Presidential Perfection: Products That Have My Vote!

In lieu of the Presidential Election taking place tomorrow I figured I could talk a little politics... cosmetic politics!  Out of all the beauty product contenders vying for my support only a few have made the cut, and thus have become an integral part of my beauty routine.  Here are the lucky elected members of my beauty cabinet (sorry for the bad puns, but I cannot resist)!

1. Revlon Colorstay Combination/Oily
-This product has all but reached cult classic status in the North American beauty world and I could not resist but to try it out about a year ago.  For a girl who samples a new foundation once a month, the fact that this product has stuck around for a whole year really says something! It keeps the oilies away, is college-student-budget friendly, and doesn't break me out... what more could a girl want?

2. Johnson's Baby Head-to-Toe Wash
- I was appalled to discover the Purpose face wash I had been faithfully using for years had almost identical ingredients to a product that costs half as much and smells better (something like childhood)... Good ol' Johnson's.

3. Merle Norman Age Defying Eyeliner in Coffee Bean
- My grandmother introduced me to this eyeliner a while back and I was pleasantly surprised.  I'm not sure how much "age defying" it actually does, I suppose we will know within the next twenty years; however, its dark brown, almost black color matches everything and wears steadily for hours!

4. Lancome Hypnose
-This is a fairly new arrival into my beauty routine.  I have been a faithful user of Maybelline Great Big Lash mascara for a few years, but finally decided I would try out a big girl mascara... something a little more expensive with a sexy tube (sucker for packaging right here).  This stays on perfectly for hours and does an awesome job of thickening your lashes without clumping.   Sorry for the cliche mascara description, but it is actually true for this one.

5. Cerave Moisturizing Lotion
-I stole this from my mom a fews years back and have been hooked ever since.  This bottle is pretty old as you can tell.  Plus, I use it in the shower so the logo is a little worn.  It's perfect for face AND body.  Who doesn't love a product that can multi-task?

6. Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Shimmer Bronzer
- I am honestly a sucker for a little shimmer and this bronzer gives me exactly what I want.  It's the perfect balance of color and shimmer without being overbearing!

7.  Suave Naturals Daily Clarifying Shampoo
-This shampoo is another great little multi-tasker.  It cleans all of the product residue out of your hair and will do the same thing for your makeup brushes.  Mix this shampoo in a cup with warm water, swirl the brushes in it, rinse, and repeat until the water from the brushes runs clear.  Then lay them on a towel to dry.  Your skin will thank you for the clean brushes later!

8.  MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Warm Soul (Not Pictured Above)
This blush...I could rave about this blush for days.  I'll keep it short and sweet, though.  It is glowy, not glittery, with coloring similar to that which you might have after walking out into the cold.  It is perfect and the glow is surprisingly natural looking.  Everyone should own this blush!

Totally Taupe in Stats Class

If only my enthusiasm for makeup was matched with an enthusiasm for statistics, STA 210 wouldn't be so horrible. But it is extremely boring and my teacher often rambles on about sports and I "accidentally" tune out. That's why I am choosing to discuss my most recent drugstore discovery while he goes on about the Giants or whatever. Blah blah blah Giants blah blah Bengals...anyways, my enthusiasm for makeup may lead many people to believe that I like to experiment with crazy colors, but in all honesty it takes a lot to get me to put on a brightly colored lip or eyeshadow. For my everyday life as a college student I prefer to keep things clean and simple, opting for nude-ish, possibly shimmery shadows versus highly pigmented bright colors. Just recently I ventured into experimenting with a berry lip color, but that's another story. I like to look made up, but not like I'm going to my senior prom. Needless to say, I was delighted when I first used Maybelline's Color Tattoo eyeshadow in "Tough as Taupe". It's a matte taupe color that is very buildable. I do think this color is a little too matte to be worn alone, but when placed under my Urban Decay "Hustle" or "Sin" it acts as a beautiful base that creates depth as well as increases staying power. I dare to say that it works as well as the Urban Decay Primer Potion as an eyeshadow primer. It's like eyeshadow glue, if you will. But hey, I understand that it's different strokes for different folks so some of you may prefer it alone. I just prefer a little glowyness on my eyelids! I look forward to trying more colors out of the Color Tattoo Collection and I hope they deliver as well as Tough as Taupe!

Fall Back and Relax... with Rosy Cheeks!

As most of you know today is the day that everyone set their clocks back one hour. Today was also the day that I decided to try cream blush for the first time! Well, more like cream to powder, but you get the idea. I've always been faithful to powder blush, thinking that it was the only thing my oily skin could tolerate. I am pleased to say that I was wrong! I found the L'oreal Paris Magic Soufflé Blush in Plume at a Walgreen's and thought the color looked so light and natural that I had to try it. I was really pleased with color once it was on. It's the perfect natural flush for fall/winter. There are a few sparkles in this blush, but nothing that should deter shimmer-phobes from at least giving it a try!