What I Got For Christmas - 2013

Hello Everyone!

 

I would like to first apologize for ending Blogmas so unexpectedly. I ended up getting very ill right before Christmas and left on my holiday break sooner than planned. After getting a few requests from some of my readers, I decided that I would do a What I Got For Christmas post. This not me bragging about the presents that I received. I am very thankful for all of these gifts and didn't expect any of them. I usually never ask for anything for Christmas, so getting a present is very unexpected for me. I am still waiting on a couple of gifts, but I wanted to get this posted up before the year ended.

 

 

My stocking consisted of mostly treats and Christmas snacks, which I absolutely love. My mom also got me a double-sided compact mirror. It is from the brand Bonnie Marcus & Company. When you open it, one side is a regular mirror while the other side is zoomed. There were also three limited edition Maybelline Color Tattoos: Matte Brown, Nude Pink, and Just Beige. I also received a limited edition Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Pink Grandeur. Two products that were in my stocking that I am super excited to try are from Covergirl. One is the Covergirl TruMagic: The SunKisser Skin Perfector Bronzer and the Covergirl TruMagic Skin Perfector Mattifier.

 

These gifts were all from one of my best friends and was put together in a little box. She gave me a Victoria's Secret makeup bag that I love. There were two Victoria's Secret panties, which she has this strange, almost obsession with giving me. A very adorable Victoria's Secret peppermint tin case was included as part of the gift. There was also two ring sets from the brand Maurices. One was a chain ring set and the other included five separate rings.

 

From her sister, I received a Bath & Body Works Wallflower refills set in the scent Japanese Cherry Blossom. This is by far my favorite scent, of all time from Bath & Body Works. I actually have one of these plugged in as I am typing this to make my room smell amazingly awesome. There was also a gold necklace and gold lightning bolt earrings. I have really been into accessories lately so these were perfect to add to my collection.

 

One of my guy friends gave me the Sephora Plum Daze Blinged Palette. It includes eight eyeshadows, a blush, and five lip glosses. He also included the Kat Von D tattoo liner in Trooper. I have been wanting to try this eyeliner for some time now, but for some reason never did. I am super excited to play with these and see how they work.

 

My brothers and their wives are very aware of how much I love football and the Dallas Cowboys so their gifts reflect that. One of my brothers gave me a Dallas Cowboys snuggie that I am obsessed with. It is so warm and cozy and has come in handy during these rainy/cold days. Another one of my brothers gave me a NFL Dallas Cowboys watch. I've never been one to wear watches, but this one is so cute. He also gave me a Victoria's Secret Bombshell gift set. It includes a body mist and body lotion. I love the scent and these are great to throw in my handbag or backpack. I also received a pair of owl earring because I love owls and have many owl earrings.

 

My aunt was sweet enough to give me a three piece set of makeup bags. The largest is a travel makeup bag that has loads of pockets on the inside. The middle is just a regular sized makeup bag and the smallest is a pencil case shaped one. I love how these are plastic and don't get glitter all over the place. They are also padded which is great way to protect my makeup. She also gave me a 15 piece brush and hair set. I am constantly breaking or losing these things so I'm so glad she gave me some.

 

I also received money from my parents and other aunt so that I could buy something that I wanted. Like I said before, I am so grateful for all the gifts that I received. I hope all of you all have/are enjoying the holidays and have a wonderful new year. Thank you very much for your support and I will speak to you very soon.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What are your New Year's Resolutions??

 



Blogmas Day 15 - Save Money on Textbooks

Hello Everyone!

 

Trust me when I say that I am the last person that wants to be thinking of school at the moment. We almost all just got out on break and are in no mood to think about next semester. The truth is that the Spring semester isn't that far away.

 

I know for me, one of the largest expenses for university (besides paying for classes) would be purchasing textbooks. Some courses may required more than one textbook and with some being more than a hundred dollars or more, the price really does add up. Then after the semester is over, there is the struggle of figuring out what to do with all of them. Now I am not being paid to talk about this what-so-ever. I am simply a broke, college girl that is trying to save as much money as possible.

 

 

All of this information is coming directly from experience. I have used Chegg for about two years now, and I have no complaints. Getting started is super simple. You can either type in the ISBN, author's name, or title of the book you are looking for. Once there you are giving a variety of books to choose from depending in the edition of the book you are looking for and so on. Once you find the book, you are given three options: new, used, and rent (there is also the option to get an e-book). Depending on your price range and necessities, you can choose what option is best for you. Then choose what kind of shipping you would want and done. What I really love is that you can receive your books in as little as a couple of days for a little extra money.

 

If you rent your books (I tend to choose this option most of the time), returning them is a piece of cake. All you do is go back on the website and print a shipping label. Using the same box (or any box), put the book and a paper that will be attached with the shipping label inside and tape it up. Put the shipping label on the box and drop it off at a UPS near you. You don't need to pay anything once you drop it off either. If you need extra time to use your textbook, there is an option on the website that you can check out.

 

If you purchased the textbooks, you can sell back your books to Chegg. They offer much more than other places tend to. I have found no problem in finding any book that I need and I have saved so much money. If you are looking to save money next semester, then I highly recommend you checking out Chegg.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What are you studying?

 



Blogmas Day 14 - Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

Hello Everyone!

 

Now I know that I am probably the last person in the world that is talking about this product. I actually ordered my palette when the first batch came out and when it was in stock. For some reason I didn't actually get mine until two weeks later, which (I'm not gonna lie) kinda bothered me. I ordered it immediately after being released so that I could get it fast, but didn't get it until it was already available in stores. Anyways here are some swatches and thoughts.

 

 

As you can see, the packaging of the Naked 3 palette is very similar to the Naked 2 palette. Now I'm kind of undecided on how I feel about it. I like to look to it and how big the mirror is. My one fear is that with the amount of times I open it, it will come apart on the rubber part in the middle. Like the Naked 2 palette, there is a double-sided synthetic fiber brush. I absolutely love these brushes since one side it good to pack on the color on your lids while the other is great for blending. There is also four samples of eyelid primers included, which again I don't know how to feel about. I would have preferred to get one bigger sized one that I could use more than once, than four that I would throw away after one use. The palette is the exact same price as the Naked 1 and 2 palettes.

 

-Strange: A very light baby pink shade. This is a matte shade that is a bit chalky. It is still greatly pigmented and very smooth.

-Dust: A light pink shade with a metallic finish. This does have a bit more fall out than the others and isn't the most pigmented.

-Burnout: A pink that is more on the peachy side. This has a satin finish and feels very smooth. It is easy to work with and has great color pay off.

-Limit: A light rose shade that has is more on the mauve/dusty side. This is also a matte, but isn't as chalky as strange. I absolutely love this shade.

 

-Buzz: A rose gold shade with a metallic finish. This has a bit of glitter, but is super easy to work with. It has great pigmentation and is so soft.

-Trick: A gold/peach/pink shade with metallic finish. This is very similar to Buzz in the formula and has great color pay off.

-Nooner: A pink that is more on the brown side with matte finish. Unlike the other mattes, this one is not chalky. It is a great crease color and a dream to apply and work with.

-Liar: A rose gold that is on the cooler side. This has a metallic finish and is one of the more pigmented shades in the palette.

 

-Factory: This is a bronze/mauve shade with a shimmery finish. In certain lights this looks just brown, but this has an amazing finish and pigmentation.

-Mugshot: Taupe with pink shimmer and metallic finish. This seems to be the smoothest of the bunch. The texture is just so soft and silky that it is unbelievable.

-Darkside: Deep taupe/mauve shade with shimmery finish. This has great color payoff, but does require some sort of primer for some reason. I think the formula is just a bit drier than the rest of them.

-Blackheart: Black shade with red shimmer in it. I love this shade even though the formula isn't as great as some of the others might be.

 

I think that this palette may be the most neutral of all three palettes. It is defiantly on the rose colored side. To be honest I feel as though this might be my favorite palette. This palette might not be entirely necessary, but if you have the chance I would highly recommend it. Overall I love Urban Decay eyeshadows over any other shadows. They are amazing and great to have in your collection.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What are your thought of the Naked palettes?

Do you think there will be a Naked 4?

 



Blogmas Day 13 - A Simple Something - Saturday

Hello Everyone!

 

It seems as though I don't get to talk much about my life on most of my recent posts. Most of the time I just talk about products and what I think about them. Today was a very busy day for me being out and about. I thought it would be fun just to share some fun things that I did, with you.

 

 

 

- I spent most of my day shopping with my mom. She needed to pick up some gifts for some of my family and I needed some things for my trip. It was pretty difficult for me since there was so many people and I immedialty got anxiety from being surrounded by them. I can't spend too much time shopping or I feel like I will have a mental breakdwown.

 

- I bought a onesie, let that sink in for the moment. It is cheetah print and has little cheetah faces on the feet. It is super warm and get for being cozy and comfortable at night. It is perfect to put on after a long day and just relax in.

 

- Today I realized how short I actually am. Now many people may think that being 5 foot 3 inches isn't that short but trust me, it is. Whenever I buy pants I have to buy them in short. The sad part is that even when I do find them in short, they still fit me a bit too long. It is nearly impossible for me to find pants that fit my height.

 

-I picked up a few items from the new Bethany Mota line while I was at the mall. I must say that I am completely in love with her collection. Everything is so girly and fun. The prices are pretty affordable and the quality is amazing.

 

-Today I managed to finish wrapping the last couple of gifts that I needed to get done. Since I am leaving to Houston in a couple of days, I wanted to distribute the gifts to my friends before I left. I'm also super excited to see my brother who I haven't seen in months.

 

- Blogmas will be ending on December 20th. I was going to do it until the 26th, but I want to spend as much quality time with my brother and his family when I go visit. Blogging does take a good amount of time to do and I would just feel distracted the entire time I was there.

 

-I finished my fall semester in college and I cannot be more excited. I also got all A's in my classes and made it to the Dean's List for the third semester in a row. I am so exhausted from school and I definitely need this month off to prepare for next semester.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What are your plans for Christmas?



Blogmas Day 12 - DIY Dark Spot Lightener

Hello Everyone!

 

One of the main issues that I have with my skin is hyperpigmentation. Since I always seem to have a spot on my face, I am constantly having to address these dark spots. Sometimes it may be difficult for someone to purchase certain products that are meant to help fade them. I am highly aware that not everyone has the means to purchase a $100 cream to test to see if it will work on their spots. This is something that I did alot in high school and really helped me. This lightener is extremely inexpensive and something that you might have in your kitchen at the moment.

 

Products needed:

 

-Lemon

-Q-Tip (not required but highly recommended)

 

 

Lemon has natural skin bleaching properties which are great on acne scars. Squeeze about half a lemon (depending on how many scars you have), into a small bowl. Taking a Q-Tip, apply the lemon juice directly on the scars. Try to avoid the surrounding areas so they don't become lighter as well. I like to gently rub the lemon juice on the scar for a little bit. Do not rub too hard or the areas may become irritated and very sensitive. This can also make the scar look worse than it did before. Leave the lemon juice on your face for about 20 minutes and then rinse off with warm water. If you would like, you can also leave the juice overnight. I would highly recommend first trying this for 20 minutes to see how your skin reacts to it.

 

Lemon juice is very drying to the skin so you need to apply a good moisturizer afterwards. You can use this as often as you would like, but the skin may become sensitive if you use it too often. When my scars were really bad I would use this about once a day for a week. I then would do it every other day and kept decreasing the amount of times I would use it. Here's a random little tip for you: if you have a lemon that doesn't have enough juice, place it in the microwave for a couple of seconds.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

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Blogmas Day 11 - DIY Acne Mask

Hello Everyone!

 

I would like to start off by saying that my finals are finally over and so is my semester. I am so super excited for this break that I desperately need from school. With the stress of school came a couple of breakouts. For some reason the products that I have recently been using didn't seem to be making any improvements of my skin. I decided to go back to something that I loved to do regularly, but for some reason forgotten.

 

Products needed:

 

-Cleanser

-Honey

-Cinnamon

-Foundation brush

-Bowl

 

 

Before you begin the mask you need to make sure that your face is completely clean. I like to cleanse my face with the Cetaphil Daily Face Cleanser. This is great to remove any dirt, oil, or makeup that I might have. Try not to use a cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. These chemicals tend to work against the mask and you might not get the best results. This cleanser is available for sensitive or normal to oily skin. It is also important to tie your hair back and get all of your hair out of the way. I like to wear a headband to get any small hairs around my forehead that might get into the honey.

 

In a bowl you need to mix three tablespoons of honey with one tablespoon of cinnamon. This is more than enough to cover you face in. Taking a foundation brush (I suggest buying a really inexpensive one like elf for a dollar), mix the ingredients together with the end that doesn't have the bristles. Take the bowl and place it into the microwave for about 30 seconds. Do not leave it in there for any longer since the honey seems to get hot very quickly. I like to place a small amount of the back of my hand to test the temperature. When the mix is very warm, but not hot I will evenly spread it on my face. I like to do this in either the bathroom or with a towel. Place and even, thick layer all over your face avoiding the eye areas. Leave the mask on for ten minutes and rinse.

 

It is okay if the mask drips off. I like to do this as often as possible when my face is bad. When things have cleared up I will use it less often (about 2-3 times a week). Honey has antibiotic properties that are great way to stop bacteria from growing. This is a major reason for breakouts. Cinnamon also has properties that are great for bacteria and breakouts.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

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Blogmas Day 10 - DIY Christmas Room Decoration

Hello Everyone!

 

When it comes to decorating my room, I try to keep things as minimal as possible. I have a pretty small room so I try to keep it clutter-free so I don't get anxiety from all the stuff. I enjoy simple, cute decorations that I can either make myself or are inexpensive. Now I am obsessed with anything that has a snowman on it, so that inspired this decoration.

 

 

Supplies needed:

 

- Craft Paint (Black and Orange)

-Small paint brushes

-Fake Snow

-Christmas Lights

-Clear Vase

 

This decoration is super easy to make and looks adorable in any bedroom. You can make any design that you want like a Santa or penguin, but I like snowmen. You need to start with a clear vase. I liked this one because of the shape that it had and helped make the snowman have a figure. With the craft paint and paint brushes, I simply painted the eyes, smile, buttons and hands on the vase. With the orange craft paint I made a carrot nose and went back with the black to add details. Allow time for the paint to dry so that it stays on the vase. If you make a mistake, just take a wet towel and wipe it off. Once it is nice and dry take the vase outside or place it on newspaper. Spray the fake snow all around the vase making a thin, even layer. You don't want to spray too much and not be able to see the lights or face. Once that is dry just put the Christmas lights in the vase and turn them on. I recommend using white lights since it ties in with the snowman theme, but feel free to use any that you would like.

 

This is not waterproof, so you can't wash it. In fact some of the snow make come off if you are constantly touching the vase. What I like about this decoration is that I can wash off everything and decorate it for another season, or leave it clear and use it for another purpose.

 

Hope you enjoyed this post :)

What is your favorite Christmas character?