October Favorites

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!!!!!

I love this day so much.  It's my very-close-second favorite holiday (Christmas being my first, and Christmas only wins, because it's a whole season).  To celebrate this wonderful day, I am going to bring you my first monthly favorites post.

Here is what I have been loving in October:   

Neutrogena's Nourishing Eyeliner in Spiced Chocolate:  LOVE this stuff.  I have used the Revlon Colorstay eyeliner for years, but recently went rogue and purchased this baby.  I love it.  It's smooth and creamy with great pigmentation.  It also lasts all day, but still comes off fairly easily.

Dr Bronner's Magic Soaps All-One Hemp Peppermint Pure Castille Soap:  I've been looking for an (ahem) less expensive version of the Lush soaps, and I think I may have found it.  My grocery store had a coupon for buy one for $3.99 get one free.  That's a hell of a lot less than Lush's prices.  So far, I LOVE this stuff.  It leaves my skin silky and smooth with zero dryness or residue.

Lush BIG Shampoo:  This shampoo is incredible.  I use it once a week as a clarifying shampoo, and it truly increases the volume in my hair.  It also feels baby soft and silky.  The only downside is that it is a little drying, but I make sure and follow up with a hefty conditioner. 

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti Chip Top Coat:  I've been really into painting my nails lately.  I'm extremely hard on my hands, being a nurse, so I'm always looking for fast dry options.  I've given up on long lasting nail polish, and Shellac is super hard on my nails.  So, this is the next best option.  No matter how thick the nail polish coats, this stuff dries my nails within 1-2 minutes.  It's pretty incredible.  The consistency is a little odd, almost like a really thick semi-dried out nail polish, but it applies nicely and still dries incredibly fast. 

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Powder in Autumn Catwalk:  I think this stuff was about $4-5 at my local grocery store, and the pigmentation rivals my more expensive blushes.  I absolutely love it.  It has just the right amount of shimmer/highlight to be subtle, and it lasts ALL day.  Go get this now!

 Up and Up (Target) Brand Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes in the purple/blue color:  These wipes are fabulous.  I recently started using a gentler cleanser, so I decided to try these wipes to remove my makeup at night.  They work SO well.  I still have to remove my eye makeup with coconut oil (the mascara I have right now is super water proof), but I don't mind.  It removes my makeup, but is still gentle on my skin and not drying. 

Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser:  A sweet friend of mine has become my new skin care guru, and she recommend this face wash to me.  I love it!!  Since winter is a-coming (sometime), I think it's important to update my skin care routine for the changing, dryer weather.  This cleanser thoroughly cleanses my face, but still leaves it soft and smooth.  It's totally non-drying, and it really works in conjunction with a few other of my prescription medications (Retin-A Micro .04% and Spironolactone) to combat my occasional hormonal breakouts.  

The Best Makeup Tip I've Learned This Year

Hooded Eyes

I've always had difficulty when applying eyeshadow on my outer corner and crease, but I never knew why.  It would smudge into strange shapes, and I could never apply it evenly.  Firstly, I wasn't using the right tools, but secondly, I wasn't applying the shadow correctly for my eye shape.

I'm blessed (NOT) with hooded eyes.  I am seriously allergic to everything, so the puffiness from allergies only exacerbates the hooding.  Recently, I learned what my eye shape was and I've been doing my eye shadow differently ever since.  It makes a HUGE difference.

This is a photo of just my eyes after a makeup trial for my wedding.  As you can see, when looking straight on, there is very little movable eyelid (the eye lid that is covering my actual eye ball).  I also do not have an obvious crease, shown below, with my eyes closed.

In order for my makeup to actually look good, I've now learned there are several things I must do:

1. Do NOT apply dark eyeshadow to the movable eye lid.  Since dark colors make things on your face look sunken in (contoured), you do not want to make your movable lid more sunken in by applying a dark color.  Now, I will do what is shown above and apply a lighter color to the inner corner of my eye, a medium shade to the middle of my movable lid, and a darker corner on the outer part of my lid to make a gradient of color.

2. DO apply a darker shade to the 'crease' (or in my case, the area where one's natural crease would be).  This makes me eyes look more defined, and less puffy.

3.  Do NOT apply a shimmery highlight shade to my brow bone.  I can both understand this and disagree with this point.  Highlight/shimmer shades tend to bring facial features forward.  Since your eyes are naturally hooded/slightly puffy, you do not want your brow bone to also appear more prominent.  I personally don't think it's THAT big of a deal, as long as you don't apply a TON of glittery, shimmery highlight.

4. DO focus on your lashes.  My lashes have always looked better when they are super volumized and curled, and now I realize why.  Women who have hooded lids need their eyelashes to stand out more to make them appear less puffy/more awake.

Celebrities with hooded eye lids that I use for reference include Blake Lively and Cat Deely.  Blake's eyelids are actually much worse than mine.  Her movable eyelid is practically non existent when her eyes are open.

Pixiwoo are two British sisters who give amazing makeup tutorials on YouTube and have greatly helped me better my makeup self.  Here is a great blog post they wrote (with links to many of their YouTube videos) on how to do makeup for different eye shapes.  Here is an excellent post on different makeup tips for eye shapes.  Hopefully you will have normal eyes and not have to make adjustments, but if you have a different eye shape, it's definitely to your benefit to learn how to properly apply your makeup.   

Bath and Body Works Haul

Bath and Body Works Pre-Christmas and Post-Fall Sale Haul

I popped into Bath and Body Works after voting yesterday with the hopes of purchasing a new fall candle.  I burned through my Leaves candle in an insanely short amount of time.  I just love that scent so much that I burned it almost constantly while I was home.  Next year, I've learned, I'll buy a back up.  Their fall candles, while very limited, were all 50% off, so I picked up the Autumn Day scent.  I was initially thrown off a bit by the sweet pear scent, but now that I've burned it some, I absolutely love it.

Their hand soaps and Wallflowers were also on sale, so I swiped up some of the Christmas scents.  I was a little disappointed in their new Holiday scents this year.  While the usual Vanilla Bean Noel still wowed me (as always), the other ones were just so-so.  There's also one ginger-vanilla hybrid hand soap that's just yucky smelling.  I like to buy the foaming hand soap in the holiday scents, because they don't last as long.  Let's face it, it'd be depressing to have a Christmas scented soap in February.    

I also have been loving my Wallflowers lately, and needed two new plugs for both our living room and bedroom.  We also needed a few new holiday replacement scents, so I picked up a Marshmallow Fireside (my new FAVORITE Bath and Body Works scent this year, and one of my top five of all time now) and Winter bulb.

The white wall plug is ADORABLE.  It's for our room.  I can't wait to see how it looks in there.  Here's a detail shot.

I can't wait for their next 2 for $20 candle sale.  I missed the last one by a few days.  Winter candles, here I come!!! 

My Thoughts on Voting

My Thoughts on Voting

(Not a Political Post)

I voted today. Early voting is something I have always done, and it was a huge weight off my shoulders.

Like my religious beliefs, my political beliefs are VERY private and personal for me. You'll never see me posting my thoughts all over Facebook, or getting into arguments with people over their beliefs. To each their own. I think that at this stage in our adult lives, we pretty much have our minds set on what we believe and do not believe. Putting someone down because they don't believe what you do only makes you look intolerant.

I personally like to quietly listen to opinions, but I don't give them except to my immediate family and husband. I formulate my own opinions as best I can and truly try to look at both sides. Then I do my civic duty and vote, which I encourage all my readers to as well. Information about early voting and locations can be found on your city's government website.  Information from San Antonio (my town) specifically can be found at: http://elections.bexar.org/

5 Makeup Products I Can't Live Without

The Five Makeup Products I Can't Live Without

 

1. Mascara

I am lucky enough (not) to have eyelashes with blonde tips.  So, when I have no makeup on, I look like I have no eyelashes.  Not only that, but I also have hooded eye lids, which scream for mascara.  I'm still looking for my holy grail mascara, but some that I like well enough are: Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara, Benefit They're Real Mascara,  and Diorshow Iconic Extreme Waterproof Mascara.  I still have yet to find a drug store mascara that I even remotely like.

 2. BB Cream/Tinted Moisturizer

I've been using the Garnier BB Cream for a while now, and absolutely love it.  I have heard complaints from other people about it being a bit greasy, but I have very combination skin, so it's not a problem for me.  It's been a miracle for me in the summer, when I don't want to cake on heavy foundation along with powder.  I make sure to set it with powder, the Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder is my favorite, and I'm good to go!

3. Eyebrow Powder

The eyebrow powder I have used all my life is the Cliniqe Brow Shaper.  I couldn't live without it.  It lasts an INSANE amount of time, and stays in place.  It helps shape my sparse eyebrows.  I recently went lighter after learning that you should go a shade or two LIGHTER with your eyebrow powder, and I think it makes a big difference.

4. Gel Eyeliner

Gel eyeliner is a hybrid between the smoothest eye pencil you've ever used and a liquid eyeliner.  It's more forgiving than liquid, allowing more time to smudge and correct mistakes.  However, it stays longer than pencil eyeliner.  It also usually washes off very easily.  The two that are my absolute favorites are my Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner and the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner.  Both have very similar application, drying time, etc.  However, I've noticed the Maybelline dries out a bit faster than the Bobbi Brown and that it is slightly less pigmented.

5. Blotting Papers

Since the South Texas heat and humidity tends to be brutal on my already slightly oily skin, blotting papers are a must to carry in my makeup bag.  Boscia Blotting Linens in the Green Tea version are my absolute favorite. 

Diet Update

Hello all!!  I have been thoroughly surprised at how easy it's been to cut most carbs out of my life.  I cheated on our vacation and ate whatever I wanted, but with all the walking we did, I actually lost weight.  So far, I have lost about 10 pounds and feel great.  I've been prehypertensive for a long time now, but since starting this low carb/clean eating lifestyle, my blood pressure has been the lowest it's ever been.  This is amazing, since I have a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure, so I really have to keep myself in check.  I would say that if I had to put a name to my new lifestyle eating principles, it would be a combination of low carb (except I eat fruit), clean eating, and Paleo.  Here are the basic principles I've been following:

Nothing white:  No pasta, no white rice, no sugar whatsoever (only Stevia), nothing processed, and no refined carbohydrates.
Limited whole grains:  I've been snacking on Ezekiel bread whenever I NEED a carbohydrate in my life.  They're cinnamon raisin is incredible and very filling.  I'll also eat some Wasa crackers with hummus if I need a crunch.
Organic Popcorn:  I've been getting the Central Market brand organic popcorn in their mini snack bags, and this has been a lifesaver.  Popcorn is the ONLY true light food that fills me up.  The ingredients in the organic popcorn are natural, and it is delicious. 
Protein, Veggies:  For dinner, I've been making a high protein meat like chicken, with a vegetable such as broccoli or a side salad.  If I make a dish that calls for pasta, I omit it.  One of my favorite snacks is frozen edamame with a small amount of salt.  Delicious and so filling! 
Indulgence 5% of the time:  I had a friend come in town this weekend with lots of eating out and football.  I let myself eat like crap.  Then Sunday, I recovered with salad and good foods.  On Halloween, I know I'm going to eat sweets, and on Thanksgiving, you better believe I'm going to eat that gravy and stuffing until my heart's desire.  However, I will adjust and eat better on the days leading up to it and afterward. 
Flour Substitutes:  Almond flour is the BOMB.com.  I have been able to make Paleo-friendly apple muffins with ZERO carbohydrates (only from the apples) with almond flour.  It's truly amazing how many GOOD flour substitutes there are out there.  I make a clean eating mug brownie with almond flour, cocoa powder, Stevia, and coconut oil that is to die for!    

I'm starting to crave salads and lean proteins.  I don't even miss the pasta, breads, that used to make 70% of my diet before.  It's a wonderful eating plan, and I would highly recommend it if it fits into your lifestyle.

If you have any questions about my particular diet, I'd love to answer them!   

Casual Friday Night Wear

 

Here's what I wore last night to a casual happy hour with friends and then to a movie (we saw Hotel Transylvania.  It was super cute!).  My belt is actually from H&M (Lord, please let them build an H&M in South Texas or please enable online shopping), and my earrings are actually from Amazon.  I'd been wanting this dress forever and was able to snatch it up on sale a few weeks ago. 

Another Favorites Post: The Best Bronzer I Have Ever Used

On a bit of a whim recently, I purchased the Nars Laguna Bronzer.  I had never seen it in person, and purchased it online, so it was a bit of a gamble.  However, I had always heard such rave reviews about it, that I thought I'd give it a try.  My go-to bronzer, for, oh, ALWAYS, has been my generic Bare Escentuals Warmth Bronzer that's always been included in my starter kits.  I've never been a huge fan of the color, it's a bit too orangey-red for my skin color.  I'd always use it as a contour only with my small Sonia Kashuk contour brush.  I was never a fan of the application, either:  very streaky and, although highly pigmented, would always fade away rapidly.

The Nars Laguna is the best bronzer ever for my skin tone.  I am medium to fair, depending on the season.  The Laguna is more of a pure brown color, and it scared me straight out of the package.  However, it transfers beautifully, and gives me the natural color I've been looking for.  I apply it with a kabuki brush with great results. 

 

A soft and cozy workday outfit

Here's what I wore to work today.  My allergies were in full swing, and I wanted to be in something comfortable, since I didn't feel very well.  I bought this Anthropologie top last week, and it is absolutely wonderful.  I usually try and wait for their sales, but I couldn't pass this top up.  It's soft and cozy, and the sleeves are actually long enough for my long arms. 

What's Black, White and Re(a)d All Over??

I couldn't help by think of the newspaper joke when picking out my outfit the other day.  My red jeans aren't Current/Elliott, but they do look like them.  I got my red skinnies at TJ Maxx for around $25, and I love them!  I don't want to spend top dollar on colored, trendy jeans, so a cheaper TJ Maxx version was perfect for my lifestyle. 

Missoni black t shirt
target.com

Black jacket
boohoo.com

Current/Elliott skinny jeans
net-a-porter.com

David yurman ring
saksfifthavenue.com

Tory Burch Reva Flat
$280 - harrods.com

Casual Workday Wear

This is what I wore to work one day this week.  The denim is a substitute that looks similar to the Paige Verdugo Denim I was wearing (there's no way I would spend that much on a pair of jeggings).  I also discovered recently that my local Anthropologie in San Antonio now has...SHOES!!  I am rejoicing.  

Cotton tunic
anthropologie.com

Paige Denim denim skinny jeans
$275 - harveynichols.com

Michael kors jewelry
piperlime.gap.com

Earrings
anthropologie.com

Women's Steve Madden Heaven Cognac Leather FamousFootwear.com
famousfootwear.com

my updated skincare regimen: hydroquinone

Since my 'life changing skin care regimen' post was so popular, I decided to fill all you readers in on my updated regimen, since it has changed a little bit.  This is partly due to my new Birchbox findings, and partly due to being frustrated with my severe melasma issues.  I was so diligent about protecting my face for over a year for wedding preparations that I only wore sunscreen for my honeymoon.  Well, if you know anything about melasma then you probably know that the Caribbean sun isn't the best for your already sun-damaged skin.  While I didn't get sunburned, just being in the sun for a few minutes caused my spots to darken.  I was expecting it, but it was still frustrating to have undone all the work that I had been doing for over a year.

With a recommendation from a friend, I started seeing a new, no nonsense dermatologist.  With my request, she put me on Hydroquinone.  Now, I am not advocating for everyone to go out and ask their doctors for a hydroquinone prescription.  It is serious stuff that is thought to be carcinogenic and has been banned in several European countries.  The FDA also proposed a ban on it in the US in 2006, but has since said it is 'safe in its current use.'

With all the risks aside, I began using it because I knew that it was only temporary.  You use it, it lightens the dark spots on your face (ideally), and then you stop.  I have to say, that within about two weeks, it had drastically lightened the severely darkened area on my forehead.  Within a week, it had completely lightened the dark patches on my upper lip, which were the most unsightly in my opinion.  My forehead still has a ways to go, but I am overall happy with the results.

I am looking forward to being able to stop using it (hopefully) soon, but in the meantime, I am protecting my face like a crazy person by using umbrellas while out in the sun, wearing huts, and applying sunscreen like a mad woman.  If you have severe melasma that cannot be covered my makeup, such as mine, and have unsuccessfully tried other methods, I would talk with your doctor and see what your options are.  Like I said previously, though, I think that it truly should be a last resort and should absolutely not be used long term.