The Foundation Chronicles| Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35

 Man, sometimes those Sephora 100 point perks really work.

I can go for months and months and not want any of them and then all of a sudden something comes along, I try it and, I'm totally sold.

When I saw that the Bobbi Brown BB Cream (say that 5 times fast.) in the display case at check I was curious enough to ask the associate what shade it came in. 

When she said Fair I immediately blurted out "I'll take one" 

That was a month ago and I haven't looked back.

In Defense of Inexspensive Brushes

So before Christmas I did a few words on why I think sometimes it's worth it to shell out on exspensive brushes.

I mentioned in that post that I was going to mention a couple of brushes that I've gotten at a bargain price that really measure up to some of their high-end alternatives. 

These two babies came home to me after Coastal Scents had their 50% sale on Black Friday and I could not be happier with them. 

The Winter Bronzer

 

I rarely reach for a bronzer. It's not a product I feel adds a lot to my makeup experience and often creates more problems for me than it creates benefits for me. 

Until now.

Essiebutton of the YouTube variety has talked at length about the Body Shop Honey Bronzer in  Light Bronze and over the Pre-Holiday sales I picked one up to test drive.

Warm Wishes and a Thank You

 

I just wanted to drop a quick line today to wish you all a very Happy Holidays with some pictures of my own favorite festive things. 

 As well as some well wishes I wanted to extend a year end thank you to everyone who has jumped on board with my little corner of the internet and has supported me this year. 

I hope you'll stick around for what's to come in 2015. 

It's going to be great.

Watch this space.

 

Ed Note: The Christmas Manicure

 There was a time...not all that long ago in fact, where I loved me some nail art. Not just for special occasions or a little sparkle but full on leopard print, negative space, googly eyed, nail art. 

While I have moved on from the more full on nail trends; when Christmas rolls around I have a hard time trying to control myself.

I want to put glitter on everything.

Errrythang.

So I whipped up a quick and easy glitter gradient to make the festive season just that bit more festive!

On A Budget|Longwear Liner

Some of the best beauty surprises happen when you are looking for something quality but can't afford to shell out big bucks for a high end brand.

A few months ago I was looking for a nice golden toned bronze eyeliner to add to my liner lineup and after hearing so much about them I decided to try the Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear.

I was not diasapointed at all and, in fact, with a range of about 35 shades I have quite a long wish list.

The Solution to the Solution

Story Time!

So for the past two years all over the beauty world you've heard bloggers, models and, editors alike sing the praises of a product called Bioderma Sensibo Crealine H2O known, for short, on this side of the Atlantic as simply...Bioderma.

This is from a French pharmacy brand that has supplied the French with reasonably priced skincare for quite some time but is revving up for it's global 15 minutes of fame. Except on this side of the world it's nearly impossible to get a hold of, which is fun to think about when you get your hands on some but, less fun when it runs out and, about five times the price in USD's.

I've used it and chronicled the experience here and, everyone is right. It is fantastic. It's gentle but somehow removed everything with no greasy residue, no blurry or stingy eyes and, no panda eyes.

But having said .hat...I am a practical girl and when I tried the Body Shop Camomile Gentle Makeup Remover I suddenly felt no urge to hunt down the infamous French must have.

Smoking the Compettition

Everyone has gone on about it and as per usual I have put off trying it but, as of last Saturday the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown (Formerly Medium Ash) is smoking my current brow products.

There are a list of pros and cons (after the jump) but really this is a damn near perfect brow pencil.

When Hard to Find Products are Worth the Wait

 Lately I have been lucky enough to score some much longed for beauty items, from hard to find brands, at really amazing prices.

While this occurrence is a rare one I think it's worth pointing out when the products you have built up in your mind end up being just as amazing as you hoped they would be. 

These two goodies really do not disappoint.

In Defense of Exspensive Brushes

 I am a big believer in budget beauty tools.

I think more is gained by putting the money into the product rather than putting money into the tool if you are in a position where you have to choose. 

There are so many budget brushes out there that are an amazing value for money.

 There is more to come on that topic from me next week but, today I want to talk about putting extra money into unique tools that will give you the results that budget alternatives can't.

I bought my first Wayne Goss brush from Beautylish on Black Friday and I am seriously in love.

Gift Guides|The Stocking Stuffer

 I think filling my family's stockings is one of my favorite things about Christmas shopping.

It's a nice mix between buying your loved ones the little things they need and special little things that are just nice to have.

At least that's how we usually do it in my family.

Everyone's traditions are different but, I thought it would be nice to give you guys a once over of all the things I like to add to my family's stockings beauty wise.

Admittedly these are inherently more feminie gifts but if you have lots of ladies to buy for this could be helpful.

If you are into men's gifts tune into TheUnanimousMolly on YouTube on Wednesday for a more in depth gift guide video!

Lip Liner for Noobs

I have been resisting this. 

Something about the whole lip liner thing makes me feel very high maintenance and like I am spending too long doing one thing.

OCC had other plans for me though. 

I added this to my cart with the rest of my Black Friday Haul goodies thinking this was a more warm toned brown pencil but in reality it is the prefect my lips but better lip pencil. 

Go figure. 

So with OCC's Cosmetic Color Pencil in Trick in hand I sat down to see how I felt about this oft neglected step in my beauty routine.

Apples of Your Cheeks Part Deux

This is not a new beauty concept for me.

The idea of Snow White-esque pinched cheeks just make me weak at the knees. In fact looking at this I think I may have doubled up on a product here...whoops. 

In fact we're just going to make this a follow up post.

Not sorry. 

Back in September I talked all about the beauty of a windswept cheek and now I'm going to do it again. 

There is nothing quite like a healthy glow gained from rushing in out of the cold. 

Faking it, however, is way less drying and way more fun!

The first up to bat is Benefit's Bella Bomba Box Powder. This puppy is a finely milled, delicately scented watermelon shade with a hit on pinky-gold sheen running throughout. This shade is nicely pigmented but not difficult to use and looks especially good on fair cool toned cheeks.I've heard wind that the brand may be letting this one go so it might not be a bad time to look into it.

For something a little bit darker I like to reach for the Sleek Makeup Blush in the shade Flushed which true to it's name gives a nice soft flush across the cheeks. This one is a satin finish like the Bella Bomba but doesn't seem to be as gleam-y which might make it more friendly to those of you who shy away from shimmery blushes.

...and finally my repeat product is the Milani Baked Blush in Bella Rose. It is a matte finish bright magenta pink. It's terrifying if you've never tried anything quite this bright before but with a light hand and a fluffy brush this can look SO pretty and effortless. For the accessibility and the price this could be a great place to try out a product like this if you are a little hesitant.

So now that I've throughly beaten this topic to death expect a more exciting dose of beauty business tomorrow.
...but I still hope you give these a try.

The Spectrum| Silver and Gold

This time of year you are never going to see me miss an opportunity to add a little bit of metalic shine or over the top sparkle to my look. 

Hell sometimes throughout the rest of the year I will make an opportunity to sparkle. 

So today on the blog I'm going to do the rundown of all the places I like to add a touch of silver, gold or, both. 

Daytime, nighttime or, both? Well that's up to you. 

That's a lie...glitter everywhere!!!

Gifts Guide|Secret Santa

I love a good Secret Santa.

Whether it's in the family or in the office it's a nice way to a gift that is thoughtful, useful and makes the recipient feel special. 

There are some beauty, accesory and home choices and while they are primarily geared toward women there are a couple of things in here I think a man might love.

Use Protection

It's COLD.

The worst part is that here in NYC it is only going to get worse before it gets better. 

Yeah there is something warm and fuzzy about the Holiday Season but come January 2nd we'll all be counting down the days until Spring.

As it is my skin is screaming for hydration and I am slowly including things into my morning routine to help defend against the painful winter winds. 

The Coupon Wishlist

Every year after the Friends and Family, VIB, and Black Friday sales Sephora sends out additional coupons to those of us that already spend way too much money there throughout the year.

My VIB status has earned me 20$ off a 50$ purchase and while I am attempting to be conservative I am so close to VIB Rouge that I can see this getting out of hand.

First on the list is the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown. (formerly Medium Ash) My brow arsenal has been seriously lacking lately and given the way everyone raves about this brow pencil it's amazing I haven't gotten this yet.

Check out the rest of my picks behind the cut!

The Joy of Giving...To Yourself

Now this is of course the time of year to treat the ones you love to things that you know they'll love. 

Whether that means a plate of homemade cookies or an extravagant store bought item it always feels so nice to pass a little extra love around this time of year. 

...but I would be lying if I said I didn't treat myself to a few new things between gifts for others. 

With all of the sales, my inherent willingness to spend (amplified by Christmas music) and the convenience of getting things done from the comfort of my couch how is a girl supposed to resist?

On top of all that I have been eyeing up one of Charlotte Tilbury's eyeshadow palettes since her brand launched in the states back over the Summer.

This past weekend I bit the bullet and hit "checkout".

Wear All the Sparkle (And A SALE!)

ALERT! Deborah Lippmann polishes are being clearanced out at Ulta!* Not everything but a lot of cool shades are going for as low at 3$ a bottle. For a brand that normally goes for 20$ each this sale is worth checking out!

 Tis the season to wear ALL the glitter!

I used to be the kind on beauty creature that liked to wear glitter all of the time but as I've gotten older I find myself less and less drawn to it. 

The worst part is I have a big girl job and I can still wear anything I want on my nails but I usually just stick to cream finishes.

 That is about to change.

A Matte Red Lip at Every Price Point

Tis the season of the red lip!

Now I love me a red lip all year round. As such I have amassed and embarrassingly large assortment of red lip options at all pice points. 

The only caveat here is that ALL and I do mean ALL of my red lip colors are matte. 

I have said this before and I stand by it now but when you wear a bold lip, matte is your friend. 

No bleeding, minimal transferring and no strands of hair stuck to your lips.
What's not to love?

The Makeup Bag: Home For Thanksgiving|TheUnanimousMolly

Yay for all of the food and drink and treats!

Last night I was packing up my beauty bits to take home for Thanksgiving and whipped up this quick little video for you. 

So if you were wondering what I pop in my purse for a quick holiday jaunt to the folks then take two quick minutes and press play below ;)

Happy Thanksgiving Guys!!!

Me Time Tag|TheUnanimousMolly

So this is a little ditty all about how...I spend time by myself. Yay me time!

Whether you are curling up to tea and Netfllix or, in my case, chowing down on Football and snacks me time is healthy and neccesary. 

So prepare for 17 plus minutes of me haranging on about my relaxation preferences and habits.

Ed Note:Party Season Basics

 With the festive season fast approaching the beauty community is going to be inundated with posts and videos about the best red lips and how to force a little extra sparkle into your nights. 

Don't worry it's coming from me too.

...but first I want to talk about those Monday mornings.

The ones you were really hoping would miraculously never come. 

Well come they do and I have a few products set aside for when I really need a pick me up.

So go ahead, have one more.* I've got your morning covered.

It's Officially Candle Season

 Now I love me some home fragrance all year round but there is nothing quite like a good flickering candles come Autumn. 

I always especially love candles in the colder months because I tend to gravitate towards stronger, woodier, incense-y smells that just seem to suit the cold so much better. 

I've found a couple new scents that are really tickling my pickle..and some that I am dying to try.

The Winter Highlight

I never understand why people always champion fuller coverage and powder products in the colder months.

When my skin is feeling parched and dry I love to reach for cream products and cream highlights in particular. They just seem to make the skin come to life in a way that other products can't and highlight is my favorite beauty defense against the cold!

 It may not help with chill chapped skin but when used correctly they certainly can hide it!

H&M Home Sings to my Soul

Since discovering H&M Home my wallet has wept. The only saving grace is that the only store in New York that carries home goods is not terribly convenient to my routine.

If it were I would be broke. 

In addition to a beautiful soap (or in my case lotion) dispenser I picked up this lovey, quirky, catchall eyelash dish for my bedside table.

Vampy Lips-Mirror Selfie Style

 Along my makeup journey I have come to really love myself in a vampy lip.

I think it happened around the same time I "embraced the pale".

The high contrast of my paper white complexion against a deep bloody brown red or purple shade just adds to the long list of reasons why the colder months are my favorite.

So in classic Sunday bathroom selfie style I am going to walk you through four stellar choices if you're looking to add a more goth girl options to your lip color lineup.

Confessions| Lotioning for the Lazy

When it comes to the different areas of personal grooming there are definitely areas where we all falter.

Now not the important things (showers, teeth brushing, deodorant, etc... hopefully.) but, some of the extra things are known to go by the wayside around these parts. 

Nothing is easier for me to skip than lotion although, now that I'm getting older it seems more and more like a necessity.

I think I may have found a way to make lotion easy on myself.

HAUL:Sephora VIB Sale and More!|TheUnanimousMolly

Sunday Bonus Jonas!

If you haven't already seen it I posted my Sephora VIB sale haul today!

I definitely picked up some more fun things this time than I did in my Friends & Family haul especially with all of the Holiday goodies and gift sets lining the shelves at Sephora this time of year.

It was a hard one to resist!
Check out the footage behind the cut!

The Surprise Handbag Staple|NARS Barbarella

We all cave and buy products on the recommendation of someone, sometimes.

 Friend, magazine, blog...we have all, at one point or another, picked something up because we heard it through the grapevine.

Now these purchases can be kind of crap shoot. Sometimes you love them and sometimes they sit on your vanity they collect dust and every time you look at it you wonder what made you think that was a good idea in the first place.

NARS Barbarella is definitely the latter

Empties #13|TheUnanimousMolly

I know I have been on a video roll lately!

What can I say? I like the sound of my own voice.

Empties videos are some of my favorite. I think it gives you great insight into the things I'm really using as well as giving me a chance once every few months to scour my collection for things that are collecting dust or going bad.

Win, win, win!

I hope you guys enjoy this and let me know what you've used up lately.

Are you going to repurchase?

Check out life behind the cut to see what gets tossed and what gets a second(or third, or fourth) lap!

In The Bag

I have had such a hard time lately'; finding a bag that I like that I can rely on and that looks sleek and professional. 

After scouring the internet and searching high and low in store I finally decided on a piece that I thought would work. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the Zara TRF Doctor Bag.

HAUL: Sephora F&F and More|TheUnanimousMolly

I did some serious damage this month.

 Serious.

Since it is sale season for all things makeup and beauty I thought a haul video might be a good idea.

This way you can see some of the things I've picked up and maybe narrow down some choices of your own!

Let me know what you picked up or, what you're planning on picking up! 

As of tonight I am done shopping for me until Christmas. 

I swear!

Ed Note: DIY Brow Grooming

I have been a long time advocate of do it yourself eyebrow grooming. 

I know every time I say this I can see the shock on people's faces.

What?! 

Do them yourself?

Yes.

Do them yourself. 

With a few simple tools, about twenty minutes and a good magnifying mirror your brows will be back with no appointment and no botched jobs.

Too Good To Be True

Upon finishing up my two previous under eye concealer options (Origins Plantscription and  NARS Radiant Creamy respectively) I decided it was time to branch out and try something new.

The promise of the Perricone MD cosmetic line is simply "No Makeup Makeup." 

What makeup loving lady can say no to a branding promise like that?!

No one, that's who so, when the Friends and Family sale came around at Sephora I decided it was time to dive into the Perricone range.

A.M. Skincare for People Who Hate Mornings

Ok, I don't hate mornings but I'm not very good at them.

I try so hard but that shit just hasn't come together for me yet. 

For a long time I have been forgoing this step completely. 

I know. The shame...

So over the last month I've decided  it's time to lady-up and pick a few simple products that I can use quickly everyday.

So far this skincare quartet has really been working. It's quick and easy to do and so far my skin has been seeing some major benefits.

October Favorites 2014|TheUnanimousMolly

Happy November!

I hope everyone had an exciting and safe Halloween.

I definitely went for it this year and had SO.MUCH.FUN!

But alas, the best month of the year is now behind us and it's time to brace your buns for the oncoming assault of Holiday themed commercials before you've even had a single forkful of stuffing.

Marketing is fab right?

Soapbox aside I thought I would take a moment to share my monthly favorites including a sneaky peek at one of my Halloween costumes :)

What did you guys love this month?

Lazy Girl Halloween| The Pin Up Ghoul

I LOVE Halloween. 

Love it. 

But that doesn't mean I'm immune to realizing that I have no costume prepared at midnight on October 29th. 

Lucky for me this year I had plans that required a ticket so I was forced to think about it at least a week in advance and get some costume-y bits together. 

My roommate on the other hand was feeling froggy this evening and so we sat down to have a little play.

In Defense of Expensive Mascara

Of all the cosmetic products in all the land mascara is the only piece of the puzzle that very few people seem to shell out for. 

Even I've said it in the past: "I don't think luxury mascaras give any better lashes than one from the drugstore."

I may be prepared to eat my words.

The last few months I've been riding the department store mascara train and honestly:my eyes have never looked better.

The Winter Skin Saver

When the last few rays of Summer sun fall behind the clouds and it starts getting dark before you get in form work the time comes to start bracing your skin for the cold. 

I always end up surprised by it and as a result end up battling dry, flaky, chapped and sore skin for a few days before everything rebalances.

One thing I am always sure to have on hand year round and especially now is a one stop shop all purpose balm to protect and heal my skin from the serious NYC winds.

Stick With It

 If I had to guess which product I use most in my eye product stash I would have to say it is my ever growing assortment of retractable eyeshadow pencils. 

They are Monday morning heaven.

The formulas I've tried to date make for the perfect swipe and go shades but, the best part is that on mornings when you do have more time they can be layered with other shades to create a more dynamic effect and a longer lasting look.

Makeup Worth the Mess

If there is one product on the market that gets a bad rap for no real reason it's loose pigments. 

Now I get it. Using one in the morning can be more effort than you have time for but that doesn't mean you can't keep a few choice loose options stashed away for a rainy day.

They are especially nice on a night out but even for a nice weekend adventure these shades make for a lovely and in most cases stunning metallic finish on the eye.

A bonus with keeping loose items on hand is the immense versatility.

Even if you opt not to use them on they eyes you can always sprinkle some over wet nails, dab some in the center of your lip gloss, mix some into your lotion etc. 

The options are limitless and with three choice colors you can get a lot of mileage out of your messy makeup.

About Face| Barely There Beauty

I love the freedom of easy makeup days. Usually Sundays for me. Most of the time I don't bother at all. I like to give my skin the day off if I can but, whether I'm running out for coffee or to run errands there is a small arsenal of products I refer to so I can be out the door in under five minutes.

The best part?

You can apply the whole routine with just your fingers.

Ugly Pretty Colors

One thing Autumn trends tend to bring about is the presence of "ugly pretty colors." You know the pea soup and baby poop green shades. 

Things that only ever seem pretty when the air is clear and crisp and all of the scenery is blustery and warm.

I don't know quite what it is about this time of year but it makes me want mustard nails. 

In honor of the season let's match our nails to the wilting foliage! 

The Replacements|The Bathroom Counter

Now that I have my own bathroom I get really excited about things like candles and hand soap. Especially when they match.

I was at my local Target and making a beeline to repurchase my favorite Mrs. Meyers Hand Soap Scent-Radish (Yes I know I'm the only one.) when low and behold it is not in stock. 

Lame.

After a quick sniff of all of the other hand soap options (I flirted briefly with something from J.R. Watkins.) I settled on the Mrs Meyer's Basil scent and after a few days getting used to it I thought I would commit to the matching candle for a couple weeks. Just to hold on to the warm fresh summer feelings for a little bit longer. 

I will say the Basil scent doesn't quite out do my Radish-y favorite but it will be nice for a while. 

As far as the candle is concerned.

Mr Meyer's seems to do a nice candle with good throw but...the Vineyard Hills Natural Candle I had before this in Mandarin Lavender puts the Mrs. Meyers to shame. 

If you can find these (mine came from Target) They are only a few bucks and are perfect for small spaces that need a little something extra.

I realize that this isn't a strictly beauty related post but I know I can't be the only one who looks forward to re-upping the bathroom counter must haves.

Am I?

Confession: Beauty MInis

Now with holiday value sets in full swing at places like Sephora and Ulta I thought it would be a good time to share my thoughts on all of the minis the can accumulate around this time of year.

Do you actually use your mini products?

I mean they're soooo cute and all but do you use them?

I have this issue where they accumulate in my collection. I set them off to the side for when I "travel"(Lately for me traveling is my parents house a whopping 2 hour journey from Queens)but then just end up bringing my full sized products with me instead. 

So lets weigh some pro's and cons and see what minis are good and what minis are collection cluttering evil.

Capsule Wardrobe|Beauty Tools

When it comes to the beauty industry every you turn around there is a new tool or a new gadget that claims to make you beautiful in a fraction of the time.

There is seemingly no gimmick stone left unturned when marketing beauty to men and women.

It really is not that complicated. 

I think there are really only a few things I think everyone needs to put together a nicely groomed look on a day to day basis and they do not have to be expensive or electronic or from an infomercial. 

The Spectrum: Olive

One of the not so neutral neutral makeup shades to reach for when the weather starts to cool (or anytime really) is an olive green. 

Hits of color mixed with a sprinkle of gold make for a sesaonlly on point shade that is so easy to wear.

The best part? I think is a shade that comes in a really nice variety of products so no matter how you want to wear it there is a way to make it work for you.

Shopping My Stash: Autumn Edition

Now the beauty concept of shopping one's stash requires having a stash in the first place so forgive me as this post really only applies to people like me with Far.Too.Much.Makeup.

When you do find you accumulate products it isn't hard for some of them to get forgotten about in the back of a drawer somewhere. 

For this reason once a season or so I like to have a good rummage through all of my beauty hiding places and pull out all the things I once raced about that got abandoned when newer shinier things came along. 

It seems I tend to be especially guilty of this with blush products.