Brittany's Secret

INSTAGRAM Blog Hop #3

2013-03-17T14:01:00.000-05:00

After every #bbloggers chat, I always see a few bloggers (including myself) giving out their Instagram names in hopes people would follow them on Instagram as well as their blogs. Instagram has become one of the most popular apps--everyone is using it!

I thought it would be a great idea to start a 'blog hop' for Instagram! Why not? There are blog hops for everything and anything these days! I thought it would be a great way everyone could share their Instagram links.

You may or may not know that Instagram has recently made it easier for someone to share their Instagram profile link on a computer. Besides providing you with this "INSTA-HOP", I also thought I would show you how easy it is to link your Instagram profile.

STEP 1: Go to www.instagram.com

STEP 2: Log In with your username and password

STEP 3: Click on your profile name in the upper right-hand corner. Select "View Profile"

STEP 4: Copy your URL!

It couldn't get any easier than that!

The RULES:

Follow me: http://instagram.com/brittany_witt

Follow at least three others, and tell them you found them through this blog hop!

Thanks for linking! ♥b

Where to get the best fabric checkbook covers!?

2013-03-17T13:34:00.002-05:00

After getting a checking account set up for direct deposit, I couldn't help but try to accessorize the boring black cover I received from the bank.

Of course, I turned to Etsy. I had such great luck finding amazing lanyards that I thought I'd see what I could find for checkbook covers. I must say--I was impressed! If I hadn't been on the search for them, I would have never know what kind market there was for checkbook covers. I had to have found at least 20 different shops selling different kinds of covers.

I opted for trying fabric covers. I already own a couple plain plastic ones from the bank--why not try something different.

I am so happy that the shops I contacted agreed to send me some for review. I was impressed with all of these shops. They all had great customer service, and I received my covers in a decent time after ordering.

I encourage you all to check out these shops if you're looking for checkbook covers or not. Although they're labeled as 'checkbook' covers, I've also used them for a cover for my savings book. You could also use them for keeping your receipts all in one place in your purse.

(All photos are linked!)

Jen is a stay-at-home mother from the Midwest. She is the owner of JustJen82. What caught my eye on her shop was the gorgeous houndstouth print. In my opinion, houndstooth is a classic print that will never go out of style. I love black and white prints. They're great because they go with almost everything. Jen sells other things like fabric wristlet key chains and purses. I also really loved that she's from the midwest...only a few hours from me--shipping was super fast!

Louise and Laureena are a Canadian mother-daughter duo owners of MoonBirdStudios. Their shop offers eco friendly products. Besides checkbook covers, they also sell coffee cup cozys, snack bags, and makeup pads. They have some of the cutest patterned material. I am in love with the orange and cream polka dot checkbook cover. My mom loves her black with white and yellow leaves--the colors perfectly match her current purse. Although they are from Canada, shipping was fast.

Alaundra is from the South. She's the owner of CreatebyLani. She sells fabric checkbook covers and other quilted products like wallets and pouches. Her yellow zig-zag patterned cover caught my eye--it's beautiful! Perfect for a pop of bright color! Her products also come with the option of being personalized.

I love all of these shops, and their checkbook covers. I really hit the jackpot. I've enjoyed giving these to my family and friends to see what their opinions are. We all agreed that they are the perfect conversation starters! I spent a half hour in Target talking to the lady at the checkout about where I got it!

Please please please go check out these shops! Their products are great quality, and their owners couldn't be any sweeter!

Let me know what you think of accessorizing your checkbooks/savings books!

♥b

INSTAGRAM Blog Hop #2

2013-03-10T10:02:00.003-05:00

STEP 1: Go to www.instagram.com

STEP 2: Log In with your username and password

STEP 3: Click on your profile name in the upper right-hand corner. Select "View Profile"

STEP 4: Copy your URL!

It couldn't get any easier than that!

The RULES:

Follow me: http://instagram.com/brittany_witt

Follow at least three others, and tell them you found them through this blog hop!

Thank you for linking!

♥b

REVIEW: Hot Tools Curling Iron

2013-03-09T10:12:00.001-06:00

When I was younger, I would never curl my hair. There was no point in curling it when it would fall flat 30 minutes after being curled. I've always had really thick, hard to curl hair.

After hearing about how thicker hair needs a hotter temperature to manipulate hair, I knew I needed to find a better curling iron. I also knew that I'd probably have to spend a little more to get exactly what I wanted.

The brand Hot Tools had been talked about every now and again on YouTube. I figured I would do my research before I spent nearly $50 on a curling iron. After reading reviews, the good outweighed the bad--so I bought my first Hot Tools curling iron.

Because my hair has gotten so long, I decided on the Nano Ceramic 1 1/4 inch curling iron (black & white). I cannot find a link to it on Ulta.com, so they might not sell it anymore. I love it. It's great for loose waves.

Although I love my 1 1/4 inch, I wanted a smaller barrel for tighter, more defined curls. I convinced my mom to buy one for herself...5/8 in Gold Curling Iron (not pictured). This one obviously gives tight, bouncy curls. Love it, but I wanted something a little looser than the 5/8 inch curls.

I hinted to the boy that I wanted a standard 1 inch for Christmas...I ended up getting it for my birthday. I LOVE IT. It's perfect for everyday curls, and I use it the most out of the three.

What I love most about this brand--which shouldn't be a surprise because of their name--is that it get very hot. They're perfect for my thick hair. They have a dial on the side where you can indicate how hot you want it to heat up. I wouldn't recommend using it on it's hottest temp if you have fine hair. You don't want to end up like that girl in that viral video. I hardly ever use hairspray anymore. I don't need to.

They claim that it "Get's Hot...Stays Hot", and it's 100% true. I never have to worry about waiting for the iron to catch back up.

Other things that make this product amazing...

Dial heat control

Heats up fast

On/Off Switch

8 ft swivel cord

Long thumb grip

Long cool tip

Thinner handle for easier grip

The only things that I don't like--it doesn't have an automatic shut off. It's not a big deal because I am pretty good about unplugging my hair tools, but I know I've slipped and left it on at least once already...

Out of all the curling irons I've bought from a drugstore--nothing compares to Hot Tools! They range from $30-50, and most of the time I've browsed them at ULTA, they were having some sort of sale. I think they're definitely worth the hype and the price. I know I will have mine for the rest of my life. I cannot wait to expand the collection a little more--maybe with their clipperless wands, roller sets, and hair dryers!

As usual, let me know what you think!?

Hope everyone is having a great week!

♥b

GIVEAWAY UPDATE! (Ends 3/17)

2013-03-07T19:00:00.000-06:00

I hope you all are just as excited as I am for my giveaway! There will be THREE lucky winners! Last week I went after work to get the 1st and 2nd place prizes! I even have the boxes to ship them!

THE PRIZES:

1. New LORAC ProPalette

2. New Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

3. It will be a surprise!!

If you want more information about the prizes, I have reviews up about both (linked above).

I still need your help in deciding what you want to win for the 3rd place prize! Let me know in the comments of THIS POST!

Please comment on the original post to be officially entered in this giveaway--any entries on this post will be disqualified!

If you haven't entered yet, please click the link below and enter! This is an international giveaway, so everyone has a shot at winning! This giveaway will end on MARCH 17TH!

ENTER HERE!

Finally I wanted to thank every single one of my readers/followers. I appreciate the love and support you've given me and my blog! I am doing this for you guys! Without you, I would have quit blogging a long time ago! Your support has so uplifting and gracious--THANK YOU-THANK YOU-THANK YOU!

Thanks to all who have entered, and be sure to let me know what the third prize should be! If you have any questions leave those in the comments as well!

♥b

February Favorites 2013

2013-03-06T06:31:00.000-06:00

I never have a lot of favorites. I try not to repeat products from past favorites posts, so usually it's only a handful of products. I also try hard not to include products that I've rave about in a review...this month I failed at both. I know I've reviewed 3/4 of these products, but I hope you enjoy!

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette--You already know how much I love this palette. If I have to choose one of the Naked palettes to have for the rest of my life--this is certainly it! Perfect, everyday colors.If you want more information about this palette you can check out my review HERE.

NARS Deep Throat blush--I don't wear a lot of blush, but when I do I've been reaching for this one. I use the tiniest bit. It's such a pretty color. If you want more information about this palette you can check out my review HERE.

REVLON Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Precious (050)--These have revolutionized lip stains! Love them. For not being much of a lip product wearer--these are perfect! I just did a full review of this product, and you can check it out HERE.

One 'N Only Argon Oil, Oil Treatment--I don't think I've ever talked about this before on my blog. I got this a little over a year ago. I use this after I've straightened or curled my hair. I put the smallest amount in the pal of my hand, rub my hands together really fast to warm it up, and then distribute it through the ends of my hair. It makes my hair soft and shiny. It's one of my favorite 'shine serum'.

Those are my February favorites. What do you think of these products? what are your favorites? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

♥b

2013 Sigma Beauty Wishlist

2013-03-05T11:01:00.000-06:00

Lately I've been finding myself really discouraged with my makeup brushes. I've started to save up for some new ones...and I just wanted to do a quick post on a couple brush sets I have in mind from SigmaBeauty.com.

Like I said this is just a quick post. All of the photos will be linked to their website in case you're interested in their products as well.

The only Sigma brush I own is a F82 Round Kabuki, and I LOVE IT for applying my foundation. You can find the review I posted HERE. I want to get the rest of the Professional Sigmax Brush Kit, and the other synthetic eye makeup brushes.

In general, all of my brushes need to be tossed out. I think the Mr. Bunny Essential Kit would be perfect for the kind of makeup I apply.

I've also had my eye on a few of their palettes--I've heard such great things about them. Although they're not as popular as the Naked palettes, I'd love to give them a try. The Paris Palette is absolutely gorgeous.

Out of the other palettes from Sigma, I think I would get a lot of use out of the Flare Palette.

Let me know if you have any of these products and what you think of them!

Sigma is running a 10% off your purchase throughout March with the code: SAVE2013

Hope you enjoyed is post--I love seeing wishlists! Let me know what you'd love to try out from Sigma!

♥b

All photos from Sigmabeauty.com!

REVIEW: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

2013-03-04T08:59:00.000-06:00

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain--Precious (050)

It's very rare that you would ever see me post about lip products...I hardly ever wear them. Judging by the drawer full of lip products, you'd probably expect me to always be wearing something on my lips but NOPE.

To me they always get in the way. I am constantly bitting and rubbing my lips, so I can't be always wondering if I have lipstick on my teeth or if it smudged. The boy isn't a fan of me wearing lip products either--not because it doesn't look good...it just gets in the way. He's not the kind of guy that particularly loves wearing lipstick! ;)

A couple months ago I bought one of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. I was really hesitant about it because of my past purchases with lip stains. I wasn't too fond of the Cover Girl Outlast lip stains. They were bad and sucked all the moisture out of my lips. Not to forget that they made it look like you just drank a gallon of Koolaid.

These balm stains from Revlon are really nice, and certainly didn't suck the moisture from my lips. I picked up one in the color Precious (050). I'm not one that will wear bright colors on my lips...I'm more of a neutral kind of girl. This color was perfect. It was a couple shades darker than my natural lip color. Of course, it was a little out of my comfort zone, but I have grown to love it!

Stock Photo

The packaging is convenient. There's no sharpener required. The bottom silver cap twists so the product comes out almost like a chapstick. Although the product isn't the full length of the tube, you get just as much as you would in a lipstick. I love that the color is indicated on most of the packaging and not on a little circle like the end of a lipstick. It's much easier to detect which shade you're reaching for.

I don't like spending a lot of money on lip products just because I usually never wear them...but I can justify spending $8-10 on these! The 'balm stain' idea is genius--why didn't I think of that!? I think Revlon has done an amazing job recreating the lip stains.

I first tested this product at the end of last year when the boy and I took a road trip.The balm feeling wore off about an hour and a half of applying it, but the color still looked just as good as it did when I applied it. The color started to look splotchy after 3 total hours of wear, so I applied another layer. The color then lasted me throughout the rest of the day. I do want to mention that we were eating and drinking the whole day as well. The only thing that transferred to the glass was the balm when it was present--none of the color. After convincing the boy that he wouldn't get any on him, he let me kiss him...and to my surprise none of the color transferred!

Even if I have to reapply after a couple hours, it sure is better than constantly worrying about it smudging.

I cannot wait to pick up more shades from this collection. I am also interested in comparing them to the other 'balm stains' other companies like Covergirl and Elf have come out with.

Let me know if you've tried these! Which colors have you tried? Do you love them? Hate them? I'd love to know your thoughts!

♥b

INSTAGRAM Blog Hop #1 (March)

2013-03-03T17:29:00.000-06:00

STEP 1: Go to www.instagram.com

STEP 2: Log In with your username and password

STEP 3: Click on your profile name in the upper right-hand corner. Select "View Profile"

STEP 4: Copy your URL!

It couldn't get any easier than that!

The RULES:

Follow me: http://instagram.com/brittany_witt

Follow at least three others, and tell them you found them through this blog hop!

As for now I will plan on doing this blog hop monthly. If you think it should happen more often, please let me know in the comments! This is my first time hosting a blog hop, so please let me know if I need to add anything!

Happy Linking!

♥b

Most Worn Polish: February 2013

2013-03-03T12:09:00.002-06:00

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear--Brick Wall (20)

If I had to choose just one polish to wear for the rest of my life...this would probably be the one I'd choose. Although it took my a couple years to find the perfect red, I finally found it in a clearance polish. By the time I realized how much I loved the color and how great it looked with my skin tone, it was discontinued. My mom picked it up for me for Easter one year, and I haven't seen it in store since!

If I could get my hands on this polish in store again, I would buy whatever they had in stock! I love it. It's the perfect blood red, and to top it off it's a gorgeous jelly finish.

You most likely think of reds and pinks when you think of Valentine's day, so I couldn't resist wearing it for the occasion. I didn't think that I would be wearing it the rest of the month or be featuring it in my most worn polish post for February. I hesitated because it is a discontinued polish, and I wouldn't want to send my readers on the hunt for something they couldn't find.

Because I wore it most of the month, I just had to show it. Even if you can't find it in store, maybe some of you have it. The brand alone is very popular, so who knows. Maybe some of you know of some dupes for me?

Sally Hansen is probably one of the most popular nail polish brands from the drugstore. Let me know what you think of this polish and the brand. I would also love to know what you wore for Valentine's Day!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

♥b

EyesBright.Com Colored Contacts--BLUE

2013-02-21T21:16:00.001-06:00

There are so many posts I'm excited about in the next couple weeks--this post just happens to be one of them!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'd know that I am a huge fan of colored contacts. I think of them as another accessory when I'm getting ready.

My first post can be found HERE. It's all about the first pair of colored contacts that I've ever tried from www.EyesBright.com. This post is about my recent pair.

Even though I have natural blue eyes, I really wanted a blue pair--not only to enhance my natural color but make my eyes appear bigger. I never realized how small the iris of my eyes are!

These are called the Elegance Blue Colour Contact Lenses. They're so beautiful, and they blend really well with my natural color. I'm LOVING these!

Although the company is based overseas, delivery was pretty quick--much quicker than someone living in the Midwest of the US would think! The customer service is also great. They're so kind and considerate.

If you're looking for a simple change up to your look--colored contacts are a great option. I was so hesitant at first about putting them in and taking them out. I was worried that they would get lost in my head, but they won't.

The more and more you practice putting them in and taking them out, the more natural it is. My first few times putting them in my eyes turned really red, but that normal--your eyes have to get used to them. I can't ever tell when they're in anymore.

Eyesbright.com offers a lot of great options from the natural eye colored contacts to the more fun colors for Halloween.

Let me know if you have and/or tried colored contacts before? What do you think of the contacts I own? What's your favorite--the brown or the blue?

♥b

REVIEW: NARS Laguna Bronzer

2013-02-20T23:21:00.003-06:00

I think this is one of those overhyped products. After spending $34 on this bronzer, I am really kicking myself.

Statements like…

“It’s MATTE.”

“Only the top layer is shimmery.”

“The shimmer fades.”

“It’s worth every penny!”

… really make me disappointed and irritated.

I spent months debating whether or not to spend the money on this bronzer. I would swatch it nearly every time I walked into Sephora, and every time I would overrule my thoughts with all everyone’s that said it was well worth the money and that the shimmer would fade.

I bought this right after Christmas with a little of my birthday money, and I haven’t even used it a full week.

I just can’t. I don’t know if I’m too white, or if I got a bad one—I just can’t. It’s too orange and shimmery. Every time I wore it, I looked like am oompa loompa who bathed in shimmer.

I will keep it though and wait till summer when my skin is more tan to try it out. As for right now, it will just sit in my drawer, and I will daydream of all the other products I could have purchased instead!

The only thing that everyone has correct is that it is decently pigmented and a little goes a long way. Even when you only apply the tiniest bit, you still get the orange shimmer.

One more quick note…it’s NOT similar to the bronzer in the ELF Blush and Bronzer duo. The ELF bronzer is much darker, and it certainly does not come off orange at all.

(ELF on LEFT----LAGUNA on RIGHT)

I don’t even know what else to say. Just writing this post makes me sad and irate at the same time.

Let me know your thought about Laguna. Do you like it? Love it? Hate it? Do you have mixed feelings? Was it what you were expecting? Or were you disappointed, too? What are you thoughts of the ELF bronzer in the blush and bronzer duo?

Hope everyone is having a great week!

♥b

SUNDAY FUNDAY: Milwaukee & Valentine's Day

2013-02-17T10:39:00.000-06:00

The past two weeks have been stacked with work, school, hockey, and LOVE. haha

Last weekend the boy and I spent the weekend in Milwaukee--it was the perfect weekend to getaway!

View from our hotel room--Milwaukee.

We attended a hockey game while in Milwaukee--always nice to check out new venues and teams!

Who doesn't love glass and mirrors that make you look thinner than you actually are!?

Valentine's day was pretty chill. The boy was off, but I had to work all day. The boy met me as soon as I got home with flowers, and of course, my favorite candy of all time--Twizzlers! I thought that was it, but when we got in the truck to head to dinner--he handed me a bag from the jewelers where he had bought me something special. In it was a tiny box wrapped with a bow. I just thought it was a pair of earrings or necklace--but to my surprise it was a promise ring.

I played with it so much I wasn't even paying attention to where we were driving to. He made reservations at Outback Steakhouse which was delicious! We ended the night watching movies--one of our new favorites--Pitch Perfect!

Roses from the boy for valentines day & carnation from my supervisor at work! I don't care if you're one of those 'I don't care if I get flowers or not [like me]...it's always nice to get flowers! ;)

Detail on the side of the ring!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

Hope you guys are having an amazing weekend--don't forget to enter in my giveaway!!

♥b

Where to get the best lanyards?

2013-02-15T10:37:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, I recently started working in an office at the college I am attending. I'm required to wear my school ID either on a lanyard or on a clip. A couple weeks ago I contacted a few Etsy shop owners about their lanyards. I know, in my area at least, there aren't many places that sell lanyards without having words slurred on them.

I was so blessed that all of the shops I contacted agreed to send me some for review. I was impressed with all of these shops! They all have great customer service, and I received my lanyards within a week of ordering.

In no particular order, I'm going to give a brief description of the shop and what I got! I encourage you all to check out these shops if you're looking for lanyards and even if you're not!

Sierra is the owner of Schnakes.She offers has a lot of really pretty glitter, lace, and ribbon lanyards with many different prints. I ordered the leopard, silver sparkle, and black sparkle. I get the most compliments on these--especially the leopard lanyard! At first I was sceptical about the sparkle because I thought the glitter would fall off, but it doesn't! It's almost like little tiny pieces of tinsel woven on a ribbon--very pretty and unique!

Doliphine was the first shop I stumbled across. They sell rhinestone lanyards that look similar to one my supervisor wears. Of course I didn't want to come off as I was copying her style, but I just think they're so cute and this shop offered so many different colors! I ended up getting a black one. It also came with a badge holder. Although I don't wear it with the lanyard, it's still cute!

The Bling Diva was another shop that sells rhinestone lanyards. I spent a long time trying to determine which colors I wanted to choose! They are all so pretty! I ended up getting a lavender, silver, and dark cobalt blue. These are also the same style as the one my supervisor wears. They're simple, pretty, and classic.

Kim from CLD Creations also makes lanyards but with sequins and ribbon. You can have her mix and match whatever ribbon with whatever color sequins you choose. I picked the red and black. They are a little stiff, but you can easily work them so they're not as stiff. Although they're really pretty, I don't reach for these too often just because they sequins irritate my neck. I try to wear a collared shirt when I know I want to wear them. She was so sweet and also sent me a bunch of sequined headbands--LOVE THEM. I already had a few, but she expanded my collection!

All of these shops were really sweet to send me these lanyards! I enjoy wearing them all! In fact, picking out which lanyard I'm going to wear for the day is the longest part of my getting ready process!

Please go check out these lovely shops! All photos will be linked to their sites!

Let me know if you're required to wear lanyards with ID whether it's for school or work!

♥b

Most Worn Polish: January 2013

2013-01-30T14:09:00.000-06:00

It was no surprise what this month's most worn nail polish was going to be. ORLY--Lollipop has amazed me. The color is gorgeous, and it's super opaque! One coat is fine if you're in a rush, but two coats is absolutely perfect!

I know this probably isn't a color typically worn in the winter, but who cares!? I think it's absolutely gorgeous, and I'd wear it any time of year. It's my favorite lighter purple of my collection.

I also love layering Spit Fire by Pure Ice on top. That's what's been on my toes--as you should know from my 'PEDICURE OF THE MOMENT' section on my sidebar.----->

Today we had a snow day, so I've been trying to catch up and take photos for my blog. I'm still having trouble finding the perfect lighting. When I take a picture, it shows up completely different than it does when I upload them to my computer, so I have to take a few, upload them and then look at them. I thought I had it perfect, but because we got all this snow, it's so much more brighter outside than the other day. Hopefully this week the next few days will be very active with posts!

I also just wanted to remind you of that you still have today and tomorrow to use the SIGMA January discount code! You can easily link to their website by clicking the photo in the sidebar!----->

I hope everyone is having a great week! Don't forget to let me know what you think of this polish--the color, the brand, and maybe any other colors you would suggest from the ORLY brand!

♥b

REVIEW: Benefit HOOLA

2013-01-27T13:58:00.003-06:00

Three words--THIS IS BOMB. haha I debated for a while if I would post a review of the Hoola box powder from Benefit. I've mentioned it in a few of my favorites posts, so I figured you guys already knew it was great. I finally gave in and it only made sense to do a post on it so I have something to refer you guys to when I do some upcoming review of other bronzers.

For all you science lovers--Hoola is my "constant". It's the only bronzer that I can use every single day of the year because of it's versatility. Whether I'm really tan, really pale, and everywhere in between; this is the perfect bronzer for contour.

For $28--it's worth every single penny. I'm really kicking myself for not keeping my first Hoola that I finished sometime in December. At the time I wasn't planning on doing a post about it. You'll have to take my word when I say that the pan is twice as deep as the normal pan. There's a lot of product, and a little goes a long way.

It's brown. It's matte. It doesn't have any sheen or shimmer. It's perfect. I also use this product as eyeshadow to blend out my crease every now and then (mostly when I'm tan).

I would say that if you can afford it, if you are looking for a great bronzer, if you love to contour--it's definitely worth the splurge. In my opinion it pays for itself. I bought my first one almost two years ago, and I finished it this past December (22 months)!

Again, I wanted to do this post as a reference for some future reviews on bronzers I've purchased recently.

I haven't heard anything bad about this product. I have only heard good things.

Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments! Have you tried it? Do you love it--hate it? Do you have any dupes?

♥b

Sunday Funday: RODEO

2013-01-27T10:26:00.001-06:00

Today is the perfect day to get a lot of things done at home. Freezing rain is on the way, so I figured I would try to get my Sunday Funday post up just in case we're without power for the next couple days. I really want to get as much as I can done today, so I can sleep in and relax tomorrow.

Nothing really exciting happened all week. All I did was go to school and work. Last night, however, we went to the rodeo--one of my favorite things to do. I leave you guys with mostly pictures of how the night went!

The rodeo clown's kid was the absolute cutest!

A friend from high school ride bulls--it was so exciting to watch him!

I hope everyone has a great week!

♥b

SUNDAY FUNDAY: Clothes, Makeup, & Hockey

2013-01-20T15:26:00.001-06:00

This past week has been SUPER busy and exciting! School has started back up for the semester, AND I also got an internship through my college! I start this week, and I gotta say--I cannot wait! The office I will be in seems like a really fun environment and my peers seem so sweet!

As I'm getting ready for this week, I've been cleaning out my closet trying to put pieces together for my work wardrobe. As you probably gathered from my blog, I'm not a fashion buff. I'm a jeans and sweatshirt kind of girl. However, I don't mind getting dressed up. I went shopping this morning and found some really great tops and a few more dress pants.

As you know I'm trying not to buy makeup this year...as you can see. HAHA I know my collection isn't as big as others', BUT that's okay. I went through my makeup and threw out a lot of old stuff and re-organized. I might do an in-depth post soon. I'm really trying to save money and 'shop my collection'.

Besides being consumed with school and work-related events, the boy and I decided to have a date night! We went to see A Haunted House which was absolutely hilarious! Definately would recommend it if you love comedies.

We also took in a hockey game. Although our team lost, it was a great night. We got to see some of our friends we haven't seen in a while.

Overall it was a pretty great week. I can't wait to see what else 2013 has in store!

Hope you're having an amazing weekend!

♥b

REVIEW: Palmolive Fresh Infusions

2013-01-19T18:02:00.001-06:00

Recently I qualified to receive the Palmolive Fresh Infusions dish soap through the Influenster program. At first, I thought I would pass up the opportunity. After thinking about it I thought, why not!

The main reason I wanted to try this soap is because it's so hard for me to get my foundation brushes clean. Mainly the ones I use to apply my Revlon ColorStay. It's one of the best foundations because of it's long wearing abilities. Sometimes I can spend at least 5 minutes trying to get my brushes clean of that foundation.

While using this 'dish' soap to clean my brushes, I thought it worked great! I didn't have to use a lot, and it seemed like it broke down the foundation a lot faster than the shampoos and facial cleansers that I used to use.

Overall, I think that these are pretty decent soaps. They all smell great and are a definite change from the original Dawn dish soap my mother buys. I'll most likely use one for washing my makeup brushes, and I'll save the others for when I move out on my own.

If you want to give these a try, I would suggest them. Obviously when I run out of these down the road, I will most likely buy whatever is less expensive at the store.

Let me know what you use to clean your makeup brushes and what your opinions are of dish soap--your favorites, does it matter what price, and where do you buy it!

♥b

Smokey Eye using Naked Basics by Urban Decay

2013-01-19T11:26:00.000-06:00

I am admitting that I am ABSOLUTELY in LOVE with the Naked Basics palette by Urban Decay! I know I said before that it was just another palette, but honestly, it's the only palette that I've reached for all month. I've been loving the simple matte looks you can create, and last night I put it to the test for a smokey eye.

I figured I would use my favorite smokey eye technique which is basically darker colors at the lash line and lighter shades progressing toward the brow bone. My tip for achieving this kind of smokey eye is to start with the lighter shades and work your way to the darker shades. I always save the highlight (brow bone) shade for last. That way I can control the intensity--some require a lighter or heavier application of color AND some looks I want a matte highlight or maybe sometimes a sheen or pearl finish highlight.

What I love most about this techniques is that when your eyes are open, it doesn't look like you have a lot of makeup on. It's when you start to blink and look down that people notice it. I also love how my lashes don't get lost in the color. I'm so fortunate to have long lashes.

I used all the colors in the palette to achieve this look. I also added a kohl pencil eyeliner on the upper lash line for intensity, and I used a white liner on my inner corners and blended really well. I will be doing a review of the mascara I used--however, I can't think of the name of it right of the top of my head! I also apologize if any of you are creeped out about my eyes--I wore my brown contacts last night. The boy says they sorta creep him out and that I look like a vampire.

Let me know what you think! I wanna know what you think about the Naked Basics palette, your opinions about smokey eye techniques, and don't forget to let me know of any suggestions for reviews and posts!

♥b

Naked Basics Eye Look

2013-01-10T15:57:00.000-06:00

I'm going to try to keep this post short. I have been debating whether or not to share this post for the past couple days. You guys have asked me for a look using the new Naked Basics palette from Urban Decay, so here it is.

The photos did not turn out the way I would have liked them to. I know this is going to sound repetitive, but I honestly haven't figured out the best settings on my camera yet. I remember it took me a while to find out what worked best for my old Kodak. Unfortunately, I did this look at night, so I couldn't use my Kodak to take the photos. It would have been pointless.

Let me know what you think about the look, palette, and the photos. Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

♥b

SUNDAY FUNDAY--2013 Resolutions

2013-01-06T14:44:00.000-06:00

I used to try to get up a 'Sunday Funday' post up every Sunday before #bbloggers chat on Twitter. They have been some of my favorite posts because I can be more 'personal', and they're a great way for you to get to know me more as a person.

This Sunday I couldn't think of anything better than to share with you my resolutions for 2013. The resolutions I would make in the past used to be too broad like the obvious 'losing weight' or 'getting more organized' or 'saving money', and I could never stick to them. This year is different because I have broken my resolutions down into three categories--Blogging--Better Health--The Little Things in Life. In each of the three categories I've listed a few things that will help me achieve were I want to be by the end of the year and even past 2013.

BLOGGING--Overall I want to keep my blog going. It's something that I LOVE doing and it's the place where I feel comfortable talking about beauty related things. I know that I can get back to blogging on a regular pace again by doing the following:

Pre-written posts. I know this has helped me blog more in the past especially when I was on vacation. I can write up the posts and schedule when they'll be posted. This will also ensure that my posts are quality posts and aren't rushed with missing information.
More frequent posting. I have the goal to post AT LEAST 2 posts in a week. That might sound slim, but I have a lot of things happening with school and finding an internship/job. I would love to devote all my time to my blog, but unfortunately it won't pay the bills.
Participate in #bbloggers chat. When the #bbloggers chat started, I was on twitter almost every Sunday talking with other bloggers. Life has gotten so busy, that I haven't participated the last few months. I would like to join the conversation again at least twice a month., and also try as much as I can to chat on Wednesdays.
Interact with my followers. I have fallen completely out of sync with my twitter account. It was much harder to instantly reply with my old phone. I just got a new phone, and it's soooooo much easier to tweet back right away and be more conversational with my followers.

BETTER HEALTH--I wouldn't say that I'm crazy overweight, but I have definitely gained quite a bit since high school. Mostly because I haven't been active AT ALL. The other day I was cleaning out my room, and the motivation I got from looking at pictures of the skinnier me was TONS more than I could ever get from creating a 'THINspiration' board on Pinterest. Although that's fun too, here are my goals for better health.

STOP drinking pop. Pop, soda, whatever you want to call--it NEEDS to stop. I know that I can, I just need to. Simple as that.
Work out. I know it's so what everyone else does for a resolution, but I need to. It was so much easier when I was in high school and involved in PE and sports. After school we'd always be doing something in the gym and weight room. I need to get my ass back working out. Even if it's only for 10 minutes a day.
Think twice before ordering. The boy and I do our fair share of eating out. I love prime rib, but I don't need it every time we go to Texas Roadhouse! I'm definitely going to make better choices when eating out.

LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE--These are more random things I need to make better in 2013.

Wear those damn retainers. It's been about three years since I've wore my retainers for a steady amount of time. The reason I stopped wearing them is because I was sick of looking for them when I would wake up. I used unconciously take them out and throw them at night. haha you laugh, but it's a scary feeling having to tell MY MOM you lost one of your retainers. I got my braces off more than 5 years ago, and my teeth have shifted quite a bit. My parents spent over $5,000 to get my mouth and teeth to look good, so I guess it's the least I can do.
Limit two makeup items. I also have a bad habit of buying makeup that I don't really need. I know this will be a super hard one, but I'm going to try to limit myself to buying only two items a month.
Go to church. I always used to love going to church. I haven't gone since our Pastor passed away. That was over a year ago. It felt good to go this morning, and our new Pastor seems really nice...hard to follow, but everyone takes time getting familiar with.

Those are my goals and 'resolutions' for the year! Sorry for the lack of posts today. I haven't been doing much this last week. I decided that I'm going to finish my Administrative Assistant program, so I registered for my last classes. This upcoming week will be filled with cleaning, baking, and relaxation before school starts.

Hope you all have a great week!

♥b

REVIEW: Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

2013-01-05T14:59:00.003-06:00

If you haven't heard of the Naked palettes by Urban Decay, you're seriously living under a rock. They are, in my opinion, the most buzzed about pallets over the last two years. To continue the 'Naked' collection, Urban Decay recently released the Naked Basics palette.

I'm not going to try to sell you guys on this palette. What I mean is that the colors are mostly similar to colors in both the original Naked and the Naked 2. Although I've been using it daily and loving it, in my opinion, it's just another palette to say that you have all three palettes.

The Basics palette is half of what the other two palettes are. It's small and compact, but it's tough to open. It consists of 6 shadows (1 "pearly" shade and 5 matte shades) for $27 as opposed to the other which both have 12 shadows and each cost $50.

VENUS--The first shadow is the only 'pearl' finish shadow in this palette, and it's very very similar to Virgin (N1) and Bootycall (N2). I would use this as a brow bone and inner corner highlight.

FOXY--The second shadow is a really light, matte, yellow shade, and it's also in the Naked 2 palette. This is another great highlight shade.

W.O.S. (Walk of Shame)--The third shadow is a light, matte, pale pink. There's nothing similar in either of the other palettes, but I like to think of it as Bootycall's 'matte' twin. Again, this is another shadow I would use for highlight on the brow bone and inner corner.

NAKED 2--The forth shadow is a very light, matte brown. Similar to Naked from the original naked palette, but Naked 2 is a cooler shade and isn't as warm as Naked. I have been using this all over my lid and to blend out my crease shades.

FAINT--The fifth shadow is a medium, matte brown. Nothing is similar in either palettes. Buck would be the obvious choice, but Faint is clearly darker and more cool than Buck. It comes off a lot darker on the eye and in swatches than it looks in the palette. Very pretty and I've been using this for my crease. A little goes a long way, but it's a very nice, natural color.

CRAVE--The final shadow in the palette is a typical matte, black shadow. Very similar to Blackout (N2). Great if you want to use it for eyeliner or to darken the crease and outer corner.

All of the colors are really nice--what else can you expect from Urban Decay. I think this palette is great for anyone. I think matte shadows look great on anyone for any occasion. You clearly can achieve an everyday look or a darker, more sultry smokey eye.

Like I said before, I'm not gonna try to sell you guys on whether or not to buy it. I have been playing with it ever since Christmas, and I really like it. BUT there are many colors similar to the other Naked palettes, and I'm sure I could find more dupes in my collection.

Let me know what you guys think of the this palette and the other Naked palettes! Which one is your favorite? Are they worth the money?

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

♥b

Most Worn Polish: December 2012

2013-01-02T12:34:00.000-06:00

I have obsessed over wearing the same nail polish around the holidays for the past three years. I don't know why, but it's become a holiday staple for me!

What polish am I referring to--Spit Fire by Pure Ice. It consists of mostly light pink glitter and silver duo-chrome glitter that makes it look like there are many different colors of glitter in the polish. I like to think of it as the "neutral" glitter polish of my collection.

It's the perfect color and looks great layered on top of pinks, purples, reds, and even white polish. Last year I wore this very glittery polish over a pastel pink for my birthday, and this year used three coats as my Christmas mani. I feel like this polish goes well with any outfit--whether I'm slummin' it or all dressed up.

I love this polish so much that I already own a backup and also very similar dupe--Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Strobe Light. Both are under $5 at WalMart and other drugstores.

If you have any other dupes or colors similar to this one, let me know in the comments! I'd also love to know what your 2012 holiday mani was!

♥b

A Quick Update & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2013-01-01T13:05:00.000-06:00

It's amazing how much time flies. 2012 has come and gone, and it's finally 2013! I'm happy to say that we've survived the 'End of the World', and now we don't have to worry about the 'world ending' for a while.

If you didn't already know I turned the BIG 2-1 of the 21st of December. I feel with my birthday being so close to Christmas some years I get shorted, but this year I was definitely spoiled. I feel like everyone's trying to catch me up in the world of technology. A freak accident happened with my phone on my birthday, so my parents bought me a new phone--Motorola Razr M. The boy bought me a new camera--Nikon CoolPix P510--which is absolutely AMAZING! The boy also upgraded my Ipod to an Ipod Touch! I was also blessed with many gift cards, another Hot Tools curling iron to add to the collection, and after many attempts to find me a new Hoola (Sold Out in my area) he got me the Benefit box powder in Dallas.

Nikon CoolPix P510

I've been battling a cold ever since my birthday, so Christmas and New Years were pretty low key. At the end of every year the family gets together and goes out for a "New Year's Supper". This year we went to Outback Steakhouse--food was delicious and having everyone together makes the holidays that much more special.

The boy and I decided to take a road trip on the last day of 2012. We went out of town for some shopping and to take in a hockey game. We even made it back home in time to watch the ball drop!

One of my favorite photos from last night--did I mention how much I LOVE MY NEW CAMERA!?

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season and a fun and safe new year!

Don't forget that I'm also on Instagram and Twitter!

♥b