Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Essie - Exposure | Swatches & Review


You'll have to excuse my wonky nubbin' nails - they're STILL recovering after having acrylics back in the beginning of June. My poor nails just haven't been the same. And even when my nails look like poo, I can't resist painting them fun, bright colors. So despite my funky fingernails, I had to show you this  polish. (It's not new to the polish world, but I picked it up only recently -- I'm always so late on the polish game!)

Say hello to Essie's "Exposure", a hot pink cream polish. There's no shimmer or glitter to this beaut, it's just plain ol' hot pink and I absolutely love it. I also used Exposure on my toes too, and it is the perfect summer pedicure color.



For this manicure, I used two coats for full opacity and topped it off with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat. I have experienced some chipping along the tip of my nail within just 1-2 days, however I do think that's because of the top coat and not a testament to the staying power of this Essie polish.

While I'm not sure this color can be found in stores anymore, I do know you can find it on Amazon and eBay so if you love it - go get it! 

What are you wearing on your nails? Let me know!

Monday, July 28, 2014

Montagne Jeunesse: Super Fruit Mud Mask & Creamy Coconut Mask




I am a total sucker for face masks. My favorite way to really pamper myself is to pull out one of my favorite face masks, and I'm always on the hunt for something new. So when I got an opportunity to try some Montagne Jeunesse face masks, I couldn't say no. I've seen these in stores for ages, and many of you have probably tried them (or at least thought about trying them) before yourself. They're cheap and fun to use! Here are my thoughts on a couple different masks.



The first mask I tried was the Super Fruit Mud mask, a mask made with goji berries. According to the Montagne Jeunesse website, "Goji Berries are one of the most powerful super fruits around so this mud packs a punch when it comes to protecting against the drying effects of environmental stresses. We've added nutrient rich Pomegranates too – POW!"


The Super Fruit Mud mask smells lightly fruity and floral, and stung when I applied it to my face. Nothing horrible, but enough to be uncomfortable for a bit. This reminded me of the classic Queen Helene Mint Julep mask in terms of consistency and texture. As it dried, it felt nice and cool and it left my face stiff. I left it on for 15 minutes, and washed it off with warm water. 

Overall, I really didn't notice anything different with my skin after using this mask. It didn't break me out, and it didn't do anything special. 


The second mask I tried is the Creamy Coconut mask. The Montagne Jeunesse website says, "We've harnessed the hydrating goodness of fresh Coconut Water and added lots of lovely ingredients to moisturise and hydrate, including super smoothing Shea Butter."



The Creamy Coconut mask smells like fake coconuts - the typical "coconut" lotion or tanning lotion smell. This mask had a much thinner consistency compared to the Super Fruit Mud mask, and applied more like a lotion. This mask didn't sting at all, and felt cool and refreshing as it dried on my skin. 



The next morning my face felt hydrated without being oily and my skin looked even and balanced. Between the two masks, this was definitely my favorite.


I really enjoy using Montagne Jeunesse face masks. They're super cheap (usually $2 and under) and I am able to get 2-3 uses from each packet. If you're like me and get bored easily with one product, these masks are the perfect way to try something new without breaking the bank each time you do. I'd recommend trying these if you're a face mask lover!


Sunday, July 27, 2014

This Week #11

Top to Bottom, L to R: A homecooked meal//a good eyeliner day//6-month-old Winnie//'20s after-party!

Happy Sunday, ya'll! How was your week?

My week was equal parts chaotic and wonderful. A busy work week made things go by in a flash, but I still found time for some things I wanted to get around to post-work. On Tuesday, Jake and I started using the Couch to 5k app just to switch up our workouts a bit. We go for long, brisk walks in our neighborhood as often as we can, but we wanted a new challenge. So far we're really liking throwing some jogging in the mix. Winnie has been enjoying it, too. 

On Wednesday, the company I work for threw an after-party for an event in town and it was '20s themed (see above). It was lots of fun to get glammed up. And on Thursday we had our company picnic, which I also helped staff - a great night of good food and even better company. I'm lucky to work with some really great people.

Friday evening was spent grilling with my parents at my house. They brought Jake and I some fun goodies from New Orleans, their summer vacation spot. Watch out - I've got a voodoo doll now, folks! 

While the weather wasn't as ideal as the Weather Channel promised on Saturday, Jake and a friend of ours decided to go tubing nonetheless. It was SO much fun, but we were completely shot and ended up going to bed at 8:30 last night. I haven't been that tired in ages! 

Today brings even more fun - a birthday party for Jake's cousin and the Demolition Derby at the fair (the 1% of hick in me loves it!) 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, loves! See ya Monday!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

July Ipsy 2014


It's Ipsy time, ya'll! And this month's bag is pretty good! For those of you new to the whole Ipsy bag thing, in the shortest description it's a monthly subscription service that sends beauty samples (many times with a couple full size products!) straight to your door for just $10/month! Click here to sign up. 

Here's what came in this month's bag.

  • bareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow - This is a nude eyeshadow that can be used alone or as a base. It has a hint of shimmer to it, only visible in the light. Very pretty.
  • Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Unique Pink - This is a clear balm that smells minty. I really like Pixi so I'm excited to receive this!
  • Clear Clinic Laboratories Vanished Clear Spot Treatment - This is a spot treatment for acne specially formulated with menthol, glycolic acid and salicylic acid. I get spots now and then so this isn't a bad thing to have on hand.
  • Pur~lisse pur~protect essential daily moisturizer - Pur~lisse has been featured before on Ipsy. I don't have an opinion on the brand one way or the other, but this will be a nice travel moisturizer.
  • Models Own Nail Polish in Red Sea - This is a pretty glittery red polish. I'm new to the Models Own brand and am looking forward to trying it.

Do you subscriber to Ipsy? What did you get in your bag? Let me know!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Summer Lovin' - FOTD


It FINALLY feels like summer here in Minnesota - kind of sad, considering it's July 21... but we've just been graced with some 80+ degree weather for the last few days and I am absolutely loving it. All this sunshine and warm weather had me feeling so good that I decided to sport some dressed up eyes just for the heck of it. Here's how you get the look:



On my face, I began by moisturizing. See my current skincare routine for the products I use to do just that. For foundation, I used a cosmetic sponge to apply the Revlon ColorStay foundation; I'm the lightest shade, #110 Ivory. I set it using my go-to Rimmel Stay Matte powder. For a pop of color on my cheeks, I used a blush that's been featured many times on this blog, Physician's Formula Multi-Colored Blush in Blushing Nude. 

I filled in and set my eyebrows using the Wet n Wild eyebrow pencil in Taupe and the Maybelline Great Lash in clear. On my lips I'm wearing a NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in the shade Nude Peach Fuzz, an awesome pigmented cream that is more like a liquid lipstick. Because this look is more dramatic for me than normal, a nude lip color is a nice choice so the attention stays on the eyes.



For my eyes, I started by using the Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin, a shimmering champagne color. To define the crease, I used my all-time favorite NYX single in True Taupe with a fluffy blending brush. Any matte brown that is just a couple shades darker than your skin tone will do. 

I then pulled out my Sephora Primal Instincts palette seen above to do the real work. Using the lighter shimmery purple shade called Tea Rose (top, right) I filled in the outside of my crease and then pulled it in along my lid. To really define the outside of the crease, I then used the jewel-toned shimmery purple called Plum. I pulled this slightly around the top of the lid for a bit of definition. To brighten up the middle and inner corner of my lid, I used a rosy champagne color (top, left) called Apricot. And wa-lah! That's all for the eyeshadow.



Because my eyes always need a pop of eyeliner to look complete, I used a brown liquid Covergirl liner (unnamed) and went over it with the Sigma eyeshadow base in Strike, a shimmery burgundy brick color. To complete the look I used a couple coats of Eyeko's Black Magic mascara. 


This look is super easy to replicate, and you definitely don't need to use the exact same colors I did to achieve something awfully similar. If you recreate this look, send me a link! I'd love to see!

Sunday, July 20, 2014

This Week #10

Clearance beauty haul//paint swatch for the beauty room//Winnie practicing agility//The "Volcano Roll"//Paper wasp hive

Something about this week just felt LONG. It was probably because I woke up Tuesday morning thinking it was Friday... how disappointing. Or maybe it was because we discovered a paper wasp hive under our deck (above) early in the week and I've spent all this week figuring out how to get rid of it because my husband can't be stung or he'll swell up like a balloon. But despite how long the week felt, it was full of wonderful days spent with good people. 

This was Winnie's first week without puppy class, so we indulged in our open Tuesday evening by having friends over for a grill out. We had so much fun that they came over again on Wednesday (this time for our favorite Vietnamese takeout)! Always nice to spend time with good friends.

We spent Friday evening with my sister and family celebrating her 20th birthday. We went to her favorite pizza place, Broadway Pizza, which I really enjoy, too. Saturday was spent buying all the supplies we needed to finally paint my beauty room, which has been an unfortunate lime green since we moved in. Enough was enough, and we settled on the color above - Secret Passage (a gorgeous light gray). The real fun of Saturday was spent with some friends who also have golden retrievers and a large agility area in their yard. You can see Winnie (above) learning how agility dogs pose on the A-frame. 

We didn't want the fun to end come Saturday evening, so after taping off the beauty room to prepare it for being painted today, we went out for sushi with a friend who was visiting town. It had been ages since we went out for sushi, and it was exactly what I was hungry for. Jake's "volcano roll" even came to the table on a flaming plate! (above)

Most of Sunday was spent painting the beauty room. The actual painting took very little time, however the first paint we picked out was far too light so we had to run back to the store this morning and get the next shade deeper. Oh well! I'm thankful for a patient, understanding husband who agreed that we absolutely needed to go back and swap the paint out, even if the store is out of the way and we just wanted to get the painting done. 

How was your week? Enjoy the rest of your weekend, lovelies! See you Monday!


Friday, July 18, 2014

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation | Review


Not often do I branch out from my favorite foundations - when I find one I like, I tend to stick to it. Seems odd, right? I'm a beauty addict who loves to sample all the things. However, with my combo/oily skin, not all foundations sit well on my face so I don't like shelling out money on something that may not work for me.

However, earlier this winter, I'd been hearing a lot about the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation and was intrigued. My skin was quite dry (due to some medication I was on) and most foundations worked well on me since oil wasn't a big factor, so I decided to try this one out.

Revlon Nearly Naked foundation retails around $7.50 a bottle, and can be found at retail and drug stores. It's available in 16 shades, but I am the lightest - 110 ivory. The foundation has medium coverage, but can be built up for more coverage. It looks natural and dewy on the skin, living up to its "Nearly Naked" name. I've applied this in a variety of ways - beauty blender, brush, and sponge - but my favorite way to apply it was using my Sigma F80 kabuki brush. The consistency is very light and runny, with a sort of oily finish, so the brush allows for easy blending and application. 

For those of you with dry, clear skin, you just might love this foundation. If you've got oily or combination skin, you might want to think twice. When my skin was dry, I could easily wear this foundation all day, getting 6+ good hours of wear. However, with my skin back to it's normal oily/combo self, this stuff slips and slides around on my face, requiring me to re-set it with powder once or twice throughout the day. 



Revlon Nearly Naked foundation is a great option for those with dry or non-oily skin types. It smooths nicely across the face, has a large shade selection, and looks quite natural. For those with oily skin, this will probably slip and slide around and require you to powder your face multiple times throughout the day.

I tend to gravitate towards this foundation for a night out, when I'm only planning to wear it for a few hours. I also like to use it with cream blush, as the finish is natural and dewy. 

Unfortunately, due to the short wear time I get from this, I won't be purchasing another bottle. I'll stick to my tried and true favorite, the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation.


Have you tried the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation? How did it work for you? Let me know!

Monday, July 14, 2014

Mega Haul!

It's been QUITE some time since I've allowed myself to splurge on some beauty goodies. Lately I've been focusing on using what I have instead of buying anything more. BUT, I did need some face cleanser, and I saw an excellent deal on some Korres goodies (a brand I've never tried but have been wanting to experiment with) and well... one trip to TJ Maxx later and we've got ourselves a haul....



Back in June, Korres was featured on Hautelook and I could not resist (despite putting myself on a no-buy that I'd been strictly adhering to since May!). I've long wanted to try the lip butters, and I have to say I am not disappointed in the least - they're creamy and hydrating and feel really nice on the lips. I have yet to try the body butters, but I have a feeling I won't be disappointed.



I was super excited to see Organic Surge Pure & Clean face wash at  TJ Maxx. I've tried a couple of Organic Surge products and thoroughly enjoyed them, but never have I used anything from their skincare line. I also decided to pick up the Amie Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash. I picked this up entirely on a whim; I know nothing about it, so I admit I bought it purely on the cute packaging (I'm such a victim of great packaging). The Rusk Being Gutsy hair thickener I bought for no real reason - it looks cool and I can always use some extra volume.



Yay - two more Organic Surge products! I don't have much selection of facial moisturizers, and these come in really nice, sturdy glass pots (again, a victim of great packaging). My skin has been loving all natural products and I haven't been using an all natural moisturizer lately (at least in the morning), so I'm looking forward to trying these. 



Of all the items I've recently purchased, these are the two I'm most excited about. I've heard so much about Paula's Choice, and I've recently started looking more at Paula's website. If you haven't checked it out, and you care about the ingredients in your beauty products, you need to give it a look. Paula's Choice had their face wash on sale over the 4th of July so I picked a couple up and got an awesome deal. So maybe I'm a bit of a skincare junkie?....

Let me know if you've tried any of these products out!! What have you hauled lately?

Friday, July 11, 2014

Current Skin Care Regimen

With summer in full swing, I've changed up my skincare to match the season. The hotter weather makes me more oily in the T-zone, but I've found a routine that works well for me during the Minnesota summer time. Here's what I've been using.



Every morning, I begin by washing my face with the Yes to Carrots Daily Cream Facial Cleanser ($7.99). This is a really light cleanser that has the consistency of a lotion. It doesn't foam up or lather much, rather just slicks over the face, hydrating and cleaning. I wouldn't use this as a night time facial wash as I don't think it would remove makeup well, but in the morning, when my face is already mostly clean, this does the trick.

After washing and drying my face, I then apply the Yes to Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment ($15.99). This is a great eye cream for daytime; it's lightweight and works nicely under makeup. You might remember this eye cream, as I professed my love for it in a favorites post a while back. 

Before applying my makeup, I combine 2 pumps of the Kiehl's Abyssine Lotion (a now discontinued product - sorry, I feel guilty for even bringing it up!) with half a pump of the Neutrogena Oil-Free moisturizer ($11.99). The Abyssine Lotion claims to diminish the effects of aging and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It's not quite moisturizing enough for my skin, so I include the half pump of Neutrogena moisturizer to assist with that. I like this combo of moisturizers for summer because they both have SPF.



In the evening, I begin by wiping my eye makeup off with a cotton pad and eye makeup remover (which changes frequently, so it's not pictured) followed by wiping my face makeup off with a makeup wipe (also changed frequently so not pictured here). Once all the makeup has been removed from my face, I use my handy dandy Clarisonic with one pump of the Simple Foaming Cleanser ($7.49). Because this cleanser is so foamy, it works really well when using the Clarisonic. This cleanser is fairly basic, but it gets the job done just right. I think this cleanser would dry my skin out if I used it in the morning, but as I moisturize heavier at night, this works perfectly.

Once my face is clean, I like to use an eye cream. I've recently been using the Benefit It's Potent eye cream ($34) and I absolutely love this stuff. It helps brighten the under eye area and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I'm quite prone to fine, dehydration lines under my eyes and this stuff works a miracle on my under eye area! I've got just a little sample that I received in the 2013 Benefit Advent calendar, but I just might have to get the full size once I run out.

To fully moisturize the rest of my face, I've been using the Yes to Cucumbers Calming Night Cream ($14.99). This has that typical Yes to Cucumbers smell, which I like. It feels lightweight, but does an awesome job of hydrating my skin. It's also a good price for the amount you get! I sometimes swap in some face oils instead of the Calming Night Cream when I feel my skin needs it, but I use the cream most often as I think it provides the perfect amount of hydration for my skin in summer.

What's in your skincare army? Let me know if you've tried any of these products!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Burnin' Up #2


No matter the season, summer or winter, candles are always found in my house. I like to keep them where I can see them, so I keep one on my kitchen island and one in my main floor bathroom. It's just comforting to have cozy candles burning, the scents filling my home. Here's what's been burning in my house as of late.

Because I have an embarrassing amount of candles stored up (I won't be caught without one!) this Beach Vacation scented Yankee Candle has been waiting it's turn to be burned for quite some time. Yankee Candle describes this scent as such - "A tropical island getaway . . . a fresh sea breeze mingles with lush greenery and sweet exotic flowers." If I could encapsulate the smell of a beach vacation, this is exactly what I'd expect to smell. It smells like sunscreen, beach and summer all rolled in to one. Unfortunately, the scent throw (how much the scent travels) is pretty minimal, but that could be because it's sat on my shelf for a while. 

Summer Wish by Yankee Candle is one of my favorite scents from Yankee. It's categorized as a "floral" scent, and is described by Yankee as such - "The fresh, green notes call to mind the outdoors and remind you slow and appreciate life's little moments. This scent, with its sweet, young floral essence, is anything but old-fashioned despite its nostalgic tendencies." It's not overly floral, so if you're not huge in to those kind of scents, you're safe with this. It smells really fresh and nice, and this teeny candle makes my bathroom smell great!

On another note, how cute is the white candle holder pictured above? I made a run to Bath & Body Works not too long ago and saw this white holder and couldn't leave without it! It goes perfectly with my kitchen, too. 

Have you ever tried either of these candles? What are you burning at your home? Let me know!

Monday, July 7, 2014

This Week #9

Top to Bottom, L to R: The campfire//My cabin cup//The beautiful view//Winnie loving the lake//Our cabin view
You may have noticed the silence on Glazed Over for most of last week, but I have a good excuse - I was gone fishin' at the cabin! The cabin is a once a year thing for my husband and I and our family, so I take pleasure in fully unplugging - hence missing a few blog posts. 

Last week went by like it was on fast forward. I worked Monday-Wednesday, but squeezed in Puppy II class on Tuesday and dinner with my parents on Wednesday evening. And on Thursday, at 4 A.M.., Jake and I packed up the car and made the 5.5 hour trip to the cabin, Winnie included.

The weekend was a whirlwind of fun. We arrived Thursday around 10, and quickly changed in to our bathing suits and spent the day down on the lake fishing, paddleboating, and watching Winnie experience that much water for the first time. Winnie surprised me with her bravery - she went on the dock a few times and then promptly jumped right in to the water and swam back to shore. She swam so well, you would have thought she'd done it a million times. It was so cute to watch.

On Friday, the rest of the family crew arrived and we again wasted no time getting down to the dock for some morning fishing. We even had a bachelorette party for our new sister-in-law who is getting married in November. The Independence Day holiday was capped off with an awesome firework show put on by my husband and brothers-in-law. 

Saturday was much of the same - I even squeezed in some time to read my book while catching some rays. We soaked up our final day at the cabin, and ended the night with a good game of Cards Against Humanity. We left around 8 A.M. on Sunday and got home early afternoon, prepared to do lots of laundry and TV watching. It's always sad when cabin weekend comes to an end and there's not much energy left to do much else.

Hope you all enjoyed your holiday weekend as well! See you all on Wednesday!
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