Aussie 3 Minute Miracle | Product Review

We all could use a little help with keeping our hair healthy and looking fresh, right? Say hello to this miracle in a bottle! I was very skeptical at first, especially since it only cost around $3.00. But boy am I happy I bought this!

Red Christmas Lips | Top 5 Shades

Christmas time is the perfect holiday to rock that red lipstick you have been too scared to wear all year. I have a weird obsession with buying red lipsticks, so I figured why not share with you my favorite shades?

Holiday Shopping Apps | 2015

Simple Skincare Routine | Winter 2015

Morning:

Cleanse

To cleanse my skin I use the Clarisonic Mia and the Clarisonic Deep Pore face wash. I cannot express how much I love my Clarisonic and how it has transformed my skin, if you can, definitely invest in one of these babies!

November Favorites | 2015

I cannot believe November is over with, where did the time go? This month really brought some good stuff, from finding out my Dad’s cancer treatment is going extremely well, to getting ENGAGED to my boyfriend of 4 years (YAY!), and having an amazing Thanksgiving with our families, November really killed it this year!

Must Have Holiday Beauty Sets | 2015

It's that time of the year again, the holiday season. Filled with lights, hot coco, Christmas movies, and of course holiday beauty products, this is my favorite time of the year! Every year I love seeing the new holiday sets that my favorite brands come out with, all the fancy colors and deep shades, the holiday season is prime time for the beauty world. Given that, I wanted to share with you four of my favorite sets that I have my eye on and are perfect for everyone!

Thanksgiving Cocktail | Boozy Apple Cider

What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving then with a sweet little cocktail! 

Being a huge fan of margaritas and apple cider I decided to mix them together while adding a bit of spunk to it! This recipe is super easy and will leave you feeling refreshed and maybe a bit loopy (in a good way, I promise). Please note that if you are not of legal age to drink or just not a fan of alcohol I will post the virgin recipe below as well.

Current Brush Cleaning Routine | 2015

Cleaning your brushes is almost as important as cleaning your skin. Think about it, all the makeup, oil, dirt, and dead skin are just sitting in your makeup brushes. This can cause breakouts and infections on the skin, yuck! I recommend picking a day and devoting 10 minutes to deep cleaning your brushes. For me, I do this every Sunday to prepare for the work week. My cleaning routine is very simple so I thought I would share it with you guys!

Thanksgiving Lip Shades | 2015

Can you believe Thanksgiving is in three weeks? 

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year, the weather is getting cooler, pumpkin spice lattes are everywhere, and it is finally boot season. Of course, I love this time of year to spend time with my family and getting to see friends from out of town, but lets be real I love the FOOD.

October Favorites | 2015

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Leather | Creamy Beige 

This is one of those products where I thought to myself, "how did I ever live without this?". This rich and creamy gel eye shadow is perfect to be worn by itself or as a base. Lasting for 24 hours, the cream formula glides on without creasing, fading, or smudging. I was highly impressed with creamy beige since it such a simple color but yet makes a bold statement.

The Versatile Bloggers Award | 2015

I was nominated for the Versatile Blogger award by the lovely Liz from WorldWideWithKids. Go on now, check out their blog, its about traveling with your kids and just how easy and amazing it can be. Click "Our Story" on their link bar, it is very interesting as to why they chose to do this. You go guys!

Perfect Halloween Makeup

Every Halloween I don't do too much, and I am OK with that! This year I plan on going to the pumpkin patch with my boyfriend and then hanging out at home cuddled up with a hot cup of joe! I don't know about you, but this sounds like the perfect night.

Favorite Flats | Fall Edition

Fall calls for hot chocolate, bonfires, boots, and fancy flats. 

Flats are so versatile and can be worn so many ways, with dresses, leggings, trousers, or some rolled up jeans. There are so many options when it comes to picking out a pair of flats. I want to share with you some of my all time fall favorite styles. 

Liebster Award | Part Two

I was nominated by the lovely Fatima from Fanaa's Beauty Blog! If you all want to keep up date with all things beauty then you should definitely check her out. 

Let's get to it!

Primer Of The Month | October 2015

ALMAY Smart Shade CC Luminous Primer

This primer is by far one of my favorite primers EVER, promising to help skin look brighter and luminous with an SPF 15, plus it is hypoallergenic! You really couldn't ask for more benefits in one product. The complexion correction formula helps provide a dewy look to the skin while also prepping your skin for foundation application, so if you are someone with dry and dull skin (like myself), this product is going to be your best friend. 

Birchbox | October 2015

Stila | Huge Extreme Lash Mascara

I have always been impressed with Stila products so when opened my box and saw this mascara I was so excited! With just one coat I was hooked, this mascara gave me more volume then I have ever seen, it also curled and lengthened my lashes all at the same time! This products retails for $23,

Perfect Boots | Fall Edition

It's finally that time again, boot season! 

I have been seeing so many cute fall outfits paired with the perfect pair of boots. Since there are so many different styles of boots out there I wanted to share with you some of my favorites! I'm super causal when it comes to fashion so most these styles I wear with jeans, a top, and a cardigan (my go to fall style).

Pink Lip Shades For October | Breast Cancer Awareness

I know I am a little late on this post with it being the 15th of October but I had to do a post for breast cancer awareness month. I chose to feature some of my favorite lip sticks and lip balms, all a different shade of pink. Having known many family members and friends that have suffered or are suffering from cancer I know how important it is to bring awareness to this awful disease. 

Top Blow Dry Products

Sally Hansen | Miracle Gel

                       

If you are like me and refuse to pay $50 for a mani/pedi the this miracle gel is for you!

The secret to this polish is the miracle gel top coat that seals in the polish for long wearing. Sally Hansen offers a wide variety of colors, including Dig Fig (pictured above), which is my current favorite and perfect for the fall. 

Origins Drink Up Overnight Mask

Fall brings beanies, scarfs, pumpkin spice lattes, and the dreaded dry skin. 

I received the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask as a sample with a purchase I made a month ago. Having skin like the Arizona desert I decided to give it a try, and let me say I am beyond pleased with the results. I have been applying this 2-3 times a week before bed for the past few weeks

The Fall Favorites Tag

Happy Fall everyone! After watching Jaclyn Hill's Fall Favorites Tag I decided to join in on the fun. Below are my favorites for this fall and five friends that I tag to share their favorites!

Favorite Candle | Leaves by Bath & Body Works Home

This candle smells amazing and is the perfect scent for fall!

Rimmel London Matte Foundation

I have been searching for a good drugstore foundation for a few weeks now and
came across the Rimmel London Matte Foundation. I was intrigued by the word MATTE, as I have never owned or used a matte foundation, plus it was only $4.99!

Primer of the Month | September 2015

Smashbox Primer Water

I was so excited to try out this primer but could never bring myself to pay $30 for WATER, then I found the travel size at Ulta for just $15 and I was like MINE.

September Birchbox

Klorane | Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

This dry shampoo is actually tinted for brunettes so no more white residue. I especially enjoyed this dry shampoo better than others because of its smell,

Liebster Award

I was nominated by the sweet Ann from Mani on The Move! Check her out guys!

So what is the Liebster award? Well, it's kind of a shout out from bloggers to other bloggers.

A Thank You

Just taking a moment to say THANK YOU to all my followers!

Lots of Lashes

Maybelline Great Lash: Lots of Lashes

If you are looking for an inexpensive but effective mascara I would recommend

Daily Essentials

Being a women, I always have a ton of crap just stashed in my purse. These seven essentials are my must haves for every day use; 

Much Love for EOS Products

These three EOS products I use on a daily basis, here is why I love them so much!

Chappie

 

I am obsessed with chapsticks, I probably own over 20 different kinds. Recently I tried out the Lip Vibrance by Blistex, which is a lip protectant and includes an SPF of 15.  The shea butter and grapeseed oil make your lips feel soft and

Puff be Gone!

I have the worst case of under-eye bags, especially during allergy season, not to mention my hereditary dark circles. Always searching for a magic under-eye cream, I found this little beauty. Now, let's just take a second to admire how adorable this product is, look at that little iron! 

Lippie!

Have you tried out the Color Blur Lip Pencil by Maybelline? You guys, this product is amazing! My lips are always super dry and I can never get my lipstick to stay longer than an hour. This lip pencil has lasted longer than four hours (this includes eating and drinking), the product doesn't move. The cream matte pencil feels moisturizing, smooth, and light weight. The smudger on the opposite end helps blend out the color, so you can have a mellow lip or a bold lip! 

Love/ Hate Tag

Last week I was nominated to participate in the Love/ Hate tag by Pheobe from PhebeGiggles. Go check out her blog you guys, it's good stuff!

The rules to this tag are very simple;

Once you have been tagged you must list 10 things you hate and 10 things you love! After you are finished, tag 10 friends to complete the tag.

Love

1.    Family: The ones that matter the most in my life, in happy times and hard times, they are always there. This past month has been rough on my family and my boyfriend’s family. It is so amazing how close you can become during a tragedy. I feel so blessed to have such great people surrounding me.

2.    Reading: Thanks to my bestie I have become obsessed with reading. I love anything from Nicholas Sparks to Gillian Flynn. My most recent read was How To Be A Good Wife by Emma Chapman.

3.    Alpacas: Last week my boyfriend and I visited an Alpaca farm on our four year anniversary and it was so fun! I know what you are thinking, that’s what you did on your anniversary? YES and it was amazing!

4.    Dunkin Donuts Coffee: I AM OBSESSED. Every morning I rush through the drive through to grab my usual, a large caramel coffee with extra cream and two spleda. Try it!

5.    Sharks: I have been in love with sharks since I was about 13 when my Dad introduced me to Shark Week. What a weird animal to be in love with right?

6.    Fashion: I must say, I wasn’t into the whole fashion thing until my senior year of high school when I started to dress for myself. I loved it so much that I obtained my degree in Fashion Merchandising back in 2009.

Simple Back to School Beauty Tips

“High School is the best years of your life”. My Grandma told me this my freshman year, I thought, no way Grandma, as always though, she was right. Let’s face it going back to school can be so stressful. I remember being a nervous wreck the first day. What am I going to wear? Hair? Makeup? Ahhhh!

Here are a few tips I would like to pass on to you back to schoolers!

Dress Code:

I cannot stress this enough, please do not worry about what others think of you. I would wear some crazy stuff in high school, though some “friends” of mine would make jokes about my outfits, I didn’t care (they were not my friends for very long). Fashion is such a great way of expressing yourself, so you do you! Plus, when I got to Fashion School it didn’t matter, everyone dressed crazy! But, make sure to follow that dress code, I was pinned by this a few times. So, if you want to wear a floral shirt with a plaid long sleeve, then by all means go for it.

 

Makeup:

Concealer and eyeliner was my go to!  I honestly wasn’t into makeup until I hit 25. In high school I would use concealer under my eyes, pack on the black eyeliner, and maybe some mascara. I’m all for the simple look, even when I was in college I would wear the smallest amount of makeup. If I was a 17 year old in today’s world, I would use a BB cream, a small amount of concealer, and mascara. But, if you feel like rocking a smoky eye, then you rock that smoky eye.

August BoxyCharm Review

Nios Shield Leave-In Conditioner:

This leave-in conditioner provides you with vitamin E and B5 to help hydrate hair while also providing an SPF sunscreen, which protects your hair color, and prevents scalp sunburn. Thanks to the Moroccon argan oil, this leaves the hair feeling soft and healthy while also taming frizz. To use, all you have to do is take a small amount on wet or dry hair and work it into the roots, then brush through. I actually tried it out on dry hair first and was surprised my hair was not an oily mess. I definitely will be using this product when I go down to Florida in a few months! 

Being an animal lover, it was great to know that this product has not been tested on animals!

$26.00  NoisSheild.com

So Susan Statement Skin in Candle Light:

This unique highlighting crayon illuminator adds a glow to your complexion while keeping the skin hydrated. Having fair skin, this was too shimmery, not flattering, and almost unnoticeable. If you have medium to dark skin I believe this would fit you perfectly. Unfortunately for me it didn’t work out.

$20.00  sosusan.com

Coastal Scents Revealed 3 Palette:

PRIME of The Month - August 2015

Sheer Envy Color Correcting Primer by Hard Candy

Having a lot of redness, some days worse than others, I use this primer to help alleviate the discoloration. Using a color correcting primer can help balance skin tone, neutralize redness, and like other primers, help create a flawless canvas for an even makeup application. I stumbled upon this gem accidentally, originally going in to buy the Glamoflauge Concealer by Hard Candy. This primer truly does do what it's intended to, my redness is 98% gone after one application. 

Five Minute Work Routine

I won’t deny it, I am not a morning person as soon as I wake up all I can think of is getting my coffee, fast! Giving myself less than thirty minutes in the morning to get ready? You’re probably thinking, “Is she crazy?”  Maybe so. But, I have perfected a five minute makeup routine that is so simple, anyone can do it. This routine does not require any fancy products or fancy tools, you can use anything from high end to drug store products.

This quick routine calls for five simple products that we all have in our makeup bag;

PRIME: First, you will need to prime. I could go on and on about primers, so I will keep it short for now. Primers are great for many reasons: eases application, fills in fine lines and pores, reduces redness and discoloration, and prolongs makeup wear. For this five minute routine I use the Benefit POREfessional only on areas where I am oily and have larger pores (for me that’s my T zone). I know, this is a pricy product but a great dupe for this is the Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser.

Concealer is optional!

FACE: Second, use a BB Cream or your everyday foundation. BB creams have many benefits: they contain an SPF (which is great for those hot summer months) tinted moisturizers which cover imperfections, prevent breakouts, prime the skin, and prevent shine. I apply the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream with a foundation brush. The only downfall of BB creams are they have to be applied typically every two to three hours. If you are not feeling the BB cream trend, go ahead and use whatever foundation you have. I use the MAC ProLongwear Foundation this is the only foundation I've found that actually looks natural and keeps my skin moisturized.

August Ipsy Glam Bag Review

Noyah Natural Lipstick in Desert Rose

This may be one of my new favorite lip accessories and if you love matte lipsticks then you will definitely be a fan as well!  The Desert Rose sample comes as a rosy pink shade.  A few perks of this product include: super pigmented color, long lasting and moisturizing for your lips. If lipsticks tend to dry your lips out, as they do for me!  I would suggest applying a lip gloss over top, I recommend the Marcelle lux gloss.

($18 on Noyah) 

Skone Cosmetics Luxe Doubler Eye/Lip Pencil in Wine

Frankly, as I am not a big fan of lip liners I went ahead and filled in my entire lip instead of only applying to the outer edges.   I followed up with a topcoat using ModelCo Party Proof Matte lipstick. This helps enhance your natural color and doubles the wear time. In addition you can use this product as an eyeliner!

(On Sale for $12 on Skone Cosmetics) 

Coco for Coconuts!

Today it’s all about them coconuts! I wanted to share with you, my top 3 coconut products that I am loving this summer.

3. Coconut Water Facial Mist

This is a DIY product. The ingredients are super simple! All you need is a spray bottle, coconut water, witch-hazel, and rosewater.

Coconut Water - (2 cups) There is a few options when choosing coconut water. You can either use water from an actual coconut or Harmless Harvest, which is 100% raw coconut water (a good place to find this would be a Whole Foods in the beverage section). 

Witch-hazel - (1/2 cup) If you had the chicken pox when you were a kid then you are all too familiar with witch-hazel.  I never realized all that it can be used for. Witch-hazel can help control blemishes and reduce inflammation (which is good for bags under your eyes, just don’t get it in your eye!). If you want to know more uses google knows everything.

Rosewater – (1/2 cup) This was probably the hardest one for me to find. If you are an expert do it yourself-er then you can make your own. You can find all types of recipes on Pinterest. I chose the easy way out and bought Burt’s Bees rosewater toner. Rosewater can be used to soften dry skin, toning, aromatherapy, and even a natural makeup remover.

All you have to do is mix the ingredients into your spray bottle, give it a shake, and spray! I usually will spray this before I put my make-up on in the mornings, and sometimes before I go to bed.  It is SO refreshing and hydrating. Don't just limit this to your face, this can be used for all over body use as well!