Thursday, July 28, 2016

Eye Cream Round Up

Just wanted to give a little shout-out to some of my favourite eye creams. I love grabbing different sample sizes. Full size eye cream is so expensive, but these little ones last a long time. I used to never bother with this step in my make-up routine, but getting older, spending all day in front of a computer, and a lack of sleep have made this product a must. Plus, the ritual of applying it gives me a little boost in the morning to be to tackle the day.

Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Creme is a light, gel-ish formula. It's cooling cucumber scent really helps my face wake up.

I always select the fresh Black Tea Age Delay Eye Concentrate as a sample when it's available. The texture is a firm gel, it almost feels bouncy-if that makes sense. I really do feel like it reduces fine lines and dark circles.

100% Pure Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream is one of the more affordable eye cream options and is an actual true cream formula. It's like a coconut body butter for your eyes.

What's your favourite eye cream?
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Monday, July 25, 2016

Birchbox | July 2016

This month's Birchbox looks like lipstick swatches on the outside-what I didn't expect was lipstick all over the inside, but it looks like my LOC pencil ended up rolling around uncapped. The shade was in Punch Line, and it does look like a nice watermelon hue. In addition to that, I received a sample of Benefit They're Real Mascara and Clinique City Block Purifying Charcoal Cleansing Gel. I've heard good things about these products but, because of animal testing, will be passing them on to friends. I also go a sample of Cartier's Baiser Vole Lys Rose Eau de Toilette. Finally, I received Balance Me Radiance Face Mask. I love testing out face masks, so at least there was one win for me this box.

What did you get in this month's BB?


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Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Nail Care Recovery

It took awhile to bring my nails back to life after a cold winter. Finally, I am loving the length and strength. It makes it just a bit more fun to paint when you aren't weirded out by your own cuticles. I thought I'd share some of my favorite nail recovery products.

I am pretty sure remembering to take a Biotin supplement daily was the largest contributor to my nail health. It takes a while to see results, so consistency is key. While I was waiting for that to kick in, OPI's Nail Envy is an old standby for strengthening fragile nails. I use it as a base coat. Another final step is to keep hydrated. Currently my favorite cuticle oil is NCLA So Rich. The Face Shop Protect Me Hand Cream is too cute to forget to use. 

What are some of your essential nail care products?




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Monday, July 11, 2016

Review | Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Gel

I picked up a couple of the Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Gel polishes when they launched earlier this year. I love their longevity and glossy shine with just two coats. Plus, removal is as easy as regular polish. I added a few new shades to my collection. I want every bottle-they are that good. The names crack me up too. So far, I have: Peri-wink-le of an Eye, Coral Support, All that Jazzy!, and Pretty Peas.

Have you tried the 1 Step Wonder Gels yet?
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Sunday, July 10, 2016

Beauty Favorites | June 2016

We are right in the heart of summer. I've been busting out the summer themed beauty products to keep up with the change.

Whenever I think of summer beauty products, I think of Nars Orgasm and Nars Laguna. This cult classic duo is perfect for the warmer months for peachy cheeks and a bronze glow. Another quintessential look for me in the summer is orange lips, and Tangerine from Bite Beauty is my go-to shade. I love the deeper, more reddy shade. It surprisingly goes with so much. I pair it with a simple eye look from the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette and lots of lashes with Physician's Formula Organic Wear Work It Mascara (isn't the tube amazing?).

Seeing as I used up the whole thing, I had to give a shout-out to the tarte Rainforest of the Sea Marine Boosting Mist. Another skincare sample I was testing last month was the fresh Soy Face Cleanser. It's such a clean, light gel. I love the Julep Ta Da drops for speeding up the nail polish drying process. I need to reorder. For polish colors, these gorgeous blue shades from Zoya (Blu & Sia) are summer favs. 

Summer, to me, is also synonymous with coconut. The Body Shop Body Butter in Coconut is my lotion of choice this season. Every once in awhile I decide to try a new product to clean my make-up brushes and Beauty Blenders. Dr. Bronner's soap is raved about, so I decided to give it a go. And I love it. I got the scent Hemp Citrus, and it reminds me of a fizzy lemon-lime soda. Finally, I am always carrying around the Bath and Body Works antibacterial gels. This one in Yay Summer is a little bit of happiness in my bag.

What were some of your favorites in June?




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Saturday, July 9, 2016

The Weekend | 4th of July

We had a blast this fourth of July weekend. It was jam packed and left things a bit crazy for the following work week, but it was well worth it. Saturday we had brunch and a nice long walk to and from the farmers market. As for Sunday, we woke up early to head to Rockaway Beach. It was our first real visit to a New York City beach, and it wasn't as bad as our Floridian minds feared.

We had fun taking pictures, digging in the sand, and drinking straight from coconuts.


Monday night we climbed up our fire escape to watch fireworks from the roof. We used to be able to see several launch points, but the erection of overpriced condos is going strong on our block. Even so, I need more rooftop evenings in my life.


What were you up to last weekend?

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Birchbox | June 2016

I'm behind posting this, seeing as I just got an email that July's box has shipped. Oops! Well, here is my June Birchbox. A pastel, geometric pattern adorns this month's box. As for inside...

Raw Spirit Fragrances Summer Rain
Coola Environmental Repair Plus Radical Recovery After Sun Lotion
Balance Me Congested Skin Serum
Ardency Inn Modster Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner in Black
Davines SU Hair & Body Wash

I have to admit I wasn't too excited for this month's box. There were a couple of items that I was intrigued by. The Coola After Sun Lotion came in handy after a day at the beach. I am always disappointed in how much air are in the Coola samples. It's quite misleading. I have tried a couple of products from Balance Me and am excited to try this Congested Skin Serum. I'm always down to try new skincare.

What did you get in last month's BB?
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Friday, July 1, 2016

Review | Physician's Formula Cushion Foundation

I'm a sucker for trying new products, and cushion foundations are all the rage. Make the deal even sweeter with availability at the drugstore, and I'm sneaking it in my cart. I bought this right when it came out. Yeah know, when it was cold out and like winter... And that's where the downside of Physician's Formula Cushion Foundation lies. The shade range. We had to hit end of June before my skin was sunkissed enough for the 'Light' shade. Now that it's a (better) match, I am loving the formula and simplicity. It gives my skin a really dewey, healthy look-feeling like a skincare/foundation hybrid-which alludes to its true 'All in One ABC' name. It's also nice not to have so messy of a system. No potential spills or extra pumps. I just dab my brush or sponge into the cushion to pick up the product. It's kinda of fun too.

What are your thoughts on the cushion foundation trend?
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