November Favorites

Friday, December 2, 2016

HELLO! Welcome back to my blog. Today is DAY TWO of Blogmas! Woooooooooooo. It's going well so far. Of course this is only the second day so it'll probably go downhill fast but what can you do? 

Todays post is my November Favorites. November has been super busy and full of travel so I don't have too many favorites, but the ones I do have are mighty great. Let's hop into it!

I also made a YouTube video explaining my favorites so I'll link that as well!


Starting off with beauty products:


I recently bought this LA Concealer because I had never tried any LA Girl products and the let me tell you, THE PRICE WAS RIGHT. I'm so glad I got this because I have really been loving it for the month of November. This is such a brightening product and really looks great as a highlighting concealer. Yes, it does cover blemishes and dark circles, but it works so well as a brightener. The only downside to the product is the applicator - it's one of those plastic brushes, which gross me out. Other than that, I've been liking this. 


Duane Reade/Walgreens recently started carrying Soap & Glory products which is SO EXCITING considering there's a Duane Reade a few steps from my apartment and no Sephoras or Ultas in sight. I was super excited to try this product because I feel like I've heard a lot of people rave about Soap & Glory's brow products. The Archery 2-in-1 Brow Crayon is really nice because it not only comes with a thick brow pencil, it also comes with a brow gel. 2-in-1 products are helpful because if you're traveling or want to take a product in your purse with you, its just a one stop shop for brow BEAUTY! This product is great because it's so quick. With the thicker applicator crayon, filling in your brows takes less time. When I'm in a hurry, this has been the product I've reached for. 


I'm not one to wear false lashes. I don't think I have the patience to actually become good at them, nor want to waste the money on them. But I will indulge on special occasions or nights out that I want to take my makeup to the next level. I always prefer Ardell Lashes and if I'm not using the individual lashes for a little extra volume, I go for the Flawless Tapered Luxe Lashes for extra glam. These aren't that difficult to apply and actually look relatively ~natural~ considering they are falsies! 

Smith's Rosebud Salve (Tube) -  $6

This has been a favorite of mine for a long time, but I hadn't bought it in awhile until I was at the airport at the end of October and saw it! I really love this lip gloss/balm because it makes your lips look really sleek without looking too greasy. Plus it smells so good (like Rose!) and leaves them all moisturized and pretty. The tube lasts forever, so even though $6 is a little steep for a lip gloss/balm, I think it's worth it. The ingredients are bomb too!


I'm a sucker for dry shampoos and texturizing sprays. The reason I buy so many is because I'm so picky. Often texturizing sprays and dry shampoos leave my hair in worse shape than they were before. I'm so picky about the texture and feel of my hair and can't stand it to feel even the slightest bit oily. I know a lot of people go days without washing their hair, but I physically cannot go one day without washing it. But when I don't do that, or can't do that, I do use dry shampoo. I love the Dove Detox and Purify Dry Shampoo because it's inexpensive, you get so much product in the can, and I truly feel that it detoxes and purifies my hair. Brunettes beware, this shampoo is super white when you spray it on so brush it out before you style it!

Chukar Cherries - Various Prices

I love chocolate covered things. And I really love cherries. PUT THOSE TOGETHER....AND YOU HAVE YUM! Okay, I'll relax. But seriously, Chukar Cherries are so good. All of the fruit comes from the Pacific Northwest without trans fats and artificial flavors. I've had Chukar Cherries + other chocolate covered things from their company and have loved them all. And I know a lot of people aren't fans of cherries and that's okay because they have a huge variety of other chocolate covered fruit and snacks! If you're looking for a chocolate-themed gift, these are great. There are a bunch of cool holiday sets online right now as well!

Q&A A Day: 5 Year Journal - $14 (though it was only $9 when I bought it a few months ago)

I love this journal! My friend Taylor introduced me to it and since she showed me, I've been hooked. The journal contains 365 questions (one for each day, duh) and spaces for you to write your answer for five years. So the idea is that you answer the same questions and see how it changes or doesn't change through the five years. I've never been able to journal, as much as I would have liked to, so this question a day thing has been so easy to get done each day. I also tape in receipts, ticket stubs, and other memorabilia for my days on the day it happened so I have a little more to look back on. 

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (Netflix)

IT'S BACK!!!!!! Oh my god. You have no idea how excited I was for this. I don't want to give anything away and I agree that it had its ups and downs (that beginning, yikes!) but I ended up really liking it. It was just so nice to be back in Stars Hollow. The nostalgia is real. PLEASE tell me your thoughts about those last lines below....

Black Mirror (Netflix)

If you're into shows that simultaneously interest and frighten, Black Mirror is for you. This show is insanely good. Basically, each episode is stand alone, focusing on technology and the negative effects it has. It's basically this suspenseful and satirical show that give you SO MUCH unease about the modern world. It'll definitely make you think twice about social media and how far technology has come. WATCH IT.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - $9.52 Paperback 

DAMN. This is such a great book. I don't think I could hype it up enough. JUST READ IT. It's by this amazing author, Liane Moriarty, who writes female-centered thrillers (similar to Gone Girl and Girl on the Train). This one is her most popular and well-known book so I'm sure you've heard of it, especially considering an HBO miniseries starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman based on it is coming out in the Winter of 2017. It's really excellent and I was sitting on the Subway and literally GASPED out loud when the big twist happened. 

What were your November Favorites?

xo Emily

AUTUMN MAKEUP TUTORIAL VIDEO

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Hello everyone! 

Welcome to the very first day of Blogmas! Like I mentioned in yesterdays post, I've decided to try and do both Vlogmas and Blogmas. Blogmas means I'll be posting every single day through Christmas with makeup tutorials, gift guides, and so many other fun holiday themed posts. 

For the first post, I've got a great new makeup look for you today! This is my Autumn Makeup Tutorial, a look I've been wearing on the regular as its gotten cooler out. Once again, I've been loving the Lorac Pro 3 Palette to create a beautiful Autumn color palette. I think this is a perfect everyday look for the season.


I love how this turned out and I hope you do too. If you want to learn how I did this, watch my tutorial below! All items used will be listed at the end of this blog post! Hope you enjoy.



~ PRODUCTS MENTIONED ~
L'Oreal Magic Lumi Primer:

Tarte Colored Clay CC Undereye Concealer (Light-Medium):

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge:

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (Fair):

Original Beauty Blender:

Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder (Translucent):

L'Oreal Brow Stylist Definer (Brunette):

Lorac Pro 3 Palette (Dark Brown):

Anastasia Brow Wiz (Dark Brown):

Glossier Boy Brow (Brown):

Anastasia Contour Kit (Light-Medium):

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer:

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer:

Lorac Pro 3 Palette (Terracotta, Cool Taupe, Amethyst, Light Pewter, Almond Pearl):

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner (Black):

L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara (Blackest Black):

Kylie Cosmetics 'Koko K' LipKit:

xo - Emily

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Hello everyone! I'm so excited that it's finally December because it means I can be overt about my obsession with Christmas and I won't get too many weird looks. I'm especially excited because this December, I have so many fun things planned, so many places to go, and lots of friends and family to see. 
Because I recently began uploading on my youtube channel, I thought it might be fun to participate in Vlogmas this year. If you're unaware, Vlogmas means that you upload a vlog everyday through Christmas day. Because I'm trying to get a bit better with editing, I thought this would be a fun and tough challenge. But because I'm doing so many amazing things, I know that I'll love to have the memories to look back on! 

So (almost) everyday this December, you'll have a new video from me. I hope you enjoy a little look into my life and I will definitely continue to post beauty videos as well. 
I also think I might try to do Blogmas, a term I'm sure has been coined and used by many others, but it's the same general idea as Vlogmas. I'm going to try and post on my blog each day. I have so many amazing gift guides, makeup tutorials, and holiday themed posts for this months that I want to share!
Are you excited about Vlogmas and the coming holiday season? Let me know what you want to see!
xo Emily

AUTUMN LIPS

Friday, November 4, 2016

Happy November! I can't believe we're at this point already. I feel like everyone says this in every blog post, youtube video or tweet, but it's so true! It feels like last week I was graduating college and yesterday I was struggling through the muggy New York summer. 

Thank goodness we're past that point because we are finally in one of the most wonderful times of the year: Autumn! Specifically, Autumn in New York, which is so magical. 

In today's post I'll be sharing four of my favorite Autumnal lip combinations. These are the colors I've been wearing lately because they shout 'Autumn Cheer' and I love that. 

My first favorite is the Kylie Cosmetics LipKit in 'Leo' which is a deep burgundy. It veers on almost dark purple and dark red, which makes for such a great shade on the lips. It's dark and vampy and perfect for Autumn nights out.


Next up is something a little sweeter and more demure. It's the Burberry Lip Velvet in 405 'Nude Rose'. When I first got this product I felt a little bad because it was expensive and over the top but I've quickly realized that it's priced that way for a reason. Realistically I know that mostly it's for the name 'Burberry' but these really are fantastic lipsticks. This shade, which is a pinky nude, comes across lighter on flash, but looks like a subtle nude in person. I love how moisturizing and long-wearing it is also!


My next Autumn Lip choice combines two of my tried and true favorites: The NARS Satin Lip Pencil in 'Rikugien' and MAC's Lip Liner in 'Whirl'. These two have been in my makeup collection for years and I thought that I would combine them to make a perfect berry lip color for the fall. The combination is a great mix because deep purple and rich red, making for that unforgettable lip color that is so enviable as a 'Your Lips But Better' shade.


For my last Autumn Lip, I've gone with the traditional red. But to spice it up, I've combined two of my favorites to create a red that is a deeper than your typical shade. To create this look I first lined my lips with the Kylie Cosmetics 'Kristen' Lip Liner and then filled in the top with Makeup Forever's Rouge Artist Intense in '39'



I love how all of these lips turned out and they've definitely become part of my #AutumnLook. 

What are your favorite lip shades for the Fall?

xo Emily

DESK TOUR / PART TWO

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Hello! Welcome to part two of my Desk Tour! This time I'll be focusing on the surface of my desk and the drawers below. Ugh....how cute does it look? I'm really in love!


First up is the left side of my desk. I've just got a few things over here. My mirror, all of my big makeup brushes, some micellar cleansing water, and a framed photo of my family and I. In addition, I have two little hooks containing my necklaces and the best candle from TJ Maxx. I love this little corner of my desk because it's so comforting and pretty!


The only other thing on the surface of my desk is my agenda, which is from Target. I like having it out because it reminds me to actually write in it!


Moving on to the main part of part two, my drawers! They are the Helmer drawers from Ikea and I actually like them a lot. I bought them because they were inexpensive and fit under my desk, but they have been pretty great so far! There are 6 drawers which are relatively small but they fit a lot more than I thought.


All of the plastic containers in my drawers are from The Container Store or Ikea. In the first drawer, I have a lot of essentials. I have a multi-spaced plastic container with my hair ties, bobby pins, beauty tools, q-tips, etc. 


Next up is beauty essentials. I have all my smaller brushes (mostly for the eyes), mascara, liners, and lipsticks. I also have my contacts, contact solution, eyedrops, and healing stuff like band-aids!


In the third drawer is kind of a free for all bin. It's all of my 'little' supplies. As you can see it's mostly mini hairsprays, hand sanitizers, lotions, shampoos and conditioners, etc. I kind of throw anything in there. It's always good to have at least one space in your room or desk that you can just throw things! 


Next up is another random drawer. I have my razor supplies, sunglasses and all the tooth supplies in here! 


The bottom two drawers contain office supplies. This one has notebooks, command strips, glue sticks, and some other random things. I've also got a few sets of cards!


My last drawer is just a few more office supplies. I have command strips, tape, paper clips, push pins, post-its, and staples!


I'm loving how I've organized this. It was a long time coming and I'm so happy everything is in its place. 

What are your favorite ways to organize?
xo Emily




DESK TOUR / PART ONE

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

One of the best things about moving into a new room or apartment is the fact that you get to organize your life again. Although it took me months to buy everything in order to do that organizing, I finally have things in the places I want them. So satisfying!


Today's post is going to be the first part of a desk tour! 

First up is the desk itself. It's the Linnmon / Adils desk from Ikea to which I attached the Pahl Hutch for storage. 

The actual top of my desk contains all the essentials, makeup brushes (the big ones), a notebook, my computer, and a candle. 


Next up is the hutch on my desk. 


The top contains just a few pretty things! First up is a framed photo of my friends and I at graduation, cute little dishes (from garage sales, by the way) containing my earrings, an 'E' from Anthropologie, a little DIY apple jar light (made by my sisters old roommate), a flask, and a wand my mom made me for Halloween a few years back!


The first shelf is mostly big stuff. We have electronics and cords in the cutest little container from The Container Store and my Question a Day Journal and Book of Cocktails! 


The second part of the first shelf contains things to write with and (some) my movies and TV shows. I have a bunch of movies and shows on my computer and in a DVD holder but here are the boxes I still have with me. Everyone NEEDS to watch Pushing Daisies by the way.


Shelf two is all about the beauty! I've got two 3 Drawer Storage Containers and I love these for storing makeup. In the first container we have smaller makeup palettes, little tools (eyelash curler, chapstick, eyedrops, etc.) and lipsticks, glosses, and liners! Beside it are another two pretty dishes from garage sales containing rings and then a huge pile of the larger makeup palettes!


On the right side of this shelf is the other 3 drawer container. I have my daily foundations and concealers, face powders, and single eyeshadows in this one - basically my go-to face products. 


In the last shelf, we have a lot of my most-reached for products. First up are my tape dispenser and stapler, as well as my daily vitamins (Calcium and Vitamin C) and my everyday things. We've got deodorant, hair spray, hair oil, and makeup setting spray. 


In addition to those everyday needs, I keep my brush and hair clips on this shelf - just so there's an easy way to grab them. 



On the last part of the last shelf is this awesome little vase from Target in which I keep my headbands and scrunchies, a little coin purse for my laundry, a mini mirror, gum, and a little wolf figurine! (so cute)


I am loving how my desk turned out. I'll be showing you part two of my desk tour soon, which is the left side of my desk and my drawer unit! Lots of organization and I'm obsessed!

What do you use to organize?

xo Emily

KYLIE LIP KITS: Worth the Hype?

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Hi everyone! Today's post is all about the KYLIE COSMETICS Lip Kits. And let me tell you, I was pretty skeptical, as I often am when celebrities come out with makeup lines. But...I was actually so impressed with her cosmetics! The Lip Kits are beautiful, long-lasting, and are so moisturizing that they don't leave your lips dried out and chipped. 


It took me a few months to actually go about purchasing the cosmetics: thanks to good reviews and some amazing new shades that were coming out. Check out my first impressions video below. I go into each lip kit individually and give you swatches and show you how it wears on the lips! 

Below I'll outline the four lip kits and give you super cute selfies of me wearing each one (vain, much?) Hopefully this will give you a good idea of how each shade looks. Overall, I love these lip kits. They're $29 for each lip kit. In the kit, you get both a liquid matte lipstick and a lipliner. It's pretty pricey but getting both the matte liquid lipstick and the lipliner makes it a better deal. The lipliner is creamy and easy to apply. I've found that it's best to apply the lipliner with the darker lip kits because it's harder to apply the darker liquid mattes without a bit of an outline. 

I also love how long-lasting these are. I can wear them all day without much chipping or wear and tear. The only time you get a little movement of the product is in the inner part of your lips where you'll be talking, eating, and drinking. 

I'm also impressed with how moisturizing these are. As a person with pretty dry skin and dry lips (who is constantly needing chapstick) these are actually great for that dryness. It's surprising really, because most matte liquid lips completely dry out my lips and chip, making it look cracked and yuck. 

The first two shades I bought were Koko K and Leo. At the time, Leo was a birthday edition product, but thankfully she restocked it! 

KoKo K is a beautiful and perfect pink that's perfect for everyday wear. As you can see below, it's incredibly flattering! It's a great salmon shade and it works both for fun and professionally! 


Below is Leo, which is a mix between a deep red and a brown, making the perfect rich burgundy. This one is lovely for a night out, as it's pretty intense for a day look. I've also noticed that I have to use the lip liner with this product because of how dark it is (which I don't have to do with KoKo K).


Below is Kristen, which is by far my favorite. It's a great mix between a pink and red, kind of a strawberry-toned lipstick. It's so wearable and pretty and I find myself reaching for it and Koko K more than any other lipsticks.


Lastly, I bought Maliboo, which is a cool-toned nude lipstick, perfect for fall. I'm loving wear this on a day to day basis because it's intense, but insanely wearable.


What are your impressions of the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits? Let me know below

xo Emily

AUGUST FAVORITES

Monday, September 19, 2016

I'm aware that this post and video is incredibly late but it's better late than never, right? Anyways, I have some pretty awesome favorites in this post. In addition to this post, I've created an August favorites video to go along with this on my YouTube channel



Here are my thirteen favorites for the month!


The Magic Lumi Primer from L'Oreal has always been one of my all time favorite face primers but I'm got a renewed love for it this month. It's been about a year or two since I've actually purchased and used this product and I forgot how amazing it is! It's a great product for those with dry skin as it keeps your face moisturized and glowing. I love using this under my foundation and concealer for the glowiest looks!  




The Tarte CC Under Eye Concealer is a handy little concealer which is especially good for dark circles. It's not the best product for blemishes because the consistency is a little thicker, similar to the Tarte Creaseless Concealer, but it works really well as an under eye product. I actually got this for half off its original price at Ulta in early August. I was worried it wouldn't be the best product, considering the sale, but I was happily surprised by how well this product works! 


Oh my GOODNESS. I am LOVING this make up brush. I'm a huge fan of e.l.f. brushes because of their quality. Plus, they're incredibly inexpensive. This is a great brush for blending in concealer and foundation because the consistency of the bristles is a great mix between hard and soft. 


L’Oreal Brow Stylist Definer (Brunette) ($8.99)

If you're looking for a dupe for the Anastasia Brow Wiz, this is the product! I've been searching for a dupe for it for years, because I have always preferred the Brow Wiz over any other product and it's hard to keep spending so much on a product that I have to replenish often. The product is double-ended: One end is a spooli brush to brush out your brows and the other is a thin pencil. I find myself reaching for this instead of the Brow Wiz everyday because of how great it is.


I won't go into much detail about this since I wrote an entire blog post on this palette, but suffice to say, this is the best palette. You should definitely try this out if you're in the market for a new eyeshadow palette!


I caved. I bought some Kylie Lip Kits. And I LOVE them. They're actually incredible. The formula is very nice and leaves your lips feeling soft and moisturized all day long. The lip stain itself is long-lasting and looks great even after you've been doing random shiz all day. Stay tuned for a full video on Kylie Cosmetics!

Wet 'n' Wild Megalast Nail Polish (Undercover) ($1.99)

This nail polish, which you can see on my fingers in both the video and the photo below, is a really lovely color. It's most closely resembling a 'salmon' shade and I think it looks really nice on the nails. 


Plus, it was only $1.99 and actually has the ability to last a long time (especially when paired with a topcoat) so you should check out Wet 'n' Wild polishes if you want to try out something inexpensive. They're a lot better quality than the Sinful Colors line you find at Walgreens/Duane Reade and the brush is a bit thicker, which makes it easier to apply the product!




For one of my fashion favorites this month are the Quay KOSHA sunglasses in Clear/Silver. I've heard so many good things about these sunglasses so I decided to try them out. I love the size and shape of these on my face because they're big without being oversized. Loving these, though I'm still annoyed they're not pronounced 'Qway' instead of 'Key'. 

Zara Basic Star Print Button Down (32.95)



My second fashion favorite is this Zara Basic Star Print Button Down shirt. It's from their Basics collection and unfortunately, I can't find the link online. This shirt is so comfortable and is really flattering (hopefully). I adore the star print and think it's really fun and funky. 




Ugh. How cool is this print? I found it at a little shop near my apartment which stocks really cool and unique items. This print involves two of my favorite things, 90's music and Star Wars. Plus it matches the color scheme of my room so I can't wait to put it up! The artist, Caryn Cast, makes some really awesome prints so you should go check her out.


I've got two book favorites this month and the first is Annamarie Tendler's makeup book. It has incredible beauty tips and tricks that are helpful for anyone who likes makeup. Also, I think she's so cool. Check out her Instagram for makeup and lampshade inspiration. (you'll understand if you check out her Insta)




My last book favorite is Ina Garten's Back to Basics. This cookbook is for anyone who likes to cook and wants to make delicious food. It's definitely the basics, but gourmet and easy to make! Her recipes are DELISH and I recommend them to any and everyone. (Check out her Instagram for inspo)

Parks and Recreation

My TV favorite this month is actually Parks and Rec, one of my favorite shows of all time. My love for the Pawnee gang has been reignited. You should definitely watch it if you haven't already. It's streaming on Netflix now!

Ghostbusters (2016)
UGH. I loved this movie. What a kickass bunch of ladies. Please check this out if you haven't already. It's out on DVD October 11th, you're welcome!

What were your favorites this month?
xo Emily