NOTD: Winter Wonderland

Hello Ladies,

It is time for almost time for snow, icicles and the magic of the holiday season!  When I think about winter, I always gravitate toward baby blue and sparkles.  Here is my current manicure, perfect for ice skating with the girls or strolling through a winter wonderland with that special someone :)

Ice, Ice Baby

For this look, I layered Spoiled Use Protection over two coats of Sinful Colors Cinderella.

What are your favorite winter nail looks?

Talk Soon,

T.

Review: Real Techniques Stippling Brush

Hey Ladies,

I have wanted a stippling brush for a while but wanted to find one that met my needs and my budget.  I had heard a lot of buzz surrounding the Real Techniques brushes.  As a side note, they are designed by Samantha Chapman, one half of the YouTube beauty sensation Pixiwoo. 

The brushes were on sale buy one get one half off at Ulta, so I decided to pick one up.

Photo From: http://www.beautyinmymind.com/random/real-techniques-stippling-brush-review/

First off, the brush is really cute.  It is pink and free standing, so it looks really adorable on my vanity.  It is also very functional.  I have been using it for about a week and am impressed with the flawless finish it gives my foundation.  The brush can also be used to apply highlighter or blush.  It is a very handy tool.

One of the coolest things about Real Techniques is that you can go to the website and see demonstrations on how to use all the tools.  I think this is a great idea for those ladies who are new to makeup or more experienced gals looking for some new tricks.

I also picked up the Starter Set, which features five brushes for creating eye looks.  I haven't used it enough to do a proper review, but I will post after I have some more time with it.

Photo from Amazon

The Real Techniques brushes are color coded by purpose.  Gold are base brushes, purple are eye brushes and pink are finishing brushes.  However, as mentioned with the stippling brush, they are versatile and can be used for many different things.

The stippling brush retails for $9.99, and I highly recommend checking it out.

Talk Soon,

Tiff

Feeling Overwhelmed

Hello Lovely Ladies,

This post is just to vent and blow off some steam.  I am so stressed right now.  Most of the stuff I am dealing with is day-to-day stuff like my weight, my finances, the lack of a fulfilling career, etc.  In the grand scheme of things, I know everything will work itself out, but sometimes, I just feel overwhelmed.  So... I am turning to you for advice :)

1) Weight struggles: Can you recommend a good eating plan and/or exercise routine?  I have tried WW and had success, but I am not sure I want to do it again.  My sister is doing MediWeightloss and loves it, but it is kind of pricey. 

2) Money problems: I am 26 and in a stable relationship with a steady income.  At some point, I want to buy a house, have kids and retire, so I know I need to be saving.  What are your recommendations for saving vs. spending income? 

3) My job is a bit boring, but I am so lucky to have one in this economy.  I am on the hunt for something new and exciting and in the mean time, I am filling my time with new hobbies (like blogging) and volunteering.  What are your hobbies?  Any good volunteer organizations I should check out?

Alright ladies, the ball is in your court!  Can you help me out!  If you have any questions, want some advice or just want some support.  Please feel free to leave a comment.

Talk Soon,

T.

My New Watch

Hey Ladies,

I had been thinking about jumping on board the watch train for a while, but I have never been great about keeping up with watches.  Since I didn't want to put a lot of money into this purchase, I went bargain hunting at one of my favorite places, Kohl's.

I ended up with an Armitron NOW Rose Gold Tone Crystal and Mother of Pearl Watch.  It is so pretty!

I think it looks like it was WAY more than $30!

Plus, I got a great deal.  It was orginally $84.99 and was on sale for $63.74.  I had $30 in Kohl's cash from previous purchases and got 15% for using my Kohl's card (which I pay off every month).  I couldn't believe I got such a cute watch for under $30!

Have you had any excellent shopping finds lately?  Tell me all about it in the comments :)

Watch: http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-826961/armitron-now-rose-gold-tone-crystal-mother-of-pearl-watch-753689mprg.jsp

Talk Soon,

T.

Sephora In the Glow Set

Hello Lovely Ladies,

It is the most wonderful time of the year!  I love love love all the makeup palettes and gifts sets that come out during the holiday season.  I am trying a few different things this year, and I will be sharing my thoughts with all of you.

I recently purchased the Sephora In the Glow set.  It retails for $45 at Sephora and Sephora.com.  The kit includes three highlights, three blushes and three bronzers. 

Pic from Sephora

Please note: These are NOT full-size products.
Check it out here for full details: http://www.sephora.com/in-the-glow-set-P376730?skuId=1453935

First Up: Highlights

L to R: Benefit, Lorac, Bare Minerals

Benefit High Beam
I have tried Benefit High Beam many times before, so I wasn't super excited that it was included in this kit.  It is a nice highlight, pinkish in color and very shimmery.  It gives the skin a nice, dewy finish, so I find it is ideal for highlighting my cheeks in the winter months when I want a little extra glow.

Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Luminizing Powder in Spotlight
This was the highlight I was most excited about because I had heard rave reviews on beauty blogs and YouTube.  I felt it lived up to the hype.  Spotlight is yellow toned and far less shimmery than Highbeam.  I like that it warms up my face without making me too shiny.

bareMinerals All Over Face Color in Pure Radiance
This was the biggest surprise of the bunch for me.  I am not the hugest fan of Bare Minerals All Over Face Colors because my only previous experience was with Warmth.  It was much too dark for my skin and was difficult to blend.  However, Pure Radiance is wonderful!  The finish is so gorgeous, almost iridescent and lovely on the skin.  I wasn't expecting to like this one, but I really, really do.

From L to R: Benefit, Lorac, Bare Minerals

Next: Bronzers

L to R: Too Faced, Laura Mercier, NARS

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder
Again, I was super excited for this one because of positive reviews on YouTube.  It smells like chocolate, which is kind of cool, and it has a nice, matte finish to it that I really like in a bronzer.  Overall, I was underwhelmed by this product.  It is functional, but it doesn't blow away other (and often less expensive) bronzers that I have tried.

Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden Mosaic
As mentioned above, I tent to gravitate toward matte bronzers, so I was leery of this one.  The colors are gorgeous!  I have actually been using them as eyeshadows, and the staying power is really good.  As a bronzer, this one would be nice for summer, as it gives more of a summer glow. 

Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna
Matte bronzer that lives up to the hype.  It looks dark in the pan but blends well on the skin.  My biggest gripe is that this sample is teeny-tiny.

From L to R: Too Faced, Laura Mercier, NARS

Finally: Blushes

From L to R: Stila, Tarte Amazonian Clay, Tarte Cheek Stain

Stila Convertible Color in Peony
This multi-purpose product can be used on cheeks or lips.  While I found it was okay as a cream blush, I really liked it as a lip color.  I haven't really found a product from Stila that is a must-have, and I wouldn't consider this blush to be one either.  It was nice to try though, and it did have good staying power.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Splendor
Glitter bomb!  That being said, I do really like it.  It is a gorgeous bright pink that gives the cheeks a nice rosy finish.  It does have some glitter to it, but it didn't leave glitter chunks on my face.

Tarte Natural Cheek Stain in Flush
This was my favorite of the blushes.  It looks really dark but blends well and is surprisingly wearable.  This is also a shade that would look good on a variety of skin tones.  It smells sort of lemon-y, which I thought was a pleasant surprise.

From L to R: Stila, Tarte Amazonian Clay, Tarte Cheek Stain

Overall Thoughts:  It is a great little kit!  If you break it down, you are spending about $5 per product.  Since the full-sizes of these products are big bucks, this gives you a good opportunity to try them out and see which ones really work for you.  It is also great that you can mix and match the products to achieve your own perfect look.  I highly recommend this product as a gift (for yourself or a friend)!

Talk Soon,

T.

Product Review: Tarte Rest Assured Brightening Wand

Hey Ladies,

I recently placed a Tarte order and needed one last little thing to qualify for free shipping.  I added the Tarte Rest Assured Brightening Wand for just $10 and wanted to do a quick review for you all.

The product can be found here: http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-rest-assured

It is a double-ended want with a peachy toned liner on one end and a shimmery highlight (think Benefit High Beam) on the other.  It can be used to make your face look a bit perkier on days when you are feeling less than your best.



Swatches of both ends of the product
Top: Liner
Bottom: Highlighter



Before Applying the Brightening Wand



After Using the Wand



You can use the liner in just the corners of your eyes, to make your eyes look bigger and more awake, and the highlighter can be used on your cheeks, cupid's bow or even as an eyebrow highlight.  In the picture above, I lined my water line with the liner and used the highlight on my cheeks.

Final thoughts: I do think the liner makes my eyes look bigger and thus, more awake.  The highlighter is nice and brightens up the face.  Overall, the product does what it claims to do.  I do not think this is a must-have item, but for $10, it is nice. 

What do you ladies think?  What are your favorite products for making your face more lively?

Talk Soon,

T.