Lately, I’ve been watching quite a few videos by Australian YouTuber, Schellea Fowlwer, on her fabulous50 channel. She focuses on tips and tricks of applying makeup for those who are older. I’m not 50 yet but I have hooded lids and lines around my lips, and she shares tips on how to work with these aspects. There’s almost nothing I love to watch more on YouTube, and she just gives me the most useful tips and they are easy to replicate.

Her '5 Biggest Makeup Mistakes On Mature Eyes Tutorial Over 50 by Fabulous50s' was my introduction to her and I've referred back to it a few times. Since gravity is already working against you to drag the outside corners of your eyes down, her whole point of this video is that you should always look for ways to bring the eyes up in that area and not down. I was doing a few of her "don'ts" so it was nice to see what they were and why some are not flattering. 

Pull away tips:

• A thick line of liner on the mobile lid will make your eyes appear smaller. Tighlining the top lid is better.
• Black liner on the bottom water liner can make eyes look more almond shaped.
• Don’t follow nature when applying shadow! Don’t bring the shadow all the way down on the outside.
• Neutral or nude eyeliner pencil can open up the eye look.
• Eye primer is a must!
• Only apply a highlighter in the middle just under the brow, not all the way across.

Since I’m loving the new PIXI BEAUTY Eye Reflections Shadow Palette in Natural Beauty ($24 @ pixibeauty.com) I thought I’d try it out using some of her tips. The palette has both mattes and shimmers in it so this sole one can be used to create a whole look.

Click the link to see how I did it and what I used!

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Can you believe we still have over a month of summer temps? My biggest problem this time of year when it comes to makeup is the dreaded makeup meltdown. It’s not fun and doesn’t look good. Here are few I like that will help you avoid it this season.

Face Primer – GUERLAIN L’Or Radiance Primer ($74/1oz @ sephora.com, nordstrom.com) – a good face of makeup needs something to adhere to and this one gets my vote.

Setting Mist – SUPERGOOP Supergoop! X MILLY Defense Refresh Setting Mist SPF 50 ($28/3.4oz @ sephora.com) – keep it all in place with a good makeup setting spray. And this one has SPF 50 built in so you refreshing all day will give you a shot of protection from the sun.

Brow Gel – PHYSICIANS FORMULA Brow Last Longwearing Brow Gel ($10.95 @ walgreens.com) – I inherited my father’s brows so my brow hairs get long so keeping them in place is a must. This duo adds a dash of color and the other end combs it all in place.

Blush – I usually go with a cream blush but this CARGO Swimmables Water Resistant Blush ($26 @ ulta.com, dermstore.com) is showing its strength. This one is sweatproof and waterproof so I’m restoring my faith in pressed powder during the summer again.

Anti-Lip bleeding Lippie – MAC Liptensity Lip Pencil ($21 @ maccosmetics.com, nordstrom.com) – I’ve been wearing these as full lip colors and the added benefit? No bleeding! The Marsala shade is a favorite. 

Mascara – BENEFIT BADgal Waterproof Mascara ($19 @ benefitcosmetics.com, hsn.com) – one of my favorite mascaras for bad-girl lashes comes in a waterproof formula so it will totally stay on.

Budge-proof liner – URBAN DECAY 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil ($21 @ urbandecay.com, sephora.com, ulta.com) – liner running down the face couldn’t look worse so prevent it with any of their 50+ shades.

Mascara is a funny thing – either it works for you or it doesn’t, but how could one “work” for someone and not someone else? Interesting, huh? The latest one to cross my desk is BENEFIT COSMETICS BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara ($24/full size, $12/travel size @ benefitcosmetics.com, ulta.com, sephora.com) and they call this one the BIGGER, BADDER volumizing mascara.

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I’m pretty obsessed with my eyebrows! I had microblading done last fall and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made when it comes to them. Most times I don’t have to touch them up with pencil/powder but when I do, I’m reaching for one that will give me a little something extra, like what this brought-back-into-production and newly-formulated Gimme Brow + Volumizing Fiber Gel ($24 @ benefitcosmetics.com, hsn.com) from BENEFIT COSMETICS gives them.

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BENEFIT COSMETICS Gogotint ($30 @ ulta.com, benefitcosmetics.com) is the next installment of their stains that have become a cult favorite. Like the other shades, it comes in a nail polish-sized bottle with a nail polish-type brush that applies the color. Use it on lips or cheeks and my stance on these has always been the same. I’m just not a fan of the application device at all. After applying it to lips or cheeks I always have to use something else to blend it in. Like the colors but hate the delivery of them.

This Gogotint is a juicy bright cherry stain and seems to be a tad darker than the rose of the original. So is this something you’ll be picking up?

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided for review purposes.

BENEFIT COSMETICS just came out with a collection called Boi-ing – two new products, two existing ones, and all now have cool, fun names, and they are … CONCEALERS!

And check out this cute display of the products in my local Ulta. I don't agree with the message of skipping class, I mean how could anyone, but the display itself is fun with the rulers and pink eraser colors. How about a message like, "Just apply concealer and don't skip class." Isn't that better?

So which do you need? It can be confusing so I love on their website you can choose what area of the face you need some coverage and they will recommend which product you need to use. I also gave a breakdown of the details of each below.

Boi-ing Hydrating Concealer – the sheerest of the bunch, this one contains vitamin E and apple seed extract surrounds the color in the stick to keep skin super hydrated. This one used to be called Fakeup.

Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer – this is exactly as the name states! Made for spot treating all over the face and full coverage of blemishes, dark circles under eyes and random discolorations. This one is full coverage.

Boi-ing Brightening Concealer – ideal for dark circles under the eyes, this pink undertoned cream corrects anything brewing under your lids. This used to be called Erase Paste and is full coverage.

Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer - bluuuurrrrrr those face imperfections with this waterproof, sheer-to-medium, coverage cream. This one gives medium coverage.

$20 each and all four are available in Light, Light/Medium and Medium @ benefitcosmetics.com nordstroms.com 

From L to R:  Airbrush Concealer, Hydrating Concealer, Industrial Concealer, Brightening Concealer

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

Spring is finally here so perk up your parts with some new products. Are you ready? I am  and here’s how I'm doing it. 

1. Hands – TOUCH GermBlock ($5.99/1oz @ walgreens.com) – this one claims to protect hands from germs for up to 6 hours! How do you know it’s working? Well, I can’t think of a way to test it so just have to take their word for it or better yet, test it out. Available in Unscented, OceanMist, Tropical Breeze, and Mint Green Tea Aloe.

2. Refresh - PIXI BEAUTY Vitamin Wakeup Mist ($15/2.70oz @ pixibeauty.com) – when temps rise I make sure I always have a face mist at the ready and Pixi just came out with a few news ones. This one sure wakes my skin up!

3. Skin – ACURE Purifying Fruit Peel ($22.99/1.4oz @ acureorganics.com) – this one uses acids found naturally inside mangos, bitter cherry and raspberry, among others to exfoliate. A thin layer on the face and neck for 5 to 8 minutes 1 or 2 times a week is all it takes.

4. Hair – CUVÉE BEAUTY Champagne Spray ($45/5oz @ revolve.com) – I find that when I spray this one and this one both on towel dried hair, I get the perfect blowout that lasts for a few days. A perfect tousled/piecey look!

5. Lips – HIGHLIGHT Liquid Lipstick in Sahara Rendezvous ($25 @ highlightcosmetics.com) – lipstick is good but metallic lipstick is better this season! And this coppery/bronze shade will go with any tan. And this one dries down all the way but not dry like a desert.

6. Cheeks – BENEFIT GALifonia Powder Blush ($29 @ benefitcosmetics.com, macys.com) – a pinky blush with a touch of sunkissed gold and smells like grapefruit and vanilla. Yum!

7. Complexion – COLORESCIENCE Tint Du Soleil Whipped Foundation ($54/1oz @ colorescience.com, ulta.com) – this is one of those all-in-one foundations that includes SPF30, nourishing vitamins for the skin, and it wear beautifully. Available in 4 shades.

8. Clean - LE COUVENT DES MINIMES 3-in-1 Micellar Water ($19/13.5oz @ ulta.com) – time to lighten things up now that the temps are going up! So gently remove makeup and clean the skin with this one.

A new release from BENEFIT COSMETICS with these They’re Real! Double The Lip ($20 @ benefitcosmetics.com)! Let's check 'em out... 

What It Is: This lip liner and lipstick in one features a Custom Teardrop Tip that grabs and defines your lip line and fills in lips with complementing color for the appearance of volume and dimension. This semi-matte lipstick comes in neutral to bright shades for visibility fuller, sexier lips.

Click here to read more

I watched a bunch of snaps of the huge party BENEFIT COSMETICS had in Las Vegas for the launch of their Brow Collection over the weekend (yup, my invite got lost in the mail) and wow, this collection is huge!

Benefit Brow Collection

What looked like a couple dozen different products in the pictures and video is actually only 10 total products; some have been out before and this is their relaunch and some are brand new. All are out in July 2016 in the United States now @ benefitcosmetics.com, ulta.com, hsn.com, macys.com.  

Check out all the pictures below!

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As we come to the close of April, I’ve been frantically testing out products I think are worthy of getting the favorite of the month tag. Here are a few I recommend. 

1. FRESH Sugar Sport Treatment Sunscreen SPF 30 ($25 @ fresh.com, sephora.com) – Since it’s in a stick form, you can slide it in your purse and never worry about spillage. Now there’s no excuse for not wearing SPF, right?

2. IT COSMETICS Heavenly Luxe You Sculpted! #18 Contour & Highlight Brush ($34.50 @ itcosmetics.com) - So why don’t I have a brush like this in my collection? I didn’t realize how much I needed one in this shape until I saw this one! Isn’t that always the case? Love this one for (trying) to sculpt my cheeks and to brush under the jaw line. 

3. KISS USA Ruby Kisses Matte Lipstick in Red Mangrove ($2.99 @ kissusa.com) – Wait, did you even know this brand made anything beside lashes and fake nails? I didn’t! I saw a few YouTube videos raving about their matte lipsticks so I had to try them and they are really all that. If you like a little moisture with your matte lippies then these are for you and how about that price?? I picked mine up at my local beauty supply store.

4. BENEFIT COSMETICS Dandelion Shy Beam Liquid Highlighter ($26 @ benefitcosmetics.com) – This is such a nice matte pinky nude highlighter that can be use anywhere on the face. Lately it’s been ruling the tops of my cheeks.

5. CLINIQUE Pep-Start Eye Cream ($26.50 @ clinique.com and sephora.com) – I’ve never needed an eye cream more than in the last few months for some reason. #aging. This one is light on the skin and on the purse strings. It hydrates, depuffs and really seems to wake me up.

6. ELIE SAAB ‘Le Parfum Rose Couture’ Eau de Toilette ($80/1.6oz, $108/3oz only @ nordstrom.com) – Anything rose always welcomes springtime for me and I’ve worn this one non-stop since I got it. Orange flower, jasmine, rose nectar, vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, mandarin tree blossom, gardenia and warm honey rose. Every note says feminine.

7. TARTE COSMETICS Rainforest of the Sea Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette ($45 @ dermstore.com, sephora.com) – You don’t need to suffer from any kind of discolorations on your skin anymore! Color-correcting is all the rage for a reason. It works! This one has 6 creams shades to get your skin on point.

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

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