♥ August Favorites! ♥

I can't believe August is over!!! So crazy!! I know I haven't done a favorites in a while so I decided it's time to do one! Let's just get right into it!

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream...I absolutely love this! I have been using this BB cream since last summer! I know most girls use bb creams during the summer for a light weight option, but honestly I use this year round because I don't like anything to heavy on my face. I hate the feeling of something being on my face and with this bb cream I can't even tell anything is there! During the winter I'm in the lightest color, Light Sheer Tint, but during the summer when I have {a little} color (I don't really get tan..I'm Irish and very fair skinned, so my tan is some people's pale!) I mix the light color and the Medium Sheer Tint. It is the perfect color for my skin! You don't really need to set a bb cream, but I always do to make sure it stays put!

Which leads me to my next favorite...

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder. My favorite powder of all time! I use the color Sand Medium 0-1. It barely shows any color so it's perfect to set my bb cream, but also if I need just a tad bit of color it's just enough! During the winter it adds just enough color so I don't look too ghostly! I use it to set my bb cream, but I also wear it alone if I don't feel like putting any bb cream or foundation. It is a matte powder which I love. Don't get me wrong...I love me some shimmer, but there's a time and a place for that, and shimmer all over your face during the day at work is not that time! But anyway..I have been using this powder for a few years now and I don't think I will ever try another powder because I love this one that much!

When I was in North Carolina I went to MAC and bought a blush (if you read my high end haul post). It is a mineralized blush in the color Dainty. I am OBSESSED with this blush. For one, it is an absolutely beautiful color! I have been using this every day since I purchased it! I am in love and now I really want to try more MAC blushes...this started a bad addiction!!!!!! But definitely worth it! :)

Speaking of MAC...if you have not tried any of their pressed pigments...you NEED to!!! A couple weeks ago I went to The Cosmetic Company Store at the outlets near me. If you have never been to one they have MAC products, Smashbox, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Estee Lauder and a few others. Of course I B-line for the MAC  section! I was looking around at everything they had, but I was looking for something specific, and then my eyes landed on the couple pressed pigments that were there. There was something about the color Day Gleam that I could not keep my eyes off. Now, I don't normally wear golds, but OMG I HAD to have it!!!!!! It is such a beautiful color..I could literally stare at it all day. I'm not even joking. I have been wearing it just about every day for the last few weeks since I've had it. I seriously cannot get enough of it! I spray my [flat brush] with my Urban Decay All Nighter Spray to help make it more pigmented and to help keep it on for longer. That's all I've been using, no other shadow. If you follow me on Instagram you've seen a picture of me wearing it. I seriously want like every color in the pressed pigments. They are just absolutely gorgeous. I could go on and on, but I think I'm going to stop here! :)

I also do not go a day {when I wear makeup} without using my Urban Decay All Nighter Spray. I really do feel that it makes my makeup last longer. I'm not sure how it compares to other setting sprays because this is the only one I've ever used. Although, I did use Fix+ when I was at Stacie's and I didn't really like how it applied...it was a very strong spray compared to the All Nighter which applies almost like a mist. But I really do love this setting spray and will repurchase it when I am out.

I have been obsessed with lip products lately! My favorites lately and most go-to products have been MAC Japanese Maple, a cremesheen; Revlon Lip Butter in Sorbet; NYX Butter Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie; and Maybelline baby lips in Strike a Rose; I love all of these lip colors! I have been mixing and matching all of these! They are definitely great products that I will most likely use year round. The Japanese Maple also makes me want another lipstick. I'm telling you MAC is addicting!!!!!!! It's not good for my bank account! :-/

Those are all of my favorites for the month of August. Let me know what your favorites are and maybe I'll give those a try! As always if you have any questions just ask!

♡ Sarah

May 2013 Favorites/Everyday Makeup Look! ♡

I cannot believe that it is already the end of May! It's so crazy how fast time goes by!! Well, it's that time of the month.....my favorites!!!!!!!

I have been loving all of these products over the last month! I have been using these every single day.

Revlon Colorstay Blemish Concealer in Light
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Medium Sand
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Splendor (I think this color is discontinued :( sorry!)
Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Barely Branded
Essence Stay All Day Eyeshadow in Coppy Right
Victoria Secret Eyeliner in Black
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara in Black (I think!)
Lancôme Hypnôse Star Mascara in Noir Midnight
Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Creamsicle
Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Bellini
NYX Butter Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie

Not only are these my May favorites, but they are part of my every day makeup look!!!

I love this look! I wear it every day!!!!!

If you have any questions please ask!

♡ Sarah

My Favorite Fall and Winter Nail Polish

I have many favorite nail polishes but I have to admit that Fall and Winter polishes are one of my favorite colors! I just love darker polishes, not sure why, but I do! So I am going to show you a few of my favorite polishes that I wear during this time of the year! I picked the four that I wear the most! In most of the swatches I have two or three coats on.

Purple is my favorite color. I am actually quite obsessed with this color and it's probably unhealthy! So of course there would be some shade of purple that I wear during the fall and winter! My favorite is Wet n Wild's Megalast in Bite the Bullet. I think this is a beautiful shade of purple! It's like a lilac with a hint of gray. I bought this at CVS almost two years ago and since then they have changed the packaging but they still have that color! I always get so many compliments when I wear this. I just can't even explain how much I love this color lol! Over the summer I could not wait for fall to wear this. I guess it could be worn in the summer but in my mind it's a fall color! It dries pretty fast and lasts a day or two without chipping, but of course I always put a top coat over to help prevent it from chipping. I will continue to repurchase this one! I think it's $1.99 at CVS.

My next favorite is Revlon's Vixen. I absolutely love this color! I first bought it about 5 years ago and have repurchased it several times. It is just a beautiful color. It is a dark maroon. The more coats you paint, the darker it'll get. I paint my nails this color the most throughout the fall and winter. I feel it is just a classy color, like red nails. Like most of my polishes, it will last a day or two without chipping. It is available at any drugstore. I got mine at Target.

I also love this next polish from Revlon. It is in the color Stormy. I feel it is the perfect gray polish. I have gotten a lot of compliments on this one. It is the top speed so it dries super fast! Lasts a day or two without chipping. I also got this at Target.

The last one I wear most during Fall and Winter is Essie Midnight Cami. I got this about a year ago and I had been searching for the perfect navy and I found that in this polish! I absolutely love it! I think it is such a beautiful navy. I normally do not spend that kind of money on nail polish but I saw it at Target one day and I just had to have it! It usually lasts about two days before it starts to chip.

So those are my favorite nail polishes I wear during the Fall and Winter months! If you have any questions please ask!

Thanks for reading!

<3 Sarah

My Favorite Makeup Products for 2012!

I know we're already three days into 2013, but I wanted to share my favorite makeup products I used the most in 2012 (better late than never, right?!). These are items I use every day. Let's get started...

MY FAVORITES!
 

My favorite products of 2012!

 I got the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette back in the summer and I have used it every single day since then! There are 12 shadows that come in that palette. These colors suit my skin tone better than the original Naked Palette because I have very fair skin and green eyes and these colors are more warm than the colors in the original Naked Palette. I will either do a complete look using this palette or use two colors from it while using other colors, so either way, I end up using it every day! If you would like a tutorial using it let me know! This palette, along with the Naked Palette, is available at Ulta or Sephora and they both cost $50. The Naked 2 Palette comes with a double-ended brush and a travel-sized Lip Junkie Lipgloss. The Naked Palette comes with a shadow brush and a travel-sized Primer Potion.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

I have a slight addiction to mascara, so I couldn't pick just one! I usually use a combination of three to five mascaras at a time. I just picked two of my favorites that I use every day.
The first is Maybelline XXL Pro Volume Mascara. It is double-ended, one side (I believe, but don't quote me) is a lash primer and the other end is the mascara. I have it in the color "very black". I absolutely love this mascara! It lengthens and volumizes my lashes! I purchased mine at Target in the fall and it was on sale, but according to their website it is no longer available in store. So I'm not sure if that means they are no longer making it, but it looks like you can still order from Target's website! Here is the link!--> Maybelline XXL Pro Mascara  

 My second favorite is also from Maybelline, which happens to be my favorite mascara brand! This one is The Falsies Volum' Express Flared (I also have Black Drama). This is also in the color "very black". I can't remember where I purchased this one, but it is available at all drug stores. I love this because it really volumizes my lashes! I use it on the top and bottoms lashes. I can just use this one and the XXL Pro and it looks like I have false lashes on! I love these two together, they are really a great combo!

Left: Maybelline's XXL Pro; Right: The Falsies Mascaras

 My next favorite are eyeliners! The eyeliner I have been loving is Ulta brand Automatic Eye Liner in black. It is great on my waterline and to line my lid. I'm sure it is not the best eyeliner in the world, but I have been using it every day and have it in a few other colors. By the end of the day it does wear off, but that does not bother me. It goes on smooth and it allows you to have a fine line or a thick, bold line. I got this over the summer when Ulta was having a sale on items from their brand, so I can't remember how much I paid for it.
My favorite liquid eyeliner is Maybelline (go figure!) Line Stiletto in blackest black.I've had this for a while (probably purchased at beginning of 2012), but I didn't start using until a few months ago because, to be honest, I was afraid of liquid liner! I just was very intimidated by how bold it is! But a few months ago I decided to give it a try and, while I'm still learning exactly how to do a winged line, I love it! It is very easy to control and it allows for either a thin or thick line. I purchased mine at Target.

Left: Maybelline Line Stiletto; Right: Ulta Automatic Eye Line

Eye shadow primer is a must! It really helps keep my eyeshadow from creasing and wearing off throughout the day! I use Elf Eyelid Primer. It is $1!!! I get mine from Target, but I know some other stores carry Elf. I've found it at a random Dollar Tree. I've also found it at this store called The Christmas Tree Shop. They also have a website. I absolutely love this brand and you will eventually see all of the Elf products I use! They are so affordable and are great products! I have a friend Stacie who has a beauty YouTube channel and she did a video on Urban Decay Primer Potion vs. Elf Eyelid Primer...go check it out! The Elf primer works great so I'm not even sure I would ever try any other brand!

Elf Eyelid Primer; $1 at Target

To be honest, I never even thought about filling in my eyebrows until I seriously started watching beauty videos on YouTube and all of the girls were filling them in...even the girls my age! So, I decided why not try it out! I wasn't sure how I would feel about filling them in (wasn't sure how it would look on me) so I didn't want to pay a lot. At the time I bought the Ulta Eye Liner, I also bought the Ulta brand Brow Pencil in the color Golden Blonde. I naturally have dirty blonde hair, but I get it highlighted so this color matches my natural color. It is double-ended, one side is the brow pencil and the other end is a shaping wax. It also has a little brush on the lid. I really like this pencil! It matches perfect and is easy to use!

Ulta Brow Pencil; Golden Blonde

 I was searching for the perfect concealer and could never find one I liked, until I was watching a video on YouTube and this beauty guru used Rimmel Match Perfection Skin Tone Adapting Concealer. I LOVE THIS CONCEALER! It works so well! It covers blemishes, dark circles and redness! Sometimes I just wear that with a little powder to set it and that's all, no foundation at all! I originally bought it in the color 125 Fair and then by accident bought it in 245 Light. I still use both of them! I use the Fair color for under my eyes and I use the Light to cover blemishes and redness. They work great together! It has a brush applicator but I tap it on to my face and then blend it in with an Elf Foundation brush. I just love the coverage of this product! I purchased both of them at Ulta for $5.99.

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer; 125 Fair; $5.99 @ Ulta

 I don't like to use full coverage foundation products because I don't like the feeling of having so much makeup on my face. It probably comes from the fact that I only started wearing any kind of foundation a few years ago. So if I use any thing related to foundation I use Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream! It's very light coverage but it evens out my skin as much as I need it to. I've tried a tinted moisturizer from another brand and it would just wipe off every time I touched my face, but I have not experienced that with this BB Cream! In the summer I use it in the color Light/Medium and in the winter I use it in the color Light. I purchased mine at Target for a little over $7.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream; Light

 To set my concealer or BB cream, I use Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in the color Sand Medium 0-1. I love this powder so much! It works great and is the perfect color for my skin! It adds just a little color to even out my skin if I use it with just the concealer! And as in the name, it stays Matte all day! Love this!! I purchased mine at CVS (I had extra care bucks, so I don't remember how much it was!)
I use to be hesitant to use bronzer because since I am so pale I didn't want to look orange, but I experimented with a few different ones and my favorite one is NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny. It is perfect and does not make me look orange! I only use this to contour, unless in the summer I am tan (well, my version anyway!), then I put a little all over for that extra glow. I got mine at Walmart for maybe $2...very affordable!

Left: Dream Matte Powder; Right: NYC Bronzer in Sunny

I was recently at Sephora trying to find a foundation I liked, but was not very successful :( but when the makeup artist was testing a foundation on me, he said my cheeks were naturally rosey and that I didn't really need to wear blush, but I still like to, just to add some color! The blush that I loved wearing last year (well, mainly in the fall) was Rimmel Lasting Finish Powder Blush in the color Mauve Cool. I think this was a fall edition because I got it at Ulta on sale for $2.49 and every time I go to Ulta it is the only color on sale! So not sure what that is about! But I love it! It goes well with my skin tone and it is shimmery!

Rimmel Powder Blush; 002 Mauve Cool

  And last but not least....lips!! I was (and still am) obsessed with lip products! My all time favorite look is the nude lip, so of course my favorite lip products create that look! The first is Revlon Lipstick in Soft Nude. This is the perfect nude!!! I did hear though that they are discontinuing that color, not sure if that is true or not, so next time I go to the drugstore I will be purchasing another one just in case! That would be very sad if that was true! My other favorite lip product is Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee.I LOVE THIS PRODUCT! It is so soft and adds the perfect hint of color on my lips! I did purchase another one in Candy Apple..I have been experimenting with the red lip! Revlon is by far my favorite brand when it comes to lip products. I also have a ColorBurst Lipgloss in the color Bellini that is a perfect nude gloss! I purchased all of my Revlon products at CVS when they had a "buy 2  revlon prodcuts, get $10 in extra care bucks"..one of those type of deals!

Left: Revlon Lipstick in Soft Nude; Right: Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

So that was my favorite makeup products for 2012! I love all of these products so much! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

Follow me on twitter: @SarahMacBeauty
I don't really use facebook anymore, so I'm not sure if I will create a page on there or not.

Thanks!

<3 Sarah

*I purchased all of these products and these are all of my OWN opinions.