CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Review + GRWM & pics from #1DOrlando

 Hey, Guys! So on My Youtube Channel today, I posted a Get Ready With Me Video where I just prepped myself with minimal Makeup for a pretty chill day as well as a First Impressions on the CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation.
So Tonight, I'm just going to finish off by telling you all how the Foundation held up and what my final thoughts are.

So, When I first applied it, it felt very light weight and it was pretty light coverage but definitely built up to medium coverage when I applied a second layer and that manages to cover up my blemishes flawlessly without making them look cakey or clinging to my dry spots.

My skin is combination, leaning more towards Dry but I do have an Oily T-zone and I was very surprised to find that such a light foundation didn't make me look oily at all.

This color blended in seamlessly into my skin, and if you're interested in this foundation I'm pretty sure You'll find a shade because they do have a pretty good selection.

I applied the Foundation around 2:30 and it is now around 10:30 so it's been a good eight hours and it still doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything but I am noticing some oil starting to peek through the surface. (Do Keep in Mind that I didn't apply any setting powder)

All in all I am very impressed with this foundation and I look forward to using it in the future. You can't go wrong with the price, it ranges from $7-8 which is incredible!

Here is the Video :)

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I also wanted to include some Pics from my Weekend at Universal Orlando for One Direction's Album Release I talked about it more in depth in the video but basically it was tragic to say the least but it all paid off when I saw their beautiful faces and heard their angelic voices.

 (Yes, I saw Josh Devine and it was a very beautiful moment in my life)

All the Love, xxx

Freshen Up, Ladies

 

 

 

 

 

Let's face it; being in School totally sucks.

 

Whether it's Middle School, High School, or college I'm pretty sure that we can all relate on the common understanding that school is and will always be a drag.

 

When looking back on my High School years I'm obviously frustrated at the thought of all of the homework assignments and projects I was forced to do but all of those seem kind of unimportant when I remember all of the friends I made along the way due to our similarities in procrastination and gossip.

 

But, there is ONE thought that continues to make me furious time, and time again.

 

For 2 1/2 years I was forced to participate in a gym class which led to my body producing more sweat than I ever imagined would be possible and THEN they would only give us 5 minutes to get dressed back into regular clothes and get into our next class. Yes, you read that correctly. Five minutes. No joke.

 

How did I do it you ask?

 

I would run to the locker room, fight for a bathroom stall and use the products Shown in the picture above.

Summer's Eve Cleansing Cloths became my best friends in School, I mean lets be honest- when you're running outside and your thighs are touching, you get really sweaty and you need something to freshen you up. right? These are perfect for that. Not as good as an actual shower, but good enough to get you through the rest of the day without feeling like a hot mess.

Hand sanitizer was my saving grace and the ones from Bath and Body Works are my favorite! They smell so good and whenever I felt a little stinky I would just use some to make myself feel better.

Even Better than Hand Sanitizer, was this CLEAN fragrance. If you've never smelled any of the perfumes from this line, I suggest you go by your local Sephora and take a sniff.
These smell like cotton, laundry, the beach, sandalwood, etc. And they ALWAYS made me feel... Clean. lol

I know the struggle is real when you're in school so hopefully these little suggestions will help you some :)

Obviously, these aren't only useful when you're in school because I continuously utilize them on a regular day basis. As women, we love looking and feeling good, and sometimes the tiniest thing can make a difference. I can't tell you how may times I've rummaged through my things looking for ANYTHING with any amount of scent because I've felt icky. So I finally learned to pack these up and keep them with me at all times :)

My next post is going to be on Wednesday, and my next video is going up tomorrow, but if you missed my last video here is the link: Fall & Winter Haul 2014

I'll speak to you soon xxx

Sephora Luster Matte Long Wearing Lip Colors | Review & Swatches

Ever wanted a gloss that turns matte, doesn't come off on your drinking glass and stays on perfectly for 5+ hours? So have I, and for $16 a piece you can find them at Sephora!

Ever since discovering these Glosses I try to buy one every time I go to Sephora (which isn't often) because these are the true definition of what staples in your collection should be.

The pigmentation is out of this world, and surprisingly these do not dry out my lips whatsoever. Of course, because they dry to be matte I would recommend using a lip liner to really get a precise line but if you use lighter colors like "Fig" then you could really get away without it.

These are perfect for the girls who leave the house with so much to do that the last thing they want to do is worry about how their color looks.

As much as I love Ruby Woo, and although it will always be my favorite it's really nice to know that I can apply a similar color like "Scarlet" and not have it patch up on my lips a few hours later.

The colors I've purchased so far are:
1) Deep Plum
2) Scarlet
3)Fig

Next time you go into Sephora make sure you swatch one of these! The reason I fell in love with them was because the color payoff was remarkable and it took a few hand washes to get it completely off!
I hope this review was helpful xxx

$13 ebay Brushes?! | Review

Hello, everybody! So a couple of weeks ago I was surfing the web as they say, and I remembered hearing/reading something about ebay brushes... I can't tell you who or what it was from but It did arouse some curiosity and I found myself scrolling through some sets. I finally came across this one which I liked because it shipped from the US instead of from China and it was a complete face set, which means all buffing foundation brushes and buffing concealer brushes that I didn't previously own.

My initial reaction when I felt these brushes was incredulous because I could not believe how soft they were, they felt smooth and I even tried tugging at the hairs to see if they would fall out and they didn't. They don't feel cheaply made, the handles aren't coming off or anything of that sort which is really, really good. The larger face brushes are a dream to work with, I used the rounded buffing brush as my first trial of these brushes and it did such an impeccable job. My foundation looked good beforehand but the density in the brush allowed it to give even better coverage which is something that I really appreciate.

I then went on to use the little angled, stippling brush for my concealer and this too was lovely to work with, it didn't leave streaky traces on my skin or irritate under my eyes. I also used the rounded concealer brush on my eyes because I couldn't find my blending brush at the moment and I was really surprised at what a good job it did!

These brushes are a total steal, if you're in the market for some good brushes and don't want to spend $100+ on Sigma ones, I would highly recommend purchasing these. They don't have any writing, or foreign brand name on them, they just look like classic brushes that would look absolutely beautifully all bundled up together in a beaded brush holder, as the gold detailing makes them look a bit luxurious. For $13 you really cannot pass this up!

I hope you all enjoyed this little review and find yourselves saving some pennies because of it!



Everyday Work Makeup-Look | Tutorial

 

 

 

First off, this is technically my first time showing my bare face to a wide audience- so stay with me I know it's scary, But I wanted to show you all a step by step picture, makeup, tutorial- type of thing about my REALISTIC everyday workday makeup.

 

Yes I do realize that I did not use a primer or a setting powder because it's really easy to forget when you're rushing for work and as I stated above, I'm aiming for reality here.

 

First thing I do is apply a good foundation, especially if I know that I'm going to be at work for 8+ hours and I need something reliable. So today I used my Maybelline Super Stay Foundation in the color 'nude'. I hear that this is their most popular shade, because the range only has about 5-6 colors to choose from and this one is the most versatile. I completely agree, this blends into my skin beautifully covering up some imperfections yet still allowing my skin to breathe.

Second thing I do is tame my brows. I use a regular dark brown eye shadow- this routine changes constantly but my brows pretty much always end up the same. On occasion if I have an extra minute I'll go over them with Maybelline's brow gel.

For shadow I'm using a standard NYC eye quad that consists of neutral colors which are what I tend to lean on most when I have to go to work. These colors are not extremely pigmented but lately I've just been reaching for this palette like crazy because it just gets the job done.

To complete my eye look I trace my water line with a black eyeliner pencil from a company called 'Starlet' and then apply one coat of both Maybelline's Mega Plush & Colossal Mascaras.

A step that I barely ever miss is concealing/highlighting. Again, the concealer used to do this process changes all of the time but for the past couple of weeks I have been OBSESSED with Maybelline Instant Age rewind in the lightest shade. It gives me extra coverage AND highlights all in one.

Next, I bronze and color my cheeks with Benefit Hoola (I use this everyday and I still  have not hit pan on it, Amazing right? ) and NYX blush in Mauve.

Lastly, what I consider to be the most important step: my lips. I line a little outside of my natural lip line with MAC's Whirl and then fill them in with MAC's Cosmo. This lip combo is perfection and long wearing.

And, voila I no longer look like a corpse!

Lorac Glosses | Why I Love Them

Ever since I was around 13 or 14 and getting into makeup Lorac Cosmetics was just one of those brands that I loved but couldn't buy because at the time they were too expensive, but as I grew older and started working- you better believe that I have splurged my fair share of times.
Whether they came in Kits or have been bought individually, their glosses have really grown to be products that I LOVE. The pigmentation is honestly out of this world, and the lasting power is truly amazing.

Above I have three glosses that I love and have been using a ton this Summer. The top one is called 'Retro' and it's from their Couture Shine line, this one I would have to say has the strongest lasting power. I have applied this before going to work around noon and then checked up on it around 5 and it is still there. It is very shiny, although a bit sticky but that's something that has never bothered me.

The second one is called 'Ruby Lustre' and it's from their Lip Lustre Gloss line, I purchased this one on a whim when Lorac was 50% off at Sephora and I was really excited when I bought it because If you look closely enough at the first picture it has some light shimmer reflects inside of if and it really reminds me of China Glaze's Ruby Pumps nail polish- which I love. Then when I tried it on in the car because I was so happy I couldn't wait to get home, I noticed that it took two coats to get the pigmentation shown above which was perfectly okay with me. Later on that night I was messing about with some colors and noticed that this gloss looks amazing above any red lipstick, and that's when I knew for sure I had purchased a winner.

Last but not least Is a gloss that came along with the Mint Palette that was exclusively sold at Ulta and then Hautelook in the color 'Christian' from their Lips With Benefits line. This one is probably my favorite one, I just simply adore the color, it goes beautifully over MAC'S Candy Yum Yum and it's just an overall really fun and bright color to put on when you're going out to run some errands during the day or on top of a lipstick when going out at night.

I hope this was a helpful review to any of you who are wanting to try out Lorac Glosses!
I don't know about you all but I have REALLY been wanting to try out their PRO Matte Lip Colors; right up my alley!

Casual Summer Day | OOTD #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is just and easy summer outfit that can be interchangeable with different pieces, and easily brought from a day to night look. The shirt itself is very versatile, if paired like shown above it s ideal to be worn on a hot day out where errands need to be made but you still don't want to look like you're careless. Equally as easy, this shirt can be paired with black shorts and some strappy sandals and worn out to dinner which is why I love it so much especially during Florida's summer heat.
These High waisted shorts are my everything during summer; I took them on my cruise and wore them both days; they are SO comfortable, it had taken me a good while to finally invest in a pair but I'm really glad I did.

Outfit Details:
Top- Wet Seal
Shorts- Wet Seal
Cross body- Arizona
Shoes- Calvin Klein

Makeup Details:
Foundation- Rimmel Wake Me Up
Concealer- Rimmel True Match
Brows- Kelly Osbourne MAC Duo
Eye shadow- Naked Palette
Mascara- Rimmel Lash Accelerator
Eyeliner- Urban Decay 24/7 'zero'
Setting Powder- Rimmel Stay Matte
Bronzer- Benefit Hoola
Blush- Bare Minerals 'Rose Gold' loose powder
Lips- Mac Ruby Woo

Elma & Sana | My Skin Care Power Couple

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lately I've been trying to pay a closer look at all of the products that I am applying on to my face, making sure that the amount of ingredients on the label isn't more than the amount of items on my families grocery list.
I had a small .03 oz sample of the Josie Maran Argan Oil and absolutely fell in love with it! The formula, the results, everything- was just amazing. BUT, the price was NOT for me. So, I did a little searching on Amazon and came across the Elma & Sana 100% Argan Oil for just $10! Now, I know that the price is near dirt cheap which is making you believe that the product isn't any good but I promise it is better than what I am describing, Part of the reason why the Josie Maran Argan Oil is in the $40 range is because 1) It's a well known brand whose prices inflate as its fame spreads and 2) Although it was luxurious, the smell is artificial which makes me believe that it is not as pure as they make us believe. This Elma & Sana Argan Oil has the exact same texture and effects with the exception of the smell which is 100% odorless.

While looking at the Argan Oil I saw that the Rose Water was among my suggestions at the bottom of the page. Elma & Sana claims that it:

Soothes skin tones and leaves skin feeling soft like silky rose petals

Ant-wrinkle and anti-aging

100% pure Moroccan rose water

It is suitable for all skin types including dry skin, oily skin and aging skin

No artificial ingredients and is renowned as the most traditional of all facial cleansers

Although I don't think it is strong enough to cleanse my skin from a long day out I do think it is a great toner, keeps my skin feeling fresh, and brightens my skin tone.

I do have a set daily skincare routine that these two are not a part of because I don't think my skin is that sensitive at the moment to the point where I need to use these extremely gentle products but I do however use these 1-2 times a week when I have actual facials. After I've steamed, exfoliated, and masked my face, I will take a cotton round and gently dab the rose water all over my face and neck when I know my pores are still slightly open and the skin is fresh. I feel immediately rejuvenated; maybe it's the smell or the actual formulation but I feel so relaxed and luxurious after using this that I consider it to be liquid gold. Not much is needed, and there's no need to rub on the skin.

After Applying the rose water I like to just cool off my face with my hands for a minute or two just to make sure that the rose water is sticking to my skin and then I'll apply about a nickel sized amount of Argan oil to my fingertips, warm it up in my hands, and pat it on my face and neck. This is an amazing moisturizer for after masks and exfoliation because your skin is left pretty raw without natural oils therefore it is in need of some momentary substitutes.
- Aside from using the Argan Oil on my face I also enjoy using it on the ends of my hair, on my legs, and when I do manicures. It is truly a multipurpose product and that is what I love most about it.

If any of you all are interested in some organic products I would Highly recommend Elma & Sana who can be found on Amazon. I'm actually looking into purchasing one of their clay masks next :)

One Brand Haul | Rimmel

The other day I was out running errands and felt like spontaneously buying makeup but for once I decided not to venture out through the various isles and just focused on one brand. I'd never done this before so I chose to go with the brand that I knew least about which in this case was Rimmel. The way I went about it was buying enough products from the brand that could potentially create a makeup look and therefore give me somewhat of an idea as to what the overall potential of the brand is. I didn't buy eye shadow because that is the only product from Rimmel that I did previously own and I find it to be pigmented and long lasting although the shimmer in the eye shadows comes off to be too chunky therefore needs to be applied with a light hand.

 I stepped out today for a few hours in the morning and decided to apply all of these products and really test them out in the dry Florida heat and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

I applied the primer all over my face concentrating particularly on my T-zone, cheeks, and chin - placed the concealer under my eyes and on the places where I wanted to highlight - then patted the Stay Matte powder all over. This is something that I wouldn't do if I were going to work or out somewhere for several hours but I would use these steps if I were just running errands like I did today or going off to my college classes.

Afterwards, I applied the Kohl eye liner that came along with the mascara on the outer part of my water line not reaching my inner corner and applied two coats of the mascara. I find that the Lash Accelerator reminds me A LOT of Benefit's "They're real" which is awesome considering that there's a large price difference.

I lined my lips with the "070 Enchantment" lip liner and filled it in with the Kate Moss lip stick in "107". I can tell you right now that I am OBSESSED with this lip combo; I've worn it two days in a row (Last night, and this morning) and it is just so beautiful it makes my lips look juicy and plump and totally ties the whole look together making up for the lack of foundation and blush- which by the way I think Rimmel is the only brand I've seen at the drugstore that does not have blushers. How weird is that?

Top Swatch is the Kate Moss lipstick in '107'
Bottom Swatch is the lip liner in '070 Enchantment'

I'm enjoying testing out this mascara, the formulation is a bit wet but it's something I can get used to considering the volume and length that it adds to my lashes.

I was really impressed with this eye liner when I first swatched it because as you can tell it is very black and the formulation was smooth- I didn't feel it tug my water line.
But when I wore it today I realized about three hours after applying it that it had completely disappeared. It didn't smear anywhere or form those little black spots on the corners on my eyes but it literally just vanished, all that was left was my mascara! I'm upset hat it didn't last but I'm impressed that it didn't smear. Make sense?

Overall I think that this brand is affordable and reliable, the Stay Matte powder along with the primer prevented my face from looking oily, The concealer did not crease, the lipstick did not budge until I ate in the afternoon, and the mascara looked flawless up until a few hours ago that I washed it off with ease.

I plan on doing more hauls like this one both drugstore and high end because it persuades me to try different products from the same brands! It was a lot of fun trying to figure out which products I should buy and I look forward to doing it again really soon :)

Mascara Duo of the Moment

Maybellines's Colossal Mascara & Lorac's Pro Mascara are pretty amazing on their own but together they make up a beautiful combination.
The Colossal Mascara is extremely volumizing but has a very wet formula which I hate and the Pro Mascara is ridiculously lengthening but has no other function.
The way I work with these two is by adding one coast of each starting with the Pro Mascara. I tried it the other way around but the wet formulation from the Colossal mascara was still smudging on my eye shadow.

I love the wand on the Pro Mascara because the smaller tip allows me to get into the inner corners of my lashes and my bottom lashes which is perfect!

Even though I loathe the wet formulation, I have to give it to Maybelline for fiving true black mascaras, the pigmentation is thick and long lasting.

And this is the final outcome!

Empties | #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I decided to start saving my trash to show the general public- I was actually really excited to do it; most of the time people say that they enjoy doing 'Empties' posts because they get to give good & Honest reviews which is true but that's not necessarily the motivational factor behind mine.

Being a blogger, or being someone that is generally interested in trying products for the hell of it is probably the most fun part of my day. But, I sometimes forget how much money actually goes into my hobby so I decided to do empties posts in order to encourage myself to actually get through the products I was excited about for a solid week and a half and then just tossed into my pile.

 

A lot of face-palming also goes into these posts as I recall every interesting or not so interesting product that I have used up and did not include for example my gazillion candles, eye makeup removers, etc.

Just know that I'm mentally prepared for the next one.

 

Recently I've used quite a bit of stuff (for me anyway).

I used to be in love with the Aveeno Night cream because of its delicious smell and I honestly noticed a difference in my skin but I feel like with all good things they must sadly come to an end and towards the end of this products life I just didn't notice that it was doing anything for me anymore; I just used it up because I didn't want to toss it without completely using it. Especially since it is one of the pricier products in the drugstore- I believe that this cost me around $17-21.



Bath and Body Works candles are my life line; I depend on them for serenity and a fresh smelling home which is why when I took a sniff out of Paris Daydream I completely fell in love and bought two. Every time I smell this candle it makes me wish I was a princess. So fresh and feminine.

Simple Cleansing Wipes. Need I say more? I have tried the Neutrogena ones and I enjoyed them but the simple ones take the cake in my opinion. They are so smooth and refreshing I sometimes just wipe my face with them in the middle of the day even if I'm not wearing any make up- simply for the cooling effect.

The Ion Inspired by Nature Intense Hydrating Masque was just like any regular conditioner to me as opposed to actual masques that I own. It was a bit thicker but when applied to the hair it felt just the same. I don't feel like it improved or worsened my hair. This product isn't anything that I can't live without.

Same goes for the Dove Shampoo although I will say that it made my hair smell really good and clean! My boyfriends mom actually left it in my shower and I decided to use it up instead of letting it go to waste.

On the other hand, she also left the White Musk Body Wash from The Body Shop and I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS STUFF. I will always and forever buy this. It's a sophisticated, sexy, and empowering scent. Honestly this should be considered as aromatherapy.

And lastly, Victoria's Secret body wash in Sky Bright; I enjoyed using the product because it lathered well but I used it up fairly quickly and I'm not sure why. Usually it takes me a while to get through them but this literally lasted like 3 weeks. I think I will repurchase it if it's on sale one day but I'm not going to haul ass to the store and pick one up immediately.

Hope you enjoyed, my garbage!