Current Nails: Topless and Barefoot by Essie

Hey!

I was in the mood for a nude color, so I decided to go for one of my favorites, Topless and Barefoot by Essie. I absolutely love this color, it's perfect. It looks so clean and neat, and this nude color is perfect for any occasion. 

This color, like all Essie polish, is amazing. It lasts so long, and it looks so pretty. There's not much to say about this color, other than that it's gorgeous, and definitely worth the $8.50. I got this color from Target, but I have not seen the color in stores lately. I am not sure if Essie makes Topless and Barefoot anymore, however, I did see it on Amazon for a decent price. If you can find it, I definitely recommend it! Check out more of my pictures below!

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more exciting posts!

XO,

Kandace

Nars Creamy Concealer Review!

Hey everyone!

It's been a while since I've posted, I know. I had my last week of work for the summer this past week (I work at a summer camp) and I had to plan a performance for the kiddies for their last day chant & cheer competition. (We tied for second) I also was finalizing everything for my new apartment for this upcoming school year, senior year to be exact, and my cousin was in at my house for a few days. So I've been super busy, but I'm back now with a review for you all! In a previous post, What's In My Makeup Bag/Updated Makeup Routine Products, I posted about my Nars concealer that I use, and I just felt the need to review it, and discuss how awesome it truly is. 

I have used this product before, but the last time I used it, it was probably a year ago. I knew it was great, but I forgot just how great. I got the Nars Creamy Concealer in shade Cafe- Dark 1. I had gotten the Cacao- Dark 2 concealer stick from Nars a couple weeks ago, but I absentmindedly grabbed the wrong shade, so I wound up giving it to my mom and I got a new one. However, the creamy concealer is $30, and I purchased it from Sephora. It has great coverage, doesn't get shiny, and lasts literally all day. It is so worth the $30. 

It is packaged like a lipgloss, as you can see. I however do not use the built in brush to apply it. I use that brush to dab it on the blemishes I need it to cover, then I use a concealer brush to dab it in. That helps save some, and eliminate me from using too much. I don't think the built in brush is good for blending it in, so I opt to use a regualr concealer brush. With this product, I also use the Bare Minerals Prime Time Oil Control primer, as well as finishing it off with Bare Minerals translucent powder. I am sure those products contribute to it lasting longer and preventing extra shine, but even before I used those products when I used this, it still lasted very long on its own. I think this is a great concealer to try if you're in search for some long lasting, high coverage concealer! It's a great investment. Five stars from me!

Until next time pretties!

XO

Kandace

Big Birthday Post!

Hey guys!

I am no longer blogging as a 20 year old, because I am finalllllly 21! My birthday was this past Thursday (the 7th) and I am super excited to finally be truly legal! The world is now my oyster! Ha! Anyway, I have tons and tons to blog about, including my Sephora free birthday gift, as well as new makeup I treated myself to. I also wanted to share some pictures of my outfits, the nail polish I wore throughout the weekend, some gifts, and celebrations! It is going to be kind of a big post, but a fun one, and I hope you enjoy it! 

I was presented with these balloons by my parents at 6 in the morning. I love them, and they are still currently in my room.

I wore this pin last year on my birthday, and I busted it back out again Thursday. My mom found one that said 21 on it, so when I went into work, I wore both. Obnoxious, I know.

So my parents led me to believe that I wasn't getting much because they paid for my On The Run Tour ticket, and I was fine with that. So that morning they only gave me a new Alex & Ani bracelet, (doing a post on my collection soon), and the MAC Rihanna Viva Glam Lipglass. However, they surprised me with a new Michael Kors bag later that day.

Sorry it's a little blurry. I could not for the life of me get it to focus properly.

I did get a chance to wear it, and I really like it. It's great for when you don't want a lipstick, but do want some shiny color. I really like it.

For my nails, I wound up not wearing the Julep color that I said I was going to. I don't know why, but I wanted something brighter. So, I decided to wear the Geranium Essie color I posted about in my New Beauty Buys post. I was never one for red nails, I guess mainly because I felt red made my hands look old. However, I realized that I wasn't getting the right red polish for me. I needed to be wearing a more cherry red with like orangeish undertones. I went and got a mani pedi with this color the day before my birthday and I'm glad I did. It looks really good, and is a very classy color. To me it said, "21." Ha! Anyway, here are some pictures of the color. 

I touched it up myself today to keep it nice, but it honestly had only 2 little chips, and it was still shiny for the most part. Very long lasting polish, which is great. I'm going to keep this on for another few days.

The evening of my birthday, my I went to the Cheesecake Factory, and in the mall where it is, there is also a Sephora and MAC counter. I went into Sephora to get my free birthday gift, and I decided to treat myself to a new MAC lipstick.

The Sephora birthday gift came with a lipstick, and a mascara from the Make Up For Ever line. I have yet to test either out, but the lipstick is a very pretty color, and the mascara brush looks like it is going to work very well. The MAC lipstick I got is Velvet Teddy which is a very pretty matte nude. 

Again, I apologize, I could not get the camera to focus, but the lipstick color is called Rouge by Make Up For Ever.

I LOVE this color. I've decided I like matte nudes better than like frost or creme one nudes. They stay on a lot longer, which is expected of matte. I wore this color to brunch with my boyfriend Saturday morning, and to church this morning. I love it. Gives a very natural look. And it's a darker nude which suits me better.

Also, I picked up a new Nars concealer because the last one I got was just too dark. I grabbed the wrong one and thought I could make it work, but I couldn't. So my mom was using it so I just gave it to her and went back to get a new one. I'll post about that later. 

I have two outfits I want to share, the one from my actual birthday, and the one I wore out with my friends to Dave & Busters Friday night. 

Shirt: TJ Maxx
Skirt: Forever 21
Sunglasses: Forever 21
Bag: Michael Kors 
Sandals: If Carrini (I believe I got them from Nordstrom Rack or Ross)
Pin: Icing
Lipstick: Ruby Woo by MAC

Shirt: TJ Maxx

Pants: TJ Maxx

Clutch: Hobo

Sandals: Coach

Necklace: Charming Charlie

Pin: Icing

Lipstick: Ruby Woo by MAC

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed the post so far! I know there's a lot in it, but I thought it would be easier to get everything in one post! Here are some more pictures from the weekend!

I know this is a little different from my normal posts, but I just wanted to share some parts of my birthday with you all. I hope you all enjoyed the post and thank you so much for reading! Until next time!

XO,

Kandace

What's In My Makeup Bag/ Updated Daily Makeup Routine Products!

Hey everyone!

I decided to do a post on what I have in my makeup bag, and combine it with an updated post of what I use in my daily makeup routine since what's in my makeup bag is basically what I use everyday, and because I've gotten some new products since my last post. Most of the products in this post are mentioned in previous posts, so at the end of the post, I will link all of the previous posts that may have mentioned these products, as well as my previous daily makeup routine post! So, here we go!

Yes, this looks like even more than before, however, it still does not take me long to do all of this, I promise. (Ignore the MAC lipstick, I had that on today and did not take it out of my makeup bag. Look forward to a MAC lipstick collection post soon!) 

The products on the left are the ones that I do not carry with me all of the time, but I use everyday. The ones in the pile are what is in my makeup bag currently. (I literally just dumped it out) 

Y'all all know how much I love this stuff. I use it everyday before I put on my makeup. It is a makeup primer to help control the shine that accumulates after a day long of wearing makeup. It is by Bare Minerals, and I have posted about this previously. You can find the link at the bottom of this post. This comes highly highly recommended from me.

Lips are very important to me, as you can see. These are all of the lip products I carry with me on a daily basis, but it is not half of what I have. I have the EOS lip balm, Vaseline Lip Therapy, and lipglosses by Sephora, NYX, Bare Minerals, and Wet N Wild. On days I don't have on lipstick, I have on one of these for sure. I always have some sort of gloss on if I don't have lipstick. I use the EOS and Lip Therapy frequently to avoid my lips getting chapped. 

These are the compacts I carry with me. The one on the left is translucent powder from Bare Minerals, which gives your makeup a matte finished look, while helping protect your makeup from sweat and water, and all that stuff. The one on the right is just a regular compact mirror from Victoria's Secret. 

These are all of the concealers I use. The first one is from NARS; shade Cacao Dark 2, which is a little too dark for me and I realized too late I got the wrong one, so I just have to blend it a lot with lighter shades, and the other two are from Mary Kay, shades Bronze 1, and Bronze 2, which I mix together in that little container to get the perfect shade. The concealer brush is from Bare Minerals. Make sure to always blend your concealer with a brush and not your fingers. Brushes apply it better and keep bacteria and dirt from spreading on your face.

These are the products I use for my eyes. I have the Bare Minerals Well-Rested under eye illuminator and face brightener. I. LOVE. THIS. STUFF. It works wonders! It eliminates the dark and puffiness under your eyes, and brightens them so well! It makes a big difference, trust me. I have the Rimmel by London Extra Wow Lash mascara which I like a lot. I have two eyeliners, Maybelline's Define a Lash Ebony eyeliner, and a Lancome eye pencil which I mostly use for filling in my eyebrows on occasion. I also have the sharpener for the Lancome pencil. 

The eyeshadow palette is from Sephora. It's the Moonshadow Baked Palette: In the Dark. One of my best friends got this and the Urban Decay eye primer for me for Christmas our winter break of our freshman year of college, which was almost three years ago and I still have them both! The primer is amazing. It is gold and can even be worn by itself. As you can see, I've abused this palette. I have like 3 other huge eye palettes but I guess I use this one most because I has a lot of the colors I use daily. Not that the others don't, but because it's so small, it's easier to use quickly. The eyeshadow brush is from Elf. I don't carry these everyday, but I do use them everyday. 

This bronzer is by Nicole Miller, and I get compliments on it a lot when I wear it. It looks really pretty on, and it stays on practically all day. The powder from Smashbox can be used as a bronzer, highligher or even eyeshadow. It is the From Dusk Til Dawn powder. The highlighter is by Benefit from Sephora. I use the Benefit highlighter on my browbone and sometimes my cheekbone. I don't carry the Nicole Miller bronzer with me, but I use it everyday which you can probably tell. 

These are the kind of random but essential items in my bag that didn't really have a category to go in. I have MAC brush that I use to apply my bronzer. Tweezers because you never know when you're going to need them, an eyebrow brush to make sure all hairs are going in the same direction and Viva La Juicy travel perfume and lipgloss. 

I know all of this looks like a lot, but it takes me 10-15 minutes to do all of this. I realize that for some people that is too long, but I just have come to the point where I work it in my getting ready routine so that it isn't too much to me. It's not heavy makeup because I like lightweight makeup to get the daily look I want. Some days I may not wear every single product, but at the very least I have on concealer and lipgloss. 

Here are the links to the posts that many of these products are mentioned in:

My Daily Makeup Routine Products

Bare Minerals Goodies

Weekend Beauty Grabs

New Beauty Buys

Thank you guys for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

Until next time!

XO,

Kandace