On My Face

These are a few of the items that will be on my face this weekend. I am all about that dewey, bronzed (well concealed) glow! 

Mario Badescu facial spray (obsessed) | Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer (in the shade fair) | Nars Sheer Glow foundation (in the shade Ceylan) | Too Faced Soleil Matte bronzer (in the shade milk chocolate) | Real Techniques brush

Secret

...Victoria's Secret!

Seriously, I don't know why these glosses don't get more hype. They are the real deal. In fact, most of the beauty products I've tried from Vickie's are pretty amazing. I just picked these up, but after playing with them this afternoon I can tell you they rival MAC's Cremesheen Lip Glass. These Color Shine Glosses offer a generous color pay off, aren't tacky/sticky, and stay put for a few hours without needing to be reapplied. Plus you can't beat six full size tubes for twenty five dollars. And they smell so, so good! But enough of my review, these swatches speak for themselves...

Holding: "Royal"

From Left: Peek-A-Boo | Pinky | Eternal Sunshine | Bright Lights | Totally Hot | Royal

Xo,

T.

Frozen

MAC wipes | Simple radiance cleansing wipes

No, not Savvy's favorite Disney movie, more like hell has officially frozen over. The day has come that I have found wipes I like *as much, if not more than my holy grail MAC wipes. I specified as much because I still love the MAC version, but feel like I've found a good replacement at a lower cost. Win!

Here's the low down:

Mac: Amazing scent, great clean feeling, extremely efficient at removing makeup, even stubborn eye makeup.  

Simple: Inexpensive, gentle on the skin, no scent, good at removing face makeup (but you still need to follow up with a makeup remover for the eye). Oh, and it's under 5 dollars. 

Anyway, this isn't life altering stuff. Let's be real. But it's nice to save a dollar here and there, especially when we're talking about a great product. More money for Starbucks, right? Right.

 I also wanted to quickly thank you for bearing with me while I recover from this ugly cold. I am on the up and up and hope to be blogging full time again soon.

Xo,

T.

Beauty Routine

(A plan to help you feel confident in front of the camera by the time you hit 30.)

It's no secret that the beauty routine you did during your 20's isn't going to cut it once you turn the big three-oh. Let's be real, how many 20 somethings have an actual routine? At 29 (and a half) I've been doing some thinking. Your 20's are hard. My 20's were hard. For most (myself included) it can be the best and most difficult period of your life. The stress of so many firsts tend to show up on your grill. Even the great times, and some of my sunniest days still mean a few more dark spots and tiny laugh lines. Two huge blessings ultimately resulted in more than a couple bags (of the carry on variety) under my eyes. But I'm not naming names...

In all seriousness, I hope to age gracefully and still remain stylish and beautiful just as my Mom has. However, I have a sneaking suspicion I lean more towards that of Regina George's mom.     (Cocktails anyone?)

Having said that, I truly believe beauty comes from the inside. You can't harbor bitterness and expect to look youthful and vibrant. The first step in feeling and looking fabulous at thirty is a happy heart. Let go of past hurt or anger and make the decision to choose happiness all day erryday. Since that is easier said than done, always turn to the Lord and He will bring you joy in the midst of your ____ (fill in the blank).

Second, you need to get healthy. You know the drill: exercise, drink lots of water, and eat as clean as possible. Oh, and treat yourself too. Who can feel happy and therefore look beautiful if you are depriving yourself? Not this girl.

Finally my beauty routine! I was pretty much a wash and spot treat when necessary type of girl, up until this last year. Somewhere along the line I decided it was time to start a real routine.

So what do you do when you don't really know where to begin? Consult the experts. I hightailed it straight to Nordstrom, quickly followed up by a visit to my Sephora. I also spent an ample amount of time researching the products and reviews at home. And because I am a ride or die drugstore girl I also stopped by Target to purchase a few staples. If you are interested in seeing what I ended up with, in addition to checking out out a few of my tried and true favorites, keep reading!

1. Moisturizer: 

Day: Mac studio moisture cream. 
Night: Cetaphil moisturizing cream, for dry/sensitive skin. 

Make your moisturizer game strong. Hydration is key.

2. Eye cream:

Mario Badescu hyaluronic eye cream.

Eye cream is the key to looking fresh. Tip: store it in the refrigerator for a refreshing application.

3. Sunscreen:

Face: Hawaiian Tropic silk hydration face.

Oil free lotion style sunscreen. 12 hour broad spectrum SPF 30. 

Smells. So. Good. 

Body: Sun Bum SPF 50.

Say it with me...SPF on the daily. Bonus, I also use it on the babes.

4. Face wash:

Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser for all skin types.

Really mild formula. I would recommend a wipe first to remove most makeup. 
Tip: use THIS handheld pore cleansing pad for a deep clean. Obsessed. 

5. Exfoliator: 

Neutrogena blackhead eliminating scrub. 
Getting rid of dead skin is essential for a bright complexion. 

6. Acne treatment (yes, unfortunately I still need this):

Mario Badescu drying lotion. 
How I lived most of my life without this product is a travesty. 

What are your ride or die products? Is there a step I may have missed? Leave your comment in the section below. Thanks again for reading and supporting what I do. I love each of you, and appreciate your time!

Xo,

T.

MAC Mini Must Haves

MAC Cosmetics has always been a holy grail brand for me. The makeup is amazing, but what you may not know is just how good the skincare line is too. I know you don't typically think of great skincare when you think of a cosmetics line, but this is the real deal. I've tried tons of different brands and products over the years, and I always find my way back to MAC. See what I did there? The essential oil is new to MAC, and to my routine. I definitely see the difference when I use it under my moisturizer, or when I add a drop to my full coverage foundation. Below is a quick rundown of why I love each product, and what it does for me.  

Strobe Cream: A moisturizer that has a pearlescent finish that makes the skin look dewey by reflecting light. A fun alternative to regular moisturizer when you need a little extra glow. 

Fix +: Can be used to set your makeup and refresh/moisturize your skin. You can also spray it on your brush to make powder products more pigmented. (Think: eyeshadow)

Studio Moisture Cream: My go to day/night moisturizer. Not too heavy, great scent, very hydrating. 

Essential Oil: Mentioned above, it locks in moisture and brightens skin. 

Find travel size products shown above HERE

and the essential oil HERE

Xo,

T.

Bellami Hair

Let's take a minute and talk extensions. I've had three sets over the years, and I can honestly say only one has proven to be truly amazing. Normally, when you purchase something online you tend to feel a little hesitant because you can't actually see or touch the hair, but after extensive research and multiple consultations with my stylist (shout out Chelsey Taylor!) I have found my go-to's. Bellami Hair offers thick, 100% remy human hair, double drawn clip in extensions that I can wear up, down, or like I have here; a side pony with multiple 'flips.' 

To achieve this look curl your hair and your clip in your extensions. Pull your hair to one side: 

1) Secure it with a tiny elastic in a low side pony.

 2) About 2-3 inches down secure another tiny elastic around the ponytail. 

3) Take the portion of hair in-between the two elastics and split it, pulling the bottom of the pony through the split. (here you can tug on it with your fingers to make it appear thicker)

4) Repeat steps 2&3 one more time about two-three inches down from first 'flip.' 

I am wearing the 120 gram, 18 inch clip in hair extensions in chocolate brown. The best part is, I'm not even using all of the wefts for this look! It's that much hair. 

As I mentioned earlier, I rocked this 'do to my friend Kristin's baby shower over the weekend, and from what I can tell it was a major hit. I can't wait to share more Bellami inspired styles with you soon! In the meantime tell me, would you rock extensions? How would you wear them?

Xo,
T.

6 Shades You Should Try

Hello and welcome back! Today I've rounded up my favorite shades of lipstick to share with you. The funny part is, I don't often wear lipstick. I collect them like rare coins, but I hardly ever put them on. Having said that, I'd like to start. What's the point of having beautiful makeup if you never wear it? 

Clockwise from bottom left: 

YSL Rouge Volupte #5 | The most luxurious formula of all time.

MAC Creme Cup (cremesheen) | A pink-nude color, almost glossy finish.

Russian Red (matte) | A flattering blue based red, matte finish makes it long lasting. 

Blankety (amplified) | The perfect shade for a nude lip look.

Pink Plaid (matte) | Another blue based shade. This pink helps teeth look white.

Center: 

Coral Bliss (cremesheen) | A pretty shade for spring and summer. More sheer, but build-able. 

Do you have a lipstick collection you hardly wear? Or a favorite shade you rock all the time? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Xo,

T.

A Date with Fashionable Fete

Welcome back! Today I have an exciting beauty feature to share with you. My long time friend as well as creative director of Fashionable Fete stopped by Hip Hop Hooray HQ to work her makeup magic on me. Susie is a mama and an accomplished makeup artist who studied at the Napoleon Perdis Makeup Academy. One of the many cool services her company offers is an in home makeup assessment. Basically, Susie offers to bring her expertise to the comfort of your own makeup drawer. During her assessment she will tell you what to keep, toss and add to your collection. In short, she is a traveling Sephora but with concierge services. What woman or mama couldn't benefit from that?

Below, Susie will also show you how the right pair of lashes can give you that extra touch of glam for an event or night out. If you were timid about trying this makeup trick before, fear not. Susie explains that the right tools such as this Bulls Eye lash applicator from the Sephora Collection, and the right glue (she prefers the clear DUO glue) can help you to easily achieve this look. One tip Susie shared with me was to let the glue get very tacky before trying to apply. I'm talking very tacky. Apparently you should wait a good 15-30 seconds before attempting to put it on your lash line. She also instructed me to start the lashes where my natural lashes start, not on the very most inner corner. An important tip to keep in mind for when I have to brave this on my own.

Here is my "before shot" and the final result with my lashes on! It's important to note that no eyeliner was used to achieve this look. Impressive, right? I hope you like it as much as I do. Be sure to check out Susie at Fashionable Fete to learn more about her services, and to see other looks she has created. As always, thank you for reading.

Xo,
T.