ASDM Beverly Hills 10% Glycolic Acid Kit | Review

10% Glycolic Kit

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So I am pretty sure that anyone who wears makeup multiple days in a row will suffer from a muddy feeling on their face. By the end of the week I just feel like no matter how many times I wash my face or how well I remove my makeup, my face still doesn't feel clean enough. That is why I love glycolic acid! It truly removes and exfoliates all of my dead skin cells away and it removes any excess grime and dirt. 

Click Here for my Video Review + Demo

Pre-Peel Treatment Pads

 

Any time that you use a glycolic acid you want to make sure that your face is completely free of oils or other impurities. After cleansing your face, use one of these pads over the entire face to rid your skin of any extra oil or left-over makeup. *Make sure to avoid the eye and lip area since these are sensitive spots. The purpose of the pads is to ensure that your skin gets the full benefit from the acid. It does this by lowering your skins PH level and unclogging pores. You may feel some slight tingles, but that is normal!

10% Glycolic Acid

All skin-care specialists will recommend you use a 10% acid during your first experience. This ensures that there is a lower risk of burns, especially if you don't have any professional training. This acid was very sensitive on my skin, but it also did its job very well. For this particular treatment, you put the acid on a cotton round and apply it to your skin. Again, you want to avoid the eye and lip area. After application, leave the acid on for 2 to 3 minutes depending on skins sensitivity level. I left it on for 2 minutes and my skin didn't show any signs of redness. After the time is up, wash off thoroughly with warm water. I immediately noticed a change in my skin's texture. It was so much more smooth and it felt like my pores could actually breath again! 

Post-Peel Treatment Serum

If you have sensitive skin, this serum is perfect for use after a peel or any type of face mask. It has a lot of healing properties in it, and is used specifically to balance the skin's PH level after using an acid. If you experience any form of irritation or redness, this serum will help with the healing process. Using the fanbrush that comes with purchase, and apply several pumps of the product to the skin immediately after acid or mask use. You may feel some tingling and you might see some foaming from the product. Even if the foaming or tingling stops, leave the product on for a full 10-minutes! This will ensure that the acid is neutralized. Follow with your favorite hydrating moisturizer!

Best Affordable Sunglasses

Nordstrom BP Sunglasses

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I officially feel cursed! In more ways than one. For some bizarre reason, expensive sunglasses DO NOT feel comfortable to me. I bought a pair of Ray-Bans a few years ago and I am now (finally) selling them on Poshmark (user name here) because after about 10-minutes they give me a terrible headache! I have tried so many designer sunglasses as well and they're just terrible. I think I have a mis-shaped face or something! That is why I am so glad that I came across BP at Nordstrom because I don't have to sacrifice style for comfort, plus they are so affordable! 

BP .50mm Floral Print Sunglasses $12

BP 54mm Cutout Cat Eye Metal Sunglasses

BP 60mm Gradient Metal Aviator Sunglasses

These are some of my favorite pairs! The best part is that Nordstrom offers free shipping all the time with no purchase cap amount! 

Colour Pop Ultra Matte Lips | Favorite Shades + Review + Swatches

Colour Pop Ultra Matte Lips

So I must admit that Colour Pop Ultra Matte Lips quickly became my favorite liquid lipstick. They have such a wide variety of colors, the staying power is amazing, and each on only costs $6! I honestly have no interest in purchasing a liquid lipstick from any other brand because these ones are just that good! 

The formula is very liquidy, which makes for easy application. I don't really like liquid lipsticks that have a mousse-like texture because it tends to break up easily and it ends up looking chunky throughout the day. 

I will say that it is very important to use a very thin layer of vaseline or a moisturizing lip balm before applying any liquid lipstick. This will prevent the lipstick from drying out and looking cakey. One of my other favorite things about liquid lipsticks is that I don't have to use lipliner! I feel like every time I use a lip combo that includes a lip liner it becomes such a pain to reapply that I just slap on my chapstick instead. With the staying power of these liquid lipsticks I only have to use two products one time and then I can bring the liquid lipstick for minor touchups throughout the day. Needless to say these products are amazing and I definitely recommend them!

Left: Scrooge

Middle: Beeper

Right: Teeny Tiny

Tarte Bling It On Blush Palette | Review + Swatches

Tarte Bling It On Blush Palette

Hello my loves! So let's talk about this palette. First off, it is so girly and glamorous, part of me bought it because I knew it would look amazing on my vanity! This is one of those palettes that I will keep even after the products are gone because Tarte did such a bomb job on the packaging. The outside is black and the entire palette is decorated in what looks like little rhinestones, but it is actually sewn-on glitter! I have had this palette for awhile and I have not had an issue with the glitter coming off or the outside packaging pealing. 

To me, the inside of this palette is just as beautiful. The metallic gold really compliments all of the blush colors and makes each one stand out. I also love the size of the blushes! I definitely won't be going through this palette anytime soon, which makes the price totally worth it! This palette was limited edition, but there are a lot of sellers on Ebay in particular selling it for good prices. 

The blushes themselves are just perfect! There is literally a shade for every look, every skin tone, and every season! Fetching is a grogeous dusty rose shade that I wore a lot in the winter months. Dollface is a true baby doll pink color. It reminds me of something that Barbi would wear! Prim has literally been my obsession since we came into spring. It's a nude with some brown undertones. I honestly don't even know how to properly describe this shade! It's just gorgeous. Smashing is very similar to fetching, but instead of the rose undertones it is more coral! Beaming is the only shade that has some shimmer in it, which makes it perfect for the summer time! It's a perfect peach shade.

What makes this palette so perfect is the pigmentation. If you get this palette, it will definitely be around for a long time! Even if you use these shades every day it will take you at least 10 months to get through the whole thing because the tiniest amount on your brush goes a long way! This palette is also perfect for the traveling person because it has every shade you would need and the package is very slim! I highly recommend this palette and there are tons left on Ebay!

BH Cosmetics & Carli Bybel Eyeshadow and Highlight Palette | Review + Swatches

BH Cosmetics + Carli Bybel Palette

FREE Surprise Blush with purchase of Sculpt and Blend 2. Code BHSB2. Shop Now!

When I saw that Carli Bybel teamed up with BH Cosmetics to create this amazing palette I immediately went to the site and ordered it! What I love most about this palette is the range of color type, the product quality, and the amazing price. For 10 eyeshadows and 4 highlight shades, this palette only costs $12.50! NYX Can't even beat this price. 

This palette has a good range of warm tones and cool tones with both as matte and shimmer shadows. I have also never seen a company release this range of highlight shades before! Someone who has very fair skin could rock the highlight all the way to the left and someone who has extremely dark skin would look amazing in the shade all the way to the right. 

I will say that I like the pigment payoff on the shimmer shadows more than I like the matte shadows. However, the mattes are pigmented and are very blendable. You can definitely tell a difference between the formula between the shimmer and matte shadows, but they are both easy to work with. 

The shimmer shadows are definitely some of the best affordable shimmers that I have come across. The texture is very buttery and I didn't even need to wet my brush to get a lot of pigmentation! 

FREE To-Go palette on $30+. Code TOGO30. Shop Now!

 I definitely think this is going to be my go-to palette for the spring and summer time because of how reflective the shimmer shadows are! I also love the range of oranges in this palette. The great thing about orange shimmers is that ALL skin tones and hair colors can get away with it. It is one of those universal colors that truly looks amazing on everyone!

What I enjoy most about the highlight shades is the ability to mix them together and create even more shades! Lately, I have been mixing the two shades to the left. This creates the perfect pinky neutral highlight for my cheekbones! Although my skin is too fair to use the shades to the left, I will definitely be using them as blush and bronzer shades when it gets more into the summer months!

Makeup Tutorial Using This Palette!

ASDM Beverly Hills Giveaway and Review!

ASDM Giveaway!!!

Info on how to enter listed at the bottom

Hello my beauties! So I have teamed up with ASDM Beverly Hills skincare again to bring you reviews, demos, and giveaways and three amazing products! I cannot say enough how much I love this company. All of their ingredients are derived naturally and they do not test on animals. They also have skincare specialists that you can contact to get information regarding which products would be best for your skin type and skin problems! 

Click Here to Purchase Some Products!

Pumpkin Glycolic Mask

Pumpkin Glycolic Mask YouTube Review

This mask quickly became my favorite mask! I had never used a glycolic mask before, so I was nervous about how my skin would react since it is so sensitive. ASDM does such an amazing job by formulating their products and instructing their consumers on how to use them in the best way! This mask is ideal for someone looking to improve texture and fine lines. If you have small bumps and wrinkles, this mask really helps to smooth out your skin. It is so rich in nutrients and anti-oxidants you seriously can't go wrong no matter what age you are. 

Retinol Complex Serum

Retinol Complex Serum YouTube Review

I have recently become obsessed with serums! I never knew what the point of them was until I started using ASDM products. Good serums are constructed to penetrate the skin on the deepest level, so the body can absorb the ingredients. Retinol acts as a nano-delivery system to unclog pores, boost collagen production, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. After I started using this serum every night, I have noticed a major difference in my pore size and the small wrinkles on my forehead. 

Tepez Cream

Tepez Cream YouTube Review

If you suffer from acne, irritation, or redness you seriously need this cream in your life! The tepez tree bark extract helps sooth irritated skin and also helps to eliminate inflammation. If you use this product consistently, you will also see a difference in the frequency and severity of your acne. I use this product at night-time and I use the Juicy Fruit Cream during the day. Since I have been using this, I no longer have redness around my nose and my acne has been kept at bay! My skin has also been much more hydrated. This cream is all-around amazing. 

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

Polish Pusher Lip Polishes | Review

Polish Pusher Lip Polishes

Hello everyone! So can we please talk about these lip polishes?! I mean aren't they just gorgeous! They were created by Kati who owns Polish Pusher. She is literally one of the most nice people I have ever been in contact with. She sent me these samples to test out and I feel so incredible fortunate that she chose me so send these lovely little gifts to. 

Bordeaux Lip Polish

Let's talk about the formulation! I have never come across a lip product that is formulated like these are. The consistency initially feels very much like a whipped mousse. It feels extremely light and kind of fluffy! When you spread it on your lips you can immediately feel the hydration. It takes a very small amount to apply to the entire lips and the pigmentation is incredible! 

Mamba Lip Polish

When you initially apply the product, it appears to look more matte. However, when you wait about 3 minutes it starts to develop such a beautiful sheen and gloss to it. It's like MAGIC! They truly are lip polishes because they make your lips look very wet and glossy. I also love the longevity of these products. When I wear a lipstick with some gloss over it, I am constantly having to reapply the products. These lip polishes stay on for SO long! They maintain the shine and the pigmentation. I literally had to scrub my hand after these swatches. 

Terracotta Lip Polish

I also love that Kati's company is cruelty free! She does not test any of her products (or their ingredients) on animals, so you can rest assured that no bunnies were harmed in the making of these lip products. 

Wearing ~ First Avenue Lip Polish

I highly recommend these lip polishes! Kati's Instagram account is polish_pusher if you are interested in contacting her for purchases. I also created a Valentine's Day makeup look featuring first avenue, so you can see the product in action! 

Valentine's Day Makeup Look

Top 5 Series | Top 5 Mascaras

Top 5 Mascaras

Mascara has to be my favorites beauty product. It's that one thing that you can just throw on and it immediately brightens your face and makes you look more awake. I do have very sensitive eyes, so unfortunately it takes very special mascaras to cut the cake for me. All of the ones I chose for my Top 5 Series are my ride or die products! My eyes are never sensitive after wearing these, which is a big deal for me!

1. MTJ High Definition Mascara

This mascara has seriously changed my life. The wand has little bubbles that get smaller as you get closer to the tip. I have never seen a wand like this before, but it is the best one I have ever used. It adds so much length and volume to my lashes that people notice a difference when I wear it. The small tip applicator also makes it really easy to get those little baby lashes in the inner corner of my eye and the lower lash line application is a breeze! The other thing I adore about this mascara is that it doesn't transfer to my under eye area. I always had a difficult time with that before finding this product!

2. Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

If you are looking for the best affordable mascara, look no further! The thing I love most about this mascara is again...the wand. It has a concave and a convex side. The concave side has shorter bristles that really had volume to the lashes. The convex side has longer bristles which adds more length. This is definitely a more wet formula, which I personally love. You can keep adding to it without it getting clumpy before it dries. I highly recommend this for anyone on a budget. 

3. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

Alright ladies! If you are looking to splurge on an amazing mascara, I would recommend this one. I wouldn't necessarily say it adds a ton of length to the lashes, but if volume is what you're looking for this mascara beats all the others hands down. I have longer lashes, but they are more spread out so I will go in with this one first if I am looking for a more voluminous lash look. The formula is more on the dry side, so you do have to work with it quickly but the volume payoff is so amazing I don't mind that aspect of it. 

4. L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Intenza Mascara

I really enjoy using this mascara because it is so different from anything else I have tried before. The wand starts with small bristles at the tip and they get longer towards the wand. I love using this when I really want my outer lashes to have more extension than the rest. It truly helps me achieve a more cat-eye effect! 

5. L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara

If you have short lashes and you are only looking for length, this mascara is an incredible choice! It adds about a third of length to my lashes. It is seriously amazing how much length you get from this one! The wand is very skinny and has short little bristles, so you get a lot of product onto the lashes (but there's no clumping)! I will use this before applying the Better Than Sex mascara if I want really intense, voluminous, and long lashes. I really love the combo!

YouTube Video Review

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lip Colors | Mini Review

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lip Colors

Alright ladies! If you are looking to jump on the fabulous bandwagon of liquid lipsticks look no further! The Maybelline liquid lip colors are amazing! The formula is very creamy and hydrating, but it doesn't lack color payoff. These babies are pigmented! The one thing I love most about these liquid lipsticks is that they stay on for a long time. Although they don't dry and stick to your lips, they do have longer wear than other brands I have tried. For the quality you get with this product you seriously cannot beat the price point. Normal liquid lipsticks cost around $18 - $20, but I paid less than $8 for these! Plus the colors are just amazing. Since they came out in the winter time, the colors are more neutral and deep. I hope they come out with some bright colors for spring time because I would definitely purchase some more! 

We Are Engaged!

You Love Me For Who I Am

We are engaged!!!! I do not have the capacity to express how excited I am to be on my way to marry this man. To share a little bit of our love story.....we met in graduate school while pursuing our doctoral degrees. We connected right off the bat and things have never been the same since. Right before I met Brendan, I was going through the darkest time in my life. He brought so much joy and light into my life that I knew I couldn't let him go. We quickly became best friends, sharing everything with one another. After about a year of dating, we started talking about marriage. We both knew that we were soul mates, but being in graduate school is tough. How can we afford to have a wedding and really start a life together when we are basically dirt poor?

After many discussions, we decided it didn't matter what we could afford. We wanted to be husband and wife. The love we feel for one another is too important to ignore and we were ready to take on the next step. Soooo being my neurotic future oriented self, I started to make plans on how and when he should propose. Of course his cool headed self let me have my way, but little did I know how this was completely out of my control. That is what is so amazing about him. He lets me be my complete self without conditions, but he also knows what I want (which was a surprise proposal). I had it in my head that he would be proposing in Florida during our vacation. I even made elaborate dinner plans with my family the night I thought it was happening. HA! He ended up proposing 3 days before our departure to Florida. It was a total surprise! Although I was in shock the entire day, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Now I get to plan the wedding where I get to marry the man of my dreams. The one person who truly completes my life will soon be my husband.

STAY TUNED for more wedding blogs! I am excited to share this new journey with you all <3

ASDM Beverly Hills Skincare Review

ASDM Beverly Hills Skincare | Review

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I was recently contacted by this amazing company to do a review of their products. I always get suspicious of companies who use all natural ingredients, because a lot of products I have tried don't do a great job of cleaning the face. However, after doing some research, I immediately fell in love with their mission so I decided to give them a try! All of their skincare products use natural ingredients (e.g., pumpkin seed extract, grapefruit seed extract, & vitamin E to name a few) that have been shown to increase healing, not only on the inside, but the outside as well. They also partake in the movement against animal testing, so none of their products are tested on animals. After trying these products for a few weeks I have noticed such a difference in my skin.

Detox & Renew Charcoal Cleanser

I have been on the hunt to find a cleanser that keeps my hormonal acne at bay without drying out my skin. I have used a lot of different charcoal cleansers, but they all dry my skin out and they immediately break me out because they strip my skin of its' essential oils. I have been using the ASDM Charcoal Cleanser day and night for awhile now and my skin has never been so clear for this long. It doesn't leave me skin feeling like it is cracking! It leaves such a luxurious softness. Another thing I LOVE about this cleanser is that it takes off all of my makeup. Sometimes products that use all natural ingredients leave a residue of makeup on my skin because they don't clean it well enough. However, this cleanser really leaves my skin feeling super clean. 

Detox & Renew Charcoal Mask

The love affair I have with ASDM's charcoal line does not end at the cleanser. I am OBSESSED with their charcoal mask as well! Like I said before, it is very difficult for me to use charcoal products because my skin is naturally dry and these products tend to dry me out. But this mask does NOT do that. Since I have sensitive skin, I leave this mask on for 2-3 minutes (they recommend 2-10 minutes based on skin sensitivity). While the mask is on my face, I can feel the blood circulating and my skin begins to tingle. When I wash it off, my skin feels so cool and refreshed! I honestly do not know what it is about this mask, but it seriously RENEWS the skin. My skin is softer, smoother, and my complexion is much more even. I do not wake up with breakouts afterwards like I normally do with other charcoal masks. Because of the natural ingredients, there is nothing but amazing goodness!

Lifting Contour Serum

If you are looking for a product that is going to lock in moisture while plumping your skin at the same time, look no further. Although I am only 25, I have fine lines in my smile and eye areas from making so many facial expressions. This serum (NO JOKE) has diminished my fine lines! I notice that my skin looks so much younger and much more hydrated after having used this serum. I apply it to a clean face before using my moisturizer. At first, I can feel the tightness as it pulls my skin inward. However, as soon as I apply my moisturizer, the discomfort goes away and I am left with amazing skin. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to prevent signs of aging in the future, or for individuals who want younger looking skin. It's seriously incredible. 

 Age Reversing Eye Cream

Last, but certainly not least! I have never really used eye creams before, except for the Tarte Maracuja (which did not do anything for me). But when I used this 'bad boy' I will never go back to NOT using this eye cream. I never really noticed, until after I used this product, but my under eye area tends to be a little more on the dry side. Unfortunately, this makes my under eye concealer crease a lot and it looks patchy and gross. When I started using this ASDM eye cream, my concealer laid so much more beautifully and it stayed smooth all day long. This eye cream feels incredibly luxurious on the skin and the best part is that a little goes a LONG way! Similar to the contour serum, I would recommend this to individuals looking to reverse aging signs or to those who want preventative maintenance.


YouTube Review