Three Things Thursday 4-23-15

 Hi there lovely readers! Welcome back to another edition of Three Things Thursday - read on to find out what is making me smile this week!

MAC Lipstick in Up the Amp

MAC Lipstick in Up the Amp

Swatch - Up the Amp

Such a gorgeous spring shade - very outside of my normal inclination towards nude/mauve lip colors. Up the Amp is one of MAC's Amplified Cream Lipsticks in a relatively daring Lavender/Violet color. It applies super smoothly, and has a nice, soft finish - neither too matte nor too glossy. It is non-drying, lasts for a reasonable amount of time and has a pleasant vanilla scent. It is well worth the $16 price tag. This is my first MAC lipstick, and based on its performance, I will be purchasing more!




Beauty Blender

Original Beauty Blender

It took me a long time to drink the kool-aid, but now that I have, the Beauty Blender has become a definite must-have beauty tool for me. This is a universal, all-in-one tool that makes putting on your face so simple and easy, you'll wonder what you did before you owned one! You can use it to apply all of your skincare and makeup products, from moisturizer and primer to foundation and even powder.  The Beauty blender comes in 5 colors (pink, white, black, red, and purple) and now also comes in two sizes (original and micro mini, which is teeny tiny!). They are pretty pricey at $20 a pop, but if you take care of your sponge properly it could last you up to a year! That being said, if you don't want to shell out the that much for a makeup sponge, there are some good alternatives, such as the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge which runs around $6, as well as this one from BH Cosmetics . A bit of advice from me to you: make sure you wet the sponge for best results. The first time I used a Beauty Blender, I didn't wet it, and I just couldn't figure out what all the fuss was all about. While you can apply makeup with a dry sponge if that's what you prefer, wetting it makes all the difference in the world!

Liz Earle Eye Bright Soothing Eye Lotion

Liz Earle Eye Bright Soothing Eye Lotion

I use this every morning when I wake up to soothe my tired eyes and remove any leftover traces of makeup. Just using this gives me the appearance of being more awake, and it feels so refreshing. I simply pour a little on a cotton ball, swipe it across my eyes (paying special attention to my lower lash line, where makeup seems to hide), and I am ready to start my day! Ingredients such as Aloe Vera, Eyebright extract, Witch Hazel, and Cornflower extract help calm inflammation, moisturize, and tone the delicate skin around the eye. If you are looking for a product that helps reduce puffiness and soothes sleepy eyes, give this one a try!

Thus concludes this week's Three Things Thursday. Please let me know what your must haves are - I'd love to try them for myself!

Thanks for visiting - live a beautiful life!

~Jessica