Spring Favorites

It's finally here...

The first day of Spring! 

I'm so ready for warmer weather, fresh bloomed trees and bright spring colors!!

I figured what better way to greet this new season than to share my favorite Spring collection of products?! Especially since I know you all did your spring cleaning of your makeup bags ;) 

So here they are, my favorite products for Spring.

Just peachy... 

If you haven't been paying attention, let me tell you that Peach is making a big comeback. Peachy eye shadow and blush tones are HUGE this season! For good reason too-- they are soft, pretty and come in a great range to suit every skin tone. 

Check out this great palette from Anastasia...

Anastasia Glow Kit in Gleam

$40

This kit is beautiful. You can use it for your eyes, cheeks, face, whatever! It's warm bronze tones as well as soft peachy tones that work so beautifully together. Get this and you'll need nothing else for your Spring/Summer makeup routine! 

Bright and Bold...

If color doesn't scream Spring, I don't know what does! I love to bust out bright lips this time of year. It helps to pull me from my winter slump and brighten my whole face. Some favorite hues for this Spring include.. 

Bobbi Brown Nourishing Lip in Peony

$28

This color is bright, fun, and ties in wonderfully with those peachy tones :) The lipstick is lightweight and hydrating, keeping application easy and addictive. 

Dolce and Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Provocative

$34.50

This fun pink is softer in color, but makes just as much of a statement! It's creamy texture is exactly what your lips need after this winter! A great color for daytime shopping to evening cocktails, it's fun, flirty and playful. 

Glowing Skin...

Let's be honest, this never goes out of season for me! But it is a big trend this season (and probably my favorite!) Everyone wants that dewy, glowing skin, and there are some tricks to achieving that look. One new product on the market just made your life way easier.... 

The Estee Edit by Estee Lauder

Beam Team Hydrate + Glow

$50

This is a great way to scale back on your makeup routine and focus on clean skin. It's a hydrating moisturizing cream that you apply all over your skin, and then you follow it with their highlighting cream that you can apply with your fingers to high points on the face (ie; brow bones, cheekbones, nose, etc). It gives you an instant boost of hydration (which your skin needs right now!) and adds a subtle highlight and shine. It's as if your skin has been refreshed! 

Give these products a try and let me know what you think! I love to see your Spring looks :) 

*Photos c/o Sephora.com, bobbibrown.com and Dolcegabbana.com

Spring Cleaning!

A great way to keep your makeup stash up to date is to do it seasonally... 

When the seasons change many often clean out other aspects of their lives. Change out your clothes in your closet, do a major house cleaning and some may even do a cleanse :) 

So why not incorporate this into your seasonal routine?

Many clients and friends are guilty of never tossing old makeup! 

They hold onto it because they love the product so much that they want to get every last drop, or it's a product that's been discontinued and they are savoring it.. for 10 years! Sometimes you just feel guilty for tossing an expensive product that didn't work out for you... 

It happens! 

Make up is all about trial and error. How else will you know if something is going to work for you if you don't try it? Just remember that you can always exchange/return it! Most beauty suppliers are great about that... cough cough.. Sephora ..cough... cough... 

So here it is, a quick how to on cleaning out your makeup stash. 

Step 1: 

Take everything out and lay it in front of you. 

Okay, I stole this from the Kon-Mari Method.... But it truly works! 

With makeup it's easy to continually purchase small items without realizing you already have one that's similar or even the same product that isn't empty yet! So to avoid that in the future, take out all your products in one area-- you can categorize them to be even more organized, ie; eyes, lips, face, etc.

Step 2: 

Analyze by date of purchase. 

A good rule of thumb to help you know if you should toss an item is to recall when you purchased the item. If you can't remember, you may need to toss it! So pick up that mascara and think back to when you first opened it... has it been a week? A month? 6 months?? <--toss!!!

*side note: mascara for personal use (not professional) can be kept 3-5 months*

Maybe you pick up an item that you've held onto for years and realize that you don't use it. This is the perfect opportunity for you to find out!

Step 3: 

Do you use this? 

So often we hold onto items because we feel guilty about throwing them away. But do you use said item? Is it something  you actually like? 

If you can't remember the last time you wore it or even like the product anymore, throw it out!
It's taking up space that you could use to purchase new, more glorious makeup products!
Can't bear to part with something you maybe used one time? Give it to a friend! Every time I clean out my makeup stash or brushes, I can usually find someone who wants them. That way you don't feel as terrible about tossing something that's still in good use.

Step 4: 

Wipe down/clean up what you keep. 

Take this time to wipe down your palettes! You want to keep your products and the space they are stored, clean. So take a baby wipe, or a wet paper towel and gently wipe down all your products. Be sure to wipe down all surfaces as well. This should be made into a habit to prevent big messes and bacteria from spreading :)


There you have it- your step by step guide to cleaning out your makeup bag. I hope this was helpful and if you have any other tips, ideas, or questions-- feel free to leave them in the comments section!

Deodorant Free...

I gave up wearing deodorant two years ago, and let me tell you, it's not as stinky as you'd think :) 

I've always had an awareness of what I put on and in my body. 

I never used antiperspirants, you need to sweat- it's your body's way of cooling off. So restricting your body of this with chemicals, was definitely not an option. 

I used commercial deodorants for years in my youth- paranoid about smelling, or sweating. But as I've gotten older, you learn to accept that this is a natural body occurrence. 

It's healthy. And honestly, who cares? Everybody sweats! 

Obviously I don't want to smell bad, but I also don't want to douse my body in chemicals. Especially in such a delicate area of the underarms.

And so the search for the perfect natural deodorant began...
I tried a handful of different brands from sticks, to gels to powders and none of them I fell in love with. They were either too sticky, or I didn't like the smell, or they stung my underarms after shaving.

Now I've always been one for home remedies (diy face masks anyone?!), so I thought I'd investigate homemade deodorants.

And guess what?
I found a recipe that WORKS!
It's such an easy recipe and it most certainly does the trick. It's 3 ingredients (most of you may have them at home already) and you can add essential oils for a scent if you desire.

Here's the Recipe:
6 tablespoons of Coconut Oil
1/4 cup of Baking Soda
1/4 cup of Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch (I've tried both and they worked the same)
Essential Oils (optional)
*recipe c/o wellnessmama.com

Just mix the ingredients above until you get a creamy consistency. I put mine in an old jar and apply a small amount to each arm. Just be sure to keep it in a cool place so the coconut oil doesn't melt!

Some other tips for smelling fresh as a daisy...
Eat Clean. 
ie; lots of greens!
The more processed foods you eat, the stinkier your sweat. Sounds silly, but it's true. The cleaner you eat the less chemicals your body has to get rid of = less sweat and odor.

So while this post is not glamorous, I hope you found it insightful and useful!