What Makes You Blush?

What makes you blush?  It takes a lot for me.   My husband?  Not so much.  I think he blushed for the first year of our relationship because he was getting used to my family and I being so open about everything, haha!  That, and he is of 100% Irish descent, so his skin is very fair and turns red at the drop of a hat!

But, I am not actually planning to talk about blushing for real today.  I am talking about blushing "for fake."

I got a lot of good feedback on my last make-up post so I thought I would try another!

So, here is my blush round-up.  These are all products that I have tried myself and are my favorites.  I am not getting paid to write this post, these are all my own opinions :)

Photo from Stila

1. My fave Natural/Everyday Option
Stila Convertible Color  $25
This is by far my favorite at the moment.  This product is in a very creamy, user-friendly form.  You just stick your finger in there, pat it on to blend, and you're done.  You can layer more on to make the hue more intense, or really blend it in to be subtle.  The best part?  It's not just for cheeks!  It looks great on lips too!  I like the color "Lillium" because I am fair-skinned.  It's a really pretty soft peachy-pink color.  It definitely lasts all day, and you can even layer some powder blush on top if you want.  It is WELL worth the price, it will last forever and is a high-quality natural product (no parabens, etc.)

Photo from Vincent Longo

2.  My fave Evening/Date Night Option
Vincent Longo Lip and Cheek Gel Stain $22.50
This is a fabulous, long-lasting, and highly pigmented option.  I love to use this when the occasion calls for a little more drama!  It can be a bit challenging to get the hang of and can make a mess of your fingers if you aren't careful.  I have found that the applicator is NOT what you want to use to apply it.  While it is a gel, it is still quite liquidy.  With the high level of pigments, anywhere you put it will be pretty permanent (at least for a day or so) so you need to be careful!  If you follow their instructions and have well-hydrated skin and lips before application, it will glide on and blend smoothly.  Yes, I said skin and lips because this is another multi-tasking product!  If you use it on your lips, a nice gloss over the top looks fantastic.  I have the color "Baby Boo".  This is another one where a little goes a long way, so you can spend the money knowing it will last a long time!

Photo from LORAC

3.  A Powder Option for layering
LORAC Powder Blush $20
This is a great, high-quality powder blush.  I use the color "Soul" which is a brownish-rose color.  It can almost double as a bronzer too.  I use powder blush over a cream option usually, to add extra staying power or to brighten the apple of my cheeks.  Powder blush is also great for contouring.  Another bonus?  It is very easy to apply!

Photo from Physicians Formula

4.  A Bargain Option!
Organic Wear (TM) 100% Natural Origin Blush $11.95
This is a great line of products created by Physician's Formula.  You can get it at Drugstores, Grocery Stores, and Ulta.  This line is the first ever in the cosmetic world to be certified as having Organic ingredients!  (There are other products that have FDA certified ingredients- this is a new cosmetic certification).
I love their face powder, and this blush is fantastic too.  It can be soft, or you can add more to build up intensity.  I love the color "Blushing Organics".  I highly recommend  the entire product line as all that I have tried are fantastic (and the price is right!)  The only drawback at all is that the pallet tends to wear out where it bends, but its magnetized so you can still keep the lid on in your drawer- it's only a problem if you are traveling.  They use recycled packaging instead of plastic though, so its hard to complain!


So there you have it, my blush round-up.  I hope you learned about a new product that you haven't tried yet!  Feel free to let me know about your favorites below, I am always excited to hear about something new!

Are you a follower yet?  When I reach my current goal I will do another giveaway so join up and tell your friends!!!

Eye Make-Up Tips and Products

Yes, I'm doing a beauty post.  I do wear make-up every day because it makes me feel awake and human, even if I am just doing laundry and creating fantastic crayon drawings with my toddler.  It is HARD to get good, accurate looking photos of make-up. I did my best for you!  I promise in real life I looked like a supermodel and had zero wrinkles.
I received some fabulous eyeshadow as a gift from my cousin recently, so I wanted to share it. I generally stick to organic and natural products, so this was right up my alley! The company is called Emani Minerals. I have used mineral make-up before, and I really love the versatility of the eyeshadows. You can use them wet or dry, as a shadow or a liner, and even on the face for contouring.  These colors went on beautifully!

For this look, I swept "Extra T.L.C." over the entire eyelid with a fluffy eye brush. Then I used a tighter brush that was slightly damp to apply "Twilight Dust" in the crease. I have deep-set eyes, so I have to go a little above the crease too. Then I applied more "Twilight Dust" as eyeliner with an angled brush. For liner I use a product by bareMinerals called "Weather Everything." You could certainly use water, but "Weather Everything" is a liner sealer, so when you mix this liquid with your powder it creates a waterproof seal to make it last all day and stay in place. I have faithfully used this product for at least 8 years now. It was love at first swipe.

 In this photo you can see the liner a bit better- I did it thicker, almost cat-eyed around the outer edges, then tapered to a thinner line towards the center of my eye.
To finish off, I used some Physicians Formula mascara from their Organic Wear line.

A couple of eye make-up tips I learned from a make-up artist friend several years ago:
-Do your under eye concealer LAST- that way when you get little bits of powder, etc. under your eye you can clean them off beforehand.  It also prevents caking in any wrinkles to do it last, because there will be no powder on top.
-Keep a little wedge sponge on-hand for quick blending, smudge wipe-up, and eyeliner fixing (we aren't all blessed with a perfectly steady hand!)  I do this all the time- I put on a too-thick liner, then use the pointy part of the sponge to make it a much thinner line!
-Dab some white or very light shimmery eyeshadow into the corners of your eye to look awake and refreshed.  You can also make a very thin line along the bottom of your eyebrow and blend well.  Do both combined, and you will look so refreshed!
-ALWAYS comb your eyebrows, and do it at an upward angle.  There is nothing that will complete your eye look better than having perfectly groomed brows.  If yours are wild, use some clear mascara or a toothbrush sprayed with hairspray to hold them there.  Mine stay just fine without anything on them.

Have fun with your make-up today!  Remember, it washes off, its not a tattoo.  So try something new!