How to organize a small bathroom! + Bathroom tour

Hey ladies I'm sooo sorry I've been MIA for a while now! I moved into a new apartment about a month ago and on top of that have a crazy, busy work schedule! All excuses aside... I've missed you guys and blogging in general! Today I'm going to show you my bathroom and the way I organize a rather small space, some things maybe be somewhat obvious in a bathroom {buying a shower caddy, etc} others ...not so much! So I hope you can gain some useful tips and information from my post!

So I will preface by saying that I have the luxury of having this bathroom to myself! My fiance and I moved into a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment so he has his things in the guest bathroom and has no problem keeping separate bathrooms! But even if we had to share {and we definitely have before} he doesn't have too many toiletries should it wouldn't change my set up too much.

So let's get into to it, here is an overview on my bathroom!

First, I'll show you some of the decor and also some easy storage hints!

• adding a storage box to the back of toilet is an easy way to add MORE storage and also a convenient place to put unmentionables *cough* tampons, etc. haha I also store q-tips, cotton pads (for makeup removal) and makeup remover wipes! Box is from AC Moore, similar here.

• Note: Some may find my shower curtain loud and possibly juvenile but I can't help it it just makes me happy haha Shower Curtain: Ross, similar styles here Keys: Tuesday Mornings Towels: Target

Overview of the sink area, now more on the organization:

• I obsessed with this idea! Keep a small container {glass candle-like holder, basket, etc} filled with sample products all us women have too many of! This way they're out, you see them and you're more likely USE them, which is the point right...? Container: TJ Maxx

 

• This SHOULD go without saying shower caddy are absolutely essential and if you don't have one, you're seriously missing out on a serious space saver and de-clutterer. As you can see I LOVE my hair/bath products so mines pretty full but that's okay... that is what they're for.

• If you're lucky enough to have a medicine cabinet these are life savers as far as storage goes! Mines very run of the mill, I have things organize by size and also by way they are, like the bottom shelf is all skincare/face stuff.  

If you DO NOT have a medicine cabinet my tips for organizing under the sink would be PERFECT for recreating a medicine cabinet-like feel! Now on to under the sink...

•  On the left side of the cabinet I upcycled a 3 drawer plastic container I wasn't using and use it for hair accessory storage {more details on that to come} and on top I keep things I constant reach for: my hairbrush, hairspray, dry shampoo & heat protectant . I also keep my cleansing system from Rite aid aka a knock off Clarisonic and my teeth whitening kit.

 

• Clockwise from top left: the 1st drawer has all my soft headbands and the small cylinder container has tiny ponytail holders, 2nd drawer has hard headbands and more ponytail holders, 3rd drawer has bun makers and a terry cloth headband that I use to pull my hair back when I wash my face.
• Obviously, you can customize these drawers to YOUR needs but that fact that you can organize your madness and have room for other things in the cabinet is a win, win!

•  On the right side of the cabinet, though it looks less organized it's still very functional! The blue basket stores hair tools like my straightener and blow dryer, also hair clips and an extra brush, behind that I have extra toilet paper and a towel to wipe down the sink area. In front, I have face toner and wash on the left and hair serums and leave in conditioners on the right!

So far this lay out and set up has really been working for me! It's easy to keep clean and it's so nice to have everything have it's own home. Were any of these tips surprising or new for you? What tip is YOUR favorite? Anything you think I missed? Let me know in a comment below! :)

As always thanks for reading and until next time!
xo Leah

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One Kings Lane Storage Containers · One Kings Lane Baskets & Boxes · Michael Graves Baskets & Boxes

My favorite Wet n Wild ONE dollar lipsticks!

Hey beauties! Sorry I've been a little MIA for the past week, I started a full time job recently {I'll talk more about it in my Friday post} the hours have been quite the adjustment but so far I'm loving it especially since it's in the Makeup industry! Anyway, I wanted to share with you my favorite Wet n Wild dollar lipsticks ...yes that's right dollar lipsticks! Not to mention sometimes Rite Aid & Walgreens have Wet n Wild 30-40% off, so sometimes you can get them for as little as 60 cents and THAT my lovelies is a bargain! So, let's get into it :)

Maximize for MUCH more detail! L to R: no flash & artificial light, with flash, no flash & natural light

L to R: Blushing Bali, Cherry Frost, Copper Dust, Dark Wine

*Note all of these lipsticks are a glossy, creme finish.

1. 545 A Blushing Bali This obviously the tamest color of the bunch and I think it would be appropriate for all seasons, but if you're of a natural girl you need this color! It's a great nudey peach color, it totally reminds me of Mac's Ravishing but I can't for sure say that they're dupes or anything because I don't own Ravishing. If you want a easy, no fuss shade and can't get enough of peach/natural corals definitely pick this up!

2. 514 A Cherry Frost This color is a beautiful, pretty unique red hue, in the pictures it shows up as a kind of standard retro red but it actually has great raspberry tones in it in person. It's kind of like if a red and hot pink got together and had a baby. Also *DUPE ALERT* it's an absolute dupe for the limited edition Mac lipstick "Ronnie Red" {from the Archie girls collection} see the comparison here! And honestly what's better than a Mac dupe for a dollar? Even if it's a color you may rarely use it's still very much worth the money!

3. 529 B Copper Dust The name to this gorgeous shade is pretty actually it coppery, rusty color with strong pink tones as well. It's pretty unique shade and I don't own anything like it. Because of the glossy, creme finish it's great almost iridescence and it can look slightly different in natural vs. artificial light. If you are scared of orange toned lipsticks try this... because it's mainly pink with a hint of copper it's a prefect way to ease into bolder colors!

4. 522 A Dark Wine Talk about the perfect fall/winter lipstick shade! This is the quintessential wine/plum shade it's so pretty and I think it would be flattering on a variety of skin tones. What's great about the creme formula is that if you are hesitant to wear a darker shade like this you can apply it very lightly or apply a lighter shade over top of it to get a more natural or wearable look! Plus if you don't think you'll wear it much, but still want a plum or wine shade in your collection this one is a winner since it won't break the bank!

Well there you have it my favorite Wet n Wild dollar lipsticks! Do you have any dollar lipsticks you love? leave me a comment and let me know. If you take anything away from this post remember just because it's cheap doesn't mean it doesn't perform well and Wet n Wild is a prime example of that! Until next my beauties, take care.

xo Leah
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Wet n Wild Lipstick

Beauty Bargain Review: ELF Mineral Infused Mascara

Hey beauties! I'm back with the second installment of "beauty bargain review" my review series on exactly that... bargain priced makeup! As of late I've kind of been on a mascara buying kick lately. I was getting slightly bored with my current mascaras, you know... when you just feel like mixing it up! So I started exploring the Makeup Alley website {which, if you don't know... is a makeup junkie's dream for reviews of products!} I searched mascaras that were top rated and I was surprised and immediately curious when I saw the e.l.f. Mineral Infused Mascara was one of the top drugstore options, with 80% of reviewers saying they would repurchase again. I thought for 3 dollars, it's gotta be worth a try!

The eyes, lips, face website describes this e.l.f. mineral infused mascara as: "The top rated Mineral Infused Mascara creates fuller, healthier looking lashes. Enhance lashes for a naturally thicker and more volumized look. The long-wear formula and unique silicone brush creates a clump free and defined application for gorgeous lashes all day." List of ingredients here if you're interested.

First Impressions: 
The brush is a rubberized, not your standard bristle-type brush. It has lots of little teeth for separating your lashes and to prevent clumps from forming. It is a pretty wet formula, those who prefer drier formulas, may not enjoy that. The tube opening is good at take away the extra product from the brush though, so there isn't too much mascara on the wand.

Application:

I thought I would start with a picture of my bare lashes, they are pretty short and hard to curl, definitely nothing to write home about!

Maximize to see details better!

The only "prep step" I did was curl my lashes with the amazing Lancome Eyelash Curler {I highly recommend this if you're looking for a good "upscale" eyelash curler}

1st coat: brush combs thoroughly through my lashes separating them, giving pretty good length and curl but not a lot of volume.
2nd coat: continues to length and gets some volume and curl, does a good job at not clumping {my eyelashes clump VERY easily!}
3rd coat: I probably could of done without the 3rd coat I got a few clumps, but for my lashes clumping as easily as they do, the clumping was VERY minimal and the length was pretty darn good. I doubt this mascara would clump at all on most people.

I found the lasting power to be perfectly fine, no flaking or running. I've worn it several times and had no problems.

The only thing I am slightly disappointed in is the lack of volume in this mascara, especially since elf advertises it as be voluminous. I've found if I use an eyelash primer before hand I can get a little more thickness out of my lashes, so that's a tip!

Value 5 out of 5 / Lasting Power: 4.5 out of 5 / Lengthening 4 out of 5 / Volume: 3 out of 5

I highly recommend checking out this mascara if you like in the market for any of the following: an inexpensive, lengthening, clump-free (pretty much), wetter formula, rubber brush mascara!

Thanks so much for reading ladies! If you have any additional questions about the mascara {or anything!} please comment below, until next time!

xo Leah

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Get that famous "Jlo glow" using drugstore makeup!

Most ladies {whether you're crazy about makeup or not} know about the Jennifer Lopez's famous "jlo glow" it is one of the most talked about looks in makeup and Jennifer's makeup artist Scott Barnes made the look famous on Jennifer. It's super iconic and it's easier to obtain than you may think! I'm going to share with you great products to achieve this look available at the drugstore {including several high end makeup dupes}!

Now I wouldn't advise you to necessarily use ALL of these products are the same time, but some in combination would give a great glow to your face, eyes and lips!

1. L'Oreal True Match Lumi This foundation is a light to medium coverage that gives your skin just that little extra glow. Don't fret though, there are no "visible shimmers" so you won't end up looking like a disco ball. It's a natural healthy finish, with that little extra "something". I'd recommend applying it with a beauty blender {or a cheaper alternative} sponge so you get an absolute flawless finish. I have heard people with very oily skin don't have a lot of luck this foundation, so just be aware of that! Another alternative would be to get something like Mac's Lustre Drops added to your favorite foundation will do the trick as well!


2. NYX Cream Blush in "tickled", the blush is absolutely gorgeous! It is hands down my favorite cream blush, see my swatches of it here. It reminds me of Nars Orgasm in cream formula, in which it's a pinky peach with great golden shimmer. It gives off an amazing sheen and almost iridescent quality. Again, it's not over the top and it's a great user friendly cream blush. Trust me, once you buy this blush you'll find yourself using it again and again.


3. Wet n Wild Bronzer in "ticket to brazil" first and foremost this baby is a dupe of the shimmery version of the Tarte Park Avenue Princess bronzer! {Picture of the comparison on my instagram here , make sure to follow me too!} It's a gorgeous shimmery golden bronzer and it'll last forever, it's 23 grams of product! It's great to add a glow or to lightly contour the hollows of your cheekbones. This is quickly becoming my holy grail product when it comes to a shimmery bronzer.


4. Hard Cany Highlighter in "tiki" this product has quickly become a cult favorite in the beauty blogger/guru community and there's not doubt as to why, it's really good stuff. It has been compared to high end highlighters like a the balm's Mary-Lou Manizer or even the coveted Dior Amber Diamonds, I can't say for sure if they compare because I don't have the high end counterparts. All I know is it's a beautiful champagne, light yellow based highlighter. It's perfect for dusting on the top of cheekbones, placed on the inner tear duct of the eye or on the brow bone. It brings just the right amount of light and life to the face.


5. Wet n Wild trio in "Walking on Eggshells" Let me start off by saying, I just can't get enough of this trio. I put off getting it for so long because I kept telling myself you have enough neutrals. I finally caved when Wet n Wild was 30% off at Rite Aid, so I paid less than 2 dollars for it. Let me say I'd pay way more money for it, these shadows are so pigmented and buttery. Also, a bonus all 3 shades are Mac dupes: the highlight shade is a dupe for Mac's "shroom", the bronzey/brown shade Mac's "tempting" and the champagne/peachy shade Mac's "all that glitters". Use these shadows together or separate to create a great bronze, shimmery eye.


6. L'Oreal Lipstick in "Peach Fuzz" This lipstick is so pretty, it's a great shimmery peach shade. It's almost frosty, but don't be afraid it's not your "grandma's frosty lipstick" It's great at adding light to the lips, while adding a peachy sheen. See swatches in this post. It's rather subtle really, and can be used to amp up a darker lipstick or topped off with gloss for a super pretty shimmery lip. It's definitely a must have for you coral lovers out there!

There you have it! A list of some outstanding drugstore beauty items that you can use to get that famous "Jlo glow", see go forth and be that bronze goddess I know all of you can be! Haha. Until next time my beauties, please comment, share and subscribe!

xo Leah
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· ·

Beauty Bargain Review: City Color Sunkissed trio

I spotted this beauty at a store called Five Below. {which is awesome, btw!} My hometown just got one so I stopped in to see what the fuss was all about and I must admit it's sooo right up my alley because I'm all about a bargain. Anyway, I've seen City Color products a various drugstores, but have never been too impressed with the looks of the product to purchase anything before. It was available in few other colors, but this trio in "bronzed peach", however, was calling my name. I'm obsessed with blush, especially anything peach or coral toned and for only 4 dollars... I can justify that!

Packaging:
This baby is huuuge, which could be a pro and a con depending on your lifestyle. Con: for travel Pro: for the amount of product you're getting! The compact itself is a little cheap and plasticy. That doesn't bother me though, it seems to be sturdy for the most part and that's whats important.

Compared to a Mac blush

Breakdown:
Sunkissed Trio in "Bronzed Peach" by City Color
Color: Bronzed Peach
Amount: 15.25 grams (compared to 6 grams for one mac blush)
And it is cruelty free! :)

Swatches:

maximize to see bigger & more detailed :)

The blush & highlighter come off slightly sheer, unless you really pack them on. The blush comes off almost completely matte and is sort of a cross between orange & peach. The bronzer is definitely the most pigmented of the group and is gorgeous! I'm not even big on bronzer, but this is so pretty and provides a great sheen without being chunky glitter. The glimmer is subtle enough that you could use the bronzer for contouring without looking too over done.

Performance:
Overall I believe this compact performs pretty great, especially for the price! I wore the trio to run some errands, then {for the true test} to the gym for a pretty sweaty workout and to my surprise the blush & bronzer seemed to last pretty well! The highlighter wasn't very noticeable towards the end, but I almost expected that. I am most disappointed with the highlight because it just has a top shimmery layer, after you get pass that it seems to be just a buttery shadow. But if you don't typically like shimmer this may be right up your alley. Overall performance I'd say is average/good depending how long your day is.

Rating:

Blush: 3.5 out of 5       /       Bronzer: 4 out of 5      /       Highlighter: 2 out of 5

If you're interested in purchasing this you can find it at your local Five Below OR it is also available on the City Color Website {for 2 dollars more} but I'd be willing to pay 6 dollars for it, on sheer size alone. ...my next challenge... not going back for the other colors! haha

Thanks so much for reading beauties! As always please subscribe, share and comment!

xo Leah

bronzer

Rimmel Show off: First Impression!

So as most of you beauties may know the UK based Rimmel apocalips lip lacquers have made there way over seas (as well as had a name changed) and landed in the US! I somehow did not know much about these before starting to see beautiful swatches on some of my favorite blogs/youtube channels, right away I was so impressed with how pigmented they seemed and decided I MUST get my hands on some!

Amazingly- my sweet future sister-in-law surprised me with the 2 I had be lusting over the most and made my whole day!

Left: Luna, Right: Celestial

Left: Luna, Right: Celestial

Gorgeous aren't they!?

Rimmel Lip Gloss ·

Luna- matte light peach, light coral (my new OBSESSION!)
Celestial- mauvy, dusty rose pink

And -hold on to your compact!- they are just as pigmented as they look! ...

With flash.

Natural light, no flash.

I can say these are FOR SURE the best lipstick/lip gloss hybrid I have ever tried! Usually, in my experience, extremely pigmented liquid lipsticks are drying or very uncomfortable on the lips. I found these to be extremely comfortable on the lips AND non-sticky, it truly is the best of both worlds! For me these last a considerable amount of time (around 4 hours). They also seem to leave a light stained affected, in a flattering way!

Where to buy: So far they seem to be limited to Wal-greens and are 4.99

Over all I think these are great and beautiful! I want more colors, they're all so pretty! Have you picked up any shades? Have any color recommendations for me? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time my beauties! Please share, comment and subscribe!

xo Leah

Bits & Bobs: Big Lots mini haul & messy buns!

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As I said in my first "Bits & Bobs" post, I decided to start a semi-regular series little "bits & bobs" of things I've been loving recently, products I've used or purchased throughout the week, etc! That way I get to tell you guys the good the bad and the ugly of products and you can do the same (if you'd like) in the comments :)

So Saturday me and my other half went to Big Lots we had to get some spray paint to upcycle some thrift finds and of course I had to go down the beauty aisle (which of course I bee line to before stopping to look at anything else) and I only picked up a few items, I have to really refrain myself from buying more than I need. [and "need" is a term I use very loosely, haha] But, I LOVE what I picked up and of course the prices are so great! If you're not a Big Lots shopper, you can read more about my love affair with it in this post!

It doesn't look too impressive here, but the close ups are better!

First I spotted this Revlon "diamond lust" eyeshadow in 105 plum galaxy. I had seen this eyeshadow before regularly priced and just passed it up because I don't need it, but for a buck... what's not to love? Plus it's so freakin' shimmery, I'm a sucker.

2 different types of lighting, don't forget to maximize!

I still think it's beautiful, I just don't think it swatches quite as nicely as it looks in the pan, oh well it's a dollar!

Their nail polish selection was slim but I found really pretty polish by Revlon colorstay lined called "Calla Lily" it's a creamy ivory color with beautiful duochrome shimmer. Upon looking up the color, it's sheer but I think it'd be super nice over a nude or off white color.

This picture captures the shimmer accurately! photo credit: here.

Again it was a dollar, you can't beat it!

My last score is my favorite because I'm a sucker for glittery top coats and I got 4 of them for 3 dollars. It's a miniture set of the Gem Crush line by Sally Hansen {btw, fun fact: did you know that Sally Hansen isn't even a real women? It's just a made up name... that makes me kinda sad haha} They are all pretty unique colors that I don't have similar to!

love the different subtle color combinations!

They don't have any name on the bottles, or else I'd share that with you! But, I can't wait to use these bad boys, I haven't been into nails for a while and this gets me excited to do mine again. That ends my little haul... not bad for 6 something dollars with tax!

Also, I wanted to show you guys how I've been wearing my hair lately, I've been rockin' a messy bun like crazy. First of all, it's Summer and it's hot as hell not too mention I've been pretty low maintenance lately and it's so nice to not have to do my hair. I rather do my makeup over my hair anyday, that's just me!

 

What do you think of messy buns? Do you think they can be chic if you dress them up? Or do you instantly think of playing sports or hitting the beach? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for checking out my bits and bobs for this week! Please comment, share and subscribe! xo

Leah