NYX Face Awards 2017 Entry!

Hey guys! I wanted to jump on real quick to show you my official entry for the NYX Face Awards 2017! If you haven't already checked it out, please do so by clicking the video down below. I would really appreciate a LIKE and SHARE on the actual video itself on YouTube. In the past, this has been a deciding factor for being chosen as one of the Top 30 contestants to go to the next round. Thanks so much and enjoy!!! xoxo

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Office Closet Declutter | Minimalism Series

Hey guys! I wanted to start some decluttering posts to continue with my minimalism series I started in November on my YouTube channel LaurNmakeup.

To start it off, I'm going to show you before and after pictures of my office/makeup room closet.

BEFORE - top shelf

AFTER - top shelf

*Removed magazines, basket, yearbooks, etc.
*Stacked all the extra office supplies in one pile
*Shifted areas of 3 containers

BEFORE - floor area

AFTER - floor area

*Decluttered & organized inside both drawer units

*Put umbrellas in case, tripod next to them - both on top of Halloween kit (originally sitting outside the closet in the way)

*Got rid of things, put in drawers, and shifted around things on top of both drawer units

*Eliminated clutter on side of rainbow drawers 

BEFORE - entire closet

AFTER - entire closet

TADA!!! Loving the finished product!

As you can see, I definitely made a significant dent in the process of purging useless stuff as well as organizing the things I kept in a better way! I'm super proud of the work I did and love going into this functional closet now!!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

P.S. Psssst - if you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out my Minimalism Series playlist HERE!

Ever Pure Influenster VoxBox

Hi guys!

I'm super excited to show you what I recently received in my latest VoxBox, courtesy of Influenster! It's the Ever Pure VoxBox, featuring a sulfate-free and volumizing shampoo and conditioner by L'oreal, specially formulated for color treated hair.

Check out my unboxing video below!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,

Lauren

*This box of goodies was sent courtesy of Influenster for review purposes*

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Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States.

Disclaimer: I will not tolerate any hateful language towards anyone in the comments section. I am for people and love, not hate. These are merely my thoughts and feelings on this historic day.

This election reminded me of one of those tv shows you...you know, the ones that are really funny because they're so stupid. Except, it didn't really dawn on me that reality was either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump was going to be president by the end of the day until the morning of election day.

I had a terrible night of sleep leading into November 8, 2016. Partly because my boyfriend snores like a train and partly because I was anticipating a historical, pivotal moment in time. I knew either way this election went I wouldn't be happy or proud of the choice I made. I just didn't realize how much it would impact me emotionally and physically.

Side note: I am not divulging who I voted for, but I will say I wasn't a fan either way.

We went to the polls right at 6am because I had a super long day ahead of me and wasn't willing to fight the late crowds. The good news is we were in and out within 20 minutes. The bad news is I felt a pit in my stomach from the moment I voted until this current moment...it hasn't really gone away.

The deed was done and I wore my sticker with pride because this was my first time ever voting and I knew that however this ended up, I did my civic duty and could represent what women fought for for so long. A right that I took for granted and always assumed would never be taken back...until now.

Fast forward to the end of election day. Around 10:30pm, I was getting ready for bed and saw Trump was in the lead by quite a few electoral votes, but remained hopeful since anything could happen and half the country was still yet to be accounted for. I awoke around 2am and checked my phone to see he was still in the lead, again by quite a few, and there were only a couple states left to be accounted for. For some reason, I didn't believe it and thought it would change by the morning, perhaps because I was half asleep.

I woke up around 6:30am and couldn't go back to sleep although I knew I was able to sleep in a little today. I saw a text from my sister on my phone, which I knew couldn't be good news. I literally felt like I woke up from a bad dream, except I had to face reality. I checked Facebook first to confirm for myself and then I saw it - a mad rush of statuses from friends and family declaring Donald Trump as our new president. I've seen the majority on my feed upset about the decision, while I still have a good amount of friends who support him and are thrilled. I am not one to judge or hate, and certainly not one to un-friend someone (both on Facebook and in real life) just because we don't see eye-to-eye on politics. Everyone has their own right to believe in what they want. However, I couldn't seem to get over the overwhelming amount of hate as I scrolled through my newsfeed on and off throughout the day. No matter what race, gender, sexuality, or anything else you are, what makes a person believe it's okay to insult someone else's beliefs? Just because they are not your own doesn't make them less valid and that person less worthy of love and respect.

This has to be the thing that irritates me the most is the utter disrespect most people are experiencing from both sides. I have never been one to jam my opinion down your throat - whether or not I think it's okay to be gay or black or transgender or anything else should have no weight on how you choose to live your life because it's your life, not mine. I guess I choose to live by the golden rule of treat everyone how you wish to be treated because really, what other way is there? (at least in my book)

I have been so consumed since yesterday in this election drama and I absolutely hate it. It has literally made me sick. Upon hearing the news this morning, I have given myself stomach upset, headaches, and anxiety. I'm also an empath, which is why I can't seem to shake this overwhelming feeling of sadness. I do not feel anger, hatred, resentment, or any other negative feelings - just sadness.

I feel sad for everyone who has been targeted by someone so consumed with hatred. Not only that, but I myself have been targeted.

I am a woman.

I am dating a black man.

I have family members who have disabilities, both physical and mental.

The fact that I no longer feel safe in a country I've called home all my life is terrifying. I am scared to think of the progress we have made in the last 50 years that sounds very likely that it can be taken away.

These include the ability for homosexuals to get married, the ability for interracial couples to get married, healthcare for all with pre-existing health conditions, women shattering glass ceilings, just to name a few. It truly saddens me to wonder if I will be allowed (as ridiculous as that sounds in a free country) to marry the love of my life just because he's black and I'm white.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my post. I honestly just needed an outlet. Not to spread hatred or try and convert anyone's way of thinking, because that's not me at all. I appreciate the freedom to be able to use my voice online and be 100% truthful and hopefully lift someone's spirits in an overall tough time for this nation.

I leave you with this...

"No matter gay, start or bi

Lesbian, transgendered life

I'm on the right track, baby

I was born to survive.

No matter black, white or beige

Chola or orient made

I'm on the right track, baby

I was born to be brave."

Whatever color, creed, nationality, sexulaity, or religion you are, I stand with you.

If you're physically or mentally disabled, I stand with you.

If you make $0 a year or $1,000,000, I stand with you.

Let's show America how united we stand how we exercise our freedom.

#LoveTrumpsHate

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren
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Product Review: Gillette Venus Swirl Razor

Hi guys!

Today I'm going to be reviewing the Gilette Venus Swirl Razor. I was lucky enough to receive this product for review purposes and I have to say I wasn't too thrilled at first. I always see other people receiving the "fun" items, like makeup and hair products, when I receive things like razors.

However, I quickly changed my mind when I noticed how amazing this product truly is.

First thing's first - the details. You can find this razor (plus 2 refills) for only $7.99 on Amazon. I have to say, that's a steal when it comes to brand new razors, especially big names like Venus or Shick.

The claims with this product is it's supposed to be easier to maneuver around lumps, bumps, creases, and folds. You know, areas like the knees, ankles, etc.

I've always had a tricky time doing this without cutting the under part of my knee. You can feel my pain already, can't you?

The silver ball on the razor maneuvers in a way that makes the razor head move lightly left and right, thus making it easier to reach said crevices. My only complaint with this technology is that I feel as though it should have been able to move more freely because it doesn't make it as easy as I had hoped when it comes to the under the knee area.

The razor head itself has 5 blades which makes it easy to get every hair on the first stroke. I've always hated having to go over and over the same area because the razor was too dull or didn't have enough blades because it would make my legs itchy and sensitive. Thankfully with this razor head, that isn't an issue.

Overall, I would say go for it if you're in the new market for a new razor, especially a "fancy" one. (not the no-name, 2 blade kinds) ;)

Image Credit: Instagram

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

#ChooseToSmooth #GotItFree
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Product Review: Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment

Hey guys!

Today I'm going to be reviewing the Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment. This product retails for $38 at Sephora, ULTA, and tarte.com.

I was so excited to try this eye cream ever since Leesha, aka xsparkage, had mentioned that she loved it. I had seen her video right around the time I was shopping around for a new eye cream and trusted her judgement since I've been enjoying her honest reviews for years. The price point is honestly not too crazy for a good quality eye cream, so I went ahead and ordered it.

I started using it as soon as it arrived in the mail. I like the consistency, it feels similar to the touch as many other eye creams. I noticed it had a slight shimmer in it, probably to help with distracting from dark circles. 

In the end, I liked how it felt on my skin. It was moisturizing but not too heavy. However, I ended up not being a fan of the overall product since after using it for a solid month, I saw no real results. Therefore, I ended up returning it - thankfully, Sephora is GREAT about returns and exchanges!

Image provided by Sephora.com

Let me know if you guys have had better experiences with this eye treatment or have a favorite eye cream you swear by - I'm still on the never ending hunt for my holy grail! ;)

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Product Review: St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub + Mask

Hey there!

Today I'm going to reviewing the St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub + Mask courtesy of the recent St. Ives VoxBox I received from Influenster.

I've always been a big fan of the St. Ives scrubs. The apricot scrub is a tried and true favorite for many people - although I like to use it on my entire body every now and then for a spa-like experience. I wouldn't recommend that scrub in particular for your face, as it's too rough but thankfully this oatmeal scrub is the perfect formula for a face scrub.

This scrub/mask comes in two sizes - 6 oz. for $3.89 and 9 oz. for $4.99 at Target. Other drugstores may vary slightly in price. I received the 6 oz. size in my voxbox, which is honestly plenty since I like to use scrubs and masks only 1-2 times a week, so it doesn't dry out my skin or make my face have a negative reaction.

I'm going to be honest and say I've only used this as a scrub, not a mask. The texture is very creamy and milky and seems like a great scrub to me, not so much a mask. They claim you can use it as both by applying it and massaging off for a scrub effect, while you apply to your face and leave it for 5-7 minutes before rinsing off for a mask effect.

I can safely say I love this as a scrub, though. It has hands down turned into one of my favorites, for sure. I enjoy using it 1-2 times a week while I'm in the shower after a long day of work or wearing makeup. It refreshed my skin, moisturizes like no other (probably the oatmeal formula) and makes my skin look and feel softer and more radiant. It's just so good.

It claims to soften skin and smooth away dryness and I can say that there's no way it doesn't live up to those claims. It has a gentle exfoliation, so it's a great first scrub to try, especially good for sensitive skin types. It's also formulated without paragons, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, and non-comedogenic. Talk about the good stuff.

I feel like you just can't go wrong with this scrub. It doesn't have terrible ingredients. It's easily accessible and affordable. It makes your skin look and feel super smooth and clean. It's just all around awesome.

Screenshot of product from Target.com

I hope this review was helpful to you whether you're a long time St. Ives lover or here to discover a new product fave! Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren