It’s always hard to dump someone.  There are hurt feelings and harsh words, maybe a few tears, definitely some cocktails and desserts smothered in chocolate, caramel, and Oreo cookie crumbles.

Well get out the Edy’s, Sephora.

Everyone knows that Sephora and I (and Sephora.com) have been going steady since I was 15, but we’re currently on the rocks.   There’s a new makeup store in my life, and it’s name is BeautyTicket.com. Yup, although Sephora was the love of my life, I just can’t control my feelings for this much better beauty stop that recently rocked my world.

But it wasn’t just a one night fling; this is serious. I’m falling in love.

This amazing website carries super great brands like YSL, Smashbox, Stila, Tarte, Urban Decay, and Pop, for up to 85% off.  Wow.  I’ll give you a minute to think about how freakin’ amazing that is.  I’m talkin’ Smashbox wooden 4-shadow/blush pallet, originally $45, now $19.00.

These are a few of my favorite current finds, but the merchandise changes so check em’ out quickly:

Smashbox Muse Artist Eye Shadow Pallete: $48 down to $29.99: 10 different colored shadows with a brush!

Yves Saint Laurent “Love Collection” Blush: Was $60, down to $29.99.  This blush is embedded in a foundation so you can use one or the other, or both.  Oh, and its shaped like an adorable pink heart. Read More »

There’s always ways to make things better. Sprinkles make ice-cream better.  A diamond ring makes an outfit better.  Vodka makes…well, anything better.  But what if there was a simple way to make your daily makeup routine better without revamping your whole collection?

I’d say, count me in.

Well many makeup brands want you to think that a simple use of a primer will enhance your makeup and make it last all day and night.  So do we believe it?  Well it’s prime time so here’s the lowdown on all the many different types of primers:

Face Primer: Facial primers are meant to go on a clean face before you apply either foundation or bronzer.  It’s meant to make your makeup go on smoothly, whether you wear liquid, pressed, or loose powder foundation.   There are a couple of facial primers; some are designed to avoid grease, and others are designed to help your makeup last throughout the day. I use Sephora Brand’s Tricks of the Trade Anti Shine Primer, and have got to say I’m pleasantly surprised.  My skin tends to be oily in the summer and it is noticeably less shiny when I apply this cream before my makeup.  Not all shine is eliminated, but I think it’s worth it, especially when I know I’m going to be waitressing all night.
Conclusion: Splurge, it’s worth it. Read More »

You may not have work or class on Memorial Day, but it’s definitely an on-the-go kinda day. Between the family BBQ and the night out with friends (and, of course, all that patriotism), it is easy to forget about your makeup. And makeup is important if you don’t want to look like a hot sweaty mess. Below are some tips and portable products to help you make an easy makeup transition from grill to dance floor.

Clean: To wipe away the sweat and sunscreen of the day, use some pocket oil-absorbing wipes.  Try these ones from Clinique.  They will help wipe off the sunscreen and oils on your face so you have a fresh pallet to transition into night.  If you are able to get to a sink, you can use Ponds travel-sized makeup wipes to remove grease and makeup more thoroughly.  You also may want to throw on some extra deodorant (just sayin’….).  This mini Dove deodorant will fit easily in any bag and is less than $2!

Face: You’ll definitely want to reapply your bronzer and up your blush, so try this NARS kit that has both in a tiny compact and comes in three color choices including NARS’ top selling blush, “Orgasm.”

Eyes: The most convenient thing on a day like Memorial Day is to have pallets that have daytime and nighttime colors.  Try this pallet from Urban Decay.  It has pretty light gold colors for a daytime sparkle, then, when you switch to nighttime mode, you can apply the primer to help your color stick, then layer on the deeper brown or blue shade.  Finish off with a thick brown liner pencil to create a more dramatic night party look and top it all off with a (adorable) mini mascara.  This duo by Fresh includes a bold mascara and a lighter look.  You can use the lighter one for day and then add the more voluminous one at night. Read More »

Along with the beautiful summertime weather we are all so freaking excited about comes the not-so-beautiful summertime shine. Not the shine of the gorgeous sun, not the shine of that hot guy’s beach body, but the shine of your oily face. Not. So. Hot.

Oily faces are definitely not cute and leave you feeling gross, dirty, and, well, oily. Not to mention a reflecting surface for camera flashes. But warm weather doesn’t have to mean a slippery face; there is something you can do about it! There are several types of products out there to help with your shine, from anti-shine powder to oil absorbing blotters.

Below are some of my personal favorite products that are easy to carry with you all summer to stay looking matte and fresh. (Smelling fresh, however, is a whole different article…) Read More »

Lindsay Lohan speaks.

SJP and Matthew Broderick are divorcing?

Seychelles and Smashbox unite!

New tunes from No Doubt!

Eminem is back (back again).

The other day, I was tricked into going to Costco with my Mom. I just really wanted an excuse to wear my SWEET new rain galoshes, so I agreed to go on what I knew would be a torturously long errand. I soon found myself wandering the massive aisles, bored out of my mind, considering buying 600 plastic forks, just so I could use one to poke out my eyes. Maybe then I could go home?

I figured this was a bad idea, so I meandered over to health and beauty, where I knew I could find something to occupy myself with. And then I saw it– a Smashbox Picture Perfect Kit with eyeshadow quad, mini lip gloss trio (with pink leather mirrored case!), mascara, and face highlighter– for $19.99!! The kit came with detailed instructions on how to apply the makeup, much like other cosmetics brands that are now taking the guesswork out of makeup application . I snatched it, threw it inconspicuously into Mom’s cart and tore it open as soon as we were in the car.

Opening up the new makeup kit felt exactly the same way it did that very first time. My Grandma (against my mother’s desperate pleas not to) bought me a GIANT pink and purple kit full of awful pink lipsticks, hooker-blue eye shadow, fake mascara, fucshia blush and glitter, glitter, sweet glitter when I was three. It was then that I fell in love with makeup. I put on all of my face decorations, just like mommy did, every day before I left my house. I sometimes had loaded my face so full of makeup that it couldn’t take anymore, and, consequently, I applied some to my helpless baby brother.

Which brings me to my point. Read More »

Thanksgiving break seems like a long and luxurious break from the crazy college world, but with all the people you have to see, shopping you have to do and family you have to spend time with, Thanksgiving turns into one exhausting escape. And, considering it has been months (or maybe even years) since you have last seen home people, looking your best is of utmost importance.

Which becomes especially hard after spending Wednesday evening sipping some cocktails.

We all know what looks back at us in the mirror after a night of drinking: black under eyes, blotchy skin, unsightly blemishes, hand stamps rubbed off on a cheek. Needless to say, it ain’t pretty, nor is it appropriate for the grand Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends.

Thanks to my recent entrance into the professional world, I have become quite talented at the morning-after-face-picker-upper. (Because no one needs to know that I spent the previous evening enjoying dollar beers and a battle to the top of the leader board of Erotic Photo Hunt.) Pair these must-have beauty items with a couple Advil and a giant Dunkin Donuts coffee and your family will never know just how much you enjoyed the biggest bar night of the year:

Read More »

I have a naturally rosy complexion. This means that using a blush product has basically been out of the question for me due to my face ending up looking like this. In other words, ridiculous and unattractive. No matter what color or brand I would try out, it seemed like blush and myself were a hopeless cause.

Until, I found a new product, Smashbox O-Glow, and it’s amazing. According to the retailer, it is “the first intuitive blush, this clear gel reacts with your personal skin chemistry to turn cheeks the exact color you blush, naturally in just seconds! What it is formulated to do: When applied, the skin’s moisture activates the energizing Goji Berry-C Complex™.

It creates a microcirculatory effect, producing a rosy flush that lasts all day. Completely natural looking, waterproof, preservative and fragrance-free formula glides on smoothly for a healthy, glowing blush that’s you, only prettier.”

So basically, it goes on as a gel and magically reacts with your skin for the perfect shade of blush. I tried it, loved it, and am now an advocate. It left me with dewy, slightly tinted cheeks that looked natural and not painted on. Read More »