Beauty Diaries, Vol. 1: Hourglass Cosmetics

Welllll helloooooo there!

So I wanted to start a series on the blog that had to do with beauty products since it's pretty much an obsession of mine. Welcome to The Beauty Diaries, Volume 1. 

   For the first installment I wanted to introduce you to my latest brand obsession: Hourglass.

       With the onset of a new season, I went exploring in Sephora a few weeks ago on the hunt     for a new Fall foundation. I knew it was time to give up my light summer BB cream       routine, and I wanted something full coverage without feeling like I was caking it on. As    someone with problem skin (oh hello acne in my 20's, you SUCK), I was also looking for something that had skin benefits and not just coverage. 

Luckily, I met an awesome Sephora employee who knew exactly what to give me. Originally I was looking to switch back to BareMinerals, which I used to use throughout college. I was sick of the liquid foundation problems where every time I hugged someone I feared my face imprint was left on their shoulders (gah the worst).

This Hourglass foundation is miracles my friends. It's in a pump bottle that comes out as a liquid, but turns into a powder once it's on your face.  It has buildable coverage, but pretty much only takes two pumps for me to get a pretty full coverage on my entire face. It lasts almost the whole day, feels like velvet on my face, and has yet to make me break out even more, so basically...I'm in love. I was also convinced to buy the primer (feels like silk) AND their special Ambient powder that basically makes you look like you airbrushed your face in photos. 

 Hourglass Immaculate® Liquid Powder Foundation // Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - Diffused Light // Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer (travel size) // SEPHORA COLLECTION Classic Must Have Foundation Brush 

 I'll also be on my way to get their concealer as well, but I had to have SOME self-control. It is a pricey brand, the products are not considered cheap whatsoever, but since I'm on my way to my later-er twenties (god help me) I've decided that one thing I am going to stop skimping on is skincare, and products that give me confidence and make me feel good about myself. I don't splurge on crazy things often, but these are definitely worth it my friends.

Hope you enjoyed the first Beauty Diaries entry!

Nicole 

What I Buy Again and Again: Beauty Edition

Benefit's The POREfessional

theBalm's Hot Mama Blush

Benefit's Brow Zings

Sephora Long Lasting Eyeliner High Precision Brush

Amazing Concealer To Go

So I know I've said it before, and you will surely hear it again, but I really, really love makeup. Though many of my coworkers may disagree with me (it's hard enough getting to work on time in appropriate clothes, forget about hair and makeup), I do love wearing it and trying out new products. I'm constantly reading blog posts about the newest product or a brands line that is blowing up everywhere, and now I've even been lucky enough to integrate it into my work lately (it has made my obsession pretty much skyrocket). Anyway, regardless of the list of new products in my head that grows with every Sephora trip, there ARE a few products that I absolutely love, and find myself actually buying again when it runs out.

The POREfessional: I'm a true believer in primer. It creates such a smooth surface for your foundation to just glide right on...and this primer feels like silk on your skin.

Hot Mama blush: I actually got this as a sample in a Birchbox quite a while ago, and am down to the last particles of dust. It's a perfect peachy/coral-y shade that I think would look good on anyone. It's not too much, but just enough.

Benefit Brow Zings: In my post college years, I've become obsessive with my brows. They can make or break your face. I don't splurge on many beauty appointments, but brows is a different story, I will ONLY go to Benefit Brow Bar now. No matter who I get, they do an awesome job. So no surprise I'm obsessed with their brow kit. 

Sephora Liquid Liner: Since my competition dance days when I perfected my liquid liner cat eye at the age of 12, I've never gone back. Liquid liner is the only way to go, and this one is cheap, simple and looks great.

Amazing Concealer: Last but not least, my number one favorite product. Sadly, I have not been blessed with great skin. I am always stressed and my face likes to let everyone know, especially since moving to NYC. But this stuff, its so concentrated it just takes a tiny dot and will cover anything. I swear by it. Seriously.

Sorry I got so wordy! Get me on this topic and it's hard for me to shut up...

Do you have any products you buy over and over?

-n.

Products I Need.

Hey there! Let's pretend again that I didn't just disappear for many months on this little blog and jump right in shall we?

So, as you may have guessed I'm a little beauty obsessed. I love trying new products, reading about new products to try, and popping into a Sephora (way too conveniently located) during my lunch break to peruse around and add to my wish list. Unfortunately, I do not have the funds to fulfill this slight obsession, so I just keep adding to my list. Here are the top products I'd love to buy one day...

ONE: Tarte cheek stain in Dollface 

TWO: Youngblood Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder

THREE: Benefit Girl Meets Pearl Illuminator

FOUR: SMASHBOX Photo Finish Foundation Primer

FIVE: Youngblood Eye-lluminating Duo Pencil

SIX: STILA Stay All Day® Liquid Lipstick

SEVEN: NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl

EIGHT: STILA Stay All Day® Prime & Anti Shine Balm

NINE: Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer

I've sampled them all at one point, but can't wait to call them mine. Anyone a fan of any of the above?

January Glam Bag

Woah ugly still shot above.

Hi everyone!

Back again with some Glam Bag action. I recorded another video showing what I got in January's bag, and after I recorded the video I found the price of everything (below). Figuring out how much actually was in the bag made me a tad bit more excited about it. I guess I really did get my moneys worth, if I was actually going to buy all of those things on my own. 

Let me know if you have any questions! Enjoy :)

SOHO London Concealer Brush: $7.99

Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter: $15.00 for 8oz

(sample was 2.5oz so worth about $4.70)

Nailtini Nail Polish in "Bloody Mary": .5oz (full size) $13.00

big sexy hair "Spray & Play" volumizing hairspray: 1.5 oz $12.29 (CRAZY!)

Josie Maran Argan Oil: .5 oz $14.00

Birchbox and Glam Bag Review!

Hi everyone!

So I decided to try something for the first time...a video! Now, it ended up being insanely long and I'm really sorry about that. I was going to attempt to edit it, but then I didn't know what to edit out so feel free to fast forward....or not watch. Hopefully it's not too boring...or I dont look too awkward :)

Also, wow, I need to cut the word "um" out of my vocabulary. Yikes. 

Anyway I'm always telling people about Birchbox because I'm slightly obsessed with this company. It's based in NYC and I have girl crushes on the people that work there. I also reviewed my first Glam Bag! It's another subscription service that I decided to try out.

I do enough talking in the video so I'm going to stop rambling here. Let me know what you think of the video, and if you'd like to see more! It was an exciting Saturday night I had, I know. #partyanimal

Birchbox.

       

These are some pics I snapped in Instagram of my January Birchbox that I got this week. Most people know that I'm just a TAD obsessed with this company so I've been meaning to blog about this for a while.

For those of you who I haven't preached to yet about Birchbox, it's this awesome NYC company where you pay $10 a month and they send you four to five deluxe beauty samples wrapped prettily in a cute little box. 

Every month they have a theme which they explain on a card. The card also has a description of each product in your box as well as what the price a full size retails for. When you sign up you fill out a beauty profile so a lot of it is targeted towards what kind of skin, hair, etc you have. 

I've been a Birchbox subscriber for about 5 months and I absolutely love it. Not only is it a great way to try samples of some high-end beauty brands, but it's a great way to find new products as well! Like this month I received a full-size (I love when that happens) Stila eyeliner. I've been dying to try Stila for months but with a $20 price tag per eyeliner I haven't made the splurge in case I wasn't a fan. Now this month I get to try it, plus a few other great products for a fraction of the price.  For 10 bucks I get a fun little surprise delivered to me every month! 

Birchbox also has an awesome blog that I read daily :)