My Favorite Highlighters

As a self-proclaimed makeup junkie I love anything that shimmers. I'm drawn to it like a fish drawn to a glittery ball of death. Strobing has also become really popular lately, which is just a fancy word for highlighting. Highlighting is a pretty way to bring out your features and much simpler than contouring. I think it also looks more natural than contouring.

My sister is getting married this weekend I went on the hunt for a nice highlighter because that ones I had were too glittery, gold, silver, white, or pink for this special occasion. I'm sure any of them would be fine, but I'm looking for an excuse to buy something new and shiny. I'm heading out to the mall today so I'm hoping to find the perfect highlighter for the special occasion.

 Here's what I have and love:

e.l.f Shimmering Whip (Lilac Pearl) // Benefit High Beam //  NYX Narcissistic and Magnetic // MAC Pearl // e.l.f. Baked Highlighter // Palladio The Definer

Here are some items I'm dying to try and I included them in the graphic based off their rave reviews and recs from my friends and bloggers. They're also the items I'm hoping to check out today:

MAC Strobe Cream // Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator // Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector

I like to use the e.l.f Shimmering Whip, Benefit High Beam, or MAC Pearl first in the areas I want to highlight (after I've done my bronzer and blush) and then take the powder highlighter I'm using and pack that on top. Of course, you don't need to do both, you can use any of the products alone. It just depends on how much of a highlight you're looking to achieve.



I found this awesome YouTube tutorial for strobing that's really easy to follow and is a great how-to if you wanna get on trend. The biggest tips I took from the video is to layer your highlighters; use a cream highlighter first and then pack on a powder highlighter on top (such a great tip and super easy!) and a more specific area of the cheek to apply your highlighter to make your cheek bones pop. It's a quick video and was really helpful for me to hone my highlighting skills.

What are your favorite highlighters? Do you like the strobing trend?

Recent Purchases: Mama, Ellie, and Beauty Goodies

I haven't been shopping too much lately (although I want to buy everything in the summertime for home, baby, hubs, beauty, and closet, etc), but here are the things I've picked up recently. I bought a few things for the baby too, but I'm waiting until her nursery is complete before posting anything. You know, because it's super secret and I'm waiting for a grand reveal. LOL. Anyways, here's what's made it into my cart and home with me recently.

Top // Bottom

I have a ton of suits, but the supporting plastic bar on the side has ripped through a couple and has been scratching me, I should probably just sew them back in, but who has time for that? So last weekend I ran to Target for a new suit. I love their mix and match pieces, they’re so easy to wear and mix with suits I already own. Shopping while at the end of pregnancy is no fun. Thankfully, with a two piece it will fit post partum, but there are so many cute new styles out right now like high waisted bottoms and a bustier type top, that don’t work for a bump at all and if I get it for post bump I won’t get as much use of them. Next year I’m hoping will be more fun for suit shopping (bahahahaha who am I kidding here?).

Tribal Shorts

How fun are these shorts? I love the print and the lightweight fabric, perfect for this hot summer we’re having. The elastic waist makes it easy to wear with the bump and will still be great post bump. They're super comfortable and I've been wearing them almost non-stop.

Pom Pom Shorts

I love the pom pom and tulip/dolphin short trend going on right now. I bought these shorts with a giftcard from my Grandmother and I can’t wait to wear them. With the tulip hem, they’re not bump friendly, but only a few weeks left before I can rock these babies! They’ll be perfect for pool days and just lounging around the house.

Sunglasses // Mermaid

How cute are these summer tanks with a ruffle hem? Perfect for summer days and playing outside. Ellie comes home so dirty from wherever we are, I hate buying expensive clothes for the everyday. These $5 tops from Target are awesome.

Bows

Our good friends gifted Ellie with the Ema Jane headband bow set for her first Christmas and we absolutely just loved them. They were the perfect size bow and had a color that matched every outfit. Now that she won’t keep a headband on for even a second and has enough hair to put up, I snagged the bow set in 4.5 inches in a flat second. I love the quality of these bows and now our little girl and Ellie can match when she arrives!

Foundation // NYC Liner // L'Oreal Liner

I’ve been using this foundation for years and really like it. It’s lightweight and available in tons of shades. It lasts forever and I thought I was going to run out of my old bottle soon, but now that it’s summer I haven’t been using it much lately. This bottle is ready whenever the last drop is gone though.

I’ve never used NYC makeup before, but Brittany Kerr (Jason Aldean’s wife) swears by it and uses it on a lot of her clients so I figured why not try it? It’s a soft brush and goes on really dark black. It’s really wet and you have to let it set or it can smudge onto your lid, but it doesn’t bleed. It lasts well and doesn’t fade, it’s such a great price (under $4) that I’ll definitely buy it again.

I love L'Oreal's Lineur Intense, but it bled into my eye and hurt like the flames of hell so many times I wanted to try a different liner from them. This one is also Lineur Intense but has a felt tip, which I like, but I find it harder to get a thicker line when I want one. It’s also not as dark of black as Lineur Intense and shadow transfers onto it, so I won’t be buying it again.

Essie Gel Setter // ELF Powder // CoverGirl Concealer

I finally found this gel top coat at Target! I used it Thursday night and I really like it, it dries pretty shiny and super quick. Like 2 minutes quick. I was in the pool all day for the holiday and although it doesn't look as great, it still stood up pretty well! I plan on re-painting them this week to really test out the top coat. So far, it's much better than the Sally Hanson one (see my review here).

Do you read Megan's blog? If not, head over now and check out all her reviews! She's the best and I've read her for years! She's posted about using e.l.f.'s HD Powder a few times and I always look at it on a Target run, but never bit the bullet. Now I finally bought it and have used it a few times. Still getting used to it and where it's best to wear it.

This is a random buy, I don't why I bought it, I wasn't looking for or needing a concealer, but it still went into my basket and home with me. It has a good consisteny and coverage, it creases if you use it under your eyes, but around the nose has been great. It's a great price point too for what you get.

Strawberry Parfait // Eclair

I don’t even know why I bother to buy any lip products with the amount I already own, but I love NYX’s butter glosses. They have great color and last for a long time. They look great layered over other colors and lipsticks too. They’re the perfect texture of soft and creamy. Strawberry Parfait is a nice bright color for a gloss and Eclair is more subdued, very similar to Creme Brulee (which I love) with a touch more lavender to it. If you haven't tried their glosses already, hop on it! I love the quality and texture of them.

I'm now at the point where I've slowed down on buying anything (these purchases have been over the last few weeks), I'm just waiting at this point for post bump. I have a ton of stuff I need to get for the baby and her nursery and I've bought a few items for Ellie's Big Sister gift so my extra mad money has been going there.

Hope you're having a great week! What have been some of your recent purchases lately?

Recently Rediscovered Beauty Favorites + 2 New

After my Fall Makeup Inspiration post and through just cleaning up the house, I found some old favorites that I've been using lately. I have so much dang makeup, it's nearly impossible to go through all of it and use it up. I threw a lot of it out, bagged a bunch to bring into MAC to trade for a shadow or gloss, and then there were some items I just put back and will deal with at another time.

Some old favorites that have become new favorites again are...

MAC Blush in Nuance 

Ellie misplaced my favorite Warm Soul and I thought for sure it would have turned up by now.

MAC Blush in Sunbasque 

MAC Shadows in (left-right) Texture, Romp , Soba, Blanc Type, and Trax

Romp is apparently discontinued, whomp whomp, but  Woodwinked is really similar

Two new favorites:

Corduroy and Brun

I usually would wear Brown Down, but it was discontinued as well and the MUA said that Corduroy was really close. I think it has more of a red undertone though instead of a true brown, but I like it.

Eleanor broke my usual brow powder I wore and nearly every makeup artist's blog I read all use Brun for their client's brows. So I picked it up and haven't looked back. I really love this color and it's really versatile. I also use it to line my bottom lid as well. I think it would work well with darker hair too.

MAC Gloss in Florabundance

This is a great nude color that's more pink than other favorites like C-Thru and Underage.

Urban Decay Primer Potion

My sister gave me a new potion as one of my Christmas gifts and I'm so happy! I really have missed it, it's hands down the best primer I've used (although I did find one that held down the fort in the meantime, check out my review). 

ELF Setting Spray

This is an old favorite that I used up my last bottle of and since I started using it all the time I picked up a new bottle to replace it. Totally worth the $3.

Here's an IG (follow me at Kristen_Lawler) pic I posted where I'm wearing the Sunbasque blush and Florabundance gloss. 

What are some of your makeup favorites? Have you discovered or re-discovered anything great lately?

Product Review: e.l.f. Essential Smudge Pot

e.l.f. Essential Smudge Pot - Aint That Sweet?

In a previous Beauty Recent Purchase post, I blogged about buying the Smudge Pot to use as a primer with my eyeshadows. The e.l.f. site says it's a gel formula to use as a long-lasting eyeshadow or eyeliner. The texture is great- creamy and soft. At first it was easy to use and blend with a brush/finger, but after a few uses the product rolls/beads up. It still blends well with a finger though. It leaves a nice semi-sheer pink tone and is very shimmery. The product is long-lasting and helps make my shadow more vibrant and last throughout the day. It works great as a primer, but I don't think I'll be finishing the pot or buying another one.

For the price, it's a great alternative to my beloved Urban Decay Primer Potion or MAC's Paint Pots and works if you need something in a pinch. I would swear by it and re-purchase in the future if it didn't bead up. I don't think that the product itself would last long and probably dry out and I wouldn't be surprised if I opened it one day and it was all beaded up inside.

Have your tried their smudge pots? What's your favorite primer? Do you use one in your everyday routine?

Beauty Buys + First Thoughts

e.l.f. Essential Smudge Pot - Aint That Sweet? // e.l.f. Studio HD Blush - Headliner // e.l.f. Studio Blush Palette - Light // e.l.f. Studio Baked Blush - Rich Rose // e.l.f. Studio Mineral Powder Brush // Maybelline One By One Mascara // NYX Matte Bronzer in Medium

So I randomly ordered some items from e.l.f recently. I kind of gave up on their products, but seeing some blog reviews (like Meg's!) and using some of my older purchases from them I bought a few more products. I haven't tried any of these out yet, but kind of tested them on my hand when they were delivered. I got the smudge pot to use as kind of a primer like MAC's paint pots, so we'll see how it goes. I keep hearing about the HD Blush so I hope it lives up to the hype. The color is really nice, it's a soft natural looking pink and I'm excited to try it. The Baked Blush is really pretty and I thought it would look nice over some pink or coral blushes for some summer shimmer. I saw the blush palette in my People StyleWatch so I thought I would give it a try. The top left and bottom right colors look like blushes they sell individually and that I own  (Pink Passion  and Pink), but I really like the two top colors so far (in my swipe). 

The Maybelline mascara I got on a whim before trying my beloved Younique (best mascara ever!), and I freaking hate it. I guess it's been discontinued and I totally get why. It does absolutely positively NOTHING for my lashes. I'm just gonna dump it. 

The NYX bronzer is a repeat buy, this is my 5th one I think? I was looking around Ulta to maybe try a different brand, I almost bought Benefit's Hoola, but when I was swiping colors and brand these two were identical? I had to do a few swipes to know which one was which!

Conair Volume and Styling Comb: I really like this comb a lot! It teases really well, almost too well even. It's great for getting a good tease that builds up a pouf- perfect for updos!
L'Oreal Boost It Blow Out Heat Spray: I've been looking for a new heat spray and I figured I'd try this one, I also have the other Boost It products, so I figured they would work well together. The smell of this line is delicious and the spray is nice. It's light weight and doesn't weigh down my hair or builds up product with use. I haven't used it enough to know if it really works, but I've enjoyed it so far.
Suave Keratin Infusion Color Care Dry Shampoo: Holy Grail status! This is so much better than their basic one I've been using (and loving). The smell is great, it adds a ton of texture and volume. I absolutely love this dry shampoo! Get yourself one asap!

MAC Tinted Lipglass- Angel: When I went shopping with my SIL a few weekends ago, I came across this gloss and fell in love with it. I have the lipstick, and I somehow had NO IDEA they also made it in a gloss. Turns out, they made a bunch of their top lipsticks into glosses! How I missed the memo I have no clue. Of course, they were out of it then, but I picked it up the weekend after. It's such a great summer shade and is pretty opaque but with some color in it.
NYX Butter Gloss - Creme Brulee: I keep hearing about this shade and NYX's Butter Glosses so I finally bit the bullet and bought it. I really love the consistency and color. It's gorgeous on its own and I love pairing it with MAC Creme Cup.
Maybelline Vivids- Fuchsia Flash: I bought this one because it's a total dupe for MAC's Candy Yum Yum and I didn't know if I would really love the color so I didn't want to spend the extra $$ for a lipstick shade I may not wear all the time. It's really pretty and a lot of fun to wear. I don't know if I'll be wearing it all the time so I'm happy with this price point and purchase.
Maybelline Baby Lips- Pink: I love the Baby Lips products to wear as a quick chapstick with a wash of color. This pink is great and very natural, the scent is medicated and a bit strong, but doesn't bother me too much.

What beauty products have you purchased lately? Have you tried any of these? What was your experience?

Fall Recent Purchases

Now that we’ve had a few cooler days (we’re still in the 80s though most of the time) I’ve bought a few items to add to my closet for the fall season. Just some basics that I can use all the time and throughout the holidays. I’m mostly buying items that I can wear for several years, transition with the seasons, or to replace an older item. Of course, some beauty items were also mixed in. Shocking, I know.

Old Navy Tweed Puff Vest
Last year I bought a solid black puff vest and loved it! I definitely wanted some more and when I saw this tweed one online I immediately added it to my cart. I just love the fabric and it’s so warm and cozy. I wore it on Halloween night and stayed the perfect temp for the cold evening.

e.l.f. Blush in Peachy Cheeky
I’ve been wanting to try e.l.f.’s baked blush for a while after reading several reviews from bloggers about them. They were available online only forever, but I found it at my local Target recently and picked it up. It’s not very pigmented and also has a bit of highlighter in it. The color is really pretty, but not very pigmented and doesn’t last the entire day.

Forever 21 Swiss Dot Top
Stripes are usually my go-to, but I’ve started to like polka dots recently. This sweater is so easy to wear and light weight, which I love. I’m really into pairing simple tops/sweaters with a bolder statement necklace. It just adds some pizzazz to my everyday work look.

Sally Hansen Polish in Black and Blue
This color is so unusual, I love how it gives off so many different colors at once depending on the angle/light. By itself, it needed too many coats to achieve the pigment I wanted so I layered it over black and it was awesome! It would look good over blue, purple, or green too.

Forever 21 Crew Neck Sweater
I have two black crew neck sweaters that have seen the end of their days so I needed a new one to replace them. This one is a looser knit and is very comfortable to wear. I definitely want to pick it up in pink too!

Old Navy Short Zip Boots
Oh my goodness! These boots are so comfortable! I didn’t have to break them in at all and I’ve worn them a million times by now because of it. I thought the hubs would think they’re fugly, you know, Girl Cute vs Guy Cute and all, but he loves the look of them.

Forever 21 Beaded Headband
Last year I bought the most gorgeous beaded headband from Nordstrom and since we moved in January I haven’t been able to find it for the life of me! This will be perfect for the holidays to add a little sparkle to my look.

This top is also from Target, but I couldn't find it online.
Target Mossimo Leopard Shoes
Another shoe that was comfortable to wear from the get go! I feel like I’ve hit the shoe jack pot with these two purchases. I saw Jenn from Perfectly Imperfect buy them on InstaGram and had to get them myself after she said they were comfortable. Best $20 I’ve spent on work shoes. I also wear these all the time, I mean leopard is the new neutral right?

Forever 21 Plaid Scarf
I’ve been mad for plaid lately. I definitely want to add some more plaid shirts to my collection as well this year.

Maybelline Volum Express The Rocket Mascara
For years and years I used Maybelline, but it was always flaking onto my cheeks so I switched over to L’Oreal and didn’t look back. I’ve been more than satisfied with L’Oreal’s mascaras, but over the weekend I didn’t have any makeup on while visiting with my family and we were going to go out so I borrowed some from my sister in law. Holy moly! This mascara made my eyelashes look so incredibly long! I went out and bought it the NEXT DAY it worked so well! So far, I’ve been really loving it too.

What have you bought recently? I'm still hunting for a bright red polish and a deep raspberry lipstick (any suggestions??). Happy Monday!

Favorite Drug-Store Finds

Recently, I’ve started using more drug-store beauty supplies than I have in the past. The majority of my makeup has been Sephora and MAC, but recently I just don’t have the time to swing by the mall to pick up items. Luckily, I’ve found some great alternatives that have worked fabulously for me. I’m including only items I’ve used for months and have re-purchased. I’ve recently bought some items that I’ve been using and really like, but am not including them in here only because they haven’t withstood the test of time. Sometimes an item is great for a month or so and then crashes and burns. So these are my tried and tested, true blue items I love and recommend. By the way, why is it true blue? Why can’t it be true pink or orange? Anyways, here’s my favorites:

L’Oreal True Match Foundation
I love this stuff! I’m on my 3rd bottle and I don’t think I would ever switch. The formula is lightweight and provides plenty of coverage. There’s no smell, lasts all day long, blends easily, and doesn’t leave a film or “sit” on top of your skin. It comes in a variety of shades and tones so it’s easy to find a great match. I wear Nude Beige W3.

L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara
Once I tried L’Oreal’s mascara, I never looked back. This stuff is legit. It’s dark, creamy, doesn’t smudge, and most importantly to me- it doesn’t flake! I had such a hard time finding a mascara that didn’t flake and leave a trail all down my face by the end of the day. Their mascaras also leave my lashes looking both long and lush- both a must-have in my book.

NYX Matte Bronzer
I absolutely love this bronzer! Just like with the L’Oreal True Match Foundation, I’m also on my third one- I’ve even already bought the 4th one because I’m almost out. I was looking for what seemed like forever for a bronzer that was matte and couldn’t believe how hard it was to find one. It comes in Light, Medium, and Dark and doesn’t leave you looking orange whatsoever. Usually bronzers don’t have many shade options and I liked that NYX offered three. I used Medium for my first purchase and was happy with it, but have since used Light.

e.l.f. Studio Cream Liner
I’ve been using a liquid liner since middle school and didn’t think to try anything new, but I kept hearing over and over again about this liner from so many people and some of my favorite bloggers (like Meg O on the Go) so I bit the bullet and spent the $3 to try this out. Best $3 I ever spent on beauty. This liner doesn’t smudge, smear, or fade and lasts all day and into the night (to be honest- even into the next day if you don’t wash it off). There’s no reason to ever buy any gel liner or spend anything extra on one when this liner is amaze balls. I wear black nearly every day, but will also wear their Coffee shade as well for a more natural and softer look.

Revlon Lipstick and Gloss
These are one of the products where you want to buy every single color. I haven’t been disappointed in any lipstick or gloss I’ve bought from this brand- they have all been beautiful colors, long-lasting, and moisturizing. I’ve used several high end brand lip products and they just don’t deliver as well as Revlon or Revlon is equal in quality so why pay more for a product? Revlon also offers a wide variety of colors to fit the different seasons and skin tones. I could spend hours checking out their lipsticks at Ulta. My current favorites (my favorites vary depending on the season) are Pink Snow in their gloss and Kiss Me Coral in lipstick (it also has a matching gloss).

Maybelline Age Rewind
This has to be the best under eye concealer in the entire world. I use this every single day and it keeps me looking bright eyed and bushy tailed. From the outside, you would never guess I was a mom to a newborn girl running on sometimes only a few hours of sleep that was broken up during the night. I have to go as far as saying that this is one of my Holy Grail products, you know- the ones you would take on a deserted island. I use the Brightener 160 shade.

What are your favorite drug store brands? What shades are your must-have?

Product Review: Benefit High Beam vs e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip

I've been using Benefit's High Beam for a few years and it's something in my makeup bag that varies from using it every single day to months without wear.

Then I saw this pin on Pinterest...

....which took me to her blog post about the e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip and I decided that for a $1 I could pick it up on my next Target run. I mean, I love her makeup in the pic, I love any makeup that highlights, and if the product sucked and I threw it out after one use, I'm only out a buck.

Here's the Benefit High Beam side by side with the e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal

I couldn't believe that the e.l.f. Facial Whip gave more color than the Benefit High Beam! In fact, I washed it off and did it again to be sure I had the products right and sure enough the e.l.f. gave more color.

Ok, here are the products stats:

Benefit High Beam
-Size: 0.45 oz
-Price: $26.00
-Deemed it's a "supermodel in a bottle"
-Made for all skin tones

e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip
-Size: 0.34 oz
-Price: $1.00
-Deemed to "brighten and soothe skin with no greasy after-feel"
-Multipurpose- made to be worn anywhere on face/body

Here are my reviews of how the two compare:

-The Benefit High Beam blends easier and is more sheer while the  e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip I find to be thicker and harder to blend. T

-The BHB blends well both before and after my face powder, where as the ESFW blends best before my powder (I just powder around where I've highlighted or work harder in my blending if used afterwards).

-I like the look of both highlighters, they're so similar in outcome I can barely tell the difference when wearing them.

-The ESFW lasts longer  and gives more color than BHB (it's less pink than ESFW), but you can apply less product if you want a more sheer look.

-Both look great alone or mixed with foundation/lotion and don't ruin your base by putting them on even though they're liquid.

-A little goes a long way for both products

Overall:

Save yourself $25 and buy the e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip. Although it's not quite as blendable, I think it's a better product altogether. I don't have anything against the Benefit High Beam and still like the product, there's just no point in buying it when there's another product that is equal in comparison. Plus, the e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip comes in several colors that I think makes it superior for people of different skin tones and types.

Do you use a highlighter? Have you tried these two products? What are your thoughts on how they compare?

Recent Purchases + Updates

We got a sneak peek of our Maternity photos this weekend and I absolutely love them! I'll be doing a full post and sharing more pictures later this week! 

First, I just want to thank all of you so much for your comments, Facebook messages, and emails from my Bumpdate Week 33!! I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate your support. I've been emailing a few girls about having a C-section and breech babies and it has really settled my nerves so much.  Your honesty and openness has done a world of difference in making me feel apprehensive and afraid to confident and learning more about both from real experience and not a scary Google search so I can talk with my Dr. about my options. I'll go further into it on this week's Bumpdate about my questions and such.

One of my closest friends (and grand big sis in the sorority) had her little man this weekend and some of the girls went together to visit their family. He is so perfect and such an adorable baby. You think he looks like one parent and then he'll make a face and look identical to the other. I'm so happy for them, they're going to be such wonderful parents and it's been such a blessing being pregnant together. Congrats again!!

In the picture, I'm wearing this Mossimo Boyfriend Tee in Moxie Peach (I think it's more of a neon coral than peach) from Target. It's so comfortable and is a total staple tee for any girl's closet. This summer they have some great colors out right now.

In that same Target run I also picked up these beauty products:  e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner in Coffee (see my review of this HG product here), e.l.f. Essential Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal (definitely similar to the Benefit High Beam, I'm working on a review and comparison to post soon) and Maybelline Baby Lips in Melon Mania (review in progress). I already have the Baby Lips in Peach Kiss and wanted a fun shade for summer.

Before seeing the new bundle of joy, I had lunch and a shopping date with Mandy of In the Fashion Lane. Mandy is such a doll and we have been blog friends for what seems like forever. She's also a great shopping buddy and has the perfect eye for fashion! We went to the Yard House then walked around the mall for a bit.We're total blogger failures because we didn't snap a single pic! We forgot on our last date too! Such a bummer! On our trip I bought these two items from Forever 21:

It's so hard to buy anything right now at this point in my pregnancy. I need some new items, but I hate to buy something I know I can wear for only 7 weeks or less. This top is perfect for now and will look cute and loose after the bump. In the picture it looks super cropped and square, but it's not that short IRL. It reminded me of this cute pin I found on Pinterest and I had to have it. I can't find the exact color one on their website, but they have a gorgeous neon coral and cream one available here. The head band is super fun and I can't wait to wear it by the pool this summer. They don't have this exact one online, but you can see the super cute wraps they have here.

On a TV update, I've finally rid myself of my 15 at Heart TV shows! When we moved in January, I missed a few weeks of shows and just never bothered to get caught up. So see ya later Pretty Little Liars, Vampire Diaries, and I never got around to finishing the last season of Gossip Girl. To be honest, I don't miss them either! The only things I watch now is The Following, Criminal Minds, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, New Girl, The Mindy Project, Nashville, and Duck Dynasty. What TV shows are your favorite?

Product Review: e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner and Studio Angled Eyeliner Brush

e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner and Studio Angled Eyeliner Brush

  
After reading how awesome this liner is on a million blogs, I finally gave in and picked it up on a Target run. I’ve been using a liquid liner since junior high and have been completely loyal to my Maybelline Line Stiletto for years. However, I’ve noticed that it randomly started to disappear on me, it rubs off, the slightest sign of a watery eye and my liner is nowhere to be seen. I just can’t have that! I mean, who wants to walk around looking all skiwompy with funky eyeliner? Not me.

Now some time ago, I tried the Maybelline Gel Liner (see my review here) and just didn’t care for it. That’s part of the reason I held out on trying this e.l.f. liner for so long. Now, I understand there’s a difference between gel and cream (how it’s different, I’m not sure, but I know there’s a difference. Ha ha), but the Maybelline liner did not work at all for me. I didn’t care for it in any way, it smeared easily, was hard to apply, and took too long to dry. Also, e.l.f. has been hit and miss for me. Some products are amazing and others are worthless. I like their blushes, mascara, and studio brushes, but some of the other products I’ve tried I’ve ended up throwing away.

Look how dark that liner is! Hello gorgeous! 

(This was for a night out, that's why it's a bit thicker)

Can I please tell you how much this e.l.f. liner has changed my life? I’m in LOVE with it! It’s seriously the best thing I’ve ever used and I wish I tried it out years ago so I could have had amazing liner this whole time instead of the sasquatch look I’ve been sporting. The liner is creamy, easy to apply for your desired look, a little goes a long way, and is very dark. I bought it in black and it’s like Whoa Nelly, it really makes your eyes pop. I want to also get a brown-black or brown color as well for a more natural look sometimes. The liner dries pretty quickly- almost instantly really, doesn’t smudge (even when scratching/rubbing your eyes), and holds on to dear life through any tears or water. A few weeks ago I had a preggo breakdown and cried my eyes out, but my liner looked bomb. There was no sign of tears in my liner! Another thing I like is that even when wearing eyeshadow, the liner is still dark. It doesn’t lighten up or appear to change colors if my shadow gets on top of it. The only thing I can say negatively about the liner is that it’s hard to get off. I use my Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover or my Ormedic Balancing Facial Cleanser and there’s still a bit of residue left after that I need a q-tip to clean up (and even then, it’s not completely off I feel like).

To apply the liner, I bought the e.l.f. Studio Angled Eyeliner Brush, I don’t trust any brushes that come with products and haven’t even given the original brush a chance so I can’t tell you how it works. Plus it’s really small so I just didn’t bother and bought the angled brush at the same time. I was kind of intimidated about the slant at the end of the brush, but for $3 why not try it? I like that the tip is so slender, it gives you a lot of control in the thickness of the liner and you're able to get really close to your lash liner and between your lashes. I also really like the slant, it makes it easy to use any side and any angle to apply the liner. It’s also makes it easy to use with both my left and right hand. Every day I just wipe off any residue onto a towel or makeup remover wipe (if I’m already using one to clean up shadow residue) and it dries right away without getting stiff or gross.

So here is another thing I'm insisting that you run and buy, you won't regret it!

What liner do you swear by? Have you tried this gem yet?

InstaLately Link Up 18

Spring has finally sprung!

My IG post from the morning of my 1st shower, I felt like a child waiting for Christmas!

My sister and I at my gorgeous shower, which I posted about here!

A centerpiece my mother made for the shower, I loved having it at home and seeing it everyday.

The best self-tanner ever, a full review will be up next week! It's seriously life changing!

Hands down the best eye primer and I found it at Nordstrom Rack for less than half the cost!

After reading so many reviews I finally gave in and bought elf's cream liner at Target and love it! I'll be doing a review soon! 

My Easter IG post and one of my favorite hymns. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and holiday!