Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

I feel like the release of this product in the U.S. was so hyped up it rivaled that of the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. That being said, let's review this shit...

The Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser is a silicon based primer that has been compared to Benefit's Porefessional more often than not. I first heard about this product in the fall, thanks to our favorite addiction, Pinterest, and have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of it in America.  

The primer is a clear gel that feels very smooth going onto your skin. My foundation goes on and blends much easier with the addition of this product but not any easier than any of my other primers. It did erase my pores to a certain extent but not as much as Benefit's Porefessional does. Oily skin girls beware this is not going to mattify your face as much as the Porefessional and I do have to blot and powder my skin at about 2:30 p.m. if I did my makeup at about 7:30 a.m. 

While this is not an exact dup for Benefit's Porefessional, it is a wallet friendly primer that does the job and has similar benefits to the Porefessional. This product is also similar to Givenchy's Mister Mat Mattifying Foundation Primer if you are familiar with that product. 

I do want to put in a little warning. Since these are "pore diminishing" primers they will clog your pores. That being said, they are not beneficial to use on your face everyday. I certainly notice when I have been using these types of primers too many days in a row because my pores are more clogged and larger than normal. Also, please please please do not sleep in your makeup after using these primers. Your skin "resets" overnight and leaving a pore clogging primer as the first layer between your skin and your makeup overnight is not doing you any favors. Remember, skin care is more important than anything else. Makeup you can take off at the end of the day but your skin is with you for life!

I hope this was helpful for all of you who have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this product! I think it is completely worth checking out and I do enjoy using it!

hearts&stars
Erin Leigh

Klorane Soothing Shampoo with Peony Extract

French women really have nailed the beauty industry. From Bioderma to Embroylisse they can do no wrong. So let me share with you a new product that has blown my mind:

I have always suffered with an extremely dry scalp. I have tried EVERY product out there and nothing seems to work. I even took it as far as using Listerine to try and cure it (remember my friends - not everything you read on the internet is true). A couple of weeks ago I read about this shampoo on Refinery 29 and I thought maybe, just maybe, this will work for me. So I ordered it and y'all it works! 

The Klorane Soothing Shampoo with Peony Extract is available for $19.50 from Drugstore.com and is fantastic. It is gentle enough to use as an everyday shampoo and strong enough to get rid of my severe dandruff and let's just add in the extra bonus that it SMELLS AMAZING! The only downside, which doesn't particularly bother me, is that the product is a little bit runnier than most shampoos.

I cannot say enough good things about this product and strongly urge those of you suffering with dandruff, especially during this crazy winter we are having, to try this out. Seriously, it was 30 degrees in Dallas today and the high for tomorrow is 65?

I hope you are all having a wonderful week! 

hearts&stars 

Erin Leigh

how i cleared up my acne

Today's post is a post that I have been dreaming of one day being able to write. Although, I am a little nervous that I am going to have to knock on wood after it goes live. I also want to say that this post is in no way, shape, or form sponsored. The following is my honest opinion!

I have suffered with acne since I was about 13 years old. In high school it was never too bad but I did constantly have pimples. I used proactive and it all cleared up. Fast forward a couple of years to my junior year in college and all of a sudden, due in large part to my extremely high levels of stress and anxiety as well as the beginning of suffering from panic attacks, I had full blown cystic acne. After not being able to clear it up using products I had been using most of my life I finally went to the dermotologist. They put my on medication and gave me a gel to use on my face and the next day I flew to New York for winter break to see my family. When I got to New York I noticed something wasn't right. My appetite was either non existent or I was so famished that I would eat three plates full of food and my insomnia was worse than it had ever been before. I knew something was really really wrong when I was trying on a shirt at the mall and my body was covered in a rash. An hour later my body was so itchy I was in tears. 

Long story short, this was how I found out I am allergic to Bactrim DS. My aunt took me to see her dermatologist and the doctor was able to help me and within two months my skin was completely clear. The rest of college was pretty smooth with my skin, similar to the way it was in high school. But then I graduated and got a job in an office and everything went to shit. My cystic acne was back in full force.

I have tried so many skin care products it is insane. But about five months ago I ordered a product that was a game changer for me, Proactiv+.

Similar to the original Proctive, this range contains three steps. A cleanser, serum, and lotion. The cleanser is a facial scrub that feels really gentle on the skin that gets your skin really clean! The serum is nice and light and the lotion really makes your skin feel clear and soft. I typically only use these products at night as I do not typically wash my face in the morning (I know this sounds crazy but just think about it. It's not like you have done anything during the night that would cause you to think your skin isn't clean). In the morning I prefer to use a light toner and moisturizer before applying my makeup. I also use a nighttime facial type product after using the lotion because the Proactiv+ lotion can be a little drying. I am currently using the Korres Greek Yoghurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial and I seriously love it!

A little prewarning, this stuff is not exactly the most budget friendly. My first one month kit cost me $32.00. Then they sent me a three month kit and it cost me $32 a month. On a positive note, four months later I am no where close to finishing the three month kit and have saved the one month kit for when I travel. They will automatically repurchase this product for you so pay attention to how much you have and how much you need! 

Proactiv+ has cleared up all of my acne and given me so much self confidence. I now know when people look at me they are not just looking at my acne but instead they are seeing me. I know this is cheesy and I sound just like the commercials but I mean this 150%. 

I highly recommend that if you suffer from acne that you at least try these products. I would love to hear from you if you have and if they worked for you! 

hearts&stars, 
LJ

so you want to invest in make up brushes...

Happy Saturday y'allll!!!

We survived another week (barely) and it is time for the weekend! Today's post is going to be all about make up brushes. So whether you are a beginner, or just missed the memo on needing good brushes this post is for you!  

I am going to start this off by saying that your makeup will apply so much easier and look that much better when you are working with high quality make up brushes.That being said high quality does not mean that it is going to cost an arm and a leg. The following brushes are those that I use everyday. I think the combination of these brushes will make for a perfect kit! 

1. Real Techniques Expert Face Brush 

My holy grail foundation brush. A buffing brush, classic foundation brush hybrid I have never met a foundation, concealer, or BB cream that this did not apply flawlessly. It costs $8.99 at Ulta and the brand is often on buy one get one half off which is perfect because my next brush is also from them. 

2. Real Techniques Powder Brush

This is a giant fluffy powder brush that I not only use to set my make up but also for bronzer. It costs $9.99 and is fantastic!

3. MAC - 168 Large Angeled Contour Brush 

Now this is a pricier brush ($35) but it can often be found in the special brush kits that MAC releases throughout the year. I love this for when I am really contouring my cheek bones as well as for my blush!

4. MAC - 217 Blending Brush 

Buy more than one of these...THEY ARE AMAZING! The best blending brush on the market, it works perfectly to be the only eye makeup brush that you need to complete a look. I swear by this brush and literally could not do make make up without it. 

5. MAC - 239 Eye Shader Brush 

Another pricier brush ($25) I like to use this to place shadow on my lid, under my brow bone, and under my eye. Again, this can often be found in the special brush kits MAC releases. 

6. MAC - 266 Small Angle Brush 

The last brush that I think is important is a small angle brush. This one from MAC will cost you $20. I like to use this to fill in my brows, to apply eyeliner, and to put eyeshadow under my eyes. 

Think of these brushes as an investment and even though some are on the pricier side they will be there for you through every smokey eye, winged liner attempt (we all know how difficult that can be), and bad skin day. 

I hope this post was helpful! Let me know what your holy grail brushes are below!!

hearts&stars
LJ

REVIEW - Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation

wellllll helllooooo there! 

I am beginning to think that I have a slight obsession with foundation. That being said I heard MissGlamorazzi talk about this foundation in a recent video she posted. Since I have similar skin to her I usually take her advice on products. I was a little bit weary about trying this since I am not typically a drugstore make up gal but this little product is so great I find myself reaching for it instead of my high end foundations! 

The CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous Foundation comes in 14 colors and offers the promise of a 3 in 1 product. It contains your primer, foundation, and concealer. I have been using a primer with this because I have beyond oily skin that just rejects any makeup that I apply without a primer. I have also been using extra concealer on top of it because I don't feel that it gives me as much coverage as I need in certain areas of my face. With those two things being said I am so in love with this foundation. It provides medium to full coverage that is very buildable. The foundation feels very smooth on my skin and lasts all day long! 

I have used every possible tool to apply this to my face. My favorite is my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, although I do need to spend extra time blending this into my skin because it can be a little streaky.  

I hope y'all enjoyed this review! Let me know if you try this product out! 

hearts&stars
LJ

winter essentials

Happy New Year my little muffins! 

I hope you all had a wonderful new years eve which followed up by a not so wonderful new years day morning!

Since we are now in full blown, cold ass winter I thought I would share some of the products that I require to be in my apartment in order to survive. 

1. Lush Body Butters

Okay these are amazing! My personal favorite is Buffy and I could not survive winter without this product. It comes in bar form and Buffy is chock full of rice, almonds, and beans to help exfoliate your skin. Right before you get out of the shower you rub this all over your body then gently rinse off the exfoliating products and gently pat your skin dry. I like to do this when I shower at night and when I wake up in the morning my skin is so soft and hydrated!

2. Korres Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial

I have been using Proactiv+ for the last four months or so (full review coming soon!) and while it is clearing up my acne I find that it leaves my skin a little bit dry. I know I know I have oily skin so this should be a good thing but I have been using this product at night and in the morning my skin looks great! This product also helps get rid of dark marks which is always a plus in my book! I recently finished my Wild Rose Moisturizer and have started using the Greek Yogurt version which is super hydrating! I'm not sure which one I love more! 

3. Maybelline Fit Me Concealer 

Since I am now paler than a ghost, my dark marks and acne scars are really showing through. Lord knows this is not going to fly! As I am always on the hunt for a good concealer (as are most girls) I grabbed this on a whim at my local grocery store and holy shit y'all it's good! I will be doing a full review of this product next week so stay tuned!

4. Bag Balm 

This is a product that I have been using for most of my life. My mom was obsessed with it and the obsession definitely rubbed off on me. This is like vaseline but 10x better! I use it on my skin (especially on my feet, knees, and elbows) as well on my lips (which have been beyond chapped this year). Do yourself a favor and keep this on your nightstand!

5. Lush Lip Scrub 

Since my lips have been insanely chapped for the last two months I have been relying on my Lush Lip Scrub along with Bag Balm at night in order to survive. Dramatic I know but there is literally nothing worse than chapped lips! I am going to be 100% honest (not that I'm ever lying) and say that I hate all of the 'flavors' of this product. But for a product that costs $10 and can last me up to a year I am not complaining! 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know if you try any of these products!

What are you winter essentials so I can add them to my collection? 

hearts&stars
LJ

fall 2013 trend alert - orange eyeshadow

so the title of this post is kind of scary. orange eyeshadow?! that just seems like a lot to me but i tested it out and i am beyond obsessed. this look was all over the runway at fashion week and it really is worth checking out.

i picked up this eyeshadow from MAC called rule and i have worn it almost every day since purchasing it. here are the different ways i have been wearing this:

1. as an all over lid color. this is the primary way this was worn on the runways but it is a little bit more of a daring look

2. in the crease with my normal everyday makeup. this color has expanded my everyday make up look into something much warmer and autumnal (i just love that word!) 

3. all over my lid with the eyeshadow MAC gleam on top. gleam is a shiny golden pink. the warmth of the burnt orange color mixed with the coolness from gleam leaves an awesome effect on your eyes.

4. in the crease with a smokey brown eye. similar to #2 this has provided a nice change to my normal brown smokey eye. 

i feel like i will discover more and more ways to play with this color throughout fall and winter and definitely recommend you picking up a burnt orange color to add to your eyeshadow collection. 

let me know in the comments if you would like to see a tutorial on any of these looks! 

hearts&stars
LJ