What is next for the Blog?

 It's been a long time since I've wrote a written blog for you all but wanted to take some time out to share some of my thoughts from everything I've been working on this year. 

 For those of you who are actively following me and even for those of you who aren't, I started my revamped version of Beauty Blogging back in December 2016 and it's be a trip. I created my public profile on Instagram and my Youtube channel and surprising wasn't afraid to post videos of myself to the public even though I thought I would have been. Part of that is because I think it's become so normal for everyone to express themselves publicly where 10+ years ago before the iPhone and social media that wasn't the case. The whole thing started of as a rush, I won't even lie. It was awesome to get "likes", "loves", and even a compliment here or there even though that wasn't the point of what I was doing. Sure, there are people out there who post for attention but I post for my own creativity. Eventually that little stuff loses it's luster and you have to find ways to stay motivated, inspired, and creative to keep up with trends and new products coming out. It can be exhausting and constant but it really is so much fun for me to explore. Especially when it comes to making it my own. 

 After I became a full time stay at home mom to my son last year, anything that had to do with ME went out the window. Having my first baby was like taking the life I created and built up until then, all 30 years of me and turning that box of everything I knew and dumping it all out on the ground. There were broken pieces, there were pieces of me I had lost along the way, there were new things I was finding out about myself as a mother and my child that was so overwhelming that only mother's who have ever felt that way could relate to what I went through.  

As a person with a Bachelors degree in Studio Art, creating has been my greatest passion. I even discussed with my husband last night how tough it can be to be a creative person like me because I'm not driven by money, I'm not driven by power. I'm a hard working, loyal wife and mother first and foremost. I'm someone who has a huge heart and has been hurt by a whole lot of people just like everyone else. I'm someone who despite my greatest efforts of avoiding it, feels things deeper than most and tries to block that out because it makes most people uncomfortable. Yet, I'm driven and inspired by positive quotes, other artists, positive people, my faith in God and people who are in touch with their truth. The creative part of me is the easiest part of me to bury but at the core of it I knew it's what I always been meant to do from a young age.

That brings me to now. What's next for me? Where do I take Dee's Beauty Blog so it continues to grow, so it continues to help others, inspire others, connect me to others with same minds and same hearts? I go back and forth between buying my own website and getting a web designer to help me create something awesome, I debate if I should use my Youtube channel to speak on beauty, womanhood, and motherhood and keep up with my Instagram "Makeup of the day" posts. Am I a Beauty Blogger or Beauty Influencer or both and what's the difference? All I know now is what I'm doing here is positive and has been really beneficial for me as far as having something special for me. I look forward to working through the puzzle pieces to figure out the best way to create something bigger and more special to all my followers as well. 

Thank you, as always, to my most loyal friends, family and followers who have been there for me to encourage me always! You're support means so so much! I can't wait to hit some major goals this year including my ONE YEAR anniversary! It's been such a fun ride so far. 


xoxo, 

Dee

Give me all the UNICORN

As most of you know, there has been a unicorn trend on the rise in the past year. I've seen it everywhere from recipes on unicorn hot chocolate and cakes  that look oh so yummy, to clothing such as LuLaRoe where if you have a special pattern you love, it's called your "unicorn".

This colorful trends has really been messing with my little girl, fairytale days and I can't help but feel nostalgic as well as giddy over it. My sister and fellow blogger Swiss Missus, got me my first unicorn item for my birthday coming up and I cannot wait. These are the UnicHorn brushes by Sugar & Cotton. Look at how pretty these colorful bristles are!!! I can't wait to try them.

Just as I couldn't get anymore excited, Tarte came out with a spring release of their own unicorn makeup brushes and palatte and my jaw hit the floor. I have to have it all. Check out their version of brushes with gold handles! This is a 5 brush set with a powder brush, contour brush, liquid foundation brush, crease brush and eyeshadow brush. Perfect for the latest trends in applying a full face of makeup. 

They also came out with a stunning eyeshadow palette, highlighter, 2 matte glosses and a rose gold liquid liner. (All pictured below) Each product was so thought out and is so gorgeous and fun for Spring! So shop on Tarte's website now or get out to Sephora as soon as possible because these are limited edition items and I'm sure they'll sell out soon because they are too beautiful!

I'm so inspired by such a fun and colorful trend and I hope you are too. You can now follow me on Twitter to see more fun things from me.

Don't forget to also follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

As always, thank you so much for the support and love!

Love,
Dee

Dee's Beauty Blog Now on Twitter

Hello everyone! 

Wanted to inform you that I've joined another social media platform for my blog.  You can now find me on Twitter by clicking here @DeesBeautyBlog. Make sure to follow me for makeup looks, quotes, and all things BEAUTIFUL!

You can also follow me on Instagram and my Facebook page. 

Thank you for all the love and support as always!

Love,

Dee

Evolving My Blog in 2017

I started Dee's Beauty Blog back in 2011 as a hobby of mine because people in my life would ask me advice about how to do their makeup knowing I loved it so much and I thought I could use this blog to share it that way on social media. 

While I've used this blog for the last 6 years, I really slowed down in the creative writing side of it the last 3 years. Now that my personal life has somewhat slowed down I made it a personal resolution to get back into things in 2017 and it's been a true joy.

Social media continues to grow and change so much and I'm doing my best to learn it all and keep up with things as well as tie each one together. It's a lot more work than I anticipated and I'm still trying to find a balance with it and being a full time mom. Trends are ever changing, blogging is evolving and influencer marketing is becoming a huge thing for people. All this new information on how to do this correctly and effectively has my head spinning in a good way. I feel in a way that this is my creative calling. 

For those of you who don't know me well, I have had a passion for the arts for as long as I can remember. I remember knowing from an early age I was meant to create and to be an artist. I remember the first time I took a paint brush to a blank canvas that I gasped because it felt so natural to me. It felt like it had been something I had always done even though it was the first time. It was the coolest experience. The colors felt like they were apart of me in a way I can't explain. 

I have also enjoyed makeup since I was a teenager and since one of my first jobs out of college was being a manager of several makeup lines, it inspired me even more than when I was young. I had to take several classes on makeup application and skincare. I was captivated by different pigments of the shadows, the formula of foundations, the correct steps needed to apply a full face of makeup. I had no clue prior to that how much goes into it and how much fun it could be. It was very similar to why I loved to paint. Merging both makeup and painting just feels like such a refreshing thing for me to pursue at this point of my life and that's why I'm here now.

Thank you for those of you who are following me on this journey. Thank you even more to those of you who have reached out to me to tell me how much you're enjoying what I am putting out there or giving me feedback on how to improve. It's been so encouraging and fun! And that's what makeup should be to all of us, FUN! 

My goal is to review all kinds of products in different price ranges and to put live videos out there to talk with you and not at you about the kinds of things I'm learning or kinds of things you wish to learn that I'm excited to share with you. 

Please follow me and share with your friends! Links are below! Stayed tuned for more updates this year! 

Facebook Page
Instagram 

Thanks for reading!

All About the BRUSH

Hi everyone! Just want to say thanks again for following me on this new venture of vlogging and instagraming my beauty blog! It's a lot of fun and your support means a lot to me. 

I had many of you reach out and ask me why makeup brushes are so important and which ones are needed when doing your makeup. Depending on the makeup you use daily will depend on the brushes you need. 

Below is the vlog I recorded this past holiday weekend on makeup brushes, what they are used for and I also added in there how to avoid spillage of eyeshadow when applying eyeshadow with concealer and foundation already applied and when it isn't. 

Here is a list of links & prices of brushes I use daily! The Mary Kary and the Shiseido ones I mention in this vlog unfortuneatly are no longer available as these are brushes I got 5 plus years ago. I apologize for that but you should be able to purchase similar brushes at Sephora & Ulta. 

FACE
-Realtechniques Expert Face Brush $8.99 
-Sephora Angled Natural Brush #50 $15.00 (ON SALE NOW)

EYES
-Crown C476 DELUXE SHADOW / CREASE DUET $6.99
-LAB2 Just Blending in Brush $6.99

EYEBROWS
-Anastasia Brush #12 $18.00


Thank you again for your support! Please follow me @deesbeautyblog on Instagram and on my YouTube Channel for updates and tips. 

Five Minute Makeup Look

Hello!!! Today I thought I'd give you a short Five Minute Makeup Look for those of you who need a quick step by step guide on how to get your makeup done on the go. I like to apply eye and face moisturizer first and let that absorb before applying the following, in the following order:

1. Concealer
2. Eyebrows
3. Mascara
4. Bronzer (or Blush)
5. Any eyeshadow

Here are the products I used and the links to purchase:

• Mascara- Rimmel Lift Me Up in Black
• Concealer- Make Up For Ever Full Cover in #5
• Eyebrows- MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Spike with Mary Kay Brow Gel
• Cheeks- Hoola Bronzer by Benefit
• Eyeshadow- EM by Michelle Phan Shanghai Lavendars

Check out the video above! The products I used are listed below in the notes. Hope you enjoy!

Holiday Look 2016

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! 

Here's a makeup tutorial just in time for your holiday parties for an fun, pretty look. I used gold and purple eyeshadow and topped it off with some gold glitter. 

Here are a list of the products, their cost and their links below:

Foundation- Lancome Tient Miracle in Bisque 5C 330 ($47.00)

Concealer- Make Up For Ever Full Cover in 5 ($34.00)

Eyeshadow- EM by Michelle Phan palette in "Shanghai Lavendars" ($28.00)
                      NYX Ultra Pearl Mania in "Mink" ($6.00)

Glitter- MAC Brilliants in "Reflects Gold" ($22.00)

Bronzer- Hoola by Benefit ($29.00) and Tarte "Park Ave Princess"($30.00)

Eyebrow- Anastasia Dip Brow in "Soft Brown" ($18.00) & Mary Kay Eyebrow Gel ($10.00)

Liner- NYX Matte Liquid Liner in "Black" ($15.00) & Kohl Black Liner

Lip- NYX Xtreme Shine Lip Cream in "Natural" (No longer carried by NYX) 

Hope you enjoyed watching!!! Wishing you and your families a very SAFE and BLESSED Holiday!

Eyebrow Tutorial

Hi there!! Today I did a quick eyebrow tutorial using a cream based makeup so you can see how I fill things in. This is more a natural look that I did using Anastasia's Dip Brow ($18) and Makeup Brush #12 ($18). 

Leave comments below and let me know if you have any questions! Hope you enjoy!

First Beauty Vlog

Hi Everyone!! I though I'd give a shot to Beauty Vlogging since that is still a pretty popular way to put your passion for makeup and skincare out into the world. I uploaded it to YouTube and am still in the process of working on my Channel but I hope you enjoy! The video is too large to upload here but check it out on YouTube at this link: My First Beauty Vlog

Beauty Blogging and Motherhood

Nothing in the world could have prepared me for motherhood. Not even listening to family members with great insight and stories. When you're pregnant you hear a million warnings before you welcome a baby into the world but it's not until you experience it personally until you understand how much your whole world changes. The one thing I will say is while it changes dramatically, it changes for the better. The love you experience really is all consuming and unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's the greatest thing in the world.

I was flipping through family photos since having the baby and the one thing I noticed is how tired my husband and I look in the early months after Adrian was born. I barely wore makeup because there are a lot of days that go by where it's just unnecessary or there wasn't time in between cleaning up diapers or spit up to put it on. It just wasn't important, nor should it have been. I looked at our Mother's Day and Father's Day family photos and can't help think like, "Gosh, we look so tired, but we really look happy." There was a shift in everything the second our son came home. Every single thing that seemed important before, no longer existed. 

I started this blog originally because of how much of a fun hobby it is for me to research makeup, makeup trends and try new and fun things with it. As Adrian gets older I've found a little more time to get slowly back into my passion for makeup and skincare but it's been hard to find a balance between it all. What's most important to me now is being a good mommy. It's hard to figure out how to redefine that passion now that I've changed so much. As we approach the New Year this is a goal of mine as to how to figure out how to move forward with trying to merge both things, being a good mommy and having something on the side for myself that I'm passionate about. I realize this will take time and lots of brainstorming but it's something that is important to me.

For all my followers that have kept up with me from the beginning of this blog 5 years ago, thank you! You guys have been a great support and your encouragement has meant so much to me. It's very inspiring to know that this has been something others have enjoyed. As I redefine what this new chapter means, I hope you'll join me on this ride! 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! 

New Mom, New Beauty Routine

On February 2nd, 2016 my husband and I welcomed our firstborn son, Adrian Alexander, into the world. I'm still getting used to calling myself a mother, let alone getting used to figuring out a whole new routine and new chapter of my life.

The older I've gotten, I'll admit, the less effort I've put into making myself up but I do still LOVE makeup, trying new products, and reviewing the things I do try. I love putting makeup on friends and family, and REALLY enjoy when I have a good half hour to spend alone being creative on my own self. Now that I'm a new mom I've caught myself in the mirror several times looking almost frumpy and I've tried to think of things I could do for myself while I'm home with my son to still make me feel good about myself and not completely unkempt. It's more for my own self than anyone else. With a newborn, most days are spent at home being completely consumed by taking care of the baby. 

For all you moms out there, you know how quickly your life can go from being all about doing whatever you want to, to running around taking care of your family with little time for yourself. For those of you who are looking for ways to still take care of yourself, while taking care of baby this is for you. It's all about balance. I put these in order of what I find most crucial for myself to feel better during the day. Hopefully some of these make you feel good too!

1.) Scrub a Dub- Ask you partner, a friend or family member to come and help you out for 20 minutes so you can get a shower or a nice bath in. I have found that this alone makes me feel 1,000 times better. My son is only 5 weeks old but I have been spit up on, peed on and pooed on many times already so just a simple shower feels like a relief. People always forewarned me that it'd be so hard to shower when a baby came and I used to think they were crazy. They aren't. 

2.) Skincare- when I'm able to squeeze in a quick shower, I like to quickly wash my face with Noxema and as soon as I get out of the shower I quickly put on one pump of my Shiseido Ibuki Protective Moisterizer SPF 15 and my Shiseido Eye Contour Cream. 

3.) H2O- I recommend filling a large water bottle to keep with you all day or just to keep filling up water, the more hydrated you are, the  more awake you are and if you're chugging lots of coffee, like I've been, coffee only dehydrates you so you'll need to replenish. 

4.) Chapstick- I love my Pomegranite Burt's Bee's lip balm because I have found my lips to be much more chapped since I've had my baby. I keep one right by my bed so when I wake up in the middle of the night to feed the baby, I can swipe some on before we both go back to sleep so my lips can restore over night. I also love vaseline as well for my lips. 

5.) Lotion- keep a big bottle of lotion around so that when you have a minute and are sitting on the couch you can give yourself a quick rub down from head to toe. I really like Cetaphil lotion.

6.) Perfume- Every day that I left for work prior to the baby, I always spritzed some perfume on. For some reason spraying perfume on myself seems like a great way to finalize my whole look for the day and makes me feel pretty even without makeup on. I really like Daisy Eau So Fresh and Arlésienne Eau de Toilette by L'OCCITANE because they're both fresh, light and clean smelling. 

7.) Get outside or go the gym- This one is a little harder since it's hard to get away from the baby but if the weather's nice out, take your baby for a walk in their stroller or their carrier. If you have a gym membership and are able to get away for a bit, go to the gym and exercise. Exercise helps everything and is a great way to burn off some stress and help you to sleep better (when you get a chance to that is.)

8.) Sleep when the baby sleeps- the first few weeks of having my baby home, I attempted to be the perfect house wife. I was cleaning, doing laundry and trying to cook meals and take care of the baby all at once and quickly got burned out. Now, depending on how much sleep I got I'll do more or less chores during the day and nap when the baby naps. That has made a huge difference in my energy levels and crabbiness. This also helps your skin to restore itself when you get as much rest as possible. 

Having people in your life to help you and support you helps make these a little easier but most of these are quick things you can do or keep in mind when running around with your children. Hope you enjoyed reading these 7 tips to a refined beauty routine for those moms out there who need to keep themselves in mind too. 

IPSY Product Reviews- February Glam Bag

Hi everyone! Can't believe we are at the end of February already. Seems like it will be Spring before we know it!

If you read last month's blog, you now know I have a subscription to IPSY's monthly beauty bags and since I haven't purchased anything full sized or new myself in such a long time I'm going to review what I got in this month's bag!

First and foremost, the 5 deluxe products I received this month came in this really cute, pixelated, envelope bag.

In this months bag I received a perfume roller ball, a gel coat nail polish, a lip & hand scrub, a face primer and a blush stick. 

Perfume Roller Ball

I received a mini roller ball perfume from Jor'el Park called Eau so Divine. The same is pretty big and came in a 8.8 ml roller ball which is a pretty significant size for a sample so I was pretty impressed by that. At first smell, this perfume smells like something a mature woman would wear. The notes consist of golden amber, sandalwood, sensual incense, Egyptian myrrh, pink grapefruit, blackcurrant buds, lily of the valley, star jasmine, rose petals, ylang-ylang, cardamom,  and Madagascar vanilla. This perfume is sulfate free, gluten free and paraben free. After a couple minutes once the notes settle my skin seems to pull out the lily significantly. I myself, am not a fan of lily's but those of you who are would probably love this. Overall I wouldn't purchase this as it's not my the type of perfume I like. The 8.8 ml sample I received typically costs $23.00 and the 1.7 ounce is $53.00. 

Pink Gel Coat

One of my favorite items from this month's bag was the Pink Gel Coat which is like a nail strengthener/top coat by Perfect Formula . The tips of my nails have been peeling a lot over the last year or so and it's been very annoying to me. I put this on my nails a week ago and my nails haven't peeled at all and the gel coat has remained in tact. I like that it brightened my nails and made them look really pretty and glossy without a nail polish color on. These gel coats come in a variety of neutral colors and I'd recommend them to anyone who needs a good nail strengthener in their life. The only downfall is they are $30.00 a piece, which is a bit expensive for a nail polish.

Lip & Hand Scrub

My second favorite item from this bag is now sitting by my kitchen sink. I was introduced to Jersey Shore Cosmetics previously from IPSY because I got one of their Mongongo Lip Conditioners which is absolutely awesome and one of my favorite chapsticks. It seems most of the cosmetic & beauty companies that IPSY works with are rooted in similar beliefs to have all natural ingredients in their products and I'm a huge fan of that. Jersey Shore Cosmetics does just that. Where better to find your ingredients for your skin than nature. This lip and hand polish is currently $30.00 for a set of 2 on their website but it typically $50.00. All you need is a pea sized amount of this polish on wet hands or damp lips and after massaging on either your lips or hands it leaves almost an oily residue that isn't overwhelming and is just moisturizing enough that you don't have to wipe any excess off. 

Face Primer

I rarely find time to do a full face of makeup but if I do and know I'll be using my foundation, I like to pull on one of my samples of face primers. In this month's bag I received Smashbox's New Photo Finish Primer Oil.  I'm not going to lie, when I heard the word "oil" at the end of this product name I was pretty turned off. I can't help but think greasy when I think of oil based products. This primer has almost a citrusy smell to it and is quick absorbing. The reason this is a good primer is because in winter (especially if you live in the midwest) your skin will tend to be drier so if you use an oil primer rather than a cream based, your makeup might end up sitting better. I have yet to try this primer with a full face of makeup but I was happy with how quick it absorbed into my skin, was happy with the smell and it left my skin feeling soft. Smashbox is known for their primer's as many famous makeup artists use them on the stars/models for photoshoots. I'd say if you're big into face primers this would be a great one for drier skin and during winter weather and I'd recommend it to you. For me however, I'll probably pass since I rarely wear a full face of makeup.

Blush Stick

Anyone who knows me well, knows I'm a huge bronzer person and very rarely wear blush but this product left me intrigued. Upon first impression of this Trestique product I thought it was a lipstick so that was a bit confusing until I read the back of the product that it was a blush stick. I tried it on and it is a very buildable blush and a pretty color in Bora Bora Coral.  I expected the product to be creamier feeling but it seemed to go on rather dry. I feel like the color faded off my face fast so all in all I would purchase this product but I do like that you can throw it in your purse if you need a touch up of color during the day. This blush stick costs $28.00 (typically goes for $34.00 but it's on sale. 

I really enjoyed this month's bag and am looking forward to March's Glam Bag! 

Hope you enjoyed my review!

IPSY Product Reviews - January Glam Bag

Hi ladies!!! Welcome back to my blog! It's been awhile, I know! I missed you! Today I'll be posting about some reviews of recent products I've used this month and what I thought of them so far.

I've been receiving a monthly IPSY bag for about 4 years now and for $10 a month I really enjoy it. For those of you who aren't familiar with IPSY or Birchbox, these are basically monthly subscriptions to beauty products and each month they come with 4-5 deluxe size makeup samples from products like skin care, eye shadow, eye liner, bronzer and lip products. They are super fun and since I'm such a makeup fan, I really enjoy trying out new products every month.

Every month around the 10th of the month IPSY mails out a different themed bag of the month with 4 or 5 samples of beauty products and January's bag was totally one of my favorites. Reminds me kinda of Andy Warhol's paintings.

How cute is this bag?

In this months bag I received a brown eyeliner, an eye serum, eyeshadow, eyebrow powder and cleansing wipes. Let's start with my review of the brown eyeliner.

BROWN EYELINER

I'm a fan of theBalm makeup line. They have good eye-shadows and I love they're style of pinup's and the names they name their products. I received "Mr. Write (Now)" in Rich Bronze. For some reason this picture makes the eyeliner look like it's gold but I assure you it's a medium brown in color. These pencils typically cost $17.00 a piece so you can see where it's nice to get a beauty bag subscription like IPSY because right there your saving $7 on an eyeliner and getting 4 additional product in your bag of equal or lesser value.

Overall I like the eyeliner but more for the bottom lash line. It's pretty shimmery and doesn't sit that well on top of eye-shadow and it rubs away a little easier than I like without eyeshadow on. I've worn it both ways to see how it would sit on my eyes. When I'm using any pencil eyeliner I like when it has more staying power or is waterproof because who has the time to touch up there makeup everyday (if you do, you're lucky). My verdict is I wouldn't purchase this on my own but was happy to try a new liner.

EYE SERUM

 

Another thing I love about getting a beauty bag monthly is I get introduced to a new makeup line I've never heard of before and Hey Honey! is one of the new ones I learned about in this month's bag. The creator of this line, Katerina Yoffe- Larden, created all these skin care items using actual honey and propolis (the stuff inside of the beehive). Both these ingredients are paraben and SLA free.  I received this awesome, moisturizing eye serum by this line called Hey Honey! Open Your Eyes: Eye Contour Lifting Fluid and I love it! It does exactly what it says it does online by quickly absorbing into your skin, moisturizing, lifting and helping prime the area a bit for concealer. I love that I feel like this serum could even replace my regular eye cream because it's so silky and watery that a little goes a long way and I don't have to wait a long time to put my makeup on after applying. This eye serum is $28.00. I would definitely purchase this on my own and am really excited to check out the rest of this skincare line because I like that these products are made out of natural ingredients and are known to be super balancing.

CLEANSING WIPES

Skyn Iceland is a 2nd brand I was introduced to in this month's IPSY bag. This is another line of makeup that is paraben-free & all natural which is an immediate plus in my book. I love a good facial wipe. Especially on days when I don't feel like exfoliating or washing my facial with soap and water this is the perfect "to-go" wipe to keep in your purse. The coolest thing about Skyn's Glacial Cleansing Cloths is you don't need water after you use them to rinse off the soap. The smell of these wipes is super invigorating and calming. The only downside of the "no rinse needed" is I don't like the smell it then leaves on your face. It's a great smell initially but I still take some water to my face to get the smell off because for some reason I still feel like the soap is then left on your skin. The ingredients in these wipes include: white willow bark (soothes irritation), islandic kelp (revitalizes), cucumber (smooths/softens skin), coconut (cleanses), and alpha bisabolol (anti irritant). Not only do these wipes wash your face and leave your skin feeling so supple and clean, but they remove makeup to. The one thing though is they don't remove the makeup from your eyes that well, so you do still need an eye makeup remover if you want to wash your face with these. That was the only downside for me.

Another perk of IPSY is when they send these products out, that month you are also offered a discount on purchasing the full sized product on the company's website. Skyn offered a 40% discount on full sized items and I'm definitely purchases a pack or two of these to keep in my purse for on the go. I'm due for our 1st baby in a few weeks and I'm pretty sure I won't be wearing much makeup for awhile so it'll be great to use these when I need some quick pampering to get me through my new mommy days.

I'm not going to review the eyeshadow or the brow eyeshadow because I wasn't a huge fan of either product and the three above were most note-worthy items for me from this January IPSY bag.

Hope you enjoyed reading my first blog of 2016! If you don't already have a beauty bag subscription, I hope if your a makeup junkie like me, that this post changes your mind! They're well worth it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What's in my makeup bag - January 2015

Photography: Natalie Probst

Hello readers!!! Happy 2015! First off, I apologize for being gone most of 2014. My life has gone through what feels like every change possible in the last 12 months. From getting engaged to moving out of our apartment into our very first home- to rehabbing and wedding planning, you can say I've had a hell of a year. And it's been WONDERFUL! I'm hoping in the new year to have at least one of two blog posts a month just because I can genuinely say I missed it and writing about some of my favorite products that I'd recommend to anyone!

I thought I'd start off the year with what I currently have in my makeup bag which simply includes the basics of what I put on every day. If you don't already follow me on Instagram, you should because I like to post my nail art, new products I'm buying and trying to include tips and tricks related to beauty products. Follow me now @deesbeautyblog! (It's also on the right hand side of the screen if you'd like to check out some of my pictures)

My 2015 Beauty Bag

Okay, let's get started. My daily staple items have been the same for a little more than a year and I've added and subtracted a few things here in there to find exactly what works for my skin and my skin imperfections. I'm noticing now that I'm in my late 20's I'm beginning to have a more uneven complexion. Meaning I wake up everyday with the following problems, so if you relate then perhaps some of my suggestions can help you.

My morning skin problems consists of…

1. Some redness under my nose and on my nose.
2. My circles under my eyes are darker.
3. My eyelids are puffy.
4. The insides of my eyelids are red.

First things first, SKINCARE

I had originally used Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer for about a year or two and it originally worked great. Moisturizers at department stores are so pricey and I was happy to have found a cheaper alternative. Like all things, after awhile some products don't work well anymore because your skin gets immune to it somewhat. I noticed I started having a lot more breakouts and talked to my mom about it. She worked for a really amazing dermatologist in a nearby suburb and he had said, sometimes the cheaper the make-up products are the more likely they are to plug up and clog your pores because some of the ingredients in them are like fillers per se. This made perfect sense for me and I realized it was time for a switch up as far as my skin care was concerned. 

I worked at a make-up counter as a manager for Lord and Taylor for awhile right after college and one of the lines I was in charge of was Shiseido. I always loved this skincare line because it's predominantly plant and flower based ingredients so when I decided to make the switch that was my first choice. They recently came out with their Ibuki line of skincare which is for my age group. If you go on there website there are lots of easy pages on there that will help you figure out which skincare line would work best for you which is an awesome plus. Ibuki carries a Refining Moisturizer and a Protective Moisterizer. I have actually used both and they are both fantastic. One pump of either is enough lotion to cover your face and some of your neck. The only reason I would choose one over the other is because of the SPF. The Refining lotion doesn't have any SPF in it but is a clearer gel moisturizer which has done great things for my skin in our Chicago Winter. My skin is typically pretty dry in my T-Zone during the winter so I was really impressed that even though this is more gel-based that it's kept my skin well tamed. The Protective lotion is milkier and a little watery and absorbs super fast. All in all, they are both fantastic and when you apply the Softening Concentrate (which I don't use every day) this is just another step before you moisturizer that does exactly what it says, it softens your skin to prepare it to absorb all the ingredients in the moisturizer. I find that it's not needed daily because it runs out quick but I enjoy using it at least once a week to help my skin out. 

I've been using the same eye-cream for at least 4 or 5 years now and I'll just cut to the chase. If you haven't heard about all the awesomeness Clinique All About Eyes offers at a fair price, you gotta pick up it up to try! This eye cream is such a hit with people that it's won a bunch of awards consecutively.  It's won best of Beauty 2014: and Readers Choise 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009,n 1999 & 1998. I can vouch for it by saying it's not as much for wrinkles as it is for moisturizing. If you have a problem with crows feet you might want to try something else. 

ON TO MAKE-UP 

For eyes my daily staple items are a black liner and a good mascara. Because I get so red on the inside of my eyes I usually line my lower water line in the morning so I don't look as tired. My favorite black pencil line that is working just as good as the more expensive brands is Maybelline New York's Colossal Kajal liner in Black. Unfortuneatly, it only looks like you can buy it on Amazon currently as I think it is mostly sold in the Middle East and India. My sister picked me up one as a gift last Christmas (check out her traveling blog at the tab below my picture labeled "My Sister in Switzerland") and she got me hooked. I mostly use this liner for my water lines as I prefer my Stila "Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner in Black"

Over the last year I've also finally found a bronzer I'll stick with for awhile. Sun Bunny by TooFaced has a pink undertone that keeps it looking natural and gives just enough of a subtle tan look without looking fake which is perfect for our cold Chicago winter and this new highlighter I'm trying called Candlelight Glow by TooFaced is just as awesome. What I like BEST about this highlighter is it's really natural looking. If you apply it right it doesn't leave you looking sheen like some high lighters do and is a great for adding to highlight your cheek bones, under your eyebrows and even your cupid's bow.  I highly recommend TooFaced in general for face powders because I've never had a problem with any of their products. 

My favorite mascara was introduced to me by one of my best friends, Joanna. She is a Chicago Makeup-Artist and recommended   this MAC Mascara called In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara. Joanna and I have had many a conversation about mascara and both of us have collectively tried to find an alternative mascara that's AS great as this one and neither of us can. The brush head make's the application very build able and not only does it build volume but it builds thickness of the lashes without clumping. That's nearly impossible to find in any other mascara whether it's department store brand or drug store brand. BUY IT! Enough said.

My final staple that I use daily consists of concealer. You wouldn't believe how different every concealer is. It's almost not fair. Some days I feel like liquid concealer works better while other days I feel like cream concealer works better. My current, every day concealers consisted of Mary Kay's Concealer in Yellow. If you have a serious case of dark circles every morning (no matter HOW MUCH SLEEP you get) You have to buy this. It's only $12 and less than a pea size amount goes a long way. I've had mine for well over 6 months and it's only a quarter empty. 

Finally, I like to finish with either of these awesome concealers (like I said, it depends on the day) Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer which is a thick, full coverage cream concealer that again, a little goes a long way and Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette which provides 5 different shades of colors. If you don't already know, our skin color changes at least 2-4 shades a year throughout the seasons. I imagine it's more so in the Midwest since the seasons change so much but this has a been a great go to between Winter and Summer seasons. 

Thanks for reading loves! I'm so excited to be back in the game of blogging. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to comment with any questions below! xoxo!

My New Product Makeup Review

Hi everyone! I haven't posted on here all year because my life has been insanely busy. The good news is in January I got ENGAGED to my sweetheart so the business is due to some exciting things in my life. We're so thrilled to start our lives together.

I've bought a couple new makeup products recently and thought I'd share my reviews of them with you. I really love when I get the chance to try new products because I find it really fun to figure out what works best for me and find things that not only I'd love but products my friends and family would love. Hence the reason I blog at all! :)

Let's get it started...

1.) Benefit "They're Real! Push Up Liner" $24.00

 

I was really disappointed in this product. I really love Benefit's "They're Real!" Mascara so I was hopeful about this eyeliner. It's a gel liner that comes out in a pen like form and this product was super hyped up on their Facebook page and online to the point where you could win a chance to get it before it was in stores. Well, I was one of those people who couldn't wait. Their marketing team did a fabulous job getting everyone excited about it but this product just doesn't deliver. It's supposed to be waterproof yet it smudges SUPER easy, forms a black line in your crease even after it dries and makes a mess when you take it off. A lot of product comes out if you twist it even slightly too much which makes it a waste and I'm just disappointed. The pen is really hard to get an even line on your eyelid without pulling at it and that bugs me. You should be able to use your liner without having to touch your eyelids much or at all. I've been using Lorac "Front of the Line Pro" for a few years which is an awesome liquid liner in an easy to use pen but I was hopeful this new liner would replace that. The Lorac liner is pretty sheen and this liner was more matte which is what I was going for. Unfortunately, this one didn't meet up to it's expectations.

2.) Mary Kay CC Cream Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15 $20.00

My Aunt had a Mary Kay party this summer and I was introduced to some new products. I thought I'd buy a few things since they weren't really overpriced compared to some of the makeup lines I used to spend way too much money on.  Mary Kay's CC Cream was one of the products I got to try and ended up purchasing. I loved it! I've needed a little bit more coverage here and there in the summer but have wanted to avoid wearing foundation so my skin gets a little color. This had just enough coverage though to keep my skin looking like I didn't have anything on it while covering up discoloration or breakout spots and I love that it has SPF in it. It wears through a full days work and I feel as though my skin can really breath with it on. I also really liked that while we were at the party, there were 6 of us there and all of us used the "Light-Medium" color and it all matched our skin tones even though we all have a slightly different color to our tones.


3.) Mary Kay Concealer in Yellow $10.00

I'm currently trying to find products to replace some of my other beauty staples to save a little bit more money and this product is one of them! I purchased this concealer in "Yellow". I don't really get bags under my eyes but I do get purple under-eye circles that only get worse if I'm stressed or sleepy. If you have any art background you'll get it when I say that yellow cancels out purple. This concealer does just that. What I like about this product is it's $10 (a great deal for a good concealer) and a really tiny bit does go a long way. You seriously can use less than half a pea size amount on your ring finger to tap it into your skin and the pigment seems to blend it really nice. It starts out looking like a pale yellow but begins to blend in as it sets. I definitely recommend this product to anyone who needs a good concealer on a budget.

4.) Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay $24.00

About once a month my skin tends to break-out a little or just get congested looking. I typically use Noxema because it's always worked well on my skin to get rid of oil but I feel like this cleanser takes it one step further when I get a little extra oily in the summer. A little bit goes a long way on this one; you really only need a dime size amount and the soap comes out red and silky. I like that it lathers up really well on the face. It's great to use this with a Clarisonic Mia to really get it into the pores. This cleanser helps unclog pores and gets rid of oil. It's made out of red clay and rosemary leaf oil and smells awesome to the point of being almost therapeutic. This cleanser also helps dissolve makeup which is a nice plus. I love that another benefit of using this product is that it's more natural as far as it's ingrediants go because there are no parabens, chemicals or color additives. I got this as a sample in my IPSY bag that I get monthly and from the looks of their website it looks like they have some pretty cool skincare products. Check them out http://www.firstaidbeauty.com/

Hope you enjoyed my first blog of 2014!!!