Beauty | Top 10 under $10 Makeup Edition

I know I've been a little absent lately, school has been taking up most of my time recently. But anyway...I thought to get into the groove again that I would share my Top 10 under $10, makeup edition! So let's get to it...

1. Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer $7.99: I like that this is a lotion formula and is a little moisturizing when applied. It also helps foundation last all day.
2. Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation $9.99: This foundation is a light formula, but has great coverage at the same time. It's like your skin, but better.
3. Wet n' Wild Color Icon Blusher in Pearlescent Pink $2.99: Beautiful color payoff.
4. Rimmel Wake Me Up Brightening Concealer $4.47: Great for under the eyes to brighten and cover dark circles.
5. Maybelline Volum' Express Colossal Mascara $6.99: I think this mascara speaks for itself, it's a favorite for a lot of women. Plumps and lengthens beautifully. 
6. Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Liner $4.49: Goes on smooth and lasts all day.
7. Maybelline Eye Studio Color Explosion Luminzing Eyeshadow in Caffeine Rush $8.87: Absolutely my favorite drugstore eyeshadow. Gorgeous!
8. L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche eyeshadow quad in Cupa Joe $6.97: Another favorite drugstore eyeshadow, all of the colors are matte.
9. Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal eyeshadow $6.99: I like to use this as a base or primer underneath my eyeshadow. It is also perfect for 'no-makeup' makeup looks when you're in a rush.
10. Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie $7.49: Again, another product that speaks for itself, a favorite among many.

Thank you for reading, have a beautiful day!

xoxo

Beauty | Cargo Vintage Escapes Eye Shadow Palette Review

Let me start off by just saying how much I LOVE this palette! Omg, move over Naked and Naked2, there is a new boss in town. 

I was so excited to see that this was in Ulta's 21 days of beauty deals for the month of September. I waited and waited for the day to arrive when I could get this palette for $20...or actually $14 for me when I used my member points. Heck of a deal! Even if I hadn't used my points, it would have been $20 well spent because this palette is worth it and more. It's beautiful, the packaging {which is leather btw} is beautiful, all of the colors are beautiful, the names of the shadows are beautiful...{seriously lol} It's is the most perfect fall palette, or if your're like me and wear neutrals all year round, then it's just the perfect palette.

The texture of the shadows is like velvet...or maybe butter...either way they're very, very smooth. The color payoff is gorgeous as well, I don't know why I haven't seen or heard  more about Cargo's eye shadows, because they are absolutely amazing!

I love that there are both matte {Harvest Moon, Black Crow, Hot Cocoa, Autumn, & Chestnut} and shimmer {Cuddle, Frolic, Cinnamon, Twigs, Crisp, Withered Leaves, & Rustic} shades in here. So far my favorite combination is to use Cuddle on my inner corner {blended out}, Autumn all over the lid, and Hot Cocoa on my outer crease. When blended all together it is beautiful. I used Chestnut as a liner and it just pulled everything together. It was gorgeous. 

Well done Cargo!

xoxo

Books | Book Haul!

I went a little book shopping the other day, and before I get into it, I wanted to explain how I pick what books I will potentially read. I don't read just one genre of book...{that would be boring}...I tend to drift from reading paranormal romance, to historical fiction, to thrillers and mysteries. I've recently switched up my interest from paranormal stuff to reading thrillers. I am almost finished with Inferno by Dan Brown. While I have a few books on my Kindle that I have yet to read and as much as I love it, I like having actual books in my hands...{weird I know}...hence the reason for this post...so I should stop rambling and get to it.

My Haul:

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Cemetery Girl by David Bell

The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston

Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag

As you can see, most of them are of the thriller/mystery genre.

Collectively I bought these books from Target and Barnes & Noble.

I will try and post reviews after I read each one.

Thanks for reading, Happy Sunday.

xoxo

For the Home | A Collective B&BW Haul

I have found myself desperately trying to get my house in the 'Fall' state of mind. I love fall. It's my favorite time of year and when I feel like I'm most in my element. So, as to be expected, I have been stocking up on fall scents....and where does one go to stock up on all things pumpkin? Bath&Body Works of course. :D

I had to make a couple of trips because when I bought my soaps and mason jar candles, the 3-wick candles were not on sale...and I only buy them when they are. So when I ventured back in there the other day to pick up the new fragrance...{future post...hint, hint}...there they were in all their glory, two for $22. So I had to {just had to} get a couple lol. 

I am seriously obsessed with the Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin scent. I have it as a soap, a lotion, a candle...and it's now in my car. I love it.

I love the new anti-bacterial fall scents as well. I picked up Scarlet Pumpkin, Bourbon Peach, {2}Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, and Creamy Pumpkin.

...pumpkin everything :D lol

Thanks for reading, and Happy first day of fall!
xoxo

Beauty | Review of Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen Kit

I have had my eye on these Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pens for a very {very} long time. I finally decided to purchase Silky Eye Pen Kit, because I could not decide which one I wanted...because I wanted them all! The kit consists of five of the bestselling and favorite colors from the line as well as a sharpener. I was so excited when they finally came in the mail that I practically ripped them out of their packaging, lol. I wish I would have kept the box so you can see how it comes in the package, but I accidentally tossed it :/ So I apologize for that.

But moving on to the eye pens, as with all of Pixi's products, I love the packaging. It is so cute, beautiful, simple, and I could go on and on, lol, but let's just all agree that it's fantastic.

The formula is equally noteworthy! All I really need to say is that I love them! I love how creamy and smooth they glide on. The color of the product is actually what is on the end tip of the pencil which is great for color referencing. The formula is also waterproof and budge free...seriously these swatches were on my arm all day without smudging or fading. 

I love them all, but have been gravitating toward DeepPlum the most. I have also found that using OysterGlow in my waterline makes my green eyes pop and appear more open and doe-eyed, if you will. All these colors can be used for everyday looks to bold night time looks. I cannot wait to get my hands on more of the colors, especially EmeraldGold and CopperGlow. 

In conclusion, I will definitely be repurchasing these and they get {5 Stars} from me! If you ever buy just one high quality eyeliner, let it be these Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pens. They can be found at pixibeauty.com or at Target. You will not be disappointed. 

Thank you for reading!

xoxo

Friday Favorites | A look back on what I liked this week

Favorite Polish:

Essie Nail Lacquer in Ladylike

Favorite Beauty Blogger video:

Favorite Pin:

Favorite Song:

Favorite Show:

Have a fantastic weekend! 

Thanks for reading!

 xoxo

Books | Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

I finished reading Safe Haven yesterday and I must say, it has become a favorite. {ééééé} I love that most, if not all, of Sparks' books take place in North Carolina, and the location he used in this book is Southport, NC. I might just have to make a day trip there someday, it looks and sounds beautiful. 

I love Alex and Katie's characters. What I love about Alex is that he is a SuperDad lol and a good man. What's not to like about that?! Katie's character made me feel a lot of empathy for her. She was very well written and I love that she went from being fragile to finding her strength in herself to trust and love again. I also love the way that Alex wanted to protect her and the relationship that they had between them, I like that it is built on trust and friendship.

As I have said before, I am not one to really 'review' a book. So, that is all I am going to say about Safe Haven really, except for one more thing. I think we all need a Jo in our lives lol. 

I think that it is a must read because it is more than just a romance novel. It's a message about domestic violence and finding strength to rise above it.

As always, the book is way better than the movie. I don't think the movie really captured all of the emotion this book had. I'm not bashing the movie, because it was alright, but it is a pet peeve of mine when movie makers take a very well written story and leave out important things. {I know, I'm weird}

Safe Haven will be put on my bookshelf next to my other favorite Sparks books

{A Walk to Remember}

{The Lucky One}

{The Notebook}

{True Believer}

I don't really have a book lined up for my next read yet. I think I need to make a trip to Barnes&Noble

{aka Heaven}

Thank you for reading, I know it wasn't quite interesting, but I am more of a simple, descriptive type when it comes to books. If you want to know the story, read it yourself :D

xoxo

For the Home | Review of Glade Wax Melts

When I am not burning my candles...{or even when I am}...I use my Scentsy warmers. Either way I am always melting something lol. Anywho...as much as I love my Scentsy scents I do not re-use my melted wax as some people do. I don't even put it back in the container. When I am ready to replace the scent, I let it cool and then remove it and toss it. If you see where this is going, I go through a lot of Scentsy cubes. 

I was surprised when I was grocery shopping, to see that Glade has now come out with their own version of the wax cube. I was curious about these because I do love Glade scents as well as using my Scentsy warmer...win win right...so I scooped up a few of my favorites from the Glade scent line {Apple Cinnamon}{Pumpkin Spice}{Cashmere Woods} and took them home to be tested.

Now, on first impression of the packaging...I love how the cubes are separated, it makes them much easier to get out. Second impression...Glade has definitely come up with their own formula for these, because they are very hard and brittle compared to the Scentsy cubes. However, this is not a negative. In fact, I think they are made that way because of how much scent those little suckers have in them...{holy cow}. Third impression...the first day you melt one of these babies, it fills your whole house. They are so strong, but the scents last a long time and as expected they do fade overtime. I was able to leave them in the warmer for a couple of days more than my Scentsy cubes which is GREAT! Although, what I said about them being harder than the Scentsy cubes is no joke. They are harder to get out of the dish if you let them cool all the way.

{Overall}

My final thoughts...they get an A+ in my book, and I will be repurchasing them.

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

On the Menu | Jump Start Breakfast Smoothie

Good morning! It is a beautiful day here in eastern North Carolina, our fall weather is finally settling in and I have all the windows wide open...{sigh}

Today I was up bright and early having my coffee, getting Little Minion off to school, and getting my morning cleaning done. I am not much of a breakfast eater...{I eat my cereal for dinner sometimes}...but I do like to have something fresh in the morning. I love fruit and yogurt for breakfast. It's light and gives me just enough energy to get me to lunch. However, when I am in the mood {which has been the last few days} I like to make my fruit and yogurt into a smoothie {Yummy}.

What I use to make this delicious concoction:

• I like to use whatever berries I have on hand {mostly strawberries} and I just use about four or five cut in half
• One banana
• Greek yogurt
• A splash of whatever juice Little Minion picked out at the store 
• Almonds...Now I am a weirdo and I like a little crunch in my smoothie, almonds are one of my favorite nuts {hehe} but the texture may not be for everyone, so feel free to opt out {especially if you're allergic}{duh}
• A few ice cubes

Mix together. Blend, blend, blend! And voilá, yummy goodness in a glass. I know it's not rocket science or fancy, but it is healthy and delicious.

Have a wonderful day, Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Books | Lullaby by Amanda Hocking

As mentioned before in a an earlier post, I had started to read the second book in the Watersong series, Lullaby by Amanda Hocking, and I finished it today! 

Like the the first book in the series, Lullaby did not disappoint with its thrilling suspense and witty humor. It kept me turning the pages wanting to find out what was going to happen to Gemma and if Daniel and Harper would finally tell each other how they feel. I must say that Daniel is my new favorite fictional crush...he's badass and knows how to treat a lady ;) 

I'm not one to really reveal too much when I review a book, because I don't want to spoil the plot for someone who has not read it yet, but wants to. However, I am really excited and can't wait to dive into Tidal, the third book in the Watersong series, but that will be next week's book.

This week I have started reading Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. I know, I know...it's already a movie...but, I have not seen the movie yet {on purpose} because I am a weirdo...and if I know it's a book that I am interested in reading, and there is or will be a movie, I will read the book first. I am a little late in reading it, I have had it for a few months, but did not take it with me on my travels...so it was put aside for awhile. But alas! Started it today and I'm almost half way done...and already I'm in looove <3
Anywho... 

As always, Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Hair and Skin Care Haul!

Uh oh! I was running errands yesterday and accidentally fell into Ulta... {Ooopsie} 

I got my haircut yesterday and of course needed to stock up again on all of my favorite hair care products as well as get a new straightener seeing as how my adorable, loving puppy {whom I love very much} chewed the cord of my old one in half...

So, I initially went into Ulta to get Biosilk's Silk Therapy 17 Leave-In Conditioner, which is a MUST have for me and for Little Minion. It is amazing stuff and smells heavenly...but anywho, Ulta was having a sale on their Biosilk and Chi products, buy two get one free. So, I bought the products my lovely hairdresser used on me that day because they worked wonderfully. Before she styled my hair she used Chi Straight Guard to keep frizz away since I have naturally wavy hair. After she dried it and started to straighten it, she used Chi Luxe Sparkle Shine Spray, which I LOVE. I have used other shine sprays in the past but none compare to this one. It has easily made it to the top of my list. It's a very light formula, unlike others and smells amazing! I can't get enough...it's fantastic. 

This was my hair yesterday right after the salon :D Love it.

To replace my old flat iron {which I disliked anyway} I chose the Remington T/Studio Silk Ceramic Flat Iron. I did use it today, and I am very pleased I chose this one. 

Moving on to my skin care products...I discovered The Body Shop's skin care line about 5 months ago...and I must say I am a true believer in this stuff. It's like magic...probably because tea tree oil is magical when it comes to getting rid of annoying breakouts. Needless to say it works and it works well. I purchased the 4-Piece Facial Skin-Care Kit as well as the Tea Tree Pore Minimizer and the Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash {Holy Grail} 

If there is one thing {okay, maybe two things} that I gladly spend money on, it's my hair and skin products. I am unfortunately a girl that actually needs these things in my life. And I am a happy girl when I have them :D

Thank you for reading!

xoxo

Home Again, Home Again...

It's September! Which means that I am officially in the Fall  mood :D Now that I have that off my chest, I am happy to say that I am back home in North Carolina. It was a great summer road trip and a great experience driving across America with a five year old and a large dog, but I am glad to stay in one spot for right now.

I am having a hard time finding things to do until school starts for me in October. Little Minion started Kindergarten last week and husband is back to work and will be deploying soon, I am left to my own devices...which should be interesting lol. On the plus side, more time for books! 

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Currently Reading...

So, I haven't been reading much in the last couple of weeks, mostly because I have been in a car, a pool, or planning Little Minion's Birthday Party {Yay!}...But while I was hopping around in Michigan {literally}, because of an injury, I had all the time in the world to read.

My most recent 'Read' book is Wake by Amanda Hocking. I will be honest and say that I was kind of suspicious of reading this because as much as I love reading paranormal romance {guilty pleasure}, I try to steer clear from the cheesy, mermaid books as an adult {no offense to anyone, The Little Mermaid was my favorite growing up}. However, I had a completely wrong idea about this book. It is in fact NOT cheesy and had just enough suspense to keep me turning the pages. I found that I actually enjoyed it, and it was not what I expected it to be. So, I was guilty of judging a book by it's cover...well more like its description...the cover is actually quite beautiful.

Now I am officially hooked on the Watersong series and am now currently reading the second book, Lullaby, which I have unfortunately not been able to read lately, but will soon :D

Thank you for reading, and Happy Wednesday! 

xoxo

Gone, but not forgotten!!

So I have not blogged in about two months now, mostly because I have been traveling!! I live in North Carolina and I road tripped to Michigan with my daughter and dog to visit family. I was there for about a month, had a lot of fun, injured myself unfortunately, but over all had a great time. Towards the end of my trip I decided to take an impromptu road trip to my hometown and to my family in Arizona. And that is where I am now! I am so happy to be here and so thankful that I got to do this. I had a lot of help from family and friends along the way, so a big THANK YOU to them. I am here in Arizona for a little bit longer and then we'll load up and make the drive back to North Carolina. 

So I have been brainstorming ideas for future blogs this whole time that I have been traveling. I will have those posted within the coming weeks :D 

Thank you for reading and I hope you have a fantastic day!
xoxo

The Road So Far...

On the Menu...

So yesterday afternoon and night were kind of rough for me. And when I am stressed or unhappy, I am one of those people that needs comfort food to cheer myself up and cooking is something that makes me feel better. So last night I cooked up a big pasta dish that I like to call Turkey Sausage Polska Kielbasa Primavera (sounds fancy, but super easy). I thought I would share the recipe with you all because it is one of my all time favorite dishes to make.

What you will need:

1 Package  of fully cooked Turkey Sausage 

(whatever brand and flavor you like)

1 Large sweet onion (I used vidalia)

1 Large Red pepper

1 Summer squash

1 Package of frozen broccoli

1/2 Box of small pasta noodle (I like to use Penne)

1 Jar of your favorite alfredo sauce

(I love Bertoli's alfredo)

Salt

Pepper

Garlic

(I normally used fresh garlic clove, but I unfortunately ran out)

Olive oil

Start by warming your pan or skillet with a little bit of olive oil in it, not too hot. Also start your water for the noodles and add in olive oil and salt. Then simply chop your veggies and toss in the pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper and let them sautee for about 10 minutes or until your summer squash is translucent and broccoli is tender.

It looks so pretty!

Chop the turkey sausage and toss in the pan with the veggies. Put a lid on the pan and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

After simmering turn off the heat and add pasta noodles and jar of alfredo. Then mix!

Bon appetit!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

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My Summer Makeup Must Haves

It's a bit of a dreary day here in Eastern NC, so to perk it up a little I thought I would do my first beauty related post. These are my current favorite summer makeup products! Revlon Nearly Naked foundation in 190 True Beige, Revlon Nearly Naked pressed powder in 030 Medium...Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Peaceful, Tarte Park Avenue Princess mineral bronzer...Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded and Maybelline Colossal Volume Express in Classic Black...NYX Nude Matte Shadow in Lap Dance (butter cream) and Underneath it All (medium brown)...Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl eyeliners in Brown and Nude (use in my waterline)...and L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Rose Elixir.
Thank you for reading and have a beautiful day! xoxo

Currently Reading...

First Post!

Hello! Thank you for taking time out of your day to come visit my blog. I am very excited to start blogging again. I have not had the time in the last couple of years because I was spending a lot of my time at school. I have recently graduated which is exciting...not so exciting is job hunting. So, to fill my time while doing that as well as fulling other life tasks, I have decided to blog again. This blog will mostly be dedicated to random, small, big, or everyday events or tidbits in my life (not that my life is that exciting, lol), probably a lot of posts about books that I have read or are currently reading, and products that I have tried, love, or hate. I am hoping to get more creative the more that I post so just be patient with me :) Thank you again for reading and I hope you all have a beautiful day!