Those who know me know I love pretty much anything rose-scented ... as long as it's not that weird old-lady type of rose scent. So do I even need to tell you that I really love using rose water as a toner? Well, I do. I used the Pure Rose Water by Skin Daily Skincare as a toner - applied on a cotton round after I washed my face in the morning and night. This product aims to calm irritated skin and hydrate in the process. It has the most lovely soft rose scent. It smells like you're rubbing a real rose petal all over your skin. It wasn't irritating, or too smelly, or drying. It was just a really nice addition to my skincare routine and made my skin feel nice and clean. And well, you basically ARE rubbing a rose petal all over your skin. This rose water is created by distilling rose petals in spring water. There's NOTHING else added, no alcohol, no oils, nothing. It's uncompromised and it's fresh and natural. I don't like my skincare to be too complicated, so this is the perfect toner in my book. Skin Daily Skincare Rose Water can be purchased on Amazon for $14.99 (4.8 oz). Click here for more information or to purchase. What's your ideal toner? Have you ever tried rose water? Let me know!
Oh yeah, it's time for a Lush haul, ya'll! I love love love Lush, but I don't always want to spend the $$$ on all the beautiful Lush things (even though they're totally worth the money) as they are quite spendy. But once a year, on their day after Christmas sale, this girl splurges and doesn't feel bad about it for a second. And really, why feel bad about a BOGO sale? (I SO wish they'd do these a couple times a year! Do you hear me, Lush? It's me, Brianna!) Here's what I got:
I am head over heels in love with Lush's lip scrub, and since the one I have is about expired, I thought I'd try out the Santa's Lip Scrub version. This scrub is red with little heart shaped scrubbies mixed in, and it smells like cola. I don't drink soda, so I love "indulging" with a cola-scented scrub. While I really love the scent, I wish it wasn't red because I feel like I have to be really careful about using it, especially after I apply my makeup (for fear of looking like the Joker). Santa's Lip Scrub is limited edition for the holidays, but you can find other flavors available all year long for approximately $9. I also got two luxury bath bombs. The silver star on the left is Star Light, Star Bright. It's completely covered in silver glitter which might turn most people off, but I actually can't wait to bathe in it. (#GlitterFreak) It's formulated with organic shea butter and extra virgin coconut oil and scented with ginger, lavender and lime oil fragrance. On the right is Snow Angel, which is also slightly glittery. This is actually part bath melt and part bath bomb. For those of you who may be new to Lush, their bath bombs are typically fizzy and bath melts are more luxurious and lotion-like. Snow Angel has a moisturizing cocoa butter base, and is scented with Lush's Marzipan fragrance (the same scent as their popular Snowcake soap).
I've heard nothing but good things about Lush's Hot Toddy shower gel, so I had to pick it up. It smells heavenly, very cinnamon-y with a hint of ginger. I love the beautiful bold red color, and (I'm sensing a trend here) there's glitter mixed through! This is red hots in a shower gel form - I love it. I absolutely couldn't pass up a deal on Rose Jam shower gel. Rose Jam is one of my favorite Lush scents. If you've used Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, or the Rose Jam bubbleroon (two of my faves!) this scent is the exact same... it's just in shower gel form. Ultra rosey with hints of vanilla and lemon - I wish I could smell like it all the time. I took a chance on the Celebrate Hand and Body Lotion and hit "buy" without ever smelling or trying it. I feel like that is a rather big risk when it comes to Lush products (for me), as I don't always love all their scents. But my risk paid off, and this is a really delightful lotion. It smells like oranges and it's ultra hydrating - and it's still available on sale on the Lush website .. so go grab it!! Have you tried any of these Lush products? What's your favorite Lush scent?
As a beauty fanatic, I own many things I deem essential to my everyday makeup and skincare routines. But there's definitely some things that are totally nonessential.... but they're awfully enjoyable to have. The Evian Facial Spray is one of those things. You may not need to run out of the house with your hair on fire to get this product, but I can tell you you'll be happy to have it in your arsenal if you buy it. So what is it? The Evian Facial Spray is a facial mist made up of natural spring water that is pH balanced, so it is compatible for all skin types from normal to extremely sensitive. It sprays out in micro droplets that make it very easy for the skin to absorb. This spray helps to hydrate, tone, and soothe the skin. You can use it as a setting spray to keep your makeup in place, as a toner to remove any traces of makeup or dirt, or as a spritz to add hydration to the skin throughout the day. I really like this spray to add a little life to my skin, especially if I'm going out after a long day but don't want to completely redo my makeup. I think this product is really nice to have, but I certainly won't run for the door to purchase it when I run out like I would when I run out of eyeliner. If I saw it around, I'd pick up a bottle. You can purchase Evian Facial Spray at Sephora. I typically see the smaller size near the counter, but you can also get this size online for $12. Click here to purchase.
Do you use a facial mist in your skincare routine? Have you tried the Evian facial spray? Let me know!
My apologies if the picture above is completely blinding you with my whiteness! Pale is my middle name... hello - I'm a redhead living in the frozen tundra known as Minnesota. But let's be real - I simply blend in with everyone else in the frozen tundra... I'm still just as white come July. (Praise be to the spray tan gods!) It's been quite a while since I've done a "FOTD" post, so I thought I'd show you an easy everyday look that's totally appropriate for the office, or a night out with friends, and it won't take you very long either!
I decided to break out my Coastal Scents shadows to achieve this look. It uses just 4 colors, but could easily use less or more if you wish. From top to bottom, L to R, I used Kokomo Cafe, Southern Wood, and Deep Merlot - each are Coastal Scents hot pots. The three shades are starred on the photo below.
The eyes are simple. Prime them first to get the best staying power as well as color pop (I used MAC's Soft Ochre paint pot), and then take Kokomo Cafe on a fluffy blending brush and sweep it along the crease of your eye. You don't have to be super precise, this will just help the shadows blend in to each other and keep your eye look from having sharp lines. Next take Deep Merlot on an eyeshadow brush and put that in to the outer corner of your eye and blend it inwards towards your tear duct. Blend, blend, blend! Then grab Southern Wood, and dab that on the outer corner and blend it through, not taking it quite as far as you did Deep Merlot. This will deepen the look just slightly. Grab your clean, fluffy blending brush and blend all the colors together. No harsh lines is the goal!
I did pop a bit of Wet n Wild's Creme Brulee in the middle of my eyelid to make the browns pop, and then used Sigma's eye shadow base in Strike along my lower lash line as it matched the shirt I wore that day. I then lined my eyes with Wet n Wild's Mega Liner liquid eyeliner in black (and it didn't apply as nicely as I wanted to, so if it looks wonky to you... it looks wonky to me, too), and applied a couple coats of Calvin Klein CK One Color mascara in True Black.
The rest of the look (and really ANY of it) can be modified to fit your skin type and preferences. I used my favorite Covergirl 3-in-1 foundation (review here) set with the Essence All About Matt powder and the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch concealer under my eyes, set with the Tarte Smooth Operator powder. I filled in my eyebrows with NYX's eyeshadow in True Taupe (can you tell I love it - I hit MAJOR pan on it!), touched up with the Wet n Wild eyebrow pencil in Taupe, all set with Maybelline Great Lash in clear. On my cheeks I used Benefit's Rockateaur blush (not pictured - it's part of a big set), contoured with Pixi's Beauty Bronzer in Subtly Suntouched and Victoria's Secret Illuminating Face Powder in Impassioned as a highlight. I dabbed a touch of C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve on my lips, and voila! Look complete!
You could totally up your game and throw some lipstick on to look extra glam, but I was keeping this look a bit played down. See what I mean - super easy! You don't have to have the exact colors I featured - use what you have that's similar. That's the fun and creative part of makeup application. What is your go-to eye eyeshadow? What lip would you pair with this look?
Girls, you know I love my hair masks. I've talked about them a million times on Glazed Over. I just think they're so important in maintaining healthy, happy hair. I use a deep conditioning mask every 2 washes, which is once a week in my hair wash routine. I think it makes a HUGE difference in the overall health of my hair. I especially love deep conditioners formulated with argan oil, so I welcomed the chance to try out Insta Natural's Superior Hydration Argan Oil hair mask. The Insta Natural mask is made with a bunch of good ingredients for your hair: Argan Oil, Japanese Green Tea, Amino Acid Complex, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil & Vitamin B5. Together, these ingredients work to nourish and replenish damaged and dry hair.
You'd expect that this mask has that typical argan oil scent, but it doesn't. I can't exactly put my finger on what this smells like - it reminds me of something, but I just can't place it and it's driving me crazy! It kind of smells like Juicy Fruit gum or something... it's odd, but I actually really like it. I left this product in my wet hair (after shampooing) for about 10 minutes, and then washed it out. I let my hair air dry and it felt so soft and smooth. My hair responds really well to argan oil deep conditioners and products, and this conditioner was no exception. My hair felt replenished and healthy, which actually kind of surprised me as this brand is not as well known. I should know better, as a beauty blogger, not to make that kind of judgement, but I can't help it! Much to my surprise, I really like this mask and I'd recommend it! You can purchase it at InstaNatural.com for $17.95 (8 0z.). To see other Insta Natural products I've reviewed, click here. What's your favorite hair mask? Have you tried anything by Insta Natural?
No package excites me quite as much as when I see a pink-wrapped Memebox sitting on my doorstep. I love Memeboxes so much because they're always filled with products that are entirely new to me, and they quality is always spot-on. I've had such good luck - all of the Memeboxes I've received have been simply amazing! (see the other boxes here and here) This month, I got the Superbox #65 - Korea's Most Wanted 2. This box is available globally on memebox.com. What's a superbox? Take it from Memebox directly: "Superbox was inspired by our Memebox lovers, looking for full-sized products catered to specific needs. Each Superbox series comes with its own theme, designed to target particular concerns. Boxes in each Superbox series always contain the same products sourced directly from Korea, and we at Memebox select only the very best-loved items to bring to you at highly discounted prices." Here's what you'll get in the Superbox #65:
elRoel Tone Up Sungel ($13 for ~1.7 oz) - This is a green cream, not really a gel as the name might suggest. It boasts high UV protection, and is meant to balance and smooth the tone of the skin. It claims to fill in lines and wrinkles and prep the skin so your makeup lasts all day long.
The elRoel sungel feels really thick when applied to the skin, but it does sink in rather quickly. I had a moment of panic because my face was whitewashed, but it blends - do not worry! It feels slightly tacky in a good way, you can tell it will hold foundation well. Once I applied my foundation I felt my pores looked diminished and my skin appeared very even and smooth. I really like this product!
The Tang Tang Kissy Skin Therapy Peeling Wash ($23 for ~3.3 oz) - This "peeling gel" is made for those of you with dry or sensitive skin. What you do is spread it over your clean face and let it sit for 40 seconds or so. Right before it begins to harden, massage the product all over your face and rinse it off.
There's not really anything in the US market that I can relate this to. It's a rather odd product. When you start to massage it on your face, it sort of bunches up; the texture makes me think of frosting that's sat out for a while... know what I mean? I think this is supposed to make you believe that you're sloughing off dry skin and impurities, but it seems like you're just washing the product off? Not entirely sold on this, but I'll probably keep using it now and then.
Kskin Emu Leg R-Free Massage Cream ($46 for ~3.3oz) - Don't be all grossed out when I say this, because this is an awesome lotion, but it's made with emu oil and snail mucus extracts.... as well as hyaluronic acid, peppermint oil and menthol complex. This is meant to soothe, moisturize, and de-stress tired legs.
When I applied this to my legs, the first thing I noticed was the strong menthol scent. If you've ever applied peppermint oil to your skin, you know how tingly and cold it feels... that's exactly what this feels like. This would be great for use in the summer when you want to cool down and soothe your legs after a long day. I definitely wouldn't wear this in the day time because the menthol scent is way too strong. If you don't want to shell out $46 for this lotion, you could probably just add peppermint oil to your most hydrating lotion and you'll have something similar.
Hiello Blooming Multi Firming Cream ($50 for ~1.6 oz) - This is a very rich anti-wrinkle cream that's formulated with poppy extracts, vitamin peptide, collagen, green tea water, Damascus rose water, and centella siatica (not sure what this is?!) It is meant to be used once a week, applied to the face before bed to clean skin and washed off in the morning.
I love this cream, as it has a really nice light floral scent. It's mega-hydrating and comes in quality glass packaging. If your skin doesn't take to rich products, you might want to avoid this. However, if you have dry skin, this just might be your new best friend.
I found this serum to be perfect for the morning time, as it was hydrating enough to use as my sole moisturizer. It doesn't have a strong scent, it's just nice and calming on the skin.
LadyKin One Touch Bling Glow Lipstick in Fall Rose ($11 for 0.1 oz) - This lipstick is simply amazing. It's creamy and ultra-pigmented, and can we just talk about this shade?! It's gorgeous... a my lips but better color unlike any I have in my collection! It's an every day shade that's appropriate for any situation - work, date night, an interview, you name it!
Unfortunately, it looks like these lipsticks are no longer available on the Memebox website. Shame! I'm sure with enough poking around the interwebs you could probably find a spot to purchase this amazing lippie.
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January discount codes have not yet been released for Memebox, but check back soon because they always have coupons that will save you money on any of your Memebox purchases! Once I receive them, I'll make sure to post them here!
Happy New Year, lovelies!! It's time we say au revoir to 2014 and HELLO to 2015! While I'm not one for making resolutions or getting too starry-eyed about the new year, I do like the thought of a fresh start and all the possibilities that a new year holds. Long story short.... in 2014 I traveled around the country to Las Vegas and Orlando, I saw good friends and family members get married, my husband and I celebrated our 2nd year of marriage and one year in our home, and we got a brand new puppy that has really become our spoiled little baby. It was a fabulous year! I hope you all had a great one, too! The end of a year marks a great time to look back at all the fabulous products that were staples in my beauty routine. I've picked out 14 of the things that I reached for more than all the others in 2014.
When my skin needed a detox, I couldn't help but reach for the Barefaced Mud Mask. It has a really nice herbal scent and makes my skin feel soft and clean. I think this is a nice option for those of you who like the GlamGlow mask but don't want to shell out the ridiculous amount of money for it. It's not an exact dupe, but it's close! Read my full review on the Barefaced Mud Mask here. After washing my hair, I typically need a little something to help combat frizz, and this year that product was Josie Maran's Argan Oil Hair Serum. This magical product tames frizz, makes my hair super soft, and never weighs it down. Plus, this little sample bottle has lasted me a long time. I always get asked how to make eye shadow last all day without creasing. The answer? A good primer. And nothing works like MAC paint pots. I have the shade Soft Ochre which is a yellow-toned nude. I can get 10+ hours of wear out of my eyeshadow without creasing. This has trumped last year's favorite - theBalm's Put a Lid on It. Two eyeliners rocked my world in 2014. I still very much love the Wet n Wild Liquid Liner, but these two were pleasant additions to my top 5 favorite eyeliners mental list. The first is Essence's Liquid Eyeliner. I picked this up on a complete whim and I absolutely love it. It has great pigmentation and it's really easy to draw a perfect line with. The second is Wet n Wild's Mega Eyes Creme Eyeliner in black. As you'd expect from the name, this eyeliner is really creamy and super easy to work with. It has good color payoff and lasts all day. It's not quite the same consistency as a gel liner, as it will smudge, but it doesn't claim to be waterproof or smudge-proof.
If you read this blog often, you surely aren't surprised that the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation made this year's list. I wear this pretty much every day and I rave about it to everyone I know (and constantly on this blog, too). This is a full coverage foundation that never looks cakey, and is super long-wearing. I fell in love with it when I had bad acne as it reduced the amount of concealer I needed, and even now, with a clear face, this foundation ranks as queen in my book. See a full review on this foundation here. 2014 was the year of Jo Malone for me. I searched and searched in the beginning of the year for a Jo Malone scent I loved, and after months of sniffing, I ended up purchasing two scents towards the end of the year. Jo Malone's Pomegranate Noir is a scent I could not resist purchasing and I have been wearing it nonstop throughout the winter months. It's a really sexy fragrance that's fruity yet musky and could be classified as unisex. I now know why everyone raves about this perfume. Go smell it if you haven't! I feel bad even including this as was discontinued this year (fingers crossed for a comeback!), but Lush's Creme Anglaise hand and body lotion really was a highlight of the year. My husband calls it "that stuff that makes you smell like baby powder", but in all actuality it's a super luxurious body lotion with notes of vanilla, saffron (I read somewhere once that it takes around150-170 handpicked saffron flowers to make just one gram of this lotion), almond and cocoa butter. I have never used a lotion quite like this - it makes my skin softer than any lotion I have ever used, and it's exceptionally amazing for just-shaved legs. If Lush ever re-releases this, you can bet I'll be stocking up - and you should, too!
For a girl who likes to go a few days between hair washes, Batiste dry shampoo is my savior! I've tried many many many different kinds of dry shampo, but I always come back around to Batiste. I especially love the Wild scent, which I can smell in my hair for most of the day after I spray it in my roots. It smells like a luxurious perfume and I absolutely love it. If you want to go 2-3 days between hair washes and are prone to oily hair, pick up a bottle of Batiste and your hair will look clean and oil-free! It's a wondrous thing. Another perfume that rocked my world in 2014 was Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black. This perfume is a Sephora exclusive and was created by Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen. This smells amazing - it's dark and sexy with notes of violet, sandalwood and vanilla ... definitely a night time scent that's warm and alluring. The packaging also definitely deserves recognition as it's so unique and modern!
Praise be to the amazing lipstick that is MAC's Viva Glam Rihanna. This was limited edition, too - sorry, don't hate me! I lusted after this after seeing it on a million blogs and my amazing bestie got it for me for my birthday! It's the perfect blue-toned red that has the slightest hint of shimmer, but isn't overwhelming. Take it from a girl who doesn't like shimmer on her lips, this is just right. It's extremely long wearing and it looks AMAZING on us pale girls. I never want this lipstick to end! An oldie but a goodie, Benefit's Coralista blush is still absolutely amazing to me, and I reached for it over and over in 2014. See swatches of it here. This is a beautiful, shimmery coral blush that adds just the right amount of flush. It's perfect to grab if you're sporting dramatic eyeshadow and just need to look alive but not overdone. This will forever be a favorite of mine. A completely underrated blush that I get compliments on nearly every time I wear it is the Covergirl Trublend Minerals blush in Shimmering Sands. This is more of a pinky-gold highlighter but I brush it all over my cheeks and then pop a brighter pink on the apples of my cheeks and BAM. It's the most beautiful flush to the face ever. Guaranteed. I have this fear Covergirl is going to discontinue this product, so I really should grab a back up of this when I get a chance. See it in action here and GO TRY IT! I did not expect at all that I would fall in love with NYC's Smooth Skin Pressed Powder. I had an old compact of this sitting in my stash, so I pulled it out to use and completely fell in love. I've now gone through 2 or 3 this year and I will definitely keep on buying it. This is a finely-milled powder that does an excellent job of setting foundation without making you look like a ghost, or cakey, or too dry, or all the bad things that can happen when you use a bad powder. The best part? This costs less than $5! Wooo! See it on my face here. *BIG SIGH*.... wow! That's a wrap on my top 14 products of 2014! I'd love to know what YOU loved this year - let me know in the comments! Happy New Year!!!!
