NYX Wonder Pencil--My dupe.

VS.    

I don't have a problem admitting this, but I follow a lot of beauty bloggers. I think we can all say the same. If we gear more towards makeup and skincare, we should follow beauty bloggers. If we only post about fashion or your life as mom, it's fitting to follow that particular topic of interest.

There's a specific blogger I just recently started following, like two months ago, and she posted about the NYX Wonder Pencil. Heard of it? Nope, me either. BUT! I have heard of NYX and tried a few of their products so I was interested in what she had to say.

She talked about how this one pencil could be used in more than one way. And as cheap as NYX is, I was excited to add it to my online shopping cart and wait for its' delivery.

After I did my mom's makeup a few weeks ago, I realized I had a product very similar to this beauty blogger. So rather than wasting $6 on it, I should try out what I already have, right? Right.

If you remember from that post, I used the L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator Eyeliner in Black Quartz. Which I'm not really sure why that's the name because it's a brown pencil. The other end of the pencil is the illuminating part and is almost exactly the same color as this NYX Wonder Pencil.

So I'm taking the advice of my fellow beauty blogger and trying out her tips. Here are four different ways you can use an illuminating pencil like both of the products we have.

[ONE] Bump Cover-up
If it's light enough, this pencil can be used to cover up a bump that appeared overnight.

[TWO] Tear Duct + Waterline Highlighter
If you swipe the pencil a little in the inner corners of your eyes, near the tear ducts, or along your waterline, it will give you a bright-eyed and awake look. I know there are some mornings that we all need that!

[THREE] Invisible Lip Liner
This is where it could get a little tricky. Some highlighting pencils have some shimmer to them. So if you are using this as an invisible lip liner, just BLEND BLEND BLEND. But if there is shimmer, only apply it at the cupid's bow and beneath your lower lip. Still blend away.

[FOUR] Brow Highlighter
This one is the easy tip. Swipe the pencil just under your eyebrows to highlight that point. It can also give more definition to brows after they've been filled in with brow shadow. But don't leave it looking like a drawn line. Blend it so that it's seamless from your brow to the eyeshadow-filled crease area.

Have you tried the Wonder Pencil yet? Or do you have a dupe like me just chilling in your makeup bag that you didn't realize was even there? 

What other pencils have you tried similar to these? Do you have any other tips to share? I'd love to hear in your comments :-)

I'm linking up with Manic Monday, Monday Morning Gossip, Mingle Monday, and Funday Monday.

(Source for Wonder Pencil image. Source for Eye Illuminator image.)

A smile looks good on everyone.

Alas! It's Friday, bitches!! I'm beyond ready for this weekend to get here. I'm still on my kick of staying organized with le blog on the weekends so I'm hoping to get a lot accomplished. Maybe another vlog or maybe a fun braiding tutorial? I don't have a set agenda yet so we'll see what I can get together.

one | I was at Wally World several days ago and saw this sticky note on the makeup shelf. Way to perk up a girl, friendly stranger.

two | I got this matte top coat while at the store and I am in love. Seriously. If you haven't tried this--or something similar--just ask to borrow mine and you can see how cool it is. I used to think I hated the matte polish look, but it's very pretty.

three | Garsh. I could do post upon post from all the cat pictures in my phone. It's a little sick.

Sophie: What the hell?!?

Asher: I just, uh, ahhh, right there. Move over a little.

Sophie: I'm not moving.

Asher: Just a little. Mm. I got it. Right there. Nope. Right herrre. Yeahhhh.

Sophie: rolls eyes and refuses to nap like that

four | I'm not ashamed. If it were appropriate for me to have every single thing in my house with cats or cat-themed things on it, I'd be one fine pony. Wait, I'm a cat, right? It's been hard to find fun phone cases for my phone because I didn't want to hide the neon coral color. This was is just clear with black writing on it. They didn't plan very well because the black letters blended with the black apple symbol. So I outlined it with a white chalk pen. And DONE!

five | I gots no picture for this one. I've emailed a tattoo artist about a new design I'm wanting on my arm. And I know I've talked about it before, but I've got that inky itch again. Weeeee! Get ready!

Have any fun and exciting weekend plans??

I'm linking up with H54F, Friday Favorites, Fresh Face Friday, Five on Friday, and That Friday Blog Hop.

Chapstick Spring Line

I was contacted by an Assistant Account Executive at Chapstick to review their new Spring line of chapstick flavors and I was delighted to say yes! Although this is not a paid sponsorship, all opinions are my own. I was provided with four samples, two of each flavor, so keep reading for my review!

Disclosure: The Chapstick product and information have been provided by Pfizer Consumer Health.

I don't know about any of you, but Chapstick has been a brand that has been with me since I was about ten years old. Maybe even younger. They are probably one of the only ones with a consistent formula that keeps my lips hydrated and soft ALL DAY LONG.

I recently fell in love with the Chapstick 8-hour Hydration Lock in Vanilla from a previous Birchbox. It's so smooth and the vanilla smells amazing. When I received these samples, I hoped they'd be the same way. And I definitely wasn't disappointed.

 

The two flavors, Pomegranate Gumdrop and Citrus Jelly Bean, remind me of Easter. It brings me back to all of the candy that I munched on from the Easter Egg Hunts when I was a kid. Warning. Do not eat your new chapstick like Easter candy. I repeat. Do NOT eat your chapstick like Easter candy.

--Side story-- I knew this kid in 6th and 7th grade that was in Chorus with me. The one thing I remember about him? He used to eat, literally, Chapstick every day in class. Gag me now.

--Back on track--

Being that I'm on this fresh health-kick, boy do I miss my candy. But, by applying either of these new scents, I not only smell the sweet flavors, but every now and then I can taste them if I lick my lips. I'm all for a guilt-free smidgen of my favorite Easter candies.

SQUEE.

My favorite is probably the Pomegranate Gumdrop. Don't get me wrong, I love citrus-y things, but the other appealed to me more. They both will be available for a limited time at all Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens stores beginning March 1st. So why not stock up for your kiddos' Easter baskets? Or if they love candy just as much as I do, buy in bulk and they can have candy-flavored Chapsticks all year long. WE ALL WIN!

I hope you all go out and buy one, or both, of these Spring Chapstick flavors for a friend and maybe it'll perk them up for the upcoming season. I know I'm ready for Spring. How about you??!

I'm linking up with All Things Thursday, Look What I Got, and Tres Chic Thursday.

February 2014 Ipsy Bag

The February Ipsy Bag came a whole week later than my Birchbox and it's usually the other way around. But that's okay because the glam bag was love themed. And just because I really wanted a love themed bag, here's something fun to listen to while you're reading.

True story: This is my dad's ringtone for my mom.

So. I love every single thing in my glam bag. EVERYTHING. I'm actually excited to use all of the products provided by the different brands. Let's jump right in and we can compare bags later!

POP Beauty

Plump Pout Mini in Peony Petal | Full-size, $16

The color of this lip gloss is such a pretty pink, not too dark and not too light. We all know I hate glosses since my lips are already big, but the fact that it's plumping too is just a bad sign. I tried it on the moment I pulled it out of the bag and wasn't convinced there was plumping power in the ingredients. I think for the color, I'm going to keep it. Otherwise I would've given it to someone else.

ZOYA

Nail Polish in Odette | Full-size, $9

Lavender is one of the hot colors for Spring and I'm really ready for Spring. This color looks more mauve online but it's definitely a purple. I've tried Zoya only once in the past and I remember liking it a lot. And the price is the same for other drugstore brands.

Mally Beauty

Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner in Starshine | Full-size, $15

I'm not really sure why I keep getting silver eyeliners but I'm not too happy about it. Yes, this is a waterproof liner and yes, it's super buttery. But, I just don't wear silver.

Uberliss

RituOil Orchid + Argan Oil Complex | Full-size, $19.90

I love most hair products like these. It claims to "seal your hair cuticles, which helps prevent moisture loss, minimize thermal damage, and prevent split ends from forming." I use somewhat of a similar product now but it's not meant to moisturize at all so I'm interested in seeing how this works on my hair.

Jesse's Girl

9 Pan Eyeshadow Compact in Behind Blue Eyes | Full-size, $3.99

I'm not sure that I've ever heard of this brand name before but I really like the price for how much you get in one compact. I don't wear blue shadows that often but I like that these all seem to be very wearable. It does include some grays so I could wear those during the day and apply more of the darker blues for going out afterwards.

Ipsy's still in the lead when comparing it with Birchbox. Were your glam bags all that you thought for the month of love??

I'm linking up with Random Wednesday, That Hump Day Blog Hop, Your Whims Wednesday, and I Feel Pretty.

Neutrals

It's good to change things up every now and then. You know, it's fun to bring out the bright colors and funky jewelry, but sometimes you just gotta get back to basics. Today's all about NEUTRALS.

Studded Jacket: F21+ // White Top/Dress: F21 // Faux Leather Leggings: Target // Nude Heels: Target

(Sorry...all items are at least a year old, so no linkys for you.)

I'm linking up with Trend Spend Tuesday, Style Sessions, The Pleated Poppy, and Totally Posted Tuesdays.

Pastels

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I know, I know. Pastels are ALWAYS a hit for spring fashion. Some winter colors transition over, but the lilacs and mints are always present. I wanted to try a few new things today and I'm hoping they inspire you to jump-start your spring season as well as give you ideas of your own for makeup that's outside your normal routine.

Tell me, which one do you like?

...ONE...smoky lavender eyes

...TWO...baby blue lines

...THREE...icy white eyes

I love the simplicity of the white, but I think if I'm stepping outside my makeup box, I'm really liking the blue eyeliner. It's just so FUN!

I'm linking up with Mix it Monday, Monday Morning Gossip, Manic Monday, and Funday Monday.

Friday Faves

Happy Friday and Happy Valentine's Day!! Too bad this isn't a paid holiday because this would be an amazing 3-day weekend...BUT we all probably have special plans for tonight so that's something to be excited about. My favorite meal of all time is being prepared tonight by the hubby. BRINNER!!!!!

With that being said, this day needs to hurry up so I can get home! 

So on to my top 5 favorite things from this week:

[one]

"Hey guys, what's up?" Asher just thinks he can get away with anything. But he never catches on that I'm within arms reach of the squirt bottle.

[two]

Abigail, Zion, and myself went to the Chattanooga Aquarium a couple of weekends ago and I forgot all about the pictures I took. I think this one's probably my favorite.

[three]

I found this artist on Instragram several months ago and I cannot get enough of him! Check him out and I'd love you forever if you bought me one of his coloring books :-)

[four]

As you know, I did my mom's makeup this week and I took this picture to show her where I was applying the highlighter. Kinda Navajo, right? Lol.

[five]

The Perfect365 app now offers wigs. What better sport to try it on than Jerry?! Bahaha.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your love-making weekends.

I'm linking up with H54F, Five on Friday, Friday Favorites, That Friday Blog Hop, and Fresh Face Friday.

February 2014 Birchbox

In February's Birchbox, I was half expecting it to be love-themed because of Valentine's Day, but it wasn't. They focused more on Awards Season and how one would prepare themselves for the red carpet.

"Step and Repeat" shares star beauty intel with us (although after reading what you see below, I call BS) starting with tips on posing for flattering photos. Wait. Maybe they share these tips on Birchbox's site... Yep, I bet that's it.

Agave
Healing Oil Treatment | Full-size, $24-$40
   WHAT   Created by a veteran hairstylist, this lightweight oil uses agave to hydrate and protect.
   HOW     Work a small amount into damp hair from roots to ends.

I'm not one to always try out new hair products. But considering this was meant to restore and treat frizzy hair, I'm all for it. I don't really know if it's one of those products you have to use for a week before you begin seeing results, so we'll see how it goes.

Eleven Skin
Refresh Cleanser | Full-size, $30
   WHAT   A rich face wash that leaves skin clean without stripping it of its natural moisture.
   HOW     Massage a pea-sized amount into wet skin, rinse, and pat dry.

I think I say this every time I get face products. I don't like to try new things on mah face. It's too sensitive. I guess I could look at it as my face is already acting like a 2-year old so it wouldn't hurt, right? Just makes me nervous to try something out of my routine.

OPI
Sheer Tints in Be Magentale with Me | Full-size, $9
   WHAT   This tinted top coat gives nails a wash of high-shine, translucent color.
   HOW     Wear alone for a subtle tint, or over your go-to polish for a chic shade-shifting effect.

I'm going to be honest and say I don't really see the point of this stuff. Maybe it's just me, but I HATE sheer polish. So a tinted, sheer polish? No thanks.

smashbox cosmetics
Full Exposure Mascara | Full-size, $19.50
   WHAT   Hybrid fiber formula that expertly lengthens, volumizes, and curls sans clumps or flakes.
   HOW     Sweep mascara wand from the roots to the tips of lashes. For even more drama, use two coats.

I love love love trying new mascaras! I'm always interested to see which ones give me volume or length. This mascara claims it's a hybrid fiber formula so I'm curious to see what exactly that means.

.....BEAUTY EXTRA.....

smashbox cosmetics
Full Exposure Palette | Full-size, $49
   WHAT   A range of versatile hues, complete with tips on creating the best look for your eye shape.
   HOW     Use one shadow for a casual look, or layer shades to take makeup from day to night.

I haven't had much luck with previous sample palettes because it seems like it's not always enough for both eyes. I really like that this sample includes the 6 same colors (so 12 total) in both shimmery and matte. So maybe I'll actually have enough this time.

Interested in signing up with Birchbox? Visit their site and follow their instructions.

I'm linking up with All Things Thursday and Tres-Chic.

Spinach Orzo Salad

My parents recently made this Greek/Mediterranean-style orzo salad and I am in love with it! The ingredients aren't normally something I would consider a favorite of mine, but once they were combined, it was a huge hit. I think they got it from my Grammy and I know she's been passing it around with her church friends and family down in Florida.

So now it's my turn to share it with you.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

2+ cups bagged pre-washed baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup Greek salad dressing (recipe below)

1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomato halves, chopped

1 6oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

1/3 cup green onions, chopped

3oz+ feta cheese, crumbled

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Greek Dressing:

1 cup olive oil

2-3 Tbsp Greek seasoning (see below)

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

I had no idea where to find Greek seasoning at the store. Even the Publix worker couldn't find it. So I looked online and found a recipe with herbs from my pantry.

Optional Greek Seasoning:

1 1/2 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp dried Thyme

1/2 tsp dried Basil

1/4 tsp dried Garlic, minced

I found that online here.

Additional Ingredients:

1/2 cup English cucumber, diced

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Kalamata olives, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Cook orzo according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Mix together the orzo, Greek dressing, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and green onions. Marinate for a few hours or overnight. (Or if you're out of time and forgot to marinate it, it's not the end of the world. It still tastes just as delicious!)

Just before serving, stir together the spinach, red bell pepper, cucumber (if you want) and feta cheese with the orzo mixture. Add more Greek dressing to your taste. Serve.

**For a different taste, use lemon-infused olive oil and omit the lemon juice. I actually forgot the lemon juice at the store, so whatevs.**

I love that this pasta works as a meal on its own. You could just as easily eat some grilled chicken or fish with it if you like. I also love that, to me, it can work in both chilly and warmer seasons.

I will say that the spinach leaves can get soggy in the oil when you're eating the leftovers, but that's okay because you can add more!!

I'm linking up with Random Wednesday, That Hump Day Blog Hop, Your Whims Wednesday, and I Feel Pretty.

Makeover Madness: Beauty at Any Age

I decided recently that I wanted to give my mom a makeover--not that she really needed it. She's one of those women who age really well decade to decade and I'm thankful I've got her DNA. If I can look as good as she does when I'm her age then I'm going to be one hot mama. You should all be, what do they call it nowadays.... JELLY!

But I still need practice with my makeup artist skills. So that's where today came into play. I didn't really have a "set look" for her but I do know that I wanted to play up her eyebrows and the colors on her cheeks. She's also been on the hunt for a nude/pink color for her lips so we played with that as well.

Disclaimer: I'm still working on my photo taking skills, so bear with me...

FACE

Foundation: Covergirl Aqua Smoothers Liquid Foundation in Medium Beige

Concealer: ELF Studio Under-Eye Concealer in Medium

Loose Powder: NYC Translucent Powder

CHEEKS

Bronzer: Sephora Bronzer in Los Cabos

Blush: NARS blush in Orgasm

Highlighter: Benefit Watts Up! Highlighter in Luminous Champagne

EYES

Brows: LORAC Take a Brow Kit in Brunette (used the darker color)

Concealer: MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20

Eyelid Primer: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Palette 1

     Eyelids--Toasted

     Crease--Buck

     Outer corner--Hustle

     Lower lash line--Buck

Eyeliner: L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator Eyeliner in Black Quartz

Mascara: Covergirl Lashblast Fushion Mascara in Very Black

LIPS

Lipstick: NYX Lip Creme Lipstick in Iced Honey

One thing I know I need to work on is cheek color. It seems like a lot when I'm inches away from a face, but when I back up or take someone outside, it looks like there isn't any color at all.

I chose the colors from the Naked palette based on her green eyes. I thought with the nude/rose/purple colors, they would pop! And I was totally right.

She didn't care too much for the lip color because of the shimmer, but overall, I think it was a good tone. I wanted to use a gloss that I've had for years but didn't bring it with me.

So what do you think? Comment below and tell me what you would have used on your mom!

I'm linking up with Monday Morning Gossip, Manic Monday, Mix it Monday, and Funday Monday.

Little Miss Busy

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As you can tell from my absence, something's up. It's not anything bad, just life gets busy sometimes and it's hard to regularly schedule posts on le blog. I know we can all relate to this. We've got families and jobs and some even have school. Priority, people.

I started a program at the gym a few weeks ago and it was just what the doctor ordered. I had put it off for far too long and I'm glad I finally said YES to the many years of telling my dad NO to join or at least visit under a guest pass. Now that I've been going several times a week for a few weeks now, I think I've formed a habit. Yay!

With my gym schedule now, I work out Monday through Thursday and a lot of the classes I attend don't start until 6:30 so I'm not getting home until 8 pm. All I want to do when I get home is eat and then crash. Because being up from 5:45 is killer enough, I don't want to stay up much later than 9:30.

So when do I have time to blog? That is a very good question. I don't. That's why I've barely had like two posts the last two weeks. The weekends give me prime time for creative thinking but with a busy week, a lot of times I just want to be lazy, yanno? If I want to continue with le blog, which I do, I've got to start doing things a little bit differently.

Well, what can I learn from all of this? Preparation, determination, and organization. I've got to browse the interwebs, other blogs, and whatever else during the week for inspiration, make a note of it somewhere and then write about it over the weekend. Sounds pretty simple, I've just gotta give myself a kick in the arse and actually do it.

Here's to hoping I can accomplish something over this weekend. I'm sure as hell shooting for the stars.

Travel 2014

Welp, my 2014 resolutions are kind of being washed down the drain right now and I couldn't be happier. We wanted to see how much money we could save by cutting out unnecessary spending like shopping, fast food (by ourselves), crafty things, comics, and so on. So then came this resolution. We've only been a month in and it's crazy thinking we're not living paycheck to paycheck.

And now came a crazy idea and we've just rolled with it. What's a sure-fire way to spend all said saved money? Go on vacation, of course! And not just any vacation but back to Europe. #dearjesussaveusall