Spring Favorites

It’s almost summer here but you wouldn’t know by the weather. Today it is 97 degrees and our AC isn’t working as well as it good.

Because it is so hot, I am doing my Spring favorites early. Honestly, I think spring is over and summer has begun for us here in Southern Illinois.

Let’s get started!

First thing is a Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mist. This is the Aqua Marine scent and I am obsessed. It is a very fresh scent without smelling like a cologne. I have been searching for a fresh summer scent for a super long time. I got the travel size and wore it every day for a month. It smells like the air after rain and fresh flowers mixed together. This is perfect.

Next is the Baby Lips Dr. Rescue lip balm. I broke my Ulta Beauty lip oil (glass bottle and tile floor don’t work well together) so I was looking for another super hydrating lip product. I am a little late to the Baby Lips bandwagon, but I was strolling through Walgreen’s so I grabbed this one. It is super light, which I was worried about first, but the hydrating qualities are amazing. I used to use a chapstick and a lip oil at the same time, but there is no need with this.

The Essie Go Ginza has been my all time nail polish lately. I am not allowed to wear nail polish at work, but whenever I have a long weekend of no work or I’m going on a trip, this has been my nail polish of choice.

The last product I am not taking a picture of because it has been in my shower for a month and is looking a little worse for wear with peeling labels and such. The Nair Nourish Shower Power with Argan Oils has been amazing. I can’t even express to you how much this has saved me. I am distantly Native American on my dad’s side. I have so generously been given the opportunity to inherit my dad’s hairy arms. Lighter in color and finer in texture, but hairy arms nonetheless. This has always caused me a little embarrassment in the summer, and I was extremely excited to give this a try. It received high ratings from a friend so I figured, “Why not?” It was amazing. The argan oils really help with hydrating and there are some scents in the formula that help diminish the burning smell. I will always recommend this to anyone.

Thanks so much for reading! Have a lovely day!

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My Morning Routine

Hello everyone, long time no see!

It’s been a busy month, right now my grandma is in town for my sister’s confirmation on Sunday so we have been having a lot of family time. Yesterday, I took my dog to the dog park and on the way to the gas station (on the way home) I ran out of gas. It was an interesting situation seeing as it was my first time by myself, but I figured it out.

So today is a Morning Routine post! Let’s get started!

I usually wake up around seven or eight. If I was working the night before, I may sleep in until eight-thirty. I usually sit on my phone for a bit, checking emails, scrolling through Pinterest. As soon as I’m ready for the possibility of talking to people, I head into the kitchen to make my breakfast.

This morning I had a Spinach Mushroom bowl with an egg. I really love this because the soft yoke of the egg acts like a dressing for the spinach and mushroom. Other mornings I will just fry an egg, make some toast, and cut up an orange.

After this I move into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth.

These are the products I use every morning for my skin. I start off with my Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Creme Cleanser. I have talked about this so much you guys must thing I’m sponsored but I’m not. I have actually been using a First Aid Beauty cleanser but I ran out so I’m using this until I go pick up some more. Then I exfoliate with the Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub. Again, I’ve talked about this so much so you all know what I think of it. Lastly, I moisturize using the Glam Glow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer. I wouldn’t say it is as illuminating as it says it is, but it does give me a healthy glow.

Once my face is washed and I am 100% awake, I have to get dressed. We are just started spring here so it is a little chilly most of the time. because I am usually pretty cold anyways, I am still wearing my warm sweaters.

Then I just clean up my room and get started on my school!

Kathleen Lucille

Winter Favorites

Hey guys!!! Welcome back, its March and I can finally say that it is starting to feel like spring!!!! Today I come to you with my winter favorites, so lets just get started!

I have talked about the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Cloud Cream Hyaluronic Moisturizer a lot. This when I went to Ulta recently, I picked up this cleanser. This is a great cleanser for dry skin. My skin is normally drier in the summer because of the chlorine from swim team, but it is still amazing in the winter with the heating on in houses.

Next up is the Glam Glow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer. I adore this! It’s almost a tinted moisturizer with highlighter as well. I love using it in the morning as a moisturizer as it adds a little bit of a put together look with that little extra bit the highlight adds.

Oh, this body mist. I love this so much. This is the freshest scent I own and I cannot tell you how much I love it. It has notes of ocean water, mint leaf, and wet stone. It literally smells like a spring morning after it rained.

This second cleanser is the First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser. This is a perfect cleanser for combination skin that isn’t too oily. The Facial Radiance Toner Pads are a great toner. I love these, they help with doo many things. Honestly, when we are cleansing our skin, we get rid of all oils good and bad. Toning and moisturizing puts all the good oils back in.

I was in Sephora recently to pick up a concealer. I had a sample of the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and absolutely loved it. I decided to splurge and buy it and I absolutely love it. It blends out very nicely and is super light and weightless.

The last item is the Ulta Beauty Juice Infused Lip Oil. I had to Google a picture of it because mine broke. Thats the only complaint I have: it leaked and broke before I was half-way through the bottle. Other than that I think it was a great dupe for the Clarins Lip Oil. Especially in the winter time, the amount of hydration provided was incredible. I often swiped it on before bed and could still feel it in the morning.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Tell me what you are looking forward to this spring!

Kathleen Lucille

Everyday Makeup Routine

Hello everyone! Happy Monday! This month has been so crazy for me, I’m getting ready to move in a little under a month, on March 24th to be exact, so things are only going to get busier. I’m hoping that after the move is over I will have a lot more time to write, because I really miss blogging, and Kathleen’s posts have been so inspiring lately!

Today I’m going to be sharing my everyday makeup routine with you all, or more like my everyday essential makeup products. Lately I haven’t been wearing as much makeup on a daily basis, and I only wear more on special occasions. You’ll probably notice this difference if you read my past “Everyday Makeup Routine” post on our old blog.

I’m definitely not a beauty expert of any kind, but I do love writing about makeup, and I hope you all enjoy these sorts of posts too!

Here is my everyday look. If I could use a few words to describe it, they would be glowy, natural, and simple. This look only takes me about five – ten minutes everyday! So I think it’s perfect for anyone to fit into their busy routine.

To start off, I use my NYX First Base Primer Spray. Up until about a month ago I didn’t really use primer, but this spray has really helped clear my skin, and I like having a barrier between my face and makeup. Next, I use the Maybelline BB Fresh BB Cream. This is obviously not full coverage, so it gives a much more natural look, but keeps your skin glowy and fresh.

Now onto concealer- I use the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer under my eyes and on my eyelids, and I use the Maybelline FitMe Powder all over my face to smooth everything out. If I could choose only one face product to use of all these, it would be this powder!

Next, I fill in my eyebrows lightly with the Elf Pencil/Brush Duo (I don’t know what the actual name for this is) and go over my brows with the Elf Clear Brow/Mascara Duo. I’ve tried many different products for my brows, and these are by far my favorite. I was really surprised with the quality, because both of these products are only $2 at Target.

After my brows, I contour lightly with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Sundipped. I use this pallet to bronze and highlight my face.

Lastly, I use the Maybelline Blushed Nudes pallet for my eyes, and the Loreal Voluminous Lash Paradise mascara for my eyelashes. This mascara is honestly the drugstore version of the Better Than Sex mascara, which is super overpriced in my opinion. To finish off the look, I use the Elf Makeup Mist & Set setting spray.

I hope you all enjoyed this post! Let me know if you’d like to see more makeup posts in the future!

-Emma ❤

2017 Favorites!

Welcome everyone! It is 2018 the year of change! Everyone says that every new year though, so it’s meaning is somewhat devalued…

I gathered together some of my holy grail favorites that I used all through 2017 and decided to share them with you. Some of them I have already talked about so I will keep those short.

First is the Aveda Purifying Creme Cleanser. I have raved about this everywhere! It’s very gentle and soothing while also getting the job done. I love using the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Moisturizer with this because that moisturizer isn’t a heavy-duty moisturizer which, I think, compliments a non-heavy duty cleanser like this one perfectly.

Next is the BB Seaweed face mask from Lush. I got this in late July. Here in the Midwest, July is hot. The fact that this is a refrigerated face mask is perfect for the hot summer months. It freshens my face and cleans out pores without drying.

I picked up the Loreal 24 Hour Infallible Total Cover foundation at Target and I love it so much. I did a full face of makeup, which I hardly ever do, ask Emma, and I felt like I had no makeup on at all. This foundation has mastered the weightless feel while maintaining perfect coverage.

When I first learned how to do my brows, a much-needed process, I knew that I didn’t want my brows to be perfect, mathematical phenomenons. Just natural eyebrows. This EcoTools Eyebrow Duo set is perfect. Simple, cruelty free brushes for an extremely affordable price are somewhat hard to find. I have no complaints with these.

Last is the Biore Facial Scrub. I am obsessed with this! I am just starting my third tube. You don’t need much to feel refreshed; if you were to leave it on your face for five minutes, the cooling effect is incredible. I highly recommend this.

Self-care Night

Welcome to post #4 of the Beautiful Skin Series! I am so excited about this post I have for you all today.

Today we are going to be talking about self-care, not just skin care. I felt like this post was important for the Beautiful Skin Series because having an overall good mental health is (in my opinion) even more important than a healthy-looking exterior… if that makes sense.

1st I am going to share a few quotes I found on Tumblr over the past couple weeks about self-care, or at least my perception of self-care. Then we will talk about our “Self-care Night”.

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Every two weeks or so, I like to have this thing called a Self-care night. I challenge every reader to do the same one night this week, even if you feel like you’re “too busy” or “don’t have the time”. It’s worth it, I promise.

First things first, tonight I decided to take a bath. I’m using a bath bomb from this cute store that’s sort of like Lush that we have in the mall near me, but you can use anything from bath fizzers to bath salts or nothing at all. I’m also going to be lighting this candle from Bath and Body Works (White Barn) called ‘Tis the Season. It smells sooooo good and really sets the calming mood for the bath. I turn off all the lights in my bathroom and turn on some calming music on my bluetooth speaker, but that’s 100% up to you. Whatever makes you feel relaxed.

After my bath, I am using this African Black Soap Clarifying Mud Mask by Shea Moisture. It is made with Tamarind Extract and Tea Tree Oil, and is made from blemish prone skin, so it will not cause acne (whoop whoop!). I love that this brand is cruelty free, family owned and operated, and uses all natural/organic ingredients to make their masks, so you can feel great about what you are putting on your skin. This was my first time using this mask after I got it in a gift box from Ulta.

The mask went on super smooth and had a milky texture. I can say with no doubt that this was the best face mask I have ever used, so I highly recommend that you try it out!

Lastly, I put on some cozy pajamas and decided to watch Spiderman Homecoming with my family. It always relaxes me when I can lay by the Christmas tree and snuggle up with my kitten, Jasper and just watch a movie.

Here’s a list of some other ideas of things to do before bed:

• Read a book
• Write in your journal
• Read the bible
• Listen to some music
• Draw in a sketchbook
• Play with your pets

Basically just do anything that relaxes you that you might not take the time out to do any other night of the week.

I hope you all enjoyed this post, I loved writing it for you all! Let me know in the comments if you decide to follow the challenge and have your own self-care night!

-Emma ❤

 

 

 

 

Product Review (Peter Thomas Roth and More!!) – Kathleen

Hi wonderful readers!!

Today I am taking part in the Beautiful Skin Series! Just recently, I picked up a few products that I am super excited to tell you about. I only have two, but that’s OK because spending a lot of money on skin care isn’t something I can do.

My first product is the Peter Thomas Roth Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer. I absolutely love this moisturizer. At $52 it is a little pricy, but you don’t need a lot. I am very picky with my moisturizers and hand creams. I don’t like it when moisturizers are thick and sticky. This hydrating moisturizer is light; cloud cream is the perfect description for it. I use this moisturizer at night-time.

My next product is the First Aid Beauty Hello Fab Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer. This tinted moisturizer is amazing. Similar to the Peter Thomas Roth Moisturizer, this is very light. It doubles as both a light BB Cream, moisturizer, and primer AND it smells amazing. On a morning when I’m not going anywhere, this helps me feel a little more put together. I use this as my moisturizer in the mornings.

Thank you so much for reading; I hope you enjoyed this post! Comment and tell me what your favorite skin care product is at the moment. I will be back in a week with a new post!

Kathleen Lucille

Nighttime Skin Routine

Welcome back to the Beautiful Skin Series! We’ve done some more editing on the new site and I am super happy about how it turned out, I hope you all love it too. I’m also so thankful for how well my first post went! So thank you to everyone who has officially become our “first readers”! Now onto the post because I’m ranting a little too much…

Today I will be sharing with you all my nighttime skin routine, what products I use, my sort of review opinion on them!

Let’s get started!

First things first; I take off my makeup using this micellar water. I just recently started using this and it just makes my skin feel so soft! To take off eye makeup or any makeup left on my skin, I use the Neutrogena makeup remover wipes. These work AMAZING. I have been using these for about 3 years now and will never switch to anything else!

Next, I use my Clean and Clear night relaxing face wash. This cleanser smells so good and really does wind me down after a busy day. To make this face wash even better, it’s oil-free and is made with sea minerals and sea kelp extract.

Lastly, I moisturize with the Clean and Clear dual action moisturizer. I LOVE this moisturizer. Most moisturizers feel a bit oily and give me acne, but this actually fights acne and is oil-free! This is my life saver during the cold, dry months.

Thank you all so much for reading! I hope this post gave you some ideas of new skincare products you can try out or add to your own night time skincare routine!

-Emma ❤

Morning Skincare Routine

Hello awesome readers!

I’m coming to you all from an all new website! I’m so excited to finally be switching over to WordPress. Please bear with us as we learn to design this new site!

I decided to start a little series for you all. I’m calling it the “Beautiful Skin Series”. It will consist of a few posts all about skincare and self care. I will have a full schedule of the series’ posts at the end of this post! 🙂

To start off the Beautiful Skin Series, I will be sharing my morning skincare routine with you all! All products used can be found at either Target or Walmart.

Right when I get out of bed, I head to the bathroom and pull back my messy hair into a ponytail to keep it out of my face. I first use my Clean and Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser. This stuff is amazing! It smells so good and just really wakes me up in the morning. It is made with vitamin C and ginseng, and thankfully is oil-free, perfect for my acne prone skin.

After using the Morning Burst Cleanser, I moisturize with the Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb. The Clean and Clear Cleanser tends to dry up my skin if I do not moisturize after, so this is a must. I just recently starting using this after getting a small version of it in the Ulta Most Coveted Skin Care Sampler. I absolutely love how light and weightless this moisturizer feels on my skin. Unlike a lot of moisturizers it doesn’t feel oily at all! Highly recommend trying this out!

After I have showered, I use the St. Ives Daily Hydrating Lotion all over my body to help with dry skin (especially during the cold months). I love the non-greasy feel this lotion gives my skin. It’s made with 100% natural moisturizers which I LOVE.

Thank you all so much for reading! Check out the schedule below if you’re interested in reading more of the “Beautiful Skin” series, or subscribe for notifications every time we post!

-Emma ❤

Beautiful Skin Series Post Schedule 

Morning Skincare Routine – 12/4/17

Night Skincare Routine – 12/7/17

Skincare Product Reviews (Kathleen) – 12/10/17

Self-care Night – 12/13/17

Sumbody Masks Review – 12/16/17