My "It's Super Humid But I Still Want My Face Makeup To Look Good and Stay Put" Routine

That title is quite a mouthful, isn't it? Well, I know I've pretty much disappeared for almost two weeks, but I'm back now! My life has definitely been very stressful, and in less than one week, I'll be road tripping across the United States to North Carolina for school. Of course, I have a little bit of time off so I'm trying to queue up some posts for you all so I don't completely disappear for another few weeks while I settle in for school.

Anyways, enough with the excuses! Currently in San Diego, the weather has been awful. My parents say that it's the East Coast humidity welcoming me a few weeks early. But the humidity for about a month now has been settling at around 75%-80%, and in the hot California desert, I'm definitely not used to it. My skin has been absolutely freaking out, makeup seems to always be melting off of it, and I have still had to go out and look my best even when my skin was feeling horrible. I hope that these past few weeks have helped me master dealing with the humidity, because I know that when I move, I'll have to deal with it even more. I thought that, with all this weird weather, it would be the perfect time to tell you all how I've been doing my face makeup to ensure that it lasts all day and stays exactly where I placed it in the morning.

First thing's first, I have to prime. The Rimmel Stay Matte Primer was a recommendation from my friend Ciarlene, and it has made all the difference. While this primer does contain dimethicone, I can hardly tell. It doesn't have the super slick, silicone feel that a lot of primers have. It goes on smoothly, and when you first apply it, you can't really tell that big of a difference, but after a few hours, you can really tell that it truly helps to keep you matte!

From here, I apply my bareMinerals bareSkin Serum Foundation using a damp Beauty Blender. A lot of people have said they don't like the way that the bareSkin foundation applies with a Beauty Blender, however I find that it works just fine and prevents me from applying too much foundation. The bareSkin foundation is also fantastic for summer because it feels incredibly lightweight while still giving good coverage.

Since I have been very busy, I often look very tired. For quite some time, I was really enjoying the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer, but recently, it's become far too dewy for my skin, and I've been reaching for my Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer probably nine times out of ten. I also find that this concealer isn't so brightening to the point where you can't use it on blemishes, so I often reach for this for blemishes and discoloration as well.

In order to ensure that my blush and contour really last, I always apply both a cream and a powder. For my blush, I am still reaching for the NYX Rouge Cream Blush in "Natural," and I use my fingers to really work the product into my skin. To set the blush, I use the Milani Baked Blush in "Luminoso," which not only complements the cream blush I used prior, but will help it last longer while adding a bit of a glow to my cheeks.

I love contouring, and most days I prefer to look well-contoured as opposed to looking tan. With a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, I take my Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Cream Bronzer and contour my face. The Expert Face Brush is just the right size and shape to really get under your cheekbones, and the dense synthetic fibers are perfect for creating a more natural look. To set and define the cream bronzer even more, I use the color "Fawn" from the Anastasia Contour Kit.

Of course, no long-wearing makeup look is complete without a setting powder and setting spray. I have used the Revlon Photo Ready Translucent Finisher for years, and for me it's just the perfect pore-blurring powder! On really humid days, I tend to use a pretty heavy hand with this powder, since the setting spray will help to get rid of any kind of powdery or cakey appearance. As a setting spray, I use the Model in a Bottle Sensitive Skin Formula. This is a setting spray that I use on actors sometimes, and let me tell you, it holds up incredibly well. I also love the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, and it is more readily available to the public.

Again, I apologize for being gone for what feels like forever! I feel like I've been in a bit of a blogging rut recently, and I'm sure it has a lot to do with just how crazy life has gotten. I hope to get more posts out soon though, so keep an eye out!

- D. 

January Favorites!

I feel like January has gone on for months. I honestly couldn't wait for it to end. The January gloom is certainly getting to me, especially now. As I type, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Chicago, where it is currently 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and snowing bucketfuls. While I'm missing the warmer San Diego weather, I'm definitely happy to have this change. It's lovely to wake up and see snow everywhere, although it's not as lovely when I have to walk around in it!

I didn't have a ton of favorites this month, but let's get started anyway! Most of these photos are the stock photos from Google images, since I'm not home and I don't have all of these products in their packaging right now, and they're all in little not-so-photogenic travel containers.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. Obviously, this is no surprise. I've been using this palette almost every single day that I've worn makeup since purchasing it. It's such a beautiful palette and so easy to travel with. I've already raved about this palette so I won't go on too long, but if you'd like to see a full review of the palette, just click here!

Naturally Soothing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Lotion. My skin has been so unhappy this month, especially right now in the cold Chicago winds and snow. I went out to the drugstore and was hunting for a cheap alternative to my Vaseline Repairing Moisture Lotion wasn't doing the job. I love the Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Wash so I figured I might as well give it a shot! It has done a great job at locking in moisture as well as giving some extra hydration to my skin.

Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash. Interestingly enough, while the rest of my body has been dry and itchy, my face has been a very happy camper. I started using this face wash after falling in love with the Clear Improvements Charcoal Mask, and I'm pretty sure the skin on my face has never been happier. This face wash is fairly basic, and it really gets the job done. It's great for lazy days when I don't feel like removing my makeup before cleansing, because it removes everything completely without drying my skin out. This face wash is fantastic for combination skin, and with the next product on my favorites list, I've found the perfect combination for my skin!

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer. While I do have combination skin, I generally have fairly dry-combination skin. My nose and chin are often pretty oily, while my cheeks and forehead are very dry. This moisturizer really helps to not only control the oil, but hydrate my dry skin. It is very light, and fragrance free, so it's great for sensitive skin. It's a very basic moisturizer, but sometimes getting back to basics is the best thing you can do for your skin!

Gold Canyon Lavender Chamomile Candle. For Christmas, my mom got my entire family different candles. My mom knows me well, because she knows that when I am stressed out and anxious, I light candles! This candle has been lit almost every night since I got it, not necessarily because I'm stressed, but because I love the scent! It really helps me wind down after a long day, and it's really calming to burn while I relax in bed.

I'm really excited about all of the new face products I've tried in the past couple of months, and I'm planning to do a skin routine post soon. I'll be back to the usual blogging as soon as I'm back home!

- d.