My Million Dollar Tan

Hi Dolls! So as most of you know, my go to self tanner for the last couple years has been Fake Bake’s flawless spray. There is nothing wrong with that spray tanner, I’ve just found a new love! That new love is Million Dollar Tan. The last year or so I’ve heard so many wonderful things about this product and I’ve always wanted to try it. I finally went onto their website and started browsing the products. Then, I saw that they offer professional spray tanning systems! Of course I had to order one because what a great add-on to my business?! I’ve always wanted to learn how to spray tan professionally and now I can with what I believe is the best spray tanning solution out there I’ve tried so far! Their products give you the most amazing bronzed glow and will not turn you one bit orange! I will probably make a post dedicated to the whole system soon, but for now I wanted to talk about one of their new retail products…. MERMAID MOUSSE! I have tried the Tan Icon spray & the Cabana tan lotion from MDT but I think the mermaid mousse is my favorite. First of all who doesn’t love anything that has to do with mermaids, and second, the packaging is way too cute! Most importantly, it gives you the most amazing bronzed color and its so easy to apply! Here is how I do it:

Step 1: Exfoliate!

One of the biggest keys to obtaining a flawless tan is to exfoliate your body before your tan. Exfoliating helps remove dead skin and leaves your body feeling soft and smooth. I use MDT body buffer to exfoliate. I love this exfoliant because it’s tingly and smells like mint. I also love it because it is a scrub, but it’s gentle, and leaves you feeling so refreshed! Use this in the shower right before you plan on applying your self tan. Another body exfoliant I also love is Dermalogica’s body microfoliant. But any body wash with a little bit of a gritty texture will do the trick.

Step 2: Apply product

This is probably the easiest self tanner I have ever applied, which is why I love it so much. You can use a tanning mitt or your hands to apply it, but i recommend a tanning mitt. If you choose to apply with your hands, make sure you wash them really well with soap and water right after to wash the color off your palms.  So when I apply this product, I apply one pump to my tanning mitt and begin rubbing the product onto my body. The instant bronze color will help you while applying because you can see exactly where you need more mousse. The most important thing is to blend it, and continuously rub in a circular motion so you don’t have streaks when your tan fully develops. After I have applied the mermaid mousse to my entire body, I do a once over to make sure I didn’t miss any spots. I like to apply a moisturizing lotion to my elbows, knees, hands, and feet after applying the tanner because sometimes, those dry places can soak up too much product and it can look really fake. Applying lotion helps to blend it out and give you the most natural looking, flawless tan.

Step 3: Wait for your tan to develop

After I am completely done self tanning, I wait about 5-10 minutes before getting dressed even though the mousse dries instantly just to be sure. I will usually wear dark clothing so the color doesn’t get on my clothes. If color does get on your clothes, not to worry! It will wash out. You should let your tan develop for 6-8 hours before showering, doing dishes, working out (sweating), or anything that has to do with getting your tan wet. I usually like to self tan right before bed so I don’t even have to worry about it, and then I can wake up with an amazing tan!

Step 4: Enjoy your tan!

 

Generally my tan will last 5-10 days, but everyone is different. It depends on how you care for it and how often your own skin naturally exfoliates. I will usually touch up my tan after showers with MDT Cabana Tan lotion, in between full applications of the Mermaid Mousse. If you don’t do touch ups, don’t worry! Mermaid Mousse doesn’t come off patchy or fade weird at all! So there you have it, My self tanning routine! I highly recommend you try out Million Dollar Tan products! You can find them here at milliondollartan.com or if you’re in my area, I have a full line of their products at my salon! Now I want to know your favorite self tanners! Leave a comment below and tell me what they are, and let me know if you’d like me to post about my professional MDT system!

XO – Krista

 

 

 

Flawless Foundation / Highlight & Contour Routine

Hi Loves! So I’ve gotten a lot of questions recently about what products I use, and steps I take to get my face makeup to look ‘flawless’. With using the right products and application techniques, it’s fairly simple! This is my full coverage, foundation routine & highlight/ contour routine. Enjoy! xoxoxo

 

Step 1: Skin Care

This is probably the most important step to get a flawless look. I will be making a whole post about my skin care routine soon, but for now, let me say that It is so important to take care of your skin! When you don’t, and you’re constantly putting makeup on, sweating, and sleeping in your makeup, pores get clogged and that causes breakouts. Wash your face twice a day, morning & night! Especially before bed! Before applying any makeup, I wash my face in the morning and apply my daytime moisturizer. I use the Daily Matte Moisturizer from Image Skin care. As I have mentioned before in my April Favorites post, it works as an excellent makeup base!

 

Step 2: Primer

To prime my face, I use Tarte’s Clean Slate Poreless primer. This is a 12 hour perfecting primer that minimizes the look of your pores, and gives your face a smooth looking finish. I apply this product with my fingers, all over my face. You can find this product at your nearest Ulta or Sephora.

 

Step 3: Foundation

As you all know, my holy grail foundation is Tarte’s Amazonian Clay foundation. This is a 12 hour full coverage foundation, especially perfect for anyone with combination/ oily skin. The clay helps absorb oil throughout the day to keep the matte finish. This is by far the best foundation i’ve ever used! I usually have two colors, one for the winter months when I tend to be more pale, and one for summer months when I have a tan. I apply this foundation with my Real Techniques stippling brush. I apply the product to the brush, dab it all over my face, except for under my eyes where I will put my concealer. I then use my brush in circular motions to blend it all out.

Step 4:  Highlight

After applying my foundation, I apply my Mac Prolongwear Concealer. I use the shade NW20. It is about 2-3 shades lighter than my natural skin tone. I apply this under my eyes, down the bridge of my nose, on my chin, and also on my forehead with a small foundation brush from Coastal Scents.  By highlighting your face, it helps to bring out your features and bring light to your face.

*It is also important to highlight your brow bone. It will make the arch of your brows look more dramatic and clean. To highlight my brows, I either use a cream/white eyeshadow or the white liner pencil from NYX cosmetics, draw it on under my brow then blend it out. I highlight my brows after I have already filled them in.

Step 5: Face Powder

 

To set my foundation, I use Mac’s Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in the shade Medium, I use Medium Plus in the summer months. I apply this all over my face using my Real Techniques face powder brush. I recently purchased this brush and its so soft, I love it! Sometimes, if it is super hot out, I will use a translucent powder to set my foundation instead of the Mac powder because it isn’t so heavy. My favorite translucent powder is Tarte’s Smooth Operator.

Step 6: Contour

To contour my face, I use Benefit cosmetic’s Hoola Bronzer. I mentioned this one in my April favorites and it truly is my favorite to contour with. Its a perfect medium/dark matte shade and gives you the best sun kissed glow! For contouring you genrally want something 2-3 shades darker than your natural skin tone. I apply this product with my Mac 109 brush. I apply it down my cheekbones, by my temples, and on my jawline. After that, I go back with my face powder brush and blend it out so there are no harsh lines.

Step 7: Highlight (again!)

To finish off my face makeup I always love to add a little shimmery highlight to the tops of my cheekbones. Mac’s soft and gentle is my go to for that. It is the most beautiful, soft champagne color and when the sunlight catches it, it looks so pretty! Usually I just dab my finger in it and apply a little to the top of my cheeks by my eyes.

 

So there you have it! My everyday foundation, highlight & contour routine! Very simple and easy to do! Here are some pictures to help you with the contour and highlighting depending on your own face shape!

*Dark pink- contour

Purple- highlight

 

April Favorites!

Hi Dolls! Spring is in the air, and the weather has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL here in California! Since the weather has been so nice, I’ve been out and about and have come across some great products.  It is also my birthday month, so I’ve been spoiling myself!  I wanted to share some of my new favorites this month, along with some of my oldies but goodies too! Let’s get started….

 

FakeBake Flawless Self Tanning Liquid 

The first thing  I wanted to share is my go to self tanner. I especially love to use it this time of year because you can fake it , til you make it with a real tan!  I have tried many different self tanners and I have already gone through two bottles of this brand. It gives you an instant, perfect, golden tan (does NOT make you look like a pumpkin). You apply it with a mitt, so it is not streaky at all, and dries almost instantly. It also does not get all over your clothes which is a major plus! It smells so good too! It reminds me of the Hawaiian Tropic products.  There are different versions of this product with different tan intensity levels, and application processes from this brand. I have not tried any of the other ones yet, because I am so happy with the results from this version. Make sure you grab the purple box! If any of you have tried the other tanners from FakeBake let me know what you think of them! Find this at Ulta, or Cosmoprof for all my professionals out there!:)

 

OPI Brazil Collection ‘Dont Bossa Nova Me Around’

 

 

 

This polish is from OPI new Brazil collection. They have the cutest colors, and they are SO vibrant! There are a lot of bright, fun colors form this collection I will be using during the summer for sure. But of course for now,  I chose the neutral, creamy nude! But this nude is perfect for spring because it has a bit of a pink tone to it. The color also pretty much goes with every outfit too. If you haven’t yet, go check out this collection! I picked this up from Cosmoprof, but Ulta also carries it!

 

Image Skincare Matte Moisturizer 

With the sun starting to shine, and the weather getting warmer, it is SO important to protect your skin. Let me repeat it is SO important! For all my beauties with combination or oily skin, this will be a miracle product for you! I tend to have combination skin, but during the  spring, and especially summer months, my skin tends to be more oily. The last thing anyone with any hint of oil on their skin wants is to put oily sunscreen on it, trust me I know! That is the magic of this product, it is matte! ZERO SHINE! I use Image skin care in my Esthetics room for all my clients, and this product has been great for so many of them, especially my acne clients! I apply this product every single morning, after washing my face. I love this because it has so many uses. Not only is it a moisturizer, but also a sunscreen with a spf of 32. This product is oil free, paraben free, and works excellently as a makeup primer! Ask your Esthetician about Image, or visit their website, http://www.imageskincare.com  to get this and other amazing products as well!

Hoola Bronzing Powder 

Many of you have probably tried this product from Benefit Cosmetics before. If you have not, I highly recommend it! Out of all the new products I have picked up recently, this is my absolute favorite. I have wanted to purchase this product for years but for some reason i never did. It is the perfect bronzer! Amazing for contouring. I love the fact that it is matte with no shimmer. For contouring I have been using ‘sculpt’ by MAC, but unless you have a good tan going already, it looks way too dark and it seems a little orange to me. I wish I would’ve started using hoola sooner! I also love the little brush that it comes with, it is the perfect contouring brush, and it’s super soft! Apply this product along your cheekbones, chin, and along your forehead for a perfect, natural looking tan all year! Also…how cute is the packaging? LOVE!

 

NYX gel Liner 

So, I’m not really sure where this product has been all my life but… I’m happy that i finally came across it! Im really loving NYX makeup recently! (their brow duo powder is a great brow product , I use it every day!)  Of course my usual go to is MAC’s blacktrack eyeliner but this product is so similar and less than half the price of MAC. It goes on super smooth and it seems to last all day without fading. The color is a nice, bold black. I bought this from Ulta for $9!  Apply with an angled liner brush for a flawless liner or a perfect cat eye!

 

MAC ‘snob’ Lipstick

One of the best parts about Spring is that you get to wear pretty pinks and pastels, on your lips! My favorite to wear this time of year is MAC’s ‘Snob’. It is such a pretty pink with a hint of purple undertone, and gives your lips the perfect pop of color that you can wear everyday. This lipstick has a satin finish, so it doesn’t make your lips look flakey or chapped. It looks amazing with a smokey eye and compliments lighter pink blushes nicely.  Pair it with its matching lip gloss and polish for a finished look, Love this lipstick!

 

So there you go my loves! My must haves and favorites for April! I want to know your favorites, leave a comment below and tell me about them! More blog posts coming soon! Maybe my current skin care or hair routine? Favorite brushes, or a spring makeup tutorial? Let me know what you guys want to see! Happy Spring! xoxoxo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 10 beauty gifts and stocking stuffers for HER!

The holidays are here and there is only a few weeks until Christmas! Wether you are shopping for someone special, or treating yourself to a few presents, you can’t go wrong with gifts of BEAUTY!:) I’ve put together a few ideas from my wish list, and other cute ideas I’ve seen in stores or online that every girl on your shopping list will love, and created this holiday gift guide for you! Lets get started!

One of my favorite beauty products to buy / receive this time of year are the Philosophy holiday gift sets. They come in many different arrangements with different bubble baths, shower gels, lip glosses, lotions, and hand soaps. My favorite thing about them is how delicious they smell! You can give a little sweetness this year with the limited edition cookie exchange gift set. This comes in an adorable box with a christmas cookie scented bubble bath,  sweet frosting body lotion, and sugar sprinkles lip gloss inside! The best part is you can get this for only $24 online at philosophy.com or i have also seen them at Ulta. if you’re looking for something a little smaller you can get these bubble bath/ shower gel stocking stuffers for only $6.50!

The gift of LASHES!

Day Night and Glam  Lash Set

  

I saw this deal online at Sephora.com for just $20! This makes a perfect stocking stuffer! This boxed set comes with three different pairs of lashes for every occasion from a natural day time look, to an evening look, to heavy glam. You could even pair this gift with Sephora’s limited edition Starry-Eyed Brush Trio ($24) to create a completed eye look! This kit comes with an all over shadow brush, crease brush, and angled liner brush, all you’re essentials!

Been an ANGEL all year? Good! Because Victoria’s Secret has these beauty gift sets for $39.50! Each set comes with a body mist, body wash, and body lotion. They have a variety of different collections so you can pick out your favorite! Also, how cute are the sparkly makeup bags they come with?! A little glitter always makes things better:) These make the perfect gift! Victoria’s Secret is also having a deal for the holidays on nail polish! You can grab these stocking stuffers 2 for $15! Find them here: victoriassecret.com/beauty

Do you have a makeup guru in your life? This gift is perfect for her! Benefit has an exclusive set of their beauty best sellers called ‘Little love potions’.  This set includes all the essentials to prime and perfect your look with mascara, blush, highlighter & bronzer, lip gloss, and makeup primer. This is a $90 dollar value for only $36 online at benefitcosmetics.com!  Throw this BADgal mascara duo in their stocking for $19! This comes with one full size and one travel size mascara. Perfect for the girl on the go!

Nothing makes the spirit of Christmas come alive at home quite like holiday candles. They make the perfect gift and they are personally one of my favorites to receive. You can never have too many! I highly suggest going to Bath and Body works for great deals on their yummy candles! They have these mason jar candles 2 for $15 in a variety of holiday scents! I recently purchased these two and they smell amazing! I have a fake christmas tree in my room (because i love the look of white trees) but the fresh balsam candle makes it smell like I have a real tree. The Tis’ the season candle is everything Christmas wrapped into one with hints of cider, apples, and green pine!

You can also snag these cute mini hand sanitizers for another perfect stocking stuffer! This holiday bundle comes with 5 hand sanitizers for $5! These are perfect to throw in your purse, gym bag, or your travel bag all season long!

I hope this list has helped you with a few gift and stocking stuffer ideas for her! You can never go wrong with beauty products in my opinion, Especially ones you can score for a great price!  Now that you know some of my favorite gifts to give and receive this season, I want to know some of yours! Please feel free to leave them in a comment below! Happy holidays and happy shopping! xoxo

November Beauty Favorites!

Hi Dolls! So, I have yet to do a ‘favorites’ blog post. I hope to start doing one every single month. In October and so far this November i’ve been doing a lot of shopping, especially because fall has officially arrived and I’ve picked up all kinds of new beauty products to share! Here are some of my new favorites!

To start off, I was shopping at Ulta on a quest for a new foundation. I came across the Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation, tried it on and fell in love! I’ve tested a lot of foundations and this one is by far my favorite. It gives me full coverage without looking cakey, and gives my skin a satin/matte finish. It feels weightless, and because of the clay in the product, it absorbs any oil throughout the day so you don’t get that mid day shine. The 12 hour coverage is also something I love about it because I don’t have to touch up my makeup as often.  My complexion looks flawless every time I apply this product and the texture of my skin feels so smooth, I highly recommend it to try!

My next favorite is MAC’s ‘Painterly’ paint pot. It makes the best eyeshadow primer, but I especially love it to hold liquid or gel eyeliner in place! I love the opaque color and matte finish, and how well it holds your eye makeup in place, it is solid! I use this product every single day, and especially when I am doing anyones makeup for a special event, it is magic in a jar! A little bit goes a long way, it spreads easily, and also lasts all day without creasing! Also, since the color is so light, it really enhances the color of any eyeshadow. It is definitely a must have in your makeup bag!

Now lets talk lipstick. I love fall especially because of the beautiful colors of the season. I also love it because I can break out one of my favorite fall lip colors, MAC’s ‘Rebel’. This lip color is so gorgeous and the perfect color for this time of year! It is such a pretty fuchsia/ deep berry color (it looks A LOT darker in the tube than it really is, don’t let the appearance fool you). It has a nice satin finish and I think it compliments a variety of skin tones. The color ‘Rebel’ also comes in a lip gloss and nail polish at MAC. Don’t be afraid to try it, it might become your new favorite!;)

Another lipstick I’m LOVING this fall is MAC’s ‘Blankety’. I’m a sucker for nude lipsticks,  they are always my go to, and my usual go to is ‘Myth’. But it has been a little too pale for me recently especially because I am not as tan as I was during the spring and summer it has been making me look washed out.  When I was browsing the lipsticks at MAC the other day, I came across this gem. It is the perfect darker, more pinky nude for fall. It’s perfect for everyday use since it is so soft and natural. Definitely my new favorite!

 

 

Recently, I ordered a bunch of lashes from True or False Lashes and i LOVE them! At first, I was skeptical because they were so cheap whenI ordered them. When they came in, I was so happy with them! They are easy to apply and look fabulous. They have a variety of lashes to choose from but they do sell out quickly, and it can take them a few weeks to arrive in the mail, but they are so worth the wait! Also, they sent me 4 free pairs of the ‘Marilyn’ lashes with my order! Who doesn’t love free lashes, and how cute is the packaging?! They are only 1.50 a pair! Go check them out at trueorfalse.myshopify.com!

 

My last favorite for this month isn’t actually a beauty product, but I’m obsessed with candles, especially the ones from Bath and Body works! Every year, I go in there and buy all my favorites for the upcoming season. This year for fall,  I found a new favorite. Pumpkin Caramel latte! Its smells SO good, like a cozy coffee shop! I am a Pumpkin spice latte junkie this time of year and I think thats why I love this candle so much, it mixes my two favorite things together! So if you’re a fan too, this candle is for you!:) But if you are looking for a nice fall scented beauty product, you’re in luck because this scent comes in a cute pocket sized hand sanitizer too (in my purse at the moment!) Love it!

 

 

 

Now that you know some of my new favorites this month, I want to know some of yours! Please share them with me in a comment below! Happy Fall:) xoxo

Lights, Camera, Makeup!

They’re here! So happy with the final photos I received for my makeup portfolio. Huge thank you to my lovely models, and Dream On Salon for taking the pictures! 

 

 

MAC student makeup kit

A few weeks ago, my MAC Pro student kit arrived! I was very happy with everything it came with. I liked the fact that there was extra room in the palette to add my own eyeshadows, blushes, bronzers etc. This is a great starter kit and I highly suggest applying for a MAC Pro card if you are a student or already a licenced professional!

Face and Body Foundation L-R C1,C3,N3,N7
Mineralize SkinFinish Natural L-R Medium, Medium Plus, Dark

Pro Longwear Concealer L-R NW20, NW30, NW45

‘Blacktrack’ Fluidline eyeliner, Zoom Lash mascara ‘zoomblack’, ‘stubborn brown’ ‘engraved’ Powepoint Eye Pencil, ‘Strawberry Blonde’ ‘Deep Dark Brunette’ Veluxe Brow Liner

‘Russian Red’ Matte, ‘Girl About Town’ Amplified, ‘Twig’ Satin Lipsticks, ‘Lipglass’ lipgloss, ‘spice’ ‘cherry’ lip pencils

Brushes L-R 129, 103, 190, 224, 217, 266

Pigments ‘Melon’, ‘Vanilla’

Daytime/ Nighttime subtle smokey eye

A simple smokey eye that can be either a daytime look or a night time look.  Everyone loves a smokey eye, it is one of my favorites. I created this subtle smokey eye with my NAKED2 Palette from Urban Decay.

Primer: ‘Soft Ochre’ paint pot by MAC

Eyeshadows:

-MAC- ‘wedge’ all over lid

-Naked2 Palette: ‘Tease’ -Crease,  ‘Busted’ -Second crease color, ‘Blackout’- outer corner

Liner:

-MAC: ‘blacktrack’

Lashes:

-MAC:  ‘ZoomLash’ mascara

-Ardell Demi Wispies (black)