YouTube made me do it

Hello again everyone. Today's post is about all those purchases I have made because of YouTube. I watch YouTube fairly often and in so doing have come across some really great products that I discovered because of all the wonderful people on YouTube. Now, a LOT of my makeup comes from YouTube recommendations, and obviously I could not include every piece of makeup that I have ever seen on YouTube, so I chose those items that were specifically only purchased because of YouTube or items that you may now know about unless you watch videos. I hope you get some great recommendations guys! Here we go...

Morphe Brushes 35O palette: www.morphebrushes.com

Okay so this brand is one of those "indie" brands that the average person may not know about. I love everything I have ever purchased from this brand. If you are having a hard time applying eye shadows, most likely it is because of the brushes you are using. Good brushed are important, and this brand has great brushed that are affordable. 

They also have great shadows. I have a couple different palettes from this brand. My favorite is the very popular 35O palette. It gets a lot of hype on social media, but I think it is well deserved. The colors are very buttery and pigmented. The mattes last all day. I don't think the shimmers last as long as the mattes but they do last a long while. 

Becca Cosmetics x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette

This is limited edition and once they are gone, they are gone forever, so if you love a pretty highlight go buy it right now on Sephora.com or in stores. Right NOW. This product is amazing. I absolutly love how gorgeous the blushes and highlights are. In case you didn't know Jaclyn Hill is a very successful makeup artist on YouTube. She is amazing and has some great tutorials. Go check her out. 

Colourpop Cosmetics: colourpop.com

I have mentioned this brand multiple times and for good reason. This brand is so inexpensive and has some great quality products. I could not pick one thing so I included the whole brand. I am sorry, but I have too many favorites. I feel that this brand is gaining some mainstream popularity but I first discovered it in YouTube. 

Nivea Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm

Yes you saw that right. Men's shave balm. I saw this product first on YouTube on Nikki Tutorials channel. She used this post shave balm as a primer and oh my she was right. This balm is so smooth and stays a little tacky which makes my makeup last all day. It is a men's product so it smells like a men's product, but that quickly goes away. It is only a couple of dollars and works so well, go try it out!

Gerard Cosmetics Lip Glosses: www.gerardcosmetics.com

I actually love both their glosses and lipsticks. This brand is another lesser known brand for the everyday person. The prices are pretty mid range. The lip glosses are very highly pigmented and thick without being sticky. The lipsticks are great in pigmentation as well. I have been very happy with all the lip products I have purchased. I have not tried their other products but the lippies are great. 

RCMA no color powder

You can buy this powder online at camerareadycosmetics.com or a couple other online retailers. This is the perfect powder to use to set foundation and concealer. It is very finely milled and like the name has no color so it does not alter the look of your makeup. Added bonus, this powder is so cheap. It is  a must in my opinion. I saw this first on KathleenLights channel and am so happy I picked it up. 

Milani Luminoso Baked Blush

You can find Milani at most drug stores. The brand as a whole is pretty great but this blush in particular. It is a perfect color for summer. It is peach with a slight shimmer. I also love that is goes with almost any makeup look. It is a must buy. 

Christina #WSP lashes www.amazon.com

These lashes are gorgeous. Whenever I wear them I have people ask me if they are my real lashes. They are fluffy and wispy without being overboard. I found out about these guys from KathleenLights again, she is amazing by the way. They are so inexpensive, a six pack is about $15 on Amazon. 

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer

This is available again at most drug stores. I have seen this bronzer all over YouTube, so I am not sure where I originally saw it. This bronzer is exactly as it sounds, buttery. It is so smooth and natural looking on the skin. It blends out like a dream and smells like coconut. So worth trying. 

Wet and Wild Comfort Zone Palette

This palette is a couple bucks and is so good. You must go out and buy it. It is smooth and creamy and you would have no idea that it is so cheap. The colors are great for more neutral looks but it also has some really great pops of color in it. 

Formula X Prime Nail Base Coat 

This polish really helps prolong your nail polish. I use it all the time and have repurchased a few times. You can get Formula X at Sephora. This will really help your nail routine and adds a few more days between polishes. I feel that it also helps strengthen your nails. 

Red Hair Don't Care...Kinda

It's all about the RED hair!

One of the questions I get asked the most often in regards to hair and makeup is, "How do you keep your hair so red?" I think when people think of dying their hair red they think of showers of red water and faded hair. While some of that is inevitable, you can keep red hair vibrant for a long time. I have had red hair for about two years now. I know what your thinking, that I go to the salon every month and that is so not true. I go about every 2-3 months and we only pull color throughout my whole strand every other time. What that means is that every other time I go to the salon, so once every 4-6 months I get my whole head colored, the other times she just does the roots. I do that because I want my hair to stay relatively healthy...or as healthy as it can be. What that also means is that it is essential that I take good care of my color and limit the fade. I compiled a list of tips and tricks to keep your red hair RED. 

1. Color is Key: 

What I mean is that where and how your color your hair is important. I go to a salon and have a wonderful stylist who has done my hair for years. She is trained on what will look good and how to make it last. I know there are some die hard "dye at home" girls out there, but in my experience the at home colors, especially reds, do not last and a lot of times do much more damage to your hair. I trust my stylist and she know what I like. I don't honestly know what color exactly my hair is because Ashley, my stylist, creates a custom color for my hair. I know she does a little brown, a little copper, and a bright red. What is great about going to the same stylist is I can tell her I want it a little redder, or more brown and she can adjust the color. That is why the type of color you use is KEY. 

2. Dry Clean Only: 

Just kidding, obviously you have to wash your hair. Honestly though...I only wash my hair once a week. Now before you say "Gross" I do use dry shampoo a few times a week and shower every day. The less often you get your hair wet the better. Dry shampoo should become your best friend. Also it depends on your hair type. My hair is thick and course and overall very dry so I never get oily. Like never. I can go a whole week because I don't get greasy. If my sister tried to go a week her hair would be an oil slick. So wash your hair only as often as you have to. Try twice a week and see how it goes. Your hair will eventually produce less oil and you will not need to wash it as often. Spray some dry shampoo at the roots and brush it through. 

3.Cool your Jetts: 

I am literally talking about cold water here. This is one of the rules that can be hard to live by. I am not saying you need to take an ice cold shower, but you do need to get your shower as cool as you can stand, at least when washing your hair. I try to keep it pretty cool when washing my hair and warm it up for the rest of the shower. Cold water helps keep more of the red in your hair. 

4. Speaking of Showering...Get yourself some pink stuff. 

I have specialty shampoo and conditioner designed for red hair. Yes it looks bright pink. It is supposed to. It keeps my hair red by re-depositing color while I wash it. I love Davines Alchemic Shampoo and Conditioner for red hair. This stuff if bright pink so be careful. It will stain, but it will also keep your red hair nice and red. The conditioner runs about $30 a tub, but it lasts a long time...remember you are only washing your hair 1-3 times a week. I use it only once a week. If I use anything else I make sure it is sulfate free. 

5. It is all about Protection: 

When using hot tools you must protect your hair from damage. You can watch videos where people strip hair color just by flat ironing it. Yes hot tools can fade hair so protect it. I use a couple different color protectants. Put a thermal protectant in your hair before using any tools. The sun will also fade your hair. Make sure if you are going to be out in the sun you use a sunblock or styling product designed to protect your hair from UV rays. Also if I am going to be in the sun for a long time, I try to wear a hat to keep the sun off my hair.