Pretty Is As Pretty Does

…But a little color never hurt anyone :)

My beauty routine is ever changing - I’d like to think, for the better… I have a few tried-and-true products that are musts - Cetaphil washes, MAC tinted moisturizer and mineralize powders, etc. But other than that, I’m always on the hunt for new great finds. You know when you come across a product and are like WHERE has this been all my life?!?! Love that. I’ve collected a few of those lately, so I thought I’d share…

But first - I came across this great tutorial several months ago on Pinterest. Typically I find that all make-up articles/tutorials say the same thing, but this girl (Alyssa) has some unique tips and tricks that I’ve found very useful.

For one - she does a great job explaining contouring vs. highlighting and I’ve really tried to work that concept in to my daily make-up routine. Which, granted, isn’t fancy - but just adding a few simple steps makes a huge difference.

I’ve gone over it before, but here’s a quick run-down of my everyday routine…

1. I wash and moisturize with Cetaphil products. I use an Aveeno exfoliating wash every other day. I like all of these because they are mild and get the job done.
2. I use MAC’s Studio Moisture Tint instead of foundation. It feels lighter and looks more natural. It also contains a little SPF.
3. I apply concealer and eye brightener only as needed.
4. My next step is contouring… I use a Clinique bronzer that I’ve had for a while and apply it in the “E pattern” described in the tutorial.
5. I use a light dusting of MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish Pressed Powder to balance out my skin tone, the concealer, and the contouring.
6. Next I highlight… I use another Mineralize Skinfinish Powder (in Soft and Gentle)for this. It’s one of my favorite products! It has just enough shimmer to give a subtle glow. I use it on my cheekbones, brow, the tip of my nose… Any prominent feature where I’d have a natural glow from the sun.
7. I typically finish out my everyday look with curled lashes, a little mascara (Maybelline’s Colossal Volume Express), and a tinted Burt’s Bees lip balm.

I like to keep it simple, natural, and QUICK. I only do eye liner and shadows for special occasions, or sometimes on the weekends.

A few other great products I’ve run across lately…

StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate. Alyssa spoke highly of StriVectin anti-aging products in her tutorial. I don’t need general wrinkle cream yet (knock-on-wood) but I do want to start a preventative for my eye area. I have bad allergies and tend to rub my eyes a lot, so I’m paranoid about aging there.

StriVectin can be a little pricey but I found the eye cream for a steal at Marshall’s. (They have it at Costco too.) And let me tell ya… I’m a believer! You can tell a difference immediately. It firmed up my eye area skin and even took care of those tired mommy bags :)

Jergen’s Natural Glow Facial Moisturizer…

I’m not one of those girls that can pull off pale. My natural skin tone is a little darker, but in the winter my face can get 3 shades lighter than the rest of me. It’s not pretty… I’m officially on the anti-UV band wagon, but I can’t take the paleness. I found this product a few weeks ago at the drug store and I’ve been pleasantly surprised with it. It’s a very gradual, subtle tan. I use it every night and it keeps my face matching the rest of me. Definitely not the orange self tanner I remember from 10 years ago.

Neutrogena’s Eye Brightener

I usually use Neutrogena’s concealer. Walgreen’s had the brand on BOGO a few weeks ago, so I got my concealer and decided to try the eye brightener. It’s great! I use both of these after my tinted moisturizer, before my powders, and only as needed. Although, since I’ve started my StriVectin I haven’t needed the brightener as much as I used to :)

Borghese Shadows. You just never know what kind of deals you may find at Marshall’s, y’all…

I found this set of 5 Borghese shadows, 2 liners, and 2 brushes. A $96+ value for $17 :)

The shadows are loose, mineralized powder and really pretty, natural colors. I mentioned that I don’t do my eyes often - partly because of time and partly because I just never know what to do… I’m looking forward to playing around with these!

And one for the hair - Organix Moroccan Argan Oil products.

Generally speaking - I use John Frieda’s Root Awakening shampoo, conditioner, and root spray. My hair is fine but super thick, and won’t hold a style for anything. These seem to give it at least a little more texture and body… However, at my last cut my stylist lectured me about sulfate-free products. I found these at Target (they’re a knock-off of the more expensive Moroccan Oil) and I now use them every 4th or 5th wash. They do a great job of stripping out all the residue and gunk. My hair feels so clean and baby soft afterwards.

That’s it for now! :)