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FAVORITE FALL TRENDS

Sep 07

Fall doesn’t start for almost another 2 weeks, and it will still feel like summer for at least another month here in Texas, but I couldn’t help getting excited about all the upcoming fall trends! Although I personally prefer spring as far as seasons go, I am looking forward to not being judged for being “out of season” with dark lips and black nail polish. All of the fall trends I found while researching are right up my alley style-wise, so you can bet I’ll start wearing these as soon as possible! I decided to make a little guide of all my favorite trends even though it’s still a bit early so you have some insight to how to prep your wardrobe for the new season.

Good news for all of you choker lovers, this trend isn’t going away anytime soon. I’ve been eyeing more embellished looking chokers lately, like this one and this one, especially since embellished and adorned pieces are going to be big for fall too. Off the shoulder tops have been in for a while, but they are going to be having an even bigger moment this fall. Considering fall is still pretty warm here in Texas, I’m sure this trend will be seen for a while!

Faux fur seems to always be big for fall, but keep an eye out for fur that makes a statement in fun colors and patterns. Textures will be important this fall, and these velvet sandals are my absolute favorite product on this board! I have these that are similar and they are the most comfortable heels I’ve ever owned.

Overall, these trends don’t necessarily scream “fall,” much like the seasonal trends we’re used to. I’m definitely looking forward to layering pieces in new and fun ways and can’t wait until the weather starts to cool down here. A few other trends to look for include metallic touches, suiting, velvet everything, plaid, and shearling.

Which fall trend is your favorite?

Top High End Foundations

Mar 11

I get a LOT of questions on what face makeup I use, and a lot of times it varies by the day! I’m a huge advocate of using high-end makeup on your face, because I always want the very best on my skin. Here are my top 3 foundations that I wear on rotation.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet

I absolutely love this foundation, and I wear shade B40. It makes my skin look completely flawless, and feels like there’s nothing on my skin. It can be hard to find a foundation that sits just right on oily skin, considering most just kind of slip off. This foundation has such a strange consistency (it seems SO runny!) but works perfectly on normal to oily skin. I definitely would not recommend this one to anyone with remotely dry skin, and if that’s you, try this one instead! But for most days, this is my go-to! Keep in mind too, a little bit goes a long way with this product.

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue

If you don’t like a heavy foundation, this is the one for you. It’s pretty similar to a tinted moisturizer, but the consistency is almost a bit more like a gel. I typically prefer a little bit more coverage out of a foundation than this gives, but it’s also buildable, so you can get more coverage out of it if you want to. I didn’t think that I was going to like this foundation at all because it’s marketed more to dry skin types, but I’ve found it really works well for all skin! Sometimes oily/combo skin overproduces oil because of a lack of moisture, and this product really ensures your skin gets the moisture it needs. Another great thing about this product is that the color range is very forgiving and relatively easy to find the right match. I have both buttercream and ginger, and I’ve found that both shades can be blended to match my skin well.

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD

This is the newest foundation that I’ve tried. I heard so many good things about it that I thought I’d give it a try, and I wound up loving it! The shade range has a TON of colors, so no one should have a problem finding the right match. I wear shade 123/Y365. HD foundations were developed to make your skin look amazing on camera, and I can promise you that it does just that! I’ve been wearing this pretty much everyday, and my only complaint is that it doesn’t seem to wear as well as the day goes on. (If your skin isn’t as oily as mine you might not have this problem though!) Definitely be sure to moisturize well and prime before using this foundation. I’ve found it does look best in the first few hours of wear, so that’s just something to keep in mind.

Have you tried any of these foundations? Let me know which are your favorites in the comments!

Summer Lips

Jul 02

Happy July, friends! I can’t believe that June is already over, where does the time go? Today I’m sharing the 2nd part of my summer series, my favorite summer lip products. Although I have a tendency to wear the same colors throughout the year, there are some that definitely fit better in the summer. I picked my top five, and lately I’ve been wearing these on rotation!

MAC “Please Me”

This lipstick is my perfect everyday pink. It’s bright, but not too bright. This color goes with everything, which is what makes it perfect throw on for lazy summer days. It has a matte finish, so I always wear a gloss on top. I’m always wary of matte finishes in the summer because they can feel dry, but with a gloss this one has the perfect texture.

NARS “Heat Wave”

This is the perfect summer red. It’s warm toned, which gives it that vibrant almost-coral look. Surprisingly enough, this one is also a matte finish, but I have less of a problem with it being drying than the MAC mattes. The color is outstanding though, and looks perfect with a tan!

Charlotte Tilbury “Nude Kate”

I’ve said this before, but I had never really tried a true nude lipstick before this one. I love that the color doesn’t wash you out, who wants that for summer?! The color is inspired by Kate Moss, as the name suggests, and I always think she has the perfect look for summer!

NARS “Sixties Fan”

In the bottle, this color looks scary dark. However, when it’s applied it is actually extremely wearable. It’s a sort of pomegranate color that warms up your skin and is super easy to throw on with any outfit. My roommate is always stealing this one from me (looking at you, Rachel!) but I can’t blame her, the color is amazing!

MAC “Razzledazzler”

This color has probably been my most worn lately. It’s a light orange, which is a pretty scary color for most people who aren’t used to orange lipsticks. Something about the color just screams summer to me, probably because it reminds me of a dreamsicle! I wear Laura Mercier “Nectar” Lip Glacé over this one for a glossy finish, which is my favorite in the summer.

Thanks so much for reading! What are your favorite summer lip products?

Summer Nails

Jun 25

one | two | three | four | five

Although here in Texas it feels like summer for half of the year, it is now officially summer! With summer comes a lot of my favorite trends, and I’m going to be breaking them down for you in a three part series over the next few weeks. Up first is summer nails, and I’ve rounded up my five favorites.

1. Jin Soon “Charme”

I can’t even tell you how long I’ve been lusting after this color. Chartreuse has recently become a favorite color of mine, and I have yet to find another polish come close to this color. Bright colors are always a hit for summer, and this polish definitely meets the mark.

2. Essie Silk Watercolor

This polish is such a cool new concept. The polishes are formulated to act like watercolor, making it easier to create simple yet gorgeous nail art. All of the colors in the line look wonderful, and I will be picking up a couple to try my hand at the look.

3. Christian Louboutin Scarabée in “1”

This polish may have a ridiculous price point, but it makes up for it in looks. The line is inspired by the scarab beetle, as the name suggests, and features three colored metallic polishes. The color “1” is my favorite, and it is a rose gold hue.

4. NARS “Thasos”

No summer nail polish collection is complete without the perfect mint blue polish. The color makes me feel like I should be laying out on an island somewhere. Since that’s not what I’m doing, I’ll paint my nails this color and daydream about it instead.

5. Olivia Palermo for Ciaté in “Off Duty Nude-Sundays”

Although summer is traditionally associated with bright colors, a nude polish can be perfectly fitting as well. It’s natural and fuss-free, just like summer. Plus, if I can make any part of me look like Olivia Palermo, I’ll take it. 😉

Thanks so much for reading! Which polishes are your favorite for summer?

Best of High End Brands

Jun 09

After reading Sarah’s post on her favorite high end products, I was inspired to do my own! I tried to pick brands that had a lot of products that I loved, so it would be challenging to pick my absolute favorite. I tried to think of it as, “If I could only buy one thing from this brand, what would it be?” So without further ado, here’s my best of high end brands:

Charlotte Tilbury – The Rock Chick Eyeshadow Palette. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was to try Charlotte Tilbury’s products. They’re all absolutely amazing. I have a tendency to to navigate towards gold and bronze hued eyeshadows, yet I love the look of a perfect grey smoky eye. This palette allows you to create that look and is also wearable for day and night.

Chanel – Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation. My holy grail foundation. It makes my skin look flawless and airbrushed. It’s lightweight and also helps to mattify my skin since it’s made for normal to oily skin. If your skin is normal to dry, try the Vitalumiere Aqua foundation.

YSL – Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick. This lipstick is incredibly buttery and smooth. It also stays moisturized and not dried out with long wear. I have the color Rose Libertin, which is a light lilac-pink. Definitely picking up another color soon!

NARS – Lip Gloss in Sixties Fan. Picking my favorite NARS product was especially hard. I love pretty much everything by NARS that I’ve tried. They have fairly recently revamped the formula of their lip glosses and they are 1000x better- not sticky whatsoever. This color is my favorite because it is unique and also much more wearable than you would think. Your lips will always look perfectly stained with this gloss.

Benefit – Roller Lash Mascara. Benefit is killing the mascara game. Roller Lash and They’re Real are by far my favorite mascaras ever. I will not leave the house without at least 1 coat of mascara on and I almost always use more than one mascara in my makeup routing. They beauty of Roller Lash though, is that I don’t have to. My lashes look perfect with just this mascara alone!

Bobbi Brown – Creamy Concealer Kit. I’m a college student. Sleep isn’t always so easy to come by, which leads to horrendous dark circles. This concealer makes them disappear. It packs on the coverage because it’s creamy, and also has a setting powder right next to it to ensure that it doesn’t budge the whole day. If you’ve got bad dark circles, this product will be your BFF.

What are your favorite high end brands & products? I wanna know!

May Favorites

Jun 08

Happy Monday everyone! Today I wanted to share with you my May favorites. I cannot believe that it’s already June! We’re almost halfway through with 2015, and if that’s not weird to you then I don’t know what is. I didn’t pick up a tremendous amount of new products this month, but I loved the ones that I did. Here are my favorites of the past month:

1. Elizabeth and James Nirvana White

This has been my most reached for perfume lately. I have the rollerball, which I love because it’s so easy to through in my purse and take with me in case I need a little pick me up throughout the day. It’s a sophisticated scent that’s great for daytime wear.

2. MAC Blush in Full of Joy

I picked up this blush because I really wanted a color that was very different from other blushes I have. It’s a lilac color, which sounds really out there, but I’m telling you it’s gorgeous. I get so many compliments every time I wear this blush, and I love how different it is.

3. Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Nude Kate

Prepare yourself here. I went a little crazy at the Charlotte Tilbury counter in Nordstrom and I have no regrets. Looking for the foolproof nude lip? This is it. I was so afraid of trying nude lipstick before this one, because I was afraid it would wash me out. This one definitely does not.

4. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude

Lip liner has gained the credit it deserves lately, most likely thanks to Kylie Jenner. I never really saw it necessary before, but it really does help shape your lips so they’re impeccable. Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat makes this SO easy, and this color goes perfectly with the Nude Kate lipstick.

5. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre in Blondie

This lip gloss is the finishing touch to the nude pout. I love lip gloss, and I can’t stand when the formula is sticky. This one glides on like a breeze and looks gorgeous over any color – not just nude!

6. Charlotte Tilbury The Rock Chick Eyeshadow Palette

If you couldn’t already tell by the 3 previous favorites, I’m obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury’s Rock Chick look. Makeup that will make me look like Kate Moss or Brigitte Bardot? Sign me up! This palette achieves that smoky look without being overpowering.

What products have you been loving lately? Let me know in the comments! Thank you for reading, enjoy your Monday!

Melt Proof Makeup

Jun 03

The most asked question I’ve had lately from my friends is, “How do I get my makeup to stay in place?” Living in Texas, makeup can easily sort of “melt off” especially in the summer months. No one wants to have re-apply makeup throughout the day, but you also don’t want to use heavy products that will just weigh you down in the heat. Of course, I definitely don’t wear makeup every day in the summer, but when I do I want it to stay put. I’ve rounded up my best tips so you can have melt proof makeup this summer.

1. Prime.

Priming everything is essential to keeping your makeup in place. Start with clean, moisturized skin. I tend to opt for a gel moisturizer like First Aid Beauty Mattifying Gel or Boscia Black Hydration Gel since I have oily skin, and this is great for normal skin in the summer too. You’ll then want to use an all over face primer. Becca Ever Matte Poreless Priming Perfector has been my favorite lately. It’s got kind of a strange consistency, it starts off kind of sticky but then just dissolves perfectly into your skin. Also be sure to use an eye primer before applying any eyeshadow.

2. Foundation.

I love lightweight foundations in general, but they’re essential in the summer. Who wants full coverage heavy foundation when it’s over 100 degrees out? Not me! Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue and Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet are the ones I find myself reaching for most when it’s hot outside. They’re lightweight but still provide great coverage. If you can’t separate yourself from your favorite full coverage foundation, I suggest adding a little bit of moisturizer to keep it from being heavy in the heat.

3. Powder.

Powdering will not only help set your makeup, but also help prevent any unwanted shine that you might gain throughout the day in the heat. Over-powdering is traditionally a no-no, but in the case of the Texas heat you will most likely want to. The powder will be absorbed throughout the day preventing shine without making you look dull. I love this powder, and it’s universal!

4. Bronze.

What’s summer without bronze skin? If you fake tan like me, chances are your face is at least 3 shades lighter than the rest of your body and bronzer is your BFF. I love matte bronzers so that I can contour just a little while getting an all over glow. This one is my go-to, and this palette is amazing as well.

5. Blush.

I love using cream blushes in the summer. They’ll absorb into your skin and you can’t necessarily sweat it off like you could a powder blush. This one by Josie Maran is my favorite. It provides 14 hours of color and it’s moisturizing. Seriously, it feels amazing on your skin – no sticky feeling whatsoever. I love that the color is buildable, so I never end up with too much color.

6. Lips.

It’s no secret that I love lipstick. However, lipstick can feel a bit heavy on a hot day. I always find myself reaching for lip stains like this one, or one of YSL’s Glossy Stains. The also just came out with this line of “Pop Water” stains that I’m dying to try. This way you get the lip color that’s suited for summer!

7. Set.

The biggest trick to keeping your makeup in place? Setting spray. Urban Decay’s De-slick does the trick for me. My bottle has lasted me forever – you can tell since it’s still the old packaging. This one will keep your makeup lasting all day, even in the summer heat. I spray my face with it after completely finishing my makeup, but for extra staying power, I’ll spray my face before too as a sort of primer.

And that’s it! Following those tips will ensure that your makeup will stay in place all day, even in the heat. I hope these are useful to you, thanks so much for reading! Do you have any favorite products suited for summer? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

P. S. Texas girls prepping for sorority recruitment in August, these tips and oil blotting sheets will be your lifesaver!

The Perfect Tan

Jun 01

First off: I’M BACK. This semester was by far my hardest semester of college, hence the unplanned 2 1/2 month hiatus. It’s over now (thankfully) so I’m switching my focus back here! Now on to the good stuff.

So, it’s June. And if you’re in Texas, chances are your skin hasn’t seen the sun in a good month. How on earth do you convince yourself it’s actually summer with all this rain? Two words: self. tanner. St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse (pictured above) is by far my favorite. It has a green undertone, so it won’t make you look orange at all and it dries SO FAST. So how do you get the perfect tan? Just follow these four easy steps.

One. Exfoliate! Trust me, you don’t want to skip this. Don’t come crying to me if you do and a week later you’re scaly and your arms are 2 different skin colors. Exfoliating will help make sure your tan is even and help it last longer. Also, a loofah alone is not enough. Get yourself a heavy duty scrub and be rid of all the dead skin you possibly can. I recommend exfoliating about a day before you plan to apply your self tanner, this way your skin cells can rebuild just enough for perfect application.

Two. Apply your tanner. Clean skin is a must- this means no lotions and no deodorant. Deodorant can sometimes make the self tan turn green. I don’t know about you, but green pits are not my jam. If you’re using a mousse like the St. Tropez one, be sure to purchase the mitt that goes with it. This will ensure even and easy application, and you won’t have any over-tanned hand mishaps. For tanning lotions, I just use my bare hands and wash them immediately after.

Three. Rinse off. Most self tanners you’ll want to rinse off a set amount of time later. Some are okay to rinse off after a few hours, but only if the bottle specifies this (try the express bronzing mousse if you wanna shower earlier!) For most other products you’ll want to wait 8-12 hours before getting your skin wet again. If you feel sticky at all during this time, brush your skin with baby powder and a powder brush to keep the stickiness at bay. When you shower, use a shower gel without any exfoliation (no washcloths, loofahs, exfoliation beads in the wash) and PAT your skin dry with your towel. Rubbing your skin with a towel after showering exfoliates your skin, hence taking off your tan that you’ve so carefully applied.

Four. Moisturize frequently. This is so important! You have to keep your skin moisturized if you want your tan to last. The best lotions to use are those that are unscented and have very low (preferably none) alcohol contents. I really like Eucerin for post-tanning. I also love Jergens gradual tanning daily moisturizer in medium to tan. Alcohol is higher up on the ingredients in this one, but it also is gradually maintaining your tan as you moisturize. Even though I don’t exactly fit the bill for “medium to tan” skin, I like that this one gives more color than the “light to medium” formula.

And there you have it! Following these steps will help give you a beautiful, lasting tan that will trick everyone into thinking you just spent a week at the beach. Do you have a favorite tanning product? Let me know!

Current Makeup Favorites

Mar 13

Okay, so I know I’ve been MIA for over a week, but midterms got the best of me. I’m now officially on spring break and I’ve got some posts coming up for you! I originally intended for this post to be kind of a “February Favorites” but considering we’re almost halfway through March now (how did that happen?!) it’s just kind of a “current makeup favorites” that I can’t get enough of instead! Some are new products, and others are some rediscovered loves I had forgotten about.

Anastasia Contour Kit

First up is a new product. You’ve probably heard about it by now since it has a cult following. I bought it recently because I had run out of bronzer and was looking to try something different. If I want to go for an all over bronze look, I use the bottom left bronze color. For contouring, I like the bottom middle bronze color. It’s more cool toned, so it’s more suited for contouring than the other two. Your ideal contour shade is more cool toned, and maybe even a little bit grey. I bought a contouring brush to go along with the palette to create the perfect look. Of the highlighting shades, the middle banana one is by far my favorite. I use it under my eyes, and nothing brightens up your face like this powder does, it’s amazing. You don’t really even need under eye concealer with it. I also like the top right highlighting color for the tops of my cheekbones since it has shimmer to it. They’ve also just released a palette for medium to tan skin if these shades are too light for you.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Okay, so ignore the fact that this is a little sample of the mascara (I just bought the full size one!) and let me tell you – this is my new favorite mascara. The whole “hook and lift” thing it’s got going on seriously separates and perfects your lashes. I’m one for using multiple mascaras to achieve the lash look that I like, but I don’t really need to with this one. Benefit really knows their stuff with mascara. I still love They’re Real but this one will be taking the role as my favorite for now.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit

This product is actually a rediscovered love. It’s amazing at covering under eye circles because it is peach toned and cancels out the blueness of the circles. The color I have is “Natural” and it’s a little bit dark, so if I repurchase it I will definitely go lighter. I had it color matched to me when I had an intense airbrush tan (not my best decision for purchasing a product…) but since I still try to maintain a faux glow the color works for me. On the right side of the compact is a light yellow powder, and I use that to set the concealer. It works really well and also helps to brighten up your under eyes.

NARS And God Created the Woman Eye Kit

This one is also rediscovered. I actually thought that I didn’t like the product for a while, but then I started using a different eyeshadow brush with it and loved the pigmentation of all the shadows. The palette has a very 60’s vibe, which is pretty much my favorite decade as far as makeup trends go. Mine is from the first release of the palette, so if you buy it new now the colors are in a little bit of a different order. I love the top two corner ones the most, if you couldn’t tell. Also, I believe that all of these colors can be found in NARS duos or single eyeshadows as part of their permanent line, so if you run out of one it’s easy to replace.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in Rose Libertin

And lastly, a more recent purchase. I love the formula of YSL lipsticks because they’re so creamy and pigmented, and I actually think I prefer the Rouge Pur Couture over the Rouge Volupte Shine. I picked this color because it’s similar to one of my all time favorites, NARS Roman Holiday, but Rose Libertin is a bit brighter and more lilac. Plus, who can resist the perfect gold packaging of this lipstick… how can you not feel glamorous putting it on?!

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you all have a great Friday!

How to Get Better Skin

Feb 26

Your skincare routine has a great effect on determining how “good” or “bad” your skin is. I used to be perfectly content with simply using a makeup wipe to take off makeup and then go straight to bed. That lazy girl within me was probably the entire cause for any skin problems I had. My skin right now is the best it’s ever been, because of my skincare routine. Although I’ve been pretty lucky I’ve never had problems with acne, (thanks for the good genes Mom & Dad!) I do still get an occasional breakout like everyone else. However, with my current skincare routine I’ve seen less redness, softer skin, and I can’t remember the last zit I had (knocking on wood now…) You can live this dream of great skin too! Here are my suggestions on how to get better skin.

1. Actually wash your face.

Okay, I know that this seems like a no-brainer but a face wipe does NOT count as washing your face. I used to be so guilty of this. Face wipes don’t clean your pores as well as they need to be, but they can be a good first step to remove makeup. However, I suggest using a cleansing oil or cleansing milk to remove makeup. (Read my whole post about these here!)

2. Wash it again (and use a wash cloth!)

My post on cleansing oils also talks about why double cleansing is great. It helps you deeper clean your pores. After removing makeup with a cleansing oil, I wash my face with this detoxifying cleanser. Also, using a wash cloth will help clean your face better. Into the Gloss has a great article on how to pick the best wash cloth.

3. Use a toner.

Toners will help remove anything your cleanser left behind – any little traces of makeup, oil or dead skin. Avoid using one that contains alcohol because it can be too drying on your skin. I really like this one because it’s natural and soothing.

4. MOISTURIZE.

This was the hardest one for me to learn. My thought was always, “I don’t need to moisturize, I’ve got oily skin.” I was wrong. Not moisturizing can actually make your skin over-produce oil, which can lead to breakouts. You have to make sure to pick a moisturizer that is suited to your skin type. If you’ve got oily skin like I do, opt for something lightweight or a gel. If your skin is dry, you’ll want something more like a cream. You will also want to use something with SPF during the day. I use this moisturizer in the morning, and this one at night.

5. Use face masks or pore strips.

Masks and pore strips are also great to deep clean your face in ways cleansers can’t. I love Lush’s face masks (especially cupcake – smells so good!) as well as this Boscia mask (I really like the whole Boscia black line ok) and Biore pore strips to get rid of unwanted blackheads.

6. Drink lots of water.

Seriously. LOTS of it. Your skin and body will thank you. Avoid hot showers too – they strip your skin and hair of moisture!

7. Sleep (on a satin pillowcase!)

Of course, get plenty of zzz’s as well. You’ll get more health benefits than just great skin from that. You should also sleep on a satin pillowcase. It’s easier for your skin & hair to slide around on satin than cotton, so it will help prevent wrinkles, keep natural oils in, and it’s also nicer to your hair and eyelashes. Mine is from Savvy Sleepers and I love it.

8. Be Consistent.

This one is SO important! One night of sleeping in your makeup can wreck all of your hard work maintaining your skin. Believe me, I learned this lesson the hard way. Consistency in your skincare routine is key to see lasting results!

So there you have it! These are all things I’ve done to improve my skin. Keep in mind that not everything that works for me will work for you, since everyone’s skin is different. Each tip is a pretty general category so that you can find products within it that work for you. Always test out new products to see how they will react with your skin to find what works and what doesn’t! Sephora is awesome at giving out samples, next time you’re there just ask for a one of any product you want to try out before purchasing the full size.

As always, thank you so much for reading! What products are your skincare must-haves?

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