Summer Cheeks With Maybelline New York

To me, the perfect summer cheek is dewy and softly sculpted.  Since I don't get too tanned, I always like to have a bit of bronzer and blush to give me a healthy glow.
Usually I reach for a powder bronzer, but with my skin being all wonky lately I found myself in dire need of a cream version.
I happened to be in Shoppers for, razors or something like that, when the Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Glaze Blush and Bronzer Sticks caught my eye.  I had been talking to someone about them and she said they were worth a look, so I grabbed one.
I'm really glad I did!

I fell in love with the Dream Bouncy Blush last year, and let me tell you, these two little beauties make for an outstanding duo!
The Master Glaze is a sheer, buildable cream in stick form.  The texture is comfortable due to the inclusion of shea butter, and the finish is a pretty pearlescence.  The application is easy-peasy too!  Swipe and blend, that's it!
The shade I picked up is called Subtle Bronze.  It's a limited edition shade from the Bleached Neons Collection, but there is a permanent shade in the collection that's close.  I love the way it blends under the cheekbone and around the jawline for a soft contour.  It's also very pretty worn on the cheek alone!
The Dream Bouncy Blushes are the most irresistible pans of colour!  The texture is airy and frothy feeling with a wonderful satiny finish on the skin.  Again, the colour is quite sheer, but it builds well.  The cheek is left with a lovely luminescence for some dimension rather than shimmer particles or glitter.
Candy Coral is a fun, bright orangey coral that wears well on most skin tones.  It's just the most ideal summer shade!  I can't wait to get my paws on a few more going into fall!

Both of these beauties can be applied with fingers, or a sponge, but, I find the best thing to use is a brush.  Either a flat blending brush, or a duo-fibre brush works beautifully.  I'm in love with the brushes from Sonia Kashuk, which I discuss here.  The quality of these brushes are phenomenal, especially for the price!
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of writing a post for Elaine of Toronto Beauty Reviews on my Summer Essentials, and Man Alive, was it hard to narrow it down!  I am absolutely going to add this blush/bronzer combo to the list!
What do summer cheeks mean to you?

Donna Xoxo

Almay Shadow Softies and Smart Shade Mousse Foundation. Softness Heaven!

I've always liked Almay makeup.  It's kind to skin, and the basics are great, but Almay has always seemed like a dependable safe brand.
Good product, not exciting.
Until now!
Almay has upped their game lately and I'm in love!
There is a new addition to the Smart Shade collection.  The newest formulation is a mousse which goes on white, and adjusts to the tone of the skin. 
I've always been a little skeptical as to how well this works, but I was very surprised at the way it did conform to my colouring.  You don't have to pick through twelve similar shades to find the correct undertone, so Yay for that!

This foundation feels creamy and fluffy at the same time. My dry patches liked the feel of this. It wears comfortably, but I found that it does need to be buffed in quite well.  Add a flat foundation brush, like the Sonia Kashuk one here, and the application is really beautiful!

The newest addition to their eye makeup line are the Shadow Softies.  These single pots feel soft and springy.  There's and airy-ness to the texture that makes them feel silky.  They're a cream to powder shadow which are quite pigmented and go on best with a dense brush.  The lighter shade, Crème Brulee, is a cream shade with a soft pink hue and some soft glitter.  Soooo pretty!  The darker shade, Smoke, is a great taupey-grey, like a dark mushroom.  (I took figuring this colour out quite seriously, didn't I?)  I'm not even sure if these are in stores yet, but if you see them, GRAB THEM!  They feel really nice, and build well too!
If that isn't enough to make you love Almay, it has the cutest story of how the company came to be!The founder was a chemist in the 1930's, who's wife had extremely sensitive skin.  At that time, cosmetics for sensitive skin where unheard of, so our Chemist, Al, formulated products to suit his wife, May. 
Get it?
Almay!
Adorbs!
What do you guys think of Almay?  What other lines have you fallen for lately?

Donna Xoxo

Sonia Kashuk Brushes, and Why You Need Them.

If you are anything like me, you get a HUGE thrill from a good makeup brush. It is so important to have the right tool for the job!  

When Target opened in my area, I bee-lined to the Sonia Kashuk brushes!  The quality is spectacular and so is the price! There's a couple that were missing from my arsenal, and I'm going to brag all about them today!

First is the Flat Top Multipurpose Brush, which lives up to its name, and then some!  The first time I stumbled upon this type of beauty was a Lancome brush years ago. It's a great brush for applying a creamy foundation or blush. It buffs the product right in for a flawless finish. I also like it for contouring. It fits wonderfully under the cheekbone!  And the black sculpted handle is just sooo pretty!

Next I have the Duo-fibre multipurpose brush. Again, this brush is so versatile!  Because of the differing lengths of the bristles, the application of product is diffuse and sheer. It's great for a hilighter, either powder or cream, and a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. A few sweeps of hilighter on top of the cheekbones and down the nose with this beauty will leave you with a soft luminescence. The black and white handle looks very chic too!

The finish from these brushes will leave behind beautiful, glowy skin. For under $20.00 each, these brushes are must haves!  

Go get them!!!

I'd love to hear about any brush faves everyone else has!  Do tell!

Donna Xoxo

Tightlining. Much More Wonderful Than it Sounds!

Lately tightlining is popping up all over the place on the internet.
For good reason!
It is a great little trick that just adds a finishing touch to an eye look.
Tightlining is done when eyeliner is applied between the gaps of the eyelashes of the upper eyelid.  Waterlining is when the waterline of the upper eye is lined.
The two are NOT the same!
Tightlining is, of course, good for a smokey eye. I love this best however, when doing a really soft eye!  It adds a fullness to the lashline that mascara just cant give on its own.
Here's how it's done: 
Wiggle a sharp dark pencil in-between the upper lashes by gently lifting the lid, and working the liner into the root from underneath.
Try to get as little on the waterline as possible, otherwise the look is slightly more harsh
I've never tried it with a gel liner, but from what I understand, the results are great.  Be sure to use a nice thin, stiff brush under the lash so it goes in smooth.  I absolutely adore the brush that comes with the Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Liner!  The bristles are nice and dense, so you have great control.  I will say that gel formulas smudge on some people, regardless of the product claim, so find one that stays in place on you!  Courtney Love is not the best role model when it comes to eyeliner.  Or life in general.
Keep it clean ladies!
In the middle picture below, the eye on the left hasn't been lined.  See how the lashes look different on the right?  It's subtle, but it does add thickness. Add mascara and you're a lush-lashed vixen!
The word "Vixen" isn't used nearly enough in life, IMO!
Has anybody tried tightlining?  Is it great?  Not so Much?
Any other words that should be busted out in conversation more often?

Donna Xoxo