Currently Craving

It's mid summer. And currently the best time to shop...in my opinion. Summer sales have hit stores in attempt to make room for new fall items to fill the shelves. I'm a sucker for a good deal & rarely pay full price for clothing & accessories. However, I still like to window shop and see all the new goodies.

Here are the items I currently have my eye on...

Boohoo Tropical Playsuit // in love with rompers and playsuits lately. this print is playful, yet has a polished structure

Fossil Sydney Satchel // i can see this purse being the perfect transition piece for summer to fall

Jessica Simpson 'Minti' Bootie // loving this stacked heel + peep toe combo

Gap Contrast Sleeve Sweater // i have this in the cream & find it to be the perfect summer sweater

Kendra Scott Danielle Earrings  // 'mother of pearl' pairs perfectly with so many looks

Billabong Dress // breezy & easy 

Free People Mercury Sunglasses // fun karen walker look-a-likes for a great price

What things are you currently craving?

XO, Carrie 

Five Things

Ladies, summer is near! And when seasons turn, that means our makeup bags need a little updating. Between temperature changes and the release of new products, we have good reason to switch up the products from last season and opt for something different. In terms of summer, whether you are dry or oily, we all, most likely, experience sweat and makeup that tends to breakup through out the day. Summer means heat, extra time in the sun, and glowing sun kissed skin we have missed the last 6 months. Here are the 5 things you should keep in your makeup bag this summer. 

1. Sunscreen with SPF 15+ is a must. Apply daily before makeup to prevent sun damage. A good moisturizer can also act as a primer for your foundation. [Shown: Boscia Self-Defense Vital Antioxidant Moisture SPF 30] Cheaper alternative: Eucerin Daily Protection Moisturizing Face Lotion SPF 30

2. Silicone foundation is a great option for summer heat. Silicone based foundation acts as a film between your skin, and prevents humidity from melting your makeup. This is a great way to get a full coverage look without feeling cakey. [Shown: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation] Cheaper alternative: Covergirl Clean Liquid Makeup

3. Setting powder is the key to holding your foundation in place. A translucent powder helps prevent makeup from traveling and breaking up throughout the day, without adding too much product. [Shown: Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Power- Shine Control] Cheaper alternative: Revlon ColorStay Pressed Powder- Translucent 

4. Cream shadows are great for summer! They have a better tendency to not crease and they lock in the color all day. [Shown: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow, shade R.S.V.P.] Cheaper alternative: Revlon Illuminance Cream Shadow

5. Lip stains are a summer fave. While gloss is pretty, it can be sticky and messy. A stain is long wearing and polishes off a look in a jiffy.  [Shown: Buxom Full-On Lip Tarnish, shade Wardrobe Malfunction] Cheaper alternative: Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Balm Stain 

What are your favorite things to incorporate into your summer makeup bag? 

XO, Carrie

Blog Relaunch

Hello & welcome to Face First Beauty!

I apologize for the severe lack of posts in the last month or so. With a hefty finals week and the rush of everything else in life, I took a small break & a step back to think about my blog and where it was headed.

After a year of blogging as "Lace of Hearts", a name that was chose on impulse and completely at random, I have decided to relaunch my blog with a new name and URL. My new title is self-explanatory in a sense that women unite to put their best face first each and every day. Over time, I want to encourage the moral here at Face First Beauty to be that beauty starts from within, and that makeup should be used to enhance our natural beauty. We are all uniquely beautiful and makeup should never take away from that. 

All my old posts can still be found here on my new and improved blog. If you are on the web version, you will notice that I have an updated clean & simple design. I have also added new tabs across the top, that make it easier for you to navigate. The "Ask Carrie" tab has been updated as well and now contains a submission form to ask your questions. Don't be shy! Ask away!

All of my social media handles remain the same [@carrieberschman], and you can find me other places with the icons on the top right of my page. If you wish to contact me via e-mail, you may do so at facefirstbeautygirl@gmail.com

I hope you like the new theme here! As always, thank you for reading! Enjoy!

XO, Carrie

All About Brows

In the past, I have posted about my favorite brow products and have basically confessed my obsession with eyebrows. They're one of those things that I notice right away on people. I truly believe they better frame your face and pull just about any makeup look together. Whether you have 'barely there' blonde brows or super black brows, you can benefit from using the correct brow products. I don't even remember when I started filling in and gelling my brows... but I'm glad I started. 

Here are some of my favorite brows...

See what I mean about framing the face? 

So today I am breaking down the steps I take to get that sculpted brow we all know and love. Here are the products you will need:

double ended spooly/flat definer brush

Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade [this is the essential product to really shaping your brows]

concealer [use one the same shade as your skin]

clear [or tinted] brow gel

tweezers

small beauty scissors

This is a great diagram to consider if you have a lot of hairs to pluck 

OR don't have much to follow when filling them in. 

Step one: comb your brows into their best shape. [trim long hairs if you need to.]

Step two: dip small brush into pomade, getting the smallest amount onto your brush. this stuff is super pigmented so it's better to start with a little and build it up as needed.

Step three: starting at the bottom, use small stroking motions to apply the product, following the natural shape of your brow.

Step four: focus the darkest shading at the tail of the brow, this will look the most natural

Step five: flick the brush upwards to fill in the rest of the hairs [you can trace along the top as well, however, this really darkens the look and isn't necessary for every day.]

Step six: run through your brows with the spooly again to diffuse and blend the color you just applied.

Step seven: set brows with a clear [or tinted] brow gel.

Step eight: pluck any stray hairs that fall outside the filled in shape you just created. [doing this after will prevent over plucking.]

step nine: using a concealer in the same shade as your skin [or slightly lighter if you want to highlight], run a small concealer brush under the bottom of your brow to sculpt and intensify the shape of your brow. this also helps clean up any smudging or mistakes you may have made.

And that's it! You now have perfectly shaped & sculpted brows. I believe the trick is to follow the shape of how your brows naturally grow. People tend to get scared thinking about filling in their brows and end up skipping this step, because they think it means drawing on scary, dark brows that don't fit your face. When done correctly, filled in brows are the key to a pulled together makeup look!

What products do you use to get your perfect brows?

via here, here, & here

White Denim

While I kind of am a stickler on the "no jeans before memorial day/after labor day rule", this season I feel like breaking it. Now that the snow has melted, I am feeling the urge to fold up my dark wash skinnies and trade them in for my bright whites. I personally love how polished white denim can look [when fitted properly]. I already have one great pair I love, but I would like another pair that has some distressing. 

Here's the look I'm wanting to put into my closet!

Blouse || Jeans || Shoes || Necklace

images via

Life Lately

 

Let's get personal. 

Even though I post weekly, its usually all makeup and skincare related. However, I like to mix it up and share with you some more personal 'stuff'. 

Here is a peek into my life from the last few weeks:

Cabin Coffee. Enough said. Every time I drink their iced caramel latte, I say out loud, "How do they make this SO good?"

That Iowa sunset is just one I had to capture. A peaceful & calming way to enjoy a long hectic day.

GO COO! My bestie is a college baller & I was thrilled to watch her play in the tournament.

I've become a green smoothie drinking machine. These keep me full all morning and surprisingly give me a ton of energy. If you have a good recipe, shoot it my way! :)

My younger sister plays club volleyball. I couldn't believe the skill level at their age! Very fun & exciting to watch. (With my grandma and mom.)

St. Paddy's Day came and went earlier this week. Burke and I hit up the downtown block party and enjoyed good company & green beer. 

I just had to include our little fur friend. Sidney can make and ruin my day all in about 5 minutes. haha.

Last but not least, while I think my whole FB and IG fam has already heard the news, I'm proud to say I have officially been accepted into the Cardiac Sonography program at my college. Competition was tough and the interview nearly made me break a sweat, but I am beyond thrilled to finally get the start of my career rolling. Woo hoo!

So that's all for today. I hope you all enjoyed a little closer look at what I've been up to! I should do this more often. :)

You can also find me on Twitter & Instagram: @carrieberschman

Happy Friday!! GO CYCLONES! Who are you rooting for??

Spring Fever

Spring means new life and a change in the air. And if you are like me, you are beyond ready for some a lot of sunshine, green grass, and much warmer temperatures. Not only am I ready for all of that, but I am also ready for spring trends to take off in the fashion world AND the makeup world.

These are some of the items I am hoping will make their way into my collection this spring...

Hourglass Ambient Blush || Roses de Chloe perfume || YSL Lipgloss || Josie Maran Illuminizer || Benefit Posie Tint || Formula X Polish 

I love how these products all coordinate. No, I didn't even do it on purpose! I just love the idea of fresh pinks and corals in early Spring, paired with highlighted cheekbones and a perfect pout.

I got a sample of the new Chloe perfume and it smells like the perfect everyday scent for Spring. I would love to mix a little bit of the illuminizer into my foundation for when I want an extra glow...think date night! :)

What things are on your Spring wish list?

XO, Carrie

images via Sephora

When to Say Goodbye

Recently, I was thinking about how long products are safe to use after they have been opened. We all have those products that are shoved back in our drawers and have been lurking around in our makeup baskets for a LONG time, but what is stopping us from throwing them out? Maybe it's because we feel like we are wasting money, or maybe it's because we think we might need that product one day in the future. However, products across the board DO have shelf lives even though most packaging doesn't list an expiration date. Long story short, a products clock is ticking once it's opened due to exposure to air, bacteria, etc. So it's up to us to know when to muster up the courage and say goodbye!

If a product seems to be discolored, runny or lumpy, separated, has a strange odor, or feels different on the skin than when previously used, then it should be thrown out. Because, lets be real, you shouldn't want to use something funky on your skin... 

Here are some general guidelines (varies based on usage, storage, climate condition, etc.):

• Mascara: 4-6 months, toss when dry (don't add water)
• Foundation: 1 year
• Moisturizer: 6 months - 1 year
• Powder/ Pressed items: 2-3 years 
• Lip stick/ liner: 2-3 years
• Lip gloss: 2 years

How to make your products last:

• Store products in a cabinet or in drawers
• Don't store in direct sunlight 
• Tighten caps or lids after use
• Don't add water (or saliva) to thin out or remoisten products 
• Abide to expirations dates available (sunscreen, retinol products, etc.)
• Don't "pump" your mascara- excess oxygen will shorten its life
• Check seals when purchasing

Spring cleaning is around the corner. Here's your chance to get a head start! :)

image via 

Fabulous Flats

As of late, I am obsessing over colored and printed flats. Mostly because I am itching for spring, but also because I find them to be my favorite style of shoe. Not only are they comfortable and functional, but they also can be worn dressy or casual. For most of my [style-aware] portion of life, I have never been one hot after funky and trendy shoes. But after wearing my few favorites to pieces complete destruction, I decided it probably wouldn't hurt to add a few more pairs into my rotation.

Red & purple// Banana Republic (similar here)

Navy studded// Target (similar here and here)

Olive camo// Banana Republic (similar here & here) 

I have to mention, I got all of these flats on MEGA sale. I didn't pay over $20 for any of these! 

Now all thats left is some warmer weather, please! ;)

Hope you all are having a great week.

XO, Carrie

What I'm Reading + Bloglovin'

image via Stephanie Sterjovski

Once again, a week has gone by since my last post. Because of the holiday falling in the middle of the week, I decided to take a good portion of the week off, away from school and "real life" and spend it at our lake home. I had SO much fun with friends and family and was sad to head back home. But now that it is Sunday, I am recuperating from all the sun I got, and I finally have time to put my feet up and chat with all of you!

In the last couple of weeks, I've had several friends ask me which blogs I read and how I find out about them. So I thought today's post would be a great chance to give you a list of my "daily reads" and how I keep track of remembering them all. 

First and foremost, if you are a blog reader like myself, the app (or website) Bloglovin' is a must! I simply downloaded the app on my iPhone, searched for the blogs I love, and in a snap of a finger, they are saved to your list and new posts show up for you to read when they're available! How easy is that? 

Besides my beloved TiffanyD, whom I found on YouTube, I have discovered the rest of these blogs either from other fellow bloggers or on Instagram.

Moving on, these are the blogs and websites I follow and love...

MakeupByTiffanyD

Freutcake

Honey We're Home

*A Thoughtful Place

*Stephanie Sterjovski

Pearls and Lace

Beautygirl24

Lilly's Style

The Everygirl

Hey Gorgeous

Style Me Pretty

Perfectly Coutured

Possessionista

Lauren Conrad

Emily Maynard

* indicates my newest obsessions ;)

Alright, so this list is pretty long. But I truly do follow all of them and ready them weekly! So I encourage you to click on each of them and check them out. They just might turn out to be your favorite as well. Each and every blog I have come across and thrown into my mental favorites list is so unique in its own way and delivers its own purpose. However, I do have a trending theme in the blogs I love...think fashion, beauty, design & lifestyle. 

The world of blogs and bloggers continues to grow and I love making new discoveries! What are your favorite blogs to follow? I'd love to know!

XO, Carrie

Wise Owl

Upon starting my blog, I knew up front I was starting from scratch with only the faintest visions and a little inspiration, thus meaning I had a lot to learn (about the community, discovering my style, etc.) I really didn't have much for goals, except that I wanted a hobby to complement my creative side and the ability to share my passions to anyone who was willing to read about them. Little did I know, blogging would teach me so much more than I expected. 

Blogging can be as creative as you make it! This may be the best thing I have grown to love about my blog. I have the ability to create, advise, share, and blabber about anything that I want, whenever I want! It honestly just feels good to sit at my computer and type about products I have tried, fun things I've done, and share tidbits of things that are inspiring me... AND have no deadlines. While I make it a point to post multiple times a week and share whats been going on in my life as well, sometimes it's just not possible with my school schedule. However, I trust that you all are forgiving and will allow me to make up for it with a fun post! :) (Did you see the fun printed clothing items I am loving this summer? See it here!)

Another great thing I have learned is that the blogging community is SO helpful! Over the course of the last 6 months I've been blogging, I have reached out to a handful of my favorite bloggers asking for a few tips as well as just exchanging a few words about our love for blogging. Each and every one of them has been so generous and have made it clear that bloggers help other bloggers. Not only in the aspect of me emailing to make a connection and ask a few questions, but also in the sense that reading other blogs helps us get a better idea of what is pleasing to the eye as well as grasping on to ideas for content, keeping things original to yourself of course! ;)

And finally, this: People are going to have things to say about your blog. That is simply a given. There is nothing you can do to stop people from making a few negative comments (online or in person). Being still VERY new and still experimenting, I am by no means an expert, nor do I claim to be! I blog from my bedroom, usually while watching the Bachelorette (guilty pleasure), taking a break from studying human anatomy. I use the simplest features on Microsoft Powerpoint to make fun spreads of pictures to share. I don't own Photoshop and don't use anything more than a Sony point and shoot camera! Just keeping it real! :) Yes, I might flood your Twitter or Instagram feed, but I don't want anyone to miss the opportunity to read about things I think are worth sharing, if they feel inclined to do so! Which by the way, thank you ALL! Seeing my views go up daily is VERY rewarding!! <3

With all of that said, if any of you have ever considered starting a blog, I highly advise you to do so! Writing about things I love has already opened doors AND my eyes to a whole other world I didn't know about. I still am finding my niche, but am so grateful for everything I have learned so far!

As always, thank you for reading! 

XO, Carrie