Winter Trends 2013

Winter is by far my favorite season. Not only for the weather but the makeup and fashion trends that follow. 

*Pictures are not mine!*

Statement Scarves

Scarves are in and the bolder, the better! And they don't have to be bright to be bold. Try a wine colored scarf with a fun print like aztec! 

Smoky Neutrals

I feel like this look will always be perfect for winter because it's understated, yet classy. A light brown/tan on the lid and a chocolate brown in the crease is perfect in my eyes. 

Matte Lips

Gloss is good.. But matte is better! During the winter, I definitely reach for plums and brownish nudes. 

Oversized Jackets/Coats

Jackets are definitely a good thing during the cold winter months. Especially a comfy oversized one! Pair it with leggings or skinny jeans and you have a super cute outfit. 

Buns

Messy or neat, buns are in! And so easy! A messy bun takes less than a minute and looks so good! 

What trends are you rocking this winter? :)

Review: Elf Setting Spray

Elf can be a hit or miss brand for me. They have products I can't live without and others that just did not do it for me. I tried the setting spray as I heard it was a dupe for Urban Decay's All Nighter Spray. So I've used it quite a few times now and I'm just not loving it. It left my face very wet and oily feeling. I've noticed it smearing my eye makeup and I just didn't notice it helping the longevity of my makeup. I would definitely say to skip this! 

Inner Beauty Tag!

I wanted to do another tag today but thought it might be a little early for Christmas tags. :P so I decided to do the inner beauty tag. I think we generally focus on outer beauty when really we should focus on whats on the inside. Enough of my rambling! Lets get into it :)

1. Do you feel different with your makeup on and off? 

Of course, but not in a bad way. I don't feel like I need to wear makeup all the time. 

2. To you, is inner or outer beauty more important?  Inner, most definitely! You can be drop dead gorgeous but if you have an ugly heart you're screwed. 

3. Do you prefer inner or outer beauty? 

Isn't this the same as #2? 

4. What's real beauty to you? 

Being nice and compassionate voluntarily. Doing things because you want to help and not for a reward. 

5. What makes you feel beautiful?

When I'm having a good hair day. Or when I wear an outfit that flatters me. When my eye makeup looks just right. Little things like that. 

So that's it! I tag all of you to do this! Have fun! :)

Sephora Haul!

I've made quite a few trips to Sephora this month and wanted to show the things I got. Almost all the stuff I got is from older collections but it was on major sale and I could not pass it up! With that being said, lets get into it!
* Warning: Cuteness Overload *

Charmmy Kohl Eyeliner Kit ($15) 

 It came with 7 shades and as you can see below they are extremely pigmented. There's a black, a purple, a dark brown, a white, a turquiose, a forest green and a navy blue. 

Hello Kitty Noir Eyeshadow and Lip Gloss Palette ($7) 

Comes with 25 shadows, 10 lip glosses, and a double ended brush in a collectible tin. There's a lot of neutrals and the lip glosses are suprisingly quite pigmented. 

A few random swatches

The lip glosses

Hello Kitty Noir 5-Piece Brush Set ($9) 

This was my main reason for going to Sephora. It has a face brush, a shadow brush, a shader brush, an eyeliner brush, and a lip pencil. The brushes are super soft although the face brush isn't my favorite. 

Hello Kitty Noir Compact Mirror ($7) 

Just a beautiful matte red compact mirror. 

Hello Kitty Noir Intense Fragrance ($11) 

The last thing I got from the Noir Collection. I'm horrible at describing scents but I can definitely smell apple and vanilla. It's definitely more of a sweet smell than a floral.

Hello Kitty Parisienne Palette ($7)

This palette has 4 shadows and a blush. The shadows are a light beige, a light purplish-blue, a glittery chocolate brown, and a matte dark purple. 

The blush is a classic rosy color.

So that's what I got! I don't know if you can still get it, but if you liked anything specifically, ask your sephora retailer. Mine had tons of boxes in the back which was awesome! 

#2014BloggerChallenge

I love doing challenges and communicating with other bloggers so when I saw other people talking about the #2014BloggerChallenge, I knew I had to hop on the bandwagon. Basically you'll get a topic 2 weeks of the month by email and you make a post about the given topic. It seems fun and I think it would give you a lot of variety on your blog. If your interested, contact Gaby at Anothergirlyblg@gmail.com. :) 

Review: Hard Candy Hydrating Lip Stain

I've tried a few different lip stains and they've either been very drying or lacking pigmentation. I was skeptical but for 5 bucks I decided to give this product a go. And I'm so glad I did! 

I picked it up in the shade 'Cupcake' and it's a nice baby pink color. The color is surprisingly opaque and applies like a lip balm. It reminded me of Maybelline Baby Lips in the way it went on. 

 Fast forward 3 hours and after eating lunch. 

The shine had worn off but the color was surprisingly still there. My only complaint is that it did lose the moisturizing effect shortly after applying. It wasn't dry but it wasn't moisturizing. Overall I would definitely buy more of these!

Liebster Award

I was so surprised when I was nominated for this award. The award is given to bloggers from other bloggers. Jules from LippyLikes nominated me and if you haven't already you should really go check out her blog.

Rules:
1. Link back to the blogger who nominated you.
2. Answer the 11 questions given to you by the blogger who nominated you.
3. Nominate 5 other bloggers with less than 1000 followers.
4. Notify them of their nomination.
5. Give your nominees 11 questions to answer.

My Answers! 
1. Which is your favourite blog?  
Temptalia! So organized and fun!
2. Who is your favourite blogger? 
Kelly from Vampy Varnish
3. Why did you start blogging? 
I just loved reading other girls blogs and it really inspired me!
4. What is your day job?
I'm a high school student.
5. What is your favourite lipstick color?
Right now, I'm loving plums!
6. How often do you paint your nails?
Once or twice a week. It just depends on how much time I have. :)
7. Bath or shower? 
Baths!
8. How do you wear your hair?
Down or up in a messy bun. :p
9. What is your favourite fashion trend of the moment?
Scarves!
10. What is your most loved accessory?
My galaxy print hairbow. :)
11. Where do you hope to see your blog in 6 months? Hopefully I'll still be loving it as much as I do now and that my blog is catching people's attention.  :)

My Nominees
Jennifer from TigerLilyBeauty
Jess from Dungarees and Donuts 
Annie from Drugstore Dreamer
Amanda from Wonderfully Obsessed
Katrina from Beautrina

The Questions!
1. If you could only buy makeup from 1 brand, which would you choose and why?
2. Favorite winter foundation?
3. Where did your blog name come from?
4. How do you pamper yourself?
5. How long have you been running your blog?
6. Do you prefer long or short hair on yourself? 
7. Who is your favorite Youtuber/Blogger?
8. How long does it take you to write a blog post? 
9. If you could live anywhere, where would you live and why?
10. Favorite color?
11. What is your favorite nail polish color? 

Definitely check these girls out if you haven't and have a wonderful day! :)

NOTD: Last Hurrah

I'm starting to get into darker colors for the winter. So this is my last bright mani of the season and I wanted to make it as fun and bright as possible!

I started with an ombre on my pinky and index finger using Sally Hansen Blew Me Away and NYC Times Square. It made the middle turn into an amazing purple. The picture does it no justice. Then using the same colors, I did a cheetah print on my thumb and middle finger. To do this just make a few small dots and then make a c-shape around it. To make it look a little more imperfect, just add a few dots. Then for my ring finger I used Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Blackheart. For a finishing touch, I added a white bow that I got off Amazon. :) 

What are your nails wearing? 

November Wishlist!

November Wishlist! by beautyandablogger featuring an opi nail polish

Nicki minaj perfume
macys.com

Nail polish
sephora.com

Butter London nail polish
nordstrom.com

Opi nail polish
$13 - asos.com

Too faced cosmetic
$91 - nelly.com

Too Faced Cosmetics holiday party makeup
beauty.com

Review: NYC Individual Eyes Palette

NYC is one of those brands that is kinda hit or miss for me. I love their lipsticks but hated an eyeshadow I tried. That's why I was really skeptical about this palette. I got it in the shade Union Square and it comes with 4 eyeshadows, a primer and an illuminator. 

 Surprisingly 2 of the shadows are matte. Theres a matte brown and a matte beige which blends with my skin. Then theres a shimmery dark brown and a slightly shimmery burgundy plum color.  Most drugstore palettes I've seen have all shimmery colors or one lousy matte shade so this was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, the shadows kinda fall short without the primer. They aren't horrible but the pigmentation isn't great. They aren't chalky or powdery which I have experienced with an NYC shadow duo. 

However, with the primer they were so pigmented and the primer is really light and actually provides some coverage to the eyelids. 

I really like the illuminator. I use it in my inner corners and it really opens the eyes up. 

Pros: 

Not powdery

Matte shades

Illuminator 

Cons: 

Needs the primer to have strong pigmentation. 

I would definitely say to try it if you haven't. :)

When To Toss Your Treasures!

I know, it's tragic! You love your makeup and it can only last so long. Some products only last a few months while others can last you a few years. Not only can old makeup get cakey and clumpy, but it can also cause blemishes, redness, and even infections! It's super important that you be sure to keep up with your makeup and not use old products. So even if your tube of mascara is still half full, you need to trash it. 

With that being said, mascara does have the shortest lifespan. Liquid eyeliner is in this same category. It should hit the trash can after 3-4 months after the first use. Using old mascara can cause pink eye and other eye infections. 

Gel liner, pencil liner, and cream eyeshadows and blushes can last up to 6 months but if you notice a change in consistency then trash it! Better safe than sorry.

Pencil eyeliners have a lifespan of a year but if your using it on your waterline, you may want to throw it out at about 9 months. 

Foundation is good for about 9 months but if it thickens or thins, it needs to go. It can be a sign of dating, but also could be a sign of some form of bacteria. 

Nail polishes and lipsticks can last for a year. Lipsticks are less likely to house bacteria because they don't contain water. Nail polish has a lot of chemicals that drive away bacteria. 

Pressed powders, eyeshadows, bronzer, and blushes last around 2 years because they aren't a liquid. If your product is crumbling without being dropped it could be a sign that its old and outdated. 

Tips:

*change in color, texture, and smell is a sign 

*anything cream or liquid has a shorter life span 

*bacteria love a dark, damp place

*when in doubt, trash it. 

Hint: 

You know that little jar with the number on it on the product? It looks like this: 

 

The number represents how many months your product is good. Of course it's just an estimate and only you can determine if a product is bad!