Amazing New Primer: Bare Minerals Antioxidant Primer

Hi beauties!

I need to admit something. I'm in love. True love. With a primer.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I fall in love with new beauty products all the time, but when it comes to primer I'm hard to please. I've tried countless ones and only a few of them have really stood out to me.

Let me start this love story at the beginning. A few weeks ago Bare Minerals was on QVC with a new Today's Special Value (yes I bought it, and on Auto-Delivery, no surprises there!) so I was watching a few of the Bare Minerals shows during the day and they kept mentioning this new primer. At first I was completely uninterested, and then I saw it demonstrated on the models and was intrigued. Then it started selling like hot cakes and they were saying how there were only 200 left, it was about to sell out and I decided I was not going to let it slip away. So I went into beauty beast mode and ordered as fast as humanly possible. Then did an embarrassing victory dance when they announced that it was officially sold out just mere seconds after my order went through.

What's interesting about this primer is that it's tinted and gives great coverage. What's even more interesting is that it's jam packed full of skincare benefits AND it even has SPF 30.  When Leslie Blodgett (the founder of Bare Minerals) was presenting this item she threw out the term BB Cream. She said something that really hit home with me- she said that so many companies are cranking out BB Creams because they're popular and trending but aren't taking the time to develop them into quality products. She said that Bare Minerals would never release one because that's not the type of company they are. They only put out products that they have invested a lot of time researching and developing and would never rush and put out a product that they didn't feel proud of.  She then went on to explain all of the development that went into creating this new primer and of course I decided I needed to try it. In my opinion it is really multi-tasking like a BB Cream would be but this has actually improved my skin because of all the great, natural ingredients.

Taken directly from QVC:

This unique skin-perfecting blend combines the dual power of antioxidant vitamins and broad spectrum SPF protection to help prevent signs of aging while smoothing away dryness, excess oil, and the appearance of enlarged pores. Licorice and aloe leaf extracts help to smooth, condition, and protect the skin.

Since I began using this primer I've noticed that my breakouts have been practically non-existent. I've also noticed that my makeup is lasting longer ( I do have a new foundation routine which I will be sharing in an upcoming post!) and that my oily t-zone is more controlled than with other primers. I also want to mention that I don't use a moisturizer beforehand because I find that this product alone gives my skin enough hydration- it's warming up here (finally!) so I don't need a heavy moisturizer like I do in the winter months. 

At first I was really intimidated by the tint, because as you can see by the photo above it does look very dark. However, I find that it blends in really nicely and since I began using this product I've gotten a little tan so this primer just helps enhance my natural tan. I think that this would work for most skintones, but if you are very fair I think this might be too dark. This primer helps to blur the imperfections I have in my skin, mainly scarring from past breakouts, and once I get those pesky scars to fade more I can definitely seeing myself wearing just this primer since it does give some nice coverage.

This primer is available exclusively through QVC and is currently only available on waitlist, but I would definitely recommend checking it out once it's back in stock if you are in the market for a new primer. It's marketed for all skin types so even people with dry skin could benefit from it. I am using this with Bare Minerals foundation but can imagine it working well with a number of foundations, and would look nice even on it's own for those who have less to conceal.

Have you fallen in love with any new products lately? Does getting your hands on a new product product make you do crazy victory dances that scare your pets? Let me know! :)

The Weekly Wrap Up: Shopping, Meatball & More!

Hi my loves!

A while back I used to always do these wrap up posts every Sunday and I want to get back into doing them, since I'm officially back to blogging. My posts have been pretty sporadic lately but now I am officially back and recommitted to my blog. Since I'm back I thought I'd share what I've been up to these past few months while I've been slacking off in the blogging department :) 

Health/Fitness

I've become quite a gym rat lately! I've been going to the gym every single day right after work, I've been doing lots of classes (Tabata, Zumba and Core are my favorite ones!) and I even have a personal trainer! I've mentioned before how I've lost 100lbs since last June and even though I'm beyond thrilled with that accomplishment I still have more work to do. Right now I'm focusing on tightening things up (specifically my arms and tummy) and want to go down a few more sizes along the way. I still want to lose another 70lbs and my nutritionist and my doctor both think that it's an attainable goal for me, it will just take some extra hard work since I'm starting to plateau. For the past two month's I've lost a lot of inches but my weight has stayed the same so I'm currently in the midst of a diet makeover. Like I mentioned, I see a nutritionist regularly and she has helped me put together a kick butt diet plan to help me reach my weight loss goals without feeling like I'm starving. It's pretty simple really- tons of protein, fruits, veggies & healthy snacks. I also made a new pinterest board just for fitness inspiration- I always look at it on days when my motivation feels lacking.

Meatball

I mentioned briefly in my Blog Sale Update post that my puppy, Meatball, had gotten sick. He got very sick. He had a bad reaction to a vaccination which ended with him coming down with Aspiration Pneumonia, meaning that the vaccine caused him to vomit and he then inhaled the vomit into his lungs. To keep things short (and keep myself from crying) I will just say that the last week has been the most emotionally draining week of my life. Last Friday, when this whole ordeal began, the vet didn't think that Meatball was going to make it. It was the hardest day of my life- he's only 6 months old and I just couldn't fathom loosing him. He was in the vet all day Friday and Saturday getting oxygen, nebulizer treatments (that penguin in the picture above is actually a nebulizer they gave us to use with him at home) and IV antibiotics. The good news is that he's back to his old self again- he was causing trouble today at puppy school like usual and is as playful as ever. He goes back to the vet next week to get another x-ray of his lungs but he's going to be just fine.

Shopping/Vacation

A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I went away for a few days to celebrate his birthday like we do every year. I was in shopping heaven because we discovered an Ulta right near our hotel- we don't have any Ulta's around where we live so I was ecstatic! I picked up some new goodies from Bare Minerals as well as some of the Ulta foaming hand soaps- I used one in the bathroom there and it smelled so good I just had to get some for our place. I also went into Inglot, Nordstrom and Anthropologie- more stores that we don't have around here. Let me just say that I was beyond excited to be able to fit into Anthropologie clothing now- well, tops anyways, I'm still working my way into the bottoms! I celebrated by picking up the shirt in the picture above and an incredibly cute hair clip. At Nordstrom I bought a bottle of Kate Spade's newest perfume- I will be doing a full review on it but basically it's incredible. My boyfriend was very kind and bought me an Inglot 5 pan palette as an anniversary present- I will be featuring it in an upcoming post!


So, along with working full time and all of the things I talked about above my life has been pretty jam packed these days, but I am so happy to be back to blogging- I need to share my beauty obsession with others so that my boyfriend doesn't go crazy listening to me talking about lipgloss :)

What's in my Birchbox? May 2013

It's Birchbox time again! I haven't done a Birchbox post in absolutely ages and my May box just came yesterday so I thought I would give you a peek inside!

This months box contained 4 samples and a bonus item:

• Coola Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face- I'm actually really excited to try out this moisturizer! I'm currently using a primer with SPF 30 as my facial sunscreen but it's always nice to have another option. On the card that comes in every Birchbox it also says that this product is infused with organic antiaging ingredients so that's always a bonus! If I end up loving it I will report back. 
• Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner- I would have been more excited about trying out this liner if it came in a color other than black. I honestly hardly ever wear black liner yet have so many of them since every liner sample seems to be black. This nice mini size will be nice to take along with me to touch up my waterline for nights when I decide to glam it up a bit though.
• Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk- This is already living in my gym bag! I swear by dry shampoo so I can't wait to try this out. I always use some after an especially sweaty workout to keep my hair from getting greasy.
• Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste- Another not very exciting sample. My boyfriend is actually pumped about this though because I've gotten this as a sample in a Glossybox before and he absolutely loves it. He swiped it and used it before I could even take a picture, hence the reason why my tube looks a little squished.
• Acroball by Pilot pen- Well, it's a pen. I guess I could always use another pen, right? I do like that it's writes in purple.

Overall, I think this Birchbox is pretty disappointing. I am looking forward to trying the dry shampoo and the moisturizer but I don't think this box is worth my $10. Hopefully next month is better!

What was in your Birchbox this month?

Blog Sale UPDATE!

Hi everyone!

A while ago I put up a blog sale tab on my page and recently some things have happened in my life, mainly my 6 month old puppy got very sick and almost didn't make it, so the vet bills have been piling up and I've been trying to earn some extra money to help pay for all of the medications that he needs so he can be good as new ASAP. This is also the reason why I haven't been posting lately, between trying to work extra hours during the day and taking care of Meatball at night there hasn't been much time for blogging.


Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that my blog sale prices are 100% negotiable and any reasonable offer will be accepted! If you are interested in anything at all PLEASE make me an offer because I would really like to clear this stuff out :)

Thanks!
Amanda

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil Free BB Cream Review!

 

Hi beauties!

BB Creams are everywhere these days, from drugstores to high end department stores. I've always been interested in them but never thought that they'd work for me. I have combination to oily skin and also desire more coverage than I thought a BB cream would be able to provide since they are marketed as being so lightweight on the skin. 

When I saw that I had been invited to try out the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil Free BB Cream through BzzAgent I was really excited but also a little unsure. I felt better knowing that it was an oil free product so it wouldn't make my oily skin even shinier, but honestly still doubted that it would provide me with the coverage I needed. Let me be the first to admit that I was wrong!

Light/Medium

The first time I used this BB Cream I was completely shocked.  I couldn't believe the coverage that I was able to get from such a lightweight product. Now, it's definitely nothing like a full coverage foundation but I found it to be very comparable to some of the lighter coverage foundations that I've tried. I find that this BB Cream is really able to camouflage any minor skin issues that I'm having and if I throw a little concealer on any extra-hard-to-hide spots that I can get a flawless face in just a few short moments.

Which brings me to my next point, this product is such a time saver. This is my sunscreen, moisturizer and foundation all in one step which means even if I push my snooze button five a few times in the morning I can still get out the door in time for work and still look fresh faced and flawless! I also want to mention that this product hasn't irritated my skin at all nor does it make me look extra shiny- I actually find that it keeps my oily skin under control fairly well which is always a plus!

Since this is the only BB Cream I've tried I can't compare it to other ones, but if you are in the market for a BB Cream or looking for a place to start I would definitely check this one out, especially if you have combination to oily skin like me. It's available at drugstores, Ulta, Target, Walmart, etc for right around $13. 

What's your favorite BB Cream? :)

 *This product was provided for free through BzzAgent for review purposes.

BA STAR Natural Shadow Palette Review & Swatches!

 

 Hi beauties!

I don't know about you, but I love trying out products from new beauty brands. That's why I was very excited to be given the opportunity to try out an eye shadow palette from the brand BA STAR.

Shades L to R: Bronze, Cocoa, Nude, Gold, Crystal

The palette I received is called the Natural Shadow Palette which contains gorgeous neutral shades, but what makes this product unique is that it has two glitters that you can use over the shadows. I was a little weary of these glitters at first since glitter tends to mean major fall out, but these glitters are suspended in a clear, creamy gel base so they actual adhere to the eye shadow really well- I haven't had any fall out issues. I think the glitter is a really fun way to add some glam and take your look from day to night since the shadows alone create a very wearable everyday look.

As for the quality of the powder shadows- it's unbelievable! From the moment I first swatched these shadows I was extremely impressed. These shadows are so dense, smooth and buttery- they actually remind me a lot of the eye shadows from Urban Decay. The pigmentation is incredible, you get true-to-pan color and great payoff in a single swipe. I've been testing out these shadows for a while now and haven't had any issues with wear time, these last all day on me without fading but I do always use a primer underneath. I find that the gel glitters are really concentrated too- you don't have to add a ton of layers on top of your shadow in order to make it noticeable; I just use one little dab on my finger to add a thin layer over the powder shadows and I have instant sparkle!

The most impressive part about this palette? The price! For such a great quality product I was expecting a more hefty price tag, but this little gem costs a mere $8.75! It gets better though, the kind people from BA STAR are offering a 50% discount on all orders using the code BBSMOKY. BA STAR has a wide selection of products and I will definitely be ordering some myself- their blushes are at the top of my must try list. To check out all of BA STAR's products visit their website at bastar.com or to jump right to the palettes click here.


Have you discovered any great new products lately? Let me know!

*The product featured in this post was sent for review. All opinions are my own. This post doesn't contains affiliate links, the links in this post are for your convenience only :)

March Favorites!

Hi beauties!

I can't believe that March is already coming to an end, but I can't say that I'm sad to see it go since I'm really looking forward to April! Not only because of the nicer weather, but it's also my two year anniversary with my boyfriend and his birthday is a few days beforehand so we have a nice little trip planned to celebrate both :)

This month was pretty low key for me in terms of makeup, in the beginning of the month I found a look that I liked and pretty much stuck to it all month long.

I was all about simple makeup this month; I wanted something quick and easy that I could throw on in a few minutes but still look pulled together. I find that most of the time spent during my daily makeup routine is actually on my skin- I normally use heavier coverage foundations and I find that they take more time to apply since I have to work with them a little more to make sure they don't look too cakey or thick on my skin. This month I decided to simplify my foundation routine a little bit and I fell in love with Revlon's Nearly Naked foundation. Nearly Naked has light to medium coverage that is very easy to build. I apply it all over and then just add a little bit of concealer over any trouble areas- it builds beautifully and even though it isn't full coverage I find that it still blurs imperfections and evens out my skin.

In March I also rediscovered my MAC Cremeblend blush in Something Special. Cream blushes call to me more in the spring- I think they are a great way to get a fresh faced look. I'm a big fan of this particular formula from MAC because it's easy to blend out, have nice pigmentation and wear all day on me. Something Special is a nice peachy-pink shade that looks great with just about every eye look; super low maintenance and easy to wear.

Last but not least, I have a new favorite eye palette. The Lorac PRO Palette is still my favorite eye palette of all time, but I've used up so many colors in it that I have to pull in colors from other palettes to supplement with it since my favorite shades are all gone. I was using this palette, Laura Mercier's Artist's Palette for Eyes, to supplement my dwindling PRO palette when I realized that this palette itself is awesome and started using it solo. All of the colors in this palette are gorgeous, but my go to look has been putting Sunlit all over the lid with African Violet on the outer third of the lid and Deep Night as a liner on my upper lash line. It takes practically no time at all but still makes my eyes looked defined. I couldn't find this palette on Sephora's website anymore so it might have been limited edition ( I got mine around the holidays) but if you happen to find it I would highly recommend picking it up!

Swatches L to R: MAC Cremeblend blush in Something Special, Laura Mercier eye shadows in Sunlit, African Violet and Deep Night.

That's it for my favorites! What products did you love in March?