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Question of the Week: What does your ideal mascara do, and which one comes close to delivering it? I have tiny, little, puny lashes that have only grown because of Grande Lash - it really works! My two favorite mascaras right now are Lash Paradise by L'Oreal and Troublemaker by Urban Decay. I need lengthening and I need volume and these deliver! You'll want to comb your lashes out with both of these, but wow. Just wow.

  Prime Beauty - I've discovered a foundation that is perfect for over 40 skin! Mally Beauty Complexion Perfection Soft Focus Foundation provides medium to full coverage and has an immediate skin smoothing effect that looks completely natural!

Realizing Beauty - The MAC Robert Lee Morris Collection has some of the most exquisite packaging we've ever seen. But it goes beyond the packaging. The shades and formulas within are just as stunning.

we heart this - We've discovered something for redness that's affordable, from a brand we already love and that covers quickly and completely. If you have rosacea or the like, you need to click here.

fanserviced-b - This week I asked skincare fans to talk me through what they love about Emma Hardie's cult favorite Moringa Cleansing Balm because...I don't love it.

Geniabeme -has a gift guide for some high end products for beauty lovers! These items are priced between $100 - $500. There will be other gift guide for lower price ranges soon!

Gouldylox - The Sephora Sale kicks off for Rouge this weekend and I've got the details on what the pros are buying. How does your list compare to theirs?

My Beauty Bunny - is co-hosting an Instant Win Game with Juice Beauty - just fill out the form and you'll see instantly if you're a winner of your choice of holiday gift set!

Phyrra - Looking for the best things to pick up during the Sephora VIB Sale plus what to skip? I've got my recommendations & anti-haul #11!

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

Prime Beauty is Currently Craving: The Dose of Colors Hidden Treasure Palette, an online exclusive from Ulta Beauty has me verklempt. The mix of metallic foils and matte eye shadow shades is perfect for the holidays!  GX adds: I'm not one to say mean things, but what?

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The 20% off sale starting at Sephora on November 3 for Rouge shoppers is practically a holiday for beauty lovers. With so many glittering, gorgeous pans of pigment to choose from, what you should add to your cart can be a daunting task. I've asked fellow bloggers, makeup artists and aficionados what makeup is making their list.
                                

Natasha Denona's palettes are pricey, but her Joya palette tops the list of makeup artists. // $48





Drunk Elephant everything is the focal point of one Aesthetic Nurse Specialist. Considering she works on the medical skincare side of things, I'm taking her advice. The Drunk Elephant Let's Dew It collection has my name on it. // $78

                                           
The other skincare line the pros are clamoring for? Sunday Riley. Especially the UFO Ultra-Clarifying Oil. Based on the responses I received, this is going to sell out. //$40-80


                    
Pat McGrath palettes are so darn expensive that if you're going to leap, now is the time. I love the Subversive palette personally. // $125


                                 
The Kat Von D Saint and Sinner Palette is another one making the cut. I may have to pick it up for the color Rapture alone... // $62


                                
Fun fact, you Colour Poppers are gonna be mad, but birdies tell me that the line is excluded from the sale. Insiders say it's the first time they remember a brand being excluded. I still may pick up one of their pressed palettes, you know, for science. // $26

                               
Finally, while Tarte isn't a brand I love, loads of influencers who don't already have it are grabbing the LE Blush palette. // $44


What's missing from my list? Is your cart ready to go at the stroke of midnight?

Phyrra - Everyone's talking about the new Huda Beauty FauxFilter Foundation. See if it's a win for dry skin in my review!

Prime Beauty - Have you ever wanted to try microdermabrasion? I'll be trying the Personal Microderm Device (PMD) for four weeks. See my before pictures, get an introduction to the device and get a 20% off code!

Realizing Beauty - Christa tried to resist the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna hype, but after trying a sample of the Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation she had to pull the trigger. Find out why it's her new favorite foundation.

we heart this - Stef probably got to try 100 of the 1000 (!) brands that were at Cosmoprof 2017. Here are her five favorite products from the biggest beauty trade show in the US.

Beauty Junkies Unite - The easiest way to update your style for fall starts with your nails! Check out 12 gorgeous fall-inspired nail polish hues that Amber hand-picked, just for this glorious season.

Blushing Noir - Turn your kid (or yourself!) into Pennywise the Clown in around 10 minutes with this quick and easy makeup tutorial!

Gouldylox - With only a few days left of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, don't miss out on the one product that gives back 1:1.

My Beauty Bunny - is giving away a major cruelty free prize every day this week. Dermalogica, $1,500 Tomorrow Sleep Mattress, Too Faced, Urban Decay, and much more!

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

Phyrra is Currently Craving: Even though I own a ton of makeup brushes, I still want this Urban Decay Most Wanted Brush Set! I love the bag that comes with it too!

This month is breast cancer awareness month and if you've managed to avoid falling for everything pink until now, congratulations! The pinking of items this time of year normally drives me nuts. I never endorse charity projects that don't give back earnestly, so you know this brush must be special for a reason beyond being a super girly GLITTERING PINK.

How so? For each brush sold,  It Cosmetics will donate one Live Beauty Fully Brush to women who are currently undergoing cancer treatments, in the hopes that the gentle touch of a really nice brush will help them feel beautiful and give them confidence. 

Not sure how makeup can help others going through cancer treatments? Check out my friend and makeup artist Owen O'Donnell and a program he started a local Baltimore Hospital.

Pick up one brush for yourself and know that each time you smile when applying your foundation, another woman is smiling back at you. #PassItOn

It Cosmetics Live Beauty Fully Love Is the Foundation Brush //  $30.00, Ulta

Let's get one thing straight. I am not a fan of matte makeup on anyone over 30. Ditto for powder foundation. Why emphasize any line or wrinkle for the sake of a matte texture? Unless you want to age yourself, that is. Sure, there are a few exceptions; where the powder makes you look younger, not older.




Comfort Mattes, the foundation component of the new Peaches & Cream Collection from Too Faced are supposed to feel great on the skin while giving you that matte look without the taut, dry skin. Color me surprised, but I'm not mad at them. The foundation is even lighter and more comfortable than expected. I can't put down the Peach Matte Shadow palette - do you need it? Yes, you do. Do you need the Melting Highlighter or Bronzer? Eh...that's a different story. Go!


So the Just Peachy Velvet Matte Shadow Palette is beautiful. The powders blend like a dream and the shade peach punch is the ultimate fair girls' peach. You'll get 12 peachy mattes, all of which smell like a peach. There are lid colors, transition colors and crease colors galore. Add a little Rose Gold or Angelic from this palette and get prepared for compliments. I didn't want to like this palette or these colors and I'm kind of obsessed. $45.00 // Sephora


Let's discuss those Melting Powders for a minute. These are essentially cream blushes that melt into the skin for a long-wearing pop of color.  Apply them with a brush or your fingers and start with a light touch...the blushes are pigmented. So Peachy Melting Powder is a really bright pinky peach (emphasis on the pink) that can go on the lips and cheeks. I've been popping it on my apples for a quick glow that lasts.



However, the Peach Frost highlighter is too beige (described as an icy champagne) to appear on my fair skin. Because it's a matte highlighter that is the same color as my skin, it's a fail for me.



On the other hand, the Bronze Peach Melting Powder is ok, but doesn't offer enough glow or pop for me to get excited. Try the blush and skip the rest. $30.00 // Sephora


The Peach Perfect Mattifying Setting Powder does a really nice job of setting my foundation and helping it last all day long. I've been applying it over my YSL Foundation, which gives me a satin-like finish and doesn't go too matte. I enjoy how this airbrushes the skin to camouflage small imperfections. $32.00 // Sephora 


Now for Jerrod's favorite, the Peach Blur Translucent Smoothing Finishing Powder. How many setting powders does a collection need? I wondered quite often as I try to determine how a pressed setting powder made its way into the collection. This does brighten the skin a tiny bit and it does blur imperfections slightly. If you suffer from dull skin that needs a pickup before happy hour, then keep this in your bag. Otherwise, I just can't get too excited about this adorable little peach. $30.00 // Sephora


Let's talk Comfort Matte Lipstick. I've tried three of the twenty-one Peach Kiss Moisture Matte Long Wear Lipstick; Doll Face, Sunday Funday and Drunk Dial.


These are definitely the most comfortable mattes I've tried lately; they make my lips feel hydrated while looking matte.



Sunday Funday is my go-to nude and Drunk Dial is a glorious grape that I can't wait to wear to a gala this weekend. $21.00 // Sephora


What about the Comfort Matte Foundation? Available in 12 shades, this foundation wears nicely, feels really comfortable and gives the skin a satin-matte finish. This feels more like a tinted moisturizer but can be built up to give full coverage. There aren't many shades that will work for anyone darker than a very light mocha, so keep that in mind. If your skin is showing advanced wrinkling, I'd go for something with hydration. But if you want a matte look, this is comfortable and doesn't sink into wrinkles. I'm easily getting 8 hours of wear before I use the Peach Mattifying setting spray ($32.00). With the setting spray, I'm getting closer to 12 hours of wear. $36.00 // Sephora


About the Mattifying Setting Spray and the Cooling Primer...while they work nicely and I do really like the Peach Setting Spray, both are only $4.00 less than the foundation, which strikes my wallet as weird.


Overall, I am really impressed with this collection. The shadows are amazing, as are the lippies and the blush. All products have that candy-like Peach smell, so if you are sensitive to that, beware. Once applied, I can't smell a thing. And honestly, as long as it's not cloying, heavy or too sweet, I don't care how my makeup smells.



This collection is only available at Sephora. No matter what, grab that shadow palette. You can thank me later.

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.)

I haven't cleaned my brushes in way too long and it was time. Let's not ask questions like how long, ok? I  also have a lot of brushes, so this task struck me as extremely daunting.

LOVE Brush Bath!

I grabbed Brush Bath, a spray on brush cleaner that dissolves caked-in foundation like magic. However, you still need to agitate the brushes to remove the debris. So I used my fingers and it was taking forever to remove all of the foundation and gunk.



And then I remembered back to three or four years ago, when the Beautysphere decided that the best way to clean our faces was not with a washcloth, or even a spinning sonic brush. The new way so many doubled down on came from FOREO and their odd little nubby-textured, vibrating blop of silicone affectionately called a Luna. Now for me, this weird "miracle tool" did nothing. It didn't clean my face any better than a washcloth and I might say it did a worse job. It doesn't vibrate enough to be handy in an off-label use (admit it. you've wondered).

BUT COULD I HARNESS THE SONIC-POWERED, VIBRATING NUBBINS TO SPEED CLEAN MY MAKEUP BRUSHES?

It's got to do something, right? Sonic vibrations and that nubby silicone? This seems like it should be well within the FOREO wheelhouse to double as a kick-ass, brush-cleaning speed demon. So I rinsed my brush, I sprayed Brush Bath deep into its crevices and cranked the sonic action up to full speed. I held the brush and the FOREO Luna under a little water and waited for the foundation to wash out, lickety-split.

Nothing happened. 


I did the same thing with a washcloth and guess what? Once again, I got better results using a washcloth to clean my brushes than with the sonic-powered FOREO Luna 2.

What a fail... it would have been genius had it worked. But nope. Once again, the $199 FOREO is outpowered by a $3 washcloth from Kmart.

How do you clean your brushes? Brush Bath is like magic, so check it out next time you need to seriously clean your stash. Just skip the fancy tricks and use some elbow grease.

Brush Bath is available from It Cosmetics and retails for less than $20.