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! 

My Favorite Planners

2015 is coming to an end, which means it's just about time to get a new planner. If you're anything like me, you need a planner to keep your life in order. I've tried using the electronic calendars on my phone, and it just doesn't work for me. Because of that, I wanted to share some of my favorite planners, incase your looking to get a new one.

1. Lily Pulitzer Planner  - Functional and girly, I've gone through a few of these planners. They come in a variety of sizes which is convenient for the girl on the go. ( $36)

2. Kate Spade Planner - This planner is the smallest of the bunch, which is great for someone who doesn't need to write a bunch of stuff down. I love the cover, and think it would be a great every-ay planner. ( $40)

3. Geodes Life Planner - This is the planner I'm using right now, and it's by far my favorite. It's versatile, durable, and customizable. If you're serious about staying organized in the new year, this is a worth while investment. I have it in turquoise.  ($50)

4. Emily Ley Planner - Another girly planner, but this one is a little more subtle. The style is very similar to that of the Lily Pulitzer and Erin Condren planners and would be great at keeping you organized and on-task. ($58)

Beauty Favorites | December 2015

1. M.A.C Whirl Lipstick - This is a newer lipstick from M.A.C. and has quickly become one of my favorites. It's the same exact color as the lipliner, and falls into the mauve-brown trend that has completely taken over the beauty world this year (thanks Kylie). I think it's the perfect fall/winter color and love the matte finish. I would definitely recommend picking it up if you're loving the trend.
2. Becca x Jaclyn Hill Highlighter in Champagne Pop - Can I rave about this product enough? NO. It's the best highlighter I've ever used. Jaclyn Hill and Becca completely hit this one out of the park. It's so pigmented and compliments so many different skin tones. I love it so much I'm considering buying a back up. It doesn't matter if you have 1 highlighter or 1,000 - you need this one. 
3. Becca Mineral Blush - I've never tried any Becca blushes, but it's safe to say I'm getting them all. I got the shade Wild Honey and I'm in love with it. It's more of a mauve, brown blush, as apposed to a baby pink, which is why I like it. It's buttery and pigmented, and would be perfect for fair girls, all the way to medium/olive complexions. 
4. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - Yes, yes, and more yes. This ambient lighting powder has changed my life. I use the shade Diffused Light to set my under eye concealer, and genuinely don't know how I lived without it. It doesn't let my concealer crease and gives my under eye area a gorgeous glow. You could use this to set the whole face, but I like this shade in particular for under the eyes because it has a slightly yellow tint which is great for brightening.
5. Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Concealer - This concealer has become holy grail. I've never been so impressed by a concealer in my entire life. I have two shades; light warm and light medium neutral. Light warm is the perfect highlighting shade when I'm my fairest, but since I'm going to Miami, and have been tanning to prepare, I got light medium neutral to darken it a bit,while still highlighting. It's so light weight, while still being super full-coverage. If you only try one thing on this list, this should be it. 
6. Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow - I find that Bobbi Brown shadows can be pretty hit or miss. I've tried a few and haven't been super impressed; until this one. I decided to get the the color Camel because it was just calling my name. It's definitely not a color everyone is going to love, but I think it's gorgeous. It's a very warm brown, and to be honest, is kind of the color of baby poop, but in the best way. It's the perfect fall/winter color, and I can't get enough of it. 
7. Origins Drink Up Overnight Intensive Mask - This has been a god-send for my dry skin. I've never been disappointed by an Origins product, and this mask is no exception. When I wear it to bed, my skin feels super hydrated and plump the next morning. A must have for my girls with dry skin.
8. Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Lolita - All the hype is well-worth it. This liquid lipstick is bomb. It's a gorgeous shade and an amazing formula, and I think everyone needs it in their collection. I'm definitely going to be picking up more liquid lipsticks from Kat Von D's line.
9. GlamGlow Flashmud Brightening Treatment - Another dry skin savior. This Glam glow mask is amazing for exfoliating away dead skin. I was pretty skeptical at first, and really didn't want to love it because of the ridiculous price tag, but I do. It's amazing, and I'm definitely going to get it in the full size.
10. Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette - This has quickly become my favorite of the Naked palettes. I think it's the most versatile, in terms of color range, in the sense that it has a good selection of both cool and warm shades. It's super pigmented and there isn't a single color I don't like. The packaging is also by far the best of the 4 Naked palettes, and I wish all of them had the magnetic closure. If you're thinking of trying a Naked palette, I recommend this one over the others.