This year for me has been a huge process of working hard to keep my skin clear and find routines that are quick, easy, and can fit into my crazy mom life. It goes without saying that I’ve been so ready to leave my hormonal adult acne behind including the several rounds that popped up this past year from pregnancy, breastfeeding, and medicines from getting so sick this past Spring. If you want to see what my skincare has been you can check it out in my video here, but today I wanted to focus a little more on my Summertime makeup.

Truthfully, I’ve gotten to a point in my life that if my makeup routine isn’t going to support my skin goals then it’s going to take a back burner so I wanted to share what’s really been working for me, plus a few extras to give my look some personality befitting the warm weather. I’m so happy to once again partner with Walmart’s amazing beauty team because I was actually just running low on a couple things and this gave me the perfect opportunity to refill my must-haves and share step-by-step what I’m using to achieve this look. It's so fantastic that Walmart.com has put a huge emphasis on being inclusive for all skin tones and types which I obviously appreciate having grown up in an area where I didn't have that kind of access. They also have free 2-day shipping on most items so it's super convenient when I don't have time to run to the store which lately is most of the time. ;)


I wanted to start off the look with nails because if my nails are looking nice, I feel like I have my life together and everything else can fall into place. Just me? If you’ve been a long-time follower then you already know how passionate I am about nail polish and one of my favorite shades to wear is a pale pink that makes hands look really bright and clean. This OPI Infinite Shine Nail Lacquer in Sweet Heart is exactly that. I’ve mentioned before that Infinite Shine is hands-down (pun intended) my favorite non-gel polish line so I couldn’t resist picking up this color and I’m happy to report that it looks even better on than in pictures.


For the skin I’m applying my Clinique Moisture Surge Intense moisturizer which has been a holy grail product for years. My skin lives in that unhappy purgatory of feeling dry but also being acne-prone and this is one of the few moisturizers that’s actually both oil-free and fantastic at hydrating. Makeup will always lay smoother on hydrated skin so starting with a good moisturizer is an absolute must.


Next, I’m applying a daily facial sunscreen to both my face and neck. This is a personal choice but I like using a mineral sunblock which doesn’t cause my sensitive skin to react negatively and this Cerave one also hydrates as well as containing niacinamide (one of my fav skincare ingredients) which can help calm irritation.

Life pro tip: always bring skincare, including sunscreen, down to your neck & chest to keep everything looking younger and aging evenly.


For foundation I’m going in with another product that I always come back to year after year. If you frequently have acne flare-ups then you’ve got to give BareMinerals Original foundation a try. A lot of liquid foundations and pressed powders have filler ingredients that can clog pores or cause irritation but mineral foundation won’t do either and also won’t harbor bacteria which can create breakouts. It’s also SO fast to apply and I love that I can just do a light layer or build up coverage just in places I need it, just using one product. For reference I use shade Light.


I’m still all about warm tones at the moment so I picked up this Stila Perfect Me Perfect Hue Eye & Cheek Palette which conveniently has both eyeshadows plus two blush colors. The Medium/Tan had especially pretty shades that work well on complexions with yellow undertones.


I applied a wash of the peachy shade on the ball of the eyelid, then did a soft cut-crease using the burgundy shade, making sure to softly blend out any harsh edges.


To warm up my face I took the peach blush and applied this starting at the temples and bringing it forward to the apples of my cheeks.


Next, I love a nice highlight moment especially in the summer and this Maybelline Facestudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in Molten Gold is both affordable and so pretty.


Using a fan brush I applied this to the tops of my cheeks, very softly down my nose bridge, on the top edge of my lip line, and also on my collarbone which  is especially accentuated in my sundress.


This next mascara is one that I’ve heard a ton about so I wanted to try it out in person. You guys know I’m all about finding great mascaras that will work at holding a curl for straight lashes and I’m happy that the L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara lives up to the hype, dare I say better than the waterproof version of a certain mascara it closely resembles in design. Just saying. ;)


To finish off the face I couldn’t resist this deliciously hot pink NARS lipgloss in Priscilla. The formula is so silky without feeling overly sticky and you can wear this both fully opaque or blend out the edges for a softer look.



If you want to check out the products I used, I’ll list them out again or you can click on the item in the image below.

Disclaimer: Thank you so much to Walmart beauty for partnering on this post.

I can't believe Summer is already here! I don't know if it's because LA winter lasted so long this year or because our family was hit so hard with cold & flu season, but I feel like the weather skipped Spring completely and jumped right into shorts weather! That means it's high time to stock up on some of my favorite skincare go-to's and a couple key beauty refreshers to prep myself for the impending barbecues and beach trips.

I was seriously stoked when Walmart's beauty team asked me to partner and pick out some of my favorites to share with you guys because I definitely needed a little treat-myself time and I've been obsessed with finding the perfect quick routine lately that works with my mom life. I mean, I adore my babies but I don't want to look like my hair is dead and crunchy or that I'm adding extra sun spots to my face. ;) Walmart also has free 2-day shipping on most orders of $35+ so it's extremely convenient when you can't run to the store, not that I've ever been that busy in my life, cough, cough baby's asleep on me again, cough. Free returns on those orders too if you don't like something!



Speaking of sun spots, I'll start off with one product I am SO eager to test out. I've heard for ages about the Elta MD Skincare UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 and how it's especially good for those with acne-prone skin. A little research revealed that a key ingredient in it is niacinamide which has worked really well for my skin in the past at increasing clarity and brightening and is cool to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Woohoo! It's oil-free and fragrance-free so it will integrate with my current skincare quite nicely. Know what else is oil-free and rocking niacinamide? CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion! I recently ran out of my nighttime face moisturizer so it will be nice to have that niacinamide boost day and night without using a separate serum.



With bare arms and jean skirts, it's very important to remember to moisturize right out of the shower when your skin is still damp for maximum hydration so I grabbed Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion. It's a great basic that is fragrance-free and non-greasy. I feel like I became so boring after my high school and college days of perfume-laden body butters but I really appreciate only having scents I choose, only where I want to apply them, especially since my kids come in contact with my skin so often. Is it just me?



Also out of the shower I like to use a hair protectant to soften and protect my colored hair. It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product works great to make my hair look its best but also works as a heat protectant before using the blowdrier or curling iron, or just running around outside in the sun.


For days when I skip the makeup I really adore using Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water to clean my skin which is something I've been using for years. It never breaks me out or leaves a sticky residue and you can use it during the day after working out or going to the beach.


The makeup-oriented products that everyone should have in their collection for daily use are Smashbox Photofinish Primer (Which, again, I've been using for years and my mom always manages to take my backups because it's a holy grail for her too!) and the original Beauty Blender sponge. Obviously the primer blurs skin imperfections and helps foundation last longer and the Beauty Blender is actually so great for getting that super natural, healthy-looking skin because when you wet it first, it uses less foundation but gets the most even coverage out of every foundation application technique I've tried.


Finally, there is nothing like a gorgeous pastel polish to really make me feel like I'm ready to rock some cute espadrilles and OPI Suzi Without A Paddle is the palest baby blue that I'm completely in love with. I've been obsessing over OPI's Infinite Shine formula since it lasts longer than most polish lines on me, so I've been hoarding a small collection of my most-worn shades.


That's it for my Summer beauty picks! What are you guys using to prep your beauty shelf for the summer? Let me know in the comments!