Empties #2 Hits and Misses

Hello lovelies! I have another empties post for you all. This is a big one with some products that I would repurchase and some that I just won't bother with again. Lets get started!

 First I have some skin care.
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash: I have already repurchased this. It has quickly become one of my favorite cleansers. I don't have acne prone skin, but I do get breakouts every once in a while and I found that this really works to keep it all at bay.
Garnier Clean+ Makeup Remover Lotion Cleanser: I decided to give this a try when I couldn't find the Misceller Water by the same line. I don't think I will be repurchasing this again until the winter months when my skin is a bit dryer. I liked using it right before my shower because the couple of times I tried it with just a quick rinse I felt that it left my skin feeling like there was a layer on top of it. It didn't completely get rid of my makeup, so that was also a downside. Overall, too creamy and heavy for my normal/combo skin.
Beauty Without Cruelty Daily Facial Cleanser: I really enjoyed using this cleanser. I got it in an Ipsy bag one month and I am happy that I got to try it. I enjoy any cleaner that cleans my skin without stripping it completely and it didn't cause any breakouts on my sensitive skin. Will definitely purchasing a full size once I am done with the Neutrogena one I'm using now.


Next you will see that I have gone through quite a bit of mascaras.
Revlon Lash Potion- I hated this and will definitely never repurchase again. As amazing as it looked when I first put it on, within the next hour I would find little flakes on my cheeks. I have never had that with mascara before.
Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black - I liked this for every day wear. It gave good volume and length, I can see repurchasing it once I get through a few more of my mascaras in my collection.
Urban Decay Perversion - Didn't really care for this mascara; wasn't bad but wasn't the best either. It didn't live up to its claims. Won't be buying a full size.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes - These are nice. Again nothing that wowed me too much. If I layer it with the primer of the same line then I can get a really false lash effect, but without the primer it is nothing special.
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara - I bought this because there was so much hype around it, not mad that I purchased it, but probably won't repurchase. It still smudged underneath my lash line. I use the wand as a spooly for my eyebrows though and I love that it is tiny enough to work there.


Lastly I have a bit of random bits.
NYC High Definition Liquid Liner - This was all right. I bought it because I wanted something to practice liquid liner with that wasn't going to be too expensive. I found that I like using the liquid liner with the brush tip by NYC a lot better just because it is easier than the felt tip pen.
ELF Matte Lip Color in Natural - Love this, I have a post dedicated to it here. This actually broke and I think it is because my niece was playing with it, but no worries I have already repurchase it!
Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Nail Strengthener - Love this stuff. I always have a back up on hand. I prefer the one that is tinted orange, not sure that there is a difference between the colors, but I just prefer it on my natural nail.








So there you have it, lots of hits. Also you may notice that 2 of these products, the mascaras, are from my Project 10 Pan post. I will be doing an update on that real soon so look forward to that!

Just Another Post

Hello people of the internet, I hope you are all doing well. I write to you all today with the window open with the fresh spring breeze coming through. It is one of those days where you feel at peace with the world. The kind of day where you want to actually stop and smell the roses....and tulips and lillys or whatever flower you may fancy. I feel that life just keeps us endlessly moving and to have a day where you can relax and not worry about all the running around of a daily life, well they just don't come along as often as they should. Take advantage of the good days while they are there and with the people you love. Everything can be taken away from you in the matter of a minute, so don't waste any of them.

I don't know where I am going with this so I will end it there. Before I go I think everyone needs to go and enjoy a chocolate fudge pop-tart because I am currently obsessing over them and I can't seem to get enough.

Feeling Stressed

Hey there! So, lately I have been feeling really stressed and overworked. This semester has been one of my worst so far, but not in a way that it is too much work for me, but more in a way that I don't really care for my classes. It could be more my professors that I don't really care for though.

I decided that it would be a good idea to minor in Science instead of just majoring in English so that when I went to look for a job as a teacher I would be more "marketable". It is halfway through the semester and now I feel like I was slightly out of my mind to have made such a decision, especially considering that I haven't taken a science course in over a year. It doesn't help that both of my professors are Physics majors, and sorry to say it, but they are kind of crazy. Not in a fun crazy way wither, the kind of crazy that makes you never want to attend class. However I have attended all my classes and am making my way through the semester with good grades, but it hasn't been easy. The work load is a lot and because I am not fully enjoying the subjects I am studying, it is making it actually feel like work. Last semester was a bunch of English classes with a Psychology class in the mix, it was one of my favorite semesters thus far, but this one is something else.

I don't really know where I am going with this...I just needed to get it out there. If anyone has some good destressing techniques that they would like to share I would love it if they would come my way. Maybe I need a new hobby or something. Reading again is helping, but it just isn't enough for me. Anyone out there got some advice for me? It would be greatly appreciated.

Project 10 Pan

Hello Lovelies! Long time no blog and I apologize, but instead of discussing that, let us get right to the makeup, because that is what you really came for! I have selected my products for project 10 pan. I have never attempted anything like this, but when I recently reorganized my makeup I realized how much I had and that it was time to finish some products. I chose products that I have had in my collection for what feels like too long, and that are ready to be gone so I can try more products. 

First I have a few concealers that are really close to being done. I have 2 Maybelline Fit Me, I really enjoy these concealers hence having 2 of them. I always recommend this one to people. Next I have Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer. It is alright I guess. It has a brightening effect underneath the eyes, but not enough coverage for me. I probably won't be repurchasing this anytime soon. My last concealer is Mac Studio Finish. This is really thick and creamy. I like it on days I am wearing powder foundation because it conceals anything that is on my face really well. I prefer this on my face to under my eyes because it is too thick for me. 

Here I have a few eye products. First are the mascaras. Voluminous Carbon Black by Loreal and Lash Potion by Revlon, I don't think I will repurchase either of these 1 because I have enough mascara for a lifetime and 2 because I didn't care for them. Loreal wasn't as impressive as everyone made it seem and the Revlon flakes way too much. But I bought them and they will be finished. I have 2 Rimmel Scandeleyes in nude. I wear this pretty much every time I wear makeup, so it shouldn't be too difficult for me to get through those. Lastly I have a Loreal Color Riche quad in Cupa Joe. I use the darkest color for my brows and create a pretty natural everyday eye with this because it is matte. Actually wearing eye shadow is something new for me so I am excited to see if I can actually finish this!

Lastly I have some face products. The Garnier BB Cream is a bb cream that I enjoy using. It has fairly good coverage and doesn't feel too heavy on my skin. I will probably repurchase this just as soon as I get through the rest of my face products. Next is the Rimmel Stay Matte powder. The packaging on this is completely awful and it is not by choice that I have hit pan on this...I have a ruined makeup bag now, seriously not good for traveling. However the faulty packaging, I will probably repurchase when I am completely done with all my powders. Last I have Mac Mineralized Skin Finish. I used to use this strictly as a setting powder, and one day I decided to use it as a powder foundation. That was probably one of my best makeup decisions. I will definitely be repurchasing this when I am done with my powders. It works so well for my more natural days. 

So these are the products that you will see in an empties post soon hopefully. I have decided that 2015 will be the year I don't buy makeup unless I have really good reason to. I have way more than I can ever probably get through, but I will one product at a time! I will probably do a makeup collection post when I get the chance to, so keep an eye out for that. 

I encourage everyone to try and clear some of their makeup collection. We spend good money on these products and there is no sense in letting them go bad just sitting in your collection!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Hello lovely people, today I have a book review for you all.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I don't exactly know where to start with this book, maybe I shouldn't call it a review, I just want to give my opinion on it and I am not sure how I actually feel about it.

It is a contemporary novel about a girl who starts college and is obsessed with writing fanfiction. There is much more to it, but I don't want to give the  story away. If you don't understand fandoms or even know what they are, you probably shouldn't even consider reading this. Since I am not so into the fandom thing anymore, some of this wasn't all that interesting to me. In between chapters there was little excerpts from Cath's fic and some from the book that she wrote based on; I began to just skip over these because I realized it did nothing for the story line. The story line did nothing for the story line. There was nothing exciting about the plot and it was painfully slow moving throughout.

The main character, Cather, was slightly mentally ill and her dad was a little more than slightly, her twin sister Wren wasn't crazy by any means but she was an alcoholic at the age of 18 and kind of broken. All three were broken because the mom left when they were just 8. Cath says this is what caused her and her dad to go crazy. The whole story makes sense in its realistic ways, but it felt awkward and uncomfortable to read. Maybe because I saw some connections between me and Cath at time.

However, with everything mentioned above, I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I finished it in a matter of days. I don't remember the last time I read something that fast, especially considering that I didn't really care for it. The characters weren't the worst, kind of likable I guess. Maybe that was the saving grace, the characters and all their issues. I have a weird weak spot for reading books and watching movies where there is a character who is psychologically broken.

When I made it to the end, I was kind of angry with Rowell. It was abrupt and left more than a few questions unanswered. Of course it is a stand alone and there is no sequel. The reader is left to wonder for the rest of their lives about everything that happened next. This book could have been made into a great independent film had it not been for the ending. I can see how in a movie they would want to answer some of the questions, but it would seem forced and unnatural to the story.

Overall, I think this would be a good read for anyone who is part of a fandom or loves fanfiction, especially if they are going into their first year of college. Maybe just the college part would be enough to get you to read this. Everyone gets nervous about going to college and if you are someone who has constant anxiety this can be scary.

I look forward to reading more by Rainbow Rowell because like I said, I couldn't put the book down if I wanted to. Sorry if this was all over the place, that is kind of how the book made me feel. Read it or don't, you won't lose or gain anything from it.

Current Reads January 2015

So I decided that 2015 would be the year that I started reading for pleasure again. For whatever reason though, I still can't seem to read only one book at a time. Here is how the 3 that I am reading right now are going:

A Bend In the Road by Nicholas Sparks
I really enjoy this book, I mean I must if I am reading it for the second time. In his usual fashion it is a love story, but it is also a little bit of a mystery. There are twists in the plot that I didn't see coming, and when done well, that is always a good thing! This is the book I find myself constantly reaching for. I would definitely recommend this book.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
I may be the only person on the planet who just doesn't like this book. It may be a little premature to judge being that I have only read the first 2 chapters, but I just can't stand the writing style. I don't care for whiny teenagers because they just drive me crazy. I probably would have enjoyed this when I was a teenager, but I don't feel any connection to the characters. I'll keep reading and let you all know....even if it takes me the rest of the year to finish.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
I am officially reading the Harry Potter series. I never really cared to read it before, but I decided that it was time that I did. So far I am enjoying it and I plan on watching the movie after I finish each one of the books so that I can compare the 2. I never cared for the first couple of movies and I assume the books will be the same for me so it is something to look forward to to keep me reading.

When was the last time you picked up a book just for pleasure? Do you have any book recommendations for me?

Get In The Kitchen

I write to you all today as I am watching the TV show "The Chew" on abc. I like to watch TV shows like this all the time, cooking shows are my guilty pleasure. They always motivate me to get into the kitchen and start cooking, which is never a good thing according to my family. However, they make it seem so easy! I don't understand why I can almost never get a meal right when I am copying a recipe. Either I don't like any of the same foods as many others or the people on TV that say something is delicious are liars!

I want to be in the kitchen more, it is always something that I have tried to do before. I know for a fact that baking is definitely not my forte and I have decided that I am giving that up for now. I can make a decent banana bread, but that is about it. And even that comes out more like a cake so I am not to sure I am doing that right either. I will leave the desserts to others. What I want is to make some main dishes. You know, start off small and build my way up. I can make a pretty good soft boiled egg which is harder than you think to get perfect. Pasta, also a no-brainer that I have done many of times. So I am working my way up and I think I will start to post some recipes if I find that they are relatively easy and they actually taste good. This may include some middle eastern traditional dishes every once in a while.

I hope we can learn to cook together and I look forward to these posts. Lets make some delicious food together!

If you have a food blog or follow a good one, link it below and tell me some of your favorite recipes from it!