Wednesday, May 27, 2015

First Nordstrom Rack (mini) Haul!

   Okay, of all the beauty groups I frequent on facebook I kept hearing about this magical place called Nordstrom Rack. Every time I'd hear it my curiosity would peak. I searched far and wide and lo and behold we have ONE whole Nordstrom Rack store in all of Tennessee, located in Brentwood, Tennessee (a little out piece of Nashville.) So when I went for my last oncology appointment, we snuck off to this magical land of Nordstrom Rack! I had hope to find UD palettes (since I won none!) But to no avail. I did find a few pretties though.
   I picked up a Toofaced single shadow in Cop A Teal. It's a pretty (incandescent almost) shimmery shade of teal. It is gorgeous! They go for around $19, but I scored this one for $4.97! That's a massive discount.
Next up, I was searching for UD palettes but they had none :(. My husband knew how badly I wanted one, so when he saw UD 24/7 liquid liners he ushered me over pretty quickly. I ended up getting Siren. It's a beautiful turquoise-ish shade. I found it for $4.99! 
They did have quite a few different palettes there. Smashbox, Stila, and Lorac, from what I gathered. I ended up picking up a Stila "The Natural" palette since I own nothing from Stila yet either. All of these shadows are so creamy and buttery, I just couldn't get over that. It came with 6 shadows, a bronzer, and an all over shimmer. 
And the last palette I picked up was the Lorac 'The resort Palette'. I believe it was a special at Ulta at some point. I picked it up for $14.00 anyway. It's a decent little palette. It came with 6 eye shadows, 2 blushes, a bronzer, and a highlighter. Can't beat Lorac quality for that price!
Over all I'd say this was a decent score for $40 bucks. I definitely cannot wait to go back to Nordstrom Rack, they've gained a lifetime customer.
If you know of things they carry that you think I should try, leave a comment below and let me know, or any other comments or concerns. <3
 **This is NOT a sponsored post. I bought these products with my own money.**

Monday, May 25, 2015

The beginning of a sub box addiction!

   Everyone has known someone who's mentioned subscription boxes, or bought one or two. I tried Birchbox for a while, but even with the amazing points system- I grew tired of tiny samples. They were totally worth the $10 a month, just not what I desired in a sub box. So, then came Ipsy and Lip Monthly. Ipsy is $10 also, and again small sample sizes, but worth every penny and then some if you're out to try many brands. Lip Monthly on the other hand, let's just say they got their customer service skills from sharks. They want to take your money and send you broken or expired lip products. No thanks! That brings us to Boxy Charm.
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   This company claims to send 4 to 5 full size or deluxe samples each month for $21, and the value is quite a bit more normally. I was sold on full sized. I received my first box mid May. I looked at all the sneak peeks, so I already knew what I was getting, but I was excited nonetheless.
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   Mays theme was Bold & Beautiful, and they encouraged going beyond your comfort zones. Here is a list of the products in this box (photos included).
  1. ModelCo Bronze Shimmer (full size) retails for $22.
It's said that it's perfect for creating a warm tan with a hint of shimmer. As scare as shimmer bronzer sounds, it's actually not too overpowering. You can find this bronzer at www,modelcocosmetics.com
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   2.  The Lip Bar Lipstick (full size) retails for $20- in the color Purple Rayne.
A blend of vitamin E, Shea butter, and avocado oil, they definitely leave the lips moisturized, while leaving you with a nice wash of color. With just one swipe, you get a hint of color. With 2 or more swipes, it becomes a beautiful opaque purple. The packaging is to die for. The lipstick even comes in a soft protector pouch. Photo below of swatches (1 swipe vs 2 swipes)
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   3. Bodycology Essential Brow Trio (full size) retails for $19. 
For those of you who can't leave the house without doing your brows, this is one of those products you must have! There is a shade for every skin-tone / complexion.
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4. Bodycology Brow Brush (full size) retails for $19. 
This is a dual ended brush. One end has the slanted end perfect for applying the powders to your brows, the other end has a spoolie for distributing the color better.You can find these at www.bodyography.com I will leave a photo below to show the beautiful packaging. 
****(pictured above with the trio)
   5. Lauren B. Beauty Nail Polish (full size) retails for $18. Color- Sunset Blvd
It claims to be quick drying, chip resistant, and long lasting. It's also vegan-friendly which I love. It's an orangey-coral color, perfect for spring and summer. 
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   The Verdict? I was highly impressed with BoxyCharm. This is my new go to sub box. The over all value of this box was $98!  If you would like to sign up, I will leave my referral link below. Just click it and it will take you to sign up, here!

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Framedart.com is it worth the investment?

   I've been looking into getting my beauty room in order, looking for odds and ends to make it more beauty-friendly. I was approached by a company rep from Framedart.com to review a print, any print of my choice. Of course, I chose a lipstick print. I just knew it would look gorgeous in my beauty room! As you can see below, I love it!

 I thought it was quite beautiful, and fitting for a beauty room.You can customize it for your self.  You can choose the backing and matting, whatever colors you want. You can even choose the frame and the glass. I chose the red over white, since the lipstick is red. It is a well built art print. It's sturdy, the metal frame isn't sharp around the edges, and it's lightweight so it can be hung just about anywhere. It even comes with these fancy metal wires, so you can hang it properly.
I am absolutely in love with this wall art. I can't wait to buy a few more, as they have an array of choices. Nearly anything you can imagine, they probably have it available-from makeup to movies, sports, actors. It really is a vast list. If you want to check out other lipstick prints (or makeup related prints) click here! But beware, you're going to want to buy all of them. 
I just can't get over the professional quality they put into this wall art. Not to mention their customer service team rocks.  If you're wondering if you should try them out, YES YOU SHOULD! :) They have amazing products at affordable prices that fit any budget, and they work with you to make your print the best possible for you. 

**Per FTC rules, this was a sponsored post. I did receive this product for review in exchange for my honest opinion.** 


Friday, May 22, 2015

Big Gay Ice Cream book review

   I love ice cream, and we eat it year round. As you can imagine the cost adds up fairly quick. We decided to compromise and attempt making our own ice cream. Upon receiving Big Gay Ice Cream by Bryan Petroff and Douglas Quint forward by Anthony Bourdain, I realized that delicious treats would no be too hard a task after all. Firstly, look at this book. It's beautiful!
It reads like a yearbook, which was interesting. It follows Bryan and Douglas throughout their relationship and into buying and running an ice cream truck. 
There are simple recipes from vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, to complicated recipes like rocky road and Bea Arthur chunky ice cream (all of which sound delectable.) There are instructions on how to make toppings and sauces, even their well known "awesomesauce".
   We tried our hand at making plain chocolate.  It looked more like poo, but it was creamy and yummy. 
If you want to find out more about this book, click here.
If you're curious to know more about the authors, click here.

**I received this book free to review for my honest opinion from Blogging for Books**

Friday, May 1, 2015

Go Ahead & Like It by Jacqueline Suskin

   I used to write, so much that it consumed my days. I actually passed 6th grade English only attending class 1 day a week. The rest of the week my teacher gave me a pen and a notebook and sent me about the campus writing about what I saw. Eventually life happened, and I wrote less and less, but the writer in me is still there somewhere.
  Go Ahead & Like It by Jacqueline Suskin has opened a door for me to begin writing again. My writers block is melting away like an ice cream sandwich left in the sun.  This book is perfect for those with writers block, or those who just want a little inspiration to write. There are 72 pages of reasons you should write lists, and photos of other's lists to give you an idea of where to begin.



   Each list starts with "I Like", and offers a way to come out of our shells and really think about the things we like /dislike about ourselves or our lives. I believe when we discover these, we can work on ourselves a little more on a deeper level to correct what we don't like and turn it into a positive.
   Jacqueline offers a unique perspective on writing, and I honestly couldn't put this book down until I finished it! Make sure you have a pen and pad ready when you begin reading it, you may feel inspired to write your own!  If you'd like a little more info on the book, click here! More info about poet and author Jacqueline Suskin, click here!
    I'm including a list of my own below, in case you're wondering what I could possibly like. <3 




**I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.**