March Faves + GIVEAWAY!!!!

Hello all, happy April!! It seems like 2015 is just flying by. It's hard to believe we're already four months in! A lot has happened in March, both in my life and just in the world (Zayn LEFT One Direction!!! What?? Why??), but not much has changed for me in terms of makeup products. I found it hard to stick to one makeup regiment this month, and on top of that, I felt really lazy, quite frankly, about 90% of this month. So a lot of the products I'm going to talk about today have been mentioned on this blog before, but as such they are tried and true favorites :) And YES, this is my first giveaway!!! Blogging has really helped me become more confident and it's something I really enjoy, so this month, I will be sending a few of my favorites (spoiler alert- there's a NAKED palette in there!) to one lucky reader! That having been said- let's get on with it!

1)  L'Oreal Paris Magic Lumi Highlighter in the shade Medium ($12.94)- I mentioned this product in my November favorites, and it's still a frequently used product for me. What really made it standout this month for me, however, was the fact that as I got lazier (and I'll admit it- I got quite lazy, like a five-product face everyday) this concealer was acting as my base makeup all on it's own. It's very brightening, so I can just slap a massive amount under my eyes, blend away, and that was my base done!

2) Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Serum ($75 for a full size)- I am not a serum type of girl. I mentioned this when I first received this product in my January Glossybox, and yet, I think I've been converted. My skin just drinks this stuff up! It doesn't feel sticky at all, and it rubs into the skin really nicely and feels really lightweight. It does smell a bit of coconuts, which I really like, but which might put some people off. I'm really gutted that my deluxe size is almost out, $75 seems like a massive amount for serum? If anyone knows of a good, more affordable one, let me know in the comments!

3) Maybelline Brow Drama in the shade Deep Brown ($7.99)- I've waited a real minute to talk about this product on my blog. When I first started using it, I absolutely hated it. Some of you may remember that I was very seriously committed to my Benefit Gimme Brow, but I was open to the idea of a new brow gel. I'll be honest, this one takes a bit of work. It's not as quick and easy as the Gimme Brow, but it's definitely got some advantages. For one, I do find the brow drama lasts all throughout the day. And I also like that it really defines the shape of your brows (the key is to place the ball end of the brush at the far end of your brow, by your temple, work in a windshield wiper motion towards the other end by your nose, and then swipe again back towards your temple). It also doesn't leave your brows feeling stiff with product either, which is nice! I don't know if I can say it's replaced the Gimme Brow, but it is quite a bit cheaper and definitely an awesome product.

4) Be a Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Base in the shade Submissive ($14)- I mentioned this product when I first received it in an Ipsy bag back in November, but I don't believe I've mentioned it since, which is strange, seeing as I use it everyday. It's a very sheer base, so I wouldn't recommend wearing it just on it's own- but it packs a lot of shimmer in, and is definitely awesome at increasing the wear of your eyeshadows. I find because it's sheer, it works amazingly under a variety of colors, and is especially lovely under mattes, because it gives them a bit of shimmer without losing color pay off!

 5) Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette ($29.00)- The moment you've all been waiting for! I did name this product in my 2014 favorites, so I'll try not to go on too much about it. My favorite shade is still Naked 2, which I wore almost everyday this month over the Be a Bombshell eye base. I found this combination to be super natural, but still really pretty. All of the colors in this palette are amazing and you can definitely build a huge variety of looks with it, and as with all of the Naked palettes, the formulation is pretty damn close to perfection. I've gone ahead and swatched all the shades for you, and if you guys are interested in a review or maybe an everyday makeup look featuring this palette, let me know!

From left to right (or bottom to top): Venus, Foxy, W.O.S, Naked 2, Faint, and Crave

And now, for the giveaway: I will be giving away a Naked Basics palette, a Maybelline Brow Drama (shade of your choosing), and a L'Oreal Paris Magic Lumi Highlighter (also in the shade of your choosing), all in a little makeup bag, and I will be shipping anywhere in the world! This giveaway will be open until the last day of April, good luck!!

I hope you guys have enjoyed this post, please don't forget to enter my giveaway!! 

Stay beautiful!!!!

- Whit

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Huge Ipsy Review!!! February + March!!!

Hey guys! As busy as I was last month, I didn't find a minute to sit down and do my February Ipsy bag post. So, seeing as we're coming up on the end of March, I definitely didn't want to miss out on another month's review! As a result, today I'll be reviewing both bags for you guys. But don't worry- I'll mostly be focusing on this month's products with just a bit about February, to keep this post from getting too long!

I also haven't really altered my beauty routine too much since February, so a lot of these products still have yet to be used. So in a second effort to conserve space, I'll try to keep things really concise and only really talk about the products I've tried :)

We've got a lot of ground to cover today, so let's get into it!

 

1) NYX Butter Lipstick in the shaded BLS05 Hunk ($6)- Looking at the tube, the bullet itself, and the description of this shade online (blue violet) you would assume this lipstick was going to be pretty damn purple. I could literally feel my heart pounding when I twisted up the bullet for the first application- I had been craving a good, vampy purple for the longest time. Imagine my surprise then, when it applied almost totally sheer- leaving me with a good, solid, berry-toned magenta. Not a bad color at all, it's gorgeous- just not what I was expecting. However, the lipstick itself is really creamy, smooth, and moisturizing, and I'm about 100% sure I'll be going into the store to pick up a couple more shades. Especially since magenta isn't really the shade I'm going for this time of year!

 2) Pūr~Lisse Beauty Pūr~Delicate Gentle Soymilk Cleanser & Makeup Remover ($36 for a full size)- I haven't had the chance to try this cleanser just yet (I'm really starting to stock up!!) but as some of you may remember, I received the Pur~Lisse Moisturizer some time last year and used up every last drop, and absolutely loved every second of it. If this cleanser is half as good, I'm in luck!

3) Boo- Boo Cover-up in the shade Medium ($20 for a full size)- Receiving this concealer this month was a literal God send. I have a few concealers, but almost all of them are either too dark for me, or double as highlighters. And while that's usually a good thing, every once in awhile I wake up with these horrendous dark circles the night before an exam, and all I want is a good, matte concealer. It's been a real pleasure using this one so far, it blends easily, is an awesome color match (just a hint too light, which makes me look like I'm alive), and doesn't look cakey or heavy. I love it!

4) Dr. Brandt Pores No More Anti-Aging Mattifying Lotion ($60 for a full size)- I've received one other Dr. Brandt product through Ipsy, and that was his microdermabrasion scrub, which I have yet to go through. However, a lotion is a much easier product to get on with then a scrub, so here's hoping I like it! It is also always nice to get a deluxe size of a high end product.

5) VINTAGE by Jessica Liebeskind Illuminating Face Highlighter (Ipsy Exclusive)- I guess this product was made exclusively for Ipsters and is now sold out! That's a nice thing they've done. It's a very pearlescent dusty pink- and according to the website can either be worn alone as a highlight or over a blush for added shimmer. I haven't tried it yet, but I love the idea! 

And now, just a quick peek into my February Ipsy bag-

1) eva nyc Up All Night Volumizing Spray ($24 for a full size)- Haven't tried it yet, but the reviews are really promising!!

2) Cargo Cosmetics Mini Lip Gloss ($16 for a full size)- This was the worst color match for me that I have ever seen in a lip product ever. I can't even remember anything about the formulation, I was too distracted by the sheer atrocity of baby pink on my normally fairly dark/rose toned lips.

3) Hey Honey- Take It Off! Exfoliating Honey Peel Mask ($29 for a full size)- I haven't given it a try yet, but it's a really interesting concept! I love honey and face masks!

4) Rob Scheppy for 'Tini Beauty Eyeshadow in the shade Pearl Fizz ($12)- This is the most pigmented, pearlescent, light catching inner corner highlight shadow I've ever used. I'm talking, 8 hours later, if I haven't touched my face it's still almost white in the best possible way.

5) ModelCo Blush Cheek Powder in the shade Peach Bellini ($22 for a full size)- Not sure if this shade is available online, or if mine is a full size or not. SUPER SUPER pigmented. A little goes a very long way, but it's absolutely gorgeous used sparingly!

And that is the end of this Ipsy bag Extravaganza! Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription, and for $10 a month, you receive 5 products (varies from person to person) and they are typically full or deluxe sizes :) If you're interested in Ipsy, click here to check it out! If you are an Ipster or use a different beauty subscription, let me know what you got in the comments! Thank you guys so much for getting through this longer than usual review, I'll talk to you guys very soon :)

Stay beautiful!

- Whit

2015 Goals and Positive Thoughts!!

Hey guys! Today's post is a bit out of the ordinary, but I felt like it was something I really wanted to talk about. A few months back, I wrote myself a letter and gave it to a friend to hold onto, and today (about 6 months later) she gave it back to me. I had completely forgotten about it, and so when I opened it to read it, I was fully expecting it to be a reminder of all the struggles and negativity that had been on my mind 6 months ago. However, it was entirely positive and full of good vibes- my first sentence is literally, "Hi Whit! I just wanted to give you a reminder that you're a queen.".

It really made me realize that in the last few months, after working my butt off to achieve the things I wanted in 2014, I had become really passive in my own life, and had focused a lot on the negative things. I suppose in contrast to how hard I worked in 2014, I was hoping things would work themselves out for me in 2015. But reading this letter to myself made me realize that I don't want to the type of person that sits and waits for things- I want to be positive and reach for the things I want. There has to be a fine line between the two extremes. So I've come up with a few simple goals I'd like to achieve :)

1) Eat healthier and try to work out 3 times a week. Ever since my gym closed in January, I've found myself increasingly sluggish and lazy. As a result, my eating habits have gotten worse as well. Back when I was running several times a week, I felt healthy, light, and motivated- and I think it's about time I got back on that horse!

2) Post my outfits on Instagram at least twice a week. As much as I love and truly enjoy blogging, it's something I'm very shy about in real life. It's really difficult for me to talk about my blog or post pictures of my outfits because I worry about what people will say or think- and I don't want to do that anymore. This is something I really enjoy, and hope to do for the rest of my life, and anyone that doesn't want that for me doesn't belong in my life!

3) Only say things that are true, and always be kind when I say them. For those of you who don't know, I was raised Buddhist (I'm a poor one, but one nonetheless!). This has always been one of my favorite ideals of Buddhism- that everything you say should be true, kind, and without malice. I think in the last few months I've become very concerned with how other people perceive me, and have been less inclined to speak my mind, and have also lashed out at the people around me as a result of that stress. Obviously, that's not a good thing, so here's to shutting it down! 

Those are the main ones, and perhaps I'll update this list as I go :) The last paragraph of my letter to myself was very sweet- it assured me that I was strong, beautiful, and that any choices I had made in my life were the right ones for me and that everything was going to turn out fine. I hope this is a lesson you take in your life as well- the same holds true for you! No one is ever going to be able to love you as well or as unconditionally as yourself. 

I also included $5 and told myself to buy a bath bomb and to treat myself- I advise you to do the same. You deserve it!

I love you all, stay beautiful!

- Whit 

February Faves!!

Hello all! Time has just flown by, it's been so hard to find the time to sit down and post! But I've definitely missed it, and I'm going to try to be posting a lot more in the coming weeks. Also, I hope you all have been doing well! Spring is here, which is really lovely, here in San Diego it's like the sun has been out 24/7. :)

I realize that it's almost mid-March, but I really didn't want to let a month go by without doing a favorites post, so I've collected a few of my favorites from February to share with you guys today. A lot (almost all!) of these products have remained staples in my beauty routine moving into March, so I have had a lot of time to figure out what it is exactly I like about them. Let's get on with it!

1) L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Eye Shadow Quad in the shade 250 Absolute Taupe ($9.99)- In February, I got really into wearing cooler tone shades instead of my normal warmer tones (maybe it had something to do with the end of winter?), so I really got a lot of usage out of every shade in this quad. The pigmentation of these eye shadows is incredible! Seriously, the color payoff at that price is a total bargain, definitely up to par with some of the higher-end shadows in my collection. My favorite, and the one I used every day was the second shade, which is a true taupe, often with the fourth shade (cool brown) in the crease. 

2) Bourjois Bronzing Powder + Highlighter Duo ($11.99)- This bronzing powder and highlighter duo (which I received from Lois over at Bunnipunch!!) has quickly become one of my favorites. I can see why this brand is so popular over in the UK!! While I wasn't overly impressed by the highlighter, which seems to be the general consensus in the beauty blogger community, the bronzer is amazing! It wears really well and isn't orange-y at all. I also really like the packaging, it's a little gimmicky, but I think it's adorable!

 3) Jelly Pong Pong Fairy Lashes Curl ($22)- I received this product in my February Glossybox (post here!), and have been very impressed with it since. It stays on all day, and if I wear it out and forget to take off my makeup before bed, it's honestly still in place in the morning, which is incredible. The brush is quite large, but it makes application really easy, I only need a coat (two tops) to have really gorgeous, long lashes! And I'm still in love with that name. That's just a winning product name, in my opinon!

4) Lollipops Eye Pencil in the shade Goodbye Moon ($8.10?)- I'm not entirely sure this product is available in the US? I received it in my January Glossybox (shoutout to Glossybox, post here!), and it's converted me back to pencil eyeliners. It's just really creamy and smudges out so easily! I like to apply a fine line right above my lash line and then blend it out with a flat eye liner brush. If I really want it to last I can always set it with a black eye shadow, but I find it's not usually necessary, and that this product lasts very well on it's own! I also quite like the packaging, it's pretty reminiscent of Too Faced, which is one of my favorite lines!

5) Makeup Forever HD Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick in the shade N9 Copper Pink ($20)- This was the birthday gift from Sephora in 2014 (a mini, part of a Makeup Forever sampler!). I really love this shade, it's like a perfect color match for my lips! I think if you're fairer it may be quite a dark shade, but it works as a your-lips-but-better color for me. As soon as I finish the mini I will definitely be picking up a full size! It's very moisturizing and no fuss as well, I just apply it straight from the bullet, no lip liner required.

And that was it! I want to thank you guys for sticking with me through my brief little hiatus, hopefully I'll be posting again very soon! Be sure to let me know in the comments what products you loved this past month :) Until next time!

Stay beautiful!

- Whit

February Glossybox!!!

Hello all! I know it's been a minute, but I hope you're all doing well! Today's post I'm feeling a bit bittersweet about, and that's because its my last Glossybox post. Glossybox is a monthly makeup subscription at $21/month, but I had purchased a 3 month-set kinda thing for around $45. I really loved getting these boxes and will definitely miss them, and I will absolutely renew when funds are a little less tight :) For the time being though, let's get on with the post!

1) Julep Nail Polish in the shade Hartleigh ($14)- I definitely did not get around to using this nail polish before Valentine's Day, which is unfortunate because it's adorable! It's made up of all kinds of pink and white glitter as well as heart shaped confetti. It's honestly really cute, so I'll probably use it regardless of the timing, and if not, there's always next year! 

2) Unwash Bio-Cleansing Conditioner ($34.95 for a full size)- This is one of those products which you can supposedly use as a shampoo and a conditioner, but I'm not sure, I tend to be really suspicious of products like this. In general, I just find they don't leave my hair feeling as clean or shiny as it would if I'd used a separate shampoo and conditioner. If nothing else, it's good for travel because it is an all-in-one-product, and who knows? I may be mind-blown. I'll be sure to let you guys know!

3) Royal Apothic Kissed Tintie Lip Butter ($14)-  I was really impressed by this lip butter! The color is super sheer but buildable, so it just gives you a hint of color which is nice. It looks very pretty and smells a bit like coconut, which I really enjoy. I'm not sure how great the wear is though, like I have felt like the few times I've worn it it needed to be reapplied several times throughout the day, but that's really my only complaint. The packaging is too cute, so I guess that makes up for it a bit as well! 

4) Rituals Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel Sensation ($15)- I'm really starting to stock up on soap! It might take a bit of time before I get around to trying this out, but I love shower gels especially, so I can't complain. I like the fact that it foams (supposedly), and rose and almond are two of my favorite scents, so I'm really hoping I like this shower gel! If nothing else, I'm intrigued by the fact it comes in like a spray bottle. I'll be sure to let you guys know what I think!

5) Jelly Pong Pong Fairy Lashes Curl ($22)- Just the name of that was enough to convince me I liked this product. Fairy lashes? Yes please! This was also arguably the only "makeup" product in this box, so I was really glad it was a mascara. If there was one product I couldn't live without, it'd probably be mascara. I've only used it a handful of times so I'll try not to say too much yet, but one thing I have noticed is that it tends to last a very long time, which is lovely. It's also got quite a large brush, which is great for pulling up your lashes in what I can only hope is a fairy-like manner :)

And that was it! I really enjoyed receiving these Glossyboxes, I love that the products are almost always full size and that there was always a wide variety of products. I definitely look forward to renewing my subscription! That's it for me, if you guys get any makeup subscriptions I'd love to hear your opinions down in the comments!

Stay beautiful!!!
- Whit

January Faves!!!

I can not believe it's taken me this long to get around to posting!! Going back to school this semester has been such a whirlwind, I feel like I haven't had ten seconds to just sit and breathe. Regardless, I'm back, I'm here, and I have a ton of products that I fell in love with in January. I threw in a few extras this month purely because it's been a minute since I've talked to you guys, so let's get into it :)

1) Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Foundation in the shade Beige 50 ($57)- I actually picked this foundation up back in November, after a long year of pining and trying to justify the splurge, because Sephora was about to stop carrying it in favor of the newer Saint Laurent foundation. At the time, they were sold out of the shade I needed, so I picked up a shade lighter and prayed it would work for me in the winter months when I was paler. My wishes were granted- this is now the perfect shade for me. It's honestly so gorgeous and dewy and beautiful. Like I wish I could verbalize how lovely it is, but words can't do it justice. If you like a dewy finish, definitely give this foundation a try!

2) Naked Palette by Urban Decay ($54)- I used this palette everyday in January. The palette itself is incredible, with basically every color you could ever want all in one place, and on top of that each shadow is super buttery and blendable. If you guys are interested, I would love to do a full review of it, with swatches of each shade and the whole bit :) But for today, the real shining star is the shade half-baked, which is a pure gold. I wore this shade everyday all over the lid and blended out, and that was it. It took like ten seconds in the morning, lasted all day, and was pretty to boot.

That's a single swipe! Incredible!!

3) Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Rollerball ($22)- There's definitely a lot of hype around Nirvana White, and that's definitely understandable, as it smells amazing- but the Nirvana black is definitely my favorite. It may be a bit early to call it, but if I were to have a signature scent, I would want this to be it. It's a bit spicier and kind of sensual, with notes of vanilla, sandalwood, and violet. My only complaint would be that the rollerball doesn't really last on the skin, and I think that when I go to repurchase I will definitely be splurging on a full size bottle!

4) Nars Satin Lip Pencil in the shade Rikugien ($26)- Look at that, I've got a lip favorite! If you're a Beauty Insider with Sephora, you'll receive a mini of this product for your birthday. I'm not entirely sure why, but when I went into Sephora at the beginning of January, they gave me my birthday sample, despite the fact my birthday is in December. No complaints though, this is the happiest mistake that's ever happened to me. I've never seen a more perfect, natural, your-lips-but-better color!! It's a true rose pink, which I never would have thought would look good on my skin tone, but it's just subtle and lovely. And it's super creamy and moisturizing. I want to die wearing this lip pencil. It's that serious.

5) Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara ($20)- I received a sample size of this in my December Ipsy bag (link here!) which I was particularly excited about since it's so popular in the beauty blogging community. What can I say? It makes my lashes look fuller, holds a curl, is perfectly black, and basically just does all I could ask my mascara to do. This mascara definitely deserves the hype that it gets! 

6) Bath & Bodyworks Sugarplum Dream Body Lotion ($12)- This is a Christmas scent that I had left over, so it's definitely not available in stores right now. But in all fairness, I've really enjoyed using it this last month, because it's so sweet and lovely. And let's be honest, I lowkey still wish it was the holidays. If you remember in 10 months, I'd definitely check it out, haha! 

7) Topshop - My last favorite this month is Topshop. I've picked up several pieces there in the last month, and have gotten so much wear out of all of them, so it seemed only fair to give them a shoutout. That's all :)

I hoped you guys enjoyed this post, be sure to let me know in the comments if there were any standout products for this January! I would also like to give a shoutout to my friend Jenny, who apparently checks my blog everyday. You're the best! 

Until next time, stay beautiful! 

 - Whit