Valentine Gifts for Her

Valentine’s is just around the corner, and I love all the hearts, pink, and glitter it brings with it. I mean, I typically will wear bright pink or red lips all month long, so bring it on! Here’s a few things I have my eye on for the season that will get lots of use as we make our way into spring and then summer. Are you making Valentine plans this year?

Best Beauty Purchases 2016

Morning! Some of my favorite posts to read at this time of the year is people’s favorite posts, best of, or recaps. I just love looking back and seeing all the good and positive from one year and heading into the new year with hope and happiness. Another favorite post of mine to share and to read from other’s are their favorite beauty products! When I initially went to write this post, I didn’t think I had too much to share, but then when I reviewed my Instagram and published posts- I had a lot! I was pretty successful in the beauty product department for 2016 and didn’t really have any stinkers, but today I’m sharing just my absolute favorites of the year with you!

6 Beauty Products for a Busy Morning!

Good morning!! My mornings can be pretty hectic and I'm working on a post with my morning routine now that I have two kiddos I need to get up and out the door, and I wanted to share my favorite beauty products I use every morning. For hair and makeup, I give myself 20-30 minutes, just depending on what my schedule is going to look like that day. I would love to be able to do a full face every day, but sometimes it's just not doable so here are the six products I rely on for an easy and pulled together look.

Friday Faves- Beauty Products

Hello and happy Friday! I haven't done a Friday Faves in a short bit and I'm happy to bring it back with some of my recent beauty faves, some new and some tried and true. I don't usually have a theme for these posts, but today's just happened to be all beauty items. Do you guys like these posts? Do you prefer a theme? Let me know, I want to make sure I'm creating content you enjoy reading.

What I Packed: Toiletries & Beauty

One thing I think everyone hates doing is packing. I mean, unpacking is the absolute worst, but packing is just terrible. At first it's fun and you think about cute outfits you're gonna wear, and items you bought specifically for a trip or pieces you don't get to wear enough, and then the doom sets in. Can I bring just two pairs of shoes and make them work for everything or do I really need to pack all four? How can I pack such and such without ruining/wrinkling/breaking it?

A few weekends ago, I started this blog post for my beauty items and just didn't get it finished in time to post before we left.  I thought about scrapping it altogether, but I always like to see beauty and travel posts and went ahead with it. Full disclosure, my beauty/bathroom bag tends to be larger than my clothing! Since we were gone for just less than two weeks, had a full agenda including a wedding, I thought out what I’ll be packing that will get me the most use and be versatile. When I first seriously started thinking about what I wanted to pack I promised myself that I wouldn’t overpack and paid attention to which products I used most often and which I could leave at home.

Friday Faves

Friday!! My favorite day of the work week is finally here!! Last weekend was so busy and flew right by and I've been looking forward to this weekend all week long. We just have a few plans, but I mostly plan on staying home and hanging with my littles. Swim, dance, cleaning, purging, relaxing, and lots of ice cream are on my to-do list.

This week's Friday Faves is a little bit of everything and I'm super excited about each one. I love sharing these posts with you guys. It's been a great way to share different items and shops I've found. I try and do them every week, but if I don't have enough things for a post, I just put what I love on the list for the next post. Everything I share here is always items I truly, and honestly use and enjoy, whether they're items I've bought on my own or were gifted to me for consideration. If it's not something I love, I'm either going to give it an honest review letting you know to skip it altogether, or I simply won't share it. You can always know that my posts are a 100% reflection of my true feelings.   So let's get started!

Recent Purchases + #NSale

Yay! My #nsale buys have arrived! Oh wait, I only bought ONE DANG THING from the sale. Everything sold out so quickly! I can’t believe it, next year I’m not gonna wait and instead buy all the things immediately. I did however, manage to buy a boatload of MAC (check out my fave lipsticks post) beauty products that I could have bought at anytime during the year. That’s just how life goes sometimes.

Booties

These booties are a dream! I literally woke up at midnight and added them to my cart as soon as the sale started! I’m so glad I did too, because they sold out so quickly, and since I wear a size 10, there’s typically less of my size in stock. They are so pretty and soft in person and have nice cushioning inside so they should be comfortable for a full day of wear. I’m so happy I bought them, I can’t wait to wear them with skinnies and dresses. I would also really love to add some ankle height flat booties (maybe these?) to my closet too, they had a few pairs included in the sale, but all of them had sold out during early access.

Sunnies

I was so excited about these sunnies, they’re a gorgeous blue and I thought they would be a sure thing. The color and shape are super cute and they were totally perfect, however, they just dominated my face and I ended up returning them. I’m so bummed they didn’t work for me. That’s the biggest drawback to online shopping, you never know how things will fit! Clothing is a bit easier sometimes if you’ve bought that brand before or if there’s a lot of reviews in terms of sizing, but not much can help you with the fit of sunglasses.

Palette

This palette is so pretty!! The shades blend so beautifully together and are a really great mix of neutrals, making it super versatile for different skin tones and events. I’m not sure if I would call this a Holy Grail palette just yet (I want to play with it some more), but it is absolutely fantastic if you’re just starting out. It has fifteen eyeshadows, four permanent shades and four re-promoted shades. I think it’s more versatile than some of my other palettes in terms of every day shadow looks for me, I think I’ll wear more of these colors than I do in other palettes I own- 12 of 15 shades instead of 7 of 12, for example. The pots are full size, so it’s an amazing price point for the amount of shadows you get, and much more cost efficient than building your own palette through MAC.

Springsheen // Dollymix Blushes

So in my Currently Craving post I talked about how I’ve been wanting Lovecloud or Peony Petal and when I checked them out in person, they looked like every other pink blush I owned. If you’re new around here, I own a million pink blushes that all range from light pink, bright pink, cool, warm, blue hued, etc. The colors are gorgeous, but seemed too similar to my faves Pink Swoon and I’m A Lover. Instead, I ended up going with Springsheen, a beautiful pinky peach shade with a golden pearl finish and Dollymix a bright candy pink. Yes, I own a ton of pinks, I just said that, (dramatic pause), but this one is much brighter and has shimmer, where as my other pink blushes do not. SHIMMER guys, I obviously needed it. Honestly though, I felt that it was different enough to add to my growing pile of blushes. Springsheen is beautiful and almost has a highlighter built in, when I wore highlighter with it the first time, my cheecks were like “BAM! Look at me!”. Between the two, I thought I’d be wearing Dollymix every day, but I have found myself reaching for Springsheen more and more. It’s seriously a lovely shade that blends so prettily on the cheeks.

Pure Zen // Crème D’Nude

A few weekends ago, I went through my makeup drawers and cleaned out under my sink and found 12+ MAC products that were empty, expired, or haven’t seen the light of day in I don’t know how many years. If I’m not going to use a bright purple eyeshadow, I may as well turn it in for a pretty nude lipstick right? Pure Zen has been on my radar for a while, it’s a frost warm nude and a lot of my lipsticks are a pink/nude color and I loved that this one had a peach nude feel to it with just a hint of pink. Crème D’Nude is a peach nude as well, but I think it’s more nude than peach and is a warm enough color to keep it looking like concealer or giving me “dead” lips. I’ve been wearing them both a ton and I’m happy to add them both to my beauty drawer.

How did your #NSale shopping go? Did you score a ton of great stuff? I literally just bought this top after stalking it daily, I can't believe it came back into stock! I'm so excited, I know literally everyone has bought it, but I can't help myself when it comes to stripes. They're such a staple item for me and so easy to wear and layer. Did you miss out on anything? Keep checking back!

My Favorite MAC Lipsticks

As a self-proclaimed beauty junkie, my two areas of weakness are eyeshadows and lipsticks. I’ve been buying a ton of lipstick lately and during a late night nursing sesh I’ve found two more I just have to add to my collection- MAC Pure Zen and Crème D'nude. Late at night when I can’t sleep, I love to browse shops, Instagrams, and Pinterest and always seem to find more beauty items to check out. I have an ongoing list in my phone’s notes of specific products and colors I want to see in person and that list is just ongoing and revolving.

I recently tried and attempted to clean out my makeup drawer and purse and every time I do that, I’m amazed at just how many lipsticks I own. How could I ever use all of them completely? How could I ever rationalize buying another one? Do I really need another pink lipstick? Yes. The answer is always yes. So, to justify buying those two I found during the late night sesh, I’ve challenged myself to wear a new lipstick every day during my work week. It’s been an easy challenge to do and I’ve loved re-discovering some old favorites. Hello MAC Pink Nouveau, why haven’t I been living in your sweet pink glory??? There were even a few I just didn’t love anymore and tossed out or put aside for Back to MAC. I thought it would be fun to share my favorites, starting with MAC and will do a future post with my drugstore favorites.

Here are my absolute, favorite MAC ones, left to right:

Angel (the lipglass is also my fave!), Creme Cup, Snob, Pink Nouveau, Hue, Silly, Brave, Long Legged & Fabulous, and Lickable

What are your favorite colors? After cleaning out my drawer, I've realized I'm in need of a true nude and a great red. Any suggestions?

Currently Craving- My Nordstrom Sale Picks!

Top //Jeans // Sunnies // Booties

Blush (Lovecloud) // Palette // Lipstick (Pure Zen) // Lipglass (Signs of Spring)

Unless you’re living under a rock, the Nordstrom sale is going on right now. It's blowing up my email, my Instagram, Snapchat, everything! I’ve browsed through everything and there’s a few things that have caught my eye, but nothing that I just had to have. A lot of the items look like things from last year (hello Lush Tunic) and I’m underwhelmed with the beauty exclusives. The only beauty item I'm loving is this one, otherwise I feel a bit eh about it all. I have a few things in my cart ready to check out with some stuff that isn’t included in the sale as well.

This striped top is on everyone's list, but I couldn't help but not also fall in love with it. I LOVE stripes and this would be perfect right in my closet. I need another pair of jeans and these torn ones are so cute. I absolutely love the undone hem at the bottom, that's what won me over on them. Veronika ordered some gorgeous pink sunnies and then I found these sunnies for even less, so adorable! A few years ago I snagged the best booties ever from Old Navy and I wear them all the time, but told myself I want to get a new pair this for fall. I'm also obsessing over this pair, these, and this pair too. I've had my eye on these MAC beauty items forever and I'm finally gonna bite the bullet on them.

Are you shopping the sale this year? What do you have your eye on? Did you score anything great?

Vegas: What I'm Packing

This weekend marks our 5th wedding anniversary and to celebrate, Matt and I are headed to Vegas! I'm so excited to get away and some time to ourselves. We rarely get any time for ourselves and when we do, it's always with an agenda. We have no plans and no schedule for the weekend and I can't wait! All we have on our to-do list is eat, sleep, and lounge by the pool. It's supposed to be cooler temps with possible rain so I'm not sure if we'll get too much time at the pool, but I'll be ready!

For the last week, I've been planning my outfits and what to pack and I finally had a chance to lay everything out to see how it would look together and make sure I don't forget anything. It's not a new concept by any means, but I like to lay everything out and see how I can make the most of what I want to pack. Can I mix and match them? Is there something I can leave home to keep a lighter bag? I always pack a few extra outfits or pieces like jeans or a cardigan and there's still one outfit I need to try on to see how they look together in real life, but I think I'm all set otherwise!

Sweater (old, similar here) // Soft Shorts // Sandals (love these too!) // Purse // Necklace

I've tried these shorts on so many times at Target and I've always loved them because they're so soft, but just never bought them. They're on sale for $15 and I thought they'd be perfect for walking the strip or driving home. My SIL gifted me this gorgeous blue handbag from my Spring Wishlist for my birthday and I can't wait to use it this weekend! There's a ton of pockets and the color is perfection!

Tank // Shorts (Old Navy last year, similar here) // Purse // Necklace

I'll probably wear this outfit on the way there. This peplum tank has been on repeat a lot lately (I have it in white too), it's so easy to just throw on and head out the door. I bought these shorts last year when I was pregnant and they're so comfortable. They have pockets too! I wish I bought every pair last year, luckily a lot of shops have similar styles in this year so I can add some more to my closet.

Hat (Old, similar here) // Cover up // Suit (Victoria Secret- in store only, similar here)

Sunnies // Kimono (Forever 21 last year, similar here) // Top // Bottom

I'm really hoping and praying that there's good weather this weekend, because all I want to do is lounge around the pool and the hotel's lazy river. What's a vacation without a pool day?

Pants // Top (similar here) // Necklace

If you follow me on Instagram, you've already seen this outfit- I wore it on Sunday to celebrate my birthday with a family BBQ. I'm obsessed with these pants and necklace! Palazzo pants are so cozy and soft to wear and they're great in the summer since they're so lightweight. The necklace is amazing, I won it from Brittany's IG giveaway and I love it! It pairs so perfect with the pants and my blue crossbody above, I always get so many compliments on it! It's a great statement piece for sure.

Top // Shorts // Sandals (love these too!) // Lipstick (Coral Crush)

I'm still loving this outfit! It's definitely a go-to for me. I plan on wearing this for walking the strip and shopping during the day. I picked up this fun bright coral and haven't really had the chance to wear it, but I hope to bust it out this weekend.

Top (similar here) // Jeans // Purse // Lipstick (Long Legged & Fabulous) // Shoes

I've been saving this look for a date night (see it on in this post) and we plan on doing a nice dinner one night and this is what I'm gonna wear. I LOVE the lace detailing on this top and flutter sleeves. It's so feminine and chic. I ordered a dress too last week and if it arrives in time, I'm going to pack that too as an alternative or second nice meal outfit.

Only three more sleeps until our trip! Can you tell I'm excited? I haven't been to Vegas in so long and I used to go all the time to party back in college. It's definitely going to be a different trip this time and I've never gone just Matt and I. I'm really looking forward for us to reconnect and get some adult time and recharge together.

What are your favorite Vegas shows and restaurants? He wanted to surprise me with Britney tickets, but she just had her last show last weekend! We want to check out a show while we're there, what do you suggest?

Spring Wishlist

Some people love different seasons not because of the weather or holidays, but because of the fashion. My husband's favorite season is fall when it's nice and chilly (you know, like all of 4 days here in CA) because he loves to wear jeans and hoodies. Me? I'm all about spring. Always have been and always will be. I literally just want to add everything to my cart and check out.

Gloss - Signs of Spring // Top // Earrings // Purse // Sandals

Spring just gets me. It's my favorite season for clothes, parties, weather, and I love all of the colors it brings with it. It's exactly what I need after the winter slump of January and February. There's a few things coming up (like my birthday) so I've been trying to think of what I want and what I need. Matt has been asking me like every day so I thought I'd share what has caught my eye.

I love, love, love this off the shoulder top! It's so cute and could easily be dressed up or down. I also have this pom pom tank in my cart too. A girl always needs a nice pair of stud earrings and pink gloss. I haven't seen/heard of this MAC shade before and it's looks so gorgeous online! I'm dying to check it out. I have a blush tote that I've been using and I've become obsessed with this little saddle bag. It's so feminine and the color is perfection. I also like this baby blue one and I've been stalking this giant weekender bag at Target.

What's your favorite season? When do you find yourself shopping (or just online browsing, adding to cart and never checking out) the most?

Friday Faves

Happy freaking Friday everyone!! I felt like it couldn't come fast enough. I don't have any crazy plans this weekend, I have to work a few hours tomorrow and then we're heading to a family birthday party for my niece. Then Sunday is NOTHING. Nothing. I can't wait! We're just going to head to church and do stuff around the house. Most importantly will be napping. Lots of napping... Who am I kidding? The only one in this house that naps is Emma, and if Ellie even thinks that I'm napping she likes to come over and pat my face, shower me with kisses, and sing me songs. All of which is very, very sweet, but does nothing to help or keep me asleep.

For today's post, I wanted to share with you guys some of my recent faves. There's some amazing shops, lipsticks, and beauty finds I've found and need to share. I've been posting about this stuff on my Instagram, but haven't had a chance yet to share it here. So this will be kind of a round up of some super awesome stuff that you should check out. Just some items I want to shout from the rooftops to anyone who will listen.

First up is this beautiful jewelry and if you follow me on Instagram, you'll already know that I've been living in this Mia and Mac necklace and earrings. This year will be our fifth wedding anniversary, and I wanted something special with our wedding date and this vertical bar and circle charm is perfection! It's so simple, chic, and feminine, I have literally worn them every single day for weeks now. The gold bar earrings are also on repeat. Enjoy 20% off your order with "Kristen20" at check out too! I also love these infinity earrings and necklace and these heart earrings are adorbs!

Ever since Emma started teething, she has started drooling non-stop. It’s crazy! She has 0 teeth, but I feel like she’s been teething for months! Ollie and Olina sent me these gorgeous bibs and I absolutely love them! My first thought when they were delivered was how well made they were, they’re great quality! They’re nice and thick, really soft, with a terry cloth backing, and I just love the sweet designs and prints. The bibs also have two snaps to grow with your child so you can use them for longer. She also makes matching quilts and burp cloths that are to die for! They would make the sweetest gift for any expectant mommy, just beautiful and special pieces that would last a lifetime.

L-R: Showy // Long Legged & Fabulous // Tokyo // Silly

Now that spring is here, I’m all about the pink lipsticks. Ha ha ha I’m joking, I always love pink lips! Thanks to late night feedings and Target, I’m now the proud owner of four new lipsticks. You know, because you can never have enough. Silly and Long Legged & Fabulous are both from the MAC Flamingo collection, Silly is a fabulous matte shade while Long Legged and Fabulous is the perfect pale Barbie pink. Revlon’s Balm sticks are seriously the best! They are super creamy and smell amazing! They’re really moisturizing and this color in Showy is so fun. Then, as if I needed another pink, I also went and bought NYX Matte Lip Cream in Tokyo. I love NYX makeup, it is really a great quality and Target just expanded the line at their stores which makes is much easier to shop!

You guys, you need to RUN and buy yourself this Real Techniques Blending Sponge! Run! It is so amazing and I swear my makeup looks flawless now. It’s so soft and squishy and blends your foundation and concealer beautifully. I run it under water and give it a good squeeze 2-3 times and then use it to blend my makeup in and I seriously love it. I don't think there's another sponge that could possibly be better. The shape offers different sides and shapes that really help to blend perfectly in tough spots.

Those are my gems guys! These four things have been used and worn daily in the Lawler household and because I'm a loud mouth, I just couldn't help but share them with you guys. Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a wonderful weekend!! What are some of your recent faves? Have you found anything that you just couldn't live without?

OOTD: Date Night Look + Some Honest Truths

Top // Jeans // Heels // Earrings (from my sister's wedding!) // Sunnies // Lipstick in Silly

So, I totally realize that my only pose is with a hand on my hip, but that's all I have folks. I'm not a model or a major blogger, so I'll just have the hubs snap pics on my iPhone in front of our garage for now instead of going to a location and fake walking. Nothing against those bloggers, I love them, follow them, and buy all the crap they're selling, I'm just not that talented. Or have the time. Or a husband that is willing to take pics. Most of the time I have to twist his arm. 

Want to know where I wore this pretty little ditty? No where. It's just for the pics because I bought it last month and it's been sitting in my closet mocking me. I'm dying to wear it out for a date with my main squeeze, but we haven't had the time. We have sitters lined up and we're gonna go out next month. So I've been eyeing this top and dreaming about how I'm gonna wear it so I was doing my makeup and putting stuff away and decided to try it on and put a look together.

Lipstick in Silly

This lipstick is a total impulse buy during a 2am nursing session. Well, afterwards actually, because I was wide awake and went down a total rabbit hole of MAC lipstick. I was looking online, on Pinterest, making collages comparing swatches found on Pinterest. Hot mess express people. I'm sure that's not normal. I also have my eye on Flocking Fabulous and Please me. I'm also fully aware that I need another pink lipstick like I need a hole in my head.

That's my honest truths ladies. I wore this outfit solely for this post because I'm dying to wear it and I'm sick of looking at it hanging up. I can't pose to save my life and I'm a pink lipstick addict that mulls over lipstick shades like a crazy woman.

Hope you're having a fantastic week! What's something silly that makes you a crazy lady?

Romantic Valentine's Makeup Look

With Valentines day just around the corner, I've been thinking about my favorite pink hued makeup products and have been practicing different looks for Valentines day. I've been doing romantic eyes with soft pink cheeks and lips. I went through my makeup and I have so much pink so it was nice to put some items I've forgotten about back into the mix. Nearly all of my lipstick and blush were shades of pink. Does anyone else do that? Buy a lot of really similar items that only you and other beauty junkies could tell a difference of?

I've been mixing up my usual shadows with deep browns and dusted off my Naked 3 Palette too. I have all three palettes, and 3 gets used the least, but I've really been loving it lately and have been wearing it so much! The colors are really pretty and I've been using more of the darker shades on the right side of the palette. Factory (the fourth color from the right) is my favorite right now and I've been using it on a larger part of my outer lid. It's just such a rich beautiful color. It's really easy to wear for day and creating a smokier look for night with the shade.

MAC Lipstick: Snob, Pink Nouveau, Creme Cup, Lickable // MAC Lipglass in Angel

MAC Blush: I’m a Lover Blush // Essie: Ballet Slippers, Fiji, Mod Square

Urban Decay: Naked 3 Palette // NARS: Orgasm Illuminator // Milani Blush: Romantic Rose
Revlon Colorburst in Honey // NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Istanbul and Butter Gloss in Strawberry Parfait // Maybelline: Fuchsia Flash

For this look, I used the Urban Decay Naked Palette on my eyes, MAC I'm a Lover blush, and MAC Creme Cup lipstick. On my eyes, I used Strange on the brow bone and inner corners, Dust on my inner lid, Factory on my outer lid and crease, with Buzz and Liar blended between Factory and Dust. Then I just lined my eyes and put on several coats of mascara. I left my cheeks and lips subtle so my eyes would be the standout.

Are you doing anything special for Valentines? I bought the girls cute outfits and small toys and Matt and I will just exchange cards and candy. In years past we've done dinner at home, or dinner with his parents, and this year we'll be camping with his family. It will be nice to get away and spend time outside with everyone. Hope you have a great weekend and holiday!

Holy Grail Beauty Products

One question I get asked often about is my Holy Grail products- what are my favorite eyeshadows, lipsticks, etc. It’s a fair question and I love knowing what other women swear by and trying it out for myself.  When I posted my Drugstore Mascara Review, it got me thinking about what products I couldn’t live without and while most of them have been the same for the past several years, I think it’s time for there to be a dedicated post to my tried and true beauty products. I try to keep my Fave Products tab at the top updated and every couple of months or so I go in and edit, but I’m sharing today my absolute must haves. These are the products I have used countless tubes of and if they’re ever discontinued I would cry myself a river and buy every last one I could find online.

Since there's 15 products on here, it pretty much covers my entire face. I love to try new items, but I continually use these products over and over again. No matter what I've bought, I haven't found anything that better to replace these and there's a little bit of something for every thing except face primer and eyeliner. If you have an HG item for those, please share!

Here's my faves:

MAC Studio Fix Powder in C4 -I've worn this for so many years, I wear it along, over concealer, or for full coverage over foundation.
MAC Blush in Warm Soul - the most perfect and flattering blush ever! It's such a beautiful shade and is truly the perfect every day color.
MAC Eyeshadow: All That Glitters, Naked Lunch, Blanc Type, and Satin Taupe - these colors blend so perfectly together and give me my favorite eye look. They're easy to wear each alone and blend beautifully!
MAC Eyeshadow in Brun for brows - I felt like my brow game totally changed once I started using this shadow. It wear all day and looks natural and soft.
MAC Lipsticks in Hue, Creme Cup - love, love, love these two colors. I've gone through so many tubes, I've started buying them two at a time.

L'oreal True Match in W3 Nude Beige - Of all the liquid foundations I've tried, this one is the best. It has buildable coverage, wears all day, and the formula is so smooth.
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Brightener 60 - when you're up all night with the kids, this baby gets me looking bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original - I've tried several high and low brand primers, but this little number works best for me. It makes your shadow last all day without creasing and make the colors more vivid without changing the shade of your shadow.
L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara - I've used so many tubes of this mascara, it's been in my makeup bag for years.
Maybelline Colossal Chaotic Masacara - this item is the newest to my Holy Grail collection, but I love the drama it gives lashes and the brush is amazing!
NYX Matte Bronzer in Light and Medium - This bronzer is a total dupe for higher ends bronzers and I really like that it's matte (so hard to find!) and that it comes in varying shades. It's one of the few bronzers I've found to leave a warm glow and not and orange glow on your face.

These are my favorite products and I absolutely swear by them and always seem to be recommending them over and over again. I really hope they never get discontinued, I would be so devastated! What are your Holy Grail items? What couldn't you live without?

Fall Beauty Faves and Purchases

I've found some new beauty products and rediscovered some older ones and wanted to share what I've been using and loving lately. I have something for nearly every part of the face- eyes, lips, nails, face, I have it all covered!

Peekaboo Neutral // Stockholm // Istanbul

NYX is quickly becoming one of my favorite beauty brands, they have a ton of products, they're a great price, and they have a ton of dupes for higher end brands. I picked up their Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm and I'm loving it for fall. It's a great shade, really neutral, and super easy to wear. I liked it so much, I went back and bought Istanbul too, although I don't think this shade looks as great on it's own, I think it needs a gloss or some balm over it. It's definitely harder to pull off matte lip color with lighter shades (at least in my humble opinion and experience).  I also scooped up their lip liner in Peekaboo Neutral which according to this and this pin is a dupe for MAC's Boldly Bare. I'm absolutely liking this shade, it's so blendable and works great with a number of lipsticks and glosses I have.

Lorac Skinny Palette from Nordstrom Sale, similar here

This palette is amazing! I've been using it a ton the last 2-3 weeks, nearly everyday and it pairs perfectly with my favorite MAC shadows (All That Glitters, Naked Lunch, and Satin Taupe). I really like that this palette is small enough to carry in my makeup bag and has such versatile shades. I mostly use the far left ones, and only the second one over has shimmer in so I love to use one of my MAC shades in the crease or the middle of my lid. These shadows last all day, have amazing pigment, and I totally have my eye on their Pro Palette next! 

Highlighting Concealer in Nude

This concealer has been sitting in my makeup drawer unused for months, months!! I'm not sure why I brought it out because I initially wasn't that impressed with it, but I'm so glad I did. It really helps to cover up and brighten my under eye area a ton. My biggest complaint is that you don't get a whole lot of product like you do with my HG Maybelline Age Rewind, but I think this definitely brightens up the area more. I'm going to do some more comparisons, but I'm happy enough with this concealer to buy it again, but this time I bought a shade lighter (Ivory) since we're heading into the cooler months.

Pore Eraser // Primer Spray

It may be November, but until this week, we've had blazing heat and I have to keep my makeup from melting off and disappearing. On days where I need my makeup to last all day and into the night, I've been using the primer spray first, then the pore eraser on top and my makeup has lasted like whoa. WHOA! My sister got married at the end of September and it was ridiculously hot and crazy humid and this combo really helped my makeup to stay spackled onto my face.

Essie Polish

Looking for the perfect red polish? Run over and pick up Essie's Shall We Chalet?, it's great for all the upcoming holidays. Red can be such a hard shade to find that works for you (especially lipstick!) and this one is a bright true red without any hint of pink. This is such a fun color and I only had to use one coat (with their gel topper).

Brave

On my first night out without the babies, my girlfriend and I headed to the mall and stopped in at the MAC counter to pick up some lipstick. I really had to hold myself back from buying several, and even took pics of my lipstick stash at home before heading out to remind myself to not go crazy. I'm using "crazy" as a very loose term, I totally bought the girls some Christmas outfits while we were shopping. Anyways, I tested so many lipsticks and kept picking up shades I already freaking owned (which I promptly dug out of my lipstick drawer and put them into my overflowing makeup bag) and then was torn between Syrup and Brave, which I mulled over for way too long. I ended up getting Brave and I'm super happy with it. It's pretty similar to Stockholm above in being a deeper neutral shade that pretty much goes with everything. Brave also goes great with the Peekaboo Neutral liner too!

So that's my recent beauty purchases and favorites lately. I have a few things on my wishlist that I'm going to wait on for Black Friday shopping and Christmas. What are you ladies loving lately? Have you added anything new to your makeup bags that you're loving? Rediscovered a long lost product?