Makeoverrrr Time.... :) Not That She Needed It !

BEFORE


AFTER

This is my gorgeous older sister, Rene! I took an impromptu trip to Charlotte to visit her seeing as it was her birthday this past weekend! She is a mother of two under the age of 4(my sweet little nephews!) and has little time to get ready because they take most of her time. I was able to babysit for her while she went out for her birthday with her husband, and so I offered to perk up her makeup a bit.

What I used:

Neutrogena Eyemakeup Remover- I swiped off any messy mascara and runny eyeliner that was still present after she washed her face. This is my one and only eye makeup remover because it works so well on anything and is CHEAP!


Tarte Creaseless Concealer: This is the step that made ALL the difference with a slight dusting of powder to set it under the eyes. It really brightens up her whole face! (She had already applied Tarte BB Tinted Moisturizer prior to me applying any makeup)-Buy it here for 24$


Bobbi Brown Long Wear Eyeliner in Espresso: Buy Here (I used this on the bottom lash line and Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink on the top lash line). I blended the top lash liner with a little bit of taupe/espresso colored eyeshadow from this Nars Palette.


Loreal Voluminous Mascara- Buy Here

We curled her lashes with a Shu Umera Curler and then used this Loreal Mascara on her.



Last, but not least, I used this Kat Von D Everlasting Blush in Bellisima(a lovely peachy pink with no shimmer) on her. I think this color is super versatile and could work for any skin tone. I highly recommend this blush!

I also did her hair, using a straightening iron to flatten out the front pieces and a large curling iron to get some nice waves, curling away from the face...Needless to say, I think she looked amazing!! So glad I was able to visit them. :)

Hello New Favorite Lip Color...RMS Lip Shine in Sublime..

I was on instagram a few months ago and saw a famous model wearing her new favorite lip shade, which just so happened to be the RMS Lip Shine in Sublime (she had posted it under the picture). I thought it was a gorgeous shade so I ordered it and am SUPER happy with it. The thing I like the most about RMS is that it is all natural. I love what RMS stands for in terms of keeping chemicals out of their products. This lip shine almost goes on Fluorescent!! The pigment content is AMAZING. It really stays on all night. I wore it out the other night and even after it had completely worn off, my lips were still stained a bright pink. I think this might be another summer staple!!!! Here is the link, it is 25$.

A Ridiculous Photo Stream of our Dog...Wait til We Have a Kid..HA!

Seeing as it was mother's day yesterday, I figured that I would share some pics of my little "child". Haha...I just adore him. He is almost 1! Best life decision I have made to rescue my little Amos. Just thought I would share :)

Spinach Apple Pie Smoothie....

I found a recipe recently on the Self Magazine website that has a delicious apple pie smoothie, but I tweaked it to add some greens. It is surprisingly delicious!

Recipe:
1 apple (any kind)
1/4 c. greek yogurt (I use unsweetened non-fat)
1 c. milk (I used skim, or almond milk to be healthier)
1 tbs. granola (or just plain oats if you want to skip the extra sugar and fat of granola)
1 tbs. Maple Syrup
5 or 6 ice cubes
1 handful of spinach


It's sooo yummy..I promise! We had it for dessert tonight and my husband asked for seconds :)

Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Flared Mascara Review...

So I tried this new mascara recently from Maybelline called the Volum Express The Falsies Flared Mascara. A lot of the you tube gurus are always raving about Maybelline "The Falsies" mascara. I think this is a decent mascara for how cheap it is (you can find it here for 5.99$.) I just like it, I don't really LOVE it. I will probably use up the tube and try something else, but it does build nicely and quickly. The only thing I don't like is that it clumps the lashes together a lot and dries pretty hard so you definitely can't curl your eyelashes after putting on mascara, which I do sometimes if the mascara dries soft enough(I know this is a hugeee no no;)! ). My favorite thing about this mascara is the shape of the brush. It has one side that kind of bulges out so that you can really get the mascara to adhere to the lashes quickly. It is worth a try for how cheap it is~

Beet Juice?

So I decided to try something new yesterday! I really don't like beets that much..it really depends on how they are cooked or prepared in order for me to eat them. I decided to try beet carrot ginger juice yesterday and was surprised at how great it tasted! It was super sweet and had that nice little zing to it. I highly recommend adding beets to your juice because they have sooooo many great health benefits! They contain sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorous, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and folic acid, which is necessary for the maintenance and creation of new cells (aka: pregnant women should be drinking this!). Anyways, if the thought of juicing beets ever scared you, try mixing it with carrots and ginger...I guarantee you will like it! :)

Bobbi Brown's New Sheer Lip Color in Bobbi...

Find it here- 25$
I'm in love with this new color from Bobbi Brown's new line of sheer lip color. It was so popular, my local Lord and Taylor sold out of it and I am still waiting for a call back for when it comes in :) Either way, I ordered it and love the texture and staying power of this. It says sheer on the label, but I feel like it is more opaque than sheer. It has a sheer feel to it though, basically like a balm. I keep applying it kind of like chapstick bc it is so moisturizing. I also LOVE the color I'm wearing, which is Bobbi, a brownie nude color. I never wear brownish colors, so this is a first but I think it's a great summer color :)

Aqua Zinger....

This aqua zinger is a great idea, so I figured I would share :)...If you don't like plain water, this is a great little bottle that you can put any type of fruit or herbs in the bottom section to flavor your water. I have to get one of these Asap! You can find it here.

Brow Help!

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo-23$

Me after doing my brows with Anastasia Brow Powder Duo

Bobbi Brown Eyebrow Brush-26$
I just realized I have NEVER done a post about brows. How terrible of me! I have a million brow products, and I tend to forget to use them some days. I think my biggest problem is that I have never put a lot of emphasis on my brows and every time I used something to enhance them they would get too dark, and I'd look angry or just weird. Brows really do frame the face so it is important to take care of them (either professionally or just do it yourself like I do). I have found something that really works well for me, and it is this Anastasia brow powder duo. It is not too dark but you can play with the colors to make it darker if you need to. They actually have plenty to choose from in terms of colors but you really should be able to find something that matches you no matter what your brow color is with their options. I like that this is more of an ashy color, bc it matches my brows perfectly. I use an angled brush and brush upwards in a feather type motion. If you are looking for a cheaper option, I really like the NYX auto eye brow pencil which can be found here for 4$.

Michael O'Rourke Rock Your Hair Review....

I'm so excited to have the opportunity to review Michael O'Rourke's Rock Your Hair products for you guys! He is a celebrity stylist out of LA with a huge following, and one of the only true remaining iconic hairdresser in the professional industry today. He recently came out with this line of products. They sent me samples to try out, and I have been using all of them every day for at least a week to give them a fair and honest review. Not only is the packaging eye catching and fun, I would have to say, as a general comment...my hair has never felt softer and more manageable than it does right now. You can tell by the pictures that my hair is just doing exactly what I want it to do and looks soft and shiny. I can tell that these are very high quality products based on how my hair is responding. I honestly can say that I will be buying these products after I finish the samples.

Big Hair Rocks Shampoo & Conditioner:
The shampoo is a super luxurious feeling shampoo that gets a nice lather to it and a really awesome smell(which is important to me when it comes to shampoo) and makes hair feel clean but not stripped or dry. They are both sulfate and paraben free! The conditioner makes hair feel silky as you rinse it out and there is no heavy build up or sticky feeling after it is washed out.

Rock Your Hair Miracle Leave in Conditioner and Weightless Detangler:
To be honest, I have never used a product like this until now...and now I realize what I have been missing out on. This is like a little extra step to get an even more silky soft feel to your hair and give you some extra moisturization. I LOVE the clean smell, and it really did a great job of detangling my hair right out of the shower.

Rock Your Hair Bomb Shell Big Hair Powder:
This stuff is by far the coolest of all of them. It comes out in the form of a powder, but then on contact with the hair it gives the most amazing texture to your hair. If you are one of those people who likes height or teasing, then this is for you. I used it for a pony tail, just to get some height at the crown. The nice thing about this product is the texture it gives lasts all day! You can get your hair to stay in an updo with height for as long as you need.

Rock Your Hiar Big Volume Root Lift:
I loveddd this spray for just misting lightly on my roots for that bouncy volume that you'd get if you were to get a professional blow out. It gives just the right amount of height and volume without leaving a sticky or noticeable texture in the hair.

Rock Your Hair Spray It Hard Big Volume Hairspray:
LOVE this hairspray!! This is unlike any hairspray I have used. It does not dry crusty or hard like a lot of hairsprays do, yet it holds ALL day long. Here is an example of morning hair vs. late day hair with no touch ups (seeing as I work from my car):

Morning Hair


End of Day Hair

All in all, I absolutely loved this whole line of products and will certainly be purchasing them when I run out. They range in price from 7.50$ to 22$. Also, a portion of all of your Rock Your Hair purchases will go to supporting shelters for abused and battered women! You can find these products here: ROCK YOUR HAIR (www.rockyourhair.com).

Looking Alive When You Are Under The Weather...Some Important Things!

(Attempting to not look sick, even though I am..:()

I had an insane week in terms of work plus a ton of other stuff keeping me soo very busy, and to add to that I am under the weather! The weather here just will NOT get warm, so my sinuses really have been acting up, and I even had a fever the other day while I was driving around in POURING rain without a rain coat or umbrella..wahhhhhhhh. Needless to say, I figured a lot of us have days where we just feel blah and need to perk ourselves up. Here are my most IMPORTANT things I do when I feel awful to help myself at least appear healthy:

1. Clean up the undereye area that is most likely messy looking from watery eyes and reapply a really good eye cream + concealer:

Aquis Microfiber Facial Cleansing Mitt- 5.99$
I love my microfiber mitt that I picked up at Big Lots specifically for cleaning up messy makeup...It was under 2$ but I couldn't find it on the internet. The brand name is Bioswiss, so if you have a Big Lots near you, look for their facial cleansing mitts in the cosmetics section, but the one I have linked here is basically the same thing. I use this with either water or a little makeup remover, and it picks up makeup under the eyes better than a cotton ball would and is way less wasteful. I simply wash it later on with antibacterial soap and it returns to its perfect white color, not sure how this happens! I carry this in my purse with me, and it literally has saved the day sometimes during my busy day of work when I am feeling blah and my makeup needs a perk up.

Here I used my trusty MAC NW20 studio finish concealer with Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair Cream:

Mac Studio Finish Concealer

Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair Cream

2. Apply Bronzer!

Le Metier De Beauty Bronzer in Sun Drenched
This Bronzer is somewhat expensive but has NO silicones or parabens in it and goes on insaneeeely smooth you wouldn't believe it. This color is slightly dark but you have to use a brush that isn't densely packed and tap off any excess before applying so it doesn't get muddy. If you were looking ghostly, this bronzer is sure to make you look like you just got in from vacation somewhere tropical!

3. MOST IMPORTANT STEP...HIGHLIGHTER!!!!



I am actually almost out of this RMS Living Luminizer ..sadly! It is one of my all time favorites!
I mean, look at the ingredient list:

ricinus communis (castor) seed oil*,
cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*,
cera alba (beeswax)*,
tocopherol (non-gmo),
rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract*

It's amazing that such an awesome product is made with so little ingredients. You could essentially eat this it's so healthy. Either way, I apply this to my checkbones, inside corners of my eyes and down the bridge of the nose. It catches the light in a way that makes your skin look glowy and alive, without being sparkly or oily. Rose Marie Swift really knew what she was doing when she created this! You can find it here- 38$.

Now I hope after doing all this you are feeling slightly better...Keep these things in your purse with you because you never know when you are going to need to refresh during a day of blahs!