November Favorites|Tarte, MAC, Charlotte Tilbury

Hey ya'll! Today I'm going to share with you the makeup I've been loving for the past month (some for the past couple of months). I've been using all of these on an every day basis and am absolutely obsessed with them.

First favorite is the Tartelette 2 In Bloom palette. I have not been able to put this eyeshadow palette down since I got it. Tarte really knew what they were doing when they created this eyeshadow palette. The Tartelette 2 is a gorgeous eyeshadow palette full of cool, mauve, and warm toned shadows. If you are interested in seeing a review and swatches, you can check out my blog post for picture or you can watch my video on it.

I have been using the Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara for a few months now and I have been loving it. It's one of the best mascara's I have ever used. It's a dryer formula which I love, and it makes my lashes super full while lengthening them at the same time.

The Tarte Tarteist Liner is another product that I have had and been using for a while now. This eyeliner is like a hybrid of both a gel eye liner and a liquid eye liner. It's a lot thinner than a gel liner, but it's not quite as liquidy as a liquid liner. If you are a fan of gel or liquid eye liners, this is a different kind of formula that is worth trying out.

I have really been enjoying the Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Finish Powder in the shade 2 Medium to set my foundation. It is a very light powder that sets foundation without leaving you looking overly dry or matte. It is impossible to over-powder with this, and the light application sets your face while leaving you with a slight glow.

I purchased the Buxom Lip Glosses in Bellini and Hot Toddy during the Sephora VIB Sale and they have been the only glosses I have used since. Buxom is my favorite lip gloss brand, and the lip creams are my favorite formula. Both of these are so perfect for every day.

Top to Bottom: Honey Love, Staunchly Stylish, Soar

These three have been in constant rotation for me all month long. My main combo has been MAC's Honey Love lipstick and MAC's Lip Liner in Soar. Honey Love is an awesome nude that works with so many different lip liners. I really like pairing Honey Love with Soar because the combination results in a beautiful muted mauve shade. I also love wearing Honey Love with Staunchly Stylish. Staunchly Stylish is a warm nude that looks great with just about anything.

Those are all my favorites from this past month. Hopefully you enjoyed getting a peak at all these beauties, and maybe will pick one or two up for yourself!

xoxo,
Casey

Tartelette 2 In Bloom Palette|Review & Swatches

Tarte just came out with a brand new Tartelette palette called the Tartelette 2 In Bloom for their Spring 2016 collection and it is beautiful! It hit the shelves online at Ulta this past Sunday, and as soon as it went live I placed my order. I did not buy the original Tartelette palette because it is a more cool toned palette and has a lot of purple shades, which is kind of out of my comfort zone. As soon as I got the email that Tarte had made the Tartelette 2 In Bloom palette, and once I saw pictures of it, I knew I had to have it. I posted a review video on the Tartelette 2 In Bloom palette on my YouTube Channel in case you’d like to check that out!

The Tartelette 2 In Bloom palette retails for $45.00 and is available only on Ulta.com, and will be available in stores on November 29. It has twelve shades just like the original Tartelette palette, but instead of all matte shadows, it has three shimmer shades with nine mattes. The original Tartelette palette was cool in tone, and the new Tarelette 2 In Bloom palette is more warm toned.

The packaging is absolutely adorable! I love the floral design with the gold print. It looks like it would be in a metal or tin container, but it is packaged in a very nice quality plastic, making it perfect for travel. When you open the palette, there’s a giant mirror that takes up an entire half of the palette, again making it perfect for traveling and doing your makeup on the go. 

Charmer, Jetsetter, Rocker, Smokeshow

Flower Child, Smarty Pants, Firecracker, Activist

Funny Girl, Sweetheart, Rebel, Leader

The twelve shades in the palette are not only stunning to look at, but the quality, texture, and pigmentation are top notch. The only shade that seems to be formulated differently, and that has a different texture, is the shade Funny Girl. Funny girl is still very pretty and pigmented, it just isn’t as soft and smooth as the other shades. The matte shades in the palette are very creamy, and blend really easily. They are a bit powdery when you dip your brush in them, similar to the Lorac Pro eyeshadows, but as long as you tap your brush before applying them to your eyes, you won’t have any fallout. The shimmer shadows in the shades Rocker and Firecracker are very silky and metallic.

I haven’t been very impressed with many palettes lately, but I am really impressed with the Tartelette 2 In Bloom. It is a beautiful eyeshadow palette that will be appropriate to wear all year round, and can create an endless amount of looks from soft and natural, to smokey and sultry. If you are looking for a palette to ask for for Christmas this year, I highly recommend asking for the Tartelette 2 In Bloom. You will not be disappointed!

xoxo,

Casey

Erin Condren Life Planner

I recently decided it was high-time that I get my life more organized. Between a new business, kids, appointments, and bills, I was in need of some structure and something to keep all of my so-called reminders in. I decided to check out the Erin Condren Planner’s because they are extremely popular when it comes to planners.

The planner I chose is called the Prism Metallic Gold & White Life Planner. I recently filmed an UnBoxing video for this so be sure to head over to my YouTube Channel to check that out! The front and back cover of the planner is a thick, laminated plastic which I think is ideal for keeping shape, resisting water, and retaining a clean and sleek look. My design is a white background with a metallic gold design. I was also able to personalize the front cover by adding my initials. The planner is binded together with a large gold spiral, which I happen to love.

Located along the edges of the planner are all of the monthly tabs. The tabs are all different colors which adds a little more pizazz and personality. Inside each “month” you have an overview calendar of the entire month laid out. Behind the overview, the month is broken down into weeks, giving you a lot more space to write down what you need to get done each day. There were two different layouts I could choose from for the inside of my planner. I decided to go with the vertical layout versus the horizontal layout. The vertical layout means that the days are laid out in vertical columns, versus horizontal rows. This is completely personal preference, and how you prefer to view your days and weeks.

Located in the very back of the planner are a few planner stickers, a pocket for loose papers, and some Erin Condren sample products. I was really excited to see these, and think it’s really awesome that they are included with the planner.

Upon first impression, I am really loving this planner! I have never been one to plan, but it’s something that as I get older and more busy, I’ve realized is definitely a must. I really want to get into decorating my planner, and turning it into sort of like a scrapbook/journal. I enjoy watching planner videos, so that’s something I’m definitely interested in trying for myself. Problem is, I’m completely new to the Planner World, so I need help figuring out which stickers to get, what all the different ones are used for, and what they all are called. I know there are tons of sticker shops on Etsy, so let me know which ones are your favorite, as well as what kind's of stickers I need to get to decorate and write on!

xoxo,
Casey

Favorite Fall Lipsticks 2015

Fall is one of my favorite seasons! The weather gets cooler, the clothes get cuter, my hair looks great all day, my makeup stays on, and the warmer/darker colors come out to play. Here in Texas, the weather is just now starting to cool down, making it finally feel like Fall is here. I figured since the air is getting a little crisper, I would go ahead and share with you my Top Fall Lipsticks for this year. I posted a video last year with my 2014 picks, so I will link that HERE in case you are interested in checking that out. I still have a really enjoy all of last years picks. I have a whole new round of shades this year, so if you are interested in seeing those in action, you can check out this years video HERE!

Last Fall I was really into dark, vampy lip shades. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a dark eggplant or oxblood lip, but as I was getting my lipsticks together, I noticed that I’m definitely gravitating more towards the dark browns, nudes, and grungy lip shades this season. I have a good mix of both high-end and drugstore lip options, so there’s definitely something in here for everyone depending on color and budget.

Maybelline Clay Crush, ColourPop Beeper, MAC Twig, MAC Spirit, Kat Von D Lolita, Charlotte Tilbury Very Victoria

I’m going to start with the nudes first. First up is a lipstick from the drugstore and it is the Maybelline Matte Lipstick in Clay Crush. This is a really soft and creamy, warm nude shade that I think would look beautiful for Thanksgiving. Second is a liquid lipstick by Colourpop and it is in the shade Beeper. Beeper is a matte, taupey-brown shade that is definitely in that grungy, 90’s lipstick family. I got this lipstick because I really wanted Kat Von D’s Bow & Arrow, but that has been sold out for months! I was doing some research and looking for dupes when I saw swatches of Beeper. They are incredibly similar, so if you have been wanting to get Bow & Arrow, I really suggest checking out Beeper. The next two lipsticks are both by MAC and they are both Satin finishes. Twig is one of my favorite lipticks of all time. It's a gorgeous dark nude with a berry undertone. It is very universally flattering, so I really think it would look great on anyone. Next is the shade Spirit. Spirit is a dark nude that is very similar to Velvet Teddy. If you like Velvet Teddy, but want something about two shades darker, I would definitely go with Spirit. I have another liquid lipstick, and this one is a cult favorite that has been popular for some time now, and that is Kat Von D’s liquid lipstick in Lolita. Lolita reminds me a lot of Twig by MAC because it’s a dark nude with a berry, or reddish, hint to it. The last nude I have to share is the most expensive and luxury out of the bunch, and that is the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Liptick in Very Victoria. Out of all the browns and nudes I have, this is more on the cool toned side and it’s not as opaque and pigmented as the rest, which I am perfectly ok with. I can definitely appreciate different finishes and formulas, and this one is really great. 

Milani Black Cherry, NYX Transylvania, Bite Beauty Truffle

Moving right along are my darker shade picks of oxblood reds and eggplant purples. The first one I have is a drugstore lipstick by Milani called Black Cherry. Milani is one of my favorite lipstick brands from the drugstore, and my favorite drugstore line for dark colors. This shade is a dark oxblood red which is absolutely stunning and perfect for Fall. Next I have another drugstore pick, and it’s the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade Transylvania. NYX is another great line from the drugstore, and the soft matte lip creams are awesome. They are a liquid lipstick, but they are much more comfortable to wear compared to most liquid lipsticks. It doesn’t last as long as the Kat Von D liquid lipsticks, but they have a huge shade range and are much more affordable. The last dark shade I have is one by Bite Beauty and it’s a Matte Cream Lip Crayon in the shade Truffle. It is a dark eggplant shade that is really similar to NYX’s Transylvania, but it is much more creamy and has a really nice sheen to it.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Vintage - Smashbox Vivid Violet

I decided to include two lip glosses because I think these are great Fall lip options as well. The first is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Vintage. It’s a mauve, neutral pink shade, similar to the popular "Kylie Jenner" lip shade that is still very popular. This lip gloss is highly pigmented. It is not the kind of lip gloss that you add as a topper to add a hint of color and shine to your lipstick. This shade will cover up anything you put on your lips that is similar in shade or lighter. The second lip gloss is the Smashbox lip gloss in the shade Vivid Violet. This is not as pigmented as Vintage, so it’s the ideal lip gloss to add on top of your favorite dark, vampy lipstick to add lots of shine and just a hint of color. This is also really nice to wear on it’s own if you’re wanting a dark berry lip, but want something really glossy and a little bit sheer.

Swatches L to R: Maybelline Clay Crush, ColourPop Beeper, MAC Twig, MAC Spirit, Kat Von D Lolita, Charlotte Tilbury Very Victoria, Milani Black Cherry, NYX Transylvania, Bite Beauty Truffle, Anastasia Beverly Hills Vintage, Smashbox Vivid Violet

Those are my 2015 Top Fall Lipstick picks! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and be sure to let me know what your favorite Fall and Winter lipsticks are in the comments below.

xoxo,

Casey

My Current Beauty Favorites

Hey ya'll!! Long time no see! I haven't posted in a while, but now that school is back in session and our family life is getting back to a regular schedule, I feel like I can finally get back to blogging. I haven't posted a favorites in a while, so I'm excited to talk about my August Favorites with you today. If you are interested in watching my favorites video then just click here.

Becca Highlighter in Champagne Pop: I think this is a lot of people's favorite right now, and I'm pretty sure you've all heard about it by now. This is seriously one of the best highlighters EVER. For one, Becca is one of my favorite brands for powder products. Their blushes and highlighters are some of the best on the market, and this collaboration with Jaclyn Hill does not disappoint. This peachy gold highlighter looks amazing with virtually any makeup look. Even though this was created to compliment any and every skin tone,  I think that if you are extremely fair complected, this highlighter might be a little too dark, but could easily be used as a blush topper and be equally just as gorgeous.
Benefit Blush in Dallas: I have been reaching for this blush a ton and for good reason. It's a gorgeous matte mauve-tan, border line bronze shade. It is seriously a beautiful blush that has worked wonderfully all Summer, but it's going to be absolutely stunning in the Fall and Winter. If you are looking for an everday, all year round blush, this is one you should definitely pick this one up.
MAC Blush in Eternal Sun: This has been another well-used and well-loved blush the last couple of months. Eternal Sun is a matte, orange-tan blush that is very pigmented so you only need a small amount to add a nice wash of color to the cheeks. I have been obsessed with matte blushes lately, and this one is one of my top 10 for sure. Like Dallas, this will transition into the cooler months just fine. It will look especially pretty in the Fall.
Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara: I got this as a 100 Point Perk from Sephora and couldn't put it down. I used it over all of my other mascaras, and used it so much that I've already finished the tube. I am a big advocate for drugstore mascaras, but this is definitely a high end mascara that is worth the splurge, and I absolutely want to purchase this in the full size. The wand is wavy, which I was very unsure of upon first impression, but it worked just fine. The formula is absolutely fantastic. It's a dry formula, which I prefer, and it adds tons of volume without clumping. It reminded me a lot of the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in that sense , but it didn't transfer to my undereye area like the Better Than Sex did which I am ecstatic about.
MAC Lip Pencil in Dervish & Lipstick in Brave: This has been my most used lip duo for sure. Dervish is a my lips but better shade that would pair easily with a lot of nudes and mauve shades. Brave is another my lips but better shade, leaning towards the mauve family. This is an every day duo that will go with anything, and be appropriate at work and take you through Happy Hour.

 Becca Highlighter in Champagne Pop, MAC Blush in Eternal Sun, Benefit Blush in Dallas

 MAC Lip Liner in Dervish, MAC Lipstick in Brave

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows in Shimma Shimma, Peach Smoothie, 

Creme Brulee, Purely Naked, Latte, & Mocha

xoxo,

Casey

May Favorites 2015|Beauty & Lifestyle

Hey ya’ll! Today I’m going to be sharing with you everything I loved this past month. I have some makeup, makeup brushes, hair care, and a few lifestyle favorites as well. May was a great month for me, and I hope it was for you as well! I’m excited for Summer, and all the beauty products that come along with it.

I have been mixing the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Foundation with equal parts of the Loreal True Match Lumi Foundation, and love the coverage and finish that they give when combined. I don’t really like the Fit Me! Matte & Poreless on it’s own, because my skin is dry and I prefer a dewy foundation. I really like the True Match Lumi, but it’s more of a light to medium coverage, and if I had to choose, I prefer a more true-medium coverage foundation. The two of these provide the luminosity that I am looking for, as well as my desired coverage and color.

  

I got this eyeshadow with a set from ColourPop at the beginning of the month, and have been wearing it so much that I’ve already hit pan! This is the color Blaze from the KathleenLights “Where The Light Is Palette” and I absolutely love it. It’s a antique, shimmery bronze shade that is gorgeous on the lids. It’s a mousse-like texture, and applies similarly to the Loreal Infallible Shadows. I apply it with my finger, and then use a brush to clean up along the crease and in my inner corners. The only bummer about this shade is that it’s not currently being sold individually; it’s only available in the “Where The Light Is” set. I will say that it’s worth it to buy the set to get this color, because the other three colors that come with it are really great.

There’s three brushes that have stood out to me this month. Starting on the left, the Sigma Large Shader #E60 has been a really great brush to use with cream eyeshadows. I have been using it to apply Blaze in my inner corners and to clean up, and apply, product along my upper lid, bordering my crease. I also like to use it to apply pigments, and shimmery eyeshadows because it transfers color and shimmer much better than a standard shadow brush. The next brush I purchased at the beginning of the month, and it’s the Real Techniques Sculpting Brush. It’s a dense, angled brush that can be used to apply liquid, cream, and powder products. I initially purchased it to apply cream bronzer, and it does a fantastic job at that. What makes it even better is how well it applies liquid foundation. It’s an awesome multipurpose, affordable brush. The last brush is the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush. The setting side of the brush fits perfectly under the eyes to set concealer. I don’t use the contour side to contour my face very much, but I do love it for contouring my nose. It’s very soft, so it creates a really soft contour, which is what I have been gravitating towards lately.  

I have been doing a lot of organizing and cleaning out recently, and this blush was just hanging out in the back of my blush drawer. I have had this for a very long time, and have hit MAJOR pan! I decided to pull it back out a use it again because it’s a great color for Spring and Summer. It’s a light coral shade that has a bit of a highlight effect to it. It goes on sheer, giving you a natural flush to the cheeks, and the highlighting effect gives you a nice glow. It’s one of those blushes that goes with everything and isn’t going to interfere with any other makeup you decide to wear. This would be a great blush to bring on any summer vacations you may have planned because of that reason.

The Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in #57 and the YSL Glossy Balm in #10 have been my go-to lipsticks lately. I really enjoy lip products like these in the warmer months because they are both a sheer formula that add the perfect little pop of color. They are both balm-like in texture, but the YSL is much shinier and glossy. They are both expensive lip products, but like I’ve said before, I don’t mind spending extra money on a product that I know I’m going to be using on a daily basis.

The Living Proof Perfect Hair Day mask has been good food for my hair. I’ve been using it once a week and have seen a difference in my hair. I apply it at night to unwashed hair, sleep in it, and wash and style my hair the next day. My hair is left feeling softer, it’s shinier, and it holds a style better. I have also been able to go longer between washes, and I really feel like it’s because of this product. I still use the Batiste dry shampoo on days that I don’t wash my hair, but ever since adding this into my weekly hair care routine, my hair has been less greasy and I’ve been able to go a good three, even sometimes four day’s without washing my hair! 

Kevin and the kids got me the Kendra Scott Danielle earrings and the Rayne necklace for Mother’s Day, and I have been wearing them so much since (both are in White Pearl). I’ve wanted them both since Winter, but decided to wait until Spring or Summer to purchase. I love white and gold paired together, and these two pieces are perfect accessories for Summer.

My favorite book that I read this month was Cinder by Marissa Meyer. It’s a Young Adult Fiction, fairytale retelling that is the first in the series The Lunar Chronicles. It really surprised me, was entertaining, and was a fast read. If you want to know more about this book or the series, check out my May Book Haul.

My favorite song has hands down been 'Where Are U Now' by Skrillex featuring Justin Bieber. I’ve been listening to this song non-stop for the last month and a half or so, and am still not tired of it.

The tv show Fixer Upper on HGTV is my new obsession. The show follows Chip and Joanna Gaines who are based out of Waco, Texas. If you like home improvement shows, like to decorate, or are interested in renovations, you will love this show. It will make you want to redecorate your house (as if I needed another reason to go to HomeGoods…)!

xoxo,

Casey

Forever 21 Haul + Try On

Hey ya’ll!! Today I’m going to share with you some new clothing items I picked up from Forever 21. I wanted a few new things for Spring and Summer, and Forever 21 is one of the first places I go. They have cute and comfortable pieces that are really affordable.

Rompers:

I absolutely love wearing rompers in the Spring and Summer I practically live in them! They are not only easy to wear and comfortable, but you can make yourself look great with very little effort. I get most of my rompers from Forever 21 because they have a really nice selection, and most of them range anywhere from $10-$20, and you just cannot beat that price.

Kimono’s

I am a huge fan of Kimono’s. I have a lot of basic tee’s and tank’s, and a kimono is a great way to dress up them up. This one in particular is really nice quality for the price. It’s heavy in the neck line, the colors and print and very vibrant and bright, and it’s nice and long.

Tops

For some reason, I am really picky when it comes to tops and I always have a tough time picking them out, which is why my closet is full of basics. I really like this paisley printed top. It’s got a little bit of an aztec print as well, which I really like. It’s flowy and comfortable to wear. The yellow top is also nice and flow, and has a peak-a-boo lace detail around the bottom, so you get just a little pop of skin poking through. I don’t have any yellow in my closet, so this was a nice added piece for Summer.

xoxo,

Casey