Dinosaur Egg Nails with Zoya & Essie

Hi friends :)

I started a new job today, and my nails were looking pretty shabby - so I figured it was time to upgrade. I got both of these polishes in Birchboxes (February & March).

I love how this glitter has two different sizes to it. It reminds me of dinosaur eggs :)

The bottom color is by Zoya and it's called Megan. Zoya polishes run $8 each & I am a really big fan of this color of spring. It's listed on the website as being in the gray family - but I honestly think it looks lilac to me. There is a definite purple tone going on.

The glitter is by Essie and it's called Set in Stones. This polish also runs $8 and even though it's a just topcoat - I absolutely love it. Unlike a lot of glitter top coats that don't distribute evenly and end up looking weird and clumpy on your nails - Set in Stones applied perfectly on my first try. I am really skeptical with these "various glitter sizes" type polishes, but this did not disappoint in the least. If you're tired of dabbing the brush angrily on your nails trying to get the bigger glitter specks in the right place, quit driving yourself nuts and invest in this polish. Plus - silver looks great over just about any color.

If you'd like to purchase either polish - just click the name links above :) Those will take you directly to the corresponding websites.

Five Favorites Video... Featuring Luna.

Out of all of the emails I get from readers, I have found that you guys are really interested in the crap that I use on my face everyday. I opted for the video format just because any lengthy posts can get a little bit annoying to read - so I figured this would be more entertaining for you all. Let's be honest, when you see a blog post that rivals one of the Harry Potter books in terms of length, you click right back to Facebook or Twitter or whatever you were doing and continue like you never even saw the damn thing.

I'm recovering from some allergy/sinus issues - so I'm sorry if I sound nasally lol.. I also want to give a disclaimer that there is an attention seeking italian greyhound in this video that wants nothing more than for me to throw her tennis ball. Enjoy.

Tarte Lip Tint ($24.00) <- apparently the color I showcased isn't available through the site, but there is a very similar shade called "joy"
Senna Matte Eyecolor in Blend ($16.50)
e.l.f. Mineral Foundation + SPF15 in Light ($5.00)
Kat Von D Sin-Full Lash Mascara ($19.00) <- not as bad as I thought price-wise

Never hesitate to email me suggestions, comments, or questions! I love hearing from each and every one of you! You can direct everything to unnecessarydrama@gmail.com!

Senna Gets Springy With It

I'll tell you what - Senna treats me like a freaking princess. I am extremely grateful to have a relationship with them & I will forever sing their praises. Not only do they make extremely high-quality makeup that I am always impressed with, they are an all-around good company.

About a week ago, they sent me over a few of their new shades for Spring. I usually change up my makeup routine fairly dramatically when the weather gets warmer & these seem to fit in pretty well with what I do with my face in the Spring. I tend to stay away from super dark colors and I definitely play around with brighter colors a little bit more. I don't know - something just feels wrong about celebrating Easter with black smokey eyes and an obscene amount of bronzer.

So here's what I will be gushing about in this post:

Pressed Powder Blush in Tres Jolie - $18.50

Velvet Eyeliner in Black Violet - $18.00

First of all, Senna's packaging is really awesome, as always. Second - I want to add in that the eyeliner has a smudge tip on the opposite end which I forgot to take a picture of.

Anyhow, the blush is nice on my skin tone. I am pretty pale, but I have a little hint of olive in my skin. The website describes the color as a "clear glowing pink" which is pretty accurate. It has just a tiny little hint of shimmer to it, but I definitely wouldn't classify it as sparkly. This is a huge plus in my book because I don't enjoy looking like I dunked my head in a vat of pearlescent glitter.

Looks pretty natural, just a little color which is all you really need.

Oh yeah - I cut all my hair off, too..

Next, this freaking eyeliner applies like butter, I'm not even kidding. I get really annoyed whenever I get a new eyeliner and I have to shove it into my eyelid with the strength of Jesus in order for it to spit any type of color out onto my skin. Fresh out of the package - this eyeliner goes on smooth and really pigmented. 

I have issues with purple liner and shadows because if they're not dark enough, they can make me look like I'm sick. This shade is called "black violet" and even though I was skeptical, I found that it's just dark enough and doesn't have that "pinkish" color to it whenever its smudged out. I like to take colored eyeliners and apply them thick, then smudge them out around my eyes. I usually don't pair it with shadow, just a little bit of black liner and some black mascara. It's kind of a happy medium between smokey eyes and light makeup. With a pop of color - it's a really cute and easy look:

Senna also makes this really easy since they include the smudge tip right on the other side of the liner tube. Really quick and easy, and it's a nice medium between too heavy and too light. Perfect if you feel like a full-on smokey eye looks too harsh on you.

And if you have blue eyes like me - purple makes your eyes pop.. a lot :)

So if you'd like to try either of these products, you can find them both on Senna's website at www.sennacosmetics.com. I want to take the time to send a big THANK YOU their way for making me one of their trusted blogging partners, as well. They're a great company, and I hope you will all give them a try if you haven't already! Hope you all had a great Easter, as well!

Born Pretty Review - Nail Art Brushes

As you may have picked up from the last post, I have been somewhat into nail art lately. I do my nails at least once a week & at some point in time - this happened:

.. don't judge me.

But I have been really into the "skinny brushes" lately & aside from a few I picked up at 5 below - I didn't have many color options. Then, I got a really sweet offer from a website called "Born Pretty" that sells a lot of different beauty supplies, but focuses mainly on nail art. They're a china wholesale site, but you don't have to order 16 of anything to get a good deal. The prices are really affordable and I was impressed at the quality of the polishes I received from them. So just because it's China wholesale - don't assume you're getting crappy products :)

Also, everything ships for free and within 24 hours. Which is really rare for a site like this.

So anyways, I chose to review the 9 piece acrylic UV gel nail art kit. That's a really long name. In short - they're skinny brush polishes that are glittery and actually have some color to them. The whole 'having a background color" and not just being clear polish with glitter in it was a big plus for me. You don't need to coat them 30 times & they're not clumpy like a lot of other glitter polishes either.

If you order 1 set (you get all 9 colors) - it runs $8.07.. But it's wholesale, so if you get more than one, the price goes down. This site would be great for Christmas presents, so keep that in mind.

Anyways - I pulled this off with them:

It reminds me of Fruit Stripes gum :) But that was one coat.. didn't have to go over any of the stripes a second time. Very clutch.

If you're into doing your nails pretty, it's definitely a site to check out. Aside from polishes - there are a ton of nail art decorations (stickers, slices, nail dangles, etc...) so you can really put together some cute designs with the stuff they have available. If you were thinking about ordering, they were nice enough to send me a 5% code from unnecessary drama readers :) So enjoy! Take advantage.

The website is:

http://www.bornprettystore.com

Erin With The Christmas Win & December Birchbox!

My Roommate Erin is beautiful:

This is her enjoying the sweet smell of summer back in 2010

But really.. We have been best friends since 9th grade & now live together. We are somewhat of an odd pairing seeing as to how I am clearly very into makeup and hair stuff and all that jazz and erin prefers to keep things pretty simple. Cite this picture for evidence... I refer to it as "the odd couple":

So when Erin got me something for Christmas that involves makeup.. I about died. And ON TOP OF THAT - it was something I had never even heard of and it is really quite awesome. It's called Birchbox & each month you get a little box filled with some "deluxe size samples" of various beauty products. You fill out a little profile of your hair and skin type and what you're most interested in, so every member gets something unique to them each month. Really a cool idea & I get to try new stuff every month which is big for me.

So my first ~shipment~ came & I was like HOLY CRAP THIS PACKAGING IS CUTE. Unfortunately, I ripped it off & ruined it before I could take a pic, but it came in a little UPS box that was pink and had white snowflakes all over it. But once you open it, the box that the products come in is really cute, too:

When you open it up, it comes with a little card that lists all of the items (including their price if you want to buy them full size) & a short description of each:

This month, this is what I got:

1. Yogini Perfume - Not really my thing. It smells a little "old woman-y" to me, but the card says it has notes of sandalwood, egyptian myrrh, and grapefruit.

2. Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo - I have tried this stuff before & was really excited to get the small can because it's easy to take with me when I travel. It's $23 for the big can, but I've found that with my sort of "combination" hair type - this is one of the best dry shampoos out there.

3. Jouer Moisturizing Lipgloss in Birchbox Pink - Check this out - a special color just for Birchbox... FANCY!! And I really love this stuff. It's a really pretty hot pink color that goes on just sheer enough that it doesn't look too overpowering with one coat, but if you double up it's a nice little pop of color. 

4. I-Care Waterproof Eyeliner by Laura Geller in Caffe Mocha - I really really like this liner. It's a darker brown & doesn't have that reddish undertone that a lot of brown liners do. And I freaking hate that, so I was happy with this one. It also has the little smudge tool on the opposite end which is a big plus for me. Apparently (according to the card) it is ~laced with skin-soothers to nourish my eye area~.. So there's that, too.

5. Show Stoppers Designer Fashion Tape - Haven't had a chance to use them yet, but they're double sided tape strips that ensure your tits don't pop out of low-cut shirts. The card puts its a bit more elegantly saying that they "ensure your party dress stays perfectly in place" but let's be honest....

6. ReCharge EBOOST Orange Natural Energy Booster Mix - I cannot wait to try this whenever I go back to work tomorrow after Christmas break. Deep down I'm hoping I don't like it because its almost $30 for 20 packets, but it's a drink mix that you put into water that gives you a natural energy boost. I'll report back with my results, but I'm pumped to give it a whirl.

If you're interested in trying Birchbox, you can click here to check out their website. If you're shopping for a beauty lover, there isn't a more unique gift out there. Once my membership is up - I'm considering renewing just to keep a fresh arsenal of stuff to review on deck especially since they are partnered with awesome brands. I'll keep you updated with what I get every month. Shout out to Erin for the present. You didn't dun goof.

Down with Dry Shampoo

I like a good shower, yes. I don't enjoy smelling bad and being clean is something I would say I am particularly fond of. But there are days. And if you're sitting there like "ew" right now - shut the HELL up because I know you have them, too.

To cut straight to the chase, there are some days where my hair looks somewhat greasy and I just don't have time to take a shower. Plain and simple.

So when dry shampoo came into my life, I felt something like this:

I've tried my fair share of these little wonders and honestly - there has only been one that I have said "you suck" to and tossed in the can. The rest of them do a pretty good job. They're obviously not meant to tackle a mane that hasn't been washed in weeks. If that's the case, you need a hell of a lot more than a freaking aerosol can to solve your problems. But if you have greasy bangs syndrome or your roots need a boost so you can go about your day without being judged... well, these will do the trick.

Let me give you a rundown:

1. Ojon Rub Out Dry Cleansing Spray $24

2. Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo Spray $5

3. Oscar Blandi Invisible Dry Shampoo $23

4. Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo $6

5. Tresemme Fresh Start Foam "Dry" Shampoo $5

Ojon - It's the most expensive of the bunch and rightfully so. It does a pretty freaking good job and doesn't leave your hair feeling totally weighed down. It definitely leaves a little bit of a "white residue" so if you have darker hair.. probably not going to be your favorite. Smells like baby powder - not terrible. But to me, this one had the most grease sucking power. You absolutely have to brush it out though.. so if you have curlier locks - you might end up with some frizz. You can rub it out a bit, but I found that the whiteness is really only beaten with a brush.

Tresemme Spray - I have tried both of the Tresemme dry shampoos and this is definitely the better of the two, but I still wouldn't say I recommend it. After trying other brands, I don't even really use this one anymore. The things that turns me off about it is that #1 - it's SUPER white when it dries on and #2 - it actually goes on kind of.. wet. The other sprays are almost like a powder when they go on. This is like.. more of a hairspray? Yeah, it dries and sort of does what it's supposed to - but if you need a quick fix... not the best choice. The few times I've used this, I've ended up pulling my hair back and saying screw it... so it doesn't really do the trick for me.

Oscar Blandi - It's another of the more expensive options, but I'm a fan of it. The smell is sort of similar to Ojon and I used this one whenever my hair was on the darker side. The "whiteness" is not nearly as bad as most other dry shampoos. It does give you a little bit of a tint, but it's nowhere near the same as Tresemme or Ojon (especially not Ojon). It was definitely more than just a "bang fix" for me, meaning I would use it all over my head when I needed de-greased, and it did the job. It's quick drying and you can easily work out any "whiteness" with your fingers.

Not Your Mother's - By far the best cheap option when it comes to dry shampoos. For only $6 - it's a great product that does what it promises. However, the can I had ran out very very quickly. I don't know if I just got a dud or if this is how they all operate - but I only got about 3 weeks out of the entire can... and I wasn't using it daily. It makes your hair a little on the stiffer side, but for me, this isn't a huge deal since when my hair is greasy my roots need a little help anyways. Overall, for the price - it's a great dry shampoo. If you can't spend $20+ - this is the way to go.

Tresemme Foam - Throw it in the trash. Not only does it make your hair wet (obviously), that's about all it does. I don't know what they were going for here, but consider the target missed.

Hope I helped. Let me know your favorites xo

Lash Control Mascara Review

I'm pretty sure every girl wants a good mascara. I know girls who could give a crap less about makeup and they still wear mascara. My friend Devney hasn't bought eyeshadow in like 5 years, but I'll tell you what she does text me about:

Mascara.

It's essential. I don't care who you are. Mascara can add that perfect amount of definition to your lashes without making you look over or under done. It's the great equalizer of makeup. The only issue is - it's really tough to find a good one. And after I tried the product I'm about to tell you about - I think I figured out where a lot of these mascara companies .. um .. screw the pooch? It all comes down to the wiper.

Meet LashControl. The mascara that lets you control how much mascara ends up on your brush. You can stop wiping it onto a tissue or fanning overly goopy eyelashes to dry them. It cleans up the mess for you before the applicator even comes out of the tube.

See those colored sections in the middle? You pinch them to remove excess product. Squeeze a little and you'll end up with a significant amount of product still on the brush. Squeeze a lot and you've got just enough product to coat your lashes and call it a day. 

The formulas are great, too - my favorite is the pink tube, which is the "lengthening and conditioning formula".. It really does a nice job of fanning out lashes & making them look full without being clumpy. If you're using this mascara and you're getting clumps - something is wrong lol. It literally could not be easier to make sure you've got the perfect amount of product on your brush. They also have a clear gloss for eyebrows which I really like because it's super annoying when you go to put clear mascara on your brows and the brush is OVERLY FULL of product. Not anymore.

You can easily layer the product without it flaking, too - which was a major bonus for me. It's a really smooth consistency for mascara.

The company is looking to add retail locations, but the list of where LashControl is available now can be found here.. Tubes run $16. If you have any questions about where to buy or if a retailer is coming into your area - contact jennifer@lashcontrol.com. They also have plenty of formulas in development - which is awesome since the product is officially one of my favorites now. It includes a water resistant formula, too :) Me likey.

Thanks to LashControl for the awesome opportunity. Hope you guys will check them out! xo

The NuMe Silhouette Styling Iron!

I recently had the pleasure of working with NuMe - a Europoean brand who just started offering their products to us folks in the United States. They're a salon brand & were made to fit the needs of stylists (aka - they've got it goin' on). I was given the opportunity to try out their Silhouette styling iron which promises to use this wild ion technology of the future that "seals moisture in the hair cuticle keeping your hair shiny, healthy and silky smooth." Sounds like something Judy Jetson would use & I am DIGGING IT.

Judy did have some kickass hair...

Anyhoo - The Silhouette iron has a "no-slip grip" so its got a rubbery texture on the outside, but it's really smooth at the same time. It's textured, too - so it looks pretty :) Has sort of a quilted vibe. It's an extremely high quality iron (hands down the best I've ever used) & it does have 100% ceramic plates. Another thing I noticed right off the bat was that the plates kind of .. float? I know it's specific to NuMe irons, but it's really cool because it allows for perfect alignment each and every time you clamp down. Pretty innovative.

The packaging is awesome, too. The box has a magnet closure and is made of sturdy cardboard - so it'll actually make a nice little storage bin, too. In the lid of the box (and in a pamphlet included under the iron), NuMe throws in some styling tips on how to use the iron to create different looks. This totally helped me since I was pretty clueless on how to do the curls :)

I dig an iron that can multitask because my vanity space is limited. If I have to have a curling iron and a straightener plugged in at the same time - one of them is getting knocked off of my minuscule dresser thing and directly onto my bare foot. The fact that this iron can not only straighten, but create volume-y waves and curls is freaking PERFECT. The barrels are rounded, so there's no weird kinky dent things going on, either. The Jetson's technology NuMe uses also reduces static. And GOD KNOWS I hate static more than anything. Know when you run a straightener through your hair and POOF - you pull it off and your hair sticks to your face and intrudes your lipgloss? Yeah. The Silhouette doesn't do that. It doesn't even think about doing that. Talk about winning.

So here are some examples of what the iron can do. And for the record, yes - half my head is different from the other in that first picture :P You can do big curls, flip ends under & amp roots up with volume, or just straighten for a nice sleek look. You can honestly tell the difference with this straightener as opposed to other brands in the sense that it really leaves hair shiny. Not greasy or flat - but all-around healthy looking.

This iron is definitely an investment piece. It currently retails for $300 (find it here on the NuMe site), but you've gotta keep in mind - this is a professional brand so you're going to get salon quality results each and every time you use it. You can adjust the heat & for as hot as it can get, it gets there pretty quickly. All around, I'm really impressed.

Coincidentally, my friend Sierra is running a NuMe giveaway on her blog right now. You'll get an iron and a bunch of NuMe products if you win, so if you're interested - definitely give it a shot. If you win and it's because you clicked my link - just know you owe me something somewhere along the line ;) You can click here to check out her post.

If any of you have any questions about the brand or the products or anything - always feel free to comment below or email me at kelspot@gmail.com. I hope you're all having a great week! Talk to you soon.

Sephora's "Say Hello" Hello Kitty Palette

I am a Hello Kitty NERD. The ULTIMATE. I have a Hello Kitty build-a-bear, my iPod has a Hello Kitty skin on it, I have a Hello Kitty wallet/planner/glasses case, there is a Hello Kitty decal on my car, etc... While I am usually not a fan of cartoon character overkill - I like to think I do Hello Kitty in the classiest way possible. Nothing I own is tacky and I choose my battles with the sacred cat very carefully.

So when Sephora was like "hey we're gonna make a whole Hello Kitty line" - I just about crapped my pants. I trusted Sephora to do it in the non-cheesiest way possible & judging by the packaging, I'd say they accomplished that. They have some cute blinged out stuff, too - but I'm not paying $50 for a mirror shaped like Hello Kitty covered in rhinestones.

Anyways - I got two things from the collection. One is the "Say Hello" palette which includes 4 eyeshadows and 4 solid lipglosses. The other was a small bottle of the perfume which is apparently just called "Hello Kitty fragrance". I hope the marketing team didn't hurt themselves coming up with that one.

This is the Say Hello palette in SUPER FUN (lol). 

It's available only at Sephora & if you want to buy it online, 

it's available here through their website for $35.

So what did I think? Hmm.. Well. Honestly - I don't think it's worth $35. While I love the packaging to death (99.9% of the reason I chose this product over the others) - the colors are umm.. okay? I'm actually pretty sure I had this EXACT same quad in like 9th grade and it was from CVS. I was hoping that the line would produce some funkier, bolder shades but mmmmmnot so much. The other palette has all lighter shades (mint green, medium brown, lilac, & white) and didn't appeal to me at all - so I figured if I was going to try one, this would be it. I do think the sweet plum color is pretty, but the black & metallic gray are pretty standard and the sugarplum lilac color doesn't have a ton of pigmentation.

And uhhh.. where's the highlight color? I'm not putting lilac on my brow bone. Nice try, though. I know it's not a requirement to have a highlight color somewhere in the palette, but I'm just saying - it'd be nice. Especially since they kind of market this as an "all-in-one" kit.

The lipglosses don't get swatches. Because even though they have color in the picture - they have none on your lips. They all smell like grape & they claim to have like grape seed oil in them so I guess they're moisturizing & shit. Honestly, I'm probably never going to use them lol. Takes a good 3-4 swipes with the ol' finger to get a little bit of shine & since they're underneath the eyeshadows - I forget they exist.

Just being honest.

The perfume is alright. The bottle is shaped like her head, so once again packaging - YOU WIN. I got it with my beauty insider points, so it was free. Not sure if they still have that promo going on, but if you're interested - just ask your local Sephora chick. I got it in-store, not online. The website says it has "notes of green apple and Japanese fruits". They also claim that it will make you smile inside.Can't attest to the second one, but I can tell you that I definitely get a citrus vibe from it. Good not great - I'm more of a fan of light floral scents, honestly. But if you like citrus - maybe give it a shot. 

Overall, Hello Kitty looks better on my car/planner/wallet/glasses case than she does in my makeup collection. It's $35 that you could spend on a better quality palette. Learn from my mistakes, pretty ladies. Don't let the packaging seduce you.

Toki Doki Robbery Palette!

Watch the full video review below :)

^ deep in thought - _ -
i cannot win with still screens.

Swatches:

(Sorry that the bronzer/blushes are a bit hard to see - 

remember that they're not shadows, so they're a little bit milder in pigmentation) 

The TokiDoki Robbery palette is available at Sephora. I bought it for $49, but they actually lowered the price $10 since then - so you can score it for just $39. Lucky bitches!! :) Click here to take advantage & order directly through the Sephora website. They say it's a $149 value.. don't know how true that is but hey - sure makes it sounds like you're getting one hell of a deal ;) Let me know if you'll be picking it up.

Enjoy! xo

Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Volume 1 Review

Really? The worst still screen ever?

Ugh - Just click play.. lol

Swatches as promised :)

The Tattoo Chronicles Palette by Kat Von D is available

here (through Sephora) for $39.

Smoky Shadow Blast Review... Puke.

Well hello there everybody. I realize it's been about a month and a half since my last post, and while I do apologize for that, it was nice to take a break from blogging and reviewing products. Not only has it given me a chance to really try out stuff and add some new favorites to my arsenal to tell you guys about... it's given me a chance to miss writing. So it feels good to be back.

I have alot of shit to talk about, but I'm going to start with a post I've gotten alot of freaking questions about.

I had gotten emails about trying the whole Covergirl "Smoky Shadow Blast" stick before, but it wasn't until one of the girls I nanny asked about it that I considered giving it a try. Ana is 13 and just starting to get into makeup. She's the oldest of the bunch so she doesn't have an older sister to steal stuff from or ask what does and doesn't suck. That is where I come into play. The bottom line is, some people want no frills no fuss makeup solutions. The easier the better. This totally intrigued Ana since they made it seem so simple and awesome in the commercial. They had Drew Barrymore running around making out with the stuff, wearing fake eyelashes and giggling. So being the kickass nanny that I am - I went out and bought one of these little $7 wonders from wal-greens to try for myself.

This one is "silver sky".. They have a bunch of colors but to me, this one seemed the most.. practical. The base color is basically platinum and the other end is a dark plummy color for the crease.

Number one - upon uncapping I noticed the crease color had like .. a waxy buildup on it. Immediately off to a bad start. I swatched the colors and I mean, while I didn't have to scribble on my hand for hours - I certainly didn't get alot of color with one swipe. Be prepared to inflict alot of pressure on your precious eyeballs to get any sort of pigmentation. 

The colors are super shiny looking, too.. Which doesn't always come to mind for me when I think "smoky eye". It's another turn off in my book.

Bottom line, the product feels greasy and creases like it's nobody's freaking business. I even used a primer (kat von d's - which is like freaking PUTTY, so if you're creasing on that... shit is bad) and everytime I blinked - I had a line. I put the crease color on and .. I just got mad. When I think SMOKY EYE - I don't think of HARSH LINES. with this... you have no choice. If you try and blend it out, say peace out to the color because it's going to wipe right off. The applicator on the crease color is shaped in a manner that there is no "subtle" application. It's either stab your eyeball's crease with a wedge shaped wax stick or go home. And it's just as oily feeling as it's silver friend. Perhaps they should call this stuff "grease ball shadow blast" instead, because that's the result you end up with.

Check out that sharp line in the crease lol.. I tried to blend it out a teeeeny tiny bit and here's what I ended up with:

Where has the purple gone???? Oh there it is. All over my effing finger.

Honestly - if you want a good smokey eye, buy an eyeshadow palette & a decent makeup brush and practice. With a little bit of blending, you can end up with a way nicer look than this mud stick will give you. Trust.

Hot Lips for Chilly Weather

Hola Ladies!

I've had some product reviews building up that I've been needing to do, and when it dawned on me that 4 of the products that needed reviewing were lippies, I figured I'd roll them all into one post. Before I even start, I wanna thank Duchess, Crazy Rumors, and Senna for sending me the following products to check out.

With cold weather upon us and the holidays right around the bend (47 days until Christmas) - there are two things that you need to be worried about when it comes to your luscious lips:

Number one - keeping them protected. Dry, cold air is a bitch & chapped lips are an even bigger bitch. Even if your lips aren't chapped right now, keeping them moisturized all the time will prevent this painful and seriously unfortunate looking epidemic from striking you.

Number two - looking hot. You're going to be going to holiday parties and all that jazz. You need something for Thanksgiving dinner that won't make Grandma think you're a hussy AND you need something that turns the heat up a couple notches when Gram isn't around. I've got you covered on both ends.

"Crazy Rumors" is a fun company that prides itself on using all natural ingredients and fun flavors. They sent me 2 of their lip balms - a Mocha from their "perk" line and an Orange Bergamot from their "brew" line. Coffee and tea lovers, get down, because you're going to love these. They're definitely a bit more scented than most lip balms, but I like them because there are no funky ingredients - which I think is super important if you're going strictly for the benefit of your lips. Plus, they smell way better than those medicated, store brand balms & let's face it: they're fun! They have a ton of varieties and they're all reasonably priced, too ($3.99 per balm). Check out their all natural, cruelty free, vegan brand here.

Here's my Thanksgiving dinner friendly suggestion, which is brought to us by the lovies over at Duchess Cosmetics. I love Duchess lip glosses because they:

1. are not sticky at all, but they're still glossy without feeling oily

2. smell like citrus and vanilla had a delicious love child

and 3. feel and look lightweight,

which is perfect if you don't want to feel/look overdone.

Let's admit that while I may love hot pink lip gloss with gold glitter in it, it's not always practical. This particular color is called "Kate" and if you have a fair skin tone like I do - this is kind of that happy medium plummy color that compliments everything. It's great for fall because it's not too intense, but it definitely gives you a pop of color. They run $18 a tube, so they're more of an investment, but it's a great go-to lipgloss that won't let you down. See all the colors on the Duchess website.

And now my friends, it's time to get Saucy. This lipgloss is freaking hot. The picture does not do the color justice, but it looks to me like your lips are throwing a hot holiday banger and whoever looks at them will want to be invited.

It's that good.

The color is called "LUSH" and Senna describes it as a "gold flecked berry". It's a little bit thicker than most glosses, meaning it is a little stickier - but if you plan on doing a lot of talking, drinking, eating - you need something a little bit more heavy duty. It's a brand new color for fall and even though these pups are $19 a tube, you will get compliments on this gloss - it even looks sexy in the tube. Check it out & the rest of Senna's unreal colors on the Senna website. You've gotta have at least one in your collection.

Well, my ladies - there we have it. I hope those suggestions will come in handy when stocking up for the cold winter months. As always, questions and comments are welcome & I hope all of you have a great week ahead!

A Clean Face is a Happy Face

Well thanks to the wonders of my sinus infection - I'm up bright and early on my day off. So instead of laying in my bed tossing and turning, I figured I'd drag myself over to the computer & do a post I've been meaning to do for awhile now.

I think it's pretty common that us chicks are always looking for a good face wash/makeup remover. I can't even tell you how many I've tried - I've bought everything from drugstore brands to brands that cost wayyy more than they should. And to be honest with you, the ones that have impressed me the most are the ones that are reasonably priced and easy to get your hands on. I'm a strong believer in the fact that you don't have to pay alot for a good product. You don't need to spend $50 for makeup remover. And your face wash does not have to require you to take out a loan.

Now, for the record - I'd describe my skin as combination. I don't have a serious acne problem - but I am prone to breakouts if I don't seriously take care of my skin. If I go to sleep with makeup on, my skin will be a mess in the morning, so I can't afford to mess around.

Clean & Clear 3 in 1 Exfoliating Cleanser

($8 at drugstores)

Balms Away Eye Makeup Remover

($19.80 at Apothica.com)

The thing I like most about the Clean & Clear cleanser is the fact that the exfoliants in it don't make it feel like you're slowly ripping your skin off with sandpaper. It's a super gentle formula, and when you wash it off, it makes your skin seriously feel cold - and it's super refreshing. I use it a lot in the shower and my skin feels tighter, smoother, and softer afterwards. I like the fact that it doesn't only clear breakouts - but it helps prevent future breakouts. I can honestly say that in the month I've been using this, my skin has never looked better. It's a pretty thick cream, too - so it's easy to apply and doesn't feel runny. The cream itself doesn't feel greasy or thick, so if you have oily skin, don't fear.

 Balms away was kind of a risk I took just because I was looking for something different to take off my eye makeup. Regardless of how awesome your face wash is, if you wear makeup - you need to use an eye makeup remover, too. Balms Away is in a balm form (obviously) and you just put a little the tips of your fingers, and then you rub the shit out of your eyes (which feels AMAZING). I usually do this before I wash my face since the formula is a bit greasy (it's full of lipids and vitamins which are great for keeping your lashes pretty), but even if you do it afterwards - just make sure you wipe it all off. If you plan on looking sexy while taking your makeup off - I will warn you that this makes you look a bit like a raccoon before you wipe it all off, but it does a great job at removing even clumpy mascara. It's also really convenient to take on trips because you don't have to worry about it spilling and the can is pretty compact. I slip it right in my makeup bag.

So if you're like every other girl who is constantly on the lookout for new products, give these two a try. I've been using both for a little over a month and my skin feels fantastic. If you guys have any questions or any other product recommendations - feel free to leave them in the comments below or just shoot me and email. Enjoy your weekends & try not to get sick like I am!! >:(