NOTD | Plum & Glitter

Hello There!

Today I wanted to share my new glitter-y nail design that I thought up the other day. I love me some glitter!

My base coat color is a limited edition shade from China Glaze's safari collection called "Call of the Wild." I talked about it in this post, and I described it as a a oxblood creme shade. The other shade, however, is the one that for me makes the look. It's from Julep and it's called Hilary. I would describe it as a small round bronze and gold glitter, and it's gorgeous. I like it mostly because it is a subtle glitter, and it is easy to do a gradient look. I'm in love!

I normally don't like doing nail art designs, but this one is so easy! Plus, if you make a mistake you can coat it in glitter and voila! It's gorgeous again!

Have you tried any new nail art designs?

xx BB

Arbonne | Fragrance

Hello there!

Today is the final installment if the mini Arbonne series. I have loved telling you all about a little-known brand and some fantastic products. So today I thought I would talk about fragrance. I was given a perfume and a cologne, and I must say both are lovely. 

The Angel::

RP 87.00

This is the limited edition fragrance from Arbonne, called The Angel. It comes in this cute box and unfolds to reveal a gorgeous bottle with an angel on top. The site says that this fragrance has a blend of white gardenia and sweet jasmine, with notes of citrus and amber crystals. I would say that this perfume is very floral, so if you don't like floral fragrances this may not be for you. Personally, I like it, however it is a bit strong, so beware! You can still get this perfume on their website here.

Sky for Men::

RP 55.00

I love this cologne! I would wear this if it weren't for men. The website says that this cologne is infused with woods, refreshing herbs, and notes of citrus. It's not too musky, and not too strong. 

I think both of these fragrances work for men and women of all ages. My mother and I wear the Angel perfume, and my father and my sister's boyfriend wear Sky for men. They are both very versatile too! You could spray them on for casual or dressy events. Both of these fragrances linger for a long time as well, which is also a bonus. All in all, I think these are high quality and beautiful fragrances, and worth the splurge.

I have loved telling you all about some great products from Arbonne, and I hope to continue to talk about more of their products in the future. It really is a lovely brand!

Have you tried any Arbonne fragrances?

xx BB

P.S. You can check out all Arbonne's products, including the ones that I have talked about this week, here!

Arbonne | Skincare

Hello There!

Today is the second chapter in my Arbonne series, and this time I want to talk about some skincare products. I don't have too many, but I have one product from the Re9 range and one from the aromassentials range. They are both lovely products!

Re9 Corrective Eye Creme::

RP 55.00

This eye creme is amazing! I have been using the No7 eye gel for a long time, and always assumed that an eye creme was a product that just never really did a lot. But I was so wrong. This eye creme is thick and rich, but it is not too heavy, so it does not feel like your undereyes are being weighed down. I will put this on before I go to bed, and in the morning my undereyes still feel moisturized and lovely. And, while this product is a bit expensive, you get a ton of product, so I know that this eye creme will last me ages.

Aromassentials Awaken Body Lotion::

RP 22.00

Like the Re9 eye creme, this lotion is thick, creamy, and rich without being too heavy. It also sinks into your skin quite quickly, so you don't feel sticky. This body lotion has a lovely citrus smell that is not too overpowering, but it does linger, so you smell lovely and fresh all day. I love this lotion!

I have only good things to say about the Arbonne skincare that I have tried, and I hope to try more in the future!

Have you tried any Arbonne skincare?

xx BB

P.S. To check out more of their products, go to their website!

Arbonne | Lip Polish

Hello There!

I thought I would kick off this series by telling you all about Arbonne's fabulous lip polishes. I was given these as a little gift, and I have been pleasantly surprised by how lovely they are. I don't know why I thought they were ordinary, but they are not. 

RP 24.00

These lip glosses come in a number if shades, but the ones that I got are all galaxy related: Venus, Mars, and Saturn. 

I think my favorite is Venus, because it is such a unique color. It's a mauve lip gloss with gold micro glitter. It looks really nice with a smoky purple eye. 

Mars is a gorgeous blood red with gold micro glitter. I think this is a color that would most suit everyone, but it is also the most dramatic and the most pigmented of the three. 

Finally, Saturn is a gold-y bronze gloss with, you guessed it, gold micro glitter. This is my least favorite of the three, but only because I am so fair. I think this shade would look stunning on darker skin tones.

What I love about all of these glosses is that they can be a sheer gloss with a hint of sparkle, or you can add a couple coats and get a bold, glossy look that isn't sticky. They all have gold micro glitter, and are quite long lasting.

Have you tried the Arbonne lip glosses?

xx BB

P.S. Check out their website here!

A New Series | Arbonne

Hello There!

Tomorrow I am starting a new series, all about Arbonne! I am so excited to share some of my favorite Arbonne products with you all. Arbonne is an all-natural, Swiss brand that is just fantastic. You may not have heard of this brand, so I am going to give you the low-down on a line of great products. 

 

I look forward to sharing a wonderful range of products with you!

Have you heard of Arbonne?

xx BB

NOTD | Rage

Hello There!

I have not shown you guys what is on my nails in ages, and I have been loving some summery colors. Yesterday I painted Orly Rage on my nails, and I refell in love with the color.

 It's a gorgeous shimmery rose gold with rose gold micro-glitter. It looks like liquid metal on your nails. It's amazing! I know I will be wearing this a lot more. I have the mini bottle, but when I finish it I will most certainly buy the big bottle.

What have you been wearing on your nails?

xx BB

The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger Tag

Hello There!

I am feeling uninspired today, so I did a bit of research and found a tag that I can relate to: The procrastinating beauty blogger tag! 

1. Name a beauty regime that you rarely do?

My eyebrows. I let them get unruly and big, because I am so afraid of plucking them too much and turning them into tiny lines of eyebrows. That and I can never find the time to sit down and do them. 

2. Is washing your makeup brushes something you do regularly?

Goodness, no! I will go weeks on end before I finally find the time to clean my brushes. But I must say that when I do my brushes, and my face, feel fantastic. 

3. How long will you last with chipped nail polish?

I will paint my nails once a week, but I hate chipped nails. They look so tacky. So if I have the time and my nails look wretched, I will give them a coat of paint.

4. How long will you put off buying/replacing a beauty product, even if you need it?

Actually, if I am in desperate for a new product, I will find a way to go get it. And when I do go shopping, I normally stock up on my favorites so I never run out of my holy grail items.

5. What is your worst beauty habit?

I am not keen to admit this, but my worst beauty habit would have to be squeezing the spots on my face, when I know I really should not.

6. Name some non-beauty related that you put off doing all the time?

That would be cleaning my room- I let my room go to hell, and soon piles of clothes form on the floor. I am organized in just about every other part of my life, but when it comes to my room I can be a bit of a slob.

7. When going out somewhere, do you leave getting ready to the last minute?

No, I love getting ready! Taking time to do my makeup and hair and picking out an outfit is my favorite part of going out. But if I am just going out for errands I will leave getting ready to the last minute.

8. Can you commit to spending bans?

I do know how to keep myself from going crazy in the shops, because I always feel guilty about spending ridiculous amounts of money. And I have also have put bans on myself in the past to stop spending money on makeup, like I did at the beginning of the year. Only recently did I start buying makeup again.

9. How organized are your makeup and nail polish collections?

In fact, they are quite organized. I actually like organizing my makeup and nail polish, because they are both things I enjoy. I keep my makeup in one large drawer in my bathroom below my vanity, and I keep my nail polish in a medicine cabinet in the guest bathroom. 

So I guess I am pretty organized, and not too bad of a procrastinator after all! Do this tag for yourself and see how sloppy you are.

How big of a procrastinator are you?

xx BB

Physician's Formula Baked Eyeshadows

Hello There!

I have been shopping my stash recently, and I have refallen in love with the Physician's Formula baked eyeshadows. I have two natural trios that are fantastic for everyday wear. When I first bought them I found them to be average, but I have grown to love them. Let me show you why!

First, I hate the packaging. It's round and bulky and is hard to store. Not a deal breaker, but it's just a bit of a problem. Other than that, the only problem I can find with these eyeshadows is that they can be a bit powder-y. Yet, despite the fact that they can be a bit powder-y, they are quite pigmented! The packaging says that these shadows can be worn wet or dry. However, like most baked eyeshadows, wearing them wet is always better! Worn wet, these shadows are more vibrant and metallic, and just gorgeous. But they are lovely dry too. They are shimmery and soft and nice for a light wash of color on the lid. 

Overall, I think these shadows are beautiful for everyday wear worn dry, and gorgeous and metallic when worn wet. The best part about these shadows is that you can find them in Big Lots, a discount shop, for only 3.50! 

What are some of your favorite everyday shadows?

xx BB

QOTD | A La Folie

Hello There!

Today I was looking through some French quotes, and this one just spoke to me. 

This quotes means "to insanity" in French. It means to live life to the fullest, to the point of insanity. I have found that, through all the struggles and pain, that the most important thing to remember in life is to live it. I used to be so upset that I would not want to get up and seize the day because I was afraid of the obstacles I might face, and that kept me from doing a lot. I have learned that you have to do things and be brave and have experiences in order to face those obstacles and conquer those fears. 

What inspiring or lovely quotes have you found?

xx BB

A Disappointing Product | Covergirl Smoky Shadow Blast

Hello There!

Recently I have bought a few products that have been a bit disappointing. While I love raving about amazing products, I think it's also my duty to let you know when some items are a real let down. 

I went to Ulta a few days ago and found the Covergirl Smoky Shadow Blasts on sale, and decided to pick one up. It was less than 2 dollars! The one I chose is called Bronze Fire, which has a shimmery champagne shade on one end and a bronze shade on the other. I fell in love with colors and was hoping that it would be similar to the Revlon cream shadow sticks. Unfortunately, this product was a bit of a let-down.

When I first opened the cream shadow and swatched it, I was so excited. Not only was the shadow creamy, was it was super pigmented and gorgeous. It applied like a dream and was very easy to blend. Everything was going great until I came home from school, about 6 hours later, and found that it had creased like crazy! The worst part was that I had applied a primer before the cream shadow and shadow on top, so I thought that my eyeshadow would stay in place. 

While I loved how pigmented, creamy, and beautiful this shadow was, it was so disappointing to see it crease so badly. So I would tell you all to stay away from this product and go for another cream shadow, like the Maybelline color tattoos or the Revlon cream eyeshadow sticks. 

Have you recently found any disappointing products?

xx BB

Save or Splurge? | Foundation

Hello There!

Today I wanted to talk about two long wear foundations that are absolutely fantastic. One of them is high-end, and the other is from the drugstore. They both perform similarly, are very pigmented, and have great longevity. So the question is, which one is better?

The first is MAC's pro long wear foundation, which claims to wear for up to 15 hours comfortably in any weather condition, blends easily, and lets the skin breathe all day while controlling oil. While in any other circumstance I would say that this is pretty high accolade for a foundation, I must admit that this foundation is fantastic. It is creamy, looks gorgeous on the skin, and wears beautifully. What I love the most is that, as it wears, it does not look patchy or flaky and, when first applied, it does not look thick. It just looks like your natural skin. I am in love. The only problem is that this foundation will cost you 31 dollars, which hurts my heart thinking about how much money I spent on a foundation. However, it is a truly amazing foundation. 

The low budget option for those who cannot bear spending 31 dollars on a foundation, Revlon's Colorstay foundation, will only cost you 13 dollars. While it is a bit more expensive for a drugstore foundation, it is worth the extra few bucks. This foundation claims to create flawless coverage for up to 16 hours. This foundation blends beautifully onto the skin and lasts for ages, but the one problem that sets it apart from the MAC foundation is how the product wears. After 14 or more hours I found that the product begins to look a bit patchy and enhances dry patches and reveals blemishes. While all foundations begin to break down after a while, I find that this one can begin to look thick. However, if you only wear makeup for about 8-10 hours, this foundation will look beautiful and stay in place. But, like many foundations, after a long day it may begin to show signs of wear and tear. 

All in all, if you want a great, inexpensive foundation that can wear well for about 8 to 10 hours, Revlon Colorstay is a great option. However, if you have the money to spend on a fabulous foundation, MAC pro long wear is just amazing. 

What is your favorite long wear foundation? Would you go for the inexpensive option or splurge?

xx BB

Where does the time go?

Hello There!

It feels like yesterday that I was getting all giddy for the first day of school, and now the year is done! So I thought I would hop to it and figure out exactly what I would like to do this summer.

Travel:: I absolutely love to travel, so this summer I want to go to new places and see new things. 

Learn:: I do not want my brain to turn to mush, so this year I have signed up to go Stanford and BYU for dance and international relations programs, both of which I am so excited for! I have never been to San Fran or Utah, and getting away will be a great new adventure. I also have never studied at a university before! I cannot wait to stay in a dorm and learn from some of the top professors and dancers in the nation.

Be creative:: I don't wan't to watch TV when I am bored anymore, because I think it is such a waste of time. So this summer I want to challenge myself to start a new project or get outside, and get away from the electronics.

Consistency:: I want to push myself to make consistent content on my channel and upload lots of posts on my blog. For the last month or so I have been so busy, and my blog and channel have really been pushed aside. But not any more!

Clean:: I have a habit of cleaning things up and then quickly letting them become a pig stye again. So I am setting myself a goal to keep my belongings organized and tidy, and not get so sloppy.

I am so excited to start the summer and get some stuff done!

What are your plans for this summer?

xx BB

Mauve Mouth

Hello There!

Recently I have been in love with wearing mauve-colored lipsticks, and I have found a few that I really like. I can't pull off nude lipsticks, so mauve are my best option for a neutral look. Here are three of my favorite shades, both drugstore and high end:

Palladio Meadow Sweet::

I love this color because it is a purple-based mauve shade, and it looks really lovely with some deep purple eyeshadow. I also love the formula of Palladio lipsticks! Not only do they smell really good, but they glide on smooth and have great longevity. They are also fairly inexpensive, at just six bucks a pop. You can find Palladio products at Ulta.

Revlon Sassy Mauve::

This is a rediscovery in my collection, and I have fallen back in love with this color. Unlike the Palladio lipstick, it is a pink-based mauve, so I think it might work with more skin tones. I also love the formula of Revlon lipsticks because they have a glossy finish that is really lovely and natural looking. I find that the Revlon formula is comparable to more high end lipsticks, with a great price tag. They are only five dollars! What a steal.

MAC Modesty::

If you are looking for a more high end lipstick, then this is a great option. It's a combination of the last two; a bit of purple and pink. I love MAC lipsticks because of their amazing pigmentation and their serious longevity. This is from the "cream sheen" range, so it is slightly more matte than the other two. They are fifteen dollars, which makes them a bit of a splurge, but it's a great everyday color so I feel okay spending a bit more on it.

I hope this helped you find some great new lipsticks that would go with just about every look, and in any price range too.

What are some of your favorite mauve lipsticks?

xx BB

A Disappointing Product | NYC Liquid Liner

Hello There!

I have not been trying many new products; I have mainly been shopping my stash and rediscovering products. That being said, I picked up the NYC High Definition liquid eyeliner the other day because I wanted to try a new liner. Eleventhgorgeous raves about the Jordana Fabuliner, and I love it too, so when they raved about this one, I just had to pick it up. Unfortunately, this liner was a real bust for a few reasons.

I love the concept of a pen-liner, and I did find that the thick nib made it really easy to do cat-wing eye look, especially if you were more of a beginner. Also, this liquid eyeliner is super inexpensive, so it, in theory, could be the perfect liner for those on a budget.

However, this product has a few flaws. For one, the product itself is watery and not pigmented. I compared it in the photo below to the beloved Wet N Wild liquid liner to show you how watery and grey the NYC liner is. The liner also bleeds when applied, so it can look a bit messy, and the staying power is only average.

I really wanted to like this liner, but it's cons heavily outweighed its pros. If you are looking for a great, inexpensive liner, the two that I highly recommend are:

Jordana Fabuliner
Wet N Wild Mega Liner

What have been some of your recent beauty disappointments? Do you feel the same way about this liner?

xx BB

QOTD | K.I.S.S

Hello There!

I have always believed in something I heard on "The Office" years ago: when describing business interactions, Dwight said, "K.I.S.S: keep it simple stupid." Not only did I find this hilarious, but I have applied it to life. I was having a drama-filled day today, and I found this quote and it just made me think: why can't everyone just do this?

Why do people beat around the bush to save someone else's feelings? If I did something to upset you, or if I need to her something, tell me! I am sure it will be resolved better than ignoring me and hoping the problem will go away, or waiting for me to apologize for doing something I did not even know I did. Please, if you feel like it would be better to let it go and stay out of someone's way, it probably isn't. Talk to them, like normal humans. And if you want something, go get it. We only get one life, so don't spend it ignoring people and waiting for things to come your way. Keep it simple, stupid.

What's something you wish people would do?

xx BB

wish, wish, want | Summer

Hello There!

Summer is just around the corner, which means that it is only reasonable that I buy more stuff. I love maxi skirts, bright lipstick, and and flirt-y dresses, and when it comes to all three things you can never have enough!

SUMMER STYLE with Steve Madden, Kimchi Blue, MAC Cosmetics

       

What is on your summer wish list?

xx BB

What's on My Playlist? | June

Hello There!

Today is the beginning of another month, which means I need to tell you about all my current favorite music! I have been discovering new music like crazy, so these posts are fun for me to share all my favorites with you!

Bloom- The Paper Kites

The Fault in Our Stars- Troye Sivan

House of Gold- Twenty One Pilots

Ode to Sleep- Twenty One Pilots

Guns for Hands- Twenty One Pilots

Crazy in Love- Emile Sande

Bullet- Chasing Grace

No One Compares- Jessica Sanchez

Both of Us- B.O.B

Somewhere Only We Know- Keane

As you can tell, I am obsessed with Twenty One Pilots! They are just so fantastic. 

Happy June! What are you obsessed with?

xx BB