Sunday, September 30, 2012

Review: Bdellium Tools



I discovered these brushes when I was at IMATS three years ago. I wanted good quality brushes that were not going to break the bank. bdellium Tools brushes do both! They are super soft. I do not have any issue with them shedding and they have held up really well over the last couple of years. I liked them so much that I bought more the next year at IMATS. These brushes have definitely become my favorite brushes.


Grade: A


These are the brushes I own. From top to bottom 710, 714, 765, 948, 957, 980



Oops! Almost forgot my two favorites because they were in a different spot! The 781 and the 780!




Check out their website here.
Check out my IMATS hauls here.


Saturday, September 29, 2012

Video: Haul!

Here are some of the things I picked up last weekend.



Birchbox Review: Harvey Prince Eu Flirt Perfume



This was one of the items in my July Birchbox. This is a very perfumey perfume (if that makes sense). I tend to go for more fruity and fresh scents and this is quite the opposite. This would definitely be a good date perfume because when I wear it I feel very sultry. It's bases are lavender, jasmine, citrus, and pumpkin. I can smell the flower bases but not the others. It reminds me of this perfume my grandma use to wear, but I can't remember the name of it.
Grade: B+

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Fall Reading List

Check out what's on my Fall Reading List?


Are you going to read of these books with me?

Oh and if you like book reviews and book hauls check out my friend here. =)

Monday, September 24, 2012

Fall Trends: Peter Pan Collars



These are SO cute and retro! These totally remind me of the 1950's and poodle skirts. I think there are a great way to jazz up an outfit. I have seen them all over the stores and want a shirt with one already on it or I think a necklace like this would be really cool too.

Would you wear a Peter Pan collar?

*Picture is from here.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Birchbox Review: July Lifestyle Extras

Larabar:
I just want to say that I'm not a huge fan nuts or protein bars so I didn't even try it.
Grade: N/A





Earbuds:
I love the color! I am usually not a fan of earbuds because my ears are so small and they start to hurt after 10 minutes, These earbuds don't do that! The sound quality is okay but they have become my gym headphones. =)
Grade: A

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Review: Organix

I have been on a very tight budget the last year and having been trying to find products that are more budget friendly. If you have been following my videos for awhile you'll know that that I love the Macadamia Deep Conditioner, but it is expensive ($30).

When I was at Ulta I the brand Organix had a Macadamia line of products that were much more affordable (about $6 each). So, I decided to try the shampoo and conditioner. I really wish I hadn't. The shampoo really dried out my hair almost instantly. My hair felt no difference after using the conditioner. I even let it sit in my hair for 5 minutes and still nothing! Plus, I had to use so much product to clean my hair. The bottles barely lasted a month. Since, I don't wash my hair everyday that is about 12 uses!!

A positive note, it did smell amazing!


Grade: D

Have you tried Organix products?

Friday, September 21, 2012

Video: Birchbox September 2012



These are the items I received in my Birchbox this month. I was not super impressed with it because I feel like I got a lot of repeats, but I guess you can't love every box. Look out for my reviews of these products later next month. =)

Tutorial: Silver Nights


This is a great look for a Saturday night! Sultry and fun!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Birchbox Review: Color Club Nail Polish



This nail polish was in my July Birchbox. It is in the color Blue Ming and retails for $8. I really love the color! It reminds me of a Tiffany's box! It went of fairly easy. The polish dried very matte and needs a good top coat to bring out the color.
Grade: A-



*Picture is from here.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Favorite Bronzer: NYC Sunny



This was in my August HB Picks. This has to be my favorite bronzer right now. I have actually hit pan. (This is super rare for me!) The reason I like this bronzer so much is that it matches my skin tone so well. It can be used as a bronzer or as a contour. It's not too dark and not too light. It just seems to be that perfect balance. Plus, it's a drugstore store product so it's inexpensive too!

Have you tried NYC Sunny? What's your favorite bronzer?

*Picture is from here.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Birchbox Review: Gloss Moderne Hair Mask



This was one of the items in my July Birchbox. It retails for $39. I want to start out by saying that I love this hair mask!! It smells SO good!! The smell reminds me of a sweeter version of the Hawaiian Tropic suntan lotions. Yum!! I was able to use this sample about 5 times, which really allowed me to test it out. I used it once a week as a deep conditioner and it made my hair feel SO soft! It really reminds me of the Macadamia deep conditioner, which is my favorite. The only downside is that it is very expensive, but I can justify that away because it will last you at least 6 months. =P
Grade: A

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Yum!! Spicy Chicken Enchilada Pasta

I found this super yummy recipe on Pinterest today and new I had to make it for dinner. (I mean it combines my two favorite types of food; Mexican and Italian.) It turned out so good and I knew I had to share it with you!


I took the original recipe and tweaked it a bit to suit my taste. What I did was I used freshly roasted green anaheim peppers. (I roasted them on my gas grill until they were black and then let them cool down in a paper bag. Then I peeled them and deseeded them.)

I also don't really like sour cream so I decided not to use it. Instead I used a full can of the red sauce. 

Mine was super spicy but that is because I used the hottest canned green sauce. (I think I'll do medium next time.)


The recipe makes A LOT so you might want to cut it in half if you just want a couple of servings. I really liked this recipe and the sauce is going to be my new go to sauce. I hope you like it too!

If you try it please let me know what you think!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Today's Video: Summer Reading List Review



Today's video is a review of the books that were on my Summer Reading List. My Fall Reading List will be up in a couple of weeks. Keep up to date on what I am reading by friending me on Goodreads.

What books do you recommend? 

Monday, September 10, 2012

Fall Trends: Jewel Tones



I feel like this trend has been going for a couple of seasons now. I love jewel tones because they are super rich colors. This trend is great because you can follow it in many different ways. You can use it in your makeup or wear it. I know I will definitely be wearing jewel toned inspired eyes this fall. =)

What about you? How will you be wearing jewel tones this season?

*Picture is from here.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Birchbox Review: Suki Balancing Kit

This facial system was in my July Birchbox and I was really excited to try it. The packaging said it was formulated for acne prone skin, and I had just been in the middle of a breakout so I thought it was the perfect time to try it. The full size of the Suki Balancing Kit retails for $50.




Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser:
This cleanser uses a combination of lemongrass and sugar to cleanse and exfoliate your skin. I loved the way it smelled. Very sweet and refreshing at the same time. After using it my skin felt so smooth and refreshed. I also really liked that it only took a little of the cleanser because it meant that I could use the sample more than once. Always a plus!

Transformative Cleansing Clay:
This product can be used as a quick 5 minute deep cleanser in the shower or as a mask. I chose to try it as a mask because I like clay masks. It uses white willow and zinc to extract the dirt from your pores. The product was very thin and it wanted to go everywhere but where I wanted it to go. There was just enough of the product to use one. I really liked the way my face felt while it was drying. It gave me the good tingling feeling that lets you know that it is getting deep into your pores. When it came time to wash it off it had dried almost clear, which made it hard to know if I had gotten it all.

Concentrated Balancing Toner:
Uses white willow and Vitamin C to balance your skin. Felt like most toners. There was enough in the sample to use it multiple times.

Pure Facial Moisture-Balancing:
Uses blue chamomile and echinacea to moisturize your skin. It really surprised me when I opened the sample because it was an oil. A bunch of it ended up being wasted because it came pouring out. It felt really strange putting an oil on my face after I had done so much to get rid of the dirt and oil. It took forever to soak into my skin and after 30 minutes I had to wipe off what was left over. It didn't make my skin feel good. It made it feel greasy and clogged.

Balancing Day Lotion:
Uses white willow and natural retinol to moisturize your face. It smelled horrible! I can't even to begin to explain what it smelled like but it was bad. It soaked into my face really fast but it made it feel tight and dry. A major downside is that this daytime moisturizer has no SPF! Who doesn't put SPF in a day moisturizer now a days?

Overall:
This kit had it's stars (the cleanser and the mask) and some losers (the 2 moisturizers). I was glad to be able to the products but I will not be purchasing this kit. However, I may buy the cleanser and the clay mask.


Grade: B-

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Inexpensive vs. Expensive: Eyebrow Gel

Should you splurge on eyebrow gel? I have used Anastasia brow gel for about a year now and I really like it. It does what it is suppose to do and dries quickly. But is it worth the $21?




Back in February I was in a musical and did not want to use my expensive eyebrow gel, so I bought Maybelline clear mascara ($6). It worked well and was super affordable. The only real downside I noticed was that the mascara took a little longer to dry.




The Verdict
      The inexpensive clear mascara wins. Why spend money on something expensive when a drugstore product works just as well?

What do you think? 

*Pictures and from here and here.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Todays Video: Products I Regret Buying



Here are some of the products I have bought and wish I hadn't. What products do you regret buying?


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Today's Video: Beauty4Less DIY Mask



This video is another simple DIY. A viewer by the name of CassHeartsBeauty recommended it to me. It's a great way to really moisturize your skin while clearing it up at the same time! I hope you like it!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Birchbox Review: Manna Kadar Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion



This was one of the items in my July Birchbox. It retails for $29. This shimmer lotion is very potent! A little goes a very long way. The instructions suggest that you mix into your foundation to give yourself an extra glow but it's so pink that my face would turn out looking burnt.  I feel that it's really a liquid blush and it works well as one. If you want to see how it applies I used it in this video. It's expensive but the full size bottle would literally last you forever.
Grade: B

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Fall Trends: Bow Belts



I love this idea! A bow belt is the perfect way to dress up a plain trench coat. It gives it that touch of femininity and makes the coat stand out more. I think it would look great in black or even red too. You could wear a different color depending on your mood.

What do you think? Would you wear a bow belt with your trench coat? If so, what color?

*Picture is from here.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Welcome to my new blog!!!!

I am going to be posting reviews of products, fashion inspirations, book reviews, and other fun stuff. I want this blog to be an extension of my YouTube page.

I want to post something everyday, but life has a way of getting in the way so I won't make that promise. I'll just say that I'll try to put something up 5 days a week. =)

Please feel free to give me feedback because I want this to be a place where we can interact more and I want it to have stuff that interests YOU!
 
Images by Freepik