Top 10 High End Products 2015

Hello loves! Most of you loved my Top 10 Drugstore Products post, so I decided to do a high-end one! These are products that I personally use and will repurchase, so I give my honest opinion on each one. I realized these products are not cheap so I wanted to make sure I picked things that are worth the money, and that you can use in your every day makeup routine. If you decide to go buy anything at Ulta or Sephora make sure to sign up for their loyalty card.. the points add up! At Ulta they will give you money off a purchase and usually send you coupons every month. At Sephora you can get deluxe sized samples for points and I love getting stuff like that because it gives you a chance to try out a product before you fork out the money for it. If you have any questions on products I mention please ask or if you purchase any of these products let me know what you think!

First, I have the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. This is basically a brow pencil. This is the most amazing brow pencil I have ever used. It looks very natural because it has an ultra  fine tip to mimic brow hair, has great pigmentation, and it has a handy spooley on the end. It is available in 8 colors and retails for $21. Mine lasts for about 8 months but I don't use it everyday.

 Next, I have the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. I have a few of the minis because they used to come free when you purchased a Naked palette. I have had some of my bottles for years (a little goes a long way!) so if you don't want to pay $20 for the full size, you can get away with buying the mini one for $12 and trust me it will last. This stuff is amazing, it has a crease free formula and honestly if you have this under your eye shadow you could fall asleep and wake up with your shadow still looking flawless!

Ok this stuff is my absolute favorite setting powder for under my eyes. It is the Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder. This is a translucent finishing powder and I use it to set my concealer. It makes my skin feel velvety soft and it does not crease or move all day! Again, with this a little bit goes a long way. You could get away with buying the mini for $19 and it will last you a while, or splurge and get the big one for $34 (it is so worth every penny!!).

 This is the Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation, I use shade 4. This is, in my opinion, very expensive for a foundation.. It is $42 but if you want a great foundation that will last you months and you don't mind splurging a little, I would say get this! I love the natural and smooth finish it gives me and it has an 8 hour wear. It doesn't dry out my skin and it doesn't look cakey at all. It is just an all around great product!

 Back to brows.. This is the Benefit Gimme Brow and I use this to set my brows in place after I fill them in with my pencil or because it is tinted you can use it alone for a natural, fuller brow. This product is $24 but if you want just one brow product, not 2, I would recommend just getting the Anastasia Brow Wiz I mentioned earlier. You have more hold power with this product but less control on how your brows will turn out (The Brow Wiz is more precise).

This is probably the first high end product I ever purchased.. it's my ride or die liquid liner!! This is the Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Liner and it's staying power is pretty amazing. I don't think I have ever left it on for 24 hours but I believe it would stay on that long! They also make a pencil liner for those of you that are scared of liquid liners! This liner is $19 and totally worth it! The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil retails for $20.

 Next up is lashes! I know every one loves the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara but if you tried this you will never think about that stuff again! This is the Urban Decay Perversion Mascara. When I wear this people think I have on false lashes! It is $22  alone but Ulta sells a bundle of 2 full sized tubes for $28 which is a great deal!

 I wanted to include an eye shadow palette in this for a few reasons.. one reason being if you find a high end eye shadow palette (doesn't have to be this one) that you like and you know you will use most or all of the colors, get it. These palettes are totally worth the $40-$60 because they will last you years and usually include a ton of great quality shadows. They expire after about 2 years but I think $50 for 2 years worth of shadow isn't bad. If you get a palette that has everything you need (a highlight, shimmer shadows, and matte shadows) in the colors you usually wear it is 100% worth it. This Lorac Pro palette is an all around great palette with 8 matte shadows and 8 shimmer shadows(2 are beautiful highlight shades). It has everything you need and it comes with an eye shadow primer. At $42 this product is a great value!



This is the Smashbox Pore Minimizing Photo Finish Primer and I use this under my foundation. It does a great job at making my pores appear smaller and it helps my foundation last longer and sit better on my face. I bought the small tube of this for $16 because I just cant bring myself to buy the full size one for $39. My small tube has lasted me for almost 7 months now and I use this a lot. Smashbox makes a few different primers in the Photo Finish line I just prefer the pore minimizing.

Finally, I have the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray and I use this every day. I love setting my makeup with this because it just helps so much with making my makeup last all day and just making it look better, it really is a great product. You can get the smaller size for $14 and the bigger size for $30. I get the bigger one just because I use it so much.





Thank you guys for reading! If you are loving any products you think I need to try let me know, I love hearing your opinions and trying new stuff! Oh and I included links for each product to help out those of you having trouble finding products I mention! ;)

xoxo
Magg

12 Beauty Mistakes

12 Beauty Mistakes you are (probably) making!

1. Matching your foundation to your hand- you don't walk around with your hand on your face so why match them? They are usually 2 different colors any way.. so next time match your foundation to your neck or jawline!

2. Not using a base coat- your nail polish will last so much longer if you use a base coat. It holds on to the polish better than your nails do.

3. Not setting liquid products- I talked about this a little bit in my last post. It is very important to set cream and liquid product with a powder. Liquids and creams can shift throughout the day and they can also settle in your pores and make them much more apparent.

4. Keeping makeup too long- I am so guilty of this.. I am such a makeup hoarder! Makeup expires and usually it has an expiration date on the packaging so make sure to look next time you buy something. Makeup can hold germs and bacteria and it can also just not work the way it is supposed to, so if its more than a few years old, throw it out!

5. Curling your lashes with mascara on- I used to do this all the time.. but it will pull out your lashes. Curl before applying mascara and another tip.. pump your curler instead of squeezing and holding it on the lashes, the curl will last longer and I think it just works better!

6. Not washing your face or moisturizing EVERY night- do not go to bed with makeup on. It isn't good for your completion or your pores. After you wash your face moisturize with a face cream. I use the Clarisonic to wash my face and Olay, Night of Olay to moisturize. If you do this, your future face will thank you!

7. Not spraying your bobby pins with hair spray- before I put bobby pins in, I always spray them with hair spray it makes putting your hair up so much easier and they just stay in better.

 8. Not using Vaseline!- put Vaseline around your finger nails before you paint them (it will make clean up easier) and you can put it on your hair line when coloring your hair so the color doesn't stain your skin.

9. Not moisturizing your skin 30 min before putting on makeup- this will help your makeup to sit better on your face and keeping your face moisturized is good for your completion.

10. Not keep your makeup looking ''natural''- I say "natural" because obviously we wear makeup and we didn't wake up like this (or did we?) but I mean if you're filling in you're brows, make sure they match your hair color(for the most part). I know I have bright red hair and obviously I'm not going to fill my brows in and make them bright red but I stick with my natural brow color. It's like when you see someone with black brows but they are a natural red head, it just doesn't look right. When in doubt go a shade lighter! Brows are just one example but keep this in mind when you are contouring also. We want people to believe that God gave us a flawless face and brows that are always on point.

11. Not balancing out your look- if you want to wear a bold lip, stick with a simple eye. If you are rocking a bold or smoky eye, wear a nude gloss.

12. Using heat on your hair EVERYDAY- we all know this isn't good for your hair but so many of us do it anyway. If you aren't going anywhere leave your hair alone, rock a sock bun, or just let it air dry. It will thank you!

I hope some of these tips and tricks help you. You will thank me some day, I promise!

xoxo
Magg

My Makeup Routine- Face Edition!

Hey Babes!
I first wanted to say thank you all for so much positive feed back already! You guys have given me great ideas for posts. So today I am going to do the most highly request post so far and that's a makeup routine. I did not include my eyes or anything in this tutorial I am just going to go over what I do for my face routine. I hope this helps those of you with questions on what makeup goes where.. I know it can be super confusing at times!

Before I started anything I cleaned my face with my Clarisonic and moisturized.

 

 

The first step is to prime. Today I used the Smashbox Pore Minimizing Photo Finish Primer..

I had some imperfections so next I covered them up with Maybelline Fit Me concealer in light..

Then I apply foundation using my flat top kabuki brush I applied my Smashbox Photo Filter creamy powder foundation in shade 4.. (sorry I look mad?! haha)

After that, I apply my concealer again on all the high points of my face that I want to highlight including my forehead, under my eyes, down the bridge of my nose, my cupids bow, and my chin. I blended using a damp Beauty Blender or just use your finger..

Always remember if you apply any cream or liquid to your face make sure to set it with a powder. So, my next step is to set my concealer using the Makeup Forever HD powder..

 

 After that, I bronzed my face (DO NOT apply where you just highlighted!!) using the bronzing shade in my BH Cosmetics Forever Nude Sculpt and Glow pallet..

 Next I contoured my face using the contour powder in the same BH pallet. I like a more natural contour.. I lightly apply the powder in the hollows of my cheeks, my temples and top of my forehead..

 Almost done guys! On the apples of my cheeks I applied some blush. I used Smashbox Rosy..

 And last but not least, I highlighted the tops of my cheek bones with my Hard Candy baked bronzer in Tiki..

 This is a up close of the final look..

 And Hayleigh got excited I gave her a blush brush so she wanted a picture..

Thank you all so much for reading! I hope this was helpful to those of you with questions.. Let me know if you all have anymore questions or more post suggestions!!

xoxo
Magg

Top 10 Drug Store Products 2015

 

Hey Guys! As a girl I know how hard it can be to buy makeup.. There are just so many choices and so many companies promising you the best product, it can be easy to get lost in the never-ending isles of makeup. So, I decided to pick out my 10 favorite drug store products and shared them with you. All of these products are easy to find at Ulta, Walmart, or Target and even better.. they are all under $10(some prices change depending on where you purchase them)! I stand by these products and I am 100% honest on my opinion of them. Yes, some high end products might be better(you get what you pay for) but a lot of people don't want to spend that much money on makeup, I get that. So I hope this helps those of you who love a good drug store find! If you have any more questions on any products I mention please let me know!

 

 

 

 

First up, this is the Maybelline Baby Skin primer.. I really like this primer because it does a great job at filling in pores. I use it on a day to day basis under my foundation. Honestly I grab for a high end primer if I'm going out or need my foundation to last, but at $7 it is a great product for the price!

This is the Elf blush pallet in dark. This pallet is awesome! I love all 4 of the colors and the huge mirror is pretty handy. This pallet comes in 2 shades, one in light, one in dark, and I have used both. The color pay off is amazing and it is only $6.. Basically you cant beat it! Elf has some really great product for a very affordable price.

Next I have the NYX Matte Bronzer in light. I have bought so many bronzers and contouring powders and I always find myself going back to this gem. This product is matte and the perfect contouring color(not too orange, not too ash) so obviously I love it for contouring not so much bronzing. NYX is another company that makes really great products for a very affordable price! This powder is only $9!!

I'm sure most of you know what this is.. If not get it together girl, you need this in your life. This is NYX Butter Gloss and it is the most wonderful gloss I have ever used. Its so buttery and creamy and the pigmentation is awesome and they come in so many great colors. I love love love this stuff and can't live with out it! It is only $5 and I think I have every color NYX makes!! 

Ever since I started wearing makeup I think I have used this product.. It is the Maybelline Unstoppable liner. This liner really doesn't have any amazing super power or anything it is just a very good, reliable black liner. This is for sure a staple in my makeup collection(I have at lest 3 in my drawer) and I don't think $5 for a good liner is bad at all..

This is the Maybelline Fit Me concealer in Light. I always find myself going back to this product, I have repurchased this many, many times. It is so creamy and light weight I really love this for under my eyes. It doesn't crease on me and it conceals all my imperfections.. $7 is such an amazing price compared to other high end concealers which are around $30!

So this is my holy grail foundation. This is L'Oreal True match(I am in the shade W3). This foundation is just as good as my other high end foundations if not better. I use a flat top kabuki brush to apply it if I want full to medium coverage or if I want medium to light coverage, I use a damp beauty blender. This foundation is around $10. L'Oreal also makes a True Match Lumi which gives a more dewy finish. I don't use that because my skin is already oily but I have heard some great reviews on it!



This is the Elf lip Exfoliator and honestly.. who doesn't need a good lip exfoliator?! It's only $3 and I use it every night when I moisturize my face. I love the way it makes my lips feel and it does a good job getting rid or that icky dead skin!

This is the Hard Candy Baked Bronzer in Tiki (I use it as a highlight). I used to use this all the time years ago and forgot about it until recently.. I complimented one of my friends on how pretty her highlight was and she was wearing this! I repurchased it and fell in love again! (Thanks Jenn!!) It is so beautiful on the cheek bone and at $9 you cant beat the price. I have high end highlighters that don't look as beautiful on the skin as this does..

Finally I have the Maybelline Lashsensational Waterproof mascara. If I had to pick one amazing mascara from the drug store.. this is it! This stuff has amazing staying power and it is super volumizing.. it makes me look like I am wearing false lashes! It has a curved brush with short bristles on one size for volume and long bristles on the other side to give you length. $9 for amazing lases? I'll take it!

 



Well that's all I have for my drug store favorites! If you tried out any of the products I mentioned please let me know. I'd love to hear your opinion! Thank you all for reading!!

 

xoxo

Magg

June 2015 Boxycharm

Hello Loves!

I received my June Boxycharm in the mail this week so I wanted to do an unboxing for you. If any of you aren't familiar with Boxycharm, it is a monthly subscription that sends you 4-5 full size products for $21/mo. It is a great value! Check them out! www.boxycharm.com

A coupon also came in the box for Mail Beads if you are interested..
$20 off $50 at www.mailbeads.com  
PROMO CODE: BOXYCHARM

This product is Doucce Click Click Lipstick, this is a full size product that retails for $24.00.. I received the color 819, it is a nude brown and has great pigmentation. I swatched it in the bottom picture(left) www.thebeautycrop.com

This is a Bellapierre Kabuki Brush and it retails for $29.99.. It is 100% synthetic fibers and so far I really like it for powders and it will be great for traveling. www.bellapierre.com

This product is the Eslor Chlorophyll Mask, it is a full size product and it retails for $38.00.. It is used to help enhance blood circulation and diminish fine lines. I am actually very excited to try this! www.eslor.com

This is a ncLA nail polish in the shade Volume IV of their nude line, it is a full size product and retails for $16.00.. I have gel polish on right now so I haven't swatched this polish but I love the color, it is a very pretty nude! www.shopncla.com

This is The Beauty Crop Lightning Crew Highlighting Cream, it is full size(believe it or not!!) and it retails for $16.00.. I have the swatched on my hand in the bottom picture(right) and it is so beautiful!! There are multiple uses for this.. You can use it as a highlight, to mix with your foundation, or even a primer under your foundation. this will be awesome for summer! www.thebeautycrop.com

Here I swatched the lipstick(left) and the highlighting cream(right)

 

 

That was everything I got this month and once again Boxycharm didn't let me down!! this is hands down my favorite subscription! I use 90% of everything I get so my $21 is never wasted..

 

xoxo

Magg

Let me introduce myself..

Hello all my beauty lovers!!

Let me start out by letting you get to know who I am and what this blog will be all about! First off, my name is Megan(Magg). I am a stay at home mom living in a small town in Pennsylvania. I am married and have 2 wonderful children, Colton, 6 & Hayleigh, 1.

I was a cosmetologist before I became pregnant the second time and I loved every second of it. I am very passionate about all things beauty including hair, skin and makeup. The aim for my blog is to help out other women(and maybe even men) who have the same interest as I do. reviews, tutorials, and tips are coming your way!!

I am open to any request and ideas that you all have so let me know what you would like me to post!

xoxo
Magg