Beauty Favorites: Maybelline

~ its Makeup Monday and we're starting a new series of beauty favorites, sharing our most loved products used on ourselves and in our kits from our favorites brands. first up: Maybelline. #bornwithit has always been a recognizable slogan. the no frills and gimmicks makeup line has maintained it's success throughout the years by being affordable and appealing on a variety of trends, whether fresh off the runway {Maybelline sponsors Toronto Fashion Week} or simply by carrying products that help maintain a flawless looking face. with celebrity makeup artist Grace Lee at the helm, showcasing the adaptability of Maybelline products, the brand has comes become a staple in makeup bags and kits everywhere ~

~ Baby Lips has long been a favorite of makeup artists and models alike, with an array of styles  {dr.rescue, crystal, electro} and shades to give just a hint of color while providing a balm like texture with ingredients such as honey and shea butter. grab your favorite Baby Lips style at your local Shoppers Drug Mart or London Drugs 

~ Color Sensational Lip Color is THE lip product when you want bold color with a full shine! the pure pigment in this statement lip product along with the moisturizing power of honey nectar, lanolin and castor oil make it a favorite when looking to make an elegant lip statement

~ with matte lips being such an in demand texture both on  and off the runway, these Bold Matte Color Sensational lipsticks are perfect when you want bold color with a no slip, long wearing finish.  with 20 shades to choose from and 3 essential oils {honey, sesame seed oil and kaolin} blended in with pure pigments you're sure to find the perfect color

~ next up is 24hr Color Tattoo Cream Gel Shadow, an absolute staple in many artists kit for their long wearing texture both as a shadow and as a base for shadow.  this line comes in several textures now, such as 24 HR Color Tattoo Leather Shadow {a matte finish} 24HR Color Tattoo Metal {a metallic or frost texture} and a variety of gorgeous shades. wear them alone as shadow for a natural but long wearing look, or under shadow as a base to intensify color and or shine! 

~ Fit Me! Concealer {and the entire Fit Me! line of products} has had such success since it's launch due in part to it's variety of shades {6, most drugstore brands have less} and realistic undertones.  this concealer contains no oils or waxes, and with it's liquid texture it's lightweight and gives a natural matte finish.  check out the other much loved and awarded Fit Me! products in the line: Fit Me! Foundation, Fit Me! Pressed Powder, Fit Me! Blush and Fit Me! Bronzer 

~ even if you don't currently own any Maybelline products {we hope that changes after this post!}, chances are you started out with one of their cult mascaras. Colossal Volume Mascara in Black is one of our absolute favorites for full, thick lashes! delivering 9x the volume of their regular mascara (with collagen formula) it will take those tiny lashes to the extreme.  we recommend at least 2-3 coats per eye to start volumizing, but you can coat your lashes until you get your desired result. this formula comes in washable, waterproof and 3 different shades but we will always recommend the classic black!

~ Great Lash Mascara is THE cult classic mascara {40 years of popularity don't lie} and the first one most beginning makeup artists check out.  this mascara is a great choice for natural looking lashes and now comes in several different brush styles as well as waterproof

~ Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser is one of those amazing products that can give you the results of a more expensive one {think Benefit Porefessional, Clinique Pore Minimizer}, and we LOVE that. beloved for it's skin smoothing, pore erasing and oil absorbing results, dab a small amount anywhere you want to control oil or erase pores. we also love it around the outside of the lip line if your lipstick has a tendency to bleed into any fine lines

~ that rounds up our Maybelline Favorites for #MakeupMonday! stay tuned for next week's brand favorite must haves, and stay fabulous
xoxo

Beauty Favorites: {Drug Store Favorites}

~ there's something to be said for being a savvy beauty junkie. it doesn't always mean having the most expensive products in your makeup kit. Rather, it means knowing what products are investment pieces and which ones you can save on.

~ being makeup artists, we go through A LOT of product. there are certain make up items that we are always replenishing and sometimes it just doesn't make sense spending so much on items that you go through so quickly and frequently. we practice this philosophy with our personal make up kits also. absolutely there are items that we will spending some of our hard-earned money on and feel no remorse or guilt whatsoever {we're looking at you Tom Ford lipsticks} but there are some things we just can't bring ourselves to spend all those dolla bills on for the following reasons:
1. we don't use them too often {like foundation ~ Oz is a tinted moisturizer kinda girl} 2. the lifetime of the product just isn't worth it {most mascaras because we go thru them so fast} 3. trendy items {certain shades of lipsticks or eyeliners are only popular for so long, no sense in spending so much money if they're only being used a few times} and lastly, 4. tried, tested and true {these products are just as good as their luxury counterparts!}

~ we've chosen 6 of our favorite drug store products that we think you'll love just as much, starting off with Oz's selects.
we would love to hear your favorites also in the comment section!!

1. Maybelline Baby Lips ~ i probably have 10 of these in all my coats and purses. they're so hydrating and impart a hint of color that can actually be used in lieu of lipstick or gloss. as an added bonus, they visibly renew the texture of your lips leaving behind super soft lips

2. Cover Girl Full Lash Bloom ~ mascara is something i thru a lot! i'm a minimalist when it comes to my every day makeup routine
3. L'Oreal Infalliable Gel Lacquer Liner 24 Hour ~ this gel liner is amazing. ah-may-zing. it glides on super smooth without tugging at your skin, the brush gives you a lot of control with flexibility {for those winged eyeliner days} and it stays. like on. for a very long time. it is also a favorite of many a celebrity make up artists
4. L'Oreal True Match Concealer ~ i don't know about you but i like my makeup application to be quick and foolproof but have me looking beauteous. this easy to use concealer that blends in seamlessly with color match perfection is a great on-the-go product to have for quick, cell-phone camera touch ups
5. Eco Tools Brushes ~ i'll be honest with you, i like fancy brushes. they bring me lots of joy when i use them on myself and my clients. i came across these brushes by accident: i went to a makeup gig not realizing that i had misplaced my brushes in a different kit {fortunately it was a friend and i got there super early and we were close to London Drugs}. while i could have easily done a full makeup with my hands and fingers {fashion makeup artist yo!} i do hold myself to a level of professional decorum. my salvation: eco tools brushes. they are really nice. really nice. and trust a makeup artist when they tell you if brushes are the bomb.com or not. these beauties are now my mainstay personal brushes
6. Revlon Colorstay Foundation ~ if and when i wear foundation {very rarely if ever} i like a foundation that works with my combination skin, gives me a decent amount of coverage, but most importantly, stays on my face. fortunately, this one does all of that and doesn't make me feel like my skin is caked on with makeup {yes, i am a makeup artist who doesn't like to wear foundation. we do exist}

Tarah's selects are coming up and she's a glam girl so be sure to check back soon!

xoxo

Glam at the 2015 Grammy's

- excuse us for being away for a moment, we have been working on some fun Love Day ideas! however, we took a break to indulge in some 2015 Grammy's action and the glitterati did not disappoint. the ladies pulled out their glam squads and took their red carpet action up a notch if you ask us. below is our picks for the best glam of the night:

Madonna

~ say what you will about her outfits, her men ( boys), or her music, but you can't deny that her makeup artist @ginabrookebeauty slays her glam on every red carpet.  never without her Chantecaille Rose de Mai Hydrating Mist, she also incorporated the brands Future Skin foundation and new for Spring 2015 The Glacier Eye Shadow Trio (which we will be picking up for ourselves after seeing it!). the Madonnator sported a rose lip, her signature porcelain skin, strong brows and bold cat eye liner with the most gorgeous shade of gold glitter shadow

Katy Perry

~this girls makeup is on point at every event thanks to her beauty boy @byjakebailey.  as a Cover Girl spokesperson he incorporated a few signature products into her look for the Grammy's, such as Cover Girl's newest addition to their mascara family: Full Lash Bloom Mascara.  a few of our other picks to complete her look are Cover Girl's Bombshell Intensity Liner and Notice Me Nudes Eyeshadow Quad. shine on Miss Katy, shine on

Kim Kardashian- West

~ now this pick may be frowned upon by some of you, but there is no denying @makeupbymario talent for bringing out the best in Mrs. West's features with his signature glam.  using Anastasia Beverly Hills shadows on her eyes in a mix of golds, greens and browns, Tom Ford Gloss in Naked, and his custom highlighter Eye M Glam by Giella.  this gives Kim a fantastic glow with out being overly shiny, and a wonderful take on  modern mermaid colors

{Best Beauty Looks}: Golden Globes 2015

~ the start to awards season is always fun for fashion and beauty lovers. seeing what the talented actors and actresses wear on the red carpet is exciting! some people even place bets on which actress will wear who to which event. the golden globes are the first big awards event of the season and last night's show definitely set the stage for the rest of the year. you saw our post on our best/worst styles here and now we're sharing our favorite beauty looks. there are always so many stunning women on the red carpet that really, we'd chose almost all of them if we could. the ladies we did choose are on opposite ends of the beauty spectrums. the first three are soft and natural, shimmeringly beautiful. the other three are much bolder, dramatic and stand outs. any way you look at it, all 6 ladies looked stunning. we found a few of the products each lady's makeup artist used to achieve their glam looks. there is even a surprise make up artist amongst them!  ~

Diane Kruger make up by Diane Kruger!!

 Amy Adams makeup by Stephen Sollitto using Chanel Beauté

 Sienna Miller makeup by Charlotte Tilbury using Charlotte Tilbury Cosmetics

Allison Williams makeup by Gianpaolo Ceciliato using Armani Cosmetics and St. Tropez

Emma Stone makeup by Rachel Goodwin for Chanel Cosmetics

Jessica Chastain  makeup by Kristofer Buckle using YSL Beauté

Skin Care Favorites: {2014}

~ i mentioned in my 2014 beauty favorites post that i had upped my skin care game this year. i've definitely noticed changes in my skin and while i've been fortunate to have very little change, i have no doubt that one day i'll wake up and see some things i don't really want to see. proactive is the name of the game. i've been making sure to step out of my usual comfort zone and brands and try some newer products. that's worked out really well for me thus far and i've been very happy with what i've added to my skin care routine. being a beauty blogger and editor, i make sure to do a bit of research and test all the products before purchasing and i encourage that you do that also. the last thing you want is to buy something that doesn't work for you. also, read the packaging. when i first tried the glam glow, it began to tingle and i was worried my skin was reacting to it. it wasn't until i read the packaging and it said: tingling and exfoliating mud mask. even beauty editors have not so bright moments. anyhoo, the following are some of the newer products i tried out this year and have added to my every day. i broke it down for morning/evening and specialty. there are other products i use also but these are the newest and freshest. i look forward to upping my skin care game even more in 2015. sheet masks. going to buy some more sheet masks ~

Day: 

Fresh Soy Facial Cleanser 

Eminence Stone Crop Hydrating Mist 

Josie Maran Light Argan Oil

Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense Sunscreen 

Evening: 

Kiehl's Avocado Eye Cream 

Tarte Fresh Eyes Make Up Remover Wipes 

Josie Maran High Infinity Intensive Creamy Oil

Specialty: 

Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask 

Glam Glow Youth Mud Tingling and Exfoliating Mud Mask 

Clarisonic Mia 2 

Jenna Hipp Essential Nail & Hand Cream

Top 10 Beauty Favorites: {2014}

~ 2014 has been quite a year, with ups and down {as to be expected} but a trail of glittery things has made for an overall pleasant year. i made too many visits to sephora {VIB Red yo!} and was fortunate to have a lot of support sent my way from various beauty lines {perks of being a makeup artist/beauty blogger/beauty editor}. i put together 10 of beauty favorites from 2014. i tried a lot of new products things year, from hair to skin and beauty. the biggest change for me was trying out bolder lip colors. that was a step and i'm glad i took it. i also developed a mild obsession with roller balls {they're so perfect-sized for all my handbags and clutches} and upped my skin care game {post coming soon}. i hope your year was full of pretty things and that 2015 is just as beautiful ~

1. NARS Laguna Bronzer
2. NARS Cruella Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
3. Benefit Fake Up in Shade 2
4. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Black
5. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiore
6. Essie Nail Polish in Head Mistress
7. Dolce by Dolce & Gabbana Roller Ball
8. NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette
9. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette
10. Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep

xoxo

Oz

{Merry Christmas !!}

~ wishing you lots of joy and quality time with your families and loved ones! we hope Santa treated you your hearts desires, whatever they may be. sending you all lots of love and happiness ~

xoxo

12 Days of {Giveaways}: Day 1

~ It's the most wonderful time of the year and we want to share our love of beauty|style|pretty things with you all with 12 days of giveaways! entering is easy and you can submit 3 entries per giveaway. 1-follow us on Instagram @stylexbeautydept 2-follow us on Twitter @SBDgirls and 3- Follow us on Pinterest @sbdgirls. be sure to let the randomizer below each image know where you've entered! we will then randomly select a winner of each giveaway and notify you via either twitter or instagram. good luck to everyone and thank you for being so amazing and helping us grow our blog to what we envision it to be!~

xoxo Oz & Tarah

 ~first giveaway: Erno Lazlo Hand Cream x Deborah Lippman Nail Polish x Bauble Bar Gold Bracelet~

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