June Beauty and Fashion Favorites!

This has been yet another month that has flown by! I didn't really have too many new things that I tried this month, but I love doing my monthly favorites so I figured I would go ahead and share the few things with you anyway. Lets get started:

1. Firstly, a new lipstick that I have become pretty in love with this month, my L'Oreal Vagabond Mauve #550 shade. I picked this up at Target on a whim, simply because I wanted to try something new and I am so glad that I did! This color reminds me a lot of a more calmed down mauve-y tone of my previous favorite VS Heat Lipstick. (I will do a swatch collection of all my new lipsticks soon! at the moment my camera is dead )

2. Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Medium, I bought this as an alternative to my Origins VitaZing moisturizer. At $35.00, I thought I would try to find a cheaper option, but agreed that if it didn't do the same thing that my Origins one did, I would definitely deal with paying a higher price. Needless to say, I LOVE this product. I know I hopped on the bandwagon late with this, but thought I would share my thoughts with you guys about it anyway. I don't really have problematic skin, so the fact that this is a sheer coverage tinted moisturizer with SPF 30, I found this to be exactly what I had been looking for. It does not clog my pores or break me out etc, the medium shade was also a perfect match to my skin! I definitely recommend this.

3. Come to think of it, this is the second thing that I bought this month as an alternative to a product I was already using, but was running out of. I have been an avid L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara user for years let me tell you and finally I decided to try something different. I wouldn't necessarily classify this mascara as being something better or worse than my L'Oreal Voluminous one simply because I find that it does something completely different for my lashes. What I love most about this mascara is how much it separates each of my individual lashes making the length look that much more natural. I am definitely glad that I tried this!

4. My White Mountain Seaside Boat Shoes may be my all time favorites thing that I discovered this month. They are a close twin of Sperry's but when I purchased these, I found them at Marshall's for only $34.99! That's less than half the price of the Sperry's! They are SOO comfy and definitely a staple item in a casual comfortable summer ensemble :) They also go with my Nautical Themed Blog post that I posted a few posts  back ;)

5. Last, but certainly not least, my St. Ives Naturally Clean Apricot Scrub. I have actually used this off and on throughout probably the past 4 or 5 years believe it or not. I have always really liked it, which became evident obviously by how many times I repurchased it, but this past month I bought it and for some reason I really came to love it. I love that its a gentle yet thorough face scrub, I love the way it smells, and I also love that my face feels amazingly smooth RIGHT after I rinse it clean! I bought the one in the jar as opposed to the one pictured above, the only difference is that one comes with 4 more oz.'s of product :) This product is also very inexpensive, which you know is always great in my book!

CARGO: Tahiti Eyeshadow Palette Review

 

 Where to begin?! First off, I have had this palette for a very long time, honestly I had forgotten about it for a little while but re-found it recently while cleaning my makeup storage unit out and got so excited all over again! I forgot how much I truly loved this palette and I can't wait to start doing more looks with it :) Now to get started on my thoughts about it: 

1. I absolutely love the pigmentation, two or three swipes and you have an amazing color payoff on your lids, showing the actual colors that you see with your eyes in the palette itself, no washed out coloring here! 

2. I love the convenience of this palette. It is a quad of all complimentary colors, I have done looks in the past using ONLY this palette and although it is a very vibrant out there palette with some of the bright colors, when used subtly and not overdoing it, you can really bring out the color of your eyes and make them pop with colors like this! 

3. I love that these colors are metallic which offers one a nice shine to the shadow, but no chunky glitter that leaves unwanted fallout and can at times when applied the wrong way, leave you looking like a disco ball!

4. This palette comes with a mirror which is great for on the go application. 

5. This palette, in my opinion is priced very fairly. Although not a huge bargain at around $28.00, I find it to be acceptable for the product you are receiving, 4 velvety smooth, very pigmented colors that are sure to last you a long time. 

Final Thoughts: 

This CARGO eyeshadow palette in Tahiti definitely surpassed everything I was hoping for when I purchased it. These shadows are perhaps some of the best quality shadows I have in my collection. I definitely suggest giving these CARGO quads a try, they come in a variety of different colors. 

You can find these palettes here. 

xox

Ahoy Mate Fashion!

The Nautical Look in fashion has come full circle many times. No matter the time of year, there is something so tasteful about stripes, rope, anchor necklaces and gold detail! Above are a few examples of what exactly I am speaking of when I say Nautical or "sailor". I love this look for many reasons, one, because I feel that no matter your budget, this can be easily achieved with just a piece or two, and two, I think it is timeless. For decades celebrities have been flaunting these sailor inspired looks on the red carpet, fashion runways and in everyday life.  I love the way red and blue contrast one another. If you read my previous color wheel post, you will understand the rule of why red and blue go so well together :)

Stripes are another staple when trying to rock this look. They are going to want to be worn to compliment your body's needs. Ex: If you have a smaller bust, wear a striped top to add the illusion of a little more curve up top, and if you have larger hips, stay away from throwing any stripes down below as it can have a tendency to make your body look wider.

Rope detailing, whether it be on the bottom of your wedge sandal, a rope belt as pictured above or a rope necklace, rope is very reminiscent of something you would find on a ship (after all we are going for a sailor inspired look right?!)

Gold detailing in jewelry or buttons on clothing for a more vintage classic Nautical look are the perfect ways to accessorize in trend! Think chunky gold rope chains maybe? Or perhaps an anchor necklace or bracelet? These will tie the whole ensemble together elegantly.

Cheryl Cole, Claudia Shiffer, Paris Hilton, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Eva Longoria ---all sporting the nautical trend in their own unique ways!

I particularly love how Eva Longoria added a little of the sailor trend into her red carpet look by simply wearing white shorts and a white and blue striped top. This kept it simple, in trend, yet modern. I love how she paired some nude pumps with this which not only elongate her legs (she's a shorty like myself! haha) but also let the focus remain on her top and those stripes! 

Below is an inexpensive alternative to the outfit Eva wore above: 

This look, although not completely identical, it is definitely a more budget friendly very similar version to achieve the same look! Eva's entire wardrobe came to almost $1000! This Forever 21 take on the same outfit came to only $53.40! 

I will leave you with this classic Audrey Hepburn photo that should give you some insight into how long ago celebrities and fashion icons began wearing Sailor Inspired/ Nautical Fashions:

I hope this photo filled blog post gave you guys some insight on how to spruce up your wardrobe in a fun inexpensive way. Summer time is a great time for you to wear this look! 

Fashionably Yours, 

xo

Bridal Shower Look of the Day

My Sister and I look nothing alike right?! haha Gosh I love her <3

Above you are seeing a picture of my sister and I. She got the gorgeous curly hair and green eyes and I got.....long silky straight hair and brown eyes? lol Seriously, what happened to me!? haha Anyway, this is a picture of us at a Bridal Shower this weekend, I thought I would share with you what I wore on my face and my outfit. Enjoy!


Clothing

1. Dress from Macy's by a brand named "Angie's" (I think)
2. Shoes, which you can't see fully and I apologize, are my Lucky Brand Acacia shoes. I have done a blog post containing these a few posts back, for more info on those, check it out! They are my favorite shoes of my entire collection :)
3. Bangles, I think my grandmother purchased these for me at Macy's as well a while back.
4. Nail Polish, Essie's Mob Squad, read my previous post to see how obsessed with this color I am!
5. Earrings, just regular Diamond studs (I don't remember from where!)

Makeup

1. Origins VitaZing all over to moisturize & Garnier Anti Age Dark Circle Roller Ball for under my eyes to brighten.
2. MAC MSF Natural in Medium Plus & MAC MSF Soft and Gentle as highlight.
3. Zhen Bamboo Foundation stick (to even out skin tone on eyelids to prep for shadow)
4. Urban Decay Primer Potion
5. NYC Sunny Bronzer (I prefer this over my MAC one, can you guys believe that?!)
6. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Flush (Lightly applied this to the back of my cheek bones)
7. VS Lipstick in Heat (I find myself wearing this a lot lately, and someone always asks me the color! :)
8. From my UD Naked Palette: Naked and a little Half Baked all over the lid, tiny bit of Hustle in the outer V
9. MAC's Hepcat with my Sigma E40 brush blended into my crease (this brought out the fuchsia purples in my dress:)
10. Urban Decay's Perversion Shadow mixed with a dampened eyeliner brush for eyeliner on the top lid.
11. Revlon eyelash Curler and L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black as mascara! (My holy grail)

Its funny because as I was writing this list above, I was thinking omgoodness, did I really use more than 10 things for my makeup yesterday!? It literally only took me MAYBE 5 mins to do my makeup so it almost didn't seem believable, but tis' true darlings haha

If you guys see anything above that you want a more thorough blogpost on ie. review etc. let me know!

xox

A New Favorite!

My Nails with Essie's Mob Squad

This weekend has been super hectic as I have been cramming in all sorts of last minute things to prepare for a Bridal Shower, but in between that, I managed to get a manicure and pedicure with the most amazing perfect bubblegum pink color! I find myself having a hard time choosing a color when at the nail salon, I feel like over the years I must have surely tried them all, but this one stood out to me. In the summer I only get pinks, nudes and orange colors on my nails, occasionally a red MAYBE, but I love to keep the colors very floraly. I am one of those gals who will always remember if shes gotten the nail polish before by the name, and when I saw this one was named "Mob Squad", I knew I had never tried this before! I laughed a little at the name at first and then took a chance and got it. I must say, without hesitation, this is the most beautiful pink color. I got a few compliments from other customers before even leaving the salon, it just stands out that much! Its not electric, or pale, its perfectly in between and now when I think of Pink nail polish, this is going to pop into my head because it is the PERFECT pink color, still maintaining a classy elegant look on your nail.

This is for sure going to be a color I purchase for my own collection, I love it that much :) I definitely suggest trying this out at your nail salon, and hopefully you will see what I mean. This polish gets a 2 thumbs (and all of my other fingers and toes too!) up rating from me!

Pretty in Pink,

xox

Maintaining Healthy Skin is Easier Than You Think!

When it comes to my skin, I definitely don't mess around with how I care for it, and neither should you. One's skin is the body's largest organ, and for that reason should be maintained just as we would our heart, lungs etc. As a young teen I never really suffered from acne or breakouts, they would happen to me yes, but more on a here and there basis. For this reason, I never was really faced with starting any specific routine to keep my skin looking its best. It wasn't until I entered college that I found myself a freshmen, studying all the time, stressed out, and eating greasy food from the cafeteria at all hours simply out of convenience! I definitely noticed a change in my skin, and I knew that this was the time to really step it up as far as maintaining clear, healthy skin. It is rather simple to do naturally. Sure there are fancy scrubs etc that one can do, and if you feel that you absolutely have to do those, than by all means do them, but really when it comes down to it, its all about what you eat, how active you are and how clean your face is.

Below are a few of my tips to maintaining clear, healthy skin:

1.

You want to ALWAYS protect your skin from the suns harmful rays. As your skin sits unprotected under the searing sun, picture your skin becoming aged leather, drying out and becoming supremely chapped and distressed. There is no turning aged leather back to fresh leather, and this goes the same for your skin, care for it from the beginning and have no worries later on in life. I always recommend wearing a sun hat if you are going to be out in the sun for a prolonged amount of time ex: garden work, pool lounging etc. Along with avoiding the harmful rays of the sun comes wearing an SPF that is going to protect from UVA AND UVB rays. I would say an SPF 30-40 is pretty sufficient!


2.

Drink lots of water, I cannot stress this enough! The more water you drink the more hydrated  your skin gets and this allows for more elasticity. You skin reacts negatively to anything greasy or fatty in foods, what the water will do is flush the body of these toxins and allow more room for vitamins to take root and be sucked up! :)


3.

 

Eat foods loaded with antioxidants! Foods like these above contain a lot of antioxidant power that helps to repair damaged skin cells and regain skins elasticity. The suns rays as well as other pollutants to the skin release what are called free radicals. These free radicals break down healthy skin cells and even collagen, which helps out skin be so flexible/elastic. These foods as well as others rich in antioxidants pretty much counteract these free radicals, how great to be able to do something so naturally!! I LOVE snacking on raspberries or blueberries, they are easy to pack for a quick snack and they will help keep your skin looking great as well! :)

4.

Removing your makeup before going to bed is another must. Imagine having to sleep with a plastic bag taped to your face for 24 hours a day, feeling a bit claustrophobic yet? Well, that's how your skin feels! Just like your lungs, your skin needs air flow, and wearing makeup can often hinder this, especially when left on through the night when your skin is trying to regenerate itself. I myself use organic makeup remover wipes as I find that they leave my skin looking and feeling super refreshed without clogging my pores even more with nonsensical oils. I recommend Yes to Blueberries (did I just mention blueberries?! a food rich in antioxidants?? YES I did!!)

5.

Moisturizing your skin is another super important step in keeping that glowing look to your skin. When applying moisturizer think of it as quenching your skins thirst. There are times that after being outdoors in the sun or even just in very hot weather, my skin becomes so dry and chapped feeling, it almost burns a little because its so dry and tight. Skin creams help to fix this problem and create a layer of protection for your skin as well!

6.

I previously did an entire blog on my favorite face scrub to exfoliate with, I will link it below. Exfoliating is something that I do once a week to my ENTIRE body down to my little toes :) I think it is so important if you don't ever want to have dull worn out looking skin. Exfoliating removes dead skin cells and gives you a fresh start, also, in my opinion, stimulating healthy skin cell growth :) For more on exfoliating check out my other blog post here !

Everything listed above can and should be considered for your entire body, the skin is so large, even the skin between out toes shouldn't be left out when trying to maintain! haha Keep in mind that the first impression you make on someone is appearance and this is where healthy, glowing, youthful looking skin comes into play, after all, who wants leathery, dried, over sun exposed, over worked, crying out for health skin anyway?! NOT ME! :)


To Healthy Skin Always,

xox

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @Alyseap

May Fashion/Beauty Favorites!

Here are a few of my fashion favorites for the month of May. These are all things that I have obsessively loved this month and thought that they were significant enough to share with you guys :)

1. J.CREW Tanks: These tanks are my favorite tank tops this spring! They are super comfy, as most JCrew tops are, and come in the cutest color stripes. I bought the two above and have worn them both already, layering them over a white or gray tank. These are definitely the kind of tanks you want to layer as they are that super awesome baggy fit, on myself at least. The cotton is super soft and they also have a cool zipper detail on the upper part of the back making them all that more interesting :)

2. Urban Outfitters Fedora: I am really big into fedoras as you all probably know from my previous fashion related blogs. This one however has been one that I have wearing weekly during this month of May. It just seems to go with a lot of what I wear on a daily basis so it is so easy to just grab it and go.

3. Lucky Brand Acacia Sandals: These sandals are amazing! I bought them on impulse at my local Macy*s one weekend before vacation and I thought hey if I don't like them when I get home I could always just return them. I say this because too many times do I love something in the store and then hate it when I get home lol Needless to say, these are definitely going to be a staple shoe of mine this summer. I LOVE the 70's boho vibe they give off with the chunky bottom, they are soft good quality leather and are SO comfy!! I wore them all day on vacation this past weekend and I was on my feet going up stairs walking through museums etc for almost 7 hours and not a blister or hurt in sight :) DEFINITELY recommend!

4. Ballerina Buns: Here I show a pic of Kourtney Kardashian sporting this look, one of my favorites as the warm humid weather comes upon us. I find that when it is hot and sticky (humid) out the last thing I want is hair on my neck, the thought of it just makes me hot! lol This is a simple yet put together way to get your hair off of your face and out of the way. It only requires bobby pins, hair ties, smoothing hair brush and hairspray and you are good to go. There are many levels on your head to wear this, I however wear it like this:

My casual version of the ballerina bun :)

5. Havaianas Slim Flip Flops: A girl can never have to many flip flops during the warm months in my opinion. They are almost the only shoe I wear in the summer/spring when being casual. The Havaiana Slim flip flop is my favorite because it is comfy, sleek & stylish and comes in a variety of colors to match any outfit!

Below are a few beauty related items that I found myself using over and over again this month :)

1. Yes to Carrots Daily Cream Facial Cleanser: I love this stuff! It moisturizes my dry skin and leaves my face looking great. I use it every other day in the shower and haven't had any irritation or anything like that so I am definitely pleased. The Yes to Carrots line has worked wonders for me so far and this is just another thing to add to the list of things I love. It has the consistency of a cold cream and a little bit is all you need which means this will be lasting me a while. The smell isn't strong like I have read from some other reviewers which makes me thing maybe they changed the formulation to take care of this problem.

2. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny: After hearing so many good things about this bronzer, I decided to give it a try. I saw it at my local target and at a little under $3 it was hard to not try. I absolutely love this bronzer, not only is it the perfect flush of light bronzer but it is something that I have found myself using daily, and that in itself says a lot! This may not be great for all skin tones as I have heard that it can appear a bit orangey on certain people, but for me it is perfect! I have other bronzers that are more than 8 times this price and don't look at great as this one. I have olive medium skin and this is definitely a light bronzer on me, but it is just enough for everyday use. I have my MAC Golden for when I need a more intense bronze. Give this a try asap!

3. Essie Nail Polish in Tangerine: I got this right before vacation this past weekend and it has quickly become one of my favorite spring/summer colors! It is a coraly deep orange color, almost completely matching my MAC lipstick in So Chaud. I love the way orange nails look with a nice golden tan :)

4. NYX Lipstick in Paris: This lipstick is another thing that I have found myself wearing at least 4 times a week this month. it is a creamy carnation pink color and looks amazing with nearly everything! It isn't shimmery or anything so it is perfect for everyday wear. I really like the NYX lipsticks because they are very pigmented, although I would always be sure to pack their lipsticks in my handbag because you are sure to have to reapply within the next few hours.

5. Yes To Carrots Carrot Lip Butter: I purchased this a few weeks back and this has already become my new favorite everyday lip balm. It has a citrusy scent that isn't too strong but refreshing. It goes on smooth and keeps my lips moisturized for the most part. I love again that it is from a paraben free, all natural company :)