Summer Lovin'

First off, I am a bad beauty blogger and need to have my hand smacked. I've been away quite a bit this summer on some wonderful trips, which proved to be quite a challenge packing for as I am not your average lipstick-mascara-one-tube-of-moisturizer-and-go girl. No, in fact I am more of a fifty-lipsticks, three mascaras and a lash primer, countless jars and tubes and bottles of face potions kinda girl. For my first vacation, I found myself wearing very little makeup, though, and barely used everything I brought. On my second trip, I packed more carefully and used most of what I brought. There were some products that I reached for again and again--my summer must-haves. My favorite items were:

1. Mascara: I used L'Oreal Miss Manga in the waterproof formula during the day if I was going to the beach or pool and really liked it. At night, I used Chanel Volume de Chanel with Dior's lash primer (lllloooovvvvvvveeeee). At first, I didn't love the Chanel mascara but now I love it like crazy cakes for when I want a dramatic lash, which is, let's face it, whenever I am not submerged in water. 

2. Blush: I used Becca's Shimmer Soufflé in Raspberry/Opal most of all, and loved it. I also loved Make Up For Ever's HD Blush in 210, but once I got color on my face opted for the bronzier Becca blush. The Becca is amazing--it gives cheeks a burnished glow that looks as if it comes from your own skin. 

3. Eyeliner: I opted for a simple modified cat eye and some smudged liner under the eye at night. I brought Benefit's new They're Real Push Up Liner and was sooooo excited to try it. I ignored all the bad reviews but ultimately I returned it: it wastes product, gets clumpy and gross, and takes forever to use. Not a fan, although the applicator is great. Along the same lines is Sephora's new eyeliner felt tip in dramatic for $12--love this and find it so easy to use. For under the eyes I used Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner, Marc Jacobs eyeliner, NARS or Urban Decay, all good picks. I'll do a dedicated eyeliner post soon! 

4. Eyeshadow: My go-to this summer has been the Urban Decay Basics palette (I've got the second one on order and will do a review soon!), which I adore for its ease and neutral colors. To jazz it up with some sheeny goodness I've been using either Josie Maran's Watercolor eye color in Playa Del Pink, NARS new wet/dry single eyeshadow in Callisto, or Marc Jacobs new Twinkle Pop, dabbed in the center and inner corner of the lid. They are all so good with a little dark color smoked out in the crease. 

The NARS eyeshadow in Callisto-- (gorgeous!) 

 The Josie Maran coconut watercolor eyeshadow in Playa Del Pink--a golden goddess sheen for your lids 

The Josie Maran full strength and sheered out. It's a coppery golden color. 

5. Lips: I opted for light pink lips this entire summer--rarely did I venture outside of that color, which seems to be my new comfort zone. Darker eyes and lighter lips: my makeup uniform. Maybe because I feel naked without my Naked palette (ha the irony) or maybe because bright lips require care and upkeep--I dunno. Here were my favorite lip colors this summer--you can see there's a definite theme here! 

Left to right: MAC Angel (my holy grail pale!), Make Up For Ever N18 Powdery Pink (a newer purchase--a nice color and average formula), Estee Lauder's Desirable (the bullet is magnetic and the formula a dream), Laura Mercier 60s Pink (another newer color; love this so far!), Bite Beauty Vouvray (mmmmm this one is so creamy and comfy to wear and is the perfect ballet pink color), MAC Lovelorn (for a bit more color--so pretty and healthy), Buxom Venice (a bit matte and tingly and bluer-based, but the color is so good), Smashbox Be Legendary lipstick in Pout (so face-brightening and glossy, one of my favorites). 

 In natural light, Smashbox at the top

In more muted artificial light; the color variations and finishes are more apparent here (trying to justify the fact that I have a thousand pale pink lip colors) 

The lippies together, in full on lippie glory (same order) 

6. Face: This summer I opted for SPF (I used a L'Oreal silky sheer SPF for face) as well as tinted light weight moisturizers or BB creams. I went back and forth between a sample of YSL's new BB cream called Top Secrets that I got at the YSL counter (I like this, but it does have a heavy floral fragrance, is so pricy, and is more for dry skin--which I have, so it worked for me) and Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer, a steady favorite. To top it off I used all the powders from the Hourglass Ambient lighting palette (the lightest under the cheekbones and eyes; the mid tone color on the cheeks and forehead; the darkest on the temples and under my jaw). I also found two eye creams that I adore that double as eye brighteners; I'll do a review on those soon! 

7. Eyebrows: My holy grail brow products: Anastasia, all the way. Pencil, brow mousse, brow powder. Love love love. 

My summer look, all put together: 

 

Coming soon: reviews on eyeliners, eyeshadows, and eye creams, all road tested and middle aged approved!