I think it's been awhile since I have reviewed an eyeshadow palette and I am very excited to be sharing this one with all of you today. The Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette has been a product that I have always admired, ever since it came out last summer, while walking past the beauty counters in the shops. I wouldn't say that I absolutely love palettes in general because they're way too big for me to ever use up, but I think this will be the first palette I have and will use up until I'm scraping the shadows from the pan.
I wrote briefly about this palette in my Christmas post as it was one of the gifts I received this past year. I think what really drew me to this palette was the entire aesthetic of it. It comes in a beautiful blush, velvet packaging that is very cute and is probably the first thing I noticed. Obviously, I was drawn to the incredibly beautiful shades. The rich golds, vibrant oranges, and deep red shades really stood out to me.
I like to buy palettes when I know I have room and the need for new eye shadows. I was holding off for awhile before Christmas to get a palette because I knew I wanted this one--and this one only. This palette is priced at around $45 and really isn't that bad for a 14 color palette (compared to an Urban Decay palette). I was so eager to try out the red shades because you would never think red would be a shade to put around your eyes. I wanted to try something new with my eye makeup and I have really loved the contrast it gives when you pop the color in the crease or on the outer lid. I recently did an eye look on my blue eyed sister, and it looks so classy and elegant. The overall theme of the palette was really well thought out. I love the renaissance inspired colors and the names are really unique to that period. I honestly feel like an artist when I use it.
I have swatched the palette a couple times in Sephora to see how the color payoff is and I was so impressed. SO IMPRESSED by Anastasia Beverly Hills. I know she has amazing products already and this palette takes the cake. Each shade is so buttery smooth. There is minor fall out here and there depending on the amount you use, but other than that, the powders are all amazingly opaque and vibrant like any paint would be.
For the sake of saving time and not having to swatch and touch every shade with my finger, I swatched two shades that I really love using. This one above is Primavera and is the perfect inner corner, champagne shade. It has just the right amount of shimmer to it and makes any eye look pop. It also is great to use on top of the lid to add a bit more definition.
I also wanted to swatch Red Ochre for you guys so you all can see the pigmentation of the deeper shades. It just looks so yummy! I think this would be a great touch to any eye look to add some color especially during the summer or fall. I guess you could also use it in the winter, but ohhh do I love this shade of red.
Each color blends really nicely and some of the deeper shades like the reds and oranges are actually better when applied with a finger to ensure all of the color to appear on the lid. Otherwise, using a brush works just as well.
Another shade I fell in love with was Buon Fresco, which is a very rich taupe (in the center above Red Ochre). I think this shade is great used all over the lid and nothing else. I have heard every blogger rave and express their love for this palette and I thought I could add to the mix for any of you looking for a new palette to try out. I think palettes can be hard to find or just hard to own because they can be expensive, too big, or maybe they just aren't the right shades you like or are comfortable with. Everybody has their own preferences and that's what I love about the variety of palettes out there. Have you tried this palette yet?
If you've ever strolled past the Nordstrom cosmetic counters, then you have definitely ooed and awed at the endless amounts of makeup and perfumes. Specifically the Jo Malone counter, or at least I have. I'm going to be honest, the blogging world (and Katelavie, thanks Kate) made me get this perfume and I couldn't be happier about it.
I have had many different types of perfumes in my life and I don't think this one is similar to any of them at all. I've never had anything from Jo Malone and I never knew how much I would love all of their perfumes. To speak very candidly, this stuff ain't cheap. I asked for this perfume as a Christmas gift this year and it was truly generous of my parents to get it for me. Prior to asking for this perfume, I did go into Nordstrom (the only place close to me that sells it) and try out all of the other perfumes to make sure I knew which one I loved the most. I'm not very picky with scents, so one can imagine how hard it was for me to decide.
On Jo Malone's website, I wanted to do some research as well as trying the scents out in store, they have many scents and many other products to choose from. They have colognes/perfumes, candles, lotions, room sprays, diffusers, soaps, body washes, and really nice gift sets for the holidays. They have pretty much every scent for anyone's taste, men and women: citrus, fruity, floral, spicy, woody, and light floral. I was very stuck between this one, the Peony and Blush Suede, and the Lime Basil and Mandarin scent. I'm all about sweet smells and really enjoyed these two. I honestly would have been pleased with any of the scents, though.
The colognes come in two ratherly small sizes: 30 ML (1 oz) or 100 ML (about 3 oz). It seems like a very small amount, but it's not like you need a huge spray bottle to get anything from it. One spritz goes a very long way and I would most likely use this on special occasion. Most perfumes these days come in very small sizes, too so that's another thing you have to consider.
I decided on the peony scent because I loved the freshness it had to it. The lime and mandarin one was just a tad too strong for me and I think this floral one is perfect for any time of the year because the other one seemed like a very summery scent. If you know me and my love for Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush, then you know why I was drawn to this lime scented perfume! It's very youthful and lasts all day without leaving that icky, old person smell that's not really pleasant at all on your clothes. If I had to buy another perfume, I would probably stick with the florals and might try out the spicier scents, too. I think the smaller size is the way to go if you are wanting to try out more of their colognes.
As for the packaging, I absolutely adore it. It's minimal and very elegant. It comes in a really pretty box (that I want to display in my room cuzz why the heck not) and a really nice bag as well. I'm not too keen on the overly decorated perfume bottles, I think it just gets in the way sometimes and distracts from the actual product like they're trying to hide something. Less is more, people!
I've had a really nice experience with this product and intend on purchasing more from Jo Malone in the future. So far, I haven't noticed anything bad at all with this product. Obviously, if it was priced lower I would love it even more. I guess I am a victim of the blogger bandwagons, but is it that bad? Isn't that what we are for anyway? To review products and open up about our opinions on them. Sounds pretty valid to me :) What's your guys' must have perfume?
During the winter I really try to focus more on taking extra care of my skin. Recently, I have noticed more dryness and breakouts, probably due to different products and the very quick drop in temperature. It's been in the negatives for about two weeks here in Chicago. I've especially been trying to not over use products and make sure I am moisturizing while also treating my acne without drying it out even more.
There have been a lot of products that I noticed that have made a huge difference this season in my skin. I'm all about pamperment and I think it's an important thing to do for yourself every once and a while.
I was wandering around my Target during winter break and literally stopped dead in my tracks when I noticed this on the "new in beauty" shelf. Next to all of the Neutrogena wipes and Burt's Bees holiday gift sets, were these Zoella Beauty Ginger Fizzers. I have no idea where they came from because they were the only products from Zoella's range there. They are not as exciting as the Lush Bath Bombs, but they leave a very warm and spicy scent to any bath. I just love putting things in my baths anyway, so this was a really surprising treat to find at Target since they don't sell her line anywhere.
I really got into all of the facial sprays this winter and have really loved rosewater and everything rose scented. The Mario Badescu Facial Spray is perfectly refreshing and hydrating when I have dry patches on my face. It's also a really nice makeup setting spray, too.
I know I have mentioned the Lush Yoga Bomb before and I had to go repurchase it because it is just a really great, relaxing bath bomb to have. I love coming home from a hot yoga class and soaking into a bath and plopping this bath bomb in.
When I take showers and baths, I like to use my First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser to fully clean out my pores and help reduce some of the oil that naturally builds up. I find this cleanser to be really helpful and is very great with my sensitive skin. It has a fresh scent to it and a little goes a very long way because it lathers nicely on my skin.
I have also been using many different lotions lately (because I'm obsessed and receive them as gifts all the time). Firstly, the Body Shop Mango Treats Gift Set was one gift I received this year and it comes with a loofa, mini lotion, and mini shower gel. I love the mango scented line from the Body Shop and this cute lotion is perfect to take with me to travel with during the holidays. I also pop the Burt's Bees Nourishing Milk and Honey Body Lotion into my purse for travel and to help keep my hands from drying out from the cold.
A nice way to finish off the winter pampering is with a facial mask. I love Lush's masks (and we all know that), but there have been some drugstore masks that I quite enjoy as well. If you are looking for easy and inexpensive facial masks to do, the Que Bella masks are really nice to use. Especially the Deep Cleansing mask and the Pore Minimizing masks are great hydrating and oil preventing masks. These are really fun to do with friends because everybody's skin type is different and you can pick and choose the one best for you. I have a lot more and I think I want to review all of them for you guys, so let me know!
I am a skincare freak and love trying new things. It's cold and unfortunately, the warm months are still far from arriving. My skin is on a roller coaster ride right now and can't decide how to react to this oppressively cold winter. Hopefully it'll get better. What's been in your holy grail winter skincare routine?
Across all of the well known beauty brands many have come very known to have great pressed powders. However, I have found one of the best, in my opinion, high end and reliable pressed face powders out there. The Mac Studio Fix Powder gives off great medium coverage and is my everyday go-to powder for touchups or use on my lighter makeup days when I don't feel like caking on a full face of makeup.
I knew about this powder, but was hesitant about spending approximately $27 on a face powder, when I could easily run over to Walgreen's and purchase three Rimmel Stay Matte powders if I wanted with the same amount of money. I was, to be honest, sick of drugstore powders (yes, there are some I love), but I was ready to actually treat myself and stop walking past the Mac counter wanting to try out this powder that is probably better for my skin anyway.
When I walked into the Mac store at my local mall, it was New Year's Eve and crazy packed with people getting their makeup done for the long night out. I was expecting it to be crowded and actually had a bad time there. I talked to about three people to get helped and matched to this powder (which only took 2 seconds) and I ended up waiting for about 45 minutes until someone else's makeup artist was helping me as she was doing the woman's makeup. Besides that fiasco, I think I have learned my lesson for walking into a Mac on New Year's Eve.
The lady that color matched me did it by looking at my face once and letting me try it out to see if I liked the color. She chose NC20 and it was surprisingly the exact shade of my face. I gotta give those makeup artists credit because it probably would have taken me an hour to figure it out, since I am so indecisive about shades.
The formula was actually very smooth and silky on the face. I swatched it and thought I was touching butter. Compared to my drugstore powders, there is an obvious difference. This powder does not crumble or has a lot of fallout which is great when you've just put on a nice outfit and it basically snows all over your new dress. I think the biggest thing I noticed with this powder was the way it kept my face incredibly matte and shine free. Specifically around my T-zone, I get insane amounts of oil on occasion and this powder really helps to lock it in and prevent any oil from getting through. Drugstore powders usually don't last for a very long time, but this one really does, even with full coverage foundation on underneath it.
I like to apply my powders with a brush, but I do notice that using a Beauty Blender or any makeup sponge helps for setting under eye concealer and this powder can act as a baking powder if desired. I love Mac's sleek and simple packaging that also features a little compartment for a sponge to use on the go! It's little details like that that I just love about any makeup brand. They take the time to create great, useful products and Mac has really impressed me. This being the first Mac face product I have used, kinda makes me want to try out the Mac Studio Fix foundation next.
Whether you are looking for a new powder, wanting to try something new to add to your makeup collection, or just want to know what's good, try this! I know it's a lot of money to spend on a product, but this goes on like butter and is really great for sensitive skin. Sometimes it's nice to treat ourselves and powder is something that I use almost every single day (not on no-makeup days obvi). I think it is a very practical thing to spend on once you find the right powder that works for your skin type and doesn't react poorly with your skin. For me, this is a great powder and it will probably be a continuous product I use in my routine. What face powder do you guys love?
This past year seemed like it flew by way too fast. I know years can bring good things and unfortunately bad things to us and we sometimes associate them with how we felt about the year. I feel like this year has been a huge roller coaster ride. Now, I'm not so keen on resolutions. I know I may have mentioned resolutions, but to be totally honest, we forget and make mistakes. That's why, for 2017, I want to set goals for myself because if I do mess up or forget to do something, it'll just be another reason to try again and keep reaching that goal. I went to a yoga class last night actually and my instructor was explaining to us that we sometimes lose ourselves in these resolutions or "rules" we set for ourselves when really, we should be setting goals to become our better selves.
I know you may not know my yoga instructor or have any reason to believe what she says, but I have taken it as a way to make my life a little less stressful among the chaos and twists and turns of reality. I have mini goals and very personal goals that I kind of want to share. My first one being, I would like to open up more on my blog. I know I talk a lot about products and things I like, but I seem to have lost the personality a bit and would like to start being more...uncensored. Uncensored from a fear of what people might think if I reveal or expose myself a bit on here. I mean it's my blog anyway. So, here goes.
Be More Open With People
I have the tendency to hide in my little, brunette shell and sometimes that's okay, but most of the time it's not. I would like to be able to express myself in my writing (more than what I have already) and just be completely blunt about things. I think I have been a little distracted on my blog lately and haven't really expressed myself to my full ability. I wish I could have said some things differently or just taken a step back to think about things for a bit, then just share them and see what happens. I'm just gonna be me more.
Stop Worrying About Things Too Much
With school, my blog, future college plans, and my personal life, I am way WAY too invested in who, what, where, when, and the why of everything. Instead of worrying about my tests, I'm worried about when I'm gonna get to upload a post or go return that sweater that was too big or something like that. I have always struggled with this. It's not like I had a priority mishap, but maybe too many. I mean for one thing, I have always been great at organizing, but that comes from the fear and my anxiety of not having anything organized or in place. Sometimes I need to step back and I forget to. A lot of the times, things are just out of my control.
Listen More and Be Present
I know it might be cheesy, but my English teacher actually made me think of this. She was talking to our class about participation in discussions that we have throughout the year and she kind of criticizes us on how unnatural we are when the only reason we talk is to respond, not to understand. Besides her grading on us for just giving a word, that's not how discussions play out in real life (if you can believe it). Sometimes, it's better to listen and then respond to understand or even contribute to furthering the discussion. We don't always think before we talk and that's something I need (and a lot of people) work on. It might be good to just hear what someone else has to say and be present in the conversation.
Stop Comparisons and Give Myself Credit
I think as humans, it's in our nature to look at someone and want what they have or desire to be something or someone else. I'm guilty of it and so is everybody else (unless you're magical or something). I've been trying to focus on bettering myself especially when it comes to exercising and trying to improve myself. I've been doing yoga for almost over two years now and yeah, there have been times when I see someone who can go into a pose I can't go into or who can lift more weight than I can.
I forget that I am the one in control of change and I am the one with this body that I was given and am so grateful to have. I'm healthy and thankful for my body. I need to remind myself that I can only compare myself to who I was yesterday; that girl who could barely balance on one leg to that girl who can do a headstand and hold it for one hour (if she was dared that is).
Focus On The Good and Appreciate Things
Straying away from the bad comparisons and hate we give ourselves and I give myself sometimes, I forget to focus on what actually matters most and what makes me happy. I don't always remember to think of the good, "little" things that happen everyday. There's always going to be a new day, and it's up to me to make it what I want of it. It's raining? Go out and sing in the rain. Life is never going to give us greatness and it's up to us to make something of it. I fall into a trap of having something stupid like bad costumer service ruin my day (even if it's the absolute worst!) and I never remember their side or the things that kind of matter more.
These were just five of the most important things I think I need more improvement on this year, but just for "funsies" I thought I would make a list of some other smaller goals I would like to try and accomplish in 2017:
- Make Better Food Choices Every Now and Then
- Get Stronger (maybe a six pack? lol)
- Get Emotionally Stronger
- Spend Less, Save More (for college duh)
- Help Out and Volunteer
- Say Hi to More People
- Stop Judging and Making Assumptions About People
- Be Patient
- Drink More Water (hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!)
- Treat My Bad Skin
- Write On Paper More
- Be Social, But Also Stay In More
- Treat Myself Every Once and Awhile
- Buy Even More Flowers (life's too short not to)
- Try New Foods, Music, Cultures, etc...
- Do Lots of Yoga (and try a new type of exercise too)
- Travel More
- Eat That Bag of Doritos Cuz You Can
- Stop Apologizing, Start Thanking
- Look Around More and Soak It All In
- Stop Doubting
- Trust More People
- Take Pictures and Save Moments
- Stop Buying Things I Don't Need
- Say "I Love You" More and Give More Hugs
- Try Something New With My Look and Makeup
- Compliment More
- Smile More
- Graduate Highschool
- Survive College (we can only hope)
I hope this brought in some insight and inspiration for any of you needing help with setting goals or any idea as to what their new year might bring them. As for this blog, I plan to keep pushing through this whole year! I want my blog to be more of a reflexion of myself and just improve my connection with all of my readers (who i dearly appreciate so very much). I think I will cut myself some slack and lay off blogging every now and then. All I want to do is create and write what I feel in the best way I can. That can only happen if there is inspiration and I want it to be great for everyone. I will try to accomplish these goals and if it seems like I'm off track (blogging wise), let me know! Also, if you would like to talk to me (which I hope you do), please visit my "contact" page to find my email! I would love to get to know all of you guys better as we start the new year.
What goals have you set for yourself for the new year?
P.S. Oh I forgot, I think I am going to stop with the "xoxo, Nat". I don't know, I think it's time for some change, aesthetically if that's alright. What do you guys think? Obviously, I'll continue the questions. ;)
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