Blogmas Day 4 - Winter Skin Care Essentials

Hello Everyone!

 

I still feel like I am slowly dying, but my blog must go on. During the Winter months the most important thing to remember is to keep your skin hydrated. As the temperatures decrease our skin tends to get dry and needs special care. These are some of the products that I have already started using to keep my skin nice and hydrated.

 

 

Winter Skincare Essentials

 

Face

 

Even if you have oily skin, your face may still be dehydrated. Any easy way to restore your face's hydration is to use the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask. I like to use this about once a week regardless of the season, but during the drier months I will use this as much as three times a week depending on how my skin feels. If I feel like my face is super dry to the point where it hurts to move it (yes this has happened to me many times before), I will use Bio-Oil. I recommend using this on days where you plan on staying at home or overnight. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to absorb into your skin depending on how dry it is. To keep my face hydrated (lets count how many times I say hydrated in this post haha) during the day I will tend to use my Re-Gen Cream. This is essentially the exact same thing as the Bio-Oil, but in cream form. It makes a great base for makeup after you let is set for a couple of minutes.

 

Body

 

My hands tend to be dry most of the time, but during the Winter they feel like crackers. I love carrying this Nivea cream with me in my handbag or backpack. This cream is a bit thicker than other creams that I have tried and leaves my hands feeling so smooth and soft. For my body I use the Suave Vitamin E Body Lotion. I'm not gonna lie, the only reason I picked up this bottle was because I liked the pump that it had (which I cropped out of the picture by accident). I do however love how this keeps my skin feeling soft and hydrated. It doesn't leave me feeling all sticky and absorbs rather quickly. In the shower I also use the Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash (sorry I don't have a picture of it). It feels like you are showering with a cream, but not in a gross way haha.

 

Lips

 

Now I'm pretty sure that lips wouldn't really be considered part of the skin, but since I'm not entirely sure (and too lazy to check) I thought I would include it. Anytime that I talk about lip balms I have to mention my Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm. It is simply the best and super inexpensive. I have a couple of these in multiple handbags and even one in my truck. Another option with a bit of color would be the Fresh Sugar Petal Tinted Lip Treatment. This lip balm had SPF 15 in it, is a hydrating treatment and comes in a variety of colors. This is a bit pricey, but I received this as a sample from one of my online purchases and I love it.

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What are your Winter Skin Care Essentials?



Blogmas Day 3 - Winter Beauty Essentials

Hello Everyone!

 

I have been extremely sick these last couple of days and yesterday I spent most of the day in bed dying. I was not able to blog yesterday so I will be uploading two posts today to catch up on my blogmas. Today I will be sharing my Winter Beauty Essentials, which are basically products that I would recommend using during these colder months. Obviously it is not Winter yet, but this gives you the opportunity to prepare.

 

 

During the Winter months I love wearing berry toned colors on my cheeks. I tend to choose colors that are darker than what I would normally go for throughout the year. When I want a very dark plum color, I will go for mt Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush in Plum Wine (top left). It is the perfect plum color and great for Winter. If you want a bit of shimmer and a plum that is more on the pink side I would highly recommend the Wet n Wild blush in Berry Shimmer (top right). On days that I want a more natural blush that still looks warm on the face I love using the Milani Baked Blush in Rose D' Oro (top middle). It is a beautiful pink shade with gold shimmer. The blush that I have been obsessed with is Dazzled from the Tarte Off the Cuff Cheek Palette (bottom). It is a beautiful mauve-pink with a hint of shimmer (second color from the left).

 

 Two looks that I tend to go for during the Winter time on my eyes is natural or very dark. When I am looking to do a natural eye with lots of browns I will tend to reach for my Sleek Au Natural palette (left). For for darker and smokey eyes I have been loving the Lorac Pro Palette (right). Each one of these palettes has everything that you need to create a complete look. There is no need to have to reach for other eyeshadows and are perfect if you are traveling.

For lips I love very, very dark lips. Anything that is cranberry or purple is my favorite for the Winter time.

1. Kate Moss lipstock (107) -  It is a deep, deep red color that will make your teeth look whiter cause of how dark it is.

2. Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm (Provocateur) - This is a more sheer option for a red lip with a bit of sparkle in it.

3. Revlon Colorburst lipgloss (Embellished) - My favorite of all the options. Is is a deep purple shade with loads of different colored glitter in it.

4. MAC lipstick (Hang-Up) - Very similar to the Kate Moss lipstick. This one is more on the purple side and is just beautiful.

 

Becuase my outfits tend to be very mono-toned during the Winter months, I love to use very bold colored nail polish. I love to use very bright colors that you wouldn't really use during the colder months to sort of add some color to my outfits. I also love very dark colors that almost look black but aren't.

1. Sinful Color (Sugar Sugar) - This is the perfect Christmas red. This does have shimmer in it but doesn't look like chunks of glitter.

2. Essie (Ballet Slippers) - This is a very light pink shade that almost looks white.

3. Sinful Shine (Alfresco) - This is my favorite of the bunch. It is a neon, pastel baby blue. This looks great if your outfit is earth toned and doesn't contain much color.

4. Wet n Wild MegaLast (Disturbia) - This is a deep purple shade. It has a sheen finish and is almost black when you apply multiple layers.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What are your beauty essentials?

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Blogmas Day 2 - Black Friday Beauty Sets

Hello Everyone!

 

Last week a couple friends and I decided that we would go Black Friday (actually Thursday) shopping. I didn't go for anything specific and just went to see if there was anything that liked. I had no intentions on buying any of the Sephora beauty/makeup sets but when I went to the mall I saw a couple that I thought would be fun to try out. Each of these sets were $10 which is an amazing deal for the products that were included.

 

Black Friday Beauty Sets

The first set that I picked up was the Lorac Fan Favorite Duo set. In this set was a single eyeshadow in the shade Pewter. This is a shade that is located in the Lorac Pro Palette and is one of my favorites. It is a bronze/taupe color that is beautiful and can be worn wet or dry. The eyeshadows are so smooth and pigmented and they are very long lasting. Also included in the set was a 3-in-1 Waterproof Eye Liner in the shade Ultra Black. This eye liner claims to be budge-proof, smudge-proof and water-proof and I cannot wait to test it out and tell you all how it works.

 



 

The next set that I picked up was mainly because they were all products that I had been dying to try but hadn't. I have way too many products that I have just started using so buying all of these in full size would be sort of pointless. This was the Tarte Little Miracles - The Tarte of Giving set. Included in this set was a deluxe Pure Maracuja Oil, deluxe Smooth Operator - Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder and deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara. I have heard so many amazing things about all of these products and I loved the fact that they were small enough for them not be full size, but big enough to get more than one use out of them.

 

The last set was the Buxom Curtain Call set. Included was a full-size Full-On Lipstick in Amsterdam. This is a beautiful pink-nude color. The formula of the lipstick is a creamy matte and the shape of it makes the application very precise. Also in the set was a  Mini Sculpted Lash Mascara in Blackest Black. The wand is shaped in a wave kind of way. I am super intrigued by it and am excited to try it out and see if it is a voluminous as it claims to be. (sorry for saying excited too much haha)

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

Did you go Black Friday Shopping??

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My next couple of Blogmas posts will have to do with the Winter time (hint, hint).



Blogmas Day 1 - November Favorites

Hello Everyone!

 

Today is the first day of December which means Christmas is just around the corner. This being my first December blogging I thought I would do a blogmas to celebrate. I will be blogging every single day until Christmas. These posts can be anything really, so I hope you're ready.

 

Here are the products that I loved during the month of November:

 

November Favorites

 

1. Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes - I tend to stay away from face wipes since they tend to break me out or make my face really dry afterwards. I recently purchased these makeup removing wipes and I absolutely love them. I only need one wipe to take off a full face of makeup and they don't cause breakouts on my skin.

 

2. Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Moisturizer Night - I have been using this moisturizer for a couple of weeks now and it has really helped with my hyperpigmentation. My skin tone looks more even and I am seeing such a great improvement in my skin.

 

3. MAC Cremesheen Lipstick (Hang-Up) - During the Fall/Winter months I like to wear dark lips. I love the Cremesheen formula of MAC lipsticks and this shade is a beautiful Fall color.

 

4. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Biscuit) - I never thought I could find a concealer as great as this one. The formula is creamy but has amazing coverage. It doesn't crease or settle into fine lines and hides even my most stubborn hyperpigmentation.

 

5. Lorac Pro Palette - If there is a palette that I would highly recommend, it would be this one. The colors are so pigmented and rich. You can create so many different looks that you want without having to reach for a different palette.

 

6. Buxom Buxom Lash Mascara (Black) - I received this sample size as part of a sample set. I love this mascara and how it makes my lashes look. They look fuller and almost like false lashes.

 

7. Bath & Body Works Marshmallow Fireside Candle - This scent is perfect for the holiday season. It is a bit sweeter than the scents that I usually go for, but I loved this scent when I first smelled it. This candle really helps to get me into the Christmas spirit and I can't get enough of it.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What were your November favorites?

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5 under $5 - November

Hello Everyone!

 

November is quickly coming to an end and I am not complaining at all. Thanksgiving is next week and then Christmas will be here. It also means that I can take a break from school and being able to visit my brother and his family for the holidays. Anyways for this post I though I thought I would share with you a couple of very inexpensive products that I love to use.

 

5 under $5 - November

 

1. TRESemme Tres Two Ultra Fine Mist Hair Spray - I have used this hair spray for years and I absolutely love it. It works great to hold hair in place, but it does not leave your hair feeling stiff and gross. It dries very fast and is humidity resistant. I use this just about every day after I style of my hair it keeps my hair from getting frizzy.

 

Price: $3.98

 

2. Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk - Again I have used this product for years and have not found anything that I like more than this. After I style my hair, I will take some of this into my hands and apply it all over. My hair looks so much more healthier and it doesn't get frizzy throughout the day.

 

Price: $3.47

 

3. Jordana INCOLOR Fabuliner Liquid Eyeliner (Black) - Jordana makes some amazing eyeliners and this one is one of my favorites. The color is so rich and dark and stays for a very long time. It is very easy to apply and the tip of the eyeliner isn't dry like some other felt-tip eyeliners.

 

Price: $1.99

 

4. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Shadow Stick (Bad Girl Bronze) - I love me some Rimmel. These shadow sticks make a great bases for other eyeshadows or look great on their own. For this dark color I will apply it all over my lid and blend it out onto my crease. They are creamy and very pigmented.

 

Price: $3.59

 

top: Black

bottom: Bad Girl Bronze

 

5. Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm - I have talked about this many times before, but I just love this lip balm. It leaves my lips feeling incredibly soft and hydrated. I have tried many different lip balms, but you will always find one of these in my handbag.

 

Price: $2.74 (a pack of 3)

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

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Tarte Gorgeous Getaways Portable Palette Set

Hello Everyone!

 

It is holiday season which means loads of gift sets from many high-end brands are being released. I don't know about you guys, but I cannot be more excited for the holiday season and I have something very special coming up next month so I'm looking forward to that as well. The Tarte Gorgeous Getaways Portable Palette Set (try saying that five times fast haha!) is an Ulta exclusive and available only for a limited time.

 

 

 

The limited-edition set features:

• 16 full size Amazonian Clay Eye Shadows inspired by magical destinations around the world
• 4 full size Amazonian 12-Hour Clay Blushes in new, limited-edition shades
• 3 full size Maracuja Lipglosses in new, limited-edition shades
• Portable collector's compact to take the interchangeable palettes on-the-go

 

I am in love with the concept of being able to have a palette set and then being able to take a small set with you on the go. The colors of the eyeshadows are more on the neutral side of the color spectrum, which I like since it makes all the colors very wearable. The formula for the blushes and shadows are all Amazonian Clay so they last much longer on my face than other products that I use. The lipglosses are more on the pinky side, but I absolutely love their formula. They feel amazing on the lips and look good on so many different skin tones. The compact is an adorable gold bow which looks very girly and fun. There is also a mirror on the inside which is a major plus for me.

 

Overall, I think that this set is one of the best holiday sets I have tried this season. All of the colors are pigmented and beautiful. This would make an amazing gift for someone or just a little treat for yourself. I can see myself using this way beyond the holiday season. Tarte sets have been very impressive this season and it really makes me want to try more of them.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What's on your Christmas wish list?



Revlon Color Burst Balms

Hello Everyone!

 

I am so sorry that I have been a horrible blogger this past month. With the semester coming to an end I am having to deal with many papers and exams that take up most of my time. The weather has also been totally Fall like here in Texas (which is very unusual) so taking any kinds of pictures has been nearly impossible. Anyways things should start getting back to usual so thank you for being patient and not abandoning me haha.

Here is a review of the new Revlon Color Burst Matte Balms and Revlon Color Burst Lacquer Balms:

 

Revlon Color Burst Matte Balms (Three matte on the top)

Revlon Color Burst Lacquer Balms (Three shiny on the bottom)

Top: 225 Sultry

Middle: 220 Showy

Bottom: 205 Elusive

 

Top: 225 Sultry

Middle: 220 Showy

Bottom: 205 Elusive

 



Top: 135 Provocateur

Middle: 125 Flirtatious

Bottom: 130 Tease

 

Top: 135 Provocateur

Middle: 125 Flirtatious

Bottom: 130 Tease

 

I'm not going to lie and say that I was instantly drawn to these products. I figured that they would be the exact same thing as the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains so I kind of just passed by them. I then saw that they had two different textured balms so took a second look at them. What originally caught my attention were the matte Color Burst Balms since I had never seen a lip stain that was a matte formula. These all have a menthol feel, so they are very minty. The texture of the balms are very smooth and opaque. They just glide and the lips and feel so hydrating. The matte do not settle into the creases of your lips which is a huge plus in my beauty book. They do stain the lips a bit which means that they last for such a long time. The colors are so rich and they are so easy to apply that they are great to just throw in your handbag and go.

 

 Sultry is a matte mauve color. Showy is a bright bubblegum matte color. Elusive is more of a mauvey pink color. Provocateur is a bright red lacquer color. Flirtatious is a magenta lacquer color with some sparkles. Tease is an orange lacquer color. Overall I am completely and totally in love with these balms. I purchased mine in Walgreens for $8.99 each (they were having a buy one get one half off sale) and I highly recommend them.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What is your favorite color?

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