Tuesday, 15 October 2013

NEW Sigma Advanced Artistry Brush Collection

If you saw yesterday's video, you already got a little preview of the newest brush collections from Sigma...
Well, today I wanted to do a post to accompany my thoughts in that video with some more detailed photos of each collection, as well as some more in-depth info.
*Don't miss some discount details for these kits at the end of the post!

So if you've been with me for most of my YouTube days (can't believe it's been 5 years!!), you know that I've been a fan of Sigma since the very beginning. I love the quality of the brushes and all the different options. So many unique brushes for every makeup technique you could ever imagine.

But I feel like they kind of read my mind with these though... haha. More on that throughout the post...

So the Advanced Artistry Brush Collection is made up of 3 kits, containing 6 brushes each:



Here's a closer look, as well as my more in-depth thoughts on each...


brushes left-right: "Airbrush Blender- F63", "Angled Pixel Concealer- F69", "Detail Concealer- F71", "Angled Buff Concealer- F66",  "Pin-Point Concealer- F68", "Soft Blend Concealer- F64"

You all may have heard me say in videos several times that I often reach for eye shadow/eye liner brushes to use for concealer. I think there are SO many different types of concealers and different ways to use it, that there shouldn't be one particular type of concealer brush. This kit has so many different types that work well with liquid formulas, creams, and all serve their own unique function. Some place concealer more precisely, whereas some work to blend the product over a larger area. Love this.
I've actually had the chance to use most of these, and I'm LOVING the F63 and F69 for small red marks and blemishes and the F64 for blending my under-eye concealer.  


brushes left-right: "Buff and Blend- E39", "Highlight Diffuser- E71", "All Over Blend- E37", "Diffused Crease- E38", "Exact Blend- E32", "Pointed Crease- E48"

 This kit is great for me because I'm always reaching for the same few blending brushes to not only blend, but to actually apply color to the crease/lid as well. So I'm loving that these are different than the traditional fluffier blending brushes. They're all very dense, yet soft, and really blend out harsh edges of color well.  However, they all actually apply the color to the crease area really well too (some more precise than others for every look you'd want), which to me, is important in a blending brush because they apply the color so evenly and soft around the edges in a way where you don't actually have to blend so much. Make sense? Totally does to me...haha. But these are really nice.

 Brushes left-right: "Firm Shader- E57", "Firm Blender- E44", "Wide Shader- E59", "Pencil- E30", "Short Shader- E20", "Cream Color- E58"

This may be my favorite kit. All of these are like cousins of the E55 and E60... Brushes I reach for the most often when I apply color. I've used every single one of these and they definitely live up to their claims. They're all really dense and tapered just right so that they grab a lot of product and transfers the color to the lid so easily. My fav of the bunch is the E59.

 You can also purchase all three in the collective Advanced Artistry Brush Collection for $175 ($189 value).

You can check out every collection HERE and SAVE 10% on your entire purchase by using the code "FALL2013" valid through October 31st!

So what do you guys think? Which kit is your favorite?? Anyone else get as excited as I do for new brushes???



Brush sets provided for consideration by Sigma Beauty with no agreements or obligations to feature or review. 
Post contains affiliates.

Monday, 14 October 2013

Target Fall Fashion Finds! & Michael Kors Selmas...

Hello and Happy Monday to you all! I hope you guys had a fabulous weekend! We sure did. My weekend was made especially sweet with the addition of a few new (and very affordable) jackets and sweaters to my wardrobe, thanks to Target.

I've also been dying to tell you all about my newest handbag obsession as of late... The Michael Kors Studded Selmas. Oh my goodness. I'm in love with them. I started with the messenger, then the satchel. It's a sickness.
So this is definitely a major combo post. Since I combined this latest Target fashion haul with my new MK Selma bags in my newest video (you can check out that goodness at the bottom of this post), I figured I'd combine the blog post too. Sound good?
K, lets go.

So this weekend, as most Saturday mornings go, I headed to run some errands and pick up a few groceries, which brought me Target.

Before I go any further, I've got to go ahead and just admit it.  I've totally slacked on my "Target Finds" blog posts lately. I started that little series over a year ago on here and have really not been great about sharing my new finds when I, well, find them.
But my point is that I haven't forgotten about them and I'll definitely continue to update you all when I find some great things at Target.

So let's start with these fab jackets and sweaters from Target...


First we have this beautiful navy "asymmetrical" blazer...


SO easy-to-wear and versatile. You'll pick up on a little pattern throughout the rest of the post, but I came home and literally threw these jackets on with my simple white t-shirt and jeans. They all worked so well with even the simplest outfit and made it more special.
This jacket has really gorgeous faux leather detailing and the navy is so rich and beautiful. This is going to be a Fall staple of mine for sure.

Next is this SERIOUSLY fun plaid blazer...


I mean.
Crazy gorgeous and unique. This one is my favorite. Again, with the pretty faux leather detail. I love the pop of red with the stitching.
Here's another shot that shows the pretty buttons on the back of the sleeves a bit better.



Next is this really cozy, super chunky sweater...


I cant even with my cheesy side stare. I'm thinking, "Dang, I love this sweater..."

And you may notice in the little widget above I included a sweatshirt as well. Didn't get a photo in that one, but I show it in much more detail in the video below.


So let's move on to the handbags.
I know, I've gone handbag-crazy. I'm seriously on a purse ban, ya'll. I'm not even kidding. Hold me to that.
So I've always loved the pretty silhouette of the Michael Kors Selmas.  I fell in love hard with the little messenger in "dark dune", which is a really super versatile warm taupe color. LOVE that bag. Love it so much that I caved and bought the big satchel in black.
These are the ones I have...

**After posting pics of these on my Instagram, many of you had trouble finding the messenger in the "dark dune" shade. I ordered mine from Nordstrom (currently sold out), and the only place online I've currently found it is from Dillards, so I linked that up for you below. That color is apparently pretty hard to find in the studded version.


 (Yes, I paid for both of these myself, this is not sponsored, and I just have a handbag sickness)

So while I love the regular Selmas, the studded versions just really get me. Like really get me. There was some awkward and inappropriate heavy petting when they both arrived. I probably shouldn't tell you that, but just keeping it real.

Anyway, the leather is super durable and almost feels indestructible. It's called "saffiano" leather. I had a Tory Burch bag made from the exact stuff years ago that held up really well. 

Anyway, I LOVE the versatility of these. 





They're just my new favorite things, basically.  I show them in more detail in the video below.

So there you have it. Some recent fashion obsessions. Check out the video below for much more on these items and even more of my thoughts! I love them all so much...

*Oh, and as for the new Sigma brush sets that came out today, those will be up on the blog in detail tomorrow!! But you can see more about them in the video too...



Any great recent Target finds lately??




Post contains affiliate links.

Friday, 11 October 2013

My Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders... And a Sephora Haul.

Hello and happy Friday, Loves! The weekend is HERE and I'm kicking it off with a really exciting Sephora haul video.... Well, this haul was super exciting for me at least.

So any trip to Sephora is fun and all, but you know how sometimes you get products that are just extra special?? Well this is one of those times.

Be sure to check out the video at the bottom of this post for all the details on all the fun new goodies I picked up!!
But before we get to that, here are the swatches of all my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders (new and old) as promised in the video.

Luminous Light, Diffused Light

Ambient Lighting Powder Palette
Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light
*This one is exclusive to Sephora (here) and will be limited edition. With the holidays coming up, I see this baby selling out fast!


left-right: Luminous Light, Diffused Light, Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light




Here's a handy little list of all products mentioned in the video (with links to Sephora so you can get more info since all aren't discussed in the post):

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Luminous Light
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Diffused Light
GlamGlow Super Mud/TingleExfoliate Mask Set
Formula X Polishes
Lancome Waterproof Long-Lasting Undereye Concealer
Hourglass Veil Mineral primer
MUFE Mat Velvet+ Foundation


So are you drooling over that palette or what?? I'm telling you, it's AMAZING. What are your favorite Ambient Lighting Powder shades?? I'm trying to stop myself from buying them all! ;)



Post contains affiliate links.

Wednesday, 9 October 2013

New L'Oreal Magic Top Coats

Hello and happy Wednesday, Loves! Today I wanted to bring you some nail candy...



Over the past few weeks I've been using the new L'Oreal Magic Top Coats and after having a chance to wear each and every one, I wanted to bring you all my thoughts!
The idea is really cool... Each of the 6 unique top coats creates a different "effect" and changes the look of your ordinary polish. From changing the finish, to adding a layer of glitter, sparkle, or shimmery overlay that actually changes the color. They're really fun.

Here's a better detail shot of each shade...

from left: the holographic, the shift me, the sparklicious, the true gold, the true diamond, the matte velvet

*Not to confuse "the sparklicious" with my beloved L'Oreal "sparklicious" (an actual glitter polish PACKED with gold glitter). I have a feeling that will create some confusion...haha.

Here are swatches of each shade over a dark navy blue polish with no shimmer (I used Dior Blue Label).


1. the holographic
2. the shift me
3. the sparklicious
4. the true gold
5. the true diamond
6. the matte velvet


Crazy how different each one makes the same polish look, huh? So as I said before, I've worn each and have some very different thoughts on all of them... here we go.

1. the holographic
This one is one of my favorites (I have 2 favorites in this bunch), mostly because it's very unique. I love the "3D" effect it gives the polish. It works beautifully over dark and lighter polish, totally changing with each. For example, over a darker polish it gives this deep, dark blue-purple glitter effect. Over a light shade, it's a beautiful light, soft purple-green. This one is great.

2. the shift me
This one does change the actual shade of polish. It makes it lighter and gives it the cool blue frosted tone which is nice. However, I think this one is best suited over lighter shades. It can look a bit streaky over darker shades. This one is my least favorite of the bunch.

3. the sparklicious
This one is gorgeous in the bottle. Looks packed with black and silver holographic glitter of all shapes. On the nails, you have to work with it a bit to almost place the glitter, especially the black. While the black glitter is tough to see over the dark shade in the photo above (which is why I included one over my bare nail as well), I actually like it over dark and lighter colors. The black glitter gives some extra depth to the dark navy and to darker shades, while on lighter colors, it really shows up and gives a fun, artsy effect.

4. the true gold
This one contains a good amount of smaller-sized gold glitter.  I love this one because it applies a really even amount of glitter that you can build up.

5. the true diamond
This is my second favorite of the bunch. It has a super fine, pearly diamond shimmer. It applies evenly with no streaks. What I love most about it is that it really blends right over the polish in a way that makes it look like the original base polish has the sparkle inside of it. It's so pretty.

6. the matte velvet
This one is a velvet topcoat that changes the finish of your nail color to a velvety matte. Actual matte nail polishes are notorious for chipping, so I love the idea of applying a "regular" nail polish, and then using this matte topcoat to give it a matte finish. I love that it gives it a bit of extra staying power. It makes it easy to keep up with the whole "matte" nail trend without having to buy a million new matte nail polishes in different shades.

The staying power of all of them are similar to a typical clear topcoat. The only one that I wasn't crazy about the staying power was "the sparklicious" because like I said, you have to sort of place the glitter and to deposit enough evenly over your nail (even to only get about 10-15 pieces of glitter per nail), you have to make a few passes. So it builds up pretty thick which isn't great for staying power in the long run. 

These are available now and are around $5.99 a piece.

So which one is your favorite?? Have you all tried any of these yet?



Products provided by L'Oreal with no agreements or obligations to feature or review.

Monday, 7 October 2013

Rugs, Pilows... and a basement in shambles.

Hello and happy Monday to you all! So today I figured we'd start the week together with another little huge home update post.
I did one of these type of posts weeks back and you guys seemed to like it, so here we are again!  I share specific home posts here and there, but this type is more collective.  Some updates about what we're planning, progress we've made, some new purchases, etc.  Basically, it's just what's going on around here.
I could probably space these out into a ton of tiny unnecessarily specific posts, but since nothing is too groundbreaking, I thought we'd just go crazy and discuss all of it.
Let's party.

So we're talking a lot about rugs. I'm a big believer in them. They protect your floors, make a space feel cozy, and add another decorative element to a room.  There are so many rug styles out there. When you select one for your space, it really is a unique expression of your style. It makes your room look totally different and more "you".  They can be expensive, but I always find mine either on sale or from affordable places. Plus, you'll keep a nice rug forever.

Alright so you may remember in the last update post, I updated our breakfast nook in the kitchen with my grandmother's antique pedestal table and some really pretty and unique "Kubu" chairs. Not so updated and pretty? The rectangular rug. Let's reflect....


Totally worked with the old rectangular table, but not so much with the round. The rug has since moved to the basement with the old table. We'll get to that in a moment...

And here's the new one! 


I love the pretty quatrefoil design and the contrast. I'm big on contrast. Our kitchen so far? Lacking a lot of it. So I thought this rug added a pretty modern/glam element to the antique table and the more subdued tone-on-tone feel of the kitchen. Like I've said so many times, my style is all about mixing it up to create a nice balance. So far, we're loving this rug! I got it from Overstock.


Speaking of new rugs, let's move on to the front "formal" living room/office. It lived without an area rug for 6 months. Funny enough, we never really used the space. Of course, we'd use my little office corner of the room for the printer and other office-y tasks (I also like to take photos of makeup/products on the desk in there), but it lacked the cozy feeling that a sitting/living room should feel.

For actual "living", we use our big family room.


For such a huge and lofty room, it feels super cozy because of the rug (scored years ago from the Pottery Barn outlet). So it's no surprise that when the new rug went down in the living room, we started hanging out in there a lot more. Funny how a cozy rug will do that.

Here she is...

Much more inviting, huh? The desk/my office space is to the right in this photo directly across from the white love seat.
This rug is fab. I had been lusting over a rug in this style since we lived in our last house. I could just never find one that was affordable and didn't look cheap or old and worn out already. This one is perfect. I especially love the chunky braided fringe on the ends. Makes it feel a little more special. This beauty was a find from Rugs USA.

While rugs are a pretty large item that makes a huge impact on a room, smaller items in a fun fabric can really freshen up a space and change the whole feel. Like these little precious pillows I had made for our bedroom.


I've always loved this fabric and it seems to be popping up all over the place now. I plan on using these year-round. They give the same fresh feel as having a pretty green plant in a room.


Kate Spade has similar ones for a ridiculous price. To me, I'd rather pick a pretty fabric myself and have something unique (and save some $).

I think they changed the whole feel of the room. To me, nothing is better in a bedroom than a white fluffy bed- white bedding, black accents (again, with my love of contrast), light walls, and dark wood. It just feels fresh and comfortable and since a bedroom is such a personal space, it gives you the option of changing up the whole feel of the room in a second on the cheap by adding a colorful throw or fun pillows.

So speaking of rugs, I almost forgot about another one that's recently made it's way in. I've never really settled on one I love for the foyer. The zebra one I showed the last time I updated you on the foyer ended up looking a bit cheap in there (it was literally like $40 and I've had it for 7 years...). With all the constant vacuuming (Waylon's hair), it just wasn't holding up well. So I ordered something different for it. It arrived and while I loved the rug, I hated it in the foyer. So I brought up a round one from the basement temporarily (I'm still on the hunt for a perfect one), but it totally works for now. The point of all that? The one I ordered that didn't really work with the foyer works perfectly in the basement.

I haven't shared many (any?) pics of the basement. It's a total work in progress. Even more so than any other space. It has a darker, more masculine feel. Nothing on the walls yet... I'm still trying to feel it out.

This is the little living area down there and the new rug that made it feel much cozier.


These pics are not the best- It's so hard to photograph that room. But the rug has a vintage, faded feel and is very velvety with a bit of a sheen.  This one was another really affordable Overstock find.

Oh and speaking of the old kitchen table and rug, here they are...


The table and chairs were actually in the garage sale pile, until we realized it makes a great game/craft table in the little bar area. We have some BIG plans for this area! We'd also like to install a pretty industrial light fixture above the table eventually.

Oh, and for the sake of keeping it real (and speaking of garage sale piles)...


This is also what has been going on around here. MAJOR cleaning out. This room is huge and often completely empty. We're thinking of making it into a game room. Brad's media room is beyond this room through the doorway on the back wall and the doorway in the right wall of the room leads to a workout area and some major storage... Which is where we pulled all of this out of. There's a method to this mess... The stuff on the right behind the little wall is the garage sale pile, the stuff in the middle (boxes, etc) is trash/recycling, and the stuff in the back left is ALL of our holiday stuff. We're talking Christmas, Fall, Spring, Halloween, etc... It's not as much as it looks. But I basically made it a point to clean out everything before the holidays really roll around this year because I know we'll be getting a HUGE tree that will need storage space of it's own, and I just didn't want to keep things we didn't need.
So the plan is to put all of the holiday stuff in another big storage area we have in the back of the media room. Just so that the work out room doesn't start overflowing with holiday crap.

So it's a total work in progress around here. Tonight, the goal is to have the room looking like this again...

Something tells me Waylon won't be very helpful... ;)

So what's going on around your house? Anyone else in a major cleaning out mood like I am?



Saturday, 5 October 2013

Get Ready With Me! Simple Fall Lorac Pro Palette Makeup Tutorial

Hello and Happy Saturday to you all! Today I'm bringing you all a different type of video from me... A "Get Ready With Me" video. I've done one of these before that was really in-depth, showing shower products, hair, makeup, etc, but I thought for the sake of not being redundant, I'd do one showing just my makeup since the other products really have not changed much.
While filming a video in this way was a bit different for me, I really enjoyed it!
Let me explain...
So usually for makeup tutorials, I have a look planned out and already completed on one eye. For the sake of time, and replicating the look I originally planned, I usually just do the one eye for tutorials.
This video is different because I literally sat down at my makeup table and turned on the camera... Filming my makeup routine for that particular day using the Lorac Pro Palette which I love so much.

I created a really simple look, perfect for Fall! I hope you all love it!


Products Used:
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ foundation
MAC Studio Finish concealer
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Under Eye Concealer- Brightener
Sigma Eye Shadow Base in Provoke
Lorac Pro Palette
Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Demolition
Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Mushroom
MAC Extended Play Lash in Gigablack
Sigma Brow powder in Medium
Benefit Gimme Brow in light-medium
Benefit Hoola Bronzer
Benefit Rockateur Blush
Cover Girl Lip Perfection stick in 270
Dior Gloss in 157
Sigma Brushes



Thursday, 3 October 2013

An Easy Fall Look with a Faux Leather Vest

So I've been talking an awful lot about vests in my most recent videos...

I totally believe they are an item worth splurging on, as you can transition them from season to season and they totally make an outfit. They're also pretty timeless. Some of my vests I've had for years and they're still looking great.  I love how just by adding them to a different look year after year, I can easily keep them "on trend".

So even though I could justify a vest-y splurge, let's just be honest, finding a more affordable option I love is always better. I recently picked up this faux leather one at Forever 21.






When I showed this vest in one of my recent Fall Trends videos, I got a ton of questions wondering how the heck to style it. When you think about what to wear a faux leather moto-style vest with, it can sound a bit tricky. But where these are concerned I find it's best not to over-think it. Throw it on over anything! See how it feels.

I like to balance mine with more simple elements and a few super girly ones (like the leopard shoes, super sparkly bracelet, and monogram necklace).



It was SO hard not to carry my Coach studded Mini Tanner bag I've been wearing the heck out of lately, but since it's so studded, I wanted to pair something a little different with the vest to keep it from looking too tough. 
So I broke out my Louis Vuitton Eva clutch. I like how the brown "Damier" print sort of pulled from the top beneath the vest and kept it from looking too black-leathery-matchy-matchy. That's totally a term, btw.

Just a super simple look that wasn't too tough to put together! So my answer to how to style a vest like this is simple. Wear it with whatever makes you feel good! I can't wait to wear this one this Spring with a cutesy dress too.  It's such a versatile piece.

details:
Splendid top, Forever 21 vest, 7 For All Mankind skinny cropped jeans, Tory Burch wedges, Louis Vuitton Eva clutch, Henri Bendel sparkly cuff, cuff bracelets from thecurrentcustom.com, monogram necklace by Jennifer Zeuner


 Do you all have a vest like this? What do you like to pair yours with?