My Birthday Presents for just today . More to come !

My bff got me flowers and a cupcake so far..

My bfs uncle got me a giant bottle of vodka and a cheese cake.

I have other gifts coming but they’re being delivered!

For my birthday I ..

Went to my moms to see her but she wasn’t there however I got to see my older brother

I went to my grandmas to say hi to her, my uncle, and my grandpa. They gave me 60$ total :3

Then I went to my boyfriends uncles to say hi because it was near my grandparents house. And he got me that stuff listed above .

Afterwards I went to dezys NEW duplex apartment. Dezy is my bff. She’s a beaut. Her apartment is like over 70 years old with nice old flooring and French windows . It’s so adorbs. , small with lots of storage. We face timed my other bff who was in quarantine but I will be visiting this weekend ( were hanging out but 7 feet apart and no contact and outside). They are getting me a present but I can’t remember what it was haha! Dezy and I took 3 shots each then took polaroid photos for my scrapbook birthday page.

While at dezys I messaged my twin who’s birthday it was as well, obviously, we said our happy birthdays, then he bought some wine and passed out lol . Good night my brother!

At around midnight my boyfriends picked me up from dezys and made me taquitos. Suprised me with weed and we’re gonna cuddle before bed!

This midnight I did my makeup and AM skincare routine before starting my day.

AmSkincare:

Honey Jarret Foaming Cleanser

Olkehenriksen Oil Control Toner

Peter Thomas Roth Cleansing Wipes

Drunk Elephant Hydra-B Hydrator

Drunk Elephant Vitamin C Serum

Waited 20 mins then applied Skinwarrior Anti-Pillution Repair Cream

Please excuse my giant zit. I always get zits before important day , such my prom, because my skin hates me idk why this happens. Some one please tell me why!Since starting my routine this is the first zit I’ve got in a WEEK! Of course on my birthday.

Makeup:

Used- Norvina Vol. 3 Palette, TooFaced Sweet Peach Palette, Tygers Eye Hemp Infused Eyeshadow Palette, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush, Tarte Sexy Kitten Eyeliner, Neutragena Sylicylic Acid Mineral Powder, Smashbox Foundatiom Stick, Maybelline mascara, and skindinavia primer and setting spray

So first I sprayed the skindinavia primer on then applied red eyeshadow on my lid from the Norvina palette, then in the crease applied dark brown from the Tygers Eye palette, lastly I applied the orangest glitter from the Norvina palette in the corner of my eye around the caruncle. Afterwards I blended the dark brown to reach just below my eye brow leaving room for eyelighter directly below the end of my eyebrow.

Second, i used the Tarte eyeliner. Started with the wing then did the line itself starting from the corner near the caruncle Down to the wing.

Third, I put on some Maybelline mascara. It’s the pink one with a green accent color.

Fourth, I applied Smashbox Foundation Stick in lines on my face, then blended with a light density blending sponge. Topped it off with the Neutragena Mineral Powder for a matte look.

Third I applied the Tarte Blush halfway down my temples and on my mid cheek bones ( I got as an addon for 2$ with my IPSY glam bag. I upgraded to the Glam Bag Plus because I love it so much. Reviews on that coming soon.).

Okay, so it’s absolutely no secret that I’ve been a tad scarce around these parts. What can I say except, adjusting to motherhood means sometimes my little bundle of joy kicks my websites out of the priority seat! Anywho, I’m back with a much needed beauty story. Between last month and this one I’ve had a TON of beauty deliveries and also attended The Makeup Show’s press preview day. So, I will most definitely be giving a highlight on some of the cool products we were given - including a full sized Pat McGrath palette!!!

To get back into the swing of things, I’m kicking off my return to TAB with a beauty roundup of game changing items I’ve been using since mid April. As usual, I’ll let you know which items were gifted by the brand and which were bought by me. And yeah, I’ve been that busy for the last two months that most of these items were gifted by the brand. But as usual, my reviews are honest - even if I’m a brand ambassador. A big focus this time is skincare because thanks to postpartum hormones and a general neglect of my regular skincare regimen, my skin has been in sad shape recently.

1. Shea Terra Organics African Black Soap (gifted)

If you’re unfamiliar with African black soap, it’s often used to even out skin tone, help reduce excess oil and can be used as part of an exfoliation routine. So, one thing I’ve been dealing with for the past four months has been what feels like an excess of dry skin which leads to dull patches that come through even under makeup. What I love about Shea Terra’s version of African black soap is that it’s a powder that you can mix to the consistency level that you want. I can add a minimal amount of water to create more of a paste and strategically place it on areas that need more attention. Or, I can add water to turn it into more of a liquid traditional foamy soap for an all over wash.

2. Pixi Beauty x Weylie Hoang Dimensional Eye Creator 2-in-1 Liner (gifted)

Now this liner is actually part of an entire kit, but I’m only talking about the liner. Anyone who reads TAB regularly knows that I tend to be really critical of felt tipped “liquid” liners because I often don’t feel that they stand up to the same inky blackness and longevity of my tried and true liquid liner, Wet ‘n Wild megaliner in black. So, I went into this being skeptical and was profoundly and happily surprised. This is a dual ended liner that offers a fab inky black felt tip on one side for precise lines and a soft creamy kohl on the other for smoky eyes or smudged liner effects. I don’t really bother with the kohl side because often times creamy liners have a way of shifting and feathering out over the course of a day. But that ink liner...yes ma’am I’m in love! Although the finished look has a bit of a shine instead of the overall matte liner I prefer, I think Pixi hit it out of the park with this liner.

3. The Makeup Mitty & Mitty Blackout (gifted)

Now makeup removing cloths aren’t necessarily new anymore, but I love the shape and functionality of these particular cloths. The Makeup Mitty (blue) is shaped in a tear drop form so that you can use the rounded side to remove larger swaths of makeup say on your overall face or cheeks. Meanwhile the pointed end gets in for fine cleaning around the eyes. And if you’re heavy on eye makeup, The Mitty Blackout (black) is specifically just for taking off stubborn eye makeup. What I love is that these Mitties are specifically made to be used with your preferred cleanser, which is the only way I use makeup cloths these days as I find it gives me a more total cleansing experience.

4. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Makeup 3-in-1 Wipes (gifted)

Whereas The Makeup Mitty is great for when I’m home and have all my cleansers with me, these wipes are ideal for when I’m on the road and am trying to minimize the amount of stuff I’m bringing with me. Although I don’t think these give me as thorough a cleansing as when I use a cleanser + cloth (mainly because I wear a full face of makeup and normally do a 2 step cleanse, so that’s a lot of damage to put on one disposable cloth), I do like that it can take off stubborn eyeliner and matte liquid lipsticks - which can be hard for traditional cleansing cloths to do. Also, my skin doesn’t feel dry and chafed afterwards.

5. Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Soft Peeling Gel (purchased)

If you’re a long time TAB reader, you know my holy grail of exfoliators is Cure Aqua Gel. But, over the last year I have been branching out to other brands, and Nature Republic does a great job of creating a less visual version of a top notch exfoliator. And by that I mean, you don’t get the gross white beads of skin. Whereas Cure’s exfoliator is a bit more liquid based, Nature Republic’s has a granular texture and is truly a stiffer gel. But most importantly, I instantly feel the results on my skin after washing it off. The only thing I don’t love is that this definitely has fragrance in it. It’s not intense, but if you prefer scent free skincare, this isn’t for you.

6. Erborian Waterlock Bamboo Moisture Mask (gifted)

I love that this mask can pull double duty as either an everyday moisturizer or as a moisture pack depending on how much you apply. I’ve definitely used this moisturizer as a traditional moisturizer after the cleansing step as well as a sleep pack where I add other light oils like my rose oil to give it a bit more longevity. What I love is that this gel, although lightweight, has some serious staying power. And although the packaging doesn’t say, I strongly suspect that the soft gel consistency is due to a healthy amount of aloe vera (plus it smells heavily of aloe).

7. Kevyn Aucoin Neo-Blush (gifted)

Now, it’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Kevyn Aucoin. But I do love this Neo-Blush which are basically ombre blushes with a hint of shimmer. The team at KA sent me their entire Neo-Blush collection but my personal favorite is the Sunset shade. (And P.S. if KA’s Neo-Blush is outside of your budget, NYX Cosmetics’ ombre blush is a great budget friendly dupe) The KA blush is perfectly milled and doesn’t settle into fine lines. Meanwhile, the color payoff is fantastic and lasts all day.

8. Kevyn Aucoin Neo-Elixir Weightless Beauty Oil (gifted)

Now this tri-layer beauty oil is a serious game changer whether you use it for just a skincare tool or as a pre or post makeup application tool - it seriously pulls double duty. I love that this oil is a lightweight and scent friendly castor oil based concoction. If you’ve stayed away from castor oil because of its heaviness and strong scent, you’ve got to try the Neo-Elixir. Unlike straight castor oil which can be too heavy for daytime use, this one is mixed with other oils that creates a durable oil that lasts all day without feeling greasy. Now, the website suggests you can use it as a post-makeup step to give yourself a dewy look - I don’t do that. I use it as a regular skincare oil and on occasion if my skin is super dry, as a pre-makeup step. I just don’t do “dewy” because it’s easy to err and mistakenly end up in greasy territory.

9. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Foundation Tinted Moisturizer in Deep (gifted)

Now everyone knows that my current favorite foundation is NYX Cosmetics Total Control Drop Foundation in Deep Sable. I’ve been using it for over a year now almost exclusively. But when the weather gets really warm, a strong foundation isn’t always high on my list of must haves. And it ended up that a few weeks ago I was in North Carolina during an early pre-summer heat wave. Every day was 90+ degrees. So, I had to find something that would help to even out some skin tone issues I’m having while not being too heavy. The tinted moisturizer does the trick in that department. Another bonus is that even though this contains SPF 50, it doesn’t stink. Full disclosure, I’m not 100% in love with this tinted moisturizer for the following reasons:

This moisturizer can easily verge on a greasy finish if you don’t use a setting powder. The amount of shine you get on this moisturizer from the minute you apply if you don’t know how to finesse it can be a turn off for some people. When I use this foundation, I have to use my Laura Mercier setting powder to tone down the shine otherwise I look like I’ve been sweating.

IT Cosmetics often falls into the brown foundation pitfalls of veering on orangish tones. In my case, it works out because for super warm weather it compliments my inevitable tan. But in the winter months I’d be hard pressed to want to use this because it’s so orange.

Deep is the darkest shade they offer so anyone darker than me has sadly been ignored in the shade range.

10. ELF Cosmetics Beauty Shield Daily Defense Makeup Spray (gifted)

So, this was also something I’ve come to love when I’m traveling. For me, this spray pulls double duty. Normally when I’m home, I spritz my foundation and concealer brushes before applying product so that I can create a soft touch flawless finish. But the spray I normally use is in a huge container and isn’t practical for when I’m traveling. So, this smaller alternative is ideal to keep the flawless finish without taking up too much space in my travel makeup kit. I love that the spray is even and not too forceful. Additionally, it is a great spritz for when I’m done with my makeup. Now in a head to head with my Skindinavia makeup setting spray, no this will not be as intense as that because ELF focuses more on hydration whereas Skindinavia ends with a slight sticky finish to lock in the makeup. But again, I took this with me to North Carolina a few weeks ago and my makeup stayed in place during the heat wave.

End of the night results: 7/10

Without retouching anything this the the result after a full 5 hours of sweating. I probably could have touched it up halfway thru the night and reapplied the setting spray and my makeup would have stayed perfect. But I really wanted to test to see if I’d be able to get away without having to retouch at all throughout the night. Definitely better than previous setting sprays I’ve used before!

For a regular day of wearing makeup, I’d rate it 9/10.

I’m testing Skindinavia Setting Spray tonight to see if it’ll hold my makeup in place! I sweat so much at the club that after a couple stage sets my makeup melts right off🙄

I heard good things about this setting spray so I’ll be posting again with my final thoughts!