beauty review

The world of beauty box subscriptions!

Beauty, beauty review, monthly beauty subscription

Last year I discovered the world of monthly beauty subscriptions and I was HOOKED.  $10-$20 a month to be sent different beauty products to try that would retail for more then what I paid for the box? SIGN ME UP. I love beauty products and I LOVE getting packages so I’m the perfect consumer for it!  So far I’ve tried Sephora play! Ipsy and Boxycharm.  Glossybox and Birchbox are the 2 that I’ve yet to try but for the most part, these are the key 5 beauty boxes that have the most popularity.  Allure beauty box is also a new one that is getting more popular. I have tried it!

UNDER $10 BOXES WITH SAMPLES

Sephora Play!

-This is Sephora’s monthly box that will retail for $10. You’ll receive 5 sample products and 1 sample perfume. All brands sold at Sephora.

I received this box for about 5 months before canceling my subscription.  Mostly the boxes I received were ok.  I was lucky if I would like 1 product but I would often find that I would like the products in other boxes!  With Sephora play there is around 5 different box variations but all will have the same 1-2 main items.  You take a beauty quiz when you subscribe so the products should be tailored to your make up likes and skin needs but I didn’t really find that very effective.

-The one thing I loved about this box was that you got a pass for 50 extra bonus points at your next Sephora purchase.  I’ve racked up my points with these little guys but I felt the box wasn’t worth it if I only liked the 50 pt rewards.

-The box doesn’t really contain full sized items except for Verb hair products and some Living Proof products.  I’m bummed that I never got some Living Proof stuff! Sometimes Sephora will give spoilers.  Other months you won’t have a clue what’s in your box until you get it.  Compared to some other boxes, I feel like Sephora is just unorganized and not as high in value.

 

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August Ipsy with around a $34 value!

Ipsy.  

-Ipsy is $10 a month and you will receive 5 products along with a makeup bag.  I love that you get a makeup bag! Although I will say they’re small and can’t fit much.  Ipsy features samples and full size products.  I’ve received full sized lip sticks, blushes and eyeliners!

– Ipsy also includes makeup brushes in their bags which I love because they’re usually pretty good quality.

-I’m so impressed with Ipsy and I think they give the best bang for your buck because you receive a bag and full sized products. You also get the chance to review your products for points to redeem full sized products.  They also have a cash back service for buying beauty products through their sight!

-Ipsy is extremely good at giving hints on your box and keeping you up to date with when it’s coming and what you’ll get.

-Good for those who love makeup or those who are looking to try out makeup and explore!

Birch Box.

– Another $10 deluxe 5 sample box.   I’ve never subscribed to Birchbox because i’ve just really liked Ipsy. It will probably be next on my list to try but I would say they’re very similar!

– Birchbox allows you to pick a sample each month so you can control some of what you receive and it also does feature high end samples! You also get loyalty points back to go towards buying different beauty products.

-Good for those who love makeup or those who aren’t so familiar with makeup and want to try!

FULL SIZED PRODUCT, $15-$20 BOXES.

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Here’s my August Boxycharm. it has an over $100 value! Insane!

Boxycharm.  I am obsessed!

– For $21 a month you will receive 5 high end, full sized beauty products.  This month I received a Tarte Eyeshadow palette with a value of $36 so the palette alone makes the box worthwhile.  The box includes makeup brushes which is a big plus for me. I like the brands that Boxycharm features: Colourpop, Ofra and Makeup Geek so more online brands that are harder to get and try.

-great for those who love makeup and collect because within a few months you will be overrun with product! haha.

-There is a waitlist! I had no wait but I have heard some people have!

Glossybox. For $20 a month you will get 5 full sized, luxury products.  Very similar to Boxycharm. They also feature collab boxes with brands or bloggers as well as limited edition boxes!

-You can buy the box month by month with no waitlist.

Allure Beauty Box

Allure Beauty Box is $15 a month with $10 for your first box. You also get an eyeshadow palette when you subscribe. Each month you’ll receive 5 products chosen from the editors!

– Allure includes more boutiquey brands.  I got it for 2 months and I received lots of anti aging products so I would say its for more mature skin.  You don’t get to take a quiz to tailor the products you get so every box pretty much has the same stuff.

Mysubscriptionaddiction.com is an awesome site that reviews each box and gives spoilers of what you will get in each box.  I love this website and its a great resource for navigating boxes and deciding which one is for you!

Sephora Haul!

Beauty, beauty review, sephora, Shopping

We are long overdo for a beauty post!  I got some stuff from Sephora then I ordered a package online because the point rewards are insane rn. (This is what I grabbed.)  I wanted to wait till I had everything to show you!

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I had like 700 points so I stalked up on the point rewards because they were so good!

I got the Sunday Riley UFO oil which I had a sample of and have been loving! I got a big zit on my forehead and it’s been helping that and the pores around my noses that are always clogged.  Everything feels smoother.

Cover FX drops in moonstone. I’ve always wanted these highlighter drops so this is a perfect little sample to have.  I feel like it’ll fill my want and last a while.

Anastasia clear brow gel. I just started doing my brows and I wanted a clear brow gel because I’m legit scared of my face when I use a tinted one.  I have thick brows so they don’t need to be darker, just kept in place.

I also got a mini sample of the Kat Von D sinner perfume w/ one of the promo codes. It’s tiny but it has a spray which I LOVE way more then roller balls.  It’s perfect to keep in your purse or car.  Smell wise I like it but don’t love it. I expected sinner to be more musky and warm.  Almost like sexy and dark smelling if that makes sense.  It’s more flowery and bright.

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Supergoop SPF 50 setting spray.  I don’t like the feeling or smell of wearing sunscreen but it’s super important!  This is a setting spray with SPF so you just do your makeup as you normally would and spray this after to set and protect your face from the sun.  I’ll use this at school when I’m outside walking to class.  It’s honestly so smart and perfect.

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Sol De Janiero Brazilian Crush Body Mist! This stuff smells so, so good!  It’s a sweet toasted almond sort of smell and I love warm scents that aren’t too sweet.  I like wearing body mists in the summer and when I go to class because they’re casual and light and I ALWAYS have some type of perfume or body mist on. ALWAYS.  I will look like a bum but 100% will have perfume on.  I have the best sense of smell so I’m obsessed with anything that has a scent.  I ordered the baby version since I want to get new perfume when I get to school in a few weeks. I don’t like to travel with big glass perfume bottles and I love that this is plastic and perfect for travel!

Laura Mercier eyeshadow stick in copper.  I wish I got this sooner! It has the staying power of an eyeshadow pot but applies like a fat eye liner which makes it super easy to use.  This is the prettiest, brightest rose gold color and I love lining my bottom lash line and rubbing it across my eyelid.  So easy, so pretty and it makes brown eyes pop, thats hard friends.

Ouai haircare smoothing spray.  I love a leave in conditioner spray that de frizzes and protects against heat.  They’re easy and you don’t get product on your hands. 😊 I continue to want to try different Ouai products and while this is super new I have heard good things.

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Glow recipe watermelon glow sleeping mask. I have heard so many good things about this!  Its a watermelon scented, jelly mask that comes with the cutest little spoon to apply it to your face… as if you didn’t need more reason to buy it!   You have the option to wear it to sleep or wash it off after 10 but it basically hydrates, smoothes and plumps the skin! You’re supposed to wake up with the softest, glowiest skin and I’m like sign me up. ( I made my own word also)  I have it on my face as I’m typing this so I will report back on how it works. It gets an A+ for smell because it smells like a perfect watermelon.

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July Favorites

Beauty, beauty review, flatlay, monthly favorites

Holy moly how is it August already! I felt like summer was going by so slowly and bam its August. Craziness but it sure does sneak up on you.  Here’s to another month of faves; I have more hair products included in this month!  Hopefully one day I’ll have enough courage to make a video of my favorites because I love watching those on youtube!   Until then here we go!

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Verb Leave in Mist.  I did a post about this being a dupe for the Bumble and Bumble primer, here.  I love this stuff and how many boxes it checks!  Just a few sprays on wet hair and it nourishes, hydrates, de-frizzes and protects from heat.  It’s so easy to use and it does a really great job and keeping my hair from getting frizzy.  Especially when I air dry! Thats a big deal for me guys.

Real Techniques Blush Brush.  I never talk about makeup brushes probably because I use what I have and don’t really buy them or I use my fingers or beauty blender.  Well it’s hard to use fingers or a sponge for pressed powders so this is my go to brush.  I love it for blush and even more for highlighter because it makes it look for blended and natural as opposed to a harsh section of pure highlighter.  I’ll use this brush for blush and then highlighter which may be a big no – no but I like how the leftover product on the brush brings my whole makeup look together.  Love this brush!

NARS bord de plage. I talk about this a lot but guys I love the palette so, so much.  I’m debating buying another one for backup because thats the level of love we’re at.  As you can tell by the picture it is very loved and used a lot!  The highlighters are my perfect highlighter in terms of color, glow and consistency. I like to apply them after I use a setting spray because that really gives them that pop and dewy look.  I had a hard time with color pay off with the bronzer at first but I’m not sure if it’s because the top layer is gone but now I have no issue getting enough product and pigment on my brush! Absolutely smitten with this palette!!!!

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Bite Beauty butter cream lipstick in Caramel. This is a nude / peachy / coral lipstick which is so out of my comfort zone.  I’m straight up nude pink sort of girl.  This color is super flattering and is easy to wear for someone who isn’t use to color on their lips.  I just dab this on my lips for an easy going look and it’s so creamy and comfortable to wear.  It’s a nude color but adds enough color to flatter your face!  Bite beauty is very gentle and as a sensitive skin girl I really like their lipsticks.

Dry Bar Triple Sec.  This is a repurchase product and I’ve always love it for the texture, scent, refresher trifecta but guys for short hair… this stuff is a game changer!  The scent alone is amazing like all dry bar products but what it does makes it even better. My hair as I mentioned is shorter so I have to try harder to achieve that beachy, lived in, messy sort of look. My hair falls flat very easily this stuff is great at giving it that lived in texture I want.  I HATE texture sprays that make your hair sticky, tacky and tangled and this does not do that.  It’s hard to find a texture spray like that.  I wouldn’t say this is a complete dry shampoo.  It will refresh your hair but I like to use batiste dry shampoo at the roots for oil and then finish with this for a lift, texture and scent!

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Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos.  Guys, this stuff has literally blown my mind.  I’ve been using it for about a month and the improvement I’ve seen in my skin is insane!  I have pretty good skin but I struggle with a cystic zit here and there, texture and eczema.  This has completely changed the texture of my skin! It’s so smooth and my makeup wears so nicely.  I’ve gotten compliments on my skin and as I only wear some concealer I’ve had people ask me what foundation I use.  Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos! lol. I love being able to say I don’t wear foundation that is my skin!  That is such a blessing.   My skincare is my foundation and the hype is totally real for this stuff.  It’s amazing.  I have sensitive skin so I started using this every other night and now I’ve worked my way up to every night.  I use a facial oil right after applying this because as this is an acid, it helps your skin to absorb it better and is gentler. This stuff is a pretty penny but extremely worth it in my opinion.  I will be buying the full size!

YSL Touche Eclat.  I had this in my collection for a while and I randomly stopped using in in high school and I just recently started using it again… why did I stop using this?! It’s sheer but its so good at brightening the under eye area and it does not crease!  If I’m tired and you can obviously tell I’ll use a speck of the Nars creamy concealer along with this for more coverage.  This stuff is so nice under the eyes and it feels like you aren’t wearing anything.

Colourpop highlighter in Spoon. (not on website :()  I was digging around my makeup collection and I found this little guy. It’s a more glittery, silver finish which I don’t usually reach for with highlighters.  I’m all about that gold shimmer. Spoon looks almost duo chrome / iridescent in some lighting which I’m obsessed with! I just love how easy this is to apply.  I’ve been really into applying makeup with my fingers lately.  It’s so pretty on the skin and you know I really like it because I’ve hit pan and that never happens! I like to top it off with a bit of the Nars palette pictured. Super pretty together!

My Nordstrom sale silk cami has to be included in my monthly favorites because I bought 3 colors and thats literally all I’ve worn this month. My instagram will agree. Its sold out but here is a similar option.

Happy Tuesday!

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We’re talking hyped palettes…

Beauty, beauty review, makeup, Uncategorized

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Oh hyped makeup palettes!!! One of my biggest weaknesses up there with restaurant bread. BIG.  Hyped palettes are palettes that are highly talked about in the beauty world. They’re popular on social media, they have a set release date and time, they’re LIMITED EDITION and everyone oohs and ahhs over them.  At the moment the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture palette fills all of those boxes and actually comes out today! Label something with limited edition and I swear I will be all over it in a hot second.  God forbid I miss out and have FOMO! I will stay up all night for the release time and buy it right there! I missed out on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Mario palette and I still get sad about that because the colors were so perfect for what I love.

Hyped palettes are often better then they look! At least for myself I fall for the hype without even really thinking about whether I 1) really need it, 2) have something like it already or the biggest one 3) will want something better later! The worst is when you buy it and you’re sad cause something better comes out a week later and you wished you saved your money for that! I’m trying to get better at this because I’ve gotten some new makeup lately that I haven’t really loved because I bought it just because it was hyped and I didn’t want to miss out. There is also something about just holding a makeup palette that makes me giddy.

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Here’s 4 palettes I’ve gotten in the last 5 months.  Almost all of them hyped palettes.

Too Faced Natural Love. I was a little late to the party with this one. It’s almost brand new because I’ve used it like 4 times.  I wear eyeshadow when I go out and I go out when I’m at school so I haven’t found much use for it this summer.  The shadows are pretty and pigmented. The colors are my jam because I really only wear golds and bronze colors on my eyes. The fallout isn’t terrible and I love the variety because I can create a number of different looks with this palette! Overall, I think this purchase was worth it!

NARS Bord de Plage.  This is the BEST thing I’ve bought in a long time.  I haven’t been this excited about makeup in a while and I have used it nonstop since I got it.  You can tell it’s been used a little bit by the picture and I honestly can see myself hitting pan in the near future. Nars quality is just so good! This palette is beautiful and I love having one palette for bronzer and highlighter. The highlighter makes you glow but not in a fake way! I was so into intense, in your face highlighter and I’m starting to tone that down and this highlighter is a great everyday glow for me! I use the two middle shades the most and I love the top left shade for inner, corner, eyelid highlight. This wasn’t the most hyped palette but I saw it many a times on instagram.

ABH x Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit.  Ahh. I saw this on the Sephora app and I knew I had to own it.  It was $45 which is really good considering you get 6 shades. I got this early access on the Sephora app so I had no reviews on it before I got it.  Honestly, I haven’t used this since I got it in March.  I like the formula: it’s very buttery.  The highlighters are VERY intense.. again sort of leaning away from that.  And it has chunky glitter pieces in it that stick out on your face.  This leaves a nice glow but I think it’s better suited for night time.  I just have other highlighters that I like better and reach for before this.  It’s a photogenic palette but I haven’t used it in 3 months. I fell for the hype and if I could exchange this palette for something else I would. Hopefully I can find a way to incorporate it into my makeup routine!

Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glowkit.  I LOVE Chrissy Teigen and Becca highlighters so before I even saw what this looked like I knew I was going to get it.  I stayed up till 4 am during FINALS to try and get this palette on the Sephora app! Come to find out this palette didn’t even sell out! (Why am I like this?!?!!)  The shades aren’t really highlighters to me. They also don’t pop like my Champagne pop or Opal does!  The bronzer really needs to be built up to show and the blush shade is so bright and so not my jam I haven’t even attempted to use this. (I do think this palette works better with medium/olive skin tones.) I definitely fell for the hype with this palette.  Recently, I discovered that Chrissy mixes the highlighter and bronzer and applies it to her cheeks as a blush and I started to do that and I have done it everyday since I discovered that!  I love it like that and I am very happy that I found a way to use this palette because before that I wasn’t.

I almost succumbed to the hype of the UD Heat palette and the ABH Subculture palette but I stayed strong!  As someone who only wears neutrals I probably don’t palettes with reds, yellows and blues in them! Haaa.  Its hard because you see all this new makeup thats so pretty and shiny and you get distracted by wanting it all! (Maybe a me thing?)  I need to do a better job of evaluating what I buy before so that I make sure I’ll love it and use it.  I like waiting for new items to release so I can get reviews, tutorials and input on them and then buying them the on the 2nd round of releases if I really want it!  Right now I’m really wanting a Huda Beauty Highlighting palette and the reviews I see makes me want it more! I also need more highlighter like I need a hole in my head. 😆

Bumble & Bumble Dupe Alert!

Beauty, beauty review, dupe, Hair

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I really wanted to find a dupe for this Bumble and Bumble primer!  I like it.  It made my hair smooth for blow drying but that’s about it. It’s labeled as a heat protectant and I really don’t find it to be that protecting.  I have a lot of breakage going on RN. (thank you blonde hair and heat) The only thing I have to go off of is I went blonde in December and I started using this primer in December.  From December to now I have had a lot of breakage so whatever I was using wasn’t really working for me. I understand I’m hard on my hair but I rely on good products to help keep it strong! The Bumble and Bumble spray is $28 and while I like it, I didn’t want to repurchase something that obviously wasn’t helping my hair in the way that it was said too.

I saw this Verb Leave in Mist at Sephora! I’ve had really good luck with every Verb product I’ve tried and after reading the description of the product it sounded like it could be a good replacement for the Bumble and Bumble primer. The Verb leave in mist claims to be a leave in spray that de-frizzes, detangles, conditions and protects from heat.  The Bumble and Bumble spray similarly is said to do the same thing!

I’ve been using the Verb Leave in mist for about 3 weeks now and it does a tremendous job of de-frizzing hair! I can blow dry my hair w/ no brush and will have 0 fly aways.  When I use a round brush my hair is super sleek and smooth.  I can air dry my hair with no frizz and as someone who has finer and damaged hair… no frizz is honestly a miracle.  I did not experience that with the Bumble and Bumble primer!

OVERALL, The product is very similar to the Bumble and Bumble spray.  The Verb mist is thicker but I add a little water to it and that gives it a similar consistency to the Bumble & Bumble primer!  The Verb spray is 8 oz for $14 while the Bumble and Bumble is 8.5 oz and $28.  The Verb spray is way better price wise and it does more for my hair then the Bumble and Bumble primer did.

I lovvveeeee finding good dupes for products I use all the time.  It’s even better when the dupe you find is cheaper and better than the original product!  I’m super happy with this Leave in mist, I’ve gotten my mom hooked on it too and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a good leave in conditioner/ spray / de-frizz / heat protectant! You get a lot out of this product and it is 100% worth it!

June Faves

Beauty, beauty review, flatlay, monthly favorites

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Another month of faves!  June was very heavy in makeup products and I am trying to add in more hair/ skin care to the mix.  Open to suggestions! I really want to try some drunk elephant products and this new watermelon face mask that seems to be super popular on all socials.

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Too Faced natural love palette.  If you love neutrals this is your palette!  I only wear neutrals when it comes to my makeup and this palette has everything you would need and then some!  It comes with matte, shimmer and glitter shades.  The only thing I would appreciate would have been a few more matte transition shades but honestly I still have lots of choices to work with!

The Urban Decay Naked Heat has made warm tone, fiery red and bronze shades super popular and while I would love to try the look, I don’t think I need a whole palette for the look because it is not something I will reach for often.  The last row of shadows has all the shades you need to create that fiery, heat sort of look!  I tried it out one night and was really impressed with the results.

As for a smokey eye, the last 2 columns has you covered.  And the first 4 columns are good choices for day to day, neutral eye looks.   This is a great one stop and done palette!

Makeup Revolution highlighter in golden goddess.  I’ve talked about this highlight before and I continue to be impressed with it.  Its a golden- yellow sort of color in a very smooth powder formulation that looks so beautiful and glowy on the skin. This also looks great on shoulders and collar bones. For $7 you cannot go wrong and I’m on the look out for more to try!

Rimmel Stay Matte.  I love this pressed powder and I haven’t reached for my Laura Mercier powder since I got this.  It’s super easy and mess free.  It’s matte and is said to last up to 5 hours.  It honestly won’t keep you matte all day… maybe if you do touch ups through out the day but I like dewy makeup so I don’t mind that it doesn’t keep my face matte.  It does keep my concealer in tact which is what I like about this. It’s not cakey and it doesn’t flash back.   This is a great drug store find! I use the shade translucent but it also comes in colors too.

Mac strobe cream.  I’m obsessed with this stuff. I use it to prime my face every time I do my makeup. I love the glow/ sheen it gives my skin without making me too shiny or greasy.  It sort of melts into your skin and it feels like you have nothing on which I am alllllll for.  It comes in other shades and I want to try the gold-toned one when I finish this one.

Voluminous Lash paradise.  I talk about this mascara ALL the time!  After using it for about a month I can say it is very similar to the Too Faced as they both lengthen and give volume.  The Too Faced gets a little clumpy, so does this one honestly but I don’t mind it.  This keeps my lashes curled ALL day and adds a lengthening and feathery effect and until I find another mascara that will keep my lashes curled ALL day, this will always be my favorite.

Glossier Cake balm dot com.  I love this lip bomb!  It smells amaze and its been awesome for my lips which always get rashes from trying different lip products.  It has a hint of shimmer and its perfect for day-to-day wear. I want to buy more so I always have them around me!

Jeffree Star Lip ammunition in celebrity skin.  This is my perfect nude shade.  Its a cool tone pink/mauve nude color and I’m surprised I love it so much because I always go for warm tones.  This just matches me so well and if you’re looking for a new nude shade I totally recommend this.  I like to wear this with the bomb dot com layered over it for a more glossy look!

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Instagram Round up!

Beauty, beauty review, instagram, outfit

lip lineup at the moment! ft. lotssaaa nudes! ✨ @nyxcosmetics whipped lip and cheek in cocoa bean. love this as a blush and lip! it's the perfect nude shade. it's a matte stain sort of look and perfect for summer and everyday! ✨ lucas' papaw ointment. perfect lip balm for chapped lips and skin. like aquaphor but better! ✨ @maybelline lipstick in barely brown. love this nude colored lipstick! it's a pinky brown color with a satin sheen that glides on the lips. ✨ @maybelline hot vivid lacquer in unreal. this is like a glossy matte lip. lasts long but with high shine. perfect peachy nude color. ✨ @jeffreestarcosmetics lip ammunition in celebrity skin. my favorite lip at the moment! it's a cool tone, nude pink that is super flattering and a great everyday go to. it goes on so nicely and stays put. obsessed with this! ✨ @glossier birthday cake balm dot com. love this stuff!!!!!! another fave lip balm thats perfect for the day with little flecks of shimmer. I wear it over a matte lip or by itself! it smells amazing. ✨ @narsissist orgasm lip gloss. ahhh just like orgasm blush being universally flattering so is this lip! I love a glossy lip and this color is perfect for summer! ✨ @maybelline lipstick in truffle tease. a warm toned, classic, nude shade with an opaque shine finish. this is lighter then the barely brown color. applies on the lips very easy!

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A round up of whats been on my instagram!  It’s mostly hat I wear on my body, day to day outfits, and face, beauty favorites, that don’t make it to the blog!  I will say it’s a lot of work to do the instagram, blog and create unique content for both without it totally overlapping but I really love how free and creative it allows me to be in a number of different ways!

New Glossier Goodies!!

Beauty, beauty review

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I have been waiting for this package to come!!!  I finally got around to ordering some glossier goodies because honestly I’m so late to the party.  I really wanted the new birthday cake balm dot com so I just went for it and got that and the concealer.  I absolutely love the packaging!!!!  I ordered two things and got a bag and lots of stickers so I love that.  It’s all so aesthetically pleasing and of course its in the famous, glossier/millennial pink!

So far, love the balm dot com. I love the scent!  Its a vanilla cake flavor in a mature and cool sort of way.  Not lip smackers fake and plastic-y.

I tried the concealer on before showering.  I got the color medium and it’s too light for me. 😦  After 5 minutes of applying it my face got really hot!  I went to wash it off my face and now I have red blotches in all the places I applied the concealer.  I’M SO BUMMED! I really wanted to give this concealer a good review but I honestly can’t even sorta.  I’ve only heard good things about it and I expected a lot so I’m really not sure what happened.  I want to try it again but I’m scared at the same time.  There is wax and oils in the concealer so it has an oily/ dewy texture.  I’m thinking maybe the waxes covered my pores and my skin couldn’t breathe so thats why my face started to get super hot.   I just put some fresh aloe from my aloe plant on it (which is amaze) so I hope that helps the redness!

Any glossier products you recommend?  I’m thinking boy brow and the cloud paint for my next purchases!  Also that sunscreen that doesn’t feel like sunscreen. Big fat yes.

On another note I made an instagram for my blog! I used my personal one before and was hesitant to post blog stuff on there so I made a separate one and I’m really excited to get that going!  It’s @blackberriesandsparkles 

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3 step summer glow!

Beauty, beauty review, flatlay, Loves

I love bronzed, glowy, summer makeup.  So much so, it’s pretty much my go to look year round.  For that I stick with golden highlighters, nude blushes and lotsa bronzer!  It’s a monochrome sort of look that takes bronzed and glowy skin to the next level!  It also looks like you didn’t try very hard and isn’t that what summer makeup is all about?

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STEP 1: BRONZER.  I like to bronze all over the face so I go for the hollow of the cheekbones, nose and forehead.

Hourglass Ambient bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light.  I wore this once, loved it. Wore it again, was orange!  I’m not sure if I’m not tan enough?  This has a subtle shimmer thats very flattering on the face. I want to explore shades and won’t discredit it!

Benefit Hoola Bronzer. Cult, matte bronzer that works for warming up the face and contour. You can’t go wrong with this.  No orange, no muddy look.

Too FacedChocolate Soleil Bronzer.  This is very blendable and comes in a few shades.  No orange or no muddy look and it smells like chocolate!

Physicans Formula Butter Bronzer. Great drugstore bronzer.  Has a creamy pigmented formula and blends out super nicely. It’s one of my favorites!

Benefit Dew the hoola bronzer. This is a liquid bronzer which I really like.  It gives a natural look and can be worn on it’s own or under powder bronzer.  It’s very easy to apply with a beauty blender!

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L-R: Butter Bronzer, Hoola, Too Faced, Hourglass.

STEP 2: NUDE BLUSH.  I have always loved nude pink blushes. I’m pretty exclusive to that, but the only color/color blush I’ll wear is Nars orgasm and thats just because it’s such a good color.  I apply to the apples of the cheek. You can also bring some onto the nose to give that ‘flushed, just spent some time in the sun look.’

Tarte Blush in Paaarty. This is a great nude blush that’ll last all day.  I also like it as an eyeshadow.

Benefit Dallas blush: This is a blush/bronzer mix which I love because it’s a perfect nude pink blush.

STEP 3: GOLDEN HIGHLIGHTER.  Ahh, I do love me some highlighter.  I find golden shades to be so flattering because I honestly just love warm tone neutral looks.  They are so complimentary to a tan and since I love being tan, I love them!  For highlighter I like to apply it on tops of cheekbones, nose, cupids boy and eyes. I’ll take my brush and apply whatever is left to my eyelids for a barely there shimmer.

Maybelline Master Chrome highlight in Molten Gold. This is a great drugstore highlighter in a true gold color.  Perfect for light-tan skin tones.

Becca Pressed Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop.  This is the most perfect color, it’s a peachy gold hue.  Probably my favorite highlighter I own, you can never go wrong with Champagne Pop!

Jeffree Star Skin frost in Siberian Gold:  This is the prettiest golden bronze shade. It has a wet/foiled look to it so this is not for the faint of heart!  I find that I like it best mixed with a smoother highlighter like the Becca ones.

Milk Makeup highlight stick.  This stick gives a very dewy look.  Use it alone or apply a little bit of powder highlighter on top to get an intense glow!

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Bottom to top:  Milk Highlight Stick, Champagne Pop, Jeffree Star Siberian Gold, Maybelline Molten Gold, Dallas Blush, Tarte Blush Paaarty.

 

Saving my hair!

Beauty, beauty review, Hair

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IF YOU DYE AND/OR USE HEAT ON YOUR HAIR KEEP READING!!!!!!

I have to preface this by saying I dye my hair often and I blow dry and use heat on it almost daily.  I love having my hair done; it’s like my security blanket and it makes me feel confident! I feel so sloppy when it’s not done.  My hair is a VERY dark brown that is close to black and it’s way too dark for me.  I dye my hair lighter because I love it and it’s much more flattering than my natural color.

Needless to say I am VERY hard on my hair.  I expect a lot from it and it shows.  I have some breakage pieces that I’m trying to grow back, I have split ends and my hair gets very dry.  I have to be careful with it but it’s getting better!  It may not be where I want it to be but I feel like I’m slowly getting there.  I used to have really thick and long hair when I was younger and didn’t dye it. I’m slowly trying to work my way back to it and this is how I’m doing it:

OLAPLEX freakin 3.  This stuff comes from the GODS.  If you dye your hair I recommend this with every bone in my body that you get olaplex!!  The whole treatment is around $25-$50 depending on the salon and it is literally worth every penny.  Your hair will feel healthier after it’s dyed. It’s insane.  Olaplex 3 is the last part of the treatment that they put on your hair after the shampoo.  I wet my hair and put this all through my hair before I go to sleep and I wrap it in a bun and sleep on it. (You have to sleep with it in your hair because you’ll get the most out of it.) I’ll wash my hair when I wake up and the difference is insane.  Your hair will be so much softer and way less dry.  AKA it will feel like healthy hair! 😄  It also tones your hair!! It’s just SO good.  I’m on my 4th bottle and I love it because it gives instantaneous results. The bottle is small so I get 3-4 uses from it.  Olaplex 3 is around $22-$25.  It’s not the cheapest thing in the world but its so worth it.  I buy mine on Amazon or Walmart. (They don’t sell it at Walmart, the Walmart website is oddly weird like you can buy Celine sunnies.) Just be careful on Amazon because after reading reviews some people got fake olaplex!

Living Proof fresh cut split end mender.  I was skeptical about this product at first because it sounded too good to be true. I can report back that it really does work!  I use it every time I was my hair and it makes it not only softer but gives life to your ends!  I can get some crazy split ends and this seals them up.  I want my hair to keep growing and I don’t want to cut it so if you’re in that boat this will save your ends so you don’t have to cut it.

Ouai Thin hair supplements.  I just finished my first month of vitamins. They recommend 3 months for results but after a month I can totally say I see a difference in my hair!  It’s stronger and it’s getting longer and looks fuller.  I can’t wait to see how it’s going to look after the next 2 months!  The supplements come in thin, dry and oily.  They have a quiz on the website that recommends which ones are best for your hair.  My hair isn’t thinning.  It feels thinner because I had some breakage from heat/ crazy sleeping.  Those little pieces that stick out are so pesky so I really want to grow those.  I think this will help me get there!

Silky / satin pillow sheets!!!!!!!!!! I’m a psycho sleeper.  Like all over the place, pillows on the ground,  blankets twisted in the morning, sleeping sideways and CRAZY hair.  Whenever I wake up without sleeping on a silk/satin pillow case, I bet $100, the back of my hair is full of tangles and is in a poof at the top of my head.  It resembles a nest.  So when I go to brush the mess a ton falls out and it breaks.  I don’t know if this is a me thing.   High maintenance (!!!!) but silky or satin pillow cases are a game changer. I have satin ones that feel silky. Those work great.  They’re smooth on your hair and don’t cause friction like cotton pillow cases so when I wake up I don’t have tangles and my hair is smooth and tamed. My breakage is in the back of my hair and since switching to my silky / satin pillow case I have had no breakage.  Crazy but it works.

Dying your hair.  I used to dye my hair around 4 times a year.  I can honestly say I will be dying my hair for the rest of my life.  I love being full blonde but it’s so high maintenance and damaging.  Especially since my hair is so dark: I get the skunk line at like 4 weeks.  The hair I have now is perfect for me because it’s still blonde but its grown out highlights so when it grows out it looks like thats the way it’s supposed to be.  I have the dirty blonde with the lighter brown/blonde /grown out highlight/ darker roots looking hair that a bunch of other girls in LA have. hahahah.  It’s so in because it looks amazing and its low maintenance.  Personally, I don’t mind having dark roots if it grows in nicely. This style with the grown out highlights / balayage / painted  look allows you to get your hair done every 6 months or longer while still looking awesome.  The less you dye your hair the better.  ***If you click on the ‘outfits’ tab to the right you can see the progression of my hair and how it’s grown. The last time I got my hair done was the beginning of March.

Use heat protectant!  I like the bumble and bumble hair primer.  I’m not sure how much it helps but I like it.  Heat protectant is your friend.

Take days off of heat if you can.  I’m home for the summer so since I’m mostly chilling I don’t do my hair as much and I give it a chance to air dry. I honestly hate it but it makes a difference.  I put it up in a loose bun.  Nothing too tight!

Try to cut down the amount of times you wash your hair during the week.  It really dries it out.  It may feel gross at first, I know the feeling but its mostly psychological.  I go 3-4 days between washes and it has really helped my hair’s health. The ultimate trick is apply dry shampoo all over BEFORE you go to bed.  You want to combat the oil before its there, not get rid of it once you have it. This will fix that and when you wake up your hair will feel fresh which will make you feel like its cleaner.

What are your hair tips?  Its a marathon to healthy hair, not a sprint! 😝

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