Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Beauty | ittsē x Love For Lacquer: The Glambition Collection


Oh my gosh, you guys! Burnin' the midnight oil for this one but I'm just too excited. Squeee! Between wanting this up ASAP because the collection goes on sale tomorrow and just being so, so excited for this collab, this is probably the fastest review I've ever done!


I'm talking about the ittsÄ“ x Love For Lacquer: The Glambition Collection which is a new collab with my good friend, Jess from Love For Lacquer and Cali-based, cruelty-free company ittsÄ“ and is set to launch tomorrow at 3PM EST (so set your alarms!).

Jess' collection completely embodies what it means to be a total badass girl boss and includes four killer blush/highlighter shades to get your #girlboss glow on! Guys, I'm so proud of Jess on this collab! As a fellow CT babe and OG blogger (she's actually the reason I started blogging!), it's so refreshing to see a beautifully done collab with a great blogger that deserves this success and much, much more! Congrats, Jess! x

Also, I want to quickly mention that while, yes, Jess is a friend and yes, I was so kindly sent this for review, I would never, ever, ever hype a product up (friend's or not) if the quality isn't really there.

These four shades are just absolutely gorgeous, guys. The consistency is super butter-y soft and a little goes a longggg way with the pigmentation. I'm so, so proud of Jess for embodying the Girl Boss title and collab'ing on a collection that is high quality at a great price point for her readers and didn't just put her name on crap because she's getting paid in the end, y'know?

  • Goal Digger - a rose gold highlighter. 
  • #GIRLBOSS - a peachy-pink matte blush. (Super silky smooth to the touch and incredibly pigmented. A little goes a long way with this one! I love the flushed, just-left-the-beach look it gives my cheeks.)
  • Hustle & Glow - a white gold highlighter.
  • Run The World - a light golden beige champagne highlighter. (ALL THE HEART EYES for this highlighter, guys. The pigmentation is out of this world and so, so creamy! Also, pretty sure it's a dupe for Urban Decay Afterglow Highlighter in Sin?)
That glow though! Wearing: #GIRLBOSS + Run The World

Mark your calendars and set your alarms because this collection goes live tomorrow at 3PM EST on the ittsÄ“ site! These babies will not be sold individually but as a quad for $35 or you can bundle for $50 and get the quad plus a color choice of an empty palette!

PS. If you're looking to get the bundle but aren't sure of the quality of the palettes - girlllllll, no worries! I was sent a palette in the shade Anemone (a gorgeous coral) and was so, so impressed. ittsē's palettes are vegan-leather, sturdy, thick and come complete with a mirror on the top half of the palette and a deep, magnetized empty palette on the bottom half. They also have a thin plastic divider that lays in between the palette so none of the product gets on your mirror.

Shop: Buy - ($35 for quad / $50 for bundle)
* Goes live June 1st at 3PM EST!
Use the code: xonoelle20 for 20% off your order!
(not an affiliate code, they just wanted to give my readers a discount!)

*Products sent for an honest review.
Friday, May 26, 2017

Beauty | Exfoliating 101: Which scrub is best for you?


This post is sponsored by Eclair Naturals.

With summer just a few weeks away, it'll be time to break out those shorts and bathing suits to battle the heat before you know it. But raise your hand if your skin is lacking some luster. Girl, I'm right there with you.


Would you believe that exfoliating is a great way to effectively slough off all that dull, dry skin (especially from the winter) and get your skin looking healthy and glowy? On top of that, it also improves circulation, can improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and prevent acne. Sign me up!

Unfortunately, not all scrubs are created equal and I'm here to break down the three most common ones:



Dead Sea Salt Scrubs - Renowned for its uniquely high mineral composition and sworn by Cleopatra, many reach for a Dead Sea salt scrub as it has many added benefits versus other scrubs and contains a chockful of minerals such as potassium and zinc that are healthy for your skin. Dead Sea salt is also rich in magnesium and calcium which, instead of drying out the skin, actually improves hydration and creates a barrier on the skin to retain moisture. That being said, with its super coarse texture, it's recommend to use this on your body only as it can be too harsh on your face. I recommend: Eclair Naturals Dead Sea Salt Scrub in French Lavender ($12.99)
Salt Scrubs - What's the difference between a salt scrub and a Dead Sea salt scrub, you ask? The location! While the Dead Sea salt scrub says it all in the name, you'd be surprised to find that many (if not most) produced salt scrub salts come from all over the place. The most popular being the Himalayas, Hawaii and/or the Mediterranean (Dead Sea). While most salt scrubs have a large, more coarse salt grain appearance (hence why it should only be used on the body), there is a slight difference in each one.

Each has their own added mineral benefits: Himalayan salt is known for decreasing blood pressure and balancing your PH. Hawaiian salt (sometimes known as Alaea salt) is unrefined sea salt mixed with red alae volcanic ash that has almost 80+ naturally occurring minerals and nutrients in it that detoxify and cleanse. Again, salt scrubs should only be used on the body as they are too abrasive for the face area. I recommend: Eclair Naturals Himalayan Salt Scrub ($12.99)

Sugar Scrubs - Sugar Scrubs are the most gentle scrub out there as they have a smaller, softer granule that dissolves faster in warm water, making them less abrasive. This scrub is also pretty universal in that almost all body types can use this with no issues while with a salt scrub, sensitive skin types could find them too harsh. While they're aren't any mineral benefits in sugar scrubs, the glycolic acid content of sugar helps protect the skin from harsh toxins. I recommend: the Eclair Naturals Creamy Coconut Sugar Scrub ($12.99)

Whichever scrub you chose, always make sure to moisturize after! Moisturizing will seal in all that added hydration and help lock in that healthy glow. Now go out there and show some skin! ;)

* Click here for a $1 off any Eclair purchase under $5.

This post is sponsored by Eclair Naturals.
Sunday, May 21, 2017

Beauty | Au Naturel


Hello, hello, hello! Happy Sunday, babes! Ugh. Poor Brodes is teething and has been having the toughest time sleeping. With Hunter, I never knew when he was getting teeth in because he was so chill about it. Ugh. Needless to say, no naps = no blogging. It's been tough for both of us, ya'll.

I recently found myself not even wanting to create makeup looks and tutorials because I knew half way in, putting on lashes (that take forever for me to do!), that Brody would wake up and I'd have to nyx the whole thing. Then I realized, "Who the hell am I putting these lashes on for anyway?" Seriously, guys, I rarely ever wear lashes unless it's a special occasion or a look on the blog.

THEN, I took to social media recently and found almost ALL OF YOU never wear lashes as well. And then it clicked. Where the hell have I been, right? Ugh. So here's to more tutorials without falsies! I want you guys to look at my tutorials and be like, "YES! I can totally do that." Starting with this one:

Face:

  • Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done in the shade Light
  • Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer
  • the balm Mary Lou-Manizer
  • Stila Convertible Color Blush in Peony

Eyes:

  • MUG Eyeshadows - Vanilla Bean on the lid, Bedrock in the crease and Concrete Jungle on the outer v.
  • Jordana Extreme Lash Mascara

Lips:

  • ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick in Lumiere 
Thursday, May 18, 2017

Beauty | Hotter Than A Popsicle


Ya'll. It's hot. Mother Nature was like, "You guys want to keep talkin' about hot weather? Fine. Here." and lit the Northeast on fire. It's about 95 out and humid AF. 

It's popsicle weather, for sure. Remember those red, white and blue ones? They were the bomb! Which is what kind of inspired this look. I really wanted something fun but super simple and easy. I also wanted to incorporate all of the new tarte goodies I just bought so here it is!


Face:

  • Josie Maran Light Argan Oil to moisturize.
  • tarte Double Duty Empowered Beauty Hybrid Gel in Light Sand
  • Urban Decay Beached Bronzer
  • tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed
  • Urban Decay Afterglow Highlighter in Sin

Eyes:

  • MAC Paint Pot in Painterly all over the lid for a base.
  • Makeup Geek Eyeshadow in Vanilla Bean to set the base.
  • tarte Clay Pot Waterproof Liner in Unicorn Kisses (I need all of these! SO smooth and creamy to work with!) as the "beginning" to the liner, starting from the inner corner.
  • ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick in Wednesday as the middle of the wing.
  • ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick in Thursday as the "flick"/end of the wing.
  • tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer in Medium Brown

Lips:

  • tarte Rainforest of the Sea Drench Lip Splash Lipstick in Cabana Boy (I need all of these ASAP! So impressed with the formula!)

Shop This Look:

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Style | Pineapples, Pom Poms + Sunnies w/ Ashley Stewart (Spring/Summer Lookbook)


This post is sponsored by the PRIMP Network. All opinions are my own.

Warm weather is finally on the way, guys! The forecast for next week says 70's to 80's and I'm living for the moment I can slip on some shorts and tee and be on my way.

But you know what my favorite thing about the warm weather is? All the fun, colorful trends it brings, of course. This year I've been spying pom poms everywhere and I'm not sure if it's the cheerleader in me or what, but I'm obsessed!

Today, I've partnered up with Ashley Stewart to show you two fun ways (one for the day and one for night!) to add pom poms and color into your spring/summer wardrobes! Ashley Stewart is the plus size fashion brand with 89 stores spread out all over the US (as well as an online store) that offers a huge selection of clothes, accessories and more with sizes up to 32. They also cater to women who need wide calf sizes as well as wide width. Right now, Ashley Stewart is offering 40% off all full price styles with the code PRIMP40 so head on over and treat yourself! Not your size? Ashley Stewart has the cutest accessories (their sunglasses are too cute!)!

Lunch Date


* Make sure to click here use code PRIMP40 for 40% off all full price styles!

This outfit is just the right amount of comfy and cute! You can never go wrong with a basic ribbed tank top paired with some ripped jeans. I cuffed them at the ends to show off the grommets on these super cute wedges. This long white vest has pockets (yesss!) and added a little somethin' somethin' to the outfit. Let's talk about this humungo tote bag, shall we? The pineapple and pom poms totally caught my eye. This is the perfect beach bag as you can fit a whole bunch in it!

Night On The Town



* Make sure to click here use code PRIMP40 for 40% off full price styles!

Oh gosh, guys. I never show this much but this outfit was so much fun to rock. You can't really see it but the romper actually has long bell sleeves. It was a little risque with the long cut criss-cross top but I loved the chicness of the shorts length (not too short, not too long!) and the belt tie. The denim jacket is probably one of the coolest jackets I've ever owned! It has the coolest details with the pineapple patch on the back, the ripped elbows - so cool! I'll admit I was nervous walking around in the pom pom wrap heels but they were surprisingly comfy! Lastly, how cute is this white pineapple bag? It's subtle enough that the outfit isn't screaming pineapple at everyone. Too cute!

Which outfit would you rock?
* Click here use code PRIMP40 for 40% off full price styles!

Make sure to check out these bloggers rockin' Ashley Stewart as well:

This post is sponsored by the PRIMP Network. All opinions are my own.


Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Beauty | When Your Pimple Won't Go Away - Zit Zappin' Skincare Routine w/ ZAPZYT


This post is sponsored by the PRIMP Network. All opinions are my own.

Ya'll, I'm a stresser. I stress about my kids, about deadlines, about the news - heck, I even stress about conversations I had last week. I think I do it so much that I don't even really notice I'm doing it until it shows up physically in the form of zits (always right around the ol' chin area) and that usually makes me realize things are getting crazy and it's time to take a breather.


While stress is always going to be there, I've partnered up with ZAPZYT to share with you my zit-zapping skincare routine to make sure they won't be.

  • Washing your face - Morning and night! - is key. Even though my kids are running at 100 MPH from the moment they wake up, I try to take a few minutes, usually during breakfast when they're all settled, to pop into the bathroom. I've been using the ZAPZYT Acne Wash once in the morning and once at night to wash my face with. It contains aloe and chamomile (reduces redness) and 2% salicylic acid (encourages exfoliation of dead skin) for a nice balance.
  • At night, once the kids are in bed, I'll usually exfoliate next. If it's the morning, I usually skip this step because my skin is super sensitive with exfoliating. I've been using the ZAPZYT Pore Clearing Scrub with some warm water and like to gentle massage it all over my face. Exfoliating removes dead skin cells that can build up and cause break outs.
  • Next I'll go in and do a spot treatment if I have any poppin' up. The ZAPZYT Pore Treatment Gel contains 2% salicylic acid, natural botanicals (great for soothing sensitive skin) and linoleic acid to calm down inflamed pimples. This is a great alternative to the ZAPZYT Acne Gel that contains benzoyl peroxide if you have sensitive skin. This is kind of a cool as, once it's applied, it forms a moisturizing gel around the pimple and absorbs into it within 60 seconds. Per the instructions on the box, they recommend only applying this onto the pimple once a day and then gradually work up to 2-3 applications, if needed, as it can dry your skin out.

Before & After

Before: April 6, 2017 | After: May 6, 2017

What do you do to de-stress? Do you use ZAPZYT in your skincare routine?


PS. Make sure to check out these blogger's reviews as well!

This post is sponsored by the PRIMP Network. All opinions are my own.

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