I really loved everything about those glass bottles when I was younger.

Question of the Week: What’s your favorite CLASSIC skincare brand and your favorite NEW skincare brand?

Here's everything you need to know about me and my love of skincare. Somehow I skipped the Clinique phase in high school. I think I skipped skincare in general through most of high school, too. It wasn't a thing like it is now. (Impossible to believe, right?) But my dad did help me make something we called a zit sucker that would remove anything from a pore. I tell you this only to show how serious I was skincare, even though I didn't yet know it. Later,  I studied up on ingredients as a way to learn what might be effective and what wasn't, because I was poor and didn't want to get suckered. So I read a lot and I asked a lot of questions when I could. And I got serious about preventative skin care. I started blogging and gained access to loads of professionals and got to try a ton of stuff, across all price ranges. So knowing what I know now, here are a few of my favorites. Most of them relate to dull, dry skin with aging concerns.


Olay : Just wear the SPF every day and wait until your 30. Or any SPF. Just make sure it's a broad spectrum, please.

Neutrogena: They have great retinols if you are worried you might start to think about seeing fine lines or age spots.

Mario Badescu: This is my go-to line for fading age spots, once they legit show up. The Vitamin C Serum is amazing.

Pixi Beauty: Their Glow Peel Go pads are amazing at keeping the skin bright.

Your Best Face: This indie line has been killing its way into the mainstream for years. Each innovation truly works and is worth every single penny. Which is awesome, cause it's not the cheapest. The eye cream? Wait for the sale and stock UP. (And grab the scrub, shaving balm for your face (!!) and the brightening concentrate.)

It Cosmetics: I know I sound basic, but here's 100%. I work with It Cosmetics often; and I know I'm fortunate to have that opportunity. When I take a break from It, usually to try something from another line, I'm never as happy with my skin as I have been with It Cosmetics. When I stopped using their pot concealer, which is infused with their skincare, my eyes go back to looking tired and less refreshed. I know it's not as flashy, but my skin reacts so perfectly to their formulations.

Jan Marini Skincare: This line never disappoints. Ever. If you've got a concern or a need, Jan has an answer. Need something to speed the decay of peeling skin? She's got that. (I'm not kidding.)

What is your favorite line right now? And if you're wondering what you've missed this week in the world of beauty, check this out!

Gouldylox - Necessity will make you do strange things. This week, I tried to find a fast, easy way to clean makeup brushes with this really popular face cleaning gadget. Did it work or fail hard? You know you wanna know...

My Beauty Bunny - is sharing her thoughts on a $135 hand cream. Do you need it? It depends, click to find out!

Phyrra - Do you love capsule wardrobes? How about capsule makeup? I kick off my capsule makeup series with my Goth Capsule Makeup Collection!

we heart this - Check out five fall beauty must haves, starting at just $6.99! (But there's a $36 mini lipstick in there too, so don't get too excited...)

Blushing Noir - The NARS x MAN RAY Holiday 2017 Makeup Collection is one for the books! Brooke is sharing a ton of the products over on her blog but the one you need the most is definitely the NARS Double Take Overexposed Glow Highlighter.

EauMG - I’ve tried a luxurious frankincense and myrrh fragrance that is a perfect transitional fragrance that will take you from colorful autumn foliage to snowy winter days.

(Wondering what the Lipstick League is? Find out here.)

Grab your tote and hit the road! Just make sure you've packed a few essential items to stay gorgeous along the way.


Drip Dry: The phrase "wash and go" has never meant anything to me. That all changes when you start styling your hair in the shower. Living Proof's New Perfect Hair Day In-Shower Styler is actually the answer to summer hair. Here's how it works: Wash and condition as usual. Apply a little bit of the thick cream to your hair, from roots to ends. Then rinse lightly, making sure not to wash the product out. Comb your hair and scrunch. Now don't touch it until it's actually dry. For me, that means a little crunchy feeling. My hair hardens into a light weight shell and once that shell is 100% dry, I smooth it out and a left with super glossy, non-frizzy hair. I can't believe it works this well, especially on my very frizzy, very straight hair. While I don't get beautiful curls, I do get a slight wave and no frizz without any effort. // $24.00



Faux Ingénue : If you happen to see the Metallic Mattes in HD Gleam from Revlon, grab it. It's a beautiful shade of your lips but better, in a really light metallic, see through pink. It's too pretty to pass up and works anytime you need to look innocent. // $8.00



Be The Beach: Fake good hair with a little extra texture.  Try this Sea Salt Spray from KeraBotanica ($22.00), You Had Me At Hello. It will add a bit of baby texture and a sweet scent to your style, without overpowering anything. Want more texture? Step it up with Ecru's Dry Texture Spray ($26.00). A combo of texture and hold, this light spray adds volume and texture without any heavy buildup.



Golden Girl Forever: Stila's Heaven's Hue Highlighter is trying to trick you. Sure, two of the three shades work well as highlighters, but for pale girls, the Bronze is everything. It's such a light, golden shade, it works on eyes, cheeks and even as a little pop of summer if you brush it onto your hair. This would also be a gorgeous golden shade on darker skin tones as well. And it doubles as a shadow! // $32.00



Glow-getter: Don't leave home without a way to renew your glow. Pixi makes it easy to glow on the go with their Glow Tonic, Glow-On-The-Go AHA Wipes or the new Peel and Polish. Finish up your fresh face with GelTint and SilkGloss Lippies in long-wearing colors!

My favorite drugstore line isn't really in a drugstore, per se...unless you count the beauty section at Target.  Smooth, glowing skin is what we all secretly yearn for and you don't need to spend a ton on products to get the results. I love that I can pop into Target and grab some Pixi By Petra while picking up my favorite frozen lunches for the week and get real, noticeable results without dropping my entire paycheck.


These Glow Tonic To-Go Exfoliating Toner Pads make staying on top of exfoliating easy. Just wash your skin, swipe a toner pad across your face and go! You don't need to wipe it away. Within a few days, you'll start to see fresher, more healthy skin appear! // $22.00


Does your skin really need a boost? The Glow Mud Cleanser uses glycolic acid to help resurface the skin while aloe vera soothes and mud helps to clarify your pores. Try this before you use the toner pads for a swift kick to your radiance! // $18.00


Before it's officially lights out on your day, smooth some Overnight Glow Serum on freshly cleansed, slightly damp skin. You'll wake up with hydrated, plumped, radiant skin so you can put your best face forward as soon as you get out of bed. //$24.00

Looking for other drugstore finds you can't live without? Click the tiles below for more from the Makeup Wars team!

Need a little inspiration for summer? I DO! I don't know about you, but the lack of warm weather is not motivating me to reach for bronzer just yet. However, these ten little beauties are making my May.



Face prep is key and Glow Tonic To Go from Pixi is a great start. Glycolic Acid, Aloe Vera and Gingseng help turn over dead skin cells to reveal brighter, younger looking skin. Too lazy to use cotton balls? (*raises hand) Glow Tonic To Go comes in handy exfoliating toning pads that make skincare easy, even after late nights. // $18.00


Models Own, a line from London and available at Ulta, is pure joy for me right now. I can't get enough of their inky I-Definer Kohl Pencil in Onyx. It's so dark, smudgeable and long wearing, I wish it was available in more than two colors. The other shade? It's Chocolate Copper and I need it in my life. They are currently BOGO 40% off at Ulta, so add both shades to your cart and save. // $8.00


While we are talking Models Own, this highlighter is actually my new favorite eye shadow! I'm all about a simple, fast lid these days and it doesn't get much better than this Sculpt and Glow Highlighter. Available in golden sand and peach pearl, there is a shade that's perfect for everyone. This isn't a creamy powder, in fact, it's quite the opposite. Despite it's baked and slightly dry appearance, it looks beautiful on the skin, especially on the eyelids. // $12.00


Ready for a little texture without stickiness or a beach spray without the salt and crunch? Cuvee's Champagne Spray gives you exactly that...think of it like second-day hair in a bottle. This light mist (it's not a dry shampoo!) adds a little bit of piecey texture with a light, fresh scent. This won't deliver massive, beachy texture; but you will get touchable, soft texture with benefits. What bennies? How about antioxidant protection that strengthens and conditions the hair? Yeah, it's that good. // $45.00


I mentioned yearning for a few shades in this palette last week and completely caved. Do you need it? Probably not. But if you love the idea of grays, gold and navy the way I do, you can't skip this new UD Jean-Michel Basquiat Gold Griot Eyeshadow Palette from Urban Decay.  // $39.00



Keune's Blend Gloss Spray is my new BFF. The ultra-light weight shine spray adds lots of natural looking shine without any of the weight you'd expect. It's not greasy in the least and doesn't seem to build up on the hair. I wash every three or four days and use it liberally every single day. // Find it in a salon near you, $20.00



My chapped lips are insane lately; am I the only one? I can't get enough of Bite's Agave Lip Mask in Champagne and it's the perfect tint for whatever season we are experiencing right now. // $26.00



I can't say it enough. If you're a Reyes filter fan because it brightens your face to flawless, you need to try Vitabrid C12 Face Brightener. It's a powder that you add to your existing skincare that transforms your skin in less than two weeks. (That's how long it took my skin!) // $55.85


Speaking of skincare, recently I've been pushing the efficacy of my night time lotions to the max. The JeNu Plus Ultrasonic Infuser actually pushes your skincare six times more deeply into the skin than when products are applied with your fingers alone. Think ultrasonic skin care is an alternative fact? The photo above shows how plumped my skin was after massaging a hyaluronic acid serum into my fine lines with the JeNu Plus. How cool is that? I can only imagine how much more effective my products will be if they are able to really penetrate. // $199.00


CoverGirl's Total Tease Mascara is the cutest brush ever. It's got a special brush bubble on the end to really fan out the edges of your lashes. The rest of the brush? It lengthens like crazy. (And it comes in 5 colors!) //  $9.24

How often do you refresh your beauty stash? What are you loving this May? Spill your secrets already!

If you can't escape the tight feeling of very dry skin, try using the L.O.C. method to seal in your skincare. Simply stated, L.O.C. is an easy way to remember the correct order to apply your skincare products. More importantly, if you have dry skin, "locking" your skin means no more dry, tight skin; even by the end of the day!

L= Liquid
O= Oil
C=Cream

So easy to remember, right? I start with either a toner or a skincare mist. Right now, I'm on a misting kick and can't get enough. Starting with skin that is lightly misted means thirsty skin has been given the sign to "drink" up that hydration. It's the same reason your mom has always told you to put your shower lotion on wet skin, not dry. Got it? Pixi Beauty Vitamin Wake Up Mist is a morning boost of vitamin C. Need more moisture? The Hydrating Milky Mist preps skin to stay smooth with a burst of hyaluronic acid. Just wanna glow? The Glow Mist gives skin an instantly brightened effect.



Add an oil to your freshly misted skin as the next step. The Makeup Wars team just selected their favorite oils--check out their picks if you're looking to switch things up. Personally, I'm loving Amaranth Oil from 5 AM at the moment. My very dry skin loves has been reacting to squalene (the plant-based kind!) and amaranth oil has the highest level of plant-based squalene available. If you're skipping an oil, add your serum after you've misted!



I also add my eye cream to freshly spritzed skin. I can't sing Hallelujah loudly enough to effectively tell you how much I love It Cosmetics Confidence In An Eye Cream. Not only does it feel fantastic, it makes your eye bags reduce, darkness is faded slightly and on some days, I can even skip concealer. My husband has even been trying it on "special occasions". I'm 44 and can actually see the difference this makes. I even posted some afters shots on Instagram a while back.


For the final step, lock in your moisture with your favorite cream. Make sure you don't forget the SPF, too! I can't get enough of the Confidence Cream; I'm legitimately on my third container! Please don't forget your sunscreen. Nothing will work as well if you don't protect your skin from the very damage your trying to correct. Honestly, according to this, wearing only a sunscreen will give you younger, healthier, less sun damaged-looking skin than wearing expensive skincare. Protect that pretty face, will ya?

Are you going to try L.O.C.'ing your skin? What works for you?

This week's Makeup Wars is all about our favorite color right now. All last week, I wasn't into a specific color per se, but into a minimalistic metallic look. I've been leaning more towards perfecting my skin, blending a metallic highlight on to the top of my cheeks while keeping my eyes radiant and sometimes simple. Be it rose gold, ice-y lavender, or moonlight, I'm all about a light metallic shine that never looks oily.

She looks cray. Don't walk around like that.

Please don't go oily with the look. That Sephora graphic looks like a girl getting ready to sunbathe in the seventies. Glowing without looking slick will keep you from looking crazy IRL.

Check out my Minimalistic Metals looks from last week.



I think I'm digging how youthful a barely there brow looks. Then add a matte, neutral lip and a bit of glow from Cover FX and the Pixi Beauty Glow and Bronze Palette + Maryam Maquillage. I purposely wanted my cheeks to be the focal point of this look. The glow is beautiful and not too shiny. I declare this look approved for work!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel in Blonde, $22.00
Cover FX Custom Color Drops in Moonlight, $42.00+
Pixi Beauty Glow and Bronze Palette + Maryam Maquillage in Empress, $20.00
Pixi Beauty Get The Look Lip Palette + ItsJudyTime, $24.00
It Cosmetics Confidence in a Compact, Medium, $38.00

Wednesday: Minimal everything, with several products //

Wow, I really look like my Mom here! And I kind of like the muted brow. Thoughts?

A light touch all over equals a really natural look that's still pretty and far from made up and too shiny. It's my new go-to!

Pixi By Petra Hello Rose! $22.00, Target
// Pixi Blush Duo Rose Gold, Sheer Rose Lip Gloss, Pink Pearl Glow Booster
It Cosmetics Confidence in a Compact, Medium, $38.00
Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel in Blonde, $22.00
Friday: Smudged Eyes / Rose Gold Cheeks //


I kept my brows powdered but natural, used the rose gold blush duo for a very shiny cheek and opted for a metallic taupe lid with a dark blue liner. Skin glows bright from a golden highlighter without any contour. I added a glow booster under my foundation to really make my skin glow without looking shiny all over.


Pixi By Petra Hello Rose! $22.00, Target
// Pixi Blush Duo Rose Gold, Sheer Rose Lip Gloss, Pink Pearl Glow Booster
It Cosmetics Confidence in a Compact, Medium, $38.00

Want some liquid lip metals to think about for the weekend? Check out my latest favorites here!

Are you ready to pare down your look and go minimal and metallic? Need other inspiration? Check out what the Makeup Wars Warriors have to say by clicking the tiles below.

Last weekend my hubs and I celebrated my good friend Mandy's* birthday with a little karaoke. I'm more of a sit quietly in the corner and talk about silly things than a get up in front of people and act silly. Not to mention that I can't sing at all. In fact, my choral teacher in high school once asked me to "only move my mouth" moments before going on stage at a Madrigal competition. So now I'm sing-shy. Thanks, Mrs. B-hart.

But since Mandy loves karaoke, I wanted to break out of my shell and have fun. In my mind, my vocal prowess is all Fiona Apple. But in reality? I'm more MC Lyte. Which is no diss on Lyte. Just the truth. So while Mandy's Mom and fiance (congrats!) were performing their crowd-tested karaoke versions of the hits from Pulp Fiction, I was plotting how to turn this mother out.

Go big or go home, right? Wearing my glorious butterfly sequin top, grabbed a mic and hid in the hallway while my song cued up. I then bust through the living room archway as my song hit, urging everyone to put their hands in the air and make them stay there.


While I may have moved the crowd (into the kitchen), I only made it to Luda's part before I was out of gas. I have to give DJ Khaled props; his stamina is something else. And clearly, I need to build up my cardio abilities. Next time, I'll stick to Cha Cha Cha, which is way more my speed. In thinking back on my DJ Khaled song choice, I guess I didn't know the ledge.

The night was SO. MUCH. FUN.

I also really dug my makeup that night. I was going for glow-y skin, radiant, pretty eyes and a natural lip, since my butterfly top was already entering a room before I could (that thing is not only loud on the eyes, but it's HEAVY!).

So, the makeup. I'm really into this orange shadow palette right now from Jay Manuel Beauty and loved how my makeup came out. Fun, pretty and not overdone. Check it out.



//MAKEUP DETAILS//

To Plump My Skin: Confidence in a Cream, It Cosmetics
Primer: Backlit Priming Filter, Becca 
Base: Confidence in a Compact in Medium, It Cosmetics
Concealer: Hydrating Dual Action Concealer, Bravon Beauty
Setting Powder: Perfect Setting Powder, Cover FX
Blush: Tea Rose, Bravon Beauty
Brow: Blonde Brow Powder, Full Brow
Eyes: 3D Illuminator in Stardom, Jay Manuel Beauty
          Loud Shadow Quad, Jay Manuel Beauty
          Creme Eyeliner in Latex, Jay Manuel Beauty
          Lengthy Fiber Mascara, Pixi Beauty
          Magnetic Eyes Primer, Bravon Beauty
Lips: Satin Lip Pencil in Bansar, NARS

Vocal warmups with Jodeci and The Dixie Chicks at Gouldylox HQ.

In case you were wondering, I also sang It's Tricky, Paul Revere, My Adidas and (I think) Radio. What are your favorite songs for karaoke? You know I want to picture you singing songs I didn't expect, so GO!