Quick & Effortless Beauty Products

It's that time of year again: SCHOOL. Beauty routines for school essentially translate to: how quick can I get ready and still look somewhat decent? We rummaged through our bags to find products that have helped us on those dreaded mornings so that you won't have to be 10 minutes late to class!

Current Most Used Products / Summer 2013

Tara

Recently, I've been all about matte eyes, rosy lips and cheeks, and radiant skin. These products have not left my side all season!

Nars Blush (Amour) 
Intensely pigmented, just a dab of this matte rosy color will give an instant flush to your cheeks.

MAC lipstick (Speak Louder) 
Loving this color! It's a bit bright, but add some balm to your lips prior and this color transforms into a semi-sheer pink shade that can add a finishing touch to any makeup look.

Sonia Kashuk (Eye on Neutral -02)
I've been experimenting with matte eye shadows this summer, and by the look of it, you can say I'm obsessed! I picked up this talked-about matte palate and I'm in love! The quality compares to any high-end brand, and I can't wait to incorporate matte eyes into every season!

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer (Nude)
This has been my by far most used product since I saw it in drugstores. I will endlessly repurchase this concealer, can't live without it! (Okay I could, but...) It's amazing at covering dark circles under the eyes, and concealing around the face. It gives luminosity without being greasy or shiny. I can't say enough good things, try it out- you won't be disappointed!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Dim Light) 
Sweep this powder across your cheekbones, forehead and down your nose over a matte setting powder, and it will instantly give your skin a perfect, non-sparkly luminous glow you've been looking for all season.

Lani

I've really been loving simple products lately since the summer heat and humidity melts practically everything off my face.

Maybelline Colossal Volume Express & Big Eyes Mascara 

At first I wasn't a major fan of the Big Eyes Mascara because the wand was a bit difficult to work with. However, I eventually got used to it and now I'm really smitten with it. I actually like to layer it with the Colossal Volume Express and I'm in love with the results, which is very full and voluminous! The bottom lash mascara wand is a bit too long to work with so I usually end up using it just on the bottom center lashes, which gives a more doll-eyed affect.

Nars Blush (Deepthroat)

This blush was a recent purchase after having a tiny sample of it in a duo and I'm so glad I got the full size! It's the perfect shade of peachy pink and blends so beautifully. It's an amazing pop of color that isn't too garish and the amount of sparkle isn't overwhelming, it instead creates a gorgeous and natural looking sheen. 

Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner (Espresso Ink)

My mom actually turned me onto this product after she had it for a few years and swore by it. After reading so many rave reviews, I took the plunge and decided that I could never go back to liquid or pencil eyeliner (at least not for a while). With Bobbi Brown's Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush, creating a thin or thick line is effortless although it does take a bit more skill to do a kitten flick. It also has yet to crease or smudge, definitely a holy grail item!

Clinique Airbrush Concealer 

I had to have this concealer after watching tons and tons of Lisa Eldridge videos where she whipped out this beauty. It's very lightweight and is perfect for undereyes or even for muting tiny spots. For those looking for heavier coverage, this isn't the product for you as it's quite sheer. 

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette 

This palette was a gift I received this past Christmas and it's been the perfect go-to palette for those mornings that I'm in a rush or in the mood for a neutral eye. I'm not a major fan of the 3 lighter shades as it looks quite chalky on my skin tone but Naked 2 and Faint is the perfect combination.

What's your current favorite product for summer? Have you tried any of the products mentioned, what is your opinion on them?

Hope you're all having a lovely summer!

Wishlist - Summer 2013

So I know the Collection 2000 concealer isn't a product with the highest price tag, but the fact that it is physically out of my reach while I venture through the drugstores in the U.S is the reason why it made it to the top of my list- sigh, U.K brands... a Chanel eyelash curler is definitely a want, I wonder if my eyelashes would know they were curled by Chanel? Bobbi Browns Beach fragrance is one I've been lusting after this entire season, take one whiff and you'll know what I mean, the warm, smell of sunscreen and vanilla will take you straight to the beach, no matter what season it is. Another product of Bobbi Brown's I've had my eye on for quite a while is her pot rouges, a cheek and lip color. They apply so well on the cheeks, I might have to bite the bullet and own one of these babies. A product I always swatch and swatch again are the YSL Volupte Sheer Candy Lipsticks. I love the scent, colors, and packaging, but I feel that since they are basically sheer lip colors, I should stick to drugstore. (Maybelline Baby Lips & Revlon Shine Lipsticks are my fav.) Alas, the Lorac Pro Palate, knowing that I own both UD Naked Palates and my fair share of neutral eye shadows in general, this palate has been placed on the back-burner, but I have not forgotten about it! One day Lorac, one day...

Diptyque has to be one of my favorite perfumers out there so it comes as no surprise that there are two items on my list. I've been pining after that Rose candle for ages but can't seem to get around to purchasing it as I already have too many candles that I need to burn before I consider another. The roll on perfume (L'Ombre Dans L'eau) has also been on the list for quite a while and I've heard that the scent is really fresh and not too overwhelming. Another scent that I've been curious about is Dafne by Olo Fragrance, a small company based in Portland that takes pride in being handmade. The scent itself is said to be a mixture of orange, sampaguita, and ylang ylang!

With chillier and drier weather soon to come, I've been really fixated on the body lotions by Aesop because I feel they would really keep dry, chapped skin at bay. Sadly the price makes it more of a luxury item than a necessity. Another luxury item has to be the newly released concealer by Marc Jacob's new makeup line-it just looks so amazing! Lastly, I've actually been looking up swatches for nearly every shade of Lipstick Queen's Saint line. I love the idea of a sheer formula and the colors are all so practical with my favorite being Rose.