2013 Favorites: Beauty, Fashion, & More!

I've wanted to start doing monthly favorites posts for a while now, but my mind was always occupied at the end of the month. With the new year, I figured it was a good time to start. Since this blog was born in 2013, how could I skip over doing a yearly favorites? That's right, I just couldn't. Regardless, the new year has begun and I already feel as if it's going too fast. How can it already be the 6th? Time just flies.

Getting onto the subject of this post, 2013 was definitely a year of discovery for me, and it took a lot to narrow down my picks for the overall favorites. So, let us begin!

Skincare
I focused a lot on my skin in 2013, especially in the second half. While I do (and always will) love makeup, I'd pick going out bare-faced over packing on the foundation and concealer any day. So most of my current skincare routine (post on that later?) came from the past year, but I certainly narrowed down what I love the most to three measly products. Go me!

• Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes: Yes, yes, everyone loves these. But just because every beauty guru and their cat have raved about these guys doesn't mean I'm going to deny myself the pleasure of announcing my love to the world. These are really great, and they deserve all of the hype around them. I typically use a separate eye makeup remover and just use these for any face makeup, but on the lazy days, these swipe off my mascara like it's nobodies business.Do makeup wipes break you out? No worries. The whole brand is dedicated to being the solution for every the most sensitive of skins. 
• Borghese Fango Active Mud for Face and Body: I did a whole post about this product back in June (link), so I won't spend too much time on it. I will say that I have an awful problem with blackheads on my nose, and this stuff is the best I've found for removing the gunk from my pores. 
• Nivea Soft Refreshingly Light Moisturizing Cream: My skin may be prone to acne (thanks, teenage hormones) but it's also very dry. I used Avon face cream for a while, but when they discontinued all of my favorites, I began to search for my next skin savor. Nivea's one of my favorite brands, period, and after trying both of their moisturizers, I've realized that this is the best one I've ever used. Yeah, it's that good. 

Hair Care

• Suave Dry Shampoo: Dry shampoos were something that had intrigued me from the second I heard about that. As a student, there's just so many times where I know I didn't wash my hair the day before, but it was a very long day and I just want to curl up in a blanket and sleep for days, so a product that would hold over my locks between washing definitely interested me. This product is roughly three dollars, found in the drugstore, and does such a fantastic overall job that I've repurchased it a dozen times--no exaggeration there (I even keep a backup). Dark-haired like myself? The white cast it leaves disappears with very little effort. 
• Not-Your-Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray: Another product I've done a full review on (check it out here), this is my favorite styling product. I have very straight (very boring) hair, and this is perfect for adding some texture and style. My favorite way to use it is on second or third day curls--it morphs them into beachy waves better than those gotten at the actual beach. 

Body Products

• Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub: My very last post was a review on this product, so I'll try not to gush too much. I've made lip scrubs before, and nothing compares to Lush's line. Yes, they might be seen as a little pricey for essentially just...well, sugar, but there's no better fix for winter-chapped lips. 
• Burt's Bees Lemon Butte Cuticle Cream: I found this over the summer, and I can honestly still say that this is a product I use the crap out of. I reviewed this last July, so I'll link that post here to spare this favorites post from being a novel. 

Cosmetics 

• Neutregena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup: This is my favorite drugstore foundation and one of my overall favorite products in terms of base makeup. I love this so much, I wear it not only as my go-to foundation, but also to any special occasions that pop up (including my ex-boyfriend's prom last June). If that doesn't say enough, I'm not sure what will. Oh, bonus? It has SPF but doesn't leave a white cast in photos. 
• Rimmel Stay Matte Translucent Powder: I made the decision to switch from my Maybelline Dream Matte to something translucent (in order to not have to switch shades with my skin tone) and after hearing a rave review about this from one of my most trusted YouTube gurus, I gave it a shot. Since then, I've been through two. All tune favorite? I think so. 

• Benefit Sugarbomb: My favorite of the boxed powders, I used this a ton in the last few months of the year. It's the perfect one-sweep cheek product for me, as it makes me look bronzed and flushed at the same time. Bonus? The slight shimmer highlights my cheekbones in a way that's almost too good to be true. I'll have my full review linked here.
• NYX Powder Blush in Mocha: One of my top two blushes from the drugstore, I was so happy when I discovered this color. It's a gorgeous, matte berry-toned neutral blush that gives the perfect every day flush across the cheeks. Love, love love! 

• MAC Syrup Lipstick & MAC Cremesheen Glass in Just Superb: I'm combining these two products because they were my favorite lip combination of 2013. Syrup is a beautiful, darker browned-out-pink color that's right up my ally. If I top it with anything, it's MAC's Cremesheen Glass in Just Superb, which is a lovely, creamy natural pink. The two colors together look stunning, and are one of my favorite lip combos.
• Lo'real Color Riche Balm in Rose Elixer: This line has to be the answer to the Revlon Lip Butters, but I really like them for a different way. I wore this every day to school in the beginning half the year, so I couldn't do a favorites post without mentioning it. It's nice and natural, my-lips-but-better color, and it adds a nice shine and moisturizes well for a lip color. I'll definitely invest in more of these.

• Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette: I hated matte eyeshadows before this palette came along. I resisted it for months until I kept hearing such brilliant reviews that I couldn't help but check it out. Well, turns out, I now love matte shadows and have created some pretty awesome everyday looks with this palette. Oh, and I use it almost every time I do my makeup. 
• Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Nude: I reviewed this when I first bought it back in July (link!) and for the past six months it's the only thing I'll use on my waterline. Nude liners are awesome for widening/brightening up your eyes, but quality ones are a rare gem in the realm of drugstore cosmetics. Even better? It's super affordable. 
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Yogurt: This product was almost cut, but it's gettng a mention solely because the color of this is my favorite color I've ever worn on my eyes. Seriously, it's that good. Plus, at $5, it's one of the best eye-shadow bases around. I have to stop myself sometimes from using this little guy so much. 

• Essie Fiji: I'm actually wearing this color on my nails at the moment, and it's such an awesome, every day shade. I'd describe it as a light, milky, baby pink that in my opinion is the perfect polish for that, well...polished look. Essie's especially known for their pastel and neutral shades, and this one is no exception in my eyes. 

• Real Techniques Brushes: Samantha Chapman (a popular YouTube beauty guru) created this line of brushes I don't know how long ago, but I do know that on top of being incredible, they are super affordable. I only have this set of basic eye brushes, but the rest of the line is on the top of my shopping list next time I hit an Ulta store. Sam, please come out with more of these! 

• Bath and Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Body Mist: Alright, it's true *hangs head in shame*. I didn't stop wearing this when the Christmas season ended. This is actually one of my favorite (if not my favorite) fragrances Bath and Body Works has ever come out with, and I just can't resist using it even on the hottest summer days. So, yeah, it was my favorite scent this year. And I'm not too proud to admit that I wore it almost every single day from December 2012 to August 2013. 

Fashion 

• My first favorite I don't really have a picture for, but it's cardigans. I surprisingly never owned a cardigan until about a year and a half ago, and now I wear them 90% of the time. Unforunately, I don't have a picture of one to share, but I did want it to be known that in terms of clothing, cardigans more than take the cake for 2013. 

• I discovered these canvas sneakers from Target in the beginning of they year, and I own five pairs and wear them to death. My favorite (and first pair) were these navy blue ones, and I just think they are completely amazing and really cute. Also, nude flats. Again, I found these at Target and I wear them with everything. I'm now forever lusting after the Tory Burch Caroline flats: the nude ones are just shout "buy me, buy me!" every time that I look at them on Nordstrom's website. 

• BCBG Affirmation Bracelet: God, this is so my style it hurts. I'm not going to spend too much time on this, because once I start, I'll never stop. But I did feature this in a jewelry post back in the summer, so you can check that out if you haven't already seen it. 
• Alex and Ani bracelets: I talked about my first one (the Gemini one) in a Girly Obsessions post and since (actually, both for Christmas) I've acquired two more: the emerald (my birthstone) and the sailboat. This whole company just really inspires me and hits home, as the whole premise is to focus on positive energy and thinking. And yeah, the bracelets are roughly $30 a pop, but they're so worth it, I promise. 
• The Angel: My grandmother, and one of my closest and favorite relatives, passed away on October 30th 2013. She wore this little gold angel pendant every day for the last twelve years of her life, and when she passed, my grandfather gave me this necklace. It's the perfect reminder of her, and whenever I wear it, I just feel good. 

 Random

• Netflix: Specifically shows like New Girl and One Tree Hill really captivated me this year, and Netflix in general has just become a huge part of my entertainment. New Girl became one of my top three favorite shows (it holds the #2 spot, just behind The Big Bang Theory and ahead of Friends). Also, One Tree Hill. Yes, I know I'm incredibly late on that bandwagon. Chad Michael Murray is just so...ugh. Enough said. 
• Frozen: Probably the cutest movie I've seen in a while, the latest Disney release is just so good. I've been singing the soundtrack ever since I saw it. Who wants to build a snowman with me?!
• Music: First, McFly. (Tom Fletcher is probably one of my favorite human beings in the world.) I've known about them for a while, but I really fell for their music last January. My favorite song has to be a tie between All About You, Sorry's Not Good Enough, and Too Close for Comfort. Next, Hunter Hayes. Oh boy, he is just great in so many aspects. Fangirling aside, I do really like his music, and I Want Crazy and Better than This are my favorites from him, although I love every song on his album. And finally, Michael Buble. What is it with me and male music artists this year? Regardless, It's a Beautiful Day and Haven't Met You Yet are consistently stuck in my head. 
• Snapchat: Embarrassingly enough, I was so against this app when it first gained popularity, but now I'm obsessed. Sending snaps to my friends during class is a fun way to make time go quicker (but shhhh don't tell my mom). 
• Coffee mugs: Don't ask me how it happened, but I became really obsessed with cute coffee mugs this year. I've started a collection, and I'll probably do a post on it when it grows a bit more. But for now, I'll keep searching for the cutest, dorkiest beverage holders I can find!

Phew, if you made it to the end, you're a champ! Here's to saying goodbye to 2013, and let's hope 2014 is the best year yet!

What was your top favorite from the past year?

xoxo

Alyssa

Lush Lust: Mint Julips

I think most girls are in love with Lush, or if they haven't heard of it/aren't close to one, in love with the idea of Lush. I mean, come on: a company devoted to making all-natural, luxurious bath and body products designed to make a person sit back, relax, and decompress. It's practically a fairy tale. I'm no exception to the Lush  Lust, however, my favorite product at the moment isn't a bath or body product, it's a lip product--but really, no surprises there.

Lush has a wildly popular line of lip balms (I highly recommend Honey Trap), but even better are their lip scrubs. The best lip scrubs are sugar based, and are the perfect fix for dry, winter-chapped lips. Lush's line stands out in the beauty world because they are actually edible. Sure, you can rinse the sugar off like usual, but you can also lick it off. And with a flavor like Mint Julips ("Tasty mint chocolate sugar lip buffer for smooth moves and sweeter kisses") lip-licking is certainly tempting. Finally, a product that looks/smells good enough to eat where you actually can.

I normally am not an avid ingredient list reader, but since Lush labels themselves as all-natural every chance they get, I tend to get curious when it comes to them. Mint Julips is made from two different types of sugar and a few essential oils, vanilla and peppermint extract, and that's it. As a consumer, it makes me feel a million times better about well, consuming it. And yeah, this scrub does actually taste pretty good.

The packaging is a nicely-sized, hefty glass jar with a screw-off lid. But my favorite part? Turn over the container and there's a sticker showing not only the expiration date, but also the date it was made, and the name and a picture of the Lush employee who made it. I know some people don't like this detail, but I think it's a nice, quirky, personal touch, especially since the brand's motto is "Fresh, Handmade Cosmetics." 

All in all, I highly recommend. If you're not a mint-chocolate person, they have a plain chocolate version, as well as a popcorn and bubblegum flavors. These retail for roughly $10 and are available in Lush stores!

Are you a Lushie?

xoxo

Alyssa

NYX Butter Glosses: Review and Swatches

I heard quite a bit of hype on NYX's latest lip gloss formulation. Since the brand's Mega Shine Lip Glosses are some of the most popular from a drugstore brand, I knew the new product had to be something incredible for makeup junkies to be focusing on something different.

Left to Right: Eclair, Creme Brulle

And so I went to Ulta and found the Butter Glosses in the NYX section for I believe just around $5 a pop--pretty good! I picked out about five, but ended up only purchasing one, Creme Brulle. I ended up liking it so much that when I went to Target, I snatched the only one they had left--Eclair. These colors are typical-Alyssa-colors: a nude-y pink (Creme Brulle) and a creamy, neutral pink (Eclair).

Eclair, Creme Brulle

The packaging is lovely: round, doe-foot applicators, and color coordinated. I love it! And because the whole packaging down to the caps are the color of the product, it's very easy to pick out the one you want without them having to be upside down.

I'm about 95% positive that the scents are matched to the desserts they are named after (how amazing is that?) Eclair smells kind of like a sweet vanilla (like Eclair filling!) whereas Creme Brulle has more of a subtle caramel scent (just like its namesake). Maybe it's just my imagination, but if that is the case I would buy them just for that detail. But I do love these glosses. The formulation is one of my favorites--thick, pigmented, and very smooth and bendable. The formula can be sheered out or built up and look good no matter what. I also think these are good glosses to apply on the go--I'm sure the brighter colors (there's a red I'm dying to own) are a little less versatility in this way, but I can't imagine these neutral colors ending up splattered across your face. The formulation, feel, and wear reminds me of the MAC Cremesheen Glosses--which is a very, very good thing.

Creme Brulle, Eclair

I highly recommend these. They've wormed their way to one of the top spots on my favorite lip gloss lists. And for just around the five dollar mark, they are an all around winner. These glosses should be sold wherever NYX products are sold (Ulta, select Targets, and select Bed Bath and Beyond stores).

Makeup products named after food items: Yay or Nay?
xoxo
Alyssa

My Alternate Make Up Storage (November 2013)

I've been playing around with room decor and storage/organization lately, and one of the things I'm trying to perfect is my make up storage. I have what I call my "beauty box" on my desk (an updated post on that will be coming soon), but I have much more makeup than that box can fit. I have a separate drawer besides these two for more loved products, but today I'm showing you guys where I store the makeup I don't really use too much. 

I took these pictures on my iPad, so I apologize in advance if the quality is not up to usual standards. But I have this little three-shelf on one of the walls in my bedroom, and the bottom is most definitely my favorite. The magazine racks (housing Vogue, Teen Vogue, Seventeen, and Lucky) are from Target, the three-drawer container is from Walmart, and I'll go more in depth with the books torwards the end.

                                 

This is the place I store my makeup products that I like enough not to throw away, but at the moment I'm just not using very much. A lot of these products I really love, so it's not the "reject section." In fact, when I redo my beauty box every few weeks, I switch in some of these products. 

                                 

First drawer: face products. Recognize the containers I use to keep things a bit neater? They're old Birchboxes! Birchboxes are one of my favorite organization bins--they are the perfect size. But anyways, the front houses base makeup. There's some Arbonne powders, an ELF powder, and some random concealers and luminizing products. In the back bin is blushes and powder highlighters. I have some various Maybelline blushes, other miscellaneous drugstore powders, and a few cream blush sticks. On the side of the boxes is my trusty Avon Correct and Conceal Compact, which is taking a break from being my every day concealer option (if you're wondering about the hair tie, let's just say the compact is very well loved).

                                 

Next up, eye products. The front bin houses singles and a few duos. I LOVE the single shadows in this bin and they get used often. The Elf Mineral Shadow in Elegant and the Avon Celestial Shadow in Moon Sand are two of my all time favorites. Other than that, there's some random drugstore shadows and an Estée Lauder duo. In the back there's trios, quads, and small palettes. I have a few Elf quads, some Clinique, and a few others. On the side is some extra pencil liners ans an Elf Cream Liner.

                                   

And lastly: lips. In the front are some excess Revlon's Lip Butters (Cupcake, Gumdrop, and Creamsicle) that I just prefer for the summertime. Then some Elf lipsticks, an Ulta one, and my favorite Avon gold lip gloss. Other than that it's just some lipsticks from various brands. In the back is 85% Elf glosses (I loved Elf glosses for years). I've tried about every formula, and this bin houses the squeeze tube ones, and the Hypershines (my favorite) mostly. Besides that, it's just random glosses. And on the side are some lip palettes from Ulta and a backup of my favorite Hypershine gloss from Elf (Fairy).

On top of the bin, I store some of my favorite books. From my childhood, I have Dr. Seuss's The Foot Book and If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff. Then there's The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky) which have been favorites of mine for a few years now!

Do you have a lot of products you don't use regularly?

xoxo

Alyssa 

Monday Questionnaire: November 18th 2013!

Ah, Monday. How I dread you every week. But really, I cannot believe that next week is Thanksgiving--this year went by so quickly! So I'm back today to answer a Monday Questionaire: it's just some quick questions to start off the week.

                              

                           This little guy came in my Birchbox last week! Can you say

                            perfection?

1.) Mood:

 I'm pretty content today. Tired, as always, but not particularly happy or sad.

2.) What is the last song/album you purchased?

The Taylor Swift Christmas album. I'm getting in a festive mood lately, plus the album is great.

3.) The best video game system ever is __________.

I'm not a huge gamer, but I love my Wii. However, my Gameboy will always hold a special place in my heart!

4.) Current nail polish:

Revlon's Facets of Fushcia

5.) How many times did you hit the snooze button this morning? 

None! I don't even allow myself a snooze button because I know I'll abuse it. 

6.) Current outfit:

Jeans and a sweatshirt: comfy, comfy,comfy!

7.) What is the furthest distance you've ever driven?

Not far!

8.) You can only use one mascara for the rest of your life-- which one is it?!

Maybelline's The Mega Plush. I like the my-lashes-but-better effect--no drama for me.

9.) If you could have a $1000 gift card to anywhere right now, where would you choose?

My first instinct is an American Express or Visa, but is that cheating? Probably either Target or Amazon!

10.) Weekly Goals:

Clean, clean, clean! I want my bedroom spotless and reorganized. 
--------------------------------
 

Leave your answers in a comment below!

xoxo

Alyssa 

Fall Fashion: My New Boots

Fall and Winter fashion is my favorite. I love jeans and leggings, and being able to snuggle up in a cozy sweater and a scarf makes me happier than it should. A girl can't be ready for Fall without her basic outfit of a cardigan or sweater, scarf, and boots. I was desperate for black boots that weren't riding boots or combat boots. Just little ankle bootie-type shoes that had a one-inch heel or less--no stilettos for me.

Fortunately, JustFab.com, which is one of my favorites for shoes and handbags, has a great selection of boots for the Fall and Winter. So when I spring for my new pair of riding boots, that site will probably be the first place I check. Everything on JustFab is $39.95, as it is technically a monthly subscription service. But most people just use it as an online shop.

Let's just acknowledge the fact that I ordered these boots on Monday (11/11) and they shipped from across the country and were on my doorstep Thursday (11/14) afternoon. Talk about amazing shipping services (and it's free with a $39.95 purchase...which is every item!)

The boots I picked are the Gale. They're black pleather booties that hit me mid shin. They have a one inch heel, wrap around straps, and silver buckle detailing. One of my problems with boots is that most of them include gold hardware, and I like silver a million times better. These were one of two pairs of black boots on the site that had silver detailing. The inside is also fur-lined.

While I think they look better in the online photo, I really do like the style. My one critic is the fur lining: it's way too much. Fur lining is okay if it can't be see on the outside, but with these you can totally see. It makes the style look less like a chic and fashionable shoe and more like a snow boot. But they are very warm.

In terms of comfort, these were pretty solid. I definitely had to break them in, but it only took walking around the house for twenty minutes with them on the night before to do so. The day after I got them, I wore them all day to school and nothing hurt.

These guys looked really cute with back leggings, a dress, and a cardigan, but when I tried them on for the first time, I was wearing skinny jeans and a plain tee and it looked good, too! They're really veritile style-wise and I think they'll hold up well in the snow. 

I'm pleased with these boots. They're my fifth purchase from the website (and fourth pair of shoes) and I've been happy with everything I've gotten from the site. My oldest pair of shoes from the site (brown riding boots) is over a year old, well loved, and still going strong. So if you're looking for some nice, reasonably-priced shoes, look here!

Link to Gale booties*:justfab.com/gale

*not an affiliated link

Where's your favorite place to buy boots?

xoxo

Alyssa

Birchbox: November 2013 + Update!

Hello, everyone! It's been over a month since my last post, and I have no idea how time passed so quickly. I feel like just yesterday I was complaining about going back to school and now it's almost Thanksgiving.

Before I get into today's post, I did want to do a quick update on what's been going on and where I've been. As soon as school started, every second of my life was taken up! Between driver's ed, editing the yearbook, assistant directing the school play, and you know, schoolwork, blogging kind of took a back seat. I planned on starting again the day after my play finished, but I ended up with family stuff and I just found it a bit hard to write. But now I'm back...and hopefully to stay! *fingers crossed*

Anyway, today is about Birchbox. Unfortunately I had to skip my October post, but I was seriously in love with my box, so I was really exciting when this little guy (or girl, I guess?) arrived at my door.

This month's theme is More Good, which is tailored to "...the abundance in all forms. More thanks, more giving, and more thoughtfulness." In short, it focuses on charitable beauty brands that give back. I think it's a good theme for November to coincide with Thanksgiving. 

My first two samples went together, but were counted separately: Beauty Protector Protect&Shampoo and Protect&Condition. Upon first sniff, they smell like a salon and they are new to the Beauty Protector brand. The bottles look like a travel size, which in my opinion, is the perfect amount of product to truly tell if it works or doesn't. However, while they are nicely sized, I kind of wish they were grouped together as one sample and I would have gotten something else. It just feels kind of cope out-ish to count this as 2/5 of my samples.

Next up, nail polish! More specifically, Color Club's On the Rocks, which is from their new Cocktail Hour Collection. It's a gorgeous shimmery, metallic silver that looks like liquid metal. How much more perfect for the holidays can you get? I picture this as an accent nail with a deep, berry red a bit closer to Christmas. And I promise, Birchbox, I will never complain about Color Club in my box--their formulations are underrated, in my opinion. 

Number four is the Dr. Jart + Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25+. I've heard YouTuber  MeghanRosette  (one of my favorites) rave about this so I was looking to try it. However, there is practically nothing to this. BB Creams are used in place on foundation, and you really need to wear foundation four or five times before you can really make a decision on the wear, skin reaction, etc. I doubt I'll get more than two uses out of this, which sucks. But it is a product I've wanted to give a go. 

My least favorite is the Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy Noir sample, and not because I hated the smell. I actually kind of really liked it, and I'm not usually a major fan of Juicy Couture fragrances. I just cannot stand getting perfume samples in my box. Any person can walk up to any beauty counter or into any store and ask for a perfume sample and receive the same thing for free. I wouldn't mind them if they were an extra, but I don't want them as part of my five. 

And finally...the best part. Birchbox introduced their new section: Birchbox Finds, which is a completely extra item in the box that isn't related to beauty. There won't be one in every month's box, it's just something a bit extra that the company discovered as is loving. And the first Birchbox Find? A full-sized Ghirardelli chocolate bar in the new toffee flavor. Not only do I love Ghirardelli, but I LOVE toffee, so I squealed in delight upon finding this. It makes up for the perfume sample (and not many things would).

The box also includes a fun little Holiday guide with tips and tricks from Birchbox. It's something cute and quirky to flip through.

I didn't figure out my exact total, but I know I passed ten with the chocolate and the nail polish. All in all, I'm happy with this box. But please, Birchbox: no more perfume samples!!

Want to subscribe?* http://www.birchbox.com/

*not an affiliated link

What subscription box service are you subscribed to?

xoxo

Alyssa