I love Lush masks. For your benefit, I have tried all of them in the past week. My recommendation would be to spend $10 on one mask and ask for samples of the rest of them- that way you can try all of them.

Although the masks cost around $10, you get 4-5 masks in the container (maybe more, depending how much you use). The cost per mask is really $2/$2.50.

Lush’s site breaks down masks into categories: deep cleansed (Cosmetic Warrior, Don’t Look at Me, Brazened Honey, and Cupcake), refreshed (Just to Clarify), Soothed (Rosy Cheeks, FOMO Jelly Mask), Exfoliated (Cup ‘O Coffee, Oatifix, Mask of Magnamity). The site does not list my favorite, BB Seaweed as on option to purchase online.

The masks I do not like: deep cleansing masks are too drying, the smoothing masks do not do anything, and the Brazened Honey mask and FOMO Jelly Mask broke out my skin..

My favorite masks, ranked:

1. BB Seaweed- it has a spa like smell. It leaves your skin really soft and smooth
2. Oatifix- used to be my all time favorite. I love that it is very moisturizing and exfoliating at the same time! I have been buying Oatifix for a long time.
3. Just to Clarify Jelly mask- this will really smooth out your skin, even skin tone, and hydrate.
4. Cup O Coffee- this mask is a great exfoliator.

To conclude, the best strategy for trying out Lush masks is to get a lot of free samples, assuming you buy something else in the store. This way, you can see which masks best suit your needs.

By my sister’s special request, I am writing a post about how to do your makeup in a train, in your car, in an Uber, or after the gym. This routine is also great for travel. Personally, I recommend doing makeup in front of a mirror before you leave the house- I need brushes and a full mirror to blend.

When writing this, I had to break it down to very essentials: primer, foundation, concealer, blush, contour, mascara, cream eye and lip (lip stick or gloss). This is for a very natural look that work in many settings: the office, a day date, post-gym, traveling. It is for when you want to look put to together and polished very quickly. I know, skipping the full eye routine is a tough compromise. I think the real challenge of this look is working without brushes or a beauty blender- every time I do my makeup, I use 9 brushes and a beauty blender.

Aside from makeup, the most critical elements of an on-the-go routine are a makeup bag (big enough to hold all above products but small enough to fit in your purse), and makeup remover wipes (Neutrogena Individually Wrapped On the Go wipes), and a compact mirror.

For this routine, you will have to do all the blending with your hands with the following products:

1. Start with Stick Primer: ELF Cosmetics Prep and Glow Face Primer Stick ($8)- I have tried it
2. Apply Stick Foundation: Maybelline Super Stay Foundation Stick ($10)
3. Apply Concealer: Joah Truly Yours Dark Circle Concealer ($8.50)
4. Apply Stick Blush: Revlon Insta Blush ($6.99)
5. Apply NYX Sculpt and Highlight Duo ($5)
6. Apply Cream Eyeshadow: Maybelline Eyestudio Tattoo 24 Hour in Inked in Pink ($3 on amazon)
7. Apply Mascara: L’Oreal Lash Paradise ($7)
8. Apply Lip Gloss: Rimmel Stay Glossy, I like the Captivate Me Color ($3.97, Walmart)

For a total of $70, you can get literally everything here, including a makeup bag and the wipes for your on the go, very polished beauty look in under 5 minutes. You may swap out products in this list for things you feel comfortable applying on the go- if you have a favorite lipstick, mascara, or foundation. The point is to show you on the go products that do not require brushes and you can blend with your hands.

I hope this inspires you to always be polished, no matter the circumstances!

I had a party last night and I wanted to amp up my look. I went to CVS to check out the false lashes. The Beauty Consultant in CVS was wearing false eyelashes and guided me to my beginner pair: the Allure Best of Beauty 2017 award winning Kiss Lash Couture Faux Mink Collection in KLCS02 ($5.99), Duo White/Clear Brush On Striplash Adhesive ($5.00). I used my Trish McEvoy Eyelash Curler (~$20) and Tarte Maneater Mascara ($23, I got as part of a kit). I followed the YouTube tutorial step-by-step “FALSE LASHSE: Do’s and Don’ts For Beginners” by Laura Lee. I am not going to lie, it took a few tries to get the lashes to sit properly on my lash line. The results were very natural.

In terms of feedback, my friends did not notice them because I picked a fairly short and natural looking set for my first time. On one hand, I felt glamorous in them. On the other hand, I was always worrying people noticed my lashes were fake and they were going to fall off. I would definitely recommend bringing lash glue and either reapplying the lashes as the night goes on or adding lash glue to reinforce the lashes. I think this would have given me more confidence my lashes were not going to fall off. I only recommend wearing false lashes for a few hours- they are perfect for a dinner date or occasion where you want to feel glamorous.

Physician’s Formula False Eyelash Enhancer for $15 is a great alternative to false lashes. I went through a phase years ago where I was obsessed with this product. With this false eyelash enhancer, you get a mascara and lengthening fibers. You alternate between using the mascara and fibers, building up the length and thickness of the lashes to produce the false lash results. With this process, you need to do your eye makeup before the rest of your makeup- the fibers can get all over your skin and you have to take a makeup remover wipe to clean them up. I think this many people do not like this product because its messy and results in lashes clumping together. If you also use an eyelash separator ($9 at Ultra), the results are excellent.

Truthfully, if combined with a good eyelash curler, I think investing in Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara or your personal favorite mascara produces the best results. It like Hypnose Drama because it really lengthens, thickens, and volumizes. Before I start fussing with false eyelashes again, I will break down and spend the $27.50 on the mascara and get the Physicians Formula False Eyelash Enhancer and eyelash separator. I will save false eyelashes for special occasions or dates and be sure to bring lash glue!

I have been using mascara for years and have been looking into new ways to lengthen my lashes. Lash lifts are a huge trend. I watched the Youtube video yesterday (linked below) and the process terrified me. I then looked into lash extensions. I decided against it- with lash extensions you cannot apply mascara and have to be careful removing eye makeup (this will remove the extensions). By the process of elimination, my next step will be false lashes (regular and magnetic). I am doing a lot of research before trying- reading product reviews, watching tutorials, checking them out at the drugstore. Once I have expertise, I will make recommendations and write a how-to.

Here is a summary of your options:

1. Mascara and Eyelash Curler- temporary and cheapest ($15-$30). Lately, I use Tarte Maneater mascara on the top lashes combined with L’Oreal Unlimited mascara for the inner top and bottom lashes.
2. Fake Eyelashes- temporary, inexpensive (lashes are $10, glue is another $5). Fake eyelashes produce the most dramatic effect. When done well, they look amazing. When done poorly, it looks unnatural- I think we have all seen someone with bad fake lashes before.
3. Lash Lift*- long lasting (6-8 weeks) and expensive ($150). A lash lift is an hour long process where they use adhesive and chemicals to curl your lashes like a perm for your eyelashes. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAM03ApSAR4
4. Lash Extensions*- long lasting (6-8 weeks) and very expensive ($200 for initial application, $90 for fill ins). A technician applies individual eyelashes (you choose synthetic, silk or mink and the length) using semipermanent glue. With lash extensions, you cannot wear mascara and you need to be careful with what eye makeup you use- some will take out the extensions.

*These require a visit to a salon and cannot be done independently. If you need to find a salon, google “Lash Lift Near Me” or “Lash Extension Near Me” and be sure to read all of the reviews to select the best salon.

From watching countless beauty tutorials, I have discovered the Alter Ego palettes (https://shopalterego.com/collections/all), which for $15-18 copy the colors and textures of expensive ($45-129) palettes almost exactly.

The beauty tutorials prove the Alter Ego palettes produce the same look as the expensive palettes with the same quality and wear time:

1. Natasha Denona Gold Palette ($129)/Alter Ego Goddess Palette ($16)-the focus here is a gold smokey look, you can use the light shimmery shade for a day look and you can create different smokey looks with the shimmery black, teal, and orange shades.
2. Anastasia Beverly Hills Sultry Palette ($45)/Alter Ego Temptress Palette ($16)- your basic nude and smokey colors. This palette is very matte- I like to have more shimmery options.
3. Huda Beauty the New Nude Palette ($68)/Alter Ego Daydream Palette ($18)- very versatile, you can do a nude day look, a shimmery night look, or a smokey look.

Personally, the Alter Ego Daydream Palette will be my next purchase- it has everything I need for a variety of looks.

My recommendation for you would be to go to Sephora, try out the expensive versions of the above palettes to see if you like the colors. If you like it, buy the Alter Ego version for the same look/effect. This will save a lot of money!

As you may know from my one of my previous previous posts, I do not ordinarily use products designed for contouring because they are usually too dark for my fair skin. Instead, I used a taupe eyeshadow from Covergirl TruNaked Nude palette using an ELF crease brush for an ultra defined contour.

A few months ago, I discovered this NYX Sculpt and Highlight. I have been interested in transitioning to a cream contour for awhile. The doe foot applicator and the cream contour make it much easier to apply and blend than a powder contour. As usual, I apply the contour side to my cheekbones, jawline, and forehead and then blend in using an ELF Foundation brush. If you want an ultra sculpted look, apply the highlight shade directly above the contour. This technique requires extra blending- you do not want it looking too severe.

NYX Highlight and Sculpt duo promises sculpted cheekbones in a quick, easy to use product!

I had been eyeing this eyeshadow trio at CVS for weeks. I already have so many eyeshadow palettes, I really do not need another. I have green eyes, so I figure these would really bring out the color.

Confession: I had to start over a few times to get this look right. This palette is not as easy to work with as Covergirl TruNaked- the colors are extremely pigmented and dense- the quality is not as good as an expensive palette.

On my first try, I used the white as a transition shade on my entire lid, not realizing it is iridescent. I had to start over- my whole lid was shiny.

On my second try, I used the white shade only for my brow bone and inner corners. I used the lighter green shadow for my lid- a big mistake. The color was too pigmented and too heavy.

On my third try, I used a bone colored eyeshadow from a different palette. I used the lighter green for my crease and outer corner of my eye using the ELF Crease Brush. The trick to using a densely pigmented palette like this is to test the color on your hand first to make sure you do not deposit too much color on your eye. Once I was satisfied with the shadow, I moved on to applying the dark green shade to my top and bottom lid using a smudge brush. Then, I reinforced the line using an eyeliner brush. I used a Q-tip to clean up the lower lash line and a makeup remover wipe to make the line around my eyeshadow crisp.

The result: a natural smokey eye that brings out my eye color.

Fundamentally, if you have a smudge brush, a liner brush, and a dark eyeshadow, you can achieve an amazing smokey eye. I used to be afraid to do a smokey eye. Even after watching countless Youtube tutorials, it really is a matter of experimenting. Trust me- you can’t fail- if its too messy/smokey, you can always clean it up with Q-tips or the makeup remover wipes.

I hope my story about experimenting with this palette will inspire you to try a smokey eye!

At TJ Maxx, I found this face palette for $3.99 (Available online for $10: https://www.elfcosmetics.com/perfect-face-palette/200120.html?dwvar_200120_color=Nude&cgid=face-paletttes#start=10). I figured if even one of the colors is good, the palette is worth it. I just did my makeup using only primer, foundation, this palette and mascara in under five minutes!

Even though the quality of this palette may not be as high as something you would get in a department store, as you can see the colors are excellent. This is perfect for traveling, on the go lip/eye/cheek touch up, or a one step face palette.

Steps:

1. I applied primer (Physician’s Formula Illuminating) and foundation (Physicians Formula Nude Glow).
2. I applied the cheek color. On my fair skin, it looked great.
3. I applied the highlight- it appears white in the pan but has a brightening shimmer effect on the skin.
4. I used the middle eyeshadow color for contour for a sculpted look. Given this is a cheaper product, I found I had to blend it much more than the CoverGirl TruNaked Nude Palette taupe color.
5. I applied the left color on the lid.
6. I applied the middle eyeshadow to my crease and corner.
7. I applied the darkest color to my lash line (top and bottom) with a smudge brush. I also applied with an eyeliner to reinforce the line. The softness of the dark eyeshadow as a smudged eyeliner is worth the $3.99 in it of itself. I would actually pay a lot for this color alone because many dark eyeshadows are too severe and impractical for a natural, day look. I could apply extra for a dramatic smokey look for nighttime as well.
8. I finished with mascara- I have been using Tarte Maneater.
9. I applied the dark berry lip color. I find it hard to find a good lipstick- this color appears to be one of those universally flattering colors.

Overall, the great color selection in this palette makes it useful for a quick, on-the-go look and would be ideal for travel. I also like that the palette comes with a mirror- great for touch ups.

I had a date last Thursday. After a long day at work, my skin looked dull and I looked tired. I was really concerned I would look washed out on my date. After finishing my makeup, I applied the Rose All Day Oil Free Serum (about $20, with $10 extra bucks rewards). My skin was instantly illuminated. Aside from imparting a glow, the Serum also smells like roses. It feels so luxurious and glamorous to apply it. Not only did I have a new glow, I all around felt better.

The Rose All Day Oil Free Serum is an amazingly versatile product. Sometimes I blend it with foundation for a lighter coverage. I have used it as a primer (when combined with a pore minimizing primer). I use it as a highlighter/illuminator for my face. It can also be used as a highlighter for the décolletage. Lastly, the Serum’s can be used at night or in the morning after your skin care routine or as a pick me up while working. Regardless of use, this product is guaranteed to brighten up your day!

By popular demand, I am recommending sunscreens for the summer. I actually ran out of sunscreen and had a bad sunburn. I immediately bought the Garnier Clearly Brighter Moisturizer SPF 30 and found it works for a few hours, but does not give as much protection I need in the hot sun. From this experience, I realized I needed a higher SPF.

I did some research. My ideal sunscreen is quick to apply, easy to blend, does not cause breakouts, is sweat proof, and offers superior UVA/UVB protection. I am not particular about mineral vs chemical sunscreens- I just need something that will offer lasting protection for both UVA and UVB rays.

Yesterday, after doing a few hours of research and another 45 minutes of browsing at the store, I bought Neutrogena Sport Face Oil Free Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 70+. Even though it was expensive, there was a buy one get one half off deal which resulted in an average price of $13.13. I normally get apprehensive about face sunscreens as I have had bad experiences with breakouts. I found this sunscreen blended smoothly and surprisingly had a moisturizing effect. I like that it absorbed into my skin quickly- I applied my primer and makeup over it easily. I would say the biggest benefit is my skin is actually smoother after using it. With the SPF 70+, not only did I feel protected, but my fair skin did not even the slightest burn after using it.

For my body, I bought Sport Continuous Spray Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50. I love spray sunscreens because they are quick and not messy. Years ago, my dermatologist told me the critical rule to spray sunscreens: always spray twice. Spraying one time may not deposit enough sunscreen for the full effect. This sunscreen absorbed very quickly into my skin and I felt I had good protection from it.

I am happy with my purchase. My sunscreen recommendations meet all of my criteria for sunscreen- they quick to apply, easy to blend, do not cause breakouts, are sweat proof, and offer superior UVA/UVB protection. When buying. a sunscreen, be sure to tailor your selection to your needs.