Sephora Haul|Makeup, Skin Care, & Hair Care

Hey ya’ll! Today I’m going to be sharing with you everything that I’ve picked up from Sephora this past month. I’ve been to Sephora a few times, so this haul is collective. Some of these products are repurchases, and things that I actually needed! I have a couple makeup products, and the rest are hair care and skin care items.

 My hair has been really dry and not looking it’s best lately, so I’ve been in the market for a new hair mask or serum. Living Proof recently came out with this new night mask, and since I had never tried anything from the brand, I figured now was a better time than ever.  I have used this twice so far, and have seen a difference in my hair’s overall appearance and texture. I apply about four pumps of this to dry, dirty hair, and wash it out the next day. My hair is left feeling softer and smoother, shinier, and more manageable.

Last summer I purchased the original Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray. I ended up using the whole thing, but wasn’t 100% happy with it because it made my hair feel gritty and dirty. I like my hair to be moveable, touchable, and soft, so when I saw this hot new product it sounded like it was made for me. This is the same original spray, but with oil added to it. The new Surf Infusion creates softer, smoother texture, which is exactly what I’m looking for.

I recently finished up my night time moisturizer, and wanted to try something different. This is my first time trying anything from First Aid Beauty. The Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Sleeping cream is really thick and creamy, and keeps my skin hydrated until morning, without leaving my overly greasy. It sits nicely on my skin, hasn’t broken me out, and a little bit goes a long way.

 I’ve heard bloggers talk about Benefit’s blush in Dallas for years, but never picked it up until now.  Dallas is a matte, mauve/plum/bronzer shade that looks beautiful on the skin. I think this will make a nice blush for Summer, but will easily transition to Fall as well. It adds the perfect amount of warmth to the face.

I love YSL lip products, and have been collecting them the past couple of years. This is a Glossy Balm in the shade #10 Tangy Mandarine. It’s a sheer, bright orange/coral. One of my favorite lip products is the Dior Addict Lip Glow, so I wanted something similar but in a different shade. This product goes on sheer, but can be built up for more added color, and is hydrating like a lip balm. It adds the perfect pop of color, and is perfect for Summer. This is a pricey item, but I don’t mind spending more money on a product that I know I will get tons of use out of. This is going to live in my purse, along with my Dior Addict Lip Glow, and will be in constant rotation this Summer.

 I have repurchased the Benefit Gimme Brow more than once now, and haven’t found any reason to try anything else. I get the shade Medium/Deep because I like my brows to be a little darker than my hair. This adds a little bit of color, slightly plumps the brows, and holds them in place all day.

The Philosophy Miracle Worker Retinoid Pads is another repurchase for me, but it’s been a few months since I’ve had it because it’s an expensive item. I needed to repurchase it because I have noticed my skin has been changing, my pores are becoming more noticable, my skin looks dehydrated, and it just looks dull. I see a huge difference in my skin when I use this on a regular basis, so I’m really happy to have it back.      

 I have noticed more fine lines under my eyes lately, and it’s freaking me out! I decided it was time to start using a retinoid under my eyes and decided to try this one since I like the Miracle Worker facial pads so much. The consistency of this reminds me of the Benefit Porefessional because it has that same thick, silicone texture to it. I’ve only been using it for a week so I haven’t seen any major changes yet. It says I should see a difference in about 8 weeks, so I will be sure to let you know how I liked it once it’s used up.

Another repurchase is the Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment. HOLY GRAIL EYE CREAM right here! I recently decided to try the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Under Eye Cream, and honestly wasn’t that impressed by it. It was a nice eye cream, and I finished it up, but I do prefer the Tarte one. The Tarte eye cream is much thicker, and hydrates my under eye area a lot better, and longer, than the Bobbi Brown did.

This is the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush and it is awesome. I will say, I prefer the “setting” or “light” side. It fits perfectly under the eyes, and in the setting powders in the Shade + Light Contour Palette. The “contour” or “shade” side is nice, but it’s not dense enough for me to contour with. I like a really dense brush for contouring my cheeks, but this works nicely for contouring the nose. It also comes with a protective case that is perfect for storing and traveling.

xoxo,
Casey

Product Empties & Would I Repurchase?!

Hey ya’ll!! I have a ton of Empties to share with you today. I have been collecting my trash since January, plus February was a No-Buy month for me, so I’ve racked up quite the stash. I have grouped the products together and listed them by name for you. If you’d like to know my personal thoughts on each of these products, and whether or not I would repurchase any of them, please check out my video down below!

PRODUCTS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Philosophy Miracle Worker Retinoid Pads, Tarte Brazilliance Self Tanner, Nivea Touch of Cashmere Body Wash, Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel, Philosophy Purity Face Wash, Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Cream, Victoria’s Secret Love My Body Body Mist in White Tea & Sage, Clinique Youth Surge Night Cream, Murad Refreshing Cleanser, Degree Motion Sense in Sexy Intrigue, Garner Nourishing Cleansing Oil

 PRODUCTS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Conditioner, Aussie 3 Minute Miracle, Garnier Sleek & Shine Hairspray, Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original & Paisley

PRODUCTS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Becca Shadow & Light Bronze Contour Perfector, Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Dark Spot Corrector, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, Laura Mercier Invisible Pressed Setting Powder

PRODUCTS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Maybelline The Falsies Mascara, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer, Glam Glow Power Mud Mask, YSL Babydoll Mascara, Covergirl Lash Blast Volume, Covergirl Clump Crusher, Nivea Lip Balm Olive Oil & Lemon

I hope ya’ll enjoyed today’s post! I will have an Ulta Haul with both high-end and drugstore products to share with you. If you have any video or blog requests, please leave them in the comments below for me. Love ya’ll!

xoxo,
Casey

Product Empties & Would I Repurchase?

Hey ya'll!!

It's Empties time! I have been collecting my trash for the last month and a half so I could give you my complete thoughts and feelings on the products I've been using. In my big bag of empties I have a little bit of everything: beauty, skin care, hair care, and lots and lots of candles.

I have quite a bit of beauty products to talk about today. 1. Smashbox Suntan Matte Bronzer: I pulled this out to use during my September No Buy, but had to throw it out because when I applied it to my face it just wasn't applying like it used to. I've had it for forever and forgot about it, so I believe it has lived past it's use date and has expired. 2. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Twice Baked: Like the Smashbox bronzer, this is also a product that I forgot about and is old and has expired. This is one of my favorite eyeshadow shades ever; this color is the perfect shimmery brown for me. I definitely want to repurchase it. 3. Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel: This is something that I will not be repurchasing. I didn't think it was all that great, and have recently purchased a different brow gel that I'm loving so much more. 4. Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Pencil in Black: This was a great pencil. It's a dryer formula which I prefer much more than the super creamy formula of the UD 24/7 Pencil's. I am not needing it right now, but when I want another eye pencil, I would repurchase this one. 5. Loreal Magic Lumi Concealer: I really like this product for highlighting purposes. It's a pretty pearlescent color, and I will definitely be repurchasing it. 6. NARS Eyeshadow Primer: My favorite eyeshadow primer ever. I'm finishing up the Urban Decay Primer Potion, so once that's gone I will be purchasing a full size of the NARS. 7. Benefit Porefessional: About halfway through the tube I didn't think I liked this, but once I layered another primer on top I loved it. I do not like this primer on it's own because it makes my skin feel super dry. Since running out of it and just using my other primers, I've noticed a huge difference in my makeup's wear time and appearance. I definitely need to pick up another tube of this. 8. It's A 10 Miracle Leave-In Treatment: I absolutely loved this stuff. I have a full size of the It's a 10 Plus Keratin that I am in the process of finishing up. It's almost gone, and when it is I will be buying a full size of this one. I liked it so much better than the one I'm using now. This one is a deluxe sample that I would bring with me when I would go out of town. 9. Mascara's Galore! - I'm making this short and sweet and am just going to let you know if I'm repurchasing or not (If you want a more in-depth review be sure to check out my video!). Diorshow: Hated it! Loreal Voluminous Collagen: Would repurchase, but not at this time. Benefit They're Real: Loved it, but not repurchasing at this time. Covergirl Clump Crusher: Loved it! Already repurchased it. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes: Terrible! Hated it!

1. Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil: I really like this cleansing oil. I talked about it in my Skin Care Favorites, and have already repurchased it. It does a nice job of removing my makeup, and is super hydrating, leaving my skin feeling super soft. 2. Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original & Fresh: I've said it before and I will say it again, this dry shampoo is so good and is the best I have ever tried. I always stock up when I run out because I go through them so fast. I haven't been to Ulta yet, but probably will one day this week to pick up some more. 3. Aussie Sprunch Mousse: This is mine and Lexi's favorite mousse to use for messy waves. When we are having lazy hair days, we will scrunch this in our hair and let it air dry. It doesn't create a ton of wave, but it's enough to make you look put together. It also doesn't make your hair crunchy which is my favorite thing, I hate crunchy hair. It has a leave-in conditioner in it so it makes your hair super soft and shiny. This is another one of those products where I purchase multiple's at a time.

What kind of Empties would this be without makeup wipes? The Garnier Refreshing Remover Towelettes are my favorite makeup remover wipes and I have already repurchased them. They are super soft and don't irritate my skin or burn my eyes. They also smell really, really good. The Up & Up Wipes are what I use when I'm cleaning up a makeup mistake, or cleaning off swatches. They are also really good at getting makeup off of the bathroom counter! I haven't repurchased them yet but plan to.

"Oh My Candles!" As you can see, I go through candles like crazy. I have them spread out all over my downstairs and burn them for hours at a time. Hawaiian Hibiscus and Red Guava Lava I finished up at the end of August before I started burning the Fall scents. Sandalwood Vanilla was one that I had never purchased before. It smelled really nice but it's not a favorite of mine. Sweater Weather, Mahogany Teakwood, and Leaves on the other hand, are three of my absolute favorite scents from Bath & Body Works. They are super strong and smell so dang good. I am going to be repurchasing them on my next trip to BBW.

I hope ya'll enjoyed this round of Empties. If you liked any of the products that I didn't, let me know. It's always possible that a product is amazing and you just get stuck with a dud!


xoxo,
Casey

Product Empties

Yay for my first Empties post! I've been collecting my empties for a few months now and figured it was a good time to show you what I've used up and if I would repurchase any of them. I also wanted to get this up because I will be doing a Product No Buy during the whole month of September. With Fall right around the corner, I wanna try and use up some of my Summer beauty products so I can get a few new things for the new season. At the end of September I will follow up and let you know if I was able to finish up any products in my collection. If any of you would like to join me in the No Buy, Tweet me or Instagram me with the hashtag #SeptemberNoBuy. I love seeing what products others are using up and what they think about them. Ok, let's get started with the Empties.

Body Care Empties
1. Olay Age Defense Body Wash: This is my go-to body wash. It's super moisturizing, has a nice clean scent, and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and soft. I've already repurchased it and found an even bigger size with a pump. So awesome. 2. Village Naturals Moisturizing Milk Bath & Body Wash: I used this for bubble baths and it was pretty nice. I don't really have any complaints about it, but it wasn't anything special. I wouldn't mind repurchasing it, but I would like to try something new first. 3. Olay 2in1 Body Wash: I purchased these two body washes because they were on sale for buy one get one free. I did like these and they smelled so good. I use my body wash to shave, and this body wash is a little too thick for that, so I personally wouldn't use this regularly. 4. Secret Deodorant in Paris: I flip-flop deodorants all the time. This one smelled really nice and I probably will repurchase it, but not in the near future. 5. Victoria's Secret Body Butter in Pure Seduction: I love this scent! I have the body lotion and the body spray. I have a few more body butters I need to get through before I can repurchase this one.

Candle Empties
I love Bath & Body Works Candles! Both of these scents were perfect for summer. I also used up one in Mahogany Teakwood but I accidentally threw it away with the regular trash instead of in my empties bag, oops! I will definitely be repurchasing Mahogany Teakwood because it's part of their permanent collection. Once they bring out all their fall scents I will be stocking up on those. Bath & Body Works has sales pretty regularly. I always wait to buy candles and stock up when they have their 2 for $22 sale.

Toothpaste Empties
My husband and I really like the Crest 3D White toothpaste. They have a couple different flavors and I'm not picky on which one we get. As long as my toothpaste has a minty flavor I'm good.

Hair Care Empties
1. Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Shampoo: I've used Pantene for years. I don't care if people say it's the worst shampoo for your hair because my hair loves it. I always rotate different shampoos. This one was ok, it's not my favorite from the line. Pantene discontinued their first set of Nature Fusion products and I was so sad because they were my favorite! I really wish they would give this new set the ax and bring back the original formula. 2. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner: I've talked about this before in my June Favorites. I use in almost every time I wash my hair. It's my favorite drug store deep conditioner. I have already repurchased it and even have an extra for when the new one runs out.  3. Batiste Dry Shampoo: I've also raved about this product before in a previous post. It's the best dry shampoo I have found for my hair and it's super affordable. I get mine from Ulta. 4. Macadamia Deep Repair Masque: This mask gets tons of love in the beauty community. It's a really nice deep conditioner, but it's also pretty pricey. I did like it a lot, my only complaint is the price. I really don't think it's worth the hefty price tag.

Makeup Empties
1. Make Up For Ever HD Foundation: This is one of my absolute favorite foundations and I always have one in my collection. I recently hauled my new bottle of this and use it regularly. Right now it's the darkest foundation I have, so I can only use it when I have a fresh spray tan. I plan on getting another shade for when I'm at my lightest, that way I can mix the two shades to match me all the time. 2. Laura Mercier Radiance Primer: I love Laura Mercier primer's. This is my second bottle of primer from the line. I would repurchase her regular oil free primer before repurchasing this one again. 2. Dior Addict Lip Glow: I recently did a post comparing this to the Tarte LipSurgence in Energy. This is one of my holy grail lip products and I will definitely be repurchasing it.

Nail Care Empties
1. Studio Beauty Strengthening Nail Polish Remover: I know this isn't super exciting, but I finished a nail polish remover. I'm not a big stickler on nail polish removers. My only must is that it has to have acetone in it. Honestly, I don't have a go-to remover. I can grab one from any store or brand and be happy with it. 2. Essie Polish in Fiji: This is my favorite nail polish color! I've already purchased a new bottle. It's the perfect milky pink color and looks great with anything. I'm one of those people that likes their nails to match what their wearing, and this is the safest polish because it's so classic. I hardly every have bright colored nails. I tend to stick with neutrals and then dark colors in the fall and winter. 3. Sephora Formula X Top Coat: I love this top coat and will be repurchasing it. It dries so fast and makes my polish last twice as long as any other top coat I've tried. I have a few other Formula X products, and I highly recommend the whole line.

Skin Care Empties
1. Philosophy's Purity Facial Cleanser: I use this face wash every single day and have repurchased it many times. It's gentle, has never broken me out, has a spa-like scent, and works great with my Clarasonic. 2: Loreal Youth Code Texture Perfector: I talked about this product in my July Favorites and I really like it. It feels nice on the skin and smells fresh. I'm on the fence if I would repurchase it though. For a drugstore item, this serum is pretty pricy, coming in at $20.00. It also really didn't last long and I wasn't able to get the last little bit out. I think the packaging needs some tweaking. I don't think the pump extends all the way to the bottom of the bottle. You can clearly see there's product still in there, but the pump won't pull anything and I can't get the top off to dump it out. 3. Olay Beauty Fluid Lotion: I love the Olay moisturizers and have been using them since I was in high school. I go back and forth between this one and the Daily Moisturizer with SPF, which is what I currently have. 4. Origins Night-A-Mins: I really like Origins as a brand. I think they have some really fine products in their line. I did like this moisturizer, but I won't be repurchasing it only because it's a gel formula. I'm not a fan of gel moisturizers, I prefer creams and lotions. If your skin works better with gels, I definitely would recommend this one. 5. Origins A Perfect World Facial Cleanser: I received this deluxe sample free with purchase and it was a really nice cleanser. When I first used it, I hated the smell, it's very different and I couldn't put my finger on it. This little guy lasted me a lot longer than I thought it would. It's really thick and lathers really well, so a little goes a long way. I used it in the mornings, and I even used it with my Clarasonic a few times in the evenings and it worked great at both times of the day. I definitely would repurchase this in the future.

That's it for my first Empties! I hope you enjoyed it and maybe found some new products to try. Also, don't forget about the #SeptemeberNoBuy! Be sure to Tweet me or Instagram me to let me know if you're going to be joining me. I'm ready to use up some of my goodies so I can go out and grab some new ones for Fall. Plus, my wallet needs a break from beauty spending..... :)


xoxo,
Casey

Vacation Series: What I Pack - Makeup, Skin Care, & Hair Care Products

Hey ya'll!!

Welcome to my Vacation Series! Stay tuned all week for Vacation & Summer Travel related posts.

Today I'm going to show you what makeup, skin care, and hair care items I pack when I go on vacation. We are leaving on vacation soon to Port St. Joe, Florida and will be staying in a beach house right on the beach. I cannot wait to soak up the sun and get my tan on!

I am definitely an over packer! I don't even attempt to pack light, because it just gives me anxiety thinking about the possibility of 1. Running out of something, 2. Wishing I had packed something but didn't, and 3. I just like to be prepared for anything and everything.

We will start with make-up. For the most part I won't be wearing much, seeing as how it's a beach trip and all, but there will be times that we will go into town to eat, drink, and shop so I'm gonna need to put my face on occasionally. My tips for packing your makeup is the "Pack While Applying" method. This way, as you apply each product, you put it in your travel bag and you don't forget anything.

From Left to Right: Benefit Fake-Up Concealer, Loreal True Match Foundation, Make Up For Ever HD Primer, Benefit Benetint

From Left to Right: Benefit Hello Flawless Powder, Buxom Blush in True Hue, Benefit Hoola Bronzer, Bobbi Brown ShimmerBrick in Apricot

Lorac Pro Palette, Benefit Bro-Zing in Medium, Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel in Brunette, Loreal Voluminous Extra Collagen Mascara, Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Matte Black, Sally Hensen Eye Lash Curler

  

 Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

Makeup Brushes from Left to Right: Real Techniques Powder Brush, Real Techniques Blush Brush, Sephora Collection Classic Contour Powder Brush, Sonia Kashuk Dense Blush/Powder Brush, Sonia Kashuk Large Angled Contour Brush. Smaller Brushes: Sephora Collection Crease Brush, Sephora Collection All Over Shadow Brush, Sonia Kashuk Smudge Brush, Sephora Collection Flat Liner Brush, Sonia Kashuk Spoolie Brush

Normally when I'm going to the beach I don't wear any makeup at all. But if I do, the products I will use (plus sunscreen and lip balm of course) are Olay Total Effects 7 CC Cream, Olay Total Effects 7 Eye Cream, Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel, and Benefit Benetint. Olay is my favorite skin care line from the drug store. What I like about these two products is that they have just a hint of color and are very hydrating. The next two things are just to add a little color and life to my face. I really like to set my eye brows with the Anastasia Brow Gel because it makes them look put together in a pinch. Lastly, the Benetint stain is my favorite stain. It dries fast, doesn't leave my cheeks feeling sticky, and lasts a long time.

I pack my makeup in an accordian-like bag because it offers lots of storage, and folds together making easier to pack. I found this one last year at TJ Maxx.

I'm absolutely addicted to lip products and always bring a ton of different colors because I never know which ones I want to wear. I don't pack my lipsticks and glosses with the rest of my makeup. I always carry them in my purse for easy access.

From Left to Right: Dior Addict Lip Glow, Maybelline Color Sensational in Stormy Sahara, Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in #57 Aventure, Urban Decay in Naked, YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in #15

From Left to Right: Urban Decay Naked Gloss in Walk of Shame, Nars Lip Gloss in Coeur Sucre, Nars Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight, Buxom Lip Gloss in Celeste, Whitening Lightning Glosses in Rose Hill, Coral Craze, and Nude

Now onto skin care. These are the products I use on a daily basis and cannot live without. I normally don't bring a face mask with me, but I figured Lexi might want to do one for fun with her friend Peyton one night while we are there. The cleanser's and makeup remover's I am bringing are my Neutrogena Hydrating Makeup Remover Wipes, Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil, Purity Face Wash (I'm almost out so I need to pick some more up before I go!), and my Clarisonic Mia 2. My day-time moisturizer's are my Olay Complete Daily Moisturizer, Olay Total Effects 7 CC Cream, and Olay Total Effects 7 Eye Cream. My night-time moisturizer's are Origins Night-A-Min's Moisturizer, Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Eye Cream, and Josie Maran Light Argan Oil. All of these fit in a medium sized travel bag that I got from Target.

Last, but not least, is hair care. I am going to pack a blow dryer and a straightener, but won't use them unless we are going into town for the day. For the most part I will just scrunch my hair and let it air dry. For that I like to use Aussie Sprunch Mousse. It's a flexible hold mousse so it doesn't leave my hair feeling crunchy. Every time I finish washing my hair I have to put Biosilk and It's a 10 on. They seriously make my hair so soft and shiny, I can't live without them. I'm also bringing Batiste Dry Shampoo, and Garnier Sleek & Shine Hair Spray.

I hope you liked getting a peak into what I pack. I know it's a lot, and I probably won't use half of this stuff, but it makes me feel better knowing I have everything I could possibly need because you never know what you might get yourself into while away on vacay!

xoxo,

Casey

Welcome to My Blog!

Hello Everyone!! I am so excited to get this blog up and running.

Before we get this party started, I'd like to introduce myself and let all of you know what you can expect from me and this page.

I am a HUGE beauty fan!  I love all things makeup, skincare, haircare, and everything in between. I have a lot of things planned to post and talk about. A Sephora Haul and my May Favorites will probably be the first two posts so stay tuned for that.

I am also a big-time bookworm. I love to read and like to read often. I plan on having a section dedicated to all things books from what I'm reading, book hauls, and reviews.

I am also a wife and a mother. I have a 5 month old son and a Bonus Baby, a girl who is 11 years old. I would like to have a section dedicated to all things family. Being a wife and mother can be the best, most fun, and rewarding jobs ever. There are also times where you want to pull your hair out and the stories that cause that often times are the most fun, and hilarious, to read about!

If anyone has any requests, or post suggestions, please feel free to let me know!

xoxo,
Casey