January Favorites

Eeek - It's been a while since I've done one of these so I think it's about time, with the new year and all. So let's jump right in and keep this short and sweet.

1. Drybar's Texas Tea Volumizing Hair Spray - This is going to sound absolutely ridiculous but I do not even use this as a hair spray. I use it because I am completely obsessed with the smell. It makes my hair smell like a fresh green tea. I promise you it's not a weird "what is that smell?!" smell, it's great. I use it right after I style my hair (straighten or curl) and always when I use dry shampoo. I mean, isn't it safe to say that most women have this slight assumption that if they need dry shampoo then their hair might be smelling bad? Well this is perfect for those times.

2. Laura Mercier's Flawless Skin Moisturizer - They have this in a "mega moisture" (for combination/dry skin) and regular for combination/normal skin. I've used both - mega for Winter and regular for all other seasons. I'm very particular about my cremes because sometimes they feel greasy or that they just "lay" and that your skin isn't absorbing the moisturizer properly. This really makes my skin feel like I'm sucking it all up. Plus, this winter has been BRUTAL on my skin (serious, serious dryness and cracking) and this has been a life saver.

3. Urban Decay's Naked Skin Liquid Foundation - I bought this after doing an updated Sephora Color IQ and trying to find something for everyday wear within a decent price range. This is right on. Not only is it perfect for everyday, but I haven't been breaking out (which has been a big problem with me and liquid foundations recently). It also lasts all day and is super buildable, which is great for if I want to go somewhere after work and need a look with more coverage.

4. Bath and Body Works's Sensual Sugar Scrub - Back to the whole dry skin thing, eeeek my legs. They've been super dry and shaving has been a serious pain. I started using this after a friend recommended it and wow, it makes my legs super, super soft after a hot (and dry) shower and shave. Not to mention how amazing it smells!

5. Tory Burch Perfume - This makes me so happy. The smell of this is so perfect for Spring and honestly, it can't come soon enough. I also have a roller ball version that I keep in my bag for later in the afternoon/evening - not that I really need it because the smell really lasts.

See - quick and easy. If you have tried any of these products, I'd love to know if you agree with me! Let me know your thoughts :)

Mini Sephora Shopping Spree

I know I haven't written in a while but I have been crazy busy lately. Hopefully something good will come from all of it and then I will be able to share some good news. I've also been waiting a bit because I have done a ton of online shopping lately and I wanted to make sure I had everything in before I posted. 

Ever since I became a Sephora Beauty Insider (it's their system to track purchases, gain points, get free stuff, etc) I have seriously spent way too much money. I love the gift sets that come out during the holiday seasons and made sure to go through almost the entire Sephora website. I only told myself to buy one and I actually succeeded. My purchase included Too Faced - All I Want for Christmas gift set and Philosophy Purity (which I use religiously with my Clarisonic) and Holly Jolly Nourishment sample (free with purchase) and three samples (which they always do - except they sent me an extra one). 

I used to hate online shopping and for the most part, I still do. I will not buy clothes online unless I know my size for a fact. Beauty products, eh, I'll buy things every now and then. I guess I was in a serious mood this time. So since I didn't get to see anything before I bought it, I'll show you how they turned out.

When I first went to the Sephora website I had already had this set in mind after hearing about it on YouTube somewhere. After seeing what was available at the time, I really liked this one and what it gave.

This is what it came with

- Exclusive Blush/Eye Shadow Trio Compact -- I love the blush. I wish it a) had a name and b) could be bought individually. The eyeshadows are good too but I haven't used them that much yet. I don't normally wear eyeshadow during the workweek. 

- La Crème Lip Cream in Believe -- This I also really like. The shade of this lipstick really works with my skin and gives me just enough color on the lips.

- Perfect Eyes Eye Liner in Perfect Black -- Yup, I liked this one too. I'm actually almost out of it already. However, I do not think I will be buying a full size because even then it is really small and not worth $18.

- Lash Injection Mascara -- I haven't even used this one yet. I have enough mascaras right now so I'm keeping it on the side until I need more.

- Shadow Insurance -- This stuff works. I had definitely heard good things about it before I even got this so I'm glad it came in the kit.

- Cosmetic Pouch -- Isn't it just so cute with the teal and gold? It's currently in my purse as one of my organizing pouches.

Overall, I am very happy with this kit. I think everything that came in it is worth it and for $45, it's a great price. This is a great option for a gift for one of your friends, sisters, cousins, whoever!

This came free with purchase because I spent more than $25. I was able to choose between four options and I'm glad I chose this one because it is now out of stock.

This was set to come with:
- Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment
- Clean Original Eau de Parfum
- Origins Plantscription
- Living Proof Nourshing Styling Cream
- Urban Decay B6 Complexion Prep Spray
- Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm
- Peter Thomas Roth Oillness Oil
- Buxom Lash Mascara
- Makeup Bag

It came with all except the Peter Roth Oillness Oil. Instead it came with Living Proof Prime Style Extender. Am I upset about this? Not really, I think it would have been good either way.

I'm currently using the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment and the Buxom Lash Mascara. I absolutely love the Fresh Lip Treatment options but the prices of them are quiet high. Luckily I got two sample sizes for my birthday and this one, so I should be good for a while. I decided to use the Buxom Lash Mascara instead of the Too Faced one because as soon as I saw the brush, I fell in love. It is great for the type of lashes I have. I already have really long and really black lashes so what I really needed was something to separate the lashes and too many mascaras just clump them. Buxom has been perfect!

I can't wait to try the other samples, especially the Living Proof products. I'm also almost, very tempted to buy some more things and try out one of the other free sample bags.

As far as the four perfume samples go, two were men and two were women. I haven't tried the women's one yet but my boyfriend did try his. He liked the YSL L'Homme Libre, which I'm not surprised about because he LOVES the regular YSL L'Homme. The Burberry Brit Rhythm ended up in the trash right away, he was not a fan.

I'm almost tempted to say that I'm too happy with this Sephora Purchase. Not only was everything awesome but the package arrived in three days, THREE! Can I just go buy more stuff now?

Something else I'd like to tell you about, my Clarisonic online purchase. When I first bought my Clarisonic, I got a coupon saying that my first online order over $50 would be 50% off. It's been almost three months since I got it so I decided to buy a twin pack of replacement heads and a travel bag. I was also very happy that the package arrived so quick, three days. But hey, it wasn't what I ordered. It was a new charger. I called them and spoke to a nice lady who said they would email me a return label for what I was sent and a confirmation and tracking code for what I originally ordered. She also apologized for the mistake and put a 20% off onto my account for my next purchase. A week later, no label and no confirmation. I was annoyed. I was especially annoyed because the girl on the phone was actually really nice so I didn't want to get mad at her. So exactly a week later I called them back (and talked to another really nice lady) and told them I hadn't heard from them or received the two emails (and package) they told me I'd be getting. Later that day the package arrived at my door with the proper order and no expectations of it arriving that day. I still haven't gotten an email regarding a return label so I guess I also got a new charger. Even though both ladies were nice, I wasn't too thrilled with the mistake and the lack of follow up. I think next time, I'll just go to the store.

I realize this post is much longer than it needed to be so I'll end it here. My next post is something I have been waiting patiently to write about, monthly subscriptions! Yay! So keep an eye out. Until then, have a good week and I'll talk to you soon!

What's in my Purse?

Hello Everyone! Happy hump day, I hope you're all having a great week! Today's blog will be one that I based off of something I see a lot in magazines. I'm sure bloggers do it too, but I'll go with the magazine idea. It's a "What's in my Purse" post because I'm sure you're all so interested, haha. So here we go!

This is my lovely Tory Burch bag! My boyfriend bought it for me for my birthday this past August. I have been wanting a Tory bag for so long so I was beyond ecstatic when I opened my gift bag and pulled this out. You can find this bag at Bloomingdales, I think Nordstrom has it too but definitely, and obviously, the Tory Burch store has it. This bag is the Robinson Double Zip Tote in Luggage.  

So what's inside? I have my planner and iPad in one of the zippers and they fit perfectly. My wallet is the Michael Kors Jet Set Continental Wallet and I don't even remember what color it is. But it's awesome because it has the perfect amount of card slots and a coin slot (which is a big deal to me). I also keep my eyeglasses case with spray and cleaner in my purse and my glasses are Michael Kors also. The small clear "thing" is one of the containers I posted about in my The Container Store post. I use it to keep bobby pins and hair ties inside for when I'm in need to change my do. I also have a number of pens, headphones, phone charger and two mini bags.

One of my mini bags is basally a small first aid kit. Tissues, band-aids, different medications, female products, eye drops, gum, etc. My second mini bag is my commonly used makeup products. I keep an extra MAC sheer pressed powder, small hair brush, compact mirror and Bath & Body Works Pumpkin Cupcake hand sanitizer. I also have my eyeliner pencil and mascara. I'm definitely going to get an extra eyeliner because they are so hard to keep track of! I also have oil blot sheets which are awesome because I get really oily throughout the day. And to finish off my makeup bag are three lip products. One light pink Maybelline Whispers for when I need just a small amount of color, my bright red Urban Decay Revolution lipstick and of course, Burt's Bees chapstick.

I love being prepared. I love that I never go crazy looking for a tissue, Aleve or chapstick. If I'm bored somewhere, I can just pull out my iPad. And it's WONDERFUL not having to ask someone if they have a, you know, at a certain time of the month. But it's totally okay if you need to ask, I always have something to help someone out!

I can seriously only imagine what will be in my bag once I become a mom! Do I totally have ridiculous amounts of stuff in my purse already? What do you all keep in your purse? I'll talk to you all soon!

Wallet Damage, Labor Day Shopping!

Hello Everyone! I hope everyone had a fantastic long weekend and you're all having a good week. I've been super busy since the Labor Day weekend, but I still wanted to give an update on what I did.

The weather was beautiful here this weekend. We enjoyed driving with the windows down and the wind in our hair. It was awesome! What was also awesome (but not-so-awesome for my wallet) was all the shopping I did. It seemed that about every store had a 40% off sale, and I had coupons for most of them! I just want to share some of the things I got and the deals that went along with them. 

1. Abercrombie Cass Sweater - I found this sweater one night when I was actually doing some online browsing and came across it on the A&F website. It looked so cozy and soft but there was no way I was going to pay $68 for it. About two days later I got a text from their text club that everything was 40% off until Labor Day. I also knew they were doing this promotion where you could either win free jeans or a gift card by texting in a code they gave you. My boyfriend (side note: three weekends ago he won free jeans and gave them to me!) and I both got $10 gift cards. So when I tried on the sweater and fell in love.. I knew I was definitely getting it. In addition to the 40% off, I also got $20 off. a $68 sweater for $23? OF COURSE.

2. Sperry Bahama Crib Boat Shoe - Aren't these just SO cute?! They are obviously not for me, but for my expecting cousin. Her baby shower is in two weeks and when I saw these, I melted a little. I just pictured cute baby feet in these adorable boat shoes. These weren't on sale but I was going to get them anyway. The manager, who was the one helping me, gave me 10% off "just because". Hey, I won't complain!

3. Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + - I got this because I was talking to my (beauty expert) cousin and she told me to try this because it helps control oil throughout the day. And since my t-zone can be super oily and I was in the hunt for a new foundation, I figured I'd give it a go. The best part was, it was one of my Color IQ matches and I already knew what shade I needed. This was definitely not on sale but that's okay. Good, quality beauty products are always worth the pay.

4. Clarisonic Mia 2 - YAY. I can not even begin to say how happy I am I finally got this! I have heard so many good things about it and told myself to put money aside and get it. I did get a $50 discount. I won't say how, but I did. I will be writing a full post on the Clarisonic, so stay tuned!

5. Bath & Body Works Leaves Room Perfume - Mmm, the smell of Fall is in the air. Literally! I actually got this because I walked into a friends house and said, "What's that smell?! I love it!" And since I'm obsessed with Fall, I got it. I got it for my car but let me warn you, spray it before getting out of the car. The initial smell is SO strong! Also, spray it into the seats so it sticks. Bath & Body Works, usually, always has a buy two for $10 deal. Also, most of their receipts have one of those survey links that gives you 20% off if you do it.  

6. Aerie Comfiest Hoodie - Boy, was the name of this hoodie right, it is really comfortable. I love a good hoodie. I love being able to throw on some yoga pants, a hoodie and Uggs and be able to run some errands. American Eagle was having a 40% off sale and I had a 20% off coupon to add on top of that. 

In addition to all of the stuff I talked about, I also did buy four tops from Express. They also had a 40% off sale. Two of the tops I bought, my boyfriend got for me. Overall, I'd say that even though I did some serious damage to my wallet, I did good with the sales. Did you do any shopping this past weekend? How much damage did you do?

Have a great rest of the week. The weekend is almost here!

Sephora Color IQ - Review

Good day!

Last night, after hearing about it a couple weeks ago, I decided to stop into Sephora to try their new "Sephora + Pantone Color IQ". This is a process where they take a little gadget and place it onto a couple different spots on your face and match you with the perfect shade of a foundation.

The way it works is the gadget is put on different parts of your face, usually the forehead, cheek and chin, and it captures and scans your skin and assigns you your Color IQ. All three scans of your face are different numbers which are then put together to give you your overall number. You do not feel anything nor do you hear anything. It is also completely harmless to your skin. However, to do this, you must be wearing no makeup, no tinted moisturizers and no spf. They obviously have makeup remover, if you need.

When the person helping me first did it, he said he needed to do one part again because it was showing I had a red undertone, which I don't. He could tell that I had been in the sun, which made my face a little red. All he needed to do was capture a different part of my face. When he was done he gave my number, which was 1R08, then showed me on their handy iPad all of the foundations that I was matched to. They also emailed it to me so I could look online.

Before I left I walked around the store and went through some of the foundations. I swatched about every inch of my face and half of my arm. There was one foundation I really wanted to purchase and try but of course with my luck, they were out.

When I got home I went online to look more into the given foundations. Which, online, you can filter it to match your specifications (skin type, foundation type, etc). Online when you enter your number in, it doesn't show you your foundation color until you click it. And for a few foundations it gave me two shades, depending if I wanted to do a shade lighter or darker.

Via email, they do tell you your foundation shade. That makes it easy for when you're at the store and need to check real quick.

The foundations they show are only foundations that they sell in store or online. So if you use a brand that they do not carry, they won't be able to give you a shade. Also, you may not match every foundation that they do have. 

I think the process of this Color IQ will definitely come in handy during season changes when you change shades but aren't sure to what. I was told that every Sephora does this, so stop by and give it a try. It's free!

This was a fun little experience and I think you should all try it out. Enjoy!