My Everyday Makeup Look



Hello, everyone, and welcome to today's post. I don't know about you but I really enjoy reading (or watching on YouTube) a blogger/vlogger's Every Day Makeup Look. I guess it's because I love to see what kind of beauty products they use and whether or not they're doing a look I'd like to recreate. And while I'm not sure if anyone would want to recreate my every day makeup look, I thought I would share it anyway.

The products featured in this post are the ones I've been reaching for lately. You'll see that when it comes to my every day the products I use range from drugstore to high end products. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me how much a makeup product costs because I've found that some affordable products that work just as good (and sometimes better) as high end products. Check out my 2nd blog, Drugstore Gems, to see detailed reviews of my favorite drugstore products.

But for now, let's jump in >>>>>

  

I thought I'd go over the products I used in the order I actually used them.

PRIMER

For me, I always start my makeup routine by priming my face. I forgot to include the primer I used in the pictures but the one I've been grabbing for the last few months is the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing. I used this stuff for my wedding (see My Wedding Makeup post here) and I became addicted to it. I like it leaves my skin baby soft, which helps my foundation to glide on seamlessly.

FOUNDATION

After my face is primed I apply my Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation with my Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki brush. I love using the Sigma F80 brush for my foundation because the bristles are really soft and it helps to buff the foundation smoothly into my skin. I wear number 4.0 in the All Nighter foundation.

CONCEALER

Then I use my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in the color Sand to highlight under my eyes, around my nose, between my eyes, above my top lip, and on my chin. Then I use a damp beauty sponge I got from Amazon to blend it out. Watching Jaclyn Hill's videos taught me the importance of blending my concealer out with a damp beauty sponge. Seriously, it will change the way your face looks and how your concealer holds up through the day.

POWDER

After all the liquids are put in place I set it with my beauty sponge and my Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder. For a drugstore powder it is pretty amazing. It's a pressed powder but it's super soft and it blends like a dream. I use the shade Nude and I can honestly, it's my go-to powder at the drugstore.

BRONZER

After everything is set then it's time for bronzer. I've recently fallen in love with the Benefit Hoola Bronzer. This stuff is the best bronzer I've used so far. It blends beautifully and it sits nicely on the skin. It doesn't look orange on the face or streaky because it has a more tan look that makes your contour look very natural. I blend this in the hollows of my cheek with the Morphe R10 Deluxe Tapered Powder brush and then it's time for blush.

BLUSH

I don't know what it is about blush but it's one of my favorite things to put on. To me, the wrong shade of blush can completely wreck your look but when you find the right shade - the shade that enhances your features - it can take your look to the next level. I used to have an Ipsy subscription and in one of my monthly packages I received the Doll 10 HydraGel Cream Blush in the color Flirt. Well, as it turned out this was the perfect color for me because it didn't make me look like I had a rash. Instead, it blended in nicely and didn't fade as the day wore on. Since it was a cream blush I applied it with my fingers, blending it into the apples of my cheeks. I find that cream blushes tend to give my face a more natural look than powder blushes.

Then after the blush it was time for my favorite part - highlighter.

HIGHLIGHTER

My favorite highlighter is another product I used in my wedding that I completely fell in love with - Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Powder in Champagne Pop. In my opinion this is the best highlighter on the market. Yes, there are countless good-quality highlighters out there from different brands but to me, Champagne Pop will always hold a special place in my heart because I wore it on my wedding day. Plus, it has a soft, slight gold-y peach, shimmer effect to it that looks amazing on tan to medium complexions. And I know that a lot of people don't wear highlighter every day but for me it's an every day staple.

Now on to my favorite part of my every day look - the eyes. 



They say the eyes are the window to the soul. Well, I believe that they should be the most beautiful windows in the world. First off I start off by priming my lids with the NYX Eyeshadow Base in Nude. Then I fill in my brows with my trusty Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown. This is my favorite brow pencil because the tip is really small and you can create the most life-like brows with it. When the brows are done, I use the Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara to set them in place. This stuff works well in keeping unruly place in check without feeling like hardened glue on your face.

Then it's time for the eye shadow. If you saw my post My New Favorite Palette: Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance then you know how deep my love for this palette runs. Seriously, I can't remember my life before this palette came into to it. The Modern Renasissance palette is one of the best eye shadow palettes on the market and for good reason. The color selection is on-point and the shadows are very pigmented yet very blendable and buttery. And while there are some pinky/cranberry shades in the palette that I adore, I tend to steer towards the neutrals and browns for my every day look.

If any of you'd like me to do a tutorial of my every day look just let me know in the comments. That way I can show you guys exactly which colors I use from the palette and which brushes I use to apply them.

But anyway, after the eye shadow's done I apply liquid liner - the Revlon ColorStay Skinny Liner  in Black Out to my upper lid and the NYX Wonder Pencil to my waterline to brighten up the look. Then I apply my favorite mascara at the moment to top of the look - the L'oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara in Blackest Black and move on to the lips.





  

While there are plenty of amazing lip products out there for my every day look I tend to stick to what the drugstore has to offer. I apply some lip balm to moisturize my lips, then swipe on my Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Let's Get Naked. I really like this color because it's a nice nude-y pink that doesn't bleed or flake off. Then, for good measure, I add NYX's Butter Gloss in Crème Brulee for a little shine.

Then I my face with the L'oreal Infalliable Makeup Extender Setting Spray and I'm ready to go.

So what are your favorite products to use for your every day look? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time . . .

XOXO,

Nellie 



Benefit Get the Party Started Mini Cheek Palette Review

 

Hey everyone and welcome to today's post. It's finally Friday! Yeah! We survived another week and to kick off the weekend I thought I'd do a little beauty review on the Benefit Cosmetics Get the Pretty Started Mini Cheek Palette. So if that's something that tickles your fancy just keep reading >>>>>

*This post includes affiliate links that if they are clicked and a product is purchased I get a small commission of the revenue.

Now that spring has officially sprung that means that summer is not far behind. And if there's one thing I absolutely love about summer it's summer vacation. Every year my family and I try to go somewhere - whether that be far away or hittin' a local tourist attraction - a little time away from the stresses of every day life can be a lifesaver.

But, the only problem I run into at vacation time is packing. More specifically, packing my makeup. I tend to pack the whole house ... or at least try to. My husband, Denis, mentioned that this year he'd really appreciate it if I didn't bring my purple and black lace, Caboodles cosmetics carrier that I normally travel with and try to stick to 1 piece of luggage. So in attempt to oblige him I decided to reduce my travel makeup and invest in a face palette.  Because honestly, if I can find a product that holds my bronzer, blush, and highlight I'm cutting my packing space down by at least half.

 

 

 

So I saw this little beauty while I was scrolling through the Benefit Cosmetics website. The Benefit Hoola Bronzer is my absolute favorite bronzer so I figured I'd give their site a look and I found their Get the Pretty Started Mini Cheek Palette at a budget-friendly price of $20. Before I knew it, this palette was in my shopping cart, my PayPal account was up and ready, I clicked confirm, and this little cutie was on it's way to me.

This palette is not only adorable and travel-friendly, it's packed with products that actually work for a great price. It comes with the Hoola Bronzer, the Galifornia blush, and the Watt's Up Highlighter. This was my first time using the Galfornia blush but I found it be blend really well into my skin. To me this blush is perfect for makeup beginners because it's pigmented enough to show up and help warm up your complexion but no so pigmented that you can put too much on in one swipe. 

 

As for the Watt's Up highlighter - I'm still on the fence about it. According to the Benefit site this highlighter has a cream-to-powder finish. I know there are people out there who probably love this highlighter but I found that it didn't show up on my skin very well. I tried blending it onto the tops of my cheeks with my fingers and even a damp beauty sponge but nothing really worked. So far I've been steering clear from it and using some of my other highlighters but all in all this palette is still awesome. 

 

If you're interested in seeing how the bronzer and blush looked on my face just keep scrolling down - there's a few selfies at the bottom of this post.

 

 

 

 

Bottom line: if you're looking for an affordable face palette that won't break the bank I would highly recommend the Benefit Cosmetics Get the Pretty Started Mini Cheek Palette. It's compact enough for travel yet offers a good amount of product for a reasonable price. I've been using it non-stop and I can't wait to use it this summer wherever we end up going. 

I hope you all enjoyed this post. Thanks for reading. Until next time . . . 

 

XOXO,

Nellie 

Introductions

Hi, my name's Nellie Coody and welcome to my blog.

Thank you so much for stopping by my little space on the internet and taking the time to read this. I'm hoping this blog will be a place where you can come when you need a smile or to find a little affordable fashion/beauty advice. I love Jesus, singing along to the radio, singing, trying out Pinterest recipes for my family, and curling up with a good book. But I really love fashion and beauty. And I think that fashion and beauty should be for everyone - regardless of their size, style, or even their finances $$. Coco Chanel said that a girl should be two things: classy and fabulous. She never said anything about expensive.  That my friends is called "Reading Between the Lines." ;)

So, basically this blog will be a collection of things that inspire me, things that fascinate me, and things that I just feel need to be shared. You'll find everything from makeup reviews to movie review. If you like it check me out on these social media spots:

 

 

And once again, thanks for stopping by.

XOXO,

Nellie

May Favorites 2018

Hello everybody and welcome to today's post. Ok, so let me state the obvious, it's been a while since I've posted a blog post, but trust me, there is plenty of exciting things coming up this month. And speaking of this month I realized that there were a few products I found myself really, really loving last month. 

Ladies and gents, let me introduce you to my favorite products for May 2018. So if that sounds like something you're interested in just keep on reading >>>>>

BATH TIME!

Now that it's officially summer in Louisiana I find myself taking more and more showers and these three products have quickly become staples in the shower for me. 

For the month of May my go-to body wash has been the Dove Go Fresh Body Wash in Cucumber and Green Tea. This stuff smells ah-mazing! And personally it reminds me of summer. The cucumber is invigorating in the morning and the green tea makes me feel all fresh and clean. But the best part is that it's a moisturizing body wash - so my skin feels super soft for hours after the shower. 

The number two product I was loving in May was the Zoella Beauty Shower Shake. Technically, this stuff is a moisturizing body wash but I found myself using it for so much. Because the formula is kind of thick and really gentle on my skin I found out that it worked really well to shave my legs. 

Which brings me to the next product - the Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel. I came across this stuff when I couldn't find the Skintimate Shave Gel I normally use and let's just say after the first use I've been hooked. It leaves my skin feeling as soft as a baby's butt. And bonus, it's not overly perfumed - so the scent doesn't knock you down. In my opinion, this stuff works great and if you have sensitive skin this is the shave gel for you. 

THE EYES & FACE HAVE IT!

 

 

In the month of May there were a few eye and face products that really stood out to me. And to be honest, certain brands really impressed me. A good example is the Wet N' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Palettes. I picked up two from my local drugstore - Rose in the Air and Not A Basic Peach - and I've been lovin' them ever since. These palettes are home some of the most buttery, easy-to-blend, buildable shadows on the market and what makes even more appealing - they're only $4.99 a piece. 

A lot of YouTubers have even been calling the Rose in the Air Palette an affordable dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette and I can honestly I agree with them. If you're looking for palettes with shadows that work just as good as some of the higher end palettes definitely give Wet N' Wild a chance. 

The next product is a face powder - the Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder in Nude. Since I have oily skin I tend to be kind of picky about my face powders - shine is a no-no. But this powder is great because it has a light and airy formula that doesn't cake or separate on the face. I apply it with a damp beauty sponge and (just like it's name) it works like a dream. Bravo, Maybelline!

I also found a product from a local shop that caught my attention in May - the Southern Magnolias Body Butter lotion in Apple Macintosh. It's one of the best hand-made lotions I've ever tried and not only does it leave my skin feeling moisturized and fresh - it smells like apples. I don't know why but I just love smelling like fruit. 

I've always been a fan of Real Techniques brushes but over the last few months I can honestly say I've become a super fan. One day I was browsing around my local Ulta and I found the Real Techniques 303 Glitter Contour Brush and my life was changed. This brush has to be best contour brush on the planet. Because it has a flat top it makes doing your contour a breeze. Plus, it has glitter on it. Need I say more?

As for the last face gem I found in May this little baby caught me by surprise at Target: the Sonia Kashuk Makeup Blender Sponge in Marble. If you're like me and you're looking to save some money without forfeiting value I would highly recommend this sponge. It blends makeup products flawlessly and even after cleaning it multiple times it has yet to lose it's shape. And was only $7.00. 

Now on to the lips >>>>

Lovin' the Lips 

May was the month of lips for me. Now don't get me wrong - I love beautiful lip products just like anyone else but I tend to buy more face and eye makeup products regularly than lips products. But for some reason in May more and more lip products caught my eye. Here are a few of the lip products that stole my heart last month >>>>

 Confession time, peeps, I bought something last month that I had been dying to try forever - the Lipstick Queen lipstick in Frog Prince - and all I can say is this has become my summer, on-the-go lip color. There are 3 things I absolutely love about this lipstick and there are follows:

1. The Formula - even though it's technically a lipstick it feels more like a lip balm when applied. Also, it gives the lips a natural and soft pink sheen with a tiny bit of shine. 

2. The Packaging - besides the name being super cute I loved the sleekness of the packaging. It come in a pink metal tube that compliments the lipstick nicely and makes it perfect for travel.

3. The Color - ok, so the main reason I bought this lipstick was not for the formula or the packaging - it was for the color. I mean it's a green lipstick that applies pink. How cool is that? My inner 13 year old was jumping up and down when I saw this in Ulta. And every time I wear it I think of The Princess and the Frog. Pucker up, Buttercup!

The next lip product caught me by surprise completely - the NYX Lip Lingerie in Ruffle Trim. This stuff is ah-mazing. It has a satin finish and comes in 24 neutral colors. I found that Ruffle Trim really complimented my skin tone, but even more I found the formula to be really nice. This product wasn't sticky or drying - it applied well and stayed on much longer than I anticipated. A drugstore gem for sure. 

NYX really came through for me last month because I fell in love with a second lip product from them - the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream. This little lippies do just what their name says - they leave your lips feeling soft with a matte finish that isn't drying. NYX actually has a pretty decent range of colors for this line and I can't wait to see if they'll add more in the future. 

And for the last product I have been loving the Too Faced Natural Nude Lipstick in Birthday Suit. Too Faced never fails to amaze me when they release new products and this time was no different. I picked up the Natural Face palette in April and when I did I also picked up one of the lipsticks in their new Natural Nudes lipstick in Birthday Suit and I'm sure glad I did. The formula has coconut butter in it which makes it wonderful on the lips because it's not drying. Also, the color was really pigmented and it lasts forever. A definite must have. 

XXXXX

Well, that was all of my favorite products for the month of May. Now that you know mine feel free to share with me yours? Was there a new makeup or skincare/body product that caught your eye last month? Feel free to let me know in the comments below. 

Until next time, my dears >>>>

XOXO,

Nellie