lifestyle, beauty

keep it simple

12 Comments

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i know it probably doesn’t seem obvious from looking at my blog, but i’m actually really shy in front of the camera! i can be totally comfortable and feeling really good about my outfit or my makeup, but the moment the camera comes out, i suddenly slouch and my face gets stiff and i totally forget how to just act natural. it’s like that scene in 30 rock when jack donaghy has to film a promo video… my hands just start floating upward and into the frame, ha! so a big thanks to bareMinerals for asking me if i’d be interested in trying out their latest product, without which i might not be gracing you all with a bunch of silly pictures of my mug!

as part of my new year’s purging ritual, i recently went through my cabinets and got rid of a ton of stuff. i really like to try new beauty products, but sometimes i forget to be mindful of what ingredients i’m using on my acne-prone and slightly oily skin. if i really want a quick and easy beauty routine, i have to remember to start with ingredients that won’t irritate my skin or clog my pores. so of course, i was pretty excited to get my hands on the new bareMinerals Complexion Rescue, especially since i’ve really been paring down my beauty routine to only the essentials, which includes getting more comfortable with a little less coverage. the new formula is a gel cream which aims to combine the best of a bb, a cc, and a tinted moisturizer with sheer coverage and a very natural finish.  i find that it goes much better with my current makeup routine that my usual full-coverage foundation, which was starting to feel a bit too heavy when paired with just a swipe of blush and some mascara. my skin feels comfortable and natural, and i just have to use a dab of concealer here and there to cover up blemishes and dark spots.

as illustrated below, you can either smooth it on with your hands like you would a moisturizer, or use the Smoothing Face Brush for more even application. for this look, i added just a touch of blush on my cheeks, mascara, and a very minimal application of liquid liner.

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beauty

i woke up like this

6 Comments

haha, jk. i don’t wake up in the morning all fresh and dewy with perfectly blemish-free skin. and i rarely leave the house makeup-free. like most people, my morning routine usually involves a bit of primping and preening before i show my face to the world. no, i don’t wear a whole lot of makeup on most days. a pop of bold lip color or a little flick of eyeliner are usually my weapon of choice, but i’m not impervious to pimples and other little speckles and spots and discolorations. if i’m not careful with what i use to even it out, then i’m almost certain to end up clogging my pores and repeating the cycle. for me, that elusive even skin tone with blemish-free skin requires a pretty delicate balance to achieve. so when bareMinerals asked me if i’d be interested in trying out their new bareSkin pure brightening serum foundation, i jumped at the chance.

a couple of weeks back, they sent me a few different shades to try (which i’ve been happily sporting in my past several outfit posts). the formula is definitely unique. it’s a mineral foundation, so it’s free of oils, silicones, parabens, and fragrance as you would expect with bareMinerals products, but it’s in a liquid formulation that goes on like a super lightweight, velvety serum. part of the secret to the application is to use the perfecting face brush. shake the bottle vigorously to make sure the pigment mixes evenly, then place two drops into the little reservoir for sheer coverage, four or more drops for something more substantial. when you first apply, you’ll be a little surprised because you can barely feel it on your skin, but if you layer it on, it can provide a completely full-coverage base. to give you an idea of the difference, i’m not wearing any foundation in the photo in front of the mirror below, but the image above is with six drops for complete coverage.

i know i don’t talk a whole lot about beauty on my blog, but i kinda consider myself to be a bit of a secret beauty junky. i am constantly on the hunt for the perfect [insert beauty product here] and can’t seem to pass by a sephora without stopping in to try a few new products. i read a lot about the ingredients and efficacy of said ingredients, and i try to take a scientific approach to what i’m putting on my skin. i avoid fragrance when i can, and i go for products that are practical and affordable. i may not be a pro, but the new bareSkin passed my test. i’ve been wearing it every day since i got it in the mail and have really enjoyed the weightless yet full coverage, and i appreciate that it’s hypoallergenic and made with the bare minimum of ingredients. it’s worked out well enough for my normal to combination skin that i can safely say that i’m a convert.