My Makeup Lasts...and Here's Why!

I always have people asking how I still have makeup on at the end of the day. "You must constantly retouch it throughout the day." I do not. I rarely (I mean rarely!) retouch anything besides my lips. There is one product to which I can give all the credit. This may be my all-time favorite, holy-grail product that I cannot live without:

Skindinavia's Makeup Finishing Spray

Fun fact...If you use, or have used Urban Decay's makeup setting sprays (like All Nighter), they're made by Skindinavia. Seriously, check your bottle. I've used several setting sprays (including Urban Decay) and this is, by far, my favorite. I do love the look that MAC's Fix Plus adds to my makeup. Fix Plus creates a dewy glow that cuts out the powederiness, but I don't notice that it really extends the longevity of my makeup. But, when I use this...my makeup does. not. budge. Not a speck. 

There are several websites that sell this, but I order it directly from the company because they are constantly throwing in freebies and free shipping with purchase. I buy the 8 oz bottle for $39. You can also get the 4 oz bottle for $29. (Just for reference, the Urban Decay 4 oz bottle of All Nighter sells for $30, so when you buy the bigger bottle you get a much better deal.) 

I've only used the original Makeup Finishing Spray, but they also make a bridal version that claims to resist moisure (maybe it's more sweat and tear proof?) as well as an oil control version for those of you with oilier skin. My skin is so very dry, so I have not tried either of those. I have received several samples of their priming spray, which is also very good if you're into the ease of a priming spray.

My verdict: all the stars in the sky and totally worth the money.

Buy this product here: http://skindinavia.com/products/the-makeup-finishing-spray.html

ELF Blush Quads

Hello. My name is Stephanie and I am addicted to makeup. I admit it. From luxury to drugstore, I love it all. I have it all. I wear it all. After all, once it's on your face no one knows what brand it is! I promise, no one is going to pass you and think, "Look at her rocking that NARS foundation." Just wear what looks good on your skin.

Don't get me wrong, I do love me some NARS foundation (All Day Luminous Weightless...yes, please!), but I also think the drugstore has a few that are hard to beat. There's nothing more exciting than finding a budget friendly product that wears like a luxury product. But, I do have to say...I hate when my drugstore hauls end up in the back of my drawer, covered in loose powder, and taking up space because they just don't measure up to the rest of my collection.

I recently decided to test out some ELF blush quads. The ELF brand is kind of hit or miss in my opinion. They have some products that I absolutely love, total top shelf quality. But then they have some others that just didn't work out for me.

These blush quads retail for $6 and come in two shades--light and dark. I picked up both (for the sake of research, people!), and I have to say...these are amazing quality. The texture is smooth and buttery and they pack so much pigment. The light pallette was obviously my favorite for my skin tone, but the dark looks equally beautiful with a (VERY) light hand.


Light:

I find that all 4 colors in this pallette are very wearable, and there's something in it for all skin tones. The reddish shade does have some glitter in it, which may not be for everyone, but once it was on the cheeks I didn't notice it so much. Maybe the sparkle just doesn't stick to the skin? 

Dark:

       

For those searching for deeper toned blushes, look no further. I mean seriously...check out these colors. They're absolutely stunning. Once again, the reddish shade does contain some glittery sparkle.

These blushes are very long lasting on me. (I do always set my makeup with a setting spray.) I thew some on today (mixed the dark rosy and the apricot colors in the light pallette) before running several errands and then jumping in the pool for over two hours to cool off. I wasn't wearing waterproof mascara, so I tried not to get my face too wet. But at the end of the day, there was still color on those cheeks!

One more thing that I love about these quads is that the individual blushes pop out. This way, you can mix and match your pallettes. ELF also makes a bronzer, an illuminating, and a contour pallette in the same setup. I am currently putting these prodcuts to the test, so stay tuned for those reveiws.

My verdict: Totally worth the buck...all six of them! :)



(Like what's on my nails? It's a Jamberry wrap in Giza with the accent nail in Mirrored Metallic Gold. Shop here: http://stephanieweaver.jamberry.com/shop. As always, wraps are buy three get one free.)