Five Things Friday #1

Happy Friday, everybody! Today, as I look at the melting snow and rejoice at this 46ºF Chicago "heat wave", in the spirit of upcoming spring and new beginnings, I present to you Five Things Friday - a new weekly feature on my blog. Here I will share a random mix of things that have stood out to me throughout the past seven days. For the most part those are going to be things I'm loving or enjoying, but if something annoys me enough I might include that as well. So here we go!

1. Scented Nail Polish

For some reason, this marketing move is really working on me. I would have never thought I would much for having my nails smell nice, but I find it to be quite amusing. It all started with Revlon's Apricot Nectar, which I mostly bought because of the cute bottle and the lack of a peach-colored polish in my collection. Despite the quality setback I've experienced with Lavender Soap, the collector in me is determined to obtain all of the nice-smelling and pretty-looking shades of Revlon's Parfumerie.

 

2. Beanies

I've always been a hat person, but beanies are really having a moment in my life right now. You know you have a problem when you suddenly have four and still find it necessary to purchase a bright coral ombré one. Hey, at least I wear them, right?

 

3. Vampire Academy book series

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These books have actually been a guilty pleasure of mine over the past month or so. I had no intention of reading them, but I was sick, bored, and the trailer for the movie looked so terrible I thought I owed it to myself to see how bad the books were. Joke's on me: I love them! I read the first one in two days, tried reading something else, but couldn't stop thinking about the series and picked up the second one. I ended up loving it as much as the first one and now I'm on book three, having trouble putting it down. I am really not sure why I love the series so much. Maybe it's the fact that the lead female isn't just strong, but also flawed, funny and short-tempered. Maybe it's the abundance of Eastern European vampire lore. Maybe it's the politics of the odd society the characters live in. Most likely it's all of those things put together. And yes, I'm aware the covers look like cheesy romance novels - the books aren't bad, I promise.

 

4. Body Spray before bed

I am not sure where this came from, but all of a sudden I feel the need to put perfume scents on myself after my bedtime shower. One would think I would just enjoy being clean, but no: lately I've been reaching for my Victoria's Secret body sprays to make myself feel extra pampered. My favorite of the moment is their new Pure Seduction Bloom fragrance mist.

 

5. My new iPhone 5C

Before everyone tells me how I wasted my money and should have waited until fall, when Apple will release their iPhone 6, let me remind you that though this fall's release is a pretty good guess, it's a guess nonetheless and until it's actually announced we can't know this for sure. But more importantly, I didn't want to wait until my iPhone 5 is worthless as a trade-in. I also got tired of constantly being out of space and needed a 32GB phone. And it's hot coral - it matches my ombré beanie. I love it!

What are the five things on your mind this week?

Beauty Scenario Tag

I was tagged to do this by Kat Horrocks (thank you, Kat!) and we all know how much I love tags! Naturally, I had to do it and I really enjoyed filming this tag. I hope you guys enjoy watching it! I'm tagging some specific people below, but anyone who would like to do this is also tagged :) 

I TAG:

Melany https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxdsUjVuBRfZ1uh46pGSs7w
Emily https://www.youtube.com/beautywithemilie
Joyce https://www.youtube.com/bronzerbunny
Danielle https://www.youtube.com/BloominBeauty1
Miranda https://www.youtube.com/MirandaMarieChannel

BEAUTY SCENARIO TAG QUESTIONS:

1. You have to get rid of all your foundations and you can only keep one high end and one drugstore. Which do you keep?

2. You go for an interview and the lady interviewing you has lipstick on her teeth. Do you approach the subject or ignore it completely?

3. You're not feeling yourself and need a pick me up. Which lipstick do you put on to make yourself feel beautiful?

4. You go back in time for a day to your teenage years. How would you do your hair and makeup differently?

5. You ask your hairdresser for a shoulder length Pixie Lott hair cut, but they hear wrong and give you a pixie cut. Do you...

• a) Smile, say thank you, leave and call your mum hysterical
• b) Cry in the chair and things get awkward
• c) Complain to the manager and demand a refund

6. Your friend surprises you with a 4 day city break and you have 1 hour to pack. Which "do it all" palette do you pack in your makeup bag?

7. Your house has been robbed. Don’t worry everyone is safe, but your beauty stash has been raided. What's the product you really hope is safe?

8. Your friend borrows your makeup and returns it in awful condition. Do you...

• a) Just pretend you haven't noticed
• b) Ask them to repurchase it
• c) Secretly do the same to something of theirs

Affiliate Links

PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation
Cover FX CC Cream*
Revlon Lip Butter - Wild Watermelon
YSL Rouge Volupté Shine - 16 Orange Impertinent
Urban Decay Naked2 Palette

Nails of the Day: Revlon Parfumerie in Lavender Soap

Remember in my last NOTD post about Revlon's Parfumerie Apricot Nectar polish I said I was going to get more shades?  Well, I did... I got a few more (so expect more swatches of this collection soon) and last night I was having a "what shade to pick" crisis. First world problems, anyone? I ended up going with Lavender Soap because I was really curious how opaque it was and how it looks on the nails. Revlon people weren't kidding when they named this nail polish "Lavender Soap" - it pretty much looks like one and it smells like it too! 

To be honest, I can't really decide how I feel about this shade. On one hand I really love the pale lavender color, but I do wish it was a creme instead of a pearl finish. My initial reaction was something along the lines of "90's called and they want their nail polish back", but I think it's slowly growing on me. My biggest issue with this polish are the brush strokes - there is no getting rid of them. They're not the worst I've seen and you can only notice them from up close (click on the photo above to enlarge - you will see them better), but they still annoy me. The scent isn't my favorite either: I was hoping for mostly lavender and a hint of soap, but what I smell is mostly soap. It's a "nice" soap smell, so if you're into that kind of thing it might come off clean and fresh to you. Personally, I'm not a fan and my only consolation is that the scent is very faint once the top coat is on.

As far as application goest, the polish is thin and streaky. I'm wearing two THICK coasts in the photo above, but I think most people will need three. I don't think I will be buying any more pearl/metallic shades from this collection and stick to creams. Shimmers are my next finish in question for Revlon's Parfumerie polishes, but those aren't usually streaky. Overall, I don't think Lavender Soap is all that great aside from the actual color, and it's definitely inferior to the Apricot Nectar I tried last week.

What do you guys think?

Affiliate Links

Where to buy:

Revlon Parfumerie nail polishes are available in 24 shades and scents.
I got mine from Ulta, but you can find them wherever Revlon is sold: Target, Walgreens, drugstore.com, etc.

Oscar Sunday: My Favorites + Predictions

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I haven't talked about movies on this blog in a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been watching them! And since it's Oscar Sunday I just have to put in my two cents about this year's nominees. I'm going to do two things: write who I think should win and who I think will win for most of the "main" categories. Now, though I haven't seen all of the films, I have seen most of them and so the only categories I will skip are the ones where I'm not familiar with the majority of nominees. I hope one year I will educate myself enough to watch ALL of the films, but let's be real: things like animated shorts are at the bottom of my priority list (no offense).

Who are your favorites this year? Do you think anyone has been snubbed or shouldn't have been nominated?

Best Picture

Should win: 12 Years a Slave
Will win: 12 Years a Slave

I will honestly be very surprised if I'm wrong here: 12 Years a Slave is what they call a "game changer" and is one of the most powerful films I've ever seen. I think everyone should watch it, not only for its cinematic value, but also as a story to learn from and remember. Hands down, best film of the year.

Best Director

Should win: Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity
Will win: Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity

Though I am in the minority of people who didn't think Gravity was all that great, I do think the director deserves recognition for this work here. It is absolutely the most heart-pumping roller coaster of a film, like nothing else out there, and for that Alfonso Cuarón needs to get his Oscar. My problem with the film was that I thought its value ended at its thrill ride status: I didn't connect with the characters, I didn't buy the fact that someone would send a person as unstable as Sandra Bullock's character into space, and quite frankly, the personal drama seemed far-fetched and out of place. Just my opinion. 

Best Actor

Should win: Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave
Will win: Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club

I think the Best Actor category this year is one of the toughest ones I've ever seen: every nominee has done an amazing performance. To be honest, my only hope here is that the Oscar doesn't go toThe Wolf of Wall Street. Don't get me wrong, I love DiCaprio, but oh, how did I LOATHE this film! My two thoughts after seeing were "why did we waste all this talent on a story about a despicable character who learned nothing?" and "I can't believe I just put money in Jordan Belfort's pocket!" I think both Matthew McConaughey and Chiwetel Ejiofor delivered stunning performances, but I am giving my vote to Mr. Ejiofor because I have never seen that much pain and will from an actor before.

Best Actress

Should win: Amy Adams for American Hustle
Will win: Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine

I'm pretty sure this one will go to Cate Blanchett, but since Blue Jasmine is one of the few films I haven't seen I want to give my support to Amy Adams. She has really surprised me in this role and shown a different side of her talent. I do believe that she was one of the main reasons American Hustle was such a success and that deserves recognition.

Best Supporting Actor

Should win: Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club
Will win: Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club

Let me tell you this: before I watched Dallas Buyers Club I had to watch the trailer twice because the first time around I didn't realize THAT was Jared Leto until the end of it, so I had to see it again after I've collected my jaw from the floor. Then I watched the film. I knew Jared Leto was a good actor, I remember Requiem for a Dream, but I still did not expect this from him. As a side note, I think Daniel Brühl deserved a nomination for his work in Rush and if he was nominated he would have been my "should win" pick - amazing performance. 

Best Supporting Actress

Should win: Lupita Nyong’o for 12 Years a Slave
Will win: Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle

My gut tells me this will be another Academy Award for Jennifer Lawrence and I get it, everyone loves her - even I love Jennifer Lawrence. There is no doubt about her talent and she was great in American Hustle. But she already won an Oscar for that role last year when she won for Silver Linings Playbook - it's the same exact character but in a different setting. I don't think she delivered anything new this year. Lupita Nyong’o? She delivered depth and pain.

Best Original Screenplay

Should win: Her
Will win: Her

Her is simply the most original story out there in YEARS. It's my favorite film of the year next to 12 Years a Slave, except I can actually watch it again without falling apart. If you missed it in theaters, I highly recommend you make a point of seeing it once it's available to rent or buy - it's brilliant.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Should win: 12 Years a Slave
Will win: 12 Years a Slave

I'm starting to sound like a broken record. Can you tell which film is my top pick for this award season? 

Best Original Score

Should win: Gravity
Will win: Gravity

I don't think there is any doubt here - Gravity deos have an amazing score that really stands out among other nominees. I do have to note that nothing haunted me more Hans Zimmer's score for 12 Years a Slave and the fact that he didn't receive a nomination puzzles me greatly. 

My Favorite Things: February 2014

Well, it's time for my monthly favorites video again! February has been a great month for discovering new beauty products and I think a lot of them are going to stick around with me for a while. The only thing I didn't include is my Urban Decay Naked3 palette - it is still my most used palette, but I didn't want to repeat myself from last time. Truth be told, I actually had to stop myself a few times from using it for the sake of doing something different with my eye makeup. Who knew pink-hued neutrals would be that much of a hit? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the video!

What have you been loving lately?

P.S. My Collective Haul + First Impressions post and video are here.

Affiliate Links

Products Mentioned:

Ahava Mineral Botanic Rich Body Butter - Hibiscus & Fig
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate
Nivea Lip Butter - Raspberry Rosé Kiss
Too Faced Perfect Flush Blush - Something About Berry
YSL Rouge Volupté Shine - 5 Fuchsia in Excess
Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm - Standout and Audacious
Revlon Nail Art Sun Candy - Sun Shower
American Apparel Wool Floppy Hat - Black

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette: I Want to Eat It!

Every time I pull this palette out I feel as if I'm one step away from ending up on an episode of My Strange Addiction. It looks like a chocolate bar and it smells like one too! What are you doing to me, Too Faced? Jokes aside, Chocolate Bar is the most adorable palette I own or have ever seen. I'll admit, when I first saw it I thought "Do I REALLY need another neutral palette?" But then, just for fun, I picked it up and walked around the store comparing it to the ones I own. Guess what? It turned out I was lacking in the warm neutrals department, so I had to take it home with me.

Chocolate Bar comes with 16 shades: 6 matte and 10 shimmery, all made with cocoa powder and deliciously named. What I loved right away about this palette was the fact that there are two highlighter shades (a matte and a shimmer) and that both of them are double the size compared to the rest of the shades. I don't know about you, but I go through my highlighter shades faster than anything else. As far as the quality goes, I would say that the majority of the shades are very nicely pigmented, soft, and buttery. I did think a few shades are dryer than others (more on that later). However, I didn't find any shades I couldn't work with so overall I'm very happy. The packaging is pretty compact, with a magnetic closure. My only complaint here is that the names of the shades aren't actually printed under the pans or on the back of the packaging - there is a separate plastic insert which isn't something I normally keep, but I guess I'll have to. Not that it's a big deal, but if I ever lose the sheet (which I probably will) I will sound rather silly telling people I used "this warm brown shade over here".

If you split the palette in half, you will notice that left side has more warm earthy tones, while the right has mostly cooler pinkish shades. On the left side the shades that are giving me a bit of trouble are Gilded Ganache (1), Salted Caramel (3) and Semi-Sweet (5). Gilded Ganache (1) gives me some fallout and requires some building up for full effect. Salted Caramel (3) actually feels very nice and soft, but it is a bit powdery. Semi Sweet (5) requires a little extra blending work - the texture is a bit dry and it tends to stick to one place. However, like I said earlier, there aren't any major issues and all of the shades can be worked with. Check out the swatches below.

Left to right: 1. Gilded Ganache 2. White Chocolate 3. Salted Caramel 4. Marzipan 5. Semi-Sweet 6. Hazelnut 7. Crème Brulee 8. Haute Chocolate

Moving on to the right side, Triple Fudge (11) was the first shade that seemed a bit subpar: even though it has nice pigmentation, the texture is pretty dry and not as smooth as the others. Candied Violet (13) is probably my biggest disappointment of the palette: though it looks really pretty in the pan and when it's built up, the shade is actually very sheer, dry, and creates quite a bit of fallout. In its sheer state it actually looks more gray than violet, with some purple shimmer. Lastly, Cherry Cordial (15) is a bit dry as well, but it has good color payoff and is easy to blend. Take a look at the swatches below.

Left to right: 9. Milk Chocolate 10. Black Forest Truffle 11. Triple Fudge 12. Strawberry Bon Bon 13. Candied Violet 14. Amaretto 15. Cherry Cordial 16. Champagne Truffle

Overall, I would say this is a very good palette to have. Despite some quality inconsistencies, the shades are absolutely gorgeous and versatile - there are many different looks that can be created with Chocolate Bar. This palette is also great for travel: the wide range of shades is suitable to create complete looks and I can definitely see it rivaling my Naked palettes when it comes to packing for a trip. Also, who doesn't want a palette that smells like chocolate?!

Have any of you tried this palette?
What are some of your favorite looks to create with it?

Affiliate Links

Where to Buy:

While I got mine from Ulta, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it at stores that sell Too Faced. I've seen it at Sephora, Macy's, beauty.com and of course, toofaced.com

Bath & Body Works Haul: Spring 2014

Surprise! I went shopping... again! In my defense, this had nothing to do with beauty and one shouldn't be without soap. Or candles. As you probably already know, I'm a big fan of Bath & Body Works, and since they were having a sale I thought it was a good time to pick up a few things. I really wanted to check out the Sweet Shop collection, but even though I liked some of the scents I thought they were too sweet to have my place smell like them. I am usually a fan of bakery scents, but for spring I really wanted to get something fresh and light. 

Do you change up your home scents depending on the season?
Have you gotten anything from the new collections at Bath & Body Works?

PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

3-Wick Candles:

• Lilac Blossom
• Market Peach
• Peach Bellini
• Sydney Harbor

Gentle Foaming Hand Soap:

• Market Peach
• Pink Passion Fruit
• Rainforest Sugarcane
• Aqua Blossom