Watch Your Mouth!!

It just might upstage your outfit!

(please forgive my lack of photography skills! These were taken with my cell phone, haha)

Survival Kit

I talk to people a lot about makeup. Probably more than many of them would like, hehe. In all this talking I have noticed that there are a lot of ladies out that who feel overwhelmed by the makeup world. Let's face it, there are tons of brands, each offering their own multitude of options on any conceivable product. With all these glorious choices it can be a little hard to narrow the focus and decide what products you really Need to have in your makeup bag and what can safely stay on the shelf. I decided it would be a fun challenge to come up with a Survival Kit if you will, for makeup. Maybe you are one of the aforementioned people who are not sure where to begin in your makeup endeavors or perhaps your makeup bag overflowith and you're having a hard time narrowing down you choices, or somewhere in the middle. No matter what, I'm going to give you a really simple list of products that will get you through anything; your first foray into the makeup world, a weekend away, or just your daily grind. Here's a shot of my Survival kit.

Please disregard the wear and tear on the products pictured, they're from my personal stash and they get used quite a bit! Okay, so here's what you'll need for your own Survival Kit:


1) A liquid foundation that matches your skin tone.
         I have found liquid foundation to be the easiest to work with on a day to day basis. It gives good coverage and you don't need any special brushes to apply it. Just dab a drop on your forehead, cheeks, nose and chin then blend it out with your fingers.  Be sure that the foundation you pick matches your skin tone! The last thing you want is an orange face. If your not sure you can make the match alone, take a friend with you the first time you buy a new brand. My hubby is my helper, he has a good eye for it :) Go with whatever brand you like and works best for you. If you don't know where to start I recommend CoverGirl's Clean foundation. It has a nice balance of good coverage without looking oily.   



2) Cream Blush
     I'm a major fan of cream blushes. They give a nice "glow from the inside" look. It's quite a bit harder to mess up with a cream blush because the color is more subtle and blends more thoroughly. You can apply this with your fingers as well. Dab some on the apples of your cheeks then blend in and up toward your temple. I like E.L.F's cream blush in Pink Lemonade.

3) An Eye shadow Trio
       If you don't know where to start with eyeshadow a trio is a great buy. I like Almay's Intense i-color pallettes. They are each made for a specific eye color and the three colors look great alone or seperate. If you want something casual a light wash in the medium shade looks nice or for something more dramatic blend the three colors. There is even a handy dandy diagram on the back of the compact to show you what color goes where!

4) A Waterproof Mascara
    Seriously, non-water proof mascara is just a pain. When shopping for a new brand, remember; the brush makes the mascara! Different shapes and textures make the mascara go on your lashes...differently (I'm not sure there's a better way to put that haha).  My current fave for everyday use is Maybelline Volum' Express One by One. The brush seperates the lashes so they don't look thick and clumpy and the formula stays put pretty well.

5) A Lipstick that you Love & a clear Gloss
    This one is fairly self explanatory. Lip colors are probably the most fun to shop for because it's really hard to go wrong. An easy rule of thumb is if you're going to wear dark eyeshadow, go for a more nude lip color and visca versa. Other than that, find a color that makes you feel pretty and rock it! A clear gloss is alway great to have on hand, you can spiff up  bare lips or wear it over your lipstick for more oompf.
My favorites are NYC clear gloss and Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks.

These six products can get you through nearly any situation makeup is required and can provide a stress free introduction to figuring out makeup application for beginners. The best part is it won't break your bank. My six products cost me just around $26 and they can all be found at either WalMart of Target. Have fun putting your Survival Kit together :)

What about you? Do you have any Go-To products when you're in a hurry or packing for a trip? Share!

Fall Trend Spotting

Despite the fact that it still feels like a sauna outside, Fall is on it's way! As much as I love summer, Autum is my favorite season (unless Christmas counts as a season, hehe). I love playing with layers : cardigans, scarves, tights, the possibilites are endless! I also love the fun color pallettes that come with Fall makeup looks. I've been scouring fashion magazines to see what fun upcoming trends I can spot. Here are a few that I love:

1) Red!! Red lipstick, red nail polish, red dresses, red heels...you name it, it's going to be big this fall.  I've seen a major turn towards retro classic looks recently in fashion and beauty. Loads of pearls, curls and red lipstick. I love this look, it just shouts Marilyn Monroe to me and I think it's a glam that anyone can pull off. Stay posted, I may just have to do a red lipstick look soon!

2) Colorful Smokey Eyes. The obsession with smokey eyes continues but makeup artists are starting to play around with different palettes. If the black on black look is too bold for you, take heart! Greens, purples and browns can also be used to make a smouldering smokey eye that's a little more playful than it's predcessor.

3) Essie "Carry On" Fall collection.  Okay, I'm not sure this actually counts as a trend, but I seriously heart Essie's new nail polish colours for this fall. Inspired by handbags, there are some lovely neutral's that will play nice with any outfit. My favorite, "Power Clutch"

I'm a big fan of grey's and this one is perfect. It goes great with anything, but I really love it paired with jewel tones...especially reds!

So there you go, a few fun Fall looks to get excited about. What about you? What Fall looks do you love so far? Anything you can't wait to try for yourself?  Let me know!