Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette: A Good Buy?

We all see those "deals" out there at the beauty store (and everywhere else for that matter).  It usually involves the phrase "A $xx.xx value!".  I don't know about the rest of you, but it usually makes me angry.  I mean, really, who is sitting there doing the math?  Obviously the people selling the darn thing.  Oh, and the higher the value v.s. the less you pay, well then jump right in my cart there little guy, you're coming home!  No.  I refuse to believe it unless I do the math myself.  A little anal retentive?  Why, yes!  I decided to crunch the numbers on the Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette, newly released.  

Sephora V.S. Ulta: A Beauty Showdown

I go back and forth over which store I like better, Ulta or Sephora.  Each of them has its perks, but in such different ways.  Let's just sit here for a sec and break down every beautiful bit.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss: Swatches and Reviews

Recently, I saw a YouTube video that featured a particular lip gloss that caught my eye.  In the video, the girl used one of the Revlon Colorburst glosses in the color Bellini.  The name, in and of itself, makes me want to buy it because a Peach Bellini is a pretty fabulous drink (for those of us over 21), but also the color was a pinky nude without being TOO pale.  You really have to find the perfect shade in order to pull off a nude lip color without looking like you are dying and this color looked like it would do the trick when paired with some of my more natural lipsticks.  

(Vertical: Embellished, Horizontal: Bellini)

Shea Moisture Gel Souffle: Review

In my September favorites post, I talked on and on about how wonderful the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner is.  It really is that amazing.  So I figured I'd try out some products from the rest of their line, especially the curly girl ones.  Each of their lines has a different smell, but judging from the conditioner, I figured I'd like it.  To be honest, I may have set the bar a little high, but hey a girl can dream can't she?

October Birchbox: Reveal & Review

So if you have been following me on Facebook and Twitter, you know I was pretty stoked to start receiving my Birchbox this month.  I filled out my little survey, and as evidenced by my last Birchbox post, I enjoyed a good amount of the products my friend gave me.  Needless to say, I was beyond excited when it showed up in my mailbox on Saturday.  

Misleading Beauty "Advice"

I love Pinterest.  It is one of the most addictive sites and you have incredible access to pins linking to websites for whatever your passion is.  That is very powerful, but can also be very misleading.  The other day, I stumbled upon a pin that read: "101 Beauty Tips Every Girl Should Know".  Intrigued, I followed the link and ended up on a website that, honestly, did not have 101 beauty tips.  The thing is, some of the "tips" are so vague or common knowledge that it actually made me angry.  Why do articles feel the need to create the longest list possible, while completely ignoring quality?

Health & Beauty Haul

I don't know about the rest of you, but my products run out in waves.  I can be totally fine for weeks on end, and then BOOM, I need everything under the sun.  So over the past few days I have been accumulating items and I figured I'd share with you! <3

  (Disregard the candle.  That is not new, but I wasn't about to move hot wax off my table.  I'm sure you don't mind)

Clarisonic Review

In my September favorites post I talked about how I have re-discovered my Clarisonic.  As I said, I purchased it prior to my wedding to get my skin in order before the big day.  Now it was a pricey purchase; I believe it retails for $150.00 at Ulta.  Clearly, for most women, this is not something you can just go out and buy willy-nilly.  For me, I actually had to work it into the “beauty” portion of my wedding budget.  I’m really glad I did though because this thing works wonders.

Birchbox Haul & Review

So if you follow me on Twitter, you know that I signed up for a Birchbox this past Sunday.  I had been visiting my best friend, Carol, for the weekend and she pulls out these six, like, basically unused Birchboxes.  She basically dumped them out on the coffee table and said, “Have at it”. 

Now to me, this was a little like winning the lottery.  Not that I’d know what that feels like, I haven’t been that lucky in life.  Maybe two bucks from a scratch off here and there, but I can imagine it feels pretty darn good…kind of like your bestie giving you free beauty samples. 

(Chock full of goodies!)

Then & Now: How My Weight Gain Has Affected My Life

I find it so interesting that throughout my school years, I used to complain to my friends about being too skinny.  No matter what I ate, I just couldn't gain a pound.  I was a steady 100-105 lbs during high school.  I actually would get turned away from blood drives because they would only take your blood if you were at least 115 lbs. 

 (Back when you actually wore a dress to prom and not a handkerchief.  Look how thin those arms were.  I wasn't sickly, but I was definitely TOO thin.)

September 2013 Favorites

So it is the end of the month, and as most beauty bloggers do, I plan to make monthly favorites posts with a little info on each product and why I like it.  Here goes!