Shop Your Stash: Spring Makeup

I feel for those of you still suffering through this awful winter. I can't even imagine the stress and inconvenience storms like these bring. But I have good news: Spring is coming! Well, it will eventually. It is inevitable and therefore you can certainly start dreaming of warmer days ahead. Most importantly, you now get to plan your Spring makeup looks!

Before you reach for your wallet--I urge you to "shop your stash" and see the makeup you already own. While companies release gorgeous new collections every season, if you are strapped for cash the chance are you already have a color that reflects the current trend.

Seasonal makeup trends mimic the "feel" of the season. For example, holiday collections always up the glitter factor, and summer collections always have self-tanners and turquoise-colored shadows or liners. For Spring, collections are always full of soft pastels.

Spring Makeup

Eyes

Ditch the heavy liner and cat eye for a lightly defined eye with lots of mascara. Spring is all about looking fresh and young. The wide-eyed look will always be "in." If you use liquid liner, try using a long-lasting pencil liner instead; it gives a softer look. For your eyeshadow, lightly apply any of the following colors over the lid to brighten the eyes in a Spring-appropriate fashion: lilac, mint green, sky blue, light purple, baby pink

Face/Cheeks

Your skin should like fresh and cheeks should look rosy. It's time to move away from matte powders and thick foundations. Try using BB or CC creams, tinted moisturizer, or a light-coverage foundation to even out your complexion. Use concealer on any areas where you might need extra coverage. Unless you are oily, only powder your T-zone (nose, chin, forehead) to keep the rest of the face looking natural. On the cheeks, think of the following colors when looking through your cream blushes and powder blushes: coral, baby pink, soft rose, soft peach, and pinky-plum.

Lips

Lip gloss and tinted balms are a great alternative to lipstick in the spring time. Give your lips some moisture and color without having to worry about having a perfectly-defined lip. Spring lips should be fast and easy. Keep the formula simple and don't be afraid of shimmer! Some great colors for tinted balms, glosses, and sheer lipsticks are: bright pink, baby pink, rose red, pale rose, lavender-pink, coral, and light berry.


What are some of your favorite products for Spring?

Tress Stress--The Products I've Been Using to Save My Hair

Hello, lovely readers!

I hope those of you up north are staying warm. No matter where you are, you might appreciate this post if you're having hair troubles.

Painting by John William Waterhouse--One of my favorite artists!

 My hair has grown quite a bit lately. It's layered, but the longest point reaches the middle of my back. I want to grow out my layers, so I will be trimming it regularly until they all even out. I've found that layers in the back of the hair end up turning into a frizzy mess--at least for me. The lengths of my hair had gotten extremely dry, too. I don't know what happened. I could blame it all on stress and would probably be right on the money, but regardless of the cause, I had to do something about it.

I've collected quite a few hair oils and potions in attempt to rehydrate my ends without turning my oily roots into a bigger issue. For awhile, I was trying out Garnier's Pure Clean line--excellent for oily roots, but the rest of my hair (thick and slightly coarse) couldn't tolerate it. I've learned a lot about ingredients and how my body reacts to them in the many years I've been blogging and trying beauty products, so I know what to avoid.

My hair, much like my skin, hates silicone and all of its friends (like dimethicone).  Sulfates are no good for the hair either, so you might as well rule out any of those nasty chemicals if you want smooth tresses. After doing some research (I wanted drugstore haircare) I decided to give the Shea Moisture line of products a try.

I'm using: SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo & Conditioner; SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Extra Moisture Detangler

www.walgreens.com

This trio is amazing. The entire SheaMoisture line is Silicone, Sulfate and Paraben free. It's "free" of a lot of things, actually--just check out the label! SheaMoisture uses natural and certified organic ingredients. I've used raw shea butter before and it has a distinct smell that is present in all of these products. Unless you're extremely sensitive or NEED your hair to smell floral (or however most shampoos smell nowadays) the scent shouldn't be a problem.

Despite being sulfate-free there is still a good amount of lather so you feel like you are cleaning your hair. The conditioner is thick but not greasy (it sinks right into my ends) and the detangler has a nice, thick texture (great for controlling my crazy hair) and it helps detangle like a dream.

www.oliviagarden.com

Olivia Garden's 100% Boar Bristle brush is another great addition to my haircare arsenal. I use the DV-4 model, which is the one on the right. Much like the product promises, the handle's ergonomic design makes it a great fit in your hand and keeps you from putting too much pressure on the scalp. While boar bristle brushes (BBB) are often a cause for debate, after doing a bit of research at the Morocco Method website, I decided to give the BBB a try.

BBB's have always been recommended in beauty books. They're supposed to help distribute the natural oils from your scalp down through your ends. Your scalp's natural oils are the best moisturizer for your hair. If you have oily roots like me, experts have warned BBB's can actually exacerbate the problem. However, I've found that the BBB has kept too much oil from accumulating at the roots. I haven't even had to use dry shampoo as much as I had to in the past.

www.thebodyshop.com

One more thing I wanted to mention: I also went back to using my wooden detangling comb from The Body Shop. This comb is great for wet OR dry hair and it does not snag or snap the hair. I use this before I do my BBB routine for excellent results.

And the BEST thing about these products? They are ALL under $25!

What are some of your favorite haircare products?

Vintage Find of the Week: 1950's Kitchen Canisters

1950s Kitchen Canisters // Vintage Wood Dovetail Containers from 86Home

Price: $95

Era: 1950's

I love organizing. I enjoy the challenge of figuring out what to keep and what to get rid of (and where to put it) as well as knowing the zen that comes with a neat space. I think the kitchen is an overlooked area when it comes to organization. Usually, people focus on bedrooms and closets; but the amount of items in one's kitchen can easily multiply and then take over your space.

With this cute little set, you can keep basic items on hand and save the hassle of messy paper bags (seriously, people need to redesign the bags flour comes in). The price isn't too bad considering the era and condition of the canisters. Sure, you could buy a few Mason Jars and call it a day, but if you want to add some 50's kitsch to your kitchen, and keep things in order, this set would be perfect.

Best & Worst: Drugstore Liquid Eyeliner

 THE WORST - Wet n' Wild H20 Proof Liner

Internet, I don't get it. This Wet n' Wild liner gets so much hype. Even professional makeup artists rave about this stuff in makeup forums--WHY?! I really don't like giving negative reviews, but I figured perhaps someone could let me in on the secret as to why everyone loves this so much.

I have oily skin, and I use MAC Paint Pots or NARS Eyeshadow Primer (seriously the best) to control that. But, no matter how I prime my lids, this liner melts off all over my eyes by midday. I mean total, complete meltdown. It runs under my eyes and it "stamps" onto my crease/socket. Hot. Mess. City. 

So, who can enlighten me? Bueller? Bueller?

BEST - Rimmel Glam' Eyes Precise Design Liquid Eyeliner

This eyeliner was an unexpected find. I had run out of my trusty Kat Von D Tattoo liner and wanted a cheaper alternative. While the application is different (this is a brush while the Kat Von D liner is a felt tip pen) the longevity is the same. This liner has a slightly glossy finish once it dries, but it stays on and doesn't flake off.

The one thing I find might be an issue is the product's dry down. You can feel a slight tightening as it dries. It isn't bothersome by any means, but I feel it, and I know a lot of people have very sensitive eyes. Just wanted to give you all a heads up!

What are your drugstore hits and misses when it comes to liquid liner?