October Ipsy

Hello lovlies, long time no post. I apologize about this and won't give any excuses but instead get right into the review of what I got in my ipsy bag this month. For starters the bag this month is by far my favorite! It has made its way into my handbag and will probably stay there for a while. 

I was really excited to try the Zoya nail polish in Mason. Its a gorgeous purple color with pink and magenta shimmer in it. Naturally I put it on as soon as I got the chance. I wasn't too impressed with it. I chipped very easily and was easy to peel off as well. This may be because of the base coat I put on under it so I will have to give it one more try with a different base coat. Otherwise I would never pay $8 for a nail polish in general, especially one that chips so easily. 

Next is this gorgeous loose pigment by bella terra in Navy. It's a mineral pigment and I don't normally where these types of things becuase they are so messy, but I know I will eventually use it as it is too pretty to let go to waste. I like that Its a nice navy color because it makes me want to wear it a little more. These run for $15 on the website.

The medium Coastal Scents shadow brush was one of the next things in my bag. I wasn't particularly excited about this because it isn't an expensive brush and I already own one like this. However I don't have anything from the brand and they are inexpensive (this brush is only $2.50!) so I might buy others from them.

Seeing as I just finished up the pack of makeup wipes I was using these LA FRESH oil-free face cleansing wipes came at a perfect time. The pack comes with 10 wipes. They run for about $10 for 30 wipre on the website. That is a bit expensive in my opinion, but they are eco-friendly which is nice. They are scented and I can't get my finger on what the smell it but it is not that unpleasant, that is not to say that I prefer the scent. I have sensitive skin and these wipes are made for that so we'll see how it goes.

Last is another texturizing spray from Sexy Hair. These travel size sprays usually run for about $6. I'm not a big fan of these sprays because I either don't know how to use them or they just don't work. My hair already has texture as it is so I am hoping I don't get another one of these in a glam bag again honestly. 

Overall it was a pretty decent bag. It doeesn't have enough of things I don't care for to stop my glam bag, but my favorite thing this month was the bag itself. I put in my reviews though so hopefully I will be getting a more appealing bag for November!

Getting the Jitters.

Hey everyone, so it is the night before the semester starts. I have a 9 a.m. class tomorrow and of course I am nervous. The reason being that it is a chemistry class.....I didn't do too well in chemistry in high school. But regardless of that, I always get the jitters and a bit of anxiety before anything remotely "big" coming up. Thankfully I know one of the girls in the class and I won't have to worry about going into a class blind. Don't get me wrong, I like to meet new people, but it helps when there is someone you know and can rely on if you aren't too great in a certain subject. Anyway, I'm anxious and should be asleep.....but of course I can't sleep. I guess I will finish this post after my first day tomorrow.

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Well this turned into a first week of school post. Sorry for my extreme laziness, if you read my previous post on being a crap blogger (here) than this should be no surprise. It has been a bit of a busy week actually. My MW Chem class is a lot better than I thought it would be so far. As for the Culinary Arts classes that I was super excited to be taking on Tuesdays.....turns out they were lecture classes and there was no actual kitchen time. So I dropped those right after class (actually I couldn't even make it through the second one).

Now I can't go through a semester only taking one class because that would be an extreme waste of my time. I went searching and decided that online classes are always a great option, especially when most classes are full and I would need an override to get in. So rather than dealing with people, I looked online and managed to find a Psychology class that I hadn't taken yet (very hard, there was only 1 left) and an Algebra class. I am excited about the math because Algebra was always one of my favorite classes in high school (I know I am a geek, but who cares?) and because I haven't taken any legit math in college yet. In the 2 years I have been there I took my required math, which is Math for Elementary Education. If you have ever taken either of the 2 classes I have taken then you would know it is like going back to grade school all over again. Which surprisingly wasn't as easy as I would have liked it to be.

So anyway I am excited for this semester to kick into full gear, I mean as you all know that is when I will be doing my most posting!

Disclaimer

Hey lovelies, I wanted to post up a little disclaimer about my blog. I would never give a dishonest opinion on a product. I don't care if all the highend brands in the world wanted to give me products and pushed for me to make you all buy them, I would not do that. First of all I was never offered anything and I probably will never get big enough to get some (that is NOT why I chose to blog). Secondly, why would I give false information? If a product doesn't work as well as it should then I will let you know regardless of what everyone else is saying about it. On that note, these are all MY opinion. I know that everyone has different skin types and react differently to products, so if you like a product and I don't, you shouldn't take it too personally. I thought I would put this out there because I plan on doing some reviews on a bunch of products I have been trying and I want it to be clear. I purchase it all with my own money and offer my own opinion. I don't really want to have to keep putting this on the bottom of different blog posts, so just refer to it here.

Thank you for following on bloglovin' and I hope to be posting more soon! :)

August Ipsy Unboxing

Hello lovelies! So I was really excited about this months Ipsy box...So excited that I took a sneak peek at what I got before the package made it to my doorstep. Now I am not too sure about the value of the box because I didn't feel like converting the numbers, but assuming all these products were full size it would total to a little over $70. I am happy with the sample sizes I got however, and 2 of the products were full size. I still don't regret signing up for ipsy and I suggest you do the same. I will have a link for you at the end of the post. :)

The first is the noya Lip Balm in Cherry. I really enjoy this. It leaves my lips really moisturized and it's cherry flavor! I wish it was a tinted lip balm, but honestly I have enough of those. I am a lip balm junkie and this just fed my addiction a little bit more! 

Next is the Pixi Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black. First of all I am happy that it is in blackest black because I dont really like any other shade for my mascara unless I am working on a different look. This is a good "throw in your purse for touch ups" kind of size and that is probably what I will end up doing with it. I have never tried anything from pixi, but I guess my love for mascara is a good place to start! 

The Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream is the next product. It apparently has skin matching stuff in it that well matches your skin I guess. I haven't given this a try yet, but I love BB Cream because of how light weight and easy to wear it is, so I am excited about this as well. My sister has tried hers out and said it made her skin feel silky and gives a good glow. I guess that is good enough for me.

Chella Dazzling Dark Brown Eyebrow Color Pencil was the next thing I pulled out. It has got good pigmentation and I liked the highlight pencil I got from the brand in my June ipsy, but I am not too excited about this. I am not one to fill in my eyebrows for multiple reasons so this was not my cup of tea. I am sure that I will find some sort of use for this because I do really love the color. Maybe I can use it on my upper lash line for a more natural everyday smokey effect. What do you think I should do with it?

The last and probably most exciting product for me this month is the Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub. I am so eager to go try this out. I have been seeing Michael Todd stuff going around but I was too afraid to purchase it on my own because I have sensitive skin. I can try this and because they gave a 30% off code, which is better than the 20% that has been floating around on youtube, I may buy some products. Who knows, I just really wanna try this. I wish it were the mask, but I do love a good exfoliation! 

So there you have it, what I got in my subscription this month. I  recommend it to everyone....wow that sounds like I am being paid to say that, but I swear I am not. I just really like paying so little and getting a bunch of stuff. 

Sign up here: http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hgthxlfzev0e14hs 

 

I Am A Crap Blogger....

Hello everyone, well I haven't posted in months and honestly there is no real excuse. Sure I can blame it on school, work, writers block, or anything....the list goes on and on, but I won't. simply put: I am a lazy blogger. I feel like I have lost inspiration to write anything this Summer. It is actually weird though, I thought I would be posting a bunch during my Summer break, but here I am....post-less. Fear not my readers! The school semester is starting and I happen to write a lot more then. Don't hold me to it, but I seem to write a lot more then. Maybe it has something to do with procrastination and me finding anything and everything to do while I should be doing work. On a side note, my one year anniversary on this blog is coming up and I probably wanted more than a little over 20 blog posts up. Maybe I can make it more than 30 by November! ....Wishful thinking and all that anyway....

So long story short: there are some posts coming your way and I will try to be less crappier of a blogger. :)

Also as a final side note: i am now on bloglovin! So go ahead and follow me there. The app is one of my new obsessions!

A little update

Hey lovelies, so I've been one of the worst bloggers this month. I haven't been wearing makeup that much and so I didn't get to try anything new. This means no monthly favorites for July.  Also I received my July ipsy glam bag and kept postponing when I was going to do the unboxing. Time got away from me and I haven't even really got the chance to play around with the products so I don't know what I  would write about them.

I have been purchasing little things here and there though so I may do a haul post when I get the chance (and after I go to Ulta this weekend). Also some reviews are coming your way as well.  Please be patient as I am still new at all this beauty blogging thing.

Trust me  there are many blog posts just waiting to be finished in my drafts.
Hope to speak with you all soon :)

Twitter: @subtlebeauty27
Tumblr: subtlebeauty27.tumblr.com

Beauty Things That We Do

Hello beauties, so I recently ombred my hair again. I felt like changing something with my  hair and my stylist of 8 years (I won't let anyone else touch my hair!) suggested that we go for an ombre effect. The last time I colored my hair I did my tips and I really liked the dark, rich burgundy color we went for...until it faded into a strawberry blonde. It wasn't what I was going for, but I wasn't completely mad that it had faded. Seeing as it wasn't a lot of my hair that was colored all it took was 3 or 4 trims to completely get rid of it and start all over again.

This time around we bleached my hair before toning it. This did not go over well with a lot of the people I know. Obviously bleaching your hair is not the greatest thing for it, but I wanted to do something different and so I did. My 2 older sisters did ombre before me, but they left it as the bleached blonde. When they came to visit my mom let them know that she didn't like it and that it looked dead. My cousin had the ever traumatic experience of having the bleached parts of her hair fall off in big chunks (thankfully it was only the tips!) so she called me an idiot. It didn't help that my hair was orange after the first toner my stylist put into my hair. I went to her salon the next day and now it is a gorgeous light brown in contrast to my dark brown hair. I love it and I wanted to share all that with you.

The whole purpose of this post however, was to ask you guys: Would you color or bleach your hair knowing it isn't good for your hair? Also, why is it that we feel the need to do these things to ourselves simply for beauty's sake?

June Favorites

Hello everyone! Today I decided it was time to do my first "Favorites" post. At the end/beginning of every month I love to go on youtube and watch all of my favorite beauty gurus gush about products they have been loving. Last month I kept prolonging it and 2 weeks into June I decided it was too late to post my May favorites. So this month I took the time to pick out my favorite products that I have been using like crazy and loving and share them with you all. Here goes!

My first fave this month has been the Garnier BB Cream. I love the fact that this is very light on the skin, but still gives some coverage. I use just one application for easy days and another if I want a little more coverage without the heaviness of foundation. I go over any necessary spots with concealer and add some mascara and I'm out the door. This is especially good for days when I'm in a rush because I don't really use a brush to apply. Also I get really oily skin in the Summer and this helps me stay matte just a little longer (with the use of some powder) without it getting flaky on my dry patches. It also has spf which no one can get mad about with the sun shining.

 Next is my beloved Maybelline Baby Lips in Coral Crush. I won't go on about how much I love this because you can just go read my review on my whole collection of them (http://subtlebeauty27.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-first-beauty-review.html) I never did give this flavor much attention at first, but now I can't put it down. I love the fact that it makes my lips look so good. I was even told that my lips looked "juicy" while I was wearing this. I took it as a compliment, not sure everyone would though.

I have been loving this NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in 720A Sunny. I was constantly hearing about this on youtube and I really needed a bronzer for the Summer that didn't have a bunch of shimmer running through it but wasn't too expensive. I hit the jackpot with this. I like to contour with this as well as bronze my face, which I'm not sure is correct, but I do it anyway. The packaging is very sleek which means easy storage and right now I don't have much space for my makeup and that's important to me. The color is perfect for my fair skin. It doesn't make me look orange, which was another concern about bronzer because I am so pale. It has a very buildable color.

My Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo in 25 Bad to the Bronze. This is a gorgeous color and the hype over this product is worth it. It doesn't go anywhere at all. I like to wear this on its own a lot. I've reached for it a lot this month because of all the graduation parties I've been going to. I like to see when I come home that my eye makeup hasn't budged. It is like a personal little victory. It has great color payoff as well. This is my only one from the collection, but I will definitely be getting some more on my next trip to either the drug store or Ulta!

 This Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter you would have seen that I got it from this months Ipsy subscription (see what else I got! http://subtlebeauty27.blogspot.com/2013/06/june-ipsy-unboxing.html) I love to use this on my browbone because there is no shimmer but it still gives a glow. I also use it in my inner corner of my eye. Definitely a great product that I was not disappointed to get in my box!

My Rimmel London Scandaleyes in 005 Nude has been the number 1 eyeliner for me for 2 months now. It is such a great product that actually doesn't budge. I plan on writing a full review on all of the eyeliners I have from this line as soon as I get the chance, so I won't go into too much detail. I just love this specific color because it brightens my eyes and makes them look more awake. That is with the help of a darker eyeliner in the outer quarter of my eyes though. It is also one of those multipurpose colors. I got my sister-in-law to buy it and she said she uses it as a highlighter on her browbone and cupids bow of her mouth. I know I can't be the only one who loves multipurpose products right?

My Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 20 Sand has been my favorite concealer recently. This goes perfectly with my Garnier BB Cream. I like the fact that it doesn't feel too heavy on my face, but it doesn't budge either. It has medium to full coverage in my opinion. I like to pair it up with my Rimmel Wake Me up Concealer on days where the under eye bags are just too much for one product to handle. I also like the fact that I can use it under my eyes and on blemishes as well. I know some people like to use separate concealers for that, but to me it is just too much work, especially because I am usually rushing.

Last, I have a cult favorite. MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW 25. Again I can use is all over my face and not have to worry about it looking off. This was my first ever makeup product and I still love it to today. I used to use one of my sister-in-law's before that and she got sick of me using it. It is really thick coverage, but that it why I love it. On a day when I don't feel like wearing makeup but still have a breakout or really bad undereyes, I use this. I can't use it with my BB Cream because of the texture difference and the color difference. I love this product even though it is probably time for a new one even though I haven't hit pan. I only just started making a dent. This is one of those products that are definitely worth the money you are spending on it!

Well there you have it, the products I have been loving enough this month to write a whole blog post about it. It's all very light and easy, which is how I like my Summer makeup to be. I recommend you all try this stuff out for yourself. I'll be back soon with some new stuff for you all. :)
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June Ipsy Unboxing!

 I received my first Ipsy this month and I thought I would share it with you all. I have never gotten a beauty box subscription before and I thought at $10 this was a good one. Of course I did my research and watched unboxing videos on youtube before deciding between Ipsy and Birchbox (also $10). In the end I chose Ipsy and I was pretty pleased with my first time around.

I like the fact that it is in this hot pink bubble wrap kind of packaging, it is really cute. This months these was "On The Wild Side" which I also thought was cute. Am I weird for really liking that card? The little makeup bag that it comes with is already in use. I love the fact that it is on the smaller side and it is a good material as well. I'm not the craziest about animal print, but I do think that it is fun and I don't mind it. Now for the inside!

This is the Cailyn Gel Eyeliner in Iron. This product originally cost $21 and I already got my money's worth with it! This is a full size product. I do wish it was a black color, but beggers can't be choosers. It comes with its own little brush to apply with that connects to the top so that you don't lose it. I have never used gel eyeliner before so I don't know what they should be like, but I tried this out and I really loved it. It went on easily and dried within good time on my eyelids so there was no worrying about it transferring right away. It stayed on well throughout the day without smudging at all. My only issue with it is that as the day went on the color did fade a bit, but I was wearing it from 10 am to 10 pm, everything pretty much fades by 12 hours. I also didn't set it with any eyeshadow like I have seen done before to make gel liners last longer. I didn't have the color I needed to do so. Overall, I am very happy with this product and can't wait to use it more!

This is the Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter and it costs $18 on its own. I am actually very happy with this product. I had never heard of it before, it's safe to say I had never heard of any of the brands except one. I like that it is a highlighter, but it's not BAM in-your-face shimmer. I like to use this on my brow bone, which I think is where it is most used. I also like to use it in the inner corner of my eyes when I am not wearing a load of makeup and don't want shimmer there. It is an all around good product that I am very happy they included. It has already made its way into my daily makeup bag!

Next is the NYX blush in Desert Rose, cost at $5. I like NYX products and had been eyeing this blush in particular for quite some time now. I don't know why I had never picked it up on my own to be honest. It is a beautiful color that I feel looks pretty good on my fair skin. WARNING though, you have to have a light hand with this. I didn't realize how pigmented it was the first time I put it on and well you probably know how that story goes. I also like that it is matte for the most part. It looks like it would be shimmery, like most drugstore blushes are, but it wasn't. The packaging is also really cute and compact.

This is the Starlooks Lip Pencil in Bare, $12. I don't really wear lip pencils to be honest. I might with this, but I will probably end up just giving it to my mom. I did swatch it though and I thought it was a good nude-ish color. It is more of a brownish nude than a pinky nude which is the main reason I am not the biggest fan of it. I wouldn't have bought this on my own, but I'm not too annoyed that it came this month.




J.Cat(?) Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette in Volta, $4.49. This has got to be my least favorite of all and I would have been happier getting just 4 products if it meant that I wouldn't have gotten this. Maybe that is being a bit harsh, but I just feel that I will never get any use out of this. When I first tried to swatch it, it was just fallout so I mixed it a little with my finger and it was just awful. It had a muddy feeling to it and I suppose that is the cream? After that when I swatched it it was more of like glitter glue. There is no color payoff at all with it except for the color of the glitter. I understand why the cost is so low for it.

Overall I am happy with subscription this month with the obvious exception. It totals out to be $60.49, which I can't be mad about at all considering I only paid 10! I would recommend that you go out and get a subscription yourself, because like I said it is only $10. I am very excited to see what else is in store with this subscription!

Use this code to sign up and get some points: http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hgthxlfzev0e14hs

a/n I am really sorry about the bad photos and the even worse lighting that cause this. I am working on getting a good camera, but they can run a little bit expensive. Also I should have probably taken these photos outside because it was a beautifully sunny day, but that wasn't translating well through my bedroom window.

e.l.f. Matte Lip Color

Hey guys, I'm here with another review for you! Today it is the e.l.f. Matte Lip Color. To the left you will see that I have already purchased 2 of them. The first in Natural and the second in Tea Rose. I have to say that I love these and they will be a staple for me for the summer. They are great on their own or you can layer them depending on your mood. They are perfectly pigmented and for a girl on a budget this is perfect. At $3 you really can't complain and I thought why not give them a try. They are a fairly new product and I only heard one person on youtube bring them up and she had good things to say about the Natural one I believe. I first got that one and after loving it so much I purchased Tea Rose, more because of the name than anything really.





I like to use them as a base for some of my lipsticks. The natural color creates a great foundation for a brighter lipstick that I own that I don't feel too comfortable wearing on its own. In the picture you can see I paired it with my Revlon Colorburst lip Butter in 090 Sweet Tart. It is such a bold and beautiful color, but when I put my e.l.f. matte lip under, they layer beautifully into a more natural bright pink. I can wear a bright lip without feeling like I'm blinding people with my lips!

The Tea Rose color layers beautifully with my Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick in 006 Pink Blush and Artistry light up lip gloss in Champagne. This has been a great, more natural but there's still something there, kind of lip. Graduation parties have begun and this has been one of my favorite lips to wear! I picked the lipstick a while ago and never really got on with the color on its own because I felt that it was a little too pink for my fair skin, but once I put the Tea Rose under it, I can't stop wearing it. This look is good with or without the lip gloss but I feel like with that as a top coat it really ties everything together.



Even though I love those combinations, I also really love wearing these on their own. I like the fact that they are buildable and you can get a good range of color from the one product on its own.

Natural, a very sheer look to a more natural, flushed pink look.

Tea Rose, a natural purple tint to a more rosey purple tint. 

Overall, I would definitely say to go get these just to throw into your purse. They are easy for on-the-go applying and it can be done without a necessarily having a mirror (which is always convenient!). I heard that not all the colors are flattering, but I think that these two are universal and would look good on any skin tone!

My First Beauty Review!

Well, this post is so long overdue and I apologize, but between work and school I had next to no time, which you could tell from my other blog ( littlemisslovelytimes.com ). So I decided that a review would be a good thing to start with. Now seeing as I am just building my makeup collection and only just trying new things, or things that are not so new, I don't have much to review on. I do have a pretty good collection of Maybelline Baby Lips. Here are some pictures of my collection:

From left to right: 25 Pink Punch, 90 Yummy Plummy, 30 Peach Kiss, 20 Grape Vine, 60 Melon Mania, 15 Cherry Me, 50 Twinkle, 70 Coral Crush

Sorry the pictures aren't all in the same order (that would have been a smart idea!), but I love all of these. I love that they all have such a great color payoff for the most part. They are exactly what they claim to be, a tinted lip balm. They give a nice tint of color while moisturizing your lips. I have put some on before bed and wake up with my lips feeling really soft.





I also really love to take these with me on a daily basis just to have with me. Since I am just starting to get into lipsticks and other lip products I like that this is like I am wearing a sheer lip gloss. It is convenient for a quick on the go kind of day.

My favorites up to this point have been the dark purple Grape Vine color which was perfect for winter and the red Cherry Me is also a nice way to wear red, which is something that I am not too big of a fan of at the moment. There is also the nude Peach Kiss which is a really pretty nude with a bit of a shimmer to it, I like to wear this on days where I just want a nude lip. Most recently though, I am liking the bright pink Melon Mania and orange Coral Crush for a light wash of color that is bright, but not too in your face.  I also like the not really there pink Twinkle because it is perfect for under lipsticks if I feel that they are a bit drying. ]

Overall, I would recommend you go out and get these. They are all pretty and smell and taste delicious. The last two being factors that are kind of important to me. I don't like to have something that tastes nasty on my lips because that is something that I will have to taste all day and smell too, so I like it to be pleasant. Get these in as many colors as possible, I would specifically recommend the ones I just pointed out.

"Life of Pi" Book and Movie Review!

Well I have completed "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. . Let me start by saying that I was not really interested in reading this. Honestly if my brother didn't get it on audible (I use his account) I wouldn't have tried to get it on my own. That being said, I actually really enjoyed reading this. So here is a review, completely in my opinion, of the book and the movie. Before I start I should probably give you a mini-summary. It is a book about a young boy whose family runs a zoo in India. They are moving to Canada and because of all the animals, they are on a cargo ship. Something goes wrong with the ship and he ends up the only one off the ships. He tells his story of how he survived over 200 days stuck at sea with a tiger. The story is told from his perspective for the most part and also from the point of view of his therapist (I thought when reading), but in the movie it is someone who wants to write his story. All I know is that the voice changed between the two. That is basically it in a nutshell, without me getting too into detail and ruining anything for you. Sorry I am bad at summarizing, never was really good at it in middle school either.

The Book:
Like I said, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the book as much as I have. I liked it a bit more maybe because I was able to listen to it and it was so convenient for me most of the time. As for the actual content of the book, it was all beautifully written. Very detailed in a way that has you envisioning everything. But I feel like that may be a little misleading because it isn't very detailed at all. To me it was almost as if it was vague. There were parts where it went into full detail, such as about one of the fish changing colors when he killed it, but there were parts that were left strictly to the imagination. I understand this a little bit though, because how many times can you describe the same ocean? The book is very captivating. There were times when I just stopped what I was doing and just listened. I stood in place and I listened to the words being read to me. There were also parts that I listened to again, just because I can. I am sure I'm not the only one who has ever reread a passage from a book out there. The religion aspect that the book brings up also intrigues me. I really enjoyed hearing about all the different religions and it made me want to take a religion class, and even consider shifting my major. That detail was just enough for me because it wasn't so overbearing and in your face, it gave the perfect amount of information. Something that bothered me a little was that it took so long before he made it into the boat. The whole first half I believe was just background and his childhood and little excerpts from the therapist/writer. I was getting anxious and I think I missed some things because I was just plain impatient and wanted to get on with the story. After reading it though I appreciate it as a whole and it bothers me a little less.

The Movie:
Well, the movie is another story for me. I know that movies pretty much never live up to the book they are based on. It started off fairly accurate and I appreciated that. There was of course things that were added in there so that people who have never read the book get a little extra to better understand the movie. I wish they focused a little bit more on the childhood part of the book, considering it was such a big part. I was disappointed that they didn't add the few chapters that were about religion, they kind of just stuck him into it. They took out a couple of people that I liked in the book and that were the reason his parents found out about all his religion practicing. I missed that a bit. There was also a part that was a little bit more important, but obviously not important enough, while he was at sea that they completely disregarded. I don't want to ruin it for anyone if they are reading it, but they will see when they watch what I mean. It made no difference to the movie, but I remember that I was just waiting for it. Me and my brother who also read the book, were not the happiest about that. I understand that for time reason that they had to cut it out, but it was one of my favorite chapters. All I will say is that it involves an island, which we know by the fact that he makes it "home" that he doesn't stay on for long. It would have been cool to see the animation that would have been involved though. They missed some other things that I wasn't happy about, but I could deal with I guess.

Overall:
I think you should definitely get the book and read it and then watch it. I thought it would be heavy reading but it wasn't at all. Also the movie wasn't too bad if you want to watch it without reading. My mom and sister did that and they seemed to have enjoyed it more than me. The ending is very mind blowing (for me it was) because it has you thinking a bit. I remember I was in a daze for a bit after finishing the book and it hit me again when I watched the movie. Maybe it is just me because I get like that after reading, but because of those last couple of chapters I would recommend this book for anyone and everyone!


B/N I realize after rereading my book review that I contradicted myself a lot about the detailing of the writing, but I don't know any other way to say what I needed to say. Sorry if it is confusing, I just hope someone out there understands what I am saying. Also I should be working on my schoolwork seeing as finals are around the corner, so my mind is a bit scrambled!

Welcome Message!

Hello, you seemed to have stumbled upon my new beauty blog. I have never really written a beauty blog, and my original random topics blog is probably considered mediocre. However, that doesn't really matter to me at all. I am here to write and give my opinions, you don't have to agree with them but it would be great if you do. Maybe we can even be friends. Anyway I am getting off topic.

How I got into this and decided to start this was because I have recently discovered the wonderful world of beauty. I am 20 now and I only started wearing makeup 2 years ago. Before that I only wore it to parties and on holidays and things of the such. My everyday isn't all that glamorous and I can't do a smokey eye to save my life. But you know what they say, practice makes perfect. I am currently working on building my collection of beauty products and its coming along. I like to stay within the more affordable range of things when it comes to beauty, but I do appreciate my high-end things as well.

Bear with me through this blog, as I said I am a newbie. I hope to post more and more often as soon as I get my hands on a few more things on my list. I am aware that some of the reviews and things that I will be writing about soon probably already have many reviews by more well known beauty gurus. These opinions are completely my own and will probably go against what others say, or will completely agree; you never know. So I am excited to get this started already!

About my name: I chose Subtle Beauty because that is how I like my makeup. I feel that makeup should just enhance your natural beauty. I felt that this really represents me and how I feel. The 27 was added because someone already had the URL subtlebeauty. I checked and they don't use it anymore and haven't for a long time.

B/N (blogger's note) ~ While you wait for my next post, go check out my other blog where I have things that aren't beauty related. littlemisslovelytimes.blogspot.com

Current Read(s)

My oh my it has been a while since I have done one of these! Well you all should know by now that I am kind of a book worm and that I kind of like reading more than one book at a time. This is actually a new thing and I don't know if it because of the books and the accessibility to them or what, but it is new. I have three kinds of books for you today. I have one I am reading on my Kindle app, one I listen to on my Audible app, and one I am actually reading that is written on paper (yes, they still make those!). So I guess I will just dive right on in....even though I can't swim!

1. "Seeing Julia" by Katherine Owen
This has been in a couple of my current reads. I am slowly moving through it, faster now than I was before. The story line is building and I am getting a clear on who the characters are and that is something I like. I like to know the people in the books I am reading, I like to find them a bit relatable to me. I find Julia to be quite charming in a way. I also like Jake Winston and I am really interested to see if she will stop pushing away from him and just go for it all ready. I understand that she keeps losing people in her life and that this may make her stay away (also the fact that he is her dead husband's best friend! Scandalous!), but she needs to get over her fears. She needs to accept things for what they are. I really enjoy reading this is math class because it is right there on my phone and it isn't too noticeable that I am not paying attention.

2. "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
I didn't really know what to expect when I first started this book. I honestly still don't know what to expect. At first I was a bit confused because I am listening to it on audible and I don't have a hard copy of it. It has two narrators: one speaking for Pi about what happened and about his life, and the second is a white man Speaking from his point of view as he meets with a more present Pi, the future one. This confused me at first because like I said, I didn't know what to expect from it. Anyway I really enjoy the detail that the story is told with. I particularly liked the chapters where Pi was describing the different religions: Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism. There is so much detail and he speaks so beautifully about all of them. I of course really appreciated the things he said about Islam. May I just say though, I kind of find it funny that he can't pick a religion, but he explained it in a way that makes you understand his dilemma:
I know a woman here in Toronto who is very dear to my heart. [...]. Though she has lived in Toronto for over thirty years, her French-speaking mind still slips on occasion on the understanding of English sounds. And so, when she first heard of Hare Krishnas, she didn't hear right. She heard "Hairless Christians", and that is what they were to her for many years. When I corrected her, I told her that in fact she was not so wrong; that Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims. (1.16.6)
He has managed to see the connection in all the religions. For a young boy of only 16 I believe, he has an incredible understanding of all three religions. Anyway, this isn't what the book is about, but it was definitely a favorite part of mine.

3. "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
I have finished part 1 of the book, and so far it is different from anything I have ever read really. I am starting to get a couple of answers here and there, but nothing that is good enough for me. I want so badly to look up the book on the internet and see what is going on with this book and see if there is some sort of hidden message that I am missing, but I am staying strong. I heard that the movie is really good and to be honest at this point that is what is keeping me to finish reading this book.

So, this is what I am currently reading. Reviews of all three will be up as soon as I finish them. Now I have a question for you all: Does it count as reading a book if you are only listening to it? I prefer reading an actual book, but my audible app is really convenient for me.

25 Facts About Me!

So I have been seeing this go around lately not only with blogs, but youtube videos as well. If you know me then you know that I have an obsession with watching youtube videos. Anyway as the title entails, here are 25 facts about me so that you may learn a bit more about me!

1. I am a Muslim and darn proud of it!
2. I don't swear/curse. My mom taught me it is unladylike and well that has stuck with me.
3. I am currently studying to become a teacher.
4. I don't like to watch movies that have scary little children in them. It intensifies the movie by a million for me!
5. I am the second youngest of seven children.
6. I could be content with sitting in my room all day watching youtube videos and netflix. Also with basically no connections to the outside world.
7. I can sometimes have weird insomnia attacks. Its is currently 3:55 am.
8. I have been wearing the hijab (Islamic head scarf) since I was 9. Contrary to popular belief, I chose to wear it on my own. I got a couple of parties to celebrate me putting it on. I have never regretted this decision.
9. I got straight A's all through middle school and most of high school. Darn you Chemistry and Film Studies!
10. My favorite color will always be green, like the basic green crayon that is vibrant and pigmented, but a blush pink is a close second and holds my heart right now.
11. I am a Winter baby, January 27th is my birthday and I am currently 20.
12. I am extremely empathetic and I will cry if I see someone crying and if someone has the sniffles my nose will start to run as well.
13. I really enjoy reading and I can spend a whole day reading and getting lost in the story line. To the point that my dreams are of what will happen in the book. This often confuses me and I have to decipher what is really in the book and what I have made up.
14. I have no problem re-reading a book. Some people have told me this is weird, but I love reengaging with the characters, and sometimes I will see a different meaning behind  the story.
15. I am a hopeless romantic. I often spin castles in the sky (Quote from one of my favorite books).
16. I am really into crochet and could do it for hours on end. I am also learning how to knit.
17. I have always been shy, up until my mid-junior year/senior year of high school. I became comfortable with who I am and really became more outgoing.
18. I was in my first car accident early Summer '12. Let me tell you: The semi-truck will always win! But I managed to come out with very minimal damage to my person. I thank Allah (SWT) for this and say alhamdulillah as much as possible.
19. I can count the amount of times I have driven since my accident on one hand. No one in my family will let me use their cars anymore. :(
20. The spelling mistake you're and your doesn't bother me as much as definitely and defiantly. Two very different words, but people allow spell check to ruin a sentence and it irks me.
21. Yes, I was born in America despite the fact that I am Arabic. Apparently it means I am from overseas and I don't understand anything you are saying, but the truth is I speak more properly than you do most of the time.
22. I get bad social anxiety sometimes. Even if I am with friends and family, I will start to get uncomfortable, anxious and just want to be alone in my room again. This is not too fun.
23. I don't like people coming out of nowhere, like from around a corner or out of a dark room. I am easy to scare and it freaks me out every time.
24. I don't like stupid humor, such as Family Guy and American Dad. I can watch them, but I get bored really quickly and lose interest. Snarky humor is the way to go for me.
25. I enjoy a good debate every now and then, but I can get really heated pretty quickly sometimes and I get frustrated when people don't believe I am right. Which I always am.

Well there you have it! 25 things you probably didn't know about me, unless you know me in which case you probably know all of these. I was getting a bit stuck around 10 and was wondering how I was going to finish, but around 15 it picked up and I was wondering if I was going to have to make this a 50 facts post. Maybe I will do another one of these again in the future. I like the idea of seeing how I will be later on and the different things I will write then. I probably will also be saying to myself, "really I was like that?", but I guess only time will tell.

Fast February/March Madness!

Well February has come and gone and it has been a while since I have posted. I have a lot of posts that I have started because the idea came to me on a whim, and well now I have no idea where I was going with most of them. I feel like everything is a little bit crazy for me right now and I have no time for anything, and unfortunately that includes blogging. In particular I don't have time to write these monthly update things. I will stay up with my goals (not sure about the 3 posts a month one) so you don't have to worry about that. Now I have a couple of things I have in the works. They are still ideas and I am working out details on them.

So basically what I am trying to get at it is, I will not be doing a monthly update anymore. I feel like there is a kind of pressure that comes with it if that makes sense. It is like people expect it at the end/beginning of every month and I don't like that. I don't have time to write a update every month. I mean it is difficult for me to write a post and to have a certain time that I need to post by is a bit annoying for me, especially considering that I made it myself. I like the idea of posting when ever I want, not when I need to. The fact that it is the 8th and I have yet to blog about my goals, or whatever I was calling it, for February actually bothers me. It should have been up, but unfortunately things happen and I can't always blog.

I know this is rather a useless blog for most people, but I had to say it. Please bear with me, this awful semester it almost over and I will never take 18 credits in one semester ever again! I will definitely try to be posting more often. Like I said, there are plenty of drafts that are waiting to be finished and maybe one day they will be! So I will hopefully be writing soon! :)

The Selection Book Review

"The Selection" by Kiera Cass is the most recent book that I have finished. You may not recognize the title; and that is because it was never a part of any of my current reads. I finished this book in a matter of three days. And lets face it, had I not been bombarded with more school work than I can handle this semester, I would have finished it in less than a day. Well let me tell you a bit about the book. I'll try not to put any spoilers!

So there is this girl named America and she is the main character. The story is set in the far future. There is a caste system and you are in your caste (1-8) based on how comfortably your ancestors lived. Within each caste you can get a certain job. America and her family are fives, which are singers, artists, actors. Every once and a while there is this competition called The Selection. 35 girls are "randomly" chosen, regardless of caste, and are invited to stay at the palace while Prince Maxon makes his choice of which one he wants to make his wife and the future princess. Obviously, America being the main character, gets chosen and she goes to the castle. She didn't want to enter because she was already in love with a boy, Aspen, from caste six. It was unacceptable to want to be with someone of a lower caste because after you get married you become of the same caste. America makes it clear to Maxon from the start that she is only there for the check that gets sent to her family and because she doesn't want to be home. Aspen broke her heart before she left and she tells this to Maxon but with less details. They decide to be friends and all is going well until some things happen.

I don't really know if I can get into much more detail than that without ruining anything for you. I feel like this book is a cross between "The Hunger Games" and the TV show The Bachelor. At first I didn't think I would enjoy it, but I was surprised that I didn't want to put it down. It may not be a cup of tea for everyone, but I recommend it. It is a part of a series of novels that are still being written. I can't wait to read the next ones that are out already. Also they are planning on making a TV show on CW. They already shot the pilot and I like the cast that they have put together. I think it is going to come on Fall of 2013. I hope they don't ruin it, but I am happy they are making it into a TV show rather then a movie. Best of luck to the cast.


Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for everyone. Even if you are not all that into Young Adult Fiction, it is still a great read!

Being a Teacher?!

Well I am kind of on cloud nine at the moment. I am on a teacher high, if you will. I didn't realize how close this is to actually happening now! Maybe I should explain a bit more.

I just wrote out my first activity lesson plan. I am quite proud of this work actually. I wish I could take it into an actual class and teach it to them and do the activity. The day that I actually get into a classroom of my own will be so nerve-wrecking, but so worth it.

I get asked why I would actually choose to be a teacher, and an elementary one at that. My answer is: there is something so rewarding about it. Of course I am not naive, I know that it will be hard and that is not just a bunch of coloring and nap times. I will get some students that will give me a hard time or some that just won't get the material my first time explaining it. Do this for me though, think about when they do get it, when they learn something new for the first time and it is because of you. No matter the crap pay that you get or the people who look down upon the profession, think about that little face that will look up to you because you made a difference to them. There is something so special about being a teacher and the impact you have on the children. You are the one that is molding this child's future. They base how many prisons to make off of third grade reading levels. If a teacher fails to teach a child with the proper nurturing and care and most importantly patience then they are basically setting them up for failure in the future.

Sorry to get so emotional about it, but I get really passionate about this. Should I even apologize though? I see some of the other people in the program and I just honestly wonder about them. I would not want to leave my child in their care. That is my point though, I want people to see me and my work and say "feel free to teach my children because I trust you." That word has so many dimensions to it and you can't always be confident in it and the judgement that comes with it.






Plain and simple, I want to make a difference.

Goodbye January?

Well, the first month of the new year has come to a  close. Time seems to be going by a little quicker than I had ever imagined. Taking 18 credits is a lot harder than I had anticipated and it seems to be consuming all of my time. I don't get much time to blog anymore, but I said it as my goal to have at least three blogs a month and that is what I will do! I realize that I posted a bunch in the beginning of the month and then just quit cold turkey, not how I pictured this will all go. Anyway, on the topic of goals, as promised here is a little update:

1. Get fit: This is going well actually. I am bouncing around between the loss of three to four pounds which I am very pleased with. As for the sweets, I realize that is not a possibility. I eat ice cream during a snow storm, I can't help it. I do want to change this a bit though because I realized something. Obviously you lose the ten pounds of water weight fairly easy, but then your body turns the fat into muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat and well a scale won't help much with that. So this goal will have a little bit added and that is to lose 3 inches (meaning and inch and a half off each side) from my waist by June. This will be a little more difficult but I am up for the challenge!

2. Post at least 3 times a month. Well I obviously surpassed this and an update probably won't be necessary of that.

3. Have a more positive outlook. I think I am doing this quite well actually. I have been waking up at 7 am four days a week, and rather than endlessly saying I am tired, I say it will prepare me for when I am a teacher. :)

So that is pretty much how everything it going. I have many blog posts that are sitting as drafts right now so hopefully they will be up soon! I look forward to speaking with you all more :)

First Day Back

Wow, I never realized what a month off would do to me. I wasn't able to fall asleep so easily last night and that did not help this morning. I had planned on sleeping early and waking up at 6:30 so I can get a little workout in before getting ready to leave. I woke up at 7 and considering that I have to clean up the house a little and get ready to leave by 8, this was not a good thing. I didn't feel rushed or anything, just a groggy and out of it. The fact that I had to make my schedule from 8:30 to 3 with only a 25 min break is going to kill me.

Also there are the teachers that just like to talk about themselves for 2 hours. Yes, that is what I went through this morning. She hardly mentioned Earth Science, which you know would make sense considering that is the class. The only time I got to say anything was when I attempted to correct my name while she butchered it taking attendance. This happens to be a reoccurring theme throughout my classes. I guess it is something I will have to live with.

My English class, which I'm not officially in, was alright. I took the teacher last year and decided to stick with her. Unfortunately, there are 11 people on the waitlist and she can't let that many people in. Hopefully I will be one of them. Class timings otherwise are just completely awful.

Now, my Math class was probably the most awful part of my day. Our teacher is a complete....well I don't know the proper word for him just yet. He hasn't taught in four years, so that says something about his teaching skills I guess. On top of that, he has never taught an elementary class, so I don't know how he is going to be able to help prepare us. He is one of those teachers that starts a lesson and every couple of minutes something reminds him and he begins to trail off into a story or something of the sort.

Overall it wasn't a bad day considering I was on three hours of sleep. What really made my day was that somehow, my luck, a seat opened up in that Physics class I needed to get into. So I am excited to start that tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be too bad of a semester.

WB Final Update

Well, my winter break is pretty much over now. I will definitely miss the downtime, but I am excited to get myself busy with something. I haven't been up to much really, just trying to reorganize my room. I managed to finish my closet, throwing out unnecessary things and throwing out my sisters' things that have been in there for far too long. If they want it they can come and get it, otherwise it is not my problem.

Anyway, I am working on my shelves and desk now and it is not as easy to organize. I realized that I have a lot of stuff. So, I am going to try to do a bunch DIY projects and find little things that will help keep me organized. I am also going to try and do it on a budget. I want to keep it to $50 but I feel like that would too little. I am trying to save money right because I will be hopefully attending university and that is going to cost a pretty penny. I think Target will definitely be one of my first stops. It has that dollar section and there are always other really nice things in the room area and all over the store. Its going to take a bit of effort to do, but it isn't impossible. It is a fun little project for my last weekend of nothing to do.

As for my reading, it has slowed down a bit on all three. I am kind of more into movies at the moment. Netflix has a good collection of classic movies I watched as a kid and I was excited to watch them all. I would definitely recommend rewatching them all, and if you have children then I am sure that they will love all of them as well. It is just a good blast from the past I guess.

Now, I have a bucketlist and I am debating whether or not I should put it up. I want to because I want to add one more thing to my "Goals for the 2013". I want to complete at least 5 things off of it. I have crossed off one thing and that makes me pretty happy. Let me know if you are interested in seeing it or if you have things that you think I should add onto it. I am always open for suggestions.

Oh and before I forget, everyone please pray that I get into this Physics class that I need. I won't be able to graduate this year without it!

Friends, the Best of 'em

You will hear a million different definitions to what the word 'friend' means. According to Wikipedia it is:

Noun A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

If you ask me, a friend is someone you can hang out with and have a good time. In my case, there really is no difference between a friend and an acquaintance. Because of school and my complete lack of social skills, I don't get out much to hangout with all the people that I know. I don't know much about them and they don't know much about you. So you see, that is why there really is no difference to me. 

Now, a best friend is something far greater. Once you get one, or more, you feel like they re the people you can talk to no matter what, act a fool around, and know that they won't silently judge you like a friend will. You are able to speak your mind around them, and if you hate someone odds are they will hate them too just because. Whenever you feel low they are the ones that can bring you back to life and completely turn your day around. I'm not saying it is a perfect relationship. Like much else there will be problems, things that will send you spiraling and drive you mad. In the end of the day though, you both will get over it and go back to whatever way you were. 

Unfortunately, when you get older, you sometimes have a falling out with some of the people you care most about. After my accident in the beginning of summer '12, I began to push people away. I was like that during the first three years of high school. I never let anyone in, I never told anyone anything  and I was basically a very closed and private person. I bloomed my senior year and I swore that I would not lose my 2 best friends. I had never anticipated what college does to you, and then the traumatic event that was to come for me. 

During my freshman year of college, I took things very easily and maintained a friendship with my best friends, running into one of them at school and the other through texting and hanging out every now and then, as well as making new friends. My sophomore year in college, now, I know what I am majoring and I am putting all my focus into school so that I can finish with my associates degree by the end of the year. This has killed my social life completely. Also with my accident, I came to the realization that I had to set my priorities straight and school was at the top of the list. 

I somehow managed to fall right back into that part of my life where I wanted no one close to me. I am a very honest person and keep no secrets, an open book, but I still feel like I need to keep to myself. I went through it when I was younger, and I guess history does repeat itself. I am also bad at keeping things going with people. It is never some major fight or anything, it is usually just a natural fallout. I guess maybe I am destined for a hermit's life and that is all I have to look forward to, I hope that isn't the case though.

To my best friends who I had this fallout with, you know who you are and I am truly sorry. I never intended that to happen. I want us to get back together again and have a strong relationship, but we all live separate lives. Somehow things just happen like that. It really breaks my heart and I would never wish this empty feeling on anyone because there are times when I need to talk to someone and I realize I have no one. This is no one's fault but my own. 

WB Update and Other Things

Well my winter break is moving along nicely. As much as I dislike school I am actually anxious for the next semester. I really don't like not having anything to do. Anyway, the new year started and I am ready to embrace it! It feels like it is going to be a good year, although once I'm in school and freaking out over that I will probably change my mind. Then again, now that I have gotten rid of my old HP laptop, our time together was short lived but great nonetheless, and got myself a new Samsung Chromebook it is good so far! It was a sort of a little birthday gift to myself because I turn 20 on the 27th!! I love my birthday month and until that day I will be reminding everyone I know.

Anyway, seeing as it is the new year, it is time for some resolutions or goals for myself. I know people really hate them and I didn't realize that I know a lot of cynics until I read all their opinions on the matter. Regardless of what others think, I am setting these goals for myself and I will stick with them throughout the year. I will have no choice because I will be writing updates monthly so that I can keep track of my progress and so will you.

1. Get fit. This is a resolution that many people decide to go with, and well I am one of those people. I am going to make it specific though. I want to lose 15 pounds by June and almost completely cut out sweets and unnecessary foods. I'm not to sure about the sweets, but I will definitely try.

2. Post at least 3 times a month. One post will be dedicated to my goal updates, another will be miscellaneous, and the last will be a current reads update. The current reads one will be so that I make sure that I continue reading because I sometimes lose focus when I start school and I don't want that to happen. So basically, it is a goal within a goal!

3. Lastly, I want to have a more positive outlook on life. The phrase "misery loves company" always rings true to me. Somehow I always manage to surround myself with negative energy, and it isn't healthy. Bad habits form from this negativity and that will throw off my first goal.

So those are the 3 things I hope to keep up with throughout this year. People say that it is just another year and that no one really changes, but may I just say that I am not the person I was in the beginning of 2012. Are all my changes for the better? Maybe, maybe not, it really depends who you are asking. Everyone is going to have an opinion and it is up to you whether you choose to listen and act upon those opinions.

~~~
On a side note, I also hope to be graduating with my associates degree this year! That is definitely my top priority above all else! Have a great year everyone!!

New Year, New You!...Not Really

So the new year sort of just creeped up. Another year has come to an end. For me specifically I don't think much has happened. The only notable thing I think is that I managed to finally choose a major and not change my mind after a week or two like before. To my family however, there has been a lot!

We welcomed three babies into the world this year. A boy and two girls, and although I have yet to go see one of the girls, I love them with all my heart. I wanted to go see the new baby down in Florida seeing as I have another two weeks of break, but I cannot get myself to leave the other two. Other things happened as well, but nothing that seems as notable as just that news.

Well some of us managed to make it out of 2012 without too much damage, and I think that is something we should give ourselves credit for. We will all have our new years resolution, that we will all most likely give up by the second week of January. Even if that is true, I think that everyone should have one just because you never know the outcome of it. If you say that you are going to workout and be healthy (a very common one!), you may meet someone at the gym or at a wholefoods that could help you keep up with your resolution. If you say you want to be more outgoing, all you need is to meet one person before you give up, and who knows where that will lead. These little goals that we set for ourselves, no matter how foolish or impractical, are a driving force for some change. Change is a good thing even if it not always welcome.

New year, so why not make it a new you? I'm not saying to change who you are because you may be a great person. I am saying that you should open yourself up to new things that you may not have tried or liked before. Over time we become different people whether we choose to or not, so why don't we just embrace these little changes and own them. Some people may not like the new you, but as long as you are happy, what does it matter what others think of you?