Quick Natural Look (I Promise!)

Please excuse my absence...I lost my iPhone and with it my will to live. But I'm back now!
So let us proceed.

I will never understand how people do "natural" make-up looks with primer, concealer, foundation, powder, eye shadow, liners, blush, bronzer, lip color, lip gloss, eye lashes. 

Seriously? Stop it.

Here is a BASIC face of the day for when you wake up and say "you know what face? I'm going to let your natural radiance lead today" or "oh sh*t...is it 7:40??" The latter is more like my morning...

Here's what I'm working with:

Flawless Concealer in Toast | Black Opal

Dream Finish Beauty Balm | Maybelline New York

Cinnamon Blush | NYX

Lustre Finish Lipstick in Touch | MAC

I started with the concealer just a bit under my eyes. I was up working pretty late last night so they were looking (and still look) pretty rough this morning. I skipped the minor blemishes around my face...I just don't care today. I applied the BB cream all over with my finger tips. It rubs in like moisturizer and doesn't make a mess at all. I blushed my cheeks, colored my lips and that was it! Took 3 minutes. I would have been on time to work, but I got stuck in the car listening to Elle Varner.

Weekend Mani: Lucky Lucky Lavendar

I decided to go with a purple in honor of the Ravens playing today. I'm really a Redskins girl, but being from Maryland I feel obligated to go for the Maryland team. 

Go Ravens!

Lucky Lucky Lavendar | OPI

This time I took Pabvon's advice (see her comment on my last weekend mani) and did the following:

Base coat

Dry

Color

Wait about 10 minutes

Color again

Let it dry for an hour

Top Coat

In a few days I'll freshen up the top coat and hopefully this manicure will last all week!

January Favorites

Here's the stuff I've been attached to this month!

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream
I've been using this on my great skin days and when I go out. It has a light coverage of a foundation, but it gives me the dewy glow I've been looking for. I have dry skin, so it works well for me and lasts long. I wouldn't recommend this if you have oily skin, since it does stay kind of dewy-looking. You may look a bit too oily. I'll have to find a replacement once the summer comes around.

Benefit "They're Real" Mascara
I posted this on instagram a few weeks ago for all the mascara obsessed. This stuff is crack. I only wear it when I'm going out because it really makes my eyelashes so dramatic that it's not appropriate for the workplace.

Mac "Taupe" Matte Lipstick
You saw this already in Coloring My Smoochers, but I had to add it here again. I wear this everyday...as you can tell. I'm running low.

EOS Lip Balm
Move over Burt's Bees! This stuff is super moisturizing. I don't have to reapply as often as I do with other lip balms...but I do anyway out of habit. My lips are so soft!

Burt's Bees Hand Salve
I keep this on me at all times. I absolute hate dry hands! And it smells like Christmas, which is just delightful.