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
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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!