Fall Beauty Wishlist 2015

Hey beauties, I decided I'd show you a few makeup & skincare items I've been lusting over for fall and Winter. Some of these may take a while to get but Christmas is coming up, so you never know!  Let's get into it :)

maximize for greater detail!

1. Yves Saint Laurent Lipstick in 09 "Caress Pink" I've been lusting after YSL lipsticks for so long but right now I can not justify paying 34 dollars for a lipstick, I do think it would make a great birthday or Christmas present for any makeup loving girl! For fall I have my eyes on Caress Pink, it's a gorgeous sort of muted pink with a hint of raspberry and it swatches so beautifully opaque! Go swatch it in Sephora and see what I mean, it may quickly make it on to your wishlist too!

2. Nars Blush in "Sin" I've been eying Sin for a whiiiile now, but again I can't justify the price currently. This blush is a great wearable berry tone with golden shimmer. The perfect fall flush, if you will. This or Albatross will most definitely be my first Nars purchase. Plus, I've searched for a dupe of Sin and can never come up with anything so this blush may be one of a kind and therefore worth the money :)

3. Mac Pro Longwear Concealer This concealer is all the rage on Youtube and the beauty blogging community and it's obvious to see why. The formula is super long wearing and has some sort of technology to where it does not settle into fine lines and wrinkles, which makes it GREAT for under eyes. I want it so badly and Fall/Winter is the perfect to wear a more full coverage look, plus I've heard a little goes a looong way so it will last a long time!

4. Peter Thomas Roth Peeling Gel Exfoliant I have to admit I have never been very interested in high end skincare but am starting to develop an interest a few items and this is number 1 on the list! This exfoliater is a gel formula that actually peels off the dead skin cells right in front of your eyes, which I find ideal because you can tell it's working! Look up reviews and demos if your interested, it's super neat and unique and if you're like me you have to exfoliate especially in the Fall & Winter months.

5. Revlon Lipstick "Cherries in the Snow" This lipstick is simply gorgeous, I read somewhere the color has been around since the 1950's and makes even more perfect and lady like. I've put off buying this even though it's inexpensive because I'm not sure how much I'd wear it but I know I really want to, haha. It's a bright, raspberry pink and I know it would look great with just foundation and tons of lashes. Do you ladies have any tips for making a bright lipstick more wearable?

6. Mac Eyeshadow in "Coppering" If you don't already own this shade google swatches of Coppering and see if it instantly doesn't make it on your wishlist. It's a shimmery rusty orange bronze color that's simply incredibly beautiful, I. must. own. it. haha It's also not a common color you see often! I think it would be great smudged under the lower lash line or in the middle of the lip, it's a must have!

7. Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion I read somewhere that a bottle of this is sold about every 10 seconds, which I find completely insane. It's been around forever and it's seems to be a staple for a lot of women and my {normal to dry} skin is always looking for a good moisturizer! It's suppose to quench skin's thirst and I love that it has a pump applicator!

While that does it for my Fall beauty wishlist! What do you ladies have on current wishlists? I'd love to know in a comment below, as always thanks for reading and subscribing! I love my lovely readers & will be having a giveaway in the next month so be on the look out for that :)

Until next time,
Leah xo
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NARS Face Blush · Yves Saint Laurent Lipstick · Peter Thomas Roth Face Scrubs & Exfoliants

5 Lipsticks to help you transition into Fall!

Hey beauties! I hope your week is going well AND that you are looking forward to having a fabulous weekend! Today I am bringing you 5 lip colors that are PERFECT for transitioning into Fall, they're not too bold or too summery ...they are just right! Plus all of them are from the drugstore and 2 are only a one dollar! So let's dive in!

L to R: Wet n Wild Wine Room, Revlon Rosewine, NYC Sheer Red, e.l.f. classy, Maybelline bit of berry

{maximize for more detail} Top picture: natural light. Bottom picture: with flash

1. Wet n Wild "Wine Room" This shade is great mix of pinky, berry tones with a hint of red. The formula is a matte finish and is super opaque with just a swipe! Since it's matte it's super long lasting {especially for a drugstore formula} without being overly drying. This is a beautiful shade and I think it would be very flattering on a variety of skin tones! Price: $2

2. Revlon's "Rosewine" If you're intimidated by red lipstick this is a great color to ease your way into reds! It's a softer, more brick or tomato color! It's Revlon's super lustrous creme finish, so it will give you the perfect amount of shine without having to add a gloss! Try this for a "no fuss" way to rock a red lip! Price: $5-7

3. NYC's "Sheer Red" This lipstick is exactly like it's name... a sheer darkened red color! {for your reference the swatch above is 2 coats} I'd like to think this lipstick is kind of like a marriage between a Revlon lip butter and a lipstick: it's creamy and buttery but also has great color! This again, is a great way to wear red if you are just starting out with bold colors or just want a sheer wash of color! Price: $1

4. e.l.f.'s "Classy" I like to think of this shade as a great drugstore alternative to Mac's "Up the Amp" it's a mix of pink and purple tones, but it's still very wearable {more wearable than up the amp IMO!} I don't think I could pull off up the amp, but I do think this lipstick is very flattering for having purple tones! If you're all about baby pink lips, try this out for a hint of pink, with darker tones for fall! :) Price: $1

5. Maybelline's "Bit of Berry" If you just can't wait to rock a plum/berry toned lip, this lipstick is for you! Bit of berry is a super wearable berry shade which darkens the lips without being too much. Think of it as a darken version of your favorite pink! Again, a great tone to ease yourself into wearing berrys and plums! P.S. I just swatched this beside Mac's Craving and it's a dead on dupe! 5 dollar Mac dupe, score! Price: $5-7

There you have it, what do you think of my color choices? Do you have any lipstick recommendations that are perfect to ease into the Fall season? Please, share in a comment below! Until next time!

Leah xo
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Surprising beauty items you can SAVE on & not SPLURGE on!

Hey beauties! So, I got so excited when I had the idea for this post. I don't know about you but as an active beauty community follower {i.e. blogs, beauty gurus via youtube, review websites, etc.} I've heard over and over again things like, "there's some things you NEED to splurge on" or that you MUST buy the high end version of this or that. Along with that chatter comes the typical list of things that you have to buy the expensive version of because the cheap stuff just doesn't compare! Well, I'm here to tell you that's B.S. and don't you believe it, there are plenty of great cheap alternatives to the things ladies always claim you must splurge on!

Makeup Brushes:
I've heard youtube "beauty gurus" say over and over again, "you have to have Mac brushes" or "No other brushes compare to Sigma!" and obviously both those brush lines both seem great, but do I have the money for them? No. And have I been putting on my makeup just fine without them!? Yes! My favorite line of low cost brushes hands down is ELF. They make a wide variety of brushes for your eyes and face and at a price range of $1-3 dollars, that's right up my alley! Read more about my FAVORITE elf face brushes in this post!

These are some of my other favorite elf brushes L to R: small angled brush, lip defining brush, eyeshadow "c" brush, eyeshadow brush, and blending eye brush. I stand by these brushes not only because they're inexpensive because the quality is pretty darn good and I've had a lot elf brushes for years and they're still going strong! I also have had good luck with  forever 21 {edit: this is F 21 brush set I love! So much so, I bought a second one}.

Liquid Foundation:
I may get some backlash for this one... but I just can't bring myself to purchase a 30 or 40 something dollar high end foundation, that's just me, if you can do it more power to yah! Personally, I think people would never notice the difference if you're using something that works with your skintone and is a great drugstore product!

My choice for top 3 drugstore foundations

1. Covergirl outlast stay fabulous 3 in 1 foundation {whew, is that a mouthful or what!?} is my newest holy grail foundation it's really fantastic and super impressive stay power, read more about it in my summer essentials post! 2. Revlon colorstay was my holy grail foundation for years! Its got great staying power, the only down side to this foundation is that you have to work fast when applying because it sets quickly! But, overall colorstay provides a great, matte finish foundation. 3. Rimmel's lasting finish foundation I used this foundation for about a year straight before the covergirl one came out, if you're seriously broke, this is the foundation for you. lasting finish its only 4-5 dollars at Walmart or Target and it's comparable to colorstay honestly and leaves you with a matte finish, the staying power is just a little less I'd say, best cheap foundation I've used though.

 Brow products:
I know ladies rave and rave about Anastasia's brow powder and gel. But, even if I had the extra cash I don't think I could even make myself spend it on high end brow stuff. Don't get me wrong... I'm obsessed with brows... and making mine as close to perfect as I can. The thing is I can make that happen with drugstore products, so why spend more?

Rimmel makes great brow pencils and so does Milani. My preferred method is using my elf angled eyeliner brush and my Physician's Formula Canyon Classics Palette. It's pretty inexpensive it's an absolute must have eyeshadow palette (regardless of if you use a color to fill in your brows).

Can you tell what color I use to fill in my brows? lol.

  The bottom right shadow is a perfect, natural match for my light brown brows! Then I use my Maybelline great lash CLEAR mascara to set my brows and I must admit I wasn't very impressed with this at first, maybe it's just me but my brow hairs still moved out of place after using this. So I took a few spritzes of hairspray {what women doesn't have hairspray laying around!?} and squirting it into the mascara tube to give the gel alittle more staying power and it worked beautifully... even lasts through a sweaty workout!

Eyeshadow:

Now by now a lot of us beauty bloggers & makeup enthusiasts know that most {not all, but most} drugstore eyeshadows are just as comparable as the high end brands like urban decay, mac, etc and sometimes even better! But... I just had a sweet reader comment on one of my posts saying "I would of never thought wet n wild products were good!" ...well they're not just good, THEY'RE GREAT! And better yet, between my wet n wild eyeshadow collection & some elf palettes I almost positive I have both Urban Decay naked palette's duped and countless mac eyeshadows duped as well!

Some of my all time favorite eyeshadows, details below.

 1. L'oreal infallible eyeshadow in "Amber Rush" this is a must own shade. The perfect rose gold/coppery color which incomparable pigmentation.
2. Wet n Wild trio in "Silent treatment" great smokey eye palette, or you could go very daytime if you just used the eyelid color & browbone shade.
3. Maybelline's color tattoo in "bad to the bronze" is {obviously} a bronzey shade with a metallic finish, it's a gorgeous multidimensional shade that can be easily be "stand alone" eyeshadow.
4. Wet n Wild trio in "walking on eggshells" perfect for that everyday shimmery, neutral eye. Plus all 3 shades in this trio are Mac eyeshadow dupes!
5. Wet n Wild 8 pan palette in "Comfort Zone" this beautiful palette has an array of neutrals and even some darker sultry colors. This palette is damn near perfect and so unbelievably pigmented.


Is there any of your drugstore favorites that didn't make the list? Please share in a comment below! I could go on and on about makeup {especially affordable makeup} all day, so I'd love to hear what you beauties have to add! Just remember you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot, and if you try something new you may end up replacing your 45 dollar foundation with 10 dollar one... and that's money worth saving! :)


until next time!, xo Leah

Wet n Wild eyeshadow

For the love of lipstick!: Summer edition

Everyone girl knows the old saying "Can't leave the house without your lipstick" or has heard a women proclaim, "I feel naked without lipstick!" Either way, lipstick is like a woman's best friend. A little dose of awesome to slightly brighten your day. I don't know exactly what it is about those dainty little tubes but I do know they are so pretty and cute... and of course fun to collect! This brings me to Summer, even during summer when you have scaled back your fall and winter makeup routine, lipstick can be the perfect pick me up to dress up your look or just make you feel more put together!

I want to share with you guys lipsticks I love and reach for regularly and some decent shade ranges when it comes to color, and summer is a great season to do so! Let's get to it.

stay tuned for swatches (which show the real color more accurately!) :)

1. Rimmel lasting finish by Kate lipstick in color 109
2. Wet n' Wild matte lipstick in l 903c Just Peachy
3. ELF essential lipstick in 7710 Flirtatious
4. Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in 415 Pink in the afternoon
5. Rimmel lasting finish by Kate lipstick in 101

1. Rimmel's Kate # 109: I wanted to take an individual shot of this shade because it's showing up more red in most of the pictures and it really is a great hot, darken coral... I've never seen any lipstick like it, including anything high end.

this shows the color a lot more accurate!

If you are a coral/peach fan you have to have this lipstick in your life! It's a gorgeous matte finish but it isn't drying or uncomfortable on your lips and like I said I haven't seen anything like it before so it's definitely worth picking up! Cost: around 5 dollars

2. Wet n' Wild's Just Peachy:  This is a great, creamy light peach shade! It's amazingly pigmented and one of the only true peach shades I own! It's also a matte finish but if you're not a huge fan of matte lipsticks, you could always put a nude/coral gloss over it, that would be beautiful! Cost: 2.99

3. Elf's Flirtatious: This color reminds me of a "barbie doll pink" without being frosty (ew.) or too "bubble gum". Its a creamy vibrant, hot pink and it's PERFECT for summer! It's got a nice scent and great color pay off! Cost: 1 dollar (!!!)

4. Revlon's Pink in the afternoon: This is one of my all time favorite lip colors its the perfect blend between mauvey pink and vibrant pink, it meets in the middle to make a wearable, everyday pink for any season! It's very comfortable on the lips & pretty long wearing. So flattering color and I believe it would be great for most skin tones! Cost: $5-8 Find out more of my favorite Revlon lip colors & the cheapest place to buy them!

5. Rimmel's Kate in 101: This is my go to cool toned pink, it's also got a hint of mauve that makes it very wearable and not too light for my complexion (nudes and really light pinks tend to wash me out) This is a staple pink to have in your collection {it is also a suppose dupe for Mac's please me, score!}

If you're not completely sold, here are the swatches in natural light!

Hope you ladies in enjoyed this post! I hope I have inspired you to run out and get one or a few of these shades for the season! Please let me know in the comments below what your Summertime lipstick staples are? I'm always interested in buying more! haha

Thanks so much for reading, 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

Drugstore products that you should NOT be living without!

If you're a lady who is ballin' on a budget (hello, recession!) then you know the importance of a HOLY GRAIL drugstore makeup find. If you can find something at the drugstore that works as good (if not better) than that Dior highlighter you've been lusting over, you should be all over it.  I am no stranger to the drugstore makeup aisles, you name it... I've probably tried it. Therefore I'm here to tell you the products that you should NOT be living without!

These are in no particular order, and are all equally awesome!

E.L.F. Brushes: 

If you haven't heard of Eyes Lips Face (you probably don't frequent Target) OR you don't do a lot of online shopping, that's okay! I'm here to tell you that their brushes, especially in the studio line are AMAZING and are 3 dollars EACH, that's right.... THREE BUCKS.

Pro's: they work as well as something more high end, they don't shed, they hold up well from use and washing, they're aesthetically pleasing: very sleek.

I highly recommend the following:

L to R: Small stippling brush, powder brush, pointed foundation brush, stippling brush & small tapered brush

 Small stippling brush: great for cream blush or cream bronzer, makes it a flawless application
Powder brush: I use this brush EVERYDAY to apply my powder its dense, yet soft. It works amazing, the one pictured above I've had for over a year and it's still in great shape.
Pointed Foundation brush: This is great for applying concealer under the eyes, also around the eyebrows or nose. I think it would be a little too small for applying foundation (as the name states) but I may be bias because the next brush is my HOLY GRAIL foundation brush...
Stippling brush: I used this everyday to apply my liquid/cream/whipped foundation, it gives me such a flawless finish, I get compliments on my skin on a regular basis, which is because of this brush and my foundation, not my skin haha It's this simple: apply your foundation to a sponge or on back of your hand, tap product on brush and blend out on face in small, circular motions.
Small tapered brush: this brush is great for contouring with bronzer (which I will have a future post up about soon!) it gets into the hollows of your cheeks awesomely. It can also be used for applying powder under the eyes.

Edit: see my favorite e.l.f. eyeshadow brushes in this post!

NYC Sunny Bronzer:

This is the best bronzer I've ever used! Before this I was never truly happy with any other bronzers I was using. It's completely matte so it WON'T overpower your face with shimmer or glitter. I've heard its comparable to Benefit's Hoola bronzer but I haven't tried it to 100% know.

Uses: Sunny is great to contour all over your face (where ever you like to use bronzer) especially in cheekbones, down the sides of your nose, etc. Also I use it everyday to bronze my neck a bit to make sure my foundation blends with my neck and chest.

Cost: 3 to 4 dollars... I mean c'mon really? It's a no brainer. I have 2 back ups and just hit pan on my 1st one after a year or more of using it.

Wet N' Wild Eyeshadows:

Please tell me your already have heard how amazing these are!? If not, you need to run out to your nearest Walgreens/Rite Aid/Walmart and stock up! I'm so glad bloggers/youtubers are finally giving Wet n Wild the attention they deserve because almost everything they make is fantastic, especially their eyeshadow palettes and trio's.

Wet n' Wild: Comfort Zone Palette, photo credit: here.

Their eye shadows are so incredibly pigmented, creamy, velvety, [insert a million more positive adjectives]. Not to mention that they have a TON of supposed MAC dupes in their collections. The have a full shade range from great neutrals to crazy, vibrant pinks and blues.

Cost: 1.99 to 8 dollars (depending on if you get a single eyeshadow vs. a 8 pan palette)
You can't go wrong with any of their eyeshadows... seriously.

I also recommend Wet n' Wild's: lipsticks, blushes, gel eye liner, Fergie eyeshadow primer, nail polish.

Revlon Lipsticks:
If you know me then you know I'm a lipstick junkie, like seriously... my name is Leah and I have a problem. I am ashamed (and quite proud) to say I have 50+ lipsticks, I just think they're so pretty and girly, what's not to love? Anyway, Revlon has ALWAYS been a stand by for me, their shade range and selection is great. They have different finishes like frost, satin and matte and are super affordable! (Hint: I HIGHLY recommend getting them from Wal-mart, drugstores tend to charge 8 or 9 dollars per lipstick, where as at Wal-mart they are less than 5 dollars)

L to R: Pink in the afternoon, Rosewine, Pink Pout, Pink about it

My current favorites are pictured above, Pink in the Afternoon: is a great wearable pink, still adds a bit of pop without being too much or too dramatic. Rosewine: sort of a brick red/berry color, gorgeous on. This color is a staple for me in the Fall/Winter, it would look great all year round maybe for a night out. Pink Pout: Matte light cool toned pink (also suppose to be a dupe for Mac's snob) great color very "lady gaga" to me. Pink about it: Vibrant, bright pink that's alittle lighter than a hot pink. Reminds me of of Mac's viva glam Nicki but a little darker.

Rimmel's Lasting Finish Foundation:
I got this Foundation on a whim at Walgreens one day when they had all of Rimmel 40 or 50 % off. So it was around 2 dollars and it's a GREAT foundation. If you're truly on a strict budget I definitely recommend this because it is around 4-5 dollars. I can't speak for everyone I have dry to normal skin and this works great for me. It really does last a long time, just make sure you blend it semi-quickly into your skin because it tends to dry a little fast, that's the only con I've noticed.

My other favorite drugstore foundations include: Revlon colorstay and CoverGirl 3 in 1 outlast stay fabulous

last but definitely NOT least...

Wet n' Wild Blushes:

Again, Wet n' Wild has done it again ... these blushes are some of the first I ever bought 4 or 5 years ago, before that I wasn't really into blush. Now, blush and lipstick are my favorite makeup products, ever. Wet n Wild blushes are 2.99 and I would pay 3x as much because the quality and pigmentation are absolutely out. of. this. world.

All 4 pictured here. Photo Credit: here.

Like I said, I've had some of these for years and have yet to hit pan on any of them, a little goes a loooong way, make sure to tap off your brush before applying so you don't over do it. FYI: the shade Pearlescent Pink (the most left shade in the picture above) is a dupe for Nars Orgasm, the most worn blush in the world, literally.

The only bad thing about these blushes, you ask? ...is that their is only 4 shades, hopefully Wn'W will get the hint to make more soon!

Well, that wraps up my list my beauties! There are a lot more things I could talk about, maybe I'll make a part 2 soon. Thank you so much for reading! Until next time, stay thrifty and fabulous!


xo Leah
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