October 2016 – The Hustlin’ Homemaker

I feel like stick foundations are a bit of a craze right now, and it seems like every brand is coming out with their own version. After reading various reviews, I decided to try and hunt down the ELF Moisturizing Stick Foundation.

Having dry skin, I worry about stick foundations, and generally stay away from them. Everything about a cream/stick foundation just seems like it wouldn’t work for me. A thick consistency, cakey, and seems like it would definitely cling to my skin and not blend.

Alas, I was on the hunt for this one, and found it at my local Wal-Mart. It was $6, and there were only 3 shades to choose from, Ivory, Natural, and Nude. I picked up Ivory, because it seemed like a good match for me, and it turned out to be the perfect color. I am pretty skilled at picking the right color by now! Haha.

The packaging is so nice on this. It’s a sleek, thick tube that contains 0.49 oz of product. It contains a ton of moisturizing ingredients- shea, cocoa, vitamin e, and aloe to name a few. The packaging says that this foundation is supposed to glide on effortlessly for natural looking coverage. Perfect, cause that’s just what I’m looking for!

For the application, I started off with freshly washed and moisturized skin, and spritzed my face with my Smashbox Primer Water (of course). I applied a few stripes all over my face, and I tried both a brush and a damp sponge. I preferred the damp sponge- it blended out easier and gave a beautiful finish to the skin. This is definitely a dewy, hydrating foundation. It is buildable- up to full coverage I’d say. But, I’m happy with one layer. It gave a solid medium coverage- evened out my skintone and looked very natural. I found that this didn’t sink into my pores, and it didn’t look cakey at all.

The consistency was a slight bit tacky, so I went ahead and set it with some Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. Even with the powder, it still looked really dewy throughout the day.

Here’s how it looks with all of my makeup done. Car lighting is the true test! #nofilter.

I have to say that I love this foundation and I’ve been using it every day since I bought it. It is so quick and easy, and since it is so pigmented, you only need a little bit. This stick will last you a long time. I also think this is perfect for travel or to just toss into your bag. You won’t have to worry about spills and you can touch up on the go.

Do you like stick foundations?

xx Amy

Hello! It’s time for a monthly favorites post. I don’t usually do these, but I have been using a lot of new things this past month, and thought I could share them with you all!

First up is this liquid lipstick that I have been wearing almost every day. This is the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick. This color is a cool toned mauve-y pink that is gorgeous.

The formula of these lipsticks are so lightweight, non-drying, and they stay on all day long. They don’t ever feel goopy or crusty. I just apply a very light layer, and the color stays put and fades very evenly- it doesn’t flake off or get patchy. Love the soft matte look of these.

Next up is the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation.

I have been wanting to try this for so long, and after I tried out a sample, I knew I had to purchase the full-size. I wear the shade Ivory, and it’s just right. They have a lot of shades to choose from. The coverage is a solid medium, but it is buildable. It is very lightweight on the skin, and gives a nice satin finish. This is great for my dry skin.

The last makeup item I’ve been loving is the Chanel Brow Powder Duo in Brun.

This is a really nicely pigmented brow powder that is just the right color for my eyebrows. I fill in the middle to the tail end of my eyebrows with the deeper color, and then use the lighter color on the inner portion of my brows. I use short quick strokes. This powder lasts all day and looks really nice and natural.

I LOVE gray nail polish, and this one from L’Oréal named Greycian Goddess is so pretty and chic!

2 coats of this polish and it’s perfectly opaque. L’Oréal polishes are one of my favorite brands because they go on evenly, and I really like the brushes on them. They always have the prettiest colors, too!

I have been wearing my hair the same way I always do- I’m not too adventurous- I like beachy waves all the time. I usually take my curling wand and curl big chunks of hair to make waves. I usually just set it with hairspray- but lately I have been using this Ouai Haircare Wave Spray.

I got this as a sample (it’s a huge sample) from my Play by Sephora box a few months back, and I have been using this in my hair after curling to add some texture, and to bring out the waves. I LOVE this product and will definitely be purchasing the full size. The smell of this is AMAZING. I love to smell this in my hair throughout the day.

The last beauty product I have to share is this Philosophy Help Me Retinol Night Treatment.

My sister recommended this to me after telling me that it eliminated her dark circles (gasp), and raving to me about how much she liked it. She’s a skincare junkie and she really likes to make DIY products of her own, so when she was telling me I needed to try this, well, I just had to. I used this for 2 nights in a row and it lightened my circles. I could not believe it. I kept looking at myself the morning after I used it the second day, and I was amazed.

I have been told by dermatologists that dark circles are hereditary and that there isn’t anything out there that will lighten them. This stuff WORKS. I apply a very small amount (gotta ration this stuff) to my t-zone and a little bit under my eyes and it makes my skin look so good. My pores are starting to disappear and my overall skin appearance is just smoother. I now refer to this product as “magical unicorn cream”. Thanks Kimmy!

The last thing I have here are these hot pink flats. These are a cute and fun and I’ve been wearing them with everything! These are the Sam Edelman Felicia Flats. They come in a TON of different colors, but this shiny hot pink is just perfect for me.

These are cushiony and soft, and the color is really neon pink. I just love colorful shoes like these, and I get tons of compliments on them when I wear them.