Sephora Haul

Yes, I'm still alive! I'm so sorry for my long absence, it wasn't planned. I actually filmed this video almost two weeks ago, and I finally got around to editing it. Alot of stuff has been going on as of late, and I can't wait to tell you about it very soon!

But isn't a Sephora haul a pretty good comeback? My very sweet dad picked up these things for me at The Mall at Green Hills in Nashville, TN. I also added two face makeup items that I picked up at home, but you can get them at Sephora, so I thought why not just talk about them here.

I hope you enjoy this video, and if you want to subscribe to my channel you can do that HERE.

ON MY RADAR | NEW IN BEAUTY

January means new beauty launches left and right, and there's so many new things coming out now I'm almost getting dizzy. There's so many fun things hitting the stores, but we can't have it all, so I picked out a few of the things that I'm most excited about. And the best thing is that these aren't limited edition, so you don't have to get stressed out while trying to get your hands on the small quantities.

• YSL Volupté Tint-in-Oil So far YSL has only had big hits in their Volupté lip-range, and these new lip oils look very promising. They come in eight shades, and they're moisturizing while tinting the lips. Disclaimer, I may have already picked up one of these a few days ago, and I will definetly be getting one more before testing them out for you. Keep an eye out for these on the blog.
• Dior DiorSkin Nude Air Dior are launching several new powders right now, and I can't wait to try them. Dior really know what they're doing with their face powders, and some of you may know that's my favorite kind of make-up. There's not much information on these yet, and I think they're officially only launched in France (and my French is rusty to say the least), but it looks like there's a loose powder in four shades, a compact powder, a bronzer and also a liquid foundation. Hopefully we will see these in stores other places very soon!
• Make Up For Ever Skin Equalizer The new generation of primers are suppost to 'prepare the skin for a perfect complexion just like a painter prepares his canvas with a basecoat'. And I'm all about primers. Hopefully these will finally be a good option for those of us that need colour correction all over the face. The green one will be mine.
• Giorgio Armani Eye Tints Armani call these tints, but let's be honest, aren't they just cream eyeshadows? Or something similar, at the very least. These are going to transform (their word, not mine) from liquid to solid, and thus lasting all day without creasing. That sounds good to me, and in swatches they look gorgeous. Can't wait to see these with my own eyes and have a swatch-a-thon.
• NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation A new foundation from NARS you say? Well colour me intrigued! The blogosphere has been going crazy over this as of late. It's suppost to have full coverage, but look natural and last for 16 hours. I think we all know we can take that with a grain of salt, but I still want to try it. It seems that NARS can do no wrong in the complexion department.
• MAC Viva Glam x Miley After years of being a MAC fiend I'm more or less over their constant new collections, but the latest Viva Glam campaign has caught my eye. This year the spokesperson is Miley Cyrus, whom I really don't like, but I'm loving that shade of pink. It's a beautiful shade a little on the warmer side, perfect for those, like me, who like Candy Yum Yum but are a little afraid of wearing neon. And as a big plus, every scent goes to the fight against HIV/AIDS. Now this is somewhat limited edition, but they produce so many hopefully you won't have a problem finding these.

December Favorites

Well then, we are in the final week of December all of a sudden! The month has flown by even faster than usual, and it seems like just yesterday I was decorating our home. You've probably seen by now that I did in fact film this video last week, before we left for our Christmas holiday. That may seem a little strange, calling this December favorites when I filmed it halfway through the month, but I decided it would be okay because I rarely add products that I've discovered in the end of the month anyway. I like to use something for more than a week before calling it a favorite. I hope that makes sense to you, and I hope I appreciate not having to watch a shotty video filmed in my moms guest bedroom. I assure you that even though this was filmed a little earilier than usual, the process is exactly the same.

It looks like my makeup favorites were definetly a bit NARS heavy, which is no shock since it's one of my favorite brands. My blush favorite this month has been Sex Machine that was released as a single in January, and was found in the Virtual Domination holiday palette this Christmas (still in stock at Sephora), and also from NARS I've been loving the Audacious lipsticks that I picked up a few months ago. They're so crazy creamy and they just glide on, and I will definetly be picking up more colours (mine are Raquel and Olivia). Honestly, it wouldn't be December without a mention from a holiday collection, and the Chanel Camelia de Plumes highlighter is the only thing I picked up this year. It is hands down the most beautiful makeup item I own, and it was hard to actually use it for the first time. This is definetly a collector piece, but I don't want to store it away forget it, because it's made to be used! If you come by this I would definetly pick it up, no matter what skincolour or tone you are, because this will look amazing on anyone. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to eyeshadow but I decided to give these MAC Pigment samples in Tan and Blonde's Gold (both permanent) a go, and I couldn't be happier with the result. I love using them wet and using both on my eyelids, with the darker shade on the outer half. To do that I've been using my new Sigma E50 Eye Shading brush, and just spraying it with a setting spray before dipping it into a tiny bit of pigment.

 My one skincare favorite is the La Roche-Posay Physiological Soothing Toner that I just picked up. It really does make a big difference, and even though my favorite toner is The Tonic from La Mer, this is a good second for a fraction of the price. I also had to mention my The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry shower gel that was one of their holiday scents. Saying that I've been obsessed would be an understatement, as it smells too good for words! I'm very tempted to stock up on a few for future years, but I still have half left of this bottle, and that is definetly being saved for next Christmas. I also really like the formula of this, much more than their regular shower gels, so I may check out a few more of these. And last but not least, a little shoutout to a few of my favorite holiday nail polishes. I have a small collection of metallic and glittery red polishes, but these are the two that I've opted for this year, OPI's In My Santa Suit and Dear Santa.

Onto my lifestyle favorites, I only have a few this month, basically since I've been so busy with everything Christmas. In a way, I would easily say that Christmas has been a favorite, but I think that's stating the obvious. My one favorite candle this month has been Marshmallow Fireside from Bath & Body Works. To me this more of a winter scent than one just for Christmas, and I think it's one of their most popular signature candles. The name is pretty explanatory, and it does smell sweet, yet smokey. It's not one of their strongest scents (which is a good thing in my opinion), but it does have a very good throw. My one book favorite felt like a natural choice after last month, and it's Bossypants by Tina Fey. It's not the most well written book, but it's very clever, and of course extremly funny. Now onto my big favorite this month, the one that puts all the other ones to shame, the cartoon show Adventure Time. I'm a big kid at heart and I've fallein inlove with this show. It runs on Cartoon Network, and although I think older kids would like this, it's definetly a show made for adults. It stars brothers Jake the Dog and Finn the Human who go around the post-apocalyptic Earth (now called Land of Ooo) doing heroic stuff. It's funny, dark, cute and just generally brilliant. There are tons of supporting characters (most of them princesses) and my favorite is hands down Lumpy Space Princess (aka LSP) who is a hilarious bratty teenager. I highly recommend this to any of my nerdy and/or big kid readers out there, you will definetly love it.

London Beauty Haul

I'm so glad to finally show you the beautiful things that I picked up in London last weekend. I got to cross several things of my eternal wishlist, which I'm very happy about. I think this may have been my best haul ever, and I'm just so excited to try out every single thing. I have tried a few since filming, and you will definetly be hearing more about a few of these in my October favorites. As always, if you want a review of a certain product, just let me know and I will do my best. And regarding the vlog, just leave me a comment here if you want to see it. If you want to subscribe to my YouTube channel, you can do that HERE.

September Favorites

I'm back from my little holiday in the UK, which means I can finally present you with my favorites from September. A little bit late, but I didn't want to skip it either. Not alot of beauty favorites this month, but with all the shopping I've been doing lately, I know next months favorites will be a big one. I really hope some of you enjoy my random/lifestyle favorites as well, because they're an extra big part of this video. At the very least, I do enjoy sharing them!

Current Obsessions | Nude Lips

When I was planning this post, I was going to call it current favorites: lip products, thinking I was going to tell you about all of my favorite lip colours. But as I was lining them up, I noticed that every single one of them was a pinky nude. Is this really all I've been wearing these past months? It seems so. A few years ago I wouldn't be caught dead in nude lips, and here I am, a true nude lip lover. There, I said it! But even though they're all in the same colour range, this is still a post about my favorite lip products of the moment. Top to bottom:

• Bobbi Brown Lip Liner in Pink Mauve (£16/$22) Every girl (or boy) needs a nude lipliner in their arsenal, and this has been my favorite this summer. Being a lip product addict, I do of course have several super similar nudes, but there's just something about Bobbi Brown lipliners. I find that this works well with all of the lipsticks/glosses in this post, except maybe Ballet Twist from CoverGirl, which honestly doesn't need a liner. This mauvy pink (obviously) can also be worn by itself, if you want to channel that very hip 90s matte lip.
• CoverGirl LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in 205 Ballet Twist ($8.99) I picked this up on a whim while I was in the US, because I rembered Tiffany D had raved about it. I'm not usually a fan of drugstore lip products, but this is just so simple to use I can't help but like it. The formula is nowhere near amazing, but the sheer peachy pink nude is so flattering, and since it's so light it doesn't need too much precision, so I find myself just throwing this on if I don't want to go without lipstick, but actual lipstick feels like it may be too much.
• Hourglass Extreme Sheen lipgloss in Canvas (£21/$28) This completly opaque pink mauve lipgloss was love at first sight, and I find myself loving it for a sexy lip when I'm wearing a full face of makeup. It's that 90s lip, but with a gorgeous shine. It's not sticky, and it stays put longer than regular lip glosses. This is the darkest of the shades.
• Tom Ford Lip Color in 12 Nude Vanille (£37/$50) It may not come as a surprise that this is included, but I love it so much I don't mind writing about it again. This had been almost unused in my collection for years, because I feel it is a bit light to wear on it's own, but paired with the Chantecaille lipgloss in Lucky (below) it's a perfect nude lip that works both day and night. The formula of this lipstick is great, and doesn't look nasty with a gloss on top. And let's not forget the packaging, which is just so luxurious.
• Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in Lucky (£26/$33) Ever since picking this up last December, this has been my holy grail lipgloss. It's light pink with gold shimmer (transforming it into a peachy pink) colours works with just about any lipstick, and looks great on it's own too. It's not sticky either, and I honestly think it is the perfect universal lipgloss. I think this is one everyone could wear and love. If you just want one lipgloss in your makeup bag, this is it.
• Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick in Fig ($24) This lipstick has been my number one go-to lipstick this summer, and I've been carrying it with me everywhere I go. I've probably mentioned this in several favorites videos, that's how much I love it. I hate that Bite Beauty is only available at Sephora, but atleast they ship to several new destinations now (including UK, Germany and Norway), and have stores all over the world. This is only bordering on nude, as it is a light pink, but on me it wears nude. The formula is buttery soft, and wears well. Great light shade for any pale and light skinned girls!
• NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Sex Machine (£18/$25) This was a favorite years ago, and as you will see in tomorrows video (declutter part 3) I rediscovered this last week. Pulling it from my collection, I immediately remembered why I loved it so much all those years ago. This is another pencil type lipstick, and I love that style in particular because it's so easy and quick to use. The colour is very similar to Canvas, but with more pink. This is a matte lipstick, but not so much that it's drying. It's very soft, and it has small amounts of microshimmer, which gives it a satin-like effect on the lips. This is another handbag favorite, and a shade that I think would work well on many skintones.

On my radar: Looking towards autumn

September is only a few days ago, and I am ready. I have to admit, I prefer spring and summer. I love sunshine and being warm, and I love having lots of time to spend with my family. But I'm glad to finally start talking about autumn, and finally unpacking lots of cute clothes and accessories better suited for the darker months. Especially since I already have the autumn feeling (while other people are still wearing shorts), since it's been raining almost non-stop this month. For me, autumn is about working hard and feeling cozy, being with snug clothing or getting that feeling at home. I've picked out a few things that have been on my mind lately, things that are all getting me excited for the colder weather.

• Aesop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment (£51/$75/25ml) and Fabulous Face Oil (£40/$57/25ml) Since I have dry skin I usually need some extra moisture during the darker months. I had samples of both of these a little while ago and really liked using them at night. Not only are they luxurious and very moisturizing, but they're the first facial oils that haven't broken me out! A miracle no doubt. I haven't decided which I should get yet though. The Fabulous Face Oil smells gorgeous, but is meant to use as a daily moisturizer, while the Damascan Rose Facial Treatment has a stronger smell, but it is obviously meant to be more of a treatment and it targeted towards dry or distressed skin.
• Tom Ford Velvet Orchid ($112/50ml) For years now, Tom Fords Black Orchid perfume has been my signature scent. It's so gorgeous and sexy, but it is quite heavy. For the past years I've only used it during autumn and winter, because it's so dark. You may even look at this only as a nighttime perfume too, depending on what you like. Enter Velvet Orchid. It smells very similar, but it's just a bit lighter. I absolutely love this, and I can see myself using this during the daytime and Black Orchid at night. Perfect for those that think Black Orchid is just a bit too much.
• NARS Audacious Lipsticks ($32) I love experimenting with a bright lip when autumn rolls around, and NARS just released these brand new lipsticks in 40 (yes, forty!) different colours. They look incredibly creamy and opaque, and with that colour range everyone will find atleast one (or ten) they like. Some of the shades are exclusive to Selfridges in the UK and Barneys and NARS boutiques in the US.
• Gucci Flora Silk Printed Foulard (£285/$440) I always have atleast five scarves on my wishlist, and right now this is reigning supreme. Silk may not be the usual cold weather choice, but I find that wool scarves just make me way too hot. I love this traditional floral print and the colours. This is such a timeless and chic piece that you can wear any season really.
• Charlotte Tilbury The Ingenue Gift Set (£145) Okay, so this is not really an autumn specific item, but I just really want it! I've become so intrigued with Charlotte Tilburys makeup lately, and I love that you can get these gift sets to make a full look, with full sized products and they come with the cutest makeup bags. I'm especially curious about the lipliners, blushes and eyeshadow sticks.
• Ash Jalouse ankle boots (£155/$198) Autumn equals a need for cute boots. I've seen these particular ones on one of my favorite beauty bloggers, Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup, several times, and they're just so hot. They come in a bunch of different colours (shown in Topo), and I think they would be perfect for a smart yet somewhat cool everyday outfit.
• Diptyque scented candles (£40/$60) So surprise here, we all love scented candles for fall! Diptyque is one of those 'Instagram made me to it' type of things. I fell inlove with the packaging, but they do smell amazing too. I have many on my wishlist, and there's something for everyone. And let's not forget it's super cozy to sit inside in the candlelight when the weather gets dark and gloomy.