Current Obsession #2

Hey guys!  Today, I'm bringing you my top five products that I haven't been able to put down this week.  Here we go!

These first two products are from Caudalie.  I'm a Caudalie virgin, so I thought that I would buy the sampler at Sephora to try out five of their products for $32!  Two of them I know I will be saving up to repurchase.  

I used this Divine Oil last night and woke up with the best hair I've ever had.  Let me repeat that: I woke up with my hair in perfect beachy waves.  The only thing I had changed about my hair routine was this product.  I usually put other oils in my hair after I get out of the shower, and then I go and wash my hands to complete my nighttime skin routine.  What I love about this product is that you can go right from running this through your hair to applying it to your face.  It's incredibly hydrating and smells like the hair salon!  And, you only need the tiniest bit.  I know this bottle will last me quite a while!

This is the one product that I have been dying to try, thanks to YouTube!  The Beauty Elixir is a cult product, and let me say that this does not disappoint.  I'm completely addicted to it, and I use it throughout the day whenever I need a refresher.  It smells so wonderful, the minty smell wakes you up, and it feels rejuvenating on your face.  I would go and shell out the $49 to buy the full-sized bottle in a heartbeat.

Another product that's getting a lot of hype is the Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation.  I have an entire post about my morning foundation routine, so I won't go into how I apply it.  But what I will say is that I love the consistency of this!  It makes my skin feel so amazingly smooth that I can't stop touching my face when it's on (that's probably not a good thing...).  I'll probably do a full review on this sometime, so stay tuned!

And yet another product that's getting a lot of hype: Benefit's Rockateur.  I have naturally red cheeks, and I have been on the hunt to find a product that enhances the natural color of my cheeks instead of just making them redder.  This is like a highlighter / blush combo, and I'm absolutely loving it!  I feel like my skin looks radiant after I apply it, and bonus: it smells good!

Last thing: my morning savior.  I have always been a Tazo tea fan ever since I tried their Zen tea at Starbucks.  This English Breakfast is a strong, bold black tea, and it gets me going in the morning.  It tastes great, I feel awake after I drink it, and I don't know where I'd be without it!  Well...probably in my bed, sleeping.  The great thing about Tazo tea in general is that it's so inexpensive!  Each of their filterbag teas are $4.95, and you get 25 bags.  And I love the packaging!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post!  Just one more day until the weekend :)

Top 9 Nail Colors for Fall

Hey guys!  So I was organizing my nail polish, and I decided to pull out a few that I'm rockin' / planning to rock this fall.  So, starting in the back row, going from left to right, let's get started!

Essie's Parka Perfect is my idea of a Fall neutral.  It's a perfect mixture of blue and gray, and this cool tone goes on seamlessly.  I saw this at the store, walked by it, and then had to run back and get it.  It just sucked me in!

Revlon's Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel in 130 Velvet Rope is a perfect red shade for the colder months.  It's not a bright red, but it's not a super deep red either; it's somewhere in the middle of that red range.  Let me say that the name does not lie: this stays on forever!

Revlon's Nail Enamel in 480 Chic is just like a darker version of Essie's Parka Perfect.  I really like using Parka Perfect on my nails and then using this shade on my fourth finger.  The colors go so well together!  That said, it's pretty amazing by itself, too.

Alright, there's been so much hype about Essie's For the Twill of It polish.  I. Love. It.  I bought this when the new line first came out and applied it the same night.  It changes colors under the light - from silver to green to a gorgeous purple.  

Now for yet another Essie!  This is called Midnight Cami, and I have yet to try this.  There's a slight shimmer in this beautiful navy shade.  It's not too dark, but it's still vampy.  

Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in the shade 320 Earl Gray is absolutely wonderful.  This is what I'm wearing as I'm typing this post!  This is another one of those Fall neutrals that I love.  And I love the Salon Manicure brush: it's thick and applies just the right amount of polish.  This is also quite a large bottle, and I have no doubts that I'll be making a serious dent in it.

Now for the Sephora by OPI mini polishes!  The two on the left are from their Manhattan Minis collection.  The furthermost left is Stand by Your Man-hattan and is a deep copper with a lot of shimmer.  I haven't tried this yet, but I really love the color and am excited to try it!  

The middle bottle is Never Know 'Til You Tri-beca (who else is loving these names?!).  This is a gorgeous, warm purply-pink shade.  This warms up your look but is still perfect for fall.  Unfortunately, the Manhattan Minis collection is no longer available, but I'm sure there are some full-size dupes out there!

And last but not least: my absolute favorite shade of the season: S-age Is Just a Number.  This is part of the Spice Market mini collection.  If only this shade was full size!  Let me tell you why I'm absolutely obsessed with this shade.  Go look at that picture again.  Starting from the outside, there's a purple tint, then a blue tint, a green tint, and then the golden core.  When you put this on, this polish changes color depending on what light you're in.  And it's all gorgeous!  I'm the kind of girl who would change her nail polish every day if she could.  This stays put like a dream and doesn't chip.  I love, love, love it!  Sadly, I will have to hoard this color, because Spice Market isn't available anymore, either!  And, unlike the previous 2 colors mentioned, I don't think I'll be able to find a dupe for this one.  Sad!

If I could buy all the nail polish, I would.  But....I can't.  So let me know which shades are your favorite for this season!

What's On My Face | Foundation Edition

Today I decided to revamp my facial makeup routine, and it has absolutely amazed me and has stayed on my face all day without any shininess!  So let's get started!

First, I applied Mary Kay's Foundation Primer with SPF 15.  Usually, I use Benefit's POREfessional, but because my skin was relatively clear this morning, I decided that I didn't need the extra coverage and instead reached for MK's clear, silky primer.  I focused this on my T-zone.

Next, I applied Stila's Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Illuminating Beauty Balm with SPF 30 (goodness, could that name be any longer?) all over my face.  This was the first time I used this, and I'm very impressed with it.  I love the creamy consistency, and a little goes a long way.  This gave me a little bit of coverage, but I still needed more.

This is where my Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free Foundation Stick (I used shade 220: Natural Beige) comes in.  I used this on the areas of my face that get oily as well as areas that need some heavy coverage, like my red cheeks.  I blended that out with a Beauty Blender, and then moved on to concealer.

I used the wonderful Boi-ing concealer from Benefit (you can find my review of it here).  I used the 02 shade under my eyes and on my chin, and I mixed the 02 and 03 shades to hide any blemishes and discoloration that was still showing.  I blended all of that in with the Beauty Blender, too.

Then, I took my Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation and, using the back of my hand as a palette, applied it with the BB in stippling motions.  I made sure to bring that down onto my neck.  

Then, using my Mary Kay Highlighting Pen in shade 02, I applied under my eyes, on my cupid's bow, on my chin, and on the center of my forehead.  Then using my - you guessed it - trusty Beauty Blender, I blended that, but only a bit.  I made sure that the color didn't disappear.  At this point, my face looked a little scary, but no worries!

The last thing I did was set everything with powder.  I used Benefit's Cute as a Bunny, Honey powder and applied that with a big powder brush all over my face.  This blended my highlighter in more and made my face look radiant and natural.

Now, I know what you're thinking.  That's 7 products!  What can I say?  It works!  You're also probably wondering how I can apply this much to my face without it looking cakey.  All of the products I used - except for the stick foundation and concealer - are very sheer.  I only applied one very thin coat of the Marc Jacobs foundation, and I made sure to spread and blend my primer and BB cream.  I also made sure that everything blended seamlessly with my Beauty Blender.  

I had some extra time this morning, so I thought I would experiment, and I'm so happy that I did!  I'm writing this 8 hours after I applied all of this, and I haven't touched up anything.  I didn't need to!  And I only have minimal shine.

I just thought I'd share this with you guys, because as you can see, I'm experimenting with layering products.  And this combination seems perfect!

Monday Motivation #2

Happy Monday, everyone!  With Monday being the beginning of the work week, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about beginnings.  

It's never, never, never too late to change something that you're not happy with in your life.  That could be anything from the foundation you're using to the person you're dating.  If it's not making you happy, walk away from it!  You can choose to start fresh whenever you want to.

Think about it.  You could start exercising and lose fifty pounds.  You could walk into Sephora, get a makeover, and realize your love for everything beauty related and decide to make it a career.  You could drop out of school to pursue your dream.  You could tell that one person that you love them.  You could confront someone about something that's been bothering you for years.  You could adopt a puppy.  You could adopt ten.  See where I'm going with this?

Any moment, you can choose to start something.

Anthem of the Week #1

Every week, I find myself listening to one particular song over and over.  All throughout the week, this song is at the top of my playlist.  It changes just about every week, so I thought I'd share that one song with you guys as it changes! 

This week, I can't stop listening to Whole Wide World by Mindy Gledhill.  It's such a happy, uplifting song with a laid back vibe.  I listen to this every morning and on the way to classes.  I heard it for the first time on a YouTube video (I completely forget which one), but I loved it.  I'd never even heard of Mindy Gledhill before, but her music is gorgeous.  While this song is my favorite of hers, she has some amazing other music, too!  I highly recommend you check her out!  I just love the cover of her new album, too.

There is one part of this song that gets to me.  Often times, I feel like I just need to take a break from school and life in general and just relax.  But I always feel guilty when I do it.  I feel like I should be working, working, working 24/7, but these words remind me that it's okay to take some time for yourself.

I'm gonna run right up this hill

Summer sky or winter chill

If I gotta take a break I will

But I'm gonna run right up this hill

Current Obsessions #1

Every Thursday, I'll be bringing you my favorite products of the week!  Usually it'll be around five things, whether those be beauty-related, fashion-related, food, or any other awesome thing I discover!  So, here goes!

First is my cute little Jack Skellington doll. One of my favorite Halloween (and Christmas) movies is The Nightmare Before Christmas, and when I saw little Jack at Barnes & Noble, I just had to have him.  Even though I purchased this last year for Halloween, B&N still has it!  All of the other plushies had straight legs, but I had to pick the one doll that had crossed legs.  It just makes him that much more adorable when he sits on my table, just waiting for Halloween!

Next comes my C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve.  I've only had this a week, but I've already made a dent in it!  Let me just say that I am a serious Chapstick addict, and I never thought the day would come when I reached for another lip product when my lips were chapped.  But this is it!  Although I use this mostly on my lips and cuticles, you can also use this on your knees, face, elbows...basically anywhere that's in need of some serious hydration.  I even used it on the heels of my feet, and it softened them right up.  I love how versatile it is, plus it smells like roses.  Who doesn't like that?

One of my favorite things about fall is fall scents.  And we all know where to go to stock up on all those wonderful scents: Bath and Body Works.  This Creamy Pumpkin scent is to die for.  I'm not a fan of very sweet-smelling lotions or hand sanitizers, but I make an exception for this scent.  It's just too good!  It's not overpoweringly sweet, but it just reminds me of pumpkin pie baking in the oven.  I'm upset that I only got it in a PocketBac!  I wish I had gotten the hand soap to go with it, too!

I'm usually a drug store mascara kind of girl.  But Benefit's They're Real! mascara has been getting so much hype, that I just had to try the mini size.  Just to try it.  I have naturally long lashes, and it's hard for me to find mascara that makes them look fuller and not spidery.  This is it.  I love the brush, I've had zero clumps, and I'm totally regretting not purchasing the full-sized bottle!  Right now on Benefit's website, they're running a deal for a full size mascara and a mini size mascara just for the price of the full size!  It's a $33 value for $23! They call it Double the Real.  I highly recommend taking advantage of that!

Last but not least is Maybelline's Fit Me Shine-Free Foundation.  Because I have extremely oily skin, anything with the words "shine-free" immediately catches my eye.  I've never tried a stick foundation, and this one has a powder core, which locks in the liquid part of the foundation.  It's like a medium-coverage liquid foundation and powder all in one!  This is definitely the thing to use when you're running low on time.  You basically draw all over your face with this stick and then just blend it in with your fingers (or a Beauty Blender - that's what I use!).  And you can add more coverage wherever you need it.  I love the amount of control it gives while still being very blendable. Let me tell you something: With all other foundations, I have to blot several times a day, and it always frustrates me!  Guess how many times I had to blot today while wearing this foundation?  ZERO. I'm officially addicted!  Plus, the matte finish is fantastic.

Well, that's all folks!  See you tomorrow!

How to Look the Best at Everything: by Benefit

Hello there!  I've found one of the best kits you can buy when you're just starting out with makeup or if you want to try a range of Benefit's face products without buying the full-sized products: How to Look the Best at Everything (for some reason, I couldn't find this on Benefit's website, so here's the link for Sephora).  First of all, I've always been in love with Benefit's packaging, and this kit is not excluded from that!  The front looks like a little book, and then you open it to see all those face products!  Under the lid are instructions and tips for how to apply them, along with a mirror.  They even number the steps for you right on the packaging.  It comes in three versions: light, medium, and deep.

I've never tried any of Benefit's face products, so I thought this would be a perfect palette to try.  It was fairly inexpensive ($30), and it's not too large or bulky.  Now, let's get into the products, shall we?

First comes the POREfessional balm.  I use this as a primer, but it can be used on its own if you want light coverage.  I loved this product so much that I went out and bought a full size tube!  I have very large pores around my nose, and this does wonders to mask that.  My makeup also stays on longer.  The primers that I've used previously are clear, but this one is skin color.  I've found myself applying less foundation, because there's already a light layer of coverage on my face.  And less foundation means less time carefully applying it! 

After the primer comes the Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow liquid foundation.  It's light and airy, but still gives medium coverage.  It feels like there's almost nothing on my face, and I really love that!  It doesn't feel heavy or cakey.  That said, though, I wouldn't recommend this product if you're looking for a product with heavy coverage.  

Next is Boi-ing concealer.  I love how they give you two shades to mix and match to find the shade that perfectly matches your skin.  I use the darker shade around blemishes and discoloration and the lighter shade under my eyes and down my nose.  And sometimes I mix them, too!  I love how versatile these two shades can be.  On Benefit's website, this product is described as an "industrial strength" concealer.  I agree with them!  This is the first concealer I've tried that doesn't look flaky or cakey but still gives amazing coverage.  The one downside to this product is that you have to apply quite a lot to get that full coverage.  

And lastly comes the Hello Flawless! powder.  This locks in your foundation and concealer and keeps you from getting too shiny.  Plus, I use the shade Honey, and that name just makes me smile.  I apply this with a big fluffy powder brush, but I've applied it with the little brush provided in the kit for you as well.  It works great, but it just takes more time than that big fluffy brush.  What I love about this is that Benefit uses the same shades for the powder and the Oxygen Wow foundation.  So if you're a Honey in the foundation, you'll be a Honey in the powder, too!

All in all, I love this kit.  Some days I use every single product.  Other days, I just use the concealer. Most days, I mix and match.  But I always, always begin my makeup regimen with the POREfessional balm.  When I run out of the products in this kit, I probably will go out and buy them.  I'll definitely purchase that concealer stat!!

Damaged Hair?

Especially when the weather changes, my hair just hates me.  I have a dry scalp and dry hair, so I walked into Lush screaming HELP!  The two products they recommended to me, plus a treatment I found from Garnier Fructis, have completely overhauled my damaged hair.

Lush's Rehab Shampoo has a minty smell, which wakes you up in the morning and gets you energized.  I've found that you don't need as much product as when using other shampoos.  The consistency is a little more liquidy than I'm used to, as opposed to the more gel-like shampoos I've used.  After using this, my scalp isn't the least bit dry or irritating.

The Retread Conditioner from Lush is a perfect match to the Rehab shampoo.  In fact, they were designed as a pair for maximum effect.  It comes in a tub, much like the Lush body conditioners and smoothies do.  I have a major problem with my hair frizzing as it dries.  Let me say that no cream, no conditioner, no shampoo has managed to defy the frizz like this product has.  It's almost nonexistent.  I can finally let my hair naturally dry and not look like I have a lion's mane! Something I will say about this product is the smell.  It doesn't smell bad, per say, but I just don't want this smell associated with my hair.  It smells like a bonfire.  I honestly feel like someone should be roasting marshmallows over my head.  In another context, I would welcome that smell, but not when it comes to my hair.  To combat this, I mix it with my regular conditioner, which has a vanilla and coconut smell.  Now my hair smells good and there's no frizz! 

Now, to further combat my dry hair, I've started to use the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge 1-Minute Moisture-Plenish Treatment after I condition.  This is made especially for dry hair, and it doesn't weigh my hair down at all, yet still gives maximum hydration.  I can't describe how silky my hair felt afterwards.  I couldn't stop running my fingers through it!  The best part about this treatment is that you don't have to leave it on for fifteen minutes.  Just one minute, and it's done! Plus, it smells amazingly fruity, but not overpoweringly so.  There's goji berry, passion fruit, and kiwi that pack a hydrating punch to dry hair.  I use this two or three times a week, and I've found that my hair is much more smooth and hydrated.  I will say that I have very thick hair, so I apply this all over my head.  If you have finer hair, I would just apply it to the bottom half of your hair.  It is a lightweight formula, though, so if you're really in need of some hydration, I say go for it and just apply all over!  

With the combination of these three products, my hair has never felt better!  It's much easier to style, shinier, and just looks healthier.   

Monday Motivation #1

Hello and welcome to my new series, Monday Motivation!  Who doesn't need motivation on Mondays, right??  I haven't decided how many posts will be in this series, but I'm thinking about 15.  So, I'll be posting something motivational and offering some life lessons that I've learned along my way to where I am today. And even if just one person gets something out of this, I'll feel like this was worth it. So, here goes!

This comes from Pinterest, and I think it's the perfect way to start this series.  Don't place limits on yourself.  I know how hard this is, because I build the highest, most solid walls around myself.  But what's harder than building those walls is breaking them down.  So my advice is to never build them in the first place.  Believe that you can do anything, because it's the truth.  You can.  

The only way that you won't get somewhere is because you place obstacles in your own way.  Of course nothing is easy, but you can't let things get in your way.  You can't let them stop you.  I know that for me, I'm my own worst enemy.  And I know I'm not the only one who thinks this about themselves.  Sometimes one of the hardest things you have to do is get out of your own way.

But trust me, once you do, everything changes for the better.  I'm not saying I'm perfect; nobody is.  And I'm still very much in my own way.  But especially this past summer, for the first time, I did get out of my own way, if only for a small amount of time.  And now, I'm starting to get back in my own way, and things...well things aren't going too well again.  So, from my personal experience, I've learned that the worst thing you can do to yourself is place limits on yourself.  The worst thing you can do is tell yourself that you're not good enough.  Because if you don't believe in yourself, who will?

My Favorite Fall Perfume!

It takes a lot for me to stick to one scent for an entire season, but I have a funny feeling that this is going to be the case with Nest's Midnight Fleur perfume.  I love my fall scents to be much woodsier instead of my fruity and light scents for summer.  That's exactly where this scent comes in: it's just a great transition from summer to winter scents.  It combines a flowery scent with bold notes of Patchouli, Tonka Bean, Ylang, Ylang, and Exotic Woods.  I'm usually not a fan of patchouli-scented things, but it works perfectly among the black amber, vanilla orchid, and jasmine notes.  This is a sexy, amazing perfume for these fall days, and I can't stop smelling it!  I'm actually more a fan of rollerballs than sprays, just because you have more control.  And they're much less expensive!  I'm the type of girl who changes her scent up frequently, so investing in 2 ounce perfume bottles can add up pretty quickly.  But I may have to make an except for Midnight Fleur.  I love it so much, I just might have to get me a bottle!  (Besides, the design on the bottle itself is gorgeous!) Thankfully, the rollerball is pretty large, so I know I won't run out of it anytime soon.  This is the first scent I've tried from Nest, and I'm excited to try more!  Which are your favorite fall time scents to wear?