Beauty Products That Deserve More Love {Drugstore Edition!}

Hello, everyone! Today I am going to be talking about beauty products that deserve a bit more love in the beauty community. These are products I have been using for a while now and can attest their awesomeness.

Loreal Infallible Foundation

The Loreal Infallible Never Fail Foundation (my shade is 602, Soft Ivory) is probably my favorite foundation-EVER! I remember back in the day, like in High School, this foundation and the Revlon Colorstay foundation (my shade is Buff) were my two must haves! I quit using both for a while because I wanted to try new things and repurchased both the Colorstay and Infallible foundations again about eight-ish months ago. I wasn't too impressed with the Revlon Colorstay (original formula, I love the Whipped), but rediscovered my love for Loreal's Infallible! Loreal claims this foundation will give you "18 hours of uninterrupted, flawless coverage--no touch-ups required." They also claim that "Infallible Advanced Never Fail Makeup, fights the five signs of makeup meltdown. It's energizing vitamin and mineral complex combats the signs of fatigue. Continuous concealing hides imperfections. Smoothing pigments resist fading and rub-off. Oil-absorbing mattifiers stop shine. SPF 20 and anti-humidity ingredients fight the elements. Now with 18 non-stop hours of comfortable fade-proof wear!" I agree that the staying power is amazing. I don't think I've ever worn makeup for a solid 18 hours, but the 12-14 hours I have had this foundation on, it wear beautifully. I use two pumps of this foundation and find it to be quite universal: it can be more full coverage when buffed into the skin with a brush or more light/medium coverage when applied with fingers or a sponge. I use all three methods to apply and love the finish for each. My shade, Soft Ivory, is absolutely PERFECT for my pale skin. This does not oxidize on my skin and the finish is pretty natural. Obviously, using fingers or a sponge will give you a more natural look than using a brush, but on certain occasions, it's nice to have full coverage makeup. The Infallible foundation stays looking fresh on my skin all day. Price: $12.99 (at Ulta, but it might be cheaper at Wal-Mart or Target).

Is your hair a damaged hot mess? Mine has been lately from coloring it and the VO5 Hot Oil Treatment has been my hair's saving grace! I first learned about VO5's Hot Oil Treatement about 5 years ago when I was at the hair salon and was complimenting my stylish on her hair. She said she used VO5's treatement once a week to help keep her ends in good shape, since she damages it a lot with heat and chemicals. At first, I was confused. "Hot oil on your hair...doesn't that damage your hair or make it oily?", I asked. She said it doesn't damage your hair and went into the fancy hair salon lingo about how it helps keep your ends strong and smooth. That day, I went out and bought some hot oil and fell in love! I haven't tried any other hot oil brands because this one has worked so well for me, I am loyal to this one. 

Black Radiance Complexion Perfection Primer

I must admit, I'm really not a primer kinda girl...face nor eyes. However, this past summer, like most of us tend to, I became an oily mess! You could literally fry chicken with all the oil on my face- not cute, ladies! Because of my anti-primer ways, it never occurred to me to use one. I remember watching crystalis007's YouTube channel and she was talking about how much she loved Black Radiance Complexion Perfection Primer- and she has tried fancy high end brands and lower cost alternatives. During my weekly Wal-Mart run I picked it up not really knowing what to expect, since I really don't use primers. I got home, washed my face, and reapplied my makeup (using the Complexion Perfection Primer). By the end of the day, my skin was matte and still looked fresh. I couldn't believe it. Granted, that day I stayed in for the most part, but my makeup looked just like it did when first applied. The next day, I used it knowing I would be out and about in the grueling Alabama heat. I eventually braced myself to look in the mirror and was pleasantly surprised that my makeup still looked nice. I would be lying if I said I staying totally and completely matte, because sweat happens and makeup runs/fades, but my skin looked great and had a satin-dewy look. I don't wear this primer- or any primer for that matter- on a daily basis, but during the warmer months or if  I need my makeup to last all day and not budge, I use this on my t-zone before using my foundation knowing that by the end of the day, my makeup will remain in tact. Oh, and did I mention the best part?! It's very affordable: around $4 at Wal-Mart!   

Essence of Beauty Duo Crease Brushes

The Essense of Beauty Duo Crease Brushes are such a drugstore gem! I first learned about this dynamic duo from EmilyNoel83 a few years ago. I must admit, I don't have the biggest brush collection, but I don't know what I would do without these two! The larger of the two is great for the crease and I like the smaller one for either creating a shape in my crease or using it to smoke out my lower lash line. They clean beautifully and are great for people (like myself) who don't have a tone of makeup brushes or would even be a great addition to those with a bigger collection. I think the duo was around $5 at CVS. 

Maybelline Expert Twin Brow and Eye Pencils

I cannot begin to express my love for the Maybelline Brow Pencil. I don't like my brow pencils to be super creamy like an eyeliner; I prefer my brow pencils to be a bit more dry. I feel using a drier formula brow pencil really makes it last longer on your brows and not transfer or smudge during the day. I use the shade Blonde and I think it is such a great, universal shade. I use it with my natural hair color, the reddish brown I am currently rocking, and I have even used the blonde shade with dark brown hair. As a personal preference, I don't care for super dark brows...it's just not my taste. I think with my fair skin, it can look a bit odd. The Maybelline brow pencils come two in a pack and are a steal at around $3! 

Daily Dose of Pretty

* My computer is messed up so I am blogging on the Blogger app! Sorry if the pictures aren't turning out...they are from my iPhone. 

* Chevy got his stitches out yesterday and is cone free! He is pretty excited about it. 

* I am going home at Alabama in a month for three weeks! Can't wait to see my family and be apart of my best friend's wedding. 

* Our living room furniture came in two or three days ago. It has been such a treat sitting in something other than a wooden kitchen table chair! 

What beauty products do you think deserve more love? Let us know in the comments section! 

Chevy had surgery! (picture of him in a cone!)

Hi, friends!

Wednesday, the 27th, Chevy had surgery to remove a mass on his ear, to extract five teeth (one canine and four incisors), and had his ears flushed and treated for an ear infection- life of a previous stray! The day he came home after surgery, he was still out of it from the anesthesia and/or pain medicine the vet gave him. It's been five days since his surgery and he is feeling a lot better and back to his normal sleeping and playing routine! He has a cone so he doesn't scratch his ear and mess with his stitches. It might seem a tad ridiculous to do a post about his surgery, but I think he looks absolutely adorable with his cone on and just wanted to share his handsomeness with y'all! Lol

Makeup Storage Solutions for Limited Space

Happy Cyber Monday, Friends!

Today and am talking all about makeup storage solutions for limited space. This post is picture heavy, but I really wanted you to see jsut how much stuff you can put in this clear storage cube. 

As some of you may know, Ross and I moved across the country to Oregon about a month ago. Because we only took whatever fit in the car, we had to get rid of basically everything- which included a ton of my makeup and the storage that went along with it. When we moved into our new apartment in Oregon, I realized that there isn't that much room on the bathroom counter for makeup nor is there a lot of room for storing makeup in the bedroom or in the closet- bummer! I brought two smallish makeup bags full of goodies and gave the rest to my sister or threw away the things I knew she wouldn't care for. I stumbled across the InterDesign Clear Drawers on Amazon for an affordable price- less than $20! I wasn't working with much counter top space and refused to pay an arm and a leg for makeup storage so this was perfect! The dimensions are 6.5 x 6.5 x 6.5 inches and weighs about a pound. It doesn't hold all of my makeup, which I wasn't expecting it to, but this handy little cube (surprisingly) hold a ton of products...if you strategically put them in properly. Think of it as playing tetris. I divided the drawers into sections: the top drawer is for face makeup, the middle drawers is for eye products, and the bottom drawer is for cheeks and lips. 

InterDesign Clear Drawers

As mentioned above, this clear three drawer storage container is 6.5 x 6.5 x 6.5 inches and weighs about a pound. It is made out of a sturdy plastic and I don't find it to be flimsy at all. I bought mine on Amazon for under $20 and this cube has been working perfectly for me. I don't typically store mine as full as the pictures below, but I wanted you to see exactly how much stuff you can put in there. Once a week, I go through my makeup collection and pull out whatever products I want to use for the week and store the rest of my makeup in the makeup bags I carried with us during the move. I  haven't found a permanent storage solution for all my makeup, but for now, this is working just fine! I think going through your makeup once a week (or every other week) let's you pull out different products to keep you from getting in a makeup rut and using up your collection. 

Okay, now for the goodies inside the drawers...

Top Drawer

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation, Loreal Infallible Foundation, Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream, Black Radience Complexion Perfection Primer, Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Corrector Concealer (discontinued), Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer, Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer, Revlon Colorstay Blemish Concealer, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer (in Brightener and Fair), two samples of the Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer, and a sponge wedge.

Middle Drawer

Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Palette, Black Radiance 8-pan Palette, two Revlon Colorstay Quads (the discontinued quads), Covergirl Quad, Maybelline Chic Naturals Quad, Wet-n-Wild Trio, Covergirl EyeEnhancers Single Eyeshadow, seven Wet-n-Wild ColorIcon Single Eyeshadows, Milani Liquif'eye Eyeliner Pencil, Rimmel ScandalEyes Kohl Pencil, Maybelline Expert Wear Brow Pencil, Milani Eyeshadow Primer, Essense Gel Eyeliner, two Almay Intense i-Color Eyeliners, Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner, Maybelline the Falsies Mascara, and Revlon Precision Lash Glue.

Bottom Drawer

Wet-n-Wild ColorIcon Cheek Highlighter, NYC Bronzer, three ELF Studio Blushes, Wet-n-Wild ColorIcon Blush, three Milani Baked Blushes, two Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stains, Revlon Colorburst Lipstick, Avon ANew Lipstick, Clinique Lipstick, Revlon Lip Butter, Ioni Cosmetics Lipgloss, and Milani Crystal Lipgloss.

Before Makeup Storage

After

Front View

Side View

Overall Thoughts...

I give the InterDesign Clear Drawers two thumbs up! I think this is a great storage solution for someone with limited storage space (like in a college dorm), someone that doesn't have a ton of makeup but wants to keep their makeup organized, and/or someone that doesn't want to spend a lot of money on a storage container, but doesn't want to sacrifice quality. I'm sure that the InterDesign Clear Drawers don't come close to Clear Cube in quality, but I think the plastic on this product is pretty sturdy and for $20 compared to Clear Cube's $300 plus price tag, you really can't beat the deal! 

How do you like to store your makeup/beauty products?

Lifestyle: Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Hi, friends! A few weeks ago Ross and I took a trip to Multnomah Falls, right outside of Portland. I had been chomping at the bit before the move to see this incredible waterfall- the tallest in Oregon and the 2nd tallest year round waterfall in the US) and it was everything I imagined it would be. Ross and I hiked Multnomah Falls, which is about 2.5 miles round trip. I originally thought the hike was going to be a piece of cake; I mean, I am someone who actually enjoy walking so for me, 2.5 miles isn't a long walk. Wrong! I didn't take into account the change in elevation and being someone from the South, I am not used to these high altitudes. I kid you not, about a half a mile in, I was winded. We eventually made it to the top and I had such a feeling of accomplishment. The view the entire hike was stunning! Below are a few pictures from our hike. I would highly recommend visiting Multnomah Falls. Even if you are unable to do the hike, the view is unbelievably breathtaking and the pictures below do not do it justice.

A very nice man took our picture. It was so cold when we got there. 

Notice as you go through the pictures how the layers come off. Lol

 Multnomah Falls

 Can you spot the furry friend?!

 I was wearing two shirts, my Northface, and two pair of pants- yeah, it was cold!

For height comparison, I am just under 5'3'' 

 The increible view across from Multnomah Falls

Wild ferns!

 I have no idea what kind of plant this is, but I thought it was pretty!

 Almost at the top...

I meant to take a picture and accidentally took a video; what luck! 

The very top of the waterfall

 We made it to the top!

 The waterfall going down!

Top view of the bridge

After our hike, we went in the Multnomah Falls restaurant for lunch- the food was pretty good, too!

Daily Dose of Pretty

• Even though I am 40 hours away from Alabama, I am still rocking my Crimson, White, and Houndstooth today! #RollTide #IronBowl2013
• Eating a Lean Cuisine for lunch- the Roasted Turkey and Vegetables one- yum! 
• Chevy had surgery on Wednesday. He had a mass on his ear removed, five teeth pulled, and was treated for severe ear infection. I guess that's the life of a (former) stray! #Rescue 
• The guest bed was delivered yesterday! Looking forward to Ross' parents coming for a visit next month! 

Beauty Products That Are NOT Worth The Hype {Drugstore Edition!}

Hello, Everyone! I did a post the other day on beauty products that I think are worth the hype. Well, today's blog is a bit more negative as I unintentionally throw a little shade. I don't enjoy negative posts, but I do think it's equally as important to let you know of things I like and things that didn't work out for me. I know that a lot of people really love and enjoy some of the products I will be mentioning in this post, but these are simply things that didn't work for me. 

So, let's just jump right in...

Photo Credit: drugstore.com

Covergirl Lash Blast has a huge colt following that, frankly, I just don't get! I remember when Covergirl launched Lash Blast years ago and I was so eager  to try their new, hot item. I mean, the name of the mascara literally screams awesomeness claiming to provide "instant volume and thickness." I remember thinking "What Volume?! What Thickness?! What a crappy mascara!!!" My lashes are a relativity long so (thankfully) I can make most mascaras work, regardless of the brush, formula, etc.; however, whenever I use this mascara it takes me a good 10-15 minutes just to build it up to where I have the desired volume and intensity. I have repurchased this mascara several times because I really want to like it, but I don't. I have also tried the Fusion kind- the one in the purple tube- and I swear it's the exact same formula in a different color tube! I'll stick Maybelline's Colossal and Almay's Get Up and Grow! Note: If you are wanting to get a CG mascara, I would recommend the Covergirl Professional Super Thick Lash mascara...it's an oldie, but a goodie!

Photo Credit: myfacehunter.com

I feel like everyone is obsessed with Essie Nail Polish and even though I do really enjoy a few of their shades- Fuji is probably one of my top favorites!- I think the brand as a whole is pretty hit and miss. For example, Sugar Daddy and Periwinkle are way too sheer and Sugar Daddy takes forever to dry! I mean, Essie's Butter Please takes probably 3 or 4 coats just to be opaque whereas Sally Hansen's Pacific Blue- another favorite!- is opaque in one cost and about $5-6 cheaper, depending on where you buy! I'm not trying to bash Essie because the shades that are opaque in one or two coats are beautiful, but as a whole, I think the brand is way over-hyped for the overall quality of the brand! 

Photo Credit: drugstore.com

I was devastated when Revlon discontinued the previous Colorstay Quads and replaced them with the newer formula- I know, First World Problems. LOL First of all, I feel like the old formula was buttery smooth where the new formula is harder and takes forever to build up the desired intensity and the older formula was easier to blend, too. They new Colorstay Quads have some beautiful shades, but I am just partial to Neutral Khakis, In the Buff, and Sterling Rose- from the older Colorstay line!

Let me first start of my saying that I really do enjoy the pigmentation on these Milani Color Statement Lipsticks, but the scent and taste literally makes me nauseous! When the line was re-released with the new packaging, I picked up Rose Hip- 14 because I thought it looked similar to MAC's Candy Yum Yum. The color has intense pigmentation and doesn't feel too drying on the lips, but that smell...ugh!, that plastic, fake fruity-chemical smell! All the bloggers and vloggers were going nuts over these shades {which are beautiful}, but I don't remember reading any blogs or watching any YouTube beauty videos where anyone talked about the smell. Sure, most all mentioned that there was a scent present, but no one talked about how overwhelmingly vile it was. I figured I might have gotten a bad batch and so I went out and purchased Nude Creme- 26 because I remember how much I loved the shade on EmilyNoel83 from BeautyBroadcast. When I swatched it in the car, it had that same nauseating scent, but the color was too perfect to return it so I gave it to my sister, who rocks the smokey eye and nude lip day or night. I still have Rose Hip and do wear it every now and then during the warmer months, but I always have to brace my self and mentally prepare myself for that smell. 

Photo Credit: covergirl.com

I know that it looks like I am picking on Covergirl by having two products from their brand in my post, but there are products from their line that are staples in my collection: CG quad in Country Woods, CG Single Enhancer Eyeshadow in  Mink (because that is my favorite shade in the Country Woods quad), and CG Outlast Stay Brillant Nail Polish in Perfect Penny. I had such high hopes for the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation, yet did nothing for my skin. I tried different application techniques to make this foundation work for me: fingers, brush, sponge, etc. but it never failed that by mid-day my skin would look patchy, like the foundation was breaking down and needed to be re-blended. Sometimes I would go to re-blend during the work day and then my skin would look unnatural and streaky. It really is a shame that this foundation didn't work for me because the color I had was a great match for my skin. Whenever Ross and I were packing things for our move across the country, I gave this foundation away to my sister's friend who is fair like I am. Hopefully it works for her! 

Daily Dose of Pretty...

• I made Mexican Stuffed Shells this morning for Ross' dinner/my breakfast and they were delicious!
• My Maracuja Oil came in today! I am almost out of my Argan Oil and I have been curious to see how the oils I've tried- and it hasn't been many- compare to each other and which I think are worth repurchasing. Let me know if that is something you would be interested in.
• My sister and I have decided to start a blog together! I will still be blogging on Pretties and Pearls, but I will also be blogging on our joint blog, too. I will let you guys know when it's up and running! #SisterLove

Beauty Products That Are Worth The Hype {Drugstore Edition!}

Hey, y'all! Hope everyone is doing well. I am kicking this post off with a little mini series. I have been wanting to do "worth the hype?" blogs for months and now I am finally getting around to it! As you can tell from the title, this post is all about drugstore beauty items that I think are worth the hype. I will be doing two follow-up posts with things I don't think are worth the hype and things I wish got a little more love. 

 L to R: Concentrated swatch of Sunny; Sheered out swatch of Sunny

NYC Bronzer in Sunny has a huge cult follow and for good reason! I tend to prefer warmer, slightly orange based bronzers over ones that are more cool tone. On my fair skin, I feel like cool tone bonzers look a little muddy on my face. Not cute, ladies! Sunny is great for fair/medium skin girls (and guys) and it works beautifully as a contour or as a light dusting to give your skin a little warmth. This is a matte bronzer and is a steal at around $3 at the drugstore.

Random swatches from the Eye on Neutral palette.

Sonia Kashuk's Eye on Neutral palette is seriously God's gift to the drugstore, well, Target! The drugstore has been lacking for years in the matte eyeshadow department (or mattes in general, really) and finally Sonia Kashuk has listened to the beauty bloggers and vloggers plea for affordable, yet incredible matte neutrals. The shades are beautifully pigmented and are buttery smooth...the first two brulee-type shades don't have as much color pay off, but I have enough skin tone shadows, so I don't mind! I use this palette all. the. time! The matte colors look incredible on their own and I even use this palette in addition to some single shimmery shadows I have, to get a little more depth and contract. This palette is $19.99 at Target and for 10 eyeshadows that go on like a dream (remember, I'm not a fan of the top two!) and blend seamlessly, I give this palette two thumbs up!

L to R: First three swatches are from the Walking on Eggshells (trio); Envy (single); Panther (single); Nutty (single) 

Gorgeous, wearable colors and check out the intensity of that matte black!

Wet-n-Wild eyeshadows are hands down the best of the best at the drugstore; they are incredible pigmented, blend beautifully, and are very affordable! I remember way back when the quality wasn't up to snuff, but in recent years Wet-n-Wild has really stepped up its game! All of their eyeshadows are dreamy: palettes, trios, singles- I love them all! There is a bit of fall out with some of these shadows, but if you just tap off your brush before applying, fallout won't be an issue! 

L to R: Brightener and Fair

Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Concealer has been a favorite of mine for a couple of years now! I love that it is thin in texture, but is opaque enough to conceal dark under eye circles. My shade is Fair in the concealer and I also enjoy the Brightner. I have been through three tubes of the Brightener. I only use the Eraser concealer under my eyes so I cannot attest to how well it covers blemishes.  My under eye area is very dry and I don't notice it sinking into my fine lines too bad. Oh, and have I mentioned how amazing the staying power is?! Incredible! You can find the Maybelline Erasers at the drugstore for around $7-10 bucks, depending on where you buy!

With Flash

Without Flash

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks have been in my makeup collection for as long as I can remember. I've always been a lipstick girl and these come in a wide range of colors, finishes, and textures. I prefer the Creme finish, personally, but I do have one that's a pearl finish that I enjoy wearing in Fall/Winter. I think these lipsticks are comfortable on the lips and the staying power is pretty decent, too. My favorites are Fire and Ice, Berry Haute, Primrose, and Coralberry!