Ever feel like your everyday highlighter isn’t giving you that extra pop you’re looking for? Try using eyeshadow as highlighter! Often, eye shadows are created using more concentrated pigments, which means the color will come off more dramatic on your skin. This is perfect if you’re looking for a highlighter of a particular tone as well – for example, peach, pink or gold.
Tonight, I was hoping to add a golden glow to my cheek bones and my campaign colored Physicians Formula highlighter wasn’t doing the trick. I reached for Urban Decay’s Half Baked eye shadow, dabbed a bit onto a large fluffy eyeshadow brush and swirled it around my cheekbones. The key here is to use a small precise brush so eye shadow pigment won’t travel over to other parts of your face. And remember, only use a little bit you can always add more! See below for a picture of my golden glow.
Benefit recently released their new Bella Bamba Boxed Cheek Powder. Bella Bamba claims to create the illusion of sculpted cheek bones with its 3D features and watermelon hue. Not only is this the first “3D” innovation from Benefit, but the company has switched up the packaging a bit adding a flip open lid with mirror and a new and improved tapered blush brush.
While I’m not typically a fan of Benefit’s flat, blunt cut brushes included in their previous boxed powders, the new and improved tapered version applied to the cheeks very nicely. I’d still prefer using an angled face or fluffy blush brush but the new applicator, flip up top and mirror make application much easier during those “gal on the go” moments.
The color of Bella Bamba is divine! Its a highly pigmented watermelon pink with subtle golden shimmer. I enjoy the shimmer in Bella Bamba because it apparent yet not obvious. I think the color of this blush would be universally flattering on anyone from a fair to deep skin tone. In my humble opinion, Bella Bamba is even more universally flattering that NARS’ infamous Orgasm blush. I didn’t notice any “3D” or sculpting effects, but I definitely think this helps bring out the cheeks bones (as most blushes do).
The best part of this blush is that its so highly pigmented. You barely need to use any product at all! While Bella Bamba comes with only .28 oz of product (far less than the .35oz or even .42 oz of product that come in the previous Benefit boxed powders) I still feel like it is worth the money because I prefer to use highly pigmented blushes. With Bella Bamba, gone are the days of layering and layering your blush so that it will show up!
Overall I think this is a great blush, and definitely a must have if you’re a fan of Benefit’s boxed blushes. Never tried a Benefit boxed blush before? I’d definitely opt for the Bella Bamba over all others Benefit boxed blushes – its about time Benefit made a super pigmented blush! This product definitely rivals NARS blushes in color payoff, texture and overall quality. I give it two thumbs up!
If you’re interested in seeing how well the Tarte Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer covers, check out my application video below. As mentioned in my review of this product, I think this tinted moisturizer acts more like a foundation. It provides light to medium coverage and is very thick and creamy!
While Christmas shopping this weekend I was tempted to purchase makeup for almost every woman in my life- my sisters, girlfriends, mom etc. Rather than spending money on one expensive makeup item, I thought it would be fun to make a video on a drugstore makeup gift bag! With drugstore makeup, you’ll be able to buy a lot more items for your money, which always makes opening up the present a lot more fun!
My picks for what to include in a drugstore makeup gift bag are the following:
An eyeshadow palette
My personal favorites are the Wet ‘n Wild Color Icon Palettes. These 6 highly pigmented shadows come in matte and shimmery shades, and cost under $5! This year, Wet ‘n Wild has even come out with a holiday collection, so keep your eyes peeled for those while you’re at the drug store! My second choice pick would be the NYX eyeshadow pallets. They are very affordable at under $10 and come with 10 creamy shadows.
Lipgloss
What girl couldn’t use another lip gloss? My picks for drugstore lip glosses are the Milani Glitzy Glosses and the NYX Mega Shine lip glosses. They’re really affordable and come in a lot of pretty colors.
Lately my favorite drug store lipstick formulas have been the Rimmel Lasting Finish lipsticks and the Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks. Go for a berry red, or a nice neutral pink! Some colors I’ve been loving in the Rimmel Lasting Finish are Just So, Get Ready and Airy Fairy. Some of my favorites from the Color Sensational line have been Blushing Brunette, Totally Toffee and Plum-Tastic.
Every woman needs a pressed blotting powder to keep in their purse. Not only is the compact nice for occasional checkups, powder is great for quick oil absorption. My pick for the best drugstore blotting powder is the Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder.
Chapstick
Since its wintertime, a nice chapstick is pretty essential. My pick is the Nivea A Kiss of Moisture Chapstick. They glide on really easily, and have really cute packaging.
Fall and winter are great seasons for playing up your cheeks! As the weather gets cool I like to create a rosey flush glow that makes it look as if I’ve just come inside from the cold. In order to achieve a long lasting pink glow, pair a cream blush or cheek stain with a shimmering strips blush/highlighter product.
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Blush & Hilighter
As opposed to choosing bronze toned shimmer strips (save those for summer), try to choose colors that are more pink, mauve or plum toned. Keep your skin tone in mind when selecting a shade. Also, be sure to partner products within the same color family. For fall I tend to choose more plumy shades and for winter I tend to reach for more cool-toned baby doll pink shades. Pair this cheek look with a brown smokey eye and you’ll be looking great in no time!
For more information on how I achieve this look, watch my video below!
