Beauty Wise Wednesday: My May Ipsy Bag

Sorry this post is late. I have been suffering from a horrible stomach ache and haven't really been able to function. Anyways, time to get to the exciting stuff... My May Ipsy bag!!!

This months bag is a fun blue, orange and white chevron print. I'm so in love with chevron print these days that this bag is very exciting!

(sorry for the horrible picture, my stomach ache made me not try so hard to capture a good image)

Product #1: Pacifica Coconut Crushed Pearl Luminizing Body Butter 2fl oz: Sells on their website for $7.00
Product Description: Shimmer and glow with coconut oil, pearls and sea minerals; ultra-nourishing tropical phytonutrients.
Coupon: 20% off on the Pacifica web site
First Impression: I'm super excited about this product! I absolutely loved the last Pacifica blood orange body butter I got in my first Ipsy bag so I know I will love this one. The shimmer is a fun addition for the summer!

Product #2: Pacifica Island Vanilla Perfume Roll-on .33fl oz. This is a full sized product that sells for $12 on their website.
Product Description: From their website: Sensual blend sets sweet and sultry vanilla absolute, with honey-jasmine notes and a touch of fruitiness, against a deep and beautiful base of tea.
Coupon: Same as product #1
First Impression: I'm excited I got the vanilla scent because I'm always drawn to vanilla products. This is a great size to keep in my purse!

Product #3: Juice Beauty Lip Gloss in Champagne .14oz. This is half the size of the gloss they sell on their web site so it's worth about $7.50.
Product Description: From the website: This Reflecting Gloss will give your lips the most brilliant shine on earth. The combination of antioxidant-rich berries, minerals and sweet agave will wrap your lips in radiant color
Coupon: 20% off on the Juice Beauty web site
First Impression: Pretty excited about this product as well. It's a perfect color for me, not too far out of my comfort zone. Plus it will look great over other lip products to maybe tone down their color.

Product #4: Concealer refill in the color Buff. This seems to be a full sized refill that they sell on their website for $4.85
Product Description: No real description available but a concealer doesn't really need much describing.
Coupon: 20% off the Yaby website
First Impression: This was something I wasn't sure about when I saw it in the preview pictures from the Facebook page because I wasn't sure if they would send me the correct color, but they did and I'm excited to try it out. As you know I am still on the hunt for the perfect concealer.

Not Pictured above:

Product #5: Zoya nail polish in the color Jacqueline. This is a full sized product that sells on their website for $8.00.
Product Description:  Light creamy beige has slight warm undertones and a glossy crème finish.
Coupon: Buy 2 get 1 free on the Zoya website
First Impression: I wasn't in love the color simply because it seems very similar to colors I already had and I wanted something a little different. Luckily my friend got a minty green color so we are trading. Unfortunately I have given her the polish I got but haven't gotten the one she got from her so I don't have an actual picture to share.

Total value of the bag: $39.35... Once again I only paid $10!! Such a great value and I love everything I got. Don't forget you can sign up at Ipsy.com

 

 

Beauty Wise Wednesday: April Ipsy Bag Review

My May Ipsy bag is about to be sent out tomorrow so I knew it was time to give you guys my final thoughts about my April Ipsy bag...

Product #1: Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal w/Argon oil. .85 fl oz. The full size product is $21.95 for 4.2 oz on Ulta.com. I figure that this sample size is a value of  $4.40.
Coupon Code: Save $5
Product description: Nourishing Styling Treatment. It says that it helps speed up blow drying or to reduce frizz.
Review: I love this product! the smell is so lovely; kind of a sweet and spicy vanilla scent. You need to use very little through your hair and it makes your hair so soft. I did try using it by it's self in my curly hair and it didn't really kill much of the frizz but paired with other hair products it holds up well and doesn't make my hair feel greasy. The only down side I'd say is that it's difficult to get the product out of the bottle because you can't squeeze it but I guess that is to prevent you from using too much at one time. I must say I didn't try this out to see if it reduced blow drying time but I'm willing to bet it works.

Product #2: Be a Bombshell Blush in Sweet Cheeks. This is $16 on the Be a Bombshell website.
Coupon Code: 30% off + Free eye shadow
Product Description: It's a light pink shade with a bit of a shimmer.
Review: I really like this color. It seems very bright in the package but it goes on more mellow and it gives you such a sweet pink glow. Upsetting cause the coupon code expired too quickly so I won't able to take advantage of the free eye shadow. Note for the future: take advantage asap.

Product #3: Two Cosmetics Duo Eyeshadow in Heartache. This is currently on sale on the Two Cosmetics website for $5.75.
Coupon Code: 25% off + free lip gloss
Product description: It is two shades of pink. first is a rosy pink that's matte and the other is a light shimmery pink.
Review: These are still a couple of iffy colors for me. I have used them with a variety of base colors and I still feel a bit paranoid that they are making my eyes look tired. I love the concept of sweet, romantic pink eyes so I will continue to experiment with these. Overall I'm happy to have gotten these so I could have the opportunity to play around with pinks.

Product #4: Miss Professional Nail Sation Nail Lacquer in Love at First Byte. This is $5 in the Miss Professional Nails website
Coupon Code: 20% off
Product Description: It's a bit of a salmony pink.
Review: I wore this color twice this month hoping that it would grow on me. I asked nearly everyone what they thought of the color and the rest reaction I got was that it made my fingers look like they are cold. I just wasn't really attached to the color and I probably won't choose to wear it again. It did make a great gift for my mom.

Overall I'm very happy with this months bag. I truly have not real complaint about my ipsy bags so far. I look forward to next months bag, the teasers they've shown on their Facebook page look pretty exciting!

If you are interested in joining Ipsy let me know and I can send you a referral. Of course this is for selfish reasons... I can get a free eye shadow or bracelet with two referrals! If you don't want a referral I still encourage you to sign up. $10 a month is totally worth all the fun products you get to try out.

Beauty Wise Wednesday: Face wash

Happy Wednesday everyone!!

Silly me, I kept thinking it was Saturday because I had two days off in a row. Today Mat and I both had the day off together so of course we had to make the most of it. I actually was able to sleep in till nearly 8am because Mat got up early and got Sloane up and dressed before I had to wake up! It's so nice to have him home in the mornings. After looking out the window and seeing that it wasn't likely to rain we decided to head to Green Lake in Seattle (our favorite park).

As we were driving there I thought of what I wanted to write my blog about. FACE WASH!! I have used the same face wash for years. I grew up with quite an acne problem and had serious self image issues because of it. While in my need to become more girly and high maintenance I thought I would try out a new face wash. I didn't have much direction but every night at work I noticed a face wash that was on sale and finally one night I bought it.

L'Oreal Youth Code: Youth Regenerating Skincare Foaming Gel Cleanser: This foaming gel cleanser gently exfoliates and removes impurities down to every last trace of eye make up, without over drying. Skin will become luminous, smooth and younger looking with continues use. $3.99 on close out at Safeway.
My Thoughts: I have used it more than several times in several different situations. I have used it in the morning in the shower, at night to remove my make up and at night after using a face wipe to remove my make up. First impression is that it has a strong smell that is pretty floral. I could have dealt with the smell if I hadn't tasted the soap while washing my face. I don't ever remember tasting my face wash before and the flavor of this face wash seemed unavoidable. it just seemed it get into my mouth every time i used it. I also feel like it didn't foam up as well as I hoped it would, I really needed to work the wash into a lather in my hands before I washed my face with it. Finally I didn't notice an youth renewal to my face, however I probably don't really have that many wrinkles to worry about. Now I have sensitive skin and have a history of patches of dry flaky skin in the T-zone so I'm not sure if it was just conscience or what but I did have a flare up on dry skin in my eye brow area while using this face wash. I continued to use it maybe once a week since and haven't had too much problem. Also I still had eye liner/mascara on my face the morning after washing it off.

Clean and Clear: Essentials foaming facial cleanser: Washes away problem-causing dirt, oil and make-up without over drying. $3.95 regular price at Walmart.
My Thoughts: This face wash has a very mild smell that probably is just a typical soap smell. I haven't ever noticed a taste to it during a normal face washing session (of course if you put it directly into your mouth I'm sure it would have a taste.) This has a nice foam that I feel like really helps with lifting the oils off my face. This cleanser also gets my face really clean feeling. I know it is possible that people might think it is too clean and it has been stripped of it's natural oils but I find with my oily-combination skin this kind of squeaky clean is really nice. Again I might be biased but since using this face wash but I really feel like it doesn't over dry my skin and I typically only get dry skin out breaks while using this face wash if I change my face lotion. I will admite this doesn't remove all my eye make up, but I have come at accept that. Maybe one day I will find an eye make up remover I love.

Overall I still favor my old trusty face wash by Clean and Clear. I think the real clincher is the fact that I can taste the L'Oreal face wash while washing my face. I also don't really enjoy the strong floral scent. On the other hand I bought one of my best friends that same face wash at the same time and she said she really enjoys it. She, however, also has the face hydrating system that she bought on clearance for $20 at Target, that might make a difference. I wil note also that while writing this blog post I looked up both face washes on the Walmart web site, just to get the pricing and I saw that the L'Oreal face wash got a much higher rating. Ever face wash and how you like it is a very personal thing so I wouldn't take my opinion at a be all end all.

What face wash do you use? I think it is possible that there is another face wash out there that I will love even more, I just haven't tried it yet. Also what eye make up remover do you use. I think it has become clear that I need to find one I like.

Beauty Wise Wednesday: January Ipsy Review

It's the beginning of a new month and that means that I get to look forward to getting my next Ipsy bag. I'm pretty excited about this next one. I'm able to see previews from their facebook page and it's all make up. I won't spoil what they are until I write my unveiling of it.

Before I get my new bag, however, I want to share my reviews of the products from my first Ipsy bag in January.

**Product #1: SOHO Crease brush: $8.50 on sohobeauty.com

Review: I was very excited to get a brush in this months bag. I have a minimal collection of brushes so this was a great addition. It is pretty fluffy so it was hard to really get a defined area. I did enjoy using it however and maybe it just takes a bit more getting used to. Not sure if I would buy these brushes again, I want to try some other brands first.

**Product #2: Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play 1.5oz:$10.18 on verbenaproducts.com

Review: I typically don't wear hair spray I actually only tried this once this month. I found that it had a great hold for my entire 8 hour shift at work yet didn't feel too crunchy. Also when I pulled my hair back into a pony tail after it didn't flake or powder. I think I would like to try out some of their other products for sure.

**Product #3: Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange BodyButter 2.5oz: $7 on pacificaperfume.com

Review: I can't say enough great things about this lotion! It has the most amazing, fresh scent! I got so many compliments on the smell throughout the month. It also does a great job at moisturizing. Soaks quickly into the skin and doesn't leave an annoying oily finish that I'm not a fan of. I think I will be using the discount they gave to buy more products. I want to check out their candles for sure, if they smell as great as the lotion they will be amazing.

**Product #4: Nailtini nail lacquer in Frappe: $13 on tinibeauty.com

Review: I really enjoyed this nail polish. It was very smooth going on. I liked the brush, it made it easy to paint my nail in just a few strokes (I have large nail beds and that is important.) I only wore it once this month but when I did it seemed to last a good amount of time without chipping. I think I will for sure be using the discount I got in the Ipsy bag.

**Product #5: Josie Maran %100 pure Argan oil .17oz: .5oz is $14 on sephora.com ~$2.80 for this sample size.

Review: Now this product was a new concept for me. I have always shied away from oils cause I have combination shin. I wanted to try it out as a face moisturiser mostly. I took me a while to figure out the right amount to apply. The oil goes on smoothly and actually doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy at all. I have dry patches of skin in the T zone and although this product says it is good for all skin types I didn't feel like it helped with the dry skin at all. I started putting on a night moisturizing cream to help with the dry skin. Overall I don't think I would purchase this product. It is pretty pricey and I think I can find other products that do a better job. I'll use the rest of the sample as a cuticle oil.

Overall I was very happy with my first Ipsy Bag! It was so much fun to try things that I wouldn't have tried on my own. I can't wait to get my next bag and share it with all of you!

Me Manifesto

So have you been wondering why I blog. I know some people think it's so weird that I want to write about my life for all to share. There are many reasons why I blog and there are many things I want to accomplish with my blog.

I've always enjoyed writing. Now I'm the first to admit that technically I'm not the very best writer. I am not a good speller and I despise taking the time to proof read (something I am working on) That being said modern spell check has helped me in school and I typically get very good grades in my English classes. In fact in collage a teacher thought I had taken the lesser English class just so that I could be with Mat.  I have always written a journal and I love writing random poems.

I love having a record of my life that I can go back to look at as many times as I wish. Believe it or not I go back into photo albums and scrap books and old blogs so much. It's just so much fun to have something to help you remember the details of your favorite memories. It even helps you remember things you didn't even realize you had forgotten. It seems even more important now that I have Sloane to record our memories. Time is going to go by faster than I even realize and I would be so fun to look back at things that I was thinking about at this time.

I like connecting with people. I enjoy reading other people's blogs but I've noticed that some mommy or beauty blogs talk like they are experts. Now don't get me wrong I need those expert bloggers but I think my blog is more of a way for me to share my discovery of new things and a way to ask questions.

So where do I want to go with my blog you ask? I'm not really sure, but I'd like to see how far I can go. I'd love to be able to get a good amount of readers so that I get my questions answered in the form of comments. I'd also love to be able to host a give away to more people than just my friends and family. I want to connect with people from all over the world! I just admire the blogger community out there. I'd love to go to BlogHer one day, although it seems a bit expensive.

I'm thinking I'll read this book I've heard of called Blog Inc. to see just how far I can take thing blog thing.

So all you bloggers out there, do you have any tips for me?

Beauty Wise Wednesday: My make up routine

As I mentioned last week, I want to tell you what my beauty routine is right now so that we can see how it changes through the year. Now as I have said before, I am not expert with make up but I really want to class up my look.

First I start with foundation and for that I just use Cover Girl Aquasmooth in creamy natural. This is a liquid to powder type compact foundation that I put on with just a make up sponge. I have been using this for quite a while and I really do enjoy how smooth it goes on and how long it lasts. There are a few foundations I will be trying out once I run out of this.

I, then, put on concealer. This is a new addition to my make up routine but I really like the effect it gives to my face, hiding flaws. I currently use Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch in Radiant. This is the foundation I reviewed in the past. I will be looking to try out some other concealers this year. Hopefully I'll get a couple to try in an Ipsy bag.

I finish off these with a powder to seal the foundation and concealer. For this I currently use Clinique Gentle Light Powder in 05 Glow. This is also an added step to my routine even though I have had this powder for years. I just recently figured out how to use it. It's a loose powder and it has a very light shimmer to it that gives me a glowing look. I need to get myself a powder brush cause right now I'm currently using a travel blush brush.

If I'm going out for a night or want my make up to last for a longer amount of time I have three primers I use. The POREfessional by Benefit, "That Gal" brightening face primer by benefit and Stay Don't Stray eyeshadow primer by Benefit. I have these in small sample sizes that I got as a Christmas gift the year before last. That just shows how often I use those eh?

I then, move onto my eyes. I do have a few eye shadows to play around with but nothing compared to probably most girls out there. I typically start out with a base color and I stick to safe neutrals, then add a darker color to my crease, usually a black or brown. If I'm feeling frisky I might do a dark purple in my crease. I really want to try branching out into other colors and doing more with my eyes.

I also put on eye liner and right now all I have is Cover Girl Perfect Blend pencil crayon. I usually apply a thin line on the top and bottom lash lines then smudge them a bit with the smudger on the pencil. I'll finish my eyes with mascara and right now I only have Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express in Blackest Black. I'm realizing that I'm not really loving this mascara so I really want to try out a few to really find what works for me.

For blush I use Mac in Coygirl a sheer tone blush. I have had this blush for a while too and would love to expand my collection once I get more comfortable with make up. I think part of me feels over done when I wear make up, but I'm quickly learning to get over that.

I also own just one lip product, Revlon Lip Butter in 025 Peach Parfait. This is a new product to me I have learned about from YouTube videos and I really enjoy using it. It goes on very smooth and isn't too crazy of a color. I swear, I used to think lipstick was a joke. I never really thought I'd able to pull off any shade. I'm hoping to figure out a few shades to enjoy.

Now for brushes I have the saddest collection out there I'm sure. My best brushes are the SOHO crease brush I got in my first Ipsy Bag and then I have a Sephora smudge and eyeliner brush that I think is the only brush I've bought and picked out for myself. The rest of my brushes are a collection of random hand me downs that I don't really know what the proper use is for them. I also have two eye lash curlers that I don't really use much. One is a black plastic curler from Sephora and another is a typical metal one by La Cross.

So this is my make up routine. Nothing too exciting, I just have a basic structure down. I'm hoping to discover better products that work with my skin and coloring. I'm excited to take you on this path of discovery with me and I hope you will be able to help me along the way.



What are your favorite products and what is a beauty "must have" that you would suggest I try out?

Beauty Wise Wednesday: a simple quick post

Today has been a bit of a stressful day so I don't have the energy to blog much today. I wanted to blog about how I do my make up now so that I can see how much it changes by the end of the year so I'll save that for an upcoming blog. Instead I think I'll post a few inspirational pictures from my Pintrest showing where I would like my style to go this year.

Basically I just want to add more style and color. I need to add accessories to my outfits with feminine details. I feel like to reach this goal I will need to lose this baby weight so that I can fit clothes that are this cute. I also want to commit to buying quality items.  I have learned over the years is that you definatly get what you pay for. Paying a bit more, for a quality items that will last longer is something that I think is important at this point in my life. Now lets just hope I can remind myself of that when I see the price tags while shopping.

Beauty Wise Wednesday: Nail Polish Review

I want to start experimenting with beauty products but in an affordable way. To keep me motivated I've decided to bring my blog readers along for the ride as I discover new products. **A bit of a disclaimer I am extremely inexperienced with beauty products.** As a teenager I loved doing all my friends make up and hair but as I grew older and started paying for things on my own I discovered how expensive beauty products can be. I got discouraged from trying new things because I would spend the money on a product and then discover I didn't like it and be frustrated that I was out the money. As I move forward in my career and as an adult I realize how important your appearance can be (as shallow as it may sound) so I am going to try and find my own style, while reviewing products on my blog.

My first beauty product review is a simple one. NYC nail polish in 212 Mulberry Street. This is a sparkly nude tone. This nail polish says it claims it will dry in a minute and I have to say it lives up to it's claim. I love that because I have to do my nails between feeding Sloane and with a regular nail polish it would never be dry enough by the time she started getting fussy.

I painted two coats on my nails and then soon after took a shower. Now I will say there was a little bit of marking on my nails from the shower but not nearly as much as a regular polish. I painted a third coat on after my shower and my nails looked flawless. (well as flawless as I can get them) The polish is thin so it will dry quickly and it goes on quite smoothly.  It is a nice light pearl color with just a mild sparkle, which I really like and think would be a great color for any occasion.

The nail polish lasted a week without chipping. I then decided to change my nail color so I'm not sure just how long the polish would last but I'm thinking till it wore off, rather than chipping. The next nail polish I put on wasn't a quick dry and it was a disaster! Sloane of course woke up just as I was getting my nails done. I redid them once she was asleep again, let them dry (or so I thought) and went to bed. When I woke up I had imprints in the polish. Looks like I'll be sticking with the quick dry stuff for now on.

What is your favorite nail polish and why?