haul | Sephora VIB Sale

Okay so my last post was all about my spending ban. I did mention that there was an exception, and I was hoping to post something up last week explaining exactly what that exception was, but I had a really busy/stressful week so didn't get around to doing so. 

Long story short, I did not want to miss out on the Sephora's VIB sale since it's not everyday I can purchase at Sephora at a discounted price! Since I was making an exception to my shopping, I also extended the spending ban from only in November up until Christmas. 

So, without further ado, here is what I picked up during the Sephora VIB Sale:

• Clarisonic Normal Brush Head: I was in dire need of replacing my older brush head. It was stained with makeup and looked completely gross!
• Purity Cleanser: This past year, I must of gone through two of the 12 oz bottles so I figured why not purchase the largest size available?
• Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment: I have been eyeing this for a pretty long time, but put off buying because of the price tag. $69 for a facial mask? This has to be a miracle mask! I haven't tried it yet, but am looking forward to my pamper session to try it!
• NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette: I really beat myself up for not purchasing the last cheek palette that NARS put out, so when I saw they came out with another I automatically went on my wish list. This was the last of two at my local Sephora, so I was very happy to have my hands on it. And can I add, the packaging is absolutely beautiful!
• NARS Audacious Lipstick in Charlotte: I was looking for a deep red lipstick for the holidays and wanted to try these new lipstick that everyone has been raving about. I have tried it and have to say, so far I am loving it! A full review will be coming soon. 
• Anastacia Brow Wiz: Another product that I have had my eyes on for a while. I tried it at Sephora about a month ago and was so surprised by how much it differed from my Benefit brow pencil. I won't say much, other than I think I am going to like this one much more!

Did you pick anything up during the Sephora VIB Sale? 

With love,
Esty

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No Spend 'til Christmas

I was organizing my makeup and beauty products a couple of weeks ago and realized that I owned way too many for the space that I have. Not wanting to get rid of most of them, I decided that I was going to try to use them all up. But how could I do that if I was constantly buying new face wash or lipstick to try? My solution was to go on a spending ban. 

Starting November 1st (tomorrow), I will not make any beauty or makeup purchases unless absolutely necessary (example: I run out of ALL of the face wash I own). The plan was for the spending ban to last through November, but with the Sephora VIB sale coming up, I couldn't let those savings pass by! So I decided to extend my spending ban until Christmas. Here are the rules:

1. No purchasing makeup of any kind for myself (except the one listed on my Sephora VIB sale wish list). 
2. No purchasing any hair or body product for myself.
3. Exemption to purchases only if it will be a Christmas gift for somebody else.
4. It is okay to make a purchase for myself if all of that product type is finished (example: all face wash are empty).

I believe that is about it. Let me know if you think I am missing anything. Also feel free to join me so that we can be no spending buddies!

With love,
Esty

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Empties: 01

Hello lovely people! How was your weekend? Mind was not as planned, and I slacked off a little bit, but it's a new day so now I am back on track! Anyways, today I'd thought I'd share with you some of the products I have gone through during the past couple of weeks. I don't like to accumulate too much because I feel as though it takes up too much space (even though it is inside of my closet in a corner inside of a small Victoria's Secret bag.. go figure). 

• Aussie 3 Minute Miracle in Moist: This has to be about the forth or fifth bottle I have gone through, well counting the original 3 Minute Miracle. They recently changed the formulation (or so I believe since they started adding different targeted hair concern like moist) and I am not really a fan. I prefer the original, and for that reason I will not be repurchasing. But if you are looking for an inexpensive hair mask, give this one a try. It is under $5 at the drugstore. 
• Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Shampoo: I am not someone who sticks to one shampoo and doesn't change. I like to switch my shampoos (hair mask and conditioners are another story). This did the job, it got my hair clean and smelled really good. Will I be repurchasing? I am not sure, maybe, but for now I will be trying the next shampoo that grabs my attention. 
• Philosophy Purity Facial Cleanser: I absolutely love this face wash. It gets rid of all of my makeup and leaves my face feeling clean as can be without feeling dry. This is about my third bottle and am planning to pick up a forth on my next trip to Sephora. 
• Nature Bounty Hair Skin and Nails Gummies: A couple of months ago I got a gel manicure, and if you have gotten a gel manicure, you know how damaging the removal process can be. Ever since removing them, my nails have been very fragile and would chip almost everyday. I picked this up randomly at Target, not expecting any results, and was so surprised by how much my nails grew. Not only did they grow long, but they were strong and did not chip once until I cut them! I have been wanting to try Hairfinity, so I am not sure if I will be picking this up anytime soon, but I will definitely repurchase in the future.
• Garnier Skin Renew B.B. Cream in Medium/Deep: I purchased this a while ago, as you can tell from the packaging as it is their old one. I really liked this product and it is a great drugstore B.B. Cream. However, I am not sure if I will be repurchasing since I am currently in search for my holy grail tinted moisturizer. 
• Julep Quick & Dry Nail Polish Drop: I received this in one of my Julep Maven boxes last year and I fell in love! You apply two to three drops over your top coat and your nail polish is virtually dry in no time! I am definitely going to repurchase this when I get around to making a larger Julep order. 
• Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes: I have repurchased this countless of times. I love this because it doesn't dry out, like some other brands that I have tried, and it removes almost all of my makeup. I use this mostly for the face, since I like to use an eye makeup removers for my eyes. It does like a thin layer over your face, but it does not bother me as I wash my face before bed. 
• Origins Super Sport Remover: (Pictured below since I forgot to include in the above pictures!) I have had this in my makeup bag for the past couple of months without touching it. It is not a miracle gel and does not magically remover blemishes over night. It does help reduce in size with some use, but I am not sure if I will be repurchase just yet. I will keep you all posted on that one!

There you have it. My recent empties.

What have you recently finished with plans on repurchasing? 

Esty <3 

Twitter | Bloglovin 

First Impression: Maybelline Browdrama

Hello lovely people! This past week has been a little hectic, from trying to potty train my two year old, to trying to fix my car, I have had very little time to myself. The little time that I had today, I decided to clean out my closet because boy was there a mess in there! 

One thing I did manage to do this past week was stop by target and pick this baby up. I saw it while browsing through a magazine during my downtime at work. I mentioned before that I wanted to try the Benefit brow gel since I love the other two brow products I own. When I saw this, I decided to try this out first before buying the high end one. 

Maybelinne Browdrama is a mascara-like formulation with a wand that fans out at the end. You apply it by going over your brows in the opposite direction in which they grow making them look all out of shape and in need of grooming. You then brush them back into place, leaving you with fuller eyebrows. Because I have never used a product like this before, I have nothing to compare it to. However, I will compare to my other brow groom products. With both the Browzing and Brow Pencil by Benefit, I get a more sculpted and defined look as with this, it just coats the hair on my eyebrows. I will admit that it does help with thicken my eyebrows, which I really like. I think this will be a product that I can use layer with another brow shaper, like my Browzing and not really on it's own. After applying it, my eyebrows also felt a little stiff, but it was not uncomfortable and soon the feeling went away. 

So far, I am really enjoying using this product and I will continue to play with it until I find a way that works best for me. I will report to you guys when that happens!

Have you tried brow sculpting mascara like this one before? 

Esty <3 

Twitter | Bloglovin 

Everyday Makeup Routine

When it comes to makeup, I am very minimalist on an everyday bases. I barely even wear eyeshadow! I like my makeup to look as natural as possible, with as little effort as possible, hence why I use less than nine products daily. I also want to be able to remove my makeup as quick as possible before bed!

• Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer:  I have been using this for about a year now and love it! It is not too heavy, have the right amount of coverage for me, and great for everyday use. I am currently running low on it and purchased Smashbox Camera Ready tinted moisturizer to replace it. I didn't repurchase this one only because my nearest Sephora is one within JcPenny and unfortunately, they do not carry Laura Mercier. 
• Garnier Eye Roller: I love this for covering up my dark circles. I don't have really bad dark circles, so it works great for me. If you have really bad dark circles, I would not recommend it. 
• Maybelline Falsies Mascara: My favorite mascara is Benefit's They're Real, but I ran out and this is what I had in my collection. I decided to finish this before I purchased another mascara. It is pretty good, but nothing compared to Benefit's They're Real! Along with my mascara, I have to curl my lashes with my Shiseido eyelash curler. 

• Benefit Hoola Bronzer: I absolutely love this bronzer! It is so easy to apply and blend, and great for bronzing/contouring. I was using Nars Laguna before this bronzer, and am so happy I made the switch.
• NARS Amour and Tarte Magic: Currently, these are my two favorite blushes. I switch back and forth between the two. They both have a bit of coral in them, but I find that the Tarte Magic is a little bit more toned down than NARS Amour. Both so pigmented and go on very smoothly. NARS Amour is a little dry, but I don't mind it over my wet tinted moisturizer. 
• Benefit Brow Zings and Instant Brow Pencil: I cannot leave my house without doing my eyebrows! My eyebrows are not very full so if I don't fill them in, it can look like I don't have any. Okay maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but that's how it looks in my head! Anyways, I like using one of these two products everyday. I use the Brow Zings when I am looking for a more bold eyebrow, and the Instant Brow Pencil when I want something that is more natural looking. 

As you can clearly see, I didn't include any lipstick because that is the one thing I change everyday. 

Is your makeup routine as simple as mine, or do you like to wear a lot more makeup? 

Esty <3 

Twitter | Bloglovin 

Current Nail Polish Rotation

So I have a thing where I rotate between four to six nail polish every month or so. It helps me make use all of my nail polish so that I am not constantly applying the same ones. It also lets me appreciate the ones I have, which reduces the likelihood of purchasing new ones. Lastly, reminds me to actually find time to paint my nails because, lets be honest, sometimes I just becomes hard to find time with a toddler!

From L to R: Essie Midnight Cami, Essie School of Hard Rocks, Essie Carry On, Julep Laura 

Anyways, I'd thought I'd share with you my current nail polish in my rotation for the month of October!

I usually stay away from bright colors, so naturally, autumn is my favorite season because of darker nail polish are in. Essie Midnight Cami is a deep navy with shimmer. I love this color because its not your ordinary blue; the shimmer in it gives the color dimension. Next, Essie School of Hard Rocks is a beautiful teal cream. It is a beautiful color, but I will admit that I was very disappointed after discovering that Essie had created a very similar color last year called Vested Interest. Essie Carry On is my next polish, a deep plum. It is the perfect fall color and I come back to it every year! Last, but certainly not least, Julep Laura, an olive green creme. I love almost all of Julep nail polish that I have tried and think they are definitely worth the high price tag. Laura is opaque and applies smoothly with just one coat, I do, however, like to finish it off with a second coat to make it even more opaque and long lasting.

What nail polish have you been using for this fall season?

Esty <3 

Twitter | Bloglovin 

haul | TJ Maxx

Hello lovelies,

A new TJ Maxx recently opened up around my house and I decided to stop by today. I picked up a couple of things because, well, I just couldn't resist!

I was undecided between these shoes and another booties by Guess. I decided to go with these by Jessica Simpson because they seemed a lot more versatile than the booties. I can dress these up for a night out and dress them down a bit for work. Did I mention that they were only $50!

I also picked up a shower cap, mostly because I forgot to buy one at Target while I was there. This one was really cute, however, and I am so glad I purchased it! Time to shower in style!

While I was looking around the hair and beauty section of TJ Maxx, both of these Macademia Natural Oil products caught my eyes. I have used the Macademia Deep Hair Masque before, but have never tried any of their other products. They had a couple more Macademia products, but I decided to stick with these two. I am very excited to try them! Expect a review soon on these babies!

Anyways, have you guys recently purchase anything exciting? I don't know why, but I am super excited to try everything I picked up! 

current wish list

Hello lovely people! How is your Columbus day going? Baby and I have stayed in all day, watching TV,  napping (baby not me), and eating. Today has seriously been the most unproductive day of the year, which is why I am bringing you this post today, my current wish list. 

Yes, I have two purses, but seriously they are my obsession! Both are Michael Kors, one is the Michael Kors Large Selma Studded Saffiano Tote and the other is the Michael Kors Jet Set Medium Saffiano Travel Tote. Both are so beautiful and classy and would look absolutely lovely with any outfit! Chances are, I will not be owning these anytime soon, but there is nothing wrong with wishing, right? I have also been eyeing the Origins Antioxidant Moisturizer with White Tea. I will be honest, the only high end moisturizer I have tried is by Clinique, which works great for me, but I have just been curious since I have been reading so much about this one. Surprisingly, there is only one nail polish on my wish list at the moment, which is the OPI Wonderous Star from their Mariah Carey 2013 Holiday collection. I first saw this on Amy's Blog and fell in love! Lastly, Benefit Rockateur Blush. I am sure you have all seen these, and are most likely tired of it, but it just seems like a beautiful everyday blush that I am dying to get my hands on!

Have you tried any of these products (or bags)? What are your thoughts?

FOTD | red lip on a rainy day

Hello lovely people! How are you all doing today? Today is such a gloomy and rainy day. Personally, these days are one of my favorites, to cuddle up with your loved ones and watch a movie or two. What is your favorite rainy day activity?

It will officially be the end of the week for me once I finish taking an online exam for one of my classes. While I waited, I figured I do a quick FOTD post. Because the weather is so gloomy, I wanted something simply, but not boring. Here is what I came up with:

Blush: Mixture of Nars Orgasm and MAC Plum Foolery

Bronzer: Nars Laguna

Brows: Benefit Brow Zing in Dark

Lashes: Mixture of L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black and Maybelline One by One

Lips: MAC Russian Red

And there you go, a quick and easy look for a rainy day. I did not even apply tinted moisturizer or BB cream as I wanted it to be THAT simple.

What kind of looks do you like for rainy days?

haul | mac cosmetics

Hello lovely ladies (and gents, if any)! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good, got tons of school work done and spent some time with my gorgeous girl (my daughter haha). I also received of couple of packages in the mail, one of which was from MAC RiRi Hearts Mac Collection.

I picked up two lipsticks from the collection, Talk That Talk and RiRi Woo (I will not include the lather as I picked it up for a friend as a gift). I also purchased Rebel since I have had my eyes on it for some time now. These two are seriously perfect for the fall!

Talk That Talk is a dark plum with a retro matte finish. Now, I am not exactly sure whats the difference between retro matte and matte is, but I will say that this lipstick is very difficult to apply. It is a gorgeous plum, but seeing how difficult it is to apply, I am not sure how often I will use it. Because this lipstick is a limited edition, it is encased in a gorgeous gold packaging with Rhianna's signature on the cap. The lipstick also has her signature on the actual lipstick. I will continue playing with this lipstick and see if I can find an easier way to apply it.

Rebel is a midtone plum with a satin finish. I have seen this lipstick on tons of ladies with different skin tones and it amazes me how well it suits everyone! Definitely recommend this color to anyone, no matter their skin tone.

Did you pick up anything from RiRi Hearts Mac Collection?

top 5 fall nail polish

Hey girlies! It is finally Friday, seriously! This week was super quick for me, but it was just so stressful and tiring! I had two exams, a lab report, and two quiz. On top of that, I woke up two hours earlier yesterday, so I was super exhausted! Definitely happy that I am done for the week!

Anyways, since my last post was such an unhappy post about Essie and how they rename a color, I figured I do my top five fall nail polish. Because I do own so many polish, this was a really hard decision, but I managed to pick five.

Essie Armed and Ready: I purchased this polish last year and wore it about twice. I am not sure why I did not wear more often because it is an absolutely gorgeous color, in my opinion. Currently on my nails, it is an olive green with golden shimmers. The shimmers are not very visible when not in a well lit place, but when you are able to see them, they are lovely! One thing I will say is that I am not a big fan of the small brush on Essie's nail polish, but it is something I am willing to overlook.

Essie Carry On: My first nail polish was a burgundy, not sure why as it is a pretty dark color for a 14 year old, but I loved it. I felt so mature and wore it all the time. Essie Carry On definitely reminds me of that color, but a little more on the purple side. Nonetheless, it is a gorgeous color for the Fall. 

OPI Dulce de Leche: In my opinion, this has to be one of the prettiest nude pinks ever. Honestly, I think it can be warn year round, but I included it here because I personally like to wear lots of neutral colors during the Fall. Summer and Spring are the time where I like to experiment with bright colors that are more out there. And unlike Essie, OPI has a much larger brush, making the application much smoother and faster.

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark: A deep purple, almost black. I love wearing this because it is not just a plain old black and makes my hands look so nice and polish. This is definitely one of my all time favorite dark fall color.

Julep Boris and Nicole: This is a gorgeous red-orange with sparkles that I love wearing during November because it reminds me so much of Thanksgiving! There is an Essie color that can be a dupe for this Julep, which is the one I originally purchased, but I missed place it and purchased this one. I honestly can't remember the name of the Essie polish. One thing I love about Julep is their packaging, it is so different from any other polish I own.

What are your favorite polish for the fall?

NOTD | same color different names?

Hello lovelies, how have you been? I'm been pretty busy these past two week, with my daughter getting into the swing of head start, school assignments, and getting a dog about a week ago! The story behind the dog is kind of funny actually, my family and I wanted a puppy and a friend of ours was giving his away because he just couldn't take care of her anymore. Well, we jumped at the opportunity, thinking she was a young dog. We were told she was 11 months, then 8, but then gave us a paper dating back to 2011. So we aren't sure how old she is, and won't know until the end of the week when we take her to the vet. We still love her very much, she grew on us pretty quickly! My 13 month old is still getting used to her, but we know she will absolutely love having her in her life.

Anyways, enough rambling and let's get to the point of this post. So I recently picked up two new color from Essie's 2013 Fall Collection,  Vested Interest and For The Twill of It. I fell in love with both when I saw swatches of them online so I had to pick them up. The same day that I received them in the mail I decided to pull out all of my fall colors, and what do I find? Essie School of Hard Rock from a collection released in 2011, the exact same color as one of my new polish, just renamed!

I know, I am being such a drama queen, but seriously?! Why would Essie release two polish from different collection that were the EXACT color just different names? I decided to test out my theory and painted my nails with both polish. On my left I applied Vested Interest and on my right School of Hard Rock. Well, the colors look the same on the bottle and on my nails as well.

School of Hard Rocks on my right

Vested Interest on my left

I was a bit disappointed that Essie would do that, but I guess its my own fault for owning so many nail polish! Either way, both colors are beautiful grey-green and perfect for fall! I would say that Vested Interest lasted a little longer without chipping, but it could just be because I use my right hand more than I use my left. 

What new colors have you picked up recently?

current favorites | september 2013

I am someone who usually gets into a routine and rarely changes it, which is why I won't be having monthly favorites. When it comes to makeup, I tend to fall in love with certain products and sometimes fall into a rut, but I don't mind it. Hope you enjoy! 

Nars Laguna/Orgasm Duo... I recently hit pan on the bronzer. This is my most used bronzer and blush. Well, actually, I'll be honest, this is my not bronzer. I used to own a bronzer by Sephora, but I don't remember the name and I absolutely loved it. The bronzer shattered on me, so I picked this one upand have been using it since. I want to try Benefit Honolulu, but until then, I am loving my Laguna bronzer.

Benefit They're Real Mascara... I received this on my birthday as part of the Sephora birthday gift. I wanted to try this since it was released because of all the rave it received, but I just couldn't let myself spend so much on a mascara. At first, i just didnt see what all the rave was about, it was just a regular mascara. Now, well it's all I use, along with my Loreal Voluminious in Carbon Black. I pair these two mascaras for long and volumized eyelashes that look like falsies but without the hassle of actual falsies.

Benefit Brow Zing... I started using this about a year ago and I have never looked back. This makes my eyebrows look so full and natural. I have very thin brows which I absolutely hate, I don't leave my house without filling them in. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good brow shadow. 

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mauve Night... I recently picked this up at the drugstore. I wanted an everyday lipstick for fall, and this is exactly what this is. The formulation is amazing, creamy and shiny. I always wear this on its own, without any lipgloss, because it already has shine on its own. I'm not sure how long it last, haven't really notice, but will definitely keep track when I wear it next so I can do a full review! 

So that's all ladies, my current favorite. What have you been loving lately? 

tip of the day | makeup and skincare

Hey lovelies, how was your weekend? Baby and I were both feeling a little under the weather, so we spent most of it indoors. On Sunday, we went to church then to my mothers house to spend some time with her. Other than that, our weekend was not pretty eventful.

Today, I thought I'd write a quick little post on a makeup and skincare tip I think most of us know, just don't follow. That is cleaning your makeup brushes. Yes, a tedious task but one that will make a world of difference in makeup application and on the health of your skin. It's recommended to deep clean your brushes once a month, but I will be honest, I used to do it about every three months. It's not so much because I'm lazy, but I just forgot to make time for cleaning my brushes.

For the past six months, I have been setting a reminder on my phone the first Sunday of every month to clean my brushes and I have noticed a dramatic difference in my skin and makeup application. If you think about, when you use your brushes over your breakouts, you continue to spread the bacteria that caused the breakouts over your face every time you use it. This causes you to continue breaking out and never heal. So if you have problem with breakouts, I recommend you make time to clean your brushes monthly and you will notice your face will be clearer. As for makeup application, well the buildup of eyeshadow, foundation, blush, and other makeup products on our brushes doesn't allow the true color to be applied. I personally have multiple eyeshadow brushes so that I can use one for about a week and not have to worry about cleaning it until the beginning of the next month.

How often do you wash your brushes? Do you forget like I used to? 

review | nyx jumbo eye pencil in iced mocha

On my recent trip to Target, I purchased the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil. I've seen plenty of tutorials on YouTube using this as a base so I was pretty excited to try it. I expected it to be long lasting without a primer, but was not impressed. Maybe I tried it on really humid day, or I just have really oily lids, but this eye pencil only last about 4 hours before it started to crease and fade. I'm sure with some primer it would last a lot longer, but isn't it just disappointing when you are expecting a lot more from a product and it just doesn't follow through? Personally, Maybelline Color Tattoo is better because it last a lot longer without a primer.

As for the color, it is a beautiful bronzy gold that will look great on anyone. The formulation is creamy and goes on very smoothly. My one complain about this product is the longevity of it, but hey, it is pretty inexpensive so with some primer, it will do. 

NYX haul | target

Target is seriously going to make me broke! Every time I go in, I end up spending way more than I planned for. On Friday, I decided to glance over by the makeup section while I was doing my grocery, not really looking for anything, and I found a NYX section! When did Target start selling NYX?! Because I was there about a week ago and did not see it! 

Anyways, I couldn't leave with purchasing anything. I have never tried anything from NYX, but have heard so many good things about it from the beauty community, so I am pretty excited to try these beauties out.

1. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Nude Peach

2. Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Antwerp

3. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha

What's your favorite NYX product?

review | olay fresh effects shine minimizing cleanser

I recently received the Paradise VoxBox from Influenster with a couple of items to review, one of them being the Olay Fresh Effects Shine Minimizing Cleanser. I started using it the same night I received it, excited to try it since I have seen it at Target, just never picked it up. 

It claims to help control shine and act like a mask but work like a cleanser. I am somebody who absolutely love mask, just don't have the time to use them. When I think of a mask, I think of relaxation, and lets face it, there is very little relaxing going on being a stay at home mom of a 12 month old and full time student. Very rarely do I get to use a mask, so I was pretty excited to give this a try.

The cleanser is grey with a fruity scent and it reminds me a lot of a cleanser I used when I was younger.  It is sort of like a cream, but not exactly. When I tried this cleanser, I had a couple of blemishes. I tried the cleanser Monday night and it definitely felt like I had applied a mask for 30 minutes. My face felt very clean and refreshed, but not dried. When I woke up Tuesday morning, my face was clearer, but it is not a miracle cleanser, so I still had a few blemishes. On Tuesday, I decided to test it for shine control. I washed my face around noon with it and checked continuously throughout the day for shine. It definitely helped with the shine, something I suffer with on my T-zone, but I didn't wear any makeup. However, it was pretty hot, so I guess that something. 

This cleanser is something I will definitely repurchase in the future. It makes my face feel like I have pampered it, but only did a routine face wash. Something I would definitely recommend.

Have you tried this product or anything from this line? What are you thoughts?

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.