My Favorite Summer Hairstyles

Have you been wanting to change up your hairstyle? Here are some of my favorite hairstyles for this summer. Loose waves and french braids are always my favorite for summer months!

Summer is the best excuse to change up your hair! Add some highlights, get a shorter & edgier cut, do something fun! A simple change in your hairstyle can really change up your look.

MAC's Venomous Villain Collection

Are you excited? MAC's Venomous Villain Collection is coming out in October 2010! Here are some sneak peek photos of the collection.

Will you be picking up anything from the collection?

Photos of courtesy of Temptali

Product Review: Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation Primer

I really love Laura Mercier products so it disappointed me when I tried this primer and did not get the results I expected. 


I have oily skin with some fine lines under my eyes and around my mouth (laugh lines) - They aren't drastic, but when I wear foundation, they are made very noticeable. I really need a primer that controls shine throughout the day, and prevents makeup from sitting in my lines. 

Unfortunately, this primer did not live up to my standards. I believe that the product is too watery, and is more of a moisturizer than anything else. The texture is great, and it's not too greasy, but it had me very oily soon after my makeup was applied. Also, my makeup sat in my lines more so than if I don't wear a primer at all.  

Pros: Moisturizing, feels great, did help my foundation stay in tact all day long
Cons: Doesn't control oil, Doesn't fill wrinkles and pores


Nicole's Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


If you'd like to try this product for yourself, you can get it here for $30.


I'll keep you updated on new primers that I try!

Foundation Primer

 I think a goal for all women is flawless skin. Sadly, we're not all blessed with super model skin (neither are they) so we create it with makeup! We use foundation to cover up any imperfections, or discoloring that we may have. Unfortunately, sometimes foundation can make us look worse than wearing no makeup at all! 


Foundation primers are really great and can be a helpful addition in your makeup application process. If you have fine lines, large pores, or uneven skin tone, a primer can really help create a smooth, clean canvas for your foundation. Just like you prime a wall before you paint it, you need to prime your face before you apply your makeup. Sometimes people with great skin find that just using a great moisturizer is enough for them, but for other's of us with not-so-perfect skin need a little more help.


If you notice that when you apply your foundation, there are patches of your skin where the foundation doesn't blend smoothly, or the foundation/concealer sits right in the lines of your face & pores, and makes them more noticeable, you may want to try using a primer beforehand. Also, if your foundation tends to wear off by the end of the day, a foundation primer will help your makeup stay in tact all day long! 


Primer also creates a barrier between your skin & your makeup, so your skin is not absorbing all the chemicals and pigment in your cosmetics (well not as much as it normally would)


That being said, primers are great, but it can take some trial & error before finding the right one for your skin. 

Some great ones that I use are Makeup Forever HD Microperfecting Primer and Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer  

Let me know if you find any mentionable ones!

My Favorite Bronzers

I'm known for wearing pretty dramatic blush/bronzer. 
(Some would say too much)....But I love it! 

All I need is mascara, bronzer, and gloss and I'm good to go! I think that bronzer ads color to a pale face and gives you dimension. 

I usually use MAC's bronzing powders, but for the past few months I have been loving the NARS Lovejoy Blush 
                             

I use it as a bronzer & blush because it works great as both! NARS is known for excellent pigmentation and this blush does not fail in that department! It looks very glittery in the picture but it definitely is not!

Another bronzer that I just recently purchased is the JK Jemma Kidd Show Stopper Water-Resistant Bronzer 

This is a great bronzer for the summer. The top layer has pretty gold shimmer but once you get through the shimmer you are left with a perfect golden bronze color! The packaging is hot pink and very cute! This bronzer also has great pigmentation and you only need a little to get that sun kissed look. Although I wouldn't call it water-resistant, I would call it sweat-resistance. It lasted for over 7 hours while I was out in this hot Cali sun! I got this bronzer from Target for $23 and now I'm wanting to try the other things in Jemma's line. 

I just love the fact that Target is coming out with more high end lines! It's my favorite store!

Product Review: Frederic Fekkai Technician Color Care Mask

So, I'm a girl who has been coloring, bleaching, highlighting, and straightening, my hair for 9+ years. I started coloring my hair at a very young age, and have truly put my hair through major damage since. Because of all the processing I've done to my hair, my hair is thin, dry, and brittle. I've tried so many products from drugstore brands, to high end salon brands to get my hair back to normal health! 

Nothing has really worked for me, until recently when I stumbled upon Frederic Fekkai's Technician Color Care Mask. 

Here is the product's description on Sephora's website:

What it is:
An intense and instant treatment designed to deeply nourish and protect color-treated hair.
What it does:
This luscious, creamy formula helps extend the life of color treatments and maintain healthy, shiny hair. The triple-color protection complex helps protect hair from UV rays and color from fading, while it helps keep color looking radiant and lustrous. It is the perfect solution for just-colored hair that delivers a vibrant, silky feel without the "wait."

I'm always on the hunt for a new deep conditioning treatment for my hair, but most of them usually leave me extremely oily, and weigh down my hair, and some just don't work at all. 

Well, after I tried this bad boy, I blow dried my hair and it came out super smooth and shiny, like I just got a professional blow out. My hair felt healthy and I could actually run my fingers through it!

I definitely recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a nice conditioning treatment for their hair. It's a bit on the pricey side at $35, but so worth it! And another plus: It smells freaking fantastic! It smells like grapefruit which really woke me up in the shower and made me want to eat the stuff....Although that would be pretty gross!

Tip: Try hitting up Nordstrom Rack for a discount on this product! 

Or you can order it on Sephora's website here:
Frederic Fekkai Technician Color Mask at Sephora

Nicole's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars (they lose a star for the steep price)

Welcome to My Beauty Bubble!

Thanks for stopping by! I have finally started my own blog after many years of being a faithful beauty blog reader. I may even get back into making youtube videos w/ makeup tutorials! I will cover everything that is beauty related in this blog - reviews, tutorials, new product launches, etc. I have a few interesting things coming up so stay tuned.  

Thanks! <3

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