I will rarely ever post about anything Gosselin

However, I feel this information needs to be brought to everyone's attention as much as possible.

It's no secret that Ellen Ross ("famed" for being Jon Gosselin's current girlfriend) and her advertisement blog (she calls it a "review blog") was the inspiration behind my creating this blog.

My mom mentioned Ellen Ross was claiming herself as pro- fashion expert and advice-giver. I took a look at her blog, quite in depth, and discovered that someone who is only a few months older than me dresses horrendously for her age and weight. Her elite fashion and style is that of someone still in high school. Childish colors, bright patterns, "burnout t-shirts", leggings, UGG boots, and BeDazzled everything. And to top it all off, everything she wears is many sizes too small for her nor appropriate for her body type. Ellen, that hoodie you're wearing when you're "skateboarding", isn't suppose to fit skin tight. No hoodie is suppose to fit skin tight. Not cute. Also, you wouldn't need to "review" girdles or spanks if you wore clothes your proper size and suited for your body type.

Like I previously said, I dug rather deep into her blog. Finding that all of her "reviews" read like infomercials and not ONE post amongst her thousands has a negative word to say. I want to go ahead and say this:  

DO NOT RESPECT ELLEN ROSS'S REVIEWS. THEY ARE NOT REVIEWS. THEY ARE PAID OR OTHERWISE COMPENSATED ADVERTISEMENTS.

Anyway, she was my inspiration. Albeit, VERY negative inspiration. My distaste for Ellen doesn't only come from the fact she presents herself in a very trashy manner, or that she is unfortunately involved in the Gosselin 8's lives. It comes from the fact that I absolutely despise people who are not 100% forthcoming, honest and try to claim they're something when they're not even in the ballpark of what they claim.

So, I created this blog. An account of me and my journey into updating my closet and style to better suit a 20-something. Not a teenager.

So now that is out of the way, why am I making this post? Because. Ellen is indirectly (and sometimes directly) using the Gosselin children's opinions on her advertisement blog. She never refers to them as the Gosselin Children, or by name, I'll give her that. But, she does refer to "my boyfriend and his kids" or "my boyfriend's kids" and what they thought of the products. Any idiot in the world knows who Ellen Ross is due to the simple fact that she is dating Jon Gosselin. And anyone is going to assume that any children's products "reviewed" on her blog is being gathered from the Gosselin 8.

Ellen Ross NEEDS to have a FULL, LEGAL DISCLOSURE POSTED ALL OVER HER BLOG & ON ANY APPLICABLE POST that either she
  1. Has complete, 100% permission from Kate (acquired via the proper legal channels) to use the Gosselin's 8 children to gather opinions, reactions, reviews, information from. And also legal documentation stating that she has permission from Kate and/or Jon Gosselin to post any opinion, reaction, review, etc gathered from the Gosselin's children on her advertisement for profit/compensation blog. If this route is take, she MUST be held responsible for paying or re-paying the Gosselin's children 15% (as the law states) any money received, equal monetary value of products reviewed, and any revenues (money or other form of compensation) generated from her advertisements using the Gosselin children. This includes ALL past, present and future posts. This means that, if Ellen receive $100 for posting an advertisement using the Gosselin children, the Gosselin children are entitled to $15 of that. This ALSO included other forms of compensation. IE: If Ellen uses the Gosselin 8 to review a product that has a value of $100, the Gosselin children are entitled to 15% equal cash value, meaning $15. This includes free gifts or products purchased by Ellen and reviewed by the Gosselin Children. Any profit that Ellen is responsible for paying or re-paying the Gosselin children for should be paid in their names and put into the Gosselin children's bank account.

  2. Ellen posts FULL DISCLOSURE all over her blog and attached to any advertisement post applicable that the Gosselin Children were in NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM used to gather reviews, opinions, reactions, input or information on qualifying advertisements (read: any children's products). She is also held accountable for paying or re-paying the parents and/or children used to generate any opinions, reviews, input, reactions, or information in the same manner than the Gosselin children are entitled. Unless, however, so declined by any child's legal guardian, parent or otherwise.
I however believe that Ellen SHOULD NOT be allowed to review ANY children's products, whatsoever. She has no kids of her own nor legal consent to generate ANY compensation (monetary or otherwise) for children's reviews, opinions, input, reaction or information of, for or about any products she advertises. Nor does she have the right to collect 100% of any compensation (monetary or otherwise) for advertisements involving other people - especially not children( any children, Gosselin children or not) -- unless so declined by the adults involved, or the parent/legal guardian of children involved. 


Ellen falsely represents herself as a fashion expert/aficionado and pro advice-giver. She is anything but these two. She is a paid advertiser and nothing more. (edit: She has recently updated her about section to include a small statement saying, "I don't have a degree but I am able to provide an unbiased opinion on every situation." This information is not clearly on display, nor readily found, though.)

And for further clarification: my blog is completely different from Ellen's. I post HONEST, TRUE reviews of items I have purchased with my own money. Negative and positive. I do not claim to be an expert in style, hair or fashion. I also do not give advice. I am not trained to give advice, whatsoever.  My blog is simply a documented account of my journey into growing up my style and choices. I am sharing what I think on these products to my readers. I am not soliciting them to go out and buy merchandise. I am merely suggesting (or not) items that may interest other people with like interests in fashion and style. I am also expressing my own opinions on trends today. I only post links to items to purchase in order to make it easy for my readers to find any products or items featured on my blog. I have previously encouraged my readers to browse the internet to find better deals on products that are not store specific. I also receive no compensation, monetary or otherwise for anything posted on this blog. Ellen does. Ellen is a paid advertisement blogger. Short and simple.

Dear readers, SPEAK OUT. Stop Ellen from exploiting the Gosselin children and other children to line her own pockets. Stop Ellen from exploiting her friends and/or family to line her own pockets.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

 
I just wanted to say a quick Happy Holidays to all my readers! I know I don't have many, but I am definitely proud of the few I do have! Especially since it hasn't been long since I opened this blog. =]

I hope everyone's day has proven to be full of love, joy and peace. I hope you all received many hugs from your family members, amongst what gifts you wanted!

Also, remember -- don't throw out those silly Christmas sweaters and sweatshirts! Hold onto them and save them for next year! A good holiday theme party is a "Tacky Christmas Sweater Party". A good friend of mine from home throws one every year, without fail. I've missed it the past two years, but the ones I was able to attended were always such a delight! The fact that the dress code is to wear your tackiest Christmas sweater starts the mood of the party on the right foot -- a cheerful one! Add that with the already holiday joy, and your Tacky Christmas Sweater Party is destined for success! It's always so fun to see all the sweaters that people wear. Love it!

Happy holidays, and of course, Happy Stylin'!

-R

Sometimes shopping at juniors stores is okay.

I *RARELY* shop at Charlotte Russe, but sometimes I'll stop in to see what cute tops they've got. Sometimes, they've got NOTHING, and sometimes they have a lot of cute stuff. I hardly ever recommend to shop at a juniors store such as Charlotte Russe, but as I am short in stature and have a smaller body type, a lot of clothes in department stores, etc are too large on me. Even in a size Small. However, in past experiences a lot of the quality isn't exactly top notch. And even though prices seem like a steal, you are getting what you pay for. Plus, it's a juniors store. It's geared for teenagers. A lot the styles are often not appropriate. However, if you carefully go through the racks and piles, you may be able to find something that, when paired with right bottoms and accessories, looks completely different.

However, yesterday I did just that. Two days before Christmas and a girlfriend of mine was desperate to go to the mall to find a gift for her father. So, since the mall was opened until midnight, after we had a WONDERFUL sushi dinner, we wandered over to the mall. I was shocked at some of the sales. Actually, pretty impressed. Charlotte Russe was running a deal that if you spent $20+, you got a free piece of jewelery. Plus, there was a good percentage hacked off store-wide. Insert the military discount I received, and I spent $20ish + tax. Not a bad deal!

This is what I got!

Pair either of these with your favorite skinny jeans  and slouchy boots. Or as they are pictured, with a solild color mini pencil skirt in the warmer months.  Finish off the mini pencil skirt look with your favorite pair of flats.

Another good suggestion for adding to these tops is to wear a drape vest such as this In Your Sunday Best drape lace vest @ Modcloth ($49.99)
It's simple and romantic. The draped style adds an exciting element to the slouchy look of the above tops.

 These two tops are incredibly interchangeable with today's trends. Depending on how you accessorize, you can make it completely boho, completely 80's, or a sweet mixture of both.

Happy Stylin'!

LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS.

Fashion Faux Pas #1: LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. I REPEAT, LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. (And need I say it? Okay, NOR ARE TIGHTS.)

Not for muscular girls. Not for runners. Not for size 00 girls. And definitely NOT for large girls. LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS.

You may think it's cute and hot to wear just leggings with your cutest top. You may be thinking to yourself, "ooh. I look so hot with my skin-tight leggings!" But truth of the matter is, you don't. So quit. Right now.

Yeah, I'm talking to you. You're sitting there reading this saying, "But my leggings are made of a thick material, these are fine!" They're not. They show intimate parts of your body that the public shouldn't EVER see. Whether you know it or not.

Examples you say? OKAY.

As much as I love and adore Sofia Vergara (and Modern Family!), someone should have stopped her on her way out of the door the morning she decided to wear leggings as pants:

In the dimmed lighting of your room, in front of your mirror, you probably look fine. But, you don't realize that in the harsh lighting the outdoors, your leggings clearly lets the world know what type of Victoria Secret undies you're sportin' (if you're wearing any at all!). Sofia is hot, but boy she doesn't look very attractive with her bum exposed to the world. I am full of infinite sadness. D=

As much as I loathe and despise everything about American Apparel and what they stand for, you've got to hand it to them for being smart and warning their buyers:


 So there's one kudo that American Apparel should be given. Kudos!

More examples? Here you go!:

Ugh! Ew.

When are leggings appropriate to wear? Under a skirt. Under shorts. Under your jeans. With a dress.

NOT with a long shirt. Not with a tunic. Dear Lord, not with a plain t-shirt.

Since leggings came back in style, I've seen at various stores "shirt-dresses". They are catered especially for leggings. The shirt comes down to just above mid-thigh. That's okay. Wear your leggings to your heart's content with a shirt-dress!

If when you sit down, and your bum isn't COMPLETELY sitting on whatever you're wearing as your "top", don't pair it with leggings. Simple. End of story.

Here's what a shirt-dress looks like:
Now, doesn't that look more sophisticated? More put together? More appropriate? Less trashy? Less slutty? I thought so!

I hope everyone heeds some advice from this post. Dress smart, ladies.

Happy stylin'!

Urban Decay Naked Shadow Palette & how I do my eye makeup!

I can't lie, I love Urban Decay's Naked Eyeshadow Palette ($48 @ Sephora). Probably one of my favorite items in my make-up bag. So many shades of nude tones that really perk up your eyes without it looking TOO done up. LOVE it. Ask any girl who loves make-up, she's probably got Naked in her bag. 
This shadow kits comes with EVERYTHING you need to achieve flawless results from your eyeshadow:
  • 12 stunning shades that blend and layer with complete easy - Virgin (nude satin), Sin (champagne shimmer), Naked (buff matte), Sidecar (beige sparkle), Buck (brown matte), Half Baked (bronze), Smog (golden brown shimmer), Darkhorse (bronze-plum shimmer), Toasted (taupe-bronze), Hustle (mocha shimmer), Creep (near-black metallic), Gunmetal (dark grey metallic)
  • A travel-sized (0.13 oz) bottle of Urban Decay's famous [Original] Eyeshadow Primer Potion. This little guy I keep in my travel makeup kit. Perfect for airplane travel without taking up too much room in your zip-top baggy. And I needn't go on about the Primer Potion, it's perfect. Keeps shadow's vivid, long lasting and crease-free!
  • And last but not least, Urban Decay's AMAZING Good Karma Eyeshadow Brush. Not kidding, toss out whatever brush your using for your shadow -- UD's GK Brush is tops.
 The thing I love most about UD's Naked palette is just how versatile it is. I'll use lighter shades for my everyday wear, and on special occasion deserving of a little more oomph, I'll darken it up with the shades on the right side of the palette.

So, how do I wear my shadow everyday? Well you're in luck, because I'm going to give you step-by-step instructions of how I use the Naked palette everyday. Here's the things you will need:
First step is, of course, primer. As I said earlier, I use UD's Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin, but for the purpose of this post, I'll use the original Primer Potion included with the Naked Palette.

Prime your eyelids well. Use the wand to glide over the lid and above, reaching to the beginning of your eyebrows. After applying, let it sit for a few seconds to dry.

Second step is eyeshadows.
  1. First color I use, is Virgin. I use virgin in the inner corner of my eyes, near the tear duct area. I also use Virgin to highlight just under my eyebrows.
  2. Second color I use, is Buck. I use this color to cover the whole eyelid, and just a little into the crease. This is what I call my "base color".
  3. Third color I use, is Sidecar. I lightly go over the base color, Buck, with Sidecar to blend in with "Virgin" and add that shimmer. Sidecar by itself just wasn't enough, hence the Buck.
  4. Fourth color I use, is Darkhorse. On the outer tip of my eye, I blend in just a little to add richness to the the blended shadows.
  5. The fifth color I use, is Half Baked. Starting roughly about halfway out, I blend lightly Half Baked into the crease of my eyelid and slightly above. To polish the colors off nicely. If need be, I'll go back to my base color and blend it in a little better. 
  6. The sixth and final color I use, is Sin. I use Sin to finish off my eyeshadow. In between where you used Half Baked and Virgin to highlight your eyebrows, use a light amount of Sin. Making sure to blend in well with the Half Baked and Virgin. (Also, if you'd like, use a little Sin underneath your bottom lashes. I only do this sometimes, though.)
Third step is Liner. I choose a liquid liner for my upper lids and a pencil liner for my bottom. It's just easier that way to me.

Fourth step is, of course mascara. I cover my top lashes completely. However with my bottoms lashes, I only do the outer half. I have crazy long lashes, so if I do the bottoms completely, it just looks out of control. (The mascara I'm using in this post isn't my favorite. It's hard to control and keep from clumping. I'll let you guys know when I find something better!)

Last step! I swear! And this something people forget to do. Eyebrows. I ALWAYS use a clear mascara to shape and "set" my eyebrows so they're not a blundering mess throughout the day. No one can tell it's on there and your eyebrows look so shaped, even when you haven't groomed them for a few days. As for the brand? It doesn't really matter. I just use the CoverGirl version of clear mascara. I like the brush the most.

And there you have it folks, how I use my Urban Decay Naked Palette for everyday wear. Sophisticated, clean and not over the top!

How do you use your UD Naked Palette? What are your favorite colors?

Happy Stylin'!

MZ's dressforyour20s do's & don'ts of ta-tas!

One of the BIGGEST misconceptions of fashion I've seen in women walking down the street is how they dress their little ladies. Yep, this post is about the ta-tas, so read carefully!

Everyone loves boobs, there's no denying that. And us girls are blessed with the gift of having them placed proudly on our front sides. Be they small and shy, large and in charge, way up high or placed a little low, we've got 'em and they're not going anywhere. But, does that mean we should show them off at every chance we get? And when is cleavage just TOO MUCH? Here are my rules on dressing with OR around my puppies.

Sexy doesn't always equal sensual. There's a time for sexy and there's a time for sensual--

  • Sensual - Before I married my wonderful husband, I enjoyed the "dating scene". And first dates were always one of my favorite events. I always chose to go with a sensual look as opposed to a sexy look for a first date. I liked to keep the fellas guessing and more often than not, a sensual look can be more enticing than a sexy look. So my "first date look" was always simple and not too revealing. My twins were covered tastefully without looking like a nun. Most always I'd wear a drape-y sweater or top that covered the gals, but left my neck completely exposed. After all, studies show that men find the neck and collar bone area the most sensual part of a woman. What does that mean? They see it and it gives them chills! They want more. The sensual look also demands respect from your date, especially if it's a first date. It shows him that you're not there bearing it to the whole world so, a) he doesn't get the wrong idea about you and, b) he can trust that if you and him develop something serious, he can trust that what special assets you have are just for him. All good things that will more than likely (but not assuredly!) land you another date! That is, of course, if you want! What's a good sensual, first date top? How about this Karen Cable Sweater @ Guess ($69)? Your date won't be able to keep his eyes off you!
  • Sexy - Okay, okay! I'm not an idiot, all girls like to feel sexy and desirable. And I'll be the first admit that as much as I like my husband to tell me I'm beautiful, I also like to hear, "Baby, you look hot!" (Bonus when he makes a purring noise!) So, let's drop that neckline from sensual to sexy and invite the RESPECTABLE wolf whistles!

    If you're single, the most appropriate time to dress overtly sexy is, duh, when you're out on the town with your girlfriends. If you've got a main squeeze, like myself, I like to reveal a little more for date nights. Not too much, mind you! When trying for the "sexy look" it's easy to cross over into "slutty".
    Nail the sexy look with this Wrap Dress With Belt @ ASOS ($63.63) while still keeping it tasteful. Put on your favorite strappy heels, and you've got a look that will have the guys tripping all over themselves.
So, we know the difference between sensual and sexy. And we also know the best times to utilize these two styles, but when do we NOT use them?
Answer: A time to NEVER show your sensual OR sexy side is for a job interview. Or, if you've got the job, while you're at work. Unless, that is, if one of your job requirements is to be hot. Then by all means, rock it! But keep in mind, the t-shirt you wear when walking your dog doesn't have to have your girls poppin' out either. It's good to keep the world wondering!

And lastly, just how much cleavage is TOO much cleavage?
Answer: Well, that's hard to really pin-point. It really does depend on your body type and chest size. However, *my* general rule of thumb is if more than 1/6th - 1/4th of my ladies are showing, I won't wear it.

I hope this little guideline on how to dress your chest helps you all out!

As always, Happy Stylin'!

Yes, yes!



  1.  The Peplum Vest @ Witchery - ($69.90)
  2.  FULL TILT Slub Womens Top @ Tilly's ($15.99-$19.99)
  3. Green Superskinny Jeans @ Dorothy Perkins ($35)
  4. Rhinestone Chain Belt @ Zara ($29.90)
  5. Diba Doloris Sandal @ DSW ($29.94)
I love, love, LOVE this color! I mean, LOVE. And this year, everything "over-sized" is SO in, which means the Peplum Vest from Witchery is super stylish! It balances out the solid color of the top and jeans. Bright colors are also amongst the hottest trends, so the aqua colored shirt and super skinny jeans are spot on. And without even having to mention, the gold gives a "bling" to this outfit that will REALLY make this ensemble pop. Gold will NEVER go out of style.

Top this style off with some of your favorite gold jewelry, a nice white floppy hat and you'll turn heads walking down the street.

Happy Stylin'! <3

I love this facial cleanser!

 
During one of my trips to Sephora, I asked the sales employee what she suggested as a good facial cleanser. Without a beat, she grabbed me a 3oz bottle of Philosophy - Purity Made Simple (try for only $10!) and told me that this stuff was one of their all time best sellers. I was pretty excited to try it due to the simple fact that I love the Philosophy - Hope in Jar facial moisturizer. 

The second I got home, I went to wash my face. I didn't have to use hardly any (maybe a dime-sized drop) to fully cleanse my face. It cleaned off all my makeup without any effort. After one wash, my skin was softer and smoother. It doesn't dry my skin out one bit! Love it. And using it along side the Hope In A Jar, my face is in its best condition yet!

I've been using this wash twice daily for two weeks, and I'm not even down half way into my little 3oz bottle.

The only thing I haven't seen it have much effect on is stubborn acne. Although it seems to prevent new ones from forming, it really isn't taking car of older ones. I may still have to find a spot treatment to get rid of the few pre-existing bumps on my chin. But, not a problem!

All in all, this is the BEST facial cleanser I've ever tried. Definitely worth investing in!

Note: Another thing the salewoman at Sephora told me, they like to water down Purity Made Simple and use it to wash their brushes in. I will definitely give this a try when it comes brush-washin' time.

Happy Stylin'!

Boho fashion is in!

Slouchy sweaters are definitely a must-have this winter. So is the neutral look of "boho fashion".

I bought this duo a few weeks ago at Target and it's absolutely adorable! I purchased the Pullover Sweater in a brown shade and the Long Sleeve V-Neck in a fall shade of yellow. The two pair up swimmingly and are warm as can be. Let the sweater hang off your shoulder some, pull your hair up in a loose, curled pony-tail and you have a very sweet boho winter outfit!

Wear a pair of super skinny jeans and marry your style with a pair of suede fringe boots like these Restricted Barbarella Boots @ DSW ($49.94)


Tuck a flower behind your ear, add some simple dangling jewelry and your style is set!

Happy Stylin'!

Let's talk trends...

Trends are what make fashion and there are two trends I don't see going anywhere anytime soon -- lace and jeggings!

I purchased this Eyeshadow Butterfly Sleeve Lace Top in Navy Blue from Belk (Orig. $34.99; on sale for $19.99) two weeks ago and it has definitely become one of my new favorites! It's thick enough that I can wear it by itself and not worry about anything showing through, but still sexy enough that it clings to my body in all the right places. I've also been spotted wearing a gray, long-sleeved shit under it!

When paired with a pair of dark super skinny jeans and simple gray slouchy boots, you've got plenty of clean lines that is sure to show off a simpler side.


Top this look off with a layered necklace (Layered Bead Necklace @ Forever21, $7.80),  some charming filigree style earrings (Filigree Teardrop Earrings @ Forever21, $4.80), some blue bangles and a few cute rings and your simple style turns completely chic and is perfect for almost any casual occasion!

Happy Stylin'!

I hate hair serum!

AND I hate the mall during the Holiday Seasons.

Alas, both are usually a necessity when you're wanting something specific. Even though there will never be a way out of being downright accosted by mall kiosk employees during the holidays, there is hope in finding a hair serum that does what its suppose to.


HerStyler Vitamin E Hair Serum is, for lack of a better word, great. Almost worth spending 45 minutes being infomercial'd to death by a mall kiosk salesperson.

Packed with only four ingredients, two of which being Vitamin E and Aloe Vera Extract, this stuff is nothing but good news for your hair.

After I wash my hair, I put a drop in my palms and rub my hands together and then I rub my hands and fingers through my locks. I don't, however, put it on my roots. I'll start right about halfway down my ears, working down to my tips. It really helps de-tangle my my copious amounts of hair when I do my post-wash comb through. I may add a little more after styling to add a little sheen, as well. It doesn't leave my hair greasy AT ALL or flat like every other serum I've tried. It does what its suppose to. Plus, it leaves an incredible, clean scent in my hair.

Now, here's the kicker. Price. I highly suggest not ordering from the website as the retail price on the box itself says $75. I was able to haggle it down with the kiosk employee to $25, but upon further research (post purchase, unfortunately) I've found it online for about $15. Yes, it is worth $25 in my book, but not $75. If you're interested, definitely try to find it somewhere else for cheaper. It's definitely worth it. :)

Also, they have samples of it at one of those pesky kiosks. It's hard to miss, because they have a leaning tower of brightly colored ceramic flat irons on display!

As for the Ceramic Flat Iron by HerStyler (retail $160-185) -- I wasn't as impressed by it as I am by a lot of the others out there. Although it says gets up to 240C/460F degrees, it just never felt hot enough for my hair, even turned all the way up. I did go ahead and buy it for Christmas for my 13-year-old sister-in-law since the kiosk employee let me walk away with it for $50. I DO think it's a good straightener to start out on -- it doesn't get all that hot and the plates are guarded REALLY well, so burning yourself is next to impossible. But, hey, you might have better luck with it if you can haggle your price down some.

What's your favorite hair serum if you have one? Do you find them useful or just junk?

Happy stylin', folks!

Even more products to love!

Since my initial trip into Sephora, I found myself constantly cruising their website to scout out my next buys. Needless to say, once I found the time, I returned two more times to buy some wonderful products. So, let's talk about hair, shall we?


Living Proof - Restore Discovery Kit @ Sephora - $29

I've been looking for a new, better quality Shampoo for quite a while, but with so many to go through, I felt overwhelmed. Upon browsing the Sephora store, I came across this "discovery kit". I decided that $30 for this whole kit was well worth it to try! I am definitely pleased. I've had my eye on purchasing Davines Alchemic Red Shampoo and the Alchemic Red Conditioner counterpart for a while now, so I was pretty bummed when I couldn't find it in any stores. So, I decided to throw those two on my Christmas wishlist and buy the Living Proof - Restore Discovery Kit. I think it's wonderful. Here are some things you WON'T find in the LP - Restore shampoo & conditioners:
  • Parabens
  • Sulfates
  • Synthetic Dyes
  • Petrochemicals
  • Phthalates
  • GMOs
  • Triclosan

So, this cute little trio is definitely good for your hair! For a shampoo without sulfates, it was surprisingly rich and covered my long, thick hair real well. And as with most higher-end beauty products, a little really does go a long way. Even though this kit is travel sized, I anticipate it lasting a good while. Which I'm pretty certain I want! I just love it. It made my hair soft, silky and shiny without feeling weighted and without a grimy feel. Plus, it smells absolutely Heavenly. Shampooing my hair is never something I've looked forward to, but now that I'm getting into great quality finds, I enjoy sudsing up my tresses!

Some favorite make-up!

I stopped into a Sephora not too long ago for the first time. This was my haul and what I thought of each product!
  1. Smashbox Complexion Perfection Kit - $49
    I saw this at our Base Exchange not too long ago and was rather curious. So, I went online and I read some pretty good reviews about Smashbox, and this kit in particular. I know good makeup comes with a pretty hefty price tag, so to me this little “try-it kit” is completely worth it if you want to try a brand.
    This kit includes: Primer, Concealer, Foundation and Powder.
    I was super pleased with the whole package, more or less. I’m not too crazy about the primer, though. The foundation and Halo powder has excellent coverage but feels incredibly light weight. It covers the acne scars I have on my chin and covers current bumps without flaw. It covered so well, I only had to use the concealer on one spot. Also, a big plus, it lasts without needing touch-ups. I did my make-up one day, ran some errands and came home and napped for 4 hours. Woke up, my face was still flawless. As I said, I’m not too crazy about the primer. To me, with the primer, it definitely made it feel kind of heavy. Which is why I bought:

  2. Stila One Step Correct - $36
    I love this stuff. End of story. Completely worth the near $40 for this little guy. A few months ago, two of my girlfriends from home came down to visit and one of them had this guy in her makeup bag. She raved about it to both me and our other friend. Everyday that they were here, I asked her if I could use it and she was more than happy to oblige. I’m not even kidding, if you have rather visible pores (such as myself) and an uneven skintone (again, such as myself) this stuff will save your life. As I said before, I’ve got some acne scars on my chin. This stuff reduces some of the coloring and visibility of said scars. It also helps minimize the appearance of pores. Plus, totally evened my skintone out. And to top it all off, it’s a primer as well. It truly is an all-in-one. If you’re thinking $36 is too expensive for just 1 fl. oz., think again. To cover my whole face I only needed one pump. Badabing, badaboom.

  3. Philosophy Hope In A Jar To Go - $15
    When researching and browsing make-ups, this stuff kept popping up as a recommendation. I decided to research deeper into this highly popular moisturizer. Rave reviews, almost everyone swore by it. I’ve been pretty happy with my Organic tinted moisturizer, however with my make-up kit and One Step Correct, I thought a tinted moisturizer would just be too much. And Lord knows I need a moisturizer with how dry my skin can get, especially in the winter. So, I asked the lady at the counter at Sephora what she thought. She too said she loved it and that it was a best seller. So, for $15 I decided to give it a go. Ah-maz-ing. It’s light and doesn’t feel greasy. It made my face so smooth and soft. Yes, like a baby’s butt. It has a nice, clean scent to it, too. Doesn’t take much, just a dab and you’re good to go. When I run out of the 0.5 flz. oz. travel size, I fully intend on buying the full jar.

  4. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin - $19
    If you wear any eye make-up whatsoever, stop what you’re doing and go pick this up. If you think I’m kidding, I’m not. A girlfriend swore by this stuff several years ago and I was always so envious of how well her eye shadows looked on her. She let me use it one night when we were getting fancy and it changed my whole outlook on eye makeup. It’s truly crease free, smooth, easy to apply and to top it off, long-lasting. I could never justify buying the original kind because I hardly ever wear eyeshadow. But, now they have ones that have a hint of color and sparkle to it. I chose the Sin color because it’s a pale champagne color and blends very well with my peach toned skin. So on days that I’m not wearing eyeshadow, I can use this to add a little hue to my eyes. Absolutely love it. It also seemed to help prevent my liner from melting and fading during the day.

  5. Sephora Collection Atomic Volume Mascara - $15
    I’m not as pleased with this as I wanted to be. The wand bristles are rather stiff and short. I had a hard time keeping it from clumping. I’m not gonna say much else on it, because I want to give it another try before I completely dismiss it.

  6. And for my free sample: Philosophy Marshmallows For Toasting Body Lotion ($16, for the full tube)
    This stuff smells delicious. It’s hard to not want to eat it! I didn’t have much in my free sample, but I was able to use it on my arms and legs after a good shave and it did make me feel incredibly smooth and moisturized. I may go for the plunge at Christmas time and buy the full tube, if only to smell absolutely yummy all day. ;)
And that’s it. My very first make-up haul from Sephora. Anyone else have any these products? What do you think?

So, here we go.

A little background is order, I suppose.

I'm a newly-wed military wife. Let's be honest, I was never very "fashion forward". Until about a year ago, when I was quickly approaching the time in my life when I could declare myself in my "mid-20s", I realized that I wasn't dressing for my age. I was still caught up in dressing as a teenager because it was comfortable and safe. That just wasn't going to fly anymore! Enter becoming a military wife, when it REALLY hit me that I needed an wardrobe update! Seeing all these other wives look so chic and classy, I had to make a change!

So, over the past few months I've been revamping my closet and throwing out drugstore make-up and I feel great! I still have a long way to go, but I'd like to share my journey with you. And hopefully other 20-somethings can learn with me on the do's and don't of how to Dress For Your 20s.

I want go ahead and say up front, that anything posted on this blog is of personal opinion. I am not paid or endorsed in ANY way. I do not receive free samples to review. Anything I review will be of things I've purchased myself. If this should EVER change, I'll let you know. :)
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