New Beauty Buys & Finds for the Summer

Growing up and enamored with the beauty section of each and every magazine, I found myself taking a stroll to my local CVS quite frequently. And I knew; as soon as my dad heard my key unlock the front door, he would glance up from his man-chair, quickly eye my plastic bag full of lippies, mascaras, and eye palettes in various shades of blue. This would, without fail, lead to him placing his fingers at his temples to soothe his oncoming headaches. Dads. They’ll never understand the power of makeup. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

To this day, I still pop into my local CVS and cruise the beauty aisle. Sometimes I leave with nothing, sometimes I leave with the entire color selection of a new matte lipstick (these are obviously the better days out of the two). So when I heard CVS was revamping all their stores to include more professional cosmetics, amongst other things, I had to do a bit more lurking.

Seek and you shall be rewarded, my friends.

TIGI Cosmetics is arriving at select CVS stores. (Psst… you can also find their full collection online at tigi-cosmetics.com and CVS.com).

TIGI Cosmetics has been on the professional circuit since the early 90s and are known for their rich, pigmented colors and professional quality. I was lucky enough to receive a few must-haves to play and create with. Off the bat, I’m obsessed with their colorful lip gloss and felt it should be the focal point of this quick and easy daytime look. Also known as, when you have 10 minutes or less to look put together.

Read on to see how I got this look.

To create a flawless base, I powdered my face all the way down to my neck with their Powder Foundation. The powder is buildable without that cakey feeling which is key for the summer season. It also helps control oil which is always good news for those of us with naturally dewy skin.

For daytime looks, I usually stick to one neutral eye shadow color and build it out like so:

• First, dust on the color (I’m using their High Density Eyeshadow in True Natural) over the entire lid

• Layer on the shadow from below the crease and to the lash line

• You can also use this formula wet if you’re aiming for a dramatic look

I love making my eyes pop as much as possible and TIGI’s Precision Black Eyeliner Pen’s long felt tip made it easy to achieve a cat eye. It took a while for me to get liquid eyeliner down (shaky hands anyone?) but this hack is the way to go:

• Press down and leave a marking (kind of like a placeholder) with the eyeliner

• Use the markings as guidance as you swipe the liner across your lidThis formula is water-resistant and quick drying so smudging is nearly non-existent

• This formula is water-resistant and quick drying so smudging is nearly non-existent

Afterwards, I coat my lashes with mascara and move onto my lips.

The pigmented, high-shine formula of their Luxe Lipgloss (Glamour shown) left my lips moisturized throughout the day. I wanted the color to really pop so I applied two coats with a heavy hand.

The end result looked fresh-faced and ready for the day. Not to mention I left the New York City Subways with my face still intact after this shoot.

Overall, the textures and colors will be fun for anyone that happens to get lost in CVS’ beauty aisle (voluntarily or involuntarily). I know their collection will come in super handy once Fashion Week hits.

They’re officially rolling out at select CVS locations nationwide but you can always view their full inventory of goodies on tigi-cosmetics.com.

Photos by Lauren Listor.

Today's post has been sponsored by TIGI Cosmetics. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!

Skin Care 101: Best Exfoliators for Your Routine

Exfoliation - there are so many things that can be said about this. It's definitely the most misunderstood and can potentially cause more harm than good, but with a little trial and error can bring brighten your face and add some much-needed balance to your routine.

via Vogue.in

Unlike facial cleansers, most exfoliators should be done on a bi-weekly basis for smooth, glowing skin. (And in case you want to read up on cleansers, you can find that post here). 

Being the adult-acne-sufferer that I am, I absolutely love exfoliating. It's probably one of my favorite parts of the day because it sloughs off dead skin and (slowly) reveals the perfect skin I pine for. Now, exfoliants can either be physical (i.e. St. Ives Scrub) or chemical (these can be BHA or AHAs). They both have the same end goal, to reveal brighter, younger skin. This, in turn, helps your products like serums and moisturizers absorb better.

Personally, I lean towards chemical exfoliants since there's less of a risk of getting a micro-tear. Although, physical exfoliants help you achieve softer skin :).  

Here are a few I find myself going back to time & time again.

Chemical

m-61 PowerBlast Facial Mask
I absolutely love this mask and everything it's able to accomplish within 60 seconds. It's a foaming mask so you can "feel" the bubbles working away to reveal brighter, calmer-looking skin. I usually reach for this during bad breakouts as it's the only thing that makes my angry skin slightly happy. It's still a staple in my cabinet and used twice weekly.

Vichy Idealia Night Peeling
This is incredibly gentle which is surprising for a glycolic product. Unlike most products listed this is for PM use only and be layered on top of. It slowly, keyword here, renews and evens out the skin. I would imagine it would do the same for wrinkles long-term but the only improvement I've seen is faded acne marks. Can be used daily.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion
This exfoliator has made multiple appearances throughout skin-related blog posts and my Reddit posts for good reason. It's an OG on my shelf and if you had to pick one chemical exfoliator out of all listed here, I'd recommend this hands down. The gentle formula means I can swipe on during the AM and not have to worry about red, flaky skin later on. Another reason I prefer to apply this in the morning, it smooths skin for even makeup application. Can be used daily.

m-61 PowerGlow Peel
Although these individual pads don't immediately give results after swiping they are extremely effective in showing you good skin over time. Skin looks tighter, pores look smaller, and acne marks fade quicker. The formula is a little harsh, I mean it is called PowerGlow, so I wouldn't recommend to those with sensitive skin. Can be used daily or 3x a week.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Daily Cleansing Pads
These daily cleansing pads are a super easy and convenient way to introduce Glycolic into your skin care regiment. I prefer my Glycolic acids to come in a bottle but I would recommend Nip + Fab's jar for traveling. The pre-moistened pads make it easy to exfoliate nearly anywhere - just make sure you keep the jar completely closed otherwise you run the risk of drying out the product. If you can't afford the cost of these, a close second I'd recommend is Stridex's Daily Pads. Can be used 1x or 2x daily.

Physical

Derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub
I find myself coming back to this scrub time and time again. The scrub has fine-textured crystals made of detoxifying dead sea salt and citrus essential oils that buffs away dullness and smooths out acne scars. I also love how soft my skin feels right after. Use twice a week for the best results.

via www.instagram.com/dermae

Derma E Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A Glycolic Scrub
This scrub reminds me of the iconic St. Ives scrub but better. I found myself using this for those moments when I crave a good deep buff. It's a little on the pricey side but I do love how there's vitamin A to help renew skin. Can be used daily but prefer twice a week.

via willworkforlipstick.com

e.l.f. Exfoliating Scrub
This affordable scrub works to buff skin for a brighter appearance. I absolutely love that it contains no parabens, sulfates, or phthalates. My skin doesn't feel dry after use but instead moisturized. You can use this daily.

Biore Charcoal Acne Scrub
The brand is known for its iconic pore strips but they released a slew of scrubs earlier this year too! This scrub, in particular, has a tingly sensation that feels amazing. The formula contains salicylic acid which keeps acne at bay but doesn't dry out skin. Pro-tip: use this stuff in the shower for easy clean up. You can use this daily.

What are your favorite exfoliators? Drop me a comment down below!

Bliss List for the Busy Gal

Am I the only one that felt like this month flew past? It honestly feels like it’s been work, eat, sleep and repeat from Mondays through Fridays on this end. Thank goodness for the weekends and for the occasional and unexpected downtime otherwise I wouldn’t know how to (a) do my errands and (b) indulge in a little bit of me time.

For month’s that are as insanely busy as this one’s, every little bit of me time has to be precise and straight to the point.

Here are a few of my tried and true favorite ways to unwinds along with brands that always come to the rescue when I feel like I might be drowning:

1. Bloom Mineral – like a spa, but at home!
I love a good facial as much as the next girl but squeezing one in (and footing the bill) can be a little tough. But Bloom Mineral makes it easy for anyone with their 4 piece kit and easy steps. The kit includes their Softening Cleansing Milk (wash with this first), Mud Mask (apply generously and relax while it works), then rinse and moisturize your skin + eyes with their Moisture Shield and Eye Cream.

Head over to bloommineralbeauty.com and use skin25 for 25% off your first 2 purchases. Ends June 30, 2017.

2. Hot Water with Lemon – it never fails + detoxes your body
I first wrote about the benefits of drinking hot water with lemon here but as a refresher, this drink helps to flush out all the toxins and relieves indigestion. It’s also great for your skin.

3. Clear Eyes Pure Relief Multi-Symptom – keep those peepers clear!
Anyone else suffering from allergies or dry lenses? My eyes are so red and dry from the pollen it’s only fair that I give my eyes relief when unwinding. I’m a fan of these preservative free eye drops that come in a multi-dose bottle (at retail in the US); they relieve red eyes and seasonal irritants along with keeping my eyes moisturized all day long. As a contact lens wearer, this small bottle is in my pockets year round.

Get a $3 coupon here and learn more about the drops here.

4. HeadSpace – clear your mind wherever you are!
This is a relatively new app but saw its ads on the subway for a bit. One day I finally bit the bullet and gave it a try. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to meditate (do this while masking with Bloom Mineral!) and leads to a sense of calm in your head. Try it - it’s free!

5. Nad’s – fast & painless
As a busy gal with a budget on a time constraint, I do lots of my own hair removal at home. I tried all of the drugstore brands and found that Nads works the fastest (all you need is four minutes) without irritating my sensitive skin. As for the scent, it’s on the pleasant side.

Learn more about Nad’s here!

6. Coobie – like a bra but better!
As I’ve gotten older, I made a choice to stop being uncomfortable. I got rid of most of my wire bras and traded up for seamless, soft bralettes. Unfortunately, there are days when I need to support the girls a little more but when I’m done, I come straight home and change into a Coobie. The straps are adjustable and the stretchy lace guarantees you’ll feel secure but not strapped in.

Sizes range from Small to Large in a variety of colors. Check it out at shopcoobie.com.

Now that I’m almost done with this post, it’s time for me to follow steps one through six and unwind myself. Let me know if there’s anything you would add on too!

Today's post has been sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Single Edition Media. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!