Face of the Day: Everyday Makeup

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My favorite beauty vloggers!

I thought it would be fun to do a post on my favorite YouTube beauty vloggers. They're also known as "beauty gurus" but that term really bothers me for some reason. I definitely think my obsession with makeup grown since I've been watching YouTube videos, and I've also found out about a ton of great products thanks to these girls!

Sephora Sun Safety Kit 2013 - Product Review #1

Recently I have been getting more into skincare and revving up my routine. I've read all over that sunscreen is the #1 anti-ager, and is oh so important, especially for people in their 20's. The fact that I was lazy about sunscreen during my teen years may be the cause behind the deep expression lines that are already forming on my forehead at the ripe old age of 23. I'm also really pale and burn pretty easily, so I thought using sunscreen daily would be a wise choice.

Obviously I saw this as an excuse to try out some fancy sunscreens. The problem with some sunscreens is that they do not wear well under makeup, and can cause break outs if worn daily. In May I had heard buzz about the Sephora Sun Safety kit, and somehow ended up at Sephora later that week with some leftover birthday gift cards in my hand. Can you guess what happened next?...

Yup, I bought it. For more about the Sun Safety Kit, keep reading!

Nail of the Day: Essie's First Timer

I feel like every year there's one nail polish that's talked about like crazy that I can't. find. anywhere (last year it was Essie's Bikini So Teeny) and this year it's Essie's First Timer. I looked at multiple drugstores, only to find this product sold out. I finally found it at Ulta, hidden in a different display! It was like it was meant to be.

GlamGlow Tingling and Exfoliating Mask

I'm back today with a review of GlamGlow's Tingling and Exfoliating Mud Mask. According to the company's website, it retails for $70, but can be found for way cheaper. The link I provided is to Amazon that sells it for $35, and I bought mine at Costco for $40. Do not buy this at Sephora! (Sorry Sephora, but ya'll are greedy and I like deals.)

I was first introduced to this mask by a friend and fellow beauty enthusiast (who now works at Sephora). Her eyes lit up when she informed me of this new mask that has volcanic rock in it and is supposed to be amaaaazing. I was a little wary of this magma mask, but was then given the opportunity to try it during a complimentary makeover I had at Sephora over the holidays. 

The mask was definitely on my radar after that, and one winter day my wonderful mother came home from a Costco trip with a little present for me! Continue reading for a review and demonstration.

My favorite summer blush!

So I'm like, really pale. While everyone else is getting excited to get their summer tan on, I'm stocking up on aloe vera. (This is why I'm really excited to be living in Seattle for the summer, because everyone else here is pale like me!) Because I've completely given up on tanning naturally, I turn to the wonders of makeup instead. Today, I present to you my favorite "summer" blush, Benefit's Coralista!

PopSugar Must Haves March Box

So I really love monthly subscription boxes. Getting packages in the mail is quite fun, and the whole element of surprise makes it even more exciting. My first venture into the world of monthly subscription boxes was Birchbox. Birchbox is $10/month and you get 5 samples of either makeup, skincare, or hair products. I was a subscriber for a year when I began to feel overwhelmed by the millions of packets of hair creams and face moisturizers overflowing my makeup drawers. (If you want to see specifically what's included in a Birchbox, I have posts on my September and October birchboxes!) So, in December of 2012, I decided to try a different box. Through my hours of watching "beauty gurus" on YouTube, I had seen several unboxings of the PopSugar Must Haves box. I was hesitant about this box at first, because it is $35/month, which is significantly more money than Birchbox. But after seeing people get books, full-size beauty products, food, and workout gear, I decided the extra money may be worthwhile. Birchbox was good for a while, but the boxes were definitely hit or miss for me, and you can only try so many different moisturizers before your face starts to rebel. PopSugar is different because it's not just beauty products - it's lifestyle products. So without further adieu, I present to you my PopSugar Must Haves March box!

My Keratosis Pilaris "KP" Routine featuring Lush products!

Along with 50% of the population, I have KP, or "Keratosis Pilaris". It sounds weird/scary/wtf, however it's really just small little bumps on the skin, and is known as "chicken skin". I get these lovely little bumps on my upper arms, and it can be quite noticeable at times. I have found that these two products from Lush actually make a difference. This post could also be titled "My Favorite Lush Products!" because I LOVE these products (not just for KP) and have repurchased them both multiple times.

Mini Lipstick Haul & Demo!

Don't get me wrong, I love reading beauty blogs and watching "gurus" on YouTube. However, sometimes this hobby isn't so nice to my wallet. Sometimes they talk about or use a product and I just go "I WANT THAT". And then I buy it. This was one of those times.

Sephora VIB Haul!

One lovely November day, my best friend Kailey and I received a magical little card in the mail announcing Sephora's 20% off VIB sale. We instantly dropped what we were doing and darted to the mall. We both had wish lists planned out, however we both kind of lose control when it comes to makeup shopping. (You don't need a savings account, right?) Continue reading to see what we bought! :)

Nail of the Day: Essie's Marathin

So I have kind of a love-hate relationship with Essie polishes. I love their colors and the adorable names, but the formula for them is very hit and miss. Some of them are too watery and require four coats, making the polish very difficult to paint with. However, I absolutely LOVE this particular polish. It's extremely easy to pain with and the first time I used it, I only painted one coat. Pictured above is with two coats and a top coat (Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri). This polish is super easy to paint with and I had very few mistakes, which is a first for me. 

The color is beautiful yet classy, definitely appropriate for work or an interview. Plus, this color isn't really geared for a specific season, you can wear it year round! This color is from the Yogaga collection and was released in August 2012. Essie polishes are available at Target, Walgreens, CVS or Rite Aid. 

If you liked this post, please follow! And comment below with your favorite Essie color! 

:)

Nail of the Day: Revlon Colorstay in Spanish Moss!

So in the past year or so, along with makeup, I have developed a slight nail polish addiction. I never used to paint my own nails, that is, until I went away to school and lived with three other girls who all changed their nail polish at least once a week. Then I started painting my own nails because, well, everyone else was doing it.

October Birchbox (+ Goop)!

I am here with another Birchbox post!

I have found one downside to living in California: Birchboxes take forever to get here. Usually I get the e-mail about purchasing the things in my October box before I even get the box itself. I know, I know, #firstworldproblems.

You can't really tell from this picture, but the outside of the box was a light lavender with a cool texture-y look. 

Products I've Returned to Sephora

It seems that a lot of people are unaware about the magical wonder that is Sephora's return policy. You can return anything, even if it's been opened or used, or even if you no longer have the box. If you return the product within 60 days, you get a full refund, and if it's between 61-90 days, you get store credit. In my experience, it's easier to return makeup to Sephora than it is to Target or other drugstores. The person at Sephora usually doesn't even ask why you're returning that product, and returns are often a very quick and easy process.

For the first year of my makeup "addiction", I went a little crazy at Sephora. Lucky for me, I started to return the products that I didn't like. Or were impulse buys. Or I just needed to return to make myself feel better about spending so much money. Anyways, to see the products that I returned this year, keep reading!

Before & After - Homecoming!

So yesterday was Homecoming for my little sister, Sabrina, and she was kind enough to trust me to do her hair and makeup (Okay, I begged her to let me do it.) She also reluctantly agreed to let me take pictures of her during this process and post it on the internet. What a gal!

For a full product list and more pictures, keep reading! :)

20% at UrbanDecay.com

Just wanted to let everyone know that urbandecay.com is having a 20% off sale on EVERYTHING.

My favorites from Urban Decay are

• The Naked 1 Palette
• The Naked 2 Palette
• 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils
• All-Nighter Setting Spray

September Birchbox

Birchbox is a sample subscription service. For $10 a month, you will receive an adorable pink box in the mail filled with five samples of makeup, skincare, and hair care products, as well as one sample of a lifestyle product. There is always one "full size" item in the box, and the boxes are usually worth more than $10. I did the fancy math and figured out exactly how much money each sample was technically worth to make sure this box was worth the price!

(I also apologize in advance for the lack of quality in these picture. I took these with my Canon Powershot instead of my Nikon D40. All future posts will be taken with the Nikon D40!)

First post! Makeup Haul (Ulta & NARS)

I felt a haul was appropriate for my first official makeup blog post, because I kind of have an addiction when it comes to purchasing makeup. I just want to try everything.

So Ulta had a "21 Days of Beauty" sale, and everyday they had discounts on a couple products, some even marked down to 50% off! There is unfortunately no Ulta store near me, so I was forced to buy online. To get free shipping you had to spend $25, and I like using that as an excuse to buy more makeup I don't need.