Necklaces // Virginia State Necklace & L.T.B. (custom made)

Good Morning and Happy Monday! It’s Christmas Week!

In honor of the holiday I’m going to be creating merry posts all week long. Beauty, travel, fashion and hair! I’m getting a hair cut & color on Wednesday and will be posting pictures of the front, side and back Christmas Eve – this has been the most highly requested post of all time.

For today’s post I thought I would share my holiday beauty look. I only used products that I’m taking with me on Christmas vacation and I’m really happy with the way it turned out! Below I’m going to list the products used (+ brushes), in the order I used them, and any other details. Please let me know if you have any questions! 

Prepping the Skin

Skin Refreshing Spray // MAC Fix +

I like to start my beauty routine every morning by spritzing my face with MAC’s Fix+. It’s 90% water, 10% magic…leaving the skin feeling hydrated and ready for creams and potions.

Face Cream // Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation 

This is a very sheer face cream so it’s perfect for underneath your makeup. It repairs skin with a vitamin C complex, licorice root and pea extract (there is really no scent). Right now I own the baby sample size which is great for travel!

Eye Cream // Benefit Puff Off

This gel instantly helps to smooth the look of puffy eyes. I’ve been using a 100 point perk from Sephora and I have a feeling it’s going to last me a very long time! I stash these baby samples away for any time I have to fly and don’t want to check a bag (which is almost always).

The Eyes

Eyeliner // KatVonD Tattoo Liner (Trooper)

I’ve said it eight hundred times, but this is my favorite liquid liner of all time. You. Will. Not. Be. Disappointed. I normally free hand my cat eye, but if you do your eye makeup first you can remove the excess or mess ups with a makeup remover cloth or Qtip (I like to dip mine in micellar water). I also recently purchased this liner in Mad Max Brown which I figured it would be less harsh for the day to day.

Side note: Now is the time to clean off the excess eye shadow under the eye with a makeup remover cloth or Qtip. You can also use tape before you get started in a diagonal shape as a guideline for your eye shadow and liner. Regular scotch tape works great, but unfortunately, I think I have an allergy to the adhesive. The couple times I’ve tried it I end up itching the corners of my eyes all day.

The Face

Primer // Laura Mercier Foundation Primer 

I own this primer in the oil-free version, but got the regular one as a deluxe sample. It’s only .5 ounces so it’s great for travel. I rub this all over my face focusing on my t-zone. 

Foundation // Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full Coverage (light-medium)

Using Marc Jacobs The Face 1 Brush 

For this look I used Tarte’s long wearing amazonian clay foundation, because it comes in a squeeze tube bottle which is easy for travel and I haven’t given it any love in a long time. It gives great coverage, although not my favorite. [After creating this look I ended up purchasing Make Up For Ever’s Ultra HD Foundation Stick and will be taking this instead. It’s a solid so I don’t have to pack it in my quart size bag and I’ve heard AMAZING things. It’s supposedly very full coverage and great for pictures. I got color 118 and will be testing it out this morning!]

Under Eye Brightener // MAC Prep & Prime Highlighter (Radiant Rose)

Using Real Techniques Sculpting Brush 

Lately, I’m big on using an under eye brightener/highlighter before my concealer. I use pink toned products and I place it down my nose, in the middle of my forehead, on my chin, cupid’s bow, and under my eyes in a triangular shape. MAC’s Prep & Prime is a light weight formula so it won’t feel too thick. If I’m using Becca Cosmetics version I only place it under the eyes, because it is a very thick & sticky formula (but beautiful).

Concealer // Urban Decay Naked Skin (Light/Warm)

Using Real Techniques Sculpting Brush & MAC 159 (to get into hard to blend areas)

I place this concealer in a smaller triangle under my eyes focusing closer in towards my nose. This is a very full coverage concealer and it doesn’t take much! It’s also incredibly long wearing. This is my all time favorite.

Under Eye Setting Powder // Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

Using Sigma F35 Brush (to bake) & Bubbi Dome Brush (to sweep product away)

All Over Face Powder // Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (Translucent)

Using Bubbi Powder Brush or any large, fluffy powder brush

I brush this product all over my face and neck where I didn’t place the brightening powder. I haven’t used this for very long, but so far I’m impressed. My face seems to stay nice and matte all day – granted it is the winter time. My go to for a long, long time has been NARS pressed translucent powder, but I go through them so quickly I wanted to try something different. 

Contour/Bronzer // Lorac Pro To Go Palette

Using NARS Ita Brush (contour) & Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (to blend) & MAC 168 (to bronze)

Normally I use a separate contour powder and bronzer, but again, for travel it’s easier to use the same product. + this bronzer comes in the Lorac Pro To Go Palette that comes with two blushes & six eye shadows (used above), so it’s a one stop shop!

Blush // Lorac Pro To Go Palette

Using MAC Proenza Schouler Blush Brush (similar)

I used the coral blush in the palette and it’s beautiful! It has a really pretty sheen. 

Highlighter // Cle de Peau Luminizing Face Enhancer (14)

Using Real Techniques 300 Brush 

I was tempted not to link this product at all, because it’s expensive. Not just a little expensive, a lot expensive. Butttt it’s absolutely beautiful! And once you buy the compact all you have to buy is the replacement product (can you tell I’m trying to justify my purchase?). Some other great alternatives are here, here and here. I love a strong highlight so I place this on the high points of my cheeks, cupid’s bow, and the bridge & tip of my nose.

The Brows

Brow Pencil // MAC Veluxe Brow Liner (Brunette)

I’ll be honest I haven’t used this brown pencil in forever. Actually, I haven’t used a colored brow product in forever. I know I probably should, but I just hate filling in my brows and they are already so dark I feel like I can get away with it. And it’s a couple extra minutes I usually don’t want to give up in the morning. But for the purpose of this makeup look I felt like filling in the brows was essential. I don’t hear people talk about MAC’s Deluxe Brow Liner, but it’s so easy to use and goes on super smooth.

Brow Gel // Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

Although I don’t fill my brows in every day, I do set them with this clear brow gel. Every women need this product in their life!

Side note: Once I get to this point I take more of the Chai eyeshadow on an E30 brush from Sigma and place the color underneath my lower last line to really bring the eye look together. You can also line your water line in black or white for an even more pronounced eye.

Making Sure It’s Set!

Skin Refreshing Spray // MAC Fix +

Right before I touch up my liner and put on my mascara I spray a couple more sprays of MAC Fix+ all over my face. The reason I do this is for a more flawless finish. After using so much product it’s easy to have some build up and even excess product. The Fix+ helps to smooth out any of those areas and melts the makeup into the skin. I really, really do think this step makes a difference.

Makeup Setting Spray // Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

After waiting a minute for the Fix+ to dry I follow up with my makeup setting spray. You might wonder why in the world I do both of these steps, but they serve different purposes. Fix+ is not a setting spray so it won’t affect the longevity of your makeup. The All Nighter spray, on the other hand, will. I usually spray 8-10 sprays all over my face. It’s very refreshing!

The Lashes

Eye Lash Primer // Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum

Before I ever used this product I was using Revlon’s version, which does come at a more affordable price point. But after reading reviews where people said this is the best they’ve ever used I wanted to give it a go. And even though I don’t have a tried and true relationship with this little baby yet, I have noticed it keeps my lashes more curled! Overall, no matter the brand, mascara primers do make your mascara more pronounced and your lashes appear longer.

Mascara (Bottom Lashes) // Dior Addict It-Lash

Mascara (Top Lashes) // Too Faced Better Than Sex

This is the only mascara I’ve been wearing for months and months and months. The best I’ve ever used. I only own one other mascara now, because I was trying to find a cheaper alternative…and there’s just no comparison!

Lashes //Ardell (Demure) & DUO Glue (Clear)

The Lips

Lip Liner // MAC Lip Liner (Boldly Bare)

Boldly Bare is a great universal nude. It’s dark enough to wear with darker mauve and nude lipsticks, but also great if you want the “I have lip liner on” look (you all know what I’m talking about) with lighter nudes, pinks and mauves. This is a staple.

Lipstick // MAC Lipstick (Faux)

This lipstick is perfect for the woman who is apprehensive about red and who doesn’t wear bright lipsticks. Im such a fan of nudes and light pinks that it’s hard for me to get out of my comfort zone. But Faux is a beautiful muted mauve-pink satin. 

Side note: All the Bubbi brushes couldn’t be linked (I wish I had known or I would have used other brushes, but if you need an alternative be sure to ask). The company is closed for Christmas and will be back up by January. They are amazing and ship from South Korea. So if you’re interested, check their site in 2016 here!