Review: CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation

CoverGirl's Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation is meant to be a primer, concealer, and foundation in just 1 simple step.

I wanted to purchase this foundation after hearing about it from Ingrid (missglamorazzi), who always mentions it in her videos....then I saw that it was nearly $10. My holy grail drugstore foundation (also by CoverGirl) is only about $5, so $10 didn't make this foundation very appealing. One day went to WalMart and they were out of my color (Creamy Natural) and any color close to it. I ended up purchasing Classic Ivory and planned to mix it with the foundation I use when I get a tan (CoverGirl Clean in Medium Light). 

CONs: Since I do mix it with a light coverage foundation, I do not get the full coverage results I would get if I used it alone. I have used it alone and it did give me great coverage, but I still needed to use concealer on some pimples. It can look patchy very easily and it doesn't look very natural like it claims to. I have also found that it's more difficult to set than other foundations I have tried. More than anything, the thing that disappointed me the most about this foundation is that it didn't last all day. I wear it from 5am-10pm (yes, I realize it's probably not meant to last that long) and there's very little left on my face by the end of the day when compared to the CoverGirl Clean foundation.

PROs: It mixes well with my other foundation and it does a great job at covering any redness I have and it doesn't break me out. I really like the packaging and the pump works well. I also like that it has SPF in it. For the most part, I do like how it looks and you can pretty much make it any finish you want, depending on what you use to apply it and what you use to set it. I personally like to apply it with a sponge and I did not like how it looked when I applied it with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush because it looked very cakey (btw- there will be a post about my Stipping Brush in the near future). 

Bottom Line: I would probably repurchase this in the right color, but I don't think it will ever be my go-to, holy grail foundation. I do think a lot of you will like it and I do recommend it, especially because so many people love it and it has great reviews.

...and that concludes this insanely long review!

Review: Covergirl Clean Normal Skin Pressed Powder

Since I love the Covergirl Clean foundation, I decided to try the Covergirl Clean powder. I really wish I had gotten the oily skin formula, rather than the normal skin formula, because it would probably work better- and I don't even have oily skin. I've heard that you can either use this powder as a powder foundation or a setting powder, but I don't know if that's true. I've been using it as a setting powder & here are the things I've noticed-

• You need a lot to make your makeup feel like it's been set.
• It makes my foundation and face makeup last longer...nearly all day.
• I don't like the smell...it smells like old lady perfume.
• It looks very natural and smooth.                                                                        
• I like it better than the Covergirl Smoothers pressed powder.

Overall, I don't hate it because it actually works, but I do wish I had gotten the oily skin formula because it would probably set my foundation better. I do recommend it and I will probably repurchase it, but I am still looking for a really good drugstore setting powder. Any recommendations?

$5.94 at Walmart

How Much Does My Face Cost?

Hey ladies! Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while. Since I've been such a slacker lately, I'm going to load this week with a lot of posts. & just a heads up--I won't be blogging at all the week of Thanksgiving either.

Anyway, let's get to it! I do try to do my makeup differently everyday, but for the sake of the post I based it off of what I wear most often.

1. Foundation: Covergirl Clean Oil Control Foundation- $5.94
2. Powder: Covergirl Smoothers Pressed Powder- $6.24
3. Eyelid Primer: e.l.f. Eyelid Primer- $1.00
4. Lid Color: Sephora Collection Primal Instincts Eyeshadow Palette- $28.00
5. Crease Color: Sephora Collection Moonshadow Baked Palette In the Nude- $27.00
6. Highlight Color: Sephora Collection Makeup Made Simple Palette- $34.00
7. Eyeliner: Ulta Gel Eyeliner Pencil- $8.00
8. Mascara: Benefit's They're Real- $23.00
9. Highlighter: Benefit's Watt's Up- $30.00
10. Blush: NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Face Powder- $4.99
11. Lippie: Maybelline Color Elixir- $7.99

TOTAL: $176.16

3 Ways to Accentuate Freckles

1. Use a medium or light coverage foundation. My favorite is the Clean foundation by Covergirl. Using a light/medium coverage foundation will allow your freckles to be visible, but it will also even out your skin tone.
2. Use translucent powder. Starting at the top of your nose, swipe your favorite translucent powder (my favorite is Smoothers by Covergirl) across your cheeks. Swiping will disguise your pores and make your skin look almost airbrushed.
3. Wear blush. Blush is probably the easiest way to accentuate freckles. A beautiful peach toned blush will bring out the darker pigment of your freckles, making them more noticeable.

There are so many ways to accentuate your natural features, rather than try to cover them up. Let me know if you want to know how to use makeup to accentuate another specific feature. :)

Review & First Impressions: Covergirl LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm {Plum Twist}

About a week ago I did a post about the Covergirl LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Blush Twist. I loved it so much I had to go & buy another one! I was in need of a new berry colored lippie since Boots No7 stopped selling my favorite berry-colored lip gloss from last Fall. I decided that (based on the color on the packaging) Plum Twist was my favorite berry-colored jumbo gloss balm, so I bought it!
I'm not going to lie, I really wasn't a huge fan of the color. It's much more hot pink than the packaging makes it look. I was expecting a red-violet color, but it was pretty hot pink/red instead. I've come to like it, not nearly as much as Blush Twist, but it's still a good color. I recommend looking at it in person (online it looks way darker than it actually is) & consider getting a color more purple if you want the color it appears to be. Overall, it wasn't the color I wanted it to be, but it is still a great lip product! You can wear it sheer or build it up to be very pigmented. This would be a great color for a glamorous/vintage/retro/hollywood look!

$6.64 at Target

*This is not a sponsored post.*

Review & First Impressions: Covergirl LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm

Yesterday I picked up the Covergirl LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Blush Twist. I had heard so many girls rave about them on YouTube & felt it was time I picked one up. I chose Blush Twist because it is a pretty pink color that anyone can pull off.
First Impressions: It wasn't very pigmented (not that I was expecting it to be- it says "sheer color" right on it), but it did have a nice tint to it. It was very moisturizing and didn't dry out my lips.
Review: This is a great product for anyone of any age. If you're like me & you don't like to have to worry about how lip butters or lipstick look on your lips half an hour after applying it, this is for you. It's basically just an awesome tinted lip balm! Great for on-the-go or just a carefree day. I believe they come in 15 colors, so I am excited to try more! Go get you some.

$6.94 at Walmart

*This is not a sponsored post.*

My Favorite Foundation

My absolute favorite foundation is the Covergirl Clean Oil Control foundation.I don't have particularly oily skin, but the oil control formula is definitely my favorite. I think this foundation helps keep my skin clear too. I have used this foundation for somewhere around 3 years & I have found that I tend to breakout more when I'm not using this foundation than I do when I am wearing it! The finish is not dewy, but not matte; it's a happy medium & looks very natural! It's definitely not a full coverage foundation (it's light/medium coverage) and pretty hard to build up coverage with. I apply it with a sponge or the Real Techniques Stippling Brush & it blends very well either way.I love this foundation & it really does make your skin look clean! Go check it out :)

$5.94 at Walmart.

*This is not a sponsored post.*

Makeup Starter Kit

A new school year has just started, which means a lot of girls are starting to wear makeup for the first time. I decided to do a post about what I recommend for a makeup starter kit. All products mentioned will be drugstore products (with one exception). :)

Let's start with foundation. When I started wearing makeup, I didn't wear foundation- & I don't feel like this is necessary for a beginner. However, some girls might want to wear foundation to even out their skin tone. If you are new to makeup, liquid foundation might be a little tricky, so I recommend starting with a powder foundation. It may not have the coverage of a liquid foundation, but it is definitely easier and faster to apply. My favorite powder foundation is the freshMinerals Mineral Powder Foundation. It's a light coverage foundation, which is perfect for a beginner! I apply it with the puff it comes with & it works great! It retails at $24.64 and I get mine on Amazon.

Now for powder. Powder is also one of those products that a beginner does not need (in most cases). If you want to reduce shininess or have a little more oil control, a little powder won't hurt. I personally only use powder to set my foundation (including powder foundation). My favorite powder is the CoverGirl Smoothers Pressed Powder. It retails around $5 and I get mine at Walmart.

Blush. Blush is a great piece for a starter kit. I recommend starting out with a pretty natural blush. My favorite blush is the NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Face Powder in Rose Glow. It retails at $4.99 and I get mine at Target.

Eyelid primer is another one of those optional products. It will help your eyeshadow stay on longer and help it stay in place. My favorite eyelid primer (believe it or not) is the E.L.F. eyelid primer! I get mine at Target and it retails at $1.00!

Now for eyeshadow. Eyeshadow is my favorite! I like a lot of different eyeshadows & palettes, but if I had to choose one eyeshadow product to be the only eyeshadow I used for the rest of my life (dead serious), it would hands down be the Bonne Bell Eyeshadow Box  in Cafe Classics. It was my first eyeshadow & I have used it almost everyday since I started wearing makeup. It has 4 beautiful colors that are great for a beginner (tip: if you are new to makeup, try to stay away from brightly colored eyeshadow & stick with the more neutral colors). They are amazing quality- very creamy, pigmented, and easy to apply. I have completely hit pan multiple times- & 1 will easily last me a year if I use it everyday, so that's saying a lot. I actually prefer them over any of my high end eyeshadows. Buying this product can be tricky. I used to buy mine at Walmart, but the drugstores in my area have recently stopped carrying them. :( I currently purchase mine online at drugstore.com. They retail at $3.37 in stores and around $10 online (including shipping).

Lastly, mascara. I love mascara almost as much as I love eyeshadow. I'm really picky when it comes to mascara & I will not wear waterproof mascara. I understand that mascara is a personal thing, so not everyone is going to like the mascaras I recommend. I like my lashes to look like falsies and have length and volume. I naturally have very full eyelashes, and I really like to make them pop. That being said, I am not going to recommend the cliche Maybelline Great Lash mascara because I'm not a huge fan of it. If you want to try it, go ahead. I have 4 other mascaras I will recommend to beginners because I love them!

1. My holy grail mascara is The Colossal by Maybelline. At first, it is a very wet mascara and it's a little hard to work with. After a couple uses, it dries up a bit & works like a gem. I get the 9x in any color. I'm not too picky about color. Seriously though- try it!! & it's great for beginners because it will come off easily if they mess up, but it won't smudge throughout the day. Retails at $5.94 and I get mine at Walmart.
2. Maybelline MegaPlush mascara. This is probably the easiest, quickest mascara to apply. I use it on days where I wear a small amount of makeup. It makes my lashes look very natural & it adds a good amount of volume and a lot of length. You don't have to build this mascara up a ton, which is nice. The only con to this mascara is it is a pain to get off if you mess up (& I'm talking about the non-waterproof formula!), so beginners might find it difficult to work with. Retails at $5.54 and I get mine at Walmart.
3. CoverGirl LashBlash Volume. This mascara is your typical mascara. Easy to apply, great brush, etc. Great for beginners! Retails at $5.06 and I get mine at Target.
4. CoverGirl LashBlast Length. This is very similar to the LashBlast Volume, except it adds length except volume. They both do a great job at separating my lashes and doing what they say they do. Nothing too special, but great for beginners. Retails at $6.94 and I get mine at Target.

*Target and Walmart will sometimes sell the mascaras I mentioned in 2 packs for like $7 or something like that. It's a great deal, so look for it the next time you're at Target or Walmart :)*

Finish your look off with your favorite lip balm or Lip Smacker & you're done!!

Let me know if you'd like a tutorial for beginners using the products I mentioned in this post!


***This is not a sponsored post.***