My Skincare Routine

My Skincare Routine 

      Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. This week I'm sharing my skincare routine. I have normal combination skin, keep that in mind as you are reading. Taking care of your skin is very important, but I'm sure I don't need to tell you this. I cannot stress how important it is to ALWAYS take your makeup off at the end of the day. I purchased my products at Ulta and from Avon. If you don't have an Avon chicky I will link my friend's information below if you want to place an order with her to try some products out. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and thank you so much for reading. Don't forget to subscribe, I post every Sunday! Feel free to leave any comments or questions below and I will respond as soon as I can.            ~You are Beautiful                                                                                                                           Makeup By Alex 

Mornings:

               1. I use Philosophy Purity as my face wash. This is a little on the pricey side, but it is worth every penny. It is good for all skin types and feels very gentle on the face. This also has a really nice clean scent which I like. 

           2. For my moisturizer I use Mario Badescu Oil Free SPF 17 Moisturizer. Even though I have now matured out of oily skin; I still feel like oil free products are always good. This has no scent so if you have sensitive skin this is a great pick. 

That is all I do for my morning skin routine, its pretty easy and fast. 

Night:

         1. My night routine is a little bit more lengthy and I alternate between products. If I have makeup on I like Garnier Makeup Wipes, it gets the majority of makeup off. For my cleanser I will use either the Purity or Avon Skin Clearing Blackhead Eliminating Cleanser. The Avon cleanser has little exfoliating beads in it which is great for blackheads and getting off all the dead skin, or any left over makeup. Now you can use either or everyday and night if you want to, but it is always good to exfoliate your face with some days. I alternate because I have dry skin so I don't want to over exfoliate to dry my skin out more. I pair my Avon cleanser with the Olay Pro-X Cleansing System (cheaper version of the Clarisonic). I pair these two together because they are a great way to exfoliate and deep clean your face. 

2. After cleansing my face I like to use a toner some nights. Right now I am loving Avon Skin Clearing Blackhead Eliminating toner. It is a little strong so a little bit goes a long way. Used in moderation your skin will not get sucked dry. 

3. Now after I cleanse my skin and put toner on I will do one of two things. Once a week I do a mask. There a few different ones that I cycle through; which I will share in a later blog. For now I'll just put mask.
   If I am not doing a mask then I my next product is a serum. I use Flebot which has whitening crystals in them. I picked this up at the Face Shop which is a Korean brand. I am no expert in all Korean beauty products, but I will say that this is an amazing serum. It has a natural plant extract in it that acts like retinol A, but without the harsh side effects. It smells amazing and feels so good on your face. The best way to describe it is, you get a super smooth and plump feeling. I think this has dramatically changed my skin, to looking even, and less redness that I had.

4. I finish up my routine with Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream. Words can't describe how amazing this feels. It is a little thick, so if you have dry skin this is your night cream! A little bit goes a long way. I literally just dab small dots on my face and then blend it all in. Let it sit on your face for a few minutes and let your skin absorb it. You will have beautiful soft skin in the morning. This is also great if you have any chapped skin anywhere. Dab a little bit during the day and at night and in a couple days, your chapped skin is gone!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. I put in a lot of hard work to make each week something different. I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. 
See you next week! 

Where to find these products:
*Order Avon products through my wonderful friend Katie: youravon.com/katiek
* Face Shop: international.theFaceShop.com
* Ulta (Mario Badescu products, Olay Pro X, Garnier wipes) ULTA.com
 

Top 10 Favorite Drugstore Products

Top 10 Favorite Drugstore Products

Thanks for stopping by to check out my top 10 drugstore products. I have to admit that even with all the high end products out there, I tend to always to grab my drugstore stuff. There isn't just makeup in this one, it is a variety of my favorites. I have put prices, but they may be different depending on where you live. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below and I will respond as soon as I can. I hope you all had a great weekend, and don't forget to subscribe. I post every Sunday.                                                                                                ~Makeup By Alex, You are Beautiful,

 

1. Maybelline Loose Powder (Price $4.49)

       This is a shine free, oil controlling powder. I have it in translucent, but I believe it comes in a few other shades. This is a great loose powder that I use either to set my liquids or as my base before I put on my foundation. I have also used it by itself to even out my skin and get rid of any shine. It is a great versatile powder to have in your collection. The only thing I don't recommend is putting this in your purse it can get a little messy even if you don't pull the sticker off completely. I would keep a pressed powder on you for touch ups instead.  

2. Revlon Lash Potion, Volume and Length (Price $4.99)

       This comes in 2 other types I believe, but this is the one I have. Mascara is something you really don't need to spend a lot of money on. It doesn't have a long shelf life like most of your makeup, so why not save where you can? I like this one because the wand is the right size and it is great to use with false eyelashes. It doesn't clump when you are layering coats, and the packaging couldn't be any prettier. 

3. L'Oreal Lacquer Liner 24H, Navy (Price $7)

        I love this liner because it is easy to use and stays put all day. The brush it comes with is alright if you don't plan on doing a winged look. I use a small angled brush when I do my winged look, and I still blend and set it with an eyeshadow powder. Even though it says Navy as the color it is very dark and looks Black. I think this is one of the best gel liners out there today.

4. SOHO Smokey Eye Brush Set, Pack of 3 ($8)

          I picked this up a few weeks ago and it has become an essential part of my kit. It comes with a big blending brush, smaller smudge brush, and a small angled brush. I use these for any look I'm doing it doesn't have to be just for smokey eyed looks. These have been cleaned and disinfected many times and I haven't had any fallout of bristles. They are super soft and great quality for the price; you really can't go wrong with these little gems. 

5. L'Oreal Volume Filler Conditioner ($3.99) and the Concentrate ($5.99)

          I put these together because you can't have one without the other. The concentrate comes with 3 little cartridges and you use them once a week with the conditioner. I put a little bit of conditioner on my hand then add the concentrate, then add some more conditioner on top so it is sandwiched in there. Rub your palms together so it gets mixed together and apply to your hair and leave it in for 5 minutes. This stuff smells awesome and I feel like it does act as a filler for my fine hair. I don't use this conditioner everyday because it is a filler and can cause some build up, just use it a couple times a week. 

6. Garnier Fructis Style, Volumizing Anit-Humidity Hairspray (Price $3.49)

         I have used Garnier hairspray for years, it is one of my favorite products and it smells so good. This is a great medium light hold and I love it to use on those pesky fly aways we all get. It has a strength hold of 3 so you won't get helmet head, but you it will hold your style all day. I live in a very dry state so I don't know about the humidity control, so if you live somewhere humid and use this let me know how it works for you. 

7. Skin Below the Chin Body Scrub, Apple Butter (Price $6)

         I picked this up mainly because it smells so amazing, and I love anything with an apple base scent. Before washing my body I exfoliate with this first. Your skin will feel so smooth and soft; a little goes a long way too. 

8. Herbal Essence Body Wash, Hello Hydration (Price $3.99)

        We all know how delicious Herbal Essence shampoos smell, so can you imagine their body washes? Oh yes they smell just as amazing. The Hello Hydration is the one I am using now and it has coconut extract in it and it feels wonderful on your skin, not to mention the smell is tropical. I have also used this as a bubble bath, it doesn't make a ton of bubbles but it makes for a great smelling bath.

9. Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Vanishing Treatment Cream (Price $8.99)

        I think at some point or another in our teenage years we have used Clearasil products. I know that even in my late 20's I still get breakouts here and there. This on the spot treatment is great for any pimples that pop up. My recommendation is to use this at night after you wash your face. I dab a big blob over my zit and go to bed. Depending on the size it can be gone by the next day or its gone in 2 days. The tube says it will reduce pimples in 4hrs, but I really just use it as an overnight treatment. 

10. Bath Shoppe Ultra Softening Bath Salt, Lavender and Chamomile (Price $3.50)

         My last product is a really nice bath salt. If you're like me and love to take baths some nights to help relax, this is a wonderful product to have and you can't beat the price. The scent isn't too strong either which I like because sometimes Lavender can come off a little strong, but this makes a great pair with the chamomile. Bath salts are great for your body, and this has skin softening benefits. Make a date with this little goodie and have a nice relaxing hot bath to soothe your stress away.

* I hope you enjoyed reading my favorites this week. I love sharing affordable products with you all. If there are any little goodies that you like to use please share them in the comments below. I love seeing what other people are using and learning about new products. Thank you for reading, and if you want to see what else I have to share don't forget to subscribe! 

NYX Eyeshadow Palettes

NYX Eyeshadow Palettes

     Happy Sunday my beauties! I have put together a list of 6 NYX eyeshadow palettes that I use on clients as well as myself. These eyeshadows are amazing, and they are very reasonably priced. I bought all my palettes at Ulta or you can go to nyxcosmetic.com. I took pictures of swatches as well so you can see how they look on skin. There are a few shades that are a little to too light for me;  or they match my skin tone. They will show up great on fair to darker skin (Olive skin you won't want to use the light peach to almost white shades). You'll be able to achieve gorgeous looks with these eyeshadows. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. If you want to keep up to date on my blog don't forget to subscribe! I have new posts every Sunday.

Thanks for reading,

Makeup By Alex

1. NYX Love in Paris, C'est La Vie

      This is a 9 color palette, and they are all shimmer colors. I love making looks with the Gold and Greens. The packaging is so cute and doesn't take up a lot of space. It's a great palette for both Spring and Fall. There are 12 different palettes in this line, all of them are so beautiful. Price $10

 2. NYX The Natural Shadow Palette

      This is a 6 color palette with 2 mattes and 4 shimmer. I love this palette it looks great on everyone and I use the brown to fill in eyebrows. I use this palette on most of clients no matter what look I'm doing. It is a great palette to have if you're a busy chick and like natural makeup for your everyday look. Price $8

I have Olive skin so some of the lighter colors don't show up as well.

 3. NYX Sex Bomb Shadow Palette

      This sexy little 6 color palette has 4 mattes and 2 shimmers. For hot date nights or special occasions this is perfect. I like that it has a lot of matte colors because it makes it great for any age or skin type. Looking at the Red you're pry thinking where in the heck do I put that color? I like to line my upper lash line to add a pop of color. Take a pencil brush and wet it then pick up the red and line your eyes, it gives you a very sultry look with a smokey eye. Sex Bomb really is "da bomb". Price $8 

4. NYX Dream Catcher Palette, Stormy Skies

     This is a 10 color baked shadow palette with 5 matte and 5 shimmers. I think this is another great palette that you can go natural or dramatic; you have all the colors you need. My favorite is doing a light smokey eye with the Purple. Price$ 14.99

5. NYX Dream Catcher Palette, Dusk Til Dawn

     This is another palette in the Dream Catcher line it has 2 mattes and 8 shimmers. This is a great palette for a natural glam look. It has great natural colors to make beautiful Spring and Summer looks. The bronze colors are my favorite to use to make a great sun kissed shimmer look. Price $14.99

 6. NYX Wicked Dreams Palette

     This bad boy has 24 colors with a great mix of matte and shimmers. I think this is the ultimate palette to have because you can do so much with it. There is a great variety of dark and light colors; you can be as natural as you want, and then be a smokey eyed hottie at night. I use this palette on a lot of my clients as well when I am doing a smokey eye on them, the blues are amazing. Price $14.99

First row across the top

Middle row

Last row 

(There are a few shades that are too light for me, but they are there)

  

     Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. I hope you found this helpful and fun. I will do a tutorial with some of these palettes. If you would like to see a certain palette let me know in the comments. Like always if you have any comments or questions please leave them and I will get back to you as soon as I can. 

Have a wonderful week!

~ You are Beautiful

My Top 6 Affordable Foundations

My Top 6 Affordable Foundations

            When it comes to foundations there are a zillion products out there. There are some that are crazy expensive as well. I have put together a list of the top 6 foundations that I have really liked using and are affordable. There is one BB cream in that list because as we get into summer I think that BBs are a good item to have when it is hot out. I have found all but one of these at my local drugstore or Target. I will list the prices but they may vary depending on where you live. Also, each of these foundations have different coverage levels depending on what you are looking for.  I hope you enjoy this and find it helpful.I have new posts every Sunday, so to stay up to date please subscribe!
Have a wonderful week!

1. L’Oreal Lumi Foundation

This is a great one for dry to normal skin. For oily skin I would dust some translucent powder before applying to reduce any shine. This is a medium coverage and has a dewy satin finish to it. I think it is a great one for summer. It comes in 12 shades and is part of the True Match collection. I think all the Lumi products are really amazing. This goes on super smooth whether you use your hands, sponge, or brush. I personally use a flat top stippling brush and it goes on like a charm. It is a water based foundation so it will be super hydrating on your skin and if you live here in Colorado that is always a good thing to have. Overall, this is great for a summery dewy glow with light to medium coverage and SPF 20. Price $12

2. Revlon Photo Ready Foundation

This amazing little guy comes in 12 shades which is great. It has been compared to Makeup Forever HD Foundation, but with a little more dewy feeling. I think this is a great foundation for everyday wear or if you have something special coming up and you will be taking photos. One side note to this is that it does have SPF 20 in it so if you are planning on taking a lot of flash photos try to use a moisturizer with NO SPF in it to limit any flash back (use a small amount of night cream or a hydrating primer). Other than that this foundation goes on smooth and is very easy to blend, and easy to adjust if you get a shade too light. I would suggest using a setting powder with this as it does tend to get a little shiny over time. I think this is great for normal to dry, but oily peeps out there just use loose powder before application.  I would say the finish is a satin almost matte finish, and it is medium to full coverage that is buildable. Price $8

3. Wet n’ Wild COVERALL Cream Foundation

        I know when you think of WnW you are thinking back to middle school, and all those lip glosses. Over the years this company has put out some great products. I use a few of them and for the cost the quality is really surprising. This is a light to almost medium coverage and is good for normal to oily skin. My side notes are; absolutely use a primer and setting powder with it. It can get a little shiny, but for the price it really isn’t too bad. There aren’t too many shades to choose from I want to say there were 6, so if you are in between shades maybe this one isn’t for you. I rank this foundation as an emergency product or for a newbie who just wants to play around with makeup without spending a lot. Price $4

 4. Maybelline Super Stay 24Hr Foundation

    This is one of my favorite foundations. I think I use this one most of the time it is just amazing, and good for all skin types. My only note for this is if you are oily you may get a little shine at the end of the day but you may not,; have some touch up powder just in case. This is a great full coverage product and  is oil free. I don’t believe there is an SPF in it so make sure if you are going out your moisturizer has an SPF. I have not left it on my face for a whole 24hrs but I can say that during a typical 8 hour day it has stayed put. It will literally stay on your face until you wash it off. I use makeup remover wipes before washing my face. It comes in 8 shades and I didn’t have a problem finding one to fit me. I think it is a must have for summer. Price $9

5. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

    This is an 8 in 1 Beauty Balm skin protector with SPF 30. This is a great summer product as well if you are looking something for lighter. It oxidases after you put it on so it looks like skin. It also blurs imperfections, smoothes, hydrates and is oil free. When I wear this out people are surprised that I tell them I only have BB cream on and some eye makeup. It comes in 5 shades and with some setting powder you are good to go no matter how hot it is outside. I like that I can use this alone to just even out my skin and leave it at that if I want to. This is a sheer coverage. Price $8

6. BH Cosmetics Liquid Foundation

Ok, this is one foundation that you have to get online, but it is so worth it. BH Cosmetics foundation is a full coverage foundation and is one of my favorites. You can get a great natural smooth look with this. I suggest using a brush or sponge to apply and a little goes a long way. It comes in 12 shades and for you darker skinned ladies I highly recommend this foundation. I think this is a great product for anytime of the year. For oily people I would set with a powder, and bring powder to use for touch ups. This stuff lasts all day and keeps your makeup looking great until you take it off. Price $8.50 (I got a bunch of them on sale now for $2.95!) bhcosmetics.com

 

I hope you enjoyed my post today. If you have any questions or comments please post them and I will answer them as quickly as I can. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and I hope it has helped you. Post some of your favorites on here as well, I love to see what other people are using. I also have a Facebook page dedicated to makeup and some of my work. Feel free to check it out and like it, the link is on the side. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

    Makeup By Alex
~ You are Beautiful