holiday favorites | 2016

A brief note | The last few months have been silent on wisconsinwhimsy, and I’d like to apologize and explain why. As many in the blogging community know, it can be overwhelming to constantly generate content, create/shoot/edit images, respond to comments, and keep up with the maintenance of a website. For those of us whose blogs are a passionate hobby rather than a source of income, finding the motivation to tackle all of the intricacies of blogging in addition to our jobs, families, and outside commitments can be incredibly challenging. The past few months have been stressful and at times unhappy for me mentally, but I am pleased to say that I have accepted a new job and am hopeful that this new endeavor will take a heavy burden off of my shoulders, allowing me to dedicate more time to blogging. Thank you for your patience and readership! I adore you!

The ChrismaHannuKwanzaaka season is my favorite time of year. I would keep a Christmas tree and decorations up year round if my husband would let me! There’s something about twinkling lights, rich jewel tones, chunky sweaters, warm food, cozy blankets, and the joyful spirit of friends and family that makes this season feel particularly special. Did I get carried away there?

Unfortunately we won’t get to experience the same kiss of winter air that we’re used to in Okinawa, but I can’t really complain about sunny and 75 in December, can I? This [comparatively] warm weather won’t stop me from rocking a wine-red lip, glittery lids, and a chunky knit sweater though! Here are my 10 picks for this holiday season:

1 | Coty Airspun Powder – Translucent Extra Coverage / $11, Amazon / I recently scooped this up and have been loving it. I have extremely oily skin and this keeps me matte for nearly my entire work day! I also have very textured skin and it somehow works voodoo magic and makes me look flawless. Great stuff. Fair warning, it smells very strongly of ‘old lady smell,’ so if you’re scent-sensitive, you might want to skip this one. Also: you can get it for cheaper if a Walmart is nearby!

2 | Colourpop Lippie Stix Matte in Ellarie / $5, Colourpop / My obsession with Colourpop is basically never-ending, I know, but stay with me: the Lippie Stix are the creamiest, dreamiest, pigmentiest (not a word, roll with it) lippies ever. And you need them. Especially this one – it’s a deep cranberry with a finish somewhere between satin and matte and perfect for embracing your inner sugar plum fairy.

3 | Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter in Radiant Lights / $6, Ulta / I’ve raved about this highlighter before on wisconsinwhimsy, and it’s still in my regular highlighter rotation. It’s not glittery at all and packs a buildable glow that’s perfect for icing out your extended family at holiday dinners.

4 | L’Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black / $10, Ulta / My go-to mascara. If you want long, dramatic lashes, this should be in your hand and on your face. It’s pretty cheap and I reach for it more than I do my high-end wands. Stay fierce, my friends.

5 | Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Soft Brown / $21, Sephora / Need your brow game on point this holiday season? Brow Wiz is your friend. I love the quick, precise application, and it’s easy to find your shade. This is my favorite ABH product!

6 | Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner / $22, Sephora / If this eyeliner can survive my wedding day tears, it can survive your inevitable forced-to-be-in-the-same-house-as-your-relatives holiday meltdown tears.

7 | elf Studio Blush in Berry Merry / $3, elf / I’ve repurchased this blush a handful of times now, and I love it for the holidays. It’s a deep berry with gold shimmer. The ideal blush to go with Ellarie!

8 | China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Ravishing, Dahling / $7.50, Ulta / If Kissin’ Kate Barlow were alive in 2016, this would be her new signature polish. It’s bold, daring, and bad ass, just like her.

9 | Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray / $18, Ulta / I’m going to be honest with y’all for a moment here. I can’t do hair. My hair styles could be considered worse than most Pinterest fails. That said, this hairspray is pretty fabulous and even helps disguise my dry shampoo’d, poorly curled locks as voluminous magazine hair.

10 | Philosophy Shampoo, Shower Gel, & Body Wash in Christmas Cookie / $12 ON SALE, Ulta / I raved about this last Christmas, and maybe even the Christmas before that. It’s one of my favorite beauty products of the holiday season EVER, and that’s why I’ll forever include it on these lists. This scent is like bath crack. I want it as a body lotion, candle, and pillow spray. Because I’m that in love with it.

Have a merry Christmas, happy New Year, and festive insert-other-holiday-here!

 

June Favorites

I cannot believe it’s already July! I hope everyone in the States had a wonderful Independence Day weekend. June was a wonderful month for me – I finally started to settle into our new house, we completed the adoption process on our adorable 3-year old Labrador, and I made some amazing new memories with my husband. I’ve been wearing less makeup than ever – but (and I’m sure you’ll be able to tell based on my faves!) only because I have been loving a natural, glowy look with nearly-bare skin, highlighted cheekbones, and soft pink lips.

Clinique Color Surge Eyeshadow in Lucky Penny // $16, discontinued // I’ve owned this shadow for quite a long time – I want to say I purchased it two summers ago, but since I usually reach for one of my palettes, it’s been a little neglected. Recently I’ve been trying to cycle older products into my routine, and I realized how much I love this shadow! It’s an intensely shimmered copper that blends like a dream and has that coveted creamy texture of high end powders. I love it. Sadly, Clinique discontinued it, so unless you want to fork out the big bucks for it on eBay or Amazon, you’ll have to settle for a dupe such as CoverGirl’s Mink.

Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick // $25, Ulta // I reviewed this a while back (read here) and really liked it, but for some reason it got tossed into the abyss that is my lipstick collection. It’s a buildable lipstick that can go from a tinted balm to a pigmented stain in just a few swipes. I think it’s so fun that it looks green in the tube but shows up rosy pink on the lips! It’s a great lippie to keep in your bag.

Yankee Candle Wax Tarts in Lemon Lavender + Sage & Citrus // $1.99 ea, Yankee Candle // Y’all. I have a Yankee Candle addiction (my husband will confirm this). It’s one of those iconic brands that follows you into adulthood – I still remember my mom burning their candles as a kid. I used to be a huge candle junkie, but here in our new house, we have a lot more space – so I’ve been using my wax warmers more often because, quite frankly it’s a lot more cost effective to melt wax in each room than it is to buy full size candles. These two scents are pretty self explanatory, and they’re perfect spring-to-summer transitional scents.

Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter in Radiant Lights // $6, Ulta // This highlighter is really popular in the blog world lately, and I know I’ve written about it before on wisconsinwhimsy. It’s cheap, it’s gorgeous, and you get a good amount of product. I have a handful of high end highlighters, and yet this is the one I reach for almost every day! I would say the pigmentation is middle of the road, but that’s actually a pro for me, since it gives me a little more control over the opacity.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone // deluxe sample, but full size is $41 at Ulta // If you read my last beauty blog about the Best of Becca Blushed Radiance kit, you probably already know why I love this product. It’s perfect for a sheer-to-medium intensity glow, and it feels really lightweight on the skin. Moonstone is a great shade for light skin like mine!

Wet n Wild 1 Step Wondergel in Stay Classy // $4.99, Target // I purchased this at the Exchange with a coupon, so I only paid $2.99 which was a steal! Stay Classy is a cool-toned mauve, and I would definitely say it’s a year-round color. I didn’t bring my UV gel kit with me to Japan, so I’ve been using regular polish on my nails lately. I’m hard on my nails, though, and it’s hard for me to find polish formulas that I actually like! I’ve had this on my nails for 5 days now, and while it doesn’t look like a fresh mani, it does still look pretty good for a home nail job. It hasn’t chipped at all, rather just worn down on the tips of my nails. I’ll definitely repurchase this in other shades!

What were your favorite beauty products this June? Let me know in the comments below!

 

March 2016 Favorites

  
Forgive me for being a week late – we are so close to our moving date and I’ve had a lot on my plate! March has been a fun month, and I can’t believe April is already upon us. I think every month that I blog about my favorites I write something to the effect of being surprised at the passage of time. But it really does shock me at how quickly it seems to pass! The past few weeks I have really been loving a light, fresh faced look, and my favorites for this month definitely reflect that!

Fizz & Bubble Large Bath Bombs // $6 // Ulta / A friend of mine gifted me a few of these. I love taking baths to de-stress, so this was a perfect gift! They smell fantastic and the fizz is fun. The Hawaiian Lei one did turn my bath water a little blue, but other than that I haven’t noticed that they have any special effects like LUSH bath bombs typically do. If that’s not important to you, definitely check these out! I actually dropped the Lavender Fields one in a bath right after I finished taking these photos and it left my skin feeling super soft!

Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in Peony // $5 // Target / If you’re like me and love the peppermint tingle of Burt’s Bees lip balm but also like a little color on your lips, this is a great product. Peony is a shimmery soft rose pink shade. This is a perfect everyday product and I love that it’s just a tinted balm! I also have the shades Fig and Rhubarb.

Nyx Micro Brow Pencil in Taupe // $10 // Ulta / I’ve been on the hunt for a product similar to Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz (my fave brow tool!) because I go through it so quickly and it’s expensive. At half the price, this is an amazing product! Taupe isn’t the perfect shade for me, but my Target is always out of stock of most Nyx products, so I didn’t have a choice! They only had the shades Taupe and Espresso. I think that Ash Brown is probably the shade I need, so I’m going to try to find it on my next trip to Ulta, but for now the Taupe is actually working really well! I love that it’s a super skinny pencil, which allows you to make precise lines and draw in what looks like natural brow hairs. It is a little on the dry side, but I can look past that for the price! I will definitely be repurchasing this when the time comes.

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation in Warm Ivory // $11 // Ulta / This foundation was recommended to me by Emaly over at The Traveler’s Wife, and although it’s definitely not one of my favorite foundations ever, I have been using it a lot! I typically reach for matte foundations that give me a flat look and keep me from getting oily. With the summer months ahead, I’ve been going for a more laid-back and natural look. This foundation has a satin finish that gets a little dewy on me throughout the day. It’s medium coverage and does actually feel a little hydrating, which surprised me! For a drugstore foundation, I think it’s pretty good. My only complaint is that it builds up a lot of gunk in my brushes.

Benefit They’re Real Tinted Primer // $24 // Ulta / This is a deluxe sample, but I am seriously considering buying the full size! This is not your average mascara, and unlike the regular formula of They’re Real, it’s much softer on your lashes. The original They’re Real formula seems to dry to a really hard, crusty finish, and is nearly impossible to wash off. This formula is in a deep brown shade, and can be worn in place of mascara, or underneath. It gives a really pretty false-lash effect that basically makes your natural lashes look super long. If you have blonde hair, I think this is an amazing product! My eyelashes are nearly see-through without mascara, so this is perfect for the laid-back look I’ve been going for.

Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream // $42 // Sephora / I honestly have no idea where I got this from! It must have come in a kit or as a deluxe sample, because I don’t believe that you can buy this small size on its own. I randomly found this in one of my beauty bags and have been using it in favor of my beloved Clinique Dramatically Different moisturizing gel, which I ran out of. This is more of a day cream, so it’s pretty thick, but it doesn’t make me oily or greasy at all! It also smells fabulous.

Chapstick Total Hydration in Soothing Vanilla // $3 // Walmart / I’ve mentioned my anxious habit of picking the skin on my lips several times before, and I’m always trying out new lip products to help heal them. My usual go-tos, Vaseline Lip Therapy and Bag Balm, are not very portable. I love that this comes in a twist-up tube, and also that it feels super lightweight on the lips. The smell isn’t very noticeable, but I don’t mind. I also have the coconut flavor, but I feel like the formula is different in that one so I’m sticking with the Soothing Vanilla!

Aveda Smoothing Body Polish // discontinued? // Aveda / I searched everywhere on the internet for this and was only able to locate it on eBay and Amazon from unauthorized sellers. I am assuming that this product has been discontinued, which is a huge bummer! I love using this body scub before fake tanning. It has a soothing scent and leaves my skin soft and prepped for a tan.

doTERRA Lavender Essential Oil // $28 for 15 ml // doTERRA / Coping with anxiety can be complicated and difficult. This move has really heightened my anxiety, so I’ve found myself using this essential oil regularly. One of my favorite products is Aveda’s Stress Fix oil, which is a blend that includes lavender and clary sage. For a stronger aroma, I like to dab this oil on my wrists, behind my ears, and dabbed on my neck and chest. I find that turning the lights out and simply taking deep breaths and smelling the aroma are very calming. This was a gift from my sweet Aunt-in-Law and I am so grateful to her for sharing this with me because it’s been really helpful and healing for me!

That is all for March! If you have any product recommendations please leave them in the comments below so I have time to pick them up before we leave for Japan!

xoxo Shelbie

Spring Polish Picks!

Hi lovelies, happy March! This is just a quick post, but I’ve been enjoying doing my nails at home lately and figured I would share some of my favorite fun nail polish picks for the spring season!

   

From left to right:
Essie Nail Lacquer in Sequin Stash
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Get Juiced 
Sinful Colors in Mint Apple
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Punch Drunk
Essie Nail Lacquer in Blanc
OPI Nail Lacquer in Strawberry Margarita 

 

I’m currently wearing Strawberry Margarita and it’s so bright and fun! What are your favorite polishes for spring? Let me know in the comments below! 💕

February 2016 Favorites!

Wow – I can’t believe the end of February is already here! This is probably the first favorites blog I’ve had up on time in all of WisconsinWhimsy history, so let’s take a moment to relish that.

For kicks, I thought I would go back and read my favorites post from February of 2015, and it was a fun throwback. I actually still use quite a few of the products I blogged about in that post! This month, I’ve been wearing less makeup and embracing a fresh, clean face. My acne was almost completely gone for a couple of weeks in January, and then came back with a vengeance in the early weeks of February, so I’ve been trying to take extra good care of my skin. I’ve recently started oil cleansing, so I’ll blog about that once I’ve had the opportunity to gather my thoughts on it! Here are my favorites for February of 2016:

Juicy Couture’s Viva La Juicy perfume // $74 for 1.7oz // Sephora / We’ve established that I’m terrible at describing fragrances, so I’ll spare you. I will say that this is my favorite spring perfume, and it’s lightly fruity without making you smell like a middle schooler. The packaging is chunky and gaudy, in true Juicy Couture fashion!

WoodWick Wax Melts in Berry Passion // $5 // Kohl’s / Our apartment here in North Carolina is a 1-bedroom with an open concept, and it really bothers me that kitchen smells spread into other rooms and linger. I picked these wax melts up on a trip to Kohl’s and have been really enjoying the fruity, springy scent! My husband complains that I only ever use woodsy scents (I’m convinced that the smell of cedar soothes the soul), so this was me branching out to appease him.

Dermablend Intense Powder Camo // $32 // Ulta / I picked this up at Ulta a few months ago without knowing anything about it, and I’m so impressed. What I love about powder foundations is that you can buff them in and go – they take me much less time to apply than liquid products. This is a medium-full buildable coverage powder. I have the shade Beige, which is yellow-undertoned and fair, which is nearly impossible for me to find in drugstore foundations! I apply it with a flat buki brush (think Sigma F80 or F87) and buff. It covers all of my acne blemishes, but it’s not great at covering dark circles, so I still use undereye concealer.

Clinique Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick in Beauty // $17 // Sephora / Matte lipsticks and liquid lipsticks are all the rage lately, but since I have extremely dry lips and a bad anxious habit of peeling them, I try to avoid matte lip products altogether. Surprisingly, I actually find this lipstick to be a little moisturizing! Beauty is a classic rose shade and is perfect for basic, everyday looks. This is the ideal lipstick for tossing in your bag to have on hand any time you want to polish off your look.

Arbonne Clear Future Intensive Acne Spot Treatment // $30 // Arbonne / Disclaimer that I received this product for free from Arbonne for testing. A few months ago, Arbonne generously sent me the entire Clear Future line and a self tanner. I’ve been using the line pretty strictly, and definitely noticed an improvement in my acne. I’ve used many drugstore spot treatments before, most of which were primarily benzoyl peroxide treatments. This one is 2% salicylic acid, and I’ve noticed that it works especially well on my cystic acne bumps.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara // $8 // Ulta / I use mascara every day and honestly I hate spending more than $10 on it because I go through it so quickly! Lately, I’ve been using this drugstore find. I have to use two coats in order to get a bold effect, but it isn’t clumpy at all and I love that it doesn’t flake or smear. I think this is a versatile mascara, because one coat gives a very natural look, and two or three coats build up to dramatic, fanned out lashes.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, & Rosewater // $7 for 4oz // Nordstrom / I looove the smell of rose anything, so this facial spray is right up my alley. I tested it several months ago at an Urban Outfitters, and liked it so much that I eventually bought it. I wouldn’t rely on this spray as a makeup setting spray, simply because I haven’t noticed that it extends the wear of my makeup. It does, however, refresh my skin and leave it feeling hydrated and healthy, especially on days that I’m wearing a more full coverage look. The 40z bottle is compact enough to keep in my bag, which is a plus as well.

Do you have any recommendations for things I should try in March? We are moving to Japan in just 27 days (insert panic attack here) so I want to snag any must-haves here in America before we depart!

Happy Friday and Leap Year!

xx Shelbie

January 2016 Favorites!

Wow! I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I started Wisconsin Whimsy. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we will have our new camera in, so I’ll be improving my camera setup 😊 January is such a dreary month for me, and this cold spell certainly hasn’t helped! This favorites list isn’t very beauty-heavy, but rest assured that my February favorites will be full of fab new finds!

Hempz Fresh Coconut + Watermelon body lotion // $23 // Ulta / Dry skin is brutal for me this time of year, so I slather on a layer of this lotion every day. The smell is really indescribable (it doesn’t smell like watermelon or coconut to me) but it smells so delicious that I practically want to gnaw my own arm off after applying it! My husband uses it too, so I’d say it’s pretty unisex, and the scent isn’t long lasting either, which can be both a plus and a negative depending on your fragrance preferences. I love how lightweight it feels on my skin, and it doesn’t leave me feeling greasy or sticky.

Burberry Brit Eau de Toilette // $72 // Nordstrom / This is such a warm, comforting, and timeless scent to me. It’s my go-to fragrance during the colder months. It’s feminine, yet not overpowering, and lasts for several hours on my skin. Love!

White Barn Candle Co 3 wick Mahogany Coconut candle // $22.50 // Bath & Body Works / B&BW describes this as “a sophisticated blend of rare mahogany and creamy coconut milk layered over soft sandalwood.” I describe it as a woodsy-vanilla coconut scent that’s honestly kind of sexy??? (Clearly they’re a little better at describing things) I’ve been burning this in our bedroom and loving the sanctuary atmosphere it creates.

Primula Cold Brew Travel Bottle // $33 // Overstock / I haven’t blogged about it yet, but I recently moved to North Carolina to (finally!) be with my husband. Somewhere in the chaos of moving, we made it here without a coffee maker. Since my husband doesn’t drink coffee unless it’s 50% sugar, 40% creamer, and 10% actual coffee, he wasn’t eager to buy a new brewer. I found this cold brew travel bottle on clearance at the exchange on base for around $13. It’s pretty neat – the bottom screws off and there’s a perforated metal filter that you can fill with coffee grounds. Top it off with water, stash in the refrigerator, and forget about it for 20 hours, and you’ve got 20oz of delicious cold brew coffee! 20 hours is kind of a long estimate, in my opinion, since I usually fill it around dinner time and take it out in the am with no problem, however that is the manufacturer’s recommendation. This has been a great single-serve solution to my coffee dilemma!

Orly Color Amp’d Flexible Color polish in On The List // $8 // Target / This is a beautiful metallic rose gold polish that’s a perfect feminine touch during this chilly cold spell! I found that one coat gave medium opacity, and two coats was perfect. It dries really quickly, and the science behind the polish is pretty neat as well! It’s supposed to essentially self-heal from dings and marks, which I can confirm. It chips easily on its own, so be sure to seal it with a top coat!

Star Wars: The Complete Saga // $100 // Target / I did not grow up watching any of the Star Wars movies, but my husband and I saw the new Disney addition, The Force Awakens, on a date night and I loved it! We borrowed this complete set from a friend, although I imagine we’ll end up purchasing it ourselves. We’ve been watching a new episode each week and I’ve fallen in love with the series!

On a more personal note, December and January have been huge months for us. I graduated college with a Bachelor of Business Administration, my husband reenlisted for another four years and got orders to Okinawa, Japan (which I will detail in a separate blog post for my milspouse readers!), and I made the move here to North Carolina! It’s been very busy, but I’m so excited to see what new adventures are in store for us in 2016!

-Shelbie

 

September Favorites

How in the world is it October already?! September is one of my favorite months. The weather starts to cool down and leaves begin to change colors…and fall comes! My favorite season of the year ♥  I may not be into PSLs, but I am into a great fall lip, and those are the forerunners of my September faves:

1. MAC Rebel – $17 at MAC – This color is just downright gorgeous and deserves all the attention it gets! This is a bold, medium-plum satin finish lipstick. I do find it slightly drying, so I always try to layer some lip balm on top of it, but the staying power is great. This is my go-to fall shade.
2. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Vintage – $18 at Amazon – I could not find this anywhere online that wasn’t sold out for you guys except for Amazon. This product is pretty difficult to use, so it’s not one that I frequently reach for. That being said, it is a beautiful brick-red + burgundy shade and extremely long-wearing. It’s pretty much impossible to apply this without a lip brush, and it does bleed, so use lipliner accordingly!
3. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen – $6 at Ulta – This is a cult favorite for a reason. While I personally dislike the formula, Copenhagen is the most killer fall lip shade I own. I feel so powerful and cool when I wear this! My dislikes are that it’s difficult to apply and takes quite a long time to set, making it prone to bleeding and smears. I would reach for this over Rebel if it weren’t so hard to apply!
4. Essie Nail Lacquer in Material Girl – $8.50 at Essie – Keeping with the theme of burgundy and red, this is a fingertip favorite of mine for fall! It’s semi-sheer for the first coat, and opaque with the second. I get compliments on this polish all the time!
5. Tarte Park Avenue Princess Contour Kit v2 – $34 at Sephora – I featured this in my last post about products I used for my wedding. I’ve been using the bronzer and highlight almost every day! The bronzer is pretty natural looking, although I’m still undecided on whether I prefer it to Benefit Hoola or not. The highlighter is a gorgeous, pigmented, champagne color, and the blush is a shimmery peach. I don’t think peach is particularly flattering on my skin tone, so I tend to avoid it, although I don’t think this particular blush is unflattering on me. Still, it will never compete with my beloved Benefit Dallas!
6. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye concealer – $24 at IT Cosmetics – This concealer is amazing. Like, it’s actually really freaking amazing. First of all, I use it all over my face, not just under my eyes. To use this exclusively under one’s eyes would be to ignore it’s crazy camouflaging capabilities. I would say the consistency is similar to the Hard Candy Glamolauge, but less oily, less orange, and with better coverage/staying power. It’s pretty pricey, but it’ll last you probably forever, and the fact that it comes in a tube instead of a pot is great if you have acne-prone skin. I prefer to apply this with my fingers for maximum coverage, but it can also be buffed on with a buki brush!
7. Stila Stay All Day waterproof liquid eyeliner – $22 at Sephora – High-end eyeliner is something I never thought I’d spend my money on, but I knew the drugstore stuff I was using wouldn’t hold up to the inevitable outpouring of tears on my wedding day, so I splurged! I love how precise and pigmented this liner is. It’s really easy to get a clean cat eye with, and it held up quite well to tears on my wedding day. I have naturally watery eyes, so on a daily basis, this is awesome. No more smeary eyeliner wings for this girl!
8. LUSH Herbalism – $13.95-33.95 at Lush – I am obsessed with this cleanser. If you have oily, acne-prone skin and you haven’t found an exfoliating cleanser that doesn’t dry/irritate your skin into oblivion, you need to try this. It is messy. It smells like rice vinegar. It will also leave your skin soft, clean, and not completely stripped of natural oils. I can put up with 15 seconds of vinegar smell and the slight inconvenience of mixing it with water in my palms for the end result of beautiful skin. I got 4oz for around $15 and it’ll easily last me 6 months or longer with daily use, so in the end it isn’t that much more expensive (or more expensive at all)  than the drugstore cleansers I’ve used in the past.

That’s a wrap for September faves! Any suggestions for this lovely month of October? Let me know in the comments!

July 2015 Favorites

Hi friends! It’s been a while. I’ve been doing this thing, wedding planning, and it’s consuming my life. Plz 4give.

I’ll cut to the chase – here are my favorites from July!

1. Up & Up Luminous White whitening wraps, $16 at Target – I hate Crest Whitestrips. I think they’re slimy, inconvenient, and they give me awful tooth sensitivity. Oh, and they’re heinously overpriced for essentially being a film of hydrogen peroxide. SO, on my quest for white teeth many moons ago, I decided to try this product. (The packaging has since been updated in stores) They’re purple wax trays that mold around your teeth. I love these because they actually stay adhered to my teeth – you can talk with them in! – and do pretty dramatic whitening in a short amount of time. I am  usually able to get a good deal on these with Cartwheel or in-store coupons at Target. I’ve been using them since I was in high school, so you could say I’m biased loyal to the results. I do experience mild tooth sensitivity, but I have normally sensitive teeth anyway.
2. Plus White 5 Minute Speed Whitening System, $11.49 at Walgreens – This is my holy grail whitening product, and with my wedding coming up, I’ve been using it non-stop! The only part of the kit I use is the whitening gel – the rinse exploded while I was moving, and I don’t really like the tray. I put a thin strip of the gel in a 99-cent mouthguard and leave it in for ~20 minutes, 30 if I’m really bored. This process tends to be a little drool-ier, so you won’t really be able to talk while whitening. I usually do this while showering. The gel foams up and gets in all the little nooks and crannies of your teeth, and it’s pretty cheap. It’ll last me forever and it works really well.
3. CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Primer, $12ish at Ulta – I like to explore all beauty trends. Primers have been a pretty big thing in the beauty scene over the last couple of years, and I’ve had a difficult time jumping on the bandwagon. This particular primer has the consistency and texture of a moisturizer, and soaks into your skin in the same way. It doesn’t have the silicone-texture of the Smashbox or Benefit primers. When used in combination with the ELDW (see below) foundation, I can wear my makeup for 18 hours with minimal touch-ups. What did you just say, Shelbie? 18 hours with minimal touch-ups. I have super oily skin, so it’s practically a miracle. I really like this product.
4. Orlando Pita Revive Dry Instant Boost Shampoo, $50 for 2pk at Beauty’s Most Wanted, purchased at Costco – My mom actually picked this up for me at Costco, and I’m in dry shampoo heaven every time I use it. It gives my hair such a silky, dry texture (bye-bye, evidence of unwashed hair) and smells lightly floral. I haven’t experienced any white residue, and the powder itself is very fine, so it blends into my hair nicely. I don’t believe Costco sells this anymore, and I haven’t had much luck locating it online, which is a bummer. Anyone know where I can find some more?
5. Jergens Instant Sun Tanning Mousse, $12 at Target – After falling in love with my beloved Fake Bake Flawless Darker, I pretty much swore off drugstore tanning products. I was a sucker at Target a few weeks ago, and bought this. I’ve been applying it with a mitt, and I really like the color it gives. The mousse is really runny, which I don’t like, but I’ve been enjoying the results of this product and have used it several times. I would maybe repurchase this to keep in my bathroom in case I run out of the Fake Bake. It does transfer onto clothing and take about 10-15 minutes to dry completely, but I would recommend this!
6. Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, $38 at Sephora – ERMAGERD LERVE THIS. (It’s past my bedtime) I have pined over this foundation for close to two years, and I finally took the plunge and bought it. I have the shade Dawn 2W1, which is a light-medium warm tone. It looks great with my fake tan and this stuff seriously lasts all. day. long. The sales rep told me it should be applied with a brush, but I prefer it with a damp beauty blender. I get a slight sheen after ~5ish hours of wear, but it’s more of a natural glow and can be easily blotted away. With other foundations of mine, I get mega-greasy after 2-3 hours, so I’m definitely satisfied with the oil controlling properties of this foundation. It has a runny, thin consistency, which is a positive as well, as it doesn’t feel thick or heavy on the skin. 10 million/5 stars.
7. Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Acne Moisturizer, $6.50 at Walmart – I’m trying to conserve my Clinique moisturizer, so I’ve been using this every other day. I think it does a decent job of light moisturization, and I have noticed a slight decrease in my acne as well. I don’t think this product is something to write your great aunt Sue about, but I will probably repurchase it.Also, it smells good.
8. L’Oreal Quick Dry Primer Spray, $5 at Ulta – This is sorcery. You spray this in your hair and it cuts down on the time it takes to blow-dry your hair. I’m honestly  not sure how, but it smells delicious and really works. I have a ton of hair, so I hate blow drying it, but this has actually given me a little bit of an incentive. At the time of this posting, Target has a Cartwheel on this product for 20% off, so it’s a great time to try it!

What were your favorites for July? Anything I should try out in August? Let me know in the comments!

xx

•June 2015 Favorites•

Hi friends! I know, it’s a week into July, and I’m just getting around to posting this. I’ve never been known for my punctuality. Also, how is it already July?! Time escapes me. This month, I’ve got a couple random things on my favorites list because I haven’t been wearing makeup every day like I usually do – I no longer interact with customers face-to-face at my new job, so I’ve been loving my newly-five-minute morning routine.

Up first is the Neutrogena Shine Control primer ($14 at Ulta). I’ve blogged about this before in my 14 Beauty Favorites of 2014 post, and recently started using it again. It’s not a primer for skin perfecting or smoothing, rather it’s more of a lotion-type product that sits under your makeup and soaks up oil throughout the day. It got mediocre reviews because of it’s lack of silicone-like texture, but I love it for what it does.

In combination with that, I’ve been using the Arbonne Intelligence CC Cream in Fair, ($40 at Arbonne through Brittnee Bidwell) which is a sheer-medium coverage color correcting cream. Even though I don’t spend as much time interacting with people face-to-face at work as I have at previous jobs, I’m still not totally comfortable going in to work without any coverage on my skin in order to maintain a professional and put-together appearance. This is lightweight and leaves a natural skin finish. I love this over the drugstore BB and CC creams I’ve tried. It does a lot for eliminating the natural redness in my skin without looking like I have makeup on. It has not broken me out or irritated my skin in any way, which is a big plus. Disclaimer: I received this product free for testing purposes.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths Conditioner ($4 at Walmart) has been a favorite of mine lately. I have noticed that my hair feels softer and stronger since I’ve been using this conditioner, and the fragrance is amazing and long lasting. It doesn’t weight down my hair, and although I haven’t been paying close enough attention to notice if my hair is getting longer, I do think my hair looks healthier overall. Win!

CoverGirl Outlast Longwear Lipstick in Magnetic Mauve ($7 at Target) has been a purse staple for me over the last month. I love the smell (vanilla-candy-ish?) and creamy consistency of this lipstick, and it definitely lasts 4-5 hours on me. I think this particular shade is a great on-the-go color to keep in your bag to complete any day or nighttime look. I wish there were more shades of this!

EOS Shave Cream in Vanilla Bliss ($4 at Ulta) also surprisingly made my list; I am an outspoken opponent of EOS lip balms after experiencing a terrible allergic reaction. (Seriously – Google it! So many others have had awful experiences with these balms. The packaging is adorable, but there are better, more moisturizing options out there.) I was skeptical to try another product from this brand, but I’m glad I did. Due to my extremely sensitive skin, I still get razor burn when I use this product, but it has helped a lot. I only have two complaints: 1. it kind of clogs up your razor, and 2. it doesn’t smell like vanilla…or anything, really! I’m not usually one to complain about scents, since fragrance is seldom good for your skin, but it kinda just smells like plastic. If I were to repurchase this, I would choose a different scent!

The next product, Herbal Essences Color Me Happy Dry Shampoo ($3.50 at Walmart.com), appears to have gotten awful reviews – not because of the product itself, but because of the packaging. This product is produced by Procter & Gamble, just like the Aussie dry shampoo that I just now realized I never blogged about, and they have identical packaging. I did have issues with the sprayer on the Aussie bottle clogging up and no longer working. I refused to give up on it, so after washing the cap (I pulled it up from the can) under warm water for about a minute, I was able to unclog it. Inconvenient, yes, but I’ve had the same issue with several other brands of dry shampoo. Packaging aside, this dry shampoo smells fantastic in true Herbal Essences fashion, and leaves my hair feeling clean and refreshed. I will absolutely repurchase this product! I don’t think it really brightened my hair color, but I do think it did a great job at volumizing and mattifying without leaving a white powder finish.

Finally, a product that I used almost every single day in June, the Sun Laboratories Ultra Dark Tanning Lotion ($20-ish on Amazon). This product has mixed reviews on other blogs due to poor customer service from Sun Laboratories. I purchased my bottle on Amazon with Prime shipping, so I can’t confirm or deny any complaints made elsewhere. This is a very green-based tanner, so the nozzle ends up looking like a swamp after a while, but the color is very natural. The smell is a sweet cherry-almond scent, which I find pleasant if not almost too sweet. Compared to other self-tanning products I’ve tried, I find the smell to be a positive. This product MUST MUST MUST! be applied with a mitt. It does transfer onto clothes if they are tight-fitting and put on soon after application. It looks best on legs and arms, and lasts up to a week on me. I probably won’t repurchase this, just because I can get the Fake Bake Flawless for cheaper, and I prefer the color from that product better, however if you are interested in trying a green-based tanner or are searching for a tanner that doesn’t smell bad, I do recommend trying this one. Check out my How I Stay Tan Without Tanning post for more information on what I use to self tan!

Bonus favorite: I’ve been loving the band Kodaline this month. Check them out on Spotify!

That’s a wrap for June favorites! Let me know what you were loving this June in the comments below!

xx

April 2015 Favorites ☼

It’s beginning to look like spring here! We finally got up into the 50s and low 60s this week, so I’ve been able to ditch my wool socks and parka in favor of my Birkenstocks and spring jacket.

April has been a fun month for me, beauty wise. I got a box full of fun goodies from my good friend Jordan in North Carolina (thanks boo!):

I have to play with the Urban Decay Electric Palette and Stila Lip Glazes more, and will make a separate post reviewing these products, but one of them actually made it to my April faves!

1. Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Candy ($21 at Too Faced) – This is a bright, punchy fuchsia that’s perfect for spring! I’ve been wanting to try one of these lippies for a long time, but $21 is a little steep for me, so I was planning on splurging for my birthday. I’m really thankful that Jordan gifted me one so that I could try it sooner! The formula is super creamy and smooth – absolutely no tugging. It has a sponge-tip applicator, which I didn’t think I would like since sponge-tips are not the most precise applicators, but I actually really like it with this product and I think the applicator is what facilitates such a smooth and even application. I would recommend using a lip liner with this product to prevent bleeding, but the first time I used it, I used it sans liner and had minimal issues. This is an extremely long-wearing lip color because it stains your lips. I actually used my Clarisonic on my lips to scrub off the remaining color at the end of the night! It doesn’t really ever “set” on your lips, so the creamy product itself will smear or rub off, despite the stain staying behind. That could be a disadvantage to some, but I didn’t really mind. A way around that is to blot immediately after applying, which would also give you a more matte finish; the finish is satin/glossy when first applied and demi-matte after about an hour. Will I repurchase? Yes! I plan on splurging on Jelly Donut and Fig sometime this year.

2. OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo ($8 at Ulta, cheaper at Walmart) – I usually spend around $4 on shampoo. I’m willing to spend more on a nice conditioner, but I’ve never found any benefit to spending $15 on shampoo versus 79 cent Alberto V05. My favorite staple shampoo is the Pantene Aqua Light shampoo (seriously love that stuff!), but I recently ran out and was not able to find it at my local Walmart, and picked this up instead. I’ve seen OGX products all over at Ulta, and heard good things, but never felt like shelling out almost ten bucks just for shampoo. I love the scent of this shampoo – it smells lightly of coconut, but faintly of creamy vanilla as well. The scent of the shampoo does not stay in my hair; the smell of my conditioner either overpowers it, or it just doesn’t stick. It lathers pretty well (bad for your hair? yes, but I’ve tried no ‘poo and I just can’t) and leaves my hair feeling clean and soft without feeling stripped down. I use it in combo with the Pantene Nature Fusion Conditioner w/avocado oil (all-time favorite drugstore conditioner – the stuff gets 5 star reviews for a reason) and my hair is soft, full, and silky. I don’t have frizz or split ends, so I can’t comment on this shampoo’s effect on those, but I will probably repurchase this!

3. Bath & Body Works Morocco Orchid & Pink Amber body spray (Discontinued, but available on eBay) – This is 100% not my typical fragrance, and I rarely set foot inside B&BW. In fact, I bought this at the semi-annual sale for 75% off, and it was the first time I’d been inside a B&BW in probably 5 years. It’s not a long-lasting scent at all – I get maybe 2 or 3 hours out of it. I actually kind of like that, because I can spritz it on in between my classes during the day and easily switch my fragrance up for nighttime if I want. Some have described this scent as fruity, but on me it’s pretty much all sandalwood, amber, and vanilla. I like it and get compliments on it when I wear it. Will I repurchase? It’s discontinued, but even if it weren’t I probably wouldn’t repurchase it. The bottle will last me forever, and I’m not a big body spray or B&BW kind of person.

4. NuMe Classic 19mm Curling Wand in Pink ($139 at NuMe) – I actually purchased this wand in December, and I got it for $20 with shipping (can you say steal?) This website is constantly having sales and deals, so I would recommend waiting to buy with a code. This wand arrived in some sleek, pretty packaging on my doorstep 4 days after I bought it. It comes with a heat-protecting glove, which I don’t use because I think it makes it hard to pick out sections of my hair while wearing it. It does not have a temperature-control, which some may find as a turn off. There is an on/off switch, and that’s it. It heats up to 410 degrees within a minute or two, and is perfect for creating waves and curls. My favorite thing about this wand is that my curls don’t fall out. I have naturally straight hair, so my hair tends to straighten out within a few hours when using other curling irons or wands. With this particular wand, my hair stays curled even the next day. Love!

5. Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat ($10 at CVS) – I’ve heard terrible things about using this top coat in combo with the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polishes, but fantastic things about the top coat with other polishes. I currently have this top coat on top of OPI Do You Lilac It? and after 3 days have noticed NO signs of chipping or wear on any of my nails! I’m pretty hard on my nails, and I type all day, so usually polish lasts 1-2 days on me, even with top coats like Essie Good to Go and Seche Vite. I just took off acrylic nails and my natural nails are very thin, so I’m really impressed with how this top coat hardened on my nails. Highly recommend!

6. L’Oreal Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner ($9 at Ulta) – This eyeliner actually has a felt tip, despite what the description on Ulta says. This stuff is sooo black, and does not smear on my lids. I wish I could combine the blackness and ease of application of this liner with the preciseness of the Jordana Cat Eye liquid liner. I will still probably repurchase this, though! The applicator tip is long so it’s easy to lay flat across your lid for a fluid line.

7. Philosophy Christmas Cookie shower gel ($17 at Macy’s, currently unavailable) – It’s April, and I already miss Christmastime. I love everything about getting together with family, watching Elf 35 times, celebrating Christmas, and making sugar cookies! I bought this 3-in-1 shower gel in November, and have just been storing it with my backup shower products in my bathroom. Recently, I’ve started using it again. I love the smell. Full disclosure, sometimes I just stand in the shower and smell it, because it really does smell like 100 yummy Christmas cookies in a bottle. I do sometimes use this on my hair as shampoo, but I mostly use it as body wash. I have not had the opportunity to use it for a bubble bath yet. A little goes a long way, and I find it lathers best on a loofah. The bottle will easily last me several months, and I will definitely repurchase this and other Philosophy shower gels in the future!

8. Okay, this one isn’t actually a beauty favorite. But it’s the International Delight Iced Coffee in Light Mocha ($3-ish at Target) – I love iced coffee, but it gets expensive at McDonald’s, and living with roommates means I have limited freezer space for coffee cubes (to keep my coffee from getting watery) and it takes too much time and effort to regularly brew large batches of coffee and then store it in my fridge to cool down. So, I stumbled upon this premade iced coffee at Target, and decided to try it out. It’s got 90cals/cup & 14g sugar, so it’s not nearly as bad as Starbucks (80 cals without creamer, but has 20g sugar) or McDonald’s (a small has 140 cals & 22g sugar). I still love black coffee, so I don’t drink it every day, but at the price I purchased it at, it comes out to 38 cents/cup, and that’s pretty awesome. It has artificial sweeteners, so one day I might actually stop being lazy make my own iced coffee at home, but for right now, this will work. I will definitely repurchase this!

That concludes my April favorites, everyone! Let me know your favorites in the comments below – I’d like to try them out and see if they make the cut for my May favorites 🙂

xx

Shelbie