BEAUTY ROUNDUP | Year in Beauty: 2016 Edition Part 1

Welcome to my first post of 2017! It's been another 366 days around the sun and many a beauty love has been discovered. In previous years, I chose four products in six categories to talk about. Strategic buying made this year's list harder to compile because I really do love so many things! Some things will come as no surprise but there are others that are just getting their spotlight now. I'll link to related blog posts so y'all can get more information if you're interested. I've split it into two parts and this one will be all my makeup loves. So without further ado, here is 2016's Year in Beauty!

7

BLOGMAS | Day 6: Favorite Long Lasting Lips for the Holidays

As I'm writing this, it's Christmas Eve! I don't know if my level of excitement is noticeable but I cannot wait to see my family and chow down. So, I've prepared a few options that are guaranteed to last through the night. Whether you like a bold and matte lip or a glossy or sheer lip, all options will stay through the festivities! So let's get into the details.

0

BLOGMAS | Day 5: ULTA Birthday Haul + First Impressions

I've gotta say, hauls are one of my favorite posts to do because I love sharing all the cool loot I got. But then I feel massively guilty afterwards when I tally up how much I spent. They're a good way of reminding me what I've got so they're not all bad? As I'm writing this post, all of the items I am talking about are still in stock, so fingers crossed that if what I'm showing y'all today interests you, y'all can still get it!

0

DE-STASHING PROJECT | Samples Weekly Edit #1

As I mentioned in my Beauty Samples Hoarder post, I've made a commitment to use up more of my items. I like to save things for rainy days or for travel but they end up going bad before I get any use out of it. Stockpiling items has made my collection grow out of control and like I mentioned before, I've lugged all of these items through 3 houses and since I'm about to move again, I really need to clear things out.

Each week, I'll pull out at least 5 samples from 3 categories: hair & body, skincare and makeup, to use throughout the week. Every Sunday, I'll report back and give mini-reviews. I'll try to include swatches but since these aren't official reviews, I apologize ahead of time if there aren't any!

So with the introductions made, let's get into the juicy bits!

0

EMPTIES | Collective + May 2016

I can't believe this is the first empties post of 2016 and the year is half over, naughty blogger...If you've been through traumatic events, you know what I'm talking about. Your normal routine disappears, self-care becomes survival mode and hobbies goes out the window. But this post is not about that so I'll talk you through the products I will repurchase until the end of time and the products I'd run the other way from.

0

FOTD | Sparkly Purple Prom Makeup 2.0

I meant to post this up waaaay earlier than this to make it in time for prom season, #storyofmylife, BUT if your prom has already passed, take this as a #throwbackThursday! My senior year prom was back in 2011, which isn't that long ago, now that I think about it...I was adamant about doing my own look after a friend's quinceanera fiasco a year back. At the time, I was super proud of my look, evidenced by my wide smile. I usually don't smile as wide anymore but I was also ecstatic about getting my braces off in time for prom, haha. 

While my 2011 look isn't horrendous, there are many things I would improve upon, like my base makeup, which was virtually nothing, and eyeshadow. So, I decided to call my updated look "Sparkly Prom Makeup 2.0", abbreviated to SPM 2.0 for future reference. Unfortunately, I no longer remember or have the original items used in SPM 1.0 so I substituted with items readily available in 2016. So with improved product formulas and additional experience, I'll walk you through my updated look! 

Oh gosh, the nostalgia of 17-year old Cindy...

0

HALLOWEEN INSPO | Helpful Hufflepuff

For the graphics in the header photo, I used Mikey Booch's Hufflepuff Banner Wallpaper and Emily Corene's HD Hufflepuff Traits Wallpaper

With 5 days left to Halloween, I decided to kick off this new series! Halloween usually calls for scary costumes and horror movies but that's never been my scene. As a Potterhead, I will rewatch the Harry Potter movies and hand out candy instead. If you're looking for a terrifying makeup tutorial, you've come to the wrong blog. However, if you were looking for an understated and simple Halloween look that you can wear to the office, you've come to the right spot! I'm starting with Hufflepuff because it's my favorite house, not that I'm biased or anything...

0

BEAUTY REVIEW | September 2015 ♥

1. GOT2B ROCKIN' IT DRY SHAMPOO -- Like Goldilocks and her porridge, I'm always on the search for my "just right" dry shampoo. I need it to soak up oil well without a heavy scent or a sticky build up. Added volume is nice but not necessary (more on that at the end of the month). This dry shampoo is just so-so on every aspect. It soaks up oil well initially but 2-3 hours later, I find myself needing another spritz. This is good for second day hair. I usually wash my hair at night but by midday the next day (not even a full 24 hours), I'll notice the oil seeping through again. By the night and the following morning, I'll have crazy oily hair that this doesn't do much to control. The scent reminds of me Nestle Lemon Iced Tea and while it isn't unpleasant, I prefer my products to be unscented. The positives are that the spray is even and I don't have a white residue in my dark hair. I also haven't had a problem with the nozzle getting blocked or falling off. But the most important aspects aren't fulfilled so I won't be purchasing this again. BUY

0

BEAUTY REVIEW | April 2015♥

I'm thinking of starting a new series. Instead of doing monthly favorites, I've decided to change it to Beauty Review. I love sharing products I loved using during the month that I didn't get a chance to do a full review on but I've also come across products that didn't work for me. In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll be including those dud products as well as product updates! Without further ado, let's head into my April loves!

0

FOTD | "Sweet on You": Valentine's Day Edition

History repeats itself on my blog as last year's Valentine's Day look was also late. However, I decided to go ahead and call it this anyway even though Valentine's Day has come and gone. The important part is the makeup, not so much the holiday itself, amirite? I love applying my makeup and such more than going to the actual event so consider this my playground results! I've heard tons of good things about the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette so I decided to grab and test it for myself. I'm still in my honeymoon (testing) phase with this so I'll share my thoughts soon! I decided to use products whose names reminded me of love and romance in honor of Valentine's Day. Anyway, on with the look~

0

FAVORITES | Year in Beauty: 2014 Edition

It's already the fifth day of the new year so this post is a bit late I've just been really busy running errands and visiting family and friends, running from one place to another like a headless chicken on a caffeine high. In no particular order, I'm really excited to present to you the 20 products I tried and fell in love with this year and the 4 that will never get a second pass in my collection. 

1. MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation (Feb) -- The first high end foundation I ever tried, I fell in love with the light but buildable coverage. Most importantly, it was the best color match for my yellow-toned skin. The wide color selection, packaging, and performance make it a staple in my makeup kit!

2. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (May) -- The exorbitant price tag made me hesitate at first but again, the color match was spot on! I don't have to mix two colors like I used to, cutting down the guesswork, waste, and time spent getting ready by a good 2 minutes. Since I can use it on both my undereye circles and spots, it makes a perfect touch-up makeup bag companion. There's a bit of leakage at the top but that won't stop me from repurchasing this concealer!

3. Tarte Cheek Stain in Flush (Dec)-- This was a recent discovery  but it quickly made its way into my everyday rotation. I actually picked this up a while ago in the summer during Beautycon but only used it now that my skin has gotten quite dry. I've been meaning to post about this so I won't go into specifics but this is my favorite shade out of the ones I have (updated)!

4. Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (Apr) -- Bronzer was not a part of my daily routine but this bronzer changed all of that. Not only does it smell like divine cocoa, the undertone is perfect for my tastes in contouring--no red or orange. One with a grey undertone mimics shadows best but those tend to look ashy on my warm skin tone. I got mine in a kit but I'm seriously considering purchasing it in a full size so I can take it everywhere!

4

FAVORITES | April 2014 ❤

This month's Favorites doesn't have too many products but there are many rediscoveries that I made from my collection. Let's jump right in!

0

REVIEW | Too Faced Bonjour Soleil Limited Edition Summer Bronzing Wardrobe

Ready to get your bronze on?? The Too Faced Bonjour Soleil Limited Edition Summer Bronzing Wardrobe can help you achieve that golden goddess look with three of Too Faced's bronzers, including the ever-popular, Chocolate Soleil Bronzer. You also get Sun Bunny and Snow Bunny for a variety of bronzer looks. Let's hop on in to the review!

Photo courtesy of Ulta.com

0