I mean who doesn't love a good bronzer??

Clearly, George does!
And so do I! I have an obsession (like you didn't know that already, right?) with yet another makeup item. Bronzers. Like, I love them, I obsess over them. And, occasionally, I dream about them (I wish I were kidding).

Here is my collective stash of bronzers. Again, I'm more of a drugstore girl, so not many high ends names in the bunch. But, I've found some pretty good bronzers at the drugstore. So there.
I'll give you a quick review of each, and I'll start with my absolute, most favorite of the bunch:
NYC Sunny Bronzer . Oh, it may not look like much but it is the most fabulous matte bronzer I've ever used! Umm...it only costs like 3 bucks. If I were to compare it something, I would compare it to Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (which is $28 at Ulta). Very similar in texture and color. I use this bronzer every single day. It gives a healthy, warm color but is not muddy or dirty looking. It has no shimmer whatsoever and is very silky. Hands down, the winner for me!

Next, my second runners up are from Physician's Formula. I love everything about the PF company. They make some amazing bronzers and blushers!

First (top left) is the PF Shimmer Strip in Miami Strip. Not going to lie, I bought it for the name since Miami is one of my favorite places to visit. But, I use this as more of a cheek highlighter as it is very light and gives a pretty sheen. It does not have glitter in it, but does give a glowy sheen. I apply it on my cheekbones with a stippling (skunk) brush from ELF.

Next (top right) is the PF Cashmere Wear Ultra Smoothing Bronzer. I just got this today and when I tried it out....I love it! All of it is matte, except for the lightest strip and it has a little shimmer to it. Really, really pretty and does not make you look like a disco ball. (PF is 40% off at CVS this week and I had a $5 coupon, so I got this for about a dollar. A win win in my book).

And then (bottom left) I have the PF Bronze Booster Glow Boosting Sun Stones. I may have bought these strictly because of the container, but whatever. I have to be honest, these have a little too much glitter for me. If I apply it very, very lightly and only on my cheeks I like it. I would NOT apply this to my whole face, because seriously.....holy glitter!

Lastly (bottom right) is the PF Bronze Booster Glow Boosting Pressed Shimmer Powder. This is probably my number 2 most used bronzer. It has very little shimmer (in fact, I don't notice any shimmer when I use it, and would consider this a more matte bronzer). It imparts a very healthy glow.

Moving on the ELF, I have the Bronzer in Warm Tan (left) and the Contouring Blush and Bronzing Duo (right). I love the Blush/Bronzing Duo (it's a dupe for the NARS Laguna/Org*sm duo)! I wear it a lot. I use the bronzer to contour my cheek bones and my nose (I have a big nose. It needs contouring). The Warm Tan may have too much shimmer for most people's liking, but it will work great this summer to bronze my décolletage and shoulders when i wear a cute sundress!
Wet n Wild: This brand has really stepped up their game in the drugstore makeup market. I used to wear all their stuff in high school, but it is TOTALLY changed now. Their eye shadows are some of the BEST I've ever used and that includes high end. Anyway, we're talking about bronzers. The MegaGlo in Starlight Bronze (left) was formerly my "holy grail" of bronzers. I absolutely love it! So, so pretty with not too much shimmer. The Ultimate Minerals Bronzer (right) in Amber Glow is used a blush for me. It is said to be a dupe for the much sought after Stereo Rose blush by MAC (which is nearly impossible to get now, unless you want to pay with your kidney on E(vil)-Bay). It is simply beautiful! It is one of my favorite blushes now.
Next up? NARS! I love NARS so much! I have the Illuminator stick in South Beach (left) which gives a dewy glow to my cheeks. I like to use these in the summer, when a powder might not stay on as long in the heat. I also have the Org8sm Illuminator liquid (right). Nothing else to say but amazing. I think it's perfect in every way.
Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Dance is a shimmery bronzer that gives a pretty color. It does have shimmer in it, but it's not over the top. In fact, in doing this blog post, I've decided to use it tomorrow because I love it so.
And last, but not least Bonne Bell Blend 'n Glow. I know, Bonne Bell is kind of geared towards pre-teens and teens but (I mean who doesn't love a good ol Dr. Pepper Lipsmackers?!?)....this stuff is an amazing cheek highlighter. Not so much of a bronzer, but whatever. It does have some bronzing qualities, but works better as a highlighter over another bronzer.


I promise I don't walk around looking like George Hamilton, but I do love me a good bronze. I have very fair skin and REFUSE to tan my face at all. I wear SPF on my face everyday and when I'm out at the beach or pool, I wear the highest SPF available. I do not want wrinkles. So....my little arsenal of sunny brown goodness fixes that right up!
Hope you enjoyed this and if you have a bronzer that YOU can't live without, then tell me! I can assure you that I will most likely buy it immediately.

Have a beautiful weekend!
xoxo

The Fine Print: I was not sponsored or compensated by any of the brands featured in this blog post. All of these items were purchased with my own funds and all the opinions are mine. As with any product, your results may vary.

What's In My Makeup Bag?

I carry a huge purse. I love big purses so much and don't even own a small purse, other than a few clutches for nights out. I work 12 hour shifts, so I carry a lot of essentials with me to work. I found an amazing makeup bag at GAP! It has 3 compartments and I love that I can separate my toothpaste, toothbrush and floss from the rest of my stuff. I also keep all of my hair things in one compartment as well.

So, here's what I carry in my makeup bag:

(L to R top to bottom):

Some oil blotting sheets (not sure where I got them from)
Chanel Glossimer in Star
MAC Cremesheen Glass in Partial to Pink (my sweet friend Tricia got it for me)
nail clippers
glass nail file
E.L.F. concealer and eye brightener duo
old school scrunchie (don't judge)
hair elastic
some sanitizing hand wipes in lemon and orange (from Birchbox)
travel toothbrush
Marvis toothpaste (Birchbox, again)
Crest dental floss
travel hair brush (I only use it for the mirror)
Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar body spray (I wear this scent everyday. I'm obsessed).
an old ratty hair pick, but I have curly hair so I use it to fluff up my curls.
E.L.F. Complexion Brush (one dolla)
Colgate Wisps! Love these (from Target)
ibuprofen
N.Y.C. Translucent face powder in case I get shiny
Clinique Fresh Bloom All-over face color in peony
EOS lip balm in sweet mint
E.L.F. candy shop lip gloss in cherry (it doubles as a cream blush in a pinch)

Here is a picture of the GAP bag. It's an eggplant color with magenta on the inside. It has leather pull tabs on the zippers. I love this bag!! I got it on sale after Christmas, but I think they still have them in other colors. It's a great bag, as it's easy to clean and stays looking nice.




Do you carry a makeup bag? What are your daily travel must-haves?

Have a beautiful week!
xoxo

All About Eyes, Lips and Face...

or E.L.F (also known as: my online crack house).

I have a HUGE love affair with E.L.F. They are one of my favorite cosmetic companies to shop from, online. They also sell a limited amount of stock at Target, but my Target doesn't have much to choose from, so I stick to online shopping with them.

E.L.F. has the best coupon codes and I receive one in my email at least every other day. I haven't decided, yet, if this is good or bad. It's like dangling a carrot in front of a bunny. I just can't say no!

I have some staple items in my makeup arsenal that are exclusively E.L.F. and are items that I have repurchased many times over. I'll share some of those with you now, give you my review of those products and then show you my recent haul!

My most purchased item from E.L.F is the Mineral Face Primer ($6 for .49oz). This is, hands down, my favorite face primer. It does exactly what it says: creates a smooth, flawless canvas for foundation. It is a slippery, clear gel that diminishes pores and combats oil and dry flakes. I am currently on my 3rd bottle! I do have one issue with it, and that is the size. It appears that you are getting a lot more than you actually are. The primer is housed inside the white cylinder encased within the crystal looking bottle. I think that $6 for .49 ounces is not that great of a price, but I usually purchase when they have a 50% off coupon code, so it works out. Plus, this works amazingly, so I'll continue to purchase. I do hope that E.L.F. will repackage it soon though, because I would love to know how much I have left in the container (as it's not a clear container, I'm constantly obsessing about running out). I would say this is good for combination/dry/very dry skin. I'm not sure I would put this on oily skin, as it has an very slick texture. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

My second most purchased product is the Tinted Moisturizers! Holy crap, I love these! As in, I love them MORE than Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer (and LM is pretty awesome). I use two different E.L.F. tinted moisturizers. One is from the Studio Line ($3 for .88floz) and one from the Essentials Line ($1 for .42floz). Yep, that's right: ONE DOLLAR. Now, if you're like me...you're thinking: "umm...excuse me, it's a buck. How great can it be?" Well, it's pretty damn great, in my opinion. It gives very sheer coverage but coverage still, has an SPF of 15 and smells like oranges. I wear this when I go to the pool, gym, or just running errands. It is moisturizing, provides some color and doesn't break me out. Pretty great for a buck!

The Studio Line TM with SPF 20 is my most favorite! This one provides light/medium coverage and, for me, replaces my Laura Mercier TM (which, btw, is $40+). This one is very moisturizing, and gives great coverage. It is buildable and doesn't streak. I love love love it!! I am an NC20 in MAC and wear the color Nude in fall/winter and the color Beige in Spring/Summer. I would say this is suitable for all skin types. I do apply this over my daily moisturizer, but I have very dry skin.

My other favorite is their blushes! Both the Studio Line ($3) and the Essentials Line ($1). They are silky, smooth and have a great color payoff! I don't find them to be chalky or overly powdery and they have amazing staying power! My favorite colors are: Pink Passion, Fuchsia Fusion, Peachy Keen, Gotta Glow (spot on dupe for NARS Albatross, btw) and Glow. These little gems are like candy to me. I can't help myself! And, all the colors are so different that you *need* them all! :) I also purchased my first cream blush from them, but haven't tried it yet. I'll let you know how I like it.

And the ONE thing that you MUST try is the eyelash curler. One dollar. Amazing. I absolutely LOVE it. I do get these at Target.

So here is my recent haul! I love receiving my E.L.F. orders in the mail.
(from L to R): Mineral Primer, Tinted Moisturizer in Nude, Studio Blushes in Peachy Keen and Tickled Pink, Essential Blush in Shy and Flushed, Healthy Glow Bronzing Powders in Warm Tan and Luminance (these are amazing!!! So excited about them. And...$1), 2 in 1 conditioning lip gloss in Supermodel, and Cream Blush in Tease.



Would you like to know the grand total of all of this, including shipping? $21.49!

I will admit, I was very, very skeptical about E.L.F. when I first heard of it. I felt like it had to be crappy because it was so cheap. I was WRONG. Very, very wrong. Some of their stuff is meh, but that's true with every company. MOST of the things I've tried from them, I truly love.

Just so you know, I was not paid to say any of this by E.L.F. I am not sponsored by them or any company. I just like sharing that you CAN get quality for less money and without a fancy name brand (even though I love name brands for certain things). And, honestly, in this economy and with gas prices draining every one's wallet, what could be better??

Do you use E.L.F.? What are your favorites? Or, what don't you like about them? I'd love to hear from you!

Have a beautiful weekend!
xoxo

p.s. to get E.L.F.'s amazing coupon codes, just visit their website! They usually have the current one's listed on the homepage. If you can't find them, email me at thepinkowlblog@gmail.com and I will let you know what they are!

The Fine Print: I was not sponsored or compensated by any of the brands featured in this blog post. All of these items were purchased with my own funds and all the opinions are mine. As with any product, your results may vary.

Mascara: My search for perfection.

I am a self-proclaimed Mascara Whore. There is no makeup item that I love more (however, concealer runs a very, very close 2nd). I am constantly on the search for the perfect inky goo that will give me volume, length and the perfect fan of beautiful, separated lashes (which, btw, I may have found!!!).

So, I'm going to review all of the mascaras that I currently own. I will also review a few that I've used in the past, but am currently out of. I have a mix of both "high-end" and drug store brands. I typically only use drugstore brands right now, but have a few higher end brands that I have used (and loved).

Here we gooooo!

L'Oreal Waterproof Voluminous Carbon Black :
I religiously used the original Voluminous when I was in college (because I'd read somewhere that Courtney Cox ordered it by the case. And, if she used it, then I should too). However, this is my opinion of the Carbon Black. I like it. I don't love it. I feel like it is too....wet. I've had my tube for about a month now, so it's had plenty of time to "dry out" a bit, but I still find it too liquid-y. I also get flakes if I wear it for more than a 4 hours. I will not be repurchasing this mascara, as I don't feel it gives me much volume.

Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express (waterproof):

I bought this after a flood of girls on Twitter went nuts for it (this is just another reason why I love Twitter). At first, I liked it. Then, I hated it. Now...I love it! I recently went back to it and wondered why I ever hated it. It is not my favorite mascara, but it is one that I reach for often. I don't get flakes with this, at all. I do find that I get more length instead of volume with this mascara.

Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express (waterproof):
Meh. It's ok. It does give really good length, but I don't like how my lashes clump together when I use it. It also flakes a little on me, so that's a definite no-go. I hate flaky mascara. A lot.

Benefit BADgal Lash:
This is a smaller tube that came in my Her Name Is Glow-la palette. I have used the full size tube before, as well. I really like this mascara. It gives massive volume! The only issue that I have with this one, is the size of the brush is SO big that I end up with tons of it on my eyelids. I'm always having to use a q-tip to get the excess off of my eyelids. But...it gives big, bold lashes!

Cover Girl Professional Mascara (waterproof):
OMG. I love this mascara! It's the cheapest one of all them, coming in at around $4. It gives amazing length. The color is dark and inky. It makes my lashes glossy. I use it on days when I want a more natural look, but I always use it on my bottom lashes. It *never* flakes and is easy to remove with makeup remover.

bareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara:
Hmmm....not sure. I like the way it looks on my lashes. But, I hate the way it smells. Honest to God, it smells like potting soil. Yep, DIRT. I don't know if my tube is bad or what. I got it in January's Birchbox (I'll do a post on this soon. Love love love). It gives good lashes, and I especially like it over the Bad Gal Lash.

Diorshow Blackout:
This used to be my Holy Grail. I love this mascara! It is beautiful. It does everything I wanted it to do. But...the price. I'm kind of over paying $25 bucks for a mascara. Especially when I've found a drugstore brand that I like just as much now (wait for it). I'm out of this mascara, hence the stock photo (via Google).

Make Up For Ever Aqua Smoky Lash (waterproof):
Another one of my favorites! But, for the price? Meh. The one thing about Smoky Lash is that it dries out fast. So, I was replacing it almost every month and a half. Nope. I'm out of this mascara, hence the stock photo (via Google).

And now....for my HOLY GRAIL (read: IWILLDIEIFTHEYEVERSTOPMAKINGTHISAMAZINGMASCARAOHMYGOD!)

Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion Volume and Length:
This stuff is the shiz. It does EVERYthing my Diorshow and Smoky Lash did, but better. I'm serious. I get the best separation of my lashes with this mascara. It is not crunchy and my lashes feel like lashes! I get asked, almost every time I wear this, if I have fake lashes on! That is the key. If people think your lashes are fake (and they're not), then your mascara is doing something good (at least in my opinion. Because I want MY lashes to look fake. And if they don't, I will probably put fake ones on. Just sayin'). I can't say enough good things about this mascara! It is amazing and I don't see myself searching for new mascaras for a while.
(p.s. Rite-Aid has Cover Girl for 40% off this week, so if you wanna try this now might be a good time).

That concludes my rambly post about one of my true loves: mascara. What mascara do YOU love? I'd love to hear about them, because I probably can't be faithful to one mascara for too long, no matter how hard I try.

Have a beautiful week!
xoxo

The Fine Print: I was not sponsored or compensated by any of the brands featured in this blog post. All of these items were purchased with my own funds and all the opinions are mine. As with any product, your results may vary.

A Tour Of My Favorite Place To Play...

My vanity. Or makeup desk. Or whatever you want to call it.

This desk was a gift to me (along with the rest of my bedroom suite) from my parent's when I turned 15. I'm about to be, ahem, 35 so is it an antique yet? :)

It used to be full of stationery items, cell phone accessories, and office type supplies. I never really used the desk, so I felt like it was wasted space. I decided recently to make this a more usable space and turn it into my vanity area. And...I LOVE it. It is my favorite place to play.

Here is the entire thing (please pardon the silk daisies, that has since been removed. I was just playing around with some decor. I didn't like them). On the Memory Board above my vanity, I have family pictures, hair flowers, and just random memorabilia. I change it up a lot. I also put makeup inspiration pictures of looks that I want to try to recreate on there.
Here are my face brushes, eye brushes, a container of my foundations/tinted moisturizers and tissues. I keep my brushes stuck in lentils. They work perfectly and are super cheap. The only drawback is they remind of those little things that used to get stuck to my socks when I was a child, after playing in a field. Remember those? Oh well, they work.
Most of my brushes are from the Studio Line at E.L.F. They are awesome! They are super soft, never shed and wash well. I also have my beloved Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki. It's a new staple. My eye brushes are a mixture of Estee Lauder, E.L.F., Sonia Kashuk (who has amazing brushes), and Ulta Professionals.

This is a small 3 drawer organizer (from Target) that I use to hold my mascaras, brow gels and blushes. The blush drawers are kind of empty since I split it all up into 2 drawers. I'm obsessed with blushes at the moment, so I'm sure it will fill up quickly. On the top, I keep my brush cleaner spray, for daily use, a bronzer that won't fit in the drawers, face primer and some Aquaphor for my lips or any dry patches on my face. I also use the little pink container to hold random lipliners and a hair clip for when I'm doing my makeup.


If you can't tell by the next picture, I love E.L.F. brushes! They are like crack to me. $3 a pop and they are beautiful! My favorite is Candid Coral and Pink Passion. They are comparable to NARS blushes. And, I like them so much that I gave a friend the 2 NARS blushes that I had. I know....what was I thinking? But, I don't miss them.
This is the top left drawer, where I keep all of my eyeshadow quads, trios and singles. I also have lipglosses, lipsticks and powders. I got the little containers at the Dollar Tree. They fit perfectly in my drawer.
The drawer below the one above hold all of my eyeshadow palettes, extra makeup brushes, Vaseline, q-tips (to fix mistakes) and all of my fake lashes and lash glue.I love wearing fake lashes!
The top drawer(pictured below)is my favorite! This drawer has (from top left to right/top to bottom):
Concealers
lipglosses (btw, Lorac lipglosses are great)
liquid eyeliner
eyeliner pencils
face highlighters
eyelid primers
eye/face shimmers
bronzers (I'm a bronzer junkie. I'm still on the search for the perfect one, so if you have a favorite, I'd love to hear about it)!
liquid face highlighters
setting powders
liquid/stick bronzers (NARS Org*sm and South Beach)
I hope you've enjoyed the tour of my favorite place! I guess because I have to wear a boyish uniform everyday, I like to make sure that my face and hair look very...girly. I like that I wear a uniform everyday, b/c it saves me thousands on clothes, but it has turned me into a bit of a makeup junkie. As you can probably tell by looking at my collection, I'm mostly a drugstore girl. A high end product has to really, really wow me in order for me to purchase it. The drugstore brands have really stepped up their game lately, so I feel like I can do a good job at finding a cheaper dupe for the $$ products at CVS or Walgreens. The exception to my "drugstore rule" is Chanel Glossimers and MAC Silver Dusk. Those are the shiz and I've not found a decent drug store replacement for them. Yet...

Have a beautiful week!
xoxo

My Top 10 (of the moment).....

Here are my TOP TEN beauty products of the moment! Maybe you will like them too.

From last to first:

10. CVS eye makeup remover (oil-free): This is a must have in my beauty cabinet. I was using the Sonia Kashuk Remove, but CVS has really done a great job with this product. It is EXACTLY the same as SK, but about $6cheaper and much easier to find (Target is almost always sold out of the SK). Btw, if you haven't joined CVS's Beauty Club, you should! It's free to sign up.
9. Sigma F80 Flat top Kabuki brush. I *love* this brush! It blends my foundation so well. It gives a flawless finish that looks great. I didn't get the hype about this brush...until I got it. I don't know how I did my makeup without it. Not kidding.
8. ROC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. Simply put: this works. Period. It has almost made my laugh lines disappear. And they were deep. I wish I'd taken before and after pictures of the results. My mom noticed the difference without me telling her that I'd been using a Retinol cream. I have been using this for over 3 months now. I noticed the changes after a few weeks.
7. Chanel Glossimer in Star. I love Chanel Glossimers! They are not sticky, gooey or packed full of chunky glitter. They wear well and make my lips feel amazing. I used to wear Black Tie and went through about 6 tubes of it before it was discontinued. This is almost as perfect as Black Tie. Almost. ;)
6. Hard Candy Undercover Agent Undereye brightener and concealer. This stuff is perfection. It is a large bead of concealer on the end that works like a stick concealer (which I normally hate). You basically draw this on, and the warmth of your face and ring finger melt this into your skin (pat don't rub). It gives a dewy finish which is what I want. I hate concealer that settles into fine lines or looks cakey! The brightener is a white gel(?) type cream that you put on after the concealer. Honestly, I don't know how I feel about the brightener, but the concealer is SO good that I don't really care. I will definitely repurchase this again.
5. MAC Silver Dusk: This is the most amazing highlighter ever! I use it almost every day and my other highlighters have been neglected. This is a sample jar that my sweet friend Tricia gave me. I love it so much that I've already purchased the full size, but haven't opened it until I use all of the sample up. It will last a long, long time! I place this on the tops of my cheek bones with an angled brush.
4. Clean & Clear Foaming Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin: I have used this for about 5 years now, and I don't ever plan to change. It smells delicious, removes all of makeup, and doesn't dry out my skin. Perfect, if you ask me.
3. L'Oreal Everstrong Sulfate Free Deep Replenishing Mask: This is my 2nd tub of this and it works amazingly. My hair is soft and silky after using this and it doesn't weigh my hair down. I also love that it's sulfate free, so it doesn't mess with with my color. Oh, and it smells divine!
2. Clarisonic: This is the best gift I've ever received! It has completely changed my skin. Honestly, I don't know how or why, but it just works. It is expensive, but so worth the investment.
1. Cetaphil Cream: This is THE MOST AMAZING PRODUCT ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET. I don't plan to ever be without this cream. My skin used to be a dry, flaky mess but Cetaphil has changed my life. My skin will still freak out occasionally, but a face mask followed by Cetaphil and I'm good to go. I use this night and day.
What are YOU loving at the moment?? Hope you have a beautiful weekend!
xoxo

The Fine Print: I was not sponsored or compensated by any of the brands featured in this blog post. All of these items were purchased with own funds and all the opinions are mine. As with any product, your results may vary.