Daily Beauty

Hello hello! I haven't done a beauty post in a while, so I thought I'd share my daily beauty products. Up until about a year ago, I was a total baby about make up. I just used drugstore products and honestly couldn't bring myself to dish out for the more high end products. It wasn't until my sister, Kelly, introduced me to YouTube makeup gurus like Michelle Phan that I saw the clear advantages of investing. I started to look at cosmetics as an art, my face was the canvas and since we're only given one, I realized I better be more careful about the gunk I was loading onto it. 

 So you can bet the shopaholic in me took the reins, and I went a full out beauty frenzy. My obsession has definitely toned down since the start, and I've learned to mix both ends of the beauty spectrum. So currently, these are the products I use on a daily basis, in addition to a skin care regimen of course. But that'll come in a later post. :)

In application sequence:

Boo Boo Concealer  I use this for my under eye circles and minor blemishes. It doesn't have super full coverage so it's good for daily use. 

Sonia Kashuk Creme Bronzer  I highly recommend this if you're looking to try a creme bronzer. I apply it with my ring finger before Hoola to get a subtle contour and bronze.

Benefit Hoola  The cult classic matte bronzer. Need I say more?

BAREMINERALS Mineral Veil  My all time favorite finishing powder, it mattes my face perfectly, but still leaves a subtle sheen.

Lancôme Blush  My at the moment favorite! 

Pixi Primer  I'd rate the holding power at about a 6, not really effective for dramatic eye makeup, but good enough for day to day use. 

Nyx Eyebrow Pencil  I'm not big on a very defined brow, so I love how the brush on the end gives my brows a more natural look.

Pixi Eyebrow Gel  I was pretty amazed the first time I tried eyebrow gel, and I haven't looked back since! 

Urban Decay Naked 3 Eyeshadow Pallet  OBSESSED with Nooner. I use it basically every day with a little Factory in the crease. Blackheart to line my upper waterline. Can't stress the importance of lining the upper lash line, it's the secret to fuller looking lashes.

Benefit Gel Liner  Not a liner I recommend for beginners just because it's a little tricky to get used to. You have to play around with it to see what works for you, but I love how black the gel is. 

Diorshow Lash Primer  Don't know if it's just placebo, but I feel like this keeps my lashes from falling out.

Maybelline Falsies & Volume Express  My favorite combo of mascaras. I use waterproof falsies to help the curl last all day!

With love,
Patti

PS! Feel free to ask if you have any questions about any of the products. I'm no expert, but I'd be happy to share my thoughts. 

What's In My Glam Bag?! | July 2014

BareMinerals | 5-In-1 BB Cream Shadow (Elegant Taupe) $6

Hang Ten | Dark Tanning Oil SPF 08 $1.50

Lord & Berry | Kajal Stick (Black Silk) 

Marrakesh Hair Care | Marrakesh Endz $6

wHet | Nail Polish (Facetious) $9

TOTAL $22.50+

This month's Glam Bag was filled with all kinds of summertime goodies! Nothing says summer like neon pink. The first thing to catch my eye was the Marrakesh split end mender. I'm sure all you ladies can relate to the split end disaster that comes with that summertime sunshine. On top of making your hair buttery soft, the oil makes you smell like tropical paradise. 

I haven't tried the bareMinerals shadow yet, but I always have faith in their products. Although, I don't really see the demand for BB cream shadow. 

As for the tanning oil, I've only recently heard of the brand and can't wait to try it out! After my vacay in Kauai, I've got a good bronze going so I don't want to overdo it. But I'll definitely keep it in mind once the summer starts to end and I want that last bronze kick to last me through the fall. 

I've never heard of wHet nail polish, but blue has been a summer fave for me and I foresee that I'll be putting this polish to good use! 

Last and definitely least, the liner. I don't have anything against this specific product, but I am starting to get sick of these liners. Can't use these samples fast enough and they just keep coming! At least throw me a different color, other than black. A girl can only tolerate so many "silky black, glam blacks midnight" kohl liners. 

With Love,

Patti

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY | Angelina Jolie

Yesterday, I watched Maleficent with my family. My sister and I have been waiting for it to come out since we found out she was in it, and we were not disappointed! Angelina Jolie was amazing in it and looked gorgeous as always. There has never been a sexier villain, she was made to play Maleficent. 

She has always been one of my favorite actresses, and not it's not just because of her acting alone (or the fact that she's got Brad) but because she uses her fame to make a difference in the world. A lot of people probably think that it's all a publicity stunt, but even if it is, she definitely is bringing attention to parts of the world that need it. On top of that, her recent surgeries have shown that she's a normal woman that has to deal with real life problems. Just because she's an A-list celebrity doesn't mean she's shielded from health problems and the fact that she was so open about her double-mastectomy inspires so many affected women. 

She's such an influential woman and definitely an inspiration. 

With Love,

Patti

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May Beauty Favorites

 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Can't believe how quickly May has flown by! Summer is so close, I can almost taste the sea spray! This month I have been basically using the same beauty products over and over again and can honestly say that I am obsessed!

SexyHair | Soy Renewal

 I've basically used up that whole bottle in this one month. It seriously makes my hair feel so soft and healthy and it smells absolutely amazing. 

Boo-Boo Coverup Concealer 

This concealer does wonders for my blemishes. The changing weather has really made me break out and it has been my savior. The great thing about it is that a little goes a long way and it's got great coverage. 

bareMinerals | Mineral Veil 

bareMinerals has done awesome with this finishing powder. It perfectly sets my foundation or tinted moisturizer and doesn't feel cakey at all.

Benefit | they're Real! push-up liner

Benefit's new gel liner AMAZING. It's not out yet, but I got to test drive it after getting a sample from Generation Beauty, I’ve used it almost every day this week! I’ll be doing a review on it so look out for that! 

Tarte | Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer - Medium Tan

I’m not a big fan of heavy face makeup simply because I hate the way it feels like my face is clogged up. For that reason, I stick to tinted moisturizers and lighter foundations and have fallen in love with this one. It feels so light, almost like I’m not wearing anything and it doesn’t grease up my face later on in the day. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something with lighter coverage. 

City Color | Be Matte Blush - Fresh Melon

I’ve literally worn this blush everyday for the past month. It’s great for summer because it’s more of a vibrant pink than I’m used to, but goes on so naturally. 

Nyx | Lipliner Pencil - 860 Peekaboo Neutral x Lancôme | Cream Lipstick - Love it!

This liner and lipstick pair has been my go-to this month. The pink is so subtle but adds the perfect amount of color.

Nyx | Love in Paris - Eat Cake

Just got this pallet recently, but I am absolutely loving the blushy hues on it. It kind of reminds me of the Naked 3 pallet, but different! A good different. Blush/pink toned eye shadows are totally in at the moment and I definitely haven’t gotten sick of them yet. 

What beauty products have you been loving?

With Love, 

Patti

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAYS | Michelle Phan

This past weekend I went to Generation beauty and had the pleasure of meeting Michelle Phan. I've been subscribed to her YouTube channel for a while now and to actually see in person was so awesome! (definitely fangirled a little) She's as sweet in person as she is in her videos and so down to earth too. 

She's such an inspiring person who shows that through determination, perseverance, and hard work anyone can achieve their dreams. Not only is a she a successful beauty guru, but also the head of her own makeup line! 

With love,

Patti

What's In My Glam Bag?! | May 2014

Eva NYC | Therapy Session Hair Mask $12

Pacifica | Mineral Eye Shadow Duo 1 ~$6

Boo-Boo Cover Up | Concealer $20

Jersey Shore Sun | Sans Tan Anti-Aging Sunscreen $10

La Fresh | Travel Lite Face Cleansing Wipes $2.50

TOTAL ~ $50.50

It's time for my monthly Glam Bag goodies! Soo, I was pretty excited when I got my package in the mail and felt how heavy it was. But I'm not gonna lie, when I opened it I was a little disappointed at what I found inside. I'm pretty picky when it comes to skin care since I have pretty sensitive skin and that seemed to be the theme this month. The sample sizes were still pretty hefty so I can't really complain, but I don't think I'll be using the sunscreen or the facial wipes. BUT I am pretty excited about the hair mask, it smells AMAZING. I wish I could share it with you guys, and I can't wait to put it in my hair! The shadow duo is nice, but they keep sending me the same colors.. I've barely even touched what they sent me before. Overall, I'd give this month's bag a C+. I get that summer's coming and it's all about the skin care, but I'm hoping for something a little more exciting next month! 

Despite the let down, I still love my Glam Bags! They are SO worth it, 50 bucks worth of samples for only $10 a month! That's like two and half trips to Starbucks.. definitely justified! 

XX,

Patti

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What's In My Glam Bag?! | April 2014

Hello beautiful ladies!

It's one of my favorite times of the month again! My super cute April Ipsy Glam Bag has arrived and I am SO happy with all the goodies I found inside. I have to say that sometimes the glam bags can be a hit or miss, but I think Ipsy usually does a great job of staying consistent with quality products. (Thanks to Michele Phan)

Urban Decay | 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Black Velvet

St. Tropez | Gradual Tan Multi-Action Face

Elizabeth Mott | Pop! Goes the Shadow in Champagne

Cailyn | Tinted Lip Balm in 12. Apple Pink

Dr. Brandt | Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant

I was so excited when I saw the Urban Decay eyeliner because I have been wanting to try it so bad and haven't found the time to buy it. I absolutely love it and it really does stay on all day without smudging. The same goes for St. Tropez gradual tan face lotion! I heard St. Tropez products are all really good but on the pricier side. I haven't seen too much of a change in face color, but then again I've only used it twice. I'll be sure to let you know if it does work. The shadow is a perfect shimmery neutral, but I do wish I had gotten a more fun color for the spring since I have so many similar colors. As for the lip balm, the skinny top part is a brush! It's not super pigmented but I love that it gives a hint of color to a bare lip. My glam bags have only gotten better with time and I can't wait for next months!

XO,

Patti

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What's In My Glam Bag?!

Hello my loves!

I'm sure most of you know about monthly subscription services, if not already subscribed to them. I'm talking about sites like Shoemint, Jewelmint, Birch Box, and Ipsy to name a few. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, these are fashion and beauty websites that you pay a monthly fee to and receive monthly packages. I've been subscribed to Ipsy for a couple months now and each month (for $10) I get a cute little travel pouch stuffed with about 4-5 beauty samples. It's perfect for people like me who really want to try different beauty products but can't afford buying like 5 different moisturizers to find the perfect one. The great thing is that the samples aren't those lame foil packets, but decent travel-sized products and even a couple full sized products! Each bag is usually worth like $40-$50, so it's totally worth it. It gives me great exposure to new brands I wouldn't have known about and lets me buy products that I know are worth the investment. That's enough background info, keep reading to see what I got in my March Glam Bag! 

** Even though I wish this was sponspored, it's not. Just wanted to share a good thing with you lovely ladies! 

Bare Minerals | Marvelous Moxie

NYX | Love in Rio

Pixi | Flawless Beauty Primer 

Chella | Liquid Liner in Blue

I'm so excited to test these products out! Especially the lipstick! Let me know if you guys want reviews of the products! Be sure to check back monthly for more What's In My Glam Bag?!

XO, 

Patti