[Review & Swatch] Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation (Shade 1.0)

I'm a bit of a foundation junkie, due in part to my difficult to match skin tone (pale, yellow-leaning olive*), as well as my general fussiness when it comes to foundation. It needs to be lightweight and skin-like, but still provide enough coverage to cover up redness and minor blemishes. It also needs to be long-lasting, and ideally sweat-proof since I live in a warm climate. Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Makeup ticks nearly all of those boxes, so it's no wonder this has become one of my favorite foundations.

*If you suspect you may have an olive undertone, read this and this.

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Behind the Scenes: Beauty Blogging Equipment and Tips

First, let me start off by saying I'm by no means an expert. This is all based on my own personal experiences, and the equipment that I use to fit my particular needs (space, money, and simplicity). Much of what I'll share here today are things I learned along the way, often out of necessity and frustration. Although I'm not an expert, I wanted to share this with you today in hopes that it might help someone else out. I know when I was looking for tips, they were pretty difficult to find. Let's start off with the more technical stuff, then work our way towards the more fun stuff.

Lighting

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Review: Take Out Spa My Renew Bottle and My Bright Bottle Sheet Masks

I picked up the Take Out Spa My Renew Bottle and My Juicy Bottle masks a couple of months ago when HKC Plaza was having a sale. I was also on a bit of "juice" mask kick, spurred on by my love of the Ariul Juice Cleanse masks. I saw the Take Out Spa masks, and figured I'd give them a try.

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My Favorite Summer Lip Products

I used to think I didn't have an addiction to lip products, but then I had to buy a small spinning tower to store them all, and I realized I was just in denial. My love of lip products stems from always wanting to have the exact right color and finish for whatever makeup I'm wearing. What can I say, I'm a detail-oriented person. I've chosen today's products with a similar train of thought, evaluating the products based on color, texture, and comfort (because no one wants to feel like their lips are about to peel off of their face in the summer heat). Without further adieu, I give you my favorite summer lip products.

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Melondrama

I recently discovered just how wonderful the formula of the Smashbox Be Legendary Lipsticks is. It's easily in my top 10, if not my top 5. On top of having a formula that's pigmented, creamy, and long-wearing, Melondrama is also an electric peach with a hint of coral that's perfect for taking things up a notch in the summer.

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May 2016 Favorites

Confession: I'm a summer-hater. Yep, I hate the warmer weather, and the long days spent feeling like I'm trapped inside the house because it's too hot to do anything outside. I'm a fall/winter kind of girl. I want cloudy skies, the crunch of dead leaves (or better yet, snow! but good luck finding that in Vegas), and curling up under a blanket to binge-watch Netflix, burn candles, and crack the window to let in a bit of the crisp air. Every summer month that I can check off the list is one less month of tortuous heat, and one step closer to the few blissful months of cooler weather. So am I sad to see May go? Nope, not at all. Ok, maybe a little bit, but only because we've had an extraordinarily mild spring and early summer. Up until last week, it was still cool enough to leave the windows open. Ahh, if only it was like that all the time. Another good thing about the end of the month? New favorites! I've got some great products to talk about today, so let's get to it.

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