2016 Resolution Check In

1. Make a Capsule Wardrobe -- Not entirely, however I did significantly cull my wardrobe down. I am still on the hunt for those perfect pieces.

2. Get outside more. -- Success. This summer was filled with so many adventures with my Momma. It was absolutely wonderful to get back in to nature and soak up some sunshine!

3. Drink more water. -- … embarrassing... the year started out great but we are no where close to end it with a bang. Fail.

4. Read at least 1 book per month.-- Fail but Success. Lol, what I mean is that I didn't get in 12 books but I did read a whole lot more than previous years so I'm still proud of myself.

5. Drive more, and get out on my own. – Success. I didn't get out on my own as much as I would have liked but I did get back behind the wheel and it felt liberating!

6. Project Life – I've taken my pictures, got the scraps, ready to write the memories I just haven't put them altogether... so another half success. 

7. Go on more dates. – This bums me out a little. Unfortunately we did not get to do this. My man got a new job so we just haven't had the time but we've talked and this is going to be one of our top priorities in the coming year. 

8. See my brother more. – Success. And thank goodness! We welcomed his newest son this year and I am so happy that I've gotten to spend a lot of time bonding with my niece and nephews. 

9. Save for Vacation. – I did save, not as much as I was hoping to, but still I'd call it a success.

10. Budget more efficiently. - Success! I've got this budgeting thing down to a science these days. Really helps ease my mind knowing whats coming in and going out.

Overall I'd say 2016 was pretty successful in my goals. While I could nit pick and say I failed on some I'm choosing not to look at it that way because he wants to start the New Year feeling bummed out, not this girl. Any way, I hope you had a successful and happy 2016! Ready to see what the future holds :) but I'm in no rush, the years pass by too quickly as it is. 

Smashbox Light It Up 3 Palette Set: Eyes Contour Lips

The only products from Smashbox I have tried have been the mascara samples and the primer oil sample that I received via ipsy. So when I saw this little collection I thought it would be the perfect way to try multiple products from the brand. This retails for $45 but I picked it up off of HSN for $29.

This set contains 3 small palettes, [3”x2”]. Each of the palettes have a neon face that says which palette it is. The label on the back of each palette show the names of the products inside. These little palette are also very sturdy, and would travel very well without having to worry about them popping open.

The lipstick palette contains Smashbox's Be Legendary Lipstick formula. There are 3 regular and than three matte. I've not used a lip palette in ages, has to be since High School I'm sure of it. Looks like they've stepped up their game. The mattes in this are matte, like super matte. Like you rub your lips together and it feels like you've powdered them. Not my favorite feeling but if you want a long lasting formula then this are it! The three shades in the 'regular formula are Cognac (warm raisin cream), Pretty Social (light lavender pink cream), and Inspiration (bright fuchsia pink cream). The matte shades are First Time (neutral coral), Jam On It (deep raspberry), and Bing (classic red). For not being a lip palette person this is really nice. I have a retractable lip brush so it would be easy to take on the go without worry about making a mess, and there is a mirror inside.

I think the palette I am most excited for is the contour. It is a miniature version of the Step-By-Step Contour Palette, I have been thinking about purchasing it for ages ever since I saw Emily Noel review it but I just never have. So I am really excited to have this in my possession now. I really love the contour shade, it works great for my pale skin. It has quiet a gray/ashy tone nothing warm here. Then the bronze shade is warm but not orange. Both of these blend so easily they are smooth, not what I would consider a buttery formula but they are definitely smooth and not chalky. The highlight is very subtle, just a touch of glow. There is no discernible shimmer, its perfect for everyday or just if your not into the 'blinding glow'.

And lastly the eyes, this contains the Photo Op Eye Shadow formula. There are 6 shades, vanilla, flamingo, russet, totally nude, amethyst, and dark cocoa. Again this isn't what I would call a 'buttery' formula but it is smooth and blends great. The pigmentation is great zero complaints. The top row is perfect for everyday and than the bottom is fantastic for a more dramatic/smokey eye. Its also a great combination of finishes so that you can get a good feel for the formula. There are 3 mattes, one kind of glitter, and 2 shimmers. Overall very nice.

I think this set would be perfect for anyone who wants to try Smashbox, or even for someone starting out in making up. I think the value is great for what you get. I'm over all very please with this purchase. I would love to hear if there is anything else from the brand that I should give a go. :)

Too Face Grande Hotel Cafe Review

This is my first ever Too Faced Holiday palette purchase, I personally love it. I wanted to put this review up because I have been watching a lot of Anti-Hauls lately on YouTube and this seems to be on all of those lists and they all seem to be giving the same reason. That reason is that all of their Holiday palettes look the same, have the sames shades just renamed and rearranged. Also I seen a lot of complaints about the excess packaging. So I just wanted to give me opinion on the palette being that this is my first purchase so I don't have those feelings.

Anyway.. let's get in to it.

The first thing I saw about the palette that grabbed my attention was the green shade, Central Perk. It looked absolutely beautiful in the pictures that were released. This is in the Eggnog Latte Palette, so lets just start there. This palette is supposed to be eggnog scented, and I would say that to be true. I personally love eggnog so I don't find the smell offensive in anyway. But like with their other "smelly" palettes you don't notice it after application. I found all of the shadows to be smooth and pigmented. I especially love the Peach Cobbler blush. I didn't find them hard to blend or be patchy in anyway so this whole little palette is a win for me. The Cold Brew shade is best applied with a finger rather than a brush.

The next palette is called Peppermint Mocha. This has more of a pinky/purple vibe. Again, all of these shadows were of the quality I would expect from Too Faced and I found zero issue with any of them. I think this is a cohesive palette as a whole. As with all of these, you could easily travel with one palette alone, super compact. This one is supposed to have a peppermint mocha scent, but I don't really smell any peppermint.

Last, is the Gingerbread Cookie pallet. This is the only palette I found issue with, and its actually only one shade, the Black Coffee. This is more of a charcoal shade rather than black, I found it to be a little chalky and it did not blend easily. I would actually avoid using that shade all together as it was just a hassle in my opinion. However there is a dark brown in the palette Cup of Joe, that you could use to easily build depth in a look. So its still a fully usable pallet. This one is supposed to be gingerbread scented but it just smells like vanilla to me. The gingersnap and winter dream shades I find are best applied with a finger rather than a brush.

So all in all, out of the 18 shadows, 2 blushes, and 1 bronzer... Only 1 single shadow was a flop. This set costs $49 and also comes with a travel size Better Than Sex Mascara. The Chocolate Bar Pallets cost the same amount and contain between 14-18 shades. So I think the price is great, also the shadow pans are larger than in those palettes so its a better value. Plus you get the mascara, bronzer and two blushes. So in my opinion if you don't own any of the previous Holiday sets than go for it. I am personally super happy with my purchase. And as for the outer packaging I plan on storing it with my Holiday decorations and reusing, its really adorable. I think it would look great on one of my bedroom shelves for the Holidays to come. 

Ipsy December 2016

I mean, I rattle on about this every month, but its just so damn good! This year ipsy has totally been on their A+ game! I have loved almost all of the actual bag designs and the products inside have really been amazing selections.

The December bag is a furry soft pink. The pink handle matches the bubble envelope they are always sent in perfectly, which I think is a cute touch. 

MintPearBeauty Blending Sponge ipsy30 30% off any purchase
While I'm always excited to receive a new beauty tool to try out, I don't recommend you purchasing this. Its just too dense and hard, definitely not a BeautyBlender dupe.

BenefitCosmetics The POREfessional Face Primer 
I have ALWAYS wanted to get a sample of this. While the sample is smaller than I was expecting I'm still super stoked to have it.

TarteCosmetics Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint in WCW ipsydec 20% off any purchase
This is my first time trying and these lip glosses are actualy quiet nice. They have pigment, super comfy, not sticky at all and last a decent amount of time for being a gloss. Pretty pleased, and this is the perfect size to throw in a purse.

CityColor Cosmetics Be Matte Blush Trio ipsybematte 50% off Be Matte Blush and Be Matte Bronzer
This is super thin and compact, which excites me. It will be very easy to travel with three different shades but they are all matte. The pigment is fantastic and they blend very well. I have heard good things about these CityColor blushes before so I'm happy to have them. 

Nip+ Fab Exfoliate Glycolic Fix Serum
Oh my goodness! This is problem what I am most excited for. I haven't tried it yet because I'm trying to use up some of my skincare samples before starting anything new. BUT, I have heard really amazing things about this brand and this is a really decent sized sample, also the brand is affordable so fingers crossed it works.

Here is a link to sign up if you still haven't. IPSY GLAM BAG Also I wanted to mention ipsy has made it even easier to review products on their website or app and you no longer HAVE to post to social media so its super easy to get points to redeem.

Winter Date Night Look

One of my favorite things to do in the winter is having date nights at home. Take out and a couple good movies, snuggled up on the couch, its perfection to me. I love the comfort but I still want to look subtly sexy so I thought I'd share my favorite pajama and makeup look. Comfort and sex appeal all rolled in to one. ;)

I love a good set of black pajamas, I feel like their very classic and sophisticated. I love the Matilda Set by Adore Me. My favorite makeup to pair with this is a darker smokey eye, but simple at the same time and a nude lip (just because we are munching away and I don't want it to smudge every where).

The way I achieve a simple smokey eye is to lay down a base to cancel out any veins or discoloration. I usually just use my Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer. Than I will start with a very thin line or either a dark brown or navy blue liner along the lash line and smudge upward. Than I just layer until I reach the desired intensity. Presto! My favorite nude lip of the minute is the the new HD Lipcolors by Revlon is Sand. I also love doing very voluminous curls with this pj look as I think it just adds a bit of va-va-voom.  

Adore Me have loads more styles to choose from, all look very comfy/sexy at the same time. Definitely check them out HERE. The are also currently running a sale so a good time to pick up a few pair. Adore Me also have activewear, loungewear, and intimates. 

Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette

Since the palette is going to be released again (and it is now permanent) I wanted to put my review out there for you. Also seeing as I have had my palette for almost a year now I feel like I can give a good review and update.

A lot of people were/are upset by the marketing strategies implemented during the original launch. It was so super hyped by big YouTubers and everyone was raving about the product. Then it sold out very quickly, then released again and sold out. That was supposed to be it, but here we are a year later and its coming back, but being kicked up a notch with a few other products. I guess people just feel a bit swindled/lied to about the "limited edition" factor. Although personally I feel as if this was a part of their permanent line it would be popular (it is going to be, the whole collection..at least that's what I've been reading).

On to my review of the palette. I personally LOVE this palette. I've definitely got my moneys worth of use out of it. I love the way it smells, its just a light peachy smell not overwhelming, more refreshing. The colors are absolutely gorgeous and they really compliment my blue eyes. With this palette I am able to get a light and bright eye as well as a deeper more smokey look.

There was a lot being said about how there are only 3 peach shades in the palette and the the rest are just the boring neutrals shades that Too Faced always does. I personally disagree with that. The whole left side of this palette has a warm peachy vibe. Then the right is much darker but still has warm shades. I think they all go together and compliment each other perfectly. This palette is great year round it works perfectly for Spring /Summer but also really great for the Fall.

As far as the quality goes, I have no issues. The shades are pigmented, they blend beautifully, and I don't have issues with fall out..

To break it down, if you had FOMO during the last launch and are considering purchasing it on this go around. I recommend you do. While the people who are on YouTube are no longer talking about it because was limited edition and people get upset with them, me as a regular girl I use this palette at least once or twice a week.

As far as the other items that are being released during this next launch like the Glow Palette and the Blush, while I really like the look of both of those, I will probably only be purchasing the Glow Palette which is $42. The blush, is a singular blush that they are selling for $30... personally I think that is HELLA EXPENSIVE and I don't think I'll be splashing out my money on the blush.. but we shall see. They are also releasing lip oils, which at first I had no interest in but after seeing the swatches and how pigmented they actually are, I'm kind of intrigued.

So I hope this review was helpful if you are interested in the next release. I would love if they would just make this a permanent edition to the line, I did hear this was their fastest selling palette ever so people obviously love it or at least the idea of it. *** THIS IS A PERMANENT COLLECTION FOR TOO FACED NOW, AT LEAST THATS THE WORD ACCORDING TO TRENDMOOD ON IG :) :) -- also I totally did get the blush and highlighting palette since HSN has it on flexpay >.>

November Favorites

Of course my top favorite of the month was Thanksgiving! I love the Holiday season! Not for the food or the shopping, but just for the atmosphere and family. I love my family and spending time with them so any chance we get to all be together I am all in. This year was just an amazing fun filled time with laughter and love. I also personally tried my hand at a few recipes and although they failed... one quite miserably, my family was still supportive and laughed about it.

Onto the rest of last months favorites.

Christmas Mugs – I have a little collection of Christmas mugs and every year that I pull them out it just makes me so incredibly happy. My first cup of hot cocoa in one of these festive mugs just kicks the season off for me perfectly. My latest purchase was this adorable reindeer mug that I picked up at the Family Dollar for $2.

Santa's Magical Stories DVD – I always loved watching the Christmas specials on ABC Family, however I have not actually had television in several years. So I have missed these little Christmas specials and when I saw this at Walmart I immediately picked it up. Again, they just put me in the Christmas season.

Clear Shampoo and Conditioner – 100% this is my favorite because of the scent it leaves in my hair. It is so nice and it lasts in my hair until I wash it. While I haven't noticed a spectacular difference in my hair, its just kind of a normal shampoo and conditioner I will definitely repurchase because I love how it makes my hair smell.

Milani Lip Oil – I've had this for a while, I really liked it when I first purchased it but somehow I managed to put it up and basically forgot about it. I went through my collection recently and pulled it back out. It now lives on my night stand and I apply it every night. It is not sticky but stays on my lips and gives them a boost of hydration that I definitely need through these colder months.

NYX Pro Foundation Mixer in White - This is my first ever white mixer and I am so pleased. The combination of being pale and loving drug store makeup does not always go hand in hand. Even in the more expensive shades it is still hard to come across foundations that are pale enough. I have been mixing this with different foundations and it doesn't effect the formula or coverage it just lightens the shade. Perfection! I am mad at myself for waiting so long to purchase!

doucce Freematic Blush in Zen Orange - I received this product in my November ipsy bag and I've been using it so much. Its a beautiful peach shade that goes with almost every look. Its not too OTT, blends out beautifully. I just love it. 

Avon Naturals Sugar Plum & Vanilla Body Spray – This smells so good! It smells like sweet berries. Its not overly sweet to where it is kind of sickly. I find its the perfect balance between sweet and yet fresh. It does last a while when you spray it on your clothes, but it is of course just a body spray and not a perfume. But Avon is so inexpensive I don't mind just spritzing away. If they ever came out with this EXACT scent in a perfume I would totally purchase it. 

Walmart Brush Set – I threw away the packaging and don't remember the brand name, so sorry. However if you see them I'm sure they will catch your eye, these were $19.88 I believe I mentioned how pretty they were to my boyfriend and he picked them up for me. The are actually pretty good quality as well. The eye brushes are not much to write home about, I mean they get the job done and there is a nice blending brush. But the face brushes are so soft its incredible. There is a big fluffy brush that I've been using for an all over finishing brush. A flat top brush that I use to apply powder foundation if I'm looking for a little more coverage. The other two are perfect for contour, blush/bronzer. 

My YouTube favorites from November

BaileySarian | Love this chick! She just seems so cool to me. I just want to hang out with her and be her BFF lol. She's so down to earth not overly professional, she is a professional makeup artist but you know what I mean. Her makeup looks are bomb! She's really chill and relaxed and I think shes really funny. I just really enjoy her whole vibe.

JamieGenevieve | Her makeup skills are amazing, honestly top notch. She is another professional makeup artist. But to be totally honest the main reason I watch her videos is because I love listening to her talk. She has a Scottish accent that I just swoon over.

Thataylaa | I mentioned her last month but I just wanted to shout her out again because she just did a round two of 15 Days of Foundation. That is where she does a first impression review of 15 different foundations. Then at the end she gives herself a couple weeks to test them again with different primers/powders/etc, and then she comes back and does a wrap up video ranking them. Her videos are amazing if you are in to foundation and especially if you are a pale girl looking for recommendations based on shade selections check her out.