Review: Crown Brush HD Set With Mirror and Tweezer

*Disclosure* This product was sent to me complimentary of iFabbo for review purposes

Hey everyone! Today I bring you a review on a brush set from Crown Brush. I was so excited when I saw this in my shop on the iFabbo site and jumped at the opportunity to try these. I've never tried any brushes from Crown Brush before so this was exciting for me! Let's see what I think of everything here.

As you can see, all the brushes come in a white zippered packaging that to me, feels a bit cheap honestly. The brushes and case come in this white/blue color, but there is also a purple or orange set depending on what color you like. This set retails for $69.99 but is on sale for $27.95 currently on the Crown Brush website. This set is also made with high grade synthetic fiber and is vegan friendly!

I've tried every brush here except for the Detail Liner brush on the far right. I'm not the biggest fan of eyeliner, but I will try this eventually. First off, I have to say that these are some of the softest brushes I've ever tried! The Pro Powder brush feels so nice on the face, and the Deluxe Contour brush is amazing for applying bronzer to the hollows of the cheeks. I was never a big fan of bronzers and contouring before, but this brush makes it super easy for me to apply any type of bronzer. The Tapered Blush brush applies just the right amount of product, and helps blend in any blush you use effortlessly. I'm not the biggest fan of the Chisel Shadow brush honestly. It picks up too much product and doesn't really apply eyeshadow smoothly. I had to switch out shadow brushes just to make everything look more even. I like the Crease Blender brush for blending out harsh lines, but it's not the best for applying eyeshadow to the crease. I have yet to try the tweezers as I already have a pair that I love and don't feel like replacing just yet. The ones in this set will be a nice backup though.

Overall, these are nice brushes for the price they're offering on the Crown Brush site. The face brushes by far are the best in the set, and they're just so soft! 

Have you tried this set, or any Crown Brushes? If so, what do you think of them?

Sephora 2013 VIB Sale Haul!

Hi everyone! I'm finally getting around to showing you all what I had purchased during the Sephora VIB 20% off sale they had this past November, and then in December when they sent out the $20 off of $50 reward card! I think I made out pretty well and I'm happy with all of my purchases, so here's what I purchased!

These are the products I bought during the 20% off sale. The tote bag we got is just stinkin' adorable! It's a good size too if I have to run and pick up a few groceries or something. Onto the products! I did an online order and also went to the Sephora inside JC Penny. 

Online, I picked up the Fresh Fresh Essentials kit that comes with the Soy Face Cleanser and a Sugar Advanced Therapy lip Balm. I have yet to try the cleanser and I'm already in love with their lip balms, and at only $19.50 minus the 20% I thought it was a good deal for what I got.

I also purchased the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Moisture Extreme Body Buttercream. Dear lord, this stuff smells heavenly! The fresh lime scent smells so invigorating and lovely, I can't wait to try it out! 

I also picked up the Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment that everyone and their dog talks about. Before I got my order in the mail, I did pick up the second one in the store thinking I'll love it, and with 20% off, it was a good deal. I already have used it and yes, I do love it! I'm thinking I can maybe get 4 or 5 uses out of the little jar, so it's worth it in my opinion.

I was browsing around in the store and came across the Philosophy Jelly Candy Kisses holiday set. It comes with two of their awesome lip glosses and two lip scrubs. I've been obsessed with their lip glosses for years now, but I haven't seen or heard of lip scrubs by Philosophy, so I'm pretty excited to try them out! With the cold weather we've been having, my lips need all the help they can get.

When I made the online order, it was when they had the Urban Decay 500 point perk that came with the newer B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray, All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging, and a little Mushroom eyeshadow. I was so excited I got my hands on this when I did! Sorry I forgot to picture it :/

These are the products I purchased when they sent out that $20 reward. I was originally going to go to a mall where there is an actual Sephora store for my birthday, but my husband was having car troubles, so I had to use it online. I first picked up my birthday gift that comes with Benefit's They're Real! Mascara and Watt's Up! Highlighter. My mom actually gave me her birthday gift since her birthday is in February and I have to wait til December. I'll admit, I have yet to try the mascara, but the highlighter isn't too bad. I don't care much for cream products, so I can only use this in the Winter, but it's a nice product.

I purchased a NARS Nail Polish in the color Disco Inferno, and I honestly only got it so I could get up to the $50. I actually love how this polish looks in person. It's like a duo-chrome blue, with hints of green and purple to it. I'm kinda looking forward to trying this out on my nails. I haven't been using nail polish much lately, but this color has sparked my interest in it again.

I then picked up the Philosophy The Holiday Handbook Handcream set. It comes with the scents Homemade Honey Buns, Spiced Gingerbread Cookie, and Cranberry Medley. My hands have been so darn dry lately as well, so I'm sure these will be put to good use soon. 

I just had to purchase a backup of the Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner. I use this after I use any makeup brushes to get off any makeup residue and to kill germs. After I had the stye incident, I'm much more cautious of cleaning my brushes more and washing my face thoroughly at night. 

My last purchase is the Stila Artful Eye Collector's Edition Vol. III. The colors are Light Apricot, Umber, Aquamarine, Soft Violet and Ocean. This little guy was only $10, and it's a beautiful palette! I've used this once so far, and the pigmentation is incredible. You barely have to tap your brush to pick up alot of color. It's just amazing and would make a cute stocking stuffer!

That's everything I purchased during the VIB sale! If you purchased something during the sale, what did you get? I'd love to know! :)

December 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! I know I said in my last post that this post was going to be a haul, but I just received my Ipsy bag in the mail, and I was really looking forward to what I got! So, lets see what's in this month's bag!

Now, I gotta admit, this month I don't like the actual bag everything came in. I do like the color black, but I just don't like the texture of it, or the look. I do like most of the products though!

The first product I received is a NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in the color Ceto. I know I've mentioned before that I'm not much of a lipstick person and that I prefer gloss more, but I think I'm gonna start delving into the world of lipsticks. I do like the pinky nude color I received, so I'm much more comfortable with trying it out!

The next product in my bag was a Mirabella Eye Blender Brush. I'm obsessed with any kind of makeup brushes, so I was extremely happy to have received this! I especially love blending brushes, and the quality of this seems really nice. The handle is good and sturdy and the bristles of the brush are incredibly soft. I'm excited to use this!

I then received a Be a Bombshell The One Stick in the color Flustered. Apparently you can use this on your eyelids, cheeks and lips, which to me seems pretty neat. This product seems like that Nars Multiple Stick, which I don't own but hear alot about. I'd probably only use this as a lip stain or possibly a cheek color in the Winter. My skin is far too oily for cream cheek products any other time of year. 

Next, I received the POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eyeshadow Trio in the shade Naturally Bare. I'm a neutral eyeshadow girl most of the time, so I'm very happy I got this one instead of the Smokin Hot trio. The colors in this look nice, but I haven't swatched it yet. I may actually wear this to work later today! 

The last product in my bag is a Nicka K New York Nail Color in the shade Classic Taupe. First off, the bottle is so pretty and classy looking, and the color isn't too bad either. I have to say though, I am a little over getting nail polish in these bags. I have so many nail polishes and rarely paint my nails these days. 

That's everything in my bag this month! Overall, I'm very impressed because the last few bags were just meh in my opinion. For only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, you really get an amazing deal with all the awesome products you can receive. Click here to sign up if you haven't already!

If you are subscribed, what did you receive in your bag this month?

November 2013 Empties!

November was a great month with empties! I haven't been buying as much as I have in the past, but I'm on a serious mission to use up as many products as I can. I gave myself a goal to use up at least 20 products between November and December, and in November I used up 13 products! I haven't used up much so far this month, but I may be pretty surprised by the end of December. Anyways, lets see what I used up in November!

First I'll start off with shower and bathroom products. I used up the last of The Body Shop Banana Shampoo and Conditioner I had left. I did a review on both of these last year here, and while I like these products, I got so tired of them and just wanted to use them up. I have so much shampoo and conditioner to use up, and these are pricey, so I probably won't repurchase. 

I used up a Philosophy Shower Gel called Celebrate Love, and the scent is a blackberry musk smell. I love these shower gels so much and really only buy the larger sized bottles when they have a sale, since they're normally priced around $16 each. I have a bunch of the smaller bottles that I bought from kits. I'm usually not one for musky scents, but this one was light enough for me so I ended up liking it!

I finally used up The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter that I had been using since the Summer. I love these body butters, and this Satsuma scent smells so yummy, like just peeled clementines. So delicious!

I used up a Creamy Pumpkin Antibacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap from Bath & Body Works. I like getting the deep cleansing ones, especially for my husband because he works in construction, so he gets dirty quicker. I personally like the foaming ones a bit more, but these are still nice. Plus this creamy pumpkin scent is amazing!

I finally used up the Garnier Nutritioniste Daily Exfoliating Gel Cleanser. I didn't particularly like this stuff as it smelled overwhelmingly of perfume and mint. It's also pretty harsh to me, so I don't know why this was called a daily exfoliating cleanser. I'm never repurchasing this. 

I used up another one of my beloved Aloe Calming Toners from The Body Shop. I've talked about this a million times, and I'm already almost finished another one. This toner is just fabulous. 

The Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Instant Bodifier Dry Shampoo was interesting. It smells amazing, like all Garnier hair products, and when you spray it in your hair and rub it in, there's no white cast. For me, it didn't do any kind of volumizing and it didn't make my hair feel clean like Batiste does. I swear, Batiste is truly my Holy Grail hair product. I've tried numerous dry shampoos, and I do have another one to try other than Batiste, but they never ever compare. I will not repurchase this product!

I used up a hand cream from The Body Shop, and it's the Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream. This hand cream is terrible! Seriously, never buy this stuff! All it did was make my hands even drier and it made them crack on the knuckles. The smell of this also smells like aftershave that old men use. Nasty stuff man. The best hand cream they have is the Hemp Hand Cream. That's one amazing product, but this one is the biggest dud I've ever tried!

I used up Natrol Biotin 10,000 mcg. I took these to help with my hair, skin and nails. I don't notice much difference with my hair, my nails have always been pretty good and my skin has it's ups and downs. I still take biotin pretty much everyday hoping it'll make mostly my hair better. I've been struggling to have good hair for years, but it never grows past a certain length and I get split ends like crazy. 

I used up another one of my Similasan Allergy Eye Relief Eye Drops. These are the only eye drops I can use. Other brands burn and sting like crazy, but this brand is amazing! I do have very sensitive eyes and horrible allergies that always affect them, so this is perfect for me. I use these twice a day, morning and night.

Last two products! I finished up the Luster Now! Instant Whitening Toothpaste, and to be truly honest, this didn't whiten my teeth at all. I got this product in an Influenster box, and I'm happy I got to try it, but it did absolutely nothing. It didn't even make my teeth feel clean. I definitely won't go out and buy this!

I have a makeup product! This is a blush from The Body Shop and it doesn't have a color name, just the number 04 on the back. Now I bought this when I got a job at The Body Shop, get ready for this, 4 years ago! I had used this almost daily, and it still took me 4 years to go through. I know there's still some product in there, but I couldn't wiggle my brush enough in it to get any product on the brush. This was actually a nice blush. It was a peachy pink color with shimmer in it and it was nicely pigmented without being overly pigmented, if that makes sense. I have to say, I'm incredibly happy with myself that I was able to use up a blush. I never thought I could!

That's everything I used! I'm pretty happy with the amount of products I have here. I definitely feel a sense of accomplishment when I use up something, especially makeup!

What did you use up in November?

November 2013 Favorites!

Hey guys! I know, I know, I was away for a long while again. I'm not getting into it why I was gone, but I will admit I have a few personal family issues and it's been getting to me and making me upset and not wanting to do anything. I've missed writing normally on this little blog of mine and really want to get back into it, so I'm trying to get into a groove again. Today's post will be my favorites from November. I didn't have a good month makeup-wise, mostly because I got a stye on my eye and couldn't wear makeup for almost a week, and partially because of my horrendous work schedule. I've been wanting to get some extra shut-eye instead of waking up earlier to do my makeup. Anyways, enough rambling. Here are some products I was really into last month!

When I wear makeup, even if it's just a mattifying powder, I tend to use makeup setting spray, since my skin is so darn oily. The oiliness has calmed down a little since it's colder, but it's still there. This Skindinavia Bridal Makeup Finish Setting Spray has done a good job at making my makeup last throughout the day, and keeping me matte a little longer than usual. 

Since I ran out of my beloved Lancome eye makeup remover, I had this Maybelline Clean Express! Makeup Remover in my closet. I have to admit, this stuff is pretty darn awesome and it's under $5 at my Walmart. This is the version for waterproof eye makeup, so you shake it up to mix it all together then put it on a cotton round or ball and swipe away all your makeup. I don't wear waterproof eye makeup, but I like these kinds of removers better.

A co-worker of mine gave me this C.O. Bigelow No. 140 Chapped Hands Cleanser "Soap Free" after I told her about my horrendously dry hands. I always know Winter is coming when my hands get drier than the Sahara Desert and start cracking. This product has been a little miracle to my poor hands! I still do slather on the handcream since I'm OCD like that, but they don't burn, there are no cracks and overall my hands just feel better. I had to look this product up online because I had never heard of it, and it looks like it's sold at Bath & Body Works. I may have to go there and pick myself up the larger jar of this. 

My last favorite is the L'Oreal Eye Defense Eye Cream. When I ran out of my Philosophy eye gel that I raved about, I didn't know what to use next, even though I have tons of eye creams to go through! I decided on this, and I'm so in love. It hydrates my eyes enough with the cold weather we have, but doesn't make them feel overly oily either, and I do have oily eyelids. The texture is like a gel-cream so I think that's why I like it so much. 

Well those are my favorites! It sucked that I didn't have alot of time for makeup, and then I got that nasty stye. Oh well, it's a new month (and my birthday is in 2 days!), and I plan on actually using makeup more often as long as my schedule for work allows it. Seriously, retail hours are a pain in the a**. I actually can't wait for the holiday's to be over! Anyways, I'll talk to everyone in my next post, which will be empties! I used up alot of stuff, so stay tuned!

What were some of your favorites last month?

November 2013 Ipsy Bag

*Blows dust off blog, coughs a little*

Hey everyone! Remember me?! I sure hope so, because I missed everyone! It's been almost 2 weeks since I've last posted and I'm so sorry! I don't even really know what to say anymore for my being absent. I will say that I've had a few personal issues going on in life and I've been stressed to the max from it, but that's all I'll say. Also, I have this horrible stye on my eyelid (if you don't know what that it, just Google it, it's not fun to talk about) and I haven't been able to wear any makeup for the past few days because of it. I'm hoping in another couple days it all clears up!

Anyways, sorry for that long intro, but today's post is going to be what I received in my Ipsy bag this month! The theme for this month was Glam It Up, and I was very excited to see what products were going to be in this bag.

I'm not the biggest fan of the actual bag the products came in to be honest. I don't really like the print and I have to be in the mood to like the color gold, if that makes sense. Also, I'm not entirely happy with the products either :(

The first product I received is the Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in the color Caviar Cocktail. I have to admit, I'm a little bored with getting nail polish in these bags. It's not a bad color at all, but I'm definitely bored with this!

We also got a chance to try out Michelle Phan's new line of makeup called Em Cosmetics and I got the Pillow Plush Cushiony Lip Balm in the color Bubblegum, which is a pretty bubblegum pink color. I have tried this and I like how it feels on the lips and it also leaves a sheer wash of color, which I do like.

I then received the Pixi Beauty Bronzer in the color Subtly Suntouched. I'm not a bronzer person at all! I have a mini version of Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer, and while I like it, I've only used it maybe 5 times, if that. I feel like I'm just too pale for bronzer.

I received another lip product by Be a Bombshell, and it's a Lip Crayon in the color Shameless. To me it looks like a mauve-y berry color. It's actually a very pretty color and I'll probably use it, but it's annoying getting two lip products in one bag. 

I don't really care for the Cailyn Built-In Sponge Tip Mineral Eyeshadow in the color Champagne. I have a ton of other eyeshadows like this color, so this doesn't really excite me. I haven't used it yet, but the application of it does intrigue me a little bit.

The last product I received is the Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in the color Topaz, which is this pretty shimmery silver color. I honestly don't know how I'm gonna use this pencil since I hardly ever wear eyeliner and I'm not too creative with it either. I may try to use this as a base or something and see what I can work with. 

Well that's everything I got! While I'm not totally happy with the products I received, the value of the bag is incredible! For only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, it's really not a bad deal at all. Sign up here if you're interested!

If you're already signed up, what did you receive this month?

Large Beauty HAUL! Drugstore.com, Paula's Choice, Hautelook, The Body Shop & Ulta

Hey everyone! Yes, I know it's been ages again since my last post. I really hope you can forgive me! Work's starting to get crazy with the holiday's coming up, I've been feeling a little under the weather and I've been having issues with my back. It's weird too, I can't sit, stand or lay down for too long or my back hurts more. Anyways, today I bring you a haul post! Now, I didn't go and buy everything in one shot. I purchased all this within the last 3 to 4 months, and I do have a Sephora VIB haul coming up as well once I get my package in the mail! So, lets get into what I bought!

 First up we have products I purchased from Drugstore.com. As you can tell above, I went a little Batiste crazy! This is definitely my all-time favorite dry shampoo and I have yet to find anything better. I purchased the Clean & Classic Original, two of the Coconut & Exotic Tropical, Floral & Flirty Blush and Cool & Crisp Fresh scents. Back in April, I was given the opportunity to try out Batiste for the first time and I picked the Tropical scent. I reviewed it here if you want to check it out. 

These products also came from Drugstore.com. The St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin Moisturizer was literally only about $3. I wanted to pick this up because since it's gotten so cold here, my skin is drying out pretty bad. I'm hoping my skin doesn't get too much drier because I have other products I want to use up before I open this up. 

I also purchased the Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner. As you all may know already, I'm in love with the aloe toner from The Body Shop. That toner is a bit pricey for me at $12.50 and the Boots toner was I believe just under $5. I'm hoping this is just as good or better than the aloe toner because I don't feel like spending alot of money on a toner is necessary. 

Then I purchased the Norwegian Formula Hand Cream in the fragrance free version. I've never tried this hand cream before, but my hands are also drying up with this cold weather, and I've heard alot of great things about this product. I do have other hand creams to use up, but I have a feeling I may go through those pretty quickly. 

I've been wanting to try the Garnier Skin Renew Anti Dark Circle Roller for a long time now. I've heard decent things about this product, and I do have pretty bad dark circles, so I have hope for this. I'm excited to try it out!

I then bought a few products from the Paula's Choice website. I actually purchased the Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel from Skinstore.com but I'm lumping it in with the other two. I'm in love with this product and I've talked about it before. Holy Grail product right here!

I've been wanting to get another toner from Paula's Choice since I had tried one quite a few years ago. I decided to get the Hydralight Healthy Skin Refreshing Toner for normal, oily to combination skin. I can't remember if this is the one I tried years ago, but I do remember liking the one I did try. 

I also wanted to buy another one of my favorite masks, and that's the Skin Balancing Oil Absorbing Mask. This used to be called the Skin Balancing Carbon Mask, and boy is it amazing! I did a review on this a long time ago, close to when I first started my blog. The review is here if you want to read it. I'll have to warn you, it's not the best review ever but hey, everyone starts somewhere, right?

Next up we have products from theBalm that I purchased from Hautelook! Now I know I did a post here about how disappointed I was with Hautelook, but I reached out to them and everything turned out amazing, which I had also talked about here. Anyways, I ended up buying the TimeBalm Skincare White Tea Juniper Oil-Free Face Moisturizer. I've never tried any skincare from theBalm before and figured I'd give this a go. Plus, it was pretty inexpensive on Hautelook.

I also purchased the Put A Lid On It Eyelid Primer. I've heard many, many good things about this eyeshadow primer so I'm excited to try this out and see what all the hype is about.

The final product I got from Hautelook is the Down Boy Blush. I totally forgot to take a picture of the color and do a swatch, but there are many reviews and swatches on the internet of this blush. I picked this color because it's a pretty baby pink color that I think would look nice on my fair skin.

I also did some damage on The Body Shop website! They were having an awesome 40% off sale, plus I'm a Love Your Body member so I got an extra 10% off, plus I had some points saved up and got an extra $15 off that. I made out pretty well! I wanted to try out a bunch of the new Honeymania line that's out, so I picked up the Body Butter, Body Scrub, two of the Lip Butters and a Shower Gel. When I opened up the Body Butter, I was pretty shocked at the smell. To me, it smells like organic, raw honey. I was expecting something sweeter smelling honestly, but it's not terrible. I'm very excited for the scrub because it's in a creamy base, just how I like scrubs to be.

I also picked up two Aloe Protective Serums. These serums are amazing, I love putting a bit mixed in with my daytime moisturizer for some extra hydration, or using it as a regular moisturizer in the Summer. The last product I got is the Aloe Eye Defense. This is an awesome gel-type eye cream that feels so amazing when you put it on, and it gives me just enough hydration.

Finally, we have a purchase from the Ulta website! They were having an awesome sale where certain brands were 40% off, they were offering free shipping on a $25 purchase and then there was a code for $3.50 off a purchase of $10 or more. Again, I feel like I made out well. I decided to try the Almay Oil-Free Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. I actually forgot about buying this until I looked through all the stuff I bought. I was worried about running out of eye makeup remover when I start my spending ban, but now I feel like I'll be ok. I've never tried this before but I think it'll be alright. 

I also decided to try out the NYX Matte Finish Long Lasting Setting Spray. I've heard plenty of good things about this setting spray and I'm excited to try it!

I haven't really heard much about the Neutrogena Healthy Skin 3-in-1 Concealer For Eyes. I can always use a good concealer for my dark circles, so I have high hopes for this product. 

And finally, we have NYX Butter Glosses! These babies came to just over $2 each after all the discounts. I ended up getting the colors Vanilla Cream Pie, Apple Strudel, Strawberry Parfait, Maple Blondie, and Merengue. Those are the colors from left to right in the picture. Again, I forgot to take pictures of swatches, but I'm sure there are plenty online. I'll be honest, I don't really get the hype with these. Yes, the color selection is great and they feel nice on the lips, but they're not as amazing as everyone makes them out to be, and I get that dreaded white line around the center of my lips when they dry. I'd purchase more of these when they're on a good sale, but they're not anything to be hyped up about. 

Phew! That took a while! I hope I didn't bore you and that you liked this post! I'll have one last haul post hopefully put up by the end of the week, and that's it for a while. It'll be spending ban time. What do you think of these products?

The Sunshine Award

The wonderful Amy, over at Small Budget Beauty has nominated me for The Sunshine Award! I'm so excited and thankful for it, so thank you very much Amy! You're awesome :)

 
So what is the Sunshine Award? It's an award given to those who inspire us and bring sunshine into our lives. That's pretty cool!

There are a few rules as well:
- Include the award logo in your blog post
- Link to the person who nominated you
- Answer 10 questions about yourself
- Nominate other bloggers

Here are the 10 questions from Amy!

1. What is your favorite time of the year? 
This is a tough question because I pretty much love all seasons and whatnot, but I love the month of December because it's Christmas time, and my birthday! 

2. What do you like most about blogging?
I like that I get to have the creative freedom of writing about what I love. Even when life gets busy, I still love sitting down and writing up a post!

3. Do you match your toe nail color to your finger nail color?
Gotta be honest, I haven't painted my toenails in years! Sad, I know but I can't be bothered with it. I barely paint my fingernails

4. What is your favorite quote?
I'm going with Amy's and that is "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." We need to have more people in this world follow this quote

5. Do you save old greeting cards and letters, or throw them away?
I used to save old birthday cards and some Christmas cards, but I don't know what happened to them. I don't remember taking them with me when I moved out of my parent's house, so they could've gotten thrown out

6. What is something about yourself that you hope will change, but probably never will?
This question is kinda deep man! Wow. Honestly, probably me wanting to better my life. I think in my head so much that eventually I'll have a better job that I love, I'll live in a nice house and drive a nice car and live comfortably. I just don't have the drive most times to make all that I want to happen, actually happen. Most of what I want is pretty unattainable anyways, but hey, I guess I can still dream

7. What is one of the scariest things you've ever done?
Get married? Lol, just kidding! Sorta. Probably actually going on my first date with my husband. I don't know if I've mentioned on here before, but my husband is my first boyfriend, first kiss, first everything really. It was pretty scary! I never ever in my life thought that when people told me, when you meet the right person you'll know, that they were right! I know this might not seem scary to most people, but for me it was!

8. If you could try out any job for a day, what would you like to try?
Hmmmm, I think being an actress seems like it would be challenging and fun. Little fact about me, when I was younger I wanted to be an actress! My parents have this picture of me standing on steps at our old, old house and I have this dress on with star shaped sunglasses and a little purse pretending to be a movie star. It's such a funny picture

9. Have you ever met any celebrities?
Technically, no. When I was at Cruefest one year, I was sitting right next to the sound area, and when Sixx:AM started playing, Kat Von D showed up there along with Bam Margera and his then wife. After Sixx:AM was finished and Motley Crue went on, James Michael and DJ Ashba from Sixx:AM were literally standing about 5 feet away from me! I was too stunned to do anything, so I didn't say hi or take any pictures :(

10. If you had an unlimited shopping spree at one store, which store would it be? 
Oh man, this is tough! If you gave me categories like makeup, clothing or shoes it would be different. If it was makeup, definitely Sephora. For clothing, it's tougher because I haven't really bought myself new clothes in a really long time. Maybe for one-stop shopping, I'll say Target, because I can get makeup there (even though Sephora is way better!), clothes, shoes, there's even a grocery section in mine (not sure if every Target has a grocery section)

This was so fun to do! Thanks again to Amy for nominating me! Now onto who I nominate:

1. Natalie Loves Beauty
2. BeautyqueenUK
3. Blushing Antics
4. Kate Spitz

I really like the questions I was asked, so I'm asking the same questions to my nominees above! :)

October 2013 Empties!

Hey guys! So today's post is going to be the products I've used up this past month. I have to say, I'm very happy with what I did use up and I'm pretty sure November will be a good month as well! Lets see what my empties are!

The first product I used up is the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Shine Control Facial Cleanser. I liked using this in the morning because I actually think it helped wake me up a bit. The scent of it was sometimes a bit too fragrant, but that's okay. I don't know if I'll repurchase. I have about a million cleansers to use up.

Next, I finished up the Korres Pomegranate Toner. I loved this for my oily skin. It was great to use in the Summer when I was a greasy mess. It smelled amazing too! I love pomegranate, so I'd probably repurchase this in the future.

I finished up the wonderful Philosophy Eyes Wide Open Instant Refreshing and Depuffing Eye Gel. I know I've talked about this product a few times, and I just love it. It makes my eyes look more awake and took away any puffiness I may have had. It's a wonderful eye gel!

I then finished up a Shea Lip Butter from The Body Shop. I love these lip butters but only use them at night because they leave a white cast on my lips. Obviously, since I only used this at night, I didn't care at all. This particular one was fairly hydrating, but I feel like I need more hydration since it's getting alot colder now.

Sadly, I used up a Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover. This is definitely my all-time favorite eye makeup remover! It's pretty expensive, but I work in a place where I can buy this, so when I can get an extra discount, I tend to buy one or two. I do have a backup of this, plus a smaller travel-sized one, but I'm putting myself on a spending ban soon, and I'm afraid I might run out :(

I'm just throwing away the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in the color Fair. I'm not sure what happened, but I think the twister thing broke and no product will come out anymore. This is my favorite concealer, and luckily my mom gave me one because she got the wrong shade, so I have another one to use! 

I also used up another concealer-type product and it's The Body Shop Lightening Touch in the shade 01. I like this for when I feel like my dark circles are extra dark. Adding a bit of this on top of the Maybelline concealer works really well with extra coverage, plus it helps to brighten a bit. 

As you can tell, my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion has died! Not really though, I had to have my husband cut it in half for me so I could de-pot it. I couldn't believe how much product was still in there! Seriously, a while ago, I took out the clear, plastic stopper from the top and that helped alot. When I felt like I was running out of product, I just thought there was more in there. I'm a weakling so I asked my husband if he could cut it in half for me. Of course he looked at me like I had ten heads, but obliged like a good boy. Once he got it cut open, even he was shocked at how much was stuck to the sides where the wand couldn't reach normally. I had a little sample sized pot to put the rest of the product in and I probably have enough to last me through the end of the year. 

The Crest Pro-Health Complete mouthwash took me forever to go through. I had this bottle since before my husband and I got our own place in July of 2012. Granted, I didn't use it every single day morning and night, but I used it pretty frequently. I like this stuff though. It didn't burn my mouth like alot of mouthwashes do and it tasted good too.

I used up Natural Factors Hi Potency B Complex vitamins. I think my mom got these for me to help with energy, but honestly, I never notice a difference. I'm not even sure why I continue taking vitamins when I don't notice any changes, but I'm used to my routine in the morning, so I stick with it.

The last two products I got from the hotel my husband and I stayed at during our honeymoon. They're Simply Be Well Ginseng and Wild Mint Shampoo and Conditioner. I didn't use them all up in September, but of course I brought them home and used them up this past month. They're nothing special honestly. Typical hotel toiletries that came in handy when I forgot my other shampoo and conditioner. 

That's everything I used up! Like I said above, I'm very happy to have used these all up, especially the mouthwash! That bottle is massive, so it's good to clear out some space in my closet!

What did you use up in October?

October 2013 Favorites!

Hey everyone! So this past month hasn't been too interesting favorites-wise but I do have a few products to share with you guys. 

First up is the awesome Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette. I swear, this is probably the best eyeshadow palette ever for Fall. You have some amazing jewel toned colors, and you also have your neutrals. I won't go on too much about this because I did a full review with swatches and a look here if you want to check it out!

My go-to eye look when I was feeling lazy or in a rush was first using the Sephora Outrageous Prisma Chrome Eyeshadow in the color Outrageous Metallic beige all over my lids, and then taking Naked 2 from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette through my crease. Naked 2 is the perfect crease color for me because it gives the right amount of definition to my eyes without looking like I have too much makeup on. I'm also obsessed with those Chrome eyeshadows! I sometimes can still find them on the Sephora site and there are a few left in my Sephora in JC Penny. They're on clearance for $6 so if you see them, snag them up! They're awesome!

I've been loving the cleanser I've been using every morning and that's the Soap & Glory Face Soap and Clarity 3-in-1 Daily-Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash. Phew that's a long name! Anyways, I love how this cleanser makes my skin feel. There are little beads in it that help to smooth out any bumps or rough spots and it takes away any dirt and grease build-up from the night before. 

My last favorite is the Maybelline Color Whisper in the Color Berry Ready. I've been loving this color for Fall. I usually don't go along with trends during seasons, and dark lips tend to look funny on me because I'm so pale. This color is perfect for me though. I can wear it a bit bold like in the swatch above, or I just usually take my finger and dab it on my lips for a sheer wash of color.

Those are my favorites! I'm hoping November brings some different favorites, but with my insane holiday retail schedule I'm honestly not sure what's gonna happen!

What were some of your favorites from October?

My Current Nighttime Skincare Routine

Hey guys! Remember me?! I know, it's been way too long since my last post. 10 days, if you want to get technical. I honestly am not sure why it's taken me so long to write up a post. I think part of me is feeling a bit blah in general, I've been exhausted from work, and when I get time to relax, all I want to do is just sit on my butt and do nothing. And with the holiday's coming up, my work schedule might be getting a bit crazy in the next couple weeks, so posting may be sporadic. I'm just warning you now! Anyways, sorry for the long intro, but today's post is going to be my current nighttime skincare routine. I did a post earlier this month on my morning skincare routine here if you want to check that out.

I shower at night, so I wash my face in the shower and I start out with Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser. I really love this cleanser. I featured it in a past favorites post and I just love how well it cleans my skin. I remember I used to hate this stuff but now that I'm older and my skin has changed, it's an amazing cleanser.

Next up, it should be no surprise that I use The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. I've talked about this product about a million times and it's still my favorite toner to use at night. I just started using it during the day as well because my skin is starting to get drier due to the colder weather. This toner really is so calming and when I feel like my skin is being sensitive, it just helps so much. 

Then I use the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel for all skin types. I was using the lotion version of this for years and decided to try this one instead once I ran out, and I'm in love. Even with my skin getting drier, this product helps my skin feel soft and keeps my blackheads in check. I have incredibly large pores, so dirt and oil love them. When I don't use this, I start noticing my pores looking larger and my blackheads getting darker. This stuff is a miracle worker!

Now my moisturizer changes depending on my mood and how my skin is feeling, but the one I've been using regularly is the Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for Combination Skin. This moisturizer is incredibly light, but still hydrating enough to help with any dryness I may have. I've had this particular bottle for a really long time too since a little product goes a very long way.

The last part of my routine is an eye cream. I've been using the Own Lifting Eye Cream that I received from iFabbo. I did a full review on it here. I'm really loving this product alot. It's really hydrating but it still feels light. I'm not the biggest fan of heavy eye creams because they always seem to make my eyes puffy and sensitive. For me, this product is the perfect consistency for an eye cream.

Now these are products I switch out or use occasionally. When I mentioned above that I switch out my moisturizer depending on my skin, the next two products are what I use. The Own Firming Silk Concentrate is an awesome serum that I'll use by itself or I'll mix a couple drops in with the Neutrogena moisturizer for some extra hydration. If you have incredibly oily skin all year round, this would be a great moisturizer to use on its own. That's what I'd do in the Summer. I also did a review of this product here.

I'll also use the Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex SPF 15. Now even though this has SPF in it, it's too heavy for daytime use for me, but it's awesome as a night cream. I'll use this moisturizer after I've used a mask or some other treatment on my skin. After I use masks or other treatments, my skin can get dry at times, and this helps give me the hydration I need in my skin. Full review here.

For exfoliation, I tend to use a bunch of different products. I just ran out of a different scrub, so the one I fully switched over to is the Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin Daily Pore Scrub. I did a full review of this here, and while I was reading it over again, I still agree with what I wrote about the first time. It's quite abrasive, which doesn't make for a good daily scrub. I'll use this 2 times a week tops. It leaves a film on your skin, so definitely follow up with a toner. I don't think it does much in helping with acne, but it does smooth out the skin. I probably won't repurchase this because it's too abrasive for my liking. 

I use a mask about once a week or so and I've been loving the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. This mask is incredible if you have breakouts and oily skin. I notice if I have a few spots on my face and I use this mask, they're gone the next morning. I don't know what they put in this to make it so effective, but it's amazing, especially since it's so inexpensive!

Two to three times a week, I'll use my Clarisonic when washing my face. I used to use it every single night, but I started feeling that it was doing more harm than good, so I cut back. Since Ive done that, my skin feels alot better and less sensitive. Currently I'm using the Deep Pore brush head with it. I typically use either the Sensitive or Delicate brush head, but I can buy these where I work, and I wanted to try out something different when I got an extra discount. To be honest, I can't really tell the difference between the brush heads, but I'll probably end up buying the Delicate ones again since I do like those. 

That's my nighttime routine! Let me know if you've tried any of these products! :)

I also am sorry again for my lack of posting, I really hope to get into a decent schedule soon!

October 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! Sorry my Ipsy bag post is going up a bit later than normal. I received my Ipsy bag in the mail this past Friday and was away for the weekend so I didn't bring anything with me to be able to blog! Better late than never, right? Anyways, lets see what I got this month!

The theme for this month is called The Art of Beauty. I love the look of this bag! It's so cute with the all white and red lettering. This quote is pretty nice as well. Onto the products!

I'll admit, I'm not terribly impressed with the products I received this month. First, I received the La Fresh Eco-Beauty Oil-Free Face Cleanser Wipes. I've gotten wipes from this brand before in a past Ipsy bag but I haven't used them honestly. They're just sitting in my shoebox that I keep all my samples in. I will use them and the ones I just got eventually, but just when all my other face wipes run out.

I then received the Nourish Organic Deeply Nourishing Coconut & Argan Body Lotion. I've never heard of this brand before but I do love coconut smells so this seems promising.

I could do without this Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Gel. Fun fact about me, I never blow dry my hair. Hell, I don't even own a blow dryer! Seriously, I shower at night and just let my hair air dry and in the morning, I just throw it up in a ponytail. Although, I did just buy a curling wand, so that hairstyle may change. Anyways, I have zero use for this product :/

Next, I received a Zoya Nail Polish in the color Giovanna. I do like Zoya nail polishes, but I have to admit, I'm a little tired of getting nail polishes in these bags! Don't get me wrong, I like nail polish, but I'm not one of those girls who constantly changes up their nail color. I'm lucky if I paint my nails once a month. I feel like all the nail polish I have is just sitting here in my room getting hardly any love. I'll use this, I'm just not sure when.

The last product I received is the Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in the color Dolly. Another meh product honestly. I have a ton of these Buxom glosses and I don't really feel like looking through all my lip products right now, but I'm about 95% sure I already own this color. 

Now I'm not complaining by any means, but when I look at the other products I could've received this month, I would've loved to have gotten either one of the two Ole Henriksen products, the Coastal Scents Shadow Brush, the H2O Plus Hydrating Treatment or the Wet N' Wild Eyeshadow Palette. 

I love Ipsy, and usually I love the products I receive but like I said, I'm not overly excited with the products this time around. I'm still staying subscribed because I know when I haven't really liked a bag, they usually redeem themselves later on! If you want to subscribe to Ipsy, you can right here! For only $10 a month, it really is a sweet deal! Even though I don't like every single product this month, the $10 spent is really worth it :)

If you're already subscribed to Ipsy, what did you receive this month?

My Current Morning Skincare Routine

Hey everyone! It's been a little over a year since I've done a post about my skincare routine, so I thought it was time to show you all the products I'm currently using. Now the routine I'm about to show you is still a good part of my Summer routine, and the weather is just now starting to cool down. I'll probably stick with what I'm using now for a few more weeks, then I'll change it up a bit. 

The first product I start off with is the Soap & Glory Face Soap and Clarity 3-in-1 Daily-Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash. I just started using this a few days ago as I had ran out of what I was using prior, and so far I do like this. There are little exfoliating beads in this, but they're small enough where I can use this cleanser every morning without having it irritate my skin. The vitamin C in this helps to promote a glowing complexion, which I seem to really need right now. So far, so good!

The next product I use is The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner. This was featured in my last morning skincare post, and for good reason! I absolutely love this toner when my skin is feeling super oily, especially in the Summer. It can be drying, which is why I'll have to switch this out soon. I always have backups for my backups of this!

After toning my skin, I follow-up with the Clean Scene Begging for Balance Moisturizer. I purchased this when the Clean Scene line was carried at Sephora, which was quite a while ago to be honest. I don't really care for this moisturizer. It doesn't do anything special for my skin and actually makes it feel a little drier than normal. I don't know if they still sell this anywhere, but don't spend your money on this. It's not worth it in my opinion.

I should've switched the last two products in the picture, because I always use eye cream after I moisturize my face. I've currently been using and loving the Philosophy Eyes Wide Open Instant Refreshing and Depuffing Eye Gel. I've talked about this in a favorites post, and I'm so in love with this product! It actually works when I wake up in the morning and I see I have puffy eyes. Seriously, I wake up sometimes and my eyelids are so puffy, it looks like I've been punched! This is a miracle worker for me, but I don't think they sell this anymore :(

The last step in my routine is, and always will be, sunblock! I'm currently using the Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 55. I know that seems like a high SPF, but I burn very easily so I have to use it. I'm really enjoying using this sunblock alot! It hasn't broken me out and it keeps my skin looking matte, but doesn't dry it out. I normally use the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunblock, but had this one so I changed it up a bit. I do like this one and would repurchase once I go through my other sunblocks I have.

That's my routine! I'm going to be doing a separate nighttime routine post because that actually takes longer and has more products involved. I didn't want to make this post 10 hours long ;)

What products do you use in your routine?

Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette: Look #2

Hey guys! Today I'll be showing you another look I came up with using my Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette. I have to warn you guys, my skin doesn't look so great in the next couple of pictures, and I'm not bothering covering it up because it's my day off from work. I like to give my skin a break on my days off. Onto the colors I used!

As always, I start off priming my eyes and I used the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

I first took Rewind and blended that through my crease. I'm not sure why, but I had a bit of a hard time blending this in. I'm not sure if it's the brush or the eyeshadow, but I had a little bit of patching, if that makes sense, especially on my left eye. 

I then took the color Ambush and patted that all over my eyelids. This is such a stunning color and is beautiful for Fall!

After that, I took Derailed and put that on the outer V of my eyes and then blended everything together with a fluffy blending brush.

I used Habit as my highlight and to blend out any harsh lines. I also went over where I felt like there was a bit of patching and it seemed to help smooth the lines out a bit. I finished off my look with Maybelline The Rocket Mascara.

The finished look! I told you my skin looked bad... Oh well! I do like how this turned out though. It's a nice neutral look for Fall. It does look better in person, I don't think it looks that great in these pictures. I promise the next look I do will look better! I just get lazy on my days off work so I don't usually put much effort into my makeup, especially if I'm not going anywhere. Also, if you want a closer look of the colors I used, I did a review on this palette here.

Have you tried out this palette yet?