Pages

Thursday 2 October 2014

Traveling the US

Thursday 2 October 2014


This past month has been nothing but stress. In the month, I made the long trek across the country- literally sea to shining sea! Starting in Boston, we drove all the way to Seattle, Washington. The US is a big country.. It's crazy to see how the country changes as you travel- almost like a different culture! Driving through 12 states, I can definitely say I'm a west coast girl. The east coast is full of towns close to each other. The states in the midwest are all pretty similar. From Wyoming to Montana, it's pretty much nothingness and farmland. Montana was soooo long.. and there is nothing there! And I have to say, there were some interesting towns there (Crowned Butte Dip?!). Once we hit Idaho, we knew we had arrived in the Pacific Northwest- full of trees and lakes. This is what the travel looked like from Chicago to Seattle.

Have you traveled across the US?











Wednesday 24 September 2014

Too Faced Better Than Sex

Wednesday 24 September 2014


If there's one thing I don't leave the house without, it's mascara. It just makes such a difference! I didn't get the hype at first.. but I guess it's called Better Than Sex for a reason! To be honest, I was a little intimidated by this brush at first (just look at it!). My first thought was, 'clumpy lashes.' I finally gave into the hype and gave it a try. It doesn't clump at ALL and results in better volume than any other mascara I've tried! I recently have been trying Clinique's High Impact Volume Mascara, but it disappointing. If you're looking for a new mascara, go pick this up! You won't be disappointed.

What's your favorite mascara?


Tuesday 16 September 2014

Ways to Rid Stress

Tuesday 16 September 2014


When life gets tough, everyone has their own way of handling it. I've had a rough time lately, but I've found a way to less the stress.

Write, write, write
Yes I know it sounds cliche, but it's like therapy for the mind. This is especially great when you don't want to talk anyone about whatever it is you're thinking, but you don't keep it cooped up in your head all day. It's not a diary, it's just a relief book where you can write anything you want. It's just a page a day and it makes yourself feel great! It's also cool to go back months or years down the road to read about your own story; kind of like a book of your life.

Be artistic
Not everyone is artsy, and you may not want to be. But those who love to paint and draw, you know what I'm talking about. It's absolutely soothing to draw and listen to music. All the worries in the world are gone, putting yourself in your own world. I get the same feeling while blogging and that's why I love doing it. Never do something that you feel obligated to do.

What do you do when you feel stressed?

Friday 8 August 2014

Pore Strips Pros & Cons

Friday 8 August 2014

There are many people who like to use pore strips whether they're from Biore or homemade. I haven't had much luck in making the gelatin pore strips work, but I have to say that I do love the Biore strips. However recently I have discovered a few negative results from using these strips and wanted to share my pros and cons!

Pros
About a year ago I remember seeing this in my bathroom (that had been sitting there for ages!) and thought I'd give it another go. I used them on my nose where I started to notice blackheads and oh did it do wonders! If you've tried these you know that they can be a little gross, but in the end it really feels nice the pull out all of the dirt out of your pores. You know that it's working because you can actually see the blackheads on the strips when you pull them off (the gross part!). My pores look smaller and I love the feeling of smooth skin without all the blackheads.

Cons
So I have made a recent discovery which I'm not loving. Usually I only use the nose strips, but thought I'd get some other ares of my face as well (bad choice!). I used one of these face strips (not on my nose) where I haven't before, and the next day I started to break out. It's not usually a problem area for me so it had to have been the pore strips. My advice would be that yes they are great! But if you don't need to use them, then don't. It will probably end up making your skin worse so don't risk it. I recommend these but use them carefully!




Tuesday 5 August 2014

Favorite Natural Foundation

Tuesday 5 August 2014

Hello hello! I haven't had any negative comments to say about any Clinique product that I've tried so far. I have extremely sensitive skin and I love that none of their products are too harmful to my skin. While having a 10 hour layover at the airport.. I decided to pop into Clinique and I came out with this- Clinique's superbalanced makeup. I've been using this for about two weeks now and it's definitely better than anything else I've tried! The foundation matches my skin tone perfectly and once blended in, it almost looks completely natural. For how thin and light it seems, it has amazing coverage that I barely use any concealer at all. It's oil-free (which is great!), stays throughout the day, and isn't too dewey at all. If that isn't enough, it was only $23! I highly highly recommend this to anyone!

What is your favorite foundation?

Wednesday 30 July 2014

Favorite hair product!

Wednesday 30 July 2014

Unfortunately, I was one of those girls that wasn't blessed with golden locks. I've always had trouble with my hair. It's frizzy, thin, and has little spirals only on the inside.. Last week I went out and told myself that spending money on a quality product will definitely be worth it. And it was! I use the Paul Mitchell leave in conditioner and smoothing gel. I've never really liked leave in conditioners because thy leave my hair oily and greasy, but since I started using this my hair has been so so soft! One of the best products I've used.

What hair products do you recommend? 

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Essie Favorites

Tuesday 8 July 2014

It's probably no surprise which Essie polishes I fancy, but I'm going to share anyway! If you're not an Essie fan, it's time to jump on the bandwagon. The polish sets so well once is dries and can last for weeks. I own so many shades of nail polish, but my favorites have to be Sand Tropez and Mint Candy Apple by Essie.. also known as the two most popular colors. I love the mellow tan color of Sand Tropez. I feel that it can be so elegant and also casual. Mint Candy Apple is worn by me most often. I have fallen in love with pastels! It's so cheerful and goes with everything!

What's your favorite Essie polish? I'd love to try it!

Wednesday 2 July 2014

AMAZON HAUL

Wednesday 2 July 2014
Oh how long it has been! Life has been full of work, work... and more work. What a summer! I've never shopped on Amazon before, but it's actually pretty great! I'd say the only down side to it would be that all of your orders are shipped from different places, which means it doesn't come in at the same time.. But everything I ordered is finally here! There are so many different brands to choose from and almost every shoe you could think of. Oh yeah, there's a lot of free shipping!

 I got the things I have been longing to have. I got a basic skater skirt that's great for a laid back or more dressy look. I wouldn't usually wear a crop top like this, but I thought that it could look great with a high waist skirt or jeans so it's not revealing.
Kellogg Clothes
I've been looking for a batwing cardigan for awhile and I have to say I love the way it ended up fitting. And it's really soft and warm! 
 2LUV

Vogue
I FOUND THE PERFECT SHOES. I searched, and searched.. and I hit gold. I love the chunky heel on these sandals and it works with both casual and dressy outfits. They also fit perfectly and are easy to put on!


Have you shopped on Amazon before? How did you like it?

Sunday 8 June 2014

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

Sunday 8 June 2014


Happy Sunday! And say hello to the best bronzer I've every owned. I've never really been much of a bronzer girl because I didn't find the need to use it. However, I came across this one. Believe me, it took a LOT of self debate on whether or not I should break the bank on this... it wasn't cheap. After I purchased it, I honestly thought about getting my money back before using it as it was $30. I tried it, I loved it.

I love Too Faced and have heard great things about their products. I decided to get the matte bronzer because I didn't want my face to shimmer in the sun this summer haha. The color is so subtle but makes the biggest difference. It doesn't make your face look orange, but just adds some color to a yet to be tan face. And did I mention it smells like chocolate?! Not the overpowering sweet scent that makes you sick, it's actually really nice. I was always skeptical about chocolates scented things, but this is a real nice scent to enjoy while applying your makeup.

What other Too Faced products do you like? Have you tried the Chocolate Soleil bronzer?

Sunday 25 May 2014

Budget Face Makeup

Sunday 25 May 2014

Ahh how I've missed the world of blogging! It sucks not having internet at the house.. it's a real struggle. But I finally get to put up a post and promise to be better about it! Anyways, since I've been here in Alaska my skin has really changed. Before, it was difficult to find a foundation that looked natural and not dry on my face. I ran out of my BB cream so I turned to an alternative that I already had.. and it's worked great! I bought all of these products for around $8 (give or take $1), so it's not killing the wallet if it's not loved.

L'oreal True Match Foundation (Creamy Natural)
I don't find this to be a popular foundation, and before it didn't work well for my dry skin. It's been a little more on the oily side and this foundation goes on incredibly well. It really does match my skin tone and looks natural. It doesn't stick to dry patches and has great coverage. I have somewhat acne prone skin and trust me, I know what it's like to feel self conscious about your skin. This has totally made me feel confident when I look in the mirror because it looks like I have natural clear skin, without looking like I have makeup caked on my face.

Revlon ColorStay Concealer (03 Light Medium)
For a budget concealer, this has done wonders for me. It covers up the worst blemishes that appear out of nowhere. It also blends really well with my foundation, even though it's slightly lighter.

Maybelline Fit Me Powder (220 Natural Beige)
I don't use powder everyday, but this works well for me when I want to set my makeup for a long day. I have to say that it's not the best powder that I've ever used, but it's not bad. I powder it very lightly and it's not noticeable at all.

These are my budget, natural look face products that I actually like to use very often. I've been feeling very confident using these products and I love a natural face!

What's your favorite budget product?

Saturday 10 May 2014

Sephora Makeup Academy Palette

Saturday 10 May 2014

 Hey ho! It's been quite a few days since my last blog post! I don't have internet where I'm staying so it's kind of been drag.. quite frustrating actually. Well anyway, I'm currently in Alaska and if you didn't know, I've lived here for a majority of my life. I can honestly say that I didn't miss it at all and it's not too exciting to be back. I couldn't bring my academy palette when I took off for Norway but now that I'm back I'm so excited to use it again! My cousin got her hands on it so I'm a little upset with the maintenance of it.. but it's still great!


It really is a great palette, and for a great price. I'm not sure what some people think of Sephora products but I actually seem to like some of them. I see so many different types of palettes but I feel like I don't really need them. This palette has everything from primers, to eyeliner, concealer, lip glosses and 72 shades of eyeshadow! 72! It's practically got the whole sha-bang. Do I use them all? No. But seeing all that it had to offer, and for the price it was, I had to get it. Can you guess the price? Only $35! Definitely a steal.


 These are all of the eyeshadow shades in the palette, and they are soooo great. The quality is actually pretty great, and I have every shade that I want. It has natural shades that I use from a day to day basis and crazy bright colors for special occasions or just for fun! I don't use the brushes that come with it. Though it's not something that I can travel with, it's great to have at home.


These are the lip glosses and liners. I was actually pretty skeptical about trying these out, but I gave it a go.. and I actually like them! I really like the light, nude colors. And they stay on pretty well! (even comes with a lip primer)

Here's a view of the primers, concealers, blushes, and eyeliners. To be completely honest, I haven't tried any of these. I don't feel like switching from the concealers and such that I use right now. But I think that having a variety of liners will be real fun in the future!

This has to be one of my top purchases because look how much you get for your money! I'm not sure what other people think of it, but I actually do like some Sephora products. Have you tried this palette before? Did you like it? 

Sunday 4 May 2014

My Travel Bag

Sunday 4 May 2014
Hey Hey! Tomorrow I'm leaving and flying to Alaska!... It's going to be a long day. I don't have a problem with travel, but 20 hours has to be a drag for anyone, I mean it's on the other side of the world! Anyways, I have all my stuff ready and I thought I should share what I bring on the plane.

I know most people can survive long flights with a small purse and their phone, but hey, I'm needy. I honestly have no idea how people do it.. But if you're one of those people, kudos to you! I always bring a medium sized shoulder bag that can fit all of my necessities. I like this striped one because I usually dress a little more laid back with some leggings and a cardigan so they go together. My must have item over all is my laptop. I have a mac air so it doesn't take up much room and isn't a struggle to lug around. I use it on the plane and during long layovers for literally everything! It's also very convenient to charge my phone on the plane or when I'm on the go. I also carry chargers for all of my devices, as well as my headphones. If I couldn't listen to music on the plane (especially a 12 hour flight) I would suffer, a lot. It's a MUST have.

After going several flights putting my makeup in my suitcase by mistake, I always make sure it's with me. I know some people say that you don't need makeup during travel, but I still like to look decent. I don't wear a whole lot of makeup when I travel, but sometimes I might have a nasty blemish that needs touching up during the day. That's why I always bring my makeup bag with me to touch up. Looking good is feeling good, right?! I don't usually brush my hair often, but on long trips I find that I regret in when I don't bring a comb. I actually don't use brushes because it kills my hair. It doesn't take up any room and is great for touching up after a long flight. I also bring a small hand lotion and lip balm because my skin gets real dry on planes, but I think that's normal.

Finally, I have all my necessities for travel: my passports and wallet with my ID and so on.. I really love having a bigger bag because everything fits! It's not oversized, but it'll hold everything that I need, even my purse. I just feel it a drag to carry around multiple bags, it's a hassle. I'm excited to go to the US but the travel is going to be loooooong. I hope I'll have enough time and interesting things to share!

What do you bring on long flights? Have you been to Alaska? And is there anything I'm forgetting?!


Tuesday 29 April 2014

Go to Hairstyles | Braids

Tuesday 29 April 2014

Hello bloggers! My hair is quite fizzy and never seems to fall the way I want it to. I'm not a big fan of putting heat to my hair because it obviously kills hair, and it's noticeable in mine. To tame it, I braid it (which is very often). I use a lot of these hairstyles on a day to day basis and I hope you like them!


Basic Side Braid
I'd say that this was my most worn hairstyle, and it's easy to see why. It's so quick and easy to do, even without a mirror. I usually do a side braid when I'm in a rush to get out of the house and don't have much time to do my hair.


 Double Braid
I love this look because it's simple, cute, and makes an outfit a little more fun! (Please excuse the messiness on the right picture.. yikes!)

Messy Bun
I swear my buns never look the same. Sometimes they're high, sometimes they're bigger, sometimes they're incredibly small (thin hair problems /:). I've found that the classic bangs braid didn't look very good on me, so I improvised. I first starting doing this braid during soccer with a ponytail so that my headband wouldn't slide back (clever right!), then I started to like the look and wore it more! (Braid is inverted)

Milkmaid Braid
This braid (currently my favorite) has been quite trendy lately and I'm sure you've seen it! I think it's so elegant, and much easier to do than you'd think. It's a really quick braid to do and it looks nice. You don't have to leave down bangs, especially if your hair is much longer, but I feel that it looks a lot better and complements my eyes in the light.

Let me know if you have a favorite hairstyle or if you have any questions!

Sunday 27 April 2014

Fried Oreos | How to

Sunday 27 April 2014
Okay. Let's just give a moment to appreciate the goodness of these. Have you tried fried oreos (also known as froreos) before? If not, make them right now! I swear these are one of the best dessert/snacks I've ever tried. I first heard about these from people who had bought them at an annual fair from town and I thought it sounded disgusting and weird.. After a couple years, I decided to try these out. And oh my bajeez these were heavenly. They're so fluffy and soft, kind of like a donut. The oreos are soft, the taste is literally indescribable. Even if you're not a big oreo fan, they're delicious!

So they're super easy to make and take about 2 minutes! I'm not going to ramble on about how good they are anymore, try them for yourself!

Ingredients:
Pancake Mix (plus ingredients to make it)
Oreos
Oil (for frying)
Powdered sugar for topping

Boil the oil in a pan or pot.
Prepare the pancake mix and dip the Oreos in the batter all the way. I recommend getting as much batter on the Oreo as possible to make them nice and fluffy. Place the Oreo in the pan (no more than 3-5 at a time). Flip them after about 30 seconds and let them fry for for another 30 seconds or until golden brown. Spoon them out and place them on a paper towel to soak up the grease. After cooling for a little, sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Best eaten warm!

Let me know if you tried these and if you like them (: Enjoy!

MaXFactor Facefinity 3 in 1 Foundation | Review


Lately, I've been on the hunt for a good coverage foundation that wasn't over the top pricey. Going into Kicks, I probably spend 20 minutes looking around for one that has received great reviews that wasn't going to be beyond my budget. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any. I recently purchased this foundation and I think I've used it enough to give it a proper review. I had mentioned it in my recent haul but it was too early to give feedback.

I got the foundation in the color 'Sand 60,' and I have to say that it matched the color of my skin perfectly. My skin does  get relatively dry, but recently it hasn't been. The product looked dry on my face and didn't look very natural at all, even after moisturizing. It didn't feel cakey, but it did look it. It's supposed to be a 3 in 1 (primer, foundation & concealer), but I'm very disappointed. However, I have put it to great use! I've been using it as a concealer on top of my BB cream and it actually blend extremely well. It doesn't look so dry, and it has great coverage. My BB cream is a little darker but it blends to look very natural, even without powdering. So I got a new concealer! My hunt for a new foundation isn't over but I guess that's what I get for buying something I'm not completely familiar with, ha!

Do you have any foundation recommendations? Please let me know!

Thursday 24 April 2014

Nutella Milkshake // 3 Ingredients

Thursday 24 April 2014
 Hello Nutella lovers! I know I'm not the first to say that I looove Nutella. I love to bake and cook, and lately I've been thinking of something I could make with Nutella. I have been craving a milkshake for such a long time! To be completely honest, I wasn't sure if Nutella would be good in a milkshake, but you can't go wrong with Nutella so I gave it a go.. And it was delicious!! 

It's super easy to make. So if you're having a craving for Nutella, whip one of these up. 

Ingredients:
4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream
3 tablespoons of Nutella
Milk (varies according to thickness desired)

Just throw all the ingredients in a blender, and voila! Just blend it until the mixture is smooth if you want a thicker smoothie (which I prefer) or continue blending if you want it more milky. 

Let me know what you think and tell me how it was if you made it! (:

Tuesday 22 April 2014

CLINIQUE // Facial Products

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Oh how I love Clinique! I don't think I've tried a Clinique product that has disappointed me yet. Out of all honesty, I have nothing bad to say about these products.

Liquid Facial Soap
I recently started using this and it's been doing a great job! I've had minimal breakouts lately, and that's all that I could ask for right now. The soap is really gentle and doesn't cause any redness or irritation like some other products do. 

Moisture Surge
This has been recommended to me by a few relatives when I told them I was having troubles with my dry skin. Now I can see why! I actually don't use this after washing my face, I use L'oreal Ideal Moisture which I mentioned in one of my previous posts. I use the Moisture Surge before I apply makeup and it makes foundation go on with ease! It's not like other lotions, it's a gel. And I love that. This product would be great if you have dry spots or dry skin in general.

Superbalm Lip Treatment
This is a great lip balm that's easy to apply and has a lot of moisture. It's a great balm to put on a few minutes prior to applying lipstick.

Take the day off makeup remover 'lids, lashes & lips'
This is a great makeup remover and I highly recommend purchasing this. I don't know if it's just me, but sometimes I have a tough time taking my mascara and eyeliner off. I use a Q-tip to take of my eye makeup and mascara and it gets everything off. If you need a makeup remover go get this one you won't be disappointed!

All About Eyes
I've been using this twice a day and my eyes haven't been dry whatsoever. You only need a little dap under your eyes and on your lids. The cream is really light and doesn't irritate at all. 

I would recommend any of these products; not because they're Clinique, but because they really work! Comments are appreciated, share any thoughts or questions you may have!

Monday 21 April 2014

Haul // Clothes & Beauty

Monday 21 April 2014
I recently went to Sweden over the Easter weekend, NOT intending to do much shopping at all.. But I'm a girl what could you expect. I picked up a birthday present for my boyfriend and a gifts for myself as well! I think it was a trip well spent and I picked up some great purchases. 


 Cardigan: H&M
 Body con dress: H&M
Necklace: H&M
I thought this was the perfect dress because it could be dressed up for a night out or a nice dinner and it could also be layered to be a casual day dress. I can't wait to wear it!
 Knit Sweater: Bik Bok
Black Top: Bik Bok
 Floral Crop Top: Bik Bok
 Nude Heels: dinsko
Ankle Boots: dinsko
So I wouldn't call dinsko and high end brand of shoes and I've never owned any shoes form there before. But they had what I wanted for a reasonable price! They weren't cheap but they also weren't too bad either. They're comfortable and I'm very happy with the purchase.
Nail Polish: Kicks (Sand Pebbles)
So I intended on picking up Essie's Master Plan, but did you know Essie nail polish costs a FORTUNE in Norway and Sweden?! It's 129- NOK (almost $30) for one Essie nail polish and I didn't think it was worth it. But anyways, I picked up this color. I've never tried the brand, but I like the peachy pink color and I thought I'd give it a go. It's in the color Sand Pebbles. I've been wearing this for about four days and it hasn't chipped yet!

BB Cream Brush: Kicks
Foundation: MaXFactor 'sand 60'
Mascara: Clinique High Impact Mascara 'black'
My skin has been really dry recently and I needed to look for a new foundation that didn't dry up my face. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the foundation that I wanted and I wasn't familiar with many brands and types that they had. Some of the foundations that were there were extremely high priced. I wasn't familiar with how well this worked either, but the heck I got it anyways. I haven't had the opportunity to try it out long enough to recommend it yet, but I'll update you on how it works! It's supposed to be a primer, foundation and concealer all in one. If you have any recommendations on foundations for dry skin that would be great! I've had this mascara in the past and I don't know what happened, I just forgot about it? But I highly recommend it. It gives the perfect amount of volume and length and separates your lashes. 

Please leave a comment with any recommendations or questions! Thanks (:

Hello Song © 2014