August Favorites 2011

Wow! It's already September! I'm actually really happy to be entering into fall. It's my favorite season. It's been so hot this month that wearing makeup has been difficult. These are all products I've relied on a ton this month.

1. Redken 07 Iron Silk Ultra Straightening Spray
This is HG for me! I've used this for a few years now and always love the results. After I finish drying my hair, I lightly spray this over my hair and then straighten. My hair feels soft, and looks incredibly smooth and shiny. It also makes my hair last longer between washes.

2. Naked Palette
I've loved this since I got it! It's got such a nice range of shades and you could get a wide variety of daytime or nighttime looks from it. My favorite combination lately has been Toasted on the lid, Darkhorse in the crease and Sin for highlight.

L to R: Toasted, Darkhorse, Sin

3. ELF Studio Cream Eyeshadow in Dawn

This is such a great cream shadow. It's smooth and pigmented. I like to use it as a wash of color all over my lid on days when putting on eyeshadow seems like way too much work. Just use your fingers, it picks up better and the heat helps it spread out and go on smoothly.

Dawn



4. Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer

This concealer is so nice and moisturizing. I like the applicator because I can dot it right where I want it before blending. It blends in well but covers everything. I like to use this on red areas around my chin and nose as well as on undereye circles.

5. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Crystal Soda

I love NYX glosses. They're shiny and the glitter isn't chunky. The color of Crystal Soda is light and neutral and goes with any look. I have been keeping this in my purse because it didn't matter if I left whatever lipgloss or lipstick I had started out with at home, this went nicely with everything.

Pregnancy Update: 32 weeks, 3 days. We have started our birthing classes. I enjoy them, he doesn't. It's nice to have an idea of what to expect when baby finally arrives. And I seriously need to keep up with the iron pills, I've been way more fatigued lately. Everyone who doesn't know me tells I can't possibly be due in October. Here's the thing. I'm short. He doesn't have much room to go up, so he goes out. Yes, he's normal size. One woman had the nerve to joke that I'll be giving birth to a toddler. Yeah, that was nice.

I'd love to see other people's August favorites, so if you have them in a video or a blog, feel free to post them. Or even just leave me a comment with a list of your favorites. I'm still on a no buy but it's fun to live vicariously!

Love, Jessica

Mail Haul: Birchbox and Ulta

Today both my Ulta box and my Birchbox came in the mail! I was super excited about it because I had been wanting to get a Naked palette for some time. When I went to the Ulta opening on Friday they were "all sold out". I'm very curious how you sell out before you open because I was the second person in line. But whatever, I came home and order it on their website. So there. I'm sure everyone and their mother has seen this palette and the swatches but here's a picture just in case you've been living under a rock.

It's so pretty! I can't wait to try it out! I was nervous I wouldn't know which colors to pair together but it seems pretty foolproof. They all go well together! I don't know if I'll keep the mini primer potion. I've got a big one and I've been thinking I might let my sister try the mini one.

Obviously it was packed better but I was so eager to open it up and see what was inside!

Redken Shine Flash 02

philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser

Korres Japanese Rose Showergel

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup in Light

Pur Minerals Chisel Brush

Kind Almond and Apricot Bar

After I took this pic, I ripped into that Kind bar. It was so delicious! I'd love to get some more but the website only sells them in cases and I don't know if I want that many right now. I love Redken so I'm kind of excited about the Shine Flash! Their styling products are always nice, I've never regretted buying one. The Pur Minerals brush is very small and kind of scratchy so I probably won't use it. Other than that, I'm thinking I'll put the philosophy cleanser and Korres soap in my shower and try them out but I doubt I'll buy the full sizes because they seem expensive and I already have a HG face cleanser. Oh and just in case anyone's on the fence about trying Birchbox, here's a little math for you:

I had been on the fence for a while but I'm happy to at least try everything I got in my box and it was a fun treat for how little I paid for it.

Pregnancy Update: 26 weeks, 2 days. I went to the doctors' office today and they are very impressed with how controlled my weight gain has been. I had a little extra weight prepregnancy and I actually managed to lose some first trimester. So we are in the home stretch and they don't expect me to gain more than 10 pounds in the next 14 weeks. October still feels like a lifetime away.

I'd love to hear what you got in your Birchbox if you got one this month, as well as favorite combos and looks from the Naked Palette! Leave me a comment!

Love, Jessica

Haul: Ulta Grand Opening, Bath and Body Works, MAC, Target

So I'll spare you the details of why the Ulta opening was disappointing. Instead, I'm trying to focus on the positive: I got a $10 off card. My sister got a $50 off card and was nice enough to buy me a polish. They didn't have the UD Naked Palette so I proceeded to buy a couple things at the MAC counter when we went to the mall. I also went to Target and Bath and Body Works. When I got home, I discovered shipping confirmation of my Birch Box. And tonight, my wonderful boyfriend is taking me to see Harry Potter in IMAX tonight!

So this haul is all of what I bought at Ulta, the free samples, one thing from Target, Bath and Body Works and my first ever purchase from the MAC counter.

Ulta: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Bourbon, Benefit Erase Paste in No. 1 Light, NYX Mega Shine Lip Glosses in La~ La~ and Beige, OPI Nail Polish in Shorts Story.

I've heard lots of good things about the NYX glosses so I really wanted to try them. I also wanted to try the Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil in Milk but they didn't have any in stock.

The samples in the goodie bag: Ulta Moisturizing Body Lotion in Fresh Lilac, Exuviance Heel Repair, Kinerase Cream, Ulta Eyeshadow in Mink.

These are all the samples from the goodie bag they gave me at checkout. I've never heard of Exuviance or Kinerase so we will see. I'm also interested in seeing if the eyeshadow is good quality or not. I have such sensitive eyes that a lot of drugstore shadows make them itch and burn.

Target: Suave Dry Shampoo Spray

My sister let me try hers and I'm totally hooked. Not expensive either which is awesome!

Bath and Body Works: Mini Body Sprays in Sea Island Cotton

They were having one of those 3 for $10 sales on the mini and honestly, I didn't like the other scents. I'm obsessed with finding the perfect body spray for smelling like clean laundry. It's my all time favorite smell. So it's cool that I got three. One for my vanity, one for my purse, one for the car!

MAC: Eyeshadows in Shroom, Mulch and All That Glitters

I went with three totally different colors in mind: Vanilla, Naked Lunch and Satin Taupe. But I walked out with these. The MAC counter was pretty intimidating. They're all pretty swatched next to each other. When I left Macy's my arm was a swatchy mess but I already know what my next purchase will be!

Also, a quick pregnancy update: I'm 25 weeks, 5 days! When did that happen? Times flying by so fast and I can't even fathom October yet. I've contemplated a belly picture for you guys buuuut I'm short so being pregnant has taken over my whole body. I look like 5 times the size I was when this started. I'm starting to feel so embarrassed. I thought I would feel a lot prettier pregnant because so many people told me they do but I don't. And maternity clothes only add to the problem. Oh well, I only have 3 months left to go!

I hope to get a few more posts up soon. I haven't been keeping up with this at all like I thought I would. :P

Love, Jessica