A Wintery-Wednesday OOTD

Just as I was beginning to think the winter weather was coming to a close and spring was ready to be sprung, we got a blizzard. Even though I have been suffering with this spring fever, I was pleasantly pleased with this snow event that took place yesterday. It gave me the opportunity to take the day off and do a few things on my to-do list.

Getting ready this morning was no task! I knew exactly what I wanted to wear. Cue the cozy sweater. :) Chunky sweaters are great for layering up after a beautiful snowfall. I love the tribal pattern on this sweater, as well as the cut. It's so easy to throw on and wear. This sweater is versatile too! You could wear this with leggings for a cozy day around the house or even jazz it up with some faux leather pants and some chunkier earrings.

Sweater: Lola (by BCBG)
Black tank: H&M
Skinny jeans: Forever 21
Boots: Steve Madden
Earrings: not sure, from a boutique
Watch: Fossil

Current Cravings

With spring ahead, I can't help but want a few new items to add to my closet and makeup collection. So as of late, my shopping radar is on high! But being in college, I am on a budget. However, these are a few pieces I would like to purchase. 

Nordstom
I.Madeline Lace Peplum Shirt

Tory Burch
Patent Caroline Ballet Flat

Sephora
Yves Saint Laurent Volupt Sheer Candy
Glossy Balm in 01- Lush Coconut...or any color! ;)

Fossil
Stella Tortoise

Nordstrom
Longchamp 'Le Pilage' Expandable Travel bag
I would like this is black. 

J. Crew
Downtown Field Jacket

OOTD

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! While it may be the holiday for love, I have spring fever! I decided against wearing something red or pink and chose this new fun top instead!

Top: J. Crew
Denim skinny jeans: Forever 21
Brown boots: MIA
Bracelets: Target and Buckle
Leopard phone case: J. Crew

Ipsy- February Glam Bag Reveal

Last month, after hearing about this from several beauty vloggers, I decided to join Ipsy. Each month, you are charged just $10 for a fun bag containing 5 new deluxe makeup samples to try. This month, the theme was "Red Carpet Ready". While I was very excited to receive my very first Glam Bag, I felt that this months samples were not as generous compared to what I saw people reveal last month. However, I still will be using a few of these products! :)

1) The Pixi Flawless & Poreless primer creates a beautiful no-shine finish for flawless, long-lasting makeup application. This shine controlling, oil-free primer smooths out fine lines and hydrates while making pores instantly disappear. It is the perfect skin primer for all complexions and all skin types. 

2) Coastal Scents Shadow Palette Samples are an ideal way to try these highly pigmented, stunning shadows. These miniature-sized samples contain four hand-selected shades by ipsy, making it easy to create a variety of looks. Wear these pressed powders dry or wet for a more intense, dramatic look.

3) This lash-POP-ing mascara makes lashes plump, long and lusciously flirty! Smudge proof formula adds volume while curling lashes up and out for a look that truly POPs your peepers!

4) Define eyes and apply eyeliner like a pro with the MicaBeauty Gel Eyeliner! This smooth, highly pigmented gel eyeliner glides over the lid evenly and dries quickly for a long-wearing, smudge-proof finish.

5) Apply your mascara perfectly with the Lash Card! Say goodbye to smudging, clumping, and messy mascara application. The Lash Card has two curves on each side that fit a variety of eye shapes, making it easy to get those hard-to-reach lashes.

These five items came in a small patent bag with red lining.

To join Ipsy and get your monthly glam bag, click here!

NOTD

Even though spring is right around the corner, I still have been loving dark neutrals on my nails. I like to think it gives off some sort of sophistication. I also have this color painted on my toes right now, (which is rare to have them match) and I am loving it!

This color is Smokin' Hot by Essie.

*Apps used: PicFrame & Lumie

New Favorite Perfume

For the last few years, I have been trying to find a fresh and sweet perfume that I can wear for everyday. I wear my Chanel Chance for night and other sweet scents like Kim Kardashian and Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy to switch it up. Last season, during the Bachelorette, the Possessionista had sourced that Emily Maynard wears Jimmy Choo perfume. She featured a picture of the bottle, and I immediately wanted to smell it. After getting many samples from Sephora to decide if I liked it, I finally made the purchase. When I first started using it, I wasn't so sure I was going to like it for everyday, but it really has begun to grow on me. The scent is just the perfect amount of sweet and floral, but still smells fresh and not overpowering. 

This is the description listed on the Sephora website:

An expression of the modern woman’s aura, this scent at once conveys strength and beauty, glamour and confidence. Luminous green top notes join a heart of rich and exotic tiger orchid and lingering base notes of sweet toffee and Indonesian patchouli to leave a sensual memory on the skin. For the bottle, the opulence of jewel-colored Venetian Murano glass inspired its faceted design.

Notes:
Green, Tiger Orchid, Toffee, Sensual Indonesian Patchouli. 
Style:
Feminine. Luxurious. Stylish.

This perfume is $75 for the 2.0 oz bottle and $98 for the 3.3 oz bottle. It can be purchased here. Also, let me include, this perfume come packaged in an adorable pink snakeskin box! 

New Spring Lip Colors- Review and First Impressions

The best part of a new year is that all of my favorite brands come out with new products, packaging, and colors. So far, in this new year, I am REALLY loving all the new lip products. It seems like each drugstore brand has released a fun new lip product with gorgeous colors for spring. The two that I have really been drawn to are the Covergirl LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balms and the Maybelline Color Whisperers. I picked up a few of these, not realizing how much I was going to like them.

Introducing first, the Maybelline Color Whisperers...

My mini collection

55- One Size Fits Pearl

35- Coral Ambition

90- Oh La Lilac
(How HOT is this new color? My swatch doesn't do justice!)

85- Berry Ready

Swatches top to bottom: Berry Ready, Oh La Lilac,
Coral Ambition, One Size Fits Pearl

And secondly, the Covergirl LipPerfection Jumbo Glosses...

Top to Bottom: Ballet Twist, Blush Twist, Ruby Twist

Swatches top to bottom: Ruby Twist, Ballet Twist, Blush Twist

I like to keep a few lip colors in a chic glass holder,
(actually a small candle votive; $2 at Hobby Lobby)
on my desk next to my favorite candle and my writing utensils. 

Share with me your favorite lip colors for spring!

OOTD

Because I am in college, I love being able to throw on a simple outfit, but still look cute and fashion-forward. I like to find pieces that create an effortless look, without trying too hard.

Today's look:
Denim shirt- Gap
Black skinny jeans- Target
Leopard scarf- H&M

I accessorized with cognac knee-high boots and a Fossil watch.

Sigma Beauty: Paris Palette Review

Over Christmas break from college, I was fortunate enough to meet my FAVORITE beauty guru/ Vlogger, TiffanyD. She had a meet & greet at the grand opening for the fabulous new Sigma Beauty store located at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. Not only did I get to meet and chat with TiffanyD, I also got the opportunity to enter my name into a few of their giveaways. Not thinking I would ever win, I put my name in anyway. I had a lovely time at the event and walked away with great memories and even a purchase of a few new brushes. Come Monday morning, I had received an email that my name was drawn for the Paris Palette! Now, I had seen TiffanyD talk about this palette, and thought the whole concept was very unique. Seven beauty experts joined together and explored the city of Paris. Each guru was assigned a landmark from the city and was to use that as their inspiration for what would become an amazing eye shadow color, thus creating a beautiful palette.

This palette contains 8 silky, shimmering eye shadow colors, two easy-to-wear blush colors, one highlighter, the E55 eye shading brush, and the F40 large angled contour brush. I truly believe that this palette was created with all skin tones in mind.

Without further ado, here is the Paris Palette by Sigma Beauty!

How cute is this "postcard" from Paris?
The outer sleeve

Outside of the hard case

Inside the kit
Beautiful, right?!

Top: F40
Bottom: E55

Swatches L-R: Eiffel, Seine, Louvre, Orsay, Elysees, Notre Dame,
Triomphe, Versailles

Swatches top to bottom: Lumiere (Highlighter), Peche (Blush), Rouge (Blush)

I absolutely love where the inspiration came from for this project. Personally, having been to Paris myself, I really appreciate that each shadow represents something historic and memorable from the city. I think the collaboration of beauty gurus was a fantastic idea, and they did a great job putting this together. The formulas are great too! I couldn't believe how rich and silky the shadows are, comparing to nothing else I have ever used. This palette offers such versatility. With bold shades of blue and teal, to warm rich purples and golds, any look can be pulled off with this kit. You can purchase one for yourself here, retailing for $59.

Meeting TiffanyD! :)

NOTD- Nails of the day

I currently loving neutrals and nudes for my nails. Today I chose one of my go-to's: Sand Tropez by Essie. This shade is a nice greige-nude. I painted on two coats and topped it with my favorite fast-dry top coat by Seche Vite!

Urban Decay Naked vs. Naked2

I have really become a lover of Urban Decay over the last few years. I originally thought their colors were a little too wild for me, as I usually go for a more natural look. Cue the Naked palette.

 The Naked palette was released and people went wild. I didn't purchase it until they had their second big push of them. I purchased mine at Ulta, and it was the last one on the shelf, so I knew it was meant to be. While the palette was a little spendy ($50), I have found it to be very well worth the money. This palette will last me a long time! (I have only hit the pan in two shades, Virgin & Sin, which are sold separately.) The Naked palette has a great selection of colors, 12 to be exact. With it, you can create anything from a simple, one shade for coverage, quick and natural look, to a very deep, pigmented, smokey eye. I would generalize these shades to be of warm hues. Versatility describes this palette best! I really like how sleek and thin the palette is. It fits perfectly into my makeup bag and is great for travel. However, the felt outside tends to look a little dingy after a bit of use. I will also mention this palette comes with a eyeshadow brush and a mini Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Mine is getting a little worn!

You'll notice my very favorite shades.. ;)

Shades L-R: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog,
Dark Horse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal

When I heard UD was releasing a second Naked palette, Naked2, I was very excited, but didn't think the first one could be beat. I purchased it at Ulta almost as soon as it was released, wanting to see what all the hype was about. This palette was also $50. Again, a little on the pricey side, but worth the money. The first thing that I really loved about this palette was the packaging. This time, they chose a hard case that snaps closed. Inside, I would consider the 12 shades to be more taupe and greige. This palette contains both matte and shimmery/frosted shades just like the Naked, but to me, I feel overall it is has a bit more shimmer. This palette comes with a double ended shadow/blending brush and a mini Lip Junkie lipgloss in the shade Naked. I think this is a great palette, and is a great piece in my collection of palettes.

Shades L-R: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease,
Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout

If I had to recommend to you ONE palette to purchase, I would probably push you towards the original Naked. I am not sure why...maybe it's because it was my first love, and I have had it longer, but I alway grab for this one first, whereas I kind of have to make myself use the Naked2. I like the warmer colors that Naked has, however this is just personal preference. I think each of these palettes offer something for EVERYONE! Both are SO versatile and can be used day-to-night. The only shade that the two palettes have in common is the very golden shade called Half Baked.

Current Favorite Drugstore Beauty Products

Hey everyone! Today I am sharing with you my current (some new, some old) favorite beauty products from the drugstore. I love when I come across a new cosmetic that I can conveniently pick up for an affordable price. Some of these products I have gone back to for several years even. While not all of my makeup comes from the drugstore, a good portion of it does. I occasionally run to Walgreens for some items, but I usually make these purchases at Target and sometimes Wal-Mart.

A new fave I am obsessing over is the Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara. I just recently purchased this due to the Eleventh Gorgeous girls raving about it. I figured what the heck, lets give it a try. For me personally, I never like a mascara right out of the packaging. I like it to be a little more "dry", and like to let it sit for a couple weeks before I use it. For the first time, this mascara is one I have loved right off the bat. The curved brush allows me to reach my lashes in the inner corner and yet the wand isn't too thick to get it right down to the base of my lashes! It does a terriffc job of defining without looking spidery and volumizes like it claims to do. Everyone should try this new mascara!

For the last 6 months or so, I have really been loving the Revlon Brow Fantasy. This is a duo of a pencil and gel. I use the shade Brunette. While I am not brunette, I do have very dark, thick eyebrows. I don't always use the gel if I am in a hurry, but the pencil can be used in a jiff to quickly fill in those areas that need it. 

While I am not a big user of eye liner, my all time favorite liner is a liquid by Loreal called the Carbon Black Lineur Intense. This liquid liner has a felt tip and is easy to guide along your lash line. This liquid also makes a great cat/winged liner look!

Another recent find I have been enjoying is the Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal (24hr) by Eyestudio in the shade 70 Barely Branded. This is a great multi-use product that I have grown to love. This cream shadow not only serves the purpose as a great shadow to wear on its own, but it also holds rights as a base for other shadows. The champagne color with a frost finish really can highlight the brow bone and brighten the inner corner of your eye. (This shade may be a limited edition, so go get it now!)

Very neutral, a bit more brightening on the eyelid than shown

Up next is the Wet 'n Wild palette Comfort Zone. I recently got interested in these fun and cheap little palettes after being tipped off from my favorite beauty guru, TiffanyD. This palette contains 8 very natural shades (both warm and cool). At first glance, this palette appears to have a lot of color, but these are all very wearable shades. I really enjoy the versatility of this small, compact eyeshadow set. 

As far as foundation is concerned, I really love my Makeup Forever Mat Velvet+. However, the Loreal True Match LUMI foundation is something I have really been enjoying. It can't compare to the Mat Velvet+ because the formulas are completely different. This foundation has SPF20 which is a feature I find nice. It leaves your skin with a beautiful glowy, almost dewy finish, great for an everyday look. I use the shade W5 Sand Beige. To apply, I use my new FAVORITE Sigma Beauty flat kabuki brush that you can find here. 

To set my foundation, I have really been loving this new product: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind 'The Perfector' primer inside pressed powder. I picked this up in hopes of finding something that I can go back and forth with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish (which is quite spendy). I use the shade 40 Medium, and apply with a large fluffy powder brush from Sigma. 

For my under-eye area, I like to use a brightener to reduce any dark circles. I really have been enjoying the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser (Treatment Concealer). This shade is called 60 Brightener. I apply with the sponge applicator provided and blend in with a tapered kabuki brush by Sigma found here.

Without a lot of hunting around, I picked up this stick concealer. I have found this Maybelline Coverstick in Deep Beige to be a new favorite. It covers well and can easily be blended with fingers or a brush. 

Last but not least I have a new bronzer favorite from the drugstore. This is called the Wet 'n Wild Color Icon Bronzer with SPF15 in shade 739 Ticket to Brazil. It has a bit more shimmer than I would normally prefer, but when just the right amount is applied to the hollow of your cheekbones and hairline, it leaves a radiant finish. I apply with a large powder brush. 

This post got a bit lengthy, but I didn't want to leave out any details about these great products you can pick up a convienant location! Feel free to comment with any questions about any of these products. 

Happy February everyone!