Because roses die and chocolate makes me fat

The day of love is right around the corner. Here are my picks for valentines day gifts that women actually want, hear that guys? and each is under $50! 

Sweet smelling body care, cleverly named lipstick and a couple of adorable little extras to help her pamper herself make the list this year. 

Available at sephora: 

 

Too faced chocolate bar and semi sweet chocolate bar palettes. Natural eyeshadow sets that SMELL LIKE CHOCOLATE. Enough said. $49 each

Fresh sugar rose extreme lip treatment. Super soft hydrated lips, smells like flowers and has a subtle reddish tint. $22

The best way to try out this wild rose line by korres is this trio that has the face scrub, day moisturizer and overnight sleep facial $24

Single use pods that give raidient skin $6

THE in lip color for 2015 is this mauve pink brown by ardency inn named valentine $25

This adorable heart shaped blush and bronzer's two shades are named after iconic couples. "Ross & Rachel" has a pinky blush and deep bronzer while "Carrie & Big" has a coral blush and meduim bronzer. $34

Too faced mascara with a name you can't ignore. $23

Chloe rollerball parfum in love story is described as feminine sophisticated and sensual $25

Available at lush cosmetics USA:

Lush has TONS of products to treat your anyone. I picked this two hearts set that combines some valentines day themed items at a great price.

Set contains the sex bomb bath bomb, heart throb bubbleroon, ros argan in shower body conditioner, the honeymooner massage bar and silky underwear dusting powder $39

Available at target: 

This red velvet cupcake candle on sale right now! $8 

Avavible at Starbucks:

While soaking in her bath she can sip from this cute tumbler from Starbucks. 10 oz mug $17

Available at David's teas:

I have been dying to try these mouth watering loose teas to curb a sudden sweet tooth

I heard is has a creamy texture that satisfies your cupcake craving. 

Chocolate, strawberries and rose and  mmmm

Mint and chocolate with red hearts

The worst mascara I've ever used!

I'm someone who tends to think although mascara a clearly have different wands and formulas they make minimal difference once applied. They all are pretty similar. I don't opt for expensive mascaras for this reason. 

I love the volume I get from the large brush from maybelline falsies and the length the small thin brush from loreal telescopic mascaras. I've even used both together.

I thought I'd try a new one. 

This mascara is duel ended, one side is a fluffy spiral shape and the other is a small but still full brush on the other. Perfect right?!

Wrong! The maybelline falsies big eyes was the worst! 

First of all the brush labeled for the top lashes does literally nothing. It does not creat volume or length. The formula of the mascara was very wet and got clumy very easily. It transferred like crazy onto my eye lid. Once dried it would flake and go into my eye! 

The brush labeled for the bottom lashes did an okay job on the bottom lashes but again flaked off easily. I tried to used this side to help separate and lengthen the top lashes after using the fuller side but it didn't help it just added more product making it clumpier. 

This gave me barley there lashes. Yes the were coated in mascara so they were darker and more visible than bare lashes but that is it. 

Don't waste your money on this one. 

I will stick to the magic two until I find one that combines volume, length, separation, and long lasting effect. 

2014 Favorites! The Year end round up

Man has it been a busy but wonderful past couple of months! 

Thanksgiving and Christmas was a whirlwind of food, and family. 

Oh we also got a little kitty we named jingles from a cat rescue center and I'm boarderline obsessed with him. (Crazy cat lady) 

So looking back on this past year I tried my fair share of new beauty products and I'm here for the round up of my recommendations. I have a few miscellaneous super random favorites to share too.

Skincare:

Philosophy purity face wash

Origins ginzing eye cream

Clasisonic Mia 

Korres wild rose advanced brightening sleeping facial

Neosporin overnight renewal therapy 

Trader joes coconut body butter

Haircare:

John Frieda color refreshing gloss

Oribe signature shampoo and conditioner

Jellua shampoo and conditioner

Coconut oil as a overnight hair treatment 

Bed head tigi spoil me hairspray

Big sexy hair powder play 

Eye makeup:

Lorac pro palette (the original)

Maybelline color tattoo leathers in the colors creamy beige, and dramatic black

Nars smudge proof eyeshadow base

Ardell Demi wispies

Loreal Paris telescopic mascara

Sonia kashuk eye on neutral 02 palette 

Skin makeup:

Urban decay naked skin foundation 

Make up for ever hd micro finish power

Nars raidient creamy concealer 

Bronzer/blush/highlight:

Nars blush in desire

Hourglass ambient lighting blush in luminous flush 

Nars orgasm gel illuminator

Revlon  highlighting palette in bronze glow

Nars casino bronzer

Lips:

Sephora cream lip stain in 01 always red

Revlon lip butter in pink truffle

Fresh sugar lip treatment in honey

Loreal infallible lip gloss in barley nude

Nails:

Essie lady like

Opi dulce de leche

Essie dj play that song

Nicole by opi Kim konfidential 

Essie butler please

China glaze Ingrid 

Nicole by opi drying drops

Seche vite base and top coat

Fashion:

Tory burch earrings-small logo studs in gold

Ray-ban wayfarers in black 

Sperry top siders angelfish in gold

Target merona tee shirt dresses(from this past summer)

Target merona thick knit open cardigan (from the fall)

Jcrew 4 inch chino shorts

Target merona everyday tanks

Anne Klein dome satchel in tan

Stella and dot tech wallet in cheetah

Random:

Bath and body works 3 wick candle in peach Bellini and marshmallow fireside

Mrs.myers countertop spray in lavender

Method spray dryer activated fabric softer spray

Aquiesse candle in sandalwood vanilla

The body shop sandalwood & ginger body, room and linen spritz 

Dunkin dounts iced peppermint mocha

Bakers dozen iced chai 

Trader joes smoked salmon dip

Gone girl (the movie)

Amy Poehloer's book Yes Please

Girl Boss by Sophia Amoruso

This year my resolution is to stop promising blog posts and then not doing them ; )

But really, I wish everyone a wonderful 2015 let's make it a beautiful one.

Xoxo brianna 

Sephora Sale picks!

So the sephora VIB sale just started on the 6th and goes until the 11th.

here are my recommend picks to get your 20% off on! 

I want to note that I am a beauty insider and not a vib member because you have to spend a certain amount a year at sephora to become one. 

Here are my recommendations, these I products I have used and would recommend anyone trying:

Nars raidient creamy 

Make up forever high def power 

Alterna dry shampoo

urban decay naked foundation 

Nars smudgeproof eyeshadow base

Benefit they're real mascara

Smash box always sharp kohl liner

Fresh sugar lip treatments 

Sephora liquid matte lip color in forever red

Korres brightening overnnight treatment 

Origins ginzing eye cream 

Origins checks and balances frothy face wash

Glam glow face masks

My wish list! Things I'm dying to try or want to repurchase:

Bumble and bumble thickening dry spun finishing spray

Philosophy breath of fresh air moisturizer 

Korres pomegranate gel moisturizer 

Korres brightening serum 

Living proof perfect hair day set

Nars raidient creamy concealer in caramel

Becca shimmering skin perfector in rose gold

Becca mineral blush in songbird

Clarisonic raidient brush head replacements 

Beauty blender 

The sale is a great way to buy gifts or just treat yourself. And I'm pretty sure you can use the 20% off as many times as you want in the week. The website was overloaded with traffic so it was down almost all day on the 6th and now it is on and off, I suggest heading to a store. 

Thanks for reading! 

Xoxo brianna 

The colors of fall, Lips, eyes and nails.

I'm crazy for fall colors they're So rich and warm. I could eat my lipsticks with scrumptious names they have. Here's new fall beauty finds and things I've been loving and using when it comes the fall hues in beauty. 

This fall I really been into a mix of the Kylie Jenner mauve brown lip and the classic wine colored lip. I went to CVS and tried about a thousand of the different new browny shades. (Hence the hand full on makeup) I left with three colors I'm in love with! 

Swatched above are the colors I purchased. They all are a creamy satin Finnish. I simply blot the lipstick with tissue for more of a matte look. 

First is maybelline espresso exposed, a wine brown purple. 

Then is maybelline untained spice, a mauve tan

And last is loreal spice a chocolate brown

I also picked up a lip liner which helps when working with very bright or very dark lipsticks.  

Here I'm wearing espresso exposed. 

On eyes I'm wearing a look I created with my Lorac pro palette I got about a month ago. 

Can I just take a second to rave about this pallet!!! It has 8 mattes and 8 shimmers that are the most blendable creamy shadows I've ever used. 

The colors are on the warm side which is perfect for creating countless different fall inspired looks. 

On my nails I've been loving neutrals (shock) and deep gem stone blues and greens. 

Opi dulce de leche, a dusty rose

Nicole by opi Kim konfidential, a light pink nude

And china glaze Ingrid a chocolate brown with finely milled gold shimmer

Essie stylenomics, a almost black deep forest green

Essie bobbing for baubles, a dark almost black navy blue

I'm might do a fall style post too! I'm currently on the hunt for the perfect booties and wool Panama hat! 

Hope everyone is enjoying fall! Try something new with your beauty routine to mix things up. Beauty should be fun! 

Thanks for reading 

Xoxo 

Brianna 

First impressions: salon series by ouidad

Ouidad's haircare line claims that they are the curl experts. I have one product by then I have been using for years, the heat and humidity control gel. Interested in trying more things from the line as well I had read reviews on sephora.com that the salon series products are amazing but I didn't want to dish out the dough for them. 

Then a lovely and wonderful thing happened. I stumbled upon them at my local tj maxx for a steal! I couldn't believe my eyes at these prices and had to buy them! This whole line was formulated for all hair types and were created to simulate the in-salon treatments done at the ouidad flagship salon. 

First is the biotin lightweight reparative hair serum. It retails at sephora for $42 and I got it for $10. It comes in a little dropper and says to apply to scalp and ends nightly. It is a cocktail of vitamins, amino acids and biotin to help strengthen  damaged hair and promote healthy hair growth. 

This is not like an oil, it fades seamlessly into the hair with no residue. After one use my hair did feel stronger and the ends not so dry and brittle. I'm interested to see what it will do over time. 

The Mediterranean bay leaf exfoliating hair and scalp treatment. This originally cost $36 and I picked it up for $8. It says to use this a few times a week, after shampooing hair and before conditioning in the shower. Take the gritty scrub and massage into scalp for up to 3 minutes. This helps promote a healthy scalp, reduce oil and/or dry flakes. It claims that massaging in the bay leaf oil with stimulate the hair follicles and make hair grow faster and healthier. 

After one use my hair and scalp felt very clean but not stripped. I found my hair had more bounce and shine most likely due to the removal of product and oil buildup. I think I'm going to use this one or twice a week after I do a coconut oil or avocado oil overnight treatment. 

Last also retailing for $36 and I scored for 8 bucks is that omega-3 replenishing hair treatment. This is formulated for dry and damaged hair, containing omega-3, 6, and 9, amino acids and oils such as flax seed oil. It says it increases radiance, shine, and softness. This is to be used before a shampoo at least three times a week. To intensify the treatment wrap hair in shower cap and put under heat for up to five minutes. 

I added this to my oil cocktail overnight and shampooed in the morning, followed by the bay leaf treatment. And holy cow does this stuff make my hair soft! It might be my favorite of the bunch right off the bat because I can see and feel the difference in my hair right away. 

Can't wait to see how these products pan out overtime but I'm loving them so far. I'm glad I didn't splurge on them right away! But if I did it would have been worth it, they are great hair products. I also appreciate that they are all created without silicones, sulfates, parabens, are not tested on animals, and made in the USA. 

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo brianna 

Update: new hair and current favorites

So hello there! I haven't posted in a while because I was busy and my MacBook broke!!! It just makes a beeping noise when I turn it on so I'm going to have to get it fixed. In the meantime I'm posting from my blogger app on my iPhone. 

So anyway I wanted to share a few things I've currently been using and loving. 

1) the John Frieda color refreshing gloss for warm brunettes

This adds color to hair in between coloring, brings out the natural hues in your hair and keeps the color looking fresh 

2) Olay blemish control acne wash

I love this because not only it is for acne prone skin it has these small exfoliating grains that leave my skin more luminous. It also claims to prevent aging and diminish hyper pigmentation from acne scarring or sun damage. 

3) crest 3D white strips 

I used to use these back in the day when they would slide off my teeth and leave my sensitive teeth aching. So I haven't used them for years but now the new white strips have a sticking part that goes on the teeth so there's no sliding, and I haven't had any burning or sensitivity while using them!

4) scrunci no slip grip hair elastics 

I don't know about you but no matter if I buy the small thin elastics or the thick ones they alwayssss stretch out or break!  Plus sometimes my hair is so smooth they don't hold a bun or pony tail tight enough. So I tried these no slip elastics, made from a thick rubbery material. It feels a little like using a rubber bands in my hair but my styles really stay in place better and they claim to be virtually unbreakable. 

5) NYX matte soft matte lip cream in the shade San Paulo 

I have been searching for a wearable bright pink matte lip for a while and most are too light pink or too neon. This is more like a raspberry pink and I think it suits my tan complexion. It is drying however so I have to properly exfoliate and moisturize my lips before applying. 

6) living proof perfect hair day 5 in 1 styling treatment 

This make my hair soooo soft! It tames frizz, weather I wear my hair straight or curly. It also says it volumizes, conditions, and strengthens which I'm not too sure about. But it smells amazing!

I also just dyed my hair!!! I had some left over blonde from when I went ombré but the color just looked awful. I wanted to go back dark for fall but not black, so I got a color called mahogany brown. 

Before with blonde ends 

It looks overall a dark brown but in the sun you can see more red to it. I love it!!!

Sorry for the lapse in posts but I'm still here! Thanks for reading

Xoxo brianna 

How I (attempt) to keep my home clean and organized

Imagine this, after a long chaotic, hectic, draining day you're finally home. You open the door and see a spotless house. Everything is in its place, there are no dishes in the sink, beds are made, clothes put away, it even smells fresh and clean. You don't have to mentally pile on another list if things to do, you can just relax. That my friends is the reason I strive to keep a clean home. That is my "ahhh" moment. 

Just a disclaimer I don't have kids or pets. When we first moved into our new house I was ocd about keeping it clean. Then as we settled in, things got busy and stuff piled up. To help keep me on track I created a cleaning schedule that has daily tidying, one day of deep cleaning, and monthly and 3 month goals as well.  This is printed out on the side of my fridge:

Daily:

Morning:
make bed
put clean dishes away
Evening:
After dinner clean dirty dishes
wipe kitchen counters, stove top, and sink
quick sweep kitchen
tidy kitchen and living room
sort mail
water plants
wipe down bathroom counter, sink and mirror after getting ready for bed

Weekly:
Friday (day off):
sweep and mop floors and stairways
vacuum carpets
wipe down kitchen appliances
scrub bathroom toilet, sink and shower
dust wood furniture

small space organizing

laundry
meal planning/ grocery shopping list 

Saturday:

yard work
trash/recyclables

Sunday:

weekly meal prep
Finnish all laundry
ironing

Monthly: (changes out every week)
1) wash bedding, wash windows and window frames
2) wipe down base boards, door frames, base board heating
3) clean ceiling fans, spot clean carpets and couches, self clean stove and scrub microwave
4)wipe down all kitchen cabinets in and out, clean inside of fridge, run dishwasher through clean cycle
Every 3 months:
change filters on coffee and water
wash curtains and shower curtain
wash all throw blankets, wash living room pillows/cases

For my deep cleaning day I'm lucky that while everyone else is at work I'm scrubbing, dusting, and sorting. I crank up the tunes and go to town.

I keep my cleaning products in a carry all tote so I can take it room to room

These are some of my favorite cleaning products

I use washable cloths to wipe surfaces

I use a steam cleaner for my wood & tile floors, I love that it only uses water and has washable cloth pads

As for organizing your home here are some tips

1) Sort similar items together and place them in the most functional place in your home

2) Use bins and baskets for small items and to contain clutter

3) Labels are always helpful (I want a label printer SO BAD lol)

4) Seems simple enough but put things back where they go!!! That way you can always find things.

I use bins to hold small items in drawers

My "junk drawer"

Again using a small bin in my bathroom drawer

Next to the door I have a basket of items we might need as we go out side, now I have sun block and bug spray, scrap paper to start our charcoal grill and Pat's wrist brace he is supposed to wear doing yard work

Also near the door we have a tray to contain smaller organizational items a key holder, mail basket and office supplies caddy

I use all different baskets in my home to contain clutter

Chalkboard labels in my cabinets 

 

Another tip is to constantly purge your home of unused items. 

Old worn clothes, decor you never use, the books you promised yourself you were going to read three summers ago, all have got to go. Someone else will make good use of your things, and your house will not overflow. I suggest keep a pile of items you notice you haven't used in years or are broken and donate about every 6 months. I have gone back into my bags and got something out that I realized I needed, that's why I say to wait a few months. If you don't even notice its gone in the bag for months, you probably wont miss it.

I hope this is helpful and motivational to keep a tidy home. Hope everyone is having a great week! : )

Thanks so much for reading

xoxo Brianna