Current Favorite Drugstore Lip Products

I am a firm believer that you can find some gems and treasures at a reasonable or fair price. Currently I've been trying to curb my spending and it has been quite a while for me since I've bought high end makeup. While I do miss the thrill of shopping, I do feel a little better knowing I'm gaining some self-control and saving a few bucks here and there.

I really wanted to share with you two of my current favorite lip products. I've been using these on an almost daily basis. The first is the Vaseline Rosy Lips. Currently priced at $1.79, this cute little pot smells divine, leaves a sheer tint, and locks the moisture in my lips. It has been a very dry and cold winter so far here on the East Coast so this is indeed a lifesaver. I was also a fan of the Dior Creme de Rose lip balm, and while I still love it to this day, the price difference between the two is quite extreme. Each beautiful pot of the Dior balm will set you back $28.00. Another cult favorite is the Rosebud Lip Salve, which isn't really a favorite for me, as it provides too much slip. However it still smells beautifully rosy and floral and will only set you back $6.00 as opposed to $28.00.

The next lip product is fairly new and has been making its waves in the Blogger and YouTube community. The Jordana Modern Matte lipsticks are, in my opinion fabulous. While still matte, they go on smoothly with high opacity. I picked up two colors, Matte Blush and and Matte Tease. They are also a winner for me since the Hubster complimented my lipstick the other day on our lunch date. I know matte lipsticks are all the rage, but if you're looking for a bargain priced, quality lipstick try these out. Each lipstick is only $2.49.

Anyway, enough of my blabbering, here are the swatches of each!

Have you found any good drugstore finds lately? If so please let me know! Also, have a great weekend!

Winterizing Your Nails (My Favorite Manicure Routine!)

When it comes to the winter time, every part of our body is effected, including our nails. I don't know about you, but I find my nails to be more prone to breakage and splitting and my cuticles can get a bit wild. While it's nice and luxurious to get our digits done weekly at our favorite salon, it does get expensive. Instead, I prefer to do my own manicure and give myself some "me" time. Plus, I'm sometimes a perfectionist when it comes to my nails. So here's my winter nail routine. Along with the finished look!

1. During the winter I like to keep my nails short so I make sure to clip them on a bi-weekly basis. I find when I try to grow them out I always have the nails split on me. Sad panda.
   
   
   
2. After clipping my nails, file them with my favorite four sided file. I use the coarser side to help shape your nails and then the finer side to smooth it. It's a Pro-tip I learned from Julep!
   
3. Once I've filed all my nails into my desired shape, I will wash my hands to get rid of any grit and apply my favorite hand lotion to soften my hands. Then to help soften and maintain my cuticles I will use an oldie but goodie, the Julep Essential Cuticle Oil. It's made of essential oils such as vitamin E and quickly absorbs into my nails. I use this oil at least three to four times a week to help maintain my nails. Another fan favorite especially the cold winter months is the Might Nail and Cuticle Serum!
   
4. Next I'll check to see if I have any hang nails I'll need to nip. Don't pull on them unless you want a painful nail for the rest of the day!
5. Time to paint! Since it's the winter, I tend to lean towards dark, cream colors. If I want a lighter color, I'll go for a muted pastel. Usually though, I love a dark nailed look. My current favorite is Lola from the Julep It Girl line, but I have been eyeing Isla and Shari as well. 
   
6. I got creative and added a dusting of gold pigment on top of the blue polish to add some contrast. All you need is a fluffy brush and some loose pigment. After applying your base coat, individually apply your second coat. The pigment will only stick if the polish is wet. So it's best to do each nail at a time.
   
7. Add your top coat and wait for your nails to dry before you wash off the pigment. Glitter, jazz hands!
   
   

Ta-da! A fresh mani with some fun accents. Getting creative with your nails is such a fun way to express yourself. I want to know, what are some of your winter nail routines? Do you change it up per season or leave it as is all year round?

Bridal Beauty Inspiration (a Collaboration with Loverly)

Hello All!

Today's post will be a little different than my usual reviews. Instead, it will be about our second favorite things, weddings and wedding dresses! Many of you know that I am a on-site wedding coordinator (a part-time gig which I absolutely love!) so I've seen my fair share of bridal dresses and makeup. It's always wonderful to see what types of beautiful looks artists come up with to make the bride feel extra special on her wedding day and I always get inspired by each bride I interact with.

There are so many types of wedding dresses on the market that it can be overwhelming to decide which is best for you. Then, when you choose the right dress, you now have to create a look that will compliment you and the dress wholly. This inspired me to want share some of my favorite dresses and looks with you and with the help of Loverly, my inspiration became this post. Have you never heard of Loverly? No? Well you should! It's an excellent site that has all your wedding planning and inspiration at your fingertips. It's great for anyone who is in the process of planning their wedding.

Haul: My Ulta Goodies

About a weekend or so ago, the Mister and I went to Freehold Raceway Mall and I saw the ginormous Ulta they had in there (queue the heavenly music). I have to admit, I am jelly of those who live so close to the mall as it has a Sephora and Ulta both. Anyway, my loving Mister took a seat in the waiting area and I ran in with glee to look at all the goodies Ulta had to offer. I didn't end up buying too much, I'm still trying to not purchase a ridiculous amount of products that will end up sitting in my drawer. Keyword, trying.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge: Being such a fan of the Beauty Blender (I have the pink and black one) I wanted to add a low budget and affordable version to my stash. I had heard a rave review from VintageorTacky on YouTube and she stated it was comparable to the BB sponge. I have tried it and do enjoy the results from it. When damp, the sponge balloons to about twice its size which is pretty fun. As to which I like better, I'm still not too sure yet.

Real Techniques Powder Brush: Who can have enough powder brushes? I'm not going to lie, I'm lazy when it comes to washing my brushes and will just use all my clean ones until I'm forced to wash them, I know it's terrible but I'm betting a lot of girls do it! 

Real Techniques Mini Trio Set: I got suckered into this small adorable set while I was waiting in line. I have been looking for an ideal travel powder brush to throw in my travel makeup bag and I think I found it. Plus it's pink! The other two brushes were bonuses for me.

OPI Natural Nail Base Coat: I was in need of a new nail base coat, and decided to try the OPI one. Usually I stick with very basic drugstore versions like Revlon and Sinful Colors but I decided to try the OPI version instead. 

Smashbox Mini Full Exposure Palette: How friggin cute is this!? I'll admit I got suckered waiting in line (damn those compulsive buys) but seriously, this is truly the perfect travel size palette. The original large full exposure palette came out when it was the Naked 3, NARSissit, and Lorac Pro craze (and of course I own all three), so I couldn't justify purchasing another $50.00 palette with similar colors. I feel this is the perfect compromise and absolutely perfect for someone who loves neutrals. Yes, the glitter shadows do have some fallout but I apply those with my fingers gently patting down on my lid and find that to be the best answer. Another plus for me is that the six shadows are exactly what I would have chosen out of the 12 from the normal palette.

Flowery Quattro Four Way Buffer: And lastly I picked these up because a girl can never have enough nail files lying around! lol

Hope you enjoyed my mini haul. I will be posting my first empties post in a few days, it took me forever to accumulate some for a substantial post! Anyway happy Thursday!