beauty tip

Everyday Makeup Look Under $20

Published on September 18, 2017 by obsessivecompulsivedesignerblog16 Comments

Hello you, and welcome to inside the mind of an Obsessive Compulsive Designer.

Yeah, you read that right. This look was created with less than $20! Sometimes a girl has to ball on a budget. And just because you’re on a budget, that doesn’t meant that you have to compromise your style at all. The trick to staying under $20 is picking the right products to get a multi-use out of each one. Here is what I used:

Elf BB Cream – $6.00

I love this bb cream and have been using it for a couple years now. You can find my full review on it here. It’s great for this look because it gives a lively dewy glow to the skin so you don’t have to stress about ditching a primer! This bb cream looks great applied with a beauty blender but also looks great applied with your hands (for an even cheaper application).

NYX HD Concealer – $3.74

I cannot live without concealer and my under eyes definitely can back me up on that haha! I used this concealer to highlight all the usual high points on my face and also used it to prime my eyelids. Dual purpose!

Wet N Wild MegaGlo Contouring Palette – $4.99

This product is so great and the most versatile of all the products I use here. I use the matte highlighting side to set my concealer all over my face and eyes. Then I took the contour powder and brushed that over the perimeter of my face. This powder is still rather warm for me so I like to use it to bronze as opposed to contouring. Then I took the contour powder on a smaller brush to work that on the crease of my eyelid and lightly dust under my lower lashes. Since I’m a brunette, I was able to use this contour powder as a filler for my brows too! Can you say amazing?! If you prefer to pass on foundations and concealers, you could survive off of this one product! Love!

Wet N Wild Max Volume Plus Mascara – $4.99

Mascara is something I can’t live without so I had to make sure I included this product in this challenge. This is actually my favorite mascara and I use it religiously. You can see my full review on this product here. If you’re an eyeliner junkie, you could take some of this product on a liner brush and give yourself a bit of winged liner. I usually don’t use liner so I opted out of that.

That’s it! Four products, under $20, fabulous everyday look. This was a fun challenge for myself and also taught me a thing or two about my own collection. Next time I’m running low on room when packing, I now know I can create this beautifully simple look with four small products!

Leave me a comment below and let me know your thoughts! If you try this challenge, tag me so I can see what you come up with!

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5 Helpful Tips For Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

Published on September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 by obsessivecompulsivedesignerblog10 Comments

Hello you, and welcome to inside the mind of an Obsessive Compulsive Designer.

It’s not a fun task, but it’s a necessary one! Cleaning my makeup brushes is always a dreaded task for me and I have no idea why. It takes me all but 15 minutes and is so SO beneficial. I really need to get into a better habit of just doing it (I’ll touch on that later though). Here are some tips that will make your cleaning process easier and hopefully cheaper!

Use Household Products

Feel free to skip out on the specific cleaners out there on the market that are dedicated to cleaning makeup brushes. There are much cheaper alternatives that you most likely already have! I use a mixture of dish soap and just a dash of extra virgin olive oil. The soap will sanitize your brushes while the oil will keep the hairs/fibers of your brush moisturized and prevent them from splitting. I have been using this concoction for a few years now and love it! No use messing with the big name brand cleaners that are way more expensive.

Down Is Always Right

When you are sink washing your brushes be sure they are always pointing down. If they are facing up, you’ll get water into inner parts of your brushes and upsetting the glue. You’ll find more bristles will start falling out and your bristles may even become deformed. Just always make sure the bristles are pointing down while washing and you’ll avoid any problems!

Your Hand Is A Powerful Tool

Sure the cute little glove or insert you clip in the sink that makes “washing your brushes a breeze” looks cute and every Instagrammer has them; but, you really don’t need this. (Unless you have like 40 brushes to wash then, in that case, you do you booboo!) The natural grooves and curvature of your own hand works just the same and the textured mats. More money saved!

Elevate Your Brushes

When you’re all done washing, be sure to lay them out to dry before setting them back upright. I like to elevate the handle of my brushes to even further prevent any water from settling inside the brushes. It helps dry them faster and ensures the longevity of my brushes. Win, win!

Schedule Your Washes

Personally, I need to get much better at this. I like setting reminders on my Google Calendar to remind myself to set aside a few minutes at the end of the day to get this done. This makes remembering to wash them so much easier! Now, I just need to work on the follow through. J

Leave me a comment below and tell me if you’re better at remembering to wash your brushes than I am!

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How To Get Rid Of Oily Skin

Published on August 4, 2017 by obsessivecompulsivedesignerblog3 Comments

Hello you, and welcome to inside the mind of an Obsessive Compulsive Designer.

Take it from someone who has had oily skin all her life, I didn’t think it was every going to be possible to change my skin type. I thought you were born with what you got and that’s that. However, I found that many of my habits and lifestyle choices were the reasons behind my oily skin.

I know every person is different and every person reacts differently to certain products, etc. But, I just wanted to share with all of you how I got rid of my oily skin so you could try out a few tips for yourself!

Moisturize with oils

I know it seems like backward logic and the last thing you’ll want to do is add more oil to your face; but, the results are worth it. Your face is producing so much oil because, odds are, you’re not moisturizing enough and your skin is working overtime trying to make sure you stay hydrated. The best thing you can do to combat oil is to keep your skin well hydrated and I found, personally, oil works best for me. I use 100% Organic Rosehip Oil and it has transformed my skin. I use it as a moisturizer every night for an extra boost while sleeping.

Remove makeup every night

I use to be SO SO BAD at taking my makeup off and my skin really hated me for it. I never realized how much my skin hated it until I stuck to a strict routine of removing it every.single.night. My skin improved so much from just that simple step. I know sometimes it’s hard to remember or fit it into your busy schedule but I promise you’ll thank me later.

Established a routine

Like I mentioned above with a routine of makeup removal, I also worked many other products and steps into My Skincare Routine. I feel so much better and my skin looks so much better. (I can definitely write an updated skincare routine post if you’d like to see that.) Taking the extra ten minutes a day to give my skin everything it needs and finding the right products that compliments my skin was essential to changing the amount of oil.

Multi-masking

I use to think masks were just used to get all the nasty junk out of your skin so I would only use either exfoliating or charcoal masks. They would totally suck all the good oils and moisture out of my face and only worsen my complexion. Since then, I’ve learned what problem areas to target with the harsh masks (like breakouts, my T-zone, etc.). For the rest of my skin, I’ll use a gentle hydrating mask. Multi-masking lets you create the perfect concoction for your skin that you’ll never find by just applying one single mask to your face.

Lightweight products

Let’s just say that in my early makeup days I didn’t exactly go for the ‘natural’ look. But, then again, who did? It was the early 2000’s. Everyone was orange and everyone wore pale nude lipstick. Nowadays, I’ve learned how much better your makeup and skin can benefit from using natural and lightweight products. That goes for makeup as well as skincare products! My Go-To Foundation is the Too Faced Born This Way and I don’t know if I’ll ever switch foundations. It gives the perfect amount of coverage without weighing down my face. It’s a super breathable foundation. Your skin will thank you! As for skincare, switching to a lightweight oil as opposed to a heavy moisturizer really helped my skin breathe while getting everything it needed. Less really is more!

Leave me a comment below and let me know if you’d like to see an updated skincare routine!

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Hitting Pan On Some Favorites

Published on June 12, 2017June 12, 2017 by obsessivecompulsivedesignerblog5 Comments

Hello you, and welcome to inside the mind of an Obsessive Compulsive Designer.

It’s that time again to run through some products of mine that I have used up. This time around is a lot of hair care products. Mostly because I’ve got some seriously thick and long hair. My hair eats up anything I put into it like it’s nothing! As you can tell, I’m a loyal Batiste customer. I’m always on the lookout for something new to try so I’d love for you to leave me some suggestions below.

This time, my empties consist of some real tried and true staples in my beauty collection. I’ve loved all of these and repurchased them all again. This is definitely the post to check out if you’re in the market for anything new.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

I haven’t tried a Batiste dry shampoo that I haven’t loved but I’m a sucker for the Divine Dark shade. It works just as well as the others and masks the typical dry shampoo “dust” with a hint of my brunette hair color. Really great!

OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo

Yeah, I’ve run through a huge bottle of this. Since I go 3-4 days between washing my hair, I like to double up when I do wash it. I find giving it a double dose of shampoo really cleans my hair well. This coconut milk shampoo feels great on my hair. Shampoo naturally strips the oils from your hair, good and bad, but this shampoo doesn’t dry my hair out at all. I’ve purchased another large bottle of this already!

Lush Retread

Cannot think of a better hair mask. I really can’t! I have yet to come across another moisturizing mask that can beat this product. I live by this! Click here to read my full review on this product!

Jergens Natural Glow

For all the pale girls out there like me who have the worst time getting a natural tan. I highly recommend this natural tanner. It’ll save your skin from the harsh sun rays but will give your skin the glowing radiance of beautifully tanned skin.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

Ever since I tried this out last year, I’ve been HOOKED! I don’t go a day without using it. It really does keep my makeup in place and helps my face stay in place throughout the day! Click here to read my review of this product!

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

I’ve done a full out review of this product so I won’t waste your time. Click here to read my review. Just know, you’ll be hooked after trying it!

Leave me a comment below on some beauty products I should try next!
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How To Get Clear Skin This Summer

Published on June 4, 2017June 3, 2017 by obsessivecompulsivedesignerblog4 Comments

Hello you, and welcome to inside the mind of an Obsessive Compulsive Designer.

Summer means later nights, more activities, and hotter temperatures. It’s sometimes hard to keep your skin nice and clear during the excessively hot summer months. Over the years, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks that I want to pass on to you guys to help your skin out this summer! The best part is, none of these tips are difficult or come with a high price tag. Keep reading to take the first step towards better looking skin!

Use Oil To Moisturize

I swear by using oil to moisturize! I use my rosehip oil every single night before bed. If you aren’t already using an oil to moisturize, I highly recommend trying it out. It’s going to be lighter weight in the summer and feel much better on your skin during the heat.

Regularly Clean Your Sunnies

Something a lot of people overlook is how much more often they are using their sunglasses. It’s so important to clean your sunnies more regularly to prevent oil and bacteria from building up.

Up Your Vitamin D Intake

Get outside and enjoy the sunshine! It’s so great for many reasons; but, your skin will look much better after some good ol’ sunshine.

Change Out Your Pillow Cases More Often

During the warmer months, be sure to swap out your pillow cases for fresh ones every couple days. You’re sweating more during the night and definitely don’t want all of that build up getting anywhere near your pores!

Be Sure To Use Sunscreen Daily

Always rule number one. Anyone could tell you that you need sunscreen every day, not just the summer months. Your skin will DEFINITELY thank you later for the extra protection. (Tip : Use a BB cream or moisturizer with sunscreen already mixed in to avoid a step!)

Leave me a comment below telling me how you plan on keeping your skin radiant this summer!

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March Favorite Posts This Month

Published on March 31, 2017March 30, 2017 by obsessivecompulsivedesignerblogLeave a comment

Hello you, and welcome to inside the mind of an Obsessive Compulsive Designer

It’s been a crazy busy month this month. For those who follow my blog closely, you’ll recognize that I took a much needed break this last week. With my five days a week posting schedule mixed with my professional work schedule and life in general, there just wasn’t the time to put my full 100% into my blog. Definitely not wanting to give you all half-a** posts to read, I opted for a break and I’m VERY glad I did. For the remaining weeks I was posting, I had a few that I really loved and I noticed you all felt the same about them as well! Without further explanation, here are my favorite posts from last month in case you missed any.