Review: Wet n' Wild Blushes!

     So I've never really been into blushes before, but I thought why not see what all the fuss is about. Seeing as I was new into the world of blush, I didn't want to spend a fortune on a NARS or MAC blush so I did a little research about drugstore blushes and one brand that had quite a big fan club of was Wet n' Wild. At around 4 dollars, I thought "what the hay," and took a trip over to the local Walgreens.

                                                    Mellow Wine (left) Pearlescent Pink (right)

Firstly, I apologize for the bad quality...I always have some weird lighting in my room. Anyways, these blushes are AMAZING. The pigmentation is awesome for the price tag. I would have to say that Pearlescent Pink has to be my favorite for the summer and Mellow Wine is a great autumn color.

Pearlescent Pink has been said to be a great dupe for NARS Orgasm...but at 3 to 4 dollars, I think I know which on I'm going for! The Pearlescent Pink has a slight shimmer to it and that just adds to the overall glow of summer. Mellow wine does not really have any shimmer to it which I am a fan of. 

These blushes are so pigmented that all you need is a dab on the brush and even then you need to tap it off. I then, sometimes, take my powder brush and blend it even more. 

Overall, I am definitely jumping on the blush bandwagon but you won't see me spending a lot of money on expensive blushes when these are so cheap!

Has anyone else tried them? What do you think?

Summer must haves!

      If you haven't noticed, summer is now in full swing! Days are spent at the beach, nights are spent by the bonfire, and the typical summer fashions are back on the shelves. Summer time and the hot weather also means that its time to bring out some of the essentials to survive/still look good on those extremely hot days.

      Starting off with the obvious...SUNSCREEN

      If you are one of the unlucky ones like me, you start to get sunburned the minute you step outside. So sunscreen is an essential in my summer go to's. I usually go for brands like Banana Boat or Coppertone as they are on the cheaper side and they do the trick. For everyday wear, I go for SPF 15-30 but if I know I'm going to be at the beach and some of the skin that is not normally exposed to the sun I definitely go for the 50+. And we mustn't forget to reapply through out the day!

Another thing we CAN NOT forget is to protect our lips. Have you ever had sunburned lips? Owwy mamma. I always try to look for chapstick with some SPF in it and the most recent on I found is one from the Babylips range! This gem is peppermint flavored and has an SPF of 20..but sadly I left mine at my friends house this past weekend :(...looks like I'll be taking a trip to the store soon!

      Rolling with the idea of SPF, it's very convenient to find a foundation with some SPF in it. My drugstore foundation of choice is the Rimmel Match Perfection in the shade True Ivory (or a shade darker depending on my tan). Bonus, it has SPF 18 as well! That is the perfect amount for day to day wear. Of course, if you are going to be exposed a lot longer, you should put a higher SPF on underneath.

    This foundation offers a medium coverage, it goes on rather well, its feels like (which is great for summer because who likes to feel like they have an extra layer on in 90 degree weather?) but it does offer a dewy finish so I definitely recommend powdering, especially in hot weather. If you want to completely avoid the dewy affect, another Rimmel foundation that is great is the Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation. I feel that it does not feel as light on your skin but it is still a great product. That brings me to my next must have.

    My all time FAVORITE powder has to be the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. I own the powder in translucent. I can think of nothing bad about this product. I just dab it with a kabuki brush and put it all over my face, focusing on the t-zone and any place that I've put concealer. It is only 4 dollars, it does its job, and its easy to travel with. Rimmel has to be one of my favorite drugstore brands at the moment. Great products for the price!

That being said, on to hair products!

       What is more summery than beachy waves? Um, nothing. One way to achieve those "just walked off the beach" is with Not Your Mothers Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray. Wow. That's a mouthful. All you have to do with this is, spray it on to your dry to damp hair, scrunch a little bit and voila! You are a beach babe. 

What are your favorite summer products? Leave a comment below and let me know! Enjoy the rest of your summer Xx

Review on: NYX Dewey Finish Setting Spray!

Well hello there everyone!

It's been awhile since I've written but I've recently gone on a little shopping spree and picked up a few products. I took a trip to my version of heaven, also known as ULTA. They were having some amazing deals that I could just not pass up.

One section that I've surprisingly never looked at was the NYX area. They were having a buy one get one half off sale, so how could I say no?? One product I picked up is something that I've never had of any brand before.

         I finally joined the make up setting spray "party".  I've heard from all over the blogisphere that NYX is a great, cheaper alternative to much more expensive sprays like Urban Decays' All Nighter Setting Spray or the De-Slick Spray as well.

        Since there were 2 options, a matte finish and a dewy finish, I didn't know which one to go for since my skin tends to be a little dramatic and change from oily to dry from day to day in the summer. One this that is certain, my skin is extremely dry in the winter. So I thought that since I tend to wear more make up during the school year, rather than in the summer (I hate the feeling of sweat mixed with makeup), that I should get the dewy finish spray. 

        So far, I am liking it! As of now, I don't have much to compare it to, but I did notice that my makeup did stay looking fresher, longer. I'm interested to know if it is the spray that is making my face dewy or if it just  the natural oils in my skin, so to answer that question, I'm going to write another review later on in the colder months! Stay tuned!

UPDATE: My skincare routine

I have been on acne medication for about a year now, and since I started it my skin has been very dramatic, if you will. Somedays (mainly depending on the weather) it is dry and irritating, or shiny and oily. I have been on the hunt for a great everyday face wash that will help calm my skin down a bit. While on the hunt for said product, I made a few other purchases and now I have a full skin care routine that has been working great! (all products prices listed below)

Firstly, I wash my face every morning and night with the Simple Kind to Skin Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser. Wowee that's a mouth full of words. I've been wanting to try this brand for the LONGEST time but every time I headed to the store I always seemed to forget about it..but at last I remembered. And boy am I happy that I did. 

At first I was a little hesitant to get the foaming cleanser, fearing that it wouldn't lather very well but I'm really happy with the outcome. This face wash is gentle enough for everyday use. This stuff is great for sensitive skin. It contains Vitamin B5*, Chamomile* and Geranium* (why are these helpful? listed at the bottom ). It does NOT contain any artificial perfume or dyes. Yay for natural! If you are wearing a lot of makeup, I would recommend using some sort of wipe before using this because it is a light product, it won't remove all of your foundation etc. Perhaps you could try the Simple Kind to Skin Face Wipes ;) After using this, I ALWAYS moisturize. Right now I'm using the Ponds Dry Skin Cream (reviewed a bit here X). 

About 3 nights a week, instead of the Simple Face Wash I use the St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. I have pretty bad blackheads (TMI? hey, thats life!), but this has definitely improved the size of my pores and blackheads! It smells great and is an awesome exfoliant! Double bonus. 

 

About 2 times a week (or when I feel like my skin is looking a bit dull, I go for the Boots Power of Plants: Botanics Conditioning Clay Mask.

"This rich clay mask exhibits a negative electrical  charge to attract deep-rooted impurities from skin without drying" (taken from back of bottle). I love to use this after i use the St. Ives scrubs because I feel like the scrub gets out all the nasty stuff in the pores and then the mask cleans out the last it and then closes the poor. When you rinse this off after about 15 minutes, your skin will feel fresh, clean, and a bit tight. After I use this, I again, moisturize with the Ponds. 

I am so happy that I finally have figured out this routine because it really is working for me! Even though I'm loving this routine, I would still love to get some suggestions for my next skincare purchases! So, leave a comment below with your skincare routine!

*Vitamin b5: topical B5 combats aging and acne by improving skin hydration, maintaining skin elasticity, and increasing skin softness. B5 has anti-inflammatory properties, making it useful in the treatment of skin scaling, roughness, and dryness

*Chamomile: sooths skin rashes, including eczema and acne. It can also help ease minor burns and sunburn. It can be used as a lotion or added in oil form to a cool bath; chamomile also reduces skin inflammation.

*Geranium: helps the scars and other spots on skin to fade and vanish. It facilitates blood circulation just below the surface of skin and also helps make distribution of melanin uniform.

All products purchased from Target

Simple face wash- $6.99

St. Ive's scrub- $3.04

Boots face mask- $9.99

Get to know me!!

35 Facts About Me!

I've seen this trend going around the blogisphere for that past couple of weeks so I thought I'd jump on the train and give it a go myself. Sorry if this bores you, but I've got a little bit of time to kill before my next class so, here we go!

1) My name is Dannie, I am currently a freshman in college, about 2 hours away from my home town and I'm loving being on my own and having this freedom.

2) I'm a communications major with an emphasis in public relations.

3) My dream job, if blogging doesn't take me places, would be to work for a make up brand as their public relations agent.

4) My favorite drugstore brand has to be Revlon, especially their Colorstay line.

5) My favorite high end brand would be Urban Decay...I got the Naked 2 palette for Christmas and it is TO DIE FOR.

6) My obsession with make up sprung up when I went through a faze of bad acne over the summer. I felt the need to cover it up, and now that it is cleared, my make up obsessiong is still here to stay...just less of it is needed.

7) I really would like to go to cosmetology school but my parents would not approve of it so as of now, that is my back up plan, and for now I'll stick to doing my friends make up for fun...and that's okay because I love doing it!

8) I only have one older sibling, a sister. We are really close but we are polar opposites. She never wears make up, skinny jeans etc. but she really should because she has a body shape similar to Kate Middleton and I'm always trying to get her to try new fashion choices. 

9) Speaking of Kate Middleton, I plan on studying abroad in London within the next couple of years. I absolutely love the British culture and I consider myself an Anglophile!

10) If you see me on the streets or anywhere really, you'd probably see me listening to my iPod. I listen to music anytime I can.

11) My favorite artists are Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Adele, Lewis Watson (see a British trend here...) and my guilty pleasure is the ever so attractive band, One Direction. They bring out the inner fangirl in me.

12) COFFEE. COFFEE. COFFEE. I loveee coffee. I have some form of it everyday. Iced, latte, mocha...mmmm. I'm in a coffee house drinking a dark chocolate hazelnut mocha as we speak!

13) I get really excited when someone shares the same love of make up as me so when someone brings make up/beauty/fashion up, I like to keep the conversation going as long as possible because not many people I know care that much about it. Although, I'd like to take credit for converting one of my very good friends into the make up world. ;)

14) I wish I could live in a world where it was autumn all year round. I don't like heat, or extreme cold, and spring is just too wet and the weather is too unpredictable. Autumn is just perfect.

15) If i could live in over sized sweaters, scarves, boots, and leggings all the time..I would. I don't like wearing a lack of clothes like you need to in summer, I like to keep covered for the most part. 

16) I went through a faze in high school with changing my hair a lot. Different shades of brown, reds and I even got a perm. Towards the end of last summer, I decided to chop a good 5 inches off of it to try to get it back to its natural state. Even though I do plan on getting another perm this summer after it grows a back a bit more...ahh yes I know its extremely bad for your hair...

17) I'm a social media addict.

18) None of my friends know about this blog besides one. 

19) I love to be social, go to parties and events/etc. but I absolutely need my "me" time. Most of the time, monday nights become my "me" time because my roommate works all night, so I quite look forward to those.

20) I'm very good at reading people, that's a reason I'm studying communications.

21) I'd much rather give a speech than take a written test. I have bad test anxiety.

22) My favorite store to shop at is H&M because I tend to go for the staple pieces like V-necks and sweaters and H&M is a great store for that.

23) I don't tend to wear a lot of colors. I find black/grey to be more flattering. I'll add a pop of color with a scarf of shoes. 

24) One thing I really wish I could do is pull off bright lipstick, but I can't. I don't know why, but I always end up looking like a clown. :(

25) I'm not a big drinker, but I like to have some wine every once in a while. I will never allow myself to get sloppy. I just find it extremely un-classy. 

26) I'm extremely excited to get my own apartment. I can't wait to decorate it and make it my own.

27) My own apartment/house MUST have a fireplace. I love feeling cozy. :)

28) I plan on applying for jobs in Chicago/Minneapolis/London when I get done with school. I'm from a smallish town and I can't stand it.

29) I wish I could sing/dance.

30) I want to eventually settle down and have a family but I want to travel a lot first.

31) I'm almost always cold.

32) The amount of sweatpants I own is kind of unhealthy.

33) My parents act like they are supportive me wanted to move to the UK eventually, but I can never tell if they really are or if I'm going to be able to actually leave them for that long. 

34) I enjoy writing. In the blog/journalism format, not the school essay format.

35) I'm really glad I started this blog and I hope that I eventually get to meet other people who share the same beauty interests as me. :)


Are there any other tags you'd like me to do, leave me a comment below and I'll do some!!

Winter Must Haves!

Yeah yeah yeah, I know, winters almost over...but here where I live, winter goes all the way through February and sometimes into March, and since it is snowing as I type this, I thought I'd do a post all about the stuff that gets me through this tough, cold, time. Lets start off with some beauty products...

Skin Care:

My skin becomes like the Sahara Desert in the winter because it is so dry so a good moisturizer is a must. My face, being one of the driest parts on my body, I make sure to moisturize daily. In the morning, I always put moisturizer on before my foundation. Not only does is moisturize, obviously, but it creates a nice base for your make up. If I don't moisturize, my foundation looks like it is cracking...another reason why my skin is like the Sahara. At night, after I wash my face and exfoliate  I really lather it on, and when I wake up the next morning, my skin feels so nice.

 I don't tend to splurge on moisturizes because I find that the one I've been using for the longest time, Pond's Dry Skin Cream, does the job rather nicely for its price. At about 6-8 dollars, depending on where you go, its a great value. 

I suffer from minor eczema, severe dry skin, so a good body moisturizer is a must. I have a lot of lotions but one definitely has been a stand out for me.

I've recently discovered the Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream during my most recent trip to Ulta when I got this little beaut as a sample. This is like a dream in a bottle. Like the bottle says, all you need is a "dab" of it and it heals the dry skin. I like that it doesn't have a scent. I'm not a fan of lotions that when you put them on, the whole room knows you did. This doesn't leave your skin oily feeling either. This an amazing product to have in your bag or backpack to have at all times. Also, it is only around 5 dollars! What a bargain..

Another thing that tends to lose moisture during the winter is hair:

I made the horrid mistake of not bringing my deep conditioner home with me over the winter holiday and boy, did my hair pay the price. The first thing I did when I got back is deep condition with my trust Aussie 3 Minute Miracle.

There's not much to say about this product other than it does its job. 

Now on to non beauty essentials!

I'm a firm believer in that a hot drink can make any day better. Hot Chocolate, Coffee, Tea...I love it all. 

To keep warm, cozy sweaters, blankets, and fuzzy socks are an absolute must. As well as some sort of fireplace. I have a real one and an electric one in my house and they are both heaven sent. A good book, stacks of magazines and plenty of movies are a good way to get through those days where you're snowed in. If you unfortunately have to go outside, a soft scarf, hat, gloves, boots are necessary. The more layers, the better. 

With these items, I believe we can all get through these blistery cold days.

What are some of your winter essentials?? Leave a comment below!

Time For A Review!

Revlon Photoready BB Cream

I've been meaning to get my hands on a BB cream for awhile..I kept saying to myself "Dannie..you have 4 foundations...use up some of those before you get a anymore, you hoarder". Well, just like any other time, I couldn't control my urge, I did some research, and went to what I consider Heaven on Earth, Target. While I was there, I picked up the Revlon Photoready BB Cream. 

Over all, I'm a little disappointed with this. Mainly because I love all of the other products in the Photoready range, the foundation being my absolute drugstore foundation. Firstly, it only comes in three shades. Now, I have pretty fair skin, but I got the light medium shade. The darkest is medium so this really limits the amount of skin tones that can use this. 

This product seems lovely when you first put it on, but after about an hour, I felt like the coverage and the nice dewy fresh skin effect it gives you, fades away. Maybe its the fact that I have some discoloration/scarring due to past acne that I need something stronger, but this didn't even cover up the mild redness on my chin for example. On the bright side, it does have SPF 30! If have naturally "flawless" skin, this product may work for you, but overall I give this a thumbs down. :(

If you have any BB creams that worked for you, or this one did, leave a comment below, I'd love to them out! Xx