Winter Skin and Makeup Routine

January 5, 2016January 5, 20169 Comments

I hope you all had a fabulous New Year. It has been pretty chilly here in the North Bay the last few weeks and it just keeps getting colder. With all this cold weather and rain, I’ve noticed my skin getting dry and rough. That being said, prior to heading up to Oregon for Christmas (which is about 18-20 degrees during the day and night) I purchased some things to help keep my skin hydrated and my face looking [almost] flawless.

I mentioned this product in my holiday gift guide and I just can’t say enough good things about it. Renewed Hope in a Jar by Philosophy ($16–$47) has done wonders to my dry skin. I usually apply after washing my face or jumping out of the shower and let the cream hydrate my skin. I apply twice per day.

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After applying my moisturizer (and letting it absorb into my skin and dry completely) I spray my face with Urban Decay’s B6 Complexion Prep Spray ($33). This product has worked wonders on my skin since purchase. Before applying my foundation primer, I spray this all over my face and it minimizes pores, absorbs excess oils and reduces redness. I don’t know how I ever lived without it.

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Once the complexion spray dries, I follow my usual routine of applying primer (I use the Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Primer) then foundation. Prior to Oregon I switched my foundation. I was using the bareMinerals BareSkin foundation and was finding, even after my moisturizing routine, my skin would look cakey and too powdery. After watching numerous makeup videos on YouTube (my go to: NikkieTutorials), I thought I would try Too Faced Born This Way foundation in warm nude (I have a golden undertone to my skin). It has rave reviews on Ulta and Sephora (and its own website, too) and provides medium-full coverage that looks so natural.

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I have to say that I am in love with this foundation and will never go back. Either apply with a beauty blender or your foundation brush.

Finishing off my makeup routine is the usual eyeliner, eyeshadow (if I feel like it) and a rose colored blush. Powder is an “if I feel like it” kind of thing, but it does set the foundation in place if you use a little bit.

Side note: If you’re looking for a hand cream that won’t leave your hands feeling oily, then check out Soap & Glory’s Hand Food (found at Ulta or online in regular or travel sizes).

That’s my winter skin and makeup routine. What’s yours?

xoxo,

Leigh

Star Wars: CoverGirl Makeup Collection

December 14, 201512 Comments

It’s almost here…the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (opening in theaters this Thursday). Leigh and I both share a mutual love of the movies, and decided to pay homage this week by transforming the look of our blog and writing about all things Star Wars! First up, I’m talking about Star Wars inspired makeup.

CoverGirl recently released a limited-edition collection of makeup inspired by Star Wars. The collection includes 6 lipsticks, 3 nail polishes, and 2 mascaras (waterproof and regular in Very Black). The lipstick shades are a little out there for my personal taste, but I could see myself wearing the Nude 70 (last one, below) and maybe the Red 30 (3rd one, below).

All three nail polish shades are very wearable and perfect for this time of year in the colors (left to right): Speed of Light 200, Red Revenge 180, and Nemesis 195.

For a little inspiration, Iconic makeup artist and CoverGirl Global Creative Design Director Pat McGrath has created seven intergalactic beauty looks to go with the collection. See all of the looks and the face maps explaining the colors and techniques used for each below. I love the soft neutral palette for the Jedi look – definitely the most wearable of the bunch. But a less theatrical take on the “Droid” or the “Chrome Captain” looks could be fun for New Year’s Eve!

My question is: are you on the light side…or the dark side? I might be a little of both 😉

xoxo,

Veronica

Leigh’s Holiday Gift Guide

December 8, 2015December 8, 20153 Comments

Whether it’s for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, New Years or any other winter holiday you celebrate, holiday shopping can be tough if you really don’t know what to get someone. I know I’ve been there numerous times, standing in a section of a department store or beauty store just trying to think of what someone would enjoy receiving as a gift. I’ve compiled a list of 10 gift ideas under $100 to help ease the process for you. Enjoy!

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Nadri framed skinny cuff at Nordstrom, $58. This is a great accessory that can be worn again and again. It comes in gold and silver.
Vanilla Sugar Ring Candle by Diamond Candles, $24.95. This candle not only makes your home smell cozy, but there’s a ring in every candle!
Bosca “Executive ID” Nappa Leather Wallet at Nordstrom, $100. Sometimes men need an upgraded wallet, especially if they’ve had one for a while. Here’s a great leather wallet that will surely last another seven years.
S’well “Love” water bottle at liefshop.com, $35. For those who are constantly drinking water, this stylish water bottle keeps things cool for 24 hours.
Hand Food by Soap & Glory, $8. Great for keeping hands moisturized during the cold months and not oily.
Cat Study Mug at Anthropologie, $14 each. For those cat lovers in your life…
Renewed Hope in a Jar by Philosophy, $47. Great moisturizer for all skin types.
Eternity Now for Men by Calvin Klein at Macy’s, $80. Men are hard to shop for at times, but here’s a great cologne gift set from Calvin Klein.
Hudson Marble Mortar Pestle at Pier 1 Imports, $39.95. A must-have kitchen essential for combining herbs and more.
Amazon Kindle at Amazon.com, $80. Who doesn’t love a good book and a glass of wine on those cold winter nights? Kindles make reading books 10x easier.

I hope you like these picks. Let me know if you purchase any of these in the comments below!

xoxo,

Leigh

POPSUGAR Must Have Box review (plus a coupon code!)

December 2, 2015Leave a comment

POPSUGAR Must Have Box - November

It’s no secret that I’m kind of obsessed with subscription boxes lately, and have been trying them out in search of the “perfect box” (for myself that is, obviously preferences vary!). I recently had the chance to try out the POPSUGAR Must Have box, and I have to say, it’s pretty amazing. So amazing in fact that I immediately signed up for a subscription!

I’m sure you’re familiar with POPSUGAR, the hugely popular website that provides up-to-the-minute content on entertainment, fitness, food, shopping and more. The POPSUGAR Must Have boxes are curated by POPSUGAR Editor in Chief Lisa Sugar and include full-sized items from the best in fashion, beauty, home, food, fitness and more. And this year, the boxes all have themes that relate to the month; January was all about warmth and health, February focused on Valentine’s Day love and pampering, March was all about spring travel etc, etc. As you can see below, November embraces entertaining and celebrating.

There are several reasons I really love this box:
1. Full-size products (no lame sample sizes here!)
2. It doesn’t just focus on beauty or fitness – it’s a fun grab bag of products from each sector of life.
3. Themed boxes – because who doesn’t love a theme?

Each box retails for just $39.95 but contains products valued at over $100. Plus, if you buy more than one month, discounts apply (3 months = a $10 savings, 6 months = $25 savings). To sign up now click here! And better yet, I have a coupon code for you! Use code MUSTHAVE5 at checkout for $5 off any new subscription.

If not for yourself, I think it would make the perfect gift for a friend or family member. There is the option to send it as a one-time only gift (no subscription needed), just make sure to check the box under gift options (“I’m shipping to multiple addresses or sending a one-time gift”) during check out.

Details from the November box:
Tarte Cosmetics Beauty & the Box Eye Shadow
Deepa Gurnani Katie Crystal Headband (my fav from this box – wear to holiday parties!)
West Emory Bingo Set
Capri Blue Mercury Jewel Box in Rain
Terrapin Ridge Farms Pecan Honey Mustard
Gramr Gratitude Co. Exclusive Thanksgiving Postcard Pack
Inkdot Gift Card
– Over a $130 value!

Do you subscribe to the POPSUGAR Must Have Box? Do you have other favorite subscription boxes? Let us know in the comments!

xoxo,

Veronica

Spray On Nail Polish?!

November 30, 2015November 30, 2015Leave a comment

Nails Inc Paint Can

When I first heard about the Nails Inc. Paint Can (aka “spray on nail polish”) I was highly skeptical. How on earth could that not be horribly messy, and how do you apply it without getting it all over your hands?

However, being the beauty junkie that I am, I was intrigued. And when I started to see major beauty websites and blogs reviewing the product, I knew I needed more info. The basic gist of the product is that you are able to spray on an even coat of nail polish in just seconds, and with a quick wash of your hands to remove the excess paint, you’ll have a perfect manicure! But is it really that simple? After reading several reviews (like this one), I’ve observed some similarities in advice and have put together the following tips:

Use an old towel or newspaper (or something similar to that) to cover the surface you will be spraying on, as it can adhere and damage the surface.
The particles from the spray can float in the air, so also be careful of the outfit you’re wearing.
You must apply a base coat first for the polish to adhere to (otherwise it will just wash off). However, it doesn’t have to be the Nails Inc. base coat – any will do.
Don’t paint the base coat on your cuticles, or the polish will adhere to your cuticles as well.
It works best to wait approximately 2 minutes for the polish to dry before washing off the excess.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get my hands on the product (it’s currently sold out everywhere), but you can sign up here to be on the wait list to be notified when more stock becomes available (currently there are only two colors offered – bright pink and silver). It officially launches in March 2016 in the US, and Nails Inc promises to have more colors available at that time. I’d love to see a pale pink and an opaque white for spring, and a deep red is always classic.

What colors would you like to see? Have you tried this product? I’d love to hear from you!

xoxo,

Veronica

SassySweetSF

Tag: beauty

Winter Skin and Makeup Routine

Star Wars: CoverGirl Makeup Collection

Leigh’s Holiday Gift Guide

POPSUGAR Must Have Box review (plus a coupon code!)

Spray On Nail Polish?!