March 2017 Favorites

Hello there my beautiful friends! I feel like it's been a million years since I've sat down and written a blog post, which just goes to show how much technology skews our perception of time. March was a bit of a crazy and stressful month for me out in the "real world", and to be honest, I just needed some time away from my computer to recharge my batteries. It's crazy the amount of guilt I feel for essentially giving myself a month off from my blog. There is so much pressure to post to social media every day, to write blog posts multiple times a week, to promote them, to read other people's content, to pin, to share, and to basically absorb every second of your free time in blog-related business. And quite frankly, home girl just wanted to read a book. To cuddle. To veg out on the couch and watch The Office entirely guilt-free.

The truth of the blogging world is that there is immense pressure to be on your A-game every moment of every day if you want even the smallest chance of making it big. Unlike a 9 to 5, the internet never sleeps and knows no difference between a Monday and a Saturday. The lines between "work time" and "me time" become so blurred that all time that isn't "work time" feels like wasted time. But, here in America anyway, burnout is a mark of dedication. If you aren't exhausting every fiber of your being you aren't deserving of success. Even though I know that sounds crazy, I'm also aware of how much I've been buying into that philosophy. Of course I'm willing to work hard, but at what cost? Where's the admiration for balance? For time spent connecting with others in the flesh?

Before I overstay my place here on this soapbox, let me just say that I love you guys, and I love chatting beauty with you. I love the brands that I've worked with, and so many of the awesome products that they've made. I love this space that I've created for myself and for you guys to learn and share and have some fun. My absence is definitely not for lack of desire to be a beauty blogger. Just a desire to rediscover the parts of me that have felt lost along the way.

SO, now that we've had our little heart-to-heart, let's lighten things up a little bit. Even though I've been a little less beauty-focused as per late, I've still discovered a few awesome products that I wanted to share with you all. Let me give you the scoop!

February 2017 Favorites

*Affiliate links/PR samples used.

Guys, I'm so excited to share this month's favorites with you I'm practically dancing out of my chair. 2017 has been off to the most amazing start beauty-wise, and it's got me more pumped to blog than ever. It's not like my passion for playing with product has ever really wavered, it's just that lately I've come across things that I'm genuinely loving so much that I find myself looking forward to doing my nightly skincare or putting on my makeup each morning. And of course, being the true enabler that I am, I can't wait to tell you about it all so you can fall in love right along with me!

January 2017 Favorites

Hello lovelies! It may be hard to believe, but it's already time to wrap up the first month of 2017! As far as beauty goes this year has been off to quite a start. Between an onslaught of new drugstore makeup launches, all the swag I took home from Gen Beauty, and whatever holiday deals I managed to scoop up at the end of December, I've got an almost overwhelming amount of new stuff to review. That being said, my January favorites are comparatively pretty modest. TBH, I'm pretty picky about what I choose to include in my monthly favorites round-ups. I only like to mention products that I've been using and loving consistently so I can be confident in my recommendations, and sometimes that means it can be a few months between when something hits my hands, and when I make a final verdict. Still, I think I've got some pretty exciting finds to share! If you're curious to learn more about what they are, keep on reading.

Best of Beauty 2016: Skin, Hair, Nails & More

*Affiliate links/PR samples used

Hey friends! This week we're saying goodbye to 2016 by taking a look back at some of the best beauty launches and discoveries from the past year. We've already covered the best of the best in makeup, and today we're chatting skincare, haircare, bath, body and more! Curious to find out what products made the cut? Keep on reading!

Best of Beauty 2016: Must-Have Makeup

I don't know about you, but I am SO ready to wrap up 2016. It's not that this was a bad year (although there were definitely some less than spectacular moments), it's just that I'm excited to wipe the slate clean and make 2017 my best blogging year to date. Looking back at where things were at this time in 2015 I honestly had no idea how much I would grow in 365 days, how many new friends I would make, or how many opportunities would come knocking on my door. This year I took my first swing at fashion blogging and got featured on the Stitch Fix website. I was accepted into Ipsy Open Studios and got to network with some fantastic ladies. I experienced my first Generation Beauty and was able to connect with so many amazing brands. I honestly feel so humbled by all of the love I received in 2016 and am so proud of myself for all the work I've put in to make my content better than ever. So with the prospect of a new year ahead I find myself totally geared up and ready to take on even more new adventures.

Of course, I shouldn't get too ahead of myself. 2016 deserves a proper send off with a final look back at all of my favorite beauty launches and discoveries of the past year. Since there were so many great products to talk about, I've decided to break things down into two posts. Today we're chatting all things makeup related - from beautifully blinding highlights, to the dreamiest of lipsticks. I've got my top picks for every category ready to go, and I can't wait to show you which ones came out on top!

November 2016 Favorites

Every time I sit down to write a monthly favorites post, I feel like a broken record. "This month went by so fast!", "Where did the year go?", "What am I doing with my life?!"

Okay, so maybe not so much the last one, but it's certainly also been on the brain.

Time does have a sneaky way of disappearing. I'm sitting here looking over all of the beauty I've been using in the last couple of months, and realize that I'm still backlogged on a ton of reviews that I want to write for you guys. AND there's still new stuff coming in. Basically, if you want to be a beauty blogger, you have to be willing to hustle hard. Getting to play with makeup and skincare and whatnot is awesome, but I can totally appreciate how some people do this as a full time job. It takes work, man, and most days 24 hours do not seem like enough.

ANYWAY, I'm distracting myself. Let's get back to the matter at hand - all of the beauty I was loving on last month. As the winter starts to creep ever closer I've been all about products that will keep me soft and smooth from head to toe. Curious to find out more? Keep on reading!

What I'm Thankful For: Beauty Edition

So, this post comes along with a bit of a funny story. Maybe funny not funny in the "ha ha" sense, but funny in the "I see what you're doing there, universe" kind of way. I woke up yesterday morning feeling energized and productive, which was fortunate because my to-do list for the day was pretty ambitious. I had hoped to get my Thursday video done earlier this week, but between life and sheer exhaustion, it just never happened. That left me Thanksgiving morning to shop a few sales, beautify myself, film, edit, and make Deviled eggs all in time to meet my parents at 1:00. I was a little nervous that I would end up scrambling around at the last second, but I actually was making great time all day. There I am, feeling like a boss, putting on my eyeshadow with hours to spare and BAM.

The power goes out.

October 2016 Favorites

Is it just me, or is 2016 passing by at an alarmingly fast rate? Even though fall is almost two months underway, I'm still very much in denial that it's not still summer. I need to wear gloves now? Like, what? Thanksgiving is three weeks away? I...I don't understand what is happening here.

In all seriousness, these past couple of months have been a whirlwind, albeit an exciting one. I've been working extra hard in the last month to keep to my consistent Sunday and Thursday YouTube schedule, and my channel is growing beyond my expectations. In mid-October I finally hit my 500 subscriber goal, and by the 31st I'd grown to over 700. I am SO appreciative of every single person that reads my posts and watches my videos. In case you haven't noticed, I am a giant nerd for all things beauty, and knowing there are people out there who find all of my random musings and tips and tricks helpful is kind of the best feeling. So THANK YOU for being here, and for sharing my passion with me. If we want to talk about favorites, you all are really at the top of my list.

I know, I know. I'm getting all mushy on you guys. I can't help myself from being a big ol' softie. But before I derail myself completely, let's get back to the subject at hand. There were a TON of products that I fell in love with in October (several of which will probably come as no surprise) and I can't wait to share them with you!

September Favorites

September, where the heck did you go?? Last month was a bit of a whirlwind for me, but it was honestly one of the best I've had in a long time. I got to go on my first international vacation, got to attend my first Generation Beauty event, and have been feeling better about my content here at Little Blushing Birdie than ever. I feel like my brain is bursting with inspiration and I'm truly so excited to share all of my ideas and opinions with you guys.

But before I get ahead of myself, let's give September a proper send-off by recapping some of my favorite beauty discoveries from the last month. Many of these were products I scored at Gen Beauty and haven't been able to put down since. So, get yourself nice and cozy, grab your cup of tea, and let's chat September faves.

August 2016 Faves & Updates

Hello lovelies! I woke up this morning with the sudden realization that it's significantly darker out when my alarm goes off at 6 am. The long, sunny days of summer are mostly behind us, and while I'm all about fall, I'm also pretty unhappy about feeling like a zombie before work every day. Maybe I need one of those alarm clock lights that mimic the rising sun...

Anyway...you're here to chat beauty (not just to hear me lament the end of my favorite season)! I tried to reel in my shopping in August, knowing that I'm going to Generation Beauty in New York later this month. Words cannot express how excited I am to spend an entire weekend reveling in all things beauty (really though, I feel like a kid waiting for Christimas). So, in the spirit of trying to keep things under control and to make room for lots of epic GenBeauty swag, I've kept things pretty minimal in the last month. Curious to see what made the cut? Keep reading to find out!

The Ride or Die Makeup Tag: Holy Grail Favorite Products

So today's post is a bit of an impromptu one. I'm not normally one to get sucked into the hype of YouTube challenges and tags, but considering how much I a. love Jaclyn Hill, and b. love talking about makeup, I really couldn't resist. Her energy is so infectious, and pretty much immediately after watching her video I found myself planning to film my own take on the tag.

If you're feeling a little lost, Jaclyn posted a video last week creating a "Ride-or-Die" makeup tag, encouraging everyone out there to share their holy grail, tried-and-true, all-time favorite makeup products of life. A ton of other beauty gurus have joined in on the fun (you can see Tati's video here) and it's been really interesting to see how different (or in some cases similar) everyone's responses have been.

As a word of warning, today's video is a particularly chatty one. With so many products to talk about, and so much love to be shared, I think I got a little carried away. But, if you're still curious to find out what my ride-or-die favorites are, and don't mind hanging out with me for a little bit, keep on reading!

June 2016 Favorites

Hello lovelies! It's time for another round of monthly favorites. Every time I sit down in front of the camera I feel like a broken record. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was saying the same things? How is it that every month seems to fly by, and yet certain days can feel like an eternity. Oh life and your many mysteries. I probably shouldn't try to understand.

Anyway, enough philosophy. It's time to talk beauty. This month I have a small collection of goodies to share, many of which you've probably seen me chat about in these parts already. A gorgeous eyeshadow palette, an orange blush that I became unexpectedly enamored with, THE perfect nude lip balm...you guys know what I'm talking about. But if you'd like to hear more, keep on reading.

May Favorites

Hello there, friends! May has been a bit of a crazy month for me, and I know I haven't been as active around these parts as I would like to be. It's not for lack of things to share. I've got A TON of posts queued up, waiting for me to make time to finish them. My hope is that I'll be able to get my butt in gear over the next couple of days and get down to blogging business. On that note, if you aren't already subscribed to Little Blushing Birdie by e-mail, it's the best way to get notified whenever I post something new. It'll deliver a snippet straight to your inbox so you can remember to check it out whenever you've got the time.

Anyway, back to the reason your here! There are a few great products I've been playing with this month that I'm excited to share with you all. Truthfully I've been using a lot of the same things I've been loving from the past couple of months (the IT Cosmetics CC Cream is life), so if you really want a clearer picture of my beauty loves, I'd recommend looking back at my previous favorites posts from this year. But as any beauty junkie knows, there's always something new to talk about. So let's get to it!

April 2016 Favorites

As the months of the year roll by, April usually isn't one of any real significance. Yes, spring is here, but for the most part everything is still very brown, and the weather isn't all that wonderful, and nothing particularly exciting is going on. This year, though, April was fantastic. Blogging-wise I've had my best month to date. I was featured by Stitch Fix, gave my blog design a fresh face (and took on some serious coding challenges to do so), and got more pageviews than any month in the past three years. Even if Little Blushing Birdie is still a pretty small-time deal, I feel like I've come a long way from where I started.

April was also a great month for beauty. I've hauled and tried a ton of new products since March and can't wait to share the best of the best with you all. So enough of me rambling, let's get into it!

March 2016 Favorites

Here we meet again for another monthly favorites post. As I've gotten older I think time seems to pass faster than ever. How has the first quarter of 2016 already gotten past us? Anyway, I've got a nice little collection of products to share with you all this month. For the most part my beauty routine hasn't changed a ton. Most of the products I shared in January and February are still part of my daily rotation. I've done some serious beauty shopping in the last month (Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty may be partially responsible), so I expect that April will bring lots of new and exciting things to share. Anywho, let's move on to this month's faves!

February Favorites 2016

We've found our way to the end of yet another month, which means its time to talk about the best beauty products I've been using in the past couple of weeks. I'm still pretty hooked on a lot of what I was using in January, so you should definitely check out that post as well if you haven't already. Still, there are always new loves, discoveries, and rediscoveries to talk about, and I've got quite a few of them to share!

January 2016 Favorites

It's hard to believe, but the first month of 2016 has already come and gone! It's been a bit of a whirlwind, and I've been trying a TON of new and awesome products. Here are some of the ones that I think you guys definitely need to check out!

Best of 2015 Beauty: Skincare, Hair, Nails and More

And we're back with part two of my favorite beauty products of 2015! Today we're going to chat about all things non-makeup related - from haircare to skincare, to perfume and nail polish. Throughout the year I tried A LOT of makeup, so I could very comfortably pick a favorite from each product type, but when it comes to skincare and such I tend to experiment a little less. So, rather than try and come up with a favorite for each category (best hairspray, best serum, etc.) I just decided to round up my absolute best discoveries from the last year. Perhaps some of these products will have your mutual love, or maybe you'll find something new to try in 2016!

Best of 2015 Beauty: My Makeup Picks

Happy New Year! It's hard to believe, but 2016 is already here. It's amazing how quickly 12 months can fly by and all of a sudden its January again. While 2015 was a relatively low key year for me in my personal life, I feel like it was pretty exciting for me blog-wise. I started out my first affiliate partnerships, revamped my YouTube channel, worked with some great brands, and tried SO. MANY. PRODUCTS. I wrote 171 posts (that's more than the two previous years combined!), totally revamped my site design, and have finally started to figure out this whole social media thing. In the end, blogging is definitely a labor of love, but I couldn't be happier about investing my time and energy into creating this space that I can share with all of you. I've got so many plans and goals for the coming year, and hope that you'll all be up for joining me on that journey.

But, before we get to ahead of ourselves, I want to give 2015 a proper send off. I've spent the last few weeks rifling through my cabinets, digging through my drawers, and perusing my old blog posts to come up with an epic list of my most favorite beauty products from the past year. For a moment I considered making one short list encompassing my best-of-the-best products, only to quickly realize that it's kind of impossible to just pick one favorite makeup or skincare item from the hundreds that I've tried. So instead, I offer you this. Over the next few days I'll be sharing my best beauty discoveries of 2015, with each post focusing on a particular group of products. So let's start things right by talking about everyone's favorite beauty addiction - makeup.

December 2015 Favorites

It's hard to believe the final month of 2015 is already almost over! With all of the hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas the weeks have seriously flown by, although I have definitely managed to still have my fair share of experimenting with fun new beauty products. Today I've got a round up of 10 goodies that I have been absolutely loving as per late and would highly, highly recommend you check out.