get your game face on

Football season has officially started with the NFL opening game last night, and I couldn't be happier (Go Marshall and  go Panthers!). Football and all-pumpkin-everything combined with the perfect weather, easily make Fall my favorite season.

For some, football season means wearing your favorite jersey and heading out to a tailgate and game every weekend. For others, it means yummy food and beer in front of a TV. Regardless of your preference to watch the game you want to be focused on the game and having fun, not worried about how you look.

Football games often mean spending all day outside in the sun drinking, and the last thing you want is to head somewhere after the game with a face full of smudged makeup. You know the girls who wear a ton of makeup to sporting events and look silly? Don't be that girl. You aren't there to make a statement with your bold lip or smokey eye, you're there to have fun and cheer on your team (or at least pretend like it).

In order to ensure you go from tailgate to game to post-game festivities looking flawless, stick to minimal, neutral makeup with staying power. This way, you can feel good about spending all day (and night) supporting your team and beer-drinking habits and leave all cosmetic products at home.

game face necessities

My favorite long-lasting products for game time are:

1. Tarte BB Tinted Primer: I've said it before and I'll say it again: this stuff is amaze balls. It's lightweight (read: doesn't look like you're wearing makeup on your face), but covers extremely well. A little bit goes a long way and the best way to apply is to put a small amount on your fingers, rub your fingers of both hands together, then smear all over your face and blend.

2. The Body Shop Concealer Stick: It's no secret that this is my favorite concealer. The reason I like it so much is because it covers under-eye circles and blemishes well, so I don't need two different concealers. Apply this under eyes and on blemishes where needed, but don't worry too much about covering every little spot.

3. Josie Maran Waterproof Cheek Gelee: Waterproof blush means this stuff doesn't budge. It'll stay on until you take it off, even through the hottest day for a game. Apply lightly to get a healthy flush; once again, don't go overboard.

4. Benefit Hooola Bronzer: This is a recent purchase of mine from the #FlyBenefit vending machine at the airport, and I'm already obsessed! This bronzer is perfect for game day because there's no shimmer in it (matte=natural). Dust a little on your forehead, sides of nose, chin and hollows of your cheeks for a natural-looking glow.

5. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner in Black: Stila isn't lying when they say "Stay All Day" because this stuff doesn't budge. If you haven't mastered using liquid eyeliner (yet), not to worry. Draw small dashes as close to your lash line as possible then connect them and you'll have a straight line! Since I have small eyes I like to add a small flick to the outer corners of my eyes, think mini cat-eye, but it's still appropriate for game day.

Tip: if you have lighter eyes or hair, stick to brown instead of black - it looks much more natural.

6. Make Up Forever Aqua Cream for Eyes in Warm Beige: I definitely don't recommend wearing eye shadow to sporting events, especially if it's outside in the heat, because you're basically asking your shadow to crease and look horrible within a few hours. However, I do like to put a tiny bit of this on my brow bone and at the inner corner of my eye.

7. L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: No need to get waterproof mascara for football season, unless your favorite team loses a lot and it makes you sad.

These are my favorite picks to create a minimal game face that will last all day long!

splurge vs. steal: mascara

As much as I love buying expensive beauty products because of the luxury associated with them, there are some amazing, cheap drugstore options.

The one thing that deters me from trying a new product at a drugstore is that you can't test out the product before purchasing because everything is sealed in its package. However, Walgreens will allow you to return a used cosmetic product if you're unsatisfied with it. 

Some times I stumble upon amazing drugstore products when I'm traveling and forget to pack something important, like eyeliner or concealer. Most of the time when I purchase a drugstore cosmetic it's because it was recommended to me personally, was mentioned on a blog or mentioned in an article.

I have two favorite mascaras: one is They're Real by Benefit and the other is L'Oreal Voluminous. They both make my eyelashes look longer and thicker, but L'Oreal is less than half the price (and maybe even better). I don't usually purchase They're Real - it's given to me as a gift about once a year but I wouldn't buy it myself because it's not better than some drugstore options.

battle of the wands

It's more difficult to justify buying expensive mascara because mascara is something that you should throw out about every three months, so it doesn't last long. For now I'm loyal to my drugstore L'Oreal mascara, but then again, I haven't tried DiorShow yet.

the great outdoors

Spring has officially sprung and I cannot get enough of it. When the weather is nice, I'll find any excuse to be outdoors and soaking up the sun - against my dermatologist's wishes. 

It's time for baseball and lacrosse games, music festivals, outside beer drinking, golf, porch-sitting and cookouts. This means it's also finally time to breakout creamy, lightweight makeup and put away the heavy winter makeup.

This weekend, I am going to The Masters in Augusta, Georgia. Not only will I be outside from sun up to sun down watching golf (so pumped!), it is going to be sunny, hot and humid. Whenever I go to a sporting event, especially one outside, I try to do minimal makeup. How silly would it look to show up to a golf tournament or any of the activities above wearing a full face of makeup? There is no sense in going all out with your makeup if you'll be outside for a few hours or more because you're going to be sweating, eating and drinking so it'll most likely melt or smudge - not cute.

In order to make sure you look naturally pretty all day and night long when spending time outside, pick products that are light and creamy; waterproof and products that contain SPF don't hurt either. This way even if you're sweating in the hot humidity your makeup will stay in tact without reapplication.

These are the beauty products I'll be wearing at The Masters:

All of these are creamy and lightweight, which means they won't leave my face too much

Stila Stay All Day HD Illuminating Beauty Balm - I'm bringing this because it's super light but provides a thin layer of coverage to blur imperfections. Plus it has SPF 30 which is a major plus. No one will be able to tell I'm wearing anything on my face but it will even out my skin tone while providing a dewey look.

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee - I've raved about it before, but I'm obsessed with this cheek color. It provides a sheer pop of natural-looking color and stays on literally all day long.

The Body Shop Concealer - I've used this thing down to a nub, but no worries I have two more waiting to be opened! I've been using this creamy concealer for a couple of years because it works on my under-eye bags as well as blemishes. You'll have to pry this from my cold, dead hands in order for me to stop using it.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara - It's not waterproof, but it stays on pretty dang well. I never have to worry about this mascara melting transferring to my eyelids and it gives my stubby eyelashes some serious length.

Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Clay Eyeliner - I am a HUGE fan of gel liners because they don't come off unless you want them to. It's also easier to get gel liner closer to your lash line compared to a pencil, which looks more natural. This one is a gorgeous bronze color I use often.

Estee Lauder Cream Shadow - I think I might have cried when I saw this cream shadow in Golden Sands was discontinued because it is the absolute best. It stays on all day and I use it as a base for other shadow, or on it's own and it looks awesome either way. It's the only light gold cream shadow I have found and liked because there aren't any pink tones. This Estee Lauder Shadow Paint might be the closest thing.

Spring is the perfect excuse to stock up on some creamy, long-lasting products you'll use throughout the Summer. Have a light hand when applying your makeup to ensure as natural of a look as possible, especially if the event is during the day. Now go have fun!

flushed

I have had my eye on Josie Maran's Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée for a while now. I am a huge proponent of cheek stains because they are the easiest to apply and last the longest, compared to cream and powder blushes. I have had Benefit's Cha Cha Tint for almost two years now, and even though I love it I also love experimenting with makeup (if that isn't obvious).

Like any Sephora trip, I spent two hours trying on and experimenting with makeup even though I knew I wanted this blush all along. I read countless reviews on it so by the time I got there I already knew which shade I wanted - Poppy Paradise. I was so giddy with excitement when I found this Josie Maran cheek color then touched it because it FEELS LIKE HEAVEN. Seriously, Heaven. As soon as I dipped my finger in the pot I knew I was in love - it feels like silky, packed in jello-butter (I realize this doesn't sound like Heaven but it is pretty damn close).

Shade: Poppy Paradise

Besides the amazing texture, I love this blush because it looks so natural. There's no shimmer and it delivers an even layer of color that makes me look perfectly flushed. To make this cheek stain even more amazing, it lasts forever because it is waterproof. Literally - it lasts all day until you want to wash it off (which it does so easily). 

Barely there - just the way I like it.

Words cannot describe how much I am obsessed with this cheek color! The color, packaging and even the name are so chic and reminds me of a tropical island with endless coconut drinks and happiness. Overall, this cheek color is perfect for everyone from the makeup-shy to the makeup-obsessed and is too good to keep it a secret.

in-flight beauty

Ever thought you needed to bring beauty products with you on an airplane? Sounds silly, but it will make you feel and look a million times better once you land.

Flying, especially for an extended period of time, completely zaps all moisture from your skin due to the elevation and constant air conditioning blowing into your face. 

I make sure to pack a "beauty bag" (in a clear, ziplock bag with all products under 2 oz. of course) in my carry-on for every single flight I go on so I don't look like I got slapped with the ugly stick when I get off. Tomorrow I am flying to Amsterdam (!!!) and  want to make sure I can feel refreshed when arriving after a 10 hour red-eye flight.

In-flight beauty bag essentials:

travel-sized goodies

1. Moisturizer: This one contains Vitamin E so it's super-moisturizing so it's perfect for flying. I'll try to reapply before sleeping and before landing to put moisture back in my skin.

Lip/Cheek Stain: How cute is this mini benetint?! A stain can give your face life after a flight, so I'll dab some on my cheeks and lips before landing. It's a game-changer.

Concealer: This concealer also contains Vitamin E and also Marula Oil so it's packed with moisture. I love this creamy concealer for under-eye bags, and I'll also put some on my eyelids and under my noise to cover-up redness as well.

Deodorant: Do I need to explain?

Hand Cream: Yep, moisture again. This Hemp Hand Cream is insane - it makes even the driest hands feel smooth.

Face Wipe: I usually get travel-sized cleansing wipes, but I got this free Puffs one so I'm going to give it a try.

Lip Balm: I prefer Vaseline, but it is a personal preference. It's really important to keep your lips moisturized while flying, especially after drinking/eating/sleeping!

Comb: Unless you naturally have perfect bed-head hair, I recommend running at least your fingers through your hair before landing.

Not pictured: mini perfume and toothbrush/toothpaste.

There's nothing worse than seeing yourself in the airport bathroom after a long flight and having to scramble to make yourself look like you didn't just sit in an airplane for hours. So splash some water on your face in the plane bathroom, use the right products, and arrive looking and feeling tip-top!

santa baby

Is it too early to start talking about Christmas? Probably. But I'm going to do it anyway because I can't keep my beauty wish list to myself anymore!

This is Part One of the beauty products I want pray to find in my stocking or wrapped up under the tree this year:

all images from www.sephora.com

• Clinique All About Eyes - I have used this before at the Clinique makeup counter, and nothing even comes close for me. I don't struggle with super dark under-eye circles, but often lack sleep and need some help with "puffy eye bags." I don't even care if this stuff doesn't make me look more awake because I feel more awake. And that's all that really matters, right?

  
  
• Stila Stay All Day liquid eyeliner - I've come back full swing and am obsessed with mastering the cat eye, once again. It's a classic look, looks awesome during the day AND night, and is simply pretty. I usually buy super cheap liquid liner from the drugstore, but I think a higher-quality liner stays on longer and will ultimately look better. Meow.

• Benefit They're Real! mascara - This is my holy grail mascara to date. I got it by surprise for Christmas last year and fell head over heels for it (don't tell my boyfriend), and have to have it for my stubby/short eyelashes.

I will probably add half of Sephora to my Beauty Wish List before Christmas, but these are the three products I have to have. I'm going to be extra nice the next month...

mini me

Last week I impulsively placed an order at Sephora.com because I won a free, mini Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow. I've been wanting to try a new BB/CC cream lately, but haven't been able to decide on which one just from reading reviews. I'm also extremely indecisive so any type of "sampler" really appeals to me. 

already obsessed with this little box of happniess

I decided to get the BB Buzz because I didn't want to commit $50 to a BB cream I hadn't used multiple times before, and I love to sample products. This little box is perfect! First of all, I am obsessed with rose gold right so the rose gold packaging is awesome. Also, I like all the brands in the box but have never had anything from Dr. Jart + or boscia before, and have only tried a product or two from Tpo Faced, Stila and Smashbox. This BB box was only $25! If you do the math (I did) you get more ounces of product than one standard tube of BB cream (1 oz.) for half the price - great deal.

The BB creams in this box are like a "one-size fits all" so it's really only for gals with fair skin. I am going to try the boscia BB cream first because it seems to be the tannest one and I still have a faint tan leftover from Summer (tear). I'm really hoping I fall in love with at least one of these so I know which one to purchase in full-size when I'm out.

I redeemed my Sephora points to get a sample of Benefit Benetint, a classic I've always wanted to try, and also picked up three perfume samples. Everything I got is miniature and perfect for traveling!