Taupe Eyes and Bold Lips!

Hey guys, here with a NEW video!
This is pretty much my standard go-to makeup look for everyday...you all know how much I love bold and bright lips!

Please don't forget to subscribe and thank you SO much for watching!

Put A Bauble On It!

Lets talk statement pieces, shall we? Statement pieces vary from jewelry, blazers, shoes, anything really that just adds a big pop of "WOW!" to your outfit. Statement pieces are usually something that are worn with an otherwise fairly simple outfit to dress it up or make it stand out a little bit more. 

I've been a big fan of bright colored scarves for years now and usually used those as a simple statement piece. I've always wanted to dabble in statement coats/blazers but here in California, we just don't have the type of weather that justifies spending loads of money on brightly colored outerwear (to be honest, we are actually in the middle of a drought!). 

Anyways, I've always heard of BaubleBar from different YouTubers including Ingrid (missglamorazzi) and Elle (allthatglitters21) and many, many more. Anyways, I was going to a Christmas dinner in December and did not want to buy a new dress--lets be honest, buying new dresses can be really fun, but a lot of work. Usually with buying a new dress you then need new shoes, sometimes even a new jacket. I just did not have the energy to go through all of that and to be honest, I really do not need another dress hanging in my closet. Really. 

I decided I would wear a Target dress I picked up for my 21st Birthday and finally buy my first Bauble to dress up the outfit. Upon logging into the website, I was immediately overwhelmed. All the sparkle, all the silver, all the dazzle, ahhh I was drooling! I spent a good hour searching all the pages over and over again tying to decide which ones I wanted. I finally decided on the Marine Contessa Bib. Unfortunately due to the holiday rush, I wasn't able to get this piece before my party BUT I did get it a couple days down the road and it is my most worn Bauble. It is so beautiful and versatile, and a great pop of Bling and Blue. 

The next day (I showed my mom the site the day before to ask for an opinion on which one to order), my mom selected a bunch to order for her and I as gifts to each other for Christmas. I was ecstatic because there were so many I wanted to badly. I even got my friend aboard the Bauble Bandwagon and she was going crazy, too. 

My first pick was elegant Silver Dame Necklace that feature only clear gems on a silver backing that dangles down your decollate. I love to wear this one with simple tees as a way to dress up a simple shirt and sweater outfit. Perfect for those days when you have work and then a nice dinner to head to after, this piece will take you straight from day to night!

Next was a pick from Missglamorazzi's BaubleBar collection. I was originally super drawn to this piece because it seemed so whimsical and the blush-coloring of it was really alluring. This Rose Dandelion Bib is great for spring and summer.

Upon receiving the Rose Dandelion Bib I noticed that one of the small stones was missing. DO NOT REMOVE THE WHITE TAG UNTIL YOU MAKE SURE ALL THE STONES ARE WELL IN PLACE. I shipped it back and had a really fantastic customer service experience. BaubleBar has a very personal and professional business team that is very committed to good customer service. When they shipped me the repaired necklace, they sent an "extra bit of sparkle" for my troubles.

I'm not sure what the name of this bright pink fringe piece is but I can't wait to wear it with some matching lipstick and nail polish!! 

Now onto Buried Baubles...the reason my Bank Account cries at night in solitude while I sit in bed wearing my finest Statement Necklaces. BaubleBar releases a Buried Bauble every Monday and Friday by sending out an email with clues to lead you to the treasure. The Buries Bauble is marked down to either $10 or $20, usually about half off a Bauble!! Who can pass up that offer??

My first Buried Bauble was this Pastel Pinwheel Collar in the color "Ivory". It has a mix of Ivory and Mint on a gold backing that is just absolutely stunning. I paired this with a neon yellow shirt the other day and LOVED the combination of Pastel and Neon. Can we make that a thing??

The second Buried Bauble I purchased was this Mod Lizzie Collar in "White" and OH MY GOODNESS, this is more gorgeous than I could have ever expected. I have to say, I would recommend this Bauble to anyone that didn't know which Bauble to pick. The stones are iridescent and so shiny. I also like that the chain is a little thicker than the others making the gold on white really stand out. If you don't know which one to pick, pick this one. (It's kind of similar to the Rose Dandelion Bib, but more chunky and shiny). 

The other great thing about BaubleBar is getting everyone hooked on it! Borrowed Baubles are always fun.

I especially love to borrow my mom's Tortoise Deco Strand...

You can accumulate points with each order which are redeemable as money towards your BaubleBar purchase, and by referring someone by email, you can gain 150 points! So, if you are interested in BaubleBar, definitely check it out! The best part? If you leave me your email address, I can invite you and you can get 15% off!

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

December Favorites! 2013

Ahh, it's midway through January of 2014 and I am just now getting up my December Favorites video! Things have been totally crazy busy lately, does anyone else feel like that too? I feel like everything leading up to the holidays is insane and then afterwards, it just doesn't settle down. Anyway, I hope you guys found some good favorites through December and that if you like this video you will please please please subscribe to my YouTube channel!! Youtube.com/beautyandblogging

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. 

DIY Sparkly Reindeer Crunch!

This post is PERFECT for those of you with kids in your life, whether your a mommy, dad, babysitter, nanny, sibling, anything!

I remember doing this when I was a kid and it being so much fun! But this year, my mom had the great idea (gotta give credit where credit is due) to make a special "reindeer crunch" for the kids I work with.

Basically all this Reindeer Crunch is is smashed up cereal with glitter and a Jingle Bell. And let me tell you, yesterday I gave the kids a handful of small gifts including cookies and ornaments, but nothing compared to their special Reindeer Crunch!

So lets get started! The best part? You'll be done in 5 minutes!

Things You'll Need:

A few handfuls of Frosted Mini Wheat Cereal (or honestly, whatever you have on hand)

Some Red and Green Glitter

A Jingle Bell

A Plastic Bag

A Ribbon

Step 1: Take your plastic bag and crumble up some of the Cereal into the bag. You can crumble as much or as little as you want.

Step 2: Add in some glitter! We used red and green but feel free to use any colors you think your kids will enjoy!

Step 3: In the bag, add in the Jingle Bell. Mainly for Decoration, but of course there is a reason in the story (you'll see in a little bit!)

Step 4: Tie the bag tightly with a ribbon and tell your little "holiday helpers" this...

"To help Santa find his way to your house, sprinkle this special Sparkly Reindeer Crunch" on your front lawn on Christmas Eve Night, just before you go to bed. The glitter will sparkle so brightly that it will catch Santa's Reindeer's eyes while they're flying high in the sky. While Santa is giving you all your presents, they can crunch on their special Reindeer Crunch! The Jingle Bell is very important, it's to help you remember to put it on the lawn on Christmas eve. Santa is going to be so pleased that you were thoughtful enough to give his reindeer such a yummy snack that maybe he'll give you some extra special gifts!"

This could be fun to do with your kids, or just to give to them. We are keeping ours tucked into the Christmas tree so that we won't forget and so that we can tell everyone that looks at our tree what it is. Room moms: this is a super simple class gift to give each of the students! And if you're clever enough, you can even write a cute story on a little tag and tie it to the ribbons.

This is just a jumping off point, get creative with it! The kids in your life will love it and maybe it will even become a family tradition!

Hoping your Holiday Season has been bright thus far!