TJ Maxx Mini "Haul"

Sorry for my absence! Life has been a little hectic lately. I was up at school for the weekend to see some great friends and my boyfriend. It made me miss being up there! Anyways, I heard that TJ Maxx recently increased their beauty inventory and I went to take a look. I picked up (above, counterclockwise starting on the left) It's Green! Natural Solid Shampoo ($2), Fekkai Luscious Curls Cream ($9.99), bain de terre infinite hold flax seed finishing spray ($2) and Precision Beauty Eyelash Curler ($3.99). I needed to buy a new eyelash curler and this one came in a pretty cobalt blue shade. My family and I are taking a vacation next week to Colorado and this hair spray is airplane approved! I'm also really pumped to take the solid shampoo bar with me - I've been wanting to try one, but have been skeptical about solid shampoos. When I saw the price of this one I couldn't resist. I definitely need to get back to TJ's again -- I was THOROUGHLY impressed with their selection! I'm going to go read this month's Glamour while a storm rages on outside. Stay Pretty!!

Winner Takes All!

Left: Clinique Moisture Surge tinted moisturizer (shade 03)

Right: Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Perfector BB Cream (medium/deep)

I am ready to lay the SMACK DOWN on these two products! I heard all the buzz about BB Creams over the past few months and was really excited to see that a few drugstore brands had come out with their own (Maybelline, Garnier and L'Oreal). BB Creams, otherwise known as "Beauty Balms" are supposed to be a supreme tinted moisturizer. They are supposed to smooth, hydrate, cover imperfections flawlessly, protect skin, and perfect skin. I compared the two products (although Clinique does have their own BB Cream, I had this tinted moisturizer on hand). I'll compare the two, starting with Garnier:

Pro's: 

Hydrates REALLY well (I can totally skip a moisturizer)

Blends well 

Nice, build able coverage. 

No harsh smell

Really keeps skin smooth and soft

Spf 15

Cons:

Only available in two shades (light/medium, medium/deep)

Leaves my whole face really shiny

Here's the deal: The fact that only two shades are available works against this product. While it does blend well, the end result leaves my face looking slightly darker than the rest of me. For this reason, I have to use a bronzer to blend out my neck/chest area. This product is a great moisturizer, but it leaves my skin so shiny that I have to use pressed powder to matte it down. Those are really the only two points I have against it. Other than that, it is a nice make-up product and covers well.

Next up is Clinique! Pros:

Less is more - a little bit can go a very long way

Shade matches flawlessly

So easy to blend

spf 15

Very "natural" look

Cons: 

Can't really build up to full coverage (while I don't really care for full coverage, this may be a concern for some people)
hydrating, but a moisturizer underneath is suggested
Not the greatest staying power

Overall, I love this product. I have been using it for years and it is the perfect amount of coverage for someone like me. I never feel greasy when I have it on. Clinique's products always do wonders for my skin.

Personally, I don't understand the buzz about the BB creams. To me, they do the same thing that tinted moisturizers have been doing for years. While I do enjoy Garnier's BB Cream, I have to say that I will be sticking to Clinique's tinted moisturizer for years to come.

Fresh Face and Urban Decay

Todays face: Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer (shade 03),  Avon GLOW bronzing powder (P02 light bronze), Sephora light touch highlighter, Bobbi Brown creamy concealer (warm beige), Maybelline Color Tattoo by eye studio (bad to the bronze) and Clinique lash doubling mascara.

Today I'm headed off to the mall with my friends. I wanted a look that was simple and natural but still pretty enough for running errands!  A little bronzer and highlighter work wonders when paired together, and it allows you to totally forgo blush for a change-up. I also love the way Clinique's tinted moisturizer blends and hydrates simultaneously. I am one of those girls who has foundation-phobia and I HATE full coverage make-up. I always find myself coming back to this tinted moisturizer. A little goes a very long way in terms of coverage, and that's the way I like it. I just recently bought this creamy, bronze eyeshadow from Harmon and it works as a great, easy splash of color on my eyes when I want something simple. The color is perfect for brown eyes, but I can definitely see it warming up blues and greens. I can't wait to use it as a base with the colors in my new Urban Decay Naked Palette! I purchased it as a birthday gift for myself and it just came in yesterday :) I wanted use my favorite Sephora eyeliner, but I can't seem to find it. I'll have to pick one up when I'm at the mall today, even though I know it will turn up once I purchase a new one! I'm going to go enjoy the sunshine, stay pretty :) xoxo

Happy Birthday to ME!

This past weekend was super busy! Saturday was my 19th birthday, and I spent the day doing a little bit of shopping with my parents in PA and then drove up to surprise my boyfriend (his 21st birthday was sunday - so crazy how we're precisely two years apart!) A lot of people don't realize how much great shopping can be done in Pennsylvania. My parents and I love to go to the outdoor shops at the Promenade center in Saucon Valley. There are always unique boutiques along with more familiar brands. I grabbed this shirt at PacSun. I had been looking for one of these sweet, delicate tops for a while. This one ties in the front, comes in a lovely lilac shade, and has a interesting cut-outs on the back. I wore it last night to my birthday dinner at the Macaroni Grille with my friends. While in PA, I found a spa that was selling Aveda products!!! This made my day, as Aveda is one of my all time favorite hair brands (if not THE favorite) and I was so excited to purchase the Shampure shampoo and conditioner! It smells so refreshing and clean on my hair. I had such a nice time celebrating with Tyler this weekend and seeing all my friends! I'm going to replicate the "face" I wore last night to dinner in a post later before I head off to work. Until then, stay pretty :)

Recent Purchases - from Harmon!

As if I'm not enough of a beauty-nut already, I've been working at Harmon Beauty Discount since March of 2011. I go to school in Pennsylvania, and no one out there has ever heard of Harmon. This really upsets me, because I find Harmon to have THE greatest selection of drugstore beauty products (and they run special deals every month!) The company is owned by Bed Bath and Beyond, but only a few states have Harmon stores (NJ, FL, CT, CA, AZ, etc.) The one I work at happens to be a free standing store, but some are attached to BBB. ANYWAY, I always make a purchase whenever I'm at work. Over the past few weeks I have bought the products pictured above and have been using them regularly to test them out and see how they perform. I will be giving separate reviews on them in upcoming posts - I know there has been a lot of buzz about the BB creams and the EOS lip balms and I will be sure to give my two cents on those! Look for them in the following days. Until then, stay pretty :) xoxo

From Left to Right:
Maybelline Color Tattoo by Eye Studio 24hr eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze
L'Oreal Infallible eye shadow in Amber Rush
EOS lip balm in strawberry sorbet
L'Oreal Lineur Intense liquid eye liner in Black Mica
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Lovestruck
Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream in Medium/Deep

Getting Started

Hi! I'm Catherine, a college student from New Jersey who loves everything beauty related - hair, nails, accessories, and especially make-up. My love for all things pretty and girly started at a young age (I was always digging into my mom's make-up bag and smearing her lipsticks all over my face). I spend hours on end looking (more like obsessing) over different brushes and tools and palettes on the internet and loyally follow many beauty gurus on YouTube (I will give a shout out to some of them in future posts!). I've always been told I had an eye for aesthetics; I took many art courses in high school and still keep up with my hobby. In my past I've done make-up for friends, proms and such. Experimenting with new palettes and products is one of my favorite things to do - and I love to share my passion with those who feel the same! I hope you find my posts helpful, fun, and enjoyable! Now, let's get pretty :)