September Favorites

Hi Everyone! 

I hope everyone is having a good school year so far. It is only the fifth week and I'm already super stressed out. However, being stressed out hasn't stopped me for loving some beauty bits and pieces this month. Here are my September favorites. Let me know what you have been loving! 

First off, is a candle that reminds me so much of summer. This is the Turquoise Waters candle from Bath and Body Works. The scent is described as sea spray, sunlight and beach grass and let me tell you, that is exactly what this smells like. It really reminds me of the beach at Cape Cod. I also love the turquoise glass jar it comes in. I am excited to clean it out and use it for my make up brushes or lip glosses after I finish this candle. 

Next is another Bath and Body Works product. I think I've taken a few too many trips in there over the past few months. This is from the aromatherapy line by Bath and Body Works. It is the Stress Relief Eucalyptus Spearmint Sugar Scrub. That was actually a mouth full to type. I adore anything mint scent; it is one of my favorite smells. The mint smell is very relaxing. This sugar scrub is really different from any other I've ever tried. I think this is because it is essential oil based so it is super smooth. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and nourished. The sugar in this is also on a thicker side which I prefer. You definitely have to make sure you wash it all off so you're not left greasy though. The sin this is also on a thicker side which I prefer.  I don't know if this is actually helping me relief stress but it is definitely making my shower very luxurious. 

Surprise! Another  product from Bath and Body Works. This is the last one I promise. This product has been a life changer. I kid you not. This is the C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve. It has reached the point that I can't leave my house without this. I use this as chapstick and on any dry patches. I really like how natural this smells. I love fruity lip glosses but I feel like my chapstick needs to smell clean and fresh. This smells like a bunch of roses which is amazing. This also leaves my lips soft and slightly glossy and feeling pretty. I highly advice anyone with very dry lips to try this out. 

Last of the skin products is the Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturizer. I like this because it is odorless, greaseless and dyeless. This stuff gets the job done and doesn't break out my skin. I find that  face lotions filled with perfumes and oils tend to break me out. But this stuff has been very effective at making my skin hydrated and smooth without breaking me out. I don't think I could ask for anything more from a face moisturizer. 

Finally, here are a few make up pieces! First is the Maybelline The Elixir in 60 Nude Illusion. I have found myself reaching for this a lot since I bought it at the end of August. I love this over Rimmel's Nude Delight (my favorite nude!) and just on its own. The finish is a lovely satiny true nude color. This stuff isn't overly shiny but it definitely has a nice glossy finish. It also lasts a decently long time. Overall, it is super easy to wear and very inexpensive. Next, is a mascara I forgot I owned but am so happy I rediscovered. It is the Make Up Forever Smokey Extravagant Mascara. I only have the small travel size which is why I probably forgot about it. I think I got as a reward from Sephora. The brush on this thing is amazing! It gives you such full voluminous lashes. I am definitely going to do a full review on this asap with pictures of before and after application. lastly, is an oldy but a goodie. This is probably the best liquid liner I've ever used. I have tried many but none have ever come close to my Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner. Once you apply this, it isn't going anywhere. I been loving using this liner with the smokey extravagant mascara for a classic winged liner with full lashes look. 

Let me know what you've been loving this lovely September month. I am super excited for October! I love the cooler weather because it means I can pull out all my sweaters and boots! Can't wait to wear dark lipsticks.

Lots of love,
Rena

May Favorites

My international giveaway is still opened CLICK HERE to enter! 

London Butter Nail Polish in Snog

Snog Swatch on my nails

UD All Nighter Setting Spray

ELF Small Stippling Brush

Midi Rings

Revlon Color Burst Matte Balm in 235 Mischievous Malicieuse

Mischievous Malicieuse Swatch

Hello Everyone!

Happy June and I hope you all had a great May. For my favorites this month, I have 3 beauty favorites, a nail polish and a fashion favorite. For make up brushes, I have been loving the ELF Small Stippling Brush. I have a full blog post about it HERE. It is really versatile and a great size. Also it is so budget friendly! For lip products, I have really been loving the Revlon Color Burst Matte Balm in Mischievous Malicieuse. I love how matte it is without being drying. Also it is absolutely gorgeous. It is a matte pastel coral color. For face products, I have been loving the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. I've done quite a few prom make ups this month and I have used this on every single one of them. This stuff is amazing as making your make up last all day and night and honestly it keeps your face looks fresh all night long. For nail polishes, I have been loving the Butter London polish in Snog.  I got this in a summer set from Ulta which I highly advice you check out! The color is the perfect bright summer pink. This looks amazing with a tan and on your toes. Lastly, my fashion favorite this month is Midi Rings and just rings in general.  They are so fun to stack and layer and I think they had a nice edgy element to any outfit.

What have you been loving this month?

Lots of Love,
Rena

April Favorites

Hello Everyone!

So I am assuming everyone knows the drill by now! It is the end of April and I can not wait for May 13th when I am all done with exams and papers. April has been a very stressful month with all this school work but I have had time to pick out a few favorites. I have an item or two from just about every category. Let's get into it!

For my hair, I have been loving Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Hair Cream. I use this when my hair is still damp and it does a great job holding my curls and controlling my frizz. I also use it on second day hair for control of baby hairs and fly away. As for brushes, I have been loving the Sonia Kashuk brush in No. 130, I think it is a buffing brush. But honestly I use this brush for everything from powder to contouring. It is really soft and great at distributing product. For my face, I have been using the Urban Decay All Nighter Make Up Setting Spray. This month I have had a lot of long days from class to work to studying to all nighter at the library. This stuff has been a life saver at keeping my face make up going strong. I use this after I powder my face but before I contour and blush. You can definitely use it after all that if you want! For my eyes, I have two products that I have been loving. First is the Rimmel ScandelEYEs Eye Shadow Paint in 007 Chestnut Taupe. This is awesome for a quick out the door look. It is a beautiful color and it honestly lasts all day long with creasing or smudging! One thing though, you have to work fast to apply it evenly because it does dry fast. Next, I have been loving the Calvin Klein CK One Mascara. I got this for my birthday in February from Ulta and I have read a lot of mixed review on this. Personally, I think it is great. It gives me amazing length and volume and it is a really intense black color which I love. Lastly for my lips, I have been loving the Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in 06. It is a great bright pink color for spring. I put it on and I instantly feel fun and awake! It is also a pretty good dupe for MAC Impassioned (blog post coming soon).

What have you been loving this month?

Lots of Love,
Rena 

March Favorites

Hello Everyone!

January Favorites

Hello Everyone! 
It is already time for the first favorites post of 2014. Personally, I think it is nuts. The last week or so have been really nuts with the start of a new semester but I am really excited for February since it is my birthday month ( cough February 10th couch cough). I don't have too many favorites this month but the  ones I do have, I have really enjoyed and they have been working really well for me. My first favorite is the Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser Strength Reconstructing Butter. I have been spending a lot of time in the pool lately because of work and it has been making my hair really dry. I started using this on days I've been in the pool and oh my god, my hair feels so much softer and strong! My next favorites are two masks from Lush: Cupcake Mask and Catastrophic Cosmetic Mask. My skin has been really weird this month. It  has been feeling greasy for which I use the Cupcake Mask and I have been breaking out which I use the Catastrophic Mask for. They both work really well and smell amazing. My favorite smell this month has been Love Spell by Victoria's Secret. It is such a flirty fresh smell and I love it so much that I have the body mist and the eau de toilette. I have also discovered an amazing mascara this month: Covergirl Lash Blast Volume. It reminds me a lot of Benefit's They're Real! It is amazing for length and volume AND is wallet friendly. Lastly, I have been loving the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in very fair/ light. It is great for the under eye. It does a great job covering up circles and highlighting. 
What have you been loving? Lots of Love, 

Music Favorites of January

Hello Everyone!  January has been a huge music month for me. Mainly because I am back to school and I listen to music on my way to all my classes. Here are a few of my favorites of this month.  Sweater Weather- The Neighbourhood
Team- Lorde
Talk Dirty- Jason Derulo 
Little Black Dress- One Direction 
Chocolate - The 1975
Sail - AWOLNATION
Pompeii - Bastille 
XO - Beyonce 
Yonce - Beyonce 
Brave - Sara Bareilles

What have you been loving this month?  lots of love, 

November Favorites

Hello friends! 

Today, I am going to be showing you my November favorites. I only have a few things this month because I didn't buy too many new thing in November and I was still using the same things as September and October. Neither the less, there were still a couple of things that I have been loving this month. 

Maybelline Dr. Rescue Baby Lips: I have this baby lips in the color 45 Just Peachy. My absolute favorite thing about this is the minty smell. I feel like it just adds a freshness to my lips. The color is a very pretty glossy peachy pink. I love how it is super hydrating and has a great color to it. It is really easy to leave in my bag and apply whenever I need chapstick or a little color. 

Cetaphil Oil Control Foam Wash: This is probably the most boring face wash I have ever used ( it has no smell and no beads in it) however it has been really effective. I noticed that my skin was very oily when I woke up in the morning and it was driving me nuts. I decided to try this wash out and almost immediately I noticed a reduction of oily skin in the morning. I use this every night before I go to bed. 

Bourjois Bronzing Powder: I got this from my international swap and oh boy how I wish this was available in the states. Lets start of with the smell: IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE. Every girls wish right here. I also really enjoy using this contouring. It isn't only glittery or sparkling so it is perfect for contouring. I actually think I might prefer this to my NARS Laguna bronzer. 

Sleek I Divine Eyeshadow Palette: I have this palette in Storm and I love it. I brought it home with me for Thanksgiving and I was able to create so many different looks. It has 3 matte shades ( a everyday nude, a medium brown and a black) and 9 shimmer shades ( a highlight color, a light brown, a dark brown, a light blue, a dark green, a navy blue, a gold, a rose pink and a dark rose brown color). It is so easy to create so many different looks form everyday wear to a smokey eye to a pop of color. It is an amazing palette.

What have you been loving this month? 

Lots of Love,

September Favorites

L'oreal Smooth Intense Frizz Taming Serum

Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream

Rimmel Stay Matte Press Powder

020 Nude Beige

Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Eucalyptus Spearmint Lotion

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel & MAC Spiked Eyebrow Pencil

Hi Guys!  I can't believe it is already September favorites time. Fall is one of my favorite seasons and October is one of my favorite months so I am so excited for this month. I love the fashion trends of boots, scarves and sweater. I love fall candles and the leaves changing colors. It is just such a pretty time of year. This month I haven't tried too many new things so my favorites are some of my all time favorites and a few new little things! I hope you enjoy! 
L'oreal Smooth Intense Frizz Taming Serum: I tend to switch up my leave in serums and leave in conditioners a lot because I have curly hair and there are a lot of products out there. This month I have really loved this frizz taming serum. It is really good at controlling my ends which tend to poof up. I apply about a dime size to my towel dried hair. It smells really nice and isn't greasy at all! Overall, I recommend this to anyone who has frizzy hair. 
Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream: For my face this month, I have really liked quick and easy looks because I am in school and for early morning classes I don't have too much time to do my make up. This BB Cream gives great coverage, feels light and with a press powder it lasts all day. Also It smells really lovely like the beach. I would definitely recommend this for girls in school who want coverage but nothing too heavy. 
Rimmel Stay Matte Press Powder: From the picture, you can definitely tell that this product gets a lot of loving. This is my Holy Grail press powder. It works just as well or even better than any high end press powder I've ever used. I have it in the color 020 Nude Beige which I use basically year round. It does a great job of controlling shine and it makes my foundation last all day long. 
Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Eucalyptus Spearmint Lotion: I bought this lotion on a whim. It says that it is suppose to relieve stress which I don't really think it does but I do think it smells amazing. It actually smells like a mini spa in a lotion. I love the spearmint in it because it just makes me feel really clean. It also moisturizes really well. I will definitely buy a full sized bottle next time I am in Bath and Body Works. 
Anastasia Clear Gel and MAC Spiked Eyebrow Pencil: I've been loving bold eyebrows this past month. I just think bold brows and the fall season go together really well ( I'm weird I know). These have been my go to brow products this month. Spiked is the perfect color for my brows! It actually surprises me how perfectly it matches my eyebrows. The Anastasia clear gel is great for controlling my brows because when they grow, they tend to grow curly. Maybe I'll do a before and after post about my brows soon!
What have you been loving in September?
Lots of Love,

July Favorites

Hi Guys! 

Here are my July Favorites. I know they are a bit late but I was at Vidcon the beginning of this month and I didn't have wifi there! Look out for a post about Vidcon really soon. This month I haven't really tried anything new but there were a few products that really stood out to me. I hope you enjoy!

Real Techniques Setting Brush
Maybelline Color Show in Pacific Blue
Rimmel Lipstick in Nude Delight
NYX Mega shine Lipgloss in Pink Nude
MAC Eyeshadow in Coppering

Real Techniques Setting Brush

Maybelline Color Show in Pacific Blue

Rimmel Lipstick in Nude Delight

NYX Mega shine Lipgloss in Pink Nude

MAC Eyeshadow in Coppering

Left to Right: Rimmel Lipstick Nude Delight, NYX Lipgloss Nude Pink and MAC's Coppering

Real Techniques Setting Brush: I got this little magic worker in the beginning of this month. I didn't really need it but for some reason I just really wanted it and I'm so glad I got it. As some of you may know I hate concealer brushes. I think they are too small and never blend my concealer in well. I use to use foundation brushes to blend them in but not anymore! This setting brush is the best thing I have ever used to my concealer. Also I use it for highlighting my cheekbones. I use either with a powder highlighter or to blend in Watt's Up by Benefit. This brush has become part of my everyday brush collection. 

Maybelline Color Show in Pacific Blue: This nail polish has been on my toes all month. I honestly don't think I have used any other color. It is this really bright summer blue. I apply two layers of the nail polish and a top coat and it lasts at least a week on my toes however, when I use it on my nails it chips really quickly which is a bummer. Overall, I think this is a great summer color. I'm going to pick up another bottle really soon because this is limited edition. 

Rimmel Lipstick in Nude Delight: This was in my last months favorite and honestly might be in every favorite to come. Rimmel's Nude Delight is a great everyday nude color. It has a little bit of shimmer but is still natural looking. It lasts a good 5 hours without any need of retouching and I find it really moisturizing. I been layering it with my next favorite, NYX Lipgloss in Nude Pink and the two together make such a pretty everyday combination. 

NYX Mega shine Lipgloss in Nude Pink: I am not a huge lipgloss fan because I don't like my lip being sticky or my hair getting stuck to my lips. However, this gloss is amazing. It isn't sticky and it lasts a good 4 hours without any need of touch up. My absolute favorite thing about it is the smell! It smells like the fruit punch Capri Sun which remind me so much of elementary school. You can smell it when you apply it however, it doesn't stick around so you're not stuck smelling it all day long. I think this is great but i love apply it with a smell but I'd probably get annoyed if the smell stuck around. I love using this on top of Rimmel's Nude Delight. They are actually the perfect pair. 

MAC Eyeshadow in Coppering: Last but not least is my favorite eyeshadow of the month: Coppering by Mac. This is a beautiful orangey copper color with a sheen finish. Just like all Mac shadows, it is super blend able and highly pigmented. A little bit of this color goes a long way. I love wearing it all over the lid and underneath the lower lashes with wood winked in the crease and lots of mascara. It is a great color to make a statement but isn't overpowering. I have used it during the day and at night and I think it looks great and appropriate for both times. Overall, this is definitely making its way up as one of my favorite MAC shadows. 

What have you guys been loving this month? Lots of Love,

June Favorites

Hi Guys!
I honestly can not believe how quickly June flew by; I swear yesterday it was still March! Just like every other month, I am going to be showing you my favorites of June! I haven't been using too much make up this month because I work outdoors and at pools and I just like to be natural at work. However, when I have used make up this month, I have really found great products that I love. So here they are! 

Earrings from Francesca's: 

 
I don't think I've ever worn these without getting a compliment on how pretty they are! They are these lovely big studs with a reflective stone in them that has a light blue base and also can look purple, pink and dark blue. They were $12.95 and I got them last year from Francesca's. If you guys don't know already, Francesca's is my holy grail jewelry store. I honestly think 95 percent of the jewelry I own is from there. They are great options and all their products are great quality. I just think they are so fun and summery. Yup!  I can't think of what else to say besides I love them.

Maybelline 24 hr Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk: 

I rediscovered the Maybelline 24 hr Color Tattoos this month and the pomegranate punk has been my most worn color out of the ones I own. There are so many options with this product. I can use it as a base for other colors or build it up to get a beautiful plum color with gold shimmer or I can use a little bit of it as a touch of color. It doesn't crease and lasts for a solid 8 hours! I did a full review on this product that you can read [here].

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm: 

The Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm has been a necessity product for me so far this summer. I always get sun spots on my face ( circle patches of lighter skin from the sun) so it is really important for me to have SPF on my face at work. However, I don't like putting on actual sunscreen on my face because it is always too thick and greasy. The Naked Skin Beauty Balm has SPF 20 in it and goes on light and easy. It also gives me a nice glow. I have the travel sized one just because I wasn't sure if I was going to like it and I am going to buy a full bottle once I run out.

Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Oil SPF 6:

Along the same lines as the previous product, I like my tanning oil to have SPF in it. I know SPF 6 isn't a lot but I am naturally pretty tan and I don't really burn so SPF 6 is enough for my body ( besides my face which I use 20).  I really like the Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil because it isn't overall thick and it doesn't make me feel stick. Also it doesn't attract sand to me at the beach like other tanning oils do. If you are looking for a tanning oil, I highly recommend this one.

Tarte Beauty and the Box in Secret Garden: 

This is my current favorite quad of shadows. Tarte has been a really big hit with me lately and this is one of products that started that trend. The four colors in this are: Sprout, Goldenrod, Fern and Vine. They are really pigmented and are beautiful colors. I did a full review on this that you can read [here].


Rimmel Lipstick in 642 Nude Delight:

My last favorite of this month is this Rimmel lipstick in Nude Delight. We all know my love for Rimmel; it is my favorite drugstore brand. This lipstick is a very nice nude color with a hint of shimmer. I've been wearing it on an everyday bases just because its subtle but still gives good color and lasts for about 5 hours without retouches. Rimmel overall has really good lipsticks especially the Kate Moss ones and if you are looking for cheap lipsticks but good quality, these are for you. 

What have you been loving this month? 
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Lots of Love