A Thing of Beauty

Updates & a future giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:31:00 +0000

Hi, everyone!

Just a quick update post--
I've added more social networks! I'm now on Instagram & Facebook & I'd love it if you followed me! Click here for Instagram and here for Facebook!

I hope you've noticed the redesign that's been going on these past few weeks & it's pretty much completed! So no more things sticking in random places, anymore.

Also, I've been thinking of starting a monthly newsletter for A Thing of Beauty with recaps of popular posts from that month, 3 featured fellow beauty bloggers, as well as the top reader of the month. Is this something you'd all be interested in subscribing & reading? I'd love to get some feedback!

Lastly, I'm thinking of doing a giveaway soon-I found this really awesome metallic nail art kit in Forever21 the other day and I really want to give it away, but is that something you'd be interested in winning? It'd be international, so anyone would have the chance to win it, especially since there's no restrictions for liquid or nail polish on it!

So please let me know what you think in the comments, I'd really appreciate some feedback!

Thanks for reading,
Kelly xoxo

Eight fun, easy ideas for summer nails!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:04:00 +0000

I love summer just as much as the next girl, but sometimes I get a little spaced out when it comes to fun nail designs or cool polishes. So here's eight summer nail ideas that I came up with!

They're all pretty simple and I used all drugstore polishes! My favorite and the one I'm currently wearing on my nails is the first one, peach with the silver triangle stud. I actually found a small nail art wheel kit of studs from Forever21 for $2.80 yesterday, and I have to say I love it so far!

So what do you think? What's your favorite summer nail idea from the ones above? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,
Kelly xoxo

Budget beauty: tips & tricks for getting the most bang for your buck at the drugstore

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:17:00 +0000

If you participated in the #bbloggers chat on Twitter this past Sunday, you'll be no stranger to the topic of budget beauty! Here are some more tips & tricks to saving the most at the drugstore and possibly more high-end places as well!

Coupons are a life saver
It's not glamorous, but coupons really do shave a couple of dollars off your bill. My favorite trick to do with coupons is to find a store coupon, manufacturer coupon, and buy the item when it's on sale-this will really bring your cost down.
But stay away from the common "buy 2, save $1" because honestly, saving $0.50 per product is not helping much & you're just wasting money buying two products.

Can't use coupons? Get a store rewards card.
Most places that do accept coupons offer rewards cards too, such as Rite Aid, CVS, Ulta, and Walgreens. But, for more upscale places like Sephora that don't take coupons, be sure to sign up for a rewards card. Some, like Sephora, even offer a free annual birthday gift to subscribers!

Cheap doesn't always mean the best.
If you are shopping for extremely cheap makeup from brands like NYC Color and Wet n Wild Beauty, be sure to always check the ingredients label before you buy. Ofter, cheaper products use cheaper ingredients such as parabens, mineral oils, and lots of fragrances that can be harmful to your skin. But then again, brands like the e.l.f. Studio Line hardly use any parabens in their products. So when in doubt, check the label!

What do you think? Have some more questions on saving money at the drugstore? Leave them in the comments!

Thanks for reading,
Kelly xoxo

My current haircare routine!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:26:00 +0000

I love seeing what hair products people & bloggers really use in the shower, as opposed to just what they rate well when the review them. So, here's my current haircare routine-just four products that I currently use every time I wash my hair!

Shampoo
I always use a dandruff shampoo because it does so many good things for my hair-purifies, cleanses the lingering hairspray and product, and rejuvenates my scalp. I do suffer from mild dandruff, unfortunately, but even if you don't, I definitely recommend using this Garnier shampoo in the summer because it has exfoliating beads in it that keep your hair healthy when it gets oily in the hot weather.
Currently, I'm testing out some products from Rock Your Hair, so I have the shampoo and conditioner samples in my shower. So far, I'm really enjoying them-they really keep my hair silky. But, if I wasn't, I would be using John Frieda's Root Awakening shampoo.

Treatment
I don't use a lot of hair treatments or masks because I do have really thick hair that can become an absolutely mess if I use too many products in it. But, my deep conditioner of choice is the Tresemme Rejuvenating Mud Mask which is honestly, the loveliest conditioner I've ever used. It's surprisingly lightweight but effective and my hair always looks fantastic after I've used it.

So what do you think? What's hair products are staples in your shower? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,
Kelly xoxo

The Beauty Shelf: May Skincare

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:11:00 +0000

Welcome to The Beauty Shelf, monthly posts showing you literally, what's rotating on my beauty shelf! These are products that I've recently bought, received, or won that I'm buzzing about, really loving, or rediscovered old favorites!
So this month, I've been really into a skincare revamp! I won the two NUDE skincare products pictured in a giveaway from the blog Cute and Mundane and while I haven't used the moisturizer yet, I have used the treatment oil and so far, I really love it as a night-time treatment!
The Philosophy moisturizer is an old favorite of mine that I use as an eye treatment because it has lots of brightening ingredients, including caffeine, that help cure dark undereye circles.
I've been struggling with bad acne & cystic breakouts for the past few months so I've been testing out a bottle of Skinetica that I was sent for review & I'm currently in the "it gets worse before it gets better" stage, unfortunately!
And finally, to soothe my skin through all the anti-blemish treatments & oils, I've been really into using sheet masks to calm my skin and give it some down time!

So what do you think? Do you like the idea of "the beauty shelf"? I'll be doing two more throughout this month-one for makeup & one for nail polish.

Also, how's the redesign of A Thing of Beauty? Anything you think I need to change? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,
Kelly xoxo

Get bright lips with a great formula for summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:15:00 +0000

It's time to break out the bright lipsticks! Summer is almost here and that fuchsia pink lipstick is just dying to be used! Here's four bright colors-one purple, one orange, one pink, and one red, so there's a shade for everyone!

I highly recommend the formula of every one of these lipsticks-I haven't had a problem yet! I did a post a little while ago on some of my favorite bright lipsticks, but this time, I really chose ones that have a good, long-lasting lip-staining formula for summer!

So what do you think? What's your favorite bright color lipstick to wear in the summer? Let us know in the comments!

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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April 2013 Favorites & Misses!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Wed, 01 May 2013 23:43:00 +0000

April was a pretty rainy month here in Michigan so I didn't get to wear much makeup, seeing as it would pretty much melt off my face. But, I did rediscover a few loves this month, plus a few misses.

-elf Golden Bronzer-
I love to use this to create a beautiful shimmering glow. And it's only $3, to boot!

-elf Cream Liner in Black-
I've been really into doing a thick black line with a tiny wing on my upper lashline & it really makes my eyes pop under my glasses!

-elf Blush & Bronzer Duo-
I've been searching for a new bronzer and this one is pretty good! I have to use a light hand because I have fair skin, but it works.

-Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Flamingo Pose-
I love to dab this on lightly to get some bright lips! It's such the perfect color for summer.

This month's misses are two mascaras-Maybelline's Great Lash Big & Clio's Twist Up Waterproof. The Great Lash is okay, but the bristles on the brush are way too far apart to really do my lashes some good. And the Clio Twist Up is a pretty good mascara, but I can't ever get it off!

So what do you think? What were some of your favorites & misses this month? Let us know in the comments!

Lip balm of the moment! Nivea-A Kiss of Smoothness

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:19:00 +0000

I found this great bonus pack of Nivea lip balms for just $2.49 at Target last month-such a great deal! And they're both full size tubes! I haven't really used Nivea lip balms much, but I love "A Kiss of Smoothness" so much, it takes home the award for lip balm of the moment!

There's not really much else to say about this lip balm, other than that it has SPF, a really nice, moisturizing formula, and that it's paraben free! An award winning combination if you ask me!

So what do you think? Do you love Nivea lip balms, too? Let us know in the comments!

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Fake it! Get glowing skin at drugstore prices in time for summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:59:00 +0000

Now that it's officially spring & starting to warm up, my skin is still looking pretty lackluster. So here's some of my favorite drugstore products to use to fake a healthy, glowing complexion!

Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion
I have a sample size of this and it is by far my favorite way to highlight my face, ever! It's a very subtle shimmer that really blends into the skin because it's a cream so it's looks incredibly natural. And, if you want to amp it up, you can use it under a powder highlighter for maximum glow!

Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow Collection in Seashells
I love the peachy-gold shade on the left end of the palette-it's gorgeous! It's such a stunning color to use to highlight because it truly gives you a slightly peach glow.

CoverGirl Single Eyeshadow in Champagne
This is a cult classic eyeshadow and my absolute favorite out of all CoverGirl's eyeshadows. It is the most perfect cheek highlight every and is perfect to use for a night out or when you just want to have that fabulous glow!

elf Golden Bronzer
This is what I use everyday because it adds a little color to the cheeks as well as a really soft, everyday shimmer. I can't tell you how many compliments I've gotten on my glowing skin when I wear this!

Swatched from left to right: Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion, Revlon Seashells, elf Golden Bronzer, CoverGirl Champagne

So what do you think? What's your favorite product you use to get glowing skin? Let us know in the comments!

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Get smooth lips with Mango Orange Lip Balm from Marj's Naturals, review!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:29:00 +0000

Anyone who knows me knows that I appreciate a good lip balm, especially if it's in mango or citrus, my favorite scents. I've been using my Nivea lip balm during the day, but I love using this Mango Orange Lip Balm by Marj's Naturals at night!

What I love the most about this lip balm is the ingredients list-do you see that? Natural ingredients that would kill you. It's so refreshing and honestly, I feel a lot better about myself when I reach for this lip balm.

Now the flavor is supposed to be mango orange, but I really just get a light citrus scent with barely a hint of mango. If you've ever owned the Burt's Bees Citus Facial Scrub, this lip balm smells exactly like that, for a point of reference!

As far as being moisturizing, it's not up to par with my Nivea lip balm, but it still does a really good job at curing my chapped lips from the cold weather! It's a very smooth, buttery formula so it definitely feels nice & moisturizing.

N/A 11/10 8.5/10 9.75/10

I recommend this if you're looking for a new lip balm to try & you don't mind the jar form-not the most hygienic or convenient, but it works with the buttery formula.

You can buy this lip balm for $7.49 for 6 oz from Marj's Naturals Etsy shop-click here to check it out!

Thank you to Marj's Naturals for being this month's Featured Shop of the Month! Be sure to follow her lovely natural skincare shop on Twitter & Facebook. I reviewed some soaps from her shop earlier this month, and if you're interested in learning more, click here to read my introduction post!

What do you think? If you could make a natural lip balm, what flavor would you make it? Let us know in the comments!

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Makeup collection & organization-tips for a small space and budget!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:34:00 +0000

If you're in a small space or on a small budget for makeup organization, here's some ideas & tips I've found useful over the years! I use a 5 drawer Sterile container that I bought for $15 at Target and I actually printed out a damask paper on regular computer paper to create a much more beautiful piece! You could buy printed wrapping paper or card stock as well to put inside, but printing out a pattern was the cheapest for me! Keep reading to find out what I store inside!

First drawer
I keep all of my non-powder eye products in the top drawer, and I use plastic bins from Walmart to separate my eyeliners, cream eyeshadows, and random palettes from each other.

Second drawer
I love keeping all of my powder eyeshadows in one nice, organized drawer! I try to organize by brand or type, as with my CoverGirl singles or loose pigments, and I find this really gives a more professional feel!

Third drawer
I keep all of my face products in one drawer, although my blush collection is rapidly expanding! All of these white plastic dividers fit perfectly together in this size drawer, making it really easy to separate everything.

Fourth drawer
All of my lip products! I separate them by type, which makes it really easy to reach in & grab a specific color.

Fifth drawer
I keep all my nail polish here because I honestly have no where else to put them! I organize them by what brand/line so they all fit nicely together! Although, I don't have much room to grow here...

So what do you think? What are some of your makeup organization tips? If you have a collection/organization post, please link it below or tweet a picture to me, @Kathingofbeauty!

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Giveaway Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:08:00 +0000

Hey everyone!

My giveaway sponsored by Marj's Naturals ended 5 days ago and the winner is...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats to Jennifer, and I will be sending you an email shortly-please respond within 72 hours or I will have to choose another winner!

Thanks & stay tuned for the next giveaway!
xoxo

Check out my beauty essentials!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:01:00 +0000

Now that I've moved most of my makeup back home while I stay my last week at college, here's my top essentials that I brought with me!

1. elf Studio Blush in Candid Coral
This is the perfect spring color-coral with a hint of gold shimmer!

2. Revlon Age Defying Concealer
I'm almost out of this so I'm sparingly using what's left! It's so creamy & pigmented that I didn't bother to bring a foundation with me.

3. Senna Cosmetics Eye Trio in Satin Doll
I mainly brought this because it's small, neutral, and has three shades. But the quality is unbelievable & I've done lots of looks with this!

4. Clio Twist Up Mascara
This waterproof mascara still hasn't come off my lashes! It's been very rainy here in Michigan so I've been relying on this to keep my lashes full but dry.

5. Maybelline Fit Me Powder in 110
I love this powder because it has a hint of glitter to it, making it so it's not completely flat.

6. Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake
If I want a bit of color on the lips, this is the perfect light pink shade for spring!

What do you think? What are some of your beauty essentials? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading
xoxo

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Looking to 'Rock Your Hair'? Check it out!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 19:14:00 +0000

I love a good hair product. I have pretty good hair, as in not bleached or colored, but it can get pretty iffy when it comes to products that are compatible with my hair and ones that are not. 'Rock Your Hair' by Michael O'Rourke, a salon hair product company I'd never heard of before kindly sent over a lovely package of products & this is my preview post before I start rolling out reviews in a few weeks. Read on to see what's inside!

-Big Hair Rocks shampoo & conditioner
-Bombshell Big Hair Powder
-Miracle Leave-In Conditioner & Weightless Detangler
-Size Matter Big Volume Root Lift
-Spray It Hard Big Volume Hairspray

I really struggle with getting good volume in my hair, especially the first few days after I wash it. I'm really excited to try these out & see how they work!

Click here to check out these products online!

Have you tried any of these products before? Comment below if you have & how they worked for you!

*The product(s) reviewed in this post were sent by the company for free for review. I am not being compensated, there are no affiliate links in this post, and all opinions are my own*

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Pump up your lashes with Clio's Twist Up Waterproof Mascara, review!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:39:00 +0000

As anyone will tell you, lashes can make or break your look-mascara is essential to your daily makeup routine & here's a mascara I think any girl who loves waterproof mascara will love!

Peach and Lily, who sent me a waterproof eyeshadow that I loved & reviewed last week, sent over this lovely mascara for review as well!

This is a waterproof fiber mascara that's manufactured in Korea and is available on Peach & Lily's website (an awesome site for Asian beauty products!) and this mascara certainly lives up to its claims!

As you can see by the picture of the back of the packaging, the wand is slightly curved with lots of little fibers to coat your lashes. I didn't have a problem with any of the fibers dropping down & irritating my eyes, nor could I see them on my lashes once I was finished applying the mascara.

This is a waterproof mascara so it is very, very, very difficult to remove. I've tried everything-it wouldn't come off for at least three days. Even then, it just flakes off. It's long lasting, but it just might be a little too much. However, I can guarantee that it will withstand any water you put it through on the first day.

This mascara also makes the claim that it curls, or at least keeps the curl on your lashes, and this is the only place where the formula could use some work. Naturally, my lashes have a small curve so after using an eyelash curler & applying the mascara, my eyelashes weren't too curled. You can see a photo of me with the mascara on here and as you can tell, my lashes aren't too curled.

10/10 10/10 8.5/10 9.5/10

I really enjoyed this mascara, besides the fact that I can't get it off! Click here to buy it from Peach & Lily online for $23.

So what do you think? Want to try this mascara? Let us know in the comments!

*The product(s) reviewed were sent free for review from the company. All opinions are 100% honest and my own*

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Today A Thing of Beauty turns 2!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:13:00 +0000

Today is it! A Thing of Beauty officially turns two! I did my very first blog post on April 10, 2011 on a JK Jemma Kidd eyeshadow palette which you can check out here (although I wouldn't really advise it-I've come a long way!).

Thank you to all of my lovely readers who take time out of their day to read my little blog-I really do appreciate it! I'm so thankful that I have the opportunity to blog & meet all kinds of awesome people.

I'm so excited for the next year of A Thing of Beauty (you should be, too!) because there's going to be lots of cool partnerships, giveaways, and fun posts that I can't wait to share!

So thank you again for being a part of A Thing of Beauty, I truly do appreciate & treasure it.

Thanks for reading
xoxo

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 23:01:00 +0000

Hey, everyone!

Just a reminder to enter my giveaway sponsored by Marj's Naturals! She's donated some pretty awesome natural skincare, and it's a great way to try out some of her products! There's only 6 days left, and it's super easy to enter in the Rafflecopter!

Click here to go enter!

Mani Monday! Get glitterfied with Milani's 3D Holographic polishes!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:49:00 +0000

It's very rainy & gloomy in Michigan at the moment, so what better way to cheer up than a 3D holographic polish? These Milani holographic polishes are so much fun to use & definitely an eye-catcher!

The Milani polish I used is called Hi-Res and it's a great formula-easy to apply & I only needed two coats!

I used these beautiful hexagonal glitters that came in a Forever21 polish kit on top of my ring ringer for some added bling. Apparently I thought that 3D holographic glitter wouldn't be enough...

So that's it! Hope you liked this week's mani Monday!

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Want long lasting eyeshadow? Check out Clio's Friday Night Glow Liquid Eyeshadow in Sheer Beige, review & swatch

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 22:25:00 +0000

Peach and Lily sent me over this lovely liquid eyeshadow for review & I have to say, I didn't have high hopes for it because cream & liquid eyeshadows never seem to last on my eyes. I have very oily eyelids so if a product is long lasting on my lids, it's a good product overall!

The Friday Glow Liquid Eyeshadow by Clio in Sheer Beige is honestly one of the prettiest shades I've ever seen. I recently watched almost the entire series of Gossip Girl on Netflix, and I keep thinking how pretty Blake Lively's eyeshadow was-it was pretty close to this liquid eyeshadow!

So what comes in the tube is a stubby brush applicator which doesn't bother me because once I get a little bit on my lid I use my finger or a synthetic brush to smooth it out. The shadow does blend out really easily, and it feels like it has a silicon-based texture to it. I wouldn't know for sure since this is a Korean product (made in Germany) & I don't read Korean!

When you blend out the shadow it is reduced to a lot of really pretty shimmer with a hint of a beige base. This is a good & a bad thing: good because your eyes look really glossy, almost wet like, so this would be a beautiful shadow for summer time; bad because once you go to take it off, the glitter gets detached & goes everywhere!

I have very oily eyelids so I was very surprised when I got 6 hours of wear out of this with no creasing! And even a few hours later, the creasing was still pretty minimal. I think it's because this shade is formulated with a very sheer base color & relies on the glitters, it doesn't tend to crease as fast.

9/10 9/10 10/10 9.3/10

I love this product & it's become my new holy grail eyeshadow for warmer weather! I highly recommend that you check it out here on Peach & Lily's online shop!

What do you think? Are you a fan of long-lasting, waterproof products like this one, too? Let us know in the comments!

*The products(s) reviewed in this post were sent for review from the company itself. All opinions are 100% my own & no affiliate links are used in this post*

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Peach and Lily & Target beauty haul!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:58:00 +0000

I finally had the chance to go to Target last weekend and I had to literally guard myself from all the new elf & NYX products in the stands! I also received a beautiful package from the company Peach and Lily and I just had to show off some of the lovely products they have in their store!

First up, Peach and Lily sent me two full sized products: Clio Twist Up mascara and Clio Friday Glow Liquid Eyeshadow. I've already tried these and I absolutely love them! No joke-the liquid eyeshadow stayed on my oily eyelids without creasing for at least 6 hours. I was amazed!

If you're not familiar with Peach and Lily, they're a New York-based company that stocks Asian beauty & skincare products!

They also sent me several samples which I'm really excited to try out!

I was so excited when I saw that elf has updated their Target stands! They added the $2 jumbo lip & eye pencils, studio baked eyeshadows, lip exfoliator, zit zapper, and more colors of their studio blushes. Needless to say, I have another trip planned to pick up the baked eyeshadows, rest of the blushes, more zit zappers, and some of the studio lip balms!

So far I've tried the zit zapper and the blush & bronzer compact and I really like them! I also grabbed a backup of their $1 brow gel. I also got a great deal on a two pack of Nivea lip balms-just $2.49 for two! It's my favorite lip balm so it was such a steal!

What do you think? Have you tried any of these products? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading
xoxo

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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First featured shop of the month! Marj's Naturals!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:24:00 +0000

Welcome to my first Featured Shop of the Month!
April is A Thing of Beauty's 2 year anniversary, and I thought what better way to celebrate than to launch a brand new feature! Every month I hope to have a different shop to bring to you with a giveaway & some awesome posts.

This month's feature, Marj's Naturals, is a California-based shop run by the lovely Marjorie who makes and sells all natural soaps, hand & body butter, lip balms, and more in her Etsy shop.

Last month I had the chance to review some guest soaps that Marjorie sent me, and she has some of the most amazing scents! My favorite was the Sweet Mango soap (not just because I love mango scents!) because it had the most beautiful smell of the four scents she sent me without being overpowering. I'll also have another review of a Mango Orange Lip Balm from Marj's Naturals coming up this month, so stay tuned!

The best part about this monthly feature is that Marj's Naturals is sponsoring a fantastic giveaway for my readers! Click here to enter to win a guest soap, lip balm, hand & body butter, and reusable burlap bag valued at $20!

Be sure to enter the giveaway & check out Marj's Naturals at the links below! And leave me a comment if you're as excited about featured shops of the month as I am!

Etsy shop--Website--Facebook--Twitter--Blogger--Google+

Are you a shop/brand that would like to be my 'Featured Shop of the Month' for May? I'm now taking submissions! Email me at athingofbeautyblog@aol.com for more information

Giveaway! Win $20 of product from Marj's Naturals!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:47:00 +0000

April's 'Featured Shop of the Month' is Marj's Naturals! I reviewed some of her soaps last month and I loved them so much that I invited her to be my first featured shop and she graciously accepted & is sponsoring a lovely giveaway for my readers!

What you can win
Lip balm
Guest soap bar
Jar of shea butter hand & body cream
Reusable natural lavender jute burlap bag to house all of the goodies!

Rules (please read them all!)
Open to the US & Canada only
The contest will run from April 1 to April 15 at midnight
Must be 18 or older to enter. If 16 or 17, please have a parent's permission to enter
The first two entries in the Rafflecopter are mandatory.
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Thank you for entering & if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or tweet me!
xoxo

Happy Easter! March 2013 favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:18:00 +0000

I hope everyone is enjoying their Easter Sunday! Here's a quick post with my favorites from this month. I don't have much for March because I actually had a bit of an allergic reaction in the last week on my eye to something or other, so I laid off makeup for a while to let it heal. But the products in the picture are ones I really used to death for the rest of the month!

{1. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils in Yogurt & Iced Mocha}
I love these. They may crease on my eyes after a little while but the colors are so beautiful that I just love to use them for natural, everyday looks.

{2. Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch}
This is a rediscovered favorite for me and I can't believe I don't use it more! I love the pink lemonade scent and it gives a beautiful subtle pink pop to the lips that's perfect for spring!

{3. elf Studio Blush in Candid Coral}
The beautiful golden shimmer in this blush really livens up your complexion, and the best part is, it's only $3!

I'm so excited for April! I'm launching a new feature on my blog: "Featured Shop of the Month" and I can't wait to announce tomorrow who it is, and their awesome giveaway they're sponsoring for my lovely readers!

Thanks for reading
xoxo

Can't wait for spring? Here's four colorful eye looks to get ready!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:29:00 +0000

Are you as excited for spring as I am? Here's four warmer-weather inspired looks to get you excited!

The first look was done using Honey Pot & Push-Up from the Too Faced Natural Eyes palette and it's my favorite one, by far, because it's so war and summer-like!

The second look is using the Wet 'n Wild Petal Pusher palette because I wanted a soft but powerful purple eye. It really compliments brown eyes, too!

The third look reminds me of a candy shop! I use the CoverGirl trio palette in Firecracker, plus an elf mineral eyeshadow in Beachy to get a striking, bright, colorful look! Mainly, I was just trying to get over the dark colors of winter.

The last look is honestly a bit random. I used my Prestige Cosmetics Total Intensity eyeliner in Lively Turquoise, but I wanted to even it out with some black, so I ended up throwing a black liquid eyeliner in the middle of my eye. Weird, but I think it's got an editorial feel to it.

So what do you think? What's your favorite look to wear for the spring season? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading
xoxo

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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Monika Chiang fashion week inspired nail design

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:33:00 +0000

With all the great nail designs that have premiered at recent fashion weeks my favorite has been the Monika Chiang nails which you can check out the originals here! I love the combo of orange with metallic gold & I received so many compliments while wearing them!

The colors I used are Models Own Hedonist and Revlon's Gold Coin.

I highly recommend giving this design a try! It's a definite eye-catcher because the colors are so striking together. I want to try this again but with a more orange base.

So what do you think? Will you give this design a go? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading & if you love it, pin it!
xoxo

K. is the editor and founder of A Thing of Beauty. When she's not blogging or testing products K. is a full time journalism student.
To contact K., please email athingofbeautyblog@aol.com or tweet @Kathingofbeauty

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