My 2014 Beauty Favorites

2014 Beauty Favorites

I'm probably the last person on the face of the beauty blogosphere to do one of these posts - but the beginning of this year has been crazy already and the semester has already started!

Primer:

I'm going to be honest - I've only used one primer all year long. The elf Mineral Infused face primer - and I've had to repurchase it a few times. New year - new primer. I'm currently trying out Benefit Porefessional. But I'm a little worried about it breaking me out.

Foundation:

Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Foundation. This foundation is so light, so easy to apply, and feels like a dream (haha) on my face. It also comes in a ton of shades and matches my skin tone wonderfully.

Eyeshadow Singles:

I love the Ulta Loose Powder shadows. I own them in 3 different colors and I'm loving them in Mesa and Sienna. Yes, two shades of nudes. But lets be real, they are gorgeous, affordable, easily blendable, and pigmented like crazy! They make getting ready in the morning so easy.

Transformation Tuesday

Transformation Tuesday

This isn't a post about my weight or where I started and where I'm at now, its a post about how makeup transforms me into a fabulous sorority girl.

Plus I really liked how my eyemakeup came out the other day.

To the right is a image of me, one half of my face has makeup on, the other half has none. My bare face isn't something that I'm always confident in because of my trichotillomania, but there are days where my skin needs to breathe and I have to face the world.

Tonight was not one of those nights.

I had a important sorority event in where I needed to dress and look business professional.

Mini Ulta Haul!

I was feeling pretty down after a memorial service I had to attend, so I did some retail therapy at Ulta to cheer me up!

I had a $50 gift card from AT&T so I decided that would be my little budget. I went looking to splurge on the Tarte palette, and of course they STILL didn't have it. So I got some other drugstore things instead.

I reallllly wanted to try the L'Oreal True Match foundation because all I hear are great things about it. My current foundation is a taaaaad to dark for my current (pale) skintone. So I picked it up and tried it out this morning. I realllllly like it. Light, long-lasting, and stands up to the Florida rain/heat/humidity. 

I also picked up a Nyx butter gloss in Tiramisu and a soft matte lip cream in San Paulo. They were both on sale and the Tiramisu is an amazing neutral, while San Paulo is matte and so vibrant to wear. I've worn the Tiramisu with more bold eyeshadows and when I want the attention other than my lips. While I've worn the San Paulo with neturals and had that pop of color on my lippies.

Also pictured is this silver essence eye-shadow, its metallic and I'm going to pair it with the black Ulta eyeshadow. I have an idea for where to take this look, but I've gotta test it out first.

The only other thing is the Palladio liquid liner in black, the one I was using is nowhere near finished, and the top just broke off! Not even superglue could fix it the lid/brush area was so broken. So I had to buy a replacement. They make a nice liquid liner, and I'm currently comparing it to the Almay one and the Rimmel London Scandeleyes liquid/gel liner. (I prefer the Palladio)

Overall, it was a successful trip and I really like the things I purchased.

Stalk meeeee ~?

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Sorority Event - OOTD & FOTD

Sorority Event - OOTD & FOTD

Today's post is inspired by the absolutely lovely ladies in my sorority. I'm a sister in Alpha Omega Epsilon, which is the sorority that supports women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). I am a computer engineering major myself and most of my sisters are engineering majors as well. Last night was the night that we welcomed new candidates into the sorority, it was a pin attire event so we had to look our best. Here are some pictures of the lovely ladies!

Overall though, this was a night about the new candidates and them on the path to becoming lovely new sisters. I managed to catch everyone for an awesome picture with our banner + the membership educator.

Here are our lovely candidates!

I'm excited for the rest of this semester and to see these ladies grow into lovely new sisters!

Now down for why you're actually here: My OOTD & FOTD.

FOTD - OOTD - August 5, 2014

FOTD - OOTD

August 5th, 2014

 OOTD
I picked this dress up sometime within the last year (I honestly am not sure). But since I've gotten it I have been in love with it! This is the dress I mentioned in my August Favorites. I think the thing that spoke to me the most was the color and patterns that adorn this dress. They are seriously eye-catching and this dress is perfect for days where I want to look like I tried really hard in the morning when I really didn't. I also like how it minimises my breast size. The only qualm I have with this dress is the neckline, I have to wear one of those bra clasps that pulls my bra straps in so that they aren't as visible. I paired this dress with some old gold sandals that I own. Its easy and it looks like I seriously tried!

FOTD

This FOTD is pretty standard. But using some of the new things that I picked up this month.

• Primer: e.l.f. Mineral Infused Primer
• Concealer/Highlighter: e.l.f. Studio Duo Concealer/Highlighter in Light
• Foundation: Covergirl Outlast 3-in-1 in Creamy Natural.
• Eyebrows: e.l.f. Studio Eyebrow kit in medium.
• Blush: Maybelline Fit me Blush in Medium Pink
• Eyeshadow: Highlighter is a Sally Beauty Supply Single in White. The other eyeshadow is the L.A. Colors Trio in Orchid.
• Eyeliner: Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof gel liner in black.
• LipGloss: Nyx Butter Gloss in Raspberry Tart.

My earrings are all cheapies that I've picked up from Claires/local stores around here and I'm currently wearing Wet n' Wilds Lavender Pearlescent. Its this pretty peachy pink color that I was fond of and I liked the $1 price even more.

I'm wearing WHAT...?!

I'M WEARING WHAT...?!

Pants. Yes, pants.

To those of you who know me, you are seriously surprised because I only wear pants every once in a blue moon. Well, apparently a blue moon is tonight because I've got not only JEANS but SKINNY JEANS on.

To be honest I never thought I'd fit in these pants again. But, I do! They are still a bit tight, but wearable nevertheless. They are a darker denim and I've paired them with a colorful top. For my hair I've just done a simple hairstyle and paired it with simple makeup. I find going to work all glammed up to be a bit overkill. All I do all day is stare at code and the only people who notice are my co workers, who are already in shock that I've decided to wear pants. Please ignore my sandals: I had a charlie horse in my calf last night that left my leg aching for the majority of the day. (I actually left the house in my slippers!)

OOTD - FOTD - Weight Loss Update!

This morning my wardrobe was seriously lacking because more than half my clothes, accessories, and shoes are packed up. So doing an OOTD was almost impossible, but I decided to do it anyway.

It monsooned outside my office on and off all day.

This outfit is pretty simple, just a dress I picked up a few years ago at Target. My fiance actually picked it out, and I wore it on the night we got engaged. The shoes are Pink & Pepper black madja gladiator sandals. I carried a blue teal Coach leather handbag I've had for a couple years. Its large and can hold all the things I need for school and work! (minus my laptop) I had my hair natural in just a headband. It was another wet day outside today, so I kept everything simple.

Review: Rimmel London Stay Matte Foundation

I recently have spent some lengths of time in the sun, and because its the summertime my face gets fairly shiny pretty quickly. I wasn't even looking for a foundation originally, I had just given up and was going pretty bare-faced except for a light powder and possibly a BB cream this summer.

And then I went on vacation, and got really tan.

Soooooooo my BB cream no longer matched my body, and I was going out with my Mom and some of her friends we were on vacation with. One of her friends had just bought this and offered to let me use it. So I put a little on my hand and it matched me perfectly. I applied it with my beauty blender and it kept me matte all night in the Florida beach heat. So I had to buy it for myself.

The next day I went and picked it up for myself at Walgreens for $4.99. The price was seriously on point. I've been wearing it almost exclusively since then, and I love it. My tan is fading so I'm going to have to get a lighter color soon.
Pros:

• Keeps me matte all day/all night in the muggy South FL weather.
• I barely have to use any concealer.
• Mild scent
• Doesn't irritate my sensitive skin

Although I do have to say if you are more heavy handed using your foundation it can look cakey. If your going for that dewy summer fresh faced look, you won't get it with this foundation. But that is fine with me, because I sit in an office for most of the day anyway.

The image to the left was taken outside, and the one to the right was taken in my office.

If you have any comments or questions about this foundation leave a comment below!
-Jenn