One Brand, One Look: e.l.f.

I had originally planned on doing a step-by-step makeup tutorial including Vine-esque videos for this post but halfway through I actually got called out to work (huge bummer).However, I still wanted to get something up today since I've been sticking to a pretty great schedule so far and that's how this little post came to be.

I was looking through my makeup collection (yes, there's so much of it I like to call it a "collection") and realized that I might actually be turning into an e.l.f collector. From the looks of it I had garnered enough e.l.f. products to use a single brand all over my face. 

Eureka! An idea was born. 

So here's a complete tutorial for this simple, summery, bronzed look that's perfect for a day out with friends or a summer night of adventure.
Since this was all a little rushed and e.l.f. products are generally extremely affordable and much talked about I've included little reviews of most of the products used.

I started with a clean, moisturized face and applied my favorite primer (which was not e.l.f. unfortunately but since I applied it right after my moisturizer I didn't really count it anyway).

Then comes foundation. I used the Flawless Finish Foundation with SPF 15 for this look and absolutely love it. First of all, I love the packing. Glass bottle with a pump? I'm all about that luxury especially at $6 a pop. 

The consistency of the product is exactly what I look for in a foundation and I would even go so far as to say that this foundation is definitely buildable to a full coverage product. I even used the e.l.f. Foundation Brush to perfect the coverage then blended with my finger tips.

Flawless Finish Foundation in Buff

I'm broken out in several spots on my face at the moment and have some serious undereye baggage so the concealer in this next step is key. I used the Stick Concealer in Ivory to cover my spots and dark circles then added the Under Eye Concealer before blending out with the Flawless Concealer Brush.

This brush is a recent purchase and has completely changed the way I apply concealer. I used to have to spend forever blending and covering my dark circles with my finger tips and mounds of concealer but this brush so makes things so much easier as it's the perfect size for under my eyes.

I finished things off under the eyes with a little bit of Glow from the duo end of the Under Eye Concealer in my inner corners and a bit of Translucent Mattifying Powder under my eyes to set everything. 

L to R: Blending, Eyeshadow, Foundation, Concealer

The next step was to fill in my brows a tad bit and I love how easy the Eyebrow Kit is from e.l.f. as it features a powder and a darker wax to set everything in place. I used the kit in Medium for this look and just filled in the sparse patches in the middle of my brows with the powder before going over them with the wax.

Using the Blending Eye Brush and the mini Eyeshadow Palette in Naturals, I started with a medium matte brown color (1) in the crease and blended out. Take your time with this step and make sure everything is blended out well so that you're creating a shadow in the crease for more definition. I then went in with a shimmery shade (2) on the Professional Eyeshadow Brush across the lid working out toward the outer crease and the shadow we just created. 

I made sure everything was blended well then realized that I really wanted to use the Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Toast in this look because it was such a great color. So even though this shadow is a cream product I did apply over the powder shadow I had just used but sparingly.
 I just used my finger to tap the product around the center of my lid, blending more toward the inner corner. This gives a great lustrous effect to your eyes without messing with the set of your powder shadow.
I also added one of the lightest shades (3) from the palette to my inner corner before moving on. 

Now, we're to the point that I would normally apply eyeliner but this is actually the point when I realized that I didn't own any e.l.f. eyeliner so I decided to use Benefit's They're Real! Push-Up Eyeliner so that I could test it out for my review which you can keep you're eyes out for very soon. 

So, after you've applied your favorite eyeliner (I did a Cat-Eye Flick but you can line your eyes anyway you want for a little more definition) you can move on to mascara. 

I used the 3-in-1 Lengthen, Define, & Volumize Mascara which is actually my favorite mascara at the moment and runs for $3 which is a huge bargain in my book. It really does everything it says it does and leaves me with "Oh my gosh!" lashes. 

I topped off this look with blush and bronzer from the Contouring Blush & Bronzer kit in St. Lucia which I actually believe is a pretty good dupe for the NARS Laguna & Orgasm mini duo. I applied the blush from the kit just under the apples of my cheeks and lightly contoured with the bronzer around my temples and along my jawline. 

Now here's the final look!

SUPA CLOSE-UP

Let me know what you thing of this makeup look and tutorial in the comments below! 

until next time

xo

Merisa

What We Love Wednesday!

We've decided to turn this dreary, cold day around and deem it,

What We Love Wednesday!

On Wednesdays we'll take turns showcasing things we've absolutely fallen in love with this week, from beauty and hair care to tv shows and new music we've got products across the board. 

Here is what I'm loving this week:

Beauty Products

My beauty favorites this week both just so happen to be sample sized products that pack a huge punch. 

I scored the Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! in my Sephora Beauty Insider's birthday gift! Which is just the greatest thing ever because it included this amazing highlighter! I've used this for everything, a highlighter on my cheeks and brow bone as well as an eyeshadow and under my lipstick. This is an amazing product and I can't wait to find even more uses for it!

I'm a girl that just can't find the right moisturizer for my face...that is until now. I found this Pond's Crema S Nourishing Moisturizing Cream in the travel size products at Walmart for like $1 something. It's 1.75 oz. of amazing moisturizing power! It leaves my skin hydrated but not oily and I can put it on at any point during the day and be good to go. 

Hair Products 

I've just been obsessed with my hair lately so that can definitely be added to the list of things I love. This is going to sound like a shameless brag but here we go: it's been so soft, easy to style, and has reached a really good length as of lately but I'm betting the products I'm using are probably why I love it so much so we'll get to those instead. 

I am obsessed with the DryBar VIP Pack and when I say obsessed I mean it. Every product in this pack from the Southern Belle Volumizing Mousse (how perfect!!!), Detox Dry Shampoo, and Money Maker Flexible Hairspray is to die for and gives instant, big hair results! My hair has never looked better and I will most definitely be picking up these products in a larger size very, very soon!

Remember that shameless brag? Well, I thoroughly believe it was possible because of the L'Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare Total Repair-5 Damage Erasing Balm. That's a mouthful but it's also insanely worth it because this product seriously does what is says it will. I've only used this hair mask/balm twice and I've already seen a dramatic difference in my hair. That's right, results after just two uses! My hair is silky smooth, shiny, and practically damage free seriously. This product is at the very top of my list of recommendations.

The Randoms

Paramore: Grow Up

As weird as it sounds, this song just says so much about my life lately. I definitely suggest listening to it simply for the fact that the lead singer, Hayley Williams is the epitome of girl power!

Lupe Fiasco featuring Ed Sheeran: Old School Love

I just recently discovered this song and I am already obsessed with it! It's fantastic and you should go listen to it right now! 

Ed Sheeran has the voice of an angel...and I would know because I saw him live with Taylor Swift on the Red Tour last year! He's amazing and so is this song so be prepared to fall in love.

Scandal

As I am a History/Political Science major it should come as no shock to you that I am a political junkie. This show revolves around a public relations/communications expert who works in Washington, D.C. (she may have slept with the President too) and helps to solve and spin serious issues for some seriously high profile clients. I started this show on Netflix and finished the season in record time so now I'm watching it on ABC Thursday at 10pm so you should check it out!

Magnum Gold Ice Cream

I am an ice cream addict and have fallen in love with this particular brand. 

Aside from the ice cream literally being gold even the packaging makes it sound absolutely delicious. I mean who could resist "vanilla bean ice cream with a sea salt caramel swirl dipped in a golden chocolatey coating."

No one, that's who! This stuff is amazing and you need it in your life now!

Happy Wednesday, lovelies, you've made it halfway to the weekend!

xo

aFm