The Best Bronzer & Blush According To A Beauty Product Junkie

Over the years many bronzer's & blusher's have graced my makeup bag with their presence. Most of them were tossed to the side, some forgotten, and a few have become a staple in my makeup collection. Below are some of my "all-time" favorite bronzers & blushes that I cant possibly live without! 

Bronzers:

1.  NYC Bronzer in "Sunny" - I have used this bronzer since the high school days, and this product will probably always be in my makeup bag until im 90 years old! It is the perfect matte color for contouring light to medium skin tones, goes on very smooth, never orange or muddy, and looks very natural. (NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer - Sunny)
2. Mac "Gold Deposit" Mineralize Skinfinish - I have repurchased this product over and over. This is not a matte bronzer, in fact its quite shimmery. I wear this when im on the tanner side during the summer, I like to concentrate it towards the top part of my cheekbones. It seriously gives the MOST GORGEOUS bronze glow ever. A little goes a long way with this, it will give your skin a beautiful sun-kissed finish. If your going for a glowy, bronze look this is perfect. (Mac Gold Deposit Mineralize SkinFinish)
3. Neutrogena Natural Radiance Bronzer - This is a recent obsession of mine, I love that it contains Vitamin C to brighten skin and other skin conditioners to improve the look of your skin over time. This bronzer is on the warmer side, so I don't usually use it for contouring. It goes on very smooth and even, and makes you look like you have a natural tan, I really like this for when im feeling pale & need to warm up my complexion. (Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends Natural Radiance Bronzer - Sunkissed)
4. Benefits Hoola - This is the BEST for contouring, the color of this bronzer is very neutral and brown, it gives the most natural looking contour. I really hate when neutral bronzers go on patchy and make your skin look dirty, this product doesn't do that at all. When im in the mood for a serious yet natural contour, I reach for this. (Benefit Hoola)

Blush:

1. Milani Luminoso Blush - I picked this up from CVS a few weeks ago & have been using it faithfully ever since. It gives a peachy pink glow to my cheeks, looks very natural, and is really easy to blend. It has a really subtle shimmer to it which I love. (Wearing Luminoso in the photo to the left) (Milani Luminoso Blush)
2. Mac Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul - This is a very sheer product. It gives a really subtle warm pink sheen, with a little bit of shimmer. I really like the sheer glow it gives to my cheeks. I would only recommend this for fair to light medium skin tones. (Mac Warm Soul)
3. Mac Sunbasque Blush - Saved the best for last, basically if I could only use one blush for the rest of my life it would be this one. It gives a really nice tan to my face, its a peachy tan color with a hint of gold. (Mac Sunbasque)

My Makeup Must Haves | Face Edition

The Best Foundation & Concealer

As an avid product junkie, I have tried countless brands of foundation, concealer, and every other possible form of makeup you can think of, the good, the bad & the ugly. Here are some of my top picks for the face!

Liquid Foundation
(From left to right)
1. Loreal Infallible Pro Matte - One of the most long wearing foundations I have EVER tried. When im wearing this my makeup is still "on fleek" even after a long humid florida day! Because it is super matte, I only recommend this foundation for combination to oily skin. I feel it looks better with a good moisturizer underneath. I use cetaphil lotion (as mentioned in my simple (sensitive) skincare post).
2. Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless - LOVE LOVE LOVE this foundation. I find it to be a great dupe for Makeup Forever HD, as it is very smooth, natural looking, & photographs great. I really love the Loreal pro matte layered over this! Great for all skin types, medium build-able coverage.
3. Makeup Forever HD - Need I say more? This baby basically has a cult following. This is my ultimate favorite foundation. It looks extremely natural, no matter how many layers you apply. The finish is absolutely flawless.
4. Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - Stays put during the hot summer months, keeps me matte throughout the day, pretty much a lifesaver in my book. I would say this foundation is full coverage, I like to use my beauty blender to apply. I really like this layered over something, rather than on its own.

Powder Foundation
(clockwise from top)
1. Too Faced cocoa powder foundation - Sulfate & Paraben Free, which is DEFINATELY a plus. ALSO IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE! I am literally obsessed with this as a setting powder. It contains antioxidants to protect your skin while you wear it, and has a smooth velvety texture. I feel like it blurs the appearance of my pores a bit also.
2. Bare Minerals Blemish Ready Foundation - Contains, Aspen Bark and Tea Tree Oil to keep skin clear, Aloe to soothe and hydrate skin, & Mineral Powder to help neutralize the appearance of skin redness and control oil and shine. I can literally sleep in this & not break out. I like to wear this on days when im going for that "no makeup look". It looks so natural and feels very light on the skin.
3. Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Powder - This is a very sheer powder, I like to use it to set my foundation.
4. Makeup forever HD pressed powder - Basically the best thing since sliced bread. I use this to set my makeup & under eye concealer. Blurs any imperfections and makes skin look flawless in any light.

Concealer
1. Mac Pro Longwear Concealer - I LOVE THIS STUFF. I mostly use it to conceal under my eyes & high light. A little goes a really long way. It completely covers dark circles & lifts your whole under-eye area.
2. Dermablend Cover Creme - The "Mac daddy" of all concealers. This stuff even covers tattoos. If you have a scar or a blemish, dab a little bit of this on & watch it magically disappear.
3. Kat Von D Lock-it Tattoo Concealer - Light weight & good coverage, I like this under the eyes and as an eye shadow base.

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Eat For For Perfect Skin | Healthy From The Inside Out

Eat your way to clear, smooth, and radiant skin.

At least once in your lifetime, you've probably heard the saying "You are what you eat". What you eat and put into your body takes a HUGE toll on the appearance of your skin. Our skin is the largest organ in our body, which is why what we eat is so important! There are certain foods you can eat that will clear, smooth, and make your skin glow. There are also certain vitamin supplements you can take to beautify the skin, I will talk more about this later. But first, here are some of the best skin beautify-ing foods that you can easily pick up at your local grocery store.

1. Egg's: Egg's contain many vitamins that benefit your skin in different ways. They contain proteins that provide a good source of amino acids. This aids your body in creating new cells, and strengthening your skin tissue.

Packed with Vitamin A, eggs also aid in your body's ability to heal wounds. Vitamin A helps your cells control gene activity, a process essential for new cell development. If you have skin issue's such as acne, eggs will help your skin to heal the acne faster, and the vitamins in eggs will help to prevent any scarring. You can also crack open an egg and use the whites as a facial mask. Just remove the yolk, and beat egg whites until fluffy. Apply this mixture to your skin, and rinse off when completely dry.

Egg's also contain iron which helps to bring oxygen to all of your skin cells. In addition the selenium in eggs helps your skin to protect itself from damage.

2. Almond's: Almonds contain Antioxidants! When plants are left out in the elements, they have to protect themselves, so they produce phenol's. Phenol's are protective chemicals that act as antioxidants to repair sun damage, and also produce a bitter taste to keep insects away. These plant phenol's also help protect people against diseases including heart disease and certain cancers. They also protect your body's largest organ, the skin.

Almonds contain Omega-3 fatty acids. These acids help support a healthy skin inflammatory response which helps achieve clearer skin. Fatty acids can also act as natural moisturizers that moisturize skin from the inside out.

Almonds also contain magnesium. Magnesium is believed to counter the effects of stress hormones, which can help with acne and have anti-aging benefits.

You can also apply sweet almond oil to your skin topically! I personally love Cetaphil's Moisturizing cream, which contains almond oil.

3. Olive Oil: Consuming olive oil, a staple in the healthy Mediterranean diet, provides antioxidants to protect your skin against free radicals and reduce inflammation. Mediterranean locals add olive oil to almost every meal, they believe it is an ancient "super food". All of my cousins who live in Italy have gorgeous skin & hair. This is mostly because they consume a diet rich in whole foods, nothing processed. Unlike European countries, American's live mostly off of processed foods. Instead of using vegetable oil, or canola oil, use olive oil. It has many benefits for your skin and overall health.

4. Blueberries: Blueberries are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C. Filled with antioxidants, blueberries help to improve many skin conditions, like blotchy skin, broken capillaries and acne.

5. Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt contains a healing chemical which helps reduce inflammation in your skin, kills bacteria, lessens the severity of acne, and nourishes your skin cells from the inside out.

6. Salmon: Contains Omega-3 fatty acids that nourish skin from the inside out. Omega-3 fatty acids, have been shown to help reduce inflammation and signs of aging in the body. These "good fats" help protect and repair damage from the sun, and are responsible for the health and hydration of cell membranes. Omega-3 fatty acids help with keeping toxins out and help skin retain its healthy, soft, and supple appearance.

7. Avocado's: My personal Favorite beauty food, Avocado is amazing for maintaining healthy moisturized skin. This creamy food is rich in healthy mono-saturated fats (also said to reduce belly fat) and vitamin E that nourishes the skin from the inside out. Avocados are also a rich source of antioxidants. They contain anti-inflammatory, and hormone balancing properties that help to clear acne flare-ups.

Aside from eating avocado, you can add some avocado oil into your moisturizer or hair conditioner for extra benefits. I like Now Foods Avocado oil. One tiny drop is all you need, a little goes a long way. Another favorite avocado beauty product of mine is the Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal mask. I try not to use masks on my skin too much, i like to keep it down to only once a week.

8. Sweet Potato: Sweet Potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A promotes cell renewal, thereby promoting healthy clear skin. You can apply Vitamin A topically to your skin in the form of retinol. Many drugstores carry over the counter serums and creams that contain retinol. Start out using it sparingly, like twice a week. Once your skin builds up a tolerance you can apply the retinol every other day, eventually working up to using it every day. I only apply it at night-time, since retinol tends to make your skin more sensitive to the sunlight.

9. Turmeric: This incredible super-food has tons of healing properties, especially for the skin. It is widely used in India as a beauty enhancement product. Some even claim it can cure certain cancers. Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, and cleanses the blood & lymph system, removing toxins from the body. It supports cellular health in the skin, liver, lungs, sinuses, joints, and digestive system. I like to take turmeric in supplement form, you can get it from almost any drugstore or order it online here.

10. Spinach: Eat your greens! Veggies are great for the skin because they provide a variety of nutrients and vitamins needed for your skin to be healthy.

Daily supplement's I take for clear skin & overall health:

• Turmeric Organic India Turmeric Healthy Inflammation, Veggie Caps
• Publix Greenwise Vitamin A & D complex
• Publix Greenwise Fish Oil supplement
• Maca Navitas Naturals gelatinized maca capsules
• Zinc Solgar- chelated Zinc
• Plant sourced B-vitamins Nature's dynamics B beautiful Whole Food Hair Skin & Nails
• Probiotic supplement