I'm a bookworm, but I'm also a beauty addict. I've spent tons of cash over the years at Ulta, Sephora, Target, and all sorts of places looking for the best beauty products for the average woman. I believe in cruelty-free cosmetics as well. Every Tuesday, I bring you quick information about a beauty product I've tried and loved. Feel free to comment below with products you think I should try out. I'm always on the hunt for the next best product :)
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This mask came in my Petit Vour box, which I'm obsessed with. For $15 total (shipped) a month, I get the Petit Vour beauty box. It's like Birchbox or Ipsy, but all products are vegan and cruelty-free. You get four products per box, and the sizes are usually really great. Sometimes, you even get a full-size product.

This face mask came in my last box, and I'm loving it. It's a deep, nourishing mask. It smells amazing. My favorite part, though, is that it is a leave-on mask. You don't have to rinse it off, peel it off, or anything like that. I put this on once a week at night before bed and let it work it's magic.

I wake up with super soft skin without the heavy, greasy feeling. This mask is pricey to buy, but I like the ease of application. It's $38 at Petit Vour. 

I recommend getting the beauty box subscription because it's super fun, a great price, and you get to try new fun products like this.

​How about you? Any mask recommendations? 

I'm a bookworm, but I'm also a beauty addict. I've spent tons of cash over the years at Ulta, Sephora, Target, and all sorts of places looking for the best beauty products for the average woman. I believe in cruelty-free cosmetics as well. Every Tuesday, I bring you quick information about a beauty product I've tried and loved. Feel free to comment below with products you think I should try out. I'm always on the hunt for the next best product :)

Okay, I know what you're thinking...
So 1st, no, I am in no way sponsored by Lipsense or have any financial benefits from sales. At all.

And 2, it is not a gimmick. Seriously.

When I first saw Lipsense, I thought, "Here we go. Another FB group sales nightmare. There's no WAY that stuff can work."

And then I bought some...and guess what?

It freaking works. Seriously!!!!

Lipsense is made to last between 4-18 hours. You layer on three thin layers of the lip color, put on some gloss, and voila! Done.  

I get closer to 18 hours out of my Lipsense. Seriously. And at the end of the day...it hasn't budged. I will drink three cups of coffee, eat lunch and dinner and a million snacks...and it's still there. You are supposed to reapply the gloss throughout the day, but I'm way too lazy for that. But it still stays on!

This product works better over time. There is an exfoliating process ( I know, it sounds weird and you're skeptical, but trust me on this one). For the first week or so, your lips will sort of peel, the product won't really stay on that long, and you'll think you got ripped off.

And then, week two, once all the junk you've been putting on your lips is gone, it happens. You'll start getting all-day wear.

I have two colors right now with a third on the way. My favorite color is coral. It looks freaking scary in the tube, but actually it's perfect on. Below is a pic of me wearing the coral color.

It is a little pricey to get started. The starter kit is around $55. That comes with a color, gloss, and color remover in case you make a mistake. However, I've dropped $20-30 on a regular lipstick that I have to reapply constantly. Once you get started, you can just buy colors for around $29 with shipping.

Seriously give this stuff a whirl. I've tried probably a hundred lipsticks looking for color that I love. I finally found it. Oh, and it's cruelty-free, which is super important to me.

You can find sellers online, but I go through Deborah Biter. She's super helpful with color choices and is not pushy at all. Like at all, seriously. Here is her group link if you want to check it out.

Have you tried Lipsense? Do you have a different favorite lipstick? Let me know below!

I'm a bookworm, but I'm also a beauty addict. I've spent tons of cash over the years at Ulta, Sephora, Target, and all sorts of places looking for the best beauty products for the average woman. I believe in cruelty-free cosmetics as well. Every Tuesday, I bring you quick information about a beauty product I've tried and loved. Feel free to comment below with products you think I should try out. I'm always on the hunt for the next best product :)

It is so important to set your liquid foundation. I've learned, however, to make sure to let it dry first to avoid a caked-on look.

Once my Rainforest of the Sea Foundation dries, I use a fluffy brush to dust this perfecting veil over my foundation. It is perfect because it is super light and gives that airbrushed look without the weight. It also helps keep my oily forehead under control.

There are numerous colors in this finishing powder and at $26, it is pretty affordable. What's your favorite setting powder? Let me know in the comments below and I'll give them a try.

I'm a bookworm, but I'm also a beauty addict. I've spent tons of cash over the years at Ulta, Sephora, Target, and all sorts of places looking for the best beauty products for the average woman. I believe in cruelty-free cosmetics as well. Every Tuesday, I bring you quick information about a beauty product I've tried and loved. Feel free to comment below with products you think I should try out. I'm always on the hunt for the next best product :)

I have been on the hunt for the perfect foundation for years. I want one with the perfect amount of coverage. I've tried dozens of foundations, and they're either too heavy, the wrong color, too sheer, too greasy, etc.

I found TARTE's Rainforest of the Sea foundation thanks to Christen Dominque, my latest Youtube obsession. I bought it from Sephora for $39.00 with fingers crossed Christen wouldn't lead me wrong. She didn't.

This is by far the best foundation I've ever bought. I have super pale skin, so usually even the lightest foundation colors look too dark on me. The porcelain color in this foundation is truly porcelain and perfect for my pale skin. The water-base helps it blend into your skin effortlessly, but somehow the coverage manages to be at a medium level. Once it soaks in, you don't even feel like you have foundation on, which is amazing.

The foundation uses a dropper, which helps eliminate waste of the product. There is a brush you can buy to apply, but I use a beauty blender for seamless application. Below is a picture of me wearing the foundation...I do not claim to be a makeup expert, just an average woman who loves beauty products. Thus, my motto is that if I can pull it off, anyone can!

Have you tried this foundation or another foundation you love? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Tuesday Beauty Break! Please share with your friends if you want to see more Tuesday Beauty Break :)

I'm a beauty junkie, so I'm always trying new products. This holiday season, I got quite a few beauty gifts...from others, and from myself. Here are four products I'm loving right now. Bonus**Henry also approves

I got this at a super bargain price right before Christmas. I have a really hard time finding a foundation I love. I have super pale skin, so many fair formulas look orange on me. This one blends in perfectly and offers the perfect, medium coverage. 

I had heard great reviews about this but was terrified to spray this on my face. I pictured dripping mascara and smeared, chunky powder. It actually really works. My makeup doesn't budge all day, and it doesn't smear any of my makeup.

This came in a mini try-it kit. I adore this all over highlighter. It just adds a touch of radiance to my skin without looking like I stepped out of the glittery 90s. 

I'm an Urban Decay eyeshadow girl through and through. I swore I'd never use another eyeshadow. But when my mom got this for me for Christmas, I became a believer in Too Faced! These eyeshadows are perfect colors for my fair skin and so blendable! They really work well together to bring out your eyes. It's super easy to mix and match shades, and I think any combination works. If you struggle with picking out shades to use from a huge palette, this one is perfect because as I said, they all complement each other!

How about you? What are your beauty faves right now? Leave a comment and share your beauty must haves!

​Flying. Invisibility. X-Ray vision. These are the superpowers most people wish for.
Mine are a little bit less conventional, though. If I could have a superpower, it would be one of the following things:

• To be able to snap my fingers and have delicious food at my fingertips (I love to eat)
• To never have to shower but to always be clean (washing hair and shaving are just a pain in the butt)
• To have perfect, magazine-worthy hair without ever styling it.

 
Growing up, I think the third bullet has been the “superpower” I’ve always felt was within reach… minus the “without ever styling it” part. It feels like that perfect Taylor Swift or Reese Witherspoon or Jennifer Anniston hair is always just within my grasp… but not quite close enough to touch.

Since junior high, I’ve gone through so many fads and phases trying to find that perfect hair.

I’ve failed quite a few times.

Even to this day, getting closer to 30 by the minute, I haven’t found that signature style I love, that perfect, envy-worthy hair. And I still keep trying to find the elusive product or style or hair color to give me a Princess Diaries type of transformation.
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Through the years, I’ve had more than my share of hair disasters. I’ve had my best intentions and optimism be shattered by horrific experiences. I have quite a few pictures to prove my hair has taken a beating through my hairbrained (haha) scheme to master it.
I’m sure I’m not alone. I’m sure we’ve all made some of these horrific mistakes….right?

I don’t mind dropping time and money to get a complete overhaul done on my hair. But a simple bang trim? Who wants to make an appointment and drop $20 just for a few snips? Isn’t that what Youtube is for?

I’ve had quite a few mishaps over my bangs. A few snips suddenly turns into a few too many snip-snip-snips. Before you know it, you’re sporting the superdork bang look… and they’re crooked, to boot.

Tip One: Make sure you use real hair cutting scissors, not your kid-safety shears from your junk drawer.
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Tip Two: Upward snips make it easier to mask screw ups. Hold your scissors vertically.
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Tip Three: If you're hesitant, just don’t do it. Seriously.

I blame the soap operas for this one. Every time I see those perfect golden locks on those actresses, I have serious hair envy. They seamlessly change from a chocolate brown hair color to a honey color in the span of a day. And suddenly, I find myself critiquing my own chocolate brown locks, feeling like honey-colored would be just perfect.

Then there comes the moment of no return—the decision to just do it yourself. After all, those commercials make the at-home kits look so easy. The model on the box is, of course, gorgeous. Surely they wouldn’t put her on the box if it wouldn’t turn out like that, right?
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Before you know it, the caramel highlights you wanted turn mildew green or the chocolate brown is actually a purpley black. The honey color looks more like vomit-color mixed with streaks of Bozo the Clown Red.
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Six bucks at CVS might seem like a bargain… until you have to spend $106 to get it fixed. Been there, done that one.

I’m antsy, if you can’t tell from the last two. I hate waiting. When I decide I want a change—I want to change it yesterday.

So frequently, I find myself not wanting to tediously make the call and schedule an appointment for the next week. Walk-ins Welcome becomes my new favorite phrase. Tried and true? Nope. I pass straight to the random world of walk-in hairstyling.
And I tend to walk-out with severe buyer’s remorse.

I’ve rocked a 1980’s style poof instead of the smooth, Kelly Clarkson look I was hoping for. I’ve rocked puffy, frizzy curls instead of the Taylor Swift spirals. I’ve cried, wanting to put a bag over my head for the drive home because I don’t want anyone even getting a glimpse of me.
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Trust what you know…or at least what you’ve heard good feedback from.

Okay, I feel like I’m probably not going to get too many “I’ve done that” stories on this one. I am embarrassed to say I might be alone here.

I got the idea once that my hair was super thick…which it is. But I got the idea it needed thinned out and no hairstylist knew just how to do it right. They never took out enough bulk. So I made a very, very bad decision.

I put a pair of thinning shears at Sally Beauty. And then I used them.

A few days before student teaching began.

Thinning was fun. I kept going. Chop, chop, thin, thin. Wispy pieces flew everywhere.
And then I stopped, glancing in the mirror. Tears came.
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I looked like I was very, very sick. I had thinned my hair so much that I barely had any left.
So away went my now long locks. I had to go for an above chin-length cut just to make my hair look even.

I cried. I cried some more. But did I throw out the shears?
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Nope. They’re actually still in my vanity, waiting for another moment of weakness and for time to dull the lesson.

It’s so hard to see your hair objectively.

Until you look at a picture.

We’ve all been there. We think we’re rocking the hair-do. We think we’ve mastered it. Until we see that photograph. Suddenly, the sophisticated wave we’ve been rocking actually looks like a George Washington style wig. The messy bun we think looks Kardashian sexy actually looks greasy and frightening.

The sheak black hair we’ve been wearing for years suddenly reminds us of Morticia. The slicked back pony looks more like a greasy oil slick.

Sometimes it takes a picture for us to do the facepalm and ask “What the hell was I thinking?” Unfortunately for many of us, the picture reveals the truth… a truth we haven’t faced for years or even decades.
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Pictures are worth a thousand words…and sometimes a thousand new hair products.
 
We’ve all had our hair disasters, right? We’ve all been chasing the elusive hairstyle that will transform us, that will give us the ah-ha moment we’ve been waiting for. For some of us, it’s a long road of don’ts to get to the one do.
 

To celebrate the release of my fifth novel, To Say Goodbye, I’m giving you the chance to win some hair goodies to help you master your perfect do. Sophia, the protagonist in this contemporary romance, is a hair stylist. To enter, you just have to comment below! Tell me your worst hair disaster and be entered to win an e-copy of To Say Goodbye (now available for pre-order) as well as the hair goodie box from Ulta! *US residents only. Ulta not affiliated with this contest.

****CONGRATULATIONS TO KRISTIN, YOU ARE THE WINNER! EMAIL ME TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE

Be sure to follow me on Facebook to stay up-to-date with my new releases and contests!

It's the best day of the month!

Petit Vour Box!

This month has an interesting mix of things. To be honest, I liked last month's box better, but I'm still anxious to give these products a try.

This month includes:

A full size Sculpt & Glow Contour Duo by Lily Lolo

Body Polish by Formulary 55

Lavender Facial Oil by True Morning

Luxe Towelettes by Box Naturals

Petit Vour is only $15 a month including shipping. You get four great products each month, and the best part is it is all cruelty-free!

My addiction to cosmetics was born the Christmas of 5th grade. My mom, a makeup addict herself, bought me my first kit, complete with a Caboodles case.
I was obsessed.

The possibility of changing my look with the swipe of a makeup brush mesmerized me. I could be edgy one day with a smoky eye or sassy the next with a swipe of red lips. I loved the possibility at my fingertips.

My relationship with makeup in my teens was a relationship of convenience. When I felt like doing my makeup, I did. If I was too tired, I didn’t. Makeup-free Mondays were just a part of my life; I never felt like I had to wear makeup to leave the house.

Fast forward to today, and my relationship with makeup has intensified. Call it aging, social pressures, or paranoia, but suddenly makeup is an essential crutch to my confidence. When I look in the mirror after the shower, my dark circles and eye wrinkles scream to be covered up. My pale skin, once a blessing, now taunts me until I add some glow. Without contouring, my face feels blob-like, my nose outrageously noticeable. Eyeliner, mascara, and three shades of shadow help me feel like my eyes aren’t drooping to the ground.
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In 2015, the prestige beauty industry reached $16 billion in the United States, according to the NPD Group. Clearly, I’m not alone in my love of beauty products; I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing.

While I heartily believe inner beauty is way more important than outer, I also think it’s okay to love makeup. I’m not here to psychoanalyze makeup addictions, and I hope you’re not either. Whether our relationships with makeup are caused by vanity, a lack of self-confidence, or the media, I think the key is using makeup in a way that makes you happy with yourself. I don’t think a makeup addiction should ever mask the fact you are beautiful the way you are, though.

Still, even the best of us can lose sight of this concept. Our intentions might be good, but our use of makeup can veer into the land of being self-critical. The eye shadow palettes, age-defying concealers, and magic potions make us feel like we can’t face the world in our own skin.

This summer, I’ve been re-evaluating my addiction with makeup. Makeup free movements have been in the news, including Alicia Keys’ #NoMakeup Movement.
I’ve taken on a more informal movement of my own. I’ve spent at least two or three days a week makeup-free this summer—mostly out of sheer laziness stirred by the summer heat. Below are some benefits I’ve found. Hopefully it’ll encourage you to put down the brushes and take it all off—your makeup, that is.

1. A carefree beauty routine has allowed me to enjoy more important things.

According to Melissa Dahl’s 2014 article on The Today Show website, the average woman spends 55 minutes on her beauty routine. The calculation was from a Real to Ideal Body Image Survey through AOL and Today. This, according to the article, equates to two full weeks spent on our looks during a single year!
This summer, I spend about three minutes swiping on sunscreen—and then it’s out the door. A laid-back beauty routine has given me more time to focus on everything else. It’s nice to not stress about perfecting my eye shadow blending or lipstick application. If nothing else, my husband and I haven’t fought over how long it takes me to get ready. Instead, we just pick up and go, enjoying adventures in our town.

When you step away from the beauty products, you realize how much time you spend getting ready, re-applying, and analyzing your appearance. I’ll always love makeup, but sometimes, especially over the summer, it’s good to reclaim your time and focus on other things—like the relationships around you.

 2. My skin is getting a much needed break.

This summer, I’ve been living in sunscreen during the day and moisturizer at night. I’ve already experienced less breakouts and softer skin. The 5:2 Skin Diet gained popularity last year in which dermatologists recommended going makeup-free two days a week. Although some claim two days of makeup-free isn’t necessary to improve your skin, several dermatologists and fans of the skin diet touted truly noticeable results, as noted in this article on The Daily Mail.

For me, my personal results are convincing enough evidence that skipping makeup a day or two a week can be beneficial.

3. I’m learning to love my own skin again.

The more you delve into the world of makeup, the easier it is to get consumed with perfecting your looks. Watching videos on Youtube can leave you feeling flawed and unskilled. This can lead to a lack of confidence. Suddenly, you’re only seeing what’s wrong with your face. It’s a dangerous, slippery slope that can lead to feelings of inferiority.

Reconnecting with my face sans makeup has surprisingly given me a boost of confidence. The first time I went to Sheetz makeup-free and realized people didn’t gape or run screaming from the store, I exhaled. 

​There are so many more important things than wearing the perfect shade of lipstick every single day. When you see yourself the way you are, you start to see the positives, not just externally, but internally as well.

 I will always be a makeup addict because it’s just who I am. Ulta and Sephora are my havens; I love trying new products and playing with my looks.

However, going makeup-free here and there has allowed me to redefine my relationship with makeup and my self-confidence.

If lipstick makes you confident and you have time for it, wear it every day. If eye shadow is your go-to, then blend away.

However, don’t be afraid to take a step away from the makeup brushes and see yourself for who you are, even if it’s just for one day.
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Taking it all off and braving the world can be scary after a life behind the makeup mask. However, you might be surprised how much lighter and more radiant you feel in nothing but your own skin.

I am completely addicted to Urban Decay shadows. Seriously.

I used to think the palettes were outrageous. Why would I pay so much for eyeshadow? And then I bought one...and now I'm an Urban Decay believers. There is seriously no other eyeshadow like Urban Decay. 

Did I say seriously? Because seriously. I have oodles of eyeshadows filling my drawers. I don't even use them anymore.

So when I went into Ulta the other day and found the Gwen Stefani Urban Decay Palette on sale for $25 I did a bit of a happy dance. When I got to use a 20% off coupon on top of that, I skipped to the register and made the palette mine.

Apparently, the palette is discontinued on Ulta now. But, GOOD NEWS: It is on sale on Sephora for only $25. 

And let me tell you... I think it's so worth it.

It comes with a nice variety of shades. There are some matte nudes, some sparkly lights, and a few darks that can be used for the crease and for lining. There are also some pretty pinks and tans that are perfect alone or layered.

I also found this awesome video that shows you one look you can do with the palette.

Do yourself a favor and grab this before it's gone. 

Are you an Urban Decay fan? Let me know what palettes and especially what Youtube videos have helped you make the most of your palette.

Happy eyeshadowing :) 

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