Current Every Day Makeup Look for Summer!

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Well hellooooo, beauties!

I've missed you all, but I have been so incredibly busy lately. I hope you all had an amazing, and safe, Fourth of July celebration (if you live here in the states.)

Today, I wanted to share with you my every day go-to makeup look that I've been rocking on days when I don't want to wear a full face of makeup, but still want to do a little something- something! 

I have been reaching for these products every single day for the last two or three weeks on days when I'm wearing makeup, but not a full face, as stated above. I love, love, love these products, and they give me such a beautiful, natural  glow-from-within complexion that stays put on these hot summer days. 

Let's jump in, shall we?! 

I always work on my eyes first. I always conceal my eyes with my Ready, Set, Gorgeous concealer from CoverGirl. I do this as a way to even out my eye area, conceal any redness, darkness, veins, etc; in order to have my shadows apply evenly and prime my eyes. After I conceal I always make sure to set my concealer with the bareMinerals Mineral Veil. When I do this, my shadow stays in place ALL day!

As far as shadows, it varies every day depending on what colors I'm wearing etc. etc., but my go-to is still my every day summer eye look that I told you all how to accomplish using the Coastal Scents Revealed 2 palette. This eye look goes with everything bright and summery, and it is super easy! Check out how to get this look HERE! :)

After I do my eyeshadow, I will curl my lashes and apply my mascara! I've been loving the Tarte Gifted Mascara lately. It gives your lashes such a wispy, fluffy, beautiful look with crazy good volume! If you're going to be outdoors where you're sweating, then I'd recommend a waterproof mascara like the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! And then we move on to face... 

 I have been L.O.V. I. N.G. this product lately... the bareMinerals Complexion Resuce: Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream. Oh em gee, you guys! I am living for this product. I need it by the case! 

This is me BEFORE the Complexion Rescue. A little redness, uneven skin tone, discoloration.

This is the perfect way to get that natural no- makeup look. It's amazing weightless since it's not a foundation. It's basically a moisturizer, with a tint to even out, brighten, and hydrate your skin. When I wear this. It doesn't feel like anything is on my skin at all, yet it still gives me a flawless complexion.

This is me AFTER applying Complexion Rescue. Brighter, even complexion!

The coverage is buildable. This is NOT if you're looking for full coverage. This isn't a foundation. It's for sheer to medium coverage. I highly recommend this product if you want some coverage, but hate the feeling of foundation sitting on your face.

It's perfect for days when you just don't want to be bothered with a full face, or if you want something light that you can't feel. It's perfect for being outdoors for long periods of time, because it doesn't slide all over your face. I don't use a primer when I use this product, and it stays put all day. Perrrrfect for a beach day! Plus, it has SPF 30 so it will protect your precious faces. 

And, for how amazing this product is, I think it's an amazing price! $28.00 for a 1.18 fl oz tube. I highly, HIGHLY recommend this product. Please buy it, haha!

Next up, after I apply my Complexion Rescue, I reach for my Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer. This product slays!! I have never found a concealer that I've loved so much. Ugh. Guys and gals. This concealer is so beautiful, so weightless, gives such coverage, and blends so easily. It's amazing!

I apply it using the wand, in a "V" shape around my eye. I start at the inner corner, take the wand down the side of my nose, and then up at an angle toward the outer corner of my eye. Then, I simply take my damp beauty blender, and use the pointed end to tap out this concealer and it blends FLAWLESSLY. Sweet babies, is it flawless. I can't say enough about it. Well worth the $26.00 at Sephora, in my opinion.

Then, I always fill in my brows! I may skip this step if I realllllly don't want to be bothered, but 9 times out of 10, I put the brows on, honey! I always use my go-to brow product... The It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil. You can read my post on how to fill in your brows using this product (or any) by clicking HERE!

Hit it with a quick sweep of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel to set them in place and make sure they don't move!

 I  always want to quickly pop on some color to make my cheeks stand out a bit more and give myself a little more color, I apply my Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil. Squeeze a tiny bit onto the tip of your ring finger and blend between the two ring fingers, and then tap a bit of this on your cheeks, blend it out, and you've got a beautiful, natural color to your cheeks while getting extra hydration. 

Finally, before I finish, I do a little highlighting using the new strobing technique. I've always been highlighting this way, but now it has a name, haha! I use the new Josie Maran Elightenment Illuminizing Wand that I told you all I recently purchased in a recent haul. I won't share how I apply the illuminzer just yet, my next post will be about strobing ;) 

And here's the finished product! Dewey, even, lightweight, and fresh!! I love it!

________________________________________

An alternative for this every day look, if you really want to go for a no-makeup look, or if you're don't want to apply anything extra If you're just going to go to the beach, I normally... 

ALWAYS conceal my eyelids, curl my lashes, and apply mascara. It just makes your eyes look my awake and alive. If you don't want to conceal or apply mascara, at least curl them. This opens up the eye to give a more awake and alert appearance. Then, apply the Complexion rescue, use a quick swipe of the Argan Color Stick (and blend) to give a pinch of color to your skin, and be done! 

And there you have it! I hope I've convinced you to get some of these products, if you do, please let me know so I can get excited! Share with me your every day looks and be on the lookout for my next post coming this week about strobing with the Josie Maran Illuminizing Wand! 

Until then, stay beautiful! 

Christina Bracco 

Xoxoxoxo

For PR inquiries, questions, comments, suggestions, please email: Christina.f.b@aol.com or please fill out a Contact Form in the sidebar. Thank you. 

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June Favorites: Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadows!

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Hi, beauties!!

I'm back with a new feature on my blog! "Favorites" will now be once a month, featuring a product that has been my absolute favorite for that month! What better way to kick off this new feature than with the amazing Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadows!

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the entire Josie Maran Cosmetics line.  I wish I could own every single product she makes. The very first piece I wrote for this blog was dedicated to her 100% pure Argan Oil. (You can read that post HERE ), and I have featured various products from her line 

on my blog countless times. Josie Maran Cosmetics is one half of my top two favorite cosmetics/skincare lines, and that's why I felt I should kick off my new feature with her! 

I first saw these unique eyeshadows being featured on one of the Josie Maran Cosmetics shows on QVC. I loved the simplicity of these shadows, and the benefits that came along with them!

Eyeshadows can contain some wonky ingredients. Cosmetics/skincare in general can contain some wonky ingredients. We have to be careful what we put on our skin, especially such a sensitive/vulnerable area like our eyes. This is why I love Josie Maran Cosmetics so much. The slogan is "Luxury with a Conscience." We can look beautiful while still using all natural/organic ingredients. All of the ingredients in these eyeshadows, and all of her products for that matter, are all-natural and organic. 

The two main ingredients, obviously being Argan Oil and Coconut Water, are extremely beneficial to the skin. You can read an in-depth post about ALL of the benefits of Argan Oil in the post I shared a link to in the first paragraph, but essentially, the Argan Oil will moisturize and nourish your lids while the 50% of coconut water will hydrate your lids- leaving your eyes looking awake, juicy, and bright!

The eyeshadows are so refreshing! Due to their being liquid, they leave a slight cooling affect when you first swipe the doe-foot applicator over your lid, and you feel instant hydration! There are two layers to these liquid eyeshadows that you can see through the bottle itself. The first layer delivers refreshing coconut water, while the second delivers the Argan-infused pigments that diminish fine lines. You can see the two layers here:

I LOVE how pigmented these shadows are! They're so fun to play with because they're so versatile. The doe-foot applicator, and blend-ability of the shadows provide so many options! You can use one shadow on its own, mix two on your lid, mix three on your lid, swipe one above your lash line as a liner, and so on! Play with these shadows and mix it up! Just swipe the shadow on your lid wherever you wish, and blend it out with your fingertip. You have about 30 seconds of playtime before the shadow begins to dry, but that's plenty of time!

I wanted to show you all the shadows in different lighting so you can see how beautifully pigmented and bright they are! I paired the shadows with the new Josie Maran Argan Illuminizing Wand because I like to pop that under my brow as a highlighter when using these shadows. You can read more about my feelings on the Illuminizing wand HERE ! 

From left to right: Rio De Rose Gold/ Polynesian Purple/ Bora Bora Bronze/ Illuminizing Wand

As you can see, no matter what the lighting situation is, all of these shadows POP! 

There are a handful of gorgeous colors! I currently own three, and hope to get more as time goes on. They're $18.00 a piece, which is a great deal. You only need one quick swipe each use, so these shadows last you a long while! You can only find great deals such as duos and kits that will get you these shadows along with other Josie Maran products on QVC.com, so shop around there and try out these shadows with a great deal!

I hope I've convinced you to purchase some of the Josie Maran Coconut Water Eyeshadows! They're perfect for the Summer months when we want a pop of color on our eyes, but we don't necessarily want to go through with creating an entire eye look, or if you decided to sleep in late one morning and you need to get out the door in a flash. Pair these shadows with the Josie Maran Argan Black Oil Mascara (another fav of mine) and run out the door! 

I'll be back with a post on Friday! I have an order from Sephora.com that is expected to arrive that day with new goodies! :)

Until then, stay beautiful! 

Christina Bracco

For PR inquiries, questions, comments, suggestions, please email: Christina.f.b@aol.com or please fill out a Contact Form in the sidebar. Thank you. 

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Beat The Heat! How To Keep Your Makeup From Melting in The Summer!

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Happy Friday, beauties!!!

It's been a while since my last post. I'm so sorry I've been slacking, but I will make up for it this upcoming week with a few different reviews of skincare and makeup products. Be on the lookout next week via my Instagram, Twitter, or the blog itself for my new posts! :)

Now that summer is almost here (9 days away, YAY) the weather has been getting hotter and hotter, and more recently, more and more humid. Humid weather is just a pain in the bum for so many reasons. It makes my hair frizz, and it makes my makeup melt. Even the most high end products are victims of hot/humid weather... unless you take the proper precautions! That's why today's post is all about some of my tips for keeping your makeup from melting, creasing, smudging, and running, in these hot, sweaty summer months!

My number one tip for surviving the summer months: Keep it natural. Try to rock your natural beauty as much as possible in the summertime. Let your natural beauty shine through. You can do this while still looking beautiful, and making sure your precious skin is protected! If you're going to be outside in the sun, you want to make sure to apply SPF to your face. I hate applying regular sunscreen to my face. It's greasy, oily, white, gross... yuck! I don't mind it on the rest of my body, but I want something a little more gentle for my face, while still receiving all the safety benefits and coverage.

• My go-to product: Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47. This is essentially a hydrating, fast-absorbing, non-greasy, Argan Oil-infused, all natural moisturizer and sunscreen in one! You can skip your usual moisturizer (my daily moisturizer is Argan Oil anyway, so I'm not so far off) and apply this amazing product instead. It absorbs right into the skin, giving you a hydrated/dewy glow, and it has SPF 47. Does it get any better? It doesn't smell, it's all natural, it's not greasy, it goes on in a breeze, it has the all-natural skincare benefits of Argan Oil and Green Tea, and it protects you. What more do I have to say? It's perfect for all skin types, including sensitive skin, and it doesn't leave any irritation like a regular sunscreen would.  Texture-smoothing, skin-nourishing, radiance-boosting GOODNESS IN A BOTTLE.

 Less is more. The more layers of makeup you apply, the more at risk you are for your makeup to start melting throughout the day. If you really must apply some sort of coverage to your face, whether it be to even out your skin tone, or camouflage blemishes, I would suggest using a tinted moisturizer or a BB Cream. If you're going to be out in the sun, coverage with an SPF is a must.

• My go-to product: bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream with SPF 30. I LOVE this product!!! You can skip your moisturizer for the day (less chance of melting), as well as getting sheer coverage. It evens out your skin tone, without feeling like you have any product on your skin. This product simply makes you look naturally beautiful. The Complexion Rescue is perfect for all skin types! 

If you insist on wearing a foundation, it's so important that you PRIME. 

I cannot stress the importance of priming your skin before foundation, ESPECIALLY in the summer months. If you don't use a primer on your skin, I can almost guarantee you will be creasing, smudging, and melting within the first hour of being outside. I recommend staying away from liquid foundations if you're going to be outside. They're liquid foundations. They can melt off in an instance. Stick with a powder foundation. Regardless, primer is a necessity. But, make sure you're using the right primer. You want a primer that's bulletproof, mattifying, long-lasting, smoothing, translucent, and not greasy. 

• My go-to products: Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional or Mally Beauty Perfect Prep Poreless Primer. I've talked about my love for the Mally Beauty Perfect Prep Poreless Primer on my page before. It's a go-to, must-have primer for me. I use it daily. It's everything I said a primer should be above. The Benefit Porefessional is another favorite of mine. It keeps you matte and bulletproof throughout the day. Sometimes, if I want double-duty priming, I'll use both of these primers at once! Put that foundation on lockdown.

 

Wear a waterproof mascara! 

If you're out in the summer heat, you sweat. It's natural, ladies and gents. This can cause your mascara to smudge underneath your eyes. We don't want to get the I-Just-Got-Punched-In-The-Face look or raccoon eyes, so it's important to make your lashes bulletproof against sweat! 

My go-to product: Tarte Cosmetics Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. This mascara is amazing! It's totally bulletproof thanks to its waterproof properties, so it won't smudge around your eye area. Along with it being waterproof, it's also volumizing, lengthening, curling, and conditioning. It doesn't clump ( a pet peeve of mine) and I've never experienced any fall out. Definitely my top pick for the summer months, and all year round, really! 

Set your eyes! If you want to wear eyeshadows and/or eyeliners while in the summer heat, it's important to mattify your eyelids so they don't crease, sweat, and smudge throughout the day! Our eyelids are one of the most oily parts of the face, therefore, we have to set them properly so our beautiful eyeshadows don't start melting off. I'm not a total fan of eye primers, I use them every once in a blue moon. I feel as though most of them are a little too greasy and don't totally set the eyelids properly. That's why I have my own method of priming and setting my eyes. 

• My go-to Product: bareMinerals Mineral Veil. Normally, I take a concealer, and I use that to prep my eyes. As you all know from my On-The-Go Makeup bag post, I use the CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer on most days. I use this to even out my eyelids, brighten them, hide any redness/veins, and lay down a base for my shadow. After concealing my lids, I take a brush and I tap on a little Mineral Veil over them, and my eyelids are set for the rest of the day. I put on my shadows, do my thing, and my eyeshadow (no matter what the brand) does NOT MOVE. Totally matte, totally bulletproof. I do this every single day. 

Set Your Makeup! If you don't want to keep it natural,  you want more coverage than just a tinted moisturizer or a BB Cream, and you're looking to do a full face of makeup- blush, contour, and all... then just like priming, it's incredibly important to set your makeup. Setting your makeup will help your foundation to settle into your skin and lay properly, as well as keeping it all from moving and melting off. I usually go for a dewy finish, but for the sake of today's post, we'll talk about keeping it matte for all the girls who don't want any extra shine in the summer months. 

• My go-to product: Nyx Cosmetics Matte Finishing Spray. This long-lasting, durable setting spray will keep your makeup in place, and keep you from getting extra shine throughout the day. For those of you (like myself) who enjoy the dewy look more, than I'd go with the Nyx Dewy Finishing Spray. It does the same as the matte, except it doesn't make you look matte, lol!

There you have it, peeps! These are a few of my makeup tips for surviving the summer heat and still looking fierce and beautiful! Try to rock your natural beauty throughout the summer months, but if you still feel like being a glam diva, you can do it without worrying about looking like a greased chicken! 

I love you all, and I will be back next week with some more fun posts!

Stay beautiful,

Christina Bracco

xoxoxoxo

For PR inquiries, questions, comments, suggestions, please email: Christina.f.b@aol.com or please fill out the Contact Form in the sidebar. Thank you. 

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March Beauty Favorites!!

Welcome back, beauties!

I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a few days. What a slacker! That's why I wanted today's post to be a collection of products that I can talk about. This is my first time doing a monthly favorites blog, and we'll see how it goes. If it does well, I will certainly do one at the end of every month!

I cannot believe March is already over, I feel like it was just March first! Needless to say, there have been so many products that I've purchased and tested throughout this month. Here are my favorites that I have been obsessed with, and using consistently throughout this entire month!

• It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Vol. 1 Matte Luxe Transforming Eye Shadow Palette
• Mally Beauty Perfect Prep Poreless Primer
• It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye in Medium Neutral
• Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation in Fair Neutral
• Josie Maran Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon in Medium 2
• Philosophy Loveswept
• Perfect Formula Pink Gel Coat 

This is the first time I've also provided you all with direct links to purchase these products. I used links from Ulta Beauty and Sephora, but you can shop around and find them in other places as well! 

First, I'll start with the most used product: The It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Vol. 1 Matte Luxe Transforming Eye Shadow Palette! 

I just love this palette. I've owned it for about a year now. It's always been a go-to palette, and especially within the last month, I've pretty much used this every day. I love the colors. They're very fresh and spring-like to me. It's a beautiful mix of pinks, brows, mauves, taupes, and your little pops of color like the Violet and the Noir. The palette itself is SO versatile. I cannot even begin to tell you how many looks you can create using these 14 shades+ Transforming Pearl. 

The shadows themselves are anti-aging silk-infused matte shadows, but the fun thing is, you can mix the Transforming Pearl shadow with any of the mattes, and it turns the shadow into a soft pearl! The shadows are Talc-free, Paraben-free, fragrance-free, Sulfate-free, and cruelty-free! 

They hold Hydrating Age Reverse and Prevent Complex. They're infused with Peptides, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Silk, Anti-Oxidents, and Drops of Light Technology. They do not crease, they do not crack, and they do not settle into fine lines! That's quite a bit of goodness, right?! :) 

I just truly love it! The colors are beautiful. The photo does not do them justice. It's a bright, fresh look for any eye color. Perfect for Spring and Summer time! 

The palette runs for $48.00 at Ulta Beauty. A little pricey, but I definitely stand by this product. I've used some of these colors daily for a year now, and I'm not close to hitting pan on any shade!

Next up, I'll talk about the Mally Beauty Perfect Prep Poreless Primer, from my fav makeup guru, Mally Roncal! 

I just love this primer! My aunt had gifted this to me in September for my birthday, so I've obviously owned it prior to shooting the Rachael Ray show with Mally in December. I use this product daily. I own a few different primers from different brands, but I'd say this primer is definitely my every day go-to buddy. 

It's so weightless, so smooth, and I love that it doesn't turn me into a greased chicken! I have a strong dislike for greasy, slimy, slippery face primers. Yuck! That's why I was so happy when I discovered Mally's! 

It minimizes fine lines, wrinkles, and pores. It has the slightest, slightest shimmer to it that gives you a brightened glow-from-within look. Another aspect of it that I love: it doesn't dry you out! I hate primers that suck the life and moisture out of your skin. this primer is actually hydrating. It definitely keeps my makeup in place all day. 

Bonus secret: You can apply this primer after you perform your nightly skin routine to lock all of the moisture and products in! This is definitely a great primer to use as your beginning step in your makeup routine, and as the final step after your skincare routine. I love it! 

It runs for $35.00 for 1 oz. at Ulta Beauty! 

Next up, we have the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye!

(For whatever reason, my tube flattens on the side. In order to allow you see see the tube, I had to hold it for you! Ignore my un-manicured nails)

I was also gifted this product from my aunt about three weeks ago and I've been loving it ever since! 

I had always seen this product being sold on QVC, and it's always received rave-reviews. I wanted to give it a try! I couldn't be happier. I use the shade Neutral Medium, definitely a forgiving shade. 

This concealer is heavenly. I have struggled for SO long with concealers that crease and crack. I'd set them, I'd apply less, I'd apply more, I'd blend like crazy, and they always creased! Until I found the Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer, that is! This product does not crease on me. At. All.

It's completely full coverage, with a beautifully hydrating and creamy consistency. Not only is it great at concealing dark under-eyes, but it's also great for concealing any blemishes, dark spots, and imperfections. You could even use it as an all over foundation if you want! It's award-winning, anti-aging, infused with Hydrolyzed Collagen, vitamins C and K, and diffuses the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

I also just HAVE to rave about the lifespan of the product. For $24.00 at Ulta Beauty, you get a .28 fl.oz. tube. The tube is huge! You only need such a small amount, it blows my mind every time. I only squeeze a teeny tiny, freckle-size amount on the back of my hand, and I can conceal my under eyes, and blemishes with just that little squeeze. This... I cannot rave about it enough. It amazes me. It gives a whole new meaning to "a little goes a long way." It's well worth $24.00 to me! I think I'll own this forever! 

Next up, the Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation! 

I only purchased this product about a week ago after seeing a beauty vlogger talk about it, but I've been loving it so much, I decided to throw it into my favorites post! 

This foundation is so lightweight and feathery, yet it gives such great/beautiful coverage. It doesn't even feel like you have foundation on, but I can definitely see a major difference in my skin! It comes with a little sponge (I personally never use those sponges that come with powder foundations, I use a Kabuki brush to buff it into the skin.) I feel buffing it in gives you a more natural/even/your-skin-but-better look. There are a tone of shades to choose from! I am in Fair Neutral because we remember that I am Casper's sister. 

It's a demi-matte full coverage foundation. And it definitely, definitely lasts all day! The long wear is amazing with this product! It has a velvety formula that allows it to be build able. This foundation can be applied wet or dry using the sponge, though I'm satisfied with applying it dry, I don't believe I'll ever try applying it wet. It doesn't leave your skin looking dusty or cakey, it just lays beautifully on the skin. I'm so pleased! 

It is formulated with coated micro-milled powders, and it diffuses light to blur the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And also, it's Paraben-free!

This product runs for $36.00 at Sephora. It also comes with a full-size mirror as well as a protective pouch! (Shown in photo above.)

We're almost done here, haha! Three more products to rave about. Annnnnnd GO!

The Josie Maran Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon! 

In my latest haul , I talked about how I had purchased two different shades of these concealer crayons as a part of Josie Maran's new contouring campaign. I admit that I haven't really been using the lighter shade for any concealing or highlighting duties (I promise I will start), but I have been LOVING the darker shade for some quick contouring on the cheek bones! 

I purchased Medium 2 as my contour shade, and it works beautifully. All I do is draw one line right on the cheek bone, and simply blend out with my fingers! It's so quick and easy. Be on the lookout for a contour and highlighting post using the Argan Creamy Concealers. Once I start using the lighter crayon again, I'm going to make a post about that within the next few weeks! 

The Argan Creamy Concealer Crayons are $20.00 at Sephora. It's a great price for the product. Since the crayon is infused with %100 pure Argan Oil, you're receiving essential amino acids, fatty acids, hydration, and benefits galore! Plus, the product itself will last you a very long time.

Next up, I wanted to mention a perfume that I've just been loving. Philosophy Loveswept!

I mean, let's just talk about the bottle itself. Is that not gorgeous? I love it! 

I just love this scent. It's very fresh and light, and very romantic. I guess that's why it was named Loveswept, haha! I think it's just a beautiful scent, and I've really been loving it. I received two compliments while wearing it just yesterday! 

I own the 2fl.oz. bottle that runs for $48.00 at Sephora. They have several different sizes, smaller and larger, and you can definitely find this perfume in a gift set at QVC! 

It is described as "sparkling lightness meets a beautiful spring bouquet." It has warm, sensual notes of Bergamot, Blue Violet, Lotus Blossom, Pink Jasmine, Purple Passion Fruit, Skin Musk, Creamy Amber, and White Cedarwood. 

It's just a sparkling, dazzling, and romantic scent! I really love this scent, as well as many other Philosophy scents, so I wanted to share with my fellow fragrance lovers looking for a new scent for Spring!

Finally, I wanted to share a little nail care product that I've been loving this past month. The Perfect Formula Pink Gel Coat!

This is a nail strengthener and brightener with tint of pink that gives your nails a beautiful natural glow, shine, and pink tint, while strengthening them and providing them with essential vitamins and nutrients that help your nails to grow healthy and happy! This is a Protein- rich and Keratin-rich formula, infused with an optical brightener that filters out the dull-yellow appearance of nails. It brings out the natural color of your nail beds (hence, the pink tint) and it makes the whites of your nails appear whiter. 

I love this product! It's really helped my nails grow tremendously, and I know that they will not break when I have this product on keeping them strong and beautiful! It's worked wonders for my nails, and I highly recommend this for anyone with weak, dull, short nails!

It's Paraben-free, Sulfate-free, Synthetic Fragrance-free, Phthalates-free, GMO-free, and Triclosan-free! Not only is it amazingly beneficial for your nails, it's also free of all of those icky chemicals that are present in most nail polishes. 

This product runs for $30.00 at Sephora for a 0.6fl. oz. bottle, but can be found in gift sets at QVC!

So there you have it, my March Favorites! I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you'll give one of two products a try. Let me know if you will! And share with me YOUR March favorites! :)

Until next time, stay beautiful!

Christina Bracco

xoxoxoxo

For PR inquiries, comments, questions, suggestions, please email: Christina.f.b@aol.com or fill out a Contact Form in the sidebar!

This post was not sponsored.

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Beauty Haul: Sephora, QVC, Kiko, NYX, Urban Decay, Makeup Forever, Josie Maran, Coastal Scents!

Welcome back, beauties!

Today's post is all about a mini haul that I did over the weekend.

Though, I'm not sure what constitutes a HAUL and a MINI HAUL.

I think I may have a mini haul. What do you think?

The Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette is not pictured with the rest of the products because I received it from Amazon the day after these photos were taken. Originally, I was not going to include it in the haul, but changed my mind last minute :)

I kept myself, and my wallet, very busy this weekend. Some of these products are things I have already used and just needed to replenish, while others are first time purchases. 

We shall start at Sephora. It seems as though every time I go into Sephora for something specific, I come out with more than necessary. Does that happen to you? 

Side note: While writing this, I've just realized that these are the first Urban Decay products I've ever purchased. 

I went to Sephora to purchase Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in the color Distortion. I had heard a lot about this liner, and I've been really into sparkles lately, maybe due to the holiday's (?) I don't know, but I wanted to give it a try. And so far I am loving it! It just adds a fun little extra pop to your eyes. What I find great about this product is that it has multi-purposes. You can wear it on it's own, with shadows, as a liner, over other liners, or you can throw it all over your lid if you're feeling extra sparkly. I have a swatch of it below! But I really recommend it. It runs for $20.00 at Sephora. 

Next, I purchased the Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer Potion in a "Travel size"

Seriously, don't you just LIVE for the bins along the checkout line of Sephora? I always find such goodies there. I bought a "travel" size of this eyeshadow primer because I was previously using another eyeshadow primer that I really disliked, so I wanted to start small to be sure that I liked this before I bought a full size. I've yet to use it, but I've heard great things, so I'll let you know how it goes! Also, I know, I know. "You're 22. You don't need anti-aging." But due to my always wearing eye makeup and tugging on my poor lids to remove it, I figured I'd give them a little extra help. The primer is photographed above, I didn't think the primer needed its own photo, haha. The travel size runs for $13.00 at Sephora.

Finally, I was VERY happy to finally purchase the Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Natural in color N9 (Copper Pink). I had first tried this product when I received it back in September for my birthday gift from Sephora along with the Makeup Forever mascara, and fell in love with it!

The difference between my mini sample and the full size

 I use this color ALL the time. I just love it. I have been trying to get my hands on it for such a long time, but it was always sold out both online and in stores. Finally, this weekend, I spotted the LAST one all the way in the back of the display and snatched it as fast as I could. This color is such a beautiful cool copper tone, but not too dark or brown. It has such a slight hint of pink to it. It has a slight shine, and is very hydrating on the lips. It doesn't leave them dry. I believe this color would work with all skin tones. A big plus! It runs for $20.00 on Sephora. 

Here's a wonky swatch of the Makeup Forever N9 lipstick and the Urban Decay Heavy Glitter Liner in Distortion. SO beautiful!!

Next, I'll move on to QVC! 

So, last week Josie Maran was on QVC with a Today's Special Value that I just HAD to purchase, and it arrived over the weekend! 

For those of you who don't know, a Today's Special Value (TSV) is an amazing deal on an amazing product or kit at a discounted price for ONE DAY ONLY. We all know from my previous post about Josie Maran Argan Oil that I love all of her products. I was sold. 

Josie Maran Argan Oil Pure Complexion 5 Piece Collection!!

This five piece collection was to live for. They're all full sized products, one is even a supersize! 

If purchased separately, this 5 piece collection would come to $213.00. As the TSV, it was being sold for… wait for it… $69.96. SAY WHAT?! How could you resist?! 

Now, before diving in, I will say that since the TSV price is no longer, the price went up to $76.96. Only a few more dollars. Still an amazing deal if you ask me!

Okay, so what do we get in this amazing collection? 

This collection includes:

• A full size bottle of 100% Pure Argan Oil
• A full size bottle of the Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil
• A SUPERSIZE bottle of the Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation 
• Foundation brush exclusive to QVC until April 1st, 2015
• Full size Argan Color Stick in Love: An exclusive shade to QVC

I was very excited about this collection, because it has products that I needed to replenish, and products that I've been wanting to try, but haven't yet. 

I will not go into the important benefits of Josie Maran's 100% Pure Argan Oil again. To read my in-depth post about that, click HERE: ARGAN

I've yet to try the Cleansing Oil, but I've read countless reviews and heard countless testimonies about it. All good things! I'm running low on the current cleanser I am using, so once I officially run out, I shall switch to this cleanser and let you know how I like it :)

Can we just talk about the Matchmaker Foundation + brush. I've yet to use the blush, but I purchased the foundation on its own at Sephora. The difference between the full size and the supersize in this kit is amazing.

The left is the supersize from QVC, the right is the regular full size from Sephora

You can only get the supersize in this specific collection. 

The great thing about this foundation is the magic of it. As it says in the name, it is a "matchmaker foundation." It goes on white, and as you blend it in, it melts into your skin and color corrects to match your skin tone. It's amazing! Another great thing: There are only 3 shades for every single skin tone in the world.

• Fair/Light
• Light/Medium
• Medium/Dark

Just like that, everyone is covered. Due to the color correcting pigments, only 3 shades are needed. 

I really enjoy this foundation. It provides full coverage, and it's build-able without caking due to its serum texture. It's very easily blended, and feels very lightweight on the skin. And because it contains 100% Pure Argan Oil, it keeps your skin moisturized throughout the day. YES! On its own, the regular full size goes for $42.00 at Sephora or QVC. 

Finally, the Argan Color Stick in "Love." I've been wanting to try the Josie Maran color sticks for a while! I have the Argan Infinity Lip And Cheek Creamily Oil in a few colors and love them. This Color Stick has multiple purposes! You can pop it on your cheeks and just blend it in lightly with your fingers, or you can apply it to your lips as a lip color. The color is just a beautiful mauvey pink and it smells yummy too. (But please don't eat it.)

All in all, I seriously recommend this kit to anyone who wants to try Josie Maran products and get a great deal!

Next, I purchased the NYX Dewy Finishing Spray from Target. I really love this finishing spray. I've purchased it before, but was running low, so I stocked up. It is photographed in the first picture. There's not much to say other than that I love to set my makeup with this when I'm finished applying. I love a good dewy finish, girl yaaaaaas.

Next up, we've got two nail polish's from Kiko Makeup From Milano. A Kiko just recently opened in my local mall, and I really love this store! Their products are pretty good quality, and great dupes for many more expensive brands. 

I was looking for darker pinkish colors that I could wear in the Fall/Winter, because all of the pink polishes I own are Spring/Summer pinks. Way too bright for this time of year. 

I should just state this now: I am a nail polish hoarder. I live for nail polish. I change it up constantly, and I own way too many. That being said, I love Kiko polishes! They've got a great selection,  and they're very pigmented. You can get away with one coat. They dry quickly and don't chip easily. Most importantly, they're around $4-$5 dollars, I can't remember exactly. Way cheaper than other brands, and just as good of quality! I highly recommend them.

Left: 317/ Right: 375

And finally, I purchased the Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette.

Love the packaging!!

 I haven't tried any of the shadows out yet, since I just received it in the mail yesterday, but I'm very excited! (Thank you, Brittany, for the suggestion!) I haven't even swatched it yet, because it's so pretty I'm not ready to taint it, haha!  But the colors look beautiful, I'm loving it. I love any great palette that has both matte and shimmer shadows! I'm so excited to try these. And I got it for $19.00 on Amazon ($20.00 if you include tax.) All of those shadows for $20? Don't mind if I do!! 

That was a lot to absorb, right? It was a lot to write, haha. But I hope I sparked your interest with some products! Let me know if you're going to give any a try! Also, if you have any products that you recently purchased that you've been loving, I'd love to hear some recommendations! :)

I hope you enjoyed this haul. I enjoyed writing it!

Until Friday, stay gorgeous! 

Christina Bracco

xoxoxoxo

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