don't call me jessie

i am officially on youtube (beware!)

2012-01-30T18:56:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to get on here really quickly to tell you that, yes, Rachel's constant bullying finally took effect, and I filmed three beauty videos today. >_< The first two were uploaded just now, and the third I'm going to save for a little later. Please note that I'm a total amateur at this (you will be shocked to learn this after watching my expert filming techniques), but I'm going to try to keep at it anyways!

So... you can click here to see my Youtube page.

Or, if you're feeling lazy (no judgement!), you can just watch right here:

Please don't harm yourself after watching. You'll recover quickly, I promise! ;)

Hope you all had a great weekend and a great week-in-progress! I'll be back again shortly with a real post, promise! :)

Love you all and thanks for reading!

xoxo,
Jess

a monday in pictures (w/fotd)

2012-01-23T20:51:00.001-05:00

FACE

NARS Sheer Glow foundation

Lancome Star Bronzer in Sunkissed (matte)

YSL Touche Eclat (under eyes)

Benefit Hervana blush

MAC Stereo Rose MSF

EYES

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk

Tom Ford Burnished Amber e/s quad

Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Bourbon

Maybelline Master Shape Brow in Dark Brown

YSL Faux Cils Shocking mascara

LIPS

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait*

*Mini RANT! Has anyone seen the ad for Revlon's lip butters? (Click here if you haven't.) Don't get me wrong, it's a gorgeous ad, but um, that they say Emma Stone is wearing Peach Parfait on her lips in the photo is a joke! It looks much more like Tutti Frutti. I just hate misleading advertising, and I would hate for someone to order Peach Parfait (because I doubt anyone who saw it in person would) expecting it to be a milky coral shade. #endrant

(lol.. what am I doing with my hand??)

Some more lazy Monday pics...

I bought another 3-drawer container and mini storage bin, and took some time last night to organize some loose makeup that was either on the counter or thrown in a drawer. I wanted another drawer container for storing cream blushes, paint pots/primers, and eyeshadow palettes. And I needed another bin to organize lipsticks (I store them upside down so finding a shade is extra simple) - I'd had quite a few stuffed into a cosmetic bag and it was just too hard to find things that way.

And, lastly, a few more kitty pics I've been meaning to post for a while...

(Sammy watching jealously as Mouse snuggles in my lap)

I hope you all had a great weekend and have a great week as well! I'm off to watch my two favorite Monday night guilty pleasures - The Bachelor and Pretty Little Liars!

Thanks so much for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

by request: d&g passion duo lipstick in imperial swatches

2012-01-20T13:53:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I was wearing the elusive (as in, can't find swatches ANYWHERE) Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Gloss Fusion lipstick in Imperial. It was requested that I post swatches - as, like I said, there aren't any anywhere! So here I am, happy to oblige! :)

I wish that D&G cosmetics were more accessible (ordering from Saks online is not my favorite), and easier to find reviews/swatches of -- blind-ordering is so tricky! Luckily, I've been really happy with my most recent D&G purchases - the Classic Cream lipstick in Cinnamon and the one I'm posting about here. :) My only disappoint was the Classic Cream lipstick in Nude, which I just didn't love the shade of on me (it's in my blog sale).

The formula of this lipstick is very creamy, moreso than the Classic Cream lipsticks. It has the same powdery scent, which I know some people aren't fans of, but I personally don't mind it. I also prefer the slimmer, taller packaging to that of the Classic Cream lipsticks. Sleek!

On to the swatches...

D&G Classic Cream lipstick in Cinnamon (top);

D&G Passion Duo Gloss Fusion lipstick in Imperial (bottom)

Classic Cream lipstick packaging (left);

Passion Duo Gloss Fusion lipstick (right)

And Imperial swatched on the lips...

To sum it up, I'm definitely happy with this lipstick. I really want to try the shade Darling next!

Have any of you tried the Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo lipsticks? If so, what do you think?

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

fotd + the cutest baby i know :)

2012-01-18T17:41:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted many FOTDs lately, because - not sure if I've mentioned this already, my apologies if I have! - the camera in my phone doesn't like taking pictures of faces right now. It just can't seem to get the colors right. Product photos and swatches are fine, but for some reason, face pics have been a total pain. :\ Anyways, I tried to tough it out today because I was SO impressed with the payoff of the Revlon Colorstay eyeshadow quad in Moonlit. I couldn't recommend it more, especially if you like taupes and browns!

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

Lancome Star Bronzer (matte) in Sunkiss

Stila Love at First Blush

YSL Metallic Colorama face highlighter

YSL Touche Eclat (under eyes)

EYES

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

Revlon Colorstay eyeshadow quad in Moonlit

MAC Blacktrack fluidline

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

Maybelline Master Shape Brow in Dark Brown

YSL Faux Cils Shocking mascara

LIPS

Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Gloss Fusion lipstick in Imperial

A pic of the products used...

I had a really eventful week - I had three separate vet appointments for muh boys (one of which was Sammy's neuter operation - poor guy!), and then Thursday my best friend/cousin and her 8-month-old daughter Felicity came to visit me from Chicago! They just left yesterday and already I miss them loads! :( We had lots of fun during their stay, though - we went to EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and did lots of shopping and eating of course!

I took about a thousand pictures of Felicity, and quite a few videos, too. I thought I'd share some of my faves. Isn't she ridiculously adorable??

Alright, hope you all are enjoying your night! See you again soon, and thanks for reading!

xoxo,
<3 Jess

spring cosmetics w/swatches (Lancome, YSL, MAC, Paul & Joe) + other buys

2012-01-10T23:59:00.002-05:00

I had a December Favorites post planned - photos are taken, etc. - but I was just way too excited to do this post, so... sorry, Favorites, you'll just have to wait... even longer. Oops!

I think it's safe to say that this spring's makeup collections have been my most anticipated of all time. I usually hate when the holidays are over, but this year I was almost too excited for spring releases to be bothered!

I was really grateful to receive several gift cards for Christmas, and they were used to purchase quite a few of these things. :) Anyways, let's get on with it!

Um, best Lancome collection ever? I usually barely glance at Lancome collections, but this one is SO AMAZING! Down to the packaging, this collection just blows my mind. It reminds me of Laduree (the Parisian macaroon-makers!). The lipsticks are my favorite they've released as well. And I can't even bring myself to swatch the powder!

I really recommend checking out the collection in person. Everything's really lovely - it was so hard to restrain myself!

Lancome La Roseraie Illuminating Smooth Powder (can't bear to swatch this yet!)

The lipsticks are must-haves, in my opinion, particularly these two shades. I'm bummed to have missed out on MAC Flamingo from the Iris Apfel collection, but these two resemble it closely enough to ease my pain. ;) Unlike most Lancome lipsticks, these are unscented. They also contain no shimmer and go on sheer, but buildable. They feel very moisturizing on the lips.

Lancome Le French Touch in 316 Cotton Candy, Lancome L'Absolu Nu in 1141 Sweet Marmalade

Cotton Candy, Sweet Marmalade

Lancome Cotton Candy

Lancome Sweet Marmalade

YSL makes the best. lipsticks. ever. And their Spring collection releases are no exception. I love both of the shades I picked, and Shimmering Coral is probably my favorite Rouge Volupte Perle from YSL so far. I think this range has the best scent, too!

YSL Rouge Volupte Perle in 115 Shimmering Coral and 116 Milky Pink

Shimmering Coral, Milky Pink

YSL Shimmering Coral

YSL Milky Pink

I really restrained myself with MAC - two awesome collections were released, and all I picked up were two lipsticks. *pats self on back* And I'm really pleased with both of them!

MAC Sweet Sunrise, MAC A Perfect Day

Sweet Sunrise, A Perfect Day

MAC Sweet Sunrise

MAC A Perfect Day

The mini Paul & Joe order I placed on ASOS.com just arrived today, actually (it was ordered first!), which is why it's not with the other cosmetics in the top photo. ASOS doesn't ship cosmetics particularly well (loose with some tissue in a box) and it's not the fastest shipping, but at least it's free shipping, so it is what it is. And it's one of my favorite online shops to browse.

Paul & Joe Face & Eye Color in Kitty Cat (ASOS.com)

Paul & Joe lipstick in Sex Kitten (ASOS.com)

Yeah, not ready to swatch those either! >_<

Overall, I'm SO happy with my picks for Spring. I love everything! Of course, not sure I'll ever be able to touch the Lancome powder or Paul & Joe stuff, but I love looking at it! haha

If you're surprised there's no Dior here, that's because I was kind of disappointed in the collection after seeing it in person, and I realized the colors in the palettes aren't ones I'm likely to use often, so they're not worth the price to me. I am, however, on the prowl for the 3 Couleurs Smoky in Smoky Garden (the green one!), though.

I'm also still looking forward to the second Kitty collection from Paul & Joe that comes out in February, and the YSL Glossy Stains that should be up on Sephora.com soon! Wouldn't it be nice to have a neverending supply of cash for cosmetics?? HA!

Onto everything else...

Wallflowers & room spray (Bath & Body Works)

I can't wait for the new Slatkin & Co. spring candles! They had a few of them available in-store today, and they smell sooo good! I heard they're re-releasing The Flower Shop, which is probably my favorite spring candle - yay!

Fifi Lapin for Juicy Couture notecards & sketchbook
Red Velvet Cupcake candle (Target)

I'm a longtime fan of Fifi Lapin. I have several prints around my apartment, as well as her book and two bags from her LeSportsac collection. So yeah, knew I needed to check out the Juicy Couture shop when I heard they were releasing a capsule collection. It also included two adorable scarves, but these were more in my budget!

The candle was just an impulse purchase - Target is GREAT for those! haha Seriously, though, sniff this bad boy if you get a chance and are a fan of sweet, baked-good type candles. This one is seriously yum. No idea what the burn/scent throw will be like, but we'll see.

Printed tea towel (Anthropologie)

I wanted something to replace my Christmas-themed hand towels in my kitchen, and I've always loved Anthropologie's tea towels. This one just really stood out for me. I really love that I had a gift card for Anthropologie, because this is one of those things that I really love, but never would have normally purchased for myself. :)

Vintage marmalade canister (Anthropologie)

I was looking for something to store my Clarisonic and toothbrush in (my new one doesn't fit in the holder I have now), and really fell in love with this. Random, right? That's me!

In other news, I took Sammy to get up-to-date on his shots and to be neutered today (Mouse went 3 weeks ago). He's been so sleepy, poor guy!

I got the night off work tonight, and I was so glad, because after I dropped Sammy off early in the AM, I came back home and tried to go back to sleep, but Mouse was not having it. Every 15 minutes, he'd knead me, cry in the windowsill beside my bed, and/or attack my feet and legs. You'd think he was missing his brother or something! So cute. >_< He was so happy when I brought Sammy home. <3

Okay, that's all the rambling for now! Hope you're all having a great week. I'm off to go watch some new Tabatha (formerly Tabatha's Salon Takeover, now Tabatha Takes Over). LOVE that woman! Then it's off to bed! My cousin/best friend and her baby are coming to stay with me for five days, and I have so much to do before they get here - ack!!

Love you guys and thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

another (mostly) drugstore haul w/swatches & FOTD

2012-01-04T03:59:00.000-05:00

It is a warm and toasty 37 degrees fahrenheit in Orlando right now. Let's just say I'm not very happy about this. I've been avoiding my desk at night the past week or so, just because I've been too cold to leave my sofa and warm blanket (Florida translation of "too cold": mid-50's..) but tonight I actually had to break down and turn on the heat. :P I only like cold weather during the holidays, but once they're over, NO THANKS! Anyways, #rantover and now on with the good stuff. :)

Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam foundation in Classic Ivory (Target)
Essie Lux Effects polish in Shine of the Times (Walgreens)
L'Oreal Colour Riche nail polish in Club Prive (Target)
L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle Blush in Plume (Walgreens)
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze (Target)
L'Oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner (Walgreens, on sale for $5.99)

I love, love, love the L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle blushes. Seriously, they are amazing. I like the Maybelline Bouncy blushes and all, but they have nothing on the L'Oreal in terms of ease of application, lasting power, and wearability. I now have three of the four shades available (I think the only one I don't have is a medium pink), and I plan on getting the one I don't have, too! Did I mention I love these? ;)

I also love the Maybelline Color Tattoo cream/gel shadows. I think they work best as primers (as several others have said as well). I didn't think Bad to the Bronze looked that spectacular in the packaging, but when I saw swatches, I knew I had to have it. I do find it creases a bit more than the other two I have (Tough as Taupe and Pomegranate Punk), but I still like it lots.

I was curious to try the L'Oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner, because it seems to be a drugstore alternative to the WEN cleansing conditioner, which I've tried and liked, but found it to run out too quickly and too pricey to repurchase. I've only been using it for the past two days, so I can't really give a review, but I will say that it smells amazing!

L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle Blush in Plume, Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

L'Oreal Club Prive + Essie Shine of the Times

The Body Shop Candied Ginger gift set (50% off; $45 down to $22.50 - total steal as these are all full-size products!)

The Body Shop mini grapefruit body scrub

Elephant mug from Target (his ears are hearts!)

Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam on skin (hate it!)

Okay, so I fell for the gimmick of the foam foundation. My mistake, because this is one awful product. It's difficult to apply, it oxidizes like CRAZY, has a pungent sunscreen smell (it's SPF 16 - random number, right?), and is extremely sheer. If you're interested, the shade I purchased was Classic Ivory. Major regret. :P Oh well, that's the risk you take with drugstore makeup, right? They can't all be winners!

The crazy part is that I still am curious about Revlon's Photoready foam foundation. And I HATE the original Photoready! I swear, you put "new" on the label, and I'm instantly intrigued. #sucker

I thought I'd show you a quick FOTD with some of the products. I've been having some issues with my camera (in my phone) lately - it just can't get the white balance right when I take self portraits - it seems to always be too bright or too dark. I'm trying to figure out the problem but until then, this is the best I can do. :\

FACE

Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam foundation

Dior Aurora

L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle blush in Plume

YSL Metallic Colorama face highlighter

EYES

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette YDK (lid), Busted (crease), Booty Call (highlight)

Chanel Beige Lame e/s (under brows)

Stila Stay All Day liquid liner in Black

Trish McEvoy 24hr Shadow/Liner in Topaz

Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in Dark Brown

Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara

LIPS

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre #108 Ochre Rose

I hope you all are enjoying 2012 so far. I know I am - new collections are sprouting up all over the place! Plus my best friend/cousin and her toocuteforwords baby daughter are coming to visit me next week for a few days - I'm stoked! And, to top it all off, all my fave shows are coming back on the air this week and next - yay, Vampire Diaries! I've been filling my DV-R with Friends reruns this past month. :)

By the way, may I just say that this has been the most difficult blog post to write EVER because a certain little orange monster has been walking back and forth across my desk the WHOLE TIME. He particularly likes to step on the keyboard and just stand up in front of the monitor for minutes at a time. But even when he's getting into mischief, he just looks so darn cute! How could ever get mad at this little chunk?

post (kitty-)breakfast snuggle

One of these things is not like the other...

"Look how high I can climb, Mom!"

Thanks so much for reading!

Lots of love,

xoxo,

Jess

christmas gifts + something a little different :)

2011-12-29T13:26:00.000-05:00

This Christmas was a bit different than most years. We often have "faux Christmas" in my family, because for the 6 years I've been with Disney, I've always had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. And I've been very lucky in that last year and the year before, my parents and brother came to visit me for Christmas. However, I actually had Christmas Day off this year, but I couldn't spend it with my family. Dad did come to visit for a few days the week prior, though, and that was great!

On Christmas morning, I got on Skype with my parents (my brother went to Portland with his girlfriend to spend Christmas with her family), and we opened gifts and Christmas crackers. I was on Skype with them for at least two hours! That really made my Christmas - otherwise, I would really have felt lonely, I think. I spent the rest of the day watching Christmas movies (A Christmas Story at least three times, Home Alone, etc.), and later, went CVS-shopping - as you already know! And of course there were lots of kitty snuggles throughout. :)

Even though I couldn't be with my family on Christmas, I still felt very blessed - and I definitely felt spoiled with the wonderful gifts I received!

stocking gifts!*

I was a bad girl and opened my stocking about a week before Christmas! I was home sick from work and feeling sorry for myself, and then this box arrived from Mom. I knew it had my stocking stuffers in it, so I opened it! >_< It did cheer me up LOADS, though! Sorry, Mom! hehe

(I bought Jingle All the Way and the Kung Fu Panda set for myself)

from my awesome brother!

bunny lamp from Anthropologie - I think this is my favorite gift!

The green desk chair I showed in a prior post was also a Christmas gift (an early one!) and Dad got me a new printer when he visited me, too - although that's not very fun to photograph, so I didn't! Aaaand I got lots of pajamas from Old Navy -- I looooove Old Navy pajamas!!

I also received gift cards for Anthropologie, GAP, Neiman Marcus (Dior & YSL spring collections, here I come!), and Charming Charlie. I really love receiving gift cards, as they really help to "extend" Christmas past the 25th! :D

If you're curious, this is what I got for my kitties:

bow-tie collars! (They wore these for about 30 seconds!)

Those pillow-looking things were full of catnip - they went NUTS for those!

And now for a little surprise... I uploaded a YouTube video of Sammy & Mouse on Christmas Eve. Just be aware that it was really late at night and I had (still have!!) a cold. But alas, there it is. And for those of you (*coughRachelcough*) who've been bugging me to make a YouTube video, this is my half-assed attempt. haha ;) I didn't actually intend it for YouTube when I was filming it (usually I just share kitty vids with my family), but thought some of you might enjoy the cuteness. Enjoy!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I'm so sad it's over already!

Lots of love,

Jess

Merry Christmas!! + a major drugstore haul

2011-12-25T23:38:00.002-05:00

The Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian (that's real gingerbread!)

I've been a bad blogger, but I'm back in action! I hope you all are having/had a wonderful Christmas! I didn't have to work today, but I can't take time off between Christmas and New Year's (Disney policy), so I wasn't able to visit my family (one of the very few negatives of the job - otherwise I love it!). However, Dad came to visit for a few days last week, and this morning I got on Skype with Mom and Dad for about two hours! We opened presents, chatted, played with our kitties - isn't technology amazing? I was thinking I'd feel really lonely this Christmas, but Skype definitely saved the day. :)

My Christmas NOTD - Sally Hansen Salon Effects Strips in Peppermint Twist

I'm really excited to show you some of the gifts I received, but my brother's gift is stuck at the post office until Tuesday, so I shall wait (I already know what it is.. hehe). However, after Skype, breakfast, and the Disney Christmas parade, I did go out for a bit on a MISSION (yes, it deserves to be in all-caps) to find the new L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadows and Magic Smooth Souffle blushes. *Sidenote: For those who may be wondering, most CVS and Walgreens stores are open Christmas Day (just not their normal hours). I went to one CVS the other night (see my purchases below), and today I went to three more CVS stores on my hunt. Imagine my elation when I saw two huge displays of new L'Oreal products as well as one for new Maybelline products at last. And the displays were fully stocked!! It was a (drugstore makeup) Christmas miracle. ;)

I swear I walked up and down the aisles for 45 minutes trying to raaaationally decide on what to pick up. I'd originally thought I'd wanted to try the Colour Riche Balm in Pink Satin, but when I thought, "What are the chances I'll like it more than the Candeur Rouge Coco Shine?" it was easy to pass on it. For now...

Here's what I did end up picking up, though:

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in 30 Candy Coral and 60 Coffee Cake
Physician's Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Lipstick in I <3 Nude (odd name, since it's more of a pale pinky coral...) *P.S. I hate loooooooooong product names!!

Dream Bouncy Blush in Candy Coral (left) and Coffee Cake

They're like sponge! Sooo fun to use!

How could I resist that heart print??

I love how the Physician's Formula lipstick looks on! I'm not a fan of the outer packaging (looks cheap, aside from the clear lid) or the scent/taste (again, cheap/plastic-y), but I'm very happy with the shade, formula, and that CUTE heart imprint!!

So I bought the above the other night, and what you see below I picked up on my Christmas Day CVS scavenger hunt. ;)

Maybelline Master Shape Eyestudio Eyebrow Pencil in Soft Brown (potential MAC Lingering dupe??)
L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle Blush in Angelic and Celestial
L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush and Bronzed Taupe
Maybellie Color Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in Tough as Taupe and Pomegranate Punk

L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle blush in Celestial, Angelic;

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush, Bronzed Taupe;

Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadow in Tough as Taupe, Pomegrante Punk

(swatched in the same order)

Just from swatching (haven't worn them on my eyes yet), the Infallible eyeshadows are definitely similar to the Armani Eyes to Kill range, and the Maybelline Color Tattoo shadows are more like MAC Paint Pots. If I change my mind, I'll keep you posted! I can't wait to use these! The L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle blushes are lovely, too, though I will say I wish there were a wider range of shades - they all looked so similar on the display! Also, while Angelic is matte, Celestial *looks* matte, but actually has sparkle in it (it's weird - it rests on top, while the blush itself looks matte - hard to describe!). It's making me a little nervous looking at it on my hand - sparkly/glittery blushes are not my friend!

MAC Lingering on left, Maybelline Master Shape in Soft Brown on right

These look VERY similar in the swatches. I actually just ran out of my Lingering brow pencil the day before, so this was something I was looking for - I can't believe I found such a perfect shade match! We'll see how it fares on my brows!

I wanted to get these swatches up right away in case you were thinking of purchasing any of these newbies! Obviously, I've only just gotten them, so I can't do any in-depth reviewing just yet, but I will be using them all this week, so I'll let you know how it goes!

Again, Merry Christmas (just 25 minutes left as I'm typing - so sad!) to all of you!

Lots of love,

Jess

chanel spring 2012: rouge coco shines in 68 candeur & 69 flirt

2011-12-12T22:14:00.001-05:00

I was so excited to see Chanel's Spring 2012 Harmonie de Printemps collection on shelves - don't get me wrong, I am NOT ready for Christmas to be over, but I AM ready to see the spring makeup collections roll out! If you know me at all, you know lipstick is my favorite beauty product, and nudes and peachy pinks are my absolute greatest weakness. Well, the spring collections seem to be full of them, and full of other beautiful details as well -- Paul & Joe's kitty-themed collection? YES PLEASE! Dior's Garden Party collection with rose imprinted palettes? I'M SO THERE. And YSL is rolling out an utterly dangerous number of new lipstick shades, and even a new line of liquid lipsticks. #byebyebankaccount

Anyways, I made a pretty restrained purchase (for me!). I was most excited about the limited edition blush, but I was highly disappointed when I swatched it, so I passed (scroll down for swatches). It just looked scarily frosty on my skin. The eyeshadows, Rouge Coco lipsticks, and glossimers were all easy passes as well. It was quite a relief actually, as there's so many things I want from Dior, YSL, and Paul & Joe when those collections release.

Okay, let's get to it then:

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in 68 Candeur

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in 69 Flirt

It may be too early to be saying this already, but I think these may be my favorite Rouge Coco Shines to date. They're both so wearable and easy to just slap on with any look. I don't really notice any shimmer, though they are definitely glossy. Flirt reminds me of YSL's Volupte Sheer Candy #10 Tangy Mandarina, and Candeur reminds me a cross between YSL's Rouge Pur Shine in #32 Frozen Mango and #93 Pink Lychee. Again, if you know me, you know if I compare a lip product to YSL it's the highest compliment I can give as they can pretty much do no wrong in that department.

Here are the other swatches I took at the counter. I got some weird looks taking these pics - ah, so goes the life of a beauty blogger. haha

Blush Horizon de Chanel on left, Tigerlily top right, Rose de Mai bottom right

Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Garnet (love this shade!)

Hope this was helpful!

Thanks so much for reading. 13 days till Christmas! YAY! :D

xoxo,

<3 Jess

fotd, nails, & my november favorites

2011-12-06T03:28:00.000-05:00

Hello beautifuls! I hope you're all enjoying December so far. It's my favorite month of the year. I love all the Christmas madness and mayhem - the shopping, the television specials/classic movies, the food, the friendlier-than-usual attitudes (except on Black Friday!!), the decorating, the eggnog! The only thing I *don't* love is living a good distance from my family and the lack of snow/winter-y weather. Bah humbug to that! But nothing can keep me down during the holidays! Is my cheerfulness grating on your nerves yet? ;)

Anyways, I'm doing a bit of a mash-up post today - a FOTD, NOTD, and November Favorites all rolled into one. And kitty pics. Can't. post. without. kitty. pics. They seriously watch over my shoulder to make sure I'm posting photos of them in every post, I swear!

Okay, on with the gratuitous big ol' face shots. Brace yourselves!

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Powder

NARS Sin blush + Benefit Heavana (just a little)

Benefit Watt's Up

EYES

Armani Eyes to Kill in Khaki Pulse

Bare Escentuals Playlist: Pumped (crease), One Hit Wonder (highlight), Remix (lower lashline)

Stila Stay All Day Liner in Black

Trish McEvoy 24 Hr. Shadow/Liner in Topaz

MAC Lingering brow pencil

YSL Faux Cils Shocking mascara

Clinique Bottom Lash mascara

LIPS

Candy Doll lipstick in Ramune Pink

NAILS

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Green Tea

Green Tea on left, Sephora by OPI Sugar Plum Fairies Gone Wild on right

I picked up both of these polishes last week. I have Sugar Plum Fairies Gone Wild on my toes, but I think toe pictures are just... wrong. I'll have to show it to you (on my fingernails!) some other time! ;) I'm addicted to mint polishes, so of course I had to grab Green Tea when I saw it at CVS. Surprisingly, while I have *similar* colors in my collection, nothing was an exact dupe. It's like a more blue Revlon Minted. It looks similar to Essie Mint Candy Apple as well.

So, seriously, I took photos for a November Favorites post, but I felt like 95% of my favorites were things I've already photographed and/or talked about here. So instead I'm going to lazy route and making a list. Yay, laziness!

BEAUTY FAVES

Bare Escentuals The Playlist palette
MAC Let's Skate & Nubile paint pots (Let's Skate used w/the BE palette is MAGIC, forreal)
Chanel Beige Lame e/s, NARS Lola Lola e/s (what else is new?)
Lush Colour Supplement in Light Yellow
Benefit Watt's Up
Trish McEvoy 24-Hour Shadow & Liner in Topaz (giving my Laura Mercier Amethyst a run for its money!)
MAC Lovejoy mineralize blush
YSL Faux Cils Shocking (only a sample, but it hasn't dried out in weeks of use!), FairyDrops Scandal Queen
C.O. Bigelow Mentha Supreme 2X lip balm (my favorite night lip treatment)
Revlon Lip Butters
NARS Heat Wave lipstick (have yet to wear it, but still!)

EVERYTHING ELSE

Tokidoki x Hello Kitty makeup bag
Dove Silky Smooth White Chocolate
LUSH Snowshowers perfume
LUSH Angel's Delight soap
Bath & Body Works Warm Harvest Apple creamy body scrub (I will cry when this stuff runs out!)
Carmex Healing Lotion
OPI Rainbow Connection
CHRISTMAS! EVERYWHERE! <3 <3 <3
Clarisonic Mia (rediscovered its terrific-ness)
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
Alaway eye drops -- these are a miracle worker for itchy eyes. I can't survive without this stuff!
TV: re-runs of JEM and Friends, Once Upon A Time, Happy Endings, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness! --No, I'm not 12! >_<
MUSIC: Christmas music! Plus the new Howie D. and Drake albums...
READING: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
YOUTUBE FAVES: makeupneversleeps (duh!), missglamorazzi, amarixe, thecurrentboobies

Another fave is an early Christmas gift my parents sent - a new desk chair! I love it!

I have a Target throw over it and a Pier1 pillow to cozy it up. If you're curious about the chair, it's called the "Oh" chair by Umbra. It can be purchased on amazon.com. They have several other colors also. I think it's such a great chair - and it's pretty affordable for a desk chair, too!

Sammy, dreaming of a white Christmas (no snow in Florida, boo!)

Mouse has some serious Rachel cheekbones - jealous!

Partners in crime, forreal <3

Alright, lovely readers, that is all! Thanks for doing what you do - reading, commenting, all of it. You guys are crazy awesome.

Happy Holidays!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

swatchfest: my favorite red lipsticks (& kitties)

2011-11-29T00:36:00.001-05:00

NARS Heat Wave

I recently acquired NARS Heat Wave lipstick after seeing it on about five different bloggers, looking absolutely mind-blowing on each of them. I knew I had to add it to my arsenal, however small it is, of must-have reds.

I also picked up MAC's Such Flare from the Glitter & Ice collection, as it reminded me of a cross between Ruby Woo and NARS Jungle Red, two of my other faves.

As it's been over a year since I did a post about red lips, I thought it was time I re-introduce my faves, including my two newest additions. You can read my past posts about red lips here, here, and also here.

NARS Heat Wave

NARS Jungle Red

MAC Such Flare

MAC Ruby Woo

MAC Lady Danger

And swatched on my hand...

TOP: NARS Heat Wave, NARS Jungle Red

BOTTOM: MAC Such Flare, MAC Ruby Woo, MAC Lady Danger

I realized after taking all the photos for this post that I forgot to include Chanel's Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon. I store it, as well as some of my other Chanel lipsticks, in a mug on my dresser, away from my other reds! I wanted to give it a quick mention anyways, as it's a gorgeous red, and very different from the others I own. It's a deep, blood red, with a thick gloss-like consistency. It's a bit difficult to apply because of the formula, but it's really stunning nonetheless.

I also forgot to take a photo of all the lipsticks lined up together. Total blogger fail. I may have to update this post later to amend those two errors. :P

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! One of the downsides of working at Disney is that I always have to work Thanksgiving and Christmas - but it never gets me down for long. I love the holidays too much! Also, if you're wondering, I didn't do Black Friday shopping (I worked 10 hours on Thanksgiving and got home, exhausted, after midnight - all I cared about was sleep!), but I did get some Christmas shopping done over the weekend. Lots of the Black Friday deals were still in place, too, so I'm glad I didn't waste my time/energy!

Next up *crosses fingers* will be my November favorites! I wanted to take pics earlier today, but it was cloudy and raining all day, so that was a no-go.

Oh, and before I go, kitty pics!

See you all soon, and hope you're having a great week - and getting into the holiday spirit, wherever you are! :D

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

happy (huge) HAUL-idays! yay for corny puns!

2011-11-22T00:58:00.003-05:00

I'm a crazy shopping machine during the holidays. But I just can't resist all the awesomeness combined with great sales and coupons. Plus, I like shopping for others, too, and in shopping for others, I always manage to stumble upon things that I want, too. Oy. Anyways, here's the damage I've done in the past few weeks:

West Elm: Santa mug (20% off), Owl mug (20% off), and fox ornament
Ulta: Revlon Peach Petal nail polish, Revlon Gum Drop scented nail polish, Macadamia Deep Repair Masque (can't wait to try this!) --$5 off $15 coupon (these items didn't total $15, but I also got a gift *shh!*)

Bath & Body Works: Slatkin & Co. Toasted Pistachio Delight candle, Iced Gingerbread foaming hand soap, Fresh Balsam wallflower (shaped like a Christmas tree!) --$10 off $30 coupon

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Bath & Body Works has upped their game 200% this year. The gingerbread soap smells EXACTLY like sweet, spicy gingerbread men - I LOVE it. And the candle? Pistachio with a hint of strawberry and cream. If you like Laura Mercier's Pistachio line, you'll love this. And even if you don't, seriously, give this a whiff if you can. So, so yum. The Fresh Balsam plug-in was necessary - I don't have any "holiday" plug-in scents (had Vanilla Bean Noel and Winter Candy Apple, but used both already). I was having a tough time deciding between Spice and Fresh Balsam, but when I saw the tree-shaped one, my mind was made.

Howie D, Back To Me --my favorite Backstreet Boy's first solo album! Mom pre-ordered this for me - thanks, Mama :)
Drake, Take Care --been a fan since his run on Degrassi - I loved his rapping then, and I still love it now...

I don't buy music all that often, and I tend to gravitate towards female singers, so two albums by fellas in one week is a pretty big achievement for me. So far, loving them both. :) And yes, I still buy CDs. I mostly listen to music in my car, and don't want to mess with my iPod.

Happy Endings: The Complete First Season -- one of my favorite shows at the moment. I only saw two or three episodes of the first season, so I want to catch up!
Book of Dragons/Gift of the Night Fury (two new How to Train Your Dragon shorts) - HTTYD was my favorite movie from last year, so when I saw this on the new release display, I threw it in my cart without thinking - hope it doesn't suck!

Tokidoki x Hello Kitty cosmetic bag

Forever21 for Hello Kitty cosmetic bag (only $6.80!)

So, funny story, I picked up the tokidoki x Hello Kitty cosmetic bag from the Sanrio store, and then, browsing the mall, I noticed a Hello Kitty display at the front of Forever21. And... I bought another cosmetic bag. Just what I need! >_< I'll probably save this one to use for traveling. So, I walk into the mall owning zero Hello Kitty makeup bags, and I walk out with two. The end.

Butter London Leopard Nail Skin Stickers

I have a love/hate relationship with nail stickers (cute designs/easy to remove but also chip easily, complicated to apply), but these Butter London ones were so screamingly me that I couldn't resist. We'll see how it goes.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters in Tutti Frutti, Creme Brulee, and Gumdrop

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti

Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

Revlon Lip Butter in Gumdrop (reminds me of YSL RVP in Celestial Mauve!)

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait (sooo much prettier on than I expected!)

MAC Sheen Supreme in Gotta Dash (back2Mac'd for this - gotta love free lipsticks!)

MAC Sheen Supreme in Gotta Dash

MAC Gotta Dash; Revlon Tutti Frutti, Creme Brulee, and Gumdrop

Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Eggnog

Revlon Eggnog wand + swatch

Revlon Colorburst lip gloss in Eggnog

LUSH: Gingerbread House Tin -- contains So White and Cinders bath bombs, Gingerbread House and Candy Mountain bubble bars. I love that it can be re-used as a bank! Although I like the idea of storing my holiday bath products in it each year, too. :)

contents of the Gingerbread House Tin

LUSH: I Love Juicy shampoo, Vanilla Dee-Lite lotion sample -- I Love Juicy is one of the best-smelling shampoos I've ever used. Plus, it works magic on my hair! I've skipped using Moroccanoil several times this week because my hair was already soft and smooth without it! After shampooing, I use Aussie 3 Minute Miracle and I'm good to go.

LUSH: Rocketeer, Golden Wonder, and Twilight bath bombs; Snowglobe soap sample (really big for a sample!); Dorothy bubble bar (this one and The Comforter are my all-time faves)

I'd never been a huge fan of bath bombs. However, I've recently gotten into watching demonstration videos on YouTube... and now I'm hooked. I used Golden Wonder the other day and it blew my mind! It was like a night sky, complete with little golden stars (made of soap) and planet-shaped spheres (also soap). How freaking cool. Watch this video (not mine) and you'll see what I mean:

Please, sir, may I have another?? (I presume Mouse liked it, too, as he stared from the side of the tub the whole time, and dipped his paw in several times - he's never done that before!)

Okay, so that is the end of my wee little haul (psh, NOT!). If you can believe it, I've actually managed to buy gifts for other people, and some Toys for Tots gifts, too. Yes, going broke is clearly my goal. Anyways, I hope you all are having a great holiday week so far. NO Black Friday shopping for me, my friends! I hate crowds and lines as much as I hate bad grammar/spelling (which is a LOT). I'm all about Cyber Monday, though! What are your shopping plans, friends? Do tell! :D

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,
<3 Jess

P.S. I had such a great weekend - some family came to visit, and we went to Sea World (my first time since I was little!) and Benihana for dinner. I was so spoiled! I took loads of pics - I'll be doing a post very soon. :) <3 Shamu <3 Okay, I'm done now for real. Love you ladies!!

pics from the weekend (w/2 FOTDs and OOTD)

2011-11-16T04:28:00.001-05:00

Hello lovely readers! I had a nice little weekend. I did some shopping, watched Crazy Stupid Love (loved), did some more shopping, chatted with my fave girls on Twitter, took a nap, caught up on my fave shows, etc. That's a perfect weekend, in my opinion! ;) I also made a Christmas list on Kaboodle. I love making lists, and I've been using Kaboodle for several years now. You can find my profile here. And if you're curious about what's on my Christmas list, you can see it here. No makeup, if you can believe it! Two reasons for that: 1) I'm very instant-gratification/impatient when it comes to makeup. If I reeeeally want something, I can't bear to wait till Christmas! 2) I'm too excited about spring makeup collections (seriously - Dior, Lancome, Guerlain, Chanel... they're *all* amazing!).

If you can believe it (I can't!), I didn't even buy anything from the Sephora VIB sale (or from the Friends & Family sale!). That doesn't mean I haven't bought any makeup recently, but yeah. Shocking for me.

I thought I'd share my FOTDs and an OOTD from my weekend, and also random shopping pics and kitty pics, too. Enjoy!

From Sunday...

FACE

LUSH Colour Supplement in Light Yellow

Chanel Bronze Rose (minus the pink) as setting powder/bronzer (didn't like the effect of this - it looked too powdery/cakey!)

Laura Mercier Canyon Sunset Cheek Melange

Benefit Watt's Up

EYES

MAC Morning Frost paint pot

Bare Escentuals Playlist palette

YSL Shocking liner in Ashy Black

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Shadestick in Nurture (inner corners)

MAC Lingering brow pencil

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

YSL Rouge Pur #148 Tea Rose

Still loving the Lush Colour Supplement - and no breakouts! Yay! :)

From Monday...

Can you spy a curious little Mouse in the background?

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix (51)

MAC MSF Natural (Medium)

Chanel Tweed Brun Rose blush

Benefit Watt's Up

EYES

MAC Let's Skate paint pot

Armani Eyes to Kill Khaki Pulse

Chanel Vert Khaki

Chanel Beige Lame

MAC Midnight Blues fluidline

Trish McEvoy shadow/liner in Topaz

UD 24/7 shadow pencil in Sin (inner corners)

MAC Lingering brow pencil

Benefit I'm Real mascara

LIPS

MAC Patisserie

Revlon Colorburst lipgloss in Eggnog

DRESS, NECKLACE, BRACELET: Target

SWEATER: Forever21

PERFUME: Laura Mercier Vanille Gourmande

Say hello to my little friend! ("put me down!")

SHOES: Vivienne Westwood for Melissa

Some random shopping pics...

Seriously, more Lush?? Of course.

I'll show you what I got from Lush in the next post. I'm such a tease, right? ;)

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre #108 Ochre Rose

Tried on this YSL lippie that I'm pretty sure I need at wanted to get a pic of it ASAP, hence the off-center shot. It's so awkward trying to take a macro lip shot in the center of a mall! haha I planned to buy it this weekend, but I didn't (long story). But I will. Soon.

stuff I liked at Urban Outfitters (the box in the center contains 3 owl-shaped lipsticks - eep!)

stuff I liked at Sanrio: leather wallet & tokidoki for Hello Kitty pencil bag - think I need these!

Look what I found - finally! - @ Target! Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters! <3

I literally squealed when I saw this display at Target (it was in the aisle in the Revlon section, not on an end cap, as I'd expected). One thing to note, though, is that it doesn't look like Target will be carrying Creamsicle, Cupcake, or Red Velvet, as they were missing from the display. Actually, I count 13, and I believe there are 20 shades total, so I guess there are four other shades missing in action as well. But the ones I mentioned are the only ones I cared enough about to notice! ;)

I swear, this was not posed - he really slept w/the tree skirt as a blanket! so cute <3

Mom dubs this one "I am Sammy, King of Boob Mountain."

See you soon, and thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

FOTD: lush colour supplement & bare escentuals playlist palette

2011-11-11T03:43:00.001-05:00

Hello, lovelies! Hope you all are having a fantastic Friday/Veteran's Day/11-11-11, etc. Unfortunately, I still have two days of work left before my weekend - I can't wait! I bought practically nothing last week, so I can't wait to shop! If you're curious, here's what's at the top of my wish list:

Sephora (VIB sale!): Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek in Neapolitan Lane (if you can believe it, I think this is the only thing I want!)
LUSH: Orange Blossom solid perfume, Ro's Argan body conditioner, No Drought dry shampoo, forum fragrances (so, so excited for these!!)
YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre #108 (dammit, Rachel!)
Butter London The Black Knight polish
Marc Jacobs Exploded Katie bracelet (not gonna happen this weekend, but I'm definitely getting this baby at some point!)

Okay, enough of that. I wanted to another (read: better; read: took longer than 3 minutes) FOTD using the LUSH Colour Supplement, which on day 3 is still rocking my world. I also wanted to show you another new Bare Escentuals product that I'm loving to death - the Ready 8.0 The Playlist palette. Um, AMAZING. Bare Escentuals has SO upped their game!

FACE

LUSH Colour Supplement in Light Yellow

YSL pressed powder

MAC Lovejoy mineralized blush

Benefit Watt's Up

EYES

MAC Let's Skate paint pot

Bare Escentuals Playlist palette: shades 3 (lid), 1 (crease), 4 (brow highlight), & 8 (inner lid)**

Stila Stay All Day liquid liner pen in Black

Trish McEvoy 24hr shadow/liner in Topaz (waterline)

Sephora Jumbo liner in Beige (inner corners)

MAC Lingering brow pencil

YSL Faux Cils Shocking mascara

LIPS

Dolce & Gabbana lipstick in Cinnamon (I totally wrote "Dolce & Bannana" first!!)

**see below!

Ha! This is such a "Bitch, please" face.

This is the Bare Escentuals Playlist palette. It's my first foray into Bare Escentuals pressed eyeshadows, and I'm thoroughly impressed! These are smooth, soft, and very pigmented! And, now this is rare, I love every shade in the palette! The only one I have yet to use is the red on the bottom left, but I do love reds, and I'm sure I'll be using it soon. It's basically the perfect holiday palette. The packaging is super sleek and slim, with a huge mirror as well. Love it, love it, love it. Oh, I did want to point out that some shadows seem to look better applied wet, like shade #3. Dry it looked kind of flat, but wet it was gorgeous! I always recommend trying shadows wet (i.e. with a wet brush) before discarding them as not-so-great. It doesn't work for everything, but when it does, it's worth the effort!

Top: Shades 1-4; Bottom: Shades 5-8

I busted out my Fresh Strawberry Flowers perfume today. Why I am so into spring/summer scents right now? Shouldn't it be all about cozy, spicy scents? Oh well!

Oh, and another thing, this happened:

And this:

And this was spotted:

You better believe I tore this down "as a soon is possible"!

And, lastly, this is what I wake up to:

Get up, lazy!

Alright, that's all for today. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend, loves!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

LUSH colour supplement: first impression review

2011-11-10T15:18:00.000-05:00

The other day I purchased the Lush Colour Supplement in the shade Light Yellow. The Colour Supplement range is Lush's version of foundation. It comes in three shades as of now: Jackie Oates (for very fair, porcelain skin with pink undertones - they recommend this shade for natural redheads), Light Pink (for fair skin with pink undertones), Light Yellow (for light/medium skin with yellow undertones), and Dark Yellow for medium/dark skin with yellow or olive undertones), and Dark Pink (for dark skin with pink undertones). Yes, only five shades. However, I do think the five shades they have will work for a lot of skin shades, so you might want to test it out in-store if you can. You might be surprised! I was shade-matched to Light Yellow, and it is definitely the perfect shade for me.

It retails for $15.95 or 7.95 GBP for 0.7 oz (the standard foundation is 1 oz). Though it contains less product than most foundations, I think the price reflects that and is very reasonable, a bit more pricey than a drugstore foundation, but loads cheaper than a department store brand.

I did a swatch comparison with other foundations that are perfect shade matches for my skin:

Lush Colour Supplement in Light Yellow, Bourjois Healthy Mix in 51, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B10, NARS Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc

Okay, so this is my totally bare face...

And with the Lush Colour Supplement (applied with Sephora 55 brush)...

(foundation-only photos are scary!!)

It gives very nice, dewy medium to full coverage. However, it can be sheered out if you mix it with your moisturizer. I find this works best set with powder in the t-zone, as it did get oily for me about 4-5 hours in. I don't consider this a negative really, because almost every foundation I've ever used does this. If no oil shows on your skin, that's probably a bad thing!

I had to work quickly with this foundation, as it sets almost instantly. This is why I found a brush works best to apply (I prefer a method that is probably NOT the most sanitary - gently dipping my brush in the tub!). When I tried using my fingers the finish wasn't as smooth, and it was harder to blend. The brush gave an even, smooth application that made my skin look flawless.

I don't notice any potent smell or fragrance - if anything, it smells a bit like Lush's Fresh Farmacy cleanser (which smells like chamomile), but honestly, I didn't notice a scent at all throughout the day.

Here's what it looks like after applying my Dior Aurora in the t-zone, L'Oreal Watchful Owl's Gaze blush, Benefit Watt's Up highlighter, Maybelline Lots of Lashes mascara, and YSL Volupte Sheer Candy in #10.

Lush actually has a section on their website which gives instructions on how to apply the Colour Supplements (I just winged it!). If you're interested, you can find that here.

This is only a first impression review. I will continue to wear this foundation every day this week to give it a more thorough test, and I will update you if I change my mind about it or if my skin breaks out from it. I'll have a FOTD up tomorrow, too, in which I'll be wearing it as my foundation. As of today, my feelings about the Lush Colour Supplement is that it is a fantastic foundation that gives exactly the type of finish I love (medium coverage and dewy) and matches my skin perfectly. Bourjois Healthy Mix is still my HG, but I suspect this might give it a run for its money!

Thanks for reading, and I hope this was helpful to anyone curious about the Lush Colour Supplements!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

my blog is two years old! (and 200 posts!)

2011-11-09T14:26:00.000-05:00

Late last night I noticed it was my blog's 2-year anniversary (thank you, calendar reminder!). I can't believe this little guy has been around for two years now! AND, I swear this wasn't planned, this is also my 200th post! Thank you so much to all my followers and friends, I'm so grateful to all of you! It's amazing how many awesome people I've met through blogging. I don't have a lot of time to write right now, but I couldn't let this day slip by without posting!

So, I'll just share a few random photos with you. Also, by request, I have a Lush Colour Supplement first impression/review coming up shortly.

What? We just wanted to show the cows our toys!

How cute is this Puss in Boots Happy Meal toy???

The past weekend's nails - Revlon Hot for Chocolate

Target necklace <3

My tree is up!

Wow, who is this handsome gentleman?

The current location of my tree skirt...

Thanks again for reading! Love you guys!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

LUSH, LUSH, and more LUSH... (4 rounds' worth!)

2011-11-08T02:39:00.000-05:00

Let's just say I'm having a LUSH moment. I'll go months without taking any interest in LUSH, walking straight past the shop when I'm in the mall. But then, particularly around the holidays, I remember the magic that is LUSH... and I go a bit crazy.

First, I placed an order from LUSH UK about a month ago when the Christmas collection released. Observe...

Buche De Noel cleanser
Superstar bubble bar
Celebrate lip tint
Pow Wow lip scrub
Snowcake soap
Rose Jam Bubbleroons

Celebrate lip tint, Pow Wow lip scrub

Both of these smell really, really delicious. Celebrate is like neroli and champagne to my nose, while Pow Wow is literally POW! in-your-face lime. I love them both. Celebrate reminds me a bit of the YSL Rouge Pur Couture #37 on my lips. It's a pearly nude pink.

Buche de Noel cleanser

(looks disgusting, but smells like fruitcake!)

I've already used half this tub - I love this stuff! It's perfect for using in the shower. It gives very gentle exfoliation, leaves my skin feeling clean and soft, and is just so fun to use!

Snowcake soap

(almond marzipan yumminess)

I wasn't really wow'ed by the scent of the Superstar bubble bar - it's very been-there-done-that. If you like Candy Cane, The Comforter, or any of the other sweet fruity scents, you'll like this one. I wish I would've just ordered The Comforter, though! I haven't tried either Superstar or the Rose Jam Bubbleroons yet, so I can't review them.

So, then, after I placed that order, I released I hadn't ordered a little bottle of Snow Fairy like I'd planned, and also forgot the Candy Cane soap. So, after the first order arrived, I went the website, and the Halloween "collection" (a collection in the same way Miss Piggy for MAC is a "collection"!) was available. So I ordered the two things I'd missed before, plus a bar of Lady Catrina soap (which is the same scent as the Day of the Dead perfume that I love so, so much).

Lady Catrina & Candy Cane

Snow Fairy shower gel

(smells like bubblegum)

Candy Cane

(smells like candy cane...duh...)

Okay, so I looove Candy Cane. However, I've seen some really cute pieces of this soap, but mine is not one of them! I think it resembles a pulled tooth! At least it smells great!

Lady Catrina soap

(insanely fruity - lime, lemon, candy... LOVE!)

see the pretty shimmer? (magpie alert!)

Then, I don't remember why, but I was looking on the other LUSH site (lushusa.com) - wait! I remember why! I was trying to find out if they were going to be doing forum fragrances again this year (told you I love my Day of the Dead!). Anyways, I saw that they had a bunch of new Gorilla perfumes. I'd never really been interested in the other scents, but these new ones sounded intriguing, so I ordered the spray version of Superworld Unknown, a sample vial of B Scent, and while I was there, a tub of Lush Lime Smoothie from the Retro section - I've been wanting to try it for two years!

Superworld Unknown & B Scent (sample vial)

Superworld Unknown, as described by LUSH:

Sweet neroli and cocoa reminds you of whipped candyfloss

while rose and sandalwood keep your feet on the ground.

Sounds amazing, right? Well, at first spritz, it's pretty awful. Flat, musky cologne. Great, I thought, that's what I get for blind-ordering fragrance. However, on the drydown, it really grows on me. It's a really unusual blend of notes, but somehow, it works (at least, in my opinion). If you're looking for Snow Fairy in spray form, this is not it. But if you're a fan of complex scents that run a bit earthy (this reminds of something out of Aveda, which I happen to like), you might want to try this one. I will say, though, that I do detect something Snow Fairy-ish in the drydown. Like I said, it's really unusual! I definitely don't own anything else like it.

B Scent, as described by LUSH:

B Scent was scent from heaven to enrapture you

with its grapefruit oil, fennel and florid rose and jasmine.

At first spritz, B Scent is like opening a bag of licorice allsorts, and

when settled, gives the wearer a recognizable perfumed panache.

Licorice allsorts is a great way to describe this one, as licorice the first note I picked up in it. It has a bit of sweetness to it as well, although I don't really pick up any of the ingredients listed in the description. It's another nice scent.

It's hard to recommend either of these scents, as I think they're both kind of love or hate. I personally really like them both, but if they become available in stores, I'd recommend trying them out on your own skin first!

Lush Lime Smoothie

(smells just like it says - strawberries and lime!)

Like I said, I've wanted to try this for about two years now. Well, it did NOT disappoint. It smells sooo amazing. I wish they made a body cream or fragrance of this! It's definitely lime and strawberry, but it's not too strong or overpowering. If you like fruity scents, I'm pretty certain you'd like this.

I was hesitant to order it in the past because I'm not a huge fan of the shower smoothies (I've tried the Almond & Coconut and Dreamwash). I find them awkward to use and not great at either cleansing or as a shave cream. Well, this one is different. It's still awkward to use (I hate opening and closing tubs in the shower!), but it works really well as both a body cleanser and for shaving. So happy I gave in and bought this!

I got some samples free with that order as well (one PRO for ordering from lushusa as opposed to the UK site - samples!), but I forgot to photograph them -- Herbalism and Angels on Bare Skin cleansers. How did they know I'm a huge fan of their cleansers? ;)

Finally...

Intrigued by the new Gorilla scents, I wanted to check out my local store earlier today to see if they had them in stock (they didn't) and to re-evaluate the original Gorilla fragrances. I'm glad I did, because I loved the solid fragrance sticks in Vanillary (which I used to HATE) and Orange Blossom (really love this one). I didn't purchase them at the time, but I plan to soon!

I did pick up three other things, though (plus two nice samples!).

The Jilted Elf shower jelly (didn't think I'd like it from the description, but I do! It reminds me of an appletini)
Big Shampoo sample (I can get a good 3 or 4 uses out of this!)*
Colour Supplement in Light Yellow
Candy Cane soap sample

*I was a bad girl and asked if I could try a sample of Big, though I've purchased it probably three times before! I love it as a clarifying shampoo, especially if my scalp is dry or itchy. The salt feels AMAZING!

The last thing I bought was kind of random, but I could NOT resist it! It's one of their knot wraps in a super adorable vintage-looking holiday print chock-full of forest animals.

knot wrap - seriously, how cute is this??

It was really quiet in the store when I went in (it was a Monday afternoon), and I was in the mood to socialize, and the LUSH sales associates are always happy to oblige. I was color-matched to Light Yellow in Colour Supplement (I've been dying to try this stuff - basically LUSH's foundation), and they gave me a really generous sample of Big and a sample of Candy Cane soap (which I've already tried - scroll up! - and love). Also, I've never bought one of their knot wraps before, and they showed me all these different ways you can fold it or shape it - you can even make it into a pillowcase! They showed me how to make it a little drawstring bag, a headband, and a scarf. I think this would be cute for a Christmas card display board as well. So many possibilities!

Okay, that's ALL! Finally! And I would say "no more Lush for me for a while," but I know that's a lie, because I want to pick up the Orange Blossom and Vanillary solid fragrances sometime soon! I also KNOW I will be keeping my eyes and ears open for news about whether there will be limited edition forum fragrances again this year. I hope so! And a re-release of Snowcake shower gel would be nice, too... ;)

Okay, I'm off to roll around in my big ol' pile of Lush.

Thanks so much for reading, lovelies! See you soon!

xoxo,
<3 Jess

(Sidenote: I thought I should add really quickly, lush.co.uk has lower prices than lushusa.com, however, shipping is slower and I've never received samples. Pick your poison. Also, sometimes products will be released on one site and not the other. For example, I don't believe the new Gorilla scents were available on lush.co.uk when I placed my order, although they are up now. Usually it seems lush.co.uk gets new products first.)

FOTD, Christmas, & a dose of cuteness

2011-11-06T02:03:00.002-05:00

The sun was out in full-force yesterday, and I was in a really great mood all day. I'm working six days this week, so I wanted to run out and get groceries before work (something I usually do on my weekend). I was like a giddy child when I walked into Target and saw they were totally decked out for Christmas. Last year I had my tree up before Halloween (yep, I'm that girl!), but this year I actually decorated for Halloween, so I plan on putting it up on my night off. I'm sure the kitties are going to make that extra entertaining!!

Anyways, I wanted to show you the makeup I wore, since I used a few things with which I'm utterly enamored, as well as some old faves. And speaking of faves, I just repurchased Bourjois Healthy Mix. It's absolutely my HG foundation and I'm almost out of my bottle -- and how lucky was it that ASOS had a 15% off promo code this past week (I think it's over now, unfortunately - it was only good for two days, boo!)! It's usually about $18, but with the promo code it was only about $15 - major, major steal.

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix

YSL Touche Eclat

Dior Aurora

Smashbox Blush Rush in Silhouette

YSL Creme de Blush #1 Velvety Peach (on apples)

Benefit Watt's Up

EYES

MAC Let's Skate paint pot

Chanel Prelude quad

Urban Decay 24/7 shadow pencil in Sin (inner corners)

Smashbox liquid liner pen

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brow pencil

FairyDrops Scandal Queen + YSL Faux Cils Shocking mascaras

LIPS

YSL Rouge Volupte #1 Nude Beige

Close up of the eye, pretty much in direct sunlight!

See how Let's Skate imparts a glow/shimmer to the shadows? It kills me!

Also thought I'd share the Christmas goodies I picked up from Target...

ornaments! Would you believe these were $11.50 total?

my current stovetop setup w/new Target hand towels

Also, I was greeted by a surprise guest when I opened my front door...

Funny story, I helped a turtle who was stuck in the fence behind my building a few years ago - I like to think that this was the same little guy stopping by to check in. :)

And, of course, I had the usual suspects at home...

I can has bagel?

Contemplative snuggles

Hope you all are having a beautiful weekend. Happy belated Guy Fawkes Day (remember, remember the fifth of November...), happy Eid to any Muslim readers, and happy extra hour of sleep thanks to daylight savings! YAY! :)

Thanks so much for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

fotd + a random ramble about teeth?

2011-11-04T00:42:00.000-04:00

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation (51)

YSL Touche Eclat

Dior Aurora

Smashbox Blush Rush in Silhouette

Benefit Watt's Up

EYES

MAC Morning Frost paint pot

Urban Decay Naked palette: Toasted, Hustle

LORAC Front of the Line Pro

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brow pencil

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Creamsicle

Laura Mercier Nude Lip Glace in Bare Pink

So I realized, looking at these photos more closely, wearing white really makes my teeth look kind of yellow. Yuck!

Random fact (okay, long and boring story) about me: I wore braces for YEARS in middle and high school, because I had a huge gap a la Lara Stone. After my braces I *loved* my teeth - they were straight and even and perfect, yay! Well, a few years ago, my boyfriend cooked a delicious chicken dinner, and I bit down straight into my fork and chipped a piece of my left front tooth. I was so upset at first, but eventually I sucked it up and decided to leave it be. Well, with time the enamel at the bottom of my front teeth has faded a bit because they rub against my bottom teeth (I have a slight underbite - really it's more that my teeth rest on top of each other - not good!). Anyways, I think the fading is more noticeable in the chipped tooth and it bugs me when I pay attention to it. It's just one of those things that you know other people don't notice but drives you crazy. Do you guys have anything like that? If so, I'd love to hear about them so I feel like crazy! haha

Otherwise, I'm not that obsessive about my teeth. I don't use whitening products (sensitive teeth!), I just brush often and use dental piks like a madwoman (I have a permanent retainer behind my top and bottom front teeth, so flossing is a challenge) - if you need proof of my dental pik obsession, see my what's in my bag post and observe the big ol' bag of 'em I always have on hand! ;)

Wow, that was quite a tangent, right? Anyways, hope you all are having a great day and I'll talk to you again soon!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

new lipsticks, part two: revlon colorburst lip butters

2011-11-03T02:30:00.001-04:00

Before I start, don't be fooled, I am NOT one of the lucky ones who's spotted the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter display. I haven't! (Boo!) However, I am fortunate enough to have an awesome friend who was gracious enough to pick a few shades up for me from her local Walgreens - thanks, Danielle!

Creamsicle, Cupcake, Strawberry Shortcake

swatched in the same order

Creamsicle

Cupcake

Strawberry Shortcake

I am SO impressed with these. Not only is the product amazing, but can I just say how much I LOVE the packaging and names?? I love that you can see the shade through the top of the container when it's closed (I imagine this would make picking shades from the display MUCH easier!). I love that the shades are all named after sweets and desserts, and that the packaging similarly looks like candy. Love, love, love.

If you saw my monthly favorites post, you won't be surprised that Creamsicle is my favorite shade of the three. I can't wait to see the display and try out more of these!

Have you seen them yet? Tried them? I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,
<3 Jess

new lipstick releases, part one: YSL

2011-11-02T01:25:00.001-04:00

I thought these beauties deserved their own post, since I haven't seen much of them on the web yet, and my BLF (best lipstick fiend/friend) Rachel (makeupneversleeps) and I have been going crazy over them!

YSL Rouge Pur Couture #37 Rose Deesse
YSL Rouge Pur Couture #38 Rose Aphrodite
YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre #109 Corail D'Or

swatched in the same order

Rouge Pur Couture #37 Rose Deesse

Rouge Pur Couture #38 Rose Aphrodite

Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre #109 Corail D'Or

Rose Deessee (which SUCKS to spell, btw!) and Rose Aphrodite have the same pearly finish as #24 Blond Ingenu and #26 Rose Libertine, which were released in the spring. I've dubbed these shades "Tea Rose with shimmer" and "Romantic Pink with shimmer" referring to two of my favorite shades from the discontinued Rouge Pur line. I'm still waiting for a Tea Rose dupe without shimmer, as cream finishes are my favorite - especially in the Rouge Pur Couture line. Either way, these are really beautiful shades. These are just new holiday additions to the Rouge Pur Couture line, while Corail D'Or is part of YSL's new lipstick range, Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre, which is also a holiday release.

Corail D'Or, oddly enough, is NOT pearly - as you might expect it to be, from the "Golden Lustre" name. It definitely has a golden lustre effect, though. It's sheerer than the standard Rouge Pur Coutures, but it has a nice sparkle and glow to it. Very pretty. The other shades I looked at on the counter from the Golden Lustre range were reeeeally not me (lots of browns!), so I passed. This one seemed the most wearable.

These are all permanent shades as far as I know.

The aforementioned Rachel just did a fabulous tutorial using Rose Aphrodite on her lips. If you're interested, you can watch it here:

And please subscribe to her videos if you don't already - she's amaaaazing. :)

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

(BTW, part two will be up in a day or two -- about Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters, of course!)

what's in my bag + a quick FOTD

2011-11-01T15:02:00.000-04:00

Hello lovelies! First off, I want to say a big THANK YOU! I hit 400 followers last night - I can't believe it! You guys are seriously awesome.

I can't believe I've had this blog for nearly two years, but I've never done a what's in my bag post! I thought I was due one, so here we go. Huge FAIL that the first photo is a little blurry. I took about ten photos and they all looked clear in my display, but when I went to upload them, ACK. Oh well - I'll know better next time!

Bag by ALDO (from last year)
Dental piks
Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate body lotion
Sonia Kashuk cosmetic bag (see contents below)
ALDO wallet
Orbit Sweet Mint gum (if I don't have this with me, I'm not a happy girl!)
R&Em darling pouch (see contents below)
Anne Taintor mini notepad ("it was the best rebound relationship ever!")
Tokidoki mini hairbrush & mirror
Maybelline Great Lash pen
Tide To Go pen
COUPONS!
Cell phone (not shown, because that's what I use to take pictures!) -- if you're interested, it's a Samsung Fascinate with a pink case!

Royal Apothic Extract of Macaroon rollerball
Betsey Johnson Too Too rollerball
Nina by Nina Ricci rollerball
Bath & Body Works Lunch Box PocketBac in Fruit Punch
Bath & Body Works mini emery boards

I love the lining of this pouch!

Dior brush (came with Aurora)
Benefit Watt's Up
Lipsticks: Revlon Creamsicle, MAC Patisserie, YSL Rouge Pur Couture #6, YSL Volupte Sheer Candy #10
L'Oreal pencil sharpener (I've had this for YEARS and it's still going strong!)
MAC Studio Finish concealer (NW20)
YSL pressed powder compact (I use the Dior brush for this)
YSL Touche Eclat (#1)
Bare Escentuals waterproof eyeliner in 5 PM
Sephora Jumbo liner in Beige
Urban Decay 24/7 liners: Lucky, Bourbon, Underground
MAC Lord It Up pearlglide liner
LORAC Front of the Line Pro
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst
MAC Lingering brow pencil
Revlon tweezers
Benefit They're Real mascara

And a quick FOTD...

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

Dior Aurora

Love & Beauty Cream Cheek Color in Coral

TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

EYES

MAC Let's Skate paint pot

Chanel Beige Lame e/s

NARS Lola Lola e/s

LORAC Front of the Line Pro

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

Sephora Jumbo liner in Beige (inner corners)

MAC Lingering brow pencil

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

MAC Patisserie

As always, thanks for reading! See you soon!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

BOO! it's october favorites time! beauty, books, barbie, etc.

2011-10-31T17:16:00.001-04:00

Hello lovelies! Happy Halloween to you all. :) Sorry for my absence the last two weeks or so. To be honest, work's been very stressful and when I'm home, I just want to sleep! I have sooo many photos ready for posts I have yet to do, it's overwhelming! I have a Lush haul, new lipsticks post, makeup storage post, what's in my bag post, updated skincare routine, etc. If there's one you'd particularly like to see first, please let me know!

Anyways, as it's the very last day of October and all, I thought I'd go ahead and post my October Favorites - some of which I haven't gotten around to posting about until now, ack!

Love & Beauty Cream Cheek Color in Pink & Coral (Forever21)
MAC Ice Cream Cake nail polish
OPI Rainbow Connection nail polish
Bare Escentuals Round the Clock waterproof eyeliner in 5 PM
MAC Let's Skate paint pot
Lush Day of the Dead fragrance
Benefit Watt's Up
YSL Volupte Sheer Candy in #9 Cool Guava and #10 Tangy Mandarina
Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate body lotion (I use this as a hand cream)
Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Creamsicle
MAC lipstick in Patisserie
Smith's Strawberry lip balm (HG material!)

the lipsticks: Patisserie, Creamsicle, Cool Guava, & Tangy Mandarina

swatched in the same order (top to bottom)

MAC Patisserie

Revlon Creamsicle

You can see me wearing YSL Volupte Sheer Candy in Cool Guava and Tangy Mandarina here.

Benefit Watt's Up, Love & Beauty Pink, Love & Beauty Coral

Benefit Watts Up, Love & Beauty Pink, Love & Beauty Coral (blended)

I meant to take lip swatches with the Love & Beauty cream blushes, too, as they actually work REALLY well on lips, too! However, I forgot. If you'd like to see lip swatches, please let me know, and I'll add them into this post later.

Chanel Beige Lame
NARS Lola Lola
Chanel Tweed Brun Rose blush

swatched in the same order

MAC Let's Skate paint pot on its own (top)

Chanel Beige Lame over Let's Skate paint pot

Tokidoki x Barbie tote

I do have a Barbie collection, and I was thinking of asking for the Tokidoki Barbie doll for Christmas (should've bought it then, but I wasn't expecting it to sell out so quickly!), but when I saw that there were other products in the collection, I was like a giddy schoolgirl! I *had* to have this tote. I bought it from Tokidoki.it (Tokidoki's official website) and it came with a bunch of Tokidoki stickers and two massive Tokidoki catalogs, too, which I loved looking through. Not sure if I'll actually ever *use* this tote (I don't want to ruin the lining!), but I love looking at it displayed in my room!

the lining is what really sold me -- LOVE. IT!

As for what I've read this month...

Let's just say it wasn't the most uplifting reading month. I know some of you may already know about Jaycee Dugard from the news or what-have-you, but the news can't begin to cover her story as she tells it in her memoir. I read A Stolen Life in one sitting (I was up until 8 AM reading it!). It just completely destroyed me - the fact that this is nonfiction, that all these things really happened to her. I couldn't handle it. It's not the type of book that you can just read a chapter of and then go off and do something else. The more I read, the more I thought, "Okay, I have to get to the end. I have to see things get better for her." And, I'm not kidding, I had a nightmare after reading it, and continue to think about it every day.

I know you might be thinking, "Well, there's something I'm NOT going to read," but even though this really shook me up emotionally (I cringed, squirmed, cried, etc.), it was absolutely worth the read. It opened my eyes to things in the world that maybe I didn't want to acknowledge, but now I feel stronger because of it. If you still don't want to read it, but you're interested in her story (as told by others instead of by her), you can always Google "Jaycee Dugard" -- but be warned, what comes up may upset you just as much.

I've had Room on my bookshelf since it first was released, but I hadn't been up to reading it. However, I thought, "if I can get through A Stolen Life, I can get through Room." Room is another story of abduction, albeit a very different one. It's fiction, and it's told by Jack, the five-year-old son of "Ma," who was kidnapped at age 19. Both live in a shed in the backyard of her abductor. Having it told in the boy's perspective is what made it so interesting to me. I'll say this, though, the middle of the book was the best part, and the last hundred pages kind of dragged on in comparison.

Room was a good read, and I'd definitely recommend it, but if you're choosing between Room and A Stolen Life, I'd go for the latter, without question.

What I'm loving on TV right now:

The Vampire Diaries
Once Upon a Time
Ringer
Modern Family
Happy Endings

my Halloween NOTD, using Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips :)

Of course I can't leave you without some kitty photos!

All aboard the kitty train!

Look at how I find them sleeping the other night!!

Surprise!

You can't read your Sephora holiday catalog until you give me treats!

As always, thanks so much for reading (seriously, as I type this I'm at 399 followers - I'm FLOORED! Thank you guys!).

Hope you all have a safe and unhealthy (duh!) Halloween! See you soon! :)

xoxo,

<3 Jess & her silly kitties

product rave: bareMinerals Putting on the Glitz set (w/swatches)

2011-10-18T00:35:00.002-04:00

So technically I raved about this in my last post, but I wanted to do a separate post to go into more detail with product photos and swatches. If you missed my last post, you can see me wearing some of the items in this kit here.

What it includes (copied from Sephora.com):

0.13 oz Pretty Amazing Lipgloss in Perky (warm rose)
0.1 oz Prime Time Primer Shadow in Toasted Almond (iced coffee) *READ: TAUPE!*
0.02 oz Eyecolor in Glamtastic (warm champagne luster)
0.02 oz Eyecolor in Glitz (smoky plum sparkle)
0.044 oz Round The Clock Waterproof Eyeliner in 5 pm (deep plum)
0.33 oz Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara in Black
0.03 oz Blush in Gorgeous (petunia pink)
0.03 oz All-Over Face Color in Luxe Radiance (apricot pink)
Double-Ended Luxe Cheek & Eye Brush
Sparkling clutch

These are all full size products, too. It says on the box that it's a $157 for $54, and I really believe that the individual products combined are actually worth that estimated amount. Some of the items are exclusive to the set, too. It was the Prime Time Primer Shadow in Toasted Almond and the Eye Color in Glitz that really pushed me over the edge and coerced me into buying this set, but I've honestly loved all of the products so far! The only things I haven't taken for a spin yet are the blush and the brush (but I do plan to use them). I haven't used the clutch/pouch either, but I can say that all of the products in the kit fit inside it.

Eye Colors in Glitz and Glamtastic

I bet these would be gorgeous applied wet! For the looks I did this weekend, I applied them dry with a sponge-tip applicator (putting a double-ended one from a Sleek palette to work!). Love them both!

All-Over Face Color in Luxe Radiance and Blush in Gorgeous

I wouldn't recommend using Luxe Radiance all over your face, as it's a rosy peach shade and pretty packed with shimmer. I love this as a highlight, though (used it in both looks in my last post). I bet it would work well as a shadow as well. I haven't worked out the best way to apply this, though. Maybe a fan brush? My regular angled brush picks up too much product, even when I reeeally try not to!

As for the blush, while it looks scary bright in the pan, it looks pretty non-threatening when swatched. A nice rosy shade. I haven't had the best luck with bareMinerals loose blushes in the past - I find them hard to apply evenly and blend (I've never had to work so quickly to blend something that wasn't foundation!). But we shall see...

Top: Glitz, Glamtastic, Luxe Radiance, Gorgeous

Bottom: Toasted Almond, 5 PM, Perky

The Toasted Almond Primer Shadow (exclusive to the set) is a gorgeous taupe. I have the shade Sundance from the permanent range, and I love it, and this one is equally as awesome. I think it would be perfect for lazy days. One step!

The eyeliner in 5 PM is another winner. I wore it today and it wore all day without smudging or fading. It's a deep plum that almost reads brown in some lighting. I don't have another liner in a shade like this one. Love!

In my swatch, the Pretty Amazing Lipgloss in Perky looks really... orange. It isn't. On my lips it's a neutral rose "MLBB" shade (reminds me of NARS Dolce Vita). I have another one of these in the shade Freewill -- Perky is definitely less thick and more forgiving. It's not a shade I'd usually choose, but I like it. You could wear it over a lipstick, but I think it looks good on its own. I didn't notice it gathering in the center of my lips when I wore it to work Saturday either.

Pretty Amazing Lipgloss in Perky

*just to show the multi-colored shimmer particles in Glitz - gorgeous!

To sum it up, I think this kit is a great buy, either as a gift for yourself or for someone else. It's exclusively at Sephora, and regular price it's $54 for eight full size products, a dual-ended brush, and a clutch - and during the Friends & Family sale, it will only be $43.20! Honestly, I think that's a total steal. All of the products are gorgeous and perfect for everyday or night-out looks.

I promise I didn't get paid for this post (ha! I wish!!), I just really, really love this kit!

Happy Sephora Friends & Family sale shopping! The only things on my list at the moment are Benefit Watts Up, the Ultraflesh Perfect Pinks set, and probably one (or two?) of the Tokidoki Arte palettes. What's on yours?

xoxo,

<3 Jess

what i wore this weekend (on my face, body, & nails)

2011-10-17T22:59:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a lovely weekend. I've probably mentioned it before, but my weekend is actually Sunday and Monday, so mine's just wrapping up! I'm happy to report that my weekend went pretty much without a hitch. I did my usual routine of shopping, kitty snuggling, and catching up on my DV-R (I also had a little Disney movie marathon last night!). Nothing all that exciting, but that's how I roll, my friends. :)

I actually set out with a plan for my makeup looks this weekend. I wanted to wear:

1) my new YSL Volupte Sheer Candy shades, because they are amaaahzing (as Penny from Happy Endings - which no one but me and Elise from Blush is the New Black watch, apparently! - would say) and I wanted to show them in action. :)

2) items from the Sephora-exclusive bareMinerals Putting on the Glitz set. I picked it up Saturday with a gift card I was too excited to wait until next week to use! I'm so impatient. :\ Anyways, I'm going to do a separate post with swatches and product photos, too. I think a lot of you ladies would LOVE this set, and might want to check it out during Sephora's Friends & Family sale (Oct. 20 - Nov. 2, I believe). I'm not usually a big fan of bareMinerals products, but this set has totally won me over.

Anyways, let's get on with it!

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

YSL Touche Eclat (use it every day, but always forget to list it here!)

YSL pressed powder

Chanel Tweed Brun Rose blush

bareMinerals Luxe Radiance (as highlight)

EYES

bareMinerals Glamtastic e/s

MAC Cross-Cultural e/s

LORAC Front of the Line Pro

MAC I Get No Kick eye kohl

Maybelline Define-a-Brow

YSL Faux Cils Shocking mascara (sample)

FairyDrops Scandal Queen mascara (bottom lashes)

LIPS

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy #10 Tangy Mandarina

*note Sammy getting into mischief!

DRESS: Macy's

LEGGINGS: New York & Co.

BAG: Aldo

WATCH: Michael Kors

NECKLACE: Charming Charlie

FLATS (not shown): Gianni Bini (basic black ballet flats)

SCENT: Betsey Johnson Too Too

I was inspired by Laura @ Buy Now, Blog Later to include what scent I wore - fun idea!

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

YSL Touche Eclat

YSL pressed powder

Love & Beauty (Forever21) cream cheek blush in Coral

(this blush was only $1.50 and is AMAZING! There's a baby pink, too, which DUH, I also picked up - if you like cream blushes, you need to try these!)

bareMinerals Luxe Radiance (highlight)

EYES

bareMinerals Prime Time Primer Shadow in Toasted Almond

bareMinerals Glitz e/s

Essence Metropolitan e/s

MAC Sand & Sun e/s

bareMinerals Round the Clock waterproof eyeliner in 5 PM

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC I Get No Kick eye kohl in inner corners

(every time I type that I start to write "Eye Get No Kick"!)

Maybelline Define-a-Brow

bareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing mascara

LIPS

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy #9 Cool Guava

TEE: Old Navy

SHORTS (I switched into jeans!): Target

SCARF: Missoni for Target*

BAG: Aldo

SCENT: Lush Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead was an LE Lush forum release fragrance that I bought (a year ago?) per Muse's recommendation. I've yet to try Lady Catrina soap, but I hear they have the same scent. To me it smells like a sweet fruity soap (hard to describe!). I don't wear it often (I don't want to run out!), but I looooove it. <3 It's more a fun, summer scent, but being that it's still in the 80's here, I'm going with it!

*Mouse-oni for Target?

NAILS: Essie Licorice w/OPI Spark-tacular top coat

Also wanted to show you my new loves, which were featured in the FOTDs above (I posted about Volupte Sheer Candy #9 here). I couldn't wait to share! :)

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy #10 Tangy Mandarina

bareMinerals Putting on the Glitz set

Like I said earlier, I'm going to post product photos and swatches in a separate post (should be up tomorrow) - I've already got too much going on in this one! I also think it deserves its own post, 'cause it's just that awesome.

And blah blah blah, that is all!

Or is it?

(it looks like they're wrestling, but Sammy was actually cleaning Mouse's head - too cute)

Okay, now that's all! ;)

Thanks as always for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

collective haul, part two: body, home, food stuff, etc.

2011-10-11T00:43:00.000-04:00

Okay, so part two of this haul situation is a little random. Just a warning! And may I just say, I'm looooving that stores are already beginning to stock Christmas items. There's no such thing as too early when it comes to Christmas if you ask me! Bring it on! :D

The Body Shop Spiced Pumpkin bath & shower gel (from the Originals range)

Just sniffing this in the bottle, it's not quite what I expected, but I still really love it. And I love the price of the Originals range, too - $5.99 or 2 for $10!

**UPDATE: I pre-wrote this last night, and today I used this in the shower. It smells totally amazing in the shower! Really spicy and sweet at the same time, and the scent lingers on your skin (though not in an overpowering way). I'm kind of wishing I'd taken advantage of the 2 for $10 deal now... (Which, by the way, if you do that, I'd also recommend the Raspberry Ripple bath & shower gel -- I've had that one and used it up. It's yummy!)

Philosophy Marshmallows for Toasting marshmallow fluff body lotion

This definitely smells like toasted marshmallows. It reminds me a little of Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel. If you like that, you'll probably like this one.

Slatkin & Co. Winter Candy Apple candle

(I love this more than words)

Slatkin & Co. Winter Wonderland candle

(peppermint & cinnamon make a surprisingly good combo!)

Slatkin & Co. mini candles (such a smart invention)

B&BW gift bag - how cute is this??

Swan Creek Gingerbread candle, Gingerbread Man tree ornament, Candy Cane soap

Halloween decorative plate

Mom got these goodies for me from a little country store in Haines City - it was chock-full of holiday items for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! Total heaven.

I don't usually do much of anything to decorate for Halloween (I got the Mickey votive holders from a hotel guest last year, and they were my only decoration!). This year I got a bit more festive! :)

Birthday cards, Mickey votive holders, fall candles, mini pumpkins, Halloween hand towels (Target)

Happy Halloween door hanger (Barnes & Noble)

I keep the giant bow wreath hanger up all year, even though it's meant for Christmas. ;)

Skull plate (bought last year at Target)

Sammy hanging out with the hanging skeleton (Target)

Now on to non-Halloween home things....

cutest deer pillow ever (Mod Cloth)

Missoni for Target stuff...

Missoni for Target throw

Missoni for Target storage box

Missoni for Target scarf

Missoni for Target cosmetic bag

the interior - really spacious, with lots of compartments!

earrings (not from the Missoni for Target line, but thought they fit with the Missoni patterns, and I bought them the same day), hair clips

Random food things...

Spotted these last month at Walmart and fell in love...

Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts (Target) and Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins (Whole Foods)

Starbucks Toasted Marshmallow Hot Cocoa, Precious Divinity Spiced Chai (TJ Maxx, from Mama)

Alright, lovelies, that's all for now. Hope you're having a wonderful week!

As always, thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

collective haul, part one: cosmetics (w/swatches & reviews)

2011-10-10T15:15:00.001-04:00

I have so many new fun things to share with you girls from the past month! Some of these things were birthday gifts, and the rest were purchased myself. I'm going to split this into two posts so I don't freeze your computer/phone with image overload!

I love packaging... <3

Betsey Johnson Too Too rollerball (this scent is amazing - I need the full-size bottle, stat!!)

(I love the bags they give you at the Betsey Johnson store!)

MAC Orange Tempera lipglass, Laura Mercier Nude Lip Glace in Bare Naked

Laura Mercier Bare Naked on left, MAC Orange Tempera on right

Both of these glosses are HG material. Orange Tempera, which is not at ALL orange, and more peachy pink, is right up my alley. Bare Naked is the perfect formulation and shade. I love it on top of (surprise!) nude lipsticks. It doesn't settle into lip lines or gather in the center of the lips either. Love! Only downside for the Laura Mercier is the scent/flavor - the lip glaces have an artificial vanilla scent that I don't really like. MAC, on the other hand, always gets the vanilla scent right.

Honeybee Gardens Karma, YSL Volupte Sheer Candy #9 Cool Guava, Tom Ford Spanish Pink

(swatched in the same order)

Honeybee Gardens lipstick in Karma

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy #9 Cool Guava

Tom Ford Spanish Pink

Karma was a totally unplanned purchase, and a really pleasant surprise. I found it when strolling through Whole Foods Market (I wanted to use my LivingSocial voucher!). I was prepared to be disappointed, as it was a brand I'd never tried. I was so happy to see this color looked as pretty on my lips as it did when I swatched the tester on my hand. A great peachy nude that's highly pigmented. It's on the dry side, so a balm or gloss wouldn't be a bad idea.

I recently saw a post on Best Things in Beauty about the four new YSL Volupte Sheer Candy shades. Um, what?? I am a self-proclaimed YSL Cosmetics junkie, but I had no idea about this! Sure enough, Neiman Marcus had the new shades in stock. I only picked up #9 Cool Guava, but I'm sure I'll be back at some point for #10 Tangy Mandarine (a sheer peach). If you like Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine in Chance, I think you'll love Cool Guava. Honestly, I'm not as in love with the RCS range as I was in the beginning, and I prefer Cool Guava over Chance.

Believe me, I tried to restrain myself to only one Tom Ford lipstick. Nude Vanille. That's all. And then I saw The Beauty Lookbook's post on Spanish Pink... and the Gloss Goss' Tom Ford haul... and I was done for. And I don't regret it at all. I'd say of the three Tom Ford lipsticks I own (Blush Nude is the other), this one definitely is the best consistency. It's creamy but not at all drying (Blush Nude and Nude Vanille's downfall). It's glossy even! I've worn it several times already (hence the almost-vanished TF logo on the bullet!) and I love it.

YSL Shocking gel liner in Ashy Black

swatches of all the YSL Shocking Liners (Ashy Black is in the bottom row, second from left)

If you read my September Favorites post, you already know I love this eyeliner. It's just as versatile as your standard black or brown, but a lot more fun! I've used it on my lower lashline as well, and it didn't irritate my eyes. This is why I love YSL so much - they're constantly coming out with high-quality products that I never regret purchasing! (Okay, aside from Volupte Sheer Candy in #3 Juicy Grapefruit, which I hated and returned, but I like to forget that ever happened...)

Essence Metropolitan e/s, L'Oreal Watchful Owl's Blush

(swatched in the same order)

I was scouring the Essence racks at Ulta because I had a coupon for $5 off $10 and the L'Oreal blush was $9.99 - I just needed something cheap to take it over the $10 mark! Imagine my surprise when I swatched this shadow. So pretty, and under $2! There was another that I loved, too, but it reminded me of lots of others I already have.

Drugstore & Ulta*:

Revlon Diamond Lust e/s in Night Sky (CVS - birthday gift)

Revlon Buffest Beige liquid lipstick (Walgreens, BOGO - also bought an e/s for Mom)

Revlon Super Lustrous lip gloss in Nude Lustre (Ulta, BOGO)

Revlon Cream Blush in Rosy Glow (Ulta, BOGO)

Sally Hansen Salon Effects ghost print nail strips (another birthday gift)

L'Oreal Owl's Night nail polish (Walgreens, BOGO)

L'Oreal Sultry Raven's Pout lipstick (Walgreens, BOGO)

Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss & Cherry Me (Ulta)

Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes mascara (Ulta)

elf blushes in Pink Passion and Fuchsia Fusion (Target, birthday gifts)

*I also used $4 from my Ulta rewards bank, and coupons!

Maybelline Lots of Lashes applied - not too shabby!

left column: Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss, Cherry Me

right column: Revlon Buffest Beige liquid lipstick, Revlon Nude Lustre gloss (the two of them work perfectly together!), L'Oreal Sultry Raven's Pout

top: Revlon Rosy Glow cream blush, Revlon Diamond Lust e/s in Night Sky

bottom: elf Pink Passion, elf Fuchsia Fusion

L'Oreal Sultry Raven's Pout

Some thoughts on the drugstore stuff...

Unfortunately not too impressed with the Maybelline Baby Lips range, the shades or the flavors (the Cherry tastes like medicine, gross!). Pleasantly surprised by the Lots of Lashes mascara, though - Maybelline really knows how to do mascara lately, don't they?? I'd say they make the best drugstore mascaras by far (sorry, L'Oreal).

I hate the stickiness of the Revlon liquid lipstick, but Buffest Beige is a really nice color, and a very unique shade for a liquid lipstick formulation. It definitely needs a gloss on top (way too sticky otherwise!), and Nude Lustre is a great pick. The Rosy Glow cream blush is like the broke girl's MAC Something Special cremeblend blush. The color is very similar when applied. Sadly, the staying power isn't so great, though. The packaging is weird, too, with a mirror that slides out on the side. Wouldn't it make more sense for that compartment to hold an application sponge?

L'Oreal's really blown my mind with the limited edition Project Runway range. I've never really been that impressed with L'Oreal cosmetics, but I bought three things from this collection and they've all blown me away! Still hate the "flavor" of their lipsticks, but I can deal with it in the case of Sultry Raven's Pout. It's a beautiful my-lips-but-better type of shade. No wonder it's hard to find it stocked - it's the best lipstick L'Oreal's come out with yet, in my opinion. The formula is great, too.

I haven't tried the elf blushes yet, so no thoughts on those yet!

To be continued in part two...

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

seven whopping FOTDs & one NOTD

2011-10-10T01:03:00.003-04:00

Can you say "backlogged"?? I had loads of FOTD pics from when my family was visiting that I didn't have time to post before. Instead of binning them, I thought I'd just post them all together in one big ol' post. Why not? ;) Forgive me if they're not as detailed as they usually are - I may have forgotten some things!

(this was my birthday makeup look)

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

Dior Aurora

YSL Creme de Blush #1

Dior Amber Diamond

EYES

Dior 3 Couleurs Smoky Khaki

MAC Genuine Treasure paint pot

MAC Tender Bisque e/s

YSL Shocking cream liner in Ashy Black (top & bottom)

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brow pencil

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

NARS Barbarella

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix

Chanel Bronze Rose

YSL Metallic Colorama

EYES

Nars Lola Lola e/s

Laura Mercier Chocolate e/s

MAC Tender Bisque e/s

YSL Shocking liner in Ashy Black

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brows

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

Tom Ford Nude Vanille

(can you spot the kitties? hehe)

FACE

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Dior Aurora

MAC Instant Chic blush

TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer

EYES

(don't remember what shadows I used!)

MAC Tender Bisque e/s (highlight)

YSL Shocking liner in Ashy Black

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brows

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

YSL Rouge Volupte Perle 110 Incandescent Orange

NAILS

L'Oreal Owl's Night

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix

Dior Aurora

MAC Warmth of Coral mineralize blush

TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer

EYES

Wet 'n' Wild Gilded Age trio

MAC Genuine Treasure paint pot

MAC Tender Bisque e/s

MAC Superslick liner in On the Hunt

MAC Lord It Up pearglide liner

MAC Lingering brows

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

Tom Ford Blush Nude

MAC Fashion Whim cremesheen glass

(for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!)

FACE

Illamasqua Gleam Cream
Bourjois Healthy Mix

Dior Aurora

NARS Mata Hari blush

Illamasqua Ambition blush

YSL Metallic Colorama

EYES

MAC Family Crest pigment (applied wet)

MAC Dark Soul pigment (applied wet)

MAC Royal Flush pigment (applied wet)

Revlon Diamond Lust e/s in Night Sky (applied wet)

MAC Tender Bisque e/s

Bare Minerals High Shine Eye Color in Rose Gold (inner corners)

MAC Black Russian pearlglide liner

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Carbon e/s (on brows)

False Lashes*

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

Illamasqua Fetish lipstick

MAC Royal Flush pigment

*can't remember the brand. They were part of a Halloween display at Ulta. They come as a set of top and bottom lashes and were called "Fairy Lashes."

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix

Dior Aurora

Revlon cream blush in Rosy Glow

TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer

EYES

Maybelline Strut It Suede palette

MAC Tender Bisque e/s

YSL Shocking liner in Ashy Black

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brows

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

MAC Pro-Longwear Lipglass in Patience, Please

(finally up-to-date! This was from today. Pardon my disastrous hair - there was a monsoon this morning!)

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix

Dior Aurora

Tokidoki Bellina blush in Siberia (forgot how much I looove this blush!)

TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer

EYES

Chanel Mystic Eyes quad

MAC Genuine Treasure paint pot

MAC Tender Bisque e/s

Sephora Jumbo Liner in Beige

YSL Shocking liner in Ashy Black

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brows

Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes mascara

LIPS

Honeybee Gardens lipstick in Karma*

*I found this lippie at Whole Foods of all places. I love it!

(I took these pics about 5 hours after I applied my eye makeup - see why I love the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick so much?? It doesn't budge!)

Yay, I feel so much better now that I'm caught up! Hope this wasn't too overwhelming... >_< I'll be back again soon with another thing I'm backlogged on - my purchases from the past 5 weeks or so! Ack!

Love you all and thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

september favorites

2011-10-06T14:14:00.000-04:00

As you can probably guess from my lack of posts, September was a really busy (and fun!) month for me! Well, my brother and his girlfriend headed back home Monday night, and my parents' flight home was Tuesday afternoon. So now it's back to my usual routine, just me & my kitties! Well... sort of. I will have some visitors next week, but I still won't be as busy as I've been the past few weeks.

Anyways, I have sooo much to blog about that I didn't even know where to begin. I figured I'll just do my favorites post first since that's the most "time sensitive." ;)

Dior 3 Couleurs Smoky Khaki
YSL Ashy Black gel eyeliner - this liner is L-O-V-E! It's a gorgeous blackened taupe shade. I don't have anything else like it. I've barely touched black liquid liner all month because of this baby!
MAC Shade fluidline - the perfect dark teal eyeliner. And the best part? I found it at the CCO for $11 - score!
MAC Genuine Treasure paint pot - I've been using this a little unconventionally, as a "top coat" over whatever eyeshadow I'm wearing. It looks especially good with the Dior Smoky Khakis palette!

Tom Ford lipstick in Nude Vanille
Dolce & Gabbana lipstick in Cinnamon
MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass in Patience, Please - this lip gloss is insanely pigmented, and the color is a perfect milky pale pink. My only complaint is that it is SUPER sticky. But I still love it.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Amethyst - I've been loving this as a liner on my waterline. It's a beautiful purple with a hint of purple. It looks great paired with the YSL Ashy Black liner as well.

MAC Equilibrium blush (released with MAC Me Over) - I was surprised to love this one, but it gives a beautiful natural bronze flush.
MAC Instant Chic blush (LE, released with Pret-a-Papier) - one of my all-time favorite blushes. Matte peachy-pink perfection. :)

True Blue Spa Pumpkin Renewing Face Mask - the perfect fall face mask! I love the pumpkin scent, and that the mask goes on almost clear (you won't scare yourself in the mirror!). It's also a breeze to wash off, and leaves my skin feeling really refreshed and clean.
Soap & Glory Clear Here T-Zone Oil-Control Daily Facial Moisture Lotion - this is a really refreshing gel-consistency moisturizer. It has the same fresh scent as a lot of their other skincare products (like the face wipes and the Fab Pore facial peel). I haven't always had the best luck with their moisturizers, as they contain fragrance (Night in Shining Armor and the Make Yourself Youthful serum both broke me out). But so far, this one hasn't irritated my skin, as far as I've noticed.
B&BW Warm Harvest Apple Creamy Body Scrub - such a great fall scent, and the perfect texture for a body scrub! "Creamy body scrub" is the best possible name for it, as that's exactly what it is. I looove this stuff.

Slatkin & Co. candles - this is my Leaves candle, which is almost burned to the bottom. So sad! :(

My bat pillow from Target - I like to call him "Mitzvah" even though he's a boy bat, just because I think the phrase "my bat Mitzvah" is hilaaaaarious... They had a pumpkin and a ghost, too, but I love my little bat. And they're all soooo soft!

Latest jewelry staples - green bracelet with gold stud detail, Target; beige/pink/gold magnetic clasp bracelet, LOFT; gold mouse ring, Charming Charlie

Faux fur & leather bag from ALDO - I bought this last winter, but I barely touched it before it was too hot here and out of season. I love everything about this bag and have been using it a lot this month!

I like to include what I've been reading in my favorites posts, too, so here's a peek at the books that have been living on my bedside table...

I finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (good, but could've been better - I loved the photos!) in mid-September, and since then I've been reading The Night Circus (love so far!). The two in the middle were birthday gifts from Mom. I've definitely been in the mood for fantasies and fairy tales!

Oh, and though they are at the bottom of the post, the following pics depict my most important favorites from the past month. :)

Where's the mousepad...?

My morning wake-up call

My family (Dad, me, Mom, brother Jonathan, and his girlfriend Kim)

My brother and me

Heading over to the Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party @ the Magic Kingdom

That's all for my September Favorites! Hope you all had a great month! :)

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess

a big ol' birthday post feat. my mama & kitties!

2011-09-26T03:22:00.000-04:00

Hello awesome readers! Sorry for the lack of posting the past almost-two-weeks, but as you are about to read/see, I've actually had a good excuse!

So, last Tuesday (the 20th) was my birthday, and my mama has been visiting me from Ohio since the 19th. She and I have been having so much fun that I've hardly had the energy to blog! However, I have been taking loads of photos since she arrived.

The day she arrived we went to Perkins for brunch (I had french toast w/strawberries and bananas - YUM!), then of course headed to my place to drop off luggage and play with Mouse and Sammy. :) Later we went shopping, and to dinner at the Nordstrom Cafe. That place is SO underappreciated. I had the crab bisque, steak sandwich, and creme brulee, and every course was AMAZING. Our server was great, too. It was such a perfect day that I really feel like *that* was my birthday and not the following day!

On Tuesday, my actual birthday, we went to Epcot to explore the World Showcase (my favorite thing at Disney - especially the Mitsukoshi store in Japan! My 35% cast member discount is a HUGE plus at that place!!). We'd hoped to have dinner at the Rose & Crown Pub in the UK pavillion, but it was fully booked, so we winded up at Macaroni Grill instead. Well, it's safe to say our dinner experience was a huge disappointment. The food was "eh" and the service was lacking, to say the least. Mom was cracking up because I was wearing the birthday button I'd gotten at Epcot, and not once did the server ever say Happy Birthday! Maybe it's because I work in a restaurant myself (at Disney), and never will a person slip by unnoticed when wearing a birthday button, but still. She never even really said hello or anything, just took our order and that was it. She didn't even say goodbye to us when we walked past her out the door (and she looked at us).

As Mom noted, "We'll always remember this as the birthday dinner that sucked!" We practically wet ourselves we were laughing so hard rehashing the story to Dad on the phone when we got back home, though, and that almost made the whole thing worth it! ;)

Anyways, I thought you might like to see some photos from my birthday (if you can believe it, we forgot to take photos at Epcot - oh well). Enjoy!

me & my mama! <3

The makeup I wore on my birthday...

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix

Dior Aurora

YSL Creme de Blush #3

Dior Amber Diamond

EYES

Dior 3 Couleurs Smoky Khaki

MAC Tender Bisque (inner corners, brow highlight)

YSL cream eyeliner in Ashy Black

Laura Mercier caviar stick in Amethyst

MAC Lingering brow pencil

Benefit They're Real mascara

LIPS

NARS Barbarella

NAILS

Sephora Nail Patch Art in Chinese Blossom

I was also wearing this ring from Charming Charlie (which was a gift from Mom) - I love it sososo much! I love that it's a mouse. Every time I look at it I think of *my* Mouse! :)

The day-before-my-birthday birthday desserts from Nordstrom Cafe...

Creme Brulee (mine)

White Chocolate Bread Pudding (Mom's)

Some wonderful gifts... (sorry the pics, particularly the first one, are crap - I had to take them at night!)

Marc Jacobs Biscotti eau de toilette spray (I *love* this - and it was only $22.99 at TJ Maxx!)
Kira Imai postcards (Mitsukoshi)
MAC Pro Longwear lipstick in To the Future (Nordstrom, from the Styledriven collection; a nice peachy nude along the lines of Shy Girl)
MAC Pro Longwear lipglass in Patience, Please (Nordstrom, from Styledriven; I looove this gloss - it's so opaque and really lasts!)
Sonia Kashuk eyelash curler (Target)
Happy Birthday button (Epcot)
Deer pen (Mitsukoshi; push down on left ear for red ink, right for black!)
Macaroon erasers (Mitsukoshi)
Apple lip balm (Mitsukoshi)
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (Walgreens - I've been dying to try this; so far, I'm loving the results!)
YSL Rouge Pur Couture #6 (Nordstrom; this is my favorite lipstick - will be my 4th tube! I'm almost to the nub on my 3rd now)
NARS Barbarella lipstick (Sephora; love this shade - it reminds me of Jazzed by MAC)
Dior 3 Couleurs Smoky Khaki (Sephora)

Oh, and that's my new bedding you're seeing as the backdrop! It's from the Shabby Chic line at Target, and it was also a gift from my lovely mama. My first bedding set ever was a rose pattern by Laura Ashley that I picked out myself (my mom still has it saved!). This set reminds me of that one. <3

a better view of the bedding (and yes, it really was 3:46 AM - I'm a night owl!)

Leopard print scarf (Chico's; this baby is HUGE and I LOVE it!)
Soft Blanket & Apple Cider candles (Yankee; we had a BOGO free coupon, plus they were BOGO 1/2 off - in other words, they were a total steal - and they both smell wonderful, of course)
Philosophy Tinsel Town 3-in-1 (Nordstrom; it's described as "crisp berry" - to me it smells like peppermint and winter berries. Yes, Christmas in September - I love it!)

...a closer look at To the Future lipstick and Patience, Please lipglass...

Patience, Please lipglass on left, To the Future lipstick on right

Philosophy Tinsel Town - shimmery goodness!

And the obligatory kitty pics before I go...

There's a reason I call him Sammy Snuggles...

He's snuggling with his grandma in that pic. :)

They really love the new comforter!

Mouse in his favorite box (I call it "the raft").

So, if you notice I'm not blogging or on Twitter as much as usual in the coming week that'll be because Mom is still visiting, and Dad and Little Bro will be along on Friday. I'm going to be a busy girl! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this post and are having a fantastic week! I'm so happy it's finally FALL! YAY! :D

As always, thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess