September Favorites!

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Whoah... am I actually writing my favorite things post for September IN the month of September?! Somebody hold me back! I'm slowly but surely adjusting to fall. The colder weather is definitely not my favorite but the cardigans, boots, and chai lattes are winning me over. This month my favorites consist of some loved beauty products and a few miscellaneous entertainment bits.

Beauty Favorites

Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Eyeshadow Palette- $28

This product is the hip older sister of the original Naked Basics Palette (I can confidently say that as a hip older sister myself #humblebrag). Confession: I've never actually owned the original palette, but I have stolen it from my before mentioned sister several times. I've been really enjoying this new one. The colors lean to the cooler side and with more grey tones than the first one. I would say that if you are in desperate need of a hardcore basics palette (with more browns and a black) then you should probably grab the original, but otherwise this is just a really nice palette to have in your arsenal. As with most Urban Decay palettes the quality of the shadows is fantastic. Here are some more pictures of the shadows and some swatches.

The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil: The Radiant Oil for Body and Hair- $25

It seems like just about everyone is crazy about argan oil these days (I'm definitely a convert myself). I was a little reluctant of this trend at first because it seemed super counterproductive to me to put oil on either my face or my hair, but I have to tell that I've seen the light! So I was excited when I saw this new offering from the Body Shop. I've used this both on my hair and on my skin. My favorite uses for it are to tame frizz and flyaways on my hair, and to calm my skin after shaving. Also, I love that it comes in a spray bottle because it makes application a breeze. 

Benefit Majorette Booster Blush- $28

You can find my full review and swatch of this product here. But, the basic jist of this blush is that it can be used either on it's own or as a booster underneath your favorite powder blush to add an extra "pep" to your makeup routine (hence the adorable marching band theme of the packaging). The highlights of this blush are that it goes on creamy and then takes on a powder consistency, lasts well, and has a delightful scent. I know a lot of people have been concerned about the coral color of this blush, but I personally find it extremely flattering (however, this is a color I often gravitate towards). 

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator- $12 (0.5 oz.)

I recently received this as a free sample after purchasing some other clinique products and I have to tell you that I'm in love! This is a fantastic moisturizer especially if you are plagued with dry skin. I use it every morning before I put on my makeup. The only con here is that it does smell a little weird while it's still in the pot, but I don't notice it once I apply it to my face.

Stila Lip Glaze- $22

This is a product I've had sitting in my makeup collection unused for awhile. I've only recently rediscovered it. This is a deluxe sample size in the shade Shortcake that I got in a Sephora value set that you can check out here. I love that it's long lasting and such a pretty shade. This is a gorgeous nude gloss that is perfect for fall. 

Miscellaneous Favorites

Music

PTX Vol. III by Pentatonix

Pentatonix is a five person acapella group that first gained fame for winning season 3 of NBC's singing competition show the Sing Off. They also have a massive Youtube following. I always adore their new album offerings and this one is no exception. It's a great mix of acapella covers and originals. One of my favorite tracks is a mashup of Sam Smith's Latch and La  La La which they have accurately named La La Latch. Even if you're aren't a major acapella fan I still encourage you to give this one a listen! You can download it on iTunes for $5.99 or grab the physical copy at Walmart for just $5.

Beggin for Thread (single) by Banks

This is a single that I have been completely obsessed with lately. The lyrics are smart and the beat is amazing. Prepare to have this one stuck in your head ALL DAY. 

T.V.

It's the time of the year for new and returning fall shows or as I like to call it: the season of endless new episodes clogging up my DVR. Instead of boring you with my endless list of shows I'm watching I'm just going to give you my two new favorites and two old standbys. 

Warning: there may be slight spoilers ahead (don't say I didn't warn you). 

How to get Away with Murder- ABC

This is arguably Fall's most buzzed about new show and I'm here to tell you that the hype is real. This is the latest offering from powerhouse Shonda Rhimes. I mean obviously this is Shondaland and we're all just living in it. The show follows law professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) and her students, who will do crazy things to get her approval (hint: that includes murder). 

Red Band Society- Fox

This is genuinely one of the cutest shows I have ever seen. There is so much heart here it is amazing. The show follows nurse Jackson (Octavia Spencer) and all of the kids she tends to on her floor at the Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. It has a little bit of a Glee vibe (a group of misfits coming together to support each other). I promise you that you will laugh, cry, and generally be filled to the brim with emotions.

Scandal- ABC

If you aren't on the Scandal bandwagon yet then you need to seriously reevaluate your life choices (I say that with love). This is yet another Shonda Rhimes thriller that is in it's 4th season and it just KEEPS GETTING BETTER. Just about every episode leaves me screaming at the television. Seriously, you probably don't want to watch T.V. with me. 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine- Fox

I swear that Fox and ABC aren't the only networks that I watch, it just turned out this way. I just have so much love in my heart for this comedy. It follows Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samburg) and his colleagues in Brooklyn's 99th precinct. This show had me hooked at the pilot and nothing has changed now that it's started it's second season. You should definitely binge watch if you need a good laugh or a new comedy. 

There you have it: all of the things I've been loving this month! Let me know what you've been obsessing over in the comments.

XO- Brittney

P.S. Here's a bonus picture of my cat Smokey trying to figure out why I'm taking pictures of my makeup on my kitchen floor (do you ever wonder if your pets are planning to commit you for mental instability or is that just me?). x

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Monday Musings: Dealing with Failure

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Here we are again.. another Monday and another post for me to spill out the insides of my mind (brace yourselves). Lately I've found myself thinking a lot about failure. As some of you might know I recently graduated from college and have found myself living at home with my parents while looking for a full-time job. During the course of my job hunting I've faced a lot of "we're going to pursue other candidates," or "your qualifications do not match up with our open positions at this time." Everytime I read or hear one of those phrases from potential employers I can't help but feel like I have failed.

Failure feels like such a harsh and scary word. When I think of failure I think of the end. Like failure is the final stop in the road to get where you're going. It's so easy to think, "well now that I've failed I'll have to quit or try something new." Failure and rejection are extremely difficult to face.

I know from first hand experience how painful facing failure can be. I'm not just talking about my recent adventures into the jungle that is job hunting. This past year while I was still a senior in college I made the decision to apply to grad school. I applied in December to four different schools and by May I was the proud owner of four different rejection letters. I was crushed, not only did I have my heart set on going to grad school but I was left with absolutely no idea what was next for me. I can vividly remember crying my eyes out in the shower. I've wavered on whether or not I should re-apply.

But the problem is that if we quit we allow failure to dictate our lives. If we give up we don't get to continue our stories, we don't get to see if there is a happy ending in the subsequent pages. As we have all heard a thousand times you often don't get to enjoy success without experiencing failure first.

I've decided that I'm not giving up and I'm not going to allow failure to control the choices I make in my life; I'm going  to use my failures as learning tools that will help me get exactly where I want to go. I'll leave you with a famous quote on failure by Winston Churchill that has kept me going these last few months "success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

Please don't give up beautiful ones.

XO- Brittney

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Benefit Majorette Booster Blush Review & Swatch

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Today is a bright sunshine-y day and I find myself feeling extremely happy despite the fact that it's Monday. There might also be a few new things in my makeup bag that are adding to the pep in my step. What is it about new makeup that makes getting ready in the morning so much better?!

One of the new things I'm absolutely crazy about is the Benefit Majorette Booster Blush. Confession: I was totally a band nerd in high school. Double confession: I didn't even really like playing the clarinet, but all of my friends were in band so I think it was mostly a social decision. My point is that I made a lot of really great memories during high school marching band so this product name and packaging are making me feel a little nostalgic!

Benefit defines Majorette as a "cream-to-powder booster blush." I'm a complete cream blush junkie so I was excited about this one right away. The first thing I noticed about the product was the gorgeous packaging. The whole concept is that Majorette will "pep up" your makeup routine (hence the super cute marching band theme). The lid of the package opens up to reveal the blush and a mirror in the lid. 

It was so hard to wait to dig into this until I had a chance to get the pictures taken (serious will power took place). I had to get pictures of how beautiful it looks when you first open it! Once I started actually playing with the product I noticed that it is extremely creamy and glides on well. Once you apply it to your face it starts to take on more of a powder texture. I just applied it with my fingers and then buffed it out with a kabuki brush.

Benefit says that you can use Majorette on its own or layered under another blush. I know that a lot of people are a little nervous about the peachy pink color, but I have to tell you that it's extremely flattering. I did try layering one of my favorite pink powder blushes over this and I still liked it. Majorette just gave it a little extra boost. Here is the majorette color swatch:

Just as a little extra bonus this product smells amazing! I know what you're thinking: what does scent have to do with the performance of the blush? The answer is absolutely nothing, but the fresh citrus scent does serve as a nice pick-me-up in the morning!

So far I've been happy with the lasting power of this product. I typically have great luck with cream blushes and this one is no exception. My initial verdict on this product is that I am in love! You can pick up Benefit's Majorette for $28 (I feel it's worth the price tag!).

Let me know if you've tried this one yet and what you think!

XO- Brittney

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5 Beauty Products That Will Help You Hang On to Summer

Hello Beautiful Ones!

This post is for all of you out there like me who are desperately clinging on to the last of the summer sunshine before fall completely takes over. I will happily swap out my tank tops and flip flops for cardigans and boots but you better believe that I'm going to hang onto my favorite summer beauty products until the bitter end. I've gathered up 5 beauty products that will not only remind you of carefree summer days, but can also be nicely transitioned into fall.

Marc Jacobs Honey Rollerball- $22
I really love buying perfumes in rollerballs because they are so portable. You can easily throw this little guy in your purse (or your beach bag if you're lucky) and you're good to go. Something about this fragrance just screams summer to me. It has a sweet and sunny scent. A few swipes of this and even the coolest fall day will feel a little warmer.

Jergen's Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer- $8
This is a year round love. I'm sure most of you have tried this one before, but just in case you haven't I'm going to rave about it a little. This is basically a great moisturizer combined with a light bronzer. Perfect for hanging on to that nice summer tan a tiny bit longer.

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Shampoo- $5
It is no secret that I am a firm believer in the Not Your Mother's brand of hair products (you can read all about my obsession here). When I first tried this shampoo all I wanted to do was stand in the shower and sniff the bottle (sorry for that mental image), but seriously you guys this stuff smells amazing. The best way I can describe the smell is coconuts and sunshine. If this shampoo doesn't transport you to the beach then I don't know what will.

e.l.f. Essential Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal- $1
e.l.f. is another favorite drugstore brand. When you compare the quality of the product with the price there is no rival in my opinion. This facial whip is a gorgeous shimmering highlighter to give you that gorgeous summery sun kissed look even on a gloomy fall day. Here is a color swatch:

Milani Baked Bronzer in Glow- $10
Once again, anything I can use to extend my summer color is a win for me. This bronzer is perfect because it's not too dark and just adds more of a shimmery glow than anything. This can also double as a great highlighter. Here's the color swatch:

Now we can all live in denial that colder temperatures are among us. And if you are one of the lucky ones who live in a place where it's always warm, can you send me some sunshine? I promise I'll adjust eventually. Stay sparkly beautiful ones!

XO- Brittney

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Monday Musings: Does Everyone Have Better Eyebrows Than Me?

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Happy Monday! The weather here is lovely and it has me in a little bit of an oddly calm mood. So I thought I'd tackle a topic that I've had floating around in my head for a while and do a quick (I'll try to make it quick I swear) Monday musings. Prepare to experience the inside of my brain.

I'm fairly confident in saying that all of us have those things about ourselves (physical or not) that we would like to change. For me one of those things are my eyebrows. I know, I know... there are much more serious issues in this world for me to be worrying about, but it's just one of those things that plagues me.

I always say that I was blessed with long eyelashes and in return cursed with thick eyebrows. My eyebrows have always been extremely thick (just like my hair) and very dark. Having dark eyebrows means that any stray hairs stick out like a sore thumb. I find myself looking in the mirror and obsessively staring at my eyebrows.

But that's not really the bad habit I want to discuss. For me the most destructive part of this whole thing is when I look at pictures, magazines, and T.V. actresses and compare their eyebrows to mine. There's always someone with a better arch, or a perfect brow shape. And all of these comparisons make me want to make my own brows look that way.

The problem is that my brows are completely different from the next girl's so when I try to force my eyebrows into a mold they don't want to fit into it turns into a giant disaster. It's taken me some time, but I've finally learned that it works so much better if I go along with my brow's natural shape instead of making them do something they don't want to do.

At the end of the day I don't really want this post to be about eyebrows. I want it to be about realizing that the best way to find beauty is not to change the things you don't like about yourself, but rather embrace them instead. That's what I ultimately want you to get out of this blog: ways to make your outsides match your beautiful insides. Sorry for getting really mushy, but for me that's why I love makeup because it makes me happy and allows me to express my personality the same way that a great dress or a killer pair of shoes does. Makeup isn't what truly makes you beautiful, but it can help you express who you are.

I'm still finding peace with my eyebrows. Just remember to smile and you'll always sparkle!

Hopefully you were able to follow this rambly mess and I didn't scare you all off! :)

XO- Brittney

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Mac: A Novel Romance Collection Lipstick in Myself

Hello Beautiful Ones!

What is is about a new lipstick that just makes your whole day go better? One of life's greatest mysteries! I know the Novel Romance collection from Mac has been out for a week or so but I've been loving the new lipstick I picked up so I thought I would give you a review and swatch.

The new collection from Mac is inspired by the glamour of romance novels. I would be lying if I said that I've never lost myself in a good steamy romance novel. I think that the colors in this collection are especially perfect for fall. I went with the lipstick in the shade myself which is a sheer nude pink.

The color is very subtle so if you're going for a big splash this probably isn't the shade for you. However, I think it's perfect for daily wear or in an office setting. I recently wore it to an interview and it was perfect. Here is a color swatch in natural light:

As I said this lipstick is sheer so it's not too heavy. It glides on smoothly and wears for a decent amount of time. Plus the packaging is small and can easily be slipped in your purse or bag for touch-ups.

You can pick up the Mac A Novel Romance collection lipstick in Myself for $16 at any Mac retailer. But remember these limited edition collections from Mac typically fly off the shelves so you'll have to hurry if you want to get your hands on one. I bought the last Myself lipstick from the counter I was at!

Have any of you tried anything from this collection? Let me know in the comments!

XO-Brittney

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August Beauty Favorites

Hello Beautiful Ones!

I could swear that I just wrote July's favorites post a few days ago. Seriously! Where has this month gone? August is still typically pretty hot in Nebraska and it's been raining like crazy, but the start of football season has me thinking fall. So here are the beauty things I've been loving this month!

It's not a super long list this month. Like I said, it feels like I just did a monthly favorites post but there are a few new things I've been loving this month so lets just get right into it shall we?

e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator- $3
This one is a total beauty on a budget miracle. For only $3 you get a really great lip exfoliator that leaves lips really smooth and moisturized. This is great to use before putting on your lipstick because it really smooths out your lips so you don't get the lipstick settling into any dry spots. My lips have been a little dry lately so I've been using this before bed. And as a bonus the vanilla scent is heavenly!

L'oreal Infallible Blackbuster Liquid Eyeliner in Black 700- $8
I'm going to be honest with you, I wasn't really sure about this one when I first tried it. When you open it up you notice that the applicator is huge! It looks like a large marker, which I'll admit was a little intimidating. But now that I've gotten the hang of applying it, it has made its way into my daily routine. The large applicator means that you can easily swipe on one quick coat of liner for a nice thick line and be on your merry little way. It works really nice for a good cat eye or wing. Also, the lasting power is great! I put it on in the morning and then don't worry about it for the rest of the day.

Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Color Balm in Robust Rhubarb- $21
I pretty much love any makeup product that comes in stick form because it means fast and easy. This is no exception. I was really excited when I heard that Clinique was reworking their famous Chubby stick into a cheek formula. I just swipe a line of it onto my cheek and then buff it in with a Kabuki brush, but I think you could easily use your finger too! I picked up the shade Robust Rhubarb which is a really pretty coral-y/pink. Here is a color swatch:

Mac Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in Love Connection- $22

I'm obsessed with these mineralize shadow duos from Mac. The amount of sparkle is perfect and the pigmentation is great. As long as I use an eyeshadow primer before hand it stays on all day long. I like to use the lighter color all over my lid and brow bone and then blend the darker color into the crease and outer corner. Here are the color swatches:

Lorac Pro Palette 2 Eyeshadow Palette- $42

I'm sure you've probably heard about this one already so I'll try to keep it simple: LOVE. I'll be honest I never bought the first pro palette, but after this one I'll probably just have to bite the bullet and get it. The pigmentation is fantastic. Plus the colors stay put and blend well together. There are endless color combinations to be made. The quality of the shadows is just amazing, completely worth the price tag. 

Well there you have it, that's all of the beauty products I've been loving this month. Please let me know what you couldn't get enough of in August!

XO- Brittney

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