a week of beauty. sephora haul + review.

sephora recently had their beauty insiders 15% off ticket,

so i picked up a few products i've been wanting to try.

here's what i got:

- beautyblender [pure for my sensitive skin]

- bite beauty agave lip mask

- obsessive compulsive cosmetics lip tar / matte in black dahlia

beautyblender pure, $20

i recently switched back to liquid foundation, so i decided to invest in a beautyblender. it does a nice job of applying the foundation evenly, and the end result feels lightweight. i used to use flat sponges (typically the ones that come with your makeup) to press and drag the makeup into my skin. after using the beautyblender to "bounce" the product into my skin, i can comparatively say that the beautyblender is much easier on the skin. is it worth it? yes. life changing? no. similar sponges would give you the same result for less money like this one by sephora ($13) and this one by real techniques ($6).

tips for using:

some people say that they end up using more product with the beautyblender. the type of foundation you use makes a difference. the sponge will naturally soak up liquid, so choose a foundation with a thicker consistency. if you pour a dab of liquid foundation on your hand and it immediately drips or runs, the beautyblender will soak it up and less product will make it to your face. 

tips for cleaning:

two words....ivory soap. don't wash your expensive products down the drain...literally! beautyblender has its own liquid ($18) and solid ($16) cleansers, and i've heard some people use their pricey face washes, like philosophy's purity ($23). if you want a cheaper alternative, ivory soap is pure (no synthetics) and simple and washes out easily. i used to bathe my kids with ivory, and if it's good enough for my kids, it's good enough for my brushes and sponges! baby shampoo works, too, if you have kids (and shampoo on hand). otherwise, you can get 10 bars of ivory for under $4 and use it for bathing, dish washing, and laundry!

bite beauty agave lip mask, $26

i've been desperate to find a product that works for my extremely dry and chapped lips. after hearing youtubers rave about this lip mask, i had to try it. this stuff works and keeps my lips hydrated all day. no more peeling!

it looks and feels like an ointment, is heavy but not uncomfortable, and has a nice scent. some may prefer to use it overnight, but i use it like a primer in the morning and apply my lipstick over it when i get to the office. it has a nice long-lasting shine if worn alone. although it's pricey, a little goes a long way. this little smudge on my finger is too much product for one application. is it worth it? yes. life changing? yes.

occ lip tar: matte in black dahlia, $18

i've been wanting a dark vampy red lip color, and i heard black dahlia was it. the product in the tube is intimidatingly dark, but one coat produces a beautiful radiant orchid shade (above). these lip tars are buildable and will easily give you that deep red with a couple of coats. the lip tar has great pigmentation, and lives up to the matte name. perfect for an event, particular look, or the runway.

the bad? they are super drying! it's like i took two steps forward with the agave lip mask, and one step back with the lip tar. my lips instantly dried up and peeled after using. (i expected some dryness with a matte product). you definitely need to use a lip primer (occ has their own here), and i had to apply lip balm to keep my lips moisturized throughout the day. the color also needed to be touched up after a few hours. because of the multi-step process (apply lip primer, unscrew cap, apply to brush, etc...) it would not be an everyday lip product for me. is it worth it? no. if you are looking for a deep red, try jordana matte lipstick in merlot. if you have tried regular or metallic occ lip tars, let me know your thoughts on those.

have you tried any of these products?

do you prefer brushes or sponges to apply your makeup?

shop the post:

beauty tips. how to combat allergy face.

[this is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zyrtec.

all opinions are 100% mine.]

do you experience red nose, watery eyes, and puffiness?

like many others, you may be experiencing symptoms of allergies.

as an adult, i have become prone to allergies and do experience all three of these symptoms. luckily, my occasional allergies are manageable. my niece, on the other hand, is constantly sniffling, sneezing, and walking around miserably with a box of kleenex.

ZYRTEC is the #1 allergist recommended OTC brand that provides fast relief for those suffering from these allergy symptoms. Zyrtec helps you feel better, and Allergy Face beauty tips will help you look better. the only thing worse that feeling bad is feeling like you look bad as well. read these facts, and you'll find that 66% of women feel unattractive because

of their allergy face.

here are tips and products that help my allergy face:

1) moisturize. hydrating your skin helps the puffiness; i use a heavy cream at night to minimize puffiness in the morning.

2) waterproof your makeup. when dealing with watery eyes, i waterproof my mascara with anastasia's lash genius. sephora's pitch black eyeliner also has great staying power.

3) highlight. i use white eyeliner to highlight features [like the brow bone] and conceal red areas [under the eye and around the nose]. just draw and blend.

check out Zyrtec on facebook and watch this video for more allergy face beauty tips:

do you suffer from allergies?

what are your beauty tips for tackling allergy face?

primp and prep.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hpnotiq. All opinions are 100% mine.

i remember the days of going out with the girls...it was a ritual that started early in the evening. we'd all meet at someone's house to get ready together, have a few drinks, then hit the town. sometimes, this was the best part of the night.

 Primp & Prep is an exclusive online site on hpnotiq.com where girls can go to get all of their fashion, beauty, and style tips before going out. crank up the site's pandora music player and dance to popular hits while you get ready. find out what the celebs are wearing and what the latest makeup trends are so you can hit the town in style. you'll also find delicious Hypnotiq cocktail recipes to kick-start your evening. guys will even enjoy this site as they'll find tips on how to get that girl!

i love listening to good music while i'm getting ready. it sets the tone for the evening and gets me pumped up and excited! i'm usually scrambling for good music on the radio stations or shuffling thru CDs and playlists, but with the Primp & Prep! pandora music player, i know that every song will be
perfect for the occasion.

for all you girls and guys [21 and over], hair down, music up! head on over to Primp and Prep! to see what it's all about...
and tell me, what's your favorite part of the site?