Beauty Bag MUST HAVES!

Here are my current beauty bag MUST HAVES that will take you year round in the beauty and makeup department:

Pixi Unique Pink Tinted Brillance Lip Balm ($14.00)

tintedbrilliancebalm-closeup-uniquepink-24jul14-web_1This works with your pH level to create your own personal shade of pink. I have been using the Dior Lip Glow for a couple of years, which works just like this except the price is nearly double at $25. I bought this wanting to compare the two and Pixi blew away the Dior. I felt like the shade of pink was better, I liked that it was super hydrating and that the color is a slight stain so it lasts a long time! You can purchase online and earn 300 points for signing up and that will take off $3 making this $11 instead of $14!

Nuxe Shimmering Dry Oil (1.6 oz bottle $39)

I fell in love with Nuxe products on a trip to Paris in 2011. I had heard how fabulous the pharmacies were at having the most incredible beauty products and it didn’t disappoint. This oil by Nuxe is amazing. It is for face, body and hair. They do have a version without the shimmer but I find the shimmer very subtle and gives your hair and face a natural glow. It doesn’t look like you’re covered in glitter by no means. It just gives a subtle healthy looking glow. And the smell is amazing! I have a lot of allergies to perfumes, and this did not bother me at all.

fp-nuxe-huile-prodigieuse-or-50ml-face-2014-04Nuxe Reve de Miel Moisturizer (1.5oz $39)

This is hands down the BEST moisturizer I’ve ever used and I feel like I’ve tried them all. I stopped using this for about a year as I was trying a lot of different high end moisturizers that were coming in my monthly box subscriptions and nothing compares to this. I recently went back to it and never again will I stop using it. Great for super dry skin like me, but they have others for oily skin and anti-aging.

fp-nuxe-revedemiel-creme-visage-jour-fermee-face-2014-04Bodyography Brow Duo (Price $19)

The Essential Brow Trio. Featuring three matte brow powders in one handy compact flattering for all hair colors. This multifunctional product can act as a matte eyeshadow and liner as well! It lasts all day long and I’ve slept in it and woken up to still perfect brows. I used to use Anastasia’s brow pencil but this little duo is perfection. You can blend and make your own color.

3595-Brow-Trio-WebI would not get the duo without the brow brush. It really creates the perfect shape to your brows. Brow brush, $19.00

1010-brow-brush-720x720Loreal Infallible Makeup Pro-Setting Spray ($12-15)

This sets your makeup in a few sprays. It is gentle and non-irritating and can stand up against the hot days of summer. No one wants their makeup dripping down their face. I tested this out at the beach. I wanted to see if it could hold up through a day of sun and sand and it did! Normally I don’t wear makeup to the beach but I wanted to see how good this actually is and it passed the test.

Cos21q_1_pack-shot2Better Than Sex Mascara ($19)

The name is something else, huh? But this seriously is the holy grail of mascaras. It has fibers so it thickens and lengthens. And like some other fiber mascaras, it is not hard to remove. The brush is big and helps really separate and lengthen your lashes.

s1533439-main-hero-300Dr. Jart+ BB Cream SPF 45 ($39)

This BB Cream offers really good full coverage but without being heavy. Has an SPF 45 while also containing anti-aging properties. My face is dry and this is very hydrating. It’s a great multi-tasking beauty balm that I’ve been devoted to. Comes in two different shades. I use the light to medium.

A moisturizer, sunscreen, and treatment serum, this all-in-one product also includes advanced brightening properties. Ideal under makeup, its natural-looking coverage minimizes the appearance of imperfections and evens the skintone. Antioxidant bio-peptides and adenosine protect skin from harsh environmental factors while restoring firmness and elasticity. This lightweight formula features mineral sunscreens to provide broad spectrum sun protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Skin is left looking smooth, perfect, and natural.

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Summer Makeup Routine

So it’s starting to finally become summer which means it’s hot and humid, and generally your makeup could go running off your face into a puddle on the floor. It’s generally the time to time change not only the colors you’re using from dark to light and bright, but what you’re using for protection from the sun and what will hold up on a hot day so you look radiant and not sweaty. If I had to pick just ONE go to product for summer it would be Dr. Jart+ BB Cream which is a tinted moisturizer with an SPF of 45! I have tried so many BB creams, CC creams, tinted moisturizers and this one is still my number one pick. It goes on light and smooth, super hydrating, but also you get this amazing coverage like a foundation. I like getting a tan in the summer but never on my face, so this offers amazing protection from the sun.

Two new products that I’m trying for summer are Bobbi Brown’s bronze brick and YSL Baby Doll Lip/Cheek tint, color no. 1. I was really excited to try the Bobbi Brown bronze brick since I first saw it on Pinterest. I’m not 100% sold on it. I don’t know if it’s the color or the shimmer but it’s not perfection, which is what you want when you’reĀ  spending nearly $45 on a bronzer. I feel like I’ve gotten better results with products that are far more cost effective. So I can’t say I’m a fan, but I will keep trying it out until I’ve mastered it. I do like that you can pick individual colors or a combination to use for different things. Such as the highlighting color can be applied only with a sweep of a smaller brush and that’s pretty awesome.

I am a HUGE fan of YSL lipstick and lip tints. It is a very pricy thing to collect at $35 but I really believe that it is truly the best. The YSL Baby Doll Lip/Cheek tint comes in at $40. I guess they added that extra $5 for its versatility. Who knows? But I found this to be a bright and fun fuschia to wear this summer. It is a matte formula that is hydrating and has decent staying power, not as good as a YSL lip stain though. I have tried it both as a lipstick and as a blush. I thought the blush was a little bright for my skin tone but maybe it’s just a less is more kind of thing.

My Summer Essentials: tinted moisturizer with coverage and good spf, a bronzer with a little shimmer, and a lip tint that can be used both for lips and cheeks.

What are some of your go-to products for summer?

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