Ipsy Glam Bag ~May 2014

Ipsy is one of my favorite subscription services out there. I love that each month I get that bright, shiny pink bubble mailer in my mailbox with goodies awaiting me. For $10.00 a month (+ free shipping) you receive about 5 products monthly and also a cute makeup bag. 

When you sign up for Ipsy you also start earning points for doing reviews, and rating the products you received that month - you can also get points if you get people to sign up as well. With the points you can add in a special item into your next months bag. It's really fun, I also have found a forum where you can actually swap items you didn't like with other girls who wanted items you received. 

This months theme "Beauty's fresh picks" 

Bag: Probably one of my favorite patterns and bags of all time - its not a stiff bag so you can actually fit more makeup products in it. I also really like the pattern. Con: The bag had a really weird smell, I think it's from one of the products but I hope it'll go away. 

Products: Before I hop in I just wanted to say that there are so many different combinations of products you could have received and sometimes you'll get lucky and sometimes you wont love all of the products. 

eva nyc | Therapy Session Hair Mask This product actually had a really weird smell that kind of turned me off right when I opened the bag. Not sure if it's just me, but I really don't like the smell. I usually love hair masks though and I will still probably try this one out.  "The Therapy Session Hair Mask deeply conditions, repairs and strengthens dry and damaged hair. Argan Oil nourishes and revitalizes, while Keravis Protein drastically increases hair’s strength and elasticity. The results are hydrated, soft and manageable hair."

Pacifica | eyeshadow duo Moonbean/Unicorn I usually really love all Pacifica products, but this duo doesn't have good pigmentation at all. The colors aren't something I would normally wear either, I'll probably swap this or give to a friend. 

Hang Ten | Classic Sport Natural Sunscreen SPF 50 I am really excited I got this product because it'll be great to throw in my purse if we go anywhere this summer. It also is non-greasy and contains absolutely no parabens. 

derma e | Microdermabrasion Scrub I actually received a microderm scrub last month in my Ipsy bag and have been loving it, so I am sure I will like this as well. I like to use scrubs once a week - avoiding the eye area. I love that all of the derma e products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, mineral oil-free, glycol-free, lanolin-free, gluten free, GMO-free.

Olive Natural Beauty | The Olive Lip Balm As a lip balm frequent user (I'm talking like once every 30 minutes) I was excited to see this in my bag. Has a different kind of scent but so far I like it! "The Olive Lip Balm is packed with Olive Natural Beauty’s organic jojoba and extra virgin olive oil for light enduring moisture with no added synthetics or chemicals so your lips are always ready for that spontaneous kiss. We use animal cruelty-free beeswax that is cultivated at a higher altitude to produce the most pure and unprocessed wax, protecting your lips from the elements while allowing them to breathe and stay plump."

Overall: I did enjoy this bag, I think I will use most of the products or I know someone that could use them. Love the bag this month! 

Come sign up for Ipsy by clicking HERE (Referral Link)

What are your favorite products from this month, or your favorite subscription services? 

Friday Favorites ~ Summer Favorites (Beauty)

Summer has come a little early here in California so I thought I would share some of my favorite beauty products for summer time. When it's so hot out it's a little hard to wear a full face of makeup - unless you want it melting down your face. So these are some products that are great and easy for summer! Along with these products I also really love to use a BB Cream for everyday wear instead of a full foundation because they typically all have some type of SPF in them which is perfect for me because then I have one less step to my morning routine. 

1. Cream shadows are my favorite for summer, and while you may look at this picture and think "well these all look really similar" they are! I really love champagne cream shadows for this time of year. I always apply them with my finger all over my lower lid and apply a crease color. Sometimes I'll add a fun color eyeliner on my lash line if I'm feelin like I need a pop of color.

2. Nail Polish is a must all year around, but with sandal season you now have to worry about your toes as well.

China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy" is the perfect neon pink toenail color. China Glaze polish dries matte so I recommend using a glossy top coat over this color.

Essie "Muci Muci" This is a pretty nude pink, I feel like this color is still pretty and summery but still acceptable for work. I use about 2-3 coats of this.

Essie "Too Taboo" Is apart of the summer 2014 collection, and I am so obsessed with this color. I have already painted my nails with this twice in a row and absolutely love it. Essie recommends putting a white polish under the neon colors to really make them pop, but I have found that 2-3 coats of this is perfect on its own.

Essie "I'm Addicted" Blues and turquoise colors are always a good choice for summer. This is also from the neon collection I love this color on my toes!

Essie "Blanc" I love white nails in the summer time, they go with everything, and it makes my skin look a little darker. 

3. Colored Lip Balms - These ELF Studio Conditioning Lip Balms are so amazing. Not only are they really moisturizing, and give a great color payoff, they also have SPF 15 in them. Peaceful Pink and Nice and Natural are shown.

4. These are my favorite face products that I love to use in edition to any BB cream I am using at the moment.

Maybelline Master Hi-Light - I am a bronzer fanatic, but this also has a built in blush and highlighter as well. I usually dust this over my cheek bones, temples, chest, and the bridge of my nose for a really pretty glow.

Maybelline Highlighting Concealer has been a favorite ever since I purchased it. So great for under the eyes, and any other areas you may want to conceal but still have a pretty sheen over the top.

Cream blushes but in particular I love the Tarte "Fearless" Cheek Stain - cream blushes are so pretty on the skin and this one glides right on. I apply with my fingers and blend it out with my Real Techniques Blending Sponge.

My tip for summer beauty is to try and find as many products that contain SPF, skin care should always be number one in your beauty routine. That starts by protecting your skin from the sun. I love laying out or being at the beach of course, and the sun is inevitable but taking the precaution and using SPF is so important too!



I hope you enjoyed this post! What are some of your summer beauty essentials?

Looking Forward

I always need something to look forward to - just to get me through the work week, school, or just pure stress. Even if I'm at work and all I have to look forward to is going home, bringing home Chipotle for me and my fiance, and binge watching our favorite show - that's enough for me. Sometimes planning out fun things to do throughout your week can help you get through the sometimes boring daily routine. Even saving for bigger trips a few months away is such a good motivator to work harder and save for something fun. Sometimes I even have to give myself a little treat from Starbucks mid day just so I can get through the work day - gotta earn those gold member stars anyway, right? 

I finally finished with the Spring semester which was something major I was looking forward to, and I couldn't be more happy! After taking my round of child development classes I am even more excited for my future career.

We have some fun things coming up in June that I just can't wait for - Las Vegas to be exact! If you didn't know, my family (mom, sisters, and grandparents) and I lived in Vegas for five years, from the time I was 13 until after I was 18. I consider it home because that's where I have the most memories from. Anytime we get to go back I get so excited, a little nostalgic and a lot sad. Looking forward can sometimes be a hard thing, especially when I get the bad case of nostalgia. It's so easy for me to think that things we're better living in Nevada, but really without moving back to California I wouldn't be engaged! I am so excited to go back with Joe, my mom, sisters, and now my sisters boyfriend Anthony. It's so much fun to show people around the city you love, especially ones who have never been!

I am definitely counting down the days until our trip, and I just love having things to look forward to!

Can't forget about the wedding as something to look forward to! - Less than five months away!


What are somethings you guys are looking forward to right now?

Beauty Box Five ~May

I am here with on the blog today to share the May Beauty Box Five subscription service that I receive.

Beauty Box Five: 5 products -  $12.00 a month (+ free shipping) OR they have other annual subscription options for lower prices!

Here's what I received in my Box!

Maskeraide | Weather Warrior Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask (1 Mask) - I am really excited to try this mask out and see if it really does something for my skin! Really cute packaging as well.  "You may be ready for a night of partying and celebration, but is your face? Make sure you stand out from the crowd and start prepping your skin now! Create a perfect canvas for foundation application with PRE PARTY PREP’s silky, lightweight blend of natural Argan Oil, Orange Peel Oil, Super Fruit Extracts, Rice Extract and Honey to energize, hydrate, brighten and prime your skin for a flawless and velvety-smooth finish."

Harvey Prince | Hello Perfume – (Sample Size) - This perfume actually smells really good! It's a great scent for summer, it's very light and fresh.

Cattiva | Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner (BLACK - Full Size) - A girl can really never have too many black eyeliners, in my opinion. I really like that this one is retractable and it goes on very smooth. Not the darkest black eyeliner I have ever used, but nonetheless it is a good eyeliner. 

Ban | Total Refresh Cooling Body Cloths (3 Cloths) - From the Ban website:They say these are great to use after exercising, or on the road. I will definitely keep these in my car or bag just in case I ever need to freshen up on the go. "Gently wipe the soft, durable cloth on any part of your body - around your neck, chest or under arms - and enjoy cool, instant freshness." 

H20+ | Aqualibrium Marine Cleansing Gel (2 Ml Mini Size) - I like this cleanser a lot actually, I feel it isn't really suitable for taking off makeup at night though. This is something I would use in the morning as a more mild cleanser before my makeup application. I have read reviews that it is a good product to wash makeup applicators with too, so I might try that. 

I would highly suggest checking out Beauty Box Five they have a ton of different options for subscription services, and you can even gift a box to a friend. Check out the shop they have as well on their website because you can find full size products from the boxes. 

Wedding Wednesday - Who's gonna marry us?

It's officially been over a week since my last post, and I'm glad to be back for wedding Wednesday. Unfortunately this post has no pretty pictures or any great ideas, but it's a true story and I wanted to share. 

Who's going to marry us? Well that's a good question considering we only have five months until our wedding. I've been a little picky about our officiant and here's why..

Have you ever went into a business with the money in your account ready to put down a deposit, and then get totally let down? Well that's what happened to us last night..

A few weeks ago when I attended a bridal show with my mom I received a business card from a very nice lady who is a wedding officiant. Her booth was set up very nicely and she seemed like a good fit. Since we aren't members of a church at the moment I thought I would set up an appointment to talk about our vision for our ceremony and go over the details. I email the women and we set the appointment. Joe and I are always a little early so we showed up about 30 minutes early thinking we could just look around before our appointment. When we arrived the door was locked, the lights were off, and all that you could identify that we were even in the correct place was a little paper sign with the name of the business on it.. So we waited. 

I don't mind waiting, but when I wait for a doctors appointment usually I'm indoors and in a chair waiting. Not here. We were waiting outside in 99 degree weather - and I wish I were exaggerating. Our appointment time came and went so I decide to email the women to make sure she was coming. No response. 

Finally a lady shows up that is not the same person I met at the bridal show, and this lady seems rushed. It takes her trying about ten different keys before she can figure out how to open the door. Mind you, we still didn't receive an apology for being late. She lets us in the doorway and I see that the business is very filthy. I'm talking dust bunnies - buy a swiffer or something! She doesn't even ask us to sit down and talk, we just stand in the doorway. Finally she asks why we were here....at this point I am ready to leave. I mean really?? She literally just stood there and asked absolutely no questions regarding our wedding before I asked if she had a brochure of prices and details - guess what? They didn't have any. I politely told this women that we are not interested and we are leaving, and she didn't seem to care one bit. 

Rant over. 

Moral of the story is, make sure you check out everyone you use for your wedding - and be picky!! Don't settle for people who aren't passionate about what they are doing or don't seem to care about your special day. Some people I have emailed don't even want to meet in person before the wedding, no way I'm falling for that. 

I will definitely be meeting personally from now on before signing any contracts or putting down any type of deposit. Customer service is everything! We're meeting with a photographer this Friday, so cross your fingers!

Any brides out there have problems with vendors or people involved in your wedding?

I'm The Kind of Girl Who..

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

After seeing this floating around blog land for a few months now I decided I had to jump on a little late. 

..Hoards nail polish like nobody's business. Fun fact - I haven't not had my nails painted in at least over five years, and my nails actually hurt badly when I don't have nail polish on. I know that can't be normal. 

..Will never be late anywhere. I prefer to be at least 15 minutes early.

..Set's at least 3 different alarms even though I usually wake up five minutes before they go off anyway and have never, ever slept through an alarm. I guess I'm paranoid they will disappear in my sleep, who knows. 

..Secretly googles what is going to happen next on shows that Joe and I watch because I can't handle the suspense. It's awful when we watch a dramatic show live and I can't do that. 

..Could live off of water and unsweetened ice tea until the end of time. 

..Actually enjoys cleaning my house. 

..Will check Twitter and Instagram all day.

..Doesn't understand the hype of diet coke.

..Will buy my dog a million toys, even though he only has one that he actually plays with. 

..Can go to Target every day and still find something that I need to buy.

..Will buy anything that's scented or smells good - even my trash bags.

..Dreams of traveling all over one day.