Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Philosophical Appearance

So far this Summer has been great! However, my skin has been reacting negatively to my recent late night bar hopping and random lengthy sunbathing. I started thinking about the best products that would heal and protect my skin from nature's impurities. I wanted something that would allow me to still wear makeup without allowing my products to make my skin worse. I came up with a two-step process to use before applying my makeup that will balance my skin back into a beautifully radiant texture.
If your skin seems like it is breaking out no matter what you do, you need to balance it back to normal. In order to do this you must ban all of your harsh products (facial scrubs, anything with a benzoyl peroxide percentage higher than 2.5%) for at least two weeks. Replace these products with a gentle cleansing face wash. I like using Philosophy's Purity Made Simple facial cleanser. It dissolves any dirt, oil and makeup and leaves skin with its natural moisture. It is perfect for making my sensitive skin squeaky clean! It is pH-balanced, so the more you use it, the more it will balance your skin. It is a great cleanser for daily use.
 
After you are done admiring your beautifully cleansed skin, apply a primer that seals in the cleanliness and blocks out contaminants. I absolutely love The Present Clear Makeup by Philosophy. It is silky so it moisturizes and protects your skin. It is like a barrier that seals in what you want on your skin and protects it from anything that could cause breakouts. The great thing about this primer is that it makes your makeup go on so much smoother, so you don't have to wear as much!

Tip: If your skin seems too dry to go straight to the primer after cleansing, apply a light moisturizer and allow it to dry before priming! Listen to what your skin tells you it needs during this process. You may just be dehydrated!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Flushed

During the summer, my face tends to look washed out compared to my sun-tanned physique. If this happens to you, know that it is because we wash/exfoliate our faces more often than we do our bodies. I exfoliated my face last night and although I looked refreshed and tan when I went to bed, I woke up looking very pale and unhealthy. I hate when that happens! So, i decided to add a step to my routine to bring some color to my face.

Benefit (of course) has these wonderful lip and cheek tints. Since I was so pale this morning, I used the lighter color, Posietint. I like to apply a cheek tint after my concealer but before my setting powder. This allows the color to come through your make-up, creating a flushed look instead of looking like it is concentrated only on your cheeks. Posietint looks like it is a very bright hot-pink , but don't be afraid. It is perfect for pale skin tones because it is creamy pink instead of the typical red, so it is not too harsh. To use: apply two or three dots onto the apples of your cheeks and blend outwardly using your fingertips as your tool. Repeat this step until you have the color that you want. When I use Posietint on my cheeks, I also like to put it on my lips to bring some more color to my look.

Benefit has another alternative for deeper skin tones or if you are looking tan and just wa
nt a flush of color to your cheeks. Benetint is a watery red version of the creamy Posietint. I love using this when I am tan and going out for the night because the good thing about lip/cheek tint is that it basically stains your face where you apply it. (No worries though, It will not stain forever! It is washable!)


>>Tip: Mix a liquid highlighter (such as Benefit's high beam) with Posietint and apply to the cheekbones for a camera-ready, fun summer glow!


Enjoy!
-Morgan



>>P.S. Before and Afters are soon to come!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Bare necessities

Hello readers! I have had a very productive day, ending in a little relaxation by the pool. Who could ask for more? After lugging my big bag of several different sunscreens and tanning lotions (my obsession knows no bounds) I started thinking about how much I appreciate this next product. Not only does it make my skin look flawless, but it also protects me from the suns harmful rays.

Bare minerals is something in my make-up bag that will never need replacing. I tried it my freshman year of college and have been using it every day since. I will never go back. It is very lightweight, it blends perfectly and is SPF 15! I use Bare minerals as a full coverage foundation and as a setting powder after my concealer, erase paste. (Don't forget: every cream needs to be followed with a powder to stay in place!) When applied using the handy kabuki brush bare minerals covers any flaws or imperfections and is lightweight enough for all of your poolside endeavors! It comes in many different shades, but adapts to skin so well that even if you don't get the perfect color for you it will still look good. (I typically use fair in the Winter and fairly light in the Summer.) I know everyone has seen the late night infomercials and thought, "Hm, I should try that.." Well, you should!

>>Tip: Bare escentuals has a new matte foundation that I have not yet had the pleasure of using. If you have oily skin, this may be a better option for you. It soaks up excess oil and has ingredients in it that promote cell turnover and minimize pores. Cell turnover is when your dead skin cells are shed and replaced with younger cells, making your skin feel smoother and looking younger.

Thanks for stopping by!
-Morgan

Monday, June 7, 2010

Eraserhead

Today was the first day of Summer school (yuck!) and like any other college student, I try to savor every last second I have in my bed. In order to do this, I must cut down my make-up routine quite a bit or end up running late with no breakfast in my belly. Interestingly enough, one of my favorite products to use is something that, if used correctly, no one else knows it is there and you still look great! Concealer is very important if you are just rolling out of bed and you don't plan on going for that "just rolled out of bed" look.


Benefit's erase paste is BY FAR the best concealer I have ever used. If I could only choose one thing to take from my make-up case, this would be it! Some would say it's..magic. It's creamy consistency makes it so easy to blend. It is a full coverage concealer, which is ideal if you have under eye circles to cover (let's face it, we all do). Since it is a highlighter and a concealer in one, it is perfect for any redness around the eyes and nose, too! Erase paste comes in only three shades: fair, medium, and deep. After letting my moisturizer dry (basic or tinted), I apply this amazing concealer (in fair) all around my eyes up to the brow bone, around my nose, and on any stray red areas.

One of the many things I love about Benefit products is that they already come with the tools you need to use them! So, erase paste comes with a tiny spatula that you can use to get out the amount you need without contaminating the rest of the concealer with the germs on your fingertips. Very sanitary!


>>Tip: Whether you follow erase paste with a foundation or not is up to you depending on how much coverage you need, but either way don't forget to set everything in place with a powder! This will ensure that your make-up will not settle into creases or melt down your face if you get warm.

Have a great day!
-Morgan

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Breath of fresh face

Most of the time, when I spend money on cosmetics I see it as an investment. However, we must remember that these investments have an expiration date! I will admit that I have been guilty of keeping products past their prime. (I just cannot bring myself to throw them away!) Doing so can be very bad for your skin, especially if your skin is sensitive. Also, the product may not work the way it is supposed to once it is expired. So, every couple of months, go through your make-up bag (or if you're like me, your entire bathroom) and clean out all the creams, powders, and liquids that are expired. It will feel great once you are done and you can start fresh with your make-up routine. Plus, it will give you an excuse to get more stuff!

I bought this tinted moisturizer that I absolutely love! It only comes in two colors, which makes it super easy to decide which one you need. You Rebel lite is for fair skin and the You Rebel (in the red tube) is for the more olive, tan, or dark skin tones. The moisturizer blends so well that there is no need to worry if you picked the right one. I bought the You Rebel lite and it blends just as well when I am tan in the summer as it did when I was pasty in the winter! It has a lot of coverage for a tinted moisturizer and is SPF 15!

You can replace your Clinique moisturizer with You Rebel or double up! Sometimes I just mix the two together to get a creamier, more moisturizing cream. If you like two (or three) products of the same nature, Mix them together and try it out. The best of both worlds!

>>Tip: You can get these
Benefit products online or at any Macy's Benefit counter, but search around to get the best price. Don't settle! Whenever I am planning on buying a new addition to my drawer/bag/bathroom I search the web for coupons and sales. Search places you wouldn't expect to have these things for sale, such as E bay or Amazon. You will be surprised what you will find!


Thanks for reading! -Morgan

Saturday, June 5, 2010

When Morgan met make-up..

Hello all! I decided to start a blog where I could talk about what I love: Make-up. I have loved cosmetics since I was a little girl. I remember going to the grocery store with my mom and always wanting a new shampoo or lotion that interested me (for what reason, I do not know). Every time we went I was allowed to choose one thing in my favorite aisle of cosmetics. Eventually, my attraction expanded to make-up. Powders, lip gloss, mascara, oh my! The day I discovered my beloved Sephora was obviously significant. It is truly amazing the difference a little concealer and blush can do to a person's self-esteem and confidence. When I have spoken to people about my love for make-up and they say "But you don't even wear any!", I laugh and say "Exactly". Make-up allows your inner beauty to shine through. It allows you to express yourself! If you have ever waited on me to get ready, I apologize. I just can't help myself!
So, through my unconditional obsession for make-up, I hope I can show you the different products and techniques I use that will make you love the world of cosmetics and skincare as much as I do! So, let's get to it!

My first product on the line is Clinique's dramatically different moisturizing lotion! People underestimate the power of simply moisturizing before make-up application. I have noticed that this specific brand of moisturizer stays with me all day without leaving an undesirable oily residue. If your skin is on the oily side then you are better off using the dramatically different moisturizing gel. The gel moisturizes just enough for oily skin, but has more of a matte finish. Moisturizer allows your make-up to settle into your skin which gives you a radiant glow. So, MOISTURIZE!


>>Tip: If you use acne products, you know that they tend to suck the moisture right out of your skin. To battle the dryness while allowing the chemicals in your creams to work, apply them at night under an oil-free moisturizer and/or during the day under a deep moisturizer (such as Clinique). Sometimes, I even use Vaseline on extra dry spots because it does not clog your pores. This will permit easier make-up application during the day without the excess oil at night!

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