My Vanity

My dressing room is almost complete! I'm going to begin posting sections of the room, starting with my vanity. It's simple, clean, and perfectly positioned for optimal natural light.

The perfume holder is actually a crystal cake stand that I found at the thrift store for $10.

Like the acrylic makeup drawers? You can buy them {here}

Product Review: Essie 3-Way Glaze

If you're looking for a great topcoat, your search is over. Essie's 3-Way Glaze is a base coat, top coat, and strengthener all in one. It leaves a high-gloss finish and keeps polish from chipping for days. I absolutely love this stuff! I have pretty weak nails, so my freshly painted nails usually end up in a chipped mess by the next day. After using one layer of the glaze as a base coat and another as a top coat, my nail polish is sealed and my 3-day-old manicure still looks brand new. You can get this polish at Ulta for $8 - definitely worth every penny!

August BirchBox + Ulta Goodies

It's finally here! 

What's Inside

+ C.O. Bigelow Lip Shine, $7.50
+ Eye Rock Designer Liner, $13
+ Juice Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer, $28

+ Juicy Couture Viva La Fleur, $70
+ Schick Hydro Silk Razor
+ Beauty School Book by BirchBox

I also made a quick trip to Ulta for tonight's event...

+ NYX Lipstick in Haute Melon
+ Essie 3-Way Glaze

+ Ardell Lashes 120
+ Revlon Cuticle Stick

July BirchBox Reveal!

What's in July's BirchBox

+ Ahava Purifying Mud Mask
+ Alterna Bamboo UV Color Protection Fade-Proof Fluide
+ Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black
+ Harvey Prince "Hello" perfume
+ Tea Forte Minteas
+ BirchBox Exclusive: Earbuds

June BIRCHBOX Reveal

What's Inside...

- Comodynes Self-Tanning Intensive
- Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint
- La Fresh Eco-Beauty Oil-Free Face Cleanser
-Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect
- theBalm Cosmetics Stainiac in Beauty Queen
- Cynthia Rowley Band-aids (Are you kidding me!? Designer band-aids!)

Ombre Your World

"So Polished!" Saturday

I know I've been slacking lately, but I'm picking SPS back up!

This week's color is....

OPI's "Mod About You"

How fun is this color? I saw it on the polish shelf at the salon the other day and immediately swooned. This is definitely a shade that is bold, yet girly, and is perfect for the spring and summer days to come. 

May BirchBox Reveal + MarieMichelle Skull Bracelet

The best day of the month is finally here... BirchBox arrival day! When I heard that this month's box had a Gossip Girl theme, I was so excited and began counting down the days until it came! So here it is...

1. Arquiste Perfume

{BB says: "Warm notes of citron, palm leaves, and myrtle combine in this transporting scent, inspired by the aromas of a medieval harvest festival in Calabria, Italy." Full-size, $165}

2. BeautyBlender Cleanser

{BB says: "Keep your makeup sponges and brushes in prime condition with this soy-based formula, which removes built-up bacteria and oil." Full-size, 17.95}

3.Color Club Nail Polish in "Disco Nap"

{BB says: "Give nails a gilded look with this luxe metallic polish." Full-size, $8}

4. Dr. Jart+ Waterfuse BB Cream

{BB says: "Think of this as a four-in-one moisturizer, serum, sunscreen, and skin-perfecting tint as the (extremely stylish) Swiss Army Knife of your beauty lineup." Full-size, $32}

5. Twistband Skinny Headband

{BB says: "Keep your hair perfectly in place with these colorful elastic headbands." 6-pack, $20}

6. Notecards

{BB says: "Text messages are no match for handwritten notes on fun, modern stationary." Set of 12, $10}

What was in your BirchBox this month?!

Another thing that arrived in my mailbox today was this bracelet by MarieMichelle Designs on Etsy that I've been DYING to have. I got this to pair with my gold watch and wear it as an everyday kind of thing. It has a slip-knot closure so it can easily be taken on and off and has two little gold skulls dangling on the end of each string... I'm in love.

April BirchBox Reveal!

I was really excited to receive my first BirchBox this month! For those of you who aren't familiar with BirchBox, it's a monthly subscription (kind of like a magazine) where you recieve 4-5 samples of new beauty products for only $10 a month. 

1- Stila "Classic Smoky Eye" Eyeshadow sample {Colors:  Kitten - Diamond Lil - Ebony}

2 - BeFine Organic Skincare Moisturizer & Exfoliating Cleansing samples {5}

3 - Hollywood Fashion Secrets Fashion Tape Assortment Pack samples {2}

4 - Juicy Couture "Viva La Juicy" Perfume sample

5 - Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Leave-In Hair Oil sample 

Glam Eyes.... and gum :-)

1. Salon Perfect Lashes in Black {with LashGrip adhesive}

2. Hard Candy Baked Eyeshadow in 275 Black Hole {very similar to MAC's baked shadows}

3.Maybelline EyeStudio Master Drama Cream Pencil Liner {goes on like liquid!}

4. Orbit White Gum in Bubblemint {well... because I like gum}

LUSH: Rock Star Soap

I'm absolutely obsessed with Lush. For those of you who've never been to a Lush store or heard of it, it's an ah-mazing place that sells bath and spa type products. They're all handmade and you definitely can't find anything like the items they sell anywhere else. I can always tell when I'm near Lush at the mall - I can smell it 6 stores away!

My boyfriend came home with one of my favorite Lush products - Rock Star bar soap. I can't really describe the smell, but I promise you it's to die for.

From bar soaps to bath bombs to message bars, Lush has it all. You can usually purchase bar soaps in pre-cut pieces, or you can have the sales associate cut a piece for you depending on the size you want. When I bring my soap home, I cut it into thinner slices and use only one piece at a time. I wrap up the other pieces and store them in a jar or container - something that keeps moisture out. 

That way the smell lasts until the last tiny sliver is used :-)

DIY: Gel Nails At Home + "So Polished!" Saturday

I bought the Nutra Nail Gel Perfect 5-minute Gel-Color Manicure yesterday after seeing it multiple times on Pinterest. The directions are easy to follow and the end result was decent replacement for getting it done at the salon. It's extremely important to let each coat dry completely before doing another layer or else you'll have a huge mess on your hands... literally.

It comes with the activator, the color of your choice, and the brush cleaner. The color I purchased was "Sheer Pink", but you can substitute it for any nail polish color you already have.

Tutorial: Blender Sponge Application

I finally did a video on how I apply foundation with the blender sponge.
I introduced this sponge in one of my earlier posts. This is not the real "beauty blender", but it's a $4 dupe that works exactly the same. Why spend $25 on something that you can get cheaper at Ulta?

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below :-)

Before you begin:

- dampen the sponge with water {this way it doesn't absorb much product}

- squeeze foundation onto your hand to warm it up {this allows for a smoother application}

Face/Coverage Technique:

 - After applying your foundation to the rounded end of the sponge, lightly bounce the sponge on your skin starting in the middle blending outward. (Beings at 0:26)

Eyes/Nose Technique:
- Apply foundation to the pointed tip on the sponge, then press and roll around your eyes, nose, and anywhere you want extra coverage. Also use the press and roll technique around the outer edge of your face to better blend your foundation. (Begins at 2:33)

Powder Application Technique:

- Use the same bouncing technique as you would for the regular coverage using liquid foundation.
  (Begins at 3:48)

Spring Break Essentials

Spring break is right around the corner! No matter if you're going to the beach, pool, or on a cruise, here are a few things on my list that I think every girl should have in order to stand out this spring break!

    1. Bright Dress/Cover-Up   2. Cute Bikini   3. Metallic Sandals  4. Sunglasses (to protect those peepers) 5. Fun Floral Tote (to carry all of this stuff!)

 6. Colorful nail polish  7. Lipbalm with SPF  8. Tanning Oil   9. Blonde Shampoo (to bring out natural highlights)    10. Shimmery body lotion (to keep that spring break tan lasting)  
 11. Coconut Rum  (If you're legal to drink)

Isn't he the cutest?

"So Polished!" Saturday

It's "So Polished!" Saturday.
This week's nail color is...

China Glaze's "Sunset Sail"

"Sunset Sail" is by far one of my favorite nude polishes. It's more on the peachy side so it's a color that I use often during the Spring and Summer months. Nude polishes are clean and classy, but they can also be done up for a more "trendy" look. If I'm feeling on the creative side, I usually add a glitter coat or pastel design to my ring finger.  It's a cute way to be unique while not going over-the-top.

Healthy Food & Beauty Haul

I'm obsessed with Fresh Express salad kits.. they spice up plain ol' salad and the dressing doesn't have many calories! Fruit bowls from Publix are another favorite that are good to eat for breakfast. I also picked up some ground turkey breast and Manadarin Orange flavored Green Tea! Who said healthy has to be boring?

I also made a quick trip to Ulta and grabbed a beauty blender! This is used for application of foundation and is supposed to give an "airbrushed" look. I also found these Microdelivery Mini Peel Pads from Philosophy that contain antioxidants and lactic acid to help exfoliate and smooth skin. I'll be doing a post after I've used these two products for a while to let you know if they actually do what they claim!

The Perfect Nudes, Pinks, and Red

         Revlon "Nude Attitude" 001 Matte -    NYX "Frosted Flakes" 576 -    MAC "Myth" A79 Matte

{Can you tell that Myth was my favorite?!}

Maybelline Baby Lips "Pink Punch" 25   -     Revlon "Silver City Pink" 405 Pearl  -    NYX "Narcissus" 509
{The Baby Lips "Pink Punch" is classified as a lipbalm, but since the color is so vibrant, it can definitely be used as a lipstick}

Estee Lauder "Exotic Orchid" 65 Shimmer

{Seriously the perfect red lip}

{All in order}

"So Polished!" Saturday

From now on, every Saturday I'll be posting the nail color that I'm wearing each week...

I'm calling it "So Polished!" Saturday :-)

Here's what's on my nails this week! It's one of my favorite OPI colors and one I wear quite often...

"Bagota Blackberry"

It's a beautiful and classic color that comes off as a deeper red in person.

Feel free to comment below and tell me what color your wearing this week too... I love discovering new polishes and trying out different colors!

Also - don't forget to enter in the Salon Bronze giveaway.. 3 more days left!

Newfound Loves!

1. Pink Chiffon Fragrance Mist (Bath & Body Works)
This stuff smells amazing! I found it today when I was buying some new hand soap from B&BW. One of the sales associates sprayed it on a cute little pink ribbon and tied it around my wrist. I actually left the store without buying it, but after a few hours of smelling my wrist non-stop, I went back to the store and bought it for $15! It's B&BW's newest scent and it's sweet smell is SO worth the price!

2. Brilliant Shimmer All-Over Powder (Victoria's Secret)
This "Candygirl" color is one I discovered when I received the Victoria's Secret Runway Makeup Kit as a Christmas gift. This gives such a gorgeous, shimmery highlight with a hint of a playful pink color. A little goes a long way so this stuff will should last a while!
This can be purchased separately from the kit for $14 on their website. 

3. Baby Lips SPF 20 Moisturizing Lip Balm (Maybelline)
I'm going to start by saying that I absolutely LOVE this lip balm! It comes in 6 different colors/flavors for a wide variety of looks. "Pink Punch" is my favorite to put under a nude lipstick for a "going out" look, while "Peach Kiss" is great for a more natural vibe. I love the fact that these have an SPF of 20 to protect your lips from the sun while keeping them moisturized and fabulous for a full 8 hours. Each lip balm goes for $3.99 and can be found at any drugstore!

4. Neon Pink Teasing Comb (Sally's Beauty Supply)
The higher the hair, the closer to heaven... right? I love teasing my hair for a full and voluminous look. This neon pink comb from Sally's was only about 45 cents and does the job just right ;-)

Top 3 Self-Tanners

Living in Florida means that a tan is essential, but we all know that the sun can cause some major damage to our skin. I'd like to say that I don't, but I'm completely guilty of going to the tanning bed. I also love laying out by the pool and going to the beach - it's the best thing about living in a tropical climate! 
    While trying to find an alternative to tanning beds, I've come across sooo many products that claim to give you a "natural" glow. If you've had the experiences that I've had, you know that, in reality, you end up looking like a you rolled in a giant bag of Cheetos. Well, after searching far and wide for the perfect faux tan, I've found 3 great products that look natural, are inexpensive, and easy to apply!

          #1: Salon Bronze 

         

This takes the number one spot on my list. It sprays on evenly, gives you a nice bronze color, and is fool-proof. It runs at about $13 at Sally's beauty supply for the gun and cartridge and the refills after that are only $8. It takes some practice to perfect, but mistakes are easily fixed with a paper towel or sponge roller. I recommend spraying yourself in the shower or outdoors... it can be messy! 

#2: Sun Labs Ultra Dark Lotion

This is another one of my all-time favorites. If you buy it directly from the Sunlabs website, it can be pricey. However, you can usually find them at a Marshall's or TJMaxx for about $15. The lotion is tinted, so it's easy to see any potential mistakes. Because it's so dark, I usually mix it with my favorite moisturizer to tone it down. It's best to apply this with latex gloves to minimize the staining on the palms of your hands.
(*Tip: Washing your hands with soap and some whitening toothpaste usually gets rid of any staining. )

                                             #3: LA Tan Signature Bronzing Mousse

Last but not least is this tanning mousse that I discovered when I worked at a tanning salon two years ago. This mousse is tinted and dries quickly, so applying it is a breeze. This can be found at any LA Tan salon for about $15.

Happy Tanning!