Aurora glow kit review 

As soon as I saw the first images of this glow kit I knew I had to have it! Everything about it is beautiful the packing, shades, layout, names, etc. I’ve also become a big fan of the Anastasia glow kits over the last year falling in love with first the sun dipped and then the Nicole Gurrerio glow kits. I never picked up the moon child (I probably will in the future because that baby gets raves) so this is my first experience with Anastasia’s highlighters in the square pans. 

This kit is $40 and when you buy on the Anastasia website you won’t pay tax or shipping so it’s a flat $40 which is fantastic! There are six shades in this kit:

Eclipse; a peachy orange

Luna; an iridescent silver 

Spectra; a cool tone lilac with pink shift 

Helia; an iridescent cool tone green 

Orion; an icy baby blue 

Lyra; a warm honey with gold glitter 

There’s not too much to say about this; it performs beautifully overall. However, Lyra does have quite a bit of glitter in it that leads to fall out and will emphasize texture/look chunky unless it is foiled onto the skin. I have lots of texture on my skin already so I avoid Lyra if I’m running low on time. The rest of the shades are smooth and stunning; silky and long lasting. I am obsessed with this, just as I am with all of my other glow kits! 
My skintone is probably the third shade in every foundation range I use and I would describe it as fair-light but I think these would be even more stunning on complexions deeper than mine. 

These are also very pretty over lipsticks and to make eye looks pop! After I took the following photo I topped my lipstick with Orion. 


Here you can see spectra as my face highlight in my nose and cheeks! I decided to go full unicorn with the blue lips. 🦄 
Overall, I highly recommend! It’s fun, functional and so pretty to look at! 

February Sephora Play! Bag; Final Thoughts

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It’s been about a month (err a little longer) of having these products so I thought I’d share my thoughts on what I received in my February Sephora play bag.

Sephora Lashcraft Mascara– I LOVE this. It adds beautiful length and volume, I will be using this sample to the very last drop and adding this to my to-buy list.

Origins GinZing Eye Cream- This smells nice, feels nice but I notice no special results with it.

Bite Beauty Multi-Stick in Cashew- This is pretty, a bit of a cream to powder consistency. The shade is nice and the product smells lovely, as Bite products tend to but I am so glad I never bought a full size one of these because despite it being a good, pretty product I am just not drawn to it and often let it sit to the wayside.

Tom Ford Neroli Portifino Perfume- I actually really enjoy the smell of this both in the bottle and on me but I can and will not pay $225 for a bottle of perfume unless I become a millionaire overnight, then who knows maybe I’ll have a ~crazy~ shopping spree.

Too Faced Lip Injection Glossy in Milkshake- This plumps my lips beautifully and has a nice shade but burns the hell out of my lips. I do really like the end result so I’ll continue to use the product but I don’t know that I’d purchase a full size at this point.

Clinique Pep-Start Hydro-Blur Moisturizer- I’ll admit, I’ve only tried this on my hand (this is the result of hoarding too many beauty products) but it has a nice scent and a blurring effect really reminiscent of Benefit’s Professional. I will report back once I’ve tried it on my face but so far no irritation on the skin, which is one of the reasons I seem to always love Clinique skin care.

49 Questions-get to know me!

1) Are you a morning or night person? Morning! I am so not a night owl. I fall asleep at 9:00 PM on particularly rough work days but in my defense my work schedule is 7am-3pm so I always feel like my days are off center compared to others. (However, I love both my hours and my job so I won’t complain).
2) Which do you prefer, sweet or salty foods? Sweet! But I also love salty.
3) Ninjas or pirates? Pirate Ninjas.
4) Favorite Movie? The Holiday
5) Favorite flower? Those bright colored daisies you find at the grocery store or classic red roses.
6) What was your favorite childhood television program? Tough one, the best cartoons were in the 90’s. Maybe Doug or Hey Arnold.
7) Are you a collector of anything? Those pressed pennies you get when you visit new places. I used to collect beanie baby bears and still have a ton.
8) If you could be any animal, what would you be? Panda
9) If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Teleportation.
10) What is usually your first thought when you wake up? WHYYYY
11) What do you usually think about right before falling asleep? “Tomorrow when I get home, I’m going straight to bed.” Then I never do. Lol.
12) What’s your favorite color? Pink.
13) What’s your favorite animal? Squirell or Dog
14) Do you believe in extraterrestrials or life on other planets? Yes
15) Do you believe in ghosts? I’m undecided but leaning towards yes.
16) Ever been addicted to a video/computer game? Which one(s)? The Sims and Glover when I was younger.
17) You’re given 1 million dollars, what do you spend it on? Student Loans… el oh el.
18) Have any bad habits? Diet soda, nail biting, not doing my dishes…
19) Which bad habits, if any, drive you crazy? It is a little annoying when I run out of forks…so I suppose not doing my dishes.
20) List 3 of your best personality traits: Witty, talkative and exuberant
21) List 3 of your worst personality traits: Overwhelming, lethargic, neurotic.
22) Have any celebrity crushes? James Marsden…my fave.
23) List 1 thing you wish you could change about yourself: I’d like to lose some weight and have a more positive outlook on life at times.
24) Any tattoos or piercings? Doubles in my ears, used to have cartilage but it hurt to sleep on.
25) What’s the first thing you notice in the opposite sex? Probably height and hair.
26) What personality traits do you look for in a partner? Compassionate.
27) What personality traits do you dislike in other people? Snarky, overly agressive, cold.
28) Do you see yourself getting married in the next 5 years? Yes, I’m getting married next June!
29) Are you mostly a clean or messy person? So very messy!  My poor fiancé has to deal with my mess. Lol.
30) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Australia
31) If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? NYC or Hawaii (We’re looking at NYC for the honeymoon!!) Yeahhh 🙂
32) List 5 goals on your life’s to-do list: 1) Get my CPIM 2) Work for a large international company 3) Get a dog 4) Travel outside the USA 5) Pay off my student loan.
33) Name 1 regret you have: I’m not sure I have any regrets but if I did I’d say not majoring in business/supply chain for undergrad but ultimately I found what I love so no love lost.
34) Name 1 thing you miss about being a kid: No bills!
35) Name 1 thing you love about being an adult: I can eat ice cream for dinner and no one tells me when to go to bed. Lmao. Also, I pick my own groceries and don’t have a curfew.
36) What’s your favorite song of the moment? Shape of You – Ed Sheeran or Perfect- Ed Sheeran
37) What’s your favorite song of all time? Eye of the Tiger
38) What’s your favorite thing to do on a Saturday night? Watch movies/hang out with friends.
39) What’s your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon? Sleeping or shopping!
40) Have any hidden talents? I can recite the Greek and Spanish alphabet’s.
41) You’re about to walk the green mile, what do you have as your last meal? Boneless wings with ranch, lobster tail, cherry Dr. Pepper, mac n’ cheese and chocolate covered pretzels.
42) What would be your dream job? Buyer for Estee Lauder/L’Oreal/Trader Joes/Amazon/Cisco or Apple. Hire me, please! I have my MBA in SCM and am quite charming! 😀
43) Which would you rather have, 100 million dollars or true love? I already have my love so how about 100 million dollars? (Is that cheating? Lol.).
44) If you could have 3 wishes granted, what would they be? 1) For my parents to not have to work & be able to travel 2) to not gain weight when I eat 3) for everyone in my family (and my friends) to be healthy and happy
45) Ever wish you were born the opposite sex? If so, why? No, not really. Though it’d be nice for jean shopping.
46) Name 1 thing not many people know about you: When I was little I used to walk with my toes pointing towards each other
47) If you HAD to change your name, what would you change it to? I really like the name Skylar
49) What is one question you’d like answered? How do you make waffles without a waffle maker? Do you just resort to pancakes?

 

XO

 

-Amanda

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Palette Review

 

Oh my gosh isn’t this thing gorgeous?! Not only is this pretty to look at but it’s also definitely been tons of fun to play with! Mixing new shades has been both fun and oh so wrong (I’ve gotten some really ugly green lipsticks. Lol!). This baby is $48 on the Anastasia Beverly Hills website, which offers free shipping on orders over $25.

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However, I will say the mixing plate and spatula are a pain in the rear to clean, it isn’t just a swipe and be done type of product. The actual lipsticks in the palette are both creamy and have a beautiful matte finish. They’re also incredibly long lasting! I don’t really mind carrying a lipstick palette along with me, as my purse is a black hole but I never seem to want to bring this one because it’s lacking one seriously important thing if I’m using a product this large on the go; a mirror.

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All in all the actual product is beautiful and applies nicely and is also incredibly long lasting. These are traditional cream lipsticks, so they do transfer and don’t have the longevity of a liquid lipstick, as to be expected. However, this is something I would only recommend to a lipstick junkie or obsessed  makeup collector like myself. It isn’t very convenient (although it may be if you travel frequently) and there is no way to store the unique shades you mix up from the palette unless you go purchase small pill containers. So if you do want it, the product quality is well worth it but do realize it does have it’s drawbacks.

 

XO

-A

Face of the Day-New Years Eve

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Here’s What I used to create this look:

L’Oreal Magic Lumi primer.  $12.99

Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit in fair as foundation and concealer.  $40

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer in soft brown. $23

Lorac Mega Pro 3 palette. I used the shades glacier, deep fog and mist. $60

Lancome Art-liner $30.50 and Hypnose Drama Mascara.  $27.50

Besame cosmetics lipstick in American Beauty. $22

Too Faced Sweet Peach Glow for blush, bronzer and highlight. $42

I set the whole face with Urban Decay All Nighter spray.  $15

 

2016 Empties-Annual Total

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You can see my empties from January- August at my previous blog, here.

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Lightening Conditioner- $7.63

L’Oreal EverPure Blonde Brass Banisher Shampoo= $5.99

Garnier Whole Blends Green Apple & Green Tea Conditioner- $3.49

Regis Hydrating Balm- $13.59

Nexxus Color Assure Shampoo- $13.99

Mango Mandarin Hand Soap-$6.50

Equate refreshing cleansing towelettes- $3.48

Ecotools makeup cleansing cloths- $6.98

Impress nails- $6.99

CHI 44 Iron Guard- $9.83

Redken Satinwear Blow-dry lotion-$15.00

Venus Olay travel shaving cream- $2.97

Psssst Dry shampoo- $5.47

Japanese Cherry Blossom Sugar Scrub- $16.50

Aussie 3-minute Miracle- $2.97

John Frieda sheer blonde highlight activating conditioner-$4.97

Stress Relief Foaming body wash-$13.00

Olay cleansing cloths (2 packs_- $2.00

Old Spice Deodorant-$1.59

Clinique chubby in the nude foundation stick deluxe sample-$5.00

Tea Tree cooling foot scrub-$2.00

Mahogany Driftwood candle-$5.19

Smashbox 24-hour eye primer-$21.00

Makeup forever mascara sample-$12.00

Ulta flawless face prime- $4.00

Avon lipgloss-$5.00

NYX lush lashes XXL mascara-$6.99

L’Oreal butterfly mascara-$7.99

ELF Eyeliner- $1.00

Escada perfume sample-$0.00

Josie Maran mascara travel size- $12.00

Ouai Hair treatment mask- $4.00

Sephora travel size mascara-$5.00

Johnson&Johnson Baby Shampoo-$0.99

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser sample-$2.00

Not pictured: Lancôme eye serum-$2.00

 

September-December Total-$239.10

Annual Total: $1,504.12

This year I used $1,504.12 worth of beauty, hair, makeup and lifestyle products. I’m so glad to actually be getting use out of the things I purchased.

L’Oreal Miss Manga Rock Mascara-Review

I first heard of this mascara from one of my all time favorite beauty Youtuber’s/bloggers Livloveshermakeup (You can also find her blog here). She is so bright, positive, delightful and I honestly just want to be her best friend. She’s a professional flutist (a quite talented one at that) and a fellow makeup enthusiast, and I always feel I am able to trust her opinions.

A few weeks ago she was wearing this mascara in a few of her videos and her snapchat (and oh my gosh did her lashes look incredible) and mentioned that it was discontinued. However, I happened to find a surplus of this mascara at my local TJ Maxx (for only $3.00 to $3.99 a tube). If you can’t find it there, you can also buy it here.

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When you apply this mascara the formula is on the dry side and it dries very, very quickly. However, this mascara does wonders at lengthening and volumizing your lashes. I really like the way my lashes turn out when using this. However, be warned that when I say it dries quickly, I mean it. This mascara is good for layering if it’s the top layer but does not perform well while layering if it’s the bottom layer due to this.

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I find this mascara holds up rather well through the day and doesn’t move around or make me look like I have raccoon eyes but after 8+ hours of wear it does begin to flake off. This mascara is easy to remove with micellar water and never leaves my lashes feeling brittle. If you see this in your local TJ Maxx I’d recommend picking yourself up a tube.

Trader Joes Micellar Cleansing Wipes-Review

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This is a post I made a while ago in my previous blog. I moved my ramblings here because I wanted a more free format to talk about all things fashion and beauty. I thought I would share with all my friends here on WordPress.

I’m gonna be honest-I was so excited for these! I hadn’t yet jumped on the micellar water trend and I’ve been really interested in skin care lately so I thought this was the perfect opportunity.

These are good sized cloths, but they’re not very damp-which is something I’ve come to prefer in a makeup wipe.

These were so tough on my skin, I really had to rub. These barely took off my eyeshadow, forget about my waterproof mascara, even when saturated in water.

I’ve had a bottle of the Garnier waterproof micellar sitting in my closet unopened, so I cracked it open and put a little on the cloths, now that stuff was magical-especially for my waterproof mascara!

All in all I’d say these are a pass. They just don’t perform the job they’re designed to do adequately. Save the your skin and money and look elsewhere!

-XO-

A

365 Days of Samples-1

Last year I discovered Elle S. aka shadowsmoked on youtube and I was immediately hooked on her Project 365 Days of Samples, where she would use and review the samples in her sample box. As a beauty junkie, over time I too have accumulated a lot of samples that I have barely touched. I am now going to take on the year, as Elle did, and work through my sample box. Once I have used the products I will tell you what worked for me, what didn’t and what I can’t wait to purchase.

I drew ten samples out of my box to start with so here are the products I am beginning this project with:dscf1343

1.) The Professional Matte Rescue Foundation Primer-Benefit

2.) Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream Perfume

I started using this a bit. It’s a nice, light fragrance. It, however, does not last very long on me unlike the original Daisy.

3.) Origins Night-A-Mins  renewal cream

4.) Belif Aquabomb moisturizer

I started using this a bit and it is extremely hydrating and lovely. It has a light fragrance and so far does good things for my skin.

5.) Nexxus hair treatment

6.) Wish body butter (lavender scented)

I also began to use this. I can not stand the smell of this stuff. However, it does moisturize my skin.

7.) Philosphy Take a Deep Breath oxygenating gel

8.) Tatcha moisture rich silk cream

9.) Shea Moisture facial wash/scrub and mask(s). (It’s a 3 pack).

10.) Josie Maran Argan Oil

 

Until next time!

-XO-

A

Top 16 Beauty Picks of 2016

1.) Lorac Pro Eyeshadow (Eyeshadow). $44
Smoother than a baby’s bottom. 

I could gush about this eyeshadow formula for ages! These do kick up quite a bit of powder, but the way they blend like butter is well worth a little kick-up. I love the Lorac Pro original the most, as I find it the most versatile for every day. If you’ve been debating picking this palette up for a while, go ahead and take the plunge!

2.) Regis Hydrating Balm (Hair Mask). $15
A real tall drink of water. 

I don’t even have words for how incredible this makes my hair look. I have really thick, dry hair. It gets knotted and dry and damaged looking rather quickly from heat styling or hair coloring. I had been having serious split ends and a huge problem with my ahir looking dry and straw like. This was recommended to me by a stylist at a Regis salon and oh my gosh does it work. The stylist told me I could use it as a daily conditioner or as a mask I leave on for about 15 minutes at a time. I choose to use it a few times a week as a mask and the day after I use this (since I shower in the evening) my hair always, without a doubt, looks healthy, hydrated and just plain phenomenal!

3.) Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub (Body Scrub). $16
Seriously smooth skin. 

Not only does this smell lovely but it has the perfect size scrub exfoliants and is just the right balance of abrasive and gentle. The only thing I would change is I would put it in a squeeze tube, rather than a tub. A tub is hard to get in and out of while showering.

4.) Juliette Has A Gun-Not A Perfume (Fragrance). $28 for travel size
Simply scent-sational.

I got this fragrance as a deluxe sample in I believe a Birchbox earlier this year. I have never gotten so many compliments when wearing a fragrance before, I always feel so lovely and flattered when I spray this on. It is made of only one element Ambroxan/Cetalox. Supposedly this means the fragrance smells different on everyone, on me it is light and fresh with a slight musk and I love it!

Read more about Ambroxan/Cetalox 

5.) Glamglow Super Mud (Face Mask) $69
Clear as day. 

I know this stuff has quite the hefty price tag ( but you can find it for less than $69 if you do a little digging) but trust me when I tell you it’s worth it! I’ve used this both as a face mask and as a spot treatment.

6.) Maybeline Age Rewind Concealer-Brightener Version (Concealer) $8.99
The bright of your eye. 

Wow! This concealer has made all the difference for me. I have huge blue-black dark circles under my eyes (because I’m a vampire, duh) and this beautiful pink-toned concealer color corrects and makes me look awake and alive! This stuff is budget friendly and incredible.

7.) Estee Lauder Double Wear (Foundation) $39.50
Poreless perfection. 

This is a beautiful coverage that never looks heavy or ages the skin. I have rather dry skin myself and this foundation makes my face look airbrushed.

8.) Conair Infiniti hair straightener (Hair Tool) $33.99
From groove to smooth. 

I got this as a gift from my fiancé at the beginning of the year and wow is this incredible! It gets really hot and straightens every little bit of hair. My hair has never been straighter or smoother. I’ve had many high-end straighteners (Chi’s) that didn’t last nearly as long or perform nearly as well as this!

9.) Goody Tanglefix (Hair brush) $5.98
No more knots. 

I don’t know what to say other than I love this! It takes all the knots right out of my hair with ease. I find this best to use on my wet hair (blasphemous, I know) an it leaves my hair tangle free the next day when I go to style it! An excellent little brush that lives up to it’s name.

10.) Makeup Monsters Liquid Lipsticks (liquid lipstick) $15
Scary long-lasting. 

Eat, drink, laugh, this liquid lipstick is not going anywhere. Not only is the liquid lipstick long-lasting and opaque. It’s also reasonably priced and has the cutest packaging! You can grab two of these for the cost of many high end liquid lipsticks!

11.) Kat Von D Tattoo liner (Eyeliner) $19
Ink that stays. 

This liner is all in the name! It really doesn’t budge and has full opacity at first swipe. It stays all day without smudging, living up to it’s “tattoo liner” name.

12.) Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders (Highlighter) $46
Stunning sheen. 

I swear these powders can do no wrong. My sweet fiancé bought me the palette trio of these powders for our anniversary and holy cannoli are they gorgeous! They add just the right amount of luminosity to your face without being glittery or shiny. If you’re like me and have texture on your skin, these powders are for you!

13.) Maybeline Lasting Draw (Colored Eyeliner) $7.99
Courageous color. 

Most of the time I like simple black liner, usually with a wing but when I want to change things up these colored liners are so much fun! They stay beautifully on your waterline and are creamy enough to glide on with ease. The perfect liners to transform a look!

14.) Biore Deep Pore Charcol Cleanser (Skincare) $5.99
A real cool clean. 

This cleanser has a cooling effect on your face that really leaves it feeling clean and refreshed. Even when I was changing diets and medications that usually effect my skin this cleanser kept everything clear and beautiful. You can’t beat it for the price!

15.) Maybeline Better Skin Pressed Powder (Powder) $8.99
Fearlessly flawless. 

Wow! I can’t even believe this is a drugstore powder. It’s very finely milled and glides onto the skin with ease, leaving such a beautiful finish. It’s also not heavy and does not leave the skin looking cakey. Definitely invest in this powder if you’re in the market for one.

16.) Covergirl Supersizer Mascara $6.99
Supersize your lashes. 

Even if you already have long, voluminous lashes like I have been blessed with, this mascara will enchant your lashes. This mascara is magical. I was skeptical because I’m usually a fan of a larger brush and this one is really slim but it really just performs so beautifully.