Where Have I Been?

Wow I haven't posted in a while! I am incredibly stressed out still. I am not doing too well in a lot of my classes and I'm worried that it will affect what colleges accept me. But, I believe everything will work out.

I am going to try to do a giveaway sometime soon, hopefully before Christmas but it might end up being after.

Keeping me entertained and quite distracted, stumbleupon has been my favorite website ever. If you haven't heard of it, say hello to procrastination. I'd like to think it's part of the reason I'm doing poorly right now but I know it's probably just me being slack.

I hope everything is going well for everyone :) try to stay un-stressed.

credit

Oh and happy December! I do feel a little better now that it's approaching Christmas, because Christmas always makes me happy.

I finished Breakfast at Tiffany's so I'll do either a review or a book/movie comparison. Let me know which one you would rather see!

Hope everyone is doing well :) Have a great beginning of December!

Against the Grain

Hudson - Against The Grain from Dropbear on Vimeo.

Happy Monday :)

My Winter Skincare Must Haves

My skin always gets a little drier in the winter months, but this year it just FREAKED out for some reason. I've never had such dry skin in my life (mainly on my face).

I had to change 2 main things in my makeup/skincare regimen: my cleanser and my foundation.

I was using the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, which worked well for my skin in the summer (it get's dehydrated a lot), and MAC Pro Longwear foundation. My skin was starting to get very dry when it started getting cold, but once I switched from my Revlon Colorstay foundation to MAC Pro Longwear, my skin was very unhappy.

But on the bright side, I think I found the products that make my winter skin happy!

1. Mario Badescu Facial Spray- I've been using this since the summer, and it just works wonders. I only use night cream every other day, and in between days I just spray my face with this before I go to bed. I learned this trick on Youtube: If your skin gets little flakies on it throughout the day, take a makeup brush (stippling, powder, foundation, or whatever), spray a little makeup setting spray on it, and brush it over the flakey part. It won't get rid of the problem completely, but it will temporarily make the flakes less noticeable.

2. Body Moisturizer- The rest of my skin also gets pretty dry in the winter, so I make sure to moisturize after I get out of the shower because the hot water tends to dry out my skin more. My favorite is the Secret Wonderland scent from Bath and Body Works!

3. Mario Badescu Collagen Moisturizer- I got this as a sample when I filled out the skin care analysis questionairre on the Mario Badescu website, and I bought the full size of it when there was a Mario Badescu Hautelook sale. This is probably one of my favorite moisturizers because it doesn't make my skin too greasy, absorbs quickly, and has an spf of 15. It also works well for me in the summer and winter so I don't have to switch moisturizers (like I did for facial cleanser).

4. Yes to Carrots Nourishing Cleanser and Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser- I had used this before but I stopped using it during the summer because my skin didn't need the extra moisture like it does in the winter. This was the main thing that saved my skin, the only dry parts I have no are around my nose and above my eyebrows, as I do year round. I am in LOVE with this cleanser during the cold months. I also bought the exfoliating cleanser to use a few time a week just to get rid of any dead skin cells.

5. A good lip butter/balm- My lips need a little extra attention in the winter time. I always keep a chapstick, lip butter, lip balm, etc., with me when I'm out and apply it when they start to feel dry. I also apply before bed and when I wake up in the morning. I have so many different ones I use I can't even choose a favorite, haha :)

6. A lip scrub- This is especially important to get all of the dead skin off your lips. If you are applying lip balm to your lips but don't get rid of the dead skin cells, the lip balm won't do much. There are tons of DIY lip scrubs you could do, but I'm kind of lazy and I use Sara Happ's the Lip Scrub.

7. Revlon Colorstay Foundation- Since I couldn't afford to get the foundation I wanted (Vapour Organic Beauty foundation), I switched back to my Revlon Colorstay for normal/dry skin. It was a lot nicer to my skin than the MAC Pro Longwear was, I'll have to use that one in the summer instead.

Well that's all of my winter skincare items. Well not all of them but the most important ones :) Does your skin get dry in the winter? What helps you keep it hydrated and healthy?

Products and Brands for Halloween Makeup

As you can probably tell from all of my Halloween related posts, I'm pretty freaking excited for Halloween this year! It's a few days after my 18th birthday and I actually did not wait until the last minute to get a costume and makeup this year. I found a few specific brands and products that you might want to check out if you're looking for some good makeup items, whether you're being a scary zombie or a pretty fairy.

1. L'Oreal HiP

As I said in a previous post, I'm being an alien this year, and I needed to find a lot of metallic and glittery silver makeup. I bought a silver eyeliner and one of their metallic shadow duos (in Platinum, if you were wondering). I was actually VERY impressed by both of these items. They are incredibly pigmented. The eyeshadow is exactly the opaque, metallic silver that I was looking for and the eyeliner is creamy and applies so easily. I haven't tried any other products from this line, but if they are up to par with these 2 then I would recommend checking them out.

Just a side note, I tested the eyeshadow before I got in the shower (no primer) and when I got out of the shower there was still a very nice amount of color and shadow on my eye.

2. NYX and LA Splash Glitter

This was also another "first" purchase from both of these brands (I got the Glitter on the Go by NYX and the Body/Face Glitter from LA Splash). Both of these products can be used on your face, body hair, nails, and anywhere else you want, and you get a very nice amount of product for a cheap price. I can't speak for the other glittery products from these brands though, because I haven't tried them. But if you're like me and you don't wear glitter a lot, these are great because they have a huge variety of colors and are very affordable. Just make sure you have a good glitter adhesive or primer (LA Splash has a really good one that's a lot cheaper than the Two Faced Glitter Glue, and from what I've read it works better too!).

credit

3. Liquid latex (eyelash adhesive) and/or toilet paper

This is good if you are doing any sort of injury or zombie makeup. You can either just spread some liquid latex on your skin and kind of pick it apart and go over it with makeup, or apply the liquid latex to your skin, apply toilet paper over that, and then apply makeup on top of it all. Good makeup would be flesh tone makeup so it doesn't look like you just have toilet paper stuck to your face, fake blood, dark red lipstick, dark blue or purple eyeshadow (bruises), or food coloring.

4. Tape

Regular scotch tape or whatever you have at home will do. This is good if you need to do any sort of sharp or precise lines anywhere on your face. I used this trick a few years ago when I wanted a really dramatic, drawn up sharp cat eye look. It's pretty fierce.

5. Fishnet Stockings

I'm considering using these for my makeup but I haven't decided exactly what I'm going to do yet. This can be used to create the effect of scales. All you have to do is cut a portion of the fishnet off, and spread it over wherever you want the scales to be. The only thing is, you can't pick up the stockings once you've started and place them again, because it would be extremely difficult to get all of those lined up perfectly. This would be especially good for a mermaid, alien, snake, or fish type of costume.

Example: (no, it's not me. she's gorgeous though!)

credit

I promise I'll start doing non Halloween related posts soon, haha. I'm just too excited :) What are your Halloween plans?

Lovely Links Halloween Edition

Halloween is quickly approaching! I'm almost done with my costume, I just need to find a shirt to wear (I'm going as an alien by the way). Here are some helpful links to inspire you and help you prepare!

Having trouble getting into the Halloween spirit? Here are 8 ways to help you out.

21 Gross Halloween Recipes if you are throwing a party!

Transform your house into a spooky haunted house.

Another fun party idea: throw a pumpkin carving party!

Check out these awesome Halloween makeup tutorials: Audrey Hepburn, mermaid, alien, Nicki Minaj, and Maleficent.

Well that's it for now. I have all of next week off from work so hopefully I'll get some good posts in! Hope you all have a great rest of the week :)

Stressed out!

Life is really stressing me out right now. I think this is one of those posts that I'm using to vent with, so feel free not to read it, hehe.

The biggest thing that's stressing me right now: COLLEGE APPLICATIONS! Oh my gosh, I feel so overwhelmed filling these things out. And I haven't even taken the SAT yet! I feel like I'm kind of running out of time. I know there is always the option of taking a year off, which I feel might not be a bad idea, but I don't really have anything to do for a year except for work at my current job. Our school expects us to apply to at least 3 colleges by November 1st and I haven't even submitted one application yet. I've started them, but I haven't finished yet.

School is also pretty stressful. Physics is absolutely killing me this year, it makes NO sense to me at all, no matter how much I go for extra help or study. Hopefully that won't hurt me too much though.

And then of course there's work and all that fun stuff. On the bright side, my birthday is in a few weeks :D

Sorry for the random rant, I just had to do it, haha. If you've been stressed lately, feel free to vent in the comments. I know it feels good to let it out, so go for it!

Halloween Inspiration: Where's Waldo?

I got the inspiration for this costume inspiration (hehe) from my mom, who needs a more toned down costume for work. Most costumes you will find at a Halloween store are probably not appropriate to wear to work or school or if you just aren't comfortable wearing anything too flashy.

This costume is easy to create because you may already have some of the items in your closet, or you can reuse them on a regular basis if you have to buy new items. You're makeup can also be very neutral and easy, so you probably won't have to buy any new makeup for this either. This is perfect for work, if you don't want to spend a lot on a costume, or if you don't feel like going all out this Halloween!

Once again, let me know if you have any good costume ideas or what you are going to be this year :) Also, if you have a pet, do you dress your pet up for Halloween? If so, as what?

Halloween Inspiration: Robot/Alien

When I first started creating this, my intention was to create an alien costume (not you're typical ugly green alien either), but the more I looked at it the more it looks like a robot. So, take this however you see it. I am personally going to be an alien this year, wearing a costume somewhat similar to this :)

click the picture for product info

Tip: if you want to look more alien-esque rather than a robot, try to do some cool effects with your makeup. Check out this video tutorial for some ideas.

You could also try to find some green clothes instead of silver, but while I was shopping silver was MUCH easier to find.

Check back soon for some more Halloween costume ideas! :) Let me know if you have a suggestion or let me know what you are going to be this year!

Who is your favorite author?

I have to read 1,000 pages a quarter this year (so 4,000 pages by the end of the year), and I'm looking for some really good, interesting authors and books. So I was wondering: Who is your favorite author? What are some of your favorite books from this author? What are some of your favorite books in general?

I've bought a few that I'm excited to read. I'm STILL reading Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote, and I just bought another Capote book, In Cold Blood. I'm really excited to read both of them. I also have The Outliers by Malcom Gladwell and A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron on the list. On the next trip to the book store I'm thinking of picking up Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman.

credit

I've gotten so bored with the typical (and I quote the Barnes and Noble headers) "teen paranormal romace" books, and I need recommendations for good, easy to read books. I refuse to read Hemingway. I know he is a great author and all but I just don't find his books interesting while I'm reading them. Sorry to offend anyone! Truman Capote on the other hand, is probably one of my favorite authors (and not just because he wrote Breakfast at Tiffany's).

So, please leave your book/author recommendations below. Have a great weekend everyone :)

Weekly Inspiration: Fall Time

I am so terribly sorry for the lack of posts since school has started! School + work has been kicking my butt. I'm going to try to do better and get up at least one post a week. The weather has been cooling down, and the end of September has arrived. I'm pretty excited because my birthday is next month and so is Halloween! Here is some fall/autumn/Halloween inspiration to get you all pumped!

credit

credit

credit

credit

credit

credit

I'm having such a hard time coming up with a Halloween costume. Are you dressing up for Halloween this year? If so, as what? What are you looking forward to most this fall?

What I'm Loving: August

Wow, school and work has really been taking up a majority of my time lately. I'm so sorry for being slack! I figured since it's already the beginning of September, I need to do a What I'm Loving for August!

1. Morn Creations Shark Backpack- Yep, I did end up buying it. I made a lot of purchases with my last paycheck and this was definitely the one I was most excited about. Sharks are my favorite animal and this bookbag is just so adorable! I was a little worried that it was going to be too small, but it's a great size for me. I'm a small person anyway so it's a great size for me. It doesn't hold as much as previous bookbags I've had, but it gets the job done.

2. RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up- This has become a new staple product for me. First of all, the ingredients are great, natural, and safe. Second, the coverage is great and it looks very natural. RMS beauty makes their products so you can use them many different ways. I use this as a concealer for under my eyes and on any trouble spots, and also to touch up my makeup throughout the day.

3. Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation- I use this foundation with the Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Soft Focus Instant Skin Perfector (a face primer by the same brand). At first I didn't really know what to think. It was a very odd product for my first few uses. When I applied the primer the texture felt slightly oily and gross. Then after I applied the foundation, my skin looked very dry in spots it didn't look dry before. When I looked in the mirror a few minutes later, it looks absolutely amazing. I don't know how but it did. And it was so natural looking I couldn't even get over it. Favorite foundation ever! It also has great safe ingredients. The only complaint I have about it is that it isn't as long wearing as I would like, but I carry my RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up with me to touch up any spots that need it.

4. Korres Lip Butter- This is probably one of the BEST lip butters I have ever used. It is incredibly moisturizing and it really sinks into my lips instead of just sitting on top of them. It smells great, kind of like fruity candy, and has a perfect flush of color. I will be repurchasing multiple times as I go through these!

5. 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara- I did a full review on this mascara here, but in case you didn't read it, I LOVE this mascara. Since switching to more natural and chemical free beauty products, this was one of the fist I tried. It's a lengthening mascara pigmented by fruit! It smells like fruit, and I mean real fruit not synthetically scented. It makes my lashes extremely long and it doesn't smudge or flake throughout the day!

6. Phyto Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm- I've tried many products to help my hair be less frizzy, more shiny, and straight especially for when I let it air dry. Most of them weren't bad, but not the special product I was looking for either. I got this as a sample in an Ulta sample bag and I've absolutely fallen in love. I use this every single time I get out of the shower. It keeps my frizz tame and it helps straighten my hair. I take my showers at night on school nights and wake up and straighten it. Sometimes I'll wake up late and not have time to, but when I use this I feel like I don't need to sometimes. Before I used this, my hair got pretty out of control even if I let it air dry overnight. I definitely recommend this for anyone who has straight/wavy, frizzy hair.

That's all my favorites for this month! Let me know if you've tried any of these products. I'm going to try my hardest to keep up with my blog this semester. Physics is absolutely killing me haha. Gave a great week everyone!

rms Beauty Cream Eye Shadow in Lunar

I've heard a lot of good things about rms beauty. The premise behind this line is basically skincare with color. All of the products nourish and hydrate your skin, and you can put them anywhere. So if you get a cream eye shadow you could use them on your lips, cheeks, or anywhere else you could think of. They are made with clean, natural, organic ingredients.

That being said, I love the idea behind it and the ingredients. I even love some of their other products, but this one was not my favorite. I love cream shadows so I REALLY wanted to like it. And please excuse the lack of pictures, I included this in the sample pack I purchased from Spirit Beauty Lounge (which I'll post about later), and there wasn't much to take a picture of.

credit

I did really love the color and when I applied it to my eyes it was gorgeous! It was a gorgeous champagne nude color, comparable to Stila's Smudge Pot in Kitten but a few shades lighter. However, before I even left the house it had started creasing! As the website suggested, I just tapped it away and it looked better. Not long after it was creasing again! By the end of the day I basically had no color left over.

I tried using it with no primer, a MAC paint pot, the Korres eye primer, and Urban Decay Primer Potion. I got the same results every time! I even tried to put an powder shadow over it and it still creased!

But, if you have drier eyelids this might be the product for you. Since it's like skincare and makeup in one, it moisturizes the eyes which I think was my issue. I have pretty oily eyelids and wear primer with whatever eye makeup I have on that day. Until I find an alternative I'll have to stick with my Stila Smudge Pots and Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadows.

Note: I found that if I skipped moisturizing my lids, it did stay a bit longer. The eye shadow is like a moisturizer so I just skip it and moisturize around my eyes at night.

I may purchase the full size version just because I do love the color and the concept, and just bring it with me to touch up throughout the day. But I would give them a shot if you have drier or not oily eyelids :) Don't let this turn you off from the brand though, I tried some of their other products that I have fallen in LOVE with! Be on the lookout for those reviews soon. Oh and my Lovely Links will also be up soon!

Giveaway Winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my giveaway! I love having giveaways so there will definitely be more in the future.

The winner of the Emma Kisstina MAC Print and a MAC lipstick or their choice was...Melanie from Adorabeauty!

Congratulations Melanie, I will be emailing you for your shipping address and your lipstick of choice shortly.

credit

Giveaway & Update

The giveaway has officially ended! Thanks everyone for entering, I'll be posting the winner asap!

This week is going to be very busy, so I'm sorry if I'm a bit MIA. I have my senior pictures today, and I start school tomorrow. I STILL have a book and a paper to write, because I have procrastinated like no other this summer.

I just wanted to let you all know that I haven't forgotten about the giveaway, I'm just busy :)

In the mean time, enjoy this adorable picture:

credit

End of Summer Wishlist

At the beginning of summer, I posted my Summer 2011 Wishlist. Now that summer is pretty much over for me, it's tine for and End of Summer Wishlist!

1. Honore de Pres Love Coconut Perfume- I was browsing on my new website obsession, Spirit Beauty Lounge, and I saw this adorable perfume. The cute coffee cup is what caught my attention. I can't say for sure that I'm set on the smell because I haven't smelled it in person yet (I'll be ordering a sample soon!), but I love coconut scented things and it's an organic perfume so it sounds pretty perfect!

2. Grey Wolf Spirithood- I saw a photo of someone wearing a Spirithood once but I never knew what it was. Then I saw one in Seventeen magazine this month and I fell in love. I'm definitely going to get one for the winter months this year. They even have a program where if you buy a Spirithood with the "Problue" logo on it, they will donate a portion of that sale to the charity of the animal you bought. I really like the husky and the grey wolf, but the grey wolf has the Problue logo so I'm pretty sure I'll get that one.

3. A new wallet/keychain- If I don't keep my keys and my wallet with my ID in it, I'm bound to leave the house without one of them so I have to keep them together. I've been using Vera Bradley ones since I started driving but I'm starting to look at other brands as well.

4. A pair of navy TOMS- I'm getting a navy pair of toms and a custom shark painted on them by Kelli Smith on Etsy. I'm so excited, because they will match the shark backpack I ordered for school this year! :)

5. A Balenciaga Wallet- Since a Balenciaga purse is very much out of the question right now, a wallet seems more obtainable. I love this fun, bright pink one. I'll just have to convince myself to keep track of my wallet and keys if they are ever separated.

6. More time!- Summer went by way too quickly! I start school in 2 days and I haven't finished all of my summer work. I still have to read 2 books, write 3 papers, and finish some math sheets. Procrastinating before school even starts, I see how this year is gonna be.

Just a reminder, my giveaway ends TODAY at midnight! So enter while you can!

What do you think? What's on your wishlist now that summer is over?

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara in Blackberry Review

During my search for more green beauty products, I ran across a brand called 100% Pure. The first thing I saw that caught my eye was that they have fruit pigmented cosmetics! I was so intrigued just buy the concept. I contacted the company about them and they agreed to send over some products to try! The first item I tried and loved, the fruit pigmented mascara!

I got the color Blackberry, which is described as a "shimmery black plum". I didn't really notice any shimmer, but it was a very deep plum color. The color isn't made with synthetic dyes either, it's pigmented with fruit! The first thing I noticed when I opened the tube was the smell. It smelled like blackberries! Not synthetically either, it literally smelled like I had a bowl of blackberries in front of me.

It's a very lengthening mascara and it separated my lashes like any other of my favorite mascaras. I didn't notice any smudging or flaking throughout the day so that was a definite plus! And keep in mind I live in very humid weather. There was some very minor clumping when I first applied it, but I just brushed my lashes with a clean mascara wand and they looked great! I really couldn't find anything bad about this mascara, except maybe the price. It's $18 for the big tube and $12 for the mini tube. Not a typical drugstore mascara, but that's a small price to pay for a good quality, natural, cruelty free mascara!

The packaging is also really pretty, and I'm a sucker for pretty packaging.

The wand has a little groove in it, which helps to curl your lashes. I can't speak for people that have hard to curl lashes (my eyelash curler rarely gets used), but my lashes were curled and lengthy all day. (My camera makes the mascara look a little grey, but it's definitely a deep plum color!)

It didn't irritate my eyes at all, and I wear contacts so that's another plus.

This mascara is definitely a win for me, and I will be repurchasing!

The only bad things I can think of is the price and accessibility. I don't particularly like buying things online, and the only 100% Pure stores right now are in California. There may be other stores that sell it, but none around where I live that I know of.

People have requested a picture of the mascara on, so here it is! If anybody has tips on taking pictures of your own eyes, please let me know. It was so difficult to get a good picture!

What do you think? Have you ever used any fruit pigmented cosmetics from 100% Pure? Have you ever used a natural mascara?

Lovely Links

Hello! Sorry I've been kind of busy with some last minute summer work before school starts and I've been slacking on my posting! I'm going to try my hardest to post every other day during the school year but sometimes I do get behind. So sorry in advance for that! It's Friday again, which means link time!

I'm a bit too scared of needles to do it, but have you ever gotten acupuncture?

Are you shy? Here are some tips to overcome your shyness so you can face the new school year a new person!

Ever been a bridesmaid? Here's what your bridesmaid dress color may have said about you!

The Gloss shows us how to wear all one color without looking crazy.

If you have trouble sleeping, try these tricks to help you fall asleep.

If you managed to get your hands on the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette, Keiko Lynn shows us how to wear the brighter colors in the palette!

Elle Sees shows us how to recover from a vacation!

That's it for this week! I have some reviews coming up from Korres and 100% Pure that I'm excited to post!

Also don't forget to enter the giveaway! It ends in 3 days!

Korres Mango Butter Lipstick in Natural Pink Review

My Korres package came in the mail yesterday! I was so excited to try out my new goodies. I bought this lipstick, a lip butter, a lip butter glaze, a shower gel, and a sample of their eye primer. More reviews coming when I have more time to fully test everything out.

Let me start by saying this: I HATE wearing lipstick. As I mentioned in my July favorites post, I was loving Revlon's Primrose. It's a really pretty color and I still wear it, but this kind of blows that out of the water.

One of the main reasons I hate wearing lipstick is the formula just feels so heavy, waxy, thick, sticky, etc. on my lips, and also tends to put a spotlight on dry patches on my lips. I've always been one to play up my eyes and add some drama up there, and keep the lips natural. My lips naturally have a nice little tint to them, so I never found lipstick really a necessity for me.

-dramatic music- UNTIL now. The Korres Mango Butter Lipsticks (well at least this one, I can't say if they're consistent or not but I hope so!) don't have that nasty heavy feeling that most lipsticks do. The best part? It feels so moisturizing and doesn't show off my dry spots! Thank you mango butter!

When I first opened it, I was actually pretty disappointed because the color looked kind of on the red side, which isn't a bad thing but keep in mind the color is Natural Pink. It must have been the lighting though because I opened it to use the next day it didn't look that way at all.

It's not very opaque but you can build up the color. I usually don't build up my color because like I said, my lips don't need that much drama or attention. It also leaves a nice glossy sheen on your lips. I now understand what people mean when they say "my lips but better".

It's formulated without mineral oil, silicones, propylene glycol, and ethanolamines. (Not sure what the last 2 are? But that's what the Korres website said).

I wore it to work and I'd say it lasted about 2 or 3 hours maybe? I'm not really sure. So not the best staying power but I can work with that.

My camera fails at getting swatch pictures, the coloring is always a little off so this was as close to real as I could get.

I still don't consider lipstick something I would wear every single day, but when I do this is my new favorite lipstick. I will definitely be repurchasing!

Have you ever tried any Korres Products? Do you have a favorite lipstick?

Also, don't forget! You can enter my giveaway to win a MAC lipstick of you're choice and an Emma Kisstina MAC lipstick print! Giveaway ends August 22nd!

Inspired by: The Roaring Twenties

I've always loved the 1920's. I think the only time I'm truly interested in history class is when we talk about the 1920's. It was such a new era for women, where they branched out from what society wanted to see from them.

credit

credit

click image for product info

credit

credit

credit

I read the Great Gatsby in middle school and hated it, then read it again in high school and I loved it! Gooood book.

Are you inspired by the 1920's? What's your favorite time period in history?

Sites to Help You Go Green

Going green has been a bit difficult for me. I'm on day 2 of being a successful vegetarian (well pescetarian technically since I still eat fish). It's harder than I thought not to eat meat. Not because I crave it when I can't have it, I'm just so used to not having to filter what I eat that I'll slip up and not even realize until later that night when I go over in my head if I did good or not.

credit

I've found some great sites that are helping, though.

Joining Eco Emi is going to help alot, so that I can get introduced to more brands and learn more about going green. They have a lot of info on their site about why you should go green, and brands and sites that they love.

I discovered No More Dirty Looks last night, and it's a very cool site! It's written by Siobhan O'Connor and Alexandra Spunt. The blog actually came from their book, No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics, which I will definitely be picking up!

Sephora has a "Natural" tab you can click while shopping. Also they have created their own natural seal, so that you know when you are buying something that is high in vitamins, antioxidants, and other good things and also low in GMO's, parabens, and other bad things.

Etsy has a bath and beauty section where you can find TONS of beauty products that are eco friendly. I can't speak for all of them, but most of the products are free of harsh chemicals and don't test on animals.

If you have a blog or a website, make it carbon neutral! It's so easy!

Upurea has all of your green beauty needs all in one site! If you are just starting out like me, this is a great way to find new brands that will fit your green needs.

Of course, TOMS has to be on this list! Everything about these shoes is great, they are eco friendly (and have vegan versions too!), they are comfy, and when you buy a pair of TOMS they give a pair to a child in need! I'm buying my first pair for back to school :)

I will be making a list of my favorite natural and green brands (once I test them and find out at least). So that may take a while. Some brands that claim to be natural aren't actually very natural at all *cough* Neutrogena Naturlas *cough*. It's important to read the ingredients.

That's about it for now! Do you have any favorite green brands? Do you make an effort to go green? Have you ever tried being a vegetarian?

Lovely Links

That time of the week again. Time for some linkage!

A bit of a history lesson, 7 things women invented first from All Women Stalk.

Snooki seems to be doing it all these days. Partying, writing a book, designing slippers, and launching a perfume!

I don't need more reminders that I'm going back to school soon, but this DIY notebook paper tee is super cute!

College fashion has a rundown on the fall 2011 fashion trends for back to school!

It's no shock that Kate Middleton made it on the list, but here are 5 people that made it on Vanity Fair's best dressed list.

The Beauty Department does a breakdown of the different kind of eye brushes.

That's all for this week. One last thing, I hit 200 followers :D I'm so excited, you all are awesome!

NOTD- Essie Borrowed & Blue + INM Base Coat Review

Ok this is actually like NOAFWA (Nail of a Few Weeks Ago) because I painted my nails this color when I did this haul. I was able to paint my nails that day (boo for not being able to wear polish at work!), but had to take it off the next day. But I still wanted to share :)

Blue is one of my favorite colors. This was a really pretty light robins egg blue that I got at Bed Bath & Beyond. It was such a pretty summer color, so I'm pretty sad I didn't get to wear it much. I also painted my toes with it and it looked fab :) I'm a fan of Essie nail polishes in general, I don't know why I always seem to gravitate towards them in the store, along with China Glaze. Oh and please excuse my not so good self manicure skills.

Also, I used my INM Clear Bond Base Coat I also mentioned in the haul. I tested one hand with the base coat and one without. Unfortunately, the hand with the base coat had a streakier application, but after applying a second coat it was fine. But, when I went to take the polish off, it was sooo easy to remove, while the hand without the base coat I had to scrub a little harder to get it off. Not a bad purchase, but I'd like to find one that doesn't give me streaks when I paint my nails.

What was your favorite nail polish this summer? Do you have a favorite base coat? Do you feel a base coat is necessary?

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway if you want a chance to win an Emma Kisstina MAC Print and a MAC lipstick or lipglass of your choice!

Going Greener: Fortune Cookie Soaps

I'm trying to make an effort to be more green, both in food and lifestyle choices, including my beauty products. I'm trying my best to find brands that don't test on animals, and are free of harsh and harmful chemicals. I signed up for Eco Emi, which will help a lot. If you don't know what Eco Emi is, it's basically an earth friendly version of Birchbox. Except it's a lifestyle box so you generally get a few beauty products along with things like food, tea, things to clean your house with, etc., that are all cruelty free, green, free trade, eco friendly, and all that good stuff.

I've been eyeing Fortune Cookie Soap for quite some time, but never got around to buying anything. All of the products are "gunk free" and they don't test on animals. Plus they are super cute! They recently had a summer sale and I bought an "In the Loop" bar soap.

It's probably one of the cutest soaps I've ever seen. It looks so much like Froot Loops in milk, and smells EXACTLY like Froot Loops. And it's a pretty decent size, too, I'm sure I'll be using this for a while. I usually prefer body wash over bar soaps, but this was on sale, cute, and is helping me go greener in my life so, why not! I haven't used it yet but I'm really excited to.

I'm going to be making a list of all natrual, green, chemical free, cruelty free, etc., brands and websites that I find. I'll probably put it in the sidebar or make a new page and link it or something. I'm not sure. But anyway, Fortune Cookie Soap is definitely going on that list. This is my first "green find" in my journey, haha.

I also received a free sample of their "Love Doctor" bath melt. It melted a little bit in the mail box, but it still smells really good!

Update: I was a bit too excited about my soap and described it to my coworkers tonight (which happened to be all guys) and they thought that sounded super amazing and badass. So your male friends may love Fortune Cookie Soaps as well :P

Have you bought anything from Fortune Cookie Soap? What are your favorite "green" beauty brands?

My Beauty Must Have

No matter how much time I have in the morning or how much makeup I decide to wear that day, mascara always makes it into my beauty routine somehow. It's one of those magical products that opens and brightens your eyes, and makes you look more awake.

I know it's not just me thinking that too, because I went to work and forgot to put mascara on and you wouldn't believe how many people asked if I was ok, asked if I was sick, tired, etc. I don't know about you, but the sickly/tired look is not what I generally go for!

I find that drugstore mascaras work just as well as the high end mascaras (with the exception of MAC's Haute & Naughty, my only full size, high-end mascara purchase!). Not saying high end mascaras are bad, I just wouldn't shell out the money for them unless they come with a product I'm already buying.

What are your favorite mascaras? Do you have a beauty must have that you wear everyday?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

My Thoughts on Vita Coco Coconut Water

At the beginning of summer, I posted about my summer resolutions for this summer, and drinking coconut water was on the top of my list. After extensive (well, what I consider extensive) research and reading several reviews, Vita Coco seemed like the way to go for coconut water drinkers. Most said that it tasted sweet, kept them hydrated, and talked about other health benefits of drinking coconut water in general.

I went to GNC and picked up the Peach and Mango flavor. I stuck it in the fridge before work to chill it, and took it to work with me.

I happened to be running very late for work that day, and had to park far away because of some event that was going on. I literally had to RUN to work in the awful Charleston summer humidty/heat, wearing long pants. Being the out of shape bum that I am, under normal circumstances I would have passed out by the time I got to work and/or felt absolutely awful. Lucky for me, I had my coconut water and drank it on my run to work. I felt wonderfully hydrated when I got there. Just a little hot (thank god I work in an ice cream shop...) and a bit worn out.

However, it wasn't the taste I was expecting. Considering it was coconut water, with peach and mango mixed in, I was expecting it to taste fruity and sweet. But it tasted like...tomato juice, like V8. It didn't taste bad necessarily, but not what I was expecting. So the taste wasn't good but tolerable because of all of the benefits of coconut water.

By the end of my shift, I had gotten a HORRIBLE headache, which I assumed was just from the running. I had gotten tired of drinking my coconut water and decided to switch over to regular water. (I gave the rest of my coconut water to my coworker who LOVED the taste. So I guess it's an acquired taste?)

I went back to GNC and got 2 other flavors, the regular coconut water and one with acai berry.

Same thing with both flavors: I felt hydrated and healthy, if that makes sense. But the taste wasn't quite right and I got awful headaches both times.

Needless to say, I got tired of the headaches and after the third coconut water I realized I got them after drinking coconut water, so I stopped drinking them. As I thought, the headaches stopped after I gave up coconut water. I have an allergy to most fruit (nothing fatal, just itchy mouth, throat, lips, tongue, etc.), so maybe coconut water was no different for me. Someone suggested I may not be allergic to it but I have an intolerance to it, like some are lactose intolerant.

Final thoughts:

-If you go to the gym or play a sport and drink sports drinks like Gatorade, this could be a healthier alternative to keep you hydrated.

-The taste wasn't as fruity as I expected, but it wasn't too bad. Others love the taste.

-Had horrible headaches after drinking it.

-Other than keeping you hydrated, coconut water has many other health benefits.

Do you or have you had coconut water before? Did you like the taste? What did you like/dislike about it?

Boyfriend Series: Picking out a Present

Hellooo everybody! On the 18th of this month, my boyfriend and I will have been together for a whole happy year. Yay! I'm kind of having a difficult time picking out a present for him (and I still owe him a graduation present).

I've offered to take him out to dinner instead of the other way around, because he's taken me out several times throughout this lovely year. It only seems fair that I take him out for a nice dinner for a change.

At first I was considering getting him gift cards. To thinkgeek.com, because he loves all that nerdy stuff. Or from americanmuscle.com because he has a Mustang and is constantly wanting things to buy for it.

My second thought was to get him DJ2GO because he likes to dabble in the DJ world. But it's kind of a cheaper and smaller version of this DJ setup, which I would buy him if I had $280 to spend. Buuuut I don't.

image via apple.com

And my third idea was an engraved butterfly knife. He had a butterfly knife (you know those cool ones that you flip around and stuff?) that his friend got him for his birthday but I kind of took and haven't given it back yet. So I thought it would be cool if I got him a new one and get it engraved. The problem with that is, I don't know where to get that done.

It's not really that big of a deal, but he deserves the best I can get, so I want to get it right haha.

SO basically I need suggestions, what would you get your boyfriend for a 1 year anniversary? I need help haha.

Shark Cupcakes!

My boyfriend came over last night to watch Shark Week with me, and we made shark cupcakes! Or sharkcakes as he likes to call them. We didn't wait for them to cool before we put the icing on, the icing melted on some of them. But they turned out very yummy :)

What you'll need:

Cake mix (and ingredients needed for making a cake, like eggs, oil, etc. We used red velvet)

Blue icing

Construction paper and scissors

Peach rings (or small powdered doughnuts and red fruit rollups)

Cupcake cups and a cupcake pan

When I took the picture the batter looked more like spaghetti than red velvet cake mix so I had to edit it a bit. Anyway red velvet seemed appropriate because of the bloody tint to it, plus it's delicious!

The shark fins! Boyfriend had to draw me a model shark fin because the one cut out looked like Jimmy Neutron's hair (anyone?).

We used gummy peach rings to resemble one of those life preserver floats. You could also use mini powdered doughnuts for the float and cut strips or red Fruit Rollups for the red stripes, but we figured this was easier and less messy.

Well that's it for today :) I hope you all are thoroughly enjoying Shark Week if you watch it. You can find the inspiration for the cupcakes here.

Also don't forget to enter my MAC lipstick and print giveaway! Ends August 22nd!

Do You Use Toners?

When I got my Mario Badescu samples, a toner was included called the "Special Cucumber Lotion". I hadn't used a toner really before, except a while back I did use a Clinique toner that stung like crazy! I looked over my samples, and noticed the second step after cleansing was to use this Special Cucumber Lotion. I knew it was a toner, but I had no idea what the purpose was. So, I referenced my handy little booklet they included and looked up the mystery product.

"Refreshing, disinfecting and deep cleaning astringent that is effective in drying up existing acne blemishes while preventing new eruptions. Sulfur and soothing Cucumber help to fight against oily build-up and bacteria that can cause acne."

Alright, so it cleanses my face...after I already cleansed it? I was pretty confused at this point. So I decided to skip this step my first few days of using the skincare line. Unfortunately, it was around that time of the month, which meant that minor breakouts were starting to appear around my chin. Not huge pimples, just several small whiteheads. I figured I'd give the Special Cucumber lotion a shot. I used it in the morning and at night after cleansing. The first thing I noticed after the first day of using it, my skin wasn't as oily as usual! When I woke up the next morning, my whiteheads were pretty much gone.

Then I looked at the rest of the toners and astringents listed in the booklet, and there are so many options for different skin types! So I learned, toner is not necessary in one's skincare regimen, but it's definitely something to look into if you have problem skin! It's like one of those products (like face primer for me), where you don't realize or think it's necessary until you stop using it, and then you really see what a difference it makes.

After further research, I learned that toners are supposed to get rid of any residue the cleanser may have left behind, so that moisturizer will be more effective. If you get dehydrated skin like me, you may want to look into a good toner (with no alcohol! Don't want to add to the problem).

Toners can also help balance the pH of the skin after you cleanse it, so if you get oily skin throughout the day, a toner could help you out.

My toner isn't going to be one of those products that I HAVE to repurchase as soon as I run out, but I definitely notice it benefits the overall condition of my skin.

*Arielle commented and wanted to know if there was a difference between a toner and astringent. From what I've gathered, an astringent is much more harsh and generally contains more alcohol than a toner, and can dry or irritate skin more. Toners are more for everyday use and astringents are for a few days out of the week. That was kind of a grey area so please comment and let me know if this is wrong :)

Do you use a toner? Do you feel it is necessary? What toner do you use?

Split Personality

So lately I've been observing a certain...trend, if you will, of things being half one thing, and half another. Now I know this is nothing new really, but it's just becoming more obvious to me and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

It's just a bit baffling to me. It's like this trend is pin pointed at indecisive people like myself. "Oh I can't decide if I should wear this dress or this dress. Oh I know! I'll wear both...at the same time!" So odd.

credit

credit

Ok in terms of beauty, I don't mind this trend so much. Both of these ladies did a fabulous job of making it wearable. Just enough change so that you have to take a second look at it to make sure you are seeing correctly. If I could get away with it in real life, I would probably rock that eye look. The lips are more color blocking so I do like the lips. I'm not much of a bold lip person myself so I personally wouldn't wear it, but it looks great on her.

The clothes (and the MAC brush??) are the most odd to me. What do you think of this trend? Have you rocked any of these styles before?