March 2017 Favorites

Rimmel “Match Perfection” Concealer – This concealer is truly amazing. It does a great job of covering up redness and dark circles under my eyes, but still looks natural. It doesn’t crease anywhere and lasts all day long.

Makeup Revolution “Matte Blush” – I don’t know that I have ever tried a more pigmented matte blush! This has a smooth, creamy formula and the color payoff is incredible… so be sure to go in with a light hand. I have the shade Nude and love it!!!

Nine West “Dress Pump” – Now that it is (finally) warming up where I live, these babies have been on repeat. They are versatile and comfortable. What else does a girl really need?!

Sofia Vergara “Tempting” Body Spray – While I’m not much into fragrance, I bought this on a whim at Marshall’s and have been loving it. It has scents of vanilla, tropical fruit, and flowers. I can’t get enough of it lately!

Short and sweet this month. Have you tried any of these products?!

IPSY Review – March 2017

Have you heard of Ipsy?! It is a monthly beauty subscription service that allows you to try unique brands, use different products, and collect items items that you may not pick up on your own. For only $10 a month I’d say it’s quite the deal! You can join by clicking here if you’re interested.

Here is what I got in my most recent March bag…

Ofra Cosmetics – Peach Blush Talk about a dupe for Nars’ Orgasm!!! This blush has some serious gold reflection to it that is very flattering on the skin. On my skin tone specifcally I had some difficulty with the peach shade showing up, but I do think this will flatter lighter skin tones.

Air Repair Skincare – Complexion Boosting Moisturizer I am pretty picky with skincare and this passed the test. It is packed full of antioxidants and left my skin feeling perfectly moisturized. Can’t ask for much more than that!

Beau Gachis – Tapered Blending Brush This is my favorite item of the bag! Ipsy seriously reads my mind when it comes to brushes, because I’ve been on the lookout for a new blending brush. This baby is going to seriously come in handy. I love the curved tip and fluffy bristles… it makes blending a dream.

Tarte – Tartiest Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint While I love this brand, I’m not a huge liquid lipstick lover. However I did try this out and it was less drying than others I have tried in the past, with more of a velvet matte finish. The applicator is very precise and I think it will be a good shade to save for autumn.

ModelCo – Eye Define Crayon Liner This liner claims to glide on without tugging or dragging, which is the exact opposite experience I had with it. The product is very stiff and difficult to blend. I do like trying new black liners because, let’s face it, they are a staple in any makeup collection but this one just did not do it for me.

January 2017 Favorites

Rose Gold iPhone 7 – Unfortunately I dropped my phone right after the holidays and, while I thought the thing was indestructible, it ended up not working after it took it’s last hit. That meant I needed an upgrade. Shucks 🙂 . This is literally the best phone I’ve ever had! I love the size, color, and quality. It’s perfect for me.

Clear Mandala Phone Case – So of course I had to get something pretty to keep this one safe. I opted for a clear, mandala-patterned back case so that the pink could shine through. I paired it with a clear screen protector and now I’m all set!

Moleskine 2017 Weekly Planner – This baby has been keeping me organized already. I love the layout of this planner because it includes daily, weekly, and monthly layouts. I set a lot of different types of goals this year and think the process of tracking everything in this planner will help me stick to them.

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss – I’m not sure why, but this lippie in the shade “Birthday Babe” has been on repeat for me in January because I’m more comfortable with a color on my lips, but this has been an easy transition into neutrals for me. It’s a great winter shade and a comfortable wear.

Real Techniques Blush Brush – You need this brush!!! The size, hands down, is my favorite part. I didn’t realize the pain I was putting myself through with smaller blush brushes until I got this baby and having been seriously loving it.

Clean and Clear Shower Mask – I got this in a recent Walmart Beauty Box as a sample and liked it so much that I purchased the full sized version. This works nicely for me in the shower after I do a deep face exfoliation. It’s a nice way to get moisture back into the skin and fully cleanse the surface of your face.

Ipsy Review – January 2017

Pacifica – Blushious Blush – Besides lippies, blushes are my favorite item to find in my bag! I got the color Wildrose and while it isn’t a shade I would normally go for, I do like it, for winter especially. There is a really pretty sheen that makes this blush super unique.

Purlisse – Blue Lotus Mud Mask – Nothing beats a good mud mask. I plan to save this sample for traveling, when my skin typically needs a little bit more love. The size makes it really travel friendly and I have loved this brand in the past so look forward to trying it out.

It Cosmetics – Bye Bye Undereye Concealer – This concealer is supposed to illuminate your under eyes and double as an anti-aging product. I can totally see what they were going for, but for me personally it didn’t quite work out. I found that it actually brought more attention to my under eyes in a non-flattering way. I’ll stick with the regular Bye Bye Undereye concealer because the coverage is still amazing.

Temptu – Matte Primer – I have been enjoying this primer quite a bit! It’s great for everyday priming around the perimeter of my face, though I do go in with a separate pore-filling primer to take care of my stubborn t-zone area. The only thing I don’t really care for with this product is the smell, which is chemically.

theBalm – Matte Bronzer – Talk about an item I was excited to see! This is a cult favorite and I got the shade Bahama Mama. It is on the cooler tone side and pretty dark for my skin currently, but I think it will work well for me in the summer months… ohhhh summer 🙂 .

 

This month was a definite hit for me!!! Recently I have only been excited for one or two items in my bag, but January was good to me. I see myself using all of the items except the concealer, which I plan to pass along to a friend. Click here to sign up for Ipsy, it’s something I look forward to each and every month, XOXO.

Ipsy Review – December 2016

Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service that allows you to try unique brands, use different products, and collect items items that you may not pick up on your own… AND it’s only $10 a month!!! I’ve been a member for about a year and half and love this service. You can join by clicking here if you’re interested.

Smashbox – InstaMatte Lipstick Transformer: I honestly think I am the only person on the planet that doesn’t love the matte lip trend. That being said, I did give this a quick shot and found it didn’t work too well for me so I did pass it along to someone else in my life who I think it may work better for.

Privai – Aqua Gel Masque: I have been meaning to try a gel moisturizer, as I have acne prone skin and use cream moisturizers, which I hear can enhance pimples. This one has worked nicely for me so far. It smells and feels great on the skin!

Royal & Langnickel – MODA Angle Shader Brush: Ipsy has sent me this brand of brushes before and I really love them! This is high quality and I’m in love with the purple!

City Cosmetics – Be Matte Blushes: This is my favorite item I got this month… I love trying out new blushes and don’t have any of these colors. The shades are called Fresh Melon, Blackberry, and Guava. They are great quality and I’ve found them to last all day long.

NYX – Prismatic Shadow: And my least favorite items I got is this little guy in the shade Fireball. I don’t love red-based shadows on my eyes and keep getting them sent to me, grrrrr.

Ipsy Review – October 2016

Ummmm Ipsy were you literally reading my mind this month?! I’m so excited for this bag of goodies!!! I have seriously been wanting to some of these products forever and a day. And this super appropriately themed Halloween bag?!?! STOP!!!

If I had to pick, I think I would say I’m most excited for theBalm Cosmetics blush in Cabana Boy. I am in love with Frat Boy and can’t wait to try this one because of the warm tone and shimmer quality. I’m almost equally as excited for the MeMeMe Blush Brush because the bristles look like they will give a really natural appearance for the blush application. The blush brush I currently use has very tightly packed bristles, which I think gives a harsher look, and these look looser. Next up I’m super stoked for Sally’s Box Aqua Moist Gel Cream. I’ve heard that gel moisturizers help control acne more than others, so really look forward to seeing if that will hold true for me. While I am excited for the Ciate London Fierce Flicks Eyeliner, I do have several black eyeliners that need to be used up so I’m not as excited for this product but will get use out of it. Can a girl really have too many black liners?! And lastly is the Cosmoholic Liquid Lipstick in Mysterious Mocha, which looks like a shade I may pass along to my (trendier than me) niece.

Overall I’m super excited for the bag this month!!! I do find that Ipsy bags tend to wax and wane for me… some months are kind of meh and others are amazing like this one. I hope you enjoyed  this pre-unbagging and as always you can click here to sign up to get Ipsy for yourself, XOXO!

My Year With Ipsy

It’s official… I have officially been with Ipsy for a year now! What better time to look back through my  collection of samples and reflect on some of my favorites. In no particular order, here are the stand out products (including the super cute bags) that have been a tried and true for me from Ipsy within the past year.

In my opinion, Ipsy is the best beauty subscription service out there within the $10 a month price range. I have subscribed to Lip Monthly and Birchbox in the past, but those only lasted a few months each for me… Ipsy is surly here to stay.

What do I love so much about Ipsy? I’m glad you asked 🙂 . What has kept me subscribed for a full year first and foremost is the strong focus on makeup rather than skincare and haircare. Yes, Ipsy does include a wide variety of products, however my bags typically have more makeup than anything else, which I love. Ipsy also has a great customer service department and I know this firsthand. Two months I inputted my first complaint to Ipsy, which was based on a missing item. I emailed them, got a quick response, and with ease was sent my product. And I can’t forget to mention that Ipsy sends so many amazing brands that are unique, well-known, and trendy. Plus HELLO have you seen the cute bags they send you?! Another plus.

If you’re interested in signing up for Ipsy you can click here to see for yourself just how amazing it really is, XOXO!!!

Ipsy June 2016 – Preview

I’m seriously looking forward to every single item I’m getting this month! I’m most excited for the blush. It  will be fun to try out a new-to-me brand and expand my collection.

There is honestly nothing in this mix that I am least excited for, however the eye shadow and eye pencil come in different shades this month and if I get the red shadow or brown pencil I won’t be entirely happy with those. (I posted photos of the purple shadow and black pencil to send out good vibes :).)

The masks will come in handy as well as the brush… those are two items that I will totally put to great use!!! Looks like a good month to me, XOXO.

May Favorites

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation

If you are looking for an affordable and full-coverage drugstore foundation, then look no further! This baby goes on smooth and lasts the majority of the day. The shade range is wide and I love that it has a pump for easy, sanitary use. It has been my go to ever since I picked it up this month.

Fratboy by The Balm

I bought my very first high end blush! And it was worth every penny. I had received a (tiny) sample of this in my first ever Birchbox and found that because the pan was so little, the product wasn’t going on my brush evenly…hence why I picked up the full size. This shade is super natural and would look good on a variety of skin tones. Plus the texture is heavenly!

Food Network Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Any other terrible chefs out there?! I lucked out marrying a man who is knows what he’s doing in the kitchen because I never really know what’s going on in there! This dutch oven is fool proof. My favorite meals to make are shredded chicken for tacos and a seared pork loin. I love how easy it can go from stove to oven and does an amazing job locking in flavors.

Skagen Freja Rose Gold Watch

This was an anniversary gift from my husband and it has been on my wrist nonstop this month because I love it so much. Now that I am out of grad school and have a professional job, I have been working to update my wardrobe. This is such a nice addition to my collection. It’s very lightweight with a classic design and the hue is true rose gold.

Real Housewives of New York

What can I say? Don’t judge me. It’s my number one guilty pleasure. I don’t do drama in my life anymore but sure do love watching these women deal with theirs, XOXO!

Addicted to Blush

Thanks to Amy from New Key Beauty for nominating me to showcase some of my standout blushes in the “Addicted to Blush” tag! I used to think only one blush looked good on me but after playing around, I’ve come to love experimenting with new blushes. Recently I have been working on expanding my blush collection so I am excited to share what I have found.

1. What color blush suits you the most? – Soft medium pinky nude shades.
2. Pressed, cream, or loose? – I prefer pressed or loose. I don’t use cream because I have oily skin and powders just tend to work better on my face.
3. Favorite shimmery blush? – “Desert Rose” by Bella Pierre Cosmetics
4. Favorite bright blush? – “Tango” by Hikari
5. Favorite matte blush? – “Mellow Wine” by Wet n Wild
6. Favorite drugstore blush? – “Peach Rose” by L.A. Colors
7. Favorite highend blush? – “Fratboy” by TheBalm
8. Best blush packaging? – “Pink Grapefruit” by Laura Gellar
9. Number one holy grail blush? – “Bold Berry” by Mary Kay… I have been using this since I was in high school and always go back to it!
10. What is on your blush wish list? –  “Luminoso” by Milani, “Blushing Bride” by Tarte, “Cabana Boy” by TheBalm, “Flower Child” by Becca, “Love Hangover” by Too Faced, “Rose Rush” by Physician’s Formula, “Flushed” by Neutrogena, “Breathless” by Buxom… I could go on.

 

Let me know if you love any of these same blushes or if you’d like to carry on the “Addicted to Blush” tag! And as always, thanks for reading… XOXO.