Foundation for Beginners

Foundation for Beginners. Usually the hardest thing to get right, and personally, I'm always on the hunt for the next best thing. Don't be afraid of the color selection or the daunting task of actually applying the dang stuff. Hopefully I've covered everything in this post, but let me know if you have any questions!


 Two main things to consider: 

1. What kind of coverage you'd like (light, medium, full). If you have great skin but just want everything to be even, go for light. If you'd like a flawless finish and don't have great skin, more full coverage would be better for you. I usually like light or medium coverage, but is buildable for days where I don't feel like my skin looks so great. 

2. What kind of finish you'd like (matte, dewy, or somewhere in the middle). Dewy is usually more natural, but oily skin types should be weary because it can look too wet. Matte usually looks more flawless and traditionally more popular during the winter. 

(I have normal skin with dry patches in the winter and can get greasy in the summer. I don't like heavy or cakey coverage. No one wants to look like a dessert. That's just absurd.)

My favorite foundations

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

This light coverage mammer jammer is da bomb diggity. Especially for summer when you don't want to spend a lot of time doing your makeup. Perfect for skin tones that can get away without makeup, but needs a little pick-me-up. Comes in a small plastic container which is super travel friendly.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin 

This is a great product with medium coverage that gives a healthy glow to the skin. Really don't have any complaints about this foundation. Rare. At $15, I think this is reasonably priced foundation that could look good on most skin types. 

Honorable mentions:  
Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation - good for on the go, insanely perfect for summer, not the most hydrating through
Rimmel Lasting Finish - good foundation all around, too heavy for me though
Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation - I just started using it so it's not a favorite just yet, but it has a light texture on the skin, while covering blemishes. Lasts a pretty long time too!

Other foundations I've heard great things about but haven't tried: 
NARS Sheer Glow, Rimmel Match Perfection, Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, Chanel Pro Lumiere

Tips:

- For high-end foundations, always get color matched by a sales person. Seasons change and your skin tone changes, so even when I repurchase a foundation, I ask them to try it on my skin. Plz and thx. Also the sales people are trained to know all 'dat so ask them any questions you have. They should know what's best for your skin type from their brand.

- Drugstore makeup can be returned even if you've opened it and tried it. So if you're unsure about color choice (because they are sealed), buy a couple that you think would work and return the one that doesn't. Or if you like to live on the edge, get one. Or don't. Whatever.

- Another tip about color matching: Test it on your jaw line. This isn't just a gimmick. It's so that you can see that it matches your face and your neck area. If it's a big $$$ purchase or you're weary, ask for a sample from the makeup counter so you can see how it looks in sunlight, or if it changes over time.

- Applying liquid foundation with a brush will give you a more flawless finish aka more coverage. For a lighter coverage, use your fingers to apply. Easiest way to blend foundation down your neck too.



If there is anything you're curious about for your specific skin type, comment below or tweet me @SaybeeSays

Gift Ideas For Him

Whether it's your dad, brother, husband, or boyfriend, men are terribly hard to buy for. Here are a few of my picks that will hopefully give you some ideas about what to get for the guy who has everything.

For the musician: Pick Punch. I've almost bought this for my dad (guitarist) for the past few holidays. You punch an old credit card, hotel room key, any flat pieces of plastic you may have laying around into a guitar pick. Pretty neat way to be creative and give them something that they can use.

For the sports fanatic: Tervis Tumbler. I've always loved these and bought one recently for myself. Absolute perfection. Keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. You can buy them with sports logos on them if your man-in-mind has a ratty old Packers hoodie he's kept for too long. I bought one for my dad and it's a great way to have team spirit in the workplace. ALSO if you want to be uber nice, you could stick sporting events tickets in the tumbler of the team on the cup.

For the thinker: Moleskin journal. What else can I say? They come in all different sizes and types of pages. Perfect for on-the-go writing, school, or work.

For the indecisive: Cologne sampler. Absolute genius. This gift set includes more than a handful of different colognes for you guy to choose from. THEN! This is the kicker. Take the voucher that comes with the set to a Sephora and get a FULL size of any of the featured scents. This is great for those who are just starting to wear cologne, or the guy who's terrible to shop for.

For the handyman: Screwdriver set. Apparently you can never have too many screwdrivers. Another idea in the same vein is a set of wrench bit set for those that have lost all but the one that's on the wrench. Or a universal wrench for those who aren't too into home improvement projects, but need the basics. You could pair that with a universal screwdriver too.

For pretty much any guy:
Seinfeld hair poster. Just an example of some of the posters from this site: society6.com. They have plenty of posters, iPhone cases, bags, shirts, etc. Check it out - there is literally something for everyone.

Gap waffle t. Every guy could look good wearing this.

Watch. Das one pretty watch. They come at all different price points and you can get them at any department store, Kohl's, Ebay, etc. I think every guy should have a nice watch. But that's just my opinion.

Travel coffee mug. This thing is serious business. I'm always on the hunt for the perfect travel coffee mug - a tough game. This one had rave reviews on Amazon so I obviously got it. Works great. Still on the search for the illusive perfect one. Anyway, these are great for anyone. Whoever doesn't like hot drinks is silly. Just silly.

Netflix. Almost everyone I know has a way to access Netflix. If they don't, this is a great present for anyone because of the ridiculous amount of movies, shows, documentaries streaming on there. But, if they do have access (say their college roommate's parents password or an ex-girlfriend's login), this is an inexpensive way to give them some freedom.

Other sites to check out: thinkgeek.com, threadless.com, society6.com, decalgirl.com (for boyzzz too), urbanoutfitters.com (great random gift ideas)

Hope you enjoyed this!

Gift Ideas For All Women

Here are a few of my favorite things! I put together some gift ideas for all the women in your life: friends, cousins, moms, grandmothers, stepmothers, and even maybe your boss. Let me know what you plan on giving this year!

Ugg slippers Pajama pants Lip collection Clarisonic Face mask Body butter Makeup bag Naked palette Nail polish set Scarf Bangle Brushes Mascara Wallet 

Spotlight: Korres Lip Butters

Picked up a treat at Sephora this weekend. 

Here it is, in all it's glory: 

Korres is an all-natural brand and I've tried many of their products, but this is by far my favorite. 

Here's what they claim: "This rich butter leaves lips deeply moisturized, supple, and kissably soft. Korres Lip Butters are formulated with natural oils and extracts to soothe and condition lips. Shea butter and rice wax provide lasting hydration and softness. This shiny, juicy pop of color comes in an array of "flavors" and is ideal for dry lips."  

They are absolute top notch. I have never had a lip product feel so great on my lips, and actually feel like my lips were getting healthier. 

The Jasmine lip butter that I picked up appears as a lip balm, offering little color but loads of hydration. 

 

I also have the Wild Rose lip butter, which is the perfect shade of red for daytime or a night out. (yeah, the packaging is kind of gross, but it's well loved!) 

And here's my sElFiEEEEE after a long day at work. Love the amount of color this one gives. 

I absolutely LOVE this product. The only request I would have of Korres is to put it in a tube. They have the Lip Butter Glazes that are similar, but not as hydrating, I would argue.  

What are your go-to lip balms? 

Thanks for reading, now go get a Lip Butter! 

November 2012 Wish List

Philosophy moisturizer  

Sigma brush

Bliss mask

Smashbox palette

Tarte blush

I hope I get to try these out soon! Have you tried any of them? Anything I should put on December's wish list?