March Recommendations

Burt's Bees oil cleanser- This has made taking my makeup off so much faster! To be honest while I love makeup and totally try to take care of my skin as much as possible there are still so many nights when I'm in a hurry to just get the gunk off and go to bed. This makes taking off eye liner and mascara a total breeze and I have noticed that it also makes my skin very happy! There are lots of different oil cleansers but I admit I picked this one because it is in the lower price range and no regrets so far! 

Organizers for makeup- My husband bought these for me for Christmas and I LOVE them. If you are a makeup hoarder like myself these are awesome to organize your stash. 

Essential oils- I am totally late to the party but essential oils have changed my cleaning routine as far as laundry and cleaning my mattress goes. They smell awesome and last so long and yeah just take the plunge it's worth it. 

YouTube channels- I'm totally into cleaning/vlogging/mommy videos these days. This might not be up your alley but if you are so inclined my favorites are: 

Love Meg

Beauty and Beastons

Flipside of the Moon 

Wet N Wild Foundation- Super cheap and it has the staying power of a much more expensive foundation. I love a deal and this one is amazing. It has a pretty broad shade range and very build-able coverage! 

Dry Shampoo- Again I'm late to the party but I was sent this sample of dry shampoo and now I'm hooked and basically this will have to be in my regular stash especially with baby boy due in a few months and my knowing that showers will be few and far between once he arrives. I love this one but honestly it is super pricey so if you have any recommendations for something cheaper I am all for it! However I will say this one is worth the money, especially if you are a brunette or darker hair color. 

Podcasts- I've told you all about the Curvy Girl Podcast before and I'm still in love with it but now I have a new podcast that I have been bingeing on and honestly I'm probably late to this party too but: 

I love true crime but I love Karen and Georgia even more. They deliver the stories so well and with hilarity that takes the brutal edge off. Plus they are just realatable and funny and yeah you should listen.


So what are your March Recommendations? 

*Note- No affiliate links here, just stuff I like that you might like!

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Add it to my List aka My Faves for January

Skin Care:

Garnier Micellar Water- I love this stuff. Not only does it take off stubborn eye makeup but it is refreshing enough for when you just want to wipe the day off your face. Super inexpensive and there are coupons all the time for it. I use it daily!

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser- I got this in a sample size and now I am hooked. It does have a scent but the scent is cucumber and therefore not overly strong. However I do notice so if you are sensitive to smells or hate cucumber you might not like it. Anyhow it is really gentle on the skin and makes my skin look brighter when I use it.

Foreo- I actually got this in a gift set from Sephora and I honestly didn't think I would really use it that much as I already have a Clarisonic. However I love this little guy! It is perfect for when you are traveling and something about the vibrations honestly does make my skin feel and look so much better! It is pricey if you are looking to get the bigger version but I have to say this little mini one does the trick for me.

Tony Moly Panda Eye Masks- I adore sheet masks. I use them all the time and when I got these little eye masks I was so eager to use them! They are so relaxing on your eyes and have a definite cooling effect. Perfect if your eyes are prone to puffiness.

Makeup:

Dose of Colors Palette- I use this palette so much more than I think I even thought I would. The colors may not be something that most people would wear on an average day but I really enjoy the different amount of looks I can get from this palette! Great quality but like most palettes a bit pricey.

Nyx Soft Matte Creams- Now these are inexpensive but absolutely high quality! I have at least four different shades of this in my purse at all times. They are creamy and set so well and last all day long!

Buxom Mascara- This is a mascara if you are looking for VOLUME. My lashes are fairly long but when I put this mascara on I get that va va voom volume that makes it possible to not wear false lashes which I suck at applying.

Loreal Infallible Pro-Matte- My every day foundation. Ride or Die.

Milani Conceal and Perfect- I use this just to conceal under my eyes but have used it as a full foundation on days that I want an entirely new face. Inexpensive and super full coverage.

Kandee Johnson Sinful Colors Polishes- Adore Kandee Johnson. Love Sinful colors. (They are only .99) The matte colors in this collection are just gorgeous. Strawberry Milk and Mint Chip are my favorites. 

Extras:

SPLIT- Saw this movie on Sunday. Now M. Night can be a bit of a hit or miss for me but THIS MOVIE. Crazy. Brilliant. So well done. James McAvoy is PHENOMENAL.

 

Lipton Black Vanilla Tea- I love this stuff. It's becoming a problem.

Phone Tripod- A Christmas present that I now use daily. I love having my phone propped up while I get a recipe off of it or if I am watching YouTube. It also has a remote for taking hands free pics.

Bluetooth Headphone- Another Christmas gift. These are the BOMB. No wires while working out or if I am listening to an audio book while ignoring children's television! 

Topless Baker on Youtube- He's a shirtless, British, adorable guy that makes amazing desserts. Seriously. 

Girls Girls Podcast- HILARIOUS. Brittany Gibbons of Fat Girl Walking is the host with her friend Meredith and I have nearly fallen over while listening because I was laughing so hard. Warning however NSFW. 

Whew! That ended up being a lot longer a list than I intended! What's on your list? Join the linkup and share! 

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Review: Makeup Brush Cleaner

Morning Everyone, 

Today I thought I would share an awesome product review with you all!

As you all probably know I am a makeup addict. I love it all and I have a massive collection. 

The one downside to loving makeup? 

Cleaning Dirty Brushes. 

I clean my brushes fairly regularly and it is always a hassle. It takes a long time especially if you want to be sure they are super clean. 

Now there are many different types of brush cleaner available but usually they are pretty pricey. Also I have done a DIY one that worked for a few months but eventually gave out on me. 

Then I stumbled upon this little item while shopping at Marshall's. 

It looks VERY similar to the Sigma brush cleaning mat however it was only $5.99. Since that is more in my budget range I thought I would pick it up and give it a go. *Side Note- I did a quick review on SnapChat and that is where the pics are from so if you are wondering why they are formatted that way...well that is why.


First off- It is smaller that ones I have seen before but I have a fairly small sink so I don't think that is a big issue. 

Now for the brushes. 

I am currently using Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap to clean my brushes to make sure they are getting a deep clean. More often than not I use Baby Shampoo though. 

Now for the scrub test. 

Oh Yeah! Super Clean! Great Success!

Before

 After

 I was really surprised by how well this worked! It cleaned my brushes so quickly and I had to use less soap than I normally would have since I just dispensed a dime size on the mat itself and scrubbed until the brush ran clear. It took WAY less time to do and I felt like they got a deeper clean than when I just scrub by hand. I also loved that the mat had suction cups on the bottom to keep it still in the sink while scrubbing the brushes. 

This mat gets a ten out of ten from me! If you happy to find one at Marshall's or T.J. Maxx I would HIGHLY recommend picking one up if you are a makeup lover like myself! 

*Note- I was not paid for this review and I purchased this myself. I just wanted to share my awesome find with you all! 



 

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Creature Comforts

I saw this post last week on Steph's blog and I thought it was just really fun and I love reading about the things that people enjoy just because they enjoy them. Self care is so important and I see nothing wrong with being just a little selfish and just plain liking STUFF! 

Here's a few of my little comforts....

Makeup- yes you all saw this one coming but seriously makeup makes me happy. I love watching people apply it, I love applying it, I love the colors and the way you can completely just change your look. Makeup is my thing. 

Nail polish (no matter how many shades I have)


Geeky/Nerdy stuff- I fully embrace my geek/nerd status. I love ALL. OF. THE. THINGS. 

Journals- Whenever I see a new one I just can't help myself. 


Thrifted books- I love the thrill of collecting series via the thrift store. It just makes my heart happy to pick up books for super cheap! 

Super Fancy Bellami Curling Wand- Robert actually bought this for me for Christmas one year and honestly I LOVE it. It works so well on my hair and I love all the different attachments for different styles. 

Also Love my Chi Flat Iron

Cute Shoes

Movies- whether it is going to the theater, streaming, or just buying DVDs...movies are our thing. 

Trips to Comic Con and Renaissance Festivals- I live for these trips. I love dressing up, I love the people and their enthusiasm. I just feel like I am with MY people when I attend these events! 

 

I am still super proud of my fairy house!

So what are your creature comforts? 

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Confessions 10/28

Good Morning Everyone,

Time to Confess!

I confess that I got all ready and did full makeup yesterday and then...didn't go anywhere. My brother and I were going to go out but it was rainy and cold and I wasn't going to drag Kyra out there in that type weather. I do not need a sick toddler.

I confess that I have not bought any Halloween candy yet. We don't get trick or treaters down our street (its a creepy dead end) so I just haven't seen the point. However I could really go for those mini Hershey bars. The bag of mixed ones? Yum.

I confess I was a little broken hearted to see that Sephora totally sold out of the Urban Decay Set...in like moments. I mean I couldn't afford it really but some part of me hoped I might get it.

I confess that despite that other confession about wanting expensive makeup, I am trying to work on budgeting. There are some actual grown up things that I want to achieve in the next couple years and we won't get there unless we start to do some serious budgeting now. #adultingishard

I confess that I'm also working on scheduling my time better. I want to do NaNoWriMo again this year and also budget, be a mom, cook, clean, etc. So Yeah...I'm gonna need some time management.

On that note I'm off to get some more work done around the house. Happy Humpday Everyone.

Be sure to join the linkup! 

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DIY: Play Makeup Pallet

Good Morning Everyone, 

So it is no secret around here that I really love makeup. 

Like...REALLY. 

Well Kyra really likes my makeup too. However since she is only 1 year old she is more into just making a mess. 

Still she really enjoys sitting with me while I put on my makeup and I know how much she wants to copy Mommy and thus this little beauty came into being. 

Here is what we started with: An old makeup pallet and a variety of nail polish colors

Basically after I cleaned out the old makeup pallet I let Kyra pick out a few of my nail polish colors that she liked. She loves telling me all the names of the colors so this was really a fun project for her! 

Once we had decided the colors I poured just a little bit of each one into the empty spaces. 

Then I let it dry overnight. 

In the morning POOF! A beautiful and safe pallet for Kyra to play with! She has her own little brush and she pretends to put on the colors all over her face while we get ready in the morning! 

This was such a fun DIY and honestly Kyra really loves playing with it! It cost me absolutely nothing and I really didn't even use that much polish in the empty spaces. No more than I would have used just doing one coat painting my nails! 

This was a total win in my book and I encourage any and all Mommy's with makeup addicted kiddos to create their own! 

Happy Thursday Everyone!

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Sephora Haul

Good Morning Everyone, 

The other day I post about my little "freedom" trip to Sephora and today I am going to show you just what I got! 

It's Time for A HAUL!!! 

1) Sephora Favorites- Lashes Unlimited: I am always on the hunt for the Holy Grail Mascara...the problem is ....high end mascara is really expensive. That is why this little kit is amazing! It has all the high end mascaras I have been wanting to try in deluxe sample sizes! 

2) Clarisonic Sensitive Brush Head: I have needed a new brush head for my Mia forever and I finally bit the bullet and got a new one. Awesome decision as I had forgotten how great a new brush feels! 

3) Sample of New NARS All Day Luminous Foundation: The lovely sales girl Hannah got me this sample because I tried a bit on my hand and fell in love. So light weight! It is definitely for a more natural look and honestly I wish I didn't love it because the full size is PRICEY, but honestly...can NARS do no wrong? 

4) Dr. Jart Water-Mask Sleeping Mask: I told Hannah that this winter has not been kind and I needed something to help boost my skin's hydration. She suggested this. It is a bit pricey and she also got me a sample to try before opening the big bottle. I've used the sample a couple times but I am holding on to my full review until later! 

5) NARS Duo in Kauai: I actually watched one of my favorite YouTube Beauty girls use this in a tutorial and I have been coveting it ever since! The colors are so pretty and honestly the pigmentation on them is amazing! I'm in love with them, can't wait to use them for a date night look!

Yes my Phone Photo bombed.

Totoro Bomb!

SWOON.

This is one swipe! So much PIGMENT.

That's it for me today! Did you enjoy the Haul Post? Would you like to see more? Let me know in the comments! Also if you have gone to Sephora, Ulta, Target, anywhere and got makeup tell me! I LOVE to see what everyone is buying! 

Happy Thursday Everyone and be sure to check back here tomorrow for my Friday Favorites!!!

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