(Please note:  Keep me in mind, the longevity of a product will obviously vary from person-to-person depending on how often the product is used, the product itself, how much is applied at a time, and many other situational factors).

The last time I started my last bronzer compact, I wrote the date on the bottom just to see how long it was going to last.

In case you were wondering (and you know I have nothing to hide here ;)…I hold no beauty secrets and I’m here to blog to put it all out on the table)…it took me a whopping 9 months to the exact day to go through it!  I sometimes meet women who go through bronzer like water; they replace it every month or two and I can’t help but think, how is this possible?!  This has lead me to write this article to share with you ways to extend your makeup products so you’re not running to replace it as frequently.

Invest in high quality pigments and products:  With cosmetics along with many other things in life, I believe in the basic principle, you get what you pay for.  And cosmetics is no different.  When it comes to eyeshadows, I ONLY use MAC and NARS.  I’m always open to other brands but their shadows’ pigment quality is the best I’ve seen on the market.  What does that mean exactly?  Breaking it down for makeup novices, I mean a single swipe of a highly pigmented eye shadow will GO A LONG WAY.  Whereas with other brands that are not as pigmented, you may have to apply a few layers just for the color to show up.  This is not a good thing.  That means you will go through it so much quicker because you have to apply more of it to activate it (or show up).

Less is more…[you don't need to apply a massive amount to get the product to work]:  I like to watch how others apply their makeup and the majority of the time, I can’t help but notice that people are using WAY TOO MUCH product.  There is really no need to be digging so much into a product to get it to work.  If you do, that means the cosmetic quality is poor and it’s time to upgrade and invest in better quality.  Or you just have to practice on being more “light handed” (apply with softer strokes with light pressure) vs. heavy handed.  With practice, this is an easy habit to fix and can be fixed over time!

Switch it up:  If you have the option to not wear the same exact products everyday, naturally, the products will last longer.  I’ve NEVER gone through an entire tube of the same lipstick.  May sound shocking as a makeup artist, but it truly shouldn’t because you have to keep in mind I don’t wear the exact same shade everyday.  I switch it up.  Now with bronzer, I do wear the same exact bronzer everyday (–or I should say whenever I wear makeup, hey, I’m only human and have my no makeup days too!).  It still lasted me awhile being that the pigment quality is high and I don’t use a ton of it because again, I don’t need to use a ton for it to show up!  Again, back to this original point, if you have a variety of products to choose from and not using the same exact product everyday, it will last a long time!

[Any other tips?  Any questions regarding products I use and its usage?]

Ed Hardy Love & Luck Perfume by Christian Audigier

A few days ago, I discovered Ed Hardy Love & Luck perfume (it has been around since 2008) and I was pleasantly surprised.  I’m not an Ed Hardy fan by any means; however, I didn’t let this discourage me from picking up the bottle to give it a mist.  I liked it pretty much immediately but sprayed it a few more times to kind of analyze it.  It is really indescribable, it’s unique and very refreshing.  It’s light but leaves a lasting impression.  Someone actually asked me what I was wearing today.

Whenever I met someone who told me they wore the same exact fragrance everyday, I thought to myself…now what is the fun in that?!  Especially if you have a big collection!  If I had to choose some of my favorite signature scents out of my collection..I LOVE Angel (more of a winter/fall scent in my opinion), Custo Barcelona for women (sadly discontinued, so I don’t even have the luxury to wear this everyday and have to wear sparingly now as I have very little left), Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue (loved this since it launched, this is a classic but very light), and lastly but surely NOT leastly, Escada’s Moon Sparkle (I love Escada fragrances!!  Fruity, flirty, and fun).

I never really allowed myself to wear the same exact perfume everyday but I like this so much that I may find myself wearing this (essentially) everyday.  I don’t think it’s possible for me to get sick of this scent…it’s exquisite!

In case you’re wondering, this fragrance is described:

This unforgettable scent mixes red sake accord and bergamot with blood orange and nectarine. The rich scents of sandalwood, patchouli, blackcurrant and pink peppercorn blend perfectly with forbidden plum, jasmine, cedarwood and sensual musk.

[Is anyone familiar with this scent?]

Arden B mint green top…(FYI, this image is NOT me)…I got this image from the website to show what it looks like. You can still purchase it, the top also comes in a solid black and/or white.

I purchased this top over the weekend from Arden B (yes, you can still purchase it and luckily it’s also on sale now).  I went there looking for something new to wear for Easter and bought this on impulse after trying it on being that I loved it so very much.  Turns out, I did wear this on Easter paired with my David Lerner black leggings, Christian Louboutin nude lace up heels, and some opulent jewelry .  I didn’t get the opportunity to capture the outfit but trust me, I will be wearing this sweater top a lot this season so I will eventually showcase it in an upcoming [OUtfit Post].

Style Confession:  Although mint green is majorly trending right now, I have always had a love for mint green. It’s one of my favorite colors so I’m really happy that it’s much easier to find during my shopping expeditions.

Besides the color, I LOVE exposed shoulders (such as cut outs as seen here or off shoulder tops).  The style is very interesting and hard to come by for some reason.

PS- Believe it or not, I bought this top in a size large.  They only had a large and XS but being I like my tops a little longer in length, I went with the size large.  It actually didn’t even look like a large, I picked up it thinking it was a small or medium and then was completely fooled by the label.  Goes to show, you have to ALWAYS try something on, every piece is made differently, so sizes always vary. 

[Does anyone else have a love for mint green?]