The Christmas Beauty Wishlist

December 14, 2016 in Makeup, Skincare

I love putting together a wishlist. With Christmas just around the corner, I thought now would be a good time to share what products I'm interested in this year, from glowy face products to more neutral lip products.

May Lindstrom The Honey Mud | This is the one skincare product at the top of my list this year. I've still got lots of skincare products to get through, but I've been dying to try this luxurious cleanser/mask for ages. My skin just loves anything with honey in it.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation | My sister got this in the Sephora VIB Sale, and once I tried it I knew I needed it. It looks beautiful mixed in with my favorite Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation too, and I think it's probably something I'd use on my wedding day.

Marc Jacobs Style Eye Con No. 7 Plush Eyeshadow Palette, 'The Lover' | Speaking of wedding makeup, doesn't this eyeshadow palette just scream bridal? I've always wanted one of these palettes but none of the shades ever stood out to me until now. I could see myself using every shadow included.

Burberry Fresh Glow BB Cream | I'm basically drowning in light glowy bases at this point, but I've heard so many good things about this one that I can't resist asking for it. This is meant to be one of the dewiest ones of all, so I think I'd absolutely love it.

By Terry Impearlious Voile De Perle Compact | How beautiful does this look? It seems like it would be perfect for a lit-from-within glow. I love the inclusion of the three shades - I could see myself swirling all three together for an all-over rosy glow.

NARS Unfiltered Cheek Palette, 'Unfiltered II' | I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing this on Cyber Monday. It has the prettiest combination of blushes, and since I'm getting back into blush lately I think I would use it a lot.

Surratt Beauty Lipslique Lipstick, 'Bandy' | I've fallen head over heels in love for the other Lipslique shade I have, and this warm rose color looks right up my alley. It looks like a perfect everyday shade.

Serge Lutens Water Lip Color, 'Terre d'Ombres' | This looks like the perfect brown shade for the lips, and the formula seems really unique. I've had it on my list since first spotting it on Violet Grey, and once it was featured on Into the Gloss it basically sealed the deal for me.

What beauty bits are you hoping to get for Christmas?

The "I Woke Up Late" Makeup Bag

December 13, 2016 in Makeup

I've got a confession - I've gotten into the very bad habit of laying in bed until the last possible minute, throwing some makeup in a bag, and just doing my makeup at my desk when I first get in to work. I've been keeping these products in my work bag for the last week or so now for just these occasions. It literally takes me about two minutes, so I've still got time to drink my coffee and get to work.

I start with a cushion foundation - they're super easy to carry around and you don't have to use your hands at all. I've been using the AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact for this, but I love the CLE Cosmetics Essence Air Cushion (review) as well. It subtly evens out the skin and perks it up a little. If I'm in a rush, I'll skip blush and bronzer, but I can never go without highlight. A quick swipe of the Glossier Haloscope adds the perfect amount of dewiness to the skin to give a healthy glow.

Next, I comb through my brows with the Glossier Boy Brow (I forgot to include it in the picture! I'm 99% sure it was stuck inside the bag). I love how it makes them look slightly fuller and keeps any unruly hairs in place. When I have more time and am doing my makeup at home, I follow up this step with an eyebrow pencil, but when I'm in a rush, just the Boy Brow will do.

I quickly tightline my upper lashline with the Colourpop Creme Gel Liner in Brew-Haha, and it makes all the difference in making me look more awake. I also smudge a bit of the liner on the outer corners of my eyes for some definition. After curling my eyelashes with the Tweezerman ProCurl, I apply a coat of the Max Factor Masterpiece Max Mascara - I was sent this over the summer, and it's risen to holy grail status. It's not even waterproof and it doesn't smudge on me all day.

I usually just reapply my Glossier Balm Dotcom over and over throughout the day, but if I'm feeling a little fancier I'll use their new Lip Gloss. It's just clear, and it feels super nourishing on the lips.

What are your favorite products for a super quick look? Do you ever do your makeup after you leave the house?

Shop here to get 20% off your first Glossier order!

An Intro to CLE Cosmetics

December 09, 2016 in Makeup

While I used to be a bit of a trend- and hype-follower when it came to makeup, as I get more into the whole beauty and blogging thing I've been realizing how much I love discovering new brands and products for myself. I first heard about CLE Cosmetics (CLE stands for Creative Lass Esthetic) in an xoVain article - first of all, I need anything that might give me skin as beautiful as Sable's, and second of all, she described the brand as "The Glossier of K-Beauty." So basically I was sold.

CLE Cosmetics is all about the essentials - a melting cleanser, a foaming cleanser, a cushion foundation, CC cream, and lip product. That's it. It's pretty refreshing to see such a minimal take on beauty, although my collection of products is far from minimal. One look at their Instagram showed me their gorgeous aesthetic, and I was even more sold. They ran a giveaway a couple months ago for their Essence Air Cushion, and after falling in love I picked up two more products in their Black Friday sale, the CCC Cream and Melting Lip Powder in Hot Choco.

I've been super into cushion foundations lately (I mentioned that I'm loving the AmorePacific one in my Five to Try post this week), so the Essence Air Cushion has been really fun to try. I'd say it has a little less coverage than the AmorePacific one, but it gives the skin such a healthy glow. It truly looks like you've been keeping hydrated, getting enough sleep, doing lots of yoga, and drinking green juice. It's good, healthy skin in a compact. It's also super buildable, easily layering from a sheer to a medium coverage with no cakiness.

Just look at that Micro-Capsule Technology in action (CCC Cream)

Despite falling in love with the cushion and also having lots of other base products to get through, I couldn't resist trying the CCC Cream. The CCC stands for Color Control & Change. It comes out as a white cream that transforms into a flesh tone as you rub it in. This has much higher coverage than the cushion - the first time I applied it, I used way too much and ended up looking like I was wearing a mask. Now that I know that you really only need a pea-sized amount spread over the face, I'm in love. It works into the skin so easily and is so glowy. It also keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day, so instead of my skin sucking up the product during the day my skin remains supple and smooth. I can't even decide if I love this or the cushion better.

Wearing the CCC Cream, Hot Choco on lips & cheeks, & touching up with the Essence Air Cushion

I've been so intrigued by the Melting Lip Powder - it starts out as a powder, but when you apply it to the skin, it transforms into a matte stain. Be careful when you take the applicator out of the tube to avoid spilling excess powder, but once you get the hang of it, it's not difficult. If you get one product from the brand, definitely get this as it's truly a unique experience - I've never used anything like it. Once on the lips or cheeks it feels totally weightless, and you almost can't tell you're wearing anything. Despite being super matte, it doesn't feel overly drying or chalky. The shade Hot Choco is a lovely deeper nude - it's quite warm on me, but it's not too orange. I've seen it look like a beautiful mauve nude on people with warmer undertones than me, too. It works beautifully on the cheeks as well, like a powder to cream blush. I really want to try one of the brighter shades next.

If you're into minimal makeup and Korean beauty, definitely check out CLE Cosmetics. This post hasn't been sponsored, I've just been loving the products and thought I'd spread the word!

Have you tried this brand before? What are your favorite minimal makeup products?