The Best Foundations for Every Budget

It's time for another installment of my budget series! In this post, I have analyzed the unit prices of all of the foundations in my collection!

Can you guess which foundation is the best bargain?

Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream

• $48 USD for 1.7 fl oz / 50 ml 

• Unit Price: $28.24 per fluid ounce / $0.96 per ml 

Sappho Liquid Foundation

• $52 USD for 1 fl oz / 30 ml 

• Unit Price: $52 per fluid ounce / $1.73 per ml 

Fitglow Beauty's Vita-Active Foundation

• $55 USD for 1 fl oz / 30 ml 

• Unit Price: $55 per fluid ounce / $1.83 per gram 

Alima Pure Pressed Foundation with Rosehip Antioxidant Complex Refill

• $22 USD for 0.31 oz / 9 g 

• Unit Price: $70.97 per ounce / $2.44 per gram

W3ll People Narcissist Foundation Stick

• $28.99 USD for 0.375 oz / 10 g 

• Unit Price: $77.31 per ounce / $2.90 per gram 

Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation

• $28 USD for 0.23 oz / 6.5 g 

• Unit Price: $121.74 per ounce / $4.31 per gram 

Kjaer Weis Cream Foundation Refill

• $40 USD for 0.123 oz / 7.5 g 

• Unit Price: $325.20 per ounce / $5.33 per gram 

RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up

• $36 USD for 0.20 oz / 5.67 g 

• Unit Price: $180 per ounce / $6.35 per gram 

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Do you have a favorite foundation?

Check out the previous installments of my budget series below!

• Lipsticks
• Blushes
• Highlighters

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Organic Pumpkin Spice Cashew Coffee

Nothing says fall more than a delicious pumpkin spice latte and let me tell you, this recipe is going to tantalize all of your senses! You can thank me later ;) Unlike the questionable ingredients in many of the pumpkin treats found in grocery stores and at your local coffee shop, this drink is packed full of real, nourishing ingredients that you can feel good about! It's also super simple to make and quite inexpensive. 

Whether you serve it hot or cold, you are absolutely going to love this drink!

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup of Organic Raw Cashews

• 2 cups Organic Coffee Concentrate (recipe below)

• 6 tablespoons Organic Agave Nectar (Maple Syrup works well too!)

• 3 teaspoons Organic Vanilla Extract

• 2.5-3 tablespoons of of Organic Pumpkin Puree

• 1 teaspoon of Organic Cinnamon

• 0.25 teaspoons of Nutmeg

• Water

Tools

• Blender

• Coffee Filter, Fine Sieve, or Cheesecloth

Directions

You'll want to soak the cashews in water for at least 6 hours to soften them up. I like just covering them with water and sticking them in the fridge overnight.

For the Coffee Concentrate: Scoop 0.75 cups of ground coffee into 2 cups of water and place in the fridge overnight. Filter this mixture through a coffee filter, fine sieve, or cheesecloth and reserve the spent grounds for an amazing diy coffee scrub (tutorial here)!

When the cashews/coffee are ready:

• Rinse the Cashews in a strainer until the water runs clear

• Place Cashews in a blender and gradually pour in 1 cup of water until creamy and smooth

• Add the filtered Coffee Concentrate to the Cashew mixture and blend on low

• While blending, add your Pumpkin, Agave, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg

Feel free to filter the entire concoction one more time if you would really like your drink to be perfectly smooth.

Pour into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 1 week. 

This recipe makes about 3 cups of Organic Pumpkin Spice Cashew Coffee. Enjoy!!

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Beauty Hack: Unlimited Lip Colors

One of the amazing benefits of green beauty products is their versatility. Clean ingredients create options.

Have you ever wished that you had an entire arsenal of gorgeous lipsticks? Well, you may not realize it, but you already do! There is a current trend that involves applying powder eye shadow on the lips to produce stunning original colors and finishes. With clean makeup, you can safely use not only your eye shadows, but also your blushes to formulate an unlimited number of lip colors. The possibilities are endless, so unleash your creativity and let your imagination run wild!

Here are a few tips:

• Exfoliate your lips to remove any dead skin that shadow or blush could cling to. I enjoy this Organic Marshmallow Cream Lip Scrub from Treat, but you can easily whip up your own sugar scrub or use a soft toothbrush to gently buff your lips. 

• Moisturization is key!! Apply a healthy coat of balm to your lips so that the powders that you choose can glide on with ease. This step also prevents your lips from drying out. I absolutely adore Kari Gran's Lip Whip and Hurraw! Lip Balm, but feel free to use your favorite!

• Loose mineral powders work amazingly well, but pressed products can be used too! I just got my hands on some shadows from Sheer Miracle and, oh my goodness, they are soooo gorgeous!! The blushes and shadows from Parlo Cosmetics also look exquisite on the lips!

For 25% off at Sheer Miracle, check out my affiliate link HERE.

As always, code blushingbme saves you 20% at Parlo Cosmetics :)

• After you've applied your balm, use a lip brush to add your powder products. Don't be afraid to mix different colors and experiment with new and interesting combos. In these photos, I've used Goddess and Flesh from Sheer Miracle to create a bold, fall look!

I hope that you have fun with this trend and don't forget to tag me in all of your gorgeous new looks!

*The Sheer Miracle products featured in this post are affiliate samples. As always, however, I have presented my 100% honest opinion. I cannot, nor will I ever, accept compensation in exchange for a positive review.

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Brand Spotlight: Raw Sugar

Available exclusively at Target, Raw Sugar is a brand to get to know! Inspired by ColdPress juicing, organic farming, holistic healing, and alternatives that endorse a clean lifestyle, Raw Sugar applies those same principles to their gorgeous product line!

Processed using ColdPressed Technology, Raw Sugar's products are made from natural fruit and vegetable based formulations that are infused with natural-certified extracts. I also love how transparent the brand is about their ingredients. Just head over to their website for a complete breakdown of everything that's in each product and why. Not to mention, Raw Sugar packages their goodies in 25% post consumer recycled plastic, 20% post recycled board, and natural bamboo.

Raw Sugar is also RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certified. Palm Oil has a natural preservative effect to help extend shelf life. It's also the highest yielding vegetable crop and requires less than half of the land needed by other crops. 

Best of all, for every product purchased, a bar of soap is donated to a person in need. By supporting Raw Sugar, you're not only investing in luxurious products that you will feel good about using, you are also having a positive impact on someone else's life. It doesn't get better than that!

Body Wash

Raw Sugar has three gorgeous body washes to choose from: Cucumber + Honeydew, Pink Grapefuit + Sugarcane, and my personal favorite, Vanilla Bean + Sugar. They each have a gel-like texture, but build to a rich, creamy lather on the skin. They rinse cleanly without leaving any sort of residue, but are also quite moisturizing. The scents are sweet and pure, but not overpowering.

Soap

These massaging bar soaps are so nourishing! Unlike products that can be quite drying, these bars of goodness leave my skin silky-smooth! Available in double-packs, these soaps are available in three fresh scents: Almond Butter + Oatmeal, Coconut Milk + Mango, and Lemon Sugar. 

Hand Wash

I work in a biohazard lab and have to wash my hands constantly! I am always on the hunt for a great hand wash and I've finally found it! My hands get super dry in the winter months, but I know that this moisturizing soap will keep them hydrated all year long! Again, there are three beautiful options to choose from: Mandarin Orange + Vanilla, Raw Coconut + Mango, and White Grapefruit + Mint.

Body Butter

These butters are thick and lush without being greasy. They melt beautifully into the skin and absorb quickly despite how rich and creamy they are. The Blood Orange + Cayenne butter is formulated to be ultra firming; the Coconut Milk & Mango version is incredibly smoothing; and the White Grapefruit + Mint is bright and rejuvenating.

Scrub

With options like Cacao + Green Coffee Bean + Sea Salt, Coconut + Pineapple & Maqui Berry, and Matcha Green Tea + Lemon Grass + Ginger, how are you supposed to choose just one scrub?!? Let me tell you, the grit of these scrubs is just right for exfoliating the skin and stimulating blood flow. The scents are also insanely delicious! My husband is a scrub aficionado and these beauties have received his highly coveted seal of approval! They do leave a serious residue, though, so make sure that you rinse well!

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Are you drooling yet? With amazing ingredients, affordable prices, and an initiative that gives back to those in need, you are absolutely going to fall in love with Raw Sugar!

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Review: Odacité's Serum Concentrates

Odacité's entire line of serum concentrates has completely won my heart! As an engineer, I find Odacité's alchemy-based marketing and Table of Pure Elements to be absolute genius! Each luxurious serum falls into a specific category that is targeted at addressing one of six primary concerns: Anti-aging; Hydration; Firmness; Sensitivity; Devitalization; and Oiliness. I love mixing and matching these serums to create my perfect, tailored routine! 

Odacité's serum concentrates work beautifully on their own or mixed in with other products. 2-3 drops is all you need to unleash the magic of these gorgeous blends! Crafted from precious extracts and oils, the exceptional quality of these serums is evident the second you open one of their petite dropper bottles and can enjoy their lovely, pure scents! They also absorb perfectly into the skin without leaving any sort of residue.

Odacité's Jojoba Lavender Serum Concentrate falls into the Oily/Combo category. Specifically, this transformative serum binds to sebum blockages and skin impurities to help flush out pores and minimize breakouts. YOU NEED THIS SERUM IN YOUR LIFE!!! It is like flawless skin insurance in a bottle! The combination of jojoba and lavender helps decongest pores and restore balance to the skin. Not to mention, lavender has amazing antibacterial properties that help gently fight off the microorganisms that lead to breakouts. Love it!

Wild Carrot and Acai Rose are both part of Odacité’s Anti-aging category of serums that are meant to provide the skin with a radiant, youthful glow. In addition to revitalizing dull, lifeless skin, I find that these serums are quite balancing. They give my skin just the right amount of hydration without clogging my pores. I like to add two drops of these precious, antioxidant-packed potions to my morning moisturizer or by themselves on the days that my skin needs an extra boost to achieve that natural, healthy glow!

Prices range from $32 to $55 USD for 5 ml (0.17 oz). As you may have guessed, the Anti-aging treatments are the most expensive, while the serums for oily/congested skin are the most affordable. Yes, these serums are not cheap and the bottles are tiny! I suggest getting a bunch of samples to figure out which serums target the specific needs of your skin. I keep the Jojoba Lavender Serum Concentrate ($32) around at all times and then swap in one of the more costly concentrates based on the current mood of my skin. Other than the cost, my one complaint is that the dark bottles make it difficult to determine how much product you have left. Each bottle is supposed to last for about a month and you can roughly estimate the amount of product that you have based on what will fit in the dropper. However, there is always more in the bottle than the dropper will capture, so make sure to tip the bottles and give them a shake to get every last drop of these precious serums!

I am such an advocate for Odacité's Serum Concentrates and I know that so many of you will fall in love with them! They are truly key to the health and beauty of my skin!

Have you tried any of Odacité's Serum Concentrates? Which is your favorite?

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How to Prepare Your Skin for Colder Weather

This time of year is chaos for my skin! The temperature fluctuates from being chilly in the morning to quite warm in the afternoon. Not to mention, the humidity is all over the place!

Don't let seasonal transitions confuse your skin too!

There are a few tricks that I like to incorporate into my skincare routine to prepare for the colder months. I know that my skin is naturally dry and needs to be eased into richer, hydrating product come fall. Being mindful of your skin’s behavior is key to establishing a balanced regimen that promotes healthy, nourished skin throughout the entire year!

Here are a few basic things you can do to help prepare your skin for colder weather.

• You may be tempted to switch from your lightweight, summer moisturizer directly to a heavy cream. However, it may be difficult for your skin to adapt so quickly. Instead, I like using a light, but very hydrating serum to act as a bridge to the colder months. Moss's Healing Dew is a beautiful gel that works wonderfully as a delicate, cooling, and hydrating refresher for the skin. 

• Keeping parts of your routine constant will be less confusing for your skin. Odacite's Wild Carrot Serum Concentrate is an absolute staple for me! It is designed to restore your youthful glow by revitalizing and balancing dull, lifeless skin. I like to add one-two drops of this precious, antioxidant-packed potion to my morning moisturizer or by itself on the days that my skin needs an extra boost of radiance! 

 

• Humectants are your friends! Humectants attract and retain moisture by forming hydrogen bonds with molecules of water. This is a fancy way of saying that they actively absorbs water from the air and can then use that moisture to hydrate your skin. Incorporating skincare products with humectants, such as honey and hyaluronic acid, into your daily routine will help plump and soften your skin, ultimately improving elasticity and providing you with a gorgeous glow! Two of my favorites are May Lindstrom's The Honey Mud and Laurel's Honey Berry Enzyme Mask!

• Exfoliating removes the dead cells from the surface of the skin. This process encourages the cells that are generated down in the dermis to replace the cells that have been sloughed off. As a result, the skin’s appearance is refreshed as its natural clarity and balance is restored. The Brightening Facial Scrub from Acure Organics is amazing! My husband and I are face scrub junkies, so when we both fell in love with this dark green, sea kelp-packed sludge, we knew it was a keeper! Though we have tried countless products, this is the first one to tick all of the boxes. It has the perfect amount of grit to achieve a really good clean without being too harsh or abrasive. It also doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped or dried out, just perfectly refreshed and glowing.

How do you change up your skincare routine to prepare for colder weather?

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What's in my Fall Makeup Bag

Here are a few makeup products that I can’t live without this fall!

If you follow this blog, you know that Kjaer Weis's Cream Foundation in Lightness is my ride or die! I seriously cannot get enough of this foundation (review here)! It wears flawlessly throughout the day and the shade matches my skin perfectly! I like to bounce it onto moisturized skin with a sponge for a gorgeous, airbrushed look and then tap some additional product underneath my eyes to cover any dark circles.

My love affair with RMS Beauty's Contour Bronze was a bit delayed, but my obsession in now in full force! If you are yearning to keep your summer glow, this rich, neutral brown will make you swoon! Designed to naturally define and sculpt the face, the hue of this product is beautifully balanced such that it is neither too warm-toned nor too cool-toned. It blends seamlessly into the skin and helps create a sense of depth and dimension that lifts the face while providing a gorgeous, healthy glow.

Speaking of how to maintain that lit-from-within glow throughout fall, RMS Beauty's Master Mixer is the perfect highlight! This rose gold pot of amazingness provides a sophisticated luminosity to the skin that looks stunning on all skin tones! Check out my full review here.

As much as I love the Cream Foundation from Kjaer Weis, I may love the Cream Blushes even more! Blossoming is the most breathtaking, rosy pink! Not only is the texture of this blush as lush as silk, it also provides a a gorgeous, fresh glow.

FitGlow Beauty Mineral Eye Trio in Sunglow is so beautiful! These warm-toned, neutral shadows are as smooth as can be and incredibly pigmented! While they do have a slight shimmer that adds a bit of depth to the eyes, they never come off as glittery. They also wear quite well and are quite resistant to creasing. To amp up my fall eye look, I like to use a rich, creamy eyeliner! My favorite is W3ll People's Hypnotist Eyepencil in Brown. Line, smudge, and you're good to go!

Everyone has specific preferences when it comes to mascara, but Lily Lolo's Vegan Mascara is my go-to! I haven't been able to find any other product that adds the same volume and thickness to my unruly lashes!

If you read my post on berry lips, you know that Ilia Beauty's Tinted Lip Conditioner in Pink Moon is amazing! This intense berry is one that I reach for daily because it feels like a balm on the lips. It has such a silky-smooth texture, gives the lips a lovely, soft sheen, and its sheer formulation is super comfortable to wear. Line with Jane Iredale's Lip Pencil in Spice for a stunning fall lip that lasts all day! Filling in your lips with this pencil before applying Pink Moon creates a bit of depth that is perfect for nighttime!

What's in your fall makeup bag?

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September 2016 Favorites

I'm not quite sure how it's already October, but September's lineup is packed with fall essentials!

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lipstick in Calypso

For a ridiculously pigmented, vampy berry shade, check out Calypso from 100% Pure. The formulation of these fruit pigmented lipsticks is divine! Not only are they the creamiest lipsticks I've ever tried, but they are super moisturizing without feeling heavy or greasy on the lips. They are also packed with nourishing antioxidants and the color range is exquisite!

100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream

I use this cream in the morning and evening to minimize dark circles and calm the puffiness underneath my eyes! The addition of green tea and coffee provides some seriously potent anti-inflammatory power. This eye cream also contains natural anti-aging ingredients that are meant to nourish and brighten.

100% Pure also makes this product in a 0.3 oz size that is perfect for traveling!

Parlo Cosmetics Natural Mineral Eye Shadow in Shimmy, Shimmy

If you haven't checked out my How to Press Loose Powders post, you are missing out on some serious amazingness! This nude pink shadow is beautiful on the eyes, but even more stunning as a highlight on the cheekbones! The quality of this powder is outstanding and at just $5 USD (and that's without the coupon code found below), I guarantee that you will fall in love!

Don't forget that code blushingbme saves you 20% at Parlo Cosmetics!

Rejuvenate Beauty Company Coffee Scrub

This caffeine-infused goodness is the perfect whole body exfoliation scrub! Coffee grounds are suspended throughout a moisturizing blend of nourishing oils to provide just the right about of grit for you to get your scrub on! The invigorating scent is so lovely and awakening on sleepy mornings (or afternoons, or evenings)! Not to mention, it leaves my skin beautifully silky and smooth! Love it!

Save 15% off your first purchase by using discount code SHOP15 at checkout!

S.W. Basics Toner

Made with just five ingredients—water, raw apple cider vinegar, witch hazel, and clary sage and sandalwood essential oils, this toner helps even skin tone and neutralize pH. I find that it removes excess makeup like a dream and, most importantly, it doesn't dry out my skin!

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask

This mask is such a treat! Whenever I feel like my skin is looking a bit dull and congested, I apply this peel for an instant glow and tightening effect. As a beta-hydroxy mask, this product works to gently exfoliate the skin and minimize the appearance of pores. It's definitely a holy grail!

W3ll People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer

This concealer has a gorgeous, mousse-like texture that is silky to the touch. It offers some serious coverage, but is still quite buildable and brightening. This cream also blends smoothly onto the skin and is surprisingly soothing to the delicate skin underneath the eyes. Review here.

What were your September favorites?

*The Parlo Cosmetics product featured in this post is an affiliate sample. As always, however, I have presented my 100% honest opinion. I cannot, nor will I ever, accept compensation in exchange for a positive review.

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