Hey everyone! I have had a great spring break and school starts very soon. Ugh. That doesn't mean the party stops on my blog! Today, I have an awesome set that I found on a different blog post someone recently did. This new Sephora Favorites "Paint it Pink" box is one of the best Sephora Favorite sets they have sold in my opinion. First of all, it's only 40 bucks. You get three original sized items, including a beauty blender which is $20 on it's own. You really are getting a great deal with this box. The whole theme is pink which I think is great for spring. It could be a deal breaker for some that don't like to wear pink makeup, but I think it has a variety of products that will suit just about anyone!
Here is everything in the box that I found online either full-size or travel-size if you want to purchase one or two of these separately with the prices (I still recommend this box as a whole because of how awesome the value is. Plus, you can try out these items without paying for the full-size):
*Items marked with an asterisk are not full-size in the set
So the box says that all of the products are a $122 value noting that many are travel or mini size. Obviously, they wouldn't include all full-size items, but some of the items listed are exclusively mini to the set and aren't sold separately.
The Beauty Blender in this set was maybe one of the reasons I purchased it. I still think that $20 for a sponge is a bit much, but you get seven other great products so the total value of this set was incredible. I have always wanted to try the Beauty Blender anyway and I think that it was worth spending the extra twenty for all those other prestige cosmetics.
This Becca Shimmer Skin Perfector is quite an amazing product. It's a beautiful color and in ROSE GOLD. It's really pigmented and pretty, but I found that this shade was a bit too orange to put on my cheeks. I found that it was also a little too chalky. It would dust off my cheeks and wouldn't blend into my skin like I wanted it to. I used this as an eye shadow instead and it looked way better on my lids than it did on my cheeks! Since it is a mini size, it kind of looks like a full-size eye shadow. I guess this product is better off as a pigment or a shadow than a blush or highlighter.
I was really excited to try out the Benefit Roller Lash mascara. I went to one of Benefit's beauty bars to try it out and it looked like I had false lashes! I already had too many mascaras at the time so I passed on it that day. Now I can try out this awesome mascara and review it for you all! I love how it curls my lashes and makes them big and voluminous.
Another product I was so excited to use was this Deborah Lippmann nail polish. You guys know that I have been loving the "nude nails" look and I love this color on my nails. I was so excited to use it and I put it on as soon as the package arrived. You can see that it is pretty sheer, but I only put about one or two coats. It lasted for over a week and I think that if you wanted, you could use more than two coats or use it for a french manicure.
I was really impressed with Sephora because I was so happy and shocked that they would put a full-size Laura Mercier product in here. This is a really pretty pink shade and I love how it looks for spring! I don't wear pink lipstick that often, but this shade was perfect for my skin tone and is more pink-taupe than a bright, hot pink.
I was not that impressed with this lip gloss though. I guess it looks cute. That's about it. It's just a mini, sheer lip gloss and that's all I can say about it. Good for travel and just making your lips look glossier I guess! It looks like it gives off color on the swatch, but on the lips it just doesn't.
I have never really tried Tarte before and I have heard so much about all "Amazonian clay" what-not. I have to say, this is a really great blush. I have been looking for a nice, warm, peachy shade and this is just what I wanted! It's super blendable and isn't so strongly pigmented that you end up looking like a doll or something. It looks great for springtime!
This was another one of the full-size items in the set and it's one of the best ROSE GOLD (gotta keep emphasizing how much I LOVE rose gold) eye shadows I have ever used. Lasting power to the extreme! It stays on all day and gives off great color without being chalky and icky. Nicely done Urban Decay. I will have to purchase more singles (and palettes of course) from them next time. Plus, I love the packaging!
Pardon my under-eye circles, here I used the Urban Decay eye shadow on my lid and the Becca Shimmering Perfector in the crease (if you can tell). I really like how fresh and pretty this look is for spring!
I think that this set can please just about anyone. It has great, quality products. Three full-size items and five mini/travel-size items, too. It's worth $122 and you can get it for just 40 stinkin' bucks! Some people may not like the color theme and I think that Sephora should do other colors like red or berry as well! I really enjoyed all of the products in this set, even though there were some I could live without.
What I really loved/"Out of the ballpark" products I enjoyed:
I really loved how Sephora included the Beauty Blender into the set. I think it's a great deal once you think about it. I have always wanted to try out the sponge and I always thought that it was an insane amount to pay for just that. However, I have been using it every single day I wear foundation and I love it. I would totally buy this set to get more for your money.
I also liked how they included a full-size lipstick in the set. Laura Mercier is a pretty expensive brand and this lipstick is worth about 30 bucks. That's a lot for a lipstick in my opinion. I think that it made the set even more worth it.
What I didn't really care for/The "strike" products I didn't enjoy:
I didn't really think that the mini lip gloss was really necessary in the kit. Maybe it was just like a "bag filler". I could totally live without it and wouldn't really care if they didn't include it in the set. I could still use it for travel and things like that though.
I guess I also could have lived without the nail polish. It wasn't an amazing color, but it was a great formula for a polish. I have wanted to try Deborah Lippmann's polishes. How come they didn't include like a nice pink shade or something?
I hope you all enjoyed this very lengthy review. I was really excited to get this box and do a review on it for all of you. I really loved this set and I recommend it to all of you makeup lovers out there! I have had an awesome spring break and I think I am ready to get back into the swing of things. What did you guys do over spring break?
Xoxo, Nat
Hey guys! So today was a very VERY fun day. I live in Chicago yet I've never been to Chinatown. Today was the day I got to explore more of my beautiful city!
This is a candid of me and one of my best friends, Alyssa. I went with my little sister, my mom, and her friend as well!
We walked into many souvenir shops around town and found many tiny treasures! I loved these little cats and all of the mini Buddhas they had. I bought a little jade one and Alyssa got some for her little sister, too.
While we headed to lunch, we found these awesome statues of the Chinese zodiacs and we were all reading the little plaques that tells us what each sign means. I'm the rabbit!
So we headed to this restaurant on South China Place in Chinatown and it was so delicious! My friend recommended this place and it is now one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Chicago. I totally recommend it!
This restaurant had tons of choices: noodle dishes, soups, meat dishes, rice dishes, and a ton of bubble tea options on their menu! I love bubble tea so much! I feel like it's a hit or miss with some people but, I really enjoy the tapioca balls and the amazing range of flavors you can get!
We stopped in one of the small bakeries in town and I forgot the name of this one but, they had an awesome selection of Chinese pastries. I had this red bean sweet bun type thing. I have always wanted to try red bean. It kind of tasted like almonds or an almond paste in the middle. It was really good!
Another thing I bought was this really cute (fake) jade bracelet. Alyssa and I decided to get matching ones. I loved how it looked with my watch.
There were a ton of stores filled with a ton of stuff. Sometimes it was just your basic needs like dishes, kitchenware, clothes etc. There was a lot of random stuff too. It was all really cute though.
Here's my little sister being a little weirdo. Haha she loves me so much. She was like, "Nat, I want to model like you do in your blog!". Whelp, there's my sister for yuh.
There were also some restaurants with live fish and tanks all over. It was kind of cool and kind of weird and unsettling at the same time. But, I managed to sneak a pic anyway.
There was a ton of beautiful architecture around Chinatown. It all looked so detailed and someone really knew what they were doing with this building.
You probably can tell that I am not that educated on the Chinese culture. I'd love to learn and know more about it. I loved experiencing this new part of my town that I'd never seen before. Chicago is so diverse and it made me happy that I got to explore and experience it all. Sure it's not actually China, but I met a lot of really nice people and I've seen a lot for what it's worth.
Traveling and exploring for me is only going to continue due to my love and passion for learning about different cultures and meeting new people. I had a really fun day and I hope to come back another time!
Xoxo, Nat
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Hello my lovelies! I hope you all have had a great Easter weekend and are enjoying your beginning of spring break or week if you don't have off like I do (thank the lawd). So today I wanted to share a little bit of a home-ware/decor/stationary haul that I did recently. Most of this is from Target and some is from the Red Spot section or the "dollar section" at Target so unfortunately you can't find some of the cards or the notebook online. However, I thought you all would enjoy these little bits and pieces I found anyway.
I love to have random journals around and on hand. You never know when you're gonna need to write something down or just need to getaway and release your thoughts! I found this for like a dollar at Target and I have been writing in it for a while. Plus, it looks really cute on my shelf. I also managed to pick up some binder folders and dividers that are really cool and I really like the geometric prints as well! I like to use these for some of my blog posts to add a pop of contrast and color to the background.
I also really love this lipgloss...even though it has nothing to do with home-ware, I thought it would be okay to just include it anyway. I think it looks really cool! I mean, they're real flowers!! That might have been the only reason I bought it but, it does smell amazing and leaves my lips so glossy!
I have had an obsession with colored felt-tip pens lately. The Staedtler pens are amazing! I kid you not, these are the best colored pens I have ever used. Especially if you have like...hmm I don't know...an adult coloring book! Haha. They have a ton of colors and last so long.
I always love to have cute note cards and stationary around. It's going to be someone's birthday, some special event, or just a time where you need to say thanks or "hello". I found these cute cards at Target and I have like five different sets! All of their cards are like a buck and they're absolutely adorable! They're very useful and versatile!
With this day and age, writing cards is like an ancient thing to do. We have text, e-messages, and all that. I am getting into the habit of just writing cards to people (not just because I have a ton!). Sometimes I feel like you lose something when you just text a person "thank you". Like they aren't special?? NO. They deserve a thoughtful card! So for that, I always feel obligated (and happy) when I get to write a card to someone special. Plus, I think it's just nice receiving them as well.
With this day and age, writing cards is like an ancient thing to do. We have text, e-messages, and all that. I am getting into the habit of just writing cards to people (not just because I have a ton!). Sometimes I feel like you lose something when you just text a person "thank you". Like they aren't special?? NO. They deserve a thoughtful card! So for that, I always feel obligated (and happy) when I get to write a card to someone special. Plus, I think it's just nice receiving them as well.
I have seen all of the bloggers with these cool geometric terrariums and vases and I have been wanting one ever since. I found this on a shelf at Target and I was so happy that it wasn't like a hundred bucks. I love this thing so much! I have this on my shelf currently on top of a stack of books and I put some mini fairy lights inside to make it look really cool. I really want to put like some succulents inside of it when it gets warmer out. I feel like that would be so awesome to do and have my own little garden! I guess you could also put a mini candle in it or something, too.
This has also been one of my favorite candles, like EVER. The Capri Blue Volcano candle is the most amazing smelling candle I have ever owned. You can get these at Anthropologie or online on their website. They have a bunch of sizes (including a 5-wick candle that costs like $100 and is the size of my head haha) and scents. This candle smells like paradise. It's citrusy and is so fresh and sweet. It's not an overpowering scent. After you burn it for a while, your house smells amazing. Also, the packaging is so cute. It's iridescent and copper. How great is that?
I have always loved little trays and things to put my trinkets on and I really love this one that a friend got me a while back. I like to put my rings and earrings on it so I don't lose any of my precious jewelry!
I hope you guys enjoyed this little home-ware/stationary haul and I also hope everyone had a great Easter weekend and spent it with a ton of friends and family!
Xoxo, Nat
Hey guys! Today I have an easy, natural, and very pretty makeup look for you all. Since it's getting close to Easter, I wanted to give you all some Easter/church/family day makeup inspiration! Even if you don't celebrate Easter, this is a great look for any day during spring.
First thing's first (I'm the realest), concealer. Now I always love a great moisturizing concealer and this Stay All Day concealer by Stila is amazing! You can use your fingers or a concealer brush and apply this under your eyes or to cover up any imperfections you have. I love how easy this is to blend and the coverage is great too!
I think this is a classic for everybody. The L'Oreal True Match foundation is super blend-able and easy to wear during spring. This foundation has Vitamins A and C, is anti-pore clogging, and is oil-free! They have so many shades so everybody can find their "perfect match"!
If you want an awesome orangey-red lip, this Lasting Finish lipstick in #12 by Rimmel is a go-to! I love orange lips in the spring and summertime and the Rimmel lipstick range is my favorite. They're all so pigmented and creamy.
I have already done a review on the Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics palette and I have to say, it is a great palette. Instead of paying like $50 on the bigger palettes, this is a great alternative. It's basically half of a full palette for half the price and these colors are awesome and neutral. This palette is also great for travel since it's so small! I actually love the second Basics palette because I feel like it has more browns for me to use than the original Basics palette by Urban Decay. These colors are great to use for pretty much anytime of the year since they are your everyday-essential colors. I love the lasting power and the easy blend-ability!
Spring is all about color, so why not add a bit to your everyday makeup and change things up a bit? I love Rimmel's ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner especially this one in "Turquoise". These eyeliners are so smooth and easy to use! I love this blue on my upper lash line to add a bit of color and pop to my hazel eyes!
I have also been really loving the Benefit They're Real Lengthening Mascara. It is one of my holy grail products and it really gives the allusion of fake lashes and I love it so much! I always ended up with a ton of samples of this and I just decided to buy the full-size because I was amazed at how nice it made my lashes look. (They look like little butterfly wings haha).
E.l.f. has so many amazing products in their range and their bronzer and blush compacts are my all-time favorite. These are so affordable and give off amazing color! This e.l.f. golden bronzer gives off an awesome glow without being too orange. I have been using this product like every single day and I always reach for it now when I do my makeup.
I hope you all have a very nice and relaxing Easter weekend and hang out with a bunch of family and friends! Or just watch a ton of Netflix because you know. Gotta keep up with Fuller House! I have been loving it so much and I can't wait for the next season to be released. Well anyway, this is a great look for Easter or just spring in general. Happy spring!
Xoxo, Nat
Happy spring everybody! Even though it hasn't quite warmed up yet, I am still so excited for all things spring! I feel like the color rose is starting to become a trend this season so here are some of the pieces and products I love to wear and use!
I have been loving Zara's basics section and I found this really cute t-shirt. Zara has a great selection of items and you never know what you''re gonna find. They always have good deals going on every now and then and the quality of their clothing is amazing! This shirt is so soft and comfortable to wear with a nice, light pair of jeans and sandals or flats. Unfortunately, I was not able to find this on their website but, I am sure you can find it in store.
I have made posts about these products in the past and I just have to emphasize how much I love them. I have had these products for a while now and I continue to use them all the time.
This MAC lipstick in Angel has been one of my favorite frost shades from their range. I have worn this in the winter but, I also think it looks great in the spring as well because it isn't very light and isn't very glossy either. I have also done a review on the Fit Me blush by Maybelline and I really like how this gives you a cute, fresh glow. I have been using this blush a lot lately and I love the color it gives off. It's very subtle but, you can really build and blend it in.
I have mentioned in previous posts that I am not the paint-my-nails-every-week type. Especially during these warmer months, I just don't like the icky-sticky feel of nail polish. However, there are some very nice polishes that I find are light and are easier to use and don't smudge or chip. I love Essie's nail range and I love how their polishes last for so long. I have heard that they chip a lot but, I have never had any problems with Essie. I have been loving the nude and pink shades on my nails. It's so simple and clean. It also looks very classy! So is this shade's name: Tuck it in my Tux...haha. Rose gold is also one of my favorite colors of all time. This L'Oreal nail polish is always showing up in my posts and I can't stress enough how much I love this color and how metallic it is.
I hope you guys have had a great day and this helped any of you looking for some spring inspiration!
Xoxo, Nat
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