Back to school part 4: Personal Essentials!

     Hello beauties! So yes, schools starting. Every year you pick out the cutest bag you can find and stuff it with your pens, pencils, and books. But, as we all know, we need to throw in our makeup bag and uhm, personal items. :) So I'm just going to show you what I'm going to bring everyday!

<--- So, here they are! My beautiful striped Jansport backpack (I LOVE this bag, and I have no idea why haha) and my Modella makeup and personal bags. (black and white have makeup, flowers are for my other items) I think the Modella bags were only like $8 and I got them at Walgreens!:)

In my flower bag, I have my pads and liners! (I use always infinity pads and U by Kotex liners.) I think every girl needs some kind of bag or other container to store their tampons, pads, liners, and even feminine wipes. So, I have one!:) And it's super cute, too!












                                       

 Now for what's in my makeup bag!! (Blogger is messing up and won't let me type beside it... So I'll awkwardly be on top!:D ) So, I'm sure when school starts I'll really realize what I'll need for school and I'll change what's inside every now and then. But for now, this is what I have! I have: My e.l.f. Complexion Perfection Powder, rubber bands for my braces, a Neutrogena On-the-Go Zit Stick, Softlips Lip Conditioner in Vanilla, my VS lip gloss in idk what flavor, a nordstrom's sample pot (you know those things! They're so you can squirt lotion samples in them? They're so cute! I always pick up a couple extras because they're great to have!) One is filled with some kind of lotion I got there, and the other I filled up with my own Pantene Straighten and Smooth Cream. This way if my hair gets frizzy, I'll be ready! Also in my bag I have my eyebrow and eyelash brush, and my powder brush! I also have a lipstick and an eyeliner, but those were just examples. I'd bring whatever lip product and eyeliner I was wearing that day.

     So that's basically it! I really don't bring that much makeup because the only time I have to reapply is after gym which is only 5 min, and during lunch. (And I would rather eat then do my makeup! I'm sorry, but I looooves my food<3 ) So I'm not going to bring every bit of makeup I wore that day. So yeah! I really hope this was helpful!!

     QUESTION!

What do you have in your makeup bag? Comment and follow!:)

Back to School part 3: Hair!

     Hi beauties! So, since my last post was super long, I'm going to keep this one short and sweet.:) I think for first day of school, you should do something special. I ALWAYS have my hair straight, in pigtail braids, or in a ponytail. So, for the first day of school, I'm curling my hair!


Products used:

-Garnier Fructis Leave-in Conditioning Cream
-Herbal Essences body envy volumizing hairspray
-Any curling wand




     So, before I do anything, I take a quarter-sized amount of the cream and put it all over my hair, focusing mostly on the ends. This keeps it from frizzing up, and keeps it healthy. Then I take 1-2 inch sections of hair and wrap it around my wand for about 7-10 seconds each. Once I'm done, I use my volumizing hairspray and spray all over to keep it held, and to give great volume!:)

                             (Don't mind my face, I sent this picture to a friend, just being stupid...<3 )

Back to School part 2: Makeup

     What do to, what to do? The school year  is starting, and you have all this makeup. What shades should you wear? Should you go for something more special? Or wear even less to show you aren't trying so hard?
     Well, do whatever you want. But, I really recommend a more natural look. You DON'T want to show up to school, when everyone has half-forgotten what you look like, and you have tons of makeup caked up all over your face. Crazy colors and piles of foundation = a no-no. So, keep it light, keep it natural, but you can still play with a little bit of color. I'll show you 3 different looks you can try for your first day!
     Makeup Used for look 1:
-Aveeno Tinted Moustorizer
-Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara
-Maybelline Define-A-Line in Brownish Black
-Urban Decay Primer Potion

-From my Sephora Colorista Palette: A nude color, a bright white highlight, and a purpley-taupe color

-Cherry Chapstick
-Benefit's Bene-tint
-Any deep pink lip gloss

So the picture quality on this is really bad, but i decided to go for a pretty natural eye, with a tiiiiiiiiiiiiny pop of color. I put the nude color all over my lid and applied the highlight color on my inner corners and brow bone. Then, I took the purple-ish color and applied it in my crease, and blended it all out. Even when my eye is open, you can see the BEAUTIFUL fade out of the crease color. This is where I put on my mascara. After that, I just put some of my brown eyeliner on the outer lash-line. So, pretty basic.

For the lips, I put the cherry chapstick all over my lips to keep them moisturized, but also to add a tiiiiny bit of color to start off the look. Then, I used my Bene-tint and applied a generous amount all over. To top it off, I put my deep pink lip gloss on top. This picture makes it look light, but really it's a very deep, almost red color. I love it! A pretty much natural eye with deep colored lips is GREAT for a first day of school. It's something you could easily wear everyday, but still looks great enough for back to school.










Makeup Used for look 2:
-Aveeno Tinted Moustorizer
-Covergirl Lash Blast Volume in Brown Black
-Milani Color Brilliance pencil liner in Aqua
-Urban Decay Primer Potion

-From Urban Decay's Naked Palette: Virgin, Sin, Sidecar, and Smog

-Softlips Lip Conditioner in Vanilla
-L'oreal Paris Lipstick in Fairest Nude

I LOVE this look. I never wear it except for summer, but I decided it'd be a fun pop of color to start off school.:) I mixed Sin and Sidecar and put it on my lid, applied Virgin as my highlight color, and smog in the crease. This is a very shimmery look, and I love it. Then I apply my mascara. Afterwards, I put my aqua eyeliner (LOOOOVE!!!) on my lashline. I always get compliments on this look, and I might try it during the back to school season:)

Now for the really easy part! Just put on any lip balm and nude lipstick. Keep your lips suttle when using such a bright color on the lids:)


















Makeup Used for Look 2:
-Aveeno Tinted Moistorizer
-Covergirl Lashblast Volume Mascara in black
-Jordana pencil eyeliner in black
-Urban Decay Primer Potion
-From my Urban Decay NAKED Palette: Virgin, Naked, Darkhourse, and Creep
-Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain+Balm in Passion

Okay, this picture really does not give serve this look justice. You can't tell, but it's a dark blue-ish, gray smokey eye. So, I took Naked, applied it all over, and used Virgin as a highlight. (What a suprise!;) ) Then I took darkhorse and applied it on my outer-V. Then, I used my black eyeliner and applied it on my waterline. After I curled my eyelashes, I applied my black mascara to add to the dark look. Then, taking Creep, I took a gel liner brush, and dabbed the shadow over the liner to keep the color. Then I used Naked again and padded it right under the liner, so it wouldn't smudge. I really love this eye, It's smokey, but not over-the-top at all. Great for school!:D

To keep the rest of the look light, I took my Just Bitten balm, applied it, then applied the lip stain. This light pink color is soooo pretty and I use it every chance I get.
















So yeah! Those are my back-to-school looks! I didn't really do anything about the face because I thought you guys knew what you already wanted to do. I didn't use any concealer because I wanted the look light (and my skin has been looking GREAT lately) and I didn't use a foundation, just a tinted moisturizer. But, you guys know what you need, so go with that! I don't use bronzer, but if you want to: do it! And for all three looks I used my Posie-tint lip and cheek stain:) Hope you enjoyed! Leave comments! I love hearing from you!

Back to School Part 1: Skin Care

     Hello beauties! I've decided to start a back to school series for my blog. My school starts in a couple weeks (and I'm sure some of yours have already started, so I'm going to be pulling this series out fast) and I thought this would be helpful for some people. So, step 1 to looking great on your first day (or any school day) is taking care of your skin.
   
      BODY:
Make sure you exfoliate everyday! It's very important, and will keep your skin touchably soft. And you know those bumps you get on your upper arms? Those go away with daily exfoliating! More information on it here. And afterwards, make sure to use a lotion or body butter all over your body. These are what I use everyday.

Body Shop Mango Body Scrub

Bath&BodyWorks Apple Blossom Citrus Lotion

    

      FACE:

Okay, it's time to get serious about our skincare. You want your skin to look best on its first day, don't you? I thought so. <3 In order to get your face as clean and glowing as possible, you really need to buckle down. Make sure every morning and night you cleanse, tone, apply any serums and acne medications you may have, and mousturize. Never skip a day! Exfoliate one to three times a week to get it deep-cleansed and soft. If you have acne, make sure you start spot treating them. If you have acne scars, make a DIY toner to help reduce them. Link is here. If you have wrinkles, or to prevent them, use a wrinkle treatment. So, here are some products I really recommend. I've added these to my skin care routine.



Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel-Cream









PanOxyl wash for face, back, and chest



     You also ned to eat healthy! I have a really bad junk food habit, but the past week or so I've cut myself off completely so I could have clear, first day of school, skin. I'll do a post on it's own about healthy eating though. I hope you enjoyed!:)













Summer Makeup Routine!

     So, I LOVE makeup. But honestly, I don't wear thaaat much on a regular basis. Especially during summer. But, I still wear some and I thought it would be fun to post what I use everyday in summer!:) Here we go:


-Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock
-e.l.f. complexion perfection powder
-Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara
-Urban Decay Primer Potion
-Shadows from Urban Decay's NAKED Palette
-Softlips Vanilla
-Benefit's Posie Tint Lip and Cheek Stain
-Benefit's High Beam


     So, first I put on my sunblock and let it set for about 5 minutes. Then I get my powder brush and swirl all of the e.l.f. powder colors together, and apply it all over my face to control shine. I curl my eyelashes and apply a coat or two of my clear mascara. (I usually apply Covergirl's lash blast volume in black-brown, but latley I've been loving my clear mascara) While my clear mascara is out, I groom my brows and double it up as a brow gel. I then apply my primer potion all over my lids and along my inner corners. After this, I almost ALWAYS use my NAKED palette (unless I'm using my Sephora colorista palette). I use a variety of the colors everyday, but usually I just wear Naked all over my lid, Smog in my crease, and Virgin mixed with Sin my inner corners and brow bone. After that I apply my lip balm and Posie Tint on my lips. (Some days I'll use posie tint on my cheeks, too) Then I use high beam to highlight my cheek bones and cupid's bow.
     I hope you enjoyed! What do YOU where over summer?:)

Water Bottles! Bobbles?

     Let's talk water bottles. So, this doesn't really have to do with makeup, but it does have to do with beauty! (Kinda) The more water you drink, the prettier your skin. 

     I'm sure you've heard of these water "bobbles". The little thing that hangs into the bottle is a filter. You fill the bobble with water then put the cap on. You squeeze all of the water through the filter. Re-fill it, and repeat. Clean water wherever you go, without having to pay for expensive plastic water bottles. What's wrong with that?

     I've never been a plastic water bottle person. I've always just drank out of the tap. But there wasn't always a sink nearby. My problem is: I'm never thirsty. I only drink when there's water in front of me. But there were never any cute reusable bottles that were small enough to comfortably fit in my hand. This solved the problem. It's super cute AND I know I can trust the neighborhood water fountains because I have the filter. So i really recommend this! It's $10. Plus, you have to buy a new filter every 2 months. SO, kinda expensive. But, it's worth it for me. Hope it is for you!  BTW- I have the pink one:) But I might get the bright blue next time I get a new filter.

Hair Products

     Time to talk hair products, beauties. I never, ever used hair products. Ever. The only time I did was when I threw my hair up and needed some hairspray. All of my hair stylists said, "You really should use some kind of product in your hair everyday." But I just ignored them. My hair was fine. Why would I need them?
     But, the past few months I've been buying and trying all kinds of products. I officially have my favorites!! First my favorite, fifth my least (yet I love them all!!)
     First- Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse. This stuff is like magic in a can! My hair CAN'T curl or scrunch in anyway. (I have REALLY AMAZINGLY hard to curl hair. If you want to know how I actually get my hair to curl, request it!). But, when I use this, it really helps keep the curls in! Super super amazing. I really recommend it.
     Second- L'oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray. This hairspray ROCKS. It really keeps my hair in place, but it doesn't make it all crunchy.
     Third- Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Hairspray. I usually use my L'oreal Paris hairspray, but if I've curled my hair, I'll use this. It really gives my curls a boost! But, it makes my hair crunchy. Oh well!
     Fourth- Garnier Fructis Leave-In Conditioning Cream for Color-Treated or Highlighted Hair. I have blonde highlights, and this really locks in the color. I use this everyday when I don't need to use any of my other products in my hair. It doesn't weigh down my hair, and I love it!
     Fifth- Pantene Medium-Thick Straighten and Smooth Cream. I use this after I've straightened my hair to calm down the frizz. That's really it. Good product. Not super amazingly fantastic, but I do use it every time I straighten my hair. Does the job, but my makes my hair a BIT BIT BIT oily.
     So yeah! As for heat protectants, I just use whatever is around the house.:) Hope this post didn't bore you to death!;) Bye beauties.

My Skin Care Routine

I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE reading and watching  about people's skin care routines. So, I decided to do one! I really do recommend all of these products. (Obviously no one payed me to say any of this). I've been using this for about two months and I love it! So here's what i use:
     -Neutrogena naturals purifying facial cleanser
     -Neutrogena naturals fresh cleansing and makeup remover
     -Neutrogena naturals purifying face scrub
     -Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner
     -My DIY Acne Scar reducing Toner
     -F.A.B. Anti-Redness Serum
     -Any moisturizer (i will explain)

     So, every morning I wet my face with warm water then use the purifying facial cleanser. I rinse my face with cold water. Then i get a cotton ball and wet it with the Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner and spread it all over my face. Once it has dried for about a minute, I take a dime sized amount of the F.A.B. serum and apply it all over my face then I let it set for 5 minutes. After that, I apply my moisturizer. Okay, so I used to use the Garnier Skin Renew (i think its called) moisturizer, but I ran out. Luckily, I have a lot of samples from online and in-store Sephora purchases, so i have been using those. (This week I'm using Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizer. I really like it and might buy it.) After about at least 10 minutes of it soaking in, I put on sunscreen and  start applying my makeup.
     At night, I wet my face with warm water and use the fresh cleansing and makeup remover. I rinse my face off with cold water. I then get a cotton ball and use my DIY TONER. (I use this only at night, because it smells kinda gross, and i don't want people smelling me hahaha). Once it has dried, I apply my F.A.B. serum, let it dry ten minutes, and apply my moisturizer.
     Every 3 or 4 days I use my Neutrogena naturals purifying face scrub. I recommend using it at night because scrubs tend to make your face red sometimes, and its better to be red while your asleep instead of when your out and about. I really do love this scrub though! It makes my skin sooooooooo smooth I love it!

     So, yeah! I really love these products! The purifying facial cleanser really takes off all the dirt, and the makeup remover is safe for eyes so it really DOES remove all of my makeup. BTW my DIY toner is still lightening my scars!:)

Deals and Steals!

     Okay, all of us love makeup, but sometimes it can get REALLY expensive! So, I've been keeping my eye out and I wanted to share some findings with you!


    Drugstore:
I was at Walgreens the other day, and they had a table of coupons! :D So, I picked up a couple. One is a save $1 on all Maybelline New York Cosmetics. It expires October 31st 2011.
I also picked up a save $1 on any Essie nail color or nail care item. This expires October 6th. I usually don't shop with coupons, but I mean, why not? You just saved two bucks there! So go to a local Walgreens and pick some up before they're gone.

     Sephora:
Okay, so Sephora ALWAYS has great deals going on. I could go on forever. But I'm just going to name some great deals that I've found. 


-Sephora Collection Mineral Loose Powder Foundation. Original price: $18 Sale: $3
-All Tokidoki Prisma Lip Glosses. Original: $15 Sale:$5
-Harajuku Lovers Wicked Style II Bag Collection. Original: $15-$28 Sale:$5-$9
-Sephora by OPI Chic Prints For Nails. Original: $15 Sale: $5
-Sephora Collection Beauty In A Box Starter Kit Brush Set Original: $36 Sale: $10


So yeah! I figured why not save a few bucks? BTW- The Kat Von D Collection seems to be having a huge sale on a lot of their products.. So you might want to check that out!:) Hope I helped:) 

DIY Acne Scar Reducing Toner!

     Hello beauties! I have never had amazing skin. I always have huge pimples, redness, whiteheads, and blackheads. Recently, thank you to my new skin care routine (just comment if you want me to make a post about it!) I have gotten rid of everything! ...With the exception of a few blackheads on my nose and ofcourse: Acne Scars. :/
     Aren't they just the most annoying little things? First you get all excited because all of your acne is gone, but there's still those little scars to remind you of them! I found this recipe online, and added my own little twist to it. I have found after only a week of using this, my acne scars are REALLY starting to fade! Not only that, but my skin looks brighter and cleaner. So wanna know how to make it? Let's get started!
     You'll need:
-A jar/container to hold it in
-Apple Cider Vinegar (It must be APPLE CIDER vinegar, or your skin will just get worse.)
-Organic Green Tea
-4 or more Vitamin E gels
   Optional:
-Water
-Lemon Juice
-Olive Oil


     First, pour the apple cider vinegar into the jar, until it's about 1/4 full. Then pour your cooled down organic green tea filling up 2 more fourths. Now, take your vitamin E gels and carefully stab them with a sewing needle and squeeze all of their contents into the jar. Screw on the jar cap and shake it up! Store it in your fridge; it should last about 2 weeks.
     If you have really sensative skin, I recommend adding a little water to the mixture to dilute it. If you want extra scar reducing power, add a little organic lemon juice. If you have dry skin, mix in a little olive oil to help mousturize your skin.
     There you go! An amazing toner that actually works! I apply this on every night after washing my face and before I put on any serums or mousturizer. Well, I really hope this works for all of you! E-mail or comment and tell me your stories! Until next time :)

Benefit's Posie Tint Review

     I went to Sephora recently and picked up a sample set of bene-tint lip & cheek stain, posie tint lip & cheek stain, and high beam liquid highlighter for only $15! I liked all three, but I completely fell in love with Posie Tint. It's a very soft light pink color, and it looks very natural. All Benefit highlighters and stains come in this really cute nailpolish-like container. I love it, but a lot of people don't like the applicator. If you don't, you can dab a little bit on your hand, then apply it to your cheeks with a stippling brush, lip brush, blush brush, or just your fingers.
    I love blushes and cheek stains, but it's really hard  for me to find a color this soft. I find that many cheek stains stand out way too much, while if I try to buy a soft pink powder blush, it doesn't stand out enough. This frustrates me SO much. But finally I found a color that works for me!:) I really recommend this color for people with pale skin, because even the littlest color really stands out. So a soft pink like this is a lot better than a dark red. You want a little flush, not a rampage of color:)
     Posie-tint is also a BEAUTIFUL lip stain. It's shiny, and a has a very kissable color. But make sure to but some lip balm on before or after you apply, so you don't dry out your lips.
    I do assure you, if you have pale skin, this will work for you! Although, if you have a different skin tone, this will defiantly still work for you! I have a couple friends with olive and dark skin tones and they still love Posie Tint. Remember, I bought this for $15 for a sample of posie-tint, bene-tint, and high beam. If you guys want me to review the other two, tell me! I'm happy to do whatever.:) If you want a whole bottle, it costs $29 at Sephora. Click here to check it out!                                                  

   

Welcome!

Hello beauties,
     My name is Kelly. I am a complete makeup, hair, and beauty addict, and if you're reading this blog, you probably are too! The purpose of this blog is to share my love of beauty with the world. I will be posting: reviews of popular products, makeup swatches, hair ideas, DIY projects and face masks, and more.
     The great thing about this blog is that I will be reviewing inexpensive as well as expensive products. So people with all kinds of tastes and budgets can still enjoy this site.
     Thank you so much! Take a look around, follow, and tell me what you think!:)