A lot of women tend to get into makeup ruts (myself included). I also have the tendency to keep using a product even though it may no longer work for me. However, over the years I’ve been able to perfect my daily makeup routine into 9 easy steps with my tried-and-true favorite products that I use every. single. day. Keep reading to find out what my favorite everyday makeup is and how to look truly gorgeous on the daily!
1. Start by priming your face. On the back of your hand, mix together a tiny squirt of Benefit the POREfessional and Benefit “That Gal” to create a balm. Spread all over your face with a paddle foundation brush, focusing on your t-zone.
2. Apply M.A.C. BB Cream foundation. Squirt a small amount onto the back of your hand. Use a dampened beauty blender sponge (that has been squeezed under running water 10 times) to blend foundation into skin using a buffing motion. Apply a second layer and blend as needed.
3. Dot Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch highlighting concealer under eyes and on the inner corners of eyes. Gently blend with your ring finger.
4. Using a large, fluffy powder brush, dust Maybelline Dream Matte pressed powder onto t-zone. Dust over closed eyes to set the concealer and to add a thickening layer to your eyelashes.
5. Using the same fluffy powder brush, swirl into NYC Smooth Skin bronzer (in Sunny). Tap and dust off excess product on the back of your hand. It is very important to always start off with a small amount of bronzer and slowly build the color onto your face. Starting below your cheekbone near your ear, gently dust the bronzer onto your face, moving in tiny up-and-down movements while slowly working your way in towards your mouth. Repeat this process again below the other cheekbone, making sure to dust off excess bronzer before ever touching your face with the brush. Dust a tiny bit of bronzer on your temples, hairline, jawline, and down the bridge of your nose.
Pro tip: always use a matte bronzer with no trace of shimmer or sparkle to avoid looking clownish.
6. Apply Tarte Cheek Stain to cheekbones and blend up towards your temples and out towards your hairline with your fingers. This blush has a gel-like consistency and gives a very natural-looking flush.
7. Fill in your brows using an angle brush with Benefit Brow Zings. Start 1/4-1/2″ away from the start of your brows to avoid a heavy-handed look. Fill them in using light, feathery strokes and working your way through to the tail. Accentuate your arches because they’re the money-makers of your eyebrows! After you’ve filled them in, run a clean spoolie brush through them to add softness, fullness, and to make them look more natural.
Pro tip: filling in your brows is the one step that makes your look completely polished and the one thing I’d never leave the house without doing!
8. Apply Benefit Watt’s Up! highlighter to your browbones, cheekbones, inner corners of your eyes, down the bridge of your nose, and your cupid’s bow. Be sure to softly blend it to create glowing, radiant skin. Also, apply the Maybelline concealer from step 3 underneath the length of your brows and above the upper outer half (past your arch). Blend gently with your ring finger but do not wipe off.
9. Curl one set of eyelashes. Apply Benefit They’re Real! mascara to upper lashes only. Hold the brush horizontally and, starting at the base of your lashes, wiggle in a zig-zag motion up through the tips. Then, flip the brush vertically and use the spiky tip to comb through any clumps, focusing on getting into the outer corners to coat every lash. Repeat on the other eye.
With your newly flawless face, the possibilities are endless! Feel free to swipe on some bright lipstick, a fun eyeshadow, or bold eyeliner (just not all at the same time, please!). Now put your best face forward, gorgeous!
It’s not often that a product like this comes around… and when it does, you just want to shout it from the rooftops! I scored a deluxe sample of this hair magic at Sephora a few weeks ago and I’ve been in love ever since. Like most girls, I was used to my usual schtick of using 3+ products on my hair: one for sleekness, one for volume, one for heat protection, etc. Then, along comes this CC cream which takes care of everything. Shine? Check. Moisture? Check. Manageability? Check. Heat protection? Check. I have pretty (ahem) difficult hair that usually takes a lot of work to manage. Since I’ve started using this product, my hair has been so easy. I also color treat my hair fairly regularly, which inevitably leads to damage and dullness. Never has my hair been so shiny and silky! I LOVE THIS STUFF. Go buy it now (you think I’m kidding?). You will love it.
XO, J
P.S. It’s also free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic color, paraffin, gluten, DEA/TEA, mineral oil & petrolatum!
If you’re squeezing in one last getaway for the summer this weekend, here are some ideas of what to pack! I’ll be heading up to Moosehead Lake for a relaxing time with my family. Whether you’re going to the beach, spending a weekend in the city, or hanging out at a cabin by the lake (like me!), here’s a fool-proof packing list to make sure you’re lounging in style!
Every girl loves to have a great manicure. However, going to the salon every week is extremely time consuming and can get expensive. After much trial-and-error, I’ve perfected the art of the at-home manicure. Gals, get ready to have great-looking nails and save your hard-earned dollars in the process!
What you’ll need:
Small bowl of warm water with a splash of white vinegar
Remove any old nail polish from your nails. My favorite method for doing this is to rip 10 tiny pieces from one cotton ball, soak each one in acetone and place on each nail. Leave on for at least 10 seconds. Remove each piece of cotton by applying a firm, downward pressure and sliding off the end of the nail. Most (if not all) of the nail polish should come off in one swipe.
Step Two
Soak nails in the bowl of warm water and white vinegar for 5 minutes. The vinegar helps to soften your cuticles for easier removal (even though your hands will smell vaguely like a salad). Apply cuticle oil to softened cuticles.
Step Three
Gently push back your softened cuticles with a cuticle pusher or orange stick. Most of the time, this will be the sufficient grooming your cuticles need. For truly unruly cuticles, carefully trim with a sharp cuticle trimmer.
Step Four
Cut and file your nails however you like. I like to keep my nails short and square, but that’s just my preference!
Step Five
Swipe each nail with a cotton ball soaked in acetone. The acetone dehydrates the nail plate and removes any residual oils to allow the polish to adhere better to the nail.
Step Six
Paint on Orly Bonder base coat. Make sure to paint all edges and corners of every nail. Allow to dry for 30 seconds to a minute.
Step Seven
Paint a thin coat of color on each nail. To achieve a coat that’s not too thick, wipe the side of the brush close to you 2-3 times on the lip of the bottle. Then, wipe the blob of polish on the far side on the edge of the bottle. Apply a small dot of polish on the lower half of your nail and carefully push the dot towards the cuticle. After that, quickly spread the polish on the rest of the nail in 2-3 strokes. Repeat on the rest of your nails.
Step Eight
Repeat step seven, making sure to keep the second coat thin as well.
Summer may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean that the good times are over. If you’re still planning a summer get-together or two, a vat of a delicious beverage and a heaping bowl of guacamole are a must! I made this batch of sangria and guacamole a few weekends ago for my girls and added a couple of unexpected twists! Keep reading for the recipes and to find out the secret ingredients….
Not Your Mother’s Guacamole
4 whole avocados
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp of fresh salsa (mild, medium, or hot)
1 tbsp of Sriracha sauce
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of garlic powder
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 good squeeze of 1/2 a lime
Cut the avocados in half and use a spoon to scoop out avocado seamlessly. If you’re too afraid to use a knife to get the pit out (like me), use the spoon to scoop it out and then peel any remnants on the pit. Mash all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Keep the avocado chunky and leave the pit in the guacamole (helps keep it green)! Best served after being refrigerated after 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with Lime Tostitos.
Pro tip: To tell if an avocado is ripe enough, push down on the top of the stem. If a bit of avocado squeezes out, it’s ready. Also, feel for softness. Too soft and it will have brown spots inside. Too hard and it won’t mash well.
Not Your Mother’s Sangria
With sangria, the measurements are not exact. Just try to eyeball it!
Large pitcher
Bottle of cranberry-raspberry juice
Cheap blush wine (I used Franzia!)
Triple sec
1 nectarine
1 apple
1 package of fresh raspberries
Ice
Fill the pitcher with 1/2 wine, 1/3 juice, and the rest (or about 1/4) with the triple sec. Slice up the apple and nectarine and add to the mixture. Add the package of raspberries and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 24 hours and serve over ice.
I hope you enjoy these recipes and make every moment count in these last days of summer!
Unless you were blessed with otherworldly genes, pretty much every person struggles with skin problems at least once in their life… I know I did! I started getting acne in fifth grade (!) and it continued throughout high school. Most of the time my acne and skin problems were manageable, but I longed for a smoother complexion than the one I had. I finally figured out the secret, though. Get ready, because I’m going to share with you my skincare regimen that finally gave me flawless, problem-free skin.
Meet your new best friend, the Clarisonic! Many of you have probably heard of it, but for those who haven’t, the Clarisonic is a skin-cleansing brush that is designed to cleanse your skin 6x better than your hands alone. Does it live up to those claims? Absolutely. This device has revolutionized skin care and has revolutionized my skin.
Breakouts? I haven’t had a bad one since I started using it. Blackheads? Completely eliminated. Dry skin? Gone. My skin is 100% healthier-looking, brighter, and more radiant all because of the Clarisonic (I’m not a paid sponsor, I’m just really enthusiastic about it). My pores have shrunk, my skin emits a dewy glow, and I never have to worry about how my skin looks without foundation.
I want every woman and man to feel as confident in their skin as I do. If you’re hesitant about the price, ask for it as a gift. I guarantee you it’s 100% worth every penny, though. Go buy it right now and tell all your friends about it.
Oh, and if you’re curious, these are the skincare products I use daily in addition to my Clarisonic:
