Soft & Glowing Everyday Makeup

Sometimes simple is better.
Lately I have been going for a more "natural" look. I say "natural" in air quotes because I am totally rocking false lashes & I am NOT skimping on the steps or products. This is NOT a no-makeup makeup look, this is more of a first date, soft and flattering makeup look.
I am still using a simple cream contour, lashes etc. In the end this makeup style is all about enhancing your favorite features, glowing skin, long lashes and luscious lips!
Despite the amount of products used and the steps this look is super easy to get, feel free to swap out products for what works best for you!!

I linked all the products I used down below with my step by step....well steps!

CERAVE MOISTURIZING CREAM ($15.00 for the 16oz jar) THANK YOU so much for suggesting this! This moisturizer is ultra hydrating but not greasy, the perfect everyday moisturizer.
Next up to prep my skin MAKE UP FOR EVER STEP 1 SKIN EQUALIZER PRIMER (Matte & Smoothing $37.00) I love these primers so much, a little goes a long way's, using my fingers I dab a bit of the MATTE between my brows and across the bridge of my nose where I tend to get a tiny bit oily & the SMOOTHING primer on my cheeks, nose and chin where I have pore/texture issues. For foundation I used LOREAL TRUE MATCH LUMI CUSHION ($15.00 Shade W3) I apply a light layer of this to my entire face using a damp REAL TECHNIQUES beauty sponge, it adds a wonderful youthful glow, feels weightless on my skin...the only draw back is the price per ounce is the same as a highend foundation! The PUR COSMETICS CAMEO CONTOUR STICK  ($39.50 shade medium & deep) Have been my life, taking the (MEDIUM) highlight shade I highlight under my eyes, forehead & chin to brighten & conceal. Taking the darker contour side I run it along my hairline, beneath my cheekbones, sides of my nose & along my jawline to hide the 15 lbs I put on this winter...lol. Using my REAL TECHNIQUES sponge I blend out the highlight, for the contour I love using my ELF SMALL STIPPLE BRUSH. I also use a bit of the contour from the "deep" shade to really deepen my contour under my cheek bones! To set it I like dusting a light layer of bronzer over my contour to set it a bit using my MORPHE M-177 POWDER BRONZER and HOURGLASS AMBIENT BRONZER ($50.00 Luminous Bronze) It's like magic. I love it so much! To set the rest of my face NYC SMOOTH SKIN LOOSE FACE POWDER ($5.00 translucent) Using my REAL TECHNIQUES damp sponge again I "bake" anywhere I placed the highlighting shade, it really helps to set it all day long.
THEBALM HOT MAMA BLUSH ($20.00 Shimmer) One of my FAVE shimmer blushes, has that same feel as the cult classic Nar's Orgasm BUT it is more peach than pink so it suits my skin tone a bit better. I love using my  MORPHE M405 CONTOUR BLUSH for blush, its the perfect size, shape & density for blush. To get a gorgeous glow I reach for BECCA CHAMPAGNE POP HIGHLIGHT ($38.00 now a permanent product and in-stock at Sephora!) POP a little bit on the bridge of my nose, cheekbones & cupids bow to get that perfect luminous glow. For my brows NYX COSMETICS EYEBROW GEL ($7.00 in brunette) Perfect everyday brow product, plus I love that it comes in a tube instead of a pot so it doesn't dry out! To set MILANI BROW SHAPING CLEAR GEL ($5.00 in clear) HOLY GRAIL affordable brow product. I have repurchased this so many times now, it's my brow bestie. To define my eyes and add a bit of color without taking a lot of time I go in with THEBALM MR. WRITE (NOW) ($17.00 in Jac. B Bronze) A gorgeous shimmer bronze liner, using a pencil brush I smudge this out on the upper lash line. To define my lashes TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX MASCARA ($23.00) I apply a couple coats of mascara to prep my lashes for ARDELL DEMI WISPIES. <--best everyday comfortable lashes! Moving on to the lips JORDANA EASYLINER LIP ($2.49 aka best lip liners ever!) In the shade Tawny to define my lips a bit and prep them for VINTAGE BY JESSICA LIEBESKIND SPARKLING LIP GLOSS in the shade Pink Sequins! This lip gloss gives such a full look to the lips because of the gorgeous shimmer in it.

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ARMPIT IS AN UGLY WORD│This Girls Deodorant Journey

Hello.
My name is Stefanie and I have a confession.
I haven't worn antiperspirant in.... oh about 3 years. True story.

Don't get it twisted, I'm not running around all stinky smelling. I do wear natural deodorants, just not antiperspirant. For as long as I can remember I never really sweated...or got B.O. Honestly my upper lip, nose and between my ta-ta's are really my only sweat zones and whoever heard of your upper lip getting B.O.

Regular deodorant makes my pitties (aka underarms...arm pits is such an ugly word) itchy. I have tried most brands but just haven't found one that worked well for me and to be honest I really didn't "perspire" enough to warrant using them!

Fast forward to June 2015 when I sadly turned 30. Let's all say a little prayer for my long gone 20's. You think I am kidding, I assure you I am not.
Hormone changes (curse you hormones!) have just blessed me with so many different things. 1.) About 3 years ago I developed Adult Cystic Acne. Super. Made it through my teen years with a handful of blemishes and BAM, late 20's acne. 2.) This summer rolled around, I was outside alot doing yard work, hanging with the kids, just living my life and I noticed that my pitties (I know you love that word) had started to get....funky? UGH. Here I was now 30 years old, having made it through ARMY BOOT CAMP on baby powder and smelling like a rose....okay not a rose but my underarms never smelled bad. I promise you that. I lived in a room with 75 stressed out and sleep deprived women, they would have let me know if I stank. So yes, I started looking for a good deodorant that worked for me.

I tried cheap ones, expensive ones, unscented...and I just didn't find one I liked enough to buy twice! Most of them I tossed, some of the formulas were to drying..tugging on my underarms.
I don't like gel ones...they are cold and sticky feeling and I have to walk around like an ape until the gel dries.
I tried an aerosolated one but it smelled like poo.
I even tried the little ones that have a huge roller ball applicator, basically a liquid. Nope didn't like it, cold + wet doesn't work for me.

I do like DOVE products in general as you know. I have been using the DOVE Pink Beauty Bar since I was about 5, my doctor recommended it to my mother as a gentle soap for my excema prone skin.
I have been using the Dove Purely Pampering Body Wash in Coconut Milk & Jasmine Petals forever...I am on my 9th bottle? It is literally the ONLY scented body wash I have been able to use in my life. Excema remember? If you watch my YouTube channel then you have heard me rave about it from time to time.
Naturally I tried the Dove deodorants and they are nice the solid formula was silky and applied nicely BUT it still made my underarms a bit itchy.

Sooooo recently I got an opportunity to try the Target Dry Spray VoxBox. Inside I got 2 Dry Spray antiperspirants one for me and one for they hubby!
I got the Cool Essentials one and it smells DELICIOUS, like cucumber melon. The spray leaves zero trace on my skin so I don't feel itchy & it isn't cold nor wet. YAY. Okay the little burst of air always makes me flinch which is kind of hilarious. I am the one pressing the nozzle and still I jump a bit. Hehe. The husband got the Extra Fresh scent which is hilarious because he already uses the Dove Face and Body wash & stick deodorant in the Extra Fresh scent! It was fate.

This probably sounds like a paid plug for Dove...oh look at all the products we love, blah blah blah. It's not. Truly. You know how we instinctually buy the same brands as our parent's.... Your mom used Dawn dish soap so you use Dawn dish soap. Well my mom bought me Dove body products so I buy my family Dove products. I mean really my husband doesn't pick out his own stuff, I do! I don't care about price or how they smell really...well a bit but mostly I want to buy something that won't irritate my family's sensitive skin (my poor babies inherited mommy's sensitive skin) so my daughter uses my stuff and my son uses my husbands and we all feel clean, fresh and smell FABULOUS.

Let me know your favorite products in the comments down below! XO

My "Go To" Classic Red Lip Look

"He's got that James Dean daydream look in his eye's and I got that red lip classic thing that you like....". Swift's song literally run's a loop in my head every single time I put on red lipstick now. It is forever stuck in my head because I love red lipstick. A whole lot.

So random question BUT what do you guys think about my thicker brows, they are legitimately one of about a million reason's I have taken a little breaky from YouTube, I like them thicker and they have grown in way better than I expected! Here are my excuses for being gone.... Reason (ONE) growing in overplucked brows is an UGLY process. (TWO) I have been a teeny bit lazy and "relaxy" aka lazy where you change from pajamas to sweats during the day time and "doing your hair" means washing it and putting it in a bun...or ponytail. (THREE) We have started the processes of home buying and looking at houses and loan shopping is all consuming. Lastly (FOUR) I ordered The Sims 4 from EA games and I play it too much.

Enough excuses let's get back to makeup, wanna know what is on my face? Okay I'll tell you!

NYX Brow "Gel" (aka pomade in a squeezey tube) Brunette

Makeup Geek Shadows

-Vanilla Bean

-Creme Brulee

-Latte

-Mocha

....I am pretty sure Marlena likes coffee as much as I do. #soulsister

theBalm Shwing Liner

Kiss Blooming Lash Peony

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion W3 <--- love this!

Maybelline Better Skin Concealer Light

Milani Bronzer Soleil (as a blush)

Milani Luminoso Baked Blush

Kat Von D Everlasting Lipstick in Outlaw, all time favorite red lip.

What is your favorite red lipstick? Let me know in the comments kittens!