A Beautiful Mess Happy Mail | May 2015

Happy Mail! Love this subscription, and it seems that I have lots of May occasions so having a stack of cards available has been super convenient. This month almost everything is glammed up in gold foil. The foiled 'Happy Birthday' cards are my most used from the subscription, so I am glad to have this smaller pink version on the ready. This month, my favourite has to be the 'Get to Work' print. It's perfect. Now, I just have to decide whether to have it in my office at home or bring it to the cube. The 'You're Twisted' card made me chuckle and the green background is very pretty. I am sticker obsessed, so I love the emoji envelope stickers and the pink word sheet. I am also a lover of the succulent varieties, so the 'you're my favorite' card is another top pick for me.

What were your favourites from this month?

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Happy Memorial Day

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day! I come from a big military family, so it's always on my mind the service & sacrifice so many have made. Just taking a moment to remember to enjoy the simple things in life & the time you spend with your loved ones! I am in New Jersey this weekend, taking a break from the whirl of the city. Preston & I just got back from a longgg hike and night of camping. I am looking forward to sharing some pictures.

Hope you are having an amazing weekend!

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Physician's Formula BB Cream & Argan Bronzer

Physician’s Formula is one of my favourite drugstore brands. It’s a bit pricey, but there seems to be a buy-one-get-one sale on the regular. I wanted to pick up a few new make-up pieces for summer, so I thought I would try the OrganicWear BB Cream and the Argan Oil Light Bronzer.

Of course, the packaging is super pretty, but I also am loving the products. I have been wearing the bronzer quite frequently and for the weekends, it’s been so nice to just whip on some BB Cream. Both products have a scent, so if that bothers you, you might want to pass. I’m usually not one for scented make-up, but I actually enjoy these ones-it’s more of a natural scent. The BB Cream has coconut oil in it, so it has a coconut scent to it. It has your typical BB Cream consistency-like a tinted sunscreen almost. I find the coverage really evens out my complexion, and I just add some of my concealer to more troublesome areas-any blemishes and my crazy lack-of-sleep under eyes. I couldn’t resist getting the Argan Oil Bronzer-it’s gorgeous. Plus, the colour is perfect. Not orange-y or muddy at all. The finish is a satin-don’t worry, the glitter is just an overlay. This has a more perfume-y/argan oil scent. The light is perfect for fair skin tones, and there is also a darker shade.

Have you tried any of the new Physician’s Formula products?

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Pineapples, kale, avocado, oh my!

Happy Saturday! The weather has been perfect-warm & breezy. Preston & I took a leisurely walk to Red Hook to stop by Ikea (I should be typing this at my desk in my new chair; however, something fluffy has taken it over.) I went a little boho themed today in a long jersey dress, ankle boots, a wide brim hat.

I see this fruit mural while on the train on my way to work. I just love it, so I knew I would have to take some pictures. It's called the "Pineapple Mural", and it was done by the Gowanus Canal Conservancy. Gowanus is a super grungy warehouse neighborhood, sandwiched between the more row house aesthetic Park Slope & Carroll Gardens. It's infamous for the lovely, pleasant, totally not a Superfund site, canal. And now the Whole Foods with reasonably priced manuka honey.

Dress & Hat are from Forever 21. I discovered the hat through The Quintessentials Blog-she finds the best bargain pieces. The ankle boots are Vince Camuto from Nordstrom Rack. I love wearing ankle boots year round. I kept the accessories minimal with the Aurora necklace from Jewelmint and my Ray Bans. On my lips, is Wet n Wild Balm Stain in Coral of the Story. 

Eat your fruits and veggies.

& enjoy the weekend!

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Spring/Summer WnW Balm Stains

I can't help but throw in a couple of Wet n Wild lippies into the basket while running errands. I usually go for the straight-up lipsticks but these spring/summer shades in the Balm Stains caught my eye. I have tried the Balm Stain formula before and love the pigmentation, crayon applicator, and long-wearing stain. Those shades were super vampy for fall, so I am excited for these brighter, lighter hues. Coral of the Story is, you guessed it, a coral, and Red-ioactive, another punny colour name, is a pink-toned red.

I love these shades for summer, and long-lasting formulas are another definite. I really don't want to have to keep touching up. The colours do look a bit different in stain form-they don't have the same glossy finish, but the pigmentation is there. I might just have to get a few more...

Do you have any of the WnW Balm Stains?  

What are your favourite lip shades for spring/summer?

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Julep Maven | May 2015

I'm a frequent skipper of Julep Maven as I already have more than enough polishes, but an interesting product can definitely sway me. And a nautical theme. Burgundy shadows are my favourite so in seeing these eyeshadow duos, I had to keep this month's box. This is Luck & Magic. The shadows are called 'feels like velvet', and they really do. They are super soft and blendable. I want to get the peach & gold duo too. For polishes, I got Amanda (pink) and Shelby (navy). I think I am going to save these to give as gifts. I also added on the anchor decals. I have a nautical nails tutorial from forever ago and thought these decals would be a fun and easy way to try it again this summer. Even just applying them over a coral would look super cute.

Did you get this month's Julep Maven box?

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Birchbox Man | May 2015

The theme of this month's Birchbox Man is 'Comeback Story'- getting back on track after a slump. We got just a few items this month, but they are all super practical. For the lifestyle item, we received the Mizu M4 Water Bottle. I love the small size and the black matte finish. Definitely the most sexy water bottle I have ever seen. This month's box also included a 3-in-1 Shampoo, Conditioner, & Body Wash from English Laundry. It smells amazing-bergamot and lavender. After spending the past few weekends outdoors, Supergoop Everyday SPF 50 is the perfect sample. Finally, we got a sample of Billy Jealousy Slush Fund Styling Mud. Preston uses very few grooming items, but hair paste/pomade stuff is one of them. This one is interesting because it does look like mud.

What did you get in this month's BB Man box?

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The Weekend | Cherry Blossoms Round III

Everything is coming up roses in Park Slope. Well, not roses yet, but cherry blossoms, dogwood, tulips, magnolias.... Spring & Fall are definitely my favourite seasons in New York. Temperate weather and the changing foliage is gorgeous.

It was another super warm day, so we hit the food trucks and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Finally, all the trees on the esplanade have bloomed!  Pink cotton candy covered branches...I've been trying to work on my braid game. I just recently learned how to dutch braid, and I am loving it. I am still working on the dutch halo braid ...it's so tricky!

Bees!

How was your weekend?

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Beauty Favourites | April 2015

2015 is flying by! Though it's moving a bit too quickly for my liking, I am glad spring is finally here. I don't have too many favourites this month as I am still loving my March picks, but there are a few skincare things especially that I wanted to give a shout out to.

The Whole Foods beauty bag was such a win. I am loving all the products. Last month, I mentioned the Acure Cell Stimulating Face Mask, and this month, I thought I would mentioned the Trilogy Vital Moisturising Cream. I use this everyday in the morning. It's hydrating while still working super well under make-up. I really love the scent too-super light and natural. Another Whole Foods Beauty Bag item was the Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub. A couple times a week, I like to use a scrubby face wash to  brighten up my skin. This one smells amazing and is so fine and gentle yet powerful. It's like the texture of the Vasanti Brighten Up with the smell of Suki Face Exfoliating Foaming Cleanser.

Speaking of Vasanti, I tested out another product from their line-Vasanti Detox Nutrient Rick Purifying Facial Cleanser. I can't believe it took me so long to try it-I got it in a Birchbox in August. I need to stop tucking samples away in my vanity and put them out front and center. I like the spa-like, salty scent of Vasanti's products. I use this Facial Cleanser in the mornings and really like how it refreshes and cleanses my skin.

With favourites, I try to show new products, but I am a regular girl that doesn't change up everything all the time. That's way too expensive. Plus, I have some products that I just love, so instead of leaving them in the archives, I thought I'd bring some old favourites back. Even if they aren't new and shiny, they are still favourites. This month, I wanted to mention the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer. I use this day & night everyday. If you are looking for an easy toner or refreshing spray for the warmer weather, I highly recommend.

I have been loving Beauty Protector these past few months. I am still loving the Protect & Oil, and this month, I have also added Protect & Detangle to the mix. It just works and smells so good.  Let me know if you want to see a hair care routine post!

I am bringing back the spring/summer nail polishes. This month, I was loving having a peachy neon pedi with Julie G Old San Juan. I think this shade was limited edition, but there are plenty of other similar polishes out there. I like that it's a bit softer than an orange but more edgy than a pink-toned coral.

What were some of your favourite beauty items from April?

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Haul | The Body Shop

Happy Friday! I am gearing up for warmer weather with some picks from The Body Shop-as well as stocking up on a few favourites. Check these products out the next time they have a 40% off sale!

Cocoa Butter Body Scrub
Exfoliation is key for summer weather. I decided to try a different scent of body scrub in the Cocoa Butter. It smells amazing. I love how the scrubs for each scent don't just smell different but also have slightly different formulas. This one is super scrubby, perfect for future self-tanning adventures.

Vitamin E Serum-in-Oil
I heard a lot about this awhile ago but didn't end up trying it until now. I use a facial oil as my moisturizer at night (about every other night), and I have been quite a fan of this one. It's super silky and really hydrating.

Hemp Hand Protector
My friend had mailed me the Almond hand cream, and I loved it. Plus, I think the aluminum packaging is pretty sexy. She also recommended the Hemp version, so I had to try it when the almond one ran out. This one is super thick, and I like the earthy scent.

Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
Love this stuff. I talk about it all the time. It removes make-up like a champ. This is my third tub, and I will keep repurchasing.

Coconut Body Butter
The Body Shop is known for its body butters. I love the coloured containers and so many of the scents. I decided with summer approaching to go with Coconut. Strawberry is another fun summer lotion scent.

Tea Tree Pore Minimizer
I need to try this! I am always forgetting to use my foil packet samples.

What are some of your favourite Body Shop products?

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Mother's Day Set from Tatcha

Mother's Day is a special day for me, as I am sure it is for many of you. It can be hard to find the perfect gift for someone so selfless. I know my mom isn't going to give me a list of things to buy her, but none-the-less, I want to do something special for her. Her birthday also falls in May too, so I want things to be extra special. That picture is from my undergraduate college graduation. As a teacher, she always inspired me to love learning and to help others. Not very eloquent, but it's true.

Tatcha is the most gorgeous luxury skincare brand. Yup, big claim, but I am standing by it. Their holiday sets were perfection, and they did it again with Okasan set.

Included is the Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask, Ageless Enriching Renewal Cream, Gold Camellia Beauty Oil, and the Ageless Eye Cream. Plus, some cute Japanese candies. And I can't forget the wooden box! It is my favourite home decor item. The Camellia Beauty Oil is one of my absolute skincare favourites. With its floating gold flecks, it's like you are giving her gold too. At a lower price point with smaller sizes (but still substantial) than the holiday set, it makes for the perfect gift. You could even pick up a couple for your mom, grandmothers, mothers-in-law, friends that are moms- whomever!

Do you have any Mother's Day traditions?

*Products were sent for review. See my full disclosure here.

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ColourPop Lippie Stix Swatches

Yesterday, I went through my first ColourPop order. It was getting a bit lengthy, so here is the second half of the split-the Lippie Stix. I think I got a good variety to sample. I have a few different finishes-matte, satin, and creme, as well as neutrals and brights.

Frida | The perfect everday pinky/peachy nude.

Lumiere | A matte slightly purple deep nude. That 90's shade.

Brunch | I can never have enough bright coral lip shades. And the name. Similar to TopShop's Macaroon.

Julep | A more reddy-pink coral with a creme finish.

If I already didn't look stupid enough taking lip swatch pictures in my backyard, then I had to up the ante with silly lip swatch pictures. You gotta know what the shade looks like pouty, right? And yeah the eyeshadow does not work with these colours. I am well aware.

What shades of Lippie Stix should I try next? What's your favourite finish?

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My First ColourPop Order

I like to think that I am up on the new beauty brands and products. However, I think I missed the initial ColourPop rush. Is it just me or did it suddenly explode all over YouTube? I have a serious case of FOMO for most everything (the struggle is real #firstworldproblems), so I had to try a few things from the brand.

I decided to go with their most talked about products-the Super Shock Shadows and the Lippie Stix. I went with the Megan Naik set (again feeling way behind since I am not familiar with her channel-though I will have to check that out soon). It seems they do a lot of collaborations with YouTubers & beauty bloggers, which might explain all that buzz. Plus, they are quite an affordable range. Anyway, back to the set. It includes four shadows of a variety of finishes. Amira-a crazy glitter packed antique gold metallic; Onai-a white satin; Farah- a matte brown; and Lectra- a deep metallic burgundy with pink glitter. I can't resist a burgundy shadow.

I have to say with swatching these I was a bit light as the texture is whipped, kind of mousse-like, and I didn't want to dig too deep, but you can definitely build it up like crazy. The eye make-up I'm wearing below is all the shades. This was definitely a dramatic look as it's super glittery. Though, no fall out-I think it must be the magic mousse-y formula.

I also added a few Lippie Stix to my order: Frida (what I am wearing here), Lumiere, Brunch, & Julep. I will share more on those tomorrow. With my order, I got a Tasty, a coral highlighter, as an extra. I added a little bit of that over my blush (tarte True Love) here. It has that Nars Orgasm vibe-perfect for spring/summer.

If you are looking for some new shadows or to try some lip colours, I would check ColourPop out. They have a huge selection, great formulas, and everything is basically $5. Can't go wrong with that.

Am I late to the game? What are some of your ColourPop favs?

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