Spring Beauty Wishlist

With every season comes new things I want to try and buy, not just sandals (check out my picks here) and new summer dresses, but I always want all new fresh makeup. A different color on my cheek, a new shade for my lips, etc. Here are a few things I've been eyeing and hope to add to my never-ending, Mary Poppins carpet bag of a makeup bag.

MAC Dame Blush
I have MAC’s Pink Swoon, which I understand is pretty similar to Dame, but when I look at side-by-side swatches, Dame shows to be a bit warmer and with some shimmer. I’ve read all kinds of review comparing them, but haven’t found any to be really helpful. After all that research (by “research” I mean Pinterest/Google searches) I still want Dame in my beauty bag, especially since Pink Swoon has been discontinued. Do you have either blush? What’s your take?

NYX Terra Cotta
Do you guys follow Chrissy Teigen on Instagram? She’s one of my fave celebs to follow (ooh maybe that will be a future post?) and I absolutely loved her red carpet looks this season. There’s a few shots of her and Nikki Reed that they have very bronzey cheeks and I absolutely love the sun-kissed natural look they rocked. Terra Cotta is a gorgeous gold bronze color that I think will be beautiful over a tan in the summer. When doing some more “research” (see above), I found several sites saying that’s it’s a dupe for MAC’s Sunbasque- which I already own! I wore my Sunbasque and checked out the shade and then shopped the NYX blush on a Target run, but I really don’t think they’re that similar. I definitely will be picking this up for summer!

OPI You’re Such A Budapest
So this OPI collection is a few years old, but I saw it on Amber of Barefoot Blonde and I have to have it. I love the blue/lavender look of it and I think it will be a color I’ll be wearing all spring and summer.

Essie Blossom Dandy
Yes, I need another polish like a fish needs a bicycle, but this is such a pretty color. It’s the perfect shade for Easter- just the right mix of mint and blue and bolder than Mint Candy Apple. It’s from their new 2015 Spring Collection, I also love the nude shade Picked Perfect which is so spot on for spring trends. When I saw this color available on a Target trip, I threw it in my cart and Ellie immediately picked it up and started pointing to her toes, she’s also a fan of the color.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch
Now, this product isn’t new and it’s from their original line of Baby Lips. For spring, I really wanted a sheer pink. I have so many lipsticks and glosses, but I’ve recently been using a lot more chapstick and nothing else. I thought this bright color would be a great wash to add to my everyday look. I’m on the fence about the Baby Lips product overall, I have three other colors and have reviewed two of them here.

TRESemme Sea Salt Spray
Every summer, easy soft beach waves are always in style. I love a great undone, slept in curl look and I think a sea salt spray would be a great way to add some lightweight texture to my hair. I’ve talked to my stylist about Bumble & Bumble’s Surf Spray, but she thought it would be too heavy for my hair type. I’ve always been a fan of TRESemme products, they’re usually lightweight enough not to weigh my hair down or have a buildup of too much product. It’s a great price point too, so it doesn’t hurt to try it!

What are some of your spring beauty items you've had your eye on?

Fall Polish Favorites

Essie Wicked // Essie Bahama Mama // Essie Chinchilly // Essie After School Boy Blazer

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark // Sally Hansen Slick Slate // Sally Hansen Uptempo Plum // Sally Hansen Black and Blue 

Happy first day of fall! After posting my Summer Polish Favorites, it's only right to post my favorite fall ones today. I scoured through my treasure chest of polish and picked my favorite top eight to share. Most of my colors are close to black when applied, and I love how dark they look on.

Essie Wicked- A dark burgundy, I lived in this color last year and I'm excited to wear it again this season.

Essie Bahama Mama- A gorgeous dark purple, almost wine colored. I've had this on my toes for weeks now. It's so much darker than it looks in the above picture.

Essie Chinchilly- A total cult classic for a reason! Looks great on everyone and is the perfect neutral.

Essie After School Boy Blazer- Another almost black shade, I've been obsessed with Navy and I'll be wearing this one all season for sure.

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark- Another cult classic, a wine-black shade and gorgeous. It's so chic and dark.

Sally Hansen Slick Slate- Very similar to Chinchilly, but darker. It's perfect for your toes or fingers and pairs perfectly with a nude pink mani to match.

Sally Hansen Uptempo Plum- This has been one of my favorites for a few years now. It's a beautiful dark plum with some shimmer. It's perfect for a special night out.

Sally Hansen Black and Blue- I loved this shade last year! To get the dark color I wanted, I put two coats over a black coat and it was a beautiful color change with the blue, green, and purple. Very fun!

What are some of your favorite fall colors? Any color I'm missing out on?

My Favorite Pink Items + Must-Reads

Question of the month from Kristen: Inspired by Valentine's Day... 

What are your favorite Pink items?

 This month's question is so fun! It was really hard to narrow down my pink items, and of course the majority of mine are nail polish. Go figure.  Pink is one of my favorite colors, but not a color I wear a lot in clothing. Lips, cheeks, nails I'm all over though! If I can get something in pink, I will- IPhone cover, toothbrush, etc. Here are some of my favorite pink things:

MAC Baby Sparks

Sinful Colors 24/7 and Easy Going

OPI In the Spotlight Now

Cotton Candy

(this is the one thing I never got from Santa growing up, 

I asked for a cotton candy machine for like 10 years)

Victoria Secret Incredible Perfume

MAC Pink Nouveau

Essie Pink Parka, Fiji, and Mod Square

Starburst Fave Reds

Simply Raspberry Lemonade (can't get enough of this stuff!)

MAC Pink Swoon

• Alison*Elle - Alison finally found her perfect pair of boyfriend jeans.
• Beautygirl24 -  Noelle said yes to a wedding dress! She also started decorating her new home.
• Ella Pretty - What Ella's been wearing and an update on her shopping ban!
• Lindsay J Everyday - Lindsay has a new love.
• Love, Lipstick & Pearls - Kristen shared her Beauty Wishlist for spring.
• Schnelle Couture - Danielle shares her birth story in her final BUMPdate.
• Sequins and Stilettos - Skylette of course wore red for Valentines - see the dress here.
• The Currently Obsessed - Mehreen reveals the gender of her baby ... And gives us a bumpdate !

InstaLately Link Up 10

Christmas with the hubs

My gift wrap finally done! Every year I think I enjoy wrapping, but then when it comes down to it, I seriously loathe it. I picture myself making gorgeous wrapping and bows, drinking hot cocoa, watching Christmas movies and singing carols and it's nothing like that. I blame Martha Stewart. 

I LOVE getting mail addressed like this! Love, love, love it!


This baby could eat nothing but fruit all day everyday


Getting pink packages from Kiki La'Rue is the best. It instantly makes your day!

My nails for the holiday; Sinful Colors black, Essie Luxeffects Set in Stones, and Sephora for OPI Only Gold for Me.

GoJane Boots (old), F21 Jeans/Blouse/Necklace, Target Scarf

Steve Madden Intyce Boots, Nordstrom Colored Denim, F21 Sweater

Since my beloved Costco Salted Caramels will never return, someone suggested these babies to me. They're pretty good. Not nearly as great as Costco's, but will hold me over.

FINALLY saw Les Miserables. I've been waiting for this movie to come out. I die. I loved every minute of it. Especially the minutes with Eddie Redmayne. Swoon.

InstaLately Link Up 6

I finally found the VS eyeshadow I talked about last week in Undiscover! I've been using it on my eyes and then brushed it on the tops of my cheeks too.

Standard lunch in CA. You have to get extra spread though for your fries! For those of you who may not know, spread is like fry sauce (50/50 mayo + ketchup) with some relish. It's delish.

Groopdealz was featuring the infamous bubble necklaces. I like how they look, but they're so trendy I've avoided them, but for $10 I didn't want to pass them up. I was between yellow and blue and thought to buy both, but chose only one color. Then I picked one up for my sister too.

Proof I can bake from scratch! Hubs was really craving some banana nut bread and I made this all by myself without hazard. It was delicious too! The hubs' exact words were "amazing". Kudos to me!

I'm still in love with braids in your hair. I'm totally not over this trend and I hope it never goes away. I'm also wearing the VS shadow here on both my eyelids and cheeks.

This Savina gold polish is one of my favorites and an easy go-to for me. I topped my ring/thumb with the Sephora by OPI Gold glitter, but it wasn't really showing up like I thought it might so I put on some OPI Glitter to make it pop.

This weekend I met up with a good friend for lunch. It was so great to see her and spend hours catching up. I'm wearing Old Navy's quilted vest and I love it. I have a yellow one from college and have been wanting a black one for over a year. I haven't taken it off since it was delivered. It's so cozy!

I ordered our Christmas cards this week and they arrived so fast! I really love the service and quality at Shutterfly. We buy our cards there every year. This year's card is super cute and I'm forcing myself to wait until December to mail them out. Last year, I had them sent out before Thanksgiving! LOL.

Pomegranates are one of my season's favorite fruits! My mom used to get them for my sister and I every year and we always had one in our stockings. I couldn't wait to dive into this beauty. It tasted like childhood.

Birthday Bash OOTD + NOTD

Everly Dress

Nine West Wedges

Coach clutch

OPI Privacy Please with Sephora by OPI Only Gold for Me

Michael Kors watch, Bracelets: Derng, Old Navy, H&M, F21, Nordstrom

NYE Mani

OPI In the Spotlight Pink

Essie A Cut Above

This mani of course goes perfectly with my new sparkly Toms, thanks again K for the awesome secret Santa gifts!

Favorite of the Week- Sephora by OPI

I'm so happy to be linking up with my BBFF Erin for her first ever link-up! She's just the best and I couldn't wait to participate in sharing my favorite of the week. What better way to start it off but with a goody I got from one of her giveaways?

Black topped with Sephora by OPI Only Gold for Me

This gold sparkle is my new favorite, just like I knew it would be from my Sephora F/F purchases (using the gift card I won from Erin). I love how it looks over black and can't wait to rock it over the holidays. 

Recent Purchases: Sephora F/F

I recently won a $50 giftcard from Everything According to Erin (thanks again love!!) and was able to to use it towards Sephora's Friends and Family discount they have going right now. The funny thing is, is that I bought the products just a few days before the sale started so after talking to their customer service I returned the products and re-bought all of them. LOL. When I went into the store the staff said I was like the 5th person to return products just that day. I did the math to see if it would be worth the trouble and it totally was because I was able to pick up an extra item for less than the original price!

Here's what I bought and reviews will be coming soon!!

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red (color not shown in pic)

I've seriously been obsessed with red lips, but it's so high maintenance to wear them. I thought that going with a lip stain may be a better and easier route. The Always Red is a true red shade with a blue undertone, I'm hoping it will be gorgeous on.

Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in 20 Shiny Perfect Nude (color not shown in pic)

I know I don't need ANYMORE lipglosses, but I've been trying to find a gloss that's tinted and slippery that lasts a few hours. I'm hoping this gem will do just that. The color I bought is a really sheer pink without any shimmer.

Sephora by OPI Only Gold For Me Top Coat 

I never bought this before because I have two polishes that are really similar, Milani, and e.l.f. Golden Goddess but this polish is just so much superior because it has both large and small glitter specks and it's in a clear coat. Milani only has large glitter specks, and the e.l.f. is perfect glitter, but in a tinted yellow base which can discolor my polish. So with the combo of the giftcard and the sale, I went for it.  I just can't justify spending $10 on a polish when I have so many and have never once used an entire bottle of anything before. I think this might be my favorite purchase because I've been using gold glitter on almost all of my manis.

Sephora Collection Moonshadow Baked Palette - In The Nude

Duh, I love eyeshadow. These shades are gorgeous and have super crazy shimmer to them that reminds me of JLo on American Idol. 

I browsed the store and online forever before deciding and I can't believe I went with all Sephora brand products instead of splurging for something I wouldn't typically buy for myself, but I seriously love their brand. I've used their shadows, bronzers, and blushes and have re-purchased all of them. You can see my Sephora brand purchases and reviews all here. So I thought why not get what I want right?

Have you used anything of these products before? Have you tried the Sephora brand?

Have you bought anything from the sale yet? Get your f/f code here the sale goes through November 2.

OOTD + NOTD

So I'm still working on getting you guys better pics than from my cell phone, but I haven't figured something better out yet. So stay posted please! Sorry this post and my last OOTD post had several pics together, I've been really busy after work and for now it's just been easiest to lump them together.

A few of my outfits were inspired by my Fashion Inspiration board on Pinterest. I know I talk a lot about Pinterest on here, but it's seriously my favorite. I pin everyday. It's such a great source for recipes, party ideas, home decor, DIY project and of course fashion! Whenever I'm in a rut for outfits, I just check out Pinterest and easily find something I can replicate. For last week, I also turned to Twitter for work outfit reccomendations so here is some of your recs in motion paired with Pinterset. Thank you to everyone for your ideas and pics, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support and ideas. You gals (and guys) rock!

F21 Blazer and Necklace, Nordstrom Tank, Target Mossimo Skinny Slacks

Old Navy Ruffle Tie Neck Blouse, Target Mossimo Skinny Slacks, Single Pearl Necklace

Lulu's Knotted Skirt, Fitted Scoop Neck, F21 Necklace

 

F21 Scarf, Nordstrom V-neck, American Eagle Skinny jeans

OPI In the Spotlight, e.l.f. Golden Goddess

Calling All Fall Nails!

The new fall nail colors have been released! Here is the collection for Essie and OPI.

Essie’s Fall 2011 collection includes (from L-R) Case Study, Glamour Purse, Lady Like, Power Clutch, Carry On, Very Structured. I’ll personally be buying Carry On and Ladylike.

OPI Fall 2011 Collection is called Touring America with equally suitable and cute names and a large variety of colors from coral to moss green. Here's the collection (from L-R) Are We There Yet?, I Eat Mainely Lobster, My Address is "Hollywood", Color to Diner For, Honk if You Love OPI, Road House Blues, Suzi Takes the Wheel, French Quarter for Your Thoughts, Uh-oh Roll Down the Window, A-taupe the Space Needle, Get in the Expresso Lane, I Brake for Manicures. I checked this collection out in stores and liked some of the shades, but didn't fall in love with any and purchase them. My faves were French Quarter for Your Thoughts and Color to Diner For.


Which shades will you be wearing?