Hi guys! Today I wanted to tell you about my absolutely favorite whitening toothpaste –Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste.

This is a toothpaste that I started using totally randomly a while ago… I bought it on a whim because I was out of toothpaste, and I saw it and thought I’d give it a try. I’ve never had a certain toothpaste that I loved, so I figured it couldn’t hurt to test out a new one.

A couple weeks after I got it I noticed that it was working SO well and that my teeth were already way whiter than before. I tweeted that I had been using this toothpaste for a couple weeks now that I felt like it was already making my teeth whiter, and asked my followers if they thought it was the placebo effect…. And SO many people tweeted me back right away and were telling me how this toothpaste has worked for them, so I think it really does work!

The best part about this toothpaste is that if you have really sensitive teeth like me, it won’t sting or bother you.  I can’t even use Crest Whitestrips because my teeth are sooo sensitive, so I was kinda scared to try this toothpaste. But I promise, I can’t even feel it! have really sensitive teeth, I can’t even use Crest Whitestrips because my teeth are so sensitive. So I was kinda scared that my teeth would be sensitive, but I can’t even feel it, it doesn’t sting or anything.

And all you have to do is brush your teeth, which you were going to do anyways!

What’s your favorite toothpaste? Do you have a whitening paste that you love? Leave it in the comments below 

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While I love me a pretty Chanel bag (who doesn’t?!), I’ve never considered myself a big Chanel makeup fan. But this all changed when Mom gave me a Chanel pressed powder compact for my birthday. It’s the Poudre Universelle Compacte (also know as the natural finish pressed powder) and it’s a bit more expensive than your average powder compact, but I’m telling you—it’s so worth the spurge. I don’t typically spend a lot of money like this on makeup, but I can understand why my mom really wanted me to try it. It’s too amazing!

In the middle of the day when my face starts to get shiny because I have super oily skin, I just swipe it on really quick and my skin looks instantly flawless with a natural finish. I apply it down my nose, my chin and across my forehead. It takes away the shine instantly without creating a cakey look or feel (which is something I often find with pressed powder). 

I have a lot of face products but this is one that I don’t think I could live without. It makes such a difference and I haven’t even broken out from it, which is a good sign too. I truly believe that there are some products that aren’t worth the splurge, but this is one really is worth it. To be honest, I cannot imagine not ever buying it again. LOL. It’s become such an essential in my makeup bag so as soon as I run out you best believe I’ll be purchasing it again

Have you ever tried this powder before? What’s your favorite pressed powder?

Let me know in the comments below!

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Photo is from here.

Hi beauties! I found a GREAT exfoliating product a while back that I just love and wanted to tell you all about. It’s called ExfoliKate by Kate Somerville and I got it after getting a facial at Kate Somerville a few months ago. I am ob-freaking-sessed with it. It’s funny because I had it for a long time before I ever used it; I don’t even know why, but it just sort of lived under my sink until one day I was cleaning out under there and was like, oh my goodness, I have to use this!

I like using my exfoliators in the shower because the steam just really opens up your pores and gets your skin all ready to cleanse. So for this, I’ll cleanse my face first (I really like pairing it with the Kate Somerville Detox Daily Cleanser) and then I just follow exactly what the instructions say: I work it in in small, circular motions for 30 seconds and then leave it on my skin for two minutes. 

I find that it exfoliates really well, gets all my dead skin off, completely gets every trace of makeup out of my pores and cleanses everything. My face literally feels like a baby’s butt when I’m done with it LOL.

But one of my favorite parts about it is that it’s NOT a beaded exfoliator; it’s an enzyme exfoliator. A lot of people think that beaded exfoliators work off your dead skin better, but in reality it can break into your skin. Since your facial skin is so sensitive (especially around the eye area), a lot of people will get really red or almost purple right around their nostrils. That’s because they are using exfoliating products that are too harsh and they’re actually breaking capillaries, which gives them that pinky look underneath the skin. So if you use an enzyme exfoliator, you’re still cleaning out your pores; you’re just not putting a rough substance on your skin.

So to wrap things up, I’m obsessed with it and I like to use it two times a week…it’s one of my favorite products in the whole wide world!

Do you have an exfoliator that you love? 

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Hey everyone! Today I wanted to do a beauty blabber to show you guys a cute idea I had for when you have guests over, review some products, and talk about my favorite tanning product.

Enjoy

P.S. Teddy really wanted to say hello



What do you think of my soap idea?

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Studio Gear Hidden Agenda Concealer, $15.50

Hi beauties! I hope you all enjoyed my first Blair Minimum post on mascara! Today I thought we could focus on something that we usually spend a long time looking for – a great concealer.

If I could pick just one concealer to keep in my makeup bag it would be the Hidden Agenda Concealer by Studio Gear. I came across it a while back almost by chance; I just randomly needed a new concealer, was in Ulta, and decided I felt like testing out a new one instead of buying my same old one that I always used. I fell in love with it and have been using it ever since!

It’s not as expensive as the really pricey ones you find at department stores but I feel like for what I need to conceal, it works really well. It’s also full coverage so it would work great with just about anyone’s skin. This line also has a really good green concealer that works super well if you have blemishes. You just spot it on wherever you have one and it completely cancels out the red.

I’ve been using this concealer for probably close to a year now and it’s definitely my go-to!

What’s your go-to concealer?

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I am so excited that my Beauty Army box arrived! Here is a little "unboxing" video showing which samples I received in my March box. So far, I am loving Beauty Army! I love that you get to select your own samples, which is a little bit different then most other monthly box services. I do wish, however, that you could pick from ALL of their samples, instead of just 9 based on your profile!



Do you subscribe to any monthly boxes? Which one is your favorite?

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L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara, $9.49

Hi beauties! There are a ton of different factors that go into determining what kind of makeup you should buy and what particular products are right for you. There’s your skin type, how big your makeup collection is, what type of makeup wearer you are, and so on and so forth. For most people, though, the biggest factor is BUDGET. I’ll be the first to admit that beauty products add up and it can be hard to know when to save and when to splurge. This is especially true if you don’t own much makeup in the first place or are just starting to build your collection.

A lot of you have sent me messages asking about this, so I decided it would be helpful/fun to do a new blog series on the site where I tell you what I think the absolute essentials are for each type of makeup! I’m thinking I’ll call the series “The Blair Minimum” and then pick a different item for each post, what do you guys think? Do you like that idea?

For the first “Blair Minimum” post I thought we could start with mascara. If you’re looking for a place to save money in your beauty routine, this is a good place to start. I always, always, always swear by drugstore mascara. If not better, they’re just the same as the expensive options out there, so I’ve never understood why you would spend $20 or $30 on a mascara when you can get the same results for under $10. Yes, there ARE products that you need to splurge a little on, but mascara is definitely not one of them.

If I could only choose ONE that I’d recommend it would be the L’Oreal Telescopic mascara. I think it’s absolutely just the best mascara out there and it’s also inexpensive. I use it pretty much every single day and I just love it.

What’s your must-have mascara? And do you guys like this new series?

P.S. It's Cellairis' Birthday!! Enjoy 25% off your entire order 'til 3/15! Code: BIRTHDAY. Click here to start shopping!

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Hi beauties! I saw a lot of requests in the Forum for a review on Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara and L’Oreal Voluminous Millions of Lashes, so I decided to do a side-by-side comparison today…


Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara. I thought the consistency was a lot dryer than what I like to see in a mascara. I also didn’t think it made my lashes very black; I noticed it left behind a kind of grey-ish finish. I also thought the brush was strange and I don’t think it coated my lashes with color well. The worst part about it was the flakiness. I noticed it began to flake under my eyes around half way through the day… Did anyone else experience that? Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this product based on my experience. Maybe I got a bad tube? If you like this mascara, let me know about it in the comments below and maybe I’ll give it another chance with a fresh tube!

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L’Oreal Voluminous Millions of Lashes
As for L’Oreal Voluminous Millions of Lashes, I really liked it. The color goes on really well, it has a nice brush and it made my lashes look super full and dark. The brush picks up literally all of your little lash hairs so all of them are coated with the product. If you’re in the market for a mascara that will give you thicker, fuller lashes, then this is the mascara for you!

Have you tried either of these products? If so, share your reviews in the comments below!

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When it comes to keeping my lips hydrated throughout the year, I always use lip butters instead of chapstick or balm. My current favorite is Korres Lip Butter, which is a product I’ve mentioned in a few videos.
 
Lip butters are my favorite kind of lip product because they are super moisturizing and they keep my lips hydrated and smooth. My all time favorite were the Tendertones that MAC would bring out in the summer, but they hadn't been brought back out for 2 or 3 years so I needed to find an alternative. The good news is, I just found out MAC is bring Tendertones back next month in a collection!! I cannot wait to stock up on all of the new flavors and colors.

For now, I've been loving the Korres Lip Butters. I have 3 flavors—pomegranate, jasmine and guava. The jasmine is my newest one and it’s my favorite because it has a really milky light pink color that’s so pretty. I always keep one in my purse and one in my nightstand in the top drawer so I can put it on before bed every night.
 
The only bad thing about the Korres Lip Butter is that they are kind of expensive. It sells for about $12. For a cheap alternative, I suggest checking out the lip butters that Revlon just came out with that are getting a lot of buzz right now. I picked a few up of these Revlon ones at Target a few weeks ago and LOVED them, so I ended up going to Ulta to grab a few more colors. Target was out of almost every color - they are clearly good sellers! The Revlon lip butters have a bit more color to them than the others so I see them as something that’s in between a lip butter and a lipstick. They aren't quite as moisturizing as a true lip butter but they are still a pretty amazing product.
 
So what makes a lip butter different than regular lip balm and lipstick? Well, most formulations have a buttery base such as coca butter or shea butter that make them extra hydrating. Lipstick is mainly for color, not hydration. I guess you could say that lip butter is almost the equivalent of a body butter as opposed to a lotion. Does that make sense? Lip butter is thicker, more hydrating and also has a richer consistency.
 
Have you tried out lip butters before? If you know of a budget friendly lip butter that works really well, let me know in the comments below! I’ve been looking for one!

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I know a lot of you guys are looking for good, inexpensive makeup products so I thought I’d do a little comparison post today about two popular brands: e.l.f. and NYX.
 
To be honest, I'm not the biggest e.l.f. fan. I have tried a couple items that have been reasonable but a lot of what I have tried from them I have not cared for. Their prices are very good and I understand why a lot of people buy e.l.f. However, in my opinion, there are lots of better quality options when it comes to purchasing makeup at this price point.
 
My favorite inexpensive brand that’s comparable to e.l.f. in terms of price is NYX (pronounced, “nicks” according to the company itself). The only problem with NYX is that it’s hard to get since you can usually only get it at Ulta or online. I have seen NYX at a few obscure beauty stores too, but mostly it's Ulta or online where you can get your hands on a good selection. It’s really good quality and the price cannot be beat. Everything I’ve tried from NYX I love. Their shadows and pigments are beautiful. Their cream blush is really nice and goes on smoothly, their lipstick is so pretty, and their mascara is great! And their glosses? My favorite! Overall, I think NYX is a really great brand that I would completely recommend, and is also very reasonably priced.
 
Have you tried e.l.f. and NYX? Which do you prefer?

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When I was in Chicago a few weeks ago for a meet and greet, someone brought up the new Naked2 palette for me to sign. And let me tell you—it was SO pretty! After seeing it I was inspired to go out and get my own.

To get you guys up to speed—last month Urban Decay released their highly anticipated sequel to the Naked palette, the Naked2! The new palette includes 12 gorgeous neutral eyeshadows along with a double-ended brush and a mini lip gloss. I’ve always loved Urban Decay eyeshadow because they’re super soft and really nicely pigmented. Plus they are great for longtime wear since they last without fading.

The Naked2 palette has 12 colors with only one dupe from the first palette, Half Baked. What's even better? 5 of the shadows in the palette are brand new Urban Decay shades! I was kinda surprised to see Half Baked included in the new version because you’d think Urban Decay would know that the people buying it were probably fans of the original and already had Half Baked. But then again, it's a gorgeous color so I know if I had the original Naked palette Half Baked would already be gone. This is probably the only bummer about the Naked2. Needless to say, some of the remaining 11 eyeshadows are pretty similar to shades included in the original. But aside from a few overlaps, I think the rest of the colors are different enough to make it worth purchasing. (Plus you get a new brush and a cute little lip gloss!)

The palette has a nice balance of matte and shimmery colors—there’s a great matte black that’s perfect for lining and a pretty highlighter shade too. There is slightly more shimmer than matte so if you like shimmery, neutral shadows then you will be obsessed with Naked2. Also, if you have warmer coloring like me, then this is a great palette for your skin tone.

Here is a list of the colors included in the Naked2 palette:

• "Blackout" Blackest black with matte finish (Repromote, not available individually)
• "Booty Call" Shimmery cork (New)
• "Busted" Deep brown with shimmery finish (New)
• "Chopper" Copper shimmer with silver micro glitter (Permanent)
• "Foxy" Cream bisque with matte finish (Repromote, not available individually)
• "Half Baked" Golden bronze with shimmery finish (Permanent, also in the original Naked palette)
• "Pistol" Light greyish brown with shimmery finish (New)
• "Snake Bite" Dark bronze shimmer with metallic base (New)
• "Suspect" Pale golden beige with shimmery finish (Repromote, not available individually)
• "Tease" Creamy pale brown with matte finish (New)
• "Verve" Oyster with shimmery finish (Repromote, not available individually)
• "YDK" Cool bronze shimmer with metallic base (Permanent)

*Color descriptions found here

A few other things I like about the Naked2 is that the packaging is different. Instead of cardboard, it’s tin and the mirror is way bigger too. And the first palette didn't have a lip gloss included, either.

The Naked2 palette costs $50. It sounds like a lot up front, but I honestly think it’s worth it because A) you’re getting 12 eyeshadows, B) you get a new eyeshadow brush, and C) you also get a cute mini travel size lip gloss.

Have you tried the Naked2 palette? What did you think?

Photo is from here.

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