SolelyMer: Anastasia Beverly Hills

Showing posts with label Anastasia Beverly Hills. Show all posts

Monday, December 8, 2014

November Beauty Favorites

As we're moving right along through Decemeber (where does time go?), I thought it would be a good idea to finally get my November favorites up. I decided to do this post a little differently this time because I found my favorites all seemed to be in duos. Take a look below for a list of these duos, why I've been loving them, and where you can get them!

Duo 1: Face

Foundation: Mac Studio Fix Fluid Shade NW18 - Ever since I've been working in an office, I've found my skin has been more oily than normal. Since I was previously using a more dewy finish foundation, I thought I'd try one more matte. This one has totally made a difference and I've been loving the medium-full coverage.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer Shade Light - I used to use this concealer years ago and finally came around to repurchasing it. I certainly remember why I've been loving it - it doesn't crease, and it's lightweight! Definitely gives more of a brightening effect as well, which I love - especially in the morning!

Duo 2: Lips -

MAC Lip Pencil - Whirl - This has been my go to lip pencil this past month because it pairs perfectly with my favorite pink lipstick (listed right below). It completes the matte pink lip look I've been going for and helps make my lips look a teeny bit bigger.

MAC Lipstick - Pink Plaid - If you've been following this blog, you've probably seen this lipstick make an appearance a few times, and for good reason! This is by far my favorite pink lipstick, and just one of my favorite lipsticks in general. It's completely matte, and is the perfect shade of pink for my skin tone. My mom even borrowed (stole) it from me and also wears it everyday, so I had to get another one!

Duo 3: Brows

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade - If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that my cute little dog ate my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, so I was forced to go back into my makeup drawer and use something else for the time being. That doesn't mean I love this product any less - I'm actually really glad I've been using it again because it's a really great product, especially for going out or making your brows last all day.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo - This is another brow product I really love and have been using either on top of the brow pomade, or alone on days when I need to quickly fill those babies in. I like that this powder gives you a lighter and darker option because I use both - lighter towards the front, and darker to fill in the tail.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

October Beauty Wishlist

My never-ending beauty wishlist is back at it again with more products that I've had my eye on. I'd have the say the star of this month's wishlist is the Anastasia Beverly Hills brand, as I have two palettes featured below. I also am really loving the look of the Gerard Cosmetics lipstick in the shade 1995 and want to try it for myself! Keep on scrolling to see what other beauty items that made it on my wishlist!

I have had my eye on this contour kit by Anastasia Beverly Hills for a while now. Use the darker shades to sculpt out your cheekbones, and the lighter shades highlight and set your under-eye concealer!

This is another Anastasia Beverly Hills product that I've heard great things about. The Maya Mia palette has the perfect matte shades for fall with a tiny pop of color.

I think I may just need this 1995 lipstick by Gerard Cosmetics. Not only does it come in gold packaging, but the color is the perfect representation of the 90s lip.

I know this Nars blush in Deep Throat has been around for a while, but I feel like it is the color I have been searching for. It has a deeper peach tone than anything I already own with subtle shimmers.

This Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer not only is supposed to smell delicious, I've also heard this is a great overall bronzer to have in your makeup collection. Definitely want to try this one out!

I am not familiar with too many face primers, but am looking for one to fall in love with. I need one that can smooth out my skin and keep my makeup lasting all day. I have heard great things about this Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer and the way it makes your skin feel.

What products are on your October Beauty Wishlist?

xox,
Meredith

Thursday, October 2, 2014

September Beauty Favorites

Can you believe it's already October?! As we say our goodbyes to the month of September, I would like to share with all of you the beauty products I have been loving all month long (and will continue to use during the month of October). I love reading monthly favorites posts because it lets me know about products that other people recommend and are worth trying. There are so many products that exist today, so it can be difficult at times to narrow down what products to actually use. Hopefully this post can give you some ideas of what to try next. Feel free to share your favorites with me as well!

Links below!

1. The Anastaisa Beverly Hills Brow Wiz has been a favorite of mine for months. I recently tried a different shade, which I think works better for my brow color. This one is in the shade 'Medium Brown' and is cool toned as opposed to 'Soft Brown' (what I was previously using), which is more warm toned.

2. The next favorite is a MAC blush in the shade 'Melba' and I have been reaching for it everyday. It gives my cheeks a light warm flush with a little bit of peach. I tend to reach for more neutral toned blushes, and I feel this one just gives me a little extra color.

3. My Too Faced Perfect Lips Lip Liner in the shade 'Perfect Nude' has been my go-to lip product for the past few weeks. I start out by lining my lips, and then finish with filling in my entire lip with this pencil. I love it because it gives me that matte look with a mauve/nude tint. It also lasts longer than a lipstick would.

4. I have heard so many great things about the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer and I just had to try it. I have heard its been compared to Nars Concealer; however, is much cheaper. Although I've never tried any concealer by Nars, this one I have been loving since I purchased it. It has a nice light formula that doesn't crease.

5. For some reason my chin has been breaking out more than usual and my Neutrogena Rapid Clear Spot Gel has been a lifesaver. I've noticed that my blemishes have been clearing quickly since I started applying the spot gel to my problem areas.

6. I purchased my Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in the shade 'Rose Gold' a few weeks ago and have been using it ever since. I apply this as a highlight to my cheekbones for a nice sheer glow. I think this shade is the perfect highlight for the fall season.

7. For some reason I stopped using my It's a 10 Mirale Leave-In Plus Keratin during the month of August (and I have no idea why!). I started using it again before blow-drying my hair and really noticed the difference! I am running out and will have no choice but to purchase another (it is on the expensive side, but still can be found at the drugstore). It really just makes the overall outcome of my blow-dry so much better and frizz free.

xox,
Meredith

Monday, September 1, 2014

August Beauty Favorites

Now that August has officially ended (and I mean August, not summer!) I'd like to share with all of you the beauty products that I have been loving all month long. Some of these products are repeat favorites from previous months (I apologize!), but I had to include them again because they are still important items that I've used every day this past month. For a list of all the items, links, and why I've been loving them - keep on reading :)

Links Below!

1. Here's a repeat favorite at number one. The Milani Baked Bronzer in Glow has been my go-to bronzer all summer. I feel like my face isn't complete without it and I love that you can get it from the drugstore.

2. MAC's Powder Blush in the shade Prism is one of my favorite blushes because it is so neutral. I've been really digging neutral everything this past month, so this blush worked perfectly.

3. I believe I may have raved about this stuff once or twice before, but for good reason - I promise! The NYX HD Concealer is probably one of the best under-eye concealers I've ever used, and it's also a drugstore brand.

4. I've taken a break from the brighter nail polish shades, especially for my pedicure and have been using OPI's Linclon Park After Dark. I've always liked the way a dark nail color looks on tanned skin - so better take advantage while I'm still a little tan!

5. For my manicure, I've been doing quite the opposite. I also love the way lighter shades look on nails in the summer, which is why Essie's Urban Jungle has been my go-to the whole month of August. I also love that it doesn't apply streaky at all.

6. Here's another repeat favorite. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in the shade soft brown has been a life-saver all month long. This pencil makes it so easy to fill in and blend my brows.

7. I have been absolutely loving my MAC lipstick in the shade Velvet Teddy. I've always been a fan of the matte formulas and decided to give this one a try. This neutral color is gorgeous and it's the closest thing I've found to the whole Kylie Jenner lip phenomenon.

8. I've been pairing my Velvet Teddy lipstick with a lip pencil also from MAC in the shade Stripdown. MAC lip pencils always apply really smooth and creamy - this one in particular goes great will all nude lip colors.

xox,
Meredith

Monday, August 4, 2014

5 Minute Makeup using 5 Products

There will be times in your life where you just have to hustle when doing your makeup. Any last minute plans or errands that need to be taken care of can leave you flustered and unsure of what makeup products you should limit yourself to. For this post, I literally timed myself and completed my makeup in 4 minutes and 57 seconds. The products I chose to use are just the basics, but I feel are essentials before walking out the door. If I'm running really short on time, I can limit it to three of the below products (BB cream, brows, and mascara). But I think dedicating 5 minutes to your makeup even when you're in a hurry is pretty reasonable! Check it on out below :)

1. First, I applied by Neutrogena Visibly Even BB Cream in shade 'light to medium' to my entire face and just blended with my fingers.

2. Then, I used my fake-up concealer by Benefit in the shade 'light' and applied it under my eyes, again blending with my fingers.

3. I quickly filled in my brows with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in the shade 'soft brown'.

4. Next, I applied two coats of my Loreal Telescopic mascara, waiting about 30 seconds between each coat.

5. Lastly, I applied my Milani Baked Bronzer in the shade 'Glow' very generously all over my face, concentrating on my cheekbones, forehead, and jawline.

...and Voila!

What are your go-to 5 minute makeup products?

xox,
Meredith

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Daytime Makeup Look

I was having one of those days where I just liked the way my makeup came out, so of course I had to document it for you. (Ladies, take advantage of when you like the way you look and don't be afraid to take pictures and share your beautiful face with me and everyone else!). It turns out that many of the products I used are also featured in my "My Go-to Makeup Look" post from a few months ago (same exact eye look). See it here. There are, however, some changes in products so I wanted to keep you updated! I apologize for the lighting and quality of the pictures - it was a little later in the day so the natural lighting wasn't at it's best, but you can still get an idea of what the makeup looks like in action. For a full list of everything I used, keep on reading!

Products Used:

Face:

Primer - MAC Prep + Prime Skin Primer

Foundation - MAC 'Mineralize' Moisture Foundation Broad Spectrum - NW18

Concealer - Benefit Fake-up - Light

Powder - MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural - Medium

Cheeks:

Bronzer - Milani Baked Bronzer - Glow (Pictured in product picture is a similar bronzer by Victoria's Secret)

Blush - MAC Prism

Highlight - The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

Eyes:

Primer - MAC Paint Pot - Soft Ochre

Lid - Lorac Pro - White & Cream

Crease - Lorac Pro - Taupe & Sable

Liner - MAC Blacktrack Fluidline Gel Liner & Urban Decay 24/7 - Black Velvet

Brows - Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade - Dark Brown

Lips:

MAC Pink Plaid

xox,
Meredith

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Brush Love: Eye Edition

Hello, Hello! Welcome to my second installment of the Brush Love Series. Today I am sharing with you some of my favorite eye makeup brushes. The world of eye brushes has changed the way I do eye makeup entirely. My advice would be to ditch the little applicator that comes with some shadows, and invest in a good eye brush. Below are some brushes I love to use and what I use them for. Enjoy!

Links!

1. Flat Shader Brush - This style brush is the first I use on my eye everyday. I use it to press the shadow all over my lid. I own this exact brush (it came with with Urban Decay Naked Palette and is called the Good Karma Brush) but have others like it that do the job just as well. Look for an eyeshadow brush that is flat so that the product shows up really well when you press it to your eyelid.

2. Blending Brush - This is by far one of my favorite brushes to use on my eyes. This particular one is called the 217 Blending Brush by MAC. I love using this brush to blend darker shadows into my crease (that part of your eye that sinks in and when you press you literally feel bone). I use windshield wiper motions to apply shadows to my crease and blend away.

3. Tapered Blending Brush - I am very sentimental about this brush because it is one of my first. I'm talking about the Sigma E40 Tapered Blending Brush. I use this brush every day and if I were traveling and only could take one brush, this would be it! I like using this brush mainly for my crease to blend everything out and apply softer neutral colors. It's an amazing brush and definitely my favorite.

4. Small Angle Brush - Since I am a big fan of gel eyeliner, I love using this brush to apply it. This is another by Sigma called the E65 Small Angle Brush. I use this brush every time I apply my gel liner because it gives me the control I need and allows me to make a clean line.

5. Brow Brush - Everyone needs a good brow brush, especially my fellow girls who love to fill in their brows. I'm telling you, filling in my brows has been life-changing and I love using this particular brush by Anastasia Beverly Hills to do so. I love how it has a little spoolie on the other side to help blend and make my brows look more natural. I especially love using this brush to apply my Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade.

6. Pencil Brush - When I am not winging out my eyeliner, I like to smudge it out a little right at the lash line. This gives me more of a natural, not as polished look. This brush (Sigma E30 Pencil Brush) is also great for blending out eye-shadow applied under your lower lash line, or to add some definition to the outer corner of your crease (typically I use a dark brown or black shadow). Overall, great brush! P.S. this brush is pictured in a set (which has all great brushes I would use), but it can be purchased on its own on Sigma's website.

xox,

Meredith

Monday, April 7, 2014

Spring Beauty

I'll admit it - I am a total makeup fanatic. I am always trying new products and my makeup routine is constantly changing. Over the past year, I have been able to pick out a few staple items that I literally use every single day, including my MAC paint pot in soft ochre, my L'Oreal telescopic mascara (lengthens and separates like crazy), and my MAC lipstick in the color hue. My more recent obsessions are with the Lorac Pro palette (there is so so much you can do with this wonderful palette), and the Anastasia dipbrow pomade - this is an eyebrow game changer. Overall, if you try any of these products, you're bound to love them!