What I'm Wearing

So if you're like me, you wear a mix of brands when it comes to makeup. I recently decided to share what I wear normally when I do my makeup and I was thinking, "Wow, that is a lot of different brands!" So, I will post some pictures and walk you through what I put on. You may notice why I am so natural and simple when it comes to makeup... even when I do a 'natural' look it still takes forever. Ain't nobody got time for that. 

Sorry for the serious face, haha. ;) 

Foundation: I am wearing Urban Decay Naked Skin liquid foundation in color 2.0. It is a little light for my skin right now but I do not use it every day and I warm it up with powder and bronzer. I am also wearing Mary Kay Mineral Powder Foundation in Ivory 2 over it. Just a quick overlay. I briefly review it here.

Highlighter/Bronzer: I am wearing Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Waikiki Strip/Peachy Glow for bronzer (cheek bones and t-zone) and Benefit Cosmetics Watts Up! on the top of my cheek bones. 

Brows/Lashes: Emani Minerals Brow Powder and Liner Brush in Blonde (they have other color combos, though!). Yes, I recognize I am in dire need of a waxing/shaping. For mascara I am wearing Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! It is a black mascara and I do not think it comes in other colors.

Lips: Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Naked (pinky neutral). I love how cooling it is. And even a little plumping. Buxom lip glosses are also amazing. 

Shadow/Liner: bareMinerals 'Well-Rested' SPF 20 powder multi-tasker all over, Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Honey Spice on lid, and Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Iris in the crease. For eyeliner I am wearing a shot of purple underneath my eye on the lower lashes. It is an old eyeliner I have and I am not sure if it is made anymore. Rimmel Extreme Definition two-tone eye definer in 'Rock Chick.' It is two colors of purple and I am wearing the brighter one. I find that websites review it and it may be available to purchase on the UK Ebay or Amazon.

In a nutshell, that is what I wear when I wear more makeup than usual during the day time. I'd like to hear some of your go-tos! 

Have a fab rest of your week!


☮gretchen elizabeth

Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!

At-The-Moment-Loves: July

Taking just a one-post break from my series. In the next post I will finish up the three-part specific skin concern series.

This evening I wanted to give you a quick run-down of some of the things I am loving for this hot, sunny month of July. Let me know what you're loving right now, too! 

Clock-wise from top left corner:

1) Ray-Bans Wayfarer: Well, everyone needs sunglasses in the summer, right? Honestly, the best way to protect those precious mucous membranes is to wear sunglass at all times, even when it is cloudy. According to the Ray-Ban website, all of their lenses protect the eyes "100%" from "UVA, UVB, harmful, and blue light" rays. I am not really sure what the last two mean specifically, not really my specialty! 
I put 100% in quotes because the lenses do not wrap around the sides and the top/bottom so they technically do not block the rays that come in from the angles that they do not cover. It is highly important to find sunglasses that have UV protection! They do not have to be expensive, either. Even expensive sunglasses do not always have UV protection, sadly. If you are a known sunglass-breaking offender, buy a case! Once you start to get into a certain price range, they will even come with a case. You can buy these babies a lot of places, mine are from Sunglass Hut. The above link is linked to the Ray-Ban website.

2) Philosophy Eye Hope™ Multitasking Eye Cream: I received a deluxe sample of this so I will give a quick review since I did not have enough to see if it is 'really' working. Six weeks is about what it takes, but this product is sold in a pretty big container for just the eyes so it will last ya awhile! To start, at all the websites I found this product to be sold (Philosophy, Ulta, Sephora, Skin Store, Nordstrom, & more I am sure) it had product reviews of 4 out of 5 'stars' for the average. 
I noticed a little bit of a burning sensation when I used it, which I did not like but it passed after about 5 minutes or so. I did not notice a change in lines, wrinkles, or puffiness (this is an anti-aging product) yet but I did notice the skin around my eyes was softer than it was when I was just using moisturizer and the appearance of my sometimes-dark-circles were lighter. Like I said, I cannot give a full on review since I have not used it for 6 weeks but for the short time I used this product, I was really impressed! 

3) Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit: This balm is a winner for me. I like that it comes in a chap stick style tube, because it is the fastest and easiest way to put on lip balm. It has a really smooth, lasting texture most likely because of the Grapefruit Seed Oil (Bonus: Yummy smell and flavor). It is also really moisturizing, so I appreciate that. Summer and winter months are when my skin and lips are the most dry (the climate is pretty dry in Eastern Washington since we are in high desert). I bought my tube at a grocery store here in Spokane called Yoke's Fresh Market but Burt's Bees is sold everywhere, really... gas stations, drug stores like Walgreens, Walmart, their website, grocery stores, etc. This is a very inexpensive, great lip balm for summer that I would give a 4.5 out of 5 stars, taking off .5 because it does not have sunscreen in it.

4) Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up!: I love their catchy product names. This is an amazing highlighter. I have a smaller, travel size version of it but once I am out I will be getting the full-size. I do not have the blending sponge on mine and I am reading mixed reviews on that so you will have to see what works best for you. I use my finger tips to blend it and that works great. This is meant for cheekbones and brow bones, but I mainly use it for cheekbones. This product lasts about all day, which is awesome. It is also really easy to blend...  I just put a line on top of my cheekbones slanting up a bit as I move towards my hairline and then I blend with a finger tip, moving in small circular motions. It literally takes seconds to do this. It is such a beautiful luminizer. Definitely 5 out of 5 stars for me because of the look, feel, staying power, and ease of application. You can buy it at these websites: Benefit Cosmetics, Sephora, Ulta, Makeup Alley, and more. 

Let's hear some of your favorite summer time products! *muwah*


☮gretchen elizabeth

Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!