Lippie Review | Lime Crime Lipstick (Geradium)

Hello lovies! Hope you all had a good weekend! Today, I am writing my first ever Lippie Review! I decided to do this one on one of my most favorite lipsticks in my collection.

I bought this lipstick a little over a month ago, pretty much because everyone else on the planet has one so I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. Now this is a really big talked about company, Lime Crime. If you don't know about this company, they sell amazingly colored lipsticks. And when I mean amazing I mean they are crazy opaque colors. And not just your simple everyday lipstick colors. These are bright, fun, crazy colors. Some of them are so crazy, that it is very hard to see yourself wearing them out of the house. However, the one I ordered was one of the more wearable shades they offer.

I got the lipstick color Geradium and it is the perfect Barbie pink lipstick. The color glides on so smoothly and you only need a few swipes of it to really build up the color. However, I do recommend to really scrub you lips with a sugar scrub (I use lush sugar lip scrubs) and use a good chapstick to build a good canvas for your color to stick to. I recommend doing this with any lipsticks really, just to avoid any flakiness that may happen. Also, it helps the color to apply onto your lips more evenly.

The Lime Crime lipsticks are only sold online. I bought mine through eBay but they do have a website as well. The lipsticks are $18 each (not including shipping and taxes), and their popular shades do sell out quick and are usually not in stock when I try to order them. Now $18 for a lipstick may seem like a lot, but the thing with Lime Crime is that their lipsticks are vegan and cruelty free, which means there are no chemicals in their products and they are NOT tested on animals. I really appreciate that in a company, so to me $18 is a very reasonable price. 

 

So would I recommend this product to anyone? Yes I would. First of all the packaging is so cute!!! Who wouldn't want to have one of these in their collection. That was the main selling point for me. Secondly, the color is amazing and bright, and it is such a smooth consistency. And lastly, they are just so fun to play around. I am definitely ordering some more myself in the future to add to my collection. But if you are looking for a fun bright lipstick, this one is for you. And hats off to anyone who would wear the blue, yellow, or green shades out of the house!

Thanks for reading, and let me know if there is anything you want me to write about on my next post!

Makeup Haul!

Hello lovies! I hope you're day was fantastic. I decided to stop at Ulta today on my way home from work today and pick up some goodies. I was dying for a new palette to try out and play with and I was in need of some new makeup brushes.

First off, I really wanted to try out some of Too Faced products. Their packaging is so adorable and I hear many good things about them. I really wanted to try out the Chocolate Bar palette, but that was just not in my budget for this week. Plus I didn't want to spend $50 on another palette that I don't really know the quality of, because I never used this brand before. I normally stick to drug store, or Urban Decay palettes. I have never really stepped out of my comfort zone when trying out eyeshadows.



So I decided to grab the new Boudoir Eyes palette. It comes in 9 wearable shades that you can use day or night. They pretty much stick to the neutral side. Some are darker. So its a good mix, in my opinion. It is a tin palette, which I love! The only palette I own that is not tin is my Naked palette (the first one) and even though I love that palette so much, I hate that it isn't very sturdy to travel with. Speaking of traveling with, I believe this is the perfect palette to do that with. Not only because it is tin, but it is a relatively small size. And with all the varieties of colors it has you wouldn't need to bring another with. The palette also comes with a little How-To Glamour Guide, with 3 different looks (day, classic, and fashion) that show you step-by-step how to achieve.

Another thing I love about this palette is the shade names. They are so naughty! The three bigger ones on the side are In The Buff, Satin Sheets, and Birthday Suit (listed top to bottom). The smaller shades are Fuzzy Handcuffs, Sugar Walls, and Lap Dance (top to bottom middle) and also Voulez-Vous, Garter Belt, and French Tickler (top to bottom right). These names are so funny, I can't help but giggle. But I am also very excited to try them out and create some awesome looks.




The next thing I got, is the Real Techniques brushes. I really wanted to pick up a new blush brush because my Crown Brush blush brush just wasn't making me happy, and I do have the Real Techniques powder brush which I really loved, so I wanted to give it another try. But when I went into Ulta they were having a buy one get one 50% off, so I decided why not? So not only did I get a blush brush, I also picked up the stippling brush as well.

 

 

The last and final thing I got, was the NYC Expert Last lipstick. Normally, I will not opt to buy an NYC or a Wet and Wild lip stick because I feel like they just aren't very well formulated. I also have to be careful with what I do get for my lips, because they are extremely sensitive, and I'm allergic to any lippies with added scents to them. But this color was just gorgeous. And for $1.99 I mean c'mon, even if I use it once to try on it wouldn't kill me. I picked up the shade 405 Blue Rose and it's a very pretty violet red color with a blue undertone in it. When I swatched it, to my surprise, it was actually pretty decently vibrant to color. So we'll give this a shot and see how it goes.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed reading this! Let me know if there is any looks you want to see with the palette I just got, I am very excited to try it out. Thank you for reading!

 

Say Goodbye to Cabin Fever!

I hope everyone had a good weekend and a fantastic Easter! I sure did! The weather here was beyond perfect! It was so nice to finally be able to go outside without a jacket on and not be freezing. I have spent this whole weekend outside enjoying the sun and family.

Now since Easter has come and gone, I feel like spring has officially started. And with the weather that we have been having I couldn't be more excited for summer to come. But now that spring is here, I have realized how unhealthy my diet and my body has gotten because of this winter.

If you don't know, I live in Illinois near Chicago, and we have had one of the WORST winters in forever. We had what they called a "Polar Vortex" which brought in insanely cold temperatures. Cold as in Antarctica had warmer days then we did. So honestly I have thrown out any work outs or healthy eating habits that I was so used to. I can speak for many people in saying that this winter made us extremely lazy. It was torture going grocery shopping, so you would buy the bare minimal (which mostly consisted of chips and junk in my case), just so that you didn't have to stay out too long loading and unloading your car. Plus, our cars didn't work some days to go out and get descent food, so yes Ramen Noodles was a usual this winter.

Also, I have had a very rough time this winter with family issues. I was in and out of the hospital, visiting, practically everyday every second I could. There were times that I stayed at the hospital from the time visiting hours started to well after they were over. This made my diet horrible. I had a lot of fast food. And when I say a lot I mean McDonalds everyday sometimes even twice a day (can you say yuck!?). Plus, if you don't know, hospital food is EXPENSIVE! So cheap and gross were my only option.

I have also realized that getting back into my good habits is actually really hard! Now, I have never liked going to the gym. But I forced myself to. However, I just can't go for the life of me anymore. I am far too busy to drive 20 minutes to my gym. Also, cutting back my soda intake is the worst. I think I formed an addiction. I tried to quit a few weeks back, but I was getting the most insane migraines from caffeine withdrawals! So I gave myself quite a challenge now by trying to get back into my old ways.

But I do think I came up with a good plan that will eventually lead me on the right track. I just got to stick to it!

Now, I'm not a person who needs to go on a diet. I have an extremely fast metabolism. But I do like to be healthy. Which everyone should. You have only one body and this body is stuck with you for the rest of your life. Also, what you eat will effect what your kids eat too (even if you don't have kids now). It is extremely important to have a good healthy diet, and some sort of physical activity.

Now, I have already decided the gym isn't for me anymore. Also, I was diagnosed with a horribly pinched nerve in my neck a few weeks ago, which means no heavy lifting. So the gym is not an option. What I am doing though is yoga! I also jog outside. There's tons of apps that will monitor how fair you run and will record it for you. Plus I love being able to see the scenary instead of just running on a treadmill in one spot. (Make it an adventure!)

I was doing yoga a couple months back and alternating between that and going to the gym. And I loved it. So I decided to get back on that. There are many different types of yoga you can do. And guess what? You don't have to go anywhere. Which makes it very good for me. I have a yoga mat and I use the Yoga Studio app on my IPhone to download classes that they go through with you step by step. Also, YouTube is a great place to find videos if you are just starting out to help you nail down the basics. The best thing about yoga is you can suck! You do not have to be a health nut to do yoga. If you feel your muscles stretching you're doing it right. You don't have to bend and flex as much as they do, you go at the pace and stances you are comfortable with.

I also am coaching a U-12 soccer team. So that means I am coaching a bunch of 11 and 12 year olds, and I want to give them the tools to live a healthy lifestyle too. So yes, I run and stretch and play with them. I think it is very important to do what you are telling your kids to do.

Now on to my diet. This is the hardest. Cutting out junk food and sweets will be hard. But it is possible. I plan on going to Trader Joes and buying some healthier alternatives to satisfy my cravings. And I will make sure to pack a water bottle with me everyday for work/school so I am not as tempted to reach for the soda. 

Trying to be healthy is hard, but don't make it stressful. Remember, if you slip it's okay. Life does get in the way and being healthy sometimes isn't possible everyday. But don't make that an excuse. Try your hardest and don't give up. You have one life to live, why not make it a good one? Focus on the good and not the bad and you will reach you're goal.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed.
Stay tuned. Hugs and kisses!
<3

Best Thing for Your Eyebrows

Now if you're like me, you are in desperate need of something to fill in those brows! Back in the day, it was the coolest thing ever to have super thin eyebrows. I have spent many years plucking these suckers so they were a thin line that they just wont grow where I want them to grow anymore. It's not even thickness that I have a problem with. No it get's worse. My eyebrows aren't long enough!

I have spent a long time searching for something, somewhere, that could do these poor bad boys some justice. Something to fill them in and give me eyebrows half as nice as Lucy Hale's (super jelly). I have tried E.L.F, N.Y.X, Maybelline, you name it an I've tried it. And now they were good, don't get me wrong, I just wanted something that made them look a little more natural. I felt like every other product gave me descent eyebrows that you could tell were drawn in.

And then, out on a crazy spending whim, I decided to pick up the Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil. Okay yeah, you have heard it before. This product is ALL over YouTube. You can't go on someone's channel without an eyebrow tutorial with this product somewhere in their videos section. But I kid you not, this does wonders! The best part about it is that it comes in more than just blonde, ash, brown, or black. This company made inbetweeners! They are genius! My hair is currently black, and I'm sorry I don't care who says it, black hair and black eyebrows aren't cute! It's not even natural!
(Rule of thumb for eyebrows: go two shades lighter. It's always easier to add more then take away.)

I have bought the Brow Wiz in the color Brunette, and I still feel like it is a bit too dark,  but I have recently picked up the next shade down which is Ash Brown. The pencil is very thin, which makes it very easy to sculpt your eyebrows to how you want them to look. Even with the darker shade I was able to use softer strokes to make the color not be as harsh. However, I will warn you, that because it is a smaller tip it will take you a bit longer than a thicker tip or wax on an angled brush, but the results are worth it (less messy). The pencil also comes with a spoolie brush on the other end, which is great to blend any harsh lines you may have to give you a more even and natural look. And I know I didn't have one of those in my kit, so it came in handy when I used it. I also go over with Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara just so my wild hairs stay in place, and the color lasts all day!

Now this product retails for about $21. Definitely not the cheapest brow product out there. But you do get what you pay for. You can easily go to target and buy their E.L.F brow kit that comes with a small brush, wax, and a powder for $3. At the store though, they only have one shade, on the website you get four options to choose from. It isn't bad, I have used the E.L.F brow kit for about a year. But it is not as precise or as natural looking as the look that the Brow Wiz gives you. It is definitely worth the investment, if you were as desperate as I was. But if you are looking for something to just enhance you're already perfect brows, I'd suggests go cheaper. I would recommend this to anyone though. It is my holy grail for eyebrows. I worship this pencil, I do not think I will ever change it because I just love it too much.

Thank you for reading! Hugs and kisses!
<3

Relax...Take It All Off

Today was just one of those Mondays that just completely drains all of the happiness you have left inside of you. Between working 8 hours each day, helping my sick dad, helping my single-mom take care of 3 younger kids and a house, feed and take care of two dogs and two guinea pigs, while still trying to get my bio homework done and carry on having a successful relationship; I have to say I'm pretty exhausted. And this has just been one day. For the past three years my life has been chaotic.

With stress and anxiety built up every day it's pretty hard to remember that I need to take care of myself too. That means I gotta learn to sit down and breathe. Sure it sounds like an easy thing to do, but I very much neglect to do this.
 

I reminded myself today that I just need to take everything off. No makeup, no hair products, and yes no bra! This also meant no homework, no studying, no worrying about work, just take time to myself. Just set aside sometime in my day to relax.

Now, I recommend that everyone should do this. I'm not the only one who has a hectic schedule where 24 hours just doesn't seem like enough. At least once a week, remember you have to take care of you! It's hard I know. But you'll thank yourself for doing this. And others around you will too. You will become a more at ease and happy.
 

First off, take all that uncomfortable junk off that you have to deal with all day **especially that bra!**. Take a hot shower, or better yet a bubble bath, use your favorite smells. Wash all of your makeup off and wash your hair, while massasing your scalp. Take an extra 5 minutes longer than you need too. Don't rush. To remove my makeup I used the Olay Pro-X Cleansing System, which is pretty much a cheaper version of the Clarisonic. I also used the Olay Fresh Effects in Honeysuckle and White Tea to clean off any sweat, oil, and dirt that has built up into my pores the past few weeks. Also, after you shower, remember to moisturize your skin. It will keep the fresh feeling lasting longer and your skin will feel smoother. 

Then, remember to put on comfy clothes. You are stuck in tight fitting clothes that make you uncomfortable and hard for your skin to breathe all day. A baggy tshirt and sweat pants aren't exactly attractive but who cares they are so comfy.
 

Now, I decided to give myself a miny facial. I used the Freeman Facial Clay Mask in Chocolate & Strawberry. Not only does this do great things for your skin, like moisturize, nourish, and helps your skin tone, it smells amaze balls! It's like a dessert for your face! I let it completely dry and then rinse it off with warm water and then I use my Cetaphil face lotion to finish it off. 

Lastly, indulge! Make a cup of tea. It will help you relax and get to sleep faster (make sure to use caffeine-free tea). Make yourself a healthy snack. Healthy doesn't mean gross. Fruit salads are delicious and sweet. Use nature's candy instead of the artificial stuff from stores that aren't healthy. My favorite snack is celery sticks with peanut butter. Also put on some tunes that will lift your spirits. I love listening to Disney music. It is very easy to sing-along to and is very uplifting. It makes you feel like a kid again! My favorite right now is frozen. **do you want to build a snowman? ^.^**

Some other things you can do is to let it out. Don't keep your feelings inside. Talk to a friend or a parent. Or if you don't want to talk to anyone write it down. Keep a journal by you or keep a journal on your computer if you are worried about privacy. You don't even have to keep it. You can always throw it away when your done.
 

I hope this helps! Taking care of yourself is the most important thing you could do. Don't be afraid to bare it all, and have fun. I love you all, and tune in soon for another post! 

<3 kisses and hugs! 

How I Met Your Mother Finale

So this took me a few days to actually be able to compose myself after watching this. I have been a dedicated HIMYM fan from the beginning, and when we finally met the mother I was so in love with her. She is absolutely perfect for Ted. However, I did not expect the series to end like this at all. First, I was heartbroken, then it turned into anger, and now it's more of disappointment. Now if you have not seen the final episode yet, stop reading! There will be major spoilers in here that will tear you apart!

First off, I can't believe the mother died! Ah, I could not stop crying when Ted told his kids about her getting sick and then eventually dying. It gets worse! He ends up with Robin. What the heck?! This whole series was based off of how Robin did not love Ted, and then he ends up with her, c'mon now.
But besides from that, I see why they ended the series the way they did. This wasn't supposed to be a story about your typical fairy tale romance where everything is perfect, and they end up living happily ever after. No, it is about life. Which makes it worse. You get the good and the bad.

Now I loved Tracy from the moment she came into the series. She reminds me so much of myself, with her bright big eyed look, and her quirky sayings, and just her all around cuteness. From the moment she came into the show and they were showing her and Ted together, it reminded me so much of my relationship. I loved that the creators waited for them to get married, because guess what, life does get in the way. It doesn't stop. You end up with things happening that puts your plans on hold. But even though it wasn't what how they expected their relationship to go, it was still beautiful. So seeing her die, was like seeing myself go. It was horrible.

Another thing that I loved in this episode was Barney. I knew him and Robin wouldn't last. I mean it's Barney for crying out loud. But when he was talking to his daughter Ellie for the first time, I broke down in tears. It was such a beautifully written scene, and I grew to like Barney even more.
Now, as for the last scene in the finale, that is what made me upset. Ted ends up with Robin. I get it that he needed to move on and everything, but with Robin?! No, not okay. She told him she didn't love him. She had chance after chance to be with him, and now they get back together, after all that?!
But other than that, the finale was perfect. As much as it sucks to say. I didn't want it to end the way it was supposed to. I wanted to see more of Tracy and Ted together. I didn't want it to end. They were just so perfect and happy. But as I said, life isn't perfect, and a lot of the times it isn't happy either.

All I can ask for now is a HIMYM spin off! I want more Ted and Tracy, Lily and Marshall, and Barney and his baby! I am completely lost without them now. I really hope (although it's horribly unlikely to happen) that there will be a new series about how Ted and Tracy grew and developed as a couple. I'd love to see them have children, as Ted probably passes out in the delivery room, their silly fights that they will kiss and make up anyways, and to see their struggles throughout life. I just want more!

<3