Ulta Haul!

A few weeks ago I went to the always tempting Ulta.  I say "always tempting" because I never stick to my list of products to purchase.  Gordon will tell you, I have no self-restraint when it comes to beauty products.  Ulta is one of my favorite places to shop because they have such a wide variety of products that can suit anyone's budget.  There's always a sale or deal of some kind going on allowing you to stretch that dollar even further.  I went during there 21 Days of Beauty and had a 20% off coupon.  Yaaaay deals!  If anyone out there needs some shopping inspiration, here are the products I picked up!

Empties Deux!

Well, hello there, everyone!  I'm so sorry for the absence.  School has been insane these past few months with projects, papers, and tests oh my.  I'm going to make it my mission these next few months to be more regular so you don't have to wait two months between posts.

Despite being absent on here, beauty products have remained a huge part of my life.  (Let's be honest, they'll always be a big part of my life.)  It seems that I never run out of products a little at a time; it's all or nothing.  I ran out of all of these products within a day or two of each other.  It was a bit insane that week, let me tell you.  So, as you might have guessed from the title, here is my second empties post!

Breaking the Makeup Comfort Zone

Foundation, Corrector, Concealer, Powder, Mascara, Brows, Lips 

There are many parts of our lives where we develop a routine.  From the moment we wake up to the second we can finally shut our minds off, routines are there to guide us.  Routines are great because they can make even the most stressful and hectic of days organized and calming.  But, there are times when I get incredibly bored of my schedule.  I find this occurs the most in my beauty routines.  I get very comfortable with doing one look and I do not deviate for weeks, sometimes months.  Then when I want to change my look, I'm apprehensive.  I'm comfortable with the one I have been doing for months, so why change? 

Over the past few weeks, I have made it a goal to try more looks with as much confidence as possible.  Here are a few tips that have helped me:

1. Try it at home.  The great thing about makeup is that you can wash it off.  Try that crazy purple lipstick and see if you like it before wearing it out.  I do this the most with drugstore products.  I can't swatch drugstore lipsticks, so I just take the plunge at home.  It removes a lot of anxiety knowing no one will see me if it looks terrible.

2. Give it some time.  There are times where you will try a new look and be disappointed.  But, wait, put down that makeup wipe!  Do you not like it because you really don't think you look good or because you're not used to seeing yourself like that?  I know it was the latter when I started wearing bold lipsticks.  Test drive the look while you're at home and make up your mind at the end of the day.  If you feel so-so about it, try it again another day and see if you're feelings change.

3. Phone a friend.  If I'm really unsure of something, I'll ask a friend about it.  It's great to have someone give me an honest opinion without making me feel silly for trying.  Sometimes you need that extra boost of confidence to keep experimenting.

Aaand, that's it!  Do you have any tips?  Leave me a comment and tell me what they are!

Until next time!

Rachel 

I Can't Stop Playing... Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Hi, everyone.  My name is Rachel and I'm addicted to Animal Crossing.  

Since Christmas, I have been playing this game nonstop.  I love it because it's a very stress-free, calming game.  It's great to come home after a day of work or class, switch on my 3DS, and play this for an hour or two.

If you're not familiar with the Animal Crossing setup, it's basically a "life and community simulation game."  This means you, as the player, control the life of your character and the relationships it develops.  This isn't a game where you're given a grand mission to save the world and you have to fight incredibly intimidating monsters.  Instead, you get to know your neighbors, do favors for them, and customize your house.

You're probably wondering why this game is any fun.  Sounds pretty mundane without some grand purpose to fulfill, right?  Wrong.  So, totally wrong.  The thing I love about the Animal Crossing series, especially New Leaf, is how customizable it is.  Every player's experience is going to be different and you can make your experience in the game totally your own.  

In New Leaf, you are mistaken upon your arrival to your new town that you are the new mayor.  With the help of the townsfolk and your adorable secretary Isabelle, it is up to you all to make your town a better place to live.  There are public workers projects that can be funded or ordinances to help maintain the state of the town even when you're not playing.  As with the other Animal Crossing games, there is no main plot.  You go about your day as mayor, building relationships with the townspeople and trying to make your town the best place to live.  I would really recommend this game to anyone, at any age, no matter the experience level of the player.

Is this a game you would play?  Are there any other video games you enjoy?  Let me know in the comments!

Until next time!

Rachel 

Last Seen Wearing

Hello there, everyone!  The past few weeks I've noticed I'm gravitating towards the same types of things in my wardrobe.  Plaid, oxfords, big sweaters, and statement jewelry are things I wear everyday.  Sometimes when I'm feeling crazy, I'll wear them all at once.  All of these pieces are easy to dress up, down, or whichever direction you prefer to dress.  

The plaid shirt is a little more tailored, which emphasizes my curves in the best way.  I received this as a gift recently and it has been incredibly hard to not wear it constantly.

The sweater was the best purchase I have ever made from Urban Outfitters.  I can't tell you how many times I wore this last year.  I even wore it during the summer!  It is so big and cozy and I just love wearing it alone or over a denim shirt.  I also like pairing it with my leather leggings (also from UO) for a more edgy look.

The shoes are a great way to make a plain outfit a little more fancy.  I'm never worried about comfort in these shoes either.  I can stand and walk in them for hours without worrying about getting those pesky blisters.

Finally, the necklace was bought from Francesca's a year or so ago.  I love wearing necklaces like these with collared shirts.  It's a great way to add some bling without it becoming overwhelming to the rest of the outfit.

Here are all the links to the items pictured above (or things that are similar): Shoes, Necklace, Shirt, Sweater. 

What have you been wearing recently?

Until next time!

Rachel

Simple Valentine's Day Makeup

Hello, everyone!  Valentine's Day is next week.  Whether you have a date with Mr. (or Ms.) Right or a night in with friends, dressing for the occasion is necessary.  Gordon and I aren't doing anything fancy this year, which I'm really happy about.  Even though we're staying in and cooking a bad ass meal, I still want to look nice on the day.  Here is a simple makeup look that I'm planning on wearing.

Base

I applied the Nars Sheer Matte Foundation to even out my skin.  I've been experiencing some increased redness, so I desperately need this to balance that out.  For concealer I used Maybelline's Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer.  I finally picked up one of these and I'm so happy I did.  My semester started a few weeks ago, and with it came my dark circles.  This concealer does a great job of cancelling out those dark spots.  To set everything I used the Coty Airspun Loose Powder.  I added a bit of The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer to my face as well as MAC's Sea Me, Hear Me blush.  For a bit of a romantic glow, I swept a MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle on the high points of my cheeks.  This stuff is amazing.  I've been on a huge highlighter kick and I use this every day.

Eyes

I kept it simple with the eyes by not using any eyeshadow.  I just used Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Liner for a nice thick cat eye.  There's something so classic and sexy about winged eyeliner!  I extended the wing a tad more than I normally would for a slightly more dramatic effect.  I curled my lashes and used Marc Jacob's O!Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara.  This mascara makes my lashes look so thick and full and ohmygosh I just love it.  For my brows I used my trusty Anastasia Brow Whiz.  I didn't do anything fancy to them since my fringe covers them (also I'm lazy), but I still wanted them to look polished.

Lips

Ahhhh, my favorite part of this look.  I used Urban Decay's 24/7 Lip Liner in 69 to line and fill in my lips.  I went over the liner with MAC's Ruby Woo.  This is the perfect matte red for my skin tone.  My mom was so sweet and got it for me as a "Congratulations on not dying your first semester of grad school."  It was the best little surprise and I have worn it constantly.

And that's it!  I hope you all like this look.  Do you have any Valentine's Day plans?  Tell me what you're getting up to, no matter how boring you think it may be, in the comments!

Until next time!

Rachel

Tools of the Trade: Base

Makeup brushes are something I didn't really get into until the last year and a half.  I would paruse the aisle in Sephora with all of these amazing looking brushes but have no idea what I needed.  I found foundation/base brushes particularly intimidating since there is so much variety.  This past year I have done some research and bought a few sets to try out.  Having the right brush can make the process of doing your makeup so much easier and (in my weird case) more enjoyable.  Here's a list of my favorite base brushes and what I use them for.

Zoeva 102 Silk Finish Brush
First of all, can we just talk about how disgustingly beautiful this brush is?  That rose gold detailing is stunning!  Besides looking pretty, this brush is perfect for blending foundation.  Because of its round shape there are no streaks left behind as you buff away your foundation for a natural looking base.

Real Techniques Contour Brush
Spoiler alert: I don't use this for contouring.  Despite the name of the brush, I actually find it best to use for concealer.  It's fluffy, tapered top is perfect for the delicate eye area and blending the product in hard to reach spots.

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Stippling Brush
This is the perfect brush for cream blushes.  Since the fibers are different lengths it gives a very light application of product.  I also like that it is on the smaller side so I can have more control over where the product is applied.

Zoeva 110 Face Shape Brush
Now, this is what I use for contour/bronzer.  I find slanted brushes make bronzer and contour application so much easier.  The (mostly) flat surface helps apply the product right in the hollows of the cheeks.

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Face Brush
I have ignored pretty much all of my other powder brushes for this one.  Again, the different lengths in fibers help give a light application.  This is incredibly necessary for powder because the last thing you want is cake face.  You cannot mess up applying powder if you use this brush.

Sephora #59 Pro Precision Powder Brush
I have had this brush for such a long time (3+ years) and it still performs beautifully.  I mostly use it for powder blushes, but it also works nicely for normal face powder.  I like the size of the bristles and how it barely tapers off at the top.  You can see in my Fall Everyday Makeup Post how I like to hold the brush on its side.  I find this method applies the blush in a very precise and natural looking manner.

I absolutely adore all of these brushes.  What brushes do you use?  Any I absolutely need to get?  Let me know in the comments!

Until next time!

Rachel