Kylie Lip Kit 

Hey there loves! It’s been a while since I’ve come on here to talk about a new product, that is until now! I ordered one of the Kylie Lip Kits a few weeks ago, gave it a test run and am now ready to share my thoughts. Well here goes…

I purchased the shade 22 which is a gorgeous brunt orangey-red. The formula is very pigmented, has a creamy consistency and dries quickly (which doesn’t give you much room for error). The kit also includes a lip liner which helps perfect the edges of your lips and provide an adhesive base for the liquid lipstick.

The lipstick wore well for the first 4 hours but I noticed a little bit of flaking in the center of my lips towards the last hour. I then went on to eat and drink checked back on how it looked and most of the color in the center was gone. Reapplying isn’t a deal breaker for me, as long as the product doesn’t look too cakey afterward (which it didn’t).

Pros: Color pay off, creamy texture & comfortable to wear.

Cons: Flaking, Price tag ($29 for .11 oz / 3.25 mil)

Although I would recommend the liquid lipstick (if you’re willing to hash out $29 for it) I wouldn’t necessarily purchase another one.

Here’s the link to 22 which is still available for purchase: 22 Lip Kit

Till next time,

Gwen, xx

The Estee Edit Review

Influenster has done it again! As some of you may know we are signed up to receive complimentary items from influenster in order to test and review them for our blog. For this week’s review we received goodies from the Estee Edit collection. Estee Edit is the spin off from the ever prominent brand Estee Lauder . Inspired by Estee and curated by varying guest editors this brand is trying to appeal to the younger generation and we’re not mad at it! The following items go as follows

Radiance Activator- Treat Prep Glow for Dryness and Dullness

Cons-

  • Shows up on my face glittery (not a finely milled shimmer)
  • Doesn’t provide moisture nor even out my skin tone or brighten
  • Priced at $55 I do not believe it is necessarily worth it

 Late Night Eraser Brightening Eye Balm with Pink Peony

Pros-

  • Metal tip provided instant soothing and cooling +the shape was contoured perfectly to fit under the eye

Cons-

  • Although it does brighten a lot, the micro pearls create a white cast on my dark circles. I don’t think this product is meant for darker skin. If you have pink undertones or your dark circles aren’t as severe than this may work best for you

 Metallishadow Crème + Powder

Pros-

  • The crème base is perfect to really ensure your color pops!
  • The color wild cosmos is highly pigmented and easy to blend

Inside Track Eye Kajal

Pros-

  • Super pigmented and glides on extremely smooth and silky
  • Perfect combination of colors!

 Overall I was a bit disappointed in the skin care products seeing as they are very pricey and didn’t necessarily deliver the anticipated results. The beauty/makeup products from the line seem to be a hit! Hope you guys enjoy this mini review, let us know if you would like swatches or looks done with these products in the comments below. The entire Estee Edit line is available at Sephora.

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XOXO- ARI

Marimekko for Target 

As some of you know Ari came up to NYC for a short weekend visit almost two weeks ago (boy does time fly). I took her to a bunch of cool places, ate some amazing food and snapped a couple of outfit shots for the blog.

Now I know I’m a tad bit late because these items are no longer available (don’t worry I’ve linked some equally cute sets down below) but I had been dying to take photos of this blue, black and white printed matching set that I bought in back in April. Marimekko collaborated with Target creating some amazing prints for homeware, clothing, swimsuits and accessories. I was also very happy to see that the clothing line included plus sized items. I purchased a matching set (which I am all for these days) the top in a 1x and the bottom in a xl at only $24.99 a piece. 

Now on to the review: Tops that are too boxy don’t normally suit my body type but this one has flexibility and isn’t too stiff. As for the shorts they are loose enough where you feel comfortable but they don’t stretch to the point where you feel like they’re going to fall off. Overall I love how this fits and would recommend it for other body types as well.

I paired this outfit with slide black sandals from Target which I got on sale for $16.99! Here’s a closer look… 

I hope you all enjoyed this outfit of the day. Stay tuned for the next outfit I’ll be sharing!

Here are some similar matching sets from Asos:

Ruffle Stripes

Top  Bottom

Pink Clove Printed

Top  Pencil Skirt

Target Slide Sandal

Till next time, 

xx, Gwen

Spring Forward 

It is technically Spring in the North East, although it seems as if winter wants to stick around a little bit longer. For the most part I enjoy wearing which ever color I fancy on my nails, but I do tend to stick to darker hues for the winter and lighter for the summer. Which is why I went ahead and dug up some of my favorite pastel colored nail polishes in lieu of the “warmer” weather. Check them out…

From left to right:

EssieBikini So Teeny (Periwinkle blue shade, with a slight shimmer)

Essie – Mint Candy Apple (Minty turquoise shade)

OPIYou’re such a Budapest (Periwinkle purple shade)

EssieA Crewed Interest (Light peach shade)

Barry M Coconut (Milky Off white shade)

All of thee Essie and OPI shades were purchased either online through Amazon.com or at local drugstores/beauty supply stores. The Barry M nail polish might also be available on Amazon, but I purchased mine in the UK.

  

These five shades are great spring staples and are muted enough to wear even at the office (except for the minty blue). Hope you enjoyed this quick post and please share down below what some of your favorite “springy” nail polishes are.

Until next time,

xx, Gwen

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Haircare Extraordinary Oil

L’Oreal is one of the tried and true OG brands for makeup and beauty items alike. With its classic packaging and solid reputation, you know you are getting good quality anytime you pop into your local drugstore and try one of their products. When we received this extraordinary oil hair care set, the experience was no different. This advanced hair care shampoo, conditioner, leave in crème and oil serum were sent by Influenster for testing purposes. At first I was hesitant seeing as not many products work well on curly hair. After its first use I knew it was a winner! This is great for the days when you are in need of a deep cleanse rather than just co washing. The leave in conditioner defined my curls while the serum helped to seal and lock all the moisture in.

Pros

Very light weight

Nourishing

Some curl definition

Delightful scent

Deep cleanse without over-stripping

 

Cons

Light weight- (this is also a pro depending on how much hold you are going for, it would be best to follow up with a heavier item for humid days)

Mainly great for a one day hair look (doesn’t last beyond for second or third day curls)

 

I would definitely repurchase this line in the future for the days when I need to start fresh from product buildup seeing as its cleansing and light weight. Here’s to #extraordinaryhair !

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First Day Curls

 

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Second day Curls

Kate Spade Agenda “Quick & Curious”

As you may or may not have guessed already, Kate Spade is my number one favorite contemporary women’s designer. Featured countless times here before, I love the way the brand merges modern feminine style with quirky and youthful pieces. The range of items is always classic yet with a fun twist. I knew for the start of Grad school I needed something to help keep me on track of my life and assignments and knew I could count on my favorite brand to deliver. I didn’t want just any old planner, but a distinctive one that would bring me some happiness on my many upcoming joyless nights I would be spent studying. I purchased the 2015-2016 planner with the quote “she is quick and curious and playful and strong”. I absolutely loved the color (although now I am worried about the wear on tear on this beautiful baby blue) and the quote really resonated with me and made me feel special. I printed out some pinterest art work based off of things I love and inspired by YouTube guru Summer Kellsey (New York, pin up girls, Paris, food etc) and proceeded to create a “theme” for each month. You can print your items on shipping labels to make for easier sticking or on regular paper as I did and just use glue to cut and paste the homemade stickers. I also incorporated some fun scrap booking elements that I always have stored from my scrap booking days (things like magazine cut-outs, glitter, and stickers). Have fun with this! You don’t have to decorate, it’s just as beautiful plain but I love the excitement it brings me to look at my “to do” list now that it’s all pretty. Links to the items can be found down below including our pinterest page where you can find some of the same graphics. Enjoy!

You will need:

  • Avery Shipping Labels- (only if you don’t wish to glue with regular glue)
  • Printer Paper
  • Scissors/ Glue
  • Odds and Ends that you find appealing to add (scrap book materials, photos etc.)

kate spade quick and curious agenda

My birthday month needed to be extra special! LEOS RULE!

My birthday month needed to be extra special! LEOS RULE!

"New York Minimalist"

“New York Minimalist”

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Each dividing month has an inspirational quote I love.

Each dividing month has an inspirational quote I love.

Use anything you'd like and get to decorating!

Use anything you’d like and get to decorating!

Kate Spade “Quick & Curious” Agenda
Avery Labels
Our Pinterest Page
Summer Kellsey Pinterest page

Toodles, Ari

YSL Vox Box Review

Luxury cosmetic brands are typically out of my reach seeing as I can’t justify spending the same amount on one thing versus being able to obtain more items (more is more people). In comes influenster! They have graciously sent over the YSL vox box including two brand new YSL cosmetic products to test out for our readers. Disclaimer* Although these items were sent for review, my opinions and thoughts are mine. To start off, the touche eclat blur primer serves many purposes. It can be used as a luxurious base for any foundation or alone to even out the skin tone on a makeup-less day.

Touche Eclat Blur Primer

               Pro’s                                                                                                              Cons
-Super velvety and smooth                                                         -Shimmer/Glitter is very visible worn alone
-Non-comedogenic                                                                    -Slight residue feeling
-Blurs imperfections and minimizes large pores

The second product sent over was the Touche Eclat Blur Perfector. This compact is meant to transform from a balm to a powder to soften the skinds imperfections, mattify and set makeup.

Touche Eclat Blur Pefector

       Pro’s                                                                                Cons
-Beautiful Packaging                     -Not great to initially set makeup with (I prefer a setting spray
-Universal for all skin-tones
-Minimizes pores
-Can be used for touch ups throughout the day
(not to initially set makeup)

 

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If I were to repurchase one item it would definitely be the perfector seeing as it doubles as a compact and works great for so many purposes.

Toodles, Ari

Mac “Stone” Lipstick

Having been a cult favorite for some time now, Mac cosmetics has finally come out with some of their signature lip pencils in lipstick form. The color “Stone” is a sexy matte greyish taupe brown that is so on trend right now! This color is muted on its own for everyday use or can be vamped up with some gloss on top for a sexy night transition. I personally would not wear it unless I had a full face just because it makes my skin tone look a little sickly on its own. With a nice highlight and blush, cat eye and bold lashes this lippie is sure to call everyone’s attention. Check it out on Mac’s website or try it on in store! Link down below.

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Mac “Stone” Lipstick

Toodles, Ari

Out with the old, in with the new Summer Fashion!

The unbearable summer heat has reared its ugly head and it has come at a particularly opportune time in my life. I am turning 26 this August and have been giving away or selling old gently used clothing that don’t fit my new aesthetic that I am trying to go for. No I am not giving up my crop tops for good (never gonna happen), but I am going for a more neutral palette in my wardrobe with sophisticated pieces that can transition in my different life roles easier. Some key pieces that one can invest in are a good pair of sunnies (to ward off the harmful rays), a long line loosely fitted tunic that can be paired a million ways, comfortable sandals and shorts that don’t scream twerkathon. This one is particular is hard for me seeing as my body shape does look better with tighter options. As we age I think the key is going for more tailored classic shapes that can complement our body types and shift the focus. I picked some summer items that inspired me below. What are some pieces you are looking to incorporate in your closet this summer? Comment down below!

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XOXO, Ari

Charlotte Tilbury 

Well, Well, Well guess who finally caved and bought some Charlotte Tilbury products. Yes you guessed it, little old me (Gwen). I have been wanting to try some of her products for about a year now but as you may or may not know they are pretty pricey. I am the kind of girl who will save her pennies for a few months and prance my way into a shop excited to bring some new goodies home.

On to the Brand, or shall I say the woman behind the brand. Charlotte Tilbury has been a makeup artist working in the fashion and beauty industry for over 20 years. She attended the Glauca Rossi school of makeup in London, took all of the tips and tricks she has learned and created her own line of skincare and cosmetics. Her products are loved by many celebrities as she often creates the looks for red carpet events and photo shoots. Well then on to what I purchased right?

I picked up the setting powder, blusher, concealer and lipstick. Below you’ll find further description of each product and my final thoughts. Also isn’t the packaging to die for? Such a sucker for anything rose gold!   The Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder is described as a breathable micro-fine powder with soft focus made to blur away lines and imperfections. It also has rose wax and almond oil which keep the skin hydrated. I have been testing this powder out for about two weeks now and I love the velvety texture of it. I also love how it is very lightweight and does not give that sort of caked on powdered look.

The Cheek to Chic swish and pop blusher is meant to provide a youthful flush of color on your cheeks. It has a creamy and buildable formula along with a light flex technology made to provide a luminous finish. I chose the shade Ecstacy and I feel it is a great peachy pink color, especially on sun kissed skin. It it suggested that your swirl your brush around the outer part of the blush blending it towards the temples of your cheek bones, you then pop the middle shade onto the apples of your cheeks (hence the name swish and pop).


The Retoucher Concealer is described to have ultra covering, and color correcting texture with a hydrating complex of black tea which provides moisture to the under eye area. It is also made with a lipo-siliconic compound made to create a natural veil of color blending seamlessly into the skin diminishing the look of lines and pores. I personally think it does a great job at illuminating the under eye area (if you like that Kim Kardashian sort of look as I do) but I have not noticed any of the other claims.

Matte Revolution lipstick is the last item I purchased in the shade “Red Carpet Red“. What’s really unique about this lipstick is the square shaped tip making it a bit easier for application as it mimics a lip brush. It is also infused with lipstick tree and orchard extract which keep your lips hydrated. It was also created with 3D glowing pigments which create the illusion of fuller and wider lips. As a self proclaimed lipstick lover I truly love the formulation of this lipstick. It wears well (for a good 5 hours with mild eating) it does not feel drying and the shade I chose is the perfect red!

Hope you all enjoyed this haul/review of my new found loves. If I had to choose two products out of the four as total must haves they would be the Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder and the Matte Revolution Lipstick. The Blusher and Concealer are products you could find from other inexpensive brands.

These along with her other products are available on her website Charlotte Tilbury . Although I  purchased my items at Selfridges in London because you are able to book an appointment and have a makeup artist apply the products before making your final purchase.

Till my next post,

xx, Gwen