Makeover by D | Valentine's Day Makeup Inspiration

One of my amazing roommates was nice enough to let me give her a makeover so that I could give you some Valentine's day inspiration. There are before and after pictures so that you can get a sense of foundation coverage and how the contouring changed the shape of her face. A list of the products used is at the end!

Before

After

Face: Maybelline Baby Skin Primer L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation Josie Maran Argan Oil Maybelline Coverstick Concealer L'Oreal True Match Pressed Powder Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer Sephora Bronzer in Los Cabos NARS Orgasm Blush Becca x Jaclyn Hill Highlighter - Champagne Pop Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray Eyes: M.A.C. Paint Pot in Soft Ochre Naked Palette Naked 2 Palette M.A.C. Fluidline Gel Liner in Black Track Giorgio Armai Eyes to Kill Mascara Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Cat Eyes Express Brows: Brow Bar To Go Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel in Chocolate Lips:
M.A.C. Creme Cup Smashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner in Nude Light NYX Butter Gloss in Éclair

Valentine's Day Gift Guide 2016 | Pretty in Pink

1. S'well Water Bottle - I have one of these and they're great. I got the 24oz and thought it would be perfect, but I think it's a little too big, I'd go for the 17oz. 
2. Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour  - Chanel Polishes are some of my favorite and are a great luxury gift that wont break the bank. My favorite everyday pink shade is 167 Ballerina.
3. FujiFilm Instamix Mini - This is great for the girl who loves to document everything. Polaroid cameras have made a huge comeback in the past few years and this mini pink one is no exception.
4. Reflective Ray-Ban Aviators - My Ray-Ban aviators are my favorite sunglasses and the reflective version makes them even better. 
5. Kate Spade Card Holder - Card holders are perfect for nights out when you don't have a huge purse to carry around your stuff. The scalloped edges on this make it so feminine and beautiful.
6. Jeffrey Campbell Atsuko Flats - This style flat has been all the rage. All the designers, even Forever21 have been coming out with a version, but these are my favorite.
7. M.A.C. Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour- M.A.C. came out with liquid lipsticks and my life became complete. This berry-pink is one of my favorites, its called 'To Matte With Love.' 
8. Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette - Perfect for Valentine's day, and every other day. Urban Decay shadows are some of my favorite, end of story.
9. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb - I've mentioned this fragrance before and it's because it really is the best. I love it so much and think every girl would too.
10. White + Warren Cashmere Gloves - If you live anywhere cold, you know gloves in the winter are a must. I love these because they're cashmere, which is super warm, and they're a fun pop of color on a gloomy winter day.
11. Diptyque Rosaviola Candle - Diptyque candles are the best, I've mentioned them a bunch of times before in different gift guides, and they have this really cute pink rose scent for the holiday which makes it even better. 
12. Chiara Ferragni iPhone Case - This phone case is so cute I might just get one for myself! The winking eyes make it the perfect mix between edgy and girly.

The Foundation Combination I'm Loving Right Now

Cover Fx Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation & Cover Fx Custom Cover Drops

This foundation combination has been giving me life while I've been on vacation. In Miami the weather can be a little strange, it can be humid and sunny and then pouring rain the next minute, which means your makeup needs to be prepared for anything. While I haven't been wearing a full face of makeup most days, on the nights that we've gone out to a bar or clubbing this combination has been amazing. 
I was much paler when I got here and so I brought my normal Cover FX foundation in my lighter shade (it is after all 20 degrees in Boston), but I also wanted to prepare myself for being tanned, so I picked up some of the custom cover drops in a few shades darker. 
The cover drops more than the foundation have been life changing. I mix them with face oils or moisturizers and get the perfect light layer of coverage for the warmer climate. By mixing the darker shade with my lighter foundation, I get to customize my perfect color regardless of how tan or pale I am.
Both products are very full-coverage and can be a little drying, that's why I like to mix mine with a beauty oil most of the time. If you have oily skin, these two products will be your best friends.

Best Of Beauty 2015 | Skincare

Face Masks: 1. Tony Moly Aloe Sheet Mask - Cutest packaging ever, and it keeps my skin feeling hydrated, without leaving a sticky residue. 2. Origins Clear Improvements Charcoal Mask - One of my favorite detoxifying masks. It's very affordable, and keeps my skin from breaking out. Even though it's detoxifying, I don't find that it drys out my skin. 3. Origins Out of Trouble Mask - Great as both a mask and a spot treatment. I like to use this when my skin is feeling in need of some TLC or I'm breaking out. It clears my skin right up. 4. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Mask - This mask is intense, and seriously keeps your skin free of blemishes. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin, because again, it's very strong.  5. Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment - My favorite hydrating mask. It smells like a piña colada and leaves my skin feeling like a baby's bottom. 
Toners: 6. Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner - I've always used the Clinique clarifying lotion as my toner, and I still do, but this year, I was super impressed by this toner. It has glycolic acid in it which helps prevent breakouts and I've found that it even works a little better than the Clinique one.
Exfoliators:  7. Glam Glow Flashmud Brightening Treatment  - Such an amazing exfoliator. I use this to exfoliate my dry flakes so that they don't disturb my makeup. Totally worth the splurge.
Moisturizers: 8. Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins - I've mentioned this in a favorites before and it's truly amazing. It hydrates and softens, without clogging pores. I can'y recommend it enough.  9. True Moringa Lavender Face Oil - This oil is magic in a bottle. It's the best I've ever used, and I've completely replaced my Josie Maran Argan Oil. It smells so good, and really has transformed my dry skin. 10. First Aid Beauty Triple Remedy Overnight Balm - Such a great nighttime eye cream. It's really thick which helps with dehydrated under eyes, which cause concealer to crease. Another home run by First Aid Beauty.
Treatments: 11. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - This is the best spot treatment for blemishes. It completely dries the out, which can be a bit intense, but is the fastest way to clear skin.
Tools: 12. Clarisonic Mia II - This isn't necessarily a yearly favorite, but I thought I should include it in this post because I do use this every day. I've had it for almost three years and it has completely changed the way my skin looks. It's the best investment you can make when it comes to skincare. 
Cleansers: 13. Philosophy Purity Cleanser - This is a holy grail cleanser, and I recommend it to everyone. It's great for all skin types, perfect to use with the clarisonic, and gets off all of my makeup. 14. Clinique Foaming Sonic Facial Soap - I tried this at the end of the year and was pleasantly surprised. I love the way it foams up and I've noticed it does a great job and getting my skin very clean.
Makeup Removers: 15. Simple Makeup Wipes - I'm really picky when it comes to makeup wipes and these are by far the best I've tried. They're so moist, and get off all of my makeup. I'll never use another brand again!

Best Of Beauty 2015 | Makeup

Face Products: 1. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Primer - I don't usually recommend going crazy and spending a ton of money on primers, but this year, this YSL primer blew me out of the water. It blurred my pores and gave my skin a nice healthy glow. Worth the splurge for sure. 
2. Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer - Another breakout star this year when it came to primers. This one is less of a pore minimizer and much more of a subtle glow. It definitely smoothes the skin, but it doesn't fill in pores the same way the YSL one does.
3. Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation - I'm usually a creature of habit when it comes to foundation, and when I find something I like I don't try anything else. I gave this foundation a try on a whim and really loved it. I could build it up or sheer it out and it lasts all day.
4. Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - A serious gem from the drugstore. If you're a fan of the NARS concealer, use this instead. It's just as good and less than half the price. I've gone threw two tubes already.
5. Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer - This has become holy grail for me. I don't think I will ever find another concealer I love as much as I love this. It's full coverage and light weight, two amazing qualities in an under eye concealer. 
6. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder - This powder is great for setting both under the eyes and the face. I've used it for both and been really happy with the results. I have dry skin, and I haven't had any issues with it being uncomfortable on my skin. I also know girls with oily skin who love it just as much as I do.
7. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - Life changing. That is all I can say about this. These powders are beyond worth the hype and I'll definitely be getting others to try on my whole face (I use this only under the eyes because of its yellow tint.)   8. Hourglass Ambient Bronzer - I was skeptical when I saw this in Sephora, but as soon as I swatched it, I knew we were soul mates. The pigmentation is insane, and it doesn't just bronze, it glows. It's one of, if not the best bronzer I've ever used.
9. Milani Baked Bronzer - This is a great drugstore bronzer, but I only like it for warmer climates or in the summer. It's great on tan skin and gives you  a great sunny shimmer. It's perfect when you're looking to have that tropical bronzed skin look.
10. Becca Mineral Blush - Becca completely won me over this year. Every single product I tried from them was amazing, and their blushes were a huge hit with me. Wild Honey is my new obsession and I'm ordering other colors very soon. They're so pigmented and buttery.
11. Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop - I know, I know, I've raved about this too much, but that's how amazing it is. Please do yourself a favor and pick it up while you still can.
Brow Products: 12. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz - Best brow products in the beauty industry are ABH. The brow wiz is a holy grail for me and I feel madly in love with it this year. I can't go a day without it. The dual end, makes it so functional and great for travel.
13. Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel - Another amazing ABH product. This is seriously like super glue for your eye brows. If you find that your brow hairs don't stay in place, this will fix that.
Eye Products: 14. Naked Smoky Palette - My favorite of the Naked palettes, and by far the most versatile. Just as with the others, the pigmentation and blendability are amazing.
15. Morphe Brushes - Morphe made a huge splash int he beauty industry this year, both with their brushes and their eye shadows. The brushes in particular are amazing. They're great quality for a great price, and I'd say are very comparable to both M.A.C and Sigma brushes.
16. Guerlain Clis d'Enfer Mascara - This is one of the best mascaras I've ever used, and I've used a lot. It's definitely pricey, but beyond worth it. It volumizes and lengthens without smudging. 
17. Maybelline Volum' Express Colossal Mascara - An amazing drugstore mascara, and by far my favorite. Great for everyday and getting big bold lashes. It's super buildable and doesn't clump up/
Lip Products: 18. Ofra Liquid Lipsticks - Ofra was another company that became very popular this year, and for good reason; their liquid lipsticks are the best I've ever tried. They're pigmented and long lasting without being too drying. I'm obsessed.

19. Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks - Kat Von D liquid lipsticks also impressed me this year. The color selection is amazing, and while they are a little drying, the formula is one of the best in the business.

Setting Spray: 20. Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist - This is the best setting spray I've every tried. It is beyond words amazing. It keeps my makeup on for hours and gives my skin the glow I love. I can't say enough good things about this; Kim K uses it for a reason.










 

New Year's Resolutions | 2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2015 has flown by, and I find myself feeling as though the years go by faster and faster as I get older. While 2015 was a great year for me, I always want the next year to be even better. The new year usually comes with some form of new year's resolutions for most people, myself included. It can be challenging to decide what goals you want to conquer in the new year, and because of that I decided to share mine with you, in hopes of giving you some inspiration. 
When setting new goals, it's important to remember two things; make them realistic, and make them important. You probably won't make 10 million dollars, or loose half your body weight in 2016, and setting unrealistic goals like those, can really deter you from completing any goals at all. It doesn't matter how small something seems to someone else, as long as you are passionate and driven, and the goal is important to you, you can be proud of completing it.
My New Year's Resolutions:
1. Drink more water.  I'm so bad about drinking water, and it's so important for your health, so I've decided to make 2016 the year of water. My goal is to drink a gallon a day (which is 5 of my S'well bottles) and I think I can do it if I try hard enough. Overall, this is in trend with a broader goal of mine, not just for the new year, but in general, of living a more healthy lifestyle.
2. Be more active.  On the same note, health and fitness have become really important to me over the past few months and I really want to get in great shape during 2016. I've struggled with body image issues my whole life, and while I know I'm by no means over weight, working out has become therapeutic for me, and I've decided to really make it a prominent aspect of my life for the new year.
3. Continue working towards a stronger blog presence.  While I've had this blog for about two years, this past year I feel like I really found my voice. I've had so much fun connecting with you all, and because of that, my goal is to go 12 whole months with 3 blog posts a week! I want to be able to bring you high quality content that is interesting and helpful, but also fun!
4. Begin planning for a backpacking trip. Traveling has always been something I've wanted to do but I've never considered it seriously until now. As I near the end of my college career, the adult world is daunting, and before I settle down into a "big-girl" job, I want to take the time, while I can, to explore the world. Whether it be a month or a year, I haven't decided yet, I want to push myself to go out of my comfort zone, and explore new things. Travel like this takes lots of planning and preparation, and because of that I'm hoping I can spend 2016 planning, so that in 2017 I can travel.
5. Read more.  Reading for fun always seems to be the first to go when I'm busy and I want to change that this year. I've had a list of books I've wanted to read for a while and I plan to tackle them all in 2016. First on the list is Liane Moriarty 's The Husband's Secret. I just have to remember, I have the same amount of hours in the day as Beyoncé. 

That's it! I hope these goals inspired you to come up with some of your own and make 2016 your year!