Top 5 Drugstore Beauty Products for Back to School

The Back to School series is back and I am so sorry for the delay. I've had a family emergency that's put things on hold the past few days but things are up and running once again. To reward y'all for your patience and the awesome response to the series so far stay tuned for a special bonus post coming soon.

When I think of Back to School Makeup I think "simple and affordable." So that is exactly what I wanted to bring to you today with this list of my Top 5 Drugstore Beauty Products that are specifically aimed for Back to School. All of these products are under $10 (some even under $5) and have been personally proven effective by your's truly. 

1.) You've gotta have a good base for your makeup and if you're anything like me you might be dealing with some breakouts going back to school. That's why I picked this lightweight but full coverage Flawless Finish Foundation from e.l.f. This is my favorite foundation-of-the-moment and you might have heard me mention it back in my One Brand, One Look post a couple of weeks ago. You don't want to go too heavy on the makeup in high school...save that for your club-hoppin' college days, kids...so this foundation is perfect for giving great coverage without getting too cakey and at $6 it is definitely a bargain. 

2.) I didn't actually start dealing with dark circles under my eyes until college but I can't even remember not compensating for them in my makeup routine so I've included my little miracle worker, Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser! This is definitely a holy grail beauty product for me and it is such a great lightweight but effective concealer that it is perfect for school too. The sponge tip applicator makes it super easy for beginners as well and at $7.99 it is a bit more pricey but won't break the bank.

3.) I was all about the powder back in high school. My oily acne-prone teenage skin practically demanded it but this next product probably could have kept me away from the compact so much. The Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder is my favorite powder to set and mattify my makeup as it is, key word of this post, lightweight but extremely effective. It's also easy to throw in your school bag just in case you think you might want to do a few locker mirror touch-ups.

4.) I had myself convinced that eye shadow was a mandatory part of my school uniform (not that I even wore a uniform to school but you get my drift) and this Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio makes eye makeup a breeze. I love Walking on Eggshells because the colors are neutral yet versatile while keeping things soft enough for a day of class. At $2.99 you'll save enough to keep you're growing collection going. :)

5.) In my opinion a makeup look is not complete without a touch of mascara. The e.l.f. 3-in-1 Mascara volumizes, lengthens, and defines you're lashes in one fell swoop making it super easy when you're running late for homeroom. Coming in at $3 makes it one of my absolute favorite drugstore mascaras, like ever. 

BONUS ITEM

6.) Yea, I know, I said Top 5 but who doesn't love a good bonus. Like I said before, I had oily skin in high school so I would have absolutely loved having this product on hand back then. The Rimmel Stay Matte Primer is my favorite way to prep my makeup to last all day and at just $7.99 it is way more affordable than some of those other primers everyone goes on and on about. Just throw this stuff on before applying your foundation and you'll see that not only does your makeup stay in place through 5th period but that oil slick that was your T-zone is no more. 

You can get money back when purchasing these products and more when you sign up for Ebates! (Up to 4% back if you used the highlighted links) For more information check out You've Gotta Know About...Ebates or click the link below!

Ebates Invite

Leave me a comment below letting me know your favorite drugstore beauty product for back to school!

I'd love to hear your suggestions.

until next time, 

xo

Merisa

June 2014 Favorites

It is officially July, people, and that means a couple of things...the first being, "Holy crap! We're halfway through summer" and the second is that it is time for June favorites!!!

I am too excited about showing y'all my favorites for the past month and I'm not so sure why because to be perfectly honest I haven't really found anything new this month and really didn't buy all that much (something  I'm kinda proud of actually) but I've managed to keep tabs on some of my most loved products this month so let's get to it!

Beauty

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation

This stuff has been an absolute dream against this summer heat. I actually mentioned picking this foundation up when I wrote my Beauty Breakdown post on primers back in March when that pesky polar vortex was still hanging about and I still think Rimmel made a mistake with their timing of the release of this product. Back when the snow was flying I was totally unimpressed but now that the sun is beating down I am in love. 

Definitely worth a try if you're looking for a foundation that will work with you through the heat.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
Sticking with the theme of summertime sweat-proof makeup, I have been hitting the setting spray hard this month. I love that I can just spray this stuff all over my face before heading out the door and have my makeup stay put until I want it to come off. Is that what we all want in the first place?

Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray
So when it comes to beach/sea salt sprays I'm a total non-believer...that is until this little guy showed up in my June Ipsy Glam Bag! I figured I would give it a shot so I sprayed it in my damp hair before pulling it up in a bun and hopping in the pool one day. Now, I have naturally wavy hair but its mostly crappy, frizzy little waves that are anything but VS Fashion Show worthy but when I took my hair down that evening it was a whole other story. I had volume and waves Alessandra Ambrosio would have killed for, possibly. Also, this is the first beach spray I've tried that actually smells summery and beachy rather than eau de Dead Sea. A huge thumbs up for me, so much that I am seriously considering picking up the full size from Ulta.

Secret Scent Expressions Pasion de Tango
Is it weird to talk about a deodorant in your monthly favorites? I'm gonna say no.
I have used the Secret Scent Expressions for years, like I'm pretty sure it's the only deodorant I've ever used but I usually stick to my comfort zone of vanilla or cocoa butter. That is until I decided to give this mango scented one a try. Let's just say I've been sweating up a storm and this sucker is definitely doing its job.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash
I have been battling some serious breakouts this summer which I think is caused by a moisturizer, which I have since quite using, that was for dry skin (which I definitely deal with). Everything would be fine when I put it on after taking my makeup off at night but by the time I would wake up in the morning my face would feel like a oil slick only to go back to desert sands once I washed my face.
Well, I can say goodbye to all that struggle now that I have this stuff. It says oil free at the very top but this wash feels like a great oily balm, which I really like. My face doesn't feel dry after using it and it takes my makeup off and keeps my skin clear. A win-win if you ask me.

Fashion

AE Wild Heart and Love Thy Selfie Graphic Ts

I have lived in these American Eagle Graphic Ts this month. They are super soft and I just love the graphics plus the Wild Heart one is a boyfriend fit which makes it the perfect T to throw on over a swim suit or to just lounge around in. Both shirts are currently on Clearance over at ae.com so be sure to check them out along with all of the other awesome graphic Ts on the site.

Everything Else 

Music - Ed Sheeran "X"

Ohmygod if you haven't heard this album (pronounced "Multiply") then I don't know how you've managed to keep it together this summer because it is AHMAYZING! I got a Spotify notification sent to my phone the day the album was released and I have been listening to it on repeat ever since. No lie.

I'm a HUGE Ed Sheeran fan, in case you couldn't tell already, and I have to say that he in no way, shape, or form disappointed with his second album. I love that every song is so signature Ed and I just can't stop listening. Some of my favorites from the album are "Don't" (which is also my most listened to song on Spotify, which is quiet a feat), "Afire Love", "Nina", and "Thinking Out Loud."

I highly recommend you give the whole thing a listen because it is simply a work of art.

Netflix Must-See - Orange is the New Black

I did it! I hopped on the bandwagon and binge watched the first season of Orange is the New Black just days before the second season was released and I haven't looked back. I regret nothing.

This show is unlike anything else out there and while it is intended for mature audiences I highly recommend you hop on too. The series takes an in depth look into the lives of several (diverse) women in this countries prison system. That description is exactly what kept me from watching at first because I didn't really feel like the next "Locked Up" or "Scared Straight" was what I wanted out of my Netflix subscription but this show is so much more. I say the show is unlike any other because of the diversity of the actors and emotional drive that derives from a a female driven story line that centers around the experiences of these women with little male intervention.
Definitely a Must-See. Bravo, Netflix...now I'm just counting down the days until House of Cards returns.

Movie - The Fault in Our Stars
If you didn't see this one coming then I don't know if we can still be friends...just kidding, sort of. This movie is probably going to be on everyone's favorites this month but I couldn't just not feature it.

So, my sister came into town the weekend TFiOS was released and we decided to make a day of it and go shopping and catch a matinee showing of the movie before she headed back home early in the week. I did not realize what I had gotten myself into, I mean I read the book...in 5 hours...on Valentine's Day, which resulted in me bawling my eyes out at 5 in the morning so I was totally prepared for the story line. I was not, however, prepared for the mess my sister was going to be in. Not only did she freak out at the theater manager for opening late but she started crying before the opening scene had even ended. Our friend Ashley joined us which resulted in me laughing through out the whole movie because she decided to bring a half pint of  Ben & Jerry's ice cream with her so that ultimately ended with my sister freaking out in the middle of her tear-driven hysteria and yelling at us both.
So aside from the mega meltdown, I have to say that this movie exceeded my expectations and had me walking out of the theater begging for Looking for Alaska to be made into a movie...a wish that, in case you didn't know, is totally coming true. John Green, you genius, you.

YouTube - ViviannaDoesMakeup
Oh my god, guys. Let me tell you about this adorable little nugget I found on YouTube this past month.

Her name is Anna (short for Vivianna, I'm guessing) and she is absolutely precious! I discovered her channel through one of the little side bars on another channel and decided to give her May Favorites a view. I was hooked before she even said "Hello." I've went through all of her most recent videos since and just relate so well to her. I love when some of our favorite products match up and love it even more when I find a recommendation on her channel that I just have to have (I may have picked up Mindy Kaling's book immediately after watching her June Favorites video). 

I hope you've enjoyed this look into my favorites from the month of June, I already can't wait for what July might have in store.

until next time, darlings.
xo
Merisa

Beauty Breakdown: Primers

Is it just me or are primers the new "cool kid" on the block when it comes to beauty products?

I feel like they're everywhere with everyone talking about them lately. It seems like every brand has their own must-have primer (or 2, Rimmel) and they all do different stuff for your face.

To be perfectly honest I got really tired of all the hype. I mean, it seems like everyone's praising primers but what difference do they really make?

Well, that's the question this post is meant to answer!

I dove right in and picked up some primers that caught my eye while at the drugstore...and a sample from Ulta because that little sucker's expensive just to try it.

I've been using the Rimmel Fix & Perfect for a while now but recently gave it up because like I said, what difference does it really make? So I put it up against some real contenders pictured above: Maybelline Baby Skin (aka the techy nerd turned cool kid), Rimmel Stay Matte Primer (every shiny forehead's worst enemy), and Benefit's the POREfessional (the primer Prom Queen)

Let's start out with the odd ball of the bunch

Maybelline Baby Skin: I have heard so much about this product even before it was available in the states so I was dying to get my hands on it when it landed at my local CVS. I seriously had no preconceptions about this product so I was honestly shocked when I squeezed the tube and found clear gel come out. What?! It was so cool. However, it got kinda weird when I went to put it on my face. 

Because it's clear you really can't tell where you're putting it on and the slick texture doesn't help that either as you get the product on your fingers and lose track of how much product is going where. 

While it took a minute to get over the strange texture the results I found around my t-zone helped speed up my decision making process a little more. This product claimed to have Blur Technology when it comes to hiding pores and I must say the word blur perfectly describes what occurs. It doesn't hide your pores but it does blur their appearance making large pores (like mine) practically disappear once foundation is applied! 

I'm giving this product a thumbs up simply because it blew my mind. While I probably won't use it all over my face it is definitely a product that comes in handy on those days that your pores look more like craters.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro: Like I said before, I've been using this primer for a while now and really just use it as a base for my foundation as it does a pretty good job of smoothing things out. While this particularly product doesn't do much for my pores really I have been wanting to see how it would do combined with the Baby Skin product. Definitely something to try very soon!

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer: Rimmel just recently came out with a new range of Stay Matte foundations (which I also picked up) and I love their Stay Matte powders so much that I decided to give the primer in the range a shot too! Looking back on it now, I may have been swayed by the purple packaging because I have yet to see a real different between this and the Fix & Perfect. I will say that the Stay Matte is a thicker formula and does a better job at actually staying matte which is definitely a good thing but during these past few snow days I've found that it actually leaves my skin too matte so I'm definitely holding out to try this one out during the warmer spring and summer days. 

Also, I found that when I combined the primer and the foundation from this range it was way too drying, but definitely a match to try once those shiny spots caused my warmer days start appearing.

Benefit the POREfessional: This product was another bit of a surprise when I opened it as it was a nude color that really set it apart from the others. I think the color had a lot to do with how well this particular primer was able to hide imperfections as it hides pores insanely well and creates an unbelievably smooth canvas for my foundation. I really enjoyed my sample of this product but I honestly don't think I could ever convince myself to pay the $31 price tag for something that's not really essential to my routine.

I realize this looks kind of weird but I just wanted to show y'all the differences in appearance and texture between the primers: (l-r) Fix & Perfect, POREfessional, Baby Skin, and Stay Matte.
(sorry the POREfessional looks a little grotesque but that's all I could squeeze out of the sample.)
You can really tell a difference between the two Rimmel products here as the Stay Matte is clearly thicker than the Fix & Perfect and how weird is it seeing the clear Baby Skin gel? haha

I hope you all have enjoyed this little break down of the primers I've used recently. I'd love it if you left comments below letting me know your favorite primers!

until next time, darlings
xo
Merisa

What We Love Wednesday Haul

Just a quick disclaimer, this post has morphed into something much bigger than I intended. What started off as the usual What We Love Wednesday post turned into something crazy when I realized a.) I have way too many favorites at the moment and b.) my Lilly Pulitzer stuff came in today! 

Uh, hello! Of course I had to include Lilly in this post, because I love her! haha!

So, that's when I realized I was just going to call this a What We Love Wednesday Haul since it included so much stuff I've either picked up recently or received for Christmas. 

So here we go:

Makeup Favorites

For some reason the picture below is showing up really red on my screen even though it wasn't like that on my camera or when editing it so I'm sorry if that's the case for you too.

I'm also sorry for jamming everything in one picture, I was trying to hurry. Wow, this is becoming more of a disclaimer post. I'll stop now. 

Most of these products pictured below were new to be in December and they all became quick favorites.

• Let's start with the pink bottle (great packaging) of L'Oreal Paris Color Vibrancy Dual Protect Spray. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, I bought this because it was pink and sparkly. I know, I know, typical white girl. But, seriously, this product makes you reach for it on the shelves if just to shake up the bottle and see the sparkle. Now, when I say sparkle I don't mean there's glitter or anything it's like the product has an iridescent shine to it that's really eye catching. I really like that this product is a 2-in-1 with color and heat protection, but it also seems to really nourish my hair and almost works as an added conditioner which is always a plus in my book.
• I picked up this next product last week when I spotted it in Walmart and I haven't looked back! It is amazing! I first heard of this type of brush in a few beauty guru YouTube videos when they mentioned the Tangle Teezer. I googled the product and then soon realized that it had yet to be released in the US and was a product mainly found in the UK. I was absolutely delighted to find this Goody dupe in the haircare aisle (for about half the price) and couldn't wait to take it home and try it out. Well, it's awesome and has totally replaced my glitter brush because I can use it on both wet and dry hair, which is what makes it so awesome!
• I have never been a huge Twisted Peppermint fan but for some reason that all changed this year when I got a whole bag of Twisted Peppermint goodies from Bath & Body Works for Christmas. This hand cream is amazing and I am so glad B&BW are finally making separate hand and body lotions. It's also the perfect size to throw in your bag, which is what I do because what's my motto? Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
• Going back to the little problem I mentioned in My Night Time Routine post about my eyes, I have been on the hunt for a really great, full coverage under eye concealer and I believe I have found it in Hard Candy's Lite Bright Whipped Brightening Concealer. I picked up the medium shade and I'm so glad I didn't go any lighter because as far as medium shades go this one is pretty light but it truly is a full coverage concealer and is perfect for brightening up your under eye area without drying you out.
• I have found my perfect setting powder and it is Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder in Silky Beige! I love this stuff! It truly is stay matte and I will probably never use another powder, ever...well, until something better comes along, I suppose.
• It's no secret that I love my girl, Britney Spears, but what I love more is her perfumes! ahh! I just love them all, especially Fantasy and I absolutely love that I got this little travel spray in a gift set for Christmas (Thanks, Best Friend Beth!). I love that it's a travel bottle but not a roller ball, because I'd much rather just spritz this stuff all over than roll it on.
• These next two products are my absolute favorite lip colors from the past month and I am rotating between the two. The first is Rimmel's Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in 103 (I hate that they don't have actual names). This is my favorite pink shade at the moment because it is just a few shades darker than my natural lip color, I don't know why that appeals to me so much but it does. I don't know if it's just me but when I put this on I taste/smell cucumbers. I don't know if there's cucumber in the product or if I'm just going crazy but I don't hate it, something I do hate is that this lipstick is a little on the drier side but if I put a good balm underneath or lip gloss overtop I don't seem to have too much trouble. The next color is Covergirl's LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Jam Twist 255. I was really stepping outside of my comfort zone with this color as it looked super dark in the store but after getting it home I loved it so much I wanted to go even darker. I love glossy lip crayons and I love the bright berry color of this balm, it's super smooth and super easy to apply too!

Random Favorites

Now, time for my random favorites, as if I didn't have enough already! haha

I am obsessed with these Blow Pop Minis, in fact I'm snacking on them right now as I type this! :)

They're like little tiny blow pop hard candies and I can't get enough of them.

You might recognize the candle from My Night Time Routine post earlier this week. I love this Champagne Toast candle from Bath & Body Works, the scent is not too overwhelming and the yellow wax actually adds to the glamorous glow when the candle is lit. 

I have been obsessed with list making and note taking lately and my sister gave me this adorable little metal notepad the other day and I've already jam packed the first few pages with my chicken scratch. It also helps keep my adorable chevron iPad stylus/pen handy in my bag!

Another random favorite is this awesome box set that I got for Christmas, it features the first four books of Cassandra Clare's Immortal Instruments Series. I've made it through a few chapters of the first book, City of Bones, and I honestly can't put it down. I'm definitely taking these suckers with me to school next week just in case I actually find a moment to finish them because they are too good to just sit in my room at home unloved.

Now for the real fun!

My Lilly Haul

If you happened to read my January 2014 Shopping Guide then you will have known that this past Monday & Tuesday marked the Lilly Pulitzer New Year Cheer Sale on lillypulitzer.com

Well, I went a little crazy and by crazy I mean I woke up at 8 am to be the first to shop the sale, and it paid off!

I scored this adorable tote in I've Got Butterflies for less than $30 and I must say it was well worth it. This bag actually seems much sturdier and durable than my other Lilly bags that cost much more. 

None of my beloved Lulu items were on sale but I just couldn't help myself, I picked up the iPhone case to match my iPad mini case (which I got from my roomie for Christmas! Thanks, Little Beth!) and my agenda!

I also couldn't resist the little ear buds in Lucky Charm.

When I spotted the Lilly Christmas Stockings on sale I just couldn't pass it up! I was a little worried because I wasn't allowed to pick which print but I'm beyond satisfied with this 'Tiger Lilly' print. :) Cute, right?

I can't wait to get this monogrammed! In the meantime, Audrey will keep her company. 

I hope y'all have enjoyed this peek at my favorite products and my favorite steals from the Lilly sale.

till next time, darlings.

xo

Merisa

What's in My Makeup Bag?

This week has been, as Danielle would say, absolute crazy bread! Ugh! I'm tired of doing papers one right after the other. So, to step away from that a bit I decided to do something fun with a look at
What's in My Everyday Makeup Bag! Woo!
I say Everyday Makeup Bag because if you're a product junkie like me you'll understand that this is where I keep makeup that I use on a regular basis when getting ready for class and just a usual day while I have other makeup bags that have the more fun stuff in it, which I would be super glad to show y'all if you like this post!

I'm kind of obsessed with my makeup bag, for a lot of reasons too! I got it back in the summer from RueLaLa (which is amazing! Click this link for your own invite!) when they gave me a $25 credit in an email, which is proof that you really can find treasures when cleaning out your inbox.
To be perfectly honest, my credit was about to expire and I didn't really know what to get so I picked up the make up bag for like 20 bucks and thought it might make a pretty good gift. Well, I obviously nixed the gift idea and ended up keeping the bag. I mean, really though, who could pass up a Vera Bradley makeup bag?!

I love how versitiale the bag is and how easy it is for me to fit my favorite products inside.

I'm not too big on the pattern, I'm just not that into florals really, I love that the bag has 3 different see-through compartments and can roll up. Very handy for travel or just toting the bag around my dorm. I also love just how much can fit in the bag, it doesn't look like much in the picture but that really is a ton of products!
In the first compartment I have my Real Techniques brushes, which are seriously the best makeup brushes I have ever used! I have the Travel Essentials Kit (which I talked about in my June 2013 Favorites!) and I'm actually planning on getting a few more kits before the holidays because Ulta actually has several of the brushes on their Buy One Get One 50% Off Sale! Also in that compartment I have a few of my most used eye liners.
The middle compartment is the biggest and keeps all of my face products and mascaras. I started an obsession with Rimmel products this summer and as you can see it has continued. I use Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Pro Primer on my face everyday and it's a perfectly smooth, perfecting primer. Rimmel's BB Cream is my go to foundation but I'll explain more about that later on. I top everything off with Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, which is the best powder I have ever used and I highly doubt I will ever use any other drugstore powder, like ever. I also have my mini mascara collection in the middle which you can read more about in this Mascara Monday post. The last compartment has a few eye shadow trios, blush, highlighters, and bronzers, but now I want to take a look at 4 of my absolute favorite products because they deserve some serious attention!

I picked up the Rimmel BB Cream this summer when I was looking for a lightweight foundation that wouldn't sweat off before I even made it to work and fell in love with the amazing ability of the cream to provide lightweight yet full coverage. This stuff seriously keeps it's 9-in-1 promise and even has an SPF of 25! That's just ridiculous. I've probably only went through 3 tubes of this stuff since earlier may so it's long lasting too and only takes a little bit to cover my whole face. I love this foundation!
Next up is the Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara which I have been raving about for what seems like forever! I got this deluxe sample as a part of a Sephora Beauty Insiders promotion and went absolutely gaga for it! So much so that I just recently picked up the full size version of the product on my last trip to Sephora. The brush's unique "S" shaped design leads to insane coverage and gets every little lash, I just love love love this mascara!
My next two products represent two ends of the spectrum with a serious drugstore bargain in the Wet 'n' Wild Eyeshadow Trio and the high-end splurge of NARS Blush and Bronzer duo.

The eyeshadow trio is called Walking on Eggshells and according to this pin from my Beauty Box: Makeup board on Pinterest, these shades are actually dupes for MAC's Shroom, Mulch, and Naked Lunch! These shades are very versatile, easy to blend, easy to apply, and just all around great everyday shades. The NARS duo includes two of their most popular shades and came in my Sephora Superstars Kit (which I promise I will do a review on ASAP), the blush is the beauty blogger fave Orgasm and the bronzer is Laguna. Orgasm is a very corally pink with light gold sparkle while Laguna is a matte medium bronzer that works well for a lot of skin tones. I love both shades but I think Orgasm might be too warm for my skin, or I might just need to use a smaller brush, we'll see.
I hope you liked that look into my everyday makeup bag! Comment below and let me know if you would like to sneak a peek at my fun special occasion products! 
til next time, lovelies
xo
aFm