Makeup Tutorial: Holiday Glam (+ GIVEAWAY!)

Hey everyone!

I hope you guys are getting your holiday decorating and gift shopping/wrapping under way! I finished shopping a few days ago and am almost done wrapping already, actually! It feels good to get it out of the way so I can sit back and enjoy the joys the holiday season has to offer.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this holiday treat! It's a 2-in-1 video featuring a makeup tutorial I like to call "Holiday Glam" that anyone can pull off and a very special giveaway at the end.

Enjoy and I hope everyone has a very special holiday season! xoxo

P.S. Remember to click the links below this video if you're looking for Motives Cosmetics or some awesome makeup brushes! I appreciate it so much!! <3

MAC Paint Pot in "Painterly"

Motives Cosmetics Holiday Quad in "First Date"

Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Brush

Sigma E70 Brush

Sigma E40 Brush

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in "Brown"

Mally Everycolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner in "Dusky Plum"

ELF Eyelash Curler

Rimmel Scandaleyes Flex Mascara in "Black"

NYC City Duet 2-in-1 Lipstick in "Penthouse Plums"

Motives Cosmetics Lipshine in "Glam"

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Motivational Monday! (x2) ~ 12/9/13

Hey everyone!

So sorry for not posting your weekly dose of Motivational Monday last week! I honestly forgot and can't remember why...I must have been super busy! I recently picked up three different babysitting jobs and will possibly [hopefully] be getting a job at a local daycare soon, too! So all that mixed with holiday maddness and the end of the semester makes for a pretty crazy me! ;)

But you know I always make up for it when I miss a week, so enjoy your double dose, once again! <3

Anyways, hope everyone is getting their week off to a terrific start! xoxo

People have told me this countless times, yet I really have to start believing it more!

'Nuff said! Go full force for what you know you love to do, no matter what others say! <3

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Motivational Monday! ~ 11/25/13

Hey guys!

I hope everyone is kicking Thanksgiving week off to a great start! I have a doctor's appointment and babysitting tonight, but other than that it's a pretty relaxing day. :)

Enjoy your short week of work, Happy Thanksgiving, and be safe on Black Friday! <3

I know this isn't very motivational, but just thought I'd throw in a little humor this week. :p

Remember to have a positive day! :)


Hugs,
Lauren

Get Ready With Me | November 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag Look

Hey, loves!

I'm back to bring you the details one of my latest videos, in which I get ready with the items I received in my November 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag!

Enjoy! xoxo

Products Used (in order):

Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin in "Buff"

Sigma F80 Brush

L'oreal True Match Super-Blendable Crayon Concealer in "Fair/Light N1-2-3"

Maybelline FitMe Concealer in "Fair"

ELF Flawless Concealer Brush

MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural in "Light Plus"

Sigma F30 Brush

Tarte "Off The Cuff" Amazonian Clay Blush Palette - "Park Ave. Princess"

Real Techniques Duo-Fiber Face Brush

Benefit Powderflage

Pixi Beauty Bronzer in "Subtly Suntouched"

Sigma F40 Brush

MAC Paint Pot in "Painterly"

Victoria's Secret Mineralized Eyeshadow in "Petal to the Metal"

Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Brush

Sephora Outrageous Prisma Chrome Eyeshadow in "Outrageous Metallic Purple"

Sigma E70 Brush

Sigma E40 Brush

Starlooks Gem Pencil in"Amethyst"

ELF Eyelash Curler

EM Michelle Phan Lash Gallery Mascara in "Brown"

Revlon Colorstay Brow Enhancer in "Blonde"

Mally Evercolor Starlight Eyeliner in "Dusky Plum"

EOS Lip Balm in "Strawberry Sorbet"

Be A Bombshell Lip Crayon in "Hot Damn"

Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Gloss in "Mauve Mystique"

I hope I've inspired you to put those sample bags to good use! It's surprising how just a few items can create an entire look. Have fun and good luck! xoxo

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Motivational Monday! ~ 11/18/13

Hey everyone! Happy Monday!

I had a relaxing, yet fulfilling Monday. I hope everyone else did, too! :)

Let's work towards bettering ourselves everyday!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Makeup Review: NYC Big Bold Lip Gloss

Hey everybody!

As some of you may know, I recently got my third Influenster VoxBox. It was called the "Varsity VoxBox" and I absolutely loved it!! If you're interested in seeing an in depth video on it, click HERE.

Or maybe you're interested in learning more about Influenster...if so, click HERE!

Now onto the reason for this post. One of the items I received in the box was the NYC Big Bold Lip Gloss in "Pleasantly Plump Pink". I enjoy writing some makeup reviews on my blog so here ya go!

Product Facts:

• Retails for approximately $3.99.
• 12 shades available.
• Contains Vitamin E.
• Paraben free.

Claims:

• Long wearing, up to 5 hours.
•  Lightweight.
• Not sticky.
• Add up to 50% more volume to your lips.

Quick run down of what I think of this product:

• It has a sweet smell. Not minty, not sour, but generally sweet.
• It does not sting or burn on your lips! YAY!
•  It blends out to a thin lip gloss - in other words, it's not opaque.
• This product has shimmer in it, but nothing like chunky glitter. It's comfortable.

 Did it live up to the claims?!:

• I didn't notice the plumping effect. My lips looked exactly the same. (meh.)
• This definitely DID NOT last up to 5 hours. It was a good day if it lasted 1 hour on my lips. And that's without eating or drinking!!
• The bright side - it is definitely not sticky and definitely has a lightweight feel! (yay!)
  

 Tip: You only need as much as the applicator has on it for both lips - that how big the applicator is and how much product comes out!

 Now that you have the facts and opinions, it's time for pretty pictures!

Don't mind the pimple on my chin in the second picture...I had no makeup on besides this lip gloss when these photos were taken. I have no shame. ;)

Just to give you an idea of how HUGE the applicator is!

Isn't my owl in the background adorable? Hehe - anyways, this is the pink color I received. Right up my alley!

Kissy lips! :*

It's a nice pinky-natural lip color with a beautiful shine. :)

I hope you guys enjoyed this review! Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day! <3

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Motivational Monday! ~ 11/11/13

Happy Veteran's Day on this delightful Monday evening! (at least here in eastern USA!)

Random thought...it's funny to think how two years ago today so many people were on a mission to get married on 11/11/11 because it signified good luck. I wonder how they're doing today? Is that weird? LOL

THANK YOU to everyone who is currently serving and has served in the military. You are among the bravest and most selfless human beings out there! I admire you all. XOXO

Great quote and very fitting for today. THANK YOU!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Image credit to google.com*

Motivational Monday! ~ 11/4/13

Hey everyone!

I've had such a hectic day today. Between observing a kindergarten class from 12-5 and organizing someone's house from 6-9, I'm beat. But I'm also extremely happy and feel so satisfied. After changing my major only a week ago, I can't be more excited about what the future has to hold after a positive and fun day. ^_^ *jig of glee*

This popped up on Google and it couldn't have come at a better time. A week ago, I officially decided to change majors from nursing to early childhood education. Today justified that what I chose was the right path for me. I feel completely satisfied with how I spent my day and can't wait for more in the future. :D

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Image credit to google.com*

Motivational Monday! ~ 10/28/13

Hey guys!

So long story short, I officially changed my major from nursing to early childhood education yesterday. It's bittersweet, because while I'm grieving the loss of my 2 1/2 year journey towards nursing, I'm also excited for what's ahead with early childhood education.

Therefore, I thought the quote below was very fitting for my situation. Enjoy, loves! xoxo

It's been a long journey, yet it's still just beginning. Life's journey is about being genuinely happy and that's where I'm headed, I can just feel it!!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Motivational Monday! ~ 10/21/13

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the two new beauty reviews I posted last week. I'll link them below:

Product Review: Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub

Did Bath & Body Works Make An EOS-esque Lip Balm?!

I could use some motivation myself today as I've been having a rough couple of days with school and such. So I thought the quote below was a good fit!

Enjoy! xoxo

"Whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand." - I really need to convince myself of that.

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Did Bath & Body Works Make An EOS-esque Lip Balm?!

Hey guys! I recently went shopping at Bath & Body Works. I originally went in with my free mini candle coupon in hand, ready to walk in and walk right back out with just one item.

Yeah, right.

I got sucked into a couple things, including this adorable looking lip balm. To be honest, I bought it for two reasons: it was so cute and it smelled delicious!

Now let's get down to business. This lip balm retails for $8.00 at Bath & Body Works in the section with other cosmetics, such as the yummy, sparkly lip glosses. I've seen two; the one I purchased looks like a strawberry and is strawberry scented. The other one I saw looked like a green apple and would, I assume, smell as such.

Bath & Body Works Lip Balm: looks like a strawberry; EOS lip balm: looks like a sphere

1st view: appears to be significantly less product in the B&BW lip balm vs. EOS

2nd view: appears to be significantly less product in the B&BW lip balm vs. EOS

As seen in the pictures above, the EOS lip balm appears to have significantly more product than the Bath & Body Works lip balm. However, after doing some research, I found out that the EOS lip balm has 0.25 oz of product inside, while the Bath & Body Works lip balm has 0.2 oz of product. This means the difference is only 0.05 oz, which isn't a huge amount. This leads me to believe that the Bath & Body Works lip balm is packed more and more dense. I just hope it lasts as long as my EOS lip balms have.

The price is the big factor here. The Bath & Body Works lip balms retail for $8.00 and EOS lip balms range from $3-4, depending where you purchase them. I found them for $3.29 on the EOS website, $2.99 on target.com, and $3.99 on CVS.com. So the price is a huge jump for a similar product that you can get at a cheaper price. The real question is: is it really worth it?!

I've loved my EOS lip balms for years now. The Strawberry Sorbet one just happens to be my favorite, too. I will mention that the scents are a little different. The Bath & Body Works lip balm has a distinct strawberry jello smell (which I LOVE) while the EOS lip balm has a softer general strawberry scent. The Bath & Body Works lip balm seems to pull at the lips more when you apply it, while the EOS lip balm has a smoother application. So definitely keep that in mind. However, they're both about the same size as far as the outer casing goes.

All in all, I would say I enjoy my purchase. Maybe I can justify it more because I used a 20% off coupon and a gift card to purchase it, but I do really love the scent. And the casing is definitely a conversation starter. However, because of the price, I have to defend EOS. They have a wide variety of scents/flavors to choose from, along with awesome lotions and shaving creams. They all retail for no more than roughly $4. 

In the end, it's all up to how much money you want to spend and which kind of strawberry smell you'd prefer. It's a tough choice if you have to choose one, but at the moment, I'd honestly have to say I choose the Bath & Body Works lip balm just because that strawberry jello smell is to die for.

I hope this review was helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments section! xoxo 

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Note: Both the EOS lip balm & Bath & Body Works lip balm are new in the pictures above.*

Product Review: Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub

Hey everyone!

I haven't been able to post on here much lately, so I knew I definitely wanted to review this product on my blog instead of my YouTube channel. I enjoy sitting down and doing written reviews every now and then. I also prefer reviewing the things I receive in things like Birchbox or Ipsy Glam Bag here. :)

So today I decided to review the Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub that I received in my Ipsy Glam Bag a couple months ago.

Photo Courtesy: Instagram

 Here's a quick run down of the pros & cons:

PROS

• Leaves skin feeling smooth
• Removes toxins
• Gentle exfoliation, but effective
• 70% organic
• Helps with mild acne

CONS

• Leaves dark residue on skin
• Slightly funny smell

I overall really enjoy this product. I like to gently exfoliate my skin for about 1-2 minutes. Then I rinse off my face so most of the product is washed off and I pat my face dry with a towel. I really do think this exfoliant is very good at removing toxins because charcoal is known to do just that. I've even taken charcoal capsules before to help clean out toxins in my digestive tract - easy, affordable natural remedy!

This is one of those exfoliaters where you can feel some abrasiveness, but not too much. It doesn't feel uncomfortable while working it's magic, but you can feel the work being done. It's just the right amount, in my opinion. I also noticed when I'm breaking out, it helps get rid of the acne a bit quicker than if I hadn't used it. I have mild acne, though, so keep that in mind. Too much exfoliating can be irritating, especially to acne prone skin. It's also a plus that this product is 70% organic! I always enjoy using more natural alternatives when I can.

The only have two little qualms. I've noticed that it's difficult to rinse off every speck of the black residue this leaves. Therefore, some product ends up getting patted onto my towel. It washes out just fine, but can be a temporary bother to some. My other issue is the smell. It's not a heavy scent and I actually like that it isn't "scented". However, it almost smells like, to me, a funky mint scent. It's the most bizarre thing and is more noticeable while exfoliating rather than smelling from the tube. But it's definitely not strong enough to deter me from using and enjoying the product.

I received a sample size of 1 fl oz and this product sells at a size of 3.4 fl oz for $18.00. So this is a more high-end skincare product in my opinion, but if you don't use it too often, it will last you. I like to exfoliate no more than twice a week. (Remember your skin naturally has a sloughing off process, so don't overdo it!)

Overall, I really enjoy this product. It does the job I'm expecting from it and I get good results. So if you are in the market for a new exfoliater, who knows, maybe you found the one! Either way, I hope you enjoyed this review!

Thanks for stopping by. xoxo

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Motivational Monday! ~ 10/14/13

Hey guys! Happy Monday!

I hope everyone's day went well. I sold my iPhone 4S to Verizon for $210, which was amazing. since I was ready to sell it to Gazelle for only $165! So definitely check out Verizon if you're looking to sell your iPhone 4S by the end of October!

Then I went to the doctor. Turns out I developed some bronchitis after a terrible cold I've been fighting since last Tuesday. But I'm finally starting to feel better, which is a plus! But the downside is I haven't been able to film videos so instead I plan to post on here today, Wednesday, and Friday as well to make up for it! I hope you guys look forward to it. :)

Be your own best friend and advocate!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Image credit to google.com*

Motivational Monday! ~ 10/7/13

Hey guys!

I feel like I'm moving a mile a minute today! I've been up since 6:45am and haven't stopped moving since! It's currently 2:21pm and I'll be going non-stop until about 9pm tonight! Between school (my first A&P 2 test - yikes!), filming videos, editing videos, uploading one of those videos (see a pattern?), going to a doctor's appointment, working on homework, and going to help someone organize their house - it's hard to believe I even have two minutes to write this blog post!!

Anyways, that's my little update on my hectic day. I hope you guys are off to a good start of the week! :)

If I had to choose one quote to sum up my outlook on life...this would be it!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Image credit to google.com*

ENTER TO WIN A FREE TONER!

Have you guys seen me use the "Gold Dust" eyeshadow base by Motives Cosmetics? It prolongs eyeshadow wear all day, (even on my oily eyelids) doesn't crease, and makes every eyeshadow you own POP!

Check it out in action HERE!

The first 5 people to buy the ANY Motives Cosmetics eyeshadow base through the link below will be entered to win a free pH Skin Normalizer Toner by Skintelligence!

CLICK HERE TO BUY & ENTER:  http://bit.ly/1aEFbhv

Good luck! xoxo

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,

Lauren

Motivational Monday! ~ 9/30/13

Hola senors y senoritas!

I guess that weekly 4 hour Spanish class is getting to me. ;)

HAPPY MONDAY!

People often say I have too many plans, too much on my plate. Although I agree with that sometimes and I do have an awful lot of stress, it's all because I'm trying to make my future the best I can. I'm trying to enjoy being young at the exact same time as planning for when I'm older. I know it'll all pay off (monetarily AND otherwise) someday!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Image credit to google.com*

Motivational Monday! ~ 9/23/13

Hey guys!

Time for some happy motivation, right? I have my first Anatomy & Physiology 2 practical exam Wednesday, so I can use some as well! ;)

Some words of wisdom we all have to learn to live by.

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Image credit to google.com*

Motivational Monday! ~ 9/16/13

Hey guys!

So there's only 1 hour and 15 minutes left of Monday here, but I did remember to do a quick motivational post!

Enjoy and I hope your week got off to a great start! xoxo

Tomorrow marks 3 weeks that I've been serious about dieting and exercising. So I loved the motivation in this picture, and the quote screams my personality, anyway! :)

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Picture courtesy of google.com*

Motivational Monday! (x2)~ 9/9/13

Hey guys!

So last Monday was Labor Day, which is why it totally slipped my mind to post a Motivational Monday. I went bed shopping with Dylan because he could finally afford to get a new one. Then we had homework to do (yes, already). There was something else we had to accomplish that day, but for some reason it's completely slipping my mind.

Oh well, enjoy your double dose this week guys! xoxo

I have the work ethic, I just need to believe in myself more so I can really achieve the success I desire!

Another thing important to my success...I tend to be very high strung and nervous about how my future will turn out. I need to be less stressed and more relaxed.

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Image credit to google.com*

Makeup Tutorial: Beauty Weapon

Hey guys! I'm back with another blog post going into detail about what I used in my most recent makeup tutorial. I enjoy doing these kinds of posts because I often link to items used in the video so you can check them out with ease.

I hope you enjoy the look! xoxo

Products Used (in order):

Motives Luxe Creme Shadow in "Gold Dust"

Motives My Beauty Weapon Palette - "Chocolate", "Smoke", "Gold", "Ivory"

Sigma E70 Brush

Sigma E55 Brush

Sigma E40 Brush

Motives Luxe Precision Eye Line in "Chocolate Brown"

Sigma E65 Brush

ELF Eyelash Curler

Benefit They're Real! Mascara

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in "Pink Frosting"

ELF Studio Blush in "Tickled Pink"

Pop Pouty Pop Crayon in "Coral Crush"

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren