Update & How to Get Mildew Off of Your Bags/Shoes/Etc.

Good morning everyone! I'm finally caught up enough to do a blog post. I went to Imagine Music Festival in Atlanta this past weekend, way too much fun! There was a 50%-60% chance of rain both nights but lucky for us, it only seemed to rain when we were in our hotel room.

I update my "About" section and added some new buttons, so be sure to check those out because they look super cool. I got them here, it's a great website I discovered yesterday that will cover all of your icon needs. Some free, some not, but you can sort by "free" or "premium" or "all". I also updated my blog header finally but I'm not sure how I feel about it so that might be changing again soon.

I was getting my bags out of John's closet so that I could pack, and to my surprise some of them had mildew/mold on them! Some of my shoes too! Gross. I wasn't too distraught until I saw that it was on some expensive-ish pairs of shoes and my backpack for school. Here's what I did:

You need:
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
Suede brush (I didn't have one so I used an old toothbrush that I cleaned)
Petroleum jelly
Lint free cloth (I used a sponge because I didn't have that either)
Suede brush (preferable but optional)
Dryer sheet (optional)

1. Take bags and shoes outside and gently rub the moldy spots with the suede brush (tooth brush) just to get the initial nastiness off.
2. Work petroleum jelly into spots in firm, circular motions. Note: I did not use petroleum jelly on my suede shoes. Just the water/vinegar mixture (see below).
3. Mix water and vinegar in a bowl. I found that 1/2 cups of each were a bit too much, but you may need more or less depending on how many things you are cleaning. Just make sure it's 1/2 and 1/2.
4. Dip cloth or sponge in mixture and dab on petroleum jelly areas, or just the mildew areas in the case of suede.
5. Let dry naturally, outside is preferable if the weather permits it.
6. If your garments smell, rub them with a dryer sheet.

It would be ideal if you have a suede brush to get the fabric back to its original state. I don't have one so I just made sure I was extra careful when cleaning the suede and lightly brushed over it with a toothbrush once it was dry. Lucky for me the spores weren't too deep so I didn't have to work that hard to get them out.

Well I hope that never happens to you so that you'll never have to use these tips, but they're here if you need 'em.

Also, happy September!

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What have you all been up to? 

Life Tips #1 and #2

1. Don't buy a razor without checking how much the razor blade refills are going to be. 
They can cost more than the razor itself! Don't invest in a "high end" razor just because it presumably takes hair off your skin better than others, because chances are you'll have to pay a million more dollars when the blades dull and you need to get refills. If we're talking about shaving our heads, then we're going to need something a little more intense probably. But my lovely ladies, taking hair off your legs, arm pits, bikini area, wherever: you don't need an expensive razor. Don't limit yourself to the pretty pink razors either, look at all of your razor options, even if it means getting a men's razor. Maybe invest in a good shaving cream, just because it moisturizes your skin and makes the shave smoother. Just don't stoop to disposable razors, especially if you have sensitive skin. By the way, did any of you ever try this scary thing? It didn't do a thing. Good marketing sucks.

2. Don't watch House if you are a hypochondriac. 
I don't think this needs an explanation.

By the way, I currently use the Schick Quattro for women as my razor. Not the scary one that claims to trim. It fits comfortably in my hand and I get a smooth shave; no complaints.

Also should add, I'm NOT affiliated with Schick in any way. Or House, though I wish I was!  

Lovely Links

I usually used to do these on Fridays to kick off the weekend, but I figured I'd do one on a Monday to kick off the week!

Having trouble picking the best nail shape for you? Beautylish guides you through, square, oval, squoval, round, etc., and how to get your desired nail shape!

If you also live in the Holy City that is Charleston, SC, then you're lucky like me. If you don't already have 4th of July plans, here is a calendar of events going on around the lowcountry.

Speaking of this national holiday, not sure what to wear? Here are some subtle and chic ways to wear red, white, and blue without going all out.

Again, if you're going to be out for the 4th, make sure to wear plenty of SPF that's right for your skin!

I'm sure you all have a favorite band or artist that you never get tired of no matter what. Well mine happens to be Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks. Watch her evolution of style (I LOVE #21) and steal it too. You can find Stevie Nicks-esque items on Etsy, Gypsy Moon, Jolly Chic, and get some more inspiration from Pinterest. She's the goddess of bohemian style and I love it. (I'll be doing a Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac inspired post soon, I've just decided).

Note: If and when I have kids, I WILL be decorating and doodling on my kid(s)'s lunch bags like this. So cool!

Never read/seen the Harry Potter movies? Here are some Harry Potter words and names pictured by people who have never seen or read them. These are actually pretty hilarious.

And just for shits and giggles to kick off a good week, here's some adorable motivation to get you through the week! If he can do it, so can you. Hang in there!

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!).

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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!)

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

How to: Get Smooth Lips for Summer

I have problems with dry lips, and I definitely have to work to get them to stay smooth. I think I've finally found a lip routine that keeps them moisturized and flake-free!

1. Exfoliate- Get all the dead skin cells and flakes off of your lips! My favorite lip scrub is Sara Happ's The Lip Scrub, but at $24 it is a bit expensive, so you can find a list of DIY lip scrubs here. I like to do this step at night because it can make your lips a bit red.

2. Super Moisture- I mean a very intense lip treatment here. As much as I hate the smell of Clinique's Superbalm lip treatment, it works wonders. I also use this in the winter when my lips get super chapped. I've heard good things about the Kiehl's Lip Balm #1, but I've never used it.

3. Daily Moisture- For moisturizing throughout the day whenever your lips are feeling dry. C.O. Bigelow's Lemon and Black Cherry Lip Balm and Nivea a Kiss of Moisture are my favorite daily lip balms.

4. Spf- One of the most important steps, especially during the summer! Even if you don't realize it, your lips burn very easily, and the sun can dry them out making them very dry or chapped. Find a lip gloss or balm that has spf in it, like Nivea a Kiss of Protection, Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss with spf 15, or MAC's tinted lip conditioner.

This may be common sense for a lot of people, but I know my mom had never thought to exfoliate her lips so I thought I'd share :) Let me know what your favorite products for keeping your lips smooth this summer are!

Lucy Loves Feathers

Don't want to permanently (well, semi-permanently I guess?) have feathers in your hair?

I love Lucy Hale's take on the "feathers in hair" look!

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She wore a big feather earring in one of the episodes of Pretty Little Liars. Only 1 though! I'm pretty sure this one is by Owlita. A bit more expensive than feather extensions, but you can take them in and out whenever you want!

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She is on the cover of the current Seventeen issue sporting the same look, except more colorful! The one she is wearing here is from Edge of Urge. I like these because they are a bit smaller, cheaper, and have some cool colorful options!

This is a great option if you like to change your look a lot and don't want to commit to having feathers in your hair for long periods of time, or if you don't want to wear them to work or something where they would not be appropriate. I'm definitely going to get some of these!

What do you think? Do you like the look of feather extensions? Would you get extensions or buy the earrings? Let me know your thoughts :)

How to be work-ready after the beach!

I have been absolutely dying to go to the beach, so my boyfriend, his friend, and I decided to get up early one day and go. I had to be at work at 2, meaning I had to be downtown at at least 1:30 to make sure I could find parking. We got to the beach around 9:30 or 10 and stayed until about 12. I was worried that I would look like a mess for work, since I didn't have time to go home and shower. But, doing these things really helped me look more polished and work-ready. My boss came up to me and said "Wow you look pretty! Did you come from Church?" ummm nope. My best friend who I also work with said "Wait you came straight from the beach? You don't look like you did!"

So, I guess these little things I did really worked! Here are my tips :)

1. Find some way to rinse off

For me, this was using the hose at my boyfriend's friend's house (his name is James). Just to make sure I get all of the sand off me, and especially out of my hair. I had my hair in 2 braids at the beach so it wasn't that messy.

2. Face Wipes

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My favorite are the Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes. After the beach, my face is usually pretty...un-pretty. Especially after applying sunscreen multiple times to make sure I don't burn (my face ALWAYS burns. I use spf 100+ on it). Throw some face wipes in you're bag and use these to get a clean, glowy face. Not to mention, all that sunscreen, sand, and saltwater can be harsh on your skin and clog your pores. It's best to get all that gunk out ASAP!

3. A Tinted Moisturizer

I use MAC's Studio Moisture Tint, it evens out my skin tone pretty nicely and gives me a little bit of color, because my face just does not want to tan. So it looks pretty odd when my face is white and the rest of my body is tan. This is easy because you can apply it with your fingers and it isn't too heavy. Sometimes I set it with a powder since my face tends to get a little greasier when I work, because of the humidity. But this step is optional.

4. Eyeliner

Nothing too heavy, just a thin line of brown or black eyeliner. I used the Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Sparkle Liner pencil in Cosmic Cocoa. I love the Beauty Rush line because there is always the 4 for $20 deal going on.

5. Mascara

If nothing else, at least apply a coat of mascara to your lovely lashes. Mascara makes a HUGE difference in your makeup look, it makes your eyes look bigger, brighter, and more awake. You've probably already heard that a million times though. I have so many mascaras, so I don't use the same one every day. They are all drugstore (except for MAC Haute and Naughty mascara. I love it!), and I think on this day I used Maybelline's One by One mascara, it's a great lengthening mascara. The only thing I don't like about it is that it has a strange smell. I don't know if I just got a bad one, because I haven't heard anybody else say anything about it.

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Optional steps:

1. Before I applied my tinted moisturizer, I applied a light daily moisturizer under it so that my skin wouldn't dry out from the salt water and sun.

2. I used MAC's Paint Pot in Painterly to even out my eyelids and make them look less veiny

3. Hair is kind of a tricky thing to do. At work, we have to wear hats and have our hair up so I just took mine out of the braids and put it in a pony tail. There are other cute updo's that you could do that look more polished than a ponytail, like a bun or something. Here is a good tutorial from Missglamorazzi and one from Macbarbie07.

4. I don't think this needs mentioning, but a change of clothes is also necessary. So I guess this shouldn't really be under "optional steps"...oh well :P

Well that's pretty much it! Hope this helps :) Leave your own beach beauty tips below and let me know what you think!

Oh, P.S. I've been OBSESSED with TjMaxx lately! Usually when I go there it's hard to find anything I like, but lately I've found sooo much stuff! I don't know if I'm just looking harder now, or TjMaxx is stepping up there game or what. But I'm not complaining!

Oh and P.S.S we're getting closer to the 100 follower giveaway! I have some great prizes in mind :)