5 Minute Makeup Look

Running out the door and you need some product suggestions that are quick and easy to use? I have some recommendations below. This is all I need for a 5 minute makeup look!

It Cosmetics

CC Cream

This product is a dream for the girl on the go. This blends beautifully no matter how you apply it and looks flawless on the skin. This is a full coverage CC cream. They do have an illuminating and a matte version of this product. This product takes no time to dry down.

Mac Cosmetics

In Shade – Cubic

It doesn’t have to be this blush, but this is the one I use for my everyday makeup look. It makes the skin appear glowy. You want to make sure you choose a shade that compliments your skin tone and is not harsh or hard to blend in.

Rimmel

Natural Bronzer – Sunlight

For the price and consistency this bronzer is EVERYTHING. I use this as bronzer obviously, and if I need a quick eye look I swipe this into my crease. It looks so natural and just gives the skin an extra lift.

Physicians Formula

Organic Natural Origin Mascara

Mascara makes you look so fresh on a 5 minute face. I have been using this mascara lately. So far I am not a fan of it. I prefer a volumizing mascara and this mascara gives more length than anything else. It did wear for a long time without any fall out or smudging.

Kosas

Wet Lip Oil Gloss

This lip gloss is BOMB! It is not sticky at all! This product brings the perfect amount of shine to the lips. This gloss is a bit more expensive but totally worth it. I love that it is a clean product. They say you do end up eating some of the lip product you wear throughout the day, so the less chemicals the better. This product does not dry out my lips and makes me feel put together.

Discouraged About Your Skin?

If you are reading this you are probably feeling discouraged about your skin. This is totally normal. I am here to encourage you and tell you it happens to all of us!

If you really take care of your skin and spend money on it, there is nothing worse then waking up some days and realizing your skin has made a total 180 for the worst! This might be your skins way of telling you, you need to switch something up in your routine? OR possibly the food you may be eating has been irritating your skin. When this happens to me I take a step back, and look at what products in my routine may be bothering my skin. I reset and use exactly what my skin needs at the time.

Keep on evolving your routine! Keep with it! Some weeks may be discouraging but do not let it discourage you, from seeing great results.

Cetaphil vs. Cerave

There is quite the debate online between the two. Many favour Cerave while Cetaphil has quite the loyal following as well.

Cetaphil – Gentle Skin Cleanser

Cetaphil face wash has been a product I used throughout high school and I was introduced to a skincare routine through this product. As an active tik tok watcher many skincare enthusiasts will claim that Cetaphil’s ingredient lists is basic. Honestly, I do not have any issues with this. For a face wash all I want it to do is wash my face, as long as it gets rid of the everyday dirt and grime that is all I need it to do. Cetaphil face wash is not stripping and made my skin feel clean. I do still use it from time to time. Make sure if you do decide to buy Cetaphil face wash, that you purchase the gentle skin cleanser with no fragrance.

Cerave

Cerave has taken the internet by storm in 2020. I have been loving their hydrating cleanser. I would say the consistency does feel similar to the Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser but more rich. When you hear people talk about this product they often rage about the PH balance. I have been using the hydrating cleanser now for about 5 months and have been loving it. I would definitely try other cleansers from Cerave.

With all skincare items be careful with what you use on your skin. Take the time to get to know your skin and the ingredients that are in some of the products you have been buying.

Clean Makeup Brands I Have Tried

Over the past year I have explored the Clean beauty makeup world and have enjoyed the journey so far. I do not only use clean makeup products but have started to incorporate a few items. From what I experienced clean makeup products can be expensive. There has been some brands that I have enjoyed.

Kosas

Kosas is a new brand for me that I have started to explore. I am a huge fan of their Wet Lip Oil Gloss. It looks gorgeous on the lips and is super hydrating. Supposedly the rock star ingredients in this product include Hyaluronic Acid, Peptides & Primrose oil. The product that is not really my favourite from this brand, is their 10-Second Liquid Eyeshadow. It feels super wet on the lid. The colour does not really stay on the lid for me, the only remanent that stays is the shimmer.

RMS Beauty

RMS was the first clean makeup products I was introduced to. I am a huge fan of their product consistency. The one thing I am not the biggest fan of is placing my fingers each time in the product. I am very weary of products that are packaged in pods. I always get a little weary of the bacteria that could possibly keep entering the product every time I apply the product with my finger, onto the face. The two stand out products from this brand are the Living Luminizer and the Buriti Bronzer.

Ilia Beauty

I love the aesthetic of this brand but unfortunately I have not tried anything yet that I am like OMG I love this product and would re buy it. The one item I am dying to try from them is the Super Serum Skin Tint. I have tried the The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette. The palette is nice smooth and pigmented, I am just not a fan of some of the shadows consistency. I have also tried their setting face mist. This product does work I am just not the biggest fan of the smell.

Which Makeup Products Should I Splurge On?

Let me preface this by saying, just because I will say I would not splurge on certain items, it does not mean I have stopped splurging on some of these. This is all an opinion, and if you are on a budget this advice can be helpful!

Foundation

Splurge? Yes! Foundation for me is definitely a high end item, I will spend more money on it. I like foundations that have other skincare properties in them which usually means, it will cost more. Foundation is the product directly applied to your skin everyday. You want to make sure that the foundation is good quality and will not break you out.

Concealer

Splurge? Yes! I have very dry skin so I am always on the hunt to find a concealer that does not cling to my dry patches. I love the Nars radiant creamy concealer and have not found a great dupe similar, for a less expensive price.

Bronzer

Splurge? Absolutely NOT! Rimmel & Physicians Formula have some great matte formulas that do a better job than some higher end bronzers.

Blush

Splurge? Yes. I have boughten blush from the drugstore and while they were good, they just do not give me the same payoff as most of my high end blushes do. You want to make sure that the blush has pigment that will actually show up on your cheek. The distress I have found from buying drugstore blushes is that, most of them come with an air brushed sparkle layer on the top. I prefer to use a high pigmented matte blush & if you feel the same, some higher end options may work better for you. Mac & Nars are the brands I love for blush.

Highlighter

Splurge? No. Now this would have been a totally different story 10 plus years ago when I first started wearing makeup. Lately drugstore highlighters are giving high end a run for its money. There are some great options on the market that will give you an expensive looking affect for a lower price point.

Mascara

Splurge? Absolutely No! I have tried high end mascaras and while some work I have never tried any and thought wow, I am never going back to paying $9.00 for a tube I would much rather pay $30.00. Not worth it! There are some drugstore mascaras that I have absolutely loved. Mascara is also the one product that expires the fastest so keep this in mind when purchasing a new one.

Eyeliner

Splurge? No. Marcelle double ended matte eyeliner is an option that will never make you pay more than $15.00 on an eyeliner ever again! Eyeliner is a product that many different companies have crafted formulated and mastered.

Eye Shadow

Splurge? YES. Eye shadow has been a product I have been splurging on for years! I really have not seen or tested any lower priced eye shadows that had the pay off and pigment in them as many high end eyeshadows do.

Brow Product

Splurge? No. Honestly I have tried the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow product and was just was not impressed. I kept going back to my cheaper alternatives. I do however love their clear brow gel.

Lip Product

Splurge? No. Even though it is nice and luxurious to wear high end lip product, it is still not worth it. Drugstore’s carry great formulas now in most brands. When I was first exploring makeup it was very hard to find a matte lipstick from the drugstore. Maybelline has some great options! NYX butter glosses as you see pictured, is my favourite gloss I have ever tried and has the perfect consistency.

Are Facial Sprays Helpful For Your Skin?

I have tried tons of different facial sprays and honestly I do not have a favourite one. I DO NOT USE any facial sprays with fragrance! This would be your number one mistake. If you wanted to use a facial spray, try using a Thermal Spring Water spray. I do not think thermal sprays are game changing, but they do help with my dry skin after I apply makeup as a refresher. Thermal spray feels nice after a day in the sun. They are also helpful after a couple hours in the air on a plane, providing an extra boost of moisture.

Facial sprays are not a necessity but are nice to have. The two I have tried and liked and have re purchased, is the La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water & Avène Thermal Spring Water.

Switch Up Your Skincare Routine

Your skin will tell you what it needs/wants. My skincare routine really depends on what my skin needs. Just because you may have multiple serums, it does not mean that you should be putting them on your face together every night. Different products work for different problems. Even though I have dry/sensitive skin, I can have those acne moments every couple of weeks. Different parts of my face require different active ingredients, to help solve issues. An important thing to note is that, some active ingredients do not work well together. Be careful about which ingredients you mix together. If they do not work well, you will experience some major skin freak outs!

How do I switch up my routine?

When my skin needs some help with moisture because of my dry skin, I use most of my products that will have HA in it. I will use the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid, my eye cream & my night time moisturizer.

When my fungal acne shows up, I do not use as many products with HA and wash my face with just water, (*if I did not wear any makeup that day) and use my Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass serum and use a light daytime moisturizer even at night. I have been enjoying the Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream.

Pay attention to your skins needs and have fun exploring skincare!

Which Skincare Products Should I Splurge On?

When it comes to skincare the more expensive does not necessarily mean, better! Especially in today’s market!! You can certainly find reasonably priced items for a great price. If you have the budget and would like to splurge on certain items I am going to break down the types of products you should spend your money on!

Face Wash

Face wash is important because it is your first step and you need to wash the everyday dirt off your face, but face wash is not a product I would spend a whole bunch of money on. I want my face wash ingredients to be simple and do exactly what it claims to do, wash my face! Cerave & Cetaphil are two brands that you can find at the drugstore for a reasonable price.

Serums

Serums are something I would absolutely splurge on. Serums contain a high concentration of active ingredients. Serums are used to target certain skincare concerns. For me I want to tackle redness, wrinkles & dryness. I want to have the highest percentage in my active ingredients and typically this means a higher price point. If you have the money serums are where to spend it! However, as mentioned earlier you can find great alternatives from some brands in today’s market. This is my opinion and my reasoning behind it.

Moisturizers

You do not necessarily need to splurge on a moisturizer but you definitely can. Since I have dry skin I do like a nice luxurious heavy cream for at night. For during the day I would not spend my money on a day time moisturizer, but for at night it is a totally different story. At night time your skincare is sitting on your face for a long time without being touched. You want your skin to repair itself at night. My night time moisturizer I do spend money on.

Eye Cream

You may hear eye creams is not a necessity. I must say, any eye creams I have tried they have never shown amazing results. When selecting an eye cream I like to choose some that contain vitamin C in them, to brighten. The biggest regret I have when it comes to purchasing skincare is spending excessive amounts of money on eye cream. Some eye creams are basically a moisturizer. You do not need to splurge on eye creams.

How To Correctly Apply Eye Cream

For my beginners, making sure you apply eye cream correctly is crucial. The skin around your eyes is the thinnest, and should be treated very gently. Even though eye cream is not a skincare necessity I still enjoy using it, and it has become my favourite part of my skincare routine. I love to use an eye cream with Vitamin C in it. My skin looks darker around the eyes and I usually gravitate towards any product that helps to brighten.

Keep in mind, applying eye cream should not be the first part of your skincare routine. It is usually my second last or last step. It is like the cherry on top for extra moisture.

Step 1: Use only your RING FINGER to apply the pea sized amount of product underneath your eye area.

Step 2: Tap gently under and around your eye.

The eye area is very sensitive and you want to make sure you are applying correctly! Have fun with your skincare routine!

Summer Makeup Essentials

When it is humid, I do not know about you but I do not want to wear a lot of makeup! I do however want to look glowy! I have listed below some of my Summer go-to’s!

Kosas

Wet Lip Oil Gloss in shade Dip

This gloss looks amazing on the lips. It is not sticky and glides on like a dream. I prefer to have clean, all natural products on my lips. You end up eating quite a bit of gloss on your lips while wearing it so I want to make sure that whatever I am ingesting in my body is good for me and not toxic. Highly recommend and would love to buy the other colours.

RMS Beauty

Buriti Bronzer

I was not expecting much from this. The colour of this bronzer is not something I gravitate towards. It does have specs of glitter inside which would be a red flag when using a bronzer but honestly it is such a beautiful universal bronzer on the skin. I love using this product on my eye lids with some mascara. This has been my go to summer eye look. Love products that can be used on different parts of my face.

RMS Beauty

Living Luminizer

This product was introduced to me through a friend. I noticed this on her skin and it just made her look like she had such a healthy glow, and not an artificial highlighter glow. I LOVED it and immediately asked… what is that? This product is something that I wear on my skin every time I wear makeup especially in the summer. This is the added glow everyone needs on top of their summer tans.

IT Cosmetics

CC Cream in shade medium

I have been using this product for a very long time. The coverage is insane and yet it feels so light on the skin. The best part about this product is that it has SPF inside. SPF is so important for the skin especially in the summer when the sun is so prominent. I look for products like this that help my skin at the same time and have other properties in them that provide other benefits.