Super September Day 14: My Travel Makeup Bag

Well, I've procrastinated on this post long enough. I don't travel too often, but when I do, here is what I take with me!

I try to keep it as simple as possible. I want products that can multitask for me. That is why I finally caved and bought the Covergirl Outlast 3-in-1 foundation. It functions as a primer, foundation, and concealer. I agree that it lasts a long time on my skin and also covers well. And it has a pump! I follow with the Covergirl Clean Oil Control Powder. I don't love this, but I had it in my purse and I thought it was long gone, but I still have quite a bit of powder left. I hope this is the next powder to make it to my empties list because I just want to finish it.

For my eyes I simply bring my favorite Maybelline Color Tattoos (Barely Beige and Bad to the Bronze). For eyeliner I typically pack the Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Blackberry, although a couple days after I took this picture, I did take this traveling with me and somehow the eyeliner broke off the base and dried up, so now I will be packing the same eyeliner in black with me. For my lashes I have been using Maybelline The Rocket Mascara (non-waterproof). It doesn't give a very natural look, but I personally love to have dramatic eyelashes.

I also use Aquaphor to keep my lips from feeling dry. The only problem is that Aquaphor does nothing to moisturize my lips... it just makes them feel temporarily moist. If I want to wear lipstick, then I usually pack the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Wink for Pink. I typically choose this over any other lip stick because the color itself works beautifully as a lipstick and a cream blush.

I apologize for taking so long to finish this post. One day I will finish a series on time. Keep watching for my September favorites!

Super September Day 13: Accutane Update & My Accutane Skin Care Routine

Welcome to the first update of my Accutane experience. I've only been taking Accutane for ten days, but I am experiencing mild side effects, so I thought I would share those with you before I share my Accutane skin care routine. Also, I am trying a new format for this post, so let me know how you like it!

Within a few days my nose began to get drier and my lips are constantly chapped. The first four or five days my skin looked better, but now I am in the initial breakout stage. I have quite a few small pimples all over my face, but they are not painful and they disappear relatively quickly. My skin has also felt more sensitive the past two days. These are the only side effects I have experienced. I know that more will probably come in the next few weeks, but I hope I am prepared enough to prevent the severe side effects.

Below I will list the products I plan to use while I am on my Accutane treatment. However, I will admit that I miss using more natural products, so I will probably be replacing some of these products with some more natural alternatives. Most of the products I am using are by my dermatologist's recommendations. He suggested that I stick to using Cetaphil and Aquaphor products. As you may know if you have read my blog in the past, the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is not my favorite cleanser because it is loaded with sulfates and parabens.

To remove makeup, I use Philosophy Purity Made Simple. For some reason I forgot to include this in the picture. I bought this on a whim a while back because I used it in the past and loved it. I still really like it, but I do not like that it contains parabens. After I remove my makeup, I cleanse my face with the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser. It is like Cetaphil, but without the parabens and sulfates. It has a VERY similar consistency to Cetaphil. I like this cleanser better than Cetaphil, but I have my eye on some other products that I will try when I run out of this. My skin is not very dry yet. I am not sure if it is because of the products I am using, or just because I have quite a while before my skin does dry out. Either way, I am using the CVS Moisturizing Cream (it is the generic version of the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, which is paraben-free, but I had coupons to make the CVS version even cheaper). To keep my lips from feeling too dry, I use Aquaphor. My dermatologist gave me a few small tubes that I have everywhere. However, I am trying to use up some of my other lip balms. Truth be told, they aren't enough, so I keep going back to Aquaphor.

What products are you using for your skin care routine?

Super September Day 12: I Love Fall Tag!

The lovely Katy tagged me in this and I am (of course) behind on Super September posts, so I thought this would be a great way to begin to catch back up since it is officially October 1 where I live. Fall is definitely my favorite season. The weather is neither too cold nor too warm, I can eat as many pumpkin-related things as I want, and some of my best memories are from fall. So let's get on with the tag!

1. Favorite Fall lip product?
I'm not too crazy about lip products in general, but I definitely want to use my Revlon Lip Butter in Sugar Plum a lot this year. I also love the Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Dare Devil.

2. Favorite Fall nail polish?
It is Purr-fect Plum from the Fall 2012 China Glaze collection (On Safari). It is a berry color and since I don't love orange, brown, or yellow (typical fall colors), I really stick to berry in the fall.

3. Favorite Fall Starbucks drink?
I do like the Pumpkin Spice Latte, but I usually get it with half of the amount of pumpkin in it. It's a strong syrup and in my opinion, the amount they put in is too much for me. I will admit that I prefer Christmas drinks from Starbucks. I'm one of five people who loves the Eggnog Latte. Now THAT is something I can't wait for!

4. Favorite Fall candle?
Pumpkin scented candles, anything spicy, Leaves (Slatkin and Co, Bath and Body Works), basically 99% of the fall candles. I only really like candle scents for fall and winter. Florals and fruity scents can make me feel nauseated.

5. Favorite Fall clothing item or accessory?
Probably just warm boots. I'm more interested in makeup than fashion, but I wish I appreciate fashion more.

6. Haunted house, haunted hay ride, or haunted corn maze?
I have never been on a haunted hay ride, so I would actually consider trying it. I don't really care for haunted houses, but a haunted corn maze is okay. Less intimidating for some reason.

7. Favorite Halloween movie?
I had to look at a list of Halloween-related movies because I couldn't even think of any. If Young Frankenstein counts, then definitely that one!

8. Favorite candy to eat on Halloween?
I've never been trick-or-treating, but my parents would buy me some candy for Halloween anyway. I think I just like being able to eat a little more chocolate and get away with it ;)

9. What are you dressing up as for Halloween?
My boyfriend and I talked about this and we think we want to dress up as an elderly couple. We probably won't end up dressing up

10. What is your favorite thing about Fall?
I think the memories that I have associated with fall are my favorite part. I love the change of weather, the fact that my boyfriend and I started our relationship in fall (two year anniversary is October 16: mark your calendars), and I really love Thanksgiving and spending more time with my family.

I tag:
Jenna of Northern Beauty 85
Nika of Nika's Beauty Land
Heather of Of Beauty and Nothingness
Melissa of HistoryBeauty

Coming Soon: My Makeup Collection!

I feel like almost every beauty blogger or vlogger posts their makeup collection at some point in time. Last year I posted three separate videos devoted to showing every product in my makeup collection. Well, a lot has changed since then. I will be writing a series dedicated to my makeup collection so you can request swatches or even reviews on anything you might be curious about.

I won't be focusing on storage since I have written about that in the past (here & here) and nothing has really changed there. I also know that my collection is pretty small if you compare it to a lot of other beauty bloggers and vloggers, but I think my collection is just the right size for my needs.

I am not sure if there is anything else about my upcoming series, so I'll end this post here. Have a great week!

Update (January 15): the series is complete! Here are the links:

1. Face
2. Eyes
3. Lips

Beauty at Home Series is Back!

Over the summer I wrote a series about different products you can use in your beauty routine. I never actually posted what I had promised to after part 3. In fact, I don't even have a draft for it... so I am not even sure what I was going to post... silly me. I have a few ideas for future posts, but if you have any requests then just leave a comment below!

Overall my personal goal is to try to buy less and make more. Why have all the excessive packaging? Why use products that could only harm your body in the long run? It's less conventional to post about using what might be in your kitchen cabinet as opposed to writing about the newest product to hit the market (as a society we are taught to buy, buy, buy if we want to fit in), but I think it is important for people to know how to eliminate unnecessary chemicals if they truly want to.

I hate to end this post on such a short note, but I really have so much to say that I don't want to write in an unorganized and impossible to follow manner.

Do you make any products in your beauty routine?

Shopping List #1

I tend to do an excessive amount of research on products before I buy them. I test things out in person if at all possible and I also look at swatches and reviews online. Sometimes I buy some winning products and other times I am disappointed.

• Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette: I will admit that I was never impressed by the original Naked palette. I just assumed that the colors wouldn't work with my skin tone, but when I saw the Naked 2 palette, I was impressed. It's been out for nearly a year and I still haven't bought it because I already have so many neutrals that it would probably be a bad idea to just run out and buy it. However, I still want it and hope to have it within the next few months.
• Urban Decay Smoked Palette: I was unsure of whether or not I would need this palette until I saw the swatches. It features colors I don't have in my collection and I love that it has a booklet with all the different "looks" you can do with the palette, since I'm still very safe when it comes to smokey eyes.
• Lush Ultrabland Cleanser: I really want to try this for makeup removal. I won't order it until I'm closer to finishing my other makeup removers, but it seems like it will be something gentle and effective, so I look forward to trying it.
• Juice Beauty Green Apple Blemish Clearing Peel: I've never tried a peel on my skin, so therefore I am curious as to how it might work.
• L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Corrector: Now that I've discovered that my skin loves Mario Badescu acne treatments, I want to try a serum from any brand to correct my hyperpigmentation. It will be a long time before I buy this one because I've got another serum to finish up and it will last me a long time. This also seems to be a good dupe for the Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector, which is a product I've considered buying a few times, but I would have a lot of trouble forking over $50 for a product that "might" work.
• MAC Blush Palette: I've only owned a mineralize blush by MAC before and I liked it, so I figured I would just order a customized palette of blushes from the MAC website. I think I have the colors narrowed down to Pinch O Peach, Well Dressed, Pink Swoon, Fleur Power, Dame, and Breath of Plum. I showed these blushes to my mom the last time we went to a MAC counter and she is skeptical about Fleur Power for me, so I may or may not switch that one for another.
• Any "Lash Growing" Mascara: It's not that I need much lash growth, but I am interested to see how a "lash growth" formula might work now that I am familiar with a couple of serums (one seems to work, the other did nothing). I'm a big fan of dramatic lashes and I may even repurchase Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes along with my next mascara purchase because it makes my lashes look long and thick. I'm leaning toward trying the Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara since I'm already using the serum at night.

For now that is all I am saving for. I'm sure I'll buy other things here and there (and I'll do my best to review them as I do!) What is on your shopping list?

New Series: Shopping List

Now that I'm buying beauty products again, from time to time I will be posting lists of items I plan to buy in the future. It's just a fun way of seeing what other people want to buy. I'll do my best to cross off items as I buy them. Another reason I'm doing this is so you guys can post your own shopping lists below or even suggest things I should be trying (or you can tell me something on my list isn't worth the money).

I don't suspect these posts will be made too often since I have items on my list that I want to try at some point, but not necessarily in the immediate future. It's also why the lists will probably look rather long.

There isn't much else to the series, so I'll end the post here! Have a great week, guys! :)

Back to School: Closet/Dresser Organization!

Every college is different - some have small closets built into the rooms and some have movable wardrobes. Mine (to be specific, my dorm building) has the latter, plus a 3 drawer dresser.

There are three different types of hangers I will be using. It sounds like a lot, but it fits my needs fairly well since I am limited on space. I have different hangers this year than I did last year, but both have the same general idea (only I think the ones I'm using this year might even be better).

Type 1:

My hangers last year were similar to the ones below. Both had the hooks allowing the hangers to cascade, thus saving space. However, my hangers last year were plastic and quite thick. I honestly did not enjoy them. The ones I have this year are slimline, so the goal is to have more space so I can comfortably fit everything in (one can hope!)

I purchased these hangers from Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $30. I don't recall seeing these at Target, but I looked for this type of hanger at BBB first.

Type 2:

I have had this hanger for a few years, but I decided to bring it along with me this year. I'll be attaching shorts and skirts to it. I believe you can find these for $5-10 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Target.

Type 3:

I bought this hanger at the same time as the one listed above (so the price for this should also range between $5-10). I will be using this for jeans (last year I stored my jeans in my dresser and I had so many that they took up an entire drawer).

My dresser will store things such as undergarments, socks, and pajamas. I'll also store any clothing odds and ends that I couldn't fit in the wardrobe.

Hopefully this post has been helpful! I'll try to include an update to show how it looks once everything is in its place.

Beauty Purchase Restriction Update (Final?)

This may or may not be my final update to the (failure of a) project I began in June. I've honestly finished so many hair, bath, and body products that would have been impossible to keep track of if I hadn't kept them all in a bag. It seems that I will not be able to finish anything else until August 1, but I figured I would include pictures of what I have finished since my last post.

Heading into this project, I did not realize how many half-empty (or less) bottles of products I actually had. The only thing I finished in this group of products that I have repurchased is the Stridex, but after I finish the bottle I am currently using, I will not be purchasing them again because I'm interested in trying Lush Tea Tree Water.

I replaced my Bellaboo mask with the Yes to Tomatoes Skin Clearing Facial mask (I still love homemade honey-based masks, but I had heard about this mask and decided it was worth a shot since honey masks can be very sticky) and I replaced the Clean & Clear Drying Paste with the Mario Badescu Drying Cream (it's too soon to give a full review of this, but so far I am impressed).

I will be posting "empties" blogs periodically and if I go on another no-buy I will be a little more strict with the rules. Thankfully my collection didn't explode even though I cheated quite a few times (hence why my little mission/project was a big failure). I would say the best thing is that I can go into a store, see something I might like, and just walk away - although it is a bit of a challenge when the products are limited edition. I'm quite happy with what I have and I will be even happier once I can fit everything into a smaller space.

Back to School: How I'm Packing My Makeup!

This post may or may not be helpful because it is short and simple, but I promised I would write it, so here it is!

I have tons of makeup bags I've accumulated over the years (I certainly don't need them all, but I have them for some reason). Since I am transporting a larger amount of makeup this year than I did last year, I need a different method of transporting it (last year I had it all in a hanging organizer from Vera Bradley and at some point it all ended up in a different makeup bag by the end of the year). Since I want to avoid any messy situations, I am packing my items by drawer (face, eyes, lips). I am doing the same for my nail polish. Now, some of my brushes will be going in the makeup bag I took on vacation, but others will be in a different bag since I can't fit all of them in that bag.

When it comes to transporting makeup, the best thing to do is what you feel comfortable with. I know some people transport their makeup in the storage unit they're using at school. Other people just put it in a box and call it a day. I like my method because I know what is in each bag so if I want to find something out of my makeup stash (since I move in a few days and I have already packed my makeup).

Hopefully this post was not entirely pointless. I have a few more ideas for this series that I will be posting over the next week (along with some other posts, too). Have a great weekend! :)

Back to School: Makeup Storage! (Dorm Room Style)

I will be entering my sophomore year of college in a few weeks and although I barely took any makeup with me last year, I plan to take as much as possible without taking up too much space. This decision prompted me to go on a search for proper storage for my makeup and brushes for my dorm room (last year all of my makeup was in a makeup bag, which is good when you want to finish certain products, but the trade off is a lack of variety). My acrylic storage unit for home is nice, but doesn't quite fulfill my needs for my dorm room.

Of course, I found one item I loved at Target (I've always preferred Target over Walmart for shopping on a budget). I found Sterilite drawers that were the perfect size for what I wanted (one drawer for face, one for eyes, and one for lips). I will be storing most of my makeup and brushes on my desk, but since I actually use my desk for studying (a lot of my friends don't because it does become uncomfortable after a while), I didn't want to take up too much room. My brushes and some eye products (primer, eyeliner, mascara, anything in stick form) will be in two separate pencil holders. The ones I found were $3 a piece and they aren't the "prettiest" form of brush storage, but I didn't want anything that would break and I also prefer function over appearance.

I think some (or maybe even most) people will find my drawers small, but this unit has enough space so I can have a variety of products without taking up too much space. For a beauty blogger, I have a modest makeup collection, and I like to keep it that way so I can really use what I buy (and then post reviews with a fully formed opinion, but once again I digress). Below are the actual pictures of what I am using for storage. Before I move I will show how I am packing my makeup (PS- I found quite a few old makeup bags and pencil cases just sitting at the back of my closet. I was glad to find out that I hadn't actually lost my old makeup bags)

Back to School: College Cleaning Supplies

For this portion, I will be veering off from the subject of makeup, but I will be discussing some of my essentials for my room in terms of cleaning. As I have mentioned before, I live in a suite with two bedrooms, a small common area with two sinks, and one bathroom. I know plenty of other schools do this and I am not sure what their rules are, but at my school we are responsible for cleaning everything ourselves. I like having that level of responsibility because I have already learned a bit about what products and techniques I like and dislike. I think some schools might provide basic cleaning products that can be used as well, but I just prefer bringing my own things.

Now, this post will show some items that are applicable to students living in traditional dorm rooms and it might have less than what would be necessary for an apartment. There are a few items I do not have with me, but I will still discuss them because they were items I used last year and thought to be quite useful.

In terms of cleaning supplies, I like to keep it simple. The fewer products and ingredients used, the better. Most of the items I bought this year were by Method, which can most commonly be found at Target, but also online. I've also seen it sold at some health food stores, so that might be another great place to look.

1. Method All-Purpose Surface Cleaner in French Lavender: I prefer multipurpose cleaners rather than having a separate cleaner for every single item. It will clean counters, tile, stone, wood, and glass. Now if it's the shower or toilet, I use something else!
2. Method Daily Shower Cleaner (Ylang Ylang): this had ingredients differing enough from the all purpose cleaner for the purchase to be worth it. And it's simple to use. Just spray and go! It can be used on showers (I should hope so! It is called a shower cleaner, after all), tiles, fixtures, glass, and tubs.
3. Method Antibac Toilet: Well, I never said every item I would feature on my blog would be pleasant. Toilets need to be cleaned too, and this cleaner gets the bowls, seats, and under the icky rim. And it smells like spearmint!

As for items I did not show, here are some I recommend:

1. Paper towels
2. Rubber gloves
3. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge (or a normal sponge)
4. Disinfecting wipes (just in case someone has a cold)
5. Drano or some other form of clog remover

Hopefully I have been helpful. I know there are probably items I have forgotten to include, but I am learning as I go, so by next year I should be a pro at this.

Back to School: What to Carry in Your Purse Makeup Bag

This is really just for anybody who wants to carry a small makeup bag in their purse, but since it's back to school season, I thought this particular post could be useful. As always, this is just my opinion and if you have different needs, then you can adjust as needed.

The makeup bag for this post isn't one I would normally use, but for some reason I've misplaced my old makeup bag that I would throw in my purse (I stopped carrying makeup around with me for a while because I wanted to carry a smaller purse, but lately I've been in the mood to carry around a bigger bag once again).

Anyway, on with the post! I have a Vera Bradley makeup bag that I typically use to store random items, but for this post I am using it as my purse makeup bag.

1. Blotting sheets, especially if you have oily or combination skin - if you have drier skin you might not need this. If you don't want to pay for blotting sheets, I suggest using Starbucks napkins. They work just as well as blotting sheets and the store won't care if you take a few extras! ;) (just make sure you actually buy something when you go in so you're not stealing. I'm a clumsy person, so I never know how many napkins I'll need)
2. Facial spray - I have the Evian spray. Yup, it's just water in a can. Urban Decay also has travel sized bottles of their makeup setting sprays. I've liked all of the sprays I have tried, but I'm looking into trying facial sprays from other brands. Alternatively, you can just pour water or an alcohol free toner in a spray bottle and try that (I haven't, but I just might at some point)
3. Pressed powder - for touch ups
4. Retractable kabuki brush - also for touch ups (if you don't mind using the puff/sponge that comes with your face powder, then use that so you can have more space, although 9 times out of 10, I prefer to use a brush)
5. Whatever lip product I'm wearing - try bringing something with SPF so you don't get a sunburn on your lips. I never have, but I've heard that they are painful
6. Travel sized toothbrush - yeah, not a normal thing to keep in a makeup bag, but you never know when you'll need it. I just buy them in packs of two from the travel section at the drugstore
7. Toothy tabs/travel sized toothpaste

Series: Back to School!

Back to school season is here for many people, so I figured I would write a series on all things back to school. Most of my things will be aimed at college students, but I will try to incorporate posts for younger readers.

I will not be moving back into my dorm for a few more weeks, but I know there are some people that will be moving soon and they may (or may not) want some last-minute tips. I will be talking about packing tips (I'm not an expert at packing by any means, but I thought it would be fun to show what I do), cleaning products I am taking (I will be living in a suite with 3 other girls and we will all be sharing one bathroom, so I will have more products than most people moving into a dorm since we have the responsibility of cleaning our own bathroom), and of course... makeup organization! I'm not taking my entire collection with me, but I am taking more products with me this year than I did last year because I have a better storage unit.

Although I am a sophomore, I have bought some things this year that I chose not to last year. I've also spent too much time figuring out the organization for my room and my little wardrobe/closet. If my roommates don't mind, I will do my best to write a blog post at the end of the series to show how our rooms turn out. I still haven't bought much in terms of decorating and my new blanket doesn't match my other bedding from last year, but I'm the type of person to focus on function rather than appearance.

I am almost finished with my long overdue travel makeup bag post. I just have a few more pictures to take and it should be up fairly soon (I try to post every day, but not multiple times in one day so I can have a more consistent blogging schedule).

If you have any specific questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.