Mascara madness

The other day I got a super sweet email from a follower and one thing she asked me was if there was one make-up item I could not live without what would it be? My answer is : MASCARA! 

  Honestly if I wear nothing else on my face I will always wear mascara at all times!  I don't like my lashes to look fake but I think mascara is one of those things that just makes you look pretty.  The first thing I seem to always look at when looking at other people is their eye lashes. It amazes me how you can get so many different looks from different Mascaras.

   So here is my list of top favorite Mascaras for different occasions. 

Best Every Day 

Make Up Forever- Smokey Extravagant Mascara

Make Up Forever

 I'm a nurse in a crazy Emergency department, I work 12 hour shifts and never really bother spending too much time getting ready in the morning because it will all be ruined in the first 30 minutes of working guaranteed.  But what I love about this mascara is that it goes on effortlessly in 10 seconds and looks great all day.  I never have smearing or raccoon eyes at the end of the day.  It makes my eye lashes look defined but natural and acceptable for going to work.  Best part is that it removes easily with just normal washing of my face at the end of the day when I am ultimately exhausted.  I have been using this product for years... That's saying something. 

Gold star.. Blue Ribbon whatever it is Make Up Forever wins it with their mascara! 

Best Water Proof

Tarte- Lights Camera Splashes

Tarte

 My best water proof mascara award goes to Tarte.  This mascara is truly water proof not just water resistant like I've found in a lot of other Mascaras that say they are "Water proof".  I have worn this on many vacations, in the pool, the ocean, sweating on the beach.. Doesn't matter my mascara won't budge.  True test to this: I even wore this to my best friends wedding where I cried like a baby.. And still looked fabulous doing it! 

Most Dramatic

Too Faced- Better Than Sex

Too Faced

Is this really better than Sex?? Honestly, probably depends on who your partner is haha for me currently no way but prior I would have to say heck yes it is! If you are looking for very full, dramatic looking lashes then this is for you! Make sure you spend the time to do it right or you will end up with clumps.

Best Date Night

Urban Decay- Perversion

Urban Decay

Urban decay really does not have any product that I haven't liked.  Perversion is my favorite go to date night mascara.  Perfect for when you want to look perfect but not over the top.  This mascara will give you well defined, volumized and BLACK lashes! I love how deeply black the formula is.  It's a very wet formula also which makes it very easy to work with and build up!

Splurge Mascara

CHANEL- Le Volume De Chanel Mascara

CHANEL

If you want to feel a little fancy then give this mascara a try!  It is the best sophisticated, black and volumizing look that you can get.  This mascara is everything that you would think of when you hear the name Chanel.  It is sleek and classy with elegance.  The best part is the packaging! It comes in the cutest little black bag that is perfect for packing earrings in on trips.  This was the first mascara I have ever worn and I do think that my high standard for mascara are all because of this.

Best Primer

Benefit- They're Real Tinted Lash Primer

Benefit

I am in Love Love Love with this product! I have this in the brown currently because sometimes I like to wear this alone for a real natural look.  The formula is so perfect that it goes on effortlessly and never makes your mascara clump overtop.  It helps to lengthen your lashes and assists in easy mascara application over top.  Honestly this primer works great with whatever brand or type of mascara you choose to place overtop.  I will never be without this product! Way to go Benefit!

LUSH Valentinesday

Valentines day is just right around the corner so this is the perfect time to share two of the amazing LUSH products that are exclusive to the Valentines day season.  Valentines day is probably one of my most favorite Holidays.  I love the whole idea behind it, celebrating being happy with the people around you.  Whether you are going to celebrate with your husband, boyfriend, family or even your best friend; I feel like valentines day is just a good day to be happy and thankful for the great people we have in our lives.

I recently purchased a few little valentines day treats for myself from LUSH, Roses all the way soap and the Unicorn Horn bubble bar.  I probably will be using the soap the whole way up until Easter it seems to be lasting me forever.

Roses All the Way

Normally I am not a fan of bar soap, I am more of a shower gel kind of girl but I really couldn't resist buying this soap when I saw it.  It has the cutest shape like a little rose heart.  I love the amount you get for the price because it is seriously will last me a lot longer then I imagined.  I have barely made a dent in my bar and have been using it for about 2 weeks now. 

The scent in this soap is amazing, it really smells like fresh cut roses and the scent will stay on your skin even after getting out of the shower.  The soap is infused with a rose infusion and also rose oil which really helps to strengthen the scent.  First it starts off as a nice bright red but after being in the shower it fades to a really pretty pink over time.

One reason why I am not particularly the biggest fan of soaps is that I feel like shower gel can be more moisturizing.  Now this product definitely didn't dry out my skin in the least and left my skin feeling very clean but I missed that silky feeling that I am used to after using my Philosophy shower gels.

Unicorn Horn

Ok seriously looking at this it really does look exactly like a Unicorn Horn!  This is by far the most fun LUSH product I have tried yet.  It has the same great qualities as any of the other bubble bars from LUSH, great scent and super moisturizing.  The scent I found was very unique, not the typical sweet candy smell like the other bubble bars seem to have in common.  It has a great citrus smell with subtle scents of lavender.  I was really surprised and happy with the scent, expecting it to be sweet the  citrus scent made it very relaxing.  

One thing I learned about from this product is that it is made with Ylang Ylang Oil ( I had no idea what this was).  So small interesting fact... Ylang Ylang is actually a 60ft tropical tree!  This tree can be found in Java, Sumatra and the Philippines.  The Ylang Ylang trees three different colors of flowers; yellow, pink and mauve.  The yellow flowers are what produce the essential oils, they have the heaviest and most sweet scent.  The benefit to using this oil is for its uplifting properties to help relieve stress and treat depression. 

Don't mind my little horticulture lesson, I found this to be seriously interesting.

The bubbles from this bar were AMAZING! I only used half of the horn during my bath and was thankful for that or I would have been swimming in bubbles.  The one "off" thing I have to say about this product and maybe it just happened to me, my skin was stained a little pink when I got out of the bath.  Did this happen to anyone else after using the Unicorn Horn?  Not that I minded, the color of the water was the prettiest pink and so was my body.  The color washed off after taking a shower so it wasn't a bad thing, just surprising.

I will link to both of these Items below.  Make sure to stock up now if you are interested they go fast and are only available for a small amount of time!

Happy Valentines day Everyone!
Unicorn Horn
Roses All the Way

Ava Wilde Tops!

Happy Saturday Everyone!  This is really exciting...only to me but I am writing this post while sitting in bed.  I know that probably sounds very common and your probably wondering why that is exciting.  Until yesterday I would always have to use my lap top sitting downstairs on a chair close to the wall because it wouldn't work unless it was plugged in to constant power.  I have had this thing since college and my old old battery was slowing down and not holding charge..so Morgan tried to fix it for me.  Well after that it would only work when it was plugged in.  Now we has really fixed it and I couldn't be more happy!

Well actually I could be more happy... This makes me more happy.  

These two are taking an early nap time on a Saturday morning!

Recently one of my friends sent me a link to the Ava Wilde website.  I love cute little things with funny sayings on them so she thought that this designer would be perfect for me.  I was in love with so many things as soon as I started looking at her site.  I resisted the urge to buy everything I wanted and settled on 2 tank tops.  Since we just paid the final deposit on Costa Rica I was trying to be good with money but after we get back I am stocking up on more lovely things!

I ended up buying these two tank tops.  They were $25 each which I thought was reasonable compared to the other ones I was looking at from Nordstroms.

How seriously fun are these! I thought they would be perfect to wear to yoga/running and around the house!  They even would look really adorable paired with a pair of jeans and heels in the summer if you are just out casually running around.

I am the biggest fan of mimosas!  My all time favorite mimosa comes from Mon Ami Gabi in las vegas (right outside of the Paris Hotel).  My grandma tells me that there is a place in Key West we are going to that she thinks has the best mimosas.  I definitely excited to compare them.

The tank tops I found run true to size.  I purchased these in an xs and they fit perfectly.  I have considered maybe ordering some in a small also just to have some a little larger for working out or something.  I really love the quality of the tank tops though, they are very nicely made.  I swear I ordered the Mimosa tank top in white but when I checked the order I guess I had selected black...ooops. Its still really adorable but I might reorder it in white.

Make sure you check out the Adorable leggings!  I was so disappointed that I didn't order a pair in my first order but now I like I have 3 pair in my cart currently.  I am sure all of her stuff is really really great!  The sweatshirts and sweaters look super cozy also!

Anyway go and check some stuff out  I don't know how anyone could not find something they love.

Here is the direct link  Ava Wilde

Happy Shopping Saturday!

January Favorites

Hi Everyone! So since we are almost done with the month of January...Thank goodness I am ready for warm weather already!  I thought I would share my top five things that I have been using and loving this month.  It was extremely hard to just choose 5 things but I didn't want this to be a long post so I kept it limited.  Plus I am writing this during nap time which means I only have 1-2 hours to write this, shower and clean for the day haha.  Let's start the countdown!

#5

Naked Flushed by Urban Decay

Shade- Naked 

Lately I have found myself always reaching for this palette on a daily basis.  As you can see I have really put a dent into it.  I think I have had this for almost a year now and it is really lasting me a long time.  Right now I am loving the bronzer in this.  It's the most perfect color to just warm up your skin a touch in the winter.  The highlighter that comes in this is very comparable to the Matte Radiance by Laura Mercier.  I haven't used a lot of the blush yet because I have a burberry blush that is very very similar to this color that I find myself using more.  As soon as I run out of the bronzer I think I will repurchase this again but with a different shade of blush, maybe something a little lighter.  

#4

Hunter Boots

I got these for Christmas and already I think I love them more than my Ugg boots!  Reason 1- I really think these keep my feet warmer- I also have the inserts that go with them, but even without the inserts just normal socks keep my feet warm in these. Reason 2- Obviously you can get them wet thats what they are for.  I have been wearing this almost every day since we got all the snow I am so thankful for them!  I have not slid on the ice either, the traction on the bottoms is so great! Reason 3- I really think these look a lot nicer then the Uggs.  In black these just look so classy even paired with jeans or leggings.  They also come in really fun colors, I think I will invest in a light blue pair for the spring!

#3

Make Up Forever- Mat Velvet+

Shade 30 & 35

My favorite foundation!  I have been using this stuff for 2 years.  I try other foundations and always am either disappointed or just think Mat Velvet is better.  Make Up Forever has the best shade ranges that I have ever seen in foundations.  My perfect colors are #30&35.  Its the most perfect combination for me because in the winter when I am at my palest #30 is perfect, throughout most of the year I mix them together to get my exact shade and in the summer #35 is perfect with my tan.  I keep wanting to try the Ultra HD but I really just can't get away from this.  A little bit goes a long way so you really need just a little dot on the top of your hand then use your brush to really blend it into your skin.  It blends really nicely with contour products also.  Overall A+++ foundation!

#2

Mahogany Teakwood Candle

Bath & Body Works

One of my best friends got this for me about a month ago and I have burned the heck out of this thing ever since.  I literally would light this candle every night.  It says that it is supposed to smell like "fine woods" with lavender and geranium but honestly this scent reminds me of walking into an Abercrombie store.  Its not as overpowering as that Abercrombie scent but its the same idea.  It makes my whole house smell nice and clean, just a really comforting smell.  This would be the perfect scent for having company over,  I think its something that just appeals to everyone.  

#1

Mudslide by Drybar

Resisting the urge to use this hair mask everyday is a real struggle.  Holy Fantastic!  The scent is that really clean/sweet drybar classic smell.  It reminds me of expensive shampoo with a little candy mixed in.  Use your shampoo and then use this mask from roots to tip.  I leave mine in for about 10 minutes while I am doing all my other showery things.  My hair looked, smelled and felt fantastic afterward.  The softness lasted at least 3 days after I used this product and that was with rewashing my hair every one of those days.

TaDa! Got this all done and still have time to spare with nap time.  Thankfully the month of January has flown by and we are on to one of my favorite months, I absolutely love Valentines day!  So for the month of February my little goal is to get at least 10 more followers... so follow away!

Here are the links to everything I mentioned in this post

Naked- Urban Decay Hunter Boots  Make up forever Foundation  Candle Mudslide by Drybar

Winter Skin Blues

There really are very few things I actually enjoy about the winter season.  I can give you a long long list of things I absolutely can't stand, but I can only count things I like on one hand.  I've started a count down for the day we are done with Morgans residency in Pennsylvania and can move somewhere warm all year (South Carolina wink wink).

One of the things that I hate about winter.. or I used to before I found amazing products to help... is the constant battle to keep my skin from looking dry.  Now I don't get horribly dry skin in the winter, but occasionally I used to wake up with some dry skin on the T-zone of my face.  I just hated how my face was always so dull in the winter and it took me all these years to figure out ways to make my skin look healthy all year round.

Now if you have read my blog before then you know I am obsessed with the health of my skin and making sure I take good care of it.  The winter can be so hard on your skin.  Cold weather, wind, heating systems; can all leave your skin feeling so dry.  If you are like me and are used to being outside and getting some sun, then you might also feel like your skin is just so dull and bland in the winter.

This year I can honestly say that I have nothing about my skin to complain about.  I have found some awesome products that I have been using to keep my winter skin blues away.  Lets start with some of the body products I have been using.  

Body Care

Every holiday season I always buy one of the Philosophy Holiday Shower Gel's.  I love the holiday scents that they come out with every year.  Shimmering Snowflake was the scent I picked for this season.  I chose this one because I really wasn't in the mood for a food smelling shower gel.  Those are nice from time to time but I found that I got really sick of the sweet smells when I would use them every day.  This has more of a perfume scent to it.  The scent is slightly sweet with a little spice but it is very light.  Unfortunately Sephora does not carry the holiday scents anymore. BUT... you can get the holiday scents from philosophy website ON SALE Philosophy shower gel 

A good body moisturizer is a MUST HAVE in the winter.  I did a review on this product in another post so I won't talk to much about it on here but if your curious look back at my hauls or email me for details!  Just like all the other scents of this firming body emulsion I have purchased over the years, I am not disappointed in the least.  Amazing Grace Lotion

Another absolute must have not only in the winter but all year long, is this amazing amazing body scrub by L'Occitane.  Look back in the blogs for my full review on this product.  I don't think I have ever been more in love with a shower product before.  Yes I even love this more then my LUSH items.  I cannot say enough great things about this product.  If you don't have this yet then you are in for a real treat! Ultimate Must Have

Skin Care

Ok so on to skin care,  I am going to try to fly through these things and do a more in-depth review later or if you guys are interested in any let me know.

This Murad cleanser I just started using about 2 weeks ago so I haven't used it long enough to give it a full review.  I can tell you that from using it so far I might be hooked.  I love the way my skin looks after using this product.  I wake up with really pretty skin in the mornings.  I really don't have any issue with acne but I purchased this cleanser because it is moisturizing and I love the anti-aging aspect of this.  The extra hydration really makes my skin look brighter and more plump after using it. My old face wash was really starting to be ineffective and dry out my skin.  So far I am happy with the switch.  Murad Cleanser

Another product I started using around the same time which I showed in one of my Sephora Hauls, is this Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream.  I'm so happy that I decided to purchase this product.  I have been using it at night before bed and wake up with happy and moisturized skin.  After using this for 2 weeks I have found that my color is more even and my make-up has been going on better in the mornings.  Now this moisturizer is light enough to use in the mornings as well as at night.  I only use it at night because I have a really great moisturizer for the day that I can't break away from.  Fresh Face Cream

A good face mask helps to make your winter skin breakaway from the dullness and appear much brighter!  I bought this face mask from Sephora in the fall and really have enjoyed using this.  I bought this to replace my GlamGlow (which is pricey but definitely the best).  Now this does not work like the GlamGlow despite what people say.  But I love it for reasons all on its own.  After using this mask my face really does have a mattified look to it.  It really keeps my skin from looking dull and is great to use before applying make-up if your headed out for a date night or just want your make-up to look stellar.  Mask

Make Up Products

Ok this is the Holy Grail of Highlight products- Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Highlight.  I wish I would have discovered this product sooner.  This is my "Instant Pretty" product.  I feel like every time I put this on, wether it is over foundation or just on plain skin when I don't need to wear foundation, it makes me just feel instantly pretty.  The highlight can be as intense as you want it to be this product is very workable.  But whether you go heavy with it or just keep it light, it stands out and is noticeable.  I have the lightest shade but I think I will purchase the Bronze 02 before Costa Rica!  This is another great all year round product but a very good winter blues skin pick me up!  Laura Mercier Matte Radiance

In the summer I like more of a Bronzy blush but in the winter I prefer to have a blush that is going to stand out but not be so bright and in your face.  This Pinch Me color by MAC is absolutely perfect.  What I love about MAC blushes is that they are just so build able.  You can start out very light and subtle and gradually work your way up to the desired brightness that you are after.  The Matte Radiance highlight looks absolutely amazing over this blush!  Pinch Me

I think this was long enough, I have so many awesome things I want to share so I think I will do like a January favorite post.  Something to show all of the top things that I have been really loving this month, so look out for that soon!  Hope everyone is enjoying their week!  Thank you for reading and all the wonderful feedback!

Don't Look at Me... Fresh Lush Mask

You all know that I recently have discovered LUSH and have turned it into one of my obsessions/addictions!  Last week when I went shopping you saw that I picked up one of the LUSH fresh face masks.  They all smelled so awesome it was really hard to pick but I ended up with "Don't Look at Me".  The Fresh Face Masks at LUSH are only sold in store, you cannot buy them online unfortunately because like the name says they are made fresh.  These face masks are in a small black pot and need to be kept refrigerated until you are ready to use them.  Masks have to be used within 3 weeks.

Don't Look at Me

$7.95

Another fantastic LUSH product!  What first drew me to this face mask was its color, it is the prettiest bright vibrant blue! Which is very fitting since it is a brightening face mask.  This mask has a very strong citrus smell (you can really smell the fresh lemon) with a subtle floral scent if you really smell closely.  The scent is strong in the best way it is by no means overpowering, it just gives off a very clean smell.  You all know I am a sucker for anything Lemon.

I was in love with the ingredients to this mask the moment I read them.  Of course Fresh Organic Lemon Juice- To help break down dead skin cells and give your face a fresh and brightening look.  Kaolin- which is a soft clay to breakdown and exfoliate dead skin cells.  What I also love about Kaolin is its ability to absorb moisture so it really helps to get that hydration to your skin. Also includes Murumuru Butter- I really just love saying that, which is very moisturizing for your skin.  I think this is the most perfect all year round face mask.  In the winter the brightening pick me up is great for dull winter skin, and in the summer who doesn't need a good exfoliator!

When using this face mask be away that it doesn't fully dry on your skin.  When applied, the mask should be left on for 10-15 minutes and then washed off with warm water.  Make sure you keep your black pot in the REFRIGERATOR, its made with fresh ingredients it will go bad.  I get about 3 masks out of 1 pot so make sure you are using it up within 3 weeks!  Also, this mask can be used all over your body!

*Just an FYI if those of you aren't aware of LUSH's Black Pot Program this is good to know.  If you save your black pot's and return them to any LUSH store, with every 5 cleaned out Pots you receive any one of the Fresh Face Masks FREE*  Good for you and the environment! Just another reason why LUSH is fantastic.

Below are the Links to this product and also a store locator!

Don't Look At Me

Find LUSH

NAKED...on the Run

Exciting news! We have FINALLY booked our trip to Costa Rica for March.  I know I have mentioned the trip before in a post or on my twitter/instagram, but we have finally booked.  We decided to stay at Dreams Las Mareas in Guanacasta. 

March isn't that far away and time is going to fly by faster then we think.  Fingers crossed because I am HATING this cold weather and am in desperate need for sun, beach and alcohol!  The other day I was already starting to think about what I want to pack on this trip.  I am ALWAYS an over packer and my goal this trip is to only take what I know I am going to need.

 I was looking at my make-up collection trying to figure out what I definitely needed for the trip, incase I needed to stock up on anything that was running low ahead of time.  When I opened my palettes drawer I remembered that I had NAKED on the RUN by Urban Decay.  I LOVE this palette but I don't think it got enough hype as it should have.  It really is a great all in one palette.

With that being said I don't think it is a fantastic "I can use this all year round" kind of thing.  The colors in this palette pair well with sun, summer and vacations. Which is what makes it perfect for any kind of flight travel.  Easy to pack and all inclusive!

NAKED on the Run

$54 (on sale at Urban Decay now for $32)

Here is what is included in this palette

Bronzer: medium bronze matte - Perfect if you have even the littlest bit of sun on your face. It is a great all over bronzer, however, I wouldn't use this product to contour.

Blush: Vibrant Pink with a light shimmer- don't be overwhelmed by the hot pink appearance- on the skin when paired all together its beautiful! It stands out just enough to be noticed but isn't in your face.

Now what I really love out of all these three is the highlight color that they picked! This color is what really ties all three together.  It is perfect to even wear alone if you are just running out and want a little something to make your cheek bones stand out.

The eyeshadows again are more bronze/baked colors.  They pair perfectly together and are very very easy to blend! I really like to use the brush that came in the Naked 3 palette for blending these shades.  The two that I like best paired together are the Dive & Fix perfect for everyday and when mixed with a little Stun- gives you a great going out at night look.  So from left to right just like the palette here are the colors

Dive- metallic rose with golden shimmer, Fix- soft taupe matte, Resist- medium metallic taupe, Dare- medium brown matte, and Stun- metallic bronze with light gold micro-shimmer.

Also this palette comes with a FULL SIZE (when do you really see that) Sesso Naked Lip gloss, which is my favorite of all the NAKED glosses.  I have repurchased 2 of these already because I keep using them even when I don't use anything else in the palette.  Sesso is a gorgeous rose color with pink shimmer that looks great with anything and isn't overly sticky but leaves your lips with that freshly applied gloss look.

The famous Urban Decay Perversion mascara which is my favorite.  I love the formula used in this mascara.  It goes on so well and gives you a really full black look.  

Another one of my favorite products that is included in this palette is the 24/7 glide on eyeliner in Stag.  Perfect dark brown almost black satin color.  I am glad they went with Stag for this palette instead of a plain black.  With the bronzy theme of the palette I feel like the Stag pairs absolutely perfectly with the eyeshadows!
I included the link above by the price, and as you can see its ON SALE right now. Definitely a good product to stock up on if any of you are also escaping the cold winter or just thinking to summer already! Incase you over looked the link here is its again Naked on the Run.  This is a really great palette you will not be disappointed.. unless you don't get it before its gone.
42 days better hurry up really fast because me and this palette are going to be finding ourselves on a beach in Costa Rica!

Hello.. My name is Megan and I'm a LUSH addict

I don't know how I never discovered this store sooner but over the past 2 months I have been a total LUSH addict.  It is seriously like an addiction.  I hoard products and get upset when my stock pile starts depleting then I get anxious about when I am going to find time to go buy more!

Here is the link for those of you that have been deprived and have not heard of this great company 

www.lushusa.com

LUSH sells the most amazing all natural body products.  Their products only use the freshest ingredients without any testing on animals.  Everything is hand made to perfection.  I love the fact that LUSH buys its products from Small-Scale producer groups all over the world to ensure that they are only buying from producers that have a great environment and fair conditions for their workers.

I have Many Many bath products from LUSH.  I am really excited to try their fresh face masks as well but every time I am at the store they always seem to be out.  I am headed to a store tomorrow so fingers crossed they are in stock!

To not make this so overwhelming I thought I would break down my LUSH reviews into easier to read and follow blog posts.  I truly love this company so you will see a large amount of LUSH reviews on my blog. So here are 3 products that I used over the past 2 weeks. (With a small toddler its hard to find alone time to take a bath).

Father Christmas- Bath Bomb

$6.40

This large Bath Bomb is one of my holiday favorites and I so so hope they decide to bring it back next year.  When it is dry it appears to be red and white with the cutest little Santa Face.

But when you drop it into the bath, it begins to spin and red/green wonderful frothy goodness is released.  The smell is the best part. This bath bomb has the sweetest sugary smell that is just the perfect amount and is not sickening sweet.

It will leave your water the perfect color of Christmas green and leaves your skin silky smooth.  This is such a great product for moisturizing.  I never use a moisturize after using products like this.  The bath bomb does the job of a moisturizer and why would you ever want to cover up the wonderful smell that is left on your skin.

A French Kiss- Bubble Bar
$8.95

Now this is another type of bath product by LUSH.  A bubble bar creates the most perfect bubbles in your bath while still having a great smell, fun colors and leaves your skin smelling amazing.
A French Kiss is made with Lavender, Thyme and Rosemary essential oils from Provence.  I like using this Bubble Bar before going to bed.  The lavender scent is subtle and provides the perfect smell for a really relaxing experience.  I found that after using this product I got a great night sleep. Plus+ I could smell the lavender on my skin throughout the night.

Along with its calming and moisturizing effects, this product turns your water a very pretty color pink with the perfect amount of bubbles.  I find with the bubble bars from LUSH that they really do produce just the right amount.  You are not going to have bubbles overflowing from your bathtub.  They produce more of a comforter of bubbles that will last until the end of your bath.
Big Bang Bubble Bar
$7.95

I am on a Bubble Bar kick at the moment.  The Big Bang from LUSH is one of their newer products. Now if you saw my LAVANILA blog post you know I love the lemon scent, so naturally I was drawn to this product.  Big Bang is made with Grapefruit oils and Lemon myrtle oil which gives it a really fresh and zesty scent!  To make your skin feel so silky and moisturized, avocado butter is used in this product.

I love the light color blue that this product turned the water into.  It is the perfect blue that you would love to see at the beach.  I found this product to be very revitalizing and uplifting.  I felt my mood improve while relaxing in the bath after a stressful work day.
Now this bar was large and I could get two uses out of it.  What I do is I cut the bar in half with a knife and keep the other half I don't use sealed in a ziplock bag.  Then you just crumble the bar under running water and Ta-Da! Instant relaxation!
Again here is the link for the LUSH website or find a store near you for a really fun shopping experience!  All of the LUSH employees are so knowledgeable about their products and give some really good recommendations depending on your skin concerns or wants.
You Deserve It

I hope everyone enjoys there weekend! We are supposed to be getting some snow here.  This would be great news if I wasn't working the weekend.  First snow of the year and working in the Emergency Department is a disaster.  But that is good news for you because my stressful days turn into great blog posts or relaxing bath reviews!

Shopping Splurges.

So this week I have purchased a few new things that I think are super adorable and want to share.  I did a little Sephora order earlier in the week that just arrived, my bi-weekly Target trip and a wonderful new splurge from True Religion!  I am super happy about these little presents I bought for myself and to keep our bank account happy with me as well, I picked up a few overtime hours as well last night.  Worst idea I have ever had! I may have to rethink my spending habits after an extra shift like last night!  That most likely will never happen..... SO until the next 3 years of residency are over, I will keep sacrificing myself to a few extra hours here and there to keep Morgan's comments about my Sephora splurges away :).

Here are a few of my favorite things I bought this week!
Sephora (Stock-Up)

I'm really looking forward to trying these great products I purchased from Sephora this week.  If you read my post about my resolutions for this year then you know my big thing is taking care of my skin.   The wisest thing anyone has ever told me was "Your make-up is only as good as your skin underneath".  I do tend to use more expensive foundations and BB creams so of course I want to make sure I am getting the most out of them that I can.

I was really needing a good facial moisturizer to use before bed.  Something that was going to hydrate my skin and also keep it looking energized (12 hour nursing shifts are a killer).  I came across this product from Fresh its called Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex. 

I bought the 0.5oz version for $17.00 because I wanted to make sure I really loved this product before committing to the 1.7oz size.  This product is formulated with great ingredients the first listed is Water always a great sign.  Also it includes Vitamins C, E & Vegetable glycerol as well as Maca Root to enhance luminosity and cell turnover (always a good thing).  It is supposed to prevent the signs of aging, provide 24 hours of moisture and boost radiance. That being said I have high hopes for this product! I will review on it eventually when I have used it enough to give my true opinion.

MUDSLIDE by Drybar is a hair mask that I have been wanting to try for awhile but finally got around to ordering it!  Being a mom and a nurse my hair is constantly being thrown up into a pony tail or pulled back quickly in some form and can take a pretty hard beating.  I pay quite a bit of money when I get my hair done and want to keep it looking fresh and healthy!  This is the first product from Drybar that I am trying so its pretty exciting but I have my eye on a few other products to try by this brand.  So far I have only opened the container to smell how wonderful it smells and I cannot wait to try it out and share soon!

The final thing I bought in this little haul was my Amazing Grade Firming Body Emulsion Lotion.  I absolutely swear by this product.  I began using this when I first found out I was pregnant.  I am super tiny about 100lbs and had an almost 8lb healthy baby boy...With NO STRETCH MARKS!  I seriously give all the praise to this AMAZING LOTION. It is a miracle worker.  I used it twice a day religiously when I was pregnant and I do not have a single stretch mark I swear 100%.  I have continued to use this product ever since. It provides the best moisture.  This is my third time repurchasing it.  I buy the huge bottle that lasts me forever.  I first had the scent Unconditional Love, then tried Falling in Love.  I am super sad that they don't sell Loveswept in this lotion that is my all time favorite!  Like always I am not disappointed in the least with this lotion.  Amazing Grace smells.... Amazing, would you expect anything less?

Finally Finally Finally I have reached the top tier at Sephora.  I have officially received my VIB Rogue status. Which you get for spending I think its $1,000 a year I believe.. Oops. Not only do you get free makeovers in store, early access to all sales and free 3 days shipping on any order.. You get this adorable VIB Rogue exclusive red Marc Jacobs lipstick.  I love this shade of red.  I find it to be perfectly bright without being in your face and very classy.

True Religion

My goal since Christmas has been to find Morgan a pair of jeans that fit just right.  Try finding a 32X36 anywhere its about near impossible.  I ordered him a size 33 in True Religion and am pretty positive they will fit great and he will love him.  Although he hasn't gotten around to trying them on yet (Eyes Rolling).  While looking for jeans I came across this really fun T-Shirt for myself.. I resisted buying a new pair of Jeans since I just ordered a new pair for Express the day before.  I am really loving T-shirts with fun sayings right now and I found this to be perfect!  Next time I want to order the T-shirt with the big Buddha on the front. Unfortunately they didn't have it in my size when I made this order.

On a random side note... How adorable is this Coffee Mug I found at Target for $5! I never liked coffee before I started nursing school when I quickly realized it was essential for survival.

Hope Everyone enjoys their weekend! 

If anyone has any good Drybar product suggestions please share a comment I would love to know what to try next!

La Vanila I love you

LAVANILA is a wonderful wonderful brand that I discovered while following the Vlog by Make up By Tiffany D (everyone should check her out she is so great!)  This brand got my attention because it is all natural and full of amazing ingredients that are so healthy for your skin.

 I have only tried one scent so far because I am obsessed with it but when my current deodorant runs out I am excited to try a new scent.  I am in absolute love with the LaVanila scent Fresh Vanilla Lemon.  The most popular scent that they have is Vanilla Coconut and I wish I could try this it has gotten so many great reviews and my best friend uses this scent and loves it.  Unfortunately I am allergic to coconut (awful I know).  I really do love lemon scented things, doesn't matter if its bath products, cleaning products, whatever, it just smells so fresh and clean to me.  My favorite color is yellow so naturally I was drawn to the Vanilla Lemon.

I remember the first day I wore this deodorant.  I was so excited when it finally came from Sephora.  Side note- if you order from the LAVANILA website, they sell the deodorant in a 3 pack and multi-scent packs!  That way you never run out (I have a horror story about that later).  I started using the deodorant last June.  The first day I wore it was extremely hot outside and my friend and I decided to take my son to the zoo near us.  I was nervous at first about being outside with a new deodorant that I had no idea if it would work or not.  I'm pretty sure my friend thought I was insane at first because the first thing I said to her when she came over was "HERE SMELL MY ARMPIT".  Naturally she loved the scent, how could you not.  For the remainder of the day I casually would fix my hair so I could smell my deodorant.  I know this is weird but if you have tried this brand before you can't deny that you have done the exact same thing!

I have never had an issue using this deodorant with sweating through it or smelling bad.  I do use it twice a day like directed from the container but it still lasts you for awhile.  

Let me tell you about the time I ran out of my deodorant.  It had been a really busy week and I hadn't noticed that I was getting to the end of my deodorant.  Needless to say I did not order another in enough time to hold me over from when I officially ran out.  I did everything I could to get every last bit of the deodorant out, to the point where I was literally scraping it out of the container.  Eventually I had to resort to using a drug store brand I got at target.  I had used this brand forever before so there is nothing wrong with drug store deodorant by any means.  My skin was just so used to the LAVANILA and I think the harsh ingredients in the drug store brand really irritated my skin.  I had used the alternative brand right before a 12 hour work shift which was a HUGE mistake. I was itchy and miserable for the ENTIRE shift. Not to mention I had been stuck in the trauma bay for 2 hours and was actually SWEATING!  I was really missing my LAVANILA in that moment.  

Never will I ever make the mistake again of running out, I am completely hooked.  I now keep a spare in the extra's bin in our bathroom.  This is also for Morgans sanity. I'm pretty sure he was so annoyed listening to me complain about my armpits that long week haha.  He likes to call it my "Fancy" deodorant. He thinks he is hilarious sometimes.  I actually got him the Jack Black deodorant for christmas in his stocking so he can have "Fancy" deodorant also.

Recently I have started using the LAVANILA Body Butter! This is the best body butter I have tried.  Of course I bought it in Fresh Vanilla Lemon because I can't get away from this scent as hard as I try. It is the perfect combination of thick and silky.  This butter absorbs so fast into your skin and lasts all day without making your skin feel oily.  Again it has all natural healthy ingredients.  I used it after I get out of the shower on days that I'm not using my body scrub.  I use it immediately after shaving my legs and never have I had any irritation or burning from this product.

Everything about this line in wonderful.  My next purchases are going to be Vanilla Grapefruit deodorant and body butter, and I think I am also going to try the sunscreen when we go to Costa Rica. 

I never was really a believer that all natural products were better before I started using this line.  My skin has really felt so much smoother and healthier after using these products.

Deodorant $14 and Body Butter $19

Let me know your thoughts if anyone has ever tried LAVANILA, I'm anxious to see if anyone else loves it as much as me!

L'Occitane....I am now addicted.

So let me just share with you one of my most favorite things in life right now.. (really its that amazing).  L'Occitane Almond Exfoliating and Smoothing Delicious Paste.  I bought mine at Sephora for I'm pretty sure it was $42.  

I had heard amazing reviews on this product (all 100% true) but at first was a little reluctant to spend the money.  I got this jar during the 20% off Sephora VIB Rogue sale not wanting to pay full price if I wasn't sure I would like it...

After just using it once I would pay full price for this 1 million x over, it is really that good!  I have barely made a dent in my jar and have used it probably close to 10 times.  This is something I would repurchase again and again.

The formula is so perfect with just the right amount of exfoliating beads and smooth creamy lotiony (if thats a word) goodness!  The best thing about this product is that a little goes a long way I can see this little jar lasting for months. I use mine about 2-3x a week.  The scent is the most perfect warm, sweet and sugary smell that doesn't wash off with the product it will stay almost all day.  I was in target the other day checking out and the women behind the counter commented on how good my lotion smelled when I reached to hand her my credit card. No lotion...It was just the smell of this scrub from my morning shower.... the next time I saw her at target she had bought it and was also hooked on the product.  I can be pretty religious when it comes to lotion after a shower but when I use this scrub I have found that I don't even need to put on lotion.  I get out of the shower and my skin feels so silky and moisturized even my elbows and heels.

Hands down the best scrub I have ever tried..I would totally be open to any other suggestions of scrubs that people rave about.  But this is good enough to eat.. and it actually smells like you could eat it...... Speaking of bath products.. I am finishing this blog in the bathtub using my awesome new christmas Bath Bombs from Lush that I'll review after I go through a few of them.. so far the first was was a huge WIN!
Alright time for an early bed time... 12 hours working in the ED on the Monday after a Holiday weekend is never pretty.
Goodnight everyone!