Fave Four Friday | March 28, 2014

1. Favorite makeup item this week? The Clarins Skin Perfecting BB Cream SPF 25.  It gives incredibly good coverage for a BB cream (more than some of my medium coverage foundations!) and smoothes on like skincare.  I also can't put down the Bite Agave Lip Mask!  Hello hydration and baby smooth lips!

2. Favorite thing you're currently reading? I'm semi-reading both The Goldfinch and Divergent simultaneously and I'm loving both!  But I haven't had a lot of reading time, truth be told, so I'm not rocketing through them like I usually do.

3. Favorite item on your beauty wish list? Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Kristen!  Because come on...a pink gloss bearing my name?  That's a can-do!

4. Favorite time of day? I really enjoy 10 a.m.  It's early enough that I still feel like I have the whole day ahead of me, yet late enough that I am fully awake and in full game face mode!  I also love this time so much on weekends because I'm usually sipping a piping cup of joe and reading beauty blogs. 

Now it's your turn!  

1. Favorite makeup item this week?

2. Favorite thing you're currently reading?

3. Favorite item on your beauty wish list?

4. Favorite time of day?

Blogger-Inspired Buys

I was delightedly using my most recent acquisition, Bite's Agave Lip Mask, and thinking about how grateful I was to Jaa at Hello♥Jaa for introducing me to this fine product.  That got me to thinking that it might be fun to share a few purchases I've made over the years that were 100% inspired by one of my fellow beauty blogging buds!

Bite Agave Lip Mask

1. As mentioned above, Jaa wrote a brilliant review of Bite's Agave Lip Mask.  My winter dry lips rejoiced!  I picked it up a few days later and I've been mainlining it ever since.  I slather it on thick at night and wake up with perfectly hydrated, flake-free lips.  Weee!

Tarte Tipsy

2. After seeing Tarte's Tipsy Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush on Taylor at My Lucite Dreams, it was decided.  I needed Tipsy, plain and simple.  It's such a great coral pop in the spring and summer, but I also wore it a lot over the winter to add some cheer during drizzly cold winter days.

NARS Mad Mad World Eyeshadow Duo

MAC Vegas Volt

3. & 4. Credit for two items must go to one of my longest-followed bloggers, the utterly funtastic Karen at Makeup & Beauty Blog: the NARS Mad Mad World Eyeshadow Duo and MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick.  If you're familiar with my typically subdued makeup routine, both of these items are boldly outside of the lines for me.  But ya know what?  I love both of them for that very reason!  I don't often rock bold blue or green smokey eyes or neon coral lips, but these products, and their corresponding reviews/love from Karen, have inspired me to step outside of my beauty comfort zone.

Dove Refresh + Care Volume Dry Shampoo

5. Running low on my usual dry shamp champ, I was inspired to try out Dove's Refresh + Care Volume Dry Shampoo after reading a dry shampoo smackdown post from Sarah at Tatt2sAndWarpaint.  I have to say...after one use, I was hooked!  It smells SO good and the amount of product dispensed from a single press of the nozzle is kind of incredible!  It soaked up every ounce of oil lickety splits.  Thanks, Sarah!

Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm in Tease

6. Inspired by Michelle at Lipstick Rules, I picked up the orangey lovely Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm in Tease after seeing her review and beautiful lip swatch.  It's a perfectly glossy sheer tangerine shade that compliments neutral brown shadow looks like nobody's business!  It was love at first swipe. ❤

Buxom Creamsicle Full-On Lip Cream

7. I feel Jennifer a/k/a Jenny Sue Makeup gets a special round of applause for making me reconsider Buxom Full-On Lip Cream after reading her post.  I'd previously tried and disliked one, but I decided to give them another go since the color range is so gorgeous.  I picked up Creamsicle, a dreamy peachy-pink, and the second time around was the magic.  The tingle wasn't as intense as I'd previously remembered and I actually....enjoyed it!  The color is beautiful, too!

This is just a quick sampling; rest assured I've been inspired by many more of you than I've included here.  Gotta save something for Blogger-Inspired Buys Part 2 right?!  Thanks to all of the ladies above for the ab-fab recommendations!  XOXO

PS:  Today marks exactly 1 MONTH until the wedding!  Woohoooooooo!  On April 26th, I'll be trotting down the aisle!  Can't wait!  </bridegushing>

What was your last blogger-inspired buy?

Are you ready for The Scrub of Your Life? Whisk away your worries (and dead skin cells) with Soap & Glory! | Review, Photos

Hello there guys & dolls!  I'm sorry I've been MIA lately, but I've been focusing on my upcoming nuptials (36 days to go!!) and trying to relax whenever the chance arises.  I've been catching up on Bates Motel season 2 and OMG...SO GOOD.  I swear, Vera Farmiga is AMAZING.  Definitely my current favorite actress.  Anywho, beauty-wise, I thought I'd share one of my all-time faves with y'all today in the form of Soap & Glory's The Scrub of Your Life!

You know how sometimes with a scrub, there's too much base and not enough beads or vice-versa?  The Scrub of Your Life achieves the ideal balance of creaminess and exfoliation to take your skin from drab to fab, and - HUGE BONUS - it's non-oily!  You'll have no worries about having an unfortunate shower slip when you use this.  This is more of a exfoliating foaming cleanser, I'd even dare say.  It rinses completely clean, leaving skin feeling supple yet clean without the oily residue some scrubs leave behind on your skin and your tub!

This would be so much better (& more Hello Jaa-ish <3) with a macro lens!

And the scent!  Oh...my...LAWD.  I find it absolutely intoxicating!  I could become addicted to huffing Soap & Glory's Original Pink scent!  Sephora describes the fragrance in grand detail as follows: "fresh bergamot, mandarin, rose, jasmine, peach, strawberry, oakmoss, amber, and woody notes with warm vanilla musk and amber notes on the bottom."  To me, I don't smell ANY of those specific items; it just smells like a wonderful bouquet of awesome.  If you've smelled and loved The Righteous Butter (An October '13 Favorites winner!) or Clean On Me, this will be right in your corner pocket.

The Scrub of Your Life and The Righteous Butter are two Soap & Glory products that I've "hit pan on" many times and always repurchase.

Do you have any Soap & Glory favorites?  What's your go-to body scrub?  

My Rating: A+
Where to Buy: Sephora, Soap & Glory

FAVORITES! | February 2014 ❥

G'day, mates!  Today it's time to share my Feb faves!  Since it stayed pretty cold here, most of the favorites last month were balmy skin-savers!

1. Ardell #110 Natural Lashes: Thanks to my super pal Alison at 10amBeauty, I've finally gotten the hang of wearing false eyelashes!!  I'm not yet ready to claim master status, but I have worn them successfully about 8 times since watching her video and I am LOVING it!  One of my biggest hesitations about doing my own makeup for my upcoming nuptials was that I wanted to wear false lashes but didn't really know how to apply them properly.  Now that I have it down, I have a definite sense of zen about doing my own wedding makeup.  So HUGE THANKS to Alison!  If anyone else has struggled with lashes, I encourage you to watch Alison's video here.  These Ardell #110's are fantastic.  They have a clear band, allowing you to wear any liner color you want, and they are ultra light so they don't make your lids feel like they're holding up the Rock of Gibraltar.

2. Aquaphor Healing Ointment: I'm sorry folks, but what can this balm not do?  This has been a constant companion of mine to hydrate, protect, and heal my lips and skin from extreme winter dryness.  I've also used it under my eyes at night for a big bump of moisturization come morning.  It's non-comedogenic so it doesn't clog pores.  Dry, peeling cuticles?  Slather a dot on and your done worrying about it.  Eyebrows out of control?  A little dab'll do ya!  Flaky hairline?  Pat on a tiny bit and forget about it!  Aquaphor has been one of my longest beauty BFF's and I always have some on hand.  

3.  Clarins Multi-Active Night: I'm about three quarters of the way through this gem and it's something that's been a big help to my dry skin this winter.  The luxurious cream absorbs surprisingly well and doesn't leave my skin overly oily the next morning.  The other huge positive of this product is the heavenly smell!  It smells like the Snuggle Bear's aftershave.  Fresh, clean laundry hung on s line in a pristine meadow where the air smells remarkably of dryer sheets.  Jason will actually sniff my face like a drug-addled huffer after I put this on, which I find incredibly fun.  I have recently started a skincare routine to target and banish my hormone-related acne, so while I won't be using this night cream over my entire face for now, I will continue using it on the areas of my face that have always been free of acne and in desperate need of hydration (forehead and around the eyes).  

4.  Nivea Extended Moisture Hand Cream:  Good 'til the last drop, I say!  Ha!  I was channeling Tracy there.  This hand-y (I'm on a roll!  Of CORNbread, obviously) silky cream has been pivotal in keeping my paws peppy and hydrated for the past 3 months, and also made an appearance in last month's faves post.  I got super lazy and stopped using it for 3 nights in a row and my hands looked like the Sahara and felt tight and itchy.  After 1 application, the dryness and itchiness was gone and my hands looked, well...pretty.  Smooth and hydrated and HAPPY.  Happy hands for the win!  

5.  Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm and Matte Balm: These are just...YASSS!  The Lacquer formula glides on effortlessly and deposits a good amount of color - medium to full coverage, for sure - and feels like a comfortable balm.  The Matte Balms deposit MEGA pigment - total opacity in a single pass - and don't make my lips feel incredibly parched and taught like most other matte lip products I've used.  I have a few of each formula, and they are truly FANTASTIC.  I feel like giving Revlon a big hug for these because they are seriously fabulous and completely affordable so a woman could have several in her collection without breaking the bank.  Pictured above: Tease (Lacquer) and Unapologetic (Matte).  I'm wearing Unapologetic here.

So, what say you?  What were some of your most reached-for beauty items last month?  

REVIEW! | Dior Addict Lipstick in Rose Déshabillé

In the words of Mrs. Doubtfire, HELLOOOOOO!

SO SORRY for the long delay since my last post!  I've had quite a bit going on with work and wedding (gurrrrrrllll...let me tell you...I had to buy a new wedding dress!!!  With less than 2 months to spare!  More on that in a minute) so I haven't had time to sit down, zen out, and compose a post.  I decided to MAKE time so here we are!  Thank you for sticking with me!

Today I decided to review a lipstick I've had a long-standing love affair with but have never posted about!  The lover I speak of is Dior Addict Lipstick in 260 Rose Déshabillé, which means Pink Negligee in French.  Ooh la la!

Rose Déshabillé is a sheer cool pink with microfine shimmer, giving the lips a divine look of fullness.  

This lipstick feels like absolute butter going on!  You seriously may use up a quarter of the tube in a week just because it feels so heavenly when you apply it.  You can wear a swipe or two for a sheer hint of pink or really jam it home (hockey slang totally works for makeup application, right?!) by coating the lips like it's going out of style tomorrow.  Either way, it's a beautiful color and I reach for it so often it's earned a permanent spot in my purse for quick-draw application situations!

Rose Déshabillé lasts on my lips for about 3 hours before I start feeling the itch to reapply.  It may last longer in the warmer months when my lips aren't parched and ravaged from winter dryness.

I know this isn't the greatest lip swatch, but it's after 2 AM so my makeup isn't exactly fresh and my chin has been breaking out like crazy.  I figured this was better than nothing!

Oh dear, I haven't even mentioned the packaging!  It is an absolute stunner.  The lipstick is housed in a metal tube that slides out of a plastic outer case stamped with Dior.  Though the outer part appears clear at first glance, caught in the right lighting, it has a gorgeous iridescent purple to yellow ombre color.  Remember "Bo Knows Football"?  Think "Dior Knows Packaging"!  The fancy case is just the icing on top of a lovely cupcake of a lipstick, but the beautiful shell also bumps it up into the fabulous gift category.  Wrapping paper is completely moot!

Look how much I've used!!  I'm SO close to hitting lipstick PAN!

Have you tried any of the offerings from the Dior Addict Lipstick line?  What's your favorite shade?  

My Rating: A
Where to Buy: Sephora

Ok, y'all.  Let me tell you about the dress sitch!  My mom and I found a beautiful wedding gown together on a random Saturday about 2 years ago.  I've had it hidden away in our spare room ever since.  My goal (2 years ago) was to lose a significant amount of weight for total wedding-day-and-beyond fierceness and have the dress altered to fit my new ballerina-esque frame.  Ah....the best laid plans!  Fast forward to last Saturday, I have yet to lose weight and the wedding date is rapidly approaching (April 26th!) so it's time to give up the good fight and get the dress altered to fit my current shape.  We tote the dress into a lovely Russian lady's tailoring shop.  After much examination, tutting and raised eyebrows, she tells us (my mom and I) that it's outside of her comfort zone and recommends we go to a friend of hers on the other side of town who "might" be able to do it.  Without completely giving away what the dress looks like, there's a lot of ruffles and a train and much complication.  So we go to tailor option 2, who also says he can't do it because it's too difficult.  So I'm pretty much mentally shutting down at this point because WHAT?!  So, being the amazing person that she is, my mom saved the day by suggesting we go to a local dress retailer and have the whole "Are you saying yes to the dress" sparkle fairies moment that we didn't have 2 years prior when we bought my original dress from a bridal outlet.  One major issue we had was the fact that my dress wasn't bought from one of the larger retailers in town so their bridal specialist alterations people wouldn't work on it.  The rule is if you didn't buy it there, you can't have it altered there.  Anywho, at first, I just thought "This is nuts!" but I slept on it and decided I loved the idea of getting a second chance at the whole experience AND buying it from a shop that could do the alterations in-house.  Plus, I figured I could sell my first dress and recoup some, if not all, of the money on it.  So on my mom's 60th birthday, we traipsed out to the bridal shop and ended up finding the most perfect and amazing dress that makes me feel like a Bolshoi ballerina (Swan Lake-style, obvs!)!  It was one of my favorite days ever with my mom, and I am so grateful for her in general and for everything she's done for me both wedding-related and over the years!  My second dress (OMG, I hope you guys don't think I'm a diva!  That sounds SO diva!  I swear I'm not a bratty wiener!) is being altered as we speak and I pick it up on March 26th.  I'm counting down the days and I am SOOOO excited to wear it on my wedding day!  Did you ever think you had something completely nailed down only to have it erupt at the last minute into complete craziness?

Love to you all!  Thank you again for being patient during my slow posting time!