As you well know, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. So here goes: I’m addicted to lip gloss. Much like Tori, I blame essiebutton. I was never too keen on gloss but eventually something clicked and I’ll never look back. Spring and summer are the harbingers of fresh makeup, and lip gloss fits that bill. Bold, matte lips are lovely but pose the risk of seeming over-done. Not to mention they can be tricky to maintain. Just a touch of lip gloss adds color and shine while remaining convenient. After my epiphany, I've found a few favorites. Give these a go if you're a little hesitant of gloss.

ALMAY COLOR + CARE LIQUID LIP BALM in 700 Cantaloupe Crème
     Perhaps the most subtle of this trio, this is an easy finish to any look. The pastel coral subtly warms the tone of your lips which is lovely with a bit of a tan. This does feel more like a balm than a stereotypical gloss. No signs of stickiness here, just a respectable dose of moisture. The pigmentation is sheer, so nice for more casual days.

MILANI BRILLIANT SHINE GLOSS in Sweet Grapefruit and Coral Crush
     This offering is very much classed as a traditional lip gloss – candy-scented and quite sticky. It doesn’t disappoint in terms of shine, though. I also find that the tackiness fades after an hour’s wear or so. While the color payoff isn’t equal to a liquid lipstick they aren’t incredibly sheer. Sweet Grapefruit adds a pretty pink flush to the lips, while Coral Crush is a good option for those a little timid of orange.

NYX BUTTER GLOSS in Peaches and Cream and Strawberry Shortcake
      This duo is another set of shades perfectly suited for the season. These are essentially just an amped up version of the Almay balm/gloss hybrid. They offer more sheen and are nearly on par with a lipstick. These fade gracefully and won’t feather or bleed.


xx
Rachel

Sometimees I feel like I neglect the name of the blog. A lot of products that I talk about are far from budget friendly. I have nothing against drugstore products, I just get extremely caught up in the packaging and the hype of higher end products. I thought in this post I would show some love for the products that are budget friendly and that don't skip on quality.

ELF | Lip Lock Pencil ($3.00)
In all honesty, this is my absolute favorite ELF product. I have been using this for as long as I have been interested in makeup. It keeps your lipstick from feathering or moving around and definitely helps the staying power of anything you are wearing. That leads to less touch-ups and overall frustration that sometimes goes along with the whole shindig.

NYX | Jumbo Eye Pencil ($4.49)
I own two of these. I own Iced Mocha and Milk. I love using Iced Mocha as a base color and Milk as a brow highlighter or in my waterline. I typically use a primer under Iced Mocha just to ensure that it doesn't crease or smudge. These blend in easily and I love the consistency of the product.

Revlon | Colorstay Nail Enamel ($4.99)
You guys should know by now that Revlon is probably my favorite drugstore brand. I think I say that about every time I mention it,  oops. They're nail polishes are no exception, they are a nice quality without the price of Essie or ahem Deborah Lippmann (although I would own all her polishes if I could). I have never had an issue with any nail polish I have purchased by this brand and they usually have a really nice color range as well.

Maybelline | Color Whisper Lipcolor ($4.74)
For a little bit cheaper than the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter, the Color Whisper Lipcolor offers a nice range of colors. I actually think I like them better than the Revlon Colorburst (I'm sensing a comparison post coming your way). These are extremely pigmented for a drugstore lip color. I own Made-It Mauve and Berry Ready and would reccommend them both.

Revlon | Colorstay Blemish Concealer ($4.28)
I have had a love/ hate relationship with concealers. I love the idea of concealer but have yet to find one that I am massively obsessed with. That being said, this concealer is the best one I have found and for a pretty good price. I don't really use it as a blemish concealer though. I usually just pat this in with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and it tones down any redness I may have.

What are your favorite budget friendly products?
xx Tori

I tried to get this up ASAP considering the Cats won and I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate by showing you how I did my make up for the game. Yes, I am indeed crazy enough to drive two hours on a Monday night to watch basketball. Also, not sure what happened at the beginning of the video, or why it's choppy in some parts — Sorry!

As mentioned in my last post, I'll be mentioning/ briefly reviewing a product I bought last Saturday. I was completely torn between the Rouge Dior Couture Color Lipstick in Mauve Mystère and the YSL Glossy Stain in Pourpre Preview. Alas, the YSL won out due to my adventurous mood (yea, gloss is adventurous, okaaii?). The color was really unique and I had heard great things about this glossy stain. My problem with gloss is that I don't like how it feels, however, once this gloss "dries" it doesn't feel like anything is on your lips. I wore this color to work the other day and it lasted all day without the drying feel of a lipstick. (I'm still getting the Dior one though). All in all, I really like this product because it is long lasting and is vibrantly pigmented. I really want Peachy Coral from this line (so feel free to buy it for me). 

The next product is the Real Techniques Silicone Eyeliner Brush. I debated this purchase for a bit just because eyeliner has become a foreign thing to me. With my shaky logic, I figured that this brush would be just  the thing to get me back on my eyeliner game. This brush is easy to use and does an extremely nice job guiding the perfect flick for a cat eye. Either that or I must have woke up with surgeon-steady hands, but I bet on the brush. That being said, I'm not sure if it's the eyeliner I am using or what, but I feel like I had to coat this on. It definitely needs to be a gel or paint pot or something of the sort. When I used a cream eyeliner it didn't go on as dark as I wanted and I ended up reaching for my Stila liquid liner to finish the job.

I'm extremely confused by this next product. The Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in Navy has really amazing reviews on Ulta, but I'm not a massive fan. This was a pretty impulsive buy and I didn't read the reviews before picking it up or hearing much about it. The reviews all claim it has a bold color but I'm not seeing it. I tried applying it with two different brushes and layering it on, but it definitely was not navy, but more cerulean. Needless to say, I was kind of disappointed to see it wasn't as bold as the reviews exclaimed, but I'll keep trying and let you know. 

This last product is one I have been wanting to try for awhile. The NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream has been talked about a lot on YouTube and for some reason I just never got around to buying it. I have seen a couple reviews and swatches of Istanbul and finally nabbed it the other day. This definitely lives up to its name. It has the matte factor of a lipstick while feeling like a lip balm. It is pretty pigmented for the price and is somewhat long lasting. Even though it doesn't last as long as a lipstick does, it is way easier to quickly apply than lipstick. I absolutely will be picking up other colors from this range. 

What makeup or skincare have you guys picked up?
xx Tori

I told myself that I was going to be on a makeup ban this month. Did that happen? No. Did I make it three days? No. I should really work on my self control when it comes to makeup. That being said, I feel pretty solid about these three purchases because I *needed* them. I have actually been wanting two of these products for months. In the picture I am wearing all the products listed below. Not like it was difficult because I luurrvee them.

The first is the Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer in fair. If you have been reading the blog for awhile, you know that I raved about the sample I got from Sephora months back in my "BB Cream War," post. When I finally broke down and bought it, the first use was pretty magical. It has that silky formula that I love and a nice, natural coverage. There are a few other perks of this product. One including it's Broad Spectrum SPF 30. Who wouldn't want that? Another perk is it being a vegan product, also meaning no animal testing. Y'all know I'm a sucker for brands who don't test on animals.

Hourglass has been tempting me in the form of YouTube videos because just about all the people I watch use the Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil. I was running out of my beloved Gimme Brow and decided that it was time. The moment I tried this pencil I fell in love. I know I say that with about every brow product ever, but truly, this is amazing. It's advertised as a pencil but looks like the most natural thing. The consistency is more like a crayon than a pencil. That being said, I think putting a clear brow gel on over helps it stay put. I purchased the soft brunette shade and it is perfect. How did I ever operate without filling in my brows? This is a mystery.

This last product is one I am determined to conquer. Blush. I have the hardest time applying blush. I never think it looks right on me, I have no idea why. I've gotten better about it, thanks to my Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual. Anywho, I thought this NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Hot Pink would be the perfect shade. It's a gorgeous shade and does work with my skin tone. I used it the other day and was pleasantly surprised. It blends really well, I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush just to blend it in. With my face shape being oval, I go ahead and place the product higher on my cheekbones towards my ear and then blend out. I feel like that works the best for me just because I don't like the color on the apples of my cheeks, it just looks weird on me.

What products have you guys been loving lately?
xx Tori

So I've done a really good job this month and didn't peak at what was in my ipsy bag online before it came. I'm actually quite excited about what I got this month, and since I'm on a make-up ban for the month this is pretty exciting. So let's just dive right into my first impressions.


Be a Bombshell, The One Stick in Flustered ($16)
So upon first look, I thought this might be a cheek stain. Turns out, it's an all over use stick. Seeing as mine's a bright red/pink color, I'd imagine I'd use it more for lips and cheeks, definitely not eyes (as the site suggests). It's got a really nice, smooth consistency to it, and is easily blend-able. We'll see how much use I get out of it.

NYX, Lipstick in shade 638 ($4)
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always on the hunt for a good orange-ish color lipstick. I know they're pretty summery, but I'm obsessed. I definitely think I'll get a lot of use out of it, especially during the holiday season (if I ever venture out).

Pop Beauty, Eyeshadow Trio in Bright Up Your Life
Ipsy nailed this one. A perfectly neutral eyeshadow trio, with everything you need to make a day or night look. Though a bit more shimmery than I would usually go for, I could see myself using this a lot.

Nicka K New York, Nail Polish in Classic Taupe (NY112) ($4.99)
I've never heard of this brand, but I love the packaging. And it's a full size sample which is always really exciting. Upon first impression, I think it might be a gel-like polish. But I'll keep you guys posted and let you know for sure.

Mirabella, Eye Blending Brush ($27)
Clearly, this bag more than paid for itself. And I saved the best for last. My mom will be happy that I can stop stealing her Chanel #12 blender (that they sadly discontinued and I will forever be heartbroken about) and use this beauty instead. I've been fairly impressed with the Mirabella products I've tried before, so no doubt this brush will be adding itself into the daily line up.

Well, that's it from me this week. I apologize for this being up late, as I was supposed to post yesterday in place of Jenny who is drowning in finals in Maryland.

Until next week,
xx
Tessa

From looking at upcoming posts, it looks like a couple of us had a crazy week and still another one to come. I, for sure, am not an exception. It never fails that when I am crazo-nutzo (as my coworker would explain things) I rely on muscle memory to do my makeup. Even though my makeup organization is in the process of being revamped, I somehow always find myself with these products in hand. I know it's only Tuesday, but I haven't changed my routine for at least a week.

When things are crazy, I tend to make sure that my base is on point. I could not care less about anything else but a good base is the key to making sure you don't look like a zombie. Let's face it, that's important. As i'm typing this I've realized that I didn't photograph a couple of products (why didn't I make a list...) so I'll just go ahead and include those anywho. After moisturizing, I have been applying the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. Even though I have dry skin, I love this primer because I feel like it just adds a bit more moisture and does actually set my base unlike some products I've used (i'm lookin' at you, POREfessional). Then for foundation. This is probably my favorite part of doing my makeup since I got the Real Technique brushes. I've been using the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclait, but since I got the sample of the Lancôme Teint Idole foundation I have a new found love. I thought I would never find anything to top the YSL, but oh man. I'm buying the full size product whenever I have a spare moment. It keeps my face looking fresh and even all day. I had this foundation on for 15 hours and just washed it off and it looked as good as it did when I first applied it.  After this, I use the Revlon Photo Concealer under my eyes.

I then use the ELF High Definition Powder to set my foundation. MAC's Harmony is then used as a contour and I've really been loving Rimmel's blush in Pink Sorbet. It's just a beautiful peach color that looks nice with my skin tone and balances out whatever I wear with it. Another important step for completing my base is the Benefit Watts Up highlighter; it seriously works miracles. I'm not going to even explain my love for Gimme Brow by Benefit one more time, but it's used after blush. When I'm in a rush, I will typically only use one eyeshadow after I've used the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. The two picks lately have been Club and Woodwinked from MAC. They both really suit my eye color and woodwinked is just a really nice natural color with a bit of shimmer to wake up my eyes. Plus they both have wonderful color pay off and stay on all day. I always feel a bit awkward just using one shadow and so I will blend a bit of the contour shade in the crease line. After I've applied my eyeshadow I'll just go ahead and blend some of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk to highlight my brow. No, this does not look ridiculous because I'm the shade of Casper. As always, I curl my lashes and apply my most loved Revlon mascara. All in all, my makeup takes me less than 10 minutes in the morning. And when I have to walk the pups at 4:30 in the morning before work, I've already expended all effort for the day.

What products do you guys grab in a hurry?

xx Tori

Hello lovlies!

It's been quite sometime since I've shared with you what I've been wearing on my face. Pretty sure it was September, actually. And this week I've settled into quite the routine with my make-up, typically because I'm running about 15 minutes behind and I'm too lazy to do anything else. So here's a few tried & true products, and a couple new ones to the line up that have been helping me look less like a zombie than I feel.

If I've got a long day ahead (i.e. I'm not returning to my house for at least 12 hours, which has been most days this week) I'll start off priming with Hourglass's Mineral Veil Primer. I totally understand the hype surrounding this, it makes my skin feel like silk. Pretty much in love. After, I'll start off my base with Covergirl's Clean Whipped Creme Foundation in 305, which has been my go-to for a while now as it offers medium coverage and I can blend it out without a brush. As for concealer, I've been alternating between my Covergirl Fresheffects and Maybelline Dream Lumi, depending on how tired I look. Finishing up, I'll set my foundation with my tried & true Rimmel London Stay Matte powder. If I'm looking especially pale (which let's face it is most days), I'll dust a little bit of NYC's Sunny bronzer on. For blush, I've been going back and forth with a selection from Cargo and one from NYX. Both are very similar, dusty rose colors, but Cargo offers a bit more shimmer.

For eyes I've been sticking to basics. Starting off with Mac's Painterly Paint Pot as a base and topping off with Venus from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette as an all over lid color. To trick people into thinking I'm more awake, I've been lining my waterline with Rimmel London's Kohl Pencil in Nude, which I finally got my hands on after months of it being out of stock when I went to buy it. I've kept my basic liner simple using a black liquid liner offering from Rimmel as well. I may have found a new HG mascara in EM Cosmetic's Lash Gallery Clean Volume, which has been mentioned more and more lately. It gives just the right amount of volume, length and curl. So it's pretty much perfect, but I'm not kicking Falsies out of the top spot just yet.

Since going slightly more ginger, I broke down and brought a new brow duo from Anastasia (in Auburn) and have been using the red color to fill in and warm up my brows, and then setting with my usual Maybelline Great Lash in Clear.

I'm a lipstick junkie, so of course I haven't been able to stick to one combo. If I'm feeling particularly lazy, I'll layer Covergirl's Vivid Lipstick in Pink Pop over one of my EOS balms and call it good, though I do find that I need to touch up more throughout the day. My other option has been Rimmel's Kate Moss Matte line in shade 103, a "my lips but better" color that I'm sure I've mentioned before, and topping it off with Juice Beauty lipgloss in Pink. I'm not a lip gloss gal at all, but this stuff just smells too good to resist.

Now that I've rambled on about my make-up this weekend, I guess I'll wrap it up.
What have your go-to's been on busy weeks?

xx
Tessa

For those mornings when you just don't want to put in effort, or you're running late (I'm out of bed with only 15 minutes to get out the door: A novel, by yours truly), and you don't want to skip make-up all together.. Enter: the no make up, make up look. These are the product I immediately pull from my stash and slap on real quick, or throw in a make up bag to do on my way or when I arrive at my destination.

I like to keep my base pretty light on these kind of days. It's nice to give my skin a break from a full face of make up and I also don't have to worry about touch ups. I've raved enough about the Physician's Formula Organic Wear Powder, and you've even seen it in action so I don't think that needs much explanation. It's a great product, I just buff this on with the Real Techniques Buffing brush all over and my base is set. Another go to of mine is Josie Maran's Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation. I picked up a sample of this when I got my Color IQ done at Sephora and I've fallen in love with it. It starts off white and ends up the perfect color and gives just the right amount of coverage. I can never get away without doing my under eye area, so depending on how bad my darkness is, I'll go in with Covergirl Fresh Effects in Classic Ivory, or Maybelline's Dream Lumi in Radiant, or sometimes both.

Since I'm white as a ghost, I have to give my face a little bit of color as to not look like the walking dead. NYC's Sunny Bronzer is a cult product for a reason. I use this with the Real Techniques Contour brush for a slight contour. I then finish up with NYX blush in Spice, a gorgeous dusty rose/pink color (swatches in my Fall Edit video), that gives a great natural flush to my face.

As far as eyes go, I keep it pretty simple. I line my waterline with Rimmel London's ScandalEyes in Nude to brighten up my eyes and make me look a bit more awake than I might actually be. I top off with either Benefit's They're Real mascara or Maybelline's Great Lash, both in black. They're Real gives a lot of volume, and Great Lash keeps things really natural looking. Depending on my mood, or where I'm going I'll choose accordingly.

Last but not least, I keep my brows natural and just keep them in place with Maybelline's Great Lash in Clear.

Comment, subscribe and tweet us to tell us what you would love to see from us!

Til next week!
xx
Tessa

Hello lovlies! I thought I would just quickly share what makeup I've been wearing. I don't think it's actually changed in a week. I'm tired, muscle memory takes over, leading to wearing the exact same makeup every day. Anywhooo, here it is y'all.

On the Face:
I know Rachel showed the YSL Le Tient Touche Elat foundation in her video, but seriously...this stuff is amazing. It goes on smoothly and smells slightly like cucumbers. Right now I only have the sample but I'm more than likely buying the real deal this Friday (yay pay day!). After I put this foundation on I touch up under my eyes with the  Benefit Fake Up Concealer. I don't know what it is, but either the Benefit products don't like me or I have no clue. But I'm not actually impressed with the concealer or primer. But whatever, they probs just won't be repurchased. I really do like how moisturizing the concealer is, I just feel like it makes my dark circles look a tad worse. Anyway, I used the little bottle of NARS Illuminator in Orgasm. I got this little bottle as a part of my gift for my Beauty Insider card with Sephora. I love it. I typically use this like I would a highlighter. I then use the GloMinerals Sheer Tint Base as a contour. My mom got this foundation and didn't care for it. Of course it would be too dark for all over, but I think this works well sort of as a bronzer to contour the face. After I finish doing everything (face and eyes) I go back over with a bit of the elf High Definition Powder (which I can't seem to find online anywhere? I know I got it at Target).


On the Eyes:
First off, the Gimme Brow from Benefit is by far the only Benefit product that has amazed me. This makes my routine so much easier in the mornings. Gimme Brow better be around forever because I don't ever want to have to replace it. It's that amazing. I know it's not pictured, but I use Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion that came with my Black palette. Next I use "sin" from the Naked palette and apply that all over the lid. The next step is optional. I smudge some black kohl liner on my lash line and then blend that out with "hustle" from the Naked palette. Apply "smog" to the crease and under the lower lash line and that's pretty much it. I *sometimes* curl my lashes when I'm feeling fancy and  I've really been into the Revlon PhotoReady 3D Mascara. It isn't too dramatic for the day but it gives just enough definition. I've only recently started to apply the  NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk on my waterline. It's easy enough and makes my eyes pop.

Not extravagant but just enough to make me look slightly put together during my work day.

See ya l8r duddezzz.
xxTori

 
      Recently, there's been a new generation of liquid lipsticks cropping up in several brands's lines. No longer are we restricted to the standard bullet lipstick - though that isn't going anywhere. Modern lip lacquers are currently making the rounds. Now after that terribly dramatic intro (and garishly punny title), I thought I'd share my thoughts on a few varieties I've tried and tested.


RIMMEL LONDON SHOWOFF LIP LACQUER | 401 AURORA ($4.99)

     If the name of this shade alone doesn't tempt you to buy this, you're a better woman than I. Watching a copious amount of British YouTubers (as I do) it was basically inevitable that I pick one up. Marketed as "Apocalips" lip lacquers in the UK, I'd heard all about these lil' gems. Tessa and I hunted them down once we caught wind of their release in the states. As of now, they're exclusive to Walgreens.  I'm quite the fan of Rimmel's Kate Moss matte lipstick line, so I was pleased when these had the same fruity scent (the shade range seems to be fairly similar as well). As for functionality, they're soft on the lips and don't bleed or feather. It's a nice hybrid between a matte and gloss finish, while still delivering a solid color payoff. I also find them to be longer wearing than a standard lipstick, which is much appreciated through the work day. The only major con I've found with the Showoff lacquers is I feel like I need to use a lip brush to apply it, at least in this shade. The doe-foot applicator holds a little well of product, which can apply too much to the lips if you're not careful. This, coupled with my ineptitude, is most likely why I use a brush. Still, once I've applied a base layer touch-ups are brush-free. Overall, these are on point and you can consider this me enabling you to buy them. Go.

NYX XTREME LIP CREAM | 05 BONFIRE ($5.99)

NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAM | 06 ISTANBUL ($5.99)


     While the other two I've shared with you are quite glossy, this NYX version is totally matte. The concept is a little different from anything else I've tried. It applies like a silky lip gloss but dries without any shine whatsoever. Naturally, the matte finish helps it to be longer wearing. On the other hand, it is slightly drying on the lips; but that can be easily remedied with a little lip balm applied first. I'm actually not the biggest fan of this shade. I do have my eye on both Addis Ababa (a bright fuschia) and Monte Carlo (a deep red). Regardless, I think the unique consistency is worth a gander if you like a matte lip.

     Alrighty dudes, that's it for me today. See you again tomorrow for my normally scheduled post!

xx
Rachel

Yooo.

So I had another post planned for today, but considering it was a holiday weekend and I work retail, and I am now spending my day in class, filming seemed to be a challenge. That post will be coming to you next week, so get excited! Anyway, today I'm just gonna share with you a quick FOTD because I needed a quick-fix to my lack of filming time. Without further delay, here you go. And everyone appreciate the fact that I was taking selfies for this in the computer lab during my break. Which is also why I will apologize for the terrible lighting. Enjoy your day and I'll have a full post up next week!

xx
Tessa

Okay, so, I am throwing in the flag as far as filming goes for another week. However, my brother is working on my camera so hopefully this situation can be remedied in a soonish fashion.