EXCITING NEWS!

I know I haven't been writing on here like I said I would, but I promise you there is a good reason why. I've recently decided to join forces with a good friend of mine to make a joint blog. Here you will find tips on all things fashion, beauty, inspirational and more. There will be photo shoots, product views and much, much more. We're hoping to launch it by mid-May, but if you head over to it right now, you can subscribe to our email list and we'll send you updates about it's launch!

Simply go to www.lalalandblog.us and subscribe today!!

Enjoy :)

Favorite Beauty Products of 2010!

As promised, here are my favorite beauty products. Each one was either discovered during 2010 and fallen in love with, or just simply used for a long time throughout the year. Some are more expensive then others but this is because I think they are truly worth the money. I've included prices and links (at the bottom) to them all incase you would like to pick them up yourself.

Moisturizer: For my face I've used the Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Control Moisturizer ($7.49) for about 2 years now and I love it. It has salicylic acid in it. It's the only product I use that targets acne so I've kept it in my routine for awhile now. For my body, I absolutely swear by the Burt's Bees Milk and Honey Body Lotion ($10). I used to get razor burn on my legs if I used anything scented after shaving, but I've found that this lotion is so gentle that it works great. It also does a great job keeping your skin moisturized for a long time without that greasy feeling that some lotions give you.

Cleanser: My mother has sworn by the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser ($11.49) for years and about 2 and half years ago right before I left for college, she got me hooked too. I think because it's so simple and scent-free, it cleans your skin really well. If you tend to break out easily or have sensitive skin I would definitely give this a try.

Foundation: I don't generally use a foundation so I don't know of any good ones to recommend. Sorry :/

Concealer: I swear by my Benefit Boiing Concealer ($18). It is a bit pricey but it's an industrial strength concealer and it really does an amazing job covering up my random blemishes. If you warm it up it's great for dark under-eye circles as well.

Bronzer: The NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder ($2-4) is great! It's so cheap and is honestly one of the best bronzers I've found. It's really hard to come by a matte bronzer, which is what I like for the winter months, so this Bronzer has been really helpful. In the summer I use a bronzer with more sparkle to look more natural on my tan.

Blush: For blush I couldn't choose just one product because I have two blush routines. In the summer when I have a tan, I use Benefit's Benetint ($28) because it gives a really natural looking flush to my cheeks that works well with my tan. You can also use it as a lipstain which I often do because it works really well with my skin tone. In the winter however, I use Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush ($5.99) first, and then set it with Covergirl Cheekers ($3.99). I love all three of these products. I'm a huge blush fan and these three really do the trick.

Eyeshadow Primer: I am a strong believer in eyeshadow primer. Some of you reading this might think that it is unnecessary but it is so crucial. A lot of women that I talk to don't bother with eyeshadow because they don't think they know how to apply it right and such. However, applying an eyeshadow primer first can really make a world of a difference when it comes to eye makeup. Not only does it allow your makeup to stay put longer throughout the day/night, but it also makes it so much easier to blend your eyeshadow. Many women have oily lids without even knowing it, which is why their eyeshadow creases or fades but a quick dab of primer can fix this. The holy grail of eyeshadow primers really is Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($18). Expensive yes, but worth every penny.

Eyeshadow: Last August I received a MAC palette as a gift and I have used it daily ever since. The quality of MAC eyeshadows is seriously unbelievable. The shadows I buy to fit inside the palette are $11 each and I couldn't be happier with them. They blend so easily and come in so many great shades. If you want to start building a great makeup collection I would definitely recommend them. Add them to your wish list for your next birthday or holiday.

Eyeliner: I love my Loreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner ($8.99) so much! The felt tip applicator makes it so easy to apply it quickly. I don't wear eyeliner that often on my waterline so I generally pick up a random black eyeliner pencil if I ever need one, so no good recommendations there.

Mascara: My favorite mascara without a doubt is the Rimmel London Max Volume Flash Mascara ($6.99). It gives me length and volume while keeping my lashes clump-free. Everyone needs a own a tube, or two...haha

Perfume: I have been wanting the Viva la Juicy by Juicy Couture perfume (price varies by size) for the past year at least and I finally got it for Christmas! It is seriously the best smelling perfume I have ever found and I'm so would recommend it to everyone who likes warm, amber, vanilla-type scents!

So that's it! Those are my favorite Beauty products of 2010. I hope you find something that you'd like to try. I hope that a year from now I can bring even more fabulous products to share with you all :) I hope you have a great 2011!

Enjoy :)

LINKS:

Clean & Clear Moisturizer:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp164344/clean_and_clear_advantage/acne_control_moisturizer.htm?fromsrch=Clean+%26+Clear+Advantage

Burt's Bees Milk and Honey Lotion:

http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/body-moisturizers/naturally-nourishing-milk-honey-body-lotion.html

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp16824/cetaphil/gentle_skin_cleanser.htm?fromsrch=cetaphil

Benefit Boiing Concealer:

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2163813&productId=xlsImpprod820380&navAction=push&navCount=1&subdoc=6benefittopseller

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer:

http://www.newyorkcolor.com/products/index.cfm?item=473

Benefit Benetint:

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2160251&productId=xlsImpprod820420&navAction=push&navCount=1&subdoc=1benefittopseller&categoryId=cat80062%20cat80052

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush:

http://www.drugstore.com/maybelline-dream-mousse-blush-peach-satin-20/qxp192858?fromsrch=maybelline+dream+mousse+lush

Covergirl Cheekers:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp159766/covergirl_cheekers/blush_plumberry_glow_140.htm?fromsrch=covergirl+cheekers

Urban Decay Primer Potion:

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2102549&productId=prod2102549&navAction=push&navCount=1&subdoc=16ColorMeBeauty&categoryId=cat80020%20cat40006

MAC eyeshadow Refills:

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/154/907/Eye-Shadow-Pro-Palette-Refill-Pan/index.tmpl

Loreal Lineur Intense Eyeliner:

http://www.drugstore.com/loreal-lineur-intense-felt-tip-eyeliner-carbon-black-690/qxp179728?fromsrch=L'Oreal+Lineur+Intense

Rimmel London Max Volume Flash Mascara:

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/rimmel-the-max-volume-flash-mascara/ID=prod6010417-product

Viva la Juicy Perfume:

http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P219412&categoryId=B70

Happy 2011!!!

First off, Happy New Year to everyone!! I hope you all had a great holiday season and a happy 2010. I'm not really one to make new year's resolutions, but since I had a stressful and tough fall semester I've decided to make some in order to hopefully make this next semester a little easier and more enjoyable for me. My top priorities for the year will of course be to do well in school and overall live healthier, but one of my resolutions is to update this blog more often. My goal is to update it at least once a week, if not more. I sometimes run into some of you and you tell me you check it all the time for new stuff, so I'm going to try my hardest to do so. We all know I'm constantly reading and exploring the beauty world, so I really want to share more of it with you all! If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

I hope 2011 is great for you!

P.S. I'm planning on doing a 2010 Favorite beauty products list soon, so look for that within the next week!

:)

Best Chapstick on the planet!

If you're like me, you dread the cold winter for several reasons. One of them being chapped lips. I have a huge problem with this and I'm always looking for a miraculous chap stick that will keep my lips soft and pain-free. I've always used Burt's Bee's Regular Chap stick but since it has that bit of a burning sensation when you put it on, I always found it to be a bit painful if my lips were already chapped. A friend recommended a new one to me and I'm absolutely obsessed. The company Palmer's is known for their cocoa butter stretch mark lotion so when I was first told about Cocoa Butter Chap stick my immediate thoughts were ewww! stretch mark cream for my lips? However, I can honestly say I have yet to get chapped lips this year! This stuff works wonders. It's called Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula 'Swivel Stick' and it's made especially for chapped lips. There's two major pro's to this product. The first being that it smells like chocolate since it's cocoa butter. YUM! The second thing is the amount of product you get for your money. I purchased mine at my local CVS store and it was $3.59 for 14 g. The Burt's Bees Chap stick that I used to use was $2.99 for only 4.25 g!! That's an insane difference, especially since the Palmer's chap stick works soooo much better. It's a thicker and longer chap stick container that looks exactly like a glue stick. I've actually had people give me funny glances when I use it and ask if I'm putting glue on my lips. haha It really is an amazing product. There's nothing worse than burning chapped lips in the middle of winter, but with this chap stick you can avoid it!

Enjoy :)

Random Beauty Tips

Here's a random bunch of beauty tips that I find myself telling my friends that I thought you all might want to know:

Tip #1: Don't move your mascara wand in and out of the tube more than once when trying to coat it. Doing this brings in extra air to the product, which can cause it to dry up fast.

Tip #2: Always use a heat protectant on your hair before applying any type of heat to it. I've noticed a drastic difference in the number of split ends in my hair because of this trick.

Tip #3: To add some extra shine to your hair, right before you step out of the shower, rinse your hair for a quick minute or two with really cold water. Also blast your hair with some cold air from your blow dryer after it's almost dry. Doing these two things will help the cuticle of the hair follicle lie flatter on your head, making your hair appear shinier.

Tip #4: Only apply enough moisturizer on your face that your skin can absorb in 60 seconds. If you're rubbing it in for longer than this, you're adding excess bacteria.

Tip #5: If you get mascara anywhere around your eyes accidentally while trying to apply it, resist the urge to wipe it off right away. If you let it dry, you can use a Q-tip to flake it off really easily.

Enjoy :)

Scarves!

I know a few of you requested for me to do a post on scarves awhile back, so here it is! I love scarves because they can completely change the look of your outfit. I'm a big fan of layering my clothing and they really play into this. Here are a few ways that I tie my scarves. Don't worry if you can't get them to look just like this. Just mess around with them for a few minutes until you get it to look how you want it to.

Way #1:

This is probably the most common way for me to wear a scarf because I find that it's the coziest and warmest, while still looking cute. All you have to do is fold your scarf in half, wrap it around your neck and pull the ends through the loop that is created at the other end.

Way # 2:

When the weather is a little warmer this is a great way to wear a scarf because the fabric isn't so close to your neck so you don't get as warm. I love this also because if you do this in a color opposite of the shirt you're wearing (The bright yellow below contrasts my grey sweater), it has a slimming effect on your torso. Simply fold your scarf in half and tie a knot around the middle of the it to achieve this look.

Way #3:

This is another of my favorite ways to tie my scarves because of how effortless it looks. I'm all about clothing and outfits that are no fuss and look easy, and this satisfies that. For this all I do is wrap the ends of the scarf in reverse directions around my neck and play with it until it looks how I want it.

Way #4:

One great thing about scarves is that they are great at camouflaging a low neckline if you want to wear a particular shirt to something where a low neckline is not appropriate. This way is perfect for this situation. It is the same as way #3, except you tie the loose ends in a loose knot. This covers your chest well, while still looking great!

I hope you enjoyed these looks. Don't be afraid to experiment with fun colors and prints. Scarves are a fantastic way to add a pop of color to a normally neutral outfit. Please comment and let me know what your favorite ways are to tie scarves. Who knew bundling up for the cold weather could be so cute?

Enjoy :)

My Favorite Nail Polish

I've always been a big lover of nail polish. I feel naked if I don't have any on and when I have the time I like to change it at least once a week, if not more. I like to experiment with fun colors and therefore I own a lot of nail polish. However, I've noticed that this fall I've been painting my nails the same color, time and time again. The color is You Don't Know Jaques! by OPI and it is the perfect neutral color. It's a dark, muddy grey color that goes with absolutely everything. Sometimes I feel like neutrals can be a bit boring, but this is a great shade because I feel like it makes a statement without being an obnoxious bright color. What I also like about it is that it seems to look slightly different depending on the outfit I'm wearing. Some days it looks more brown than grey, and vice verca.

I know OPI colors can be expensive, so here's my advice. If you're into the fun bright colors that are in style right now, buy them from more inexpensive brands. Two brands I like are Sinful Colors and NYC (you can find them at your local walgreen's or other drugstore). I don't see the point in paying more than a few dollars for a nail polish that I probably won't use the whole bottle of. However, there are certain colors like You Don't Know Jaques! that are worth spending a little extra money on. If you know you will get use out of it, it should be good quality. I guarantee I will be repurchasing bottles and bottles of this polish until they stop making it.

Here's a picture of the bottle and it painted on my nail. The camera makes it look slightly cooler toned than it is, but then again I think that lightning and what you wear really changes it's look from day to day.

So that's my favorite nail polish. I definitely recommend that everyone own it!

Enjoy :)