My Christmas/Sephora Haul!!

Hello everybody!! I hope that today was a great start to everyones week! I'm in an unusually good mood for a Monday...it's amazing what a little sunshine can do!

Today I'm super excited to share with you some beauty-related items that I got for Christmas! This post has kind of been delayed because one of my gifts was a gift card to Sephora, so I wanted to wait until I had used my gift card so that I could talk about everything all at once! I'll be reviewing one of my gifts for you today. : )

What did I get??

Christmas:

e.l.f Beauty-On-The-Go Set

I received this from my boyfriend's wonderful parents! I had seen this on the e.l.f website before, and thought it was a really cool concept, so I was so excited to receive this! This comes with the two makeup palettes shown on the packaging (20 eyeshadows, 4 lipglosses, 1 bronzer, 1 blush) and an empty compact that you can snap the palette into to take with you! This is so convenient, and I really love their products! Still working on reviewing this one for you guys!

e.l.f Brush Collection 10 Piece Brush Set

If you're just starting to get into using makeup brushes to do your makeup with, instead of the eyeshadow applicators that usually come inside a compact, then e.l.f brushes are an affordable way to start. I absolutely LOVE their eyeshadow brush, eyeliner brush, and their total face brush. They are super soft, don't shed and are the perfect size and shape. These brushes are only $3 individually...pretty crazy right??
Both sets can be found here.

Sephora:

I haven't even used these products yet, but I just wanted to give you a sneak peek on some things that I'll be reviewing very soon!! I bought:

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette
Too Faced Smokey Eye Palette
Benefit Primping with the Stars Set (All Time Greatest "Fake-Its" Kit)
2 Sephora Doe Eyed Felt Eyeliners

Super excited to try this stuff out and review it for you!

Now for the Christmas present I'll be reviewing for you today...

LUSH Winter Wishes Gift Set

I'm dumb and forgot to take pictures of this before I started using it, so all pictures are from Lush's website!

Lushusa.com

This set includes:
100 ml Ponche Shower Gel
100 g Snow Globe Soap
30 g Each Peach mini Massage Bar
100 g Sugar Scrub

Ponche Shower Gel

Lushusa.com

Ok I'm just now realizing this scent was Limited Edition! I'll still review it for you, because I absolutely love the smell and the ingredients/company. Ponche was inspired by traditional Mexican Christmas punch...this scent contains freshly squeezed orange juice, plum and cinnamon infusions, and tequila...yes tequila is actually listed as an ingredient!! It all adds up to be a loud, fruity fragrance that really wakes me up in the morning. This shower gel is completely vegan, and handmade with fresh ingredients. Even though this scent is sold out, there are a ton of other fun ones for you to try like It's Raining Men, or Flying Fox. Bottles of their shower gel range from 9.95 for the smallest, and $28.95 for the largest size. A little pricey, but you're really getting something that you can't find anywhere else.

Snow Globe Soap

Lushusa.com

I haven't tried the soap yet, but the smell is absolutely AMAZING. This soap contains:
Grapefruit, lemon, and lemongrass oils to brighten up those winter days
Ylang ylang oil to relax and calm you
All of Lush's soaps are made by hand and poured into moulds... the pieces aren't actually in packages in the store. They are sitting on a shelf in a variety of sizes...the size of the piece of soap you pick determines how much it will cost. This allows for less overall packaging...isn't that cool?? There are TONS of fun options...you'll never find soap boring again! This particular scent is $7.95 for 3.5 oz (a regular bar of Dial soap is 4 oz).

Each Peach Massage Bar

Lushusa.com

This particular product is one of Lush's bestsellers and I can easily see why. It is the softest thing I have ever felt on my skin! You glide this directly over dry skin, so you're basically using it as a form of moisturizer. This would be perfect for after you shave your legs, especially in these winter months where skin can get dry. This bar contains:
Avocado and mango kernel butters mixed with cocoa and shea butter base
Lime, mandarin, and orange essential oils to lift your mood
Even just using this as a way to de-stress would be perfect: have someone rub this into your skin while giving you a back massage...sounds heavenly to me!! This product is $10.95 for 2.2 oz.

Sugar Scrub

Lushusa.com

I have never tried a sugar scrub before so I was very excited to try this!! This product is meant to diminish cellulite and unwanted bumps on your skin. This sugar scrub contains:
Powdered ginger to stimulate circulation and warm your skin
Fair Trade sugar to buff away dead skin and leave you glowing
Calming lavender to promote healthier skin
This definitely feels rough on your skin, and you kind of have to get used to it, but wow it really did diminish some of those gross little bumps!! WARNING: Do not let the ball of sugar scrub get under the running water!! I failed to pay attention to this direction, and now my sugar scrub is a gross, ruined lump. Sighhhh. I'm definitely going out and buying another one, because this is a product to keep using! This product is $6.25 for 3.5 oz (and also package-free).

That sums up my gift set!! Bottom line: I LOVE LUSH!! I just think their products are so cool and unique and the thought of using all of those natural products on my skin somehow makes me feel healthier. This is just not something you're going to find at the drugstore or Target, and that alone justifies the prices for me. They have a TON of other products (even makeup!) so check them out here.

The Justice section of this post should be obvious: LUSH! They are doing a ton of stuff to help our world, communities and environment. This post is already long, so I'll direct you here so that you can read up on them, and learn how you can support!

This was a fun post...I hope you enjoyed it!!

Until tomorrow,
Elizabeth

Two MUST HAVES For Face and Eyes!

Hello everybody!! We are SO close to Friday!! I was just thinking today how looong next week will feel for those of us with full-time jobs...first full week back at work! But we'll push through won't we? I love writing this blog, because it's such a nice escape for me after a long day, and I hope it is for you as well!

Today I wanted to talk about two of my MUST HAVE products that I've been wanting to share with you for awhile. I only label something a "must have" when I absolutely love the product and feel that it is essential to my beauty routine. Let's get started!

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny

I use this bronzer every. single. day. Don't get me wrong, I love higher end bronzers like Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess, and NARS Laguna, but I come back to this one every time. A lot of drugstore bronzers out there have glitter in it, but this one is completely matte and such a perfect shade (for me, anyway). It also is extremely versatile; you can dust this lightly all over your face with a big fluffy brush for a healthy glow, or you can use it for contouring purposes. You can really get the pigmentation as strong or light as you want. I've had this for months now and have yet to hit pan...a little goes a long way! You won't believe how much it costs...
MY GRADE: A++
AVAILABLE AT: Drugstores for ONLY $2.99!!!
Go out and buy yourself as many as you want ; )

Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

This stuff rocks you guys!! I'm a little obsessive about getting every single stitch of makeup off of my eyes before I go to bed, and this stuff does the job right. I usually douse a cotton ball and clean off my entire lid and mascara, and then dip a Q-tip into this remover to use on the little nooks and crannies. This formula is oil-free and fragrance free and I have had absolutely no issues with irritation. I get some in my eyes all the time and it doesn't burn or hurt at all. Getting all your makeup off before you go to sleep is essential for the health of your skin and this product does wonders!!
MY GRADE: A++
AVAILABLE AT: Any Estee Lauder counter in department stores or here.
PRICE: $18

Now for some Justice...

Have you ever had a sibling, child, niece, nephew, or cousin stay home from school with a headache or a stomachache? Maybe they were just playing hooky, or maybe there is actually something going on at school that they don't know how to deal with. More and more students are being sent to the doctor or hospital with these symptoms, and doctors are being continually stumped after not finding anything wrong with the patient. But maybe they just aren't asking the right questions. Dr. Marlene Seltzer, of Beaumont Hospital located in Troy, MI, is starting to ask those questions. She has started an organization through the Beaumont Children's hospital called NoBLE (No Bullying Live Empowered) which provides support for bullied children and their families. Read all about it here. The Bullycide Project recently teamed up with Dr. Seltzer to create a Public Service Announcement to get the message across to doctors that they need to start asking questions about bullying or problems at school. The PSA can be seen on your right (that's me at 0:15!!). We cannot say enough how much we support Dr. Seltzer and everything she is doing with NoBLE. It is people like her that will have a hand in stopping this horrible epidemic.

That is all for today folks! Don't forget to follow my blog by clicking the "Join this site" button at the top right-hand side of the page! I would really appreciate it!

Until tomorrow,

Elizabeth

Philosophy Amazing Grace Gift Set

Hey everybody!! I hope all of you had a great day back at school/work. My day didn't go by too slowly, so I guess I can't complain!

Today I decided to talk to you guys about some stuff that I received for Christmas, and to start reviewing some of those items! My main beauty-related gift was a $100 Sephora gift card from my parents, which I have yet to use, so once that happens I'll be able to do my Christmas/Sephora Haul! I also received the Amazing Grace gift set by Philosophy from my parents after they saw how much I loved the fragrance...I'll be reviewing that today! I also received a gift set from Lush from my wonderful boyfriend, and a few e.l.f products from his parents! Still testing those out...I'll review them soon!

Before I get started, I wanted to point out something on my page that looks a little different. I can't believe I just now figured out how to add it, but you can finally follow my blog! Under "Followers" at the very top right-hand corner, just click "Join this site" and you'll be all set! Or if you have Google+, you can click "Add to my circles" which is a little farther down on the right. I would so appreciate it! It will give me a chance to get to know you better!

Ok let's get started...

This gift set comes with an 8 fl oz bottle of the shampoo/bath/shower gel, a 2 fl oz bottle of the eau de toilette spray, and a 2 oz bottle of the body butter. I feel that everything is a decent size except the body butter...maybe I'm going a little hog wild with it, but I've only used it about 3 times and I'm already running out.

I've already reviewed the shampoo/bath/shower gel (still love it), so I'll move onto the eau de toilette and body butter. You know how sometimes the lotion and spray of the same fragrance smell totally different? That is SO not the case with this gift set. Everything is extremely true to the fragrance. Normally eau de toilette's don't last as long on the skin as a full-fledged perfume, but with the body butter on under it, I didn't have to reapply for at least 5 hours. The body butter is decent; it has a creamy texture without feeling greasy. I don't recommend using it if you have dry skin during these months, because this is purely about the fragrance and not skin benefits. Overall, I feel that this is a very cohesive and well-sized gift set! This is also an amazing value...I'll break it down for you:
Shampoo/bath/shower gel- 8 fl oz (size in the set) is $17
Eau de toilette- 2 oz (biggest size it comes in...comes in the set!!) is $44
Body Butter- Only comes in 5 oz size (set features 2 oz size) is $28
This is a $74 value for only $49.50!!!
MY GRADE: A-
AVAILABLE AT: Sephora, or here.
I know the Christmas season is over, but this would make a beautiful birthday present, or even a present for yourself! ; )

Now for some Justice...

Winter is the time of year where my self-esteem goes down the tubes. I'm constantly tired, cold, lazy, pale, and I eat way too much. That's what New Year's Resolutions are for right? But those resolutions can be so hard to maintain, especially if you have a negative image of yourself, or are working towards something that might just be impossible to attain. I found this segment on NPR to be extremely interesting. They talk about a study that was conducted having to do with exercising and the images we see in magazines and on the Internet. Read all about it here.

Just remember: Resolutions may be important to you, but nothing is worth sacrificing your positive image of yourself. If your 2013 goals are doing more harm than good, maybe it's time to re-think them. Take care of yourself!

P.S. One of your resolutions could be following my blog!! ; )

Sorry for the short post, but now I'm off to dinner with my boyfriend and his family to celebrate his 24th birthday!!
Until tomorrow,
Elizabeth

Perfect Red Lips - A MUST HAVE Product!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!! I cannot believe it is 2013 already! Time surely does fly, and ugh I do not want to go back to reality/work tomorrow. I know all of you probably feel my pain, but this blog post will make us feel much better. I have a brand new product from L'Oreal Paris to share with you that I am INSANELY excited about! I'll be comparing it to my Be a...Bombshell lipgloss that I received in my ipsy December bag. Let's get started!

Introducing...

L'Oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain

Sorry for the messy application!

These are a brand new product for L'Oreal as part of their huge Spring 2013 launch. These have been hugely anticipated for months now, because people are saying that they are dupes for the YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain which run $32 a pop. Read about those here. The applicator even looks the same! The L'Oreal stains are being described as "a stain that thinks it's a gloss" and I couldn't describe it better myself! These babies are packed with 30% water and you can seriously feel it! It's an insanely wet formula, which makes the application a little tricky, but boy it's worth it. You can feel that it's like a stain on your lips, but as you can see from the pictures it still stays glossy and shiny. They're saying it stays put for up to 6 hours and they weren't joking! I wore this for a holiday party where I was eating pizza and drinking beverages and it did not budge! These also have Omega 3, Vitamin E, and Argan Oil. I mean what more could you ask for in a lip product?? The shade I'm showing is called Endless Red and I absolutely cannot wait to buy more shades!! This isn't a Limited Edition product, this is becoming a permanent product for the L'Oreal brand...this is definitely now a staple lip product for me and a MUST HAVE!!
MY GRADE: A++++
AVAILABLE AT: Target, drugstores for around $7-8 (much better than $32)
12 SHADES

Compared to...

Be a Bombshell Lipgloss in Hot Mess

This was the lipgloss that I received in my ipsy December bag. Read about that post here. I wore this last night for the NYE celebration, and was a little underwhelmed by it's performance. I had never heard of this brand before so I was excited to try it. I put about 2 coats of this on my lips, and as you can see, the application is extremely spotty. The color is definitely pigmented, but the formula is thin and just overall not so great. The staying power was not up to par either. After trying the new L'Oreal product, this just does not compare especially considering the price. I will not be purchasing any more of these glosses!
MY GRADE: C+
AVAILABLE AT: Be a Bombshell's website for $14
7 SHADES

Now for some Justice...

I just heard today about a new thing Lady Gaga is doing to combat depression and bullying. Members of The Bullycide Project and I love her and everything she has done with the Born This Way Foundation. I'm a little torn about her newest venture. Read the article here. I think it's great that she is taking mental health seriously, especially with the younger generation, but what happens when they walk away? What kind of follow-up help can she possibly offer to her thousands of fans? Perhaps that's where The BTW Foundation comes in. We'll have to see how this develops, but I think she's definitely on the right track! What do you think about what she's doing? Let me know in the comments!

I have SO many blog posts planned so stay tuned! There are a ton of new drugstore products coming out for 2013, and I've already bought a few to try out and review for you! I'll also be doing a Christmas/Sephora haul along with many more reviews! I'm so excited and I hope you are too.

Until tomorrow,
Elizabeth