Beauty – Page 3 – Mackenzie Billington

Red Lips & Leather

February 16, 2016 by Mackenzie

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Top: Nordstrom (linked similar) // Jacket: Anthropologie Petite (linked similar) // Jeans: Paige // Heels: Manolo Blahnik // Lipstick: “Ruby Woo” // Sunglasses: Ray Ban

Even though spring is almost here, it’s still very chilly here in the South. So in these last few weeks of cold weather, I love to break out my favorite winter outfits. This #edgy one is no exception. An all-black outfit is always my go-to whether I am hitting the town with friends or going on a date night. I paired my favorite leather jacket with a black blouse, ripped jeans, statement heels, and, of course, bold, red lips. There’s something about the combination of leather and red lips that makes me totally feel like Sandy from Greece.

Tell me about it, stud.

If you have been following me on Tumblr for the past two years, you know that I have always been scared of wearing jeans for some bizarre reason. To be completely honest, I don’t think I have even tried on jeans in the past five to six years, which is crazy; I know. It is a new year and a new season in my life, so I decided to break out of my comfort zone and do something completely different. I fell in love with this comfortable pair of Paige jeans. They had the perfect amount of ‘rips’, making them a little edgy, but still totally wearable. They were on sale at Nordstrom Rack in my hometown, so I couldn’t find an excuse to say no. To make this outfit a little more casual, you could swap out the heels for some riding boots, ballet flats, or booties and rock a neutral glossy lip instead of the bold red.

I hope that y’all had an awesome Valentine’s Day & that you are having a fabulous week so far!

xoxo,

Mackenzie Kendall

Top 5 Favorite Lush Bath Products

February 4, 2016 by Mackenzie

Happy Thursday! As a blogger, it’s only natural to check your analytics. Over the past nine months of blogging here on mackenziekendall, I have noticed my most popular post ever is ‘The Lush Lowdown- part 1“. It makes me so happy to know I am not the Lush addict around here! Because so many of y’all are interested in hearing reviews about Lush products, I decided to share my top five favorite Lush products for the bath, which has been highly requested.

If you’ve used Lush products before, you know that they truly make your bath an ‘experience‘. Taking a bath or shower without any Lush products is just not the same; I am totally addicted. I’ve tried so many Lush products over the years, and these have been my all time favorites:

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Her

February 2, 2016 by Mackenzie

Happy almost Valentine’s Day, friends! Even though I have been single every single v-day of my twenty years of life, I still get excited for it every year. It’s such a fun holiday to give gifts whether it’s for your bestie, mom, sister, significant other, or yourself! I wanted to share some fun & festive gift ideas with y’all (p.s. – I included a few more at the bottom).

I hope that you all are having a great week!

FabFitFun Winter Box Review

February 1, 2016 by Mackenzie

My Current Makeup Routine

January 28, 2016 by Mackenzie

Hello, hello! If you know anything about me, you know that I absolutely love makeup. I’ve been obsessed since I was in about 6th or 7th grade, and I find playing with makeup just so fun! I get asked all the time about my makeup in my snapchats, so I thought I would share with y’all in detail my current makeup routine. It’s really hard for me to make a set ‘everyday day makeup routine‘ because honestly, I don’t always do the same identical makeup look every single day. It really just depends what I am feeling and how much time I have. For class, I usually just fill in my brows, swipe on a little shimmer brick and concealer, and go. If I go out with friends on the weekend, I will do a heavier eye makeup look with falsies or I’ll opt for a darker, bolder lip. If I have an interview, I usually swap out my favorite bold, pink lipgloss for something a little more subdued and neutral. However, this is my typical daily makeup routine when I am at home in Texas or when I just want to look more polished.

So without further ado, here are the makeup products I gravitate towards on a daily basis. You can click on each item in the picture to take you straight to the product!

I have listed a step by step tutorial below of how I use & apply each of these products:

Brow Definer vs. Brow Wiz

January 18, 2016 by Mackenzie

Brow Definer | Brow Wiz

Perfect brows were all the rage this past year, and I couldn’t resist jumping on the band wagon in 2015. I have very naturally sparse brows, so I’m always trying out new brow products to fake fuller brows. Over the past year, I’ve been obsessed with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz pencil (my sister, mom, and bestie love it as well). I’m not exaggerating at all when I say that I’ve purchased over five of them. The second I hear that clicking noise – letting me know the pencil has run out- I always run to the closest Ulta or Sephora ASAP. The Brow Wiz pencils are so incredible, have a great color selection, and do a fabulous job of filling in the brows. I heard that Anastasia Beverly Hills recently released a new, similar product, and I knew that I had to check it out to see if it was truly better than my holy grail brow product. I watched a few youtube reviews on the Brow Definer, which ended up not being too helpful given all the mixed opinions. So I headed to my local Ulta to try it out for myself. After swatching it, I was sold. I decided to pick up the color ‘Soft Brown’, which I have swatched above. The Brow Definer is described on the Ulta website as:

“This retractable mechanical pencil has a thick, triangular tip that outlines brows and fills sparse areas in one fluid motion. The smooth, creamy formula glides effortlessly to cover and define, while the soft-bristled end blends edges for a natural finish.”

The initial thing I noticed about the Brow Definer was the size. It is a lot larger than the original Brow Wiz. In addition to that detail, you also get more product, thus getting a better bang for your buck. The Brow Wiz is priced is $21 and .003 oz, and the Brow Definer is $23 and .007 oz. I go through the Brow Wiz pencils pretty quickly because I fill in my brows daily, and I have a lot of sparse sections to fill in. I figured it was worth the money to get the Brow Definer because it does have more than double the product amount and will definitely last me longer.

Not only is there a difference in the size, packaging, and price, there is also a huge difference in the actual product shape. The Brow Definer has a very slanted end that is much larger in size than the tiny, precise Brow Wiz tip. I find the Brow Definer very easy to use, and it does a great job of allowing me to fill in my sparse brows when I am in a rush. The Brow Wiz is definitely more time consuming, and it takes me a while to fill in my brows because of how small the tip is. However, the Brow Definer definitely takes half the time due to the shape and size of the tip. The slanted tip also makes it really easy to create a very natural arch to the brows and fill in the sparse areas with ease. I find the look of the Brow Definer to be a little more natural on me in comparison to the look that the Brow Wiz provides.

Brow Definer pros:

more product for your money
quicker to apply
slanted tip makes it easy to create a nice arch
great for sparse brow areas
comes in more shades than the Brow Wiz

Brow Definer cons:

slightly more expensive than the Brow Wiz
I prefer the small spoolie on the Brow Wiz
may be a little too large for those with very thin brows
may be too overwhelming and unnecessary for those with naturally thick and full brows

In summary, I definitely prefer the Brow Definer. Though I have been a huge fan of the Brow Wiz over the past year, the Brow Definer has won me over. Because I have lots of sparse areas in my brows, it can be very time consuming to fill them in- especially when I am in a hurry to get to class. The Brow Definer fills in my brows quickly and helps me easily create a nice, natural arch. The Brow Wiz may be a better fit for those that already have fuller brows and just want to just touch up a few spots. The Brow Wiz also might be better for those with thin brows. Anastasia Beverly Hills makes the best brow products on the market, in my opinion, so you definitely can’t go wrong with either! If I were to repurchase one of these two pencils though, I would definitely go for the Brow Definer for me personally. It’s fantastic, and I am so glad I picked it up.

Let me know what your favorite brow products are!

xoxo,

Mackenzie

P.S. Do y’all like my new camera lens? I found it in the back of my closet yesterday, so I thought I would switch it up!

Drybar Blow Dryer Review

January 16, 2016 by Mackenzie

Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer

Gone are the days of holding my heavy blow dryer above my head for an hour, only to end up with frizzy, dry hair. Every year for Christmas, my sister and I get ‘one big gift’. When I told my parents that I wanted a blow dryer for my ‘one big gift’, they were beyond confused. I have very long, course, wavy hair that I have a love/hate relationship with. Though I do actually like my hair, the one thing that I completely despise about it is how long it takes to dry after washing it. One morning this semester at college, I washed my hair, got dressed, and headed to the library to spend my Sunday cramming for finals. When I came back home that evening, my roommates were like ‘Your hair is wet.. didn’t you wash it this morning?! Like 8 hours ago’. Yes. Yes, I did. On average, my hair takes over 3 hours to air dry. Ain’t nobody got time for that. I’ve purchased drugstore blow dryers in the past, but that still took an hour to dry my hair with, leaving my arms aching. I was always so unsatisfied with the end result.

For about a year now, I’ve thought about investing in a ‘high end’ blow dryer. So Christmas was the perfect time to finally get a nice blow dryer that would hopefully make my life a little easier. I debated back and forth between blow dryers, but I ended up deciding on the Drybar Buttercup after reading a ton of reviews. I got the little value set that was available at Nordstrom this past holiday season, and I got to try out the Drybar round brush, shine mist, and tons of other goodies. This blow dryer has completely changed my life. Wow, that sounded completely dramatic, I know. However, it really has changed the game for me. Meet the Drybar Buttercup- on Sephora, it is described as:

“A precision blow drying tool designed for use by stylists at Drybar shops across the US to deliver perfect blowouts to thousands of clients every day—now available to Sephora customers to create their own professional blowouts at home. The Buttercup Blow Dryer features an ultra-powerful motor to get the job done fast and efficiently. Buttercup was designed for use by stylists at Drybar shops across the US to deliver perfect, long-lasting blow-outs to thousands of clients every day. NanoIonic™ Technology helps to break up water quickly for reduced dry-time. Nano beads within the dryer emit powerful negative ions that seal and smooth the hair cuticle, helping to reduce frizz, increase shine, and trap moisture inside for more healthy-looking, hydrated hair.”

I definitely think the Drybar Buttercup lives up to these claims. No doubt.

About two weeks ago, I posted a snapchat selfie on my public account (mackenzieken) of me with wet hair. Then 7 minutes later, I posted another selfie of me with completely dry hair, and tons of y’all asked questions about this magic. I have to give all the credit to this hair dryer. Now, drying my hair is a piece of cake. It takes about 10 minutes on average to completely dry my hair with the Drybar buttercup, and that’s incredible. It also leaves my hair so soft, smooth, and shiny. In the past, blow drying my hair always made my hair feel dryer and frizzier than it was to begin with. However, this blow dryer actually makes my hair feel and look better than it did in the past. I love this blow drier because I also don’t have to use direct heat on my hair (via flat iron, curling iron, etc.) after because it does such an incredible job on its own of making my hair look great. I like to use the blow dryer with the nozzle (that it comes with) and the round brush. I always started by blotting my wet hair with a tshirt before using the blow dryer. Then I apply a little product. I’m always completely blown away – no pun intended – with the results after each use. Even some of my friends noticed a difference in my hair, and several of them accused me of wearing hair extensions like I did back in high school. The only change I’ve made is using the Drybar Buttercup, but the difference is definitely noticeable.

If you are considering buying a high end hair dryer and you struggle with coarse, frizzy hair that never dries, definitely, definitely look into the Drybar Buttercup. I would highly recommend it, and it has completely changed the amount of time I have to spend on my hair. The only complaint I would have is that sometimes it randomly blows out cold air (like can you not plz). It’s always a little random and strange, but it’s not too big of a deal. When I was reading reviews of this product on Sephora, I saw a few other customers mention the same little weird issue. It doesn’t bother me at all. The only other con would be the price, of course. I always do a ton of research on products before splurging, and I read tons of reviews before choosing the Drybar Buttercup. I would highly recommend reading other reviews for yourself.

Here are my pros/cons to the Drybar Buttercup.

Pros:

dries hair in under 10 minutes
leaves hair feeling very soft, shiny, and healthy
hair feels more hydrated
hair does not feel frizzy or dry whatsoever after
cord length
less damaging for your hair
cute packaging
quieter than most blow dryers
lightweight compared to most blow dryers

Cons:

price
sometimes randomly blows cold air out

So in summary, I am so happy about the Drybar blow dryer. It has made my life so much easier, and I would highly recommend it if you are looking to splurge on a high end blow dryer. This blow dryer has really, really worked for my personally, and I’m a big fan. It’s so fantastic, and now every day can be a good hair day.

My Favorite Sephora Products of 2015

January 9, 2016 by Mackenzie

Hello everyone! I hope you all have had a great first week of 2016. This post is a little overdue, but I figured, ‘better later than never’. Sephora is pretty much my addiction. Anybody that knows me knows that I can’t resist walking into Sephora at any given opportunity. I also can never leave Sephora without hundreds of swatches decorating my hands and arms. I try out tons of new products all the time, but these were my favorite from Sephora during 2015. I found myself reaching for these products all the time, and I have repurchased the majority of these products more than once! I have a ton of new products I want to try out in 2016, which I have included at the bottom of this post!

Lush Pink Peppermint Review

January 4, 2016 by Mackenzie

Hello, hello! It’s been a while since I’ve talked Lush on here, but I wanted to share one of my recent favorites with all of you. When I was in Maui, I couldn’t help but to stop by the Lush store there on the island. During the winter, my skin gets so dry (as I’m sure a ton of y’all can relate to). The ladies at Lush talked me into trying out ‘Pink Peppermint’, which is ‘more than just a foot cream’. On the container, this product is described as a foot cream that features ‘cool arnica, soothing etageres and zingy peppermint that gets you back on your feet pronto!’. The employees at Lush told me that they like to use this product for any soreness and cramps- and as a regular body lotion. I am always down for trying out versatile products that I can get tons of use out of.

I absolutely love this stuff. One thing I love about this product is the scent. It has a really nice peppermint scent that is ultra refreshing. I love to apply it after a workout for a quick ‘pick-me-up’. It does an awesome job at really soothing any aching/sore muscles. The scent also feels so fitting for the winter season. Some may not love the peppermint fragrance, but I personally love it. It is also very subtle too, which is nice. This product is so incredible moisturizing on the skin, and is very buttery to aply. It absorbs into the skin quickly, leaving it very, very soft. I apply it to my arms and legs, concentrating on any patches that tend to get the driest. It also works so well as a foot cream if you suffer from dry feet in the winter. Apply a generous amount before bed time and then sleep in cotton socks. You’ll wake up with the softest feet ever. I would recommend wearing colored socks because the pink can tend to rub off on white socks. This would be my only complaint about Pink Peppermint. I also really love it as a foot cream if you’ve been walking around in heels all day. My feet always ache after hours and hours in heels, and Pink Peppermint is the perfect product to really soothe any pain you might have at the end of the day. One last thing I love about this product is that I feel like it’s a pretty good amount for your money. It is $25 for 7.9 oz. This container will last me months and months. I took these pictures when I first purchased the product, but I have been using it several times a week for about three weeks now. Even though I’ve been using it so frequently, I have barely made a dent in it. I would definitely repurchase this product in the future.

[Tip: Keep it in the refrigerator for an extra refreshing experience]

Pros:

Smells amazing
Very creamy
Moisturizing
Soothing
Can be used as a body moisturizer or foot cream
Great for aching muscles- so perfect for athletes and those who wear heels often
Great for cramps
Nice packaging and product appearance
Price is pretty good for the amount of product you get

Cons:

Can rub off on white socks, so it might be best to wear them with darker socks if you decide to use it as a night treatment

Thank you so much for checking out my blog! Let me know if you would like to see more Lush reviews or posts in the future.

Check out my previous Lush posts:

Updated Skincare Routine

December 30, 2015 by Mackenzie

Happy Tuesday everyone! I’ve been getting a ton of questions lately about my skincare routine. As a lot of y’all know, I have struggled with oily/acne-prone skin for as long as I can remember. My skin has always been my biggest insecurity, and for the first time in my life, my skin finally gives me confidence. I actually have been getting so many compliments on my skin these past few weeks, which is such a huge, huge thing for me. I posted a skin routine a few months ago (read it here), but I wasn’t 100% happy with it as a long term thing. It was working fine, but I was still struggling with frequent breakouts and very excessive oil.

When I first started noticing my oily skin back in grade school, I did every thing I could to fight it. I used any ‘anti-shine’ product I could get my hands on to try and mask any trace of shine. I also avoided moisturizers at all costs. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that your skin can actually overproduce oil if you are not properly moisturizing it. I feel like by adding more moisturizing products into my skincare routine instead of using drying, oil fighting products, I’ve seen major improvement in the quality of my skin and its appearance. (If y’all would like to see a more thorough post on oily/acne prone skin and my tips for getting rid of acne, just comment below & let me know – I have before and after pictures).

I started adding anti-aging skincare products in my weekly routine about four years ago. A lot of people look at me weird the second I tell them that- most because I already look incredibly young for my age. I always reply with my same-old, same-old joke, “I want to look 12 forever!”. I know that aging is a lot easier to prevent now than to try and reverse it down the road. Now that I am in my 20’s, I’ve started to use a full routine of ant-aging products. I’ve been loving my skincare routine lately and thought I would share it! Though anti-aging skin care products are great, the best thing you can really do is to stay out of the sun and wear SPF- on your face, neck, and hands. I recommend keeping a little bottle in your car!

In the morning, I start by washing my face with the Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Cleanser. I purchased a little skincare set from Ole Henriksen at Sephora several weeks ago just to try out some of the best selling products from the link. The set was only $25, and I couldn’t resist picking it up to try these mini products. The African Red Tea cleanser is probably my favorite product from the entire set, and I will definitely be repurchasing another one soon because I am almost completely out. I love that it is foaming and that it has a nice scent. After cleansing my skin, I apply some of the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster. It makes my skin feel a little tighter, and I absolutely love the scent. It has a very strong fragrance to it that smells exactly like oranges, which some people may not enjoy. The scent doesn’t last long on the skin, but I do actually love the way it smells. After applying the Truth Serum, I finish my daytime skin care routine by applying my Neutrogena Triple Repair moisturizer to my face, neck, and hands. I love this moisturizer because it is very thick and creamy on the skin, but doesn’t make me feel overly greasy. I also find that my skin doesn’t get too oily throughout the day either. I love that this moisturizer has SPF in it, and I find it doesn’t wash me out in photos (always a plus!). My only complaint is that I wish it had a pump as I don’t find it very sanitary to stick my fingers in the jar. In addition to my Neutrogena moisturizer, I also apply Clinique All About Eyes. I got this sample size of the product in a Sephora ‘500-point’ set, and I would definitely repurchase it in the full size. It really makes a big difference when it comes to under eye circles and any darkness. I also find that it helps with applying my undereye concealer and really creating a smooth base. Make sure that you lightly tap it around the undereyes so you don’t tug at the sensitive skin!

At the end of the day, I usually remove my makeup with makeup remover first. I then apply a pump of the African Red Tea cleanser on my Clarisonic brush. I have been using the Clarisonic for over a year now, and I honestly think it has made major improvements on my skin. It does a fantastic job of really removing every inch of makeup off of my skin, thus preventing additional breakouts and clogged pores. I have the ‘acne brush’ on my Clarisonic and has been my favorite brush out of all the different ones I have tried over the past year. If you don’t own a Clarisonic brush, you should definitely look into investing in one. They are pricey, but I promise you won’t regret the purchase- especially if you struggle with skin problems like I do. I’ve been told before that it’s actually not good to apply moisturizer before you go to sleep, so I usually only apply moisturizer if my skin is feeling extra dry. I’ve been really loving the Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation moisturizer because it is very light on the skin and doesn’t break me out. It is packed with Vitamin C and Vitamin D. I don’t wear it during the day because it does not have SPF in it. Once a week, I use the Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment. It’s a really nice nightly treatment that leaves my skin feeling mega soft. I also find that it doesn’t cause any breakouts whatsoever, which is something I am always fearful of when trying out new products.

I’d love to know what skincare products y’all have been loving lately!

P.S. – Two full days of 2015 left!! That is beyond crazy to me. My New Years Resolutions post will be up on Thursday- stay tuned!