I’ve been on a journey — a powerful one that I fully believe is my purpose. I wanted to come here to write an update to you guys on what to expect going forward.
First, I want to say this blog has been the most empowering thing I have ever started and done. It showed me that whatever you want to do, whatever goal you have — the first step is just to start. I started this blog not knowing anything about the online space, all the technicalities of starting a blog and how much work actually goes into building all of this.
I wanted to say this has been so much fun and I’ve learned and grown so much along the way…
So much that, I decided to go on a different path at ozzybalkanli.com. Although make up will always hold a special place in my heart, I am moving toward self love, self care and development. Of course, here and there make up and skin care will be talked about as it relates to everything, but I will no longer reviewing products often as I did here.
You can read my full story on the about me page and why I’ve decided to change paths. I fully believe helping others with their struggles is my purpose and I am so excited to be getting started!
If you want to follow me, then head on over to my site and download the free super hero meditation! We can email each other that way as well.
That’s all I wanted to say and thank you so much for supporting me.
I’ve been recently getting into more photography and trying to make the design of my blog more cohesive.
I struggle with this because I don’t quite have the artistic eye.
I think a good quality photo is so important for the internet or for your business.
But… as someone who is not so great at it, and is busy with other things, it can be hard to keep up with creating images for your business or blog.
I typically use Canva to create the images you see on this space, but it sure does take time to make it perfect.
Recently, I have been incorporating Style Stock Collection’s photos and it has made things so much easier and faster for me!
I am constantly juggling so many projects at once, and my time is very limited. With their beautiful pictures, I can easily have photos for my blog at my finger tips, without having to go through all the photos in Canva and try to make it more personable.
With Style Stock Collections photos, you get more personalized photos that are more blogger-friendly; especially if you are a lifestyle blogger!
I’ve been really enjoying them, and I think you guys will, too!
They have everything from layouts of tea, notebooks, flowers, plants and anything that will allow you to have the perfect image for to feature your blog posts!
They even have quotes for Instagram, so if you’re like me and love quotes, this makes it easy for you to pick one whenever you are looking for one. You can use their photos for your blog, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and really anything that will allow your business to take it up a notch!
This has made my life so much easier because now I don’t even have to think about it, and if I want to add texts to their photos, I can using Canva.
Where to find them?
If you guys are curious or want to check them out, you guys can visit their site here.
Aspyn Ovard is one of the most successful YouTubers out there. Her channel is mostly about lifestyle related topics, with the inclusion of occasional beauty related topics.
Tarte and Aspyn recently collaborated together to create a beautiful palette and I thought we should talk about it and review it.
I know this has been an overly hyped about palette and, although, I am not a big Aspyn follower, this palette grabbed my attention and I had to see what it was all about myself.
The Good:
The packaging is really what got to me as most products do. If a product has beautiful packaging, the brand has already convinced me 75% of the way in buying their product.
This one has flowers all over it with beautiful rose gold interior. The mirror is huge and amazing to use. Most palette’s have smaller mirrors, which sometimes are not that useful and shouldn’t even be included. The shadows are beautiful colors and the gold one really stands out in my eyes.
I love that there is a blush and a highlighter in this palette, which makes this palette versatile and unlike any others.
The quality of this is what you would expect from Tarte. It resembles the same quality as most of their eye shadow palettes, but some shades are harder to work with. Such as the “Heart of Gold” shade (the gold one) is beautiful, but has so much fall out. I couldn’t even use it with just a brush and had to wet my brush. Usually, I attempt to use glitter shadows first with a brush just to see the quality and this one was probably the worst one I’ve ever used. But once you do use it with a wet brush, it is a beautiful color.
These shadows blend pretty easily and beginner friendly as they are not too pigmented.
The Bad:
This palette is a neutral palette, so any gal that loves a natural, simple look will love the colors….. but they are too hard to work with because they are not pigmented enough. Don’t get me wrong, I love a neutral look, but I had to reach for other palettes to create a look that I wanted it. The shadows are too light that I don’t think many skin tones could use this.
I think a very light skin tone would be fine with this, but other than that, it’s too light for other skin tones. Furthermore, keep in mind, I am considered a light skin tone (when I am not tan), and I struggled big time!
The only colors that I loved from this is the “heart of gold” shade and the blush. Tarte always kills it with their blush, so that wasn’t a surprise.
The darkest color in this is the brown shade, which wasn’t even dark enough. You couldn’t create a soft glam look with it, if that was something that you wanted, which I think is needed in a versatile palette.
As you can see from the swatches, I had a really hard time trying to make sure you could see them in picture. I had to apply a few coats to make sure it was visible.
Is It Worth It?:
Overall, although the packaging is beautiful and I love the gold shade, I don’t think this is worth your money, especially priced at $39. I think you would be better off with a Naked palette, if you wanted a neutral palette with amazing quality. I know that’s so old school, but if you’re only looking to ad a few stable pieces to your makeup collection, urban decay is a must!
I understand if you are a follower of Aspyn and want to support her, then by all means, you should do that. But if you are in it for the makeup, then I think you can definitely save your money.
Side note: I went into Ulta to return this and the cashier lady was like “Girl, this palette sucks!”, and I keep hearing the same thing from other people as well!
What do you guys think? Did you try this palette yet? Let me know!
xx,
Ozzy
“A good life is not one without problems.
A good life is one with good problems.” – Mark Manson
M·A·C lipsticks are some of the best lipsticks out there.
They are known as the classic, the holy-grail and the most raved about lipsticks — all for good reasons too!
You really can’t go wrong with M·A·C. Not only have they built a reputable brand, but they have also been around for so many years now that has, time after time, built amazing products that don’t disappoint.
Growing up, M·A·C was the first makeup product that I’ve ever used, so it definitely holds some meaning to my heart.
My older sister was the one using M·A·C, hence why I had access to their products, and I would always go through her makeup bag and try all of it out.
Honestly, I think I loved her makeup more than she did. I say this because now I’m more knowledgeable than her with makeup and have a bigger collection.
If you are new to M·A·C lipsticks or just wondering what are the top 3 shades that I think every girl needs to have in their collection, then you’ve come to the right place. 🙂
These three shades are well known by many, and are even up on M·A·C’s wall of most talked about shades. They have much more colors to pick from, but not to overwhelm you and keep your wallet happy, I only wanted to include three.
These are three that I use the most and are really timeless shades that I know you will get a lot of use from.
This is probably my favorite lipstick of all time. Yep, I went there. If I had to choose one lipstick to wear for the rest of my life (which would be a sad life, but trying to make a point here….), then I would choose this one. Thankfully, I don’t have to make a tough choice like that! This is a mauve tone, nude shade and I think would go great with any skin tone. This is one that I wear even if I’m not wearing any makeup. It’s a classic shade, absolutely beautiful and easy to wear. You could wear this for prom, for your wedding day, for work, simple everyday – you get it, this is an any occasion type of lipstick!
This is the color that got popular from Kylie Jenner. I’m not usually one to follow what that family is doing, but we are talking about makeup here, so we can put those two things behind. The lip liner for this was so raved about and loved that they made it into a lipstick. I’m so glad it did because this is such a unique color. I love it.
Whirl is a warm brown with a matte finish. It’s an everyday shade and I believe would go with any skin tone. It’s priced at $18.50, which is what most M·A·C lipsticks are priced at. This works for any setting and gives your face such a nice flush of color. If you want a more interesting nude shade, this is for you.
This is the most talked about, most classic red lipstick out there. I’m sure you guys probably already know about this one, but as this is the holy-grail’s of M·A·C lipsticks, I thought it needed to be mentioned. This is again, influenced by a celebrity. A lot of people know this shade from Rihanna wearing it and is the reason I bought it because I thought it looked beautiful on her. As I was taking the pictures for this, I remembered why I didn’t buy Rihanna’s red lipstick from Fenty line because the shades are so similar! I remember thinking “Oh, I have a shade like this, I don’t think it’s worth the money”, well Rihanna, I see what you did there. She wanted to create a shade she loves for her own brand.
This is the perfect red lipsticks for anyone who is hesitant about wearing red. It works great with light skin tones along with darker skin tones. It’s versatile and timeless. I’ve had this lipstick for many years now, which I should probably buy a new one, since it’s so old. This is a pretty drying lipstick as it is a matte formula, which sometimes can get a little annoying, but other than that, it’s not too hard to work with. It’s bright, flirty and so cute! My boyfriend even loved it. 🙂 I’m so thankful to have a boyfriend that appreciates good makeup, of course he tells me I look beautiful with or without it, but I’m happy he understand the beauty of makeup! 🙂
That’s it, guys! Do you guys own any of these lipsticks? These are so popular that I am thinking most beauty fanatics would have them. 🙂
Juvias Place is a brand I recently started getting into and have quickly become obsessed.
Not only are they affordable, but their products are also great quality.
I wanted to share a look I created for you guys with the Zulu palette, which is a go-to look for me.
When you first look at the palette, you might be taken back or not willing to try it since it has some crazy shades, but trust me they are totally easy to work with!
I’ve created two looks with this palette so far, but I’m excited to try even more looks. That’s the beauty of this palette, its versatile and although, the colors may not be what you’re used to working with, it is still an easy palette to create everyday looks with!
Here’s a swatch of all the colors to show you what they look like on the skin:
They are so pigmented, yet so easy to blend! I had no trouble working with them. What I love is that it’s not crazy pigmented to a point where it’s too hard to work with. Of course, as it is bright colors, do be careful to make sure you are applying a little at a time. But even if you are not too careful, I still think it’s easy to not mess up.
Looking at the swatches now, I’m excited to create a look with the bright green color. It is catching my eye!
My best friend initially bought this palette after I introduced her to Juvias Place, which we then ended up trying it out at the same time! Being both makeup fanatics, we both quickly fell in love with this palette and the brand. I am excited to try their other palettes, such as their masquerade one.
What’s exciting about this brand is that they are affordable and they tend to have sales somewhat frequently.
The Zulu palette is on sale for $17.50, which is so affordable. The Masquerade palette is a little more, priced at $25, but it looks like it’s worth it. I love that the Masquerade palette has more browns and more shades with it. I’m definitely eyeing that one for my next purchase.
Make Up Look Using The Zulu Palette:
The first look I created with this palate kind of resembles a sunset (at least, I think so).
I used the orange shade as my transition shade and then used the purple shade for the eyelid space. The purple wasn’t exactly the purple I wanted, so I used a darker purple from a different palette.
This look is so simple that I think anyone can do it. 🙂 If you’re feeling up to it, I think it looks beautiful with a winged eyeliner as well!
I realized I didn’t take a picture of the second look I created with this, but that one was also simple. I used the orange again for transition, then put the pink shimmery on my lid space and the bright pink on my lower lash line. It might sound crazy, but it looked so girly and cute! 🙂
I don’t know about you guys, but I love building up my “Make up” board on Pinterest, so if you’re like me, then pin this for later below!
Anyways, that’s all. Have you guys tried Juvias Place? What do you guys think of them?
Happy Mother’s Day to all my strong, courageous, confident, kind mothers out there! You are truly all amazing and I don’t know how you do half of the things you do! So much love and appreciation to you all. 🙂
I believe a mother is the shaping and molding of a kid, and our stepping stone to this thing called life. And although a mother plays an integral part in your future, if you didn’t have the opportunity to have that role model in your life, sometimes in other ways you can be shaped into becoming even a stronger person, once you realize your potential.
I wanted to share with you guys 5 things my mother has taught me as I believe all mother like figures teach us things that shape us in becoming who we are, positive or not. My mother was a tough one. She was one that you’d be scared to mess with. Growing up, my sister was terrified of my mom and since I was a bit more of a daredevil, I wasn’t as much, to an extent, scared of her. My mom was a “clean freak” and wanted things in her particular ways. To make this short, the sound of a vacuum on a Saturday morning still haunts me to this day….
Then, you get to an age and realize….. your mom was right about everything! (Ugh!) You start to do the things she does and you realize she had a lot of truth in what she was saying, but you were just being a brat and didn’t want to listen. Nowadays, I’m somewhat of a clean freak as well, but to a healthy extend. In my moms definition of it, I’m no where close, but I think that’s perfect for me! 🙂
Since, I am at that age where I realize my moms molding and shaping of me was such an integral step in becoming who I am, I wanted share some of the things my mom has taught me. She’s one of the strongest people I know and everyday I think about how I can be tough like her. She is also compassionate and loving, like most mothers are. And I am so happy to celebrate a day that is dedicated to the woman who sacrifices so much for our lives!
Without Further Ado, Here Are 5 Things My Mother Has Taught Me:
1. Be Stronger Than Life
Not sure if this one sounds a little off in English, but in Turkish it makes perfect sense. Let me explain. This is the one that I think about the most. How courageous is it, though? To be tougher than life. Life isn’t easy and we all go through some hard events and get blind sighted by hard events. My mom has always told me to be the most strongest version of myself so when life hits you with tough situation, you are tougher than what is getting thrown at you to handle it. It’s almost like being ready for battle and that life should be scared of you instead of vice versa. I’ve always taken that mindset with everything I have done. Growing up she would always push me out of the limits I’ve had for myself and never allow me to say I can’t do something. She always believed you can do anything with perseverance.
2. Enjoy Your Life & Keep Your Head Held High
My mom has always told me to enjoy your life, and that it’s the most important thing to do because life really is so short. Not only to enjoy your life but do it confidently following your own path. She has taught me to always keep my focus on my own path and not to care what people think of me. She’s taught me to be a free spirit and that to always keep my spirits high because we only have this precious life to live. She has always told me to ask yourself everyday; “What do I want to do today?” and then to do exactly that. She has told me to keep moving forward and do what you have to do for you.
3. Be Immensely Grateful
My mom is the type of women that can be grateful at any situation for the littlest things. She will see a flower and suddenly be immensely grateful for it. She says thank you to every little thing that she believes is made of magic, which seems to be everything in this life. Nature is her thing and she gets such a high from it. Which I think is where I get my love of nature. I think of her each time I practice gratitude and that we really don’t need so much to be extremely grateful for this life we’ve been given. It definitely makes my gratitude practice much easier thinking of how she can be grateful for anything.
4. Dance Your Way Through Life
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be a dancer but she has told me to dance through each thing you are doing. To do it in elegance, in a free spirit and to not take things so seriously. What she means when she says is that you should always have a positive attitude with each task you are doing. To flow through life with a smile on your face as much as you can.
5. No One Is Superior Than You
This one has gotten me through my professional years when its necessary to speak to higher up team mates. It’s still something I try to incorporate, but it totally makes sense. No one is superior than you because everyone is special in their own way and have different things to offer. Someone’s accomplishments shouldn’t be the defining point of who they are as a person. At the end of the day we are all human. She has taught me to be confident in what I have to offer and that it is nothing less than my managers.
My mom was a tough cookie, but now I appreciate her so much more for everything she has taught me and strive to be more like her everyday. I hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones, and don’t forget to call your mom!! 🙂
Until next time.
XX,
Ozzy
“Never apologize for being a powerful women.” – Unknown
Flower beauty officially launched at Ulta a few months back and it’s been all the hype in the beauty world.
If you did not know already, Flower Beauty was created by the lovely Drew Barrymore, which only makes us, makeup junkies that more intrigued. Drew Barrymore’s hit movie “50 First Dates” were the epitome of relationship goals. If you haven’t watched it yet, girl what are you doing, you’re missing out!
Apparently, Flower Beauty has been around since 2012, and just recently launched at Ulta.
To be honest, I only tried this makeup line because of my love for Drew Barrymore. She is such a kind-hearted soul and I had to see how her creation measured up to her success in the media business.
I didn’t really have high hopes for it as I haven’t yet found an affordable brand that I’ve been wildly impressed with. At least definitely not for foundations. But to my surprise, Flower Beauty is absolutely something to talk about….
Review:
Flower Beauty is sold at Ulta, like I’ve mentioned above, and has variety of products to achieve a full face look. I only picked up her foundation, concealer and blush, which were all products that were the most hyped about. I’ve been wearing these products for the past month, almost everyday. For me personally, I know if I will like a face product within a few tries, if not the first try. But, for a full in depth review, I wanted to make sure I knew everything about these products before I mentioned it to you guys, which is why I tried it for a month before writing this.
Foundation:
This foundation promises to be luminous and have a nude-skin feel. I can attest that it definitely does have both of those feels to it. The foundation also has spf of 18, which I don’t really get the number, but hey, it’s still something!
I am absolutely so impressed with the foundation. I cannot believe how amazing it is, especially for the price point. It is full coverage and leaves your skin looking like skin. Honestly, if there is any drug-store or affordable brand foundation you want to get, this has to be it. This feels luxurious and works just as well as some of my high-end foundations. It has a dewy finish, but it doesn’t feel oily or heavy. I don’t think any of my oily skin people will have a problem with it. It really feels universal to me as far as having it work for anyone. It’s super creamy and applies smoothly without any patches. I’ve always had a problem with drug-store brands being patchy on my skin, but not with this one! The shade I have been using is warm beige L4.
Concealer:
This one is also creamy and the tip of it reminds me of the Nars concealer. It works just as beautifully. It may not be as good as Tarte Tape Shape, but it gets pretty darn close. If you are trying to save money and are in need of a good concealer, I would highly recommend you this one. I mean it’s all I’ve been wearing all month long, which to me says a lot. The shade I am using is L3-4 Light.
Blush:
This blush is everything you need. It gives you the most beautiful finish and color to your face. I always get scared with drug-store brands having too much pigment in their blush, but not this one, it’s the perfect amount. It’s your classic blush. The shade I have is Sweet Pea and it works really well with my skin tone. This is currently the most highly-rated product from her line at Ulta. The foundation comes in second and concealer is fourth.
Packaging:
Her packaging definitely has a hippie vibe as expected. The foundation has a pump, the concealer feels luxurious and resembles a Nars concealer and the blush is packaged simple, but beautifully, with a flower embedded on it.
For me, I think Flower Beauty gets 10/10 for packaging. The fact that the foundation has a pump is always a positive and the concealer being easy to use and resembling a high-end brand is something that most drug-store brands don’t do. The blush is equally beautiful to look at and use.
Durability:
I’ve used it with a primer and without one and it didn’t make a difference! You can’t say that with most foundations. Typically, with most foundations, you need to use a primer for best results and durability, but not with this one! Of course, definitely use one still if you have a primer, but if you don’t have one you are good to go!
I like that it doesn’t promise you certain number of hours of wear because honestly, I feel like that’s always crazy. Like no foundation should last you 24 hours because you need to let your skin be free at night. This foundation says it’s an all-day wear, which is reasonable. I can also attest that it does last all day. It looks equally as beautiful as when you first applied it. I’m not one to repurchase a drug-store or affordable brand foundations, but this one definitely wins my heart for me to want to do that. The concealer is equally great, but you know my love for Tarte, that it’s hard to confess all my love for this concealer. It’s beautiful nonetheless, it just won’t ever have my full heart – I’m sure you get it…
Price:
This is a wallet-friendly brand – with most products being under $15. The foundation is priced at $13.99, blush and concealer are both $9.99. It’s such a steal; seriously, I cannot wait to try out her other products. Currently, her liquid matte color is the third most popular from her brand and I’m already thinking I need those as well! You really cannot beat the price point and the quality of this brand.
Overall…
I’d say, don’t look anywhere else for affordable makeup, you’ve hit the jackpot with Flower Beauty. I can imagine now that this is at Ulta, other affordable brands will have to step up their game because this brand truly feels luxurious and resembles high-end products. It makes me happy because you can actually get makeup that’s both affordable and fabulous. I wouldn’t rave about it this much if it weren’t true.
Let me know if you’ve tried any of her other products and what you think about them!
Until next time…
XX,
Ozzy
“EMBRACE uncertainty. Some of the most BEAUTIFUL chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later. – Unknown
This is not sponsored. All opinions are my own, and always will be. For full disclosure of this site, please read this.
I seriously can’t believe it’s May already. I’m really excited and happy that summer’s right around the corner! I have so many little road trips planned on my mind and can’t wait to just drive and be free. 🙂
The other day I was thinking/being mindful of the moment and realized, although I don’t like the winter because it’s cold, sometimes hot weather doesn’t have its great qualities, either. Such as being stuck in a train with all sweaty people and feeling like you can’t breathe from the hot weather (yes, this actually happened to me!).
Boston’s getting pretty hot! But, what I’m trying to say is, I think it’s best to enjoy each moment as it is and not wait for one particular season because you like it the best. Winter has its perks and so does summer. 🙂 It’s all about your focus that allows you to stay positive, so I hope that these songs will help you with that kind of mindset.
This mindset also reminds me of missing someone because you keep thinking about the positive, but in reality the relationship or the person can be just as cold as winter….
Sometimes we put too much focus on one thing, or the future, where all we have to do is stay present in the most precious moment – which is now.
May’s Spotify playlist has been mostly country. I’ve been really getting into Kacey Musgraves. Actually, I have been OBSESSING over all her songs. Her songs make me want to lay down at a park in the grass with my headphones and have the sun shine on me, while relaxing and daydreaming. Doesn’t that sound so relaxing?! Well, Kacey’s voice is powerful to be able to put you in that state of mind. I’ve been listening to all her songs like; “Follow Your Arrow”, “Merry Go ‘Round” and “Butterflies” on repeat, which all have great points about our life. I love her vibe and that all her songs are about following your intuition and heart, forgetting about what society thinks about you or allowing your decisions to be made by them, and to just go with the flow. I love that. I think it’s so important to question things, to question the ‘norm’ and to follow what feels right inside. Just because something has been done a certain way for so long doesn’t mean the method is perfect. And just because society doesn’t approve of something that is not widely known to feel comfortable doing, doesn’t always mean you shouldn’t do it.
That’s all I got for now! Let me know what you’ve been loving, I still want to add a lot more to my list! Also, does anyone else listen to a song about 20 times in a day when they love it? I’ve listened to the number one on the list over 100 times already and its only been a week since I started listening to Kacey! 🙂
My Spotify is ozge18, if you would like to follow me there. And let’s become friends on Instagram! If you follow me, let me know, I’ll follow back. I want to get to know everyone. 🙂
xx,
Ozzy
The idea is not to live forever, but to create something that will. – Andy Warhol
This is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own, and always will be. For full disclosure of this site, please read this.
This month’s favorites are a long one! I tried so many amazing products and I know I will be using them for many months ahead.
I wanted to also give the three products that I think are not worth the money in here as well in case you were thinking of buying them. Let me know if that is something you guys like and I can keep doing the things I didn’t like either!
Okay, I was super hesitant to buy this because it’s expensive. Like $42 for a bronzer…What?! But, I’ve heard amazing things about this product, so I had to know what all the hype was about. And thankfully, it did not disappoint! Guys, seriously this is the BEST bronzer I have ever used. It knocked my Benefit Hoola bronzer out of first place, which is crazy to me. This gives you the most beautiful finish. It seriously looks like a natural bronze you would get from the sun. I feel like I am not even wearing makeup, but that I just came from a vacation. 🙂 The little brush it comes with is also useful and it’s what I’ve been using at the gym to get ready with. It’s made nicely where you can really contour your face with it. The palette is huge, so I’m thinking this will last me a while (hopefully!).
Here’s another product that’s been highly hyped about in the beauty community and I highly think it’s worth it, too. It’s a gold highlighter, but it leaves your skin looking so beautiful and natural. I can definitely see this will be a hit for the summer as it will look great with a tan! If you haven’t gotten into highlighters yet, I would definitely recommend this one or any of Becca’s products.
Makeup Revolution Sophx Highlighter Palette
Okay, now I know why my list for April is so long, it’s because I tried all the highly hyped up products! Here’s another one….The great thing about this highlighter is that it’s affordable! I purchased this one from Ulta and have been loving it. There’s so many different shades that you can use for different looks, which I love. If you are a makeup artist, then you will love this as there’s a shade for almost anyone. I love that there’s also a white shade, which you can use as a crease highlight in your eyes. I’ve been using this palette with the Anastasia Beverly Hills highlighter above and it’s been a pretty blinding (but beautiful) highlight on my face! 🙂
Believe it or not, this is my first time trying out this primer. This is a oldie, but a goodie product. I think it’s nice to mention this now for anyone that is getting ready for prom or their wedding, this is the primer for you! It photographs beautifully without any flashbacks. I used to be scared to try this because I used to have oily skin and I thought this would work terribly on my oily skin and feel gross, but it definitely doesn’t! It’s not heavy at all and feels your skin feeling moisturized and silky, but all in good ways! It definitely allows for a beautiful foundation application as well. Since this is a silicone base primer, it will tend to do that where the silicone acts as a slate for your face!
This was my first product I tried from Hourglass and it did not disappoint! Wait, I think I tried their primer too, but that was given to me as a gift with my points from Sephora, so that doesn’t count!! 🙂 Anyways, again I understand the hype about this product. This is one of the best foundations I have ever tried. It leaves your skin looking like….skin! It covers everything you want it to and makes you look like you have no makeup on. I’m a seriously full coverage type of gal, so when I am going out, I’ve been mixing this with my Giorgio Armani foundation (which I restocked during the Sephora sale :)!). I think this is a great everyday foundation on its own, but if you want night time glam, you can definitely benefit from mixing it with another foundation! It will give you the most beautiful finish, trust me!
I’ve been using this product for a while now and wasn’t sure if I ever mentioned it. This has quickly become my ride or die product. What I love about it is, if you are running late and want your eyebrows to look presentable or just a little better, you can just apply this without fully doing your eyebrows, and you are good to go! I’ve been wearing this a lot by itself because it’s easy and quick. If you use the hourglass foundation, this gel and mascara, then you got yourself an easy 5 minute makeup look!
Lipsticks:
Picture originally from Female Thoughts
Guys, the struggle is real. I picked up amazing nude shades this past month and fell in love with them all, which then thought they deserved their own little category! I know that I will be using all of these all throughout the summer, spring, fall, winter… you catch my drift – all the time!
This one I recently purchased and have been dying to buy months before. This one reminds me of the good ol’ days when lip glosses were much more popular and that’s what almost everyone wore. I love how girly this color makes me feel and that it has a slight minty feel to it. It’s not overpowering and very subtle. The thing that does stink about lip glosses is that they don’t last as long as lip sticks, but that’s ok this one’s worth it. I know this will look absolutely beautiful with a tan in the summer! If you are not willing to spend $28 (which I totally get), then I believe BareMinerals has a similar product here, that you can get for about $9 less.
This lipstick is my first product I’ve tried from Lime Crime and I am so impressed. I’ve heard great things about this brand and I couldn’t wait to try this shade. I think this is probably my favorite nude of all time. Watch out, makeup-for-ever-nude-lipstick-that-I’ve-loved-for-over-a-year-now, this is my new jam! Seriously, the most beautiful nude. It’s a very neutral nude and I think would look amazing with smoky eyes!
Okay, so the Lime Crime lipstick above and this one really were fighting for first place in my crazy-makeup-obsessed brain. And it was tough to choose, and although Lime Crime won, this is another absolutely amazing lip shade. All I’m wondering is where has this shade been all my life?! I am so in love with this, too and I’ve been wearing the two back and forth. I am finally thinking I don’t think I need any other lip stick in my life (we’ll see how long this lasts). This nude has a little bit more of a pink undertone so could be a better pair if you have more colorful look in your eyes!
Lastly, this has been something I’ve been wearing all month long as well. This is one of those lipsticks that you can just apply without even looking in a mirror. It’s more like a tint, but you can definitely notice the color. I love this color in particular and think it gives my face the most beautiful flush of color. I know it will also look amazing with a tan. I’ve been using this lipstick as more like a chapstick, although it doesn’t even have the properties to be a chapstick, but you know the struggles of wanting to look glam!
Hair Products:
I have two hair products this month, which I know have officially become my ride-or-die and I have been using them almost everyday! All I’ve been wondering is how did I go through life without these two products! Was that a bit dramatic?…. Well, you can’t stay calm when your hair is on point because of these two products!
Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo
You guys know Livingproof dry shampoo has been my jam for quite a while now. But then this came into my life and it has changed my life for the better. The thing that was bothering me with Livingproof is that I would run out of it so quickly, it felt so hollow. I feel that I won’t have the same issue with this one. Also, I definitely notice that this one works better than the Livingproof one! I also love the scent to this. It’s a win-win situation. 🙂
Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser Invisible Oil
I’ve been using this a lot at the gym and have been loving it. It’s great for anyone that travels but also great for anyone who wants to have hair goals! I love this one because it leaves my hair feeling so silky and smooth and I love that it is protecting my hair against heat. I can’t remember if I wrote this in another favorites post, but regardless, you need to hear it again. I love this! It’s 100x better than the “It’s a Ten” junk we all grew up using. Trust me, you gotta upgrade, girlie and you will thank me! 🙂
Lastly….
Okay this is the last one from my favorites list. We are (finally) coming to an end.
I’m not sure if I ever mentioned how much I love the Neutrogena wipes, but I sure do. I use them almost everyday, but it doesn’t quite get all of my mascara. I knew I needed to do something about it instead of waking up with raccoon eyes. This product has been a life saver, also age saver since it allows me to take off all my makeup (wrinkles, go away!). I dip my q-tip in this and take off all of my mascara and residue makeup left on my eyes. I honestly finally feel good about having all my makeup off! I used to use this one before I bought this one and I think it is great to bring with you on the go!
Now, the three products I did not like:
I wanted to mention these products to save you from spending your money. Of course, you may have a different opinion than me and this is just what did not work for me and everyone is different, so please keep that in mind.
So, I don’t hate or love this product. I like it, but don’t love it. I think for its price point it could be better. I know so many people rave about this and love it, but for me I thought it was hard to use. It does kind of resemble the “Better Than Sex” mascara, in my opinion, but it doesn’t leave any residue at the end of the day like “Better Than Sex” does. Which for that reason, I think some people will love this. I just think it doesn’t give me the results I want quickly. I’m a very on-the-go type of gal and need things to be efficient. With this mascara, I feel like I have to apply so many layers until I reach a point where I am content. Don’t get me wrong, once I reach it, it truly is beautiful! Overall, if you love your “Better Than Sex” mascara, then I would say stick with that one. And if you did not like “Better Than Sex” because it has some residue at the end of the day, then try this one out!
I was disappointed to find out this was not as great as the one that comes in the pink package. I just feel like it didn’t give me the volume I wanted and was hard to work with. This one is more on the affordable side, so if you absolutely want to try for yourself, you can, but I don’t think it’s worth it.
Okay, now this is a product that I think no one needs. It’s super hard to work with. It’s very watery and you can mess up your look so quickly. The tip is too long and flimsy. It’s really not good at all. Once the product is on, it does look nice, but again, if you have the time to really work through it and the patience, then you do you, but for those reasons I’m out! (#SharkTankReference).
Okay guys, that is all! This was a long one for sure, but I hope you learned something new and let me know if there is any products that you guys are excited to try!
Until next time….
xx,
Ozzy
This is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own. There are links to the products mentioned above, which will lead you to the sites where you may purchase the products, which I could receive a small commission from. For full disclosure of this site, please read this.
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.” – Oscar Wilde
This past weekend was the VIB sale at Sephora and of course I had to take advantage of that! For those of you that don’t know about the sale, it happens twice a year; once in the fall and once in the spring time. For fall, the sale is 20% and in the spring it is 15% (unfortunately). Nonetheless, it’s a great time for anyone to pick up their favorite makeup products at a discounted price as Sephora tends to not have sales outside of those two times.
I believe today is the last day of the spring sale, so if you are still looking to purchase, you still have a chance!
I’m excited to share with you guys what I’ve purchased because I purchased all the holy-grail items that different beauty guru’s on YouTube have recommended along with mine. I wanted to make sure I was spending my money (somewhat) wisely on products that I would get a good use out of and know that they are the best of the best. Some of the items are ones I am repurchasing and absolutely love. So, if you are still looking to purchase something, this list might be a good place to get some ideas!
This mascara has been raved about so many times and I kept putting off buying it because I wanted to exhaust all my drug-store options first. I was so curious about it yesterday and ended up trying it on my way back from Sephora. From first impressions, I’m honestly kind of shocked at how it works. It looks so natural, but yet gives you crazy volume. It almost looks like they are your natural lashes and that you just wake up with beautiful long lashes! (Insert: I woke up like this comment.) I’m excited to keep trying this on to see how I really like it. If you are a gal or guy that doesn’t like clumping, then you will like this mascara.
This, apparently, is supposed to be one of the best eyeliners out there and I had to give it a try. It’s meant to be really good for the water line, where most liners tend to wipe away after a few hours, while this one lasts longer. Let’s see how this one holds up and as always, a full review will be on my monthly favorites if it ends up working out for me.
This lip gloss has been around for a while now and is highly liked by the beauty community on YouTube. This is one of those holy-grail products that beauty gurus love. Especially the shade Sugar Sugar, which is the one I’ve purchased.
I feel like it’s such a perfect color for the spring/summer and brings me back to the days of wearing lip glosses all the time. I think this is such a cute, girly color and I know I will get a good use out of it. The scent is a bit minty and feels refreshing on your lips. It has a little stopper at the top so you never get excessive amount of product that you don’t need. It is on the pricier side of things, but I think every girl needs one go-to gloss that they can count on!
If you’ve been around my little community here at Memoallure, then you know this is my holy-grail foundation. This is the quickest foundation I’ve ever ran out of from. Usually, foundations last me a while, but I love this one so much that it didn’t even last me 6 months! You will love this if you love a natural, but dewy finish. It’s not matte nor a complete full coverage as matte foundations can be. But, don’t give up on it just because I said it’s not full coverage, it absolutely covers everything you need it to, it’s just not as intense as some foundations are. Trust me, I’m a full coverage type of gal and I love this. Give it a try and I am sure you will love it!
This is not new to me and I am just restocking. Again, another holy-grail product. This is a great setting powder that leaves your skin feeling soft, flawless and allows your foundation/concealer to last much longer. If you are getting ready for prom or wedding season, this is a must! It photographs so beautifully and doesn’t have any flashback! If you are looking to save some money, here’s my little “trick” on affording it; buy the travel size! That’s what I did before I bought this one and its lasted me such a while.
This is probably my 3rd or 4th one of these, so you could say I like this quite a bit. I just ran out of mine and desperately needed this in my life again. I think this is great for around this season as it is getting warmer around here and we all need something that’ll last us through the sweaty days! If you like to wear makeup in the pool or ocean, then again this is a great pick. You really can’t go wrong with this, it’s pretty amazing and super easy to use.
This has been raved about by Jaclyn Hill for so long now, along with so many other YouTubers. It really is so amazing for anyone that has dry/normal skin. I am not sure how it works for oily skin, but if you’re into dewy skin, then you will probably like this! I bought this before and repurchasing because I need it back in my life. Jaclyn shows you exactly how to use it in this video, if you’d like to check it out. She also suggests some AMAZING products in this video, so definitely a good one to check out. I purchased the travel size for this. As I mentioned above, great way to try out products, but also save some money for the moment. I’m sure looking at how much product is in each size, you’d save money buying the full size, but if you don’t want to blow all your money at once, then travel size is the way to go!
This is my third bottle I have purchased of this. It’s one of the easiest exfoliators and leaves your skin feeling so smooth. All you have to do is put it on your skin in the shower, which works great with the steam, and leave it on for about 2 minutes (less if you have sensitive skin) and wipe it off. If you are a busy gal like me, then you will be all for this!
This is my second one from her collection. I was so shocked at how beautiful this is. It says it is a great alternative for a gel manicure and I really think so, too. It, of course, doesn’t last as long as a gel manicure, but it sure does get pretty close. It also does have almost the same appearance as if you got one. I love this because in the long run you can save so much money. This is more expensive than most nail polishes, but trust me, it’s worth it!
That is all from my haul! Did you guys purchase anything from this sale? Is there anything you would like me to try out? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for reading. 🙂
xx, Ozzy
Disclaimer: This is not sponsored by any of the brands I have mentioned above. If you would like to support my blog, then you can by purchasing something from any of the links I’ve provided, which I may receive a small commission for. For full disclosure, please read this.
Admire someone else’s beauty without questioning your own.” – Unknown
