Mama Mia!

  I recently celebrated my 23rd birthday and fortunately was given a coupon code from a Sephora employee for 20% off.  As soon as I saw the coupon I knew exactly what I was going to use it on.  The Clarisonic Mia cleansing system has been on my wish list for quite some time.  The only reason I had been procrastinating on the purchase was because the price is a little steep, the one I got was $119 and that is the smallest one available for purchase.  With the coupon I paid a total of $103.  Not too shabby for a birthday present to myself.  Hey, a girls gotta spoil herself sometime why not on her birthday!?

In case you haven't heard about this product it is a cleansing tool for your face that, according to the makers, clean your skin 6x deeper than manual cleaning. The one that I got only comes with one speed that will stay on for 60 seconds and turn off automatically.  One of the features that I love most about it is that it's waterproof so I can use it in the shower! I have noticed in the fee times I've used it how much smoother my skin is.  I don't really have acne only once in awhile a blemish will appear and be stubborn.  Blackheads are a problem on my nose and I have a couple acne scars so I am hoping this product will just liven up my face and help me achieve an even toned brighter clear face.

Right off the bat, I noticed how it really removes everything that's left under your skin.  Normally, at night I can be a little lazy, so prefer to use makeup cleansing wipes. I used one of those, and washed with the Mia and was amazed at all the residue that is still left on my skin. And to think that I would sleep like that! Now, I am a makeup lover, I love to put on makeup sometimes just for fun.  I definitely think this product is for anyone, but especially if you are like me and can't go a day without makeup.  We must remember in order for our makeup to look flawless we must have a flawless canvas.  This product gives me hope that I can have the best fresh face for me.  I will do another update on this product when I have used it more.  Maybe in another month and then three to six months as well.  I am using it with the bareMinerals Purifying Cleanser (another product I love) because it is gentle but leaves my skin feeling squeaky without over drying.  I follow that with a with hazel toner and Murad moisturizers for day and night.  I also try to do a combination of mask, scrub, or peel to my skin twice a week.  So far is product seems to allow my skin to absorb all those products so much better.  Hope I will see a difference but I will keep you guys posted! Also, if any readers have this product I would love to hear your opinion on it!

The Perfect Pair

Urban Decay Naked Foundation & Urban Decay Dew Me Makeup Setting Spray

For years I have been a fan of all things Urban Decay. From their bright and bold pigmented shadows to their detailed packaging, UD has always been a favorite of mine. Their Surreal Skin Cream to Powder foundation was one I had been using for the last three years. More recently, following the success of their NAKED eye shadow pallets, UD released a new foundation named NAKED.

Initially I was skeptical to try it because I was so used to the cream to powder foundation, however an associate at Sephora mentioned that those foundations will soon be discontinued. With that being said I knew I had to try the new NAKED foundation.

What I liked right off the bat was the amount that came in the bottle. While the cream to powder offers great coverage, such a small amount comes in each compact and I was having to purchase two a month. The NAKED bottle lasted me about two months and let me tell you that a little goes a long way. They each cost about the same price ($35 vs. $40) so you can see how the NAKED is definitely more of a bang for your buck!

Like I said, the compact foundation did offer great coverage so that was something I was hoping the NAKED could live up to. There is a big difference between the two. Although the liquid is very silky it does leave somewhat of a matte finish and I do feel the NAKED offers amazing coverage while coming off much lighter than the compact. It gives you that "naked" look on your skin, while covering up any imperfections and evening the skin tone. The final look is a very natural one but if needed you can always build it if you want a more dramatic night time look.

Because winter is right around the corner and people are prone to drier skin, I decided to go a different route than the normal setting powders. Urban Decay has a line of three makeup setting sprays each claiming to hold your makeup perfectly for up to 16hrs. The one that came home with me was the one titled Dew Me for dry skin. I don't really have dry skin but figured it was a good idea to keep it as moisturized as possible.

The finished look with these two products was so much better than I anticipated. Dew Me left a soft glowy look on my skin without it feeling tightened. Along with the foundation, the finished product is a natural almost angelic glow. It looks like you don't wear much makeup at all which is a look I think most women want to create! Its claim to hold the makeup proved true in my eyes. My face looks just as fresh as it did when first applied. Normally I would need to re-touch my makeup a couple times at work and now I can go the whole shift and even out for drinks after without having to re-apply any makeup. This saves you time and not to mention money as well because your makeup will last longer.

The natural look of the foundation and the dewy look from the setting spray work so well together I can't imagine using a different makeup routine. I get compliments all the time too! If the price of these two scares you a bit just keep in mind that these products are going to last you and they are quality products. You will definitely get what you pay for!