Happy Friday everyone! Can’t believe another week has flown by!
It’s that time again for my Friday skin tip. 🙂
If you find that applying eye cream directly under your eyes causes irritation, try applying it on top of your cheekbone (zygomatic bone) with your ring finger at night. The eye cream will slowly migrate upwards throughout the night.
Stay safe and hydrated this weekend!
Stephanie
Hi everyone!
With July almost behind us, it’s that time again to share my favorite products that I’ve been loving. Let’s hop to it!
YSL Rouge Pur Couture in 23 Corail Poetique
After trying out a couple of Chanel lipsticks that didn’t work for me, I decided to try the YSL Rouge Pur Coture lipsticks as I’m already a huge fan of their Glossy Stains. This lipstick does not disappoint. I was looking for a nice peachy nude color and while most of them are too sheer, this one has just enough opaque coverage to change my lip shade while still looking natural. The formula glides smoothly and has decent staying power but wears off with drinking and eating. Overall, a good high end lipstick to try.
Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie in Speak Your Mind
An oldie but goodie, I’ve found myself reaching for this lipstick a lot this month. Since I have kept this as a backup lipstick in my purse, I’ll usually be wearing this shade at the end of the day despite starting off my morning wearing a different lipstick. It’s kind of mauve pink that looks great with a lot of looks and it’s one of the very few lipsticks I can wear where I don’t feel the need to apply lipgloss on top. It’s not a buttery lipstick but it has just enough glide to feel comfortable and a tiny bit of shine.
SkinMedica Age Defense TNS Eye Repair
I have a few samples of these and have recently rediscovered them. The fast absorbing and non-greasy texture makes this easy to work with plus the blend of peptides, retinol and vitamin C and E help firm, brighten and smooth the eye area. I don’t have any lines around my eye area yet but it does tend to get dehydrated and this cream does an excellent job of moisturizing without irritating me and I don’t have to worry about developing milia.
Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Masque with Hyaluronic Acid
Lately my skin has been acting weird, sporadically breaking out and feeling dry-I blame the crazy California weather for this. I keep this in the fridge and apply it to areas that feel tight and need moisture. Although it’s a dense and creamy yogurt like formula, I don’t have an issue with breaking out and my skin feels moisturized and soothed afterwards. And yes, this smells faintly of strawberries which is a nice bonus.
Nelson J Beverly Hills Argan Oil 7 Moisture Healing Mask
A sample I received through Birchbox, I instantly fell in love with this. Its coconut scent instantly reminds me of summer and is a great choice for summer use. The instructions even state that it can be used before swimming to protect hair from damage. It’s not as thick as other hair masks I have tried but that in no way affects its performance-hair instantly feels smoother and hydrated. I have curly hair and this really helps smooth out the frizz factor and makes detangling easy. I will definitely be purchasing the full size soon!
Aside from these, I’ve already shared a ton of favorites in my Summer Have Series and if you’re new or have missed a few posts, make sure you check out my beauty guide for everything hair, nails, skincare, lip products, eye and face makeup, blushes and travel.
What are your July favorites?
Stephanie
Hi everyone! How was your weekend? I had a great and relaxing weekend filled with yoga, massage, Pressed Juicery and Urth Caffe goodness. 🙂
I’m back today with products that are compact and simple to use. Travel and purse friendly, see what products are great to get when you’re on the go!
Hair and Body
Bumble and bumble Pret-a-Powder
Toss this in your purse to refresh your hair on the go. The powder quickly blends into the hair, absorbing any excess oil and is perfect if you have bangs that start to stick to your forehead after a few hours.
Davines SU Hair and Body Wash
Streamline your shower routine by using this gender neutral scented item that cleanses skin and hair but won’t leave it feeling stripped.
Spongelle
Included in June’s PopSugar Must Have, you can save time and space with this soap infused body buffer. Just wet the sponge and enjoy a rich lather that will leaves your skin (and bathroom) lightly scented.
Face
Dermalogica Precleanse Wipes
One of the best makeup remover wipes I have tired, these oil saturated towelettes break up makeup and sunscreen quickly without any harsh tugging or pulling.
Makeup
Fresh Sugar Berry Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15
Easy to apply, this lip balm requires no mirror, protects lips for the sun and is on trend with this season’s berry lip!
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (my shade: Light 2 Vanilla)
The doe foot brush and formula conceals imperfections with a few dabs underneath your eyes.
*Note: If you’re concealing blemishes, dab some first onto a clean finger and then apply to affected area to prevent cross contamination.
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (my shade: Iced Mocha)
Eyeshadow sticks are virtually the foolproof way to apply eyeshadow. Glide some over the eyelid for day and take it up a notch at night by applying it to the lower lash line along with black eyeliner.
Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour
Featured in my June Favorites, this product sculpts your face with ease, no brush required.
What are your favorite travel friendly items?
Stephanie
Happy Friday!
If you suffer from eczema, make sure you keep your skin topically hydrated to help soothe itchy flare ups.
Thanks for tuning in and I wish all of you a great weekend!
Stay hydrated and protected,
Stephanie
Hi everyone!
Almost down to the last post of my series and so far we have covered skincare, lipcolors, blushes, nails and hair. Now, it’s time for the face and eyes. Take a peek at my picks in today’s quick read post!
Face
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Sunscreen Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15
Light-weight makeup is key for me in summer months and this is one fits the bill. This foundation provides enough coverage to conceal redness yet still allows skin to like skin. Another slightly less expensive option is Make Up For Ever Face & Body Liquid Makeup.
bareMinerals Ready Translucent Touch-Up Veil SPF 15
This is great for setting your makeup and helping to control shine. Bonus: it has SPF.
Eyes
Urban Decay Naked Palette
The original product that started it all, this palette has a great color selection and a variety of finishes that take you from workday neutrals to sultry bronze summer nights. My favorite picks: Half-Baked and Smog.
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Jet Back
Just as the name implies, this liquid eyeliner will last all day without creasing or transferring. Just a little primer underneath and you can create a thin or thick line thanks to the fine tip.
Rimmel London ScandalEyes Eyeshadow Stick in Witness White
An easy way to brighten your look, just pop this shade in the inner corners of your eyes and you’ll instantly look awake. You can also use this as a base to accentuate other eyeshadow shades.
Do you use any of these? What are your favorites?
Stephanie
Happy Tuesday everyone! Hope your weekend went well. 🙂
My ‘Summer Must Have’ series continues with a current obsession: blush!
Let’s dive right in.
Bobbi Brown Blush in Pretty Coral 31
Although I’m not sure why the word coral appears in the name of this blush-even the MUA was confused- this is such a nice pink color that goes perfectly over bronzer. Looks very natural on the skin and can be used as an everyday/work blush.
Burberry Beauty Light Glow Earthy Blush No. 07
A versatile product that can be used as a blush or contour shade. This taupe shade has an incredible smooth and buttery consistency and although there is no shimmer, it has a subtle ‘glowy’ look and is one of the products I reach for when I want the ‘no blush’ blush look.
Cargo Cosmetics Swimmables Water Resistant Blush in Los Cabos
A generous sample that I received in my May Birchbox, this is what coral looks like to me. I can’t attest to the water resistant claim but I can say it is long-lasting and nicely pigmented. Blending is easy, I think this would look great on multiple skin tones and if this shade doesn’t scream summer, I don’t know what will.
YSL Creme de Blush No. 4 Audacious Orange
Despite the bright orange color, once blended in, this leaves behind a nice flushed look. Only very little is needed because it’s highly pigmented, it’s easy to work with and holds up in the summer heat. You can’t beat that.
*Note: As I write this, I just noticed that this isn’t readily available anymore but if you can find, I highly recommend it. A great and inexpensive alternative is the Colour Pop Super Shock Cheek blushes and my favorite shade is Trickery. You can read my review here.
Bottom to Top: Pretty Coral, Earthy Blush, Los Cabos, Audacious Orange
What are your favorite blushes?
Stephanie
Happy Friday everyone!
Can you believe I had a post every single day this week? I’m trying to squeeze as much as I can given my Summer Must Have series is taking up the majority of this month. I do hope you’re enjoying that so far. 🙂
On to my skin tip.
When layering skincare products the rule of thumb is to apply water to cream. For example, after cleansing you would apply your toner, followed by serums and lastly, your moisturizer. In the daytime, your moisturizer would go underneath sunscreen.
Thank you so much for tuning in this week!
Stay hydrated, cool and protected this weekend,
Stephanie
Hi readers! Continuing with my ‘Summer Must Have’ series is a post dedicated to maintaining healthy hair during the summer. I sat down with cosmetologist and personal friend Kathryn DiGioia, who owns DiGioia’s Beauty Studio along with makeup professional and twin sister Katelyn DiGioia, and asked her to share tips on how to keep your tresses and scalp in tip top shape amid your sun, chlorine and salt water filled days.
I hope you enjoyed these tips! Special thanks to Kathryn for answering my questions and be sure to check out DiGioia’s Beauty Studio for more information on their services and take a glance at their work by following them on Instagram.
See you tomorrow for my weekly skin tip!
Stephanie
Happy hump day everyone! July’s PopSugar Must Have box has arrived and if you haven’t heard of this it’s a monthly box whose items range from fashion, beauty, home, fitness and food, making it a well rounded subscription box. Subscription plans start at $39.95, all items are full size and are valued at over $100. Curious to see what was included? Keep reading!
The inspiration behind this months box.
On to the box.
PopDental Portable Toothbrush, $19.99
A portable electric toothbrush that, “delivers 22,000 brush strokes per minute.” A great and practical item.
Henri Bendel Signature Stripe Canvas Dopp Kit, $28
A water-resistant, sturdy and stylish pouch to store all of your travel/on-the go necessities. Also included is a 20% coupon to use on the Henri Bendel website. Don’t mind if I do. 🙂
Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist SPF 50, $28
Excited to try this skincare goody! It’s a mist that, “delivers SPF 50 protection, sets your morning makeup and controls oil and shine, giving your skin a flawless matte finish.” *Note: I’ll still recommend wearing your normal sunscreen underneath to ensure adequate protection.
Yes To Blueberries Cleansing Facial Wipes, $5.99
Great to have makeup wipes handy as prelude to help remove the day’s toll on your face.
The Good Bean Fruit & No-Nut Bar, Chocolate Berry, $1.99
A protein bar that has blueberries, cherries, dark chocolate chunks (yum!) and roasted chickpeas instead of nuts. “Lower in fat and calories, it’s entirely vegan, non-GMO, and gluten free.”
Hallmark Signature Greeting Cards, $14.97+
Considered a ‘special extra’, this set includes cards to cover any special occasion, whether it be a wedding, birthday or just because. Each are individually wrapped in plastic to keep them protected and they truly are beautiful. Below is the wedding one.
Sorial Card Case, $28
A chic alternative to a wallet that’s perfect for a night out, there’s, “plenty of space to hold your ID, credit cards and some cash.”
Overall, I am happy with the box as it has practical and travel friendly items. 🙂
What are your thoughts on the box?
Stephanie
Hi Everyone!
The sweet and lovely Stephanie invited me over here today to share with you my 10 polish picks for this summer. I have to tell you Stephanie, I was so flattered to be included in your awesome summer picks series. Thank you!
If you read my blog, The World of Cos, you know, I have an obsession with periwinkle polish. Therefore, I tried my best when picking 10 polishes for summer 2015 to mix it up some and picture what colors I like to see the most in the summer. When I picture summer polishes I think neon’s, soft creams, and special effects.
Neon’s
I go a little crazy with neon polish on my toes in the summer and probably could do a whole post with 10+ neon polishes for summer, but for this post, I will stick with two neon polishes.
L to R: Funky Fingers Power Play, Zoya Ali
Creams
Creams are probably my favorite formula of polish since they are smooth and look so feminine. I chose four creams for summer.
L to R: OPI Alpine Snow, Nails Inc. Regents Place, Floss Gloss Wet, Essie Groove is In the Heart
Special Effects
Summer is the time to play with colors and special effect polishes look great in the sun. I went with four I think look good at any age.
L to R: KBShimmer What Are You Wading For?, Essie Muse Myself, Butter London Airy Fairy, KBShimmer Pigment of My Imagination
That wraps up my 10 summer polish picks for Summer 2015. What are your picks? I definitely could pick many more and I know I left out some favorites that are similar to the ones I listed.
Thank you again Stephanie for inviting me to guest post on your blog.
Thanks for visiting and have a terrific Tuesday!
*Thank you so much Cos for giving us your awesome insight!- Stephanie*
