June Favorites

So this is a few days late, but it's better late than never! (; 

I figured I'd just do my favorites this month because I didn't really have anything I didn't like this month, and that would make a 'hits and misses' post kind of silly to do.  Hehe.

1- Clarisonic Mia : Ever since I purchased my Clarisonic, I have been in love with it.  It cleans  your face sooo much better than just a wash cloth/bar soap. I have the standard brush head on it right now, but I purchased the blue brush head for my next replacement and I can't wait to try that one out!
2- Mario Badescu Drying Cream : This is by far my favorite overnight acne treatment product!! (although it's not an overnight treatment, lol) Whenever I use this, any breakouts that I have are significantly reduced by the next morning!
3- Simple Eye Makeup Remover : I got this little tester size towards the end of the month, but I love it so much I had to include it in this post.

4- Julep Nail Polish in Daphne : This color is so pretty!! It's like a Tiffany blue, but with more green in it.  Love it.
5- Julep Nail Polish in Kate : I have been looking for a white nail polish that wasn't super sheer for so long.  This one is perfect - it's really opaque and you can get away with one coat of it, but I usually go with two.  (;
6- Julep Nail Polish in Jessica : Since I already had two Julep polishes, I figured I'd go aheaed and throw in another one of my favorites.  I love that this polish has my name, and I love that it's a robin's egg blue!  I have the Zoya polish called 'Jessica', but it's not a fun color like this one, lol.
Anyone else love Julep? Let me know your favs!


And last but not least, I had to include a non makeup/beauty item because I can't seem to do a monthly favorites post without having at least one of these included, lol. I've been absolutely loving my Village Candle in Lemon Pound Cake.  It smells just like lemon pound cake - yum!!  Even if it's too hot outside or I have a fan on and I can't light it, just leaving it sit open with the lid off is enough to catch a hint of the tangy lemon scent.

Sorry this post is so late!! I had originally hoped to have it up Independence Day (and I even had the basic gist of the post laid out in my drafts) but I just haven't had time to finish it up until now.  D:

Anyway, I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Independence Day, and I'll see you in the next post!! ♥

Quick Update!

Hey everyone! (:

I haven't been able to post much again lately, and I apologize for that!

I just wanted to do a quick update and let you guys know that I changed my layout today.  I'm not completely satisfied with the header, but it's a lot better than the one I previously had! (;

Also, I recently hit 70 followers.... wow!!!  Thank you all so much!  I will be doing a giveaway/contest soon for you guys! (:

I hope you're all staying cool in this hot summer weather!  

DIY Urban Decay Palette

UD palettes can be so bulky!

Hey guys!  It's been a while since I've had a chance to post anything.  ):

I'm really excited because I have a DIY tip for today.  I love doing DIY things, but I haven't ever had anything that was original enough to share... until now.

I love Urban Decay palettes but they can be pretty bulky - Book of Shadows, I'm talking to you!! (; So I decided to save a lot of space and make it easier to access the shadows.  If you want to see how, keep reading!

Things You'll Need

Palettes - I used Urban Decay, but any brand will do! (Shown are the Rollergirl palette and the Midnight Cowboy palette.)

Any sort of stick with a thin, flat end.  (the one I used is something for pimples, I think? ew.)

An empty palette to put the eyeshadows in once they're removed.  I got mine from Coastal Scents.
       (I forgot to take a picture of it before, but you can see it 
         later on in a picture once it's filled.  (; )

Any sort of label to put on the inside of the new palette.  This is optional, but I wanted to remember the names of the shadows!

The Actual Process

In all honesty, the actual process is really simple; you just need a lot of patience.  I had to loosen the shadow up by running the stick around the edging and wiggling it a little bit - otherwise it would start to crack the eyeshadow.  Once it's loosened up enough, just slide the stick underneath and lift it out as shown on the right.

 Voilà! Now you should have a single eyeshadow pan, ready to be inserted into your new palette. (:

The palette I got from Coastal Scents (buy it here!) is already magnetized, so the shadows stick right to it. It also had an insert with spaces to put your MAC sized shadows in, but that was easily removed using the same tool I used above.  (;  Without the insert, it's basically a Z-palette, but cheaper. 

Ta da!  After you remove all of the shadows, just pop them in the empty palette in any order you'd like.  I just put them in the order they were in the original palettes, but you can do it however you'd like.  (:  I'm still on the hunt for better labels - I used two lined post-it notes and drew a grid on them to write the shadow names on - it's not very pretty, but it works for now!!

So that's it for my very first DIY tutorial!  Let me know if you guys like it and if you'd like to see more.  Also, please let me know if you try this out - I'd love to see how it works for other people!! (:

First Impressions : Smooth'n Shine Hair Tamer

Hey everyone!!
I got accepted into a new BzzCampaign and I wanted to go ahead and do my 'First Impressions" post for it.

This one came in an actual box... I feel as if I'm moving up in the BzzAgent world!  hehe.

The actual product and the contents of the box.

Okay, so I'm not going to lie - this one makes me a little bit nervous!  I don't like to put chemicals or other harsh things on my hair, so this is a big deal for me.  My hair is really fine and thin and I'm usually terrified that things like this will ruin my hair...  I used to bleach my hair and dye it crazy colors, so I can't say I've always treated it the best. /:

Other than my initial fear of hurting my hair more than helping it, I'm also not expecting much from this product because it is a tamer.  My hair is already pretty 'tame', so I don't think it will do much for me.  But, we shall see!! 

Here is what the kit comes with - Step 1: The Protein Smoothing Treatment, Step 2: Neutralizing Milk, a pair of gloves, a packet of Nourishing Deep Recovery Conditioner, and the instruction booklet.

I got more nervous as I looked through the contents... Why do I need a 'nourishing deep recovery conditioner' if the product is supposed to already be so much less damaging than others?  *panic-mode*  haha.

That's all for my first impressions...  Have you ever tried this product or one like it?? What was your experience with it?

Wish me luck!!!

Share The Love

Hello there!  (:

I was browsing around on The Art of Beauty's website and I thought it'd be a great idea to write a post about their rewards program.  I'm not sure how many people know about it, but since I've ordered a few Zoya polishes offline before, I'm subscribed to their email updates and I figured I should share.  Sharing is caring, right?  (;

Everything is laid out for you on the Share the Love page - it's super simple and easy to understand.  

Basically, all you need to do is create links to your favorite Zoya/Qtica/Smart Spa/Callus products and share them with your friends.  When someone clicks your link and creates an account on the site, they get a coupon for a free bottle of Zoya polish!  (if you add two more polishes, you qualify for free shipping, and are only paying for two bottles - sweet!)  Once they place their order, you get 100 "Share the Love Points".  Those points can then be redeemed for coupons and freebies.


Here's a few of the things I've got my eyes on!
(I've created 'Share the Love' links for these, so if you don't want me to get the credit, please don't click!)

Zoya 'Beach' Collection - I love every single one of these colors.  So gorgeous!

Zoya Mini Color Lock System - This is how I first tried out the Zoya Color Lock System, and I definitely recommend this product to anyone who hasn't tried it out.  It's awesome! (:

Anyone else obsessed with Zoya polishes like I am?  They're definitely one of my favorite brands of nail polish!!!

xoxo

Quick Update

Hey girls!  I just wanted to do a quick little update post.  (:

First off: I added disqus to my blog for comments - I think I prefer this to the regular Blogger version, but please let me know what you guys think! 

Secondly, I got another BzzKit in the mail!! This time it's for Smooth'n Shine's Semi Permanent Hair Tamer.

 I can't really say that I'm expecting a lot from this kit, simply because my hair is already pretty "tame".  LOL.  But I said yes to the kit to test it out for you guys!
(I also have to admit that it kind of makes me nervous to apply something like this to my hair... it says it has "up to 5x less damage than relaxers", but that still scares me!  I prefer using products that are WAY more natural!!!)

Lastly, I found a fun little web app and I wanted to share.  

I love cute little things like this!  (:

It's a drag-and-drop doll maker, and I think they're so much fun.  This one is done really well, and it has hime-gyaru themed clothing and accessories.

(The artist who made the game, koruldia, also has a bunch of other flash games posted.  Fun!!) 

Here is the doll I made :

Click here to make your own, and then show me in the comments how yours turned out!

Disclaimer - I'm not affiliated with this artist/anything to do with this game at all - I just thought it was fun and really well put together, so I wanted to share! (;

Another Award Post (:

A few days ago, I was awarded the Versatile Blogger award and the One Lovely Blog award by Miss6 and also by Czarina at Her Merriment. Thank you both so much!!! Go check out their blogs if you haven't already!! (:

For the award, you post 7 random facts about yourself, and then nominate 15 more people.

(I don't know if I have 15 people who I follow regularly just yet, so I might have to just do 10?)

Random fact #1 - I don't consume dairy products of any kind.  Firstly, it makes me so sick, and second of all I think milk is gross.  haha. 

Random fact #2 - In addition to random fact number one, I just recently made the decision to start eating vegan.  I'm not planning on being super strict about it (I like cooking with meat sometimes, just as long as it's from a good source, etc.) , but I really like all the health benefits of it!  

Random fact # 3 - If I could have unlimited money/easy access to the brands I would dress in a LOT of gyaru-kei clothing.  I freaking adore everything about that style. 

Random fact # 4 - I used to draw all the time when I was younger... I should probably start doing that again because I sort of miss it. 

Random fact # 5 - I hate when it's super hot outside!  I get so frustrated when I get all sweaty - especially my face.  I really, really don't like that feeling!!

Random fact # 6 - I have a cat named Gizmo (this might not be such a random fact if you follow me on facebook or instagram... He finds himself making appearances there a lot!)

Random fact # 7 - I would die without my iPhone.  I do everything on it - from email, to blogging, to my to-do list... everything - I love it so much!

My nominations!

1. A Beautiful Life
2. Something Beautiful
3. Beauty By Emma
4. A Prince and Prozac
5. Miss Bitch
6. Lolita in the Mix
 7. Beauty She Wrote
8. Scribble N Dash
9. Clara-nee
10. It's a Girl Thing

I did end up only tagging 10 people, but because I was running out of time!!  lol!

Final Impressions : Dr. Scholl's

Hi guys!  

I know that I said my next post would be on the versatile/one lovely blog award that I was nominated for, but I'm having a some trouble thinking of 7 random facts about myself!  Haha. That post will still be up soon though

I figured since I just received another BzzKit yesterday that it's probably time for my final impressions on the Dr. Scholl's Massaging Gel Inserts.  (;

I've worn the inserts every day for 10+ days now and I'd have to say that my final verdict is that they're alright.  They're not an amazing miracle product - but I didn't hate them either.

I give them 3 out of 5 stars because as I'd mentioned in my Initial Review, they did take some getting used to, and because the few problems I had with the product were easily resolved.

The main problem I had with these inserts was that they always moved around in my shoe - especially when I was putting my shoe on!  I'm the kind of person who likes to just stick my foot in my shoe and go... I don't want to spend 5 minutes trying to make everything settle right in my shoe.  (I realize that this is probably a trivial thing, so I decided for 3 stars instead of 2! lol)

I'd recommend these inserts to someone who has mild to moderate foot discomfort at the end of the day, but anyone experiencing something beyond a slight discomfort should look elsewhere for relief because these will not help. 

The price point is really good if you're interested in these - they're only $9.48 at Walmart.com.

(Click here to purchase!)

You're Giving Me a Complexion!

As promised, here's my review for (part of) my haul from The Balm!!

This kit is probably my favorite that I picked up.  For $20, it came with:

 Time Balm concealer
 (originally sells for $18)
Sexy Mama anti-shine, translucent powder

(originally sells for $19)
Liquid Time Balm spot concealer

(originally sells for $20)
Balm Shelter tinted moisturizer

(originally sells for $25)

Total savings = $62

 I'd say that's pretty awesome!!  (:

This little guy is awesome for under-eye circles!  The Time Balm concealer comes with a sponge (for application, I'm assuming?) but I just use my finger to dab it on and that works just fine.  The shade is in light/medium and it's very blendable so I feel like it could work for a wide variety of skin tones.

I was going to take a different picture of the Sexy Mama anti-shine, translucent powder but I like this one because you can see part of my Rilakkuma phone case in it.  Hehe.

I really don't have much to say about this one... It's a decent setting powder and the packaging is really cute, but it's just a setting powder... lol.  It says on the back of the package that it contains "tiny oil absorbing spheres" and I don't know how true that is, but it does keep my face pretty matte so it works for me!




As I had mentioned in my initial post, I had tried the Liquid Time Balm spot concealer before - one of the makeup artists at Sephora had used it on me and it looked really nice on my skin tone.  I had originally purchased the shade "fair" because I'm pretty pale, but this kit came with "nude", and it's not that much darker - it'll be perfect for summertime when I get just a little bit darker.  (;
I love this concealer because not only does it match my skin tone really well, it blends nicely and most importantly - it contains tea tree oil.  I have to admit that sometimes I'll skip out on concealer when I break out because I'm worried about clogging my pores/feeding the breakout, but this concealer is great because tea tree oil is really good for treating acne, so this is like a concealer and treatment in one.  Yay!

Finally on to the Balm Shelter tinted moisturizer!  This came in the shade "light/medium" but it seems more on the medium side than the light side (though, this could just be because I'm pretty pale)... Overall, I like it - it has nice coverage for a tinted moisturizer and it doesn't leave my face feeling greasy like some of the tinted moisturizers I've tried in the past have.

Left to right - Balm Shelter tinted moisturizer, Time Balm concealer, Liquid Time Balm spot concealers (in 'nude' and then 'fair')

 It's hard to swatch products that match my skin tone so well.  Haha!

Overall I'm very pleased with this kit!! Next time I'll review the eyeshadow kits from The Balm that I picked up.  (:

Have you ever tried anything from The Balm?  What's your favorite product from them?

The Laine Blogger Award

Hey everyone! 

 I was nominated for the Laine Blogger Award by the lovely Johanna Perez over at A Beautiful Life - she is so sweet!  You all should go check out her blog!! (:

So here are the rules -

- Tag the blogger who awarded you.

- Award five more bloggers.

- And then Jasmine added a few questions to spice it up!

1. What is your current beauty obsession?
2. What is one beauty item you wished you owned?
3. What kind of posts are your favorite posts to write, and read?
4. What inspired you to become a blogger?
5. What color nail polish are you wearing right now?

1. What is your current beauty obsession?

I'd have to say that my current beauty obsession is winged eyeliner.  I've been wearing only winged eyeliner and mascara lately and I love it.

2. What is one beauty item you wished you owned?
I guess this counts as a 'beauty item', but I really wish I owned some henna... That's probably a weird answer but I've been wanting to try using henna as a natural hair dye, and it's the first thing that came to mind when I read this question! (;

3. What kind of posts are your favorite posts to write, and read?
I love to write review and tag posts!  I find them both really fun to plan out and then actually write.  My favorite kind of posts to read are reviews and fashion posts.

 
4. What inspired you to become a blogger?
I've had this blog since I got my first Sony Ericsson phone - it had a Blogger app and I thought that was the coolest thing ever - haha!  What inspired me to actually use my blog would have to be the beauty community on YouTube.  I've always wanted to make videos, but I don't have the proper tools/courage to do so! lol

5. What color nail polish are you wearing right now?

Right now I have on "No Room For the Blues" from OPI, but I'm getting ready to try out my new 'Hot Ticket' polish from The Balm (it's in "Petunia")

The five people I nominate are:

Something Beautiful

See it, Love it, Swatch it

The Light In the Attic

Her Merriment

Beauty By Emma

Have you read my recent review on some products from The Balm?  

Click here to check it out!

My Makeup Story (tag)

Hey everyone!  I got tagged by Jenessa at Something Beautiful to do this tag - go check out her awesome blog!!  

 My Makeup Story Tag

1. How old were you when you started wearing makeup?
I started wearing foundation/concealer when I started middle school because I had really bad acne and I wanted to cover it up.  ):  I didn't start wearing eyeliner and other things until I started high school.

 2. How did you get into makeup?
Once I started wearing eye makeup is when I really got into makeup.  I just loved playing in the colors and lining my eyes dramatically!

 

 3. What are some of your favorite brands?
I love Stila, Urban Decay, The Balm and MAC for higher-end brands.  

NYX and Wet n' Wild (color icon!!) for drugstore brands.

4. What does makeup mean to you?
I see makeup as an outlet for creativity.  There are so many different products, colors, etc.  The possibilities are endless!

5. If you could only wear 4 products on your face what would they be?
Unless I'm feeling fancy, I usually only wear 4 products a day!

My foundation (mixed with Fix+ Rose), eyeliner, and mascara.

 
6. What is your favorite thing about makeup?
My favorite thing about makeup would be again, the creativity.  I just love playing around with new looks! 

 

 7. What do you think about drugstore makeup vs high end makeup?
There's definitely good and bad to both.  Just because something is from a drugstore brand doesn't mean it's going to suck, and vice versa - just because something is higher end doesn't mean it's going to be amazing.

8. What is one tip of advice you can give a beginner? 

Definitely start out with a little bit and work your way up to wearing more.  Practice makes perfect! (;

 
9. What is one makeup trend you never understood?
I'm not sure if this counts as a 'makeup' trend, but I really, really do not understand those 'caviar manicures'.  I've only seen one or two that I'd ever even consider wearing...

10. What do you think about the beauty community on youtube?
I love it.  Watching makeup gurus on YouTube is more-or-less what inspired me to make my blog.  Maybe one day I'll have the courage to make videos too!!
 

 

I love tags!  They're so much fun to do!  (:

Leave a note in the comments if you'd like to be tagged in any upcoming tags I do.  I tag everyone who's reading this to do it. Leave a link in the comments if you do it - I'd love to read your answers!!!

xoxo