Winter Favorites! 2014

Hey cuties! I'm trying to get back into the habit of blogging regularly. I've been pretty swamped lately but spring break is coming soon and we need spring sooo badly! I swear, this has been one of the worst winters of my life because we had 6 snow days! And this is Minnesota we're talking about, there is hardly any snow days if we can help it. One time, it got to about -40 degrees with the windchill! But, as Minnesotans, we went to the movies that day. That shows how crazy we are. Funny thing is, we saw Frozen. Best. Decision. Ever!

So there's actually a point to this post, and that's my winter favorites. It's just easier for me to do seasonal favorites rather than monthly favorites. If I did this monthly, they would be super short and really boring and no one wants that. 

1. Dusty Rose Cardigan from Target- I've been trying to wear pieces that are a little out of my comfort zone, and this long, cardigan is something that I wouldn't usually go for because it's long but I love it! I'm so glad I got it because I literally every week. I would pair it with a white tank top (or my next favorite) and a long necklace and some black pants. 

2. Jhameel T-shirt- I mentioned this T-shirt in my Fall Favorites but I'm still in love with it! It's my Jhameel shirt and if you haven't listened to his music, I definitely suggest giving it a try because he is amazing. I can't wait for his new album to come out! I plan on getting his other t-shirt soon, as soon as I can spare the money. ;)

3. Boots from Shoe Department- In my last haul, I told you guys about the absolute bargain I got these shoes for! They were originally $125, but I got them for $19.97! These are definitely not winter shoes because they have no grips on the soles and I slip and slide on the ice, but they're so cute I don't even care. In the spring they will be absolutely amazing.

I've been into nudes this winter, is that weird? I feel like everyone was wearing deep, dark tones and I just wore nudes. I just wanted something that was no-fuss and was easy.

1. NYX Butter Glosses- review here. I feel like I've worn at least one of these every day since I got them. If  you want to know more, I have more information in my review.

2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Pink Cognito- This is basically the exact color of my lips, but a tiny bit pinker. This formula is nice because it's sheer and it's very moisturizing and shiny. If you are looking for a very simple lip color, this is a good one.

3. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Totally Toffee- One of the many nudes I've been wearing. This a little darker that the rest, but it's still really pretty, especially paired with one of my NYX Butter Glosses.

4. L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Fairest Nude- This paired with the Tiramisu butter gloss is a match made in heaven. I swear, they are made for each other. The colors match and the smell of the butter gloss masks the terrible smell of the lipstick. That's probably the only bad thing about this lipstick.

1. Clio Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Golden Black- I did a rave review on these pencils. They are so pigmented and smooth and they stay on your eyes all day. Plus, there's a built it sharpener. There's nothing else to say, it's just great and I've been using it every day.

2. Too Face Primed and Poreless Pressed Powder- Claire Marshall was talking about this powder in one of her videos, and anything that Claire likes, I have to get. And oh my goodness, it makes your skin look so smooth and matte. And it keeps me matte. For an oily girl like me, that's perfect. I was going to do a review on this, but before you know it I hit pan and it wasn't pretty anymore. Once I finish it and repurchase it, I'll do a full review.

3. Vera Wang Princess Perfume- I've been wanting to find a fragrance, and I really want the Prada Candy L'eau but I have to save up for it. So in the meantime I got the Vera Wang Princess rollerball and this smells amazing. It doesn't last really long but I don't really mind. Reapplying isn't a big deal. It's more affordable as far as perfumes go so if you don't want to break the bank but you still want to smell nice, Vera Wang is the way to go.

1. L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Line- My hair has been loving the this entire line of hair products. It makes my hair so lightweight, soft, and silky. The harsh weather has really taken a tole on my hair and this fixes it right up!

2. Hada Labo Replenishing Hydrator- This is a Japanese brand but it's sold in the US. I'm not sure if it's the exact same product but I sure hope it is. My skin has been so dry and ever since I started using this as a toner, it calmed down. I wouldn't use this alone because it's just not enough moisture for me, but as a toner it's amazing.

Mango Green Tea I love mangoes, and I love green tea. This makes me feel like I'm on a cozy, topical vacation and it's a relaxing morning by the beach. 

1. Urban Decay Naked 3- This is not pictured in the collective favorite picture because I forgot to include it. But I could not do a favorite post without it. Urban Decay has set my standards for eyeshadow very high. Nothing compares to the color payoff and the texture. If I could marry makeup, I would marry the Naked 3 palette. The rosy tones are gorgeous and they make my green eyes pop.
2. Essie Nail Polish in Muchi, Muchi- I went to target looking for a nude polish, but when I saw this polish, it was just too cute! Muchi, Muchi, that's the name. How could I resist? My friend noticed and I told her the name and she ran out and got it the next day. This has basically been the nail polish we've both been wearing for the past month or so.
3. 4. and 5. Maybelline One by One, L'Oreal Butterfly Effect, and L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extentions mascaras I have 3 mascaras. Let's be totally honest, I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup lately, especially eyeliner. Having great lashes makes up for most of my laziness. I will use my Telescopic mascara and then either layer my One by One or Butterfly Effect on top. Both the Butterfly and the One by One are very volumizing on their own, but Telescopic gives in that extra length that I want on top of the volume. I got them all in the black, waterproof formulas because the regular formulas smudge on me, and I will not deal with panda eyes! No!

Okay, that is a super long post. I hope it wasn't too boring for you. I'm just so ready for spring. I'm already planning on a the makeup I'm going to get to with all of the fun, bright colors. Especially lipsticks! I just started getting into lip colors last year and it's gotten so out of hand, but I just can't help my self.

Tell me what you've been loving this winter and what you're excited for spring? I love hearing from you guys!XD

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag + Cabin Fun!

Hey cuties! I think I've mentioned before that I kind of like these "what's in my bag" posts because I'm a little nosy. I'll admit it. So I wanted to do this post where I stuffed all of my makeup and skincare into one small bag. I hope you guys like long posts, because this is one of those posts. There's also pictures and information about my cabin trip at the end!

P.S. I forgot to include my face primer, but I definitely brought that along with.

Being a beauty blogger, this was hard picking only the essentials to bring. Especially for me because I'm one who tends to over pack. Does anyone else have that problem?

1. Kiehl's Superbly Efficient Antiperspirant Deodorant Cream- Deodorant, not much to say. It was 90 degrees out the whole time we were at the cabin.

2. Cetaphil Moisturizer in an Etude House Moistful Cream Sample- I pumped some of my Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion into the empty Etude House sample because it has SPF 30 and I didn't want to bring the whole bottle.

3. Biotera Long and Healthy Shampoo- Got this at Sally's in the discount section.

 1. Covergirl Eyebrow Pencil- My eyebrows are transparent because they're blonde. I need to fill them in.

2. Up & Up Eyeliner Brush- A cheap brush I used for my eyebrows. It's not so good for liner.

3. Mystery Eyebrow Powder From Sally's- I don't know the brand of this powder, but it has two shades and I use it to darken my eyebrows in some parts with the liner brush.

4. Sally Girl Eyeshadow- For my brow bone and inner corners.

5. Loreal Eyeliner Brush- Came with the gel eyeliner

6. Loreal Gel Liner in Brown- This is great for tight-lining your upper lash line for the allusion of fuller lashes.

7. Sonia Kashuk Spooly Brush- To blend out eyebrows.

8. NYC Liquid Eyeliner- This is actually a really good liner for the price. If you're in a pinch, I suggest getting this.

1. Holika Holika Petit BB Cream- Don't think this needs an explanation. Review here

2. Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer 125 Fair- My favorite drugstore concealer.

3. Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara- To set my brows.

4. Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya- Review here

5. Maybelline Fit Me Bronzer in Medium Bronze- Not a good bronzer, but it's the only one I own right now.

1. Maybelline Mega Plush Volume Express Mascara- Gotta have mascara!

2, Nevia Lip Butter- Review here

3, Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Pact- Review coming soon

4. Palladio Rice Paper Blotting Sheets- If you're an oily girl, blotting sheets are a must.

5. Epiduo Sample- My prescription acne medication. 

6. Makeup Sponge- To blend BB cream

7. Calvin Kein Perfume- So I don't stink.

Here's a sneak peek into my cabin weekend!

So, I went up with only my sisters and we got to hang out in the cabin that we share with my (very large) extended family. My great uncle actually built it and we've been coming back for generations. Because we are very Finnish, we have a lot of traditions like going into the sauna (yep, Uncle Wayne had to build a sauna), playing Finnish card games, we even have Finnish sayings plastered all over our walls. Some of my family members speak Finnish, but I can't so I don't know what it says. 

Anyway, here's the view from the dock. Like I said before, it was 90 degrees or higher the entire time we were up there so we hung out in our swim suites most of the time because we were going to end up jumping in the lake sooner or later. It was fun because I got a little bit of sun and I didn't have to wear pants the whole time! It was too hot for pants anyway.

I thought this was cute. My uncle always used to tell us stories about the trolls that lived on the island, but they always changed every year. Do you see my reflection in the window? That is probably the only appearance I will make in this post because I didn't have any makeup on and I didn't do my hair for two days. Who needs to look pretty at the cabin?

My favorite part was probably taking the canoe out onto the lake and there's this one part where it's almost all lily pads. The first time we went out, the blossoms were already closed up for the night. So we went out the next morning so I could get some pictures. They were soo pretty!

In the far left part of this picture, you can see a little bit of green on top of the lake, those were the lily pads. This was also taken from our dock.

You can never have enough pictures of the lake at sunset. We actually had to take the canoe out again to paddle around the island that was blocking the view. But it was totally worth it because I got a ton of pictures and the water was so calm because the wind died down and it was before all the night fishermen came out.

My sister and I both agreed that the tip of the canoe was a nice touch.

I have more pictures, but I thought that this post was long enough. The pictures of the makeup and skincare products were taken at my house because I knew I wasn't going to have enough time to take pictures at the cabin. We only stayed there for about two days but we got a lot done in that time frame.

Let me know how you liked this post! Do you prefer a beach or a lake getaway? I'm from Minnesota (A.K.A. The Land of 10,000 Lakes, but we have a lot more than 10,000) so I can't have a beach getaway. Or at least at this moment I can't. ;) See you next time!

Product Review: Etude House Pomegranate Mask

Hello face mask lovers! It's been about a week since I posted something. Sorry about that, I took a break to rejuvenate creative juices and to save up some money for future product reviews. You guys know what it's like. If I don't get a break every once in a while, you readers don't get the best reviews. No one wants to waist their time on reading a crappy review. Am I right?

Anyway, I got some face masks from Etude House a while back but I'm saving them for back-to school-stress relief. Since I have very little self control, I had to use one. But you're here for a review and to see me in an almost serial killer looking mask, let's stop blabbering and get started!

The back says that it's a "Essence mask contains pomegranate additives that nourish for a healthy complexion." To me, this says that it's supposed to be a basic sheet mask that isn't for anything in particular except nourishing and hydrating your skin when you feel like pampering yourself.

For most sheet masks, you are suppose to keep it on for at least 20 minutes. I know a lot of people who keep them on for a lot longer than that. I kept mine on for about an hour and a half. 

As for the serum, it really did moisturize my skin without it being heavy. My skin wasn't greasy afterwords but it was a tiny bit sticky, but nothing uncomfortable. After a while, it went away and I was left with hydrated skin.

The mask fit my face nicely. There was no extra parts that were loose like some masks do. Wearing it was very comfortable except that the eye holes were too small for my bug eyes and the nose part barely fit my nose. 

Sheet masks are usually really cheap, and this one was no exception. I'm not sure how much one mask is because I got this in a set. And since Etude House stores are half way across the Earth from where I live, I had to buy this online and pay for shipping. 

Pros

-Hydrating

-Cheap

-Fits nicely

Cons

-Not available in US

-Tiny bit sticky

Would I buy this again? Probably not this one since it only nourishes my skin and doesn't do anything specific like help even out my skin tone or anything like that. But I did like the moisturizing effect and the mask, but I would like a little more. Honestly, there's not a lot to say about this mask. The packaging is adorable, though.

Product Review: The Face Shop Real Nature Cucumber Mask

Hey cuties! This is my first non-clay mask review. I've tried a ton of other masks besides clay ones but I never reviewed them. But, since I know a lot of you guys love Korean brands, I thought I would share my thoughts on The Face Shop's Real Nature Cucumber mask.

The description on the back says, "A hydrating/vitalizing mask sheet containing cucumber extract to fill puffy and lackluster skin with cool hydrating minerals". As I was using it, there was a cooling sensation that felt really nice and refreshing. It's great if you live someplace that has a lot of humidity because it gets rid of that muggy feeling in the air. 

What I love about this is that it's really hydrating for something that doesn't cost a lot of money. The serum works better than the hyrdrating masks I've used. But since I haven't tried a lot of sheet masks, I don't know how it compares to other brands. My skin did look livlier and more refreshed which I was really impressed by because it only has one use.

As for the mask itself, it was huge. It was falling off my face and I had to keep adjusting it. After a half an hour, it kind of got annoying.

I got this mask in a set of three in The Face Shop's Real Nature mask line off of Amazon for about $4 without shipping. Products from Korea always take about three weeks for it to arrive. I knew that going into it, but it's still an inconvenient. 

Pros

-Cooling

-Hydrating

-Cheap

-Refreshing

Cons

-Not available in US

-Mask was too big

Would I buy it again? Yeah, especially now because it's super humid where I live, but I would like to try some other brands first. I got some more coming soon so there might be some more reviews. If you guys have any suggestions for more sheet masks I should try, leave a comment and I'll check it out! See you next time! XD

Product Review: Etude House AC Clinic Daily Acne Foam Cleanser

Hey cuties! First of all, I want to thank everyone who refollowed me via Bloglovin. It's kinda disappointing because I was soo excited and thankful to get up to 50 followers. . . and then GFC has to close down. Bloglovin is a nice website, but I hate loosing any of you guys. :(

Anyway, let's get onto the review! I thought I accidentally dropped this into the garbage and took it out to the dumpster, but no! It was hiding in the mess that I call my bathroom drawer.

This isn't a full sized product since I got it in a kit that had Etude House Red Spot Balm. It's perfect for trips and it's still going to last for a while since a little goes a long way.

The formula is sort of dense compared to other cleansers I have used, but once you add water and massage it into your skin, it lathers up really nicely. You don't need a lot because you when using this because when lathered, it's really easy to spread to other places on your face.

What I like about this cleanser is that I can feel it penetrating deep into my pores and cleaning out all the dirt and oil. It soaks into my skin and it washes off without any residue. After using this, I do feel my skin get tight and dry. That's not something that's unusual for me and it's fine after I put on my moisturizer.

Pros

-Great for traveling

-Cleans deep into pores

-Lathers 

-Easy to spread

Cons

-Can be drying

Let me know if you have anything from Etude House's AC line because I would like to look more into it, once I have more money. And what do you guys this of some hair tutorials? I have a couple in mind but don't know if anyone would care. See you next time! XD

How I've been clearing up acne and acne scars.

Hey cuties! Finding the right skincare sort of a trial and error system. And since I've had acne and researched remedies, I think it's time to share what I found out what works for me. And since every one's skin is different, I don't know if this will work for you, but here's some things that you can try out.

source

1. Don't stress over it
-This is probably the hardest thing I learned to do when dealing with my acne. I hated to look at them in the mirror and it ultimately made me feel worse. Confidence is sexier than clear skin. I know that now and I try to live up to it.

2. Know the skin you have
-Different cleansers and regiments might work best for a certain skin types. If you have dry skin, you don't want to be using a product that was meant for oily skin. It makes it a whole lot easier finding a product that might suit you.

3. Moisturize
-This might be old news for almost all of you, but I used to think that since I have oily skin, I shouldn't moisturize because it will make it oilier. No! My skin was overcompensating for the natural oils that were lost when I was just cleansing. Now that I moisturize after I wash my face, my skin is less oily and it's easier to control.

4. Talk to a dermatologist.
-I went to my dermatologist after I was fed up with my acne scars. Though it didn't help me much with my scars, my prescription has been preventing new breakouts and when I do breakout, it's smaller and easier to get rid of.

5.Don't touch it!
-I admit, I used to always pop my pimples. But that penetrated the bacteria deeper into my skin and spread it out. That's why another blemish will pop up close to the original one. I also stopped touching my face as much as possible so the oil and bacteria on my hands won't get into my skin.

7. Exfoliate
-I found that this worked best on my acne scars. Once you buff away all the dead skin cells, clean, fresh skin cells take its place.  Make sure not to overdo it will the face scrubs, because it can be harsh on your skin. Only twice a week is recommended because your skin needs time to grow more cells.

8. Watch how you treat your body
-I noticed a big difference in my skin when I started to eat healthier and work out. I've also been drinking a lot of water and it's helped my skin even out and I breakout less often. Some people say it's a myth but I say beauty starts from the inside.

source

So far I think I've found out what my skin works best with and will continue to work on my acne scars. Grrr, they never go away! But honestly, it took me a while to get comfortable with my skin. I'm sure a lot of other people feel the same way. This post took a lot of thought so I hope you liked it. XD

Product Review: Say Yes to Grapefruit Moisturizer

Hello cuties! It seems like forever since I did a product review. I haven't had a lot of time or money to go shopping. Recently, I revisited the Say Yes to Grapefruit Moisturizer and now I have a review!

I've used the Say Yes to Tomatoes moisturizer and loved it, it was so light and really helped my skin. The grapefruit one is supposed to help correct color and it even has a little blurb about lightening dark spots. And as you guys know, I have extremely stubborn acne scars that just won't come off my face.

The consistency is very light, not greasy, and soaks into the skin nicely especially if you use a clay mask or exfoliate right before. It can make you look a little ghostly if you use a little too much at a time since it is a white color. 

It does have a strong scent when you put it on, but it does fade away within a few minutes. I'm not sure if this is a natural scent or a perfume, but it does say that it's a 97% natural product. I, personally, find that natural products work well with my skin. Sometimes all the chemicals make it look a little lifeless. I do not have that problem with this product. This isn't as moisturizing as I would like it to be. It takes a couple layers to get it to be where I want it to be. That was a little disappointing, I wanted a moisturizer that will moisturize.

As for the correcting, I did see an improvement in the discoloration in my skin. It is a lot less red and it's a lot more even now that I've been using this. I'm not sure if I've seen any improvements in my dark spots, but like I said before, they don't want to go away. 

Overall, I have loved the moisturizers from the Say Yes line. I've tried other ones and nothing has compared to them. I haven't tried the carrot one but that might be my next purchase or I might be a repurchase of the Say Yes to Tomatoes moisturizer.

Pros-

-Evens out my skin tone

-97% natural product

-Soaks in nicely

-Light

-Not greasy

-Available in drug stores

Cons

-Strong scent

-Not as moisturizing as I like

-Can look a little white on skin

I would say, if you're looking into the Say Yes line, go for the Tomatoes. This one is nice, I just think the Tomatoes one does the same thing but it's more moisturizing.

Product Review- Mint Julep Masque

Hello everyone! Am I the only one who loves face masks? Hopefully not, I'm the only one in my family who does them and they always say it's weird. If it makes my skin feel nice, I don't care. 

Recently, I've been using the Mint Julep Masque. It's a clay mask that you leave on your skin until it's all dried up and hard and then wash it off. The thing is with clay masks, it's hard to move your face with it on. 

This mask claims to help with acne, blackheads, and large pores. Since I've been using it, I haven't seen a huge difference in my acne, and I can't tell you if it gets rid of black heads because I don't get them. But it does shrink my pores. I found that it does last for a while (about a full day after I use it), which I was really surprised about. Most masks leave my pores shrunken for a limited amount of time. 

If you are sensitive to scents, then I definitely do not suggest this because it has a very strong mint smell. I, personally, find it refreshing because mint wakes me up and my skin has no problem with scents. It's just something to be aware of. 

What I love about this mask is the price! I got this for about $5! I've used clay masks that cost up to $30 and this is just as effective in shrinking my pores. You also get a lot more product because the tube is almost twice the size of most masks provided by other brands.

Me with my hair pulled back and in my pj's. The perfect time to do a face mask! 

Pros

-Cheap!

-Shrinks pores

-Long lasting

-Refreshing scent

Cons

-Doesn't help a lot with acne

-Can be irritating for some skin types

Overall, I think this is a fantastic product for it's price. I'm no longer going to spend three times the money on a clay mask when this one works just as well.

Product Review: Etude House Pink Powder Spot Treatment

Hello everyone! I just got done with the biggest test I have ever taken. I'm just so glad it's over with and I can relax again. And of course, with the added stress, I got a few new breakouts. It's a good thing I had my Etude House Pink Powder Spot treatment in the sample size. Are you guys sick of my Etude House reviews yet? Don't worry, I'll get some reviews from different brands soon.

Sorry for the weird shine

First of all, this sample in the picture is on it's last limb. Usually, the powder will sink to the bottom and there will be this clear solution floating on the top. You want to use a q-tip and pick up the powder in the bottom and apply it to the blemish and leave it on overnight. Try really hard not to shake it because you need to have  the powder separate from the solution. I was a little set off when I heard this, it kind of reminded me of a science lab experiment in some odd way.

For my skin, this significantly shrinks the blemish and reduces the redness. In a few days, it's completely gone. But I did experience some peeling if I used it on one specific area too much, but I just exfoliated that away. It didn't feel irritated or anything like that.

Pros

-Extremely effective

-Works really fast

Cons

-Not available in US

-Description was kinda scary

-Slight peeling

Overall, this worked ten times better than my dermatologist-prescribed cream! I will have to order a full size product of this ASAP. Very glad I got to try it in sample form before I got it.

Product Review: Etude House Red Spot Balm

Hello everyone! I know I've been reviewing a lot of Etude House products lately, but I bought a lot in my Etude House Haul a while ago and I've been trying to space out reviews so I can still have constant updates until I get a job and buy more products. I'm going to start applying this weekend and hopefully I can get something fast.

Let's get started on the review, shall we?

First of all, let me say that I have suffered from acne scars throughout adolescence. The acne itself is not a problem for me, a single zit usually goes away in about a week. What does get me are the dark spots that are left behind. Even though the pimple will be gone for months, the pigmentation will still be there, making me look like I still have that pimple. I've gone to my dermatologist about it, but like everyone else, they think it's acne, even though I specifically said acne scars. My prescriptions have not been working for my spots and so I got the Etude House Red Spot Balm to see if this will work because Asian products usually work really well with my skin.

First of all, this product comes in a little jar, which I'm not a fan of. They do supply you with a little spatula that you can use if you keep track of it. I loose things easily so I have to dig the balm out with my fingers.

Here's what it looks like. Basically, it is just a white balm. It is a little heavy and it does not spread well. You kind of have to pack it on your face. It doesn't really soak into your skin, it just sits there. If you touch it, it will come off in your hands. That is something I'm not a fan of, I like products that seep into my skin nicely.

The thing is, this is probably the only product that I have found that helped fade my acne scars faster. I've been using this a little less than two weeks and I've already seen improvement. I've used a could dark spot faders before and they didn't do crap. The fact that it's been fading the spots I've had on my face for six months makes me forget about how it feels on my skin.

Pros

-Fades stubborn acne scars!

-Comes with a spatula

Cons

-Not easy to spread

-Doesn't soak into skin

-Comes off if you rub it

-Have to use your fingers

If you are like me and you're frustrated with red spots, then I do suggest this product. If you don't need it, then I wouldn't. Because of it's effectiveness, I am able to look past it's cons and use it daily.

What do you guys think? Would you still use it?