Younique BB Flawless Complexion Enhancer

The Younique BB Complexion Enhancer is awesome! I typically do not like BB creams but this one is fantastic!

These beauties come in a really good range of shades and blends to create a flawless canvas! This would be for drier skin, and I would not recommend it so much for oily skin due to the hydration factor.

I use this over my moisturizer (applied with a foundation brush), and top it off with Younique Powder Foundation. Excellent finish! The last power of this particular BB cream on my skin was 6 hours. Not bad for a BB cream! Pretty impressive coverage as well!  If you have not tried it you are missing out!

Younique Moodstruck Opulence Lipstick

Ever wonder about Younique Moodstruck Opulence lipsticks? They are amazing! I love my lipstick to be creamy, hydrating, and comfortable on my lips. These totally fit the bill!

They come in a range of lovely colors with various finishes! If you love a nice mauve with a slight shimmer, 'Affluent' is for you! What about a great brownish red that really compliments a warm skin tone? 'Fortunate' is rocking!  Want a vibrant red? 'Stinkin' Rich' is gorgeous!! They provide a full coverage finish with no feathering.

You can buy these from a Younique Presenter at $19 a tube, or you can buy 3 in a set for $50. Worth every penny!  I prefer the sets because you not only save money, but can also try different shades! The only problem.....deciding which shades to buy! Check out the shades below!

If you have a Younique Presenter that you use, great! If not, I am a Presenter and would love for you to shop with me! https://www.youniqueproducts.com/KristaLeonard

Cerave Cleanser and PM Lotion

Have you ever experienced what I call a "skin freak-out"?  You know, the ones where your skin turns red and you have bumps and sensitive areas?  I had to try something because my normal routine was not cutting it. 

I heard about Cerave through research, and that it was dermatologist recommended.  I decided to try it, and I'm so glad I did!  The cleanser is a bit pricey for drugstore (runs anywhere from $11.99-$13.99 depending on where you purchase it).  Wal Mart has the best deals!

This cleanser has a lotion consistency and is very creamy.  I massage it into my face in a circular motion and rinse off with water.  This cleanser replenishes the skin's moisture level, is fragrance free, and packed full of ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.  It's formulated to attract and hold moisture.  My skin was glowing and soft.  After about a week of using it in the AM and PM, I noticed my face was completely clear and no longer red/sensitive.  It was balanced and moisturized.

I also purchased the PM lotion.  It's a bit pricier than the cleanser and it runs anywhere from $12.99-$15.99.

I use this at night after cleansing and it's wonderful!  I felt a slight tingle after applying it but it didn't hurt my skin. This lotion has a thin consistency (feels like a water based moisturizer) and spreads evenly on the skin.  It really soaks into the skin and moisturizes it!  The best part is that it doesn't clog my pores or make my face all greasy. It balanced my combo-dry skin with a glow!

All in all, I give this skin care line a 10!  I adore it!  It's the only skin care line that makes my skin look and feel moisturized and soft!

Covergirl Outlast Foundation

Cover Girl Outlast Foundation

 

Cover Girl claims:

"All-in-one foundation with a long-lasting formula that fuses primer, concealer, and foundation in one easy step! The 3-in-1 formula provides a flawless look that lasts all day long.....". 

The verdict?  It is really good! It's a very thick consistency and covers well. It hides flaws, imperfections, and lasts a very long time.  I will say that I had a very hard time getting color matched because I have neutral/yellow undertones and Cover Girl tends to run pink or VERY light. 

Some things to keep in mind if you have dry skin (like I do), is that this will show some flakes if you don't moisturize before application.  Even then, it can still show some flakes.  I found it worked better for my skin if I mixed it with another foundation (I mixed it with a touch of Clinique Even Better) and applied it with a sponge. This really thins it out to still cover my dry skin but without all the flakes.  This doesn't take away from the staying power at all. I really like the full faced coverage.

If you are on the fence about it, try it! Everyone has a different opinion on makeup and what works for me may not work for you.

Benefit They're Real Mascara

I have very sparse/thin eyelashes and need a mascara to really amp up my lashes.  Very few do this for my luster lacking lashes..........except for Benefit's They're Real Mascra! 

My favorite brush is the soft teddy bear brush, but this mascara has a hard rubber wand (which surprised me).  I really didn't expect much out of this mascara mainly because of my dislike of the rubber brush, but boy was I wrong!  The different sized spikes on the brush really get in between your lashes and makes them long, separated, and full of volume.  Then end of the brush is wider with spikes encircling the head which helps you get all the small lashes on the inner portion of your eye. 

Pros:

• Separates
• Plumps the lashes
• Makes your lashes longer
• No flaking
• No burning
• No SMUDGING!!!!!!!!  YIPPY!!

Cons:

• The price of $22 is a bit much

Short Hairstyles

I've been trying to grow my hair out, but geez it's hard! So, in the meantime I've been browsing short dos! Last August I cut my hair in a very short pixi, and have really regretted it. I love short, but it was too short!  I have very thick hair that grows incredibly fast, but my hair also has a mind of it's own and the longer it gets the more difficult it becomes to manage. I know some of you can relate!

My hair is now in a bob (to my chin) and I love it!  I do know myself well enough to know that it's only a phase and my love for short stylish hair will come back full swing!

This is of my favorite cuts!  This is so short and stylish!  I have a slightly oval/sweetheart shaped face so I have to be careful to choose a hair style that suits my face!



I love short dos that are super trendy!  My next option is Pink! I love her style!

How cute is this cut????



My hair is uber thick so I think Lisa Rinna's style is perfect!!  Of course, that means letting my "bob" grow out!  It may be a pain to keep up with for sure!  Super sassy!

I'm a little torn on this one.....not sure, but I think it would look AWESOME platinum blonde!!



I've shared my love of short hair with you and look forward to feedback!

Thick Hair Routine

I have very thick, highlighted hair that is a little coarse.  It also tends to frizz and become very brittle.  This is all about my hair regimen to keep is soft and healthy looking. 

My hair tends to get used to the same shampoo/conditioner so it's important for me to change it up!  I alternate between Infusium 23 shampoo/conditioner and Dove Moisturizing shampoo/conditioner.

Infusium 23 Moisturizing is amazing! It's smells super fresh and gently cleanses my hair without making it feel oily afterwards.  It lathers like no body's business, too!  I use the shampoo, conditioner, and leave in treatment.  I apply the leave in treatment after I shampoo & condition at night.  This alone has really replenished my hair!



After I finish the Infusium 23 shampoo and conditioner I use Dove Moisturizing shampoo/conditioner.  I love this line!  It really softens my hair and makes it smooth and soft.  You get great lather and it smells great!  The only thing with this shampoo is that you really need to make sure you rinse really well, otherwise it looks like it builds up in your roots....GROSS, right?

I usually wash my hair at night so the conditioner has time to work while I sleep.  To keep my hair frizz free and super soft I use Organix Moroccan Argan Oil for Coarse Hair (it's different than the original formula).  This stuff is amazing!  I apply it to the ends of my hair in the mornings after I wet it and before I fix it.  What a difference!



Another great thing that I use on my hair (especially in the summer time) is extra virgin olive oil.  I take a nickel size amount and smooth on my hands and apply directly to the driest part of my hair.  Believe it or not, your hair soaks this up and it looks unbelievably shiny and soft!

Mary Kay TimeWise Luminous Wear Foundation

Ever had that one foundation that just made your skin look "awake" and fresh?  That's what Mary Kay TimeWise Luminous-Wear Foundation did for my skin! 

The consistency is thick, but not too thick.  It spreads smoothly and evenly.  It leaves a soft luminous finish without the huge glitter pieces.  It actually gave my face a great "pick me up" and left my skin looking vibrant and "clean" (if that makes any sense?).  It covered my uneven skin tone perfectly!  This formula is made for dry skin (which I have), but they do have a matte version for oily skin.

I really love that it doesn't have a fragrance as some liquid foundations tend to have.  Mary Kay has a wonderful color selection that is sure to match anyone. 

You get 1 oz of foundation in a squeeze tube so no mess!  The only downside is I wish it had a flip top lid instead of a screw-on cap, but hey- it works..... I'll take it!

Verdict:  4 THUMBS UP!!  If you have dry skin TRY IT!  I love it and will definitely repurchase!

Total Bust!

Have you ever purchased something that you were so excited about, only to be totally disappointed?  That's what happened when I bought these products listed below!

AVON MagiX Cashmere Finish Liquid Foundation SPF 10

This foundation blended 'choppy' on my skin and was not thick. The lasting power (on my drier skin) was about 3 hours max.  It did not blend onto my skin smoothly no matter how I applied it.  It left what I call "foundation tracks" on my face.  Yeah, I know you know what I'm talking about!  MagiX also did not set well when covered with a powder.  I won't say my skin is sensitive across the board, but it is sensitive to certain chemicals.  I will say that after 2 days of wearing this foundation I broke out severely!  I absolutely NEVER break out!  Major disappointment.



Cover Girl LashBlast 24 HR Mascara

I wanted to try this mascara to see if would do anything different to my already puny lashes, and if the formula in this mascara was any different than the formula in the original LashBlast (orange tube).  Once again, Cover Girl felt the need to make the wand bigger than your ring finger!  The formula in the 24 HR mascara was drier that the original, but the brush is SO DIFFICULT to work with!  I poked my eye multiple times just trying to apply the mascara.  Once the mascara dried on my lashes it simply "coated" my lashes.  It did not plump, or blast my puny lashes into lash euphoria.....BLAH!!!  Throughout the day I noticed my eyes would burn and that the mascara has flaked off of my lashes onto my face and into my eyes.  I know that many beauties out there simply love Cover Girl LashBlast, but this was certainly not worth the $8.99 that I paid!

Jordana Eyeliner

Thank goodness this was only $1.50! The Jordana pencil liner was difficult to apply. I had to tug at my skin to get this to apply evenly.  What color I did get out the pencil, faded within 2 hours.  I wanted to like them since Jordana has other products I enjoy, but the eyeliner pencils just didn't work for me.







AVON Moisture Seduction Lip Gloss

I love a lipgloss that is hydrating, smells sweet, no big pieces of glitter,

and has great color payoff.  This is where AVON Moisture Seduction Lip

Gloss comes in!  It's AVON's newest lip gloss that was just introduced

and it's fantastic!

It's actually swirled with vanilla-colored gloss that softens the

color going on your lips.  It looks so neat! It smells like a cross between

vanilla and candy!  The consistency is relatively thick, goes

on smoothly, and has a beautiful shimmer without being "glittery".

You get some decent longevity out of these lip glosses. I

applied the lip gloss at 5:30am and by 9:00am there was

still color on my lips (although the "shimmery" effect had

worn off).

Here are the swatches of  Violet Beauty and Pearl Pink (the first 2

left to right on the top row):

The typical price is $7, but they are

usually on sale for $2.99!    They don't have the best color selection.

The color choices are:  Pearl Pink (bright medium pink), Violet Beauty

(lovely soft lilac), Glimmering Champagne (peachy/beige), and Sweet

Clementine (coral-ish/pink).

Check them out with your local AVON rep or visit my online store!  http://kristaleonard.avonrepresentative.com/

AVON True Color Quads

AVON has some great eyeshadow quads called 'True Color' that are usually on sale for $4.99.  These shadows range in finish from metallic to shimmer to matte.  I have several of their quads and the quality in each is awesome!  I experience long wear, no fall out on the cheek area, and no creasing. Here are a few of the ones that I have.  Some are very soft, but they all give great color pay off and blend effortlessly! 

Caribbean Sunset Quad:



Purple Haze Quad:

Island Breeze:

Romantic Mauves:

Favorite Mary Kay Products

Mary Kay is such an under-rated cosmetic

line!  They have fabulous products that

wear high end.  They have so many different

products for everyone's taste!  Here are my favorites:

Satin Lips:  This set comes with one gritty walnut paste that gently exfoliates your lips.  You lightly apply and let it set for about 10 minutes.  Gently wipe off with a wet washcloth.  The second tube is most excellent balm that soaks into your freshly exfoliated lips.  Talk about hours of hydration!  This set has been my favorite for as long as I can remember!



TimeWise 3-in-1 Cleanser:  This creamy cleanser exfoliates, cleanses, and refreshens in 1 step!  My skin is smooth, clean, and glows after using this gem of a cleanser  (not to mention it fights signs of aging!!).  My skin can be kind of sensitive with anti-aging cleansers but my skin LOVED this one!!



Creme Lipstick:  Mary Kay has truly outdone themselves with these lipsticks! They have an excellent color selection, a great selection of "finishes" (matte, satin, frost, and shimmer), and great packaging.  These have great longevity, look beautiful on, and really hydrate.  I don't like when lipsticks 'settle' into the lines on my lips and these don't do that!  Now, with that being said these lipsticks don't have the best "taste" in the world. It has improved over the years, but still isn't great.  Mary Kay, Inc., if your listening, vanilla flavor would be great!

Creme To Powder Foundation:  This foundation is nothing short of spectacular in my opinion!  It covers my flaws, makes my face look flawless, gives medium to full coverage, comes in a variety of colors, doesn't oxidize on my face, and really gives a natural matte finish.  This foundation is extremely affordable, too!  The foundation comes in a square, magnetized slate and you must purchase a mini-compact to place the foundation in.  If you decide not to repurchase the foundation, then you can put Mary Kay eye shadows or blushes in it!  Very handy little container!



Mineral Eye Color Bundles:  These bundles take the guess work out of "what colors look good with my eye color?"!  The colors are bundled together by eye color.  The bundles to choose from are:  Beautiful Brown, Brilliant Blue, Gorgeous Green, and Hypnotic Hazel.  I love Mary Kay mineral eye shadows because they have a beautiful color selection, are long wearing, and blend like a dream!



Drugstore Treasures

These are just some of my favorite drugstore gems that make you look fantastic without breaking your purse!

* Almay Truly Lasting Foundation (TLC):  this foundation gives 16 hours of medium to full coverage.  The coverage leaves your face flawless, and stays put all day..even in the humid climate! $7.99-$13.99

* Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks:  these are my favorite lipsticks EVER!  They are moisturizing, have a wonderful finish, are super affordable, and come in a great variety of colors! $5.97-$8.47

*Cover Girl Cheekers or Classic Blush:  these blushes are fantastic!  I adore the finish these blushes give.  Lots of colors at a great price!  The finishes are slightly shimmery which gives the face a great "pick me up"!  $3.00-$5.00

*Almay One Coat Mascara:  this mascara is perfect to plump and separate the lashes!  This mascara gives my lashes the life they need to look awesome!  This mascara didn't flake, or burn my eyes.  It comes in black, and brown/black.  $5.97-$6.97

*Milani Retractable Eyeliner:  this eyeliner goes on smooth and lasts all day!  Love Milani's color selection in these because there is plenty to choose from.  Not every store carries Milani products, but they can be found at Walgreens and CVS.  $3.97-$6.97

AVON Dramatic Firming Cream

Have you ever used a product for a while, and all of a sudden you actually "see" the difference?

This is what AVON's Dramatic Firming Cream

did for me!  I used it for about 2 weeks religiously

and not expecting much I might add.....

I woke up one morning and felt my skin, it was

tighter and felt taut. There was no way

this could be my skin!!  I looked in the mirror and

it even looked tighter. Super giddy!!

This is, by far, one of the BEST creams I have ever used

on my skin!  It really does do what it says it's

going to do....firm your skin!

Check this product out from your local AVON rep, or

visit my online store: http://kristaleonard.avonrepresentative.com/

AVON Satin Satisfaction Lip Color

My favorite lipsticks are those that really hydrate

and don't crease on your lips.  One such lip color

is AVON's new Satin Satisfaction Lip Color.

This lip color goes on like silk, and hydrates your

lips like a lip balm.  They come in a range of colors that almost any skin tone can wear.  These last for a

long time, don't dry my lips out, and makes them feel,

well.....like satin! 

See your local AVON Rep or shop my online store at http://kristaleonard.avonrepresentative.com/

mark. Moisturizers

Winter time always has my skin singing

the blues!  My skin gets itchy, flakey,

and cracks very easily if I don't pamper

my skin with moisture.  Some of my all time favorite

skin moisturizers for my dry skin are from mark.!

My first love, is the Lemon Sugar Body Butter. This is a light moisturizer that smells like lemon sugar and oh so yummy!  The smell is not overwhelming, and it dissipates into a nice light fragrant cream.  While creamy, the consistency is more of a slightly thick lotion.  It absorbs into the skin very quickly and is not greasy (YAY!!  I hate greasy creams).  Makes my skin perfectly moisturized. 

Not only does my body get dry, but my face does as well.  With the wind and cold weather, my face gets quite irritated!  One of my favorite creams to use for winter is mark. Calm and Composed Super Smoothing Moisturizer.  It's a quick absorbing formula infused with super foods avocado and oat, shea butter and red algae combine for a lightweight, oil-free cream that visibly reduces skin redness as it moisturizes (this is also excellent for sensitive skin). 1.7 fl. oz. $18.00 and so worth it!!

For those of use who like using the natural gems of Mother Nature, there is my all time favorite body cream- mark. Relief Effort Total Comfort Body Creme.  This is an amazing cream made with cocoa butter, olive oil and chamomile, and blended with grape and papaya extracts.  This is also EXCELLENT at calming irritated skin!  $14.00



  



Shop my website http://kristaleonard.avonrepresentative.com/ !!

Mineral Makeup

It's no secret that we all age.  The older I get the less I like the "feel" of foundation.  Problem is, I can't be without it!!  In the past year my preference has been mineral makeup (powder) for several reasons. It's quick, easy to apply, comes in a variety of different finishes, feel light and airy on my skin, and makes my skin look healthy and flawless.

Some of the mineral makeup I love to use (and I have used A LOT) is:

AVON Smooth Minerals

You can always get these on sale typically for $7.99 through any AVON rep or online. These come in a variety of color and the texture is silky fine.  This is super soft and evens out my skin tone while giving me a healthy glow that lasts all day.

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Airbrushing Loose Powder

This powder if phenomenal for a drugstore brand!  I have loved wearing this.  It doesn't get cakey, goes on smooth, and gives your face the airbrushed look.  You can find this at most drugstores as well as Target and Wal Mart.

Everyday Minerals

Perhaps my all time favorite mineral foundation ever!!!  This foundation comes in all kinds of finishes and bases from light to intensive, luminous to matte. Just to try samples, you pay a minimal charge and the company ships you samples to try! 



Coastal Scents Palettes

I love eyeshadow palettes because you get so much more variety for your money.  What better place to get great quality eyeshadow palettes than Coastal Scents? 

Coastal Scents offers a variety of palettes that ranges from the 88 palettes on down.  If you've never purchased from Coastal Scents, here are some of my favorite palettes:

Metal Mania

I love a smokey eye, and I love using metallic eyeshadows to give it to me.  The Metal Mania Palette offers 88 metallic smokey colors from grays to browns to berries!  These colors blend well, have long lasting staying power, and little fall out.  I have used all colors in the palette and not a single one was chalky (yay Coastal Scents!!).

88 Shimmer Palette

I love me some color!  This palette offers TONS of choices from blues to greens to purples and pinks!  The shadows in this palette blend beautifully, are long lasting, and look amazing on your eyes!  There are some chalky shadows in this palette, but not many.  I've done a killer pink smokey eye with this palette!  This palette is for those who love color!

Fall Festival

Who doesn't love Fall colors?  This palette's color selection is reminiscent of Fall with the darker blues, forrest green, peaches and browns...what's not to love? This palette is smaller with only 12 colors, but they are full sized pots! None of the eyeshadows are chalky and they are FABULOUS quality!  You can get so many looks from this palette from a lovely Fall smokey eye, to a natural day to day look.

Creative Me #1 Palette

This palette is for us color-loving people who love to get creative!  This palette comes with 12 full sized eyeshadow pots and is bright and funky!  There are a couple of shadows that are chalky that don't apply well, but the rest are gorgeous!  There is so much you can do with this palette.  My favorite is the bright fuschia pink and funky purple!  These work amazingly well as an eyeliner when applying with a wet eyeliner brush.  Just look at these gorgeously fun colors!!

For other great items and more palettes check out http://www.coastalscents.com/ !

Avon Perfumes

I love a good smelling perfume! This is one area people have different tastes in what they love to wear. Some of my favorite perfumes from AVON are the newer ones!

Rare Diamonds

This perfume is a beautiful blend of sparkling plum blossom, diamond orchid and the sophisticated elegance of rich cashmere woods.  It's not overly sweet, and I always get compliments when wearing it!

Rare Gold

This perfume is sweeter than Rare Diamonds.  It's the floral of Ylang-ylang and Bergamot, surrounding a lush heart of Jasmine and Gardenia entwined with precious woods, luxuriant Musk, Amber and Vanilla. 

Haiku Sunset

This wonderful smelling perfume's chemistry is mandarin blossoms softly diffused with misty freesia and sensual woods. This smells nice on the skin and lasts for a very long time!

Chic In Black

This perfume is a classic mingling of sweet fruits, fragrant flowers and rich woods.  In my opinion, this is a very classy and sultry perfume.  Love to wear this!



There are plenty of other perfumes that smell nice from AVON, but these are my favorites that I wear frequently.  If you get the chance, see your local Avon rep today for samples!

Avon Extralasting Line..

Avon has a new line that replaced the old Perfect Wear line called "Extralasting".  As the name implies this makeup is geared for super long wear!  Let's get started!

Extralasting Foundation:
This foundation really does last all day!  It's creamier than most and doesn't dry quite as fast as the traditional long wearing foundation.  Even though the shades range from super light to dark for this foundation, it can oxidize with some shades.  This foundation blended nicely, dried to a flawless finish, and last about 8 hours.  I enjoyed this coverage!



Extralasting Lipstick:

This lipstick ROCKS!!  I love a good long wearing lipstick, but HATE when it feels like I've sucked a garbage bag around my lips! Blah!  This lipstick comes in a nice range of shades, applies smoothly, and dries to a nice long lasting metallic finish.  I won't say this lasts all day by any means, but it does last for a good while.  I wore this a good 6 hours without a touchup!



Extralasting Lipgloss:

This lipgloss is super shiney, comes in some beautiful shades, and lasts a long time!  Plus, these lipglosses look gorgeous over the Extralasting Lipstick!  These lipglosses follow suit with the lipstick- they are not sticky, but smooth and dry to a nice finish. Highly recommended!



Extralasting Eyeshadow:

This eyeshadow has great wear and a beautiful finish!  These are loosely powdered eyeshadows that apply smoothly.  These shadows are slightly wet and dry to a nice finish that looks beautiful!  I will say that unless you wear an eye primer that these can crease.

Visit my website at www.youravon.com/kristaleonard for shopping and more reviews and more products from the Extralasting line!