October Birchbox

My wonderful mother gifted me Birchbox for the next 3 months, so I am very excited to see what goodies it brings! I've been tossing the idea around of getting a subscription for years now, but as a college student with not a ton of disposable income, I decided if I wanted beauty products, I'd prefer to pay for ones I knew I would like rather than chance it. I was very excited to get my first box in the mail! Since my box was gifted my beauty profile wasn't filled out, so the products weren't exactly tailored to me, but they will be next month! 

I got the Bain De Terre Macadamia Oil Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner, which I was excited about because I've been wanting to try products with macadamia oil. I have tried both of these products out and loved them. I was pleasantly surprised when the shampoo didn't leave my hair looking oily the next day (it's always a fear I have with new shampoo's and conditioner's). My hair is quite thick and tangles very easily, but after using both of these in the shower I could comb my hair no problem! It was amazing.
I also got Evologie stay clear cream, which I have not tried yet and isn't pictured because for some reason, my camera did not like this product and refused to take a good quality photo. Since my skin is so sensitive, I can be reluctant to try new face cleansers that I haven't heard much about. My skin has been acting out lately, so once it clears a bit, I will try the product out! The other product I have yet to try is the Jasmine Seven Fresh Feet Wipes, which was kind of funny to get in a beauty box. These are just to freshen up your feet and the packaging said it smells like peppermint, so we'll see that is.
The last product in this month's box was Thebalm Cosmetics Stainiac Lip and Cheek Stain. I haven't tried this on my cheeks, but I did test it out on my lips and despite it looking very dark in the packaging, it was surprisingly light on the lips. It might be the colder, crisp air here or it might be the product, but my lips felt SO dry after wearing this for an hour. I had to go wash it off because my lips felt so terrible.  Hopefully this product works better for others, but I wouldn't purchase the full size.

Do you get Birchbox? What was in your box this month?!

Thanks for reading :)

Haulin'

Midterms are over! 

If you've seen Gilmore Girls, then you'll get why this is funny :) or at least I think it's funny (maybe I'm alone in that, but hey, it made me giggle). 

I went to Sephora and Target this past weekend and did a little shopping in celebration of the ending of midterms. I got a mix of skincare and makeup products that I already love or am excited to try! As some of you probably already saw, I'm loving the St. Ives Green Tea Scrub. I can already tell this is going to be a product I will repurchase for years to come. Since I've already done a review on it, if you want information on this product you can find it here. 

I have dreaded dark under eye circles (an unfortunate product of my genetics). There is not a lot I can do to stop the progression of these dark circles, but I can try my best to help my eyes so I don't end up looking like a raccoon. I know I just blogged about the Bobbi Brown eye cream, but I decided to try something different after talking to the woman at Sephora. She suggested F.A.B. Dual Repair Eye Cream which is $40.00. I have only been using the product a few days now, so I won't be able to properly review or comment on the product until I've given it more time. I can tell you that the packaging is pretty and that you do not need a lot of the cream in order to get the job done, which is great because I know this will last me a while. 

For a beauty lover, I must admit, lipstick is not something that you would see a lot of in my collection. I rarely wear it, I don't really feel the need to wear lipstick to classes so it hasn't been a huge priority in my beauty routine, but I decided to get some Nxy Lipstick. With winter approaching and the chill of fall, I went with two different shades of red. Chaos (shade 511) is a deep elegant red that will hopefully look incredible with a subtle brown smoky eye. Eros (shade 536) is more of a bright red with a hint of orange undertone to give your lips a little pop of color! 

 I bought the Benefit How to Look the Best at Everything to try out some of their face products that I've heard quite a bit about. I LOVE the packaging, it comes in a box that looks like a book which is absolutely adorable and when you open it it also comes with tips & tricks which is fun! I haven't tried any of these products yet, but if you want a review on them once I've tried them out, let me know!

This is a special limited edition L'Occtaine Hand Indulgences Set which I was very excited about! The only holy grail for hand cream, in my opinion. This hand cream is 20% shea butter, so it hydrates your hands beautifully while not leaving a greasy feel behind. The tube might look small, but trust me, a little goes a long way which means it'll last a while. On their own, L'Occtaine hand creams are $10.00 which is a splurge, but one that is definitely worth while. 

Let me know if you have any questions or want reviews done on any of the products I've mentioned!

Thanks for reading! 

Organize It!

Junk Drawer Chaos!

I'm so happy I got this project checked off my list...I love going to my junk drawer now and actually finding what I need. We all have one...our crazy drawer that everything gets dumped into. I decided to organize our junk drawer on a rainy day, the perfect activity for an organizing junkie! I completely emptied out the drawer and cleaned it out. I had everything in the drawer laid out all over the kitchen counters and went through it throwing away unneeded things. I used containers I'd had lying around the house or in closets so this was once again...a dollar free project (my favorite kind!)

Can anyone say chaos?! It was a bit of a mess but it was well worth it in the end. 

If you can tell in the photo's before our thread and needles were just thrown in bags or just lying out which caused them to tangle which was not always great to deal with, so I decided to cut cereal boxes and line the thread in there and I love the way it turned out. I was going to decorate the sides of the boxes for a prettier look, but decided against it since the sides would inevitably not be seen in the drawer. As you can tell, I also organized them by color because who doesn't love that? 

I also gathered all of our random batteries and placed them in our clear organizing box (which probably has a specific name, but I have no idea what it is!) I also added in some random small tools/needles for thread. The second box with the brown, grey, and black thread has our car accessories like our valet key as well as Bath & Body Works scent fill-ins, which can be found here. I used both parts of a gift card box to organized our birthday candles, decorated chip clips, and various paint chip colors/coupons. 

On this side of the drawer, I used another cereal box for our small hammer and a few other tools that we like to have on hand. We also have packing tape that happened to fit there perfectly so I left it as is! I put our scotch tape on the side as well as slipping in fabric tape and twist ties next to it. Our scissors fit perfect next to the glass bowl with paint keys (which we seem to have a lot of). Toward the back of the drawer which you can't see to well I have larger tools as well as extra light socket covers and a timer for lights. 

Have you ever taken on the organizing of your junk drawer? If so, I'd love to see your pictures and read your stories! 

Thanks for reading!

First Impression: St. Ives Green Tea Scrub

You've Stolen My Heart...

I did some skincare and makeup shopping this weekend, which I'll haul in a different post this week, but I HAD to post about this scrub. First off, it's $4.99 - wonderful price. I have used St. Ives scrubs in the past and really enjoyed them, so deciding to try this one was not a difficult choice. Boy howdy am I glad I did! The scrub is hypoallergenic aka fabulous for me. There's a light exfoliate in the scrub, but it goes on super creamy. You cleanse your face with your cleanser first, then apply this scrub and let it sit for about a minute before rinsing. Just a warning for all of you out there with dry skin, this product can dry your skin out if you use it too often. 

Obviously, I can't say if the product is totally effective in clearing blemishes and calming redness because I have only used it once, but I'll definitely let you know when I find out! My skin felt smooth and soft after I rinsed this off. Normally, if you use any cleanser, scrub, or mask if your skin feels extremely tight after use (i.e. you feel like you have to immediately put moisturizer on), it's drying out your skin and you probably shouldn't continue using it. Some exfoliating scrubs can make your skin feel too tight and end up drying you out, so I was happy when this scrub didn't make my face feel super tight. By far my favorite thing about this scrub: the glorious smell. I cannot even describe to you the smell, but it is amazing, I could literally keep this on my face forever because it smells soooo good! 

So first impression green tea scrub? Let's never part. 

Review: Wen Sweet Almond Mint Conditioner

Apparently, an oily face is not enough, my hair had to join that party too...oil can be so needy. Try as I might to follow the rules of hair care that state "thy shall not wash one's hair everyday", the oil prevails and causes me to lose my battle with the rules of healthy hair. What's a girl to do when she's got her skin and hair against her? Try new products, of course, and maybe win the war on oil!

So here is a fun fact that many people with oily hair do not know but totally should: mint is a drying agent. I worked in a hair salon for a while and the hair dressers taught me so much about my hair type, seriously one of the best parts about working there. One of the hardest parts about having oily hair is trying to keep your hair hydrated without causing more excess oil and at the same time, trying to tame the excess oil...it can be a tough job.

The Wen Sweet Almond Mint Conditioner was created to replace shampoo, leave-in conditioner, and detangler, among other things. I've tried quite a few wen hair care products and found that they tend to leave my scalp and hair feeling and looking very oily, except for this mint one. Random tip: if you find that these conditioners do not work for your hair, try to use them as shaving cream...your legs feel AMAZING after!

I love how soft my hair feels after I use this, it is so easy to brush and work with! Since this conditioner has mint, it gets rid of excess oil while hydrating my hair which is amazing. You can definitely notice a difference in the way your hair feels and looks after using this. The conditioner starts working almost immediately after you put it on, you can comb your hair in the shower with this in and there are literally no tangles!

While I really like how my hair looks and feels after I use this, it is not a conditioner I use everyday. The conditioner works wonderfully, if you use a lot of it. I also have thick hair and I find it takes me about 10-15 pumps to get this product all over my hair. I like that this product doesn't suds up, but it's kind of difficult to spread through your hair...once you put slide it on a spot, it's pretty much not moving. Another thing I'm not fond of is that it takes soooooo long to rinse, I don't know if it's just me, but every single time I use this I feel like I'm standing under my shower forever waiting for it to rinse out. 

Overall, I would say this is a pretty good product. It does work effectively and help hydrate oily hair while soaking up the excess oil. Not my all time favorite, but if you want to try something new, I say give this a shot.

Thanks for reading! :)

Nightly Skincare Routine

This might sound silly, but one of the best parts of my day is taking my makeup off and cleansing my face at night. You're probably thinking "okay, weirdo". My nightly shower comes at a time when I am done will all of my days activities and I've finished my homework, so the shower is just the beginning of my little free time. Once I finish showering at night and finish my skincare routine, I typically light up my favorite candle and read a book or watch an episode of some show to relax and wind down from the day.

I love feeling so clean and fresh, especially when it comes to my face. As much as I'd love to say there is some magical makeup product that prevents my face from getting oily, said product has yet to be produced (at least in my experience). By the end of my day my face has begun to feel a bit "blah" and oil definitely comes with the territory, so having a freshly cleansed face is wonderful!

How my Relaxation Process Begins...

1. Remove eye makeup

I start off with a cotton pad and stick it on the top opening of the bottle and wet the cotton pad with the eye makeup remover. Start at my eyebrow, I gently rub off my makeup with the cotton pad until I get to my eye lashes. I wear waterproof mascara and we all know how hard that is to get off, so I hold the cotton pad on my eye lashes for about 10 seconds and gently rub until the mascara is gone. 

2. Remove face makeup

These face wipes are amazing for people with sensitive skin. I was never able to use any other brands facial removing wipes because they would break me out immensely. Starting at my forehead, I gently rub the wipe all over my face until the makeup is no longer appearing on the wipe. 

3. Happily cleanse face using the clarisonic mia

After wetting the brush of my clarisonic, I put purity in the "ring" of the brush (if you don't have a clarisonic, this probably won't make a whole of sense since the picture online doesn't do it justice), but the brush has brissels slightly seperated into an inter and outer circle, so I put it between that. Then I just turn on my clarisonic and cleanse. The purity stays on my face for about a minute and then I rinse it off. Also, just a side note for the purity, I buy the 32fl oz. which is around $50 and I know that seems very expensive for a face wash, however it lasts me an entire year so in my mind, it's worth the more expensive price! :) 

4. Apply magical toner

Yes, I just called this a magical toner...but for me, it is! PRODUCT NOTE: you MUST shake before you use!! Shake the product for about 10 seconds, then let it sit for a moment while you brush your hair or get dressed. I use a cotton pad and again, put it on the top opening and get the cotton pad wet (I repeat this in three different spots to get the whole cotton pad wet), then gently rub into your face. 

5. Apply moisturizer

I use about 3 pumps of this moisturizer and place little dots on my forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. I gently rub it in on my face and down my neck. This isn't my favorite moisturizer ever, but it's what I have on hand right now and until I use it up, I won't get a new one because I do not want to waste money. 

I'd love to hear your nightly skincare routine! :) 

Thanks for reading!

My Skincare Wishlist!

I've mentioned my skin type before but for those of you who don't know, I have very oily, highly sensitive acne prone skin. I have tried many different products to help heal and tame my crazy skin. Reading other beauty blogs and researching skincare products is a huge hobby of mine, I love to see what other people are loving! I also really appreciate reviews on skincare products because then I know if I should spend my money or not. I try to mix in high end and drugstore skincare products into my routine because I'm a college student and don't exactly make bank.

I do a LOT of research before I purchase any product, drugstore or high end. It takes me months to decide on purchasing products because I research them thoroughly. I typically do not go out and buy the newest product because I like to see what kind of reviews it gets before I spend my money on it. I don't just pick one website to research the products on either, I go to multiple websites and blogs to see what the general consensus is because while one person can love a product another person will hate it. I've done copious amounts of research on these four products and I plan on buying all four. I don't mind spending money on a product when I know it works.

 The Mac Cleanse Off Oil can scare off those of us with oily skin because it has oil in the name, but after all the research I've done I want to give this product a chance. $30.00 may seem a bit steep for eye make up remover, but you get 5 fl oz. in a bottle. From all the reading I've done on the product, you essentially use about 5-6 drops per day for both eyes, so this product should last you a while. One of the best parts about this product for people with oily skin: it leaves NO residue! What a blessing! I know with my skin, I can't use a lot of eye makeup remover because of the oily residue left behind after I rinse. Another huge product perk: it takes off all of your makeup, even waterproof mascara, no more clumps or raccoon eyes when you're done. To use: Simply add a few drops to your finger and gently massage onto your eyelid and eyelashes, rinse and be free!

Bioderma Crealine H20 has been my most researched product. This product takes off makeup and cleanses your face at the same time all without water, it doesn't get easier than that! This product also easily removes waterproof makeup and can be used on your eyes or face! All you need is a cottonpad and you're ready to take your makeup off. This product leaves your face feeling fresh and clean. It is great for clearing up skin by itself or in addition to your normal skincare routine. It does not leave your face feeling oily after use and it hydrates your skin, what's not to love?

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream is in the skincare hall of fame for beauty junkies! I have heard and read nothing but rave reviews on this product. This leaves your under eye skin soft, refreshed, and smooth. This absorbs quickly but continually hydrates your skin throughout the day under your makeup, but it can also be used at night to help restore your tired eyes! To apply: dab a small amount on your finger, and gently pat around eye area. When using any cream for under your eyes, I suggest using your ring finger and patting along your orbital bone. This product has Aloe Vera to help soothe the fragile skin around your eyes and Avocado Oil to help condition your skin.

Kate Somerville Oil Free Moisturizer is the most expensive product on my list, but from everything I've read it is worth the price. This oil free moisturizer helps to balance the oil on your face, tighten and tone, improve firmness and elasticity, and diminish fine lines and wrinkles. Another no residue product that leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth while quickly absorbing. One of the biggest problems for oily skin and moisturizers is the heavy slick feeling that they can leave behind, but this hydrates continually without leaving your face looking and feeling shiny. 

I am so excited to buy and try these skincare products out! I will definitely be reviewing them once I have purchased and let you all know how they are. If you've tried any of these products, I'd love to know what your thoughts are!

Thanks for reading! :)

Organize It!

Under The Bathroom Sink

While we were in the bathroom renovation process, I decided that we needed to start fresh and have an organized bathroom. Our bathroom cabinet was never bad, but under the sink was a mess! We always just threw everything in there and attempted to organize but it was one of those things that I just never got around to doing until now. I used containers and boxes from around the house so that this project would not cost me a dime! Although, if you are looking to do this type of project and do not have random containers lying around, the dollar store should have similar items!

I began by pulling everything out of the cabinet, which ended up in a laundry basket or on the floor! I cleaned out the cabinet then sorted through the giant mess I created. I put things in 3 piles: keep, throw, and donate. I threw away all that needed to be discarded and put all the donation stuff in another room so that I could know exactly what I had to work with. 

In the back I used a few containers to hold extra soaps, shampoos, conditioners, etc. Although you can't see it well, in front of one of the sets of extras is Dixie cups lined up in bags next to travel side bottles along with some peroxide. The bathroom garbage bags are in the front for easy access, as well as the mini drawer which has some first aid supplies and well as cotton swabs and cotton balls. 

I'm very happy with how it turned out! I love being able to keep things organized. If you've done your bathroom sink organization, I'd love to see it!

Thanks for reading!

BDIY: Cleaning your Makeup Brushes

This is one of the easiest ways to help your makeup brushes last and keep all your products clean. I clean my brushes once a month, but you can clean them as often as you like. Makeup companies do have brush spot cleanser products available but I'm going to show you a cheaper alternative and tutorial of how I clean mine! If you are going to clean your makeup brushes make sure that you do not have to use them for the rest of that day/night!

You will need:

1. Baby Shampoo
2. Paper towels
3. A plate from your kitchen (do not use a paper plate!)
4. A kitchen towel
5. Water
6. Your dirty brushes!

Let's get cleaning!

Start out by laying everything out on the counter, put your dirty brushes on a paper towel. Make sure you have all of your supplies, I used a little bowl for my warm water. Put on your favorite playlist and get ready to clean your brushes!

Place a nickel size amount of baby shampoo on your plate, then grab a dirty brush. 

Dip your brush into the water and hold it up for a moment letting the excess water drip off. 

Take your brush and place it on the baby shampoo spot and gently swirl it around in a circle. You will see the shampoo on your plate suds up and you'll definitely notice the change in color! Move your brush in a circle around the plate until the dirt begins to run out and the color gets lighter. I know this sounds disgusting, but it's the price we must pay for cleanliness!

Your plate will look like this when you're finished cleaning off the brush. Yuck...

Hold your brush at an angel, and I stress the at an angel part! You do not want water running down into your brush handle! Rinse it thoroughly under warm water until the brush and water look clear.

When you've finished rinsing, gently stroke your brush from side to side on a new paper towel. This helps to get the excess water out of your brush. Also, you might notice some color on the paper towel when you first begin this step, but after your brush begins to dry more you'll see that the color is gone! 

Lay your brushes down on their side to dry overnight. Do not stand your brushes up and let water drip down into the handle, it will destroy your brushes! 

Happy Cleaning! If you clean your brushes or have tips, I would love to hear about them! 

Fall Nail Polish

Favorites in my Collection

I adore fall, even if it is toward the ending of a year fall always seems to be a great fresh start. I love the crunchy colorful leaves, the incredible sweater weather, the delicious lattes, pumpkin carving, the amazing candles (okay so I might have a candle problem...), but really what's not to love about fall? As I am obsessed with this lovely season and all the glorious things it brings, I of course have my staple fall nail colors that I look forward to wearing all fall long. I picked my 6 favorites to share with you from my own collection of nail polish and I can't say for certain that all are available in stores anymore, but there are always similar dupes you can find. 

As you can see, I have a mix of colors which I did on purpose because fall is the time to have dark nails but sometimes it's nice to add in a little bit of light into the lives of our nails. The links to purchase all the nail polish colors will be below with their details, but you can find many of these at a variety of stores! 

From left to right:

OPI Boris and Natasha - This is a gorgeous plum polish that isn't too dark. This polish compliments my skin allowing me to go dark for fall without drowning me out to the point where I look like a ghost (if you're fair skinned, you know what I'm talking about!)

Essie Sand Tropez - This perfect neutral is subtle and elegant. It gives you a touch of glam without being too pushy or adventurous, perfect for a professional setting. 

Red Polish - This is an older polish from Ulta that unfortunately is not made anymore which is why I do not have a link for you. It's a deep crimson that gives you a spicy sensuous nail. I did find a dupe of this nail color!

Essie Chinchilly - A light charcoal polish that creates a sleek and edgy look. This is also a great color for a professional setting with a little more oomph to it. 

OPI On the same Paige - Orange nails can be very difficult to wear, you can definitely go too bright and end up looking like you're 10 again which isn't ideal for most. This is my only orange nail polish and I love it because it's a burnt orange and it can still give me that pop of color I crave without looking like I have pumpkins on my fingers. 

Essie Turquoise and Caicos - I'm going to be honest and tell you that when I first got this color (I ordered online) I did not like it. I bought it in the spring and decided to wear it but hated how it looked and didn't really go back to it until two weeks ago. After giving it another shot, I discovered why I hated it last spring...it's a fall color. I thought from the photos it would be perfect for spring but it turns out it really compliments the season of fall. It's a beautiful darker turquoise with a green undertone which makes the polish a bit too dark for spring. The lesson here? Try out your colors in different seasons, you may end up falling in love with them!

Let me know if you try these polishes, I'd love to know what you think! What are your fall favorite polishes?

Thanks for reading! 

Favorite Fall Printables!

Top 5 Fall Printables

The best part? They're all free!

Fall is my favorite season. I love browsing Pinterest and blogs to see what fall printables and DIY projects are out there. I've gathered 5 of my favorite fall printables from wonderful bloggers and wanted to share them with you all! All printables are beautiful and look lovely in my home!

 The first is this fabulous chevron fall printable which you can download here.

Hooray for fall, indeed. I love chalkboard printables, especially this one with it's pops of color!

Who doesn't love subway art? This printable even comes in different color schemes for your liking!

I adore the banner and borders on this incredible fall printable!

Last but not least, this beautiful fall leaf typography printable!

What are your favorite fall printables? 

Thanks for reading!

Welcome to my Beauty Blog!

Welcome Beauty Lovers!

I have my organization/home decor blog and I thought about posting all my beauty/skincare posts on that blog but then decided that beauty needed a blog of it's own! I'm not a professional make-up artist but I do know quite a few things, plus I love seeing and sharing my favorite products and tips! My hope for this blog is to inspire and help, so if you ever have any requests please share them! I realize this post is going to be quite short, but I just wanted to say welcome!

Skin Type Disclaimer...

I have oily, highly sensitive skin. While I will try to cover products good for all skin types, I can't guarantee I will always have an accurate perspective on how products will effect skin types different from mine. I do my research on products before purchasing (which you will come to find out) so if I see that products are not going to work for oily skin or sensitive skin but they may work for dry skin they could be featured here but just know they will not have been tested on my skin.