TAG: 10 Little Secrets Tag

1. What is one product that makes you feel like a million dollars?

Mascara in general is a bit of a vice for me, but the Organic Wear mascara from Physician's Formula is definitely a product that makes me feel like a million bucks! Even if I decide against wearing a full face of makeup, I don't feel totally undone if I'm wearing this mascara. It lengthens my lashes so well. Love, love, love! 

2. What is your skincare secret?/A passed down skin care tip?

I am probably one of the worst people to ask this question to because I do a HORRIBLE job of taking care of my skin! Most frequently, I will take my makeup off with a remover wipe and then go to bed without washing my face. OOPS!

3. Share your hair care secret?
I have had a few bad haircuts in my lifetime...and when I say a few, I mean most of the cuts I've ever had have been horrible. I have always had a hard time walking into a salon and telling someone exactly what I want so I would say "Oh sure, do whatever you think would look good!" I know, I know. I only have myself to blame. Anyways, after a particularly negative experience, I just quit going to the salon all together. I went several years without so much as a trim. When I finally mustered up the courage to go back they had to take a significant amount of hair because my ends were so damaged. I had to learn the hard way that regular haircuts are the most effective way to get your hair to grow and look healthy. Bottom line? If you've had a bad haircut, don't shy away from salons all together; get back in the saddle. Just be more direct about what you want and if it's not what you hoped for, don't be afraid to ask them to fix it! You're paying for the service. You may as well have what you envisioned.

4. What is your biggest diet rule?

Personally, I don't believe in dieting. As soon as you stop "dieting" and revert back to your old eating habits, you're going to gain the weight back ten fold. So when I am trying to loose weight, I never restrict myself from eating things that I love. The idea is that if allow yourself to eat enough to satisfy the craving, you won't have a full on meltdown and over indulge. This isn't to say that you should eat junk all the time, but everything in moderation is acceptable.

5. Any workout tips?

Don't kill yourself. Everything will come with time. Obviously, if you're working out for the first time, you probably aren't going to be able to run 10 miles or lift 100lbs. It doesn't mean that you won't ever get there...just that you aren't there yet. That being said, don't be afraid to test your limits and challenge yourself. Just let your body guide you in the right direction. Rest when you need to, etc.

6. Which perfume is your secret weapon?
I absolutely swear by "Be Delicious" by DKNY. I have been wearing it for 4 years and I have yet to find a scent that even comes close! I'm not really into floral scents so this perfume works perfectly for me.

7. A clothing item of yours which always turns heads?
I am not they type of person to push boundaries with my wardrobe. I wear a lot of muted colors and jeans. Lame answer, I know. I'm sorry!

8. What is your most treasured piece of jewelery?

Lindsay, my older sister, studied abroad in college. She brought me back the most beautiful earrings from Scotland. They are heart shaped and they have the Celtic symbol at the top. Sadly, I took them off absentmindedly one evening and the dog got a hold of them. Now they're misshaped and the clasps are broken so I have to take them to the jeweler so see if they can be fixed. :(

9. Who is your style crush?

Lauren Conrad. Her style is so flawless! Anything you see her wearing, I would probably wear myself. Her line for Kohl's is gorg.

10. Tell us something we don't know about you.
I LOVEEE Joan Rivers. I think she is wildly hilarious and I am dying to see a live show. If you have never seen her stand up videos, definitely look them up online. She is the ultimate diva!

TAG: My Makeup Story

1. How old were you when you started wearing makeup?
I have been wearing makeup since I was in middle school (probably 7th or 8th grade)...But I've only been wearing it correctly for about 6 months. I never took the time to learn technique or form. It never seemed important to me, which is funny considering how much of my time is devoted to it now through blogging, etc.

2. How did you get into makeup?
My interest in makeup came from watching my older sister over the past couple of years. The whole time she was away at college I would look at pictures she posted on her Facebook page and think how gorgeous she always looked. When she graduated and moved back home 2 years ago, I started asking questions and picking up tips here and there from her. Then, about 6 months ago, she turned me onto the beauty community online.

3. What are some of your favorite brands? 
I recently started purchasing MAC products, and love them! I also really love NARS blushes, though I don't own any of my own. For drug store makeup, I LOVE NYX. In fact, I'd have to say that NYX is my all time favorite makeup brand. I've mentioned them on my blog several times before and my feelings have definitely not changed. They offer great, great products at awesome prices and I have loved just about everything I've tried from them.

4. What does makeup mean to you?
Makeup means freedom of expression and the ability to become whoever you want. At least at a surface level.

5. If you could only wear 4 products on your face what would they be?
Foundation--because you can always double it up over problem areas in place of concealer.
Blush--because I'm very fair toned and I need color.
Mascara--because I have really long lashes but they're blonde so they're hard to see without mascara. Also, I feel like mascara can really make or break a look.
Lipgloss--because you always need something on your lips and if you find something with good pigmentation you don't need lipstick.

6. What is your favorite thing about makeup?
To me, makeup is an art form. It's a way to express yourself or how you're feeling. I love that you can literally transform your face.

7. What do you think about drugstore makeup vs high end makeup?
I don't own a lot of high end makeup. Not because I don't want to, but because I can't justify spending the money on it at this phase in my life. The majority of the makeup I own is from the drugstore and I love it. I also feel like with either type, you're going to have hits and misses. You just have to find what works for you and go with it.

8. What is one tip of advice you can give to a beginner?
Take your time and don't get frustrated if a look you're trying to recreate doesn't come out perfectly on your first try. Just like anything else you've had to learn in your life, this takes time and patience but you'll get there!

9. What is one makeup trend you never understood?
Lipstick shades 100x lighter than your natural skin tone. No, that is not a nude lip, ma'am. You look like you died...twice.

10. What do you think about the beauty community on YouTube/Blogger?
I think that it's a great place to meet new people and learn about new products, as well as  new techniques. However, like I've mentioned 100x before, there is a lot of hate and cyber bullying that occurs and I think that's truly sad. If you don't like someone, don't watch their videos or read their blog...pretty simple! Overall, I attribute a lot of what I've learned to watching videos--so I think it's great.

BEAUTY:March 2012 Favorites

I've decided to jump on the "Monthly Favorites" bandwagon! I love learning about new products through others' posts, so I hope that you guys enjoy learning about some of my top picks, too!

If I haven't mentioned this in past posts, I am new to the makeup scene. I just started my collection about two months ago. Because my collection is so new, I have had the opportunity to test out so many products. What better way to showcase them than in a MF?! (:

So let's just jump right in!

March 2012:

ELF Eyelid Primer

  
I absolutely love the eyelid primer from eyeslipsface! It acts as a base and helps my eyeshadow go on smoothly. And it's a steal, for only $1, to boot! You can find the ELF eyelid primer at Target or here.

NYX 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette in "Caviar & Bubbles"

 






I find myself reaching for this palette by NYX almost every day. It is filled with beautiful neutral tones. Another great thing about this particular palette is that it has both matte & shimmer eyeshadows, making it incredibly easy to create multiple looks--all with one palette! I paid $10.99 for the NYX 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette at Ulta. You can also purchase this palette here. 

Wet n' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio in "Walking On Eggshells"

If I'm not using my NYX palette, mentioned above, I am typically using this trio from Wet n' Wild. This is my first Wet n' Wild product and I didn't expect much because everything from the line is priced so reasonably. I was pleasantly surprised when I tried this product for the first time. The shadows have fairly good pigmentation and good staying power. I paid $2.99 for this trio at CVS. You can also find it at Walgreens and here.

Ulta Cheek Color in "Sweet Cheeks"

If you guys saw my 1st Ulta Haul, you know I picked up 3 Ulta blushes. My favorite of the lot was "Sweet Cheeks." I'm very fair complected and this shade looks great with my skin tone. It's a lightweight formula with great pigmentation that lasts all day. I cannot say enough good things about this blush! I will definitely purchase this again when I run out. It's quickly becoming one of my "Holy Grail" products. You can pick up this blush at Ulta or here.

Almay One Coat Dial Up Mascara in "Blackest Black"

My sister got me this mascara for Christmas and it has proven to be the only dependable mascara that I own. It has 3 settings, giving you the choice of just how full you want your lashes to be. I keep my dial at 3 and it gives my lashes incredible length and color.  I love knowing that when I put this on in the morning, it's going to last me throughout the entire day. Seeing as how I got this mascara for Christmas, I'm not sure how much it costs. However, I do know that you can buy it anywhere Almay is sold; such as WalMart, CVS, Walgreens, etc.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in "14"

I find that I am consistently drawn to neutral shades of lipstick. For whatever reason, I find both bright and dark shades to be intimidating. When I saw this lipstick by Rimmel London, I thought it was absolutely gorgeous but opted not to buy it. For days I thought about how beautiful it was, and how badly I wished I would have picked it up...so I ended up going back for it! I am so glad that I did. This is my all time favorite lipstick. It is a gorgeous nude color. It goes on very smoothly and is great for an every day look. I paid about $5 for this lipstick at WalMart. You can also find it here.

That concludes my March 2012 Monthly Favorites! I hope that you guys enjoyed learning about my makeup preferences. If you have any questions about the items listed in this post, feel free to comment. 

  

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Swatch:

Top: "14" by Rimmel London

Bottom: "Sweet Cheeks" by ULTA

BEAUTY: Small Ulta Haul

             Current Score:

                   Ulta: 2

                   Lauren: 0

Was I seriously naive enough to believe that I could go into Ulta just to "kill time"...?! Uhm, no. Clearly not a possibility. Hahaha, but seriously. Never. Going. To. Happen. 

So, here's what I gotttt:

1.Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman "Starter Set" [Purple]

2.Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman "Core Collection" [Gold]

3.NYX 10 Color Eye Shadow Palette "Versus"-Runway Collection

4.NYX 10 Color Eye Shadow Palette "Caviar & Bubbles"-Runway Collection 

5.NYX HD Photogenic Concealer "Fair" 

6.NYX Mega Shine Lipgloss "French Kiss"

7.NYX Mega Shine Lipgloss "Sugar Pie"

8.EOS Lip Balm "Summer Fruit"

1 & 2. Every girl needs a good quality set of brushes, no? I HIGHLY recommend the Real Techniques line. They are fairly priced and they're great quality. I have been eyeing a set of Sigma brushes, but I haven't been able to convince myself to splurge on them. These are a great alternative. Each set was $15.99. [These sets, as well as other RT brushes, can be purchased at Ulta or Here.]

3&4. These NYX palettes were the reason I wandered into Ulta in the first place. I have heard such great things about the NYX line and everything they sell is insanely affordable. I had seen both of these palettes on a previous trip to Ulta but decided not to pick them up. I went home that night and got on the NYX website, drooled over them for about an hour, but again decided not to order them. WHY?! Finally, I ended up BACK at Ulta and bought them both. Each palette was $10.99. [These NYX palettes, and MANY others, can be purchased at Ulta or Here.]

5. The only concealer that I owned before I bought the NYX HD Photogenic Concealer was a Cover Stick by NYC in "Light"...I'm seriously considering doing an NYC products review, for multiple reasons--but that's a blog for another day. Anyways, I wanted to find a better quality concealer that wasn't going to cost me an arm and a leg. This concealer will be swatched below. This concealer was $5.50. [This NYX concealer can be purchased at Ulta or Here.]

6&7. I'm just going to be honest. My lipgloss collection is seriously lame. I have a Bare Minerals gloss and a Plump Your Pucker by The Balm...that's about it, with the exception of two CoverGirl glosses that were given to me by my sister and a Beauty Rush gloss from Victoria's Secret. So when I came across the NYX lipglosses, I just had to pick a couple up. NYX has an awesome color selection but I'm really into nude lips or occasionally a soft pink, so these two colors were perfect for me. They will be swatched below. Each gloss was $5.50. [These NYX glosses, and many others, can be purchased at Ulta or Here.]

8. I bought my first EOS product with my last haul. I had originally wanted the "Summer Fruit" scent because I had heard so many good things about it on YouTube, but they were sold out when I went so I got "Honeysuckle Honeydew." I ended up really loving the one that I bought and I was elated when I saw that they had the scent I had originally wanted this time around. I have to say...EWE. I'm sorry guys, I just don't understand the hype. I don't really care for the scent. I seem to be the only one on the planet, because my sister, best friend and husband all love it! I love the conditioning feeling of these lip balms, but I'll stick to my Honeysuckle Honeydew from now on! This EOS lip balm was $3.59. [This EOS lip balm, and many others, can be purchased at Ulta or Here.]

I really hope that you guys enjoyed this haul! I am going to the outlet mall with my mother in law on Thursday, so look for a big haul from that soon! If you have any questions or comments about any of the products I got, feel free to comment below!

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Here are pictures of the eyeshadow palettes, as well as some swatches of the lipglosses and concealer. If you would be interested in seeing swatches of the eyeshadows, comment below!

Caviar & Bubbles

Versus

Top: Sugar Pie//Middle: French Kiss

TIP TUESDAY: Vaseline

 Drumroll, please!

I'm starting a series called Tip Tuesday! I wish I could say that this idea was my own, but I'm surprisingly devoid of ideas lately. I can't promise that I'll blog a Tip Tuesday every Tuesday, but I will definitely try.

This segment will be beauty related, as I'm sure at least 80% of them will be. (:

TIP: For cracked and/or damaged lips, apply a small amount of Vaseline 3-4x daily. 

I have the horrible habit of biting my bottom lip. I'm pretty sure it began as a nervous habit and has just progressed. Anyhow, my bottom lip always looked like it was peeling and that made it almost impossible to wear lipstick. Oh, the travesty! I had to try something and when I came across Vaseline at the store, I figured it was worth a shot.

I opted for a smaller container because I wasn't sure if I would like using it. I put it on immediately after I left the store and continued to apply it every couple of hours until I went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, my lips were entirely healed. I am absolutely in love! The travel size tub (1.75oz) is only $1.49 at WalMart in the travel section. It's the perfect size to keep on your vanity or makeup table, in your purse, etc.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to comment below. Until next time...

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