Empties

Here are some products that I have recently emptied:

Almay Get Up & Grow Mascara in Black: love this! Its brush is dense and really thickens my lashes. I also love the formula! I have to say it's one of the few mascaras I feel is the same consistency from when I first open it until it's shot.

Olay CC Cream in Fair to Light: this particular bottle was given to me by Caitlyn's Corner in Februray for my birthday and I just used it up yesterday. Granted I didn't use it everyday, but just about. The first time I used it I was in shock. My skin looked air brushed! I use this over moisturizer and under my bareMinerals. It really does create a flawless face look. It also doesn't take a lot to get good coverage nf my face and neck. I would say it's a more expensive drug store item, but it lasts a long time because a little goes a long way. I have already repurchased this!

bareMinerals i.d. bareVitamins skin rev-er upper: this product was in my bareMinerals Getting Started Kit that I bought probably 7 years ago (after drooling for years during their infomercials!) and I haven't gone a day without using it since! I don't know how to classify my skin because I live in such a dry place, but with that said I need a good moisturizer that also doesn't clog my pores. It can also get very hot here and is considered high elevation, so I appreciate the fact it doesn't feel greasy on my face. It's very light feeling but is effective as a moisturizer--a double win!

Matrix Biolage Fortifying Leave-In Treatment: this is a product my mom has used as long as I can remember and I adopted it as one of my daily-use products years ago. It has a gentle scent which I appreciate and feel goes with any shampoo/conditioner. A year or so ago I could not find it in any of the stores though, so I bought Aussie's Leave-In Conditioner as suggested by Caitlyn. I have since decided I prefer Aussie's scent and price so much more. Biolage is still a great product though!

Lady Speed Stick 24/7 Fresh Fusion Gel Deodorant: I love the scent!!!! And this product I got on a whim a few years ago converted me to gel formulas. I have been buying this for a long time and get heart palpitations whenever I can't find it in stores. It kind of comes and goes so when my stores get it back in stock I stock up!

Walmart's Original Clean Facial Cleansing Towelettes (moist): I don't use these daily, but they are nice to use to get waterproof eyeliner and coats of mascara off before washing my face at night (just to make sure it all comes off)! Love these!

Olay Regenerist Micro-Derm Cleansing Cloths: these are great to lather up and cleanse with at night. I'm amazed at how effectively they get coats of mascara and eyeliner off. I don't use these daily, but maybe once a week to exfoliate. They make my skin feel super soft! What's great about both these and the moist towelettes mentioned above is that they sell refill packages to put into the containers so you don't have to waste the containers every time you repurchase and you can even buy the knock-off brand's refills to save some money!

Ulta Automatic Eyeliner in Black/Brown: love this stuff! I picked it up once years ago while waiting in line to be checked out and I'm sure there was a sale of some sort. I love the creaminess of this eyeliner. I can really work with it to get exactly what I want without feeling like there's a time limit. They have a wide variety of colors and I have since purchased this in black and navy. The only issue is getting it to stay in the waterline on the lower lid. I love how it stays on the upper lid so I've been using waterproof on the lower waterline.

Cover Girl Eyelash Curler: another thing I've been buying for years! I'm kind of weird and feel it necessary to have pre- and post-mascara eyelash curlers. (Yes, I curl my eyelashes before and after mascara!) I also heat my eyelash curlers with my blow dryer before curling. This makes a huge difference! Try it! I realize this isn't "empty" but it has gotten quite worn over the years and all of the extra pads I have don't fit it, and I figured it should be replaced periodically anyways.

And that's it! Thanks for reading! Comment below if you have used any of these products and what your experiences have been with them!

Fall Haul: Ulta

In order to get some retail therapy, spend quality time with Caitlyn's Corner, AND to take advantage of Ulta's 20% off sale, we went for a spontaneous shopping spree yesterday!

Here's what I picked up for myself:

• Neutrogena MoistureShine gloss in Wine Wellness
• bareMinerals Original Foundation in Medium
• bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lip gloss in Rebel (it was a "free" gift because I bought the bareMinerals foundation)
• Essie Nail Polish in Fishnet Stockings
• OPI Nail Laquer in I Theodora You
• OPI Top Coat

The bareMinerals foundation is something I've used daily for around 7 years. I love it! I am looking forward to using everything else! I have really been into red and look forward to using it this fall and around Christmas time. After all, 'tis the season!

Thanks for reading! :)

LOTD: LORAC PRO Palette

Here's my makeup mess today:

I specifically used: Pewter (on eyelid to crease), Lt. Bronze (in inner one-third of eyelid and tear duct region), Champagne (as highlight just below brow), Garnet (outer one-third of eyelid and into crease). Here's what I got:

It's especially sunny and warm here today. A typical, transitional, October day!

Thanks for reading!

Dupe: Gold Series Marcel Curling Iron

My sister recently started beauty school and needed a "model" to practice washing and styling hair on, so I obliged and she did a great job! I was amazed my hair could look so good using a smaller barrel. I have been using a 1 1/2" curling iron and this fancy 3/4" Marcel created a great look that I wanted to be able to create on my own. The Marcel Curling Iron has a unique design that is not the easiest to use.

Using the Marcel Curling Iron:

Using the Revlon Curling Iron:

I bought the Revlon curling iron back in high school after many recommendations from friends because they loved the spiral barrel. After my hair got longer I thought I needed a bigger barrel and although it does provide beautiful loose curls, a smaller barrel adds more curls. Definitely try it-or something different than your usual-out! It may mean you'll have a new hair routine!

LOTD: Gray & Plum

Bought this blouse yesterday on sale at Macy's...

So I did a gray smokey eye and plum lip:

I used NAKED eyeshadows from both the NAKED and NAKED 2 palettes and Bobbi Brown Ruby Sugar on my lips. Happy Fall Sunday!

No Bueno: Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Moisture Whip Leave-In Conditioner for Dry Hair

I wasn't able to find my usual leave-in conditioner, so I thought I would give this a try. I love the smell of Garnier Fructis shampoo so I figured I would love this. The smell did not disappoint. However, the formula wasn't anything to write home about. It was incredibly sticky and because it was a foam, I had to use my hands to work it into my hair. It did not aid in conditioning my hair and I was left with sticky hands and staticky hair. What I want in a leave-in conditioner is a quick spritz that will help me to comb out my mane before I put it up in my towel. This was a mess and did not live up to its name. Have you tried this? What was your experience like?

FOTD: Bold Lips & Bright Eyes

Last night I bought Buxom Full-Bodied Lip Gloss in Hot Mama and I'm in love!! This lip gloss has the capability to be super bold. It is one you can definitely apply a thin coat a achieve high pigmentation or you can apply an additional coal and have an even more bold, red lip. Since I had such a bold lip I went with a softer eye look. I also purchased Benefit's They're Real mascara and love it!!! I highly recommend it due to its amazing brush and high quality formula that has not flaked off. It created a bright eyed look and I love that!

This is what my lip gloss looked like with just a small amount applied, a while after application:

Fall Haul: Ulta

Here's what I've purchased my last few trips to Ulta or have purchased online.

I couldn't find one of my Color Sticks because I think it's in one of my purses or something. I've been using my LORAC PRO palette for a while, but will be doing more looks using it and reviewing these other products soon. Have you used any of these products?

Review: Turbie Twist

I picked this up at Wal-Mart the other day for $4.98! I will admit I'm a sucker for items featured in infomercials and this was no exception! I would never buy something over the phone, so when I saw this for less than $5 I had to try it! I've been using it for a few days now and I love it! Before I would just dry off and then put my hair up using my big body towel. This would not stay in place, was super heavy and the Turbie Twist is the complete opposite. I realize I could use a smaller towel, but the Turbie Twist's elastic loop is a game changer! It really makes a big difference. I have pretty thick, long hair, so I was leery of it all fitting, so when I got home I tried it out with my dry hair and it fit with room to spare! It is made of a soft terry cloth and comes in multiple colors. It is also machine washable. I highly recommend trying it out or giving this as a gift!

LOTD: Light Pink & Gray

I applied my face make up like I usually do and used the same mascara combination I've been using for months. For my eyeshadow I used Too Faced Gum Drop on my lid to my crease then Too Faced Satin Sheets from my crease to brows and in the inner corner of my eyes as a highlight. Then I used Urban Decay's Pistol in my crease. I've been applying my highlight before my crease color lately and I've noticed everything blends better that way. Pretty simple!

My lips I used my Lush Honey Trap lip balm to moisturizer my lips and then Buxom lip gloss in Kanani.

My earrings are from Forever 21 and my shirt is from C.J. Banks.

My ring was a gift from my aunt which was a gift to her from my Grandpa. I love it! I repainted my nails yesterday and I used OPI Berlin There Done That.

Thanks for reading!

LOTD: Hunter Green

I used: 

LOTD: Blush & Gold

This look is inspired by a Macy's outfit I bought earlier in the year. I also purchased the earrings from there as well. For my eyes I used Urban Decay's Toasted on my lids just to my crease, Virgin from my crease to my brows, and then Hustle in the outer one-third of my eye and brought a little of the deeper shade up into my crease as well. I applied Ulta's Automatic eyeliner in Black/Brown and my usual mascara duo combo. I curled my eyelashes again and then applied Half Baked in a vertical swipe where my iris is. This added a gold element to the blush color of Toasted.

And voilà:

I used Buxom lip gloss in Dolly.

Thanks for reading!

NOTD: Social Ladder

Love this classy, neutral color!

FOTD: Urban Decay NAKED Palette

Here's a quick look that can easily be dressed up or dressed down. First, UD Primer Potion on entire lid. Next, I pat Sidecar from lash to crease. (This is a color I have not used until now and I'm obsessed! It is glittery, shimmery goodness!) Next, I applied Sin from crease to brows. Lastly, Darkhorse! I applied this in a back and forth motion in the crease of my eye. Just right in the socket. I did not pull this shadow up, but simply kept it in my crease. Today I only used Ulta Automatic Eyeliner in a Black/Brown, but if I wanted to dress it up I would use something longer lasting like Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl liner. I used both Sephora Full Action and Almay Get Up & Grow mascaras. For my lips I used a Revlon Lip Butter in Red Velvet.

As you may be able to tell, I dressed it down today. It's a sweatpants kinda Sunday watching General Conference. Thanks for reading! :D

NOTD: Dupe for OPI Berlin There Done That

Last Fall I was drawn to OPI's gray/taupe nail polish from their Germany Collection called "Berlin There Done That." I'll admit I mostly bought the nail polish because of its name--after all, my Grandfather played an integral part in the Berlin Airlift. The color was very warm and a great neutral for Fall! Once I used it I fell even more in love with it.

Fast forward to this Fall...Whilst wandering around Walgreens with the BFF I found a color quite similar and only a fraction of the price! I purchased it and wondered if it would also be a fraction of the quality. It indeed wasn't and here's the dupe look:

Sinful Shine with Gel Tech in "Rebel"

Both needed two coats to achieve opaque coverage, so that wasn't an issue. I've purchased many Sinful Colors nail polishes in the past and love the Gel Tech line so far!

LOTD: Olive Green

I created this olive green eye look in a jiffy to go along with my recently purchased dark olive green blouse. These are the shadows I used!

First I used Palladio Herbal Eyeshadow primer and then the light green shadow (Right side says eyelid) from Wet N Wild all over my eyelids.

I liked the tone but it needed to be deeper so I used the dark green shown below.

Believe it or not, Pastille was the shadow that made this look. Layered over the lighter colors, it deepened it so it looked more sophisticated and not as bright green.

I put the dark shade below in my crease and the light as a highlight.

I then used Neutrogena MoistureSmooth color stick in Rich Raisin.

And here's the look!