Lazy Day

So, today has just been one of those days where you don't really have any plans and end up hangin around the house. I cleaned, cooked, and organized! I was feeling nostalgic and decided to look through some old pictures. I came across a this one from my 23rd birthday. Two of the most delicious cupcakes ever; Turtle and Red Velvet from Cupcake Island. My boyfriend is the best, I got these instead of a cake.

I was bored one night and wanted to attempt to recreate a makeup look from Tanya Burr. This one is the Bella Swan wedding look. I think I did an ok job considering I don't have all the same products as Tanya....or any of her skill!

I took this picture after I got the Fresh Sugar Lip Balm for my free birthday gift from Sephora. As you can see, I was very happy! Also....can you tell I have a white cat by all the fuzz and fur on my coat? Have a wonderful day!

Chanel and Kale...but mostly Chanel

Ok, so today has consisted of a lot of shopping. My first stop was the Chanel counter at Von Maur. I told the saleswoman that I was looking to for the tinted moisturizer and wanted to see if my color was still the same one (I was finally going to purchase it). We got to talking about my endless search for the perfect face makeup and she suggested we try a few on. So, I sat down in the chair and she matched me for the amazing tinted moisturizer in the color Sunlit...which is my faaaaaaavorite. Then she wanted to try out the Vitalumiere Aqua and I said why not. It looked horrible on me! It is supposed to be great and lightweight, but on me it looked heavy and very matte. Definitely not for me because it it oil-free and I have pretty dry skin. She took it off and then applied the regular Vitalumiere in the color 10 Limpide. It was like the sky opened up and angels began to sing. I finally found my perfect foundation! This product looks so amazing and natural on my skin, I couldn't believe it. It gives me just the right amount of a dewy glow that I always want, without looking oily. I do need to start wearing blush though when I'm using this because it gives good coverage and without blush, my face would look unnatural. I'm so happy! It came to around $58 after taxes, but I won't be using it everyday and I have a feeling it will last me for a long time, so the price didn't really concern me. Hooray!

My next significant purchase of the day was kale! I know it's not luxurious like Chanel, but it's super healthy and very tasty. I've heard all the rave about this veggie for a while now and have only tried it once when I was in California at The Veggie Grill. I had never seen it sold in any other grocery store here other than Whole Foods, so when I saw it at Hyvee I got really excited. You can eat it raw like in a salad, steam it, or even bake it into chips. I'm going to make a yummy salad with it for dinner and I can't wait! It is packed full of vitamins and I think it's the healthiest of the leafy greens. Cheers!

Current Favorite Things

Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion $8.99




I have been loving this lotion for quite a while now, I think I have repurchased it at least three times already. The thing is...it's not even that great of a moisturizer. What I love about it is the smell and the beautiful shimmer it gives my skin. You can just barely see it in normal lighting, but once it hits the sunlight it just shines so amazingly and looks great. I get lots of compliments when I use it. I only discovered it because I was looking for a lotion with better ingredients than all the other mainstream brands. This delivers!

Origins Mega-Mushroom Cleanser $27.50

I started using this cleanser after I ran out of my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. It's not as good as that one, but I still really like it. I use it with the muslin cloth that came with the Liz Earle cleanser, I find that it really helps keep my skin smooth and soft. Even though I enjoy this cleanser, I don't think I will be buying it again...so if anyone has any suggestions for dry, sensitive skin then let me know! I really try to use products with natural ingredients, no sulfate, alcohol, or parabens. 

Origins Mega-Mushroom Moisturizer $61.00

I discovered this moisturizer through Tanya Burr, whom I adore! It is such an amazing product, it soothes my skin and really hydrates it. My makeup goes on so smoothly after I use it, too. I wish it wasn't so expensive! I bought it around the holidays and it was included in a bundle which came with deluxe samples of the cleanser, mask, and serum. I'm running low so I'm going to have to either find a better one or suck it up and pay the money.

Lift Lab High Potency Solution $85

I discovered this product because it came in the very first Birchbox I ever received. It is such a luxury. I put it on after I cleanse, let it sit for a little bit, and then put on my moisturizer. I find that it keeps my skin clear and looking young. This is another expensive item that I got for a deal. With Birchbox, you accumulate points after every review of a featured product you give and every 100 points equals $10. After so many reviews, I saved up $50! So when the time came that I wanted to use my point money, I decided on this product and got it for a fraction of the cost. What a deal!


(sorry about the font errors, it won't let me fix them!) 

Makeup!

For the past year or so, I've been on the hunt for my perfect everyday face makeup. Meaning tinted moisturizer, foundation, or bb cream of some sort. Ever since I was about 15, I have been using MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation. It has always been great for me and I have repurchased it countless times...up until about 10 months ago. It has always kind of given my skin a bit of a dried out and flakey look by the end of the day. I never really paid a lot of attention to skin care or realizing my exact skin type. I figured out that I have dry, sensitive skin. Because of the dry skin issue, Studio Fix is not that great for me. I started a proper skin care routine and after that, it helped a lot. Anyways! The new products I have been going back and fourth trying are: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, Origins Vitazing Moisturizer, Chanel Tinted Moisturizer, Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer, and the new Origins BB Cream.

As you can see, I am a big tinted moisturizer fan. Foundation has never really been something I have gravitated towards because I really don't want my face to be a noticeably different color than my neck and chest. My favorite would have to be the Chanel one. It smells amazing and gives just the slightest amount of coverage and a really healthy glow. The only downside is that it's about $60. Ouch. I received the Laura Mercier one for Christmas and it has been really great, too. Since it's the only one i have the full size version of, I use it the most. The Origins Vitazing isn't a traditional tinted moisturizer, it basically just adds a little bit of sun kissed look to your face; I use it when I'm having a really good skin day.

I would highly recommend going and getting samples of different ones that you want to try before purchasing them. All of the sales people are really nice and helpful!