L'Oreal Pure-Clay Mask | Product Spotlight

I. Love. Masks. I have been incorporating them into my skincare routine on an almost daily basis. I have tried sheet masks, clay masks, peel-off masks -- you name it. I was so excited when L'Oreal came out with their new line of masks a little less than a year ago.

  

The mask I purchased* (and have been using ever since), is the detox and brighten charcoal formula. There are two other options with this line, including an exfoliate and refine [pores] red algae formula and a purify and mattify eucalyptus formula. I have yet to try the others, but for just under $10 for nearly two ounces of product, it is totally worth it to give these a try. 

I always start by applying the mask to clean skin. The first thing I noticed with this product is its fragrance. It has somewhat of masculine, cologne smell, but it is so fresh and so clean smelling that I truly enjoy the scent. 

Murad Intensive-C Radiance Peel Review

I've been neglecting my blog, but have been rather active on my YouTube channel over the last several weeks. I figured I would take a moment to highlight a recent video that I uploaded featuring one of my favorite products as of late. 

As you may have already figured out by the title of this post, that product is the Murad Intensive-C Radiance Peel. I have finally managed to clear my skin up and I am really starting to focus on the texture of my skin and my uneven skin tone. I have an unbelievable amount of discoloration on my face; from far away you would think I was in the middle of a full-fledge acne flare up.. The discoloration is comprised of dark acne scars that don't want to budge. Although it is still important for me to keep my acne at bay, these scars are quickly becoming my new nemesis. 

I've been on the hunt for a product that will help treat my latest skin crisis in hopes that I can one day expose my bare face to the world without feeling like everyone is staring at my scars. I love makeup and enjoy wearing it, but there are many days where I would prefer to let my skin show.

So, in comes in this amazing little peel by Murad. I've heard other bloggers and YouTubers rave about this product and figured I'd give it a shot. Watch the video below to see me use it for the first time and hear more about my first impressions of this lovely little treatment. 

Since I uploaded the video I have used the peel at least three times. You really shouldn't be afraid to use a little more product than I did initially in the video. I was looking to experience the "tingling" sensation the description suggests may happen; it takes a little more product and a little less rubbing the peel into the skin in order for this to occur. Once you find a technique that works for you, you will wipe away to a brighter, smoother (and hopefully a more even) complexion. I can't say enough good things about Murad's Radiance peel. At $55 (or $33.99 on Amazon!!) it is a bit of an investment but I am more than happy I made the purchase.

If you have tried the peel or other products for a more even, brighter complexion, I'd love to hear about it below!

xo

This Little Tool Will Save Your Life...Or At Least Your Face

I shave my face. Sounds a little crazy right? It's actually a technique that has become extremely common in the beauty world nowadays, although I like to claim that I started shaving my face long before it became the popular thing to do. If you want to achieve the benefits of face shaving and see how I shave mine, then keep reading.

How To | Make Your Makeup Look Better

Photo Credit // Shutterstock

No doubt about it, I love makeup. It's one of the many reasons why I started my YouTube channel and this blog. One thing I have learned is that sometimes no matter what you put on your face, or how much you put on your face, sometimes your makeup just looks...blah. Here are seven things you can do to make your makeup look even better than it already does (*note, links are NOT affiliate links, just for your reference): 

1. Take care of your skin. Makeup always looks better on clean skin. Removing dirt, oil, makeup, and other impurities will allow your makeup to lay nicer on your face. Always start fresh with clean skin. I love using my Proactiv three step system to cleanse, tone, and moisturize. Even after I use these three steps, I still use my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel to give my skin an extra boost of hydration. Using a system that cleanses, tones, and moisturizes will ensure your skin is squeaky clean and prepped for makeup application.

2. Apply your makeup within 30 minutes of cleansing/moisturizing. I'm totally guilty of not always adhering to this rule, but it is helpful to allow enough time for your skin to absorb any treatments you apply before covering it with makeup. If you wait too long, the natural oils in your skin may not allow your makeup to look as nice had you applied it within that 30 minute window.

Recent Ulta Haul & Mini Chit-Chat

Last week I uploaded an Ulta Beauty haul on my channel to share with my viewers some of my most recent purchases. I am in the process of trying out these products and may be featuring some of them in upcoming reviews. Watch below to see what I picked up from Ulta last week and let me know if there are any products you see that you've tried and have loved!

xoxo

NOVEMBER FAVORITES!

OMG is anyone as excited as I am that it's finally December!? This has to be, hands down, one of my top three favorite months of the year. In true beauty blogger/vlogger fashion I filmed a video of my favorites from the month of November to share with you. Read on for a full list of the products I mentioned in the video below!

GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!

Last night I announced my first-ever giveaway on my YouTube channel. I decided to do a giveaway to celebrate reaching 500+ subscribers. I am SO excited and just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of my subscribers and readers on my channel and my blog. The video for my giveaway is below -- all rules and products are listed after the "read more" button. Hope you enjoy and again, thank you to all who read and watch!!! xoxo

Get Ready With Me | Soft, Smokey, Cut-Crease

My latest video features one of my favorite looks that I've been wearing lately -- a classic smokey eye with a soft, easy cut-crease. I also show you how I do my makeup after. You definitely can put your own twist on this look and use your own favorite products in place of what I use. Watch below or read on for more info -- hope you enjoy :)

SEPTEMBER Favorites (Finally)!

It has been so long since I wrote a post or uploaded a video. My new job has consumed most of my free time lately (which I love), but I've been missing the blog/YouTube world. Here is my latest video where I feature what I loved all September long. Enjoy :)

OH! Just to remind you, when I reach 500 subscribers I will be hosting a nice little giveaway to celebrate the milestone -- so spread the word and subscribe-away!

xoxo

L'Oreal Visible Lift Foundation | A New Favorite

Okay so here's the thing...

I've tried out a bajillion foundations in my short time as an active makeup enthusiast and I have found only a handful that take the cake. This foundation is one of them.

I am talking about L'Oreal's newest foundation, the Visible Lift Blur Foundation. I am so in love that words cannot even do it justice. I love the coverage, the plethora of shades that are available, the texture, the longevity, the price, and just the overall existence of this product. Let my latest video speak for itself. I cannot say enough good things! Once again, amazing job, L'Oreal!

Oh, and by the way, I have grown to love this even more when applying it with my beauty blender! ;)

xoxoxoxo

How To...Get the PERFECT Red Lip

I LOVE a bold lip color, and red is usually my go-to for a dramatic look. Watch the video below to see how I achieve the perfect red lip or keep reading for step-by-step instructions and products I recommend :)

Contour & Highlight Tutorial

Contouring and highlighting have become staples in my makeup routine -- hands down one of my favorite things to do when I apply my makeup for the day. I absolutely love the look of contouring and highlighting and the way it can accentuate or hide certain features of the face. You can keep it simple, or use more product to achieve a more dramatic, defined contour. Watch my tutorial on how I highlight and contour, and continue reading for a full list of products and information :)

Beauty Q&A Tag!

I've never really done a tag before so I figured I'd answer some beauty-related questions to share with all of you! Watch the video or click 'read more' to see my answers to these questions. Feel free to answer them too! :)

(Late) July Favorites!

A few days ago I uploaded my July Favorites video on my YouTube channel. For those of you who aren't subscribed, or those of you who just want to see a list of all the products I mentioned, I figured I'd just share all that with you here. Enjoy :)

The BEST Foundation for Acne-Prone Skin!

Like many other women I have searched for the perfect foundation for far too long. 

It wasn't until a few months ago I finally found my holy grail. 

I have always had issues with acne -- a never ending battle that is appearing to subside but leaving unsightly scars and dark spots behind.

This foundation that I share with you in the video below covers it all. Every scar, every blemish, every ounce of redness, every imperfection. My skin looks flawless when I slap this on. I get so many compliments on my complexion when I wear this foundation; no one knows what lurks underneath. 

Watch the video or read on to find out who makes this must-have foundation.

Nude Glam | Get Ready With Me

The most recent video I posted on my channel featured an every-day nude glam look. I kept both the eyes and lips nude and used velcro rollers to achieve the bouncy, casual curls you see in the picture above. This is usually my go-to look for daytime and can be easily altered to be more or less dramatic. I used my two FAVORITE shadow palettes of the moment -- the Lorac Pro Palettes (both the original and the newest one), my Anastasia brow products, and my Clinique Acne Solutions foundation, just to name a few.

>> I started this look by prepping my face with the L'Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur (amazing), then went ahead and put my hair into velcro rollers. I always do the rollers first so they have time to set and cool while I do my makeup.

>> Moving onto my eyes, I primed them with Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind concealer in the shade neutralizer. Next I used a few different nude shades from each of the Lorac Pro Palettes, then lined my eyes with my favorite L'Oreal liquid liner. Once my eyes were complete I applied my foundation using my Sigma F80 brush and concealed my under eye area with my Maybelline concealer, blending in with my beauty blender.

>> To set my makeup I used an NYC pressed powder under the eyes and MAC's Pressed Blot Powder all over the face. Then I went in with my contour and blush, finished the wings of my liner and filled in and set my brows. I topped off my lashes with mascara then moved onto lips.

>> For lips I used a nude liner from Clinique and MAC's Myth all over. I used my Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray to lock in my makeup, let my hair down and my look was complete!

You can see a complete list of products that I used by clicking the 'read more' button below. To see how I got this look sit back, relax, and enjoy the video! :)

Coconut-y

I have a deep love for coconut oil. I am obsessed with it.

Months ago I read an article about oil pulling and I was hooked. For anyone who is not familiar with the technique, oil pulling is done by taking a spoonful of solid coconut oil and swishing it around in your mouth for approximately 20 minutes. Done first thing in the morning -- before eating or brushing teeth -- oil pulling pulls out the bad bacteria that lives in our mouths that gives us bad breath and causes other issues. This practice can also help those of us with jaw pain due to clenching the teeth, and it can actually whiten your teeth as well. 

Coconut oil also has healing benefits -- it can help scrapes and burns heal up faster. It is also an excellent moisturizer. I love using it on my lips as well as on the heels of my feet to soothe and hydrate dry, cracked skin. 

But one of my favorite things to do with coconut oil is to use it as a hair mask. If you are a regular on the beauty blog/YouTube circuit I am sure you have heard of other women using coconut oil in their hair. 

In my opinion, it works best when it is applied to damp hair, after the oil is microwaved for about 10-15 seconds to allow it to liquefy slightly. I apply it all over, leave it on for an hour or two, then shampoo and condition as normal. It's also great to use overnight -- just be sure to wrap your hair in a towel or an old t-shirt to prevent this miracle oil from getting all over your pillow.

My hair always comes out silky smooth, shiny, and just healthier looking every time I do a coconut oil treatment. I filmed a video the other day of how I go about this process -- I hope you check it out and enjoy!

Oh, and you can find coconut oil at nearly any grocery store. Opting for organic, extra-virgin, unrefined coconut oil seems to be best for hair masks, oil-pulling, and the other various uses it has!

Back At It...

Life sometimes gets in the way of the things we enjoy most. The past several months have brought some unimaginable ups and downs. It wasn't until a few weeks ago I got back into filming YouTube videos, and I think I am ready to jump back into blogging again. With that said, I want to share my most recent video with you!

In February I decided to ditch my dark locks for my usual blonde. I loved having dark hair but I'm so used to being blonde that I actually missed it. Now I feel like me again. In the video I explain exactly what I did, how I did it, and what products I used. Going from such a dark color to a much, much lighter color is no joke. If you're about to make the move, do your research! If you're a first time hair dye-er I'd recommend just heading to a professional. It took me hours of research, several trips to Sally's, and a TON of patience to get back to my usual blonde -- but is absolutely do-able. If you have any questions please feel free to leave them below or holla at me on twitter @glamcandyxo 

Hope you enjoy the video :)

PS -- It feels great to be back!

Pretty in Pink

I am SO ready for Spring that I'm practically doing my own version of a rain dance by wearing and window shopping for all things pastel and Spring-inspired. This post couldn't be any more Spring-y or girly. I wanted to share a few things I'm loving that just so happen to all be (almost) mostly pink!

Ralph Lauren Midnight Romance Perfume / Essie Lovie Dovie Nail Polish / Forever 21 Floral Compact / NARS New Attitude Blush / MAC Candy Yum Yum

I love this compact mirror from Forever 21. It's perfect to toss in your bag for on the go touch ups, and it's just so pretty and girly!

I've been lusting after the New Attitude blush from NARS. I think it's the perfect coral-pink color that is great for Spring but can also transition nicely for the warmer summer months. 

Candy Yum Yum by MAC is a lipstick I have loved for what seems like forever. It's bold, but wearable and is a beautiful pop of color for a simple makeup look. 

Seriously don't even get me started on the new Ralph Lauren fragrance. I was never a big fan of the original 'Romance' but this new 'Midnight Romance' has stolen my heart and made me want to surrender every other perfume I have owned/tried in the past. I was so in love with Flowerbomb but not it's steep price tag, and this fragrance is an amazing, sweet smelling alternative. I am SO in love. Kudos to you, Ralph. 

My love/hate relationship with Essie nail Polish continues. Hate the price, hate how they seem to always chip on me (yes, even when using a good quality top  coat), but their colors are sooooo beautiful! This one called Lovie Dovie is no exceptional. It is SUCH a gorgeous pink shade I would totally deal with the price and chipping. 

xoxo 

How I...Take Care of My Hair

I've made some drastic changes to my hair recently (more about that later), so I've been super focused on taking care of my hair. I thought I'd share my current products/routine with you guys so you can see what I use on a daily basis. You can read on after the pictures for more in-depth descriptions about these products. Hope you enjoy! :)

1. Catwalk by TIGI Oatmeal and Honey Shampoo / $17 

2. Catwalk by TIGI Oatmeal and Honey Conditioner / $17

3. Hask Argan Oil Deep Conditioning Treatment / $3

1. Suave Double Dutch Apple Detangler Spray / $3 

2. L'Oreal Paris Advanced Hairstyle Sleek It Iron Straight Heatspray / $4 

3. Biolage by Matrix Deep Smoothing Serum / $15

4. Nature's Bounty Biotin 5000mcg Super Potency Capsules / $11

5. Conair Hair Brush / $3