{Beauty} June Favourites

It's time for another monthly favourites, and although I'm a bit late with this one (hey, I just really wanted to share my nails post with you guys!), I hope these products are as interesting to you as they are to me. Everything featured here was in heavy rotation throughout the month of June (and many will make their way into July, I'm sure), so without further ado, here's a breakdown of what I've been loving lately!

CLINIQUE CHEEK POPS: No exaggeration — this is the only blush I've used all month. And you know what? I have a feeling that's going to be the case for the entire summer. I've been using the shade 'Berry Pop' and have found it to be the most natural looking flush I've ever gotten from a powder blush... Check out this post for more blush musings, but the cheek pop and I are currently BFFs.

MAC'S "RELENTLESSLY RED" LIPSTICK: Oh my gawd you guys, this colour is INSANE! It's from MAC's retro matte range (who doesn't love a good matte lipstick?), and it's the most amazing pinky red I've ever tried... swoon. Just make sure your pout is well-moisturized as the formula can be a touch drying!

L'OREAL MISS MANGA MASCARA: Holy shizzz, this stuff is rad. And to be honest with you, I don't think I've ever been more excited to see a product lining a drugstore shelf before. I had heard about this mascara ad nauseam over the past few months, but because it was only recently released in north america, the hype had gotten to me and I just couldn't wait to get my hands on it. In my haste to grab one, however, I mistakenly picked up waterproof, which is not typically my jam... but you know what? This stuff is great regardless, and if waterproof mascara is good enough for Anna (my all-time favourite beauty babe), it's good enough for me.

NAILS INC. LATEX EFFECT NAIL POLISH IN "BERMONDSEY STREET": I've spoken about this one before, so I'll spare you the details, but just know this — this shade is unreal. Just be sure to use a base coat, unless you think stained nails are cute (you've been warned).

ELIZABETH AND JAMES NIRVANA WHITE PERFUME: With this stuff, it was love at first sniff, and luckily for me, this mini roller was a point perk at Sephora. June was pretty much spent rubbing this all over my body — I may have killed a few brain cells along the way, but hey, dem the breaks.

CAUDALIE DIVINE OIL: The mini aisle of Sephora lures its ugly head again... This stuff was a total impulse purchase, but you know what? Sooooo worth it. I slather it on my face and body, morning and night, and hot damn am I ever glowy... I think a full-sized repurchase is in order.

TARTE AMAZONIAN CLAY 12-HOUR FULL COVERAGE FOUNDATION: Believe the hype, friends — this foundation is ah-mazing. It's easily the best I've ever tried, and that's no exaggeration. It's super thick and gives a nice level of coverage, yet it somehow lets your skin shine through for a natural look... genius. You've probably heard it all before, but if you haven't tried this and are looking for a new foundation, I would definitely recommend this one. I even went out and repurchased a bottle of NARS Sheer Glow just so I wouldn't go through this stuff as quickly... That's totally reasonable, right? Hmmmm.

MAYBELLINE INSTANT AGE REWIND ERASER DARK CIRCLES CONCEALER: With this one, all I can say is beauty bloggers made me do it. There were just too many people buzzing about the stuff, and in an attempt to preserve my NARS Creamy Concealer for as long as humanly possible (are we sensing a trend here?), I figured I just had to. I normally don't like to wear any concealer under my eyes, but this one's so light and nourishing that I don't mind — totally worth a try, ladies!

REAL TECHNIQUES STIPPLING BRUSH: This is the only thing I've been using to apply my base lately, and let me tell you, it rocks. It seamlessly blends my makeup and is so darn affordable that there's really no reason not to pick one up... and if you live in Canada (hollah!), just stalk Winners until one turns up — hey, you might as well save a few bucks!

And that's it! Hope you guys liked this roundup of goodies, and please let me know what products you're into these days... I'm looking for a good serum if you have any recommendations! xx

Photos by Adventures in Fashion

{Beauty} 3 Reasons To Wash Your Face With Oil

As a skincare devotee since the tender age of 12 (actually), I was brought up believing that foam, gel and milk cleansers were the only way to go... In fact, during my uber attractive, acne-prone teen years, I adopted a 'go foam or go home' attitude towards skincare — squeaky clean had nothing on me. So after so many years of believing I had the answer to a balanced complexion — coupled with my belief that oils were public enemy number one where clear skin was concerned — you can imagine my reluctance towards washing my face with the stuff. I didn't believe that oil could actually remove my makeup (seriously, where's no alcohol?), and I just imagined my skin breaking out in protest faster than I could say 'hamburger face' — boy I was wrong.

Now unless you're scared to give cleansing oils a try like I was, chances are you've already given this method a go and either fall into the 'can't live without it' camp, or the 'get that crap away from my face' category... I think we all know where I stand. So if you're on the fence about using the stuff, here are three reasons you might want to give cleansing oils a try:

1. THEY CLEAN LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS. Cleansing oils (and balms, for that matter) have the  ability to gently breakdown makeup, dirt and sweat, leaving skin clean yet nourished. No squeaking necessary to prove it works — and if you don't believe me, just try rubbing the stuff on your mascara... it's magical.

2. THEY HELP BALANCE YOUR SKIN. Because they're so gentle, cleansing oils don't strip skin of its sebum (the natural oil that keeps it protected), and instead helps to maintain its natural moisture levels, leaving skin looking supple and youthful.

3. THEY HELP YOU KISS ACNE GOODBYE. For all these reasons and more, washing your face with oil can actually help combat acne — what the what?! According to skincare guru Caroline Hirons, the foaming cleansers I held so near and dear to my heart actually alkalize the skin, which pretty much turns it into a breading ground for bacteria — aka breakout city... Not cute.

I'm personally a fan of Shu Uemura's Ultime8 Cleansing Oil ($48 at Sephora) and Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, but I've also heard great things about The Body Shop's Silky Camomile Cleansing Oil (which I'll probably try after my Shu stash runs out), or straight up coconut, sunflower, olive or basically any kind of oil you have kicking around. If you're a little skeptical about oil removing every last stitch of your makeup though, fear not: You could always start with a cleansing water (like Bioderma's Sensibio) for some piece of mind... I know I do. Happy cleansing!

Photo by Adventures in Fashion

{Beauty} My Korean Skincare Routine

Not too long I ago, I read an article on Into The Gloss that was talking about Korean skincare and the million (OK, 10) steps involved in many Korean beauty regimens. This intrigued me on many levels; partly because I take anything ITG says as gospel, but mainly because the products mentioned in the post were packed with collagen...  And we all know what that does for the skin. So off I went to SOKO Glam to place my order for what I thought to be a particularly promising range, figuring I had nothing but $80 to lose (which covered the Etude House Collagen Moistfull Freshener, cream (complete with a bonus collagen essence) and eye cream). And you know what? My gamble paid off — not that anything ITG-recommended is much of a gamble, but you just never know how new products will jive with your skin. #success

So here's the low-down — this stuff is kind of weird. I mean, you put on this 'essence' gel (which I interpret as some kind of serum) before the toner (sorry, freshener), which just seems counterintuitive to me. Then it's business as usual, slathering on the 'moistful' moisturizer (get your mind out of the gutter) and eye cream. And even though said eye cream left my undereyes dry and creased (a major no-no), the rest of the products were seriously magic-inducing. You know when you see actresses (Kelly Rutherford immediately comes to mind) with taught, perfect-looking skin that you just chalk up to their winning the genetic lottery? Well this stuff has that effect on the skin. So much so that I've abandoned my beloved serums and moisturizers in favour of the stuff (aside from the odd break for Alpha-H's Liquid Gold, of course). So aside from the eye cream which just wasn't my jam, this range is seriously legit.

So since we're sharing skincare revelations and all, now it's YOUR turn: Any gems you would recommend to your skincare-obsessed sistas? We're all ears! xx

{Beauty} The Skin Detox

After the inevitable sugar binges and late nights that go hand-in-hand with the holidays, I started to notice that my skin was paying the price. Under eye circles? I had them (read how I dealt with that here). Break outs? You betcha. Listless overall appearance? Unfortunately. So after watching countless Youtubers go on and on (and on) about Glamglow's Youth Mud, I decided to build a three-step program around it to fix my facial woes. It's nothing groundbreaking, but so far it's working wonders for me. 

1. Hydrate. One of my goals for this year was to up my water intake (which, touch wood, is going really well so far), but for the sake of detoxing my skin, I've added fresh lemon and apple cider vinegar to the mix. One glass of that first thing in the morning — followed by plenty of water throughout the day — has helped create a brighter, plumper complexion.

2. Mask it up. I've been giving myself a facial every Sunday night using Glamglow, and so far I'm totally hooked. It draws out all the impurities (what a euphemism) from your pores in the most delightfully tingly way, then when you wash it off it transforms into an exfoliator, essentially giving you two treatments in one. Believe the hype, ladies — this stuff is magic.

3. Catch some z's. Totally common sense, but easy to overlook. As part of 'Operation Save My Skin,' I'm shooting for 8hrs/night which, even with the best of intentions, can be a bit of a stretch sometimes. Still, getting as much sleep as possible is priority one as I try and reboot my system.

If you have any tips, tricks — heck, even old wives tales — for keeping a youthful appearance, I'm all ears... Not to pull a Madeline Ashton or anything, but I'm very, very interested. xx

{Beauty} Tata Harper Skincare

Skincare is a subject near and dear to my heart, but it hardly gets addressed on this site. I guess it sometimes seems unfitting to gush about night cream while talking about shoes or whatever garment I'm obsessing over at the moment, but I figure variety is the spice of online content creation, so why not! I've practiced a strict wash/tone/moisturize regime since the tender age of 12 when I was introduced to Sheseido products (which I still hold in high regard), adding masks, exfoliants, serums, eye creams, and of course, sun screen as the years went on. Although the products I've used have changed over time, the process has largely remained the same... which served me well until the epic work load of 2013 took it's toll on my face.

Now I've been pretty luck in the under eye department all my life, never really having to wear concealer or any product other than my trusty eye cream. But this past year of late nights and terrible food choices (see resolutions list) got the better of me, and pretty soon my eyes looked haggered at best. So when a friend recommend I try the Tata Harper product line out, I figured I had  nothing to lose (except some serious coin, but that's another story).

So I bit the bullet and shelled out for four products to start with, particularly hopeful about the eye cream. And you know what? It totally paid off. My dark circles faded away within a couple weeks and my eyes look more hydrated than ever — I was hooked. Now I'll be straight with you: Although I'm loving this combination of products together (see below), I'm not sure I'll be repurchasing this range again and again, as I don't feel the results are dramatically different from other products I've used to justify the cost, but the eye cream and I will be friends for a very, very long time... Of this I am certain. 

In case you're curious about the product range, here's the low down on what I'm currently using:

Hydrating Floral Essence Moisturizing Toner — An 

invigorating toner that I like to kick things off with 

after cleansing (I'm currently using Kiehls' Ultra Facial 
Oil-Free Cleanser). It feels super fresh and helps prep
your skin for the moisture surge it's about to get from
the serum. I also use this bad-boy to set my makeup.

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Rejuvenating Serum — This anti-aging serum is designed to boost the skin's collagen, increasing firmness, elasticity and all-around radiance. It also leaves your skin noticeably soft and smooth, which I would definitely recommend to those living in harsh winter climates — It's helped my skin a lot.

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Replenishing Nutrient Complex — This little roller ball helps seal in moisture and protects your skin from environmental damage. It's like a multivitamin for your face, packing everything you need for a nice, youthful glow in the morning.

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Restorative Eye Cream — This miracle in a bottle (seriously though) is thick and luxurious, heavily hydrating skin while ironing out any fine lines you may have. And as I mentioned above, it did wonders for my dark circles. If you can only buy one Tata Harper product, oh please let this be the one.

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Thanks for reading friends, and if you have any skincare products you

swear by, I'm all ears! Let me know what's working for you (or what isn't),

or if there's anything you think I should try... And if skincare or beauty in general is something you would be interested in reading more about here on AiF, don't hesitate to let me know! I aim to please. xx

Summer Beauty Faves

Pregnancy has made my skin a bit wacky.  It can be great for a few weeks and then the next few weeks I break out like crazy.  I've also noticed my zits are more intense if you know what I mean which is SO annoying.  My skin does tend to break out but not like this so I'm totally blaming pregnancy hormones for this.  I recently got this Clarisonic & Supergoop! kit that I'm loving so had to share.  It comes with all the essentials, like the Clarisonic that I've long been a fan of but this one is the new Clarisonic PLUS and comes with a body brush extension handle so I can get some good exfoliating on my body as well.  It also comes with these awesome Alpha-Beta face and body pads from Dr. Dennis Gross that just feel so great on the skin.  And the Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum that I make sure to put on every day as I don't want any unnecessary wrinkles from being out in the sun.  I just love this kit, plus you save $75 just by buying all these products together!

Clarisonic & Supergoop! Summer Essentials

I've been feeling a bit pale (okay a lot pale) since we usually do a few beachy trips by now but between my business being so busy, being pregnant and moving, we just did not have time to plan a beach trip this year.  I'm not too worried about not having a "babymoon" as many people have asked if we are doing because I'm sure Grandma and Grandpa will love having our little one for a week while my husband and I take a break to somewhere warm and relaxing! :)

Anyway, to offest my paleness I've been using these self tanners and I can not stop raving about them.  They are awesome and come out totally natural color.  No orange or streakiness with them!  I can't reccommend them enough.

I use the Rich Self Tan Lotion when I need a quick coloring on my legs or arms.  It goes on super smooth and settles into the skin really quick so you don't feel sticky.  The best part, it does not smell!  I'm so used to self tanners with an icky scent but I love that these ones don't have a strong scent so even if you apply it and go out the door you do not have the scent of self tanner following you around.

Vita Liberata Rich Self Tan Lotion

I use the pHenomenal Self Tanner when I have a bit more time as this one lasts a few days.  It claims it's a 2-3 week tan mousse but I've been using it about once a week and loving the results so I don't know if it will last the full 2-3 weeks without reapplying but every week seems to be fine for me.  Oh and I forgot to mention that for both of these products I use their very handy Tanning Mitt that totally eliminates the need to wash your hands a ton to get the self tanner off.  I hated that part of self tanning but these mitts make the tanner go on perfectly smooth and never on the palms of your hands.

Vita Liberata pHenomenal Self Tanner

For my face I've been trying out a few different products.  I do like using just BB cream during the summer months so I can skip my regular powder foundation but recently tried out this CC cream from pur minerals that has been fantastic.  It covers up my blemishes when I need it to but it's also not too heavy of a formula.  I can just use this and some under eye concealer most days.

Pur Minerals CC Cream

ShopNBC Beautiful You

ShopNBC is having a "Beautiful You" event on March 23rd and 24th where you'll be able to shop this televised event packed with head-to-toe beauty products and they sent me a box full of goodies that will be featured!  I wanted to do a review of my favorite products and you'll be able to shop the event in a few days!

This kit from Skinn Cosmetics was the first thing that I opened.  I love the purple theme they put together and everything goes together so well.  The smudge stick is the perfect base to use under the shadows (which has great color payoff) and the gloss is just a hint of sparkle.

I love the packaging from Lola!  All of it is so darling.  The lipstick is super moisturizing and long lasting and love that it comes with a little pop up mirror.  Comes in handy not only for touch ups but for teeth checks too!  The Universal Colorless Powder comes in the cutest container with a fun little poof but I love the product.  I pat it on over my face after I've applied my makeup.  It's the perfect last step to cover imperfections and set your makeup.

I'm generally not a very hairy person and I can go for a bit without shaving but I actually hate shaving.  It's just one of those things that annoys me when I have to do it but of course I do it.  I've thought about doing laser hair removal but didn't have the time to commit to all those sessions so was very happy to see that ShopNBC had sent me a Silk'n SensEpil.  This device actually uses a light technology to remove hair!  You can use it all over your body and it's even safe enough to use on your face.  You're supposed to see results in 4 weeks.  I've just started using it but if you guys are interested, I can do a follow up and let you know how it goes.  I'm actually so excited to see if this works because I would love to not have to shave my legs again!

Other products that I received from ShopNBC:

• Magnifibres Brush on false lashes
• iampur pain relieving rub
• Maxius Lift off volumizing spray
• Dermasome Moisturizer
• Absolute! Magentic Nail Polish
• purminerals - Double Ego Mascara & Big Blink Mascara
• LaRocca - Hydrating Body Balm
• Epione Eye Creme
• Fairydrops Mascara
• Amino genesis Age Control Day & Night Serum
• Borghese Brightening Mask
• Suzanne Organics Travel Kit
• Angelift Fusione
• VB Beauty Miracle Eye Creme Set

I'm still going through a bunch of the products as there is no way I can get all through these products so quickly but everything that I've tried so far I'm very happy with.  Don't forget to check out the live event and you can shop online here.

{Beauty} Kiehl's 10 Day Challenge...

I was fortunate enough to participate in the Kiehl's 10 Day Change Your Skin Challenge, featuring their cult favourite Midnight Recovery Concentrate. I had used the product sporadically in the past, but never on a daily (or, well, nightly) basis. And given the fact that my skin was getting so dry that it was verging on scaly, I jumped at the chance.

The first night of using the product was exactly as I remembered; a couple drops of the lightweight serum under my moisturizer left my skin looking soft and dewy, and I kicked myself for giving up on the stuff months before. When I awoke the next day, my face looked brighter and smoother than it had in ages... I was hooked.

All was well until I broke out pretty badly on the third day (although to be fair, there were hormonal factors at play, if you know what I'm saying), but by day five my skin was back on track and looking better than ever. My nose even stopped peeling under my foundation, which is something that I've been struggling with all winter. The verdict? Of all the serums I've tried in my day, this is honestly one of the better ones, and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone... Looks like someone's added a new staple to their skincare repertoire — This girl! xx

Glam Beauty Board: Red Carpet Beauty

As you may know, I'm so happy and lucky to be a part of Glam Beauty Board (see my previous posts here and here) and this time they set us a "Red Carpet" Beauty Board with products to help us look extra glam for any special occasion.

You want to know something?  I'm super insecure about my teeth due to the natural discoloration of them.  I've done everything under the sun from going to my dentist and getting fully custom molds and using their professional whitening tools to white strips to whatever I can get my hands on, unfortunately I really think it's just hereditary as both my parents have the same coloration on their teeth and although the whitening tricks do help temporarily, I'll never have white sparkly teeth that I envy on so many others.  I was however, very pleased to see that Rembrandt had sent over quite a few whitening products that I'm going to give a shot at.  The Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide Mouthwash not only whitens teeth but also strengthens and restores tooth enamel.  The Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide Toothpaste is now part of my daily routine and I'm planning on using the Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide 2 hour Whitening kit.  It looks perfect for a quick fix before a big night out!

For a few months now, I've been using cleansing wipes to remove all my makeup before I wash my face and I truly think it's helped with breakouts and such.  The Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes are made with aloe vera, chamomile, cucumber and Vitamin E and it's super refreshing to take off your make up at the end of the day with these wipes.  I love having these and highly recommend them.

Want to get big pretty curls without too much effort? You have to try the Remington Curling Wand!  This curling iron doesn't have a clamp so you just do a quick wrap around, hold for 30 seconds or so, let go and you have pretty bouncy waves.

I love at home treatments, I'm such a sucker for them and when I saw the AHA Brazillian Peel with Advanced Renewal Serum, I was pumped to try it out.  It's supposed to brighten and tone skin.  I'm trying it out soon, I'll let you know the results!

The Hollywood Fashion Tape and the KHROMA Beauty Lash Dash Faux Lashes are just those little extras that are so nice to have when you have a special night out!  I've used the Hollywood Fashion Tape for years now and it's so great to make sure that everything stays in place and you can feel confident in whatever you're wearing.  I'm also a huge advocate for false lashes, I think it makes such an impace especially with those of us with small eyes.  These KHROMA lashes are actually not too intense.  I like the look of false lashes without completely looking like FALSE lashes, if you know what I mean and I think this style, the "Sidelong Glance Set" is perfect for that.  It also comes with two neutral shadows which is great!  You can just take this with you for touch ups during the night! The Bite Beauty Cinnamon Pumping Lip Oil seriously packs a punch!  You get quite the tingly lips when you put it on and while I'm not going to pretend I'll have Angelina Jolie lips anytime soon, it's a fun little extra to toss into your bag for a little extra volume to the lips.

Murad Essentials

I'm really bad at sticking to just one skincare line.  I like to see what else is out there and if it will work for my skin or not.

I recently discovered the Murad Acne Fighting Favorites Duo and although I don't have terrible skin right now, I'm always a bit wary of breakouts so like to use products that will prevent them.  This cleanser and lotion isn't super strong so I think perfect for those of us that only have occasional breakouts.  Alone the Clarifying Cleanser is $26 and the Skin Perfecting Lotion is $33 so this set is a good deal to get them together.

They also have some great travel sized products that I plan on bringing on my trip that I'm taking in a few weeks as I'm traveling to a much colder climate and want to make sure that my skin doesn't dry out from all the travel and the temperature.  The individual packets for the Exfoliating Mask is so handy.  Since I have limited space in my carry on, I won't be taking both my cleanser and exfoliator so their Exfoliating Cleanser is a great combo of both.  I have yet to use the Soothing Skin and Lip Care but the reviews look great, especially on the driest of spots. I am a crazy lip balm/chapstick person but the Lip Protector takes it one step up from my usual and it protects and restores.

Exfoliating Cleanser | Exfoliating Mask | Soothing Skin and Lip Care | Pomegranate Lip Protector

If you are interested in getting some of their products they're offering $25 off your purchase of $100 or more on their website.  Use code:BLACKFRIDAY

Thalgo Skincare

I try to get a facial or do a spa day every once in awhile as I think it's nice to treat your skin well and my skin definitely reacts well to it.  Whenever I'm at the spa, I get sucked in by all the products they have to treat your skin and am always tempted to buy everything because they make it all sound like miracle skincare!  Anyway, I disovered Thalgo at my last session and since getting a few products and bringing them home, I wanted to share.

I like to get sets as I feel like I get the full affect of the skincare.  In the winter my skin gets beyond dry so this Hydration Kit has been amazing for my skin.

Hydration Kit

The kit contains:
- Relaxing Cream (1.69 oz.): Hydrates skin, restoring the ideal moisture balance needed for regeneration. Apply AM. Spread evenly over face and neck using long, circular movements.
- Absolute Rehydrating Serum (1.01 oz.): Intensely hydrates to help skin recover its natural moisturizing abilities for regained radiance. Use AM, one to two pumps along face and neck.
- Freshness Exfoliator (1.01 oz.): For normal to combination skin, the gentle exfoliator deeply cleanses, eliminating impurities for smooth, radiant skin. Apply once weekly to face and neck, avoiding the eye-contour area.

As instructed, I use it in the morning and it helps keep my skin hydrated through the day.  I've mentioned before how much I love exfoliating so love that this kit comes with one and it works fantastic.   This set is not cheap but when it comes to skincare I like to pamper myself once in awhile as I think that skincare is very important as we get older.

The other set that I use is the Cleanse and Calm kit which has everything you need to make sure you've removed all your makeup at the end of the night. 

Cleanse and Calm kit 

The set contains:

Cocooning Cleansing Milk (8.45 oz.) is a pure delight for your skin. It gently sweeps away impurities that suffocate and irritate complexions.
Cocooning Tonic Lotion (8.45 oz.) gently purifies skin, leaving it soft and fresh. Rich in jojoba-oil micro-beads,
Cream-sorbet Softness Exfoliator (1.69 oz.) is both gentle and effective, removing both impurities and dead cells while preserving the skin's natural protective barrier.

I'm not very loyal to just one brand, my skincare products range from drugstore products to the more high end products but I truly believe that you should just use what works for your skin and not based on the price or the hype.  I love finding new skincare products to try out and am always happy to find products that work and do what they say.

Glam Beauty Board - Beauty for fall!

I am so excited to be a part of Glam's Beauty Board and have lots of awesome products to review for you guys!  They sent a box full of beauty products some that I already loved and some that I was newly introduced to.  I often switch products with the change of seasons as Seattle fall and winter is so much more harsh on my skin because of the cold and wind and all these products will be great to use in the upcoming months.

I always wear sunscreen and love that the Eucerin Every Day Protective Moisturizing Body Lotion has SPF 15 so I can use this when I want some sort of sun protection without having to put on my regular sunscreen.  It's fragrance free and goes on smoothly and doesn't leave you feeling sticky.

My hair is a bit on the oily side so I tend to stay away from hair products that have oil in them.  The Dove Nutritive Therapy, Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo and Conditioner though actually was great for my hair.  It didn't make it greasy or weight it down which, for somebody with a lot of hair, is what I look for in hair products.  It uses natural almond and mineral oils to help reduce frizz. 

I had never heard of this brand before but I'm sold as the La Face PUR Purifying Facial Wash has been great!  It's a bit creamy and doesn't lather too much (I don't like too much lather while washing my face).  It's a cleanser and toner in one and does a great job of taking off all my makeup.  I use this with my Clarisonic and the two together is a perfect combination.

I'm not a "wash and go" kind of girl.  I love styling my hair after I wash it and I take lots of steps to help with the styling.  I've been a long time fan of Ojon products and so was excited to try out the Ojon Super Sleek Restorative Blowout Perfector.  This is heat activated and helps give you that smooth, sleek hair after blow drying.  If I don't use this while blow drying, I do notice that my hair is noticeably more frizzier.  I highly recommend this!

I have dry skin so I'm really picky about lotions because sometimes they don't moisturize quite enough.  The Dr. Lewinn by Kinerase:Wrinkle Repair Day & Night Cream is a really nice cream and is gentle enough to wear during the day under my makeup.

Super long post... but please keep reading,  I reviewed lots of great products!

I've mentioned before that I love exfoliating and that includes my body too.  I love body scrubs and was really intrigued when I saw the Juara Invigorating Coffee Scrub. First, the smell. I LOVE the smell of coffee and since it's made of coffee beans it has a very strong coffee fragrance.  It does an amazing job of exfoliating and my skin felt smooth for days after using this.  This was unexpectedly my favorite product from the box!

I've been using the Almay Wake Up Liquid Makeup every day since I received it and it does a great job of evening out my skintone without being real thick or cakey. It's a perfect light foundation for the summer but will work great into fall and winter when you just want a light coverage.  I apply it with a foundation brush and it blends in perfectly.

I love Benefit packaging, it's always so fun!  The Benefit Bella Bamba Blush looks a bit bright in the box but it's a nice pink tone that looks great on the skin.  It's definitely noticeable but in a way that you want it to be noticed, as it still looks natural.  As with most Benefit blushes, it blends really nicely and you can build on the color as it's goes on quite sheer.  And of course, love the little compact size and brush so that I can just pop it into my makeup bag.

I'm naturally pale and don't mind being pale, but I do like to have a bit of color and glow which is where Lorac TANtalizer Highlighter & Matte Bronzer Duo is perfect for.  The bronze doesn't give you a too fake tan coloring and love that there is a shimmer and a matte side so I can use it as a highlighter on the days that I don't want to use bronzer.  I also love how big it is!  I can use my big fluffy blush and just brush it lightly on my face for a hint of color.

For my eyes, the Almay Eye Shadow + Primer and  Eyeliner + Highlighter works great together to give me a "daytime smokey" look.  The colors in the shadow pallete are really pretty and have a good payoff.  They go on pretty light so you can layer on if you want to have a darker look.  And the eyeliner and highlighter are the perfect complements to finish the look.  The highlighter is nice and creamy so easy to use under your eyebrows to open your eyes up a bit more.

I keep on flip flopping between loving lip glosses or lipsticks and the MARK Make It Rich Lip Color Crayon is the perfect mix of the two.  I do nude or light pink lips more than anything so I love this shade that I got.  It's a pink that's very similar to my natural lip color except a tad darker and a great shimmer.  This has now become my go-to lip color product that I reach for.

Sorry for the not so great iPhone pic, I forgot to snap a picture with my camera but here's a full look I did with the Almay foundation, eyeshadow, liner, Benefit blush, Lorac Bronzer and MARK lip crayon.

I've been craving fall colors for my nails and the Orly Nail Polish in Smolder is such a pretty deep red.  It's not too dark which I prefer because too dark of red doesn't look great against my skin tone. This shade is just what I need for a pretty fall red.

Everything looks great in the Modella Makeup Bag that I can just toss in my purse and go.

Now I'm set for my fall beauty needs and hope this helps you guys find some great products too!

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