Quick Tip: Understanding Color Undertones for Lip Colors

Ever worn a certain color and noticed it changes the cast of your skin tone or teeth, etc? Not all pinks are created equal and that goes for all colors. A cooler (blue toned) color, for example, can make your teeth appear more white where as a warmer (yellow toned) color can make your teeth look more yellow.

This is why I love cooler toned lip colors and when I do go for a warmer tone, I try not to go too orangey or I look for warmer toned colors with blue shimmer so that you can get the best of both worlds. That's not to say that warmer tones aren't good or pretty, but when you're looking to brighten your smile, try shades with cooler undertones to make it pop! Hope that's a bit helpful! Talk soon.

By Terry - Review

OK, I'm warning you now, these gorgeous products are a pretty penny. I have splurged on Chanel, YSL, Givenchy and Dior. Oh, and most definitely skincare as well, but I had never tried By Terry before and some of her products seemed so expensive! What's with this stuff? I could only find it at Saks and Barneys. It was like a treasure hunt. I was first interested in By Terry because it is known for using hyaluronic acid in products. Hyaluronic acid is a good acid that actually helps your skin retain water/hydration. And I've read on other blogs (gh0stparties & AModelRecommends) that some of the By Terry products were in their holy grail top of the top products. Hmmm, that's a big statement for a blogger to say considering they've probably tried so many products. So, of course I had to give it a go.

Lip Care

Caring for your lips is pretty important and I feel like a lot of us just forget about them. Aside from the Burts Bees lip balm that's probably floating around somewhere in your bag when you're feeling chapped. Lips are not to be forgotten though. Especially being women, we want our lips to look healthy and beautiful. Duh! But really, it's something you shouldn't skip out on. Here are a few things I do and use to keep mine in good shape.

1. Lip Balm - Having a good lip balm is really important. I always keep one in my bag and another by my bedside. Applying lip balm regularly every morning and every evening will do wonders. It sounds simple, but a lot of us only pull it out when we think we need it. Just make it part of your routine and stick with it. If I'm going to be wearing lipstick, I'll just be sure that I apply the balm first thing and let it sink into my lips before applying the lipstick so that it doesn't cause it to slip and slide around. If you need to blot the product off a bit, that works too. My personal favorite balm is the Dior Creme De Rose. It's pretty and works like a charm. Also smells like roses. I consider this the girly girl lip balm. I do also like the Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine.

2. Lip Treatment - This is the rescue balm for winters and seriously chapped lips. Although using lip balm regularly usually keeps things in check, there are times when my lips can get seriously dry and chapped. Makeup doesn't look good on them and they can sometimes hurt if they start cracking. I have tried probably hundreds of balms in my lifetime and I always find that Blistex Lip Medex (in a blue pot) is the only thing that can save me. I know it's not fancy or pretty by any means. But, it's quite strong and it will feel cooling on the lips. It will give you relief and heal your lips. I'm warning you that it tastes bad so try not to lick your lips, but it will do wonders if your lips are on the verge of death!

3. Lip Scrub - As many people that have come to know about lip scrubs, I find that many still don't know about them. Just like a scrub for your body or face, there are scrubs for your lips. They will help remove any dry or flakey skin. They will essentially smooth the surface and scuff off all the dead skin cells sitting on your lips. They'll feel softer, smoother and look brighter. This is great to do once a week or so. And especially before wearing a bold lip color so that you have the perfect canvas to apply the color on. I like the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish. Lush also has a good one called Mint Julip's Lip Scrub. If you don't want to bother with one, a basic toothbrush lightly brushed over the lips will give you the same result.

Hope that gives some of you a few new ideas for how to care for your lips and make them extra gorgeous! Until next time....

Loving this look

About a month ago I stopped into a Sephora and spotted the loveliest lip color by NARS called Yu. Seriously, it is the most amazing bright fuchsia pink. The coolest thing about these are that they come in a fat pencil form and the finish of this particular one is a satin finish. So, it's not too glossy and not too matte. Luckily, I was gifted this item by a friend as this has been sold out at my Sephora forever! Which of course only made me want it more. So, a few days ago, I decided to do a simple look featuring Yu as the focus on my lips. I used a soft shimmery tone washed across the lids (Chanel Emerveille) with a thin winged liner using Bobbi Brown's black gel liner. Finished the eyes with a few coats of YSL's Babydoll mascara in black. I enjoy doing matching cheeks and lips when I go with bold pinks so Chanel's cream blush in Fantastic was the way to go and of course, NARS Yu on the lips! Pretty and soft, but bold at the same time. I'm loving it!!

Click through for Product List.

The Skincare Trials

I swear skincare is a never ending job. Yes, a job! As much as I love putting on a mask and pampering myself, it's really difficult to find the right things for your skin that work. It's a constant trial and error. Especially because our skin changes as we grow and even with the weather. What makes it even more difficult is that for the most part, skincare items are not instant gratification. It's not like putting on foundation and seeing your skin look amazing. It's about taking time to correct, maintain and prevent. This is precisely why I haven't really posted much regarding skincare. It takes time to test things out and really know that a product is good and worth the price tag. I'm warning you now that this is going to be a long post! And I still won't be able to get to it all!

So, I'm still in the testing process. The common rule is to wait at least 3 months before casting off a product. Some of these I've had for longer, some not as long so I'm still waiting before I rave or not about each of them. But, it feels like forever and I've been wanting to talk about some of these things so much! So, this is a preview. Consider it the teaser trailer to the film, if you will. I thought this would be a good time to talk about how and why I chose to try out each of these products. I will then do a follow up in the next month when my trial period is over letting you know how they each performed. Sound good? I'll take that as a yes!

Lusting After YSL's Forbidden Burgundy for Fall

Because I'm obsessed with makeup, I couldn't leave out something special in the beauty world for Fall! I've had my pretty little eye spying on this YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Forbidden Burgundy. Packaging is to die for. Most lipsticks tend to dry out my lips so I do make sure to keep them hydrated prior to applying a lipstick and will usually only wear them on a night out because I can't stand being bothered all day long with them. But they are great for nights out and this one is lovely to keep in your clutch for a va va voom moment when you go for a touch up. The color on these is very opaque and the finish is a silky, shiny look. No need for any lipgloss to top it off. So gorgeous and this deep burgundy color is perfection. This is definitely on my shopping list!

If I Could Have it All for Fall...

Major fail sometime last night as I somehow managed to delete this post. Drats! Anyways! As I was saying, I've been so set on Summer for the past few months. Recently though, more and more brands/stores are introducing leather, boots, hats, jackets, black and so on. At first I was appalled. What?! Wait, it's still Summer! But, as of last week, I'm so craving Fall weather and clothes! I've been browsing online shops collecting things in my cart. What's the equivalent to window shopping online? There needs to be a word for that. Urban Dictionary, do you have any suggestions? Well, whether for future purchases or just for inspiration/eye candy (yes, I'm talking about you, Jimmy Choos), these are the things I'm eyeing so far. I'm going to go out of order because... well, because I can! The jacket. Hello Alexander Mcqueen cobalt blue beauty! It's so pretty. Something about this blue lately has me transfixed. But then you add the impeccable tailoring and the exposed zippers. It's just gorgeous. If only I could have it! I will, however, save up for some new jeans to add to my collection. I've been dying to buy a pair of moto jeans and these Current/Elliot ones might be my answer. A nice grey color with some cool stitching details in a skinny leg fit. Perfection. And coated jeans. This black Rag & Bone pair look nice and comfortable too. The coated jeans give off a bit off sheen and edge up a classic pair of jeans. OK, here we are. The boots. Over the knee Jimmy Choos. Need I say more? Wish list (or imaginary list). But all of that is nothing without some cool tops to go with them. A striped tee is always great to have and I'm digging this distressed off the shoulder number from LNA. And I had to throw in a flannel for a casual daytime outfit. As you can see, I enjoy mixing sexy, edgy pieces with cool casual ones to round out a look and not be overdone. What more could a girl want?!

Ah, but of course... you can't leave out accessories! I've been eyeing this Michael Kors watch for a while now. I already have a gold (stolen from my mom. Shhh...), rold gold and a titanium watch so I've been on the hunt for a more cool/casual watch with a leather band. I think this is the one. Oh, and baseball caps. I've been looking for the perfect one for months now. I think this might be it. Such a good piece to add to any outfit. With jeans and a tee shirt of even to dress down a dress. I'm really loving them at the moment. And who can leave out a scarf? A cute printed scarf will always go a long way. 

Are you still in summer mode or are you amping up for the new season? What do you want to look like in Fall? All items are listed after the jump if you want to have a looksie.

Concealer

I've recently had so many people ask me about concealer. What is it? How do you use it? Do I need it? First and foremost - yes, you need it! Mostly everyone (unless you're perfect in which case I am no longer friends with you. jk) will need some type of concealer at some point. You're foundation can't do everything by itself. Once you discover what concealer can do, you will never leave it out of your routine. It's really a secret weapon and let me tell you why...

Hall of Fame - Chanel Lip Glosses

Anyone who knows anything about me will know that I am a lipgloss fanatic! Lipstick? Eh. Lipgloss? Yes!! I'll admit something now and never again. I probably have one too many glosses. OK OK, you got me. Like thirty too many! Sigh. It's such an addiction. From high end to the drugstore I've tried numerous brands, but I have to say that Chanel are my absolute, hands down, no doubt about it, all time favorites. When a girl has about fifty lip glosses, finishing one is like a miracle. Chanel has given me many miracles. No joke. I repurchase and repurchase. The color selection is quite good and they're always coming out with limited edition shades every season. Only thing I hate about the limited edition shades is that I fall in love and then I can't ever buy it again! First world problems I tell you.

Aside from the beautifully classic packaging that really just cannot be denied, the formula is just perfect. Great consistency, long lasting and when it does start to wear off, it wears off evenly. Huge plus because I hate when it gets patchy or you've lost all the gloss in the middle of your lips and have a weird rim around the outer edges. These never do that to me. Even the darker colors. They're not at all sticky. The shimmer is always pretty and not chunky or overbearing. The packaging never fails, I've never had one leak or fall apart. And the applicator applies just the right amount of gloss in one dip. Love love love!

On a small departure, I did pick up one of the new Chanel Cream Blushes last weekend and am loving it! I think it might be the runner up to my YSL favorite. The texture is cream to velvet finish. They have no shimmer in any of them which keeps them all quite natural looking and flattering. Very pretty. If you haven't already seen my post on cream blushes and are interested, click here.

Jade Facial Roller

About a month ago, I decided to try something new and bought myself a Jade Facial Roller from Ying Yu Rollers. I've seen these before and didn't really understand the point, but after doing some reading, I thought it could be useful to me so in my cart it went. 

This is a facial roller made of pure jade. Jade is known to have healing properties in helping filter and drain your body of toxins. It is used for many things, but this in particular can be used to massage the face and help with lymph drainage. The idea is to start and the center of your face and roll outwards. It gets your blood flowing and exercises the muscles in your face that are usually just stagnant. 

What does all that mean? Well, we move and exercise pretty much all other parts of our body, but never our faces. It's important to massage and get your blood pumping as well as toning your facial muscles. It can help plump up your face, making wrinkles less noticeable and the getting your blood moving will help the overall look of your skin to appear healthier. I find that because it gets everything moving and active, when I go to apply my night creams, they sink in better and I can feel their effects stronger. The second thing I mentioned was draining out the toxins. This can aid in clearing up your skin by removing any build up beneath the surface. You are literally pushing those toxins away from the face. I also find that I enjoy the cooling sensation of the stone on my face. It's very calming and relaxing. 

This particular version pictured above is a double facial roller. They also sell them separately. The larger end is meant for the face and the smaller end is intended for the eye area. For the face, the idea is to place the roller by your nose area and roll outwards towards the ear. You continue this all around the face, always starting by the nose and rolling outwards. Very important to roll outwards. Just think of it as pushing all the toxins out of your face so you never ever want to roll inwards. It's slightly uncomfortable to use in the beginning in certain areas. I found my cheeks to be ok, but my forehead was a bit odd because it's literally skin on bone in that area. You get used to it though; just start off gently. You will definitely feel like your face had a workout. Kind of weird when you've never felt that on your face before! As for the smaller end, you can use this around your eye area to help drain out puffiness. start from the inner corner and roll out to the outer corner of the eye. You can do this all for as long as you want. I usually do it for 2-5 minutes depending on how much time I have. You kind of get addicted and just keep rolling. haha. 

It's pretty cool and I've really grown to enjoy how it feels. I think it's important to get your face muscles a little more active. Even if you aren't able to buy yourself one of these, try doing the same motions with your hands and massage your face. At least you can get some blood flowing which is good for your skin. If you want to try one out, they have a few on CultBeauty.com. Have any of you ever tried one of these already? 

My Wardrobe Staples

I find that we're approaching the end of summer and Fall/Autumn is nearing closer and closer. Boots, jackets, leather and so on are already making appearances in stores. Crazy how time flies! So, I've put together a few of my closet essentials. A few staples that are must haves in my closet all year round. The pieces that transition perfectly from season to season and the season after that.

(left to right)
Lightweight Cardigan: I love wearing sweaters. Having a lightweight casual sweater can be worn on summer nights or as a layering piece during the colder months. This one is from All Saints and I love it. I also love sweaters from Vince. They both last forever and are great staples. Totally worth the splurge.
Indigo Denim: Every girl has to have a great pair of dark indigo denim. It can be dressed up or dressed down. Pictured above are my AG skinny jeans.
White Tee: I think this is so essential to every closet no matter how old or young you are. I love the look of a classic white tee or shirt. It never goes out of style. Always looks classic and effortlessly chic. My personal favorite is from Wilt. They will last you forever. The material is comfy and the shape is flowy and casual.
Lightweight Scarf: I have so many scarves because they are just so freakin versatile. A lightweight scarf can be used for summer evenings or even as a beach cover up and of course be used for warmth on a colder night. I picked this one up on a trip to NYC.
Sneakers: Your basic white sneaker is great for casual days out today, tomorrow or next year. These Superga's are made great, super comfy and classic. Wear them with a dress or a cool pair of jeans, the options are endless.
Classic Polishes: I have quite a few different nail polishes, but I always find that my go to's are from Essie. They have a really great subtly in their color range. A classic creamy white, light creamy pink and a nude will always always come in handy. Marshmallow is the perfect semi sheer milky white. I do also love Blanc which is more of an opaque white. My favorite pink is Mademoiselle, a creamy sheer  light pink.  And my perfect nude polish is Topless and Barefoot. I haven't found anything that competes with that!
Brass Cuff: I think a good cuff or bracelet that is all metal is a great way to accent any outfit. I'm currently obsessed with this skinny railroad spike cuff from Giles & Brother. I think this will stay in my jewelry box for years to come.
Perfect Scent: I have a ton of scents that I like to wear, but this D&G 6 is one of my favorite go to scents. It's light enough to wear every day and it's not overly girly or too masculine. It's actually a unisex fragrance. I find it really sexy and androgynous.
Classic Sunnies: We have to protect our eyes all year round and sunglasses are the way to do it. I have a few that I love, but my Raybans are quite classic I would say. They're easy and go with everything!
Leather Bag: A good leather bag is another essential and also gets better with time. I love the look of old beat up leather bags. I've been enjoying this tote from Madewell quite a lot as of late. I find myself wanting to cart around my pen tablet and camera and iPad all the time so this bag is the perfect catch all for everything.

As you can see, I tend to splurge a bit more on my staple pieces because I want them to last me forever and these all have stood the test of time. Never splurge on that really awesome pair of lime green pumps. Not worth the money. A good pair of jeans on the other hand will stay with you long enough to make some good memories in. What would you consider a staple in your closet?

On a side note, Miss Bella (below) was hanging out while I was photographing my pieces this weekend and I snapped a pic of her too. She's way too cute for her own good.

Talk soon.

Quick tip - Keep it Clean

It's so important to keep your face as clean as possible to avoid dirt and grime clogging up your skin. This goes for anyone, but especially for those with sensitive skin that find that you break out easily. Here are a few things to keep in mind!

Pillowcases: Wash them often! I rotate through pillowcases at least once a week, sometimes twice a week. You're sleeping against them all night so you want them to be as clean as possible.

Makeup brushes: So many of us get lazy and don't wash them as often as we should. I tend to wait longer to clean eye brushes, but any brush that gets used on my face gets cleaned at least twice a week, if not more. You don't want that bacteria collecting in your brush and just continuing to use it!

Wash cloths: For those of you that use wash cloths to wash your face, be sure to wash these as well. Of course, you're probably rinsing after each use, but be sure to throw it in the wash and just keep a few to rotate through.

Phones!: I've seen this happen to so many people where they start breaking out on the sides of their cheeks and don't know why. Phones are placed in purses, on tables, in pockets and they're touched by our fingers all day long. Try to clean your phone off before touching it to your face. Or better yet, just use a headset and avoid it altogether!

Hands off: Stop touching your face! As much as we wash our hands, they're still constantly touching things and collecting bacteria all day long. Try to avoid touching your face unless you've just washed your hands to avoid transferring any bacteria.

Hope that helps everyone and especially those that find themselves breaking out and can't figure out why! Keep all of these things in mind and it might help alleviate some of that!
Talk soon.

My Must Have Brushes & Makeup Tools

Brushes and tools are incremental to creating the perfect makeup look. Below are my absolute must haves for my every makeup bag. Of course, it is quite a personal thing so your picks may vary slightly. Especially considering what you do as part of your makeup look. Not everyone uses eyeshadow or applies foundation so you can definitely pick and choose the brushes you'd need for the look you want to create. I'm featuring quite a few brushes from M.A.C and Real Techniques. They are the two brands that seem to constantly dominate my makeup bag. 

M.A.C brushes have wooden handles with nickel plated brass ferrules (that's the metal part between the brush and the handle). The brushes themselves are hand sculpted. I find that a few of them shed upon the first couple of uses, but after one or two washes, I usually don't have an issue. I think M.A.C is quite well priced for the quality, but if you are looking for similar brushes at a lower cost, Sigma brushes are great alternatives. They have competitive pricing and the quality is still good. I'm representing my M.A.C brushes here though because I've literally had mine for about 8 years and they are still in excellent condition which is a true test to their quality.

Real Techniques Brushes are a more recent acquisition, but I am obsessed. They have seriously changed my make up application world! They are cruelty free so they are all synthetic which is quite lovely. They wash so well, never shed and I find that each brush is great for multiple uses. So versatile. My only annoyance with these it that the handles for the larger face brushes (Buffing and Expert) are so fat! Really nice to hold in your hand when applying, but they take up so much space in smaller makeup bags. I still carry them everywhere though because they're brilliant and are essential to my everyday routine. 

OK, let's get started with the Face!

FACE

RT Contour Brush: I find this great for contouring as it is named. It's shaped so that you place the product on the tip of the brush and then when you swirl and blend, the shorter bristles around the point will help blend out the product you placed on the top center. I like that this is a smaller sized face brush so you can be precise with application. I actually own two of these because I love using it for setting powders as well. I only like to powder my T-zone instead of my entire face so this brush is perfect for applying powder in those specific areas and not getting it everywhere.

RT Buffing Brush: This is one of my favorites for liquid foundation. I tend to swap between this and the Expert Face Brush (below) depending. With this brush, you just keep swirling it around your face and it literally buffs the foundation into your skin so beautifully and seamlessly. Because the bristles are a bit long, they are flexible. So, I find this works best with the more liquidy liquid foundations that are easier to move around. I have to say though that my favorite thing to use this brush with is cream blushes. I just tap it into the blush and pat it onto my cheeks. Then swirl around lightly to blend it in. 

RT Expert Face Brush: This is my all time favorite because you can use it for everything! It's perfect for any liquid or cream foundation. I even use this to blend and buff in concealer. I find you can either swirl to blend or even pat it around to get a heavier coverage in certain areas where you might need. Concealer, for instance, I pat it in with the tip of the brush so that it concentrates the product in that one spot and covers without moving the product. The shape is perfect for fitting into all the nooks and crannies of the face. I'll even use it sometimes with powder products to contour my face. Literally, anything you need to use on your face can be applied with this brush. It's the most versatile. Love it!

M.A.C 129 Short Handle Powder Brush: I enjoy this brush for powder or bronzer. It's big, but not too big. This is actually a short handle brush which I love because it's good to carry in your bag for any 

large angled brush: perfect for blush

M.A.C 168 Large Angle Contour Brush: I like using this brush to apply powder blush. It's soft, fluffy and blends the product well.

RT Domed Shadow Brush: I know a lot of people use a flat synthetic brush for concealer, but this is so much better! It just flawlessly buffs the concealer into your skin. And if you need a heavier coverage on spots, just tap/pat it over the blemish. I also love their other eyeshadow brush for this that's a bit fluffier. They're both amazing for concealing.

Beauty Blender: I generally hate makeup sponges. They absorb all of your product and they don't blend seamlessly. This, however, is unlike any other makeup sponge out there. And although many brands that have come out with knock offs, none have come anywhere close to this. You have to run it under water and then squeeze out the excess. It will double in size and stay damp. This makes it super soft and because it is retaining water, it won't absorb as much of your product. The shape fits perfectly into every part of your face to apply foundation and concealer. The bottom for larger areas and the smaller top for smaller areas like around your eyes or nose. And because it's rounded, it won't leave any marks of the edge of a sponge like others do. You just apply your foundation and bounce this all over your face for an almost airbrushed look. Brilliant!

I know it seems like a lot of brushes for your face products. To be honest, I swap between them daily depending on my mood and products. But, if I had to slim it down, (you know, like if someone was twisting my arm) I would have the RT Expert Face Brush for foundation and concealer, RT Contour Brush for setting powder and the M.A.C 168 for blush and/or bronzer. Done and done!

EYES

M.A.C 266 Angled Brush: This is fantastic to use for filling in your eyebrows if you use a powder. I also use this to apply eyeshadow along my lashline like eyeliner. I find that this angled brush from M.A.C is really really perfect. It's long enough, quite thin and soft, but still firm enough to get precise application. I have brushes like this one from other brands and none of them get it right like this.

M.A.C 213 Fluff Brush: This is the perfect brush to apply concentrated shadow in a flat area like the entire eyelid. It's soft and simple. Gets the job done.

M.A.C 224 Tapered Blending: Everyone has to have one of these. Even two! It's just the essential fluffy brush that you need to take an eyeshadow into the crease of the eye and to blend everything out. It's soft and fluffy so it buffs and blends perfectly. The reason I say you could own two is because if you like doing smokey eyes, once your brush gets too dirty with one color, you'll need a clean one to keep blending so that it doesn't make your eyeshadow all muddy. I also like the M.A.C 217. They're quite similar so it's a bit of personal preference. I have one of each. Yes, I'm obsessed with brushes!

M.A.C 228 Mini Shader Brush: I don't hear that many people talk about this brush, but it's one of my favorites. It's like a miniature version of the 213. I love doing smokey eyes and applying eyeshadow underneath my eyes. This is the perfect size to do that. It just smudges the shadow down there and places the perfect amount of product. It's also good for applying color to the inner corner of your eyes where most people like to highlight. 

M.A.C 204 Lash Brush: I call this a spooly. I use it for my eyebrows, not my lashes. I fill in my eyebrows with either a shadow or pencil and this is the pefect thing to brush through your brows afterwards. It will comb them into place and help blend the color you put on. A lot of eyebrow pencils come with one of these on the opposite end though so you might be able to skip this one.

Tweezerman Tweezers: Every girl should own a pair of good tweezers. You never know when you'll need to pluck the odd hair here or there. I find tweezerman's to be my favorite. They just work great and last forever. 

LIPS

M.A.C 318 Lip Brush: This is the retractable lip brush which I like because most of the time, if you're going to use a lip brush, you'll probably need to take it out with you in case you'll need to touch up. I rarely use lip brushes or lipstick, but when you want a precise lipstick application, there's no way around this. You'll need one!

Fingers!: Never forget the cheapest makeup tool that exists. Your fingers! I love love love brushes, but I also don't always have the time to put on makeup let alone pull out my brushes. And sometimes, fingers just work better. I sometimes apply foundation that way. Always use them for cream shadows. Often use them to apply concealer. They're so versatile and usually the warmth of your fingers will blend the products into your skin seamlessly. Never underestimate what you already have!

Last piece of advice I have is to always care for your brushes. Keep them clean. Clean them properly and store them appropriately. Even a good brush will be short lived if it isn't cared for. Wash them often. Use baby shampoo or a proper brush cleaner. Never ever let water go near the ferrules or handles. It will break down the glue and wood which will make your brush fall apart. Not cool. And always be sure to reshape the brush before allowing them to lay flat to dry. If the bristles aren't shaped, it will dry in a funky shape and never really go back to being the same. 

Hope this helps some of you get some ideas on what brushes you might need for your own collection. There are tons of brands out there that make brushes so you can always experiment and find what works for you. Until next time!

p.s. You can find M.A.C brushes at any M.A.C store, counter or maccosmetics.com. And you can find Real Techniques at Ulta stores or Ulta.com.

Star Gazing at Mount Pinos

I'm taking a departure this morning from the usual beauty post. Although this is far beyond any beauty I could ever conjure up with makeup. Sometimes you just have to stop and take a moment for things like this. This past Saturday, I accompanied some friends to go up to a place called Mount Pinos. I'd never heard of it before last week. Living in and around the LA area, I've gotten used to never seeing stars. At most, I'll see 5 stars in the sky. If I'm lucky. Shooting stars? Don't hold your breath. It's the saddest thing because I LOVE seeing stars. Such a sucker for a starry night. Not to mention the science behind it all is really interesting. It's just so cool to see the stars and everything else that's out there in the sky that we almost forget even exists because we can't see it. Anyways, my friend invited me to join her and her family up there for the new moon. And when I heard 'stars', I knew I had to go! It is a place about an hour and a half north of LA off the 5 fwy at 8,300 ft elevation where astronomers and enthusiasts alike park, set up telescopes and chairs to star gaze for the night. The new moon creates prime viewing as it isn't as bright out. Which also means that white flashlights or headlights are off limits so you don't interrupt the dark night. It is serious business up there!

It started on Saturday afternoon, we grabbed some sammies and drove straight out of LA. Just long enough of a drive to give you time to chat and bond in the car, but not long enough to make you crazy! I had a lot of fun driving up and getting to know a new friend of a friend. Having girly chats and listening to soft rock on Kost 103.5 which proved to be quite funny. Upon exiting the freeway, the conversations shift as you feel like you're in another world which is pretty awesome considering it's only and hour and a half drive. There were so many trees as we winded up the mountain. And I don't mean palm trees, I mean real forest park trees. When we arrived, we set up chairs and blankets and food - of course. First thing I saw through the telescope? Saturn. What?! It's so cool. Just like what you'd see in a text book picture, but it's so incredible to actually be beneath the stars and look at it through a telescope with your own eyes. You just feel so small. And I mean that in the best possible way. It makes you step back and realize how much is out there in the world outside of our little lives. When it first started getting dark, I couldn't believe the amount of stars in the sky. All the while everyone kept saying "just wait". Just wait? For what? How could it get any better? But it does. Holy Shit! I've never seen so many stars in my entire life. These pictures do not even do them justice. It's so incredible. I felt like I was in a snow globe. Some fictional world created at the top of that mountain. A perfect little bubble. There were so so so so many stars. It honestly looked as if someone had sprinkled glitter across the sky. So Spectacular! As the night went on we caught sight of the Milky Way amongst other things through the telescope.

I can't even go on because I would ramble on forever trying to justify how incredible everything looked and felt. I did see about 5 shooting stars throughout the night after going my entire life with never seeing one! And yes, I most definitely made wishes on each of them. Any excuse to make a wish! The whole evening was part educational and part magical. I have so much gratitude for my good friend and her family for welcoming us into their circle. And to her dad who had so much enthusiasm and knowledge and was so gracious in sharing it with all of us.

10 Beauty Things I Would Tell My Younger Self

Yes, that is a picture of mini me in my cheering days. Awww. haha. Anyways, I will say that I'm not wise enough to really know it all. I'm not 100 and sitting here telling you "yes, this worked wonders and this is why I'm healthy and look like I'm 30!". Although I do hope that one day I will be able to say that! A girl can dream, right? I have, however, been alive for 25 years and have picked up a few things along the way. These are 10 things I would tell my younger self or things I'd pass on to a future daughter, etc. I'm sure this list will grow as I do, but here's what I've come to find thus far:

1. Don't over pluck your eyebrows. 

I was lucky enough to have a mom on top of this one! I've been threading my eyebrows before I ever even owned or thought of tweezers. But so many girls try plucking, get carried away and end up with thin brows and continued plucking like that will leave you will sparse brows that are a B----- to grow back. Seriously. Leave this to the experts if you're feeling weary.

2. Don't over cut your cuticles. 

So many of us take it upon ourselves to do at home mani pedis. Myself included. Problem is that most of us have no idea what we're doing! Most is self explanatory, but always be sure to treat your cuticles with care. Don't push them all the way back and cut them all off. They will just grow back worse and faster. Be gentle and only trim away the excess.

3. Don't forget to wash your face. 

I am such a stickler for this. Always wash your face! The worst thing is leaving your makeup on or even just being up and about all day long and just sleeping with all that dirt and grime on your face. Clogging up your pores and congesting your skin. Did I gross you out yet? I hope so. Wash your face! And yes, just like brushing your teeth, you have to wash it again in the morning.

4. Don't be mean to your skin. 

So many of us poke and prod and over exfoliate our skin when we're trying to fix a problem. Issue with that is all of those things can aggravate your skin and make the problems worse. Poking and prodding? Always a no. Exfoliation. Yes, in moderation!

5. Always always wear SPF. 

By now, just about everyone is aware of this, but don't be lazy! It should go on your face, your neck (!!!), your hands, arms - basically anything not covered. Don't forget any parts of your body. And this rule applies all year round, not just in the summer. Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean the sun is nonexistent. Always wear it. 

6. Never skip moisturizer. 

I used to just run out of the house after washing my face and never cared to moisturize. I also made the excuse that because I have oily/combo skin, it was ok to skip this. That is so wrong! Dry, normal, oily, whatever you are; you need moisturizer. You just need to find the right one for your skin type. This will keep your skin hydrated and healthy looking. I also believe that keeping skin moisturized with help in the antiaging process. It's never too early to start being proactive about it!

7. Embrace the things you cannot change. 

Curly hair, straight hair, size 6 shoe or size 9, pale skin or olive, short or tall - doesn't matter. Take actions for the things you want and can change, but always work to embrace the things you cannot. Those are the things that make you who you are and what makes each one of us different and interesting. 

8. Don't care about what other people think. 

You are who you are and if you love it, pshhh, who gives?!

9. Drink tons of water! 

Sigh. I'm still working on this one. If you're like me and you hate drinking water, just add fruit. I've been doing this for the past few weeks and although I'm still not great with it, it has been a huge leap from my pepsi addicted taste buds. I'll toss in things like sliced oranges, cucumbers, lemons, limes, mint leaves, etc. and leave the water to infuse overnight. Take it in bottles wherever you go and you'll be more enticed to take a sip of your healthy flavored water. Plus, you'll secretly feel fancy walking around with fruit dancing in your infused water while everyone else drinks their lackluster ordinary bottled water. Take that!

10. Ask this question to others and find out what everyone else has on their list. 

It's so interesting to hear what different people have to say. And who knows, you might learn something new! What would you tell your younger self in regards to health and beauty?

My Top 5 Lightweight Bases/Foundations

Every great look starts with the right base. Foundation is so important to start off a look with a blank canvas. Now, depending on the look you're going for, you may want a lighter coverage or a fuller coverage and you'll want to choose the right product accordingly. I wanted to talk about some of my favorite lighter coverage and lighter weight bases. Remember that foundation isn't intended to do all the work and cover every little spot on your face. That's where concealer can come to the rescue. So, even if you have one or two blemishes, you can still get away with a lighter coverage and just conceal the areas you need heavier coverage. I really love lighter coverage products because they tend to feel lighter and more comfortable on the skin and you can normally see a bit of your skin through the product. This keeps you looking more natural and you can fool people into thinking that you aren't wearing anything on your face. Nice! So, I think this can be great for summer time or everyday use or even for a night out if you have quite good skin. You don't need to mask it all off. There is, however, definitely a place for fuller coverage products. That being said, I will do a follow up to this post in the next couple of weeks to talk through my favorite fuller coverage bases that I tend to use when my skin is acting up or for an evening out when you want to look like you have a porcelain complexion. First things first though, lighter coverage. Let's get started with my favorites (they're in no particular order).