Summer Wish List 2015

As I prepared everything for this blog post, I looked over at my husband and said "It's sad how easily I thought of everything on this list." I guess that's just the life when you stay on top of trends and products in the beauty world, eh? There's always at least ONE thing I really wish I had at any given moment. Here's what's on my list currently....

 Too Faced Little Black Book of Bronzers ($49) - Even though I’m a pale girl, this book of bronzers calls my name. There’s a bronzer for every occasion in this thing! Matte, shimmering, pinky-brown, dark - you name it, and I want it.

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm ($60) - This has a cult following in the beauty world, and I've become a recent lover of cleansing balms. I have not heard one single bad thing about this, so maybe if I'm feeling like splurging, I'll pick this up and see what the fuss is all about.

Origins Ginger Essence ($45 for 1.7 oz) - I smelled this in a CCO once and was really intrigued by how different it was from anything in my perfume collection. I really love the scent of ginger in perfumes and lotions, and this was just pure heaven. Not only is the scent comprised of ginger, but it also has bergamot, lemon and lime, too.

Becca Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal ($38) - This is the most beautiful highlight I've ever laid eyes on. I think I could probably get rid of all my other highlights and use this one forever and ever, but it isn't cheap, and I have a whole bunch of highlighters that do the trick. So for now, it remains on my wish list.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed palette in Streak ($32) - I got a sample of this and if you follow me on instagram, you probably saw my post about it. This palette comes with a bronzer, blush and highlight, all of which are beautiful. The blush is a lovely coral color and the highlight was like KA-POW on my cheeks! I nearly picked this up on a whim in Sephora the other day, but luckily for my wallet, they were sold out.

Colourpop Blush in Birthday Suit ($8) - I did a Colourpop haul not too long ago, and in that post I talked about the interesting consistency that Colourpop products have. I assume these blushes are much of the same, and I really want to see what kind of magic that would work on my cheeks. Birthday suit is a gorgeous shimmery pink blush that seems like it would be flattering on just about anyone. 

Moroccan Oil Body Souffle in Fleur de Rose ($56) - Everyone and their mom love Moroccan Oil products, and everyone who reads my blog knows how much I adore rose scented products. So naturally, I want to give this a try. These body creams are said to be lovely and if they weren't so darn expensive, I'd know whether people are right about that or not!

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse ($42) - I've been on a bit of a self tan kick lately, and the tried and true product seems to be this tanning mousse. I've only ever tried the St. Tropez gradual tanning lotion, and that was super nice, so I imagine that this more intense self-tanner is the bomb.

Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise perfume ($60) - I've never even set my nose to this perfume before, but I just have this feeling that Vanilla + Anise = my nose in heaven. I'm a vanilla girl through and through and Jo Malone makes some of the best perfumes I've ever smelled, so what I'm trying to say is that I'm just one impulse click away from this landing on my doorstep.

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think? Let me know!

October Favorites

I'm sad to see October go! October is one of my all-time favorite months and I absolutely love Halloween and the beautiful autumn weather that typically graces the month of October. But it's a bittersweet end, because the end of this month means Thanksgiving and (more importantly) CHRISTMAS are on the way! So sadly and happily, I say SAYONARA to October. And the end of the month means only one thing - faves time!!

Here's what I loved this month:

• AuraCacia Pillow Potion - This is a pillow mist made out of a blend of essential oils and water. I have to say, I'm getting more and more in to essential oils, and I REALLY like the smell of this mix. Each night before bed I spritz a few sprays of this Pillow Potion across my pillow and blanket, and I find it to be really relaxing and it helps me sleep. I purchase this off of VitaCost.com (also a favorite this month!) for a great price - all their stuff is sold cheaper than I can find it in stores. Click here to sign up for VitaCost and receive a coupon for $10 off a purchase of $30 or more!

• Wet n Wild H20 Proof Liquid Eyeliner - I've professed my love for the Wet n Wild Mega Liner liquid eyeliner many a time on this blog, but I also love the waterproof version. I feel like I need to say that I don't love it as much as it's non-waterproof counterpart, but it is pretty darn good. It has a tiny bit of shine, which I don't love, but this stuff does not budge. It's amazing. If you're in need of a waterproof liquid eyeliner for a day you plan to get a little misty (weddings, sappy movie date, etc.) this is the one for you. It costs under $5, too - oh yeah!

• Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne - I did a full review of this here so I'll keep it short and sweet. This is the quintessential fall perfume. It's sexy and earthy, and it could work for women or men. 

• Bath & Body Works Comfort Pumpkin Latte & Marshmallow Triple Moisture Body Cream - You might remember this from my fall B&BW haul, and I speculated that this might be too sweet to use frequently. BOY WAS I WRONG. This stuff is amazing. The part of me that prefers to use natural skincare hates the part of me that loves B&BW's Triple Moisture Body Creams, but dayum... they're just great. This one smells really nice and spicy on the skin, and leaves my skin feeling so soft and hydrated. Highly recommend this scent if you're a fall scent lover.

• Covergirl TruBlend Minerals in Shimmering Sands - This is a totally old product that I'm absolutely in love with. (see it in use here) This is a light shimmery pinky-gold powder that I use on my cheekbones, prior to going in with a pink blush on the apples of my cheeks. It adds that dewy look to the cheeks without looking like a disco ball, and the end result is stunning. I don't even know if this stuff is still for sale, but when I run out someday I will be running out to get this again wherever I can.

What did you love in October? Let me know!

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne

I have been searching for my perfect Jo Malone scent for quite some time now. A few months ago I wandered to the Jo Malone counter in Nordstrom and sniffed all of the scents. I couldn't find anything that gave me that instant excitement you get when you know you've found something perfect for you. Granted, my nose was probably a bit overloaded from sniffing so many scents, but either way, I walked out empty handed.

Fast-forward to a month ago when my boss brought in her newest Nordstrom catalog and said "you have GOT to smell this!" and lo and behold the little sample in the magazine was the latest Jo Malone release - Wood Sage & Sea Salt. I have never done this before, but right after I smelled the little perfume flap in the magazine, I went online to JoMalone.com and ordered the perfume right then and there. 

"Escape the everyday along the windswept shore. Waves breaking white, the air fresh with sea salt and spray. Alive with the mineral scent of the rugged cliffs. Mingling with the woody earthiness of sage. Lively, spirited and totally joyful." (from jomalone.com)

Wood Sage & Sea Salt is characterized by three scents - top notes of ambrette seeds, heart note of sea salt, and a base note of sage. One of the very first things I noticed about this scent is how very unisex it is. It almost smells sort of cologne like, and frankly - it smells almost like something that Abercrombie & Fitch would come out with, but a million times better and certainly more earthy. 

This is the perfect scent for the transition to fall. It's sexy and earthy, and isn't heavy in the slightest. The one and only qualm I have about it is it's short wear time. After 5 or 6 hours, the smell is very faint and a reapplication is necessary. And unrelated to the scent, I find that the packaging is rather cheap. For a $60 bottle of perfume, I'd expect more. The glass itself is sturdy and looks nice, but the design on front and back is literally just stickers - and they're not even centered! That peeves the OCD, marketing professional in me. Other than that, I'm completely obsessed! You have to get this before it's gone!

I now want to explore the world of Jo Malone more deeply! Have you tried any Jo Malone fragrances? If so - what do you love? Let me know in the comments!