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.

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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?

Lovely Links

I'm finally jumping on the link roundup bandwagon. Here are some cool/interesting/odd/funny/etc. articles I've found this week!

The Huffington Post presents, bizarre alcohol combinations! Most sound pretty freaking weird, but the Skittle infused vodka sounds pretty interesting.

Ew, 10 icky facts about bedbugs from Refinery29. I never knew they were so widespread!

Senior pictures are coming up (for those of us still in high school), and Beautylish provides great tips on how to look good in HD

Something I'm still trying to master, Keiko Lynn has a great tutorial for winged liner!

From All Women Stalk, 9 bags to style up you LBD. The last 4 on the list are my FAVORITES. So pretty!

Also from All Women Stalk, 8 Great Summer Diet Snacks. My favorite is lemon ice, my friend and I used to make it all the time using Crystal Lite!

Just in case anybody else is having a Shark Week party (and by party I mean my boyfriend is coming over to do shark activities with me when he gets back from Florida), here are some shark cupcake ideas, a shark bowl party drink recipe, and a shark fin ice tray to keep those drinks cold!

Have you ever eaten sea urchin? Seems pretty odd to me.

These 8 makeup tips you haven't heard before, are actually ones I haven't heard before! The deodorant trick sounds pretty interesting!

Nothing is worse than when your boobies hurt! Find out possible habits that could be making them hurt!

Well that's it for this week. I hope you all have a great weekend! Also don't forget to let me know if you've ever eaten sea urchin, because I'm quite intrigued. Also don't forget to enter my giveaway :)

Do You Use a Skin Brush?

The first time I heard about something like this was when I was introduced to the Clarisonic. It's kind of expensive so I haven't bought one for myself yet, but my facialist uses it on me and it feels like it's doing a good job at deep cleaning my skin. Other brands have come out with similar, more affordable tools, but from reading reviews Clarisonic still seems to be in the lead.

My question is: Do you use a skin brush tool? What brand do you use? Do you feel it is worth it?

My (very unobtainable) Wishlist!

I've been doing a lot of online shopping and browsing lately. And I've also become kind of addicted to Polyvore so I'm sorry if my little Polyvore creations show up in a lot of posts that are coming up. I just wanted to make a wishlist, however unrealistic, for you all (and Santa Claus maybe? Hehe) to see.

click on the images for product information :)

There is probably a lot more but I didn't want this post to get out of hand. What is on your wishlist lately?

P.S. don't forget to enter my giveaway! You could win a MAC lipstick or lipglass of your choice and an Emma Kisstina Pretty in Pink print!

What I'm Loving: July

It's about that time again! Time for what I've been loving during the month of July. Woohoo!

click on the picture for product information

1. Revlon lipstick in Primrose- Being the beauty junkie that I am, I find it surprising that I don't like lipstick. Yeah, I said it, I don't like lipstick. It just feels so thick and heavy, and most of the time highlights the driest parts of your lips (which I happen to have a lot of). Plus my lips have a nice color to them on their own, so I never really found the need. I've been trying to get into lipstick though, and my favorite so far is Revlon's Primrose. It's a nice pink color with a bit of mauve in it. It's so great for everyday wear!

2. Philosophy Fresh Peaches with Cream Shampoo, Shower Gel, & Bubble Bath- As mentioned in my Summer 2011 Wishlist, I did end up getting this little gem. My boyfriend bought it for me when we went to Ulta (hehe) and I absolutely love it. It is the PERFECT summer shower gel. I use it every time I shower, and it's a huge bottle so it will last a long time. I haven't used it as a shampoo or a bubble bath yet though, so I'm not so sure how well it works for those purposes. If you like the smell of peaches, this may be your new best friend.

3. Mario Badescu Facial Spray- I'm not writing out that long ass name, haha. But it's the only facial spray as of right now that Mario Badescu has. I LOVE this stuff. My skin tends to get dehydrated, and I've run out of my SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 gel sample, and I refuse to pay $70 for the full size. This has done a great job at keeping my skin hydrated, and its only $7! I spray it on at night sometimes before and sometimes after moisturizing. I also spray it on my face after I apply my setting powder to get rid of that powdery look I'm often left with. If they ever discontinue this stuff, I'm buying like 100 bottles of it.

4. Honey Bunches of Oats cereal- I used to think I didn't like this cereal (before I even tried it) because I like my super sweet cereals. Yeah, I still eat Lucky Charms. But I stayed at my boyfriend's house for a couple of weeks while we were waiting for our new place to be ready, and his mom buys a lot of healthy foods and this was the only cereal they had at the time. I was surprised that I actually really liked it! It's also way healthier than those sugary things that really shouldn't be sold as breakfast, haha. I also tried the one with cinnamon bunches which was good, but I like the original better.

5. Garnier Fructis Anti Dark Circle Eye Roller and MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- I used to just use these by themselves, but I had some serious dark circles one morning and the Garnier Fructis eye roller alone just wasn't gonna cut it! So I added some MAC Pro Longwear concealer over it and those puppies were GONE. The only thing I don't like is that Pro Longwear concealer dispenses waaay more product than I need, so I end up wasting it. I haven't gotten around to MAC to ask for some sample containers to put it in yet.

6. Dunkin Donuts- 99 cents for any size sweet tea? Uhh yes! They also combined my 2 favorite doughnuts and made them into one- the Captain America doughnut! Vanilla frosted + jelly filled = YUMMY! I'm so sad it's only going to be there for a limited time though! If you haven't tried the Captain American doughnut yet, get your butt to DD right now!

7. Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette- Did I really need to spend $60 on this? No, but of course I just happened to be online when they released them on Ulta.com and I freaked out and bought it. The colors are gorgeous though, and are all new limited edition colors (even if some are similar to ones I already have). I'm kind of a palette addict, I prefer buying palettes over individual colors unless there is a specific individual color I want. The packaging is pretty but it kind of bothers me. The top gets fingerprints alllll over it, and the plastic surrounding the eyeshadows is purple and mirrored, which also kind of annoys me for some reason. It might just be me, but it makes it harder for me to see the true color of the shadow. Overall I do love the palette and I've used it pretty much everyday since I got it.

Well that's about it for this month! Don't forget to enter my Emma Kisstina MAC lipstick print giveaway! Do you love any of these? What are your favorites this month?

Emma Kisstina Pretty in Pink Print + MAC Lipstick Giveaway!

Yep, time for another giveaway! Emma Kisstina has me absolutely obsessed with her prints. They are so girly, fun, and unique. If you like anything beauty or fashion related, check out her prints. She has some very cool Breakfast at Tiffany's inspired prints too! I recently bought a print of a pink MAC lipstick, called Pretty in Pink, and she was awesome enough to send a smaller version of the print for one of you to win + a MAC lipstick of your choice!

The print is about 13cm X 18cm, so I believe that would be 5in X 7in. It comes wrapped in plastic wrapper for protection. Read on below to find out how to win :) UPDATE: The winner will also receive a MAC lipstick (or lipglass) of their choice!

How to enter:

1. Be a public follower of Breakfast at Gracey's

2. Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite color lipstick or lipgloss is (it doesn't have to be MAC, I will contact the winner and ask what MAC lipstick/lipglass they want).

Additional entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway. +1

2. Do a blog post about the giveaway or put it in your blog sidebar. +3

3. Use the mini editor tool below to create a look on what you would wear a pretty pink shade of lipstick with. I tried to include many different options for you all to use, but there was a 100 item limit so sorry if it's a bit hard to create something. But don't worry, I'm not judging on what your outfit looks like, as long as you do it you get credit. +5

(in order for it to show up you have to hit publish)

Make sure to let me know which additional entries you did

Get your own Mini Editor from Polyvore

This giveaway will end on August 22nd! Good luck everyone!

Normal Gaga?

I was meandering around Refinery29 just now and stumbled upon this article, showing Laday Gaga arriving in New York looking actually quite normal, which is a big shock coming from her.

image via refinery29

I'm a Gaga fan in general, so while I do think her crazy outfits are very out there, I give her props for them. I mean, it would be hard to pull off her outfits in everyday life, but it gives me inspiration to try new things (in terms of fashion and beauty) and think outside the box. But I also think it's a nice change up to see her in some normal clothing. She kept it pretty simple with all black with bright red lips and nails. I approve! But the question is: is this a one time thing or will she downplay her outfits more often?

My take on her normal outfit:

click on the picture for product information.

What do you think? Do you like Lady Gaga in her crazy outfits or something more normal like this? Do you think she will continue to "dress down"?

Another Haul + Giveaway Preview!

Apologies for yet another haul post, but there are a few exciting things I got this week that I wanted to share. I'm also having another small giveaway and I want to go ahead and show you the the prize (No, it's not all of this haha. Sorry!)

1. Lady Gaga Critical Mass Fashion by Lizzy Goodman

I'm a bit obsessed with Lady Gaga. My boyfriend and I had to go up to North Carolina yesterday, and on the way back we stopped at a big mall in Myrtle Beach. We went in Spencer's and we found this book, which I probably wouldn't have bought if it wasn't on sale for 50% off, but I'm so glad I did. I haven't read much of it yet but from what I can tell it has some awesome pictures which will be great for some makeup inspiration and for making this year's Halloween Costume.

2. Pretty in Pink print by Emma Kisstina

Since I'm somewhat redoing my room, I've been on the hunt for some cool artwork to hang on my walls. I found Emma Kisstin'as Etsy shop and absolutely fell in LOVE. She has the BEST girly prints I've ever seen, it was so hard for me to choose one. Seriously, check out her shop if you like fashion or makeup prints. She even has some amazing Breakfast at Tiffany's prints! I'm going to buy some more makeup ones to hang over my vanity when I get paid again. She was nice enough to send a smaller version of the print I bought to give away to one of you! More info on that below.

3. Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette

So I told myself I wasn't going to buy this because I REALLY don't need it, but I follow Christine (Temptalia) on Twitter and she tweeted that it was available on Ulta, so I freaked and bought it. I haven't had a chance to play around with it yet, but they colors look great! The only problem I have with it is the packaging, I kind of hate it! Everybody else seems to love it but it just doesn't work for me. It gets finger print-y so easily and it's driving me crazy. Also the plastic holding/surrounding the colors is purple and mirrored. When I'm trying to look at the colors it makes it hard to see the true color, and the light reflects off of it and I just hate to look at the colors. But it's probably just me being picky.

4. Chanel N5 pocket mirror

Also by Emma Kisstina, I bought a cute little pocket mirror to keep in my purse/makeup bag. I got the Chanel N5 design, but she has some other really cute ones too (Manolos and Louboutins? Yes!)

5. A boring pair of shoes--that were on sale!

I have a pair of black suede flats that I wear to work everyday, but in the middle of my crazy room designing and moving, I've seemed to have lost one of them. The only other work friendly shoes I have are WAYY to small for my feet, and after putting through that torture for one day I was NOT going to do it again. So 15 minutes before work I ran down to Nine West and got these babies on sale for $17! Yes, it did hurt to wear brand new shoes at work, but not nearly as bad as the way too small ones.

Now, the giveaway preview! Official details coming soon!

Emma Kisstina included a smaller version of the print I purchased to give away to one of my readers! I got the medium print of a pink MAC lipstick, so one of you will receive a small print of the pink MAC lipstick. The print is 5.1in X 7.1in (I think? I used a cm to inches converter. 13cm X 18cm) so be on the lookout for details on that :)

Well that's all for now. If you have the UD 15th Anniversary Palette, please let me know if you're annoyed by the packaging too or if it's just me, haha. Also stay tuned for giveaway details!

Lovin' the Lace

I've always been a big fan of lace, whether it's a big trend at the time or not. It's so delicate and pretty and adds a little bit more to a piece of clothing or an outfit. It's popped up on the fall 2011 runways and will be big for fall/winter this year!

images via style.com and glamour.com

Now, here are some cute lacey pieces you can add to your outfits this fall!

Click on the image for product information.

What do you think? Will you be rocking lace this fall? What fall/winter trend are you most excited about?

Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin

Before I went to get my facial, I just thought I had combination skin, where I was dry in some areas and oily in others. Well I found out that my skin was actually dehydrated, and I also learned that dehydrated skin and dry skin are two different skin issues! I'm not a dermatologist or anything, so all of this information is the result of what I've gathered from my facialist, research, and person experience. Warning: post may be long.

That chart pretty much sums it up for you lazies, so that you don't have to read multiple paragraphs trying to figure out what I'm saying. Basically, any skin type can become dehydrated, including oily skin. It's caused by external factors, where dry skin IS your skin type, and that's just the way it is.

Before I got this facial, I noticed that my skin gets somewhat oily throughout the day, like normal, but random dry patches were showing up on my face. I would get dry around my nose, mouth, eyebrows, and hair line. I think the cause of my dehydration was the cleanser I was using (Yes to Cucumbers Calming Facial Cleansing Gel), because I switched over from the Yes to Carrots Daily Cream Facial Cleanser and did not have a problem with dryness at all.

Exfoliating is essential. You can moisturize all you want, but if you don't get rid of the dead skin cells, your moisturizing will only help the dryness on the surface.

If your skin gets dehydrated often, it might be good to invest in a good facial hydrator, which is something you either mix in or put on before your apply your moisturizer. The hydrator will help replenish nutrients in the skin and pull your moisturizer deeper into your skin so you get maximum moisture. The only one I've tried is the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, and it worked amazingly for me but I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives.

Drink a lot of water. Probably didn't need to be said.

Stop using any facial products that may be harsh on your skin. Look especially for products with hyaluronic acid in them, which will help the water bind with your skin. I started using CeraVe's Hydrating Cleanser with hyaluronic acid and it's definitely helped to keep my skin hydrated throughout the day. Look for other products such a moisturizers or skin boosters that contain hyaluronic acid.

I hope this helped clear up some confusion! Has your skin ever been dehydrated? What products do you use to keep you flake-free?

Sweets on a Stick

I went to Starbucks recently and noticed that they are selling cake pops now. They're so cute, so tiny, so...expensive? .99 cents for one cake pop? Or something ridiculous like that. I did get one, and it was delicious, but here are some other bite sized recipes you can make at home!

Via Bakerella, red velvet cake pops! Mmm!

Bring the camping spirit inside with s'more pops!

Now you can eat Pop Tarts on a sick!

Hope you all enjoyed this post :) I'll hopefully try out the s'more pops soon, since they seem the easiest. What are some of your favorite bite sized recipes?

I Tried It! Mario Badescu Skincare

Ever since I tried that Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater (looong name!), I've been very interested in the Mario Badescu skincare line since it seem fairly affordable and I've read some good reviews on that line. (My experience with the facial spray also confirmed that it was a good brand, but a separate post on that later).

I filled out the skin care analysis on the website, and got an email asking if it was ok that they sent free samples (yes, every one of you can do this too! Just fill out the questionairre and put a valid email address). A week or so later I got my samples, which included the Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Special Cucumber Lotion, Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream, Collagen Moisturizer (spf 15), a Flower and Tonic Mask, and a Kiwi Face Scrub.

I've tried all but the Flower and Tonic Mask and the Kiwi Face Scrub, and I am so impressed! I haven't been committed to a skincare regimen for a while now, mainly because I haven't found one that totally works for me. I have dehydrated (NOT dry skin), which can be hard to work with at times. I'd been using a sample of SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel that my facialist gave me (retails for $70!) to keep my skin under control.

During the time I've been using these samples, I haven't had to use the B5 gel at all! If I can find products that are cheaper than $70 that do the same job, you best believe I'm going to invest!

The only problem I ran into was when I first started using these samples, a few whiteheads popped up around my chin. They were gone within 2 days though, and didn't turn into horrible mountainous pimples :)

With the samples, a little booklet was included that listed ALL of their products, what their purpose is, what skin types they are good for, and prices. They also send you a card that lists products they recommend for you, day and night skincare instructions for the products they sent, and how to apply each one.

I am definitely considering ordering some of these products when my samples run out. (Things like the Special Cucumber Lotion and the Ceramide Herbal Eye cream will last a LONG time, because you don't have to use a lot of them). Good products and good customer service, I'm pretty much sold. I would definitely recommend anybody to go fill out the skin care analysis online and see how you like their products.

What do you think? Do you use Mario Badescu? What is your favorite skincare line?

Inspired by: Sharks

In the spirit of getting ready for shark week, and just loving sharks in general, I decided to do an inspired by sharks post! You all already know how much I love sharks and what not (post on it here). Also, congratulations to Tori who won the giveaway! Thanks to everyone who entered! I'm going to have another giveaway coming up soon so be on the lookout for that one. Anyway, hope you like the shark outfits :)

Yes, I am in fact buying that book bag for the upcoming school year. This outfit is a perfect "going to class" outfit, complete with the super cool shark book bag!

I love the gold shark ring! They also had a bracelet but I liked the ring better. Screw you small fingers, that's now TWO shark jewelry items I can't wear because of you!

Well I hope you enjoyed this post! Click on the pictures if you want more information on the items.

MAC Melon Pigment + Stila Smudge Pot Kitten Swatches and Review

As I mentioned in my haul, I recently purchased MAC's pigment in Melon and Stila's Smudge Pot in Kitten. Jessica suggested that I do a swatch of the pigment or do a look wearing it. Well, I did a whole look with it and let's just say I need to practice photographing my eye. It's a lot harder than it looks! So instead I did swatch them both and I'll let you know what I think of them!

MAC pigment in Melon

Melon is a very pretty golden peachy color and has a very pretty sheen to it. I'm kind of confused on this product, because other websites say it's party of MAC's permanent line, but yet it's not on the website or at my MAC counter. If anybody knows whether it is or not, please let me know so I can give a correct review :)

This is a gorgeous color that I like to wear over my Kitten Smudge Pot for a pretty wash of color that is perfect for summer. I haven't used it as a highlighter yet, but I've seen looks with people who do and it looks very pretty! I think it would look better on darker skintones, though. If you have the Hello Kitty Lucky Tome Palette, I think it would be really pretty to do a look with combining Melon with Creme Royal and Paradisco (Paradisco is part of the Permanent line). Maybe if I can teach myself how to take good pictures of my eyes, I'll do a look using these colors!

Overall, I am very happy I purchased this pigment and I would definitely repurchase it (though it comes with so much product and you don't have to use a lot at all, I don't really see myself running out anytime soon!).

Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten

I've mentioned my obsession with cream eyeshadows and I'll mention it again! I bought this at Ulta, when I was really looking for Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadow in either R.S.V.P or Birthday Suit, but they were both sold out :( so, I wandered over to Stila, because I wanted to get the regular Kitten eyeshadow, but decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and get the Stila Smudge pot!

It is intended to be an eyeliner, but can be used as an eyeshadow as well. For the purpose of being a liner, I wouldn't use this particular color on my upper lash line, just because I like darker colors to make my lashes stand out more. I do like to use this on my lower lash line if I'm using it as an all over sweep of color, I just kind of bring it down under my eyes to make them pop. Like I said earlier, I use this a base for my Melon pigment, as well as an inner corner highlight. The only problem i ran into was that it can be a bit clumpy, but it was nothing so major that it would dissuade me from repurchasing.

Overall, this is a great product if you don't mind a little bit of minor clumping (it doesn't clump or anything when you apply your eyeshadow or throughout the day, just upon initial application until you blend it out better). I would definitely repurchase!

Again, I had issues with my camera getting a good picture of this one. Check out Temptalia's blogpost on it if you want a better idea of what the color looks like :)

What do you think? Have you used Melon or Kitten? What are your favorite MAC pigments?

What the haul?

I got paid this past week, and I was good(ish), I put a portion in the bank and kept out a smaller portion for me to spend. I still have a little left over so I can pay my credit card bill, and buy some pictures for my room (more on that later!). So, this is my haul for the week!

1. Essie nail polish in Borrowed & Blue

I was at Bed Bath & Beyond looking for things to store my makeup in, but of course I got sucked into the beauty section. I saw this polish picked it up immediately. Blue polishes are my favorite to wear, and this isn't like the blues I already have. Borrowed & Blue is like a really nice light sky blue color. I haven't worn it yet since I've been working all week (boo for no nail polish at work!) but I'll post a picture when I try it out!

2. MAC's Melon Pigment

This is actually my first MAC pigment! I was at CCO looking for a blush/other face products but I ended up spending a lot of time looking at the pigments. I thought Melon was a very pretty color, especially for summer. I wore it yesterday and I LOVE it! I appied it using 2 products I got in this haul, the Stila Kitten Smudge Pot and the Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater. Whew, long name! But more on that when I mention those products.

3. Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater

This facial spray is very multi purpose. First of all, it smells very pleasantly of roses. I don't normally like flowery smells, but I do like this one. First, I sprayed this on my makeup brush before applying MAC's Melon pigment to my eyes, it works kind of like Fix+ from MAC I assume, though I've never tried Fix+. After I apply my powder to my face after foundation, I spray my face once with this to get rid of that powdery look it sometimes leaves me with. I didn't notice my makeup staying on any less than it would if I just used powder, and it gives you a more dewy look (not oily though!). It's also good just to "freshen up" your makeup throughout the day or just if you are hot and need a good mist! And it's only $7!

4. Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten

My obsession for cream eyeshadows continues. I was originally going to get Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow in either R.S.V.P or Birthday Suit, but my Ulta was out of stock of both! So, I ventured over to Stila and picked up Kitten. It's a really pretty champagne gold color. I used this as a base before I applied the Melon pigment to make it stick and last longer.

5. INM Clear Bond Base Coat

I've been out of both my base coat and my top coat for a while now, and since I don't paint my nails very often I never thought to pick one up. I bought this with the Essie nail polish, because when I do paint my nails (especially darker colors) it stains my nails pretty badly and it's a pain to get off! I haven't tried this yet either, but I might post a review when I do!

I know everybody is probably tired of hearing this, but the giveaway ends in 2 DAYS! (on Friday). So enter if you haven't already!

What did you buy this week? Have you tried any of these items? Let me know your opinions!

Shark Week

Yes, I am already getting amped for Shark Week this year! I am completely fascinated by sharks, and Shark Week definitely feeds my obsession every year. I would LOVE to go cage diving with sharks, which is what I'm hoping my parents will get me for graduation (probably not, but I can dream!). I saw the Shark Week preview and the Lady Gaga song they chose was perfect!

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Does that not look fun?! I think I can honestly say I would rather to cage diving with sharks than swim with dolphins. If I don't get this for graduation, it's definitely #1 on my bucket list.

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I don't think I could handle this, but it looks cool! They really are fascinating creatures. But, I'd rather be in the cage than out in the open. Too scary!

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I am so mad that rings don't fit my fingers! This ring is $160 and was on sale on...either Ideeli or Hautelook, I don't remember which one, for I think $70! If it would've fit my finger, I DEFINITELY would've bought it!

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I saw this and just had to put it up :) so cute!

What do you think? Do you/are you going to watch Shark Week this year? Would you go cage diving or regular shark diving?

Color Inspiration: Pink & Green

Time for another color inspiration :) I'm feeling pretty bright and happy today, so I thought pink and green would be appropriate. Enjoy!

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Hope this made your day a little brighter! The travel giveaway ends in 5 days, so enter while you still can!

sayanythingbr00ke's giveaway for charity!

I've mentioned before about watching beauty videos on Youtube, some of the girls on there have amazing talent and great advice. I saw this video from sayanythingbr00ke about having a huge giveaway for a charity. I got so excited when I saw that the charity was for a local animal shelter! Well local for her, not me.

But anyway, I wanted to share this video and cause because she had a good point, I could use that money I was going to spend on something I really don't need and give it to someone/something that actually does need it. And I like that she recognizes she has a bit of "power" and is using it to actually do something good! There are also some GREAT prizes you could win. You are not required to donate to win, but it would be really really great if any of you did. Here is the video:

Click here if you want to donate! :)

Arm Candy

As I was unpacking today, I noticed that I had a lot of handbags, but not a lot that I would actually take out on a daily basis. They are ones I got years ago that I've sort of outgrown, I guess you could say. Either that, or they've broken or are falling apart. So starting this fall, I'm going to invest in some higher quality, cute handbags.

Be&D Kitty Studded Satchel, which sells for a whopping $1350. I think this might have to be a Christmas present, or two...

Oh, and image via Purse Blog, which is slowly becoming my new best friend to feed my purse hunger.

Chiara, I envy you in every way possible. Her entire wardrobe is worth more than, oh I don't know, my LIFE. I would kill for her Balenciaga bag (or in her case BAGS), especially in this color. Or any Balenciaga bag really. I've picked out 4 that I want so far, but I'm pretty sure that would cost more than my car. But these little babies have been at the top of my list for a while now and I'm determined to get my hands on one!

via Longchamp

Yep, the good ole Longchamp Le Pliage. This has also graced the top of my list for a while now, and this is much more attainable and affordable ($145 for the one above). I'd probably be boring and get it in black and use it as an everyday bag.

via Nordstrom

Ok, the color got me on this one. It's so bright, pretty, and girly! At $350 for this lovely, it's more expensive than the Longchamp but way less scary than the Balenciaga and Be&D. Yet another thing to add to my Christmas/birthday list. Though, a Balenciaga would be nice...

Do you have a favorite purse? Any purse you are lusting after at the moment?

***I'm extending my travel giveaway for another week! It will end on Friday July 15th so don't forget to enter!