Quick & Easy: Bright Liner

I tend to hit snooze a few times each morning, even if I had high hopes the night before of trying a new eye look the next day. I obviously want to look like I attempted to put myself together for work.

What better way to do that and ring in spring at the same time, with a pop of bright liner?
You can keep it simple everywhere else like I did and match it with a peachy/nude lip, or get a little crazy and pair it with a bright, pink lipstick.

BH Cosmetic's Malibu palette; blue shadow for liner and orange/taupe crease color

I used a liner brush and decided to only create a small wing for the day.
If this was something you'd like for a night out, you could definitely amp it up with a dramatic wing.

Glam Glow: YouthMud Review

Remember when I caved (here) and bought a GlamGlow mask, that I wasn't too impressed with?

I ended up exchanging it for the YouthMud, which I had a feeling I'd be more happy about.

Thankfully, I totally am! This mask leaves you with that "I just seriously did something good for my skin" feeling; you know, that tingly, my-pores-no-longer-exist feeling? So good.

And ladies - I really felt that way for the next few days. I saw a huge difference in the size of my pores (smaller, obviously) and how my makeup set and lasted throughout the day.

I aim to use this once every two weeks - since it is on the pricier side, I'll swap this out with another mud-based mask on the off weeks.

 If you haven't already, I recommend to start investing in skincare. It doesn't have to be anything crazy - a product at a time. You will see a total difference in your skin!

Battle of the Concealers: NARS vs MAC

When it comes to concealer, I prefer a product that will last all day (duh), is crease-less and has a medium to full coverage. The past few months I've been torn between NARS' Radiant Creamy Concealer and MAC's Pro Longwear Concealer. If you're also a make-up junkie, you know that this is quite the battle. You're usually a fan of one or the other. So what does a girl do? She buys both of them, obviously!

Here's the deal: 

I was matched for both - they look pretty different, right? I swear they both work with my skin tone.

So the NARS applicator is a wand, and MAC is a pump. 

This does not make a difference for me, but some people have their preference. 

NARS: 

medium to full coverage

hydrating formula

antioxidant protection against damaging free radicals

light diffusing technology

My opinion: I love that this concealer gives your under eye area an instant boost. I've used this to highlight, as well. But it's definitely not crease-less. Like, within a couple of hours, I saw creases. Not cool. But I do feel better when I use it, knowing it's infused with moisturizers and antioxidants. 

I'm doing a favor for my skin, while doing a favor for you and me by covering my dark circles.

MAC:

medium to full coverage

matte finish

15 hour formula

My opinion: This shade is darker than the NARS concealer, but still matches my skin tone. It doesn't give me that instant luminous boost I was referring to with NARS, but it does last. And doesn't crease. I'll use this to cover up blemishes, but not to highlight. When using MAC, I often grab prep + prime and highlight the key points on top of the concealer.

The verdict? I don't know. It all depends on what works with your skin. One is hydrating, while the other has a matte finish. They are both great for different reasons, and it's up to you to decide what's more important for you.