Beauty

Nature In A Jar – Philosophy

Happy New Year! Since my last post, I have gotten engaged, received my MBA, planned my wedding, and a million other things in between! A whirlwind to say the least 🙂 With my wedding less than a year away (OMG lol) I have been trying to start my skincare routine as far in advance as possible. Last month I got a facial for the first time in a LOOOONG time. It was recommended that I go monthly, so I have about ten other tabs open trying to figure out which one I should do next!

I do know that there are so many other variables that go into skincare though – diet, stress, exercise, water consumption, and of course products! I have been transitioning my products to all natural, or as natural as I can get for all of them. It’s definitely been a lot of trial and error hahah. I was lucky enough to test out some product’s from philosophy – one of the highest rated skincare lines out there. Their new collection, nature in a jar is full of amazing products that help restore, rejuvenate, and recover skin. These formulas are natural, clean, and vegan! So triple the YES factor.

I tried the cica complex recovery moisturizer and the nourishing in-shower oil and just wow!

The moisturizer is nice and thick yet goes on very lightweight and is absorbed quickly. It feels sooo velvety and smooth and in turn, makes your skin velvety and smooth! Most times I don’t even wear primer. I put this on every PM and usually in the AM, especially on colder days. My skin looks so much more hydrated and dewy. The key ingredients are: cica, prickly pear fruit extract, shea butter, and agave. It retails for $49.00 – totally worth it.

Next is the in-shower oil, a must have for your shower routine!

The oil is so luxurious. It seals in moisture without the whole greasy feel and residue that most other oils leave. I saw some reviews that mentioned the smell, but honestly I couldn’t really smell anything strong or strange about it, I thought it had a very subtle smell to it. What we all can agree on though, is that our skin definitely felt more nourished and moisturized! The main ingredients in the oil are hemp-derived cannabis sativa seed oil, soybean oil, and olive fruit oil. It retails for $32.

Check it out and let me know what you think of this new collection!

XO,

AUTHENTIC DESIGNER PERFUME FOR CHEAP?!

Ok so there is noooothing better than smelling good buuut some of these amazing smelling perfumes cost an arm and a leg. My love for Creed cannot be satiated, even though it costs $425 a BOTTLE. Yes, you read that right. I am sure I can get it on some website for much cheaper, but honestly with perfumes, you do not want to mess around. A lot of those sites are not legit and are definitely not sending you the right stuff. The perfumes can smell sour or different over time, or are just water based – bottom line is do not buy off of those sites. There is no way they can sell a full sized $425 bottle for $30 bucks!

Okay, back to my Creed habit. It has such a distinctive, wonderful smell and I get compliments on it everywhere I go. No literally, everywhere I go. When they are done fainting over the price, I usually let them in on a little secret. That secret is…decants! After living like a Kardashian and buying a few bottles, I realized I was spending a car payment on a bottle of perfume. It was a wake up call to say the least. I did some research and came across ScentSplit.com. They are 100% authentic hand decants of the best perfumes and colognes around. They have the best (and most recent) selection of top notch perfumes and colognes from around the world. The cologne I was only able to find in France or Nordstrom (for another $400)? You bet they have it.

I was nervous at first because I guess the Italian in me is un-trusting of everything, so I bought a small decant of Creed as a test purchase. Since Creed has a very distinct smell, I knew I would be able to tell if it was real or fraud on the first spray. It was totally real and I was hooked, leading to my obsession with ScentSplit.

Everything is packaged very securely, and once you start buying a lot, they often send nice little discounts, always pulling me back in for more! I can also attest to their customer service. One of the bottles I had received had a finicky spray, so they sent me a shipping label to send it back and sent out a new one for free. They are based in Houston so there was a little bit of a time delay but overall I got the new bottle and life is good.

Now my perfume limits are nonexistent, I buy decants of all sizes from all designers and I love it – and so does my wallet! I love having that variety in my perfume collection without breaking the bank whatsoever. I feel like money and I smell like it too :P.

Seriously go check them out, you will forever thank me!

HOW TO WHITEN TEETH NATURALLY

Well my goal of writing weekly was good while it lasted! Here’s to getting back at it again! I recently got my teeth bleached for the second time in my life, and I got to thinking, I need to find a better, more comfortable (and affordable) way to upkeep these pearly whites, especially since coffee courses through my veins all day. If you’ve never had your teeth bleached, not only are you sitting with your mouth open uncomfortably for an hour, you can only eat white or clear foods for a few days after as the teeth absorb the bleach. Oh, AND no coffee for a week (I last about three days). So basically it is a week long process, and realistically, how many purely white foods are there without taking up residency in carb city?

As you know, I like to stay as natural as possible, and I am not one to buy into the social media gimmicks that are just a marketer’s dream, so I set out on ol’ reliable Google. I came across an interesting natural teeth whitening that called for coconut oil (ok good), baking soda (ok perfect), and…turmeric…?! The orange powder that literally stains EVERYTHING? Won’t that stain my teeth?! I already had visions of me having super yellow/orange teeth. At first I was like is this one of those “remedies” that actually sabotage?! I googled a bit more and found that it actually does work. So of course, I had to try it.

I know coconut oil is basically God’s gift and can cure anything, but it looks like turmeric is just a step behind it. Aside from turmerics’ multiple health benefits, and it’s ability to naturally whiten your teeth, it also can clean gums, ease cavity pain and sensitive teeth, remove plaque, and even relieve gingivitis and toothaches.

Since it has a mild abrasiveness to it, it will leave your teeth feeling nice and polished, as if you got them cleaned in the dentist’s chair! When used regularly, it can certainly help whiten your teeth, and boost your overall oral health. My goal is to brush my teeth once a day with the paste. Results surely to follow! Check it out below and try it for yourself. Don’t be afraid! 🙂

THE PASTE

2 parts turmeric powder
1 part coconut oil
1 part baking soda

In a small dish, mix together the three ingredients to form a paste. If you want to save some for the next day, cover and keep in a cool place. The coconut oil can melt if it is stored in too hot of a place.

Put a generous amount on the tootHbrush and brush normally for two minutes. Rinse VERY well with luke-warm water (honestly may have to rinse a few times – but well worth it).

A LITTLE BEFORE ACTION…

THE RESULTS AFTER!

SEPHORA PLAY! REVIEW

Happy Thursday! After a huuuge snowstorm yesterday, I was able to work from home. I thought what a great day to relax, I can even get a blog post up. That was not the case. I was basically glued to my computer all day, only to get up to get myself more pizza haha! ;). I have been meaning to do a review on the Sephora Play! monthly subscription box since February (my first month!). As you know, I have tried Birchbox before as well as Ricky’s, both which I loved. Since I spend a majority of my time (and paycheck) at Sephora, and their box is only $10/month, I decided to give it a go. I was certainly not let down!

What I love most about it is how personal it is compared to other ones. You answer a few questions to create your own personal profile. From the products they are going to include in the boxes, from makeup to hair care to skincare to fragrances, they use your answers to curate your own personalized box.

Each box includes:

Five samples AND a bonus! The samples range from makeup, skincare, and hair care.
A collectible makeup bag
PLAY! Book that gives you tips and tricks and how-tos for each sample
PLAY! Pass to redeem in store when you buy something full-size – worth 50 beauty insider points! ❤
Access to video tutorials for the items in the box
PLAY! Date – subscriber only even that allows you and a friend to come in the store and sample products and meet with beauty experts

Here is what the February box looked like! I am SO excited for March! Stay tuned 🙂

LOVE this little makeup bag. Adorable!

50 Bonus Points! #swoon

I have sensitive skin so this is right in line with my profile that I filled out 🙂

I put a lot of skincare in my profile so I am so glad they sent me top notch sample products!

LOVE this gloss. It reminds me of a NARS one I had way back when!

I have *no* idea how to apply eyeliner, so I am hoping this can help me a bit.

The BONUS! It smelled like summer in a bottle. Nice and light 🙂

Dope postcard that came with the perfume.

15/10 would recommend the PLAY! boxes. For only $10 you’re getting some top notch samples, and nice sizes. Plus extra bonus points at one of my favorite stores makes it all the more worth it. Go get yours!

Ricky’s Cult Crushes Review

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Hello beauts! So I know we can all spend our paychecks in Ricky’s or Sephora or Ulta, or anywhere that sells makeup. There always seems to be a new product to try or a new beauty trend. I also feel like there a ton of beauty boxes out there that offer monthly subscriptions. I have tried Birchbox before since it was a gift from my sister, but I just felt like the samples were so tiny. What caught my eye about Ricky’s version of the monthly subscription beauty box is that it typically comes with one full size product. I also love that you get 25% off of all online purchases and free shipping on purchases of $50 or more. YASSSS. For only $11 getting ALL of that (retail value up to $50) seems like a steal in my eyes! For that price, it doesn’t even matter what is in the box, but it seems to always be something awesome 🙂 Check it more here.

This is the review September – I plan on updating this post each month with what I receive!

Opened it up to a little motivation! #CameToCrush everyday!

HSI Mini Straightener

Umm ok a mini straightener?! This is actually perfection. Tiny yet so powerful! I can throw this right in my purse for days I am running late and can just plug it in at work, and viola my hair is set! The plates are ceramic which helps leave your hair shiny, annnnd even more importantly, they heat up in seconds! Love love love!

HSI Argan Oil Shampoo, Conditioner + Leave In Treatment

Alright so after summer sun and salty hair, this came in at the perfect time. I felt like my hair was looking so dull and dry and brittle. Not after using these bad boys. I seriously am going to have to get the full size versions. I also love that they are sulfate free and full of vitamins.

Z-Palette Large

Say what?! This is so unbelievably convenient – I remember my old company did some work with Z Palette and I kept saying I wish they would send us some so we can try, and now my dreams came true lol! This seemed to be a custom one for Ricky’s and I love it. It is so urban and hip. I love that I can customize my own palette with everything that I use – it is so helpful if I am doing my makeup on the go. Instead of lugging around my makeup bag, I can just throw it on my palette and shove it in my purse. Total win with this.

Wella Root Shoot Mousse

I am a big advocate of Wella products – I used to work in a salon and everyone swore by it and since I got to test out the products first hand, I came to swear by them too! Sometimes my hair can get sooo flat, and since I typically straighten it, it doesn’t make for the best mix. I can’t seem to nail down that middle part with my hair pasted down like the Kardashian’s can haha. Sometimes I throw in a little volumizing powder but it makes my hair feel stiff and weird and doesn’t seem to work. I tried this once and my Jersey girl came out. Total life saver.

Masque Bar Luminizing Charcoal Mask

I cannot seem to escape masks lol I recently just got a facial so I am trying to leave my skin alone for a bit so I have not yet tried this. But when I do, I will update 🙂

After just one box, my final verdict is YES – totally worth it! For $11 the value is unbeatable.

A Mask A Day + NEW Fall Skincare Routine

Fall is coming and I could not be happier! There is just nothing like sweater weather, crunchy leaves, apple picking, football season, and of course pumpkin spice everything. With the leaves changing and the weather getting colder, as we change our closets from tanks to over-sized sweaters, did you know you should also be changing your skincare routine?!

While skincare routines should always include the staples (face wash, moisturizer, sunscreen, etc.), it isn’t necessarily bad or detrimental to switch up the regimen quite often, especially when seasons change or hormonal changes occur. For example, with the colder months, my face tends to become dry very easily, but in the warmer months, my face is much more oily and I am sweating so much more, so certainly using the same routine won’t be effective for both instances. Multiple dermatologists agree that changing products way too often won’t give you the chance to see results you may be looking for since average cell turnover is 28 days. If only clear skin appeared overnight!

So, as mentioned before, with Fall approaching, colder weather is approaching, and therefore my face is going to be drier than a desert :(. I decided to pick up seven different masks from Creme Shop and do a mask a day and see how my skin felt after each one. Basically, it felt as though I was going to the spa everyday, but the spa was my makeup room.

Before we get into the masks though, let’s compare our faces to a painting. The paint will go on smoother and the overall results of the painting will look so much better if you’re working on a clean, smooth canvas right? That is why it is so important to not rely on just makeup removers and masks. After reading this totally amazing review on some of the best facial cleansers out there, I picked up this CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser and I can honestly say I am obsessed. I have used it as my sole cleanser for this week’s experiment and I think it played a key role in my face feeling so soft and moisturized. I was wearing max coverage foundation and a full face of makeup, and this cleanser took it right off, without me going through an entire bottle of it. Can you say yes please?!

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Unlike harsher cleaners that exfoliate and really remove the skin’s protective barrier (this is why you should only exfoliate 1-2 times a week!), this cleanser actually helps to restore that protective barrier as well as keeps the skin’s natural moisture. My face feels so soft and looks nice and dewy immediately after washing. Since my skin is nourished and moisturized all day long, I’ve even noticed that my foundation stays on better throughout the day, and that’s without me using primer (when I go to work, I don’t wear much makeup, so I nix primer from my routine – I try to let my skin breathe during the week). I love love love this product and can’t wait to continue using it and keep you updated!

If you want to try it, here’s a $2.00 off coupon! You’re welcome! 😉

Dry skin and red spots be gone!

Now back to our painting…I mean mask experiment! All of these masks are from the Creme Shop. Aside from masks, they also have beauty products from beauty blenders to eyelashes, something I never knew before. I guess I will have to save that for another post though! If you’ve read my previous post on Korean skincare, you know I am a huge fan and avid lover of those products, a Creme shop mask being one of them. All of these masks are made in Korea and deliver just as well as the other ones in that post! I tried seven masks, check out my thoughts on each of them below.

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Drink Up, Skin

This one is infused with hyaluronic acid (a main ingredient in the CeraVe facial wash by the way!). This is what keeps the skin’s thirst quenched, keeping it smooth and dewy! I also love that it is non-irritating, so for those of you with sensitive skin, definitely give this one a try. The design was adorable, and after I took it off after a half hour or so, my face felt so soft and looked so moisturized. Bye bye flaky dry skin!

Slow Down, Skin

Another adorable “animated” mask! Who doesn’t love pandas, and who doesn’t love to fight aging skin early?! This one is infused with restorative bamboo extract and is rich in silica – which means it boosts structure and elasticity. I actually felt my face tingle slightly while using this one. My face did feel quite refreshed after using it.

Charcoal & Lemonade Mask

Alright so anything charcoal seems to be all of the rage in skincare, due to its ability to completely wipe away the impurities and dirt/oil on our faces. First off, I LOVED the smell of it as soon as I opened it up, definitely smelled like delicious lemonade (as I am literally drinking lemonade as we speak haha!). So this dual mask is designed to obviously be like a 2-for-1. As we know, charcoal lifts up toxins and dirt from the pores on our faces. Lemons have antibacterial properties that can help heal, brighten the skin, and combat blackheads. This mask is also filled with hyarulonic acid, making it full of moisture. I loved how this mask made my face feel, my face felt so clean and soft and looked so dewy. When I woke up the next morning, my mother (who is on me about skin ALL. THE. TIME), complimented how great my skin looked! Oh ,you can also refrigerate this mask for a cooling effect and feeling.

The Kale Face Mask

Kale yasss! I can say I know a ton of ways to EAT kale, I didn’t know I could use it to help my face though! As we all know, kale is full of Vitamins, A, C, and K. It is a super food that helps our body, but it can also help with skin imbalances. It helps reduce bloat and puffiness, corrects redness, and can even help with dry patches/flakiness. This certainly helps with keeping skin toned and revitalized!

Pineapple Enzyme Infused Mask

I loooove pineapples, and now I love putting them on my face! I had no idea it had an enzyme (bromelain) that acts as an all natural exfoliator, breaking down the keratin protein in dead skin cells. This reveals a new layer of skin and helps get rid of discoloration, leaving you with bright and renewed skin. My face felt so soft after this one!

Witch Hazel Infused Mask

This one had some serious powers like a witch haha! I wanted to try this one because it said it combats acne and blackheads and helps minimize excess oil production. It also said it helps against sun damage – a must have since summer is over. Apparently, witch hazel has a ton of healing properties such as reducing skin damage, inflammation, and swelling. the all-natural ingredient soothes troubled skin and balances the skin for an unblemished complexion. After I took this mask off, I felt like it wiped my blackheads away too, my face felt so smooth and looked so supple.

Coconut Oil Infused Mask

So we all know coconut oil is the cure for everything – did you know it even whitens teeth? That will have to be my next post ;). Sometimes after washing my face I will put coconut oil on my face because it makes it feel and look great. Coconut oil is also a great makeup remover if you didn’t know! So, since I already love coconut oil, I was super excited to try this one out – and I was not disappointed! It really felt the same as when I put coconut oil on my face, super moisturized, super smooth, and younger looking 😉

PS – for a cooling effect you can refrigerate their masks 🙂 I haven’t tried, but if you have, comment below!

If you’ve tried any, I’d love to hear which ones and what you thought of them!

Could not be happier with my skin ❤ !

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Bite Beauty Multistick Review

Hello pretties! I have had sooo much going on and so much I have been wanting to blog about, but it has been so hard to dedicate time to actually write the posts and get them up on the site! I recently had the opportunity to try out some of the new Bite Beauty Multistick colors. If you haven’t heard about these multisticks, you are seriously missing out. First of all the color selection is top notch and there is a color very every skin color on the spectrum! They apply as if they are cream, but they wear like powder. This is because they are actually made up of 35% powder, so it applies evenly and most importantly – weightlessly. I have only used them on my lips so far, but you can also use them on your cheeks and eyes. I think the colors I received would look best on my lips, but I am interested in trying them out on my cheeks (I’ll keep you posted).

As I have said before, skincare is so important to me, so I carry that mindset over to my makeup as well. You have to be careful of what you are putting on your face even after your skincare routine. If you wash your face and then apply makeup filled with chemicals and parabens, what is the point? Seems kind of counterproductive, right? When I read that the multistick is silicone free, paraben free, sulfate free, phthalates free, as well as free of petrochemicals, I was over the moon.

So not only are these perfect for your skin and formulated for your skin, but with powder being almost half of its composition, the finish is a soft, matte, and breathable. With 18 colors to choose from, there is an infinite amount of colors you can choose for your lips, cheeks, eyes, or all three!

I had so much fun applying these colors and was pleasantly surprised with how smooth and easy they were applied! I tried the colors Biscotti, Papaya, and Cashew, definitely all colors you can wear ANY season!

Cashew: I was honestly so pleasantly surprised with cashew. It looked a little too dark of a brown upon first glance, but as soon as I put it on I was in love. It is the perfect natural nude for my skin tone.

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Papaya: I LOVE papaya – it is such a soft pink and also has the natural look like cashew did. It is not some over the top color, it goes absolutely perfect with any makeup. I may try this one on my cheeks – if it looks as natural as it does on my lips, it would make for the perfect natural blush!

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Biscotti: Biscotti was a little on the deeper end compared to the other colors, but really a beautiful color. I actually find myself wearing this one a lot. It gives me more of a pop of color but it still isn’t over the top.

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I can’t wait to try out more colors – if you’ve ever tried these, please comment below and let me know your favorite shade! ❤

KOREAN SKINCARE PRODUCTS

Alright so I’ll be the first to admit it that I fall asleep with my makeup on more often than I should. I won’t sit here and say I’ve been blessed with flawless skin, of course I’ve had my share of breakouts, blackheads, you name it. I’ve been to the dermatologist a countless amount of times and sure their regimens and products work, so long as I remember to apply them, or which cream goes on when, etc. There has been a ton of buzz around Korean beauty products and I can totally see why. Over the years, I have learned how important it is to treat your skin delicately and take care of it by washing your makeup off every night, moisturizing, the whole nine yards. This makes for a better foundation for when you apply your makeup and you’ll actually see yourself needing less and less. You’ll have that overall healthy glow without makeup – talk about confidence boost! Here are three Korean skincare products I swear by – I’m sure I’ll be blogging about more as I discover them!

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Let’s start with the Too Cool for School Takkoza cleansing wipes. Takkoza basically translates to cleanse and sleep. These saved my face. I have never come across a makeup remover wipe that literally takes it ALL off. Literally in one glide of the wipe, it is off – completely amazing. What I love about these wipes is not only they take every ounce of makeup and dirt off your face, but they leave my skin feeling refreshed and hydrated too. This is because they are filled with a ton of nutrients and vitamins – carrot water, beta-carotene, and vitamins A + C. These have absolutely saved me from falling asleep with my makeup on. They leave me no excuses to! If you can’t get around to washing your face, then keep these next to your bedside. It comes in a pack of sixty – so for only $16, you’re def getting your bang for your buck.

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Next, my most favorite product is the Caolion “Where is Pore” cleanser. This is a 2-in-1 cleanser. The top one is the blackhead steam foam cleanser and the bottom one is a pore tightening cooling foam cleanser. I use the top one first and then the bottom. A little goes a loooong way with these guys. The directions say to leave on for ten seconds and the rinse off. For the the steam foam cleanser, you literally feel your face heating up and its like you feel the gunk coming out of your pores. I do leave it on for more than 10 seconds, around 30 seconds and then rinse it off in cooler water. It makes my face feel so clean. Then I follow with the pore tightening cleanser. Within ten seconds my face feels nice and cool and once I rinse it off my face feels tighter and my pores literally look invisible. It leaves my skin feeling so new and soft. When I first tried it, I remember I couldn’t believe it, I kept touching my face and I immediately called and showed my mother. It was that amazing. For $24 it is like I get a facial every time I use it. I’ve also tried their Pore Blackhead o2 Sparkling Soap and that worked wonders as well – my skin felt so polished. I certainly plan on trying more of their products.

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Lastly, the Creme shop had these limited edition masks that were made in Korea. I bought them around the holidays, so naturally they were peppermint cocoa sheet masks with the purpose of clarifying skin. The masks are infused with peppermint oil to treat troubled acne-prone skin. It came with a pack of five, so definitely a wise value. I’ve used three already, about one every month. As soon as I put it on, it is so cool on my skin and I feel my skin absorbing it all. With the excess liquid, I rub it on my neck to reap all of the benefits. I leave it on for twenty minutes and when I take it off, my skin feels nourished and my pores feel tight. I am a huge fan of masks and these are definitely in my top three. Here is me in my mask as I am writing this 😛

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Lashes So Long You Can Fly Away With Them

Happy Tuesday lovelies!

So one of the perks of my job is that I get to work with a lot of brands and PR firms in a variety of verticals – so cosmetics, hair, fashion, fitness, electronics, etc. And sometimes I’m lucky enough to score some product! It’s always a good day in the office when new product arrives.

I don’t know if you’ve heard of IT Cosmetics, but if you haven’t, then I seriously recommend you check them out immediately. Like stop reading this for a second and go click on the link right above this. They constantly receive a ton of social success with top beauty influencers and makeup artists from all over the world using their products in their daily beauty/skin regiments. And you’re about to see why.

superhero mascara

First things first, IT stands for Innovative Technology since it is developed by plastics surgeons and dermatologists…so you know the product is going to be top notch. All of their products are 100% cruelty free, filled with skin-loving, high performance ingredients. So basically their products are cutting edge, clinically proven, safe, highly effective, and most importantly – work phenomenally! If this were a beauty class poll, they would certainly win best all-around.

I digress. Ok, so I was first introduced to this cosmetic line a few months back, after one of my coworkers attended a beauty conference and brought back a ton of product. Since I’ve been using them ever since, I am pretty well-versed in their makeup and skincare lines. I’ll save the review of all of those products for another week 😉

Since I am always open to trying new products (especially makeup!), when I received their new Superhero mascara, I couldn’t wait to try it out. Now I normally have very long lashes and people often ask me what falsies I wear (none!), so I was definitely interested in seeing if this would accentuate them even more. Spoiler alert: it did.

Here are my three very basic steps for mascara application. I am in NO way, shape, or form a beauty know-it-all or MUA. I practically just got contouring down.

Curl eyelashes (about 5 seconds on each lash – and don’t clench the curler too tight! Love your lashes hahah!)
Use primer! I use the Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus and have been using it for over a year now. It is dermatologist and ophthalmologist-tested.
Mascara time! I usually just do one application, but two would not do any harm (just try to avoid many applications because you definitely get that clumpy look – I like a more wispy, fuller look).

So when I first put this first application I was like WOAH. Do you know how hard it is to find a mascara that thickens, lengthens, and still get mega volume all at once?! Some people use multiple mascaras to achieve this, and for those of you who do – look no further! This will be your saving grace.

This is just one application:

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