Holiday Transitions featuring MAC

I haven't bought anything from MAC for about 2 years now.  Why?  The last thing I purchased from them was a lipstick that looked great on me in the store but once I got home the color looked horrible on me and it was really drying on my lips and just left a horrible taste in my mouth (literally and figuratively).
Yet after seeing some of my favorite bloggers talk about MAC products on their pages and in tutorials I couldn't resist going in to take a peek.

The first thing I gravitated toward was their lipstick counter.  I was looking for a lipstick to wear around the holidays that wasn't a red (I've got plenty of those).  I tried on the MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Craving and was immediately sold.  It looks like a basic berry-toned neutral but when it's on the lips it's a gorgeous deep and sultry rose color.  It's not the slightest bit drying either and glides on as smoothly as a lip balm.  Perfect for everyday use, I'm hooked.

The other item I purchased was the MAC Eyeshadow in the color Sable
It's labelled as one of their "Frost" shadows so it's got a nice satin-y sheen to it, perfect as a stand alone color on the lid or as a blending color for a holiday smoky eye.  I was also really impressed with how well it blends and you can build up the color to make it a little more intense.

Looks like I've seriously underestimated the power of some of MAC's products.  Hopefully I'll hit them up again in the new year!

Have you tried either of these products? Let me know what you think!

xoxo

thick knit

I'm absolutely in love with my thick knit sweater from Urban Outfitters, it's so warm and cozy I didn't wear anything under it or over it today and lemme tell ya, it was chilly.  I paired it with my super thick burgundy scarf for a super casual and comfortable outfit to wear to my parents' house.
I'm tempted to get the same sweater in black!

Sweater: Urban Outfitters; Scarf: Etsy; Tights: Lululemon; Bag: Coccinelle; Boots: Ksubi;

Hope you're all having a nice weekend

xo

An Autumn Nail

Fall and winter is the time to lean toward a deeper palette, one filled with navy, plum, oxblood and black.  If you know me, you'll know that the majority of my wardrobe consists of black and I'm notorious for saying "oh but it looks better in black...".

seattle haul

This weekend T and I headed down to Seattle just to get away from it all and boy was it nice.  I didn't take any school work with me and we simply left all our cares behind.  We didn't have too much of a plan other than to do whatever we wanted to do but one thing we both agreed on is that we wanted to shop.
While we were there I managed to find the few things I was looking for plus a few little nice surprises.

For beauty products I picked up a few things that I've been coveting lately, namely the YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in #13 Peach Passion.  I never wear any pink lipsticks, nevermind ones that are slightly peachy, I just never found that they suited my colouring.  I don't own any of the YSL lipsticks but I've only heard amazing reviews so I picked this one up and I was not disappointed.  It's super creamy and one swipe gives you perfect coverage.  I needed a new blush because mine was bright pink, slightly out of season and not to mention, it's currently in a million little pieces.  Because Sephora was having the 20% off for VIB cardholders, I picked up the Nars Blush in Seduction. It's a dark plum color which at first glance is rather intimidating, but you only use a small amount and when blended in properly, it gives you a nice flush of color, perfect for the colder months. 

While I was down there, I promised myself to find a new makeup storage unit considering that my current "storage unit" consists of a large, clear, plastic tupperware-esque container that I rummage through in the mornings.  I hit up The Container Store and picked up this awesome storage unit with a removable lipstick holder.  Now I'll be able to actually see all my makeup, which is nice.

I was also in desperate need of some new brushes and looked in quite a few places for the Real Techniques ones.  I finally found the limited edition dual fiber ones at Ulta Beauty and also picked up their blush brush and a Japonesque eyeshadow brush while I was at it.

I was pretty disappointed with the cosmetics sections at the Targets that we went to namely because they didn't have anything that I had been looking for.  While walking up and down the aisles however, I dis manage to find two gorgeous nail polishes from Essie. The red glittery one is called Toggle To The Top and will probably be on my nails for the entire month of December and the second one is a deep, forest green called Stylenomics.  Everyone is busy raving about Essie's new dark navy color but I'm more of a green girl myself and can't wait to try this one out.

  

For clothing, I picked up a super thick-knit cozy pullover sweater from Urban Outfitters from the brand Cooperative.  It looked so comfy that I couldn't resist wearing it on our last day there and I paired it with my Zara Tartan Scarf.

 If you know me, you'll know that I'm obsessed with Christmas.  I've been watching Christmas movies for over a week, my twinkle lights are up in my room and I made several Christmas-themes purchases this weekend no shame.  I looove the Dark-Chocolate Covered Minty Marshmallows from Trader Joes, my mom usually gets my a box for my stocking but I couldn't wait.  Also from Urban Outfitters I got a new pair of slipper boots, they're fuzzy with reindeer and Christmas trees on them so I don't need to explain those.  Target had lots of awesome Christmas stuff in the guys section and I got a pair of PJ pants with my favorite Christmas special on them, Charlie Brown!  And of course I grabbed some classic Christmas DVDs for my apartment cause you can't go wrong with those.

 Sorry about the blur in the bottom corner, Pinecone couldn't resist playing with her new stocking that I picked up for her from Target!  It's so cute and fuzzy and has jingle bells!  I couldn't leave it behind...even though T rolled his eyes and called her a little turd.
See! She loves it already!

We had such an amazing time, I didn't take any pictures because we were in the shops a lot and just busy doing things.  We had some amazing food and some good laughs and hopefully we'll go back within the year :)

October Favorites

Hi everyone!

So I'm a few days behind with this post but I've been busy visiting with my parents and getting other stuff done.  This is the part where I say "like OMG where has the month of October gone?! I dont even know!"
No.
I know exactly where the month of October went.  It was crazy busy and stressful but I also had a lot of really good times last month I remember it all quite well.  I don't have too many new beauty favorites because I've been sticking to what I know as of late.  Also, during my down time, I've acquired a new non-beauty favorite ;)


First I'm going to start off with something you may have seen lying around in a previous post and that is my Clinique Black Honey Super Shimmer Eyeshadow Single.  I talked about it a little in my other post but just to sum it up, this stuff is amazing, it's great to wear all by itself just swept over the entire lid or you can build up the color and make it much darker.  You can use it to smoke out a brown shadow or even a red one which I plan on doing perhaps this weekend ;)
Next is a new foundation that I've been using for about a month and it's my Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation and I wear the lightest shade #100 Ivory because I'm pale as a banshee.  I needed a new foundation because the little color I picked up over the summer was fading fast so at the end of September I picked up this one.  I'd heard really great things about it and one of my favorite Youtubers swears by it.  It has even replaced my Revlon Photoready BB Cream.  The reason behind the name is that it has the slightest bit of shimmer in it so when you buff it onto your skin it makes your skin glow which is perfect for dull winter skin like mine.  It's gives your skin that "I drink 10 glasses of water a day" radiance and it's dirt cheap so it gets two thumbs up from me.
I've been pairing that with Maybelline's Fit Me Concealer in the shade #15 Fair.  Not too much to say about this one other than it's super creamy and easy to blend under your eyes with your ring finger, unlike a lot of other concealers I've tried.  Also, it's great to use as both under-eye concealer and to cover up blemishes because it hasn't got any shimmer to it.
Next is another item you've seen before on my blog and it's the Nuxe Reve De Miel Balm.  I've read that lip balm is an addictive product and not just in the "OMG I can't get enough of this stuff" kind of way; apparently, the more you use lip balm, the more your lips end up needing it...which is where I stand.  The reason I love this stuff is because it creates a barrier on your lips and it stays there all day if you put it on in the morning and all night if you put it on before bed.  Also, it smells heavenly, like honey with a hint of orange zest.
You're probably all thinking why the hey does a 21 year old girl have an anti-aging eye cream in her daily routine?  Well you're right, but I got it for free a while back at Sephora so why wouldn't I use it?  I use my Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Eye Cream both morning and evening and let me tell you, a little goes a long way.  I don't use it for its anti-aging properties, more as just an under-eye cream because the skin under your eyes is so thin.  I find that when I put this on in the evening, my concealer and makeup goes on a lot easier the next day and I'm not pulling at my under-eye area so much.
Last on the makeup menu is my OPI Manicurist of Seville polish.  I find that this is the perfect fall shade and although it looks like a bright raspberry color in the picture, it's actually a much more dark berry toned polish.

Last but not least, my non-beauty favorite of the month has been the American Horror Story Series.  Where has this been all my life.  Despite the fact that I get chastised and teased by my dad for liking such morbid things, I love creepy, eerie, messed up macabre stuff, in fact, the more unnatural and the higher the death toll the better. This show just so happens to have all of that and a killer cast.  I know you don't have to start from the first season but I did and I'm quite glad that I did.  It's one of those shows where all seasons are their own separate entities and you can watch one without the other even though the actors carry over from season to season.  This has been mine and my boyfriend's guilty pleasure for the past few weeks and I'm ashamed to say how fast we got through the seasons that are out.  Go watch it.

Clinique Super Shimmer Eyeshadow Single in 02 Black Honey

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 100 Ivory

Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Eye-Cream

That's all for my favorites this month!  This weekend, T and I will be going a to Seattle for a little getaway!  I'm so excited!  Stay tuned for some outfit posts and pictures from the weekend, depending on how good the internet in the hotel is, I'll try to get them up as we go but I can't promise anything!

See you soon!

xoxo