I'm Still Obsessed With Nails.

OKAY guys- I have found my new holy grail of polishes!

I first started using Formula X for Sephora a few months ago and have. not. stopped. They provide a kit called The System that sets you up with the very basics of DIY manicures.  You get a nail cleaner, base coat, top coat AND you get to pick any solid nail color to be included in the price. With prices ranging from $10-$12 a bottle, this is such a good deal!!

I can attest to the fact that this whole nail regimen makes for a long-lasting DIY manicure- the longest I've gone without a chip was a WHOLE WEEK.  Not even kidding right now.  Considering that these aren't gel based polishes, that's really good!

Lately, I've been sticking to more classic colors, but I definitely feel like once Spring and Summer come around, it'll be time to get a little funky!

Another nail-related gem that I've found has got to be Sephora's Instant Nail Polish Remover.  This puppy only goes for $9.50 and I've been using it since November and haven't even come close to running out. All you do is dip your finger in the container, swirl it around for a few seconds and all of your polish "magically" disappears!  I will say though, that since this is a strong chemical mixture, your fingers feel a little dry after, so I recommend moisturizing right after you've removed all of your polish.  :-)

I paint my nails about 3-5 times a month and have only been using these products and LOVE 'em!

XOXO

Love It or Leave It? Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser (Primer)

PRIMERS.  So many to choose from, so little...money?  

First off, what exactly is a primer? This product is designed to create a smooth surface that helps to prolong your foundation wear.  They can be formulated for different purposes such as hiding the appearance of pores, getting rid of redness, or covering dark circles.

Some great primers on the market these days are from Benefit, Smashbox, or Urban Decay.  However, if you don't exactly want to shell out $30 bucks for a small tube of something that's going to run out faster than you get through the checkout line, Maybelline offers a great alternative!

The Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser from Maybelline has only been available in the UK or Asia, but recently got released in the USA!! You know I had to get on top of that!  It retails anywhere between $5.99-$7.99 depending on which store you go to.

This primer promises to blur the appearance of your pores while acting as an adhesive for your makeup. I've had it for a few days now and I have to say...I AM LOVING IT!!  It comes out in gel form and has a silicone, smooth feel.  I have oily-combination skin and this primer has really helped my makeup stay put throughout the day.

Verdict: LOVE IT.

Drugstore Haul

For the past year couple of years, I’ve been extremely devoted to Sephora and high-end beauty products.  Smashbox 15 Hour Wear liquid foundation is my fave and I can’t get enough of Nars Orgasm Blush and Nars Laguna Bronzer!!  However, lately I’ve been thinking about how much money I actually spend on all of these beauty supplies and how I could honestly be getting better deals elsewhere.

YouTube has been such a great resource for getting reviews on good high-end makeup dupes and what the best drugstore products really are.  So I’ve made it my goal to add to my makeup collection mainly from Walgreens, Bartells, Target, or even the grocery store.  Now don’t get me wrong- two things from Sephora that I absolutely cannot give up are the Anastasia Brow Wiz Pencil (my shade is Brown Ash) and the Sephora Liquid Liner in black.  These two lovelies are my holy grail because they work perfectly, are long-wearing, and the shades are just right.  The liquid eyeliner is only $12 and it lasts me around 4-5 months.  The eyebrow pencil on the other hand...but it works amazingly (is that a word?) and is the perfect color!  :-P

  

OK, so let’s get started!

I have combination-oily skin and acne has been a struggle for the past 5 years.  It’s so weird- all throughout middle school and high school I never had pimples or blackheads, but once I turned 18 BOOM!  Acne galore!!  Finding a great face wash has just been a trial and error journey, but I think I may have found a small treasure in the Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser.

I’ve read that for oily skin, you should try to stick to oil-free products and for dry skin, a creamy cleanser works best.  So since my skin is definitely a combination, I thought this would be a great pick!  My acne has been clearing up and I’m seeing fast results!

Now, you can’t forget to moisturize after you wash your face, right?  Since Neutrogena has been working well for me, I thought I’d keep it in the family by trying out their Oil-Free Moisture with Sunscreen.  It definitely has a fluid consistency, but after rubbing it in for a little bit, it starts to dry.  So far, so good!

Alright guys- I’m sorry I didn’t clean the dispenser before taking this picture, but I was just too excited to get this post up that I was impatient.  Please forgive!  J  I have been loving my L’Oreal Paris True Match LUMI Foundation (shade W4 in Warm Beige) and have been using it non-stop!  If you look up the best drugstore foundations, I’m positive that you will L’Oreal Paris True Match ranked at the top, however I think its sister, LUMI, might be getting forgotten!

The difference between the two is the LUMI foundation promises to provide a soft glow and illuminate your face.  This is great if you don’t normally use a highlighter or if you’re just wanting to have a healthy glow.

If you go with the LUMI foundation, I would highly recommend the L’Oreal Paris Magic LUMI Light Infusing Primer!  This...this...is just awesome.  Go get it.

Next up is my go-to concealer: the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind (shade Light).  This concealer works great to cover up any dark circles and doesn’t crease.  I love using a really light shade to add some highlighting dimension.  I only use this for my under-eye area, so if you're actually trying to conceal blemishes, I would just get this in the shade that matches your foundation.

For setting powder, I stay in the L’Oreal line once again and use L’Oreal Paris True Match Super Blendable Powder (shade W4 in Warm Beige).  This helps to balance out the illuminating factor in my foundation and creates a nice matte finish.

Let’s talk MASCARAS!!

I love doing a combo of L’Oreal (yes, I know, yet again haha) Voluminous False Fiber Lashes and Voluminous Full Definition.  These little guys act as my one-two punch to achieve the full and lengthy lashes that I love!

I also like to use Maybelline Great Lash in Clear as brow gel.  Don’t ever pay over $5 for brow gel.  Just...don’t.

Now for some hair love!!  If you know me, you know exactly how much I hate getting my mane cut (I’ll have to save my hair trauma stories for another day...), so I do whatever I can to help my split ends (except cut them tee-hee).  ACTUALLY, I did have my hubby cut off an inch and a 1/2 a week ago...my hair was starting to look pretty fracked, so I had to.  Don’t even ask me what that word means...when you see something that fits the word, you’ll use it, don’t worry. :-P  But I love the fact that you can find a great hair mask that can be found right down the aisle of your local grocery store!  

Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle is honestly the best reasonably priced hair treatment that I have found.  When using hair masks, specific to your ends, I recommend only using the product on the tips of your hair and then twisting it into a make-shift bun while in the shower and leave it on for a few minutes.  If you try using the deep conditioner all over your head and roots, you’ll end up with crazy greasy hair that’ll make you look like you haven’t washed your hair in two weeks.  Try this stuff pronto!!

To wrap up this drugstore haul, I’m reminding you beauty nerds to take care of your nails!  I recently started working for a cleaning company, so my hands are constantly getting dry, so not only do I use hand cream regularly, but I also like to use Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream.  Be generous when applying and do it at least once a day.  You’ll be left with moisturized cuticles and a refreshing lemon scent to give you a nice pick me up just in time for those 3PM dozes.

Love.  Peace. And buttermilk biscuits.

Nadia

Celebrating My Wedding Anniversary!

Hey guys!  I'm sorry I've been gone for SO long...but I am back BABY!!

Things have been absolutely busy and crazy, but I promise I will try to do a better job of keeping this blog more up to date. I just got a laptop (my very first one!  It's about time, I know!), so I'm hoping to be around on here way more often.

I've been wanting to do a drugstore haul post and a Michael Kors bag review, so there are some fun things to come!

Today's post is about something very exciting though...I just celebrated my 3rd year wedding anniversary! Time has gone by too fast...

People tell me that once you hit your 3rd year, you're no longer considered newlyweds.  So we feel like we have definitely made a huge accomplishment!  :-P 

For my hubby and I, the first few years have been...stressful.  We've dealt with financial troubles, housing issues, and health scares.  However, I can tell you with every ounce of confidence that IT GETS BETTER.  If you and your spouse are committed and maintain and grow that love for one another, then it will get better- I promise!

This anniversary was really special to us and we just wanted to have a good time and enjoy one another.  We celebrated by taking the day off and chilling at home with a big breakfast and later on went out to a nice dinner and made a trip to the Seattle Great Wheel (it was our first time!)!  Here are some pics of the awesome time we had...

Getting ready to head out on the town!

 

 

First stop: FOOD.

 

The Hubs got BBQ salmon with veggies, mashed potatoes, and onion rings.  YUM.



I opted for chicken tacos and cilantro rice.  Aww yeah.

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

 

After gettin' our grub on, we headed straight to the Seattle Great Wheel.  Did I mention that I'm scared of heights?  Well, that didn't stop me!

 

 

 

 All of the lights!

 

It was a chilly night!

 

Inside the cozy ferris wheel car.

A pretty tree that we spotted while on our walk down the waterfront!

 

 

It was a wonderful anniversary and I can't wait for next year's!

 

 

 

Love.  Peace.  And buttermilk biscuits.

 

Nadia





Bumbershoot 2013

I need to get better about my blog posts because GURL. Bumbershoot was like a month ago.


Just in case you're not from Seattle or even the NW, Bumbershoot is the 3-day music festival with tons of food and vendors.  Whether it be pop stars, hipster idols, or up and coming entertainers, this crazy summer event is filled with fun, some good grub, and sweat.  Lots of sweat.  GROSS.

So here's a look at all the good times we had...

Pre-party duck face!

 

Me and the Hubby getting ready to see Death Cab!

 

We're just SO excited!

 

The bromance is very real.

 

Group shot of us in the crowd!

 

 

Death Cab for Cutie.



 

 

 

Bag Review: Michael Kors Grayson Medium Logo Satchel

Hi, I'm Nadia and I have a problem with loving designer purses and occasionally buying them.

For the longest time, I've been extremely loyal to Coach. I got my first one when I was about 14.
My mom had given me a small burgendy edition with a dark leather strap and little did I know, my favorite hobby had just begun.

Nowadays, I've branched out a little to Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs. Don't get me wrong- if I had the scrilla to buy Prada, Louis Vuitton, or Chanel, I WOULD. Buuuut I'm a normal girl who makes normal money, so let's just be real here.

Right now, I've renewed my love with this satchel that I got about a year ago. It's actually really roomy and durable. It's great for nice dinners and I have to say, I'm really impressed with the gold plating- none of it has worn down. Honestly, the straps will probably be the first thing that'll start to fall apart, but so far so good. Even if you're having a casual, laid back kinda day, this purse adds just enough polish to bring everything together. 

I'm sure a lot of you will notice the similarity and look-alike between the MK Grayson Satchel and the Louis Vuitton Speedy.  MK has a really nice selection of well-made bags for a waaaaay better price, so this was my way of fulfilling a small dream of rocking the Speedy one day.  :-)

My only word of caution is to not over stuff it. Now that's not because the bag can't handle it, rather because the crook of your elbow might not! Of course, this is the style of the bag, so you should probably already be prepared for that.

All in all, this is great, fun bag, and I give it an A-.

SEPHORA- Need I say more?!

If I could live at Sephora, I think I would.  Just make sure there's some sort of food stand right outside the door and I'm good to go!

Now, I don't want to sound like a snob or anything, but I do get most of my makeup from Sephora.  Before you judge me, hear me out! 

My skin is really sensitive and I tend to get bad acne and dry spots, so I try to use higher end products that I know have good ingredients, are cruelty free, and help with my skin.  If I can buy drugstore makeup or beauty products, I definitely will.  Like mascara and lip gloss?  Girl, Walgreens is where it's at.  But I'm not hear to talk about makeup in particular today (that is a whole other post to come!)- it's about Sephora sales and how awesome they are!!

Right now they're doing 3 nail polishes from Sephora by OPI for $10!!!!  Did you hear me?!?!  3 polishes for 10 bucks!!  So you better go and get it while supplies last...haha, sorry I had to say it like that.