Monday's Must Have

I went to Sephora a few weeks ago to meet up for a little shopping afternoon with my friend Julia.

This was probably a mistake. Not a mistake for my face but for my bank account. Sephora just happened to have a Stila make up artist in the store that day trying some of their new products on customers. That's where they got us. I went in to buy Laura Mercier Foundation Primer and I left with a bag full of goodies that I didn't even know existed.

Here's what I got:

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer - Illuminating -  Bare Radiance

This stuff is awesome! You apply it with a foundation brush. Super easy but it gives you a great glow and pretty good coverage. I usually follow it up with a little of Laura Mercier's loose powder.

Stila - Set & Illuminate Baked Powder Trio

I have a serious issue when it comes to blush and bronzer. I cake it on. I don't mean to. I know that less looks WAY better but I am just used to smashing my bronzer brush onto my face. This powder is actually baked so that it is solid. You twist the little wheel and it shaves off a bit of the powder. Just enough for what you need. It makes the bronzer last longer and it stays so neat and tidy. The Stila make up artist said to use this wherever you want a little highlighting. I use it on my temples, inner and under eye area and on my cheek bones after I apply my blush and bronzer. 

Stila - Set & Bronzed Baked Powder Trio

Basically it's the same as the Illuminating Powder but this is a gradual bronzer. Just what I need. Apply just a little bit to contour your face and then wait to see how it looks. Add more if you need to. It has a great natural color and isn't too matte but isn't sparkly either. 

Stila - Custom Color Blush - Self Adjusting Coral

It does exactly what it says it does. It works with your skin to create the perfect shade for YOUR skin. It has a really soft finish that makes your skin look so nice and peachy. 

Sephora Collection - Flat Powder Brush

This is the tool that made my day! 

This is best brush ever. It glides across your skin leaving a velvet-like finish. It's very similar to the brush to Stila make up artist was using. I wanted his but he said I couldn't have it. I had been using a big fluffy brush for my bronzer. Not only was I using the wrong brush, I was only holding the brush wrong. I had no idea that could make such a dramatic difference. This one brush can be used for bronzer, brush and highlighting powder. It's all about how you use it. 

For the Illuminating Powder: He said to use the brush very lightly and just graze it over your skin. He recommended using it on the temples, cheekbones and under the eyes. 

For bronzer: Start at your temples and make a C shape brushing right underneath your cheekbones. Hold the brush flat and brush downwards onto your skin. Very, very lightly. 

For blush: Start on the apples of your cheeks using the very tip of the brush. He said to cup the apple of your cheek with the brush and lightly brush back and forth in that cupping motion.