Keeping in the spirit of summer this week, I thought I would share my latest obsessions for how to start fresh and incorporate multi-functional beauty products into your routine! These have all slowly snuck into my own, are all budget-friendly and they all fit comfortably into my favorite cosmetic bag.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: After a long day with makeup on, there is no better way to renew your skin than a smooth cleanser to get rid of those impurities. This is lovely because it's one of the first cleansers I've tried where I can actually feel my skin bouncing back from a day filled with foundation.

Victoria's Secret Angel's Only Body Mist: I am always in the need for a light pick-me-up of fragrance during the day, so finding the perfect scent in travel size is even better! This scent is super refreshing and has hints of floral + apple blossom. Just the right amount will have you feeling renewed towards the end of your day.

LUSH Cosmetics Sunny Day Anti-Static Hair Detangler: It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of LUSH, so when I started hearing the buzz about this new product they were introducing for summer, I had to try it out. I went into the store with frizzy, dry + flat hair, but came out with smooth and shiny hair like it was recently just washed. All you need to do is spritz this in your hair, comb it out and you've got beautiful locks for the entire day. The scent is also extremely intoxicating, it's full on violet.

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun Lotion: Sunblock, sunblock, sunblock! It's one of the most important must-haves for summer, especially if you have fair skin like me. I'm not always in the sun, but having this travel size bottle is super handy if I decide to spend a little extra time outside. It's also going to be a lot of help when I go glamping in a couple weeks.

Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream Luminous Body Lotion: My skin tends to get dry during summer, mostly because I seem to wash my hands a lot more because of things I'm eating or drinking. Having lotion around is a big help, so I like that this one also has a nice scent to it.

Laura Mercier Full Faux Eyelashes: I have had these babies for about a year or so and I'm hesitant to, because I've never worn false eyelashes before. It's going to be a goal of mine this summer to try them on and see what it's like to have even fuller lashes than I already do.

e.l.f. HD Lifting Concealer: Best for reapplying during the day. The application is super easy, and the brush can pick up just enough product to cover with one swipe. I've also seen that it redefines the skin tone and minimizes lines.

NYX Cosmetics Intense Butter Gloss in Cherry Custard: You always need a good lip color to get you through the summer, and NYX has some of the best long-lasting glosses. This color is so much fun and you don't have to fret on finding the perfect one for you, they have 24 different shades in this version!

Travel Size Packet of Kleenex: You never know when allergies are going to hit you, so it's super helpful to have a packet of Kleenex on hand.

Crest 3D White Whitestrips: These will give you a sparkly white smile, wherever you are! Leave on for 10 minutes, and throw away afterwards.

NYX Cosmetics Dewy Finish Setting Spray: This travel size is perfect if you need a quick touch up during the day! Get that dewy, fresh finish that will make your makeup stay where it is.

Like I had talked about yesterday, we're now in full swing for spring so it's now the time to add staple pieces to your wardrobe AND switch up your beauty routine! As I've been getting more and more used to trying new beauty routines, I've also been on the hunt for new products to use. It's pretty crazy how many beauty products that are out there on the market, and I'm peeking down the rabbit hole wondering if I should jump in. I look to a lot of YouTube users for inspiration on what products are best, and that alone is another endless abyss to go into, but it's been helpful to see what I should invest in when buying.   That being said, I've been sticking to a few brands for the past few months and they've really improved my overall skincare and my beauty bag.

I've decided to round-up six products that are some of my favorite spring beauty must-haves! There's a little bit of everything with these, from lipstick to facial cleansers, so it's time to put your freshest face forward. Enjoy, and let me know what is in your beauty bag for spring!

1. Intense Butter Gloss by NYX Cosmetics

2. Soothing Serum by e.l.f. cosmetics

3. Complexion Pore Perfecting Primer by Urban Decay

As I've been growing and expanding my own daily beauty routine, I've also been keeping a lookout on upcoming trends that I can incorporate into it. What better way to start fresh, then with a new season?! The thing I personally enjoy about fall beauty is how dark and romantic it can be. Colors are richer, layering becomes a must and makeup becomes more sensual. Whether you have a dark lip, a sassy cat-eye or a messy side braid, it's all unique to what you want it to be. There are so many ways that you can make any of these trends your own, and I think that's what is really special about beauty!
1. The bohemian braid

• Similar to a braid crown, the bohemian braid is messier and tousled more. The perfect plait is something that will probably never got out of style. Designers, like Mara Hoffman, chose this messy braid to enhance her modern bohemian aesthetic down the runway. It's such a great hairstyle because you can wear it anywhere! 

2. Dark lips

• The dark lips trend is going nowhere soon. It's more powerful than ever, especially with the current obsession with bring back the 70s & 90s beauty trends. Think glam mixed with a bit of grunge, that makes for a seriously impressive aesthetic. The must with this trend is to make sure that you find the right shade for you by testing, testing, testing! The best way I've seen this trend done is with a matte lipstick, because I think it brings out the color better and can be a really romantic. Marc Jacobs obviously had this trend down pat. 

3. Graphic cat eye

• We've all attempted to do the cat eye before, and were successful or failed miserably at it. Me being the latter, I was excited to hear that there is a new take on it. Take the classic cat eye, and tweak it into something more graphic. Linear lines right across the eyelid, for more of a straight sweep away from it. Anna Sui took this trend to elongate and lift the eye to add a more sensual effect to the face. 

4. Don't feel flushed

• This trend is something I can already acquire easily with my fair skin, but it's also becoming something a lot of makeup artists are trying to achieve for their models. J.Crew was a great example of creating this flushed look, as if the models were coming off the slopes and into a warm cabin. Pssh, I can achieve this look any day I want!

5. Shades of brown

• Metallic may have been the popular eye shadow, but it's time to move aside for a new diva to come through! Many artists for fall opted for bronze to cover the lids. Not only does it warm the face up, but it can be paired with any other of these trends seamlessly. Marchesa chose this bronze trend for their show, and even paired it with the red lip!

 6. Embrace the red

• Who can really say no to a red lip? The palette range for the lip during fall is all about a stained wine red all the way to a saturated cherry. This exciting trend was seen in several shows, my favorite would have to be Dolce & Gabbana. Paired with their aesthetic made the lip stand out in a super romantic way.  

Let's talk my beauty routine that I do everyday, and the products** that I use daily. I've been watching a ton of beauty vlogs (Kristen Leanne, Glam & Gore, MadeYewLook) lately, so that has created the inspiration to talk about what products I use to 'make up' my face! Most of the them are the drugstore brands, because they're what I can afford in my budget and because I've had good usage out of them. There are two products I use the most, and they are the Stay Matte Primer and the Tone Rehab Concealer. I find that these two combined really help combat the redness that comes with my fair skin, and because I tend to perspire a little bit more.
I start with the primer first, spreading it evenly over my entire face. Primers have been hit and miss with me, but this Stay Matte Primer from Rimmel London is the best I've had so far. It keeps everything in place, and maintains an even skin tone throughout the day. Then I add the foundation, applying with the Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge, making sure to cover everything. This foundation from Covergirl + Olay is probably my favorite foundation I've ever purchased. It's in the Classic Ivory shade and is a perfect fit for my skintone.

With the bigger fluff brush from up & up, I then take the truBlend Minerals and add to the apples of my cheeks to attempt some contouring. For my skin tone, this shade 415, also acts as a bronzer. A little bit goes a LONG way with this powder, and so I only add about a pinch or so on each cheek. After all of that is blended perfectly and I have an even look, I move onto my eyes. I really tend to stick with more browns, golds and lighter shades of color when applying eye shadow. I'm still not daring enough to do something bold.  Someday though, right?!

The eye shadow that I've been using for quite awhile now is a eye shadow duo by elf professionals and 'Sensational Effects Eye Shadow' from Lancôme. To apply I use the eye shadow brush from elf professionals, where I usually put the lighter brown on the inside of my eye and then the darker shade on the crease of my eyelid. I've been into the more ombre effect lately, so I try to do that as often as possible. For mascara, I use CoverGirl lashblast fusion and it's been my go-to mascara for the past couple months. I like to put on at least 3 coats on the upper and lower lashes to create a bigger eye. My lashes are already pretty long, so I don't use an eye curler or anything.

I'm pretty excited that I have finally found the perfect shade of lipstick to add into my routine! I've not been the biggest user of lipstick, I mainly used chapstick or lip gloss. Not only do I now have the perfect shade, I have TWO go-to lipsticks in my beauty bag. The first is from NARS and is a velvet matte lip pencil, called Cruella. It may be a pencil but I've been using it as a lipstick since it can go so far by itself. The second is from Maybelline and is another matte version called Siren in Scarlet! I've been using that one a lot lately and it's so great because it's long lasting and doesn't smudge.


So, all of this eventually leads to this!

What are some of your favorite products to use? Let me know in the comments below!

It's almost that time! Time to get spruced up and fancy for whatever celebrations you're going to be apart of for New Year's Eve! Since I've already shared what outfits I recommend for your bash, here are some beauty tips that will get you in the mood to celebrate. I'm a bit obsessed with sparkle and shine at this time of year, so bear with me that all of the products have some type of shimmer to them. I know I'll be decorating my nails and eyelids with some type of gold or glitter when I start getting ready tomorrow night. Shop all the products below, and let me know what your New Year's Eve festivities are going to be! Hope it's something fun. xoxo

So happy it's finally Friday! I am ready for a weekend of doing nothing but lounge around the house and staying warm. Do any of you have any fun plans?

Today's post is pretty cool! I was approached by a Community Outreach Manager for HSN (Home Shopping Network) to talk about a budget-friendly post on beauty tips. The first part will be from one of their bloggers, Lara, who started a list that has some great advice on how to find the right product that you can buy within reason. Not only will your wallet be happy, but you'll have long lasting makeup that you can enjoy for an extended period of time. Here is the beginning of her list, and I thought I would add a couple of my own!

1. Build A Better Makeup Bag
At times, I look through my stash and find no fewer than a dozen variations of the exact same lip shade. None of these products get used consistently and they mostly end up expiring before I can even scratch the surface. I've learned that by better editing my purchase decisions, I can make sure that I have a variety of products that I use more frequently – and I’m more likely to use them to the very last drop.

2. Clean Your Brushes
Not only are makeup brushes expensive, but they also touch all of your makeup. By keeping them clean, not only are you extending their life, but also the life of your products. Keeping powders and blushes free and clear of oils and bacteria that tend to break them down will help them live a longer life.
 
3. Keep It Pretty
You will never find my hard earned makeup knocking around in a vanity drawer or at the bottom of my purse. Oh, the horror! I’m careful to keep my beauty treasures tucked inside of pouches when I’m on the go or on a tray sitting on my vanity at home. This way, there’s far less chance that they will crack or explode, wasting precious product.

4. Scrape The Bottom
I recently discovered these little spatulas that you can use to actually scrape the bottom of your makeup bottles to get to the very end of them. I’ve also been known to use them after cutting open tubes of concealer and lip gloss to collect one final application. Brilliant!

5. Portion Control
It may go without saying, but using only what you need can really make your makeup last. I found that I was always left with unneeded foundation or extra moisturizer after applying, so I downsized my dose and I’m wasting less. Making other small changes like not spraying my fragrance into the air and walking through it has also helped!


Here are my tips....
1. Testing...One, Two, Three
I have a big belief in trying things out before you actually invest in buying it. This goes hand in hand with whatever type of beauty product I decide to purchase. Samples of these said products are really great and so I enjoy asking for them because then I can test the waters and see what works best for me. While I've only recently been beginning to wear more makeup, I've had the courage to venture out of the norm since I was able to see what worked for my skin tone and eye color. By being able to get free samples you can then go ahead and invest in buying the products. Easy, right?

2. What Works Best
 Another great way to update your beauty regime on a budget, is to know what will work best for your skin tone. Since there are 'typically' three different types of skin tones, you can easily go out to a drug store and be able to match the best color to yours. I would recommend actually going to a beauty counter and get someone to do it for you. I am still scared to do this after seeing people get one side of their face done, haha. This shouldn't be stressful though and there are tons of helpful sites out there for all of us to look at.

3. Be Able to Multi-Task
Since you want to be able to save when you are buying beauty products, why not invest in something that can give you various options in one item? This focuses more on eye shadows, blushes, eyeliner, etc. There are some great eye shadow palettes out there that come in a range of colors that you can mix together to become something completely new! Some can be a highlighter, brow filler and eyeliner all in one!

........There you have it! Hope you enjoy!

(Photos: 1. | 2.)