Beauty Mixology

Recently I've noticed a bit of a pattern in my makeup and skincare routines: I mix products together a lot. Maybe it's an effect of my spending ban - rather than buying new products, I sort of create my own by mixing together what I already have. Mixing products helps to achieve the perfect finish/look/whatever you're looking for without having to go out and buy a whole new product.

The Glossier Cloud Paints were what really got me into mixing my products together - since they blend so effortlessly, they also blend and mix really well with each other. I love creating new shades from the four - my go-to is Puff and Dusk for the perfect dusty neutral pink shade. Then I saw Tamira Jarrel mixing Cloud Paints with Haloscopes, and I've been hooked on those combinations ever since. I love mixing Cloud Paint in Dusk with Haloscope in Topaz for bronzer, and Puff and Moonstone mixed make a beautiful glowy blush.

Lip products are another big one for me - I have a lot already, but it's always super fun to create new colors that I may not have in my collection. I've been loving the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipsticks in Whip and Chutney mixed together (worn here). They're so creamy that they mix super easily. I also love combining the Glossier Generation G's in Like and Leo - like my blush combo above, it makes a great neutral pink. If I ever want to tone down a lip color, I just mix in a little of the Lise Watier Fondant Lipstick in Jennifer - the sheer creamy nude mutes down anything and makes it softer.

I've really taken this concept and run with it in the skin category. I mix the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint with just about everything to make it a little more sheer and glowy. My favorite combinations are with the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and the It Cosmetics CC Cream. Speaking of Luminous Silk, my go-to base for special occasions is a couple pumps of the Armani mixed with the Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation - the combination is just like healthy skin in a bottle. I've also been experimenting with mixing liquid highlighters into my base products - for someone who loves glowy skin as much as I do, I'm surprised I haven't played around with this much yet. So far my favorite way is to mix it in with a primer so it's not too "disco ball." Products like the Marc Jacobs Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter or the Sephora Collection Radiant Luminizing Drops mixed into the Marc Jacobs Under(cover) Perfecting Coconut Face Primer makes the perfect luminous base, and just enough glow peeks through underneath foundation.

This mixing habit has also made its way into my skincare routine - you may have seen me post on Instagram that I've been mixing up a concoction of Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich, Kypris Antioxidant Dew, and The Ordinary Rosehip Oil most nights, and it leaves me with the most glowy, nourished skin come morning. A lot of times I'll mix an oil into my night cream if I can't decide which I want to use first - it just really amps up the cream. I didn't include them in the photos, but Glossier's Supers are perfect for mixing - Super Bounce and Super Pure is my go-to combination when I'm breaking out. Since they're so simple, it's easy to mix and create just what you need.

Do you mix any of your products together?

The Spending Ban | One Month (and a bit) Down

It's been a little over a month since I posted about trying to slow down on spending in preparation of buying a house, so I thought I would check in and let you know how it's been going. I've tried spending bans many times before and they never stuck, but I'm pleased to say I think I've actually done really well, and I've surprised myself with how well I stuck to it.

Lesson 1 - I was addicted to receiving packages

The first couple weeks were the hardest - I had honestly been ordering and receiving packages from Sephora or other beauty websites at least once per week. It was hard to get used to not coming home to exciting packages waiting by the door. But that feeling passed, and rather than looking forward to material things, I looked forward to spending my evenings hanging out with Brett and Lilo - saving money and cherishing time with loved ones is a win-win, wouldn't you say?

Lesson 2 - I was dependent on new products for content

Because of this constant influx of new products, I never had to struggle to think of new blogposts. But once that stream stopped, I had the worst writer's block I think I've ever had. I got so used to writing about new things that I didn't know how to blog about what I already had anymore. I took a week off from blogging while I was on vacation, and I think that time away helped. Now I'm finally getting back into the swing of it - I've got several ideas and drafted posts ready to go, and it feels good. When I stopped buying so many products, I also gave myself more time to really use and get familiar with PR samples I've been sent - I've always been incredibly grateful for the opportunities blogging has given me, and I'm glad to not have a backlog of products to try/review now.

Lesson 3 - I wasn't using what I had

As you can imagine, it was getting hard for me to stick to any kind of routine and I changed up the products I used on an almost daily basis. Now, I've been using a fairly constant lineup of products, and I've been able to really discern what works together and what doesn't, and my skin and makeup are looking better because of it. Trying new products is still fun, but I love having a solid core of products I really trust and can depend upon (spoiler: it's basically all Glossier).

Lesson 4 - It cured my impulse-buying (??)

I'm hoping this is a lasting effect, but actually stopping myself from ordering something the second I decided I wanted it taught me to really think about the money I was spending, and if the product in question was something I really wanted and would use in the long run. The wishlist tip from my original post was a godsend here - I was constantly adding and then scratching out entries as I realized it wasn't something I really wanted.

Lesson 5 - A little leeway does a world of good

I think the biggest problem with my spending bans in the past were that I tried to go absolutely cold turkey, and then when I failed, I'd just think "oh well it's over now" and go back to my wild spending. This time, I allowed myself a couple little things here and there, and it really helped. Again, it really helped me think each purchase through. I had promised myself I could order a couple of the new Bite Liquid Lipsticks when they launched, and besides that I haven't ordered anything else until today, when I made a small Sephora order to finally replenish my Milk Makeup Flex Concealer - even that took a lot of thought, and it was something I "needed." And to celebrate a little bit that I had a great few weeks in terms of Glossier orders (thank you!!), I treated myself to a Lancome Juicy Shaker in Cherry Symphony, which has been on my wishlist since the beginning of July (and this post on Instagram definitely ensured it stayed on my wishlist that whole time).

I've really surprised myself, and I think I'm going to go forward being a lot more mindful about my spending - and as I'm still broke, the ban will continue indefinitely!

Have you tried a spending ban before?

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The No-Foundation Base Routine

I'm not usually one to hop on YouTube trends, but lately I've seen a spike in "no foundation" look tutorials, and color me intrigued. I'd love to not use foundation. Since my skin's been sort of behaving lately, I've given it a go and have fallen in love with the result. It's not exactly easier than wearing foundation, but it looks a whole lot fresher - perfect for these hot summer days.

On a day to day basis, I normally forget primer, but for a no-foundation look I want my skin to look as perfected as possible before putting any kind of coverage on. My go-to has been the Cover FX Calming Primer - my main issue with my skin is redness, and this soothes my skin and calms any redness right down. It also helps to hydrate and plump the skin, making the following products go on much more smoothly.

If I'm skipping out on foundation, I usually go for a mix of two concealers. I start with the Milk Makeup Flex Concealer on areas where I need the most coverage - this is under my eyes, on and around my nose, and on some spots/marks on my chin. Once that is all blended out (always with a Beautyblender), I assess the situation and go in with the Glossier Stretch Concealer over larger areas of redness if necessary. Every once in awhile only my left cheek will be super flushed and red for no reason, so a teeny bit of the Stretch Concealer bopped on with that same Beautyblender does the trick. I use to be a concealer hoarder, but now that I've discovered how much my skin loves these two beauties, I don't think I'll be straying any time soon.

I use a no-foundation look as opportunity to really amp up my cheek products to help disguise that I'm not wearing foundation. I use a little more bronzer than usual, striping the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer on my cheekbones, temples, nose, and jaw and blending with a Real Techniques Sculpting Brush. This blends out super easily and leaves a really natural bronze look to the skin. Once bronzer is done, I like to dab a little bit of the Glossier Cloud Paint* in either Puff or Beam or the Nudestix Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm* in Rebel or Haven closer to the apples of my cheeks to add a little flush and glow. Speaking of glow, I still pile on the highlighter no matter what - I've updated my usual "Glossier Haloscope in Quartz everyday" look to a "Quartz everywhere and then Nudestix Illumi-Naughty on the highest points of my cheekbones" situation. I can't choose a favorite, so why not just use both, right? This combination looks extra glossy and glowy together.

To finish it off, and make sure the concealer stays put all day, my new favorite finisher is the Glossier Wowder.* It just launched yesterday, and I'm already in love - it sets makeup and mattifies unwanted shine without totally getting rid of the glow I've worked so hard to achieve here. I use it strategically only where I get a little oily and where my concealer wears off the most - under my eyes, around my nose, on my forehead, and on my chin and jawline. So far so good, my makeup has been lasting throughout the day!

Have you tried a no-foundation look? What are your favorite products for it? 

*Products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information. This post contains affiliate links.

Discount corner: get 20% off your first Glossier order at glossier.com/reps/kelsey, and get 10% off any order on nudestix.com with the code DADMUNK10 - thank you all so much for your support!