ellamarie84

Top 10 Beauty Products Tag

2011-07-24T16:09:00.001-06:00

I was tagged by the beautiful Nora Schu from Botoxey to do my top ten beauty products! Thank you lovely!

It was difficult to narrow down to just 10...so my Top 10 may or may not have been bumped to Top 11. Hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

So without further ado, here are my Top 10 (eleven) beauty products:

--Covergirl Lashblast mascara--

--Shiseido eyelash curler--

--MAC Eyeshadow in Patina--

--Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Brunette--

--Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer--

(all have been depotted)

--Dior Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm--

--Bonne Bell Glimmer Bronze in Gold n' Glitz--

--NARS Blush in Lovejoy--

--MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack--

--Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Wheat--

--Armani Master Corrector in #1 Pink--

--Mineral Foundation. I use these three interchangeably:

Pur Minerals, Laura Mercier, and Sephora Brand--

I know I'm really late on the bandwagon doing this, so I would like to tag anyone else who hasn't done their top 10! I really enjoy reading other's top 10 posts...it's a great way to find some of the best products!

What are your top ten? Have you done this tag? If so, I'd love to read yours!

♥ ♥ ♥

NOTD: Sally Hansen Barracuda

2011-07-06T13:06:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a great holiday weekend (if you're in the U.S. or Canada, that is)!

Last night, I decided to apply Sally Hansen Barracuda. It is a lovely robin's egg blue creme.

Left, no flash, right, flash:

I was hoping it would apply true to how it looks in the bottle, but it seemed to turn a little aqua (more China Glaze For Audrey, if you will) on me.

Regardless, I am pleased with how it turned out. I'm always game for an "ice cream cone color" polish, and Barracuda definitely fits the bill.

Have any of you tried this color? What do you think?

p.s. I've heard this color has been hard for some to get a hold of, but I've spotted it at Ulta, Target, and Walgreens. So if you're interested, those are some good places to start!

♥ ♥ ♥

Fedora day.

2011-06-15T17:50:00.001-06:00

Hello again...Today, I thought I'd do a quick post on the accessories I wore. I was gonna do a full OOTD, but truthfully, none of the pics turned out and I'm only wearing a tee shirt and jeans anyway.

Today marked my first time wearing a fedora. I enjoyed it. I like this straw version as it has a more casual vibe.

Just a few bracelets:

And all together, complete with camera. Gotta love the heap of shoes on the floor behind me. Only the most professional-grade photos will do for this blog ;)

Top: Zara

Jeans: Jbrand

Bag: Kimchi Blue from Urban Outfitters

Hat: Mossimo Supply Co. from Target

Shoes: Seychelles (purchased last year but you might still find them on 6pm.com)

Bracelets: Charm bracelet is iluck, sparkly bracelet...no clue

I'm curious: do you rock the fedora with pride? What summer hats do you like to wear, if any?

♥ ♥ ♥

Greatest Hits: Skincare

2011-06-13T00:05:00.001-06:00

Today I thought I'd showcase some of my favorite skincare products. I've used all of these for 6 months at least. Only the absolute best make it in the Greatest Hits collection!

About my skin: I have oily, somewhat acne-prone skin. I get hormonal breakouts typically around my jawline, but in the last year or so, I've had breakouts on my cheeks. In the process of trying to heal my skin, I wound up using more and more products, thus exacerbating the problem. Anyway, I have come to find less is more. Just in the last month, I have cut down on products and am back to basics. I have also (mostly) stopped picking/scrubbing my skin.

I am sure most of you know this..but obviously, not everything that works for me will work for you. I think it is best to take skincare reviews with a grain of salt. Now, on to the all-stars:

Dickinson's Witch Hazel Toner (been using for 2+ years)

Some of the greatest things are also the simplest, and this toner is evidence of that. The ingredients are 14% alcohol and witch hazel..and that's it! Witch hazel is known for its skin healing properties and is a natural acne fighter. It helps to calm irritated skin and takes the redness out. I love this toner because it doesn't have an astringent feel, yet it cleans amazingly well. It works wonderfully to make my skin feel 100% clean but not parched. Another plus is this toner comes in a large 16 oz. bottle..and is under $5 at Walgreens (I usually get it on sale for $3). I cannot recommend it enough! I have gone through many bottles. There is a definite herbal (witch hazel) scent to this toner...I hated it at first, but have grown quite accustomed now.

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM (been using 6+ months)

This is a fabulous moisturizer. It is very emollient, but not creamy or greasy. My skin just soaks it right up. I think it is best to use it at night, but I have oily skin and I've used it during the day with no problems. I have never broken out from using this. I believe it has truly calmed and improved my skin. It is so mild that I use it around my eye area as well. This lotion would suit most skintypes, imo. There is absolutely no scent.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes (been using for 5+ years)

These are far and away my favorite makeup wipes. I love how they get rid of makeup but also leave my skin feeling comfortable and moisturized. I do not get a squeaky clean, astringent feeling from these..it is as if I washed my face and applied a very light moisturizer. I typically use these in the morning to refresh my skin and prep it for makeup (and often don't even need a moisturizer afterwards). These don't irritate my eyes at all, and have a light, pleasing scent.

Make Up For Ever Sens'Eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser (been using for 1+ years)

This is the best eye makeup remover I've tried. It is a gel/lotion consistency which melts off my eye makeup effortlessly (and I wear waterproof mascara most days). It doesn't feel greasy at all. I can put makeup right back on after and not have to worry about oily residue. It leaves the delicate skin around my eyes feeling clean and comfortable. It is expensive but sooo worth it. Plus, I'm still on my first bottle (just purchased a backup) and probably have a good 2 months use left. There is no scent.

Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Deep Pore Facial Wash & Mask (been using for 6 months)

I remember Sardun on youtube raved about this forever ago and I ended up finally buying it. I have not looked back. This face wash is absolutely amazing at exfoliating dead skin cells. It feels kind of trippy using it because there are no exfoliating beads/granules, but it really lifts all of the dead skin away, truly making my skin feel squeaky clean. I've never used anything like it. If I have a zit, it takes the redness and pain out of it, making it heal faster. It's not like I've never had a blemish since using this cleanser, but there has definitely been a reduction in the severity and longevity of my breakouts. I also like how this product is truly all natural. It has a very light, unoffensive scent. I imagine it would suit most skintypes.

So, there you have my Greatest Hits. I hope you enjoyed them. May I also give some parting words:

My skincare philosophy (although I'm no expert)

Minimize what you use, especially if you're prone to breakouts.

The very thing which you think clears your skin might in fact be breaking you out long term.

If you are having skin troubles, try to get back to basics...and then go from there.

Don't over-scrub your skin..try not to use washcloths because they may cause more irritation.

Not the most groundbreaking advice, but anyway...

What are your skincare all-stars?

♥ ♥ ♥

NOTD (nail of the week, rather): Illamasqua Jo'Mina

2011-06-12T15:19:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone! Hope you've been having a good weekend. I'm a little sad it's coming to an end..but the next one will be here before we know it. Summer has officially begun here! It is heaven.

I've been wearing Illamasqua nail varnish in Jo'Mina all week..and I'm in love.

**Warning: I took the pics today, after wearing this polish for 5+ days..so it's a bit worse for wear. And the dryness on my middle finger is driving me crazy too. Apologies.**

Left pic is natural light, and the one one on the right is flash. This color definitely has a fluorescent quality (which is notoriously difficult to pick up in photos)! In real life it is a bright pastel violet creme.

Edit: I found a pic from my phone which captures the fluorescence and a little better:

The formula is really nice and opaque. I applied two coats and it was smooth sailing.

What nails are you sportin' these days? What's your favorite summer polish color?

♥ ♥ ♥

Big Sephora Haul (complete with feather hair extension)

2011-06-07T17:36:00.001-06:00

I anxiously awaited the arrival of my Sephora package today (now 1.5 weeks ago..lazy blogger alert! But you already knew that). I squealed with delight as soon as I heard the doorbell ring. Squeeee!

Does anyone else get absolutely giddy when they receive mail?

I tore into the box with delight..and here is what I beheld:

-Sultra Feather Hair Accents in Sunkissed-

-Sephora Mattifying Foundation-

-Donna Karen Cashmere Mist Deodorant-

-Dior Addict Lip Glow-

-Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Jo'Mina-

-Sephora by OPI polish in I Don't Bite-

-Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Honey-

-Eye Love Too Faced Kit (only available through the Sephora Beauty Insider program. It is a 500pt bonus)-

-MUFE Sens'eyes Eye Makeup Remover-

-Shiseido Eyelash Curler-

-Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes in Tipsy and Exposed-

Here are some closer pics:

Illamasqua Jo'Mina and Sephora by OPI I Don't Bite:

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes in Tipsy and Exposed (I've worn Exposed for a week straight now. Perfect nude):

Eye Love Too Faced palette. I wish we could just buy this but as of right now it's only available as a Sephora Beauty Insider perk:

And here are some pics of the Sultra Feather hair extension in my hair:

It clips in with a little button-like closure pictured below. You just snap it at the root of a very small section of hair. It stays very secure. I've worn it about three times now and never felt like it was going to fall out. I like the freedom that this clip in extension offers. I can take it out or put in in anytime.

...So there you have a very belated haul. Better late than never, eh?

Have any of you tried a feather hair extension? Do you own any of these products?

I hope you all have a wonderful week..tomorrow is hump day! So we're halfway through :)

♥ ♥ ♥

Something every gal should have.

2011-05-04T20:16:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! How are you?! It's been so long!

I'm happy that I got a bit o' blogging mojo back. There are many things I want to share with you, but for fear of overwhelming myself, I'm keeping this post to one item of business.

Today I felt the need to proclaim my love for this Minimergency Kit!

This tiny pouch houses 16 items that any lady might need in case of emergency. Here are the contents:

Lip Balm, dental floss, breath freshener, emery board, clear nail polish, nail polish remover, hair spray, clear elastics, earring backs, stain remover, double-sided tape, mending kit, deodorant towelette, band-aid, tampon, and pain reliever.

Here are some pics to try and demonstrate how small this thing is (it's 3.5" X 2" if you want exact measurements):

Fits in the palm of my hand.

pictured next to a MAC blush (well dressed if you're curious).

See? Pretty small, right? Knowing the size of handbag most of us lug around, I'm sure we could all add this in (along with the kitchen sink in my case) with no problem.

If you're a weirdo like me and really enjoy perusing the "travel size items" section of your grocery store, you will absolutely love the Minimergency Kit. The geek in me gets a real thrill! I think this would be fabulous for travel or to keep in your car. It would also make a great little gift for your girlfriends!

I purchased this at Sephora for $13. Here is the link if you're interested.

Finally, here is a gratuitous pic of me blogging just now:

This is in case you forgot who I am because I've been absent for so long ;)

I hope you have all been well!! I'm excited to make the attempt of catching up on your blogs!

What are your emergency beauty essentials?

♥ ♥ ♥

Mannequin Hands

2011-01-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Happy New Year!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday season! It went by so quick for me. I just took my Christmas decorations down today. Feels nice and clean, but a bit empty in my house.

I bought a new polish yesterday and hurried to apply it. The result is pure mannequin hands:

This is Deborah Lippmann nail polish in Fashion. I definitely do not own anything like this shade, so I'm not used to sporting nude nails. I feel like it matches my skin almost exactly!

I do admit that I like it. Took a bit of getting used to, but it's nice. It creates a no fuss, clean look. The formula is nice and it applied well; only needed two coats. This is the first Deborah Lippmann polish I have tried.

What do you think? How do you feel about mannequin hands?

♥ ♥ ♥

Festive Weekend Pics and Gold NOTD

2010-12-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Here's some pics from the last few days. The NOTD is at the bottom if you're interested in things pertaining to beauty only :)

I absolutely do NOT have a wrapping paper obsession. I have no idea what you're talking about.

Finally found a star for our tree!

I put my 'barbie tree' up. It's totally tacky as I've said before, but dear to my heart nonetheless.

Pink poinsettias from my grandma. What a sweetheart!

My aunt sent me this cute little light-up snow globe (snow house?) And, it changes colors! Oooo...Ahhhh..

Stocking stuffers from World Market...the most 'mature' ones are for my brother.

And lastly, the NOTD. This is Golden Honey by Savvy. I've never heard of or tried this brand, but spotted this shade at Sally's and had to purchase. It covered perfectly with two coats; you could almost get away with one.

I loved the color in the bottle, but sadly I think it kind of washes me out. It looks good in certain lights but I don't like it in others. Maybe in the summer I'll try it again.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

♥ ♥ ♥

Accessories of the Week

2010-12-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

Hello dear friends! Hope your week has gone well so far...mine has been flying by! Is the time passing abnormally fast lately for anyone else?

Today I'm stopping in with a little accessories of the week post :)

Tote Bag: Forever 21 (was only 16 bucks!)

Necklace: House of Harlow 1960

Leopard print shoes: Target

Notepad: Pier 1

Earrings: purchased locally, but you can find tons of these on Etsy!

Here's a closeup of the earrings and notepad. I love the notepad because a) it's really cute, and b) it has a magnetic closure so the pages stay straight. It was under 5 bucks, so if you're looking for a cute little notepad to carry in your purse, go to Pier 1!

I love the earrings because of the color. They kind of remind me of China Glaze For Audrey nail polish, which is my favorite.

Lastly, it would be wrong if I didn't mention this other necklace because l literally haven't taken it off since I purchased it! It's a little sideways lightening bolt from Dogeared. I'm sure some of you are aware of how much I love Dogeared jewelry...it never lets me down.

So, there you have it! Very exciting as always ;)

Talk to you soon!

♥ ♥ ♥

Deck the Halls

2010-11-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

Got almost all of the Christmas decor up today. Arlene and Suzy inspired me to post some pics...they both put up pics of their lovely decorations...and I got all excited and festive-feeling :)

Can you tell that I enjoy sparkly things?

Have you put up any holiday decorations?

♥ ♥ ♥

School/Every Day/Typical OOTD

2010-11-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

This pic was taken at the end of the day, so I'm not exactly fresh as a daisy (my sincerest apologies).

I wear stuff like this most days..I always love my grandpa sweaters, skinny jeans, and boots. I'm a pretty casual girl at heart.

Sweater: Urban Outfitters (old)

Black t-shirt: Target

Jeans: J Brand

Necklace: Lisa Taubes 5' gold fill

Boots: Minnetonka

Watch: Michael Kors

Rings (the closeup is bad I know..eek!):

Horseshoe Ring from Etsy (michellechangejewelry)

Copper Ring from Etsy (don't recall the seller)

Wedding Ring

What do your daily outfits usually consist of? Any key pieces you always go for?

Enjoy the rest of your week!

♥ ♥ ♥

Easy Curls/Waves

2010-11-10T23:48:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Hope you have been doing well over the past month ;)

I love long, loose curls, but despise the time-consuming techniques used to achieve said curls. I may not have a problem taking extra time when putting my face on, but if my hair happens to be givin me guff, I just default to a ponytail. I have no patience with it. So when I find something easy to do with my hair that yields good results, I stick with it.

I've been doing this style a lot lately, so I thought I'd share with you how I do it. It's easy-peasy.

I use hot rollers (they're my best friends).

I spray each section with a heat protectant (Got2B Guardian Heat Protect 'n Curl) before rolling it.

I roll each roller towards the back of my head, or behind me/away from me...if that makes sense :)

I start in the front middle and go back to the nape of my neck; then do the sides.

I leave the rollers in for 5 minutes or less (I wait til they're really hot before putting them in), take them out, then separate with my fingers.

I flip my head over and then spray the hell out of it with hairspray (I use L'oreal Texture Expert Freezing Mist. Smells like candy!).

Voila!

This technique is hardly groundbreaking, but it might have been helpful?

What are your tried and true hairstyles?

♥ ♥ ♥

NOTD: Orly Rage

2010-10-16T01:26:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone!

This is Orly Rage. I showed this polish in my last haul, and actually applied it a few days ago. All I gotta say is I'm in love.

I took a few pics because I wanted to show how it can change depending on the lighting.

On the left it looks more rose, and on the right it appears golden.

This pic on bottom is what I would classify as most true to life.

To me, Rage is a hybrid of rose gold, yellow gold, and a tiny pinch of silver.

I highly recommend this one! It's very unique!

What polish have you been sporting lately?

♥ ♥ ♥

Haul-iday

2010-10-10T00:52:00.001-06:00

I did a bit of shopping this weekend. None of said shopping was premeditated in the slightest (except for one thing...impulsive, much? I just had to run out and buy LC's latest book...and a few other "essential" items).

Of course, I felt compelled to share all this stuff with you. Hope you enjoy :)

So I dropped in to Borders and picked up the latest installment in Lauren Conrad's L.A. Candy series, Sugar and Spice. I like these books because they're light, fluffy, quick reads. Definitely a guilty pleasure for me. I also couldn't resist picking up her other (more how-to) book, Style. I haven't even cracked it yet but I'm sure I'll like it. To me, Lauren embodies the whole "effortless chic" look quite well.

I then made an impromptu visit to Ulta. They had TIGI Rockaholic dry shampoo for $7 a can (review if you're interested). There is an awesome special for breast cancer awareness month going on right now. They typically retail for $18.95 each, so I snagged 3! All of the nail polishes were buy 2 get 1 free, so I got 3 Orlys. The Brushlab round brush was on sale as well. Lots of good deals today!

The Loot (from L to R, top to bottom):

-Brushlab jumbo round brush-

-Sugar and Spice-

-TIGI Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo x 3-

-Style-

-Orly Won't Chip Topcoat-

-Lorac Perfectly Lit powder in Spotlight-

-Orly polish in Rage-

-Orly polish in Luxe-

-NYC polish in Polyester Pink Creme-

-Dermalogica Clean Start Bedtime for Breakouts (trial size)-

Closeup time!

Lorac Perfectly Lit in Spotlight. I'm so excited to try this as I've heard rave reviews from LisaLisaD1 on youtube! The camera did a good job of picking up the subtle luminosity of this powder. I will definitely report my thoughts on this.

Polishes: Rage, Luxe, and Polyester Pink Creme. Can't wait to try the Orly ones!

And the Dermalogica Clean Start Bedtime for Breakouts. I've read favorable reviews of this on Makeupalley. Its active ingredient is salicylic acid, and it's supposed to unclog your pores and clear your skin overnight. I found this trial size in the checkout area at Ulta for $6.

If you've used any of these products (or bought LC's new book), I would love to hear your thoughts!

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday enjoying the last hours of the weekend!

♥ ♥ ♥

Bargain Bags!

2010-10-03T16:25:00.002-06:00

So I was moseying around the mall this week, and as soon as I waltzed into Forever 21, I zeroed in immediately on some sequin bags. Without hesitation, I snatched a gorgeous pastel pink one up, vying for it to be mine. I then looked at the pricetag, and about died. $10.50??!! I thought it was some sort of error at first and checked a few other pricetags, but alas, they really were $10.50 each. Amazing! I bought two: pink and black. There were two other colors as well, which were gunmetal and silver. I think I might go back for the gunmetal. For ten bucks, why not?

You might be able to tell from the pics that the black one is already in use. The pink one doesn't have anything in it, so naturally, it looks more flat.

I love the Chanel-esque chain straps and the tote design. I confess, I've been wanting a way more expensive Coach sequin bag, but didn't know if I loved it enough to justify the price! With these beauties, I can satisfy my sequin craving for a tiny fraction of the cost of a Coach bag. These F21 totes are cheaply made to be sure, but I know I'll get my moneys worth out of them!

Also this last week, I won an eBay auction for a Chanel facial self tanner (Sidenote: I HATE bidding on eBay. I must be of a more delicate disposition than I thought, because my little heart can't handle the excitement of it all. The chance that I might not win the auction just kills me. My heart was literally pounding as I was watching the time run out. Anyone else get this way? I know I'm probably nuts).

I just barely applied this for the first time, so I can't comment much about it yet. It is discontinued in the US now, but I believe it's still available in Canada and Europe? Please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, the scent is pleasant for a self tanner, and it was easy to apply. I will keep you updated if you're interested!

Well, that does it for now! Monday always comes too soon, doesn't it? I hope this week goes well for you all!

Have you found any bargains lately?

♥ ♥ ♥

OPI Done Out in Deco NOTD

2010-08-30T15:17:00.001-06:00

Today's nails are painted with an old favorite: Done out in Deco by OPI.

After last weeks nail color, I thought I would tone it down a bit. I'm sure all of you know this shade well! It's a beautiful dusty grey lavender, which is neutral in a way but still unusual. This is one of my all time favorites!

What's on your nails today?

♥ ♥ ♥

Random Stuff

2010-08-29T13:19:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone! Hope the weekend has treated you well?

Thought I'd do a quick post of a few things I've purchased recently, none of which are regarding actual makeup.

I dropped by Target the other day, and decided it was time to expand my workout dvd collection a bit (as I only have one right now, ha!). I decided on these two: Banish Fat and Boost Metabolism and No More Trouble Zones. I'm staying with the Jillian Michaels theme as you might gather.

I finished the 30 Day Shred, and am really happy with the results! I lost around 5 or 6 pounds, but the inches lost is more significant I think. I bought a smaller pants size the other day which was exciting! And my friends have asked me if I've lost weight, which is always a wonderful thing. More importantly though, I just feel better about myself. I have more energy in general and it is true that exercise just makes you feel good! If you're thinking about trying the shred, you should do it! Trust me, if I can do it, you definitely can :)

Next, I've bought these two books (my mom just bought the third one, too): The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. I'm excited to read them, have heard lots of good things. Have you read these books?

I also finally purchased a camera case! I got my camera for Christmas and have been storing it in a ziploc bag up until now...ghetto much? I found this at Target and think it's pretty cute.

So what are your random buys as of recent? Do you have any workout dvd or book recommendations? I'm all ears!

♥ ♥ ♥

China Glaze Shocking Pink NOTD

2010-08-23T00:05:00.000-06:00

I haven't painted my fingernails in ages, so I figured I'd bring the ritual back with a bang! I chose one of the brightest colors in my collection to do so. This is China Glaze Shocking Pink (one of their neon shades), and I love it! I've owned it for at least a year but haven't actually applied it til now.

As you can see, the picture on the left captures the neon aspect of this color better than the one on the right in which it just looks bright pink. Beautiful in either pic though, imo! I will say the pic on the left is more true to life.

Shocking Pink is a very summery shade, so I needed to squeeze in an application before fall begins (booo)! I'm hanging on to the last remnants of summer while I still can!

What's on your nails today?

♥ ♥ ♥

Accessories of the Week

2010-08-17T00:37:00.000-06:00

It's been months since I last did one of these posts, so thought it was about time to bust one out!

My most loved accessories of this week (month actually for most of these) are:

-Red by Marc Ecko Aphrodite handbag in Mustard-

-Pink/purple sunglasses from Target-

-White wayfarers from BP dept at Nordstrom-

-Sanuk Yoga Mat flip-flops-

-Purple plastic watch (bought from a UK website that I don't remember the name of now...)-

First off, I love this handbag..it is such a cheerful and bright color! Although it's not actual leather, it feels like buttah, which makes it very comfortable to wear. I bought this on the Mark Ecko website (link if you're interested) where it's already on sale, plus there is an extra 30% off all handbags right now! Was right around 35-40 dollars shipped..what a steal for a nice bag!

Next, I've been loving my sunglasses lately! I've worn these white ones all month, but if you read my last post you know I've been enjoying my pink and purple shades as well! Both pairs make me happy every time I wear them.

I know these Sanuk flip-flops are by no means glamorous, but they are BY FAR the most comfortable flip flops I've ever worn. They blow Havaianas out of the water, no battle. Maybe I'm getting old because I really cherish comfortable shoes these days :) If you're looking for plain flip flops that feel like walking on clouds, look no further. I have them in black and brown. LOVE!

I've been really enjoying my purple watch! It's a piece of crap quality-wise, but you can't really tell just by looking at it (or maybe you can..? haha) And it works fine, except it ticks quite loudly ;) Wearing it to work is great because I don't have to worry about it getting dirty. I've been drooling over the neon purple Toywatch that this is a dupe of, but didn't want to shell out the cash...and I love my cheapo version!

Well, that does it for now! I hope you're all doing really well and enjoying the tail-end of summer!

Are there any accessories that you can't get enough wear of?

♥ ♥ ♥

In and Out: Numero Uno

2010-08-10T20:37:00.000-06:00

I've seen a lot of bloggers do these types of posts, namely Lollipop26 who I'm sure you all know :) I felt like doing one today, hope you enjoy!

The 30 Day Shred: This is a Jillian Michaels workout dvd for those of you who are unaware. I am currently on day 18, and am loving it! It's a good workout for me because I don't like to devote a lot of time to exercise (it's only 20 minutes). I find it easy to fit it into my day. And, it kicks my trash! I'm on level 2 for two more days and I am still huffing and puffing the whole time. I'm proud of myself that I have stuck to it for this long! I never stay with any exercise program!

Brightly Colored Sunglasses: My brother showed up at my door today with these Target shades for me! How nice is that? The pink/purple combination cheers me right up! I feel as though Barbie would be a fan of these :)

Being a full time student soon: I just put my two weeks in at work and I'm going to attempt to be a very studious pupil this fall (taking 18 credits..eeep! Can I do it?) I'm really excited to be done with my job (although I'll still be able to pick up shifts if I need extra cash) and just push through school! We'll see how it goes...

OUT

Fall being just around the corner: I know this kind of contradicts my "Being a full time student soon" bit, but I am NOT excited for cooler temperatures. I am a summer girl through and through! I live in a mountainous place that gets really snowy, so I should be accustomed to all things wintery....but I'm not. Fall is pretty and all, but it's a precursor to winter, so it has a negative association in my mind :)

Breakouts: I'm certain this would be on most of your "OUT" lists, so there is no need for an introduction. I'm at the tail-end of a 2 week chin strap-area breakout session (that pesky hormonal jawline acne got the best of me!), and it was not pleasant. I think it could have something to do with my new cleanser, but the jury is still out on that. Do any of you break out when switching up the face routine?

So, there you have my first meager attempt at an In and Out post!

What are the INs or OUTs in your life? Do tell!

♥ ♥ ♥

New Horseshoe Ring

2010-08-01T00:01:00.000-06:00

I purchased this gold ring recently from Etsy, and am in love with it. Thought I'd share with you guys :)

I've been searching high and low for a delicate little horseshoe ring, and I was so pleased to happen upon this one online...it's exactly what I wanted!

It has already been promoted to an every day staple along with my Dogeared angel wings necklace pictured here:

Here's the link to the seller's shop if you're interested! I've got my eye on many pieces of hers, and plan on buying more in the future (when I save my pennies).

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend! It always goes by way too fast for me!

What's your "daily wear" jewelry?

♥ ♥ ♥

Favorite Products Right Now

2010-07-18T16:29:00.000-06:00

I don't do the monthly favorites thing very well because...I'm not punctual enough. So, thought I'd just talk about a few products I'm loving right this minute. Here we go!

We have:

-Chanel Glossimer in Blizzard-

-Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Mosaic Blush in Afterglow (d/c'd now I think)-

-Make Up Forever Sens'eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser-

-Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray-

-Milani HD Advanced Concealor in shade #2-

-Milani Liquif'eye Metallic Eyeliner Pencil in Black-

Some swatches of the liner, concealor, and glossimer:

And, a little blurb on each product:

Chanel Glossimer in Blizzard: I have recently rekindled my love for this lipgloss. It completely holds the Holy Grail title for me because I've gone through about 4 tubes and used it for at least 8 years...each tube lasts forever! It is the perfect mauvey-pink with a hint of brown, and just really makes my lips stand out but not be the star of the show. It's such a gorgeous shade and makes me look polished but not overdone at all. I wore it on my wedding day, and I wear it to the grocery store. Perfect for every occasion. FIVE STARS!

Here's a pic (very grainy hence why it's so small) of me wearing it, just so you can get a very slight idea of how it looks on :)

Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Mosaic Blush in Afterglow: A great natural blush. It comes off as a dusty pink with a hint of brown. It's a no brainer to apply and that's why I like it. The formula is very finely milled and not insanely pigmented so you can just swipe it on and go. Love it!

Make Up Forever Sens'eyes Eye Makeup Remover: This is one of the few eye makeup removers I actually liked enough to buy the full size after getting a sample. I am not a fan of oil based removers so I love this one because it's more of a gel/lotion consistency, and doesn't leave a greasy film at all. Strong enough to take off my MAC Liquidlast liner with minimal rubbing. Sadly, it's a way more expensive version of my old fave (and long discontinued) Nivea Visage remover that came in a blue tube.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray: I looove this stuff. It is made by a company called Skindinavia, which I have purchased their makeup setting spray from before. This is the exact same product in UD packaging. I'm glad UD makes it as well now (through Skindinavia) because it's more accessible than Skindinavia, which I had to buy online. Highly highly recommend for long lasting makeup! Especially if you have oily skin, this will greatly reduce the makeup sliding off your face, trust me. A must have!

Milani HD Advanced Concealor: From all of the undereye concealors I have tried so far, this one is my favorite. It is yet another YSL Touche Eclat dupe, but is a fraction of the price and works amazingly. It is a wonderful peach shade that lightens and brightens the undereye. The texture is fabulous: creamy yet thin, so it sinks into the skin effortlessly and lasts all day. Does not cake or settle into fine lines. You need to try this, especially since it's only 7 bucks!

Milani Liquif'eye Eyeliner Pencil in Black: This is the best liner! It is what I wanted UD 24/7 in Zero to be. It's super creamy, easy to apply, UBER pigmented, and stays on my waterline longer than any pencil liner I've tried! It is one that you have to sharpen often though because of its creaminess.

Well, there you have it!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

What are your faves right now?

xoxox

What I Love About Summer

2010-07-11T18:32:00.000-06:00

Sunbathing

BBQs

Swimming

Fairs/Carnivals

Sunglasses

Popsicles

Flip Flops

What are your favorite things about summertime?
xox

(all images from weheartit.com)

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2010-07-04T17:05:00.004-06:00

I just want to start out by saying thank you for reading my blog and also for your kind comments :) The interaction with you all is so fun for me; it's the reason why I have this blog! Thank you for participating in this giveaway!

To decide the winner, I wrote down all the entries on paper. Then I cut them up and put them in a bowl.

I then closed my eyes and shuffled the papers around and picked one!

And the lucky winner is.....

SUZY_GIRL!!!!!!!

Congratulations, Suzanne!

I'll email you soon to get your info!

Thanks again to everyone for entering!

And Happy Fourth of July (if you celebrate it)!

xoxox

Have you been burned before?

2010-06-28T12:52:00.004-06:00

Believe me, I have. Just yesterday in fact!

I was at the pool for a lengthy amount of time, and neglected to reapply sunscreen on certain areas, namely my shoulders and back. Curses!

Anyway, I wanted to share with you my favorite sunburn remedy. I've spoken about this lotion before but it was a long time ago, so I thought I'd reiterate!

This is Sarna. It's a lotion with high percentages of menthol, giving your burned skin a cooling sensation that lasts. I much prefer this over aloe, in fact. The only negative about it is it has a medicinal smell, but I don't mind it for how well it works!

I just thought I'd pass on this bit of info as I've never heard it mentioned :)

Hope you're all well and wearing your sunscreen!

Endnote: There are only 17 entries so far for my Just Because Giveaway! Your odds are great to win so enter here if you haven't done so!

Just For Fun GIVEAWAY!

2010-06-22T14:38:00.008-06:00

***EDIT***Contest is now closed***

I just felt like doing a giveaway! Hope you don't mind.

So these are some of my favorite products, a few of which I've used since high school. Up for grabs is:

-LUSH Comforter Bubble Bar-
-Bonne Bell Glimmer Bronze-
-Bonne Bell Lip Lites in Capuccino-
-Studio Tools Crease Brush-
-Sephora by OPI Under My Trench Coat nail polish-

Here are some pics of my own Glimmer Bronze. It is such a beautiful golden highlight/bronzer, I LOVE it! It lasts forever, too.

I've bought probably ten tubes or more of this lipgloss. It's a beautiful sheer nude and is very wearable. Tastes and smells amazing, too!

If you would like to enter, all you have to do is:

1. Be a follower of this blog

2. Leave a comment telling me what your all time favorite product is.

3. Leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

4. If you would like one additional entry, you can post about this giveaway on your blog. Just let me know in the comments if you do so.

..and that's it! Easy as pie.

This contest is open internationally!

It will close Thursday, July 1st 2010 at 10pm EST.

Thanks to all of you for reading my blog and leaving such sweet comments, you guys make my day! I wish you the best of luck!

xoxoxo

Neutral NOTD and a New Pretty Thing

2010-06-13T19:56:00.003-06:00

Today I decided to try out something different and actually apply a neutral polish shade. This is Sephora by OPI Under My Trench Coat. I have to say I'm kind of in love with it. It's a beautiful golden taupe with subtle shimmer. It really warms up the skin!

The application was nice. You could get by with two coats, but I did three for maximum opacity.

I also wanted to show you my recent dressing table addition. I've been looking for some pretty decorative glass bottles, and I fell in love with these purple ones. I bought them and the glass tray while in California (at Roger's Gardens, if you're curious).

Have a wonderful evening/morning! I'm watching Toy Story 2 on tv right now and listening to the rain outside. Having a nice, relaxing evening :)

What's your favorite neutral polish?

xoxoxo

Where Have I Been? (Warning: Lots of Pics!)

2010-06-10T23:16:00.008-06:00

Not blogging for a few weeks, that's where :) Shame on me!

Hello everyone, missed you! I thought I'd get back into the swing of things with a few pics from my recent trip to California.

A family member that lives in San Deigo went to the UK a few weeks, and my mom and I were more than happy to go down and house-sit for her! We spent most of the time in San Diego but stopped by grandma's house in LA as well. We also moseyed about in the Laguna/Newport/Huntington area.

The men came down to join us a few days later, and then the husband and I enjoyed our last few days just the two of us.

A vacation (to me, anyway) is shopping, lazing about, and lying in the sun. I accomplished these things for the most part, but didn't get much sun. The June Gloom was in full force while we were there, but it didn't stop us from going to the beach! We had a great time and I'm sad to be back to reality! Not working and shopping/eating/goofing off all day is something I could get used to.

So, enough of the rambling. Here are some pics:

Had a nice visit with grandma!

At the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum in San Diego:

Faux-conversating with the animatronic captain. Do animatronics creep anyone else out?

"What do you mean they don't have a Sephora on here?"

Feigning actual ejection of the ejection seats

"Come with me if you want to live!!"

"..and we're clear for takeoff."

Here is The Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado Island in San Diego. A little trivia for you: One of my favorite old movies, Some Like it Hot, (starring Marilyn Monroe) was filmed here. Cool, huh? It's a beautiful building and opened in 1888! It was the largest resort hotel in the world and the first to use electric lighting at the time.

Whilst window shopping on Coronado Island, I spotted this gorgeous dress made of paper and cocktail umbrellas! So pretty..

And here is Corona Del Mar beach that I love to visit. This isn't the best pic (hello, parking lot!) but it's a beautiful beach! My husband proposed to me here. Cute :)

My favorite milkshake in the whole world is the Peanut Butter Cup shake at Ruby's Diner. Sooo good. I love going to the Ruby's location on the pier at Huntington Beach, but we settled for the one in Corona Del Mar because it was too cold and windy to walk all the way out on the pier.

Sorry to bombard you with so many pics! I hope you enjoyed them. I also hope that you're all doing really well!

Do you have any holidays planned for this summer?

xoxox

Accessories of the Week

2010-05-23T20:19:00.004-06:00

An Accessories of the Week post has been long overdue from me! I enjoy doing these posts, and I hope you enjoy reading them :)

So this week, we have:

-Purple sunglasses from Nordstrom BP section-
-Sparkly gold bracelet from J.Crew-
-gold rings from H&M-
-5' gold fill Lisa Taubes chain-
-snakeprint Gretta sandals (style name: Gabora)-

Pic of the bracelet and ring:

I am OBSESSED with this bracelet! It's nice and stretchy and looks beautiful on (I'm now realizing this pic doesn't do it justice, and my hand looks all washed-out. Great.) If you enjoy rhinestone-encrusted-to-the-max jewelry, you will love this. The rings are cute as well; I think they were under 5 bucks for a set of two.

Pic of the sandals:

I have been wearing these nonstop since I bought them over a week ago (can you tell by my footprints on them?) They're soooo comfortable! I love the snakeprint, the jewel detail, and the cork bottom. The best thing about these is I got them on ebay for about $30 shipped, when they retail for almost $60. Check on ebay if you're interested in these shoes, I HIGHLY recommend them.

And lastly, the purple wayfarers:

I finally buckled and decided to join the Bright Colored Sunglasses Club.

I need to mention that I bought the bracelet and the sandals because of LisaLisaD1 on Youtube. I just love her! She has such good taste and is beyond sweet and kind!

I hope you enjoy your week! I'm just trying to make the most out of the last few hours of the weekend. It's raining outside, which is perfect weather for watching Sleepless in Seattle. Which I'm going to go do right now.

Do you have any fave accessories of the moment?

xoxoxox

NOTD: OPI Suzi Says Fung Shui

2010-05-19T22:23:00.003-06:00

This OPI shade is called Suzi Says Fung Shui. This color came out with the Hong Kong collection, which has been one of my favorite collections ever I think :)

It's a very unique color, kind of hard for me to describe! It's a grey based blue, and not too light or dark; bright or dull. It's a creme, too, of course.

Love it!

I've done a lot of NOTD's lately, hopefully not too many??

I've just been on a nail polish buying binge!

Hope you're having a lovely week! It's getting real close to the weekend!

What's on your nails today?

xoxox

New Revlon Glosses: Me Likey!

2010-05-11T23:28:00.003-06:00

I'm sure many of you have heard of the new Revlon Lipgloss shades that came out recently. Personally, I don't recall being so enamored with a new drugstore makeup collection! These colors are just gorgeous. I couldn't help myself!

From left to right: Coral Reef, Lilac Pastelle, and Peach Petal.

Without flash:

Swatches:

I bought Peach Petal after hearing about it on twitter. Then, one of my readers suggested I try Coral Reef (thanks, Ellie!) And finally, I have LisaLisaD1 on Youtube to blame for making me go back for Lilac Pastelle.

I really love Revlon glosses, the consistency and staying power is great. They have a very smooth texture which isn't tacky or sticky. The pigmentation is good, and my favorite part about these particular glosses is that they're all creme colors. No shimmer. Love that!

So, these get a thumbs up from me! I definitely recommend trying them out, and for the price, why not?

Do you own any of these new shades?

Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are!

xoxox

OPI Dim Sum Plum NOTD

2010-05-10T15:18:00.003-06:00

This is OPI's Dim Sum Plum, and I am loving it. It is a gorgeous creme fuschia/raspberry!

This shade came out a few months ago in the Hong Kong collection. I just got around to purchasing this last weekend at Ulta (buy 2 get 1 free, yay!)

Hope you all made it through your Monday unscathed :)

What's on your nails right now?

xox

Revlon Cherries in the Snow Lipstick

2010-05-05T23:59:00.002-06:00

Here is Revlon Cherries in the Snow lipstick, which I received it in a UK swap. It is a beautiful red raspberry. I think this is one of the few reds that I actually like on myself, but I admit that I still don't have the guts to wear this one out in public. I'm a bold lip wimp!

Here are a few pics. A warning: I obviously had fun adjusting the brightness and contrast for these first two. I just couldn't resist with this lipstick! I love the look of pale skin with a red lip.

And here is the real deal so you can see the actual color:

Do you wear red lipstick with pride? Or do you prefer a more neutral look?

xoxox

Fun Summer Lip: Barry M 147 + MAC Wildly Lush

2010-05-03T20:36:00.003-06:00

I admit, I'm a sucker for anything peachy pink or coral. These colors scream "summer" to me, and anything remotely related to summer never fails to make me happy :)

My most recent lip combo has been Barry M 147 peach pink lipstick combined with MAC wildly lush Plushglass. The lipstick alone is admittedly a bit bright (I'm a wimp when it comes to bright lips), but add a little nude gloss, and the result is just right.

Pic of the products:

A lip swatch:

And, finally, my whole face!

(I will say that it is a bit brighter in person; I just couldn't get the camera to pick it up quite right)

If you fancy a pink/peach/coral ish lip like me, give this combo a try! I can see it becoming a summer staple.

What's your favorite summer lip? Do tell!

xoxox

Quick NOTD and My Favorite Nail Polish Remover!

2010-05-03T12:54:00.004-06:00

Excuse my inferior manicurist skills, there are far better NOTD's out there than mine! Don't click to enlarge, haha :)

This is Barry M Nail Paint in Grey. I love this color! It's a dark smokey creme grey, quite unique actually. I thought I would snap a quick pic before I take it off as it's finally starting to chip. I love the quality of these polishes!

Oh, and just for kicks, I though I would throw in my favorite nail polish remover EVER.

These are the Sally Hansen Nail Polish Remover Pads.

I like using the little single use pads because they're easy to travel with. No spills or messes. I've used many different brands of these pads before, all of whom claim that one pad gets the polish off all ten nails. They are obviously lying because I always have to use two.

But not with these bad boys! They really mean it when they say that one pad cleans all ten nails!

Love them!

Anyway, I hope you're all well! Have a great week!

What's your fave nail polish remover, if you have one?

xoxoxox

Goodies from the UK!

2010-04-28T22:29:00.003-06:00

I was so pleased when I checked the mail today and found a box from the UK waiting for me!

The lovely and super awesome Megan kindly offered to get me some Barry M stuff when I was whining on Twitter about not having access to Barry M (I said it before and I'll say it again: the first stop I would make if I ever come to the UK would be Superdrug). Seriously, could she be more of a sweetheart? It turned out that she wanted a few things from the US, so we set up a little swap!

I have to say that I love everything, and she included two extras from the new MUA line!! I could hardly contain my excitement!

Without further ado, here are the goods:

From L to R:

-MUA gloss number 5-
-Barry M nail paint in Grey-
-Barry M Nail Paint in Pink Flamingo-
-Barry M Lip Paint in 147-
-Revlon Cherries in the Snow lipstick (lollipop26 made me do it!)-
-MUA eye dust in shade 2-

Swatch time!

From top to bottom:

MUA gloss shade 5
-MUA eye dust shade 2 (what a gorgeous purple!)-
-Barry M 147-
-Revlon Cherries in the Snow-

And, a very sloppily applied Flamingo Pink on the left and Grey on the right, if you couldn't guess :)

I have already started playing with all of my new stuff, of course!

I can understand why Laura loved Cherries in the Snow so much, it's the only red I've tried that I feel I can pull off because it's more of a raspberry. The pink tones really flatter my skin tone. I am in love with the Barry M 147 as well! I know I'm way late on the bandwagon; I remember seeing so many blog posts about it when it came out and wanting it so bad. And now, it is mine.

Thanks again, Megan!!! I hope that you like your stuff when you receive it!

P.S. Megan has a great blog that she just started, and I encourage you to check it out!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!

Do you own any of these products, and what are your thoughts?

xoxoxoxox

Battle of the Dry Shampoos: Batiste vs. TIGI Rockaholic

2010-04-20T01:07:00.002-06:00

Batise: 5.05 fl. oz. $6.49 from Sallys

Rockaholic: 6.3 oz. $18.99 from Ulta

I mentioned previously that I would review TIGI Rockaholic Dirty Secret dry shampoo, and compare it to my longtime standby, Batiste.

I want to start out by saying that both of these products are great! Whenever I'm in a pinch and simply won't be bothered to wash my hair, they both pull through for me by refreshing and renewing my greasy locks.

I've gone through about 20 cans of Batiste, so I have more experience with it. I've only purchased one can of the Rockaholic, so just keep that in mind.

Rockaholic has a light, clean fragrance with a tiny hint of musk. It is definitely more subtle than Batiste. I guarantee it won't interfere with any other fragrance you have on as it pretty much disappears. If you were to get up really close and take a whiff you would be able to catch it, but it is light. Also, it sprays out less white and chalky than Batiste, so if you're concerned about having a white scalp, there's no need to worry. It quickly dissipates into the hair, becoming virtually undetectable.

Batiste, to me, smells great. I love the super fresh, clean scent of the original, so I prefer its fragrance. It does spray out quite white and chalky, and takes a little bit more brushing than the Rockaholic to disperse in your hair. But, I've never had a problem with it giving me a grey cast and I have really dark brown hair.

So, we all know I love my Batiste, but was the Rockaholic good enough to replace it?

My answer is no, and the biggest reason being that Rockaholic retails for roughly $19 and only has an ounce more product than the Batiste, which is only $6.50 with my Sally's card. That's a lot of cash for a small amount more.

I would for sure recommend you try out Rockaholic if you find Batiste's scent too overpowering, and also if you like a less powdery formula. If you don't like Batiste because it gives your hair a grey cast, you would probably love Rockaholic. It is a great product still, and I will definitely finish this bottle and maybe even repurchase. But, I can also tell you that I will always have a can of Batiste on hand regardless.

So, there is my two cents on these dry shampoos! Batiste is still the winner in my book :)

What, if any, dry shampoo do you use?

xoxox

New Spring Sandals + Anthropologie Bedding

2010-04-19T00:00:00.006-06:00

Hello dear friends!

I'm here today with some new sandals that I'm quite happy with.

Here we have Sam Edelman Hamilton sandals in leopard print and Seychelles Parade sandals in blue.

Both pairs are super comfy, and definitely have some pizazz. I know I'm going to get tons of wear out of them this summer.

I'm also really excited to report that I finally ordered some bedding from Anthropologie that I've had my eye on for quite some time. Here's a pic from the website:

This is called the Rosette Quilt, and I purchased it in grey. Needless to say, I'm in loooove and I'm so excited to receive it! I'll post some pics when it's actually on my bed :)

And, as an endnote, can I say that I've fallen in love all over again with OPI's Do You Lilac It? I have it on my toes (hence the absence of an actual NOTD), and it is truly the perfect shade for this time of year!

Here's a pic of it in the bottle:

Well, this was an interesting mix of a post! I hope you enjoyed it.

I also hope that you all have great week!

I'll be quite a busy bee with school, finishing up some end of semester projects...sigh. But, I'm almost done! Can't wait to have a week off before the summer classes begin :)

What's your favorite spring nail polish? Suggestions welcome as always.

xoxoxox

Hello there! (Ulta Haul)

2010-04-11T22:49:00.003-06:00

Wow, long time no blog from me! I hope you've all been well over the past three weeks? Missed you :)

Thought I'd get back in business with an Ulta haul...sounds like fun, right?

It was friends and family (20% off), so I had to restrain myself from buying to whole store. Do you girls ever spend more with a coupon than you would have without? I sure do. So sneaky these friends and family sales are..they prey on us poor & defenseless shopaholics!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Here's the loot:

-Crest Whitestrips Premium (on clearance)-
-Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Lip Plumping Treatment-
-Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume-
-Nivea Touch of Honeydew Shower Gel-
-Tigi Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo-
-Hot Tools hair clips-
-Essie Punchy Pink-
-OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy-
-Mario Badescu Drying Cream-
-Bonne Bell Lip Lites Glossy Tint in Watermelon Sorbet-
-Ulta Mini Tweezers-

Closeup of the nail polishes, Lip Lites, and Drying Cream

And, how cute are these pink polka-dotted mini tweezers?

I've been a diehard fan of Batiste Dry Shampoo for a long time now, so I thought it would be fun to try the Rockaholic out and perhaps do a little comparison?

Also, I'm really excited about the Neutrogena Lip Treatment. I've only used it a day but it reeeally smooths the lips out!

And, I had to buckle and buy the full size of Marc Jacobs Daisy because my little rollerball one I bought a few weeks ago is almost half gone.

Oh, and the Mario Badescu drying cream? I've heard from a few people that it really helps get rid of the hormonal jawline acne, which is what I usually get about once a month. Have any of you tried any Mario Badescu products? Let me know what you think!

Well, that does it for now!

Did any of you succumb to Ulta F&F this week?

xoxoxox

Me in 3 Tag!

2010-03-20T17:53:00.003-06:00

Thanks to the beautiful DeAnna for tagging me!

This is a fun little tag; I like 'em short & sweet :)

3....

Names I go by:

1. Holls Balls
2. Holla Dolla
3. Holl

Jobs I have had:

1. Coldstone (ice cream scooper..my first job)
2. Cashier at a bookstore
3. Server in a restaurant

Places I have lived:

I've lived in the same area my whole life..I'm boring.

Favorite drinks:

1. Iced tea (drinking iced green tea right now..yum)
2. Water
3. Coke/Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi

TV shows I watch:

1. Real Housewives series (I really do love them all)
2. The Inbetweeners
3. 90210 (the new one)

Places I have been:

1. Switzerland
2. Spain (I did study abroad in Seville for 5 weeks...LOVED it)
3. Hawaii

Places I would like to visit:

1. THE U.K!
2. Australia
3. France
There are so many more....I really want to travel the whole world.

People who text me regularly:

1. Husband
2. Momma
3. My BFFs and my brother equally

Favorite old TV shows:

1. Sex and the City
2. The O.C.
3. Full House

Favorite Dishes:

1. Chicken Madeira at Cheesecake Factory (and avocado rolls, too!)
2. Homemade tortilla soup
3. Crepes. Sweet or savory, I love them all.

Makeup products I can't live without:

1. Shu Uemura or Shiseido Eyelash Curler
2. Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
3. Avon Beyond Color Lip Conditioner

Things I am looking forward to:

1. Finishing school next spring (fingers crossed)
2. Having kids someday
3. SUMMER

And now, I am tagging:

Anybody that would like to take part!

If you do it, please let me know as I really enjoy reading these.

xoxox

So I went to Sephora to buy one thing....

2010-03-20T01:28:00.003-06:00

.....and came out with ten. How typical!

Even though I got more than I bargained for, I'm very excited about my purchases :)

From left to right:

-Marc Jacobs Daisy roller-ball perfume-
-MUFE Lift Concealer in #3-
-Sephora Mineral Powder brush (#45)-
-Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner-
-OPI for Sephora nail polish in It's Bouquet with Me-
-YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick in #30 (Faubourg Peach)-
-Shu Uemura Cleansing Beauty Oil-
-Sephora Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner in black (I bought 2 of these)-
-Sephora Nano Lip-liner in Native Nude (#5)-

Here's a pic of some of it out of the packaging:

And swatches of the MUFE Lift concealor in #3, Sephora Nano Lip-liner in Native Nude, and YSL Rouge Volupte in #30:

I already own and love the Lift Concealer. It doesn't feel heavy at all and really covers those dark circles well! I own shade #2 and use it all over my face, but wanted #3 as it's more pink based for under the eye. I bought Native Nude liner as per lollipop26's recommendation, and I'm in love. I prefer it over Prestige Silk lip-liner, personally. It's great because it doesn't have any orange to it; it's a more mauve-nude. If many nude lip liners tend to pull orange on you, try this.

And here's the Rouge Volupte actually on the lips (this is gonna be amazing for summer):

And, of course a swatch of the It's Bouquet with Me polish! This reminds me of OPI Mad as a Hatter but this one is mostly all pink and purple. It's gorge! This is 2 coats by the way:

I'm very happy with my haul! Excited to finally try out the Shu Cleansing Oil, and the #45 Sephora brush. I've heard really good things about the Shu Oil, and I love that I found this little trial size bottle.

Reviews to come if there are any stand outs--good or bad :)

Do you own any of these products? Thoughts?

xox

3 pairs of shoes for under 50 bucks!

2010-03-15T00:32:00.003-06:00

I love shoe shopping! Let's be honest, though: what girl doesn't? If you're one of those girls in the "doesn't" category, hats off to you cause you've probably saved a ton of cash over the years.

I was thrilled when I went to Target the other day and happened upon these three lovely pairs:

(click to enlarge)

I know these black ones are pretty basic but I love the T-strap and the patent! The footbed is really pillowy as well, they're quite comfortable.

And how cute are these suede lilac flats? They come in about 5 different colors.

Gold sandals: $19.99
Lilac flats: $19.99
Black wedges: $24.99

But wait...that totals up to more than 50 dollars, you say!
Well, that's where the store credit comes in, which means I only ended up paying $47.
Voila :)

I'm obviously really excited about my bargain. I have a tendency towards more expensive shoes so I am especially happy to have claimed this deal.

I just wanted to give you the heads up to get over to Target if you're looking for some cute spring shoes!

Have you done any spring shopping yet?

Favorites as of this moment.

2010-03-02T17:38:00.004-07:00

Hello, everyone! Hope you've all been well!

I admit, watching the Olympics consumed most of my free time over the past few weeks. But, I'm back with a vengeance...and a "favorites" post. Hope you enjoy :)

I just can't get enough of these five products lately. Here we have: Tresemme heat tamer spray, MAC patina eyeshadow, Clinique high definition lashes mascara, Hard Candy blush in pinup, and Juicy Couture viva la juicy perfume.

And a little blurb on each product:

Clinique high definition lashes- I am loving this mascara for bottom lashes especially. It has a really unique brush, pictured here:

As you can see, it has one side as a traditional mascara wand, and the other is more of a comb. I love this as you can brush through at first with the normal wand part, then really define certain areas with the comb. It's precise enough to really get at those small bottom lashes. It stays put all day as well.

MAC patina eyeshadow- I can't believe I never owned this until recently. It is a gorgeous taupey golden brown, and I can imagine anyone looking great with it on! I have worn it everyday with espresso in the crease. Fabulous. Would also pair amazingly with satin taupe. This is a must have!

Tresemme heat tamer spray- this is an excellent heat protectant that makes my hair feel like silk! I use it every time I blow dry and it smells amazing and really helps hold whatever style I do! I am the girl that hardly uses hair products at all, but I am in love with this. It's really cheap too.

Hard Candy blush in pinup- Here's a close up:

As you might be able to see, there is slight bronze veining within this gorgeous peach color. This adds an amazing sheen to the skin. For those with darker skintones, this would be a stunning highlight. I've been wearing it a ton and want to try other colors!

Juicy Couture viva la juicy- This is a wildly popular fragrance, one of those smells that if I caught a whiff of anywhere, I would know exactly what it was. I love to pair it with my signature MAC turquatic perfume, hence making a more unique fragrance. I love this combo lately! And the cute little roller ball is great for travel and also if you don't want to commit to buying a whole bottle.

Well, that concludes my favorites for now! What is your fave product of the moment?

NOTD: China Glaze Peachy Keen

2010-02-18T13:48:00.002-07:00

Not even my nails can wait for spring to come!

Peachy Keen is from the new China Glaze Up and Away collection. I was tempted to buy every color but I showed restraint and just bought this one polish. It's such a beautiful creme peach, I love it. I think it'll look even more amazing in the summer when I have a bit of a tan.

What's on your nails right now?
xoxox

Too Faced Walk of Shame: Not Just for Single Ladies!

2010-02-14T00:52:00.005-07:00

What a cute/cheeky/awesome idea this latest Too Faced gem is!

What it says on the packaging: "Everything a girl needs to get her man and still look respectable in the morning!"

I'm not subject to the walk of shame anymore as I'm an old married hag, but I still think this is a rad idea. This cute little satin pouch houses some great products:

Click to enlarge

full size shadow insurance eyeshadow primer

mini face primer
full size lip of luxury lipstick in totally nude
exclusive trio compact with silk teddy & totally toasted eyeshadows and snow bunny bronzer
breath mints
and a toothbrush!

I think this is fabulous for travel; I loooove the compact and I'm embarrassed to say that the toothbrush really swayed me into buying this. Is it bizzare that I like cute travel toothbrushes? Probably.

Closeup of the compact:

Closeup of the lipstick:

If you're new to Too Faced, this is a great sampler to try. Their shadow insurance is a top seller (it's HG for me), and the two shadows and snow bunny bronzer are popular products as well. I love the Too Faced shadows that I have, and I'm excited to try these shades.

This whole kit was 38 USD, so it's a good deal for what you get.

I think Too Faced is a really fun brand. To me, they've struck a perfect balance between cheeky packaging and great quality products. I recommend checking this kit out! After all, you get a Too Faced brand toothbrush if all else fails :)

What are your thoughts on this brand?

I think I'm obessed..

2010-02-11T18:34:00.004-07:00

...with Dogeared Jewelry.

Do I need another obsession in my life? Um, no. But, their stuff is just too cute! And, I got two of the three pieces as early Valentines Day presents. Score!

I got two pairs of earrings and a bow necklace. Here's some close up pics as they are really small:

Silver anchor earrings that I bought. Love them!

And, these next two are gifts from my beloved. These angel wing earrings are teeny! They're only 5mm in size..adorable.

And this sweet little bow necklace is lovely. I am drawn to anything with bows; I think they're so feminine.

All of this jewelry was purchased from Dogeared's website. They had a 20% off deal going on for the Superbowl, so we had to jump on it! Check out their website here, if you please.

How do you feel about small charms? Do you have anything from this brand?

Red Velvet Cupcakes + NOTD

2010-02-09T18:42:00.005-07:00

My good friend Betty Crocker and I fixed up some red velvet cupcakes for the Superbowl this last weekend (Valentines themed, of course)!

I admit, I use any occasion as an excuse to make these! Everyone always seems to love them. They're super easy, too. I just buy the mix and frosting (Betty Crocker in case you didn't catch that lame joke at the beginning) at the grocery store. So, I can't boast any true skillz as these are far from scratch! I'm not an amazing decorator either....but they still look good enough to eat, don't they?

If you want to see the most beautiful homemade cupcakes that you've ever seen in your life, click here. Seriously, I saw this blog post a whole week ago and I'm still drooling. Suzy is basically a professional. And, she is super nice and beautiful, too! You should follow her blog!

It's been a while since I've seen China Glaze's For Audrey, so I decided to bust it out. This is the wildly popular color from last spring if you don't happen to remember. I still love it! Every girl loves a little tiffany blue in her life....even if it's only from a five dollar nail polish :)

I'm really itching for some colors from China Glaze's new Up and Away collection, but my Sally's doesn't have the display yet. If you know of any other stores besides Sally's that sells China Glaze, please let me know. I know I could always buy online, but I like having instant gratification if I can manage it :)

Do you like red velvet cake? What's your polish of choice these days?

OOTD + Green Thumb Attempt

2010-02-06T22:57:00.004-07:00

Hi everyone! Hope you've all been well over the last week or so!

Thought I'd drop in with a little OOTD for you. This was just a school day outfit, so nothing too exciting here :)

And some close up pics:

I love this grey top, the feathers are really cute. It's soft and loose fitting, which is great because I like to be comfy while sitting in class. I also love these boots, I've had them about a year now. They've been comfy from day one and they're nice to bum around in.

Boots: Target

Cardigan: Target
Jeans: Urban Outfitters
Shirt: F21
Necklace: Lisa Taubes

In other news, I've recently acquired two house plants: A paper white narcissus and an orchid.

The paper whites I planted about a week ago, and they're sprouting right up! I'll take a pic when they bloom, as I'm sure they'll be beautiful!

I bought this cute orchid today, and the lady at the greenhouse told me how to care for it properly so I hope I can keep it alive! I have killed my fair share of plants in the past, so I'm crossing my fingers for these two newbies!

Do you have a green thumb? Let me know if you have any tips!

A case of the uglies?

2010-01-27T18:42:00.006-07:00

So. Do you ever go through a phase where you feel kinda not cute? Like, you dress the same, do your hair and makeup the same, but you just feel a little bit fug?

I think I'm suffering a case of the fats and uglies lately. It takes me forever to get dressed (I only have so many oversized sweatshirts), and when I pass by a mirror, I divert my eyes. I think it has to do mostly with some wacky hormones and a crop of unsightly chin blemishes...

I'm sure I'll snap out of it soon, but it's just funny how sometimes you feel good about yourself and then other times not so much! If I asked anyone who knew me, they would probably say that I look the same as I always do. It's such an odd internal dilemma I'm experiencing right now. Am I insane?

This post is by no means a fish for compliments, but more of a question:

Have you ever had a case of the uglies?

Accessories of the Week

2010-01-25T22:54:00.005-07:00

Time for another accessories post (as I never tire of doing them)! Hope it's cool with y'all :)

Scarf: Bindya
Watch: Michael Kors
Necklace: Lisa Taubes

I got this gorgeous purple scarf last weekend at Nordstrom. My mama bought it for me...isn't that sweet? It has cursive words written on it, such as "joy", "peace", "happiness"...stuff like that. I'm not crazy about the words but when I have it on you can't even tell what they say. The material is sooo soft as well.

I've been wearing my Michael Kors watch a ton. I received this as a gift for Christmas, and I have really enjoyed it! It goes with anything, and is really light, so I can hardly tell it's on my wrist.

Next up, I must say that I've been loving my "Lorraine necklace" :) I'm sure most of you know that she has these necklaces up for sale on her blog. I bought the 5ft sterling silver, and I'm going to get the gold one as well when I save up some pennies.

As a random sidenote, I just wanted to add that I still have my mini pink Christmas tree up in our bedroom. It's the only Christmas decoration left, and I just can't seem to take it down! It's just too cute (and tacky) for me to part with just yet. I know, I'm totally lame.

What have you been loving lately? Do you have any lingering Christmas decor?

Rave Review: Too Faced Natural Eye Palette (and FOTD)

2010-01-13T14:08:00.007-07:00

Hello again, everyone! Happy Wednesday :)

I felt the need today to inform you of my new favorite thing: the Too Faced Natural Eye palette.

If you're into neutrals like I am, you need this. It has nine gorgeous shadows, all of which have a great texture and are wonderfully pigmented.

With flash:

Without flash:(click to enlarge)

The three shades on the top row are matte, and the rest have fine shimmer. There is only one shadow that has some glitter flecks in it (nude beach), which isn't really my thing. I haven't used it yet though, so I can't comment on its quality when actually applied. I think my favorite of them is honeypot. It reminds me of mac's woodwinked but with less orange. Erotica is kind of in the same family as mac's satin taupe.

The look I have on in these pics is push up on the lid, sexpresso in the crease, and heaven on the brow.

And, the whole face:

The rest of my makeup (in case you're interested):
Sephora mineral foundation in D30
Nars blush in lovejoy
Bonne bell glimmer bronze to highlight
Too faced chocolate soleil bronzer
Mac fluidline
Covergirl lashblast
Anastasia brow powder duo in brunette
Sephora lip attitude glamour lipstick in #19

All in all, this is a fabulous palette if you like neutral colors, and it is a great value as well. I believe it retails for 36 dollars, which is a steal for 9 shadows if you ask me. It has been one of my best makeup discoveries as of late, so naturally, I needed to share it with you.

Have any of you used this palette?

OOTD

2010-01-10T17:54:00.002-07:00

Hello, everyone! I just thought I would post a little OOTD for fun today. I didn't take the pic with my phone this time, so the quality is much better. Onwards and upwards!

closeup of the boots:

yes, that is a tums bottle on the table. Oops.

Top/dress: Target (last year)
Black jeans: Urban Outfitters
Belt: Urban Outfitters
Boots: Report (purchased at Urban Outfitters)
Studded bangles: F21

If I see a OOTD post pop up in my blogger feed, I click every time. I love these posts. They say you should blog about stuff that you enjoy reading yourself, so I'm trying to do these more. I'm not as fashionable as Jen from a little bird told me, but I want to be :) Check her out if you haven't already, because I LOVE her blog.

What are the types of posts you click on every time?

Accessories of the Week

2010-01-03T16:03:00.003-07:00

I only have 3 items to post this week, but I have worn them all nonstop since Christmas!

I got some fun jewelry for Christmas/Birthday, but there are two pieces in particular that I have literally had on since I ripped open the wrapping paper.

They are my angel wings necklace and skull earrings from Dogeared Jewelry.

(click to enlarge)

closeup of the skull:

I love the little hearts for the eye sockets and nose :)

I'm usually one that likes the more "statement" jewelry, if you will. I prefer chunky bangles and big necklaces most of the time, or at least that's what catches my eye. But I am LOVING these tiny little pieces for a change! I can wear them everyday with anything and they always look good. I think I've become obsessed with small charms. I'm definitely going to be buying more from Dogeared in the future.

I've seen Dogeared before at Nordstrom and always wanted to buy the angel wings necklace, but it was sold out everytime. I'm so happy I found their website because their selection is enormous compared to what they have at Nordstrom. Feel free to check out their site here.

And, I know you've all seen the bag from my Birthday/Christmas post, but I had to include it in this post as well because I've had it on my arm everyday! Still love it as much as the first time I laid eyes on it.

Happy belated New Year to you all! xoxox

Cheap Thrills

2009-12-30T22:38:00.005-07:00

(click to enlarge)

I always love a cheap thrill when it comes to makeup.

Tonight we braved the hellish snow and went to Wal Mart. I usually like to stay away from Wal Mart (much prefer Target), but I really wanted to peruse the Hard Candy makeup, and good 'ol Wally World is the only place where it's sold.

I ended up buying a blush in the color pinup, which looks really pretty. I also decided to pick up the Rimmel max volume flash mascara and the Tresemme heat tamer spray.

Then we stopped by our local grocery store and I was excited to see all the Revlon for BOGOF! I've been wanting to try out the colorstay eyeliner and I've heard it's good, so I got two.

I also picked up this cute little Bonne Bell set with lip lites gloss in cappucino, lip lites glossy tint in vanilla, and the eye style shadow box in cafe classics....for 4 bucks! I think this is the Buy of the Day because it was half off and I'll actually use all three products. I know Bonne Bell is kind of a teeny bopper brand, but I still love it. I used their bronzer religiously for 5 years, after all. They have good stuff, seriously.

Oh, I forgot to mention the Sally Girl eyeshadow I bought (seen in the first pic). These are great shadows! Silky, great pigmentation, good color selection, and the best part is: they're only 99 cents! I bought the color espresso, which looks much like it sounds. It's a lovely dark brown with fine shimmer. Gorgeous. You need to check out the Sally Girl shadows (sold only at Sallys, obviously)!

What are your cheap thrills as of late?

xx

Something New and Olay Beauty Fluid Review

2009-12-12T22:45:00.006-07:00

Long time no blog! I thought I would just do a quick post of something new and a mini review.

So, the "something new" is the MAC Sexy Shenanigans lip gloss set! I just could not stop thinking about this after watching LisaLisaD1's video, then Bubblegarm's post about it as well pretty much cemented my desire to purchase immediately :)

I just love the colors! If you like light, baby pink-ish, neutral tones, I promise this will be right up your alley. I can honestly say that I will wear all of them, there isn't a bad one in the lot! I think I'll buy the full size of Ensign (the color in the middle) when I finish this one.

Just because I'm feelin' lazy, here is the link to bubblegarm's post if you would like to see swatches of the colors! She did a better job than I would have done, anyway :)

Next up, my mini review of Olay's Beauty Fluid. I've been using this moisturizer every day since the end of August, and I love it.

I love that it sinks right into the skin and doesn't leave a greasy film. It just makes my skin feel hydrated and comfortable. I have oily/combo skin, so I use a liberal amount at night and if I use it during the day, I apply it very sparingly to the t-zone area. It doesn't turn me into a greaseball and it still gives enough moisture. It hasn't clogged my pores or caused any breakouts at all.

The one thing about it that might bother some is the smell. It reminds me of baby powder a bit, which isn't a smell I like. But, I will say that I've gotten used to it and that I actually like the scent now.

You can get this pretty much anywhere (bought mine at Walgreens), and it is inexpensive. Also, it's doubtful it'll get discontinued as it's already been around for many decades! My great aunt has used this lotion for probably 50 years, and she still has amazing skin! Maybe it'll help me age well, too...

So that's it from me for now! I've been consumed with Christmas shopping and work lately. Feeling jealous of the people that get their shopping done in October.

What about you? Do you have all of your shopping done? You deserve a freakin' badge and a gold star too if you do! I marvel at people that don't procrastinate :)

Hope you are all well and I will be back soon!

xox

O, Christmas Tree

2009-11-29T17:28:00.002-07:00

I got the Christmas tree up and decorated today! Just thought I'd post a few pics of my not so professional handiwork :) I love decorating for Christmas, it gets me feeling all festive!

Do you have any Christmas decor up yet?

Tunic Time

2009-11-28T15:23:00.004-07:00

Do you ever walk into a store and zone in on one type of clothing without meaning to? Apparently it was Tunic Day when I went to H&M a few weeks back, because that's all I bought.

Show and tell, here we go!

Number one: The black sweater knit tunic. I love the knit on top. This is going to get lots of use this winter because it's so versatile and basic.

Closeup of the top part:

Number two: the color striped tunic. This is a sweater material as well and is quite cozy. I love the stripes and I don't know if you can tell from the photo but it's elasticized under the bust. I bet it would look cute with a belt! It must have been mashed in my closet, it's a bit wrinkly looking, sorry :)

And lastly, the plaid, button up tunic. I love this, it's comfy but it ties at the waist so it has some shape.

All three of these could be worn with skinny jeans, leggings, tights, whatever really!

Hope you enjoyed this dorky little post! I've got to get back to my Jonathan Taylor Thomas movie on tv, haha! I'll Be Home For Christmas, anybody? Or any old school JTT fans out there?? You know I had about six JTT posters up in my room when I was 11. Ah, the good 'ol days!

Have a great rest of your weekend! x

NOTD

2009-11-24T16:17:00.003-07:00

If I'm being honest, I rarely paint my fingernails. I love the look, but the bottom line is that I'm just a lazy piece and never get around to it! So, I thought it was worth it to snap a pic of my nails actually painted! I am wearing the very popular Sephora by OPI's Metro Chic.

I'm sure you've all heard of this color and seen loads of pics, so sorry to shove Metro Chic in your face once again :) I've owned this since the beginning of the summer, but never actually worn it! I'm pleased to say that it is gorgeous and think it's the most perfect mix of lavender, grey, and a bit of brown.

Do you own Metro Chic or have anything similar? I find myself attracted to colors like this so if you have any suggestions, just let me know!

Hope you guys are having a good week so far!

xox

A Genius Invention

2009-11-16T14:38:00.004-07:00

I really felt the need to post about this because I think it's the coolest thing since sliced bread. This thing right here, is a fabric shaver. Yeah, I'd never heard of one either. Let me enlighten you.

This is basically a battery powered gadget that shaves all of the fuzzies off your clothes. You know when fabrics start to "ball up" over time with repeated washings? This can happen often to sweaters I've noticed. These ruin the texture of the fabric and make it look old and fuzzy. Sad!

Enter the Evercare Fabric Shaver, and you never have to deal with those pesky little ball-ups again!

You simply turn it on, run it over the fuzzy areas, and it shaves them off and catches them inside, leaving your fabric smooth again. You just have to empty the shavings every once and a while. I used this on one of my favorite sweatshirts and it took care of all of the fuzzies! It's like a new sweatshirt. If you use this, your clothes will look better for longer! All of my forever 21 clothes can be worn beyond one wash cycle now! Yessss!

I wish i could have posted a before and after pic, but I didn't realize how great this thing was until after I had used it...sorry, you'll just have to take my word for it.

Another nice thing about this product is that it's inexpensive. It's under 10 dollars, I believe. You can buy it at most stores as far as I know; I got mine at Target.

Have any of you tried this?

:)

A New Addition

2009-11-15T19:36:00.003-07:00

I was perusing around in my local Walgreens the other day, when I came across a bunch of orange "clearance" tags that were emblazoned upon the whole Salon Collection line of brushes! Exciting times :)

I immediately zeroed in on this beauty, which is the powder brush. It retailed for $15.49, but I got it for around $7. What a steal!

This is a fabulous brush, I must say. It, for now, has replaced my favorite bronzer brush of all time by Tony and Tina (long discontinued, anybody remember this brand?) It is a large, fluffy, dome shaped brush, and the bristles are natural I believe. It is quite soft. This brush is great because it picks up the right amount of bronzer and disperses it perfectly. I can bronze myself in a rush, and it comes out great every time.

Salon Collection is part of the Japonesque brand. All of the brushes they have are cheaper versions of the Japonesque ones. I'm not sure if they're repackaging the line or just discontinuing it, so I suggest you get to your neighborhood Walgreens to check them out before they're gone!

Have you tried anything from this brand? Or Japonesque?

xox

Accessories of the Week

2009-11-11T17:41:00.005-07:00

It's been a while since I've done one of these posts, so I thought I'd bust one out :)

These are my favorite items of the week. From left: Juicy Couture peace sign necklace (from Nordstrom), gold leaf necklace from Forever 21, leopard print bangles from H&M, and black studded bag from Forever 21.

(click to enlarge)

And a close up of the jewelry:

I have to say, I'm most excited about the bag. I went into Forever21 looking for it specifically, and found the only one in the store on a mannequin.

There was no price tag attached to it, and when the SA rang me up, she asked, "how does $7.99 sound?"

"Sounds fantastic to me!"

So I got the bag that I wanted for $7.99! It retails for about $20 on the website so I was quite pleased with my good fortune! It's always a good feeling to get a bargain on something you've been on the hunt for, isn't it? Here's another pic:

Have you found any sweet bargains lately?

xox

Giveaway Winner

2009-11-11T16:21:00.003-07:00

It is time to announce the winner of the giveaway!

I just wrote down the entries on paper and put them in a little bowl:

Then I shuffled them up and pulled out the winning piece!

And the winner is:

beautifulbrunette714!!

Congrats! Please email me at ellamarie84@gmail.com with your info and I'll send it out to you asap!

Thanks everyone for entering, it was a lot of fun and I definitely want to do it again in the future!

Talk to you very soon! :)

Giveaway Time CLOSED

2009-11-03T11:32:00.006-07:00

*EDIT* Thanks for entering, everyone! I will announce the winner very soon!

I think it's about time for.......a fabulous giveaway!!!

I know I don't have 100 followers yet, but it doesn't matter to me. I appreciate my readers for being so awesome and this is my little way of saying thank you to all of you and your nice comments! I feel like I've "met" some really cool people within the beauty community, and I'm so glad I happened upon it. It really is nice to have an outlet and an escape of sorts from real life, know what I mean? :)

This contest will be open for a week, and everyone is welcome to enter!

Entering is easy as one, two, three (four):

1. You must be a follower.

2. Leave a comment saying "enter me".

3. Enter before Tuesday, November 10th at 10pm EST.

4. You may only enter once.

The winner will be chosen at random (either with random.org or pulling it out of a hat) as soon as the contest closes.

So, here's what's up for grabs: Covergirl Lashblast mascara, Sonia Kashuk highlighting brush (an excellent mac 187 dupe), NailTek foundation II ridge filling basecoat, Avon beyond color lip conditioner, Jordana FabuLiner in black, Victoria's Secret very sexy makeup remover, Victoria's Secret Pro lasting FX eye shadow primer, mark kiss xpert lip smoothing treatment (a favorite lip exfoliator of mine that has been discontinued), and last but not least, a cute little 3 pack of OPI polishes for Halloween (two of them are glow in the dark!). I know it's after Halloween now but you can always save them for next year! I was going to try and get this contest up before Halloween but it just didn't happen, so I apologize! :)

Good luck to everyone!

Buy of the Week

2009-10-24T01:02:00.003-06:00

I'm sure you're sick of hearing about Sephora friends and family, but I must talk about one thing I purchased...I'm a tad excited and I think it's a good value.

What I am referring to is the Best of MUFE set! It's basically a little kit of the line's best sellers. I was really happy to get this because I don't have any experience with MUFE other than the lift concealor (which I like).

You get 5 items in this kit, 3 of which are full size products: HD microfinish powder, Aqua eyes waterproof pencil, HD microperfecting primer, smoky lash mascara, and sens'eyes eye makeup remover. The mascara, eyeliner, and powder are all full size! I think this is a sweet deal because the powder alone is $30 retail. I'm think the pencil and the mascara are above $20 each as well.

This kit retails for $49 at Sephora, and if you buy it during friends and family right now, you'll get 20% off that!

I just wanted to let you know about this if you're inexperienced with MUFE but interested in the brand.

I'm excited to use everything! I'll let you know if there is a standout from the bunch.

Do you have anything from MUFE that you can't live without? What are your experiences with their products?

Back with a Vengeance

2009-10-21T20:42:00.004-06:00

Yep, the bangs are back in full force! I just read Saskia's post about her new bangs, they look way cute! Incidentally, I also got the fringe back myself this very day!

I had self-proclaimed "horse hair" until today (don't think I've cut my it since March? I know, inconceivable) when I finally decided to get a trim. Over the past week or so, I've been taking a poll from friends and fam on whether to cut my bangs back or not. I had bangs at the beginning of this year and really enjoyed them, but am inherently lazy so it's hard for me to "do" them every day. I'm kind of a roll out of bed, put on some slap real quick and not give my hair a second thought kind of gal...so I needed input from my homies.

The majority of them said to bring the fringe back, so here I am with the new 'do. (I still feel like a geek taking pics of myself, by the way!)

What do you think? Are you into bangs? Do you have them now or have you ever had them?

xox

Is it just me......

2009-10-20T18:44:00.002-06:00

Or do all of these glosses look to be pretty much the same color?

I have a reason for my six glosses and one color, I swear. It all started with NARS turkish delight. I loved the color and the look of the sheer, light bubblegum pink, but there was just too much plastic smell to deal with! And, why shell out 26 bucks for a color you love, but a smell/texture/lasting power that you can't stand? Obviously, my search for a dupe was warranted.

So, if you're out there, and you're looking for perfect bubblegum-peachy-pink gloss, I have a selection for you to try.

From left: NARS turkish delight (the O.G.), Lorac couture shine in haute, Neutrogena moisture shine in groove, YSL gloss pur in #2, MAC plushglass in angel cream (d/c'd but still available at the CCO), and Stylie Style plastique gloss in flirty martini (may also be d/c'd, but not 100% sure of it).

My favorite of the bunch? That's a toughie. I love the YSL for the texture and feel, but it's probably the sheerest of them all. The MAC plushglass is great, but it gets a bit sticky. I might have to recommend the Lorac one, actually. For texture/pigmentation/smell, it might be the winner.

Do any of you tend to go for the same color every time you buy a new lip product? Or do you have a good turkish delight dupe suggestion?

Lashblast Length Review/Comparison

2009-10-12T12:14:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone!

This is a review of my recent purchase, lashblast length. I decided to do a bit of comparison/contrast with the regular lashblast, as it is one of my favorite mascaras.

Here is a pic of the brushes:
lashblast length on left and regular lashblast on right

As you can see, the lashblast length on the left has a much longer and narrower brush. It still has the plastic bristles, but they are a bit longer and finer than the regular lashblast.

I like the lashblast length, but I can't say that I love it. To me, it is a very natural mascara. It does lengthen, but doesn't thicken (probably as the name implies, duh) at all. When I was brushing it on, I didn't even feel like any product was coating my lashes. It doesn't have any of the drama of the regular lashblast that I know and love.

Here is a pic of lashblast length with two quick coats:

As you can see, it isn't the most dramatic mascara. To me, it hardly looks like I have anything on.

I personally like dramatic lashes, so I added one coat over the lashblast length with the regular lashblast and this is what I got:

This is why I like the regular lashblast so much. Just one coat and it majorly pumps up the volume and length.

I personally wouldn't repurchase the lashblast length, as I like the almost false lash effect when wearing mascara. This did not accomplish that look for me. If you are one that likes a very natural, separated, fluttery look, I would recommend the lashblast length. It's actually a good mascara, but I would have to put on about 10 coats to get it how I like it.

I hope this review was helpful! If you have any more questions, please ask!

Thanks for reading! xoxox

Clothes Haul

2009-10-11T05:30:00.001-06:00

What would Saturday be without a bit of shopping?

Today I went to a tiny local boutique and picked up a few things. I thought I would share them with you, if you don't mind!

Here's the loot:

Flower print tunic:

Grey/green utility vest:

Grey menswear vest:

Cream scarf:

I also dropped into Sally's for the purpose of buying some Batiste. I'm almost out of my current can and I usually buy two at a time. If you're not familiar with Batiste, you can read my review here. It is a dry shampoo and is pretty much the best stuff ever.

Side note: I've noticed that U.K. ladies use the word "vest" as what Americans would probably call a "tank top". What is the word that you U.K. gals use for what we call a "vest" in America? I'm very curious. Enlighten me please if you read this :)

Well, that does it for today! Have you had any good buys lately?

A Quick Eyeliner Tip

2009-10-08T11:51:00.003-06:00

If you're like me and you love lining the waterline of your eyes, but are sick of it fading and smearing and collecting in the corners within a few hours, give this trick a try!

All you do is use a little dab of Too Faced shadow insurance (or UDPP) on a q-tip and swipe it on the waterline (I put some under my eye as well), let dry, then apply your liner as usual! I use the Sephora waterproof liner and then put MAC carbon eyeshadow over, and it lasts all day! It didn't bleed under my eyes at all (and it normally always does). It did fade a tiny bit by the end of the day, but it just disappeared, rather than collect somewhere. Fabulous!

I learned this little trick from the boards at MUA. I am so happy I found this bit of info because the waterline is normally an area that you ALWAYS have to touch up. This prolongs the wear of your liner immensely. Try it!

Have you tried this? Do you have any tricks for making your liner last all day? Let me know!

:)

This and That

2009-10-01T16:35:00.003-06:00

As a disclaimer, this is going to be quite the random post. A bit of crafts,a bit of home decor, and a smidge of makeup! Sounds like fun!

First off in the arts and crafts portion (ha), my sister in law and I made this diaper cake! One of my dearest friends just had a baby so I made this for her! It wouldn't have been possible without my SIL though, it was definitely a team effort! Blood, sweat, and tears (and 208 diapers) went into this beauty...so I thought I would post a pic because I'm a bit proud of myself whenever I do something crafty. It doesn't happen often :)

Secondly, in the way of home decor, I finally got to hanging these bird pictures up in our room! The hub kindly got them for me last christmas, and we just barely got to actually putting them up...now that's procrastination! I love them though!

And lastly, the actual makeup: what this blog is supposedly about :)

I just got a few things: Bare Escentuals flawless definition mascara, Covergirl lashblast length mascara (wonder if it will measure up to the original?), Purpose gently cleansing wash, and Hard Candy spotlighters all over highlighter in brown palette. Yes, I said Hard Candy! Apparantly they've made a comeback at Wal Mart! Do any of you remember Hard Candy back in the day and the nail polishes with the cute jelly ring around them? Anyone? I sure do...I was a bit obsessed!

Here's a closeup of the highlighter:

It looks pretty, doesn't it? I've never used a cream highlighter so I'm excited to use it.

Well, there you have it! Hope you enjoyed this odd post! It's always fun to mix it up now and again, eh?

Have a nice weekend everyone and thank you for reading! xox

Accessories of the Week (plus a bargain!)

2009-09-25T12:03:00.004-06:00

It's that time yet again for my accessories of the week!

Here we have gold bangles (a mix of costume jewelry from my grandmother and some from forever 21), locket necklace from banana republic outlet, charm bracelet from shopintuition (brand is called iluck), and unicorn stud earrings from urban outfitters (a sweet gift from a friend a few years back).

Here's some closeups so you can see the detail if you're so inclined:

And that's it, but there is one more thing: these grey skinny jeans I bought recently from forever 21! I've been looking for a cute pair of grey jeans but to no avail until I spotted these....for an insanely low price of $12.50! Yessss! I don't think I've ever bought jeans in my life for that price.

The denim is nice and thick, and they have stretch in them too! Perfect! I'm excited to wear them this fall and winter (although, it makes me feel sick even typing the word "winter"....bleh).

Have a great weekend everyone! xox

My Favorite MAC Brush Ever

2009-09-23T17:26:00.003-06:00

I decided to do a teensy review on my favorite MAC brush because I haven't heard it mentioned a ton. This is not a review of the 217, 239, or the 187....it's the 231!

This little gem has long been deemed my holy grail eyeliner brush. Trust me, I've tried many, and this one is by far the best I have ever used! The pics I took of this are of my backup 231 because the number rubbed off on the one I'm currently using. So yes I have already repurchased :)

I would describe it as a flat square brush with rounded corners, and the end comes to a very fine tip. The bristles are synthetic and stiff but the end is super fine so it has some flexibility to it. It doesn't feel bristley or pokey on the eye at all.

You can do very precise lining with this, or make dramatic thick lines and wings with ease. This is the best brush I have used for creating winged liner. I have never been able to do it faster or easier! If you use gel liners, do yourself a favor and buy this!

I might mention that if you're interested in buying this brush, you may have to get it from the MAC website. I went to Nordstrom and they didn't have it, but the pro store in Vegas did...just to let you know! I think this brush used to be a pro item (it's not anymore), but you can buy it off the website and at pro stores.

Do any of you own this brush? What do you think of it?

P.S. Can I just say that I just finished Dan Brown's new book, The Lost Symbol? It was great and it totally consumed my life for two days. Love a good book but I hate when I can't accomplish anything else in my life because all I want to do is read! :)

Talk to you soon and thank you for reading!

Late on the Bandwagon

2009-09-19T19:42:00.002-06:00

I finally bought the world renowned Ped-Egg! Resounding cheers all around! :)

I must say, this thing is amazing! It was only $9.99 from Bed Bath and Beyond, and I feel like I made out like a bandit for how much I like it!

It's not so much my heels that need help, but the outer sides of my big toes have always been callused...sounds odd I know. I don't know if it started when I danced in my teens or what, but it has always bothered me. The ped-egg got rid of all of that extra dead skin, and my feet seriously felt baby soft afterward. It was fast and very effective. All you do is grate it along callused areas and it removes all of the dead skin, revealing soft, new skin underneath. You will love this I promise.

I really might be the last person to buy the ped-egg. But if you haven't tried it yourself, give it a go! And if you have tried the ped-egg, what do you think of it?

I thought I would tack on a little afterthought: I bought a can of the famous L'oreal Elnett Satin hairspray (it came with a free travel sized can as well). I've been using Sebastian Shaper Plus for years without wavering, but I finally buckled and bought this. Have any of you tried this hairspray? Thoughts?

Thank you to all of my new readers and to Victoria at Lily loves Lola for the shoutout! That was seriously so sweet of her!

Have a great night everyone! xox

Accessories of the Week

2009-09-13T21:42:00.003-06:00

It's definitely been more than a week since my last accessories post, but better late than never, right? The truth is, I've been a bit boring lately. Nevertheless, I have a few pieces to show you from this last week, if you're interested:

I have my little deer necklace from Urban Outfitters, my long silver heart necklace, two cream beaded bracelets (from who knows where), and the cream ring from H&M. The silver heart necklace hits just below breast level and I've been wearing it with just about everything recently.

Closeup of bracelets and ring:

And a closeup of the little deer:

This necklace holds sentimental value for me because this is the first gift my hub ever gave me a few years back when we were dating. He picked it out all by himself, how presh!

Sorry this accessories post was a bit on the sparse side :)

Hope you are all well! x

Avon Alert!

2009-09-12T19:15:00.005-06:00

So, my sister in law barely became an Avon rep and I've already made two orders with her...enable me much? :) I have just recently gotten into Avon myself (it all started with the beyond color lip conditioner) and I'm really liking the brand so far! I think the quality is excellent for the price you pay. They always have specials going on as well so you can get a deal on pretty much any product.

Anyway, I just compiled the two orders I received into one post so I will now share with you what I got!

First off is the skincare stuff. We have the Anew clinical advanced retexturizing peel (which is love already and I'm planning to do a review), Mark mist opportunity (already reviewed in the previous post), Moisture Effective eye makeup remover, and 2 more Beyond Color lip conditioners...can never have too many!

And here is the actual makeup. From left to right we have the Beyond Color radiant lifting eyeshadow in iced mocha and tiger's eye, Beyond Color lipcolor in beige shimmer, and the Smooth Minerals lipstick in malted mineral and apricot glow. Oh, and forgot to mention the Glimmersticks waterproof eyeliner in blackest night.

And swatched from top to bottom is: beige shimmer, malted mineral, apricot glow, iced mocha, and tigers eye.

I can already tell you that I love the beige shimmer lipstick. It's the same formula as my beloved lip conditioner so I'm really liking it! It gives my lips just a nice bit of color (it's a darker nude) and it wears well over time and doesn't dry out my lips. I'm also excited to try out the liquid eyeshadows! The reviews for them on Avon's website were great, so hopefully I'll like them!

For the next installment of makeup we have Beyond Color lipcolor in sugar cane, Ideal Shade mousse stick foundation in creamy natural, and the Mark hookup on the edge liquid liner in cleo (black), and scandalash mascara.

And swatched from left to right are: sugar cane lipstick, liquid liner, and foundation in creamy natural. Sorry the lighting isn't amazing!

I have to say that I love the hook up liquid liner and mascara, I've worn them both a few times and I'm really impressed! The mascara is nice, you can layer a bunch of coats on and it won't clump up. I also like the stick foundation, but haven't worn it much because I'm so content with my current foundation. It was a bit of an impulse buy but I do like it. I'll have to give it more of a chance. :)

Let me know if you have tried any of these products or what you think of Avon in general!

Well, that is all from me today! I just want to say thank you to all of my readers! I really do love this whole beauty community, it's so nice to have people out there of the same interest. I love reading your comments and I really do appreciate you stopping by!

Have a FAB Sunday and I will talk to you soon! xox

My Newfound Love (Alternative to Fix+!)

2009-09-09T23:22:00.006-06:00

If you've always wanted to try MAC Fix+ but are put off by the price, try out Mark Mist Opportunity! It's basically the same thing, but it's $8 versus the $18 of fix plus. And, it's twice the amount (6.7 oz versus 3.4 oz)! Deal alert! :)

I love to spray this on in the morning to wake my puff-face up! I also use it to freshen my makeup during the day, and after cleansing my makeup off as a toner. You can spray this on your brushes before applying eyeshadow or blush to intensify the color. And, I just barely sprayed it (very lightly) into my dried out fluidline to revive it and it worked a charm! As I'm sure many of you know, there are many uses! It smells great too, it has a kiwi/grapefruit scent. I'm about ready to buy a backup I like it so much!

I've been having great luck with Avon products lately! I had no idea they had such good stuff, and they have sales all the time. I have another Avon review or two coming up, so stay tuned if you're interested!

Have any of you tried this product?

xox

Backups Only

2009-09-07T16:41:00.004-06:00

Pictured above are all of my backups. The word "backup" in beauty terms means a product in waiting that will be opened when the same item you're currently using is finished up. I usually buy backups when I can get a deal on them (i.e. Lashblast in a 3 pack at Costco..score!) Sometimes I can't believe I have this big bag of stuff that hasn't even been touched! But, it is comforting to know that I will get around to using all of it (eventually). :)

What do you have backups of? Are there any limited edition/discontinued items you have that you wish you had a backup for?

Hope you guys are having a good day/night! And, for those of you located in the U.S., Happy Labor Day! :)

Who Likes Sequins?

2009-09-04T13:28:00.004-06:00

I do, apparently! I went to H&M a few moons ago and there were two black sequin tops a callin' my name! I couldn't decide between the two of them...so I did what any indecisive gal would do and just got both. But there are differences, I promise! :)

The horizontal stripes one I would consider a tunic. It's long and oversized and you could probably almost wear it as a dress if you're daring enough. I could wear this everyday with leggings or skinny jeans.

And then the black and gold top is ah-mazing in my opinion. I saw it right when I walked in the store and knew it had to be mine. It definitely has some 80's flair and that's what I like! I love the zig zag pattern and the way it goes all the way around the back. The back of the top is almost cooler than the front. It's oversized and long as well but it's banded at the bottom so it comes in a bit more. I think I'll wear this with black skinnies.

Check out that back!

I hope you enjoyed this silly little fashion related post! I also hope you enjoyed the shower door as the background in my pics.....I keep it classy, what can I say?

Thanks for reading! I hope you're all having a good weekend so far! xox

I + Your Blog Award!

2009-09-04T12:29:00.004-06:00

Thank you to Tacky Blue Eyeshadow for giving me this award! I just love her, she is one of my favorite bloggers.

I of course accept this award, and I am going to nominate:

Emma's got the uglies

Ari Michelle

Lamiats

Have a fab Friday! xoxox

Lilash Review!

2009-09-02T11:32:00.006-06:00

Okay ladies, here is my lilash review. I started using lilash on January 2, 2009. The first half of this is my review from my makeupalley account. I thought it would be good to add it in as it helps show the timeline. I've added a bit more on the end. It's a lengthy one, so be prepared! :)

2/9/08

I didn't want to review this product until I had been using it for a good amount of time, because you really don't get the beginning of the results until roughly 4-6 weeks...and even longer for some. Patience and diligence are the two things you must keep in mind when using this. It's a bit of a waiting game. :) With that being said, I think lilash is amazing so far! I have been using it about five and a half weeks, and I'm starting to see the fruits of my labor ;) Seriously, I don't stick to anything, but I have been absolutely religious with the lilash application! I haven't missed a day. You really just have to keep up on it and sure enough, your patience will pay off and you'll start to see some amazingly long lashes. My lashes are growing in somewhat sporadically, with some random really long ones here and there right now. And, I can see new growth, there are alot of shorter ones coming in. So, I'm thinking in a few more weeks, my lashes are going to look REALLY good. I'm so excited! About the formulation: I've had no irritation to my eyes from this. I wouldn't say my eyes are uber sensitive though. I don't recall having to discontinue using a product because of eye irritation. So, that's me. A few more tidbits: I haven't noticed any darkening of my lashes, but they are already really dark, except at the tips. Also, my lashes do seem a bit thicker so far, but nothing to write home about yet. Like I said, there are alot of newer, shorter lashes coming in, so once they catch up with the rest, they will probably look much fuller.

***UPDATE***(3/6/09/)

I just hit my 8 week mark, and I can tell you that my lashes look amazing! I even had to trim one lash today that was just insanely long. People have started commenting over the last few weeks that my eyelashes look sooo long. I just say "really"? to most people and tell them I've been using a new mascara because I guess I'm kind of embarassed at my vanity. ;) But, all of my good friends know and they are so impressed by the results. Even my husband tells me that my lashes are huge, and when a guy notices, that's kind of a big deal. And, some of my lashes are curling on their own, which is rad. I continue to use a curler though, because I still have some pesky ones that are straight. Oh, and one more thing: When I first started using this, I applied twice daily for about the first four weeks. After that I switched to once a day, before bed.

***Today's Update***(9/2/09)

I have now been using lilash for exactly nine months! As you may know if you read my blog, I just purchased my second tube, but I'm still scraping out the remaining product of my first tube. So it's lasted me a while! Like I said, I was using it twice a day when I first started. So if I had only used it once a day, this first tube would have lasted me a year. I do agree it's an expensive product, but to me it's worth it for the results and for how long one tube will last you.

I do also want to add that I don't think it's necessary to use it twice a day. It might take just a wee bit longer to see the results, but looking back I would rather have used it only once a day and had my tube last me longer. It is very powerful so I think once a day is more than sufficient. Also, what I didn't mention in my first review is that it did make my lashes feel a little "sore" at the roots when I first started using it. This was usually just in the morning when I woke up. I still get this sensation now and again and I think it is a result of putting too much on. I know this may sound gross but you know when you wake up and you have alot of "sleep" in your eyes? Like eye goobers? Especially when I'm sick or something and I'll get this and it makes my eyes feel kind of sore. Know what I'm talking about? Anyway, you get this same feeling from lilash if you put too much on and it dries crusty. At least that's my theory anyway.

Oh and a few more things: In my opinion, this does not thicken your lashes beyond your own natural thickness. It just really strengthens and grows the lashes you have. They do look fuller than they did by a little, but only because they don't shed nearly as often as they used to. What lilash does is it keeps your lashes intact past the point that they would naturally shed, so they just keep growing. I hope this makes sense. I do also want to mention that if you want to maintain your long lashes, yes, you do have to continue to use this product. They just go back to normal if you stop. I use mine sometimes every day, sometimes every other.

Alright, here's a little before and after! I don't have any makeup on in either, I think you can see the change most accurately this way:

Before

After

And here is a pic of both eyes with makeup on. This was taken in march. Love that shiny t-zone!

Wow, that was long winded! I just wanted to be thorough :). If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! Thanks for reading if you made it this far!

A worthy investment.

2009-08-31T16:42:00.003-06:00

Just last week I finally buckled and bought my second tube of Lilash. This is definitely a product that I cannot be without. I got it for 119.99 on ebay from an excellent seller (let me know if you want the name).

I started using Lilash on January 1st of this year, and it is seriously some amazing stuff! It has strengthened and lengthened my lashes immensely and I recommend it to anyone! I would have posted my progress but I didn't start this blog till the end of May, when I had already been using it for about 5 months. I can do a full review if anyone is interested.

Another little tidbit: I decided to try out Olay's beauty fluid. The big reason for my purchase is that my mom tells me my great aunt Jo (who still has the most beautiful skin in town) has used Olay beauty fluid and Dickinson's witch hazel toner all these years! So I'm trying out the "Aunt Jo skin regimen" for a while. And you know what? So far, so good. This moisturizer sinks in really well and doesn't leave a greasy film. I'm really loving it. But I think it's to soon to declare it my holy grail...but I will keep you updated for sure.

Well, that is all for today! Have any of you used either of these products? Thoughts? :)

One more thing: Thank you for reading! I also really appreciate your comments! It makes my day!

xoxoxox

What an odd sense of accomplishment.

2009-08-30T12:50:00.002-06:00

I'm sure some of you might share the same feeling of pride that I do when I hit pan. I think it's satisfying to know that a product is loved enough to use up the whole thing!

Pictured from left going clockwise are: the victorias secret bare bronze eyeshadow palette (discontinued sadly), too faced chocolate soleil bronzer, sephora mineral double compact foundation, my mac shadows (carbon, ricepaper, espresso, and sable), and my anastasia brow powder duo in brunette.

It feels good, doesn't it? Do you feel the same sense of accomplishment that I do? What products have you hit pan on recently? :)

xox

Tag: I Think You're an Awesome Girl!

2009-08-28T12:42:00.005-06:00

Thanks so much to the beautiful CocoBella for tagging me! Okay, rules are that you list 10 random facts about yourself and then tag ten blogs. Here we go!!

1. I have an obsession with 80's music, clothes, trivia...what have you. Nothing fires me up like listening to Hall and Oats, Eurythmics, Flock of Seagulls, Genesis, and the list seriously goes on! I was only alive for about 6 years of that blessed decade but it will forever resonate in my heart. :)

2. If I were a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle I would for sure be Michelangelo.

3. My favorite Michael Jackson song is "Dirty Diana". I have pretty much all of MJ's albums and I thought I was going to marry him when I was a little girl. RIP!

4. My favorite movie is "Sixteen Candles".

5. I have a paralyzing fear of spiders. I literally cannot kill them and I can't handle it knowing they're alive in my house. If worse comes to worse, I will get up on a chair, spray them with hairspray until they're immobilized, then put a bucket on top, and leave it for someone to kill later. I do this whole process shrieking and screaming the whole time. This is a serious problem.

6. I'm not really into Twilight. I read the first book and stopped there. Don't hate. I'm still planning on reading the rest of them but haven't gotten around to it just yet...

7. I love to dance! I used to dance when I was in high school and younger but haven't really done it since. I miss it. But I love going out dancing too! It's one of my favorite things.

8. I would move to Europe in a heartbeat if the opportunity came up.

9. My favorite clothing store is Zara, although I don't have one even close to me. They're the best in Europe (when I went to Spain there were Zara's on every corner)! This is why I must move there.

10. I don't have one favorite color, although I would say I lean towards anything bright. Bright pinks, purples, and aquas are right up my alley.

Alright, here comes the tagging part! Please forgive me if I am double tagging you:

Rosaly
Emma's got the uglies
Blogspot Beauty
WinterBlossom
Lydia
Hannah Ellen
AquaHeart
Lu
Lauren
Shifa

Hope you guys are excited for the weekend! Thanks for reading!

Most Repurchased!

2009-08-26T22:56:00.002-06:00

I remember a while back there was a tag going around on youtube called "things I have repurchased" or something of the like. I loved watching those because it shows how good a product must be to rebuy it multiple times! You hear/read about hauls and new product raves, but these things that we become enamoured with can quickly be pushed to the background when the next craze takes precedence. After all, it is the nature of a beauty junkie to always have a current obsession, isn't it? :)

The point of all this is that I want to know about the tried and true products that people continually buy. I have a few that come to mind:

1. Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes: I am inherently lazy so these are a lifesaver for me. They smell nice and they do a good job at getting everything off my face. They also leave my skin feeling moisturized after, which I like. My skin never feels tight (some people might not like theses if they like the squeaky clean feeling though). I've never had skin reactions from these, and I feel like my skin has improved since I've adopted these into the routine at least 3 years ago! I have one package opened and two backups as of right now. I always have them on hand.

2. Batiste Dry Shampoo: I've already reviewed this stuff (click here to read it if you're so inclined), and I think I've bought about six cans at this point. Love it!

3. Avon Beyond Color Lip Conditioner: I've also posted about this before, but it is definitely in the most repurchased category so I have to mention it again! I will be receiving my seventh tube shortly. I don't think I've ever rebought a lip product more than this! Great stuff.

4. MAC Blacktrack Fluidline: I have tried a few gel eyeliners and a million pencils, but this remains my favorite and I think one of my only eyeliner repurchases. The staying power and ease of application just can't be beat in my book.

5. Sebastian Shaper Plus Hairspray: I've bought about 6 cans of this and used it for a good few years. It holds really well but can be brushed out and sprayed again without building up. It's awesome!

6. Covergirl Lashblast: I've posted about this before as well, and this is one of the very few mascaras that I can say I've repurchased. I am a self professed mascara whore, and I've tried many! This is one out of many that has held my fancy. I'm now on tube three.

7. YSL faux cils mascara: This one is more spendy than lashblast, but I have still repurchased it! It gives amazing volume and length! I was weary of it for a long time because of the price tag but I feel like it's worth it. I'm now on my second tube and contemplating buying a third. The only downside of this is that it tends to dry out fast, so keep that in mind because it can turn into an expensive habit! :)

8. Caress Tahitian Renewal Body Wash: Mmmm this smells heavenly! It's a tropical, coconuty/fruity smell that always makes me happy. This is one product that I believe helped me through the last winter (it was hell). It has little exfoliating beads in it and I wouldn't say it's terribly moisturizing but the smell of it is enough to make me continue to buy!

Well, I think that about sums it up!

Please tell me what your most repurchased products are, I'm all ears! xox

Product Praise: Sephora Double Compact Mineral Foundation

2009-08-22T15:57:00.000-06:00

If you like mineral foundations like me, this is a keeper!

The Sephora double mineral compact foundation is a pressed mineral powder that you can apply with the sponge it comes with or a face brush. I just use my japonesque mineral face brush and buff it all over my face. It gives buildable coverage and a mostly matte finish. It's not super matte but it's not "glowy" either.

I have used both Bare Escentuals and purminerals previous to trying this, and I have to say that I think this is my favorite out of the three. It doesn't have the "glowyness" the BE can manifest. And I love the pressed compact versus the loose powder of BE as well. This foundation also has a better shade selection than the purminerals. It has just a few more shades, but in both cool and warm tones so you're more likely to get a match. The shade I use (D30) is perfect for me!

I might add that the staying power of this is really good. I don't normally touch it up and it wears really well throughout the day/night. I think I have officially found my new favorite foundation!

I don't know about you guys but I've always been a little weary of the "sephora brand" stuff (call me a snob), but I've loved everything I've tried recently! I like their waterproof eyeliner, lipsticks, eyeshadow, and now the mineral foundation. Who knew?

Do you have any sephora brand faves?

Accessories of the Week

2009-08-18T23:15:00.001-06:00

Alright, here are my top picks for this past week. I have the silver chain necklace from H&M, the black peace sign necklace from shopintuition, and the gold hoops and black/gold bangle from forever 21. Here's a closer up pic:

And a super closeup of the peace sign necklace (it also has an eye on it):

And a closeup of the chain necklace actually on me just for reference (love this thing):

I just recently got the silver chain necklace and I've been wearing it a ton! I love it, it feels really nice (and heavy) and it was only $24. I've been on the lookout for something like this so I'm really pleased!

And that is all! :) Have any of you found good bargain jewelry lately? Do tell!

Thank you for reading!

What I am using right now.

2009-08-18T21:57:00.000-06:00

I saw this little tag on magpiesparkles site and I thought it would be fun to join in!

So here we go:

Shampoo/Conditioner: Herbal Essences hydralicious for normal hair

Styling Products: It's a 10 Miracle Leave in product, Sebastian shaper plus hairspray

Shower Gel: Caress tahitian renewal (smells divine)

Body Moisturizer: Dove cool moisture

Deodorant: Dove cool essentials

Fake Tan: not using at the moment

Cleanser: Neutrogena makeup remover wipes/Clean and Clear makeup dissolving cleanser

Exfoliator: Clean and Clear soft steam in shower facial

Primer: not using

Foundation Brush: japonesque mineral face brush

Concealor: MUFE lift concealor

Powder: MSF natural or sephora mineral foundation, use both as foundation

Blusher: Victorias Secret very sexy mosaic powder in afterglow

Bronzer: Too Faced chocolate soleil (love)

Highlighter: Bonne Bell glimmer bronze

Eyeshadow Base: Too Faced shadow insurance

Eyeshadows: MAC woodwinked, espresso, and ricepaper

Eyeliner: MAC blacktrack fluidline

Curler: Shiseido

Lipstick: umm..the sephora lip attitude glamour lipstick in #19

Lipgloss: Chanel glossimer in blizzard

Nail Color: Sephora by OPI's I'm with brad

Please feel free to join in! xoxox

Wow, my first blog award!

2009-08-14T00:01:00.000-06:00

Thank you tacky blue eyeshadow for nominating me! It really did make my day because I'm a quite the newby with blogging! I love reading her blog! She is beautiful!

Okay, this is the hard part! I now have to to narrow down 12 blogs that I love to read. What a challenge!

But, here goes in no particular order:

CocoBella

Frassy

I Love...The Obsessions of a Shopaholic!

Melissa in Kiwi Land

Kelanjo19

A Fashionable Affair.

Jen's Beauty Blog

Winterblossom's Random Thoughts

All things cosmetic

Amy's Philosophy Blog

dressjunkie

Glamorouxx

The Makeup Snob

...and there are many more. Ooops, I just realized I nominated 13. Oh well! :)

xoxoxo talk to you all soon!

Quick EOTD using the sleek storm palette!

2009-08-10T16:43:00.001-06:00

I know this pic is kind of crap but maybe you get the idea? I love my sleek palette and I've been using it often! For this look I used the matte brown on the bottom row (second from the right) and the gold on the top row (third from the right).

Mind you this pic was taken at the end of the day so I'm lookin a bit rough :)

Hope you guys are doing alright! Talk to you very soon! x

One of my favorite pairs of shoes..just for fun!

2009-08-10T16:40:00.001-06:00

I know this is a bit random but what girl doesn't like talking about shoes? :)

I had almost forgotten about these babies because I had them in a box in my closet for at least a year. I rediscovered them recently and decided to bust them out for a blog post! I just love them, they are sequin-tastic! The brand is Report Signature, not sure of the style name though.

I hope you guys don't mind the feet shots! :) Have a great day!

Top 3 favorite nail polishes!

2009-08-06T12:17:00.000-06:00

I'm doing this post as an entry for The Nail Buff's giveaway!

It was pretty easy for me to pick my top 3 fave polishes. From left to right (all OPI) are: Mod about you, Elephantastic Pink, and Done out in Deco.

You've probably no doubt heard about "mod about you". It's just the most beautiful opaque light baby pink. Usually light colors like this are sheered out but not this gem. It kind of has a pepto bismol pink quality which is why I like it personally. I've been wearing it on my toes nonstop this summer! It really brings out a tan!

Elephantastic Pink is a bright coral pink. I've never seen barry m's flamingo pink in person, but it reminds me of this color in photos. I've used it mostly as a pedicure color and its definitely a bright, but not too crazy. A close cousin of this color is OPI strawberry margarita.

Last but not least: Done out in Deco. I loooove this color. I've worn it probably 5 times now which is pretty crazy for someone like me. It's a dusty grey lavender that looks gorgeous on! I always wear it on my hands and it's neutral for a purple but still unique. I think I might put it on today in fact.

So there you have it, My top 3! Go check out the contest if you haven't already! :)

New boots

2009-08-04T18:51:00.000-06:00

I love boots, I think they can really "make" an outfit. You'd think I'd be excited for fall and winter but I'm not in the slightest...I just really like boots! I bought two pair recently: black foldover boots with a gold zipper and my grey boots with silver buckle detailing. Commence pictures:

These black ones are by Blowfish, and the style is called "fantum". They are super comfortable, and very basic but a bit unique. I think these are going to get some good wear.

The grey pair I purchased at Nordstrom and the brand is called Star Ling. I'm not sure of the style name, sorry! But I think they're really cute and I'm sure I'll wear these a ton as well. Oh and I did get them during the anniversary sale for a good deal. Nice!

Sorry about the pics, I was taking them myself through the mirror and apparantly I need to dust that mirror asap! And there's clothes on the floor in some of the pics....ooops! Oh well.

Have any of you got some fall shopping done as well? Or are you still in denial of the end of summer? I consider myself in the denial category even though I did buy boots. :)

Transatlantic Tidbits!

2009-08-04T01:00:00.000-06:00

Eeep! I confess I'm quite excited about getting my first barry m products from the UK! I'm just a bit JEL of you u.k. ladies and all of your amazing drugstore makeup!

I bought these goodies from the Makeup Merchant, a.k.a Holly of the Yummy Mummy's Beauty Blog. I'm grateful to her for creating an avenue for us gals outside of the UK to get our hands on some of their fab products!

I have to say that I'm most excited about the beautiful Sleek storm palette!

This palette houses a stunning range of neutrals, with both matte and shimmery shades. I know I'm going to use this baby loads.

Pictured next are the two barry m lip paints (129 and 146), the collection 2000 nail polish in dynasty, and the barry m bronzer compact. Pretty!

I love the 129 and I've already worn it. I confess I was actually trying to get the peachy pink lip paint (it said peachy pink 146 on the barry m website when I went to look it up to make sure I requested the right number) but I had the number confused (or should I say the barry m website had the num confused at the time, I just checked and it looks like they got it fixed), so I got this lovely bright pink instead! Which is cool because I think it's a beauty anyway! Sorry had a bit of a tangent there! The bronzer is amazing and I also love the nail polish and I plastered it on my nails as soon as I opened the package. :)

Sorry if this post was a bit of a snooze for any of you UK'ers out there :) You guys see this stuff every day!

Thanks for reading and I hope you all have had a wonderful day!

And thanks again to Holly! xox

Accessories of the Week

2009-08-02T12:25:00.000-06:00

It's that time again....for my most worn accessories of the week! Isn't it exciting? I know you probably can't even contain your joy. :)

Alright, this week there were 5 standout items: My silver Diba sandals, grey aldo handbag, silver owl necklace, skinny sparkly silver watch, and my sparkly purple bracelet that I posted about last week.

Here are a few closer up pics of the lot:

The purple bracelet made it in again for obvious reasons. I just love it and can't stop wearing it! I also rediscovered this skinny rhinestone watch that I got at Nordstrom like 3 years ago for cheap. And lastly, the owl necklace on the right has been a favorite since I bought it at Claire's about a month ago.

The grey bag is from aldo which I purchased a few weeks ago. I've really been enjoying this bag! It think it's cute and basic, and it's a good size. I'm known for carrying around gigantic handbags so this one is a nice step down in size, but still holds everything. The flat silver sandals I bought from zappos last summer, and I have them in black as well. They're so squishy and comfy and the straps are nice and soft, so I highly recommend them (here's a link if you're interested)!

Well, that's that! Hope you all had a lovely weekend! Thank you for reading!

Self/Fake Tan Review: L'oreal Sublime Glow Moisturizing Microfine Mist

2009-08-01T00:35:00.000-06:00

I just want to start out by saying that I'm the type of person that only uses "gradual" self tanners because I'm too much of a scaredy cat. I'd rather be pasty white than streaky orange any day, so i like to take the less risky, more subtle route.

This is my favorite of the lot of self tans I have tried so far (to name a few: victorias secret, jergens, hawaiian tropic, 3 other l'oreal products etc.). It is quick and easy to use, never looks patchy/streaky, and gives nice color. This is the one self tanner that I have found that does not look patchy around my wrists and hands. I don't even feel scared doing a tiny spritz on the top of my hands because it always turns out perfect! Plus, the color is subtle for sure, so it's kind of hard to mess up.

This is how I use it: I exfoliate and then use a water based moisturizer around my wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. Then I stand on a dark towel and spray evenly, starting with my legs first. I do spray this directly on my face as well, I just make sure to hold my breath and close my eyes! I also have the assistance of the husband to get my back and the backs of my legs and arms. He's a good sport. :)

I have repurchased this, which I can't say for any other self tanner! It retails for around 9 or 10 bucks I believe. I got mine at CVS. Love it!

Have you tried this or have a holy grail self tanner that you want to tell me about? x

Quick sunburn tip!

2009-07-30T18:48:00.000-06:00

I thought this post would be appropriate considering it is summertime!

I know we all try and wear sunscreen, but there are times now and again when you just get freakin' baked! I haven't burned in a while, but there is one product that I reach for when it does happen, and it is called Sarna. It'll make any sunburn feel sooo much better.

This is stated as being an "anti-itch lotion", but it says on the bottle that it is good for sunburn as well. The two primary ingredients are camphor and menthol, so yes it does provide a quite a cooling sensation...and it lasts much longer than aloe gel in my opinion. It does smell a little bit medicine-ish? So be warned, but I think it's worth it! Love this stuff!

Obviously, try and prevent the sunburn in the first place by wearing spf, but if it does happen, this stuff will ease your pain. Two advil and a thick slathering of Sarna will cure all your troubles :)

Don't know if this is interesting or of any help, but I've never heard this product mentioned so I thought I would make you aware...if you're in the market for a sunburn remedy. :)

P.s. you can find this at your neighborhood walgreens, at least that's where I got mine.

Ttyl! xoxo

ellamarie84

Top 10 Beauty Products Tag

NOTD: Sally Hansen Barracuda

Fedora day.

Greatest Hits: Skincare

NOTD (nail of the week, rather): Illamasqua Jo'Mina

Big Sephora Haul (complete with feather hair extension)

Something every gal should have.

Mannequin Hands

Festive Weekend Pics and Gold NOTD

Accessories of the Week

Deck the Halls

School/Every Day/Typical OOTD

Easy Curls/Waves

NOTD: Orly Rage

Haul-iday

Bargain Bags!

OPI Done Out in Deco NOTD

Random Stuff

China Glaze Shocking Pink NOTD

Accessories of the Week

In and Out: Numero Uno

New Horseshoe Ring

Favorite Products Right Now

What I Love About Summer

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Have you been burned before?

Just For Fun GIVEAWAY!

Neutral NOTD and a New Pretty Thing

Where Have I Been? (Warning: Lots of Pics!)

Accessories of the Week

NOTD: OPI Suzi Says Fung Shui

New Revlon Glosses: Me Likey!

OPI Dim Sum Plum NOTD

Revlon Cherries in the Snow Lipstick

Fun Summer Lip: Barry M 147 + MAC Wildly Lush

Quick NOTD and My Favorite Nail Polish Remover!

Goodies from the UK!

Battle of the Dry Shampoos: Batiste vs. TIGI Rockaholic

New Spring Sandals + Anthropologie Bedding

Hello there! (Ulta Haul)

Me in 3 Tag!

So I went to Sephora to buy one thing....

3 pairs of shoes for under 50 bucks!

Favorites as of this moment.

NOTD: China Glaze Peachy Keen

Too Faced Walk of Shame: Not Just for Single Ladies!

I think I'm obessed..

Red Velvet Cupcakes + NOTD

OOTD + Green Thumb Attempt

A case of the uglies?

Accessories of the Week

Rave Review: Too Faced Natural Eye Palette (and FOTD)

OOTD

Accessories of the Week

Cheap Thrills

Something New and Olay Beauty Fluid Review

O, Christmas Tree

Tunic Time

NOTD

A Genius Invention

A New Addition

Accessories of the Week

Giveaway Winner

Giveaway Time *CLOSED*

Buy of the Week

Back with a Vengeance

Is it just me......

Lashblast Length Review/Comparison

Clothes Haul

A Quick Eyeliner Tip

This and That

Accessories of the Week (plus a bargain!)

My Favorite MAC Brush Ever

Late on the Bandwagon

Accessories of the Week

Avon Alert!

My Newfound Love (Alternative to Fix+!)

Backups Only

Who Likes Sequins?

Giveaway Time CLOSED