My biggest annoyance on my face is my under-eye area. I’m always puffy and always super dark under there…I can recall in elementary school someone saying I looked like a raccoon because of my eyes (ouch!).

As I’ve gotten older I’ve definitely picked up some tricks to help with this problem. And while I cannot say that these tricks erase them 100% they at least hide them much better and make me feel suitable for public! 😉

Here is my everyday under-eye routine…hopefully it’ll help you if this is a problem area for you too! Now, I’ve included my shades, but every face is different. The steps and types of products will be the same, but the exact shade may vary.

 

You’ll need:
–A depuffing eye serum (I love Clinique’s All About Eyes! It REALLY helps! Look for something with caffeine in it.)
–A corrector. This essentially neutralizes the colour under your eye. It’s important to neutralize those blueish purple tones/redness etc first instead of just packing on concealer! You’ll be able to use less concealer this way and get a more believable bright natural effect. The general rule of thumb is that peach (or pink) will neutralize. The deeper your skin, the deeper the peach you use. Very fair or pale skin will prefer light pinks. (I’m using Revlon’s Age Defying click pen in #4)
–A concealer. I’m obsessed with Maybellines FitMe concealer. I use #20 Sand. It’s very golden and works perfect for me. Pick something near your skin tone or a shade lighter. Don’t go too light though, that will have the opposite effect and bring bad attention to your under-eye area.
–A brightener. This is optional. If you’re super dark under-eyes like me, this is necessary. Totally up to you. This will help add that pop to your under-eye and cheek bone area and will “distract” and lighten everything up! (I use Flower’s Brightening Concealer in BC2)
–Highlighter. This may be part of your usual routine for eyeshadow already. If not add this step in for an extra pop of light!

 

1. Yikes! My under-eyes in all their glory! Ha!

2. Apply your peachy (or pinky) corrector

 

3. After each step of applying more product, use your ring finger (it’s the weakest finger, so it’s more gentle), and gently pat (don’t rub) in the product.

4. Apply concealer in a triangular shape under your eye. You want to bring it a little lower than where your darkness stops.

 

5. Dab brightener along the “seam” of where your under-eye area ends and bring up your cheek bone to your temples.

6. Dab a highlight (anything vanilla colored and shimmery will do!) in the inner socket of your eye.

 

7. There you have it! So much better, right?

 

 

There is the side by side before and after.  Hope this helps! Give it a shot and let me know!

 

Cheers to Correcting, Concealing, and Brightening!

 

Anyone who has had the pleasure the meet Beck Morgan will agree with me on these two things: He is a master at what he does. And he is passionate about what he does. It’s impossible to not catch his enthusiasm when you’re around him!

Beck is specifically an expert on MAC product having been a MAC educator for over five years, training groups of up to 700 people on the latest trends and how to create a flawless look. He loves giving people the skills to get the exact look they want!

As a MAC Cosmetics artist for the past 10 years, he has worked with clients ranging from new brides to celebrities, “Some of my favorites have been Naima Mora and Caridee English of America’s Next Top Model, The Raiderettes, The B52’s and Cyndi Lauper!” Beck is sharing his top 7 must-have MAC products with us today, so grab a pen and add these to your weekend shopping list!

 

    

 

1. Viva Glam VI Lipglass: A beautiful lipgloss with a bronzy base and raspberry shimmer. It looks fab over any lipstick and has enough color when worn alone.

2. Engraved Powerpoint Eyeliner: This liner won’t budge. You can sweat, cry… A bridal must have!

3. Radiant Rose Highlighting Pen: The secret to the Karsashian glow underneath the eyes and to pop the cheekbones that works on everyone.

4. Warm Soul Mineralize Blush: This soft pink and gold blush has the perfect amount of shimmer. Try it, I promise you’ll love it!

5. Extended Play Mascara: This is like Lancome Definicils on steroids. At $16.00 you cant beat it for a department store mascara.

6. Natural Radiance Face Primer: It brightens your complection and makes your foundation glide on like silk. One pump massaged into your skin before foundation, and your skin looks fresh all day!

7. Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinfinish Bronzer: Universal non-shimmery Bronzer that’s gives a golden (not orange) glow any time of year.

“If there is one part of makeup I love most, it has to be beautiful foundation. I always say ‘Skin is who you are, makeup is who you want to be!'”

Well put, Beck!

Cheers to Makeup, MAC, and Beck Morgan,

It’s fun to get dolled up, but let’s be honest: thats tiring and unrealistic on a daily basis! My reality is that I love to sleep, and often (always) chooze the snooze button and rarely have more than 30 minutes in the morning. And truthfully, even when I have more time, there are other things I’d rather do. Spending lots of time getting ready is so fun once in a while, but not everyday. Maybe that’s just me though? What about you?

 Well, either way…here is my typical morning routine! None of the pics are filtered…this is painful reality blogging here folks! Haha…enjoy!

 

Wow! Yikes, here I am in my jammies…I’m in LA right now for work and crashed at a friend’s house. First thing I do is put on my Clinique All About Eyes serum because I almost always am SUPER puffy! I brush my teeth while I wait for it to absorb. I hate artificial sweetener, in fact it’s even hard for me to chew gum (so I rarely do!) because I can taste it in everything…I can’t even use normal toothpaste anymore because of the aversion. Weird.

I comb my hair, add dry shampoo if needed. I just washed it last night so this is fresh hair. Part as desired, spray 12 Benefits on it…which I am obsessed with now (thanks Ash!)…makes my poor damaged hair look decent and smells amazing. Today I curled just the ends quickly and dragged my fingers through it for a soft subtle wave.

Today, I’m taking it easy and catching up on blogging and emails…so I am keeping my face super simple. On any other day I’d probably add a layer of foundation on top of the BB Cream and opt for a bright lipstick…I am obsessed with this concealer in the bottom left pic…it’s the Maybelline FitMe! So affordable and covers so well! I rarely put anything on my eyes…lashes yes, and I currently have lash extensions with a few individuals on top…I’ve found that when I focus on complexion, I can do far less on my eyes…when pressed for time, it’s always better to spend the time you do have on your complexion…

My new favorite bronzer: NYC SmoothSkin in Sunny…under the cheeks, jawline, neck, and forehead.

Blusher (I used a WetnWild one today and LOVE it)…but I did use Dior’s brush to apply it, they still make my favorite shape of cheek brush out there! Filled my brows. Quick tip for a natural brow: I sometimes use a fluffy angles shadow brush. The fluffier the brush, the less amount of product it picks up, so you get a lighter effect! One quick swipe and my brows are very lightly filled without looking sharp! Tinted lipbalm from Flower Cosmetics (Drew barrymore’s new line!), skipping the bold lipstick today since I’m not really headed out.

I absolutely adore this initial charm bracelet from Ashleigh! Wedding rings of course and orange studs! I have to have a couple of accessories even though I’m staying in!

Voila! Simple, fast, and easy! I snagged this sweater and top at the PacSun outlet in Pismo on the way down here! They were $6 each! I love the sequined mustache and it says J’adore on it too…how cute!

Ok, so I know I’m not reinventing the wheel here…but I hope this shows you that with a little time, focusing on a few key things can have a big payoff! What’s your everyday routine? how long does it take you? Making time for beauty is important, but there’s no need for us to pressure ourselves and schedules into thinking we need hours to look good.

 

Cheers to Makeup, Mustaches, and Making Time For Beauty,

 

Stocking are probably my favorite part of presents at Christmas! Sure, big pricey presents are nice too, but all those little things that you like or need, your favorite treats…all in one giant sock…I mean, what’s not to love?! And I don’t know about you, but when I’m the one filling a stocking I like it to be as full as possible, and to have the most fun and legitimately enjoyable things inside!

Christmas socks, chocolate, magazines, maybe a small gift card…Hmm what else? Skip the weird cheap gift baskets in the holiday aisle and grab some of these instead!

 

 

1. WetnWild Eyeshadow Trios $2: Biggest shock ever that these shadows are amazing! They come in singles and larger palettes too…so affordable.

2. ELF Shine Eraser oil blotting sheets $1: It is far better to touch use this way, rather than packing on powder on top of the oil and bacteria on your face throughout the day

3. WetnWild Megalast Lipstick $2: Great pigment, long lasting wear, totally amazing!

4. Sephora Facial Cleansing brush $6: Consider this the poor man’s Clarisonic. Gets my face so much more clean than when I just use my hands and is great for exfoliating too!!

5. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny $2.75: Currently my favorite bronzer! Buildable colour, matte, and none of that annoying red that’s in most bronzers

6. ELF powder brush $1: Of all of the brushes that I use on my clients, the one that people compliment the most for how amazing it feels is not my $45 brush, not my $29 brush…it’s this one! Go figure.

7. Ardell Fashion Lashes $3-$5: flirty fun for New Years Eve perhaps?

8. Kate Moss for Rimmel Lipsticks $4: No1 is the perfect Holiday Red! Love these and cannot get enough!

9. Sally Hansen InstaDry nailpolish $3: great colors, wears fantastic, and dries in about a minute

10. ELF Zit Zapper $1: tea tree oil and salicylic acid to give blemishes the ol’ one two punch!

 

Aaaaand a few more special extras if you want to turn this stocking into an amazing gift instead…

 

 

1. Rimmel Gel eyeliner $7: waterproof, black, and a brush built into the lid…I used this on my Fall brides and loved it!

2. Philosophy Shower Gels $5: Love these travel size gels they do at Christmas time…they ACTUALLY smell like what they say they do! If you buy 3 they’re only $5 each! Hot buttered rum anyone?

3. Naked Basics Pallete by Urban Decay $27: The latest and greatest in the Naked family…already in love with these 5 matte shades and one satin finish highlight…neutral perfection!

4. MAC Viva Glam V lipstick $14.50: This lipstick looks great on EVERYONE. I mean everyone!! It’s the perfect neutral everyday colour, it looks like “lip” but with a little extra pop.

5. Designer Makeup bags $7-$25: Ross ALWAYS has fantastic makeup bags, many from my favorite designers and are a fraction of their usual cost. Have you priced makeup bags lately? Even no-name bags at Target cost a pretty penny…why not get one from Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, or Calvin Klein for cheaper instead? Plus, a makeup bag is cuter to stuff than a stocking anyway!

 

Happy shopping and Merry Christmas everyone!

 

Cheers to Stockings, Makeup, and Christmas,

 

 

It’s no secret that I have a love (that borders on obsession) for lipstick! Im always trying new shades and formulas so I thought I’d give you the rundown on the things I’ve tried lately. If you follow me on Instagram may have seen some of these lipstick-picks already. All of these are super affordable and would make great stocking stuffers too!

WetnWild #970 Purty Persimmon: I’ve mentioned this surprising formula in the past. I cannot believe how pigmented and long-wearing this formula is! And for $2?! It’s only a matter of time before I have all of the shades they offer in this formula.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable #055 Adore: if you like the idea of colour and stains but prefer a lipbalm texture this one’s for you. As it wears off it leaves colour behind so your lips are never totally bare. And super smooth.

Rimmel Kate Moss 8 hour wear in #6: Of course I’m including one from this line! I can’t get enough!! Vibrant long wearing creamy formula for around $4. Love this shade of pink!

Rimmel Kate Moss 8 hour wear in #9: Like I said before, can’t get enough. This is a great berry red for the holidays, don’t you think?!

WetnWild #903C Just Peachy: This is a great J-Lo worthy peach that will really pop on olive skin!

Have you tried any of these? Any you think I should try? Follow me on Instagram for down to the minute lippy discoveries!

Cheers to Love, Lippys, and Long-wearing formulas,

It’s all about nail art right now and the caviar mani is top of the trend list! You can find “caviar” at the craft store (I’ve even seen it at the dollar store too). It looks so fancy but is super easy!

 

I think this is a perfect holiday mani don’t you?

 

Cheers to Nails, Christmas, and Caviar,

 

Meet my new friend Kali. Kali at the ripe old age of 21 is an accomplished makeup and hair artist. I met her last month at the Adesign Brush Party, she was demo’ing body art techniques using those awesome brushes. I was completely wowed by her abilities and asked her to share her story and some products she loves. Her strengths and interests (math, anyone?!) intrigue me…take notes people, this girl is going places…

“So lets see, where do I begin…Well for starters my name is Kali Lorenzo. Born and raised in San Jose, CA. I was always a creative kid and somehow I ended up putting it to use through makeup. I loved painting and math. So those 2 skills served me well when it came to hair and makeup. I’m a licensed cosmetologist. Believe it or not theres alot of math in hair! I’ve been professionally doing makeup for about 5 yrs, hair 2yrs.”

“As far as body painting goes, I’ve only been doing that for a year. My first time doing such thing was for a Hair show competition, which I won first place for ;). The theme was “time warp” doing anything from the b.c. to present involving hair/makeup. I did futuristic of course. I converted my model into a robot from head to toe. Never did I have previous training for this, but it was how my mind worked. I had this vision in my head so I would quickly draw it before it left my brain. Sketch it out & then bring it to life on a human body as my canvas. Sometimes I dont even know how my brain works…but it does…in a crazy way. I love doing what I do, and I feel more than blessed to be one of the few that gets to do what they love as a career.”

“My interest in makeup began shortly after my 15th birthday, my friend had a photography project and asked me to be in it. I knew how to do makeup, but not like those girls at MAC. That day I did a look that changed my life forever, it was simple but gave me the idea that “Hey, maybe this can take me somewhere”. So I started reading books, watching youtube videos, and eventually having clients. I posted all my stuff on myspace (back then lol) then facebook, and then eventually started attending shows and networking…”

“May I add I was only about 18or 19? I was determined, and I still am.”

“I know what I want and I do not stop until I get it. I feel like I’m still at a young age where I have plenty of years to achieve my goals, but of course I give myself a deadline. I need to push myself harder every year to achieve that 25yr deadline. So I have 4 yrs to go :).”

3 must haves (or else I’d die!!):

1) Ben Nye Setting Spray, I dont care what anyone says best setting spray ever!
2) Urban Decay Supercurl Lash, I kid you not best curling mascara I’ve used by far.
3) MUFE’s Flash Palette, need I say more??! Everything in 1!

Wow! I don’t know about you, but Kali’s amazing talent and determination (at such a young age too!) is incredibly inspiring! Follow her work on Facebook…and find out there how to book her services!

 

Cheers to Math, Art, and Determination,

 

Over the last year, I’ve made it a point to familiarize myself with non-department store makeup brands. And sometimes you find winners and sometimes you don’t. But while I love my luxury brand products (Hello Dior Airflash!), not everyone can or wants to spend $65 on foundation. Plus, while we all have brands we prefer, it’s never a good enough reason to use something just because of the name! I love using a variety of brands, and ultimately choose things based on what works for my face (or my client’s faces!).

Today I challenged myself and decided to replicate my daily beauty ritual with more affordable drugstore options…Here is the result:

I was happy with how it turned out! I keep things fairly basic on a daily basis. I focus on my complexion and skip eyeshadow, liner and mascara. I usually wear a bold lip, and lashes though.

 

For my complexion I used:

1. Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation in #200 Soft Beige: $7.50

2. Maybelline FitMe powder in #310 to set my foundation with: $6

3. Jordana Forever Flawless pressed powder in #106 Light Honey as a bronzer: $1.25

4. Jordana Undercover Cream Concealer in #03 Soft Beinge for under my eyes and around my nose, et cetera: $1.25

 

For color I used:

1. Jordana blush in #17 Rouge: $1.25

2. Jordana blush in #2 Bronze for a little dimension: $1.25

3. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable in #030 Smitten Eprise: $8

 

And here is what my face looked like 8 hours later. Everything held up great! No touch ups at all, except one lip touch up! Not too shabby for less than $30 right?

 

Cheers to Beauty, Budgets, and Being Frugal,

Skin care is by far the most important thing when it comes to beauty. Someone once told me that makeup is who you want to be, but skin care is who you are. As of late the trend is for skin to actually look like skin…and while foundation does wonders, doesn’t it make more sense to invest the time, money, and care into your complexion? You only have one face!

Honestly, my skin care routine changes depending on the season, what’s given to me, and what my budget is…but here are the things I’ve been using over the last 3-4 months. I should note that all of these products have lasted me a minimum of 3-4 months, some even as long as a year goes by before its time to replenish!

 

 

 

 

1. La Mer The Eye Balm Intense: $165 of pure decadence. My eyes feel so smooth and moisturized with this! Tackles puffiness, lines, wrinkles, and clarity.It’s like gold (and is priced like it too!) so I only use it at night…I only have about 3 more nights left of this. Yikes!

2. Chanel Ultra Correction Lift Fluid: $150 Has SPF 15 and a great lightweight texture. Moisturizing and reparative. I use this during the day under my foundation.

3. Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream: $46 This is my daytime eye cream. The perfect level of hydration without messing with my concealer.

4. Ahava Essential Day Moisturizer: $39 Says its for normal to dry skin. I’m oily though and this feels rich to me, so I use it at night.

5.Clean and Clear Antibacterial Face Wash: $4 Gives me that squeaky clean feeling I love and kills all the nasty breakout causing yuck on my face.

6. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock: $12 Want to stave off wrinkles and pigmentation? Then be religious about using sun protection! Almost all signs of aging are due to environmental damage…remember that!!

7. Clinique All About Eyes Serum: $28 Eye puffiness is the bane of my existence. This rollerball of cool soothing depuffing goodness is my lifeline!

8. Facial Wipes: $1 I get these at the Dollar Store! They have basic ingredients and help remove my makeup so that my face wash and other skin care really gets to do its job!

9. ELF Zit Zapper: $1 Every morning and night any blemishes or pores that give me trouble get a dose of this! Salicylic acid and tea tree oil dry out and soothe the problem spots! There are a lot of more expensive blemish treatments out there, skip them! This has the same active ingredients.

10. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant: $50 Mix this rice based powder with a little water to make a paste or add to your facewash for gentle exfoliating action! I keep mine in the shower. This product has totally changed my skin I love it!

What skin care are you crazy about right now?

Cheers to Skin that Looks Good, Feels Good, and IS GOOD!

 

 

This week I had the immense pleasure of attending the VIP Adesign Brush Party at The Specialists Salon in San Francisco hosted by Erica Carr! Not only was I there to experience and review the Adesign Brushes as an artist, but I also was invited to cover the event as a blogger…if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you saw a bit of the play by play of the night (You don’t?! Let’s change that! @polishandpout). Here’s a peek into how this amazing night went…  

The soiree was in one of my favorite places…San Francisco! Red carpet? Yes please!

 

Clockwise from top left: Me and fellow beauty blogger Renee Hamilton, New friend and fellow artist Trisha, Pre-party toast, Cheers!

 

Bubbly is nice and getting to see other artists is always fun…but the main reason we were there was of course for the brushes! We all had the chance to try the Adesign brushes out first hand on each other.

 

Two of the brushes there for our review have not even hit the market yet! One face and one eye brush…such innovative shapes! How incredible it was that Adesign wanted to include the artistry community in their product development! If the feedback is good…we may see these brush shapes hitting the shelves!

 

Adesign Brushes is a private label brand. They develop brushes for companies like Smashbox, Sephora, and Laura Mercier. I went home with around 7 brushes and cannot wait to use them extensively this month and give a full in-depth review soon! So stay tuned!

 

  From the left: Beauty Director for Adesign Brushes Shana King, our hosts Erica and Lulu, and Anisa herself (the President of Anisa International, the company who owns Adesign).          

 

Yum! The appetizers were divine! Such a fun night…having so many amazing artists in one place is a rare treat! I am so thankful for the new friendships and connections that were made last night!

 

Me and Beauty Expert Shana King…she is lovely yes? I must say, her complexion was immaculate!

 

 Cheers to Bubbly, Beauty, and Brushes,