Sephora Collection Face Mask

Posted on February 10, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Sephora never dissapoints in the skin care department and this face mask collection is no exception! These exclusive masks come in handy when you are in a bind and are compact and slim to fit anywhere. You can get the at home pampering experience on the go, or actually use it at home. Each of the 8 different types serve different purposes. From moisturizing, brightening, anti aging, soothing, energizing and anti blemish any one of your skin needs can be met by one of these awesome sheet mask. Just unfold it from its pacakaging, place on your face and after 15 minutues remove it. You can then gently massage the excess product into the skin and their is no need to rinse! Pefect for planes or long car rides (where you are not driving of course). Pictured below are the two that Ive tried. I enjoy the scent of both, and like how my face feels tighetend and supple afterwards. I am definitely going to be testing these out more extensively on my upcoming long flight to visit Gwen in London!

The best part is they are only $6.00 each! Make sure to pick one up on your next trip to Sephora.

-Ari

Beauty & Skincare (London Edition)

Posted on February 5, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Boots and Superdrug; two shops that have been screaming my name each time I walk past one. They are basically like the Duane Reade and CVS of New York. I’ve managed to pick up a few things here and there and would like to share them with you all (especially with my peeps over in the U.S, don’t be jealous guys). Here’s a closer look at my purchases (disclaimer one item is from Amazon.com)

Zoella Beauty Soak Opera (Superdrug)

This smells absolutely heavenly! If you guys don’t know who Zoella is on youtube then you need to search her right now! She is a UK based blogger/vlogger and is the most adorable thing ever! She created her own line of a few products; bath fizz, body lotion, makeup bags, body mist and this bath soak/shower cream. It’s floral scent takes you to another place and time, combined with the aloe and shea butter your skin will love you for using this.

Tangle Teaser (Boots)

I’ve had my eye on this little guy for quite some time now, but I thought the price was a bit too steep for a hair brush, that is until I used it. I have very fine hair making it super easy to become tangled, this bad boy combed out all of those knots without pulling or breaking my hair. Ultimate score! (I also had to get it because cough, cough I saw Zoella mention it in one of her recent videos, can someone say obsession?) Oh and lastly I love anything black and gold.

Bioderma (Amazon Purchase)

Now this item is something I was super excited to try as it is only sold in the UK or middle east. (I believe it will soon be sold in the U.S) This is a cleansing and makeup removing water that will gently purify your skin. I have often heard people speak of the Sensibio which is the formula for sensitive skin but I opted for the Sebium which is for oily/combination and blemished skin. So far it has done a great job at giving my skin that deep down clean feeling. What more could a girl ask for?

Max Factor Masterpiece Transform Mascara (Boots)

I spotted this mascara in the “whats new section” and it’s description immediately caught my eye. It claims to capture and volumize each lash for show stopping eyes. The shape of the brush is also something I had never seen before, I was sold! Here’s a closer look at the wand

Tanya Burr Lashes & Gloss (Superdrug)

Here I go again talking about another one of my other favorite UK blogger/vlogger, I just can’t help myself. Again if you don’t know who Tanya Burr is you need to look her up now! She is one of the UK’s top youtubers and is adorable as well. (I am obsessed with the English accent). She too created her own line which includes makeup, lashes and a book! I picked up the “everyday flutter” lashes which give just a touch of flirtiness to the corners of your eyes. I also picked up her lipgloss in the shade “Chocolate Fondue” which is one of those your lip color but better shades.

Rimmel 60 second nail polish (or varnish as the British say) (Boots)

This bright red-orange shade is called “central love heart”. This is my favorite shade of red to paint my nails with, it is just so fun and vibrant! Perfect for Valentines day!

That is all my friends! Hope you enjoyed it!

For anyone back home (United States) looking to purchase any of these items you can go to:

Boots.com , superdrug.com , or you can always find international items on Amazon.com

-Gwen

Ole Henriksen-3 Little Wonders Mini Collection Review

Posted on January 29, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

So we are only getting older every day and this unfortunate fact is not lost on me. It seems like as the days go by I am reminded that youth is fleeting and to take advantage of it while I can. This year I turn 26 and I figured it’s time I take a cue from my sister and start taking better care of my skin. I took advantage of insane sales that Sephora was having during the holiday season and bought this trio of products in hopes to review them and perhaps make them apart of my skin routine. Ole Henriksen is a bit pricey but gets amazing reviews so this mini “3 Little Wonders Collection” was the perfect way to try some of the top products without fully committing to the full priced options. It includes the truth serum collagen booster, “sheer transformation” day time moisturizer and invigorating night treatment. Below are my pros and cons and a link to the item!

Truth Serum Collagen Booster– Daytime Anti-Aging Serum with Vitamin C said to brighten, firm, reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles and prevent future damage.

It is incredibly light weight and glides easy over your face. It does not provide any moisture but does have a pleasant smell and my face feels a little tight right after putting it on (I’m assuming this is where the “firming” comes into play.

Follow up your serum with the Sheer Transformation meant to diminish dark spots, sun damage and protect from free radicals.

This lotion is super lightweight and takes away the tight feeling from the serum. It is oil free and has not made me have acne break outs with 1 month of use so far.

Lastly the Night treatment is just that, solely for use at night seeing as its meant to resurface your skin to smooth texture, fine lines, wrinkles and even the look of big pores.

In using this product I did notice slight peeling of my skin especially in sensitive areas like my nose and chin. This is not necessarily a bad thing seeing as it’s meant to essentially take off the dead layers on the surface. Trust me it is not comparable to getting a chemical peel or flaking like a snake, it was very slight and easily fixed with some extra moisturizer.

Overall I am extremely happy with my results so far and a little goes a long way so I have some time before needing to replace with full size. Don’t forget your neck or décolletage so that you can have smooth youthful radiant skin there as well. Sometimes I even spread the remaining on the back of my hands (they always can show true age).

Forever young, – Ari

3 Little Wonders Mini Collection

S.W. Basics of Brooklyn-Natural Product Review

Posted on January 14, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Review time!!! So as some of you may or may not know, I have tried to incorporate more natural based products into my beauty regiment starting with the process of growing out my chemical processing and getting my healthy curls back. In my search for new products to try I came across this company called S.W. Basics of Brooklyn. First and foremost the name caught my eye immediately, anything that reminds me of home is so fun for me to support. Started by Adina Grigore, this company uses no more than 5 ingredients in every single one of their products. All responsibly sourced and simple enough to be accessible to everyone yet potent.

-100% All natural (not just a sneaky advertising label)
Ingredients are either certified organic, fair trade, or sourced from small family farms. This contributes to sustainable agriculture, supports small businesses and healthier communities.
Amazing and adorable packaging that can be recycled and reused how you see fit.
Did I mention none of the products have more than 5 ingredients? YES PLEASE

I went with the eye makeup remover to start with. It goes on smooth using a cotton round or ball and dosent have a strong scent. Made from just three ingredients super-light organic sweet almond oil, a bit of organic extra-virgin olive oil, and a little jojoba oil a little bit of this product goes a long way. It removes my eye makeup including mascara and can double as a moisturizer. I don’t have to wash off the residue and can actually rub it around my eyes for that sensitive skin area to soak up all the goodness. I am definitely looking forward to trying more of their products in the future including body scrubs and cleansers. Check them out if you have sensitive skin or are just interested in using all natural products. Link Below!

Mascara, you ain’t the boss of me.

S.W Basics Makeup Remover

S.W. Basics of Brooklyn

Tourist in London

Posted on January 12, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Hiya Everyone! (I’ve learned this is how Londoners say Hello). I’ve had such an amazing weekend getting to know a bit of this wonderful city and wanted to share some of it with you all. Here goes…

Classic phone booth shot

Ready for the Big Bus Tour!

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Tower of London

London Eye

Big Ben

Proper Fish and Chips is a must!

Could not walk past Primark and Boots
without picking up a few things!

Sneak Peek at my new items

What a great weekend right? I am absolutely delighted with this city and all that I’ve seen so far. Keep those suggestions coming if you reside here or have ever been. Thanks loves!

Until next time,
-Gwen

Just touched down in London Town!

Posted on January 6, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Yes you’ve read correctly half of itsapplesandoranges has moved to London, England temporarily. I (Gwen) couldn’t be more excited to be in this new amazing city! Please bare with me while this jet lag wears off, but soon after I will be posting all about my adventures here. I am hoping to score some new beauty finds, fashion inspiration and of course take in all of the rich history this city has to offer.

Until then my friends!

P.S if any of our followers happen to live in the SW London area (or you have traveled to London) I would love to hear your suggestions on things to do, places to see, where to eat etc. Leaving a comment down below will be greatly appreciated!

-Gwen

Its that time again…Giveaway time that is!

Posted on December 31, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

So we’ve done it again!! 250 followers on our blog and we couldn’t be happier and greatful to still be growing steadily. From nearly 100 to now 250 in such a short time! We would like to show our gratitude for keeping up with us all this time by hosting another giveaway. We’ve done many in the past and expect this one to go off without a hitch. The rules are simple, the winner will be chosen through a generator and you can enter multiple times (the more entries the better your chances) by using the raffle link provided below. The winner will receive makeup goodies sure to impress! Once again thanks to our old friends/followers, we look forward to making many more!

!!!Rafflecopter Giveaway Link!!!

Previous Giveaways Here, Here & Here

Looking forward to 2015!

Love-

Ari & Gwen

Glittery Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Merry Christmas everyone! I am currently down in the sunshine state with my family celebrating the holidays, eating, shopping and more eating! Being in the Christmas spirit and all I wanted to create a look involving lots of glitter. I chose the color green but kept the rest of my makeup pretty neutral. Check it out…

To create this eye look I used the two bottom brown shades in the Stila “mind” palette for the crease. I then used the green eyeshadow called Jade from the Lorac Pro two palette for the eyelid. Followed by some Urban Decay bondage weightless makeup adhesive I proceeded to wet my eyeshadow brush with MAC fix plus and gently patted the glitter onto my lids, (Glitter is from the craft store Michaels).

There are you have it my friends a fun and festive Christmas look (you can use any color of your choice).

Hope you all are having a wonderful day!
-Gwen

Holiday Shine

Posted on December 16, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

The Holidays are upon us and what better way to celebrate than to look the part with lots of glitz and glam. I posted the photo above on Instagram and decided to show you all what products I used. I am in love with the rusty copper shade I used all over the lid! Colors like this are a great way to add a bit of shine without it being too overpowering or for those who are not into chunks of glitter on your eyelid (for those that are I will have a post up for you soon). I hope to soon be able to incorporate mini video clips on other makeup looks I create. Well then, lets get started!

Base: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer great for creating a smooth canvas and filing in pores before applying foundation.
Color Corrector: Bobbi Brown in the shade Peach (I put this under my foundation to counter-act the darkness under my eyes and around my mouth)
Foundation: Ex1 Invisiwear foundation in the shades F300 & F400 mixed together (I am so pale during winter months)
Concealer: Maybelline Fit Me in the shade medium #25 under my eyes
Bronzer: NYX matte bronzer in the shade Deep-Tan to give my face some all over color and I also used it for slight contouring
Blush: MAC sheertone blush in the shade Peaches
Eyeshadows: Makeup Geek’s vanilla bean for brow bone highlight, Revlon Matte in the shade rich sable for the crease and outer corner and for the standout color I used NYX loose pearl pigment in the shade Rust ( I wet my brush a bit with MAC’s fix plus)
Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills brow wiz in the shade Dark Brown
Eyelashes: One coat of Too Faced Better than Sex mascara and on top a coat of Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes.
Lips: MAC lipstick in the shade Craving ( I dabbed it with my finger) topped it off with Gerard Cosmetics lipgloss in the shade Nude.

Here’s a closer look of the shadow

How vibrant does that cooper shade look? Utterly Obsessed!
Hope you all enjoyed this quick “tutorial” so to speak. Once again I will be working on putting out Video Clips so you can actually see what I am doing.

What are some of your favorite Holiday looks? Leave comments/requests down below!
Happy Holidays everyone!
-Gwen

“A Bloggers Thanksgiving”- Top 10 Things We Are Thankful For

Posted on November 27, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Things We are Thankful for by ari-pena featuring a deborah lippmann nail polish

As bloggers we are both inclined to always try new products or styles in order to consistently stay abreast of all the latest and greatest. Although we love shopping and reviewing new things, there are those constant tried and true items that will always be staples in our lives. Here are our top 10 items we are grateful exist in this world to make our lives just a bit more fulfilling.

Top ten things Ari & Gwen are grateful for this year-

Coconut Oil– I mean, no explanation needed! Not only can this be used on your hair but also skin, nails/cuticles, food the list goes on and on!
Dr. Scholls anything- From the inserts to the “fast flats” these products always save our tootsies from any emergency.
Pant/Skirt Hangers– Something so simple, yet it keeps skirts and pants wrinkle and indentation free (velvet ones also help reduce lines but these are preferable).
Lipstick– Any color, any finish, lipstick will always liven up your face and can be used in a pinch as blush as well.
Fast Dry Top Coats– Because who has time to wait for nails to dry?
Concealer– It helps us not look like zombies, covers and brightens like a dream!.
Bronzer– You can contour and carve yourself out an entire new face or simply add some glow, bronzer is where its at any season.
Scarves– Scarves galore! From thin to thick, infinity, patterned or even crotchet, scarves add an instant pop to any outfit. They also are functional keeping even the most coldest winds off your face and neck. Slip on a cool and cozy scarf and you’re ready to head out the door!
Tote Bags– Besides carrying an everyday purse, tote bags can serve as food storage, gym bags, diaper bags, extra night out clothes bag, you name it! .
Dry Shampoo– Last but certainly not least, when the world just dosent offer us the time to prep, Dry shampoo saves the day by taking away the shine on those non wash days.

All in all we are thankful for one another and our families and can’t wait to reunite for Christmas. Our blog is going in a great direction and we cannot wait to see what the future will bring.

Love Ari & Gwen