Smashbox Primer Dupe: Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel

Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel is an awesome alternative to Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer. Not only is it cheaper but it also delivers the same the results as Smashbox Photo Finish Primer.

 

Monistat's active ingredient is Dimethicone 1.2%, which is listed as a skin protectant. Dimethicone is also found in the Smashbox primer, along with other ingredients. Dimethicone is a silicon based polymer often found in all sorts of cosmetics and hair products. In makeup and face products, it is usually used as a temporary filler for fine lines and wrinkles. Applying a thin layer to the face will act as barrier to the skin and help your makeup lay nicely on the skin. As with any primer, you don't want to apply too much because it will flake off. Make sure you allow it to dry before applying your foundation. If your a fan of a silicon primer this is a great alternative to try. You can purchase Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel at any drug store or online for as little as $5.00.

 I've used this primer off and on for the past year (I switch between this and MAC Prep and Prime) and I highly recommend giving it a try. It's super soft and smooth and leaves your skin feeling the exact same way! It's oily free and completely odorless, thank God! If you have oily skin and are looking for something that will help with shine this won't be the product for you. You might want to try a more mattifying primer or one made for oily skin.

 

 

I've never tried it as an eye primer, so I have no clue if it will work. I'd assume that if your eyelids don't get oily throughout the day, then this could work for you. It might help your shadow stay on longer but it won't help the colors pop. I would suggest using a base for that.

When you compare the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel to Smashbox Photo Finish Primer you get almost identical results for a fraction of the price. Even if your a lover of Smashbox I highly recommend giving this cheaper alternative a try. I'll take $5 over $36 any day, and I'll spent the $31 I saved on more makeup!

Have you tried this great alternative or do you have any tricks or money saving beauty tips? I'd love to hear!  I'll be back this week with more great tips!

**Also make sure you enter the Couture Couture by Juicy Couture Giveaway which ends March 24th**

My Favorite Fall Candles

I love candles all year long, especially during the cooler months. Fall candle scents are one of my favorite things about fall. The warmth and coziness they bring to my house is inviting and I love it. So I want to share some of my favorites right now, and some that I don't care for.

Bath and Body Works
They've recently went back to the White Barn candle company from Slatkin & CO. I like White Barn and I'm glad they've brought them back.
    Leaves is a popular fall scent that I've fallen in love with. It feature notes of golden nectar, delicious apple and red berries. To me it smells like being outside in a wooded area during fall. It's a great scent! The candle I have is small and it filled my entire living room with its amazing aroma! I highly recommend trying this, if you havent already.


     Co Bigelow Nutmeg and Ginger Mint were also from Bath & Bodyworks. We have an outlet here and it was purchased there. I'm not sure if they have them at the regular stores, but I'm sure you could find them online. The scents are nice, but not as strong as the Leaves candle. I probably wouldnt buy this one again.


    Sparkling Icicles is a Slatkin & Co candle, so Im not sure if its still available but its smells fresh with a touch of floral. I haven't burned this one yet, so I'm not sure about how strong the aroma is. The scent is a combination of moss, bergamont, and a finishing touch of citrus bouquet.

Walmart
They sell a variety of brands, many which are food scents. The prices are great bit in my opinon most of the quaility sucks.
     ScentSation Sweet Pea- I've used the wickless cubes of scented wax for a long time. This brand is great, I was suprised by how much I liked them. The scents are great and they have a strong enough scent they fill the whole living room. The price is reasonable and they have a great variety. Sweet Pea is more of a spring summer scent but its a fresh scent that I like to burn all year long. They make one called Maid Up which smells like soap or detergent it's a favorite of mine. It can be strong, but I love to burn it while I clean. It makes my house smell so clean! They also have website http://scentsation.com if you want to check them out
  



        Better Homes and Garden Soft Cashmere Amber and Warm Rustic Woods- Soft Cashmere is a scent wax cube which smells amazing but isnt strong. The Warm Rustic Woods also smells great and is perfect for a bathroom or small space. I keep this one in my bathroom and it leaves the perfect fall scent. For the price they bot are nice and I would re-purchase these two.




Right now I believe Bath & Bodyworks is having the 2 for 20 sale on the large candles. You should check it out and stock up on some awesome quaility candle. And if you want a cheaper option the scented wax cubes are perfect! Let me know what your favorites candles are or what you love about fall!
Wishing you all a Sensational Day!

Happy Mothers Day Friends!

Happy Mothers Day Friends! I'm so happy to be able to celebrate my 2nd Mothers Day as a mother. When I woke up (after Bobby let me sleep in), Bobby had a nice breakfast made and we just enjoyed the day together. I made sure to tell Baby B how happy I was to be his mom. Since my mom passed away, Mothers Day always felt a little empty. Having Baby B has helped fill that void that you can feel, when you loose a parent. I miss my mom everyday she's not here. She was one of the most incredible women I know to this day. Her life was tough (I might have to do another blog post about her), but she managed to be kind, loving and giving. Luckily, Mothers Day doesn't have to be a sad day anymore. I get to celebrate being half the mother she was! 


                                  I love all my subscribers and hope you all had a fabulous day!

Trend Alert Tuesday: Makeup Setting Spray!

Hi Friends! I hope you had an amazing weekend, I got to see my sister and her family. It was really nice. This weeks Trend Alert Tuesday is Makeup Setting Sprays! I decided to talk about make up setting sprays because this weekend I brought Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Setting Spray. The reason I tried it was, throughout my day my under eye concealer tends to settle in my creases. I wanted something that would set my foundation and concealer, I asked the sales person for a sample of the Makeup Forever HD Setting Powder, and of course he convinced me to get the setting spray. I heard so many great reviews on it, so I decided to get it. I have tried others a couple other brands so I want to share my thoughts on all of them. Every one's skin is different, I have oily skin, so what might work for me might not work for you!

Urban Decay All Nighter $29.00- This product has a ton for positive reviews so I was pretty excited to try it. Sadly I felt like it did nothing, except give my skin a refreshed feeling. My under eye concealer still creased and my make up looked no different then it normally would. They do have version that for oily skin, and perhaps I should have tried that one, but for $29.00 I was not satisfied at all. I wear a MAC Prep and Prime which helps my  makeup stay on all day, so the UD didn't do anything special. Maybe if you don't wear a primer this product would do what the primer does. Who knows! All I know is, I took it back and got my $29.00 back!

MAC Fix Plus $19.00- I would highly recommend this setting spray. This is such a versatile product and can be used in a number of different ways. It can be used as a mixing medium, if you have wet to dry shadows you can spray this on your brush in place of water. The other use would be a setting spray. If your using powder products, you can tend to have that powdery look. (I have this issue on my forehead.) If you spray this on you face it can help reduce the powdery appearance, leaving your skin radiant and dewy. This is a good product to have on hand.

Evian Facial Spray $19.00 for a set of 3- This product is very similar to the MAC Fix Plus, except cheaper. It has multiple uses, it can set your makeup and give a radiant look to your skin, it refreshes, and is a mixing medium for pigments and shadows. If you don’t want to spend the money on the MAC product, go for this one. Evian Facial Spray is said to remove perspiration and harmful salt and chlorine, as well as re hydrates sun-burn. This is for sure going to be a staple in my beach/pool bag! They even have travel sizes, so you can keep one in your purse. When you feel sweaty and gross, this is the perfect refresher. I wet my foundation brush with this spray when I want a more sheer coverage. You can take your normal full coverage foundation, and make it lighter just by moistening your brush with this facial spray. This is great for the hot summer months when a face full of foundation just isn't practical.


I hope you guys try one of these setting sprays in the warmer months to come. If you have any suggestions on something I didn't mention please leave it in the comments below! Thanks ladies!