Lush Love... Body addition

Hi Everyone... Today's post is all about one of my most favorite brands! LUSH!  I've already talked a little about Lush in the past, but today I want to show you two items I seriously can't live without: Sympathy for the Skin and Flying Fox shower gel!

Sympathy For The Skin:

I've tried probably a million body lotions in my life, and I honestly have a ton of favorites.  This one is on the top of my list.  I tend to like fresh, clean scents most of the time, and this one hits the nail on the head!  It's made from bananas and cocoa butter... and makes my skin feel incredibly smooth, fresh, and clean.  This lotion is perfect for the work week or the weekend!  The scent is very mild, and will match just about any perfume or other scent based product your using.  The best part is... I've noticed a huge difference in the dryness of my skin.  My skin was pretty dry after this horrible winter we had in New England, and this lotion has come to my rescue!!!

Flying Fox Shower Gel:
Again, I have a ton of shower gels, but this one may be my favorite.  And that says A LOT!  I've been using the Philosophy shower gels for years, and always gravitate back to them... but this one, may actually take the cake!  It does what it's supposed to do... leaves my skin feeling soft, clean, and refreshed.  I also think it helps moisturize my skin.  But my favorite part is definitely the smell.  It smells like honey and Jasmine- a combination I can't even describe.  It's super invigorating, but not over powering.

So those are a couple of my favorite lush body products!  I hope every one's week is going well!!!

Review- Stila Convertible Color

So I may have gone on a mini (and I STRESS, MINI) Sephora haul the other night.  I was in desperate need of bronzer (more on that in another post), and wanted a cream blush to withstand the humidity of the summer.  I planned to finally try the Makeup Forever HD Cream blush or, if I was unsure about that, pick up a new Tarte cream blush.  After I spotted the Stila Convertible Color line, I decided to go in a different direction.

Stila Convertible Color is a blush and lip color in one.  It comes in seven different colors.  I picked "Fuchsia"- a bright pink.

It comes in an adorable little compact, which is perfect for touchups on the go.  

The first thing I noticed when I opened the compact was how creamy and shinny the color was.  I was initially worried it would be too bright, but once I tried it on, the color blended into my skin flawlessly.  I was surprised the color was so sheer on my fair skin. It was just the right amount of summer flush I was looking for. 

I wore this blush out on Saturday night.  It was a little humid and there was some dancing and cocktails involved, and the blush lasted all night.  I didn't need to re-apply, and the color stayed pigmented the entire time.  As a bonus... it doubles a lipstick.  I've only used it once as a lipstick.  I liked how it perfectly matched my cheeks.  

This cream blush has won a number of awards.  It was voted "Best Cream Blush" by InStyle magazine for the past 10 years!  I don't know how I failed to try this product sooner.  If you're looking for a cream blush for the summer, I'd definitely recommend it.  It retails at $25, which is cheaper than most high-end cream blushes on the market.  Add in the compact and the fact you can use it as a lipstick, I think you get a lot of bang for your buck!  

Now the only problem I am going to have is refraining from ending up with all 7 colors haha!

Beach Bag Beauty Essentials

I got my first sunburn the other day, and while it hurt like hell, it was a pleasant reminder... summer is upon us!  I spend a lot of time at the beach and I have a few items I never leave home without.  I don't usually wear make up when I go to the beach, but there are few things I use to help me from getting burned.  I have super fair skin so SPF items are a must!  Here are a few of my beach bag essentials:

(From Left to Right- Bath & Body works hand sanitizer; Fresh Sugar lip Balm; Origins Perfect World Moisturizer; Dr. Jart+ BB Cream; Benefit Big Easy Better than BB; Supergoop sun-defying sunscreen  oil.)


1. Hand Sanitizer-  I hate germs!  And they are everywhere at the beach.  From the bathrooms to the sand (lets not even talk about what goes on in that sand), there are germs lingering everywhere.  Hand sanitizer is a great way to neutralize germs and still smell good.  The Sanitizer pictured is by Bath & Body Works.  It is from their Island Collection and is called "mango hibiscus".  I love the smell of this!  It is a fresh fruity scent and you don't get that chemical scent hand sanitizers usually carry.

2. Fresh Sugar Lip Balm- Can I just say I LOVE Fresh products! And this is no exception.  I have incredibly sensitive lips and with the slightest exposure to the sun they can burn.  I've had a lot of trouble finding SPF lip treatments over the years.  There are your typical drug store brands I've always been using, but they aren't exactly fun.  These Fresh lip balms come in a variety of tinted colors.  I have "Berry" pictured above.  It's a purply color that gives my lips a tinted color while providing be with the protection I need. A MUST HAVE!

3. Origins Perfect World Moisturizer- This one is the age defense with white tea.  SPF 25.  I always carry a moisturizer.  I'll usually put this on before I leave my house or use it to touch up every couple hours on the beach.  The sun really dries skin out, so I find putting this on as I'm leaving the beach helps alleviate dryness.

4. Dr. Jart+ BB Cream- This cream is SPF 45- which I LOVE!  It only comes in one shade, so it is very light.  I like the fact I don't have to try and figure out what color I am.  I can never ever put sun screen on my face because I'll instantly break out.  I used to use Clinique City Block, until I discovered this gem last summer.  This balm did a great job at protecting my skin, even in the harshest of sun light.

5. Benefit Bigger than BB- This is a new product.  I'm a HUGE fan of Benefit products, and when this was launched earlier this year, I had to try it.  It has more of a powder finish to it, which is nice.  I haven't had the chance to try this in the sun yet.  The SPF is only 35, so I may stick with my Dr. Jart+ BB Cream for the beach.  I'll keep you posted!

6. Supergoop Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil (SPF 50)- Can I say I LOVE this stuff!  It goes on like an oil so it is super moisturizing.  It acts as a sunscreen and an all-over moisturizer at the same time.  The SPF is about as high as you can get, so it offers optimal protection.  I can't wait to use this stuff all summer!

7. Make Up Remover Wipes-  (not pictured).  I use the CVS brand gentile wipes.  They easily cleanse your face and are very gentile.  I use them all over my body though.  They are perfect way to cool down, or keep your body from overheating.  Also, after you leave the beach they are a great substitute for a shower if you are going somewhere before having the opportunity to get cleaned up. Let's face it- you can get just as sweaty sitting on the beach doing nothing as you can working out!  I hear the Aveno wipes are great too, so I will probably try those this summer as well!

What are some of your favorite beauty essentials at the beach?!?!

Friday's Fabulous Five

This week went by at light speed.  I don't even know what happened.  It was a 4-day week for me, but still, I feel like I blinked and it was Friday again.  What a wonderful thing to have happen!  Here are 5 things I'm loving this week!

1. This View....

I am a huge fan of summer, and this weekend made me so incredibly excited it's finally here!  I'm really lucky to be able to spend as much time as I want on Cape Cod, and I take full advantage of it every chance I get.  This is the beach by our house, and everything about this view makes me smile :)

2. OPI "Don't Bossa Nova Me Around"

This shade is from OPI's Brazil line.  Pretty much all of the colors in this line are very bright, except this one.  I picked this color up because I wanted a nude color that reminded me of sand.  I hit the jackpot!  Once I put it on, I instantly loved it.  It reminds me of sand on the beach, and it is the perfect color for work!  The color lasted several days, and I only needed two coats.


3. "81 Whacks" Red Indiana Pale Ale-

Ever heard the nursery rhyme... "Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41"?  Completely appropriate nursery rhyme for children to learn, I'm sure you'd agree.  Anyways... in case you don't know... Lizzie Borden was famous for being acquitted of the murder of her parents in Fall River, MA in 1892.  Basically, she was the OJ Simpson of the 1800's.  I live just a couple miles from where the murders allegedly took place.  Lizzie is a bit of a legend in New England, and someone finally created a fabulous IPA in her honor.  A local sports bar nearby used to carry it on tap, but has stopped.  Luckily my friend Jessica (Hi Jess!) found this gem when she was in a craft beer store and picked it up for me.  Absolutely love this IPA...  Oh, and if you're a true crime junkie, like me, google Lizzie- you won't be disappointed ;)


4. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Captivating-

This is part of Tarte's limited edition summer collection, but I have a feeling this is here to stay.  It is a beautiful coral shade, perfect for summer.  I tend to like cream blushes more than powder blushes.  I think they look more natural, where the powder ones can give you that caked-on look.  If you read beauty blogs, I'm sure you've seen tons of bloggers rave about the lasting power of the Amazonian Clay 12-hour blushes.  This shade is meets every expectation I had.  It lasts the entire day, and it looks very natural.  Two of the most important factors I think about when choosing a blush.  I'm obsessed with this color! 

5. Lastly, this week was a fabulous week at work for me.  I don't know if it was going back after a long weekend, and feeling completely rejuvenated, or if it was the short work week, but this week really flew by.  I worked an insane amount of hours, but loved every second of it.   I had a lot of amazing victories and am really thankful I get to wake up every day and do something I love, and work in a field I am passionate about.  

 Hoping you all had a wonderful week too!!! Cheers! It's FRIDAY!

Buxom Nudes & Brights: Review

Lip glosses are one of my most cherished beauty products.  I am especially fond of Buxom glosses.  I think they are hands down the best.  They last a long time, the colors are amazing, the shine is perfect, and I love the way they feel.  For those of you who don't know, many buxom glosses have a tingle to them.  They claim to plump lips, which, I'm not sure is entirely true.  I notice my lips are fuller, but I attribute it more to the color and fullness of the gloss.

I'm also especially fond of kits.  When there is a kit, I'll probably buy it.  I think it's a great way to try new products without much of a commitment.  Needless to say I was psyched when I saw this kit at Sephora:

Buxom Nudes & Brights! This kit is perfect.  3 nude colors, and 3 vibrant colors- perfect for summer! The thing I loved about this kit was getting 6 different colors for only $32.00.  Full-size Buxom glosses run around $19.00.  These sizes were about half the size of a regular gloss, but you're still getting much more.  Plus, I have a little issue, where I tend to lose glosses.  They end up in my purses, work bag, desk, bathroom, jacket pocket, you name it!  So I figure with six, if I lose a couple, I'm still good hahahaha!

First the Nudes:

From left to right... "Yes You", "Mwah", and "Dolly" (Swatches below)

"Yes You"- is a very, very nude color.  It's almost a plain gloss.  It looks great on it's own or over another color to add some extra shine, or tone down a loud color.

"Mwah"- has a more pink tone to it, but still is pretty nude.  It's perfect for work, or to wear with dark eye makeup, if your looking to tone down your lips.

"Dolly"- I've been a fan of this color for ages.  It's my go-to color.  I usually wear it to work or when I'm at home lounging around.  It's more pink than nude, but it's very pretty on.

Now the Brights...

From left to right... "Strut It", "Pucker Up", "Cha Cha Cha" (swatches below)

"Strut It"- Bright pink, almost like a watermelon hot pink.  It's perfect for summer.  I wore this with a black dress, pink flip flops, and a pink necklace.  It was prefect.

"Pucker Up"- Same idea, but purple.  It's a great summer color for day or evening out.

"Cha Cha Cha"- This is by far my favorite.  It's a neon red/orange color and it really makes my lips stand out and pop.  This color is perfect for those hot summer nights!

Here are the swatches:

As you can tell from the swatch, I am super fair-skinned. (Also, don't mind the scratches... I wasn't kidding when I said I was a crazy cat lady lol).  I really thought all of these colors looked great on me.  I rarely find a kit where such a wide range of colors look good on.  I think these colors would look great on any skin tone.  I was really surprised I liked the brights as much as a I did.  And... all of these colors had the lasting power of Buxom.  They felt great on my lips, were full-bodied, and had ample shine.

This kit is still available at Sephora, both online and in stores.  Price, quality, and the wonderful colors in this kit make it a must have!