DIY 2 Ingredient Face Scrub

This is something I've actually ive actually been doing for a few years now, and I'm surprised I haven't blogged about it once! Possibly the easiest, and cheapest facial scrub you could do yourself, this wonderful scrub only uses 2 ingredients which you (should) already have at home!

Things you'll need:
- your every day face wash.
- baking soda.
(Yes, that's all!)

So, what I like to do is simply wet my face with warm water. I like to use a wet wash cloth and let it sit on my face for a minute to open my pores and soften the skin a bit, making it easier to slough off those dead skin cells!
Then I take a little bit of baking soda, maybe a teaspoon or so. (Start off with a little in case you have sensitive skin, add more if needed.) to that, add your face wash. I use a basic cleanser for this..nothing too strong or anything with a ton of acne fighting ingredients or anything. Also add a little bit of water. Mix it all up right in the palm of your hand.
Now, simply apply it to your face all over and gently scrub in circular motions around your face. Careful not to rub too hard, the small gritty texture of the baking soda does a great job at exfoliating without the need to really scrub. You can let it sit for a few minutes if you want, but I like to wash it off right away. (Baking soda is a chemical, and for some people it could dry out your skin, so try it in a small spot first if you're worried.) you'll notice as you're rinsing it might feel like you're not able to wash all of the baking soda off. It that bothers you just add a drop of cleanser to help get the little residue off. ;)
Your face will look and feel amazingly polished, smooth, and soft afterwards! I always follow up with a good moisturizer after. And my skin feels amazing all week! My skin can totally handle this once a week, but those of you with sensitive skin might want to do it less often.

What is your favorite facial scrub? Do you like to make your own or is store bought more your style? Let me know! I'm always looking to try new scrubs! ;)

Have a beautiful day!
Stay humble & kind.
<3

Top 3 week. Day 5: Moisturizers

Hi stunner,

Today is the conclusion of my week of Top 3's. I invite you to follow my blog so you can stay in tune for all of my upcoming posts! These are my own unbiased opinions based on my personal preference and experience. As always leave me your top 3 down in the comments! Todays top 3 is my 

Top 3 Moisturizers

This is another set that was really hard for me to chose the order of. I love all of these products for different reasons, and it wasnt easy for me to say which was better than another. Some of you who have been here a while may know that I have pretty problematic skin. I deal with breakouts and oily skin as well as dry patches in weird spots. Its always been hard for me to find moisturizers that dont leave my face feeling goopy and oily. Its actually really amazing that I have three and that it was even hard for me to pick an order for them! Without further ado, my top three..

3. My third pick for this set is the Lumene Bright Now Visible Repair Night Cream. Lumene is a brand that you can find at drug stores, Target, Ulta, and many places online. I think this product is around $30 for 1.7 oz, which is pretty much on par with some other top brands you might find at ulta, but definitely more expensive than a lot of the stuff youll see at your drug stores. I know this is a night cream, but I use it in the morning as well. It hydrates my dry spots really well, without leaving the rest of my skin feeling oily and gross. It goes on smooth and feels pretty  nice. It also smells decent, which is never a bad thing. This product is also supposed to help with wrinkles, which I dont have yet because Im only 24, but it should help prevent them too! Which is always a plus!

2. The second spot goes to Garnier Skin Active Clearly Brighter Sunscreen and Daily Moisturizer. This moisturizer says that it is a sunscreen, and has SPF 15. (which really isnt that high for a facial sunscreen, id prefer something a bit higher if its supposed to last me all day!) I love how smooth this product goes on. It absorbs really well and doesnt leave my skin greasy at all, which is so important to me! I can put it on under my makeup and it protects my skin from the sun while leaving it smooth and hydrated! This is the cheapest product on my list, around $15 for 2.5 oz. so its affordable for most people! I enjoy the scent of this product, it smells clean and fresh, which matches perfectly how it makes my skin feel when I use it!

1. My final number one pick goes to Malibu C Vital Creme. Malibu C is probably my current favorite skin care brand, and this moisturizer is simply amazing! Malibu C is a company that aims to solve your problems using nature inspired technologies. Their products are 100% vegan, cruelty free, and formulated without gluten, parabens, sulfates, preservatives, fragrences, and all of the nasty things we dont want on our skin! Their products are also made in the US. This is what sets them above the rest for me. This moisturizer is the silkiest and smoothest of the group, and it leaves my skin feeling so soo nice. It will cost you about $40 for 3.4 oz. which I think is completely fair! In the winter the backs of my hands get really dry, so I often find myself using this for that purpose too, and it works amazingly! After just a day or two my dryness is solved and my skin feels soft and smooth again! I love this brand and really suggest that you all go check out their products. They have amazing things for your skin. And soon I plan on checking out their hair products too!

I really hope you enjoyed this Top 3 series and look forward to another in the future! Feel free to leave any suggestions in the comments below for future Top 3 series!

XOXO
Always stay humble & kind.

Top 3 Week. Day 3: Dry Shampoos

Hey beauty,

This week, as you know, I am doing my Top 3's. Be sure to follow my blog so you can see when the next one goes live! Again, these are my own unbiased opinions based on my personal preference and experience. As always feel free to let me know your top 3 down in the comments! Todays top 3 is my 

Top 3 Dry Shampoos

As we all know by now, it is bad to wash your hair every day. Its essential for healthy hair to let it build up its natural oils in between washes. Many girls have taken lots of time and endured plenty of grungy-ness to train their hair to last a week without washing it. I have tried this for so long and my hair still ends up greasy and disgusting looking/feeling by day 2. I definitely can not go any longer than 3 days without washing it.. So dry shampoo has become my best friend. Ive tried a bunch of different ones, so here are my top 3.

3. My Third choice is a little cheaty, becuase this brand will appear again on this list. But I chose the Batiste Dry Shampoo. This brand is very popular, they even claim they are voted #1 favorite. I can definitely believe that, although Im not sure who voted :P They offer a bunch of different kinds of dry shampoo for all of your different needs. And Batiste is one of the more affordable brands you can find. I get mine at TJ Maxx for under $5! But you can also find them at Ulta, Target/Walmart, drug stores, and many other places. (I even just found the original dry shampoo on Amazon for $3!) If youve never used dry shampoo before, basically its an aerosol spray of a powder that absorbs the excess oils in your hair, leaving it looking nice and clean again!

2. My second pick is the TIGI Bed Head Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo. I had been wanting to try this stuff for a long time, and one day I saw it at our K Mart which was having a store closing sale, so I bought it and gave it a try. I LOVED it so much I had to go back and stock up while they still had them! I have tried a lot of other brands, and many I had tried previously just didnt cut it for me, they still left my hair looking and feeling dirty. But this one was different. I also really liked that it had a more pleasant scent than pretty much every other brand I had tried. The thing about dry shampoo, though, is it is a powder, so it leaves a dusty look to in your hair that you have to massage into the hair to disappear. I do find that this one is a little harder to get to disappear competely in my dark hair, and sometimes Ill notice later in the day that I totally missed a spot and have been walking around like a dusty old fool. :P It is also much more expensive, costing you about $21 regular price at Ulta. (But it often goes on sale for like $10 bucks! Which is when I stock up!) I also find that it seems to run out really quickly! And for the price thats not really a great selling point. Which is why its number 2 and not 1.

1. And lastly.. My number one choice is Batiste Dry Shampoo Hint of Color. As I mentioned earlier, Batiste would be on here twice. I also mentioned that they have different kinds for various needs. One of them being a tinted version! Like I said in my number 2 pick, dry shampoo can leave a white dust in your hair, so batiste has eliminated this problem by offering 3 different shaded options as well. They have a medium & brunette version, which is the one I use most often. And they also have a dark & deep brown, which I want to check out, and a light & blonde option for you. The brunette dry shampoo is ideal for me, having obviously dark hair, so I dont ever get that chalky dusty hair residue left behind. It works exactly the same way of the other dry shampoos, it just has a hint of color to it. Which makes this my number one pick! This one is also available at Walmart/Target, drug stores, Ulta, and many other retailers. I look for it every time I go to TJ Maxx and they usually have it, although when I was there last week they didnt have any! It comes in a decent size bottle and lasts a fair amount of time, but it is super affordable, so theres no fuss if it runs out in 4-6 weeks. 

I hope you are still enjoying this Top 3 series and feel free to leave me suggestions for other Top 3's you would like to see in the future!

XOXO
Always stay humble & kind.

Top 3 week. Day 2: Brow Products

Hey gorgeous,

This week, as you know, I am doing my Top 3's. Be sure to follow my blog so you can see when the next one goes live! Again, these are my own unbiased opinions based on my personal preference and experience. As always feel free to let me know your top 3 down in the comments! Todays top 3 is my 

Top 3 Brow Products

Im a firm believer in defining your brows. Even when I dont do a full face of makeup, I like to at least put a little product on my brows and some mascara to wake up my eyes. I definitely think doing your brows can change your whole look, and kind of complete it. If I leave my brows undone, my face just looks..off. Lol. Now dont get me wrong, some people just dont need it, but for me its a must.

3. My third choice might be a little "cheat-y" because I chose just an appropriate shade of eyeshadow and an angled brush. This is what I used when I very first started defining my brows. and what I tend to use quite often. You really cant go wrong, and most of the time..you already have this in your collection. And if you dont, its probably the cheapest of my top 3 for you to purchase. Just find a neutral (matte) shade that matches your hair color, (unless youve got pink hair, then just go with a nice brown :P) take your angled brush and do work. Its very simple, and easy to correct if you happen to mess up. I love using this method when traveling or on vacation, etc. because eyeshadow is something Im bringing anyway, so it allows me to pack a little lighter, because thats one less excessive product I have to bring. 

2. My pick for number two is Benefit Brow Zings. This is basically the step in between just a shadow/powder and my number one choice. It does allow you to define your brows a bit more. It comes with a cream and a powder as well as a little brush for each product. (and a little pair of tweezers right in the kit, which is always handy.) So you take your angled brush and define with the cream then fill in and set it with the powder. Ive been using this product for years now and it is still one of my favorite products to use! If youve never really done your brows before this is definitely an easy product to use for your first time, but definitely make sure youre using the right shade! I actually have dark brown hair but use the light or medium one because I found that dark was too harsh on me in my opinion. You can find this at Ulta and online on Benefits site. This is the most expensive product on this top 3 and, honestly, the price is a little off-putting, especially since there are products that are just as good for less money..Youre looking at about $32 for this product. But I must add that it does last me quite a while, but Id still like to see that price drop a tad.

1. And finally.. My pick for number one is Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. This product is a bit more intimidating, and probably not for a first timer. It took me a try or two to get it just right. This is definitely a product youll want to purchase in person the first time so you can get the correct shade. On the website the color Caramel looks like it would be a lighter shade not suitable for my dark brown hair, but in person it was actually a near perfect match. So I suggest checking them out and swatching before buying. Once you find your shade you can obviously repurchase online if you want/need. I chose this as number 1 because it allows me to define my brows so much more than just using a brush. And the super fine tip makes it easy to fill in sparse or over-tweezed spots and its so thin that it mimics natural brow hairs. This product does take a little bit longer for me to use than my second and third choices, I do have to be a bit more precise, but that is also one of the reasons I love it, because it does give me the perfect brow! The only downside I can really say, is the price point. (yet still more affordable than number 2!) This product is around $21, available at Sephora, and Ulta in store or online, or at Anastasia Beverly Hills website. 

I hope you all are still enjoying this Top 3 series and please be sure to leave me suggestions for other Top 3's you like to see in the future!

XOXO
Always stay humble & kind.

Top 3 week. Day 1: Makeup Removing Wipes

Hello beautiful,

This week I decided to give you a run down of my top 3's. I have 5 different categories Im going to cover, from skin care products to hair and makeup. Ill tell you why I love these products and give a sort of mini review. If you want a full in depth review on anything please let me know! Remember, these are my own unbiased opinions based on my personal preference and experience. As always feel free to let me know your top 3 down in the comments! And please follow this blog to stay on top of all of my posts! Todays top 3 is my 

Top 3 Makeup Removing Wipes

Ive actually taken a break from doing my makeup daily to kind of improve my skin and let it breathe, so this isnt something I use every single day. But when I do wear makeup, by the end of the day it feels so good to take it all off and relax. Ive always found that if I dont remove my makeup before washing my face, just washing alone doesnt get my skin as clean as Id like. Theres always something left behind. So I like to use a wipe (creams and oils dont work well for me, so my go-to is always going to be the wipes!) to remove my makeup before continuing with washing with a cleanser.

3. My third choice in wipes is the Dickinson's Witch Hazel Cleansing Cloths. These are relatively new, Ive only been using them for a few months. Theyre technically not "makeup removing wipes," but a lot of the time they are just called cleansing cloths anyway..on the package it does say it removes makeup. I love these wipes because they are super soft and gentle on my skin. They do smell a bit strong, but thats witch hazel for you. They come in at number 3 because they dont remove makeup as well as the others. But they are in my top because they are really nice on my skin! They are affordable but might be a little more difficult to find for some of you, but I do know they are available at Walgreens nationwide!

2. My pick for number two is the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipe. These wipes are really nice and it was realllly hard for me to decide between 1 and 2..so I ended up choosing these ones as my second.  These are also gentle on my skin, theyre made with no harsh chemicals, perfumes, or dyes. Which is really important to me! No one needs that stuff on their skin. Simple is a brand that focuses on using skin loving ingredients that are kind to your skin and great for those with sensitive skin! These remove makeup better than the Dickinson's and on par with my number 1. Their products are affordable and available everywhere! Pretty much every grocery store, drug store, or Walmart/Target. They have some really great products that are great on your skin, so I definitely suggest checking them out!

1. And finally.. My number one favorite wipe is Pacifica Natural Skincare Essential Makeup Removing Wipe. These wipes are realllly great, theyre made with jasmine and coconut water, theyre gentle on the skin and are 100% vegan and cruelty free! They are made without the nasty stuff like sulfates, sls, parabens, etc. They smell fantastic and remove my makeup very well. Pacifica is another brand that focuses on using all of the good stuff and none of the bad. They also support Clean Water, which is so important to me!! It also doesnt hurt that they have some of the cutest packaging I have ever seen! These made my number one spot because: they are natural, vegan, cruelty free. Portion of proceeds go to support clean water. The products work really well on my skin, and the packaging sets them apart from the rest. These wipes are also pretty affordable, although maybe a dollar or so more than the other brands, I think. And theyre not as easy to find as the Simple brand, but they are available at Target and Ulta and can be purchased online too! They also have lots of other skin care and beauty products you should all check out! 

I hope you all are enjoying this little Top 3 series and be sure to leave me suggestions of other Top 3's you want me to do in the future!

XOXO
Always stay humble & kind.

#SunshineVoxBox

I have been an Influenster member for a few years now, and every once in a while I'll get a VoxBox that I absolutely love! And my current campaign, the Sunshine Vox Box, is one of those boxes!

The sunshine box came packed with great products, including:

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Refreshingly Clean Cleansing Cloths - $6.99 - I had pretty good expectations for these cleaning cloths. Witch hazel is super beneficial to your skin in many ways. And the description of this product sounded great for sensitive skin. So I gave them a try right away! If youre at all familiar with witch hazel, you know it doesnt have a very pleasant smell..but that is easy enough to get past. I always wash my face after using a wipe to remove my makeup anyway.. The cloths are super soft, but I dont think theyre much bigger than any standard wipe Ive used in the past. The nice thing, though, was they are very gentle on the skin. They didnt sting or irritate my skin at all.. However, they didnt remove the makeup as well as I would have liked. Especially mascara. But all in all I liked these wipes and will be trying them, as well as some other Dickinsons Witch Hazel products, again in the future.

Blue Diamond Siracha Almonds - $1.59 - I'm really not a fan of spicy, at all! So I cant give an honest opinion on these, so I'll be giving them to my sister or her bf to try out!

barkTHINS - $4.99 - The box came with a coupon to get a free bag of these, and I have yet to use it..but Im super excited to, because these things look delicious!

Infusium 23 Moisture Replenisher Leave-In Smoothing Creme Enhanced with Avocado and Olive Oil - $6.99 - I'd heard a lot of things about Infusium 23 but havent tried any of their products until I got this in the box. And I absolutely love it! Right now my hair is super dry and dead and in desperate need of a cut. And this stuff makes it manageable and soft! This will probably be a new must have of mine!

SinfulColors Nail Polish - $1.99 - Ive tried this polish before in the past, and I wasnt impressed. I think I found it at the dollar store..and it took ages to dry. So when I saw this in the box I was like ehh its a pretty color but Ill never use it if its anything like the other ones Ive used.. But I gave it a try anyway, and Im glad I did. It went on beautifully and dried really fast. The shade is called Beverly Hills and its a beautiful light lilac color that would be perfect for spring. 3 coats covered great, but you could probably even get away with 2.

Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Spray Moisturizer - $6.49 - This is my favorite product in this box. Im not a fan of putting lotion on my body. I usually just put some moisturizer on my face and leave the rest of my body alone. But since its summer and my legs are exposed more often than not, its really nice to be able to keep them moisturized and looking nice. So this product has been a life saver for me. Most lotions and moisturizers are thick and gloopy and feel like they take decades to fully absorb into my skin. But this spray absorbs instantly and doesnt leave my hands or skin feeling greasy and gross. So I am absolutely sold on this product!

To find out more about Influenster and their VoxBoxes click here! 

* All products mentioned were provided complimentary from Influenster. 

DIY Beauty: Brown Sugar Lip Scrub

It's been quite some time since I've done any DIY Beauty posts on here..so today I decided to share with you one of my all time favorite DIY products. A Brown Sugar Lip Scrub.

I found this lip scrub recipe on Pinterest a few years ago, fell in love, and have been using it ever since. There are literally only 3 ingredients and it's the easiest thing to make. You can even double this recipe and make some for gifts for your friends!

What you'll need:

• Pure Coconut Oil
• Honey
• Brown Sugar
• Measuring Spoons
• Small Mixing Bowl
• Clean Empty Jar

The first thing you want to do is make sure your coconut oil is not too hard and not too runny. If it is too hard place (closed) in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes just until it has softened up. If its too runny pop it in your fridge or freezer for a few minutes until it hardens up a bit.
      The benefits of using coconut oil for the skin are almost endless, I found this really cool site that breaks it all down for you, you can check it out here!
Once youve got your oil to the right consistency you're gonna scoop out a tablespoon of the 'solid' in the coconut oil jar, dont be shy..you want a nice big rounded tablespoon.. and put it into your mixing bowl. To that you're going to add a tablespoon of honey.
     Honey also has many amazing benefits, so I found a page that explains more about that too!
Take a spoon or even a tiny whisk if you have one and stir until the two are combined and homogenous. You want to make sure you dont have any chunks or clumps of the coconut oil. Once they are mixed thoroughly add 2 teaspoons of packed brown sugar, light or dark it doesnt really matter, and mix that trough. I like the use of brown sugar in this recipe because it not only tastes amazing, but it has a fine texture that isnt too harsh on your skin, unlike a lot of sugar scrubs that use coarse sugar which can be very harsh.
Lastly you want to add one teaspoon of just the oil from your coconut oil jar and stir that into your mixture. You should be left with a smooth mixture you can then transfer into your jar or sealed container.

This scrub tastes great, so you dont have to be worried about it getting in your mouth. It has the perfect texture for the delicate skin on your lips. And it is all natural and organic (if youre sure to use all natural and organic ingredients, which I highly recommend!) and you know exactly what is going into it. The recipe said it can last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but I think it should last quite a bit longer than that..all 3 ingredients last months or even years alone, so I dont see why mixing them together would make any of them spoil quickly.. Just be sure to check it before you use it to make sure it doesnt have any weird smells or mold growing in it..but if youre like me youll use it all up before it would ever even have the chance to spoil!

When you use the scrub its a good idea to leave it at room temperature for a few minutes to soften up a bit before using it. And you just use it the same way you would any lip scrub, scrub it gently in circular motions on your lips for a minute or two and rinse with warm water. Follow up with your favorite DIY lip balm for extra moisturizing power! ;) Enjoy!


Have a beautiful day.
Believe. Dream. Explore. & Be nice to people.

PetGiftBox.com Review!

Anyone who knows anything about me knows my obsession with dogs. (and goats, but thats another story..) They should also know that I have 2 fur babies, who I love to spoil. So, naturally, when I heard of Pet Gift Box, the subscription box for dogs, I knew I had to check it out!

Pet Gift Box is a monthly subscription service that delivers Eco Friendly gifts for your dog or cat. You get to customize your box by selecting cat or dog, and for dog they have 3 size options to ensure your pet is getting size appropriate toys and treats! When signing up you also enter your pets name instead of yours, so when it arrives its addressed right to them. (I think that is such a cute little touch!)

Each box, no matter what size, is only $17.99. And the great thing is plans automatically renew, but you can cancel at any time. And they say they believe in being unleashed, meaning no long term comittment or huge bills every year. You will be charged monthly and if at any time you wish to cancel your services you're free to do so.

This months box for small dogs was full of great things! The total value of the box was over $45 including shipping, saving me almost $28. You really can't beat it!
Some of the products in this box included:
PetLou Naturally Twisted Critters - an adorable little squeaky toy my Darla loves! made with premium all natural fabrics and fillers, and include multiple squeakers, crinkle sounds, and/or sisal rope tail or legs.
Pet Greens Jerky Style Treats - all natural, grain-free treats made with 90% real meat and organic wheat grass. This stuff smelled almost exactly like the jerky my dad makes, and my dogs love it!
Earth Rated Leash Dispenser w/ 15 bags - the bags are lavender scented, which is nice when your dog is like my Rascal who likes to go as soon as possible on our walks, leaving you to carry a stinky bag for the rest of our 30 min walk!
Bubba Rose Biscuit Company Earth Day Cookie - gourmet, organic treats made from local fresh ingredients. I havent opened this yet to let my dogs try, but it is the cutest little earth shaped treat, and reading more about them on their site, I am in love with this company!
K9Granola Factory Oven Fresh Quacks - these treats are so cute, theyre shaped like little ducks which I love, and theyre blueberry and vanilla flavored, which my dogs love! I've never seen dog treats those flavors, but apparently dogs enjoy it! This is another company with your dogs health in mind, they are also all natural and heart healthy. I also love that they are small, bite-sized treats, making it easy to control how much we give our little Rascal (who is becoming slightly overweight in his elder years)
Absolutely Clean Pet Stain & Odor Remover - this all-natural, plant based cleaner safely and effectively removes stains and odors without any harsh chemicals or toxins. Lets face it, accidents happen, and with dogs..they happen more often than we'd like. So finding a great, pet friendly and chemical free product that works well is a godsend!

All together, I think this box is absolutely perfect. It is full of great products both me and my dogs love! It is super affordable and much cheaper than having to buy all of the products yourself, plus it cuts out the hassle of having to research and find the eco-friendly, all-natural products you want for your pets, And its all sent right to your doorstep!

Even if you don't personally own any dogs or cats, if you know someone else who does this makes a perfect gift! And they make it very easy to gift to a friend!

The one thing I do wish for though is a few more options when ordering, like maybe the option to receive a box every other month or even quarterly. This months box came with 2 decent sized bags of treats, plus one single treat, so that alone could get my 2 small dogs through a couple of months. Other products like toys could also last long enough to wait more than a month for the next box.. So rather than having to cancel after every month and rejoining when youre ready for another box, it would be nice to see more spread out shipping options.

To order your Pet Gift Box or learn more, visit PetGiftBox.com!


Have a beautiful day.
Believe. Dream. Explore. & Be nice to people.

#SOHOBeautySquad

A few months ago I got to become part of the SOHO Beauty Squad. As a welcome gift they sent me a couple little goodies!
I'm the kind of person who loves bags. I literally have bags inside bags inside bags. I love using different size bags to help keep my stuff better organized. In my purse I always have at least 2 smaller bags, and that way I always know exactly where what I'm looking for is and I just have to pull out whichever bag I need. So, when they sent me 2 of their cute little makeup bags, I was super excited!

They sent me the Bloom Service Round Top bag, which you can find at Harmon and Bed Bath & Beyond. This bag is super cute and little. But its shape makes it much more spacious than you'd expect. I put it to the test by taking one of my similar sized bags and seeing if I could fit all of its contents into the SOHO bag.

In this bag I keep some of my quick grab, on-the-go makeup, including:

• a mirror
• primer
• liquid foundation
• cream foundation
• powder foundation
• eyeshadow trio
• single Mac eyeshadow
• small eyeshadow palette
• travel eyeliner
• mascara
• 4 full size/travel brushes
• 5 broken brushes
• eyeliner sharpener

This bag did fit all items shown in the photo except for the 2 taller brushes. I probably could have shoved them in, but I didn't want to damage my brushes! It was a snug fit but technically did work. The only problem was it would most likely be a little annoying trying to dig through this bag to find what I need because of its size and how full I had it. So, when I use this I'll be sure to put less items in it! Other than that I really like this bag. It's cute, small and compact..but it holds a lot for its size. Also, the deep zipper and fabric flaps inside allow you to open it nice and wide without (hopefully) anything falling out. The zipper is thick and plastic which makes it easier to zip and much less likely to break!
I will probably use this as my new "female emergency kit" which I keep in my purse at all times and fill it with anything a girl might need in case of an emergency. Pads and tampons, stain remover pens, hand sanitizer, hair ties and bobby pins, makeup remover wipes, blotting papers, moisturizer samples, nail clippers and files, etc. The bag I currently have in my purse is about half the size and is packed full, so this might have to replace it!

I was also sent the Angle Management Organizer with Detachable Brush Holder, which you can find at Target. This bag is a little bit bigger, but it is pretty slim compared to most makeup bags I tend to use. I also put this one to the test, comparing it to a similar sized bags and seeing if I could fit all of its contents into the SOHO bag.

The bag I was using for comparison was only about half full, but the bag looked to be almost twice the size, so I thought it would be an alright comparison.

In this bag I had some of my every day products I put into a bag for a weekend stay at my besties, including:

• primer
• liquid/foam foundation
• concealer
• 2 powder foundations
• bronzer/blush combo
• Naked Basics palette
• lipgloss
• mascara
• beauty sponge
• 3 full size brushes

I didn't realize how little I had in here. I think it was actually less products than I had in the smaller bag, but I kept going with the comparison. The great thing about this bag is its tall enough to stand up my liquid products like the primer and foundation. Then I could stack sideways the round compacts, and squeeze in the rest of the products wherever they fit. This bag also has a pocket on the inside and a detachable brush holder on the front. I'm not really a fan of the detachable brush holder, I think it makes the bag less cute, and it is too small for 98% of my brushes. I only had a couple brushes that weren't too tall.. But I managed to fit the brushes I had into the pocket inside the bag for safe keeping. I was really surprised with how much room was left in the bag after I filled it with the products I had out.. I probably could have put almost twice as much in there. This bag also has deep, thick plastic zippers, so it too opens nice and wide. I did notice, though, if it's too full some products slip out when its open because the little side fabric things (what are they even called?!) only go up about half way, so be careful with how you load it up!

Altogether I love the new additions to my bag collection, and I will get so much use out of them! Huge thanks to SOHO for inviting me to join their Beauty Squad!

Are you a bag lady like me? What are your favorite ways to use makeup/storage bags?

Have a beautiful day.
Believe. Dream. Explore. & Be nice to people.

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara Review

As most of you probably know, every year Ulta has their 21 Days of Beauty sale event. This year there were only a few deals that I even thought twice about checking out. (One of which was buy 1 get 1 free Clarisonic brush heads.) The other deal I went to check out was the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara for half price.

I have been a fan of Smashbox Cosmetics for years now. Ever since I got their Eye Wish palette back in 2009. I had also been running low on my current mascaras. So I figured, hey, for only $10 why not check it out? I'd been wanting to try out some new mascaras anyway; and if Im going to spend $10 on a drug store mascara, why not spend $10 on a better brand?!
So, I had all intentions of keeping it unopened in its box in my "overflow makeup drawer" and only opening it once I had completely run out of older mascaras. Well, I have as much willpower when it comes to new makeup as a 6 year old has with a big bowl of candy in front of them and no adults to tell them no! So after a few short days..I caved.

My initial thoughts on it were "oh wait, is this a fiber mascara?" I had done absolutely no research on this product before buying it..so I was going in completely blind. So after applying it, Ill admit, I wasnt blown away. To me it reminded me a lot of one of my favorite mascaras, Revlon Grow Lucious, mixed with a ..less awesome version of my all time favorite mascara, (which I think is discontinued?! whyyyyyy?!) Lorac Lotsa Lash. And while it reminded me of a mixture of 2 of my favorite mascaras, it just seemed to lack something. I was honestly really surprised I didnt love this mascara..and that kind of disappointed me. I really wanted to love it.

I will obviously continue to use it until its all used up. But I will just have to layer it a few extra times to achieve a look that Im happy with. If I didnt have a few other products that I love so much, I probably would really like this mascara. But for now, I will continue to buy the products I love!

What I liked about this mascara:

• Great brush.
• Separates and lifts pretty well.
• Fibers. I LOVE fiber mascaras!
• Goes on smoothly. No clumps or strings.
• Nice texture. Not watery or too thick.
• Buying it on sale for half price makes me feel much less guilty about buying "better" brands.
• Removes easily with water and cleanser.

What I didnt like about this mascara:

• Multiple coats to achieve desired look.
• Runs easily if your eyes tear up in the slightest.
• Bit pricier if not on sale.

Have you ever tried this mascara? What are your thoughts?
Im always on the hunt for great new mascaras. Let me know in the comments your favorite drug store and high end mascaras!

Graze Box Review - Get your first box free!

Healthy snacking made easy! Graze was started by 7 friends tired of chips and candy, who wanted a better way to snack. And what they came up with is simply amazing. 

Keep reading to find out how to get your 1st and 5th boxes free!

Graze is unlike any other "subscription box" I have ever seen before. They send you healthy snacks right to your doorstep every week. (or every 2 or every 4 weeks if you choose!) They have 2 box options, the nibble box and the calorie counter box. Both cost only $6 per box! The nibble box is the one I got.

In the Nibble Box you will receive 4 hand picked healthy snacks. They have over 90 snacks to choose from! And at only $6 a box each perfectly portioned snack is only $1.50! For the same price of a candy bar or bag of chips from the vending machine, you can have healthy delicious snacks delivered right to your home.

The Calorie Counter Box has over 50 options to choose from and are all between 50 and 150 calories per snack. Each snack also equals out to be $1.50 but is much healthier and tastier than anything you could get out of those vending machines.

After youve tried a snack you can go on the website and rate your snacks based on how much you liked them. You can select Try for things you havent had yet but would like to try, Like or Love for things you enjoyed or Trash for things you didnt like or dont want them to send. I hate spicy food, so before I got my first box I trashed anything that sounded spicy so I wouldnt get them!

My first box arrived within 10 days of ordering. All boxes come USPS and are designed to fit right in your mailbox. All of the snacks they picked for me looked soo delicious! The first snack I tried was the Cookies and Cream.

This had mini chocolate cookies, roasted hazelnuts, white chocolate buttons and sunflower seeds. And ohhh myyyy goodness, this was seriously SOO GOOD! I am a big sweets person, I love chocolate and cupcakes are like the greatest thing in the world to me. So I was very excited to try this snack in particular to help fulfill my sweets craving. I never thought to put sunflower seeds with cookies and chocolate, but this little mixture was literally perfect. And the portion size was also perfect! Its so easy to overeat when snacking, so having these things portioned for you is so helpful!

The next one I tried was Chocolate Orange.

This one had roasted hazelnuts, orange infused raisins and dark chocolate buttons. Anytime I had ever had chocolate and orange together I didnt like it. You know those cheap valentines chocolates that have orange filling, the worst! But this was absolutely heavenly. The raisins added the perfect sweetness to the dark chocolate (which btw, dark chocolate is my favorite! and its better for you than milk chocolate) and the hazelnuts added a nice little crunch and made it a little more filling. The flavors went sooo well together. This might have been my favorite out of the whole box. 

Then was the Cherries & Berries.

It was a mixture of cherries, lingonberries, cranberries and jumbo raisins. This was probably my least favorite of the bunch, but it was still pretty good. I just think personally I would have liked a little more texture. I had never seen or heard of lingonberries before, but they were the cutest little dried berries I had ever seen, and they tasted great mixed in with the other berries. But, to me the whole thing was a little..mushy, because it was all dried fruits, so there was no contrast in texture. I always like a little crunch..

The last snack I tried was the Olive and Rosemary Bruschetta. 

The perfect mixture of mini tomato breadsticks, rosemary and garlic cashews and kalamata olive croutons. In my house we LOVE bruschetta and make it all the time in the summer, so I was very excited to try this one! I was never a fan of olives, but those little croutons were damn tasty. Each ingredient by itself was soo good, but all of them together at once was seriously amazing! The croutons and breadsticks were perfectly crunchy and the cashews were slightly softer in texture, so it gave it a nice contrast. All of the flavors blended together perfectly. If you prefer savory over sweet this would be a great one for you to try!

I was so impressed with this sub box! And with over 90 options to choose from Im sure you wont be disappointed either! Oh, and I forgot to mention, they also include a little card with all of the nutritional information for all of the snacks in your box, so if you like to keep track of calories you wont have any problem adding these snacks. :)

You can sign up here and receive your first box free! You can cancel at any time, even after your free first box if you so wish. But if you stick around, you will also get your fifth box free! 

You can choose to get your boxes every week, every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks. You can also postpone shipment of your box if you are going to be out of town.

Sign up by clicking the link above or use the code LARAS51XU to get your 1st & 5th boxes free! :)

Enjoy healthy snacking!

Other pages to check out:

- My favorite sub box!

- My pamper day routine!

- My current foundation routine!