Empty products

Hey there! I have been super busy lately but still have time to use up beauty products. Here is a review of what I've used up. 

The Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion is just what my dry legs needed. It is very nice & I have already repurchased a new one. The Bath & Body Works shower gel is a cult favorite & I always buy a ton when they have a sale. This blackberry scent was nice but more of a fall/winter scent. The coconut oil is another item that I repurchase over and over. I use it to shave my legs, and it prevents razor burn. The only problem is that coconut oil is kind of hard to find. The St. Ives apricot scrub is something I've had forever. It is a little too harsh for my face but it makes a nice foot scrub. I really like the Loreal color vibrancy shampoo and conditioner. It smells nice and I don't have as many tangles when I use it. 

Nude oil was nice for my face. I liked to pat in on right before bed because I'd wake up with smooth, hydrated skin. The Ole Hendrikson serum is an absolute favorite and I'm sad it's empty. I will be buying it again once I use up some other products I have laying around. I did not like the Kate Somerville exfoliator. It smelled like cinnamon, burned my skin, and was too harsh. I really like the original Glam Glow mask. I am currently using up some other ones & have found I prefer the original. It's too bad this stuff costs more than gold. The Murad cleanser was for acne and dried out my face. Enough said. I got this Chanel serum sample in a magazine and I really enjoyed it. The Loreal Youth serum was alright. I have previously used the youth code serum in the pink bottle and prefer it but can no longer find it. The little Neutrogena body lotion is from a hotel. I always take those with me because they are nice to throw in your purse. Nurses can never put too much lotion on their hands!! I really enjoyed the First Aid Beauty cleanser. It was gentle but really cleansed. I would definitely repurchase it. I did not like the Eucerin lotion because it smelled odd and felt greasy. I used it up by adding essential oil and just using it before bed. I absolutely love the True Blue Spa paraffin hand lotion from Bath & Body Works. It is always something I repurchase. 

The Julep dry shampoo was useless. I used it a few James and it made my hair look dirtier. I didn't even finish it. The Pantene whip was a mess. It made my hair frizzy and sticky so I didn't use it up either. The Dove deodorant is nice. I like the mild scent and it does not make my underarms itchy. I always use these Bath & Body Works hand soaps. I also buy them during big sales or when I have a coupon. 

Now that I showed you my trash, I hope you have been enlightened on some new products. Let me know what I should try next. 

Catch up!

Hello! This is a catching up post. Only the  beginning of January and i am already missing my weekly post. 

Since I was sick all last week, I spent a lot of time on Pinterest. That means I have a lot of inspiration to look at. I did, however make use of one pin. 

I thought this variation of chicken noodle soup was perfect since I was not feeling well. This pin links up to damndelicious.net, where the original recipe is posted.

I pulled out my giant purple stock pot and cooked up this soup. It was delicious! I have plenty left over so I have frozen some for later. 

Thanks for reading! 

2014 Reads

Happy 2015! My blogging resolution for this year is to write a weekly blog post that is inspired by a Pinterest pin. So here it goes...

Like the rest of mankind, I like to start a new year out by reviewing the previous one. This time around I am looking back at the books I read. I referenced many Pinterest pins to find books this past year. Here is my list of 2014 reads:

There are about one million pins that look similar to this one! They are where I find books I am interested in. This one was created by Simply Stacie.

Kindle Editions:

The Longest Ride by Nocholas Sparks. Extremely sweet and romantic, just like all his books. 

The Hunger Games Series:

            This was a fantastic series in which all the books were just as good as the first. Even the                        movies are great! I was skeptical about reading them, but loved them.

The Body Book: The Law of Hunger, the Science of Strength by Cameron Diaz

I think this book would be more appropriate for a young teenage girl that is struggling with basic hygiene and body image. I did not like it.

Mr. Mercedes: A Novel by Stephen King

This was my first experience reading Stephen King. I have been curious for a long time, so I bit the bullet and read it. The worst part was the constant cursing and vulgar, but the writing style was impeccable.

At Home with Madame Chic: Becoming a Connoisseur of Daily Life by Jennifer L. Scott

The recommendation of this book came from someone else’s blog, History in High Heels. I was hesitant to read it because it appeared like a self-help book. However, I loved it and when on to buy the fashion version. It focuses on being mindful and enjoying daily life. I plan on rereading it again soon.

Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris by Jennifer L. Scott

                I loved this one just as much as the first one. It is about looking nice during your daily routine.

Sophie Kinsella: My favorite author. She writes about women who get in over their heads in different situations and they are usually very funny. These are very quick, chick-flicky reads.

Shopaholic to the Stars: Her newest book and my least favorite.

The Gatecrasher by Madeleine Wickham (penname of Sophie Kinsella)

Can You Keep a Secret?

Remember Me?

Twenties Girl

The Undomestic Goddess

Cocktails for Three

Liane Moriarty

The Husband’s Secret: I stumbled upon this one on a best sellers list. I read it and became instantly hooked on Liane Moriarty. She has an in depth writing style that is easy to become attached to.

The Hypnotist's Love Story: this was my least favorite of hers, but still good.

                Big Little Lies: This was a really great read.

What Alice Forgot: This is another psychiatric-inspired book. It follows the thoughts of Alice as she has a mental breakdown. Odd, but good.

                Three Wishes

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

Brain on Fire had great insight for those that struggle with mental illness. I was taking a Nursing Psych class for fall semester and this book really went along with all the diagnosis points. This is one I plan to reread.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn

Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman

I watched the Neflix series and really liked it, so I felt compelled to read the book that inspired it all. It was alright.

 The Perfume Collector: A Novel by Kathleen Tessaro

This was an Amazon recommendation, based on other books I have purchased. It went back in history to tell the story of a perfume creator. Very interesting.

Unremarkable Reads: Suddenly Lily by Deborah Nolan, Chasing the Sun: A Novel by Natalia Sylvester, Fin & Lady: A Novel by Cathleen Schine, Hidden by Catherine McKenzie, Remember How I Told You I Loved You? By Gillian Linden

Print editions:

The Fault in Our Stars by 

             A precious tearjerker about young love between 2 cancer patients. This is one that the movie                did not disappoint me. I can't wait to reread. 

Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

This was the memoir that inspired the British TV show. My mom bought all the shows on DVD and then the books. This is the first book in the series. It contains short stories about Midwifery in London. I really enjoyed it, but found some difficulty reading the parts in broken English.

Bobbi Brown: Pretty Powerful

                Had some nice pictures of makeup looks throughout. I picked it up for fairly cheap at Marshalls.

The Stand by Stephen King: still in the process of reading this one, but so far I like it. About a flu epidemic that sweeps the World. 

I hope I didn't forget any. Here's to reading just as much in 2015. I have about a hundred on my current "next in line to read" list.

Christmas Gift Shopping

I am almost done with my Christmas shopping this year & I am contributing it to my organizing system. In five simple steps you can plan your holiday present list.

1           1.  Who am I buying for? It is impossible to know what you need to get if you don’t even know who is on your present list.

2           2.  How much can I spend? Set a budget and stick to it, no matter what. My husband and I sat down about a month ago and decided how much money we had to spend on each person. This is crucial. Do not splurge just because you really like something. Do not spend your entire savings for one day, the memories with family and friends are more important that debt. I also used several coupons this year to stretch our budget.

3          3.   Research. Look up ideas on Pinterest or blogs, and browse Sunday ads in the newspaper. This is just to inspire you, no need to stress yet.

4           4.  Make a grand list. This should include who, how much, and a brief list of ideas. Make it compact, so you can stick it in your purse and reference while out in the stores. Once again, look on Pinterest for a free printout, or if you are good in excel, make your own.

5           5.  Go for it! Go out and search for the items on your list. Maybe you prefer to go out a couple times and get as much as you can carry. Others like to take smaller trips. Either way, take your list and stick to it. Reevaluate and possibly edit if it doesn’t work out.

These may seem like simple ways to conduct your shopping, that’s because they are! I usually just go out and buy whatever, and I always go over budget and forget who I still need to buy for. I am also using a huge list for my Christmas cards, so I don’t forget anyone.

Merry Christmas!

$3 elf bronzer

I have been attempting to save money recently, which includes not splurging at Sephora. And means I miss not trying out new products. I found a solution! Ms. Goldgirl mentioned the $3 elf bronzer recently on her YouTube channel  I decided to pick it up.

It is a pressed bronzer that includes 4 different shades in one. I was skeptical but decided that the risk was worth it. 

 Here are all 4 shades swatched. They are not overly pigmented, which works perfectly for my fair skin. Darker skinned ladies may not be able to use this one. I tend to use them separately as eye shadow or the lightest shade under my eyebrow to highlight. 

This is a swatch of all 4 shades mixed together. I usually swirl a makeup brush around and apply a mixture. It has a nice glowy sheen without being glittery. 

Even though I was hesitant, my $3 splurge was worth it!

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Outfit of the day: polka dots

Happy fall! I hope everyone is doing well. I thought I would share my outfit of the day for errands and dinner out.

My sweater is from Old Navy last year. (Similar here, here, & here) 

Black yoga leggings are from Victoria's Secret Pink. (Similar here) 

My black faux-suede boots are Steve Madden and are starting to look a little rough. There are scuffs on the toes and the sole is coming loose but I love them! They are so comfortable and can easily be casual or dressy. 

It's hard to see my makeup because it was cloudy and rainy this day but look at my lashes! I used the Tarte Lights Camera Lashes mascara (here) which is one of my faves. I am also wearing Bite Beauty lipstick in the color fig (here). My earrings are from Buckle.

One of my errands included stopping at my PO box & I got my Julep Maven box. Are you interested to see what's inside these boxes? Let me know.

I have been enjoying the cooler weather by eating & drinking everything pumpkin flavored. 

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Fall Fashion: black leggings.

Happy fall! We are finally getting some colder weather here, so I thought I would share some of my go-to fall outfits. I love to wear black leggings and here are some options to wear with them.

The first option is a yellow cardigan from Walmart, of all places, black tee from Victoria's Secret Pink, and a leopard print scarf from JC Penney. This is extra comfortable and warm for those cold, rainy fall days.

The second option is a navy and periwinkle leopard print blouse from Franscesca's paired with a light grey cardigan from GAP. This is my absolute favorite cardigan!

The third option is a chambray button-up from Old Navy. It was pretty cheap and so versatile. Sometimes I pair it with a colorful tank underneath or a scarf, but I honestly just like it by itself.

The fourth option is an extra long tee from Target. It is a little longer in the back, which makes it absolutely perfect with leggings. I put a dark charcoal military-style jacket from Target over it. This is lightweight but warm.

Obviously I wear more than leggings, but they are what I find myself reaching for the most in the fall. They pair perfect with Ugg boots, flats, or converse. What do you like to pair with black leggings?