Ulta Haul

So i hit up Ulta yesterday, with my trusty 20% off coupon.
Super excited since i was running low on a few things and also needed a new Clarisonic brush head and those puppies are pricey!

Here's what i got along with some first impressions:

: Clarisonic Acne Brush Head :
Thoughts -- So far, so good... being that you're supposed to replace these brushes every 3 months, and being that the last time i replaced mine was almost 3 YEARS (oops!) ago, i am liking this brush for acne prone skin! the one i had before was for "sensitive" skin, so we'll see if there's a difference! The amount of makeup this thing takes off is crazy!

: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream - Milan :
i LOVE this stuff. first of all, ya can't beat the price point, $5.99 #pleaseandthankyou. Second, the staying power of this color is fantastic... you can even eat and drink and the product stays put! its a bit weird to get used to at first, because it literally feels like there is nothing on your lips, and at times, they almost feel a little on the dry side. but the color is super bright and super matte. if you're looking for a change up from a gloss, definintely check this lip cream out. i also have the color amsterdam, which is a brighter orangey-red that i have yet to wear out. once spring hits, i'll be breaking that out!

: Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation - Warm Golden :
This right now is my holy grail of foundations. I tried it a while back and have posted on Instagram and the blog about it, but I just need to put it out there again. This foundation is thebomb.com. No diggity. No doubt. It lasts all day, has a flawless finish and is under $15. Be still my heart. LOL. I picked up my second jar of it and it will be a staple beauty product as we head into spring. I'll be interested to see how it holds up as the weather gets warmer!

: Physician's Formula Eye Definition Felt Tip Marker - Ultra Black :
Well dolls, unfortunately there had to be 1 thing i purchased that i considered a fail. And for me, it was this eyeliner. Now, this is a preliminary review since i only used it for the first time this morning. But, i gotta say, i'm not loving it. The marker didn't feel "wet" enough, it didn't glide nicely along my lash line and it took several layers to get it to fill in. I actually ended up going over it with my Too Faced 3-way Liner AND some UD Naked Basics shadow. I'll give it another go this week, but i was not impressed.

:Revlon Lip Butter - Sweet Tart :
This lip butter has been on my list to pick up for a while now. I love these lip butters, they have decent coverage/color and feel so nice and creamy on your lips! this is such a fun bright pink springy color, i can't wait to wear it!

:NYX Round Case Lipstick - Gala :
I haven't tried any of the NYX regular lipsticks so i picked this up, come on, it was $4, how could i resist? The color seems a bit on the light side for my skin tone, but i'm going to see what i can mix it with before i give up on it totally. It looked really nice in the tube, so i'm hoping i can make this work!

Last but not least, i grabbed

: Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer - Nude :
This is also a repeat buy for me. I love how this concealer paints on and is very easy to use, and not messy. I use it under my eyes, AFTER foundation, to highlight -- aka the Kim K look of having highlights under the eyes. My only gripe, i wish there was more product in each tube! I feel like i went thru this fairly quickly. It's only $8 but still, i wouldn't mind it lasting longer!

So there was my Ulta Haul for the week. I'm on a mission to find one more thing -- a Milani Texture nail polish that i want to try, and then i should be set... til next week for a while!

What are some of your favorite products from Ulta?

2012 Favorites

Saw this on a couple blogs and thought i'd give you guys my take on my 

Favorite products of 2012.

Kenra Silkening Gloss |  KMS California Color Vitality Shine & Shield  |  TreSemmé Fresh start Dry Shampoo

I've been a long time fan on the Kenra Gloss, it smells amazing and gives my hair such pretty shine. I use the KMS Shine and Shield to protect my hair from blow drying. The packaging i have is different, but this stuff lasts a really long time! And the TreSemme dry shampoo is great for days I skip washing my hair.

Purity face wash by Philosophy | Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer | MAC Bronzing Powder and 116 Brush | Lush's Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub

All of these products are amazing. I re-fell in love with my Clarisonic after taking a break from it. I use the Purity cleanser with it about 2x a week. Once a week, i'll use the Lush Ocean Salt which smells HEA-VEN-LY.... The Maybelline Lumi concealer provides great coverage and brightens the under eye area very nicely. Even nicer, the price on this. And last but not least, for a great contour, nothing is better than MAC's bronzing powder and brush.

Urban Decay Naked Palette | Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler | Too Faced 3-way Liner

I just got the UD Naked palette from my awesome co-worker for Christmas, and ladies, i should have bought this a long time ago. It is my absolute favorite and i find myself picking this palette up daily. Another 2012 favorite is my Shu Uemura eyelash curler. Sadly they don't sell this in Sephora anymore. I've had mine for about 3 years and its still amazing! And my last eye favorite is definitely the 3-way lash liner. I use it mostly for tightlining, but love that it doesn't fade on my waterline.

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub (Limited Edition) | NYC Liquid LipShine | EOS Lip Balm

I picked up the Lush lip scrub when Christmas shopping, and though i haven't been using it for too long, it is a definite favorite. It leaves my lips feeling super moisturized and exfoliated. You can actually eat it too! (Though, i don't, that kind of grosses me out to be eating my lip skin). The NYC gloss i got in my Influenster box, and not only does it smell delish, it has an awesome texture and finish to it! If you're looking for a good everyday lip gloss that is inexpensive, this is for you. And as you all know, i love all things lip balm related. This pretty EOS egg has been in my car for months. It lasts a really long time, and i love not having to twist up the product. It also smells very yummy!

Here's my finished face and hair using almost all of these products! 

What do you think? Do you use any of these products?

What are your favorite products for 2012?

Gotta get down its Friday!

Morning love bugs!

Working from home this morning and linking up with Miss Lindsey for Friday Favoritos!

FAVORITE MAKE-UP PRODUCT

My darling cousin just gave me a new BB cream to try... walk, no RUN to your nearest Sephora to pick this up! If you want a really nice tinted moisturizer for the summer with an SPF built in, this cream is for you.

Here's the description off their website:

What It Is:

Our innovative beauty balm offers multiple skincare and makeup benefits in one simple step. Our powerful, multi-mineral complex instantly achieves a healthy glow and improves skin's overall appearance.

1. Light-diffusing pigments tint and add radiance (available in 4 shades)

2.Anti-aging, multi-mineral complex primes & prevents damage.

3. Moisturizes with oil-free hydration.

4. Hypo-allergenic and soothing for all skin types.

5. Broad-spectrum, chemical-free SPF 20

 

FAVORITE TV SHOW

My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding

Two words: 

GIRL FIGHT!!!! 

Hands down the best entertainment I've seen in a while on reality tv.

I gotta say, I'd be pretty scurred to throw down with either one of these who-ores, but i think mellie definitely won that round! If you haven't caught it, check it out on TLC. I think its on Sunday nights... not sure as my days are all screwed up from having off Wednesday.

FAVORITE NAIL POLISH

I recently got a few new colors from Zoya from their Beach and Surf collection, and am absolutely loving me some of this color:

I plan on doing something fun for this weekend, so stay tuned for some Instagram pics!

FAVORITE TALK SHOW HOST(ESS)

The always polished, supremely gorgeous, and so so so so funny Kelly Ripa.
Working from home more often has led to me being able to have Live with Kelly on, and can I tell you how adorable she is! Plus I love that her co-host rotates with all different celebs!

What are your favorites this Friday?

Bright Lips...

Blogger just deleted my whole post!!!! Waaaaaahhhhhhhh....

Ok, i'm starting AGAIN.... went to Ulta on lunch yesterday with C to browse. I had my hefty $3.50 off coupon that i *had* to use... and after seeing some of these pretty lips on Pinterest, i decided to jump on the proverbial bandwagon and try a couple out.

All images via Pinterest

Here's the first color i picked...

 

 

Hot Coral... doesn't the name say it all? It was nice and warm, maybe a bit too warm for winter, but definitely a nice shade and definitely has some pop to it! Here's how it looked (sitting in my office. excuse the rest of my fug face)

The second color was a bit more daring... i was channeling my inner Nicki Minaj...

I think i can pull this off with the right outfit and dark club lighting... its definitely bright, though, i think the picture makes it look stronger than it does in real life. i'll probably be wearing it out this weekend for C's birthday, so hopefully i can get some better pics (on a real camera)...

What's your take on the bright lipstick trend? Would you try it?

In other news, HAPPY {almost} TURKEY DAY!

Put Your "Petal to the Metal"

Hello ladies and happy friday to you on this chilly day!

This morning I was inspired to do a little more in the make-up dept and figured I'd share with you my new favorite eye shadow...

here it is listed on the too faced site:

get it here!

And here it is IRL...

Ignore the nasty unwashed hair!

The site says its a "metallic brown/blue" color, but its actually a brownish/reddish/purple with this iridescent green in it... the pictures i have dont do it justice... all i can suggest is going to Sephora/Ulta and checking it out for yourselves. If you want a bold look this shadow will accomplish that without having to layer in any other colors. I finished the look off with Too Faced Perfect Eyes Eyeliner (my absolute favorite eyeliner EVER) and then Too Faced Lash Injection mascara. #toofacedobsessed.

What are your favorite eyeshadows?

Friday Faves! Make up Edition...

Too Faced Perfect Eyes Eyeliner in Black

OK girls... i have found it... the Holy Grail of waterproof eyeliner... As a contact lens wearer, I don't do well with anything that is not waterproof. And as someone who has a tendency of touching/rubbing my tired eyes throughout the day, smudgeproof helps as well. And this eyeliner has it all. Easy to apply, glides right on, perfect sponge smudger on the other end. This eyeliner is my absolute FAVORITE... I've only tried it in black so far, but definitely want to see what the other colors look like!

MAC 188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush

This brush was compliments of my roomie last year and I started out using it as a foundation brush. Its got a great texture and is stiff enough to hold the foundation nicely. Application is smooth, though because its a bit smaller, takes longer to apply foundation to the entire face. Recently I switched to using for cream blush and I'm extremely happy with the result. It blends very well and I love that I don't have to dirty my fingers anymore with the blush. MAC brushes are the best, and always hold up well (I've had several of mine for over 8 years now).

Avon NAILWEAR PRO Nail Enamel

One of my besties became an Avon rep a while back and I tried out their nail polish (I mean, ya can't go wrong for $3 a bottle right?) And... I LOVE IT. This stuff is GREAT... I think the non-sale price is about $5, but ladies, let me tell you. This stuff LASTS... and I do some serious torture to my hands... typing, washing dishes, banging my hands around... usually nail polish lasts 2-3 days before it starts looking white trashey... this one didn't start chipping/cracking til day 4... today is day 5 and its still looking pretty good...

why do my hands look like i'm 80? ewwww.

Regardless of my nasty looking hand, focus on the polish... Yup Day 5... not bad people, not bad at all.

Anyway... do me a favor and go vote for my bloggy friend Lindsey Lee, the Bargain Blonde -- as the most valuable blogger in the Dallas area... its the last day for voting and i want her to win. Then go pour yourself a well deserved adult bevvy to start the weekend off right!

VOTE HERE!

 Have a great weekend!

Friday Confessions! Vol 3

Morning All... Starting out and trying to blog before i get working... i know i've been slacking a bit, things have just been so darn busy and now that wedding planning is taking over, it's only going to get worse. So, please, bear bare bear with me and i'll try my best to not be MIA.

Anyway, i've had a lot on my mind so here are my confessions...

I confess... I had every intention of going to the gym last night, i even put gym clothes on... but when my roomies wanted to order dinner and be couch potatoes, i found that idea MUCH more appealing.

I further confess... that i said to make up for it i would go today after work... yeah that ain't happening either... its Friday and i'm feeling more like a pedicure than an hour on the treadmill. (Can i get an Amen to that?)

This will NOT be me.

I confess... that wedding planning already has me a bit stressed. I know this time around its much smaller and there isn't nearly as much to do, but still... finding a venue, finding a minister, finding a photographer can all be overwhelming. Oh yeah, and did i mention finding the money to pay for it all? My stomach hurts just thinking about it.

I further confess that it sort of makes me want to just elope in Vegas. I just don't want to look back 20 years from now with any regrets. G's mom didn't get to see him get married his first time around, and i'd really love for her to be able to witness it this time around (especially since its FOREVER this time! hahahaha)

This could be G and i... married by Elvis? Swwweeeeet!

I confess... i was SO tired the other night i fell asleep in my gym clothes, without washing my face OR brushing my teeth... Skanktastic right?!

I confess... i love that my roomies are make up artists. I get so much free make up that i almost never have to actually buy any. they are saving me probably hundreds a year! I just got 2 eye shadow palettes... the new smokey eye palette and a matte eye palette that's not even out yet. I'm wearing it today, its thebomb.com...

You can find it here

I confess... I keep forgetting to get a stamp to mail an invitation for my cousin to my dad's 70th surprise party. By the time she gets it, the party will have passed! Then again, i don't expect her to actually come, so maybe that's why it keeps slipping my mind!

Anyway, that's about all i have time for today... Hope you all have great weekends and I'll be back next week and maybe start to detail some wedding plans (i won't overload ya's, don't worry)...

Happy Friday!