Current Favorites!

Nars Sheer Glow

Need I say more? This foundation is literally perfect. It's just beautiful. 

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish 

I HAVE A SKINFINISH!!! You have no idea how proud of myself I am. I have one. I'm so accomplished. Now I have to get my hands on one of those fancy highlighter/blush shades... Hm. Anyway, this gorgeous product is smooth and wondrous and lovely. It does not cake (my first powder!) and it applies really, really easier with a big brush.

Mac Fix +

This smells really good. And feels even better. Actually, it's a close call. I have dry skin, so I love how this diffuses any potential caking issues (no one likes..clumpy makeup. Gross.). I also adore the lock on the nozzle. So genius.

Divergent Sephora Collection

This was literally the best valued makeup set ever. Look at how much stuff there is!! SO MUCH STUFF. And it's good stuff too! Everything is well pigmented and packaged beautifully. The brush is not bad either, a dual-ended contour/blush brush and fluffy eye brush. I love the color combos, and the cheek palette is pretty wonderful. Who cares if you don't read the books, or enjoy them, or whatever–get this set. It's freaking amazing. 

Urban Decay Naked Palette 1

Think this well-loved, gushed-over, hyped-up product is overrated? Please. Don't even go there. This is well worth the fan following. Every single shadow is buttery and beautiful, rich and pigmented, and oh my my my I swoon just looking at it. I touch it, I die. I apply it... well, I'm dead so why are we even going there, right? I jumped on the bandwagon way late, but better late than never! This is beautiful, and it looks like a chocolate bar! Mmm. 

GET THE NAKED PALETTE.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana White

My favorite scent. Ever. I think this even beats out Versace's old Ethereal perfume, and I adored that scent. Perfumes are very personal purchases, so I'm not going to push this one; but, I love it and I think it suits me very well. It wears well and soothes me immediately. 

American Horror Story: Murder House

This may possibly be the best show I have ever watched. I went through the first season in a matter of days, it was so good. I never thought I was one to love horror, though, to be fair, American Horror Story: Murder House translates more as psychological thriller than horror. The story is brilliant and the filming is genius. The artistry and craftiness of the show really shines through, and I seriously tip my hat off to Brad Falchuck and Ryan Murphy. I need to summon up the courage to watch season 2 (Asylum), because I know that that is some dark, scary shit, but I'll get there... eventually.

Essie Resort Fling

This polish is sooooo beautiful... I could wear it all year. I love it. And the formulation is very nice! I've always enjoyed Essie's aesthetics in general, and Resort Fling takes the prize for sure. 

Bastille

My favorite band. It's been decided–they're my favorite. 

January Favorites!

Hello hello! This is my first time doing a "favorites" post and woohoo I've always wanted to do one because it seems so fun! And it's probably a good way for me to remember what I liked in the past in case I want to repurchase something (since I have a really awful memory). So here we go!

1. Tigi S Factor Smoothing Shampoo + Conditioner: I got this set after watching Zoella's hair care routine video and it is fantastic. I've heard that after you use a shampoo/conditioner for a while, your hair gets used to it somewhat and it's not quite as effective anymore, so I picked these up at Ulta and they make my hair feel so light and smooth. Also, they do smell like strawberries and cream, but the scent isn't super strong; it's quite subtle which is nice and non-headachey.

2. Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara: I love this mascara so much. I've begun to notice the difference between high-end and drugstore mascaras (the ones I use, at least), which is that the high-end mascaras feel much less wet and more natural. This one in particular is no exception. I really love this mascara for an everyday one or two coat routine because it can be very light and natural, but it's also buildable. 

3. Revlon Colorstay in Normal/Dry: I finally caved and got this foundation after hearing so many rave reviews, and it does not disappoint. The coverage is indeed full with a matte finish, but it still feels very light and smooth. I like the formulation and how blendable it is. Sadly, I got it a shade too light so I have to go out and repurchase it now (the trouble with drugstores). 

4. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Yogurt: Ah, these jumbo eye pencils make me so happy. They're super convenient and this one in particular is a lovely shimmery light brown shade that really opens up the eyes when applied to the inner corners. I love how creamy and smooth it is! Must get my hands on more.

5. Sage & Citrus Yankee Candle: Love this smell so much. Subtle yet soothing and ah... I love Yankee candles so much. You can just leave one open and the scent will permeate the room even without lighting the candle. I keep this one on my dresser. 

6. Nature Valley Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Chewy Granola Bar: Ugh is that a mouthful of a name or what? I'm not even sure if I got it right hahaha but these are delicious nonetheless. They're 140 calories per bar (is that good? I dunno) and ohhh my goodness let me just say it again... they're delicious. I can't explain it. They're just so good and the perfect size. They can fit in my jacket pocket! 

7. Clueless: I just watched this movie yesterday on Netflix and it's hilarious. I'm probably ridiculously behind since this is like a 90s cult classic, but oh man it's just great. Main character Cher is fantastically portrayed and so endearing and amusing. I did find the ending a bit abrupt and some of the loose ends not totally tied up, but whatever I'm not that stringent with movies anyway. It made me happy so yay I like it. 

Current Beauty Wish List

I am horribly far behind with beauty products. It is quite sad, really. One of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to improve my makeup knowledge and application, so I need to branch out more–explore, divide and conquer! (I don't know.)

1. Nars Sheer Glow: This foundation has been around for quite some time, and I only recently saw it in person and swatched it on my hand. I was astounded by the incredibly beautiful sheen and glow of the product. I'm not really a big face product kind of girl, since I'd like to save that heavy application for when I'm older and in direr need; though, I do think it's a good idea to invest in the foundation of my makeup (pun intended). I haven't tried many foundations–just MAC Face and Body and Revlon Photoready–so I think I need to gather my bearings and test some more out. I have quite dry skin, so I think the dewy, more liquidy foundations would suit me better. 
   
2. Benefit Watt's Up/Stila Liquid Luminizer: I honestly have no idea what to do with highlighter and bronzer (more on that later). But, it appears to be a necessity as adding dimension to one's face is what elevates a makeup look to the next level. I'm quite interested in highlighter (not so much in bronzer, to be perfectly honest), and I've seen both of these products used quite often in YouTube videos, so I'd like to start with them! 
   
   
3. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner: I'm still working on my liquid eyeliner skills, yo. It's really quite necessary, and ugh why do my eyelids crease like that. It's so inconvenient. Anyway, the Stila liquid eyeliner has been on my radar for a while, as I swatched it on my hand once and it did stay all day! The line goes on thinly and smoothly as well, which I love. Definitely need to pick this up next time I stop at Ulta or Sephora. 
   
4. Urban Decay Primer Potion: I see this all. The. Time. I hear rave reviews about it all. The. Time. I think it's a sign I need to get it in my possession. Pronto. 
   
5. Urban Decay Naked Palettes 1, 2, and/or 3: I'm not an eyeshadow expert. I'm a bit Lauren Conrad-ish in that way, because I tried that crease-blending thing once and it was a freaking nightmare. Well, easy does it, maybe... Naked seems to be a good place to start (that sounds hilarious). And I love nudes (that also sounds hilarious; apparently I'm really mature); not so much the bright shadows. 
   
6. Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon: I have no idea where to get this because it's a UK product, but this look fantastic! Not as high maintenance as a lipstick, not as annoying as a lip gloss (I think, I hope). I just love this concept, and how pretty is that pink shade? 
   
7. Nars Bronzing Powder: Here comes the scary part... I have never used bronzer in my life. Ever. I like the idea of contouring my face, but I am so freaking clumsy (it's a miracle I can get eyeliner on my eyelid, for crying out loud) I'm scared I'm going to look like... an orange lamp. A nightmare, really. But I mean, I better try now before I have to prepare for some big-scale event or something. I dunno what I plan to do with my life, psh. 
   
8. MAC Lipstick: I've got my eye on shades Morning Rose, Speed Dial, Pink Pearl Pop, and Sunny Seoul in particular. As you can probably tell, I'm kind of a wimp with color. I also have fairly full lips (honestly probably my best feature), which can actually suck sometimes because then color is so obvious and can become overstated (I don't really know what I'm talking about though what). I think a lot of the final oomph of makeup, though, is the carriage. You've got to be one with your makeup look and carry it with confidence and poise; otherwise, any look will fall flat (once again, I don't really know what I'm saying). That being said, if I'm feeling bolder and more posh, I might try my hand with the famed Candy Yum Yum, Russian Red, and Vegas Volt. I think I have neutral undertones (must double check!), so I hope I don't have to pay attention to the whole yellow-red/blue-red tangent because I have no idea how to tell. 

   

   Sunny Seoul

   

   Candy Yum Yum

   
   
   
   
   
   

A Lipstick Jungle

I had quite an enjoyable time exploring an overwhelming number of lipsticks today with my lovely best friend! However, we realized that we, amateurs that we are, did not know how to properly find the appropriate lip colors for our respective skin tones. Do we swatch on our hands or the insides of our wrists? Do we find reds with blueish tints or yellow tints? It's so confusing!
When I went home, I decided I had to know, so I found some helpful tips on red lipsticks for all you other curious lipstick beginners out there!

Collegefashion.net:

• Cool-toned reds are blue-based reds that tend to look slightly pink. These shades of red look best on girls that have cool, rosy undertones, meaning skin tones like porcelain and ivory, rose-beige, and medium beige.
• Warm-toned reds are yellow-based reds that tend to look slightly orange. These shades of red look best on skin with yellow undertones like sand beige, golden medium, or olive skin. 
• Shades of red that aren’t 100% cool or warm are considered neutral. These shades can work with many different skin tones and can look different on everyone. Neutral reds are also considered “true reds” because they don’t look pink or orange.

Fair skin (Glamour)

Medium skin (Glamour)

P.S. Make sure to use lip liner!