Why I'm Choosing to Dance in the Rain

Hello Beautiful Ones!

This is not the post I was planning to write this week, but life is unpredictable which is arguably what makes it beautiful. This week I was faced with a shocking life change. I've been doing a lot of thinking over the last few days, so I thought I would share some of those thoughts with you.

I won't go into the gory details, but the basic gist is that the company I worked for sold the division that I worked in and the new company eliminated my position. I was completely dumbfounded. I've definitely been experiencing all of the emotions: shock, anger, sadness. There have been a lot of tears.

Needless to say I've had some unexpected downtime, and I started thinking about one of my all time favorite quotes: "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain..." -Vivian Greene. This quote has always spoken to me. But lately it has never felt more applicable. I walked out of my office building for the last time feeling hopeless.

I soon realized that  even though I was going through something terrible it didn't mean that I wouldn't be able to figure it out. Sometimes horrible situations can still be productive, even if it doesn't feel that way. I feel so bonded with another coworker who was also laid off. We've been calling each other every day with updates on our job searches. And you know what else? I realized how strong I am. As cheesy as it sounds you have to experience the lows to truly appreciate the highs.

We all have to deal with our own personal storms. I know there are a lot of people out there that are dealing with things much worse than losing their jobs (perspective is so important), but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt. I'm choosing to dance in the rain though. I let myself cry the first few days, but I didn't hesitate to start applying for new jobs. I think that's the point of the quote: you should acknowledge the storm, but you shouldn't let it stop you from doing what you want. I also took some time for myself. I took a bubble bath in the morning, wandered around the mall in the middle of the day, hung out in Starbucks for an afternoon. It felt good.

I know this post has been heavy, but there is a silver lining... I was offered another position today. I know Olivia Pope is choosing to stand in the sun (I am obsessed with the show Scandal, #teamJake), but sometimes dancing in the rain can feel so good.

I don't know what storms you're dealing with and I don't know how long they will last, but I hope that you choose to dance in the rain.

XO- Brittney

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The Dry Shampoo I Currently Can't Live Without

Hello Beautiful Ones,

It's no secret that I am a complete dry shampoo junkie. Not only do I constantly have a can of dry shampoo in my beauty arsenal but I also like to rotate and try different ones. I've had some favorites along the way, but there is one that stands out right now: Dove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo.

Dove has really been stepping up their beauty game in recent years. They aren't just all soap and lotion anymore. I wasn't even planning to buy this one in particular I was just scouring the hair care aisle for a new dry shampoo (like I said, dry shampoo junkie.) I'll be honest with you, the sleek white packaging is what caught my attention right away. I decided to give Dove a shot.

The reason I'm a religious dry shampoo user is because I have naturally curly hair. Washing curly hair too often can actually strip it of the natural oils it needs to keep your curls pretty and in tact. I usually stick to a schedule of washing my hair every other day. The problem is, that sometimes my roots can get a little greasy in between washes. That's where the dry shampoo comes in, it can help soak up that grease and add volume.

So what's so great about this dry shampoo from Dove? It does exactly what it says it is going to do. It invigorates your roots while absorbing the grease and giving your hair bounce. The directions suggest you spray your roots a section at a time, then massage the shampoo in, and finally brush it through (I use a comb, cause I don't like using brushes on my curls.) I love this dry shampoo because it really made me feel like I had just washed my hair. Not only did it eliminate the grease but it handled that itchy scalp you sometimes get with second day hair. I have used other dry shampoos before that have given me more volume, but this one still gives you a decent amount of bounce and volume.

I think I might actually be sticking with this dry shampoo for a while... or maybe not, who knows? :)

XO- Brittney

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Benefit Roller Lash Mascara Review

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Every once in a while there is a new beauty product that gets everybody talking. The most recent product to blow up the beauty blogs? Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara. A new mascara that Benefit boasts will make you ditch your lash curlers for good. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this baby and see if it could stand up to the hype!

First of all, let's talk about the packaging. I know it doesn't have anything to do with the product, but when you're paying a decent amount of money for something you want to work as well as look good right? Benefit is always so clever with their packaging, the cap is designed to look like a hair curler (or roller, get it?). 

The real revolution here though is the brush. It is designed to grab each lash and lift it upwards while the formula helps to curl your lashes. I'll be honest, I never really curl my lashes. Mine are pretty naturally long, but every once in a while I get those strays that just want to do their own thing. So I was intrigued by a mascara that would give you lift and curl without actually using a curler (those things just look like torture devices, right?).

The verdict is... THIS IS THE REAL DEAL. Seriously, this is a good one. I've been a big fan of Benefit's They're Real mascara for a while now, but I have to say that this one gives it a run for it's money. The brush does grab on and coat your lashes really well. I would suggest applying slowly so you get good coverage. My lashes really did look curled! It even works for the bottom lashes. Also, the lasting power is great. I didn't have to worry about it budging all day. 

Roller Lash goes on sale officially February 27 (I bought mine with early access for being a Sephora VIB member). You can pick up your own Roller Lash for $24 from Benefit or other retailers like Sephora and Ulta. 

Let me know if you're going to be running out to get this one!

XO- Brittney

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Tarte-Tarteist Clay Paint Liner

Hello Beautiful Ones!

Some days you just need a good cat-eye right? Honestly I've never been that great at it. I'm still working on my steady hand, so any product that makes having amazing eyeliner a little bit easier is greatly appreciated! With that being said I was very excited to try Tarte's new Tarteist Clay Paint Eyeliner.

The Tarteist is a clay liner that comes in a squeeze tube and includes a small eyeliner brush. The packaging is supposed to imitate an artist's palette. You squeeze the tube and the liner comes out onto the round "stage" area so that you can pick it up with the brush as if you were painting (and technically you are). 

The curved ended brush allows you to paint on the liner more easily because it curves the same way that you eye does. The formula is also helpful because it glides on easily. My only difficulty in application was that I learned that it works better if you only squeeze out very little product at a time so that it doesn't dry out and get clumpy while it's sitting on the "stage." Tarte describes this liner as "no-budge" and I would have to agree. It stays in place really well which is ultimately what I want in a liner (there is nothing worse than having a smudgy mess at the end of the day).

I just drew the liner on with the brush and then used a cotton swab dipped in make-up remover to clean up the wings a little. If you have a steadier hand than me you could probably skip the make-up remover all together. For now, the Tarteist only comes in black. You can get it for $24, I picked mine up at Sephora.

I definitely won't be doing a bold cat-eye every day (I would constantly be late to work) but, when I do I will be reaching for this! Let me know if you've tried the Tarteist.

XO- Brittney

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My Current Brow Routine

Hello Beautiful Ones!

I've talked about it before, but my brows have always been a bit of a struggle for me. Having thick and unruly brows can be difficult, but I've finally gotten down a routine that works for me and my brows!

I always used to get caught up in what everyone else's eyebrows looked like. I wanted to have brows that looked like the ones I saw in magazines and on tv. The problem of course was that eyebrows are a lot like people, they're all different (I bet you had no idea this post was going to get so deep, did you?). So when I tried to make my brows into something they weren't it just turned into a mess. It wasn't until I started going with my brows instead of fighting them, that I finally became happy with them.

I currently have two brow products in my everyday arsenal: the Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil and the Maybelline Brow Drama Eyebrow Mascara both in Soft Brown.

I know that a lot of people are big fans of the Brow Whiz by Anastasia Beverly Hills but I kind of prefer a pencil on my brows versus the crayon kind of texture, it just seems more natural to me. I fill in my brows and then set them with Brow Drama. I've said it before, but Brow Drama is the absolute best drugstore brow product I've ever tried. Seriously... it is that good! I use it in combination with the pencil because it won't give you a lot of color. I love it because it sets my brows without being crunchy and lasts all day.

What's your brow routine? Let me know in the comments!

XO- Brittney

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Chocolate Flavored Beauty!

Hello Beautiful Ones!

I don't know about you, but Valentine's day has me thinking chocolate (oh yeah and there's that whole love thing too, I'm gonna stick with chocolate though). Just in case that heart shaped box of chocolates wasn't exactly what you were looking for, you can add a little chocolate to your beauty routine with the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette and the Body Shop Chocomania Body Butter.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette

I'll be the first to admit that I was a little behind on the Chocolate Bar train (I received it recently for Christmas), but I can promise you I have seen the light. I use this palette ALL the time. The colors are so creamy and blend together amazingly well. This is a very warm palette and has a great mix of both mattes and shimmers. The lasting power is great (I always use a shadow primer), and the darker shades work great as liner too. And the best part? It not only looks like a bar of chocolate but SMELLS like one too! The perfect pick-me-up in the morning.

Body Shop Chocomania Body Butter

I love the Body Shop Body Butter. It's very creamy and moisturizing, perfect anytime but especially in the winter. The real selling point here though is the smell. Seriously, it smells exactly like a tub of chocolate sauce. It's amazing. I promise you'll smell good enough to eat (wait... is that weird?). 

I hope you all have sparkly Valentine's days full of chocolate and love.

XO- Brittney

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Friday Favorite: Josie Maran Bear Naked Nail Wipes

Hello Beautiful Ones!

It's been forever since I have written a Friday Favorite post! I literally have no excuse, but I promise this is a good one. I love painting my nails (understatement of the year). What I don't love is having to take my polish off: trying to soak a cotton ball in smelly acetone without spilling it on everything you own, it's a mess. So today we're talking about my new favorite thing: the Josie Maran Bear Naked Nail Wipes.

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of argan oil and dare I say it, nobody does argan oil quite like Josie Maran. I received this as a (beauty insider) free sample from Sephora so I didn't really have any expectations, I was just excited to give them a shot. What's really great about these is that there is no acetone AND they're moisturizing. I used to remove my polish and then rub argan oil on my nails to strengthen and soften them before I reapplied my polish. These wipes do all of that in one step.

Another plus? The smell is great! Seriously, say goodbye to polish removers that smell like chemicals. These grapefruit ones have a great citrusy smell. Not to mention they are super portable in their little plastic tub (easily small enough to fit in a purse, backpack, or carry-on). You can get the small container (20 wipes) for $9 or the larger container (40 wipes) for $16 at Sephora. I can use only one wipe to remove polish from both my hands so they last quite a long time. (Super Bonus: Josie Maran donates a portion of every sale to the Polar Bear SOS Initiative).

Bottom line: these are awesome!

XO- Brittney

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