Give Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am headed to my aunt and uncles today, but I wanted to get a quick post up on a few things I am grateful for. 

1. God's Love

2. My best friend

3. My family 
 (It is only a few of the people I am thankful for)

My parents and my husband and I

4. My 3 furry boys

Toby, Mister, Thor

5. Good Friends
6. Our House
It was truly a blessing that we were able to purchase a home. We had only a few months to find a new place after the house we had been renting was zoned commercial to be torn down.

What are you all thankful for today?

All About Beauty Sponges

Hello Ladies!
A beauty sponge is one of my favorite ways to apply Foundation. It leaves a flawless, airbrushed finish and is so easy to use. I use a Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge from Target. I'm sure you can find similar ones at any drugstore though. I haven't tried a beauty blender yet, so I can't compare the two. I wanted to share how I use and clean it.

Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge

I start by dampening the sponge to prevent it from soaking up too much foundation. I find that it wastes a lot of product if I don't. I then dot the foundation all over, towards the inner parts of my face. I am using Covergirl's 3-in-1 foundation here.

I then take the sponge and blend the foundation outwards. Dotting it towards the center of your face, then blending it out helps prevent harsh makeup lines around your face. Once I feel like it is all blended into my skin I apply a concealer under my eyes and to any blemishes. The tip of the sponge is perfect for applying concealer. I always set it with a translucent powder.

This is the finished look after applying blush and eye makeup. 

Cleaning the Sponge

I always rinse the sponge before I use it each time and I try to clean it about once a week. I use baby shampoo and put a quarter sized amount on the palm of my hand. I roll the sponge around on it and then rinse it under hot water continually squeezing out the water until it is clean. If its not looking as clean as I like I will use more of the baby shampoo. I clean my makeup brush a similar way. If you want to see click here.

Thanks for visiting!!

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Stick Review

In my October favorites post I said that I would do a review on Maybelline's Fit Me Foundation Stick. Better late than never right?! I have mixed feelings about this product. When I first tried it I really liked it. It goes on very smooth and looks natural. It is light to medium coverage and I use a concealer for under my eyes and any blemishes. I also set it all with a powder. After I used it for a little while I noticed that my face was becoming dry. This is odd for me because my skin is normally very oily. I continued to use the foundation with a different moisturizer though. My face has been less dry, so it seemed to help. 

Application: The stick makes it easy to apply. I put the product directly on my face then use either a brush or my fingers to blend it out. It lasts for the entire day, but I normally touch it up if I go out at night.

Color: It comes in 12 different colors with a wide range of colors. I think this is the first foundation that I have tried where the color matches almost perfectly to my skin tone. I use 120 classic ivory.

Price: $6.99 

I would give this product 3 out of 5 stars. I'm not sure that I will buy it again after this one runs out. It is shine-free so it is good for oily skin, but I think it will be too drying for those of you with dry skin. I'm thinking about trying Loreal's Magic Nude Liquid Powder next. Have any of you tried it?
Thanks for visiting!!

  

Winter Essentials

Hello everyone!
I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately. My husband and I just moved into our house and are still trying to get settled in. I am so tired of seeing boxes! On top of that its close to the end of the semester so I have a ton of things to get done for school. It recently got really cold here in Michigan, so I thought I would do a post on my winter essentials.

1. Mossimo Supply Co. Open Cocoon Cardigan- I love cardigans to dress an outfit up or even for more casual looks. I am always cold in the winter and these are nice to throw over any top.  This one is from Target and it comes in quite a few different colors too. If you can't tell I prefer neutral colors and black/ grays.
2. Infinity Scarves- I had to add some color to my list. This infinity scarf is from Francesca's. These are nice to bundle up with for those long walks to class. And its super cute!
3. Rose Salve C.o Bigelow- I have mentioned this product before, but it is one of my favorite lip products. My lips get so dry, especially in the winter, but this product helps them from cracking. If you want to see a full review on this product click here.
4. Lush Lip Scrub- To go along with the Rose Salve, I like to use a lip scrub. This helps get rid of any dry skin and its bubble gum flavored! It helps lipstick go on smoother too.
5. Sweaters- Like I said before I am always cold in the winter. Sweaters are an awesome way to stay warm, but still look cute. This one is from H&M.
6. Mittens- These mittens are from American Eagle. I like that the top part flips up so I don't have to take it off to grab something.
7. Nail polish- This color is Ski Teal We Drop by OPI. It is a dark blue color that is perfect for winter.
8. Boots- I pretty much live in these boot by Madden Girl. They look great with just about anything and are comfy too. They are from Famous Footwear

What are some of your winter essentials?
Thanks for visiting!

Best Inexpensive Teeth Whitener

Hey!
Today I wanted to share my favorite inexpensive teeth whitening product. It is the Plus White 5 Minute Premier Speed Whitening Gel. I have been using this product for years with great results.
I just purchased my third tube of it after noticing my teeth aren't as white as they could be. There was a small difference after the first time using it. It is a gradual process though, but after a couple of weeks there should be a pretty noticeable difference. Once you see the results you want, you can continue to use it once or twice a week to maintain the color.

The directions say to use apply it with a cotton swab, use a mouth tray or with a toothbrush.
I like to apply this twice a day with a cotton swab and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I always brush my teeth before and after the treatment. If you prefer a mouth tray, they do sell a kit that includes one. I'm not sure how much more it costs though. Or you can just get a .99 cent mouth guard from the sports section and use that.

Price:4.97 at Walmart

This product may not give you the same results as a dentist, but its pretty good for $5. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for an inexpensive way to whiten teeth.
Thanks for visiting!
Kelly

NOTD: Cloud Nine

Hello!
I have another nail or the day for you all. This one is called Cloud Nine by Color Club. It is light purple, holographic polish. This is a great alternative to OPIs Designer Series Original polishes. I think they were dicontinued about a year ago.
This polish goes on really smooth and only take 2 coats. It dries quickly and only took about 15 minutes to completely dry with 2 coats and a top coat.


With Flash

Without Flash 

Thanks for visiting!
xo, Kelly



NOTD- Bahama Mama by Essie

Hi Ladies. I wanted to show you this really pretty nail polish color by Essie. This beautiful maroon color is called Bahama Mama. I have been loving adding an accent color on my ring finger. The thick gold glitter nail polish is called Halo by Orly. I used Essie All in One 3-Way Glaze as a base and top coat. When I use this I can go about a week without too much chipping. I love this color for fall. The only bad thing is that it needs 3 coats for it to look good. 

Thanks for looking!
Kelly

5 Favorite Products Under $5

Hello! Today I wanted to share some of my favorite products for under $5. Who doesn't love a great product at an awesome price!

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Blush
Price: $4.99
These blushes are highly pigmented and are flattering colors. They blend easily to give a natural look and last a long time. 

Prestige Kohl Eyeliner
Price: $4.30
This eyeliner is great for smokey eyes. Its easy to apply and smudge out. I normally take a small eyeshadow brush with black or brown eyeshadow and smudge the eyeliner out. Using the eyeshadow helps set the liner and help it last all day.

NYX Cosmetics Jumbo Eye Pencil
Price: $4.50
This eyeliner glides on smoothly and is easily blended. It can be used as an eyeliner or a shadow. I normally put them on my entire eyelid as a base for powder eyeshadow. They are bold colors that look great standing alone or intensify eyeshadows when used underneath.

Wet and Wild Eyeshadow
Price: $2.99
I like the Color Icon Trios, but they have larger palettes too. They are surprisingly pigmented and go on smoothly. They are great for beginners because they show what color should go on the lid, crease and browbone.They are easily blended too. There is a wide variety of colors from neutrals to bright colors. I always wear a primer with these because it helps them last longer.

Rimmel London Natural Bronzer
Price: $4.99
This matte bronzer looks really natural and is easy to apply. It doesn't have an orange tint like some other bronzers I have tried. It comes in 4 shades so its great for different skin tones.

October Favorites

 Hey Ladies. Its time for October Favorites. I cannot believe its already November. October flew by. Some of these products are new, but some are rediscovered favorites too.

I have been using Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Tousling Spray Gel everyday I wear my hair natural. I normally wash my hair at night then braid my hair before bed. In the morning I wet my hair and scrunch this product in my hair. It helps define my curls and give a nice tousled look. It smells really good too.

I have been wearing Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey most days this month. This is a wearable color that is more on the natural side. It gives a nice "your lip color, but better" effect. It is buildable too if you prefer it to be darker. I do find that it drys my lips out but I always put a chap stick over it and it helps.

I got this scarf from Target. It is a Houdstooth pattern by the brand Merona. Its a thin material but theirs a lot of fabric because its wide and long. I like to tie the ends together and wear it as an infinity scarf. I have been loving pairing it with a white shirt and boots.

OPIs Ski Teal We Drop is the perfect dark blue nail polish for fall. I have been using this with a glitter polish over it on my ring finger. 

I already did a full review on the Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick. If you would like to see it click here. It has been a good product that doesn't dry my skin out like other spot treatments. It has helped clear my face of blemishes faster.

This is a swatch of the Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Stick. I needed a new foundation because the one I was using no longer matched my skin tone from summer. This one matches my face almost perfectly. I wear the color classic ivory. It goes on really smooth and is easily blended. It is only light coverage, so if you are looking for a full coverage this is not the one. I plan on doing a full review of this product soon. 

 

What are your favorites for the month?

Thanks for visiting! 

xo Kelly