E.L.F 100 Color Pallet Review

I was so excited when I got this pallet. I hate ordering offline but I was able to get this from Target back before Christmas. I had been wanting it for quite some time and it still only cost me $10 in the store.

This is one of the most raved about items on the site so I had to check at out.

This pallet, like any other, has its downfalls. Some of the colors have amazing pigmentation while other's do not.

The greens and blue shades seem to be fine and very pretty. I receive many compliments when I use them. One thing I love about this pallet is the huge selection of neutral colors. I love neutral colors and I use them all the time. Their the first colors that I always run out of so I was happy to see that this pallet contained so many.

The packaging is cute but not the best. I like the sleek design but after having this in my bathroom the outside was all marked up. The packaging doesn't matter that much. It does not affect the product but I just wanted to state the packaging is cheap.

Now lets move on to the colors. I LOVE the colors. This pallet has many matte colors and the colors that aren't matte are nice and shimmer. There is only one shadow that is very glittery which is a green shade. Although I prefer matte shades, the shimmer one's are nice. They are not too over the top and the work very well paired by themselves or with a matte color. The sizes of the shadows are pretty large although I am not sure how deep they are.

Overall, I would recommended this pallet. It has many colors that my other pallets do not contain. The colors are very bright (you can't even tell from this picture.) And even though not all the colors are amazing, you still get many that are good, especially for the price. Sadly, Target no longer carry this item, but you can find it on eyeslipsface.com.

Goodluck! :) 

Twilight Woods

I am in love with Bath and Body Works and one of their new scents which is Twilight Woods. Not only do I love the name of the scent, the smell it's is gorgeous and long lasting. Because of this, I decided to pick up a bottle of room spray in Twilight Woods during the Black Friday.

I have tried many room sprays,candles and even oils but Bath and Body works carries some of the best kinds.

All you need is one tiny spray of this to make an entire room smell amazing.

How to Hide Bad Bangs

If you did not already know this, I am on a very tight budget. Because of this, I cut my own hair. I do this because I hate going to a over priced salon and sometimes not even getting the cut that I wanted.

Sadly, you are bound to mess up occasionally.

I gave myself a bad layer and bad bangs back in December and am now waiting for it to grow it.

If you ever have bad bangs do not cut it shorter to try to make it look better. This will not help. You will have hurt yourself even more because you will have to wait even longer for the hair to grow out. Instead go to a store ( I personally love Claire's) and purchase a few clips. Using the clips to pin the bangs to the side and decorate your hair. It is most likely that people will be too busy complimenting your clips to notice your hair. 

Nail Polishes!

I figured I would show a picture of some of my polishes.

This is only a small amount of what I have. I tend to keep my more expensive/favorites/recently used polishes in this little basket which is super cute. I also threw so many out when I moved which was a huge mistake. I am hoping to get a big collection again

Moonlight Path

I have so many perfumes from many stores and different brands.

There are very few scents that I actually re-purchase time and time again.

Moonlight Path is one of them.

Moonlight Path is a bath and body works scent. I love how you can have a lotion,body butter,shower gel, body spray, perfume,shampoo/conditioner, room spray or even candle in this scent. 

This is one scent that I hope the store will never discontinue.

I picked up this cute little set during the black Friday sell for only $7. It contains a travel size lotion and a small bottle of perfume which will last me forever. Body and body works does not usually sell small bottles usually and their big bottles are too pricey for me so I was very happy to make this purchase.

Nails of the Week by - ORLY

I was so happy when I got a coupon for a free bottle of ORLY polish from Ulta. 

I went to the store as soon as I could to pick up my bottle of free polish.

Sadly, you could only choose from 3 different colors ( a blue, a sliver, or a pink)

When looking at the bottles, I was not amazed by any of the colors but I could not pass up the free polish so I decided to use my coupon to the the blue.

I do not regret the decision at all.

The Color that I choose is shade 40662 known is It's up to blue.

The only reason I did not like the color at first was because of the way that it looked in the bottle. I don't know why, but it just did not appeal to me strongly.

Boy, was I wrong. After using this polish, I would have to say that this is one of my favorite colors ever. I have worn this for the past week and received so many compliments on it at work from both men and women.

When applying the color, the polish goes on very well. Even after one coat, I had a nice vibrant color. The color seems to shimmer in the sunlight and has overall greatly improved my opinion of the ORLY brand. The color also wore very well. I only had some wear on the tips after several days and that is all

You can see how amazing the color looks from this picture.I actually took this one with my cell phone which proves how vibrant the color really is!

True Grit Movie Review

There have been many mixed reviews over this movie by critics and viewers a like.

I was a bit skeptical to see this because of that, but who can say no to a free movie?

I saw this movie with my boyfriend a few days ago.

I am a big movie buff and will watch about any movie there is. I would not usually go to the theater to see a western though. I used to go to the movies once a week but now I just go if there is something I can't live without seeing.

True Grit was a good movie (even for a western.) It was full of action that keep you entertained and I loved the character of Mattie Ross. They kept referring to her as ugly in the movie but I don't think she is ugly at all.

Although this was I movie that I enjoyed, I can understand the mixed reviews. The movie was much different than I expected. The trailer "suggests" certain things that never come to play in the actual film. In addition, this movie ended VERY abruptly (which is another complaint most people have)

Even though this movie has it's downfalls, it was still enjoyable to watch. If you have the money, I would definitly suggest that you can and see it or you can just wait until it is available to rent. Either way, you should still check it out :) 

Favorite Hair Products

I have tried many hair products over the years and over time I have found two products that work really good and are surprisingly very cheap. 

The first product is a great product for everyone, even those with over processed hair. The product is Garnier Fructis: Leave in Conditioning Cream. Not only is this a great leave in conditioner but it also works as a styler as well. Sadly, I have some horrible layers in my hair. I use this to keep them from sticking up by applying a bit to my hands and simply pushing the layers down. I run the product all through my hair to smooth it out and condition it. After applying the product, you can also "tousle" your hair to achieve a cute look.

Another product that works really good is Got2B : Smooth Operator Hairspray. Finally, a hair spray that does not make your hair feel gunky. I spray this on my hair daily to make it shine and control frizz and pesky hairs. I also use this when I pull my hair up for work. 

Both of these products are great for every day use and will not leave your hair gunky at all!

Dark Smoky Eye Tutorial

What You Will Need

1) Eye Primer

2) Black Gel Liner

3) Black Eye Shadow

4) Grey Eye Shadow

5) White Eye Shadow

6) Lash Primer

7) Mascara

8) Eye Liners

How to Get The Look

1) Use primer to prim your eyes by rubbing it onto your lids and up towards your eye brows

2) After your eyes are primed, take a black gel liner and put it onto a eye liner brush. Draw a line across the crease of your eye and cover your lid below the line with the liner.

3) Next, you will need to use a MATTE black eye shadow. To apply your shadow, gently pat it over the gel liner that you just applied using the line you drew as a stopping point.

4) Then take a grey shadow ( it does not have to be matte) and apply it above the line you drew.

5) Then take a white eye shadow and apply it to the corner of your eye in order the make your eyes "pop"

6) After you are done with your shadows, prime both your top and bottom eye lashes with lash primer.

7) Apply mascara to your lashes to darken your look.

8) Finally, use a vibrant black eye liner to line your eyes and you are finished! :)

The Finished Look

Should look something like this 

Christmas Glosses

Sadly, I have the hardest time with lip products mainly because I do not like them. 

I hate the way the majority of lip products feel on my lips.

Instead of lip gloss lip sticks, I usually prefer a chap-stick that has a slight color to it.

Even though I do not like lip glosses, I am constantly purchasing them because there are some that I like.

For Christmas, I got two lip glosses from my grandma that are decent.

I tried them out the other day for work and was happy to discover that they are not THAT sticky and when used together they create a nice natural look. Sadly, they quickly wear off like most lip glosses I come across. I have yet to get a lip primer :-/ 

But as you can see, I got a nice pretty look. Ignore my bad looking skin. The Macro setting on my camera makes my skin look horrid.

If you are looking for these lip glosses, the one on the left can be pictured at Ulta I believe. And of course Burts Bee's is sold at most places.

How To Improve Your Beauty Collection

When it comes to your make up collection, both quality and quantity do matter.

These simple tips will hopefully help you improve on your collection.

1) RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH

- Weather you are interested in a product that just came out or just wanting to try something new, it is very important to research. The easiest ways to research are too look up products on a make-up site (sephora.com or ulta.com) or you can also Google them on you-tube if you wish. I never go to the store to make a purchase without doing my research first.

2) CLEARANCE 

- Even if you aren't on a strict budget, it is also a good idea to check out clearance make-up when at the store. Target usually offers pretty good clearance but I have to say that Ulta has the best clearance selection overall. Stores like Ulta are constantly changing their products and therefore, they are always doing markdowns. I have gotten some of my favorite items from Clearance. When looking in clearance, please try to avoid going crazy like I have done in the past. What I like to do is put everything I like into my basket and then once I am done, I will decide how much I want to buy and sort through my basket to eliminate stuff that isn't all that great.

3) STOCK UP

-Personally I always like to stock up when stores are having sales or a good clearance. Be sure to only stock up on things that you know you will use (foundation,powder,blush, concealer). Products can be several years old and still be okay to be used as long as they are not opened. If you stock up on good deals, you will have more money to buy the products you want to try (eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip gloss, etc) 

4) MAKE FREQUENT PURCHASES

-If you can't tell, I like to purchase a lot of new products. Having a new product that works well can do wonders for your look. You should figure out how often you would like to go shopping. For me, I like to go about 2x-3x a month. I go when I have a Ulta coupon and only end up spending about $8 each time. This may not sound like much but I do get a lot for my money.

5) SAVE!

- I don't care how you do it, but you need to save your money. You can choose to set a side a certain amount a money or just hold on to your loose change like I do. Even saving your pennies adds up (trust me!) For the past week, I made it a goal to save all of my tip/change money just to see how much I got. I had almost $40 which would last me quite some time.

Dieting 101 - 5 Simple Tips to Help YOU Lose

I figure that a lot of people have dieting issues, just like I do and I figured I would share a few simple tips that have worked for me both in the past and present.

1- Eat Healthy

How do you eat healthy?

- Before going to the grocery store, make a list. Make sure you are very detailed in what you will be getting and stick to the list. (If you have trouble with this, I would only suggest bringing a certain amount of money with you) Also, do not over buy. The more food you have, the more you will want to eat. 

What can I eat that is healthy?

-If you like to cook (which I do not), you should buy lots of lean meats/fruits/veggies. If you are a cook, I would suggest purchasing a cook book or looking online for yummy recipes. 

-If you do not like to cook, do what I do. Buy Lean Cuisine or Smart one meals. Fruit, yogurt,veggies, and cereal are also nice to have. Either way you should have lots of protein and try to stay away from bread even though its so yummy.

2 - Set Goals

- In order to lose weight, you need to have goals. You can have a weekly goal or even a long term goal. For example, I have decided that I want to lose AT LEAST 6lbs by March. Having a goal helps you see the progress that you are making ( I have already lost about 1.b lbs in just a few days)

3 - Don't Limit Yourself

- Your diet will never succeed if you limit yourself too much. You will be starved/bored within a week and give up.  I am a junk food addict and what I usually do is buy one unhealthy meal and one unhealthy snack when I go to the store. If, for the week, most of your meals are healthy and well balanced, it is okay to have a unhealthy meal. 

4 - Know Your Limits

- Don't believe the doctor's charts, every body has their own limit. Once you reach your limit, it will be harder and harder for you lose. It is hardest for people who are not fat and only want to lose a few IBS. If you are having trouble losing, try mixing up what you are eating. As your body adjusts and gets used to what you are consuming it'll be harder for you to lose.

5 - DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF! 

- This is the most important role to dieting. You must eat! If you cut back your food too much, you will lose weight but you will never be able to keep it off unless you continue to starve yourself. Even on a diet, you should have three meals a day, plus snacks! Two snacks a day should be sufficient but three is just fine as well.You will feel hungry at first but as long as you are eating, you will be just fine.

** If you can't eat that much a day, don't stress over it. I know I shouldn't say this but I usually do not eat that much a day but that is due to my work schedule. I usually get off at such a time that the meal that I eat is a lunch/dinner and I am not often able to snack at work.**

Rimmel Cosmetics

I must say that Rimmel is one of my favorite brands.

I recently started using their " Fix and Perfect" primer again (pictured left.) I think that this is my second favorite primer next to Smash Box, which is not affordable at all. The only down-side of this foundation is that it only comes in one shade. The shade works fine for me but I am not sure how it would work for those who are lighter skinned.I actually prefer a tinted primer like this because it really helps even out your skin tone.

Next, I finally used my "Stay Matte" foundation. I have had this product for a while but have not used it. I have been trying to use other foundations because I seem to have a million in one that are half empty.

I really like this foundation. It is creamy yet it does help matte the skin. I noticed reduced shine on my forehead and nose. I still have some shine and have to use powder through out the day, but I have yet to find a product that actually does everything it says.

I was very happy that this color (201, Classic Beige) seemed to work really good on me. I always seem to have the hardest time finding the right color. 

I would recommend these both, especially the primer because not many of the cheaper brands carry foundation primer.

*Just a note : I would not suggest using a foundation brush for these products because of their thickness. I would recommended a sponge or just using your fingers! :) *

FLIRT!

I used to work at Kohl's and while working there, I learned some things about their make-up lines. 

First of all, all of the make up carried at Kohl's Beauty Counters are made by the same company that makes Estee Lauder. 

What does this mean?

All of the make-up at Kohl's should be high quality and will cost you way less than Prestige Brands. 

Kohl's has several lines of make-up that they carry but my favorite brand would have to be FLIRT! I enjoy flirt because of the color selections that the brand offers. All of the colors are "hip" and seem to be very pigmented. Also, the products are packaged very nicely.

This is an eyeshadow by FLIRT! All of the pressed eye shadows should look like this and they should be called "Dream Eye-Shadow". The brand also carries "mousse" type eye shadows but I prefer either pressed or loose powder. 

This is what the outside of the shadow looks like. Excuse the dirtiness, I have had this shadow for some time but only really started using it a lot recently because my shirt for work is green.

To open the shadow, you slide it open and this is what you get in the inside. I love the way that it opens and the fact that you get your own little mirror is AMAZING.

As you can see, you get a lot of shadow. It is much bigger than most brands see and it is very reasonable for only $12. Also, if you shop at Kohl's often, you know that they are always doing shopping passes and coupons. 

Revlon Golden Affair Blush

I figured that I would review the blush that I wear almost daily. Most days, I wear Revlon Golden Affair Sculpting Brush in Shade 430 which is "Rose Rapture."

I have had this product for AT LEAST a year and I have no hit bottom yet, which is very good. 

It is a very pretty color and I love the golden circles in it that give you the perfect blush yet bronzed look. 

Unfortunately, the blush is/was limited edition and is no longer in stores. You may purchase it online though through amazon. 

Revlon is more expensive than other "drug-store brands" but many of their products are comparable in quality to Urban Decay, Too Faced, Smash Box, etc.

I hope this helps you out. 

Sinful Colors Nail Polish - Yay or Nay?

For Christmas, I received four bottles of "Sinful Colors" nail polish from my grandma that I definitely love. I got a lime green, bright red, dark blue, and blue sparkles. My two favorite colors are shown below.

For my nails this week, I used two of the polishes ( pictured above) together to create a wonderful look.

The dark blue polish is called "Hot Spot." I love this color. Sadly, its hard to see the true blue of it in the picture. I used two coats of "Hot Spot" and then I did two coats of the glitter called "Hottie" over that. 

The big upside to the brand is that it is very affordable. You can get polishes for as cheap as $1.99 at Target, Walgreen's or Alberston's. The polish wears like any other polishes I have used. You will have color chipping, but that is expected. The down side to this brand is that with all of the polishes I have used by them, I have experienced "peeling." One minute my nails will be perfect (without any chips or wear) and the next minute the entire nail will peel off.  I actually do not mind peeling too much because it is much easier for me to simply re-do the nail vs. a touch up. I can see how some people would be annoyed by this though.

Overall, I would recommend this brand/product  a "yay". I have some of their older polishes but their new formula is definitely improved. The positive outweighs the negative.  Also, the colors can be amazing (see below)

How to Avoid Greasy Hair

As many of you know, you should NOT wash your hair every day. Hair should be washed no more than every other day. I like to wash my hair every other day or every two days. Also, when I have days off from work and therefore just lounge around the house, I NEVER wash my hair. I dye my hair quite often and washing it a lot causes the color to fade very quickly.

When I first stopped washing my hair, I tried using dry shampoo. I purchased a bottle of Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo and I loved it. The problem is, this product was very expensive in my opinion and I only got a few uses out of it.  After that, I purchased Sally's Brand Dry Shampoo but even that cost my around $7 a bottle.

After trying dry-shampoo, a friend suggested that I try baby powder. Yes, baby powder. I know that may sound odd, but it really works.

I have pretty greasy hair so I use baby powder the day after I have washed it. First, I comb my hair to get it neat and then I pour some powder into my hand and run it through my hair. I focus on the roots and the hair right by my face because that is where my hair gets the greasy-iest. Not until does this remove grease, but it keeps your hair smelling nice and fresh.

**Be sure to use the powder before you are wearing your outfit, otherwise you are likely to get it all over your clothes.Secondly, never use a hair brush on your hair after you have used the powder, it will make it look like you have dandruff** 

I use generic baby powder that I bought at Target for under $1. It's only 4 oz but I have been using it for months and I still have plenty left.

E.L.F Bronzer

Here is another wonderful elf product that I am in love with (pictured above) Online, elf has many types of bronzer's that you can purchase. Sadly, I am not a big fan of ordering from Elf online due to the fact that it takes you forever to get your purchase and that for this specific brand I much prefer to see the product in person.

The bronzer pictured above is from the essential line by E.L.F. If you don't know, the essential is the cheapest line by E.L.F and all of the products are sold for $1.

The color above is "Sun Kissed" which I purchased at Target. The picture they show online is much different than what the color looks like in person.  On the site, this shade appears to be peachy but in person there is no peach tones at all.

I have tried my fair share of bronzer's and I usually find that the color is much too dark and does not blend well. I was so pleased after getting this bronzer because it works perfectly and looks very natural as well. It is not matte but it doesn't have too much shimmer.

My only complaint is that I over estimated the size of the product. Usually blush, bronzer or powder will last me a very long time. I have been using this product for a few weeks at tops and I hit the bottom today. I would still recommended using this product because it really is amazing for $1 (even if you don't get that much!)

Perfect Imperfections

I stole this from my friend Victoria. You can find here blog here (http://victoriamakeup14.blogspot.com) I decided to take a small break from reviewing because I got so many new products and need to get them all sorted out.

The rules: pick 3 things you dislike about yourself & explain why, then pick 3 things you like about yourself & explain why.

3 Things I Dislike:

1. My Skin Tone - I really wish I was lighter skinned. It is so hard for me to get colors to look vibrant on myself and also I have trouble finding the right foundation shades. 
2. My Weight - Right now I am at one of my lowest weight but I would like to weight 6 lbs less but my body will never drop any lower.
3. My Eye Color - Sometimes I really wish I had a different eye color so that my face would stand out more.

3 Things I like:

1. My hair - Although my hair is not the best right now, ( I gave myself a bad hair-cut,eeep!) I generally have nice hair. It is healthy and thick and grows pretty quickly.
2. My bottom - I have never had a complaint on it, enough said! lol
3. My eyes - Although I sometimes wish I had a different color, I believe that my eyes are pretty large and I have nice lashes.

My challenge to you: If you see this, I ask that you fill it yourself and leave it in a comment, don't be shy :)

E.L.F REVIEW

I bought this product a while ago and just started using it this week. It is so amazing and I like it a lot. I love the fact that is is a duo and it only cost me $3. 

The concealer is really good. It is nice and creamy and it blends very well. I do two layers of it to get good coverage.

I also really like the highlighter. It is a very subtle high-light that blends very well into the skin.  Plus, I use it as a primer on my lids and it is amazing.

I would definitely recommended buying this. You can find this product at eyeslipsface.com for $3 like I said. If you are lucky like me, you should be able to find it in your local target store as well.

How to apply the product:

1) Apply your daily moisturizer or whatever you usually use on your skin

2) Apply your primer

3) Apply the concealer on your skin. I always like to put more in the corner of my eye where circles are darker and then blend out.

4) Apply your foundation as usual

5) After applying my foundation, I like to apply an additional layer of concealer(optional)

6) Finally, I apply a small amount of highlighter under my eye and blend throughly.

7) Apply highlighter to eye lid and blend in order to use as a primer.

Strong Healthy Nails

Have you ever wanted nice long nails but could not afford to get manicures ever few weeks? No need to worry, after using the product I am about to show you, your nails will be better than ever.

If you are looking for strong healthy nails all you have to do is go to your local beauty store that sales O.P.I. I would suggest either Ulta or Sally Beauty. You can also shop around online to possible find it cheaper. The product that I am about to show you is called "O.P.I  Natural Nail Strengthener."

Obviously, O.P.I is a bit pricey but I can easily afford this product because it lasts for quite some time. If you are going to be painting your nails, all that you need to do is simply apply this BEFORE the polish making sure that you cover your entire nail. If you do not want painted nails, just make sure you paint this one every few days.

Here is a picture to show you what my nails look like while wearing O.P.I and after extended O.P.I use.

Ew, I have old lady hands but if you look at the picture you can see that my nails are nice and shiny and that I also have a lot of growth. I have been using O.P.I for over a month and my nails grew this long pretty quickly. I had to cut them down because they were becoming bothersome at my job. After using O.P.I, I still have the occasional break and snag but the product allows my nails to grow much quicker/longer than normal. I would definitely recommended, this product is worth the money. 

China Glaze

I am very pleased to say that I recently purchased my first bottle of China Glaze. I am usually very cheap because I am on a very tight budget and do not want to spend full price for any nail polish. I was lucky enough to pick up one of the brand's limited edition Holiday colors. The color that I purchased is "Peace on earth" (pictured below) The polish had been marked down to Clearance for $2.99. Since I bought this at Ulta and had one of the amazing coupons, I basically ended up getting it for free.

"Peace on Earth",which is shade 887,is a very natural green color that would work well for anyone. I would of purchased more colors but I was lucky enough to get the very last bottle.

My impression: I was pleased after using the polish. The color was much prettier than I expected. The polish had great coverage. I had almost complete coverage after only one coat but I did two coats just be safe and topped it off with my Ulta top coat. I had some trouble getting a good picture of my nails (I am new to this.) I was able to get a few so you guys would get the idea. 

Please ignore my messy hair and lack of makeup! 

Beware of Cheap Makeup

I for one know how expensive makeup can be. The prestige brands can be out of many people price range. Although there are some nice in-expensive brands out there (Rimmel and Maybelline being two of my favorites), I would not advise investing in a color workshop pallet. In the past, I have had "okay" results with their individual eye shadows. Unfortunately, my color workshop pallet is a huge let down (not that I had had high expectations to begin with.)

I received this pallet as a gift a while back and was pleased with what I saw. A pallet large pallet with many colors is exactly what I love. I was even pleased that the colors appeared to be very vibrant and pigmented.As I have learned, looks can be deceiving.

The colors are not pigmented well at all (see above.) To achieve what you see, I applied way more color than I would of liked and it is still very hard to distinguish the colors from one another. The darker neutral  shades do show up but the colors are not true to what you see in the pallet. Also, the dark green and blue are barely visible at all. 

Obviously, I would not recommended a color workshop pallet to anyone. I probably will never use mine although I don't want to just throw it out. If you are broke, and desperately need makeup I would possibly try their eye shadow duos and not the pallet. I have noticed that lots of brands seem to have lower quality pallets because they try to fit too many colors in but their regular eye shadows should be okay (review coming soon)

I hope that this helps you!

XOXO

Tron Movie Review

Since I had the day off today, I decided to go see a movie tonight with my boyfriend. After much debate, we both decided to see "Tron." I was a bit skeptical at first. Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE movie buff and I do enjoy a good sci-fi/action film.  I was just a little "iffy" after seeing the previews for it (especially since I did not know the back story to the film.)

I must admit, I was a bit confused at the films beginning. Luckily, they do a pretty good back story so I was able to figure everything out.

Lets move on to the more important things. The graphics were amazing ( I will most definitely be purchasing on Blu-Ray) What I believed to be "funny colors" really made the film stand out.

In addition to the great graphics, I was memorized by the make-up (lots of heavy eye makeup) and came up with new things to try while watching :)

Beau Garret (pictured above) looked amazing in the film, even if she turned out to be a cold hearted bitch.

Last but not least, I am a huge Olivia Wilde fan. In the film, she played the female lead called "Quorra". Doesn't she look amazing?