Nordstroms Has Become A Dress Playground

Hey everybody! Today I am posting about all the wonderful weddings I have been going to recently and all of the fantastic dresses I have found at Nordstroms! So many of my friends have been getting married recently and I have this huge issue where I CANNOT wear the same outfit to two events. Especially not in one summer. I've been able to find a bunch of great picks at Nordstroms and while I've always been a fan or Nordy's, I usually just shop at The Rack. I've learned that great deals can still be found in stores if you shop the sales racks and during their discount weeks. 

This past weekend, my boyfriend, Chad, had a really close childhood friend get married in Napa. I wanted to wear something floral and girly, but also a little bit edgy. I found this gorgeous dress by Wayf that is a simple sheath style dress (meaning it gives you no shape but is soooo comfortable) with a beautiful and bright floral pattern against a navy backdrop. My favorite part was the subtle and sporadic splashes of checkerboard pattern. This dress is the perfect combination of girly and edgy. To give it even more edge, I did a side french braid into a fishtail braid with a chunk of hair curled around it. I wasn't positive I loved my hair but I ended up really enjoying it. It was different and unique which I loved. I chose to wear a bright pink lipstick (Mac Magenta Lip Liner with Mac Girl About Town [long wearing amplified formula that rooocksss]) with a dusted-out white eyeshadow look and a bold winged liner. To finish off the look, I wore a long, layering necklace from Bauble Bar with a "stone" embellishment. I thought this was a great way to add a natural and earthy feel to the entire look. I also wore a cuffed earring (from Nordstroms Rack) which looks great on the ear where the hair is pulled away from. 

I wanted to get a close up of my hair so you guys can let me know how you thought it turned out. PS how nice does Chad look?

Another big wedding this year was for some dear friend's of ours from the church. I found another sheath style dress on a sales rack for only $24! It was a total steal and I'm excited to find ways to style it for cooler weather. I went for a more romatic approach with this look by wearing a side french braid with the other half of my hair in loose curls. I wore a vivid lipstick by Maybelline in "Vibrant Mandarine" over Mac's "Cherry" lipliner and just some false eyelashes. Because I'm obsessed with mixing styles, I added my cuffed earring to this look as well, again, on the ear where the hair was pulled away from. 

What was really great about this dress was that it was great in the hot weather and all the bold colors contrasting agains another bold color was really out of my usual comfort zone. 

My last option was for a wedding for one of my old co-workers at The Little Gym. This wedding was at the beginning of the summer when it was dreadfully hot. I wore a simple Maxi Dress that I got on a super sale at Nordstroms in a cobalt blue color. Simple curls and light pink lips (Mac Lipstick in Pink Nouveau with Oyster Girl Lipgloss on top) was what completed this simple, summery look. 

Just a quick mention that I wore a dress just like the one above in a green patterned style with peachy-perfection make up (Mac Flamingo Lipstick and Tarte's Tipsy Blush) to my good friend Bri's wedding where I actually got to do her bridal make up! This was the first time I ever got to do anyone's make up for their wedding and I felt so lucky to be a part of her special day. 

How beautiful is this bride?!

Recent Favorites/Catch Up

Hey Everybody! I've spent the last 4 days sick in bed. Literally, can't get out of bed for more than 30 minutes. I planned on filming a video this week regarding some of my favorite beauty products recently because I haven't done a monthly favorites video in a while. Well, that clearly cannot happen now because I cannot muster up enough energy to film unfortunately! I haven't been buying many new things and haven't had many consistent favorites, but lately, I do find myself using some products that I have really been enjoying and thought I would share with you!

BioOil- I think I have mentioned BioOil before but I've just recently gone back to using it after finishing up some other oils I had opened. BioOil is my favorite oil to use on my face as I think it helps the most with preventing and managing Acne Scars, plus the scent is incredible! I only use it at night as it is very thick and very oily and would never hold up underneath make up.

Origins Ginzing Energy Boosting Moisturizer- I LOVE this line from origins. I have tried every product and each one has been a winner. I love using this moisturizer during the day because my skin has been extra dry so the thicker cream-like consistency makes it very comfortable to wear during the day. Though it is creamier, it is not heavy and is actually very light and wears well under make up.

Origins VitaZing Moisturizer- This moisturizer also has energy boosting qualities like the other one that I mentioned, but this one has a slight tint to it that helps even out skin tone. I wear this a lot to work because it is super quick and easy and does not need any other maintenance. The coverage it gives is very natural and I do find it to be very brightening. NOTE: I do NOT like wearing this under foundation. I do not find that it holds up well at all. Seriously guys, there is nothing like this on the market that I have found yet. 

Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua Foundation- I use this foundation every summer because it is so light and breathable. It makes your skin look super lit-from-within and luminous. The best way to apply this is just with finger tips because it blends out and melts in just perfectly. I don't find it necessary to always powder this foundation. The coverage is light-to-medium and it smells fantastic. 

Benefit Gimme Brow- Okay, seriously?! This stuff is incredible. If I want a bold brow, I pair this with my Anastasia DipBrow, but it is also perfect for days when you just use the "Fabulous 4" (Foundation, Blush, Mascara, Brows). I don't think I'll ever stop using this product because it is absolute perfection for any and all brow types. 

Lush Feeling Younger Skin Tint- This is a cream-like product this is used to bring a lightness to the complexion. It appears an opalescent color and remains on the skin with a glow. A little bit of this goes a looongg way. I use this under foundation just under the eye area and on the bridge of nose and also the forehead. It looks a little intense, even just swatched, but once it is blended in with the foundation it looks so luminous. I think this product is so unique. 

MORE EMPTIES!!! REGRETS AND REPURCHASES

Hey guys, take a look at my trash ;-)

REVIEW: Bare Minerals BAREskin Foundations

Here with a review! Finally.

So, I've never really gotten into the Bare Minerals makeup, but now I'm sort of trying to get into it. Lately I've been more concerned about ingredients and things that could potentially be bad for your skin. I've always been cautious of skin cancer and have never ever been one to tan, and I'm trying to keep away from ingredients that may cause premature aging or pose a threat to my skin long term. Anyways...that was a tangent.

I don't think I've ever heard anything bad about bare minerals powder foundations except that one time my old co-worker was trying to put it on in the car and it fell and her car was COVERED in foundation. Also, I know that it can stain carpet, just a little warning. When I saw that they were launching a liquid make up, I was immediately intrigued. Then, they mentioned how the formula is a skin brightening serum foundation. Um, hello?!?! Do you know who you are talking to? I love serums, I love brightening, this seems perfect. 

I bought mine at Ulta and even bought the skin perfecting brush with the "foundation reservoir", but ended up returning that. I never apply foundation with a brush because I feel like it clings to dry patches and looks cakey and not blended. Also, I found the brush to dense and uncomfortable on the skin and honestly, a little gimmicky. 

As far as the foundation, the bottle is 30ml; which is the same as my Make Up Forever HD Foundation and my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. I am in the shade "Bare Natural 07". The color match is pretty good as long as I do not use too much. This is the trick you guys. This foundation is highly pigmented and not mixed with much liquid therefore it is very bold and will not match your skin tone unless you start with literally 2 drops of foundation and work it in. I like to apply it with my beauty blender. The finish is extremely glow-y on my skin and really enhances the center areas of my face naturally. It will stay fresh-looking for maybe 3 hours until I wish I had used a powder over top. I am still working with it to find the best form of application. The bottom line for me is that  for $28 a bottle that is the same size as my nearly $50 Chanel foundation, and you only need a few drops to cover your face, this is a great high end value. 

Ulta is great about returns. My recommendation? Try this out for yourself and see how you like it for a few days of applying it in different ways. If you don't like it, return it! But I will say, the way it makes my skin look, I'm extremely happy that I found it. 

My Go-To Spring Make Up Look! Ft. Orange Lips

Hey everybody! This is my go to spring make up look. I incorporated a diluted version of an orange lip as that is a huge trend this spring. I hope you guys enjoy!!

Review: Dior Glow Maximizer Primer

Ain't that the best picture you've ever seen (not!). I bought this luxurious Dior primer in hopes that I could use it with some of my heavy/matte/satin/long-wear foundations to give them a more luminous finish. Sadly, this was not the case.

I bought this and really wanted to love it. I reallllllly really did. I gave it several chances; in fact, I gave it 2 months of trial to get a fair opinion. What it comes down to is that for $42, it simply is not worth it. It sets up REALLY quickly so you must work fast to get it all over your face. Sadly I don't think The Flash could work fast enough to get this stuff spread evenly. It looked patchy and uneven every. single. time. 

On top of that, it was extremely iridescent. It was gorgeous swatched and honestly I didn't mind it on my skin, but be warned, if you have pores that you try desperately to conceal, this primer will most likely be your worst enemy. 

I'm very partial to the Hourglass Veil Primer, it is my favorite high end and I would spend money on that without thinking twice. As far as this Dior primer, I held onto it for so long but something much better has recently stepped into my life. the Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer is incredible. It does not have a silicony feel (which I actually like when they do, but I know some people do not). It spreads well and gives the face a beautiful glow that looks luminous and not sparkly. It is much less expensive and, in my opinion, far better than the Dior Glow Maximizer. 

Hope this was helpful!! 

Tanya Burr Lipgloss Review!

It is no secret that I am obsessed with YouTube. One of my favorite YouTubers is Tanya Burr who's channel focuses on beauty and fashion. She is absolutely fabulous, adorable, knowledgable, and so sweet. Seriously, you watch her and you feel like she really does want to come out of the computer screen and give you a hug. I just love her.
Tanya recently released what hopefully is just the beginning of a gorgeous make up line. She has a collection of nail polishes and lip glosses. Of course I couldn't resist and HAD to buy some of her glosses.

After seeing how gorgeous and modern she looked at her release party, I knew I had to get the shade "Picnic in the Park" because that is what she was wearing. I would describe it as a corally-hot pink shade. It is really unique because it isn't too peachy or pink and though it is worn beautifully on it's own, you could pair it over a pink or peach lipliner and it would really conform to whichever shade you want it to be. Kind of like a chameleon.

I also got the shade First Date; your quintessential soft, baby pink. This one is really pigmented and is a great gloss to have. It's one of those shades that you just need in your collection because it is great on it's own, to layer, or to throw in your bag for an easy, elegant lip look.

I have to say, I am really impressed with these. I bought them because I love and support Tanya and she deserves all the success in the world for her hard work and loyalty to fans. Her humility and humbleness is contagious.  The packaging is durable and not cheapy, they aren't too sticky but do last a while, they are pigmented, and very versatile. I love to layer mine over lipliners to create a glossy bold look but also love to just carry the glosses for touch ups through out the day. They are very pigmented but not like an opaque cream formula. They smell sweet and delicious and come in a beautiful range of colors. You can grab them here!

My First Unboxing! Ipsy, Birchbox, and Bauble Bar!

Hey Folks, I forgot to blog once I got this last video up. I came home to a slew of boxes and decided to film an unboxing of them and give a "first thoughts" type impression to you guys. I hope you enjoy it (and will subscribe...and give me a thumbs up! Please??)

As a look into the future, I have a blog post written up that will hopefully get posted very very soon. In the meantime, be sure you're following my other blog dakotasdailydoses.blogspot.com for life updates, random thoughts, photo journals, and other stuff!!

Maybelline Color Elixirs Review || Glossy Gloss Goodness

I have been trying out lots of new products this week and trying to get a couple of reviews up. So, here we are with the first review of the week.

Maybelline has released a new line of lip-laquering goodness that is supposed to be a combination of pigment, comfort, and gloss all rolled into one pout-pursing punch. 

I've personally heard really mixed reviews on these. Some say it's too thick, others don't like that it isn't as full coverage as the Rimmel Show Off Lip Creams, and some think they're the bomb. Time for my two cents...

I think that these Color Elixirs are incredible. I think they are easier to wear than the Rimmel Show Offs because they are thicker and do not bleed outside the lip lines. I love the vast color range--though I have found that they differ from other displays at different locations (Target only has about half the collection). These are not full of color coverage, it can be sheer or it can build up color but it is not how it is portrayed in the add as a liquid lipstick. 

My favorite way to wear these are over a lip liner. The Color Elixir stays on for ages and just to ensure I won't have to touch up for hours and hours, I lay it over a lip liner. This also makes the pigment much bolder. Also, depending on which color you line and fill in your lips with, the Color Elixir will bounce off of that color and change with different shades of liner. 

I have been using my Mac Magenta Lip Liner so my Color Elixirs take on a bit more of a purple hue. Anyways, I'm totally and completely obsessed with these!

The first color I picked up is Dashing Orchid which is a shimmering Orchid-Purple color. It's totally my type of color.

Next up is Hibiscus Haven, a true hot pink color which layers gorgeous over that Mac Magenta liner I was talking about. This is like a liquid "Candy Yum-Yum" (by Mac) shade.

The fact that these a a gloss make them a little more wearable than a lipstick for those of you who are a little intimidated by bright colors. 

I think these look best if you apply them and kiss the back of your hand to blot off some of the excess. These are also the type of product you don't want to apply before eating as it is a thick consistency. But I'm telling you guys, I am COMPLETELY OBSESSED! I expect to pick up a lot more of these. 

My First BirchBox!

Anyone out there love subscription services?! I really, really, really, love free samples. Like, a lot. I've always thought about Subscription boxes but never really signed up for one. They're pretty inexpensive in theory for what it is that you are getting. I refused to pay more than $10 for my first round of Subscription boxes just because I wasn't sure how much I was going to be into it.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with subscription boxes, it is basically a company that you can sign up to and pay X amount of dollars a month and they send you your monthly subscription of beauty products (well in my case beauty products, but they even have these things for your dog!). Some popular Beauty Subscription Services include Ipsy, Beauty Army, and Birchbox.
I am subscribed to two different services and want to see how the first 2-3 months go and then I will ultimately pick just one to stay subscribed to. The first box to come in was Birchbox and I was apprehensive.
After reading several reviews comparing all the different companies to pick from, I've heard my fair share of positives and negatives for all of them. As far as I'm concerned, I am totally impressed with my first box!

Upon subscribing to Birchbox, I had to fill out a quiz that vaguely asked what kind of products I was interested in. I mentioned hair, skin care, and of course, make up. I was a little surprised to see they gave me a nail product because I know that I didn't pick that on my quiz but oh well! 

The best product I got was a pretty substatial sized Shampoo and Conditioner by Fredrick Fekkai from his "Glossing" line. I have been dying to try this duo out for a really long time and so I was ecstatic to find it in my preciously wrapped box. 

The next product I got was a Nail Rock glitter set that gives you a really intense glittery accent nail. I'm not sure I will get a lot of use out of this product as I really loath glittery nail polish and the whole process of removing it. But it's definitely worth a shot! And it is a full size kit, which is really impressive.

I also got a Mineral Eyeshadow in a gorgeous blueish-silver duo chrome. I will definitely get some good use out of this and I think it will be perfect for layering over black eyeshadow or worn alone. Gotta love duo chromes!

The "extra" gift was this really interesting deodorizing wipe that you can use to make your clothes smell fresher on a long day, for example if you were flying and needed to smell nice when you landed. Interesting concept...we will see.

Over all I am totally excited about my new subscription service! I'm already excited to see what I get next month!!

Hope you guys are having a nice week! XOXO

I've Got A Lipstick Fever!

Things are getting very serious, guys. I am in the process of saving up money (well, trying to! Anyone have any good tips to staying motivated at saving money?? I could really use them!) and try not spending as much on cosmetics at the moment because I'm buying a new computer soon and apparently need new tires in the near future. Do you ever feel like, really? New tires? Didn't I just get those?

Anyways, since it has been a while since I've posted here on Beauty and Blogging I thought I would share with you a few lipsticks I have my eyeballs set on that are on my wish list. I hope you all are doing well and feeling beautiful; I hope you had an awesome holiday season and are really enjoying 2014! 

Elizabeth Arden "Red Door Red"

Inspired by my life idol, Tanya Burr, she rocked this color several times during Vlogmas and mentioned how much she loved it. Now, I know many will argue that I probably don't need another Red Lipstick (in which case, I would agree), but come on, it's gorgeous! The packaging, and color, the shade. So beautiful!

Chanel "L'Adoree" Lipstick

My reason for really needing this lipstick is that it is only seasonal and part of a collection AKA get yours while you can. I would have never known about this gorgeous shade but while hanging out with some girl friends the other day, my friend showed me this gorgeous shade and it was love at first sight. Chanel Lipsticks are super ultra pricey and I've never owned one, but, if I were to own one, this would be the one at the top of my list! Also, being as I'm the biggest promoter of purple-hued lipsticks it's only fitting I pick this up, right? 

Elizabeth Arden "Neoclassical Coral" 

The fact that I would even consider this shade is insane. I've bought so many peach and coral lipshades and never seem to like them BUT the red tones and bright pink hue in this is what is really convincing me I need it. Again, Tanya Burr wore this while in Dubai in a Vlogmas video and I was dying to know which shade it was. Once she mentioned it I knew I had to pick it up. Though I haven't bought it (yet?), it seems really unique and very beautiful. It's really like nothing else I own. 

A HUGE Cosmetic Purge

It's about that time of the year where you will probably be given lots of cosmetics, clothes, fragrances, etc. as gifts. While searching for a scientific calculator the other day, I found myself throwing out so much old makeup that I never even use anymore. I hope you enjoy this type of video, I thought it may be interesting to see what it is that I'm tossing and maybe it'll help you to clean out your collection!

The Mac Counter--Why I Hate Going There

Here I am again with yet another rant. These seem to becoming more and more frequent here on Beauty and Blogging but this is definitely a beauty subject that needs to be addressed. Especially because while researching some of my material on google such as "do Mac employees work on commission?", my search results were flooded with forums saying "because they sure are bitches!"

And you know what ladies and gentlemen, I am going to have to agree.

I do want to make a point right now loud and clear; this is not meant to be a hasty generalization. I'm speaking from experiences of my own and through others. This is not to say that there haven't been times when I've gotten great service at the Mac counter (meaning the counters or the free standing stores, by the way) and had someone who was willing to help, not pushy, and easy to talk to, but these times have been few and far between.

As a cosmetic junkie, I find myself in Mac quite often. I really do love Mac Cosmetics. I love my Mac palettes, adore my Mac lipsticks and liners, lipglasses, blushes, the whole nine yards. What is really important to realize, is I do not just wander into a Mac store to "browse" anymore. I know that place like the back of my hand and always go in with specific things I want to pick up. I never walk in NOT to buy. My bestie put in best in her blog (check it out! She rocks) the Mac counter is like an adult Crayola Crayon box. You cannot beat the selection of colors and finishes at Mac. With all these times that I am in the Mac store, I very rarely spend less than $50; I like to think I am a good customer. Apparently the majority of employees think otherwise. 

I always walk into the store and go to the display of things I'm planning on buying. I'll swatch them out and compare them to a few other shades and what not and wait patiently for someone to come help me. Most of the ladies and men working in there just gaze over my head like I'm not even there. If I'm feeling not quite annoyed enough, I'll sometimes ask "excuse me, could I get some help?" and they will usually say "Sorry, I'm helping someone else". That's fine, could you send one of the 7 ladies behind the register my way to help me?

Of those 7 ladies behind the register, maybe one is actually ringing things up? Whatever. So I go jump in line with a bunch of other people who are waiting to be rung up; the only difference is the majority of them must look like high rollers because all of the items they would like to purchase are behind the counter with a sticky note with their name on it. 

The worst part of the whole experience is when I get to the front and they ask what I want from the back, they never apologize for the lack of assistance that I recieved. Then, they ALWAYS have the audacity to try to up-sale me. 

"Oh, well you know, buying one pigment is almost as much as the set" 

"I know, Just the one pigment please"

"Well, I would just like to make sure you understand that for only 12 more dollars, you can get the whole pigment set"

"yes, I understand, I am educated, I can read the numbers, I've already told you just the pigment"

"Now, You're sure you just want this ONE pigment, instead of the set?"

OH. MY. GOSH. YES. I. AM. SURE.

"do you have a lipliner to match this lipstick, or do you need to purchase one now"

"yes, I do, at home"

"what brand is it? what is the shade?"

I cannot take the up-sale. ESPECIALLY after receiving bad....not even bad, actually, it's non existent service. 

It also drives me crazy when they run out of products; you are responsible for ONE brand, how are you ALWAYS out of the things I need? 

Why would I buy the empty palette without the insert? WHY? So I have to come back and deal with more poor service? How are you out of the inserts, but not the palettes? 

The whole deal about ALL of these events is that they are not one time occurances. I usually never get helped, usually one of the several items I'm purchasing is out (there have been occasions where all 4 things are out of stock...how?!), and I'm always a victim of the up-sale. 

I'm not sure is Mac employees work on commission, but I'm sure they do. I would think they would want to impress customers and try to build a retention with them so people will continue to come to the same employee and purchase items through them. Maybe I'm wrong. I do know what it is like working in an establishment that runs on commission, and though it wasn't my favorite way of working, at no point under any circumstance was I ever rude to a customer. I also would never ignore a customer; upon walking in the door, you should be greeted by an employee even if you are not able to assist them right away. 

Does anybody else experience this at the Mac counter? I would LOVE to hear stories down below in the comments =D

October♥Favorites 2013

Hey Everyone!! This is my first monthly favorites video, I hope you enjoy it! Be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe (it would mean SO much to me!)

PS tomorrow is Friday, Hooray!

Youtube.com/beautyandblogging

Shimmering Amber Eye Tutorial

Be sure to subscribe to my Beauty and Blogging YouTube channel to stay current on all my videos
=)

Get Ready With Me! Radiant Skin For Fall

Hey Everyone! Sooooooo, this happened! I uploaded my first Youtube Video! It's just a simple get ready with me, but it took a lot of time and it's reallly out of my comfort zone, but I'm also really excited about it! I hope you enjoy it =]


PS A HUGE shout out to Casey Abrams, I love this song so much, you guys should totally check out the rest of his album =]

Beauty Blender Thoughts...

First off, let me begin by saying I want to cry because I let eleven days slip out from underneath me without blogging about anything. I'm at this point where I have so much to post about that I'm having a hard time narrowing down what to talk about first. On top of that, I'm working on getting a YouTube channel up (soon, like, soon soon) and everything is just all so crazy! Also, quick note, how is September almost over?! I literally just wrote a post about how hectic August is and now it is nearly November. Oh my goodness, time is just going too fast and pretty soon Sephora, Ulta, and the drugstores are going to start releasing Holiday collections and then the reviews and blog posts are REALLY going to be flowing.
But until then, let me tell you my thoughts on the extremely popular and well known Beauty Blender.

This little pink egg of squishy goodness is like nothing I've ever experienced. I've never been a fan of using a brush or a sponge to apply my foundation. I'm more of a blend-with-my-fingers kind of gal. I have never found a brush or sponge that I found to do an amazing job that was worth ditching my extremely convenient hands behind, until now!
What I really love about the Beauty Blender is that it is small and compact and really precious and pink...until you squeeze some water into it and it expands to nearly twice it's size. At that point, it has no more room to absorb any liquid, so when you dip it into your foundation, it doesn't all get sucked up and end up being a huge waste of money. It truly does blend foundation like a dream, and it doesn't end there! I then go in with my concealer and brightener (down my nose, under my eyes) and blend it in quite quickly with the pointed tip of my Beauty Blender. Within seconds my face is covered with a natural finish that I absolutely love. It's unreal.
I also love that after I use all my powder products like bronzer and blush and highlighter, I can take the large rounded side and just go around the outline of all my contouring/blushing/highlighting and make all my lines look totally seamless. I even take the extra time to contour my bridged nose because the Beauty Blender can quickly fix the extra product that I've applied to heavily or darkly.
Cons to the beloved Beauty Blender would definitely include cleaning. OH MY GOSH, it's like having a child or a pet, you cannot just ignore it and hope it gets cleaner or you'll get used to it because it does not happen. It just keeps getting grosser and dirtier and soon I'm sure the stains are probably irreversible and then you have to go out and buy a whole new $20 sponge. 
Also, truly think about it...you are putting a sponge all over your face, getting it wet, putting it all over your face, getting it wet, and repeating over and over again without cleaning. Um, talk about a breading ground for bacteria. No Thank You. So you really do have to clean your Beauty Blender every single day, which is quite the responsibility, especially if you are anything like me and absolutely dread the thought of even cleaning one cosmetic brush.
Also, another obvious con is the $20 price tag...yikes! I had a really difficult time coping with the price issue of the Beauty Blender because breaking it down you really are spending a whole Andrew Jackson on a sponge that is neon pink. I figured "it can't be worth it". For me, my Beauty Blender was worth it. It gives me something to look forward to each morning when I apply my make up and I use it every single day. I also did not let it be an impulse purchase. It sounds silly to say I saved my money to buy a $20 Beauty Blender, but I really kind of did. I actually returned something I had sitting in my collection for a few months that I never used and exchanged it at Sephora for my Beauty Blender.
Final Thoughts it you are looking for a refreshing change to your make up routine, I would highly recommend looking into the Beauty Blender. I could live without it, but at this point, I wouldn't want to. It blend out foundation so nicely and comes in handy all through out my make up application process. It really is unique and quite useful, but not an immediate necessity.


Quick Tip: I clean my Beauty Blender with the Mac Brush Cleanser (thats what I use and have laying around, when I run out I may look for a cheaper alternative). The greatest Beauty Blender tip that I can give is to clean it when it is dry. I clean mine in the morning before I apply my make up, not after. The reason this works better is because the sponge is not full of liquid, so all the foundation in it is pushed towards the surface thus making getting it out of the surface much easier than if the sponge was already filled with water. I pour some cleanser on it and massage the whole Beauty Blender in my hands and then run the water. I continue squeezing and drenching the BB in cleanser/water until the squeezed out liquid is not the color of my foundation and is clear water instead. I do this process every single morning before I take my shower. 

Fun Walmart Finds (on vacation)

Hey Everyone! This is just a quick post about two really awesome things I found at Walmart while I'm on vacation. Honestly, is there anything better than finding awesome, cheap things while on vacation?

This is called a Beauty Spoon, you can use it to scrape out all the pesky reminence left over in your make-up and body care products. This is something that I'm super excited about!

#science (haha) 

Brush Guards that can be used for travel or for after you finish cleaning the brushes and want to shape them while they dry. These are an AMAZING idea, I'm very excited to try these out.

#morescience 

Both these items were about $5, which is totally affordable. Gotta love random, good finds at Walmart!

theBalm on Hautelook on Thursday 8/1/13

Hi everyone!! I know I've mentioned the website Hautelook before and how I love it to purchase high end brands at discount prices. Well, this Thursday one of my favorite, online-exclusive (pretty much), cosmetic brands theBalm is coming to hautelook!! I know there are a few things I'm going to try to get my hands on given they are available but I thought I'd post about some of my favorites that I already have. 

Blush in "Frat Boy" is a beautiful muted matte peach color. It may not look to special but I love it and always get compliments when I wear it. It gives a nice glow to your face. It's very similar to MAC "Melba" blush, but I like this one much more. The formula is so opaque, it cannot be beat

Eyeshadow Palette in "Meet Matt(e) Nude" the best matte palette on the market. You get so much eyeshadow per each color that I doubt i'll ever run out of any of them. This palette is a great basic palette for beginners or experts. 

Eyeshadow Palette in "Nude 'tude" a great alternative (not dupe) for the Urban Decay Naked palettes. I feel that the textures of these are even nicer than Urban Decay and some of the colors are quite unique 

"Mary Lou-manizer" is the best highlighter/luminizer on the market. It is such a gorgeous color and I often wear it on my eyelids as well. It's seriously gorgeous, I'd recommend it to anyone. It may be my top 3 most used product in my whole collection. 

Bronzer in "Bahama Mama" it's a very deep, opaque powder. Great for contouring and defining, and also looks great in the crease of your eye. And it's super small, cute packaging which is great for travel. 

All of the packaging for theBalm is precious, it's similar to how Benefit's packaging is but maybe even cuter. 

Some things I'm going to try to get if they're on Hautelook sale tomorrow...

Blush in "Down Boy"

Any of the Instain Blushes 

Meet Matt(e) Palette (original) 

En Root Dry Shampoo 

Purse Staples: MAC "Oyster Girl"

I want to start a new "Purse Staple" series where I talk about things that are must haves in my purse. I figure what better way to know what my favorite every day items are then talking about what I must have in my purse at all times

It is no secret that MAC has some beautiful products, I especially love their blushes, eyeshadows, lipsticks, and lipglass (one of their several forms of lip gloss). In fact, the very first thing I ever purchased from MAC was their Lipglass in the color "Oyster Girl; it is described as a Freshwater Pink. I do not find that description to be very helpful; I would describe it as a cool toned iridescent pink with a warm golden shimmer. It really is unique, and I distinctly remember a friend of mine in 7th grade putting it on and I remember wanting it so badly. I was obviously pretty young and had no buisness spending any sort of high dollar at a cosmetic stand, but I was determined.

It you've never used a Lipglass before, you should be warned that they are quite thick and sticky. A sticky lip gloss tends to hold and stay on better, and the thickness makes the color quite opaque. I now own several Lipglasses by MAC and I have to say, after the many years that have gone by, I recently repurchased "Oyster Girl" and love it even more now than I did 8 years ago (it may even be my all time favorite!). It truly is a unique color and I would argue that it would be a tough one to dupe. I like it because it is quite neutral but not nude, as I am not a huge fan of wearing a nude lip. I find it wonderful on it's own, but also gorgeous layered over lipsticks. For this reason, it is most definitely a Summer Purse Staple!

I have especially loved layering it over cool toned lipsticks. I find that the coolness of the Lipglass mixed with the golden shimmer in it really makes my lips look much fuller. It also makes my cool toned lipsticks take on a whole new color. I find that this Lipglass is very versatile because it can make a lipstick look like a new color while still remaining similar to the original color. I haven't tried it over many warmer toned lipsticks, but I can't wait to experiment with that.

Oyster Girl On it's own

Oyster Girl over Maybelline
Color Whisper "Oh La Lilac"

*My favorite
Oyster Girl over MAC "Pink Nouveau"

I think "Oyster Girl" would look gorgeous on any skin tone and that if you are new to make-up you should definitely give this a try when you're wondering what to buy at the MAC counter. It is just absolutely gorgeous!

Quick Tip: A Lipglass is gorgeous all over the lip, but it can also be worn just in the center to make lips appear fuller. Just a small dab in the center of your bottom lip can make lips look fuller and lipstick more comfortable to wear (especially a matte formula).