Everyday Skin and Makeup!

Hiiii! Today I'm going to be blogging about what products I use on my skin and what makeup products I use, how I use them, etc. I have somewhat pretty oily skin and this routine really helps with that, I posted a skincare routine on my YouTube channel not that long ago, but I thought it would be fun to do it in blog form, it has changed a little bit, but not much, since then. Anyway, I have what I would describe as three routines - my morning skin routine, my everyday makeup, then my night routine. All products use will be listed below unless I don't know what they are or they are no longer available. Yes, I do the same makeup look ebveryday, but I love it and find that it really flatters my eyes. I apologize that many of these products are not drugstore, several of them are high-end, but I don't tend to use drugstore makeup products as they don't work as well for me, and with high-end products, I just find they're better overall quality? Anyway, I'll be doing a hair version next! Oh, and I don't do anything to my face at all in the shower, I find it annoying and like to do it when I get out.
Morning Skincare Routine!
1. The first thing I like to use is a cleansing face scrub. For mornings, I like the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Scrub. This one is gentle and cleansing, and leaves your face feeling clean and refreshed, and it really does seem to wake me up. This stuff also has a really good lingering scent, which I love! I actually am using just one of those little travel sized bottles, I need to get a full one soon though. The price on this varies from store to store, the little one can be found in the travel sections of most drugstores, I've seen it a lot of places for $0.99, the full sized one on the official website is $6.49. I start by wetting my face with warm water using a washcloth, then putting a quarter-sized drop of this in the palm of my hand, and massaging this all over my face. Then I wait like one minute and wash it off with warm water, then rinse my face with cold water to close my pores. This Morning Burst scrub is also available in Detoxifying, Skin Brightening, Skin Brightening, Shine Control, and In-Shower. http://www.cleanandclear.com/product/scrubs/morning-burst-facial-scrub

2. The next thing I like to use is an astringent. This one is also by Clean & Clear. Personally I love this brand, it works surprisingly well considering it is drugstore. This gives your face a deeper clean and helps control shine throughout the day for me. It also has a mild pimple fighting medicine. I use this on my T-Zone with a cotton ball, this smells really nice. I use the Sensitive Skin one, because I find that, even using this Sensitive Skin one, if I put it anywhere other than the t-zone, it dries out my face and makes it sort of red. Other than that, I really like it. I'm not sure how much I paid for it, but it is listed for $4.49 on the website. This stuff really does work and leaves your skin feeling so refreshed and clean. http://www.cleanandclear.com/product/astringents/deep-cleaning-astringent-sensitive-skin

3. I use this stuff only when I have a pimple, and it works super well. It's actually yet another Clean & Clear product, hahaha! Clean and Clear Persa-Gel 10 - This stuff doesn't have the most pleasant scent, but it does its job quickly without leaving any marks. And for this, a little goes a long way, and so one tube will last you quite a while. I just put a little dot on my finger, even that's too much sometimes, dab it on the pimple, I do this every time I wash my face, and within a few days, it's gone. Like I said, the scent isn't great, but it definitely works well. However, this is a strong pimple medication, so if you don't want a strong medication, I would not reccommend this. I use it anytime I have a pimple, every time, like I said, and it works great, but don't use it if you don't want a strong medication. This online costs $6.49. but like I said, it lasts for a long time. http://www.cleanandclear.com/product/treatments/persa-gel-10-acne-medication

4. I always like to moisturize, but only on my cheeks because they tend to get dry. This product also goes a long way with just a little bit. This one moisturizes well and I really like this. I don't really like the scent, but it does it's job, like the persa-gel stuff. I have a tube, it has lasted so so long. This stuff isn't exactly drugstore and it's ppricey, but if you're looking for a great facial moisturizer this is well-worth the money in my opinion. The one I use is a lotion, but is also available in a gel form if you would prefer that instead. Gel form, according to the website, is better for oilier skin that still needs a little moisture. You can get this in both tube form and also with a pump, but the pump is nearly double the price at $24.50 as compared to $13 for the tube.  However, if you plan on using this for a long long time, you may want to splurge and buy the one with the pump, because it contains 4.2 oz. as opposed to the tube with just 1.7 oz. This link is to the one with the tube, the one I use. http://www.clinique.com/product/CATEGORY14112/PROD3303/3_step/Step_3_Moisturize/index.tmpl

Everyday Makeup!
***I realize I already did a blog post recently blogging about my everyday makeup, but I thought I'd do a better more detailed version of that with pictures and links and prices and so-forth***
1. The first thing I do is take a eye brush, I like to use an angled brush for this step, and the one I use is by ELF, the Defining Eye Brush, and is available at Target for just one dollar. Considering it's only a dollar, it's surprisingly pretty good quality for the price. The bristles do not fall out and this one washes easily. http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/tools/single-brushes/defining_eye_brush

2. I use a higher-end eyeshadow, the only ones I find work for me. I like to use MAC's Naked Lunch, which is described as a minimal pink with shimmer, and is a frost. I personally would describe this eyeshadow as a light shimmery beige with a pink undertone. This shade is gorgeous, MAC eyeshadows are really pigmented and long-lasting. No, I don't use an eye primer, I probably should haha. But using the brush, I just put some of this all the way from my top lashline all the way up to my browbone. Then using the brush, I blend this color into my skin. This has an amazing finish and is very flattering. Keep in mind the picture from the website looks nothing like this shadow does in real life! But I'll use that picture anyway. http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/154/363/Eye-Shadow/index.tmpl

3. For the next step I like to use a different brush, the ELF Eyeshadow Brush, I feel like the MAC 219 would be a good higher end brush similar to this one. This ELF brush is also only one dollar, again, very good quality considering the low price, bristles do not fall out and I can wash out eyeshadow easily. This one is also available at Target. I really like this one, it proves that brushes don't always have to be expensive for them to be able to work. If you don't have this one, any eye shader brush should work well too! http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/tools/single-brushes/eye_shadow_brush

4. With this brush, I just use a little bit of the darker brown color from the Clinique Strawberry Fudge Eyeshadow Duo. Again, this is a higher end product, but Clinique eyeshadows are very pigmented and a good quality. This color is beautiful deep brown that I love! I use the eyeshadow brush to pat this just on my lid. Then I'll go back and with the defining eye brush I had used to apply Naked Lunch, I just blend this with the Naked Lunch. This helps create a neutral smokey eye! I love this eyeshadow! The duo is $18, but I feel like you could replace this color with any other brown, maybe MAC Woodwinked? I don't have that one but it looks like it would work in place of this. http://www.clinique.com/product/CATEGORY4898/PROD6984/Makeup/Eye_Shadows/index.tmpl

5. Eyeliner is next, I don't use any crease shadows or inner corner shadows, bur you could if you wanted to. I personally do not, just because I find what I use is already dramatic enough for my eyes. I like to use a brown kohl pencil, which is a great eyeliner option for beginners - it glides on smoothly. This does not last all day, but I still really like this eyeliner. Again, this is high-end. I've never tried a drugstore eyeliner, so I can't compare high-end vs. drugstore, but I really like this eyeliner. This one has a built-in sharpener which I love, and is called the Clinique Kohl-Shaper for eyes in Black Coffee. You do not necessarily have to have this exact eyeliner, if you want to recreate this look any brown eyeliner will work. You could skip this altogether, but I really like it. I only use this on the outer half of each waterline. This is $15.50.
http://www.clinique.com/product/CATEGORY4897/PROD8439/Makeup/Eye_Liners/index.tmpl

6. The next step for me is an eyelash curler, which I absolutely love mine! I'm not sure which brand it is, I got it for Christmas a few years ago, but I do remember it was a basic drugstore one and it works pretty well. The mascara I use really holds the curl in place also. You can skip this step altogether if you wish to recreate this look, but I reccomend it! Like I said, any eyelash curler will do. I like to hold this in place for ten seconds. The picture is MAC's full lash curler, but I only picked this picture because the MAC website was already open so I just figured I'd use this picture. I do not use this after mascara because I've heard if you do you can risk ripping out your lashes. This one is $16, but drugstore ones are much less expensive. http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/135/370/Full-Lash-Curler/index.tmpl

7. The next step, of course, is mascara. I absolutely love Maybelline Falsies Flared, it does not clump that much. This one I have heard negative reviews on, but I have also heard really positive ones. This works just fine for me. I got this for $5.94 at Target, it is in the color Blackest Black. This really holds the curl from my eyelash curler in place! Really does increase the volume of your lashes, I personally love it! The price may vary depending what store it is. This mascara has a curved brush, which I like. http://www.maybelline.com/products/145/eyes/mascara/volum-express-falsies-flared-washable/very-black/000?shadeId=807

8. The brush I like to use to apply my blush and bronzer is a free travel sized brush I got from Lancome. I'm not sure the exact brush, but I would think it would just be the Lancome Cheek Brush #6, possibly? I absolutely love love love this brush, the bristles are very soft and do not fall out, the brush picks of color easily and blends my blush and bronzer beautifully. I can definitely tell this brush is a little bit higher-end, it seems like it would be! Lancome brushes, however, are very expensive, this one is $41.50, so, very expensive. I got mine from a family friend that did not need it! I love this brush so so much though, but still it is probably not worth $411.50, I would suggest maybe trying an ELF brush, which is, again, one dollar! If you are interested in the brush, however, http://www.lancome-usa.com/Cheek---Brush-%236/990371,default,pd.html?start=5&cgid=makeup-brushes

9. The blush I use is actually in a blush and bronzer duo that was a free gift with a Clinique purchase! It is available to buy like, individually though, it's Clinique's Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in Pink Blush, a soft pink blush (obviously, hahaha) that I really like. This one really compliments my skintone and goes well with my eyes without being too dramatic. It does last for quite a while, and is really a good quality blush. This blush is a little expensive at $20.00, but the blush has lasted me a long long time, I've been wearing this everyday for quite a while now, and it's only a free gift thing so not even the amount in the full-sized one, and I still have quite a lot left, I'm not even close to hitting pan. This has a nice finish that I think would be great for fair and medium skin tones, if you have darker skin I would reccomend a darker blush, maybe MAC's Pink Swoon? I haven't tried that personally, but I know a lot of people love MAC's blushes, and the color looks pretty. http://www.clinique.com/product/CATEGORY4894/PROD537/Makeup/Blushers/index.tmpl

10. I also like to use bronzer all over for a sunkissed glow, and I absolutely am in love with this one! This has the perfect amount of shimmer, not too much or too little, and gives me the perfect sunkissed glow! It is a really pretty color and I think it would compliment all skintones beautifully. It is a very good quality and I use this all over my face, my cheekbones, forehead, nose, and jawline. This bronzer has a hint of pink to it, and I love that it does not make me look orange, or even worse, look fake. This gives me a totally natural looking "I've been at the beach all day" type of glow. This is $25.50 and is the Clinique True Pressed Powder Bronzer in Sunkissed - the name of the color describes this bronzer perfectly.The color in the picture does look a little orange, but in reality, this bronzer gives the perfect bronze look! http://www.clinique.com/product/CATEGORY8227/PROD7603/Makeup/Bronzers/index.tmpl

11. Lips. Lips are a whole different story. I don't really wear lipstick although I have been wanting to try lipstick again, I remember trying it a few times when I was younger but hating it because it was so sticky. I think that just may have een because it was Revlon and because the color was a dark pink-red, something I needed for my dance recital. I think if I could find a good quality lipstick in a nice color, I might like lipstick a little more - I was thinking I wanted to try either MAC Hue or MAC Pretty Please with Nars Turkish Delight over it? I think that would be a really pretty lip to wear with my everyday makeup look. But for now, I just like to use a lipgloss. With this look I like Burt's Bee's Sweet Pink Super Glossy Lip Shine, but if I want a darker more shimmery option I go with Bath & Body Works Strawberry Lemonade Liplicious. I usually go with Burt's Bee's though, it's all natural and sheer barely-there, not too sticky like the B&BW one. It also smells good, just like freshly squeezed orange juice. http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/lips-lip-color/super-glossy-lip-shine.html

Night Skin Routine!

1. The first thing I do is of course, take off my makeup. I previously used Lancome's Bi-facil and it worked great, but I currently use Clinique's Take The Day Off and just use this with a cottonball and gently remove my eye makeup. o remove my blush and bronzer, well, it just comes off when I wash my face. Take the Day Off is gentle enough for my sensitive skin, yet, it is oil based, so if you have oily skin around your eyes, you may want to try something else. But this is very gentle and effective, it removes my makeup without me having to scrub at it, even my mascara. You do have to shake this before using it, to mix the oil part with the water-ish part, but then I just put a little bit onto two cotton balls (one for each eye, hahaha) and it removes my makeup easily, gently, and quickly. This is $18.00, but I really like it, and I think it is well worth it! This stuff can also remove lip products (lipliner, lipstick, etc!)http://www.clinique.com/product/CATEGORY4899/PROD560/Skin_Care/Eye_Treatment/index.tmpl

2. The second step is to wash my face, again, I like to use a cleansing facial scrub, it helps exfoliate my skin and make it smoother and more radiant. I have a little travel sized biottle actually, but will definitely be purchasing this yummy-scented facial scrub full-sized very soon. This stuff is amazing and gentle, it smells like apricots also, which I really like the smell of for some reason. Another bonus: this is natural and paraben free! This does give a little deeper clean than my Clean & Clear Morning Burst, which I like for night time! It's gentle though and leaves me face completely shine free. Like in the morning, I wet my face with a washcloth using warm water, then put a little of this in my palm and gently massage this onto my face, I wait a minute, gently work it off with again, the facecloth with warm water, then I rinse with cold water to close my pores. Unfortunately, the price is not on the website, and I got this in a travel sized bottle for Christmas actually, and so I'm not sure of the price! This would be the St. Ive's Invigorating Apricot Scrub. http://www.stives.com/Facial-Products/Fresh-Skin/Invigorating-Apricot-Scrub/#tab3  

3, 4, and 5, are just steps 2-4 from my morning skin routine!

I know this post was quite long, and I haven't blogged that much lately - that's because this post has taken me three days to write! I hope to be doing one of these for my hair, and maybe like a hygeine routine or something? And a makeup/cosmetics wishlist? Let me know what you wanna see me blog about! Thanks for reading! Lying Game tonight! xoxo