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face.food.fashion.

Welcome Back!

6/21/2020

Hello everyone! Welcome back to my blog and if you are a brand new visitor, welcome! As a friendly reminder, this blog is just a space for me to write about all things beauty, fashion, food and personal topics too! It is also and always a positive place to share together.

I wanted to start the first post of 2020 off with my feelings on quarentine.

I am so thankful to this new lifestyle. I have gotten into plants, interior design, cooking more, walking everyday, photography and realizing what is most important. I feel like our new lives are a blessing in disguise. The way the trees sway in the wind, the delicate petals of flowers, adding spices to my spice jars are extra special now. In a way, it's like starting over; seeing the world new. I am a new and improved me and I owe it to quarantine!

Get ready for new posts every week, so excited to dive back in!

What has quarantine taught you?

everyday.makeup.bag.

3/6/2016

Ever wonder what people keep in their daily makeup bags? I know I do. Here is a look inside my daily (average day) makeup bag. On nights that I go out after work, I add mascara, powder, and anything I used on my face that day to touch up my face for the evening. On an average day, it is usually work, yoga, go home, or something close to it. Scroll down to see my daily essentials (I forgot to take a photo of my brush, I always keep a brush too).

A selection of lip treatments...

Dry Shampoo/Texturizing spray to refresh and add body to my hair

It changes every week but these are a selection of lip products that were in my bag last week

Always have a concealer and this is the one in my bag currently..

I always have some type of hand lotion. The one on the left is very good and it was from my birchbox and the one on the right is amazing too, from Arbonne.

What do you keep with you on a daily basis? Happy Sunday! xoxo

be.my.valentine.

2/14/2016

Hearts are everywhere and all I can think about are shades of pinks, purples and decadent chocolates. I was inspired this morning to do a soft pink/purple makeup look. I think it is nice to do something light and angelic and not always go bold and red.

Eyes

I use this paint pod everyday by MAC as my eye base and primer. This is in the shade Painterly.

I love curling my lashes! They allow the mascara to work better because the curler does the first step.

I put Clinique's new lid pop shadow all over the lid and this shade is a golden pink titled "Petal Pop"

In the crease, I used the Anastasia pallet, "Self-Made". I mixed the three shades on the left together: "Pink Champagne", "Metallic Plum", and "Deep Purple". The colors are more true to form in real life.

I used the Arbonne mascara above and I love the length and fullness!

I used a Khaki Green Maybelline eye-liner because I find that blues, purples, greens and browns are softer on my eyes and bring out my eye color.

I used the ELF palette for my cheeks and mixed three colors. The three pink shades, skipping out the brown/orange shade. I like the soft, bring pink I got from the mixture.

I used one of my favorite bronzers by Estee Lauder called "Bronze Goddess". It gives a natural bronze to the cheeks.

I use this Anastasia brow powder in soft-brown everyday.

Estee Lauder Perfectionist foundation gives a warmth and softness to the face as well as a medium to full coverage.

Clarins instant concealer is my favorite concealer ever. It brightens and covers up what you don't want shown.

I love this Clinique Sweet pot and the shade is in "Pink Framboise". It is divided in two sections. One section is a scrub and one is a gloss making a perfectly smooth glossy combination.

I love this powder. I use this every day as my last touch to the makeup process. It is a fine powder in the shade light/medium by MAC.

Happy Valentine's Day! What makeup looks will you be rockin' on the holiday of love?
xoxoxo
Links Mentioned:
MAC
Clinique
Ulta
Sephora
Macys
Arbonne

smelling.fresh.(favorite.perfumes)

1/24/2016

Since ancient Mesopotamia, scents, most specifically perfumes, have enchanted hearts, minds and souls. Perfume, to me, is nostalgic, uplifting and adds a boost of confidence. I am not a perfume aficionado and do not have many perfumes but I want to share which ones of my collection are my favorite (nostalgic too). I do like high-end perfumes and I would like to get some but I have put my perfume on the bottom of my list because my real passion is fashion, skincare and makeup. Maybe 2016 will be the year of perfume....

"Beautiful Day" on the left smells so fresh and happy, like flowers and fresh peaches. "Honey Sweetheart", in the middle, smells like happiness. It kind of smells like a mom or a grandma, but in a good way. "Paris", on the right has notes of mandarin, oranges, tulips, and spices such as vanilla. All of these are found at Bath and Body works (link in the photo).

I spray on "stress relief" as a precaution on Monday's to help me start my week. It has been a tradition now. Bath and Body Works has an aromatherapy line for different needs (sensual, sleep, stress relief, awaken). This one smells like it says, Eucalyptus essential oils and spearmint essential oils. The lemon spray screams summer to me, and I mostly will wear this one in the summer. Once again, it is from Bath and Body Works and smells of lovely lemon.

The Elizabeth Arden "Red Door" is a signature Elizabeth Arden perfume It has rich floral scents and I like to wear it to special events. The "Green Tea" perfume on the right is fresh and energizing. It has floral scents, mixed with natural ingredients such as green tea. The "Green tea Cherry Blossom" eau de Toilette spray is a mixture of the the green tea perfume and pink petals. All of these can be found at Macy's, Ulta, fragrance stores and Elizabeth Arden online (link on photo).

The Body shop perfume on the left is the "Moringa Body Mist". This scent makes me so happy with its fresh and light florals. I like it's high end packaging and I like to wear this perfume on care-free days. The perfume on the right will forever take me back to Rome. While studying abroad in Rome, this body mist from Victoria's Secret was my perfume of choice. It smells amazing, with notes of vanilla, clementine and blackberry.

Pacifica is an organic brand sold at Whole Foods and Ulta. I love how transportable these are and the scents are very pleasing. One is called "Indian Coconut Nectar" and the other is "Fresh Lilac". It is a plus that they are 100% vegan and cruelty free too!

I love these little guys! These are some favorites from about twenty or so that I have. I get these in Birchboxes (link on photo), but the one on the leftt was actually from Urban Outfitters. To me it smells like grape juice and it is so delicious. Tocca, which is next to Urban Outfitters, has a woody spice, almost as if a guy can pull it off. I love the earthy, spicyness to it, as well as the touches of fruit and jasmine. Further right is the little perfume named "Sophisticated and Sensual" which is exactly its name. I like to wear this one to important events like interviews because to me it smells important. On the right is "Hello" by Harvey Prince. This one smells like Hawaiian leis and lemon. It is a great one for spring and summer!

The difference between perfumes and toilettes may be slim, but they all share a common thread. The thread of emotions. Scents are very personal and nostalgic and as you can see, I wear certain smells for different purposes and remember certain events and times wearing them. What are your favorite perfumes and why? Happy Snow day! xoxoxo

new.loves.(skin,hair,makeup).

9/23/2015

For the first day of Fall, I had the urge to sum up my current "new" faves from the end of summer. I have been loving bronzers, moisturizers and products that have been leaving my hair soft and smooth...take a look below.

As you can see most of the skin and body care products above are from Arbonne. Arbonne is an all natural, organic company and I will leave a link below on Arbonne. I have recently fallen in love with Mario Badescu skin care and I have always loved Estee Lauder products (eye cream above)

This hair care duo is also from Arbonne and it leaves my hair so refreshed and soft!

I love both of these hair products! I use the Redken oil serum after or before I blow dry, focusing on the ends to battle any dryness. The living proof spray is a root lifting spray that my hair always needs, and it smells great too!

Now we move on to makeup! I am in love with the Lancome blush, it is in the shade Plum. I at first did not think it would show up on my skin, but it is beautiful and provides a natural flush. The Arbonne bronzer and olive eye liner are very smooth and pigmented. The Clinique CC cream provides light but overall coverage and the pink under tones cover any dark spots.

I love these Arbonne brushes! They are so soft and so affordable. They range in weight and pick up pigments.

I am so in love with the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzer. I have it in the shade 01 Light and it is so natural. I can slab a whole bunch on and it just looks like I have been sitting out in the sun, with a resulting tan. i also love highlighters and the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector highlighter is up there with me. The shade to me is a champagne glow! I place little dots on my cheek and eye bone and gently tap them into my skin, leaving an awakened glow.

From left to right, Arbonne CC Cream in medium is so natural that it shows some of my freckles but hides what you dot want. The Clinique line smoothing concealer does just that and more. It is very smooth and blend in quickly, and I have it in the shade 04 Medium. I love the limited edition Dazzling eyeshadow by Lancome. I got the shade Brun Cabas and it looks so beautiful and rose-gold on the eyes. The texture is whipped and soft . For my brows, I have been loving the Anastacia Brow powder in Soft Brown. This is a repurchase and it gives a very natural soft look. Last but not least on the far right is the Lancome Mascara called Grandiose. I love the wand firstly, because it is curved to get into every lash. Secondly, my lashes curl so nicely and plump up wit so much volume and my lashes need all the help they can get!

What are your end of summer faves? Happy first day of fall! Before you leave, check out the links to all the products mentioned xoxox.

Links for looking at and purchasing these products:
Arbonne
My Arbonne Page if you would like to explore the luxury of Arbonne
Macy's Estee Lauder, Clinique, and Lancome
For Redken, Anastacia, and Living proof, Ulta
For Becca Shimmering Perfector and Anastacia, Sephora

fun.in.the.sun.

7/5/2015

Summer is here and it is officially beach season. That means, bring out the bronzers and the spfs. A healthy glow and shimmer is very important for the summer months. I have two vacations coming up and I have a few new and some old favorites that I pack with me for sunny beach trips, come take a look.

I am trying out the Too Faced Bronzers and will be bringing this on my summer trips as well as the new limited edition Lorac eye shadow pallete. I fell in love with this eye shadow pallete because it has perfect summer colors to sweep across your lids on an evening out.

You got to have a cute case for money, phone and headphones. This was under $4.00 from H&M!

I love trying out different sunscreens and I am bringing along these two from Trader Joe's. They were a decent price, about $4.00 each and the blue spray bottle is for your body, wear as the orange lotion can be face and body. The Fedora on the left is always an essential for me to keep me cool and shaded, while also adding some style to a bathing suit or an outfit.

These two are new purchases that I have been loving. The journal on the left has been something I wanted for a while now. It is a 5 year journal where you can see what you have written on the same question for five years! The book to the right is what I call an "adult" coloring book. It has awesome things to color and it is both fun and relaxing to do on the beach house deck or lounging around on vacation.

These are just a few essentials on my beach vacation, I may do a clothes and bathing suit post as well! I hope everyone had a great fourth of July and are ready for some more fun summer nights! Happy Sunday! xoxox

what.i.am.loving.now

5/10/2015

My love of makeup is constant but what I love to put on my face (body and hair too) changes more often than my favorite song. Below are some products that tickle my fancy and add a glimmer to my eye (currently) because they are doing wonderful things to my outward appearance!

Nars provides a natural, sheer coverage to my face and brightens up my complexion! Loreal True match is AHMAZING, so natural and lasts all day! Estee Lauder perfectionist looks polished, professional, and photo ready!

MAC syrup (left) is a natural pinky nude that adds a nice natural color to my lips! I love it for an everyday shade. Bite lipsticks as a whole are a love of mine because not only are they organic, they are moisture rich and highly pigmented and come in beautiful shades!

Simple Micellar cleansing water is wonderful. The U.K. knows their stuff when it comes to cleansing waters and now the U.S has caught on! This product cleanses and refreshes while also removes all your makeup. I love the fresh soy face cleanser (in the middle)because it smells like a spa (cucumbers and lavender) and feels so cool and refreshing on your face. I will definitely buy a full size when I finish this one. The Caudalie face mist is a breath of fresh air. It smells like a fresh garden and feels like misty rain.

Not loving the product on the left anymore because I do not like the way it feels on my hair, but the product on the right is almost all used up. The REDKEN Extreme lengths sealer is amazing. Not only does it help provide hair growth, it leaves my ends feeling healthy and soft.

The ELF cosmetics blush quad is beautiful. It has three pinky shades and one orangey/brown shade and I love them all.

I am loving all natural deodorants since I am on the organic bandwagon in life. After using up my well-loved LAVanilla deodorant I was on the hunt for a new one and I found this one and it hits the spot!

This Aesop parsley seed mask is a god-send. My skin feels brand new after I use this mask. It is so refreshing, gentle and clarifying.

Where to buy these gems:
MAC
Sephora
Macys
CVS
Aesop
I hope you try something new this week, beauty wise! What do you recommend I try? Happy Mother's day! xoxox

shopping.haul.

3/8/2015

#Feelingspendy

I went on a spendy shopping spree recently and I got to explore the wonderful world of SoHo New York City. I have never been to SoHo before and I was happily surprised of the diversity, fashion and "realness" of the city. The brownstones were so Carrie Bradshaw and the shopping was every inch of the 22 block SoHo neighborhood. I was shocked to see so many stores from the U.K. and Australia and France, SoHo had it all! Browse below to see...

Lesportsac makeup bags. The bag on the right is ginormous and has sights of SoHo all over it. The bag on the left has several compartments and zippers to pack all your beauty items. The boutique store had a sale at the time and the staff were so helpful and kind! I learned that the store has new patterns every month!

MUJII Two drawer clear acrylic makeup organizer and pens

Left to right, Kiehl's lip balm, Kiehl's micro-blur primer, Kiehl's Creme de Corps, Clarins night cream and at the top, the Aesop Parsley Seed mask.

TOPSHOP...Left to right: Metallic bobby pins, purple matte nail polish, illuminizer, beige and turquoise nail polish

Birchbox Store: Three nude lipsticks by Model and Co. and a beauty protector spray for hair

MAC Cosmetics: Quad of four shimmery eye shadows, Lipstick in the shade "lickable" and painterly paint pod for the eye shadow base

Bloomingdales, Sephora and Space N.K.: Left- Oribe texturise dry shampoo, Nars blush/bronzer duo (orgasm/laguna), BB All style Blow dry cream, Nars sheer glow foundation in Punjab, Bobbi Brown full coverage foundation brush, Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer in Sand, and the Kat Von Dee Tattoo liner

As you can see, I was feeling spendy and got some great items! What is your favorite SoHo store? Happy Sunday xoxo

an.ode.to.birchbox

1/11/2015

Oh Birchbox,
how I love thee.
On a monthly basis,
I sample joy
in the form of
beauty
in one little box.
Unique products and brands
get the spotlight.
Every product
is customized
to me!
Review your products
to shop with a discount
online.
Oh Birchbox,
how I love thee.

Some hair products that I received over time. Dry shampoo, non-aerosol hairspray, leave in conditioner, shampoo..

Sample face and body products from Birchbox. Exfoliaters, cleansers, shave cream, face masks, lotion...

Makeup and perfume! Lip products, highlighters, BB creams, eye shadows, bronzers, etc...

What a Birchbox may look like; I save the boxes for gifts!

As stated above in my "Ode to Birchbox", I receive a little beauty box once a month, called, you guessed it, Birchbox! This company sends new and unique brands/products from makeup, to skin care, to fashion, to food and more! There are usually five items per box, one being full sized. I always get excited to see what comes each month! You can follow Birchbox on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and click here to get to their website! Will you be joining in on the fun for ten dollars a month? Happy Sunday! xoxox

beauty.gift.ideas

11/16/2014

I have been doing a lot of shopping recently, mostly gift shopping and I have picked up a few beauty items for myself along the way. I am liking what I am seeing out there! Today's post is all about buying something beauty related to someone on your gift list. Here are a few ideas/suggestions that will make any beauty lover smile!

Skincare 1. OLEHENRIKSEN makes some great products, the wipes and the foam face wash are really awakening and smell like oranges and refreshing. It is for all skin types and aims to brighten dull winter skin. 2. GLAM GLOW has to be my favorite face mask. I currently use the pore refining one with clay but this one gets a lot of hype too. The blue glam glow tin, pictured above focuses on moisturizing, which is another great winter staple. 3. The boscia makeup remover is amazing. It smells like roses and is so gentle on the face and eyes. This is a great addition to any makeup gift.

This is for those Urban Decay lovers out there who want a little sparkle this holiday season. I know there are plenty of amazing UD products, but I just wanted to mention these two because they are not talked about as much as the Naked palettes, eyeliners and the new "On the Run" palette. On the right is a BB cream than can be used as a primer or a base. It minimizes pores, goes on smoothly and also has great glow and coverage. The gorgeous item to the left is an illuminator for brow bones, cheek bones, or heck, your whole body! I love this illuminator. The texture is very buttery and smooth!

These are some lower priced options (for eye makeup lovers) Did you know that there is a mascara specifically for your bottom lashes? Clinique makes one at a reasonable price! If you do not want to spend money on a full size mascara, buy smaller sample sizes like the Benefit they're real mascara, and then the giftee can purchase the full sized mascara if she likes it! Scandaleyes by Rimmel are great gifts because not only are they affordable, they can be used as eye shadow and eyeliner and they can be natural or smoky depending on the effect you want to make!

This one made me really excited! This is a great little gift for the gal who loves dong her nails. This instant nail polish remover is so easy and mess free! All you do is stick your finger inside the container into a sponge, pull your finger out and nail polish...gone!

Who doesn't love a good lip product?! This set of Sephora lip glosses has a great range of festive shades that range from glossy to matte. I recommend this set to a lip obsessed friend.

These are just a few beauty gift ideas for the coming holiday season...I really could go on and on. I hope you found this useful and pick up one of these items for someone special! Happy Sunday xoxox