Nude Skincare Miracle Mask

Need a midweek pick-me-up mask? I have been using the Nude Skincare Miracle Mask for when my skin is feeling a little tired and dull. The mask contains glycolic acid with exfoliating rice beads to help reduce the appearance of pores and instantly refresh your face to reveal brighter and smoothing skin. I did not expect it to feel the way it does the first time I applied this because it feels more like an exfoliater instead of a mask. After realizing this way you're getting the best of both worlds I have realized this is genius!

Take a small amount on your hands and gently massage the mask into the skin for 1 minute and then leave it on for about 5-10 minutes before rinsing it off. You are left with super soft radiant skin! A very easy and quick mid-week mask. I'm dealing with a little but of irritated skin (I think I've gotten an allergic reaction from one of my night creams...) so this mask is something I'm looking forward to using. And I really want to try more products from the Nude Skincare line. They're super nice and I know the ingredients are good!


___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

The Liebster Award!

Thank you to Suzy from Suzy's Beauty Diary for nominating me for the Libester Award to help discover new bloggers! It's so nice to hear when people enjoy reading your blog so really thank you Suzy for mentioning me!

The Rules:
1. Link the blogger who nominated you (here!).
2. Answer the questions which your nominator has asked.
3. To keep the chain following, nominate some of your favorite bloggers who have less than 200 followers and let them know you've done so.
4. Create some fab questions for your nominees to answer.

My Questions:
1. What do you spend more time on, skincare or makeup?
Definitely skincare!

2. Are you more of a drug store or high end kind of beauty gal?
I honestly love both, but I would say I'm much more high end with skincare and more drugstore with makeup.

3. What is your favorite foundation or base?
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

4. List your top 5 favorite beauty products.
1. Bobbi Brown corrector
2. Anastasia Brow wiz
3. MAC paint pots
4. Loreal Telescopic mascara
5. Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker

5. What is the most enjoyable thing about blogging?
Being about to share what products I'm excited and passionate about.

6. Do you prefer to read books or watch TV?
Watching tv

7. Which is your most worn perfume?
Currently it's Diptyque Philosykos. So good.

8. If you were to give any advice to your teenage self, what would it be?
Less is more with eye makeup... Unless you're intentionally trying to look like a raccoon.

9. Sum up your fashion style in a sentence.
Comfortable, Simple and Sophisticated

10. Two years from now, what would you like to be doing? 
Possibly starting a family?? (maybe??)

My nominees are:
Bonnie Beauty xo

Ashley Sue Makeup.

Thank you to everyone for reading!

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

MAC Rebel

I love berry lips. Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer I am always down to rock a berry lip. For me, the ultimate berry lip for Winter is MAC Rebel. I say Winter because it basically is starting to feel like Winter in New York. Sometimes I just apply the lipstick straight on and sometimes I outline my lips with a lip pencil first. If I do I use this Revlon one with it just so I have a guide and the lipstick won't bleed. I also like to put on a lip balm before I apply lipstick.

Rebel is a Satin finish so it still has a nice sheen to it. Also, the lipstick looks much more dark and purple toned on the bullet but when applied it's much more berry toned. You can also build up the level of intensity you want. You can even lightly dab on the lipstick for a slightly berry stained lip.

Here's how it looks on!

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Esprit

I mentioned I picked up the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine in Esprit in my New Makeup Bits post a few days ago but I thought this beautiful lipstick needed it's own mention. I am obsessed! I think I need at least 3 more shades immediately. It's the first that I have tried and even though it is a little pricey it feels great to treat yourself to something luxe every once in a while. I love when lipsticks are easy and this is super easy to throw on and feel beautiful. The formula is super light weight yet still moisturizing. I have swatched a few shades in the range and I think some are more sheer than others. This particular color can be buildable but with just one swipe you also have beautiful glossy berry lips.

Did I mention I'm in love with this lipstick yet??

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

September Birchbox

Wanted to share with you what I received in this month's Birchbox! Seems like I have posting a lot about Birchbox recently but I still wanted to show you what they sent me this month.

From top left to bottom right:
Paula's Choice RESIST BHA 9 for Stubborn Imperfections
This is a night time treatment with 9% salicylic acid to address spots, blackheads and wrinkles. I wish the sample was bigger but I'm excited to test this out.

Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Hedge Fund
I love getting Nail Polishes in my Birchbox but I was not very excited about the color. Originally I thought it was good because it's a shade I would never buy myself but after putting in on it confirmed my gut feeling that I just didn't like the shade. The brush was a bit fanned out as well and not that smooth to apply. I'm just personally not really into the whole metallic nail trend.

Serge Normant Meta Luxe Hair Spray
I rarely use hair spray but I have heard good things about this one and I love that it's a mini size I can bring with me during travels. It claims to keep your hair smooth and frizz-free while also protecting your hair from UV rays. Excited to try and I like the packaging!

Costal Scents Eye Shadow
On first glance this looks pretty sad... I wish the packaging were nicer but the colors do look nice. These four complementary coppery brown shades can be easily worn day or night and I am excited to try them.

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips
I was super excited to get this as a sample. Only because I have heard Essiebutton talk about this before and if you can get over the weird name, it's freaking fantastic! I have already tested this out and it reminds me of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream minus the weird scent and color and its not as sticky. It's very moisturizing! I will continue to use it to see how I like it.

Overall it was a pretty good Birchbox month. Especially since I went to Birchbox local this past weekend. If you haven't ready about that I will like that here.

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

NARS event with Intothegloss hosted by Emily Weiss

This weekend I stopped by the NARS store in the West Village to meet Emily Weiss from Intothegloss and her lovely team who were also there. I LOVE reading Intothegloss so it was so exciting to meet Emily. It was really nice chatting with her and seeing the new launch of the Radiant Cream Compact Foundation. Emily didn't need to say much about the new foundation because I was already sold and got color matched immediately. She was already wearing it on her face and looked beautiful. The NARS team was so nice and I picked up the shade Santa Fe. If you're familiar with NARS sheer glow foundation the shades use the same names. I love that since this foundation comes in a compact case, you can carry it around with you and do touchups easily with no mess! The foundation comes with a sponge but I just like to use my fingers to apply it to areas where I need coverage.

You buy the compact foundations separately to the case which you only purchase once. Then when you run out of the foundation you can continue to just buy the refills. For the event, guests got a gift with purchase and I received a little blush in Super Orgasm. So cute!

From the NARS website:
New NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation brilliantly evens skin with a lightweight, luminous finish. Combining the supple feel of a cream foundation with the sleek ease of a portable compact, the Advanced Emulsion Technology formula may be applied wet or dry for artistic versatility. Blending seamlessly with weightless medium buildable coverage, skin feels soft and comfortable with moisture levels boosted by 80% after 12 hours, helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and enhancing skin's radiance.

Love NARS!
___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste

This lovely Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste lives in my shower where I occasionally use it about once a week to exfoliate the skin. For some reason I tend to leave all my exfoliating products in the shower. On the packaging it says it contains fine quartz, rosemary leaf and lactic acid. If you can get over the extremely herbal earthy scent, it's a great cream-based exfoliator. I love the way the scrub feels. It's grainy but not abrasive. It is a little bit on the expensive side ($49) but Aesop is a brand I want to try more and more of. I love the packaging and pretty much all the packaging in general for Aesop products. I love just walking around in one of their stores to look at all their lovely products. This leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed and I do love using it.

As you can see there are fine little grains that help gently exfoliate and remove dead skin. It almost looks like lotion there but feels really smooth and refreshing on the face. As I said before I think it's pretty gentle and does not irritate the skin. I think it's very important to exfoliate the skin twice a week. Whenever I get facials, the estheticians always say I need to exfoliate more so hopefully this product is working its magic. 

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Back to School Makeup Look

For many of you, Fall means Back-To-School! I thought I'd put a look together that is perfect for class: an easy minimal effortless makeup look that will prepare you for early mornings and long lectures.

Instead of putting on a full face of foundation, I decided to skip this step. Do the usual cleanse, tone and moisturize (with sunscreen!) and then go straight to covering up dark circles and any little imperfections you may have with a good concealer. Today I'm using the YSL touche eclat to illuminate under my eyes to make myself look well rested.

Next I filled in my brows with MAC eyeshadow in Brun. I don't feel like myself until I fill in my brows. Then I brush them up with Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara so I know they will be in place all day. For eyes, I swept W.O.S all over the lid for a nice light wash of pinky nude and then put Faint just in the crease from the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette. I blend everything out to look nice and natural. Finally I tightline the upper lashline with L'oreal Infallible eyeliner in Black Noir and coat Revlon Waterproof Lash Potion on my lashes.

On the cheeks I used Revlon Creme Blush in Coral Reef. This is an easy to use blush that you can apply with your fingers to create a nice flushed look. And finally on the lips I used Maybelline Babylips in Cherry Me. I have be LOVING this product and carrying it around with me everywhere. It's incredibly moisturizing and a very sheer red that looks amazing.

That's it! Hope you guys going back to school have fun!

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Essie Smokin' Hot

The other night I was at the US Open and it got really chilly! I still cannot believe it's already September and basically Fall. I love the transition from summer to fall because the nail polishes, lip colors and clothes get darker and I love layering clothes so I'm very excited for the transition to Fall.

A nail polish I know I will be wearing this fall is Essie Smokin' Hot. It's a deep eggplant purpley color that looks very elegant and chic on the nails. I use two coats and seche vite top coat. What color are you excited to wear?

And here were our seats at the US Open! Serena Williams playing on the right!

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Boscia Clear Complexion Moisturizer

I've been testing out a new moisturizer for about two weeks and so far I really like the Boscia Clear Complexion Moisturizer. A lot of my moisturizers are too heavy for daytime and especially for the summer so it has been nice using this as we transition into fall. It's an added bonus that this is for clear complexions. I love how light weight it feels - it kind of has a gel like texture and it's great because I hate heavy moisturizers in the morning because it's nicer to add on thin layers including makeup that goes on after. It feels and looks more natural to me. It feels moisturizing and is oil free!

There is an easy to use pump that keeps things sanitary and clean. 

Here is the description on the box stating what the moisturizer claims to do. So all in all I love using it in the mornings! It's a great way to make my skin feel clean and moisturizer and prepped for makeup.

Hope everyone has a great long weekend! I'll be back on Tuesday!

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Blue lines

For a subtle change in my every day makeup look, I've been wearing blue eyeliner instead of the usual black. I've been using the Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof eye liner in Deep Navy. I apply it with a Real Techniques Fine liner brush and while I used to think it would be really hard it's actually super easy to apply and get a nice defined line. Especially since I have such dark brown eyes, it's nice sometimes to have a little surprise in your eyeliner or mascara color to play up your eyes.

I topped it off with Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara which seriously gives you insanely full lashes. The wand is huge and can get a little messy but your lashes look fat. I don't wear this often because I usually go for waterproof formulas but for days when I know I don't want to be removing that waterproof mascara later in the night... this is the better option.

What do you think? Do you guys like wearing different color eye liners?

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal

After hearing Miranda Kerr's Australian makeup artist, Noni Smith, likes to use Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector to highlight Miranda's cheekbones (and in the shade Opal!) I really wanted to try it. This is another Australian based company, BECCA, that has an amazing range of products I want to try more of! This is only a deluxe sample size I got from Sephora but it's a good amount especially since you only need a little!

I have been applying this with my fingers just to the tops of my cheekbones and whatever excess to my cupid's bow. Noni mentioned also mixing it in with your foundation or tinted moisturizer to really give the face a natural looking glow. This product gives you radiance and a gorgeous glow. Not sparkly skin or anything overwhelming. It is an illuminator containing light-diffusing pearls of shimmer so it's safe enough to even apply as a base all over your face.

It was really hard to capture the radiance and glow that this product delivers. On the left it's not even completely blended in because it was hard to even see on my hand. I definitely recommend you try it out at a local Sephora or Space NK!

"The whole philosophy of BECCA is about creating a natural, flawless look. It's really about skin looking amazing - everything else is secondary."
- Rebecca Morrice Williams, Founder
___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Dior Addict Lip Glow

I've rediscovered the Dior Addict Lip Glow by Dior after a few months of sitting at the bottom of my lipstick pile. It looks like a sheer balm but the formula is super cool because it uses color reviver technology reacting to the chemistry in your lips to create a unique shade for everyone's lips. Basically it's supposed to enhance the natural color of your lips. I love the packaging. It's super feminine and a great addiction to carry around in your bag. (Have I mentioned the amazing packaging??)

As you can see it looks like a sheer balm but after a few swipes it gives me light dewy pink lips! It's pretty moisturizing and I love how it adds pink glow to your lips. It is a little on a pricey side... I purchased mine last year during the Sephora Friends & Family sale. Not sure if I will repurchase again but I love using it while I have it!

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel

Since I have finished up my morning serum product, I have recently introduced a new product into my AM routine: the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel. First of all, I have loved using Jurlique products in the past. Jurlique uses all natural ingredients (many from their own farm in South Australia) to nourish the skin and maximize our natural beauty in all their products. I love how Jurlique works on sensitive skin and I feel good about the ingredients that are being absorbed into my body. I want to be more conscious of what ingredients I am putting into my skin.

As you can see it's a dewy gel like formula that is very lightweight and gets absorbed quickly into your skin. At first I thought it was going to leave my skin feeling sticky but the feeling only lasts a second and you're left with smooth and hydrated feeling skin. Shake up the bottle before you use it and apply about 2 pumps all over your face after you wash and tone.

The Herbal Recovery Gel is a potent botanical anti-aging concentrate that helps to reduce fine lines, dryness and dullness to increase the skin’s elasticity, hydration and radiance, while also protecting the skin against environmental aggressors. It all sounds fantastic doesn't it! I was lucky to find this at Costco for only $30 something dollars. I'm really enjoying using it and I want to try more Jurlique products!

Final shot of all the lovely ingredients!

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Nails Inc Portobello

I picked up my first Nails Inc polish in Portobellow recently because a couple of bloggers I follow always go on about it. And I'm a sucker for recommendations. In my opinion what you see online is never the truest representation of the color so this was much more orange than I expected but it's still such a fun summer color and has this transparent/gelly feel to it. It's super easy to apply and has lasted pretty long on my nails. Nails Inc is a London based company and I am definitely interested in trying out more from their line!

Online:
A professionally formulated, catwalk-inspired neon nail polish with an exceptionally glossy long-lasting finish.

This formulation has been specially created and developed using the latest professional technologies for instant and exceptional results. The formulation is long lasting, ultra glossy, and easy to apply so that you get the best possible results every time. All of nails inc. polishes and products are named after iconic places in the UK and streets in London in order to celebrate the brand's British heritage.

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Bioderma Crealine H2O

Hello most talked about makeup remover! After hearing people go on and on about this on youtube, I was so happy to receive it as a birthday gift from a good friend this year. I waited awhile to use it and now I use it every single night to remove all the makeup from my face. The best thing about this as a makeup remover is how non-oily and smooth it feels. It just feels light as water and yet it delivers the same results as an oil-based makeup remover. Very simple. It's really amazing and my skin feels nice and clean instead of oily and shiny. It doesn't leave my skin feeling very dry either which I dislike and it's unscented.

I noticed the 500 ml bottle I have is the "TS" version which is for sensitive skin so if you want the regular one look for the bottle without the "TS". There is also another version with green packaging named Bioderma Sebium H2O Micellar Solution and that version is more for oily skin. I think after this runs out I will be curious to try it.

I became a quick fan of this stuff and when I saw there were mini bottles I had to get one. I ordered my mini travel sized bottle on ebay and this time I got the regualr Bioderma Crealine H2O formula. I'm leaving tonight for a weekend trip in the Catskill mountains so I will be bringing this with me!

How I use it:
I simply pour a little of the solution onto a cotton round to remove all the makeup on my face. It's not hard work at all. The makeup just slides off and onto the cotton round and you're left with clean skin. I use a different makeup remover on my eyes first since I wear waterproof mascara but I always go over it with Bioderma. There's also a pump version but after hearing some negative reviews about how it's hard to control and how much product gets wasted, I'm fine with using this version.

I buy my Bioderma on eBay but I've seen some Asian makeup stores in Flushing and Chinatown carry Bioderma. Also, Sears of all places is now carrying it online as well!

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

Diptyque Choisya

The diptyque room sprays are a great alternative to candles for the summer.  I love candles throughout fall/winter but for summer I trade that in for a nice light citrusy scent: Diptyque Choisya room spray. Have I mentioned how obsessed I am with diptyque packaging? This beautiful room spray isn't over powering, it's sweet and floral and really freshens any room with a few sprays. Described as the scent of Mexican Orange blossoms, I love having this around the apartment to brighten the atmosphere and put a smile to my face. I got this at a diptyque sample sale this past year and I've barely made a dent in it! It's pretty strong so I don't need to spray much and I'm happy it's going to last me a very long time!

Description of Choisya on the diptyque website:
Referred to as golden apples in mythology, Jupiter offered oranges to Junon on their wedding day. The orange blossom symbolizes the eternal bond of marriage.

Message: As pure as it is beautiful

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me with Bloglovin

August Birchbox

I was a little disappointed with this month's birchbox samples. I think I get more excited when I get makeup bits and the majority of this month's samples were all skincare. The only real makeup thing here is the BB Cream. I also think it's a bit weird when they include things like a tea bag. But ok.

On the left in the MIYU pouch, I got a de-stress mi beauty essence spray which says it's a fusion between a facial mist and a serum to help calm down irritated complexions. I do love facial sprays so I am excited to try this out but not that excited to try the tea bag it came with. Next are the Whish deodorant swipes (???) i guess I'll have to try this out to talk about it. I guess it's for when you're on the go, such as after the gym or something. Another Whish Body product included this month was the Whish exfoliating body wash. This will be good for travel. I am going away again this weekend so I will bring this with me.

Next is the Dr Jart Premium BB Cream with SPF 45 which I already have been using and love because not that many BB creams have such high SPF. I love almost all the Dr Jart BB creams (I love the Dr Jart Waterfuse BB cream. It's super light and natural looking!) And finally I got samples of the OC8 Professional Mattifying Gel (8 hour matte finish) which I just read about in Refinery29 and am excited to try! I definitely suffer from oily t-zone so hopefully this will keep my face looking fresh all day!

Are you guys subscribed to Birchbox??

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on bloglovin'

batiste dry shampoo for dark and deep brown hair

I have been trying to wash my hair every other day and in between those days, I NEED DRY SHAMPOO (especially in the summer). My hair gets pretty oily if I don't wash it after one day so for me, a can of dry shampoo lives in my bathroom, my handbag and my car. I picked up the Batiste Dry Shampoo for dark & deep brown hair because I heard great reviews about it. And since I have dark dark brown (pretty much black) hair I have been loving using it!

ysl creme de blush in powdery rose

i have been wanting the ysl creme de blush in powdery rose for a long time and i finally got my hands on it. i usually go for a more peachy pink for blushes so i thought it was about time for a true pink blush. there is something very romantic about this blush and i really love using it. (and i'm a bit obsessed with the packaging too)

it's a lot creamier and softer than most of the creme blushes i have tried and it still blends into the skin very smoothly giving you a very natural looking flush. it feels very lightweight on your cheeks and has great staying power. it is a bit on the pricey side especially since you don't get a whole lot of product, but i think it's nice every once in awhile to treat to yourself! and there's so many more pretty shades in this line that i want to try as well!

i ordered mine at nordstrom.com because they currently have a spend $100 in ysl products and recieve a free gift!
ysl creme de blush in powdery rose, Nordstrom $38 

___
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me with Bloglovin