Wednesday, October 8, 2014

September Favorites

Hello, beauty freaks! I am back with my September Favorites! Let's get started.

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Kohl Liner in 'Nude'

Yes, I realize how late I am on this trend! When I have only had a few hours of sleep, putting this color on my waterline really helps me look more awake and not like I want to shoot myself. I don't have one bad thing to say about the quality of these eyeliners. They glide on my waterline, they last through my eight-hour school day,  they come in so many beautiful colors, and they are so cheap. You've passed the test, Rimmel!

Putting Urban Decay's 'Darkhorse' eye shadow in my Outer - V

To be honest, this color used to scare the living crap out of me! I would use too much of it and it would always end up looking so harsh on my eyes! Recently, I have just been barely tapping my brush into it and using it in my outer v. I'm kicking myself for not experimenting with this color more before! This color adds so much dimension to my eye looks. I'm obsessed!

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in 'Sunny' 



Once again, I know I am so late with this trend! I freaking adore this two dollar bronzer! Since this bronzer is a pretty light tone, I would say that it is good for anyone with light skin to anyone with tan skin. If you are dark chocolate, I don't think this would show up too much on you, unfortunately. However, I'm fairly tan and this comes up very natural on my skin. That's my favorite thing about it though: it's hard to go overboard with it. I don't have to worry about how much product i'm picking up with my brush. Another great thing about this bronzer is that it's build-able. So, if I want to look even more bronzed-goddessy, I can do that. As for the quality of the powder, it's very smooth and silky. I just love this and believe it is worth much more than 2 dollars.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

This four-dollar masque is formulated for acne prone and oily skin. I've been religiously using this throughout the month. I don't want to get into too many details about the product in this post because I am going to be doing a full review on the masque, in the near future. I'm just going to give you a little sneak peak and say that I freaking love this! Stay tuned for my review on it!

Bath and Body Works 'Velvet Sugar' Fragrance Mist 

I want to give Giselle a shout out for getting this for me for my birthday last year! I finally started using this bad boy and I am loving it! This is one of Bath and Body Works's newer scents in their line. Velvet Sugar is one of those very sugary, sweet, bold scents. I know that some people hate really sugary scents, but I personally am in love with this scent! Another bonus is that I get so many compliments on how I smell when I wear this. Thanks for hooking it up, Giselle! ;)

Wet n Wild Megalast Nail Polish in 'On A Trip'

The color of this polish is freaking beautiful! You know i'm obsessed when I have been repeatedly applying this all month. I usually like to change colors every time, so this is a pretty big deal for me! The quality of these polishes are very great for the price! If you have not seen my full review on the line, click here to check it out!

Thanks for reading, yo! See you next Wednesday!

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Liebster Award!!

Two months later, I am finally doing this post! Thank you so much, Giselle, for nominating me and i'm so sorry that I took so long to do this! If you guys haven't seen her book blog, I really suggest you go check it out! It's fucking amazing and really underrated, in my opinion.

Giselle's Questions:

1. What made you start blogging? Did anyone inspire you? If so who and how?
Honestly, Giselle inspired me. She basically persuaded me into it (lol). We started blogging around the same time. (If you guys didn't know, we have been friends since Kinder and then we became best friends in the 7th grade.) If it wasn't for her, I don't think I would have had a blog or ever even considered doing this. So, thank you, Giselle! :)

2. What is your dream cast for your favorite book?
Sutter from A Spectacular Now, Hassan from An Abundance of Katherines and Alaska from Looking For Alaska

3. Top played song on your iPod?
It is currently "One" by Ed Sheeran. That will change in a few days or so though.

4. What book character would you be friends with and why?
I would choose Sutter from The Spectacular Now. He's just fucking perfect in every way possible. Stop what you are doing (after reading this post of course lol) and go read this book! Don't watch the movie because it does not compare to the greatness of the book.

5. What book can you keep re-reading and always love? Why?
The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler was my childhood favorite book! It makes me think of the good, old days when I re-read it! It makes me happy!

6. Strange reading habits?
I have to lie down while reading. I don't know why.

7. If you could live in any time period, what would it be and why?
I would probably live in the 80's. I feel like that's such a common answer, but that time period was just iconic, man. I, personally, would also enjoy it because technology wasn't as advanced during that time. That means you would actually have to go make the effort to really talk to someone, by going to see them or calling them. I just feel like it was more real during those days.

8. Name a quote that describes you best?
"So this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be."

9. What book made you cry the most and why?
Looking for Alaska by made me cry a lot! If I were to say why, it would spoil the whole ending so i'm just going to keep that part of the question to myself.

10. Favorite Disney Movie?
Maleficent! I actually saw this with Giselle and we both fell in love with it! :)

11. Coffee or tea?
Coffee, all the way!


11 Random Facts About Myself:
1. I play the piano!
2. Eye shadow is my favorite beauty item. ever.
3. If you make me laugh a lot and you are sweet, you're basically mine. Run. Now.
4. I fucking love Mexican food.
5. Junior year is kicking my ass.
6. My best friends are Giselle, Amy, and Karina. They keep me as sane as I can possibly be!
7. I watch a lot of beauty gurus on YouTube! My favorites are: EmilyNoel83, KendallRae, Sarah Rae Vargas, Rachhloves, and Tati.
8. I'm either really outgoing and psycho or really fucking awkward. There's no in between for me and it kind of sucks..
9. My favorite actress is Melissa Mcarthy.
10. I'm really impatient. It's a problem.
11. My favorite TV character is Red from Orange is the New Black. She is my spirit animal!

Thanks again for nominating me, Giselle! :)


Friday, September 26, 2014

Life Updates

Hello, beauty freaks! I am back from my long break. I am so sorry for being gone for so long. Junior year has basically taken over every aspect of my life. As for future posts, I am working on creating a schedule so that my blog will not be neglected. I am planning on publishing posts once a week on Wednesdays. I will start on October 1st. Thanks so much for sticking around!

XOXO,
Gossip Girl

Monday, July 28, 2014

July Favorites

 
Conair 48- Piece Foam Rollers Set
 
 
 
 
 
 I'm obsessed with curls, but I hate damaging my hair by using a curling wand. I don't know why I never thought of using foam rollers! This set comes with 48 foam rollers! They are all various sizes. I usually use the green or yellow ones in the front sections of my hair. If I run out of either color that i'm using that day, I use the big pink ones in the back of my hair. It's also nice because it comes with it's own zippable pouch!
 
Wet n Wild Megalast Nail Polish in 'Haze of Love'
 

This is the perfect maroon color! I don't have anything like it and i'm so glad that I picked it up! I've been wearing it a lot this month!
 
 
NYX Blemish Control Blotting Paper
 
 
These specific blotting sheets aren't really my favorite this month, but blotting sheets in general are! I've been using these to touch up my makeup, instead of adding more powder and making my face look more cakey. As for my thoughts on these specific ones, I just think they are pretty over priced for blotting sheets; a pack of 100 sheets is about 5-7 dollars. It's just not worth it to me. I can get pretty oily throughout the day, so I will usually use 2-3 sheets.
 
Nicole by OPI in 'Fanatical Fuschia'
 

 
 

 
This is such a unique color! It is a really pretty fuschia color with a little bit of blue flecks in it. It's absolutely beautiful! I've been wearing this so much!
 
 
Thanks for reading, yo! :)

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Collective Bath and Body Works Haul

Hello, people of the blogging world! Today, I have a Bath and Body Works Haul for you! I originally just went to the semi-annual sale to purchase a perfume. Shout out to Giselle because she was with me! lol I randomly went back a week ago or so, and saw that they had all of this stuff that was left over from the sale. It was all marked down even less! So I figured, why the hell not? Keep in mind that I suck at describing scents. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this! :)

Be Enchanted Eau de Toilette 


I've been in love with this scent ever since it first came out! I never bought it because it was never a part of the semi-annual sale. Yes, I am that girl who doesn't buy anything unless it's on sale. Sorry not sorry lol Anyways, I was almost out of my perfume and this was on sale for 7 dollars, so I was like THIS IS FATE.


 Black Raspberry Vanilla Shower Gel


This is a good scent! I realized that I didn't have any body wash left anyway, so I picked this up. It was marked down to $2.70. When I was at the store, the lady told me that this is going to be discontinued soon.
They always do this to us :(


French Lavender Honey Travel Size Fragrance Mist


I absolutely love this scent! I will definitely be throwing this into my school bag for when that awful time comes around! lol I actually got this for free with a coupon. Yay for free stuff! :)


Coconut Water Chill Body Wash


This is one of those great coconut scents that isn't overpowering. I love it! This was also marked down at $2.70.


Amber Blush Fragrance Mist


In my opinion, this scent is so underrated! It's one of those very warm sugar scents. That type of scent is definitely my favorite! It's also usually the one that people compliment the most. I also got this for free with a coupon!


Stress Relief Aromatherapy Vanilla Verbena Body Lotion and Shower Gel


I've always wanted to try something from this line, but, once again, it was never on sale. lol They were each on sale for 5.50, so I figured it was now or never. I will definitely start using this when school starts because my stress levels during that time are usually through the roof! I plan on doing a review on them to show you guys if it actually works or if it's just a placebo.


Coconut Lime Breeze Travel Size Fragrance Mist


To be honest, I only purchased this because it was on sale for $1.50. We've all done this at one point, so don't be judging! lol A lot of people, including myself, aren't really huge fans of this combination. To me, it's alright, but it's not my favorite. This is one that I would probably spray when i'm at my house or on vacation or something. I don't know about you, but I definitely wouldn't spray it around someone I would want to impress because who the fuck wants to smell like limes, even if it is mixed with coconut? ew. lol 


Wild Apple Daffodil Body Wash


Yes, I purchased a fourth body wash! Don't judge me. lol That saying, "less is more", is bullshit to me. Anyways, this one smelled amazing too! You guessed it; it was also $2.70.


Thank you for reading! :)


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Rimmel London BB Cream Review



Pro's:
- LOVE the finish! It's natural, but it also gives off a beautiful glow!
- For a BB cream, it covers problem areas pretty well! It can be built up to a medium coverage.
- doesn't feel like your wearing makeup
- very inexpensive! It's around five dollars in your local drugstores.

Con's:
- Lasting power is nothing special.
- only three shades to choose from
- it only has one ounce!





blended into my skin








This is, by far, the greatest BB cream that I have tried! I get the most amount of coverage when I apply it with my fingers. I love that I can get away with not using concealer after I apply it. I also love that my shade (medium/dark) matches my skin tone well. The only thing I really dislike about it is how little product you get!

I have combination skin (dry, normal, and oily skin). Without setting it with a powder, I started looking like an oil slick at the 3 hour mark. With setting, it lasted about four hours. At that point, I needed to start pulling out some blotting sheets and reapplying powder. Touching up the BB cream isn't that big of a deal for me. However, If longevity is something you are looking for in a BB cream, I would not suggest this for you. Unfortunately, I also would not recommend this to people who are very oily! It will probably melt right off of your face in a few hours or so. On the flip side, I would recommend it to people with dry skin, as it would probably hold up on your skin a lot better than it did on mine. People with combination skin can't go wrong with this either, as long as they are okay with touching up their makeup throughout the day.

If you have any other product review requests, don't hesitate to comment below and let me know! Thanks for reading :)

Saturday, July 12, 2014

What's In My Pool/ Beach Bag?


 Neutrogena Beach Defense SPF 70 Sunscreen


Starting with the basics, i'm obviously going to bring sunscreen! Like I mentioned in my May favorites, the fact that this has a spray makes the application so much faster and easier! The high SPF is great too!

Lady Speed Stick in Wild Freesia 


You just gotta freshen up sometimes, you know?





So, I realize that I have mentioned this a billion times. It's just because I use it so frequently! Since my hair tends to feel very dry after getting out of a pool/ ocean, I usually spray this in my hair once I get out. It does a pretty good job at putting some moisture back!

Neutrogena Liquid Lotion Clear Face SPF 30 Sunscreen


I'm pretty anal about applying sunscreen, so whenever i'm out in the sun, I usually bring this along with me. It claims to last for 80 minutes through water and sweat, but I usually apply it every hour.



Have a happy summer! <3

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Tag Time: 7 Deadly Sins of Beauty

1. Greed: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?

E.L.F. Professional Blending Eye Brush


E.L.F. Eyelid Primer

At the price of a dollar, both of these E.L.F. products are tied for my most inexpensive beauty items. Every time my main crease brush is dirty, I use that brush instead and it does a decent job at blending. Ever since purchasing the E.L.F. Eyelid Primer, I will never go back to repurchasing high end ones! It never creases on me and it does a great job at making my eye shadow last!


 Urban Decay Naked Palette

This is definitely my most expensive beauty item. I absolutely love this palette and how versatile it is!

2. Wrath: What beauty product do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?


NAIL POLISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love the look of nail polish on my nails, but I can never find the time to actually paint them. Then, when I finally do find the time, I always touch something and fuck them up. I never learn. lol It's irritating!

 Urban Decay Ammo Palette

Top Row, left to right: Smog, Mildew, Oil Slick, Last Call. Middle: Chopper. Bottom Row, left to right:  Maui Wowie, Shattered, Polyester Bride, Grifter, and Sin.

I was always interested in purchasing this palette, but I wasn't willing to pay 34 dollars for it on Urban Decay's website. I also hate buying makeup online. One day, I randomly found it at Nordstrom Rack for $12 dollars and was so excited! We were together at last <3 lol

3. Gluttony: What is your most delicious beauty product?

Maybelline Baby Lips in 'Cherry Me'
This smells exactly like a cherry jolly rancher! I always find myself applying it just for the scent. I can't get enough!

4. Sloth: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?


As much as I love these guys, I absolutely HATE washing them! It takes so long to do and it's just an annoying chore. I usually just wait until I can't even do my makeup because all of my brushes are so dirty. Then, i'm like, "i guess it's time now". It's so bad!


5. Pride: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?

MAC Amber. Fucking. Lights.

I own a lot of gold eye shadow, but this shade compliments my hazel eyes SO nicely! I usually get so many compliments on my eye makeup when I wear this. It's an all around beautiful shade! If you are going to get one MAC shadow, I would definitely recommend this one.

6. Lust: What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?
I love guys that are funny, weird as hell, down to earth, tall, and have a great smile.

7. Envy: What beauty items would you most like to receive as a gift? 

This list could go on forever, but i'll just mention a few picks!

1. Too Faced Natural At Night Palette
2. The Balm Instain Blushes


I tag everyone to do this! Don't forget to link yours in the comments! Thanks for reading! :)

Monday, July 7, 2014

Mixtape Monday

Hey, everyone! Go check out my Mixtape Monday blogging playlist on my best friend's book blog! Giselle is a dedicated blogger who knows what she is talking about! Go give her blog some love! You won't regret it! Thank you! :)

Friday, July 4, 2014

Restoring My Hair Back To Health (My Hair Care Routine)

First and foremost, my hair is dark brown, thin, and naturally wavy. It is not chemically treated or dyed; it's all natural! I would like to grow out my hair. About two months ago, I started having severe hair breakage. My hair also became much more brittle and dry, started thinning out, and was much more fragile. So, I started researching what to do about it and I eventually found a lot of answers. These products are made to combat hair breakage and replenish your hair. I'm currently just trying to restore my hair back to health and nourish my hair. These products are really helping me out and I thought I would tell you guys about them. If you are having similar hair issues, I am sure that these products will really help you out!

First thing's first, I started using a different shampoo and conditioner!

                                          

I have nothing but great things to say about this! You definitely start seeing a difference, even after the first use. By the fifth use, I had about 95% less hair breakage! I usually massage the shampoo onto and all over my scalp for a good two minutes or so. I try to put the conditioner onto my strands. I would highly recommend it to anyone suffering with hair breakage. Thank you, L'Oreal, for being my lifesaver!


After I get out of the shower, there are a few options that I have here, depending on the condition that my hair is in.


A. If my hair feels pretty good and managed, I will wait until my hair is damp. Then, I spritz my DIY hair detangler onto my hair and gently comb through any knots.



B. If I feel like my hair is dry after my shower, I will put some leave-in conditioner in my hair.


 This stuff is great for conditioning your hair! I would suggest putting only a little bit of this in your hair because it can easily weigh your hair down. A bonus for me is that it is made to mend hair breakage. So, I will usually apply this in my roots only in the back of my hair, since that is where I usually have the most breakage. This tub is only $5 at Target and it will last you FOREVER!

C. If my hair is feeling frizzy, I will usually use this product in the middle of my hair.


This stuff does its job pretty well and I love it! Unfortunately, this is discontinued :( Here are some other great, drugstore frizz serums that work just as well! I have heard that the Garnier Fructis Style Sleek and Shine Anti-Frizz Serum and the Dove Hair Therapy Anti-Frizz Serum both work wonders!

In addition, I will use this on my ends, if I am using my Sunsilk Frizz Creme.



This product claims to get rid of split ends and reduces frizz for soft and smooth ends. At first, it worked for me and thought it was going to be a holy grail product. After a while, I guess my hair got used to it and it just stopped working. At this point, i'm just using this product so that I could finish it and get rid of it. It's not a product that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Give it a try! See if you like it, but I personally will not be repurchasing.


Moving on to deep conditioning, you're probably not going to be very surprised about this!




The instructions say to leave the Deep Repair Masque on in the shower for seven minutes. I usually shampoo my hair and then leave the hair mask on overnight. I get the best results when I mix it with the Healing Oil Treatment; the oil is too heavy to be used by itself anyway, so this usually works out nicely.Trust me, there is a reason why there is so much hype around this hair mask! I always wake up with the softest, healthiest-looking hair! Even the ends of my hair look and feel so much healthier after I apply this and that is a lot for me! I'm not one to splurge on expensive hair products, but this product is so worth the exception. For all of my fellow drugstore lovers, I will be looking for a good dupe for you guys! If you know of one, let me know in the comments below! I would be glad to compare the two for you.

One of the main causes of my hair breakage was that I was shampooing my hair every. single. day. Now, I try to take showers 2-3 times a week, so that I don't strip my natural oils. If I am ever looking a little bit oily, this dry shampoo helps me out a lot.


I usually just spray this in about six inches away from my scalp. Then, I rub it into my scalp, until there is no white residue. It works pretty well at soaking up the oils on the scalp, as nasty as that sounds. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a good dry shampoo. Check out Marshall's for a bottle that is a few dollars cheaper than at other places!

Lastly, I would like to mention that I take Biotin daily.



This vitamin helps with all things hair: growing hair out, hair loss, and improving the quality of hair! Keep in mind that these pills will only work wonders if you take them for at least a few months. I have definitely seen changes in my hair length, after taking these pills consistently. I would recommend this to anyone looking to grow their hair out!

Thanks for sticking with me throughout this long blog post!            Happy Fourth of July to All! <3