October 2013 Favorites

BEAUTY

revlon colorstay matte balm stain in 'sultry' // sinfulcolors nail polish in 'whipped' // tocca 'stella' // jouer matte moisture tint

REVLON COLORSTAY MATTE BALM STAIN IN 'SULTRY'
I've already reviewed this so I won't go into super detail, suffice it to say I really love the formula and color of this balm stain. I bought it mid October and it stayed on my lips through the rest of the month. I bought another color from the matte range earlier this week & I'm tempted to go back and get another. I just really love the pigmentation & feel of these. I wish they provided more moisture & didn't leave my lips feeling so dry after a few hours but I don't mind re-applying & using lip balm between applications. Overall very pleased.
review here


SINFUL COLORS NAIL POLISH IN 'WHIPPED'
This is a leather-looking matte nail polish from Sinful Colors new Leather Luxe line. There were lots of different colors-- black, white, red, burgundy, brown, navy & maybe a teal? I bought black for myself and one for my leather lovin' bestie, Taylor. Sinful Colors, despite being incredibly affordable ($1.99 at Walgreens) are quality nail polishes. I wore this for around four days (no top coat) without so much as a chip. I was pretty impressed


TOCCA 'STELLA'
Ahh! I've been waiting since February to start wearing this again. I love love love the way it smells. The Sephora website lists the notes as: bitter orange, blood orange, watery accord, white freesia, wild diamond orchids, spicy lily, sheer musk & sandalwood. It primarily smells like blood orange but isn't terribly sweet smelling. I don't know, I'm terrible at describing scents. I just find that it smells amazing when I catch a whiff of it on my scarf or cardigan. It smells clean and fresh and I just really like it. You can find it at Sephora & Anthropologie-- I definitely suggest going in and sniffing a sample of it. TOCCA 'Cleopatra' is also amazing.


JOUER MATTE MOISTURE TINT IN 'PORCELAIN'
I reviewed this earlier this week ...or was it last week? I don't know, you can find a link to my review down below. I won't go on and on but overall the Matte Moisture Tint is definitely a great tinted moisturizer/base and is perfect for people with normal-oily skin & lasts all day and blends amazingly. Despite having a measly color range, I'm assuming each color is supposed to work with a range of skintones? I have no idea. I'm very pale and have cool undertones & a LOT of redness and 'Porcelain' works PERFECT for me.
review here


MISC.

vintage green glass cameo necklace // f21 studded bat headband (sold out) // lexi holiday candle tin in 'frosted maple'

VINTAGE GREEN GLASS CAMEO NECKLACE


Ryan's mom bought me this beautiful necklace from a vendor at Czhilispiel last year. Ryan's family competes annually in the Chili competition & there's always a small fair & a section of booths with arts and crafts type vendors. I picked out the green cameo charm & the woman who owned the booth constructed a necklace from other bits and bobs she had on hand in her little jewelry tackle box. I used to have her card but I've lost it. The cameo is actually one of many from a vintage bracelet I've seen on ebay. I love this necklace & always get so many compliments on it when I'm out. It's one of those pieces I know someday I'll pass onto a child or grandchild because it was a sweet gift from Ryan's mother & feels like a timeless piece of jewelry.


F21 STUDDED BAT HEADBAND
I bought this at F21 last month when they first released their cats & bats line. I wanted the kitty cat beanie but I wanted the bat ears headband WAY more. I sort of wish I'd bought the cat beanie too though, it would have been easier to wear throughout the winter. I wore the headband on Halloween as part of my bat costume & I think it's basically the coolest headband ever. I wish I could wear it regularly but I don't like weird stares and the bat ears are quite tall and would be really hard to miss. I accidentally bumped them off of my head all night trying to get into cars or fix my hair. They look so awesome though! I love the metal spikes & the faux leather look. I wore it with a wet-look fit and flare skirt and my peter pan collar top with a black cardigan I pinned to make it look like I had bat wings. Terrible explanation but it looked pretty cute if I do say so myself. I couldn't find this still for sale on F21's website but I'm sure if you looked around your local F21 you might find a pair.


LEXI HOLIDAY CANDLE TIN IN 'FROSTED MAPLE'
THIS CANDLE. I've already burned the wicks down but there's still so much candle left-- which is my only real complaint. I hate when wicks aren't evenly distributed and fail to melt the entire candle. Ugh! But apart from that, this candle smells AMAZING! I am not one for buying a candle that costs over $10. I'm a bit of a penny pincher when it comes to how much I'll pay for things. Even the citizens in my Animal Crossing town call me a "bell-pincher". News of my bell pinching ways even made it all the way to Taylor's town...little gossipy turds! So when I smelled this upon entering the WillowBend Anthropologie a month or so ago I knew I couldn't leave without owning whatever was making the entire store smell so CRAZY GOOD. It was $18 and while I think that's a stupid amount of money to spend on a candle...I did it anyways. Because it smelled so freaking GOOD. Now, if you aren't crazy about sweet smells, this may not be for you. However, I hate vanilla scents because they're too sweet and I think this is amazeballs so I would definitely recommend smelling it before writing it off. I lit it in our dining room and it managed to make the entire apartment smell like fresh made waffles and maple syrup for the rest of the day. I'm trying to figure out how to melt the rest of the wax or put new wicks in. I'll figure it out but for now I just leave it open on a table for a bit and even just the smell of the soy candle UNLIT makes the apartment smell amazing. Plus the tin is too cute!




Well, that's it for my monthly favorites. Sorry it came a bit later than normal. Did you do anything fun for Halloween? What did you dress up as? I'd love to know! Tell me below in the comments!


-Becca

Review: Revlon Colorstay Matte Balm Stain in 'Sultry'

There has been a lot of hype on youtube about all of the new fall drugstore releases. This includes the Revlon Colorstay Matte & Lacquer Balm Stains. I spent the last month scouring every drugstore & supermarket in my area for ANYTHING new...and came up empty handed each and every time. Then last week I was in my local Kroger buying groceries with Ryan and saw the display from afar. It felt like the world was going in slow motion as I approached the display, I clutched a fist-full of balm stains in my sweaty little hands, fell to my knees and cried tears of joy.

Okay, maybe not. But I was really excited. I also picked up a few L'Oreal La-Laques & I think I'll review them soon.



But back to the new Revlon Balm Stains...I only bought one matte one because I was unsure of what colors would look good on me and I've heard A LOT of mixed reviews on these. A lot of people really like the matte formula and hate the lacquer one because some of the shades have large chunks of glitter in them. Since I'm not a huge fan of glitter I decided to go for the matte color 'Sulty'. You can tell the difference between the matte balm stains and the lacquer ones because the matte packaging is...well, matte & the lacquer ones are shiny.



'Sultry' is a reddish brown cranberry sort of color and seemed perfect for the fall and winter months. I was a little worried it would look too dark with my fair complexion but I really love the way it looks on. When I initially applied it, I was amazed at how velvety it felt on my lips & that it didn't pull on my lips or feel really crayon-y like some matte lipsticks can feel. The application & feel of it reminded me a lot of my NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil which has SUCH a wonderful formula. But since it's both matte & contains menthol which is what gives it that lovely minty taste and smell, I assumed it would be pretty drying on the lips. I was surprised when I rubbed my lips together it felt smooth and velvety/buttery for the first hour or so. The color stayed on my lips for around three hours and faded to a stain on my lips for the rest of the day. I definitely felt like my lips were dry after a few hours & re-applied it along with some lip balm. It didn't feather or smudge or move anywhere after I applied it, so you don't need to babysit it really. I hate lip products you have to babysit. No thanks.



So basically, if you don't mind re-applying lip products-- I think 'Sultry' is a nice addition to any lipstick collection. It looks and feels really amazing for the first few hours & leaves a nice even stain afterwards. I personally feel like it's a unique color but maybe I'm making that up... I never thought to buy a color like this until now & I just think it looks really beautiful on and totally puts me in the holiday spirit!



Have you tried any of the new drugstore products that have come out for the fall/winter? Any faves?

-Becca

Fall/Winter 2013 Lips: Berry

left to right: 'raspberry pie' revlon lip butter // 'blissful berry' maybelline color sensational lipcolor // 'berry smoothie' revlon lip butter // 'plum perfect' maybelline color sensational lipcolor // 'berry ready' maybelline color whisper // 'toundra' nars velvet matte lip pencil
I'm super excited about fall and winter (as are most people I think) so I've come up with a  few posts that list different products I'm planning on using as soon as the temperature drops! This is my second lip post and it features berry toned lipsticks! I'd never been much of a fan since I used to think they were too bright for my personal taste and style. But now it's all I can think about when planning my outfits for the fall and winter seasons!

raspberry pie 


Raspberry Pie comes across as an almost hot pink but it has that bit of blue in it to bring it back to berry. As with all of the original Revlon Lip Butters it has a bit of micro-shimmer but once it's applied to the lips you really can't see it. It's very hydrating and leaves a really beautiful stain afterwards. Easy to apply and can be sheered down by applying it with your fingertip for a more subtle look. Raspberry Pie is easily one of those colors I feel should be an easy intro to berry lipstick shades.


blissful berry 


This lipstick looks a bit frightening in the tube since it looks sort of like an electric purple but once applied on the lips it's far less terrifying. I feel like this is the shade I would call a "true berry" shade, it looks like you just got through smearing blackberries and raspberries all over your lips. It has a smooth satiny finish and doesn't have any shimmer in it at all. I was able to apply this straight from the bullet without any real issues or feathering. The only thing I don't love about this lipstick range is the smell. I own a few and they all smell the same. Like play dough.


berry smoothie 

Ah, another Lip Butter from Revlon. This is the lightest shade in my berry collection & almost comes off as a nude. You could definitely build it up if you wanted, but I like to have subtle versions of different colors. This way you can wear a berry or red or rose or plum lip without having to commit to checking your lipstick all day. This has micro-shimmer that's visible in the bullet but once applied it just makes your lips look a bit shiny or glossy which I can appreciate because I really hate glittery lipstick. This is the first berry lipstick I purchased in an attempt to become more comfortable with wearing the color. I recommend it for anyone who's wanting the look but afraid to take the plunge.


plum perfect 

This is a "plum" lipstick but I consider it to be in the berry family since it reminds me more of dark cherries or raspberries than plums. Not enough purple to be plum in my opinion. Regardless, this is a nice semi-sheer way to get a deep raspberry/cherry lip without it feeling so dark. Fairly sure you could apply more and get a more opaque coverage but I haven't really tried as this is pretty dark for my complexion. This is the same formula and comes from the same range as "Berry Blissful" and again, I'm just not a fan of how they smell. Love the lipsticks but the smell reminds me of play dough.

berry ready  

This is my newest lipstick. I bought it because CVS has a "spend $10 get $3 in extra bucks back" deal and I had a bunch of coupons. I own two other colors from this range & they're both amazing. This went on smooth but I wish the shape was a bit different since this is so pigmented it wasn't very forgiving. Next time I think I'll apply it with a lip brush to make things easier on myself. It stains your lips a nice berry as it fades and it feels super smooth on the lips.


toundra 

This is by far the darkest lipstick I own & I've only worn it a few times. NARS 'Toundra' is a metallic burgundy--it reminds me of really dark black raspberry jam. And as the name "velvet matte lip pencil" suggests, it really does feel like velvet when you swipe it over your lips. It's fairly forgiving even if you have mildly dry lips but I would definitely suggest exfoliating and hydrating before wearing anything so dark and matte. It's got blue undertones that suit me fairly well & I imagine this would look SO beautiful on anyone with really dark skin. You could also use this underneath a more intense lipstick like 'Plum Perfect' and it would look so intense and beautiful. I bought it because it was on clearance at Sephora & I will buy any NARS lip or cheek product on clearance--I don't care what it is. It was only $10 and while I've really only worn it a few times, I really do enjoy it. I wore it last Halloween when Taylor & I went out for the night as "goths". I'm hoping to get some more use out of it this fall/winter.


I hope you enjoyed this & it wasn't too boring! Nearly all of these are widely available at drugstores & within the range of $5-$10 with the exception of the NARS lip pencil (though I DID pay $10 for it at the time). Stay tuned for my fall/winter blushes posts!

-Becca

Fall/Winter 2013 Lips: Nude/Natural

left to right: 'dolce vita' nars sheer lipstick // 'exposed' tarte lipsurgence natural matte liptint // 'pure zen' mac cremesheen lipstick // 'pink truffle' revlon lip butter

So fall & winter are my favorite seasons for makeup (and most everything else too, who am I kidding?) and I would say the lipsticks I find myself wearing the most are simple nude & natural looking lipsticks and liptints. So I thought I would recommend the ones I find myself reaching for most often. This will be a small series on my blog including other tones of lipsticks, blushes and nail polishes I'm predicting I'll be using most this fall/winter.

Ok, let's get to it!

dolce vita



Dolce Vita is my go-to lipstick when I'm unsure of what I want to wear. I always know it will look good with whatever blush or outfit I pick out. It's sheer and just dresses your lips up a little. It would fall into the range of "medium-nude" because often times true nude shades can wash you out. This is a really versatile lipstick that I think would flatter most anyone. While this formula is not particularly long lasting, it feels really great on the lips and hydrates fairly well. It lasts a bit longer if I wear a lip primer underneath it. NARS lipsticks retail for $26 USD.

exposed



Exposed is basically the same color as Dolce Vita but more opaque and goes on matte. I find this shade is so flattering and lasts for a pretty long time on my lips. It can make dry patches look a bit worse for ware since it's a matte shade, but a little exfoliation before applying can easily solve that. I own multiple tarte LipSurgence lip tints but 'exposed' is by far my favorite. It goes on smooth and feels creamy on the lips--it also smells and feels minty while you're wearing it. Last year around the holidays ULTA had a gift set of these for $32 dollars. I bought it and came out with 5 or 6 (including 'exposed') of these bad boys in different shades and formulas (in full size too) so keep your eyes peeled for that this year if you're interested in tarte products. These regularly retail for $24 USD. Yes, I paid for one and a half lip tints and got 4 for free basically. It was amazing.


pure zen



I've written about Pure Zen before here & here so I won't go on and on but suffice it to say this is the only light or pale nude lipstick I've ever bought that looks flattering. I have a feeling it's because it leans more peach than anything else but it's such a pretty lipstick. If you're thinking about purchasing a light nude lipstick, definitely go to a mac counter and try this one on. MAC lipsticks retail for $15 USD.


pink truffle



This is another "medium-nude" shade that's fairly sheer. This is a nice semi shimmer wearable nude that's really affordable. If you like the look of 'Dolce Vita' or 'Exposed' but don't want to shell out much money, 'Pink Truffle" from the Revlon Lip Butters range is the lipstick for you. It's very much a "my lips but better" shade in that I would imagine it looks flattering on most anyone. My good friend Taylor recommended it to me at some point but it took me nearly a full year to pick it up. It just amps your lips up that little extra bit and doesn't break the bank. Lip Butters are all fairly moisturizing and very comfortable on the lips. You can find this shade and the rest of the range at your local drugstore or supermarket.


Hopefully you enjoyed this post, nude/natural lips are a little boring to talk about so my next post will be berry tones! Much more exciting.



-Becca

Top 5 Favorite Lip Products

I was getting ready to review a lip product that's been a favorite of mine for about a year & I realized it would be so much easier to just do a top five!


left to right: 'peach parfait' revlon lip butter // 'pure zen' mac cremesheen // 'stormy pink' revlon // 'rose' fresh sugar lip treatment // 'dolce vita' nars
I prefer my lip products to have a light - medium wash of color rather than bold bold bold and thick. I think part of this is because I'm a redhead with a very pink skin-tone & it's very easy for my lipstick to look gaudy or wash out the rest of my features. My eyebrows & eyelashes are basically invisible without makeup so I try to naturally enhance them but even after makeup they don't exactly stand out. I don't even wear black eyeliner because it just washes me out so bad.

So if you're looking for bold opaque lip colors to try out, I am not going to be ANY help at all. I would suggest these resources:
a thunder heart // essiebutton // temptalia
All ladies who love some bold lips & have the features to carry them off without a hitch!

Anyways, back to my favorites! These are in no particular order. I wear all of them equally as often.



revlon lip butter - 'peach parfait'
I have SO MANY lip butters. I actually have a post that I'm currently working on about the stupid amount of lip butters I own. Only half of them even look sort of okay on me. But that's what happens when there's a sale and you have a coupon and you don't do any research before wandering into the CVS at midnight. Sigh. Anyways, 'peach parfait' was the third or fourth lip butter I tried & has been my favorite and most used by far. Normally I really hate lipsticks and glosses with any sort of shimmer or glitter in them but this just looks so pretty and flattering on the lips. It's fairly moisturizing and feels more like a chapstick than a lipstick. There are so many reviews for lip butters out there you probably don't need one more from me.



mac - pure zen
I reviewed this lipstick in a favorites post & something else but it's such a great peachy-nude lipstick. Honestly, do yourself a favor & go try it on at a MAC store. Make sure you're wearing a neutral dusrty blush or something semi peachy or it will clash & you won't like it. I made that mistake the first few times I tried to wear it. Also I know this has the limited edition Marilyn Monroe packaging but they sell this lipstick year round normally.



revlon - stormy pink
I had this lipstick almost 6 months before I figured out how to use it. It definitely requires a lip primer or a balm before putting it on because it's a matte formula & can look bad if your lips are dry or patchy. But I LOVE IT. The color is so flattering & isn't too milky so it's easy to wear & this is an excellent dupe for NARS 'Roman Holiday' -- BUT they have completely different finishes. 'Roman Holiday' has a glossy finish & 'Stormy Pink' has a matte finish but you could definitely run a gloss over 'stormy pink' and it would look identical to 'roman holiday' since they're nearly the exact same color.



fresh sugar lip treatment - rose
This is probably the lipstick I wear the most. Granted this is more of a tinted chapstick than a lipstick, but whatever. I use it too frequently not to mention it. I've already blown through two mini sample versions of this lip treatment & I've just started on the full size that my dad bought me earlier this year. This is a super moisturizing balm with the prettiest rose tint I've ever seen. It basically just makes me look like I'm not wearing anything on my lips, my lips just naturally look that pretty and hydrated which is something I feel like most everyone wants when they're going for a subtle look. I wear this even when I'm not wearing makeup because it's so subtle but so so pretty. HOWEVER at $22.50 a pop, I could see why this isn't something you would run out and buy --but if you've got a birthday coming up & you have a Sephora VIB card, you should be able to get mini versions of this and the clear one for free as a birthday gift from Sephora. DO IT. And if you don't like it, SEND YOUR MINI TO ME.



nars - dolce vita
This is the ultimate 'my lips but better' lipstick. This is a bump up from the Fresh Sugar Rose lip treatment in that it's an actual sheer lipstick with the ability to build up more color. I definitely would recommend this as a gift for someone just getting into makeup or for someone who likes subtle neutral colors on their face as it is a universally flattering & easy to wear lip color. I love this lipstick so so much & the formula is amazing. It's another sheer lipstick similar to NARS 'Roman Holiday' & both spread so easily onto the lips with a really intense wash of color. I love these lipsticks! I want more but $26 is a lot for a lipstick (which is why I only have two).


Welp, that's it!

Hopefully you enjoyed this & won't mind another feature similar to this, I really like these mini reviews!


-Becca

Revlon Lip Butter in 'Gumdrop'

So after a very successful coupon outing ($43 worth of beauty products for $12), I came home with a (another) shade of the Revlon Lip Butters. I have somehow collected 8 of these-- I don't know how this happened.

Well, I do but it's embarrassing.

I kept buying colors that just looked terrible on me. My more recent purchases have been more fruitful thankfully. This is my newest addition & I love it. I've been going crazy over the idea of a pastel lilac lip color & this is the subtle and super pretty solution to that.



All of the Lip Butters have a really nice fairly moisturizing formula & while the wear time isn't super long unless you prime your lips. Most of the shades are a tad shimmery or sparkly so if that's not your thang, make sure you look close. I'm fairly sure the newer shades aren't shimmery though.

I don't have much else to say other than I love this color & I want to smear it all over my lips all day every day. So if you're wanting to try a lilac lip, I highly suggest giving 'Gumdrop' a whirl. & if you're feeling adventurous, add Revlon's lip gloss in "Lilac Pastille' over 'Gumdrop' for a more intense wash of lilac.





-Becca

April 2013 Favorites

Well, it's May & my birthday is approximately 8 days away (the ninth). The thought of turning 25 is terrifying and sort of depressing. I felt the same way about turning 20 and it turned out ok in the end. I have work the day of so I'll be pretty well distracted & the weekend afterwards I'm planning on making ice cream & having a girls night.

Enough about my fear of aging, let's get on to my favorites for the month!

MAKEUP

top row (left to right) : nars 'douceur' blush // revlon 'peach parfait' lip butter // mac 'pure zen' lipstick // body shop 'mango' lip butter
bottom row (left to right): body shop 'coconut' body butter // hard candy 'tiki' so baked bronzer // nars sheer glow foundation 'mont blanc'

NARS 'DOUCEUR' BLUSH
As much as I normally like a little color in my cheeks, I've been favoring this blush above all others because the weather has been so unpredictable this spring. It's 84 one day and then drops into the 30's for three days. It's not winter, it's not spring. So instead of wearing corals and sweet pinks like it's spring or my berry and rose hues like it's winter, I've been opting for good old 'Douceur'. Read more about it in my review of it here.

REVLON 'PEACH PARFAIT' LIP BUTTER
I received a sample of this color in some Target beauty sample bag I got last year and I instantly fell in love with the sheer shimmery peach shade. Normally I'm not one for any sort of ~*sparkle*~ on my lips but since purchasing this shade I've really changed my tune about them. Wear -time is pretty standard. Since it's moisturizing and a little more sheer, you have to re-apply fairly often but you don't need a mirror or anything to apply it. It's just easy and pretty and if you want a better review of the Revlon Lip Butters, I recommend looking on youtube or googling it because these are fairly commonly reviewed. Bloggers freaked out about these when they first came out.

MAC 'PURE ZEN' LIPSTICK
I've been wearing this lipstick a lot when I'm not wearing 'Peach Parfait'. This is my lipstick I wear if I'm wearing a loud outfit or a lot of white. It's simple and when I first bought it I really didn't think I was going to get ANY use out of it. Nude lipsticks are not something I typically gravitate towards. But I bought because I thought it would be a bit darker & it was the only shade from the MAC Marilyn collection that looked like something I could wear. I don't wear red shades & that was predominantly what the collection was since it was Marilyn Monroe themed. But this shade is actually just the right amount of paleness and peach and pigment that when swiped over my fairly pigmented lips, it just tones them down and gives them a pale peach sheen. I really recommend this nude lipstick for anyone who's scared to try a nude lip. If I can do it, you can. Pinky swear.

THE BODY SHOP 'MANGO' LIP BUTTER
THIS. Ahh this smells so good. It smells like an orange dreamsicle. The only other thing I've bought that smelled this good was Bed Head's Self Absorbed Conditioner. I could smell that stuff all day. Anyways, this is the lip balm I have on my nightstand to use before I go to bed. I like that it doesn't have a taste so it doesn't mix with the taste of your toothpaste after just brushing your teeth. It's not the most moisturizing thing I've ever used but I like it pretty well and I added it to my basket to reach a certain price to use a voucher online. I've just been using it a lot and it smells AMAZING.

THE BODY SHOP 'COCONUT' BODY BUTTER
I never thought I would ever ever EVER use anything coconut scented but this honestly doesn't even really smell that coconut-y to me. Maybe it smells like sugary toasted coconut. I don't know. All I know is it smells good and it has the same intense hydrating & softening properties as my beloved Brazil Nut Body Butter. Both are made by The Body Shop so I guess I shouldn't be surprised-- but now that the Brazil Nut scent has been discontinued and the formula will be changed or something (I don't know) at least I have an alternative that I like.

HARD CANDY SO BAKED BRONZER IN 'TIKI'
I recently reviewed this "bronzer" (here), but the short of it is that it's more of a highlighter. And hot-dog, it is pretty. Super subtle sheen & it's supposedly a $9 dupe for Dior's Amber Diamond. I've basically used this everyday I've worn makeup since I bought it. My poor sweet NARS Albatross feels so unloved and looked-over I'm sure.

NARS SHEER GLOW FOUNDATION IN 'MONT BLANC'
I have both a full review (here) & a mini vs review (here) of this marvelous foundation up. I originally thought I would be happier with NARS Sheer Matte foundation since my skin is combination-oily & normally matte foundations just last longer on my skin. But it turns out that Sheer Glow is easier to blend and doesn't come across super 'dewy' like I was worried it would. I just swipe a bit of powder over it and it's a bit more matte. I wear the shade 'Mont Blanc' which is perfect for anyone super pale with pink/cool undertones. This is the closest foundation match to my skin that I've ever come across. I love this foundation. I'm glad I got it during Sephora's Chicweek 15% off deal they had going on. I only paid $35 & I know it'll last me for quite a while!


MISC.

After seeing this cell phone dock on Anthropologie, I decided I needed it since I have a really strong dislike of exposed cords (looks like a hot mess) and it's practical and uhhh it's precious.

But no way in hell am I gonna pay $60 for a book with a cord in it. So I looked on pinterest for a DIY & found this tutorial. I bought my vintage Nancy Drew book on etsy for around $4(here here or here) but you could really use any book you think is pretty or matches your decor. Then I asked my dad if he could lend me his exacto blade (never mind I'm an artist and I probably have one somewhere in my apartment) while I was visiting & he offered to make it for me! Win win I say.

So now I have this awesome phone dock & conversation piece! I'm already trying to decide on a book to use for the next charger for our living room. Hmmm...

-Becca

New Lipsticks

So, I've been on the lookout for a pretty pink lipstick the past few weeks since spring is around the corner and lips are the one thing I'm still a little inexperienced with when it comes to make up. I see so many pretty shades on the internet from expensive brands but since my lips are pretty pigmented and my skin-tone is so very very pink, I'm really unsure of what will even look good on me. And shelling out $30+ for a tube of lipstick I may look like a clown in is just not going to happen...so until I've found a realm of colors that look good with my skin/hair combo, I'll just experiment with drugstore brands.

Here are two drugstore brand lipsticks that I really like

Pink Me Up - Maybelline // Teak Rose - Revlon

As you can see below, my lips are moderately pigmented. Not very bright, but enough.

Pink Me Up is great for everyday wear and goes with most anything. It goes well with my skintone and I don't have to worry so much about it bleeding and being precise when putting it on. I normally put a clear balm on underneath to ensure my lips don't get chapped, since it's a matte color.

Teak Rose is a darker and more red/berry in color than Pink Me Up. I like it for parties or if I'm wearing darker colors. I've only worn it a few times since I worry I look silly wearing darker lipstick, but I'm hoping this is a gateway to being a bit more daring with my lip choices.

They're both really great basic lipsticks that look nice and are easy on your wallet. They both last pretty well, but I don't mind re-applying. It makes me feel fancy, haha.

-Becca