstick. If you're looking for a go-to shade that will never fail you, this is it. I can't wait to try some other shades!

August UN-Favorites

This month I haven't experimented much with makeup because I've been trying hard to use up what I have so I don't waste. 

So instead of doing my monthly beauty favorites (which would be a bunch of repeats) I thought I'd do something different: my UN-favorites for the past month or so.

Actually, most of these are products I've tried throughout the year that just didn't work for me. 

Without further adieu:

1. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (in shade 10)
I really really wish this one worked for me! (I even talked about it in my everyday makeup!)
Overall, I actually adore the foundation. It smells nice, but not overpowering, it blends easily and feels like you don't have anything on your face at all. So why is it an Un-favorite, you ask?
My only issue with this is that it oxidizes so badly on my skin. If you don't know what that means, basically the foundation goes on one color, but as it sits on the skin, it turns darker or more orange. Initially, it looked wonderful on my skin, but about 15 minutes after I'd apply it, it looked like I had these horrible orange splotches all over my face. Like I said, I'd absolutely love this foundation if it didn't oxidize on me (and wasn't $45).

2. Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara
I got this mascara in a sample and was so excited to try it, as I've never tried anything by Bobbi Brown before. It so disappointed me! It did absolutely nothing to my lashes even after several coats. If you want a natural lash, go for this, but if you want so high impact (I do!) then skip it.

3. Mabelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo Cream Gel Shadows
After all the hype these received, I wanted to try them. I loved the idea of just quickly swiping this over the lid and going.  Not only do they go on splotchy, they are hard to apply and dry up so quickly! I was so disappointed that after only a few uses, they dried up (yes, I screwed the lid on tight).  With the extra time it took me to attempt to blend it out, and how fast they dried up, I got about one use out of it. Bummer.

4. Philosophy The Microdelivery Exfoliating Face Wash
Again, I got a sample size of this just to try it out. The purpose for me was to be able to use this once or twice a week to exfoliate and really get off dead skin. This product is barely gritty at all and barely even cleansed my skin. Normally, products like this are very gritty to get in deep in your pores. I wouldn't even call this an exfoliater, but more of a face wash.

5. Mabelline Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara
Oh man, I have an immense hatred for this mascara. Not only is it grey (not blackest black like the tube says), but it leaves my lashes so hard and crunchy that it literally pains my eye to blink. When I go to remove it, I end up losing more lashes in the process. It doesn't add any volume and clumpy. I hate it. Period.

Do you have any beauty products that you dislike? Let me know!

Broken Compact? Here's an easy fix...

Source

I tried this myself and it works! It's saved me so many products, which saves money! Yay!

May Beauty Favorites

I have to admit, this was kinda hard to come up with. I really haven't tried any 'new' products, instead I've been using what I already have. It's great for my wallet, but not so interesting for a post. Nevertheless, I did find a few things I've really been loving this month. 

1. Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Eyeliner- in Black

Lately, I've been loving a simpler eye look consisting with a light eyeshadow and a thin winged eyeliner. This is perfect for that! It goes on easy, dries fast and isn't shiny-all things I look for. Only negative is this definitely isn't waterproof, and I wouldn't suggest rubbing your eyes. But for $2.99, it works for me!

2. Zoya Nail Polish in Rica

I love love love this color! It's perfect for summer and I have been wearing it ever since I got it. I really like Zoya nail polishes because they are "green" and don't use harsh chemicals. Plus, they run sales all the time, and I got this one for $4. Can't beat that!

3. Almay Oil Free Liquid Eye Makeup Remover

If you are somewhat of an extreme couponer, you probably have loads of these by now. I get them free all. the. time. I figured that I would give it a shot, and I really love it! I hate that oil feeling that so many makeu[p removers have, and this one doesn't have that. It gets rid of my mascara fairly easily and doesn't burn my eyes too badly. 

4. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded

Like I said, I've been going light on eyeshadow recently. I can quickly put this on and it will look great and last all day. I love this color specifically because it's the perfect base to wear under shadows, or even on it's own. 

How to Depot Makeup to Use in a Magnetic Palette (Zpalette)

 I get really overwhelmed easily. If I feel like I have too much of one thing I start to freak. I get worried that I will never be able to use it all and it will all go to waste. 

I also have a problem with forgetting.

Like the whole "Outta Sight Outta Mind" kinda deal.

Yeah, if it's not right in front of my face, I never end up using it. 

The same goes for my makeup.

I feel like I have nothing but compact after compact that take up so much space and clutter my bathroom.

I also tend to get stuck using the same products over and over again, so I don't have to sort through hundreds of plastic containers. 

Little did I know, many people had this same problem and someone already came up with a solution.

It's called a Z Palette.

Basically, it's a magnetic palette that can store several makeup products at once.

It's a way to save space and also to help you see everything you have.

All you have to do is 'depot' your makeup, and it magnetizes onto the palette. 

There are several different sizes available which is nice. I already knew I wanted the largest size, the pro, but I didn't want to fork over the $25 price tag.

ouch. 

So, instead, I looked into ebay. 

I was so pleased to find that there were factory blemished models on there for only $13.99. 

Did I care that there was a scratch on the outside? No.

Did I want to save over half the price of the original? yes!

So, I ordered it.

Actually, I ordered two.

{Click this link to find the ones I'm talking about.}

and when they came in the mail, I was shocked. They literally looked brand new! I honestly didn't see any 'blemishes'! Score!

So, anyway, I began on my 'depotting rampage'. 

Thus, the tutorial:

 There are several videos online for how to do this, but I think doing it yourself does take some trial and error. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't break any eyeshadow in the process, but now, I've got it down to a tee. 

Here is what you'll need:

- Z palette

-makeup of your choice

-exacto knife

-scissors

-some sort of flat hot tool (I used my flat iron, but you could use a regular old iron)

-Magnetic tape

-wax/parchment paper

-Sticky stuff remover/Goo Gone

-paper towel

 So, the first thing to do is turn on the heat. You're going to want it hot, so I turned my flat iron on to the highest setting. You can also place a piece of the wax/parchment paper on top of it, to prevent the packaging from melting onto your iron. 

 Next, you'll place the makeup you want depotted onto the iron. You are going to have to play around with how long you leave it on there because it will depend on the packaging itself and the heat from your iron. This particular eyeshadow took me about 45 seconds. 

DO NOT LEAVE THE MAKEUP UNATTENDED!!!

It doesn't take long for it to melt completely, and that's a big mess. 

 As soon as you take it off the iron, grab your exacto knife and search for a gap in between the makeup pan and the packaging. This will make it easier to pry out and will help you not destroy your makeup in the process. 

 Once you do, begin prying it out. It should come out fairly easily. If your'e struggling, or starting to see cracks in the makeup, STOP! You need more heat to melt the glue!

If you keep trying to get it out, you will break your makeup, but just place it back on your iron. 

 This is what you should be left with. You can remove the glue with the sticky-stuff remover.

 Then, be sure to write on the back the name of the product, so you don't forget!

After, you can place it in your palette to see if it's magnetic or not. 

This one was, (it's covergirl)

but if it's not, then cut a thin strip of the magnetic tape and place it on the back. Then, you should be good to go!

 Now, you can fill your palette with anything of your choice!

I did my blushes/bronzers and also all my eye shadow.

It's so nice to be able to see everything, instead of having to search through my drawer to find it.

and the best part is that none of this is permanent! Since it's magnetic, I can move everything around if I don't like how I've placed it. 

 My biggest suggestion is to try your first go at this on something you wouldn't be upset if it broke. 

My first try at this was one of my favorite blushes and I was really sad that it broke when I was trying to depot it. Definitely pick something you don't mind losing to try this out on.

But don't worry, you'll figure it out quick, and this will be super easy for you. 

Like I said, just play around with the time on the heat  and wait until your sure the glue is melted completely. 

After you get that down, you'll be on a depotting spree! Trust me, you'll want to depot everything!

My Everyday Makeup

I feel like I need to put a disclaimer on this post, so here it goes:

Trust me, I am a drugstore beauty product kind of girl. In fact, the only time I buy any makeup for myself is if I have a coupon and it's on sale at target.

Now, that's not to say I don't enjoy higher end products. 

In fact, I swear by clinique's Three Step system.

I, personally,  just can't afford to purchase them on a regular basis. And a lot of times, drugstore products are just as good as the more expensive ones. 

So, after staying all this, you may be confused as to why I'm showing my 'everyday' makeup and I am using higher-end products.

I have two answers to that:

1. My mom, up until a week ago, worked for Neiman Marcus. She got a pretty nice discount off makeup products, and I was interested in trying the more 'expensive' brands, seeing that they would be almost half off. I, by no means, can afford to buy these things without that discount.

2. I almost always ask for higher-end products for birthday's and Christmas.

Makeup is a hobby for me. I love it, but like I said, I can't afford on my own to always buy the higher-end products. So, when people ask me what I would like for my birthday etc, I have a running list of things it would be nice to have, but that I can't buy for myself. For example, my brother will ask me what I'd like for my birthday thats under $20. While I may not spend $20 for eyeshadow, I would love to have it as a gift. 

I hope that in saying this I don't sound rude, rich or conceited, because I am neither of those things. I promise. 

Anyways, here is a look into what makeup I'm using day to day. 

1.Too Faced Natural Eye Kit 

2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in shade 12 beige rose 

3. Elf Eyebrow Kit in shade Medium

4. WetNWIild Blush in shade Heather Silk

5. L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara 

6. Benefit Hoola Bronzer (free gift with purchase)

7. Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in shade 10 Fair

8. Physicians Formula Happy Booster in Translucent used as a highlight

9. Revlon Lip Butter in shade Raspberry Pie

10. Urban Decay Primer Potion

11. Revlon Liquid Eyeliner Pen in shade 10 Blackened Brown

1. Real Techniques Expert Face brush  for foundation
2. EcoTools Buffing Concealer Brush for concealer
3. ELF Powder Brush for applying powder
4. ION Beauty Powder Brush (TJmaxx) for bronzer
5. Real Techniques Blush Brush for blush
6. EcoTools Petite Eye Shading Brush for applying eyeshadow on inner corner and brow bone
7. EcoTools Complexion Blending Brush for applying highlight
8 &9. Brand unknown for eyeshadow in the crease
10. Clinique Brush used bare for blending eyeshadow
11. ELF "c" Brush for applying base color all over eye

April Favorites

Ahh! I can't believe I'm so late, seeing that we are already almost a week into May!

Nevertheless, here were my favorite beauty products for the month of April:

1. Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

I have been using this brush for applying my liquid foundation. After years of using a flat brush, I just got sick of seeing so many streaks. I did some research but I didn't want to spend over $18 for this brush. I was wondering around Ulta and I picked this one up. It is amazing! I will never go back to my old ways.

Plus, it's on sale right now!

2. Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Fruitti

I adore this color for spring. It appears like a bright orange, but it goes on much more sheer on the lips. You guys know how much I love the lip butters, and this is the shade I have been gravitating towards more recently. 

3. Z Palette Pro Size

If you don't already know what this is, I plan on doing a full post on this soon to explain a bit more. I ordered mine off ebay for over half the price (I think I paid $13), and have been in love with it ever since I got it in the mail. It saves so much space and I end up using my products so much more now that I am able to see them all. 

4. Wet N Wild Blush in Pearlescent Pink

Ok, so I don't know about you, but for the longest time I thought Wet N Wild was that super cheap brand at the drugstore and it was all a bunch of junk. 

Boy, was I wrong. Not only are their eyeshadows completely amazing, but their blushes are just as awesome.

I adore this shade. It works well with my pale skin and gives me that natural looking glow. Not to mention the pigmentation on all of the blushes are awesome. I barely tap my brush on the product and I am set. 

5. ELF Studio High Definition Powder in Translucent

For the longest time, I had been setting my foundation with revlon's nearly naked powder. I liked it, but I found that sometimes I just wanted to set my makeup without adding anymore color. I apply this after I completely finish my face. It really helps to set everything to make it last all day. It has the coolest texture and leaves my face matte, but with no white caste like some powders have. 

Just a warning, the only negative to this is that this is really really messy. I have to open it over my sink just because so much product comes out. 

That's it for this month.

What were your favorite products last month?