M A K E O V E R :: makeup stand

When it comes to my makeup, if I can't see it, I forget it's there. I love having a display of sorts for all of my beauty products. I found this little stand about a year ago and love using it to hold all of my beauty items. Over time however, it's become quite a mess. I wanted to clean it up and change it up - nothing a fresh coat of white paint can't fix! 

I picked up a few more jars and some white spray paint, and ended up with a whole new makeup stand that I am simply in love with!  I love the freshness of it!

I loved the result and how absolutely easy it was to transform. So instead of buying something new, maybe you should just give what you have, a fresh new coat of paint! I'm also a bit obsessed with painting everything white right now. I just love love it. So, what are you going to give a paint-over??

xo. melisa

B E A U T Y :: five favorites

C. Booth Shower Gel in walnut shell :: I'm in love with this scent! The wash is really moisturizing and it'll probably be my best friend in the winter.

Shea Sugar Body Scrub in tropical mango :: This scrub makes my skin SO soft. I don't use it everyday, because I don't want to over exfoliate, but it's definitely a treat to pamper yourself with.

Yes To Cucumbers towelletes :: I use these wipes everyday; they're the perfect way to wake up in the morning! 

Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser :: I just started using this moisturizer last week and I'm already smitten with it. It's gentle, doesn't dry out or over moisturize, it's really great.

Neutrogena Naturals Multi Vitamin Night Cream :: I've used this for nearly a year and I don't know what I'd do without it. I've mentioned before that moisturizing my face is maybe my favorite part of the day - so this night cream is heaven after a long day.

This will be an ongoing list of my five beauty favorites. I realizedI rarely get to share my products with you and product recommendations are maybe my favorite thing ever, because I'm constantly trying new things. If you have any recs, share in the comments!

xo. melisa

What's in My Makeup Bag

I haven't done one of these posts in a while, and since I've recently started using a few new products, I thought I'd share the products I currently carry in my makeup bag.

I have always always used Bare Minerals, which you'll hear about below, but I thought I'd get outside the box and try something new. I decided to go with Makeup for Forever and I must admit, I like it. I'm not completely and totally bought into it, but it does have a nice even finish to it. I use it on occasion, but can't seem to get away from my BM.

Oh Bare Minerals; I cannot love this brand anymore than I already do! I have used these products for at least 7 years now and I really don't think I'll ever stop. I use the Foundation in Medium Beige, Well Rested for eye brightening, Warmth which serves as blush and Pure Radiance which gives a nice even complexion. I love them all. 

Oh mascaras! I have a love for eyelashes; they're the first thing I notice when I meet someone and I strive to create the perfect set of lashes. Weird, but true. YSL has a great mascara called Shocking that I'm currently loving. It's a rich black that doesn't flake; it curls and volumizes without feeling caked. Diorshow Maximizing Lash Plumping Serum and Primer is AMAZING. That's right, it needed to be in all caps! I don't know about you, but a full set of lashes is like a dream come true and this primer not only makes them appear fuller when you put it underneath mascara, but over time it actually helps your lashes grow! I'm not lying, it works and I have never had such healthy lashes. This one is a must for any gal who wants pretty lashes; you won't be disappointed. Lastly, Smashbox's Full Exposure mascara is pretty great. I really love the brush on this one; it's great for volume and length!

In the past year I have started to wear eyeshadow more and more. I love the colors of all of the above. I've found that Urban Decay and Bare Minerals stay on the longest and don't really rub off throughout the day; which is what we all want. M.A.C. is great, of course! And I recently bought this VS set and though I've only used it a few days, am really enjoying them^_^

What's good makeup without good brushes?? I use several brands; Bare Minerals, Sonia Kashuk, Clarins, and Elf. I like them all, but Sonia is probably my fave and Elf is  really cheap, but surprisingly has good quality brushes.

That's what's in my makeup bag. Hope that was helpful to some of you who are wanting to try something new! If you have any suggestions, I love trying new products! Also, speaking of trying new products... Have you heard of Birchbox or MyGlam?? They're companies that send you product samples each month for a fee of $10 a month. I love the idea, but was wondering if y'all knew of any other companies like this? Want to make sure I pick the best one! Thanks.

xo.

Melisa

Fancy Nail // Glitter

This season I have fallen head over heels for glitter, I know what am I, like six? ha! But seriously, glitter is fun no matter what your age may be, especially when it's on your fingernails! I thought I'd share with you a few of my personal go to glitter polishes.

I love essie and this one is extra great because unlike most glitter polishes, this one is not bumpy in the least! I like that it has bigger glitter pieces, but covers a good deal of the actual nail. Did that sentence make sense to the rest of the world? I hope so. I currently have this one on the tips of my nails^_^

Oh my butter! This brand is superb. Though it's a bit pricey, it's worth every cent! I painted my nails with this for the holidays and did not even slightly chip for 2 weeks! Also, it took about 30 mins to take off. It really does stay on and it's so so pretty on!

sonia always has wonderful shades and though black can seem a bit much, when you have pretty flecks of glitter, it makes it more fancy then freaky. Love it!

I picked up this little number at Ulta and I love love it! All of the colors make it easy to match with anything and everything. It's like a party on your nails!

Revlon is always a win, but when it's in this pretty gold metallic shade, it's perfection! You know how it's popular to paint one or two of your fingernails a different color, well this one is the perfect accent to any shade! 

On Lip Care...

I recently decided to buy myself my very first lipstick. Yes, it's true, before this I have never owned my very own lipstick. I've considered it before, but have been far too overwhelmed by all of the options! Which, let's be honest, there are SO many. I spent a good hour (or maybe more) trying to decide on one. I left with the perfect shade. I figured some of you might find yourself in a similar predicament so I thought I'd help you; not that I'm any expert. So here we go.

Picking the perfect shade. I have heard that when picking your shade you should stick with a color that best matches the current color of your lips. Lipstick should enhance your natural features, otherwise you can look a bit clownish, yep, I went there. It's fun to experiment with different shades, but I really think less is more. And if you are going to go with a bold shade, you should go pretty neutral on everything else. Also, I heard you should stick your tongue out and match the color to your tongue, which is silly, but could work, maybe? Let me know on that one!

I know everyone may not like lipstick and that's okay. So I thought I would share all of my current lip obsessions as well.  Something for everyone! Here are a list of my favorites

For Color...

I went with L'oreal, for two reasons. One, it's L'oreal, everyone knows that name so I was pretty sure it wasn't going to freak my lips out or make them fall off. Two, they had a ton of different shades and types. I picked from their Color Riche section and chose Cinnamon Toast; it's the perfect shade of mauve, red and brown. I kind of love it.

I also use a lip conditioner by Maybelline called Baby Lips; which is a strange name I'll admit, but it's just great! It comes in several different shades also! I chose it in Cherry. It provides lip moisture and adds a nice tint. This is great when I know my lip needs color, but I don't want to feel all fancy with my lipstick. Because lipstick makes me feel fancy. Cause I'm nine.

One of my absolute favorites is the Just Bitten Collection by Revlon. I wear this most days. It's great because one end is the lipstain and the other is the balm. Perfection. My go to color is Forbidden.

For Softness...

I use Rose Lip Balm religiously. It is like magic. My lips can be a bit finicky when it comes to chapsticks, but this one makes them oh so happy. I love that it leaves kind of a gloss and a pretty pink tint. The smell is quite nice too. I just put some on while I was writing this and yes, I stand by everything I just wrote ^_^

For Gloss

Buxom Lipgloss is the way to go! I have used this gloss for about 5 years now and though I have strayed a time or two, I always come back to it. It's a lip plumper, it smells delightful, the color is perfection and you need it. There, I said it!  I use Dolly and I think it's the most popular color because they seem to always be sold out of it. And by they I mean Ulta, Sephora, and Bare Minerals cause all three carry it. I'm not kidding, you need to go buy this and then come write a comment thanking me for the suggestion. I love it that much. There I'm done.

For Plumping...

As I said, Buxom lipgloss is also a plumper, but the ultimate plumper is by Du Wop and it's called Lip Venom. This junk will make your lips feel insane. I don't know how to describe it without freaking you out a little, but the first time you use it, you will feel odd, I promise though, it works and you will probably become addicted to it. So you're welcome.

Is it weird that I have all of these in my purse? I just really hate dry or pale lips. Hope this was helpful. If you all have any suggestions I'd love to hear them! Thanks so much!

xo.

Melisa