what i’m loving right now.

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ombré lips.

For my birthday Erica got me this great dual lipstick from Bite, which is perfect for doing easy ombré lips.

Bite Beauty lipstick

It was so simple - I just did the dark (red) shade on the outside of my lips, and the lighter (fuschia) shade on the inside. It’s not as fancy as the ombré lips/tutorials I’ve seen on makeup blogs, but it does the trick. Voila!

ombré lips

 

ribbon hair ties.

ALSO a gift from Erica…thanks E ;)

Um, why didn’t anyone tell me about these things sooner?! They’re so much better than regular hair ties as they don’t break or leave creases in your hair. Not to mention they just look cuter in your hair and/or on your wrist.

ribbon hair ties

 

vaseline spray & go moisturizer.

Ok – this stuff is a game changer. I’m slightly OCD about using body lotion every day, and Vaseline Spray & Go makes it SO much easier. I still love regular body lotion and body butters, but when I’m in a rush this is great for quick application *and* quick drying.

I’ve only tried the Cocoa Radiant one, which I love – it smells like cocoa butter!

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer

 

roasted veggies.

Nothin’ fancy or new here, just good old big bowls of roasted vegetables. I’ve mentioned before how roasting vegetables (with lots of spices) is the best way to make them taste good, and lately I’ve been making big batches ahead of time.

roasted veggie prep

Smothered with some Annie’s Goddess dressing = perfection.

roasted veggie bowl

(I have a great guide to roasting vegetables on this post)

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What are you loving right now? Any of these things?

{natural} smokey eye makeup.

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Lately I’ve really been enjoying experimenting with new makeup looks. I don’t know if it’s because of the holidays or just getting bored with my normal routine, but trying new colors, brands, and makeup techniques is just so much fun!

I often go with a dramatic smokey eyes for a night out, but I recently saw this tutorial on Refinery29, and it inspired me to try a more natural take on my favorite eye makeup look.

To achieve the look was pretty simple. I used three shadows -

FOXY and FAINT from the Urban Decay NAKED Basics palette:

and the bottom, golden shade from the Almay Intense i-color Bold Nudes kit (for blue eyes):

6 steps to a natural smokey eye:

1. I started by applying a base of the Faint shade on my eyelids with a medium-sized eye shadow brush.

2. Then I used a smaller eye shadow brush to apply Faint under my eyes.
It’s trickier applying to the bottom (which is why you want to use a smaller brush) – try to keep it from going past the ends of your eyelashes to avoid looking like you have a black eye.

3. Then I went over the top and bottom with a light dusting of the gold-toned Almay shadow.

4. I applied the final, lightest shade (Foxy) right under my brow for an extra pop.

5. Eyeliner is optional. I used a light brown (Cover Girl) liner.

6. Finish the eyes with mascara. I swear by Rimmel Lash Accelerator.

To make the look complete I kept it simple with some bronzer and a nude lip.

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What’s your go-to eye makeup look?
What makeup styles/techniques have you been wanting to experiment with?

gml approved: oscar blandi {2}.

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Earlier in the year my friend Gina who works as Oscar Blandi sent me some of their great products to try out, and I’ve been using them ever since! That’s why I was so excited when Oscar Blandi offered to send me some more to give a try, and these turned out to be just as life hair-changing.

1. Oscar Blandi Dry Conditioner Spray
I had heard of and used dry shampoo before, but never a dry conditioner. I wasn’t sure to expect, but this is definitely going to be one of my new go-to hair products. First of all, it smells amazing (which, for me, is one of the first things I look for in a hair product). Secondly, it gives the perfect “freshen up” your hair needs – especially this time of year with the cold weather. It’s weightless, renews shine, detangles, and nourishes your hair with a mist of oils and vitamins.

2. Oscar Blandi Olio Di Jasmine Hair Serum
I’m a huge fan of this serum. Just a few tiny drops made my hair look and feel shiny, soft, and so much healthier. Apply a few drops to hair as needed – on dry hair to finish a look or on damp hair before blow-dry to protect from heat. This is definitely a new hair secret weapon of mine.

3. Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo
I’ve mentioned before how much I love OB’s spray version of dry shampoo. Well this one is their powdered version, and I love it just as much. It has the same great scent, is lightweight, and leaves my hair feeling fresh with an extra bump of volume. I’ve tried just about every dry shampoo one on the market, and Oscar Blandi’s is hands down my favorite.

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Which of these products would you want to try most? What’s your “hair secret weapon?”

my top 5 beauty secret weapons.

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Every girl has them – her secret beauty weapons that aren’t necessarily noticeable to the naked eye, but can make all the difference in the world. The other day I shared some of my favorite everyday makeup products, and now here are my top 5 beauty secrets weapons.

Lorac Tantalizer.

We all know the dangers of tanning, and I’m pretty sure we all know the dangers of using sunless tanners too (orange streaks – thanks but no thanks). Although I do often use Jergens Natural Glow (and sometimes St. Tropez), Lorac Tantalizer is my go-to when I need an instant bronzed look. It gives your skin the perfect bronze and subtle shimmer – perfect for before a night out.

Some tips:
1) Tantalizer is more like body makeup than a self tanner, so try to wash it off before going to bed.
2) Something I learned from Jessi - use just a small amount of Tantalizer and mix it with regular lotion for a smoother and lighter application.

Dermablend.

I first got Dermablend years ago for the purpose of covering up my wrist tattoo for a job. Not only did it do a great job of covering up my tattoo, but I found that it’s the perfect concealer when dealing with bad blemishes or redness. I’ve never used it as a full foundation, so I can’t vouche for that, but it’s definitely my secret weapon when I need some extra coverage.

Some tips:
1) Dermablend has facial foundations/concealers but also one for your body, which is great if you’re dealing with blemishes on your back or chest.
2) A little bit of Dermablend goes a long way, so start out with a small dab and go from there.

 

Dirty hair.

That’s right - the dirtier, the better! (Okay, maybe I wouldn’t go that far.) But whenever I want my hair to hold a certain style – especially waves or an updo – one day after washing leaves my hair in a better condition and texture to hold the style in place. I find that this is especially true when I want more volume because when my hair is freshly clean, it doesn’t hold teasing or hairspray nearly as well.

Some tips:
1) If you don’t want to go the dirty hair route (or even in addition to), I highly recommend getting a volumizing texture powder for your hair. My favorite is Big Sexy Hair Powder Play.

Eucerin Calming Oil Body Wash.

I’ve mentioned a million times how moisturizing is my number one beauty tip. Applying body lotion right after showering is the best way to keep your skin moisturized, but sometimes there’s not always time for that. So whether I want to skip the body lotion or just get some extra moisturizing in, I love using Eucerin Calming Oil Body Wash in the shower. It’s especially great in the winter when normal body washes can make dry skin even worse.

 

TheraTears Lubricant Eye Drops.

You can have the best eye makeup on in the world, but nothing can ruin that quite like red, tired-looking eyes.

I have pretty bad seasonal allergies, so my eyes often feel dry and sometimes get red. A lot of eye drops are bad for you, though, because they stop your eyes from being able to produce their own tears. My mom introduced me to TheraTears, which I think are the best option if you’re going to use eye drops on a regular basis. They’re preservative-free and lubricating, so they actually improve the condition of your eyes, rather than just covering up redness or providing temporary relief.

 

FYI: all of these products can be found on the GML Amazon store if you’re interested in getting them for yourself!

What are some of your beauty secret weapons?