Contour Kit by Anastasia Beverly Hills
Contouring has become so popular and there are so many products out there to choose from. I am a huge ABH fan, they have some of the best brow products out there... I also want to give a shout out to their brow bar at nordstrom in The Woodlands, Texas. I used to always get my brows done at the nail shop, friends be careful and make sure wherever your going really takes time to measure and shape your brows. You also don't want them to use wax that is too hot, it can irritate the skin around the brow! OK, this is not a post about brows, back to the contour kit! My favorite shade is the banana powder, I use this everyday to set my under eye concealer. You can replace the pans in this kit as you run out, which is awesome and saves you money! I also love the three brown shades, you have a great cool tone brown for contouring and two warm tones for bronzing the face. Now I am not a huge fan of their highlight in this kit but overall I give this palette an A+.

The Manizer Sisters by theBalm Cosmetics
This makeup line seriously has some of the cutest packaging out there. Highlight is probably one of my must have products, it's all about the glow! I own many highlights and find myself reaching for this little palette everyday. I love how theBalm packaged all 3 of their highlights, it makes it so convenient but my favorite of the three has to be Mary-Lou Manizer, I apply this to my cheekbones and the tip of my nose and love love love the glow it gives to my skin!

HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara by Stila
I know Better Than Sex Mascara by Too Faced is pretty awesome but I think I found something I love more... Yep, it's this bad boy. I mean I love how this makes my lashes look so full and it lengthens them too! If you like volume in your lashes and for them to crisscross each other and almost look like fake lashes, then this mascara is for you.

L'oreal  Infallible Setting Spray
I use this setting spray every time I wear make up and it works great making your make up stay put and last all day. I tend to touch my face a lot and don't have too much time for touch ups so this step is truly necessary for me. It is very comparable to Urban Decay's setting spray and its about half the price!

Morphe Brushes
BEST DAMN BRUSHES. Go buy some right now. You will not break your bank purchasing these brushes, they are so affordable and work like a dream. I am so amazed at how great they blend out products and apply them to the skin. MAC brushes are great too but it hurts just buying a few brushes because they add up quickly, before you know it you are spending hundreds. I will have to dedicate a post to Morphe and tell you all about my favorite tools and makeup this company offers.

Quick Makeup Look

Waking up felt like the worst idea, no I take that back, staying up late watching some of my favorite youtube channels and hallmark movies was not the best idea. I tell myself every night that I will get my "beauty" sleep. Let me just say it's not an easy task for me because I love surfing the web and watching shows on my dvr. 

So back to this morning, I did not want to get out of bed and the snooze button was (and always is) my best friend. I made the mistake of convincing myself I was awake and to just "relax" in bed a little longer, 30 min later I am jolting out of bed and running around my room not knowing where to start. Thankfully my hair still looked good from the curls I had done the day before and I knew I had to do a quick make up look. This was my simple and fast look of the day, I really did love it! And I wanted to share some quick tips for you all that don't have much time in the morning to do a full face of make up. The fastest way to look all dolled up with out having to get too complex is to wear a bold lip color, this instantly brings out the glam.

I did a quick application of foundation over the entire face and popped on this new eyes shadow stick, from Birchbox and Tati Westbrook, all over the lower lid and then applied a chocolate color shadow with a fluffy brush on to my outer crease, to add some depth. You can use any fluffy eye shadow brush and apply a shadow that is a few shades darker than your skin tone to your crease to add depth and some color to you eyes. Next, I used my new Ofra Cosmetics liquid lipstick in the shade "atlantic city" and applied that to my lips. This shade is a nice bright red for the holidays and pairs perfectly with this bronzy eye look. I then did a quick swirl of bronzer around the perimiter of my face and  some blush on the apples of my cheek, along with some highlight on my cheekbones and tip of my nose.  Oh and never forget to fill in your brows a bit, it is so important not to skip this step because it truly frames your face and makes your eyes stand out. Last step is to run some mascara along your lashes! 

Once you get the rhythm down along with getting to know what shades work best with your eye color and skin tone, you too will be able to do a quick and easy make up look.  You could also use a BB or CC cream instead of foundation, just remember you wont get as much coverage but it will still look wonderful on the skin and feel really light. 

I wanted to share this fun and simple day time look, along with some awesome new product shout outs! I will be testing out more new products and letting you all know how I feel about them, so make sure and visit my blog again!

Battle of the Boxes: October

Better late then never right? November, MY BIRTHDAY MONTH, has been so crazy busy for me. I knew I had to get this battle of the boxes up no matter what, so here is the oh so anticipated review on my beauty subscription boxes!!


BIRCHBOX: 

Davines LOVE Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner

This shampoo does not lather and personally I can't get used to that! I feel like I need to use more product to get my hair clean. Now I can't deny that I did like the way my hair looked after shampooing and conditioning... BUT my hair got oily quickly. I have color treated hair and tend to wash my hair every other day and sometimes every two days, so needless to say this was not a shampoo and conditioner for me.

Harvey Prince Ageless- Pink Grapefruit
Smells really good and love this scent for everyday. I already have a few perfumes but I will definitely keep this one in mind when its time to buy a few more. This perfume has a mix of floral and citrus scents, it also has true lasting power throughout the day. If you are shopping around for a fun and light everyday scent, take your time and check this one out.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (24 Hour Miracle Cream)
The soothing shea butter and aloe vera in this product definitely makes your skin look and feel great. I used this product a few times at night and in the morning my skin was so hydrated and smooth. A plus side, you can use this cream as a makeup remover, post-shave soother, and all over body lotion!

12 Benefits Instant Healthy Hair Treatment
This product works nicely but I already have a product that is very similar (it's a 10 Leave In Product) and I would not switch over. It has a combo of natural protiens and lipids and makes your hair feel smoother and look healthier, not to mention how easy it is to brush after letting it soak in. 

IPSY:

Peter Lamas Exfoliating Pumpkin Facial Scrub
Yummy, smells like pumpkin and feels like fall! I have used this product several times and although I love the smell, I would not purchase this exfoliating facial scrub. I have sensitive skin and prefer a scrub that is not so abrasive. Some may like this product, it definitely leaves your skin feeling "scrubbed" clean.  

Ayres Sunrise Hand Cream
I usually do not get too excited about hand creams but this product has really cute packaging and I threw it in my purse right away. Washing your hands all the time can really get them dry, especially now with the colder weather. It's important to use a good hand cream throughout the day and before you go to bed. I already have so many but I did enjoy this product in my ipsy bag.

Aurora Gel Effect Nail Polish in Inky Dinky
Love the color but I have not tried this out yet... 

theBalm Cosmetics Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick
WINNER! Love it and will be purchasing multiple shades, the formula doesn't leave your lips feeling super dry. I tend to always love theBalm Cosmetics and these are new to their line, I would definitely recommend you to try this product if you are looking for a neutral liquid lipstick. They are great for lasting long and have a matte finish.

Coastal Scents Eyeliner
FAIL. I have to say that I was really disappointed in this product. I always hear great things about this line and was excited to try this liner and hated it. I do not like any eye product that tugs the skin and is hard to apply, my favorite types of liners glide on easy. I will not be giving this product a second chance.



THE BOX OF THE MONTH IS... IPSY! Thanks to theBalm Cosmetics liquid lipstick I have decided that the ipsy bag won me over this month. 

October Favorites

I love sharing some of my favorite products of the month but it's so hard to pick and choose. Here are a few new products I have tried and am completely sold on! 

The Sigma F80 Flat Kubuki Brush

This foundation brush is now what I reach for every morning to apply my liquid foundation. It pushes and blends the product right into your face like a dream. Sigma brushes are a wonderful investment and the prices are more affordable than MAC brushes, which are amazing as well! 

Lorac Mega Pro II 

Lorac is one of my favorites for eyeshadows and I love so many of their products. I have the first mega pro palette and I absolutely love it and now I have to say I love the second one just as much. I have been reaching for this palette almost everyday to try new looks. It offers 12 matte shades and 12 shimmering shades. While it has some nice warm colors I do feel this palette has more cool tones. 

Pixie: Glow Tonic Exfoliating Toner

This product has truly made its impact on my face. Ever since I saw Tati use this I knew I had to try it! It has 5% glycolic, aloe vera and ginseng. It's said to even outskintone for a brighter complexion. It gently exfoliates the skin to remove dead skin cells. In other words, it's a miracle worker! The texture of my face has truly improved and I know this product has truly made a difference. 

Vichy: Aqualia Thermal Moisturizer 

If you need a great moisturizer for combination to dry skin, I highly recommend this product! I first tried it because it came to me as a sample through Ulta. After using this product my dry patches disappeared and my skin starred looking refreshed and plump. I was sold. I not only purchased the full sized product at Ulta, but turned my sister into a fan!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss

Do you like the smell of cupcakes?! I love applying this yummy smelling lip gloss on my lips! I'm a HUGE fan of the ABH makeup line (especially all of their brow products). I have been using the heck out of these bad boys and you can currently get an awesome deal at Macy's with there holiday lip gloss set! I will be talking more about holiday sets, so make sure to check back to my page soon! Back to these glosses... They have such great pigments and make your lips look incredibly glossy and sexy! You can use them on there own when your in a hurry, pair it with a lip liner, or even mix it with some of your favorite lipsticks! They wear incredibly! 

Winter is Coming!

Cold weather is near and I'm sure we are all excited to escape the summer heat. But ladies lets remember with cold weather comes dry skin! It is so important to take care of our lovely faces and moisturizing, morning and night, is so important. 

I even add an oil based serum to my daily routine. Remember just because you might already have oily skin doesn't mean you should skip this crucial step! Sometimes when we constantly strip our faces of their natural oils, our bodies end up wanting to produce even more oil to compensate. Having a daily routine is so important for having better skin, you have to stay consistent. And most importantly your make up will apply so much nicer! 

Battle of the Boxes

Subscription boxes have become so popular! I love both Birchbox and Ipsy, but I tend to have a favorite out of the two from month to month. Last month I shared with you my August Birchbox. I decided to change things up a bit, because who doesn't like a battle... A battle of the boxes. Well actually one comes in a pretty little box and the one comes in a cute little make up bag. 

You can sign up online for both of these beauty subscriptions at only $10/month! You receive 5 sample sized products and sometimes you get lucky and get a full size product. Let's reveal the goodies shall we!!

September Birchbox Items and Reviews!

1. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk in Natural Tint: This was a repeat... which was a bittersweet moment for me because I did really like this product but I wanted to try something new! This dry shampoo does work really well but I would have to say Batiste dry shampoo is still my favorite.

2. Parlor by Jeff Chastain Moisturizing & Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner:
Ok, lets be real... Shampoo samples never tend to really excite me all that much. THIS SHAMPOO WAS AMAZING! My hair after just one use was so soft and smelled so good. I caught myself taking second looks in the mirror and asking everyone to feel my hair. I love this product and as soon as my shampoo runs low, I will be purchasing this duo!

3. Wilma Schumann Skincare- Hydrating Collagen Eye Pads: Iam super excited to try this item but for some reason haven't made my way around to it. So I will get to it and update y'all shortly!!

4. ModelCo Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick in Kitty: Not impressed. We started off on a bad note because when I opened up this lipstick it was broken. Birchbox is a great company and all I had to do was email them and they sent me a new lipstick right away. Sadly as I said earlier, I was not impressed with this lipstick. I did not find the formula to be long lasting and the color was not my favorite either. But I do love receiving lipsticks in my birchbox.

5. POP Beauty POP Portfolio Eyeshadow mini Palette: This product came with three eyeshadow shades that blended nicely. It included 3 cool toned eye shadows in purple, white, and grey. All three of these were shimmering and nicely pigmented. The only problem was that I felt the colors didn't last long on the lid. When I went to the bathroom at work for a quick face check, I was bummed that I looked like my make up had worn off!

September Ipsy Bag Items and Reviews!

1. Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in Elegantly Wasted: OMG! Favorite item alert!! This was not only a full sized item but I freaking love it. I instantly went to the trust fund beauty website and was even more thrilled when I saw all the beautiful colors this company offers, oh and the hilarious names behind each bottle of fabulous nail polish. This product applies smooth and DRIES IN THE MATTER OF MINUTES!!! No joke friends, this stuff is the bomb.com!

2. City Color Cosmetics City Chic Lipstick: Very pigmented and I love the color they sent to me but sadly I'm just not a big fan of lipsticks that wear off so quickly. Don't get me wrong I still find myself reaching for this product but I don't think I would purchase this item. There was non WOW factor.

3. Eau Thermale Avene Soothing Moisture Mask: Loved it! I ended up using this as a nightly moisturizing treatment and it left my skin feeling soft and hydrated the next morning. I wish the same was larger because I tend to want to try skin products more than once to get a better feel for the item. It's hard to tell if it truly makes a difference to your skin when you can only use the product once, maybe twice.

4. Temptu Highlight: This is definitely a product I would purchase! It has multiple functions as a liquid highlight. I love this gold shimmering shade!! I tend to use it around the inner v of the eyes and as a highlight on my cheek bones. I am wanting to try more from this line of make up. And as you all may already know, Temptu is popular for their airbrush machine. 

5. NYX Eyeshadow Trio: I really liked the way these were so easy to blend. I was able to do a nice and easy smokey eye. NYX is a great cosmetic line that has really wonderful products for an amazing low price. I carry some of there items in my make up kit. I will have to do a product line review for this company soon!


For September beauty subscription winner is... 

I have to say the nail polish was the deciding factor. Yup, it was that amazing. But stay tuned for the future battles. I absolutely have loved both these beauty subscription boxes and will continue to review them for you!

My Top Ten Under $10!

Go! Right now! And pick up these Wet and Wild Mega Last Lipsticks. If you are looking for some fun and bold colors to wear on your lips this fall, look no further. They last all day and are amazing for only $1.99 each! I absolutely love how creamy and matte these lipsticks are, and so many beautiful colors to choose from! 

Morphe Brushes are awesome! They have so many fabulous eye brushes for under $10. If your looking for inexpensive brushes that do the trick, look no further! 

These color tattoos by Maybelline are wonderful. I use them often as an eye base. I love layering my shadows over these to help my shadow last all day and apply super pigmented. I also love these on there own, you can just dab some on with your finger and your good to go.

I could not live with out these! I honestly repurchase them as soon as I start to run low. They are amazing and lightweight with the ability to blend into the skin like a dream. Not only are these bad boys great concealers, but hello contouring. I use the darker shades to contour my face all the time. Grab that beauty blender and go to town!

As you can see, I really love this gel liner as it's more than halfway gone. It has great staying power and is one of my favorite liners to use for the infamous "cat eye". It's real opaque and has a matte finish.

This little gem is great for setting your concealer. Ignore the glitter specs, they will fall away with one sweep of your brush. You will be left with a great setting powder for under your eyes!

This ELF product is considered a baked blush, but as soon as I tried this product I was in highlight love! Reminds me of MAC's soft and gentle and it gives your skin that beautiful natural glow. 

This is great for making your lashes curl up and look super full! I'm definitely a fan of Maybelline mascaras, but this is hands down my favorite.

This foundation is literally one of my favorites. I love using the matte formula for normal to oily skin in the summer and the dewy formula for normal to dry skin in the winter. It leaves a beautiful medium to full coverage finish to the skin and lasts all day! 

Ok my fabulous ladies, I cheated. This one is really $12 but I couldn't leave it out. It's close enough to $10 that I snuck it in, but you will love me for it! This Pixi correcting concealer is a dream come true and will magically make those dark circles disappear! I apply it on the inner corner of my eyes and then apply my regular concealer right over it... Amazing!

Arlene's Engagement Look

I had the pleasure of doing makeup for Arlene's engagement session and knew she wanted a soft and natural look. Arlene had shared with me a makeup experience gone wrong in the past, and that she wasn't used to wearing too much makeup. 

We decided to go with a simple but done up look for her session. I decided to layer some soft browns in the crease with a subtle peach on the lid to compliment, not only the dress, but her skin tone. It definitely enhanced her eyes! I also focused on her complexion, by giving her full coverage and still keeping that natural look for photos.  

Thank you Rachel Madison Photography for sharing some of these amazing pictures with me. 

Fun and Flirty Daytime look

Summer is coming to an end and Fall is right around the corner. This was a fun, warm look. Looks great in the summer, but can transition perfectly into fall with these warm toned eyeshadows. Can you totally see this look paired with some tall boots and chunky knit sweater? Fab!! Tall skinny pumpkin spice latte anyone? 

In this look I used:

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

Makeup Forever HD Foundation

MAC Prolong Wear Concealer

Maybelline Fit Me Powder, Translucent

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, Light to Medium

Wet n Wild Blush, Pearlescent Pink

ELF Baked Blush in Pinktastic (used as Highlight)

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Lorac Mega Pro Eyeshadow Palette

L'Oreal Infallible Gel Liner, Blackest 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, Medium Brown

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

MAC Fix+

L'Oreal Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray 

August Favorites!

It's so hard to believe that today is September 1st. We're always saying we can't wait for fall to be here but, let's enjoy these last few weeks of summer! 

August was truly a busy, yet exciting, month. Exciting because I finally launched this long awaited blog!! I am so happy to share all my beauty secrets and knowledge with you!! We all love helpful tips on beauty skills and honest reviews on products we can and can't live without. Ok, ok, enough lets get to the good stuff... Here are some of my August faves!

MAC Prep and Prime Fix +

Fix + does the face good. Oh my, where has this face mist been my whole life!? Now, this product is not a setting spray to set your make-up all day... But it will make your skin glow! If you ever have those moments where nothing is going right while applying your make-up, just spray this all over your face and watch the magic happen. It helps with blending foundation on the skin, especially when you have dry patches. If your make-up feels like too much or looks a little cakey, just spritz your face! You can even spray your eyeshadow brushes for an even better pop of pigment! Buy this magical face mist for $22.00 USD!

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector

Summer is all about the "glow". I love this BECCA product because it gives such a pretty and soft glow that makes your skin look so healthy! It is a liquid highlight and you want to make sure NOT to apply it over a powder. It works great on its own for simple pool day or add it to your foundation for an all over natural glow. It truly makes your skin stand out! This product is a little pricier at $41.00 USD but totally worth it!

The "Jaclyn Hill" Morphe Palette

Not only has this been such a great eyeshadow palette for summer but you will totally love to use it for fall too! These shadows are so pigmented and super blendable. They have many palettes that start at $19.99 USD! Morphe is a wonderful and inexpensive brand but you can only purchase their products online. They have tons of eyeshadow colors and I love their brushes too!  

Which brings me to my next August fav...

Morphe Brush M501: Pro Pointed Blender

The craze this summer has been all about the GLOW. This Morphe brush is the best for applying highlight onto your cheek bones and down the bridge of your nose. It's the perfect size and super soft! Best part is this won't break your bank, it retails for $7.99 USD!!

Lorac Unzipped Blush Palette 

This product is no longer available, but no worries because I absolutely love all Lorac Cosmetics has to offer. They have the most blendable, creamy eyeshadows you could ever want! And they just recently came out with a contour palette that I am dying to try. That being said, this blush palette has been my go to all summer! 

August Birchbox

This is always an exciting trip to the the mailbox!! I will let you all know what all I received and what my thoughts were on each product. 

Products recieved in my August Birchbox are: 

1. Klorane Dry Shamppo- natural tint

2. St. Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion

3. IPKN Flash Cream Radiant Primer

4. The Balm Desert Bronzer/Blush

5. Scalisi Skincare Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 

I loved the bronzer/blush and primer and have yet to try the dry shampoo and self tanner lotion. BUT the anti-aging moisturizer (which I was so excited to try) dissapointed me! 

That anti-aging moisturizer with SPF felt greasy! I honestly felt I was putting straight sunblock on my face. I was excited to try this and hoped it would be an August favorite for this Texas heat! If you want a great SPF for the face and even your body I definitely suggest Supergoop. This was a Birchbox product that I fell in love with!

 

The Balm make-up products are so much fun just to look at, LOVE their packaging! This was such a wonderful shade for summer. The bronzer/blush has a reddish tint to it and just looks awesome with a tan. You could even skip the bronzer with this product if you're in a hurry. I'm definitely going to purchase this item!

The IPKN Flash Cream Radiant Primer was definitely a success. Not only did it prolong the wear of my make up, but made my skin feel fabulous! If you have dry or combination skin, you will love this primer. It hydrates your face and feels so good!

I've heard so many good things about St. Tropez shower lotion I honestly can't wait to give this product a try. And who can live with out dry shampoo, not this girl! I'm super excited to try the Klorane Dry Shamppo. Right now I'm a true Batiste dry shampoo fan, I mean I can't go a week without this product!! 

Overall, I'd say Birchbox has given me some awesome products to try this month. If you haven't already given in to this subscription box, I think you should! It's a great way to try independent brands! 

GIRLS NIGHT AFTER WORK!

I had so much fun doing this soft smokey eye with toofaced semisweet eyeshadow palette! It's a look that can go both ways, great for a night out and soft enough for work! I also used makeup forever HD foundation in 120. I did a soft pink on my cheeks with lorac unzipped blush palette along with cargo swimmables bronzer! Let's not forget a pretty nude lip with blushing beige by maybelline. Keep posted for more make-up looks and beauty tips!

Here I am!!!

I can't believe July is over and August is here. It's been a crazy, busy summer but I'm so excited to say HELLO BLOG WORLD!! This is my very first blog post of many more to come! 

I want to introduce myself, I'm Daneli... I love making others feel beautiful through the power of make-up and all other sorts of beauty products (including myself)!! I have many hobbies and other interests but make-up is my passion. I hope you all will enjoy my blog where I will be talking about latest trends, make-up techniques, products, uplifting woman's confidence and so much more! I feel like I'm getting a little too "exclamation" happy but I'm just so excited!!!! :) 

I want to give a quick shout out to YouTube make-up vloggers who have been my inspiration!