Natalie-Elizabeth: 2017

Rebecca Minkoff M.A.C. Crossbody Bag

Style April 18, 2017

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Sunday Riley has been a brand that I have always wanted to try. I have heard so many great things about their products and how you will see instant results. Their Martian toner has been on my list of things to try for awhile now. I came across this product while watching one of Zoella's monthly favorites videos. She was raving about how this product has made a huge difference to her skin. I have watched Zoella for years and she has always been open about her skin issues and I have always felt we had similar skin types. So when she talked about how this product made her skin clear up, I had to go try it out myself. Sunday Riley has been creating high-performance products that create instant results that will have a long-term payoff. There is a large range of products that will suit any skin type. From cleansers, moisturizers and facial oils, there is something available for everyone.

In past posts, I have talked about all of my recent skin issues and I am still trying to figure out how to get my skin back to normal. With graduation right around the corner, I have been experiencing really bad breakouts due to stress and my skin has been oiler than usual. I regularly see a dermatologist so I have switched up my skin care routine a little bit since I have been using the same products for years. The Martian toner has made a huge difference to the appearance of my skin. This toner comes out as a cooling gel and as you massage it into the skin, it turns to water. This toner helps clarify, remove oil and tighten pores to help mattify the skin. Bentonite clay is used to help clarify and tighten pores by pulling out oil and pore-clogging debris. This ingredient also helps set your foundation since it keeps oil at bay. Marshmallow extract is used to help soothe the skin and reduce redness. Cucumber, green tea and witch hazel are all used in this product to help tone and tighten the skin. The final main ingredient is manuka which is used to keep the skin clear. I apply this product twice a day after I cleanse my skin. I have only been using it for a week and I already see a difference! I was getting really frustrated with how oily my skin has been and my makeup would break up only a few hours after application. This toner has helped control the oil of my skin and I have noticed my makeup has lasted way longer. I also love how much smaller my pores have gotten from this product. The full size bottle costs $55, which is the main reason why I held off purchasing it for awhile. When I was at Sephora in JcPenny, I saw a smaller bottle that was only $25! Which isn't bad for how pricey this brand is. Even though I have only used this product for a week, I already know it is going to be a permanent part of my skincare routine. I have already seen a difference in my skin in such a short period of time, and I can't wait to see how my skin looks the longer I use this toner!

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Trends That I'm Loving

Style March 29, 2017

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Ouai Haircare

beauty March 21, 2017

You may have seen Ouai haircare all over social media the past year and let me tell you, it definitely lives up to the hype. Jen Atkins, hairstylist to the Kardashians, created this product line to help achieve that chic, effortless, laid back style that everyone is looking for. Knowing that Jen Atkins was the creator of this brand had me running to purchase this product, but it also has some great benefits! According to their official website, their products are designed to help repair, strengthen, and nourish hair to help bring out it's natural beauty. You can go on their website to view the large variety of products they have! They also sell their products in some Sephora locations, so I made a stop while I was in Chicago to pick out a few. When I style my hair, I always go for loose, beachy, texturized waves so I couldn't decide between their wave spray or the texturizing hair spray. Instead, I purchased Jen's Style Edit. This box set contains three travel sized products. It includes the wave spray, texturizing hair spray, finishing creme, and six elastic hair ties. The box cost $25 which is equivalent to purchasing one product. I decided this would be the smarter purchase since I could test out which products I liked the most before committing to a full sized bottle.

Ouai Wave Spray - $26: This product is great when you want to achieve those loose beachy waves. After testing it out a few times, I absolutely love it. It doesn't spray out too heavy, so you aren't stuck with that crunchy feeling in your hair that other wave sprays can give you. I like to use it after I curl my hair to help loosen up the curl and add volume. My hair is naturally wavy, so on days where I don't feel like styling my hair, I will spray this in to help enhance my natural curl. This is the perfect product to use in the summertime if you are spending your days by the pool or beach!

Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray - $26: This is the perfect product to use when you want to put some life back into your hair! Not only does it build texture and add volume, it acts as a hair spray, so you get two products in one. Sometimes after shampooing and blowdrying my hair, it can become way too soft to style, so I like to add this in to help hold my curl. Also, it is great for second day hair because it absorbs oil. I find myself reaching for this product more than my regular dry shampoo.

Ouai Finishing Creme - $24: After I blow-dry my hair, it tends to be a little frizzy, so I like running this through my ends to help tame my hair. I love how soft and shiny my hair looks after using this product.

Overall, this has become my new favorite haircare brand. I noticed instant results when testing the products out for the first time and they helped achieve the style that I was looking for. I also noticed that my style seemed to last longer so I didn't have to do much to my hair when I woke up the next day. The one thing that I love the most about this brand is that Jen wanted to create professional products that are affordable. In my opinion, there are some professional haircare products that are way overpriced, so I love the price range that this brand has. I still feel like I'm buying quality products without breaking the bank. I also can't get over the packaging! It looks so chic and modern. After I made my purchase, I was so excited to go home and take pictures of the products because they photograph so well. The design is simple but it looks so luxurious. All of the products smell great too and it's not too overpowering where it gives me a headache! My favorite is the smell of the wave spray. It includes notes of Italian lemon, amber and white musk. It smells very fresh but also warm. After testing out these products, I think I am going to purchase everything from this box set. It's definitely worth it! I also plan on testing out their pomade and foam dry shampoo, which looks so cool. Look out for a review on those products!

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A Day In The City

Lifestyle March 15, 2017

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New Face Mask Favorites

beauty March 05, 2017

Lately, my skin has been experiencing a few breakouts, so I decided to pick up a couple new face masks from Sephora to try out. Face masks are my favorite skin care product, so I am always trying to find new ones that will help my skin. I decided to test out a traditional clay mask and a sheet mask, which has been the new trend in the beauty industry.

Dr. Jart+ Dermask Micro Jet Clearing Solution - $9.00

I love using sheet masks and have definitely started reaching for them more than the traditional form of face masks because they are so quick and easy. Sheet masks are face shaped fabrics that are soaked in a serum. They are really convenient to use! You don't have to wait for them to dry and then scrub them off. Just throw it on for 20 minutes (sometimes more) and then rub in the excess serum. Boom. Done. They are also cheaper too. I've used Dr. Jart+ sheet masks before, but the brand has come out with a few new ones. I picked up this clearing one and I really enjoyed it. This mask includes Glutathione which helps brighten the skin, improve dark spots and discoloration. Other ingredients include salicylic acid, tea tree oil, and niacinamide. These will help control oil and keep your skin clear. This mask is perfect for people who have oily skin. I wore this mask for 10-20 minutes and rubbed in the excess serum before I went to bed. By morning, I saw instant results! Some of my blemishes were reduced in size and my skin was glowing.

GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment - $22
When it comes to face masks, GlamGlow is the brand to go to when you want instant results. Whenever my skin is super dry, their Thirstymud mask is a life saver! Now this is a high-end brand and their full size mask goes for about $69.00. I would never purchase a face mask for that amount of money, but their travel size products are a reasonable price. Also, a little goes a long way with these masks, so the smaller size will still last you a long time. The tinglexfoliate mask is perfect for taking away impurities and exfoliating the skin. The grainy texture helps buff away dead skin and gives you a healthy glow. After my first use, I noticed my skin looked tighter and my pores already appeared smaller. Also, a few minutes after applying, your skin will start to tingle. I don't purchase these masks all the time, but they are my go to when I need something stronger for my skin!

Whenever I put on a face mask, I like to take that time to read since I don't have the opportunity to do it that often. Since graduation is right around the corner, I recently picked up The Career Code! This book is written by the women that created WhoWhatWear.com. This gives great tips and advice for women that are getting ready to start their careers. Since I am a senior in college, there are some tips that I already know about and are pretty obvious, but this is perfect for any undergrad that is getting ready to look for that first internship. It is also interesting to see how these women started their careers and what they have learned throughout it.

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New In: Fashion

Style March 01, 2017

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Style Inspiration: Dakota Johnson

Style February 22, 2017

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Morphe 35O Palette

beauty February 15, 2017

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Everyday Makeup: Winter Routine

beauty February 06, 2017

All throughout my life, I have had my fair share of misses when it comes to my makeup routine. Seriously, some of my past looks were cringeworthy. Now that I have grown older, I have realized that makeup is there to enhance your features, not cover them up. I think it's great to experiment with makeup and it definitely helps you figure out what works and what doesn't. It took a while for me to find my perfect routine and compared to my past looks, it is very simple. Makeup is something that I am very passionate about and I consider it a hobby of mine. I still like to get glam every now and then, but my life has gotten busier and I prefer a more natural look. My routines also change throughout the seasons, so this is what I like to use during the winter time.

Base

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Mattifying Primer ($37)

This is my ride or die primer. For all of my oily skin girls out there, you need this primer in your life. This primer helps reduce shine while also keeping your foundation in place. When you use this, your makeup isn't going anywhere, trust me. I like to use it all year round, but it really helps when the weather is hot and humid. The texture of this primer feels like glue, so once you apply it, your skin will feel really tacky. I like my skin to feel smooth before I apply my foundation to help make sure it sits evenly on my face. Because of this, I like to use two primers in my routine.

Tarte Clean Slate Poreless 12-Hr Perfecting Primer ($31)

I apply this primer after I use the Make Up For Ever mattifying primer. I like this one because it also helps mattify the face while refining the appearance of pores and fine lines. It makes my skin feel smooth and helps my foundation apply easily. You can use any kind of pore refining primer, but I prefer this one because it doesn't break me out.

**You only need a small amount for both of these primers, so they will last you a long time!

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation ($47)

Having oily skin, makes it really difficult to find a good foundation that will last all day. I have experimented with so many different foundations and I absolutely love this one. This brand is on the pricer side, but I am willing to invest in a more expensive foundation since it is going on my skin. Also, some of the drugstore brand foundations tend to break me out so I have started to completely avoid trying them. Even though my skin is oily, I like to have a little glow in my foundation. I feel like some foundations for oily skin can be too matte and makes my face look flat. The coverage is sheer to medium, so it is easily build-able. I find that one layer is enough if you plan on adding concealer to your face. That will help build coverage in sections where you need more help. This foundation has 19 different shades and I like to use two. I have a yellow undertone so the shades that match my skin are Gobi and Deauville. I use Deauville once autumn hits because I still have a hint of a summer tan left on my skin. Gobi is what I like to call my "dead winter" shade. By the end of November/beginning of December, my skin looks deathly pale, so I switch over to this shade. To apply: I dot the foundation all over my face and use a beauty sponge to blend it out. I like using a beauty sponge because it makes your skin look natural and flawless. Wetting the sponge is what makes a difference because it helps absorb excess product on your face. I like it when you can't tell I'm even wearing foundation, so this is my secret weapon.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer ($30)

When it comes to concealer, I like to use the same brand as my foundation. I love this concealer because it has fuller coverage, so it is perfect to cover up those dark under eye circles and blemishes. This also has a large color range; it has 16 different shades. I like to use a color that is a shade lighter than my foundation. This will help brighten and lift your face, especially underneath the eyes. The color I use is Light 2 Vanilla. This concealer is also very hydrating and a little goes a long way! For under the eyes, I like to apply it in an upside down triangle, like I said earlier, this really helps brighten and lift the face. Then to even everything out, I will apply it on my chin, forehead and down the bridge of my nose/nostrils where I tend to get redness. I use the same wet beauty sponge to blend out the concealer.

Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder- Translucent ($7.99)

To set my foundation, I like to use this loose translucent powder. I consider it to be a dupe for the Laura Mercier powder. Since the foundation and concealer provide a lot of coverage I like to use a translucent powder to set everything. This will help your makeup look less heavy compared to a foundation powder, since that will just add more coverage to your skin. I like to apply a light layer all over my face with a duo fiber brush. All of my brushes are from the brand Real Techniques. Their brushes are very affordable and have great quality. If I am going to be out all day, I like to bake my under eye. Baking is when you take a wet beauty sponge and press the loose powder on an area of your face that you want to set, then you brush it away. This technique helps my concealer last longer.

Face

Kat Von D Shade + Light Face Contour Refillable Palette ($49)

After applying a base, your face is going to look flat, like a blank canvas. To add dimension back into my face, I like to use this contour and highlight palette. I think out of all the contour palettes that are on the market right now, this is the best one. The powders are buttery and very pigmented, so you don't need a lot to get your desired look. For the contouring shades, I use Sombre and Shadowplay. Sombre is a more taupe cool-tone shade and Shadowplay is a warmer terra cotta shade. I usually mix the two together. I use a denser brush to create a sharp line in the hollow of my cheeks and then blend it out. Then I will apply it around the edge of my forehead and under my jaw. If I want a more intense contour, I will bake underneath where I applied the powder to create a sharper line. To highlight, I like to use Lyric, which is the yellow powder in the palette. This really helps brighten underneath your eyes and I like to place it wherever I put my concealer to help enhance the highlight all over my face. I use a small setting brush to apply this. This palette is more of an investment product, but it lasts a long time. I bought this palette last year, and I just hit pan on some of the shades. Now, they upgraded this product and changed the packaging so you can place refills back in the palette. I linked this one because I recommend spending a few extra dollars to make your life easier when it comes time to refill these shades. I have the old packaging, so whatever refills I use, I just store it in a Z-palette. Also, I rarely use eye shadow for my every day makeup, but I like to use this palette to define my crease and give my eyes a bit of definition. I take a shadow brush and blend Shadowplay into my crease.

Becca X Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette ($52)

Jaclyn Hill is my favorite Youtuber, so whenever she collaborates with a brand I always try to purchase the product. Jaclyn collaborated with Becca to create a highlighter called Champagne Pop and it became so popular they made it a permanent shade. Last summer, they came out with this palette that contains three blushes and two highlighters. The blushes are very pigmented and you only need a small amount on the brush. My favorite shade is Amaretto because it adds the right amount of warmth to the face. Rose Spritz is also a good shade. It is a luminous blush so when you add a highlighter on top it looks even prettier. Highlighting is my favorite part of my routine. I like when a highlighter is so pigmented you can pretty much see it from space, and the two in this palette achieve that look. To apply, I use a small duo fiber brush. Champagne Pop is a soft white gold color with peachy undertones. This shade is beautiful and I think it suits every skin tone. Prosecco Pop is the limited edition shade and it has a medium warm gold color. Sadly, this entire palette is limited edition, but you can still purchase Champagne Pop and Becca's other blushes have the same quality and pigmentation.

Eyes

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer ($23)

I didn't start using brow products until last year and now I can't go a day without filling in my brows. Filling in your eyebrows really help frame your face. Naturally, my eyebrows are pretty full, but I do have a few small, sparse sections. I like to use this product over the Brow Wiz because of the way the pencil has a triangle tip that helps with outlining and filling in the brows. I think this pencil makes my eyebrows look more natural because you can add strokes that look like individual brow hairs. I recommend using a light pressure and blending with a spooly as you go. Then set it all with a clear brow gel or if you want a fuller look you can use a gel that has a slight tint to it.

Maybelline Volum' Express: The Falsies Mascara ($6.99)

This is my favorite drug store mascara! I have pretty long lashes but they grow down, so this mascara does a great job at bringing them up and making them look even longer. My favorite thing about this mascara is the brush. The shape really helps grab and coat each individual lash.

Lips

Lipstick is my other favorite makeup product. If I don't have any lipstick on, I feel naked. Now this part can be an entire blog post all on it's own so I'm just going to mention my favorite lipstick out of my entire collection. Velvet Teddy by MAC Cosmetics is my go to everyday lipstick. Browny nudes have been on trend for awhile now, and I'm so happy! Almost all of my lipsticks are browny nudes and while my friend Emma always makes fun of me for it, I think they all look different from each other. I love this lipstick because it looks very natural to my lip color. I also use the liner Subculture. This pairing looks very natural on my lips so I feel like I can get away with slightly over lining without making it so obvious.

Setting

Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray ($31)

When I'm done with my routine I like to set my entire face with this setting spray. This makes a huge difference to my makeup and makes it last all day long. It is essential to my routine, especially in the summertime.

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