Sunscreen in the Winter

I am writing this as Winter Storm Juno is hitting New York City, so I feel a little silly, but sunscreen is incredibly important no matter what time of year. I always knew that sunscreen was important. I always made sure to wear it in the summer because I have very fair skin and I use acne medicine that makes my skin burn even easier. I never really thought about how important sunscreen was in the winter though, until I did a project for my chemistry class. I go to the Fashion Institute of Technology for Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing. I did a project on anti-aging products, and that is when I learned that wearing sunscreen rain or shine, no matter what time of year is the MOST beneficial thing you can do for your skin, especially when you are young. Sunscreen is the number one product to keep your skin from premature aging, and who wants to age, especially prematurely. Even on cloudy days you have to wear sunscreen. UV rays penetrate through clouds and fog. You're probably thinking well my makeup has SPF in it so I do not need to worry, well think again. Did you know that you need to apply about six times more foundation than usual to actually get the SPF it says it contains?

Now my two favorite sunscreens are the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion + and Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid-Lotion. I feel like many people choose not to use sunscreen because it tends to break them out. These two sunscreens do not do that, and I have the most sensitive acne-prone skin so I would know.

Shiseido's comes in SPF 50+. It is lotion, so it is a bit liquidy and you have to seriously shake it before you use it. This sunscreen is a bit pricey, but it is amazing quality so it is worth it. It is priced at $39. I use this more in the summer and especially when I am at the beach and going to be in the sun all day long.

Neutrogena's sunscreen comes in SPF 30 and 55. I use 55. It is liquid-lotion, but not nearly as liquidy as Shiseido's. I love this sunscreen because it is only about $10 at any drugstore. This moisturizes my face without making my face greasy looking. I use this during the winter months for every day use when I am not going to be outside for very long since it is a more affordable price.

What are your favorite sunscreens?

xo, Sam

Review: Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation

Say hello to Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation aka the best foundation I have ever tried. This foundation controls shine, is oil free, and provides complete coverage so it is perfect for those who have oily, acne prone skin.

I have combination skin - very oily and very dry. Since I have combination skin I mix this foundation and Origins Make a Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Treatment so the formula becomes more moisturizing. I also find that by mixing those two that I even get less shiny throughout the day than just wearing the foundation alone. It creates a flawless, powdery finish that lasts all day long.

My perfect shade is No. 20. What I love about Make Up For Ever is that they have so many different shades so every one can find their perfect match.

My favorite way to apply the foundation is with Sigma Beauty's F80 Flat Kabuki brush. It works perfectly for liquid foundations and helps create the flawless finish that this foundation provides. This is by far my favorite foundation brush.

Have you tried either of these products?

xo, Sam

Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara vs. Benefit They're Real Mascara

I have two favorite mascaras and every morning I have trouble deciding which one to use. Dior Addict It-Lash mascara and Benefit's They're Real! mascara are incredibly similar, but I love them both for different reasons. They have very similar plastic wands, which is why I was drawn to them. Both volumize, lengthen, curl, lift, and seperate the lashes.

I love the chubbiness of Dior's wand. It never clumps and creates such natural, beautiful lashes. It has a special latex gel polymer, which makes taking the mascara off at night easy breezy. (I love using Bioderma to take it off). Dior's comes in black and pink. I don't know if I would get the pink, but it sounds cool.

Benefit's has a bit thinner wand, compared to Dior's. The wand has a domed tip, which makes it easy to apply the mascara to the bottom lashes fairly easily. Benefit's mascara makes my eyelashes long and dramatic, which I love. The one problem with Benefit's is that it takes forever to get off at night, but the mascara does stay curled for much longer. Benefit's comes in black.

Ultimately, when I run out of them I will probably buy Benefit's over Dior's, but I really do love both.

The left eye has the Benefit's They're Real! mascara and the right has Dior's It-Lash mascara. If you want something dramatic, definitely go for Benefit's, but if you want something natural, go for Dior's. What are your favorite mascaras?

xo, Sam

Golden Globes Best Dressed 2015

The Golden Globes is all about fashion. To me, these four women really knocked it out of the park. I am obsessed with Dakota Johnson's metallic silver dress. She's like a disco ball, but in a good way! Emma Stone looks so chic, like usual, in Lanvin. Amal Clooney looks like pure perfection in Dior. Her outfit reminds me of something Olivia Pope would wear, for all you Scandal fans. Reese Witherspoon looks radiant in Calvin Klein. Who do you think was the best dressed?

xo, Sam

Golden Globes Best Beauty 2015

My favorite part of the Golden Globes is the beauty and the fashion. Here are my favorite beauty looks. Anna Kendrick rocked beautiful white eyeliner and rosy cheeks. Emily Blunt looked amazing in a braided up-do and a bronzy eye. Sienna Miller looked like perfection with her chic hair and glowing skin. Who do you think had the best beauty look of the night?

xo, Sam

Sunday Style

Since Friends was added to Netflix, basically all I have done is binge watch it.

Fashion is constantly going through a cycle and the 90's style is most definitely in at the moment. Rachel Green has been my fashion inspiration lately - cropped tops, denim vests, plaid skirts.

Here are similar items:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

xo, Sam

Golden Glitter

I love all things gold, especially glittery gold eyeliner. Here is my go-to look when I want to feel sparkly.

1. First I start out with eye primer, I have been using Too Faced Shadow Insurance.
2. I line my top lid with Maybelline Eye Studio gel liner, which even comes with a brush that I really love, to create a thin cat-eye look.
3. I line my bottom lid with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in goldmine.
4. I line the bottom lid again with Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in midnight cowboy.
5. I curl my lashes with Shu Uemura eye lash curler.
6. I finish the look by using Benefit's They're Real Mascara.

This is the final look. (Ignore the little golden glitters underneath the eyeliner.)

xo, Sam

Skincare Routine

I have had issues with my skin since I was about 10 years old, so I take my skincare very seriously. I am religious about my skincare routine and I will never go to bed without washing my face. My skin is not perfect, but right now this is what works for me.

I start my skin ritual by washing my face with Bosica Detoxifying Black Cleanser. It is a warming gel cleanser that dissolves oil and makeup, pore-clogging impurities, and detoxifies the skin. I have seen such an improvement in my skin since I have started using this product. It also lasts an incredibly long time, so it is worth the price.

I am a firm believer in eye cream and lately I have been using Origins Eye Doctor. It is includes cucumber, rosemary, ginseng, and green tea to de-puff, fade dark shadows, and fight off radical damage. I recommend this eye cream for younger under eyes.

Since I have had acne throughout the years, I have acne marks left on my skin. I use Fresh Peony Spot-Correcting Brightening Essence to brighten my skintone, lighten, and reduce the appearance of my acne spots. My dark spots have been fading very slowly.

I have been wanting to try out NUDE Skincare for a while now, so I recently bought the NUDE Skincare Purify Daily Moisturizer. I use this moisturizer in the day time. It is very light and perfect for oily to combination (which is what I have) skin. Since I have started using this I have had to use way less powder throughout the day. It really balances my skin out.

If I have a whitehead I put on the Origins Super Spot Remover before I go to bed. It helps heal, dry it out, and fade fast.

This is a travel size Josie Maran 100 percent Pure Argan Oil, but I have been through a few of the full size bottles of this before. I use this oil at night and it deeply hydrates my skin. This is one of my favorite facial oils to use. I also love it for hair and nails. 

I usually mix Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate with Josie Maran's Argan Oil together. I use it at night and it is supposed to repair and restore skin while you are sleeping. Every night that I use this product I wake up with glowing skin. It is kind of like magic.

I have been using retin-a for years now, and I do not think I can live without it. I love how it helps with acne when I am young and will help with wrinkles when I am older. I use it about every other night. If you can get your hands on retin-a, I highly recommend it.

xo, Sam